by David Buck
‘I thank you for your attention to the Deltas Vass courtesy forms. You may withdraw with my blessing and I thank you for your visit. The information you have supplied has been most illuminating.’
The station master remained silent and gave another formal bow as he backed slowly away from the clearing, before he led his six marines back to their landing shuttle some distance away across a grassy field.
The matriarch watched the Cephrit leave the clearing, and outlaid both an observation and a careful set of orders towards a couple of her senior drones, as she lovingly caressed the sleeping form of her daughter.
‘The station master is relieved we are not responsible for the Voorde infestations, though he is concerned about the Dradfer worlds and this new race known as humans. Interestingly he did not mention the Zronte edicts and this is troubles me deeply. I want an increased trade delegation sent to his star base so we can keep an eye on him. Also I want a patrol sweep on the edge of Jerecab space, as I am now sure they are up to something.’
The matriarch settled back to further evaluate the tense meeting with the station master, as her young daughter detected her anxiety and briefly stirred.
The Cephrit station master felt relief as he settled back into the rear of the shuttle. A junior male intelligence officer seated at his pilot console eyed him carefully before the station master spoke in a firm chirr of triumph.
‘Well the matriarch is almost definitely the life chapter matriarch, though I will not be telling the Vorinne that piece of information. If they eventually rend her down for her sap it will not be by my actions. I did see a young princess with her, so no doubt she is either concerned about her own life or she has a special project in mind, or both. We have plenty to report to the fleet master when we return home, so we should analyse a recording made by one of our marines….’
The two male Cephrit continued their analysis as the shuttle reached space and chased down the single Cephrit cruiser in orbit around the planet. The cruiser wasted no time in leaving the star system, and as it left a cloaked Deltas Vass ship stealthily trailed the larger ship out of the system.
***
Chapter 5
High Admiral Biruldesec sat tiredly in his command couch as further reports came in from his remaining squadron commanders. The Tilmud had recently lost several previously well-hidden repair bases scattered across their frontier with the Cephrit. The admiral had taken to splitting his frigates into a dozen sections of three or four squadrons each that conducted covert raids deep inside Cephrit space. However, this tactic had begun to backfire recently, as already four full sections had been ambushed and then badly mauled by equal numbers of the larger Cephrit cruisers.
Fleet Captain Pavuldesec, the admiral’s trusted flag officer and third in command of the fleet, spoke tersely from across the bridge, even if by custom he avoided eye contact.
‘Admiral, I seek permission to speak sir.’
The captain continued after Biruldesec raised a tired massive paw in assent as he resigned himself to further bad news in the combat reports.
‘Sir the first reports of the latest Cephrit ambush on the contested systems have arrived by messenger probe.’
The admiral flinched as the data was relayed to his own console and he identified something he had feared would happen and now voiced.
‘So Fleet Captain Fidaldesec has been killed to add to our increasing losses of frigates. Pavuldesec, you are now my second in command and shortly you will leave for another frigate. Now first send the following via a message probe to my brother Tanuldesec.’
Biruldesec paused for a moment as he shifted his spined bulk around to face the recorder on the view screen. He grunted loudly in impatience, and the recording light on the view screen then activated as he spoke.
‘Tanuldesec, we have lost Fidaldesec as second and Pavuldesec replaces him. More importantly, we have now lost three full sections over the last four months. You are raised to Fleet Captain and are now third in command of the fleet. You are to withdraw from the Jerecab zone and protect our core worlds. If we both fall out here you are to use your own discretion on surrendering, and I place emphasis on your discretion. Good luck brother and please continue to look after Giruldesec.’
Pavuldesec advised the message probe was sent before he unhurriedly vacated his own command console after promoting a young lieutenant to acting flag officer. In moments one of the few remaining undamaged Tilmud frigates was alongside and the fleet captain transferred his flag across.
