Wizard Defender (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 8)

by Rodney Hartman

  “I would highly recommend against that, Rick,” said Nickelo. “I calculate a ninety-nine point six percent probability the creature means the elf no harm.”

  “Fine,” Richard said. “We’ll have it your way. Now may I have control of my left arm back?”

  The left arm of his battle suit immediately became unfrozen.

  Richard moved his hand away from the handle of his phase rod.

  As the tentacle with its globe of light moved closer to Jeena, she didn’t shy away. Instead, she raised the Staff of the Lady of the Tree so the blue gem at its top was a mere handbreadth from the light globe. The blue gem began alternately dimming and brightening. After nearly a minute of this conversation, Jeena spoke into her headset.

  “It’s very intelligent,” she said. “She greets the scouts and their guests. She wonders why we come when the others are still in the Hole.”

  “You can talk to her?” Richard asked.

  Jeena shrugged. “We understand each other. I am not sure I would call it talking.”

  Charge-In-The-Face-Of-Great-Odds flapped her wings to glide next to Jeena. “You understand her much better than we, High Priestess. The deep ones greet us from time to time, and we greet them back, but your level of communication is beyond us. Ask her what she means when she says that others are in the Hole. What others? Does she mean demons?”

  The gem at the top of Jeena’s staff dimmed and brightened for a full thirty seconds. The creature’s light globe also alternated intensity. Before Richard could stop her, his bondmate reached out with her right hand and placed it on the globe of light.

  A sense of peace traveled up the link between Jeena and Richard. He sensed that the peace came from the deep one, as the bat had called it. An image appeared in Richard’s mind. The image showed thirteen bats dressed in fighting-suits entering the Hole. He got the impression the image was recent.

  “Nick, are you getting this? Forward it to the scouts.”

  “No need,” replied Nickelo. “The image is coming from Jeehana through Danny. He’s sending it to me and the scout’s fighting-computers. They are sharing the image with their scouts the same as I am sharing it with you.”

  Another image popped into Richard’s mind. It was a vision of hideous creatures from his worst nightmare. They were leaving the Hole and entering sub-like vehicles. He noticed an emblem that looked like a claw dripping blood on the bows of the submarines.

  “When were those images created?” asked Charge-In-The-Face-Of-Great-Odds.

  Jeena removed her hand from the globe of light and faced the leader of the scouts. “The deep one says that the vision of the thirteen scouts is a memory of an event that occurred yesterday. The memories of the demons entering the submersibles were examples of memories from over a long period of time. Years, I think. I get the impression that the last transfer of demons happened a few days ago.” Jeena shrugged. “I am having trouble converting her time to ours. She has no sense of day or night this deep in the ocean.”

  “See,” Richard said, unable to contain himself any longer. “Demons have been coming through your rift. We need to tell your supreme leader so she can stop the battle around Estos before it starts.”

  “We have seen nothing,” hissed Charge-In-The-Face-Of-Great-Odds. “The elf has admitted the deep one has trouble with time. We know demons came to our dimension through the rift. The supreme leader’s predecessor brought them through before the first battle on Estos. That is how we got them here. The supreme leader ordered that no more be allowed entry into our dimension after the battle. We must go into the rift and make sure none have.”

  “But we must stop the war before—” Richard started.

  Red Wing turned to Richard. “I am sorry to be the one to tell you this, but the battle for Estos has already begun. The Empire and Trecorian fleets are hopelessly outnumbered. Perhaps if we discover demons in the rift, it might prevent future battles between our species, but it is too late for those in the Criterion system. My fighting-computer is in contact with other scouts in the battle. Our forces have achieved complete surprise.”

  “How?” Richard asked still trying to take in the information.

  Red Wing swiveled her ears toward her grandmother before pointing them back at Richard. “The Blood Claws have been secretly suppling demons to several tribes, to hide their warships in the void. Although the Blood Claws are no longer in control since the coup, the supreme leader has come to terms with the other tribes and is going along with the plans for the demons and the void for the current battle. Those demons already with our fleets serve our purpose for now. I believe we can still hope to end the war if we can prove your demon army exists. That will not help your fleets around Estos, but it may prevent the complete annihilation of your species.”

