The Slaver Wars: First Strike (The Slaver Wars Book Four) (39 page)

Admiral
Johnson stood up and walked over to gaze closely at the image. “How soon would
these be ready to deploy?” She could already see their usefulness. She had
suggested something similar, but the construction time to implement such a program
wasn’t there yet.

“Immediately,”
Admiral Telleck said with a smile. “We have already started construction inside
several of the construction bays in Ceres. We have twenty-four of these ready
to deploy and would like to send all of them to help in the defense of these
new aliens.”

“What?” President
Kincaid stammered in surprise. He didn’t know if it was wise to deploy such a
new weapon system to these aliens. “How would you get them there? I don’t
believe we have anything that can handle something of that size and jump into
hyperspace.”

“It’s quite
simple actually,” responded Admiral Telleck, looking around the small group.
“We attach them to our battle carriers and take them to these aliens. We
estimate we can attach four to each one.”

“Won’t that be
dangerous on the ship’s systems?” asked Admiral Freeman, thinking about the
energy that would be needed to open a spatial vortex to take something so large
into hyperspace.

“Not if we
make the jumps shorter,” Admiral Telleck responded. “We believe we can make it
to the bear’s planet in sixteen days.”

“Where will
the battle carriers come from?” Admiral Johnson asked. She hated sending any
more ships in Admiral Streth’s direction. It was all she could do to ensure she
had sufficient forces to defend the Federation with in case of a Hocklyn
attack.

“We will
furnish the battle carriers,” Governor Malleck answered as his eyes swept over
the group. “In this instance, we agree with Admiral Strong and Admiral Streth’s
assessment that helping these aliens is in the best interest of the
Federation.”

What Governor
Malleck didn’t mention was that the world of the Bears might someday be used to
launch an offensive to retake the old Federation home worlds. It was primarily
for this reason they were willing to allocate the resources. The Federation
survivors were determined to drive the Hocklyns from their old worlds and
return home someday.

After more discussion,
the group finally agreed on Admiral Telleck and Governor Malleck’s plan. It was
also decided to send additional laser satellites as well as missile platforms
to the bears.

-

Later, Admiral
Johnson was alone with Admiral Andrews in a small office just off to the side
of the Command Center. The two would be traveling to New Tellus later to eat
with the president and for further discussions.

“Do you know
why Governor Malleck and Admiral Telleck are so determined to help these new
aliens?” Karla asked as she sat down.

“Yes, they want
to retake our home worlds someday,” replied Richard as he poured both of them a
glass of cold water. Handing one glass to Admiral Johnson, he sat down behind
his desk and leaned back, still holding his glass in his right hand. “It could
be a good plan; at the worst it will cause the Hocklyns a lot of problems
having a heavily armed and defended hostile planet in their own backyard.”

Karla was
silent for a moment and noticed the picture of Admiral Sheen on Richard’s desk.
“Miss your wife, don’t you?”

“Of course,”
Richard replied with a heavy sigh. “She’s gone off to fight a battle and I
worry. What husband wouldn’t?”

“She’s very resourceful,”
responded Karla, wondering if she were in the same position if she could have
allowed her husband to go off like that. Sometimes she regretted choosing the
military over a family. Perhaps someday she would change her mind.

“She always
has been,” Richard replied with a smile, recalling their trip to the resort on
New Tellus. “She always manages to come up with something to surprise me.”

Admiral
Johnson nodded and then said. “I’m going to go ahead and give the approval to
send tactical nukes to the bears to be used on the Shrike missiles the missile
platforms will be equipped with.”

Richard nodded
his approval at this decision. “I wonder what effect Operation First Strike is
having on the Hocklyn Empire? By now, word of our assault has to have spread.
Even their High Council must know what’s happening.”

Karla nodded
and then, with a serious and worried frown, she added, “The AIs will learn of
our attack shortly. That’s what concerns me the most.”

-

High Leader
Nartel gazed in growing worry at the reports coming in from Fleet Commodore
Resmunt’s sector. The humans were sweeping through the sector, destroying base
after base and freeing numerous slave worlds. It would take years to repair the
harm to the empire the humans were causing.

