Chapter One

Beth was crouched behind some heavy brush staring at their target objective. She wondered what she must look like in the ten-foot tall Type Three battle suit all hunched over. It was dark, nearly black, with small blue lights at the joints, which indicated the suit was sealed tight. She was holding her RG rifle in her right hand.

“Report,” she ordered over her com unit as she glanced at her marines organized into a skirmish line to her left and right. They'd left four drop ships behind them with a small guard detail in case they needed to evacuate quickly if the situation went south. There were sixty marines with her and another twenty back at the ships.

“They’re not expecting us,” Lieutenant Jamie Stern replied as she moved over next to the captain and crouched down next to her. “Sergeant Russell and Dawson’s scouts have returned and the Kleese communication center has only a few conscripts in Type Two suits on guard duty. This should be a piece of cake.”

Beth nodded; it was as they'd hoped. They were nearly seven hundred light years from Earth and the Kleese would not be expecting an attack. Why would they? The Humans had stayed in their home system for the last two years, building up their military strength as well as providing new living spaces for the millions of survivors from the Kleese’s ruthless attack on the planet. Billions had died but millions had survived, and now it was time to begin to seek their revenge.

Looking at their target, Beth could see several large blastcrete and metal reinforced buildings at the base of a large tree covered hill. The largest building stood nearly ten stories high and contained the communications center as well as the Kleese living quarters. If Marken’s intelligence was correct, the structure extended several levels beneath the surface and that would be where the Kleese living quarters would be. The other building was a long two-story structure, which would contain more conscripts responsible for defending the installation as well as personnel for servicing any ships that made port.

Next to the buildings was a small spaceport with several of the 200-meter disk assault ships of the Kleese parked on the blastcrete, the same ones the Humans were now using and constructing on the large Kleese space station they'd stolen.

Beth took a deep breath and tried to calm the rapid beating of her heart. This would be her first actual combat since the fierce battle in the spacedock at Vesta several years back. Checking the HUD in her helmet, she saw sixty small green icons that indicated all the marines in the Type Three battle suits with her were unharmed. She just hoped they stayed that way.

“Sergeants Russell and Dawson,” she spoke calmly over her com. “Move out, standard assault line and use what cover there is to stay undetected.”

“You go first,” Russell spoke to Dawson over the com. “You make a bigger target and if there are any conscripts we missed they’re bound to see you.”

“Very funny,” Dawson replied as he stood up and motioned for his platoon to begin advancing. “If I see any enemy I’ll be sure to send them your way. You need the target practice.” He knew that he and Sergeant Russell would look the same in the large battle suits.

“Can the chatter,” ordered Beth, shaking her head slightly and trying not to laugh. Dawson and Russell were always ribbing each other. Dawson was from the Midwest and had a slight southern accent where as Russell was from Chicago. However, they were both extremely good marines.

“I had better get to my platoon,” Lieutenant Stern said. She was actually in charge of all four of the platoons on this mission, but her main job was to ensure nothing happened to Captain Williams. Major Nelson would never forgive her if that were to occur.

It was early morning with the sun just peaking over the distant horizon. Beth hoped the few conscripts they had spotted on guard duty would be ill prepared for the coming attack. For several long minutes, the sixty marines slowly crept forward, using the few scattered trees and tall bushes for cover. Beth knew that if anyone were paying attention it wouldn’t be hard to spot sixty ten-foot metal giants moving toward the installation.

They were nearly to their target and Beth had begun to believe they might actually take the installation by surprise when alarms began to sound. A loud wailing split the air and red lights began flashing on the two buildings.

“Damn!” Sergeant Russell oathed over the com system. “I think they saw you, Dawson.”

“At a run,” Lieutenant Stern ordered as she stood up from her crouched position and began jogging toward the buildings, her RG rifle held in her metal hands ready to fire.

All sixty marines were now charging the two buildings as a number of conscripts in Type Two battle suits made an appearance. Beth knew it would take several minutes for the conscripts in the building that served as a barracks to armor up and get outside. “Sergeant Dawson, I want two squads with energy weapons focused on the doors to the barracks building. If any conscripts come out in battle suits, I want them taken out. Remember, I want both of these buildings captured intact. No explosive rounds are to be used without explicit orders from me!”

“You heard the captain,” Lieutenant Stern spoke over the com. “Move it, people!”

-

In orbit, Major Nelson was anxiously watching the ship’s scanners, which showed sixty small green icons moving rapidly toward the Kleese communications installation.

“They’ve been detected,” Colonel Adamson reported from where he was standing next to the sensor console.

Wade nodded; he had been expecting this. He was currently aboard the Earth battlecruiser Constellation, one of the newer ships that had been built inside Vesta. The Constellation was 500 meters long and covered in stealth coating, which was supposed to make the ship invisible to Kleese scanning technology. So far, there'd been no indication the ship had been detected by the Kleese installation.

“Keep our railguns focused on those two assault ships,” Wade ordered. “If they make a move to intervene or take off, they’re to be destroyed.”

Colonel Adamson nodded. Major Nelson was in overall command of this mission, and Fleet Admiral Kirby had made it plain that Nelson’s orders were to be followed to the letter unless it endangered the ship. Only then could Adamson override Nelson’s commands.

Wade let out a deep breath. His eyes were focused intently on the sensor screen displaying the green icons of Beth’s marines. He wished he could be down there with her, but she was an accomplished officer and he had no doubts she could handle this operation. It was just hard to be in command and not in the middle of the action.

“Assault ships are targeted with our railguns,” Adamson reported as he finished talking to his tactical officer. “If they send out battle suits or attempt to take off, we'll destroy them.”

Wade nodded, now it was up to Beth to finish her part of the mission.

-

Beth threw herself to the ground as a series of powerful explosions went off around her. Instantly, two of the green icons on her HUD turned amber, indicating damage to the respective battle suits. The enemy were using the explosives in their RG rifles against the advancing marines. Each round had the explosive force of a grenade.

“Take those Type Twos out!” she bellowed as another explosive round went off just a few meters to her right, showering her with dirt.

There were six conscripts in Type Two suits firing explosive rounds at the advancing marines. Beth could imagine their alarm at seeing sixty Type Three suits charging toward them.

Marines leveled their RG rifles and began firing short bursts on the auto setting. The large rifles fired small projectiles at a high velocity, which were quite deadly to anything they hit. Two of the opposing Type Two suits went down while the other four sought cover around the corners of the main building. At the same moment, bright blue energy beams began flashing, striking the entrance to the barracks building as several more Type Two suits made an appearance and then hastily retreated back inside.

“Keep them pinned down,” Lieutenant Stern ordered as she tried to keep abreast of the situation. “Corporal Foster, take your squad and circle the main building; take out any battle suits you encounter.”

Nicole nodded and gestured for her squad to follow. It was essential for them to secure the buildings before the Kleese could call in any reinforcements. She also knew that by now the Constellation would be jamming all outbound signals.

-

Inside the building, seven of the Kleese had made it to the main communications center and were watching with growing concern a number of large wall viewscreens. The Kleese looked like giant arachnids but had a large hair covered upper body that rose up into the air with a triangular shaped head and strange looking, multifaceted eyes. Two nearly black arms extended from the upper chest, ending in what looked to be hands with seven long, thin digits. They had large bodies reaching nearly eight feet in width and six feet in height with six spider-like legs.

“Humans,” one spoke in a cold and derisive voice as it studied a data screen.

“They are attacking this installation,” spoke another as it stepped forward and adjusted several of the screens so they zoomed in on the attackers.

“Type Three battle suits,” said another calmly as it reached forward and pressed several buttons on a console. “I have activated the building’s security measures. Even with the weapons of the Type Three suits, the Humans will not be able to gain entry. They were foolish to attack this installation.”

“They must have a ship in orbit, but it is not showing up on our sensors,” spoke another of the Kleese as he adjusted one of the screens that monitored inbound spacecraft.

“We must inform the Council of Overlords of this development,” the first to speak commented. “A battle fleet must be sent to the Humans' home world to eliminate this threat. We cannot allow them to attack our installations, not after taking the space station.”

“Our communications are being jammed,” one of the other Kleese reported from where he was standing over several conscripts operating the numerous communications consoles. “The jamming must be coming from their ship. We cannot get a message out.”

“Launch the two assault ships and have them find this mysterious ship and destroy it,” ordered the Kleese in charge of the installation, pointing toward a screen that showed the two assault ships setting on the spaceport tarmac. “We will teach these Humans to interfere with the Kleese. We will give them their deaths!”

-

The fighting outside ended as the conscripts in Type Two suits that had been on guard duty were eliminated. There was no way of telling just how many were inside the barracks and port facility, but an occasional energy beam fired at the entrance was keeping them at bay. There was no doubt that whatever race was inside the suits had no desire to go up against the Human marines in the more versatile and dangerous Type Threes.

“We have the perimeter secured,” Lieutenant Stern reported as she jogged up to Captain Williams. The lithe young blonde made the suit look as if it was a natural extension of her body.

“Excellent,” Beth responded as she scanned the area with the sensors in her command suit. She could spot no other impending threats.

There were four marines whose suits were showing amber; they'd suffered minor injuries to their extremities. Three had RG rounds to their legs and the other had been shot in the arm. Thanks to the medical abilities of the suits, none of the four were suffering and all were still considered to be combat capable. The suits were designed to ensure that their occupants could keep fighting even if they were severely injured.

A noise from the spaceport drew her attention, and she watched with concern as the two Kleese assault ships rose up into the air and accelerated toward space.

“They must know we have a ship in orbit,” Lieutenant Stern spoke as she watched the ships quickly disappear from view. “They’re going after the Constellation.”

Moments later, two massive fireballs appeared high above them.

“The Constellation took them out,” responded Beth, knowing that Wade had to be suffering from being stuck on board the ship. He was a hands on type of commander and would much rather be down on the planet engaged in combat. “Let’s find the main entrance to the communications center. The sooner we can get inside, the quicker we can leave. We don’t want one of their big ships showing up.”

-

A few moments earlier, Wade had watched from the Command Center of the Constellation as a warning alarm sounded, indicating that the two assault ships at the spaceport had taken off.

“Ships are being targeted by our railguns,” Major Kelly, the executive officer, reported as he hovered over Tactical and gave instructions to the two officers seated in front of the instrument-laden consol.

The ship had four large railguns on the bow of the ship and each could be independently targeted. With Kleese and Kivean technology added to the dangerous weapons, they were now capable of firing a tungsten round at nearly ten percent the speed of light.

“Firing,” Lieutenant Carson Reyes said from Tactical as the ship vibrated slightly.

On the main viewscreen, the two Kleese assault ships could be seen rising rapidly from the planet. Suddenly four fiery plumes intersected the two ships, tearing through their light energy shields and impacting the hulls. Two massive fireballs engulfed each of the vessels, ripping through the ships and vaporizing the interior. Moments later, all that was left was a cloud of burning and glowing debris falling back toward the planet.

Wade watched in surprise. He had known about the changes made to the railguns, but this was the first time he had seen them in action. The two assault ships never stood a chance.

“I’m impressed,” Wade said, looking over at Colonel Adamson. “I wasn’t expecting that. I thought the rounds would go completely through the ships.”

“It’s the kinetic energy given off at impact,” Colonel Adamson explained. “There's so much heat generated it results in a massive fireball that tears through anything it strikes. One of the scientists back home told me the amount of energy the round imparts is in the kiloton range.”

“Sounds almost as effective as the particle beams,” commented Wade, referring to the two large particle beam cannons on the bow and the two smaller ones on the outer hull.

“Almost,” Adamson responded with a grin. “But the particle beam weapons are even more dangerous. I can’t wait to try out our new ones against one of the large Kleese ships.”

“Let’s hope that’s not necessary on this mission,” replied Wade, arching his eyebrow.

He still wondered what would happen when they came up against an actual Kleese warship. Those supposedly stayed in close to the Kleese home systems. Marken had explained to him and General Mitchell that the large Kleese disk ships they'd destroyed at the trading station and in the battle in the Solar System were not actually military vessels. They served more as a mother ship to the thirty or so assault vessels they carried, even though they were heavily armed.

-

“Sergeant Russell, take your platoon and surround the barracks and port facility,” Beth ordered as she watched the flaming wreckage from the two destroyed assault ships fall back toward the ground in the distance. “I don’t want anyone coming out of that building.”

“Yes, Captain,” replied Russell, as he motioned for his marines to follow him.

“Lieutenant Stern, I want that communications center locked up tight. Also, have Corporal Foster meet me at the front entrance. We’re probably going to have to blow our way in. If I know the Kleese, they probably have the entire facility sealed tight.”

A few moments later, Captain Williams, Lieutenant Stern, and Corporal Foster were standing in front of a heavy metal door that blocked the entrance to the building. Several other marines stood nearby with their weapons held at the ready.

“This is ship armor,” Corporal Foster reported as she leaned over and inspected the door, tapping it with her metal hand. She looked at the captain. “I don’t think I have anything that can blast a hole in this; it’s too thick.”

“Crap,” responded Beth, letting out a deep breath. She knew the mission would be considered a failure if they couldn’t get inside. Only the Kleese would use ship armor to protect a ground facility.

“What about the walls?” Lieutenant Stern asked as she looked at the tall walls around them. “We might be able to blast through them.”

“I doubt it,” Corporal Foster said as she stood back up and aimed a small handheld device at the walls. “They have ship armor in them also. The Kleese are inside and they don’t want us to get in.”

“Let’s pull back to a safe distance,” ordered Beth feeling frustrated, knowing there was only one way to get the door open. “I’ll contact Major Nelson and apprise him of the situation. They may have to use the ship’s weapons to blast the door open.”

“Is that even possible?” Lieutenant Stern asked her eyes widening at the thought. “The only weapon they might be able to use is one of the ship’s railguns.”

“It’s accurate enough at this range,” answered Beth, knowing they might also damage a major portion of the building. She just hoped they didn’t damage the part that contained the information they were after. “Sergeant Dawson, have your platoon ready to go inside if we manage to breach the door or the wall.”

Motioning for all the marines to retreat, they moved back several hundred meters. Even Sergeant Russell and his platoon pulled back as a precautionary measure. They still had several energy weapons aimed at the doors to the barracks, but no conscripts had attempted to exit for quite some time.

-

Wade listened to Captain Williams’s report of the current situation on the planet. He had hoped to be able to get inside the communications building without causing major damage to the facility. Now it looked as if that wasn’t going to happen.

“How much damage will a secondary railgun round cause to the structure?” he asked, looking over at Colonel Adamson.

“It’s a large building,” Adamson replied as he ran some numbers on one of the ship’s computers. “We can place the round pretty accurately, but we’re probably going to demolish a major portion of the building.”

“One round, then,” Wade ordered with a grim look on his face, determined to get his marines inside the facility. “Target the area of the door and we'll just have to hope the building survives.”

Colonel Adamson walked over to Major Kelly and the two began talking to Lieutenant Reyes at Tactical. Wade could see the deep frown that appeared on Reyes’ face as the two officers explained to him what they wanted done.

Wade leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. It was vital they recover the information stored in the building’s computers. This facility served as a collection site for the six large Kleese space stations that were closest to Human space. The information could be vital to the future conduct of the war. General Mitchell had stressed the importance of retrieving the data before they began any type of offensive against the Kleese. Wade just hoped he wasn’t about to blow it up.

-

“Everyone down!” Beth ordered as Wade informed her over their communications link about the impending railgun strike.

She lay down prone on the ground with her head slightly raised so she could see. A sudden bright light darted down toward the ground and the world seemed to shake as a sudden roar rolled over them. She could feel the concussion from the blast and for a minute, the communications facility vanished as it was covered with smoke and fire. Dirt and other debris began to rain down on Beth and the others.

“Damn! Now that’s what I call an explosion,” Corporal Foster commented as she rose up on her knees so she could see better. Demolitions were her specialty, and she just loved to see things explode. It was a major turn on for her to handle explosives. The building was still covered in rising black smoke. “I think there’s a hole in the building now.”

“Let’s go,” ordered Beth, rising to her feet and beginning to move forward.

It took them only a minute to reach the area of the explosion. They had to pause as the railgun round had blasted a hole a good ten meters deep into the ground. There were still fires burning and heavy dark smoke was prevalent. Fortunately, their suits didn’t need any outside air for them to breathe; they were self-contained with their own air circulation and regeneration equipment. The door to the building was gone and about a third of the building on the side of the explosion had collapsed.

“We can get in here,” Private Flores reported as he moved his battle suit through the wreckage. He began using the powerful arms of his suit to move the rubble away that was obstructing what looked to be a major hallway or corridor.

“Is it tall enough for our suits?” asked Beth as she moved over toward Private Flores. There was no way she was going to send anyone inside unless they were in their battle suits. It was just too dangerous.

“Yes,” Flores replied as he moved the last piece of obstructing rubble out of the way. “It looks as if it was designed to allow battle suits to enter.”

“Let’s move in,” ordered Beth, wanting to get inside so they could complete the mission. Looking at the ruined side of the building, she added. “Watch for shifting debris; we don’t want to have to dig anyone out. Use RG rounds only, no explosive rounds or energy beams. We don’t know how badly the structure has been weakened from the explosion. If we encounter any Kleese, the use of Energy Lances is authorized. We don’t take Kleese prisoners.”

Beth knew that was heartless, but the Kleese had already demonstrated their own ruthlessness toward other races. They'd killed the entire crew of the Kleese space station after General Mitchell and the others had managed to orchestrate the escape of some of Earth’s captured military personnel and the Kiveans. Several hundred thousand intelligent beings had been mercilessly murdered. The Kleese had left the bodies to rot in the station until the next crew could be brought in to clean it up. They'd also nearly wiped out the entire population of Earth.

The marines slowly made their way down the corridor and up some wide stairs toward the upper levels. The building had stopped shifting and didn’t seem to be in danger of collapsing further. After several minutes of carefully negotiating their way to one of the upper floors, they found their way blocked by another metal door.

Corporal Foster made her way forward and after a moment, began attaching explosives to the door. “This one’s not ship armor,” she reported as she carefully placed the detonators.

Stepping back, she surveyed her handiwork and then the entire group moved down to the lower floor. Satisfied that everyone was out of harm's way, she pressed the detonation device in her right hand. A resounding explosion occurred and dust and smoke rolled down the stairwell. Nicole allowed herself to grin, knowing the explosion had obliterated the obstructing door.

“Move up,” ordered Beth, clicking the safety off her RG rifle. If there were Kleese on this level, there were bound to be guards.

The marines charged up the stairs and into the corridor. Weapons fire met their advance and two marines fell to the floor. One of the icons in Beth’s suit display turned red and the other amber. “Eliminate that opposition!” she yelled as she entered the corridor and began firing down the hallway. She could see four conscripts in Type Two battle suits standing in front of another large metal door firing at the marines. This had to be their target!

For several seconds, the firing grew more intense. One of the conscripts fell as he was struck in the chest by several RG rounds. Shortly afterwards the other three battle suits firing at them were hit and the hallway became silent.

“Opposition is down,” Lieutenant Stern reported as several marines rushed forward, checking the downed suits and indicating the danger had been eliminated.

The corridor was full of smoke and it was difficult to see, though the HUD in Beth’s helmet showed no lurking danger. “Get that door blown, Corporal Foster!” She knew if there were any Kleese in this facility, they would be behind that metal door. “Energy Lances at the ready!” She watched impatiently as Foster attached her explosives and readied the door for demolition.

A minute later, the door blew inward and the marines charged forward. Once inside, they found themselves in a large room full of communications equipment, viewscreens, and numerous aliens sitting in front of consoles nervously watching the Humans that had just stormed into their sanctuary. Upon a large dais stood seven Kleese, their multifaceted eyes focused on the Humans in their Type Three battle suits.

“Surrender now and we might show mercy upon your race,” one spoke in a cold voice that carried little emotion. “We are the Kleese and you must obey or face destruction.”

Beth strolled forward, seeing there were no armed guards inside the communications room. “We will not obey you, now or ever!” she spoke loudly as she drew her Energy Lance, which lit up with a bright blue glow and gave off a low humming noise.

“Then your race shall die,” the Kleese said as its eyes focused on the belligerent Human before it. “Our battle fleet will come to your world and annihilate it. Every member of your race will be hunted down and eliminated.”

“Then we shall die,” replied Beth as she leaped to the top of the dais swinging her lance, feeling hate flood through her at what the Kleese had implied and what they represented.

The blade easily cut through the Kleese’s neck, killing the foul creature instantly. Lieutenant Stern and Sergeant Dawson joined her. In just a few moments, all seven of the Kleese were dead. Beth gazed down loathingly at their dead bodies and the dark blood that was quickly covering the floor. Even in death, their bodies continued to twitch. She felt a cold chill run down her back. The mention of a battle fleet made her nervous. She would have to report that bit of information back to Major Nelson and General Mitchell.

“The room is secure,” reported Lieutenant Stern a few moments later.

“Get everyone out of this building,” ordered Beth, gesturing toward the aliens in the room who were looking stunned at seeing the Kleese killed.

There were representatives from two different races present, neither of which Beth had seen before. Fortunately, all conscripts of the Kleese had a small communications chip implanted in their brains, which instantly translated all the known languages in this section of the galaxy. She watched as Corporals Patterson and Foster, along with a squad of marines, herded the aliens out of the room and into the corridor.

“Let’s hack into these computers and download the information Command wants.” She knew that the Kiveans had furnished them several devices that should be able to decrypt the passwords on the computers and allow them access. Then it was only a matter of downloading the information. She hoped the loss of a marine was worth what was on these computers.

-

Wade watched the main viewscreen on the Constellation and saw four drop ships rapidly approaching the ship. Captain Williams had indicated the mission had been a success with only one casualty and several more marines injured. He felt pain at knowing they had lost another marine. The Human race was much smaller now than it had once been and every loss was felt.

He knew that down on the planet, the communications facility and the nearby barracks and port facility had been evacuated. Captain Williams had informed the alien races present that the entire area would shortly be destroyed and that they needed to get to a safe distance. She had allowed them to take some supplies with them so they could survive until the next supply ship arrived. Wade knew that there was a good chance that the Kleese, when they found out what had happened, would eliminate the survivors. They wouldn’t want anyone left alive that had witnessed Kleese being killed in the attack. With a heavy sigh, Wade wished there was someway to save those fleeing the facility below, but there wasn’t. They were on their own.

“Facility is targeted,” Colonel Adamson informed Wade. The colonel was standing next to Tactical waiting for Wade to give the order.

“Fire,” Wade ordered in a hollow voice, knowing they were about to rain hell down upon the planet.

-

From the Constellation, six of its secondary railguns fired. Brilliant flashes of light lit up the atmosphere of the planet as the tungsten rounds hurtled toward their target. The railguns fired twice, sending twelve of their deadly rounds toward the Kleese facility.

On the planet, the rounds struck. The communications facility vanished as six fireballs blew the building apart, even penetrating and destroying the hidden floors beneath. The same occurred to the barracks and port facility. The ground shook and debris rained down from the sky. The air was full of smoke, and fire raged where the two buildings had once stood.

-

The surviving aliens watched from a safe distance. There were nearly two hundred of them, with twelve of their number in Type Two battle suits. They had enough supplies to last several months and this planet was hospitable enough that they could survive on it if necessary. They knew it would be best if the Kleese never found them. The two leaders of the survivors turned and began walking away. As far as the Kleese would be concerned, everyone had died in the attack upon the facility.

-

With a sigh of relief, Wade felt the ship jump into Fold Space. The ship generated an energy field directly in front of it which warped space and shortened the distance between two points. The more powerful the energy field, the more space was warped, allowing the ship to attain even higher speeds. They were now safe from attack and on their way back home.

Wade heard the hatch to the Command Center open and turning saw Beth enter. She had removed her battle suit, taken a shower, and put on her regular marine uniform. “How was it?” he asked as she walked over to stand next to him. Since their time as prisoners on the Kleese space station, they'd become very close friends.

“About as expected,” she replied her eyes focusing on Wade. “We got the information and the facility is destroyed. The two alien races the Kleese were using as conscripts are going into the mountains to hide. The Kleese may never know it was us that did this.”

“That’s good,” Wade responded pleased with that information. “The longer we can keep the Kleese from realizing that we’re actively working against them, the better.”

General Mitchell had informed him that in the coming months more raids were planned. The Human race had recovered to the point that they could start taking an active role against the Kleese and their Empire. With a sigh, Wade knew that when he got back to Vesta he had another important decision to make. His younger brother wanted to join the military and become a space marine.

General Mitchell was in the process of training several thousand troops in the use of the Type Three battle suits. There were soldiers from across the planet that had volunteered for the program. Wade had watched a recent training session with troops from Canada, Australia, the U. K., Germany, and France. Thanks to the universal translators, the language problem had been eliminated.

When the Kleese had originally come to Earth, they'd kidnapped nearly 60,000 soldiers from various countries to serve as conscripts in their wars. After the rescue, many of these had elected to stay in the new military and serve in different capacities. The new army was no longer primarily made up of troops from the United States; they were now an army of the world and allegiance to individual countries, for the most part, no longer existed.

“Thinking about your family?” asked Beth, seeing the concerned look on Wade’s face.

She knew about his little brother. At least Wade’s parents and brother had survived the destruction. The only member of her family that had made it out was her mother. Before the Kleese attack upon Earth, she had been planning her wedding. Her fiancée had vanished in the attack and never been heard from.

“Yes,” replied Wade, forcing a smile upon his face.

“Your little brother, I imagine,” added Beth, knowingly. “Let’s go get some chow and we can talk about it.”

Wade nodded; he only now realized how ravenous he was. Beth always seemed to know what to say and do.

The two left the Command Center as the Constellation hurtled through Fold Space on its way back to Earth. Today they'd fired Earth’s first shot in the new war against the Kleese, but it wouldn’t be the last.

Chapter Two

Mason Randle was walking with his wife Adrienne in the recently finished New Eden habitat inside Vesta. The area was forty kilometers in length and nearly twenty in width. In its center, a modern futuristic looking city extended the length of the habitat. The areas on the edges of the habitat were reserved for farming, with a number of slow flowing rivers and several small blue lakes making it appear much like Earth. It looked like a virtual paradise, and Mason knew that for the survivors that had fled the dying planet to live here, it literally was. It was well stocked with various breeds of livestock as well as other animals, birds, and insects to make the habitat ecologically stable. The streams and lakes had even been stocked with fish.

“I’m amazed at the diversity of animals in this habitat,” Mason commented as they walked past other people on the busy sidewalk. “Lori did an amazing job setting up the ecology for New Eden.”

“I spoke to her yesterday; she said there’re over twenty different bird species alone in this habitat.” Adrienne looked over at Mason and sighed heavily with a sad look on her face. “I know we’re fortunate to have saved so many, but there are thousands of species that are now extinct due to the disaster on Earth. I still find it hard to accept that there are so many animals and birds that we’ll never see again except in pictures or videos. Our children are going to miss so much.”

