Nowhere to Hide

by Saxon Andrew

  “How does that change our time frames?”

  “There aren’t enough Green and Grey Battleships to send on every attack and we’re only using those attack ships and Thetas that have trained on following a missile in. Most of the Theta’s haven’t trained on that procedure but I’ve confirmed that we only need six thousand theta’s to take out one of the Invaders attack groups.”

  “How long, Moe?”

  “Instead of a year, we should be able to complete this within three months.”

  “Does that mean that some of their ships will be able to escape?”

  “Most of them have not turned away from their targets and are accelerating at high power. I don’t think many, if any, will escape.”

  “Drey, did you hear that?”

  “I did.”

  “Well, settle in. This is going to be a long haul.”

  “Admiral Robinson will be attacking the Invader’s Leader in three hours.”

  “I’m going over to watch what happens. Care to join me?”

  “I’m already there. See you when you arrive.”

  “E, do you have the coordinates?”

  “I just got them from Doc; jump warning in ten seconds.”

  Ian strapped in and saw normal space disappear around his small ship.

  ***

  The Senior Grandfather saw more than two hundred thousand Green Ships in formation around the distant planet. He had already shot the Senior Father with a blaster for not being able to prevent the other attack groups from fleeing their targets. He also killed the communications Nephew knowing he was from the Senior Father’s Family. He knew his time was up and he turned to his weapons Niece, “Power up the emergency probes.” She looked at him and slowly shook her head. The Grandfather went over and placed one of his pseudopods on her and said, “We can’t wait for them to arrive here. I’ve already recorded the message and the end is clear, Child.”

  The Niece blew out the breath she had been holding from her skin and lifted a cover from an orange button. She looked up at her Grandfather and pushed it.

  ***

  Chip was watching the Invader Fleet on his display coming in from a microprobe that was located just outside their formations. He slowly stood up and walked over to his main wall display, “What are they doing?” The huge ship at the center of the giant formation had moved out beyond the edge of the formation. Suddenly, thousands of bright orange streaks left the giant ship at an incredible speed. “Salud, what are those!”

  “I’ve frozen one of them on your display before it ignited its thrusters. They are accelerating at an incredible velocity toward open space.”

  “How fast are they moving?”

  “They’ll reach light speed in less than a minute.”

  “Can we get ships out to intercept them?”

  “By the time they arrived, those things will be little more than an energy wave moving through normal space. There’s no way we can match speed to take them out. We can’t fire on them from inside the FTL field and if we remove it the projectile will blow past faster than we could react.”

  “Couldn’t we get out in front of them and fire a beam in their projected path?”

  “No, they are all changing courses erratically.”

  “Moe, what are those?”

  “I’ve looked at the sensor records and it appears they are communication probes.”

  “What?”

  “They contain a communication module inside them. It appears they are being sent to contact someone a great distance from here.”

  “Do they have jump capability?”

  “No, I didn’t detect a jump drive.”

  ***

  Drey watched the launch of the thousands of probes and heard Moe’s conversation with Chip. He broke in on the conversation, “Moe, are you certain there’s no way we can intercept those probes?”

  “Admiral, they have spread out and I’ve already lost half of them from my sensors. They are changing course every ten seconds and plotting their courses without keeping them inside our sensors coverage is impossible.”

  Drey knew they were going for help. He thought about it and said, “Moe, none of the Invader’s ships can escape. We have to stop them all.”

  Chip looked at Drey on his display, “Why?”

  “Because they do have jump drives and they can jump directly to the ones those probes are being sent. They have to all be destroyed.”

  Moe said, “Admiral, we will have to reduce the rest time to twelve hours instead of twenty four. If we do that, we should be able to kill them all.”

  “Change it to six hours if you must. None of their ships can escape. Now make it happen.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Ian, get Admiral Robinson to fill you in. I’ve got to get our ships moving.”

  Moe interrupted the conversation, “Drey, if we shorten the time to do this, I suspect Cole will not be able to build the missiles fast enough.”

  “Then forego the reactor construction and concentrate on the missiles. If ships break down we’ll just have to go to double shifts to make this happen.”

  Moe said, “I’ll contact Cole and fill him in.”

  Ian looked at Chip, “I was planning to stay but I’m certain I’m going to be needed back in the Alliance. Good hunting, Admiral.”

  “Thank you, Your Highness.” The two ranking leaders of the Alliance Military flew away at high FTL speed and Chip was glad he only had to worry about four attack fleets instead of the Alliance’s millions of ships. He saw the last of his ships arrive along with the huge Green and Grey Battleships. “Salud, do you have the attack plan ready?”

  “I do and I’m sending the assignments now.”

