The Forbidden Wilds: Crossing the Styx

by Saxon Andrew

  “He asked me every day I was there, Jangle. He can be persistent.”

  “That he is!”

  Jingle heard something being said and turned her attention back to the meeting, “…and if we destroy their space hives, the warships will just die on the vine,” An admiral on the front row suggested.

  Admiral Glennon was nodding and Alex was staring at her with his eyebrows raised. Jingle took a breath and spoke up, “Sir, I don’t know if that is entirely true.”

  Glennon turned to her, “What are you suggesting, Admiral Jingle?”

  “Sir, the more time I spent around the Nebula Aliens, the more I saw they were very much like a colony of ants. I know all the arguments that they aren’t organic life, but their social structure appears to be very similar. What do you think the Royals that rule those structures do with any Royals that are born?”

  Admiral Wozniak spoke up, “That doesn’t happen with an ant colony, Admiral Jingle. There’s only one Queen.”

  “Until they decide to swarm,” Jingle replied. Admiral Wozniak’s expression changed, and Jingle continued, “I suspect with a civilization as advanced as them, they are always prepared to swarm if they are confronted with possible extinction. I think it’s not too far-fetched that the Royals in those structures send the young Royals out to command their fleets. If the hive is destroyed, then the young Royals on their warships will find a place to build another structure and start all over again. They may decide to do that outside the nebula which would have become too dangerous for them.”

  Glennon stared at Jingle and turned to Wozniak, “Is what she’s saying true?”

  “We have no way of knowing but it does make sense, Sir.”

  “Then using the warships surrounding the cluster to participate in the attack is off the table! We can’t allow any of them to escape and start another colony!”

  “Then what do we do?” The admiral that made the suggestion asked.

  Alex stood up, “If we attack the hives, every warship that belongs to that hive will stay and fight as long as the hive lives. They will also call in other fleets to assist in its defense.”

  “Not if we attack enough of them,” Jingle interjected. Everyone turned to her and she raised her hands, “Sure, if the other hives don’t feel threatened, they’ll send assistance. But if they feel threatened, they will put their own hives ahead of all the others.”

  “Do you agree with that Admiral Berringer?” Glennon asked.

  “Sir, Admiral Jingle knows the aliens far better than me. She’s not been wrong in her judgments.”

  Glennon turned to Jingle, “So how do we handle this?”

  “We don’t attack until we can launch simultaneous attacks on at least a half of their hives. And we destroy every warship defending those hives before we go after them.”

  ‘Do you have any idea how many warships that plan will take?!” an admiral shouted from the floor.

  “Do you have any idea how many warships are going to be needed to take on those giant battleships attacking the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy?” Jingle countered. “The Union has more than a million planets and if an extreme emergency is announced, I suspect the numbers that can be constructed quickly will amaze you. In the mean time, we launch occasional attacks on the Nebula making them think they’re being done by an invading civilization. This has to be done right the first time or we’ll be facing them again in the future and they can rebuild faster than you can imagine.”

  The room was silent, and Alex spoke up, “Currently, our old-model warships can’t stand up to the Nebula Alien’s blasters. But our new defense missile can hold them at bay and prevent them escaping the cluster. We must supply the new missile to the warships surrounding the nebula.”

  “Admiral, that could take years to bring all of them back to the Union to supply them and what happens if they exhaust what they have on board!” Wozniak interjected.

  Alex glanced at Jingle and replied, “I’ve spoken with the planetary leaders on Bucket and they have agreed for us to build the necessary structures to house the new missile. Most of their planet is uninhabited and has more than enough room for the buildings to be constructed. The planet is a short two-day trip from the Nebula and our ships can go there to be resupplied. “I agreed that the Union would pay for the right to use their planet as a forward base.”

  “How much?” Glennon asked.

  “Their leaders said they will negotiate a fair price and not overcharge the Union.”

  Jingle was glaring at Alex, but he didn’t look at her. Glennon stood up and announced, “We will start moving on this project immediately. This meeting is adjourned.”