“We still have a lot of species in the zoo,” Mason reminded her, recalling all the effort that had gone into saving so many zoo animals. “Once their numbers have increased sufficiently, Lori will be releasing some of them into the habitats. But you’re right; there are a lot of animals and birds that we’ll never see again. There were only so many we could save. You know as well as I do that in some instances we had to save people over animals.”

Adrienne reached over and took Mason’s hand as they continued walking down the spacious sidewalk along one of the busy streets in the bustling metropolis. Slightly over 1.2 million people lived in the new city. “I can’t believe we built his,” she said as she watched several electric powered vehicles speed by on the wide street. “We’ve accomplished so much in the last two years, it’s almost unbelievable. There was a time at the beginning when I wondered if we would even be able to survive.”

“The Kivean’s construction technology is remarkable,” responded Mason as he gazed at several of the tall buildings around him; some were nearly thirty stories high. “You’ve seen their city and you know what they’re capable of building.”

Adrienne nodded. She was close friends with the Kivean leader’s life mate, Harnett. She had been to the Kivean city a number of times and always marveled at how their buildings and homes almost seemed as if they possessed a life of their own. Their buildings soared into the air and were connected by slim, delicate bridges at various levels. The buildings were brightly colored and almost seemed to be out of a fairy tale.

“Ah, here we are,” said Mason as he stopped in front of a small restaurant.

He could smell the savory scent of steaks cooking on the grill. It had been a while since he had treated himself to a steak. Going inside, they were led to a private dining room where the others were waiting. This was going to be a meeting to discuss the current state of affairs in the Solar System and what was to be done about the Kleese.

“Mason, there you are,” Mayor Silas spoke as he stood up with a big friendly smile. He walked over, shook Mason’s hand, and gave Adrienne a fatherly hug. It wasn’t often that he could leave his duties as Mayor of Luna City and come to Vesta. It seemed as if every day there was a new crisis.

Looking around the room, Mason spotted his sister’s brother-in-law, Darren Kirby. Others in the room included Lawrence Henderson from Jornada, Professor Alex Scott from Mars, Ethan Hall, Cheryl Robinson, and Colonel Bailey.

“Now we can eat,” Darren said with a grin. “I was getting hungry!”

“You’re always hungry,” commented Ethan. “You’re just like your brother.”

“We don’t have restaurants on Holbrook Station,” Darren shot back, patting his lean stomach. “It’s been months since I’ve had a good steak!”

Everyone laughed and sat down; they soon had their orders placed and everyone looked expectantly at Mason. This was an important meeting and everyone was curious as to what he had to say. They knew he had been meeting with General Mitchell and the head of the Kiveans, Marken, discussing their future. It was very seldom they could all get together with the responsibilities they had at their respective colonies. Mason had called this meeting so there would be no misunderstandings about what was going to happen.

Once Mason was satisfied that everyone was ready, he stood up and looked at the people in the room. “As all of you have probably heard very soon we will begin military operations against the Kleese. As a matter of fact, one has already been launched and should be returning shortly.”

“I thought so,” Alex said with a deep frown, his dark eyes focusing on Mason. “I had heard rumors about a mission. I asked Major Sanchez about it, but he refused to comment. He told me I would have to get that information from General Mitchell.” Alex paused and looked slowly around the group. “It’s been nearly two years and the Kleese have left us alone. Is it wise to start a war against an enemy that vastly outnumbers us? We’ve lost so much; do we dare risk losing everything?”

“Perhaps we should wait and let our population grow more,” suggested Stan, glancing over at Alex and feeling uneasy about attacking the Kleese. Both of their colonies were more vulnerable to attack than Vesta. “The last census indicated we had just slightly over eighteen million people. That’s not a lot of people to fight a war with.”

“I understand your concerns,” Mason replied evenly. He had voiced the same ones himself to General Mitchell and Marken. “But the Kleese have not forgotten us. From what Marken has told me, their Empire is so large that sometimes it takes them months or even years to respond to a potential threat. Our world was considered a threat when they first discovered it so it was destroyed after they removed the military personnel they wanted for conscripts. It may be this year or several more years in our future, but the Kleese will return. The military is of the opinion that we dare not wait and allow them to gather their forces against us.” He paused and looked at the group knowing they were uncertain about engaging the Kleese in a war.

Everyone was silent as they weighed those words. Each wondered what was in store for them in the future. Could the Human race even hope to have a chance to survive? While it was true that most of the survivors from Earth were now safe in new settlements in the main colonies, there was still much work to do. Earth had possessed a massive manufacturing ability; fortunately, Centerpoint Station had replaced much of that. However, the different colonies themselves needed to become more self-sufficient and they were a long ways from accomplishing that. It would be difficult to allocate even more resources to the war effort.

“We’ve done everything we can to ensure the safety of our surviving population,” Colonel Bailey said as he looked around the group, wanting to reassure them. “Every Human settlement or colony is protected by railgun and energy beam turrets. In addition, deep bunkers have been built to accommodate our people in case of an attack. Plus we now have a powerful fleet to protect us.”

Mayor Silas let out a deep sigh and focused his eyes on Colonel Bailey. “I understand what you’re saying, but I’m not sure the people will after everything they’ve been through. Their lives are just now beginning to return to normal. We’re talking about a war that could go on for generations!”

“How can we even hope to defeat the Kleese?” Darren asked his eyes staring narrowly at Colonel Bailey. Holbrook Station was now heavily armed, but it could still be damaged or even destroyed in a determined attack by the Kleese or their military conscripts. “We’re talking about a Galactic Empire that has existed for thousands of years!”

“That’s why we intend to fight a guerilla war against the Kleese,” explained Colonel Bailey, patiently. “For the last two years, we’ve steadily built up our fleet to the point that even the Kleese would have a difficult time getting close enough to one of our settlements to attack it. We can fight them in space if we have to.”

“If we fight a guerilla war, are you saying that there will be no major fleet engagements?” Darren asked his eyes widening. For some reason, he had been imagining massive fleet battles between Kleese and Human ships.

“Not at first,” responded Bailey, shaking his head. “There undoubtedly will be some small fleet actions, perhaps even large ones if we have a decisive advantage. But we won’t be risking valuable fleet assets in major battles we can’t win decisively.”

“What is this current mission?” Darren asked his eyes turning to gaze at Mason. He wanted to know exactly what the military was doing. Their actions could affect everyone in the Solar System and he felt they had a right to know.

“The current mission is for intelligence gathering only,” explained Mason, recalling what General Mitchell had told him. “I doubt if any other military missions will be launched for several months until we’ve had the time to study the data the mission brings back. Our military is currently mapping out a strategy to keep the Kleese off balance and buy us the time we need to expand our population and increase the size of our fleet. We’re hoping this mission will give us the information we need to accomplish that.”

“Will we be consulted before future attacks on the Kleese are launched?” Professor Scott asked his eyes focusing on Mason. “I don’t want a large Kleese fleet to appear over Mars Central as a result of one of these missions.”

“Yes,” replied Mason, nodding his head. “The leaders of our colonies and some of the settlements will be briefed on a regular basis.”

“What about a civilian government?” asked Professor Scott, accepting that war with the Kleese was inevitable. He just wanted to voice his concerns to the others. “I've had several delegations come to me recently requesting we reinstate civilian authority.”

“I’ve had the same problem,” Mayor Silas added with a heavy frown. “We have a number of Earth politicians and a few high ranking former government officials demanding we hold elections and return all authority over to them. They are upset that they have had no real say in what has been happening. For the time being, they’re all in the same dome where they can’t cause too much trouble.”

“I’ve had several ask me the same thing,” added Cheryl, looking over at Mason. “Just yesterday, a former mayor from a city in Germany came in and asked when there would be elections. I don’t think we can keep putting them off much longer.”

Mason let out a deep sigh. Cheryl had mentioned this to him earlier. He had been getting the same reports from nearly every settlement. This was something he had seen coming, and now they'd have to decide how to deal with it. “I’ve spoken to General Mitchell and some of the others about this. We can’t afford to allow politicians to endanger what is left of the Human race. However, we’re also not situated to run such large colonies and settlements by ourselves.”

“So, what are you suggesting?” asked Mayor Silas, looking perplexed. “Surely you don’t want to turn everything over to the politicians. Look at what they did on Earth. Most governments were nearly dysfunctional!”

“We allow our people to hold elections to select representatives from each settlement to help manage our colonies. They will report directly to us and will be allowed a limited amount of authority. That should get us by for the immediate future and help relieve us of some of the daily work of managing everything.”

“It still doesn’t answer the question of who is actually in charge,” Alex commented. “We need someone the people can look to as being responsible for their well being and continued survival. They need to feel that there is an ultimate civilian authority that everyone, including the military, has to answer to.”

“That’s certainly not any of the surviving politicians,” commented Mayor Silas derisively, recalling some of the long-winded conversations he had experienced with some members of that very vocal group. “I think most of the ones at Luna City are just interested in being in power and telling people what to do. They don’t seem to understand the situation we now find ourselves in. They want a return to the old status quo.”

“Mason’s in charge,” spoke Darren in a calm and authoritative voice, looking around the group challengingly. “He single-handedly orchestrated the rescue of most of the survivors. No one is going to question his authority.”

The others in the room nodded as they thought over what Darren had just said. That would be acceptable to them and would solve a major problem. Mason had been coordinating everything from the beginning and they were willing to recognize his authority. The people in all the colonies saw him almost daily on the media channels and knew who he was. The group knew that now was not the time to change the way things were being done. The old politicians from Earth would cause everything to grind to a halt if they were put back in charge. That could not be allowed to happen with the survival of the Human race at stake. The old ways of government on Earth had to be abandoned if they were to survive.

“The military can accept that,” Colonel Bailey spoke with a confirming nod. “General Mitchell will agree to Mason being in charge, and I’m pretty confident the civilians will also.”

“There will be some grumbling from the career politicians we have on the Moon,” warned Stan with a heavy sigh. “I doubt if they will accept Mason’s authority.”

“We’ll make sure they understand it’s in their best interest to do so,” Colonel Bailey responded in an even voice. “If not, we can always transfer them to one of the smaller settlements in one of the other asteroids where they won’t be a hindrance to progress.”

Stan smiled at the thought. He had never had any use for career politicians. They always seemed to be more concerned about themselves than the people that put them in office. All they ever did was form new committees to discuss how another committee was doing their job.

Mason took a deep breath and then spoke. He knew he had no choice other than to accept. He didn’t know who else he would trust with the job. He looked over at Colonel Bailey. “All I ask of the military is that they keep me informed of impending military action. The military is responsible for protecting us as well as taking the war to the Kleese. We must never forget what was done to Earth. The rest of us will be busy rebuilding our civilization.”

“That’s a big enough task in itself,” Mayor Silas commented with a nod of his head.

“I can guarantee that General Mitchell and his staff will keep you informed of all future actions,” Colonel Bailey replied with a courteous nod. “We’re all in this together.”

“What’s the current status of Holbrook Station?” asked Mason, looking over at Darren, who was sitting across from him.

“We’ve moved most of the scientists from the International Space Station to Holbrook. For the time being, we’re focusing on keeping track of the constantly changing environment on Earth. Many of the scientists are meteorologists from China and Russia since the station was turned over to them after Holbrook was constructed.”

“How is Earth?” asked Professor Scott, his eyes showing intense interest. He hadn’t been close to the planet since the attack.

“Not good,” replied Darren with a sad look, shaking his head. “The planet is in a severe nuclear winter caused by all the dust and pollutants thrown up into the atmosphere by the erupting volcanoes. The air’s no longer fit to breathe and there’s nothing living except perhaps in the deepest parts of the ocean.”

“I can confirm that,” Lawrence Henderson added with a heavy sigh. “We can’t go outside at Jornada now without wearing protective gear. We have four feet of snow on the ground and the average temperature is hovering near zero. If not for the disk ships from the station we wouldn’t be able to move around the planet and conduct our salvage operations.”

“How many people do you still have at Jornada?’ Mason asked curiously.

He knew that General Wainright and Lawrence had built a massive settlement on the outskirts of the spaceport. However, in recent months many of the people had migrated to the new colonies in space as they were completed.

“Nearly sixty thousand,” Lawrence replied. “We have room for more, but many of our people opted to go to one of the other settlements off Earth rather than remain.”

Mason nodded. He understood that the colonies with their modern cities could be a lure. Just the open spaces in the habitats themselves would be a huge incentive to leave the spaceport. The work at Jornada had changed considerably since the arrival of the Kleese space station and the successful evacuation of most of the survivors off Earth. Now the main job of Jornada was the gathering of artifacts vital to Earth’s history. Each day, missions were sent to various parts of the planet to rescue valuable historical objects and documents. They were being processed and stored in large vaults built deep underground at White Sands.

“What about ship construction?” continued Mason, looking over at Ethan Hall. Ethan had come to the meeting today since Sean Miller was on a trip to the Kivean’s colony to discuss some design problems with a new power system design.

“We have four battlecruisers currently under construction,” Ethan answered. “We’re making them as automated as possible to allow for smaller crews. The Kiveans have been extremely helpful with this. We have about a dozen of their engineers assisting us.”

Mason nodded. He knew that warship production was a major priority. The battlecruisers were all being built in the massive spacedock here at Vesta. All other warship construction, including the light cruisers, was being done on Centerpoint Station in orbit between the Earth and the Moon.

Their meal was served and the group continued to talk about problems in their various colonies and what was needed as they ate. Adrienne was taking notes to help remind Mason of everything. She also had a small recording device to remind her of what had been said so she could transcribe it later. She had decided to eat light and was only having a garden salad so she could continue to take notes during the meal.

It was only after the meal was over and everyone was leaving that she realized that Mason had pretty much been appointed by the group as president of the survivors of the Human race. She paused in her steps and blinked her eyes as she realized the full enormity of what had just happened. Did that make her the First Lady? She giggled and shook her head. Mason was the one that would be making policy decision, and she would continue in her secretarial duties. She knew her husband could handle it; he had a knack for doing the right thing and making difficult decisions.

Chapter Three

General Mitchell leaned back in his chair and gazed across his desk at Fleet Admiral Kirby. They had been discussing Major Nelson’s current mission to the Kleese communication facility. They were aboard the massive Kleese space station that had been renamed Centerpoint. It had been nicknamed this as nearly all the surviving people from Earth had been brought to the station before being dispersed to other settlements across the Solar System.

“What if the Kleese realize it was us that hit the facility?” asked Kirby worriedly, as he thought about the fleet he had at his disposal. He currently had twelve battlecruisers in his fleet with four more under construction at Vesta. He knew the Kleese had possibly thousands of the two hundred-meter assault ships available and an unknown number of their large disk shaped mother ships.

“It’s a possibility,” Mitchell conceded as he tapped his index finger on his desk. It had been a calculated risk to undertake this mission, but the intelligence they could garner made that risk worthwhile. They were about to embark upon a guerrilla war with the Kleese, and the more information they had, the better they could plan.

“I hope the mission doesn’t encounter a Kleese mother ship,” Michael added worriedly with his brow creasing. “They’re a long way from home and they only have the one battlecruiser. We should've sent some assault ships along just in case they ran into trouble.”

“This was a stealth mission,” General Mitchell reminded Michael. “More ships could have endangered the mission.”

The Constellation was a long way from potential help. Michael had given Colonel Adamson direct orders to abandon the mission rather than endanger his ship. The Human race couldn’t afford to lose one of their valuable battlecruisers this early in the conflict. He wondered if it had been a mistake to send this mission.

General Mitchell stood up and walked over to a map that showed the area of space the Kleese controlled. It was a rough sphere nearly sixteen thousand light years across with the Solar System just on the outer edge. He stood there for a moment, studying it, and then turned back around to face Admiral Kirby. They were going to have to make some very difficult decisions in the coming months.

“Marken insists that the Kleese could show back up any day now. However, their Empire is large and unwieldy. It’s one of the reasons they use so many conscripts from different worlds to maintain order. It will take a while for their core worlds to decide how to deal with us.”

“I hope it’s a long while,” spoke Michael his eyes narrowing in thought. Every week the Kleese didn’t attack allowed the Human fleet to grow stronger. He wanted as big a force as possible for when the Kleese did finally return.

“The initial attack we faced two years ago was a reaction force from the nearer Kleese trading stations,” spoke General Mitchell, recalling the battles over Earth, Mars, and Vesta. “Once that failed, then a report of their defeat would have been sent to the Council of Overlords on the Kleese’s home planet.”

“The Council of Overlords,” Kirby repeated, not liking the sound of that. “It sounds ominous.”

“Their government practices a form of authoritarianism,” Mitchell replied. “The council is made up of the most powerful Kleese and everyone obeys this council without question. The most powerful member is called the Supreme Overlord, and he pretty much rules the Empire. The Kleese are not a race to be trifled with.”

“I’ve heard from some of the soldiers who were kidnapped as well as the Kiveans about how cruel and heartless the Kleese can be,” Kirby replied in a more somber tone. He shuddered slightly, recalling the gruesome stories of atrocities some of the captive soldiers had witnessed or had gone through. Much of it had sounded like a horror story written to severely frighten people.

Mitchell nodded, recalling his own time under Kleese captivity as a military conscript. “It’s not something anyone wants to experience.”

“What’s Marken got to say about all of this?”

“According to Marken, we haven’t faced an actual Kleese warship,” continued Mitchell, letting out a deep breath. “The big disk ships serve dual purposes as exploration ships and command ships for the assault vessels. They’re not designed for fleet actions where they have to fight a major battle.”

“What happens when we have to face one of their actual warships or a fleet of them?” asked Kirby, arching his eyebrow.

If the Human race wanted to survive, they couldn’t take massive fleet losses. They couldn’t produce warships at anywhere near the rate the Kleese Empire could. If the Kleese ever gathered a truly massive fleet, they could easily overrun the Solar System.

“We’re not sure,” Mitchell replied, stone-faced. “According to Marken, they’re very seldom seen. They were used widely when the Kleese first established their Empire, but once they began using conscripts the big warships were recalled back to the home systems and seldom venture away from their core worlds. Only once in a great while does one wander out into our neck of the woods. Marken says he has only seen one once, and that was from a distance.”

“Do we have any intelligence on their capabilities, particularly their armaments and energy shields?” asked Michael, wondering if his battlecruisers would stand a chance against such a vessel.

“No, not really,” replied Mitchell, shaking his head. “Marken had no idea as to what type of weapons the Kleese warships might have or the strength of their energy shield. All he knows is what he gathered from the Kleese historical records on the station. Most of those records were extremely vague when describing the warships, and there is also some reference to something called the Zaltule. We’re not sure what that refers to but Marken thinks it’s a special caste of the Kleese, perhaps even a military caste.”

“Let’s hope they stay in the Kleese home systems for now,” Kirby spoke, not wanting to put his ships up against such a threat.

Most of the science and technology they were using was relatively new, much of it provided by the Kiveans. His people were still getting used to some of the advanced systems now being installed on the warships. The thought of a Kleese warrior caste was unsettling.

“Marken believes the Zaltule died out thousands of years ago, or at least the caste was disbanded,” responded Mitchell, dismissing the threat. “Once the Kleese went to using conscripts to fight their wars, the Zaltule were no longer needed.”

“That’s a relief, I guess,” replied Michael, leaning back in his chair. A Kleese warrior caste was something he never wanted to face.

“Let’s discuss the war games you have scheduled for tomorrow,” suggested General Mitchell, going back to his desk and sitting down. “Are Admirals Sanders, Stehr, and Rivers ready?” Admiral Rivers was a former carrier commander and had recently been transferred to the space forces to take command of one of the new battlecruisers. He seemed to have a natural talent for space combat; it hadn’t taken long for him to be promoted to admiral.

“Should be,” Kirby replied with an enigmatic smile. “I have a few surprises planned for them, and we'll see how they respond to the unexpected.”

“I’ll be watching from the Command Center,” Mitchell said with a nod. “I look forward to seeing what you throw at them.”

-

In one of the habitation domes on the hull of the massive station, Captain Mark Stevens watched from inside his Type Three battle suit as a platoon of space marines attempted to make it to the top of the small mountain in the center of the habitat. Unlike the training that Major Nelson and his people had gone through, there were no dangerous weapons hidden on the slopes. There were only heavy-duty stunners that could knock out a battle suit and render the occupant unconscious for a short time. They were also very painful.

“I don’t think they’re going to make it,” Lieutenant Griffith commented as six of the twenty icons in his HUD display were now showing red and another eight amber. Griffith was standing next to Captain Stevens in a Type Two battle suit.

“It’s only their first attempt on the mountain,” Stevens responded as he saw another icon turn red. “Most of the platoon is made up of former members of a British quick reaction force. They were deployed to Lakenheath Airbase in Suffolk to help with the evacuation and to defend the base.”

“Now they’ve joined the space marines,” commented Griffith, shaking his head in wonder. “Do they know what they’re in for?” He noticed two more icons had turned amber and the platoon was only halfway up the mountain.

“They’ve seen the videos of the fighting in the spacedock at Vesta,” Stevens replied. “It was quite gruesome and we did have a few drop out. However, General Mitchell wants two thousand space marines trained in the Type Three battle suits. We have volunteers from nearly every country in the world.”

“Thank God for the universal translators in our heads,” Griffith added. He shuddered slightly, recalling how nervous he had been when he had the surgery to implant the nearly microscopic device. It had been painless, and he was amazed at how easily it translated languages.

Stevens let out a heavy sigh as Captain Winfrey’s icon suddenly turned red. He was leading this platoon and was responsible for the other four platoons that were still at the base waiting for their turn to tackle the mountain. Within minutes of Winfrey’s icon being eliminated, the rest of the remaining icons glared a disappointing red at Captain Stevens.

“Guess they didn’t make it,” grunted Griffith, looking over at the captain.

Mark turned and glanced over at Griffith. “Why did you join up? I thought you were going to stay on the Moon with your wife and kids. After our stint at Tent City, I didn’t think you would want anything to do with the military.”

“I’m going back to the Moon,” Griffith confessed. He shivered, recalling the cold they'd been forced to endure at the huge Human survival camp outside of Jornada. “They wanted some of us trained in the Type Two suits in case the Kleese ever land conscripts on the Moon. I won’t let them kidnap my family like they did all of those military personnel.” He had heard stories of what they had gone through and wasn’t going to let his own family suffer such brutalities.

Stevens nodded. He had heard that soldiers were being trained in the Type Two suits to help defend all of the colonies and settlements in case of an attack. He was glad that Griffith had stayed in, even if it was a type of guard duty he would be doing. After their long stint at Tent City at Jornada, guard duty on the Moon would be far less stressful.

“How does your family like living on the Moon?”

“Great,” answered Griffith, his face breaking into a smile. “We have an apartment in one of the newer domes. With artificial gravity, you would never know we’re on the Moon. The kids are back in school and Margaret is working as a nurse at one of the new medical centers.”

On the HUD, Stevens saw all the red icons suddenly turn back to green. In a few minutes, the marines on the small mountain would be awake and begin trudging back down in defeat. Mark would meet with them once they were out of their suits and explain the mistakes they'd made in assaulting the mountain. Well could he remember his own grueling and frustrating attempts to make it to the top. It had taken him six tries to finally reach the small plateau and press the button that deactivated the hidden stunners.

-

Fleet Admiral Kirby was in the Command Center of the battlecruiser Armageddon, watching the main viewscreen as the ship left the docking bay of Centerpoint Station. On the screen, a number of other ships were visible. They were the rest of First Fleet. There were three more battlecruisers, sixteen light cruisers, and thirty-two assault ships.

“First Fleet is awaiting your orders,” Major Makita reported from his position next to the main sensor display.

“Put us into defensive formation D-4 and let’s head for Mars,” Michael ordered. He knew that both Admiral Stehr and Admiral Sanders would be waiting there with their fleets. Once they made rendezvous, they would begin the war games.

Major Makita quickly passed on the order to Ensign Bisset at the Helm and then communicated the order to the other ships in the fleet. Once Bisset had the course and speed plotted, she would communicate it to the other helm officers. The information would be sent by computer to ensure that every ship would accelerate at the proper speed and maintain the correct course.

The Armageddon took up her position in the fleet formation and moments later, the fleet’s sublight drives were activated. Within minutes, the fleet was well on its way toward Mars.

The Armageddon was one of the first battlecruisers to be built in the spacedock inside Vesta. It had recently gone through a complete refit, making it as modern as any of the other battlecruisers in the fleet. Michael sat down in his command chair and gazed speculatively at the busy crew in the Command Center. Major Makita was of Japanese descent and had served on an American attack submarine as its commanding officer. He had adapted well to moving from the world’s oceans to space. Many of the other crewmembers on the ship had served in several of Earth’s navies or air forces and successfully made the transition to being a crewmember of a spaceship.

Michael was well satisfied with the crew of the battlecruiser. Leaning back in his chair, he thought back to his recent leave. He had spent two weeks back on Vesta with his wife Susan and their two kids, Candace and Karen. It had been a fantastic leave and he had spent some time touring the new habitats as well as a quick trip to visit the Kivean habitat and the amazing city they’d built.

The Kiveans were a peaceful race that preferred research instead of physical sports, though they were willing to fight if it was absolutely necessary. It was their science and what they'd stolen from the Kleese that was allowing the Humans to build the powerful spaceships that now protected the Solar System.

“Any special orders for the war games?” Major Makita asked as he walked over to stand next to Michael. He knew that First Fleet would primarily be an observer in this set of games. All he knew for sure was that Fleet Admiral Kirby had something special planned for Second and Third Fleet to deal with.

Michael allowed himself to smile. “The unknown,” he replied with a knowing look. “I want Admirals Stehr and Sanders to face the unexpected and see how they react to a totally unpredictable situation.”

“The unexpected?” Makita responded with a surprised look. He glanced at Fleet Admiral Kirby sharply, wondering just what the admiral had planned. “Isn’t that what war games are supposed to be?”

“They won’t be expecting this,” Michael answered enigmatically as his eyes focused on the main viewscreen, which was showing a sea of unmoving stars.

Makita nodded, knowing he wasn’t going to get anything else out of the admiral. He would just have to wait and see for himself what happened. However, the Fleet Admiral had aroused his curiosity. He had a suspicion these war games were going to be highly interesting.

-

Fourteen hours later, the fleet slowed and went into orbit around Mars. First Fleet could have used their ships' Fold Space Drives to get to Mars much quicker, but Michael wanted Admirals Stehr and Sanders to ponder what was going to happen. It also allowed the crews on the ships to speculate about what was going to occur in the war games.

“We have achieved Mar’s orbit,” Ensign Bisset reported from the Helm.

“Very well,” responded Michael as he looked down at his watch to check the time. It was counting down and still had twenty minutes to go. With a satisfied nod, he turned to Major Makita. “Take the ship to Condition Four and inform Admirals Stehr and Sanders that I will be contacting them in one hour as to the start of the war games.”

“Yes, Sir,” Makita replied as he passed on the orders to Communications. He wondered what type of scenario the two admirals would be facing?

Michael stood and stretched. “If you need me, I’ll be in the officer’s mess.”

Leaving the Command Center, Michael went down two decks and along a short corridor to the cafeteria that served the ship’s officers. After getting his tray of food, he sat down and began eating. Occasionally he would check his watch as the countdown timer continued to move toward zero.