Admiral Biruldesec now looked over his sector plan in both frustration and sadness. The new flag officer anxiously glanced sideways at the silent admiral but wisely remained silent. Biruldesec wasted no further time as he keyed the ship deployments himself into the tactical display. In moments the admiral had a dozen damaged ships formed up around his flagship, and the ragtag collection slowly moved out of the star system for hyper jump points leading to Cephrit space. The view screen came online as Pavuldesec reached his new command and hurriedly reacted to news of the latest deployment.
‘Biruldesec, the next system over is full of Cephrit cruisers and we all need to leave this system before they arrive here. Yet you take our most damaged ships forward?’
Biruldesec was too tired to berate the only real friend he had left in the fleet for his lack of protocol. Besides, he wanted Pavuldesec to perform one last duty as he wearily replied in an informal manner.
‘Pavuldesec, take the bulk of the remaining fleet to the rear deployment zone before they head home. You are to cover the withdrawal with your own damaged ships personally. I will go forward with our damaged ships and offer to surrender unconditionally. Remember to offer surrender at every opportunity and good luck Captain.’
The two Tilmud senior commanders locked eyes across the video link and Pavuldesec noted the steely resolution of the admiral even as he briefly replied.
‘I understand sir, farewell and good luck Admiral.’
The video link was broken and Biruldesec quietly sat back to review what he could of the situation. The bulk of the fleet was still a few hours from making the hyper drive jump to safety even as his small collection of damaged ships headed in the opposite direction. The admiral was resigned to his fate for he knew that his own race would turn on him very soon if demanded to do so by the victorious Cephrit.
The admiral paused for a moment and tried to relax, as unbidden thoughts came to mind of his family. He remembered with pride how his senior wife had presented him with his surviving son, Giruldesec, all those years ago. He also remembered with sadness the losses of his other sons in futile combat raids into Cephrit territory.
‘It would not be long now…’ he quietly evaluated as by habit he checked the readiness of the frigate and transferred control of the combat lasers to his own command console. The new flag officer again nervously eyed him across the bridge and Biruldesec knew that further young Tilmud lives would be lost today as he curtly gave orders around his bridge.
‘Communications, start broadcasting the standard non aggression and unconditional surrender clauses. Also, paint this ship as the fleet flagship on the navigation output, as the time for subterfuge is over. Weapons officer, I have the guns and you are to help engineering with engines and shields. We will likely die this day but so be it…’
Biruldesec sadly looked again at the rest of his fleet across the star system. He noted with approval that Pavuldesec had released a second message probe, undoubtedly heading for the admiral’s distant brother with further updates. The fleet captain was obviously forming up his own grouping of damaged ships to cover the withdrawal of the remaining fleet of undamaged ships and supply lifters.
Biruldesec’s contemplation was broken by harsh hisses of fright and fear from the tactical officer on his bridge.
‘Admiral, the Cephrit have just arrived from hyper space three million kilometres in front of us. I estimate their numbers at over thirty cruisers plus support ships sir.’
The small
number of Tilmud ships continued to close the newly arrived Cephrit ships and Biruldesec calmly addressed his communications officer again.
‘So are you getting a response on our standard messages?’
With the answer in the negative, the Tilmud admiral paused in thought for a moment and then addressed the view screen after pressing the all ships button on his own command console.
‘Attention all ships, I have offered to surrender but the Cephrit still attack. We are not in their space and we withdraw the bulk of our fleet. It has been an honour to serve with you all, and commanders you have your last orders. Good luck.’
The view screen now changed to show a large Cephrit cruiser bridge and a senior male Cephrit secured in his own command couch. A series of rasps and agitated clicks erupted across the bridge as the Tilmud high admiral now spoke again.
‘Station master, or should I say fleet master. We are surrendering and now withdrawing from near your worlds. Please break off your attacks as I offer to personally surrender…..’
A series of rasps and agitated clicks, but not chirrs, continued from the Cephrit cruiser’s bridge before the fleet master finally loudly spoke.
