Battle in the Stars (Marston Chronicles Book 4)

by D Patrick Wagner

  “Hey, Tinman. We’re here.”

  “Veelo. You may proceed.”

  “The communication circuitry between the jump drive passed its initial testing. However, under projected maximum load throughput, the packet transfers collided or became corrupt.”

  An Elonian engineer groaned and rubbed a paw through the fur between his ears.

  “The new navigational calibrator which we created under Igaklay’s specifications does not perform within acceptable tolerances. A new one will need to be printed and installed.”

  Another engineer repeated the same groan and fur rub as the first.

  “All preliminary tests of the jump drive, itself, indicate that there will be a larger dark matter consumption rate than projected. We will require multiple jumps to reach Ballison.”

  “Other than the dark matter consumption, does the jump drive test out as specified?”

  “Yes, Legate Buster. The jump drive tests out as specified.”

  “Anything else to report?”

  “I have created a list of failed or marginal circuit boards which will need replacing.”

  “Anything else to report?”

  “No, Legate Buster. The only failures of the testing parameters which I have discovered are those I just verbally listed.”

  “Thank you, Veelo. You may return to your regular duties.”

  “Veelo. Before you go, please download your entire report to Igaklay, with all testing failures highlighted.”

  “I will perform that task, Sir Mack.”

  Everyone watched as Veelo left the conference room. Turning their attention back to Buster, the engineers drooped back into their chairs and waited.

  “Vidhee, will you join me in reviewing Veelo’s report and conclusions?”

  “Certainly, Buster.”

  “Igaklay?”

  “Already have, Buster.”

  “Of course you have, my big-brained friend.”

  Igaklay basked in the electronic joy of hearing Buster refer to him as ‘friend’.

  The Elonian engineers enjoyed their two minutes of non-responsible quiet time. They refocused their attention when Buster raised an artificial hand and began his remarks.

  “We are almost there, Elonians. Vidhee, Igaklay and I have reviewed Veelo’s results and concur with her conclusions. Your labor is almost completed. Let’s rest for today. Tomorrow, we correct the issues and perform a final test.”

  Through the following day, the partially refreshed engineering team attacked the final issues plaguing the completion of Wisdom Seeker’s jump drive installation. The morning after, the large storage bay on the first level was turned into a huge meeting hall. All Elonians not currently maintaining Wisdom Seeker collected for the announcement.

  Some sat. Without enough seating, most of the Elonians stood. At one end, a raised dais held the leadership and owner of Wisdom Seeker. Buster stood at the lectern.

  “First, I want to thank Veelo for her efforts in supporting the installation of Wisdom Seeker’s jump drive and all of the other modifications. The same to you, Wisdom Seeker’s engineering and repair teams and all of those others who also invested their time and energies. After extensive testing, I have made the determination that the job is complete.”

  The exhausted group of Elonian Engineers raised and wave their paws and tails, huffed and cheered. The rest of the approximately seventeen hundred Elonians joined in.

  After waiting for the noise to subside, Buster continued. “Now the responsibility passes to our leaders and commanders, Lord Kaporine and Captain Kakkarna.”

  With that pronouncement, Buster took his seat and watched as Lord Kaporine and Captain Kakkarna exchanged glances, the ex-king nodded and Wisdom Seeker’s Captain rose.

  “Beings of Griffin. Are you with us?”

  “We are all here, Captain,” the Captain of Wisdom Seeker and the entire bay heard over the speakers.

  “Thank you, Lady Analyn.”

  Standing straighter, Captain Kakkarna cleared his throat, raised his tail and pointed his ears towards the filled bay. Raising a paw and turning it into a fist, the Captain began.

  “Well done, Elonians. The first step to exploring the stars is completed!”

  Again, the bay burst into cheers and huffs. The same could be heard over the speakers.

  “Now we begin the next stage. The most dangerous stage. Testing. Wisdom Seeker’s design was meant to hold approximately five hundred beings. We have almost triple that. More than one thousand, two hundred. From Griffin’s experience, we know that, when we test our drive, there will be physical problems with all biological beings onboard. And we must prepare for those. That is why our Chief Medical Doctor, Doctor Lyenga, is here. Doctor Lyenga?”

