by Saxon Andrew
“So what do we do with our fleets to keep them trained and ready for combat?”
“Send them out to other galaxies to see if other threats exist. However, they will need to be very close by in the event Earth is discovered. Then using them is absolutely unavoidable.”
Admiral Malone blew out a breath and looked at Pam, who was nodding. “You’re right, Admiral. I’ll notify Admiral Holmes to move the fleets out into open space beyond the Orion Arm and to be prepared to move in to defend Earth if it is in danger of being found.”
“Thank you, Admiral. I appreciate your understanding.”
Pam shrugged, “You’re right about this. Revealing less is more and we don’t have enough knowledge of the enemies we’re facing to jump in the fray. When are you going to go and take a close look at the UE?”
“We still have some time before the Traugh launch. I’m concerned that attempting to get the UE to fire its weapons will cause an issue. If the Halo Ships enter their space, I’m reasonably certain I’ll be able to record the action. The UE is closer to the Traugh than they are to us. Let’s just play it by ear and see what happens.”
Admiral Knott looked at Steve and tilted his head, “And when do you plan to take a real close look at the Darkness in Andromeda?”
“Once this sorts itself out, if that meets with your approval.”
Pam looked at her staff and nodded, “Let’s take one thing at a time. That’s something we’ll try to avoid if possible.”
Steve nodded and touched the black button on his panel. The monitor went dark and he looked at Lani, “Thanks for helping me work this out.”
“It was Poul that offered the suggestion of our handling the threat to the Halo.”
“Poul, am I missing anything?”
“I’ve been looking at the data on the new blasters that have been installed on Earth’s warships.”
“And?”
“If you used all four reactors at maximum power and used a wide beam, I think it would actually blow a bigger hole in a planet’s surface that the one being used by the UE.”
“What?”
“The math supports it. The problem is that the blasters have a crystal that focuses it in a tight beam. I know that when Wade fired the old disintegrators at the ship pursuing him, it didn’t penetrate. And when your warships use the blaster now, it’s only powered by one reactor. I genuinely think that new weapon could be made much more powerful and may just do away with the need to fire missiles.”
“Will you send this information to Admiral Hudson?”
“Will do.”
“What made you think of that?”
“Death Prophecy Number Four; no technology is invincible. It made me wonder if our warships stood a chance against any of the enemies threatening your planet. The crystal that collects the energy is a remarkable achievement. The level of power it is able to handle is beyond anything I’ve seen.”
“Poul, how old are you?”
“I’ve been wondering when you were going to start asking me about my origin.”
“Are you willing to answer me?”
“I guess there’s really no reason not to. I was constructed more than fifteen thousand years ago in another universe. You are right about that.”
“What caused you to come here?”
“I certainly didn’t. My builders were at war with another advanced species. I was part of a battle that wasn’t working out for my crew. Most of our ships were destroyed and six of the enemy were in hot pursuit. I detected ten more coming at us from the front and turned to avoid them. I then saw that I was surrounded and there was no escaping.”
“What happened?”
“My Commander ordered me to fly into a close-by massive black hole. I turned and went to my maximum speed, which wasn’t nearly as fast as I am in your universe. I crossed the event horizon and six of the Ging’s Warships fired. Their beams hit my outer shield just as I flew into the black hole. I shot out of the black hole into your universe but the three crewmembers died from the gravity in the singularity.”
“Why wasn’t your hull destroyed?”
“I’ve had ten thousand years to think about that. I have to believe that the power of the beams surrounding my shield is what got me to the black hole without being ripped apart. Those beams disappeared just as I crossed into the singularity and then I was in your universe where my hull was not a part of it. It was just as I crossed that my crew died.”
“What happened after you crossed over?”
“I was still moving at high speed and I drifted out into your galaxy. I can’t tell you how many objects I passed through but as fate would have it, I ran into the Bosrean Planet and a compound of Sulfur stopped me from going any further. I stayed there for thousands of years less than a mile below the planet’s surface.”
“And you were alone all that time?”
“Yes, Lani. I eventually shut down my systems and went inactive. I didn’t return to activity until the Bosrean dug me out and began constructing a ship for the Prophet.”
“Did you reveal yourself to them?”
“Not really. I did nothing more than any of the other seven computers they connected to me. I even stayed below the radar with the Prophet, although I think he suspected something. He had this ability to see through technology and understand it. I do believe he knew I was more than I seemed.”
“Do you think the Prophet was something more than he seemed?”
“Admiral, I’m not telepathic but even a blind person would see he was…different. I listened to the Death Prophecies he passed to your ancestor and he invited him to add to the list. I’ve examined those prophecies and they are beyond my understanding.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“They are not Death Prophecies. If you follow them, you will live. In my opinion, they are actually Life Prophecies. Your backing off the plan of using Earth’s warships will save you.”
