by Saxon Andrew
“I told you, the Great Lie is true,” Bcref replied.
• • •
Doris looked at Matthew, “What’s going on here?”
“I have no idea, Admiral.”
• • •
The Fleet Director lowered his head, “We didn’t want to believe it but those who gave us this information swore it was accurate. They insisted that some of our warriors were fighting against us. We can no longer defend our civilization. That’s why we didn’t attempt to defend ourselves.”
Bcref sighed, “I know your pain. I’ve been going through it and will continue for the rest of my life.”
“I’ve received an order from the Prime Director to go and defend him. My Senior Fleet Directors suggested that there should be more of your forces moving this way and agreed that we needed to speak directly with you before we took any action.”
“Why?”
“Because if you had proof of the Great Lie to convince the doubters, we will go with you and fight against the Prime Director’s forces.”
Doris stood up, “WHAT!?!”
Bcref said, “Fleet Director I need a moment to discuss this with my superior.” The Fleet Director nodded and Bcref looked at Doris on his monitor, “Admiral, he is being honest.”
“But…”
Bcref quickly said, “Admiral, you don’t know what it’s like to have everything that makes you feel worthwhile ripped out of you, revealing that you are a nothing more than a monster. Every feeling of self-worth is shattered and you are left knowing that you have been little more than an unthinking carnivore killing innocent beings because of a lie! The only thing that can allow those of us who learn of this treachery to atone for our actions is to try to kill the ones who caused us to become monsters! Every one of us fighting against our former civilization would gladly give up our lives to punish those responsible for the Great Lie! I know that at some time in the distant past, my species was a gentle one. What they’ve done to us is unforgivable!!”
Bcref paused and said, “Those in the warships in front of us have been struggling with the information that Admiral Hummel sent to the Tronan Fleets after the first invasion. It appears that information has spread and is causing real issues for the Tronan that view it. They feel a severe sense of loss and would just sit in their ships and allow us to kill them all without resisting. But they long to make their former leaders pay for what they’ve done.”
“ADMIRAL, I HAVE A GIANT TRONAN FORMATION MOVING TOWARD US ON THE FILAMENT.”
The Fleet Director said, “We will attack them allowing your ships an advantage. All ships turn and activate your blasters.”
Doris said, “Wait…”
“Let them go, Admiral, this is the only way they’ll find peace,” Bcref said interrupting her.
Bcref saw the two giant formations headed toward each other and just before they collided, both formation stopped. They entered normal space confronting each other and Doris said, “WHAT IS GOING ON?!”
Twenty minutes later, the Major Fleet Leader appeared on Bcref’s monitor. “These fleets ask that they be allowed to join you in attacking the Prime Director. They are also suffering from our shame and I’ve shared our conversation. They know there is no avoiding what we are.”
Bcref shook his head and looked at Doris. She rolled her eyes and said, “Have them follow us and to try and keep up.”
“Sir, remember we’re having to wait for the other SD Fleets in our group to catch up,” Matthew said from behind her.
Doris shook her head and said, “Move out at half-speed. Bcref, your scouts will remain between our transports and those warships.”
“Yes, Sir, but you have nothing to worry about.”
“Just how can you be sure about that!?”
“Because I’m going through what they’re feeling Admiral. We’ll lead the way and they can follow us. My scouts will fall in behind and ahead of the transports.”
Doris nodded and the giant mass of warships accelerated into the Death Filament. By the time the five late SD Fleets caught up, the mass of Tronan Fleets had tripled. As they continued to move on the Death Filament toward the Prime Director’s Planet, hundreds of Tronan Fleets emerged from the intersections they encountered and joined them. Bcref no longer attempted to explain the Great Lie. The Major Fleet Director told those they encountered to fall in and he showed them proof.
Four weeks later, Doris looked at Bcref and said, “There’s no way we are going to arrive in time to support Admiral Mooney’s attack. These Tronan Forces have delayed us too long moving around them.”
