Carinae Sector: 02 - Admiral's Fury - Part 1 - Purple Blood (15 page)

‘Station master, your discipline, and that of your marines’ serve you well, even if you infer I have influence on events actually beyond my control. I understand that there has been much happening in the area of space you mention. However the actions of the Tilmud are a mystery to me and I have little influence on what they have been doing. Of course I will decline to comment on other developments in that area of space.’

The Cephrit felt immediate relief, as the matriarch had confirmed indirectly that she was probably the life chapter matriarch and that she was not involved in the wanton seeding of the Voorde Scourge on so many worlds.

However the station master was concerned that that the epidemic on Earth was possibly her work, and he now framed a careful statement by providing information. He also tried not to pay to much attention to a young Deltas Vass nestled hard against the matriarch as he spoke again.

‘Your forthright response is noted holy mother, and we note that your answer settles the key concern we have over recent events. However the area of space is now devoid of Tilmud and the Jerecab grow greedy for more worlds. A new race, the humans, lies across their space to galactic expansion.’

The matriarch softly caressed her young with a nesting tentacle and the Deltas Vass child went to sleep. The station master discretely noted the lack of eyes and the large head bulb on the female infant as the matriarch spoke again.

‘Well that is good to hear station master, as we are also distressed about the direct support the Tilmud race has received to fight their war against you. The Red Jerecab is overly confident and I will ask their Blue Jerecab siblings to rein them in if they can do so. They will not be allowed to murder a new race in cold blood.’

Another series of loud chimes echoed around the clearing and the four Blue Jerecab acolytes appeared bowing deeply. The matriarch gave her instructions in a language the Cephrit could not understand and the acolytes bowed deeply again before they quickly left the clearing. The matriarch sat back for several moments as the station master offered polite gratitude, before he pressed her on the matter of Earth’s epidemic.

‘Good matriarch, we are in your debt as the Jerecab will have to be policed by ourselves and the Barus. Indeed the Barus have already been instructed to police the systems around the former Dradfer colonies and Earth. However, they are distracted by the supernova and their earlier role in the human epidemic will mean that they are viewed with suspicion by the humans.’

The matriarch now wasted no courtesy as she testily responded and the station master knew that he would have to leave shortly if he wanted to remain alive.

‘Well there was a general concern about the former Dradfer worlds that led to certain measures being implemented. However the intention to desecrate a haven world was never there, and can best be attributed to an acolyte going past their authority. Rest assured we have no reason for any hostility towards the humans.’

A silent, but latent pause filled with potential violence descended upon the clearing, and the Cephrit station master knew that it was time for him to leave. He slowly gave a full bow and then uttered the words he had agreed upon with his fellow Cephrit leaders.

‘I thank you for your words of wisdom matriarch, and we request your permission to leave your clearing. Rest assured that our discussions remain between us in the best interests of our two races.’

A start of surprise was barely evident in the Deltas Vass drones and the Cephrit male was grateful that his female marines had the discipline to remain perfectly still. The matriarch remained silent for several moments before she replied, though the station master thought her tone was muted as if she was still in consideration over the edicts not being mentioned.

‘I thank you for your attention to the Deltas Vass courtesy forms. You may withdraw with my blessing and I thank you for your visit. The information you have supplied has been most illuminating.’

The station master remained silent and gave another formal bow as he backed slowly away from the clearing, before he led his six marines back to their landing shuttle some distance away across a grassy field.

The matriarch watched the Cephrit leave the clearing, and outlaid both an observation and a careful set of orders towards a couple of her senior drones, as she lovingly caressed the sleeping form of her daughter.

‘The station master is relieved we are not responsible for the Voorde infestations, though he is concerned about the Dradfer worlds and this new race known as humans. Interestingly he did not mention the Zronte edicts and this is troubles me deeply. I want an increased trade delegation sent to his star base so we can keep an eye on him. Also I want a patrol sweep on the edge of Jerecab space, as I am now sure they are up to something.’

