He paused, then asked.
“Barry, now that you've settled on the Illustrious do you want to stay with the ship?”
“Yes Frank, I need somewhere I can feel useful now I don’t have a ship of my own.
I promise I won’t get in Derrick's way.”
“No problem Barry. We're both fine, Frank.”
“Derrick. You do know that the Andromeda and Illustrious must be in place by fourteen forty-five, yes?”
“Yes, and we'll be ready for Andromeda's instructions.
I'm just glad we're going to be off-centre to the Crillon’s principal weapon exit port, in case they get trigger happy.”
“I think they'll both be busy getting their ships into exactly the right place to use the wormholes, to think about anything else.
Don’t forget, without us, they're dead.”
Frank paused, checking in his mind if there was any more to be discussed.
“Right, if you have any questions, just ask Andromeda. She’ll be overseeing everything from here on. That's it. Good luck everyone.”
Chapter 31
CS 15.
Commander Erono of the Crillon battlecruiser CS 15, saw the human’s Antimatter containment-sphere follow his ship into his wormhole.
“Damn,” he rattled in Crillon.
He knew that if he did nothing they would be dead in five seconds.
He had never heard of any vessel surviving what he was going to attempt to do to stay alive, but he had no option.
He forced his ship into, and through the wormhole’s wall. His body screaming in pain as it merged with the wall, and blackness surrounded him.
Commander Erono’s senses slowly returned, and he panicked as he heard failure alarms sounding throughout his ship and saw that most of his display screens were blank.
Then he saw Captico, his second in command struggling to get to his feet.
“You could have killed us all,” Captico growled.
“Don’t be a fool. You saw that containment sphere following us in. There was no other way, and you know it.”
“Well, whichever way you look at it, we could have been dead in the water.”
“Maybe, but we’re not, we’re alive.”
His ship’s sensors and repair systems were slowly coming back online as his main display screen suddenly came to life.
“Look. See, we’re in Normal-space.”
“So, I see,” Captico agreed.
Commander Erono checked the comms and was glad to see it was already back online.
“Damage reports now,” he yelled. “Astro, where the hell are we?”
“Give me five minutes’ sir,” came a shaky voice.
“Our sub-light drive is only at twelve percent Captain, and we don’t have any more warp capability.”
“You don’t know that for sure. We exited early so there must still be a little left.”
“We hope, but to go where sir? You saw what was happening to our ships.”
“But we don’t know the outcome.”
“I know we don’t.”
“Astro, where the hell is that reading?”
Astro came on. “We’ve got it, sir. Pretty lucky if you ask me.”
“I wasn’t asking if we were lucky, I was asking where the hell we are.”
“We exited just behind the fifth planet, and luckily, out of sight of these wretched humans.”
“Engineering,” Erono called into his comms.
“Yes, sir.”
“We can’t trust our systems this end yet, so what’s the real-time status of our drives and weapons?”
“Not good sir. The Antimatter weapon’s gone. But the particle-beam weapons are in working order,” the engineer replied, then hesitated.
“Go on,” Erono impatiently snapped.
“My readings indicate that 24 percent of our force field emitters were blown.”
“Now give me some good news.”
“Well, we think we can get the ship’s steering rings operating, even though some of the nozzles are damaged.
As for the sub-light drive, we’re sure we can get that back up to at least twenty-eight percent.”
“That’s better. And the warp drive?”
“That’s not so good sir. We can jump but only for a moment, so about 55 million kilometres’ maximum,” he replied.
“That’s better than nothing. Carry on and get us operational as quick as you can.”
“Of course, sir, “he said.
“Kato check our systems, weapons and sub-drive again.”
“Yes, sir.”
Commander Erono then entered a few scenarios on his tactical screen and had come up with a possible solution, long before Kato came back with their ship’s status report.
“Our force field is at 76 percent efficiency. Most of the particle beam weapons at the rear and the left side are out.”
“And?”
“The steering is sluggish, but as you’ve seen, workable.
As for the warp drive quota, we have a lot more than we thought, about 130 million kilometres.”
“Better, but not enough Kato. How long before we can get the best out of what we’ve got?”
“If we could have three more weeks, then we could do the repairs, and replace some of the field emitters. That would give us a better chance.”
“Three weeks it is then,” Erono agreed.
Pilot. Get us back out of sight.”
Three weeks later, and Commander Erono’s ship was the best it was ever going to be. With the force field emitters, up to 86 percent.”
“That’s better,” he thought. “But they’ll still see us coming.”
“What now Commander?” Captico asked.
Erono didn’t answer straight away but checked the ship’s main sensors and weapons targeting systems.
“It’s all better than I hoped Captico,” he replied.
“Pilot, turn us around to face the fourth planet,” he ordered. “But be careful not to come too far out from this one. We don’t want to be seen.”
“Yes, sir.”
His ship had spun 180 degrees when it violently exited the wormhole. So, the pilot slowly rotated it until the bow of their ship was facing the star. Then they could see the fourth planet looking like a small coloured dot in the distance.