At exactly the twenty-minute mark, the timer reached zero, and red lights began flashing and the Condition One klaxons began sounding. Admiral Kirby allowed himself to smile and for the moment chose to ignore the alarms.

“Admiral Kirby to the Command Center,” a nervous voice spoke over the ship’s com system. “I repeat, Admiral Kirby please report to the Command Center.”

Michael took another bite of his food and a long sip of his unsweetened tea. Then standing up, he disposed of his tray and began making his way back to the command deck. He was in no hurry, as he wanted to see the reaction of his own command crew to this crisis situation.

A few minutes later, Michael entered the Command Center and put a look of concern on his face as he stepped inside. “Status,” he demanded as he walked over quickly to his command chair and sat down. He could sense the increased tension in the room. Various crewmembers had looks of anxiety on their faces and the conversations in the room were well subdued from normal.

“We have Kleese assault ships that have dropped out of Fold Space inside the orbit of Neptune,” reported Major Makita, looking worried. “Long-range sensors are indicating forty-seven ships inbound.”

“So they’ve returned,” Michael said as he looked at the main sensor screen showing the inbound assault ships.

“Should we return to Earth?” Makita asked as he looked from the screen to the admiral.

“No,” Michael responded as he gazed steadily at the major. “We have enough assault ships of our own at Centerpoint to handle this incursion if they make a try for Earth.”

Even as they watched the sensor screen, the forty-seven enemy ships split into two groups. One headed for Mars and the other toward Vesta.

“Get Admirals Stehr and Sanders on the com,” Michael ordered in a calm and reassuring voice.

Moments later, the two admirals were on the communications channel. “As both of you have seen, we have forty-seven Kleese assault ships that have decided to pay us a visit. Needless to say, the war games are officially cancelled. This will be a live operation instead. Admiral Stehr you will take Third Fleet and engage the group heading for Mars. I will leave the tactical deployments of your fleet up to you. Admiral Sanders, you and Second Fleet have the ones heading toward Vesta. I will hold First Fleet here at Mars and intercept anything that gets past you.”

“I don’t like this,” Admiral Sanders spoke over the com with concern in his voice. “Why just forty-seven ships? They know we can destroy them.”

“A probe,” suggested Admiral Stehr. “There may be more ships behind these. There has to be at least two mother ships somewhere.”

“That’s a possibility,” Michael responded pleased that the two were not taking anything for granted. “I’ll be speaking to General Mitchell about possible defensive deployments of all of our forces. In the meantime, your job is to eliminate this initial threat.”

“We’ll be leaving orbit shortly,” Admiral Stehr replied.

A few minutes later, Michael watched as Second and Third Fleet left their Mar’s orbit and accelerated into Fold Space. It wouldn’t take them long to reach their targets.

“Sir, the Kleese ships are splitting into smaller groups,” reported Lieutenant Fullerton as she watched the changing data on her sensor console.

Michael looked, and sure enough instead of two groups of warships, there were now four. “What are their destinations?”

“Two groups are heading for Mars and two to Vesta, but they’re now separated to the point that our two fleets won’t be able to engage them without splitting up themselves.”

“Should we engage one of the groups?” asked Major Makita, looking over at the admiral. “We could easily intercept one of the groups heading toward Mars.”

“No,” Michael replied as his eyes shifted to the major. “We’ll stay in orbit over Mars. Stay at Condition One and let’s see what happens with Second and Third Fleets. They should be able to handle this situation. That will leave us available if more Kleese ships are lurking nearby. If they come in using their Fold Space Drives, they could appear almost anywhere.”

Makita nodded and turned to watch the sensor screen. Something just didn’t feel right about this situation. The Kleese attack made no sense! From the number of assault ships there should be two mother ships somewhere.

Michael watched as the two Human fleets moved rapidly toward the Kleese assault ships. Since both fleets were in Fold Space and traveling at many multiples of the speed of light, it didn’t take them long to reach the general vicinity of the enemy craft. The entire Solar System was seeded with scanner arrays to detect ships in Fold Space. Unless the ships came in at a tremendous speed, they could be detected and tracked.

“Second Fleet is dropping out of Fold Space,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported, her eyes watching her sensors intently. “Third Fleet should be dropping out in a few more seconds.”

All eyes were now focused on the primary sensor screen showing the green icons of the two Human fleets and the forty-seven red icons indicating the enemy. Everyone in the Command Center was asking themselves the same questions. After two years, why now and what did they want? Was this just a probe before a major attack?

Admiral Stehr and Admiral Sanders are dividing their fleets,” Major Makita reported as he watched the main sensor screen. “They’re setting off in pursuit of the enemy ships.”

“Kleese are splitting again!” reported Lieutenant Fullerton, worriedly.

“Twelve small groups!” gasped Major Makita, looking over at the admiral. “They don’t stand a chance by splitting up like that. Our fleets will make short work of them. That’s a huge tactical error.”

“Perhaps,” Michael responded curious to see how this played out. “This may be a new tactic of theirs. What if we divide our fleets again and then their main fleet attacks? What if this tactic is to cause us to break our fleet into smaller formations?”

“It makes sense,” Makita replied his eyes growing wide at the thought. “Is that why you insisted that First Fleet stay intact and in orbit over Mars?”

“In battle, it’s always necessary to discern your enemy’s tactics,” responded Michael, evenly. “We’ll continue to observe and then respond as needed.”

“Second Fleet and Third Fleet are splitting again to engage the various enemy units,” Lieutenant Fullerton spoke. Then her eyes grew as she saw the Kleese assault ships suddenly jump into Fold Space. “Enemy units have activated their Fold Space Drives and are accelerating.”

“Where to?” demanded Major Makita, seeing the assault ships rapidly pulling away from the Human ships in pursuit.

“Same as before,” responded a confused Lieutenant Fullerton. “I don’t understand.”

Major Makita stepped over to the sensors and studied the data. “Second and Third Fleet are not going to be able to catch them,” he said after a moment. “The assault ships have too large a lead.”

“Keep us between the planet and the inbound ships,” Michael ordered. “All weapons to fire upon my mark.”

“Yes, Sir,” Major Makita replied as he passed on the orders and then stepped over next to the tactical console. His eyes focused intently on the sensor screen and the incoming enemy. His breathing grew heavier and he could feel his pulse begin to race. This would be the first time he had fought an actual battle in space.

“Lieutenant Edmondson, stand by to fire antimatter missiles on inbound Kleese assault ships,” Michael ordered.

“Sir,” stammered Lieutenant Edmonson, looking perplexed at the order. “We won’t be able to lock on and fire until after they drop out of Fold Space.”

“What would you suggest, Lieutenant?”

“Fire as soon as they drop out of Fold Space, Sir,” Edmondson replied, his eyes shifting uneasily between the admiral and Major Makita. “It will only take a few seconds to lock on and fire.”

Michael nodded. “Very well. Ready the missiles.”

Major Makita nodded his head in agreement. The sublight antimatter missiles would arrive on target almost instantly. As an afterthought, he ordered Lieutenant Edmondson to charge up the ship’s particle beam weapons. If the missiles missed, the powerful particle beams would quickly annihilate the inbound assault ships.

Minutes passed rapidly by as the Kleese ships drew near Mars. The increased tension and anxiety in the command crew was evident, as most talking had ceased. Everyone watched the large sensor screen waiting for the enemy to drop out of Fold Space so the engagement could begin.

The small enemy groups were coming in on different trajectories, but all would arrive at Mars within seconds of one another. Whoever was coordinating this attack certainly knew what they were doing. Michael continued to watch the sensor screen, curious to see what was going to happen.

“Enemy ships are dropping out of Fold Space!” warned Lieutenant Fullerton as the incoming red icons became more solid.

“Target lock!” yelled Lieutenant Edmondson as his hands flew over his console.

“Enemy is firing!” Fullerton screamed. “Antimatter missiles detected!”

On the main viewscreen, they watched in shock as four sublight antimatter explosions detonated over Mars Central. The viewscreen turned white and then became covered with static.

“They attacked the planet!” Major Makita exclaimed his face white in shock. “Mars Central is gone, not even the deep bunkers would have been able to survive that.”

“Oh my God!” cried Lieutenant Fullerton as she realized the enormous number of deaths that had just occurred. The colonists at Mars Central would have been instantly annihilated.

Michael said nothing. Everyone’s eyes were focused on the static covered viewscreen, knowing that hundreds of thousand of humans had just died. Finally, Michael spoke in a calm and steady voice. “Lieutenant Edmondson, did you ever launch our missiles?”

“No, Sir,” gasped Edmonson as he realized that he had forgotten to fire when he had seen the missiles exploding over Mars Central.

“Some of our ships tried,” Lieutenant Jones spoke with confusion in his voice from Communications. “They’re reporting widespread weapon malfunctions.”

“It’s a new Kleese weapon,” Major Makita spoke, fear showing on his face at what this might mean. “They’ve found a way to jam our weapons. Perhaps they inserted a computer virus into our systems. We need to warn Centerpoint!”

Michael stood and looked around the crew with disappointment in his eyes. He then stepped over to the ship’s main computer console and entered his command code. Instantly, the viewscreen cleared, showing an intact Mars Central and no signs of damage.

Major Makita looked over at Admiral Kirby with dawning realization and relief in his eyes. “It wasn’t real, this was a war game!”

“Yes,” Michael responded as he gazed at the main viewscreen, which showed the dozens of large domes that made up Mars Central. “Admiral Rivers is in command of those forty-seven assault ships. I left it up to him as to what tactics to use to attack Mars and Vesta.”

“We failed,” spoke Major Makita, shaking his head in disappointment. “If this had been real, Mars Central would have been destroyed.”

“Yes,” Michael responded as his eyes swept around the Command Center. “Even I didn’t expect Admiral Rivers to launch sublight antimatter missiles at the planet. It demonstrates we’ll have to take that possibility into consideration in future defense strategies.”

“I just received a message from Admiral Sanders; he reports that he was not able to stop the attack on Vesta, either,” reported Lieutenant Jones, glumly. “Colonel Bailey has already informed the admiral that this was a war game. Admiral Sanders is standing by for further orders.”

“Contact Admiral Stehr and inform him of the same,” ordered Michael, feeling a little irritated at his crews’ failure to respond adequately to the scenario. Then, turning to Major Makita, “Set a course for Earth. I’ll be holding a meeting with all three admirals to discuss this war game. Admiral Rivers has just demonstrated that we have a very big hole in our defenses, and we need to find a way to close it up.”

-

Captain Stevens was sitting in the mess hall eating with Lieutenant Griffith and Captain Winfrey. They had been discussing the captain’s failed attempt to reach the top of the mountain.

“I spoke to Major Nelson a few months back,” Mark said as he cut up his roast beef. “When they were under the control of the Kleese and going through this training under the Kiveans, the weapon emplacements on that mountain were real. Several soldiers died and a large number were injured during their training sessions.”

“So you’re saying that some of my soldiers would have died under those conditions,” Winfrey responded with a slight British accent. This training was turning out to be much more difficult than he had expected.

“Possibly,” Mark answered as he took a bite of the roast beef. It was certainly tender and delicious.

He knew that they were fortunate the Australian survival center had preserved a large herd of cattle. They were going to be slaughtered for food, but then General Mitchell returned and soon afterwards, they'd taken possession of the large Kleese space station. Most of the cattle had been taken to the large farming domes on the Moon, Mars, and to the new habitats inside Vesta.

“Is that why the stunners are set to induce pain and knock you out?”

“Yes,” Mark replied with a slight nod. “Soldiers in the Type Two and Three suits feel invincible. We need to remind them that they’re not. The suits are an extension of our bodies. They give us more strength, information, and heavier weapons. A single battle suit has the firepower of a full platoon. But the enemy we're going up against possess the same suits. Some of the alien races out there have weapons that can damage or destroy them. It’s best to learn caution now than to die out in the field.”

Winfrey nodded his head in understanding. “How many times did it take you to reach the top?”

“Six,” Mark replied with a grin. “I got stunned five times before I managed to get my platoon to the top. The day I did I only had four of my marines with amber suits.”

Winfrey was silent as he thought over what Mark had just said. He had lost his entire platoon today. “Are there any plans to build a Type Four battle suit?”

“Yes,” Mark answered with a nod, recalling some of the designs he had seen. “A number of our military scientists, with the help of the Kiveans, are already working on a prototype.”

“A much more deadly suit,” Griffith said. He had heard rumors of some of the things being considered. Someone had even suggested allowing the suits to fire small nuclear grenades.

“It’s still in development,” Mark reminded them. “It'll be several years before it’s even ready for deployment.”

-

Later, Mark and Lieutenant Griffith were walking to one of the flight bays where the lieutenant was catching a shuttle back to the Moon.

“Did any of your family survive the attack?” Griffith asked at last. He knew that Mark had a small family and he very seldom talked about them. Even when they had been together in the small command shack just outside of Tent City, Mark had said very little about his family.

“No,” replied Mark, shaking his head. “I had a few cousins I hoped might have survived in Texas, but as far as I know none of them made it. The military was his family now, and Mark planned to stay in as long as he could be of use. It gave him a sense of purpose and a future.

Griffith nodded his head in understanding. “We were lucky; my wife’s parents and her sister were in the Texas survival center. They’re living in the same dome as we are on the Moon.”

“That’s great,” replied Mark, looking over at his friend.

It had been a tough few years for everyone. There wasn’t a single survivor that hadn’t lost close family members and friends in the attack. Most people had lost everyone. The counseling services in the settlements were overrun with cases of depression and anxiety from what had occurred. The attack had left a deep scar on every Human. It wouldn’t be until after the next generation grew up that the scar would begin to diminish. Mark didn’t know if it would ever completely go away.

-

An hour later, Mark watched from one of the observation windows as Griffith’s shuttle pulled away and then accelerated toward the Moon. He let out a long sigh. Lieutenant Samuel Griffith was the only true friend he had. He wished Sam had stayed with him on the station, but he understood the importance of family and why Sam wanted to stay on the Moon. Mark knew that if he were in Sam’s position he would probably have done the same thing.

Leaving the observation room, Mark returned to the habitation dome to continue his work with Captain Winfrey. General Mitchell wanted soldiers trained as space marines for special missions in Type Three battle suits. Mark wasn’t certain what the general had planned, but he strongly suspected the Kleese wouldn’t be pleased when they found out.

Chapter Four

Wade stepped off the battlecruiser Constellation and took a deep breath of the air in the brightly lit flight bay. Even though the air in the ship was continuously refreshed and harmful toxins removed by the air regeneration equipment, it still had a particular smell that could only be associated with spaceships. The air in the massive flight bay seemed so much fresher. Looking around, he could see another battlecruiser and several light cruisers setting in their cradles. Numerous crew personnel were busily working on the ships and loading supplies.

“I’m glad to get home,” Beth spoke from behind him as she stepped out of the main airlock, followed by several other marines. She stopped next to Wade and glanced around the bay at the other battlecruiser. It was the Armageddon, Fleet Admiral Kirby’s flagship.

“I need to find a bar with some good beer,” Sergeant Dawson stated as he stepped out with Sergeant Russell. They were closely followed by Lieutenant Stern, Corporal Foster, and several others.

“There’s a new place in the main food court,” Nicole commented as she took a moment to stretch. Even though the ship had large corridors to allow them to move around in their battle suits, it still seemed small when compared to the flight bay and the rest of Centerpoint Station. “It’s supposed to be pretty good. They even have a live band in the evenings.”

“Great!” Sergeant Dawson spoke with a slight southern drawl in his voice. “Let’s head there. Good beer and dancing, I can handle that.” Alcohol was not allowed on spaceships and it had been a long deployment. “I hope they have some of the stronger stuff.”

“Perhaps you should stick with soda pop,” suggested Sergeant Russell, slapping Dawson on the back. “I don’t want to have to carry you back to the barracks.”

“A challenge!” Dawson spoke his eyes gleaming. “We’ll see who can hold their liquor!”

Beth turned around and gazed at the marines behind her with a look of warning in her eyes, particularly at the two sergeants. “You have two weeks of leave; try not to spend it all in the bars. And I don’t want any of you ending up on report. Is that understood?”

“I’ll make sure they behave,” Nicole promised with a grin. “Come on boys, let’s go find that drink.”

Beth and Wade watched as the group headed off across the flight bay toward one of the large hatches that allowed entrance to the station proper.

“Do you think they’ll stay out of trouble?” asked Wade, glancing over at Beth.

“I doubt it,” replied Beth, shaking her head with a knowing glint in her eyes. “They wouldn’t be who they are if they did.”

“I’ve got to report to General Mitchell and Fleet Admiral Kirby to go over the mission report in a few hours. Want to grab a bite to eat when the briefing's over?” Wade hated debriefings even though he knew they were necessary.

“Sure,” Beth replied. Wade and she had become very good friends over the last few years and often ate together. “I’m kind of tired of ship food anyway. After a while, it all seems to taste the same.”

“Then I’ll see you after the meeting,” Wade answered with a smile.

Beth nodded; she didn’t plan on staying at Centerpoint for too long. The only relative of Beth’s that had survived the attack on Earth was her mother, and she was currently living in Vesta. Beth planned on catching a passenger liner to the asteroid and visiting her mom as soon as she could. She also wanted to see the New Eden habitat. Everyone she had talked to said it was impressive and the largest one in the Solar System.

-

Several hours later, Wade made his way through the wide corridors of Centerpoint Station toward his meeting with the higher officers. As he walked along the corridors, he couldn’t help but notice how much everything had changed over the past two years. The corridors were spotless and there were no civilians living in them.

When the station had first been brought to the Solar System, millions of survivors had been brought on board to live in the habitats and even inside the long wide corridors. If not for the station, millions more would have perished on Earth. Now all the civilians had been taken to the new habitats built across the Solar System. The Moon, Mars, Vesta, and several other asteroids were now the homes of the Human race. All were heavily defended and dedicated to someday seeking revenge against the Kleese for what they had done to mankind’s home.

The Earth was now unfit for life of any kind. Perhaps in the deepest parts of the ocean some life might still be clinging on. The entire planet was covered by a thick and dark cloud layer. Most of the surface was buried under deep snow, ice, and ash. Volcanoes erupted continuously, poisoning the atmosphere, and earthquakes were still quite common. The Kiveans had informed the Human survivors that it might be several centuries before the planet calmed back down sufficiently before terraforming would become practical. Even then, it would take many long decades of terraforming before Earth could be returned to what it once was. Wade knew it wouldn’t occur in his lifetime. In many ways, Wade felt glad he had been on board the Kleese ship and station and hadn’t witnessed the Earth’s destruction.

As he walked, Wade noticed numerous civilians as well as military personnel in the corridors. The crew of the station consisted of sixty thousand civilians and twenty thousand military personnel. It was a crew and military made up of people from across Earth. Each had been implanted with one of the small universal translation devices, which allowed all the different languages of the planet as well as this section of the galaxy to be understood. Marken and several other Kiveans had helped to program the small devices with all of Earth’s languages.

Wade took one of the small transportation trams, which could be taken to many of the different areas of the station. Narrow tubes crisscrossed Centerpoint, allowing crewmembers to rapidly go from one end of the station to the other in a reasonable amount of time. Centerpoint Station was one hundred and twenty kilometers across and twenty-four kilometers thick. On its surface, were dozens of habitation domes ranging anywhere from five to fifteen kilometers across. These domes were where the station’s personnel lived and the military trained.

Wade watched the walls whisk by as the tram hurtled through the station at a high speed. He knew that visitors often became ill at seeing the walls passing by so quickly. He had taken the trams so often he scarcely noticed the breakneck speed at which they traveled. After a few minutes, the tram began to slow and then came to a gentle stop. Wade and several others exited to find themselves on the command level of the station.

The meeting was going to be held in one of the conference rooms next to the Command Center, which was only a few short corridors away. It didn’t take Wade long to reach the Command Center and as he passed it, he smiled at seeing two soldiers in Type Two battle suits standing rigidly next to the large metal hatch that prevented entrance. Security was tight on Centerpoint Station as it was likely that someday the Kleese would return and try to take it back. Reaching the next corridor, Wade walked down partway and then stopped in front of two more soldiers in Type Two suits. He pulled his ID out of his pocket and was allowed immediate entrance.

“Major Nelson,” spoke an alien with a light red tinted body. The alien’s face was humanoid with narrow eyes, no eyebrows, a wide nose, and small ears. There was no hair on his head and he was slightly over six foot tall.

“Marken!” spoke Wade, pleased to see the Kivean. He walked over and shook Marken’s hand. “What are you doing here?”

“This involves him and his race as well,” said General Mitchell, who was sitting at the head of the conference table next to Fleet Admiral Kirby. Colonel Adamson was also at the table. “Have a seat, Major.”

Wade sat down with Marken taking a seat next to him. He looked over at General Mitchell, noticing that the general had a look of deep concern etched on his face.

“Your mission to procure intelligence information from the Kleese communications center was a complete success,” Mitchell began in a steady voice. “Our intelligence experts are still poring over the information you transmitted to us a few days back after the Constellation came into communication’s range.”

“That’s good to hear,” Wade said, wondering if there was a problem.

“As you know, the Kleese control an area of space roughly sixteen thousand light years across, with our solar system on one edge of it,” Admiral Kirby said his calm eyes focusing on Wade. “The Kleese home worlds themselves are at the center and they are constantly fighting small wars of acquisition to expand their area of control.”

“Yes, we had to fight in a number of those when we were captured and used as conscripts in their military,” Wade replied. Those were days he wanted to forget. The Kleese were a cruel and dangerous race, and Wade had never thought he would enjoy killing anyone until he killed a Kleese.

“Most worlds submit to the Kleese once they are contacted by the Empire rather than risk attack; the few that do resist fall rather quickly to conscripts in Type Two battle suits,” added Mitchell, recalling the battles they'd fought when the Humans under his command had been conscripts. “As we all know, the Kleese will not hesitate to use their assault ships to wipe out any opposing fleet and then land their troops upon the surface of a world. Most battles are short and almost always end in that world capitulating.”

“However, as Marken has told us there are a number of nonaligned worlds that the Kleese have left alone, partly because their science and technology are so advanced that the Kleese would have to commit to a major military operation to conquer them. Rather than do so, the Kleese have avoided these worlds, allowing them to trade with one another and even use the Kleese space stations. From what we understand, there is some type of neutrality agreement between the nonaligned worlds and the Kleese.”

“We want to make contact with some of those worlds,” spoke Admiral Kirby, leaning forward and looking intently at Major Nelson and Colonel Adamson. “After studying the data you procured, we've learned that there is a Kleese station solely dedicated to trading with these races. It allows any race to trade there, and the safety of all races is guaranteed while they are on the station. This particular station is the hub for most of the trade between species for a major portion of their Empire. Even many of the worlds under their control send trading ships there.”

“Why are we being told this?” asked Colonel Adamson, feeling suspicious. This wasn’t the type of debriefing he had been expecting, and they had just returned from a dangerous mission. He wondered if the Constellation was about to be sent out on another.

General Mitchell stood up and then continued with a serious look upon his face. “We want you to take the Constellation and several other ships and go to this station to see what they have to offer. Your primary mission will be contacting some of these races and seeing what technology, if any, they might be willing to share.”

“How does this involve my race?” asked Marken, feeling intrigued. He had heard of this station before but had never been there.

“Simple,” replied General Mitchell, peering intently at Marken. “From the information procured by Major Nelson’s people, we've learned that the station has a large contingent of Kiveans on board. We’re hoping that will give us an inside track for speaking with representatives of these nonaligned worlds. We want some of your people to go along on the mission to speak to these other Kiveans.”

Marken let out a deep breath and his narrow eyes opened wide. “I knew there were Kiveans on some of the other stations,” he spoke in a cautious voice. “But I should warn you; they might not hold the same desires as those who came with me about escaping the Kleese.”

“We’re not asking them to plan a revolt, just to help us speak with the nonaligned races,” Admiral Kirby put in. “They may know who might be willing to help and who won’t.”

“Where do I come in?” asked Wade, feeling a sneaking suspicion about what General Mitchell was about to say.

“We don’t know for sure what might happen if the Kleese realize Humans from Earth are on the station,” explained Mitchell, letting out a deep breath. “If things go south, your marines may have to go and pull our people out. All of the Kleese space stations are very similar and your familiarity with Centerpoint will be extremely useful if a dangerous situation develops.”

“What about it, Marken?” asked Wade, looking over at the Kivean. He would feel much more comfortable taking this mission on if Marken and some of his people went. Wade and Marken had developed a special relationship since their time aboard the Kleese station. “Will your people be willing to go on this mission? I don’t think it'll succeed without them.”

“Yes,” Mitchell responded as his eyes shifted over to the Kivean. “Major Nelson’s right. We’ll need them if this mission is to have any chance of success. Your race has much more practice dealing with other species than we have.”

Marken let out a deep sigh. He knew that when he had talked the Humans into joining the Kivean revolt there would be a price to pay. In good faith, there was no way he could turn them down. He was also curious about meeting this new group of his people on the trading station.

“I will pick some of my people to go,” answered Marken, knowing his biggest obstacle would be his life mate Harnett. “A few of them have had dealings with some of the nonaligned races before.”

“How soon will we be leaving?” Colonel Adamson asked. He was hoping his crew would be able to get some leave time in before they had to depart again.

“We have a few weeks before we can launch the mission,” General Mitchell informed them. He looked over at Fleet Admiral Kirby. “We want to have the right ships and crews for this. If we can get even a few of these nonaligned worlds to help us, it could make a huge difference in our war against the Kleese. We also need to come up with some reasonable trading items.”

“Are there any fleet actions planned?” Colonel Adamson asked. He was anxious to test out his ship’s weapons against a Kleese vessel. So far, he had only been allowed to blow up a few small asteroids.

“Depends on the situation,” responded Admiral Kirby, folding his arms across his chest. “Their fleet is much larger than ours. In a standup battle of equal numbers we might have a chance, but we can’t afford major fleet losses. We’ll have to choose our battles wisely. We’re hoping the intelligence we've garnered from the communications facility may point out some targets of opportunity.”

Marken gazed thoughtfully at the Humans in the room. They spoke as if a war against the Kleese was a simple thing. The Kleese had controlled a major portion of the galaxy for thousands of years. No race had successfully resisted them in the long term. This section of the galaxy contained numerous dead worlds who over the millennia had tried.

“You have yet to face an actual Kleese warship,” Marken cautioned them with a warning frown on his face. “Their warships are kept near their core systems and very seldom travel out into the outer reaches of their Empire.”

“You have mentioned this before,” responded Admiral Kirby, showing unease on his face. “Just how powerful are these warships?”

“You have fought their large exploration ships,” Marken replied with a heavy sigh. “Their exploration ships for the most part are powerful enough to handle most threats to their Empire. I fear that at some point they will send one or more of their dangerous warships to this system. That is why my people have worked so hard alongside yours fortifying every habitat and colony. When they do come, we must be ready.”

