by Saxon Andrew
Dan stared at the Doctor and heard him say, “Oh, you can also land the new ship on a planet’s surface for servicing, repairs, or just allowing your crew to have liberty.”
“Where do I get one, Doctor?” Dan said with a smile. “You’ve convinced me. Just answer one question.” Mogosagi nodded. “If this new ship takes on my flagship, which would win?”
“Your ship would be knocked out of action within the first six-minutes of contact.”
“You sure about that, Doctor?”
“Admiral, the new Battleship would move in on your ship bow-first. It would require a tiny dart-cloud to cover the bow and since the new disruptors are on swivel mounts, twenty-five of them will fire ahead of the ship as the bow launchers fire a barrage or power-spikes into your ship. It’s fast enough to sweep its disruptor and power-spike fire from your stern to your bow before breaking away.”
“What will we do with the old Battleships?”
“Gut them and make them mini-carriers to move the new Attack Sleds into battle or carry a load of Scouts into Enemy Territory and provide a support base for them.”
Rory smiled and said, “There’s something else our Techs have discovered on the Blue Warship we were given.” Everyone looked at him and Rory said, “They have a permeable film they use in their landing bays.”
“What is that?” Dean asked.
“You know how on some bubbles you can stick your finger into it without bursting it?” Dean nodded. “This film allows ships to fly through it and keep the atmosphere inside the landing bay. It seals against the landing ship’s hulls and closes behind it. We can launch from our Carriers now at an incredible speed. Ten to twenty ships can land or launch at the same time.”
Mogosagi smiled, “It will also seal any hole shot into our new warship’s hull and prevent the loss of atmosphere.”
Dean smiled, “It appears we have made some remarkable progress in our technology.”
“We have. But we have a lot to do before we have enough ships to take on any outside force.” Rory looked around and said, “That’s it. This meeting is adjourned and contact me if you have any questions.” Rory looked at Meredith and said, “Please wait behind for a few moments.”
“Yes, Sir.”
• • •
The room emptied and Rory turned his chair and looked at Meredith, “I had an opportunity to talk with Admiral Hamlin about why it took him so long to match up with Captain Bennett.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, he said that Captain Bennett never gave him a clue that she was interested in him and that he assumed that she could do much better than him. It took one of his former girlfriends nudging him to speak to her about it. Ginger later told him that she would have never said anything; she was waiting on him to make the first move. Dean says she wanted to be wooed.” Rory stared at Meredith, before saying, “Is that the way it is with most women, Meredith?”
“I suspect it is, Admiral.”
Rory leaned back and interlocked his fingers on his stomach, “So if you were interested in someone, they would probably never know it?”
“I suspect if I were interested in someone they should be able to see in in subtle clues, Sir.” Meredith paused and said, “But you know how it is.”
“How what is?”
Meredith stood up, “Some men can’t see anything because they have their heads stuck so far up their backsides that it would take a pane of plexiglass in their stomach to allow them to see at all…Sir.” She walked around the table and headed up the aisle. She stopped and said, “Have a nice day.” Then she walked out of the conference room. Rory sat in stunned silence and after thirty-minutes, he said, “Computer.”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“I want you to start playing any interactions you’ve recorded between Captain Legion and myself.”
“Is there a time limitation?”
“No, but only recordings where no one else was involved in the discussion.”
Rory turned around and looked at the wall monitor. After a few hours, he wondered if even plexiglass would have helped. He noticed a green light on his panel and sighed.
• • •
Rory walked on the bridge and yelled, “AS YOU WERE!!” He went to his chair and looked at Meredith, “Good day, Captain.” Meredith nodded. He sat in his chair and stared at the back of Meredith’s head; her chair was directly in front of and slightly below his command chair. He waited for her to turn around and she didn’t. He looked to his left and said, “Lt. Cambridge, connect me to Captain Legion’s monitor.”
“Sir…she’s sitting…”
“CONNECT ME, LIEUTENANT!!”
“Yes, Sir?”
Rory looked at his monitor and saw Meredith had her hand over her mouth covering a smile but her eyes gave her away. He leaned in and said, “I suppose you’re going to make me suffer for my stupidity?”
“Whatever are you talking about, Admiral?”
“You’re going to force me to do it, aren’t you?”
“Do what, Admiral?”
Rory sat back and said where everyone could hear, “Captain Legion.”
Meredith turned around, “Yes, Sir.”
“I want to tell you, less there be any doubt, that I am very interested, in you and hope we can get to know each other a lot better than now. If that means flowers, candy, or evening dinners, I hope you will accept my offer. Let me know if you do?”
“Yes, Sir.” Meredith turned around and the bridge was absolutely silent and remained so for twenty-minutes. Rory sighed and looked up at the tactical monitor. He heard Meredith say, “Lt, Cambridge, connect me with Admiral Mankin’s monitor.”
“YES, SIR!”
Rory looked at his monitor and saw Meredith smiling, “I told you I wasn’t sure about you not taking longer than Dean.”
Rory sighed, “Guilty as charged.”
“Which of the recordings you watched did you like the best?”
“The one where we were going out to eat together before Admiral Nelson stopped us.”
