The Star Cross: The Vorn!

by Raymond L. Weil

  In the council chambers of the Cabbol Grand Council, the councilors watched in silence as the deadly black rays swept across the planet, destroying their world and hundreds of thousands of years of history and culture. They watched in horror as their people were converted into a black ash. Then a beam flashed through the council chamber, changing the councilors into ash to be transported up to the waiting motherships and made into food pellets for the Vorn.

  -

  Prince Lashall made his way through the ship to one of the converter compartments where the ship’s tractor beams brought the ashy substance back to the ship and converted it to food pellets. The converters classified the different organic substances and then changed them into appropriate food for each of the castes of the Vorn race.

  On the way Prince Lashall passed several members of the Working Caste busy cleaning the ship and doing basic maintenance. They were so dimwitted it was doubtful they even knew the ship had been in a space battle.

  Reaching the converter compartment, he walked over and pressed a button on a small control panel. Instantly a receptacle slid open and a gray pellet in the form of a small cube was ejected onto a tray. The prince took the pellet and popped it into his mouth, crunching the pellet with his mandibles and feeling the invigorating strength that instantly flowed through him. This pellet was made from the organic material of one of the civilized inhabitants of the planet they had just culled. Gray pellets were for the Royal Caste and the other privileged, black cubes were for the Military Caste, and finally the brown cubes were for the Working Caste. Each cube would provide sustenance for a full day or two days if necessary without the Vorn feeling any hunger pains.

  Is the food pellet acceptable? asked a member of the Science Caste who was operating the converter along with several technicians.

  It is passable, Lashall replied. The pellet had a slight kick to it that made his throat feel as if he had eaten something containing an intense spice. Have one hundred of these delivered to my quarters. I will be adding them to my private collection. Lashall turned and headed back toward the ship’s Command Center. It was nearing time to use the ship’s weapons to eliminate all signs that intelligent life had ever inhabited the planet. The advanced technology on this world would never become a threat to the Vorn.

  -

  A few minutes later from the hatches of the four motherships spheres of white energy fell toward the planet’s surface. They quickly reached their targets and then burst like a bubble, releasing their stored energy. The energy spread outward destroying everything in its path. Buildings were incinerated, dams burst, and all the other signs of civilized infrastructure vanished. For an hour the four ships launched the spheres, annihilating all signs on the planet that a high tech civilization had ever inhabited the world. Dark dust and ash were hurled high up into the atmosphere reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the surface. Soon the planet would be thrown into a nuclear winter which would last for decades.

  -

  The spheres have completed their work, reported Military Commander Volmont.

  Then let us move on to the other inhabited planet, ordered Prince Lashall. We will harvest it and then proceed to the smaller colonies on the moons and inside the asteroids. We will also harvest the eight artificial habitats we have detected. When we leave there will be none of this food species remaining in this star system.

  Prince Lashall was pleased. There was nothing in the system to prevent him from filling the holds of all four of his motherships. It would be time to seek a Collector ship and unload the food pellets the fleet had harvested. He would return later to harvest the colony worlds.

  -

  Four days later the Ravager and its fleet dropped out of hyperspace in the system where the Collector ship would be waiting. As the ship exited hyperspace, Price Lashall was surprised to see a number of other Vorn fleets present.

  There is no Collector ship in the system, sent Military Commander Volmont.

  Prince Lashall felt confusion. The ship was supposed to be here. A Collector ship was supposed to always be on station in this system until relieved by another.

  Where is the Collector ship? sent Prince Lashall telepathically toward another nearby mothership waiting in the system.

  We do not know, replied the other prince. The replacement Collector ship did not arrive on schedule and the one that was in the system was full. It left to go to the staging system. That was six days ago.

  Lashall felt a queasiness in his abdomen. Something was wrong. Have there been any other ships from the staging system? Sometimes Prince Ortumad sent replacement ships to replace any losses the fleets might have suffered.

