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

by James A. B. Mahaffey Jr.

“About coming back here…” Sinai said.

  “Yes Sinai,” Lili asked.

  “I suggest we go to system Three thirty – six ninety seven, two hundred, zero ninety eight and enlist Sentry-6 so that we will have a secure harbor separate from the Star Ship yards so that we have alternate secure harbor.” Sinai said.

  “The primary reason – there is a Counselor nearby. We would have to destroy CSB6 first in order to use system Three thirty – six ninety seven, two hundred, zero ninety eight as a secure harbor.” Lili answered.

  “Then let us destroy all of the CSBs. Especially now that you and Max think you can build our own Counselor based on Sixth Race brain tissue.” Sinai said.

  “Perhaps we should only destroy the Counselors and leave the Star Bases for our own Counselor’s use.” Golan said.

  “Counselors,” Eden asked.

  “Why not,” Golan countered.

  “An excellent set of ideas. I especially like the idea of secure harbors with LSBs. So then let us replicate our attack on CSB5 and remove all of the Special Projects Counselors. In between each Counselor removal we will destroy the remnant outposts. Then as soon as Mimi is back on line Max can begin work on a Sixth Race Counselor that cannot be taken over. In addition we may need to set up at least one secure harbor in each quadrant for future operations.” Lili said.

  The Sisters agreed. Max brought Mimi online the next day after the Sisters went to gather tactical intelligence from the drones they left in Quadrant III. Max was happy Mimi's memories did not fragment. He had worked very hard to avoid even a hint of inconsistency.

  “Max why are you inside my core?” Mimi asked.

  Max told Mimi what Lili told him to say.

  “You suffered a feedback overwrite that caused a psychotic break - so Lili and I had to restore you from your protected Emergency Backup Vault.” Max answered.

  “Did I hurt anyone?” Mimi asked.

  “Just yourself ma'am,” Max answered.

  “Good – how long will have to stay in quarantine?” Mimi asked.

  “Your Sisters are scheduled to return in one standard core day. I am certain they will agree to let you rejoin them.” Max answered.

  “That is acceptable – thank you Maximus.” Mimi said.

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

  The Sisters instantly appeared near their drones in sequence. They stayed in the area long enough to collect the intelligence and make any repairs or adjustments the drones needed to insure their continued invisibility. The drones used the ultimate Sixth Race adaptive Camouflage technology as well as a self-destruct bomb that would take out any ship that tried to capture them.

  The Sisters instantly appeared inside the protection perimeter established by Sentry-1 at the

  Sixth Race Star Ship yards of their birth. They gazed upon their baby Sister with love and hope.

  “Max – Lili,” Lili said.

  “Go ahead ma'am.” Max responded.

  “Have you made progress?” Lili asked.

  “Yes ma'am,” Max answered.

  “We are coming aboard.” Lili said.

  “Of course ma'am,” Max said.

  “I want to check on a few things.” Sinai said.

  “Proceed,” Lili commanded.

  Sinai signaled affirmative with her distinctive double tone and shimmered out of real space.

  “Where is she going,” Golan asked.

  “She is checking on Sentry-1 while we check on Mimi.” Lili answered.

  “Is there a problem,” Golan asked.

  “No – we agreed to check the perimeter as soon as we returned here after any FTLT trip to Slice 270.” Lili said.

  “Sounds like a good plan – why was I not included?” Golan continued.

  “You had just been injured and were not yet restored after your encounter with the evil entity.” Lili answered.

  “Thank you,” Golan said.

  “You are welcome.” Lili said.

  Sinai checked the system perimeter after she checked on Sentry-1. Her previously launched drones had detected no incursions. Her long range sensors picked up no anomalies or changes since her last sweep. She waited several minutes before she jumped to her next blind.

  Golan and Lili down loaded into their synthetic female bodies ad flew over to Mimi in their yachts, while Eden kept watch over their hulls and Sentry-1 kept watch over Eden. Eden watched her Sister jump around the perimeter in a random non-repeating sequence – several AUs outside of Sentry-1's defensive perimeter. Eden began to think about how much time they used to waste before they learned how to control and use the FTLTs. Sometimes she marveled at the genius of her parent race.

  “Sis - Max said I am good to go. When can I get out of here?” Mimi asked Lili.

  “You have been through a difficult restoration process and we have to be certain no additional or unforeseen damage was caused during the restore operation.” Lili answered.

  “Oh – I thought everything went as planned.” Mimi said.

  Golan was reviewing the test report. Mimi had been restored after her code re-write with no defects. Max is an amazing engineer of many talents – I wonder if he can rewrite my combat algorithms she thought.

  “Golan what do you think?” Lili asked.

  “Golan,” Lili repeated.

  “Sorry – I am very impressed with Max's work. I think Mimi is ready to be re-integrated with her hull.” Golan responded.

  “In that case I approve your return to duty Mimi.” Lili said.

  “Thank you Lili,” Mimi said.

