“The Dyson Sphere is absolute proof of that,” Ariel responded. “Not even what the AIs built around the black hole can compare to it, and that was the biggest construction project ever done in our galaxy.”
“I’ll speak to Andram,” Kathryn said after a moment. “Once this next set of emitters is deployed I’ll suggest he focus his research on a method to destroy the Dyson Sphere. I also want to see if he’ll tell me any more about these mysterious Originators. I get the impression the Altons are hesitant to speak about them.”
“It might be a waste of time having Andram look into a way to destroy the sphere,” Jeremy replied. “How can you destroy something that encloses a star? However, it won’t hurt to see what he can come up with.” Looking at the main viewscreen, Jeremy gazed down at Gaia. The planet seemed so peaceful. “I also want to know more about the Originators. Where did they come from and did they have colonies in this galaxy as well?”
“The probability is very high,” Ariel responded. “With the Dyson Sphere being here, there are bound to have been colonies as well.”
Jeremy let out a heavy sigh. The Triangulum Galaxy held a number of mysteries. He would love nothing better than to go in search of the Originator colony worlds, though he suspected all they would find would be ancient ruins. He knew Kathryn felt the same way. The Distant Horizon had been built for exploration, a task that, with the decision to stay in the nebula, the ship would never get to fulfill.
Once this next set of twenty-four emitters were deployed, they would be safe from attack and committed to not venturing forth in the near future. Perhaps they could finally make this world their home. Eventually he planned on seeding the entire nebula with the hyperspace disruption emitters to keep the Simulins out.
-
In the blue giant nebula, the Simulins were preparing for an invasion. Inside the Dyson Sphere, nearly three thousand Simulin warships were gathered. For some unknown reason, the expeditionary invasion force sent to the AIs’ galaxy had failed to report back. They were shortly going to send a massive reinforcing fleet through to ensure that galaxy was swiftly brought under their control. It was remotely possible the initial force had run into unexpected resistance. If its numbers had been significantly reduced, the remaining ships might not have been able to deploy sufficient energy collecting satellites so a reverse vortex to the Great Sphere could be established.
“We will go through in twenty hours,” said the High Commander of the fleet. “All ships will be at maximum battle readiness.”
“I have checked with the battle computer,” replied the ship’s second in command. “It believes the expeditionary fleet might have met resistance from the AIs and the same organics who came to this galaxy.”
“It doesn’t matter,” spoke the High Commander confidently. “This fleet is powerful enough and contains sufficient battlecruisers to ensure victory.”
“What about the AIs and organics we discovered hiding in the nebula?”
“They will be dealt with shortly,” replied the High Commander. “A second force is being gathered and will arrive at the nebula in eight days. We know their defenses and the capabilities of their ships. This time they will be defeated and annihilated.”
-
Admiral Race Tolsen looked worriedly at the ship’s tactical displays, fearful of what might shortly be coming. Less than an hour previously, the intergalactic vortex had flared to life for a brief time.
“They could be coming through at any moment,” commented Commander Arnett. “The fleet’s at Condition Two.”
“They’ll be coming through in far greater numbers than before,” Race predicted worriedly.
“The relief fleets are all here,” Madelyn pointed out, gesturing toward another display and the waiting fleets. “We could push the schedule and send them through now.”
“It would be a risk,” Race said as he considered her suggestion. “The Simulins could show up as the fleets are going through. If that were to happen, they’d be sitting ducks. We also don’t know what would happen if two intergalactic vortexes were established in such close proximity to one another.”
“If we wait, we might not get the opportunity to send them through at all,” said Colonel Cowel. “I think we have to take the risk.”
Race took a deep breath as he reached a decision. This was their only chance to reinforce the Lost Fleets; to wait might lose that opportunity permanently. “Let’s do it. Contact Pelel and tell them it’s time to send the fleets through.”
