Warpath (Rise of the Empire Book 4)

by Ivan Kal

  Somehow, Quvor was certain that the danger of the universe just found his people.

  Chapter Eleven

  Trivax system – Eight days later

  Quvor sat and watched helplessly along with every Trivaxian as the alien ships reached Rofvax. There was no answer to any of the SEC’s comms. The aliens ignored every attempt both from the colony on Rofvax and from Trivax. By now there was not a doubt in Quvor’s mind that things were about to get bad. He felt so helpless, his twelve combat capable ships were all at Trivax, even if they started the trip towards Rofvax the moment they detected the aliens, they still wouldn’t have made it in time. Afterwards it was decided that they should stay where they were, lest them speeding towards Rofvax somehow provoke the aliens. Now it seemed that it wouldn’t matter anyways.

  Ten billion people watched as the alien ships approached Rofvax. They all watched in fear as the alien ships fired their weapons and destroyed the station in orbit. They all watched helplessly as the ships entered Rofvax high orbit, and then as smaller ships started dropping down to the planet, just outside of the colony site. And then over the next twenty hours they watched as the aliens killed the security forces and then started taking the colonists prisoner.

  ***

  Sanctuary

  Laura watched as their visual sensors recorded the alien attack on Rofvax, sixteen hours after it happened. She shook her head, it seemed like every other race out there was set on attacking anyone they come in contact with. Trivax wasn’t Empire’s territory, but they had interests there. They were responsible for the jump in technology that Trivax made. But that wasn’t what made Laura want to help them, it was that they were innocent. She had read reports on Trivax ever since they placed the drone to monitor their progress. And she saw a peaceful, kind race. A race that was given a chance to reach out to the stars, a race that was a small child ignorant of the realities of life. But now the universe had taught them a lesson, and they will lose that innocence.

  There was no choice, the Empire will not stand idly by as innocent are dying. She let Tomas know first and got his approval. Then she sent the authorization for the monitoring drone to go active and afterwards reached for her comm, Johanna Stern will need to be enough to help them.

  ***

  Johanna closed her eyes as she listened to Fleets Master’s orders. Her fleet was sitting in the trans-station to Trivax system, and they too had been watching the feed from the monitoring drone, their FTL comm system allowing her to see everything at the moment the drone recorded it. She knew that this was going to happen. Finally, she took a deep breath steeled herself and ordered her ship commanders to prepare for a trans-lane transfer.

  In the meantime she watched as the drone went active. It sent a tachyon ping across the system, illuminating everything and getting myriad of information back. The sensors penetrated the alien ships hulls detecting everything that there was about them. Johanna watched as her ship’s computer found the match for the ships. The materials and weapon signatures matched those she found in the debris field a few months ago.

  Seeing the rest of the alien ship specs, she released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. The alien ships were inferior to her own, they were even inferior to the Sowir ships. Her forty two ships, thirty of them warships, would be able to handle the alien eighty six ships. She recorded a message for Trivaxian’s telling them that help was on the way. The trip to Trivax system was nine days, she hoped that they could get there in time.

  ***

  Trivax

  Director Tofor looked helplessly at the screens in the control room. He, like most everyone on the planet had had very little sleep over the past few days. The horror that they witnessed on Rofvax had given them all nightmares.

  “Why are they doing this?” Someone asked, but no one answered. Tofor didn’t know, he couldn’t comprehend what was happening. His people had never harmed these aliens, and now they were being slaughtered by them. Thirty security officers and forty civilians were dead on Rofvax, and there was nothing that anyone on Trivax could do. Their combat ships were not a match for the aliens, they couldn’t even save a few, board them on ships and flee. The ruling council had suggested it, but it would be pointless. They had no ships that could travel faster than the speed of light, and the alien ships were much faster. They would catch them and kill them anyway. There was still no response from the aliens, no reason given as to why they were doing this.

  And now the alien ships were coming to Trivax. They left ten ships at Rofvax, along with people on the ground. Tofor had no idea what they were doing there now, not since they lost contact with the colony, after the colonist informed them that the aliens were taking prisoners and killing security officers.

  “Director!” One of his subordinates on the monitoring stations called out.

  “What is it?” Tofor turned towards him.

  “We are receiving a laser transmission.” He answered still looking over the monitor. “It’s a recording from the Aliens in our language!”

  Tofor felt his ears quiver, “Let’s hear it.”

  Everyone in the control room quieted and a bland voice that couldn’t belong to any Trivaxian sounded out from the speakers around the room.

  “People of the fourth planet of this star, we are Furvor. We are laying claim to this system, its worlds and resources are now ours. We know that you have been watching what happened to the fifth planet from this star, consider that a demonstration and a warning. You cannot harm our vessels, you cannot resist our warriors. I offer you one chance to save some of your people. Surrender your world now, lay down all of your primitive weapons, abandon your space vessels and constructs, and we will allow one hundredth of your population to survive. Refuse and all shall die.”

