Jasper walked up behind Mace. “I thought it a waste of time, but my people insisted. I give plenty of speeches over the comm. They thought this would give the people a better way to connect with their king.”
Mace replied, “Take a look at history and you’ll see how important symbology can be to the masses. Even something as simple as a flag can give people something to rally behind and be proud of. You make this their throne room and about their king and it could be a positive for you. And speaking of symbols, I think that’s one thing missing from Earth. We need something that ties us all together. Don’t show this to Stark though. Earth is not in need of a throne for Stark to sit upon.”
Jasper sighed. “They plan on opening this to the public in a couple weeks. I just hope we have a couple weeks.”
“Well, we’re doing all we can toward our defense. Aside from that, the people need their daily lives to continue. I know if I were back on Earth, that would be the thing keeping me from going insane. We all need something normal that we know, understand, and can cling to. You know, fighting for your life is a good motivator, but fighting for a cause? That’s a great motivator. Aside from their lives, you represent the cause the Targarians are fighting for.”
Jasper nodded. “Makes sense.”
Mace gestured toward the throne. “You do look imposing sitting up there. I suppose being a real-life giant to these people helps.”
Mace followed Jasper into the palace, where snacks were had and further discussion made before Jeff opened a comm.
“We’re ready, Mr. Hardy.”
Mace nodded. “Thanks. I’ll be over in a few minutes.”
The comm closed as Mace turned to the king. “You coming? First test of an updated wormhole device.”
“Absolutely.”
Jasper looked around at one of his four aides who were always at the ready. “Mr. Gooti, you can take over here. I’d rather not be bothered with any further decisions on the throne. Make your best judgment and we’ll go with that.”
Muumur Gooti bowed before leaving to take on his new duties. Jasper followed Mace to a shuttle that took the men to the science lab. Jeff herded them into a second shuttle that was flown to the location where the wormhole was expected to open wide. When the second shuttle stopped, the three men stood in front of a wall display.
Jeff spoke into his comm. Seconds later, a meter-wide wormhole opened, showing on the display.
Jeff handed Mace a controller. “Do us the honors?”
Mace accepted. The small cannon on the shuttle was powered up, and Mace took aim. A plasma bolt struck a target that appeared through the wormhole. The space-time portal collapsed seconds later as Jeff sent the shutdown signal from his arm pad.
“Give me a second to pull up the results… and we have a success. I believe we’ll have a working weapon the Karthians can’t defend against when we build the full size unit.”
Jasper nodded. “Then let’s get you back and get that built. When will it be available?”
Mace replied, “He believes it’s gonna take most of a week.”
Jasper winced. “Tell me what you need to make it happen sooner.”
Jeff shrugged. “Time is what we need. I don’t suppose you have any of that lying around, do you? The manufacturing can be accomplished in about three days. The remainder is all tuning, which is a manual trial-and-error process.”
Jasper replied, “Just keep at it, Doc. We’re gonna need everything we can throw at them when the time comes.”
Mace returned to the palace with Jasper.
Chapter 21
*
A comm came in from Jasper’s scout ships. “Sire, another block of ships is coming through the rift. Seven hundred twenty this time.”
Jasper nodded. “Thank you, Commander. Let me know when they arrive at Nellivue.”
The commander bowed as the comm closed.
Jasper scowled. “Looks like our three day buffer just ran out. Last bunch of ships fell into formation at Nellivue in about an hour. I expect these will do the same. After that, nothing is stopping them from coming here.”
A second comm opened to Jasper. “Your Highness, we have wormholes opening near the Dethika colony. It is Karthians, Sire. Coming from the rift.”
Jasper frowned. “Thank you, Admiral Baakun. Take up the positions as we discussed previously. We’ll be sending ships your way momentarily.”
Jasper turned to Mace. “I presume you’ll want to be getting back to the Rogers.”
“We’ll be taking our civilians back to the cave on Earth. On the jump back we’ll go straight to Dethika.”
