“Admiral Bachal reports all particle beam satellites have been deployed as well as the six Type Two battlestations,” Commander Blanton informed the admiral.
The new Type Two battlestations were one hundred and fifty meters in diameter and had upgraded energy shields, two particle beam cannons, four power beam cannons, twelve missile tubes containing Devastator Three missiles, and defensive energy turrets. Their fusion reactor had been upgraded from a class one to a class three, giving the stations much more power than previous models.
Jackson was pleased with the report. With the defensive grid in place, the fleet could now begin phase two of their plan. “Inform Admiral Bachal he may begin planetary decontamination.”
“It will take six weeks to clear the planet of radiation contamination,” Commander Blanton said. “That assumes there are no interruptions.”
The Alton battleships had equipment on board, which could rapidly increase the decay rate of radioactive isotopes. The equipment would be focused on the planet as the battleships moved into a low orbit of only a few hundred kilometers, nearly in the planet’s atmosphere. They also had a chemical which could be delivered by the battleships’ small shuttles that could be sprayed over the destroyed cities, aiding in the rapid elimination of radiation hazards.
-
Dax Matol stood in the small city of Dorman. From across the planet, shuttles were being used to ferry survivors from caves and other secure locations to the city. Some of the larger bunkers had been fortunate enough to have shuttles stored inside for future use, and those were now being used to rescue people all across Ornellia. Dorman had once boasted a population of forty thousand people. Already power had been restored and essential services turned back on.
“The city’s coming back to life,” Les Ketene commented excitedly as they watched another shuttle land on the small airfield on the northern side.
“It’s amazing how many survivors we’re finding,” Dax said as he watched a number of people coming out of the shuttle. “We’re bringing in supplies to restock the shelves in the stores and within a week, Dorman will be the same as it was before the Simulin attack.”
“I heard we may be opening up several other nearby towns as well.”
Dax turned toward Les. “Yes, we’re going to need the room. In the bunkers alone, we have over two hundred thousand survivors. I was speaking to several of our government’s leaders who survived, and they estimate there might still be as many as two million survivors scattered across the planet.”
“What about the other worlds of our empire?” asked Les. “Are there any survivors on those planets?”
“We’re going to find out. Admiral Jackson is planning to send a task group to check the other worlds as well as our outposts. He’s hoping to find some of our cargo ships and passenger liners intact.”
A loud noise above attracted their attention. A flight of four Talon fighters was passing overhead. Admiral Jackson had the Talons flying routine reconnaissance missions around the city to ensure all the Conqueror Drones had been eliminated. There were also heavily armed patrols of Ornellian soldiers out doing the same on the ground.
Dax heard an unfamiliar sound. Turning around, he recognized it. It was laughter. A group of Ornellian children and their parents were coming out of the resettlement center where they had been assigned to their new homes. Dax couldn’t remember the last time he had heard laughter. With a smile, he realized what the Humans had brought back to Ornellia, hope and the beginning of a new future for the Ornellian race.
Chapter Nine
Jeremy was in the Dominator speaking with Kazak and Kelsey. As expected, Kazak had chosen Kelsey as the ship’s commander and surprisingly also chosen Andram as the ship’s science officer. This was a relief to Jeremy as Andram was the one Alton Kazak would have a hard time fooling. This entire situation with choosing the ship’s commander had been heart wrenching. However, if anyone could handle Kazak it would be Kelsey, and she would also have Katie at her side.
“I have completed my study of the supernova explosion at the former location of the Dyson Sphere,” Kazak informed them. “It is true the exotic material that composed the Dyson Sphere as well as the dark matter which surrounded it has had a profound effect on space-time in that vicinity of the blue-giant nebula. From the simulations I have run and Ariel has run similar ones, when the radiation front exits the nebula it will be moving at twenty-three times the speed of light.”
Jeremy took a deep breath and shook his head. At twenty-three times the speed of light it would only take the radiation front one hundred and twenty-seven years to reach the protective nebula surrounding Gaia. That was much faster than what Shilum and Andram had originally projected. While it might sound like a long time, with the life prolongation drugs currently available many people now living would still be alive when the radiation front reached Gaia.
“What will happen to the nebula and Gaia when the radiation front arrives?” This was of great concern to Jeremy as there was nowhere else they could go unless they wanted to leave the galaxy as the Ornellians were doing.
“The nebula will become filled with radiation, making the safe corridors you currently use unnavigable. Gaia itself will become uninhabitable within sixteen hours of the radiation front’s arrival. All unprotected life on the planet’s surface will be dead within twenty hours.”
Kelsey shook her head. This was horrible news, and she could imagine how Jeremy must be feeling. “Is there any way to protect Gaia?”
Kazak paused for a moment and then replied. “Yes, I can furnish you with the specifications for a planetary based energy shield that would be resistant to the radiation. However, I must remind you that your people would be effectively trapped on the planet once the shield was activated.”
“Is there anything that can be done about the radiation front to prevent its continued expansion?” asked Jeremy. It was a slight relief the planet could be shielded, but that left the rest of the Triangulum Galaxy.
