Lansu and the others on board Dominion squinted their pale blue eyes as the ion charges disbursed against the enemy ship. But when the light subsided, they saw Defiant’s red glowing prow rushing toward them.
Lansu’s eyes grew wide. “Order all Codex fighters to attack Defiant! Fire all weapons!”
As he spoke, the Defiant’s main battery fired on Dominion at a distance of five thousand meters. The Sahiradin battleship’s shields briefly held, but the beam soon overloaded them and reached the hull. It tore a long gash in the Dominion’s port side near the prow.
Moments later, Dominion fired all her weapons on Defiant. The Lycian ship’s forward shield absorbed most of the missile and energy attacks, but it finally collapsed, allowing two missiles through. They struck her and tore deep holes in her prow, demolishing her main battery in the process. Also, because of Dominion’s maneuvering, Defiant’s port side of her stern was exposed to a number of the vector missiles. Her main engines took direct hits, rendering them useless.
“Sir,” shouted Vilna. “The other Lycian ships are firing on us!”
Resolve and Glory fired their full array of missile and energy weapons at the Sahiradin battleship. Many of the missiles were destroyed by anti-missile projectiles and other counter measures, but four torpedoes made it through Dominion’s defensive gauntlet and struck their target, tearing holes in the now shieldless hull.
Lansu ordered the ion cannons to fire on the two remaining ships as soon as they were recharged. Fighters were ordered to maintain distance or be affected by the ion energy surge.
“Sir!” said one of his bridge officers.
“What is it?” asked Commodore Lansu, trying to keep his anger in check.
“It’s Challenger, sir. She’s approaching from P4 at full speed. She’s almost within targeting range.”
“Not so wounded as we were meant to believe,” said Lansu grimly. After a moment’s consideration he said, “Withdraw from orbit. Make for the P3 moon and take up a defensive position there. Deploy defense drones when we establish orbit. Inform General Urkona we will return for him after making repairs. Until then, he and his ground forces will be on their own.”
“But sir,” objected Vilna. “Even wounded as we are, we can destroy these ships. And without us, General Urkona’s men will be exposed to attack, both on the ground and by orbital bombardment.”
Lansu said, “They have their base shield and several thousand Sahiradin soldiers. They are protected from orbital bombardment and can repel any ground attack. Risk to them is minimal.”
Captain Vilna began to speak, but Lansu cut him off. “You have my orders. Withdraw to the P3 moon.”
Chapter 62
On Earth, millions of faces continued to stare up at the skies as the small dot moved rapidly away from the other three. The people of the North American continent had seen similar dots in the sky in the form of the handful of satellites that had begun to orbit Earth in the past few years. But these were different. They were much larger, and they frequently changed speed and direction. And, of course, they had never before seen the bright red, orange, and yellow flashes that burst like distant fireworks. The flashes of light ended after a few minutes, but the impression they made on the millions of witnesses lasted much longer.
On the hilltop overlooking the Mississippi River, Lieutenant Styles put down her field sensors and turned her attention to Colonel Longmire. He wasn’t looking at the sky anymore. He was looking at the lights of the Sahiradin camp on the hilltop three kilometers across the valley.
“Sir,” said his communications officer.
“Yes, Lieutenant,” answered Longmire.
“Control is on the secure line. They want you right away.”
“I’m not surprised,” he said. “I’ll be right there.”
He looked at Lieutenant Styles. “Go get those new troopers from the PRA. They’re the only ones around here who might have a clue about what the hell just happened.”
When Logan, Lena and Cap arrived in the command tent, Colonel Longmire was standing in front of a table with a variety of communications equipment on it. Standing to his side was Consul Sawyer, who had just arrived by helicopter, against the advice of military leadership. On a view screen in front of Longmire was the image of a conference room with several high-ranking military officers and a few civilians sitting at a long table.
“Here they are now,” he said.
