Storm' Fury: The Shenkar War

by Seth Libby

  “But....” Henry started to say.

  “Enough of this,” said a man from the doorway.

  They all turned to see an older man standing in the doorway. He was wearing a lab coat but was wearing a gray suit underneath. He carried one of the new portable computers. Fifty times the power of the newest consumer laptops yet only the size of a PDA or personal digital assistant, one of the new benefits of the quantum computer technology the Shenkar had brought with them. Liam hadn't seen the man in a few weeks, ever since he had refused further tests regarding his new abilities. Many of the scientists and medical assistants grumbled that Milton Johansin was a “taskmaster” but Liam had never seen that side of the elderly gentleman, in fact the man was rather kind to Liam.

  “But sir...” Henry started to say.

  “I said ENOUGH, Henry! Now get back to work and you are to tell no one of what has transpired here today, do I make myself clear?” Milton said in a commanding voice.

  “Yes sir,” Henry replied meekly.

  Milton stepped aside to allow Henry to pass. The doctor finished his examination and then left without another word. Milton slowly walked up, the whole time staring at Liam.

  “Well my boy I see you are up to your old tricks again,” Milton said.

  “Old tricks?” asked Liam.

  “Doing amazing things and not telling,” Milton explained with a smile.

  Liam smiled but didn't say anything in response.

  “Well anyways I am glad you were able to help Miss Wellmo, too many people have died last year. Also a father should never outlive their children,” said Milton as he reached out and patted Sabrina's hand.

  Liam wasn't positive but he sensed sadness when Milton had made the reference about outliving a child. He also noticed Milton looked very tired and not altogether healthy.

  “Are you feeling all right, Milton?” Liam asked, not bothering to hide his concern.

  Milton seemed startled for a second but recovered quickly.

  “Oh yes, just a bit tired is all, nothing to be concerned with. So I don't suppose you would explain to me what you did to help Miss Wellmo? I will even spring for lunch,” Milton asked hopefully.

  Liam was about to say no but something stopped him. For some reason Liam felt that Milton wanted more than just to talk about what he had done.

  “Uh...yeah, sure,” Liam said.

  After making sure Tim and Sabrina would be okay, Liam and Milton left father and daughter alone to catch up and headed off to get lunch. He wondered what the older man had to say to him. He was pretty sure it really didn't have to deal with what Liam had done for Sabrina.

  November 26th, 2013, 9:23am

  Shenkar Home World, Shryka

  Shizta entered the palace, taking long strides as he passed through the halls towards the main chamber of the Shelecore. None of the elites made any attempt to stop him, as they knew he had been given free reign of the palace. He had spent the past several moon cycles coming and going from the palace. Meetings lasting long into the night regarding the building of the new fleet, the cloning of new warriors for such ships and general knowledge of what they knew of the humans. As of now the rebuilt fleet was close to completion. Every day the Shelecore was becoming harder to dissuade from once again launching a full scale assault against the human home world. Shizta was constantly reminding the Shelecore they needed to be patient as they would need a fleet much larger if they wished to destroy the humans. However, he didn't think he would be able to stall the Shelecore much longer without risking having his own head removed from the rest of his body. The Shelecore, while intelligent, was not very patient and was prone to severe violence when upset.

  When he arrived in the throne room the overlords of the Shelecore's war council was already present as they all stood around a holographic table. Besides the Shelecore and the overlords the only others present were the elite guard posted around the throne room.

  Shizta eyed the elites as he made his way over to the holographic table. Lately something about certain ones had been bothering him. He had noticed certain elites had been showing more interest in what transpired, especially an elite named Cryta. The young elite always seemed to drift closer whenever discussion of the humans came up. Shizta hadn't mentioned his suspicions to the Shelecore for a couple reasons. One, the Shelecore would most certainly have the young elite executed. However, the second reason was the main reason for keeping his silence. After so long a time spent in close proximity, Shizta had begun to question the Shelecore's sanity. He had become obsessed with the humans and their destruction. If he had his way he would have recalled all warships, including Overlord Threta and his Crimson fleet, and assaulted the human’s home world. To remove the Crimson fleet from the dead zone could result in the Brood running unchecked throughout the Federation, Shizta shuddered at the thought. He knew he wouldn't be able to stall the Shelecore much longer, perhaps a cycle of the moon at most, before he ordered the assault on the humans.

  Reaching the holographic table he briefly saluted the assembly and listened in on the conversation. He had been correct in his first assumption, all fleet overlords were present but he had missed a few new additions. The new additions were in fact three scientists and by the insignias on their robes, they were upper echelon. Shizta was surprised to see the scientists present, only military were normally allowed at a war meeting. For whatever reason it must be of serious importance.

  As Shizta entered the circle the Shelecore looked up to meet his eyes.

  “Good you could join us Overlord Shizta. You are just in time to hear the good news,” the Shelecore said.

  The Shelecore then turned and nodded towards one of the scientists to speak.

