Lens of Time

by Saxon Andrew

  The other planets had longer to get prepared and the operations moved more efficiently. By the time Sierra-Garcia was moved, three of the planets had enough structures built to house the colonists until the rest of the buildings could be moved. The Harmony Federation bought in huge robotic road builders and the cities and towns began taking shape. The giant machines were left on the planet for the humans to interconnect their settlements.

  The last to be moved were the cars and craft used by the citizens for mobility. Many of the citizens were shocked that their old houses had been lifted into huge commercial transports and then brought intact to their new home. Europe was the first to have their homes moved in this fashion due to their having the shortest time to prepare.

  • • •

  “Boden, we couldn’t have done this without your help. I’m amazed at what you’ve been able to do.”

  “We’re not done yet, Admiral.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We’re also bringing in our farming robotics to start growing the food your planets will need. We’ll plant the farms on the planet where the growing season is happening.” Boden paused, “There’s one other thing you should know.”

  “What is that?”

  “We’re moving the ship building factories to your planets along with all of the raw materials we currently have in storage. My planets have also agreed to come to this galaxy and find the places where you can fine the things you’ll need to start building them without our assistance.”

  “We obviously don’t have the necessary population to build them at the rate you were capable.”

  “You won’t be far behind. The factories are self-contained and most of the work is done by robotic assembly lines. Your main function will be to find the raw materials needed to keep them running. We’re also leaving the collection ships with you. You’ll need to find crews to operate them later.”

  “Thank you for delaying your defenses until we could make this happen.”

  Boden looked at RV and said, “We wouldn’t have allowed you to go if we weren’t ready. Remember, my people are unable to fight. I’m sure that would have been determined by the Majors if they scanned our galaxy and it would be just a matter of time until they came and enslaved us again.”

  RV’s brow furrowed, “I’m not sure what you’re saying?”

  “We could have protected your planets in our galaxy. The new planetary force fields are currently on all of our planets. That’s why we did not prevent your leaving. However, now I have a request of you.”

  “What is that?”

  “I’ve spoken with Dr. Connor and he tells me that they have found more than half a million habitable planets in the outer edges of this galaxy.” RV nodded. “I told you at the beginning that we need you more than you need us. That situation has not changed; my people are still defenseless against an aggressive civilization. We can hide behind our force fields but eventually, we would have to come out to survive.”

  “Go on.”

  Boden looked at RV and slowly shook his head, “The two hundred thousand members of our Federation are spread out over the entire galaxy. Defending them is difficult at best. If we moved to your new galaxy, all of them would be in a relatively small sector. We want to move our populations here and continue our relationship with you.”

  RV started smiling and said, “I can tell you that you and your worlds will be welcomed by our Union.”

  “I was hoping you would agree. Once we move you, we will have as much time as we need to move our populations along with all the support structures. Once we’ve assigned our worlds their new home planet, we estimate that we can be moved here in less than a year. We won’t have to move our structures; we’ll build new ones.”

  “What about your old planets?”

  “That’s why we’ve been building the force fields. We’ll leave them operating when we leave. They are powerful enough to prevent any scan so if the Majors do show up they will waste time trying to get through them.”

  “I would hate for that technology to fall into their hands.”

  “The systems will be set to self-destruct if the field is penetrated or loses power. The explosion will be quite powerful and they won’t get anything from what’s left behind. Matter of fact, there won’t be much of the planet remaining for them to investigate.”

  “What about the force fields for our new homes?”

  “We told you that it would take a year for us to protect your planets. Part of that was due to our knowing that you had endangered all of our worlds by allowing our location to be discovered. You’ve demonstrated that you place our safety ahead of your own. We’ll never doubt you again. Your force fields will be built within two months after the completion of your move. Since none of your population is now in our galaxy, we can take our time in moving everything. Even if they come scanning, they’ll be looking for you. We agree that they won’t waste time if you’re not there. They may ask questions but we’ll just say we don’t know any species like the one they’re pursuing. If it comes down to an issue, we have our force fields. I don’t expect them to waste time until the war with your ships is over and that is going to take some time.”

  “I’ll let George know what’s going on and I thank you for what you’ve done.”

  “You should get the Hive and Horde involved in your fight. Our tacticians think that other sectors may be getting involved shortly.”

  “We think they will as well. Let Chris, Jillian, or Cyanna know if there’s anything you need us to assist you with.” Boden nodded and disappeared from the display. RV shook his head and knew that he was shortsighted in his plan to confront the Major’s combined fleet. Now the really dangerous fights were getting kicked off and he needed to get back in the game. He pressed his console and George appeared. “I have some news you are going to like.” George’s eyebrows went up and RV told him.

  • • •

  The First looked at the ten representatives of the sector and waited for them to state the purpose of their contact. The Center one from Prusem said, “We have decided to stop our infighting and volunteer our fleets to fight with the Majors against the white ships. You are expected to join us in this effort.”

