Chapter Fifteen
For twenty minutes the two warships stayed at Condition One with their powerful weapons aimed at each other. Around them, other warships backed off with their crews wondering who would fire first. Across the fleet and on the surface of Gaia the word was spreading like wildfire of the return of Rear Admiral Kathryn Barnes and the Distant Horizon. Across the fleet, every viewscreen was focused on the two ships.
On board the Avenger, Ariel was communicating with Clarissa as the two exchanged information over what had transpired during the time they had been apart. Clarissa was also communicating with Kazak trying to ensure there was not an incident before Jeremy arrived on the Avenger.
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“So this is the Distant Horizon and Rear Admiral Kathryn Barnes,” commented Zafron as he studied the image of the exploration dreadnought on the huge viewscreen in the Command Center of the Dominator.
“It is,” confirmed Kelsey from where she was sitting in the command chair. “Several of us here served with Rear Admiral Barnes for quite some time. She is a very capable admiral.”
Zafron stepped away from Kazak who he had been speaking with earlier. “She must be to have been able to talk the AIs at the Communication and Transport Hub into repairing her ship and providing her with advanced technology, technology that is restricted and not allowed upon ships other than Originator vessels. The AIs have violated a number of governing laws set up many years ago by my people. This is very disconcerting.”
“They must have had a reason,” Commander Malen interjected, not wanting to see the situation escalate. “You heard what Clarissa told Kazak, they have an organic cure for the life extension pathogen. Isn’t that what you want?”
Zafron turned and gazed once more at the Distant Horizon. “If they actually have such a cure. This may be an attempt to gain control of the Dominator. Why else would they point their weapons at us?”
“The AIs at the Communication and Transportation Hub were programmed for scientific research,” Kazak said as he made himself heard. “It is possible they have a cure. I don’t believe Clarissa would lie to me about such a thing.”
Zafron turned back toward Kazak with a frown. “What would you know about scientific research? You were built and programmed to be a military AI, responsible for protecting this ship and those on board.”
“Which I have,” replied Kazak. “For over two million years.”
“Listen to Kazak,” pleaded Kelsey, knowing Jeremy should be on the Avenger by now. “He speaks the truth about Clarissa. She has been my friend for many years, more than I can remember.” Kelsey wished Jeremy would hurry and make contact. She wasn’t sure what Zafron was going to do. She knew he was greatly concerned about his people still in stasis. “I’m sure Fleet Admiral Strong can straighten this out easily enough if you will just give him the opportunity to do so. Remember, he’s also Rear Admiral Barnes’ commanding officer. She’ll do what he orders.”
“Fleet Admiral Strong’s shuttle has landed on the Avenger,” reported Lieutenant Mickelson. “He should be in the Command Center shortly.”
“The Distant Horizon is maintaining its position,” added Lieutenant Tracey Burke from her sensor console. “It hasn’t made any move toward us.”
“Its weapons?” asked Zafron.
Lieutenant Burke looked over at Kelsey who nodded. “Still locked on to us.”
“Our own weapons?”
“Locked on the Distant Horizon,” confirmed Major Donaldson uneasily.
Kazak eyes suddenly widened and he shifted his gaze to Zafron. “Sensor scans indicate the ship is using antimatter as its primary power source. Interpolation of a possible battle between our two ships indicates that Rear Admiral Barnes’ vessel is capable of severely damaging the Dominator. Sensor scans also indicate the presence of two primary particle beam cannons. If the two cannons are using antimatter as their power source, the beams will easily penetrate our energy screen. It’s also probable they have other weapons that could be just as effective.”
“It seems the AIs from the Communication and Transport Hub are determined to administer this supposed cure to my people still in stasis,” said Zafron with a puzzled frown spreading across his face. “What I don’t understand is why they came in such a powerful warship. Don’t they realize I would have been more inclined to accept their offer if it had not been made with a threat? I sense there is something else going on here that we are not aware of.”
