Nowhere to Hide (24 page)

“We will still be able to contribute a large number to defend other planets.”

“Get with our computer and work it out.”

The display went dark and Chip stared at the recordings of asteroids that had been hit. His ships were going to have to stay back twenty miles to be able to go over or around the missile’s neutron blast. They weren’t going to be able to go through the neutron blast without being shoved off course. It was also learned that the blast would burn the three missiles before they could hit the target. He thought about it and decided to contact Drey about how to do a realistic trial. Drey gave him one that was beyond realistic; it was real. He had forgotten one of his oldest strategies, be careful what you ask for. He called in his four Rear Admirals to let them know what was coming.

***

The High Council was in disarray. The Senior Grandfather finally sounded the tone for silence and the room slowly quieted. He turned to the Grandfather of the Senior Father who had adopted the survivors and stared at him for a long moment. Finally, he said, “So you think we should abandon our attempt at gathering that galaxy?”

“There are billions of galaxies that don’t pose anything approaching the danger of that galaxy. Why should we continue to suffer losses by continuing to invade?”

“Do you think they will ignore our previous efforts?”

“I would think they would also not want to suffer losses.”

“And if they decide to come after us for our attacks, what do you think will happen?”

“Then we take them on away from their lines of support.”

“I am not willing to give them time to build their forces to a level that would endanger our families.” The Leader looked at the other Grandfathers, “You know what happened last time we turned away.” No one spoke in the silence as the Senior Grandfather said, “This will be much worse than what happened the first time. We have to end this threat now.”

The second in seniority on the Council leaned forward, “Just how do we accomplish that task?”

“We send in four Families to destroy them.”

Another Grandfather shouted, “And what four families are you going to send!”

The Senior stared at the gathering and pointed to the Grandfather who had adopted the survivors of the last invasion and was also objecting to the invasion, “He will go and the three others that are closest to completion of their gatherings.”

“My family is nowhere close to completing our gathering.”

“Even so, your family started this and you will take part in ending it.”

The Grandfather knew it was coming. The Senior was going to make him pay for saving the survivors from his wrath. It didn’t matter that the former Grandfather was dead after his suicide. He waited as the Council voted and the Senior Grandfather cast the deciding vote. He looked at the other three Grandfathers assigned to the invasion and decided there was no avoiding it, “We have already planned our organization for an invasion. I’ll send each of you a copy of our plan and, when you’ve organized your fleets, we’ll join you. We are going to continue our gathering until the last minute; we need the stores.”

The Senior looked at the three Grandfathers and they grudgingly nodded. “You will start getting your fleets ready in two months. That will give you time to go over the plans and get your forces prepared. Notify the Council when you’re ready.” The Senior looked around at the Grandfathers, “Are there any questions?” No one spoke, “This meeting is concluded.” He turned and left the chamber.

***

“Son, we have been ordered to participate in the coming invasion.”

“Were you able to delay our organization?”

“I was. What good do you think it will do?”

“I’m not sure; but the Senior Father we adopted seems to think the creatures in that galaxy will do something prior to our attack. I’m leaning toward caution and, if nothing happens, we’ll join the other fleets and invade.”

“And if it does?”

“We’ll jump that distance when the time comes.”

“Son, I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“He made a good point, Grandfather. How did those creatures kill ten million ships that were gathered outside their galaxy? It hasn’t happened again, but that doesn’t mean it won’t.”

“Do you expect the other three Families will be attacked?”

“I don’t expect anything; but the Father thinks that galaxy won’t just sit by and do nothing. Attacking us if we’re scattered inside a galaxy will not be as easy as hitting the other three out in open space.”

“Are you going to warn them?”

“Of what? I’ll just sound crazy if I tell them not to organize. The Council already thinks we’re paranoid about that galaxy. I’m tired of having the Senior overrule us on every issue. I think it’s clear he has made it a goal to have us eliminated. If nothing happens, then no harm is done.”