  No, nothing. We have been contemplating sending a small fleet of our vessels to investigate.

  An icy coldness swept over Prince Lashall. Without a Collector ship, his four motherships could not empty their cargo holds. With full holds they could not continue the harvest.

  Prince Lashall turned toward Military Commander Volmont. We will remain here until a Collector ship arrives.

  I will place the fleet into orbit with the other waiting fleets, replied Volmont.

  Prince Lashall gazed at the tactical display. There were twelve Vorn harvesting fleets in the system. It would not be long until the harvesting of this section of Galaxy X241 ground to a halt. Lashall could not recall anything like this happening before. Gazing in aggravation at the viewscreens showing the ships of his fleet, Lashall knew the only thing he could do was wait. For the time being his part in the harvest had come to an end.

  Chapter Two

  Fleet Admiral Kurt Vickers was on board one of the Glaymon-built shipyards watching the newest battleship exit the construction bay. The shipyard was totally automated with the latest Glaymon shipbuilding technology. It took three weeks to build a new battleship from start to finish. There were two of the super modern Glaymon shipyards in orbit around Newton, and they were both controlled by a Glaymon AI well versed in shipbuilding technology.

  “I’m impressed,” Kurt said as the 1,500-meter-long ship passed through the atmospheric retention field and out into space.

  “I come over here every other day for an inspection,” said Colonel Hayworth, his eyes focused on the departing ship. “I’ve never seen an operation that runs so smoothly. The Glaymons really know how to build warships.”

  “They had millions of years to perfect their ship construction technology,” replied Marleem. Marleem was the Glaymon AI in charge of the shipyard. Her holographic figure stood next to Colonel Hayworth. “Our shipyards on the Dyson Sphere are even more advanced than the two we’ve built here.”

  “I’ve seen them,” replied Kurt. “That’s where the Star Cross was rebuilt.” Kurt could well remember his time on the Glaymon Dyson Sphere. There had been some tense moments when he feared they would never make it back to Newton. Not all the Glaymons were as helpful as the Aggressives. The Advanced Glaymons had wanted Kurt and his crews to live out their lives on the Dyson Sphere.

  “Reports have been coming in of decreased Vorn activity across the galaxy,” said Colonel Hayworth. “Your attack on the Vorns’ staging system has nearly brought their harvesting of worlds to a standstill.”

  Marleem turned toward Kurt. “It is the destruction of so many of their Collector ships and Intergalactic Transports. They will have to replace them from ships in their home system or build new ones. They will eventually return.”

  Kurt turned his attention back to the bay where preparations were already underway to begin construction of the next battleship. “If we can buy six more months of no attacks from the Vorn it will make a huge difference in the war. It will give Fleet Commodore Dreen and Fleet Captain Waelt time to better prepare for future Vorn incursions. Perhaps even more worlds will join the Lakiam Alliance.”

  Colonel Hayworth looked thoughtful. “In six more months we can add eighteen additional battleships to our fleet as well as nearly eighty more heavy battlecruisers. It will allow us to greatly increase the d
efensive grids protecting Newton, Earth, Mars, Julbian, Sertez, and Maldon. It’s time we could certainly use.”

  Kurt let out a deep sigh upon thinking about Mars. Nearly four million of the planet’s inhabitants had been taken by the Vorn. He shuddered thinking about their fate. The people had been converted into food pellets to serve as meals for the Vorn. Up until that time Kurt had been determined to keep Newton and Earth out of the fighting, hoping the Destroyers of Worlds would never find either planet. That hope was now gone, and Kurt was determined to avenge the loss of the people of Mars. No one deserved the fate which had befallen them. Already Newton ships were preparing to go to Julbian, Sertez, and Maldon to help with the construction of new shipyards to build modern warships. The ships wouldn’t have Glaymon technology, but they would have weapons powerful enough to bring down a Vorn energy shield if enough could be brought to bear on the target. Kurt also intended to supply them with dark matter missiles.