  Tofor closed his eyes, his ears slanting forward as he absorbed the alien’s demand. He was terrified, he looked to the side of the room, where the representative of the council was already sending the recording to his superiors. The decision of the council will not make any difference, Commander Quvor’s ships couldn’t stand up to one of the alien ships, let alone more than eighty.

  Tofor remembered a time when they were designing their new ships, he remembered Quvor advocating for ships with weapons. But no-one wanted to hear him, they wanted to explore and colonize their star system. But Quvor was adamant, and no one wanted to refuse the most famous Trivaxian alive. So they gave him twelve ships equipped with a larger scale mining lasers, and some rocket propelled missiles. Tofor shook his head, if only they listened then, if they allowed some of their resources to go into developing weapons, they might stand a chance now. Tofor was looking aimlessly at the big monitor on the wall when he heard commotion all around him. He focused on the group closest to him.

  “What is going on?”

  “All our sensors just experienced some kind of-” Another voice interrupted before Tofor could hear the answer.

  “We are getting a tight band laser transmission Director!” Someone from the monitoring stations exclaimed.

  “The aliens again?” Tofor asked.

  “No! It is coming from the other side of the star system, and it is pointed directly at this facilities comm system!”

  Tofor quickly walked over and leaned down. “What is it?”

  “It… this can’t be right, the transmission is using our protocols, and it’s a video file.” Tofor looked at his subordinate as he shook his head in bewilderment. Tofor felt the same way, they had no assets in the direction that this transmission came from. Steeling himself Tofor stepped back and spoke.

  “Play it.”

  A few moments later the video started playing on the large wall monitor that the room was oriented around. Immediately after the video started there were gasps from across the room. Tofor himself felt his two hearts stop for a beat. Every Trivaxian knew who the being in the message was. Every child born after the most pivotal moment in their history had studied that being. Scientist had analyzed everything about it, its s
kin color, its features, its clothing, everything in order to try and better understand it. Then the being opened its mouth, and just like the last time a voice started speaking a moment later in Trivaxian.

  “People of Trivax,” It struck Tofor how different this voice was from the one of the aliens that had invaded his home. Theirs was cold, mechanical, and void of gender and feeling. But the voice that spoke to his people now felt as if it was truly a Trivaxian speaking, it was feminine, and Tofor could feel the determination in it. “You know who I am, although last time I didn’t introduce myself. We left a monitoring drone in your system to follow your progress, and through it we are aware of the invaders that had attacked your system. Our territory is a long way from you, but we have ships close by. I am sending you this message to let you know that we are coming. Don’t lose hope, we will arrive in nine days. I am Fleet Commander Johanna Stern of the Empire, we are coming.”

  The silence met the end of the message. Tofor was looking at the blank screen in shock. Suddenly an emotion he hadn’t felt since the aliens took Rofvax filled his being, hope.

  ***

  Six days later – Trivax orbit

  Quvor watched as the invader’s ships drew closer and closer to his home world. At their current speed they will arrive in two days, one day before the arrival of the other aliens. Even now Quvor could barely believe it. He had watched the video message, and recognized the alien being as the same one that had given his people a great gift. But it was also coupled with anger. The aliens had a small monitoring station in his system, now that they knew it was there it was relatively easy for them to find it.

  But Quvor wasn’t really angry about that, he was angry that they weren’t here to prevent what happened at Rofvax. He knew that this anger was unfounded, he shouldn’t expect them to come and protect his people the instant a threat appeared. And if their territory was so far away, then Quvor should be grateful that his people were lucky enough that this Empire had ships close enough to come to their aid. But it still weighed on Quvor, knowing that there was nothing he could do, and that if help doesn’t arrive before the invaders reach Trivax, it would be on his ships to stall them until it does.

  It was a fool’s errand, his ships were no match for the invaders. But still Quvor wouldn’t let them pass as long as his ships could impede them. They will die to buy his people time. And perhaps the time they buy will save some lives.

  Quvor’s plan was already in motion, he waited until one of Trivax’s moons was obscuring the invaders fleet’s view, and then started moving his ships behind it. He was using the moon to keep his ships hidden, while he used the sensors from the station and satellites in Trivax orbit to monitor the invaders. Once they reach the moon Quvor will move from behind the moon and attack them from the side, in a maneuver that will then slingshot his ship back behind the moon. He hoped that that will save at least some of his ships, and hopefully give him another chance to annoy the invaders. Maybe annoy them enough that they decide to first destroy his ships, buying more time for Trivax.

  Quvor scratched his snout with his lower left limb, then he leaned back down at the screen, checking his calculations one more time.

  Chapter Twelve

  Two days later – Trivax’s moon

  Quvor’s ears twitched, for the hundredth time he questioned himself. He was certain the invaders knew that his twelve ships were here. If he was commanding those ships, that would have been the most logical conclusion after he saw that they disappeared. What Quvor hoped for, was that the invaders leader saw his ships as no threat at all, that they didn’t expect an attack. Because who would be crazy enough to attack a fleet of seventy much more advanced ships with only twelve?

