The Star Cross: The Vorn!

by Raymond L. Weil

  “It’s the Wasp,” Lieutenant Brooks informed the admiral.

  “I have Captain Wills on the comm,” added Lieutenant Pierce. “He says welcome to the solar system and we have permission to proceed in toward Earth.”

  “Those fighters are fast,” said Andrew impressed by how quickly the fighters were closing the distance between the light battlecarrier and the Star Cross.

  Kurt smiled. He was going to give those pilots something they would long remember. “Hold our current position and let them do a close flyby.” Kurt knew this was something the pilots would be talking about when they returned to the carrier. The Star Cross was the most powerful warship ever built outside the Glaymon battleships.

  On the main tactical display and viewscreen, the four Lance fighters flew down the center of the fleet before banking to starboard and coming back along the port side. Then, with a flash of their turbos, they headed back to the light carrier.

  “Those pilots are good,” said Andrew. “It’s a shame our fighters and bombers are useless against Vorn ships.”

  “Tactics change,” Lieutenant Mays said. She had been watching the four fighters on the main viewscreen like everyone else in the Command Center. “I can remember back when I used to want to be a pilot.”

  Andrew walked over to the Helm. “Set a course for Earth. Let’s see the progress they’ve made updating their fleet and the defenses around the planet.” During the Vorn attack many of those defenses had been destroyed.

  “Swing us past Mars first,” ordered Kurt. “I want to inspect the defenses around it as well.” Kurt knew new colonists were still not being allowed until a solid defense grid and fleet were available to ensure the planet was not harvested again by the Vorn.

  -

  An hour later the Star Cross was in orbit above Mars. It looked much the same as always. There had been very little damage done to the habitation domes when the Vorn harvested four million of the colonists.

  There were eight of the new defense platforms in orbit around Mars as well as a newly constructed Class One Command and Control Center. Another two hundred dual firing energy beam satellites were showing on the tactical display as small white dots circling the planet. In addition, the Earth battleship Mars and four battlecruisers were in low orbit.

  “It’s progress,” said Andrew as he gazed at one of the new defense platforms on the main viewscreen. The platform was two hundred meters across and forty meters thick. On top sat a pair of massive particle beam cannons, four direct energy projectors, and eight large defensive energy turrets. There were six pods containing eight hyper-missiles with an automatic reloading system. Everything was computer-controlled and a crew of twelve could operate the entire platform.

  “Fleet Admiral Colmes wants at least twenty more of the new defensive platforms installed before they allow any additional colonists,” explained Kurt. He had spoken to Colmes about this very subject a number of times. “He also wants to keep two battleships and ten battlecruisers in orbit as a permanent defensive fleet.”

  Andrew nodded. “I can understand after what happened the last time. Four million colonists turned into food for the Vorn. I still find it hard to believe that happened. I’ve been to Mars a number of times in the past. The habitation domes are magnificent.”

  “Set a course for Earth,” Kurt ordered as his eyes lingered on one of the screens showing a view of the red planet. He could remember how he had felt walking in one of the domed cities of Mars after it had been harvested. It had been eerie seeing everything just as the colonists had left it. He hoped fervently one of the motherships they destroyed had been the one containing the Human food pellets from Mars.

  -

  On board the Limeira, Mara gazed at the planet Mars as it began to shrink in the viewscreen. She knew Kurt had been seriously shaken when he had gone down to the surface to inspect the damage the Vorn had caused. She wondered how she would feel if she ever set foot on Lakiam if the Vorn had done the same to her homeworld. It was something she didn’t even want to consider.

  As the ship accelerated on a course for Earth, Mara thought about her future relationship with Kurt. On Newton, Keera had taken Mara aside and reassured her she was not angry about her and Kurt sleeping together. Mara informed Keera it would never happen again. Keera only smiled and commented that if it did she wouldn’t be upset.

  Afterward Mara had felt more confused than ever.