  “As we all know we have met one of our greatest challenges. A race known to us as humans have attacked and destroyed one of our mightiest Dread fleets. We lost a great war leader when we lost Supreme Overlord Krailsha. But our supreme leader has not let this deter him; we will prevail in the end when we destroy the humans.

  Now we have rebuilt a fleet mightier than the one lost. The fleet has been fully crewed with new warriors. Now we must strike and we must strike fast. However, while we have rebuilt our fleet we must assume the Meshtrell have rebuilt the humans own fleet as well as those deadly defense platforms that surrounded their home world. The one advantage we have is the humans do not know that Supreme Overlord Krailsha had stationed a surveillance ship on the outskirts of the human system and it was able to retreat to bring word of what had transpired. We know the exact location of the humans home world and with that the location data for our fold engines.”

  At this point Shizta got a little confused. True, they had the coordinates but the major drawback of Shenkar fold technology was the fold engines had to actually have been in the location before to be able to use the data to fold there. Before he could voice this very question one of the overlords spoke up, Overlord Gyliene he believed.

  “I do not understand. How does this matter when we all know we cannot simply fold our ships to any location without having been there before?”

  The scientist smiled at this question as if he had fully expected it to be asked.

  “Overlord Gyliene is correct; previously we simply could not fold our warships to any location, at least not with the fold engines he speaks of. However, things have changed, now we do have such ability. We were able to recover some data from some of the wreckage of the human’s battlecruiser they used in system 238. While we were not able to completely reconstruct their exact fold technology we were able to create fold engines that are close to the humans. We will need to make several folds to make the trip but we should be able to fold our entire fleet to the edge of the human’s home system,” explained the scientist.

  “Why not simply fold our fleet into direct proximity of the human’s home world?” asked Gyliene.

  “While we were able to create a fold engine we still couldn't overcome the problem of folding a ship into the gravity well of a planet. I
f we were to attempt such a maneuver it would result in the destruction of the fleet,” explained the scientist in a voice that plainly said the scientist was severely annoyed with not being able to solve this problem.

  “We are still looking into another possible solution for this but it is yet untested.”

  “When will the fleet be ready?” asked another Overlord Shizta didn't know.

  “The fleet is ready, or as ready as I am willing to wait for. I will not be deterred anymore,” commanded the Shelecore.

  Shizta knew the fleet wasn't large enough to effectively decimate the human’s fleet and defense platforms with any certainty. In fact the fleet did not even meet the the numbers of a Dread fleet so he was unsure of why they had stated the fleet was mightier than a Dread fleet.

  “Shelecore, the humans will most definitely have rebuilt their fleet by now as well as those massive defense platforms that were so deadly against Krailsha's fleet. I am willing to bet they did not stop at just replacing the two we were able to destroy, I would bet my life they doubled if not tripled those automated monstrosities. I believe we should wait till our fleet is double the size of a normal Dread fleet,” explained Shizta, fighting to keep his voice neutral and not show the anger in his voice.

  “You would bet your life, would you? Shizta you will have your chance to do just that. You will be accompanying the fleet when they assault the humans. But do not worry for I have a plan to diminish the fleet around the human’s home world before we assault the planet. If you recall system 238 you will remember the humans effectively delivered severe losses against Krailsha's fleet. They did this even when we thought we had driven them off. After we successfully destroyed their battlecruiser they still managed to capture the Tryliene and use it to destroy the command base attached to Krailsha's fleet. I believe the humans had a secret outpost somewhere in system 238’s asteroid field that they were using to launch attacks from. Now you may believe that since they defeated us they may have abandoned the base as this is not an area of space that is on a direct route from Shenkar space to the human’s home world but I severely doubt this. The humans must know we will not simply let them live as I also believe the Meshtrell will assure them we will return. I am sure the humans will want to monitor this area against any possibility incursion from our fleets. So we will do just that, we will send out ships to system 238. You see I have monitored the footage of the assault on the human’s world and I believe I have found a flaw in them. They will go to great lengths to protect one another from harm. I believe if we attack their outpost we will draw their fleet away from their home world and away from those defense platforms.”

  The Shelecore then turned to Overlord Gyliene to address him.

  “Overlord Gyliene, assemble the fleet, you depart as soon as you are ready.”

  “Yes my Shelecore,” answered Gyliene in a crisp voice as he saluted. Shizta had to admit the Shelecore's plan could possibly work but he was still bothered by the whole situation. It wasn't that he felt they would lose but more than that. As he had spent his time with the Shelecore, discussing the humans, he began to see the Shenkar Federation from a new point of view. He had been taught the Meshtrell had been an evil race whom they had won their freedom against. But if this were the case why would they help these humans build a force to defend themselves against the Shenkar? Moreover as Shizta looked back upon the reign of the Shenkar Federation he began to see a pattern. How could all the races they ruled over be misguided? He, like the rest of the populace, had always followed what the Shelecore and ruling council decreed without question. Dread fleets were sent forth to subjugate the lesser races, always under the belief that the Shenkar Federation knew better. Countless citizens of these worlds who had refused the Shenkar had been killed in the name of peace. Now, however, he was beginning to feel maybe they should be questioned. The actions of the Shenkar deserved to be questioned. Shizta felt even his own actions over the past ten moon cycles had been questionable. To voice these aloud now would mean certain death as the Shelecore would declare him an enemy of the Federation. What could he do? He was only one warrior and who is to say he was correct?

