Changing of the Guard (A Galaxy Unknown - Book 11)

by Thomas DePrima

"That's true. I could only spare her a few minutes."

  "That was the first time you've met face-to-face in a couple of years, wasn't it?"

  "Yes, in a few days it will be two years since I left Quesann to take my extended leave. That was the last time we'd talked in person."

  "She's told me she was devastated when you informed her you were retiring. She said she was so delighted when you decided on a leave of absence instead."

  "I know. I'd gotten that same reaction from most people, including Eliza. But by the time I talked to Eliza, I had already submitted the leave-of-absence paperwork instead of a resignation."

  "So if you didn't have time to talk after not seeing her for two years, you must have been working on something super important. Is it anything you can talk about?"

  Jenetta finished chewing the bite of chicken in her mouth and swallowed before replying. "As Admiral of the Fleet, everything I work on is super important. And no, I can't talk about anything I work on unless I initiate the conversation. Sorry, that's just the way it is."

  "When will you be able to tell me? My squadron will be deploying within ten days."

  "After you've reached your search area and before you actually begin the search, you'll receive new instructions. Those instructions will give you a clue."

  "A clue? A clue to what?"

  "A clue to what's going down. Your intelligence will allow you to put together a scenario that's probably pretty close to the truth. But don't discuss it with anybody because we don't want others to put it all together just yet."

  "Put what all together?"

  "You'll see. That's all I can tell you at this time. And don't repeat a word of what I've said tonight."

  "But you haven't said anything."

  "When you think about this conversation later, you'll have enough that it will all come together when you get your final instructions for your search mission."

  ~ ~ ~

  "Atten-shun," someone called out as Christa and three of her senior officers from her Scout-Destroyer command entered the massive meeting room. Actually, it was more like a college lecture hall where each row of attendee chairs facing the speaker was slightly higher than the last. The room was capable of seating over a hundred, but there were only forty-eight in the audience area when the SD officers entered.

  "As you were," Christa said loudly and the attendees retook their seats. When the hall was again quiet, she said, "I know all of you are anxious to know the particulars of our deployment. Today you'll learn our mission objectives." Christa paused for effect for a couple of seconds. It seemed as though everyone in the hall was holding their breath. "We're going on a Denubbewa hunt. SCI believes the Denubbewa have aspirations towards a complete takeover of Region Three. We're going to stop them. We're not in this alone. You forty-eight represent the two most senior officers aboard each of the first CPS-16s to deploy, but there will be three more equally-sized squadrons out there with us in the next few months, each searching their assigned area and taking this fight to the enemy. For weeks, you've all been training in bombing operations. Each of your crews has reached a proficiency level that qualifies your ship to come with my Scout-Destroyer and blast those metal-headed monsters out of existence.

  "Our twenty-four CPS-16s pack more power than a battleship when you consider the area we can simultaneously cover and the specialized function we perform as bombers. Just because the Denubbewa are manufactured on an assembly line rather than born to a biological mother doesn't mean we can underestimate them. They attacked and viciously destroyed both the SC Destroyer Yenisei and the SC Destroyer Salado, either killing all hands on board in the action or taking them back to their own ships and dissecting them in medical experiments. But that was before we knew what we were up against or even that they sought to destroy all biological life forms in the universe and were therefore our enemies. They had the element of surprise, but we now have more advanced weapons, far greater speed, and an intimate knowledge of the enemy. We haven't lost a ship since the Salado, and I don't intend to lose any ship from this bombing squadron or learn that any CPS-16 on this mission has fallen to the enemy. The one fact you must never forget, not even for an instant, is that while in double-envelope mode the enemy cannot harm us. They can fire ten thousand of those nuclear weapons with acid-filled warheads and never hit us because the missiles will simply pass right through us. But let's not get too overconfident. The enemy is known for their ability to adapt quickly. So we want to remain as invisible as possible to their sensors and cameras. We intend to always know where they're hiding but never allow them to know where we are or when we'll come for them. I don't know if cyborgs fear death, or even if they're concerned for their personal safety, but if they do or are, I want them quaking in their iron skins when they even think we're about to strike.

