by Doug Hoffman
“Lt. Palmer, status report,” Billy Ray barked.
“Sir, PO Siku reports a number of contacts on the alter-space sensors indicating the arrival of a fleet of ships in system.”
“Siku, what have you spotted?”
“Captain, I've caught the scent of two waves of ships emerging from the same alter-space transit point. Starting at 0315, the first group consisted of six vessels, which immediately began deceleration. This was followed by another six vessels about fifteen minutes later. They followed the first group's course.”
“And where are they now?”
“They have headed for the far side of the primary star. They were assuming some sort of formation before the readings began to washout. I've lost track due to interference from the star's gravity well.”
“They are probably going to use a gravitational assist from Eudora to alter their trajectory,” added Bobby, who had arrived on the bridge shortly after the Captain and First Officer. “Swing around the star and head for the Starflake.”
“A reasonable assumption, Sailing Master. Anything else of note, Siku?”
“None of the scents indicate drives or shields of unusual strength.”
“In other words, nothing we should be preparing to run from?”
The she-bear grinned. It was not a friendly grin. “Certainly nothing that comes close to the Peggy Sue, Captain.”
“Very good. Well done people. Let me know when we have 3-space data to analyze. Number One, Cmdr. Danner, accompany me to the CIC if you would. Lt. Palmer, the deck is yours.”
The Officers left the bridge, headed aft. The First Officer called the mess on her collar pip and ordered coffee brought to the CIC, it was going to be a long morning. As they departed Lt. Palmer called out.
“The Captain has left the bridge. I have the deck.”
Chief's Lounge, Goat Locker
Steve Hitch and Matt Jacobs had come back to the ship with the rotation of Marine squads. Though light armor was not as taxing for the wearer as the Marine's heavy battle armor, spending extended periods in it was still not a pleasant experience. Glad to be out of their armor, both were in the Goat Locker, chowing down, when Master Chief Hank Zackly entered.
“Well look what the cat drug in,” the wizened old sailor said by way of greeting. “Yous finally decided to stop dicking around on the station and return to work?”
“Hey, Master Chief,” Hitch replied. “You know we'd rather be on board with you than stomping around dirtside in that uncomfortable armor.”
“Stevie, you ain't even any good as an ass kisser,” Zackly responded. “Why you hang around with this no load I'll never figure out, Matt.” The fact that the Master Chief was using their first names indicated that he really was happy to see them, or at least they were not currently on his shit list.
“So what's the word, Master Chief?” asked Jacobs, hoping to catch up on recent scuttlebutt.
“Looks like there's a fleet of unknown but presumed hostile ships headed our way. The Captain is huddled with the brain trust tryin' to decide how best to handle the situation.”
Hitch put down his fork. “Bend over, here it comes again. We just get done with those little gray shits and it's time for act two.”
“Are we running or fighting?” asked Jacobs.
“Beats me, that's why they's officers and we ain't. If we are gonna head for the exit we should know soon. If we're gonna engage these new bogies we won't be goin' anywhere. Either way its above our paygrade.”
“What do you think will happen?”
“Have yous ever known the Captain to run from a fight?”
CIC, Peggy Sue
“Speaking of our master plan, Captain,” the First Officer began. “If they can't find our ship they will probably land troops to takeover the station while standing off to provide cover. The only way I see to limit their incursion on the station is to leave the Marines there as a defense force. ”
“Can we not intercept them before they reach the station?” Mizuki had joined the discussion late. Not being part of the command structure, she had risen at a more reasonable hour.
“If we go at them they can scatter. No way we can take them all out without some getting past us,” Beth answered her friend. “And given what's inside of the Starflake we probably can't prevent them from destroying it.”
“I agree, Beth,” Bobby concurred. “The only way to keep them bunched up is to get them to commit to a landing.”
“And if we do that,” Mizuki said, “the station inhabitants would be at the invaders' mercy.”
“Yeah, Mizuki-chan. And since these guys left the grays in charge I don't think they have a lot of mercy in them.”
“As I said, we are back to leaving the Marines on the station to repel boarders. The only problem with that is we may be hanging the lads out to dry.”
“Yer assuming these buzzards won't abandon their landing force if we bloody their noses,” Billy Ray added. He was letting the others work through their tactical options while playing devil's advocate.
“From talking with the Tcist it sounds like these Others came with a landing force of several hundred the last time they were here. Armed with plasma weapons and some kind of body armor. Maybe we need to even the odds a bit during the landing.”
“That was ten thousand years ago, pardner. Things might have changed a bit since.”
“If these are a species of Dark Lord minion, as we suspect, it is improbable that they have been allowed to advance much technically. Masters are always fearful that their subjects will become powerful enough to challenge their rule. Japan almost completely abandoned the development and use of firearms during a period of seclusion known as Sakoku. The Samurai class feared the peasants would rise up if they had weapons that could kill them, so they tried to ban firearms completely.”
“Yeah, but in the end it didn't work. Never wish away your enemy's capabilities.”
