The Star Cross: The Vorn!

by Raymond L. Weil

  Brollen stood back up. His right arm was bent at a wicked angle. The bone in it was broken. Ignoring the pain he gave his next order. Take us into hyperspace. The surviving dreadnoughts are to accompany us. We shall return to the Conclave Habitat. This battle has demonstrated we need more dreadnoughts and a larger fleet.

  The habitats do not have sufficient food to last long enough to build the ships we need, replied Military Leader Gallet.

  Brollen’s eyes took on a look of hardness. They will if we delete 40 percent of all the Vorn in the habitats.

  Neither military leader replied. They could not believe what they had just heard.

  With a calculated coldness in his thoughts, he sent a telepathic message to Military Commander Vasterus. Destroy as many of the enemy as possible. Do not withdraw. This is for our race and our Queens. High Prince Brollen had no problem with sacrificing the rest of the fleet if he could inflict substantial losses on the Ancients and the two food species.

  -

  It shall be done, replied Vasterus. We will destroy the enemy fleet.

  Moments later High Prince Brollen’s damaged mothership and the fourteen surviving dreadnoughts made the transition into hyperspace, fleeing the battle.

  -

  The battle continued to rage for several more hours. The Vorn threw every weapon they had at the Ancients and the two food species. Ships died by the thousands but the battle raged relentlessly on. The wreckage of Vorn battleships and spindle-shaped cruisers littered space. The same was true of the ships of the Ancients and food species 236 and 111.

  -

  “It’s almost over,” said Laylem from his sensor console. “The Vorn have fewer than eight thousand ships remaining.”

  “Why don’t they retreat?” asked Jalad from Navigation. “It makes no sense the way they fight.”

  Fleet Commodore Dreen nodded. “If we were facing any sane enemy they would either surrender or retreat. These are the Vorn, and their thought processes are far different than those we are familiar with. Even the nonhuman races in the galaxy are easier to understand than the Vorn.”

  “Fleet Captain Waelt has managed to englobe the remaining Vorn; this won’t last much longer,” reported Laylem.

  -

  For many more long minutes the battle raged. The Vorn ships were slowly forced back into a defensive globe formation. The enhanced energy rounds from the Lakiam fleet pounded the globe into wreckage. When it was finally over not a single Vorn ship remained.

  -

  “It’s over,” said Alborg as his hands dropped away from his tactical console. “All targets have been destroyed.”

  Fleet Commodore Dreen let out a deep breath. It was indeed over but the battle had been costly. He had started the battle with over fourteen thousand ships; less than four thousand survived. Captain Veen and his flagship the Hadlor had been lost. Fleet Leader Moor’s flagship had been destroyed but Moor had managed to evacuate and transfer his flag to another Andock vessel. The Andocks had lost all but two thousand of their warships. The Glaymon fleet had suffered the most. Out of fifty-two thousand ships only eight thousand were left. Damage across the surviving ships was widespread. It would be days before the fleet could enter hyperspace and return home.

  Dreen stood up. He wondered what had happened with Fleet Captain Kriegon and Fleet Admiral Vickers’ fleets. Was it possible the war with the Vorn was over? It would be days yet before they knew for certain.

  Epilogue

  Fleet Commander Dreen had just returned from a meeting of the Lakiam Council. He was very pleased with the results. He had made his final report on the war with the Vorn. Dreen had only learned the day before that Fleet Captain Kriegon’s plan had worked. Dreen had watched some of the video provided by Fleet Captain Waelt of the Fermi ships. It had been frightening to realize such power existed though they were from another bubble universe.

  Councilmember Darmas had put forth a motion to immediately return to the path of Enlightenment since the war with the Vorn was over. The motion had been voted down by a huge majority of the council. Not only that, it had been decided the Lakiam Alliance would continue and every effort would be made to include all the Protector Worlds. Fleet Captain Waelt had agreed to allow some Glaymon ships to remain to help keep peace and order throughout the galaxy. The very presence of the Glaymons would ensure the new and expanded Lakiam Alliance would succeed. It was hoped this was the first step to someday having a galactic government.

  “So, what now?” asked Alborg. “The fighting’s over.”

  “There are still a few Vorn ships out there,” Commodore Dreen replied. “Though I don’t know what they will do since their habitats have either been destroyed or taken by the Fermi.”

  “I understand the few Vorn captives we had from the Scythe committed suicide.”

  Dreen nodded. “Fleet Leader Moor’s people showed them the video of what happened to their habitats. Every Vorn promptly committed suicide. Fleet Captain Waelt believes it’s because all of their Queens are gone.”

  “A strange race,” said Sheera. “I’m glad this is over.”

  “The Destroyers of Worlds are gone,” said Laylem in disbelief. “There are hundreds of galaxies out there which were harvested. Maybe we should go to some of them and see what’s there.”

  Fleet Commodore Dreen looked thoughtful. The Glaymons had the hyperspace drive to make intergalactic travel possible. “Perhaps we will,” he replied. “But for now, I just want to enjoy the fact the war with the Vorn is over.” There was a resort on Lakiam Dreen planned on visiting. While he had no intention of resigning and retiring he had no problem with taking a long and relaxing vacation.