  “Let’s get back to the station,” said Kurt, glancing over at Colonel Hayworth. “I need to check on the Star Cross as well as speak to Colonel Simms and Rear Admiral White.” Kurt knew they had bought themselves a respite by attacking the staging system, and he intended to do everything he could to take advantage of that.

  -

  As they approached the station in a shuttle, the Star Cross could be seen through the large cockpit windows. The 1,700-meter-long battleship was docked to Newton Station undergoing repairs from the battle in the staging system. It had already spent a few days inside one of the repair bays having several jagged rents in its hull repaired as well as a number of weapon turrets which had been destroyed.

  Newton Station itself was 3,000 meters in length, 1,600 meters in width, and 800 meters in height. The station contained four repair bays and six construction bays. It was also responsible for the defense of the Newton System.

  As soon as they docked to the station, Kurt made his way over to the Star Cross and then up to the Command Center. There was only a skeleton crew on board besides the workers making needed repairs. Entering the Command Center, he saw it was occupied by two officers and Aleea. Aleea was the ship’s AI who came from the Glaymons. She appeared as a beautiful Human woman and was standing upon a small platform directly in front of the command console. Her projection was a three-dimensional hologram and she almost seemed real. She was wearing a standard blue officer’s uniform without insignia.

  “Admiral,” said Lieutenant Evelyn Mays who was sitting at her tactical console. “We weren’t expecting you.”

  Normally when the Star Cross was docked to the station one of the primary command crew was always in the Command Center in case of an unexpected emergency. Today it was Evelyn.

  “I have a meeting scheduled with Colonel Simms and Rear Admiral White,” replied Kurt. Rear Admiral Wilson was currently in the solar system helping to defend Earth though Kurt wasn’t expecting another attack anytime soon. “I wanted to stop by and check on the repairs to the ship.”

  “Almost done,” Lieutenant Mays said. “All that’s left is some cosmetic work on the inside and then fine tuning the new weapon turrets we installed. That’s what I’m working on now.”

  Kurt turned toward Aleea who was waiting patiently. Kurt knew the AI disliked being alone and preferred one or two people in the Command Center at all times. “What have we picked up on the Vorn?”

  The Star Cross was equipped with a Glaymon hyperspace comm system capable of receiving and sending messages nearly anywhere in the galaxy. There was a time delay but nowhere like there once was. A message to Kubitz, over 5,500 light years distant, now only took a few hours. In the past it would have taken days.

  “Destroyers of Worlds attacks are still decreasing,” Aleea replied as she accessed the latest data. “There are reports of numerous Vorn harvesting fleets just sitting idle in a number of outlying systems. I suspect the holds of their motherships are full.”

  “Waiting on Collector ships,” said Lieutenant Mays with a deep frown. “Well, after what we did in the Vorn staging system they’re going to have a long wait.”

  “The Vorn motherships have the capability to travel to their home system, but it would take them a considerable amount of time,” Aleea said. “Eventually Collector ships will be sent and another staging system set up. By attacking the staging system, we have bought some time but it’s difficult to estimate how much. It could be from a few weeks to a few months.”

  Lieutenant Mays walked over to stand close to Admiral Vickers. “They’ll come back,” she said. A serious look crossed her face. “They’ll come back in even greater numbers than before and now they know where Earth is. What are we going to do?”

  Kurt knew Lieutenant Mays was right. The Vorn would leave no world unharvested. “The shipyard above Earth is building new ships as rapidly as possible, the same as we are. We’ll be sending more of the new defensive platforms to Earth as well as Mars. Next time we will be ready for them.”

  This seemed to satisfy Lieutenant Mays as she returned to her station. However, Kurt was not so confident of being able to stop the Vorn if they appeared with a truly large fleet. If that happened they would need the aid of the Glaymons.

  Kurt’s eyes shifted back to Aleea. “Continue to monitor all communications. I want to know what the Vorn are doing. We must not be taken by surprise again.”

