by D. J. Holmes
Alvarez nodded, his shuttle’s passive sensors would give him some warning of approaching Karacknid forces, but it wouldn’t be much. “Then we will leave. Will your village be okay? There may be reprisals.”
“That is inevitable,” Koran’ka responded. “I’ve already given orders for my people to scatter. Whether we did this or not, the Karacknids will seek to make an example of our small town. None of us can remain here.”
Alvarez looked towards the town, it looked like it was home to at least a thousand Nanee. “I’m sorry,” he said as he thought of the people losing their homes and livelihoods. “We did not mean to cause such pain.”
“My species is at war commander, we understand that we are all in danger. The price of losing our homes is worth seeing these Karacknids dead.”
Without having to consciously summon the image, Alvarez was reminded of the visuals of Earth being nuked. “I understand completely,” he replied. “You will come with us and help us make contact with the members of this Triad? Your people will be all right without you?”
“They will,” Koran’ka responded. “If you’re ready to go, we can depart now.”
Alverez shared a quick glance with Shaw who nodded. “We are ready,” he said. “We shall leave now.”
Koran’ka turned to his people and spoke quickly and gestured wildly with his forearms. In response, they quickly split up and moved through the Karacknid compound, picking up weapons as they went. “They will collect what they can and then join my people as they flee,” Koran’ka explained. “We were not prepared for the Karacknids coming here. We had almost no weapons. Now that has changed. Even when you go, we will be able to make the Karacknids pay for harassing us.”
“Okay,” Alvarez said as he turned to Shaw and Walker. “Back to the shuttles.”
*
An hour and half later Alverez was staring at a holo-projection of Emilie. “You took out the last two frigates then?” he asked, not really surprised that she had managed it.
Emilie smiled, “They played along with my trap nicely. How are things going for you?”
“We made contact with the locals,” Alvarez explained. “They’re not happy with the Karacknids, not at all. We’ve got one of the local leaders with us, he says that the Triad, the three leading government officials of the colony would be willing to return to Damial with us. We just have to get them out of the city.”
“I presume you have a plan?” Emilie asked.
“It’s very simple, but it should work. The Karacknids haven’t evacuated their military bases around the colony’s capital. If you can return to orbit in stealth and take them out, Koran’ka, that’s the Nanee we have with us, assures us we will be able to fly in and pick up the Triad with our shuttles.”
“How familiar is he with Karacknid weapons technologies? Simply flying in seems a little easy,” Emilie queried.
“They’ve seen first-hand what the Karacknids can do,” Alvarez said as he shrugged. “I trust him. Besides, with all the commotion you’re likely to cause, no one will notice us.”
“What about collateral damage? Those bases are close to the city.”
“Koran’ka has already sent warning about what is going to happen. The Nanee are evacuating the area and taking cover. They know there are likely to be repercussions, they’re willing to face them.”
“Very well,” Emilie responded as she nodded. “We’ll get into position and signal once we are ready. Stay hidden until then.”
“Yes Captain,” Alvarez responded as he brought a hand to his forehead just before the image of Emilie disappeared. Standing up, he walked out of the shuttle’s cockpit and sat down between Spence and Koran’ka, they seem to be talking about Nanee culture, though they stopped when he sat. “It’s on,” he replied. “We’ll get the go-ahead in half an hour or so.”
“My people will be ready,” Koran’ka replied.
“Good, they will need to be well out of harm’s way,” Alvarez said. He paused and took a moment to look out of the shuttle’s view screen. It was the first free moment he had been able to enjoy since leaving the Nanee town. “This is quite the place,” he commented.
“It certainly is Commander,” Koran’ka agreed. “The initial survey team didn’t discover it. It was actually my father who did. Many in our town know about it, but we have kept it a secret from others. Often our families come here to camp out for a night or two. If we told those in the capital about it, it would be overcrowded.”
Alvarez nodded as he continued to peer out. Both shuttles were tucked snuggly about twenty feet down a narrow cave. They had landed at the point where the cave suddenly widened into a large oval. Cracks in the ceiling allowed small slivers of sunlight in. The few rays of light however were reflected again and again by the hundreds of blue quartz like stones embedded in the cave’s walls. Everywhere Alvarez looked, it seemed like the cave was sparkling. “It would be quite the tourist attraction for my people as well,” he said.
“Perhaps, a day will come when tourists from your species will freely travel here to visit,” Koran’ka said. “Your family would be most welcome.”
“Perhaps such a time will come,” Alvarez agreed. “It is something to hope for anyway.”
“More than that,” Koran’ka responded, “It is something to fight for.”
Exactly thirty-five minutes later Alvarez got the call from Intrepid’s COM officer. With a single command to the shuttle’s pilot, both shuttles powered up their engines and carefully traversed the mouth of the cave. As soon as they were out in the open, it was evident the bombardment had begun. The sky in the direction of the colony’s capital was filled with streaks of fire as ordnance rained down from Intrepid.