Bcref shrugged, “Admiral, if we had to fight our way through them, we’d still be late.”
Doris sighed, “I know. And I can see more of them pouring into the Death Filament on my long-range scanners. At this rate, the Main Fleet of SD’s will catch us before we arrive.” Doris paused and said, “Move half of your scouts back on board their transports.” Bcref looked at her and Doris sighed, “If they were going to attack us, they would have done it before now.”
Bcref nodded and began issuing orders.
• • •
The numbers of Tronan Fleets continued to come out of the intersections and some of them shared that they had moved to planets and had been living on them consuming animal and plant life. The rage of the Tronan Fleets grew hotter with each new fleet that arrived. Doris gave up trying to count how many Tronan Warships were following her Command. There was one thing she was sure of…these Tronan were beyond anger.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Two-weeks later, the Combined Main SD Fleets caught up to them a week out from the Prime Director’s Planet. Gem and Leonidas appeared on her monitor and Gem said, “Admiral, you were due to support Admiral Mooney’s attack three-weeks ago!!”
“Don’t blame me, it’s Bcrefs fault. I was ready to kill them all!”
Leonidas said, “What are you doing running from those Tronan Fleets!?”
“Sir, I’m not running and I resent you suggesting it; I’m leading them to the fight.”
“WHAT?” Gem asked.
“They’ve learned that they have been lied to about having to consume intelligent civilizations and they’re determined to make the Prime Director pay for that lie.”
Jek appeared on the monitor and said, “OUTSTANDING!”
Gem looked at Jek, “What is this all about?”
“Lies will do that to you, Gem. I feel the rage of those who entered the war on our side during the invasion. It appears Admiral Hummel’s broadcast has enlightened a lot of their warriors about the lie.”
Leonidas said, “Admiral Hummel, what is he talking about?”
Randy appeared on the monitor and raised his shoulders, “A large number of Tronan Fleets left the filament and hid outside our scanner range during the rout. There was no way for us to find them, so I sent a message burst out with the recordings of all our contacts with the Tronan now living on New Heaven.”
Leonidas looked at Jek on the monitor, “Is this true.”
Jek laughed, “Oh, it’s true, all right. These Tronan are focused on nothing else but deep-frying the Prime Director and all of his supporters.”
Gem shook his head and said, “We’re moving through their ranks and will join your transports in front of them.”
“Why do you want to do that?” Jek asked.
“What will it look like to the Prime Director when he sees us approaching?” Jek thought a moment and burst out laughing.
Leo started shaking his head and Desiree said with a smile, “It will appear they will be chasing us.” Leo’s eyes widened and his head went back in a large nod. Desiree said, “Admiral Agnew.”
“Yes.”
“I want you to start a static field preventing the Prime Director from contacting the Tronan forces moving with us.”
“Why do you want that done?”
Desiree smiled, “Well, I don’t believe the Tronan Forces behind us would refrain from calling him vulgar names, if the
y hear him, and the field will prevent him from learning they are fighting with us.”
“Great idea. I’ll start the field now,” Doris replied.
Bcref contacted Jek, “What is it?”
“Sir, I really think that any Tronan in our forces should be allowed to start the attack.”
“That might lead to a massive loss of life among them, Bcref. They are out-numbered.”
“They deserve the opportunity, Sir. And the best lessons are learned by paying a price. Sending all of our scouts with Tronan Crews in with them, will even the odds.”
“Are you sure you want to do this, Bcref?”
“More than you can possibly know, Jek.”
Jek stared at him and nodded. He lifted his communicator and began speaking to Gem and Leonidas.
• • •
The Prime Director looked at his Senior Directors and heard one ask, “Should we start sending our fleets back?”
“ABSOLUTELY NOT. THEY WILL REMAIN HERE UNTIL THOSE SMALL SHIPS THAT ESCAPED INTO THE FILAMENTS ARE DESTROYED.”