Longmire directed the three friends to stand next to him and said, “You’ve all seen the video and sensor data we uploaded earlier. And we can all make a few safe assumptions about what we and about twenty million other people just witnessed in Earth’s orbit. But none of us know why it’s happening or what might happen next. Hopefully these three recent PRA defectors can enlighten us.”
Logan didn’t like hearing him and his friends described as “defectors,” but he let it go. He cleared his throat and said, “Yes sir. How can we help?”
A woman in a light blue uniform said, “Let’s start with a few basics like who are we dealing with, how many are there, and what do they want?”
“Based on what Ravenwood told us, we’re seeing two warring factions from another area of the galaxy.”
“Ravenwood?” interrupted an older dark-haired woman in civilian clothing. “Are we going to accept anything that crazy old man had to say?”
Consul Sawyer stepped forward and stood next to Logan. “I consider Ravenwood to have been a valuable adviser. Now he’s dead. Killed by one of these white-haired alien invaders during the attack on Jasper Air Base.”
“I thought that was a PRA Special Forces raid,” replied the female officer in the blue uniform. “Are you suggesting the PRA is working with these invaders?”
“We’re not sure what to think right now,” replied Sawyer. “But we know there was at least one Sahiradin among the Red Legs.”
“Sahiradin?”
“That’s what Ravenwood called them,” said Logan, picking up the thread of conversation. “The Sahiradin have been at war with a collection of other alien species for hundreds of years. As a group, these allied species are called the Lycians. It’s a war of total annihilation. At one time, the Sahiradin had a significant tactical advantage because of something we call the Apollo Stone and they call a Kaiytáva. The Kaiytáva allowed the Sahiradin to basically connect two points anywhere in the universe and travel there instantaneously. It’s my understanding that interstellar travel is possible even without the Kaiytáva, but ships must pass through a specially constructed gate. These gates create a momentarily stable wormhole connecting one gate to another.”
“Okay,” said one of the uniformed men in a deep gravelly voice. He had a fleshy round face and receding red hair. “So there are two sides at war. One uses the Apollo Stone, or whatever they call it, to jump around and launch surprise attacks against the other.”
“That’s exactly right,” said Logan. “The Sahiradin used the Kaiytáva to surprise their Lycian enemies. But over time, the Lycians managed to destroy the Sahiradin ships carrying Kaiytáva until there was only one left.”
Logan waited a moment to let his words sink in. He could see several of his listeners had already decided he was a crackpot, but not all of them.
He continued. “The Sahiradin used their last Kaiytáva to send a ship from their area of the galaxy to a faraway planet in order to set up a safe haven to regroup, expand their population, and rebuild their military. They chose Earth because it was a former colony, abandoned hundreds of thousands of years ago, maybe longer. But their ship was damaged when it arrived in our solar system, and they found that Earth was not in fact abandoned.”
“So you’re saying we’re living on an old abandoned alien colony?” asked the red-haired soldier, incredulously.
“General, I suggest we hear everything the PRA defector has to say before passing judgment,” said Consul Sawyer.
Logan grit his teeth at hearing the word “defector” applied to him again.
; Consul Sawyer turned her attention to Logan and said, “So that’s why they’re here? They’re here to reclaim the planet for themselves?”
“I think their primary goal is to retrieve the Kaiytáva, which has been on Earth for almost two hundred years.”
“Okay. So how did this thing come to Earth?” asked one of the civilians, clearly growing impatient with a story that seemed increasingly absurd.
“The Sahiradin ship arrived in our solar system in 1972, but it was badly damaged, and it could not launch an effective attack on Earth by itself,” said Logan.
“I think we would have noticed that,” said the red-haired general, his voice laced with sarcasm.
“So they didn’t attack us directly,” continued Logan. “They sent asteroids into Earth’s path instead. Those asteroids impacted fifty years later and wiped out eighty percent of the population.”
No one spoke for a moment except for the red-haired general, who mumbled, “I’ll be damned.”
