The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict (18 page)

-

Admiral Streth
was in the gym on the StarStrike taking his daily run. Captain Duncan was
running at his side, which had become a habit for the two of them over the
months.

“What's next,
Hedon?” she asked in between breaths. They had taken to using their first names
when they were off duty and no one else was around.

“We fortify
Careth until we are satisfied the Hocklyns and the AIs can’t retake it. I've
spoken to Admiral Cleeteus and he has agreed to post five of his ships
permanently in the Carethian system.”

“That leaves
us fifteen Alton battlecruisers,” responded Janice, wondering what Hedon’s
plans were. She had a strong feeling they involved the old Human Federation of
Worlds.

“Admiral
Sheen’s new battleship will be completed in a few more months. Once we have
Second Fleet and Fourth Fleet back here at Careth, I intend to launch an all
out attack against the Hocklyn Slave Empire.”

Janice nodded.
That didn’t surprise her. “What about between now and then?”

“A number of
the newer, long-range stealth scouts are being delivered by the supply fleet. I'll
be sending them out to search for any nearby Hocklyn bases. We'll begin hit and
run raids as soon as the defenses here at Careth are finished. I want to keep
all the Hocklyn forces in our immediate sector off balance, particularly with
our new weapons advantage.”

“How soon
before I get to see Maken?” Janice asked in a softer voice as they slowed down
to a walk.

Hedon stopped
and gazed at her, looking deep into her hazel colored eyes. “Within the year,”
he promised with determination in his voice. “The Hocklyns have had control of
our worlds for far too long and those days are numbered. By the end of the year,
I will show you the lake on Maken where I used to spend time with my brother
and his wife.”

“I'd like
that,” Janice answered with a knowing smile. She knew Hedon had been driven
from the very beginning to return to his old home world someday. There was no
doubt in her mind that he would succeed.

-

Fleet
Commodore Resmunt gazed in frustration at First Leader Ganth. “The fools!” he
oathed. “They don’t understand the threat they are up against. I just spoke to
the commander of the main shipyard and he refuses to dedicate any of his
construction facilities to building defensive satellites.”

“What about
arming the shipyards?” Ganth asked, his cold, dark eyes focusing on the Fleet
Commodore. “They currently only have a few defensive weapons and virtually no
offensive weapons.”

“They are convinced
their fleet units can protect them,” Resmunt spat. “They don’t want to devote
resources to projects they feel are unnecessary.”

“So what are
they doing?”

“The High
Council has ordered all the shipyards across the Empire to begin updating our warships,”
Resmunt responded. “Bases are sending their fleets in to be equipped with the
newest weapons and energy shields. High Leader Nartel has just sent a message
informing me that an AI ship will be arriving here shortly delivering some
sublight antimatter missiles for us to use against the Humans. It will be
necessary to modify some of our missile tubes to handle the new weapons.”

Fist Leader
Ganth was silent for a moment as he thought over that piece of information, and
then he spoke. “Will we be taught how to build these new missiles, or will we
be dependent upon the AIs to deliver them?”

“The AIs will
deliver them,” replied Resmunt, unhappily. “That means we will have to be
cautious in their use and only place them on board our dreadnoughts and perhaps
a few of the warcruisers.”

“I've heard
rumors that the High Leader has begun our own weapons' research program,” Ganth
added as he gazed across the War Room at the main viewscreen, which showed the
nearby shipyard. It was massive, containing forty construction and repair bays.

“You heard
correctly,” Fleet Commodore Resmunt replied. “It's about time we began
conducting our own research. The new aliens that have sided with the Humans
have frightened the AIs. It's as if they'd seen a ghost the way they turned and
fled from the Human system we were attacking.”

“They fled
without honor,” spoke Ganth, shaking his head. “They left us to die under the
weapons of the Humans and these strange new aliens. Their fleet didn’t come to
the rendezvous coordinates nor did they make further contact with us.”

“The AIs have
no honor,” replied Resmunt, angrily. “All they care about is their Empire and
that mysterious project they are rumored to be working on at the galaxy’s
center.”

