by Chris Hechtl
“So, the aliens could come back?” Chase asked. Malory looked at him as the area grew silent. Chase was an orphan; he'd fallen into Pat's circle as they had tried to start up the schools and survival training. They'd bonded and one thing had led to another. Don still resented the boy, but Malory had come to accept him and considered him a part of their family.
“I don't know. Maybe. I think it's going to be a while before we all give up the caves,” Malory said.
“Wise,” Chase said with a nod. “But if it's just the same, I'd like to try to build some sort of life out there. And I definitely want to find a way to fight back,” he growled.
“Here here,” Pat said, catching his hand and giving it a squeeze.
(@)()(@)
“Doctor Grayskull, a Terran warship has arrived in orbit and is communicating with the planet.”
The doctor frowned as he looked up from the report he had been reading. He had figured out how to extend the surface area of the gravity emitters in order to shield Eternia City in its own protective bubble. Powering it was still a problem however. He had directed the robots to build the emitters in hidden locations to camouflage them from prying eyes.
“What?” he asked blearily, looking up in confusion.
“The Terran Navy has arrived,” the A.I. stated.
“Navy. Well, I guess everything we've been doing has been a waste of time then,” he grumbled, pushing the tablet aside with annoyance. He'd spent years trying to figure out ways to protect the planet and the population. It was frustrating to see all that effort go to waste.
“Not necessarily, Doctor. It is one ship, a destroyer.”
“Well, I'm going to hold off and work on something else. This damn power problem has me licked. They need to provide the power themselves,” he said.
“And the power issue is one of the biggest hang-ups for the other installations you've planned for the planet I believe,” the Sorceress replied.
“Yeah.”
“And I know you do not let an obstruction stop you for long. But you do need a break it seems. I am cooking dinner,” she said.
He sniffed the air and smelled fish. He got up and stretched. “Don't burn it this time,” he warned as he headed to the bathroom.
“Then you better personally supervise,” the A.I. replied. He waved a hand as he closed the door.
(@)()(@)
“I'm wondering what else we can do,” Deidra said, running a frustrated hand through her hair. Now that the navy had arrived, everyone was expecting things to return to normal. Pressure was mounting to leave the caves and rebuild right off. Additional pressure was forming in demands as to why they weren't seeing more help from the Confederation.
Tau Chan had done its best to help. They'd landed shuttles and dropped off care packages and had helped with a few projects. Just setting up the hydroponics and water-powered turbines was an immense help. The additional fabricators and protein generators were helping as well.
She'd made certain the crew of the shuttle had gotten all of the water and food that the colony could spare. Water was easily enough to get to them. Food not so much, but with the protein generators and hydroponics, she was certain that would change soon.
“I think we're going to have to chance it. Give some people their head and let them out. Timber crews would be a good start. We've already let them go out for trips, plus the work crews and hunter gatherers,” Paki replied.
She nodded slowly. Ever since the aliens had disappeared, they'd lived in the caves. Magellan had gotten them out for each of her visits. They'd set up fields again and gardens but had done their best to remain hidden. It hadn't been easy.
“I think … I think we might be close to when the time of hiding is over. I do know one thing. We need a permanent navy picket in orbit. That'll mean industry, and we'll need a way to defend the planet. Something solid,” she said firmly.
“In case the navy fails?” Paki asked, eyeing her.
“They can't be everywhere, and besides, one ship? That's what bothers me. It's great to see her, but it's just one ship.”
“Almost an insult. But they've got a lot of places to be and only so many ships apparently,” the Neogorilla said, playing at devil's advocate.
“True,” Deidra mused. “Okay, if you can arrange guards, I suppose we can look into building another base. Some place underground obviously or partially aboveground and hidden from the sky. It's going to take time before I trust living in a conventional city or town again,” she said.
“You and me both,” Paki muttered. He shook himself and then checked his logs. “I've got four available for reassignment. In a pinch I can draft a couple people, hunters to cover for them on other shifts …”
“That works, except it shorts us hunters. But the protein fabricator is making up some of the difference there, and we've got the herds and it's nearly fall …”
(@)()(@)
The Tauren fleet arrived in the outskirts of the conquered alien colony in a series of explosions of light and energy. The herd's Alpha bull ordered the ships to begin repairs and replenishment before they got underway for the next jump point. “I want to keep moving. We have enough to bypass this colony. We will get more of a return at the established colony south of here,” he stated.
“Herd Leader. The neutrino detectors and gravity detectors have detected a ship in orbit of the planet,” a sensor tech reported.
The ship's Alpha bull looked up sharply at the report. “Confirm that!” he barked.
“If they are getting the same location and warning from two different sensors, I'd say it's confirmed,” the Alpha bull replied dryly.
(@)()(@)
Dreamer heard the report of a ship in orbit of the planet. He frowned and then typed in a request to compare the new sensor feeds against those recorded in their last encounter. It was likely foolish and a waste of processing power. But …
He was dismayed to find out a few moments later when the computers came up with a tentative match that his instincts had been right. He scowled and then sent the findings to the sensor team to confirm.
