by D. R. Rosier
I sighed, “We can guess based on them cloaking and their high G acceleration that they don’t have the same power system problems that the empire and Stolavii had, before I fixed ours. That probably means their ships have shields at least as strong as ours. Weapons, anyone’s guess?”
Telidur said, “We can also assume they’re up to no good, if they’re cloaked.”
“It might also be a good guess that they don’t have wormhole technology.”
Solyra tilted her head, “Why?”
“The larger the wormhole the more power. Our ships are all cigar shaped, to minimize the size of the wormhole we need to create. The Suateran ships are more saucer like, although very tall. They’re far too wide, and even too tall. They’re shaped wrong for wormholes.”
I just hoped they didn’t have subspace technologies like the Kruterran empire did, they weren’t sized for wormholes either, but could cross space almost as fast just by using some kind of subspace wave technology that was far beyond us for the moment.
Solyra looked at Vik, “What’s the plan?”
Vik sighed, “The plan was to leave ten ships in each system, and take the other ships out system. That would give us a three hundred seventy-five ship fleet that could get to any system in seconds. It also will no longer work, not without being able to discover what system the Suaterans are going to. We’d be stuck out of all the systems, when the Suaterans de-cloaked around a planet and demanded surrender. Heck, they won’t talk to us, we have no idea what they’re doing, or if they’re even attacking. Though, it’s a good bet.”
Solyra nodded, “So what’s the new plan?”
There was silence for a few moments while we mulled over the problem, no matter what we did, it would be a gamble and risk. Splitting the fleet evenly by six would only give us about seventy-two destroyers in each system. I wouldn’t want to gamble on seventy-two of our ships facing two hundred and twenty of theirs, when we didn’t even know their capabilities.
The only other option was putting most of the ships around Isyth, and our other two build planets, Vehiri and the other system. Even split three ways instead of five, we’d be outnumbered. Then again…
“I suggest we put twenty ships in the secret build system. Unless they have a secret sensor network across the empire like we do, it’s extremely unlikely they know about it. Given our build systems that they do know about would be high value targets, to take out our infrastructure, I suggest we keep a hundred fifty ships here, and a hundred fifty at Vehiri. That leaves us with a hundred fifteen to split between Kaprorix, Raitov, and Xulia, thirty-eight each.”
Vik said, “Thirty-eight isn’t enough to stop them, or even slow them down.”
I shrugged, “Political necessity, will you leave them completely undefended? The center of the empire is Isyth, and it’s also an infrastructure and building system. Vehiri is a building system as well, so they’re the most likely targets. We should also mine the system with as many missiles as we can spare, we have almost a hundred A.I.s without ships, that’s a lot of processing power we can use in an overwhelming first launch. I’m not sure what they’re going to do, but it’s almost a sure thing that they know about our missiles and its long-ranged abilities, which means they won’t be uncloaking until they’re within two light minutes, or even closer.”
Solyra looked at Vik.
Vik grunted, “It’s a start, we can also mine the systems we’re leaving under defended, maybe if we punch them hard enough in the nose they’ll run, just in case they go in those systems. I can’t think of a reason they would either, but they don’t think like us. Jillintara, send out the orders for that deployment, including seeding missiles, and inform them further orders and a briefing will be provided shortly. What’s the status of our DE sensors?”
Jillintara replied, “Promising, but still in the testing phase. It works, but they’re still trying to expand the capability to a useful range. Our other sensors work well enough to encompass almost the whole system, but the five light year subspace sensors will be out of the picture, DE sensors won’t work in subspace. So… the better it works in normal space the more warning we’ll have. Right now, it’s lucky to detect a cloaked ship just six light minutes out, three quarters of an A.U.”
Solyra said, “Good, could be better with those sensors but the plan has possibilities. Any other ideas?”
