Expanded colonies now existed on the Moon, Mars, and all four of the moons of Jupiter. It had been decided to hold up the addition of colonies around Saturn until the established colonies were well defended.
“Over two million people are on the Moon,” commented Turner, as the Titan made the transition into hyperspace for the short trip to Mars. “Many of them are involved in the war effort and are running the factories, smelters, and ore-processing facilities that handle the cargoes coming in from the asteroids.”
Now a robust mining operation was ongoing in the asteroid field as well as on some of the smaller moons of Jupiter. Every day, cargo ships laden with mined minerals arrived at the space station and Luna City. All in preparation for war with the Druins and the other races of the Confederation.
-
The Titan emerged from hyperspace above Mars and near the new space station, which appeared on the ship’s main viewscreen. The station was nearly two kilometers across, with bays capable of holding nearly every cargo or passenger ship currently in service. Several external docking ports were set up to allow Imperial battlecruisers or dreadnoughts to dock as needed. Also two large bays were attached to the station that held forty attack interceptors in each one.
In addition, the station was heavily armed with forty missile tubes and eighty fusion energy beam turrets. Not only that, the station could be protected by a powerful energy shield if needed. A dreadnought and ten battlecruisers were in orbit to provide additional defense.
“You can already see an increase in the breathable atmosphere,” commented Turner, as he gazed at one of the other viewscreens. “In a few more years people will be walking about on the surface without the need for a spacesuit.”
Bract nodded. “We’re using some special mining ships to bring large pieces of water ice in from the Kuiper Belt. We then release them in the atmosphere at the right angles so friction will melt them before they hit the surface. The terraformers on the surface take care of the rest.”
Even as he spoke, a bright meteor-like object could be seen shooting through the lower atmosphere of the planet. The object completely disintegrated before it impacted the surface.
“I understand there will eventually be oceans, rivers, and lakes.”
“Yes, Mars will look as it once did millions of years ago. If you look closely, you can still see the dry lake beds and the courses of ancient rivers.”
The main viewscreen switched to a view of the largest colony on Mars. A series of massive domes were visible, all linked by connecting structures. The city of Marsonna had a population of nearly two million people. There were other cities scattered across Mars, where an additional six million people lived.
“How soon before the terraforming of Venus begins?” asked Turner.
“When Mars is finished,” answered Bract. “Go ahead and let’s dock at the shipyard. I want to go on board for an inspection.”
The Titan slowly maneuvered until it was securely docked to the space station. Once the airlocks were connected, Admiral Bract and Rear Admiral Turner went on board. It had been months since the last inspection, and Bract was curious to see how well the station was operating. A number of mining craft operated from the station, making routine trips between the station and mining outposts in the asteroids and the moons of Jupiter.
-
Far out in the Kuiper Belt a special mining craft was near a large fragment of water ice nearly half the size of the spacecraft. The ice fragment was jagged, and several crewmembers currently floated around the fragment, drilling anchors deep into the ice. The anchors would be used to securely attach the ice fragment to the ship. A few of the jagged areas were cut off, so there would be no damage to the ship when it was pulled up tight against it. A dozen mining ships were doing this full-time.
Captain Albert Canning sat in his control room, watching the activity outside. Several other crewmembers were there as well, monitoring each of the spacesuited crewmembers working on the water-ice fragment.
“This will bring us a pretty penny when we get it to Mars,” commented Joshua Mase, directing the placement of the anchors. “It reads as being 92 percent pure water.”
“Once it melts,” said Sandra. She was the medical officer on the mining ship. “Marvin, your heart rate is getting a little high. Take it easy for a minute.” She was monitoring the vitals on the two crewmembers who were outside.
“Two more anchors and we’re done,” answered Marvin. “I’ll stop for a minute before I do the last two.”
Mase leaned back and stretched. “This is definitely much easier than asteroid mining, and it pays well.”
“Attack interceptor coming up on us,” reported Donald Evans from his sensor console. “Just a routine patrol.”
This didn’t bother Captain Canning. It was a good feeling knowing the battlestations at the edge of the Kuiper Belt were keeping watch on the ice mining. If there was an accident, a ship could be sent to assist in a short matter of time. That was one of the reasons Canning always chose to mine in the area of one of the battlestations.
On the viewscreen, the sleek three-man interceptor flew past and made a wide circle around the ship. As it flew by, it waggled its wings and then continued on into the star-studded darkness.
“Man, I would like to fly one of those,” commented Evans, as he watched the interceptor vanish on the viewscreen.
“Not me,” replied Captain Canning. “They would be fun to fly around, but what if the Druins show up? Me? I’d rather stay safe in our ice-mining ship.”
Outside the last two anchors were drilled into the ice fragment and lines attached. With the crew watching carefully, the large ice fragment was pulled up tight against the reinforced bottom hull of the ship.
“Fragment attached and locked in place,” reported Mase. “We’re coming in.”