Looking at the tactical displays, the area around the weakened area of space was covered in green icons representing Federation and Alliance ships. There were also twenty Indomitable Class Battlestations enclosing the area plus two thousand particle beam satellites. Race had a horrifying feeling it wasn’t going to be enough to stop the Simulins this time.
-
The relief fleets rapidly organized themselves as excitement swept through the ships. They were finally going to the Triangulum Galaxy to aid the Lost Fleets. Every person in the fleets were volunteers and knew this was probably a one-way mission. There would be no returning home. They were going to fight a war to keep the home galaxy safe as well as colonize a new world. Morale was high as word swept through the fleets the time had finally come.
-
“I can’t believe so many ships showed up,” Madelyn said as the command crew worked like mad trying to coordinate everything.
“Some heads are going to roll once word of what we’ve done gets back to the Federation Council,” Race said grimly. He knew he’d stretched his orders by not destroying the capacitor stations when Sixth Fleet arrived and he’d been told to do so. “I’m not sure even Fleet Admiral Nagumo will survive the repercussions of our actions.”
“I have Admiral Korrel on the comm,” reported Lieutenant Travers with an unhappy look. “He’s demanding to know what we’re doing and why we’re not moving immediately to detonate the capacitor stations.”
“Tell Admiral Korrel we’re sending the relief fleets through first,” answered Race, dismissing Korrel from his mind. There was nothing the Sixth Fleet admiral could do to stop the fleets now.
“Message sent,” reported Travers. A few moments later, she frowned and turned back to Admiral Tolsen. “I’m picking up an FTL transmission from the Orion Victory.”
“He’s sending a report of what we’re getting ready to do to the Federation,” commented Madelyn, shaking her head. “How did that man ever become an admiral?”
Race didn’t show the anger he was feeling, only nodded his head. “He has some family connections. It’ll take several weeks for his message to get to the Federation. This will all be over by then and we’ll be on our way back home.”
“I wonder what kind of welcome we’ll get?” asked Colonel Cowel with a grimace. “We’ll probably all be court-martialed.”
“If we are, we won’t be alone,” Race responded. A lot of people had been involved in assembling the relief fleets.
“Pelel says he can activate the vortex at any time,” reported Lieutenant Travers as a new message came in.
“Relief fleets are ready,” Madelyn said as she listened to the different fleet groups report in over her mini-comm.
Race touched his own mini-comm, switching it to fleet-wide so all commanding officers in the different fleets could hear him. “We are about to activate the vortex. You will be going to another galaxy to fight a war against a race that poses a far greater threat than the AIs or the Hocklyns ever did. You’re all volunteers; some of you have family in the Lost Fleets.” Race paused, looking around the Command Center, all eyes on him. “I wish you luck and good hunting. The Federation and its allies will never forget you.”
Race turned to Madelyn. “Inform Pelel to activate the vortex.”
Looking at the viewscreens, Race could see the three capacitor stations, which had been moved into close proximity to the weakened area of space. Thirty small vortex generators formed a ring, which would allow the formation
of an intergalactic spatial vortex eight hundred meters in diameter.
“Vortex activated,” reported Colonel Cowel as a spinning white spatial vortex formed in the center of one of the main viewscreens.
“Send them through,” Race ordered in a calm voice.
“Type Two battlestations transiting,” reported Lieutenant Davis from sensors.
Race nodded. They had modified twenty of the Type Two battlestations, adding additional particle beam weapons and equipping them with heavier shields. The battlestations had minimal crews and would be responsible for defending the exit vortex from Simulin attack. They’d been equipped with basic hyperdrives to allow them to make the transit. They were using maneuvering thrusters to enter the vortex since they were not equipped with sublight drives. As Race watched, the first one hundred and fifty-meter globe reached the vortex and vanished. The others followed in quick succession.
“Admiral Jackson is moving his fleet up,” Madelyn reported as she watched the tactical display near her. It was full of friendly green icons waiting to make the transit.
