Star Rover-Chosen to Die (Lens of Time) (2 page)

“How would I control changing direction?”

“Well, you would have to find an object in the direction you wanted to go and change the settings to a pull. You would also have to reduce speed before you did that and make sure you don’t have your mass set at zero when you changed the settings.”

“Why?”

“Let’s say you choose to move toward a moon or a starship. If your mass is zero, you would move toward it at an incredible velocity. I don’t think you’d want to hit anything at the speed you could achieve using the belt’s highest setting.”

“So what do you want me to do now?”

“I want you to move up and down in this room and get a feel for the device.”

Leon looked up at the high ceiling, “Aren’t you afraid I might punch through?”

“No, I’ve limited the settings. If you use the push function, you will move away from the floor but stop before you reach the ceiling.”

Leon looked confused and then understood, “The ceiling would also push me away as I moved closer to it than the floor.”

Belwen smiled, “Exactly right. That’s why I want you to get a feel for it in a closed space. You can actually use it to move a chosen height by adjusting the push.”

Leon looked at Belwen, “Go over the controls with me.”

Belwen smiled and saw this Madator was smart. In less than an hour, Leon was able to use the belt to move around the room at any height he chose. He appeared to really enjoy the experience. “I don’t see how this is an improvement over flying.”

“What if you want to stay in one place and not move?” Leon stared at Belwen and after a moment shrugged. “And what if you need to get off the ground instantly to avoid being fired on by a blaster?”

“You’ve made your point. However, the biggest benefit is being able to get off a hostile planet if escape is called for.”

“That is the device’s main function. Everything else is just an added benefit.”

“When do we try that?”

“After you master using it to move around the main construction hangar.”

Leon smiled, “This belt was developed for a reason; are we going to need it?”

“I hate to say it, but we think you are.”

Leon smiled, “Now that is good news.”

“That depends on your point of view.”

Leon smiled and lifted off the floor again.

• • •

Kelli arrived above the beautiful planet and saw the surface dotted with large structures. It had been a long time since she had traveled to the colonies in a galaxy more than a billion light years from the Union. The Union’s ship builders were amazing and their engineering skills had allowed the Union to survive the forces arrayed against it in the past. She shook her head knowing that there were more than two hundred thousand planets just like this one that built the Union’s weapons. Kelli took a shuttle down to the planet and was taken inside one of the biggest buildings she had ever seen. She saw one of Belwen’s engineers waiting for her.

Cranzen looked at Kelli, “Welcome to our little facility.”

Kelli looked at the giant building that disappeared in the distance and smiled, “I would hate to see one of your larger buildings.”

“You’ll see it later on today.”

Kelli stared at Cranzen, “Are you serious?”

“Oh yes. This is the one we use to assemble the command circuits for the ships to be used by your Flag Officers.”

Kelli looked at two rows of giant white ships facing each other. “So this is what the new Jukebox Class of battleships looks like?”

“Yes, what do you think?”

“They’re larger.”

“Yes, and much faster.”

“How is the training going?”

“The crews are getting up to speed quickly. The controls are not that different from the current model they’re used to flying. Changing out the crews was recently completed.”

“We had to move them when one of the enemy probes wasn’t around. We replaced the experienced crews with new graduates from the academies and brought them here in commercial vessels.”

“I’m surprised you were able to get away. I thought they were following all our Flag Officers?”

“They’re not following me; I don’t think they determined my rank. Admiral Hull is of the opinion that they look at me as simply Matt’s wife and not a member of the military.”

“Is that why you’re wearing civilian clothes?” Kelli nodded. “It must be difficult not saying anything to the others.”

“Matt and Shane know some of the details. We’ll soon be telling everyone else when we send these ships to the Union. We’re hoping it will delay any plans the senders of the probes are making. Did you receive the new encryption frequencies?”

“Yes, all the new ships have them activated. For the moment, they are maintaining communication silence.”

“What about the sensors?”