“We’re picking up a number of shuttles in the air around the capital,” the pilot called seconds later. “We’ll have to engage them if we want to proceed.”
Alvarez glanced at Koran’ka. “Continue on to our target,” he said when the alien nodded. Seconds later the shuttle’s sensors picked up missile launches from the planet’s surface. All but one of the Karacknid shuttles disappeared.
“I told you we did not have any weapons, but those in the capital have been hiding them,” Koran’ka said with an unmistakable air of pride. “They will finish what your ship has started.”
When the shuttles got close enough to see the capital, Alvarez realized Koran’ka hadn’t been exaggerating. Each of the Karacknid military bases had been reduced to a series of craters. However, many Karacknid soldiers and ground vehicles had escaped. Many was a relative term though, for they were being swamped by hundreds if not thousands of Nanee. He couldn’t tell what kind of weapons they were carrying, but thousands of bolts from some kind of energy weapon were peppering the Karacknid forces. Pinned down and isolated, the Karacknids were quickly overcome.
“No sign of that Karacknid shuttle Commander,” the shuttle pilot reported. “It must have bugged out. Permission to engage?”
“By all means,” Alvarez replied enthusiastically. The shuttles split up and methodically moved from Karacknid position to Karacknid position, strafing them with their plasma cannons. With their additional firepower, the Nanee put an end to all resistance in the space of just twenty minutes.
“You can land us over there,” Koran’ka said as he pointed at a large group of Nanee. As the shuttle approached, they stopped their advance and a particularly large Nanee dressed in a long flowing multicolored costume came and stood at their head. “One of the Triad,” Koran’ka explained. “She is willing to speak to you.”
She’s brave, Alvarez thought as he moved to the back of the shuttle. Coming to a battle in such attire was asking to be shot at. She stood out like a sore thumb. When he stepped off the shuttle she approached him. He opened his mouth introduce himself, but she beat him to it.
“I am Raloja, one of the Triad of this colony, you are here to take me to speak to the Folians and our other neighbors?”
“We certainly are,” Alvarez replied enthusiastic
ally. “I’m Commander Alvarez. I can take you to my ship. Your soldiers have my respect, they certainly fight well.”
“They have many grievances to settle,” Raloja responded. “It tends to enhance one’s fighting prowess. My two contemporaries will ensure what’s left of the Karacknids are finished off. Koran’ka has explained what you wish from me. I am ready to depart if you are?”
“We are,” Alvarez said as he stepped aside and gestured for Raloja to approach the shuttle. She is very impressive, he concluded. If she was keen to get going, he wasn’t going to stand in her way. Well Emilie, it seems we have found your witness, he thought as Raloja walked past him. If the five species of the Conclave wouldn’t listen to her, then they would almost deserve what they got.
Chapter 34
The immensity of the Karacknid Empire was perhaps it’s greatest strength. It dwarfed all of its opponents. Yet it also proved to be a weakness that could be exploited.
-Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD.
Intrepid, Damial system, 27th March 2482 AD (seventeen days later).
“They’re still here!” Emilie said as she sat forward in excitement. The date the Karacknids had been expecting an answer from the Conclave had come and passed. And yet there was still a diverse array of ships in orbit around Damial. The Conclave members and their ships hadn’t departed yet! Emilie looked over to Raloja and smiled. “You’ll be able to speak to all of your neighbors.”
“Our arrival has been fortuitous then Captain,” Raloja replied. “I am glad we have come in time.”
“Captain,” Alvarez said in a tone that wiped the smile of Emilie’s face. “There’s something else in orbit.”
Turning, Emilie’s eyes immediately caught the image Alvarez had focused the holo projection upon. There was one ship that out massed all those in orbit by a factor of five. It was impossible to miss what it was. Emilie had seen more than enough of them charging into the Sol system. It was a Karacknid dreadnought.
“They are here,” Raloja said as she recognized the image as well.
“What are your orders?” Lieutenant Jones asked.
“We need to think carefully about this,” Emilie responded. “Keep us in stealth for now.” She then looked over to Alvarez. “What do you think?”
“There’s no way we could get to the planet, not in Intrepid. They’d detect us even if we tried to sneak up in stealth,” he replied. “A shuttle could maybe make it through.”
“What about a diplomatic envoy?” Raloja asked. “I still have the codes our envoys would use when they visited the Folians. Do you think they would let us enter orbit?”
“I don’t know,” Emilie responded. “The Folians might accept them. But they might just turn around and give us up to the Karacknids. If they’ve already agreed to become vassals, they may feel they have to. I’m struggling to see that we have any other choice though.”
“There is something else we should consider,” Alvarez suggested. “When we fought the Karacknid ships at Rulen, they didn’t seem to have any real idea about our capabilities. If they weren’t able to recognize a Human ship, perhaps this dreadnought won’t either.”
