by David Buck
‘Your grace, Omerio is now a fleet commander and I understand his days as a solo flyer have been curtailed as a result. I do understand he previously found out supporting information on both the Voorde Scourge and the Traders that greatly aided our efforts at Earth.’
The mention of Earth again had the attention of the Vorinne lord and he gave her another appraising glance that made Gindane very nervous. Thatak’siema laughed at her discomfort and offered an observation of her own.
‘Gindane, Lord Malang’troh is an avid military historian and the recent ‘Baredio’s folly’ at Earth is of considerable interest to him. You will of course join us for a meal tomorrow night and he can obtain the perspective of a Barus commander actually on the bridge of the Barus flag ship during the battle.’
The invitation was actually an order, but Gindane gave no sign of refusal as she calmly spoke again.
‘Your grace, I would be honoured to accept and I will prepare what records I still possess for a presentation.’
Thatak’siema now asked two additional questions even if her interest was now waning in the answers.
‘So do you know any of the details of Omerio’s efforts in military intelligence? Also do you have an estimate of the military forces available to the humans?’
Gindane could only provide brief answers to both questions in the negative. Thatak’siema then looked over at the ever patient Malang’troh for a moment, before she finally excused the both of them from the meeting for the evening. The Vorinne lord then excused the three waiting Tilmud officers from the foyer, and they also left for their own quarters in the dilapidated Tilmud quarter as the meeting room doors were closed again.
Once the two Vorinne had left the meeting room, the two Cephrit and Gindane visibly relaxed and the station master spoke first in still nervous chirrs.
‘Gindane, we already sent a warning to the humans many years ago but we choose not to tell the envoy this piece of information. Note that both your fleet and the Omerios’s fleet are heavily outnumbered and I recommend extreme caution when you approach the Jerecab. They will be extremely dangerous to deal with based both on their natural arrogance and the high numbers of their fighting ships.’
Gindane offered first a gracious apology with a full bow, as she then acknowledged the advice of the fleet master.
‘Noble sirs, I thank you for running interference in dealing with the second envoy. I understand you both were elsewhere when my fleet first arrived here. The practical aspects of our fleet provisioning problems distracted the envoy from too much interest in Barus affairs and specifically Omerio. The advice on the Jerecab is both well received and well understood. If you can now arrange a combined fleet to arrive at the former Dradfer colonies then this can only help our case with the Jerecab.’
The two Cephrit balked at her last statement, before the three of them quietly went over additional scenarios and their likely outcomes for another two hours. By mutual consent, they skirted around any further reference to the second envoy and her edicts.
The male Vorinne lord dutifully trailed two steps silently behind Thatak’siema as they moved down to the Vorinne quarter of the massive space station. Once into her vast and open plan private quarters, she moved immediately to a large sauna pool, and completely disrobed in front of the suddenly nervous Malang’troh.
‘Malang’troh my loyal subject I fear I have been harsh on you of late. Please stay with me awhile as we need to speak about this meeting, for I fear both the Barus and the Cephrit hide possibly important information from us.’
Malang’troh paused for only a moment, before he disrobed himself, as he knew that both protocol and custom ruled, and this protected the female Vorinne even in intimate settings for them. He followed Thatak’siema into the deep sauna and was mindful to take the opposite end as he carefully spoke in reply.
‘I think that the Cephrit and the Barus professor collude, yet the deflection is not meant as malicious to us, and they seek to either preserve their own lives or stations. I also think that Professor Gindane has a particular interest in the humans of Earth and will not idly abandon them to the Jerecab.’
Thatak’siema rolled in the water and displayed the side of her belly, and she noted with considerable amusement the continued discomfort of Malang’troh as she spoke again.
‘I am in agreement with the last part of your assessment and that is all that really concerns me now that the pointless war is finished. We will stay here long enough to see that Gindane leaves successfully as Omerio could arrive in the meantime for my questions. Otherwise we will later insist the Deltas Vass assist the Cephrit at the former Dradfer colonies on our way to the core systems and Zronte space.’
Both Vorinne fell silent as they thought about the last sentence, with Malang’troh feeling protective towards his prospective mate, and obviously uncomfortable about what she had to do when they returned to Vorinne space. Thatak’siema tried to relax and knew that Malang’troh was transparent in his care of her even if he said not a word. The envoy knew that all male Vorinne viewed what must happen next with veiled distaste. She wondered for a moment what he would look like as a second stage male, with a feathered body twice as large with massive sweeping wings capable of gliding. They both knew as an unspoken statement between them that a second stage Vorinne lead male had supposedly not existed amongst their race for several hundred thousand years.
***
Mary Neilson calmly strode back onto the bridge of the Exeter and noted the bridge crew were heads down over their consoles even as her presence was announced. Lieutenant Commander Griggs quickly stood from her command chair, saluted and made his brief report as Mary paused and checked the main view screen.
‘Admiral we remain in the outer system as ordered as we check over the fleet and head for the next hyper drive location point. The tactical overlays have been updated for the system and we have identified the outer asteroid belt as a prime ambush location.’
