Earth Fall_To the Stars

by Raymond L. Weil

  Brett stopped and looked at the other two. They were nearly at the corridor leading to the repair bay. “The Trellixians must know where we are. They’ll be gathering a fleet to stop us from sharing our technology with the Voltrex. They could show up here any day now.”

  Mark sighed and answered. “Commander Kallon is also convinced the Trellixians are gathering a large fleet to attack the Bator System. They’ve put new defensive satellites around all their inhabited worlds. Cargo ships arrive daily with supplies and satellites.”

  “Will we have the new weapons ready before the Trellixians get here?” asked Lisa, concerned.

  Mark shook his head. “We might get some of the Jelnoid primary cannons on the shipyards and the battlestations but not the ships. We’re just hoping, if it comes right down to it, that that will be enough.”

  “Are the Voltrex sending any more ships?” asked Brett. “They must know how important this technology is to them, and they seem to have a very large fleet.”

  “They’ve sent all the ships they can spare. The arrival of Fleet Commander Alassah and his 350 ships represents the last ones they can pull from their defenses. This colony is one of the most remote and the nearest to Trellixian space. That’s one reason for all the large battlestations in orbit around Bator Seven. They can’t afford to weaken the defenses in the other systems or move any more of the advance fleets blockading their space from the Trellixians. If we can win this next battle, then the first ships should be coming out of the shipyards with the new weapons shortly afterward. Once that happens, the Trellixians won’t dare attack this system again.”

  -

  The three stood talking for a few more minutes and then continued toward the repair bay holding the Vengeance. Upon arrival, they stared at all the work in progress on their ship. Scaffolding covered it like a massive spiderweb. Bright flashes lit up the bay as welders sealed up the last of the holes to the hull with new battle armor. Several small energy beam turrets were lowered into place by portable cranes. The station’s Voltrex engineers had built the new turrets in the construction facilities inside the shipyard under the guidance of human engineers.

  “How much stronger would our weapons be if you can find a better alloy for the fusion reactors?” asked Mark. He wanted the ship to be as powerful as possible. It would be at least one month before the new battleship would be ready.

  Lisa took a deep breath. “Between 28 to 32 percent. “We would rebuild the damaged reactor first and then refurbish the one we’re using now.”

  “How long? We may go into combat soon.” Mark didn’t want to go into battle with just one fusion reactor operating.

  “Six to eight weeks to have both of them ready.”

  Mark didn’t like the sound of that. “What if we refurbish the one that’s still working first?”

  Lisa frowned and then nodded. “It wouldn’t take too long to replace the old alloys if the Voltrex have one that is suitable. It could probably be done in less than two weeks. We could power the ship from the station while the reactor is down. Keep in mind, if the Voltrex attack during those two weeks, we could not get the Vengeance out of the repair bay.”

  Mark stood, looking at the ship for nearly a minute as he thought over his options. “I think that’s the way we need to go. Find out about the alloy, and then let’s start the conversion of our working reactor immediately.”

  Lisa looked at Brett. “I’ll need some help with this.”

  “Chloe will be useful in getting this done. I bet she can lay out a plan to have the conversion done as quickly as possible.”

  Lisa nodded. “Let’s talk to Derek and Chloe, and then I should get ready for my meeting with Lieutenant Commander LeLath.” Lisa was anxious to spend more time with the female Voltrex officer. In the numerous times she had spoken to her, Lisa had found the female Voltrex to be witty, honest, and charming.

  -

  Lieutenant Commander LeLath was in one of the shipyard’s many cafeterias, waiting for her new Human friend. In the past ten days she had spoken to the young lieutenant numerous times, finding it surprising how much they had in common. Amazing how two species could be so much alike. Lisa had explained how her parents had died as well as her future mate. It had saddened LeLath to hear of so much tragedy. She had also noticed the look of pain in Lisa’s eyes when she spoke of it.