‘Admiral, we consider your words to be lies and that you seek to trap us. We think that you are on the far side of the system with the bulk of your ships.’
Biruldesec noted that the tactical officer looked directly into his eyes in cold anger as the communications link was broken, and he sternly dressed the junior officer down.
‘Well they seek to kill us today and you have no hope of living if you challenge me now.’
The tactical officer grunted in resignation and avoided looking at his admiral, before he doubled down over his console, even as targeting reports showed that the first Cephrit ships would be in extreme range in minutes. The bridge view screen came alive again as the Cephrit fleet master spoke again.
‘Death to the treacherous Tilmud, destroy the small group of ships first then the rest of the fleet and the despised High Admiral. Remember the great many lives of our race lost in over a hundred years of war.’
Further clicks and scrapes echoed across from the bridge of the Cephrit cruiser as Admiral Biruldesec now replied in snorting contempt.
‘Well no chirrs of compliance to edicts are heard from the bugs. You have larger numbers of bigger ships, so let us have at it then insect.’
Biruldesec plotted firing solutions to the lead Cephrit ship, even as he noted one of their own ships was now painted as their flagship on the navigation display. He altered his orders slightly and the two fleets continued to close. The squat and rectangular Cephrit ships attempted to ignore his own ships and push past to attack the larger numbers of Tilmud ships across the far side of the star system. The admiral merely ensured all his own ships attacked the Cephrit flagship, and in moments, the other cruisers were altering course to fall back and protect their fleet master. Biruldesec gave his final orders as a series of explosions rocked his flagship.
‘Continue firing all weapons at the flagship, ignore the screening cruisers. We need to buy time for the remaining ships in our fleet to flee….’
The admiral fired another series of laser blasts from the heavy main lasers on the frigate, and he noted with satisfaction that the cruiser appeared to be slowing and that the cruiser’s shields were weakening. Another series of loud explosions then tore at his frigate even as he could see that most of his damaged Tilmud ships had already been destroyed. Suddenly a flare of light erupted on his bridge as the shields failed and Biruldesec had a fleeting final sensation of terrific heat, as his body was blown apart when the frigate exploded.
The fleet master felt a relief as the final Tilmud frigate exploded and his own flagship dropped back to the rear of the Cephrit formation. Three other damaged cruisers hung back with him as the rest of the Cephrit formation drove at high speed across the star system at the larger concentration of Tilmud ships. After two hours another Tilmud communications message was received on the Cephrit flagship.
‘Fleet Captain Pavuldesec and I now command the Tilmud fleet. We surrender and we even now leave for our home systems. The war is over fleet master and we beg that you do not attack our ships any further.’
The fleet master quietly appraised the message before he offered a measured reply full of clicks and rasps of rage.
‘I have fury with your continued existence Captain, for are you not the butcher who killed the colonists on four of our colonies? We will kill all Tilmud we can today as a result.’
Pavuldesec quietly gave his own orders and turned his frigate, along with a dozen ships of his rear guard, towards the onrushing larger ships of the Cephrit.
After several more minutes, a series of blasts lashed the Tilmud smaller ships as the larger Cephrit weapons found range first. Once again Tilmud ships exploded, as the concentrated laser cannon fire methodically overwhelmed the outsized shields of the smaller but stoutly build ships.
Pavuldesec ordered his ships to close as quickly as possible, and a series of smaller blasts slowed the Cephrit cruisers as the Tilmud weapons finally found their own range. The hopelessly one sided encounter continued for several more minutes, even as the last of the now distant fleeing Tilmud ships now left the star system for the temporary safety of hyper space.
The final three Tilmud frigates in the rear guard exploded, and Pavuldesec died experiencing the same sensations as Biruldesec, with the last surviving frigate exploded around him in an avalanche of heat and light.
