Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series)

by Vanessa Ravencroft

  Our ship dropped out of Quasi-space and there was no time interval measurable by human senses when our weapons pounded all three ships. The Kermac Drive sections were destroyed with surgical precision before they were even able to really sense our presence. The Barracuda computronic, however, reacted fast and established shields automatically, but Ship acted without permission and without waiting for my command and laid a barrage of five-kilo loads at exactly the same shield nexus point, sending a sixth through before the Barracuda could raise its shields to full strength. The sixth load of antimatter exploded inside the Union destroyer’s engineering compartment. It ripped open the entire starboard side and peeled Ultronit armor away like the skin of a fruit. It would take the services of a dockyard to make this wreck into a flying ship once more.

  All this had taken less than maybe six seconds when we already accelerated back into Quasi-space.

  I knew that we better not let anyone escape. What we did was certainly not within the capabilities of a Kartanian armed freighter. I also contemplated if I should scold Ship for her initiative or not. Cracking the full established shields of a Barracuda with simulated Nul and Kartanian weapons would have been impossible and facing the Destroyer’s functional translocator cannons would have forced us to establish ParaDim shields and jeopardize our disguise just as well. I decided to actually commend her for showing initiative, something no other Ship AI could, as far as I knew, and I said, “Good thinking, Ship; that saved us a lot of headaches.”

  Ship made a sound almost as if she was releasing air in a relieved fashion and said, “Thank you, Captain. I knew you couldn’t even speak an order that fast, so I improvised as I noticed the Barracuda computronic was already in battle mode.”

  I smiled toward her symbol and then said, “Ms. Petetis, open communications to the Kermac and the renegades.”

  I lowered my seat out of the battle view dome, and Har-Hi handed me a black mask that matched my outfit.

  Narth said, “Bridge background filters in place, all they will see is an old Kartanian bridge.”

  I closed the lace strings of the mask, and Elfi gave me the signal that she was ready.

  “I am Black Velvet of the Silver Streak. You are unable to escape, and I can destroy you as easily as I damaged you. I will search your vessels for valuables and let you live if you comply with my demands. I will show no mercy if you resist in any way. Now deactivate all remaining weapons and energy shields and prepare to be boarded.”

  The first responding was a Kermac officer, and he snarled at me, “You attacked Kermac vessels, killed crewmembers with that cowardly sneak attack, and interfered with our business. The Kermac will hunt you; render captain Black Velvet, you made yourself a powerful enemy!”

  “I wouldn’t be so loud proclaiming Kermac business in Free Space and aboard Kermac military ships. My Nul contacts will be very interested in the recordings I am just making. Now comply with my demands or face destruction!”

  Narth’s voice said in my mind with an urgent tone, “The Barracuda is about to launch two of its Loki torpedoes.”

  There was no way I could outrun them, and while I was sure our full shields could withstand their impact, it would weaken even our excellent shields. I had no choice. “Mao, use the QLP and target their torpedo tubes.”

  Two invisible bolts of Quark Gluon Plasma, traveling through trans-space tunnels based on the same technology as the anti-light tunnels space trains used, hit the torpedo doors almost at the same time as the Loki torpedoes appeared. Once in flight, a Loki was shielded, and so fast it was almost impossible to intercept, but in the initial launch phase, the shields were still off, and the Barracuda had to create temporary holes in the ship’s shields to let the torpedoes pass. The effect was devastating. Both torpedoes carried enough antimatter to severely damage capital ships. Not even the excellent armor and shield protection of the Barracuda could withstand two such explosions halfway in its hull. The Barracuda was instantly and completely destroyed. I knew I had to do it, but destroying a Union ship was not something that made me feel proud.

  I said, “Close in on the Kermac, maximum tech stop, and paralysator rays. Scan for dark spots in your energy scans and target them, be prepared for small, fast escape cr—”

  While I was still speaking and the Tigershark closed in again, the command section of one of the Kermac cruisers did detach, and Mao singed its aft with a QGP shot.

  Instead of destroying it, the Kermac craft changed course and dove straight into the thick atmosphere soup of a moon circling a nearby gas giant.