Canning nodded. It would take them nearly six days to reach Mars. One day of acceleration, four days of coasting, and then one day of deceleration. They would spend a few days at the space station, relaxing, and then head back out again. Canning tried to make two trips a month to the Kuiper Belt. It made for a nice paycheck and was relatively easy work for the crew.
-
Lieutenant Barkley smiled as he flew past the ice-mining ship. He loved being out in space in his interceptor. Today he was accompanied by his navigation officer, as this was a normal mission to inspect the mining ship and to ensure everything was normal. Quick scans had shown no problems, and now Barkley leaned back in his acceleration seat. A sensor screen indicated all the hazards in front of and around him. It was fun and exciting to zoom around the various chunks of rock and water-ice that were everywhere.
“Slow it down, hotshot,” cautioned Lieutenant Simmins, frowning deeply. “I want to get back to the battlestation in one piece. I have a hot date tonight.”
“With Michelle?” Michelle was a knockout computer technician Simmins had been seeing.
“Yeah, with Michelle.”
Barkley grinned. He had always dreamed of piloting a spaceship. As a kid he had dressed up as an astronaut, playacting flying into space. Now here he was, flying an attack interceptor armed with fusion energy cannons and small fusion missiles.
“Still thinking about going into cryo?” asked Simmins.
“Maybe,” replied Barkley. He had graduated in the top 10 percent of his class and had been offered that option. “I have another six months to make up my mind. How about you?”
“I don’t think so. Not if this thing with Michelle continues to develop.”
Barkley didn’t reply. Simmons considered himself a ladies’ man. In another few months he would move on to his next conquest. Someday he would get burned. Michelle might just be the one to put Simmons in his place.
A warning sounded on the sensor screen, and Barkley adjusted his course to go around a large rocky asteroid nearly two hundred kilometers in length and shaped like a potato. It was covered in craters with several towering mountains. He knew it was only a matter
of time before the miners searching for minerals in the asteroid field eventually made it out here.
While the Kuiper Belt, for now, was a desolate region with few spacecraft, that was destined to change in a few more years. Industries on the Moon, Mars, and Earth were kicking in as the new technology introduced by the Imperials demanded more resources.
With a deep sigh, Barkley turned the interceptor toward the battlestation that was its base. It would take two hours at nearly full acceleration to reach it. Looking through the cockpit window, Barkley gazed at the stars. Someday he might be going there. A war was waiting to be fought, and the ships and equipment for that war were even now being forged. They just needed the people to crew the ships and to use the weapons. Barkley suspected someday he would be a part of that.
-
Admiral Bract was back at Pallas in his office, looking at the latest status of the repurposed Druin interdiction system. Half of the sensor satellites had been turned outward to detect any ships inbound toward the Solar System. The rest still monitored every cubic centimeter of space in Earth’s Solar System. All eight battlestations had been modified for Human crews and had been partially rebuilt to hold several squadrons of attack interceptors. In addition, at least one or two Imperial battlecruisers were assigned to each station to investigate any unknown contacts.
The stations periodically sent reports to the Confederation on the current status of the Solar System. Great effort had been taken to ensure the reports contained nothing to raise the Confederation’s suspicions. The reports informed the Confederation that a disaster involving an experimental FTL spacecraft had caused a cessation of all FTL research for the Humans for the immediate future.
Most of the advancements on Earth were not mentioned, so it would appear the planet was advancing at a very slow rate. The explanation for this was the multitude of countries refusing to cooperate with one another. So far the reports seemed to be working, as all the Confederation had done was acknowledge the receipt of the messages.
“How many cargo ships do we currently have operating in the Empire?” asked Councilor Prest. In a few months she would step down as the current head of the council.
“Five,” answered Bract. “All have been delivering needed war materials and equipment to the known secret bases in the Empire. We now believe over four hundred of them have been established, possibly more.”
“How is the Human Resistance Council doing?” In the past several years three of those council members had been brought to Earth. All in an effort to show them what the Earth would be capable of when the war against the Druins and the Confederation actually started.
Bract leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. “Fine. Their list of items and materials they need is constantly growing. We don’t know how many of their bases are capable of building warships, but, from what they are ordering, there are several.”
“What about contact with the Druins? How are our cargo ships doing there?”
“We don’t act suspicious. We do the same as all the other ships and pretty well just ignore them.”
Prest pursed her lips and asked her next question. “What about the number of worlds attacked when the Druins increased the tally of young Humans they wanted each year?”
Bract frowned. “The Druins took out thirty-two cities as an example for refusing to fill the increased quota demanded. Most of those cities are nearly rebuilt, and the others will be over the next few years.”
Councilor Prest’s eyes narrowed. “I still can’t believe the sheer brutality of the Druins. How can they be so cruel?”
“To them it’s not being cruel. They are a cold-blooded race and do things in a logical manner. To them what they have been doing makes perfect sense. Keep in mind they do not consider Humans as equals. We’re a barely intelligent species only meant to serve the Confederation. It’s as if the Humans in the Empire are herd animals, and that’s how they are treated. Sometimes the herd has to be culled to make it do what is needed.”