“Enlarge the picture,” Erono ordered.
The Crillon science officer, Kato, sitting next to the pilot. Tapped a few keys and the image of DPav4 expanded, until the planet, and the human’s StarShips in orbit around it came into full view.
“It’s a breath-taking site, Commander.”
“Yes, Captico it is. But why are two of our ships next to the human’s ships?”
“Kato, what’s the status of those two ships?”
The science officer tapped in a request for a scan of the two Crillon ships.
“Sir, there’s nothing wrong with them, and… well, this can’t be right.”
“What? Damn it?”
“Captain, they’ve got extra warp cores, lots of them.”
“They must be the warp cores we were growing on the planet… Which ships are they?”
“CS13 and 14, sir. Belonging to Captains Tripicac and Bovonivo, sir.”
“Good, and what about their weapons, Kato?”
“They’re all operational, sir.”
“Even better. I’m sure Tripicac and Bovonivo will fight with us.”
“Kato check our systems, weapons and sub-drive again.”
“But, sir,” Captico interjected. “If we can get Fleet Commander Tripicac and Commander Bovonivo to break away and start to fight with them first, then they’ll create a diversion for us to get to them.”
“That’s true Captico. Try and contact Commander Tripicac on a tight beam.”
“Yes, sir.”
Fourteen minutes later, Tripicac appeared on Erono’s screen.
“Erono I thought you were all dead.”
“Yes, so did we, Commander.”
&nbs
p; “Are you coming in?”
“Yes. But we need you to start fighting those humans to give us time to get to you.”
“Fighting? No, Erono, we’re not fighting. We are going home. You can join us as well. I’m sure the humans will find a way for your ship to join us.”
“Oh, I see, you think that you’re being monitored. OK. Well, we’re not at maximum capacity, but good enough for the three of us to take out the human’s ships.”
“No, I can’t help you Erono.”
“What do you mean? You’re a Crillon, you will work with us or die with the humans.”
“Things have changed. Don’t come in fighting, come home with us Erono.”
Commander Erono cut the communication.
“Damn him.”
“He’ll join us, sir, when he sees us coming.”
“He’d better Captico. He’d better.”
Tripicac now had a problem.
He could turn on the humans, and he might even win, with the surprise factor alone. But he didn’t really think they could. The humans had those damn stealth drones out there.
‘No, this was not an option,’ he thought. ‘The humans are right; this has to end now.’
“Trenma, call Captain Richardson, now.”
“Yes, sir.”
Frank’s image appeared on Tripicac’s screen.
“Yes, Commander?”
“Captain, we have a problem. Do you remember our ship that went into its own wormhole during our battle with you at Delta Pavonis?”
“Yes Tripicac, I remember it.”
“Well, Commander Erono’s ship, the CS15, was thrown out of the wormhole and is coming in.”
“I see, so another ship for us to help get back to your home planet?”
“Unfortunately, no.
Frank watched Tripicac on his main screen. Tripicac looked worried.
“You’d better say what you’re thinking.”
“Captain, he wrongly assumes that we will fight you and that our three Crillon ships will have some sort of victory over you. Then everything will be ours.”
“And what do you think Commander?”
“He is deluded in thinking we’ll help him. But at the same time, we can’t destroy one of our own ships.”
“I understand Tripicac. We will try to persuade him to work with us. But be warned, if he fires on us, we will be forced to obliterate him.”
“That goes without saying, Captain. He won’t listen to me so I’ll send his data and comms ID to you.”
“Thank you, Commander Tripicac, I appreciate that it’s a difficult decision for you.”
Frank hit the ‘all ships’ icon. “Attention everyone, rogue Crillon ship coming in from DPav5 direction,” he said.
“Drones to battle configuration,” he ordered, as the promised data came in from Tripicac.
“Andromeda send Tripicac’s information to all ships now.”
“Will do. Executed now, Frank.”
“Good. Target Tripicac’s ship. Then, on a tight-beam link, instruct Turpin to target Bovonivo’s ship. Just in case he has a change of mind.”
“On it Frank.”
Frank tried to call Commander Erono’s ship, but with no success.
Frank called Tripicac again. “Try one last time Commander Tripicac, nobody wants more deaths.”
“I’ll try again now, Captain… No. It’s no good. He’s not responding,” he said, with his exasperation clearly heard in his tone.
“Thanks’ for trying,” Frank replied, then ended the connection.
Frank tapped Derrick and Tony’s Icons. Both lit and their images appeared on his screen.
“We’re battle-ready Frank,” Derrick stated.
“We’ve already sent drones out to our 3 predicted interception points. But we’re not sure of the accuracy of them because the Crillon managed to spot the shimmering of the drones last time and tried to get away.”
“And, if he has any jump-quota left, he’ll also have about 217 million km to play with,” Tony added.
“We know,” Andromeda’s said, over their links. “But, he’s probably damaged, so he’s going to be unpredictable anyway. That’s why I’ve sent one of my drones to DPav5.”