  -

  Inside the new Glaymon habitat, there was much discussion over what to do next.

  “We must send a ship back to the Dyson Sphere and inform our people what’s occurred,” Valen said. “Perhaps we can convince them to come out of hiding.”

  “I don’t know,” replied Marshton, sounding doubtful. “The Advanced Glaymons are very set in their ways.”

  Valen nodded in agreement. “But our people are not. Perhaps we can talk the council into letting the Aggressives have contact with the rest of the galaxy in a limited way. If we agree to rules limiting the number of races who can visit the Dyson Sphere they may agree to it. However, I would like the Aggressives to have unlimited access to the galaxy.”

  “It would be nice to be able to return home occasionally.” Marshton looked over at Fleet Captain Lilith. “Any chance you would be interested in leading a mission back to our Dyson Sphere?”

  Lilith grinned. “Why not? It’s going to be pretty boring around here for awhile.” Lilith had not participated in the big battles. She had remained at the habitat. If the battles had gone the way of the Vorn, she would have been responsible for continuing the war with the ships that remained.

  “I’ll be going with you,” Valen said. “With the threat of the Vorn gone I don’t think we’ll have to worry about being imprisoned.”

  Marshton leaned back in his chair. “The Lakiams are going to try to unite all the Protector Worlds. This is the first step in establishing a truly galactic entity to keep the peace. I think we want to be a part of that, perhaps a very big part. We can help prevent them from making some of the tragic mistakes we made in our distant past.”

  “When we left the Dyson Sphere I never imagined being where we are today,” replied Valen. “For over twenty million years we feared being found by the Destroyers of Worlds. What would the galaxy be like if we had emerged from the protection of the Dyson Sphere millions of years ago?”

  “Maybe the same,” replied Marshton. “With the Lakiams and Humans being involved this time it changed everything. It gave us the opportunity to finally end the Vorn.”

  Valen took in a deep breath. “I wonder what the Fermi are going to do with them?”

  “They mentioned the Vorn being a food animal. I think it would be ironic if the Vorn found themselves being fed upon as they ha
ve on so many other races. I cannot find any pity in their fate.” Then a smile spread across Marshton’s face. “I believe Gaylith will be interested in returning to the Dyson Sphere with you. She asks about you quite often.”

  Valen let out a deep sigh. “I guess I’m going to have to do something about that. I enjoy being around her as well.”

  Marshton nodded. This was going to be a new day and age for the Glaymons. He was going to need people like Valen and Gaylith. He didn’t think either realized how much work was going to be involved in guiding this galaxy toward the bright future which now awaited it.

  -

  On Kubitz, Grantz had purchased a large pleasure house and changed its name. Not only that he had a large penthouse on the top floor which served as his primary residence. With a deep smile, he looked up at the huge sign. Just below the sign was his name and one other. He guessed he should send word to Captain Randson that the two of them now owned a pleasure house on Kubitz. He figured he would let the captain take care of making sure the pleasure house operated at a profit. Of course most of the pleasure houses on Kubitz made tidy sums without a lot of interference so Randson wouldn’t have a lot to do. Maybe seeing to the hiring of a few accountants to keep track of the books and clients and come check on things once or twice a month.

  Stepping back inside Grantz grinned at seeing how full the pleasure house was. It was nearly filled to capacity. Music was playing in the entertainment areas, and numerous scantily clad women were moving among the patrons. With a deep sigh of satisfaction, Grantz knew he had nothing more to worry about. He could now enjoy the life of luxury he had always desired.

  -

  In the Newton System, Fleet Admiral Vickers was at home with Keera and Mara. The three were sitting in the living room discussing what the galaxy would be like without the Vorn.

  “I know one thing,” Keera said with her arms folded across her chest. “Without the threat of the Vorn, the Gothan Empire will soon be back to their raiding ways.”

  Kurt shook his head. “I don’t think so! I’ll be going to Kubitz shortly with a large fleet. I’m going to inform the new government that if I hear of any raiding outside the empire, I won’t have any choice but to eliminate all power the Controllers have. I think with my battleships and battlecruisers hanging over their head they will see the wisdom of taking a more peaceful path.”

  Keera just laughed. “It won’t work. You don’t know them as I do. Kubitz is always going to be a black market world. You can’t change that.”

  A stubborn looked crossed Kurt’s face. “We’ll see.”

  “What about you?” Keera asked Mara. “What are you going to do?”

  Mara looked for a long moment at Kurt. “I’m going back to Lakiam and run for a seat on the council. Fleet Commodore Dreen sent me a message informing me the council voted overwhelmingly not to return to the path of Enlightenment. My world’s going to need help finding a new path for itself.”

  Kurt grinned. “I think it already has. I strongly suspect someday Lakiam will be the seat of the new galactic government.”

  “Perhaps,” replied Mara. “But it’s going to take a lot of work to make that happen.”

  “What about you and Keera?”

  Kurt looked over at Keera. “I think children might be in our near future.”

  “Children?” said Keera with an excited look appearing on her face.

  “Yes, I thought you said Meesa and Dalen’s child would need a cousin or two.”

  Keera nodded. “I would like that.”

