Existential Threat: Chapter 11 Part 1 of 2 (Patreon)

Chapter 11:

11/07/2242

Dana jumped into Shoki’s bridge, a skeleton crew of two worked sensors and helm.

“A-Admiral!” One man at weapons/sensors about jumped out of his bot.

“What’s the situation?” She moved for her command chair.

“Uhh-several unknown Sphere World built ships jumped sixty AU from the Ilsun system primary,” He threw the read-out into the main hologram, showing the system and the ship’s position. “Three Carriers, One Cruiser, twenty seven Destroyers, twenty one Frigates, Forty nine corvettes, a mix of freighters, numbering seventy three, seventeen unknown vessels.”

“The Ilsun system government?”

“They are in contact with the unknown fleet.”

Dana took in a breath and let it out through her nose slowly. Those idiots, if nothing they’ve revealed the fact we have a FTL communication system and sensors.

“Understood, good work,” Dana sat down in her chair, accessing her screens.

[You have joined Fleet Command chat]

“Huang you want this?”

“Not at all Diego, this is your shift, you’re on point, what you need from me?”

“We haven’t got clearance from the Market system to jump in. Just holding for now. I have all crews that are on training exercises returning to their positions. I’ve got the reserves filling Stone Cold One.”

“What’s the plan?” Dana asked, he was first on station and had minutes to think this through before her.

“Wake up everyone, get the fleets in the Azirith and Orion system online, bring the Armadas up to full readiness. If they attack before we’re fully crewed I’ll lead my fleet out to go assist Ilsun. Once we’re crewed then your fleet is up to attack. Valhalla and Sphere World One have the heaviest defenses.”

“Got it, do you know what those unknown ships are?” Dana asked.

“I passed it off to Minnie, she’s saying they’re mobile shipyards.”

“Mobile shipyards?”

“Based on scans they appear to be shipyards built into a Sphere World,” Sally interjected.

“So they ripped them out of a Sphere World. I’m thinking that they’re running to, or away from something,” Diego said.

“I’m guessing from something.”

[Kim Jung-Su has joined chat]

“What kind of shit show we got ourselves stuck in now?” Jung-Su asked.

“Waiting for Ilsun to put their foot in it,” Diego said.

Klinsky walked out from the standby bots and across the bridge, relieving the skeleton helmsman who moved to the back of the room, passing Ayambe and Leblanc who took their position.

“Ships are moving,” the sensor/weapons officer said.

“What speed?” Leblanc asked.

“One point four gravities,” he looked up from his station and stood to the side. Leblanc waved him back, chatting to him on a private channel.

“One point four gravities,” Dana said over the command chat.

“Either they can’t build for shit,” Deigo started.

“Or they’re carrying actual people. Seeing that they’re using standard Sphere World ships then holding people I think. So, more aliens?” Jung-Su asked.

“Wonder what they’re called or look like?” Diego asked.

“Guess we’ll find out when the Ilsun government wants to share,” Dana said.

“Feels kind of anti-climatic you know, second alien species we’ve met,” Jung-Su said.

“Third,” Diego said.

“One of them had been dead for decades,” Jung-Su muttered.

“The unknown fleet is moving on an angle around the peripheral of the Ilsun system. They aren’t heading into it,” Leblanc said, her back-up taking his bot back to its rack.

Dana rewound the fleet appearing on her personal screen. “They didn’t send scouts or anything, just the whole fleet through three wormholes.”

“Untrained? Maybe they don’t think that way?” Diego asked.

“They are talking to the Ilsun, so they’re interested, they’re moving and not into the system. They’re moving on an angle that will keep them in a region of space that they can create a wormhole and jump away.” Dana broadcast to her staff.

“Helm have we got updating jump points to hit the enemy fleet?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Good, once we have everyone onboard then if a fight breaks out we’re the first to act.”

“Brad and Stuart wanted me to tell you that the Ilsun government is not requesting aid at this time and that they are talking to the Orkaran refugees. They say they’ll give us a complete transcript at a later time,” Sally said on the fleet command chat.

“Refugees, sounds like they’re running alright and Ilsun is trying to use them.” Dana said.

“Orkaran,” Jung-Su tested out the word.

“Got another wormhole, ah fuck sticks,” Leblanc muttered turning to face Dana as she threw the information to her screens.

“Federation just entered the system, different lagrange.”