Councilor Prest shuddered. “Sometimes I’m tempted to go into cryo just to see the war. I hope we can teach the Druins and the other Confederation races that we are much more than just animals.”
“It may be a long and bloody war,” said Bract. “The Confederation will do everything in their power to stop us, as it will endanger their hold on a major portion of this galaxy.”
Councilor Prest gazed at the viewscreen behind Admiral Bract’s desk. It showed a field of stars from one of the Kuiper Belt battlestations focused on the region of space that held the captive Human worlds. “Can we win?”
Admiral Bract leaned forward, a serious look on his face. “If we have sufficient time to prepare, we just might. Fortunately we’re quite a distance from any Confederation world. If they come for us, they will be a long way from their lines of supply and any reinforcements. Already we’ve greatly fortified this star system, and we have much more we plan on doing.”
Councilor Prest stood. She had several more meetings she needed to attend. “How much time do we need?”
“Ten more years and this system will be nearly impossible for the Druins to conquer. Forty more years and we could potentially be ready to launch an attack. I would prefer to wait eighty or one hundred to ensure that we have the forces we need and that the secret bases established in the Empire are ready.”
“Will the Druins give us that much time?”
Bract let out a deep breath. “I guess that’s the big question. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Bract knew a lot rode on keeping the Druins and the other Confederation races in the dark about Earth and the secret bases in the Empire. If the Confederation and the Druins sent in occupying forces to the surface and had more communication with the Humans, there was little doubt it would be nearly impossible to keep the bases secret. However, when the Druins just go into orbit and threaten bombardment to get what they wanted, it made it that much easier to keep the bases hidden and unknown to the Druins.
The admiral watched as Councilor Prest left his office. He activated a computer screen, as he had more work to do. Several requests had been made from Earth to establish colonies inside some of the larger asteroids. The Human Empire once had such colonies, though the Druins had forced them all to be shut down and evacuated.
What Bract needed to do was decide which asteroids would be acceptable and what he could do to defend them. The Human race was spreading throughout the Solar System and, in doing so, was building a massive mousetrap for the Druins. One the Druins would not care for if they ever discovered and attacked the Humans of this star system.
Chapter Four
Sixty Years Later
Druin Admiral Kreen was growing concerned. Despite all the efforts to remove all references of the former Human Empire, there were still mentions of it on nearly every Human world. He grew suspicious that a group of Humans were intent on not letting the old Empire die. He also wondered if that stealthed ship he had encountered years before had anything to do with it.
Over the years he had sent Druin battlecruisers deep into the Bacchus Region, but, other than a few scavengers, nothing had been found. Where that stealthed vessel had come from was still a mystery.
Recently Kreen had ordered all units of his fleet to take deep scans of all cargo and passenger ships traveling between the Human worlds. Over the last several months they had found five Class A cargo ships that seemed to have hidden spaces and mysterious energy readings. He had now given the order to close in on all five cargo ships, to seize them, and to inspect every cubic centimeter, particularly the hidden compartments, and to find out what was causing the mysterious energy readings.
Kreen’s own battleship was currently approaching one of those cargo ships, which was in the process of approaching the Human world of Doral. “Order the ship to come to a halt for an inspection,” ordered Kreen, as he leaned forward in his command chair. On the viewscreen, the cargo ship was clearly visible. Just looking at it, the vessel appeared to
be a normal cargo vessel. “Have two shuttles of soldiers ready to board the vessel.” It was time to find out exactly what was going on with these five ships. If the Humans were smuggling contraband between their worlds, they would suffer some serious repercussions for violating Confederation laws.
-
Captain Elizabeth Johnson frowned upon seeing the Druin battleship approaching. Normally the Druins ignored all Human cargo ships, unless they thought something suspicious was going on.
“We’re being deep scanned,” reported Neal Strong from his sensor console. “They may have detected our hidden compartments.”
“Damn,” said Elizabeth, her eyes narrowing. “Take us to Condition One and have the Marines grab their combat gear.” She wouldn’t allow the Druins to board her ship.
“We’ve been ordered to come to a complete stop and to prepare to be boarded,” reported the communications officer.
Kirk Avery, the executive officer, turned toward the captain. “They’ve caught us. What do you want to do?”
“Communications, send out a Code Black message to our other cargo ships,” ordered Elizabeth.
The Code Black message would warn the other four cargo ships that their secret had been discovered and they were to head back to Earth immediately. The ships would take extra precautions on their way back to ensure they were not followed.
A few seconds later the communications officer reported the message had been sent and acknowledged by all. That was what Elizabeth had been waiting for. “Increase the fusion power plant to full and bring the energy shield online.” The fusion power plant was military grade and normally operated at a lower power level so as not to raise any suspicions.
“Power is increasing,” reported Avery. “Energy shield is online.”
Elizabeth nodded. “Open weapon ports. Tactical, hit that battleship with a spread of fusion missiles.” She would not wait to be attacked. She would hit them hard and then run. In the confusion, they might just get away.
The Forgotten Empire: Earth Ascendant: Book Two Page 4