by T. R. Harris
Escape. Escape from what? Hydon thought.
Sevan was still speaking: “The Humans have regrouped outside the damper field, and even as we speak are sending out scouts searching for survivors. I do not have much time. I am sure by this time you know of the fleet’s destruction…”
Which fleet! Human…or Juirean!
“…When the second Human fleet appeared, all of our forces were trapped at the bottom of the Kapelean Corridor. Some tried to run the damper field, but were cut down by the waiting Humans. Also, the Humans appear to have more advanced weapons which can penetrate diffusion screens with impunity. I…wait.” Sevan was handed a datapad from off screen. “I have just now received the latest screen-capture, which was taken just as we entered the asteroids. Seven hundred forty-two was the last count. That is the number of surviving Human combatants.”
The room fell graveyard quiet; stunned looks covered every face, even that of the Elder. Seven hundred forty-two Human ships!
“I will be ending this link now. I must make preparations to abandon ship. Any additional forces the Command can authorize to this region must be substantial. The Human fleet is unstoppable at this point.”
The screen went blank; no one spoke for a full minute, and then some of the lower ranking techs moved off to other stations.
When Hydon regained awareness to his surroundings he noticed that all eyes were focused on him. He could feel the muscles in his neck as they twitched, knowing that his anger was on visible display.
He turned to Fleet Marshal Relion, who seemed a half-a-head smaller this day than last. “Gather all the data you can on this battle, Relion,” Hydon growled. “I need the clearest picture of what happened as soon as possible. What assets do we have available between Falor-Kapel and here?”
The Fleet Marshal did not consult any screen or datapad. “None, my Lord – none worth mentioning. All our available forces were already deployed.”
Hydon knew his mouth had dropped open involuntarily. He quickly snapped it shut and firmed his jaw. “Have all – and I mean all – remaining military units dispatched immediately to the outer boundary. We do not know if the Humans realize how vulnerable we are to attack. Their journey could take four months, maybe more. Will that be enough time to fortify Juir, Fleet Marshal?”
Relion appeared on the verge of collapse, yet he did manage to say to the Supreme Juirean Leader, “It will have to be Elder. It will have to be.”
Chapter 63
After three hours of fighting, the battle was over. The Humans had lost seventy-four ships, plus another one hundred-two damaged to some degree – including Lee’s flagship. As best they could tell, only three Juireans had managed to escape.
If ever there had been a decisive victory, this was it.
Fortunately – and much to his relief – the section of Lee’s ship that had been struck had been unmanned at the time. It contained berthing quarters and focusing ring arrays – part of the ship’s propulsion system. With all his crew at General Quarters, no one had been in those compartments when the ship was hit. Still, two of his crew had suffered cuts and broken bones simply from the impact. When he visited the injured in the small sick bay, they had both been in great spirits, buoyed by the victory in battle they had all experienced.
Lee still kicked himself for having risked their lives. Others within the fleet were expected to be the tip of the sword – not his command ship. This was something he would have deal with, if possible. During his days of flying the single-seat F-35 Lightning II, if he was hit it would be only he who paid the price. Now he had risked his entire crew on account of his childish recklessness. He was sure his uncle would have more than a few choice words to say about the entire affair when they met for debrief.
Within an hour of the conclusion of the battle, the Humans had begun to locate the Juirean damper field satellites and disable them. Once an opening had been made in the field, the Humans bolted out of the killing field and reassembled just outside the Falor-Kapel system.
A shuttle docked with their ship, and Captain Lee Schwartz, USN, along with Tim Carlson, Second-Generation Human, were transferred to the fleet flagship, one of the KFV-D’s, a large Klin disk easily fifty times the size of their KFV-A.
Lee scaled the last ladder leading to the wardroom aboard the fleet flagship, while Tim followed closely, trying his best to keep up. Lee was operating of pure adrenaline now, having not slept in nearly forty hours. The Captain had confided in Tim, telling him that the thrill of the battle, after all the months of playing nursemaid to an ever-growing shadow fleet, had really brought out the warrior in him. And even though he fully expected to be chewed out by his uncle for having risked his life in the actual engagement, he was ready for anything the top brass wanted to throw at him.
Lee entered the wardroom after a quick knock on the door. Inside were five admirals and two generals, each with wide grins on their faces, either standing or seated – and there was champagne on the long metal table. Also, seated against a far wall was Michael Rittenberg, the senior 2G in the fleet.
Lee’s uncle, Admiral Nate Allen, noticed the young Captain immediately. “Speak of the devil, here’s the man of the hour now.”
Nearly all the senior officers gathered around him, shaking hands and patting him on the back. Tim faded into the background, letting Lee have his moment.
Nate Allen approached and gripped his nephew’s right hand tightly. “I should have you busted you all the way down to seaman-recruit for the stunt you pulled out there. You were in command, not some hotshot jet-jockey.”
“Yes, sir,” Lee said, the light in his eyes betraying the bags that had formed below them. “I couldn’t let the other guys have all the fun. Besides, I didn’t ask for the command, you just kinda laid it on me.”
“That’s true, and that is a subject for another time. But right now, great job, son. Great job. This is a victory for the record books.”
