Earth Fall_To the Stars

by Raymond L. Weil

  “Defense Command has given permission for our damaged ships to head for the shipyards,” reported Meela from Communications. “Commander Kallon requests a complete report on our encounter with the Trellixians and would like you to come to his office once we’ve docked and you can get away from your duties.”

  “Inform Commander Kallon that I will be there as soon as possible.”

  Shifting his gaze to one of the primary viewscreens, Kamuss could see the two large shipyards. Both were heavily armed and protected by energy shields. In addition, a number of small patrol ships were visible around each. These ships were only two hundred meters in length with no hyperspace drives. They did possess very powerful sublight drives capable of high acceleration and were heavily armed with energy beams and twenty-megaton fusion missiles.

  Kamuss let out a deep sigh, thinking about how much had changed and was still changing. Forty years ago the Voltrex Federation was one of peace and exploration. Anytime they encountered other inhabited worlds, they observed and then traveled onward. Contact was prohibited unless the other civilization had interstellar travel. No such civilization had been discovered until a Voltrex exploration fleet encountered a Trellixian exploration vessel.

  The Trellixian vessel had instantly attacked, seeking to destroy the Voltrex exploration ship, but its escorts managed to overwhelm the Trellixian vessel, heavily damaging it. All that was recoverable from it were some of its computer files, which told of the Trellixians’ constant expansion due to their growing population pressure. The files showed world after world being conquered and their civilizations decimated.

  An emergency meeting of the Voltrex Federation Council placed the Federation on a war footing. The discovery of the Trellixian vessel shook the Voltrex Federation to the core. From what was in the captured files, there could be no peace with the Trellixian Empire. For forty years the Voltrex built up their fleets and fortified all twenty-eight of their inhabited star systems.

  New colonies were prohibited, though a colonization fleet was sent off to the far reaches of the galaxy as far from the Trellixian Empire as possible. If the Federation fell, at least their civilization would continue and not suffer the fate as so many others had. The fleet had instructions not to send any vessels back or to ever attempt to contact the Voltrex Federation again. It was the only way to ensure the colonization fleet’s existence remained a secret, along with its eventual destination.

  Kamuss’s flagship quickly docked with one of the shipyards as other more seriously damaged vessels entered the repair bays.

  “We have a hard dock,” confirmed Metriic from the Helm. “Crew can disembark upon your orders.”

  “The dock leader has several repair crews standing by,” added Meela.

  LeLath looked toward Kamuss. “Some repairs can be done while the ship is docked. The more serious damage to the hull must be repaired inside a repair bay, once one is available.”

  “The crew may embark to the station for some rest,” replied Kamuss. “But I want them to remain either on the station or the ship. We don’t know when the Trellixians will return.” Kamuss was certain the commander of the Trellixian fleet they had just encountered had already called for reinforcements.

  “I will pass on the order,” replied LeLath. The shipyard had a large area reserved for returning crews. Food, entertainment, and decent sleeping quarters were available. “I will stay here until all the ship’s systems have been properly secured.”

  Kamuss nodded. A few crewmembers were aboard at all times, several in Engineering as well as two or three in the Command Center. “I’ll be in Commander Kallon’s office to give my report. I’ll check back when I’m done.” Kamuss didn’t want Lieutenant Commander LeLath to spend all her time on the ship. She needed to get some rest before the fleet went into battle again.

  -

  Fleet Commander Kamuss exited his ship and made his way through the station to Defense Commander Kallon’s office. The station was quite large with a crew of over 12,000. He passed numerous other members of the Voltrex race on his way. While most Voltrex were tiger striped with fur of gray, white, and black, others were solid colors. He passed several gray females and even one calico maintenance worker. All acknowledged his presence with a slight nod of their heads.

  Reaching Commander Kallon’s office, Kamuss was ushered inside by one of the guards at the hatch, finding both Commander Kallon and Fleet Commander Zolmar. Zolmar had docked only a few minutes before Kamuss did. His fur was a solid black and his eyes a light yellow.

