by Gary Caplan
Most of the Alliance of Worlds ships were now in weapons range and launched their antimatter torpedoes. A pulse of energy was generated and then released from the Kad’jiah’s hull as it expanded through space and struck the torpedoes. The energy wave resulted in damage to both starfighters and antimatter torpedoes. Some were destroyed, while others were neutralized before the energy wave field dissipated.
Reports from the planet indicated the behemoth had just gained low orbit and had destroyed all but two of the remaining starfighters during its ascent. It had also heavily damaged the Nile and was moving toward the Jiyarr ship.
The remaining Alliance of Worlds vessels began firing main matter disruptors and particle cannons at the Jiyarri ship as they came into firing range. At that point, the Accads retaliated, with plasma weapons, multi-phased particle beams, and antimatter torpedoes that struck several ships with deadly, accuracy causing severe and heavy damage as ship sections dissolved or exploded. The Jiyarri ship was also taking a pounding.
“Sensor readings indicate that we are making a dent, as their shields’ energy readings are going down, but most damage that even gets to the hull seems to vanish,” stated Commander York.
“Mister Andor, what do you make of that?” asked Captain Wilder “The scans indicate the Jiyarri hull is likely more advanced than the Varlon’s and can actively regenerate more rapidly. Unfortunately for us, only minor damage is getting through the hull.”
The bridge crew continued to watch helplessly as another two cruisers were blasted by Jiyarr plasma torpedoes and plasma cannons as they passed along the sides of the huge ship that seemed to maneuver more like a ship of battlecruiser size. As the Jiyarr ship moved by the cruisers, it used phased particle cannons that seemed to pierce through the weakened shields and rend pieces of the reinforced trans-titanium armor, leaving the cruisers virtually dead in space.
“Sir, we have synchronized with the Attrigan’s Nova cannon, and both are ready to fire.”
“Fire, then immediately recharge,” said Sheppard.
The synchronized novas pushed through the weakened shields and struck the hull. The impact pushed the Kad’jiah off course by several degrees. The blast, however, did not penetrate the other side; evidently, this hull type was able to absorb and transfer energy along its structure.
Lieutenant Commander Ares told Sheppard, “Sir, sensors read moderate to severe damage, but the damage is sectional, and that ship is so huge. We are now detecting another antiparticle buildup.”
“There may not be enough time to link the remaining Nova cannons,” Wilder said.
The Kad’jiah released antiparticle blasts at three ships; they were each cut into glowing sections. The Kad’jiah continued to release blasts until almost all the remaining ships were shattered. The Attrigan was split into at least three sections. The Phoenix was now the only starship left. Sensors detected stray positrons as they bounced into the Phoenix’s screens.
Sheppard’s already damaged fleet was destroyed.
“Sir, a few of our ships have launched life pods or escape vehicles,” said Andor.
Sharon Taylor moved closer to Commodore Sheppard.
“Continue to charge the Nova weapon. Allow it to go to full overload, and target the area we struck before,” stated Sheppard.
The Nova cannon was past normal firing level, and Sheppard knew that if he doubled the energy output, that would burn out several fusion generators and likely delay further firing.
It seemed to take longer for the Kad’jiah to fire as it fired pulsed beams. The Kad’jiah was targeting the planet as multiple streams of antiparticles fell towards QB7.
“I have scanned the potential energy in those streams. I estimate potential energy level to now be at twentieth power and that will strike the planet momentarily,” Andor said.
The Kad’jiah fired two more beams into the planet along the same course, while the Phoenix used the time to position itself to strike the previously damaged area.
“Sir, the antiparticles have penetrated the core of the planet. A chain reaction is occurring in the core,” called Commander Taylor as she used her interlink to access sensor data.
One further blast from the Kad’ jiah followed the same course, striking the planet. Meanwhile the Phoenix’s bridge crew looked on in horror as the planet slowly cracked, apart then partially exploded.
“My god!” said Taylor. “Blessed light!” exclaimed Sheppard. Then, in hushed horror, he added, “All those people … gone.”