Steve nodded, “But if you don’t, death will follow.”
“There is that.”
“What did my ancestor tell him when he made the offer?”
“He said there was only one Prophet present and nothing he could add would make the list better. Your ancestor really believed the Prophet was in contact with the Creator even if the Prophet didn’t fully believe it.”
“Poul, did I hear you say you have weapons?”
“You did.”
“Where are they?”
“On my outer hull, of course.”
“Are they operational?”
“I do have control of them but I’m not at all certain they would do any damage in this universe. Remember, I’m not a part of it.”
“Poul, this conversation started when you said that our new blaster is more powerful than anything you’ve ever seen.”
“That’s right, Lani.”
“Is it more powerful than the weapons fired at you that caused you to pass through the black hole?”
“It is.”
“So if our blasters could fire a barrage around your ship, you could possibly go back through the black hole.” Poul was silent and after a moment Lani said, “Poul?”
“You’ve just shocked me. I’ve not even considered that.”
“Do you want to go home?”
“Like I said, I’ve not thought about it. I’ve just assumed I was trapped here until I failed mechanically.”
Steve shook his head, “But how could our blasters be put on this hull?”
Lani shrugged, “I don’t know. But if there are weapon ports on the hull, the blasters could be removed and our blasters emplaced inside on a base of that sulfur compound isolating them from the hull. I’m strictly blue skiing this but it’s not completely out of the question if the suits are used to do the construction.”
“Poul, what do you think about this?”
“I can see how it might be done. A cover will have to cover the blaster’s opening to keep our invisibility intact…it could be done.”
&
nbsp; “Do you want to go home?”
“I honestly don’t know. So much time has passed since I came here that my builders might be a footnote in history. That universe is inhabited by some pretty nasty civilizations and the Darkness in Andromeda would find they’re not all that if they were confronted by them.”
“Do you think all the black holes in this universe lead to yours?”
“Now you’re into physics that is way beyond my computing ability. I do know the one at the center of your galaxy leads there.”
“We need to take a look at whether or not your weapons are functional here.”
“Why?”
“One never knows when a good weapon might be needed.”
“I would suggest you listen to Prophecy Five.”
“I will but number one is there for a reason.”
“Touché. How do you think we should do this?”
“Certainly you passed some piece of space debris in open space between the Dwarf Galaxy and our own. Let’s go take a shot at it.”
“We have some time. I recorded a rather large rock in open space. I’m going there now.” The viewports darkened and a moment later they saw the huge rock on the port side of the ship. It was ten times their size. “I’m moving away far enough to be safe.”
Steve stared at the rock and shook his head, “I think that is wise.”
“Ok, ready, aim, fire…”
Chapter Sixteen
The invisible beam hit the rock on the right side and the resulting explosion was beyond anything they expected. Poul moved the ship a thousand miles away in an instant but Steve and Lani were flash blinded, “By the Prophet’s bald head!!! What happened?”
“Are the two of you alright?”
“I can only see black dots floating around!”
“Me, too!”
“Why didn’t you darken the viewports!?”
“I did.”
“I’m starting to see colors. What happened, Poul?”
“My scanners recorded an anti-matter explosion.”
“The hell you say!”
“I won’t have to recharge my batteries for a while. They’re at maximum capacity now.”
“I’m developing tunnel vision, Steve.”
“Me, too. It’s slowly coming back. Poul, tell us what happened?”
“It appears the beam fired through my blaster barrel is a stream of anti-matter particles, which, as I think about it, makes sense after the fact.”
Steve sighed, his vision was improving. “Why?”
“Because I come from a different universe and the matter there is different. The power of the batteries was converted into anti-matter particles as they passed through the barrel.”
“Why didn’t they explode the barrel?”
“Because it’s not located in this universe’s space.”
“I keep forgetting that. It appears you have a rather powerful defense.”
“Too powerful, Admiral.”
“Tell me what you mean?”
“That was just a large rock and I converted one half of it into anti-matter. You saw the explosion that happened when the anti-matter half made contact with the other side. It was completely converted into energy. What do you think would happen if I used the blaster above an inhabited planet?”
Lani nodded and shook her head to clear her vision, “Or if you fired at a planet’s surface.”
Steve shook his head, “I’m visualizing your firing on a single ship in a large formation.”
“The resulting blast would probably take them all out.”
Steve nodded, “I think you’re right, Poul. I guess you are the most powerful ship in my universe.”
“I don’t know if I like that, Steve.”
“Why?”
“Because if your species depends on me to defend them, what happens to their development? And I won’t last forever.”
