Human Chronicles Part 2 Book 3: A Galaxy to Conquer (29 page)

“Could you not deactivate it?”

“It all happened so suddenly, my Ludif.”

“
Ludif?
I am not your Ludif—not now. You are relieved, Operator Kelsum, and are to report yourself to Command for disciplinary actions.”

“This was unanticipated, my Lud—Lead-Commander Ioniff.”

“That is why you must submit yourself; you should have anticipated such an outcome. And now the alien has escaped, and it will be I who will be held responsible as your lead—along with you, Operator Kelsum!”

********

“We have ships closing on us from in-system!” Jym cried out.

“Have any of you replaced focusing rings before,” Adam asked of all in the pilothouse. Kaylor and Ruszel said they had. “The two of you get to work. We need at least two more operating to get us out of this mess. I’ll take over the stick. Andy and Riyad, take the Chief to the landing bay and put him someplace safe.”

“Safe?” Sherri queried.

“I don’t want his body flying around if it gets rough. Sherri, can you clean up some of the blood?”

“In this light gravity I can help carry him. Why is it that the woman has to do the cleaning?” Sherri added.

Adam slipped into the pilotseat as he felt his anger growing. “I don’t have time for your insecurities at the moment, Sherri. You and Riyad take the body then. Andy would be more valuable on the bridge anyway. Stay in the damn landing bay if you want. That would be fine with me.”

“Is this because of what you saw in the hallway?”

“Dammit, Sherri, we’re fighting for our lives here. Just do what I say!”

“Aye, fucking, aye, sir!”

Riyad took hold of Sherri’s elbow. “Help me with Geoffrey,” he said gently. Sherri broke her fierce gaze from the back of Adam’s head. “Fine. I’ve had about as much of that jerk as I can stand.”

Kaylor and Ruszel had been frozen in inaction as the argument between the two Humans raged. Adam noticed them still in the pilothouse. “Get to work you two! Admiral, take Ruszel’s seat.”

“Yes sir.” Rear Admiral Andy Tobias said to Captain Adam Cain. Soon the pilothouse was five bodies lighter.

“Damn bitc—”

“More incoming!” Jym reported. “Transferring screen.”

Indeed, it appeared as though the whole of the Kracori military apparatus was after them. Undoubtedly the Langril had received the report of Adam’s survival—once again—and had gone berserk. Every Kracori spaceship in the area, be it military or not, had been ordered to pursue or contain. With the burst transmission already sent to the fleet containing all the intel regarding the Kracori fleet, this new action against them was strictly out of vengeance on Nomar’s part. It seemed he would go to any measures to see Adam dead.

Their original line of approach had been effectively cut off, so Adam spun the
Pegasus
to starboard and climbed high above the ecliptic. There were fewer ships here—at least for the moment. Yet without at least another focusing ring or two working, it was inevitable that some Kracori units would gain the angle on them.

Even though five rings were still functioning—compared to three in a traditional array—without them working in unison, the
Pegasus
was only slightly faster than the fleet units in a dead sprint. And another item weighing heavy on Adam’s mind was his personal experience with replacing focusing rings from the interior of a starship. It wasn’t the easiest of tasks to perform. But Kaylor and Ruszel were experienced pilots, with many more years of experience than Adam. If anyone could perform a ring replacement in record time, it would be those two. At least that’s what Adam kept chanting to himself.

Chapter 42

“M
y Pleabaen, the Humans have broken off their pursuit of the pods.”

“They have ... why?”

“It appears the Juireans have located the Human fleet and they changed course in response. It appears as though a major engagement is about to begin.” Even the young Klin messenger could see the possibilities, as evidenced by his slender smile and jovial tone of voice.

Velsum lifted a datapad and pulled up a graphic displaying this section of the Dysion Void. “Have Senior Fellow Huriniss proceed to the rendezvous point at maximum speed, yet have him first lead the Juireans back to the Humans as he does so. It would appear the Juireans are following Huriniss’ every move. If there is a conflict to begin, then let us hasten its arrival. We are approaching the Shield at this moment, so there is hope that his pods can still reach the breach as the combatants make battle.”

“That would be magnificent, my Pleabaen.”

“Indeed. I had already accepted their sacrifice. This is a great relief—for all of us.”