“These new ships use the same system our advanced probes use. They have a much longer range than the probes because of the power difference. They also can scan much further than the Jukeboxes they’re replacing.”

“Well, why don’t you show me how this new ship functions?”

“We have the tutorial ready for you to have sent to your cortex.”

“Which of these ships is going to be mine?”

Cranzen smiled, “Pick one.”

Kelli looked around and pointed to the one directly in front of her, “This one appears to be smiling and calling my name.”

Cranzen smiled, “An excellent choice; I’m sure it will serve you well. When will the crews for the command ships arrive?”

“They’ll all be brought here together in four days.”

“We’ll be waiting for their arrival. The new transfer of information directly to the minds of the crews will expedite their learning of the new systems. They should be ready to immediately take their ships out and join their fleets.”

“What’s the biggest difference between these new ships and the current model?”

“The force fields are several orders of magnitude stronger than the multiple force fields currently used. This ship has three of them. The fields will stand up to multiple heavy penetrator hits.”

Kelli stared at Cranzen and shook her head in disbelief, “Are you sure about that?”

“We’ve tested them; six penetrators didn’t penetrate them.”

“How were you able to strengthen them so much?”

“You know about the holes in the dark energy force fields?” Kelli nodded. “We developed a way to close them. Dark energy is a repulsive force and any beam or missile fired at the fields will be pushed away. The new reactors that power all the new systems are also on a new level of energy. We’re hoping they’ll be strong enough to withstand whatever those beings in that distant galaxy can throw at them.”

“You’re assuming they have that kind of power.”

“They defeated the Servants in less than ten days.”

Kelli nodded slowly, “We can only pray they are.”

“There’s one thing you should know.”

“Oh; what is that?”

“We’ve also developed a new penetrator that has the new field installed; the new ship’s force fields will not stop it.”

“What about the blasters?”

“They’re different from the previous ones we’ve used. The beam they fire can be condensed to a six inch width.”

“What benefit is that?”

“It holds its power over a much longer range. The targeting computers can blow a hole through a large asteroid at eighty miles. The beams can also be widened to more than ten miles wide to fire at a planet’s surface. They’re much more flexible than those they replace.” Kelli really didn’t see it until Cranzen said, “The computers can fire the beam through the ranks of our ships at targets beyond them without hitting or damaging our ships. They’ll be a welcome tool in major fleet actions.”

Kelli smiled, “Lead me to the tutorial; I’m anxious to see what you have here.”

Cranzen smiled, “The new Jukeboxes can also fly rings around the old model. Come with me aboard your new ship. We’ll start the learning process as soon as you bond with the ship’s computer.”

Kelli followed Cranzen and said, “Is it possible to merge my current computer with the new one?”

“As soon as you bring your old ship, the links will make the transfer.”

Kelli smiled and entered her new warship.

D
at walked in the front door and yelled, “I’m home!”

Gresha came out of the kitchen and rushed into his arms, “I’ve missed you; where have you been?”

“I wanted to go to Fleet Control and catch up on the status of our fleets but the Jukeboxes were all ordered to the Maintenance Facilities to replace their environmental air handlers. I thought after I finished there I would go and visit the kids; however, Fleet was overloaded with scheduling the change outs and I was told the kids were not available at the moment.”

Gresha leaned back and said, “Unavailable?”

“Yes; they said they were on a training assignment and wouldn’t be back for a week or so.”

“What kind of training assignment?”

Dat paused, “I really don’t know and they were too overloaded for me to really push them to find out. I could see on my display that they were running around like crazy. One of them would have had to stop what they were doing to go into the system to find out. I’ll just visit them in a week. Besides, fleet told me they needed my ship for software updates and they would need to keep it for five days. I had Stein drop me off here and leave for the update. It’ll be good to be home for a few days.” Dat paused a moment and shook his head, “I really miss our children, Gresha. I’m always having to be formal around them and it would be good to just be able to give them all a hug.”