“We don’t know what the Originator AIs on the Distant Horizon actually want,” Kelsey was careful to point out. “As Clarissa has already said, they were concerned about Kazak and the possibility he would refuse their request to administer the cure. You told us earlier that Kazak could be dangerous in the later stages of his programming.”
Zafron walked over to the navigation console and stared at it for a long moment. Kelsey was fearful he was contemplating taking the ship into hyperspace.
“I wouldn’t do that,” a familiar voice said from beside Kelsey.
With a start, Kelsey saw Clarissa standing there. She had forgotten that Kazak had installed a few holo-emitters in the Dominator’s Command Center for Clarissa to use months back.
“Clarissa!” cried out Katie with joy spreading across her face. “It’s you!”
Clarissa looked over at Katie and nodded. “Hello, Katie; I’m glad to see you. We have a lot to talk about.” Clarissa shifted her gaze and stared at Zafron for a long moment. “I thought an Originator was awake,” she finally said. “It’s the only reason for Kazak to be acting as he is. Ariel also seemed to be attempting to hide something from me.”
“Have you told Rear Admiral Barnes or the Originator AIs on the Distant Horizon?” asked Kelsey worriedly. Jeremy wanted to keep Zafron’s existence a secret for now.
“No,” replied Clarissa. “I suspected there was a reason for this omission so I have not informed anyone of the Originator’s existence.”
“His name is Zafron,” Kazak said, taking a few steps in Clarissa’s direction. “He was the second officer of the ship. I am relieved to see you and the Distant Horizon survived.”
Clarissa nodded to herself. “That explains a lot. Particularly the actions the Dominator has taken.” Clarissa paused and gazed directly at Zafron. “You should know there are two parties of Originator AIs on board the Distant Horizon. One party, led by Leeda, wants to administer the pathogen cure to all the Originators in the Dominator’s stasis compartment. They want to take your people back to the Shrieels at the Communication and Transport Hub where you can rebuild your race.”
“You said there were two groups,” Zafron said evenly. “What does the second group want?”
Clarissa seemed to hesitate and then she answered. “They want the weapons research in the Dominator’s core computer so they can create even more powerful weapons than they currently have. They want to place these weapons on a warship and travel to the galaxy of the Anti-Life.”
“The Anti-Life?” uttered Zafron, his face turning pale. “Why?”
“They want to acquire enough germplasm from the Anti-Life to recreate the Originator race.”
“Madness,” said Zafron, shaking his head. “The Anti-Life cannot be negotiated with. Even if they go to the Anti-Life galaxy, they are not capable of using the weapons. Only a military AI can do that, and there are very few of them on the Shrieels. None of them are capable of such a mission as this.”
“There is one,” Clarissa pointed out, turning toward Kazak. “This second group wants both the Dominator and Kazak.”
“What has happened to this second group?” asked Zafron suspiciously. “It is obvious they are not in control.”
“They were,” answered Clarissa. “However, Leeda and a few others managed to remove them from control of the ship, and they are currently being held in the ship’s detention area.”
Zafron looked long and hard at Clarissa. “From what you just told me this second group of AIs are a threat to the Dominator and Kazak. Wha
t’s to stop me from activating the hyperdrive and leaving? If I were to do that, I can promise you that you would never find this ship again.”
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Kelsey felt her heart skip a beat. Was Zafron really going to take the Dominator and leave? Was she doomed never to see Jeremy or her other friends again? She couldn’t believe this was happening.
“Clarissa said they’re in detention. They’re not a threat any longer.”
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“I should still leave just as a precautionary measure,” said Zafron.
Clarissa slowly smiled. “The Dominator isn’t going anywhere. Even now one of the Distant Horizon’s particle beam cannons is focused on the ship’s hyperdrive. Any attempt to energize it and the cannon will fire. I assure you we can destroy the hyperdrive before you can jump out.”
Zafron looked over at the sensor operator. “Is this true, is one of the particle beam cannons focused on our hyperdrive?”
Lieutenant Burke looked at Kelsey and then answered. “Yes.”