“That’s just another reason for sending this mission,” General Mitchell commented. “The more we can learn from these other races, the better prepared we'll be when that time comes.”

“Yes, I agree,” replied Marken, looking at the four Humans. It was amazing to Marken how easily they accepted that a war with the Kleese was inevitable. Sometimes their willingness for aggressive action frightened him. His own race, even in their early years, had not been so belligerently inclined. Very few races were.

The group spoke for another hour and then the meeting broke up. Wade made a quick call to Beth informing her that they could meet in the food court. He was feeling hunger pangs and was ready for a good meal and some pleasant conversation. However, in the back of his mind, he was already worrying about this new mission and the dangers it would bring.

-

Beth strode into the food court and noticed there was some sort of commotion over to one side. There was a large crowd gathered in front of one of the smaller establishments. It took her a few minutes to push through the crowd and when she did, she saw that the disturbance was in one of the small bars that catered primarily to military personnel.

“Crap,” she murmured when she saw it was a bar. She had a haunting feeling that she knew who was at the heart of the disturbance. Her fears were confirmed when several MPs came out escorting Sergeants Dawson and Russell, Corporal Foster, Private Lisa Hays and several other marines she was familiar with.

She stalked over to the MPs and glared at her marines. “What is this?” she demanded hotly. “This is how you stay out of trouble? You’ve only been on leave a few hours and you’re already headed for the brig!”

“It wasn’t us,” Nicole pleaded her face flushing deeply upon seeing Captain Williams. “We didn’t start it!”

Private Hays looked nervously at the floor, not wanting to meet Beth’s angry eyes. She was afraid that their leave time was about to be significantly reduced.

“Who did?” Beth demanded.

“It was them,” responded Private Flores, pointing at some regular military soldiers being escorted out of the bar. “They insulted us.”

“How?” Beth asked her gaze turning icy as she stared at Private Flores. She had warned them to stay out of trouble.

“They said we’re not real soldiers since we have to have metal suits to protect us; we just decided to show them we’re as tough as they are.”

“What’s going on here?” a new and familiar voice demanded.

Beth turned to see Wade striding through the crowd. He took one glance at Sergeants Dawson and Russell and started shaking his head. He walked over and spoke briefly with the MPs. After a few moments, the lieutenant in charge of the MPs nodded and released the two groups.

“What did you say?” Beth asked. She had thought that her people would be spending the night in the brig. It would have served them right if they had.

“I told the lieutenant that Sergeants Russell and Dawson would be spending several days of their leave cleaning up the barracks and wouldn’t be allowed to return to the food court for a full week. That seemed to satisfy the lieutenant.”

“Cleaning the barracks,” moaned Sergeant Dawson, turning to glare at Nicole. “I told you not to hit that other corporal.”

“He asked for it,” the blonde demolitions expert replied unabashed. “No one's going to talk about us that way and get away with it!”

“You’re all confined to barracks for twenty-four hours until I decide if this merits further punishment,” Wade spoke in a loud and commanding voice. “See that you don’t get into any more trouble on your way there!”

“Yes, Sir,” they all said in unison, knowing they'd better get back to the barracks before Wade decided they needed a more severe punishment.

Wade watched as they marched out of the food court and back toward the section of the station that contained the small dome that served as their barracks. He smiled inwardly to himself, wishing he could have seen Corporal Foster and the other corporal she had supposedly hit. Nicole had a fiery attitude that occasionally got her into trouble.

Then, turning toward Beth, he spoke. “Now, let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving.”

Beth smiled and took Wade’s arm. “I know just the place. Follow me.”

A few minutes later, they were in a quaint Italian eatery, which didn’t surprise Wade much. Italian food was one of Beth’s favorites. They sat down and after studying the menu for a few moments, placed their orders.

“Everything seems so normal nowadays,” Beth commented as she looked around at the other patrons enjoying their meals. You could hear the buzz of muted conversations as people spoke over their meals and occasional laughter.

“People are adjusting,” Wade replied. He leaned back and allowed himself to relax, putting the new mission out of his mind. At least for a few days he had nothing to worry about. “How’s your mother doing?”

“Fine,” responded Beth, recalling her recent conversation. Beth had called her mother while she was waiting on Wade to finish his debriefing. “She’s made a few friends, and they get together several times a week to play cards and go shopping.” Then Beth paused and leaning forward, asked a question she knew Wade was deeply concerned about. “What are you going to tell your brother?”

“He graduates from high school in a few more months. My parents want him to go to college for a few years before doing anything else. Ryan wants to enlist in the military as soon as graduation is over. He wants to join the space marines.”

“Follow in his big brother’s footsteps,” Beth said knowingly as a waiter placed a garden salad down in front of each of them.

Wade let out a heavy sigh. “I’m not sure what to do. This war is going to be very dangerous, and I don’t know how big a part I want him to play in it.” He picked up his fork and took a bite of the salad. With the Ranch salad dressing, it tasted delicious. He hoped the rest of the food was the same.

“If I had a younger sister or brother, I would be telling them to go to college,” Beth said after a moment of thought. She cut up one of the small cherry tomatoes in her salad and took a bite. There were few fresh vegetables on spaceships and the tomato tasted great! “The college in Vesta is the best we have and could really help prepare him if he later decides to join the military. There are even a few Kiveans teaching there now.”

“I had heard that,” Wade responded with a nod. “Marken’s people seem to enjoy teaching and showing us how to use all the new technology that’s becoming available.”

“When are you going back to Vesta?”

“In a couple more days,” Wade answered his eyes meeting Beth’s. “I’ll talk to Ryan about it then.”

Beth nodded. She wished she had Wade’s problem. It would've been nice if a few more members of her family had survived. Sometimes she felt very lonely, particularly since her fiancée had died in the Kleese attack upon Earth. She greatly appreciated Wade’s friendship, but for now wanted to make sure that's all it was. She didn’t know if she would ever be ready for another serious relationship.

Their waiter returned and placed two plates of steaming food in front of them. Wade took a cautious bite of his Lasagna and was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted. Beth was having Pasta Primavera and from the pleased look upon her face, Wade knew it had met her approval.

“This is great!” she said in between bites. “Much better than what we have on the ships.”

Wade nodded in agreement. He wasn’t going to tell Beth yet that they might be going out on another mission shortly. When he had the chance, he also wanted to find Marken and speak to him about this new mission. He was curious as to what the Kivean knew about the trade station that served the nonaligned worlds.

-

General Mitchell looked over at General Pittman and Fleet Admiral Kirby. “We need to throw the Kleese off guard while we continue to build up our fleet. We can’t afford to wait for them to attack us here.”

“I agree, but how?” Kirby asked his eyes narrowing. “We all know that, at some point in time, the Kleese are going to come for us. They know we have the station, and they’re going to want it back.”

Mitchell stood and walked over to a table that had recently been installed in the conference room. Several Kivean scientists working with a group of Human military technicians had delivered it a few days before. Pressing a button, a three-dimensional map of the galaxy appeared above the table.

“That’s new,” Kirby remarked as he stood up and walked over to examine the hologram. “This would be nice to have on the Armageddon.”

General Mitchell made several adjustments until the Kleese Empire and the other two large Galactic Empires were the only parts of the galaxy showing. “What if we turn the Kleese’s attention to their galactic neighbors?”

“What do you mean?” General Pittman asked as he strode over from the conference table. He peered intently at the image, realizing just how small the Solar System was in the overall scheme of things.

“We know that all three of the large Empires are continuously seeking out new worlds to add to their spheres of influence, and at times they even come into conflict with one another over these new worlds.”

“You want to stir up trouble between the Kleese and one of the other two Empires?” Kirby asked his eyes growing wide at the thought. “That could be extremely dangerous.”

“Yes,” Mitchell answered. “Dangerous for the Kleese if we’re successful. The Strell are the largest Empire next to the Kleese. They also share a long border with numerous contested worlds. Their ships are also very similar to our battlecruisers, but much larger. If we hit several of these contested worlds and make it look like the Strell are making a push to add them to their Empire, it may force the Kleese to focus more on that area of space and continue to leave us alone.”

Kirby studied the hologram for a bit longer and then turned toward General Mitchell. “It just might work. The Kleese will never suspect it’s us because of the distances involved. Their natural distrust of other races will convince them even more that the Strell are responsible. We’ll have to be extremely careful with all of this or it could backfire on us. We could end up with both the Strell and the Kleese after us.”

“I don’t think we would have to worry about the Strell,” General Mitchell responded. “Their Empire is on the other side of the Kleese and far away from us. I suspect they would leave it up to the Kleese to handle us if it’s ever discovered that we’re the ones stirring up the trouble.”

“What if we hit the Strell instead?” asked General Pittman as he studied the hologram. “Our assault ships are nearly exact duplicates of Kleese ships. I suspect it would be easier to make the Strell think the Kleese are attacking their worlds than vice versa.”

“That’s a possibility,” responded Mitchell, nodding his head thoughtfully. “I propose that we plan for both scenarios.”

“That’s two operations we’re talking about launching,” General Pittman said as he thought about the complicated logistics involved. “It will take several months just for our ships to reach that area of contested space, and we have the trading station operation also.”

“Admiral Kirby, I want you to start thinking about the ships we might need for both operations,” ordered General Mitchell. “In the meantime, I’ll have the intelligence people find out everything they can that might be useful from the data that the Constellation brought back.” General Mitchell knew they would be taking a huge risk launching two operations at nearly the same time, but the rewards of doing so far outweighed the potential dangers.

-

Captain Stevens was watching Captain Winfrey’s soldiers try once again to reach the summit of the small mountain, only this time he had gone with them. He was bringing up the rear, keeping a close watch on the action.

“Lieutenant Taylor, sweep those ridges with RG explosives; we know there are at least two hidden stunner emplacements there,” Captain Winfrey ordered. Winfrey was standing behind a large boulder and peering cautiously around it at the ridge above them.

The ridge was about fifty meters ahead and covered in heavy tree growth and vegetation. Captain Winfrey didn’t understand how, but they could wipe the ridge free of trees today, and they would be back again tomorrow as if nothing had ever happened.

A number of soldiers in battle suits opened fire, sending dozens of explosive rounds toward the ridge. Instantly, grenade-like explosions began rolling across, uprooting trees and eliminating the vegetation that might be hiding the painful stunners. The ridge became covered in smoke and small fires until every hiding place for a potential stunner had been eliminated.

“Move up,” ordered Winfrey confident that any hidden stunners would have been destroyed.

Only this time, the stunners were not on the ridge; they were on the sides of it. Four stunners popped up out of the ground and opened fire on Captain Winfrey’s advancing troops. Six quickly fell before the stunners exploded as heavy return fire was turned upon them.

“Remember, Captain,” Mark spoke over the private channel they had set up before the drill began. “The stunners are not always going to be in the same place.”

“Damn,” uttered Winfrey, seeing that he had six troops stunned and another four injured. “Sometimes I think getting up this ridge is impossible!”

“It’s not impossible,” replied Mark, patiently. “Just very difficult.” The troops began moving forward again, but much more cautiously.

For the next two hours, Mark watched with interest as Captain Winfrey and his soldiers carefully ascended the small mountain. Several more times stunners popped up, knocking out more of Winfrey’s troops. Mark felt sorry for the immobile soldiers on the small mountain. While the battle suits felt comfortable, it wasn’t fun lying on the ground not being able to move any part of your body. The stunners would normally knock you unconscious for a few minutes, and then you had to lie on the ground in the suit until the drill was over. It was one of the reasons a claustrophobic person couldn’t handle the suits.

Captain Winfrey was almost to the summit and beginning to feel as if he really had a chance to make it, when half a dozen stunners they'd missed popped up behind them. The first Winfrey knew about them was when he felt a sharp pain in his back and knew that he had been stunned. He felt himself falling and was soon laying face down in the dirt. His command suit was set so that he wouldn’t lose consciousness and he could watch what happened to the rest of his marines. He swore to himself as he tried to ignore the pain. The damn stunner felt like a dozen big red ants had taken a hunk out of him! After a few moments, the pain began to fade away and he knew the drill was over. The HUD in his helmet showed that, once more, all of his troops were down.

After a few more minutes, Winfrey heard the familiar Kivean voice stating that the drill was over and they could return to their barracks. His suit suddenly began functioning again and Winfrey stood back up to see Captain Stevens standing next to him.

“Another hundred meters and you would’ve been there,” Mark commented as he glanced over at the Type Two battle suit with Captain Winfrey in it.

Captain Winfrey turned his gaze to the summit, so tantalizing close. “Next time,” he muttered. “Next time we’ll reach the summit!”

“That’s the attitude,” replied Mark, slapping Winfrey on the back. “Now, let’s get down this mountain, clean up, and eat some chow. We need to discuss what you did wrong today.”

“This sure isn’t as easy as it looks,” Winfrey spoke as he turned and began walking back down the mountain.

“It never is,” Mark responded.

As they walked back down the mountain, Mark looked at all the destruction the forty soldiers under Captain Winfrey’s command had wrought on their way up. He knew that tomorrow it would all be gone as if nothing had happened. Looking across the habitat, Mark was glad that his days of guarding Tent City were over. He didn’t know if he would ever return to Earth. He didn’t have any surviving family; Lieutenant Griffith was the closest person to family Mark had. Perhaps it would be a good idea, once Captain Winfrey’s training was further along, if he took a few weeks leave to visit Lieutenant Griffith and his family on the Moon. Mark knew he needed to have a life besides just the military.

Chapter Five

Nine thousand light years away from Earth was the Kleese home world. Their planet orbited a small K Class star only slightly cooler than Earth’s. The sun was yellow-orange in color with twelve planets orbiting it. The fourth planet was the Kleese home world and it was nearly devoid of life. In the early years of the Kleese civilization, genocidal wars had been prevalent on the planet. Entire continents had been ravished as various factions fought for dominance. Much of the planet had been laid to waste from the terrible weapons used in those early conflicts.

When the wars finally ended, only one faction of the Kleese race had survived; the others had all been annihilated and their nests destroyed. The Kleese were egg layers, and females laid multiple eggs in great nests protected by the most powerful males. Great pain had been taken by the winning faction to make sure all the nests of their enemies were eliminated.

Once the internecine wars were over, the surviving Kleese quickly began to expand their population, only to discover that their world was no longer capable of supporting a thriving civilization. In desperation, the Kleese turned toward space and in just a few decades began to expand to the nearer stars. Acceptable worlds were found and colonized until only a few Kleese remained on the home world. It was finally decided that the home world would be abandoned except for one city. It was here that the Kleese Council of Overlords would meet and rule their expanding Empire.

For centuries, the mighty warships of the Kleese race swept across the galaxy, conquering numerous worlds and destroying those that refused to capitulate. All races were deemed potential adversaries. The Kleese Council of Overlords was determined to limit the expansion and development of these inferior races. It was during these tumultuous years that the council decided a new strategy was in order.

The constant state of war was draining the resources of the Kleese worlds and limiting future expansion of the Kleese race itself. In a major change of policy, they began offering worlds the opportunity to join the Empire on the condition they would agree to produce one or two products the Kleese desired and drastically reduce the size of any military they might possess. When a world agreed, it was more or less left alone. If a world refused, the Kleese military would respond and bring the world forcibly into the Empire.

The Kleese military was a thing of dread. Mighty disk ships of a deep black color would appear above the offending world. Kleese soldiers would descend and wreck havoc on the major cities of the planet until its rulers capitulated and agreed to Kleese terms. Offending worlds normally found themselves supplying more items to the Kleese than those that had capitulated without a fight. They were also forced to endure a permanent occupation of Kleese soldiers.

For nearly two thousand years, the Kleese slowly expanded their Empire, and then they encountered the Strell. In the first few years, there were a number of vicious battles between the two Empires with numerous worlds laid to waste. Thousands of ships on both sides were destroyed in massive fleet battles. Finally, realizing that continued conflict could end both Empires, the two agreed to end open combat and pull their military forces back.

This left both with a quandary as to how to bring in new worlds to their Empires without committing their military or reigniting the conflict. A joint meeting between the highest military leaders came up with the idea of conscripts; warriors that would fight to take over new worlds but ensure that the actual military forces of the two Empires would never came into direct open conflict again. So began thousands of years of slow expansion as both Empires brought new worlds into their spheres of influence. The taking of unwilling conscripts became common.

On the outer edges of the Empires, where both sides were competing for new worlds, oftentimes conscripts from both sides would meet in combat to determine the fate of a world. By mutual agreement, the Empires agreed that once conscripts began fighting upon a contested world, reinforcements could not be brought in. The victor on the contested world would determine which Empire would rule. On these worlds, a small contingent of conscripts was normally left to ensure the agreement was kept and signify which Empire controlled the planet.

-

In the Great Hall of the Council of Overlords, a meeting was being held. Twenty Kleese, the most powerful and cruel of their race, were present. Advancement on the council was done through open challenges, and if the council agreed the challenge was legitimate, then a battle to the death was arranged. If the challenger won, they would take over the council seat of the slain Overlord. Outside, a chill wind blew over the desolate surface and the lone remaining city upon the planet. It was a stark reminder as to what the warring factions had done to the home world so many thousands of years ago.

“Why has this meeting been called?” challenged Bixutl, the second most powerful Overlord.

He had been busily planning the annexation of several new worlds recently discovered by their exploration ships. One of the worlds had agreed to become part of the Empire; the second would require force. A military force of conscripts was already being organized and would be sent from the nearest space station to bring the world forcibly into the Empire.

The Kleese did not sit down; they stood around a large table made of solid stone. The symbols of their different nests were carved into the hard stone, symbolizing their right to be in attendance.

“We have recently been made aware of an incident in sector eleven of our Empire,” answered Xatul, the Supreme Overlord of the Kleese race.

“Sector eleven?” hissed Raluth his many faceted eyes focusing on the Supreme Overlord. “That is on the far side of our Empire.”

“Yes,” Xatul responded. “One of our trade stations has been taken from us.”

“A trade station?” spoke Bixutl, placing his two hands upon the stone table. “How? What of the Kleese that were on the station and our exploration ships?”

“The members of our race on the station were probably slain,” Xatul informed the others, feeling no remorse at their deaths. “They were obviously weak to allow the station to be taken from them. Information is still being gathered. A punitive raid was launched to retake the station and return it to its former location, but the raid failed. A number of our exploration ships were destroyed in the process.”

“It has been centuries since a member of our race was killed by an inferior species,” Raluth spoke his right hand changing into a fist. “This cannot be allowed to stand or other races may attempt to move against us. Our Empire could be thrown into chaos.”

“It has been even longer since we lost one of our exploration ships,” Bixutl spoke in a hard and callous voice. “The perpetrators must be found!”

“We must extract vengeance upon the race that has dared to challenge us,” Raluth added his fist slamming down against the hard stone of the table.

“We must send some of our warships to destroy this species and their world,” Bixutl uttered his eyes focusing on the Supreme Overlord. “It is essential that we make an example of this insolent race. What are they called, and why did they attack the trade station to begin with?”

“A large number of conscripts were taken from their world and then a planet ending missile was fired into its heart,” replied Xatul, coldly. “The exploration ship failed to take note of several colonies this race had placed on one of their system's other worlds as well as the planet’s moon. It’s believed it was the survivors that came and took the trade station.”

“Members of our race have grown careless due to our superiority over all other races,” Bixutl stated. “We may need to cull those of our race that have grown weak.”

“Those that were involved in this have already paid with their lives,” Xatul informed them. “They either died on the station or in the ships attacking the Human star system.”

“This race sounds dangerous,” Raluth said, standing up taller on his six legs, the hairs on his chest bristling. “They cannot be allowed to grow. Every member of this species must be eliminated. I agree we must send our warships.”

“Do we awaken the Zaltule to crew them?” Xatul asked.

The Zaltule were the warriors of the Kleese race and were kept in stasis until their services were needed. The Zaltule had slept in their millions of stasis chambers for well over two thousand years. In all of that time, there had never been a serious enough threat to the Empire to require them to be awakened.

The Overlords were silent as they weighed this option. The Zaltule were the most violent and aggressive of the Kleese race and once awakened in any numbers, it might be difficult to get them to go back into stasis. They were a fierce warrior sect who would make any sacrifice necessary to advance the Kleese Empire. They may not be pleased to learn that they had been kept in stasis for such a long period.

“No,” Bixutl replied after several long moments of silence. “I don’t think that is necessary yet. If a planet killer was used on their world, there cannot be many survivors. A few of our warships, manned by Kleese, should be sufficient to end this threat and return the trade station to its former location.”

Xatul looked at the others, seeing nods of agreement. “It will be so,” he stated. “I will pass the orders, and a small fleet of our warships will be dispatched to destroy this race. In short order, there will be no more Humans!”

-

Mason Randle was in the new Control Center for Vesta, which had been built deep beneath the New Eden habitat. The habitat was nearly in the center of the massive asteroid and the asteroid itself would have to be cracked open to damage it.

“Anything new going on?” he asked Pamela Cairns, who was in charge and was sitting at her command console monitoring the bustling activity in the room.

The thirty-four-year old turned to face Mason with a pleasant smile appearing on her face. “It’s quiet,” she reported. “Just routine traffic and nothing out of the ordinary. Just how I like it.”

Mason nodded. His eyes shifted to the massive view and sensor screens covering the near wall. On the sensor screens numerous green icons moved, with each icon having a small number and other symbols next to it for identification. Every screen showed a different section of the Solar System, with a massive screen in the center showing a composite of all the screens combined. There were hundreds of green icons displayed on the main screen.

The viewscreens showed scenes from the different colonies and habitats spread across the Solar System. There were views from Luna City, Mars Central, Vesta, and half a dozen other asteroids that contained Human habitats. A few even showed several of the larger asteroid mining operations.

“Prospectors have been busy,” Pamela commented as she touched several icons on her computer screen. “Since we installed the new sublight drives on their ships and gave them new mineral scanners, they've been staking out new claims all over. Several of them headed out toward Neptune the other day and I had to call them back. They wanted to scan the smaller moons for mineral deposits.”

“Neptune has fourteen moons,” commented Mason, understanding the prospector’s desires to check them out. “Did you tell them we didn’t want them out that far for safety reasons?”

“Yes,” Pamela replied. “One of them was Brian Jones in the Raven and it took a while to convince him to turn around.”

Mason allowed himself to laugh. “That doesn’t surprise me. Michael trained the man, and he's only doing the same thing Michael would have. I would keep a close watch on the Raven. Don’t be surprised if he tries it again.”

“I've already thought of that,” answered Pamela, nodding her head. “I’m sure he'll make a run for Neptune once he thinks we've stopped watching the Raven.”

Mason nodded. With the need for more resources, the prospectors working out of Vesta had become even more important. They were required to check in on a regular basis and the various mining operations were stringently monitored for safety.

“Major Nelson and Captain Williams are on their way in the passenger liner Princess,” Jessica Lange commented from her position at Communications. “They should be docking shortly.”

Jessica was now the head communications officer and had ten others working with her at the massive communications console. From it, they could monitor communications and keep in touch with ships across the Solar System as well as all the colonies and habitats.

“I’m sure they’ll be glad to get back to Vesta and see their families,” Mason said. He knew from talking to Wade a few months back that his younger brother wanted to join the military as soon as he graduated from high school. Looking back over at Pamela, he asked, “How’s Mike doing? I understand he had a few classes this year with Karen.” Karen was the daughter of Mason’s sister and Mike was Pamela’s son.

Pamela laughed, her eyes twinkling. “They're twelve years old and don’t talk much. I suspect that will change when they become teenagers.”

The hatch to the Control Center swung open and Colonel Will Bailey stepped inside. “Morning,” he said, seeing both Pamela and Mason. “I assume there are no new fires burning today?”

“Everything’s normal,” Pamela responded as Colonel Bailey walked over to stand next to them.

“I just came from the spacedock and work is progressing well on the new battlecruisers. They should be ready to begin their space trials shortly.”

“I’m sure Rear Admiral Rivers will be glad to hear that,” Mason replied with a nod. Anytime you went into the large spacedock, you could find Rivers talking to the engineers about the ships. Just the other day, Mason had found Rivers helping several engineers install parts on the Fold Space Drive in one of the battlecruisers. “I’ve already spoken to Sean Miller about beginning construction on the next four.”

Colonel Bailey nodded. Since they'd settled on a design, construction of the battlecruisers inside the spacedock and the light cruisers at Centerpoint Station had been going very smoothly.

“What’s the current status of your space marines?” asked Mason, feeling curious.

Colonel Bailey had been working hard training a large contingent to defend the asteroid. After the fierce battle in the spacedock a few years back, Mason well understood the need for a strong force to protect it and the habitats. It was a relief to have a professional in charge of defending Vesta.

“We’ve decided to break them into two major groups,” Colonel Bailey replied in a serious voice. “The civilians in the habitats seem to get very nervous anytime they see a marine in a Type Two or a Type Three battle suit. I’ve spoken to General Pittman and he's agreed to allow me to change the makeup of our defensive force. As a matter of fact, we may be doing it across the board.”

“What are you changing?” Mason asked his eyes focusing on the colonel. He had received several complaints from frightened civilians after they had seen marines in the battle suits on routine guard duty at the entrances to the different habitats. He couldn’t blame the civilians. A ten-foot tall metal soldier was overwhelming, especially if one knew the firepower the marines in the battle suits had at their disposal.

“Vesta is the seat of our government and the largest colony next to the Moon,” responded Bailey, looking over at Mason. We’ll have eight hundred space marines fully trained in the operation of the Type Two or Type Three suits. In addition, there will be another fifteen hundred regular soldiers to aid in other defensive capacities, including operating the asteroid’s defensive and offensive weapon systems.”

“I assume it will be the regular army troops that will be seen on a regular basis inside the habitats?” Mason asked his eyes focusing on the colonel. This would go a long way in helping to calm the civilians by not having marines in battle suits on guard duty.

“Yes,” replied Colonel Bailey, nodding his head. “We’ll still have a few drills late at night when most of the civilians are asleep in the habitats so our space marines will be familiar with what needs to be done if enemy conscripts ever make it that far inside Vesta, but for the most part all they will see will be regular troops.”

“I think that'll work,” Pamela spoke with a nod.

The battle suits even made her feel nervous, though she knew there was a Human marine inside. Her son Mike was infatuated with them and every time they passed close to one, he wanted to go over and inspect it at close range. Just the other day they'd been at the transit station near the spacedock and Mike had managed to sneak away. When Pamela found him, he was talking to one of the marines guards in a battle suit as if nothing was out of the norm.

“One other thing,” added Colonel Bailey, looking over at Mason. “General Mitchell and Fleet Admiral Kirby are coming to Vesta in a few days. They need to brief you on an upcoming mission.”

Wade nodded; he had hoped the military would wait a few more months before launching another attack against the Kleese. He sighed, knowing that wasn’t going to happen. “Thank you, Colonel, for the heads up.”

“No problem, Sir,” replied Bailey, respectfully. “Just doing my job.”

Colonel Bailey turned and left after speaking to several of the military personnel that were present, who were manning the defensive and offensive consoles in the Control Center. The outside of Vesta was covered with defensive railgun and energy weapons turrets, as well as particle beam cannons and pulse fusion turrets for offense. Any enemy ship approaching too close to Vesta would find it a very dangerous place to be.