  “I disagree,” said Charge-In-The-Face-Of-Great-Odds. “Even seeing a demon army is not enough. We must have proof that they intend to invade our galaxy. The existence of an army means nothing. We must prove they mean to destroy us. Nothing else will suffice to stop this war between our species. Too many of our kind have been killed by the Empire.”

  Richard felt the animal that was his temper rattling its cage deep within his soul.

  “Calm, Rick,” said Nickelo in their shared space. “I know you are frustrated, but losing your temper will not help. We need to go into the Hole and find the proof the Crosioians require. That is all you can do.”

  “They’re asking the impossible,” Richard protested. “How am I supposed to prove intent? It’s not like the demons are going to tell us their plans.”

  “Well, old buddy, I calculate you had better make it possible. Otherwise, a lot of Empire, Trecorian, and Crosioian soldiers and sailors are going to die.”

  A feeling of concern passed through the link from Jeena.

  Richard looked up to see his bondmate staring at him. Because he was using thermals, he couldn’t see the molten silver in her eyes, but he had a feeling they were swirling at a hundred kilometers an hour.

  “It will be all right, my bondmate,” said Jeena. “I have faith in you. We all do.”

  Richard glanced at the eight bats suspended in the water around him. He had a distinct feeling their faith was a little on the lacking side.

  “Nothing’s perfect,” laughed Nickelo.

  “Yeah,” Richard said. “Least of all me.”

  Chapter 45 – The Battle Begins

  ____________________

  Sitting in her command chair on the bridge of the dreadnaught Destiny, Liz looked down at the finger-high holographic image of her husband projected above the halo-pad on the armrest of her seat. Her heart tugged at her conscience, but she forced the emotion aside. She was the admiral of the combined fleets. Her husband was Admiral of the Trecorian Fleets Timothy Donovan. Each of them had their duty to do. She refused to let emotions get in the way.

  “How many?” Liz asked, doing her best to keep her voice steady.

  Admiral Donovan glanced over at a computer display to his right before replying, “Our scout ships have counted in excess of one hundred thousand enemy ships in the Tardis area. My staff thinks there may be twice that many. Squadrons of Crosioian warships keep appearing out of nowhere.” The miniature image of her husband locked eyes with her. “We’re outnumbered five to one. We need reinforcements, and we need them now.”

  Liz stared into his eyes. He didn’t blink. Neither did she. “So does everyone else, Admiral. Do the best you can. Fleet out.” The image of her husband disappeared. Liz wondered if she would ever see the man she loved again. She touched her left thumb to her wedding ring, doing her best to hide the movement from the slew of officers around her. I’m sorry, Tim, she thought. I’m sorry I got you into this.

  “Admiral,” said Liz’s chief of staff who was standing near the strategic map three paces to the right front of her command chair. “Our outer line of destroyers for the fourth fleet is in contact. The Crosioians are breaking through. Admiral Kirkland is requesting reinforcement
s. We’re getting similar requests from the third, seventh, and ninth fleets. What shall I tell them?”

  Shoving thoughts of her husband and his endangered Trecorian fleets to the back of her mind, Liz took a quick glance at the strategic map before giving her reply. “If those enemy positions are correct, the seventh and ninth fleets will be taking the brunt of the Crosioians’ attack. Have the United Galaxy Alliance ships divide into two groups. Attach one half to the seventh and the other to the ninth. Their magic weapons and shields should confuse the bats. That may slow down their attack.”

  “Aye, aye,” said Admiral Adamas as he made his way over to the communications console.

  Liz unbuckled her seat belt and rose from her command chair. She headed straight for the science officer’s station located in front of the strategic map. Before she reached it, the Destiny bucked hard. Liz fell, slamming her left elbow onto the bridge’s metal decking. A flash of white passed across her eyes. She closed her eyes tight and bit off a cry of pain. Hands lifted her to her feet.

  “Admiral,” said a young yeoman. “Are you all—”

  Embarrassed, Liz jerked free. “I’m fine. Return to your battle station.” She turned toward the bridge’s command chair while rubbing her elbow. Captain Bhami was strapped in it and giving commands over the ship’s intercom. Liz waited until the woman stopped speaking before she asked the obvious question. “What was that, Captain?”

