Discovery of the Saiph (The Saiph Series)

by PP Corcoran

  Aaron extended his right arm and mimicked the pose of Tarrov. “I am Aaron Beckett, sent by the President of the Terran Republic as a sign of friendship and trust and in the hope that we may become allies in our struggle against evil.”

  That elicited what John could only describe as a low growl from a Persai standing slightly apart and was exuding a sense of aloofness from the main welcoming group. Chairman Tarrov’s mouth dropped open in what John would come to learn was the Persai version of a laugh. “May I present Force Leader Taminth? The Force Leader will be your military liaison for the duration of your stay. Taminth has viewed your fleets’ destruction of the enemy with relish and keenly awaits his opportunity to fight alongside you.”

  Aaron turned and beckoned John forward. “In that case the Force Leader may wish to speak to Admiral Radford. Admiral Radford was the commander of the human fleet that was victorious that day.”

  Taminth took a step forward and presented his hand in the same manner as Tarrov had. “An honour Admiral.”

  Not missing a heartbeat John repeated the gesture. “The honour is mine Force Leader.”

  Taminth stepped back and resumed his position as John did the same.

  “May I suggest that the remaining introductions be completed en route to your accommodation? I’m sure that you could do with some time to relax and freshen up before we begin our various meetings.” Tarrov indicated towards a bulkhead set into the wall of the shuttle bay.

  “An excellent idea Chairman.” Replied Aaron smoothly. “It has indeed been a long trip to get here and perhaps a few hours to recuperate would be more than welcome.”

  As the group made its way towards the bulkhead doors John found himself walking beside Taminth. The Persai said nothing but John had the feeling that Taminth couldn’t wait to hear all about the battle around Garunda. A distracted John nearly walked into the back of Jeff Moore as the scientist came to a dead stop a few steps through the bulkhead doors.

  John was about to berate the scientist when the words died in his throat. The doors had opened to reveal what John could only describe as the most amazing thing that he had ever set eyes on. Extending into the distance was a vast subterranean city, complete with parks, rivers and skyscrapers. As John took in the view his eyes were drawn up the skyscrapers sides as they disappeared through… clouds! Clouds within a cave. Impossible!

  Taminth came to a halt beside John and his mouth formed into the shape of a Persai laugh. “This is the place where my ancestors found the Saiph blockhouses. My people spent decades expanding this cave to hold our capital city. Everything we need to survive is here. Homes, power generators, hydroponic gardens, industrial plants. All concealed below the surface so that our enemy will never find us.”

  “Amazing.”

  “And with your help Admiral perhaps it is time for us to come out of our caves and finally face the enemy that has haunted my people for so long.”

  John looked up into the face of Taminth. “You have my word on that Force Leader.”

  #

  A vaguely canine face smiled and exposed its short fanged incisors. “Well, what do you think, Admiral?”

  “I’m suitably impressed, Force Leader Taminth,” nodded John Radford from his seat at the rear of the bridge of the Persai battle cruiser Vitaros. In the nine weeks that John had spent with the Persai, Force Leader Taminth had been his guide. Taminth was second in command of what John thought of as the Persai Navy. The battle cruiser Vitaros was its flag ship. Although around the same size as the Terran light cruisers of Talos class, the Vitaros was a pure beam weapons platform carrying no missile armament at all. What it lacked in size it made up for in punch. Utilizing Saiph technology, the Persai equipped the Vitaros and her sister ships with a main armament of a single, high energy plasma cannon which, Dr Jeff Moore had assured John, was at least twice as powerful as the TDF’s current heaviest grazer weapon. A similar, though less powerful, plasma cannon provided secondary armament, and finally close in defence was provided by a series of quick firing x-ray lasers – powered independently from the other weapons systems to ensure its survivability as a last line of defence. Well not quite a last line.

