Lacey looked up ahead as they neared their target. A massive metropolitan complex appeared on the horizon. From the scans the Distant Horizon had performed, they suspected this had once been the planet’s capital.
“Picking up increased radiation from four separate sites,” Stehr reported. “The city was hit by multiple nukes.”
Lacey took in a deep breath. She wondered how many civilizations across the Triangulum Galaxy had been wiped out by the Simulins. “We’ll make a slow pass over the city and see if there’s anything of interest.”
Moments later, the two Talon fighters descended even lower as sensors swept the ruins for any signs of Conqueror Drones.
“I’ve got movement,” reported Lieutenant Stehr excitedly.
“Same here,” Lacey confirmed. “Let’s circle the area and see if we can get some good sensor readings of what’s down there.”
Adjusting her flight controls to allow her fighter to circle the area where they had detected movement, Lacy gazed out of her cockpit window, peering down at several large city streets that were covered with debris. Then she saw it! There was movement to one side near a partially fallen building. A crablike creature scurried out into the street and paused as if searching.
“I see one,” Stehr said. “It must be able to hear our engines.”
Even as Lacey watched, several other drones entered the street from where they had been in concealment amongst the ruins. She shuddered at thinking about the horror the metal creations must have caused among the shocked survivors of the planet after the nuclear bombardment. The Conqueror Drones killed by tearing their prey apart.
“I think we’ve got what we need from this area,” Lacey said over the comm in a subdued voice. “Let’s proceed to our next target.” They had several more areas of interest Rear Admiral Barnes wanted scanned. Lacy strongly suspected they would all be very similar to this city.
-
Kathryn gazed at the huge viewscreen in the front of the Command Center at the image on the screen. It was of a Conqueror Drone, which was immobile in the street of the ruined capital. It seemed to be looking upward as if seeking prey to kill.
“We know they hunt by sound as well as the use of sensors,” Commander Grissim said. “They obviously heard the sounds of the two Talon fighters circling the city.”
“These drones were dropped shortly after the nuclear bombardment of the planet,” Andram added as he studied the drone on the large viewscreen. “They won’t be equipped with surface to air missiles like the newer models that invaded Gaia in the Simulin attack. The one we brought on board originally could hear sounds, detect movement, and had a sensor to pick up the heat from living organics.”
The screen changed to show a wider view of the street. Half a dozen of the deadly drones were now visible. Some were missing appendages and several had large dents in the metal shell that comprised their bodies.
“Are these any different than the one we originally brought on board to be studied?” asked Kathryn. If they were, she intended to send down a heavily armed team to capture one.
“No,” Andram replied as he studied the drones on the screen. “These are the same model as the original.”
“From what Captain Sanders and Lieutenant Stehr recorded on their sensors and observed, I would estimate there are still several thousand Conqueror Drones active on the planet,” added Clarissa. “I wouldn’t recommend sending a team down.”
“I see no point in further exploration,” said Commander Grissim, agreeing with Clarissa’s assessment. “We’ve learned everything we need to as to what happened to this planet, and it wasn’t advanced enough to hold valuable technological information.”
“Very well then, let’s return to the brown dwarf system and proceed further out along this arm of the galaxy,” ordered Kathryn.
She was satisfied they had learned all they needed to from this planet. Its position and estimated technological level would be recorded in case it was ever decided to return here for further investigation.
-
Several hours later, the fleet was once more joined together and ready to continue on to their next destination. There was much discussion as to how far they should travel before stopping again.
“Astrometrics has detected an area of space twenty-eight hundred light-years further out along this galactic arm that holds a large number of early F, G, to mid-K Class stars,” reported Andram, as he studied the information on one of the computer screens on his console.
“That would be bypassing a lot of potentially habitable planets,” Commander Grissim pointed out.
“However, the likelihood of us finding allies increases the further we get away from the blue giant cluster,” commented Colonel Leon. She looked intently at the admiral. “I’m convinced that if there are still surviving civilizations in this galaxy, they’ll be found further out toward the galaxy’s edge.”
“Clarissa?” asked Kathryn, glancing over at the AI.
“I agree with Colonel Leon,” the AI responded. “From what we’ve been able to determine, the Simulins have a heavy presence in the blue giant cluster as it holds the Dyson Sphere. They also have a large presence in the area of space where we first entered this galaxy. The course we’ve taken is almost directly opposite of that. If we’re going to find potential allies, it might very well be further out along this galactic arm.”
“Keep in mind our Alton sensors can detect Simulin vessels for ten light-years in any direction around us,” Andram added. “That will enable us to detect any spacecraft that might be operating close to our line of travel.”
Kathryn thought over what Andram and the others were suggesting and then made a decision. “Lieutenant Strong, set a course for the indicated area of space. However, I still want to stop every one thousand light-years and do a search of the surrounding space. If we find more destroyed worlds, it might give us an idea of the timeline that the Simulins are using to advance through this galaxy and particularly this galactic arm.”
-
It only took Kelsey a few minutes to plot the necessary course with Andram’s help. The older Alton contacted Astrometrics, asking them to pick out appropriated dropout points along their line of flight. Once Kelsey had the needed information, it didn’t take her long to plot the fleet’s next few hyperspace jumps.
