The Battle for Lashmere Read online

  “How much restitution?” Hanlon asked.

  “We must be recompensed twenty-five percent of the materials used to repair the New Dawn over five standard years from the date the new Dawn arrives at Lashmere,” Tolon said.

  That was a substantial amount of material. “Pretty steep for a simple scouting mission, isn’t it, Tolon?” Hanlon asked. The Ulef were clearly unhappy with how the situation was developing, but she was going to make sure New Dawn traveled to Lashmere at the earliest possible moment to protect her people.

  “Leader is adamant on this point, Captain. It will only agree to further cooperation if an agreement of restitution is made. Without this, the original bargain will still be honored, but no further cooperation from Leader can be expected.”

  “I think some kind of restitution can be made, Tolon, but what Leader wants is pretty unreasonable.”

  “As unreasonable as the Ulef protecting New Dawn for more than twenty-five hundred standard years and supplying almost all of our reserve materials to repair it?” Tolon said. Hanlon could swear she heard an inflection of incredulity in the Ulef’s voice, even though the translator box it wore on its harness.

  “No, that’s to protect both your people and mine, Tolon. I don’t know why the Ulef originally agreed to keep the new Dawn safe, and until you’re ready to tell me, I’m not likely to find out. What I can say is that you’re leaving out one critical point: I also agreed to let you come to the Lashmere system and settle there. Leader got a good deal there, and if it’s upset about the amount of materials needed, I’m sorry, but it did agree to the deal in the first place. I’m very concerned about Lashmere. The sooner I can get New Dawn there and protecting Lashmere, the sooner my government and yours can get down to hammering out a long-term plan for how to coexist.”

  “Leader may use the control device to keep New Dawn here,” Tolon said.

  “So, Leader will back out of the deal if I don’t promise that Lashmere will provide recompense for the materials being used to fix New Dawn.”

  “No, the materials are already on the way, Captain. They will be delivered as agreed. Leader contends that no timeframe was established for New Dawn to depart for Lashmere. Leader is willing to negotiate for when New Dawn is allowed to leave along with a scouting mission to Lashmere in exchange for compensation for the materials being provided at this moment.”

  “Well, how about we just keep things as they are until New Dawn is repaired? What do you say?”

  “This is the agreement we already have, but Leader will continue to insist on protection for the Ulef people and repayment for the rare materials being used. The minimal reserves we will retain after New Dawn’s repairs are complete is a difficult circumstance for us to accept, Captain.”

  “I understand what you’re telling me, Tolon, honestly, I do, but I have to act in the best interests of my people. I’m willing to consider your needs, too, but humanity must be my first priority.”

  Tolon bounced in place for a moment before saying, “We accept this, Captain. Know that Leader acts in the same way, but for our people.”

  Hanlon nodded. “That is something I can certainly understand, Tolon. I hope we can continue to work together. If it is of any comfort to Leader, I will advocate with my government to return as much of the materials used to repair New Dawn as they are able. I can’t make promises because I don’t know the situation there and I don’t know how much we’ll be able to find. Keep a running total of the materials used, and I will do everything I can to see your people repaid at least to some degree.”

  “Leader is comforted by your words. Leader waits for your actions to follow the path your words lay out.”

  Hanlon nodded. “I understand. Our people have a history of working together, but our people also have a history, much more recent, I might add, of fighting each other. Why did you attack us at Lashmere?” Hanlon had spent some time looking over the reports and logs Patho had sent to her comm when he had picked up the survivors of the expeditionary force. The battle had been a very near thing, and Tolon had not mentioned it up to this point.

  Tolon answered, but only after a lengthy pause. “At the time, we attacked Lashmere, all of our evidence indicated your people held close diplomatic ties and, most probably a military pact with the Alliance. Since the decision to decimate the Alliance’s forward base of operations had already been made, we decided to thwart any support they might garner from your people as well. We underestimated the power of your military response.”

  “How did your fleet get moved so close to Lashmere?” From the report, it looked like some kind of magical defense by the Alliance.

