The Slaver Wars: First Strike (The Slaver Wars Book Four) (43 page)

“First Fleet
suffered heavily as well,” Hedon confessed still feeling pain at the horrific
losses caused by the two AI ships. “We lost four battle cruisers, one carrier,
and three of the four strike cruisers. Admiral Stillson’s fleet lost three
battle cruisers and two of his strike cruisers.”

“A lot of good
capital ships,” Jacob said with a sad look in his eyes, knowing it had taken a
high cost in lives and ships to destroy the two AI ships. “We were just
fortunate that Ariel was able to figure out how to destroy the AIs.”

“What about
the rest of Admiral Stillson’s fleet, what is to become of them?” Amanda asked.

There had been
a moment during Admiral Streth’s battle with the AIs that she thought he was
going to ram one of the ships with the StarStrike. She was glad that had been
averted. There was no doubt in her mind that if that was the only option he had
left to destroy one, he would have done it without hesitation.

“I’m still a
little aggravated at Admiral Telleck for sending this fleet in secret to watch
over us,” Hedon responded with narrowed eyes. He let out a deep sigh and
continued. “I understand why, but they still should not have done it. I have
assigned him to assist Admiral Strong in the bear’s system setting up the
planetary defense grid and their space station. For the time being, both fleets
are being assigned permanent duty in that system.”

“What about
the StarStrike?” asked Jacob, turning around to face Hedon. He knew the flagship
had taken a lot of damage from the two AI ships.

“Two of the
repair ships are working on her,” replied Hedon, wincing at the memory of how
badly the battleship had been damaged. A less powerful ship would have been
destroyed. “It will be another four weeks before she is completely repaired.”

Amanda nodded
in understanding. Her own ship, the WarStorm, had just finished its repair
stint with one of the repair ships. She had also sent a long message to Richard
about the battle and how she wished he were here with her. The nights were very
lonely as she lay in bed, so far from home.

Standing up,
she walked over to the window and gazed out. Then, glancing over at Jacob and
Admiral Streth, she asked. “Do you think all of this was worth it?”

“If we want to
return home someday, Amanda,” Hedon said in a softer voice. “I want to return
to Maken.”

“You want to
rebuild your brother’s cabin on the lake,” said Amanda, knowing what Hedon was
thinking. They had discussed it in the past.

“Yes,” he
replied. “Someday, I want to free our home worlds.”

“A worthy
quest,” General Abercrombie commented with an understanding nod.

A few moments
later, they all standing together looking out the large reinforced window at
the world they had liberated. They still had much to do.

-

Jeremy was
down on the bear’s planet with Kelsey, Kevin, and Katie. Angela had drawn
command duty and had not been able to accompany them.

“I can’t
believe this!” Katie squealed in enjoyment as she walked along the beach,
feeling the sand squish up between her toes. “This is just like New Tellus!”

“No fruit
drinks though,” Kelsey spoke with a relaxed smile. She glanced along the beach,
seeing a few other crewmembers out for a stroll or taking a swim in the shallow
water near the shore. This area had been restricted by the bears for use by
crews of the human fleets.

“The bears
have agreed to allow our people to come down on leave,” Jeremy explained as he
watched a multicolored bird fly low over the ocean. “They will be building some
suitable accommodations along this section of beach for us to stay.”

“This will be
a great place to relax and get away from the war,” Kelsey said, nodding her
head in excitement at the thought of having this beach available to them.

“The bears are
going to be great allies for the Federation,” Kevin added as he bent down and
picked up a seashell. It was a bright white with a slight pink tinge on the
inside, just like what one would find back home.

“I can’t
believe how much you like these bears,” teased Katie, reaching out and taking Kevin’s
hand. “I wonder if they have parasailing here?”

“Oh, God,”
Kevin moaned, but he left his hand in Katie’s.

“Well,
Admiral,” Kelsey spoke with a big smile. “What’s next on the agenda?”

Jeremy stopped
and stood at the water’s edge, gazing at the small waves coming toward the
shore. He put his arm around Kelsey and pulled her close, it was private enough
here that no one would notice. “We get the bears ready for war. I believe
someday we will see its end. We just need to have faith in each other and be
prepared for what’s ahead.”