“The Sahiradin ship exploded soon after they launched the asteroid attack, but an escape pod landed on the moon,” said Logan. “The United States retrieved the escape pod during an Apollo moon landing. Inside the pod was the Kaiytáva and a survivor.”
“I think I’ve heard enough,” said one of the civilians. “This is becoming too ridiculous to bear.”
“Wait a second,” said Consul Sawyer. “So the United States had this thing that allowed a ship to leap across the universe, an alien escape pod, and an alien survivor? What happened to these things after the Impact?”
“I’m not sure,” said Logan. “But the People’s Republic of America gained control over them at some point.”
“And used them to help build advanced weapons systems,” said Consul Sawyer as she connected the dots. “Antiballistic shields, hyper accurate targeting systems, gravity-dampening flight technology. It would explain how the People’s Republic of America, which can’t build a decent car, can leap from one stunning military innovation to the next. Innovations which we later acquire with great difficulty and adapt for our own use.”
“You mean to say they’ve been getting help from a two-hundred-year-old space alien?” asked the red-headed general, grinning and shaking his head in disbelief. He looked around the table at the others. “How long are we going to sit here and listen to this fairytale?”
“The alien’s alive, General Myer” said Consul Sawyer. “And we saw him during the raid on the air base. And now there are over five thousand of them on a hill a few kilometers from where I’m standing. Explain that!”
“You say these aliens are here for this Apollo Stone or whatever you call it, which can connect them to any spot in the universe. Where is it now?” asked a woman in a blue uniform.
Logan took a deep breath. “We had it until they raided Jasper Air Base and took it.”
“And now the Sahiradin have it,” said Lena, impatiently. “We have to get it back.”
“But where is it exactly?” asked General Myer. “Is it in a spaceship?
“I don’t know,” replied Logan. “They might have retrieved it already, but if they haven’t it’s somewhere in that camp guarded by over five thousand soldiers.”
“Colonel Longmire, you’re on the ground there. What’s your assessment of all of this?” asked a uniformed man with tightly cut graying hair.
Longmire picked up a PDD and looked at a report. “General McIntyre, our latest estimates put the Sahiradin numbers at between six and eight thousand. But there are about fifteen hundred Dellians that crossed the river by boat earlier today. They secured the west side of a nearby ancient rail bridge. They’re in the process of repairing the bridge, aided by a few PRA troops and engineers. Add to that an unknown number of Dellians in the forest on the east side.”
Longmire put the PDD down and continued. “Despite the army of Sahiradin camped a few klicks north of us, my greatest concern is the repair activity on the bridge. They’ve brought in heavy equipment, and I’m sorry to say they’re making good progress.”
“Which explains the intelligence reports we’ve received and forwarded to you indicating there are multiple trains full of troops and equipment heading north to that bridge,” added General McIntyre.
“And let’s not forget we are in Northrunner territory,” added Longmire. “They’ve been steadily gathering their forces just north of the Sahiradin camp.”
“And true to their nature, they’ve refused to discuss their intentions with us,” said Consul Sawyer, permitting herself to reveal a little of her frustration.
“Why haven’t we bombed the rail lines or the bridge?” asked Lena.
“With what?” asked General McIntyre. “Our air force took heavy losses during today’s fighting. Those Sahiradin V-wings cut through us like piss through snow. And the PRA just introduced us to their new Phantom 2 fighters, which outperform anything we have.”
“What about the X-1 fighter I flew?” asked Cap. “That’s based on the Phantom 2 and should be a good match.”
“Who the hell put you in the cockpit of our X-1?” demanded the woman in the blue uniform.
“Air Marshal West. I approved the use of the X-1,” said Consul Sawyer in a slightly raised tone. “It was the only thing ready to go after the PRA’s new gunship that attacked Jasper Air Base. And it was this young man’s skill with the X-1 which ultimately brought the Blackhawk down.”
