Their drives were a bit like the humans Photon drive. Except that the Human’s sub-light drive had more reactive pressure per emitter so was much more efficient.
The countdown reached zero, and the three Battlecruisers, with their drives running at low, manoeuvred themselves out of the dock area, and into open space.
Once free of obstructions, the drives went to full, and the ships surged forward, gaining momentum, with every passing second.
The steadily flashing beacon, coming from the Crillon mapping ship on duty at the Kepler rift, guided Tripicac’s group of Battlecruisers safely in towards the vessel.
“Vendron, dock with the mapping ship,” he ordered his pilot.
“It’s an automated ship. Do we have the access codes, Commander?”
Tripicac leant across and tapped them into the pilot’s panel. “There you go,” he said. Then tapped his science officer’s comms icon.
“Cazer,” he ordered. “Meet me at the first airlock now.” Then turned to his second in command, “Trenma; you have command while I’m on the mapping ship.”
“Yes, sir.”
Tripicac thought a moment. “Make sure none of Trendor’s ships comes near us. And don’t shoot at anything, especially not Solverons. You wouldn’t do them any damage, just piss them off.”
“Yes sir, I understand. I assume that as you’re taking Cazer with you; you’re going to map the wormhole?”
“Yes. That’s why I don’t want any disturbances in this area.”
“I’ll be careful sir.”
Tripicac left the control room as they came alongside the mapping ship, which was, of course, fully automated and was packed with extremely sensitive scientific instruments and sensors to enable it to map the rift. The ship had been stationed by the Rift for a long time.
Unlike the humans, the Crillons had more understanding of how the rift had come about. Some five Crillon years ago, and long before the humans destroyed the wormhole, which had been formed and used by the Crillons.
Their scientists thought that the approach of another galaxy had created this rift. With the effect being like something pushing a sheet of rubber, edge on, against a wall. The rubber would then have folded, the fold in the rubber creating a depression. Then, at some point, like an electric arc can bridge two metal plates, the wormhole spanned the two walls of the rift, creating a shortcut through space.
Now, the rift was reforming again. But the Crillons problem at the moment was that, as the wormhole disruption was not natural, there was no guarantee that it would form in the same place, or even at both ends.
Cazer met him at the first lock.
“Are we taking her for a spin?”
“No, Cazer. Just another mapping exercise. Then, we can overlay the map on the one created two days ago.”
Crilla was only 340 thousand kilometres away. So, they needed to know where the wormhole would begin to form.
Tripicac was sure that once the thread had established, it would be only a few hours until the wormhole also re-established itself.
They felt the bump as the automatic air locks coupled both ships and re-pressurised.
The locks opened, and they entered the mapping vessel. The hum of its power source met them as Cazer sat down at one of the several control desks.
Although fully automated, the ship had to be able to support any Crillons that came occasionally to carry out scientific studies.
Tripicac didn’t have anything to do while Cazer began the mapping run, so he walked around looking at the vast collection of giant screens and equipment that seemed to be chattering as if to each other.
The data was continually changing; he realised, and, as he watched, portions of an image locked together. While, around it, other areas continued to change until another part locked in place. Thereby, gradually building up a fixed image.
“We’re in positional lock Commander,” Cazer announced.
“Good, start your mapping scan.”
He watched Cazer at work, his fingers flying over a panel as he fed the search coordinates into the computer’s main terminal. Setting it to map at 30 light-minutes radius around the ship.
“We should have a new map in about an hour, Commander.”
“Good, we’ll just sit tight.”
Both started to look in detail at the ship’s equipment. Most of which Tripicac hadn’t a clue about. Cazer, on the other hand, was a scientist, and a good one, so he knew what most things were meant to do.
Tripicac was looking at some of the other screens and came across one showing a stationary object, small, but familiar.
“Cazer, what’s this?”
Cazer joined him. “It’s a picture taken by the ship’s security cameras. I’ll enlarge it.”
As he zoomed in on the image, beads of sweat began to run down Tripicac’s forehead.
“Oh, no. A Solveron information gatherer,” he growled.
“Can we scan the entire ship while we are mapping?”
”Yes, I’ll run a scan now.”
Five minutes later, Cazer said. “Security Scan complete. The object has gone.
See, the bulkhead number, it’s the same as we saw on the earlier scan, but now there’s no object.”
“Thank goodness for that,” Tripicac said, sighing in relief.
They waited as the mapping scan proceeded, then a ping sounded, informing them that it had been completed.
“Right Cazer start the overlay operation now.”
While the overlay process was taking place, he used his pocket-sized communicator to called Trenma, his second in command.
“Everything still Ok?”
“Yes sir,” came Trenma’s voice.
“Well, keep alert, a Solveron information gatherer has been here, but it’s gone.”
“Very well, sir.”
“We’re doing the overlay now, so we’ll be away from here in half an hour.”
He killed the connection. “How are we doing Cazer?”
“Nearly done.”
As the overlaying process progressed, the areas that had a direct match changed to a ghostly image.