  Wisdom Seeker’s Chief Physician took her place at the podium.

  “Since we received the Ballisonian quantum entanglement communicator, Legate Buster and I have been in close contact with the beings of Griffin. We have studied all of the recordings and information concerned with every one of Griffin’s jumps. Although no deaths ever occurred, physical stress and unconsciousness was experienced. Note that all of the beings on the Human jump ship, Griffin, are prime specimens of their species, in the prime of their lives and in excellent health. That is not the case on Wisdom Seeker. We have Grey Furs, cubs and those with medical issues. For those of you who fit in one of those three categories, you have received notifications of where your resting pads are, on the science deck. We request that those who have received those notices move to the science floor. Our full medical staff will be there to respond to any emergencies. For the rest, please be sure that you are lying on your pads, on your backs, tails coiled around your waists and arms at your sides. That is all which I have to say for the first jump. Stay safe and contact me or any of my staff if you have any needs.”

  Seeing Doctor Lyenga’s finishing remarks and seeing her finishing gestures, Captain Kakkarna retook the podium. “Thank you, Doctor. Commander Tarunga?”

  The Royal Guardsman Commander replaced Doctor Lyenga. His contingent of fifty-three fellow men-at-arms hooted their welcome and honor. The rest of the bay mirrored their enthusiasm.

  “First, I address the Royal Guardsmen.”

  The room fell very quiet.

  “For my entire thirty years in the Royal Guard, I have been under the leadership of Lord Kaporine. He brought me to the palace as a young warrior-in-training when he assumed the throne. I have served only one ruler in my entire time with the Royal Guardsmen. Lord Kaporine no longer wears the title of ‘King’. However, he will always be my King. And I will always follow him. As of this morning, I no longer hold a position within the Royal Guardsmen. I have resigned my commission and retired.”

  Vocal shock and sadness could be heard from the other fifty-three Guardsmen on Wisdom Seeker and over the speakers.

  “However, with Lord Kaporine’s blessing, I am to form a new Guard. I have been tasked with creating the Kaporine Guardsmen. I cannot ask you to take the step which I have taken. I will not ask you to take this step. That being said, I now ask you, the Royal Guardsmen to help the Elonians on board Wisdom Seeker in their time of need, I ask that you help us to a new world. To Ballison.”

  A Royal Guardsman stood, bowed and interrupted former Commander Tarunga.

  “Sir!”

  “Yes, Tribune Enorine?”

  “Please enter into the record and notify the Royal House that I resign my commission. Immediately.”

  “I cannot ask you to do this. You have a strong Future in the Royal Guardsmen.”

  “I did not ask for your permission, My Commander. Please submit my resignation. However, I do ask that you accept me as your first recruit in the Kaporine Guard.”

  “Lord Kaporine?”

  “Tribune Enorine. Where is your family?”

  “On Elonia, My Lord.”

  “Captain Kakkarna. Can you get a shuttle down to Elonia and retrieve this Guardsman’s family?”

  “Immediately
, My Lord.” Wisdom Seeker’s Captain froze as he issued the telepathic orders.

  Turning back to the Tribune, the ex-King continued, “I accept your offer of enlistment into the Kaporine Guardsmen. Once your resignation has been accepted by the Royal House, of course.”

  Fifty-two Royal Guardsmen rose and slammed to attention.

  From the pack, a voice shouted, “We wish to resign our commissions in the Royal Guardsmen and apply for enlistment in the Kaporine Guardsmen!”

  “All off you?”

  “Yes, Commander,” fifty-two Elonian voices growled out.

  “Um, Father?” everyone heard over the speakers.

  “Yes, Analyn?”

  “We have eight Royal Guardsmen standing in our conference room, holding a salute. I think Commander Tarunga needs to address them.”

  “Commander?”