  Mara stood up. “I need to get back to the Limeira. We’ll be leaving for Lakiam tomorrow.”

  “So soon?” said Kurt, surprised. He had been expecting Mara to stay around for a while. He suddenly realized he was going to miss her.

  “Yes; Keera and I have decided to sell our tea company to one of the business people we have been dealing with here on Newton. Neither of us really has the time for it.”

  “Will you be coming back?” asked Kurt, feeling guilty for even asking.

  Mara smiled. “Oh yes, my business here isn’t totally finished.” She gave Kurt an impish look. Standing up she walked to the door with him. She stopped and then, leaning forward, kissed Kurt gently on the cheek and went out the door.

  Kurt coughed and turned toward Keera. “What are your plans now that you won’t have the tea company to deal with?”

  Keera stepped over and kissed Kurt long and deep. “My medical work and starting our family.”

  Kurt grinned. He liked that idea.

  -

  Far out in intergalactic space, High Prince Brollen gazed at the ruins of the destroyed habitats.

  There are no signs of the other habitats, reported Military Leader Ansolk. On the tactical display was the drifting wreckage of the destroyed habitats, his fourteen dreadnoughts, the Collector ships, the Intergalactic Transports, and the motherships but there were no intact habitats. He had also discovered there were no living Vorn on the Collector ships, transports, or the motherships. All were void of life.

  “The Queens are gone,” said Military Leader Gallet, using his actual voice. “We have no reason to live.” With that Gallet turned and left the Command Center.

  “It is over,” Military Leader Ansolk said also speaking aloud in a rasping voice. “Without our Queens, there is no reason to continue living.” Ansolk then left following Gallet.

  -

  For a long time High Prince Brollen stood in the Command Center. After a while he realized he was alone; all the other Vorn had left. He sent out a telepathic thought and all he received was silence. He knew without having to check all the other Vorn had ended their lives. The Vorn could not exist without their Queens.

  Taking a deep breath, he walked through his now empty mothership. He wondered if his desire for power had brought all of this about. It didn’t matter much as the Vorn race was no more.

  Reaching Engineering High Prince Brollen stepped inside a disposal unit, shutting the door behind him. Looking down he gazed at the red button which would activate it. Brollen knew he had led his race to ruin. Without hesitation he reached down and pressed the button. Moments later raw energy filled the chamber, incinerating the prince. High Prince Brollen, the last of the Vorn and the Destroyers of Worlds, was gone.

  The End

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  Turn the page for an introduction to Earth Fall: Invasion a new military science fiction series that will be starting early in 2018. See a list of all of my books at the end of Earth Fall: Invasion and future publication dates.

  Earth Fall: Invasion

  Below the 2,000-meter in length Trellixian battlecruiser, was a large fleet of primitive sailing vessels. Hundreds of ships with tall masts drifted in a tight defensive circle with their crews on watch for the mysterious attackers who were destroying their world. A sense of impending doom lay over the fleet as most crewmembers had seen their homes ruthlessly destroyed. City after city had burned beneath the heartless ravages of nuclear fire. Buildings had burst into flame and crumbled as the air was sucked away in the superheated updraft of the mushroom cloud that rose above the destruction. Only a few sailing vessels that had been far enough away from the blasts survived. Now they were gathered together awaiting their fate.

  -

  Talog Dumas stood upon his sailing vessel gazing up into the cloudless sky. His ship was on the outer edge of the fleet. A speck high up was
steadily growing larger. With a chill, he recognized one of the hated spacecraft that had come to his world to destroy it. His people were a peaceful race dedicated to living in harmony with their world. They had developed just enough technology to allow for trade and to communicate with one another.

  “What do we do?” asked Marcol Dumas, Talog’s brother. “Our homes are gone and our families have perished in the nuclear fire.”

  “I fear we can do nothing,” replied Talog, seeing the sadness in his brother’s eyes. “We have no weapons and all of our attempts to communicate have met with failure. Our home city has been destroyed as well as all the others. Only a few fleets of our sailing ships survive.”

  Talog looked sorrowfully about his vessel. For years he had cruised the oceans of his world trading between the numerous floating cities and then he looked back at his brother. Their families and nearly everyone else they knew were gone. “I fear brother that shortly we will be going to join the rest of our people.” Stepping forward he put his arms around Marcol hugging him. Looking upward, he saw a circular hatch open on the spacecraft. He knew that doom had come to the fleet. A few vessels set sail trying to escape, but Talog knew there was no escaping what was about to happen

  -

  From the battlecruiser, a single missile exited an open hatch and accelerated toward the assembled ships below. In a massive explosion, the twenty-kiloton nuclear warhead detonated 1,500 meters above the clustered vessels. Beneath it, the water turned instantly into superheated steam. Ships burst into flame and others simply disappeared. The rush of inbound air and steam soon created the tell-all mushroom cloud associated with a nuclear explosion. As the blast radiated outward, the masts on the remaining ships were filled with hurricane force winds and torn away. The blast and accompanying wave of water caused many of the vessels to capsize. When the mushroom cloud began to dissipate all that remained were a few scattered pieces of wreckage drifting on the surface.