“Admiral, I have the next three jumps plotted, and we can enter hyperspace at any time. I’ve sent the appropriate coordinates to all the ships in the fleet.”
“Very well,” Kathryn replied. “Ensign Styles, prepare to jump. Commander Grissim, the ship is yours.”
Anne nodded and took a step closer to the Helm. “All ships will initiate jump in two minutes.”
On the main viewscreen, a counter appeared and began counting down.
-
“Well, here we go again,” commented Katie over the private channel to Kelsey.
“At least we haven’t run across any Simulins,” Kelsey replied. She had expected to see a larger Simulin presence than they had so far. They had only spotted a few Simulin ships on the long-range sensors and it didn’t appear that they had spotted the fleet.
“I hope Kevin and Jeremy aren’t too worried about us,” Katie added, looking across the Command Center at Kelsey. She felt a little guilty about going on this mission against Kevin’s wishes. Once they got back, she would have to make it up to him.
“They’re our husbands,” answered Kelsey. “Of course they’re going to be worried.” Kelsey knew that Jeremy had been tempted to order both her and Katie not to go, but in the end, he had given his half-hearted approval.
“I promised to keep the two of you safe,” Clarissa said in her youthful voice. “They know that I can protect you.”
Kelsey nodded as she looked up at the large viewscreen, seeing that the counter had reached zero. Instantly in front of the Distant Horizon a swirling blue-white spatial vortex formed. She felt a slight wrenching sensation as the ship entered the vortex and made the transition to hyper
space. The jump would be one hundred and twenty light-years and if they continued to do three jumps per day, as Rear Admiral Barns preferred, they would arrive at their eventual destination in eight days unless they stopped to do additional exploring, which was a good likelihood.
Watching the viewscreen, she gazed at the swirling deep purple colors of hyperspace as they flowed across the screen. She hoped she and Katie hadn’t made a mistake in coming on this mission.
-
Ten days later, the Distant Horizon and her fleet dropped out of hyperspace at their destination coordinates. On the way, they had stopped and examined several other planets, finding four that in the past had harbored intelligent life. The last planet they had stopped at had only been destroyed a scant seventy years in the past.
“I’ve made a simulation of what I believe is the Simulins’ advance in this section of the Triangulum Galaxy,” Andram announced. “I had Mikow and Clarissa help with the calculations.”
“Let’s see it,” Kathryn said with interest. It was obvious the further away from the blue giant cluster they traveled, the less distant in the past the destroyed worlds became. She was beginning to have increased optimism about finding allies the farther out they went.
Andram reached forward and pressed a button on his console. Instantly the large viewscreen on the front wall of the Command Center began displaying the simulation. From the blue giant cluster an area of red gradually spread outward in the general direction of the Distant Horizon and her fleet. At the top of the screen estimated dates appeared displaying the time line for the expansion. When it reached the area where the Distant Horizon and her fleet were, the expansion stopped and the timeline read forty years.
“We may be getting close to our eventual target area,” Kathryn stated with a nod. Then she looked over at Andram with a curious look on her face. “It seems to me as if the Simulin expansion is slow and methodical. How are they finding the worlds they’re attacking? They must have a method of searching them out.”
“With these,” Captain Reynolds answered. He pressed some icons on his computer screen and the path of the Distant Horizon was displayed from the time they had left Gaia to now. Several very small red threat icons were displayed along the flight path.
“What are those and why didn’t I know about them until now?”
“They’re probes,” Katie answered. “We didn’t recognize them because they were so small and the sensors didn’t see them as a threat to the ship or fleet. When we went back and analyzed the data from the long-range sensors, these anomalies showed up. With Clarissa’s help we were able to determine that they’re artificial.”
“We think the probes are moving very slowly and dropping out of hyperspace every few light-years to listen for signs of technological civilizations,” Andram added. “They’re probably scanning for radio waves and other forms of electromagnetic radiation or pulses. When they detect a possible signal, the information is relayed to the nearest Simulin base or ship for further action.”
“Are there any of these probes close by?” If there were, Kathryn wanted to see one up close.
“Yes,” Captain Reynolds answered, as he leaned forward and pressed several more icons on one of his computer screens. Instantly on one of the tactical displays four small red threat icons began blinking.
“There are four of those things in the twenty light-year globe of our sensors,” muttered Colonel Leon. “Is there any chance they could pick us up as well?”
“Unknown,” Andram answered as his forehead creased in a frown. “However, since we haven’t seen any major Simulin fleets or inhabited worlds I would say it’s doubtful. If the Simulins knew we were here, I would have expected a reaction by now.”
“They may not have settled this section of this galaxy yet,” suggested Colonel Leon. “It may take them time to respond to a message from one of these probes. For all we know a Simulin fleet could be on its way toward us. We should consider keeping several of our ships at Condition One at all times when we’re out of hyperspace.”
“Where’s the closest of those small contacts?” asked Kathryn.
If she could, she wanted to capture one and see just what the hell they were. She was also concerned about what Colonel Leon had mentioned. She knew Petra was a good officer and was voicing a strong opinion. The Condition One suggestion might be a good idea to implement.