Gresha nodded and reached up to kiss Dat before going to the Kitchen, “Supper is ready.” Dat followed her and she said, “Something doesn’t sound right.”

Dat sat down at the table and lowered his eyebrows, “What do you mean?”

“Aren’t you the Senior Admiral over all our military forces?”

“I am.”

“And they just happened to know our children were on a training assignment without having to go to a system to see where they were?”

Dat thought about it and said, “That does seem rather odd.”

“Something else bothers me, Dat.”

“What is that?”

“How many trips have you made to the fleets in recent years?”

Dat had a fork full of food inches from his mouth and he stopped it. He slowly put it in his mouth and thought about it. “Not many.”

“How many?”

“I can’t remember the last time I visited the fleets. It seems every time I would plan a visit, Katherine would have another place that I needed to go. Most of the places were recruiting campaigns for the military on various Union Planets.” Dat took another bite of food and chewed it slowly. “She’s been keeping me away from the fleets.”

“Why would she do that?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

“You need to find out.”

Dat sat and thought about what Gresha had said. He looked at her, “You’ve noticed this before today.”

Gresha brought her plate to the table and sat down. She sighed, “I’ve noticed you’ve not been involved in fleet activities for years but I was thankful you were here with me and the children. I chalked it up to Katherine allowing you to be with your children as they grew up. Now that they’ve graduated from the Academy, I don’t see why she would prevent you from visiting the fleets.”

“You think she stopped me today.”

“I really hope I’m wrong, but something inside me says she did.”

“Maybe I should contact her and ask her about it.”

“I would think you would talk to her in person to discuss this.”

“Why?”

“You can read Katherine like a book; you’d know if she was being deceptive.”

Dat thought about it for a moment and smiled, “You’re right, of course; you always are.”

Gresha waved a hand, “I’ll go with you. I need to get out.”

Dat took another bite of food and smiled, “You are still the greatest cook I’ve ever known. We’ll take Stein when he gets back and make a surprise visit.”

Gresha took a bite of food and smiled, “I think I have some things to keep you entertained until he arrives.”

Dat looked at the twinkle in Gresha’s eyes and smiled. Gresha’s hair was just as blonde as the day he first saw her. They were now in their forties and she didn’t look a day older than twenty one. Truth be told, he hadn’t changed much either. He wondered if Blacky and Ringie had done something to them. He made a mental note to ask them.

“Do you know if the children have been assigned their ships?”

“No, I hope they don’t encounter problems at being promoted to command a warship at such a young age.”

“They graduated at the top of their class. They take after their father; I’m sure they’ll do fine. How can they give ships to those with lower scores and not give them one?”

Dat smiled, “Angel looks just like you.”

“Arve looks like you.”

Dat smiled, “Your father loves Grest the most.”

“How could he not; he’s named after him and looks a lot like him. He’s also as big as his grandfather.” Gresha smiled, “He also has the genetics of a Havenite.”

Dat sighed, “He is one powerful young man. I think he could take me in a fight.”

“I certainly wouldn’t encourage you to find out.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’d just look stupid.”

Gresha smiled and knew their children were special. It wouldn’t take the crews of their ships long to see it as well.

• • •

Captain Angelica Arvolo looked at her Executive Officer and said, “Have all departments reported ready?”

Captain Stone looked at his panel, “Yes Sir.”

Angelica looked at the Helmsman, “Take the ship up at nominal speed.”

The huge white ship lifted off the landing pad and rose slowly into the sky. Angelica watched the planet grow smaller on her display and punched the speaker control, “Attention all hands. We will be taking the ship out for initial flight trials. We have three days to familiarize us with how this ship functions. I have arranged for us to be attacked by other ships over the next three days and you may be ordered to battle stations at any moment. I will also be accelerating to full speed at random and I expect all of you to go to general quarters as soon as you sense the ship accelerate. Your departments will be evaluated on how long it takes you to report in combat ready. I want to see which team among you is the best at being prepared for combat in the least amount of time.”