  “It is this technology that convinced Leader that humans and the Alliance were in close collusion. The technology used to divert our assault force is based on a combination of technologies observed in the hands of humans and the Alliance.”

  “What do you mean?” Hanlon was confused. The Alliance never received any kind of technology from the Lashmere government. The only thing ‘exchanged’ was human assistance and that deal was pretty short lived.

  “The Alliance uses a kind of faster than light travel commonly used by most species. It creates a kind of gravitational distortion and then moves in a way that allows the ship to seem to travel much faster than the speed of light. This is accomplished by surrounding the ship with an internally generated field that nulls the relationship of the ship’s mass from the surrounding space.”

  Hanlon nodded. “I’ve had a technical briefing on the concept. We use a very different kind of system.”

  Tolon interrupted her before she could continue. “So you do, Captain. The system you use creates a dimensional rift and, after a controlled deformation in space-time is manufactured, allows a ship to simply move from one place to another, possibly a very distant, place.”

  “Yes, Tolon. Obviously, I know how the human system works. What is it you mean about the system the Alliance used?”

  “Their defensive technology used a pairing of these two technologies, along with a method we have yet to understand. They projected a mass nullification field over our ships and then caused a space-time deformation to move across our fleet. Upon completion, our ships found themselves more than ninety percent of the distance to Lashmere. We met up with our second fleet and decided to simply pacify Lashmere before returning to the Alliance home system.”

  Hanlon’s mind struggled with the concept. The toroidal fold in space could not move once formed. “How did the Alliance do that? What I know about our FTL system makes what you just described impossible.”

  Tolon said, “Our conclusion is the same, Captain. Despite our agreement, it is possible. The Alliance used it against us.”

  Hanlon rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Well, no point in dwelling on it right now. I wonder if it’s possible to refit New Dawn with our FTL system.”

  “I lack sufficient expertise on your technology to make an educated estimate, Captain,” Tolon said.

  Hanlon grinned. “You mean you don’t know?”

  As before, her sarcasm completely bypassed the Ulef consciousness. “That is what I just said, Captain.”

  Hanlon shook her head. “Fine. Let’s get back to work. When are the materials arriving for repairs to the drives?”

  “Most of them are already here, Captain.”

  “Good. Dawn, what kind of timeframe can we expect for full repair to the FTL system?”

  “My ability to self-maintain and manufacture parts from raw materials is nearly fixed, Captain Hanlon,” Dawn said. “Once the repair and maintenance systems are completely operational, it will take several days to complete repairs. There are several unaccountable variables. I cannot give a definitive estimate.”

  “Captain,” Tolon said. “There is an alert from our sensor system. It reports a Woduur emissary has arrived and requested to speak with Leader.”

  Chapter 15

  I have the Woduur fleet on sensors now, Admiral,” Bendel said. They’re still moving at
their slower speed. They must not be able to maintain their maximum speed full time.”

  “Agreed, Exec,” Stokes said. “How long until the point to point drives are ready?”

  “Six minutes, sir,” Woodard said.

  “Very well, Exec. I want you to plot a series of hops roughly, but not directly, towards the system Captain Hanlon is in. Let’s make it twenty-five hops. Then we’ll turn and head back towards the Ulef. I hope we can put enough distance between us and the Woduur that they won’t be able to track us once we start towards our final destination.”

  “Aye, sir,” Bendel said and joined Woodard at the operations console, pouring over charts taken from the Aeternum.

  “Mister Lokin, what’s the status of the Juggling Leili?”

  “She’s just sitting there. I don’t have any energy reading on her that indicates she plans to get underway.” The tactical officer looked nervous, his eyes flickered between his console and the main plot, which displayed the approaching Woduur ships.

  “Time until the Woduur get here?” Stokes asked.

  “Thirty-five minutes, sir,” Bendel said absently over his shoulder. He was still looking over the charts.