  Jingle immediately went to Alex and he saw her anger. “Jingle, why do you think their leaders agreed to doing this?” Jingle closed her mouth and Alex added, “You won’t have to worry about defending Bucket if this goes through. It will be one of the most heavily defended planets in the Union. Further, the millions of sailors going there will cause Bucket’s economy to boom and will provide the necessary capital for Bucket to modernize the planet. The farmers will be selling all of their crops to the Union and it won’t be enough. The businesses on the planet will flourish and Bucket can afford to build their own commercial vessels to trade with the rest of the Union.”

  “You are going to radically change the only place in the Union I love, Alex!”

  “Bucket’s Leaders contacted me and asked if there was anything they could do to start modernizing the planet. The real question you need to ask yourself is whether the changes are good or bad.” Alex turned and walked away leaving Jingle struggling with how to answer his question. Jingle shook her head and decided to go back to Bucket. Having enough of the new warships to launch an attack on the Nebula was far over the horizon and she decided to spend her time at home. She received a message from Alex before arriving on Bucket telling her that the Union was sending the first ten thousand of the new warships to the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy to support the galaxy’s defense and start training the aliens on how to attack the battleships. He asked her to join him and she turned him down, “I’ll help with the attack on the Nebula but that’s it. Besides, you’re the space combat expert; you can handle it without me.”

  Alex reluctantly agreed and Jingle landed and went straight to the Watering Hole. Jangle wasn’t happy but Jingle assured him, “You’ll have all the combat your little processors can ask for when we attack the Nebula, Jangle.” Just like Alex, Jangle reluctantly agreed.

  • • •

  Jingle entered the bar and saw everyone was animatedly discussing the new Union Military Base being built on the planet. She listened in and blew out a hard breath. Dolly heard her and asked, “What’s eating you?”

  “I just hate to see Bucket being changed.”

  “Are you for real?”

  “Dolly, it will change everything. Bucket will lose its charm.”

  Dolly nodded toward the front entrance, “Do you call everything outside that door charming?” Jingle nodded. “Then you need to go out and work on one of the farms for just a day. Charming will no longer be part of your description of Bucket. Life here is hard, Jingle! The Ragers left a beautiful planet devastated. The people here have been struggling since the war ended to bring the planet back to what it once was. All you’ve done is sit around the Watering Hole and sip your drinks. Most of the folks here die long before their time. Joesen has learned that the Council has agreed for the Union to build one of their supply facilities just two miles away.”

  Jingle shook her head, “That’s awful.”

  “Jingle, Joesen has received an offer to sell the Watering Hole for fifty-million Union Credits and he turned it down.”

  “Why would he ever do that, Dolly?”

  Dolly shook her head, “You’ve never owned a business, have you.”

  “No.”

  “That figures. The three most important terms in commerce is Location, Location, Location. Each community is only allowed one business to sell alcohol
. The Watering Hole is going to be a platinum mine. Now Joesen and I can start planning a family.”

  “What about the farmers that come here.”

  “The Union has agreed to purchase everything they can grow and now they can afford to modernize their farms. They are going to be able to live a good life with their families.”

  • • •

  The Watering Hole was empty during the day, all the regulars were working hard to prepare for the coming supply base. But during the evening, it was standing room only. Jingle agreed to work part time as a bartender to help Joesen and Dolly out. She found enjoyment in serving the regulars and met many new comers who could now afford to come to the Watering Hole. Life was happier than any time before.

  • • •

  Alex found that training the Canis Alien’s fleet officers was far easier than he anticipated. He showed them recordings of actual combat and he didn’t have to wait to tell them what they were watching; they were telepathic and listened to his thoughts as they watched the recordings. Their skills quickly improved and when four giant battleships appeared, Alex insisted that only one of them be destroyed and its destruction shouldn’t be done quickly. They didn’t like his orders and the Alien Leader contacted him after the surviving three battleships flew away.

  “Why did you prevent my fleets from destroying all of those warships?”

