Conflict Unending
Page 24
“Grayseth sounds intriguing,” said Alora. “I must meet him when I have the chance.”
Brenda could not help but grin. “Grayseth is a very imposing figure; even a little frightening until you get to know him.”
“I am concerned about how long it is taking to awaken our people in stasis and particularly how long it seems to be taking to find the other hidden stasis facilities. Every day we delay more of our people are dying in their chambers. Most of our facilities were not designed to function this long. I am surprised the failure rate is not even higher.”
A grave looked passed over Councilor Bartoll’s face as well. “It was the Defenders of Zorn. Somehow they managed to transmit a signal to all the hidden facilities ordering the computers not to initiate awakening of any stasis chambers until a manual code is entered into the primary computer. We’re not completely certain how they accomplished this or even how they knew where the facilities were located.”
“It’s also taking us time to locate the stasis facilities,” explained Brenda. “Each facility we open leads us to others. I wish we knew where they were all located so we could get to them faster.”
Councilor Metrecs frowned. “I think I can help with that. On the Communications and Transport Hub, there is a concealed Control Center with the location of all the hidden facilities. Its primary computer is also linked to all of the hidden sites. I would guess the Defenders of Zorn managed to find this center and use it to transmit the orders for the facilities not to be activated when word of the cure was broadcast. The facility will have a list with the location of all hidden stasis locations.”
Councilor Bartoll’s eyes widened. “Do you know where this Control Center is located?”
“Yes,” replied Aldon. “Toward the end the secret of its location was given to all the surviving councilors. If you can take either of us to the Communications and Transport Hub we can show you.”
“You’ll both be going there as we’ve made it the center of our operations. It is also the most heavily defended part of Originator space. As soon as all of our people have been successfully awakened we will establish a new Originator Council to better rule over the Shrieels and galaxies we control. As the most advanced race it is up to us to protect all of the civilizations in those galaxies, particularly since the Eternals were once Originators.”
Alora’s eyes lit up. “I always dreamed of us taking a guiding hand in those galaxies. There is so much we have to offer.”
“That is still in the future,” said Councilor Bartoll. “We have much to accomplish before we can begin doing that.”
Brenda took a deep breath. She had spoken with General Wesley earlier and had questions to put to the two Originator Councilors. “I have some questions about the Eternals in stasis and what you discovered about the mechanical nanites their bodies are infested with. We are particularly interested in the shutdown procedure.”
“We were expecting that,” Councilor Metrecs replied. “Be aware the mechanical nanites the Eternals now have in their bodies are probably far more advanced than the ones we learned to shut down. We might need several current Eternals to see if the shutdown process will still work or if it needs to be modified.”
Brenda frowned. She had not been expecting to learn they needed to capture some living Eternals. That might prove difficult.
Councilor Bartoll spoke up. “If we’re actually considering doing this I suggest we construct a suitable holding facility in one of the galaxies away from any Shrieel or our fleet bases. I don’t want to risk the Eternals gaining access to any of our current weapons technology.”
“The blue energy spheres,” said Metrecs in understanding. “I assume they are quite effective against Eternal warships.”
Bartoll nodded. “Yes; they have no defense. The spheres go right through Eternal energy shields.”
“You haven’t put them on any warships, have you?” asked Alora. “It would be a disaster if that weapon fell into enemy hands.”
“The only ship which has the blue energy spheres is the Dominator. It’s so powerful not even the Eternals want any part of it. However, we have a new weapon based on dark energy that is nearly as effective. It too can penetrate Eternal energy screens and is being placed on all of our new dreadnaughts.”
Councilor Metrecs looked curious. “I have studied the new dreadnaughts being built in our shipyards. They are quite impressive.”
“We had no choice,” replied Councilor Bartoll. “The battlecruisers of the Eternals are four kilometers in length and armed with extremely powerful energy cannons.”
Brenda looked at the two councilors. “I will inform General Wesley it might be necessary to capture some living Eternals. How many would be necessary?” Brenda had no idea how they would go about capturing such a dangerous enemy combatant.
“Six to ten,” replied Alora. “We would need a good cross-section of the types of mechanical nanites the Eternals are currently using. If we are seriously considering doing this, I would also recommend we awaken the scientists and technicians who conducted the original experiments as it will take some time for them to fully recover from the effects of the pathogen.”
Brenda let out a deep breath. She wasn’t sure how this could be done but it wasn’t her problem. She would inform General Wesley of what Alora said and see where it went from there. “I’ll make the arrangements to awaken the necessary Originators as soon as possible. I just need their names so we can find their stasis chambers.”
Bartoll handed Alora a small handheld computer which she used to input a number of names. When she was done she handed it over to Brenda.
Brenda looked down, seeing Alora had input over twenty names.
“There are more but these were the primary scientists involved. They can tell you who else will be needed. I should warn you the primary scientist, Reull Alistar, is quite egotistical and not easy to work with. I would suggest finding one of our people to be the go between, preferably one who can deal with people such as Alistar. He is also quite brilliant.”