Meredith smiled and said where everyone could hear, “Admiral Mankin, I accept your offer.”
The room exploded in cheers. Unlike Rory, the crew did see the clues and were ecstatic that they had finally found each other. Meredith got up from her chair and walked around to Rory, where she kissed him on the cheek, “There might be more if you behave.”
Rory laughed, “Oh, you can count on that!”
Chapter Twenty
Thorpe looked at his Service Leaders, “It’s been three-years and the Brax have not sent anymore warships. I want one of our new Squadrons to go out and take a look at what’s going on.”
The Naval Service Leader nodded and asked, “Have we received any communications from Admiral Mankin?”
“No, we have not and I’m almost certain his fleet was destroyed. However, the uncertainty needs to be removed.”
“Sir, what are you planning if his fleet has been removed?”
“That’s why I’m sending a Squadron out to investigate. If we’re lucky, the Brax are no longer a threat and I can remove those troublesome colonies. I’ve sent most of the trouble makers to the colonies and they need to be removed before I can start expanding our Empire.”
“Are you going to accept the title of Emperor?”
“I’ll need you to get the population to call for it. Like Augustus Caesar, I’ll refuse but then reluctantly accept. All of you will, of course, be given planets to rule where you will have absolute control.”
“Do we have enough warships to make it happen.”
“We’ve built double what we had before we ran into the Brax and we’re continuing to build. The damaged or destroyed Defense Satellites have been replaced and we’ll be safe from any outside aggression. It will all depend on whether or not the Brax are no longer a threat.”
“I’ll get the Squadron moving immediately, Sir.”
“Let me know what you find out.”
“Yes, Sir, Your Majesty.
”
Thorpe smiled and hoped the path was open to expanding his empire.
• • •
Jose Rodriguez stared at his monitor and said, “I could go brain dead if I had to stay here longer than a month.”
Sherry Meeks sighed, “I keep expecting Thorpe to do something but all he’ done is build up a Fleet.”
“And it’s a big one.”
“No doubt about that. Wait a moment…I’ve detected a Squadron-sized unit moving out from the Defense Satellites!”
“I’m not seeing any other units powering up.”
“Hold on a moment.” Sherry stared at her monitor and said, “They’re turning toward Brax Territory. They’re going to find out what happened.”
“Launch a communication probe.”
“Done, Joe. Should one of us follow it and intercept their communications?”
“No, Sherry. They may power up to go after the Colonies. The Fleet is closer to Brax Space than we are and can send a Scout if they choose. We need to hang out here and see if anything else happens.”
Sherry nodded and wondered if the final confrontation was about to kick off.
• • •
Dean ran on to the Troy’s landing bay and climbed up Megan’s ladder, “Are you sure you know how to use the program?!”
“I’ve helped design it, Sir. I have all the responses programmed in and I’ll be fine.”
Dean stared at her and Megan said, “I’m surprised you and Captain Bennett aren’t going out to do this.”
“She’s at home with the baby and, at some point, I’m going to have to depend on others to get the job done. It goes against my nature but I can’t think of anyone better than you to do this.”
“Thank you, Sir. Antonio is going with me. He knows his role if it comes down to it. I’ll let you know how it turns out. We lose nothing if it fails; the end result would be same as far as we’re concerned.”
“I know. But the Brax were sucked into this and they don’t deserve extinction.” Dean climbed down the ladder and Meredith closed the Scout’s cockpit. The engines grew louder and the two-scouts moved out into the launch zone. The back wall rose behind the Scouts and the front wall rose revealing the permeable shield. The Scouts went to full power on their engines and left the landing bay at high-speed. Twenty-miles out, they activated their drive-fields and headed toward the Gap.
“Megan.”
“Yes, Andy.”
“Are you sure you’re over him?”
“If you’re asking if I would trade you for him, the answer is no. I was infatuated with him but I never loved him. I love you.”
“Thanks, I just needed to know.”
“Would you trade me for his wife?”
“I don’t know…”
“That just bought you a slap.”
“I’d never trade you for anything or anyone, my Love.”
Megan chuckled, “And don’t you forget it!!”
“Do you think we’ll beat them there?”
“It would ordinarily be close but we’ll be there first.”
“I’m not following you.”
“They’re going to tip-toe in slowly and carefully, not knowing what to expect. We’ll get there first. Are you ready to carry out your part in this if needed?”
“I am.”
“Don’t do anything stupid. I’ll never forgive you if you go and get yourself killed.”
“I’ll be fine. Now let’s go over everything again.”
Megan rolled her eyes and activated her computer.
• • •
Admiral Kitchens ordered the Squadron to one-third speed as they approached the gap between the Perseus and Norma Spiral Arms. “I want full active scans being made ahead of us!”
“Yes, Sir!”
The Earth Squadron moved up close the gap and Kitchens ordered, “All stop!”
The Squadron came to a stop and Kitchens looked at his Scanning Officer, “I thought there were thousands of Brax derelicts ahead of us.”
“That’s what the images showed the last time one of our ships came out here.”