“Damn you!” shouted Sheppard. “Kra’ag!” he bellowed trying to release his anger .
He saw that the Nova weapon was just charged.
With a calm but dead voice, Sheppard issued the order, “Fire.”
The cannon fired and struck the Kad’jiah, but the shields had partially regenerated. Without the other starships continuing to weaken the shields, there was only some light damage to the Kad’jiah.
“Evasive maneuver alpha!” ordered Wilder.
The first blast of antiprotons sliced the rear engine section from the Phoenix, causing an explosion that separated the rear and forward portions of the Phoenix, and the crew members were violently thrown across the deck, even with the backup inertial dampeners already on line.
Wilder activated the Phoenix’s ship wide intercom, “This is the captain speaking,” said Wilder solemnly using the ship-wide intercom. “The Phoenix is lost. All hands must abandon ship as quickly as possible. I repeat, all hands abandon ship.”
Wilder then activated a direct engineering-to-bridge communication link.
“O’Brien here, sir.”
“Commander, I need you to activate the auxiliary mid-ship’s sublight engines to full output,” ordered Wilder.
“But sir, our auxiliary drive isn’t fast enough to get us clear of the Accad.”
“Escape is not an option, Commander.”
“Sir, you don’t mean …”
“That’s right. I want you to set us on a ramming speed, then you and the engineering crew abandon ship.”
There was a long moment of silence on O’Brien’s end. Then in a choked whisper he replied, “Aye aye, sir.”
Wilder looked sternly at Sheppard and said, “With all due respect, sir, you need to get to an escape pod. It’s the captain who gets to go down with his ship, not the commanding fleet officer.”
Sheppard looked at him in hard disbelief for a moment, and then he saw Sharon looking in horror at the planetary debris. He motioned her to join him, and they both moved to the bridge escape pods. Sheppard saw Sherman heading with some data units toward the briefing room and aft bridge escape pods.
Realizing Wilder was serious, Sheppard nodded and shook his hand, saying, “It was a pleasure serving with you, Captain. Good-bye. See you on the other side.”
As he left the bridge, he saw a few other crew members Wilder dismissed, and they went to the escape units and entered the life-pods. As the life-pod ejected into space, Sheppard could see the Kad’jiah on the pod’s view screen and partly out the window. The behemoth was docking, which was probably why they had not fired again—or perhaps they were running low on antiparticles. The Phoenix moved closer on auxiliary engines; however, the Accads must have realized it was attempting a ram.
A moment later, there was a flash. Sheppard watched as the Phoenix was struck a final blow, separating it into more pieces. Then, further explosions flashed brightly.
Sharon Taylor huddled to hold Sheppard as the concussive blow battered the escape pod. Sheppard could see the Kad’jiah had recently generated a hyperspace tunnel and was in the process of entering a hyperspace slipstream.
Sheppard held Sharon as they looked at where the Phoenix was last. He thought the glowing debris did look like a legendary Phoenix, and then Sheppard felt a deep calm as what seemed to be an unusually powerful presence grew. He could see a strange brightness beyond, and a part of the Phoenix flashed like a nova as Sheppard passed out of consciousness.
C HAP TE R 3 2
RENEWAL AND RESTORATION
Vice Admiral Garfield had arrived as the Jiyarri ship was just entering hyperspace. His companion and ship, the Zeloc, was in a transdimensional state and phase cloaked. Garfield scanned and looked at the shattered planet and the starship debris.
He continued to look at the space where the world of QB7 once was. “There is much yet to do this can not yet be this planet is needed, the Nahalian are coming.” His mind reached to connect to his greater consciousness; his Prime entitie’s consciousness. The Karratin Gar fa’eld was in reality part of one of the Protren an immeasurably powerful incorporeal entity. His percept this Karratin was one of the bodies and consciousness that the Protren used to interact with the inhabitants of this universe. Gar fa’eld acting essentially like a Star Knight presented a dilemma to his prime consciousness.