“I wonder what type of mission the military is planning?” asked Pamela, looking over at Mason a little uneasily.

She was relieved that her family lived here in Vesta. It was the most heavily defended colony in the system. Pamela still felt worried, fearing that if they kept provoking the Kleese at some point they were bound to respond with another attack upon the Solar System. Glancing at the main sensor screen, though it showed everything was still normal, she was certain that someday soon all that was going to change.

“I don’t know,” Mason replied with a look of concern. From speaking to Michael and General Mitchell, Mason understood the need for future military operations. “We all know that we can’t just wait for the Kleese to return. We have to do something to keep them off balance while we rebuild our civilization.”

Pamela nodded, letting out a deep sigh. Paul had said the same thing just the other evening. Her husband was of the opinion that their time was rapidly running out before the Kleese came back with an even greater force than before. Sometimes she felt it might be best to continue to fortify the Solar System and hope the Kleese just left them alone.

“I have a few more meetings this morning and then I’m off to Susan’s for lunch. Later this afternoon I have a conference call lined up with Mayor Silas. He wants us to ship them some cattle to put in one of the new agricultural habitats they just finished.”

“Sounds like you have a busy day,” Pamela commented with a nod. Since the destruction of Earth, it seemed that every day was full of new challenges. It wasn’t easy piecing a civilization back together again.

-

Wade stepped back into the Viridian habitat inside Vesta; he paused as he gazed out over the remarkable world created inside of the massive asteroid. It almost looked as if a part of Earth had been taken and placed inside the surrounding rock. The habitat extended for kilometers, with verdant farmland on the periphery and a big, modern city running down its center. Large apartment buildings towered up nearly forty stories and the city was full of green, as trees and parks were abundant. Wade took a deep breath of the fresh air; it was much different from the air on a spaceship or even Centerpoint Station.

“We have a week,” spoke Beth from his side. “A week and then we report back to Centerpoint Station for our next deployment.”

“I just hope I can talk some sense into my little brother,” Wade said with a shrug of his shoulders.

“He’s not so little anymore,” Beth reminded him, arching her eyebrow. She had met Wade’s brother and he was well over six feet tall. The lanky youngster was just as strong willed as Wade.

“I want him to go to college for a few years,” spoke Wade, glancing over at Beth. Both were dressed in casual clothes since they were on leave. Beth was wearing a colorful blouse and dark slacks, which she filled out very well. Sometimes, Wade forgot just how good-looking Beth was.

“I think that would be best,” she answered, nodding her head in agreement. “Have him take some of the classes the Kiveans are teaching; it'll better prepare him for what’s out there when he does join the military.”

“If he'll just listen,” Wade mumbled with a frown. His little brother could be very stubborn; at least they had that much in common. He wasn’t looking forward to the impending conversation.

“I’d better get going,” Beth said after a few moments. “My mom’s expecting me for lunch.”

“I’ll call you when I get the chance,” responded Wade, wanting to see Beth while they were both on leave. “Maybe we can go out to eat a few times while we’re here. I’m sure we can find several Italian places you haven’t tried yet.”

“You’re on,” Beth responded with a friendly smile. She enjoyed spending time with Wade, and it would be nice to have someone to go out with.

-

Marken was standing next to Harnett in their large apartment in the city the Kiveans had built inside their new asteroid home. The asteroid they'd chosen was sixty kilometers in diameter and close to Vesta. The city was the home to slightly over six thousand Kiveans and was a modern wonder. It resembled those prevalent on their home world with tall, slender towers and slim metallic bridges connecting them at different levels. The buildings were multiple colors and of various shapes and sizes.

“The Humans have accomplished much,” Harnett said, placing her slim, delicate hand on her life mate’s arm. “It was your desire to have them take on the Kleese, and now they seem ready to do so.”

“Yes,” replied Marken, turning to face Harnett. “I just hope they’re ready for what’s ahead of them.”

“The Humans are very resilient,” replied Harnett, reassuringly. She had developed close friendships with a number of the Humans. “I’ve spent a lot of time inside Vesta and the habitats they have built with our help. It’s hard to believe their species was on the brink of extinction just a few short years ago.”

“The battlecruisers the Humans have built are very powerful,” added Marken, recalling the latest designs. Both Human and Kivean engineers had spent many long hours designing the current ships being built. They were true warships designed for only one purpose, to destroy Kleese ships. “Perhaps even powerful enough to take on one of the Kleese warships that guard their core systems.” Marken was amazed at what all the Humans had accomplished in the last two years. Even taking into consideration Kivean help, their progress had been remarkable.

Harnett was silent for a moment. She had heard Marken speak of the powerful ships of war before. “I hope they don’t come anytime soon. It'll be decades before the Humans' population becomes great enough to fight an all out war against the Kleese. I would hate to see the Humans lose even more precious lives in this war before they are truly ready.”

She had worked healing the Humans on the space station when they had been conscripts to the Kleese. In the last few years, she had spent a lot of time at the new hospitals inside Vesta explaining the new medical technology, particularly the nanites the Kiveans had furnished. She had become very good friends with Adrienne Randle, and the two women spent a lot of time together whenever Harnett was at Vesta. Adrienne had even come over and visited Harnett a number of times.

“The Humans are undertaking a new mission,” Marken said after a moment, wondering how Harnett would react to his next words. “They’re sending some of their ships to the nonaligned worlds' trading station. I and several other Kiveans will be going with them.”

Harnett gazed at her life mate with a serious look as she considered what he had just said. “I’ll go too,” she said after a moment. “They will need a chief medical officer, and there are also medical supplies that might be available on the station that we don’t have the capability to make here.”

“The nanites,” Marken said in understanding, his eyes focusing on Harnett. They had a large supply of the nanites that had been on the Kleese space station, but they didn’t have the technology to make them. Marken knew that Harnett’s request was reasonable. He let out a deep breath and then nodded his head in agreement. “I’ll put your name down for the mission; I have a few others I need to talk to in the next few days.”

“I’ll be ready,” replied Harnett, sincerely. “Now I must go and prepare our evening meal.”

Marken watched as Harnett went into the kitchen. He let out a heavy sigh. He would have felt better if his life mate was not going on this mission, but how could he refuse since he was going? Sitting down in a comfortable recliner, Marken began thinking about the others he needed to speak to. This could turn out to be a very important mission for both the Humans and the Kiveans.

-

Wade pushed his plate back with a satisfied smile. His mom’s fried chicken was the absolute best! Sometime he needed to bring Beth over and let her taste his mom’s cooking.

“How long can you stay?” his father asked as he gazed expectantly at Wade.

“I need to be back on Centerpoint Station in a week,” Wade replied in a steady voice.

“Will you be here for my graduation?” asked Ryan from across the table. “It’s only in a couple more months.”

Wade looked over at his younger brother and then answered. “I’ll try to be.”

“I’m joining up immediately afterwards,” Ryan announced in a determined voice.

“Ryan, we’re still discussing that,” his mother spoke, sounding alarmed.

“I’m of legal age,” Ryan persisted with a stubborn look covering his face. “Several of my classmates are also signing up so we can go through basic together.”

“Ryan,” began Wade, trying to sound calm. “It’s not that easy becoming a space marine. The training is hard and brutal at times.”

“Do you think I’m not tough enough?” grated out Ryan, starting to sound angry.

“No, it’s not that,” responded Wade, shaking his head. “I just think it might be a good idea for you to go to college for a few years to better prepare yourself for what’s out there. There are several excellent courses being taught by the Kiveans that would be of real help in preparing you to go out into space.”

“You just want all the glory!” yelled Ryan, standing up and shoving his chair back. “I’m just as good as you; all I have to do is prove it!”

“Calm down, Ryan,” their mother admonished with a frown, not wanting to see her two sons angry at one another. “We just want what’s best for you.”

“What about what I want?” Ryan asked as he turned and stalked out of the dining room.

“Well, that didn’t go well,” Wade said as he watched his brother go off into the living room. He had been afraid of something like this happening.

“Give him time,” his mother said as she stood up and began clearing the table, knowing they needed to give Ryan a little space and time to calm down. “He’s young and confused. We can talk to him again later and maybe explain things a little bit better. He’s just high strung like you were at his age.”

Wade nodded, his mother was right; in many ways Ryan was much like him when he was younger. The marines had straightened him out; they would probably do the same for Ryan. The only difference was that when Wade had joined the marines there had not been an interstellar war going on.

Chapter Six

Wade stepped into the flight bay and looked over at the Constellation, which lay quietly in her docking cradle. Dozens of dock personnel were busily loading supplies into the large battlecruiser in preparation for departure.

“Guess this is it,” commented Beth as she gazed at the other ships docked in the bay. She could see a large passenger liner, one of several that had built since the destruction, and two light cruisers in their berths.

“I spoke to Marken a few minutes ago,” Wade said, looking over at Beth. “He and Harnett are already aboard the passenger ship with the other Kiveans that will be going along with us.”

“Any others that I know?” asked Beth, curiously. She wasn't as familiar with as many of the Kiveans as Wade.

“Just Taalon. Since he's a computer specialist, Marken felt his skills might be needed if we find it necessary to tap into the station’s computers unobtrusively.”

“I’m surprised Harnett is going,” Beth added as she watched several dock workers handling an antigravity sled, which held several large crates. The sleds were another Kleese technology that had found many uses in Human space. They floated about six inches above the deck and could be used to move very heavy loads.

“She’s following Marken,” Wade responded in explanation. “If you recall, she was often on the assault ships when we went out on missions.”

Beth nodded. That she did understand; it reminded her that the Kiveans in many ways shared the same intrinsic values that Humans did.

“Are your people ready?”

“As ready as we’re going to be,” Beth replied her eyes focusing back on Wade. “I just wished we knew what was ahead of us. According to the information from the communications facility and what the Kiveans have said, there could be dozens of alien races trading at this station.”

“Then, of course, we don’t know what the Kleese reaction will be if and when they realize there are Humans present,” added Wade, allowing a worried frown to cross his face. He had a strong suspicion that the guarantee of safety on the station wouldn’t apply to Humans. “We may have to fight our way back out if the Kleese discover we’re there.”

Beth let out a deep sigh in acknowledgement of that possibility. There were four assault ships going on the mission. Fortunately, the four were of recent construction and had more amenities than the ones the Kleese built. Beth shuddered, recalling the small quarters and mundane living conditions on the old assault ships. She would be aboard one with eighty marines, Captain Jeffries would be on board another, and Lieutenants Stern and Perry would be on the other two. That would give them three hundred twenty marines all combat tested and fully rated in the Type Three battle suits. That was nearly one third of the currently trained force General Mitchell had at his disposal.

“This is going to be a long trip,” Wade added. He knew it would be more difficult upon the assault ships with their limited facilities. Wade was on the battlecruiser and had been assigned officer’s quarters, which were quite spacious.

“Guess I'd better be going,” Beth said as her gaze wandered over toward one of the hatches leading to the outside corridor. The assault ships were being loaded with last minute supplies in the next flight bay over. “I need to make sure that Sergeants Russell and Dawson aren’t stirring up any trouble.”

“Good luck with that,” Wade responded with a laugh. “I’m sure that you and Captain Jeffries can keep them in line.”

“Then there’s Nicole,” Beth said, shaking her head. The young demolitions expert was a spitfire and never hesitated to speak her mind, which occasionally got her into trouble.

With a wave, Beth turned and went back through the large hatch to go to her assault ship. Wade watched her leave, knowing she was still going through a lot. Losing her fiancée in the destruction and never knowing for sure what happened to him had haunted Beth since their return to Earth. She was purposely keeping him at a discreet distance because of that. He knew that for now they could be good friends but nothing more.

-

Wade entered the Command Center of the Constellation and saw that Colonel Adamson was already there. The room was a beehive of activity as the crew prepared for the ship to exit the flight bay.

“Supplies are loaded and stored,” the Executive Officer, Major Thomas Kelly, reported. He had been a former captain in the Royal Navy in charge of a frigate and was now putting his military training to good use on the Constellation. With time and perseverance, he hoped someday to once more have his own command.

“We’ve been cleared to depart the bay,” Ensign Emma Travers added from Communications as she received clearance from Flight Control.

Looking up at one of the large viewscreens on the front wall of the Command Center, Wade saw the massive doors shielding the interior of the bay begin to slide open. An atmospheric energy shield prevented the air in the bay from being sucked out into space. It was actually quite feasible to work in the bay with the doors open and only the energy shield holding in the air, but as a safety precaution General Mitchell had ordered that there were to be no crews in the bays when the doors were open. While the Kleese had little concern if an atmospheric energy shield were to fail and suck the conscripted workforce out into space, General Mitchell didn’t share the same view.

“Take us out,” Colonel Adamson ordered as he sat down in his command chair.

Ensign Jase Martin activated the ship’s small thrusters and gently raised the ship off her docking cradle. With skill, he backed the ship out of the bay and then slowly rotated the Constellation until it was pointing toward open space.

“We’ve cleared the flight bay,” Lieutenant Lauren Saur reported from the sensors. We’re one thousand meters from the station.”

“Take us out to twenty thousand kilometers and we’ll wait there for our fleet to assemble,” Adamson ordered as he leaned back and allowed himself to relax.

He was always a little nervous when his ship was exiting the flight bay. After all, the Constellation was five hundred meters long and fifty meters high with a width of ninety meters. It wasn’t that easy maneuvering the large warship out of the station, but Ensign Martin had made it look simple.

Wade heard the ship’s engines switch to a slightly higher pitch as the warship accelerated on her sublight drive toward its designated coordinates. The sound of the drive was just barely audible, and you had to know what to listen to over the other noises in the Command Center.

“The other ships are exiting the flight bays,” Lieutenant Saur reported as a number of green icons began appearing on her sensor screens.

Wade knew there would be eight ships in the fleet that Colonel Adamson would be commanding. The battlecruiser, two light cruisers, four assault ships, and the passenger liner that was carrying both Humans and Kiveans. It would be a long trip as they had nearly four thousand light years to travel. It was for that reason no extra marines were on board the Constellation. During the communications center mission, the extra marines the ship had carried had put a strain on the ship’s systems.

Fortunately, all of the ships had the most recent innovations from the Kivean and Human scientists to maximize the fleet’s Fold Space Drives. They had a top cruising speed of nearly three light years per hour. The Constellation actually had a top speed of slightly over five light years per hour, but due to the limited power of the fusion power plants on the assault ships and the passenger liner, they'd be traveling at the slower speed. That meant it would take eight weeks to reach their destination.

Wade found it nearly impossible to grasp the speed and distance they would be traveling. It also meant it would be eight weeks before he saw Beth and his other marines in the assault ships. They could communicate, but travel between ships while they were in Fold Space wasn’t possible. The stress would tear a shuttle apart.

The Constellation quickly reached the rendezvous coordinates and in less than an hour all ships were assembled and in formation. The passenger liner was in the center with the Constellation in the lead. The two light cruisers brought up the rear and the four assault ships were in screening positions around the fleet.

“Forty percent sublight until we reach two million kilometers,” Colonel Adamson ordered. “Then we'll activate our Fold Space Drives and begin our mission.”

“Yes, Sir!” replied Major Kelly with barely a trace of his British accent. He was finding that he really enjoyed being an executive officer on a spacecraft. It was different than commanding a naval vessel, but he was making the adjustments.

The fleet accelerated and it didn’t take long for them to pass the Moon. On the main viewscreen, the lights of Luna City were plainly visible. There were dozens of large domes on the surface with even more habitats dug deep beneath.

“Fold Space Drive activation in twenty seconds,” Major Kelly reported as he checked one more time with the Helm. “All systems normal.”

“Proceed,” spoke Colonel Adamson, wondering if they would see the Solar System again. There were no guarantees on this mission, and they were going to be a long way from home. He took a deep breath as he gazed at the Moon and the cloud shrouded Earth on the screens. It would be a long time before he saw either again.

“Fold Space Drive activation,” stated Ensign Martin as he turned a large gold key on his console.

Instantly, the Constellation accelerated and jumped into Fold Space. The rest of the fleet quickly followed.

“Message from General Mitchell,” Lieutenant Travers reported from communications. “He wishes us good luck and a safe return.”

Wade listened to the exchange as he gazed at the main viewscreen. If you stared long enough, you could actually see the stars move as the ship continued to accelerate. It would take a while for the fleet to reach its top cruising speed of three light years per hour. With a sigh, Wade turned and left the Command Center. There were currently twenty-five marines on the Constellation to serve as a security force for the ship. Wade hoped they wouldn’t be needed. If they were, then the mission would have taken a turn for the worse and they might never see home again.

-

Mason stared at one of the main viewscreens in the Control Center showing a view of the departing ships as seen from Centerpoint Station. After a moment, the ships suddenly accelerated and began moving off rapidly across the Solar System. This was the mission to the trading station that General Mitchell had briefed him on. It held the most potential for cultivating allies or even bringing back some new innovative technology that might be useful. Marken had expressed his belief that if approached properly some of the nonaligned worlds just might be sympathetic to their cause.

“They’re on their way,” commented Pamela, glancing over at Mason.

“Let’s just hope that everything goes as planned,” he responded. He knew that going on board a Kleese space station would be risky.

Mason knew Marken and Harnett were going along on this mission, which just accentuated its importance. It was going to be strange not seeing either of the two at Vesta. Both of the two Kiveans spent a lot of their time inside the asteroid. Marken speaking with the Kivean engineers that were always present and Harnett helping out in the new medical centers.

“Sean Miller, Ethan Hall, and Cheryl Robinson are waiting for you in your office,” Jessica Lang informed Mason from Communications. She had just received a message from Adrienne asking if Mason was in the Control Center and if he was that he needed to be reminded of the meeting.

Mason frowned; he had actually forgotten. There was so much going on. Elections were being held in two more days across the Solar System to elect officials to represent each colony or habitat. Mason had been holding regular meetings with Mayor Silas, Professor Scott, and several others about what authority they would allow the new civilian government to have. They'd even written up a basic charter describing and detailing the powers the new elected officials would possess.

Mayor Silas had reported that the Earth politicians on the Moon had been livid when they realized that they had been effectively frozen out of the new government. They had assumed that due to their former positions they would automatically be part of the new political reality and would have a say in future policy decisions.

-

Twenty minutes later, Mason stepped into his office and noticed immediately that his wife was sitting at her desk with an aggravated look upon her face.

“They’ve been in there for over forty minutes,” she spoke irritably. “You know better than to keep people waiting.”

“I’m sorry,” Mason said, walking over and giving Adrienne a quick apologetic kiss on the cheek. “There was something important happening in the Control Center and I just couldn’t leave.”

“Tell that to them,” Adrienne said, pointing to the small conference room over to one side of Mason’s office. “Admiral Rivers is with them also.”

“Admiral Rivers,” Mason uttered his eyes widening as he thought about what the admiral could want. “I suppose he wants permission to take the new battlecruisers out on their trials.” Mason knew they had been completed over a week ago and were undergoing routine system tests before being formerly handed over to the military.

“Your sister also wants us to come over for supper tonight,” Adrienne added. “The girls want to see their uncle.” Susan and she got along very well and Adrienne enjoyed spending time with the two girls. Susan was also teaching her how to cook some of Mason’s favorite foods.

“Tell Susan we’ll be there,” Mason replied without hesitation. It would be good to eat one of his sister’s home cooked meals. Susan was a great cook and knew all of their mother’s recipes. It surprised Mason that Michael didn’t put on more weight from Susan’s cooking.

Mason walked over to the closed door of the conference room. After hesitating for a second, he pushed it open and stepped inside. He saw instantly that all four of the people in the room were in a deep and animated conversation from the intent looks upon their faces.

“Mr. President,” Admiral Rivers said, standing up and nodding toward Mason.

“Just Mason,” he reminded the admiral. While technically Mason was the appointed president, he didn’t care much for the title. He motioned for the admiral to sit back down and then took his own seat.

“We were just discussing the new battlecruisers,” Sean said, looking over at Mason. “I told Admiral Rivers that they’re ready for their space trials.”

“We only made some minor refinements to these four ships,” Ethan added pleased that the ships were finished. “I think we’ve finally settled on a design that everyone’s happy with.”

“The crews have all been selected and are going through training,” Cheryl added her right hand resting on the conference table.

It was her responsibility to work with the military to find suitable recruits to operate the ships. Several military officers had been added to Cheryl’s staff to help locate enough qualified people. They were also in the process of setting up a space academy to help better train the personnel needed to staff the new warships being built at Vesta and Centerpoint Station. Several Kiveans had already volunteered to teach classes on galactic history and the various races to be found out in the galaxy.

“Are we ready to move them out of the dock?” asked Mason, looking over at Sean. They didn’t really need his permission, but it seemed to make them happier when he gave it.

“We can begin the space trails tomorrow,” Sean replied with a nod. “Everything’s ready and the systems have passed their final preflight checks.”

“The crews are aboard; all they need is some hands on training in space,” Admiral Rivers stated. “There are just some things we can’t do while in spacedock, at least not safely.”

“Then let’s start the trials tomorrow,” Mason said with a confirming nod. “I’m sure Fleet Admiral Kirby will be pleased once the battlecruisers for Fourth Fleet have been launched. What are the status on the light cruisers and the assault ships?”

“They’re ready,” Rivers replied as he looked at a handheld computer pad. “They began their space trials two weeks ago and are ready for my battlecruisers to join them. The assault ships even have the new updated Fold Space Drives and fusion reactors so they can match the light cruisers and the battlecruisers in speed.”

“How soon before we can begin on the next four battlecruisers?” asked Mason, arching his eyebrow and looking over at Ethan.

“Within the week,” Ethan replied evenly. “We have most of the hull materials ready.”

“Fleet Admiral Kirby and General Mitchell want us to have as large a fleet as possible in case the Kleese return,” Admiral Rivers informed them as his eyes looked over the small group. He also knew that with the new missions the military were planning, ships would be needed for them as well.

“We’re using a lot of automated systems to help keep the crew requirements down,” commented Ethan, taking a deep breath. “It all sounds fine and works out great in theory, but if a ship’s heavily damaged we won’t have the damage control people to bring the systems back online quickly enough.”

“I know it’s a risk we’re taking,” Admiral Rivers responded as his eyes took on a serious look. Finding competent crewmembers had been a growing problem for months. “We just don’t have the qualified people we need to staff the ships. Once the academy is up and running, we can set a yearly graduation goal and put the trained people on our ships that we need. However, until that’s done we have to rely on the automated systems. Remember, most of the crews on our ships have a background in operating ocean going naval ships or aircraft. While they may be slightly similar, there is a vast difference between an ocean and space or flying a plane through the air versus a vacuum.”

“We’ve had some difficult choices to make the last few years,” Mason responded, understanding the growing quandary of finding crews. “It’s obvious we must have properly trained people if we want to protect our system from the Kleese.”

“It’s just like our space marines,” Admiral Rivers continued. “We rescued nearly sixty thousand military personnel from the Kleese space station, but less than ten percent of them can handle a Type Two or Three battle suit. There were thousands more that we brought up from the different survival centers and even though they endured tremendous hardships while they were down on Earth, many of them can’t stand being inside one of the suits either.”

“I spoke to Major Nelson about that,” responded Mason, recalling the numerous conversations with the major. “There were large numbers of marines and regular army troops that were forced to use the suits or face execution by the Kleese. Once they returned to the Solar System and things settled down, many of them opted out of battle suit training.”

“That’s our problem,” Rivers spoke with a nod. “It takes a special breed of people to operate a battlecruiser or one of the battle suits. General Mitchell has already set up a rigid training program for the suits on Centerpoint Station. Once the academy is up and running, we need to do the same thing there.”

“How soon before the academy will be ready for its first recruiting class?” asked Mason, looking over at Cheryl. He knew they'd been working hard getting it set up in its own small habitat inside Vesta.

“The buildings are going up now and the curriculum is being worked on,” she responded her eyes meeting Mason’s. “I’ve already begun sending out recruitment flyers across the system and we’re filming some videos to air on all the media stations. We’re hoping for an initial class of ten thousand.”

“How are the classes being set up?”

“There will be two years of basic class instruction followed by two years of specialized instruction mixed in with actual work on several training ships,” answered Cheryl, looking over at Mason.

“What type of training ships?”

“We’re planning to build two ships of battlecruiser size,” answered Ethan. “The first will be ready in six months and the next the year after. It would be quicker, but we’re placing our priorities on warship construction.”

“Cheryl, if you need anymore help with this we’ll get you the people you need; that academy must be a high priority.”

“We’re finding it more difficult every day to find people with the right experience to use on our warships,” Admiral Rivers reminded them. “In a few more months, we may find it difficult to find adequate crews for our new ships.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” responded Mason, taking a deep breath. He would discuss this problem with Mayor Silas and Professor Scott, perhaps between the three of them they could come up with a solution until the academy was finished.

The group met a little bit longer going over other items and then broke apart with everyone going their separate ways. Mason quickly made his way to the spacedock where he was supposed to meet with Colonel Bailey.

Stepping out into the spacedock, Mason marveled at the changes that had been made. The massive cavern had been greatly enlarged until it was now nearly five kilometers across and two kilometers high. In the center of the spacedock were four huge construction cradles where the battlecruisers were constructed. Four complete warships currently occupied them. The Independence, which would be Admiral Rivers’ flagship, the Wasp, Reprisal, and the Orion.

There were other construction cradles where cargo ships, prospecting ships, and even passenger liners could be constructed. In two of those cradles, two other large ships were nearing completion. Mason paused and gazed at the two new ships speculatively. These were being built under General Mitchell’s instructions.

“What do you think of our new marine transports?” Colonel Bailey asked as he walked up to Mason from where he had been standing, watching the construction.

“They’re big,” Mason responded as he looked speculatively at the two new ships.

“Larger than a battlecruiser,” Bailey responded with a grin. “Eight hundred meters long and one hundred twenty meters wide with a height of one hundred ten meters. Each ship is equipped with a powerful energy shield and sixteen energy beam turrets for defense. There are also twelve railgun batteries for planetary bombardment of critical targets. For offense, the ship has four missile tubes loaded with sublight antimatter missiles and six pulse fusion batteries.”

“How soon before they’re ready?” Mason asked. He had known the ships were being built, but he hadn’t checked up on them recently due to his busy schedule. It also still bothered him to come to the spacedock and see the new ships. He had always had a dream of exploring space. Before the destruction, he had even built a ship to be used on the first interstellar expedition, but the arrival of the Kleese had destroyed that dream.

“Four more weeks,” Colonel Bailey replied. “Each ship can hold six hundred marines and eight drop ships in addition to four cargo drop ships.”

Mason knew the cargo drop ships were nearly three times the size of a regular drop ship. They were designed to carry some of the new special equipment that General Mitchell and General Pittman had decided the marines should have available to them when assaulting a planet. Major Nelson and Marken had been instrumental in designing the equipment.

