by Saxon Andrew
Tal clapped, “Very good, Jeremy. You’re absolutely right.”
“Then why are you entering the LMC on a line from their home galaxy?” Jan asked with a bit of confusion.
Tal turned to her, “Jan, I want you to take a moment and see if you can figure out why I’m doing that. Look at it through the eyes of a scanner officer.” Jan’s eyes took a far-off stare, and, after a few minutes, Tal added, “Come on, Jan! You can do this! Look at it from the alien’s perspective.” Jan’s brow furrowed and then her eyes came up to Tal. “Do you see it?” Tal asked.
“I do.”
“I don’t see it!” Jeremy interjected.
“That’s because you’re not looking at it through the eyes of someone proficient with scanners. Jan, tell him,” Tal ordered.
Jan began explaining, “The only ship from this imaginary civilization scouting the aliens was seen above the Milky Way scouting the alien ship they had in orbit around Neptune. If the imaginary civilization was really scouting them, they would have to have ships in their home galaxy scouting them as well. If they detect our ship moving from the direction of their home galaxy, they’ll have to believe that a scout is returning to their home planet.”
“BRAVO!!” Tal shouted. “Even if they saw ten or more ships moving toward the LMC, they’d be forced to believe they were returning home.”
“Why?”
“Jeremy, if their civilization was in the Pinwheel Galaxy, why would any ships be moving toward the LMC? By having a ship apparently returning to the LMC, it will confirm the civilization scouting them is located there.”
Jan added, “There’s another reason you’re doing this, Tal.”
Tal turned to Jan with a smile, “Now you’ve surprised me. I didn’t expect you to figure that out.”
“A proficient scanning operator would see it, Tal. If the aliens detect us moving toward the LMC, they’ll believe that we are moving on a direct line toward the imaginary civilization’s home worlds. They’ll move their ships and start searching on that line.”
Tal shook his head in admiration, “You are exactly right, Jan. Now I’m going to have to depend on you to insure the aliens detect our approach to the LMC. Can you do it?”
Jan looked at her panel and then turned to Jeremy, “How large can you expand the force field around the ShaKa?”
Jeremy shrugged, “It can be expanded about seventy miles, but it wouldn’t stop a humming bird from getting through it.”
“I’m not concerned about that, Jee. I just want something that can be detected from long range. I’ll go to full power on my Phase Scanners and have them sweeping across the front of our course toward the LMC.” Tal paused and then continued, “The alien ships holding station between the LMC and the Milky Way would have to detect the scans, especially if they’re at maximum-power.”
Jeremy turned to Tal, “You know if we’re detected, it will bring a crowd in on us.”
“That shouldn’t pose a problem,” Tal replied.”
“Why not?”
“Jeremy, once we detect the alien’s warships moving toward us, you will shut down the force field and Jan will stop the scans. We’ll allow them to see us accelerate on the line we were taking into the LMC and then we’ll go vertical once all our systems are shutdown. We’ll wait above the LMC for them to gather their ships to follow that line we were taking.”
Jan laughed out loud. What do you find amusing?” Jeremy asked.
“If they gather all their ships, it will make it simple to find targets to attack. Tal, you are a genius!”
Tal stood up and took a bow, “Both of you figured out what was going on. However, this plan does seem the best way to lock their fleets down in the LMC for the long haul and will remove any suspicion that the Epy came from the Milky Way.”
“When are you going to do this, Tal?”
Tal sat back down and leaned back in his chair to consider the question, “We’re going to wait until the other two Epy Warships are ready to take part in the attacks. Greg is going through maneuvers, as we speak, and the other ship will join him in four days. I suspect we’ll do this in five days to get the alien fleets to start forming up just prior to their joining us. For the moment, we’re going to continue moving toward the Pinwheel to put some distance between us and the LMC. After four days, we’ll turn around and start our run back toward the LMC.”
Jeremy smiled, “Sounds like a plan, Sir. A good plan!”
