by Saxon Andrew
“We will have to capture enough livestock to meet our needs during a long fight.”
“Get the first wave ready in forty days. The others can join the launches five days later.”
“Yes, Great Leader.”
The Builder ended the transmission and wondered if what the Launchers detected was actually a ship. The evidence seemed to support their conclusion but it wasn’t really definitive. If it was a ship, then the civilization on the other side of the black hole knew an invasion was being planned. If it wasn’t, he was rushing into an invasion when it wasn’t necessary. He looked at a monitor and saw nothing had changed at the launchers. He had discussed this with the Elders and they agreed that if a mistake were to be made it was to be made being early instead of late. He left his station and went to the huge building’s entrance. He detested disorderly things and this was a huge one. He stepped outside and looked up at the eight brilliant nuclear lights high above the city. He thought for a moment and touched his ear, “I want our forces on alert.”
“Do you see a problem?”
“I can’t say that I do. But I’m bothered by all this cluttered data.”
“Do you want the crews on their vessels?”
The Builder paused and thought about the roar that would cause. “No, just have their ships powered up.”
“I’ll send the signal to them.”
The Builder removed his finger from his ear. Disorder always made him emotional. He needed to maintain better control. He looked at a young female Builder walking by and took a deep breath. The young were getting taller with each generation. She had to be over three feet. He stared at her and thought, “How tall is she?”
“Two feet ten inches.”
She was still a head taller than him.
• • •
Alex sat in his command chair and shook his head, “This darn thing has too much mass. It’s affecting our maneuverability.”
“I’m extending the gravity field around it.”
Alex turned the ship and smiled, “Now that’s much better. The darn thing is just about as big as my ship.”
“Have you received the corrected timing for the black hole?”
“I have Amanda. However, the data was with the missile outside the gravity field.”
“That’s crazy. The singularity’s gravity will have to deform it.”
“I asked the same question and they say the body of the missile will be unaffected.”
Amanda looked up from her panel, “How do you feel about going through ahead of the others?”
“I suspect the same way that you do. But Admiral Dobson suggested we be one of the crews to do it. The other ship will go through on the opposite side of the singularity.”
Amanda turned back to her panel, “Look, as soon as we break out of the event horizon, I’ll extend the gravity field and you can make a doughnut moving in on the rear of that thing. Then you can make your escape back into the black hole.”
“Tell me about how you’re going to aim it.”
“There is no aiming. The missile’s been programmed with an optical picture of the rear of that launcher. It will match what it sees with that image and go to full speed.”
Alex nodded, “So we get in, turn around behind it, and then fly back through the black hole and join the rest of the guys in our fleet.”
“That’s the plan.”
“What could possibly go wrong?”
Amanda looked at him and shrugged, “Pretty much everything. But we’ll be optimistic and hope for the best.”
“We’ll be moving at top speed when we exit the event horizon. We’ll be a long way past it before we can reverse course.”
Amanda waved her hand at him, “Distance is irrelevant. We’ll be back in seconds.”
“Let us hope there’s nothing around to slow us down.” All Amanda could do was shrug. “I’m going to start making radical turns. Buckle in and let’s get this thing down to a science.”
“Go right ahead, Einstein.”
“You need to practice extending the gravity field.”
“I’m your Madam Curie.” Alex laughed and jerked the ship hard right.
• • •
Stella nodded and Poul activated the Darkness’ Leader’s frequency, “I’m back and I want to let you know that our Defense Fleet will be arriving momentarily.”
“What?”
“The Commander of that fleet is going to need to get his fleet organized around the four breakout points that the four launchers will be sending ships through the singularity. It is going to take some time to find them and then assign the requisite ships to defend the area.”
“Are you saying that you won’t be able to destroy those launchers?”
“We will have no way of knowing on this side of the black hole if they are destroyed. Would you prefer we not do this?”
“Will we be able to detect these warships you’re bringing?”
“Probably. We’re going to put a magnetic field around them that will make them visible. You should be able to detect that magnetic field. However, once we start sending our fleets through, they are going to shut down the magnetic field and you won’t be able to detect them. It sounds to me like you’re having second thoughts about doing this.”
“It’s our nature when dealing with a different species to be suspicious.”
“You’re going to have to put those suspicions aside and help do the things that we require. Or would you prefer to take command of the project?”
“No, we’re in no position to know what’s happening in real time. We’re for…we are required to depend on you.”
“You almost said it?”
“Not really.”
“Oh yes you did.”
“But I didn’t.”
“Great Leader, we are doing everything we can to convince you that we are not forcing you to do anything. However, I now feel I must ask you a question.”
“What is that?”
“Will you promise me that you will do whatever the Commander of our Defense Fleets asks of you?”
“Do you anticipate a problem?”
“There will be problems in an operation this large! They’re unavoidable, especially when two different civilizations are trying to work together and don’t trust each other. But hesitating at the critical moment can be fatal. You’ve given us the direction to lead, will you do what we ask of you?”