  Watching the hatch, she saw the young Human woman come in. Several other Humans ate in the cafeteria. Some selections had been modified so they were safe for the Humans to eat. The doctors on board the station as well as the ones on the Human vessel had tested a number of foods to see which ones would be suitable for Human consumption.

  -

  Lisa stopped at the hatch and looked around, spotting LeLath at a nearby table. Fortunately humans and the Voltrex were close to the same stature, and the dining chairs worked well for both races.

  Going to the table, Lisa sat down, seeing LeLath had ordered her some Shaloo. The fruit drink had a hint of pineapple in it, though Lisa was almost certain no pineapple plants were in the Voltrex Federation.

  “I’m glad the treaty between our people and yours has been signed,” said LeLath. “It will allow us to work much closer together.”

  Lisa nodded as she took a sip of her Shaloo. When she returned to Earth, she would ensure the new battleship and the Vengeance had a large supply of this drink on hand. It would be very popular. “Things should move very rapidly now. We have drawn up schematics for the weapon systems and the fusion power plants you will need for your ships and the stations.”

  LeLath called over a lower-ranking Voltrex responsible for serving the officers in the cafeteria.

  “I’ll let you order for me,” Lisa said, smiling. “Just remember, my appetite is a lot less than yours, and I prefer my food thoroughly cooked.” Most Voltrex ate their meat on the medium rare side.

  “At least we’ve outgrown catching our own food.” LeLath laughed. “I understand you have a number of different feline species on your planet.”

  “Yes, we call them cats. We have some larger species as well, though they all still walk and run on four legs.”

  “In our ancient history we had a variety too,” admitted LeLath, her eyes sad. “In the early years of our race we were quite aggressive, and eliminated all the other feline species on our home planet. I would like to journey to yours to see the species on your world.”

  “Maybe we can arrange that someday,” replied Lisa.

  LeLath quickly placed their orders, being quite specific about what she wanted for Lisa. “I wish our people would have met before the Trellixians attacked your world. What was it like when the lizard people showed up?”

  Lisa drew in a deep breath. “We were expecting them, and some preparations had been made. At first it looked as if the Trellixians would destroy us all, but then our scientists and engineers perfected the Jelnoid weapons they had been working on for years. Once we began using them, we were able to drive the Trellixians from our world and to destroy their invasion forces. The fighting was quite brutal. Every person on the planet lost someone close to them. We will never forgive the Trellixians for what they did. If we can exterminate them, we will!”

  “I’ve read some of the reports your Major Dolan has provided. He mentions a scientist named Professor Wilkens. Do you know him?”

  Lisa nodded. “Yes. We’re very close. He’s almost like a father to me. I’ve worked with him for years.”

  LeLath looked surprised. “Are you a scientist? I thought you were just a ship’s officer, a very talented one.”

  “Actually I’m both. There are five of us on board in my research group.”

  “Science,” said LeLath with a frown. “It’s always been confusing to me. By this time in my life I should have had a mate and be home raising our cubs. Unfortunately this war has changed a lot of things for my people.”

  “Do you have someone special in your life?” asked Lisa as their food arrived and was placed in front of them. She had seve
ral vegetables as well as some type of meat cooked medium well on her plate.

  “At one time,” LeLath answered with a faraway look in her eyes. “We both decided to put our personal lives on hold until this war is decided one way or another. We could see no point in bringing cubs into this world when everything we know might end up destroyed.”

  Lisa nodded as she took a cautious bite of the meat. With a smile she noticed it tasted like a cross between pork and chicken. “I can understand that. Streth and I talked about eventually having kids. Now I don’t know if I ever will.”

  “We’re both quite young still,” LeLath said as she began eating. “Who knows what might be in our futures.”

  Lisa did not reply. She knew LeLath was right.

  -

  Major Dolan was in the med bay, watching as Captain Erickson read over the agreement. Dolan hoped the captain agreed with this action now, after the fact, since the captain wasn’t available beforehand. He had been in a medical-induced coma to aid in healing after his surgery.

