Ashes of the Realm - Death of an Empire (Ashes of the Realm (Book Three)) (18 page)

“The Algeans and the Zord could do a much faster analysis than I can.”

“Even so; I want you to examine it and let me know when you’re ready to discuss it.”

“Send me the data.”

Trey put a clear square into the reader and pressed send. Alex started receiving the information and said, “Is the size that big?”

“Yes it is.”

“I’ll get back to you.”

“Thanks, Alex.”

Kreej looked at Trey, “Did you send the Algeans on their little trip to la-la land so they wouldn’t hear what you just did?”

Trey smiled, “You know they can’t be reached when they’re this deep into computations.”

“I know it. Did you?”

Trey shrugged and smiled.

* * *

Cassie sat in class in the Robbins Fleet Academy and listened to an Engineer describe the circuits of a beam projector. She was listening to Trey have his conversation with the group at the Defense Facility and found it amusing that he had excluded the Algeans from his little building project. She smiled and enjoyed Trey’s back and forth with Kreej.

“Perhaps you would like to comment on this particular circuit, Cadet Blake!”

Cassie brought her attention back to the class and saw the visiting engineer pointing to a power coupler on the circuit diagram. She glanced at her Professor and saw he was cringing. She took a deep breath and smiled at the smug Engineer, “Actually, that power coupler is being replaced in the next generation of ships that will be coming on line shortly. As you probably know, the main channel for the energy transfer can only handle the power of three reactors before they melt and the new level of power that’s going to be used is more than a hundred times that amount.” Cassie walked forward and took the pointer out of the engineer’s hand and used it to indicate where several electrical circuits passed very close to each other in the coupler. She looked at the Engineer and pointed at the confluence of circuits and said, “Do you know what amperage this board can handle before these four paths melt?”

The Engineer stared at her and didn’t know what to say. She smiled and said, “No, I guess you don’t. The power of a Zeta-A would fuse this circuit. That’s why they are being replaced. Why don’t you look it up?” Cassie turned to go back to her desk when she stopped and said, “You already knew that board was being replaced. Why are you here teaching us useless electronic circuits? Did you perhaps miss your last briefing on the updating of the Zetas?”

Cassie went and sat down. The Professor said, “That concludes this training. Please report to your next class. Cadet Blake, may I see you for a moment.”

The Class left and Cassie walked up to the Professor and Engineer, “Yes, Commodore Jekins.”

“I thought we had an agreement not to embarrass visitors.”

Cassie saw the Engineer was angry, “Did the Professor warn you that you shouldn’t even think about singling me out?”

“What if he did?”

Cassie turned to Commodore Jekins, “Some get what they deserve. Further, the Empire really doesn’t need engineers that refuse to pay attention to those with experience they can learn from.”

“Cassie, she didn’t know. She took it as a challenge.”

“Then shame on you for not telling her enough to protect herself.” She looked at the engineer who was starting to show some concern. She stared at her for a long moment and then said, “Here is the update on the new Zetas.” She gathered her thoughts and sent the entire package. The engineer stumbled and sat down quickly at a desk. She had a stunned expression and was having difficulty focusing her vision.

“She’ll be fine before the next class. This time she can teach them something they can use.”

Commodore Jekins watched Cassie walk out of class and wondered why she attended. She was so far ahead of everyone on the faculty that they all left her alone. She said from outside the door as she walked away, “I’m here to find a crew.”

Catherine MacDougal finally regained her senses and discovered that she now knew a Zeta-A from bow to stern and port to starboard. She looked up at the Professor and said, “Next time I’ll listen. She can’t have me removed from the service, can she?”

“Yes.”

“Who is she?”

Professor Jekins looked at the door Cassie had taken and said, “I really wish I knew.”

* * *

“Now that was interesting.”

“Don’t tell me you were watching?”

“Of course. Do you want that engineer reassigned to a public job?”

“You didn’t take a good look at her did you?”

“No, I was only seeing you; like I always do.”

“Really, Trey, you should expand your horizons. That engineer is going to be on the ship.”

“Are you serious?”