There was a long pause and Stella heard, “I promise that I will carry out his orders.”
“By the way, the Commander of the Defense Fleet is Admiral Gabriel Eagle. I expect he will be communicating with you while he’s organizing his ships.”
“I look forward to the contact.”
• • •
The Defense Fleet arrived and Gabriel pressed his communicator, “I request to speak with the Leader of this civilization.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you from Stella. I’m going to start placing my warships around the black hole and I’m going to need you to move the gravity towers in those areas away from the black hole.”
“Why would I weaken my first line of defense?”
Gabriel shook his head. This was not going to be easy. He collected himself and thought, “Little Steps,” as he pressed the communicator, “My ships will attack anything that comes through at the four locations. Your towers need to be backing us up in the event one of them makes it through. At their current location, we’ll both be occupying the same line.”
“How far do you want them moved?”
“A hundred thousand miles.”
“Why that far?”
“I’m sorry, I thought you told Stella that their range was much greater than that?”
There was a moment of silence and Gabe heard, “We will move them when you determine your locations.”
“Thank you, Great Leader.”
Gabe looked at his long range scanners and then looked at Lt. McEvoy, “I need the four places aroun
d this galaxy where the dust clouds are at their closest.”
“I thought we were going to occupy the locations where the launchers are sending their ships. I’ve already pinpointed those locations.”
“Do as I’ve ordered, Lieutenant!”
“Yes, Sir.” An hour later, Evelyn looked at Gabe, “Sir, I’ve locked in the four locations.”
“Are they close to being equidistant from each other?”
“Three are close but one is way off.”
“We’ll go to the three that are close together first. We’ll handle the most distant last. How far out are the dust clouds from those locations?”
“About a quarter of a million miles.”
Gabe blew out a breath and shook his head, “It will have to do for the moment.”
• • •
Janell watched her fleets going through training maneuvers and realized they needed more time. Progress was being made but not fast enough. She pressed her panel and Admiral Connor appeared on her display, “Sir, we really need some more time.”
“Tell me why?”
“The fleets are making progress but they’re way behind on perfecting the weave they’re going to be using in combat operations.”
“Did you ever study the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands in the Academy?”
Janell’s eyes narrowed, “I remember the name but not much else.”
“It was a naval battle in World War II where both forces knew that it was going to be a battle of Aircraft Carriers. Both sides had trained their pilots in air combat and developed effective strategies to win the battle. There were so many aircraft fighting that tactics went out the window pretty quickly. It became a dance of death above the seas and the best pilots won the day. Our weave will quickly go out the window with the massive number of warships fighting around those launchers. If I were you, I’d focus on teaching your pilots how to attack individual targets. Everything else will not be a factor in the coming confrontation.”
Janell stared at Steve, “So you’re not going to give me more time.”
“Admiral, I’ve already given you more time than I felt comfortable with. We have to get in before they launch. Will you promise that they won’t launch if I give you the time you’re requesting?”
Janell shook her head, “No, Sir. I can’t do that.”
“Then get them as ready as you can in the time that remains. What will make the difference is how good our pilots are at attacking those ships from the sides. Have you been working on that?”
Janell stared at him and then said, “We’ve been focusing on perfecting the weave.”
“I understand that Admiral Hart has set up some targets that her ships can use to attack from the sides while they’re radically changing course. I’d recommend you get some of them and make good use of them in the ten days that remain.”
“Yes, Sir.” The display went dark and Janell contacted Amy, “I hear you have some targets.”
“I do.”
“Will you send me some of them?”
“Contact Commodore Patel at Fleet Ordinance. He’ll have them delivered today.”
“Thank you, Amy.”
“No problem.”
Janell shook ended the call and placed the order with Commodore Patel. She pulled up the history of the aircraft carrier battles in World War II and began reading them. Admiral Connor was right. She was wasting time with the weave. It was only good for defending the flagships. She hoped she wasn’t too late.
• • •
It was three hours until the fleets arrived and Stella contacted Gabe, “How’s it going?”
“Not good. The Darkness Leader is questioning every request I make.”
“That isn’t good.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I need to talk with him. I’ll get back to you after the fleets start transiting the singularity.” Stella pressed a button on her panel and said, “I understand that you are questioning everything Admiral Eagle has requested of you.”
“I need to understand what he’s doing and why he’s doing it.”
“Why?”
“So I will be informed of what’s going on.”
“And if he needs your immediate response, you’re going to take the time to ask questions while enemy ships are bearing down on your planets. You’re going to make him explain why he needs to move some of your weapons while the enemy is moving faster than the speed of light? I told you that you could lead this but you insisted that we were better qualified to do it. If that’s the case, you need to do what we want and quit putting our ships and your planets in jeopardy! If you can’t do that, we’re calling this off. I will not allow my ships to be placed in that kind of jeopardy!”