  Captain Bhami punched an icon on the armrest of her command chair before looking at Liz. “An enemy shuttle materialized inside our force field and detonated against our hull. It was apparently packed with explosives. No nukes, fortunately.”

  “Well, don’t let it happen again,” Liz snapped. “I’ve got a war to run. Your job is to keep the Destiny in one piece.”

  The captain’s face turned red, but she nodded and said, “Aye, aye, Admiral.”

  Liz knew she was putting a lot on the ship’s captain, but she didn’t care. She had a lot on her own mess tray. She made her way over to the science officer. He was updating the strategic map with red and yellow dots denoting the Crosioian fleets. Most of the dots were still positioned along the Criterion system’s asteroid belt. Only a handful of fleets appeared to be moving toward Estos.

  “How long before their dreadnaughts begin making contact with our main fleets?” Liz asked.

  “A few will be in position within thirty minutes, Admiral. The Crosioians seem to be taking their sweet time to do it right. My guess is we’ve got two hours before the fleets are in full combat.”

  Eyeing the strategic map one more time, Liz turned to her chief of staff. Admiral Adamas was already looking at her. “Tell the troopships they are to get as many prisoners off Estos in the next two hours as they can. Then they are to head back to our rally point in district two. All fleets as are able will disengage thirty minutes after that and follow.”

  “Sir?” said Admiral Akins.

  “Did I stutter, Admiral?”

  With a nod of his head, Liz’s chief of staff turned to pass the orders to the communication officer. Liz had no doubt everyone on the bridge knew as well as she that she’d just condemned millions of soldiers and sailors to their doom. She said a silent prayer that her husband wouldn’t be one of them. Then she turned back to the strategic map.

  She had a war to fight.

  Chapter 46 – Dreadnaughts

  ____________________

  The bridge of the dreadnaught Planet Buster was hectic but quiet as men and women in various colored uniforms went about the business of war. Matthew Deloris stood near the strategic map and listened as the Conglomerate admiral went over the list of Crosioian fleets arrayed against them and the positions of their own Conglomerate fleets. He paid particular attention to the locations of the Conglomerate fleets on the flanks of the Empire and Trecorian’s main defensive line.

  The admiral finished speaking and turned away from the strategic map to face Matthew. “As you can see, Sir, our positions are untenable. The seventh and ninth Empire fleets will probably buckle under the first attack wave in force. Their destroyer picket-line is already in contact and losing ships. We are outnumbered five to one, maybe ten to one in some sectors. I have serious doubts we can hold the Empire’s flanks.”

  Matthew was well aware that at nineteen years of age, he was no military genius. His mother had trained him to be a businessman. Still, his mother had instilled in him a desire to win and a never quit attitude.

  “We are part of the Empire, Admiral, and outnumbered or not, we will hold the flanks. I don’t care how you do it. Shift fleets around, use our strategic reserves, whatever it takes. You will hold the line. Do you understand?”

  The admiral was one of the old generations of Conglomerate sailors. Matthew knew he had been one of the most vocal critics of Governor Jenkins’s original Estos battle plan. That’s why he’d picked the old officer to command the combined Conglomerate fleets. He decided to play his main card with the old warrior. “We can’t allow another Estos to happen on our watch, can we, Admiral?”

  The admiral looked down at the deck and then around at the bridge crew, many of who were looking at him. At his glance, they all went hastily back to their assigned tasks.

  “No, Sir,” said the Admiral with a determined look in his eyes. “I’ll do my best. We’ll all do our best.”

  “I have no doubt you will,” Matthew said feeling sympathetic for the old admiral’s position. Matthew wasn’t trained in military tactics, but from the number of red and yellow dots on the strategic map, even he knew they were in serious trouble.

  Once the admiral turned to convey his orders, Matthew felt out of place. He knew he’d probably have little else to do during the actual battle. He didn’t need anyone to tell him that he was more of a figurehead than a participant at this point in time.