  “Let me know when you’ve finished.” Chip leaned back in his chair and wondered what that Invader Leader was thinking.

  “We’re ready.”

  Chip stared at the display a moment longer and then pressed his panel, “Execute your attack plan.” Two hundred thousand Theta Warships went FTL behind the fifty thousand giant Green Battleships.

  ***

  The Senior Grandfather watched the outer layer of his escorts blown away by the huge incoming wave of missiles and small ships. He decided that his craving for power had blinded him to his responsibility of protecting the Clan. Everything he had done was to ensure he kept his position of power. Now, his family was paying the price for his arrogance. Another layer of battleships was blasted into rubble and the giant transports around his ship began going up in giant explosions. He looked over at his Niece and saw her fear. He stood up, slid over to her and wrapped her in a close embrace, “I’m so sorry, Child; this is my fault.” She saw the giant blast of the transport holding station above them through the main viewport as it exploded and blew a huge debris field into their force field rocking the ship violently. She closed her eight eyes and then there was nothing.

  ***

  Chip watched the last ship explode and pressed his communicator, “Go to your next assigned targets. Make sure you do not waste your missiles and make each hit count.”

  The two hundred thousand Thetas went FTL, arrived at the edge of disrupted space, and jumped away to their assigned planets. Chip remained behind and stared at the giant debris field. He knew it shouldn’t bother him but these creatures stood no chance against the forces the Alliance was able to mass against them. If they had the ability to travel faster than light, the outcome would be entirely different. He sighed. But they didn’t; at least not this time. Once those probes arrived at their destination, things might be different in the next confrontation. “Permission to come aboard, Sir.”

  Chip looked at his display and saw Lilly’s ship coming in from the edge of disrupted space. “Permission granted. What brings you here?”

  “Admiral Montgomery has checked our action status and has ordered you and I to take twelve hours off. He says the Obelisk and Hub will direct our forces while we’re….uhhh…resting.”

  “I need you here with
me, Lilly. I need a break from all this death.”

  Lilly’s expression softened, “I’ll be in momentarily, Chip.”

  Chip stood and looked at the massive cloud of debris and shook his head. He turned and headed for the landing bay to meet Lilly.

  Epilogue

  Two months and eight days later, Drey sat slumped in his command chair on Doc and watched the final Invader Fleet being set up by the ships assigned to destroy it. They were still twelve days from exiting disrupted space and they knew their end was near. The Thetas conducting the attack had exhausted their missiles along with the rest of the Alliance Fleets three weeks earlier but had learned how to go in and take them out with their boson beams. The pilots that had survived the long campaign were the best of the best and were truly a force to be feared. Drey watched as the last Invader Battleship exploded and his communication panel beeped three seconds later. He activated it and saw Dee smiling at him, “Hello, my Love. I’ve missed you so much.”

  Dee smiled that beautiful smile that would light up a room and lowered her eyes with a mischievous expression, “Guess what?”

  Drey was exhausted and shook his head, “Darling, I’m too tired to guess.”

  “The sense of the Milky Way being invaded within two years just went away. I no longer feel it.”

  Drey smiled, “I suspect that feeling was due to the possibility that some of the Invaders attacking here would escape and go after another group to come and attack.”

  Dee thought a moment and nodded, “That’s exactly what it was. When are you coming home?”

  “I’ll be there in ten hours. We have to handle the loose ends here in M87 and send our fleets back to the Milky Way for some deserved time off.”

  “Andi and I are excited at seeing you; please hurry.”

  “I will.”

  The display went dark and Drey leaned back and closed his eyes as he reflected on all that had happened. The battles with the million plus Invader attack groups had not been easy. Many Alliance ships had been lost attacking time after time. He opened his eyes and pulled up a picture of Max and Claire on his display. He saw them in each other’s arms smiling for the camera. They never had their wedding. They had both died together going in to protect one of their squadrons. It was that engagement where the Invaders first overloaded their reactors and exploded their ships as the Alliance pilots roared in. More than two thousand attack ships had died in the giant explosion. But the survivors learned how to read the building energy field and get out before it detonated. But it worked the first time and the Alliance lost two of its best Admirals.

  Kregen had also died going in to protect Marissa. He saved her but lost his life in the effort. She fought like a demon for the rest of the campaign. Drey knew she was hoping to die in the conflict but fate watched over her and left her alive to live with her grief. Drey shook his head; maybe time would heal her wounds. At least that idiot Bang had finally learned about Mikki’s affection for him and they were getting married as soon as they made it home. They deserved their happiness. They made a huge difference in the final outcome.

  Drey was bone tired and weary. Doc said, “Ian wants to speak with you.”