Frank sent Andromeda a mental jolt. ‘You should have run that by me first.’
‘Sorry Frank, but time is everything.’
“OK, we’ll wait.”
Commander Erono had all the information he needed. ‘Time to take action,’ he thought.
“Take us out. pilot. When we clear this planet, jump as far as you can towards DPav4. On my mark.”
“Yes sir,” the pilot replied as he moved his steering ring and fired his Sublight drive enough to move the ship into a safe jump position.
“Sir, something went past us,” the science officer called.
“Jump!” Erono ordered.
Commander Erono knew what it was, and he also knew that staying here a second longer, would be bad news.
The Crillon battlecruiser CS 15 dropped into Normal-space, eighty-seven million kilometres out from DPav4.
Its Sublight drive then engaged, accelerating the ship towards the planet and sending a tell-tale beam of streaky, orange, white light streaming out behind her.
“Stand by weapons,” he snapped.
“Incoming,” yelled Captico.
“No weapons lock Captain,” the science officer babbled.
There was a slight bump, as the Human’s stealth-drone failed to get out of the way of Erono’s ship fast enough.
Then it shot up through the tube of the Crillon ship’s Antimatter weapon, knocking off the weapon’s exciter sphere. The drone then hurtled on and out of the rear of the vessel, almost getting ‘fried’ by their sub-light drive beam.
Commander Erono, breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that their ship would have been dust in the cosmos now if their Antimatter weapon had been operational.
“Where are you Tripicac? Damn you Tripicac.”
Then he saw two golden coloured ships appear from nowhere, and a voice rattled over his comms.
“Commander Erono. Surrender! Go home with Commander Tripicac. Surrender, please.”
“To hell with them. Fire.”
“But sir,” Captico almost shouted. “We can’t win, and they’re giving us a chance to go home.”
“Damn you Captico, fire. Fire!” he screamed.
“No, Sir!”
Commander Erono leapt across to the science desk, pushing his officer away. Then hit the attack firing button.
He saw the particle beams from his ship hit the force-fields of the human’s ships. The force-fields flared, as sheets of intense energy curved around them, but his particle beams couldn’t penetrate them.
“You’ve killed us all! You fool,” screamed Captico, as return fire from the human’s ships found their target.
Space boiled around the Crillon battlecruiser, as Erono and Captico, along with the rest of their crew scattered in a ball of fire.
‘What a waste,’ thought Frank, as he watched the ship’s demise on his screen. Then hit the ‘All Captains’ icon.’
“It’s over Gents, return to your stations.”
He then called Tripicac.
“We tried Tripicac, but he wouldn’t listen I’m afraid.”
“That’s alright commander, I understand. Thanks for trying.”
Chapter 32
Departure.
At fourteen hundred hours on the dot. Derringer and Turpin, each ten kilometres apart, created their own wormholes.
A large whitish coloured swirling ring with a jet-black centre appeared in front of each ship, and they both drifted into their own wormhole and were gone.
Both ships were on route to Zeta Reticuli. The End Point of the first leg of the Crillons journey back to Crilla, their home planet, almost six hundred light years away.
It would take a hundred and seven hours or nearly four and a half days, for the Derringer and Turpin to reach Zeta Reticuli, assuming all w
ent to plan.
Forty-five minutes later. The two Crillon ships, together with the Andromeda and Illustrious, started manoeuvring into their designated positions.
Tripicac's icon flashed again on Franks screen.
“Yes, Commander Tripicac. Do you have a problem?”
“No, Commander. It’s just that Commander Bovonivo and I, well, we won’t forget what you’re doing for us.”
“All we ask is that you support Arans and Tarcan's efforts to change the attitude of your rulers towards other sentient beings.
We should be able to work at existing together, and maybe even working with each other. After all, we might not be as advanced as we all think.”
“That, we will do commander,” said Tripicac, smiling as he replied. “We hope to meet you again,” he added. Then his icon was gone.
Andromeda and Illustrious, together with the two Crillon ships, pointed their bows at a point some five hundred metres in front. Each pair, ten kilometres apart.
The Earth ships were offset at an angle, so as, not to be drawn into the wormholes they were about to create for the Crillon ships.
After the two-minute warning, a synchronized countdown started. Five, four, three, two, one, zero.
Both Earth ships immediately created a wormhole. With a large tell-tale ring with black centre appearing in front of each of them.
The Crillon ships each drifted into their designated ring, then were gone, in an instant, and on their way to Zeta Reticuli.
A sigh of relief passed through the Earth ships, as they saw they were alone in space again.
It would be four and a half days before the Crillon ships reached Zeta Reticuli.
“Frank. My tracking system indicates they're on course and should exit exactly where we predicted.” Andromeda reported.
“Good. The Derringer and Turpin should be in the right place when they arrive.”
The Definitive SpaceFed Trilogy (SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy).: A thrilling, action-packed Sci-fi space adventure. (SpaceFed StarShips Series Book 8) Page 39