“Detecting sensor scans!” added Lieutenant Burke. “The Simulins are scanning us.”
“Hyperdrive is activating,” Captain Adams reported as a swirling vortex formed in front of the Dominator.
“Five seconds to missile impact,” called out Major Donaldson.
Kelsey knew the missile was equipped with a miniaturized gravity drive that was far faster than a normal sublight missile. Her eyes focused on the blue-white planet and then she saw a sudden flash of very intense light. For a moment, the planet seemed as if it would stay intact, but then it blew apart in a titanic explosion. The orbiting warships and cargo ships were instantly annihilated as the debris field was pushed outward from the fiery ruins of the planet. Kelsey’s heart skipped a beat, knowing nearly two billion Simulin lives had just been snuffed out. Her breath caught in her throat as she forced herself to swallow.
“Planet confirmed destroyed,” reported Lieutenant Burke in a stunned voice. “Orbiting ships and infrastructure are also gone.”
“Entering hyperspace,” Captain Adams added as the Dominator accelerated and entered the safety of the vortex.
Kelsey was still finding it hard to breathe. In just a few seconds, they had destroyed an inhabited Simulin world. By this action, she wondered if they were any better than the Simulins. By destroying an entire world, had they descended to the same level of barbarism as their enemy? Drawing in a sharp breath, she knew only future historians would decide.
-
Three days later on board the Avenger. “Exiting hyperspace in twenty seconds,” reported Ensign Striker from Navigation.
“Sensors are showing an expanding debris field where the system’s fourth planet should be,” reported Kevin in a subdued voice. “There are also a number of Simulin vessels in the vicinity and throughout the system. The Dominator’s already been here and gone.”
Jeremy nodded. From what Ariel had calculated, they were about seventy hours behind the Originator ship. “As soon as we drop out of hyperspace I want detailed scans of the system. Search for any wreckage that might indicate the Dominator was damaged. Once the scans are complete, I want us back in hyperspace.”
“An entire planet wiped out,” said Commander Malen in awe. “I never imagined such a thing.”
“Dropout,” reported Ensign Striker. “The rest of the fleet is dropping out as well.”
“Sensor contacts,” called out Kevin. “None within combat range.”
Ariel was busy using the ship’s sensors to search for any wreckage of the Dominator though she was confident they wouldn’t find any. “No sign of wreckage from the Originator ship, though I am finding debris from hundreds of Simulin warships. They must have been in orbit when the planet was destroyed.”
“How many Simulins were on the planet?” asked Jeremy. He knew that information was in the data Kazak had sent them from the computers on the Simulin battlecruiser.
“One point eight billion,” Ariel replied. “There’s another eighty million scattered about the system on bases and mining operations.”
“Many of those may not survive,” Commander Malen said as she studied the data. “The loss of the fourth planet will affect the entire system.”
“Simulin vessels have detected us,” reported Kevin. “I’m detecting energy buildups.”
“Stand by to jump.”
Jeremy had earlier brought the fleet out of hyperspace sixteen light years away from this system. He had allowed the drive cores a maximum cool down time so they could make a quick exit if necessary. They would now jump twenty light years, then drop out of hyperspace and allow for cool down of the drive cores as well as recalibration of the hyperdrives if necessary. He had no intention of becoming involved in combat with the Simulins.
“Simulins are jumping,” warned Commander Malen as a warning alarm began sounding.
“Take us back into hyperspace,” Jeremy ordered as he leaned back in his command chair. “Ariel, plot the fleet a course to the Simulin capital world. At some point, the Dominator is going to show up there. We’ll wait nearby until they do.”
“What are you going to do when we catch up to Kazak?” asked Kevin. He was greatly concerned since Katie and Kelsey were on board the ship.
“I’m not sure,” answered Jeremy. “I have an idea, I’m just not certain if it will work.”
-
Supreme High Commander Callat looked at the latest report from the Dranlon System. Four billion dead, the planet destroyed, and three hundred warships annihilated in the planetary explosion. Five planets in ten days and fourteen billion Simulin lives lost.