  “Put him on, I’m too tired to push the button.”

  “Well, I guess it’s over. What are you going to do now?”

  “Ian, I’m resigning my commission and retiring to spend the rest of my life with my family.”

  Drey, you can’t do that; I need you.”

  “No you don’t; Admiral Robinson can handle everything that needs doing. If trouble rears its ugly head, I’ll consider getting back in it.”

  “Those probes are going out to contact other Invader fleets.”

  “Yes, but they can only get there at the speed of light. I suspect you and I will be long gone before they even get a third of the way to their destination. We’re safe for the moment.” Drey paused, “Are you ready to take your rightful place in the Union?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s time for you to take the crown and start the Union preparing for what’s coming in the far future. Albert is good but he doesn’t have the knowledge or drive to do what needs to be done. You have to assume the Crown.”

  “I don’t want to do it.”

  “You never have; however, we can lose our drive to survive if peace causes us to lose our way. You have to do it.”

  Ian stared at Drey for a long minute and said, “The only way I’ll do it is if you move to the Capital and help me get the planets organized around developing the technology we’ll need.”

  “Ian, I’m so weary of this.”

  Ian smiled, “After a month of sitting around the house, you’ll be begging for something to do.”

  “I sincerely doubt it.”

  “We’ll see.”

  Six weeks later, Drey, Dee, and Andi moved to New Euclid and Drey became Ian’s Prime Minister. Evidently, he knew Drey better than Drey thought. Two years later, Cole and Argel confirmed the string theory in the grand scheme of things and all the modern warships were immediately antiquated. The Alliance became something every being in creation would have to tread lightly around. Twenty years after the last Invader was destroyed, Junior and Andi married. Ten years later, they were elected King and Queen of the Union. Two thousand years after the wedding, the Invader’s probes arrived at their final destination and started broadcasting.

  The End

  Lens of Time Book Six

  Running Out of Time

  Katherine stared at her monitor and watched as the forty dark grey ships flashed in on the squadron of Rovers and opened fire. The hundred Rovers scattered but twenty six of them exploded in huge red explosions. The survivors turned on their attackers and started firing at them but their beams were shrugged off by the Grey Ships. “Where did those ships come from?”

  “They lifted off the planet they invaded six months ago. The squadron of Rovers were sent there to hit their ship building facilities on the planet.”

  “Those ships are light years ahead of their other ships.”

  “Yes Sir, they are. We’ve started taking a close look at the planets invaded in the Red Zone in M87 and we’ve discovered they were chosen for a reason.”

  “What is that?”

  “It appears all of them have an abundance of an ore that is used to build those ships. They’re starting to build those ships in huge numbers and it appears we can’t match them with our current technology.”

  “How would they know about that ore?”

  “We don’t know, Admiral. However, if we don’t slow them down, we’re in big trouble.”

  Katherine stared at the display as the other Rovers were killed. Only ten ships managed to escape. “Get Dat Arvolo here now!”

  Katherine stared at a still of a small Grey Ship that spelled doom for the civilized planets in the Milky Way. If an answer to them wasn’t found quickly…Katherine shook her head. Where did they learn how to build that ship?

  Books by Saxon Andrew

  The Annihilation Series:

  Love Conquers All

  The Power of a Queen

  A Rose Grows in Weeds

  Tommy’s Tale

  Searcher

  Demon’s Sacrifice

  Finding Keepers

  Prequel-Psychic Beginnings

  Ashes of the Realm:

  Juliette’s Dream

  Greyson’s Revenge

  Death of an Empire

  The Return of the Realm

  Lens of Time:

  The Pyramid Builders

  Planet Predators

  Pray for the Prey

  The End of Time

  Star Rover-the Worst of Time

  Coming Soon

  Running Out of Time

  The Fight for Creation

  Life Warrior

  Scout Warrior

  Ultimate Warrior

  Star Chase

  Lost Prince

  Nowhere to Run

  Nowhere to Hide


  About Saxon Andrew

  Saxon Andrew is the number one Bestselling author of the Annihilation Series. He is a former school teacher, coach, social worker, and business owner. He has written five science fiction series and all twenty books have been a top ten bestseller on Amazon. His stories are done in the style used by writers during the Golden Age of Science Fiction and can be read by any member of the family. Like most space operas, his stories take place on a stage as big as the universe and his characters are larger than life. Amazon has ranked him in the top ten science fiction authors in America. He lives in Tampa, Florida and spends his days dreaming of stories to satisfy his avid readers.

  Copyright © 2013 by Saxon Andrew. All rights reserved. Screen Writers Guild no. VQEA3E380432.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.

  First Electronic Edition: June 2013