  “Greetings,” said Commander Kallon, standing up and holding out his palm, claws retracted, facing Kamuss. This was how the Voltrex greeted each other, showing no danger. “I’m sorry to hear you lost some of your warships and your crews to the Trellixians.”

  “It was unfortunate,” Kamuss replied. “While our weapons can destroy Trellixian battlecruisers, we are still outmatched by their energy beams and missiles.”

  Commander Kallon indicated for Kamuss to sit down. “Yes, those missiles. I have spoken to our military command on Voltrex, and they are working to increase the power of our own missiles. They feel confident they can match the strength of the Trellixian fusion missiles within the year.” Shaking his head, he continued. “However, the energy beams and shields are another story. We just don’t have the power systems to match them.”

  Kamuss looked past Commander Kallon at the numerous viewscreens behind his desk. Several showed scenes of space and the stars, while others revealed the inside of the station, including the repair bays. “The Trellixians will suspect we have a colony world nearby after this last battle. They will guess that is where Commander Zolmar’s fleet came from. I fear they will come searching for it and will most likely locate the Bator System.”

  “It was going to happen eventually,” Kallon replied with a serious look crossing his face. Even his long whiskers seemed to straighten. “Our colony is the nearest to their expanding Empire. We will have a few surprises for them when they come. I want to hear from both of you what you learned in the battle. And send videos of the encounter to me as well. If we want to defeat the Trellixians and keep them from laying waste to our worlds, we must study how they fight. Perhaps we can find a weakness.”

  Kamuss nodded his agreement. “Based on what we have seen from the computer files we captured from their exploration ship, we know they will show no mercy. I greatly fear, even if we can keep them from conquering our worlds, this war will go on for a very long time. Their Empire is vast, and they seek space for their growing population.”

  “I have seen and studied those files,” added Commander Zolmar, leaning forward. “They have destroyed hundreds of civilized worlds, perhaps more. Many of the civilizations they destroyed had no means of defending themselves. There can be no peace between our people and the Trellixians.”

  “I’m afraid you’re right,” Commander Kallon replied. “Let us discuss how best to defend this system. I have no intention of letting it fall to these monsters. When they come here, we must send them back in defeat.”

  Kamuss was in full agreement. However, unless they could come up with a better power system for their ships, he was afraid they were fighting a war they would eventually lose.

  Chapter Two

  Major Mark Dolan was in command of two Ranger companies, sent out to annihilate a number of Trellixians reported to be holed up in a small valley in the Rocky Mountains. Mark thought it was ironic how the Trellixians were now using the same tactics the humans had when the aliens attacked Earth’s cities.

  “Everyone is in position,” reported Captain Garcia over Mark’s earpiece. “Sergeant Wilkerson confirms the presence of Trellixian troops. His advance scouts have spotted about twenty so far.”

  Mark picked up the pair of binoculars he carried and quickly scanned the valley floor. Near the center was a grove of trees, and he could see something metallic covered with camouflage netting of some kind. “Have the scouts take a closer look at those trees. I’m pre
tty certain a hover tank is hidden there.” Mark wasn’t sure how the Trellixians could have gotten a hover tank into this valley; there were no roads or even major hiking trails. They would have had to use one of their shuttles, and none of them had been spotted in the air in over a year.

  For several long minutes there was silence, and then Captain Garcia reported back in. “There are two of them,” he said. “We’ve also spotted about twelve more Trellixians. They have a small camp on the south side of the valley near that large rock outcrop. Sergeant Wilkerson believes they’ve dug themselves in with a number of firing pits protected by the rocks.”

  “Any signs they’ve spotted us?” The Rangers had taken care in their approach to not be detected.

  “No,” replied Wilkerson. “There’s no indication they’re aware of our presence. Several of them aren’t even wearing their battle armor.”

  Mark took a moment to consider his options. “Sergeant Anderson, set up your two pulse cannons where you can hit those two tanks. We’ll take those out first and then the Trellixian soldiers. Let me know when you’re ready.” The tanks were the biggest danger, and Mark didn’t want to risk them firing their heavy energy canons or using their splinter grenade launchers.

