The Slaver Wars: First Strike (The Slaver Wars Book Four) (4 page)

The
holographic image was full of different colored icons. Each icon represented a
planet, ship, defensive satellite, or other manmade object; the image was blanketed
with them. The New Tellus system was the most heavily fortified system in the
new Human Federation of Worlds. The reason was simple; someday the plan was to
lure the Hocklyns into attacking the system in overwhelming numbers. If they
did, the Hocklyns would walk into the biggest trap ever built. New Tellus was
also the closest system to the Hocklyn Slave Empire.

“Ready to
jump,” Colonel Beck informed the admiral as Navigation and helm reported their
readiness.

“Then take us
home,” ordered Admiral Tolsen, leaning back in his command chair. Admiral
Tolsen had been born on New Tellus and was well aware of the massive defenses
in the system.

In front of the
WarHawk and the Liberty blue-white vortexes of swirling light appeared. The two
ships maneuvered into the center of the vortexes and vanished as they made the
transition to hyperspace. Behind them the vortexes collapsed, leaving no trace
of ever being there.

A few moments
later, Admiral Tolsen felt the familiar wrenching sensation as the WarHawk
dropped out of hyperspace and exited the vortex. The Liberty appeared off her
port side and moved slowly into supporting position. Several Talon fighters
took off from her flight bay and took up CAP positions around the two ships.

“Put New
Tellus Station on the screen,” Colonel Beck ordered as he adjusted the
holographic image above the plotting table to show the area around New Tellus
only.

It was covered
in blue and green icons. The blue icons represented defensive satellites and
the green icons represented ships. There were also eight large violet icons,
which represented the massive asteroid fortresses that were in orbit around the
planet, as well as six yellow icons, which represented the large orbiting
shipyards. The Federation survivors had spent the last four hundred years
preparing the system for the coming war with the Hocklyns.

“Take us in to
New Tellus Station and contact Docking Control to see where they want us,” ordered
Tolsen, looking at the viewscreen, which showed the massive shipyard. New
Tellus Station was the largest shipyard in the Federation. “I will be in my
quarters getting ready to see the Fleet Admiral. Contact me when we’re docked.”

“Yes, Sir,”
Colonel Beck replied as he walked over to the command console to take over
operations in the Command Center.

-

It was nearly three
hours later when Admiral Tolsen made his way into the large briefing room in
the station to meet with Fleet Admiral Johnson. New Tellus station was sixteen
kilometers in length and eight in width. It contained six massive construction bays,
which could produce any size ship the Fleet required, as well as twelve repair
bays. It had been necessary for Admiral Tolsen to take a transit tube to reach
the center of the station, which was four kilometers distant from where the
WarHawk was docked.

“Good to see
you, Race,” spoke Admiral Karla Johnson, rising to her feet.

“Good to be
back, Admiral,” Tolsen replied as he saluted.

“Have a seat,”
Johnson said, indicating a chair close to her.

Tolsen took
the indicated seat, noticing there were ten other people sitting at the
conference table. They were all part of the admiral’s staff or scientists.

“We have a lot
to discuss and some plans that need to be made,” Admiral Johnson said as she
sat back down. The admiral was 56-years-old and had been born on Earth.

“There is some
disturbing data in Commander Thomas’s sensor readings,” Admiral Freeman
informed the group, looking over at Tolsen. Freeman was Admiral Johnson’s chief
of staff and in charge of all Federation shipyards. The man was efficient and
knew ship construction intimately.

For the next
few hours, the group went over the Hocklyn incursion into the Gliese 667C
system. They went over the data recorded by the StarSearch and the effect their
weapons had on the Hocklyn escort cruisers.

“I don’t like
how their energy shield managed to resist the StarSearch’s lasers,” Admiral
Freemen commented with a heavy frown, leaning back and gazing at the others.
“Those shields should have failed quicker than they did.”

“It looks like
some type of possible upgrade,” Josh Sayth added as he studied the data, his
forehead creased in a frown. He was a scientist and well versed in Hocklyn
weaponry. “From what I am seeing from these scans, I would guess there has been
a twenty to thirty percent increase in the strength of the Hocklyn’s energy
shields.”

