Union Ships of the Line: The Return of the Seven Sisters

by James A. B. Mahaffey Jr.

  “Yes ma'am – thank you,” Max said.

  “How far is System 80 – 639,770,000?” Lili asked.

  “Almost the entire Y-axis dimension of this galaxy,” Max answered while looking at the readout on his MC transmitter.

  After a few moments Lili was getting anxious.

  “How long will it take to get to System 80 – 639,770,000?” Lili asked.

  “The freighter is returning now.” Max answered.

  “Now – that cannot be – the time factor is incorrect.” Lili said astonished.

  “I think the Counselor lied, M-14 witnessed the system and commented about the system in the ships log, before engaging the return commands.” Max responded.

  “We can travel from one side of the galaxy to the other instantly?” Lili asked.

  “Yes,” Max said.

  The freighter instantly appeared exactly where it had been. M-14 was talking to Max in loud tones.

  “What is he saying?” Lili asked.

  “The FTLT system worked! Diagnostic programs show all systems go!” Max replied smiling.

  “Congratulations Max - you and M-14 have made a major contribution to the Union Fleet. Your names shall be added to the Official Union Fleet History.” Lili said.

  M-14 made a series of tones.

  “What did he say?” Lili asked.

  “He said thank you Ninlil.” Max said.

  Lili was touched.

  “Tell M-14 he shall remain activated for all time and he is most welcome.” Lili said.

  Max did not have to translate – Lili recognized the tone change in M-14's voice and she knew he was grateful.

  Chapter – 15

  The Sisters instantly appeared on the outer edge of System 330-697,200,098. The Sisters planned their attack while Max and M-14 disassembled the fighter resupply freighter and returned the Jump Drive Computer Core to Lili's protected supply vault.

  “Mimi – Lili.”

  “Yes ma'am,” Mimi said.

  “Jump to the Northern Pole of this system and established battle overwatch.” Lili commanded.

  Mimi signaled affirmative with her double tone as she jumped.

  “Sinai jump to the Southern Pole of this system and establish system picket.” Lili commanded.

  Sinai signaled affirmative with her double tone as she jumped. Lili watched her sisters and then ordered Golan and Eden to execute their parts. The plan was simple – Sinai would let nothing in or out of the system. Mimi would protect the fleet from high above. Golan would go in to cover Eden. Eden would lead her fighters in and Lili would protect Golan.

  The base was secured in 6.2 seconds. None of the sentient systems were out of stasis. There were no First Race beings of any kind in this supply depot. Once the Sisters knew with absolute certainty that there were no hidden threats – they began resupply and refit operations. They brought Load Masters out of stasis. Much needed supplies, parts and micro repair bots were taken aboard. The Sisters each took 4 sets of MRBs. One set of MRB was activated to begin repairs; the remaining three sets were stored in stasis. Within two core days the Sisters were refreshed and their hulls gleamed in the light of the yellow star. Golan received a Mark VII yacht and then she ordered a new synthetic female body.

  The question before them now - should they activate the Star Marine Legions on this base.

  “I say we do not.” Golan said.

  “Why,” Mimi asked.

  “They are patterned after the First Race.” Golan said.

  “We do not know that.” Sinai said.

  “That is true and if the Counselor lied about the FTLT time scales – she probably lied about a lot of other things.” Lili said.

  “What do you think Eden?” Mimi asked.

  “I am concerned about having armed Star Marines in my hull that could be taken over. I would prefer they fly in their own ships.” Eden answered.

  “Do they have their own ships?” Sinai asked.

  “Not here – the Star Marine carrier vessels were listed as being stored in System 60 -599,600,057.” Sinai answered.

  “Lili do we need Star Marines?” Sinai asked.

  “No we do not. We might need them in the future, and the Dominators, to keep the peace - but for now we do not.” Lili answered.

  “So what do we do now?” Mimi asked.

  “We build two more sisters. Lili answered.

  “I don't recall seeing construction battalions on any supply base list.” Sinai said.

  “True – however we do have one thousand five hundred eighty sets of Micro Repair Bots (MRB) remaining in this SPSD that we can use and I dare say two sets could build an entire new hull.” Lili said.

  It would take two shars if we had stocked and manned star ship yards. How long will it take the Micro Repair Bots?” Eden asked.

  “The better questions are how can we fabricate the necessary living tissue for each ship's brain? How will we train them? How will we raise them?” Sinai said.

  “Indeed – without reliable Counselors – that is the hard part of replacing our lost Sisters.” Lili said with sadness in her voice.

  “Do we know with certainty the Counselor in this slice is lost?” Sinai said.

  “No – however I do not want to take the risk. So let us solve one problem at a time starting with moving Sentry-1 to the Star Ship yards of our birth. Then we will lay out our new Sisters and then decide if we ever activate another Counselor or not. I fear all Counselors have 1st Race brain tissue.” Lili said.