“Ilsun and the Federation are rather buddy-buddy, they’re both part of that movement to get AI’s reviewed,” Ayambe said.

“Well, shit,” Dana said on command chat.

“Sounds like the boss is riled up,” Diego chortled.

“Here I was, hoping for a full night’s sleep,” Jung-Su muttered. “How many of the barrage systems do you want warmed up?”

“Might as well test them all, the silver fist versions and the open space ones.” Dana sighed. “Nothing’s ever simple.”

***

Admiral Haver stood ramrod straight on his command deck. It was shaped like a hexagon, wider in the middle and rear where stations of officers faced outwards, facilitating his command with the rest of the fleet.

He stood in front of his command chair, one hand resting on the banister as the screens showed the fleet exiting the wormhole.

In front of him were the main screens, a hologram of the Ilsun system, centered on the alien fleet, and readouts for his entire fleet.

The fleet passed through without one out of position. His own carrier, the Dalton, three cruisers, ten destroyers and twelve Corvettes, reinforced with the old ships pulled from storage and brought back online.

“Tell Captain Griganos to tighten up with the rest of the formation. Won’t do being out of position like that in a real fight,” Haver harrumphed. The young captain was getting too much attention and praise from others. Needed to tighten control. It never did for anything to be good enough.

“Yes Admiral Haver,” The communications officer called out, someone Haver never took the time to learn the name of. They were always changing and they did nothing to advance his own career or position.

“Give my regards to the system governor, maintain acceleration at one gravity, begin charging capacitors and check coordinates to intercept alien fleet.” Haver paused, letting his orders filter out, opening and closing his hand slightly on the banister, feeling the cold metal beneath, the eagerness in his chest to rush forward and clash with the enemy. Warm and malicious joy soothed those impulses with future rewards.

The time is coming. He looked forward to the time he could command his fleets for real, crush true metal with his cannons, not just the simulations. His grip tightened, remember Brad and Stuart’s words, the way he had been forced from Sphere World by men that didn’t understand their position. Didn’t understand his pedigree and fine background, generations of admirals throughout the Federation’s history.

His great grandfather had fought in the skirmishes against the Coalition. There were times he wished he lived in that age.

He tapped the bannister and walked to his command chair, hands behind his back.

“Communications, get me the leader of the Orkaran,” He turned on his polished boots and sat down into his chair.

Revulsion pulled at his upper lip at the creature’s appearance. It was seated, covered in fur with two arms, two legs hidden beneath a pressure suit. Large eyes, twice that of a humans and rotated slightly around to the side. Its face ended in a snout, a large mouth underneath.

“Human savage leader of violence,” The creature’s mouth moved, but out of time to the words translated through the speakers.

“My name is Admiral Haver of the Federation’s Sixth fleet. What is your purpose arriving to this star system?”

“We are a peaceful dignified race that was displaced by savages. We seek dominion over weaker members and satisfaction.”

Haver raised an eyebrow, clearing his throat.

“What savages displaced you?”

“Adraxi, most disrespectful.”

“We have faced the Adraxi here and won against them. Might I ask where you got your ships?”

“We got them from the provider, our gifts for our elevated thinking and ideas.”

Haver pushed down his frustration.

“Is there anything that you require?”

“We require you to hand over water and food. Else we might think you hostile and teach manners to regressive savages such as you.”

“It is a custom of my people to give and receive gifts to show how highly elevated one is.”

The Orkaran tilted it’s head from side to side.

“To show that the other is more capable and able than the other. Say I was to show you my ability to provide food then you would show me how you don’t need the factories you have, as you are so rich and elevated,” Haver carefully schooled his features. The creature turned its head, most of its body moving with it as it talked to someone else.

“It also shows that if you are unable to, then you are unelevated and a savage.”

The creature’s head snapped back to the screen.

“We are the most elevated! You dare call us savages!”

“It is only through the show of what we call trade, that we can better understand your elevation, or lack.”

A fringe spread out around the back of the creatures head, Haver suppressed a shiver and his sneer.

“We shall show you we are most elevated!”

“I look forward to it, shall we say within three hours?”

The creature spoke to someone off-screen. “One hour would be enough. We shall prove our elevation and then we shall speak again, our positions satisfied.”

The screen went blank.

“They cut communications,” The officer said.

“I realized,” Haver bit off. “Someone find out what they eat and drink, we need to act on this before anyone else gets wind. The faster we work the more factories we can get.”

***