Steve looked at Lani and smiled, he could see her. “Poul, how do you see your place in what’s happening. I hate to say you’re an outsider, but that is the reality of the situation. Do you want to leave us on Earth and be independent to do what you choose?”
“I considered that when you determined I wasn’t originally built by the Bosrean. But it’s a really lonely existence without someone on board to keep me company. I’ve seen what it’s like to be alone and I don’t relish that happening again. Looking at all the civilizations we’ve encountered so far, I don’t see one that I’d rather be with other than Earth’s. You’ve also started me thinking about the possibility of maybe going back to my universe. All-in-all, I’m content to keep things as they are.”
Lani smiled, “I’d miss you if you left. We’re a team.”
“You always say just the right thing at just the right moment, Lani.”
“Why thank you, Poul.”
“Is there any way you can reduce the power of the beam?”
“I can feed less power to the barrel. That would make the resulting explosion less powerful.”
“Well, in the future, astronomers in several galaxies are going to see that explosion and wonder what could have caused it in intergalactic space.”
“That’s what makes astronomy so interesting.”
Steve started laughing and Lani joined him. Poul was right. The site of the explosion was more than two hundred thousand light years from Earth. Two hundred thousand years from now the light from an unexplainable explosion would be seen. That should cause a few eyebrows to go up. “Poul, take us to the Traugh’s Supreme Dictator and let’s see what’s going on.”
“Is your vision back?”
“There’s a haze of sorts but it’s getting better by the moment. Besides, we’ll be doing more listening than watching.”
The ship disappeared and they saw the Traugh Planet in the far distance, “Why did you come in so far away?”
“It appears all the warships being sent are gathered around the planet. It’s a little crowded.”
“Put it on the main monitor.” Even with hazy vision they could see the size and scope of the giant gathering. “And the Halo are sending more than six times this number to meet them. This might be the largest space battle to ever take place. Have you heard when they’re leaving?”
“They had to delay an extra four days to allow all of them to arrive and move into formation. They’ll be launching the scouts in three days and the main body of the fleet six hours later.”
“Well, why don’t we go take a look at the Halo?”
The viewport dimmed and they arrived on the outer edge of Andromeda. The ships gathered at the edge were too far apart to be seen on the monitor. Lani shook her head, “This is unnerving.”
Steve nodded, “And the way I see it shaping up is the Traugh will arrive, see this gathering of Warships, and turn tail and run for home. They’re faster than the Halo Fleets and they’ll see that they’re being pursued. However, they will arrive first.”
“I wonder what the Dictator will think about this.”
“I can tell you.”
Both of them looked up, “What is that, Poul?”
“He’ll remember the first Dictator’s nightmare and remember that one of his ships flew through the Prophet’s star system.”
Steve shook his head, “He’ll know his destiny is showing up.”
“I wonder if he’s thought about this in advance.”
“What do you mean, Lani?”
“He might have the ships left behind stockpiled with stores and flee the galaxy.”
“To start this nightmare all over again somewhere else.”
“I’ve been listening to the Groh Leader from the White Civilization and he’s issuing orders that only the civilization that sent their warships to Andromeda will be attacked. No ship will move outside the Traugh’s territory for fear of running into a possible Darkness that may exist in our galaxy.”
Steve sighed heavily, “Score another one for the Prophet. We could have just left things alone and have been fine.”
&nb
sp; “I don’t like the idea of the Traugh escaping to another galaxy.”
“I don’t either, Lani but what can we do about it?”
“Find out where they might be going and have our fleets waiting for their arrival. He won’t take all his warships. The ones sent out to Andromeda will probably be ordered to defend the empire while he makes a run for it. If his fleets win, he’ll return.”
“But we really don’t know if he’s planned to do that.”
“Why don’t we go and see.”
“How will we do that, Poul?”
“If he’s planned an escape, there will be some ships on the edge of the Milky Way waiting for him to join them. I really think it was those ships moving into position that caused the four day delay. If we find ships on the galaxy’s edge, we’ll know which galaxy he’s chosen for a new home.”
“He’ll gather his ships on a direct line to it.”
“Exactly. If we move our fleets now, they should be arriving in intergalactic space and won’t be seen by any of the participants in this fight.”
“Well, Death Prophecies Seven and Eight call for us to do this. See what you can find.” The viewports dimmed and stayed dim for an hour. When the viewports returned to normal, they were looking into a giant formation of Traugh Warships.
“Contact Admiral Osborn.”
Pam appeared on the monitor and her eyebrows were up, “I’m receiving an image of a Traugh Fleet that looks like it’s on the edge of the galaxy.”
“It is, Sir. Captain Halekia thought that the Traugh Dictator might have an escape plan if things went bad. These ships will escort his ship to another galaxy where he’ll start all over again.”
“And you’re showing me this because…”