“We must stop the ship of the Sphere Builders,” High Commander Faberh said, his voice in near panic. “Never in our long history have we suffered such losses.”
“We can’t,” Callat responded harshly. “The ship only stays in the systems long enough to launch its missile and then it reenters hyperspace before we can attack it. Every attempt to meet it in combat has failed.”
“Then we must learn to shoot down the missiles!” Faberh said, his eyes flashing with fear.
“Not possible,” Callat answered in a cold voice. “Our weapons can’t lock onto the missiles. They’re made of some type of alloy that confuses our targeting sensors. They also move at such a high speed interception is impossible.”
“So, what are we to do?”
“I’ve gathered the majority of our remaining fleets here at Malkor and Tranton,” Callat replied as he thought over the strategy he had come up with after consulting the battle computer. “When the ancient ship appears, we will fire every missile we can in its path. Perhaps if we detonate them all, we can eliminate the world-destroying missile before it strikes Malkor. I have also given the order for two hundred battlecruisers to be prepared to jump to the ship’s coordinates in an attempt to ram and destroy the vessel. If we can destroy the first missile, then just maybe we can buy the time we need to destroy the ancient ship.”
“It is a good strategy,” conceded High Commander Faberh. “There can be none but Simulin.”
“None but Simulin,” replied Callat. However, he was beginning to realize this galaxy might be different. If he was not successful in destroying the ancient ship of the Sphere Builders, then this galaxy might see the end of the Simulins, who had come to conquer it.
-
Kelsey watched the swirling purple colors on the large viewscreen. While the screen had been darkened so the effect would not be so pronounced, she took comfort in knowing the ship was safe in hyperspace.
“We’re nearly there,” said Katie from her computer console. “The data from the Simulin battlecruiser indicates the system ahead is where their last remaining Supreme High Commander is located.”
“It is also the seat of their government,” Mikow added. “They have formed a new Grand Council to represent the Simulin worlds in this galaxy.”
Kelsey felt numb from the worlds they had destroyed. Billions of Simulins had been killed and nearly two thousand of their warships destroyed. Kelsey knew it was something that would haunt her for the rest of her life. She also was frightened of what Jeremy would say when he found out what the Dominator had done.
“Will this ultimatum work?” she asked, looking over at Andram. The esteemed Alton scientist had been very quiet recently, no doubt due to the death and destruction the Dominator was dishing out. His face was paler than normal, and Kelsey knew he wasn’t eating well.
“It might,” Andram said slowly. “The Simulins are not tolerant of other races. However, they have never been in this situation before. They are cut off from reinforcements from the other Dyson Spheres, at least for the foreseeable future. They’re on their own and Kazak has demonstrated he has the power to destroy them.”
“But we only have two dark matter missiles left,” Katie said. “We don’t have the missiles to destroy all of their worlds.”
“They don’t know that,” Kelsey said. “Besides, Kazak could always take the Dominator back to the blue-giant nebula and g
et more dark matter.”
-
Callat watched as the ancient ship of the Sphere Builders dropped out of hyperspace just outside of weapons range of the two thousand Simulin warships that he had gathered to destroy the vessel. They had detected it minutes before as it approached.
“They haven’t launched their missile,” High Commander Faberh reported in confusion.
“They’re sending us a message,” the Simulin officer in front of Communications reported.
“Send it to my console,” ordered Callat, wondering what type of strategy this was. The battle computer had predicted they would launch their missile as soon as the ship exited the spatial vortex.
“I am Kazak,” a powerful male voice spoke over the comm. “I am a creation of the Originators or the builders of the Great Spheres as you call them.”
Callat knew from the sound of the voice this Kazak was not one to be trifled with. “What do you want? Have you come to destroy this system as you have the others?”
“That is up to you,” Kazak responded. “I have the power to destroy every one of your worlds. It is up to you if I use that power.”
“Battlecruisers are ready,” reported High Commander Faberh.