  Mark stood behind a large boulder, giving him an unobstructed view of the small valley. He had 312 Rangers encircling the area to ensure none of the Trellixians escaped. All across the planet, human military forces were clearing out the remaining pockets of scattered Trellixian survivors who had fled when their main forces had been eliminated by air and ground attacks. Over the year and a half since the Trellixian fleet had been driven away from the planet, the small surviving groups of Trellixian soldiers had been more of a nuisance than an actual threat.

  “We’re ready,” reported Sergeant Anderson. “We have both tanks targeted. We’ll take out the entire grove of trees as we can see about half a dozen Trellixian soldiers there as well.”

  Mark nodded. “Everyone stand by to fire on my order. I don’t want to lose anybody.”

  “Ready to fire,” reported Captain Garcia.

  “Ready to fire,” reported Captain Stockton.

  Mark took a deep breath, focusing his attention on the grove of trees concealing the tanks. He could call in an airstrike, but that would only cause the enemy troops to scatter. This was the last known group in Colorado, and General Mitchell wanted it eliminated. “Fire!”

  Two beams of white energy suddenly flashed down to strike the two concealed hover tanks. Both tanks exploded in brilliant fireballs, which rose high into the air. The beams then moved through the trees, and dark smoke rose as the trees caught fire. Several crashed to the ground. More energy beams appeared as the Rangers fired their pulse rifles at any Trellixians foolish enough to show themselves. Return fire struck the surrounding forest as some of the Trellixians discharged their energy rifles at their attackers. Their reaction time was surprisingly fast.

  Suddenly, from numerous hidden firing pits, Trellixian automated heavy weapons popped up, firing energy beams. Then the valley in several locations split open, and two hover tanks rose launching splinter grenades at the Rangers.

  “Damn,” muttered Mark, seeing them. He had never expected tanks to be hidden underground. “Sergeant Anderson!”

  “I see them,” Anderson replied. “We’re repositioning the cannons.”

  The Trellixian tanks fired their energy cannons while launching more splinter grenades into the air. Several Rangers fell to the ground, killed instantly by the deadly grenades. Another fell to the beam of an energy cannon.

  Two white pulse beams suddenly smashed into both Trellixian tanks, tearing through their energy shields and ripping out huge gashes in the tanks’ armor. In a sudden explosion, one of the tanks blew up, leaving a smoking crater in the ground. A second round of beams soon followed the first as the remaining tank was split in two from the intense heat of the pulse beams.

  “Get those energy cannon emplacements,” ordered Mark as he stood and fired his pulse rifle at one of the automated cannons. His shot missed, tearing up the ground next to the cannon. The automated cannons were something he hadn’t seen before.

  Sergeant Anderson’s two large pulse cannons fired on the automated emplacements, wiping them out one by one. In bright explosions the cannons were blown apart, leaving smoking craters in the ground.

  The fighting increased as the Rangers moved in. It became clear to Mark that many more Trellixians were here than he had first thought. This had the appearance of a major base. The firing from the rocky outcrop intensified as Trellixian energy beams searched for targets. Occasionally a Ranger would scream and drop to the ground.

  “Sergeant Wilkerson, we need heavier firepower,” said Captain Garcia over the comm link.

  “On it,” Wilkerson replied.

  Almost instantly two MK 47 grenade launchers fired into the rocks where the Trellixians were concealed. Energy beams from pulse rifles pulverized the stones, sending pieces flying. Several Trellixians appeared in their battle armor, firing their energy rifles at the Rangers’ positions. More screams cut through the air as a few beams found their targets.

  “Sixty or seventy of them are in those rocks,” reported Captain Garcia in disbelief. “Where did they all come from?”

  Mark frowned. Their intelligence had indicated far fewer. “Probably underground tunnels. We must take them out. If we don’t, they’ll scatter and be a threat to the civilian population.”

  “We’re moving in on them,” replied Captain Stockton. “We’ve got them penned down to that one area in the rocks. They’ll be hard to dig out.”