Chapter 43

“T
his is unfucking believable!” Fleet Commander Nash yelled. He was known for his calm manner and iron nerves, yet the transcript he had just read sent him over the top. He was in the strategic planning room just off the CIC aboard
The Trident
, his senior staff gathered around him.

“Why on earth would the Juireans and the Kracori unite against us? We are not at war with the Juireans—and it wasn’t us who dropped a rock on their precious Juir. This doesn’t make any sense.”

“And yet it’s now confirmed that both fleets are still intact—and with the Juireans apparently out trolling for us,” said Commander Gordon Henley, the fleet’s intelligence officer. “Combined, we’re looking at over eighty-five hundred enemy combatants.”

There was a profound sense of disappointment in the room, not from a fear of defeat, but rather from the growing possibility of a retreat. They had come such a long way on a mission to avenge the deaths of so many, that to now tuck tail and run would be a sickening embarrassment. And yet all in the room were pragmatists as well. The integrity of the fleet had to be maintained.

“What’s the latest on the Juireans?” Nash asked, his tone more even now after his outburst.

“The Juireans are doing a good job of knocking out our drones, yet we do have some intel that indicates no significant change of course, Admiral,” Commander Henley replied.

“Then they haven’t noticed our change of course, not yet?”

“We’re still fighting off multiple drones ourselves, Admiral, but at the outer markers. That’s good, but we can’t be sure. As far as we know, the Juireans are still tracking the Klin ships.”

Nash grinned, a gesture not matched by the sadness in his eyes. “Maybe they consider the Klin a more valuable prize. Besides, with the Kracori and Nebula forces guarding the Corridor, they may think they have us trapped in the Void and can dispose of us whenever they feel like it. What’s the update on Cain and the
Pegasus
? I can only give him so much time to return to the fleet before we high-tail it out of here.”

There it is
, Nash thought.
I said it. But what option do I have?
We can’t go up against over eighty-five hundred ships, even with the Cain Drive. What an incredible waste of time this has been
....

********

“There is no doubt as to your analysis, Tech?” Command-Overlord Enulic asked pointedly.

“None, my Lord. The gravity signatures of the Human ships are completely unique and identifiable, based on the data sent the Kracori sent with regards to the one Human ship they’ve studied.”

“And yet now you can no longer detect them?”

“The Humans have changed course, however, it is only a matter of time before we locate them again.”

“And the signatures do not match with the other large ships we are pursing?”

“Those signatures are more conventional—albeit much more intense considering the size of the vessels. Unless the Humans are employing two different drive systems, we are looking at separate entities.”

“You can say it, Tech: We are following Klin vessels.”

“It would appear so, my Lord.”

Enulic was silent as he digested the information he now knew to be true: There was a large Human fleet very near—and now missing—and possessing a superior drive system, while a grouping of incredibly large Klin spaceship lay directly ahead of them. In the meantime, there was a fully-intact Kracori fleet of questionable loyalty to their rear, along with another group of allied starships willing to serve as fodder in defense of their precious Nebula.

“Your orders, my Lord,” the Tech said breaking his troubled thoughts.

“Maintain course, and send out even more drones. Maintain all vigilance. I will confer with the Elder.”

Chapter 44

“O
ne more online,” Kaylor’s voice reported through the ship’s intercom.

One wasn’t going to do, Adam thought. He could now see no less than four formations of Kracori ships vectoring for an intercept. And normally the two hundred or so ships behind him would not have been a concern, even with three rings down. But the slightest decrease of his forward speed would allow them to draw nearer.

Whatta bitch,
he thought.
Only thinking of herself!

Adam shook his head. For several minutes his thoughts were a conflicting jumble of unwanted distractions—all involving Sherri Valentine—even though he knew he needed complete concentration on his piloting skills. But it was hard. He was furious at her, yet upset with himself for letting his emotions get the best of him. All she had to do was follow his orders. Why was she always giving him lip?

“Are you okay, Adam?” a voice said to his right. It was Andy Tobias, sitting at the navigation station with Jym.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he stated firmly with a determined frown clouding his face.

“It’s just that you look a little distracted. This is not the time to lose focus. Maybe someone else would do better at the helm.”

The statement really jarred Adam. Was his mood so transparent?

“You’re right, Admiral, but I’ll be fine.”

Tobias matched Adam’s frown. “Mission first, sailor.”

“Hur-rah.” There was no enthusiasm in his voice.