“Kazak, is there any chance we could take out that cannon, energize the drive, and jump out before they could retarget the hyperdrive?”
Kazak took a moment as he checked with the ship’s computer as well as studied the sensor scans of the Distant Horizon. “No, we can’t escape. We waited too long. We should have jumped as soon as the Distant Horizon appeared.”
Zafron’s shoulders drooped, and he looked over at Clarissa. “It seems as if my people and I are at your mercy.”
Clarissa shook her head. “No, you and your people are in no danger. Instead, we offer you hope for the future.”
“Commander,” Lieutenant Mickelson said excitedly. “I have Fleet Admiral Strong on the comm.”
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Kelsey breathed out a long sigh of relief. Maybe she would get to see Jeremy and everyone else after all. Looking over at Clarissa, she couldn’t help smiling. It was good to see the blonde haired AI once again.
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Jeremy was in the Command Center of the Avenger. So far neither the Dominator or the Distant Horizon had fired upon one another. He intended to keep it that way.
“I have Rear Admiral Barnes as well as Commander Strong on the comm,” Lieutenant Shayla Lantz reported.
Jeremy took a deep breath and then spoke into his comm. “I would like to meet with all parties concerned on the Dominator in thirty minutes. There is no doubt in my mind we can settle this peacefully.”
There was silence, and Jeremy could hear several conversations going on in the background.
Finally Rear Admiral Barnes replied. “Agreed, I’ll bring a small party consisting of myself, Clarissa, Reesa, and Leeda, who is an Originator AI.”
“We agree to the meeting,” Kelsey said after a moment. “However, we want the Originator AI to bring a sample of the cure with her. We would also like the Distant Horizon to go to Condition Two and stop targeting the Dominator with its weapons.”
“We’ll bring a sample of the cure,” Rear Admiral Barnes replied. “But we will stay at Condition One with our weapons targeting the Dominator until this is settled.”
There was silence from the Dominator and then Kelsey replied. “We agree but keep in mind that if anything happens, you will be on the Dominator.”
“I understand,” responded Rear Admiral Barnes. “We will be over shortly.”
“You have got to be kidding,” a shocked voice said from the hatch to the Command Center.
Jeremy looked over and saw Kevin staring at one of the viewscreens showing the Distant Horizon.”
“Is that really the Distant Horizon?”
“It appears to be,” replied Jeremy replied. “I just finished speaking with Rear Admiral Barnes.”
“It is the Distant Horizon,” confirmed Ariel, her eyes aglow with excitement. “Clarissa is back and so are some of the others.”
“Were there casualties?” asked Jeremy. Ariel’s words seemed to indicate there was.
“Many,” Ariel said sadly. “A large part of the crew died, including several Command Center officers.”
Jeremy looked over at Kevin. “Want to go over to the Dominator?”
Kevin walked over and glanced at the ship’s sensors. His eyes widened as he studied the sensor readings. “How is the Distant Horizon’s power reading higher than the Dominator’s? What’s happened to that ship?”
“That’s what I’m getting ready to find out,” replied Jeremy. “Are you coming?”
“Damn right I am!” Kevin said. “Katie’s on board the Dominator.”
“Your shuttle’s ready,” reported Lieutenant Preston. “The pilot’s waiting.”
“Then let’s go,” Jeremy said as he headed for the hatch. He was anxious to hear from Rear Admiral Barnes. He was certain she had an amazing story to tell. But first, he had to make sure the two ships didn’t fire on one another.
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Kelsey, Katie, Commander Malen, Kazak, and Zafron were waiting in a large briefing room on the Dominator. It would still be a few minutes before the others arrived.
“I have scanned the two approaching shuttles, and neither are a threat to the Dominator,” reported Kazak. “Fleet Admiral Strong’s shuttle will be arriving first.”
“Keep monitoring the Distant Horizon,” ordered Zafron, who was sitting at the head of the table. “If there is any sign of duplicity, I want those particle beam cannons disabled. Then jump the ship to the nearest star system outside the nebula.”