Suddenly, the wall speaker erupted in a guttural voice overlaid with English, “THAT IS CLOSE ENOUGH! MOVE NO CLOSER!!”
Kitchens looked at his Communication Officer, “Sir, it’s coming from the gap ahead of us.”
Kitchens picked up his microphone, “Who are you?”
“I AM ONE OF THOSE YOU’VE BEEN ATTACKING.”
Kitchens shook his head. The Alien voice that was being translated sounded hideous. “How did you learn my language.”
“WE WERE FORCED TO LISTEN TO IT FOR YEARS.”
“What do you want?”
“WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU AREN’T WORTH THE EFFORT TO CONQUER. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT WE WILL STAY AWAY FROM YOUR SPACE AS LONG AS YOU STAY AWAY FROM US.” Kitchens was silent and the voice continued, “IF YOU ENTER THE GAP BETWEEN US, WE WILL ATTACK YOUR HOME WORLD AND DESTROY IT!”
“Do you think you are capable of doing that?”
Megan pressed a button and said, “NOW, ANDY!!”
Admiral Kitchens jumped out of his chair as a brilliant disruptor beam blew by his ship’s bow. “WHERE DID THAT COME FROM!?!”
“Sir, nothing appeared on our scanners! It came from empty space!”
The Alien voice said, “THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU BELIEVE WE CAN DO IT? I REALLY HOPE YOU DON’T!”
Kitchens was frightened. The Brax having invisible ships was confirmed. “How do I know you’ll stay out of our space?”
“THE LEADERS HAVE DECIDED! DO AS YOU CHOOSE IN YOUR SPACE BUT STAY OUT OF OURS!”
“Get the Squadron turned around and go to max-speed.” Kitchens wasn’t going to test if the Alien was right. Not without an overwhelming force in front of him. All the derelicts were gone from the gap and it was clear something dramatic had happened. There was no wreckage of Mankin’s ships on the scanner and none of them had returned. But they had made this alien species decided to stay away. That would be enough to move forward.
Megan remained in the gap and her computer said, “Message coming in.”
“Put it on my panel.”
“Why did you send them away?”
Megan turned her ship around and saw ten-Brax Warships at the edge of her communications range, “You were led to us and the war that followed was not your fault. My Commander decided to prevent another attack on you if it could be done.”
“Why?”
“He believes that you don’t deserve extinction.”
“You’ve given us something to consider.”
“Well, consider this; we wish you long life and peace.” Megan turned the Scout and left at high-speed.
Antonio moved in beside her and shook his head, “I wonder what will come out of this?”
“I don’t know but I’m not hanging around to find out.”
• • •
The Commander of the Brax Unit stared at the monitor and knew the one that delivered the message was gone. He was unable to detect the vessel and he wondered why his final few ships weren’t attacked. His Junior Leader asked, “What does this mean?”
The Commander shrugged, “Perhaps we need to examine our attacks on intelligent species. We can live on animal life on planets that are not inhabited by intelligent beings. I think that one day we should talk with them again.” The Junior stared at him and then nodded.
• • •
“Sir, I have ten-Brax Warships moving into the middle of the Gap!”
“Are they still moving?”
“No, Sir. They stopped in the middle.”
Kitchens nodded and was glad his squadron was still in scanning range of the gap. This confirmed the Brax were serious about their promise. Like the Brax, it wasn’t worth the cost to continue the war against them.
• • •
Admiral Kitchens arrived back on Earth and another meeting was called. Thorpe asked Kitchens to tell the other Service Leaders what happened and afterwards said, “D
o you agree with the Admiral.”
General Haley nodded, “Sir, it’s been three-years since the last Brax Warship attacked. They obviously have more warships, so I think they are being truthful about no longer attacking us. I believe we’re in the clear now.”
“What about the rest of you?” Everyone agreed with Kitchens’ and Haley’s assessment. “Ok, what do we do about it?”
The Intelligence Service Leader smiled, “You should prepare an announcement to the planet and let them know that you have saved them from further attacks. At that moment, our operatives will incite them to call for you to rule them. It would be perfect timing.”
“You’ll have to keep at it for a while. I do intend to refuse at first.”
“Sir, I believe your refusal will only make them scream louder,” Haley replied. “We have to make a video of the achievement that will stir their emotions. Perhaps showing the loss of the satellites and the destruction done to the cities to set it up will get things moving.”
Thorpe looked at his Intelligence Leader, “Can you do that?”
“Give me a week, Sir.”
“Good! Ten-days from now we’ll make the announcement. That will give our operatives time to get things moving.” Thorpe sat back and listened to his men make their plans. First the crown…then the Colonies.
• • •
Sherry Meeks was back on Scout Duty and sighed as she stared at her monitor. Suddenly, she heard over the panel’s speaker, “AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCMENT WILL BE MADE TOMORROW AT EIGHT PM THAT AFFECTS EVERYONE ON EARTH. AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCMENT WILL BE MADE TOMORROW AT EIGHT PM THAT AFFECTS EVERYONE ON EARTH. AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCMENT…” the announcement kept repeating and she turned it off. She pressed her helmet and yelled, “JOSE, WAKE UP!!”