(@)()(@)
“A warship?” the Alpha bull demanded. “You are certain of it?”
“Yes. We have confirmed Dreamer's software match. We are running further checks now against our files,” the sensor tech replied.
The Alpha bull grunted. He was still shocked at the sight of the small alien vessel. That it was a warship … it didn't bode well for his people. As he considered the future, he heard the sensor tech grunt. He turned to the bull. “Yes?”
“Herd Leader. The sensor spoor from that ship matches one of the ships we encountered in the recent battle,” the sensor tech reported.
The ship's Alpha bull looked up in surprise. “How?”
“We have detailed recordings of each of the ships encountered. We checked the files and ran a comparison,” the tech reported.
“Not that,” the ship's Alpha bull said testily.
“We know they are faster than us in real space. Can they be faster in hyperspace too?” the Alpha bull demanded.
(@)()(@)
“Oh, holy hell in a hand basket,” Captain Presley muttered when she read the CIC report. She studied the readings in the file. It was the same ships from the recent battle; her ship had outrun them despite their head start. Obviously, the enemy had chosen her path over going south through Pyrax. That was a good and a bad thing, bad from her perspective. “Raise the planet. Let them know we've got company,” She ordered.
(@)()(@)
“Should we go after them?” the ship's Alpha bull asked dubiously.
“As much as I'd like to take out one of their ships, I don't see it happening,” the Alpha bull said, stroking his beard. He could feel the tension in the room and the disappointment. “If we have learned anything, it is that their ships are faster than ours. This one is in orbit of the planet, but we can't pin it down if it chooses to flee. There are too many exit points from this star system. I do not wis
h to burn the fuel.”
“And we have no cruisers to extend the net,” the ship's Alpha bull replied with a reluctant nod of agreement.
“That too. No, we will give them a scare, but unless they make a mistake, we will continue on our journey.”
“Understood.”
“Set course for the next jump point. But make sure you choose a course that bends into the inner system to spook the enemy into running,” the Alpha bull ordered.
“It will take a moment to set up, Herd Leader,” the navigator bull replied.
(@)()(@)
“So, they are going to do nothing?” Donald demanded in angry disbelief when he heard the news. He wasn't the only person anxious about what was going on over their heads.
Malory rolled her eyes. It was all she could do to not reach out and slap the man. She had increasingly lost her temper with him. She was no longer ready or willing to put up with his bullshit anymore, kids or no kids. She might feel he was right on some level, but she had to take the logical side. “Give them a break, Donald! It's one destroyer against a bunch of big-ass alien ships! What can they do?”
“Their job! They are the navy! It's their job to protect us!” he waved his hands impatiently and angrily.
“Yeah well, they can only do so much,” Malory muttered.
“Then they should have sent another ship! Or an entire fleet!”
“One thing at a time,” his wife said, shaking her head as she decided to put some distance between them. “At least they got us some warning this time,” she said.
He grunted but didn't acknowledge that fact.
(@)()(@)
Captain Presley's eyes narrowed as she watched the navigator paint the enemy's plotted course up on the main screen. Based on what they were doing the enemy was dipping into the inner system just enough to get to the jump point south. That made sense. They could change course, but she doubted it.
“Nav, we're going to leave orbit. I want to take us out in a lazy flight path away from them but one we can loop back to orbit of the planet once they pass.”
“Are we to avoid them, ma'am?”
“Yes,” the captain said slowly. “Obviously,” she said curiously, cocking her head to the navigator for asking such a stupid question.
“I just wanted to see if you wanted to put yourself in line with them in case they fire at the planet, ma'am,” the navigator replied.
Captain Presley felt her ears heat slightly, but she tamped the embarrassment down at missing such an obvious thing. “No,” she said slowly as she considered the problem. “Dangling us out there would be ballsy and tempting for them to fire on us just for the hell of it. I'd rather they didn't. As far as the planet is concerned, we've warned them. Sensors will need to keep a sharp eye out in case they do fire something to the planet.”
“We won't have much time to warn the planet. Little at all actually, ma'am,” the sensor tech warned. “And the planet will have only a couple of minutes to react,” she warned.
“Some warning is better than none. But I think they are just passing through. Now I know what a swimmer feels like watching a school of sharks pass by,” the captain said as she took a sip of her coffee. The next week was going to be long and tense.
(@)()(@)
“So, you have confirmed this is the same ship that was with the other herd? How did they get here so quickly?” the ship's Alpha bull demanded. When a bull cleared his throat, he turned expectantly. “If you have something to say, then speak,” he ordered.
“I have run the numbers. Based on them I can say they traveled at a greater speed than we did. They traveled in the second band of hyperspace,” the navigator said.
“Not possible,” the Beta bull challenged.
“It is. The numbers do not lie,” the navigator insisted.
“How? Our thinkers have theorized it. We have had ships attempt such journeys, but none could stay there long! How can a species that just started to fly between the stars get there so quickly?” the ship's Beta bull asked in frustration.