Emilie nodded, it was a risk. A pretty significant risk in fact. But they had been taking such risks for a while now. “What about other envoy codes?” she asked as she looked to Raloja. “Are there other species beyond the Conclave members who have visited your worlds? Could we use one of their codes? A different code might get us a foot in the door.”
Raloja pulled out an information device she had brought with her and looked through it. “Yes, I do. We could pretend we are a delegation from the Alamna. They are a small single system civilization a couple of hundred light years beyond the Lomalns’ territory.”
“That might work, Emilie replied. “When we get into visual range, they’ll know it’s us. But it might get us close. We’ll have to face whatever comes after that. Okay, let’s try and alter our electromagnetic signature so that it at least partially resembles something an Alamna ship might give off. Then we’ll head into the system.”
An hour later Intrepid was underway. The Alamna’s technological level was not very advanced so the cruiser had to head into the system at a speed barely above what Emilie considered a crawl. Initially, there was no reaction from any of the ships in orbit around Damial. Then, after an hour, a message came through welcoming them to Damial and assigning them a slot in orbit. Emilie noted that the slot was on the opposite end of the planet to the Karacknid dreadnought. Either the Folians didn’t want the Karacknids to interact with the Alamna, or more likely, they didn’t want the Alamna learning too much about the Karacknids.
“All right, I imagine they’ll start to get good resolution on us from their optical sensors any time now,” Emilie said two hours after receiving the welcoming message from Damial. “Let’s try contacting Commodore Shraw. Transmit the message.” The Gramrian fleet commander had given her an encryption code before Intrepid had left Damial.
“Transmission sent Captain,” Maguire responded a moment later.
Emilie nodded. Now we’ll see, she thought. Of all those present in the system, she hoped Shraw would make it possible for her to land. Though she wanted to start tapping her foot or flicking her fingers, Emilie forced herself to sit still. Either the Karacknid dreadnought would recognize who they were and break orbit to engage them. Or, the Folians would recognize them and give them up to the Karacknids. Or, they would let them land. There was nothing she could do now to influence things one way or another.
“Still no movement from orbit,” Alvarez commented ten minutes later. Emilie nodded to acknowledge his words. No movement didn’t necessarily mean anything. As Intrepid slowly drew closer and closer to Damial the tension in Emilie’s shoulders increased rather than decreased. No movement should have been an indicator that their ruse was working. Or at least that the Folians had chosen to pretend that it was. Yet it was also a possibility the Karacknids had ordered them to remain silent. Allowing Intrepid to get into energy weapon range of the Karacknid dreadnought would ensure the cruiser’s destruction. Or even our capture, Emilie thought. If the Karacknids powered up their weapons and ordered her to surrender could she in good conscience refuse and throw away the lives of her crew? She didn’t know the answer to that question. On the one hand, she had a responsibility to her people to protect them. Yet if Intrepid was captured, the Karacknids would undoubtedly learn about the wormhole. That was a secret worth more than all of their lives.
As Intrepid came closer and closer to Damial, Emilie found herself staring at the Karacknid dreadnought. She was looking for any hint of what its intentions were; the slightest movement or power spike that might give something away. She needn’t have bothered, the Karacknid warship remained perfectly stationary in orbit. In all the time Emilie watched it, only one shuttle left for the planet’s surface and then returned a couple of hours later.
Eventually, Intrepid settled into orbit around the Folian homeworld. There was no doubt in Emilie’s mind that the Folians knew exactly who she was. So too would the rest of the Conclave members. Their ships had all gotten good looks at Intrepid the last time she had been in the system. Yet there was no indication they were going to react to her presence. Then, just seconds after Intrepid finally slotted into her assigned position in orbit, a COM message came from the planet surface. It contained a set of coordinates for her shuttle to land at. That was it. Hopefully, that means Shraw responded positively to our message, Emilie thought. “I guess we are taking a trip,” she said to Raloja as she stood. “Jones, you have the bridge. Alverez, I think we better bring Walker and Shaw’s marines with us.”
“I think so,” Alvarez agreed as he unbuckled his restraints.
“If you care to come with us,” Emilie said as she gestured for Raloja to join her as they walked to the hangar bay.
The shuttle descended through Damial’s atmosphere without incident. When it landed, Emilie looked out a viewport and was not surprised to see a la
rge group of armed Folian guards. Shraw, or any other Gramrians, were not in view. “It appears they might be thinking of taking you into custody Captain,” Raloja said as she looked out the viewport as well. “It may be best if I proceed from here alone.”
“Are you sure?” Emilie asked. “They may hand you over to the Karacknids just as quickly as they would me.”
“That is a risk I was aware of when I left Rulen. But do not worry, the Folians always held my species in high regard. I hope they will at least hear me out.”
“Okay,” Emilie said as she hit the button to lower the rear hatch. “Good luck out there.”
“The truth is what will serve me best,” Raloja replied. “But I will not turn away your luck either,” she said as she gave Emilie a slight bow. “Thank you for bringing me this far.”