“Jankel,” suggested Brenda, looking over at Councilor Bartoll. “He would be perfect for this job.”
Councilor Bartoll nodded his head in agreement. “I believe you are right. I’ll speak to him as soon as I return to the Hub.” He then looked over at Cynthia who had been hovering in the back of the room, keeping an eye on her patients. “How soon before they can travel back to the Communications and Transport Hub?”
“Another week,” Cynthia replied. “Even then I want a medical specialist with them at all times.”
“Very well,” Bartoll replied. “I need to get back immediately and speak to Fleet Admiral Strong, General Wesley, and Governor Barnes. Suitable transport will be made ready in one week to transport the two councilors.” Bartoll knew if the two councilors could provide the locations to all the hidden stasis facilities, they were going to need more Altons and Humans brought to the Hub from the Federation as soon as possible. It was time to send larger convoys of transports.
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Later Major Wilde was back in the underground stasis facility. Faboll was busy at the computer terminal locating the stasis chambers of the twenty Originators on Alora’s list.
“They are all together,” Faboll reported after a few minutes. “According to the information on the computer database all twenty of them are well advanced in terms of the pathogen. They must have worked until the very last minute on the nanites.”
“They were dedicated,” Dazon said. “They believed they were on the verge of finding a possible cure.”
“But how many of our people would have been willing to allow mechanical nanites to be injected into their bodies?” said Marisa. “Our aversion to such a procedure may still have doomed our race.”
“It does not matter now,” Brenda said. “We have an organic cure which is quite effective.”
Leeda stepped over to Faboll, examining the list he had called up on one of the computer screens. “I’ll have these stasis chambers tak
en to the medical center immediately. I would also suggest doing the same with the ones near these twenty. There may be others working on this project Alora did not include on her list. It is reasonable to believe they all went into stasis at nearly the same time.”
“Councilor Roan said there were,” said Brenda.
Faboll did some quick checking examining several more computer files. “Leeda is correct; there are nearly two hundred stasis chambers that were activated within forty hours of one another. I would guess all the scientists and technicians working on this project were put into stasis at the same time. Probably the lead scientists became too ill from the pathogen and as a result there was no longer any reason to continue the project. Do we want to awaken them all?”
Brenda nodded. “I would also suggest that Cynthia scan all of the Originators in this facility for any trace of mechanical nanites before they’re given the cure. There is reason to suspect a few Originators may have volunteered to be test cases.”
“I will inform Cynthia,” Leeda replied. “I’ll accompany the stasis chambers to the medical facility and make sure she is informed of your concern.”
Brenda watched as Leeda left the Control Room to get some of the repair robots to remove the chambers. A number of large cargo flyers were waiting above. Brenda hoped she was wrong about the Originator scientists experimenting on live subjects but she had a strong suspicion she wasn’t. They had been desperate and desperate people often take measures which in normal times would have been unthinkable.
Chapter Eighteen
Jeremy let out a deep breath as the Avenger and her fleet exited the large intergalactic vortex in the Dyson Sphere. The fleet rapidly gained altitude until they were hovering twenty thousand kilometers above the surface. On the viewscreens, the large habitation squares below them were plainly visible. White puffy clouds were floating over large areas and even a few oceans could be seen. It was still hard to believe all of this was an artificial creation.
Fleet is in formation,” reported Commander Malen. On the tactical display near her, one thousand green icons represented the heavy dreadnaughts which surrounded the Avenger.
They had exited the vortex nearest to the one the Simulins controlled.
“Move the fleet directly over the Simulin controlled vortex,” ordered Jeremy. “It’s time to get this operation underway.” Jeremy was just thankful they finally had everything in position to wrest the Control Center away from the Simulins. This had been a long time in coming and it would be one less thing to worry about.
-
On the surface of the Dyson Sphere, the Simulins had noticed the arrival of the new fleet. They were used to seeing ships of the Ancients coming and going, but they felt safe beneath the powerful energy shield they had erected to protect the intergalactic vortex they controlled and the area immediately around it.
Inside the vortex Control Center, High Commander Vetrex watched several viewscreens showing the new fleet. They looked very purposeful as they formed up above the protective energy shield.
“This may be an attack,” he said to his second in command. “We have noticed a substantial increase in the number of combat robots and Human Marine forces outside the energy shield.”
“It will be useless,” replied Second Commander Trador. “They will never get past the energy shield and even if they do our Conqueror Drones will annihilate any intruders. They will never take this Control Center as they have others.”
Vetrex nodded his agreement. There were nearly eighty thousand of the deadly crab-like robots on the surface and in the corridors around the vortex crater and the Control Center. Not only that, there were eight hundred Simulin battlecruisers sitting on the surface near the crater as well. “Order all battlecruisers to lift off and activate their energy shields.” Vertex was not going to take any chances if this was an attack.
-
“We’re in position,” Ariel informed Jeremy as the fleet arrived directly over the Simulin energy shield.
