“Nice speech,” said Niles. “Let’s hope we live to talk about it when we are old and retired.”
“Who says I’m retiring?” said Thompson.
Turning towards his helmsman he ordered, “Prepare to engage light speed on my command.”
“Yes, sir,” said Romano.
Thompson turned back to Barnes. “Inform the crew that we are preparing to engage light speed.”
“Aye, sir.”
Thames called out from his post. “Artificial gravity is working at full capacity. We are go for light speed.”
“Mister Romano,” said Thompson, “engage light speed.”
“Yes, sir.”
Thompson sat back and recalled the day almost twenty years ago when he was still a young lieutenant and one of their science vessels had found the wormhole. They had spent five years studying it and sending probes inside. Finally the fleet asked for a lone volunteer to take a small ship into it and see where and what was on the other side. Of course, he volunteered to be that officer. Finding the wormhole led to the discovery of many other planets and made travel to Alpha Centauri possible. It turned out to be a wondrous discovery . . . as well as a problematic one. Not only did it make travel and discovery available to humanity, it also opened the doorway for the Karang to get to the Sol system should they defeat the combined fleet of Earth and Altarra.
Romano spoke from the helm. “Engaging light speed in three, two, one, engaged.”
Time seemed to stand still as the ship appeared to stretch like a rubber band. A brief uneasy feeling came over Thompson. An instant later it was gone.
“All systems normal,” said Romano from the helm.
“Ms. Barnes,” said Thompson. “Get President Hawking on a secure channel.”
“Yes, sir,” she said. “I have him now, sir. Patching him through to your headset.”
“Mister President,” said Thompson. “We are en route. Just wanted to let you know that if you need anything to be done in my absence, contact my son.”
“No need to worry about that, Admiral,” said the president. “You just see to it that you and the rest of the fleet take care of business. Give them hell, Ben.”
“We certainly intend to, sir. Having the Altarrans with us is a big plus.”
“They certainly are different,” said the president. “But I’m sure glad they are fighting with us.”
“I agree completely,” said Thompson. “One more thing, Mister President.”
“Sure, Ben. What is it?”
Lowering his voice he said, “In the event that I don’t make it back, there’s a letter for my son in my desk. Please see to it if circumstances warrant that you give it to him.”
“Don’t worry about it, Admiral,” said the president. “That won’t be necessary. I’m sure you’ll make it back.”
“Thank you for the vote of confidence, Mister President. But just in case, I want you to personally see to it that he gets the letter. Thompson out.”
“You have my word, Ben,” said the President. “Good luck and God speed. I’ll see you when you return.”
He knew the president was saying the same thing he would say to anyone under these circumstances. He appreciated the vote of confidence but he was under no illusions. They were preparing to meet an extremely dangerous and aggressive enemy, one that also severely outnumbered them.
“Ms. Barnes,” he said. “Contact Captain Thompson.”
“Contacting him now. Admiral,” said Barnes. She hesitated for a moment. “I’ve got Captain Thompson, sir.”
“Listen up, Ryan,” he said once Ryan had come on the screen. “Once we get intelligence on the Karang I’ll have it forwarded to you. You make sure that Commodore Laurent gets everything I send you. We need to find a weakness and exploit it.”
“Understood,” said Ryan. “I’ll see to it personally.”
“I know you will. Stay sharp, son. If the Karang get past us, you’re the last line of defense.”
“I will, Admiral,” said Ryan. “And sir?”
“Yes, Ryan.”
“Make sure you come back. I don’t think I could deal with . . .”
He knew where his son was going and he cut him off. “Listen, Ryan. You know damn well I’m going to do everything I can and use every trick up my sleeve to defeat the Karang. But regardless of what happens, you need to be ready for anything and everything.” He paused to let that sink in and then said. “You got that, soldier?”
“I read you loud and clear, Admiral. Thompson out.”
“That’s one hell of a son you got there, sir,” said Thames.