“Two point six light-years,” answered Captain Reynolds. “It’s in open space and not in or near a star system.”
Kathryn activated the ship-to-ship comm. “Admiral Bachal, I’m going to be taking the Distant Horizon on a short side jaunt. There’s a small contact a couple of light-years distant I want to investigate. I also want to keep one of our battleships and two of the AI warspheres at Condition One from now on anytime we’re out of hyperspace.”
“As you wish, Admiral,” Bachal replied in his soft Alton voice. “I will remain here with the rest of the fleet awaiting your safe return.”
Turning toward Commander Grissim, Kathryn issued her next order. “I want to jump into close proximity to that object. If it has a hyperdrive I want it disabled.”
“Yes, Admiral,” Commander Grissim replied. Anne quickly passed on the necessary orders and shortly a spatial vortex formed in front of the ship.
-
The trip to the small contact only lasted a few minutes, as the Distant Horizon was moving through hyperspace at her top speed of one light-year every two minutes. Their target was in open space, as Captain Reynolds had reported, with the nearest star a good light-year away.
“Dropping out of hyperspace,” called out Lieutenant Parker from in front of the hyperdrive console.
Kathryn felt the ship exit hyperspace and watched as the large viewscreen flickered briefly and then cleared up, showing the surrounding stars.
“Contact at twenty thousand kilometers,” reported Captain Reynolds as a red threat icon flared up on his sensors.
“Launch two Talons for a close flyby,” ordered Kathryn. “Sensors, I want thorough scans of that object. I also want it up on the main viewscreen so I can see what we’re dealing with.”
A few moments later, two small green icons appeared on one of the tactical displays as the ready fighters were launched.
“Fighters are on their way,” Colonel Leon reported, as she listened in on the pilots’ chatter. “They should be at the target shortly.”
“I want to be able to hear them,” ordered Kathryn.
Almost instantly, the pilots’ voices could be heard in the Command Center as Captain Austin Travers put the fighters’ comm channel up on the overhead speakers.
“Coming up on object,” a male voice spoke. “I’m not detecting any targeting scans.”
“Be on the watch for any hostile action,” Major Karl Arcles the Distant Horizon’s CAG ordered. Karl was in the flight control center in the flight bay monitoring the two Talons.
“Object is twenty meters in length with multiple dish antennae on its surface,” Captain Sanders reported. “We’re circling it at two kilometers.”
“Admiral, I’m picking up a power spike,” warned Captain Reynolds. “It may be preparing to jump.”
Kathryn leaned forward. The main viewscreen was now showing the object. “Order our fighters to attempt to disable it.” She didn’t want this probe to escape; it might contain valuable information about the Simulins.
“They’ll have to close and use their cannons,” said Commander Grissim. “I’ve passed the order on to the CAG.”
On the viewscreen, they saw one of the two fighters suddenly turn and accelerate toward the object, moments later the back five meters of the probe vanished as it was destroyed by cannon fire.
“Power readings?” asked Kathryn, looking over questioningly at Reynolds.
“Nothing,” the sensor operator replied. “Its power source was probably located in the stern which the fighter destroyed. It’s not going anywhere.”
“Is it safe to bring on board?”
“It should be,” answered Andram, as he studied the now disabled object on the viewscreen.
“Send out a shuttle to recover it,” ordered Kathryn, leaning back in her command chair and gazing thoughtfully at the viewscreen. “Andram, I want you, Shilum, and Mikow working on this. I want to know what makes that probe tick. Perhaps it can give us more insight as to how the Simulins think and operate.”
“I would suggest including Betrem Jalat also,” Shilum said, standing up from her science console. “He will be able to help from an engineering standpoint.”
“Make it so,” Kathryn replied. “Commander Grissim, as soon as that probe is on board and secured, jump us back to the fleet. We have a large area of space here that I want to explore. Even if the Simulins have attacked all of the civilized worlds in this area, there’s a chance we might find survivors.”
-
It didn’t take long for the two fighters and the shuttle to return with the probe. Once they were back on board, the Distant Horizon jumped back into hyperspace.
Six light-years away another probe noted the sudden disappearance of the probe nearest it. Automatic protocols instantly caused it to send an emergency FTL message to the nearest Simulin quick response fleet.
Chapter Seven
Jeremy was in his quarters on board the Avenger gazing at a photo of Kelsey and him. It had been taken many decades in the past back at the Fleet Academy on the Moon prior to the New Horizon mission, which was Earth’s first attempt at interstellar travel. It was also before the general public became aware of the Federation survivors living inside of Ceres.
“That was a long time ago,” commented Ariel, as she noticed the look on Jeremy’s face.
She preferred for all of the Special Five to be together, but after being an AI on board military ships for so long she knew there were times when that wasn’t possible. Her first commander and the crew of the original Avenger had died when the ship had crash-landed on the Moon after a deadly virus infected the crew. Ariel was determined she would keep her present crew safe as well as her friends.
The Lost Fleet: Oblivion's Light: A Slaver Wars Novel Page 8