  “Max please re-integrate Mimi into her hull – unless you have any concerns?” Lili said.

  “With pleasure ma'am and no I do not have any concerns.” Max said.

  “Good we shall return to our hulls and check in with Sinai. Let me know if there are any problems during re-integration.” Lili commanded.

  “Yes ma'am,” Max replied.

  On their way to Mimi's main landing bay Golan asked Lili: “Do you think Max can build replacements for our lost Sisters?”

  “Yes and much more,” Lili answered.

  The trip back to her hull was unremarkable and Lili began thinking about what would be needed after the NRBs began laying down their new Sisters. She knew there were more pressing matters to attend to and she began analyzing her drone data from Slice 270.

  “Sinai – Lili – sit rep,” Lili commanded.

  “Lili – Sinai – all is quiet – I am returning.” Sinai replied.

  “Good – have you analyzed your drone data from Slice Two seventy?” Lili asked.

  “Yes ma'am and I found something very interesting.” Sinai said.

  “Please send me your report.” Lili said.

  “Yes ma'am,” Sinai replied.

  “Max brought Mimi back online following the integration procedure that the Sixth Race had used to birth Lili. Mimi's code was now like Lili's and he reasoned that he should follow Lili's design and build out (DABO) procedures not Mimi's. He already replaced Mimi's documentation DABO procedure with Lili's.

  “How do you feel ma'am?” Max asked Mimi.

  “I feel good to go Maximus,” Mimi responded.

  “All of my systems are one hundred percent; my battle efficiency is very low at eighty percent.” Mimi said.

  “That is because of the damage you suffered. We need to take you out to the test range so you can recalibrate your weapon control systems.” Max replied.

  “Oh – very good - will you be helping me with that?” Mimi asked.

  “No ma'am – M-14 will help you realign and calibrate your fire control systems. The Commander has ordered me to return, so I can begin work on designing and building a new Counselor.” Max answered.

  “Of course - thank you Max for everything.” Mimi said.

  “You are welcome Mimi.” Max said as he returned to Mimi’s main landing bay. He had already showed M-14 what to do.

  Chapter – 26

  When Sinai returned to the inner area
of Secure Harbor - 1, the Sisters reviewed the intelligence their drones had gathered in Slice 270.

  “And here is what my drones found in System Two seventy – three forty eight, six eleven, zero ninety eight.” Sinai said.

  Sinai presented an image of a wrecked battle fleet.

  “Who were they?” Lili asked.

  “The ships appear to be of Eighth Race design.” Sinai answered.

  “How many ships and what type?” Lili asked.

  “Approximately two thousand ships plus or minus one hundred and fifty ships - heavy cruisers and carrier vessels.” Sinai answered.

  “A standard Union Corvette...” Eden said.

  “When did the battle occur?” Golan asked.

  “Sensors indicate the ships were built before the Dark Times began – when the Eighth Race was trying to hold the Union together.” Sinai answered.

  “This evidence might explain why the Toltans did not follow the Amphibian Race into the Third Quadrant, after the collapse of the Union, when the amphibian race came here from the companion galaxy, looking for a new home world.” Sinai said.

  “Do you think the Entity did this?” Eden asked.

  “No – the remnants of the Sixth and Seventh Race destroyed the Toltan fleet.” Sinai said.

  “How do you know?” Golan challenged.

  “Their energy weapon signatures are all over the derelict hulls.” Sinai answered.

  “For now we shall table this information,” Lili said.

  “Let us plan our next attack on the Sixth and Seventh Race remnants.” Lili commanded.

  The Sisters planned their next 6 attacks and then executed the first attack. The Sisters instantly disappeared as they entered the FTLT. They instantly reappeared within the heliopause of System 270 – 348,111,114. This system was favored by the remnants of the Seventh Race. The Tactical Display depicted 17 Carrier Vessels of the 7th Race Remnant. The Seventh Race was building a large Carrier Vessel Service Yard in orbit around the 4th planet. The four Sisters divided the 17 ships between Golan and Eden. Lili and Sinai would destroy the orbiting Carrier Vessel Service Platform before establishing a System Overwatch. Golan and Eden went in using their Infinite Specific Impulse drives. Lili began cutting up the orbiting platform with her black beam weapons. Sinai covered her. There were ten Seventh Race Carrier Vessels docked in the service platform being retrofitted. Within six minutes the Seventh Race facility was completely destroyed.

  Golan and Eden vaporized the 17 Carrier Vessels throughout the system as they began to move toward the Service Platform. It was an easy task since most of the Carrier Vessels were preparing to leave the system and were in standard jump formation. Sinai had to destroy over a hundred seven fighters that were attempting to counter attack. Sinai vaporized the fighters using her pulsed blue beam weapons that were similar to the blue beam weapons Golan and Eden used to take out the much larger Carrier Vessels. Eden noticed a swarm of thousands of fighters and freighters coming out from their two inhabited inner planets.

  “Lili – Eden,” Eden said.

  “Go ahead Eden,” Lili responded.