  "You've all received instructions for proceeding to an assembly area roughly one light-year away. You're to have your ship and the full complement of crewmembers assigned to your vessel there no later than 0600 two days from today. We'll jump off at 0800 and proceed at Marc-One to the coordinates in the orders you'll receive no later than 0700 two days from now. You are not to relay anything you've heard here today to any crewmembers until after we're underway in two days. And once we deploy, we're going dark. Tell your crews to send messages home to friends and relatives informing them that they will not be hearing from you until our extended mission is complete. Personal messages may be queued but are NOT to be sent until you've been informed the mission is over. Any questions?"

  When no one spoke or raised their hands, Christa said, "Then you're dismissed."

  As Christa turned to leave the lecture hall, the attendees jumped to their feet. When the doors closed behind Christa and her three senior officers, the CPS-16 officers began discussing the upcoming deployment among themselves.

  ~ ~ ~

  Christa entered the bridge from her briefing room on the Scout-Destroyer Koshi GSC-SDH101 and glanced around, noting that all personnel were at their duty stations. The bridge was almost identical to previous Scout-Destroyers, except in one very obvious respect. Where on all older SDs there was only a single console for communication, the SDH model had two stations. The extra station was to help with coordinating a full squadron of CPS-16s while the original station concentrated on maintaining all normal communications and monitoring.

  "Navigation, is the course laid in for the deployment assembly location?"

  "Aye, Captain."

  "Tac, is the DeTect system clear?"

  "The board is green for that course, Captain."

  "Helm, is the double envelope built?"

  "Aye, Captain. We're good to go on your command."

  Christa sat down in the command chair and relaxed before saying, "Helm, take us there at Marc-One."

  "Aye, Captain. ETA is thirty-five minutes, forty-nine seconds. Engaging."

  As the helmsman touched a contact point on his console, the Scout-Destroyer Koshi disappeared in the blink of an eye.

  ~ ~ ~

  "Our main objective is to locate any and all Denubbewa ships here in Region Three," Christa said to the officers aboard the twenty-four CPS-16s assembled at the area where they would begin their search. They'd been traveling for over a month to reach this location, and a video conference was now being held in the privacy of the captain's office aboard each ship. Only the captain and first officer aboard the CPS-16s were permitted to attend the high-security, live presentation. Aboard the Scout-Destroyer Koshi, Christa had been joined by her first and second officers before the conference began. "Denubbewa warship sightings have been increasing significantly for some time and we've been sent here to find out what they're up to. We have the honor of being the first squadron of four dedicated to this task. Each of you captains will shortly receive orders specifically prepared for your ships. Since our squadron consists of twenty-four CPS-16s and one Scout-Destroyer, we'll advance through our assigned territory in a five-by-five formation with the Koshi in the center. Al
l ships will broadcast an Alpha-Six rotating-frequency ship-protection code so we can maintain the proper distance from the other ships in the squadron. As you know, our DeTect range is limited to four billion kilometers, so we'll proceed on a common course with all ships spaced five-point-five billion kilometers from the ship on their larboard and/or starboard, and on their sail and keel. This will provide a swath twenty-seven point five billion kilometers high and wide with sufficient overlap to ensure we miss nothing. In the event a ship must stop to investigate something, all ships will come to a halt until the issue is resolved. At all times you will maintain your double envelope unless I personally give permission to cancel it. That will both protect us from attack and also help to further conceal our presence. Our Dakinium sheathing protects us from everyone's sensors, and the double envelope makes us literally invisible even with a sun behind us since we'll be out of phase.