“I have often
wondered what will happen when the day comes the AIs no longer need us.”

“I suspect
they will turn and destroy us as we have so many of their lesser enemies,” replied
Resmunt, prophetically. “But we now know their warships are not as invincible
as they once seemed; the Humans and the new aliens have demonstrated that.
Perhaps when this war is over, we will possess weapons that will give the AIs
pause if they ever feel they no longer need us.”

“I have also
heard that Commodore Krilen has died in his battle to conquer and destroy the Humans
at Careth,” Ganth stated. He'd always felt that Krilen was rash and should not
have been promoted to that exalted position.

“Yes, the Humans
and their alien allies appeared and attacked his fleet, destroying close to two
hundred ships before War Leader Versith managed to withdraw. High Leader Nartel
has offered Versith a promotion to the rank of Fleet Commodore if he will take
over command of what remains of Krilen’s fleets.”

“Will he do
it?” Ganth asked his eyes widening at the thought. “War Leader Versith has
refused promotions in the past.”

“I think he
will accept this time,” Resmunt replied. He knew Versith would make an excellent
leader and a worthy opponent to the Humans. “War Leader Versith has been
directed to bring his remaining ships here to be updated. I am looking forward
to discussing and hearing his thoughts on this war.”

“Versith is an
honorable War Leader,” First Leader Ganth responded. He'd served under Versith
years in the past.

“We will need
more like him if we are to win this conflict,” Resmunt responded.

One thing he
had learned in his months of fighting the Humans was that victory was no longer
a sure thing. He greatly feared that the Empire was facing a threat that could
actually destroy it. He was also deeply concerned that the High Council still
didn’t seem to understand exactly what the Empire was up against.

-

Jeremy watched
with interest as the supply fleet dropped out of hyperspace. Dozens of swirling
blue-white spatial vortexes were forming and ships were appearing. There were
thirty large supply ships, including some of the newer type being built at New
Tellus. In addition, there were eight battlecarriers, all with type two battle
stations attached to their hulls. Jeremy knew that as soon as the
battlecarriers released the stations and unloaded a number of their fighters
and bombers, six of them would be returning immediately to the Federation. The
other two would be staying until the supply fleet was unloaded and ready to
return back to Federation space.

“Thirty-two of
the type two battle stations,” Colonel Malen commented, impressed by the sight
of the large carriers starting to move into Careth’s gravity well. “They will
go a long way toward securing Careth from attack by the AIs.”

“There are
also four fleet repair ships that have returned,” Jeremy added as he watched
the approaching ships on the main viewscreens. “From what Admiral Streth has
said, two of the repair ships have been reconfigured to produce additional
fighters and bombers for either Human or Carethian pilots.”

“When will we
be departing?” asked Malen, curiously. She knew that the final essential
repairs to Fourth Fleet had been completed and they could depart at any time.
She was also anxious to get back home to Earth to see her parents.

“The six
returning battlecarriers will be going back with us,” Jeremy answered as he
turned and gazed at Ariel’s computer console behind him.

It had been
completely repaired and he knew that Katie was currently in her lab running
diagnostics on the AI. He hoped everything turned out okay. He also wondered
how Ariel would respond if Clarissa could not be brought back. Letting out a
heavy sigh, he turned back toward the viewscreens.

“We should be
able to leave early in the morning.”

Colonel Malen
nodded. It would be good to return to Federation space and take some leave
time. She knew the crews of all the ships needed it.

Jeremy heard
the hatch to the Command Center open and looking over saw Katie and Kelsey come
in. Katie was holding a large green crystal in her hand with a big smile on her
face. “Guess who's back?” she said as she walked over to Ariel’s computer
console, opened the panel, and bending over, inserted the crystal into its
slot. Closing the console back up, she stood up and activated it.

Instantly,
Ariel materialized in her normal spot right next to Jeremy. “Hi,” she said in
her girlish voice with a big grin on her face. Placing her hands on her hips,
she looked at Jeremy and asked. “Did you miss me?”

The entire Command Center erupted in cheers and excited voices at seeing Ariel back on duty. To most
of the crew she wasn’t just an AI, she was their friend.