I really couldn’t think of anything else, outside of asking them to come back in two weeks and a few days when our scout-destroyers were completed. As far as plans went, that one wasn’t really workable. I also tried not to panic, I wasn’t sure how likely it was to stop them before they could take out our infrastructure, that would mean sixty ships in three weeks, instead of one hundred and eighty. Hopefully they went for the threat first, the active ships, before they’d attack the ship building platforms.
Telidur said, “Maybe we could cloak our ships, or some of them. Hide some of our assets, so they can at least surprise the enemy a little bit.”
Vik grunted, “That’s a great idea, their scouts saw ten ships at each planet, and they have no reason to believe we know they’re coming, so they’re expecting to see ten ships. Let’s cloak all the ships except ten. Let them see what they expect to see. How many of those orbs do we have available? I know Myra is controlling the ten or so on each of us, but are there more available?”
Telidur asked, “For more missiles?”
Vik shook his head, “Not what I was thinking, with our fleets cloaked near our planets, they won’t be out-system where they were. If we have a few hundred we can place them in the deployment we had up until a few minutes ago, to spoof the Suaterans. Point being, to make them think nothing has changed, and that their attack will be a complete surprise.”
Jillintara looked up, and I assumed she was talking to Myra.
“Myra says they have several thousand ready and waiting for the one hundred eighty ships that are being built, and that she can deploy a few hundred easily. Given they’re just going to sit there, and act like a destroyer, she won’t even need anyone to help. After they’re set up, they’ll just run on their own.”
Vik grunted, “Good, do it please, Jill.”
Solyra sighed pensively, “And those ten uncloaked ships? What chance will they have as bait in our trap?”
Vik frowned, “Not good, unless they de-cloak and demand a surrender. If they attack, our counter attack with a hundred and forty ships plus thousands of missiles will almost certainly be decisive, but those ten ships will be screwed.”
Solyra nodded, “I want the crews removed from them, the A.I.s can control the ship, and the crew can use their overlays to do any necessary interface work. It won’t be as efficient as them being on the bridge, but if the ships are just bait I won’t have their lives thrown away.”
Vik replied, “Good call, and I agree.”
Solyra asked, “Where will you be?”
Vik frowned, “On ship, cloaked, and ready to spring the trap. I’m the fleet admiral, and I can’t lead the fleet from the safety of the palace, at least not without destroying morale and their confidence in me.”
Solyra shook her head in exasperation, “I know that Vik, I meant here or will you be at Vehiri?”
Vik said, “Here I think, unless you object?”
She shook her head.
Vik said, “How do we deploy? I’d suggest a half sphere, with the ten uncloaked ships being closest to the planet. That will leave them an avenue to retreat, while protecting the planet and giving us many flanking angles of attack. We can pair our ships up, and fill in the blank spots with powered down shielded missiles.”
“That sounds good to me, how large? Do we want to be in knife range and hit them with everything, or make a half sphere that’s large and try to whittle them down with missiles, should the first strike not be decisive?”
Telidur said, “That’s hard to answer, given we don’t know the capabilities of a Suateran ship, except perhaps that they’re stronger than the Stola
vii ships. They could have a counter to our shielded missiles, which is most likely true given they probably know a lot more about our capabilities than we know of theirs. It might cost us more, but I’d go for the harder punch, and hit them with everything if it comes down to it, including the plasma weapons.”
Vik nodded, “Small up close half sphere it is. Alright, pass the orders, and make sure the fleet is up to date on all our planning. If anyone thinks of anything else don’t hold back, but I think we have a solid plan, hopefully it will be good one.”
The meeting broke up at that point, and we started to prepare to return to our ship, and get all of that set up. It would take at least seven hours to get the destroyer fleets in system and deploy the orbs, which was fine because the enemy was over a day away. At least, we hoped that was true. I guess a night with Cyntariel would have to wait, but I made sure to give her a lingering and promising kiss goodbye before we returned to the ship…
Chapter Twelve
It took us closer to eight hours to get deployed and set up. The Suaterans had probably been in subspace for a couple of hours by now, it would take them over a day in subspace to get here, but Vehiri was much closer, just eighteen hours, then another seven in system at both locations. No one had come up with any more additions to the plan, including me.