Jasper placed his hand on Mace’s shoulder. “Mace, I’d just like to say that it’s been an honor to know and fight alongside you.”
Mace huffed, “Yeah, well, this fight isn’t over yet. So save those thanks for when we kick their asses.”
Jasper grinned. “Consider it done.”
Mace hopped a shuttle back to the compound at Yentis. The Rogers hovered above a broad field, her rampway lowered to the ground. The compound buildings were emptying with the Human civilians associated with the Rogers crew streaming up the ramp.
Mace opened a comm to the bridge as he walked toward her. “Mr. Crawford, how are we looking?”
Jordan replied, “Five minutes, Mr. Hardy. I suggest you start jogging if you’d like to speed this up. At the moment you’ll be the last aboard.”
“Have Mr. Hobbs prep for a jump to Earth. We’ll be dropping all non-essentials at the cave. Their job will be to make it fully operational. The rest of us will be coming back to fight.”
“We’re all set, Mr. Hardy. Just waiting for you.”
Mace picked up the pace, using the built-in exosuit structure to sprint the distance from the shuttle pad to where the Rogers was waiting. As he ran up the ramp, the access lifted and closed, and the Rogers shot upward through the atmosphere. Seconds later, a micro-wormhole opened and the Rogers slipped through.
Stark came over the comm. “I take it this is our cue to move forward?”
Mace nodded. “It is. Jasper didn’t notify you?”
Stark’s silhouette shook his head. “I’m afraid Mr. Collins has no desire to converse with me, even when it’s his worlds that are being attacked.”
“He’s stubborn that way. Anyway, the Karthians are jumping to his Dethika colony. After our drop here, we’ll be going back.”
Stark said, “Your people are welcome to stay in any of the community centers. They each have plenty of empty rooms, including Ronceverte.”
Mace shook his head. “We’re covered, thanks. And if you didn’t know, the Karthians sent in seven hundred twenty new ships just a few minutes ago. That puts them at over two thousand in their fleet. We don’t hold them at Divinia, they’re coming here.”
“Yes, unfortunately I believe my prior efforts have seen to that eventuality.”
The Rogers settled in the field near the cave.
Mace said, “It’s a shame we didn’t have another week. We have a new weapon in the works that might even things up.”
“Yes, the wormhole weapon. I understand the initial tests went well.”
Mace frowned. “You still have spies on Divinia? I guess I can’t fault you for it. Yes, the wormhole weapon. Can’t say it will do us much good if we can’t build it.”
“You could always move production here.”
Mace sighed. “I wish I could. Mr. Collins wouldn’t approve. Regardless, we don’t have it and it doesn’t look like we’ll have it in time to save Divinia. Listen, I have work to do here. I expect to see your ships out at Dethika when we get there.”
Stark stood. “We will be there momentarily.”
The comm closed.
Johnny said, “I think he’s right. We should move Jeff and his lab here. It’s possible they could have that finished before the Karthians made it here.”
Mace nodded. “I agree. But I don’t want to give Stark a reason to want to see Jasper and the Targarians wiped o
ut. If the production of that weapon was moved here, he would have incentive to only fight long enough for it to be built and put into play. After that, he would bail on the Targarians.”
“Yeah, but we would have the weapon then.”
Mace turned to face Johnny. “And Stark would have it too. He runs this planet. Anything located here is his to take.”
Johnny half frowned. “While that’s true, if he really wants it, what’s to stop him from holding our people hostage until we turn it over?”
Mace shook his head. “We wouldn’t turn it over. Doing so would doom everyone else to his domination.”
Johnny winced. “I’m starting to think we should have taken everyone to the Alpha site instead.”
“I don’t think he’ll bother us unless he’s sure he can get his hands on that weapon. If we manage to defeat the Karthians, we’ll be the power to be dealt with. The Rogers would crush anything he could put in the sky.”
Jordan Crawford cut in. “Sorry, Mr. Hardy, but we’re ready to go. Everyone is off who’s getting off.”