  Quvor glanced at the clock ticking down to the moment his ships would commence full burst and slingshot around the moon to attack the side of the invaders formation. He glanced downwards and checked his straps once more. The speed his ships would be accelerating would be so big that most will lose consciousness. And yet, Quvor knew that those speeds were nothing compared to the speeds of the invaders. There was mention of a way to negate the force of acceleration in the files given to his people, but they haven’t discovered what it was yet.

  The attack itself would be executed by the ship’s computers, there was just no way for his people to control the ship while under so much gravitational forces. Quvor hoped that it would be enough. Then the clock reached zero, and Quvor opened ship wide comms.

  “All personnel brace for maximum acceleration!” A few moments later, his ship started to move, faster and faster, until he could feel the straps on his body tighten and his body pressing painfully into his chair. He wondered, if he would survive long enough to thank the aliens for his life.

  ***

  Twelve Trivaxian ships slingshot around the moon, the gravitational forces of the maneuver made most of their crews pass out. But their presence wasn’t necessary, the computers executed their tasks. As soon as they left the shadow of the moon, they looked at the place where – according to the calculations from Trivax – the invasion fleet should be, and found them within the margin. The ships computers locked on to the closest five ships and fired all their missiles. Each ship launched forty missiles, four hundred and eighty missiles total raced towards the invading ships.

  Even though the Trivaxians had the element of surprise, the invading ships recovered quickly enough. Their point defense lasers started locking on to the incoming missile fire. Quickly the Trivaxian missiles started disappearing in flashes of fire. But as luck would have it, the invader formation was such that their smallest crafts were on the outside of the formation. Their lesser point defense capability, coupled with the relatively short range from Trivaxian ships and the amount of missiles, guaranteed that they wouldn’t be able to take them all down.

  Then Trivaxian ships opened up with their laser weapons. Their lasers were nowhere near powerful enough to actually destroy the invading ships. But even a low powered laser could prove troublesome if it was allowed to keep its fire on the same area long enough. So the invaders started rolling their ships in an attempt to dissipate the heat from the lasers, which in turn lessened their point defense effectiveness. But just as they took incoming fire, they too lashed back with their own missiles, five ships each fired one hundred missiles in a span of half a minute. And then the Trivaxian missiles passed the invaders point defense. Out of four hundred and eighty missiles, forty seven passed through and impacted the invader ships.

  The missiles, just like the Trivaxian lasers were nowhere near powerful enough to actually destroy the invading ships. But luckily one of the invader ships allowed a Trivaxian laser to keep its beam on the same area for long enough to threaten the hull integrity, and out of forty seven missiles more than half targeted just that ship. Twenty five missiles impacted the invader ship’s hull, fifteen of those hitting the hull and only scratching and denting it, but ten of the missiles impacted on the area of the hull that was weakened by the Trivaxian laser. The missiles detonated and punctured the hull, the ship lost atmosphere and secondary explosions destroyed its main systems. The ship continued spinning, now dead in space.

  The Trivaxian’s on their ships didn’t even have the chance to realize that their ships had just drawn first blood when the invader missiles reached them. Trivaxian ships had no point defense and missiles flew effortlessly towards them. The missiles were programed to attack the closest ships and as the Trivaxian ships shot around the moon going outside of the range of the invading fleet, they struck. Five ships disappeared in a blinding flash of white fire that lasted a mere moment, eight hundred lives gone in an instant, as fifty missiles struck each ship. Then the remaining two hundred and fifty missiles sped towards new targets of opportunity. Four more ships ended as the remaining missiles slammed into their hulls.

  Out of twelve Trivaxian ships only three remained, and soon enough their course led them back behind the moon, and out of the invaders sight.

  ***

&nbs
p; Quvor regained consciousness slowly, his mind fuzzy and every part of his body hurting. Finally he came around far enough to look at his monitor. He knew one thing, he was alive. The question was whether their attack was successful. He knew that it was unlikely that they managed to inflict much if any damaged to the invaders, but he couldn’t help but hope.

  He looked at the monitor and felt a moment of elation as he saw his computer report that they had destroyed one of the invading ships. But then he saw the state of his own ships. He had lost nine ships, traded the lives of their crews for one enemy ship. And it didn’t even matter, the invader fleet was so big that one less ship meant nothing for them.

  His goal was to try and stall them, but he doubted that he even achieved that much. He knew that now he had no chance of beating the invaders to Trivax, his world will be undefended. Not that his ships could contribute much.

  A flash of red and a warning sound drew Quvor’s eyes back to the monitor. Ten invader ships were speeding toward his remaining ships.

  ***

  Ten hours later Quvor’s remaining ships were still alive. Not because of any brilliant tactic on his part, no, they lived only because the invaders wanted them to. The ten ships had been pursuing them at the same pace that Quvor’s ships were running, slowly herding them back towards Trivax. The ten ships could have blown them to bits at any moment, and Quvor wondered if they felt some kind of perverse satisfaction watching his ships try to run away while there was no chance of them succeeding. The only reason Quvor didn’t order a suicide run on the ten ships was because he knew that help was coming, he only hoped that it came before the invaders grew bored of playing games with him.