The ships were a dark gray in color with numerous hatches and protrusions on the hull. Some of these contained weapons turrets; others contained sensor arrays and vital equipment that scanned space. Mason wondered if General Mitchell was going to use one or both of these ships for the upcoming mission to the border of the Strell and Kleese Empires. Mitchell had recently briefed Mason on the mission, and he was still feeling uneasy at the risk that Mitchell was taking stirring up a potential war between the Strell and the Kleese.

“Let’s take a tour of the outside of Vesta,” suggested Colonel Bailey, gesturing toward a military shuttle that was close by. “I think you will find it interesting to see what we’ve accomplished.”

Mason nodded; it had been a while since he had been on an inspection tour of the asteroid. He was curious to see what the military had done to protect Vesta from attack. He knew that Colonel Bailey had been busy just from all the requisitions he had sent in for special equipment.

They made their way to a waiting shuttle, and Mason took a seat in the cockpit so he could see out of the large, titanium-reinforced windows. The shuttle lifted off gently and headed for the airlock. As it neared the first airlock that led into the main tunnel, Mason could see half a dozen defensive energy turrets aimed at the armored doors. If an enemy reached this point, they would receive a hot reception. The airlock opened and the shuttle darted through.

They were in a large tunnel nearly four hundred meters in diameter and twenty-five kilometers long. At regular intervals, railgun turrets were embedded in the walls to prevent a hostile force from coming through. The shuttle quickly traversed the length of the tunnel, exiting another pair of massive airlocks that contained atmospheric energy shields as a further precaution. Exiting the airlocks, Mason could see six pulse fusion beam turrets covering the entry.

“We’ve pretty much finished with our outside defenses,” Colonel Bailey informed Mason as the shuttle climbed higher, giving them a better view of the asteroid, which was approximately five hundred and twenty-four kilometers in diameter.

“It’s hard to see the weapon emplacements from here,” Mason commented as he looked down at the asteroid, dimly lit by the far off sun and thousands of stars that shined down upon it.

“That’s what we want,” answered Bailey, feeling satisfied that Mason couldn’t spot the weapons emplacements. “We've set up six sites on the surface that contain the majority of our offensive and defensive weapons. Each site contains four particle beam cannons, eight pulse fusion beam turrets, sixteen defensive energy beam turrets, and thirty-two railgun batteries. The six sites are also protected by an enhanced energy screen that can be activated at a moment’s notice.”

Bailey motioned to the pilot and indicated a section of the asteroid he wanted the pilot to fly low over.

A few minutes later and they were passing over one of the weapon sites at an altitude of only a few kilometers. From this distance, Mason could make out the weapons pointed toward space, waiting for the appearance of an enemy. The four particle beam cannons were the most obvious. Each extended a good forty meters above the surface of the asteroid and had a field of fire of fifteen degrees each. This allowed the four cannons to cover the majority of the space above the site.

Mason could see several blastcrete buildings and even a few vehicles moving around. “How many personnel are at each site?” he asked curiously. He had known that Colonel Bailey was drastically increasing the asteroid’s defensive and offensive weapons, but he hadn’t expected to see anything on this scale.

“Four hundred,” Colonel Bailey responded without hesitation. “That includes space marines, repair crews, and specialists who operate the site’s weapons.”

Mason nodded, he knew nearly all of the colonies and habitats were well protected by the military. Luna City’s defenses were still being augmented and would soon be even more powerful than Vesta’s. Closing his eyes briefly, Mason wondered what was in store for the Human race. They'd just gone through nearly two years of peace as they evacuated the survival centers on Earth and moved the population out into the Solar System. Now they were preparing to actively engage the Kleese in a clandestine war that could hold some grave consequences for the survivors.

Opening his eyes, he looked over at Colonel Bailey, who seemed to exude self-confidence. He just hoped the military could continue to protect them.

For the next hour, they flew over the surface of the asteroid, inspecting the various weapon sites and installations. Mason was amazed at everything the military had done.

“It looks as if we’re as prepared as we can be,” Mason said as the shuttle began its return flight to the spacedock.

“We hope so,” Colonel Bailey responded. “If the Kleese get by our warships, the weapon installations should be able to hold them at bay.”

“The Kleese have a large Empire,” Mason replied evenly. “We’re only one star system with a drastically reduced population. We’re going to have to be very careful in our actions for a number of years. We need a much larger population base if we want to fight an effective war against the Kleese.”

Bailey knew Mason was nervous about taking the war to the Kleese. In retrospect, they all should be worried. This was a galaxy-sized Empire in existence for thousands of years that had never suffered a major defeat. Bailey knew the odds were stacked against them, but the Human race had a way of always managing to beat the odds. Bailey just hoped that would be true in this case also.

Chapter Seven

General Mitchell was in his quarters in Centerpoint Station when the Condition One alarms began sounding. He had been reviewing the current readiness status of the marines undergoing battle suit training. The progress was agonizingly slow due to the difference in the current training methods and how the Kleese trained. In the current training, recruits didn’t die!

Reaching forward, he pressed the com button on his desk. “Report!” he spoke as he stood up, preparing to go to the Command Center.

“We have some unidentified contacts out near Neptune,” General Pittman responded. “I’ve already dispatched several assault ships to investigate. It may be the Kleese.”

“I’ll be there shortly,” replied Mitchell, his face creasing in a frown. “Contact Fleet Admiral Kirby and have him bring the fleet to full readiness. We don’t know what may be out there, but I want to be ready in case this is an attack.” Mitchell took a deep breath; in another week they were launching Operation Insurrection. At least he still had the full fleet at his disposal other than the ships that had left to go to the trading station.

-

Fleet Admiral Kirby stared worriedly at the tactical screen on the Armageddon. “What do we have?” he demanded with his eyes moving to Lieutenant Fullerton at Sensors.

“Twelve contacts have dropped out of Fold Space ten million kilometers from Neptune,” Fullerton replied as she studied the data coming in over her screens. “Tentative identification are assault ships, probably Kleese; they match the size and shape. They're currently holding their position and not moving.”

“Any sign of a mother ship anywhere?” Kirby asked. It was doubtful the assault ships would be operating this far from a Kleese space station without the support of at least one.

“If there is, it hasn’t arrived yet,” Fullerton answered as she checked the data on her sensors once again. Her hazel eyes focused on the admiral. “It may also be staying just outside of our sensor range.”

Kirby nodded. He knew Lieutenant Fullerton was a very talented sensor operator, if there was a Kleese mother ship nearby, she would spot it. “Let me know immediately if there’s any sign of one.”

“There has to be one,” Major Makita said, stepping over closer to the admiral and eyeing the main sensor screen. “There will be more assault ships with the mother ship.”

“What’s the current status of our fleets?” asked Kirby, looking at one of the screens showing the current deployment of the Human warships.

“Admiral Rivers is finishing his ship trials out near Vesta. He has his entire fleet with him undergoing maneuvers,” Major Makita replied. “Admiral Stehr has Third Fleet in orbit around Mars and part of his crews are down at Mars Central on leave, and Admiral Sanders is in orbit over the Moon with Second Fleet.”

Kirby nodded, all the major population centers were covered, and he had First and Second Fleet available to fight a fleet action if necessary. “Contact Admiral Stehr and have him bring his crews up from Mars Central that are on leave. The ships out near Neptune don’t seem to be in any hurry, so he may have the necessary time to get his crews back on their ships.”

Turning to Ensign Bisset at Navigation, Kirby passed on the order to move the Armageddon out of the flight bay in which the flagship was currently berthed. There were other ships of First Fleet in other flight bays within Centerpoint Station. He knew it would take only a matter of a few minutes for most of the ships to exit the bays and make rendezvous at their designated coordinates. A few would be waiting on returning crewmembers, but Kirby expected within the hour he would have all of First Fleet available if needed. Michael wondered if the mysterious assault ships heralded a new attack upon the Solar System. His biggest concern at the moment was where the damn mother ship was hiding.

-

Mason hurried into the Control Center, seeing that both Pamela and Drake Thomason were already there. “Is it an attack?” Mason asked as he rushed over to the main control console where Pamela and Drake were sitting.

“We don’t know,” Pamela replied, a little uneasily. She knew everything had been too peaceful. When she woke up this morning, she had the feeling it was going to be an eventful day.

“We have contacts out near Neptune,” responded Drake, pointing to one of the large sensor screens on the wall. “So far they’re unidentified, but they look to be assault ships. General Mitchell has placed the military at Condition One in case it’s a prelude to an attack.”

“I’m picking up a broadcast from Despina,” Jessica Lang reported in surprise. “It’s the Raven!”

“Crap!” Pamela uttered her face looking chagrined. “How the hell did Brian get the Raven to Neptune without us detecting it?” She had personally warned him about prospecting that far away from home.

Mason knew that Despina was an irregular shaped body that orbited Neptune, one of the smaller moons around one hundred fifty kilometers in diameter, which made it ideal for mining. It didn’t surprise him at all that Brian had found a way to sneak out to Neptune undetected. After all, Michael had trained him.

“I don’t know how he managed it,” Mason said, looking over at Jessica with concern in his eyes. “But he could be in a lot of danger if those are assault ships from one of the Kleese space stations. The Raven is unarmed.”

“What’s his message?” asked Drake, glancing at Jessica. He knew that if Brian made it back to Vesta he would have a lot of explaining to do. Pamela wouldn’t take lightly having her orders so flagrantly disobeyed.

“He’s close enough to the ships to identify them as Kleese assault ships,” she replied as she listened to the message. “He also says there’s at least one mother ship hiding low in Neptune’s atmosphere so our sensors can’t pick it up. He’s not certain, but he thinks there might be others. He has unconfirmed readings on a second one.”

Mason drew in a sharp breath. This sounded like a trap! “Contact General Mitchell and transmit Brian’s message to him immediately. Also, send the message to Fleet Admiral Kirby. They need to know we have Kleese mother ships in the system at Neptune.”

“A trap?” asked Drake, looking worried. “Do you think they’re trying to lure our fleet into a battle so they can destroy it?”

“I don’t know,” Mason replied as he watched Jessica send the two messages. He knew that he dared not send a message to Brian in case the mother ships or assault ships detected it. He hoped Brian had hidden the Raven somewhere upon Despina where it wouldn’t be detected by Kleese scans.

A noise behind him detracted Mason. Turning around, he saw Colonel Bailey enter the Control Center. Bailey’s eyes instantly went to the large sensor screen and the dozen icons that were now glowing a threatening red.

“Are they Kleese?” he asked as he stepped over to where the weapons consoles and the military people were.

“Yes,” Mason informed him. “But that’s not all.” He quickly related what the Raven had discovered.

“A definite trap,” Bailey said after a moment with a deep frown on his face. “We’re lucky the Raven managed to warn us. Perhaps we can turn the trappers into the trapped. Maneuvering one of those mother ships in Neptune’s atmosphere must be a bitch. I just wonder how the hell they managed to sneak in underneath our scans.”

“Probably the same way Brian did,” muttered Drake, shaking his head.

“What do you recommend, Colonel?” Mason asked. He was glad that Colonel Bailey was here and could handle the military forces assigned to Vesta. It took a huge load off his shoulders. Mason had come to trust the colonel where military matters were concerned.

“Go to Condition Two so as not to scare the civilians too much,” suggested Bailey. “Admiral Rivers should already be at Condition One and so far there have been no threatening moves toward Vesta. I’ll send several companies of marines in battle suits to the spacedock as a precautionary measure.”

“When do we go to Condition One?” asked Pamela, knowing her husband and son would be concerned when the Condition Two announcement was made.

“Not until they move away from Neptune,” Bailey responded as he took a seat behind the military personnel operating the weapons consoles. He knew he might be in the Control Center for a long time. His people were already sending the word out to the surface installations to be prepared for battle.

Drake nodded. He might as well call his parents and have them go over to his house to be with his wife. Larcy would be frightened as soon as they went to Condition Two; a lot of people would be. Everyone would be thinking about what the Kleese had done to Earth. He let out a deep breath, the presence of Kleese assault ships and mother ships only served to remind him of what was in store for the future. The Kleese wouldn’t rest until the Human race was annihilated and they had recovered their space station.

Mason stepped over to the primary communications console and indicated for Jessica to put him on all of Vesta’s media stations, interrupting regular programming. He would announce the setting of Condition Two and inform everyone it was only a precautionary measure. He just hoped they didn’t have to put Vesta at Condition One, which would signify something bad had happened to the fleet.

-

Brian Jones sat nervously in the Control Room of the prospecting ship Raven. The small, fifty-meter ship was currently tucked into a corner of a diminutive dark canyon on Neptune’s moon of Despina. Most of the ship’s systems had been turned off, and they were only running life support as needed.

“Do you think they received the message?” Brian asked as he sat in the darkened Control Room.

“They should have,” Marcus replied from where he was sitting in front of the communications console. “The message should have hit Vesta.”

Brian nodded; he looked at the single small viewscreen still operating. They'd sent a narrow beam message toward Vesta to warn them about what was lurking in Neptune’s atmosphere. The screen showed a magnified view of Neptune and several large shadows in its atmosphere. “Those are definitely Kleese mother ships,” he muttered, worriedly. He knew that each one of those ships was eight point two kilometers across and one kilometer thick. They normally carried thirty of the two hundred-meter assault ships in their docking bays. The screen showed two large indiscreet shapes hovering deeply in the planet’s turbulent atmosphere.

“They’re obviously setting a trap for the fleet,” Marcus said with a deep frown on his face. The fleet won’t know they’re hiding in Neptune’s atmosphere until they emerge from it.”

“Fleet Admiral Kirby won’t fall for it if he receives our message,” replied Brian, confidently. He had been friends with Michael Kirby ever since they were kids. The Raven was actually Michael’s ship, but he had entrusted Brian with his pride and joy.

Nathan Miller, the Raven’s engineer, stepped into the darkened Control Room carrying several heavy jackets and looked at the other two men. “I’ve shut down everything I can,” he reported in a quiet voice almost as if he was afraid the Kleese ships would hear him. “Life support is set to come on periodically and only at a low setting. It'll be getting colder as the heaters are only going to be running at very low power.” He handed over the jackets, which Brian and Marcus took and laid over to the side for now.

“How’s the rest of the crew?” Brian asked. He hadn’t left the Control Room in nearly six hours, not since they'd detected the first Kleese mother ship hiding in Neptune’s atmosphere.

“They’re nervous,” Nathan replied. “We all are. For now, they’re staying in their quarters where they’ll be warmer.”

Brian nodded. He had a good crew, but none of them had been prepared for this situation. This was supposed to have been just a simple routine survey operation for future mining ventures. He knew if they survived this, he was going to have to answer a lot of questions from Pamela Cairns. The Raven had taken a long roundabout route to Neptune, even hiding next to a comet for a few days to avoid appearing on sensors. With a heavy sigh, Brian put the jacket on. Already, there was a chill in the Control Room. He just hoped they made it back to Vesta so he could have that meeting with Pamela.

-

Fleet Admiral Kirby looked at the message up on his computer screen that had just come in from Vesta. There were Kleese mother ships at Neptune! He let out a heavy sigh. What was Brian doing with the Raven at Neptune? Shaking his head, he knew Brian was only doing the same thing that he would have if the situation were reversed.

“How many mother ships?” Major Makita asked his eyes widening at the news of what might be at Neptune.

“At least two, perhaps more,” Kirby replied as he thought about what they might be up against. “Each one may have up to thirty assault ships in their flight bays.”

“What’s the plan?” Major Makita asked. He knew they had a slight tactical advantage since they knew where the mother ships were hiding.

“From the data that the Raven sent to Vesta, we know the mother ships are staying in the atmosphere on the far side of Neptune in an attempt to stay off of our sensors,” Kirby replied as he thought about how to use their current knowledge to their advantage. “They’re using the twelve assault ships as bait so their mother ships can hit our fleet as we go past Neptune.”

“We act as if we don’t know about their ships,” Major Makita suggested. “Then we hit them before they can exit Neptune’s atmosphere!”

“Precisely,” Kirby responded with a satisfied nod. “We take both First and Second Fleets. We make as if we’re heading directly toward the twelve assault ships that are ten million kilometers from Neptune. Just before we pass Neptune, and are shielded from detection by the planet, we detach a couple of battlecruisers and four light cruisers. The rest of our ships will continue on as if nothing is out of the ordinary. When the Kleese mother ships rise up out of Neptune’s atmosphere, the detached ships will hit them from the rear, annihilating them.”

“What about our fleet assets here at Centerpoint?” asked Makita, worriedly. It was essential that the station be well protected. “We’re taking all of the heavy units.”

“We still have over two hundred assault ships based at Centerpoint Station,” Kirby pointed out. “As soon as we set out, those ships will take up defensive positions around Centerpoint, Holbrook Station, and over the Moon.”

Makita nodded, feeling satisfied with the admiral’s answer. With the heavy weapons that Centerpoint, Holbrook, and Luna City possessed along with the assault ships, they should be relatively safe from harm.

Fleet Admiral Kirby quickly contacted Admiral Sanders and worked out a battle plan. If it all worked, the fleet would suffer minimal casualties in the battle. Kirby also contacted General Mitchell and explained what was going on and what his plan of battle would be.

“Just be careful,” General Mitchell cautioned. “We don’t know how many Kleese mother ships may be hiding in Neptune’s atmosphere. We know about possibly two; there may be more.”

Kirby agreed with General Mitchell’s assessment. There was no way to know. For now, he was assuming there were at least two; if there were more, he would have to adjust his battle plan. It would also mean his fleets would suffer heavier losses.

“Most of our ships are in position,” Major Makita reported as he studied the main sensor screen. “We’re still waiting for the battlecruiser Vanguard and two of the light cruisers to exit the flight bays. They’re waiting on crewmembers. Their commanders report they’ll be exiting the flight bays within the next fifteen minutes.”

First Fleet had four battlecruisers, sixteen light cruisers, and thirty-two assault ships at its disposal. All had been constructed or updated in the last two years with better weapons and shields. Every ship had particle beam cannons, which had proven in the past to be extremely detrimental to Kleese mother ships, as well as assault ships. Second Fleet had three battlecruisers, fourteen light cruisers, and twenty-eight assault ships. They were missing the ships that had been assigned to the trading station mission. Fleet Admiral Kirby felt confident that he had what he needed to handle this Kleese incursion into the Solar System. That would still leave him Admiral Rivers and Admiral Stehr with their fleets in reserve.

“We depart in thirty minutes,” ordered Kirby, feeling that they had done everything they could to be ready for this battle. He also knew that the best-laid plans had a habit of going incredibly wrong.

-

Deep within the atmosphere of Neptune, four Kleese mother ships waited. In their flight bays, one hundred and eight assault ships were fully manned by conscripts and ready to attack when the order was given. In one of the disk ships, six Kleese stood upon the Command Pedestal waiting for the expected attack. They had direct orders from the Council of Overlords to test the Humans' weapons and to weaken the Human fleet substantially. All six knew that a small fleet of Kleese warships from the core systems was being dispatched shortly to eliminate the Human nuisance once and for all. The Supreme Overlord wanted an in depth report on the Human weapons before he dispatched the warfleet.

The Kleese commander had decided on this strategy of hiding in the planet’s atmosphere to lay a trap for the Humans. They would allow the Human fleet to pass by the planet and then hit them from the rear when they were not expecting an attack. It would be quite devastating and would ensure that when the Kleese warships arrived, the Humans would meet their end. This would demonstrate to the council that there were still some powerful Kleese working for the continued well-being of the Empire.

“The assault ships have reported that the Humans have departed their world,” one of the Kleese spoke in its strange voice. “Estimated contact time is less than one hour.”

Another of the Kleese nodded its triangular head, its multifaceted eyes gazing at the conscripts in the Command Center. They had a good plan and the Humans would be defeated. The ship shook slightly; there was strong turbulence in this planet’s atmosphere. It was even affecting the ship’s recently strengthened energy screen. The Kleese spoke to the conscripts at Navigation, reminding them that their continued existence depended upon them keeping the ship stable. If it was necessary to eliminate these conscripts, new ones could be brought quickly in to replace them.

-

First Fleet and Second Fleet jumped into Fold Space and rapidly accelerated toward Neptune. Fleet Admiral Michael Kirby gazed at the main viewscreen showing a highly magnified view of the light blue planet. He knew the blue color was caused by the methane in the planet’s atmosphere.

“Fleet is at Condition One and ready for combat operations,” Major Makita reported. “Orders have been passed on to all commanding officers.”

Michael nodded. Makita was an efficient and highly professional officer. He looked across the Command Center, noting the look of confidence on the faces of the crew. It was hard to believe that just a few years back he had been the captain of the prospecting ship Raven. In some ways, he missed those old days where he could do pretty much as he pleased. He had always had a sharp mind when it came to figuring out tough and difficult problems. That had led to him being placed in command of the Armageddon and later, after several victories over Kleese forces, he had been promoted to Fleet Admiral.

Now he had the fate of thousands of people in his hands on the ships he commanded. It was a different world. His wife Susan was very proud of what he had accomplished. He allowed himself to smile, knowing he wasn’t the only one that had been saddled with additional authority and responsibility. His brother-in-law, Mason Randle, was now considered to be the president of the scattered colonies and habitats that represented the Human race in the Solar System.

The minutes passed slowly as the Armageddon and her attending ships hurtled toward Neptune at nearly six times the speed of light. Neptune was two hundred forty-five light minutes away from Earth. Due to acceleration and deceleration, it would take them fifty-one minutes to reach their destination. The one hundred twenty-two ships would pass in front of Neptune, which would screen them for a few precious seconds from the twelve assault ships waiting ten million kilometers beyond the planet. That was all the time that would be needed to detach Admiral Sanders and his ships on their covert mission. They could have reached Neptune much quicker, but Michael had decided to move at a slower rate to see if the Kleese had any other surprises waiting.

As it neared time for them to drop out of Fold Space, Michael could sense a slightly higher anxiety level in the Command Center. Even Major Makita was pacing more than normal as he walked from one console to the next, speaking to the different crewmembers. The crew was talking less and eyes looked furtively at the main sensor screen, which was showing Neptune and the twelve Kleese assault ships waiting beyond it.

“Kleese assault ships still haven’t moved,” Major Makita pointed out as he stopped and gazed intently at the screen. “They’re just waiting for us.”

“Dropout in forty seconds,” Ensign Bisset reported from Navigation as her hands ran delicately over the controls. “We’re on course and will be passing in front of Neptune twenty-six seconds after drop out.”

Michael could feel his pulse quicken as the counter neared zero. There were no guarantees in combat. He knew that if something happened to him Mason would see to it that Susan and the girls were taken care of.

“Drop out,” Ensign Bisset called out as the Armageddon dropped back into normal space.

On the main viewscreen, the blue globe of Neptune was rapidly growing in size. A few bands of thin white ice clouds were visible in the upper layers of the atmosphere. Turbulent winds swept the planet and the cloud layers hid the surface from view. It was a cold and inhospitable world made up primarily of hydrogen, methane, and helium with an average surface temperature of minus 214 degrees centigrade. The planet was nearly twenty-five thousand kilometers in diameter, which would help to shield the fleet from the Kleese for a few short, valuable seconds.

“All ships have formed up into standard fleet formation,” Major Makita reported as he studied the data coming in from the sensors as well as on the tactical sensor screen. The green icons representing First and Second Fleet had formed up into a precise formation. “Admiral Sanders is prepared to initiate Neptune incursion.”

On the large sensor screen, six green icons broke away from the fleet and entered the turbulent atmosphere of Neptune. Two battlecruisers and four light cruisers would spring the trap on the Kleese.

“Coming around the planet,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported from her sensor console.

“Begin accelerating toward the twelve assault ships,” Michael ordered. He wanted the two Kleese ships hiding in Neptune’s atmosphere to think their plan had worked.

-

The Kleese watched as the large Human fleet began pulling away. There had been some concern when the ships had momentarily vanished from their sensor screens as they dropped out of Fold Space on the other side of the planet.

“This is a larger than expected Human fleet,” spoke one of the Kleese as he studied the main sensor screen. “We will suffer major casualties to our assault ships in the attack.”

“Irrelevant,” replied one of the others, dismissing the losses. “Conscripts and assault ships are easily replaced.”

“We will attack the Humans and if we lose our assault ships then we will withdraw; they will have served their purpose,” the Kleese commander spoke in a cold and impassionate voice. The conscripts serve us, and their sacrifice will be for the Empire.”

At one of the sensor consoles, one of the conscripts noticed a discrepancy in the number of ships in the Human fleet compared to the number that had dropped out of Fold Space; six ships were missing. The conscript elected to remain silent, fearful of addressing the Kleese and reporting that he could not find the missing ships. To speak to the Kleese about this discrepancy could very well end in his death.

“Launch our assault ships,” ordered the Kleese commander as he noted that the Humans were now beginning to pull away from the planet. “They’re to attack immediately.”

From the four Kleese ships, one hundred and eight of the two hundred-meter disk shaped assault ships left their bays and accelerated rapidly toward the unsuspecting Human warships. They should be able to get off several rounds of weapons fire before the Humans could respond. They might even catch the Humans with their shields down.

-

“Assault ships are rising from the atmosphere of Neptune,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported anxiously. “They’re already in combat range of the fleet.”

“They’re locking their weapons on us,” warned Lieutenant Edmonson from Tactical as he readied his own weapons in response.

“There are four Kleese mother ships now appearing on our sensors,” spoke Major Makita in a highly concerned voice as he saw the latest data appearing on the sensor screen. From this close range, it had been easy to detect the large vessels with the Armageddon’s powerful sensors. “They’re beginning to come up out of Neptune’s atmosphere.”

“Turn the fleet and engage the enemy,” Michael ordered as he leaned forward in his command chair feeling the adrenaline beginning to flow through his system. There were twice as many mother ships as he had been expecting.

“Enemy assault ships are firing!” Lieutenant Fullerton warned as the Armageddon shuddered violently. “Antimatter missile just struck our energy shield.” The lights in the Command Center dimmed briefly and then returned to full brilliance.

“Shield holding at forty percent,” reported Major Makita as he hurriedly checked several data screens. “No reports of damage.”

On the main tactical screen, several of the friendly green icons representing Human assault ships vanished. Antimatter missiles with twenty-megaton warheads were not to be trifled with and when several struck a screen, it was likely to fail. Even with the new, more powerful shields the Human ships were equipped with.

In space, brilliant explosions washed over the Human fleet as it was pummeled by the Kleese assault ships hurtling toward it. Assault ships died violently as their screens failed and hulls were exposed to the deadly weapons. Miniature suns seemed to appear randomly throughout the formation of First and Second fleets. They'd not been expecting to face this many Kleese assault ships.

“Beginning to return fire,” reported Major Makita as the weapons systems on the Armageddon and the other Human ships began to answer back.

Sublight antimatter missiles, pulse fusion beams, and railguns roared back their anger. Space became full of deadly ordnance as the two fleets tried to destroy the other.

The one hundred and eight Kleese assault ships didn’t have energy shields as powerful as the Humans. When a sublight antimatter missile struck a Kleese shield it invariably failed, leaving the assault ship unprotected from other weapons. A series of violent explosions rolled across the attacking assault ships as the deadly missiles found their targets. A brief, brilliant explosion of light would generally indicate the destruction of the targeted ship as it was annihilated by a second antimatter missile or torn apart by railgun fire.