Mary quickly analysed the overlays on the view screen and found herself in quiet agreement with the officer’s summary. The human fleet had now divided into three smaller fleets of roughly equal size and they had arranged to rendezvous every ten or so light years on the approach to the former Dradfer colonies. The two senior Admirals controlled the other two fleets, and she was looking forward to speaking with them in a few days after they arrived at the closest of the systems.
Mary knew that she had to avoid being flanked on approach, and that any proposed ambush at a later stage would work best when an enemy fleet was further way from the solar system. Quietly she hoped that any alien contact was years away as she was confident that if humanity could get a viable and defended frontier in place then their survival prospects could only improve. Now happy with her tactical options for the system, she called up the details of the next system and thanked Lieutenant Commander Griggs.
‘Well done as this is very valuable information that hopefully we will not have to use. We also need to prepare tactical scenarios for the colonies when we arrive as we will be basing our battle options on the tactical nature of star systems rather than whether they have colonists present or not. Now we have two jumps to Dradfer ten and I want to be there on time.’
Griggs responded with the timeline for the next hyper drive jump and also a request.
‘Admiral our departure is confirmed at seven hours and I also have several points I would like to bring forward for your consideration.’
He now called up the limited information they had from the Traders about the former colonies and he highlighted the several items of interest that he sought clarification from the Admiral. Mary was quietly delighted with Griggs’s increased confidence and initiative as the three Admirals had already discussed most of the points he now raised. However, she sought further explanation from Griggs on one point and he brought up another star chart as he spoke again.
‘We know that other galactic races in the area have been involved in a war and the closest former colo
ny worlds are to one side of both the Cephrit and the Tilmud. We also know the direction that we expect the Jerecab to come from as well…’
Mary watched as the skilled commander rotated the map along three different vectors before he resumed his presentation.
‘Now the best options for a mobile refinery, apart from Dradfer ten are these two worlds towards the entry for the other races. Also, if we have enough fuel we can flank towards the Cephrit vector because….’
Mary leaned forward and considered the audacity of the commander’s own ideas with real favour. Indeed, she quietly applauded the logic of the commander’s initiative. The limited information they had highlighted a potential liability of the Jerecab she fully intended to exploit. She knew that whole point of her initially panned submission many years ago was to extrapolate this liability into a strategic plan.
However, she was well aware that fate and circumstances could conspire to catastrophically derail the best defences’ humanity could muster if the Jerecab truly proved to be hostile at the former colony worlds. The human fleet continued the planned deployment to the next star system, and Mary quietly evaluated if she would have to change her plans. She quickly decided that the best way forward was hold this information in reserve, even from the two other Admirals at this stage. Little did Mary know how fortuitous this small decision would later prove to be in the following months of the mission.
***
Chapter 7
Omerio watched from the safety of his cloaked small trading ship, as the distant Sspol cruiser crossed and then re-crossed the far reaches of the remote star system. He had entered this remote system after taking his new scout ship across several other star systems away from the location of his cruiser squadron. By design, he had chosen a direction away from both Cephrit and Tilmud space to seek out his unusual friend.
The Barus captain had watched in puzzlement for over a day at the antics of the Sspol cruiser, as the massive alien ship would run down a track towards exiting the system and then return on a reciprocal as if it was seeking something. Omerio had then turned off his recorder, before he cautiously moved his ship from behind one asteroid towards another small asteroid to further spy on the Sspol ship, and that was when he started to feel unwell.
Omerio clutched his console in consternation as his head rang with pain and his vision flickered. He was just about order the ship to flee at high speed for an exit point, when as quickly as it came onto him, the pain in his head vanished. Just as quickly, a familiar broadcast message from nearby that was plainly meant for him echoed up onto his screen, and then was heard across his cockpit.
‘Omerio is that you? Sorry for the pain. Please remain stationary and cloaked for the moment.’
Omerio murmured an affirmative, and was dimly aware that the formerly distant Sspol cruiser had changed course and was now heading for his position at high speed. The Barus captain had been seeking his friend, the living ship Altarebe, and as his head finally cleared, he listened in amazement to the next low powered message.
‘Vigilance and duty noted Drannep; the cloaked Barus ship is a friend and no military action is required.’
The scanners on Omerio’s trading ship now picked up a strange ship uncloaking several hundred kilometres away, and he had no difficulty establishing that at least part of the craft was Altarebe. He also noted that the Sspol cruiser was decelerating rapidly and would soon come to rest some distance from his ship, even as Altarebe approached his ship.
Omerio asked a cautious question as he ensured his recorders were still offline.
‘You appear different Altarebe and your involvement with the Sspol raises more questions. Are we still on good terms and can we speak safely?’
An anxious long moment came and went, and Omerio was considering making a run for a hyper drive point, even if the Sspol cruiser obviously had a weapons lock onto his cloaked ship. The moment came and went as Altarebe offered a friendly reply.
