Carinae Sector: 01 - Traders' Scourge - Part 3 - New Shores (22 page)

‘I am so relieved to hear this is now happening and we are all moving forward. Now the initial request seemed to float around and no one wanted to run with it. So what happened to make this all occur?’

Paul looked around the massive tank sections and pipes secured to the trays of several semi-trailers as he spoke again at length.

‘Well the lack of fossil fuels got you here but everyone was too concerned about food crops. It was then pointed out that if the first harvest fails we might not have the fuel for a second harvest. The new governor himself specifies that we give you the highest priority in what you need to do your job. Now I understand you need a constant supply of power and water after your plant is built, so once the road is ready we are setting you up in a secure compound fifty kilometers west where there is a freshwater lake.’

Stan and Paul now moved to a desk that Stan had setup earlier and continued their discussion on the plant requirements. Stan was relieved that after a few days of indecision by the colony, that his own efforts to bring through the fuel synthesis plant were now justified.

                                                            ***

In her verdant and lush jungle clearing, the towering and immobile Deltas Vass matriarch quietly viewed several reports and called for another drink from one of her attendant males. She had long decided that the time for any further action was well past, and the latest report of the Barus fleet leaving for the human world vindicated her decision. The matriarch had earlier deftly and easily planted the seeds of the Deltas Vass fleet decisions to first go to the former Dradfer worlds, but later not be involved in the hunt for the Trader ship.

The Cephrit had been harder to divert earlier, but the ongoing strategic limitations they faced against the Tilmud incursions had ultimately saved the day. That left only the Barus fleet and by her estimations the capable admiral should not needlessly attack the Traders due to the proximity of the human world. However the matriarch knew that this was no guarantee and the presence of the small Maveen ships still bothered her.

So why were the eternal helpers, sometimes at odds with her plans and objectives, so far from the outer edges of the galaxy? Her males detected her introspective mood, and now kept both still and silent, as she now ran through a gamut of future scenarios in her keen mind and evaluated the risks.

                                                            ***

Seliandre raced back underwater at over eighty knots with her cloak active to the central ocean meeting place. The ancient princess was the second oldest of the daughters and was also already older than her own mother when she had first found a suitable mate. She knew that it was still thousands of years yet before she risked an early death by not mating. Seliandre wondered briefly about the father she never knew, as the powerful destroyer consort had been last seen fighting a legion of Vorinne cruisers. Her injured mother had raced away at high speed into deep space, shedding damaged equipment and most of her weapons as she fled.

Seliandre began to slow as she approached the meeting place. Her mother had come to the meeting place from her production facilities with Gementer her older sister, and now both awaited her return. Seliandre made the soft subsonic call of recognition and the ancient queen now questioned her.

‘So you stayed well away from the latest Maveen probes to arrive as we cannot risk any further contact?’

Seliandre slowed to a stop a hundred meters from her mother and sister as she replied.

‘The remaining original probes with the changed responses are now at the Trader landing site, and from what I can tell all the other probes are in their original configurations. The Maveen have even reverted the two gate ships that earlier changed their protocols from their original states.’

Angwene was silent for several moments as she evaluated this news, but now Gementer asked her a question.

‘Seliandre, good news and this will lower the risks to us. Now we know that gate ways are active elsewhere, but we do not know if the humans are leaving of course. So is the gate way at the landing site now passing human ships?’

Seliandre passed on her own relief in her reply.

‘Yes sister, the last minute changes we specified are being implemented and a fleet of human ships is passing through in an orderly fashion.’

The ancient queen made no effort to hide her own relief and then gave another order.

‘We can safely assume this is happening elsewhere as well. This is very good news for the human colony and the addition of the ships heavily increases the chances of success for the colony. Now I want our facilities set to idle under their suppression fields, and we will be in hibernation together at my facility until probe three awakens us again.’

The two ancients now set out unhurriedly for the main production facility and Seliandre made a polite inquiry of her mother.

‘So has the cruiser gun reverse engineering process has started to return any information so far?’

The queen continued to lead her eldest daughters south west in the inky depths as she patiently replied.

‘The Vorinne and Quixxe engineers tried to make the weapon too small and the only real advantage was that it was easier for the weapon to find its way to us. The earlier help of the Maveen senior probes was invaluable and we will make a larger variant that is even more powerful, is still small for the weapon class and will feature greater reliability. We will have plenty of time to both resolve the design and produce numbers of them.’

                                                            ***

Commander Jane Walker sat at her desk in her cabin as she again perused the crew lists. She had to ensure that anyone staying behind on Earth was finding their way by boat to either HMAS Australia, or the large supply tanker that was hove to several kilometers away from both the islands and the gateway. Both HMAS Sydney and HMAS Melbourne had earlier refueled from the tanker to be ready to leave for the colony.

Apart from the two frigates being sent to the colony, five naval patrol boats and a few search and rescue boats had already been sent through to the new world. Both the Sydney and the Melbourne had almost as many family members aboard as crew, including her husband and their two teenage boys here on the Sydney. Jane had to also look after a few unusual requests. The young family of media crew member left at the colony was expected shortly and accommodation had to be provided for them.

Another unusual request was from the person standing nervously in front of her with Lieutenant Sawyer, the ship’s helicopter pilot. Jane adopted a stern demeanor as she considered the request and gave her response, for she had not forgotten the problems this young woman had given her earlier.

‘So Susan, your sister Phoebe is working as the lead biologist at the Perth gateway site for the new colony and you wish to join her?’