  December 22nd, 2013 2:08am

  EDF Secluded Base, System 238

  Peter yawned loudly as he leaned forward to study the radar screen on his monitoring station for only the second time this hour. Satisfied he had done his job he leaned back in his chair. He had joined the EDF in hopes of some adventure but he had to admit to himself so far he was severely disappointed. Perhaps if he had been stationed aboard one of the new Battlecruisers or even a cruiser then that would have been more exciting. Unfortunately his father had made sure he wasn't aboard any of the warships, having him stationed here in system 238 in a boring outpost that the Shenkar had never discovered on a route that was not directly in the path from Earth to Shenkar space, so therefore his father felt he would be safe. How he hated his father, he could never do anything to make the man happy. He had thought by joining the EDF he would make his father proud but instead his father had told him he was being foolish. His father was, in fact, Jacque Lecroix, President of France.

  So now all he did was study a radar screen for six hours a day and report back that he had seen nothing. Sighing he pulled a cigarette from behind his ear, stood and walked over to the door of the command center and stuck his head out. Typically this time of night he was alone for his entire shift but he wanted to make sure no one was nearby as smoking in the command center was strictly forbidden. Satisfied no one was about he put the cigarette in his mouth and began to fish in his pockets for his lighter. Finding his lighter he fished it out of his pocket and was about to light it when a sharp beeping began to emit from his console.

  Walking back over he leaned forward to study the radar screen and immediately his mouth fell open, the unlit cigarette slipping from his mouth to fall to the floor. Several Shenkar warship signatures had appeared upon the radar screen thus setting off the proximity alarms. Warship after warship began folding into space just beyond the sixth planet on the outskirts of the system. In a matter of seconds he counted ten Battlecruisers along with thirty Shirec medium cruisers with more still appearing. Quickly he reached over and slammed his hand down upon a red switch. Alarms blared as a mechanical voice came to life to sound throughout the outpost.

  “All personnel to action stations, enemy contacts sighted. I repeat all personnel to action stations, enemy contacts sighted.”

  Peter could hear the pounding of boots on stone as men and woman rushed through the passageways to their action stations. Within a few minutes the command staff had made their way to the command center.

  “Ensign Lacroix, what is the situation?” commanded Captain Glennon.

  “Sir, we have multiple enemy contacts on an inbound vector. Enemy capital warships now fifty five, warships are launching enemy fighters as well as Drelai gunships.”

  “Have any of the enemy contacts made any move towards our location?” asked Captain Glennon.

  “No sir, they seem to be creating a perimeter two thousand kilometers out but none have moved in our direction.”

  Captain Glennon turned to his communications officer and spoke.

  “Ensign Florice, download all current data on the situation and send it immediately to Earth. I want.......”

  But what he was about to say was suddenly cut off as a massive explosion shook the outpost.

  “SIR! Shenkar warships are firing upon the asteroid field. They do not seem to be targeting any particular area as they just seem to be blanketing the entire area in hopes of hitting us. How do they know we are here?”

  “I don't know but we won't last much longer if they get any more hits like that last one. Ensign Florice, along with the data send an immediate request for assistance!” commanded Captain Glennon.

  December 22nd, 2013 4:28am

  EDF Phoenix, Terran system

  Captain Jenson Donaldson sat back in his command chair as he enjoyed his new post that came with his ne
w rank. He had risen in rank due to his quick thinking during the battle for Earth several months back. He had been commander on the EDF Yamamoto when the captain had been critically injured from a secondary explosion on the command bridge. Commander Donaldson had quickly taken command and saved the Yamamoto that otherwise would have resulted in her destruction. He had been promoted to captain several months ago upon the recommendation of Admiral Saunders. But while he had the rank he had had to wait until his new post was completed, namely the newly christened EDF Phoenix, a Battlecruiser. The Phoenix was one of the newest versions of the Battlecruiser. Technically designated Battlecruiser Two, the new design was pretty much the same as before except for a few changes as well some new additions.

  The original design placed the command bridge close to the surface, on the upper half, about one third from the stern. Now traditionalists had moved the command bridge to a more secure location. It also placed the command bridge close to the CIC or Combat Information Center. With additional software updates, redundant overlapping systems and the placement of the command bridge, the battlecruiser could suffer damage over forty percent of the ship and still be battle worthy. The overall shape of the command bridge was also different. Instead of the traditional rectangular shape the bridge was now oblong in shape with the command chair set back three quarters of the way from forward on a raised platform. Lighting on the bridge was kept low for the new addition every new warship featured. Every wall within held massive displays that circled the top half of every wall, displaying real time footage of the space around the warship. The traditional holographic table display was also present but the wall displays allowed the entire bridge crew to monitor the battle.