  “The special lieutenants helped draft this?” Erickson asked Mark. A large bandage was wrapped around his head. The ship’s surgeon had performed surgery to relieve some of the pressure on his brain from the concussion suffered in the battle with the Trellixians.

  “Yes, I didn’t feel I could do it on my own. In the future, on these types of missions, we need some first-contact specialists trained to sign treaties and agreements.”

  Erickson nodded, grimaced, and then quickly stopped moving his head. “I’m sorry you had to handle all this. With me in here, at the mercy of the doctors and all the medication I’m on, there’s no way I could do it.”

  Mark looked at one of the ship’s doctors standing nearby. “How long before the captain’s fit for duty?” Mark hoped it would be soon.

  The doctor shook his head. “Not for weeks yet. I wish I could say sooner, but the injury he suffered doesn’t heal quickly. I’ve spoken it over with the captain, and you will remain in charge for the foreseeable future.”

  “You’re doing fine,” Erickson said with a weak smile. “Just get our people home before Wilkens thinks we all died out here, so well before that ten-month date. Better if it is closer to the six-month range so we can share the good news with our people on Earth.”

  Mark nodded. “I’ll do my best, sir.”

  “Listen to those special lieutenants of yours. There’s a reason they’re on this mission.”

  “I will. They’ve already demonstrated they can be quite useful.”

  “One more thing,” Erickson said, motioning for Mark to come closer. “I think we need to tell the Voltrex about Chloe. We’ve reached the point in our relations where we shouldn’t be keeping secrets.”

  “I think that’s enough for today,” the doctor said, stepping closer. “The captain needs his rest.”

  Mark straightened his shoulders and then spoke to the captain again. “Take it easy, sir. I’ll brief you each day on what’s going on.”

  “Just keep it short,” ordered the doctor.

  Mark left the sick bay, still feeling the full weight of command on his shoulders. He needed to speak to Lisa and Derek about telling the Voltrex about Chloe. What they would think about an AI was anyone’s guess.

  -

  Trellixian Battle Commander Balforr gazed with satisfaction at his ship’s tactical display as another Trellixian war fleet arrived to use in his attack against the Voltrex.

  “How much longer do we wait?” asked Second Officer Jaltor. “Surely four hundred battlecruisers are enough to destroy this single star system.”

  “In most cases I would agree with you,” Balforr replied. “Our advance ships report the Human vessel is still inside the shipyard. It suffered heavy damage when we tried to capture it. Our engineers believe it will take at least another three to four weeks to get it repaired. In two more weeks we will have another 210 battlecruisers. Once those fleets get here, we will launch our attack. Our primary target will be the shipyard and then the defensive grid around the seventh planet.”

  Jaltor turned, looking at a viewscreen of a nearby battlecruiser.

  Balforr followed his second officer’s stare. In the distance Balforr could see other Trellixian vessels. A powerful fleet had assembled.

  “What about the other fleets in this sector of space?” asked Jaltor. “We have not summoned all of them.”

  “A few fleets are being left in position, in case the Voltrex move out of their space. If they venture too far, they will find one of our fleets waiting. While we’ve suspended offensive operations against them, we will not let them expand their territory.”

  Balforr folded his powerful arms across his chest. He clenched his fist as he considered his planned attack. He would not make the same mistake Battle Commander Ulvan had. This was war, and there would be losses. The key was to ensure the enemy lost more. Balforr had several ships monitoring the Voltrex colony system. Already there had been a sizable buildup of enemy ships. But the ships of the Voltrex were far weaker than those Balforr commanded. With over six hundred powerful Trellixian battlecruisers, he would crush the opposition.