Tal nodded and continued flying the ShaKa away from the Large Magellanic Cloud. Tal turned to Jan and ordered, “Connect me with Captain Ward.” A moment later, Greg appeared on the main monitor, “How’s it going, Greg?”
“This is some ship, Tal! It’s probably more dangerous than any warship I’ve ever seen.”
“The Epy-Class Warship is pretty amazing. When will the third crew arrive.”
Greg’s expression immediately changed, and Tal knew something was up. “There’s been a change in the crew flying it, Tal.”
“What’s going on?”
“The original crew has been replaced by a crew that immigrated from the colonies.”
“WHY?!”
“The order came from the Chancellor telling Duncan to do it. It’s a political decision, Tal.”
“There’s no room for politics out here!”
“Duncan and I agree with that, however, the Colonies have practically rebelled against the Council because of sending their best citizens to Earth. The consensus in the colonies is that they were sent to aide an enemy. The President of the Council has assured everyone in the colonies that the ones sent to Earth went there to fight against the Aliens attacking the Colonies and develop weapons to defeat them. The only way to make his statements true was to put some military officers from the colonies in the third ship. Now he can show that the Colonies Military is fighting with Earth to save the colonies.” Tal glared at Greg and he continued, “There’s more, Tal.”
“Do tell. I hope it’s better news than this!”
“The President was forced to announce that if the war is won against the aliens that the best and brightest that were sent to Earth would be coming back to the colonies.”
Tal shrugged, “That’s not so bad.”
“Tal! Those scientists will learn our technology!”
“Let them! The stronger the colonies are, the better it is for humanity. The ill will between the colonies and Earth will end with this war. Getting the extended-life-colonists off Earth will insure Earth doesn’t fall into the overpopulation trap the colonies found themselves in. Besides, I suspect that the colonists that came to Earth will have something to say about being forced to leave. If they fall in love with Earth like I did, I suspect most will choose to remain on Earth. But that’s an issue for another time. What can you tell me about the crew on the third Epy?”
The Captain was a hotshot in the Colony Navy. She commanded a fleet and was promoted to the Military’s Headquarters for the last few years.”
“I imagine she doesn’t like taking a demotion to Captain.”
“I’ve only had a brief time with her and you’re right about that,” Greg confirmed. “She’s haughty and really doesn’t like she’s junior to you and me. Duncan had to rush them through training and told me to get you to bring them up to speed on what’s happening in the LMC.”
“We’re gathering all the hens into one henhouse to make it easier to attack them. Work with her and let me know when she’s ready.”
“She’s almost ready now, Tal. She may be arrogant, but she is an outstanding pilot. We’ll be moving your way in a few more days.”
“Make sure you go far over the top of the LMC and meet me on the side closest to the Pinwheel Galaxy.”
“Will do. See you shortly.”
• • •
Tal turned to the twins, “We’re headed back to the LMC. Get the scanners operating and Jeremy, expand the force field.” The twins turned to their consoles and Tal turned the steering wheel. The ShaKa reversed course
and went to three-quarters speed. The LMC began growing larger in the front viewport.
Two days later, Tal reduced the ShaKa’s speed to half-speed. He glanced at Jan and she shook her head. The aliens should be detecting them by now. He asked himself numerous times ‘what could go wrong’ but didn’t come up with anything. An hour later, Jan shouted, “BINGO!” Tal held the ShaKa on course, as Jan announced, “I have twenty large phase fields moving toward us at high-speed from the portside.” Jan paused and added, “I now have fourteen more phase-fields moving toward us from below the first group.”
Jan divided the front viewport into halves with the top half showing the LMC directly ahead of them and the lower-half was the images on her scanner display. The ShaKa appeared as a red-dot on the monitor and Tal saw multiple-large-phase-fields moving in from the left slightly below their course. “At the current closing speeds, they will arrive directly in front of us in an hour,” Jan announced.