We were pretty sure by now the Suaterans weren’t getting here any faster, if they’d had the ability to travel faster in subspace like the Kruterran empire, there would have been no hiding or disguising the vast wave of subspace energy that would set off every sensor in the empire. So perhaps, even if they did know how to do it, they’d chosen stealth over speed. I admitted to myself, the chance of that was slim, but it wasn’t impossible.
Vik said, “Good job everyone. I think we’re back to the waiting stage.”
That was pretty much life, especially in the military. Hurry up and wait.
He added, “It’s a bit early in the day, but let’s take a break and unwind, maybe have an early dinner. Maybe we’ll notice or think of something else when we aren’t concentrating on it. So, relax, that’s an order.”
I snorted, “Yes, sir!”
We all left the bridge, and walked together to the dining room on the ship. The atmosphere was relaxed as we sat down, at least between the four of us, but I still had trouble following Vik’s orders. There had to be a way to stop this, the Suaterans were a peaceful race for the most part, but the xenophobic part made it difficult.
Vik walked over and grabbed four drinks, and passed them out before sitting back down.
“Drink up, if they show up early we’ll have the nanites clean our blood.”
I smirked, and took a sip of the alcoholic drink he’d gotten us. I also explained my earlier conclusions and how I’d come to them, it was extremely doubtful they’d be showing up and in a position to attack in less than twenty-four hours.
Vik grunted, “Good point, even more reason to partake without worry.”
“Any luck finding a fifth bridge crew member?” I asked innocently.
Telidur shot me a dirty look, “No. But I have the A.I.s looking.”
I grinned, “Anyone else hungry?”
I got up to make my favorite Isyth snack food, and grabbed a few more things as the requests came in. I hated waiting, especially for battle, but I couldn’t think of three better people to pass the time with…
Telidur demanded, “Have fun teasing me earlier?”
I groaned, or tried to, but it came out as a breathless needy moan. I felt crazy with need. After some drinks, and a few laughs over dinner, we’d retired back to my room. It hadn’t taken either of us long to kiss, tease, and titillate each other into the mood. Telidur was driving me crazy, but I wasn’t going to beg him this time. I wasn’t… maybe.
He had me bent over the bed, pinned down to the mattress by the small of my back, and the other hand was alternatively caressing my ass softly, squeezing firmly, or spanking me. I didn’t want to overanalyze that, but I couldn’t deny my body loved the treatment.
“Who me?” I asked innocently.
I bit my lip and gasped, as he rubbed his length against my wet labia, and through my ass cheeks. I could feel it leave a moist trail behind, I was so wet. Another spank had me hovering at the threshold of orgasm, but to my frustration I couldn’t go over. Of course, he’d only gotten better at holding me on the edge, in denial, over the last year. He knew my body very well.
“Fuck, damn it Telidur, fuck me.”
He chuckled darkly, but I knew I was affecting him as well, his cock twitched and strained between my ass cheeks as he slid his hand slowly up my back and gripped my light brown hair firmly.
I couldn’t help the whimper of need as my back arched, my ass raised, and he spanked me again.
“Did you enjoy it?”
I bit my lip and whispered, “Yes.”
After a short moment I asked, “Do you enjoy teasing me?”
Believe it or not, I’d never asked him that question before, not in regard to our bedroom power games at any rate. I both hated, and loved, the fact that I lost most of the time.
He chuckled, but it was strained as he continued to caress my ass. His heart was pounding in need as hard as mine, and I knew he was on the edge of control, just as I was. I loved that he was.
“Yes, because you love it, and you need it. Admit it, tell me you love it.”
I bit my lip at another harsh swat, and felt a dirty rivulet of my juice run down my inner thigh as my body started to tremble. Then my body froze, and backed off slightly. Damn, almost, I’d almost been thrown over into ecstasy from a spank.
I purred seductively, “I do love to play.”