“Yeah, it worked, just like it was drawn up.”
The admiral noticed the young 2G standing against a far wall, looking out of place. “Come over here, Mr. Carlson,” he commanded warmly.
Caught off guard, Tim was embarrassed as all the eyes turned toward him. Everyone in the room was aware that he was a 2G, a Human who was not even born on the planet Earth and who had been raised by the Klin. Most native-born were very stand-offish toward his kind; Tim still had no idea why Lee insisted that he come along.
Nate shook the man’s hand vigorously. “I want to thank you for saving my nephew’s life. He told me all about it. Your quick actions and expert knowledge when encountering that fucking field saved many a life. I will be forever in your debt.”
“Eh, thank you, sir,” Tim managed to say. “Just doing my job.”
“Yes you were and a job well done. I know it hasn’t been easy for you over these past several months, but I just want you to know that you are now an honorary native-born Human, and you will always be welcomed as part of the larger Human family. It’s your actions that define you as a man, not your birthplace.”
Tim had to fight back the emotions after hearing the admiral’s words. His whole life had been a study in contradictions and lies, never settled, never feeling like he was part of – well, anything. Now, he not only had friends, respect and acceptance, he also had a home to belong to. And it was not just a house or a country, but an entire planet.
Lee stepped up to them. “What now, Admiral? Where do we go from here?”
There was a large screen on the opposite wall, displaying a bright and colorful representation of this part of the galaxy. Nate looked over at the display. “I guess that depends on where the next Juirean fleet shows up. I know they have to have more than just the one.”
Tim noticed when Rittenberg rose from his chair. As a fellow 2G, Tim had been watching him for a few moments, wondering what emotions were going through his mind as well in the aftermath of the victory over the Juireans. Now he watched as the older man moved closer to the screen.<
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“Excuse me, sir,” Rittenberg said. “As you know, I have some knowledge regarding the functioning of the Expansion.”
Nate turned to him and raised an eyebrow. “Of course I know. Please…”
Rittenberg moved to the large display, while all the scrambled eggs and silver stars gathered around him. He pointed to a spot on the display. “This is where we are now and this bright cluster near the center is the galactic core. It is a place of incredible violence and destruction, as our central black hole makes the region very unstable. There are very few habitable planets in the region, and so the galaxy is divided into two distinct sides. From what the Juireans have sent against us so far, I believe the Juireans have depleted all their available resources on this side of the galaxy in an all-out attempt to defeat you – us – here at Falor Kapel. If they had had more resources to contribute, I believe they would have already.”
“That makes sense,” said General Steven Block, USAF. “So you’re saying this side of the galaxy is more-or-less ours for the taking?”
“Pretty much, sir. However, this side of the galaxy contains most of the unsettled sectors of the Expansion and has always required more military resources to keep them in line. The other side is where the Expansion has been established the longest. Peace has reigned there much longer.”
“Are you saying that the Juireans may not have that many more assets to throw against us?” Nate asked, incredulously. “They’re a god-damn galactic empire, for Christ’s sake! They have to have more than one fleet.”
“You must remember, sir, that another five hundred ships were destroyed off the Earth, plus another eight hundred or so since the start of this campaign. That may not sound like a lot for something as large as the Expansion, but the Juireans have not had to fight a major war in over a thousand years or so, and nothing as serious as this one – well, ever. They simply have not had the need for more military assets.”
“Unbelievable,” Nate Allen said. “I’m not saying you’re right, Mr. Rittenberg, but if you are, then we’ve just about got this war won.”
“Sir, the Juireans will recover, in time. They still have incredible industrial capabilities and trillions upon trillions of beings from which to recruit.”
“We can’t let them do that, Admiral,” Lee threw in. “If we rest now, and simply consolidate our holdings on this side of the galaxy, it will give the bastards time to recover.”
“Agreed,” said Admiral Allen. “But we need a target, and it doesn’t look like the Juireans will be able to provide us with one for quite a while.”
“There is one, sir,” Tim said, speaking up finally. All eyes turned to him.
“Where?”
He walked over to the large screen; Rittenberg stepped out of him way. Tim then placed his finger on a point on the other side of the galactic core. “Right here.”
Everyone in the room leaned in for a closer look.
“Where is that?” the admiral asked.
“It’s the planet Juir.”
Chapter 64
Jonnif of the Kracori, Commander of the Ludif Forces operating with the Klin, was as furious as he could get without being engaged in a death-frenzy. His two loyal assistants, Kolif and Bulinif were equally upset. The Humans had managed to thwart years of planning in the span of three hours, destroying a Juirean fleet and revealing an unbeatable force that could now run rampant throughout this part of the galaxy.
The three Kracori were in Joniff’s private chambers aboard the Klin flagship, trying to sort out their options in the face of this staggering new reality.
“The Klin have completely underestimated the Humans, and this breakdown has jeopardized all of our plans as well,” Jonnif declared.
Bulinif dropped heavily onto the couch and kicked a leg up on the arm rest. “The Klin are the weak-links here. They have procrastinated for generations in taking the initiative against the Juireans and their obsession with the Humans has now cost us the advantage.”