  "Upon opening my own sealed orders this morning, I learned we have been given a second objective. This other objective is Top Secret and should not be made known to crewmembers without a need to know. That will probably limit the knowledge to the bridge crew. As we search for Denubbewa at Marc-One, we'll also search for hiding places. Even though there have been almost constant reports of Denubbewa warship sightings, there have been no reported sightings of Denubbewa motherships. This is more than a little unusual. SCI suspects the motherships may be hiding inside hollowed-out asteroids— a trick learned from the Raiders— or that they may have enclosed themselves in a tight asteroid field. They might have even attached asteroids to their hulls to further conceal themselves. When we encounter any asteroid or asteroid cluster large enough to offer concealment, the squadron will stop to investigate. The ship whose course takes it closest to the object will then fly through the object, taking as many images of the interior as possible.

  "Should there be any indication that the asteroid is being used as a place of concealment, we first have to decide who is using it. If it's the Denubbewa, we'll back away and watch for a while. If it's Raiders, smugglers, or someone else, we store the information in the computer and proceed with our search.

  "Any questions?"

  "How long will we watch the Denubbewa ships we locate before destroying them, Captain?"

  "I've been given special orders from Admiral Holt that dictates when and if that will happen."

  "Yes, ma'am. Did you say if?"

  "I did say if. And no one, I repeat, no one will begin an attack on any Denubbewa ship or base until I first order it. I want to destroy those metal-heads just as much as everyone else. But unless your life and the lives of your crew are in imminent danger, you will not commence such an attack without my authorization. And as long as your ship is inside a double envelope, your life can't be in imminent danger. Am I clear?"

  "Yes, ma'am. Clear as crystal."

  "Good. Any other questions?"

  After a brief silence, Christa said, "Okay, no questions. Pass the course information on to your navigator when you receive it, which should be in a few minutes. Advise your Tac, Helm, and Com of the formation particulars. When your bridge crew is ready, take your position relative to the Koshi and prepare for the search effort, then notify us that you're in position and ready to begin the search. I'll send the order to proceed when all ships are in position and ready to commence the operation. That's all."

  Forty-six minutes later all ships were in position, had their double envelope built, and were ready to begin the search. Christa sat back in the command chair on the bridge and gave the order to advance. The com chief responsible for all formation communications passed on the order and the entire squadron disappeared as if by magic as the helmsmen engaged Marc-One speed.

  ~ ~ ~

  A week later, Christa prepared her second report to Admiral Holt from her office. The first had merely informed him that the squadron was commencing the search.

  "Message to Vice-Admiral Brian D. Holt, Commander of the Second Fleet, Quesann Headquarters, from Commander Christa Carver aboard the GSC Koshi.

  "Good day, Admiral. We've completed the first week of searching for Denubbewa and I have to report we've seen no trace of them. To date we've investigated twenty-three asteroids, but none were hollow. We located four derelict ships, all of which had been destroyed by unknown attackers, but all attacks had to have occurred decades ago. Scavengers had picked the ships so clean we had trouble finding identifying information. Corpses aboard the ships were all Uthlaran. We've logged dozens of freighter sightings, but we didn't stop them since they weren't Denubbewa ships. We continue our mission to locate the Denubbewa.

  "Christa Marie Carver, Commander, Captain of the GSC Koshi. End of message."

  Christa leaned back in her chair after forwarding the message to the bridge com chief with instructions for immediate transmission. The Koshi squadron was operating in an area where the reports about Denubbewa activity had been the highest. Christa had expected to see at least one Denubbewa warship by now. Were the sighting reports false? Had the Denubbewa left the area? Or had they learned a Space Command attack force was headed this way and gone into hiding? And if they were in hiding, where were they hiding?

  * * *

  Chapter Eight

  ~ December 3rd, 2290 ~

  After months of searching, the Koshi squadron had still not sighted a single Denubbewa warship or mothership. They had located a hollowed-out asteroid that was serving as a base for someone, possibly Raiders, but hadn't alerted the occupants to their presence. Christa simply sent the information and images taken by the CPS-16 that had passed through the asteroid to Fleet Command as was specified in her latest orders.