“Of course not, Captain. But the policy only failed when more advanced outsiders forced them to adapt.”
“Either way, the ship can't be in two places at the same time.”
“We do have the two Kestrels,” Beth said with a thoughtful look.
“Whoa there Number One, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We don't have good energy use profiles or acceleration data for the hostile ships yet. This may be a fight we don't want to pick.”
“And if it looks like we are overmatched?”
“Then we pull the Marines out and slip off quietly. Put enough distance between us and them to be reasonably certain we can make a dash for the transfer point headed home. Then blow the station with the hyperluminal particle cannon.”
The others looked at him grim faced. None of them liked the idea of destroying the station and all its inhabitants. Though Beth and Bobby had commands of their own in the past, both were glad that Billy Ray was the captain. In the end, that decision would be his.
“And if it looks like we can take them?” asked Beth.
“All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”
Mizuki smiled at the quotation. “Sun Tzu.”
“Old Sun got a lot of things right. In this case, once we have a bead on these varmints, we will put the Marines on board the station, put the shields in stealth mode, and using only fusion power move off to a position from which we can ambush 'em once they start landing troops”
Station Trader's Bower
“Have you any news from the Earthlings, Shanakta-fek?” demanded the Station Trader. The junior trader had just returned from the Shopping Mall spire where he was sent to observed the invading aliens. For better or worse, he had been the first contact with the outsiders and was now expected to continue as a liaison between the Station Trader and the Earthlings.
“No, Station Trader. But they continue w
ith preparations for battle, installing observation devices and positioning robotic weapons platforms throughout the station's hub.”
“They have said nothing regarding the approaching fleet of ships?”
“They have not, though they began moving warriors and supplies from their ship even before the signs of arrival were known. Even the Braggitt did not know of the arrival before the Earthlings activity increased.”
“What does that mean? Have they some magic technology others don't know about?”
“I asked the Braggitt that same question, Station Trader. They said that there are records of such technology but it was presumed lost more than a million years ago.”
“Unless these Earth creatures have rediscovered it. Interesting, we have been assuming that the oncoming fleet would be more than a match for the Earthlings' single ship. The Others may be in for a surprise.”
“Interesting is hardly the word I'd use, Station Trader,” commented Master Trader Linoda-tik-toe. “Whatever the outcome we are sure to be in the crossfire.”
The Station Trader twitched his bushy tail dismissively. “Regardless, we must make sure that our trade goods are concealed in the maintenance tunnels and all the people safely hidden well before the Others arrive.”
“As you command, Faooshda-rik-tik-ta. Preparations are well underway,” Linoda-tik-toe replied with an obsequious bow. “We have survived other troubles, we shall survive this as well.”
Asserting his dominance, the Station Trader arched his tail over his head like a hooded cobra. He returned his attention to Shanakta-fek, who was trying to remain invisible.
“Junior Trader Shanakta-fek, return to the company of these strange warlike aliens and keep your eyes open. Try to find out when the Others will arrive.”
“Yes, Station Trader. By your leave?”
“Yes, yes. Be gone.”
Bridge, Uxoreeza Flagship
Seven and a half billion kilometers away, the alien fleet rounded Eudora and settled on an intercept course for the Starflake. Admiral Leezzark preened her neck ruff and stared at the sensor display in front of her. Around the bridge, crewmembers bent to their tasks, aware of their commander's eyes on their necks.
The admiral's kind had patrolled this part of the Orion Arm for time out of mind. Vicious and warlike, the Uxoreeza were well suited to their jobs as Janissaries for the Dark Lords. They were shock troops, sent in whenever a new threat emerged that could not be handled locally. Brutal and effective, this was only the second time in two hundred generations they had needed to visit this system.
The gray vermin must be hard pressed to risk calling us, Leezzark thought. They are bullies and like all bullies cowards at their core. Whatever this new threat is, it must frighten them more than us—something that I will correct.
“Your pardon, Admiral,” the signals officer said, interrupting the Admiral's thoughts. “You asked for any word from the garrison.”
Pushing aside the impulse to kill the officer for disturbing her, the Admiral hissed and made a come on gesture with one clawed forearm.
The signals officer bobbed her head submissively and continued. “The cowardly scum report that a new species has taken over the station. Despite the Karf's best efforts, including the reported deaths of hundreds of the vermin, a race of technically advanced creatures has sealed them in a single spire. The invaders have complete control of the rest of the station.”
The Admiral growled deep in her throat. “Did the feckless cowards say anything useful, like the number of invaders or how many ships they have?”
“No, Admiral. Nothing definite. They report at least one-hundred warriors but only one ship, though they are not sure.”
“Sensor operator! Can we see their ship?”
“No, Admiral. We are still far away and the alien vessel may be docked at the station.”
The admiral's head whipped around and she eyed the signals officer with quick, birdlike movements. “Tell them to send more useful information. Now. These new aliens can't be that fearsome if the gray vermin are still live.”
“As you command, Admiral. We are still nearly seven light-hours from the station. It will take close to fifteen hours to receive an answer.”
