New Empires: Conglomerate Series Book 3

by William Frisbee

  Mark nodded. They would be next door to a major Conglomerate power and the Conglomerate would not be there to protect them if things went bad.

  “You think yer ready for it boy?” Joel asked Mark.

  Mark looked at Joel. The crusty old man didn’t look old but there was no mistaking the fire and wisdom in his eyes as he looked into Mark’s soul.

  “Yes,” Mark said.

  “Is New Alamo ready?” Joel asked and Mark didn’t have an answer for that. Could New Alamo hold up the bargain with the Bronkaw?

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  Assault on Ceres

  “Report,” Sonya said staring at the holographic map. It made sense but Goodwin would not report the obvious.

  “We have thirty drones around Ceres Captain,” Goodwin said as Sonya evaluated the placement. Overall, it looked good with more drones around known facilities. “From drifting rocks to crabs.”

  “What can you tell me about Ceres,” Sonya asked.

  “Ceres is still controlled by the Xu’an dynasty and is ninety-eight percent Chinese genetic stock,” Lieutenant Virgil Goodwin, Sonya’s Intelligence officer said looking at his fellow officers. His light chocolate colored skin a blend of the white walls and solid black uniforms.

  “The population is around twenty-five million,” Goodwin continued, “and is tightly controlled by secret police and a defense force. Predominately Taoist, there isn’t a lot of variation. They claim to be socialist, but like all known socialist regimes, the common good is dictated by the ones in power, in this case Yang Xu’an, an old tyrant, around a hundred and ninety years of age. He originally came from Earth and was a high-ranking member of the Chinese Communist party before China fell and was absorbed into the Caliphate.

  “Most citizens are refugees from the collapse,” Goodwin said. “They are also very militaristic now. Ceres is a heavily fortified dwarf planet. Surface gravity is minimal, only point twenty-seven, but there are a hundred and seven cities buried within the crust. They are inverted cones, almost like bowls and they rotate, providing a steady one gravity to occupants. Many of the major cities have small suburbs that are miniature cones. Residents are vegetarians, supplied by numerous automated farms in lower gravity tunnels. They also have plenty of weapons factories and countless surface defenses that are moderately efficient. They eliminated sixty percent of our drones.”

  “They are on a high level of alert?” Sonya asked.

  Goodwin shook his head.

  “Not exactly, Captain,” Goodwin said. “Most defenses seem automated. We found several gaps to slip drones in but there does not seem to be an increased level of communication, patrols or activity which would indicate concern.”

  “The Jupiter Alliance fleet will arrive in four days,” Sonya said. “Do you think they see them coming?”

  Goodwin shrugged, “I don’t know Captain. Maybe they don’t care. The entire planet is bristling with weapons, rail guns, mass drivers, plenty of hidden missile bases, and I suspect they have plenty of drone fighters. From what I have seen I don’t think they have anything to fear from the Jupes. They scrap a lot with the Caliphate so they aren’t amateurs. I’m not sure what to make of it unless the Jupes are coming to help.”

  Sonya nodded.

  The Cincinnatus was several light seconds away from Ceres, outside possible travel routes, lurking in deep space and running silent.

  “How are we doing stealth wise?” Sonya asked Lieutenant Jeffery Wilkerson, the engineering officer.

  “Doing well,” Wilkerson said, leaning back and running his hand through his dirty blond and short hair. His blue eyes flashed around. “Those Conglomerate heat sinks are working beautifully. At this rate, we can maintain stealth for about three weeks before we have to dump heat and reveal ourselves. I don’t even think a Conglomerate warship could pick up our gravity foot print and of course visibly, we aren’t. The Kadesh have done an awesome job on this ship and it is centuries ahead of anything here in Sol.”

  Sonya nodded, “our drones?” she asked Lieutenant Arturao McLaughlin, a thin quiet officer.

  “Well,” McLaughlin said. “We lost a number of them landing. But we have twenty seven of them planet side, moving into position around some of the cities and installations we have detected. Three are in orbit. The manufactory is creating more and I will send them in when I have enough. We are doing okay with raw resources at the moment. We aren’t running at full speed though because of heat generation.”