  We managed to reach the other T-cruiser and came within tech stop and paralysator ray distance.

  I had a hard time remaining in my seat as Hans and our Marines floated across and boarded the second ship, while Mao followed my orders and destroyed the remaining aft section of the other.

  Shea told me that she was able to estimate the landing area of the command section, but due to heavy electromagnetic storms in the moon's atmosphere, she was not able to give details.

  I listened to the battle progress reports of the boarding action, glad that everything seemed to be going smoothly so far.

  Narth said, “We must go after those who escaped to the moon’s surface, Eric. They already obtained Manual 15 from the Barracuda, and they have a long-range telepath with them. The telepath seems to be wounded or momentarily unable to send, but once he can, he will be able to transmit all the information in that manual to Kermac. You know that manual contains all information needed to service and repair and thus reproduce a translocator cannon.”

  Har-Hi said, “We got P Bombs; let’s drop one or two on that moon, and we can be certain they won’t transmit anything.”

  I shook my head while keeping an eye on Hans’ helmet Visuals and said, “P Bombs are a weapon unique not only to the Union but specifically to Terrans.”

  He said, “Then we pound the area with TLs until Narth confirms they are silent. We must prevent them from transmitting that information and can’t take chances, Captain!”

  I knew he was right and called Hans, “Status report, Mr. Kleinschmitt.”

  “Only a little resistance from Kermac Battle robots. The crew who were not in shielded suits are sleeping, and the rest have surrendered. We are in control of this vessel.”

  I said to him, “That is good news. I am sending Cirruit, Shea, and more hands to gather anything useful, computronic files and valuables and pack the officers in stasis boxes. We will be back shortly. We must go after the ones who escaped onto the sixth moon of that gas giant.”

  “Aye, Captain, this is a big ship, and it will take a little to go through it all anyway.”

  I ordered the ship into a geostationary orbit and was about to give firing orders to Mao when Narth held up his hand, and I received his thought. “Stop!”

  Narth turned in his seat and said, “The Kermac are not alone down there. I am sensing something, another life.”

  Three-Four, who had replaced Shea on the science console, said, “Life sensor readings inconclusive, due to the strong electromagnetic interference, I am not able to get a clear reading on the Kermac or anything else. The environment down there is Class 9 and extremely hostile to unprotected carbon-based biological. Atmosphere consists mostly of carbon dioxide, sulfuric dioxide, and a soup of noble gasses. Surface pressure is at 86 bar; the moon receives a high dose of radiation from its mother planet at every rotation that would sterilize most known life forms.”

  Narth dropped his head to his chest. Since I still could feel him, I knew he was neither dead or in pain, but I sensed he was greatly disturbed by something. I gave him a few minutes, knowing that I could not hurry him by interrupting.

  He finally raised his head and said, “The Kermac did not randomly choose this location for the exchange. It was only convenient because they have been here already. They have stolen or taken something from that moon. Something that should never have been taken. Something old and unknown to the Narth is down there! Someth
ing dangerous!”

  Just as he finished, we received a call from Shea. “Captain, there is something very alien and strange in the cargo hold of this Kermac ship. It appears to be a glowing blue egg-shaped rock, of approximately twenty meters. The material composition is a mix of crystals, rare earth composites, and minerals. Even though it emits light, I cannot detect any energies, and now we all can hear a faint music-like humming emitting from it.”

  “Shea, get out of that hold and let robots check it out. We don’t know what we are dealing with,” Elfi said with a dry voice, “Communication to our people aboard the T-cruiser has been lost. I am unable to raise any of them.”

  Narth said, “The Kermac on the surface made contact with something, and they managed to convince whatever it is that we are responsible for something terrible. I can feel rage on a level I did not think possible!”

  A voice thundered over the bridge speakers, “Woe to the rock breakers! The crime is unspeakable and so must be the punishment!”

  Elfi recoiled from her console and said, “Something has activated our communication equipment!”

  I was almost lifted out of my seat as something hit the Tigershark with enormous force, making the lights flicker.