  “Detail Captain Patho to remain behind under stealth to observe the ring ships. I want him to see if they have any interaction with that Etyrni captain.”

  “Aye, sir,” Bendel said. “I have the coordinates for our first hop. Four hops to the first refueling point and then it’s a long stretch to the next suitable gas giant. Nine hops. That eats well into the reserve.”

  “No help for it, Exec. Just make sure we don’t fly into a dead-end route.”

  “No, sir. There are plenty of options, but that one system is definitely a choke point.”

  “Fine. Once we are at the stop just before the second refueling point, send Commander Fuchs ahead to scout the system and make sure there’s nothing waiting for us.”

  “Aye, sir,” Bendel said.

  Stokes took a look at the jump calculations and pressed the validation interlock on his command chair. “Jump calculations validated, Exec. Jump ship as ordered.”

  “Aye, sir,” Bendel said and passed the order along. A few seconds later, Victorious moved through the jump ring along with the rest of the fleet, leaving only Gorgon behind to observe the Woduur.

  “Jump complete, sir. All systems normal,” Bendel reported.

  “Very well. Begin cooldown and prepare for the next hop.

  Aden Patho sat in his command chair, waiting for the arrival of the Woduur. “I want all stealth systems at maximum, Mister Hilleman,” Patho ordered.

  “Aye, sir.”

  “Keep an eye open for the ring ships. Without the sensor net from Stalwart, they’ll be almost here before we can see them.”

  “Yes, sir,” Hilleman said. “Seventeen minutes until they’re supposed to be here. We should get them on our sensors in about six more minutes, sir.”

  “Good,” Patho said. He sat patiently, waiting for the time to elapse. He turned his attention to the Etyrni ship. It was still hanging motionless relative to his position. He wondered if there was some purpose for them to just sit there.

  “Mister Hilleman, do you think that Etyrni ship knows we’re here?”

  “I doubt it. We were well outside sensor range when we engaged our stealth system.”

  “Our sensor range,” Patho said. “But she knew the Woduur were coming at about three times the distance we can see them. Their sensor systems must be pretty good.”

  Hilleman nodded. “Makes sense, sir. Why are they just sitting there?”

  “I’m not sure. Get us onto the far side of that small planetoid.” Patho pointed at the plot. “I hope its mass will mask our movements from the Etyrni.”

  “Aye, sir. Helm make zero-seven-two by zero-one-one, ahead two-thirds.”

  The helm repeated the order and Gorgon swung towards the rocky planetoid, barely larger than a typical asteroid. As Gorgon settled in, Patho ordered, “Repackage four drones with recon primaries. Set them for passive only. Nudge them around the limb of this planet. I want a better look at what goes on on the other side.”

  “Aye, sir,” Hilleman said. Unlike larger ships, the executive officer filled the position of tactical officer as well. He worked at his console for a few seconds before saying, “Launch in forty seconds, sir.”

  “Good.” Patho glanced at the clock. Two more minutes until the Woduur arrived. The seconds ticked by slowly.

  “Drone launch normal, sir,” Hilleman said. “I have stable optical data links. Getting good sensor returns.” In theory, optical data links could not be intercepted since they used directional lasers that were not visible unless you were directly in the path of the laser. The problem was that they had short range. The lasers attenuated over long distances, and the data transmission was also light speed. They did allow Patho to see the other side of the planet he was hiding behind.

  Hilleman tapped at his console and the main plot updated. “I have an arrival distortion, sir. Looks like all ten Woduur ships.” A set of icons appeared on the display. They moved into a circular formation and rotated slowly around a point at its center.

  “Looks like a scan of some kind,” Patho mused. “Are you getting any energy readings?”

  “Yes, sir. Passive sensors are sucking a lot of data in, but I don’t have enough to make an analysis yet, sir,” Guiles said from the science station.

  The Woduur started to move in-system from their arrival point at the edge of the cometary shield. “That’s odd. They must know the fleet has moved on. I wonder why they don’t just continue their pursuit?” Patho said.