  “Good,” Sonya said. “I think we have enough to start with. How are the defenses?”

  “Very intense,” Goodwin said. “Old Yang must be paranoid. Listening to the chatter from the Jupes, the Xu’an are known for three things. The fanaticism of their secret police, their fortified home and the Utopian cities. Yang Xu’an rules with an iron fist, but he is very aesthetic and he would make Mao, Stalin and Hitler jealous with the efficiency and fanaticism of his secret police, Captain.”

  “Does he have a fleet? Any plans for conquest?” Sonya asked.

  “No Captain,” Goodwin said, shaking his head. “Not from what I can see. He has asteroid belt miners that are kept on a leash and guarded by a couple older cruisers. They go running to Ceres for cover when anything too big comes close. The Caliphate has tried to get close but the mass drivers can put a massive cloud of steel that shreds most Caliphate ships, and then there are the drones. Ceres is a real tough nut. Yang also has a good eye on Earth and plenty of warning when they send ships. I caught a discussion by the Jupes that a year ago the Caliphate sent a small fleet and Yang spent weeks putting walls of steel into their path.”

  “And now?” Sonya asked.

  “The Caliphate’s new vessels are using gravity drives instead, and that gives them a lot more flexibility and makes their trajectory much harder to predict,” Goodwin said. “Yang hasn’t been keeping up, or thinks Ceres is secure enough. The Jupes also have newer drives but never appeared to be interested in conquering Ceres. I don’t know if Yang realizes that any attackers aren’t slaves to known trajectories anymore.”

  “Why do you think the Jupes are intent on conquering Ceres?” Sonya asked.

  “They are using an off-path trajectory,” Goodwin said. “Keeping a low profile and it looks like they are sacrificing speed for minimal heat generation.”

  Sonya nodded and looked around at her officers. There was a lot of firepower congregating around Ceres and Sonya didn’t like their chances of remaining undetected although she was sure the Cincinnatus could outrun anything that became too dangerous.

  “We are here to get information,” Sonya said. “To watch and evaluate ship capabilities and tactics. We aren’t here to fight. I would much prefer nobody realized we were here, so let’s stay alert and keep a very low profile.”

  “Aye, aye Captain,” her crew echoed.

  Sonya nodded as she looked at her crew. Some were new but in the last couple weeks she had learned she could trust them. Regardless of what happened. She was happy with her team and how well they had come together.

  “Are you sure?” Admiral Page asked, not bothering to hide his irritation.

  “We aren’t seeing anything on scope,” the Lieutenant said, his head and eyes staring at the bulkhead above the Admiral’s head. “But something is there. It is one of the newer probes and could be a glitch in the calibration, but I think there is something there holding station. Something big.”

  “Must be one of those Namo battleships,” Page said.

  “It is very stealthy sir,” the Lieutenant said. “We almost missed it because it is masking its gravity signature somehow but we picked up the signature briefly.”

  Page leaned back in his chair and stared at his desk while the Lieutenant stood at attention waiting for orders. A couple key strokes brought up a hologram showing the contact.

  “Keep tabs on it,” Page said scowling at the display. Even if he wanted, he had nothing that could hit it unless he wanted to reveal his fleet too soon. The timetable was too
tight to get revenge. The traitors to the human race would have to wait until Sol was secured. Would they interfere with the upcoming battle or were they just watching?

  “Dismissed,” Page said when he realized the Lieutenant was still standing there.

  When the Lieutenant was gone Page composed a message to his commanding officer, Admiral Peterson. Page didn’t have any assets that could strike at the Namo ship, but that didn’t mean Peterson didn’t.

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  Death of the Vress Home world

  Luke stared at the screen.

  “What are they doing?” Leonessa asked.

  “Moving into orbit around the Vress home world,” Luke said and then magnified the image.

  “Do they see us?” Leonessa asked.

  “I don’t know,” Luke said. “They don’t seem to care about us yet. Maybe we are too far out.”

  “Is that weapons fire?” Leonessa said and Luke looked more closely.