  Chapter 18: Bereaver

  I tried to keep a cool head and made sure I didn’t raise my voice even a notch. I didn’t like those commanding officers who barked or yelled orders. I preferred the style of Captain Zezzh and Captain Harris and said with a calm voice, “Mao, full shields, extend Exo-load turret and load both bomb shafts with P-Bombs. Har-Hi, sound battle stations and give me a full damage and casualties report.”

  Mao said, “Full shields activated. All weapons active, Bomb shafts loaded and ready for P-Bomb deployment.”

  Har-Hi looked over his readouts. “The Janus Device is damaged, and so is our projected appearance. The simulated Kartanian shields are completely destroyed but our real hull held and received no detectable damage. Petty Chief Gorragh reports a three-degree burn after being doused with hot water in Environmental. Lines are being fixed, and the Petty Chief is almost ready for duty again.”

  I acknowledged with a nod. “Elfi, hail me that voice on the same channels it called us.”

  “Channels are open. Systems are free of external controls since shields are up, Captain.”

  “This is Captain Black Velvet of the Silver Streak. Calling the entity that threatened and attacked us. I am open for dialog and establishing contact. I offer peaceful dialog, but I will not accept any further attacks. I have the means to turn your moon into atomic dust.”

  The voice answered, “You are the rock breakers! You destroyed Olours! You stole Olours! We are Lkare.”

  Another massive bolt hit the Tigershark.

  Mao reported, “Shields at 44 percent. This bolt was stronger than the first, by a magnitude of 120 percent, equal to the Union’s strongest FTL cannons.”

  “I think whoever is down there doesn’t believe me. Mr. Three-Four, can your sensors pick up the approximate location of the Kermac escape ship?”

  “I am able to narrow it down to a twelve-kilometer radius. I can see their distinct energy signatures between all the other disturbances.”

  “Close enough. Mao, target that area and plant an exo load. That should take care of the Kermac and show the others we are serious.”

  I turned to Narth and said, “Any objections? Do you sense anything or do you think you can communicate with them?”

  Narth actually shrugged as he said, “There is so much rage, so much anger, that I am unable to get through. It is a truly alien mind. One I have never touched. I am currently in conversation with the Narth Supreme and no Narth has ever encountered a mind like this. All I can say is that it appears to be a mind of great power, able to manipulate transdimensional energies. Narth Supreme suggests that your approach might be as good as any other.”

  I wondered if I did the right thing. My orders were clear. Prevent the transform technology to fall into enemy hands, and I didn’t have much time. My friends and Shea were in trouble, and I knew it had to do with whatever was down there. “Mao, reload TL with a giga load and fire!”

  A giga load was still developing the equivalent explosive force of a billion tons of high explosives. While such enormous explosive forces affected a target in deep space only by direct impact, as shockwaves could not travel through a vacuum, it was an entirely different effect when exploding inside an atmosphere. The antimatter explosion was so intense it instantly cleared a huge section of the dense cloud cover and spewed material into space.

  I had Elfi hail the voice again. “This was a small demonstration of what we can do. Now, we didn’t break any rocks before, but I promise you I’ll break any rock on that moon of yours if you continue the hostilities. You accuse us of crimes, yet we have never been here before. What shall it be, dialog or war? Not that we need to remain here, as our business here is done.”

  “You murdered the gentle ones, the ones who promised to return the children. You abducted and destroyed Olours. The gentle ones were right; you are a brutal and warmongering species. We have little patience for brutality and the kinds of atrocities marking much of the development of the galaxies and those who worship darkness and death!”

  “At least we are talking, even if you keep accusing us of crimes we could not have possibly committed as we never been here. If you refer to the Kermac as being the gentle ones, you are on the wrong track. And if those Olours resemble a big blue egg-like rock then I know where it is. You’ll find it aboard a Kermac ship not far from here, and I am willing to return that rock to you if that stops you from accusing us.”

  Narth said, “The mind is confused. It has no concept of ships, colors, big or small, but I cannot go deeper. That mind is not accessible to my probing as other minds are. It would require much study.”

