by Gary Caplan
“As the attack started, Commodore Sheppard initially headed toward his starfighter. However, the commodore’s Valkyrie was buried under some rubble before he could get there. He eventually headed toward one of the larger multiman Guardian-class starfighters but did not board as it was still unloading cargo. That was the last I saw him. Another pilot and I were able to get back to the Scimitar starfighter I originally piloted down. Later we looked around the area and briefly saw some officers being chased before we had to concentrate on defending from a Spider ship that began to fire on us,” replied Darani.
“Thank you for the report. You should return to your bridge station,” Sherman told her.
Darani left the command alcove and reported to Commander York for station assignment.
The Varlon were still jamming some communications signals. Robert Sheppard was still missing, and others had corroborated Lyra Darani’s report that he was last seen leaving the command area in the company of Commander Sharon Taylor.
Andor worked at his station as Mister Sterling coordinated information with him and Commander York. Both concurred with Lee Sterling’s conclusion that the Varlon were in the process of an orderly withdrawal.
Fleet Captain Wilder and a sensor officer were looking at active sensor data when a new ship came out of hyperspace and moved into planetary orbit.
Wilder said, “From our scans and the updated starship catalogue database, it appears to be a Jiyarr vessel with Accadian markings. Bring the task force to highest alert status.”
Fleet Captain Sherman came to the bridge and looked at the results. “I’m going to send out a communication to the Karratins, Estrians, Lyramenians and Betellians. I received an earlier notification from the Estrians and Lyramenians that they have defense cruisers on standby if other Jiyarr ships should be detected. This Jiyarr vessel surely counts, and that earlier notification indicated an offer of wanting to show some galactic solidarity. Unfortunately from the spatial origination points I saw in the notification record, even at their translight velocity it will be another seven to eight hours before they arrive.”
“That may be too late,” Wilder replied. “That Jiyarr vessel could even be more powerful than the H-class. We’re going to need some help soon. In the task force’s present state, if they both stay, we will have to withdraw and regroup.”
Wilder helped ready the Phoenix for battle, and a few minutes later, he announced, “I have received a report from the communications officer that a distress and coded location signal from Commodore Sheppard’s commlink has been confirmed.”
********** The Kad’ jiah-class was the Jiyarri version of a class of super dreadnaught or baseship. Kra'ag had been given several of the older Jiyarr ships by the Archon as a reward for his services to them. The Archon were the ancient ruling lord governors of the Jiyarr. In addition, he received as an honor the first built ship in that class the Kad’ jiah as his own flagship. The huge, elongated ovoid vessel was over twenty-three kilometers in length and a third that in its greatest diameter. It gracefully moved into planetary orbit around the planet that the Varlon had recently turned over to the Accadian.
Supreme Governor Kra'ag surveyed the system on a huge display monitor in the center of the Kad’jiah’s bridge. He saw that the sensor data indicated that the Varlon had dispatched several ships to this sector, but had only two ships remaining. The damaged and destroyed debris of Alliance of Worlds’ ships was more prevalent than the Varlon debris. Kra'ag had earlier sent the three other Kad’jiah-class vessels that traveled with him to regional governor Mor’ag. They would be used in the offensive against the Calyx and the Betellian.
The supreme governor looked toward Admiral Kensya one of his capable female Accadian fleet commanders. “Admiral Kensya, send down the modified Bm’kroth planetary assault basecraft to the planet surface to start mining the materials at the coordinates we discussed,” ordered Kra'ag.
“Yes, Supreme Governor. I will inform the crew. Per your previous instructions, if any should try to impede the Bm’kroth’s movement, they shall be destroyed,” she replied.
“Once we have an analysis of the quellien crystals, I will decide whether to establish a base facility here. After recovery, we will set course to New Accadia,” Kra'ag said as he walked triumphantly across his ship’s bridge.