“Why?” asked Fleet
Admiral Johnson not liking the news. “Why would they strengthen their shields
suddenly? They have gone centuries without any improvements in their weapons or
shields.”

“It may be our
own fault,” suggested Admiral Arnold Bennett, leaning forward and looking
around the group. Bennett was in charge of the six shipyards orbiting New
Tellus. “Over the last sixty years, we have engaged and destroyed twenty-four Hocklyn
escort cruisers that have ventured close to our space. We have also sent
hundreds of stealth scouts into their empire keeping an eye on their advance
toward us. They may suspect something or someone is out here, and this may be
part of that response.”

Admiral
Johnson tilted her head and spoke softly. “Let’s just hope their shields are
all that has changed. We can deal with that.”

“We have another
problem you need to be made aware of,” Sayth commented with a deepening frown.
“I spoke to Doctor Reynolds at Ceres earlier today, and the cryosleep units are
starting to show signs of failure.”

“They’re
failing?” Fleet Admiral Johnson spoke, her eyes focusing intently on Sayth.
“What do you mean they’re failing? I thought they were good for years yet. We
need those people!”

“I don’t mean
the units are about to quit working, it’s the people in them. Their bodies are
starting to degrade.”

“Admiral
Streth and the others?” Admiral Johnson asked with deep concern in her voice,
her eyes looking intently at the scientist. “Can they be saved?” She knew it
would be a deep morale blow to the Federation if Admiral Streth were to die.
Everyone knew he had gone to sleep to be awakened in the future to lead them to
victory over the Hocklyns.

“Doctor
Reynolds is suggesting waking up all ninety-two people who are currently in
cryosleep within the next two weeks,” answered Sayth, recalling his brief
conversation with the cryosleep specialist. No one’s body has yet reached the
point of no return.”

“It’s just as
well,” said Major Ackerman, entering the conversation and opening a thick folder
he had brought with him. He was from military intelligence and his department
was tasked with keeping track of the Hocklyn Slave Empire’s advance. “From our
latest reports and considering the events of today, I am afraid the Hocklyns
are ahead of their projected time schedule to make contact with us.”

“How far
ahead?” asked Admiral Johnson, fearing the answer. They were not quite ready
yet with all their preparations. She could feel her heart start to beat faster
as she waited for the answer.

“Close to thirty
years,” Ackerman replied, his eyes focusing on the Fleet Admiral.

“That puts
full contact at any time,” Admiral Johnson responded, her face turning pale.
“Why wasn’t I told about this sooner?”

“We only
became aware of it recently ourselves,” Ackerman replied in a calm voice. “The
latest reports from the stealth scouts indicate the Hocklyns are constructing
some new forward bases that will be within easy striking distance of our space.
You were to be briefed on these developments next week.”

“Why did they
build these new bases?’ asked Admiral Johnson, feeling aggravated with military
intelligence for not telling her sooner. She would have a word with their
commanding officer once this meeting was over. “What does military intelligence
believe the Hocklyns response will be to the destruction of these two cruisers?”

“They will undoubtedly
send a fleet to investigate the disappearance of the ships that Commander
Thomas destroyed today. We believe they have begun sending their ships out in
groups of two in order to find out if there is a threat to their empire. That
may also be the reason for the new bases we discovered. We should have been
more careful in engaging their exploration ships in recent years. There is also
the possibility that they have been able to partially detect some of our
stealth scouts that have been operating in their space.”

Admiral
Johnson leaned back in her chair in deep thought, crossing her arms over her
chest. None of this news was good. It looked as if the war they had been
preparing for over the past few centuries was nearly upon them. Fortunately,
her staff had already discussed plans as to what would have to be done in case
the Hocklyns were to arrive early. She had several options available to her
even though she was leaning toward a third, particularly since the people in
cryosleep were to be awoken.

“I need to go
to Earth and brief the Federation Council,” she said after a moment. Then,
turning to Major Ackerman, she asked in a serious tone, “How soon before this
response fleet of the Hocklyns arrives once they realize that their two cruisers
are missing?”

