The Garoden War. (SpaceFed StarShips Series) Book 7. An exciting, action-packed SpaceFed Series finale that also concludes the Garoden War.: ‘Military Gamble.’

by Gerry A. Saunders

  The Revenge’s Skipper Drive groaned, as its power went to max, jerking the massive ship sideways to the left, bringing her within a thousand meters of the Garoden vessel to the right of them.

  This maneuver, caught the two Garoden ships by surprise, as the Harbin exited a micro jump, suddenly placing the Garoden ships in between two equally large battleships, with both Garoden ships taking intense weapons fire.

  “Yippee,” came a jubilant Captain Sota’s voice over Revenge’s comms.

  “Geeze,” Bridger exclaimed, not being used to the Chinese captain’s idiosyncrasies.

  Captain Tom Bridger watched the continuous multi-spectrum scan of their target Garoden warship showing on the tactical display. The Revenge’s sensor grid was searching for any weakness that might be forming in the Garodens protective shield.

  Bridger kept looking at the screen and saw changes occurring, as blue dots on the Garoden’s hull, indicated that some of her screen emitters had started to overload, then blew.

  Within seconds, the view on Bridger’s secondary tactical screen changed to a more informative wire-frame mode, showing the outer fringe of the Garoden’s protective screen.

  The reason for changing the display soon became evident, as the Garoden’s protective screen, swirling with raw energy, couldn’t reflect or absorb enough energy to prevent Revenge’s particle beam cannons reaching her hull.

  Part of the Garoden ship’s hull glowed for a second, followed by a massive explosion that sent red hot and twisted segments of the ship flying out into space, like missiles.

  Both Revenge and Harbin continued firing their weapons at the two Garoden ships. Until each ship’s power grid overloaded, causing their protective shields to collapse.

  Secondary explosions now rattled along the Garoden ships lengths, blowing holes in their hulls as they went.

  “Back off,” Captain Bridger yelled into the comms, so Captain Sota would take heed.

  Then the Revenge jerked outward, and its Skipper Drive rattled and groaned under the excess power needed to get far enough away to ride out the expected shock-wave.

  “We’re clear,” the ship’s AI pilot confirmed, just as both Garoden warships violently shook, and fireballs shot up through their centers as they fed on the ship's atmosphere.

  Then, came one massive explosion as their warp core containment spheres, simultaneously blew the ships apart.

  “Shock-wave,” Science Officer White warned.

  Both Revenge and Harbin rocked violently as the shock-wave hit. However, their AIs soon managed to stabilize their ships.

  The fire in the Garoden ships gradually died, until all that remained were two deformed skeletons. Some parts, still molten and glowing red with heat. Soon after, the lifeless, frozen hulls, could be seen gently rolling on in space, leaving a trail of debris behind them.

  “Look at the Garodens, they’re going,” Captain Sota yelled, with his voice coming over Revenge’s comms, as the remaining Garoden ships, jumped out of the battle area.

  Chapter 42

  Sense Prevails

  The bitter Battle paused temporarily, as the remaining Garoden Warships jumped again for safety.

  Lexington’s Commodore Denning studied the casualty list displayed on his secondary tactical display. It could have been worse, he thought to himself.

  The Tri-Fleet had suffered the loss of just five ships, so far. One Solveron, three Crillon, and one Earth ship, the Turpin.

  However, another eleven ships needed varying degrees of repair before they would be able to re-join the fight.

  Denning was pleased, at how the WEPs had engaged the Garoden’s vessels without fear for their own destruction. It seemed as if they would only leave the battle area, when and if a free ride was available. Just, as it was with the Illustrious’s escape at Sol two.

  Tri fleet commanders and AIs were busy planning their next move, and, preparing their fleets in readiness to Jump after the escaping Garoden ships.

  Lexington was still close to her wormhole thread and hadn’t needed to move away from her exit location, as the Garoden targets had all Jumped before Lexington’s weapons could engage.

  Suddenly, a pulse, emanating from their own wormhole thread, sent Lexington’s sensor grid into overload.

  “What the hell was that?” Commodore Denning almost shouted at his science officer.

  “Not sure, Commodore,” Lieutenant Strant replied. As he tried to separate a peculiar modulation that was superimposed on the pulse, and shouldn’t be there.

  “Got it. Look on your board, Ensign Moore,” he said while wondering how it was possible to even modulate this sort of pulse in the first place.

  Lexington’s Comms officer, Ensign Helen Moore heard what was on her board, and looked up in astonishment.

  “Captain, I have Lieutenant Strant’s analysis. Although it’s a bit noisy, it seems to be a message from someone called Richardson.”

  “Richardson?”

  “Yes. It seems to be a warning.”

  Commodore Lenny Denning knew that Captain Frank Richardson was still viewed as important, even though he and the Andromeda had never returned from their mission.

  Therefore, he was aware that this warning could not be ignored. So, taking a chance that it was indeed genuine. Issued an order to his Ensign.

  “Relay it to all ships, Ensign.”

  “Crillons and Solverons?”

  “All ships. Now.”

  Then, Commodore Denning, together with Captain Grant, and his Science officer, Lieutenant Strant, listened to Frank’s voice over the comms.

