The Lost Fleet Box Set, page 7
part #1 of The Lost Fleet Series
“I will allow it,” the Command AI responded.
“Will your ships follow my orders?” Jeremy asked.
“Yes,” the AI answered. “As long as I ascertain AI ships are not being put into more danger or sacrificed needlessly when compared to other units of your fleet.”
“Ariel?” asked Jeremy, looking over at his close friend and confidant.
“The AIs will abide by the agreement,” she replied, nodding her head. “Their main priority is to survive, and they know they cannot do that without us.”
“Very well,” Jeremy said. He turned his attention back to the AI. “As admiral of this section of the Fleet, I welcome you into the Alliance.”
“I accept entry into your Alliance and recognize your command,” responded the Command AI.
“Okay,” Jeremy said, looking around the room. “Let’s decide how we’ll survive.”
-
Four hours later the meeting adjourned, and a tired and worn-out Jeremy looked over at Grayseth and Rear Admiral Marks, who were still in the room.
“AIs in the Alliance,” spoke Susan, shaking her head in disbelief. “What would they say back in the Federation?”
“Probably wouldn’t be too happy,” admitted Jeremy, leaning back and stretching. “I suspect if Fleet Admiral Streth had been here, he would never have agreed to it.”
“This agreement makes me uneasy,” boomed Grayseth, his large brown eyes focusing on Jeremy. “However, even I recognize its necessity. If we ever want to return home, we’ll need the machines.”
“Do you think we’ll ever return home?” asked Susan. She knew morale in the fleet would be a problem once everyone realized just how cut off from home they were.
“We can only hope,” answered Jeremy. He looked over at a viewscreen, showing the new world they were orbiting. “For now that planet will be our new home. We’ll set up a large base on it along with recreational facilities for our crews. We need to establish a formidable orbital defense grid, which the Clan Protector and the four fleet repair ships can help construct. We need to build a new orbital spacedock which can repair and build any ships we may need. There are a thousand projects we need to begin, if we hope to survive here.”
“All that assumes the unknowns don’t find us,” Susan pointed out with concern in her voice. “They’re bound to be searching for us.”
“I don’t think they’ll locate us, unless we lead them here,” Jeremy answered. “Our own deep-sensor scans only reach the beginnings of the nebula that surrounds this star. However, we need to send out some stealth scouts later, once we feel it’s safe. We need to learn more about the race that attacked us.”
-
Ariel was listening to all this from her position in the Command Center. She felt very sad knowing they were cut off from Kelsey, Katie, and Clarissa. She had been running numerous scenarios for hours, and they were all the same; there was no hope of rescue. The problem was energy. They would need Capacitor Stations similar to those the AIs had built, and the unknowns would never allow them to be constructed. Not only that, such a project would take decades at the minimum. They were stranded in this new galaxy, and the planet below would indeed have to become their new home.
Chapter Five
The Present
Kathryn waited nervously in her quarters for her visitor. In two more hours, the Distant Horizon would begin her long journey to the galactic center in their attempt to discover what had happened to the lost fleets. The door to her quarters slid open, and Kathryn stood up, gazing at the older man standing there.
“Hello, Father,” she said, walking over and giving him a welcoming hug. “I didn’t know if you would make it before we had to leave.”
“You’re my daughter,” Governor Barnes answered with a smile. “I couldn’t let you leave without coming to say good-bye.”
Kathryn led her father over to a comfortable couch, and they both sat down. “I never expected you would arrange for me to have this command,” she began. “Why did you?”
Governor Barnes let out a deep sigh and leaned back, looking at his daughter. “The Special Five were always very important to Admiral Telleck and, of course, Fleet Admiral Johnson. Even former Governor Malleck went out of his way to accommodate them. As you know, the Distant Horizon started out as an exploration ship designed by Ariel and Clarissa. It was what the two AIs wanted to do after the war. Later Kelsey, Katie, and Clarissa modified the design so they could go in search of the lost fleets. The people of Ceres and the Altons stepped in and helped with additional modifications and finally saw to it that the Distant Horizon was built. The ship is the most powerful and technically advanced ship ever constructed. It needed a special commander. I even spoke to former Fleet Admiral Streth, asking for his recommendation. Besides, you've been harassing everyone for several years to launch a rescue mission.”