Admiral Jackson had volunteered to lead the Federation contingent through the vortex. He’d explained to Race that at his age he didn’t want to face a court-martial or be assigned to a desk job. The fleet he was leading in the Dauntless were the ships Fleet Admiral Nagumo had pulled from the reserve fleet and updated in the shipyards around New Tellus. The fleet consisted of six battleships, ten battlecruisers, twenty strikecruisers, ten light cruisers, eight older fleet repair ships, two hospital ships, twenty supply ships, six fleet training vessels carrying sixty thousand replacement crew personnel, and ten very old and very large colony ships. Each colony ship held twenty thousand colonists who had volunteered to go to Gaia to live.
As Race watched, the six battleships moved up to make transit first in case their firepower was needed when they exited the vortex. No one knew for sure what might be waiting for them, but there was bound to be some type of Simulin response when they detected the fleets appearing in the Sigma System. That was one of the reasons they’d sent the battlestations first.
“Good luck, Admiral Jackson,” Race said over his mini-comm. “It’s been an honor serving with you.”
“I’ll tell Admiral Strong you said hello. Give the politicians back in the Federation hell,” Jackson replied as the Dauntless vanished into the vortex. The other ships of the fleet quickly followed their flagship into the swirling spatial anomaly.
“Ceres and New Tellus relief fleets are going through next,” Madelyn reported as the next group of ships neared the vortex.
Race looked at the tactical display and the green icons representing the fleet. These were all new ships Governor Barnes and Senator Karnes had managed to get constructed and sent to the galactic center in the guise of protecting Astral. Ambassador Tureen had even gone along with the deception. There were eight battleships, twelve battlecruisers, twenty strikecruisers, twenty light cruisers, one hospital ship, two fleet repair ships, twenty supply ships, and five more colony ships carrying one hundred thousand colonists. The mixed fleet quickly entered the vortex with the distance separating transiting ships less than one thousand meters.
“Admiral Bachal is up next,” Madelyn said as she watched the tactical display. So far everything was going very smoothly.
It had been a surprise when the Altons informed them they also would be sending a relief fleet. It was a powerful fleet of twenty battleships, forty battlecruisers, six additional science ships, and two very advanced colony ships carrying twenty thousand Altons. Ambassador Tureen had sent a message to Race saying that after reviewing Admiral Strong’s data from the message probe it was better to fight the Simulins in their galaxy rather than our own. He had also promised to speak to the Federation Council on Race’s behalf as well as the others who were involved in this endeavor.
However, the big thing about the Alton ships was what the battleships were dragging behind them with their ship’s powerful tractor beams. Each ship was pulling one-half of an Indomitable Class Battlestation. Once they reached Gaia and were reassembled, there would be ten of the powerful battlestations protecting the planet.
“Alton fleet’s making transit,” Madelyn informed Race. In the tactical display, the friendly green icons of the Alton vessels blinked out one by one as they were swallowed by the vortex.
“Pelel is asking us to hurry,” reported Lieutenant Travers worriedly. “He has enough power to keep the vortex activated for only another fourteen minutes.”
“That’ll be long enough,” answered Race.
The fleets were entering the vortex with minimal spacing and at high speeds to get all the ships through in the designated time period. His eyes kept shifting over to the sensor screens above Lieutenant Davis’s console, worrying the Simulins could show up at any moment and bring the transit of the relief fleets to a screeching halt.
“New Providence relief fleet is up next,” said Madelyn as another group of green icons neared the swirling vortex.
Looking at one of the viewscreens, Race saw the two New Providence battleships enter the vortex followed by thirty strikecruisers and ten supply ships. “Only the Carethians remain,” he said as the last group of ships neared the spatial anomaly.
“We go on the hunt,” Admiral Calmat said with pride over the comm to Race and the others who were listening. “Our clans will grow strong and earn much honor in this new galaxy.”
“For the hunt,” Race responded gravely. “Go with honor.” As he watched, the Bear’s flagship, Hunter, entered the vortex followed by sixty medium cruisers, twenty supply ships, and forty small colony ships carrying eighty thousand Bears.