The air marshal stared at Consul Sawyer through the view screen, her teeth clenched as she sought to control her anger. “Consul Sawyer,” she said after a moment. “With all due respect, you are a politician. You represent the Iowan cities in the League. I am chief of the entire League Air Force. You do not have authority to allow anyone access to military equipment, especially something as sophisticated as the X-1.”
Logan could see Consul Sawyer was beginning to lose her composure. She responded in an icy but measured tone. “The military is ultimately under civilian control, Air Marshal West. As you may recall, my colleagues and I approved your appointment to your position.”
“All right, all right,” said General McIntyre, raising a cautionary hand to Air Marshal West, who was about to respond. “Consul Sawyer, we understand you exercised emergency powers as a representative of the League Council when you approved the use of the X-1. However, in my capacity as League Forces Chief, I must state that such actions should be taken only in the rarest of circumstances. You and the League Council determine war goals, the League Forces Joint Command develops and executes the plan to achieve those goals. That’s how it works. Agreed?”
“Well said,” answered Consul Sawyer with a smile. “Agreed.”
Seeking to change the focus of the conversation, General McIntyre said, “Now let’s get back to the challenge we’re facing. We have a handful of fighter aircraft left, but they’re busy fending off PRA air attacks all along the frontier, especially near St. Louis. The great majority of PRA ground forces are preparing to attack at any moment, also near St. Louis. If PRA forces cross the river at St. Louis, and they get help from an army swinging south, they’ll have enough troops to both lay siege to our fortress at Deep Six and drive on to Denver. They’ll split the League in two.”
“And don’t look for help from the Southern Union or the Pacific Federation,” said Consul Sawyer. “The SU still hasn’t recovered from their fight last year with the PRA and the Pacific Federation just doesn’t have that much to send.”
“Okay,” said the red-haired general. “What about the Northrunners? Can we get any help from them?”
“Colonel Longmire, you’re up there in the middle of it all,” said General McIntyre. “What are your impressions about the Northrunners’ intentions?”
“Sir, one of our Talon pilots was able to do some recon before being chased out by their anti-aircraft fire. She reported they appear to be checking their ammo and sharpening their bayonets. I’d say their plan is to dig in and block any northward movement.”
General McIntyre nodded his head and
said, “And what is your assessment on whether the Dellians and the PRA are working together with these Sahiradin?”
“I don’t know sir,” replied Longmire. “We’ve got scouts trying to gather intelligence on the ground, but they’re encountering some Sahiradin pickets. I’ve lost two troopers already, sir. But, if it’s true that a Sahiradin crash survivor has been helping the PRA build high-tech weapons, I think we should assume they are working together.”
“I think that’s a wise approach,” said Consul Sawyer.
“Anything else to report, colonel?” asked General McIntyre.
“Not at this time, sir.”
“Okay. You’re heavily outnumbered, so if the Dellians or Sahiradin make any moves toward you, your orders are to pull stakes and hightail it south. Join up with the main League army.”
“Understood, sir,” said Longmire.
Chapter 63
Colonel Linsky stood in Grand Guardian Harken’s spacious office, which had an expansive view of the Capitol and the Potomac River. The last light of the day fell on low gray buildings sprawling along each side of the Potomac River. The only visible vertical break in the cityscape was the massive statue of The People in Victory, erected shortly after the death of Malcom Weller. Linsky could see the occasional white flash in the distance as the safety towers along the Capitol barrier washed the quickly darkening streets and buildings in the light of their powerful lamps.
“Colonel Linsky,” said Harken in a sharp tone. “You have failed the People’s Republic on multiple occasions with disastrous results. You allowed the Apollo Stone to be removed from the laboratory and you failed to recover it even when you literally had it in your hand.”
Harken looked at Linsky’s right arm, noting the absent appendage.
The Navigator (The Apollo Stone Trilogy Book 1) Page 35