“We’re firing particle beams,” reported Lieutenant Edmonson as two powerful blue beams leaped from the bow of the Armageddon, striking an attacking assault ship.

The beams cut easily through the ship’s energy shield, impacting the hull. Instantly, two massive explosions cut the ship in half, leaving two glowing sections where the ship had been. Pulse fusion beams quickly finished the ship off.

“Kleese disk ships are now in weapons range,” Major Makita reported as the ships were now out of Neptune’s protective atmosphere and approaching the two Human fleets. “They’re beginning to fire!”

“Assault ships E-37, 39, 42, 67, and 72 are down,” Lieutenant Fullerton spoke in a strained voice as the icons vanished from her sensor screens.

“Other ships are reporting heavy damage,” added Lieutenant Jones from Communications as he listened to the frantic messages from the stricken vessels.

-

From the four Kleese ships, numerous antimatter missiles were being fired in rapid succession as well as pulse fusion beams. More assault ships died under the withering attack. Intense glowing suns from antimatter explosions indicated the death of Human ships. The mother ships were targeting individual vessels with multiple missiles in an effort to knock the screens down. When an antimatter missile detonated against an assaults ship’s armored hull after screen failure, the ship and crew died instantly. When the light finally faded, all that was left behind was scattered debris and glowing gases.

“The Humans die!” gloated one of the Kleese as he watched a Human assault ship being torn apart on one of the viewscreens. Others were suffering heavy damage. They had caught the Humans out of position and they were paying dearly for it.

“We’re still greatly outnumbered,” the Kleese commander pointed out. “Have our Fold Space Drive energized and ready to activate. We’ll withdraw once we have inflicted the maximum amount of damage possible on the Human ships.”

-

Admiral Sanders watched worriedly from the Command Center of the battlecruiser Phoenix as his small fleet came around the planet and fell in behind the unsuspecting Kleese disk ships. They were in the upper edges of Neptune’s atmosphere, which should shield them briefly from Kleese scans. On the sensor screen, he could see that both sides were losing ships. He was dismayed to see four Kleese mother ships on his sensors. He was even more distressed at all the glowing detonations of antimatter weapons in the Human fleet visible on the main viewscreens.

“Stand by to fire particle beam weapons,” he ordered. Sanders knew that the Kleese had no defense against the deadly weaponry. They were his best chance at inflicting major damage on the large ships.

“All ships are locked on targets,” his Executive Officer, Major Sandra Shepherd, reported.

“Fire!” ordered Sanders, wanting to strike the Kleese ships before they became aware of his ships’ presence. It was essential that he disable the Kleese mother ships before they wrecked more havoc in the Human fleets.

From each of the two battlecruisers, two bright blue particle beams lashed out and struck two of the Kleese disk ships. Each of the four escorting light cruisers fired their single bow beam at the other two Kleese vessels.

The Kleese ships were not prepared for an attack from their rear. The first inclination that they were under attack was when eight blue particle beams appeared out of the atmosphere of Neptune and struck their energy shields. For a few moments, the shields wavered, and then the beams penetrated, striking the hulls of the massive ships. The eight-kilometer vessels staggered as titanic explosions blasted deep, glowing holes into the kilometer thick ships. Large pieces of hull plating were blown off to go flying into space. Secondary explosions began to shake the vessels and numerous compartments were opened up to the harsh vacuum of space.

-

“Where is that weapons fire coming from?” demanded the Kleese commander, as he was nearly thrown off the Command Pedestal as the ship shuddered violently under the continuing attack. Red warning lights were appearing on the damage control console indicating massive and irreparable damage to the ship.

“Human ships are rising out of the planet’s atmosphere behind us,” one of the conscripts reported nervously. “They were not showing on the sensors.”

“They knew we were here,” stated another of the Kleese as he turned to look at the others.

“How?” demanded another of the Kleese, then he looked at the conscripts operating the consoles in the Command Center. “These conscripts have failed us; they should be eliminated and their replacements called in.” He reached for a small black box at his side from which he could activate the small poison vials that were implanted in each of the conscripts in the Command Center. Their deaths would be a lesson to the other conscripts that failure would not to be tolerated by the Kleese.

On the main viewscreen, one of the attending Kleese disk ships suddenly exploded as Human weapons fire tore the massive ship apart. Several twenty-megaton sublight missiles reduced it to glowing gas and drifting debris.

“It doesn’t matter, we must leave,” the Kleese in command said, putting his hand out and taking the black box away from his subordinate. “We will need these conscripts to escape. We don’t have time to summon their replacements. Activate the Fold Space Drive and let us leave this system.”

“We can’t,” one of the others responded. “The conscripts in Engineering are reporting that our Fold Space Drive has been severely damaged. It will take hours to bring it back online.”

“Send a message to our nearest trading station,” ordered the Kleese commander, accepting that they were going to die. “Tell them our mission has failed and to warn the Council of Overlords that a larger fleet of warships will be needed.” His multifaceted eyes went back to a viewscreen where a large Human warship was being blasted apart. A sudden bright explosion covered the screen and the Human ship was gone. “Continue to fire upon the Human fleet; we will take as many as possible into death with us.”

-

“Light cruiser Belfort is down,” Lieutenant Fullerton said with anguish in her voice as its green icon swelled up and then vanished from her sensor screen. The toll of damaged and dying ships was constantly growing. She felt tears roll down her cheeks at the death surrounding the Armageddon.

“Two of the Kleese disk ships have been destroyed,” Major Makita reported as he tried to keep track of the battle. The two fleets were very close to one another and few weapons were failing to find their targets.

Michael felt the Armageddon shudder violently and several red lights appeared on the damage control console. An alarm began to sound, indicating the ship had sustained damage.

“Minor damage to section twelve,” the damage control officer reported. “We have damage to our hull and several compartments are in vacuum. Damage control teams are en route.”

On the main viewscreen, the third Kleese disk ship exploded as particle beams and antimatter missiles from Admiral Sanders attacking ships annihilated it.

“Assault ships E-44, 48, 55, and 78 are down,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported in a numb voice. She let out a heavy sigh. Each one of those assault ships had a name assigned to it by their Human crews; every one of the vanishing green icons represented fifty Human deaths.

-

In space, the Kleese assault ships were beginning to die in large numbers as the superior firepower of the Human fleets began to overwhelm them. Assault ship after assault ship exploded or was torn apart as inbound weapons fire knocked down their shields, exposing the vulnerable hulls.

The Kleese commander looked on as the ships under his command were being quickly annihilated. He had already passed on the order to the conscripts commanding the assault ships not to surrender or attempt to flee into Fold Space. The ship shook violently and several of the Kleese were thrown from the Command Pedestal. Consoles exploded in brilliant showers of sparks and conscripts screamed in terror as they were severely burned and in some cases, died. The Command Center was rapidly filling with smoke, and the air was becoming difficult to breathe.

“Message has been sent to the trading station,” reported one of the Kleese that was still standing. “The Overlord Council will know what happened here today.”

“Our warfleet will destroy them,” the Kleese commander spoke his multifaceted eyes focusing on one of the few viewscreens still functioning. “Every Human will be hunted down and killed.”

Those were his last words as the Command Center suddenly lit up with brilliant light as an antimatter missile detonated in the heart of the massive vessel.

-

“Last Kleese mother ship has been destroyed,” reported Major Shepherd as the large red threat icon vanished from the sensor screen. On the primary viewscreen, an area of flaming debris was visible, marking the spot of the disk ship’s destruction.

“Engage the remaining assault ships,” Admiral Sanders ordered. “They don’t seem to be making an attempt to flee.”

The two battlecruisers and the four light cruisers turned their powerful weapons on the Kleese assault ships. The battle was nearly over except for mopping up. The assault ships seemed demoralized after seeing the four mother ships destroyed.

-

On the moon of Despina, Brian Jones watched with relief on one of the Raven’s small viewscreens as the last Kleese assault ship was blown away by the battlecruiser Repulse. For the first time in several hours, Brian allowed himself to breathe a long sigh of relief.

“It’s over,” Marcus spoke his face relaxing as he realized they were going to live.

“Yes, it’s over,” Brian replied with a nod. “Power the ship’s systems back up. It’s too damn cold in here!”

Marcus smiled and passed on the order. Even with the heavy jackets they'd been wearing, the penetrating cold had made life miserable on the ship over the last few hours.

Once the ship’s systems were back online, Brian moved the Raven out of the small canyon they'd been hiding in and flew the ship up and out into space.

“Message from Fleet Admiral Kirby,” Marcus reported with a pleased look upon his face. “He says thanks for the warning about the Kleese ships and to take good care of the Raven. He says he'll put in a good word for us with Pamela Cairns.”

Brian nodded. He knew that even with Michael speaking to Pamela he was still going to get a butt chewing when they got back to Vesta. At least they were heading back and still alive.

Chapter Eight

Fleet Admiral Kirby was sitting in General Mitchell’s office with an angry look upon his face. “Four of those damn mother ships! We were only expecting two!”

“There was no way to know,” General Pittman commented from his chair next to Kirby. “The information we had from the Raven confirmed one mother ship, maybe two. The others were too deep inside the atmosphere of Neptune to be detected. We knew going in there was the possibility of more.”

“Sixteen assault ships and two light cruisers were destroyed in the battle,” seethed Kirby, deeply upset by the loss of the valuable crews. “We lost thirteen hundred brave men and women that can’t easily be replaced.”

“Michael, there are always casualties in war,” responded General Mitchell, understanding the Fleet Admiral’s anguish. “I’ve already spoken to President Randle and Cheryl Robinson. We recognize that we need to train more men and women for the fleet if we hope to survive. We’re already beginning construction, just outside Luna City, of a new training facility for our crews. The academy at Vesta will be primarily for specialists and officer training.”

“It'll still be several years before we see the results of that,” Michael pointed out, knowing they might have ships without qualified crews shortly. “We’re building ships faster than we can train the crews.”

“Yes,” Mitchell responded in agreement. “But we’ll eventually have those crews and when we do, the ships will be ready.”

“Look at the Kleese losses during the battle,” General Pittman was quick to point out. “They lost all four of their mother ships and one hundred and twenty assault ships. That’s a colossal victory for our side any way you look at it. I doubt if they'll be returning anytime soon. They left us alone for over two years after we defeated them when they tried to retake the station. Perhaps it will be the same this time.”

“We were lucky,” responded Michael, shaking his head. “What if the Raven hadn’t been on Despina secretly surveying the moon for mineral deposits? We could've lost half the fleet. They had a lot of firepower out there.”

“But you didn’t,” Mitchell responded his eyes focusing on Kirby. “We’ve reviewed the battle and there is very little that could have been done differently. We all regret the crew losses, but they died protecting our people. It’s what they were trained for, and they knew the risks involved.”

Michael was silent for a long moment and then, with a heavy sigh, asked his next question. “What about Operation Insurrection? It’s due to launch in a few more days. Is it still a go?”

“We can’t afford to delay it,” stated General Mitchell, squaring up his shoulders. “While we defeated the Kleese in this battle, we still need time to grow our population and industrial base. Too much of what we need is still being produced here on Centerpoint. Operation Insurrection could keep the Kleese off our backs for years.”

“That’s a lot of our ships away from the Solar System for a long while,” Kirby pointed out as he thought about the large number of ships that would be assigned to the mission. “Admiral Rivers will be gone for at least a year, minimum. It'll take Fourth Fleet one hundred and forty days just to reach their target area. That’s allowing them to stop every one thousand light years to check their drives and do required repairs.”

“A necessary risk,” General Pittman spoke with a deep frown on his face. “It’s highly probable we might face another Kleese attack before Operation Insurrection meets with any success. We may have at least one or two more battles to fight before Admiral Rivers can return.”

“We’ll still have three fleets with which to protect the Solar System,” General Mitchell reminded them. “Plus the extra assault ships that will soon be deployed to Mars Central and Vesta. If the Kleese attack, we’ll be ready for them.” Mitchell and Fleet Admiral Kirby had agreed to deploy twenty-five of their assault ships to each of the two colonies to aid in their defense. “Not only that, but the next four battlecruisers are already under construction at Vesta and we’re building more light cruisers and assault ships here. We’ll have Fifth Fleet up and Sixth Fleet up and running by the time Admiral Rivers gets back.”

“If we can find the crews,” Kirby reminded Mitchell with a deep frown. He had spoken to Cheryl a few days back and knew she was deeply concerned about that, even with the new academy. They were just not getting enough qualified volunteers to fill the positions in the fleet.

“We’ll get something figured out,” General Mitchell promised. He needed to have a long conversation with President Randle and Cheryl Robinson very soon. It might be necessary for him to go to Vesta and see what could be arranged to speed up the training of new personnel. Michael was right; crews were about to become a major problem.

“What about the trading station mission?” asked Kirby, hoping they were not attempting to do too much all at once. He knew Colonel Adamson and his fleet should be getting close to their destination.

“They’re maintaining communications silence,” General Pittman reminded Kirby. “By now they’re well out of effective communications range anyway. We won’t know the status of their mission until they return.”

Kirby nodded. There were a lot of key people on that mission. He just hoped everything went as planned.

“Let’s discuss Operation Insurrection,” General Mitchell suggested. He wanted to get the final planning completed. Once the fleet left, due to the long distance that was going to be involved, they couldn’t afford to find out they’d forgotten or left something essential back in the Solar System.

-

Major Wade Nelson was exercising in the large gym on the battlecruiser Constellation. He had just finished his pushups when he noticed Colonel Adamson had entered the room.

“Colonel,” Wade said as he stood up, catching his breath. He picked up a nearby towel and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Afternoon, Major,” Adamson replied. “Getting a good workout in?”

“Trying to; it helps pass the time.”

“We’ll be dropping out of Fold Space tomorrow morning,” Adamson informed Wade, folding his arms across his chest. “That'll put us about ten light years from the nonaligned worlds' trading station.”

“This entire mission just doesn’t feel right,” Wade said in an uneasy voice. “There’re bound to be Kleese on board that station; perhaps a large number. There will be conscripts as well, some in battle suits. It may be a very dangerous situation we’re putting our people into.” Wade had voiced these same concerns to Beth earlier that day when he had spoken to her over the ship-to-ship com system.

Colonel Adamson walked over and sat down on a bench, leaning his back up against the wall, facing Wade. “It’s a risk,” he agreed, nodding his head. “That’s why we brought so many marines along. I spoke to Marken and he feels there’s a good chance that the Kleese may just ignore us.” Marken was on the passenger liner Distant Star along with the rest of the Kiveans that had come along on the mission.

“I know the safety of all races is guaranteed by the Kleese on this particular trading station,” Wade said with a worried frown on his face. “But the other races aren’t at war with the Kleese; we are. We’ve even killed a large number of them. They may choose, in this instance, not to enforce that rule where we’re concerned.”

Adamson let out a heavy sigh; he knew that Major Nelson was right in that regard. “We’re going to send in one of the assault ships to scout things out. Once we’ve determined what’s at the station as far as Kleese mother ships are concerned, then we’ll send in the Distant Star and two of the assault ships. “We’ll try to dock the assault ships and the passenger ship in the same flight bay. We’ll keep our troops inside and out of sight.”

“And if the shit hits the fan?” asked Wade, knowing it very well could.

“Then we take the rest of the fleet in and retrieve our people,” Adamson said with a serious and determined look upon his face. “I won’t leave anyone behind!”

-

Captain Beth Williams was in the Command Center of the assault ship Warspite as the two hundred-meter ship dropped out of Fold Space a few million kilometers from the trading station. The viewscreen instantly cleared of static and the massive space station became visible. It was very similar to Centerpoint in size and covered with habitation domes.

“Picking up at least six Kleese mother ships,” Ensign Brenda Knolls reported nervously from the sensor console. “There may be others docked to the station. I’ll know shortly as more data comes in.”

“Damn!” muttered Major Donaldson, the ship’s commanding officer. “We weren’t expecting that many.”

“It’s their main trading center for this area,” Beth reminded him as she eyed the magnified view on the viewscreen closely.

She could see several of the large, eight-kilometer disk ships in close proximity to the station. Beth knew that there would be a number of Kleese upon each one. She felt her muscles tense and there was a knot in her stomach; they were about to put themselves in a lot of danger.

“There’s an awful lot of traffic in the area,” Ensign Knolls added as numerous yellow and red icons began appearing on the main sensor screen. Red icons represented known Kleese vessels and yellow represented unknowns.

“Can you give me a breakdown of what you’re detecting?” asked Major Donaldson, turning toward the sensor console.

Ensign Knolls checked some data on one of her computer terminals before replying. “There are forty Kleese assault ships operating around the station, six mother ships setting a few thousand kilometers away, and three more mother ships docked to the station. I also have another two hundred and twelve unidentified ships inbound either to the station or in the process of departing. Most are of similar size to the Distant Star.”

“Have they given any signs of having detected our presence?”

“If they have, they’re not showing it,” Knolls replied as she tapped several icons on her computer terminal.

“What do you think, Captain?” asked Major Donaldson, looking over at Beth.

“There’s a lot of traffic in this system,” Beth replied as she gazed at all the icons representing ships on the tactical display. “I’m sure at some point, we will be required to identify ourselves as we move closer. They have to be operating some type of traffic control, probably from the main Flight Control Center.”

Donaldson nodded his head in agreement. “I think we’ve seen what we need. Let’s head back to the fleet.”

Beth continued to watch the viewscreen as the Warspite jumped back into the safety of Fold Space. She felt an icy chill run down her back, knowing what they might be facing on the station. If they had to go in to rescue Marken and the others, her marines would be vastly outnumbered. Also, nine Kivean mother ships had far more firepower than the seven warships Colonel Adamson had under his command.

Turning her attention away from the screen, Beth wondered what Wade would think about all of this when they made their report. Neither of them had been highly enthused about this mission; there were just too many things that could go wrong. Letting out a heavy sigh, Beth decided to go to her quarters and rest until they reached the fleet. The next few days would be extremely nerve wracking and full of danger.

-

Colonel Adamson, Major Nelson, and Captain Williams were on the passenger liner Distant Star meeting with Marken, Taalon, and Harnett as well as the liner’s Captain, Julian Rios.

“We'll go in under the guise of a trading mission from the planet Kios Four,” Marken explained in a calm voice as he described the plan he had come up with. “Kios is a humanoid planet and their inhabitants are very similar to Earth Humans, only slightly taller and of slimmer build.”

“Will they just accept that our ships are from Kios?” Colonel Adamson asked with concern in his eyes. He wasn’t sure what to expect if their cover story was blown.

“They should,” answered Taalon. “There are hundreds of ships that come and go daily in this system. Shortly after we drop out of Fold Space, we’ll receive an inquiry from the station’s Flight Control asking for our identity and purpose. We will transmit IDs identifying the Distant Star as a trading vessel from Kios interested in trading for medical technology.”

“We will specifically mention nanite reconstructive technology,” Harnett added. “This should satisfy any curiosity the controlling officer may have.” Harnett still hoped she could manage to procure the specialized equipment needed to create the medical nanites.

“The controlling officer will most likely not be Kleese,” Marken added. “The officer may be Kivean or another conscript. Regardless, they should grant us access to one of the flight bays.”

“What about the two assault ships?” asked Wade, nervously. If they couldn’t dock the two assault ships they'd have no way of deploying marines in case the trading delegation from the Distant Star were taken into custody.

“The planet Kios has a large Kleese presence on the planet due to their high level of medical technology,” explained Taalon, looking over at Wade. “It’s not uncommon for their trading vessels to be escorted by Kleese assault ships returning to one of the stations to pick up additional supplies for the Kleese stationed there.”

“It’s one of the reasons we chose Kios,” Marken added.

Colonel Adamson looked around the group and then spoke. “We’ll launch the mission in the morning. Major Nelson, I would feel better if you transferred over to the Distant Star so you'll be on the station in case we need to launch a military operation to rescue our people.”

“Yes, Sir,” Wade replied, pleased with Adamson’s suggestion. It made him feel better knowing he would be in the thick of things with his marines if it became necessary.

“The Warspite and the Furious will be the two assault ships going in with you; we'll hold the Centurion and the Trafalgar back in reserve.”

“Where will you position the rest of the fleet?” asked Captain Rios, worried about how quickly the Constellation could respond if they came under attack.

“We’ve chosen a system four light years distant,” Colonel Adamson informed them.

“That puts help nearly an hour away,” Rios stated with a frown. “If we get into trouble it could be over with before you can get there.”

“We don’t dare come any closer,” Adamson said with a sigh. “There’s so much traffic in the local area that we could easily be detected. If the Kleese became aware of the Constellation, they might recognize it as an Earth warship. We don’t want that to happen; it could compromise the entire mission.”

“If the Kleese become aware of us, we just need to hold the flight bay until the Constellation arrives,” Wade spoke with narrowed eyes as he thought over the possible scenarios. “With one hundred sixty marines in Type Three battle suits, we should be able to hold the bay for at least an hour.”

Beth nodded in agreement. “It'll take the Kleese some time to organize against us, especially if they're unaware of what’s inside the assault ships. We'll have to remain out of sight until we’re needed.”

After a few more minutes of discussion and planning, the group broke up. Wade found himself in the outside corridor walking next to Beth.

“Are you ready for this?” he asked, wondering how she was doing.

“As ready as I’m going to be,” she replied her eyes looking over at Wade. “We’re just so far away from home; I worry about what would become of my mother if something were to happen to me.”

“She would be well taken care of,” Wade assured her. “We’ve been through a lot together; we’ll get through this.”

“So, is your little brother going to enroll in the new academy?”

“I think so,” Wade replied as he thought about his family back on Vesta. “Ryan likes the idea of being an officer in the space fleet someday and seems to be willing to try the academy for at least one semester.”

“I’m happy to hear that,” responded Beth, knowing how concerned Wade had been about Ryan joining the military too soon. He was also a very bright young man; the academy would be good for him.

“It was a huge relief to my parents,” added Wade, recalling the relieved looks on their faces when Ryan had announced that he would try the academy. It had taken a load off Wade’s mind as well.

“You’re lucky to have your entire family for support,” Beth said with a sad look in her eyes. She still found that she greatly missed her fiancée. Not knowing how he died continued to haunt her.

“Let’s get something to eat,” Wade suggested. Over the last eight weeks, he had missed the meals he and Beth occasionally shared. “I hear the food on this ship is much better than the military ones.”

“They have an actual cafeteria with a wide selection of food,” Beth informed Wade with a twinkle appearing in her eyes. “Unfortunately, they don’t serve Italian. I have about two hours before the shuttle is scheduled to pick me up and take me back to the Warspite.”

Wade laughed. Italian food was Beth’s favorite and he was looking forward to the next few hours and her company.

-

Wade stood nervously in the Control Room of the Distant Star as it dropped out of Fold Space a scant ten thousand kilometers from the trading station. On the main viewscreen, the massive station was plainly visible. It was one hundred and twenty kilometers across and twenty-four kilometers thick, with its surface covered by numerous habitation domes ranging in size from five to twenty kilometers. The domes were the homes for the station’s crew as well as training areas for the station’s military conscripts.

“We’re receiving a challenge,” the communications officer reported.

“I’ll handle it,” Taalon responded. He tapped a few commands into the ship’s computer and sent back a prepared response he had placed there earlier.

A few moments passed and then the communications officer breathed a sigh of relief. “We’re being directed to dock in flight bay twenty-seven along with our two assault ships. If we require any further assistance, we’re to inform Flight Control.”

“We’re in,” stated Captain Rios, letting out a deep breath. “That was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I wasn’t sure what to expect.”

“They’re not anticipating any trouble,” Marken said as he gazed at the steadily approaching station. “We’re four thousand light years away from Earth. The last thing they'd expect are for Humans to show up.”

The five hundred-meter passenger liner approached the station, lined up with flight bay twenty-seven, and slowly entered the bay, passing through the atmospheric force field. The two assault ships followed closely behind. The Distant Star settled down on the indicated berthing dock with the other ships settling in protectively on either side of her.

“We’re here,” Wade commented as he studied the multitude of viewscreens on the front wall of the Control Room. Several showed views outside of the ship and he could see numerous people moving around. There were over a dozen other ships in the bay, some smaller than the Distant Star and a few that were larger. None of the different alien races moving about in the bay were familiar to Wade.

“There will be a registration facility inside the station where we’ll have to report,” Marken explained as he gazed at the viewscreens. It felt strange and somewhat frightening to be back aboard a Kleese controlled station. “If this station does have Kiveans on board, they will not find it too surprising for me to accompany the trading delegation to registration. They'll assume I am one of the station’s crew or that I have been permanently assigned to Kios Four and the Kleese stationed there.”

“Let’s get with it,” Captain Rios suggested. “The sooner we’re away from here, the better.”

Wade nodded. He was wearing civilian clothes and would be going with the delegation. Trevor Dakin was the civilian who would be seeking to work out new trade agreements with the different nonaligned races on the station. He had several assistants working with him. Trevor was an older man in his late fifties and well skilled in negotiating contract deals. He had been recommended by President Randle.

As they left the ship, Wade took note of the half dozen army rangers guarding the inside of the airlock. They were heavily armed and part of the security force on the passenger liner. Unfortunately, the corridors in the ship were too small to allow for a marine in a battle suit to move about.

There were eight people in Wade’s group, including Marken. They exited the flight bay through the nearest hatch and found themselves in a long wide corridor. There were instructions on the wall indicating where the registration area was. As they walked, they passed several members of other races. A few were humanoid and several others were obviously of insect descent.

It took them only a few minutes to reach the registration area. Stepping cautiously through the hatch, they found themselves in a large, cavernous room several hundred meters across. In its center were a number of computer terminals used for registering. However, what concerned Wade the most were the ten conscripts in Type Two battle suits that were standing around the outskirts of the room with RG rifles in their metal hands. Their dark armor and appearance looked threatening and was a strict reminder of who was in charge of this station.

“It’s standard procedure,” Marken assured the others as he saw them gazing anxiously at the armed conscripts. “It’s just a reminder that no fighting will be allowed on the station and security is rigidly enforced.”

The group continued walking and soon reached the registration terminals. The computers were manned by a humanoid race slighter shorter than the average Human but with larger ears and eyes.

“State your business and world of origination,” the one at the terminal they had approached informed them.

“Trade, primarily medical in nature,” Marken responded in a calm and steady voice. “These traders are from Kios Four.”

The humanoid quickly entered the data on his terminal and then handed them eight small metal disks. “These will allow you access to the different trading areas of the ship,” he informed them in a bored and nearly monotone voice. “Keep them with you at all times. If more are needed, you will need to come back to registration. The safety of all traders is guaranteed while you are upon the station; anyone who threatens or endangers another race will be harshly dealt with. If you have problems, please let us know. ”

“We understand,” replied Marken, evenly. “We are primarily interested in seeking new medical technology from the nonaligned races. Where might we locate their trading section?”