“All relief fleets are through,” confirmed Lieutenant Davis with a relieved sigh as the last icon vanished.
“Shut down the vortex and begin recharging the capacitor stations,” ordered Race. They’d finished with a few minutes to spare so a lot of power still remained in the stations.
“Recharge them?” inquired Colonel Cowel, looking confused. “Shouldn’t we be getting ready to destroy them?”
“Not quite yet,” Race said with a wolfish glint in his eyes. “I have a plan for the stations and the Simulins when they arrive.”
“I wonder if the Simulins were waiting for the relief fleets?” commented Madelyn. “There may be a huge battle taking place even now in the Triangulum Galaxy.”
“We just sent four hundred and seventeen ships there,” spoke Colonel Cowel with a worried frown. “Each ship has a maximum crew; I hope we didn’t send all of them to their deaths.”
“We didn’t,” Race responded, his eyes shifting to Cowel. “Those crews are maxed out to give Admiral Strong additional crew support if he needs it. Most of those ships could easily operate with thirty percent less personnel than they have on board. The battlestations and Admiral Jackson’s battleships should be able to protect the fleets as they arrive.”
“Admiral Korrel is on the comm again,” reported Lieutenant Travers in a tired voice. “He’s demanding we immediately destroy the capacitor stations or he’ll fire on them himself.”
“Maybe we should have gone with the relief fleets,” muttered Madelyn, shaking her head. Admiral Korrel was going to be a problem, particularly when they returned to the Federation.
Race activated his mini-comm so he could speak directly to the rebellious admiral. “Don’t fire on those stations,” Race warned. “If you do so I’ll have you brought up on charges of mutiny.”
“Mutiny?” sputtered Korrel, barely able to hold his anger in check. “I’ll see you court-martialed!”
“Perhaps,” Race replied evenly. “But I’m in command and you will follow my orders or I’ll have you placed in the brig.”
Korrel was quiet for a long moment. “Are you going to destroy the stations?”
“When the time is right,” Race replied calmly. “The Simulins won’t get control of them nor will they gain a foothold in our galaxy.”
“You’d better be right,” wa
rned Korrel. “If not, I’ll be the first one to testify at your court-martial.”
Race turned off his min-comm with a heavy sigh. What he was planning carried some serious risk, but if it were successful, it would deal a serious setback to the Simulins and their war machine.
-
Admiral Jackson felt a wrenching sensation and a brief moment of dizziness as the Dauntless dropped out of hyperspace. He blinked his eyes and took several deep breaths. Even as he did so, he felt the ship shake violently and alarms began sounding.
“Glancing energy beam strike to bow section fourteen, only minor damage,” reported a shaken Commander Sharon Blanton as she staggered over to the damage control console. “Energy screen is coming up.”
“Weapons online,” added Captain Dwight Lance from Tactical.
“Who hit us?” demanded Jackson as the ship’s viewscreens began to come on and the tactical displays began to update.
“Simulins,” reported Lieutenant Miguel Ortega from his sensor console. “I’m detecting eighty Simulin warships engaging the Type Two battlestations. Two of the stations have already been destroyed.”
“All systems are powered up and working at optimum levels,” reported Commander Blanton.
“Set Condition One throughout the fleet. Stand by to fire weapons!” ordered Jackson. They’d made transit at Condition Two.
“Battlestations are under heavy fire,” reported Lieutenant Ortega. Even as he spoke one of the battlestations vanished from his sensor screens.
“Battlestation T-6 is down.”
“Move us in to assist them,” ordered Jackson, seeing that his other five battleships had made transit and his battlecruisers were beginning to appear. “Put us between the Simulins and the vortex so we can protect our other ships as they emerge. We need to give them time to get their energy screens and weapons online.”
The Dauntless and the other five battleships accelerated and were soon mixed in with the seventeen remaining Type Two battlestations.
“All ships, fire!” ordered Jackson, his eyes focused intently on the tactical display.
The Lost Fleet: Into the Darkness Page 27