The Senior Directors knew arguing at this point would get them executed. The empire was undefended but they settled in and waited.”
• • •
When thousands of Tronan War Fleets rushed into the filaments at the Prime’s World, Walt led his forces out on a clear filament. Tasha looked at Walt, “When will the SD’s arrive?”
“They’re four days out.” Tasha nodded and looked at the monitor. Hundreds of thousands of the Prime Director’s Warships had left the Prime’s Planet and pursued Walt’s Scouts into the filament at the Prime’s Planet. “It appears the SD’s are bringing a large group of party crashers with them,” Walt said.
Tasha looked at Walt, “They’re bringing what?”
“Pull up a feed from Admiral Jek’s ship,” Walt replied.
She pulled up a feed and said, “OH NO!!”
Walt smiled, “Those Tronan Warships are going to attack the Prime Director’s forces. They are not part of his defenses.”
“What?”
“It looks like Randy’s burst broadcast has borne fruit. It shouldn’t be long now.”
Tasha looked up at the monitor and saw the pursuing Tronan Fleets behind them turn, move into the reverse flow of the filament, and accelerate back toward the Prime’s Planet. Walt shook his head, “It’s a shame they chased us all the way from the Prime’s Planet and are now turning around.” He said over his communicator, “All scouts turn into the reverse flow and attack the Tronan from the rear. Execute now.”
The eighty-thousand scouts turned and moved into the Tronan Warships. Only a few thousand of the Prime’s Warships arrived back at the Prime Director’s Star.
• • •
The Key West arrived at the beautiful planet and found every Tronan Warships had left. Only the giant Tronan Ground Force Transports were still above the planet. The Rocky Peak Transport moved in with the Key West and both began launching scouts. By the time the two giant transports arrived in orbit, the Tronan Transporters were debris or expanding gas.
The scouts had moved down to the planet’s surface near the two cities the Tronan had begun assaulting. The scouts blasted every Mobile Blaster near the landing site chosen for the transports and continued to look for Tronan Heavy Weapons still in range. The Key West touched down first and the giant ramps extended out of the two giant landing bays on each side of the vessel.
Warriors, along with their mobile blasters, erupted out on both sides of the Key West and formed up into their attack formations. On the other side of the planet, Daniel’s new Tronan Transport landed and the process was repeated.
Glenda contacted Daniel and smiled, “Do you miss commanding a warship?”
“Not at all. This allows us to be together. Get back up into space as soon as possible to free-up the scouts to initiate ground attacks.”
“I’m already moving; I’ll see you in orbit.”
• • •
Elena jumped up on the rear of a mobile blaster as it moved toward the city. She pressed her communicator, “Commander, do you know why the Tronan only attacked two cities. I thought they usually attacked ten or more.”
• • •
Kel appeared on her visor, “These two cities have the majority of their defenses. All of their ballistic missile launchers and heavy weapon platforms are in these two cities.”
Elena shrugged, “They usually nuke any resistance, don’t they?”
“These two cities are also the largest on the planet. More than half the planet’s inhabitants live in and around them; the rest of the planet’s population is scattered in small communities separated by vast distances. If they destroyed these two cities, it would take them years to round up the rest of the population.”
“They should have just chosen another planet to invade.”
Kel smiled, “I think they’re not finding very many planets to invade lately.”
“Have you contacted the locals and told them what we’re doing?”
“I have but they say if they reduce fire, they will be over run.”
Elena nodded and began issuing orders to her battalion. As they moved into blaster range, her warriors dismounted from the mobile blasters and fell in behind them. The Blaster’s force fields would shelter them until they were close enough to attack.
Four-hundred yards out, Elena pulled a trillium tipped arrow out of her quiver and quick-fired it at a Tronan Heavy blaster swinging its barrel toward her troops. It was going to try to fire a huge blaster beam between the gaps in her line of mobile blasters and hit her warriors at an angle. The arrow flew in at incredible speed and punctured the blaster’s turret. An instant later the turret blew a hundred-feet in the air as Elena fired two more arrows at the Tronan Heavy Weapons in front of her advance.