Callat nodded. “Send them!” Then over the comm he added in an uncompromising voice. “There can be none but Simulin!” As his words faded, two hundred Simulin battlecruisers jumped to the location of the ancient ship with one simple order. Ram and destroy it!
-
On the Dominator, alarms sounded as the ship suddenly came under attack.
“I have two hundred Simulin battlecruisers exiting hyperspace nearly on top of us,” warned Lieutenant Burke, her face turning pale. “They’re already within weapons range.”
“Gravitonic cannons firing,” reported Major Donaldson as his hands flew over his tactical console. “Antimatter cannons online and firing.”
On the large viewscreen, space became lit up with massive explosions as Simulin battlecruisers were blown apart from the deadly weapons fire before their energy screens could come online.
“Missile launch,” reported Major Donaldson in surprise. “What the hell? That missile just jumped into hyperspace.”
“Hyperspace?” Kelsey said in confusion as she felt the Dominator vibrate slightly from multiple antimatter strikes to its energy shield.
“Yes,” answered Kazak, his face showing anger. “I am disappointed to report the Simulins cannot be reasoned with, so I am taking the only means available to make them understand the error of the route they have chosen. They will pay a high price for their treachery.”
On the massive viewscreen, gravitonic cannon fire slammed into an inbound Simulin battlecruiser, setting off massive explosions before the ship was obliterated. Another battlecruiser vanished in a fiery explosion as an antimatter beam swept across it.
“Sixty-two Simulin battlecruisers are down,” reported Lieutenant Burke breathlessly.
“They’re coming in too fast,” warned Andram. “We’re not going to be able to get them all.”
“Firing primary weapon,” Kazak said calmly.
On the hull of the Dominator, massive hatches slid open. From each a blue sphere of energy leaped forth, targeting the inbound Simulin vessels. The energy spheres stuck the Simulins’ energy shields, draining them, and then latched onto the ships themselves. In moments, they were turned into drifting fields of black space dust.
Suddenly the Dominator shook violently and the lights dimmed.
“What happened?” demanded Kelsey, looking over at Kazak.
“Power is out except for batteries,” answered Kazak, his face showing disbelief. “The Simulins tried to jump a pair of their battlecruisers into our exact coordinates. Due to the nature of hyperspace, all three vessels were violently repelled away from one another. Unfortunately, it caused a power drain. It will take a few minutes before full power is restored; time we don’t have.”
“Why?” asked Kelsey, feeling a cold chill run through her.
“Look at the screen,” Andram said in a stunned voice.
On the screen, the system’s sun seemed to shrink in on itself and then suddenly began to rapidly expand. It had gone nova!
“That’s where the missile went,” Kelsey said in sudden realization. With deep sadness, she knew she would never see Jeremy again. She and Katie were destined to die here in this system thousands of light years away from Gaia.
“I have three ships exiting hyperspace near us!” reported Lieutenant Burke excitedly. “It’s the Avenger and two Alton battleships.”
“I have Fleet Admiral Strong on the comm,” reported Lieutenant Mickelson. “They recognize our power problem and the two Alton battleships are going to use their tractor beams to pull us into hyperspace.”
Kelsey felt faint as if she were about to pass out. Jeremy was here and he was going to take them to safety.
“Tractor beams have us,” Andram confirmed. “We’re moving.”
A few minutes later, the Dominator, the Avenger, and the two Alton battleships fled into the safety of hyperspace as the nova swept through the system.
-
Simulin High Commander Callat watched dispassionately as the nova swept toward Malkor and his fleet. Already the disturbance in hyperspace had made it impossible for most of his ships to escape. Those that could were making emergency hyperspace jumps to Tranton.
“We die,” spoke High Commander Faberh.
“Yes, we die,” answered Callat as the nova swept across Malkor, turning it into a lifeless cinder.
He knew that with the destruction of Malkor and most of the ships he had brought here, the Simulin conquest of this galaxy had most likely come to an end. They no longer had the forces to stand up to the Fitula organics, particularly if they had the ancient ship on their side. Closing his eyes, he stood defiantly as the nova incinerated his ship.