  “Lady Analyn’s personal guard. Are you seeking to resign your commission in the Royal Guardsmen and requesting the acceptance into the Kaporine Guard?”

  “Yes, Commander,” Eight more soon-to-be ex-Royal Guardsmen answered as one.

  Laughingly, Lord Kaporine announced, I accept you all. Please submit your requests to Commander Tarunga.”

  “All sixty-three already have, My Lord. Their resignations have been forwarded to the Royal House.”

  “Captain Kakkarna, get their families up here.”

  “Yes My Lord.”

  The Captain momentarily went back to his frozen state.

  “Can we continue now? All you sorry excuses for Kaporine Guardsmen? Do I have your permission?”

  That brought the entire bay to laughter, hooting and applauding.

  Since you, the Kaporine Guardsmen, are in the best physical shape, you will probably be the ones to regain consciousness first. I want a full deployment throughout Wisdom Seeker, with emphasis and concentrations on our most at risk.”

  The still-standing Guardsmen saluted.

  “Since you started this little revolt, Tribune Enorine, you are in charge of the personnel distribution.”

  “Yes, Commander.”

  “Meet with Doctor Lyenga to determine the proper deployment.”

  Yes, Commander.”

  “That’s all I have to say. And for Bashia’s light, all of you sit.”

  In one motion the now Kaporine Guardsmen sat. Captain Kakkarna traded places with Commander Tarunga.

  “Kaporine Guardsmen. Wisdom Seeker has dispatched all of its shuttles. Your families will be on board within the day.”

  The Captain waited for the applause to wind down.

  “Veelo has been designing the positioning of everyone on board for the first jump. She will do redesigns after each jump, depending on the health and the needs of our people. Please follow Doctor Lyenga’s and Veelo’s directions and placement. We jump two Sedeca after the Kaporine Guardsmen’s families arrive. We are going to emulate Griffin’s micro-jumps, before we first discovered her. It will be a small jump. One-half of a light year. May Bashia’s light shine on you.”

  Nuevo Aires

  “Time to go, Ricardo.”

  “What about staying here? Digging in for the long haul?”

  “We could. We could bring down the building, bury us. But then we would be trapped. And we couldn’t help those above.”

  “True, Gov.”

  “Besides, if I go down, I don’t plan on it happening while I’m hiding in the dark.”

  “I agree with that.”

  “Round up Emilio, Javier and Rubin. See what they want to do.”

  All five met in Shelly’s rooms.

  “Time to go?”

  “It’s either that or decide to stay here for the next year,” Javier, head of the Transportation Union answered.”

  “I gotta go up, Shelly. People are going to need me.” This came from Rubin, head of the Medical Union.

  “I’m with you, Jefe. I’m going up,” the head of the gunrunning operations of Latinia, Emilio, chimed in.

  “Gotta go now. Those tanks are coming fast. We get to the second barrier.”

  “What about our people here?”

  “Communications has to stay. All the others? Their choice. Ricky, I want you to stay, also. Stay in charge. Keep the coms people focused.”

  “But, Gov.”

  “You gotta do it, Ricky. There’s no one else. Sorry. But that’s the way it’s gotta be.”

  “Yeah, Gov. It sucks.”

  “Spread the word. We leave in five.”

  Five minutes later, four leaders and all of the bunker people, except for communications and Ricky, exploded through the steel doors and sprinted towards the second safety barrier. Once there, the heavily breathing group bent over and sucked in air, trying to get their breathing back.

  In between breaths, the Governor of Nuevo Aires motioned to a citizen manning the barrier. The man slung his rifle over his shoulder and closed the distance.

  “Yes, Governor?”

  “Who’s in charge,” Shelly asked, finally getting his breathing towards normal.

  “Julio. Julio Escobar.”

  “Where can I find him?”

  The man pointed. “Over there. Working with the men with the rocket launchers.”

  “Thank you.”

  Shelly eyed his three compatriots and jerked his head in the direction which the man had pointed. The four found Julio sketching on a tablet and pointing to various buildings.