“I do not know. It is further evidence that they are demons,” the navigator said.
The ship's Alpha bull opened his mouth to reply but then stopped himself. Instead, he closed his mouth and then shook his head and looked away. It was not wise for the herd to think of the enemy as invincible. That would shatter morale further than it already had fallen. Somehow, in some way, they needed to regain that sense of balance.
He just wasn't certain how.
Chapter 25
Pyrax
Jeeves noted the second Tauren dispatch ship arrive in the star system and then begin to cross it to the planet. He used the captured dispatch ship's communications to pass on his worm embedded in a modified version of their log to the dispatch ship.
(@)()(@)
“We are receiving a signal from a ship in orbit. It is another dispatch ship,” the communications bull reported. “It is a data file. A log.”
“Bring it up,” the ship's Alpha bull stated. “Do they know where the Gamma bull went?” he demanded just as the lights flickered. “What was that?” he demanded.
“I don't know. A problem with engineering,” the ops bull stated.
“Have them look into it. I don't like mysterious power dips,” the ship's Alpha bull growled.
“At least it happened now instead of while we were in hyper,” the communications bull pointed out.
“Quiet.”
(@)()(@)
“You have control of the ship?” Jack asked.
“Yes. I can vent it or subdue the crew on your order,” Jeeves reported.
“But you haven't yet?” Captain Cooley asked.
“No.”
“I ordered him to wait,” Jack explained. “He's filtering their feeds so they won't see Magellan,” he stated.
“Yes. But, they have put up firewalls and primitive software security systems. I have gotten around them and turned them off. I can't guarantee they will remain off if they notice something is amiss.”
“Can you get them to go to orbit? Give them a reason?” Jack asked.
“The worm caused a dip in electrical energy to the bridge when it took control. I can give them intermittent power issues in order to make them less likely to wish to chance hyper travel. Given enough time they'll wish to come to the planet in order to figure out the problem,” Jeeves stated.
“Do it,” Jack ordered.
(@)()(@)
The ship's Alpha bull cursed the luck of having an engineering problem when they could least afford to have one. It was all the fault of the changes that the so-called thinkers had come up with. The changes had come fast and furious; some had to be ill conceived and executed. Given that they'd been inspired by exposure to alien technology and concepts, they were highly suspect in his mind.
Not that he was allowed to say so. He intended to point out the error of the fleet herd leader's ways when he got the chance though. The tried and tested method of slow changes had worked for the herd for ages. Rushing into things caused problems as they had found out, both in engineering and in battle.
“So, you are saying you can't nail the power problems down?” the ship's Alpha bull demanded. “Where is the fault?”
“I don't know. It is either in the software or hardware. The new software diagnostic tools point to both.”
“Well, it can't be both unless we're seriously messed up. Either way I'm not chancing hyperspace until you run this down,” the ship's Alpha bull growled to the engineer. “Will fresh eyes help solve the problem?”
“Possibly,” the engineer agreed reluctantly.
“Then we'll make for orbit. Com, raise the ship. Tell them we are suffering engineering issues and will need their help,” the bull ordered, still staring at the engineering bull. “Well? What are you waiting for? Keep on it!” he ordered brusquely.
(@)()(@)
“They bought it, Governor,” Jeeves said the following morning. Jack looked up sharply as did Alyssa and Menoll
y. Menolly frowned at the interruption to their breakfast routine, but Jack just smiled.
“You're sure?”
“They called the dispatch ship and requested help. I have further news. They were badly beaten in a battle. I've got a copy of the debrief.”
“Okay. Let's go over that and have the general plan a welcoming committee,” Jack said. “They'll be in orbit when?”
“In three days,” Jeeves replied.
“Then we've got plenty of time,” Jack said with a broader smile.
“And you've got plenty of time to finish your flapjacks,” his wife said pointedly as she pointed to his half-eaten meal.
Alyssa snickered as her father put on a mock pouting face.
(@)()(@)
“They are sending over an engineering party to help,” the communications bull said as the ship's Alpha bull came onto his bridge. “They called while you were in your sleep cycle. You didn't wish to be disturbed,” the young bull said as he indicated the approaching shuttle.
“Very well,” the ship's Alpha said. He was always grumpy when he first woke.
(@)()(@)
Sergeant Maltese grinned as the airlock opened and the Tauren on the other side found himself nose to the muzzle of the Neogorilla's barrel. The Tauren's eyes went wide and then went cross-eyed at the barrel. “Surprise,” he murmured wickedly.
(@)()(@)
“The ship is secure. What we're going to do with it though …,” General Elliot said with a shake of his head. “We're getting a regular little navy going,” he said.
“Yeah, of alien dispatch ships. Oh, and an alien derelict,” Jack replied. “Isolate the crew and go over what they know and what Jeeves has dug up. I want a report at the next meeting.” He checked the weather report. There was a storm raging over the area, so there was no point trying to rush the shuttle with the prisoners down anyway.