Inherited War 1: Retribution (30 page)

In no time at all they had conducted an orderly pick up of their drone and wrecker craft and had turned away from the incoming craft.  With their speed advantage they would be safely o
n the other side of the solar system and out to the jump point well out of range of the Esii weapons.  Cole moved the
Retribution
out of close orbit and backed away from the planet.  He wasn’t too worried about being spotted by the new ships but he wanted to have a little distance from them in case he had to run.  The
Retribution
was dead silent as the fleet approached.  All eyes were on the recently arrived ships. 

Cole watched intently as the ships parked in an orbit far enough away to barely be called an orbit and without waiting or signaling the planet
, they commenced bombardment.  It could only be considered a sterilization attack.  They destroyed the whole side of the planet their people were on.  Nothing could have survived.  Interesting, Cole thought to himself, they don’t take chances if they think they have been compromised.  The ships turned and began to head back out the way they had come in.

“Hal find out where they came from and where they are going if it is different.  I want to know if it was dumb luck that brought them here or were they responding to the message that the ship got out.”  Hal brought up the system that scanned for
, and read, engine signatures and trails.  Then began to run down all the possible locations based on the inbound and outbound paths.

“It was luck Cole, the only thing out that way is the Esii home world.  They were probably just on a routine stop over to check on things.  I am scanning the planet now but it looks like they did a thorough job destroying everything on the planet
, and still in orbit around the planet.”  Hal went silent.

Cole mulled a few thoughts around for a minute before he decided it was time to go.  He turned the
Retribution
towards the rapidly leaving
Reckoning
and started her on the same path.  He set up the flight path and the jump sequence before disengaging from the
Retribution
.  God, his body ached.  He stood and stretched working the sore stiff muscles in his back and neck.

A lot
had happened in the last few hours and Cole had much to think about and plan for.  His recruits had done well and pulled the mission off almost perfectly.  He didn’t get a prisoner to interrogate but he got a sense of how the Esii fought when defeat was certain and how his guys could handle battle.  The battle had been one sided that was for sure but the Esii didn’t know that until it was too late.  They put up as stiff a resistance as they could.  He headed off the bridge and down to his cabin lost in his thoughts and planning the next step of this war.

50

“This was a different kind of fight for me than I was trained for.  If I had had any inclination that this is what I was supposed to do with my life I would have joined the Navy.  I relied heavily on the stored information of the tactics my ancestors had developed with the experience of the Twin Worlders and Nixa to plan that attack.  As I go over the information I gathered from the Esii ships on station and the ones that showed up after the attack, I regret running.  I believe we could have taken them all and avoided serious losses of equipment and personnel.  Hind sight is 20/20 after all, but still I find I need to be more decisive and should take more control of the battles from here on out.  The Major is a great asset, and he controls and treats his people well but he is more set in his ways as far as being a ground pounder than I am.  Now that the training is over I will keep the Retribution hidden for as long as possible but I will lead from her deck.”

It hadn’t taken long for the
Retribution
to catch her sister ship and they jumped out simultaneously in order to hide the
Retribution’
s jump with the larger ships.  A final precaution in case anyone was looking or came around scanning the departure area.  Again it felt like only a short time to make the trip from the point of attack back to Home.  Cole had Hal park the ship and release the crew for the remainder of the day with orders for his section chiefs to report in the morning for a debrief and to go over their future plans.  Sky found Cole sitting at his table with the unfinished remains of his dinner slowly cooling in front of him.

“You won a great victory today, why do you look like someone kicked you in the balls?  Did I say that right
? I have been practicing my Earth swearing,” Sky said as she slid into the seat next to him and set a cup of steaming liquid down in front of him.  She looked him over and noted the rumpled appearance and stormy look on his face.

“I wouldn’t call it a great victory, a victory maybe but also a squandered opportunity.  I am happy with how the crews handled their first action and am looking forward to unleashing them onto the Esii.  We still have the problem of finding the Sun Eater.  A
s much as I like giving the Esii black eyes, we need to find and kill that ship.”  Cole took a slow sip of the steamy liquid in front of him and started choking and gagging.  “God damn, what is that?’  He sputtered out.

“It is something I picked up from my studies of
Earth.  It is called a Kentucky Straight Whiskey, though I find it better hot than over ice.”  She said before taking the drink from him and downing it in one gulp.

“Never give me hot whiskey.”  Cole wheezed out as he tried to catch his breath. 