  The Battle Singers were firing on Vress ships. Flashes of light appeared on the planet.

  Brita’s query was instant and Luke nodded.

  Brita hologram appeared in Luke’s office.

  “Are you seeing that?” Brita asked.

  Luke nodded.

  “They are wiping out the Vress,” Brita said. “Why?”

  Luke shook his head. How many millions were dying?

  “Maybe they failed for the last time?” Luke said noting several Vress ships trying to flee. The Vress ships that had been hunting for the Tigress and Amazon were changing course toward the nearest wormholes.

  Some of the explosions Luke saw on the screen were enough to flatten continents. There would be no atmosphere when the Battle Singers were done, or continents.

  The attack continued. Luke couldn’t rule out they would crack the mantle of the planet. Even the deepest Vress installations were doomed.

  “Why?” Leonessa said and Luke could hear the pain in her voice. The Vress were monsters out of a human’s nightmare but did they deserve this?

  “Well,” Brita said. “I’m guessing this means we don’t have to worry about their shipyards or another fleet coming after the Bronkaw.”

  “But what if those ships do the job instead,” Luke said. “There is no way in hell we, or the Bronkaw, could stop them.”

  “And if they decide to tie up loose ends?” Brita asked.

  “They better not find us,” Luke said and turned to Shum. “How good are Pral sensors?”

  “If they saw us when they entered the system,” Shum said. “They will be able to find us with ease.”

  “I was afraid you would say that,” Luke said as he watched a planet and a race die.

  The attacking Battle Singers did not stop for a long time. It looked like the Battle Singers would make an example of the Vress and it was not lost on Luke.

  Two days later Luke got the call from Halsey he had been dreading. It was over the command net so he knew Leonessa got it as well.

  “The Battle Singers are leaving orbit. It looks like they are on an intercept for us,” Halsey said.

  “Damn,” Luke said and looked at Leonessa. Luke had no illusions about their chances. There was never enough time.

  “I’m guessing it is too late to ask you to marry me,” Luke said.

  Leonessa smiled sadly.

  “I’ve been waiting,” she said. “I would have said yes.”

  Luke nodded.

  “We’ve gotten out of worse situations than this though,” Leonessa said and Luke shook his head.

  “Yes,” Luke said. “But there has always been a chance, even a slim one. They will drain our power before we can get in range. We will give them everything we have, but right now, I’m sure we are outclassed. I knew my luck would run out one day.”

  “There is still time to get married,” Leonessa said. “Couldn’t Brita or Halsey do it?”

  Luke smiled.

  Brita’s query came in and Luke authorized it. Brita appeared. She was standing and had a sour look.

  “Admiral,” she said and Luke nodded.

  “I have a request,” Luke said standing up to look at Brita.

  “Anything,” Brita said standing straighter. Did she think he would send her on a suicide mission? What would that accomplish?

  “Can you officiate at my marriage to Leonessa,” Luke said.

  Brita stared at Luke, too professional to show her surprise, but her lack of response showed how surprised she was.

  “That was the last thing I expected,” Brita said and looked toward Leonessa. There was sadness in Brita’s eyes. “I was kind of hoping for some suicide mission that would let you escape or something, but this is better despite the timing.”

  Luke shrugged.

  “Even if we accelerate so hard we have the consistency of tomato paste,” Luke said. “We wouldn’t make it to a wormhole in time, and even then, I doubt we could outrun them in the next system. We will go down fighting though. Let them do their best. Maybe we could get them close enough and self-destruct. Right now? Not much to do.”

  “I’m told they will intercept us in a day,” Brita said with a sad smile. “Not much time to have a happy marriage, but life is short and we should make the best of it. I would be honored. Want me to do the honors now or come over in person?”

  “We have a wormhole transition,” Halsey said. “From unidentified wormhole three.”

  Luke nodded and glanced at Leonessa. More Battle Singers or clueless Vress. It wouldn’t matter and it had happened almost a half hour ago anyways. Gravity waves and light waves were just washing over the Tigress and Amazon now.

  “Now,” Leonessa said standing up to join Luke.