  “I’m curious; what are you going to do if someone does not join this effort?”

  “They will be visited by our combined fleet before we go to the Majors.”

  “That sounds like a plan that might work.” The First saw the surprise of the ten on his display. “However, there is one thing you may want to factor in to your wanting me to send our ships to participate in this endeavor.”

  “What is that?”

  “Are you aware my civilization has been hit by some sort of plague that is killing millions on my planets?”

  The Prusem said, “We’ve heard about it. I don’t know the details.”

  “We believe that this plague was specially designed to kill our populations but we’ve determined that it will infect any life form that comes into contact with it. It has an incubation period of more than three months and it’s impossible to test for who is carrying it. We have grounded any of our ships that had contact with any of our planets over the last eight months. The remaining ships are stationed above all of our planets killing any ships that try to escape. If I send those ships to fight in the combined fleet, there will be a mass exodus of populations from my worlds trying to escape this disease and many of those ships will go to your civilizations. I will join your fleets but you need to know the consequences of what will happen if we do.”

  The Prusem said, “Why are you preventing them from leaving? I would think you would want us infected.”

  “What would happen to my civilization if that happened?”

  The ten looked at each other and the Prusem said, “You are wise for seeing the consequences.”

  “Let me know when you want my ships and I’ll send them to fulfill our commitment.”

  • • •

  The Prusem looked at the ot
her nine and said, “How do we know this plague is real?”

  The Ramst representative said, “Before we moved our scanners to track the Minors, we saw thousands of bodies in their streets and a constant flow of ambulances to their emergency facilities. That was some time ago.”

  “Who would have developed this disease?”

  “All of us could have done it but the Jongen are the most likely source. They have hated the whites with a passion that was hard to fathom.”

  “But they could have been infected as well.”

  “Not if they destroyed every white civilization ship before it could move into their territory.”

  “Their stupidity is monumental. However, what do we do about this?”

  The Ramst said, “I don’t want contact with any of their civilization. Their leader will sit among us in the planning sessions. If they participate, you’ll have to record it and send the video to me. I will not be in the same room with any of them. Would you?”

  “We could use their ships.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “Do you still have the recordings of the bodies in the streets?”

  “I do.”

  “Then have it available for everyone to see if we’re challenged on excluding them. Anyone that disagrees can be told to go in person and tell their leader to come to the meeting and bring him in their ship.”

  The Prusem looked around and said, “Are any of you willing to do that?”

  The Ramst said, “If there are any objections, they’ll stop at the first one.”

  The Prusem nodded, “Contact the next civilization.”

  The Ramst waited for the conversation to begin and wondered about getting involved in the fight against the Minors. His planet had been the only one attacked in the sector and he knew the danger those white ships represented. He often wondered how those ships knew about the scanners but however they found out, information on what was happening was difficult to acquire now. Still, the advantage in numbers should end the problem. Then they could go and find out who was building those terrible ships.

  The First waited and listened as the meeting was set up at the Ramst’s Capital. He didn’t receive an invite and after they began planning it was clear he was going to be excluded. What to do with the new ships? He didn’t have an answer to that issue. Five million were now completed and there were nowhere near enough to take on the combined might of the sector.

  • • •

  Melody yelled into the fleet frequency, “Jump, jump, jump.” All thirty thousand ships disappeared and jumped in thirty thousand different directions. The fifty thousand ships that had jumped in on her fleet were at a loss as to how to pursue the thousands of ships and hesitated before making assignments. By the time the fleet commander made a decision, more than twenty five thousand escaped without a pursuit. Of the five thousand that were chased, half of them were destroyed. Melody waited at the final jump and saw she had lost another twenty five hundred ships. She put her head in her hands and said, “I don’t know if I can continue this.”

  Greg came over and put his hand on her back, “We killed more than sixty thousand of their ships.”

  Melodie looked up and said, “We’ll lose at this rate. They’re whittling us down.”

  “But they are fighting us here and our civilians are still alive. Our losses are less than most of our other fleets, Mel. No one could do a better job than you’ve done. Don’t forget who we’re fighting for here.”

  Melody took a deep breath and said, “Make the plans for our next assault.”

  “I’ve been informed that we are ordered to jump our fleet in to the Orjeck system and to immediately jump away.”

  Melody was startled, “What?”

  “All of our sup-fleets are jumping into a Major System and immediately running.”

  “Why would they want us to do that?”

  “I think they want us chased by as many ships as possible.”

  “If we immediately run, we won’t be caught. We’ve really got that down to a science.” Melody thought a moment and said, “We’re a diversion.”

  Greg smiled, “Yes we are. I suspect the real action is going to be dramatic.”

  Melody smiled, “When are we to make our run?”