  Staring toward the rocky outcrop, Mark could see explosions hammering the area from the two grenade launchers. Pulse energy beams were everywhere, and smoke darkened the air.

  For several minutes the battle raged and then gradually died down, finally coming to a stop. An eerie silence held sway over the small valley. Fires burned in the forest, and smoke hung heavy in the air.

  “Sergeant Anderson, take a platoon and check that rocky outcrop,” ordered Captain Garcia. “Be careful. Some Trellixians may still be hiding.”

  “Why’s it always me?” muttered Anderson as he emerged, followed by several squads of Rangers. They approached the rocky area carefully, their pulse rifles held at the ready.

  The Rangers quickly spread out, checking the rocky outcrop. Several times intense weapons fire broke out as Trellixians waiting in ambush fired upon the Rangers. Three more Rangers died when a hidden Trellixian suddenly emerged from a concealed firing pit behind them, firing his energy rifle. Half a dozen pulse beams cut the Trellixian in two, ending the fighting.

  “That’s the last of them,” Sergeant Anderson reported. “From our count we’ve got 114 Trellixian soldiers here plus four destroyed hover tanks.”

  Mark made his way to the scene of the battle, escorted by several Rangers. Walking toward the destroyed hover tanks, he saw several dead Trellixians in full battle armor nearby. Multiple burn marks on their armor showed where they had been hit by pulse energy beams.

  “Sergeant Anderson reports a good-size bunker dug into the ground near that outcropping of rock,” reported Captain Garcia, coming to stand next to Mark. “These damn Trellixians were prepared for a long-term stay. Anderson says the bunker is well stocked with supplies and weapons.”

  “We better sweep this area again in case they had patrols out,” Mark ordered. Several small cities in Colorado were full of civilians, though they were all protected by energy shields—necessary to protect the cities from the Trellixians as well as the short nuclear winter caused by their last use of nuclear weapons. “How many Rangers did we lose?” Mark had hoped to complete this mission with no losses. However, he knew from the greater resistance they had encountered and the unexpected presence of hover tanks, it had become impossible not to lose someone.

  “Eighteen,” Captain Garcia replied grimly. “Those two hidden tanks and automated cannons caused most of them. We’ve got anoth
er twenty-three wounded.”

  Mark’s throat tightened. Any losses nowadays needed to be held to a minimum as they prepared to take the fight to the Trellixians. “I’ll request some helicopter gunships be sent to scan this area with Jelnoid sensors.”

  Garcia nodded his agreement. “No more known Trellixians are in Colorado. In another month we should have the last of them cleared from the entire country, as well as Canada and Mexico.”

  “The UK finished two weeks ago. They’ve swept all their cities and the countryside.”

  “I still can’t believe over two million people survived in the UK,” said Captain Garcia.

  Mark smiled. “Several large hidden bases for the humans were in the UK, as well as numerous smaller underground installations. Several hundred thousand civilians who hid in the subway tunnels beneath London survived. The military had provided food and protection until it was safe for them to come back out. The Trellixians never suspected they were there.”

  “You better get back to base,” suggested Captain Garcia. “I can finish up here.”

  Mark let out a deep sigh. He needed to write up the report on this action. Once that was done, he would return to Complex One, where he had been reassigned. For the last six months he had been training on the Earth battlecruiser Vengeance as its tactical officer.

  -

  Lieutenant Lisa Reynolds sat at her science station on the three hundred-meter-long battlecruiser Vengeance. While much smaller than the Trellixian battlecruisers, the ship was built around Jelnoid technology. Its energy beams were capable of penetrating Trellixian shields, and the small missiles the human ship was armed with were capable of delivering a forty-megaton fusion warhead. Currently Lisa was using her science station to monitor the different systems on the ship.

  “Lieutenant Reynolds, put up a view of the other battlecruisers on the main screen,” ordered Captain Erickson, the former captain of the Columbia Class submarine West Virginia. He had been promoted to command the Vengeance on its exploratory mission. All the special captains had been reduced in rank to lieutenants after being reassigned to spaceships to fit in with the rank classification on the space-going vessels.