“You speak the truth, Bulinif,” Jonnif said. He had pulled an intoxicant from the wall dispenser and downed the drink in a single gulp. The strong liquid would clear his head in a moment or two. “I’m afraid it is now obvious that the Klin have outlived their usefulness. They promised us a share of the entire Expansion, and they cannot even deliver on part of it. And now they have armed and trained an opposition force greater than even the Juireans. I see no reason to continue with this charade.”
Kolif downed his own intoxicant and then slammed the glass down on the table before him. “Agreed. The Klin are so few anyway that they would have been of no help in any major battle. The legend of the Klin was to provide us with the credibility necessary to rule, but now it is the legend of Earth that must be overcome.”
Jonnif suddenly stood up from where he sat and activated the monitor that made up a good portion of the tabletop where Kolif sat. He leaned over the display. Bulinif rose from the couch and joined his two companions, now huddled over the table. Jonnif pulled up a representation of the central region of the galaxy and placed his finger on a point just above the galactic core.
“Juir is the key, my Ludifs. Whoever controls Juir controls the Expansion.”
“This is true, Jonnif, but the Humans now have an open corridor all the way there,” Bulinif said. “It was our plan all along. Once the Humans and Juireans were destroyed, we could then run straight to the planet with very little resistance, arriving long before the Juireans could recover. Now we cannot do that.”
“And why not?” Jonnif asked. “The Humans are neophytes in the ways of the Expansion. They may not even know that their path is clear.”
Bulinif’s eyes grew wide. “That is correct! They have won a battle here, but they may not even realize that the war is essentially won. Now all they need to do is move on Juir.”
“And that is all we have to do, as well. The first force to reach Juir – and destroy the capital of the Expansion – can claim the mantel of ruler of the new Expansion, or whatever the Ludif Assembly will choose to call it.” He grinned at his two companions. “And without the Klin to restrict our operations, we will be free to rebuild the galaxy into whatever form we choose.”
“What of the Humans?” Kolif asked. “Even with the Juireans and the Klin defeated, there would still be a powerful force left to challenge our authority.”
“This is true, my Ludif. The Humans will have to be dealt with, that is a certainty. However, our priority should now be to beat them to the planet Juir. We may not have the strength to defeat their fleet, but we do have ample power to lay waste to the home of the Juirean scum.”
“And the Klin?”
Jonnif smiled again. “Let a purge of our own begin. Just as the Humans have recently discovered, they are of no further use to us. Assemble the fleet – and set a course for Juir!”
Chapter 65
Juirean Overlord Anawar Fe Batlin looked over the shoulder of the screen operator and frowned. “Are you sure?” he asked the nervous Fenwolenese, squirming in his chair.
“Yes, my Lord. It matches the signature we now have in our database. It is definitely a Klin – or I mean – a Human spacecraft.”
“Cluster the ships on my location, we are going to investigate. Raise the shields and charge the launchers,” The Overlord returned to his command chair, both shocked and surprised that he would find such a vessel so far above the ecliptic plane. From his understanding, all the Human battle forces were concentrated in Region Six and well within the plane.
This fact was actually the reason Anawar was where he was at the time. He had been tasked with rounding up all available Juirean military craft from the outlying systems, no matter how small or insignificant those vessels may be. He was then to escort them Juir; the Authority was in the process of consolidating all available forces there, either as a buffer against the advancing Humans, or as the core of a new fleet to be sent against them.
Anawar’s picking had been sparse, and to date he had acquired only t
wo aging Class-3’s, four small Enforcers and four other craft that had been originally merchant vessels, yet now carried single bolt launchers on their bows. It wasn’t much, but it was all the isolated and nearly-forgotten Members of the outer Expansion had to offer.
The fact that a Klin-built ship – whether manned by Klin or Humans – had been detected this far from the battle theater raised a variety of concerns for the aging Overlord.
First, this could mean that his small force may have actually stumbled upon the location of the secret hiding place of the evil Klin. Like all Juireans, Anawar had been overcome with emotion when it had been confirmed that the Klin actually did still exist, and that for four thousand years they had been planning their revenge against the Juirean race. And now that the war had begun, the Klin were proving that they had found the perfect surrogates with which to carry out their evil deeds in the form of the barbaric Humans.
The other possibility was that this ship was not operating alone, and that the Humans were attempting to outflank the Expansion by traveling into its heart from above the ecliptic plane. Yet so far, no other gravity signatures had been detected. This ship appeared to be traveling alone.
Anwar’s options were obvious, in light of the overwhelming advantage in firepower he had over this single vessel. He could simply blow the ship to atoms, or he could have it submit and take the crew as prisoners. The second possibility was preferred. Acquiring an intact Klin spacecraft – along with its crew – could be very valuable to the technicians and analysts within the Authority.
Whether or not he could take the ship captive or not would depend on the course of action its crew chose to take. If they elected to stand and fight, then he would surely destroy the ship. If they succumbed, then he would accept their surrender.
On the forward screen, Anawar could see his small fleet form up to the rear of the contact. They would overtake it in less than ten minutes at their current velocity. The choice as to whether they lived or died now rested in the hands of the crew of the small saucer-shaped vessel.