“Sounds like a
speech your father would have made,” Kelsey said, leaning her head against
Jeremy’s shoulder.

The four stood
quietly, watching the slowly sinking sun. The sunset was gorgeous, and they
reveled in their friendship and love for one another.

-

High Leader
Nartel stood at the front of the large, ornate conference table of the Hocklyn
High Council. His cold gaze swept over the other nine High Councilors.

“It’s
impossible,” High Leader Ruthan stammered in his deep rasping voice. “The humans
could not have destroyed two AI ships!”

“It’s true,”
High Councilor Desmonde spoke, his large dark eyes looking worried. “Fleet
Commodore Resmunt escaped and has sent back both video and sensor scans of the destruction.”

“We must
accept what has happened,” snapped Nartel, wanting this senseless bickering
between the High Councilors to come to an end. “We should be more concerned
with what the response from the AIs for this failure will be.”

“Surely we
won’t be punished for this!” responded Ruthan, looking at Nartel in disbelief.
“It was the humans that destroyed the two AI ships, not us.”

“I fear the
AIs may not see it that way,” High Councilor Berken interrupted as he stood and
looked around the conference table. “They may indeed hold us responsible
because it was High Leader Ankler’s ancestor who allowed these humans to
escape. Sigeth was a Hocklyn, and that will be the only consideration of the
AIs.”

The meeting
continued for quite some time. They were just about to adjourn when the large
doors to the conference chamber suddenly swung open, and a senior Protector
stepped in. “Four AI ships have just jumped into the system, and they will be
in orbit of Calzen shortly. So far, the AIs are refusing to communicate with
us. What are your orders?”

High Leader
Nartel sat back down, letting out a deep and worried breath. Four AI ships, that
wasn’t a good sign. “Do nothing,” he ordered, his eyes deadly serious. “We must
do nothing to offend or cause the AIs to doubt us.”

“Yes, High
Leader,” the senior Protector replied as he turned and left, shutting the
massive wooden doors behind him.

“What do they
want?” Ruthan asked, his large dark eyes growing wide in fear.

“I don’t know,
but I suspect we’ll soon find out,” High Leader Nartel replied as he settled
back to wait.

-

The four AI
ships swept into orbit above Calzen ignoring all of the Hocklyn warships that
were present. The Hocklyn ships moved rapidly to put distance between themselves
and the AIs. The space above the Hocklyn home world was thick with orbital
shipyards, factories and hundreds of habitats. In between, numerous shuttles, freighters,
and warships moved constantly. The space around the four AI ships quickly
became empty of ships as they scattered.

The AIs didn’t
hesitate as they considered their options. Never in their long history had they
lost a warship, the Hocklyn leadership needed to be taught a lesson. Their
failure to destroy the humans in the first place had led to this situation. Now
they had lost two valuable ships as well as the irreplaceable AIs that had been
on board!

Targeting
systems locked onto the habitats above the planet and then the energy beams
flicked out. The habitats were defenseless without armor or any type of energy
shielding. The beams cut through, blasting into the interiors causing massive decompression
explosions. For ten minutes, the four AI ships ruthlessly eliminated habitat
after habitat. The space above Calzen became filled with wreckage. When it was
over, forty habitats were gone, and so were twenty million Hocklyn civilians.

-

High Leader
Nartel and the rest of the council were outside on a large balcony watching the
ruthless destruction above them. Nartel had already given orders to the Fleet
Commodores and War Leaders not to resist. Unlike the humans, they had nothing
that could damage an AI ship. When the last flash of light faded away and the
AIs stopped firing, Nartel turned and led the councilors back inside.

“Why?” Ruthan
demanded his eyes flushed red with anger. “Why did they destroy the habitats?”

“Because they
can,” snarled Nartel, wishing Ruthan would develop a backbone. He wondered how
someone so pathetic had ever become a member of the High Council. “They are our
masters, and we failed them with the humans. This was an abject lesson to
remind us that they will not accept failure in the future.”