The Cephrit fleet master recalled all his ships and after several hours, they left the star system for the safety of their own star systems in the opposite direction. Idly he considered the likely reaction of the Vorinne second envoy to his tardy acceptance of the Tilmud offer to surrender. However he found that he no longer cared, for could successfully argue that he had not attacked the core Tilmud systems. The fleet master realized how tired he felt as he addressed his fleet of cruisers.
‘Today the long war with the Tilmud has ended with the deaths of senior Tilmud fleet officers and the losses of numbers of their ships. We return to our forward zones to be ready to intercept any further attacks from the Tilmud, however unlikely that is to occur. Send the order recalling all fleets to the forward deployment zones.’
In minutes a series of long-range message probes were launched, and they preceded the larger Cephrit ships as they left the star system. At the two sites of the recent space battles, the fragmented wreckage of Tilmud ships and a few dead Tilmud spun slowly through the dimly lit blackness of space.
***
Altarebe cautiously nosed forward from out behind the non-descript small asteroid he hiding behind and slowly edged into open space. He verified that both his shields and cloak were working correctly, as he again anxiously scanned the far side of the system. He kept quiet as he moved further across the system away from the locations of both his hiding spot and his resting father.
After three hours, he received a weak coded transmission that he recognised as coming from the Sspol envoy’s cruiser. In minutes he had accelerated to the course and heading specified by Drannep and he found time to relax for about three hours. After Altarebe arrived at the required rendezvous point, he flipped end over and applied a braking thrust for several seconds, as he sat back to wait patiently with just his cloak and shields operational.
Altarebe did not have long to wait, as the area of space outward of the system shimmered for several seconds before a Sspol cruiser and a smaller Maveen gate ship uncloaked and slowed to meet him. In moments, Drannep was addressing him in a good-natured way.
‘I trust we are not interrupting your busy existence; Altarebe, we bring old friends and have a surprise onboard for you.’
Altarebe was both diplomatic and light hearted in his response as he uncloaked.
‘I watch the formation of new worlds as my father recovers, but little else; Drannep, I thank your race for your efforts.’
Two smaller Maveen probes undocked from
the Maveen gate ship now re-introduced themselves as both the Earth probe and the Dradfer probe, with the Earth probe now taking charge of the meeting in space.
‘Altarebe, we are no longer running ancient compliance so do not try to change our instructions. We insist that you follow our instructions and advice to the best of your abilities.’
The Earth probe waited patiently for a response and Altarebe had the good sense to remain diplomatic.
‘Well Earth probe, I will have to get used to your literal tone and besides you obviously have a plan in place. So what is this surprise you have for me?’
The Earth probe merely passed the agreed signal to Drannep, and in minutes, the envoy had the Sspol cruiser unloading their mysterious cargo. Altarebe ran his critical external sensors over what initially appeared to be an oddly shaped and outsized cargo sled that was big enough to carry a frigate, before he spoke again in encrypted channel for only the benefit of only the Maveen.
‘So we have a sled that can carry either me or even a gate ship, and how does this craft help me land on Earth?’
The smaller Maveen probe merely edged over to the now isolated sled, before he quickly docked with the unusual device and spoke again.
‘Now watch closely Altarebe as the sled has powerful engines, excellent shields and a superb cloaking mechanism. Also it has a high speed airfoil wing to allow hyper sonic flight in the Earth’s atmosphere.’
Altarebe watched with increasing gratitude and respect, as the Maveen sled was piloted across space in front of him at high speed and with great agility. He watched as the sled cloaked and uncloaked rapidly, and he noted he could see no energy spikes at even close range when this change occurred. The young ancient was effusive in his praise to the Maveen Earth probe as the sled came to a stop in front of him.
‘Earth probe, I am both humbled and honoured that the Maveen would go to such trouble for your old masters. Indeed this craft must represent the pinnacle of recent military research by your race. Please be aware of my gratitude for the efforts of the Maveen.’