********** Commodore Sheppard watched as science officer Sharon Taylor opened the commlink circuitry and made a few system connections to the scanning device. This would enhance the commlink in order to boost the coded locator signal. She was now trying to call a nearby ship through the Varlon jamming. After a several minutes, she got an answer from a relatively nearby starfighter.
“Yes, this is senior Lieutenant Corwin, and I’m a few kilometers from your signal, Commander Taylor. I will be there as soon as I can. Ma’am, did you know that the Varlon are withdrawing?
“No, I was not aware.” She looked at Commodore Sheppard. “This is Commodore Sheppard,” he said. “Can you patch me to the Phoenix, Lieutenant Corwin?”
“Sir, a communication signal thorough your commlink and then through my ship may not be secure, and there has been jamming directed at the Phoenix. I will arrive in another few minutes. May we try then, sir?”
“You’re right, Lieutenant. I will wait. Try to let someone know we’re fine. Sheppard out.”
As they waited to be picked up, Sharon was looking at the skies. “Robert, do you see that large, angled object headed to the mountain range in the distance?”
“I do see it. It’s not one of ours, and it’s not any Varlon ship I recognize. Its style is…” Sheppard paused and thought. “It resembles one of the Accadian configurations that Fleet Admiral Peregrine presented. Can your portable sensor show us some information about that ship?”
“I’m not getting much reading at this distance; this device is designed for more local readings.”
They watched as a pulsed beam of plasma struck the ground and the ship appeared to land and continued to fire plasma beams until it passed underground and out of sight.
“The area it seems to be digging into is close to where the deep core mining facility is located,” Sharon said. “There were deposits of several important minerals coming out of that area. You can see a Varlon cargo ship in the distance, across the city. It just exited from the mine area as well.”
“They might be resupplying their fleet with raw materials. The H-class has fabricators to take ores and make new refined materials,” replied Sheppard.
At that point, a Guardian transport approached and landed as the hatchway opened. Lieutenant Corwin and a few space marines greeted the commodore and ushered the two officers inside.
After entering, Commodore Sheppard noticed that the transport had rescued another trio of Phoenix crew as well.
On the way to the Phoenix, Sheppard had the Guardian transport fly over and scan the tunnel that the unidentified vessel had made on the way back to the Phoenix. It seemed the ship was quite large, about the size of the Phoenix.
During the journey, Fleet Captain Sherman gave Sheppard a short update, on a secure channel, about what had occurred in his absence. That included a translation of a message that the Accadian ship had sent. The message said: “Whoever attempts to stop this Bm’kroth ship will be destroyed.”
It was interesting that they were warned first; it seemed the Accadian style was different from the Varlon.
Sheppard thought the ship was a behemoth, because of its size—almost one and a half kilometers long, with the front three hundred meters able to bend upward or into line with the main body. Sheppard dubbed it a Behemoth-class ship, deciding to use that more pronounceable designation, at least for the time being. The craft acted like a super tank, not a spaceship. Scans sent from Phoenix indicated it was heavily armed and capable of sub-surface, surface, and orbital movement. Sheppard would want to see the damage-control reports when he arrived back on the Phoenix.
********** The Accadian Bm’ kroth was a planetary assault basecraft,
and this one had been fitted with a mining module. It arrived at the designated spot and began quellium extraction procedures. The crew signaled that the process would take only a fifth of a home world day. When Supreme Governor Kra'ag was informed, he grinned with happiness, thinking what the Jiyarr would give him—most likely a higher seat on the Archon. Plus, he would likely be able to get more Kad’ jiah- class ships, and perhaps even a new ship design named after him—the Kra'ag-class. Kra'ag had not felt this good since his last victory.
Kra'ag examined the scans, which indicated that the Varlon were taking some mineral and building ores material they had loaded earlier on large transports. The Varlon would be allowed to take their measure; they had earned it. Many of the Varlon troop ships and starfighters had now evacuated to Strike Marshal Vodun‘s flagship or the Varlon cruiser. Soon, he would have his bounty, and if any of the Alliance of Worlds starships attempted to stop him, they would be destroyed.