“I would need
to talk to some of our strategists, but I would guess we have maybe three to
four months.”

Admiral
Johnson nodded her head. “Very well then. I will suggest to the Federation
Council that we go to a state of readiness for war and take the appropriate
actions.”

“That won’t be
very popular with all the Federation senators,” commented Admiral Freeman,
shaking his head.

“Only a
couple,” responded Admiral Johnson, knowing the two Freeman was talking about.
“The rest will support us; they know what’s at stake.”

“Admiral
Freeman, I want our stealth scouts searching all the nearby stars between us
and the Hocklyns for any trace of a war fleet. Search all the way to known Hocklyn
space if necessary. I also want to know where all of their new bases are and
their estimated fleet strength!”

“I will send
the order to Rear Admiral Stillson,” Freeman replied with a nod. “He has over
three hundred stealth scouts at his disposal.”

“I want all of
them out searching,” stressed Admiral Jonson with narrowed eyes. “If the Hocklyns
are out there, I want to find them!”

She then
turned her attention to the shipyards. “Admiral Freeman, what is the current
status of new construction in the shipyards here at New Tellus?”

Admiral
Freeman glanced at a computer pad he had brought with him. “We have one fleet
command Vanquisher class battleship, two Conqueror class battle cruisers, and
two strike cruisers currently under construction in the main bays here,” he
replied. “We have an additional four light cruisers and six destroyers being
constructed in the other shipyards.”

Admiral
Johnson leaned forward and spoke. “I want all shipyards prepared to go to full
military production once I return from Earth. I also want all the repair bays
brought to full standby.”

“Why the
repair bays?” asked Freeman, confused. “The only damaged ship we have is the
Argyle.”

“It’s simple,”
Admiral Johnson replied, her eyes focusing on Admiral Freeman. “I am going to
recommend to the Federation Council that the entire Ready Reserve Fleet be
activated and updated.”

The Ready Reserve
Fleet were all the ships that had been deactivated in the past twenty years.
The Inactive Reserve were ships deactivated from twenty to forty years. After
that point, a ship was taken to the breakers to be disassembled and its parts
or metal used for new construction.

“The Ready Reserve,”
repeated Admiral Bennett, surprised. “Why activate the Ready Reserve? Those
ships are to be used to replace fleet losses that can’t be made up by new
construction in case of war.”

“Because the Hocklyns
are coming and we’re not quite ready for them yet,” Johnson replied, her eyes
focusing on Admiral Bennett who was in charge of the New Tellus shipyards. “How
long will it take to update all the ships in the reserve and have them ready
for combat?”

Bennett leaned
back and closed his eyes in thought. Leaning forward, he opened them and asked
a question. “How long do I have?”

“Six months,”
Johnson replied, her eyes deadly serious. “That should be after the Hocklyn response
fleet arrives and before they can launch a major attack our planets.”

“Can I use all
the shipyards in the Federation, including those in the Sol System?” He asked,
looking over at Admiral Freeman and Fleet Admiral Johnson.

“I will have
it approved by the Federation Council,” Johnson promised. “They will agree to
it once I tell them what I have planned.”

“Very well,” replied
Bennett, knowing he had a herculean task ahead of him. “It will be close, but I
think it can be done. Can I ask why?”

“Its simple,”
Admiral Karla Johnson replied with a mystifying smile. “Admiral Streth will
need a fleet to command, and I am giving him the entire Ready Reserve.”

“Admiral
Streth!” several of the staff member spoke aloud, their eyes growing wide.
Everyone knew of the legendary admiral and that he was waiting in cryosleep to
lead them in the war against the Hocklyns.

“He will need
a flagship,” commented Admiral Freeman thoughtfully, his eyes focusing on the
Fleet Admiral. “I don’t think you want to give Admiral Streth a ten or twenty
year old battle cruiser as his flagship.”

“Of course
not,” Admiral Johnson replied with a nod, and then she smiled. “We have a new
fleet command ship under construction here in our own bays. I intend to turn
that ship over to Admiral Streth to act as his flagship.”