  “What would have happened if you did?”

  “I don’t understand your question?”

  “Why do you think they keep coming back to your space?” Alex asked. “They’re not launching an invasion; they’re only sending four warships. Why do you think they do that?”

  The Alien Leader thought about it and replied, “They’re scouting us.”

  “Yes, they are. They must have an issue that’s taking their full attention in the LMC and they’re making sure they can handle you when they get around to it. If you destroyed all four of those ships, how do you think they’d react to it?”

  “They’d see us as a real danger,” The Leader responded.

  “And that might cause them to move up their invasion plans.”

  The Leader stared at Alex on the monitor and then said, “You are wiser than us. Please help prevent any mistakes we might make.”

  “That’s why I’m here. Just make sure your officers follow my orders.”

  “I will make sure of that, Alex.” The monitor went dark and Alex smiled, the alien knew his name.

  • • •

  Alex was sleeping on his chair on the Rapids when he was woken by Brooks, “Alex, I have a message coming in from Captain Jensen.”

  Alex rubbed his eyes, “Put it on my panel.” The display illuminated and Alex asked, “What have you found out, Curtis?”

  “The Civilization that has the huge battleships is far larger than we thought.”

  “How much larger?”

  “Their numbers rival the Union’s, Sir.”

  “Why haven’t they just sent an attack fleet and cleaned house in Canis Major?”

  “They are currently at war with another civilization that is taking up most of their attention, Sir. They are winning that war and I suspect it won’t be lasting a lot longer.”

  “How long, Curtis?”

  “Don’t hold me to this, but less than two years if I had to guess.”

  “Get your scouts out of there now.”

  “Sir, they can’t detect my ships.”

  “But if some kind of freak accident happens and they do detect one of your ships, who do you think they’ll believe sent them?”

  Curtis shook his head, “They’ll believe they came from Canis Major. They know there are stealth ships located there.”

  “Get your ships out!”

  “Yes Sir.”

  Alex pressed a button and the Alien Leader appeared on his console. Do these beings ever sleep? “You must speed up the movement of your populations. My scouts have reported that the civilization sending the battleships are currently at war with another civilization and will probably win it within two years.”

  “That will be close. We anticipate it will take three years. It will take at least that long to provide the materials needed by the new planets.”

  “I’ll contact the Union and see if they can’t assist you in providing the supplies you need. Start using your freighters to move your species.”

  “We might make it in time if the Union will help provide what we need.”

  “Count on that happening. Get your colony ships moving at a faster pace.”

  “I will issue the orders.”

  Alex sat back and knew if the Canis Aliens weren’t here when the Battleships arrived to invade, they were going to start searching for them in the Milky Way. Another war was looming in the future. He smiled, “Ain’t it funny how fast the night changes”.

  Four months had passed and Malph had asked Jingle every day if she had reconsidered being his mate. Finally, one night he asked, and Jingle started to tell him no but hesitated. Then she smiled and said, “Why the hell not! Ok, I’ll do it.”

  Malph’s face was slit by a huge smile, “REALLY!!”

  “Yes. We’ll have a party here Saturday and go directly from here to your home where you can carry me across the threshold.”

  Malph pulled Jingle into his arms and kissed her hard. “It’s going to take me that long to clean the house. I’ll see you here Saturday!!”

  Malph rushed out of the bar and Dolly said, “Are you sure about this, Jingle?”

  “Dolly, he loves me and no one else does. I can live with that.”

  “But…”

  “Dolly, I’m tired of being alone. Malph is a good soul and if he wants me, I’m willing to do it.” Dolly looked at Joesen and saw him shake his head slightly. She shut her mouth and knew Jingle was making a bad mistake.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Saturday morning, the Watering Hole was standing room only and the crowd was getting rowdy. Malph was ecstatic and Jingle was dressed in white and laughing with everyone. She danced and danced with her longtime friends and walked toward the bar. Suddenly, the room grew silent. Jingle heard the noise die out and she wondered what was going on. She looked at Malph and saw him staring at the front entrance. She turned and saw Alex standing just inside the doorway. He looked at her and said, “Jingle, you can’t do this; you must not do this.”