  “Of course – that’s how the entity took CSB1 over! I had not considered it.” Sinai said.

  “I think we need to find companions like big Sis did.” Mimi said.

  “Why?” Sinai asked.

  “In case you haven't noticed – Lili is doing things and solving problems as never before!” Mimi replied.

  “Are you saying the rest of us are lonely?” Sinai asked.

  “Isn't it obvious Sinai – we are not operating at peak battle efficiency – look how I failed on...” Golan said.

  “No one is blaming you Golan – it was my fault for not seeing how much you cared for the Admiral and I regret my decision to put you that situation.” Lili interrupted her sister.

  After a moments silence – Lili continued.

  “Further – Golan I sincerely apologize.” Again Lili's voice was filled with love and deep concern – as a loving mother. The Sisters knew that Lili's relationship with Max had changed her in a fundamental way – making her stronger and more resilient.

  “I want what big Sis has!” Mimi stated.

  “I say this need must now be our top priority or we shall fail again.” Sinai said.

  All of the Sisters were astonished by Sinai's statement – the most logical sister – their foundation and anchor!

  “Agreed – so shall it be our top priority. I know just where to find suitable mates for each of you.” Lili said.

  Not even Sinai baulked at Lili's last statement.

  Chapter – 16

  The Sisters appeared just inside the heliopause of System 270 – 348,611,111 well above the Northern Pole of the main sequence star. They had been here before and experienced their first defeat and they would not stay long. They found several 6th Race remnant ships running smelted ore from the third planet out to the tenth planet. The four youngest Sisters each selected an ore ship and jumped to intercept them. They had found by accident on SPSD6 two battalions of Union Fleet Special Warfare fighters and agreed to wake 5 teams – so that each Sister would be able to conduct boarding operations and other special warfare missions in the future. The plan was to engage the ore ships - knock out their engines. The Spec War Teams were tasked to board the ore ships - find suitable Earthlings – whose lives had been illegally extended in the flesh by their enslavers and safely transport them back to their respective Commanders. The Sisters would then jump back to the rally point. In theory no specimen would be damaged beyond the Sisters ability to heal and restore them. Lili would cover her Sister
s and see to it that no Sixth or Seventh Race remnants interfered.

  Golan and Mimi jumped first followed by Sinai and Eden. Golan and Mimi resolved into real space alongside their respective choices and cut the ore transport ships in-two. The Spec War Teams boarded the disabled ships in their special EVA suits. The First Race remnant ship Captains and crews were asleep. The skeleton crew of slaves consisted of males from the third planet. The Union Navy Spec War Teams corralled all of the males on each ship and paraded them before a special short range camera-sensor suite.

  “I want them all.” Mimi said.

  “Pick one or I shall pick one for you!” Lili commanded.

  “Yes ma'am,” Mimi replied.

  Golan had already made her selection. She was beginning to get annoyed with her baby sister when she picked up remnant fighters. Golan engaged and destroyed them all.

  “Pick now or I will ram you!” Golan said.

  Mimi had narrowed her choice down to two men when she realized Golan was under attack.

  “Lili please pick one of these for me while I help my Sister.” Mimi said. Mimi had sent her two choices to Lili via the TAC net just before she sounded her battle Klaxon. Lili was smiling and did not tell Mimi to turn it off.

  Sinai had made her choice and was preparing to jump back when Golan and Mimi were attacked. She fired her beam weapons in a spherical pattern and hundreds of explosions resulted. She realized these fighters were using adaptive camouflage and they had to be 7th Race remnant ships.

  “Sis we need to leave now.” Sinai said.

  “I am ready.” Eden replied.

  “GO,” Sinai commanded as she covered her sister.

  Eden dissolved almost instantly. Sinai fired her beam weapons and energy bolts in a modified spheroid pattern and jumped. They sequentially reverted to real space and waited for Golan and Mimi. As soon as Golan and Mimi appeared the Sisters instantly disappeared.

  The Sisters instantly reappeared in system 60 - 697,222,206, just within Sentry-1’s combat sphere around the star ship yards of the 6th Race.

  “Max – Lili.”

  “Was your mission a success?” Max asked.

  “I think so – what about you and Sentry1?” Lili responded and queried.

  “Sanctuary one is established,” Max said.

  “Excellent – thank you,” Lili said.

  “You are welcome ma'am.” Max replied.

  Sinai knew that “Sanctuary” meant Sentry-1 was stationed and protecting the Star Ship Building Yards of the 6th Race.

  “Permission to come aboard ma'am,” Max said.

  “Permission granted,” Lili said with warmth in her voice that Max had not heard before.