The matriarch settled back to further evaluate the tense meeting with the station master, as her young daughter detected her anxiety and briefly stirred.

The Cephrit station master felt relief as he settled back into the rear of the shuttle. A junior male intelligence officer seated at his pilot console eyed him carefully before the station master spoke in a firm chirr of triumph.

‘Well the matriarch is almost definitely the life chapter matriarch, though I will not be telling the Vorinne that piece of information. If they eventually rend her down for her sap it will not be by my actions. I did see a young princess with her, so no doubt she is either concerned about her own life or she has a special project in mind, or both. We have plenty to report to the fleet master when we return home, so we should analyse a recording made by one of our marines….’

The two male Cephrit continued their analysis as the shuttle reached space and chased down the single Cephrit cruiser in orbit around the planet. The cruiser wasted no time in leaving the star system, and as it left a cloaked Deltas Vass ship stealthily trailed the larger ship out of the system.

                                                                     ***

Chapter 5

High Admiral Biruldesec sat tiredly in his command couch as further reports came in from his remaining squadron commanders. The Tilmud had recently lost several previously well-hidden repair bases scattered across their frontier with the Cephrit. The admiral had taken to splitting his frigates into a dozen sections of three or four squadrons each that conducted covert raids deep inside Cephrit space. However, this tactic had begun to backfire recently, as already four full sections had been ambushed and then badly mauled by equal numbers of the larger Cephrit cruisers.

Fleet Captain Pavuldesec, the admiral’s trusted flag officer and third in command of the fleet, spoke tersely from across the bridge, even if by custom he avoided eye contact.

‘Admiral, I seek permission to speak sir.’

The captain continued after Biruldesec raised a tired massive paw in assent as he resigned himself to further bad news in the combat reports.

‘Sir the first reports of the latest Cephrit ambush on the contested systems have arrived by messenger probe.’

The admiral flinched as the data was relayed to his own console and he identified something he had feared would happen and now voiced.

‘So Fleet Captain Fidaldesec has been killed to add to our increasing losses of frigates. Pavuldesec, you are now my second in command and shortly you will leave for another frigate. Now first send the following via a message probe to my brother Tanuldesec.’

Biruldesec paused for a moment as he shifted his spined bulk around to face the recorder on the view screen. He grunted loudly in impatience, and the recording light on the view screen then activated as he spoke.

‘Tanuldesec, we have lost Fidaldesec as second and Pavuldesec replaces him. More importantly, we have now lost three full sections over the last four months. You are raised to Fleet Captain and are now third in command of the fleet. You are to withdraw from the Jerecab zone and protect our core worlds. If we both fall out here you are to use your own discretion on surrendering, and I place emphasis on your discretion. Good luck brother and please continue to look after Giruldesec.’

Pavuldesec advised the message probe was sent before he unhurriedly vacated his own command console after promoting a young lieutenant to acting flag officer. In moments one of the few remaining undamaged Tilmud frigates was alongside and the fleet captain transferred his flag across.

Admiral Biruldesec now looked over his sector plan in both frustration and sadness. The new flag officer anxiously glanced sideways at the silent admiral but wisely remained silent. Biruldesec wasted no further time as he keyed the ship deployments himself into the tactical display. In moments the admiral had a dozen damaged ships formed up around his flagship, and the ragtag collection slowly moved out of the star system for hyper jump points leading to Cephrit space. The view screen came online as Pavuldesec reached his new command and hurriedly reacted to news of the latest deployment.

‘Biruldesec, the next system over is full of Cephrit cruisers and we all need to leave this system before they arrive here. Yet you take our most damaged ships forward?’

Biruldesec was too tired to berate the only real friend he had left in the fleet for his lack of protocol. Besides, he wanted Pavuldesec to perform one last duty as he wearily replied in an informal manner.