“Yes he is,” said the admiral. He sat back in his seat and tried to relax. They had a fourteen-day journey to meet up with the Altarran fleet. Hopefully Supreme Commander Granthaxe would have some useful information for them when they arrived. He hoped he would be able to keep his promise to his son.
Amanda entered the UEDF headquarters with Kyron at her side. Admiral Thompson and the fleet had already left and were on their way to Altarran space. They entered the conference room. Her father, Admiral Williamson, and Ryan were already there, waiting for them. Needless to say, her emotions were running rampant.
“Have a seat,” said the admiral.
Amanda sat down next to Ryan. Kyron stood behind the two of them as there was no seating large enough to accommodate her.
“As you are well aware, time is of the essence,” said the admiral. “The fleet is en route to intercept the Karang and is up against insurmountable odds. Hopefully with the assistance of Kyron and the amulet, we will be able to find the weapon needed to defeat our common enemy.”
“We will find the Ship of the Gods, Admiral Williamson,” said Kyron. “Of that I have no doubt. The words of the gods are forthcoming and factual.”
“For the sake of both our worlds, I pray you are correct,” said the admiral.
Amanda knew her father well enough to see that he was not feeling the same confidence Kyron did. “Permission to speak freely, sir,” she said.
Her father smiled at her. “Permission granted,” he said.
Amanda stood up and gazed from her father to Ryan. She put her right hand on the amulet around her neck. “This gift was given to the Altarran people over sixty thousand years ago. Even after extensive testing we have no idea what materials it is made from.” She paused to gather her thoughts. “Yet I received visions from the amulet. They were clear and vivid. I firmly believe that everything I have seen and heard in these visions is true.”
Kyron smiled at Amanda. “Queen Darthaxe knew what she was doing when she bestowed the Amulet of the Gods on you, Amanda Williamson. You speak with the conviction of a true Altarran warrior. I am honored as well as proud to be your personal guard.”
“I hope you are both right,” said the admiral. “My only concerns are whether the weapon that was left for us that many years ago can be found, and if we do find it, will it still be operational?”
“The admiral makes a good point, Mandy,” said Ryan. “And even if we do find it and it is operational, how will you know how to operate it?”
“I don’t have all the answers,” she replied. “But I have a feeling. And it’s a very powerful one that all these questions will be answered once we find it.”
“The keeper of the amulet will be given all that is needed to operate the Ship of the Gods,” said Kyron.
“I agree completely with Kyron,” said Amanda. “The Semina Vitae would not have gone through all of the trouble to leave us a weapon we could not use.”
“Hopefully you are right, Amanda,” said the admiral. “Which brings me to my next point. There’s a shuttle waiting to take us to the Sentinel Islands. We leave in two hours.”
“We?” said Amanda.
“Yes,” he said. “Direct orders from the Fleet Admiral. Nobody is doubting your ability, but there’s a lot at stake here and I do have the experience as well. It will be a small party as we do not want to alarm the Sentinelese tribe.”
“It will be the three of us, plus a pilot and an engineer,” said the admiral.
“A pilot will not be necessary, Admiral Jonas Williamson,” said Kyron. “Only the keeper of the amulet can operate the Ship of the Gods.”
“From your mouth to God’s ears, Kyron,” said the admiral.
“Why would I put my mouth to God’s ears?” asked Kyron.
Amanda and the others laughed. Kyron had a puzzled look on her face. “It’s just a figure of speech,” said Amanda.
“I am confused,” said Kyron. “What is a figure of speech?”
“Never mind,” said Amanda. “We have a long journey ahead of us. I’ll have plenty of time to catch you up on our sayings.”
“I look forward to learning your peculiar ways of speaking, Amanda Williamson,” she said.
“You think we speak strangely, Kyron?” asked Ryan?
“Indeed I do think so, Ryan Thompson,” said Kyron.
Amanda stood up. “Okay,” she said. “That’s enough for English lessons today. We’ve got a lot to do. Let’s head over to the mess hall to grab something to eat before we leave.”