  “In six hours.”

  “Count it down, Captain.”

  • • •

  “Loree, six minutes to jump.”

  “I’m ready. I’ve set the launch sequence up and I’ll come in less than two seconds behind you. Make sure your Penetrator Craft have the jump time exact. And get your main ships out of there.”

  “Their boards are set on the time. We just need to make sure we’re not early.”

  “Have all the computers communicated the exact time?”

  “They have and they are synchronized to a thousandth of a second.”

  “Good luck, my love.”

  Loree said, “You’re the one coming in second. Don’t waste any time.”

  “I won’t.”

  Mikal watched the countdown and hoped his Penetrator Craft would survive the coming battle. It didn’t look like the odds were in their favor.

  • • •

  The Chairman of the Communication Committee called the meeting to order. He looked around the room at the leaders of the Major Civilizations and knew they had never come together before. This meeting was a first. He rang the alarm and the room grew silent. He stood and started to speak when an alarm in his wrist band started vibrating. He looked at the small display and he immediately pressed a button on the top of the band. A clear tube came down from the ceiling and he stepped into it. The delegates watched as the Chairman disappeared into the ceiling. An electronic voice started announcing, “We are under attack. Find the nearest shelter. We are under attack. Find the nearest shelter.” The six hundred and twenty attendees rushed for the exits.

  The Chairman exited the tube in the control room of a small ship on top of the building. He looked up in the night sky and saw massive explosions taking place. They covered the sky from horizon to horizon. He hit the drives and the small ship shot off the building and headed toward the south at high speed. He continued running through the atmosphere until the explosions overhead diminished and then he lifted the nose and left the atmosphere behind. He hit the jump drive just after a bright flash knocked his display off line. He felt himself start to shake and wondered what had caused the bright flash.

  • • •

  Number twelve jumped in with two million Penetrator Craft and accelerated into the center of the twelve million Major Battleships surrounding the planet. The PCs arrived less than six miles from the fleet and were on them before the giant fleet could fire. Number twelve was glad to be a Moet. He flew the ship into the force field of a huge starship while his secondary brain launched the fusion missile. He exited the first ship and was into the second’s force field in less than a second. The secondary brain slowed the rate of travel to allow the ships around him to move forward together. To an outsider, it looked like a hole was being burned into the Major Fleet. Layer after layer of ships were exploding as the fire burned into the giant fleet. Major battle ships began arriving from the back side of the planet to support the ships being attacked. After a few moments, the fleet commander ordered the fleet to fire into the ships that were being penetrated by the small ships. Number Twelve saw many of his fellow pilots killed by the combined fire of the giant fleet. The incoming beams were moving close but he continued his forward surge toward the planet below. Then a light illuminated and his ship jumped away automatically. Fifty thousand PCs were lost but they had done their job and created a huge hole in the Major Formation.

  Admiral Barber’s fifty thousand main battleships emerged into normal space three hundred miles from the giant fleet around the planet. All fifty thousand were in twenty single files and all of them accelerated toward the huge fleet and launched a Main Penetrator just before they jumped away. Less than a second later, Admiral Roman’s fifty
thousand ships appeared and launched another fifty thousand main Penetrators and jumped away. Ten main battleships emerged into normal space behind Roman’s main fleet as it jumped away and each launched a Light Wave Penetrator behind the Main Penetrators and then disappeared into Sierra Space.

  The Admiral ordered the pursuit fleets to chase the invaders but was unable to complete the command. The line of penetrators looked like a solid line as they flew into the depression made by the attack craft at ninety percent light speed. They were moving so fast that none of them were targeted by the surrounding ships. The layer of battleships next to the planet was pulverized by the incoming missiles and the explosions from the blasts blew the surrounding ships away. It took all hundred thousand of the penetrators to eliminate everything between the planet and the remaining incoming Light Waves. Directly below them was the structure with all of the delegates that were rushing to escape. The ten Light Waves struck the planet in less than a millisecond of each other and the planet exploded in a fusion reaction from the heat generated by the strikes. The entire fleet surrounding the planet was blown away from the explosion. Those closest to the planet were vaporized by the mini-nova and the others were blown end over end in the resulting shock wave. No ship gave chase to the intruders. The planetary system now had a small sun among the inner planets.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The meeting at the Ramst Capital was getting argumentative. The civilizations could not stop accusing each other of past wrongs and blatant attacks. The Ramst King finally gave in and let them scream at each other. His communicator beeped and he pressed the button on his throne and read the message. He immediately stood and pressed the alarm on his chair. The room was silenced by the blaring alarm and everyone looked at him, “You will leave this planet immediately. The Major’s conference was attacked by the white ships and all the delegates were killed when the planet was destroyed by the attackers.”

  One envoy stood, “They don’t know we’re meeting here.”