“This is all
High Leader Ankler’s fault!” Councilor Ruthan roared as he studied the reports
before him in disbelief. “His ancestor should have destroyed these humans
centuries ago.”

“But he
didn’t,” responded High Councilor Jarles, standing up to be heard. “The two AI
ships will arrive in Resmunt’s sector shortly and destroy the human war fleets.
In the mean time, we have two operations that need to be organized.”

“Prepare a
large fleet to meet the five AI ships two months hence and gather another large
fleet to pacify the area the humans are freeing,” spoke High Leader Nartel, knowing
what Jarles was referring to.

“How large a
fleet?” asked High Councilor Berken, rising to his feet. “Our fleets are
scattered throughout the galaxy, expanding the empire. It will take months to
assemble a fleet the size the AIs are demanding.”

“Not
necessarily,” responded High Leader Nartel, striding over to a large viewscreen,
which depicted Hocklyn controlled space. He had already spoken to several Fleet
Commodores and War Leaders about what could be done to free up the necessary
ships. He made several adjustments and the three sectors around Resmunt’s
sector of space flashed up.

“If we strip
all the support bases in these three sectors and stop their expansion of the empire,
we can pull sufficient ships to satisfy the AIs.”

“How many?” demanded
Ruthan, doubtfully. The AIs frightened him by what they could do to the empire.
“We dare not infuriate the AIs anymore than they already are.”

“Sixteen Dreadnoughts,
forty war cruisers, and eighty-six escort cruisers,” High Leader Nartel
responded in a steady voice. “We can have them at the rendezvous point in two
months.”

“That still
may not be enough to satisfy the AIs,” High Councilor Berken responded
dubiously as he studied the numbers. “We can’t take the risk of anything going
wrong.”

High Leader
Nartel paused for a long moment as he thought about his only other option. Several
of the more experienced Fleet Commodores had recommended it instead of the one
he had just proposed. “We have the main fleet base at Kenward Seven that could
be stripped and all of its forces sent to Resmunt’s sector.”

“Kenward
Seven,” echoed Ruthan, frowning heavily. It was one of the main fleet bases
that protected the heart of the empire from attack. Granted, an attack had
never occurred until now. “How many ships?”

“Twenty
additional dreadnoughts, sixty war cruisers and one hundred and thirty escort cruisers,”
High Leader Nartel responded. “These forces, along with the others, should be
able to easily subdue and destroy these human worlds.”

“There will be
five AI ships with them,” High Leader Berken added with a nod of his head as he
considered the suggestion. “We should suffer few losses once the AIs destroy
the majority of the human ships. Our forces will complete the mopping up of
stray warships that might have escaped the AIs and then destroy the human
worlds.”

“Then we send
the fleet from Kenward Seven as well?” High Leader Nartel asked, his cold eyes
meeting those of the rest of the council.

The council
voted unanimously to do so with the stipulation that the Fleet Commodore in
charge of the fleet ensure that not a single human escape!

-

Later, High
Leader Nartel was in his new office high above the Council Chambers gazing out
of the open window at the distant streets below. The streets were crowded, even
here at the center of government of the empire.

Once this
crisis with the humans was over, he had a new rule he needed the High Council
to pass; it would not be a popular one and would meet considerable resistance.
This was something that High Leader Ankler should have enacted years ago. The
rule was designed to deal with the Hocklyn overpopulation. For the next two
generations, childbirths would be limited to one per couple and then moved to
two, permanently. To violate the rule would have a serious impact on one’s
honor.

Nartel also
knew he would probably need the military to enforce it as many Hocklyns
preferred large families. He didn’t know how the general public would feel upon
seeing armed Hocklyn Protectors marching across their worlds and habitats
ensuring the new regulation was followed. Nartel suspected that the Hocklyn
race was in for some very hard times, but it would be necessary to preserve
their empire and to continue to live under the rule of their masters, the AIs.