  The squadron had now examined several hundred asteroids, located and investigated thirty-two derelict ships, and spotted hundreds of freighters in transit.

  The squadron was presently stopped while one of the CPS-16s investigated derelict ship thirty-three.

  "Captain, this is XO Mollago," Christa heard in her CT. "We just received a strange message from the Karl Linne. The captain reports that there appears to be something blocking out the light from several distant stars, but their sensors say there's nothing there. They want to know if they should investigate, wait until the Boll Weevil completes its investigation of the derelict ship and then investigate, or simply ignore the anomaly completely."

  "We do not ignore any anomalies. Has the Boll Weevil confirmed the derelict is permanently out of action?"

  "Yes, ma'am. They're just trying to download any intact computer files so we can identify the ship and the attackers if possible."

  "Very well. Tell the Karl Linne to move in close enough to identify the anomaly, using extreme caution. They have permission to drop their double envelope only if necessary and I want a report as soon as they learn anything."

  "Aye, Captain. Mollago out."

  "Carver out."

  Very few things could blot out the light from distant stars and yet not provide sensor readings. A gaseous cloud of space dust could account for the missing light, as long as the light from distant stars was weak enough and the cloud dense enough, but there should have been some sensor readings.

  ~

  Some forty minutes later, XO Mollago called Christa again.

  "The Karl Linne reports that the anomaly appears to be a ship of some sort, Captain. They circled it twice at close range."

  "A ship? A ship that's invisible to sensors?"

  "Aye, Captain."

  "Get us there, XO."

  "Permission to drop the envelope so we can use sub-light engines and thrusters?"

  "Granted. Tell the Karl Linne to maintain a discreet distance. Has the Boll Weevil completed its work?"

  "Almost, Captain."

  "Tell the investigative team to drop whatever they're doing and get back aboard their ship. I want the Boll Weevil to have their double envelope built within fifteen minutes."

  "Aye, Captain. Mollago out."

  "Carver out."

  Christa jumped up from her
desk chair and rushed out to the bridge. Mollago started to rise from the command chair as she emerged from her office, but she waved him down and began to pace the deck as the Koshi moved towards the strange anomaly.

  It only took five minutes to position the Koshi roughly one hundred kilometers from the object. At one time all ships had standing orders never to approach a potentially hostile ship closer than twenty-five thousand kilometers to reduce the risk of damage from laser weapons. But that was before the fleet had Dakinium sheathing and double envelope capability. Christa didn't like to drop the envelope, but it was necessary for improved maneuverability. As the Karl Linne had reported, the dark object blocking out the light of distant stars did appear to be a ship.

  "It's a ship alright," Christa said as she studied the silhouette of the object on the large monitor at the bow of the Scout-Destroyer.

  "But what kind, Captain?" Mollago asked. "And whose ship?"

  "It's very difficult to see the outline clearly from this distance, especially without a sun nearby. Com, check with the Boll Weevil to see if they have their double envelope built yet."

  "They report it will be complete in twenty seconds, Captain."

  "Good. Let's wait those twenty seconds."

  "The Boll Weevil reports that their double envelope is built, Captain," the com chief said some fifteen seconds later.

  "Tac, any movement of the dark ship?" Christa asked.

  "None, Captain."

  "Helm, take us closer."

  "Aye, Captain," the helmsman said. "Uh, how close, Captain?"

  "About a kilometer— close enough to clearly identify that object. But at the first sign of any movement or activity from that ship, get us far away and erect our double envelope."

  "Aye, Captain."

  "We want to be on the opposite side from the Karl Linne. Com, tell the Karl Linne to put on every exterior light they have. Tac, light us up also so the Karl Linne sees a good silhouette."

  As the tac officer acknowledged the order, exterior lights on the Karl Linne suddenly illuminated.