He growled, “It’s more than that, or this contest between us would have gotten old by now. Admit it.” and then he teasingly grinded and slid along my most intimate places once again.
Fuck. What was he asking me? I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Please Tel, I need you in me. I need your fat cock in me, stretching me, pleasuring me, owning me. Make me yours.”
He groaned, and his cock flexed against my ass.
I was nothing but desperate need and frustrated desires one moment, and then I felt him pull back and slide in. The ecstasy of that moment, as he slowly, inexorably, and fully entered me down to the hilt in one firm push was incredible. It sent a wave of euphoria up and down my body, only to explode in intensity as I came undone beneath him. Intense didn’t even cover it, as I drowned in wave after wave of ecstatic bliss.
When my mind cleared of it, partially, he was already drilling me hard and fast from behind, his balls tapping my clit with every thrust. I started to twist subtly, squeeze him hard on the out thrusts, and grind back into him, meeting his every thrust with my best efforts. It was hard to move more than that though, he still had a hand firmly on my ass, and the other deliciously pulling my wavy light brown hair. I did love it, although I’d never really examined too closely why. I loved when I won though too, and he lost control first.
His grunts and my gasps mixed each time our bodies met in violent desire. I was quickly being launched towards bliss again, and I knew he had to be close as well, after teasing me for so long.
He held on long enough though, and I surrendered to the pleasure as it rolled over me, body and mind overcome and lost.
“Telidur!” I said in a gasp, and then stopped breathing altogether as I was overwhelmed.
I barely heard his growl and grunt, followed by the feeling of him emptying himself deep within me. When I came down from the pleasure, he was caressing my lower back gently, and I smiled.
He said, “I love you Lori.”
“I love you too.”
Both of our voices had been more than a little breathless.
He pulled out slowly, and we both crawled onto the bed. He pulled me up against him, and I sighed in contentment, as I caressed and traced the muscles defined in his blue skin.
I asked, “Admit what?”
He chuckl
ed, “Lori, you have issues giving up control, but you need it, and you love it. Your orgasms are always more intense when you do.”
I frowned, really? I wasn’t sure if that was true, because I always made Vik lose control, and rutting me or not I always felt powerful in that moment, and my orgasms were always off the charts.
There might have been some truth in there though, I did like the feeling of letting go and submitting to Telidur, of begging him for it. It made me feel incredibly vulnerable, and I knew I was safe in his arms. But, he had to earn it first? Damn, why am I examining this so closely, I like the game. Yeah, that’s it…
With Jillintara it seemed to be mutual submission, neither of us tried for control. Maybe it hadn’t gotten stale at all, simply because of the variety in my lovers. As far as Cyntariel, I wasn’t sure where that dynamic would end up, we’d only slept together the one time so far.
“I see, so if I wasn’t so stubborn and would just submit to you in the beginning we wouldn’t have to bother with the game?”
He froze, “I enjoy it too love. It wasn’t a criticism.”
I snorted, and bit his shoulder.
He laughed, and held me tighter. He grabbed me by the hair and tilted my head, to steal a hot kiss that made me want to melt, but I didn’t and kissed him back even harder. I was so going to win this time…
Chapter Thirteen
It was the next morning when we got some good news.
Jillintara said, “It looks like the Suaterans split their fleet into thirds, and only one third is still cloaked and presumably on the way to attack us. They left the hundred and ten in their build system, the second one hundred and ten just arrived and de-cloaked around Suatera itself. We can guess by that they moved both to attack us and to place defenses at the same time.”
That was definitely good news, that changed the odds significantly. Even if all one hundred ten of the ships still cloaked and on the move hit the same system, we’d outnumber them now by forty. Plus, we had all those seeded missiles. Assuming of course, they hit either the Isyth or Vehiri system. Time would tell, if they hadn’t attacked Vehiri by this afternoon, we could deduce they’d most likely be here sometime in the early evening. The only reason they were at Suatera already was because their build system was only eight light years from their home world, which meant very little travel time in subspace.