“And if it does?”

“You keep asking me that question; we’ll have to wait and see.”

“I’ll be joining you.”

“You are welcome to come to my ship, Grandfather.”

“I’ll see you in two months.”

***

The micro-probe that had followed the first fleet intercepted the transmission and sent it to the Obelisk. Moe sent the translated message to the Alliance’s Admirals.

***

“Admiral Robinson, you have two months to get your four Strike Fleets prepared.”

Chip read the translation and looked at Drey on his display, “They know we’re coming.”

“That first fleet knows but they’re not telling the others. We will continue our plans as they stand.”

“Are we going to go after that fleet that sent this message?”

“That would be next to impossible; their ships are scattered in the galaxy they’re currently invading and we don’t have the necessary numbers to go after them.”

“Should we wait until they move out and join the other fleets?”

“No, Moe is of the opinion that, as those other fleets complete their organization, they’ll send the ships away from the main group. When I pressed him for the likelihood of that happening, he said there was a fifty percent chance either way. I’m not going to risk missing an opportunity that may not present itself again.”

Chip nodded, “I understand. We’ll be ready in time, Sir.”

“See that you are. We’re at the end of the beginning. Now the end game starts.”

K
regen Looked at Ryan, Annie, and Marissa, “The Thetas have found a way into the Invader formations.” The three looked at each other and Annie said, “How are they doing it, Sir?”

“They’re following a neutron missile and hitting the ship it hits with a Boson Combo.”

“That sounds dangerous.”

“It is Ryan; however, I’ve asked the Grey and Green Civilizations to send us some of their missile launching battleships to support our attacks.”

Marissa shook her head, “Sir, the Thetas have stronger force fields than our attack ships. I don’t think we could survive the missile blast.”

“You’re right; we wouldn’t. What the Thetas are going to do is follow the missile in and go around the blast and hit the targeted ship away from the point of impact. They have to follow it in with at least twenty miles between them and the missile; we can get closer and the missile’s warhead will block any beams fired at out ships.”

Ryan stared at Kregen, “We’re more maneuverable.”

“That’s the key to making this work. We can move around the missile faster than the Thetas are capable and hit the target ship just as the missile hits.”

Marissa tilted her head, “Sir, our missiles will take time to get up to speed. Will they have enough time to do that after the neutron warhead hits?”

“It really doesn’t matter; whichever hits the Invader ship first will weaken its force field to the point where the second hit will penetrate to the ship. If they hit at the same time, our scientists say the impacts will either completely collapse the force field or the shock of the two hits will cause more than four hundred gravities of impact. A body cannot withstand that level of G’s, even if they’re strapped in. I’m leaning toward massive force field failure.”

“Sir, how are we going to train to do this?”

“Admiral Fox, the ships from our allies will be arriving within the next two hours. You will assign four attack ships to each of their vessels. Those ships will fire a spread of four missiles and your pilots will chase those missiles until the missiles run out of fuel. I expect them to maintain a four mile separation between themselves and the missiles they’re pursuing. Once the FTL field around the missile fails, the missile will come to a complete stop and the ship that fired them will retrieve them, refuel them, and fire them again.”

Annie shook her head, “Sir, I don’t know about this.”

“Would you prefer to go in without the shield of the neutron warhead? We lost the majority of our pilots attempting to get close to the Invader’s battleships.”

“And if the missile is burned by an Invader beam?”

“In combat, the missile’s warhead will have an inertia of two thousand miles a second before the FTL field activates. The neutron warhead will continue into the ranks of the Invaders at that speed until it hits something. Our ships will continue to follow the warhead until it does.”

“What if it goes through their formations?”

“Then our ships will have the opportunity to fire three missile barrages from their side launchers at ships they pass until they emerge.”

“What happens when the missile hits and our pilots’ fire on the target ship?”

“They will activate their FTL fields and get back to their missile ship to start the process again. They’ll be dead if they try to stay inside the ranks of the Invaders and take on their beam barrages.”