Tal nodded and increased speed. Thirty minutes before the alien warships arrived, Tal calmly ordered, “Shut it all down.” Jeremy pulled in the force field and Jan shutdown the active scanners and went to passive reception; Tal could still see the approaching warships on the monitor. He pulled back on the steering wheel and the ShaKa went vertical. He pushed the gravity-thruster-handle fully forward and the ShaKa flew away from the approaching warships at maximum speed. “Jan stop me before we move out of passive scanning range!”
“Stop in five…four…three…two…one…NOW!”
Tal switched to the joystick controller and pulled it fully back. The ShaKa came to a stop and Tal moved the joystick to the center to prevent the ship from backing up. He whipped the ShaKa around and stared at the tactical monitor on the viewport. The alien warships came together and began spreading out searching for the small ship they were chasing. “Let’s see if the plan bears fruit,” Tal said with a smirk.
• • •
The Alien Task Force Commander was staring at his monitor just like Tal was doing on his ship. As his ships moved in on the target, it suddenly disappeared from his monitor. A scanner operator shouted, “They’ve shut down their scanners! We’ve lost them.”
“SPREAD OUT AND FIND THEM!” The Commander shouted, “We know the course they were on!”
The Operator looked up, “Commander, they probably changed course the moment they detected our ships. That ship is not appearing on any of our scans.”
“Continue searching. Hold our position here!” The pilot of the giant warship came out of the phase field and brought the ship to a stop. The Commander sat in his chair hoping for another contact…but none came. Finally, he looked to his left, “Contact the Fleet Commander and send him everything we’ve collected.” The alien nodded and began sending the data.
Chapter Ten
Tee sighted down the pipe and saw the assassin was better than most of those he dealt with. He didn’t walk into a pipe, he crawled in pushing a thin chronide plate in front of him. He crawled around the dead bodies littering the pipe and Tee shook his head, how were they finding him? Assassins were entering the pipes on an ongoing basis and he had no idea where they were coming from. He changed the darts in the dual dart rifle and sighted on the center of the chronide plate the assassin was pushing in front of him. He often thought in the past that the credits he spent on his equipment was a waste of funds, but the last two weeks had proven to him that it was credits well spent. The two darts he fired at the chronide plate cost ten thousand credits each, but they performed their function. They blew through the plate and hit the assassin in the face. The plate fell to the pipe’s floor and Tee switched to the killing darts. He sighted in and hit the assassin again. He quickly checked his remote, jumped to his feet, and rushed up the pipe to join Mer five hundred yards further up the pipe. The assassins were now coming in from different directions. They must have found another pipe close to the surface at a different location. He saw Mer ahead of him lying prone on the floor and he quietly went to the pipe’s floor beside her. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and nodded up the pipe in front of them. Three dark forms were moving toward them, and Tee held up two fingers and nodded to his left. Mer acknowledged him with a nod and sighted in on the assassin to the right. The three assassins were forty yards in front of them when Tee fired first, followed by Mer. Both shot the assassin in the center.
“HOW ARE THEY FINDING US?!” Tee said forcefully.
“They must be tracking a communicator, Tee.”
“But I’ve removed all the communicators they brought and turned them off.”
Mer’s brow furrowed as she asked, “What about the ones you dropped down that hole the first day?”
Tee’s eyes flew wide open and then he looked up at the ceiling. “I didn’t check them.”
“That must be where the signal is coming from.”
Tee blew out a harsh breath and handed her the remote, “Keep an eye out.” Tee rushed back to his lair and opened his weapons cabinet, he pulled out a box, and took a rocket shaped round out of it. He rushed back to the pipe and arrived at the hole where he had dumped Cha and the Downtown Eleven. His audio plugs were turned up and he heard Mer whisper, “I have five assassins moving up the pipe.”
Tee rushed back to Mer and fell to the floor. He lifted his rifle and heard, “I’ve removed them, Tee.”
Tee looked ahead and saw the bodies scattered in the pipe. “You’re getting good, Mer.”
“I have a good teacher.”