Jeremy stood
up and smiled at Ariel. “If I could, I would hug you. I really missed you. It’s
great to have you back, Ariel.”

“I’m glad to
be back,” responded Ariel, looking around at the smiling crew. Then she began
accessing the ship’s systems. “Let’s see what you have done to my ship while I
was away.”

Katie stood nearby
watching, seeing the warmth in Jeremy’s smile. She knew that Ariel was very
important to him; she was to all of the Special Five. Sitting down at the main
computer console, she began thinking about what to do about Clarissa’s damaged
crystal. It was going to pose a major problem to restore it back to its
original state. Katie wasn’t even sure if it could be done. Glancing over at
Ariel, who was talking animatedly with Jeremy, she knew one thing. She would do
everything possible to restore Ariel’s friend.

Kelsey walked
over to her Navigation console and sat down. The Command Center felt more
normal with Ariel back. It was amazing the difference in the attitude of the
crew upon realizing that the AI was back on duty.

-

It was early
the next morning and Hedon had just finished talking to Admiral Strong. Fourth
Fleet was preparing to depart and would soon be on its way home.

“I will miss
Admiral Strong,” spoke Grayseth with a sad look in his large brown eyes. “He is
a great hunter and a true friend.”

Hedon nodded.
They were in the Command Center of the space station. “He will be returning,”
Hedon promised. “Once his fleet has been updated he will be coming back to join
us in this war.”

“I am pleased
to see that your ships have brought us more fighters and bombers for my pilots.
We had few left after the recent battles with the evil ones.”

“Two hundred
fighters and one hundred bombers,” Hedon responded. He knew that many pilots
both Human and Carethian had been recovered after they ejected during the
battles. He also knew that Grayseth was already bringing more Carethians up
from Careth to go through flight training. “We also brought enough new defense
satellites and missile platforms to replace those lost in the battles.”

“This will be
a great and long war,” Grayseth spoke in his powerful voice, turning to look at
Admiral Streth. “The evil ones will not be defeated easily.”

“No, they will
not,” agreed Hedon. “But we are not alone in this battle; we have allies and
more ships that will soon be arriving.” Hedon had been pleased to learn from
Fleet Admiral Johnson that the Kessels and the Darvonians had agreed to send
ships to help defend Careth. The ships of both allied races were currently
being updated at their shipyards with better weapons and shields. Human and Alton engineers had gone to both to help with those efforts.

Hedon watched
one of the main viewscreens as Fourth Fleet accelerated toward the edge of the
planet’s gravity well. He knew when Admiral Strong returned, Amanda and Second
Fleet would be coming also. His main job now was to see that Careth was so
strongly held that no conceivable Hocklyn or AI attack could endanger it. It
was to become the primary base for the Federation’s war with the Hocklyns and
the AIs. He also intended to use First Fleet to harass all the Hocklyn bases
within easy range of the Carethian system. Once Second and Fourth Fleet
returned, he planned to strike at the heart of the Hocklyn Empire. He had a
daring plan that, if it worked, would also free the old Federation worlds.

-

On board the
Avenger, Jeremy watched the viewscreens as the strikecruiser crossed the edge
of the gravity well and blue-white spatial vortexes began to form in front of
the ships of Fourth Fleet.

“It’s time to
go home,” he spoke in a soft voice over his mini-com on the private channel
that connected the Special Five.

“I’m glad,”
Kelsey responded. She knew in the next few months she'd finally have a lot of
alone time with Jeremy and she fully intended to make the most of it. She also
had a wedding to plan.

“Katie and I
are going to take a long vacation,” Kevin announced with a grin.

“First I've
heard of that,” Katie retorted with a pleased smile. A long vacation with Kevin
sounded great!

“Have you told
Angela that you had her marine captain transferred to the Avenger?” Kelsey
asked. She knew Angela would be pleasantly surprised.

“Not yet,” admitted
Jeremy, sheepishly. “He just arrived on the ship a few hours ago. He was going
to go see Angela after we made our first jump.”