Elena’s battalion was made up of eight-companies with two-hundred-warriors in each. Four Companies of Tronan Warriors would be the point of their attack, followed by three-companies of Bellingham Warriors. A single company of Dragons would move in behind them and fire their giant dart-guns over the heads of the advancing warriors.
Most battalions only had one company of Bellingham warriors but Gregor insisted that the Heroine of Bandasar would be defended by Bellingham Warriors. Truth be told, the warriors learned quickly that Elena and her bow would offer more protection than they could possibly provide for her. Her physically enhanced body allowed her to pull a four-hundred-pound bow string and her accuracy was the best on Bellingham. Before the battalion arrived a hundred-yards from the Tronan Lines, every Tronan Heavy Blaster in front of them was burning.
Elena pressed her communicator button on the side of her helmet and said, “It’s time to heat them up. Keep your beams in your assigned coverage!”
“The line of Mobile Blasters came to a stop and opened fire into the Tronan Warriors dug in a hundred yards in front of them. The Tronan Warriors ran out from behind the blasters and began weaving between their beams at an incredible speed. In less than eight-seconds they were into the dug in positions and moving past them. The Bellingham Warriors were right behind them and used their swords to kill any Tronan Warriors missed as the front line passed. The Dragons kept their sharp eyes ahead and used their huge dart-guns to hit any Tronan Warrior that stuck their heads out of the ground. Their eyes were incredible and they didn’t miss when they fired darts.
Elena arrived at the line of burned out blasters, turned left, and started sprinting. There were a hundred battalions charging the Tronan and many of their heavy blasters were still operational. Elena moved down the long line and Tronan Blasters were blowing up at an incredible speed as she moved down the line.
Kel watched the attack and shook his head. Elena was at it again. She just refused to follow orders about staying out of danger. As she moved down the line, a warrior from another battalion would be waiting for her and hand her a new quiver. She would take it and continue down the line. The warrior holding the quiver would rush forward to join his
unit.
Twenty-Tronan rushed out from their lines with drawn blasters to stop this demon but she had her sword out in an instant and was moving too fast for them to target. All twenty died in less than twenty-seconds. The pause allowed her battalion move back to the line of burned out Tronan Heavy Blasters and move down the line. Five-hundred yards later, they joined her. Other Companies that had wiped out the Tronan dug in in front of their charge rushed to join the Elena’s Battalion.
Soon, as more units joined her battalion, they began rolling up the flank of the Tronan. Elena was hitting mobile blasters five-hundred yards in front of their advance and her warriors kept feeding her quivers full of trillium arrows. They rolled the left wing up and in another five hours, the last Tronan Warrior was blasted as he turned and fled toward the city, where one of their blasters disintegrated him.
• • •
The left battalions in the charge suffered the majority of losses, they didn’t have an Elena taking out their mobile blasters. But they held their ground until the left units swept in and took out the Tronan Forces in front of them. The fight ended and the weary warriors saw the Key West moving down out of high atmosphere. After they went and supported the other landing, they’d only have twenty-five more planets to liberate.
• • •
Kel contacted the local Defense Commander and told him his forces were boarding and leaving to fight on the other side of his planet. “But we’ve not thanked you for what you’ve done.”
“Just find peace among yourselves and that will be thanks enough,” Kel smiled. Before the Tronan appeared, the two giant cities were fighting a war. Perhaps they would come together now.
The Leader of the city watched the giant transport lift slowly off the ground and rise quickly into the sky. His communicator sounded a tone and he took it out of his pocket. He looked and saw his mortal enemy on the screen, “I was going to contact you.”
“Have we learned anything from this!?”
“I’ve learned that like it or not, the two of us live in the same basket. It doesn’t make sense for us to work against each other.”