  On discovering from the Persai that the Saiph had been working on a form of energy shielding that used exotic matter as a power source, John thought Moore’s face was the picture of a schoolboy in a sweet shop. The Persai had been working to perfect it and actually had had success in generating an energy shield in the laboratory but their need to stay hidden from ‘‘The Others’ had precluded their search for the right materials to make the energy shielding work on a practical basis. John had left Moore deep in discussion with Persai scientists about Bose–Einstein condensates and Quark––Gluon plasma. It all sounded very boring to John.

  John’s nine-week mission had culminated in the last two days of fleet manoeuvres. The fifteen Persai ships had simulated an incursion into the Pars System by a force of forty Buzzard class ‘Others’ ships, whose aim had been to close with Pars and launch on the planet. Having detected ‘The Others’ approach using the Persai equivalent of the Terran Holmes platforms seeded throughout the system’s asteroid belt, the Persai ships had ambushed them as they entered the system and using micro-folds had out maneuverer ‘The Others’ as they pressed on towards their objective of Pars. The Persai constant hit and run tactics had allowed them to attack and destroy ‘‘The Others’ fleet a few ships at a time, and then micro-fold away before suffering any significant damage themselves. The Persai had repeated the process without a break for two days until ‘The Others’ fleet had been reduced to manageable numbers before confronting them in a full fleet engagement, leading to inevitability of total destruction of ‘The Others’ fleet whilst the Persai suffered minimal losses.

  John had to admit, the Persai ship handling and tactics impressed him. Although their lack of missiles limited the offensive range of their ships, the devastating main plasma cannon ensured that any hit by it was a kill shot. If the TDF could re-equip its ships with the Persai plasma cannon, it would significantly increase its firepower.

  Moore had assured John that the Persai Gravity Drive, although differing from the one that he had developed independently of the Saiph, was only slightly more efficient and not worth introducing to the TDF but the fusion generators that the Persai used were smaller and more efficient and they were well worth adopting into TDF service.

  The other part of the Persai Navy that John had been impressed with was its small fleet of survey ships, like the one commanded by Sub Leader Verus who had first discovered the Terran intervention in Garunda. These ships had all the properties of the TDF’s own Vanguard class survey ships but reflected the Persai fixation with remaining hidden from ‘‘The Others’. They had superior stealth technology. They also reflected the Persai issue of depth of trained personnel, due to their population limits. The Persai were forced to heavily automate ship’s functions and relied on advanced computer systems, just one more thing that Moore drooled over.

  John stood and walked to where Taminth sat in the middle of the flag bridge. “A good day’s work, Force Leader Taminth. And now perhaps we should return to Pars for a well-deserved rest and to allow me to compile my report for the Joint Chiefs.” And, John thought, possibly a chance to see more of Patricia Bath whom he found was increasingly in his thoughts, as he hoped he was in hers.

  Taminth turned his head at John’s approach. “With you and your kind by our side, Admiral, I think the time of our revenge on The Enemy is getting closer.” Again, Taminth smiled and bared his incisors, but this time John could sense the intense need for revenge. As he looked around the bridge, he felt it radiate from every Persai present. It was a feeling that John hoped would not consume the Persai if they ever came into conflict with ‘The Others’.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Return to Messier FiftyFour

  Charon Base - Orbit of Pluto - Sol System

  Commodore Christos Papadomas had been expecting the call from Ad
m. Vadis ever since he had been informed that a Persai survey ship and two of their battle cruisers had arrived in orbit around Charon Base. Once the home to the secretive Operation Chimera, it was now the base for the Survey Command arm of the Terran Defence Force. The pace, of late, for Survey Command had slowed as the TDF recovered from the battle with ‘The Others’ around Garunda and the discovery of the Persai. To Papadomas and the leaders of the TDF, it became apparent that despite the fact that the Vanguard class survey ships successfully avoided contact with ‘The Others’, if the Vanguards had been detected and come under fire, they would not have the necessary firepower to overcome ‘The Others’. The TDF could not rely on catching ‘The Others’ out with a micro-fold as Capt. Witsell had done in 70 Ophiuchi.