The Admiral's head whipped back around to look at the main display, her clawed forearms sinking into the arms of her couch. The signals officer wisely retreated without another word.
Chapter 34
Karf Spire, The Starflake
With Rick's help, Phil positioned the device so that its long axis was aligned with the central axis of the spire. About two meters long and a half meter in diameter in the middle, the device was obviously not a polished piece of work. Unfolding three spindly collapsible legs, Phil stuck the contraption to the deck with all purpose adhesive. A few minor adjustments and he was satisfied.
Stepping back he motioned to Rick to head back to the airlock where Bud stood watch. They were using hand signals, maintaining total radio silence just in case. The SEALs had worked together for years and were comfortable in silence.
Up two levels and down a side passage, they quickly arrived at Bud's position. They were in the topmost quarter of the spire, only a couple of kilometers from its apex. No Karf were present this far up, no habitat structures, just a collection of devices, wires and antennae stuck to the transparent material of the station itself. All three entered the crystalline airlock that pierced the spire.
Cycling the lock, the SEALs used their maneuvering packs to head for the jet black shuttle floating just off the spire's shear wall. As they approached the rear hatch opened, revealing the small craft's interior illuminated only by infrared light. Slipping inside, the hatch closed behind them and the shuttle sped away into the vacuum.
“Everything copacetic?” asked Pauline Palmer from the pilot's seat.
“Everything's squared away, Lieutenant,” Rick responded. “How long, Phil?”
“Another minute and a half, Chief.”
“Assuming the grays didn't find it.” Bud was always worried about things going wrong on a mission like this.
“I put a trembler switch on it. Any thing tries to move it and it goes off early. Quit worrying.”
“I'll give you guys a balcony seat for the event,” Pauline said, bringing the pinnace into a nose up drift and turning the top of the passenger compartment transparent. The pinnace was meant as a passenger launch for the Captain and other dignitaries, not a war craft, but sometimes its features could be useful. Staring back at the spire, the SEALs felt as though they were hanging in space.
“Five seconds,” Phil called. “...three, two, one.”
A bright flash lit up the upper third of the spire. This was followed by secondary flashes, like a lightning storm was trapped inside the crystal structure.
“It didn't blow up,” Bud said.
“Wasn't supposed to,” answered Rick.
“It was an EMP device,” Phil explained. “Super conducting coil with a strong current flowing through it, imploded by an explosive collar. Sent a pulse worthy of a nuclear explosion out both ends when it went off.”
Rick nodded. “It should have fried anything electronic in the upper half of the spire, which is where the Karf signals to the approaching enemy fleet were coming from.”
“Blowing them up would have stopped the signals too.”
“Bitch, bitch, bitch. Some guys are never satisfied.”
“You said it, Phil. Lieutenant, let's go back to the barn.”
“On our way Chief, and well done.”
CIC, Peggy Sue
Two weeks after the Karf were silenced, messages from the approaching fleet continued with monotonous regularity. This provided plenty of opportunity for the Peggy Sue's computer to decode and translate the messages. All demanded information regarding the station's invaders but tellingly did not inquire about the Karf's well being. After listening to the latest message the Captain figured it was time to give the enemy a nudge.
“So we're ready to beam
this from the remote transmitter the engineers installed, Number One?”
“Aye, Sir. It's located on a spire close to the Karf habitat.”
“And you are sure you can translate so they will understand it, Peggy Sue?”
“Yes, Captain. They are using a fairly simple modulation scheme and the underlying language is one of the older galactic common languages. They will understand what you say.”
“Great. Well, here goes.” Billy Ray collected his thoughts and began to speak:
“Attention, Commander of the approaching fleet. This is Captain Billy Ray Vincent of the OATC starship Peggy Sue. Just wanted to let you know that we found this station abandoned and have decided to keep it. It did have a terrible infestation problem, but we fixed that. You're welcome to take the remaining vermin with you if you'd like. Otherwise, unless you have goods to trade, you may as well just move along. Vincent out.”
“Is that it, Captain?”
“Yep, that'll do for an opening gambit. Go ahead and send it. Let's see if they alter their formation or change course in any way.”
Bobby was grinning over Billy Ray's message. “That ought to pique their interest.”
“I promised to let the Others take the Karf with them. I try to always keep my promises.”
“If you boys are through having fun baiting the nasty aliens, the approaching fleet is little more than a day out and decelerating rapidly. I think it time we deploy the Marines and start to move the ship away from the station.”
“I reckon so, Number One. I'll send more messages periodically, relayed through the remote transmitter. They should help add to our enemy's confusion.”
“I still think we should use the Kestrels to support the Marines.”
“Let's see what their landing force looks like first, before we commit any assets.”
“Yes, Sir. What about the troop shuttles? Should we leave them docked at the station?”
“Yeah, have the crews in standard armor and armed. And have the SEALs report to Lt. Taylor. They can help hold the Shopping Mall spire if the Marines need to be evacuated.”