Kelsey was surprised but then nodded. “I guess that was to be expected. The two of them have always been very close. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
“Should I talk to them?”
“Probably; just be careful what you say. Jeremy and I were once in the same position only we were a little older.”
“We’re going to stay on board the Liberator for tonight,” said Katie as she came over to see what Angela and Kelsey were discussing. “I think Jeremy is going to run over to the New Horizon and check on the loading of evacuees and then he’ll come back. That will give us more time to talk to the kids before Grayseth arrives. Clarissa also informed us there’s plenty of food on the ship including hamburgers for Kevin.”
Kelsey grinned. “Did you ask Mathew if he liked hamburgers?”
Katie shook her head. “I was afraid to.”
“Then let’s move everyone to the commons area. We still have a lot of catching up to do.”
-
Admiral Grayseth watched the viewscreens as the Hunter emerged from hyperspace near the large battlestation in the anomaly system.
“We’re here,” reported First Officer Rastell. “The rest of the fleet is exiting from hyperspace around us.”
“I have Rear Admiral Lance on the comm,” added the communications officer. “She wants to know how long before we launch the rescue mission.”
“Fourteen hours,” replied Grayseth. “That will give the crews time to check out their ships and get some rest before we make the transit.”
On the viewscreen, a number of dreadnaughts were now visible. Grayseth knew the probability of all of them coming back was very low.
“All military AIs are checking their weapon systems,” confirmed Thomal, the ship’s main military AI. “We expect weapons to be at 100 percent efficiency when we engage the Creevak. System checks should be finished within two hours.”
“Will our energy screens stop their silver energy beam?” asked Rastell.
“Our older dreadnaughts were able to resist for a short time with their energy screens and ours, with our dark matter converters, are much more powerful. They should be able to hold up longer.”
Grayseth looked at the two. “We’ll have to fight a major battle against the Creevak before we can even attempt the rescue.”
“One more thing to keep in mind,” said Hamore Donne. “There is a six to one time dilation where the battlestation is currently. For every hour that passes there six will pass for our war fleet. Consider the amount of time it will take us to drop through the gravity well of the black hole plus the time it will take to rescue everyone off the station and then return. We are looking at slightly over a full day passing from the time we leave the fleet until we make it back to it. They will have to hold out against any Creevak attacks during that time period without the help of the Hunter.”
“I expected that,” replied Grayseth. “We will destroy all of the Creevak ships currently in the safe area between the two black holes. As we make our way to the battlestation, the fleet will take up a defensive formation blocking any Creevak vessels from preventing our return.”
“Let’s hope that’s enough,” replied Donne. “We have no idea how quickly the Creevak can rush reinforcements to the black holes.”
“Can we add our power to the battlestation to enable it to keep its energy shields up?” Grayseth knew this would be necessary in order to get everyone off.
Donne nodded. “It will put some stress on our own power systems but we’ve installed some fail-safes to protect the dark matter converters. If there’s too much stress on the converters the fail-safes will cut the power to the battlestation’s energy shields.”
Grayseth looked concerned as his large brown eyes grew even wider. “What happens to us if the energy shield fails?”
“Even if the fail-safes kill the power to the battlestation’s shields, the shields should stay up for fifteen or twenty minutes before they fail.”
“Let’s hope that does not happen,” commented Rastell. “That would be cutting everything very close.”
Grayseth stood up and looked over at Rastell. “I’m going to my quarters for a while. Let me know when all the system checks have been completed on every ship.” Grayseth wanted to get as much rest as possible before they made the transit into the Creevak universe. He knew once the Hunter made the transit sleep might not be practical.
-
Jeremy was in the Command Center of the battlestation watching the tactical display intently. From what Jason and Angela had told him, Grayseth should be making his transit into the Creevak universe sometime in the next several hours.
“How’s the loading of personnel on the New Horizon going?” asked Rear Admiral Jones.
“It’s finished. All the hatches are closed and the ship is ready to exit the battlestation.”
“How was the visit with the kids?”
Jeremy grinned. “I didn’t realize how much I missed Jason until I talked to him. They’ve all worked so hard to get into the fleet and design the Liberator.”
“I had several engineers visit the Liberator and talk to their engineers about the dark matter converters. If we had those we could move this battlestation away from the black hole.”
“Is there any possibility we could still do that?”
Rear Admiral Jones shook his head. “No, it would be a massive project. We’d have to install the dark matter converters as well as run new power lines throughout the station. If we had a year or two we could possibly do it. Even then it would be questionable.”
“Did you hear what Fleet Admiral Tolsen did to the Eternals’ home galaxy?”
Jones nodded. “Yes, Camlin told me. We might finally be looking at the end of the war.”
Jeremy had also been pleased to hear Race was now fleet admiral. It made Jeremy realize this time he might actually get to spend considerable time at the Dyson sphere with his family. No doubt Kelsey would really enjoy that.
-
Grayseth had his fleet ready to transit to the Creevak universe. Twenty dreadnaughts would go through first followed by the Hunter and then the remaining one hundred dreadnaughts would make transit.