  -

  “Traffic is getting heavier the closer to we get to Earth,” reported Lieutenant Brooks. “There are also a number of fighter patrols checking ships as they approach the planet.”

  “The light battlecarrier Princeton is in orbit around the Moon,” reported Andrew. “Most of the fighter patrols are coming from her.” The Princeton had been reassigned to Earth to help monitor the increased ship traffic. Trade between Earth, Newton, and the other three worlds of the Alliance was growing steadily.

  Kurt looked at the viewscreens seeing a number of different ship types: cargo ships, passenger liners, ore carriers and even a few small private vessels.

  “Fleet Admiral Colmes wants to know if he needs to come over to the Star Cross,” reported Lieutenant Pierce.

  Kurt shook his head. “No, tell him we’re just checking on the current progress of Earth’s defenses, dropping off the four cargo ships, and then we’ll be on our way to Julbian. Ask him while he’s on the comm what his current fleet status is.”

  A few moments later Lieutenant Pierce reported back. “He has three battleships, three older battlecruisers, eight new battlecruisers, plus the three light battlecarriers. He expects to add four more battlecruisers to his fleet over the next six weeks.”

  Kurt pursed his lips. He didn’t feel comfortable with the number of battleships Earth had. All the ships currently in Colmes fleet were fully updated with the latest technology though his battleships didn’t have the massive KEW cannons to fire a Zero-Point Energy round. They did have updated antimatter power chambers and five hundred-megaton dark matter hyper missiles. There were ten Glaymon disk battlecruisers assigned to the system that were on patrol between Jupiter and Saturn. While Kurt was concerned about Earth’s fleet, Newton and the Glaymons’ new system were close enough to send reinforcements before a Vorn fleet could arrive.

  “When we get back to Newton I want to get a better fleet rotation set up with our new rear admirals. The fleets will spend two days in the solar system and one day each in the systems of Julbian, Sertez, and Maldon. If we stagger it just right we’ll have a fleet in the solar system most of the time.”

  “What about Admirals Wilson and White?”

  “One of their fleets will always be at Newton; the second will be on patrol in Newton Alliance space.” Kurt had decided on this rotation as the best way to respond to a Vorn attack.

  “Admiral, I have President Lambert on the comm requesting to speak with you,” reported Lieutenant Pierce.

  Kurt let out a deep sigh. This was one call he couldn’t avoid. It also probably meant he was going to have to spend an extra day in the solar system.

  -

  Two days later the Star Cross and her fleet dropped out of hyperspace in the Julbian System. The system consisted of twelve planets with planet four being inhabited by a humanoid race, which had already reached out and explored several nearby star systems before being discovered by Newton. The people of Julbian were very similar to Humans. Their civilization was just slightly behind Earth in its development though plans called for the two to be on an equal technological footing within a few more years. The Julbian System was 412 light years from Earth and was Earth’s largest trading partner.

  Kurt had already sent a message ahead informing the Julbian Space Command his fleet would be passing through but would only be spending a few hours in the system. Kurt wanted to avoid talking to the politicians. The day before he had gone down to Earth and held a brief meeting with President Lambert over an evening meal. Kurt disliked politics though he understood that on occasion it wa
s necessary to deal with politicians. President Lambert had been very polite, asking Kurt for any recommendations to better defend the solar system, particularly Earth. They had discussed a few with President Lambert calling in her chief of defense to listen.

  “There are currently eight of the new defense platforms in orbit, six Class Two Defense Platforms, and two hundred dual energy beam satellites,” reported Lieutenant Brooks. “There are also two of Lomatz’s construction ships at the shipyard updating it and adding an additional construction bay.”

  “The work should just about be finished,” added Aleea. “The ships will go to Sertez next. Admiral White has already left with her fleet to speak to the Sertez government about what’s going to be done.”

  Kurt stood staring at the viewscreen focused on Julbian’s shipyard and the two construction ships which were updating it and working on the new construction bay.