Finally, one screen remained unmatched. On it was a picture of the wormhole’s ribbon.
“The wormhole’s forming and look at the readings, only 20 kilometres away from its original position.”
“What about the other end?”
“I don’t know Commander, could be the same offset or even a light-year.”
“Then we need to send this ship through to map the other end.”
“Yes, obviously.”
He was interrupted by Trenma. “A Solveron ship has just dropped into normal space, four kilometres out. It’s just sitting there.”
“Do nothing, you can’t harm it anyway. Is its skin active?”
“I don’t think so, one moment. No.”
“Then sit tight.”
Both walked to the transparent end of the ship and peered out at the blue sphere, four kilometres away. Although it looked small, he knew it was indeed immense.
Tripicac felt a sparkling sensation in his brain. “I think they’ve scanned us!”
“Yes,” Cazer said, frowning. “They’ve never done that before, they usually just kill us off.”
Tripicac called Trenma again. “What do you think it’s waiting for?”
“That’s anyone’s guess, sir. Another ship perhaps? Wait! It’s going. Well, that’s a first.”
“It’s getting interesting, wouldn’t you say?”
“Yes, sir. What are you going to do?” He asked.
Then, all four of Tripicac’s ships rocked for a moment as the natural wormhole came into being, sending out a mini shockwave announcing its arrival.
All their instruments suddenly started chattering, as vast amounts of data flooded the systems, correlating coordinates, the wormhole’s diameter, and so on.
“Cazer, programme a mapping run to the other end of the wormhole and set it to map the return, as well.”
Then, looking at the information, Tripicac asked. “Does that wormhole opening look bigger than before?”
“Yes, it seems nearly a third larger than the original wormhole’s diameter. According to the readings, when it finally stops twitching, it should be about two kilometres in diameter.
Shall I set a ‘ten minute’ delayed mapping execution order? That’ll give us time to get back to our ship, and move safely away.”
“Good idea. Do it.”
He opened his communicator and called his ship.
“Trenma. Prep all the ships to move out. As soon as Cazer and I are aboard, we need to uncouple and move well away, and fast. Ten thousand kilometres should be enough.”
“Ready when you are sir.”
He turned to Cazer, asking, “How much time?”
Cazer sort of grinned, in the Crillon way. His finger poised above a tab. “Just say when.”
“When!”
Cazer touched the tab, and they both moved swiftly to the open airlock.
Once in their ship, Tripicac pressed the terminate button and the lock closed and sealed.
He heard a clunk as the two ships separated and fought to hold himself steady as he headed for the control room.
The ships rapidly accelerated away from the area. With his three coming to a halt ten thousand kilometres away from the mapping vessel.
Two minutes later, the mapping ship moved close to the newly created natural wormhole, which was like a milky white swirling multi-faceted ring, with its jet-black centre measuring almost two kilometres across.
The mapping ship hung for a moment, checking its own maps. Then vanished into the wormhole.
Chapter 14
Delta Pavonis visit.
After ensuring that the Solveron ship had left with Savron. Jenny returned to the Andromeda7 feeling none the worse for wear.
Frank pondered his options. He was sure there would be no further attacks from the Solverons. He trusted Savron. After all, he had also borne the responsibility of command.
It all made sense to him now. He could understand why the Solveron attacks on the Crillons were happening after seeing the pictures of the Crillon’s assassination of the Solveron delegates.
“Andromeda arrange an Inter-ship captain’s conference to start in fifteen minute's time.”
“Yes, Frank. We’re getting quite an enjoyable piece of the action now aren’t we?”
“Uh, yes, as long as it’s not us being destroyed. I see what you mean…. Ah, all the captains have acknowledged.”
“Good. Oh, yes. Is Jenny fully recovered?”
“Yes. She’s some girl. I think you like her.”
“As a person, yes. And I think she’s an excellent marine.”
“Is that all you have to say?” She asked him.
“What else is there?” Frank replied, sounding defensive.
“I can sense that you have other feelings. Why?”
“You’ve lost me.”
“Why did Savron pick her image from your mind? You must have been thinking about her.”
“She’s a marine. And in case you’ve lost a chunk of your memory, it was a marine’s suit that attacked me. I didn’t expect to see her.”
“I’ll leave it there, for now, Frank.”
He went to say something else, but her presence had gone.
’Damn computers,’ he thought.
‘I heard that.’
The conference got underway at the designated time, with five of the captain's images lit on Frank’s screen.
“You’ve all seen the recordings, and my interview with the Solveron, Savron. Say what you will, but I trust Savron’s word. What he’s telling us, does fit in with what we already know about the Crillons.”
He paused, then said. “Given what has happened, I think we should jump straight to Delta Pavonis.
Savron has promised that the Solverons won’t interfere, just keep an eye on us. In fact, I think they might even help us if needed,” he said,” feeling pleased with himself.
“When we reach Dpav4, we’ll collect more warp-core crystal assemblies. Then, whatever the condition of the old wormhole, we’ll go on to Kepler.