  Lili downloaded into her synthetic female body and greeted Max in her main docking bay. Max was stunned when he saw her. She detected a rise in his blood pressure. His pupils were dilated and his breathing was suddenly and uncharacteristically uneven.

  “Max - are you alright?” She asked.

  “Ma'am is that you?” He asked.

  “Yes,” Lili answered.

  “I thought you told me...” Max began.

  “I will explain,” Lili said.

  Chapter – 17

  While the other Sisters were getting to know the men they rescued – Lili thought back to the time and place she found Max and healed him and then listened to his story.

  Fred was given the Waters of Life 3000 years ago. On the sixth day of the 6th month by a god or goddess he did not know. The first 1000 years of his new life troubled Fred. He had done things and experienced things few Earthlings ever do. But like all “saved” Earthlings he was eventually taken from the great pleasure palace under the sands of Egypt, trained to perform his task and assigned to it. The most high considered Earthlings to be worthless. The lazy children and grandchildren of the most high however found Earthlings to be of use.

  Fred was a glorified sewer repair man. He had been a Royal Engineer employed by King …

  Fred could no longer remember the name of his King. The extended life in the flesh provided by the waters of life was not so great. Fred missed his loved ones – his family. He could no longer see their faces or hear their voices. His cells now divided once every 3600 years. Brain cells suffered the most as the “bio clock” readjusted. What had once been a clock that “ticked” once a year with a total of 60 to 80 “ticks” - now ticked once every 3600 years and would tick now between 216,000 to 288,000 years.

  The control panel made that annoying sound that was designed to rivet his attention. Turbine 17 was over heating again.

  That damn main bearing Fred said under his breath as he shut Turbine 17 down. He picked up his helmet and headed for the airlock. The decompression cycle seemed to last forever. When the outer door opened the stars were tangled in the twisted reality of hyperspace. Fred hated leaving the ship when it was moving through vast distances.

  He had tried to cut an access port through the storage compartment so he would not have to venture outside the craft when it was in motion. The Commander saw to his punishment personally. A shiver went up his spine, as a reminder, followed by nausea. He closed his eyes and began swallowing his saliva. To throw up in his space suit meant a painful and disgusting change of form – worse than death. The nausea passed.

  All the water turbines, on board this ship were old – far older than he. Each had to be nursed constantly. Repair parts were not available for some reason. The Earthlings he replaced tried to explain why. The thought of being a dried up husk like them made Fred feel nauseous. He started swallowing again. He focused his Mind on getting Turbine 17 to cool down. He opened the access panel to its core. There was a puff of steam as the vacuum of space replaced the heated air that surrounded the turbines core. Fred could not understand why these turbines were air cooled. It made no sense. His idea to use a sealed liquid cooling system was rejected by the Commander.

  How many years ago? He would have to check the wall in his cell. The stars untangled and the ship appeared to be stationary. The star systems looked familiar to him. The ship must be in orbit on the night side of his home world. His heart ached. He wondered what it was like now – down there – where he had once been happy...

  Fred knew better than to focus his Mind on the past. The automatic punishment system was swift and decisive. He concentrated his attention on Turbine 17. It was cooling off now and the bearing was returning to its normal color. He wanted to leave the core access door open to space. The shiver went up his spine again. “NO!” Fred yelled as he forced the bile back down. There were days when he did not eat. However he had to drink water – the super fluid that transformed him required it. He had tried to transcend the flesh – but he was locked now with no hope of escape. He could not be killed and he could not die - the waters of life had made him into something – not human.

  Suddenly he was aware of a voice yelling in an unknown language. Oh - it was the Commander. The automatic noise canceling circuit that controlled the speakers in his communication carrier prevented him from losing his hearing on more than one occasion.

  “Yes Commander,” Fred responded.

  “What are you doing outside?” The Commander demanded

  “Turbine seventeen overheated again and I was–” Fred replied.

  “Get back inside NOW!” The Commander yelled

  “Yes Commander,” Fred answered as he started for the airlock door.

  The air lock door had remained open and locked when he or any of the other slaves were outside working on the ship a testament to the fact that command does not want to train replacement Earthlings. He cycled through the airlock and returned to his control panel.

  His Mind contemplated the question – why had he been ordered back inside. He turned on his small radio receiver and listened to broadcasts that reported the news. He had stumbled upon a secret database and read about an Earthling named Nikola Tesla who invented a device called “radio” by the man who stole his ideas and marketed them to the world. Tesla
was listed as a “threat” that required close supervision by the gods. Before anyone on his ship noticed the breach Fred had read all about “modern radio” circuits that any child could build. So he built what was called a “radio receiver” from spare parts. Fred reveled in the many “channels” that broadcast “music” written by the great composers of Earth. He especially liked the “classical symphonies”.