As Commodore Sheppard arrived on the Bridge of the Phoenix, one of the junior coordinating officers gave him a progress report. On the way back to the Phoenix, Sheppard had continued looking at reports through his commlink view screen that had linked to the ship’s cybertronic computer. As he finished reviewing the reports, he saw Sherman and headed over to him.
“I’ve been looking at those reports you sent me as we made final approach to the docking facility, and you've done a good job, Benjamin. I didn’t expect to be away quite this long. The Varlon that chased us forced us to go for deep cover. I will make a full report for the record later.”
“Sir,” Sherman said, “we have a problem. A new ship has entered orbit. It’s out of view, as it’s on the opposite side of the planet now, not far from the Varlon ships. According to the information we acquired, this ship is actually a Jiyarr vessel, but it has Accadian markings.”
Captain Wilder came over to stand next to Commodore Sheppard. “Sir, we have been scanning and observing with one of the orbital stations we reacquired. The Varlon are definitely getting ready to leave. I’ve never heard of such a thing; there is no previous record of them simply leaving like this.”
Commander Sharon Taylor had come on to bridge and was listening. She looked at Sheppard and said, “Sir, this may be due to some form of treaty. As you may recall, the admiralty believes a treaty exists between the Varlon and the Accad.”
“Thank you for reminding us,” replied Sheppard. He introduced the commander and mentioned that she was the person who had figured a way to get through some local jamming so he could return safely to the Phoenix.
The first officer, Commander York, came back toward the senior officers. “Sirs, the Varlon ships are moving away from QB7 at just over one half of light speed.”
When the bridge main viewer was repositioned, they saw that the Varlon were executing a hyperspace jump. The hyperspace tunnel flashed momentarily as the remaining two Varlon capital ships and several smaller transport ships entered the hyperspace slipstream.
York said, “Sensors gave an indication that all of those Varlon ships were laden with additional cargo, likely building materials and ores.”
“They may have had time to refine some materials,” interjected commander Andor. “I am reading material debris in the area where the Varlon were previously orbiting.”
Commander Taylor had accessed a CDL to link her imbedded commlink into the system, as she had not yet received security code access for direct linking through the Phoenix’s linknet. She began looking with commander Andor at the sensor logs, and she nodded in support of Andor’s conclusion.
Sheppard left the bridge. For the next half-hour, he reviewed his logs in his command office, and completed his reports.
Now that the Varlon had withdrawn, Sheppard wondered about the new ship. Fleet Captain Sherman had attempted communication, but only the warning about the ship they dispatched was returned. Sheppard began thinking; Garfield mentioned that in the past this area was considered sacred by the Karratins, as the Protren would at times visit the planet.
The Protren were considered incorporeal beings of vast power, he remembered. Thinking back on his early education, he recalled that even Star Knight lore held this system and the Protren in high regard. When the Alliance of Worlds mining division had found unusual minerals, the Karratins and the other members of the Hegemony indicated that we should take efforts to preserve the archeological aspect of the outpost and those who had occupied the system several millennia ago. Sheppard spoke softly but out loud, “Could the Accads know something about the planet that the Alliance of Worlds doesn’t, and why did they burrow beneath the surface?”
Sheppard went to the bridge. “Commander Andor, I need you and Commander Taylor to make deep scans of where the Accadian ship is mining. Try to find out what are they mining and its use to them.”
He let them get to their work and walked over to Fleet Captain Sherman’s station in the command alcove and said, “I was able to read Commodore Helmslar’s report that her ship and a few others have completed many repairs and are operational. I would like at least a wing of starfighters to be able to move to intercept the mining vessel, just in case it would be useful to us as a bargaining chip.”
Fleet Captain Sherman nodded and began to give instructions for the starfighters to be readied. “I believe we can mount a small fleet of twelve or so ships, including two dreadnaughts that have repaired themselves somewhat,” Sherman said. “You will be happy to know one of those dreadnaughts is Commodore Helmslar’s ship, the Attrigan. She is up and running after some anti-nanomachines helped restore her. The Attrigan still has a few systems that will need time in dry dock to repair, but she is reported as battle ready, and we’ll need the firepower of as many dreadnaughts as we can.”