“There is one possibility,” Kazak answered, focusing his attention on Jeremy. “The radiation front must be slowed down below the speed of light. If that could be accomplished, then it would eventually die out on its own. It’s the exotic properties of hyperspace which are currently allowing it to expand at such a great speed.”
“Do you know of a method to do that?” asked Andram, standing nearby and listening intently. The white-haired Alton had been pleased to learn he’d been chosen as science officer for the Dominator. It would give him all the time he needed to study the massive vessel as well as its mysterious AI.
“Perhaps,” Kazak answered. “If sufficiently sized explosions were set off simultaneously in hyperspace causing a counter wavefront, the two would theoretically cancel each other out when they strike each other. This would return space-time back to normal, and the radiation front would die out before leaving the blue-giant nebula.”
“How far out past the Dyson Sphere supernova would the radiation front travel if we created this counter wave?” asked Andram.
“Less than two hundred light years,” Kazak replied. “Once the explosions are set off it will begin to slow the advance of the wavefront until it drops below the speed of light. Once that happens, its effect on other stars will be minimal.”
Jeremy breathed a huge sigh of relief. Was it possible they could stop the radiation front after all? “Do you have weapons that can be detonated in hyperspace?” Jeremy knew neither the Federation nor the Altons had such weapons. Due to the properties of hyperspace, none of their weapons would work in that strange reality which was governed by a totally different set of laws.
Kazak slowly shook his head. “No, not at the present. Weapons of such power and magnitude were prohibited upon all Originator warships. We’re talking about weapons which could easily destroy an entire star system.”
Jeremy suddenly felt crushed. Kazak had built up his hope and then blown it away.
Noticing the crestfallen look on Jeremy’s face
, Kazak spoke again. “I said not at the present. The Dominator has the capacity to build such weapons, but it will take time as they must be made out of a very exotic material, which will function in hyperspace. Also, the size of the explosion is magnitudes above anything your current weapons are capable of.”
Andram looked at the Originator AI speculatively. “Just how large of an explosion will be required?”
“On the order of two million four hundred thousand megatons.”
Andram’s jaw dropped at the pronouncement. “That’s impossible. There’s no way to create such an explosive force.”
“There is if we use dark matter as the detonating material,” replied Kazak with a smug look on his face.
“Dark matter,” said Andram, his mind racing. “My people have only begun to do major research on dark matter and dark energy.”
“Will it work?” asked Jeremy, looking over at Andram. He wanted the Alton scientist’s opinion before he gave the okay for such a dangerous project.
“Possibly,” Andram answered with deep lines of thought running across his forehead. “Dark matter is the only substance that can create the type of energy Kazak is speaking of. It should theoretically work in hyperspace. However, it’s far above anything my people can do.”
“Dark matter, because of its interaction with hyperspace, is the only substance which can be used to create the explosions of the size required,” Kazak said. “The Originators did a lot of research on both dark matter and dark energy before the deadly life prolongation pathogen destroyed their civilization.”
“How soon can we do this?” asked Jeremy, realizing there was no other option. To delay implementing Kazak’s plan could doom the entire galaxy.
“It will take two weeks to construct the special missiles and the warheads for the dark matter,” Kazak replied. “We will also need to find a source of dark matter.”
Andram nodded. “We have detectors on our science ships which can do that.”
Kazak glanced over at the Alton. “I would suggest we send out some ships to find a suitable source. Once it’s found the Dominator can be used to procure it.”
Jeremy looked over at Kelsey, now wearing a commander’s uniform. “I guess you have your first mission.”
“We’ll be ready,” Kelsey promised.
It was a huge load off Jeremy’s mind knowing there was a solution to the exploding Dyson Sphere supernova. It just made him a little nervous knowing Kelsey and the Dominator would be so heavily involved in the mission.
Jeremy turned back toward Kazak. There was one other matter he wanted to discuss with the Originator AI. “I would like to put some Marines on the Dominator. They might be needed if any exploratory missions are sent down to a planet’s surface. Every planet we’ve found that the Simulins have attacked have been infested with Conqueror Drones.”
“The Originators, if they still existed, would be very displeased to learn of what the Simulins have been doing with the Dyson Spheres,” Kazak said. “The Originators were a great and benevolent race. They strove to learn new knowledge and moved across the galaxies in peace.”
“What you say may be true, but why did they build the Dominator? It’s a warship.” Jeremy was confused about this. There were still a number of items that Kazak talked about that didn’t quite sound right.
“They were a peaceful species, but they were not fools,” Kazak answered. “Occasionally other species were encountered that were what you would call anti-life. One such species was found to be a potential threat to our entire universe and had to be dealt with in the early days of Originator expansion. While it is true the Dominator is the most powerful ship they ever built, they had other warships tasked with keeping their numerous worlds safe, including the Dyson Spheres.”
Jeremy was silent for a long moment. “Are you telling me there were other Originator warships inside the Dyson Sphere that we destroyed?”
“Yes,” Kazak answered evenly. “I thought you were aware of that. Warships and other vessels were widely used by the Originators. When it became obvious the disease brought about by the life prolongation experiments was irreversible, the ships used by the Originators were put into storage in the Dyson Spheres.”