“Are we ready?” asked Grayseth from his command chair.
“We are ready,” replied First Officer Rastell. “We will go on your command.”
Grayseth took a deep breath. It was finally time to rescue his clan brother. “Order the first group of dreadnaughts through. We will wait five minutes after they have transited and then we will follow. The rest of the fleet will wait five minutes and then follow us.”
“To the hunt!” roared First Officer Rastell.
“To the hunt!” replied Grayseth.
-
In space, the first twenty dreadnaughts accelerated ahead and then activated their intradimensional space drives. In moments all twenty vessels had vanished from their universe.
“Start the clock,” ordered Grayseth, sensing the tension and excitement in the Command Center.
He watched as the clock counted down and it was time for the Hunter to make the transition. “Lexi, take us through.”
Almost instantly Lexi’s hands flew across her control console and the Hunter accelerated. Then, with a wrenching sensation, it began its transit into the Creevak universe.
-
On board the battlestation, alarms began sounding as warships began to appear close to where the former anomaly was.
“We have ships transiting into the Creevak universe,” reported one of the sensor officers. “Ships are confirmed to be Originator dreadnaughts.”
“How many?” asked Jeremy, feeling his shoulders tense up.
“Twenty so far, they’re moving away from their transit point and forming up into a wedge formation.”
Rear Admiral Jones looked up at the tactical display. “I thought Grayseth was bringing one hundred and twenty dreadnaughts plus this juggernaut ship.”
“He will,” replied Jeremy. “This is the advance guard we
’re seeing. Its mission would be to clear any Creevak ships near the transition point.”
“Creevak ships are changing formation,” reported one of the other sensor officers. “They’re starting to orientate toward the dreadnaughts.”
Jeremy studied the tactical display. “How long before the Creevak reach the dreadnaughts?”
“Not for a while, They’re holding their position. I believe they are going to wait for the dreadnaughts to come to them.”
A few more minutes passed and then a massive green icon appeared.
“That must be the juggernaut,” said Rear Admiral Jones.
“Twenty kilometers of firepower,” said Jeremy. “That is the Hunter, Admiral Grayseth’s command ship.”
Rear Admiral Jones smiled. “I can’t believe Race made Grayseth an admiral.”
“Knowing Grayseth, he probably didn’t give Race a choice.”
“The Hunter is moving up to the dreadnaughts.”
On the main tactical display, they watched the juggernaut sidle up to the wedge of dreadnaughts and then onward until it took up a position at the apex of the formation. Everything seemed to be in fast motion due to the time dilation delay. For ever three minutes that passed for Grayseth’s fleet six minutes passed on the battlestation.
“More ships are transiting.”
“That will be the rest of the fleet,” said Jeremy, folding his arms across his chest, anxious to see the results of Grayseth’s meeting with the Creevak.
-
Grayseth waited for the rest of his fleet to join him and added them to a larger wedge shaped formation with the Hunter still at the apex.
“Energy shields are at maximum and weapons are ready to fire,” reported Thomal. “All ships are at Condition One and waiting for your order to engage.”
Grayseth showed his large incisors as he prepared to initiate the hunt. “Take us in. Weapons free. Fire as soon as we’re in range.”
The fleet suddenly lunged forward, aiming for the heart of the waiting Creevak fleet.
-
Jason was in the Liberator along with the rest of his command crew. Sensor readings were being passed on from the Command Center of the battlestation.
“My father is here,” announced Braleseth with pride. “He has come for his clan brother.”
“They’re outnumbered by nearly seven to one,” added Mathew as he watched the tactical display.
“But all of those dreadnaughts and the juggernaut are armed with the blue energy sphere projectors and they have the dark matter converters. They’re much more powerful than any of our warships the Creevak have encountered before,” said Layla.
Clarissa came rushing into the Command Center. “They’re here!”
“Grayseth’s about to engage,” said Jason, pointing to the tactical display.
Clarissa came and stood by Jason’s side. “We will know shortly how this battle is going to go.”
-
On board the New Horizon, Kelsey, Katie, Angela, and Kevin were all watching the tactical display.
“Grayseth’s dreadnaughts are the most advanced ever built,” explained Angela. “The same for his juggernaut.”
“Contact in six minutes,” called out Captain Reynolds.
Kathryn nodded. She felt helpless as all she could do was watch. The next few minutes would determine if the rescue was going to happen or fail. She leaned forward in her command chair feeling the tension around her. Everyone was watching Grayseth’s fleet as it neared the Creevak vessels.
-
Kelsey could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest. In a few minutes she would know if they were going to get to go home or not. She wished Jeremy was here with her.
“Engagement range!” called out Captain Reynolds.
Kelsey watched the screen intently. This was it!
“Weapons fire detected!”
Everyone seemed to be holding their breath waiting to see what happened.
-
In space, Grayseth’s fleet opened fire with its blue energy sphere projectors. The battle to rescue his clan brother and the others stranded in the battlestation had begun.
Chapter Thirteen
As soon as Grayseth’s ships opened fire with their blue energy sphere projectors the Creevak fleet surged forward, trying to come within range of their weapons.