‘I have no problems talking with you Omerio as long as the Vorinne or Zronte have no knowledge of this fact. But I strongly recommend you power down your ship’s cloak and refrain from moving your ship or powering any weapons.’
Omerio paused for merely a second, as he evaluated that he was already past the point of no return with his commitment to talking to Altarebe. As the cloak around his ship dropped, he watched with consternation as several small Maveen ships now uncloaked behind him. He noted that there was a gate ship and six smaller probes present, and that they obviously already had weapons locks on his small ship as he spoke again.
‘A Maveen survey force in this area of the galaxy, with a Sspol cruiser and an Ancient male. I seem to have arrived at something momentous Altarebe.’
Several minutes of silence then occurred as the three different groups of aliens discussed amongst them what they wanted to do with their Barus interloper. Omerio felt a sweat of anxiety running down the fur on the back of his neck, though he had the wisdom to remain silent. His faith in his old friend was justified as Altarebe now spoke again.
‘Omerio, I was just telling my friends of our initial meetings relating to the Scourge seeded by the Tilmud and the later meetings in space when we had to implement quarantine methods. They are happy for the moment, however we need to know if there are any sizeable vassal forces in this part of the sector and what brings you here to this system?’
Omerio let out a held breath as he forced himself to relax, and he quickly replied with a concise report.
‘I now command sixteen cruisers and they are twenty five light years away at the edge of Cephrit space. A Barus research fleet could also arrive at the former Dradfer colonies shortly. The Vorinne brought out six cruisers to Tilmud space to enforce the end of war between the Cephrit and Tilmud, and there is possibly Cephrit scouts in nearby systems. The Jerecab have brought an armada to this area of space and seek to colonise the former Dradfer worlds and then destroy the humans on Earth. However unconfirmed reports from Cephrit scouts state the humans now have their own fleets of ships.’
Omerio felt considerably more relaxed, as he again waited the several minutes required as the three alien races again conferred between themselves. After several further minutes he found himself speaking with the Maveen lead probe for the survey force.
Omerio, I am Maveen Earth probe and I was at Earth one hundred and fifty years ago when your Barus squadron was driven away by the humans. Do you have any details of the numbers and structure of the Jerecab armada?’
Omerio stifled his amazement and replied that he did have this information which he quickly supplied to the Maveen probe. The Barus captain sat back and awaited the chance to ask his own questions as the three other races went over his information at great length between themselves.
***
Gindane slowly paced the deck of her research cruiser in both frustration and annoyance. The Jerecab had been detected at the second former Dradfer colony they had searched. Even now a small force of Jerecab frigates was sending neutrality and non aggression clauses to her ships. Gindane was aware that this could easily change if she made the mistake of either letting her guard down or getting her own ships too close to the main Jerecab armada. She watched intently as one of the Jerecab frigates left formation to leave the star system and go find the armada.
By habit Gindane checked over the latest status reports of the research ships in her fleet and was largely content with the results. The Vorinne second envoy had certainly sped things along for Gindane’s ships, and she had managed to leave with all her ships within four days of frantic final work. Her fleet now consisted of nine destroyers and six cruisers, but she knew that her ships were not regarded as first rate combat ships. Her fleet of ships possessed half the weapons, and in some cases half the shields of a fully fledged Barus warship of the same classification.
Gindane had estimated that if she encountered a force of twenty five Jerecab frigates or larger then her ships had best withdraw from the system. For her that was part of th
e frustration; her ships, her crew and not least herself, were all researchers not the fighters of wars.
Gindane continued to pace and think furiously, because she had a series of unanswered military questions, and she steeled herself to not be intimidated by the situation. The Barus captain wanted to know many things, starting with the location of Omerio with his fleet of larger cruisers. Also she was keen to know if the humans had made the journey out to the former colonies. Some of her trusted and experienced officers thought that this would be likely, as most races would rather a conflict with another race be resolved well away from their home worlds.
Gindane was not so sure about this, even with more recent Cephrit intelligence proving the existence of a capable Earth fleet. She now studied the star map with renewed interest and wondered yet again where Omerio and his fleet was now to be found.
***
The Maveen Earth probe looked over the supplied information from the Barus spy with consternation and sadness. The probe could see that the Jerecab were sending a vast fleet very soon against the humans, and he knew they would likely be exterminated when their planet was taken. He also knew that it would be next to impossible to get a non-vassal fleet to interdict the Jerecab armada due to both political and logistical reasons. The probe could see that his Maveen race was too far away even with their hyper gates, and in any case it was unlike that a decision to intervene would be made. The sector delegate had been quite specific about that fact as the Earth probe knew too well.
The Maveen probe now conferred with Drannep on the Sspol cruiser, who had remained uncharacteristically silent after Omerio made his report.
‘The news from the Barus is unwelcome and a surprise; does the Sspol have any forces nearby and would you intercede to protect the humans?’
The probe waited as the Sspol obviously discussed the news amongst them before they replied.