“Their ships are lifting off the surface,” added Kevin. “They’re activating their energy shields.”
The Simulin ships were bulbous in form with large metallic looking pylons that stretched out in front of them. There were six of the massive structures, which extended at least two hundred meters out from the main hull of the ships. Each ended in a sharp point and from these a powerful energy weapon could be fired. When the Lost Fleets had first entered the Triangulum Galaxy and encountered the Simulins, numerous ships had been lost to these deadly vessels.
Jeremy nodded. The Simulins must suspect something was up. “Aaliss, see if you can access the vortex Control Center and shut down the energy shield. All ships are to target the Simulin warships as well as the energy shield generators.” Jeremy wanted to make sure if they were successful in bringing down the energy shield, it could not be brought back online. He wasn’t worried about the Simulin warships as they had no weapon that could penetrate an Originator ship’s energy shield.
“Accessing secondary control programs,” replied Aaliss. “This is going to take a few minutes.”
The plan was very simple. There were some systems that were very minor in importance in the vortex Control Center. By infiltrating these systems, they were going to attempt to insert a new set of programming into the primary control console instructing it to shut down the energy screen for preventive maintenance by repair robots. It was hoped the Simulins had not interfered with the regular automatic maintenance systems. The energy shield had been put up by the Simulins but if it was operated through the primary computer console in any way, then this should work.
For several long minutes nothing happened and then suddenly the energy shield vanished.
“Fire!” ordered Jeremy, leaning forward in his command chair. They needed to take out both the Simulin warships and the energy shield generators in the opening barrage. It would not take the Simulins long to figure out what had happened and override the maintenance program allowing them to raise the energy shield.
From the Originator fleet, particle beam and gravitonic cannon fire rained down on the surprised Simulins. Around the periphery of the vortex crater, explosions marked the destruction of the energy shield generators. Then all the weapons fire was turned upon the seventeen hundred-meter in length Simulin battlecruisers. While the battlecruisers were powerful vessels of war, they were nothing when compared to an Originator dreadnaught. The particle and gravitonic beams pierced their energy screens causing massive damage to the Simulin warships. In monstrous explosions, the defending fleet was blasted out of the sky.
-
Vertex stared in shock as the energy screen vanished and the Ancients’ fleet opened fire.
“Raise the shield!” he ordered, his eyes showing deep concern. “What caused the shield to go down?”
“We’re trying,” replied Second Commander Trador. “The primary computer has activated a maintenance program and shut the shield down while repair robots check the energy generators.”
Vertex shifted his eyes to the viewscreens seeing his defending fleet being decimated. “I knew we should have destroyed all of those small robots.” They had left a few operating as they provided regular routine maintenance to the part of the Great Sphere the Simulins controlled. Maintenance that the Simulins didn’t have to concern themselves with.
“We have reports of combat robots and Human Marines advancing on the surface. Some of our forward units are reporting contact.”
Looking back at Trador, Vertex expelled a heavy breath. “Contact our fleet outside the Great Sphere and inform them we may need reinforcements.” There were over two thousand Simulin escort cruisers and battlecruisers waiting at the extreme edge of the system. “Open the main hatch so they can jump in.”
“That will be dangerous for the fleet.”
Due to the defensive weapons on the outside of the Great Sphere, it was necessary for Simulin ships to jump almost inside the huge hatch. Unfortunately jumping so close to an object of ma
ss often resulted in the destruction of nearly 40 percent of the ships that made the jump in hyperspace.
“It has to be done. They know their duties,” replied Vertex coldly.
-
Outside the Great Sphere, the Simulin fleet began entering hyperspace to make the attempt to reach the open hatch safely. They would enter in squadrons as the amount of room to exit hyperspace safely near or inside the entry tunnel was severely limited.
Two Eternal battlecruisers that were observing the system noticed the sudden activity and sent messages to Fleet Commander Parnon who was waiting in a nearby rift between the stars. Something was happening at the Shrieel, which the Simulins were responding to.
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Fleet Commander Parnon received the messages and quickly realized that something unexpected must be occurring. It seemed the Simulins were rushing ships to the Shrieel.
“The Humans must be launching an attack to retake the vortex Control Center,” he said. Parnon had been planning to launch his own attack in the next day or so. It was disconcerting that the Humans had acted first. They must have realized the threat the intergalactic vortex represented to them.
“This is unexpected,” replied Second Commander Bernon. “We were not expecting to face opposition from the Humans.”
Parnon thought quickly about what needed to be done. It would be extremely dangerous to drop his fleet out of hyperspace too close to the Shrieel. Its blue energy spheres could cause considerable damage to his fleet. However, there was another way he still might achieve victory. “Prepare our warrior robots and our shock troops for deployment. We will jump in close to the Shrieel, launch our attack shuttles, and then jump back to safety.”
“We will lose part of our fleet,” warned Second Commander Bernon. “In order to launch all the attack shuttles, it will take ninety seconds for them to clear the launch bays.”