“They’ve seen the blue energy spheres before,” commented First Officer Rastell.
“The New Horizon was equipped with the projectors,” replied Grayseth. He could see dozens of Creevak vessels stricken by the deadly spheres. Already they were turning the areas where they had attached to the hulls into black space dust. “So is the battlestation.”
“Enemy’s firing!” warned the sensor officer. “They are firing their red energy beams. I’m also detecting missile launches.”
Watching the viewscreens, Grayseth saw them light up with massive explosions. “What type of missiles are those?” He was certain they were not dark matter.
“Antimatter and fusion,” replied Thomal. “Our fleet is now firing dark matter missiles and energy beams.”
Alarms sounded on several consoles.
“Missile impacts,” reported Thomal. “Shields are holding at 98 percent. All weapons are now in action.”
-
In space, the Creevak were continuing to close the range between the two fleets. The fleet’s battlecruisers were in the lead followed closely by the battleships. For the time being the battlecruisers were acting as shields to protect the larger warships from the deadly blue spheres.
Several red energy beams struck the shield of a dreadnaught and failed to penetrate. Massive antimatter explosions rolled across its energy shield and still the shield held. Silver energy beams began to strike and in several locations the shield flared up in brightness as it struggled to maintain its cohesion.
More silver energy beams and missiles arrived, knocking a small hole in the shield allowing a silver energy beam to strike the hull armor. A small explosion ripped the hull open and the beam penetrated deeper. An antimatter missile darted through the opening and exploded in the hole created by the energy beam. In a blazing explosion of released energy the dreadnaught broke in two. The shield died and red energy beams riddled the two sections, leaving them without power and lifeless.
-
“We just lost a dreadnaught,” reported the sensor officer. “Its shields were overloaded in one small area allowing the Creevak to hit the ship with an energy beam and an antimatter missile.”
Grayseth frowned. It was early in the battle and he had not expected to lose a dreadnaught so soon. “All ships are to increase their weapons fire to the maximum. I want those Creevak vessels destroyed!”
-
In space, dozens of Creevak warships were being turned into black space dust. Massive dark matter explosions were tearing other ships apart leaving glowing wreckage scattered across the slot. The battle intensified as the two fleets drew nearer.
The shields on a Creevak battleship were knocked down leaving the vessel’s hull exposed to weapons fire. Energy beams and missiles slammed into the ship’s hull. One of its massive spires was torn loose to drift away, its hull riddled with weapons fire. An antimatter missile struck the central part of the ship leaving a deep glowing crater. Then a dark matter missile detonated in the crater blowing the ship into a million pieces.
The dreadnaught Thunder was under attack by over a dozen Creevak warships. Its energy shield was glowing brightly from the stress of the attack. Explosions rolled across its energy shield as red and silver energy beams played across the wavering shield seeking a weakness.
In the Command Center of the dreadnaught, alarms were sounding as weapons fire began penetrating the shield.
Commander Jarseth looked across his Command Center seeing calm. This was the hunt and if they were destined to embark on the Great Hunt today then they would accept their destiny. “Shift more power to the shields,” he ordered.
“We’ll have t
o take it from weapons,” the tactical officer replied.
“Do so,” ordered Jarseth. “We can still fire our missiles. Target those ships which are attacking us. Perhaps we can reduce the stress on the shields.”
More power was shifted to the energy shields as the Creevak attack increased. Additional enemy ships were now targeting the Thunder.
A silver energy beam suddenly penetrated a weakening section of the energy shields and slammed into the bow of the vessel. More alarms sounded as the ship shook from the impact.
“We’ve lost our bow weapons,” reported the damage control officer. “We have several fires burning in compartments near the stricken area. We also have six compartments open to space.”
“Open those burning sections to space. Let the vacuum of space put them out.”
“We still have a few crewmembers in those compartments,” protested Yantz, the ship’s second in command.
“Order them out. But those fires must be contained.”
The ship shook again as several more energy beams passed through the shields, striking the ship. Jarseth thought he could hear explosions in the distance. On the damage control console additional red lights glared indicating severe damage to the Thunder.
On the ship’s main viewscreen, one of the Creevak battlecruisers targeting the Thunder suddenly blew up. However, the weapons fire did not lessen.
“We’re losing power,” warned Yantz, his large brown eyes focusing on the commander. “The ship has suffered too much damage.”
Jarseth leaned back in his command chair as he took a deep breath. On one of the smaller viewscreens, the Hunter was visible. It was wading into the front of the enemy fleet, its every weapon firing. Around it a virtual firestorm of destruction was encompassing the Creevak vessels.
“Grayseth goes to rescue his clan brother,” Jarseth said with pride. We have served our people well and with honor.”
The ship shook violently and the lights dimmed.
“We go to the Great Hunt,” said Jarseth solemnly. “It has been my honor to serve as your commanding officer.”
Suddenly a bright light filled the Command Center and the Thunder died. Its crew had gone to the Great Hunt where all Carethian warriors went upon death.
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