“Come with me!” Tee and Mer jumped to their feet and sprinted back to the pipe leading to the lair, “Go up and wait for me.” Mer agreed as Tee lifted her to the bottom rungs of the ladder. She scampered up and Tee ran back to the pipe where he left the rocket. He turned a band on the nose of the rocket, dropped it into the pipe, and sprinted at his fastest speed back to the pipe leading to the lair. He lept to the bottom rungs and pulled himself up. Reaching under him and, he pulled a round metal cover out of a slot in the wall. It snapped into place covering the hole leading to the pipe under him. He sped up the ladder at his fastest speed, went through the cover, and slammed it down. As soon as the locking wheel was turned, they felt a vibration under their feet.
“What did you do?” Mer asked.
“I dropped a heat rocket into the hole. If there were any communicators in that hole, they’re gone. I suspect anyone in the pipes within four miles of the round will be burned to a crisp. All the dead bodies in the pipes near us should also be burned to ashes.”
“What are we going to do, Tee.”
“Stay out of the pipes, Mer. I’ve put a cover over the entry to the pipe below us and it’s now invisible to anyone passing under it. We’ll let any assassins that go in the pipes, fight it out among themselves. Are you all right with that?”
Mer nodded and fell into her chair, “I am!”
“I’ll use the cameras to see if anything sinister shows up. However, you and I are out of this fight.”
“I’m going to take a bath.” Tee gave her an ok, turned, and began checking the cameras in the pipes. The dead bodies were burned to ashes, like he suspected they would be, and mingled with the silt. He sat back and started searching for where the assassins were entering the pipes.
Mer came out of the shower wearing one of his tee-shirts. It hung down to her knees and Tee saw she had lost weight. “Are you all right, Mer?”
“I’m fatigued from the constant attacks, Tee. I’m very thankful you took the time to teach me how to fire your rifles, so I could help.”
Tee waved a hand, “You have a natural talent for shooting, Mer.”
“But I’ve never been this good!”
“That’s because you weren’t using good equipment. The right weapon makes all the difference.”
“Tee, I’ve been wondering. What is your rank in Australia’s Guild?”
“Not that high, Mer. I was in the lower-third.”
“How is that possible?! With your skill and talent…”
; Tee interrupted, “Remember, the highest paying contracts go to the highest-ranking assassins. I’ve managed to slip under the Guild Master’s radar. I’ve made enough to buy my equipment and be comfortable.”
“I’m in the bottom hundred,” Mer replied.
“Well, if this war ends, you won’t stay there.”
“I think I’d be perfectly happy providing you a home to live and be comfortable in, Tee.” Mer paused, “If you’re willing to accept me?”
Tee smiled, “You’ve proven yourself to me, Mer. You’ve saved my life several times in the pipes and I trust you. If you’re sure you want to spend your life with me, I’m certainly open to it.” Mer rushed to him and held him tightly. Tee sensed that all the killing had taken a toll on her soul. Truth-be-told, he felt the same, but getting out of the guild was far more difficult than getting in. He’d worry about that later. Right now, she was in his arms and he turned off his computer.
• • •
“Tal, I’m detecting two small ships moving on a course over the LMC.”
“Thanks, Jan. Contact them and get them on the monitor.” The front monitor split and Greg appeared on the top screen and a woman appear on the lower-screen. “It’s good to have you here,” Tal said to them.
Greg nodded, “Admiral, this is Captain Rachael Meadows and she is in command of the third Epy, Americas.”
Tal looked at the woman with raised eyebrows, “Is that your name?”
The woman forced a smile, “I’m using my Earth Name while here, Admiral.”
“Tell me about yourself, Captain.”
Rachael’s eyes closed slightly before saying, “I was the Commander of the Colony’s Fifth Fleet and was the XO of the Fleet Commander.”
“How do you feel about your current assignment?” Tal asked.
“Permission to be honest, Sir.”
Tal waved his hand, “I’d prefer you be honest all the time without asking for permission, Captain.”
“I believe that I should be in command here. I certainly have more experience than anyone present.”