“Absolutely. She was warned and had the courage to find out for herself what she was being told to avoid. She has courage and the will to take a risk.”

“What do you want her to do?”

“Have the Emperor reassign her to the Defense Facility and have her go over the plans with Alex. She’s more bored with her current assignment than I am.”

“Consider it done.”

“One other thing, Trey, see if Emperor Valrico will send Junior to the Facility to assist her and Alex in drawing the plans.”

“I’ll have to tell him about the ship.”

“He’ll know anyway as soon as we ask for the facilities to build it. Junior is also being stifled here. He’s pretty much absorbed all he’s going to get out of this training and it’s time to start challenging him.”

“I can’t promise anything but I’ll do what I can.”

“That’s all a lady can ask for.”

“I love you, Cassie.”

Cassie smiled and went to her teleportation class. There were a couple of students that she was watching that may have what it takes to be on the ship. She smiled again and walked into class.

* * *

Jingo watched his display and saw that he had lost more than a hundred flyers to the ships that were attacking a civilized planet. The invading ships had weapons that were the most advanced he had ever seen outside the Black Ships. The Flyers ability to teleport to different attack locations is all that prevented him from losing his entire command. More than a thousand ships had been destroyed but he still had more than seven hundred advancing on the planet, “Jessica, can you call in a few friends and help us with these ships?”

“Greyson will be here in a moment and Grace is coming with him.”

“Will Trey be with them?”

“No, he’s with Alex working on a project.”

“Do you think you can handle these ships?”

“I believe so, Jingo. Why don’t you assign a Flyer to each ship and when we hit their force fields have a flyer teleport in next to the ship and take it out. I think they can use the training.”

“That’s why I’ve not called you in yet. We’ve lost a lot of Flyers but those that made it through this attack will be considerably stronger now.” Jingo issued the commands through the Division’s Com Links, “Alright, Jessica, they’re ready.”

“Commencing attack in 3, 2, 1…”

* * *

The seven hundred ships moved inexorably toward the planet and would soon be in range of their orbital beams. The fleet has lost two thirds of their initial attack force but the Heramu never retreated. This planet was going to die. The Fleet Commander looked at his display and saw a ship’s force field blown away. The ship then exploded from something. The beam had not hit the ship but it blew up as if it did. Then he saw ship after ship in the front ranks exploding. His weapons officer yelled, “Our screen just died.” He had just enough time to realize that his time was up and life was ending. The initial blast tore through the bridge and he never felt the disintegration of his body.

Jingo observed the destruction of the Heramu fleet and took a deep breath. Something had to be done with the Flyer’s armor. The beam just wasn’t strong enough to break through a ships force field. He knew the fleet was available to use at times like this but it would be nice if a Flyer had the power it needed to handle it alone. Perhaps the group at the Defense Facility would come up with an answer.

“We have another Heramu Fleet at another planet. Their forces are currently landing troops. The defending fleet has been destroyed.”

Jingo sighed, “Send me the coordinates.” The Heramu were bent on killing any civilized planet near their borders and their borders were constantly expanding. I wonder why there are so many aggressive species in this universe. Well, time to go. “Jessica, will you go with us?”

“There are more than three thousand ships in this fleet. We’ll handle the fleet; you take out the troops on the ground.”

“I wonder why they’re landing troops. They usually just destroy the planet from space.”

“That’s the odd thing, Jingo. Their beams and missiles don’t make it into the atmosphere. Something on the planet is stopping them.”

“Then how did their drops ships get through?”

“You’re going to have to answer that when you get there.”

Jingo thought about it and sent a message, “Grang, what’s your status?”

“We just finished stopping a Heramu attack ten hours ago.”

“I’m going to have to stop an invasion of a planet where they have launched troops. Are you able to assist me?”

“I’ve never seen them land troops.”

“That’s why I want you here. Something is going on.”

“My Flyers can use the training on stopping ground attacks. Send me the location.”

“You’ve got it; link in to my net when you arrive.”

“On my way; Scotty would be proud.”

“Of that, I am sure, my Brother.”