“Any other ships?” asked Sheppard.
“There are only two other ships that are salvageable, and they will need a dry dock facility. We have restored two of the orbital bases around QB7 that served as frigate and cargo repair stations. We can use one of the orbital bases as a dry dock facility with only minor modifications, but that orbital facility can only repair one larger ship at a time. The Aharri many even help; I’m not sure,” finished Sherman.
“Any of our other reinforcements due in the next few hours?” asked Sheppard
“No, sir, we have the better part of a day left before the cavalry starts to come in,” Sherman replied. “The only other friendly ships are two robotic salvage ships owned and registered to BradCorp that are probing at the Varlon wreckage, and they don’t have heavy weapons.”
Sheppard shook his head and smiled, thinking that not only did Admiral Braddock send his mining facilities weapons against the Varlon but also wanted to give BradCorp first pick at any salvage. He turned toward the tactical imager and activated the device.
“Fleet Captain Sherman, let me show you some good tactical positions for our task force ships.” Sheppard indicated some points in the area around the new Accadian baseship. “The Betellian informed us that the Jiyarri ships have enhanced mobility, even for their size, so I want our ships to look as if they are orbiting the planet while they are actually getting into position closer to the Accadian starcraft.”
“I will arrange with Captain Wilder for the ships to mobilize to those coordinates and follow the courses you set,” replied Sherman.
Sheppard nodded and turned, seeing Sharon Taylor approach him peripherally.
“Sir, I have some interesting information about the area scanned with the Phoenix’s sensor array in the area that the ‘behemoth’ ship is mining,” Taylor said.
“Go on, Commander.”
“There is an area of high-density mineral deposits. The strange thing is these crystalline deposits have a hyperspace resonance signature,” stated Taylor. “While I was on QB7, one of the mining divisions found some unknown mineral veins extending in an unusual pattern for kilometers into the mantle. I have tracked the mineral veins, and the behemoth is mining in one of those veins. This behemoth is also not that f
ar from the abandoned Calyx site that also lies under the crust.
Sheppard said, “Yes, now I recall that the Calyx had a colony here, but for some unknown reason, they left. There is a restricted science facility examining technology removed from one of the sites. I believe the Hegemony arranged for one of the Calyx sites to be kept intact.”
“One of the scientists involved discussed some of the information you mentioned with me a few weeks ago,” continued Taylor. “Because many of these large crystal formations are located near the abandoned Calyx outpost, they were not disturbed, and only a few small samples were taken. That was some time ago. The scientist indicated they had not even explored the area fully. I had asked him if they had inquired if any other Alliance member races or affiliated allies mining agencies, had information on these mineral deposits. He mentioned that information was in the database the Hegemony shared with the Alliance of Worlds, and that this system, Quellus, was named partly after the minerals and crystal deposits. We just adopted the name phonetically, including it in our lists of worlds.”
She looked over toward Andor, who was approaching.
“Sir,” said Andor. “I was able to sift through our database. “According to the Hegemony, the substance known as quellien has high energy and trans-dimensional properties that members of the Hegemony prize. I have not fully completed my search, but so far there is no materials application information, other than a reference to a quellium alloy that can be used as a metallic component of hulls. I am curious as to why the Hegemony transferred it over to us as part of the space grant if it was so valuable,” stated Andor.
“Yes, it would be useful to find out,” replied Sheppard. “I can say that the older Star Knight orders I am familiar with actually hold this system in high regard, and it has something to do with those crystals. I am not yet advanced enough in Star Knight rank to be made privy to the details.”
Then Sheppard remembered something: during graduation and official ceremonies, Lord Garfield wore a quellium alloy symbol surrounding a quellien crystal on his official Star Knight regalia.