The last Simulin Supreme High Commander in the Triangulum Galaxy was dead.
Epilogue
Admiral Race Tolsen was in Fleet Admiral Nagumo’s office at New Tellus Station. Former Fleet Admiral Hedon Streth as well as Alton Ambassador Tureen were there as well. They had just finished watching the Dyson Sphere destroy the Shari and Simulin fleets on a viewscreen.
“The power of that weapon is unbelievable,” commented Admiral Nagumo, his face wrinkled in a frown. “Is there any chance of anyone ever returning there?”
“No,” answered Ambassador Tureen. “The Shari have grudgingly agreed to allow a joint fleet of Federation and Shari vessels to patrol the Rylus Star Cluster to keep all vessels away from the Dyson Sphere.”
“That’s progress,” muttered Admiral Nagumo. “At least the Shari are talking to us now.”
“No ships will be allowed to come nearer than one light year to the megastructure,” Tureen continued. “Both the Federation and the Shari will have several science ships which will continually monitor the Dyson Sphere for any additional signs of activity. They have also agreed to allow us access to the ancient ruins on the former Originator worlds as long as we share the results of our research.”
“What about Captain Abrams and the exploratory team?”
“Unknown,” Race answered. It had bothered him immensely to leave them behind, but Reesa had made it very clear they were never to return. “The exploration cutter is still down on the surface. If at some point in time they can talk the Originator AIs into allowing them to leave, they will have a way to come home.”
“Originator AIs,” Nagumo said, shaking his head. “I still can’t believe they exist. The science and technology locked away on that Dyson Sphere could move us ahead tens of thousands of years.”
“Best left alone,” former Fleet Admiral Streth said. “We’re not ready for that type of technology. We’re talking to the Shari now and the Hocklyn Empire is no more. The galaxy is changing and it’s changing for the better. The technology on the Dyson Sphere would throw everything into chaos.”
“There are still the Borzon and
the Ralift on the far side of the galaxy,” Nagumo reminded Hedon. “We’ve already had a few problems with the Borzon and the Ralift are still relatively unknown.”
Hedon allowed himself to smile. For months now, his sleep had been free of premonitions. It was as if the danger for the Milky Way Galaxy had finally receded. “Without the AIs, I suspect those empires will pose less danger as time goes on. Look at the Shari, for example.”
“Fleet Admiral Streth is correct,” Ambassador Tureen said with a nod of his head. “They’ve agreed to accept a Federation emissary and we will be allowing a Shari representative to come here. In time, I suspect we can resolve most of our differences.”
-
After the meeting was over Fleet Admiral Streth and Admiral Tolsen walked together toward one of the station’s flight bays. Hedon was returning to Maken where Janice was waiting along with their daughter. Hedon suspected it would be quite some time before he ever left his home planet again.
“Race, what are your plans?”
Race smiled. “As long as you don’t have any more of those damn premonitions I have a lot of accumulated leave time I plan on using. Massie and I are going to go visit our parents at Ceres, and we may all do some traveling together. Our mother wants to come here to New Tellus and visit the resorts.”
“Family,” Hedon said with a nod. “That’s what all of this has been about. Keeping our people safe and trying to make the galaxy a better place for everyone.”
For the first time in years, Hedon felt at peace with himself. He knew that while it wasn’t a premonition, the threat from the Simulins had been removed. He wished he could see Admiral Strong and the rest of the Special Five one last time, but he knew that wasn’t in the cards. A premonition from years back had told him he would never see the five again.
-
The Dominator was back in orbit around Gaia and Jeremy, Andram, Kelsey, and Kazak were standing in front of the hidden compartment deep within the ship. Kazak had agreed to reveal his secret after Jeremy jumped in with the Avenger and the two Alton battleships saving the Originator ship from certain destruction. They had barely escaped as the nova encompassed the system.
The Lost Fleet: Genesis: A Slaver Wars Novel Page 31