  “We need to build a Class One Command and Control Center as well,” Kurt said as he turned to look at the defenses protecting the planet on the tactical display. “At the moment command of the defense grid is being done through their shipyard. Let’s see if Lomatz can get two more construction ships out here to begin constructing a Command and Control Center.”

  “I’ll speak to Lomatz about it when we return to Newton,” Lieutenant Mays said. “I agree Julbian needs one. The Command and Control Centers are heavily armed and will add considerably to the planet’s defense.”

  Andrew looked over at Aleea. “What about their fleet?”

  “They currently have eight battlecruisers and fourteen smaller craft. The battlecruisers have been updated with the newer energy shields and an improved antimatter chamber for power. However, they don’t have the five hundred-megaton dark matter warheads for their hyper missiles.”

  Andrew looked curiously at Kurt. “Why none of the dark matter missiles?”

  “We want them to understand the power of the missiles,” Kurt replied. “The new defense platforms are equipped with them though they’re currently crewed by Humans from Newton. A demonstration of the firepower of the missiles is going to be done by Fleet Admiral White in a few more weeks. Once we’re satisfied the Julbians are ready for the responsibility of such weapons, we will furnish what they need for their warships. There is a large cargo ship with Admiral White’s fleet loaded with the necessary missiles.”

  Kurt looked at one of the viewscreens showing Julbian. The planet resembled Earth with large oceans and several continent-sized land masses. Julbian was by far Earth’s largest trading partner as there was a huge demand for the fruit from the Talo plant which was extremely popular on Earth. The Talo plant produced a fruit similar to an orange only smaller and sweeter. Julbian was shipping all of its excess crop to Earth for a tidy profit.

  -

  The Star Cross and her fleet turned away from Julbian after speaking briefly with their Space Command and then jumped back into Hyperspace. The fleet split apart with only the Star Cross and the Limeira setting a course in the general direction of the Glaymon’s new system with the rest of the fleet returning to Newton. Just to be on the safe side the Star Cross and the Limeira were not going straight to the Glaymons’ system just in case some curious captain on one of the other ships happened to notice the course the two ships took. The Star Cross and Limeira would travel in hyperspace until the other ships were out of detection range and then adjust their course for the Glaymons’ System. Kurt had contacted Councilor Marshton earlier and informed him he had some questions about the Vorn.

  -

  Inside the new Glaymon habitat, Councilor Marshton looked out at the new city being rapidly built by tens of thousands of construction robots. The shell of the habitat was complete as well as the secondary shell inside. Between the two shells would be all the spacedocks, construction yards, factories, and other systems which would control the environment inside the habitat. A thick layer of soil was already being brought in to allow for the growth of crops plus other ecological necessities.

  Marshton had spent some time studying the design Tasid was adhering to. The new habitat was one hundred and forty kilometers in diameter. There would be six cities, each one capable of holding half a million Glaymons. While the current population was only around 1.3 million, they wanted to leave room for eventual population expansion.

  The inside of the habitat still didn’t have an atmosphere and an atmospheric retention field was being projected around the new city so work could be done without wearing cumbersome spacesuits. “Six more months and it will be finished,” said Tasid, stepping over to Marshton’s side and eyeing the construction going on with a critical eye.

  “It will be like a miniature Dyson Sphere.”

  “Very similar,” Tasid replied. He pointed toward several tall peaks rising in the distance. “Those are the beginning of a small mountain chain we’re building. There will be numerous streams, lakes, and even forests.”

  “What about Fleet Admiral Vickers?” asked Fleet Captain Lilith. “I suspect he’s guessed we haven’t been telling him the truth about the Vorn.”

  Councilor Marshton turned away from the window and went and sat down behind his desk. “I don’t think we have a choice. We’ve decided to live in Newton’s region of space and the Human admiral has done everything we’ve asked of him and more. I believe we need to tell him the truth.”

  “One hundred and sixteen habitats, each over ten thousand kilometers in diameter,” said Lilith. “If each one of those habitats has two thousand warships that puts their available force at over 232,000 vessels.”