-

Second Leader
Jaseth was breathing hard as he warily watched his opponent. This was his third
honor duel in the past three days. Since his father had been killed by the AIs
for his failure as High Leader, the challenges had begun.

Taking a deep breath,
he stepped slowly to his right and feinted with his knife, drawing his opponent
in. Flipping the knife to his left hand, he slashed downward, feeling the knife
encounter skin and cutting deeply into his opponent’s leg.

“Honor cut,”
called out the duel master. He raised his right hand, indicating the match was
over.

Jaseth’s
opponent just glared at him without acknowledgment and turning, left without a
word.

“It’s time to
go, Second Leader,” War Leader Versith of the dreadnought Viden spoke, his eyes
gazing intently at Jaseth. “You can do no more here. Your personal honor has
been redeemed by your actions in these duels.”

Jaseth nodded
in agreement as he stepped to the side of the honor duel arena and drank a
large amount of cold water. He stood there for a moment, feeling the aches and
pains from fighting three duels. He had a number of unhealed wounds that were
still seeping blood. “Honor has come my way, now it is time to return to my
duties.”

“We will treat
your wounds on the ship,” Versith commented as they left the dueling arena. “How
is the rest of your family?”

Jaseth stopped
and looked over at the War Leader, who was also a close family friend. “My
mother is still in the Mirrin habitat. Fortunately, we were left with enough to
keep our home and the area immediately around it, but very little else.”

“It was
Councilors Ruthan and Nartel,” Versith muttered in a raspy voice. “They have
always wanted to depose your father as High Leader.”

“The AI took
care of that,” spoke Jaseth, letting anger appear in his voice.

“We cannot
blame the AIs,” Versith cautioned the young Second Leader. “There are times
when we must pay for past mistakes. This was one of them. What about your
brother, Hangeth?”

“He will be
staying with my mother for now,” spoke Jaseth, noticing for the first time how
blood soaked his side was. “Now let us return to the ship. I have much to learn
from you.”

“Yes,” Versith
responded, his large dark eyes gazing upon the younger Hocklyn. “Someday you
will be a great War Leader and will bring much honor to our people.”

“Perhaps,”
Jaseth replied as they started walking again. “I just hope the humans are still
around. It is because of them my family has fallen into disgrace. My honor will
not be satisfied until I see the last one of them die!”

-

Jeremy was
meeting with Grayseth aboard the Fleet repair ship Osborn. He had taken the
bear on a quick tour of the ship, explaining to him what its capabilities were.

“You offer us
much,” Grayseth spoke as the two entered a small conference room that had been set
up for the occasion.

“We will be
allies,” Jeremy said as he poured Grayseth a large cup of ice-cold water. He
poured a smaller one for himself. “The Hocklyns are our mutual enemy, and I
believe my government will fully agree to give you all the assistance we can.”

“You have
already furnished us with much,” Grayseth replied as he sat down in the large,
comfortable chair that had been provided. “Already, work has begun on the space
station and the new defensive grid is being put into place. The evil ones will
not like what they find here when they return.”

“Speaking of
the defensive grid, one of the supply ships that arrived today has sixty of our
new laser defense satellites on board,” Jeremy said with a smile. “I have been
instructed to turn them over to you for the defense of your planet.”

“Laser
satellites,” Grayseth spoke in a pleased voice. “We have talked of such, but
the power requirements have always been beyond our reach.”

“That too will
not be a problem,” Jeremy continued. “I have also been authorized to furnish
some of our Type Two fusion reactors for use on the space station to be used as
its primary power source.”

Grayseth
nodded graciously. “Your race is truly powerful and has much knowledge. We have
many things to learn from one another. Let us always be friends and hunt
together.”

“Always be
friends and hunt together,” Jeremy replied. He had already decided he would do
everything in his power to protect the bears. Now he just needed to figure out
how he was going to do it.

-

Several hours
later, Jeremy was eating a relaxing meal in the officer’s mess with his friends.
Ariel was even sitting at the table, listening.

“I love these
bear people,” Kevin was saying with a gleam in his eyes. “They are so friendly
and polite.”