We must make the Crillons realise that they have to change. But, whatever happens, we know we can’t take their fleets on by ourselves, especially in their own star system,” he paused momentarily.
“But, if we can’t make the Crillons change their ways, then Savron has said that they will annihilate them.”
All five Captains, looking very grave, nodded their approval at this.
“OK, sync with Andromeda again, and we’ll jump in the same configuration as before. Twenty minutes to Jump. See you at Delta Pavonis. Good luck.”
Their images disappeared off his screen, and he sat back closing his eyes for a moment.
The yellow-orange Delta Pavonis star appeared directly in front of the Earth ships as they all exited jump space two thousand kilometres from Dpav4, the Pavonisiens planet.
The star’s light bathed the ships, giving them a golden jewel-like appearance.
“That’s a lovely sight,” Frank said as he watched the fourth planet, Dpav4 swing into view, then expand in size as they closed the distance.
He hit the Ship-Captains comms tab. “Well done everyone. Right on the button.”
“Andromeda, check the hyperlink with our drone at Zeta Reticuli.”
“Already on it.”
“Good.”
He hit the captain’s comms tab again. This time, all their images appeared on his screen.
“Full status report in ten minutes, please. We’ll be holding in high orbit around Dpav4, so check your ship’s requirements and be ready to transmit your requests to the Pavonisiens. Out.”
Within twenty minutes, all the Earth ships were parked in high orbit some 390 kilometres above the planet’s surface.
From this height, the land mass looked about four to five times greater than the oceans, but the planet overall was a pleasant and welcoming sight.
Fifty kilometres below them, in a lower orbit, was a large commercial ship. It was the first of three of its kind to be completed in the newly constructed shipyard, which was part of the industrial plant orbiting Earth’s moon.
These new ships were being regulated and partly funded by the Space Federation, which also supplied the warp drive systems.
A nametag popped up on Frank’s screen as Andromeda passed over the ship. The name tag read, ‘Colossus.’
There was very little cloud cover, so DPav4’s cities and industrial parks were clearly visible to them. And, as they passed slowly over Brendereen and Acarea’s City Atreen, he could see that many changes had taken place.
He could also see that the crater marking the original city was almost filled in. He adjusted his televiewer lens and zoomed in to see two large ground-moving machines working carefully. ‘Chezeck Mining Corporation no doubt,’ he thought.
By this time, his ships had started their second orbit and were gradually reducing their orbital speed, until; finally, they came to a stop in a geo-stable orbit above the cities. With the six Earth ships appearing to form an arrowhead when seen from the planet, with Andromeda at the point, and Argonaut taking up the centre rear.
Frank hit the ‘Inter-ship Captains’ tab and ordered. “Transmit your requisitions to Argonaut procurement, now, please.”
Then closed the tab and sat back, relieved that things had gone better than he had expected.
He knew that the ships crews were busy preparing for the next leg. So, as soon as preparation was completed, he would allow some of the ships crews to go down to the surface for some R&R.
Then, thinking about Susanna, he carefully ‘thought’ his transceiver connection with Andromeda, to off.
‘Susanna,’ he thought, transmitting his thought as hard as he could.
‘Ouch, be careful, please. You’ll give me a headache.’
‘Sorry, I wasn’t sure if our link-less contact was just temporary.’
‘Great, that could be very useful. Are we going to be together tonight?’
‘Yes, of course, my darling, I can hardly wait. Oh, and I’d like to see Bren and Acarea before we leave. Is that possible?’
‘Yes, we’ll fit it in somehow, but we only have two days here.’
‘Well, can we go tomorrow?’
‘Yes, I’ll set it up.’
‘One more question Frank, what does Andromeda mean when she says there are three of us here?’
He staggered mentally, then communicated back to Susanna.
‘Andromeda believes that I was thinking of Jenny when I was attacked. Not deliberately, though, after all, it was a marine suit and I assumed Jenny was inside.’ he thought back.
Then added. ‘Although she obviously wasn’t.’
‘Oh, that’s why then.’ Susanna replied.
This got Frank thinking to himself. ‘Maybe I do find Jenny attractive? Perhaps it’s her impressive muscles?
But Susanna is all I really want. Susanna and our son Alex are all that matter.’ This thought then put him on a slightly different tack.
‘Come to that, it’s about time we sent a message to Jack, checking on Alex. Yes, I’ll do it tomorrow, with Susanna. We’ll set up a hyperlink contact. Yes, we must make sure that we do it.’
The comms traffic was busy between the ships and the planet. Particularly between the Derringer and Turpin whose crews had been here before and had stayed longer than any of the others. With both ship’s crews helping to set things up with the Pavonisiens.
Ned Parker and Micky Parsons from Andromeda’s quantum engineering section were also renewing their contacts with the Pavonisiens, and arranging meetings galore.
Frank hit the ‘All-Captains’ tab.
The Definitive SpaceFed Trilogy (SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy).: A thrilling, action-packed Sci-fi space adventure. (SpaceFed StarShips Series Book 8) Page 52