Admiral Williamson looked over at Ryan. “Listen up, Captain Thompson. You’ll be handling all of UEDF duties in our system while I’m away on this mission. I will be in radio contact at all times. Do not deviate from your orders without contacting me. In the event that you cannot contact me, you will call Admiral Mueller, who will be on the base in my absence. Are we clear on your orders, Mister Thompson?”
“Crystal clear, sir,” replied Ryan.
“Sir,” said Amanda. “Can I have a few minutes alone with Ryan before we leave?”
“Sure, Amanda,” he said. “You’ve got five minutes. I’ll see you in the hanger bay at 0200 hours. Kyron will wait for you outside the office.”
“Thank you, sir,” she said. Amanda waited while her father and Kyron left the office. She turned to Ryan, who was already on his feet walking towards her, and ran into his arms. “It’s going to be strange not being with you, Ry,” she said.
“What’s really going to be strange is having Tanner as my executive officer,” said Ryan, laughing.
Amanda knew he was just trying to lighten the mood and she appreciated it. But it didn’t change how alone she was feeling at the moment. “Well,” she laughed, “he’s certainly not as pretty as me.”
Ryan smiled at her. “No, he’s not. Not even close.”
She kissed him and held him tight. “Be careful. I don’t want to have to save you again.”
“Save me?” he said. “As I recall I saved you.”
Amanda smiled up at him. “Let’s be honest. We saved each other.”
“Yes, we did,” he answered. “Be careful, Mandy. And don’t trust anyone other than your father and Kyron. After what happened the last time on the Sentinel Islands, we really don’t know who’s with us or against us.”
She nodded. “I know. It’s unnerving that we could have traitors alongside us, but I’ve got my dad and Kyron with me. I’ll be fine.”
“Promise me you’ll come back safely,” said Ryan.
She looked deeply into his eyes and kissed him. “Of course I’ll come back. After all, who else is going to save you if I don’t?”
“Yeah, yeah,” said Ryan. “But seriously. Be careful.”
“I will. And that goes for you also. I’ll stay in touch and check in with you as much as possible. And most of all, don’t do anything rash. Remember, I’m not there to keep you grounded.”
“No worries. I’ll have Tanner to bounce my ideas off of.”
“I know you do, and that’s what scares me the most.”
They both laughed. She needed that to calm her fears. Then she noticed the clock on the wall. “Well, it’s that time,” she said. “I’m going to head down to the mess hall for a quick bite and then to the hanger bay.”
“Okay. I’ve got to get back to the ship. We have to bring supplies to Captain Haywood at the outpost on Pluto.”
“So he did get promoted to Captain. Good for him,” she said. “Take care Ry. Hopefully I’ll see you soon.”
“I’m holding you to that, Mandy.”
She hugged him tightly and walked out the door. Kyron was waiting for her. The two of them walked in silence to the mess hall. Amanda said a silent prayer. She hoped that she and Ryan would be able to keep their promises to one another and return from their missions safely. While she put up a positive and brave front to Ryan and the others, she was truly worried. A huge burden had been placed upon her. If she were to fail, all of Earth and mankind could be destroyed. And that frightened beyond her wildest imagination
Admiral Thompson couldn’t shake the thoughts that were running through his mind. It was just six months ago that he had been in a similar situation. However, unlike last time when the humans hadn’t known what was waiting for them, it was already a known fact that they were heading into harm’s way. There was no doubt about the current mission. It was war, plain and simple. And it would be a fight to the finish.
He didn’t realize he’d drifted off until his exec, Captain Thames, asked, “Penny for your thoughts, Admiral.”
“Just wondering what the future holds for us, Niles,” said Thompson. “All these years I’ve served in the fleet without any confrontations and now we find ourselves on the brink of intergalactic war for the second time in less than a year.”
“We all knew that day would probably come at some point,” said Niles.
“Of course we did. But twice in the same year? I’d say that’s a bit of bad luck. Wouldn’t you?”