  “Possibly more,” put forth Tasid. “If their habitats are built as I suspect we could be looking at a fleet much larger than that, possibly between 500,000 to 800,000 vessels.”

  Everyone in the room grew quiet. They all knew what that meant and Valen was their only hope. Only the Advanced Glaymons on the Dyson Sphere had a fleet which could truly challenge the Vorn.

  -

  The Star Cross and Limeira dropped out of hyperspace near the new Glaymon habitat. Kurt was surprised to see all the progress. The habitat was now completely enclosed and several other structures were under construction. The large mobile shipyard was in the center of the construction activity.

  “What are they building now?” asked Andrew, gazing at a maze of girders where a number of small automated shuttles were working. Manipulator arms on the shuttles were carefully putting girders in place while work robots welded them.

  Aleea was quiet for a moment and then she answered. “I spoke to several of the AIs involved in managing the construction. They are building six large defensive platforms that will be placed around the habitat. Each platform will have the firepower of ten of our battleships.”

  Kurt was impressed. He had witnessed the firepower of the Glaymon battleships.

  “Doesn’t the habitat have its own defenses?” asked Andrew.

  “It will,” replied Aleea. “It is hoped the platforms will prevent damage to the hull of the habitat if a battle occurs.”

  Kurt nodded. “Defense in depth. The Glaymons will have their fleet, then the platforms, and finally the habitat itself.”

  “Fleet Captain Lilith is asking if you can come over to the habitat,” Lieutenant Pierce said from Communications. “They have one city which is nearly complete and protected by an atmospheric retention field. They would like to meet there.”

  “Andrew, Lieutenant Mays, you’re with me. Let’s go find out what’s going on with the Vorn. Lieutenant Pierce, contact Mara and have her meet us at the habitat.”

  -

  An hour later a small air car settled down on one of the tall towers in the Glaymons’ new city. Stepping out, Kurt looked out over what the Glaymons were building. The city, while much smaller than the ones he was familiar with, still contained the tall towers with ribbon-like walkways connecting them.

  “I wonder if we will ever build something like this?” asked Andrew as he stood staring out over the city. A number of the slim towers we
re still under construction.

  “Someday,” Kurt replied. “We just have to deal with the Vorn first and that’s why we’re here.”

  “Some of our cities are similar,” said Mara, looking out at the ribbon-like walkways. “However we don’t have the walkways between buildings.”

  Tasid suddenly appeared, stepping out of a nearby open doorway. “Hello, Admiral, Mara,” he said smiling. “What do you think of our new city?”

  “It’s good to see you’re making so much progress with your construction. I’m amazed at everything you’ve accomplished so far.”

  “It’s impressive,” Mara added.

  “If the four of you will follow me, Councilor Marshton, Fleet Captain Lilith and several other of our people are waiting to speak with you.”

  -

  They made their way down through the tower to a large conference room where the other Glaymons waited. The room had one wall that was covered in viewscreens. Several were on, showing the construction going on in the city.

  “Fleet Admiral Vickers, it’s good to see you again,” said Councilor Marshton, indicating for everyone to sit down. “Mara, it’s good you accompanied the fleet admiral.”

  Once everyone was seated Councilor Marshton took a deep breath. “We understand you have some questions for us.”

  Kurt looked directly at Councilor Marshton. “We are curious about the Vorns’ home system. If we are to win this war it will have to be dealt with. Is there any possibility we can take a fleet of your battleships along with our Human battleships and destroy that system?”

  “I’m certain Fleet Commodore Dreen and Fleet Leader Moor would be willing to provide major fleets as well,” said Mara.

  “Look at the screen behind me,” directed Marshton. He pressed an icon on the holographic computer screen on top of the conference table. Instantly a metal sphere similar to the habitation sphere the Glaymons were building appeared. “This is from the computer files of the Vorn mothership Scythe. What you are seeing is a Vorn habitat located in a red dwarf star system. The habitat is 11,200 kilometers in diameter.”