  Now he found himself waiting patiently in Vadis’s briefing room accompanied by Capt. Bruce Torrance of TDF James Cook and Capt. Bill Talbot of TDF Henry Hudson.

  Keeping his voice at a low conspirator’s level, he said to Torrance and Talbot, “Well, gentlemen. Do you get the feeling that they may at last have found a job for us poor relations in Survey Command?”

  Talbot let out a little chuckle as he replied in a similar way. “Best keep your comments to yourself, Commodore. You know Vadis hears everything; he used to be a spy, you know.”

  That got a laugh out of the other two men, which they quickly stifled as none other than the said Vadis entered the briefing room, followed by a Persai who was deep in conversation with a human in smart civilian attire and a Garundan in what passed as their version of a suit. Politicians, he thought, as he and the other survey officers brought themselves to attention.

  Vadis smiled his usual fox’s smile, as he walked to the head of the table and took his seat. The human suit and the Garundan sat without invitation while the Persai remained standing and gave the two politicians what he could only assume was a look of disdain highlighted by his revealing one bared incisor and a low one word mumble. He attempted to hide a grin as he realized that the military’s dislike for all things politic appeared to cross all species boundaries.

  Vadis indicated the vacant seats before his officers. “Please, gentleman. Take your seats and let’s begin.” Vadis touched a control and the image of the Messier 54 system appeared above the centre of the table. “This, gentlemen, is why we are gathered here today.”

  He felt a nudge at his elbow as Talbot leaned his head towards him. “Told you.”

  Vadis ignored him as he went on with the briefing. “It has been decided that the time has come for us to return to the Messier 54 system and attempt to make friendly contact with its inhabitants.” Vadis smiled that smile again. “The Baldies.”

  The human suit coughed quietly. “Admiral, must you call them that?”

  Vadis regarded the politician with a playful glint in his eye, “My apologies, Ambassador Schamu. I never was very good at political correctness.”

  Christos could see out of the corner of his eye the Persai giving the ambassador that look of distain again as he struggled to keep a grin from appearing on his own face.

  Back to the briefing, Vadis continued, “The plan is relatively simple: three Vanguard class survey ships will accompany a Persai survey ship captained by Sub Leader Verus.”

  The Persai gave a small nod in the direction of the human officers.

  “The Vanguards will carry out reconnaissance of the outer system and Sub Leader Verus will use his ship’s more advanced stealth technology to get as much information on the two occupied planets as possible without being detected. The Ambassador and his party will then assess the information and formulate a plan to approach the Baldies.”

  At the use of the slang word, again, the Ambassador cringed. Christos was sure the Admiral did it on purpose.

  Vadis went on as if he had not noticed the politician’s reaction. “The Joint Chiefs have decided that, although there is no indication of a presence of ‘The Others’ in the system, from now on all Survey Command missions of this nature will be accompanied by warships to provide the mission with some teeth in case they run into any trouble. To that effect, two Talos class cruisers and two Persai cruisers have been attached to this mission.”

  Ambassador Schamu lent forward and interrupted Vadis. “May I point out that this is the first mission to consist of representatives of all three Commonwealth Union members and I have been selected to lead our political representatives?” He sat back with a very smug look on his face.

  Vadis continued as if he had not heard the Ambassador. “As such, the flotilla will come under command of the ranking Commonwealth Union officer, who will take into account the suggestions of the Ambassador; but it will be that officer who is ultimately in command of the mission.”

  Schamu looked crestfallen as the chain of command was announced to everyone in the room.

  Vadis had that smile again as he turned to face him. “That would be you, Rear Admiral Papadomas.”

  It took him a moment to register what Vadis had just said, but a hearty slap on the back from Talbot brought him back to his senses. “Congratulations, Christos – sorry Admiral Papadomas.”

  After a moment Vadis continued. “Indeed, Admiral Papadomas. Congratulations. Now I would suggest that your first order of business is to let Commander Ranking, your XO, know that he is now Captain Ranking, then get together with your other captains and Sub Leader Verus and familiarise yourself with the Persai ships’ capabilities and formulate a plan. I expect your ships to depart for Messier 54 within the week.”