  “Do not jump after the Garodens again… Trap… It’s possible two fleets will join your quarry…Frank Richardson.”

  “Do we believe him, Commodore?” Grant asked.

  Then, Ensign Moore received another urgent call. “Admiral Winton,” she interjected.

  “Link,” Denning ordered, and Winton’s voice rattled over the comms.

  “Commodore Denning… I know this Frank Richardson… He has powers that we do not… We must assume that somehow, he has survived. And, that this message is genuine… We will not jump again… Is that clear?”

  “Crystal clear, Admiral… So, what shall we do?”

  “Whatever we do we’ll leave stealth surveillance monitors here. We can also send two tamper proof probes to Garoden itself... They can hyperlink their findings to us, then, self-destruct if compromised.”

  “Very well, Admiral… What are the Solverons and Crillons intending to do?” Denning asked.

  “I don’t know yet. We’re setting a tactical meeting for all three races,” Winton replied, then continued. “My guess is, that we will all return home. Get our repairs completed, and wait to see if the Garodens have had a bloody enough nose, to play nice.

  If not, then we’ll all be back. However, we will have better weapons, next time. And, regrettably, we’ll have to destroy their planet, just as they tried to obliterate ours.”

  “H’mm, that goes against the grain, Admiral, but, I agree, it’s a necessary evil.”

  “Agreed, Commodore. Anyway, all our Captains will get a link to the meeting’s timing, so you’ll know as soon as I do.”

  “Thank you, Admiral.”

  With that, Winton was gone.

  Chapter 43

  Delta Update

  Supervisor Javon relaxed as he looked at his secondary Temporal holographic display, and saw the Temporal overlay had changed and was almost in sync with real events now.

  He had just finished yet another four-hour stint in Delta’s rejuvenation cubical. But, it was worth it as he felt his vitality, and sharpness was back again.

  Although his concern over his protégé, operator Charlotte, was stressful. He was still hopeful that she would return without doing anything that might jeopardize Delta’s future. And, with the Garoden Homeworld strand now being in focus. The Homeworld elements of the master plan had also been met. And, importantly, the Tri-fleets had stopped exactly where Plato’s team
had predicted. Albeit, with the help of Frank Richardson.

  Then, Javon thought about the routine memory scan of one of their time-ship pilots. At the time, he had felt guilty for not informing the Delta Chamber that the scan had revealed Operator Charlotte had mentally manipulated this pilot. With the express purpose of getting the pilot to help her acquire a Crillon experimental ship.

  However, Javon didn’t know why Charlotte needed to obtain the ship. But, he was sure it wasn’t related to the master plan.

  Javon knew that that was just one of the reasons for his concern over Charlotte’s real goal.

  Then Javon directed his thoughts to Platos who was in another section of Delta’s forward base.

  Platos. Any sign of Operator Charlotte? He asked.

  None, Javon.

  Javon didn’t comment on Plato’s reply. He just said It seems Richardson has done well, Platos.

  I hate to say this, Javon. But, I have to agree with you on that. Nevertheless, one thing my team spotted, but only briefly mind you, was a ship with Operator Charlotte’s mental key pattern onboard.

  The ship was warping out and was just outside the Garoden’s third Temporal overlay marker. Platos informed Javon, then asked.

  What’s your involvement, Javon?

  Javon was taken aback, as he felt Platos scan his mind.

  So, not all is as it seems, Javon.

  An oversight, Platos… Charlotte knows how to manipulate people… Javon explained, then paused there.

  Ah. So, Javon, she must be dangerous to be able to tweak your mind.

  Deadly, Javon agreed.

  Then we must find her and this Crillon vessel.

  Platos, she won’t let you find her. Javon told him, then felt Platos’s mind take on the inferred implication.

  Surely, Charlotte wouldn’t dare come back here now, Javon?

  She’s a Time Operator, Platos… You go after her, and she’ll come after you.

  Javon felt the conflict in Platos’s mind and quickly deleted Platos’s notion of Javon’s error, and of finding Charlotte, from Platos’s mind

  You touched my mind, Javon… What have you removed?

  Nothing, Platos. All is well. With that, Javon broke the mental link with Platos.

  What are you really, up to, Charlotte? Javon wondered. Then giving up on the subject, relaxed.

  Yes, Javon decided. It is time for me to return to the Delta Chamber, and to the rest of humanity.

  Chapter 44

  Caspian

  The Caspian exited warp, and came to a halt, almost touching Illustrious’s hull, which was next to the Andromeda.

  Captain Edrich contacted both ships, and jovially asked, “Who’s first?”

  “Illustrious,” both Frank and Derrick said in union.

  Five hours later, the Illustrious’s repairs and replacement of some of her alignment thrusters, had been completed.

  The Caspian’s Captain Edrich and his service team then boarded the Andromeda and put on Andromeda’s mag overshoes.

  “Heard a lot about you, Captain,” Captain Edrich stated as he shook hands with Frank.

  “All good, I hope?”

  “Indeed,” Edrich stated, then told Frank he was going back to his ship, while his team carried out the repairs, explaining that he’d only come over to meet the great Captain Frank Richardson.