Susan Roberts did her best to appear meek and conciliatory in her reply, for she knew she was here under sufferance at best, and she flashed a nervous glance to Tom standing next to her.

‘Yes Commander, our parents are gone and we have no brothers or sisters. Several friends have also gone across, or are going across to the colony as well.’

Jane looked at Tom for a moment, and noted his fixed look over her shoulder as he remained at attention, before she replied to the request.

‘Susan, I have no objections though you may still face legal action from me at a later stage. At the moment we are short of volunteers for basic jobs around the ship. Please report to the galley and tell the chef I sent you down. You may go, but Tom you can remain as I have an urgent job for you.’

Susan appeared on the edge of tears with gratitude and left after giving the pilot a quick smile. Jane looked at Tom for a moment and asked a discrete question.

‘At least her demeanor has improved from the hysterical and aggressive manner she displayed earlier. So she is aware of your role in our response that brought her little adventure to a tragic halt?’

Tom looked with respect at his captain as he replied, for he admired both her abilities and her compassion. He had also taken a liking to Susan, and appreciated that her request had been approved by the captain.

‘Sir, we have had a few good talks on the helicopter deck during her first visit. At first she was as you said, but then she had a talk with a female rating and came back to hear what I had to say. She seems to hold no animosity to me and we have now have spent some time talking.’

Jane looked back to her desktop at the latest communications the ship had received, as she moved onto her reason for ordering Tom to remain.

‘Well Tom, good luck with all that, I hope it works out you. Now I want you to take the Seahawk ashore as soon as we arrive at the colony. We have been ordered to return three or four people to Earth and we can do that by sending a response boat from the ship through the gateway after your return to the ship.’

Tom paid close attention to the rough maps of the colony laid out by Jane as he planned the distances and took notes. He noted something immediately as he calculated the distances.

‘Commander, the marine gateway from here to the colony is some distance along the coast from the inland colony site. We will have to arrange to land on the coast and have the Perth site bring the people out from the interior by one of their helicopters.’

Jane was already aware of the problem, but appreciated that the helicopter pilot was on top of his game as she replied.

‘Tom, the Maveen have set the destinations down in such a manner that countries at the colony will have no meaning. We could sail towards the coastal site to minimize the return time for your journey back, but this would leave the response boat with a longer journey.’

The two naval officers discussed the mission for several more minutes before the planning was complete and Tom left to check the helicopter flight status. Jane then turned her attention back to her desk and the hours of further work it promised.

                                                            ***

James Mudbury walked in the early morning calm to the waiting helicopter with his arms around Rachael, and with her mother and Amanda following them. The weather had now cleared after two days of solid rain and winds, and flight operations around the colony were resuming. He had managed to talk at length with Mary, and at first the conversation had been strained, as Mary resented that they had fled to the colony.

However, both Rachael and Amanda had earlier talked to Mary. The girls managed to convey both the horror of the abduction and attempted assault, plus talk about the risks of remaining back on Earth. James had caught Mary looking at him sadly as he returned from speaking with Mary’s brother Vic. Before she had wordlessly walked up to him, given him a big hug, and thanked him through tears for saving her daughter.

The three women had spent the last two days staying dry and helping out around the colony when they could, as James was not allowed to leave the main clearing. James had later been permitted to help Vic and his sons in setting up their wood mill in the clearing and he got along well with them. Last night they had tea with Vic and his family, as they knew that today was the last day of operations for the marine gateway some three hundred kilometers away.

James now looked at Amanda and noted his sisters’ downcast manner, for she was not only concerned about returning. During the dinner last night she had appeared to get along well with Jon, Vic Mitchell’s youngest son, who was several years older but unmarried. In moments, they were strapped into the helicopter and they flew along the broad valley for several kilometers. The helicopter gained altitude to clear a ridge before it turned north-west and headed for the coastal rendezvous point.

James noted the rifle the pilot had strapped to the cabin wall and hoped they would not need it as he tried to relax during the journey. He pointed out two Megalania lizards to the other passengers as they flew across another ridge and they all marveled at the size of the animals. Rachael alternated between looking out the window and quietly resting with her head on his shoulder.

Amanda quietly sat behind her and occasionally spoke to Mary, who was in the seat behind James. The flight took two hours and they were all enthralled by the beauty of the new world. Broad inland lakes would appear surrounded either by larger grass clearings that looked fertile or well forested ridges of tall trees. The helicopter flew across another wide valley as they neared the coast, and James could see plenty of wild geese flying along the large river below them, as well as several decent sized islands along the meandering river.

As they crossed a series of shallower channels near the river mouth, James saw a flock of pelicans herding fish into the shallows. The helicopter circled a cleared and elevated landing site several hundred meters back from the beach before it set down next to an army helicopter. They all got out of the helicopter to setup tents and await the arrival of the navy helicopter.

The army pilot came over and had a quiet conversation with the civilian pilot, who was pulling two large duffel bags from his helicopter. Both pilots looked at a squall line of clouds sweeping in from the west. Several other troopers nearby either kept a close watch on the surrounding bush or rested on swags. The pilot came over with a couple of six man tents in his arms as the army pilot walked away. He looked around at the ground and decided one spot was as good as another before he spoke to James.

‘Right James, the navy chopper has been delayed as the ship has not arrived yet. Apparently there is some delay. Can you please give me a hand setting up the tents? You can then stay with me and the women can stay in the second tent.’

James had a better idea and they ended up with Mary in one tent with the pilot while James took the second tent with the two girls. The requirement that one member in each tent could use a rifle was the deciding factor. He then helped the two pilots to secure their helicopters as the squall line swept in from the west.