“Yeah, whatever, Captain. Just don’t get us all killed because you’re screwed up in the head. That would not serve the Master Chief’s legacy.”

Adam felt his knees go weak. Tobias was right. Rutledge had unbuckled from his seat to help fight the fire at Trimen’s comm station and fallen when one of the Kracori bolts struck the ship. His head hit a sharp edge of something, abruptly ending the life and career of a SEAL legend. The least Adam could do was get his body back to the fleet for proper honors.

“Thank you, Admiral,” Adam said. “Mission first; aye, sir.”

“Two just now going in,” a voice echoed in the pilothouse.

Adam pressed a button: “That was quick. I’m seeing a surge already. One more to go.”

“My ATD is helping—more control,” Kaylor’s voice replied.

Adam looked over at Trimen seated at the comm console. The Formilian returned his gaze with even emotion. He didn’t appear to be moved one way or the other that the tiny device provided by his people was helping to save all their lives.

Adam applied more power to the generators and the series of microscopic singularities in the space before them intensified. The increase in speed was noticeable and immediate as distances began to increase between them and all their pursuers.

Adam began to relax. Which all it did was make him think:
Whatta bitch....

********

When the third focusing ring came back online the speed of the
Pegasus
increased by a full thirty-percent with the multiple effects of the rings now realized. There was clear space ahead, and Adam steered the ship towards the estimated location of the Human fleet.

He was now communicating with them only through coded bursts. They had lost contact with the Juirean fleet and open CW-links could be intercepted if directly aligned with the enemy. Exact coordinates could not be transmitted.

Sherri and Riyad wisely remained aft of the pilothouse, avoiding Adam even when he got up to go to the head. This thing with Sherri was really bothering him, and he wondered why? Their relationship had been tremulous at best over the years, with nothing firm ever laid down defining the actual parameters. She had taken other lovers in the past, even though Adam had not. He never seemed to have the time—and let’s face it, there weren’t a lot of other Humans females populating the outer reaches of the galaxy. So why was he so troubled by this recent incident?

And then it struck him:
Riyad!

Never before had Sherri chosen one of his immediate circle of friends over him. This was definitely a territorial thing, and Adam wasn’t even upset with Riyad. He had just been through a terrible ordeal where all hope had been lost. Of course he would welcome the company of a beautiful Human female, even if she was technically with his best friend and teammate. As in most male-female relationships, it was the woman who controlled most of the unions; she had focused in on Riyad, and the poor man had no choice but to go along for the ride.

As the hours passed, Adam began to place the complex love-triangle into better perspective. He had never felt he could satisfy Sherri’s many needs, not so much sexually, but emotionally. One moment she was restless for more adventure and excitement; the next she was longing for home and a family of her own. Adam had already had his family. They had been taken from him by the Juireans as a result of the evil plotting of the Klin and their sycophant accomplices. And he had been honest with her when he said that family life just didn’t appeal to him anymore. Too much risk of loss again? He didn’t know for sure—”

“I have some pop-up contacts to our right, Adam,” Jym announced. Kaylor had returned to the pilothouse and was now at the helm. Adam was in the observation seat, allowing his mind to wander now that they were in relatively safe space.

“Pop-ups?”

“Yes, they are at the extreme range of our sensors and are either moving away or we are losing contact from our forward motion. See, more of them now.”

“Same location?”

“No, these are new.” Concern was growing in Jym’s voice.

“Kaylor, move us a little to port—left.”

The Belsonian complied, which only made Jym slap his console. “Now I have pop-ups on the left.”

Adam’s stomach tightened; he knew immediately what was happening. “Admiral Tobias to the pilothouse!” he cried through the intercom.

Fifteen seconds later, Andy Tobias entered. Adam didn’t wait for the query.

“It looks like we have fleets to our left and our right, and we’re moving right down the middle.”

“Our fleet should be to port,” Tobias stated. “I’d steer that way.”

“Roger that, but that means the Juirean are right there!” He pointed at the rash of new contacts that suddenly rushed to fill the right side of his forward screen.

“And here we come,” said Riyad Tarazi as he entered the pilothouse, pointing at the screen himself.

The left side of the screen suddenly filled with white dots.

“Oh my god, this is it.” This time it was Sherri’s high-pitched voice that entered the pilothouse.

There were now so many contacts on the screen that it appeared as though the screen was whiting out from both sides. And the
Pegasus
was right in the middle.