  Hand in hand they looked at Brita, who nodded.

  “Admiral,” Shum said.

  “Later,” Luke said.

  “Now,” Shum said, not accepting Luke’s answer. “That is a Tal battle fleet on intercept with the Battle Singers.”

  “What?” Luke and Leonessa said together and turning to stare at the holo field.

  “Tal?” Luke asked. The ships were the familiar spheres of the Pral.

  Shum smiled at Luke and Leonessa.

  “Tal,” Shum confirmed. “Incoming transmission. It is Topa Suresh.”

  Suresh? Luke smiled and squeezed Leonessa’s hand.

  “That old bastard!” Luke said. “Put it on.”

  “Commander Kishi,” Topa Suresh’s hologram said. “Thank you for revealing the Battle Singers and pinning them in place. This battle is now ours.”

  “That is the Ubashi Tal fleet,” Shum said, watching his readouts.

  Brita smiled at Luke.

  “You did it again,” Brita said moving closer and getting ready to hug Luke, but she stopped as she got closer, perhaps realizing she was a hologram, or Luke was.

  Leonessa didn’t have the problem and slammed into Luke.

  Holding her close Luke felt at peace.

  “So,” Brita said. “Do you have a ring?”

  Luke stared at Brita a blank look on his face.

  “Yes,” Duncan said stepping forward and pulling out a small box.

  “What?” Luke said staring at Duncan who smiled back.

  “He has had it ready for a while meat sack,” Musashi said. “Even if you are clueless, the rest of us aren’t. Now is a perfect time and you can’t wiggle out of it.”

  “Okay then,” Brita said with a smile. “Let’s begin.”

  Eight hours later Luke and Leonessa returned to the combat information center to watch the battle. They had spent time in bed but had gotten no sleep. Luke was trying his best to keep the smile off his tired face and Leonessa almost glowed. The Tigress and Amazon were moving at speed towards the battle. Luke felt confident the Pral would win, and he wanted to see the battle more closely.

  With the Tal here the Battle Singers seemed to forget about the Tigress and Amazon and were moving to engage the Tal.

  The Tal fleet had twelve massive dreadnoughts in the twenty-fi
ve thousand gravon range, and twenty battleships in the eight thousand gravon range. Topa Suresh’s ship was at the center of the formation, smaller than the Tal dreadnoughts. The Tal were all sleek, glistening spheres against eight battle singer ovals. It bothered Luke that the Battle Singers had not attempted to flee and he wondered what kind of technologies, egos and psychologies were at play.

  The sensors of the Tigress could barely detect the spheres of energy being thrown at each other by the two ancient races. Tal battle ships died and one of the Battle Singer ships cracked and lost velocity. More Tal battleships died and Luke realized the Tal might be outclassed. A quick glance at Shum showed Luke that even Shum was surprised by the ferocity of the Battle Singers. Maybe they were not fleeing because they knew they were superior.

  Finally, one of the Battle Singer’s died in a flash of light that was replaced with a shrinking sphere of darkness. Another Tal dreadnought died in a similar flash of light and darkness while another one shattered. The radiation released by the explosions was frightening.

  Luke said. “Full speed to the battle. Sound gravity stations.”

  “Aye, aye, Admiral,” Halsey said. Luke saw the command go out to the Amazon.

  “What can we do against those?” Leonessa asked taking her seat. The straps snake around her.

  “I don’t know,” Luke said. “But if the Tal don’t win the Battle Singers will hunt us down anyways.”

  Brita appeared in the CIC.

  “Amazon is ready,” she said. “You don’t think they will swat us like pests?”

  Luke shrugged.

  “I don’t know,” Luke said. “But from the looks of it the Tal might need our help. You savaged the one Battle Singer. Maybe we can do the same.”

  Brita nodded.

  “Amazon is secure and ready for high gravity maneuvers,” Brita said.

  “Tigress is ready for high gravity maneuvers,” Halsey said.

  “On your mark Halsey,” Luke said.

  “Accelerating,” Halsey said and Luke felt the pressure slam him into the seat.