“What about your asteroid and comet mining operation?” asked Susan. “How is it progressing?”
“The asteroid and comet field is rich in metals,” answered the Command AI. “It will be two more years before we have realized the full potential from mining those metals.”
Jeremy spent a few moments thinking over the Command AI’s words. The resources were needed for the new fleets. He intended to build more fleets of the massive AI warspheres as well as additional fleets of the Gaia class battlecruiser. “We face a great war sometime in our future,” he uttered in a soft voice. “Someday the Simulins will find a way to penetrate the nebula and reach Borton and Gaia.”
“What if we can find a way to destroy the Dyson Sphere?” asked Susan, shifting her attention to the fleet admiral.
“It might buy us the time we need to build up our fleets,” answered Jeremy.
“My science AIs are working continuously trying to find a solution,” said the Command AI. “If there is a way to destroy the Dyson Sphere, they will find it.”
-
Over the next few hours, they toured the other areas of the shipyard, even donning spacesuits to inspect the actual construction bays. It had been amazing to Jeremy to see how automated the construction processes had been made. After finally returning to the Avenger Jeremy was left with a lot to think about.
-
“The AIs are creating a powerful war machine,” commented Rear Admiral Susan Marks. They were sitting in Jeremy’s quarters at his work desk. In the morning, they had plans to inspect the two new shipyards and watch the construction process. Then, later in the day, they would be traveling to the system’s asteroid and comet field to observe the AIs’ mining operations.
“There is no danger,” Ariel assured them. “The AIs are now completely dedicated to protecting the organic races in this system.”
“What if that were to change?” questioned Susan with a deep frown on her face.
“It won’t,” responded Kurene, who had joined them. “There are Altons at the master Codex facility where the new AIs are created. They’re constantly monitoring the programming, and safeguards have been put in place to ensure the AIs can’t be corrupted again as was done with the Simulin tampering.”
“Our future and theirs are now linked,” added Jeremy, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. “I don’t think either of us can continue to survive in this galaxy without the other.”
“What if the Distant Horizon finds other allies who can join us in the fight against the Simulins?” asked Susan. “They might not accept the AIs as we have, particularly after the way the Simulins use their Conqueror Drones to depopulate the planets they have nuked.”
“We’ll deal with that situation when it occurs,” Jeremy answered.
He wondered just what was going on with the Distant Horizon mission. They had been gone now for nearly three weeks and were well into their mission. Their orders were to find out how far out the Simulins had expanded from the blue-giant systems and the other worlds the exploration dreadnought had discovered when they first entered the Triangulum Galaxy. Jeremy knew that if the Simulins controlled the entire galaxy then the task in front of him was nearly insurmountable. With the resources that would give the Simulins, at some point in the future they would penetrate the protective nebula and overwhelm the Gaia System.
Chapter Eight
Rear Admiral Kathryn Barnes was in her quarters when the Condition One alarms began sounding and Colonel Leon’s voice came over the ship’s comm ordering everyone to go to battlestations.
“We have detected three Simulin fleets in hyperspace,” Clarissa reported as she suddenly appeared in front of Kathryn. “Two are on a course that is non-threatening while the third is heading to the spot where we picked up the Simulin sensor drone.”
“Damn,” muttered Kathryn. She didn’t like hearing three Simulin fleets were in the area. Her orders were to avoid combat if at all possible. “It must have sent out a distress call when we disabled it.”
“I don’t think that was it,” Clarissa responded. “I just went back and checked the sensor scans and communication frequencies, and there were no transmissions. I believe it was one of the other drones that may have detected the one we took dropping out of their surveillance net.”
“We should have thought of that,” Kathryn said, as she smoothed down her uniform and prepared to head to the Command Center. Grabbing the drone had seemed far too easy.
“How far away is the Simulin fleet that’s going to the drone position?”
“Eight light-years and closing rapidly,” Clarissa answered. “It will be at the drone’s last position in thirty-two minutes.”
“Composition?”
“Not certain,” Clarissa responded, her deep blue eyes gazing steadily at the admiral. “However, based on what we’re picking up on the long-range sensors I would estimate we’re facing four battlecruisers and ten escort cruisers.”
Kathryn hesitated at the hatch. The Distant Horizon had just returned from an exploratory mission to a number of stars in the region, none of which had held inhabitable planets, or at least ones that were still capable of supporting life. They had found one world that had once held a very primitive civilization, just barely out of the Stone Age. Nukes hadn’t been used on the planet, but it was overrun with Conqueror Drones. It was obvious the world had been the unfortunate victim of a Simulin sensor drone that must have actually passed through the system. Other ships sent out on exploration missions had found two more bombed out worlds. Neither had possessed space travel but they had both started the development of a technological civilization. More than likely primitive radio signals had been broadcast across the spectrum and were detected by the sensor drones. Both civilizations had died brutal deaths from nuclear bombardment and the landing of Conqueror Drones to annihilate any survivors.
-
Stepping into the Command Center, she saw the red Condition One lights still flashing. “Colonel Leon, turn those flashing lights off,” she ordered. “They’re distracting.”