  “Hola, Capitan.”

  “Hola, Julio. Que Paso?”

  “Your rocket launchers work. Both from the back and top. Carlos and me, we didn’t try them on the sides or front. So, I’m placing our shooters on the sides of the road where the tanks are going to come down. Hit those pendejos in their asses just as they get into the first set of land mines.”

  “Very good. Where’s Carlos?”

  “Making sure everyone has weapons and ammunition. I think he’s over on the next block. And getting everyone who can’t fight heading into the countryside.”

  “I see why you chose these two, Emilio. They think on their feet.”

  “Like I Said, Julio is my Consejero. Carlos, my field commander. Good men, Jefe. And tough.”

  “They proved that, taking on two tanks, Emilio.

  “Get your people out there, Julio. The tanks aren’t far behind. Oh. Send a runner to Carlos. Have him send you two men for each rocket launcher. They can snipe any bugs that try to shoot at them.”

  “Will do, Capitan.”

  Julio turned to a boy, voiced his commands and sent him on his way. Then Julio went back to deploying his men.

  “How many rocket launchers have you got?”

  “We used a lot of them destroying the first alien landings. With the two used, now thirty.”

  “Won’t be enough.”

  “No, Jefe. But it will definitely put a twist in those bugs’ panties.”

  “And it will give us time to fall back and scatter.”

  “That too.”

  The four leaders watched as Julio got his people moving and as Carlos got his people situated for the onslaught that was coming.

  Onboard Ravage Maker

  War looked down the table at Intelligence and Flight.

  “Fourth Assault Leader has not performed as expected.”

  Both of War’s officers saw his obvious displeasure, with his head comb rising then falling and his vestal wings flicking.

  “He has been confronted with a much stronger resistance than what the other soft skin planets organized,” Intelligence responded, trying to allay his superior.

  “True. But his battle plan and tactics were based upon his own arrogance. Not with clear thinking and foresight.”

  “That is also true, My Lord.”

  “I am not pleased. Flight, you will hold him accountable for all of the warriors and equipment he has lost.”

  “Yes, My Lord.”

  “Intelligence, what have you discovered in the next system, this Tolimar?”

  “Completely unpro
tected, My Lord.”

  “The Human dreadnaught?”

  “Not present, My Lord. There is another gate on the far side. My scouts believe that the ship has fled through there.”

  “Coward. The soft skin captain should have stayed and died with honor. Flight, send in the Fifth quarter fleet.”

  “If I may, My Lord?”

  “Yes?”

  “Fourth Fleet has taken grievous damage. Purifier of Stars believes that he has lost honor and standing. He petitions that he and his three remaining cruisers be allowed to invade the next system and establish security for the assault carrier.”

  War tapped a claw as he thought.

  “The human dreadnaught is not there, Intelligence?”

  “None of my scouts or drones have located it, My Lord. And the human Captain has shown that he will run when overwhelmed.”

  “Purifier of Stars and the three cruisers are more than enough for one human dreadnaught.”

  “Then you agree with flight?”

  “Yes, My Lord.”

  “I approve this request. With one change. Fourth Fleet’s assault carrier, World Crusher, is depleted of ships and warriors. We will utilize Fifth Fleet’s assault carrier. World Conqueror.”

  “At your command, My Lord.”

  “Begin immediately. We will not wait for the complete subjugation of this Arium system.”

  Chapter 18

  Onboard Wisdom Seeker

  “How did the jump go, Buster?”

  Pausing for a moment, Buster listened to Captain Marston’s voice come over Wisdom Seeker’s speakers.

  “Very well, Captain. Veelo and I have found thirteen Elonians that are in stress. We are currently moving them to medical pods. As projected, the Kaporine Guardsmen are rising first and they are patrolling their charges, checking for any problems.”

  “Engineering team?”

  “One moment, Captain.”

  Buster linked to Veelo, who was linked to Wisdom Seeker’s internal sensor network.

  “The engineering team is just coming out of their sleep, Buster. Assistant Cansina is fully awake.”