by Bob Blanton
“Where to? Who’s closest?” Blake demanded.
“It’s two million kilometers from the Enterprise.”
“We’ve got it,” Captain Clements announced. “Moving to new location at max acceleration.”
“A probe just transitioned.”
“Use your lasers,” Blake ordered.
“A second probe has transitioned.”
“We’ve got targeting solutions on them.”
“First probe is destroyed. . . . Second probe destroyed.”
“Well, what will they think of that?” Blake wondered aloud.
◆ ◆ ◆
“What happened?!” demanded the Fazullan admiral.
“We don’t know, Admiral. Neither probe has returned.”
“Any wreckage?”
“Not this time.”
“This cannot be happening. I’ve planned this mission for five years, we cannot fail.”
The bridge crew remained silent. Nobody wanted the admiral to turn his frustration onto them.
“Wait until it moves again. Send a probe and a relay probe. Maybe we can get the relay probe back with some data.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Have alfa squadron move up to the wormhole.”
◆ ◆ ◆
“We have detected movement in the Fazullan fleet,” the Sakira’s sensor operator announced.
“What kind of movement?”
“It looks like they’re moving twenty ships forward to the wormhole.”
“How long for them to get there?”
“Two days, maybe a bit longer, they don’t seem to be in a hurry.”
“Keep us posted.”
“Yes sir.”
Chapter 17
Delphi League
“We are jumping,” Catie informed Blake.
“Good. Where to?”
“We’ll enter the system thirty degrees counter orbit on the ecliptic plane.”
“We promise not to shoot you.”
“We’ll be cutting a cord through the system to decelerate, we’re at point one C.”
“Hmm, should you save some of that velocity?”
“We could,” Catie answered. “We can keep doing microjumps around the edge, but I would recommend we decrease to point zero five C.”
“I agree.”
“What are you planning to do with that velocity?” the captain of the Galileo asked.
“I’m not sure, but only the Sakira and the Roebuck can hold that kind of velocity by using microjumps to stay in orbit. It might come in handy. It’s always good to have options,” Blake explained.
◆ ◆ ◆
“Strategy meeting in five,” Catie’s Comm informed her. They had just completed their first microjump after transiting a cord across the fringe orbit.
“First Officer, you have the bridge.” Catie stood up from the command chair and headed toward her office. “Kasper, join me.”
“Strategy meeting?”
Catie just nodded as she left and walked into her office.
Suzuki frowned, she would have liked to attend the strategy meeting, but she knew that they needed to have a senior officer on the bridge. “Maybe I could review the recording.”
Catie took a seat at her conference table so that she and Kasper could sit side by side. She brought up the feed for the meeting and notified Blake that they were in.
“We’re all here,” Blake said. “Marc, do you want to lead?”
“No, you’ve got it. I’ll jump in if I need to,” Marc replied.
“Okay. Undoubtedly, the Fazullans are suspecting that there must be at least one starship sitting by the wormhole. We’ve seen them wait for it to wander before sending a probe through. They’re moving about half of their fleet up to the wormhole, so we can expect that they will become more aggressive about getting information from this side. Given all that, what should we do?”
“Is it time to open negotiations?” Samantha asked.
“Why?”
“We might be able to persuade them to accept a truce where we provide them with an alternate system and they promise to wait.”
“How would we talk with them?” Captain Clements asked.
“We have a satellite probe in their system,” Samantha said.
“But if we use it to communicate, they’ll know where it is and be able to destroy it.”
Kasper made a line on the table where the Fazullan fleet was displayed. It went from the wormhole up at ninety degrees from the Fazullan fleet. Catie nodded at him.
“Sir,” Kasper said.
“Yes,” Blake answered, giving him permission to talk.
“We could send another probe through. They do not have anything within weapons range of the wormhole yet, and based on our knowledge their probes are not armed.”
“Wouldn’t they just shoot a missile at it?” Captain Clements suggested.
“If we flew it at ninety degrees from their fleet, it wouldn’t be much of a threat. And we could have it outpace a missile given the distance to the closest ship,” Kasper explained.
Catie drew a circle around the Fazullan fleet.
“We could even have it orbit their fleet at high velocity. They would have to waste a lot of resources to try to destroy it. And if we were using it to communicate, wouldn’t they hold off? At least until they had a chance to learn what they could get out of us,” Kasper added.
“That would work,” Blake said. “But we would have to do it within the next four hours before they’re too close.”
“Prepare a probe,” Marc said. “We can always decide not to send it.”
“Agreed!” Blake nodded to Captain Desjardins to have it taken care of. “Our problem is that we cannot stop them from transitioning several ships through the wormhole right after it wanders.”
“Sir, we could rig up a few missiles with plasma cannons and shoot them at the wormhole when it settles. They can be programmed to fire on anything that transitions,” Catie suggested.
“But a missile like that wouldn’t stop a ship from transitioning. And its plasma cannon wouldn’t be strong enough to destroy the ship even if it could reach it in time.”