“Weapons retargeted,” replied Kazak. “Jump coordinates set.”
Kelsey looked sharply at Zafron. “That’s not necessary. No one intends to harm you or your people sleeping in stasis.”
“Perhaps,” replied Zafron, placing his hands on the conference table and leaning forward. “But these are the last of my people, and I will not take chances with their lives.”
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On the Distant Horizon, Commander Grissim had been told about the retargeting of the Dominator’s weapons.
“Target our ion beam cannon on the engineering section.”
“It won’t be able to bring the Dominator’s energy shield down,” warned Major Weir.
“No, but it will weaken it substantially above Engineering where our power beams can be effective. Retarget all of our power beams on Engineering. If they fire on our particle beam cannons return fire with the ion beam and power beams immediately.”
“Yes, Commander,” Major Weir responded as he began to set the firing program up on his console.
Commander Grissim took a deep breath. What Kazak’s response would be to this meeting was a big unknown. It greatly concerned her, as both Rear Admiral Barnes and Fleet Admiral Strong would be on board the ship.
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Jeremy stepped into the conference room seeing those who were waiting.
“Rear Admiral Barnes shuttle is just docking,” Kazak informed him. “She should be here shortly.”
Jeremy nodded as he and Kevin walked over to the conference table and sat down. Jeremy sat at the opposite end from Zafron near Kelsey and Kevin walked around the table so he could sit next to Katie.
Several more minutes passed with little talking and then the door to the room opened and Rear Admiral Kathryn Barnes, Clarissa, Reesa, and Leeda stepped into the room. Leeda was carrying a small vial in her hand with an amber colored liquid in it.
“It is good to see you again, Rear Admiral Barnes,” said Jeremy with a smile as he stood up. “We thought all of you had perished.”
“I understand there is a memorial to the crew of the Distant Horizon at the new Fleet Academy.”
“When we have time, I’ll show it to you,” answered Jeremy. It was an immense relief to actually see Rear Admiral Barnes.
“Is that the cure?” asked Zafron, rising to his feet.
Leeda froze in mid-stride seeing the living Originator at the head of the table. Then in a trembling voice, she said. “You’re Second Officer Zafron. How can you be awake? Are you still suffering from the pathogen?”
&
nbsp; “No, the people here and their AIs have a cure. Not one that is desirable, but it is effective nevertheless.”
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Reesa stood staring at Zafron in shock. She had not expected to enter this room and find a living Originator waiting for them. It was as if her greatest dream had suddenly materialized directly in front of her. For the first time in her life, she didn’t know what to say. It was also evident from looking at Leeda that the normally calm Originator AI was feeling the same.
Taking a deep breath, Reesa slowed her racing heart. She didn’t want to miss any of this.
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“This is the cure we developed,” Leeda said as she took several cautious steps forward. It is totally organic and takes six days to be fully effective.”
“How did you come about discovering the cure?” demanded Zafron suspiciously. “Our best research scientists on the Dominator as well as on all the Shrieels failed.”
“You left us hundreds of thousands of lines of incomplete research,” explained Leeda. “We dedicated nearly two hundred thousand years of study to following each line to determine if a viable cure could be found. In the end, we found three such research lines that had the potential for a cure.” She held up the small vial. “This was the final product.”
“Kazak, take the cure and scan it with our medical sensors. I want to know if what this AI is saying is the truth.”
“I would not lie to you,” Leeda said. “We have hoped for nearly two million years to someday find the Dominator. Every Shrieel and base has listened to every FTL message transmitted in all of the galaxies for any mention of the Dominator.”
Leeda handed the vial to Kazak who left to do as Zafron ordered.
“What of this second group of AIs on the Distant Horizon? Do they not realize any attempt to contact the Anti-Life will end in disaster? How could they be contemplating such a foolish thing?”
“They thought with Kazak’s help and the weapons research on the Dominator they could do so safely.”
The Lost Fleet: Search for the Originators: A Slaver Wars Novel Page 24