Mace nodded. “Mr. Hobbs, set in the jump for Dethika and make it happen.”
Jane and Jenny walked onto the bridge.
Jane said, “Let’s kick some Karthian ass. Jenny and I want to man a boarding shuttle.”
Johnny replied, “You do know you won’t be going anywhere without me tagging along, right?”
Jane smiled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Mace asked, “You have someone covering your stations?”
Jenny nodded. “We do. Even though they aren’t really needed. Those stations run themselves.”
Mace shook his head. “Not entirely true. We’ve lost drives and reactors, and each time we needed the expertise of this crew to recover and keep going.”
“Our trainees are competent,” said Jane. “They know their stations. Besides, if our being out on a shuttle helps take out a single Karthian ship, it’s worth the risk.”
Johnny looked at Mace. “I’d say their minds are already made up on this one.”
Mace replied, “I just wish I had a valid reason to say no. Anyone else have a reason they’d like to throw out?”
Liam Hobbs said, “Their odds in that new shuttle aren’t any worse than ours here. It has the same shielding and same speed. They may not have weapons to fire, but if they can get aboard, they can do as much damage, if not more.”
Mace looked at the two women. “Take a pack with some food. And make sure your power-cells are all full.”
A comm opened from Jeff. “Keep us in the loop here, Mr. Hardy. Camera feeds and data would be appreciated. We might be able to help with targeting, or at a minimum give an analysis of what we see.”
Mace nodded. “I’ll ask Jasper to send you the same. Just don’t let the fight distract from your work. We need that weapon.”
Humphrey said, “I count seven hundred ten Karthian ships, Mr. Hardy. Feeds from the scouts say the bulk of their fleet is still at Nellivue. And the missing ten ships just joined them there.”
Hans Mueller frowned. “I can’t say I like the sound of that. Ten ships… they must be something unique. Do we have any data on them?”
Humphrey replied, “One moment… cargo transports. Could just be a resupply mission.”
Jasper pushed a video feed to the comm display. “Those new ships are moving toward the planet. Trajectories say they are going into high orbit. Hang on. They’re releasing something.”
Mace stood. “A bio-weapon?”
Jasper shook his head. “Nope. Data says nukes, hundreds of them. If they make it to the surface and detonate, that will be it for the Gorange.”
Jasper’s comm froze. Several seconds later it returned to having motion. “I just talked with the Gorange commander. He said regardless of what they dropped, his ships will remain here for the fight.”
Humphrey said, “Scout data feeds are showing detonations, Mr. Hardy. Multiple detonations. At least two hundred megatons per. Some below the ocean’s surface.”
Mace reached his fingers inside his helmet and rubbed his temples. “Thank you, Mr. Mallot. I think we return our focus to what’s directly in front of us now.”
Humphrey added, “Ships are moving. Multiple wormholes opening. Destination is the Tarnuks colony.”
“As I feared,” said Jasper. “They’re splitting us up.”
Mace looked over the battle data. “Where’s Stark?”
A comm was opened. Stark’s silhouette sat in his usual darkened chair.
Mace said, “Why are you still at Earth?”
Stark replied, “A decision was made to make our stand here. I have no doubt the Karthians will defeat Mr. Collins. Rather than asking our people to sacrifice themselves in some other system, they’ll be fighting at home instead. I can only conclude it will add to their ferocity in battle.”
Mace shook his head. “The whole reason for fighting out here was so we didn’t have to fight at Earth. You did just see what they did to Nellivue, right? All it takes is a couple of those bombs to get through your screens and the results would be devastating. I beg you to commit those ships to the fight out here.”
Stark sat silent for several seconds, then he closed the comm.
Johnny huffed. “Guess we know where that coward stands. He’s all fight when the odds are greatly in his favor.”
The ships of the Dunden Heap opened a wormhole to Earth and began passing through.
Mace opened a comm. “Admiral, what are you doing?”