“But it would be able to get close enough to fire its plasma cannon right after the ship transitions. If it does, the ship would likely send back a probe to warn the fleet that it was under attack,” Catie explained.
“I like that idea; confusion to the enemy,” Blake said. “Captain Clements, can you have your weapons officer work on that?”
“Yes, sir, he’s on it now.”
“Do our Paraxean captains have any suggestions?” Blake asked, referring to the captains of the two Paraxean space carriers that Paraxea had sent. The Galileo was under command of a Delphinean.
“This is beyond our experience. We have never had to actually engage an enemy fleet.”
“Don’t be afraid to offer a suggestion if you see something that might help,” Blake said. “Now, what about negotiations? When would we start, how would we start?”
“It depends on the posture we want to take,” Samantha said. “The first Fazullan captain we encountered was very aggressive; however, Captain Lantaq has shown himself to be more thoughtful.”
“Well he was planning to surrender, so he might not be the best reference,” Captain Desjardins argued.
“But he was second in command, so he cannot be that unusual,” Samantha countered. “Of course, we don’t want to appear weak.”
“So do we act aggressive or determined?” Marc asked.
“I always prefer determined,” Samantha said.
“If we’re determined, then we would start negotiations as soon as our satellite establishes its position. Aggressive, I would think we would let them wonder what’s going on for a while,” Blake said.
“How is that aggressive?” Catie asked.
“It shows we’re going for an advantage. Holding our cards close versus laying some of them on the table,” Blake explained. “An assertive and wily type of aggression,
kind of like you.”
“Oh, I see.”
“As much as I admire Catie’s strategies, I suggest we opt for determined,” Marc said.
Blake got nods from the majority of captains.
“Then I suggest we launch the probe when it’s ready,” Blake said. “We’ll meet again when it is in place.”
◆ ◆ ◆
“Admiral, a probe has transitioned the wormhole!” the Fazullan sensor operator announced.
“Destroy it!”
“Missile away. But the probe is accelerating away at ninety degrees, the missile may not reach it.”
“How can that probe accelerate? I don’t see an exhaust plume.”
“Gravity drive?” the sensor operator suggested.
“That small? Impossible!”
“It is the only thing that I can think of.”
◆ ◆ ◆
“Our satellite is in place; we’ll start communication in five,” Blake announced.
Catie and Kasper returned to her office and joined the conference. Catie looked around at the others. All the captains were there, as well as the Onisiwoen ambassador. Next to Marc, there was a big, kind of ugly dude wearing a fancy uniform. Catie didn’t recognize him. “Strange, why add someone new now?” she thought. Then she noticed that Samantha was missing. “Hi, Sam. I like your new look,” Catie messaged.
The ugly guy tapped Marc on the arm.
“Ambassador Newman will be handling the negotiations. But since the Fazullans are so harsh and chauvinistic, she’s decided to use an avatar.”
Most of the captains laughed as Samantha gave everyone a salute.
“Blake, you open the discussion,” Marc instructed.
“I knew I should have had a drink,” Blake said. “Alright everyone will be on mute to the Fazullans. We’ll be able to talk to each other, but keep your comments to a minimum so you don’t distract our negotiator.
“Open the channel,” Blake ordered.
“Channel is open. Outgoing is hooked only to your Comm and Ambassador Newman’s Comm.”
“This is Admiral McCormack; I wish to speak to the leader of the Fazullan fleet that is gathering at the wormhole.”
◆ ◆ ◆
“Admiral, we’re getting a transmission from the probe that is orbiting us,” the Fazullan communication officer reported.
The admiral let out a weary sigh. “Replay it.” He adjusted his seat in the command chair as he turned to the display. The video feed came up showing a collection of several people. He recognized two as Paraxeans and one looked like the people from Onisiwo. The others all looked like they were the same race, but he didn’t recognize it.
“This is Admiral McCormack; I wish to speak to the leader of the Fazullan fleet that is gathering at the wormhole,” the big man in the fancy uniform said.
“How can they expect me to have a conversation with a satellite?” the admiral hissed.
“Sir, I expect that they have some way of relaying communications through the wormhole via the satellite,” the first officer said.
“How?”
“Possibly they have a way to transmit energy through the wormhole.”
“Then why put a satellite here?”
“To observe us. Possibly their method of communicating through the wormhole must be relayed into a communication channel that we can receive.”
The admiral nodded to the communication officer. “This is Admiral Martaka.”
“Good, it works,” Blake said. “Now we can talk.”
“What do you have to say?”
“The system you are trying to enter is part of the Delphi League of Planets. I have a fleet of starships here to defend it. We cannot allow you to enter this system.”
“Then you had better have a big fleet,” Admiral Martaka said.
“Admiral, this is Ambassador Newman of the League. Possibly we can find another option,” Samantha said.
“Ambassador, isn’t that a fancy word for beggar?”
“I have been known to beg. But generally, I explore options to find one that is suitable for both parties.”
“What would be suitable for us, is for you to leave. You’re welcome to take anything you can with you.”
“That is not an acceptable option for us. Perhaps you could be more specific about your needs.”