“I don’t believe in luck, sir,” said Niles. “Whatever happens is our destiny. And look at the bright side, sir.”
“Bright side? And what would that be, Mister Thames?”
The first officer moved closer to him and whispered, “You get to save the world twice in one year, Ben. Hell, you may end up our next president.”
Thompson stared at his longtime friend and then broke into laughter. “Thanks. I needed a good laugh. But no thanks. I don’t think I could deal with that job.”
“Sir,” said Romano from the helm. “We are approaching the coordinates for rendezvous with the Altarran fleet. We are fifteen minutes out at our present rate of speed.”
“Back to reality,” said Thompson. “Mister Romano, prepare to drop out of light speed. Ms. Barnes, inform the fleet to follow our lead and open a secure channel to Supreme Commander Granthaxe’s ship.”
“Aye, sir,” replied Barnes and Romano simultaneously.
“Admiral,” said Barnes. “I have the supreme commander on the com.”
Before he could answer her the ship dropped out of light speed. It didn’t matter how many times he had been through the procedure. He still felt out of sorts when the ship made that sudden shift. However, he quickly gathered himself.
“Supreme Commander Granthaxe,” he said. “We are at the rendezvous point.”
Granthaxe’s booming voice came over the radio. “Greetings, Admiral Benjamin Thompson, and welcome to Altarran space. I trust that your flight was without incident.”
“Yes it was,” said Thompson. “Do you have a fix on the Karang fleet?”
“Indeed we do,” said Granthaxe. “They are currently three of your days away from Altarra at their current rate of speed.”
“Understood,” said Thompson. “I am assuming that you plan to intercept them before they get any closer.”
“Your assumption is quite correct. It is my intention to engage the Karang scum as quickly as possible. This will give our ground troops as well as our planetary defenses more time to prepare for the invasion.”
Thompson understood exactly what Granthaxe was saying. The supreme commander had no delusions about being able to stop the Karang. It was obvious that their mission was to delay the inevitable and buy time for Amanda and Kyron to find the weapon needed to defeat them.
�
��Understood,” said Thompson. “One more thing, Supreme Commander.”
“Yes,” said Granthaxe.
“The president has given me permission to allow your citizens to take refuge at our cadet training planet. There is more than enough room for both of our people to send a hundred thousand of our civilians there. Other than the training facility, most of the planet is vacant and uninhabited.”
There was a brief silence. “The Altarran people thank you for your generous offer, Admiral Benjamin Thompson. I shall inform our queen. Now we must prepare for a great battle. I am forwarding the course and speed of the enemy fleet to you. If it meets with your approval, I would like to move out quickly. Every second we delay, the enemy draws closer.”
“I agree,” said Thompson. “Give us ten minutes to run a quick check on all of our ships’ systems. I will call you as soon as we are prepared to move out.”
“A wise precaution,” said the supreme commander. “We will need every ship at full capacity to slow down the Karang. I will await your call, Admiral Benjamin Thompson. May the gods watch over our people.”
Thompson sat back for a moment and said a quick prayer. “Ms. Barnes, have all ships run a final systems check. I want a status report from all the captains in five minutes.” He turned to Romano at the helm. “Mister Romano, plot a course to intercept the Karang fleet.”
“Aye, sir,” replied both officers.
Thompson pulled up the information concerning the Karang. As the picture appeared on his monitor he noticed Niles looking over his shoulder.
“That looks like a very large number of ships, Admiral,” said Niles.
“Damn straight,” said Thompson. “Three hundred, to be exact.”
“Is that all?” said Niles. “Only three hundred of them? And we have how many ships combined?”
“Twenty-five of ours and thirty-five Altarran ships.”
“Bloody hell,” said Niles. “We’ve got them right where we want them. One of ours for every five of theirs.”
The bridge crew laughed, as did Thompson. He knew exactly what Niles was doing and appreciated it. With the odds stacked heavily against them, lightening the mood was an excellent idea.
Cadets: 2 The Ship of the Gods Page 5