  “They’re headed directly towards the Etyrni ship, sir,” Guiles said. The icons for the Woduur fleet crawled across the plot and, after about an hour, they came to a stop near the Etyrni vessel. A few minutes later, the formation broke up and the ring ships started to spread out across the system.

  Patho slammed his fist into the arm of the command chair. “That Etyrni must have sold us out.”

  Hilleman nodded. “Even if she did, she must not have us on her sensors. Look at the way the Woduur are spreading out. They’re trying to cover as much of the system as they can.”

  Patho got a sudden, feral grin on his face. He looked at the executive officer, who returned a confused expression. “This is an opportunity, Exec. I’m going to lead those Woduur on a chase through this system. By the time they stop looking for us, Admiral Stokes will be so far away, the Woduur will never catch him.”

  “Well, that does put us at a bit of risk, sir,” Hilleman said.

  “Yes, but it’s a big system. There are eleven planets, two asteroid belts and nineteen moons. Not to mention a good sized blue star. Lot of places to make ourselves disappear. All they have is ten ships. They can’t possibly cover that whole area.

  “Repackage all of the drones with recon primaries and defensive secondaries. I want you to set them up to give off false sensor readings that will mimic the Gorgon. We’ll drop them off as we go. Next, I want you to plot a course towards the inner asteroid belt. We’ll scoop up more raw materials and make more drones on the fly.”

  “Aye, sir,” Hilleman said.

  “I want you to keep us at least two hundred-fifty thousand kilometers away from those ring ships at all times. Update the plot with no-go zones around the Woduur ships. I do not want them getting us in that disintegration field they have.”

  “We’ve only seen them shoot as far as fifty thousand kilometers with it, sir,” Guiles pointed out.

  “That’s true,” Patho agreed, “but, I don’t want to give them a chance to localize us on their sensors either. Speaking of that, I want you to keep a reserve of ten drones at all times. Set them for torpedo runs. If we do get cornered, I want something that will hit a lot harder than the main gun.”

  Hilleman nodded. “I was going to suggest that very thing,” his hands waved about to emphasize his point. “The problem is that when we engage the ring, the Woduur wi
ll be able to detect us for sure.”

  “I know,” Patho said. “We’ll make sure we’re far enough away that they can’t intercept us while we make additional runs of drones.” He watched the ring ships spread through the system in a methodical pattern to search every cubic kilometer of space. Patho waited until the closest ring was more than half a million kilometers away. “Engage all decoy drones. Make for the inner asteroid belt, Exec.”

  “Aye, sir,” Hilleman said. The Gorgon accelerated smoothly towards its destination. Drones shot away from it in every direction. “Decoy drones are deploying per program. Now leaving our passive sensor range.”

  “Any change in the search pattern from the Woduur?”

  Hilleman paused for a few seconds, analyzing the movements of the massive rings. “No, sir. It looks like we’re below their detection threshold.”

  “Good. What’s our ETA to the asteroids?”

  “At our current acceleration, just under an hour, sir.” Gorgon could move much faster, but it would give its position away by doing so.

  “Excellent,” Patho leaned back in his command chair and steepled his fingers in front of him, imitating a pose frequently adopted by Admiral Stokes. “Have you got a handle on the movements of the Woduur ships?”

  “Yes, sir. It’s a good pattern, very efficient. I’m not sure why they’re making such a search. Maybe they think they’ll detect us if we move.”

  “Let’s not enlighten them if we don’t have to. Once we get to the asteroids, make sure it appears we are powering up from a cold state when we start gathering materials. If possible, I’d rather not let the Woduur know any more of our capabilities than necessary.”

  “Good idea, sir,” Hilleman said. “Sir, the Woduur pattern is changing.”

  Patho looked at the plot for a moment. “It looks like they’re planning on sending some of their fleet on.” Eight of the icons were moving to a meeting point. “I want to keep them here. How long until Admiral Stokes is to the system where he turns towards Captain Hanlon?”