  “Shaka, get us back to the Kermac ship.”

  Three-Four said, “Captain, I am picking up sixty very large spaceships of unknown configuration, but energy readings and material composition points to Kermac origin. None of our data banks have data on 5000-meter Kermac units. They are heading this way! They are slow but will be here within fifty-four minutes.”

  “Narth, see if you can restart or reconfigure that Janus Device.”

  “I will try, Captain. Shea and the others are alive, but they are fighting, and something aboard that Kermac ship is interfering with GalNet.”

  “Elfi, get me the admiral before we get to close to that ship.”

  Elfi managed to get me a connection and managed to get the admiral, and I talked fast and delivered my report of the events so far and said, “I will attempt to rescue my crew from that Kermac T Cruiser before the Kermac units arrive. I doubt I can fight sixty of them, with or without disguise, but I will try to outrun them.”

  He said, “I don’t know what is more disturbing, the news of a previously unknown Kermac fleet of this magnitude or their willingness to risk war by entering Free Space in such a show of force. I will raise a sector alert and contact the Kermac. You are on your own for now. If at all possible, find out what is so important on that moon that the Kermac risk all this.”

  I acknowledged, and the connection faded out as we closed on the Kermac T Cruiser.

  I said, “Elfi, try to hail them with normal radio frequencies. We are close enough.”

  I was out of my seat and on my way to the door when Har-Hi’s voice reached me. “Captain, your place is on the bridge. Let me go!”

  I didn’t turn. “Elfi, you have the bridge. If we do not return before the Kermac arrive, you return to Richter base as fast as you can.” To Har-Hi, I said, “Let’s go, Har-Hi!”

  The IST was too fast for any conversation but as we both ran down the corridor of the Marine deck toward the equipment and deployment lock, I said, “I take your objection seriously, and you are correct, but that isn’t me. There are times I must remain on the bridge, but not now.”

  We reached the equipment deck and jumped int
o Battle- Dressers. Ship had already dialed them to the correct equipment, and we came back out in Gilgamesh suits.

  Har-hi said, “You are the captain, I follow you to wherever you lead us, but this isn’t how it supposed to be done!”

  I grabbed a boarding ax, not that I needed any additional weapons, but I always trusted bladed weapons more than anything else. We both ran through the membrane field and activated our boot thrusters. This time, there was none of the usual fear I had when being in deep space. I was too worried about the others and too eager to get them out and leave before the Kermac came.

  Like two miniature rockets propelled to projectile speed, we approached the Kermac ship. A Kermac T Cruiser was the backbone of Kermac warship technology and used exclusively by Kermac and their closest, most important Thrall species. These ships were formed like the letter T in the human Terran alphabet, with a long rectangular main hull of 450 meters and a crossbar at its end of 250 meters. The hull was 80 meters wide and 67 meters deep. The crossbar section held the Kermac version of two ISAH pods on each side.

  This T Cruiser’s aft section was ripped to shreds by our initial attack, but now my suit sensors picked up energy readings of other Gilgamesh suits and sporadic weapon fire. While the Gilgamesh was overall almost a ton lighter than a Quasimodo, it was made of advanced materials and had better shielding, more power, better computronics, and improved weaponry. Har-Hi signaled me that he had seen the energy concentration, too, and without psionics or long discussion, we worked out a plan and basically decided to come in from the other side.

  We entered the ship through a jagged hull breach and into the engineering section.

  An antimatter warhead of our TL sniper cannons had caused this and to see the result close up was sobering, as I noticed the Kermac had crew quarters in this section. The farther we went inside the ship, the more evident it became just how effective an antimatter explosion inside a ship was. We moved as fast as we could, but I did see the burnt-out shells of Kermac battle and space suits, baked and molten in grotesque positions to the charred deck plates. I had no time to reflect on my own handiwork, but I somehow understood why the Kermac risked everything to get their hands on the secret of this weapon. I also remembered the twisted wreck of the Seneca and almost like a ghost of my own making, I remembered the frozen body of the Garbini.