“I also added a very popular spice from my home world that some of my people brought with them, it adds to the heat of the drink.” 

Cole was finally getting his breath back at this point and he started to chuckle.  “Remind me to ask first next time before I drink.”  Cole leaned back in his chair.  They were both quiet for a moment before Cole picked up the conversation
after he was nearly killed by her drink concoction.  “The way I see it, we have two options.  First, we spread out and spend some of the Admiral’s money trying to buy the location of the ship.  That will be costly and time consuming and may also reveal our intentions to the wrong people.  Second, we hit every Esii base, patrol or outpost and hope to capture some Intel or a prisoner that can point the way.  That one will also be time consuming and dangerous, but it has the best chance of working and might net us the information we need.  We need locations of Esii personnel and equipment for that to work, and it will only work a few times.  Eventually they will start moving in larger groups that we can’t take.”

Cole leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table and cradled his head in his hands.  Sky got up and moved around behind him and began rubbing his shoulders.
  “There is a way for us to get the information we need but I doubt you will approve.”

“At this point I am willing to hear any suggestion.”  Cole replied in a quiet voice.

Sky continued to massage his shoulders and back as she spoke.  “My people have been tracking and monitoring the movements and colonies of the Esii since the war ended those many thousands of years ago.  They would have the information we need and I believe they would provide it to us.”  Before she could continue Cole interrupted her.

“That puts your planet in jeopardy, if the Esii found out that the Nixa aided us they would show up with that damn ship and more cruisers than we could handle.  I can’t risk your people like that Sky.”  Cole turned around in his chair and grabbed her hands.  “Believe me Sky, if there was a way to get that info safely I would do it but I don’t know how it could be done.
”

“Thalo has offered to go to Nixa and retrieve the information for you.  He will sneak onto the planet and steal the information.  He claims to have hacked the Nixa governmental computers before and thinks he can do it again.”  She looked into his
eyes and saw a small glimmer of hope blossom.  “I believe he can do it and not get caught.”

Cole rolled the idea around for a while in his brain.  The damn Worlder was a sneaky little bastard and could probably get in and out with no problems.  “I will think on it a bit and if no better ideas come out tomorrow after the briefing I think I will support it.”

“Good, now on to other pressing matters.”  With that she pressed her body up to his and kissed him soundly.  A while later Cole lay tangled up in the bed sheets with Sky.  She seemed to be sound asleep.  Cole lay looking up at the ceiling, his mind was racing with the possibilities the future held.  He felt bad because he was happier now than at any point in his life.  The Earth was gone and his people were almost extinct, yet here he was alive and thriving.  Sky nestled in closer to him and his mind wandered away from the maudlin thoughts as he closed his eyes and thought more about the future than the past.

The next morning started with a work out in the sparring room with Sky then a quick shower and a plateful of
what almost tasted like bacon and eggs.  The ship was empty except for a skeleton crew manning the long range sensor stations.  Cole and Sky took the small transport shuttle down to Home.  Cole couldn’t help but wince when he thought of the base as Home but he couldn’t think of anything else to call it.  It was the place he kept coming back to after every mission.  He gave a mental shrug and guided the small ship into the landing bay.  Jeth and Thalo were waiting in the bay for them.

“Ahh
, the glorious leader graces us with his presence and that of his lovely companion.”  He gave them both a sweeping bow. 

Jeth swung a giant fist at him mid bow and Thalo nearly fell over trying to avoid the massive appendage.  “One day I am not going to be here and you will say the wrong thing to the wrong person
.  You will get yourself killed, forcing me to go through life with no bond.”  He shook his giant head back and forth.

“That day will never come, I will almost guarantee
,” Thalo replied.

“Don’t be so sure about that, Sky here has volunteered you for a special mission.  I still haven’t decided if I will be sending you yet.”  Cole said with an evil grin.

“I believe I know what mission you are speaking of and if I’m not mistaken I suggested it. I know I am quite capable of pulling it off without a hitch.”  He said as he straightened his clothes and patted them back into place. 

Cole walked by the pair and started to head for the door.  “Let’s wait to discuss this with the others so we don’t have to repeat ourselves too many times.”  Thalo, Jeth and Sky all fell in around him as he walked across the deck.