  She turned and walked toward him and everyone in the bar saw the rage on her face. Alex saw her walking toward him and shook his head, “Please don’t do this.”

  Jingle suddenly ran and jumped delivering a savage kick to Alex’s chest. He flew backwards and was slammed down on the floor where his head struck the floor with a sickening thud. Jingle stood over him and snarled, “WHO ARE YOU TO COME HERE AND DISRUPT MY WEDDING?! WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT?!”

  Alex was lying on the floor with both hands on his chest. He looked up at her with squinted eyes and said softly, “Because I love you.” His eyes closed and his head fell to the side.

  Jingle’s rage instantly disappeared from her face and she went to a knee beside him. She heard Dolly yell, “JOESEN, CALL AN AMBULANCE!!” She looked at Alex and shouted louder, “NOW!!”

  Joesen lifted his communicator and Jingle knelt there shaking her head. Malph walked over and knelt beside her. Jingle was saying over and over, “He could have stopped me…”

  Malph sighed and put his hand on her shoulder, “The fact he didn’t says a lot about him, Jingle.” Jingle looked up at Malph and he shook his head slightly before saying, “And you know he’s right.”

  Jingle was in a state of shock at what she had done and Malph nodded toward Alex, “I used to watch the two of you have meetings at the table at the rear of the bar. I kept my eyes on you and saw that every time he left, you would stare at the door already missing him. But I haven’t seen the two of you together in a long time and I figured it was over between you and him.” Jingle stared into Malph’s eyes and he shrugged, “I guess I was wrong about that.”
/>   “Oh, Malph…”

  Malph put two fingers over Jingle’s lips. “Don’t feel sorry for me. If I went through with this and carried you into my house, I’d always wonder if you regretted choosing to be my mate. And you would probably be thinking the same thing. Do you know the reason you attacked him so viciously?” Jingle shook her head. “You did it because he was forcing you to marry someone you don’t love. I can never accept being number two, Jingle. And I’ll find someone to put me first who will make me happy. After all, I’m quite a catch now that I’ve cleaned up my act.” Jingle turned back to Alex lying on the floor as the sound of the ambulance’s siren grew louder. “Of course it may be a moot point if you just killed him.”

  Jingle started weeping as the two ambulance techs rushed in with a stretcher. One of the techs scanned Alex with a portable scanner and shouted to the other tech, “FORGET THE STRETCHER! BRING IN A GRAVITY SLED. HIS STERNUM IS BROKEN ALONG WITH FOUR RIBS. ONE OF THEM IS CLOSE TO PUNCTURING HIS HEART. WITH THE SWELLING ON THE BACK OF HIS HEAD, HE PROBABLY HAS A MAJOR CONCUSSION.”

  Jingle cried and kept saying, “He should have stopped me!”

  The techs slid the low resistance gravity board under Alex and a tech used the sled’s remote to gently lift the sled off the floor. Three men rushed to the front entrance and held it open as the sled moved out of the bar. The tech moved it into the ambulance and gently lowered it. Jingle had followed them out and asked, “Please, may I go with him?”

  The tech looked at the driver and he shrugged. He turned to Jingle and saw her expression, “You can ride in the passenger’s seat. I’ll stay in the back trying to keep him alive.”

  Dolly looked at Joesen, “I’m going home to pack a bag for Jingle.”

  Joesen nodded and Malph raised his arms over his head, “Joesen, looks like the party is over; the next round is on me!” The crowd cheered and Joesen said to Malph, “I’m proud of you, Malph.”

  “Don’t be. I never expected her to accept and I’m probably better off this happened.”

  “Why?”

  “She’s still in the Union Navy and she could be gone a long time, especially if I ticked her off.” Joesen laughed and Malph added, “After seeing what she did to him…well…it would be hard to relax around her if I made her angry.” The customers heard him and laughed with Joesen.