“It’s what Admiral Telleck would have wanted,” admitted Kathryn in a somber voice. The former Ceres admiral had taught her so much, and she knew, if he were still alive, he would have insisted on commanding this mission. She would’ve gladly stepped aside to allow him to do so.
Governor Barnes reached out his hand and placed it on top of his daughter’s. “Kathryn, this mission will be very dangerous. Even if you succeed in transiting to the galaxy where the Avenger and the fleets went, you may never be able to return. There’s even a chance you could end up stranded in the wrong galaxy altogether.”
“I’m willing to take that risk,” responded Kathryn, focusing her eyes intently on her father. “My whole crew is too. That’s why we’re all volunteers.”
“I know,” her father replied, drawing in a deep breath. “Even if you find the lost fleets, there’s no guarantee you’ll come back home. I worry that I might not ever see you again.”
“We have to try,” answered Kathryn in a softer voice. “We have the technology, and, if we can find Admiral Strong and his fleets, we can build a hyperspace transit ring capable of bringing them back home. The Altons are fairly confident we can do that.”
“You will need Jeremy’s crews to build the ring,” her father gently reminded Kathryn. “Without the crews and construction ability of the lost fleets, it would take you years to build a transit ring on your own, if you even could.”
“Is there anything else?” Kathryn asked. She strongly suspected there had to be another reason her father had come to visit her.
“Yes. I want you to stop at the planet Maken in the Tellus System and speak to Fleet Admiral Streth. I believe he has some information which is vital to the success of your mission.”
“Fleet Admiral Streth?” Kathryn said sharply, raising her eyebrow. “What kind of information?”
“He will have to tell you,” her father replied with a cryptic smile. “It’s better if you hear it from him.”
They spoke for a few more minutes, and then her father stood up.
“I must leave, Kathryn. But know my thoughts will be with you constantly, and I will be praying for your safe return.”
“I know you will, Father,” she said, stepping forward and hugging him tightly.
“You’re a fleet admiral now, and the Distant Horizon is your ship. Bring her and the lost fleets home safely.”
“I will do everything I can,” she promised, as she released her father.
Governor Barnes stood there for a long moment looking at his daughter. She was no longer his little girl. She had matured and had grown into the formidable woman standing before him. He felt certain that, if anyone could do the impossible and find Admiral Strong and the missing fleets, it was her.
“Good-bye, Kathryn,” he said.
Kathryn watched him leave, feeling an emptiness inside. She hoped this was not the last time she saw her father.
-
Kelsey was in her quarters, preparing for her next duty shift. She had just stepped out of the shower, and, as she dressed, she looked fondly at the pictures hanging on the wall of her small bedroom: one of her and Jeremy in front of their home on Careth, some wonderful memories associated with those precious months when they had lived on the Bears’ home planet, also photos of them at the beach resorts on New Tellus.
Letting out a deep sigh, Kelsey finished buttoning her uniform and, stepping in front of the full-length mirror, gazed appraisingly at her figure. She was thirty-six years old, and her figure was still slim and trim. She worked out regularly, knowing—if they succeeded in finding Jeremy and the fleets—she wanted to look the same as the last time he had seen her.
“We’re coming, Jeremy,” she said softly, wiping a tear from her eye. “It’s been four years, but we’re finally ready. There’s nothing that can keep us apart.”
Clarissa was watching Kelsey and listening to her words. Kelsey or Katie seldom blocked Clarissa from observing or listening to them in their quarters. The AI knew, if this mission were to fail, it would have a devastating impact on the last two members of the Special Five, one that neither would ever recover from.
-
Two hours later, Rear Admiral Kathryn Barnes stepped into the Command Center of the Distant Horizon. Sitting down in her command chair, she adjusted her minicomm to broadcast ship-wide.