‘Pavuldesec, take the bulk of the remaining fleet to the rear deployment zone before they head home. You are to cover the withdrawal with your own damaged ships personally. I will go forward with our damaged ships and offer to surrender unconditionally. Remember to offer surrender at every opportunity and good luck Captain.’

The two Tilmud senior commanders locked eyes across the video link and Pavuldesec noted the steely resolution of the admiral even as he briefly replied.

‘I understand sir, farewell and good luck Admiral.’

The video link was broken and Biruldesec quietly sat back to review what he could of the situation. The bulk of the fleet was still a few hours from making the hyper drive jump to safety even as his small collection of damaged ships headed in the opposite direction. The admiral was resigned to his fate for he knew that his own race would turn on him very soon if demanded to do so by the victorious Cephrit.

The admiral paused for a moment and tried to relax, as unbidden thoughts came to mind of his family. He remembered with pride how his senior wife had presented him with his surviving son, Giruldesec, all those years ago. He also remembered with sadness the losses of his other sons in futile combat raids into Cephrit territory.

‘It would not be long now…’ he quietly evaluated as by habit he checked the readiness of the frigate and transferred control of the combat lasers to his own command console. The new flag officer again nervously eyed him across the bridge and Biruldesec knew that further young Tilmud lives would be lost today as he curtly gave orders around his bridge.

‘Communications, start broadcasting the standard non aggression and unconditional surrender clauses. Also, paint this ship as the fleet flagship on the navigation output, as the time for subterfuge is over. Weapons officer, I have the guns and you are to help engineering with engines and shields. We will likely die this day but so be it…’

Biruldesec sadly looked again at the rest of his fleet across the star system. He noted with approval that Pavuldesec had released a second message probe, undoubtedly heading for the admiral’s distant brother with further updates. The fleet captain was obviously forming up his own grouping of damaged ships to cover the withdrawal of the remaining fleet of undamaged ships and supply lifters.

Biruldesec’s contemplation was broken by harsh hisses of fright and fear from the tactical officer on his bridge.

‘Admiral, the Cephrit have just arrived from hyper space three million kilometres in front of us. I estimate their numbers at over thirty cruisers plus support ships sir.’

The small number of Tilmud ships continued to close the newly arrived Cephrit ships and Biruldesec calmly addressed his communications officer again.

‘So are you getting a response on our standard messages?’

With the answer in the negative, the Tilmud admiral paused in thought for a moment and then addressed the view screen after pressing the all ships button on his own command console.

‘Attention all ships, I have offered to surrender but the Cephrit still attack. We are not in their space and we withdraw the bulk of our fleet. It has been an honour to serve with you all, and commanders you have your last orders. Good luck.’

The view screen now changed to show a large Cephrit cruiser bridge and a senior male Cephrit secured in his own command couch. A series of rasps and agitated clicks erupted across the bridge as the Tilmud high admiral now spoke again.

‘Station master, or should I say fleet master. We are surrendering and now withdrawing from near your worlds. Please break off your attacks as I offer to personally surrender…..’

A series of rasps and agitated clicks, but not chirrs, continued from the Cephrit cruiser’s bridge before the fleet master finally loudly spoke.

‘Admiral, we consider your words to be lies and that you seek to trap us. We think that you are on the far side of the system with the bulk of your ships.’

Biruldesec noted that the tactical officer looked directly into his eyes in cold anger as the communications link was broken, and he sternly dressed the junior officer down.

‘Well they seek to kill us today and you have no hope of living if you challenge me now.’

The tactical officer grunted in resignation and avoided looking at his admiral, before he doubled down over his console, even as targeting reports showed that the first Cephrit ships would be in extreme range in minutes. The bridge view screen came alive again as the Cephrit fleet master spoke again.

‘Death to the treacherous Tilmud, destroy the small group of ships first then the rest of the fleet and the despised High Admiral. Remember the great many lives of our race lost in over a hundred years of war.’