  #

  Rear Adm. Papadomas looked around his rather spartan flag bridge on TDF Cutlass. Not designed to house admirals and the staff that inevitably came with them, the Talos class Cruisers had simply had the marine areas converted for the Admiral and his hangers on use. A temporary measure until the shipyards built the new survey support cruisers.

  Unashamed pride is what he felt. He found himself not caring one iota how his flag bridge looked because it was all his to command, and that was the important thing. This last week had been a busy time for the Admiral and his new staff. Aside from getting to know how each other operated, he had the added burden of having to listen to the insufferable Schamu’s incessant complaining – about everything: from his quarters to the quality of food... The sooner the Ambassador had something else to occupy him and his party the better.

  Now that time had come. He and his newly named Survey Flotilla One were formed up and ready to depart. “Communications has the flotilla signalled to the flag that it is ready to depart?”

  “Signal has been received and acknowledged, Admiral,” replied the Communications officer.

  “Thank you.” He activated his link to Capt. Mkhize whose face appeared in the Admiral’s Holo Cube.

  Mkhize was from the Natal Province of Earth. With his striking ebony features, deep bass voice with its easily identifiable accent and seemingly irrepressible sense of humour, he and Mkhize found themselves drawn into a natural working partnership, where it appeared that occasionally Mkhize had the uncanny ability to predict his Admiral’s intentions without a word being said. Qualities that an Admiral needed in his flag captain.

  “Vusumuzi, I believe that it is time we were on our way.”

  Mkhize smiled at his Admiral. “Your wish is my command, Admiral.”

  He could not help but smile as Mkhize’s infectious good nature took hold. “Then the command is let’s be on our way to Messier 54, Captain.”

  “Aye aye, sir,” replied Mkhize.

  Papadomas cut the link and noted with satisfaction that as one, the flotilla began to move and quickly picked up speed as it cleared Charon Base.

  He felt his excitement grow as the commander at Communications called out to the bridge in general, “Fold in three, two, one.” And with that, Survey Flotilla One disappeared from Terran space.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Stealth Attack

  Kuiper Belt - 31 Aquilae

  TDF Aurora ran silently through the darkness of space, ev
ery active system on board shut down as she flew on a ballistic course through the outer reaches of the 31 Aquilae system. Her mission was simple: attempt to penetrate the system without detection by any of the watching Sherlock platforms or the patrolling warships of BatFor Four. The Joint Chiefs would periodically run these exercises to test unit readiness. The unit in question, the newly arrived BatFor Four, had no foreknowledge that the destroyer Aurora was coming. If a unit commander was aware that an exercise was scheduled, they may increase their operational tempo in response. It was their normal operations that the Joint Chiefs wanted to test.

  Aurora had been selected for this mission as she was equipped with the latest chameleon stealth systems which, it had been promised, would raise the TDFs stealth ability to a level that should give it parity with that of the Persai. Right now, Aurora was fast approaching the Kuiper Belt circling approximately fifty AUs from the system primary which Capt. Francis McNamara intended to use to mask his approach.

  McNamara had been busily planning his next move after clearing the Kuiper Belt when a call from tactical interrupted him.

  “Captain, I’m picking up something odd on the passive sensors.”

  “Throw it up on the main Holo Cube and let me have a look please, Guns.” The Holo Cube sprang to life with a view of the approaching Kuiper Belt. The Kuiper Belt comprised the bits and pieces left over from the formation of the system, which normally were reasonably small. Some pieces could be as big as a hundred kilometres across and some even large enough to qualify as dwarf planets with a diameter around 1,600 kilometres. Cantered in the image that McNamara was looking at was exactly that – a dwarf planet. Scattered across it was a dusting of twinkling lights, like the stars on a cloudy night obscured and unobscured by the moving clouds.

  McNamara’s gut told him something was not right. “What am I looking at, Guns?”