The three Admirals looked at each other and Annie smiled, “Well, things should get interesting.”

Ryan looked at his watch and winked at Annie, “I would say in about two hours.”

Annie smiled. She would send the instructions to her commodores and would have about thirty minutes alone with Ryan. She saw he understood it as well.

Marissa had already started sending instructions to her staff. Ryan and Annie quickly made up for the delay.

***

“Max, you’re crazy!”

“No I’m not; we can do this.”

Claire shook her head, “Alright, explain this to me again.”

“You know every beam on the ship targeted by the missile will be firing at it as it approaches.”

“I guess that’s what I’d do.”

“They will have to acquire it quickly and all the beams on the side of the ship the warhead is going to hit will be hitting it with a cross fire.”

“I understand.”

“Do you really?”

“Just go on.”

“Instead of going over or below the warhead, we’ll follow it in turned sideways to the flight of the missile. Just before it hits, we’ll deactivate the FTL field and that will cause our ship to shoot out from behind it at two miles a second. We’ll fire three missiles at an area outside the missiles strike and FTL away.”

“We’ll be inside the beams hitting the warhead.”

“No we won’t, Claire. As the missile, or warhead, gets closer, the angle of the beams to the side of it are steepened. Our force fields can handle an Invader beam for at least ten seconds. Our computer will launch as soon as it detects we are not being hit. It should be over in less than a second. They’ll be so focused on stopping the missile; I don’t think we’ll be hit at all.”

Claire thought a moment and shook her head, “What do we gain from doing it this way?”

“Instead of being fifteen miles behind the missile, where beams could hit us from the sides, we’ll be less than a mile from it when we move to the side.”

Claire sighed, “I guess you’re going to try this no matter what I say.”

“If it works, we’ll save a lot of lives.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

Max shrugged.

“How are you going to time the run?”

“I won’t; our computers will handle that task. It will be our task to aim our run from the missiles at an area of the Invader ship’s hull that is clear for a three missile package.”

Claire started bouncing up and down in her command chair, “We need to go do this before I lose my nerve.”

“Follow me, baby.”

***

The Senior Father looked down from orbit on the planet being invaded and thought about what the inhabitants were experiencing. The image of millions of the invading Family’s ships exploding wouldn’t leave his mind and he realized the crews flying those ships knew they would not escape before their death. It was similar to the beings on the planet below. He had never thought about the feelings of those being taken before and it caused a new feeling he had never experienced…empathy. There was no escape for them.

“What’s bothering you, Father?”

He looked at his daughter manning the sensor panels and took in a big breath, “I don’t know. I guess I feel bad about what we’re doing to the inhabitants of this planet.” His daughter stared at him in amazement. He blew out the breath and looked out of the view port, “I’ve never thought about this before.”

“I have.”

Two of his eyestalks turned quickly toward his daughter, “And?”

“We’re too lazy to collect our food without killing intelligent species. The recent destruction of the Family that invaded that galaxy has made me reflect on what we’ve become.” He turned around and gave his Daughter his full attention. She lowered her head, “The leader of the Council was right. Those civilizations in that giant galaxy will not rest until our species is removed as a threat to them. If I were in their place, I would do the same thing.”

“What other way is there to feed ourselves?”

“Oh Father, you’re not that stupid. You know the answer to that question.”

He smiled at his Daughter; she was so brilliant and she didn’t tell him what she thought he wanted to hear; she told him the truth. That, more than anything else, made her invaluable to him. “Answer the question, Daughter.”

She shook side-to-side and blew out a breath, “We evolved in sea water. We could feed ourselves just by sending our crews down to the surface of a planet and going out in the water to absorb nutrients. We could absorb plants to survive if forced to do it. Protein tastes better, so we appease our appetite with things that taste good. Since civilizations have the highest concentration of protein, we attack and consume them. We could get our protein from animals if we chose; we’re just too lazy to do the work.”