  Frank couldn’t help smiling to himself as Captain Edrich left.

  Then he watched, as Edrich's team, pulling a large Magno-lift platform on which sat the two new drive updates, headed off for Andromeda’s power generation section to upgrade her Warp Core drive and the power feed to her jump rings.

  Andromeda won’t be happy with someone tampering with her systems, he mused.

  And sure enough, Andromeda contacted him.

  ‘Frank…, Frank…? What are these clowns doing to me?’

  ‘It's okay,’ Frank mentally assured Andromeda. ‘It’s an upgrade to make you go further and faster on a single crystal.’

  An hour later, and the upgrade was completed. “I’m Jack,” the man in charge of the service team, said, introducing himself. “Your ship’s ready to go, Captain.”

  “Excellent.”

  “We’ve reset your old tub’s parameters and references. So, you’ll be able to jump to Earth with only two changes from here,” Jack advised Frank.

  Then Jack heard the service team chuckling amongst themselves.

  “What?” He snapped. Then realized he was floating up off the floor.

  “What’s happened to your gravity Captain?” Jack called, then his face reddened as he realized that he was the only one not anchored to the floor.

  “Andromeda, enough,” Frank ordered.

  At which, Andromeda re-established the floor’s magnetic mosaic control, and Jack was suddenly pulled back down to the floor.

  “You should rein her in,” Jack snapped, staring hard at Frank while shaking, more with embarrassment than fear.

  “Well, you did call Andromeda, a Tub,” Frank reiterated.

  “Anyway, what sort of ship is allowed to pull stunts like that?” Jack angrily asked.

  “A ship that’s alive and sensitive to comments like the one you made.”

  Jack stared at Frank for a few seconds, not sure whether he was joking or not. Then just said, “Okay, we’ll leave you to get on, with your fancy thing and go help someone who appreciates us.”

  Frank sighed as he watched them leave, relieved to be on his own again.

  A few minutes later, he sensed them warping out in search of the next ship needing their help.

  Seconds later, Captain Derrick Patterson came up on the ship-to-ship link.

  “We're about to push off to Earth, Frank. Are you following?”

  “Shortly, Derrick.”

  “Okay. We’ll see you back on Earth… Good luck.”

  “You too, Derrick.”

  Frank was glad he’d resisted prying into everyone’s minds, but he felt tired, so lay back on the bridge’s most comfortable seat, the command chair, and watched the Illustrious create its warp field, then vanish into its wormhole.

  Frank knew that Derrick Patterson’s ship would be home, in just two days, courtesy of the Illustrious’s upgrades. Frank envied Derrick and his crew, and couldn’t wait to get back to Earth.

  ‘Andromeda.’

  ‘Yes, Frank.’

  ‘Prepare to leave, for Earth.’

  ‘We are ready to go when you wish.’

  ‘Excellent… Andromeda, I know Charlotte ordered your special tasks replicator, to directly replicate some of her stealth Cryopreservation injectors. Did you do it?’

  ‘Yes, I have eight complete and ready to be used. And of course, the ability to produce more.’

  ‘Well, we may need to use them in the future… So, I want them, and the reproductive info, to be locked securely away. And, only I will have access to them. Is that clear?’

  ‘Absolutely, Frank.’

  ‘Okay… Let’s get underway,’ he ordered.

  Frank felt Andromeda’s maneuvering thrusters aligning the Andromeda for the first of the two jumps needed to reach Earth.

  Then, he felt the tingling in his mind as it sensed Andromeda initiating her warp field.

  Andromeda suddenly surged forward, and Frank saw the familiar elongating of his surroundings, followed by the usual stomach yanking sensation that made him feel as if his stomach had been left behind.

  Frank, was taken aback by the intensity of the warp entry effect. It was certainly much worse and more unnerving than with the ship’s old drive and crystals.

  Still, he thought, if I get back to Earth and Susanna quicker, then it’ll be worth it.

  Frank waited a couple of minutes more while his body gradually accustomed itself to the double vision effect, which slowly wore off. Then, started to plan his future.

  Even though, Charlotte had convinced him that Susanna and his crew were all dead. And, that he had no reason to return to Earth as his son, Alex, w
ould be cared for by Jack and Georgina. Nevertheless, he was still worried how Susanna would take it when he told her the whole story.

  Especially about him being conned into having sex with Charlotte, not once, but twice.

  Then Frank gulped, thinking of Susanna’s reaction when he told her that he’d made Charlotte pregnant, apparently with twins.

  The other big problem Frank had, was, that if Susanna’s mental powers were still intact, then he knew that even if he put up a mental block, he couldn’t keep that up forever.

  So, that wouldn’t stop Susanna from probing his mind when he was off guard. Then she would know just how much he had enjoyed the whole episode with Charlotte.

  He trembled at the thought, but it didn’t bear thinking about.

  I’ll worry about that in two day’s time, he decided.

  Chapter 45

  Home

  Andromeda exited her wormhole, eight thousand kilometers out from Earth, with her tactical display chattering, and the screen riddled with contact warning red tags.