  Resigned to stay out of everyone’s way, he wandered over to the communication officer’s station and asked, “Has Lieutenant Bistoria returned to the Planet Buster yet?”

  The ensign glanced at a computer readout before looking up. “Yes, Sir. Chief Engineer Mitos logged the lieutenant’s Zip fighter in fifteen minutes ago. According to the log, the zipper was pretty beat up. The lieutenant took off in a replacement fighter five minutes later. She is no longer on the Planet Buster.”

  Leaning over the ensign’s shoulder, Matthew peered at the chief engineer’s flight log. He spotted the entry for Tia’s departure from the ship. “Where is the lieutenant now?”

  The ensign pressed a series of icons on her computer screen before pulling a map of the Criterion system onto her screen. “It appears that Lieutenant Bistoria is outbound with a flight of YK split-wing fighters, heading for a recon mission near the asteroid belt.”

  Matthew tightened his right hand into a fist and squeezed so hard the gem of his thin ring cut into the palm of his hand. Tia, he thought. What the hell do you think you’re doing?

  * * *

  What the hell am I doing? Tia wondered as she came out of the twenty-second hyper-drive engine burst fifteen thousand meters behind the flight lead of the YK fighters’ recon team. It was just luck I arrived back on the Planet Buster in one piece. I could be with Matthew right now, but instead, I’m back at the asteroid belt. She mentally shrugged, thinking, I am who I am.

  Tia remembered how she’d arrived on the flight deck of the Planet Buster with her beat-up Zip fighter. A flight of seven fighters had been preparing to depart for a recon in force of the asteroid belt in section three Bravo. The sight of the recon flight short one fighter along with an unoccupied YK split-wing on the flight line had been too much for her militaristic instincts. She’d taken advantage of the chaos in the hangar to rejoin the fray. The recon team’s flight leader had been only too happy to have the empty slot in her team filled.

  Tia smiled. I guess she figured we’re all probably going to die anyway, so what the hell?

  Maneuvering her YK split-wing into position fifty meters off the flight leader’s left wing,
Tia stretched her passive scan out to the maximum. She used the technique she’d picked up from Wizard Scout Trinity to pull the passive scan in on the side opposite her actual target. By doing so, the range on the asteroid belt side of her scan increased to beyond the far side of the floating rocks in section three Bravo. Once the scan reached its zenith, Tia picked up a long line of energy sources stretching from one side of her scan to the other. Her hand on the YK fighter’s control stick twitched, causing the agile split-wing to jump to the left rear and nearly strike the split-wing behind her.

  “Yankee Kilo Two,” came the voice of the recon team’s flight leader over the fighter’s communicator. “Hold your position.”

  With her face warming, Tia eased her fighter back into position off the flight lead’s left rear. She thumbed the switch for her short-range intercom. “Enemy in sight, ranging from point-zero-three to point-eight-one.”

  At only fifty meters, Tia could see her flight leader turn in her seat and glance back at her. “What are you talking about Yankee Kilo Two? I’ve got nothing on my sensors.”

  “They won’t be,” Tia replied, hoping the lieutenant JG would take her word for it. “They’re outside electronic sensor range. I’m picking them up with my…err, I’m sensing them another way. Trust me, they’re there. I’m sensing a thousand ships in a three wave formation. Based on their frequencies, I’m guessing they’re all heavy cruisers and dreadnaughts.”

  To her credit, the flight leader didn’t call her tagalong pilot a liar, but she sounded far from convinced when she spoke next. “Doubtful. The Crosioians can’t mass a thousand heavy cruisers and dreadnaughts, not after the last Estos battle. They lost even more of their frontline ships than the Empire. If you’re sensing that number of ships, they must be destroyers and light cruisers.”

  Tia didn’t blame the Conglomerate officer for doubting her, but she sensed what she sensed. “I’m a Trecorian,” she said trying to keep the edge out of her voice. “I know the difference between light cruisers and dreadnaughts, and these are dreadnaughts. Based on their formation and location, I’d say they’re staging for a mass attack on the Empire fleets’ left flank. Liz, err, Admiral Bistos thinks the main attack is coming down the center, near the seventh and ninth fleets’ locations. We’ve got to warn her about what we’ve found.”