The Dunden admiral replied, “We pledged our loyalty to King Stark. We will make our fight at Earth alongside him. We owe nothing to the Targarians.”
The comm closed. Mace looked around the bridge at the others as he lowered his faceshield.
Johnny nodded. “I’d say that means strap yourselves in. Mr. Crawford, if you’d kindly take over the comms, I’ll be heading to the shuttle.”
Jordan replied, “I’ll be out there with you, Mr. Tretcher, in the second shuttle with two of my men.”
Humphrey said, “I can handle the comm station. Transferring controls… and locked in. You are free to go, Mr. Tretcher.”
Johnny stopped at the command chair, placing a hand on the shoulder of Mace’s battlesuit. “We’ve come through every time before. This won’t be any different.”
Mace patted his gloved hand. “Watch out for our ladies out there. I’d like to see the three of you come back alive. I need the three of you to come back alive.”
Johnny smiled. “Haven’t let any of these pukey little aliens kick my ass yet. Not gonna let ‘em start now.”
Johnny looked over at Fatso Geerok. “No offense intended, Mr. Geerok.”
Fatso half bowed. “None taken. I know where your words were directed. And I agree with them.”
Johnny chuckled. “You know, for someone I initially despised, you turned out to be OK.”
Geerok replied, “I’m still learning the ways of the Humans. And I now think more highly of myself as well.”
Johnny left the bridge. The Karthian ships moved from a defensive to an offensive formation. Wormholes opened and Jasper Collins’ ships streamed through, along with more than a hundred space-based microwave stations.
Mace asked, “Those from Divinia?”
Jasper slowly shook his head. “Tarnuks.”
Mace winced. “You abandoning it?”
Jasper slowly nodded. “Sixty-seven million Targarians. I can’t protect them. I now wish I had made the effort to move as many as I could. And I’ve ordered evacs of the Fuham, Chathria and Wallamongus colonies. It was foolish to think I could save them.”
Mace sighed. “We can only do what’s possible, Mr. Collins. We’ll do our best to stop them here.”
Humphrey said, “More wormholes opening here. The main Karthian fleet is dividing. I count six hundred ships at Tarnuks. The rest are here. That gives them roughly fifteen hundred ships to our four-fifty.”
Jasper said, “We’ll have another three hundred sixt
y microwave stations in a few minutes.”
The space surrounding the Dethika colony was filled with stations and ships. A massive fleet, backed by an immense space station, sat in opposition. The minutes before the assault began seemed like hours.
All at once, the Karthian fleet moved forward at a slow pace.
Jasper commanded, “As they come closer, fall back. We need to draw those ships within range of the ground-based stations. I want as much firepower bearing down on them as we can muster.”
Johnny came over the comm. “We’re all set.”
Jordan Crawford added, “Set here as well. We’ll move out when the shooting starts.”
Mace nodded. “We’ll try to offer cover where we can.”
As the first of the ground-based microwave cannons chose their targets, the other ships engaged. The heavens above Dethika were soon filled with plasma and laser strikes. The bright flashes from each quickly dissipated as the inertial dampening fields absorbed the energy.
The Rogers followed her two shuttles as they moved in on approaching Karthian cruisers. The hull of the Rogers rumbled as the first laser strikes were absorbed.
Johnny passed his video feeds through a comm channel. Humphrey pushed them to the main display wall.
Johnny’s image shook as the approaching cruisers trained their fire on the small ship. “Wow, this bucket could use some new shocks.”
Mace asked, “What’s your shield percentage?”
“It’s only hitting forty… whoa, I take that back: 73 percent on that one.”
Mace fired off his wormhole weapon. “That was a double strike. We’re moving between you and one of those cruisers.”
Jordan said, “We’re taking the other one.”
Mace replied, “Backup coming your way. Mr. Mueller, hit that cruiser with everything you have. I’m punching a hole in her aft section. Mr. Crawford, clamp on near the front!”
HADRON Chaos Page 20