“Yes, Admiral,” Petra replied as she reached forward on the control console next to her and switched them off.
Kathryn walked over and sat down in her command chair, turning her attention to the tactical display nearest her. Fourteen glaring red threat icons were nearing the point in space where the Simulin sensor drone had been disabled and then later taken on board the Distant Horizon for study. So far the study of the drone hadn’t yielded any new information on the Simulins.
“Twenty minutes until they reach the former coordinates of the sensor drone,” Commander Grissim reported. “As close as we are to their dropout point they’re bound to pick us up on their long-range sensors unless we activate our stealth energy shields.”
“The other two fleets?”
“No change in their course,” Captain Reynolds reported, glancing over at the admiral. “They’re going somewhere in a hurry as they’re traveling much faster than the group inbound toward us.”
Kathryn leaned back in her command chair and thought over her options. This area of space had proved to be a bust just as the others. While the Simulin destruction was more recent, there had been no sign of survivors. That didn’t mean there weren’t any on the three worlds they had found evidence of Simulin activity on. The survivors could very well be hiding, trying to stay out of the grasp of the Conqueror Drones.
“Clarissa, can you plot the course of those other two fleets?”
“Yes, Admiral,” Clarissa responded, then after a moment she added. “I have their course heading.”
“What are you planning?” asked Commander Grissim, moving closer to Kathryn.
“Those fleets are going somewhere in a hurry,” she replied. “Our best bet of finding allies may be following them to their destination.”
“What about the fleet that’s still here?” Grissim was concerned about leaving a fleet in their rear area.
Kathryn studied
the tactical display for several long moments. “We take it out. By the time the approaching fleet exits hyperspace, the other two fleets will be out of sensor range. We know where the first fleet is going. We can time our exit from hyperspace to the same time they do and engage them.”
Commander Grissim nodded her understanding. “Once we finish them off then we proceed to follow the other two fleets.”
“Precisely,” Kathryn replied.
“They’ll detect our approach in hyperspace,” Andram said from his science console. The Alton scientist had been listening to the discussion between the three senior officers. “They may exit hyperspace expecting a battle.”
“Communication isn’t possible while in hyperspace,” Colonel Leon quickly pointed out. “The enemy won’t be able to communicate and adjust their hyperspace exit to take into account our proximity.”
“They also won’t know who we are,” added Commander Grissim, cocking her eyebrow. “At least not until we exit hyperspace ourselves.”
Kathryn reached a decision. “Clarissa, I want you and Kelsey to plot a jump to drop us out of hyperspace within combat range of that Simulin fleet.”
Clarissa was silent for a moment before she spoke. “Admiral, I must remind you that Fleet Admiral Strong requested that we avoid contact with the Simulins if at all possible.”
Kathryn looked over at Kelsey and then back at Katie, suspecting what was causing Clarissa to remind her of her orders. “I think in order to complete our mission, the plan I’ve suggested has the best possibility. We also outnumber that Simulin fleet and all of our ships have been massively updated. If we time this just right, we can take out the Simulins without any appreciable damage to our fleet.”
“We’ll plot the jump,” Clarissa replied as she walked over to Kelsey’s navigation console.
-
“So, how safe is this going to be?” Kelsey asked Clarissa in a low voice. She hoped Rear Admiral Barnes wasn’t taking an unnecessary risk.
“If the timing is just right and the Simulins exit where we expect there should be no surprises.”
“With our luck,” Katie said over their private comm. “Rear Admiral Barnes is taking a chance hoping the Simulin fleet won’t be expecting us.” Katie was alone at her computer console as Mikow was over speaking to one of the other Command Center officers. “I’m not sure Jeremy would approve of this.”
“That’s just it,” Kelsey said with a deep sigh. “I have a strong suspicion that if Jeremy were here, he would be doing the same thing.”
“Kelsey is correct,” Clarissa said. “I have studied the tactics used by Rear Admiral Barnes and Jeremy. They are very similar.”
Let’s get this jump plotted,” Kelsey said as she began calling up the hyperspace navigation program. It wouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Kelsey knew they were taking a risk, but what else was new since the time they had arrived in the Triangulum Galaxy. Everything they did involved risk, and so far they had succeeded in outwitting the Simulins. Now it was time to take one more chance and see if it led to them safely completing their mission.
-
The Simulin fleet dropped out of hyperspace at the last recorded coordinates of the sensor drone. The High Commander had already been informed of the approach of unidentified ships.
“Battlestations!” he ordered as his flagship raised its energy shield and charged its weapons.
“Ships dropping out of hyperspace,” warned the sensor operator.
Instantly on the ship’s tactical screen red threat icons began appearing. Moments later the flagship shook violently.
“Twenty-six contacts,” the sensor operator informed the High Commander. “The battle computer has identified them as AI ships and the organics from the Fitula Nebula.”
“All ships, return fire,” ordered the High Commander. He had fourteen ships to the enemy’s twenty-six, but his ships were all Simulin and top of the line warships. He knew the inhabitants of the nebula were rumored to possess very powerful ships as well.