“Crew of the exploration dreadnought Distant Horizon, today we set out on a mission, which has been in the making for the last four years. In the great battle at the galactic center, a number of our fellow officers and crews were lost in the giant white vortex formed by the destruction of the Hypertranslation Station. The destruction of the station marked the beginning of our greatest victory as well as a tremendous loss to the Federation and its allies. Hundreds of ships went into the vortex, never to be heard from again.” Kathryn paused, looking around at her command crew. Everyone’s gaze was focused on her, as they listened to her every word.
“For four years, Lieutenants Kelsey Strong and Katie Walters have worked with the Altons to develop this ship in the hope of rescuing our lost people. Research scientists from Ceres and other Federation worlds were heavily involved in developing the ship we find ourselves on today. Our last remaining AI, Clarissa, was instrumentally involved with the design and worked with the Altons to create the most powerful and modern warship ever seen in our galaxy. We have some of the Federation’s brightest and best people on this ship, not to mention a number of gifted Altons, all who have volunteered to accompany us on this rescue mission. I firmly believe we will be successful in finding our lost people and bringing them home. Let it be recorded that, at this hour and this minute, the exploration dreadnought Distant Horizon set out on its mission to find and return to the Federation those who were lost.”
Kathryn turned toward Commander Grissim, who was standing nearby. “Move us out of the gravity well of the Moon and set a course for Careth. Afterward we’ll go to Maken in the Tellus System.”
Commander Grissim nodded. Anne knew the Distant Horizon was capable of jumping safely from within the gravity well of the Moon, but such jumps were frowned upon in the solar system. She was also a bit surprised by the announcement that they would be stopping at Careth and Maken, but she was sure the admiral had her reasons.
-
Admiral Race Tolsen stepped into the office of Fleet Admiral Nagumo at New Tellus Station, the largest of the six shipyards in orbit around the planet. New Tellus was twenty-seven light years from Earth coreward and served as the New Human Federation of Worlds’ primary fleet base and operations center. Massive asteroid fortresses guarded the planet as well as numerous battlestations and Alton particle beam satellites. If there was an impenetrable bastion in Human space, then New Tellus came very close to qualifying.
“Welcome, Admiral Tolsen,” the fleet admiral said in greeting, gesturing for Race to take a seat in front of his desk. “How was your trip?”
“About as expected,” Race replied. “We encountered a Borzon fleet deep inside the former Hocklyn Empire and made it quite clear they were not welcome. We then proceeded to Careth for some minor repairs.”
“I read your action report,” Nagumo said, nodding his head in satisfaction. “The Borzon will be a problem. I’m assigning four fleets to patrol the border to discourage them from encroaching farther into former Hocklyn space.”
“Do you think four is enough?” asked Race, doubtful. He knew the Borzon had thousands of ships available, if they were needed. The Borzon ships were also more powerful than the Hocklyn ships due to their sublight missiles.
“For now,” Nagumo answered. “The Altons have agreed to furnish a few of their battleships to help strengthen the fleets and further discourage the Borzon.”
Race nodded his head, pleased to hear that. The 1,500-meter-long Alton battleships were powerful enough to discourage any potential invader. The Altons had been keeping most of their large battle fleet close to home, as they were hesitant to get involved in more fighting once the Hocklyns and the AIs had been defeated. The Altons did have numerous exploration ships, under escort of Alton battlecruisers, out on missions to a number of the former Hocklyn slave worlds, working to help bring the more advanced ones into the Alliance.
“What about the Third Fleet?” Race asked. He suspected there was another reason he had been called into the fleet admiral’s office.
Fleet Admiral Nagumo leaned back in his chair and gazed at Race with a concerned look upon his face. “As you know, there were four proxy races the AIs were using to extend their power across the galaxy. The Hocklyns, the Borzon, the Shari, and the Ralift.”