  “I will,” promised Aleea. “I wish we had the communications equipment Gaylith has on the Dyson Sphere. It has the capability to intercept millions of hyperspace messages. There are two communication arrays outside the nebula that continuously monitor hyperspace communications.”

  “Perhaps someday,” Kurt replied as he turned and exited the Command Center.

  As he walked through the corridors of the Star Cross he encountered numerous work robots. These were the small automatons the Glaymons had designed to keep their ships repaired as well as their cities. They were capable of doing numerous repair jobs as well as construction work. Larger robots were used in the construction bays of the shipyards.

  -

  As Kurt made his way through the station, he still found it amazing at how large it had become. Originally Newton Station only had several repair bays for the exploration ships sent out on deep space missions. That was before they realized they were not alone in the universe. Now the galaxy had become a deadly place inhabited by thousands of advanced civilizations, all threatened by the Vorn. All the exploration ships had long since been converted into warships. The days of peaceful exploration were over. Kurt had always wanted to go out exploring. Now that dream was a thing of the past.

  Reaching the Command Center, Kurt went inside and paused for a moment. It was a beehive of activity. Ships leaving Newton as well as arriving in the system were closely monitored. An up to date sensor system could detect inbound ships out to a distance of thirty-two light years. The Command Center was also responsible for directing the defenses around the planet. On several viewscreens, large defensive platforms were visible. On several others were views of Newton as well as the busy orbital space around the planet.

  “Fleet Admiral on deck!” called out Lieutenant Haley, standing up quickly and saluting. Everyone else in the Command Center stood and saluted as well.

  “As you were,” ordered Kurt. “Lieutenant, what’s the current status of ships in the system?” While the space around Newton was busy, it was nothing when compared to Earth. Interstellar commerce between Earth, Julbian, Sertez, and Maldon was booming. Fortunes were being made and lost every day.

  “There’s a lot, sir,” replied Haley as she sat back down. “We have our own ships, vessels from Earth, Julbian, Sertez, and Maldon as well as several ships of Lomatz’s.”

  “How many Glaymon disk ships?” The Glaymon warships were 1,000 meters across. They were as powerful as the Star Cross and contained even more advanced technology than Kurt’s flagship. They were essential to the defense of both Earth and Newton.

  “Twenty-eight at the moment,” answered Haley. />
  Kurt knew he needed to travel to the Glaymon’s new star system and speak with Tasid about the recent events in the Vorn staging system. Kurt had attacked the system without informing Tasid of his plans. The Glaymons had originally asked him to do a clandestine survey of the system; instead he had attacked and destroyed it. Glaymon Captain Tolmass had agreed with Kurt’s decision and participated. Tolmass had returned to the new Glaymon system to report and had not returned as of yet.

  “Rear Admiral White and Colonel Simms are waiting for you in the conference room off the Command Center,” Lieutenant Vargas, the station’s traffic controller, informed Kurt.

  “Thank you, Lieutenant,” Kurt replied as he headed in that direction. It only took a few moments to reach the conference room, and after opening the hatch he stepped inside.

  Rear Admiral Susan White and Colonel Simms quickly stood as Kurt entered.

  “Sit back down,” said Kurt, gesturing toward them. “We have a lot to discuss and I need to get back down to Newton.”

  Kurt sat and then looked at the other two officers. “Rear Admiral White, have all of your ships been repaired?”

  “Yes, sir,” Susan responded. “The Langston exited the shipyard yesterday. She suffered the most damage in the battle with the Vorn.” The Langston was a heavy battlecruiser.

  “I want you to take your fleet to Julbian. Two of Lomatz’s construction ships will be going along as well as a number of cargo ships.”

  “I assume this has to do with updating the system’s defenses?” Currently, Julbian had a few Type Two defensive platforms as well as several of the newer and more powerful ones being built in one of the construction bays on Newton Station.