“How many ships?” asked Kelsey, her eyes wide at the thought of the hundreds of Originator ships which must have been on the Dyson Sphere when they destroyed it.
Kazak hesitated for a moment. “Thousands,” he said in a softer voice. “There were and are thousands of Originator ships stored inside each of the Dyson Spheres.”
-
The next day, Jeremy, Kelsey, Kevin, and Katie were down in New Eden, the largest city on Gaia. Five thriving cities had been established as well as numerous farms and a few ranches. The girls wanted to come down to the planet to go shopping and arrange for Angela’s baby shower.
As they were walking down the street, a loud booming voice called out Jeremy’s name. Turning, he saw Grayseth striding toward them.
“What’s Grayseth doing here?” asked Katie, her green eyes showing surprise at seeing the large Bear.
“I believe he came down earlier to see some members of his clan,” answered Kelsey. “Malith mentioned something about there being a clan meeting Grayseth needed to attend.”
“Clan brother,” spoke Grayseth, embracing Jeremy in a smothering bear hug as was their custom. “It is good to see you away from your duties.”
“As well as you,” Jeremy responded. “I understand you had some clan business to attend to.” Jeremy saw that a number of people had noticed them and had stopped to see what was going on. “There’s a park across the street; why don’t we go over there where we can talk.”
The group quickly crossed the busy street and entered the large tree shaded park. A number of families were present with children running and playing on the playground equipment. A few other people were just sitting on the numerous benches taking it easy and enjoying the nice weather.
“It is good to see young ones about,” Grayseth said as he gazed at the children. There were even a few Carethians in the large park. He then turned about to face Jeremy. “I came down to approve several of our adolescents for entry into the Fleet Academy. It is a big honor for the parents of those chosen.”
“That’s great!” exclaimed Kelsey. She knew a few Carethians were already attending classes at the new academy.
“They will make fine officers someday and bring much honor to our clan.”
“Honor,” replied Jeremy, knowing how important that was to the Bears.
“I also gave my approval for the joining of Belal and his chosen mate.” Belal had been the pack leader of the Bears who had served on the Distant Horizon.
Kelsey nodded. Belal had supported her when she allowed Clarissa to take command of the exploration dreadnought at the battle in the Sigma System. By giving Clarissa command of the ship, they had managed to survive until Jeremy and the rescue fleet arrived. It was the one and only time she had gone against Admiral Barnes’ orders, something she still felt extremely guilty about.
I’m sure Belal’s offspring will someday bring much honor to the clan,” Kelsey said with a smile.
“Belal has already brought much honor in seeing to your protection,” acknowledged Grayseth. “He is very proud of having served as your defender.”
Jeremy folded his arms across his chest. It was so pleasant out today. Gaia’s sun was high up in the sky, there was a light wind blowing, and a scattering of fleecy clouds. With a deep and contented sigh, Jeremy realized Gaia had become his home.
“What are we going to do about the Simulins?” asked Kevin. “We haven’t seen many of their warships since the destruction of the Dyson Sphere.”
Jeremy looked over at Kevin and replied. “I’m going to send some exploration missions seeking out the Simulin worlds. We know of some from the records of the Distant Horizon when the exploration dreadnought first arrived here in the Triangulum Galaxy. I believe the ship was unfortunate having to fly through the ma
in Simulin population area.”
“Will my ships be going out?” asked Grayseth, his large eyes gazing intently at Jeremy.
“We’ll be sending out a dozen small task groups,” Jeremy answered. “And yes, at least one of them can be Carethian.”
Grayseth nodded his head, baring his teeth in a huge smile. “It is well; my people yearn for the hunt.”
Kevin looked over at Kelsey and Katie. “When will the Dominator be leaving on its first mission?”
“Shortly,” replied Kelsey, still feeling uneasy about being the ship’s commander. “Kazak has requested we go to the blue-giant nebula so he can take some scans using the ship’s advanced sensor systems. He wants to leave as soon as possible.”
“You won’t be going alone,” Jeremy was quick to say.
He still didn’t fully trust the Originator AI, at least not until he knew for sure what was in that secret compartment in the heart of the ship. He had told no one else about his meeting at Borton and the revelation there still might be actual Originators sleeping in that hidden compartment.
-
On the Dominator, Kazak had finished running his latest computer simulations. He was beginning to grow concerned Fleet Admiral Strong was becoming suspicious. The hints had been minuscule, but some of the comments he had overheard as well as some of the questions Ariel was asking led him to believe they suspected something was amiss. It was regretful secrets had to be kept and while he owed much to the Humans and their allies, he was foremost an Originator AI. His loyalty belonged to his creators.
Standing up, Kazak left the Command Center. A few Humans were on duty and as he went through the ship, he encountered a few others. As large as the Dominator was, it was completely conceivable to walk from one end of the five-thousand-meter ship to the other and never see a living crewmember. After taking several turbo lifts and transit cars, he arrived at his destination.
The Lost Fleet: Genesis: A Slaver Wars Novel Page 14