Race nodded his head. He wondered where the fleet admiral was going with this. He had a sneaking suspicion he wasn’t going to like what the admiral would say next.
“We’ve already had encounters with the Borzon, and the Ralift are on the far side of the galaxy. At the moment they’re not of any concern. However, the Shari are another matter. We’ve had several Alton exploration ships report sightings of heavily armed warships on the far side of the former Hocklyn Slave Empire near the Shari border.”
Race felt his stomach turn cold. “You think the Shari are moving in to establish control of Hocklyn sections close to theirs?”
“It’s a possibility,” Nagumo said, his gaze on Race. “We want you to take the Third Fleet and make a show of visiting a number of former Hocklyn slave worlds next to the Shari Empire.”
“What if we encounter Shari warships?” Race asked, not sure if he wanted to start a shooting war with another empire. The Borzon were already a problem.
“Make it plain they’re not wanted in former Hocklyn space,” Nagumo said, his eyes narrowing sharply. “We’ve arranged with the Altons to add four of their battleships and two exploration ships to your fleet to dissuade the Shari. In addition, the Third Fleet will be greatly augmented to ensure it can handle anything coming against you.”
“How soon do we leave?” Race asked. From the sound of it, this mission could be rather extensive and would last for quite some time.
“Four weeks,” Fleet Admiral Nagumo answered. “That will give us time to bring all your ships into the shipyards for a quick once-over and a complete resupply. You may allow your crews two weeks’ leave time to see their families or enjoy the resorts on New Tellus.”
Race nodded, accepting his new orders. “We’ll get it done, sir,” he said, as he stood up to leave. “We’ll make sure the Shari realize the wisdom of staying within their own empire.”
“I hope so,” Nagumo said, rising to his feet. “We don’t need another galactic war, if it can be prevented.”
After Race left, Fleet Admiral Nagumo looked thoughtfully at the large viewscreen on the far wall of his office. It was currently focused on the Command Asteroid Fortress, a twenty-two-kilometer mass of rock and fortifications. He just hoped that never again would the defenses of New Tellus be tested. However, three other Slaver Empires were out there which, at some point in the future, would have to be dealt with. At the moment, the Federation just wanted to buy the time needed to bring into the Alliance as many of the former Hocklyn slave worlds as possible.
-
After several weeks of travel, the Distant Horizon dropped out of hyperspace into the Allied system of Careth, home to the Bears, comprising ten planets and several small asteroid fields. Two of those ten planets were in the liquid water zone. Careth was the fourth planet out from the system’s primary and resembled Earth in many ways.
Kathryn looked thoughtfully at the main screen, marveling at all the Bears had accomplished in the last four years. Two massive shipyards of a scale only seen in the Federation were in orbit. Around the planet, twenty-four Indomitable Class battlestations orbited, ensuring no ship or missile could endanger the planet’s surface. Just outside the planet’s atmosphere, some 1,200 Alton particle beam satellites were in orbit, making the Bears’ home planet one of the most heavily defended planets in the Alliance. Kathryn had spent several months on Careth, while the Ceres was repaired after the battle at the galactic center, and had come to greatly like and respect the Bears.
“Receiving standard identity challenge,” reported Captain Austin Travers from Communications. “Sending response.” Austin’s cousin Denise was serving as communications officer on Admiral Tolsen’s flagship. He had spoken briefly with her before leaving on this mission.
“They have a lot of warships in orbit,” commented Commander Grissim, as she gazed at one of the tactical displays.
“After the Hocklyn and AI attacks, the Carethians wanted to ensure their planet was never put in danger again,” spoke Clarissa from Kathryn’s side. The blond-haired AI was very fond of the Bears.
“I’m picking up four fleets of battlecruisers,” added Captain Reynolds. “Counting thirty ships in each one with a battleship as flagship. Also a few Federation and Alliance ships are in the system as well.”
Kathryn nodded. Careth was a stopping point for ships going to and from the Old Human Federation of Worlds. It wasn’t uncommon to see numerous Alliance and Federation ships in this system.