A few moments later they found themselves in one of the larger auditoriums on the base.  Both crews had been assembled here and had been waiting for Cole to show up.  As he walked in
, a steady applause started in the back and followed him forward to the stage.  Sky, Jeth and Thalo all stopped and took the three open seats in front of the stage.  Cole climbed the stairs and stood at the podium.  He raised his hands and called for silence.  “I hope the applause is for all of you and the great job you did against the enemy and not just for me.  What we started yesterday, I believe, will determine the course of the galaxy for centuries to come.  I wanted you all here so you could see my appreciation and my thanks for you joining this cause.  I also wanted to give all of you a chance to speak up directly to me about any concerns you may have.  After this meeting I will meet with the section heads and commander of the
Reckoning
to determine the next stage of this war.  Speak up now if you have need.”  Cole was quiet and scanned the audience.

A voice from the back shouted out.  “We have no
complaints as long as we continue killing Esii.”  The auditorium erupted in applause at that. 

Cole waived t
hem to silence again.  “I agree whole heartedly with that.  If there are no more comments, we will adjourn to the operation’s room and begin the next stage of planning.  Cole walked off the stage to a final round of thunderous applause and out the back door heading for the op’s room.

Cole
arrived and took the seat at the head of the table and waited for the rest.  Thalo, Jeth and Sky arrived first, followed shortly by the Major and his section and squadron commanders.  After they all got settled into their seats Cole started the meeting.  The next few hours dissolved into back and forth arguments on the best course of action for discovering the location of the Esii Sun Eater ship.  Eventually nothing new was successfully brought to the table, so the final word on the matter was Cole’s.

“I hate to do this but I think we have no choice, I will be sending Thalo to raid the Nixa governmental files
and bring them back to us here.”  The Nixa in the room suddenly felt slightly uncomfortable.  “He has resources that are not mine to discuss and I believe he can accomplish the mission without alerting the Nixa government or the Esii.  Major, you will need to promote someone to fill his vacant spot in command of gold squadron and do it quickly.  As soon as we have the Nixa files on the locations and movement patterns of the Esii we will begin a ruthless assault on all of their inadequately guarded shipping and settlements.  Our goal will be to capture intelligence and prisoners that can reveal the location of the Esii Sun Eater ship.  We will continue to destroy their assets until we have that information or they find a way to stop us.  Thalo, work up a list of the things you will need to get the job done and give it to the Major.  I want everyone else to continue training with the simulators until we know our ships like the backs of our hands.  How long do you think you will need, Thalo to do your mission?”

Thalo didn’t miss the opportunity to be the center of attention.  He leaned back in his chair and slowly stroked his chin pretending to think it over.  Cole knew perfectly well that he had the whole thing already planned out and didn’t need to think at all but he
gave the small being the stage for now.

“I would say no more than a week at the most.  I need to find the other part of my team and that could be a problem.” 

Jeth snorted from the back of the room.  “It will be more than a problem.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” 
Asked the Major.

“Well
, if you remember I promised one hundred and one Worlders for the crew of the two ships and so far there are exactly only one hundred here.  The last one I thought was going to come never showed up at the rendezvous.  He is odd for a Worlder.  His bond mate died a few years ago and normally when that happens we return to our homes and seek the comfort of loved ones and friends until we can successfully reenter the world.  Or we go crazy and kill ourselves.  He did a little of both.  Most believe he is a functioning psychotic.  But he is the one who helped me hack the Nixa systems before and I will need him again.  I have talked to some fellow Worlders and they all seem to think that he is currently on Archones. I hope to go and find him there.  Whether he will help me again is unknown at this point but I will try to enlist him if possible.  If not, I will endeavor to get the information on my own.”  He seemed unsure of the last point.

The room was quiet for a moment as everyone absorbed what he had just said.  Before anyone could raise any objections Cole spoke up.

“Okay, you all have your orders and should start debriefing your men and setting up some kind of training schedule.  If there is nothing else, I will see you all later.”  Cole rose and dismissed the meeting.  He gestured at Thalo and headed out the rear doors that lead to his chambers on the base.  Thalo followed close behind him and behind Thalo was Jeth.  They walked in silence to Cole’s rooms.  They entered and took seats around his small conference table.

“You never said anything about a crazy Worlder when you discussed this with Sky. 
Why not?”

Thalo looked a
t Jeth for a brief moment sharing silent communications before looking back at Cole.  “Like I said most of our people think Split is crazy, I don’t.  I knew him before his bond mate died and I have known him since.  He may be a little off, but he is not crazy and he knows his stuff concerning computer systems.  I have been in a few tight spots with him over the years, before and after he lost his bond, and will put my life in his hands every time.”