The Simulin fleet rapidly formed up into an attack formation. Powerful white energy beams flashed from the spires of the ships to strike out at their attackers.
The High Commander watched the viewscreens as his fleet’s energy beams struck the shields of the AIs and their allies. His eyes widened when he saw his attack was having little effect. The power of the energy beams was being dispersed across the shields, causing them to flare up brighter, but they were not penetrating.
-
“Weapons firing,” reported Major Weir as his hands touched various icons on his control console. Major Weir had seven other officers working the different combat stations that comprised Tactical. All were busy coordinating the ship’s weapons.
On the main screens, the images shifted to show the Simulin ships. On the center screen a massive 1,700-meter Simulin battlecruiser appeared. The ship’s screen seemed to flare brightly as several particle beams smashed into it, then the Distant Horizon’s ion cannon fired, opening up a small hole. Clarissa had been waiting for this and as soon as the weakened area appeared, she fired one of the ship’s one hundred-megaton sublight antimatter missiles through the opening. Instantly a glowing sun appeared where the Simulin vessel had been. When the light faded, all that was left were a few wisps of glowing gas.
“Simulin battlecruiser destroyed,” confirmed Captain Reynolds.
“Shifting targets,” reported Major Weir.
-
In space, the battle was growing more intense as the twenty AI warspheres closed the distance with the enemy to almost pointblank range. Each of the warspheres had been equipped with ion cannons similar to the one on the Distant Horizon. With computer-like efficiency, the AIs used the ion cannons to blow holes in the Simulin shields and then launched antimatter missiles to blow the enemy ships apart. Simulin ship after Simulin ship died in sudden blasts of antimatter energy, which lit up space like miniature novas.
The two Alton battleships moved in and fired their updated energy beams and particle beam cannons. The beams cut directly through the Simulin shields, carving out deep rifts in the armored hulls. Secondary explosions shook their targets as valuable systems inside the stricken warships were compromised. Moments later two more of the Simulin battlecruisers died agonizing antimatter deaths.
-
“Thirteen of the enemy ships are down!” reported Captain Reynolds.
“All ships are reporting undamaged so far,” added Commander Grissim as she listened to reports from the other ship commanders. “Our new energy screens are holding up to the Simulin beams.”
The Distant Horizon shook slightly and Major Weir checked his console. “Energy shield is holding at 94 percent.”
On the ship’s main viewscreen, the last Simulin battlecruiser exploded as it was struck by several AI ion beams as well as a multitude of particle beams.
“Enemy fleet destroyed,” reported Colonel Leon in a stunned voice.
“Our ships suffered no damage,” added Clarissa as she used the ship’s sensors to scan the twenty-six ships of the fleet.
Andram turned around to look at Rear Admiral Barnes. “The upgrades we have made to the weapon systems of this fleet seem to be very effective. It’s evident we now have a slight technological advantage in our weapons over the Simulins.”
Kathryn nodded her head in satisfaction. They had destroyed an entire Simulin fleet while suffering no damage in return. Of course they had taken the Simulins by surprise and hadn’t really given them any time to respond tactically to the attack. “Clarissa, can we follow the other two Simulin fleets?”
“Yes, Admiral,” Clarissa responded. “The course has been plotted.”
“Kelsey, plot a jump that will put us on the same course. Captain Travers, inform all ships that if they detect the Distant Horizon reducing speed, they’re to standby to drop out of hyperspace when we do.”
“That might string us out over millions of kilometers,” warned Commander Grissim. “At the speed we
’ll be traveling just a few seconds difference will mean millions of kilometers.”
“That’s why they’re to watch our speed. If they detect us reducing our hyperspace speed, they’ll know we’re about to drop out. Their navigation computers can mirror our speed adjustments.”
“I’m sending the same message to the AIs,” reported Clarissa. “They say they’re ready to jump whenever we are.”
“Ten minutes,” said Kathryn, gazing thoughtfully at the now empty tactical screen. Even the long-range sensors were clear. She was certain those two fleets were going somewhere important, and she wanted to find out where.
-
Ornellian Admiral Krusk was growing tired of keeping his fleet at such a high state of readiness. All the crews were getting very little sleep as an attack was expected at any moment. Nearly all the warships from the other planets of the empire had been called in to defend the home world. Glancing at his tactical display, he saw nearly nine hundred green icons representing six hundred of the three-hundred-meter defense cruisers and 270 of the larger five-hundred-meter battlecruisers.
What was more surprising was that the enemy hadn’t attacked any of the other worlds. At first this had confused him as well as the members of the Ornellian ruling council. But several scout ships had found the enemy. They were gathering a large fleet a few light-years distant. Krusk knew that when they had sufficient numbers, they would return and in all likelihood, his forces would be overwhelmed.
“What’s the latest reports from the scouts?” he asked his second in command. They had been sending small scout ships to the system the enemy were gathering in taking quick scans before jumping out and returning to the Ornell System.
First Commander Lukel only shook his head. “It’s not good. The latest scout report indicates over 1,200 of the enemy have gathered in the Parkel System with more arriving every day.”
The Lost Fleet: Oblivion's Light: A Slaver Wars Novel Page 10