“I will do as you ask.”
“Without question?”
“I will put the leader of my military forces in charge of doing what is needed. I will step back and be an observer.”
“My fleets will be here and start transiting the hole in less than three hours. We intend to bring them back through five hours after they transit. Make sure your forces do not open fire on them.”
“I will notify my forces.”
“I know this is hard for you to accept but this is important for both our species. Thank you for understanding.”
The Darkness Leader ended the communication and felt his anger rising, “The arrogance of that being is insufferable.”
The Leader of the Military looked at him, “What if it were our ships going through to fight that civilization. Would you feel differently?”
The Leader stared at him and felt his rage disappear. “Do as they direct you.”
“Yes, Supreme Leader.”
• • •
Stella contacted Gabriel, “I’m leaving you in command. I’m headed back to Fleet Operations momentarily to see if Steve wants to come here.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Janell watched the clock and then looked up at her main monitor. A minute later, two Earth Warships flashed past her and then she saw the massive fleets approaching thirty seconds behind them. She smiled: the timing was perfect.
• • •
“Alex, I’m scared.”
“You’re thinking too much! Focus on the task at hand!”
“Yes, Sir.”
“We’ll be fine, Amanda. Einstein says so.” Amanda smiled as the warship crossed the event horizon. It took seconds to make the transit and Alex turned the ship hard right as soon as his sensors beeped to let him know he was through.
“I have a massive reading of warships on my scanner.”
“I see them!” Alex felt the gravity field enclose the missile and the ship began turning in a steeper curve. He passed over a formation with more than fifty thousand warships and he saw them charging their weapons. He was passed them again in an instant and he saw the giant launcher on his long-range scanner, “We’ll be in firing range in three seconds.”
Amanda nodded without taking her eyes off her panel. She saw the counter reach zero and she pressed the button launching the missile. Alex swerved to the left away from the launcher and turned toward the event horizon. He heard Amanda scream, “CHANGE THE TIMING PROGRAM!!”
He flinched and slammed his fist on the orange button on his panel an instant before they crossed the event horizon. A few seconds later, their ship emerged into normal space in Andromeda. Both of them were almost hyperventilating and he shook his head, “I almost got us killed.”
“But you didn’t.”
“I wonder if we hit the target.”
“We did.”
Alex looked at her, “How do you know?”
“One of the ships that transited behind us yelled that the launcher was producing a massive explosion just before he was cut off when we crossed the event horizon. The missile must have hit when you swerved to go around the launcher.”
Alex fell back in his command chair, “What space warfare lacks in time it more than makes up for it in intensity.”
Amanda
pressed her console, “Admiral Eagle, this is Defense One. We have confirmation that our missile hit the target and destroyed it.”
“Good job, Defense One.”
“What about Defense Two, Admiral?”
“It has not returned. It is presumed dead.”
Alex shook his head and turned his ship to join his wing. He wondered if Defense Two had destroyed the other mobile launcher. He thought about it and decided that if he had to bet on it, it probably did. The other pilot must have made the same mistake he almost made and not changed the timing program to account for the reduction in mass. The sudden appearance of thousands of enemy warships shocked him and he focused solely on getting to the launch point. So many things could get you killed. Thank the Lord for Amanda. She had saved them.
• • •
Duncan Phillips came out of the event horizon and saw a massive shockwave moving toward him. He yelled in his combat helmet, “A MASSIVE SHOCKWAVE IS EXPLODING OUT FROM THE LAUNCHER!” He banked his ship hard right and saw thousands of enemy warships moving at high speed toward him. There was no time to form up with his wing; he turned his ship violently to back to the left and dove under the beam being fired at him as Terri fired the primary beam at the closest enemy ship. It exploded in a huge fireball and he was entirely defensive as he dodged thousands of enemy beams being fired at him. He banked in on another warship and fired into its hull just before his ship exploded around him. Both warships were out of the battle.
The Grey Warships had the initial advantage but hundreds of thousands of Bosrean and Earth Warships were exiting the event horizon evening the odds and then the Builder’s Fleets were outnumbered.
Captain Maddox turned her ship to the left and saw an enemy vessel moving in on the rear of a Bosrean Ship. She lined up the shot and fired a missile into the exposed side of the large warship. It exploded and she dove under an approaching enemy vessel barely missing being hit by its rotating beam. She saw in her combat helmet that the enemy vessel exploded just after she missed being hit. This was madness but she forgot everything but lining up a shot and dodging approaching enemy beams. Her entire world was focused on her tactical display in her helmet.
• • •
Amy’s Flagship exited the black hole behind her fleets and she stared at the main monitor. Her flagship’s defense ships were weaving around the Crystal River in three layers and none of the enemy’s warships managed to penetrate their coverage. She glanced at Captain McGregor, “Fleet losses?”