“What are we
to do?” Ruthan asked.

It was at that
moment that the large conference room doors opened again, but instead of a senior
Protector entering, two AIs appeared. They floated above the floor, their
bodies a mixture of smooth and sharp lines. The two AIs stopped near the head
of the conference table, the glow from the orb on top of the AI becoming so bright
it was difficult to look at.

“You have
failed us with the humans,” one of the AIs spoke in a commanding voice. “For
that failure, you have been punished.”

Nartel
wondered if he were about to die in the same manner High Leader Ankler had. For
a brief moment his hand touched his knife, then it dropped away to hang limply at
his side. “What are your orders?”

The AIs were
silent for a long moment as if pondering the question. “The attack against the
humans will have to be delayed,” one spoke. “The ships at Kenward Seven will
have to be upgraded with more powerful energy weapons and shields. Once the upgrades
are complete, a fleet of our warships will join yours to destroy these human
vermin.”

Nartel nodded.
If the AIs were willing to provide weapons that were more advanced, it would be
well worth the delay. “Send us the technical details and we will begin the
upgrades immediately.”

“It will be
done,” one of the AIs responded. The two AIs then turned and left the council
chambers.

High Leader
Nartel looked around at the other councilors. “I will be contacting Fleet Commodore
Resmunt shortly and ordering him to take his surviving ships to Kenward Seven
to be upgraded.”

“Resmunt has
already failed us once,” Councilor Ruthan objected, his voice rising in ire.
“He should be stripped of honor and sentenced to menial tasks for the empire.”

“On the
contrary,” responded Nartel, folding his powerful arms across his chest.
“Commodore Resmunt has done well. If not for him, we would not know that the
humans had destroyed two AI ships. He is also the only Fleet Commodore we have
that has faced the humans in combat. He will be promoted and continue to serve
the empire.”

-

High up in
orbit in the dreadnought Viden, Second Leader Jaseth gazed at the main
viewscreen at the wrecked and destroyed habitats that littered this section of
space. The Viden and several other ships were in the process of searching for
survivors. The humans caused this, Jaseth thought with burning anger. Someday,
he would make them pay for what had happened to his family as well as for the
destruction he had just witnessed. He would not be satisfied until the last
human was dead!

-

Thousands of
light years away were the former Human Federation of Worlds. One of those was
the planet of New Providence. Two Hocklyn escort cruisers were passing through
the system and their First Leaders were discussing the recent developments with
the humans and the AIs. Unbeknownst to them, a small stealth satellite picked
up their communication transmissions and passed them on to its base.

Deep beneath
New Providence, General Whitmore was in the primary Planetary Command Center.
With him were President Brice and the head of Planetary Intelligence, Colonel
Dickerson.

“Are we
certain about this information?” President Brice demanded, his face showing
disbelief at what he was being told.

“Yes, Sir,”
Colonel Dickerson replied. “Humans have attacked the Hocklyn Empire and even
managed to destroy two AI ships that were sent to stop them.”

The president
sat down and looked at the others. “You know what this means?”

“Yes,” General
Whitmore responded as an aide walked up and handed him more communication
intercepts. “Admiral Streth succeeded beyond our wildest dreams. He established
a new colony, and now they are attacking the Hocklyns.”

“The ship that
appeared in our system several centuries ago was legit, it was one of ours,”
President Brice said. For years after the mysterious cruiser had appeared it
had been speculated that it had been a trick by the Hocklyns to lure any
remaining humans out of hiding. “What are your recommendations, General?”

Whitmore paused
for a moment before responding. “We have a number of stealth destroyers at our
disposal. From the communication intercepts, we know where the human fleets
have struck. I propose we send one of the destroyers to this area and make
contact with these humans. If they are indeed survivors from our original
worlds, then it may be time for us to come out in the open and join them in a
new alliance.”

“It will be
risky,” Brice commented as he carefully weighed his options. Then he stood up.
“We have hidden long enough, send the destroyer. Once we have made contact we
can decide how best we can serve in this war.”