Of course, this Prime entity knew that one of the main protective elements of the interdimensional and interspatial boundaries in this region of the universe represented by the crystalline formations within QB7, and acting as a support pillar connecting to one of the key worlds was shattered. Moreover, the pillar’s foundation, the quellien crystal matrix, had been disrupted, and that would weaken the dimensional barriers strengthening choas. Left as it was, this could allow the occurance of the Nahalian problem sooner.
237 A decision needed to be made. Time was frozen, and only pure thought moved. This percept of Gar fa’eld had an option and made a suggestive thought. Restore the world. Re-crystallize and repair the quellien formation. Return the planet’s care to the Calyx guardians.
This would have to be discussed with the others. Gar fa’eld’s associates were also percepts but of other Protren. Thoughts passed back and forth, and it was agreed that action would be taken. The percept Garfield’s request would be processed. The Prime entity would emerge for a few moments centering on QB7 and restore the planet to its pre-destruction status, crystallize and reorganize the quellien formation from scattered and damaged parts, and restore all objects both animate and inanimate within the determined zone.
********** As Sheppard awoke briefly, and looking at the brilliance of the light, it seemed that a star jumped out of hyperspace. Glancing at the sensors, Sheppard saw that its diameter centered and surrounded QB7, including the ships of Task Force One, and out to the diameter of the ninth planet. Sheppard saw the debris of the Phoenix glow, just like the ancient myth, as if being reborn. Then everything became white, followed by a brief blackness.
Sheppard woke up in the escape pod, but something was changed. He realized the pod was again attached to the Phoenix. The door was open, and he could hear people in the corridor.
Sharon woke and looked as if she were in shock.
Sheppard walked out into the escape pod bay. He noticed that a few others who had used the pods along with him were back in the bay. Sheppard moved out into the bridge and saw that Captain Wilder was also alive sitting staring outward at the viewscreen from the captain’s station. Sheppard went to the sensor station and briefly read the scanners. The planet QB7 was present and the task force was … intact.
“Sir, I do not understand,” said Andor. “I have been examining the ship with the sensors; the Phoenix has no damage. I … have no damage, and even the Varlon that were destroyed are somehow restored.”
A few other bridge crew members were trying to shake off what had happened.
“The bridge lost gravity, and fires were breaking out from overloaded circuits. There were explosions just moments ago,” said a bewildered Wilder. “I think I was killed.”
Andor said, “Sir, a ship has just appeared. It’s the Zeloc. It may have been cloaked; there was no trans-light distortion, not even a small one.”
Lieutenant Commander Ares had been one of the first officers to go to her station. She addressed Sheppard. “Sir, the Varlon ships are moving away, and trans-light hyperspace conduits are forming.”
“Let them go. Do not follow,” ordered Sheppard.
Fleet Captain Sherman came up behind Sheppard and began looking at the sensor logs. He had a hollow look in his eyes. “The logs are blank after the explosion. Our earlier battles and sensor data were recorded then all the information stops,” he said.
A communications imager activated, and a voice said, “Bridge, this is Doctor Grey. I’m in a medical shuttle. We had launched as the Phoenix was exploding, and there was a flash of light. Later, I woke up with the sickbay medical evacuees, and we were parked back in hangar bay one. I don’t think the evacuees have any injuries. Has there been a temporal anomaly?”
“This is Commodore Sheppard, Doctor Grey. I’m not sure what happened, but I don’t think it’s a temporal anomaly.”
Then Lieutenant Commander Ares said in disbelief, “Sir, the starfighters and all their pilots are also back in the hangar.”
Lee Sterling was using the sensors, which indicated that QB7 was undamaged. “Sir, the entire planet—I don’t know how to describe this—it’s not even damaged. I see no evidence of battle. It’s like it never happened.”
Sherman came from the command alcove after having examined a few status reports. “Commodore Sheppard,” he said, “I’m getting similar reports from a few other ships in the task force.”
Sheppard said, “Just before things grew bright and I passed out, I noticed a vast star-like object that come out of hyperspace and moved to engulf the area, including QB7. Did anyone else notice something similar?”
A few officers nodded.
“I did. I saw the same thing you described,” Sharon said.