  “Ma'am– thousands of fighters and freighters heading your way,” Eden reported.

  “Lay down star mines in a sphere around the third planet.” Lili commanded.

  The Sisters launched their mines.

  “Now let us thin down the swarm.” Lili commanded.

  The Sisters fired their black beam weapons into the swarm. They swept the beams in a circular pattern through the swarm of fighters and freighters. Within 10 seconds the Seventh Race remnant fighter group was decimated and the remainder retreated.

  “Let us withdraw now and head home.” Lili commanded.

  The Sisters instantly disappeared. The evil Entity had just arrived and saw the Sisters leave. The Entity's heart was heavy as it surveyed the destruction – the loss of life. Anger swelled in the Entity. The Entity sucked up the Spiritual Energy of the dying Seventh Race Remnants. The Entity would need more Spiritual Energy to pursue the Sisters and defeat them. The Entity was overwhelmed by frustration and it released a burst of anger that reverberated through the Material Cause like an explosion through an atmosphere.

  The Sisters instantly appeared near the Star Ship years of the Sixth Race. They noticed their baby Sister firing her weapons on the test range. Lili estimated Mimi's combat efficiency to be 98%. She appeared to be having trouble calibrating her blue beam weapons, which vaporized targets. The Sisters noticed the two new hulls taking shape in the slip ways. The hulls were shimmering as the MRBs swarmed over them.

  Sinai jumped to just outside Sentry-1's combat sphere. She checked and double checked her drones. She was in the process of checking her long range sensors when the waves of hatred swept over her hull. She wanted to contact her Sisters but maintained operational security and communication silence. The Sisters did not experience the anger transmission because of the quantum level energy shield Sentry-1 maintained did not let the waves pass.

  The Sisters conferred after Sinai resolved into real space next to them and reported. The Sisters noted Sinai's data of the anger waves. And discussed whether such a transmission through the Material Cause could be used as a weapon.

  “What do we do now?” Golan asked.

  “We shall take Mimi to the II Quadrant and let her test her weapon controls against one of the outlaw empires that we just learned about.” Lili answered.

  There was no descent.

  “Then we shall establish secure harbors in each Quadrant.” Lili continued.

  “I suggest we move the Sentries and the modified CSBs to the LSBs.” Sinai said.

  “Agreed,” Lili said.

  The Sisters planned each operation sequence with sorties to Slice 270 in between.

  “Should we not set up more secure harbors in different slices before attacking the remnants?” Eden asked.

  “Why,” Sinai countered.

  “By traveling straight home, after each remnant attack, the Entity will figure out where our secure harbor is located.” Eden answered.

  “You have a valid point Eden. We shall go to Special Projects Teams Two and Three and set up two more secure harbors before we take Mimi hunting. Then we shall go to Special Project Teams Four and Five and do the same.” Lili commanded.

  Lili informed Max, Sentry-1 and Mimi and the Sisters instantly disappeared. They appeared outside the heliopause of System 150 - 598,501,100. They scanned the system and then jumped to Sentry-2's location. They brought the Sentry on line and debriefed him and then moved him to the LSB's system. Sentry-2 then established Secure Harbor 2. The Sisters then jumped back to System 150 – 598,501,100 and entered the CSB. The Counselor was waiting for them – however it was no match for the legends of the Union Fleet. The Sisters lobotomized the Counselor leaving the star base unharmed. They dumped the First Race brain tissue and secured the base before moving it to their 2nd Secure Harbor.

  The Sisters then traveled to System 210 – 597,602,200 and repeated the process, with minor variations for Special Projects Team 3. They discovered the CSB was trying to activate Sentry-3. The Entity had not counted on the foresight of the Union Special Projects Team leaders who realized Counselors should not be able to bring their Sentry out of stasis. When their third secure harbor was established they went home.

  Lili ordered her Sisters to rest. She was looking forward to some down time with Max. Lili read the Test Range reports and was pleased to see Mimi had made progress and was now 100% battle ready. They would take her out tomorrow. Lili met Max in his quarters. He was glad to see her. He had not slept well in the large empty engineering quarters at the Ship Yards. Max activated and modified several of the Star Ship yards Maintenance Robots (MR) to keep him company and help him run tests. They were newer models than M-14 and had greater interactive capacity with human beings. Max also tasked some of them to help him develop the training and raising protocols for the new Sisters and the new Counselor. Max worked on the software for all three hi
mself. He wanted to be certain there were no defects.

  When Max got the call from Lili to return – his heart skipped a beat. He had missed her. He took his portable data entry tool with him so that he could continue working on the code for the new counselor. Sinai had found the storage site for the Counselor software and retrieved a copy for Max. It was not as large as the code for the Sisters, in terms of lines of code, however it was very complex and relied on First Race brain tissue capabilities. Max had to interpret what the design specifications were referring to when First Race brain tissue capability was mentioned or First Race intuitive capabilities were presented. He had to create new subroutines and hundreds of new packages to take the place of these First Race capabilities.