* * *

Jingo and Cezee teleported in over a small city just as the drop ships arrived and began hitting them with Cezee’s main beam. Jingo hit ten troops that exited the small craft firing blasters at the surrounding buildings. All ten were hit in the head and dropped where they stood.

The troops on the ground looked up but couldn’t see what was killing them. They knew that to stay near their ships was certain death so they ran toward the buildings. Jingo keyed his command circuit, “If they get into the buildings we’ll have to go after them on foot. Stop as many as you can.”

Grang arrived with a Flock and sent them down to stop the mad rush by the drop troops to get into the city. Jingo and he watched as their Flyers picked them off by the hundreds with small two inch blaster beams. “Looks like the training is paying off.”

Jingo nodded, “How I wish I could get in the middle of the fighting.”

“Me, too. But Scotty listened to us when he desperately wanted to go and steal the Military Database and I feel like I would dishonor his memory to act differently.”

Jingo looked at Grang, “I feel the same way.” He turned back to watch the fight on the ground and smiled.

* * *

Alex looked at the new probe, “This one should function properly.”

Trey looked at the hull and nodded. Suddenly a probe flew in and entered the Facility’s mainframe. “What was that, Alex?”

“Jingo and Grang are reporting on the fight against the Heramu on a planet.”

“Did you say on a planet?”

“Yes, it seems nothing the Heramu fired at the planet made it into the atmosphere. Jingo reported blue flashes stopping everything.”

Trey jumped up and yelled, “Kreej, get over here! Give me the coordinates of that fight, Alex!!”

“Hey, settle down. They say they’re getting everything under control.”

“Alex sometimes I could take you apart bolt by bolt. Give me those coordinates now!”

Alex sent them to Trey’s armor, “Get us there Kreej.”

Weed and Seed looked at Carter, “What was that all about?”

“I honestly don’t know. However, whatever it is must be huge for Trey to respond like that.”

* * *

Kreej arrived at the planet and Trey looked for Jingo and Grang, “I’ve got them.”

Trey looked at his helmet display, “Thanks, Kreej. Take me there.”

Trey teleported in and Jingo was startled, “Trey, what are you doing here?”

“I want you to tell me what you saw when the Heramu fired on the planet.”

“I only saw the very end of their barrage but it appeared their weapons were being stopped by something that flashed blue every time a weapon hit the upper atmosphere.”

“Did you record it?”

“I’ll send it to you.”

Trey watched and followed a nuclear missile as it flew in toward the planet. It arrived at the edge of the atmosphere and disappeared. Trey slowed the recording down and he saw the missile fall apart and disintegrate. He replayed the recording and closed his eyes. He saw the blue field and traced it back to a building in a clearing on a high mountain. It was no longer functioning and whatever had sent it was no longer using it. Kreej watched the vision in Trey’s mind and found the mountain on the maps in his download from Alex. Trey and Kreej teleported away. Jingo looked at Grang, “What’s going on?”

“I…don’t know.” Grang keyed his mic, “Hemk, you’re in command.”

“Steven, you have the Flocks.”

“Yes Sir, switching control in 3, 2, 1…I have the circuit.”

Grang and Jingo teleported after Trey.

* * *

Kreej and Trey landed in a clearing next to what was obviously a temple. Trey dismounted and listened in his mind for anyone inside the building. He heard nothing. He closed his eyes and used his psychic ability to see the universe and his vision was blocked at the temple’s walls. “Cassie, are you getting this?”

“I am and no I don’t understand what’s happening.”

“You asked me a while back why I felt pressured to send the Flyers to this universe.”

“I remember.”

“I think this is the reason.”

“But you told me there was something dangerous in that universe?”

“Like I said, this is the reason.”

“Trey, I’m not sure you should go in that building.”

“Do you sense anything?”

“No, and that’s the reason why. My ability to pick the right path is not working. I am blind to what’s in there. I sense that I’ll be blocked if you step inside those walls.”

“You know I’ve got to go in.”

Cassie was in turmoil, “I know.”

“I love you.”

“Just make sure you come out.”

Trey started chuckling and dismounted, “Kreej, wait for me here.”