“So did I,” Doctor Grey said over the comlink. “Things went white, like we were engulfed, then it got strange. When we awoke in the hangar, the patients were healed, and the medical monitors have no data after a certain point.”
One or two other people on the bridge nodded to Commodore Sheppard.
“Sir,” Ares said, “Admiral Garfield’s transport craft has landed in the Phoenix’s hangar bay, and he is on his way to the command deck.”
Sheppard considered what he recalled from Star Knight lore and his training. What had happened seemed like something a Protren was capable of.
Andor was examining the ship further, and for some reason he seemed even more efficient than usual. “I have made some new readings on the Phoenix. There are some discrepancies with my internal database memory and the configurations of several pieces of equipment and some systems and circuit configurations. I will have to examine this more thoroughly, but it appears that the systems have somehow been improved,” he said.
Commander Taylor went to the science console and began to look at Andor’s findings. “Commander Sheppard, I will try to help confirm what has happened.”
“Thank you for the information. I’ll be heading to my command office. When Governor Golda contacts us, I want the science section to inform her of what we know,” stated Sheppard.
He looked at Sharon Taylor as he left the bridge and then walked along the corridor to his command office. He sat down and saw that everything on the desk was in order. A little too much order; everything is too perfect thought Sheppard.
Admiral Garfield entered the command office wearing his white and silver Karratin Ducal uniform.
Sheppard stood up and gave the Alliance of Worlds salute, which the Admiral returned. Only the two were in the room.
“Did your sensors pick up anything? This whole event is a blank,” Sheppard began.
Garfield sat back and considered what to say; he realized that now was not the time to reveal the full truth. “Yes, I was reentering normal space, and the Zeloc’s sensors detected an energy surge along multiple dimensions. The analysis indicated a Protren.”
“I suspected it might be a Protren,” said Sheppard as he began to recall some Star Knight lore.
“The Alliance is probably not aware that this system is actually a special site,” said Garfield. “In alternate dimensions it is a support for certain boundaries. The quellien crystals in this system have
a purpose. Part of that purpose is that the quellien is used for protection and support of the interdimensional and interspatial boundaries. The Accads removed some of the central crystals. Had they been selective, they could have removed some useful adjacent crystals, and the support aspect of the quellien would have been intact even if most of the planet were destroyed. However; they took some of the active pieces that have been there since that world was made. That severely diminished the protective and support functions of the quellien crystals remaining.”
Fleet Captain Sherman and Commander Taylor had recently entered the office through the partially opened door ad were listening.
“The Karratins discovered this long ago, and we did not disturb the central elongated crystals,” continued Garfield. “Even the Alliance of Worlds accepted the Calyx site as an archaeological site, and the area was placed off limits for mining. The Accadian mining ship must have separated the section and removed a portion. Zeloc’s further scans indicated it has been repaired using the surrounding auxiliary crystal mass, and now conservation is in effect. The Accads mined only one level, where a particular grade of resonant crystals could be found.”
Sheppard just stared at the admiral for a moment more before saying, “I recall from my Star Knight training that long ago, the Protren mandated the Star Knights to uphold order and maintain civilization; however, why would a Protren entity come to intervene?” asked Sheppard.
“This planet is believed to be monitored by the Protren, and its disruption would have consequences beyond the Alliance of Worlds, beyond this galaxy and this planar dimension,” replied Garfield. “The earlier Varlon government agreed to not disrupt the Calyx complex on QB7, and if the Jiyarr had come to this system, they would not have been as disruptive as the Accad. There are members of the Jiyarri civilization that hold such things and places in reverence.”
Sheppard nodded and looked at Sherman and Taylor, who were still standing near the entranceway to his office. “I see. That makes some sense,” replied Sheppard.
“You and I, and perhaps Commander Taylor, must get the Alliance of Worlds to reaffirm the protected status of this planet. The members of the Hegemony are aware of this system’s importance and will provide defensive support should the Accads return,” stated Garfield. “Now members of the Calyx have returned to their deep colony site, and they have just placed an active guardian defense system in orbit.