  For a moment he toyed with the idea of capturing the Human ship inside the shipyard. Then he dismissed the notion. While he had the necessary troops on his battlecruisers, the losses would be too heavy. They could easily be made up from the massive troop units on the home worlds, but that would take weeks. No, better to simply destroy the Human vessel and then cleanse the worlds in the system of Voltrex life. The High Command would be very pleased when Balforr requested colony fleets be sent to the Voltrex world.

  -

  Voltrex Fleet Commander Kamuss and Lieutenant Commander LeLath had been invited to the Human ship. Kamuss was curious as to what Major Dolan wanted to show him. The major had indicated it was something important.

  “These Humans are so much like us in many ways,” LeLath said as they walked down the long corridor leading to the repair bay containing the Vengeance. “I wish we had found them years ago. I spent some time with Lieutenant Reynolds in one of our cafeterias last night. A very enjoyable evening.”

  They entered the bay containing the Human ship and were soon standing at its main hatch. A Human Marine waited for them and indicated for them to follow him to the ship’s Command Center.

  “I just left Commander Kallon’s office,” Kamuss told LeLath. “He’s setting up an assembly line to produce the large Jelnoid primary cannons in one of the manufacturing sections of the station. Several of the Human engineers are studying our fusion reactors to see if they can be modified for increased power.”

  They continued to talk as they walked through the ship. Many areas had been repaired with new hull material as well as paint. The ship looked shiny and new.

  “There’s so much to do,” replied LeLath as they neared the open hatch to the Command Center. Two heavily armed Human Marines stood at the entrance. “I just hope we have the time.”

  The two Human Marines allowed Fleet Commander Kamuss and Lieutenant Commander LeLath to pass. Stepping inside the Command Center, they were surprised to find it fully manned.

  “Welcome,” said Major Dolan, greeting the two. “We have something we would like to show you.”

  “And what would that be?” asked Kamuss curiously. He could not imagine what else the Humans might have.

  “It would be me,” said a pleasant Human voice.

  Kamuss looked around. None of the Humans in the Command Center had spoken. They all were watching him and LeLath. “I don’t understand.”

  “What my human friends wanted to show you is me,” the voice said again.

  “An AI!” squealed LeLath, her eyes lighting up in excitement. “You have an actual AI.”

  “That would be correct,” Chloe replied. “My name is Chloe.”

  Kamuss’s heart fluttered. The Voltrex had very smart computers, but their research into AIs had met with dismal failure. The few they had constructed had to be destroyed because they beca
me irrational. “How?”

  Major Dolan indicated for Derek to answer.

  “The Jelnoids used AIs on their ships. We reverse engineered what we could and then filled in the blanks with our own science and programming. Chloe only become sentient on this mission. She’s been a pleasant surprise and a huge help to us.”

  “We weren’t certain what your people would think about AIs,” added Mark. “It’s why we wanted you and Lieutenant Commander LeLath to meet Chloe firsthand.”

  On a computer printer next to the console which housed Chloe, a number of pages began to print. “These are the schematics for a new fusion reactor for your ships to power Jelnoid energy cannons,” Chloe said. “I have also accessed the database on the shipyard and have found an alloy that will work better than the current one we are using.”

  “Chloe, you should not have accessed their computer database without permission,” admonished Mark with a deep frown, alarmed.

  “I only accessed information not considered sensitive,” replied Chloe. “This information is general knowledge.”

  “Nevertheless, in the future, consult with me before you do any more intrusions of foreign computers or databases.” Mark didn’t want an incident with the Voltrex because of Chloe’s curiosity.

  Lisa stepped over and took the printouts from the computer. She glanced at them, seeing many of the improvements she and Brenda had been working on. “How long will it take to build one of these?” Lisa asked Chloe.

  “Four to six weeks,” Chloe answered. “I would suggest setting up a production line for the reactors. I have the design for it as well.”

  “Print it out,” ordered Mark with his arms folded across his chest.

  “It’s a little more complicated,” replied Chloe. “I can transmit the file to the main computer in the shipyard.”

  Mark looked at Fleet Commander Kamuss.