“We need that solar system!”
“Why this solar system?”
“Because it suits me!”
“Perhaps we could offer up another solar system.”
“I think not. We like that one.”
“And you’re prepared to risk your entire fleet to take it?”
“I think we’re willing to risk your entire fleet to take it.”
“You’re worse than Captain Shakaban, and he was an arrogant fool.”
“That — bastard!” the admiral spewed a long rant.
“That’s a lot of words for saying bastard,” Catie messaged ADI.
“Their language can be quite inefficient,” ADI replied.
“You’re here because of him. That makes twice that his selfish, idiotic actions have harmed this mission. First, he dares to capture a vessel when he was supposed to only be gathering intelligence, and instead of killing him, they reward him with a second mission. Now what did he do? Wait, how could you be here if you’ve met him? He must have been two hundred light-years from here.”
“This is not the only wormhole in existence,” Samantha said. “His ship was similar to the ones you’re commanding. We didn’t have any trouble defeating it.”
“You wouldn’t with that fool in command. But I will check with the emperor and see if he has a beggar he wants to have talk with you.” The admiral motioned to the communication officer to cut the channel.
“Channel is closed, Admiral.”
“I want that probe!”
“Yes, sir,” the first officer replied.
“Sir, that probe has disappeared.”
◆ ◆ ◆
“That channel is closed.”
“Thank you. Put the probe in stealth mode and move it farther out from their fleet,” Blake ordered.
“Yes sir.”
“Sam, what do you think?”
“We’ll have to see. I certainly don’t trust him. Based on his comments, it looks like they’ve been planning to take over the Onisiwo system from the beginning.”
“It does.”
“Hmm, that’s funny,” the sensor operator mused over his Comm channel with Blake.
“What’s funny?”
“A gravimetric wave. It has hit both of our probes, and the timing indicates it came from the Fazullan fleet.”
“That would act like sonar!” Catie shouted.
“Move our probes again,” Blake ordered.
“Yes sir.”
“Won’t they just keep pinging?” Captain Clements asked.
“Yes, so we’ll have to keep moving them.”
“If we put the probes out another one million kilometers, we’ll be able to generate a counter wave, and the interference pattern at its fringe won’t reach the Fazullan fleet,” Catie said.
“Are you sure?”
“It’s simple geometry.”
“Do it,” Blake ordered, wondering how anyone would call spherical geometry simple.
◆ ◆ ◆
“Have you captured that probe yet?” the admiral demanded.
“No, sir. We only got one echo from it, then it disappeared. Everything else we’ve found has turned out to be an asteroid. We did get another echo that disappeared after the first ping just like the one from the probe.”
“How can a probe disappear?!”
“They must be making themselves invisible. If they have gravity drives, possibly they’re able to cancel our ping.”
“Don’t blame your failures on some magical powers that they possess. Nobody can control a gravity drive like that, much less create one that is so small. It must be a problem with your technique. Keep trying.”
&
nbsp; “Yes sir.”
◆ ◆ ◆
“The Fazullans have pinged us,” Blake announced.
“Should we open the channel?” Marc asked.
“They’ll use it to try to capture the probe.”
“Our probes are two million kilometers away from their nearest ship. They can’t travel that fast. If they try to close in on one, we can just have it go dark again,” Catie said.
“Okay, then is everyone ready?” Blake asked.
“We have a delay on our end, Ambassador Newman is indisposed,” Marc said. “We need thirty minutes.”
“What’s she doing, feeding Allie?” Blake asked.
“That’s my guess. We’ll ring when she’s ready.”
The navigator let out a groan.
“Young man, I’ll remember that groan the next time you ask to be relieved from your duty station to go to the head,” Captain Vislosky said.
One of the pilots giggled, thinking, “it would serve him right if he had to take a dump in his suit while on duty.”
◆ ◆ ◆
“We’re all set,” Marc said.
“Open the channel. Admiral McCormack here. Do you wish to talk again?”
“Yes, the emperor has sent one of his ambassadors to talk. This is Ambassador Sharlitz,” the admiral said introducing the Fazullan next to him.
“Ambassador Sharlitz, Ambassador Newman,” Blake said nodding at Samantha.
“Hello, Ambassador,” Samantha said via her burly avatar.
“Ambassador. Our emperor has graciously offered to allow you one year to move your people out of the system.”
Samantha snorted. “I think you overestimate your position. We are willing to discuss helping to relocate your people to another star system, but we have no intention of uprooting the Onisiwoens.”
“No, it is you that overestimate your position. The emperor has not given the order to attack because he would like to minimize the cost of taking the system. But we intend to take it.”
“I appreciate your desire to minimize the losses,” Samantha said. “We find it annoying to have to repair a starship after a battle; it is such a waste of resources. But we usually make up for the cost with the starships we capture.”
Catie could see the admiral’s eyes widen at Samantha’s remark.
The ambassador frowned, then gave a feral smile. “Then I will enjoy having you work in my garden. Admiral!” The ambassador rose from his chair and turned his back, walking away from the camera.