The humanoid turned back to his console and quickly printed out a small map. It had a route marked in blue leading to a section of the station a considerable distance away. “You will need to use the station’s internal travel system to reach that section.”

“I’m familiar with it,” Marken responded with a nod. “We will be going now.”

Marken led them across the large room and through another thick metal hatch. They walked in silence for several hundred meters until they reached one of the internal tram stations. Marken turned to look at the others. “Be very careful about what you say. The nonaligned races are very defensive about some of their technology.”

They entered one of the trams, which resembled a small subway car. Marken entered their destination and they were soon moving. Wade sat down and gazed nervously at the passing metal walls. He was unarmed; they all were. He just hoped everything went smoothly. Wade knew if the Kleese captured them they would probably be executed immediately.

-

Beth was pacing nervously in the Command Center of the Warspite. She had twenty of her marines dressed in Type Three battle suits ready to deploy at a moment's notice. Looking up, she stared at the ship’s main viewscreens, which were focused on the various hatches in the flight bay. If there was going to be trouble, it would have to come through those hatches.

“Be calm, Captain,” Major Donaldson suggested from where he was sitting in his command chair watching the same viewscreens. “They’ve only been gone for about an hour. As near as we can tell, there has been no increase in security or activity in the bay.”

Beth nodded her head and drew in a deep breath. She knew this mission could take several days, particularly if any of the nonaligned races agreed to exchange technology. “It’s this station,” she replied, coming to a stop in front of the major. “There’s Kleese on board and probably thousands of armed conscripts. If we have to conduct a rescue operation, it might be exceedingly difficult to extricate our people.”

“Let’s just hope that doesn’t happen,” Donaldson responded. “Marken doesn’t think the Kleese will even know we’re here.”

“Marken isn’t a military minded person,” Beth reminded Major Donaldson. Returning her eyes to the viewscreens, Beth knew it was going to be a long several days. She just hoped they were all still alive when it was finally time to return home.

Chapter Nine

Wade was back in the Distant Star listening as Trevor Dakin reported on what had been accomplished so far. For the last two days, the trading team had split up into three separate delegations to speak with different nonaligned worlds trading representatives.

“We’re not accomplishing much,” Dakin admitted in a disappointed voice as he looked at the others. “Most of the nonaligned worlds seem afraid to trade with us, even though they think we’re from Kios. There’s an undertone I’m sensing that I just don’t like.”

“Kios is not a nonaligned world,” Marken spoke with a frown on his face. “It's one of the more highly developed worlds controlled by the Kleese and that might be the reason they're refusing to set up any trade agreements for higher technology.”

“I’ve had some better luck,” Harnett said from where she was sitting next to Marken. “I’ve managed to procure the advanced equipment from the Trelins for production of medical nanites.”

“What did you offer them in return?” asked Wade, feeling curious. He knew they'd brought a number of different rare metals as well as some high quality gems that were an accepted method of payment. There were even a few Kivean technologies they were willing to share.

“Diamonds,” Harnett replied. “They use them in some of their medical equipment.”

“Blue and red diamonds in particular were what they seemed the most interested in,” added Marken, smiling at his life mate. He knew how important it had been to her to procure the medical nanite production equipment. “We did have to throw in several carats of Tanzanite to close the deal.”

“What’s Tanzanite?” Wade asked. He had never heard of it before.

“It’s a rare gem found only in Tanzania,” Trevor responded. “We brought some if it along hoping it was as uncommon on other planets as it is on Earth.”

“When will the equipment be delivered?” asked Captain Rios. He wanted to make sure he had one of the small cargo bays ready for it. Procuring the nanite equipment had been one of the main priorities of the mission, and he was relieved to know they'd been successful. He also needed to make sure the army rangers were out of sight.

“Tomorrow afternoon,” Harnett replied. She was pleased that she had managed to get the equipment. Medical nanites could save thousands of lives if used properly. They were especially useful for tissue and bone reconstruction. In the Humans' war against the Kleese, it was essential that they have access to this advanced medical technology.

“Have any of the other nonaligned races indicated they might be willing to provide us with additional technology?” asked Wade, glancing at the others. He knew if they didn’t make at least a few trade agreements this mission would be considered a bust.

“There are two nonaligned worlds that have indicated they might be willing to offer us some limited technology,” replied Daiken, letting out a heavy sigh. “It’s obvious they seem nervous about sharing certain types of technologies due to fear of aggravating the Kleese. They’re perfectly willing to trade some specialized technology that they feel is fairly common and certain food products that are grown on their worlds. There also seems to be a vibrant trade in artwork between a number of them.”

“Anyone have any suggestions?” asked Wade, leaning back and frowning, his eyes looking at each member of the trade delegation.

“Just to keep trying,” replied Dakin, letting out a deep and frustrating breath. “We have more meetings set up for tomorrow.”

“I’ve a conference with several of the Kiveans on the station tomorrow morning,” Marken informed them with a slightly confused look upon his face. “It’s been difficult to get them to agree to meet; it almost seems as if they’re afraid to.”

“Do you think we’ve been identified?” asked Captain Rios, worriedly. “Is it possible they know we’re from Earth?”

Marken was quiet as he mulled the question over. “I don’t know,” he said after a few moments of thought. “Something is going on or they wouldn’t be so hesitant about this meeting. Perhaps we’ll know more tomorrow.”

Wade didn’t like what he was hearing. If the Kleese had discovered that Humans from Earth were on the station, it could change everything dramatically. “I’m going to raise the alert status on our two assault ships,” he said, preferring to play it safe. “We’ll have two full platoons in Type Three battle suits ready to deploy at a moment's notice.”

“How much longer do we need to remain on the station?” Captain Rios asked. He wanted to depart as soon as possible; he felt the situation was suddenly turning for the worse. “The longer we stay, the more likely our cover will be blown.”

“Two more days at the most,” responded Daiken, arching his eyebrow. “If we haven’t accomplished anything by then there'll be no point in staying any longer.”

-

The next afternoon, Wade walked with Beth down one of the primary corridors of the station toward the nonaligned worlds trading section. As they passed through the hatches and took one of the trams, Wade couldn’t help but notice that there were more conscripts in Type Two suits around than there'd been when they first arrived.

“I don’t like this at all,” Wade spoke in a quiet voice as they exited the tram and stepped through a hatch into the large room where the nonaligned worlds had set up their trading stations. Looking around, Wade could see at least twenty conscripts in battle suits spaced evenly around the perimeter. The day before, there had only been six.

“What is it, Wade?” Beth asked as she gazed around at all the different alien races that were present. While the majority of them were humanoid, there were a number of insect and reptilian races represented.

“Security has been increased,” he said worriedly, wishing he and Beth were armed. “It’s been increased a lot.”

Beth stopped and looked around; this was the first time she had left the Warspite. Even as she watched, she saw several of the conscripts in battle suits turn slightly toward her and Wade. “I think we need to get back to the flight bay,” she suggested in a quiet and decisive voice. Then she turned and looked directly at Wade, trying not to act or look concerned. “I think they know who we are.”

Wade let out a deep breath and nodded after hearing Beth’s chilling announcement. He was afraid Beth was right. “Let’s move casually back to the hatch and return to the bay. Once everyone is back, we’ll leave. I think you’re right; we’ve worn out our welcome.”

Beth nodded and the two left the large trading room. As they walked back to the bay, Beth couldn’t help but notice all the conscripts in battle suits that now seemed to be about. She felt as if at any moment, she and Wade could be struck by RG rounds. It was with a massive feeling of relief that they reached the flight bay and entered the Distant Star, going immediately to the Control Room.

“I think we’ve been made,” Wade said simply as he stepped over to stand in front of Captain Rios.

“Damn!” Rios swore his face growing concerned. “Why do you say that?”

“There are conscripts in battle suits everywhere,” Wade reported. He then told Rios exactly what he and Beth had observed on their trip to the nonaligned worlds trading section. “Something has caused the Kleese to implement a massive increase in security. I strongly suspect that something is us.”

“I think you’re right,” said Rios, knowing that they might now be in a precarious position. This was exactly what he had been afraid of.

“Where are the rest of our negotiators?”

“Everyone’s still out,” Rios replied as he stepped over and checked a screen, which detailed the current status of the negotiation teams.

Wade stood still for a long moment as he weighed their options. “We can’t do anything to tip off the Kleese that we’re aware of the increased security. Let’s just wait and hope our negotiating teams return safely.” Turning to Beth, he added. “Inform Lieutenant Stern to expect a possible combat scenario sometime in the next twenty-four hours. If they’ve already increased their security, I doubt if it'll be much longer before they try to take the bay and storm our ships.”

“Why haven’t they already?” asked Captain Rios, looking intently at Wade.

“They’re probably trying to determine exactly why we’re here,” Wade responded in a grim voice. “They may also want to know if any of the nonaligned worlds have violated their neutrality agreement by helping us.”

“What do we do now?” Beth asked with growing anxiety on her face. She knew they could be in a bad situation.

“We wait,” responded Wade, looking at Beth and Captain Rios, “For our people to return and then we leave.”

-

It was several hours later that Captain Rios called Wade’s attention to a viewscreen showing the one of the hatches to the flight bay. They could see Marken and Harnett hurrying through it nearly at a run.

“Something’s wrong,” Wade said as he made for the metal hatch to the Control Room. “I’m going to find out what.”

Wade quickly made his way through the ship to the airlock to find an agitated Marken standing there arguing with Harnett.

“What’s going on?” Wade demanded as he walked up to the two.

“Disaster, that’s what,” Marken replied with an apprehensive look upon his face. “The Kleese know we’re here and have positioned their mother ships outside the station to ensure we can’t escape!”

Wade felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. With the two assault ships and the Distant Star, they didn’t have the firepower to take on even one of the Kleese mother ships. “Just how do you know that?”

“From the Kiveans we were talking to,” Harnett replied her worried eyes focusing on Wade. “They've given us some horrendous news.”

“After our initial escape from the station, the Kleese were livid we had dared to harm members of their race,” explained Marken, recalling the scene in the Command Center of the station as Major Nelson and several other marines had slain the Kleese in the room. “As you know, they killed the station’s entire crew in revenge for what we did.”

“Yes,” replied Wade, somberly. He well recalled what they'd found after taking the station from the Kleese; it was full of dead and decaying bodies. The entire crew had been killed.

“It’s worse than that,” Harnett added with tears flowing out of her eyes. “The Kleese bombed our home planet, killing most of our race!”

Wade stepped back, stunned. They'd never considered the Kleese taking such an action. The Kiveans on the home planet had not known about the revolt or what happened on the station.

“There are only a few hundred Kiveans still on this station,” Marken added. “The rest have been eliminated. The only ones still alive are those the Kleese considered essential in the functions they are serving. From what we were told, most of the Kiveans serving on other stations have been killed also.”

“I’m sorry,” Wade stammered, unsure of what to say. It seemed as if the Kiveans had suffered a worse fate than Humanity.

“They also gave us this,” added Harnett, handing Wade a small Kivean designed computer flash drive.

“What is it?” asked Wade, looking at the small dark gray computer drive in his hand.

“What we were seeking,” Marken answered with a grim look upon his face. “The nonaligned races knew all along who we were and they wanted to help.”

“But they didn’t dare do so openly for fear of retaliation from the Kleese,” Harnett explained. “Most of the nonaligned races have very powerful fleets to protect their home planets, but none of them could stand up to a determined assault by a massive Kleese fleet. They will not become active participants in our war against the Kleese.”

“What’s on this flash drive?” Wade asked as he placed it securely in his shirt pocket. This was all totally unexpected.

“Technology,” Marken replied with a pleased and almost wolfish grin. “Half a dozen of the nonaligned worlds have put some of their highest technological achievements and designs on that drive. The core things we will be interested in are more powerful fusion plants and energy shields for our ships. There is also a design for an ion particle beam cannon that can be based upon a planet.”

“Better sensors and guidance systems are also on that flash drive,” Harnett added her face flushed with worry. “It'll put us on a more even footing with the Kleese.”

“How do we get out of here?” Wade asked as he led the two back up through the ship toward the Control Room. He wanted Captain Rios to hear all of this firsthand.

Marken looked over at Harnett who nodded. “The Kiveans still on board have arranged to have a message transmitted to our fleet informing them of the situation. The Kleese ships outside are currently jamming all communication frequencies, but a message can be gotten out through one of the nonaligned worlds' ships that’s scheduled to depart shortly.”

“They’re willing to do that for us?” asked Wade, knowing they were taking a huge risk if they were caught.

“There’s a condition,” added Harnett, looking down at the deck and then back up at Wade. “They want to come with us.”

-

In the Command Center of the station, eight Kleese stood upon the Command Pedestal. The viewscreens were focused on six of the mother ships that had been moved into position to prevent the Humans and their Kivean allies from attempting to escape. Several other viewscreens were showing scenes from inside the flight bay where the three Human ships were docked.

“All Humans have returned to their ships,” reported one of the Kleese as it listened to a report from several of the conscripts who had been tasked with keeping track of the Human vermin and the Kiveans that were with them.

“The remaining Kiveans on the station are heading toward the flight bay also,” another reported as it turned on its six legs to face the Kleese that was in command of the station. “Should we order our conscripts to stop them?”

“No,” the Kleese commander responded in a cold and inhuman voice. “We will let them join the Humans and then annihilate them together. Have our conscripts move into position and standby for orders to attack.”

“Why did they come here?” the first Kleese to speak asked.

“To attempt to trade with the nonaligned races,” the Kleese commander responded, anxious to eliminate this Human threat. “From what we have been able to learn, they failed. The nonaligned worlds want nothing to do with the Humans; they fear endangering their current neutrality status.”

“As they should,” spoke one of the others. “If any of the nonaligned worlds were to help the Humans, we would destroy them.”

“We have had several nonaligned worlds’ ships depart in the last hour; should we hold further departures until this situation has been dealt with?”

“No,” the Kleese commander responded his multifaceted eyes still focused on the numerous viewscreens. “They are not a threat. The only ships that may not leave are those in the flight bay with the Humans.”

The conscripts in the Command Center were nervous. They knew something significant was going on. Their Kleese masters seemed agitated and were continuously asking about activity in one of the flight bays. There'd been rumors of a race that had attacked and killed a number of the Kleese. Several wondered if the activity in the flight bay had anything to do with that.

-

Wade watched as numerous Kiveans began coming through the hatches and boarding the Distant Star. It would be a very crowded trip back to the Solar System. He was standing inside the ship’s main airlock, which had also contained the Type Three command battle suit he was now wearing.

“Captain Williams and Lieutenant Stern go ahead and send one of your platoons each out into the bay. They are to secure the hatches and ensure no Kleese conscripts enter. Use of lethal force is authorized.” Wade knew there was no point in trying to stay hidden any longer.

“Exiting now,” Lieutenant Stern reported as twenty marines in Type Three battle suits exited the Furious and quickly took up positions in front of several of the hatches.

“In position,” Captain Williams reported as her marines covered the others.

Wade stepped out into the bay in his ten-foot tall suit of armor. He held his RG rifle in one hand with his Energy Lance in its protective sheath at his waist. On his HUD, he could see forty green icons representing the marines deployed. One hundred and twenty others were on standby inside the two assault ships. Inside the Distant Star, twenty army rangers waited in the corridors leading away from the ship’s two main airlocks armed with heavy assault weapons. Fortunately, the corridors were too small to allow a conscript with a battle suit easy entrance.

“The last of the Kiveans have boarded,” reported Captain Rios over the com. “Major Nelson, the outer flight bay doors are closed. We can’t attempt to exit unless we can get them open, and I doubt if the Kleese are going to be accommodating.”

Wade drew in a sharp breath of the cool air being circulated in his battle suit. He glanced at the flight bay doors, knowing it wouldn’t be practical to blast them open. They would have to be opened from the Flight Control Center.

“Captain Williams, we have a problem,” Wade began.

“I know,” Beth replied. “I heard. The Flight Control Center is halfway around the station. I don’t see any way we can fight our way to it and open the doors.”

Wade felt sweat on his brow as he thought about their precarious situation. The Kleese had them trapped and at the moment, he saw no way out.

“Major Nelson,” came Marken’s voice over the com. “It’s not necessary to go to the Flight Control Center. Outside in the main corridor there is a small emergency control room for the bay. It will be locked and unoccupied. Its systems will have to be activated manually. Taalon has volunteered to go with a team to assist in opening the flight bay doors.”

“We need to go as soon as possible,” said Wade, knowing that time was of the essence. The message the Kiveans had arranged to be transmitted to Colonel Adamson on the Constellation had been very explicit as to the time the Distant Star and the two assault ships would attempt to exit the bay. That time was fast approaching.

“Taalon is on his way,” Marken informed Wade.

Wade went down the landing ramp and over to one of the main hatches where Beth was standing with a squad of her marines. “Where’s Sergeant Dawson?”

“Still inside the Warspite with his platoon,” answered Beth, promptly.

Wade changed his suit's frequency to that of Sergeant Dawson’s. “Sergeant, bring your marines out to the main hatch where Lieutenant Williams is; I have a mission for you.”

“On our way,” replied Dawson, gesturing for his platoon to follow him out into the bay.

A few minutes later, they were all gathered next to the hatch, looking expectantly at Major Nelson in his command suit. Taalon was standing nervously in the center of the group of towering battle suits.

“We have to take a small emergency control room that’s at the end of this corridor,” Wade informed them, pointing to the corridor outside of the hatch. “By now the Kleese are bound to have conscripts in Type Two and even possibly Type Three battle suits there in the corridor waiting for us. I’m authorizing the use of RG explosive rounds only.”

“You’re going on this mission?” Beth asked suddenly, realizing Wade’s intent. “Let Lieutenant Stern or myself lead this; we can handle it.”

“The two of you will have your own battle to fight,” Wade responded, shaking his head. “The Kleese are bound to rush the hatches at any moment. You have to hold the flight bay until we get back.”

Beth nodded, knowing that there was nothing she could say to change Wade’s mind. If the corridor was as heavily guarded as Wade thought it now was and the Kleese conscripts rushed the flight bay hatches, a lot of marines were not going home. “Good luck, Sir,” she said.

“Let’s go,” ordered Wade, as he leaped through the hatch. He quickly raised his RG rifle and began firing down the corridor at a group of armed battle suits marching toward him.

“Follow the Major,” Dawson ordered as he and the other marines ran out into the corridor.

The conscripts were firing back and Wade felt several rounds strike his suit armor. He fell to the floor, rolled and came up firing. There were dozens of armored conscripts in the corridor all firing at Wade and his marines.

“Explosive rounds!” yelled Sergeant Dawson as he saw they were in danger of being pinned down.

Instantly, grenade like explosions began going off in the corridor, blasting wide gaps in the enemy forces. A loud scream that was suddenly cut off echoed hauntingly over the suit coms as one of the marines was critically hit. An RG round had penetrated his suit’s armor in the center of his chest.

Wade saw one and then two of the green icons on his HUD turn a disheartening red, and another four quickly went amber. “We need to take them out!” he yelled as he stood up and charged down the corridor firing his weapon with Sergeant Dawson close behind.

Twice more, Wade felt RG rounds strike his battle suit. Neither penetrated due to the extra thickness of the armor in the command suit. Wade was firing his RG rifle continuously, sweeping the corridor in front of him. Smoke was getting thick and it was becoming difficult to see unaided. Fortunately, the suits allowed them to see through the smoke at the conscripts that were still firing. Behind him, Wade could hear weapons fire suddenly increase and knew that Kleese conscripts were attacking the bay. He just hoped Beth and Lieutenant Stern could hold them back.

-

Beth had all of her marines out of the two assault ships now. A few were still in positions to protect the ships, but most were heavily engaged trying to keep Kleese conscripts from coming through the hatches. All three ships had activated their energy shields at the lowest level to protect the hulls from incidental fire or even explosive rounds from the attackers.

So far, they'd managed to keep the Kleese conscripts from breaking into the bay. There were six primary hatches that allowed access to the flight bay, and she had eighteen marines covering each of them. Every time an enemy battle suit appeared, it would be cut down in a withering hail of RG fire.

“We’re holding them,” Lieutenant Stern reported. She fired several rounds at her hatch as four conscripts in battle suits tried to rush in. They were quickly brought down. Several others were pointing their RG rifles around the hatch and firing indiscriminately while trying to stay out of sight of Lieutenant Stern’s marines.

“We have to hold those hatches until Major Nelson gets back,” Beth spoke as several RG explosive rounds blew apart two battle suits attempting to come through another hatch. Looking around the bay, Beth noticed all the alien ships were sealed up tight. The dockworkers were gone and there were no signs of any of the other races whose ships were in the bay.

“They’re bound to rush us through all the hatches shortly,” Sergeant Russell stated from his position near Beth. “If they pour through all six hatches at once, we might not be able to stop them.”

“If they come through, we’ll kill them!” stated Corporal Foster, emphatically. “They’re not taking this bay before the major gets back.”

Beth glanced over at Nicole. She knew the corporal had a lot of respect for Wade. A large number of these marines had been together now for over two years, and sometimes Beth wondered if they were getting too close to each other emotionally. A lot of friendships had been forged over time as shown by the bar fight that Corporal Foster had instigated.

-

Wade and his marines had fought their way down to the emergency control room. It had been necessary to blast the door open as it was sealed shut. Glancing inside, Wade saw that Taalon was busy activating the necessary systems to open the flight bay doors. Wade just hoped the waiting Kleese mother ships didn’t fire into the bay when the doors slid open.

“Got it!” Taalon yelled as he pressed several buttons and then typed furiously on a keyboard. “The doors are opening and I’ve locked Main Flight Control out. It'll be at least thirty minutes before they can regain control of the bay.”

“Let’s go, then,” ordered Wade, motioning for Taalon to get out of the small room.

As soon as Taalon was out they began to move back down the corridor. Taalon was in the center for protection since he wasn’t wearing protective armor of any type.

They were halfway back to the flight bay when more conscripts stormed out of an adjoining corridor firing on Wade and his marines. Dozens of them in Type Two battle suits swarmed into the corridor and then one fired off an explosive round. It went off in the midst of the marines and a number fell to the floor with heavy damage to their suits. Several had entire limbs missing. Wade could hear their agonizing screams over the com system in his suit. On his HUD, more icons began turning amber and red.

Wade didn’t hesitate. They were outnumbered and in danger of being wiped out. He fired one of the heavy explosive rounds out of one of the twin tubes on his back. Instantly, a massive explosion rocked the corridor. The blast wave slammed everyone still standing to the floor. The section of the corridor where the blast had gone off was full of smoke and flame and scattered pieces of battle suits. There was not a single surviving enemy conscript. The walls and ceiling had been torn open making the corridor impassible to anyone not wearing a battle suit.

Wade staggered back to his feet and looked around him. On his HUD, he could see that three icons were now red and over half were amber including Sergeant Dawson. Wade quickly made his way over to the sergeant, seeing that he was lying upon a motionless Taalon. He hurriedly rolled the sergeant off the Kivean only to find that Taalon was dead. The original explosive round had blown the Kivean nearly in half, killing him instantly.

“Sergeant?” asked Wade, shaking Dawson’s battle suit. Wade could see several holes in the chest of the suit that were bleeding profusely.

“I’m not going to make it,” Dawson’s weak voice came to him over the com. “Get my marines back to the ship.”

“You’re going with us,” said Wade determinedly, grabbing Dawson’s suit and putting him over his right shoulder. Looking around, he saw the rest of the marines were back on their feet, a few were helping others to stand. “Let’s go,” he ordered. “It’s only a little further.”

-

Beth had felt the station shudder slightly as if a massive explosion had gone off. There was no doubt in her mind; someone had fired an explosive round from a Type Three battle suit’s twin tubes. It had to have been Wade! “Sergeant Russell, Corporal Foster, I want RG explosive rounds going off in those hatches, now! We need to clear them so Major Nelson can get back inside the bay.”

“On it,” Corporal Foster responded as she changed her RG rifle from firing solid rounds to explosives. She liked firing off the explosive rounds; it gave her an illicit thrill every time one blew up.

Moments later, grenade sized explosive rounds began exploding in the hatches and then out in the corridor. In less than a minute, the hatches were destroyed and only jagged smoking metal remained. Even the flight bay was beginning to fill with smoke, and Beth could hear warning alarms sounding. Fire suppression systems kicked in, spraying the bay with fire suppressant chemicals.

“Captain Williams, hold your fire!” Wade’s voice came over the command channel. “We’re coming through, and we have a lot of wounded.”

“Hold your fire!” Beth ordered over the general com channel. “Our people are coming back.”

Beth saw Wade come through the hatch first carrying one marine and then the others staggered through. She felt her stomach tighten; seven marines were missing. She also saw with concern that Taalon was also among the missing.

“Withdraw back to the ships,” Wade ordered in a grim voice. “We’re leaving.”

As they began to pull back, more Kleese conscripts began pouring through the destroyed hatches, firing on the marines. The firefight intensified as the two sides blasted away at one another. Both of them were now using explosive rounds and the bay was full of smoke and fire.

They were nearly back to the ships when the atmospheric force field holding in the flight bay’s air vanished. Instantly, several marines were sucked out of the bay along with numerous conscripts.

“Activate your boot magnets,” Wade yelled as he felt himself nearly pulled away from the deck.

The Type Three suits had a strong magnetic field that could be used to anchor them down in weightless environments. In just a few scant moments, all the air in the bay was gone. Wade strongly suspected that the Kleese had turned the atmospheric force field off in an attempt to suck the marines out into space where the waiting Kleese mother ships could annihilate them with energy beam fire.

Hurriedly going up the loading ramp of the Distant Star still carrying Sergeant Dawson, Wade cycled through the airlock and then had to duck down to enter the corridor beyond where the army rangers waited. Wade quickly got out of his suit and then worked at getting Dawson out of his. The suit had sealed itself back up as it attempted to preserve Dawson’s life.

“Who’s hurt?” Harnett asked worriedly as she came running down the corridor carrying her med kit.

“It’s Dawson,” Wade replied as he finally pulled the marine free of his suit with the aid of several of the rangers.

“I’ve got him,” Harnett spoke as she bent down and began examining the sergeant’s wounds. She quickly injected him with several medications to help stabilize him and then looked back up at Wade inquiringly. “Where’s Taalon?”

“He didn’t make it,” Wade replied with a heavy sigh. Taalon had been one of the original conspirators who had helped free the Human soldiers being held by the Kleese and being used as conscripts.

Harnett looked shocked and then nodded her head in acceptance. “We can mourn our losses later,” she said in a strained voice. “Right now you’re needed in the Control Room. We still have to escape the Kleese ships that are waiting outside.”

-

The Kleese commander looked with anger at the viewscreens. The attack had failed to secure the three Human ships and hundreds of conscripts had been lost. He had never expected the Humans to have brought soldiers trained in the use of the Type Three battle suits with them. The flight bay and adjoining corridors were severely damaged and would take weeks to repair.

He had ordered the atmospheric force shield shut down hoping the sudden rush of the departing air would drag the Humans outside where they could be dealt with by the waiting mother ships. A few had been caught by surprise, but the rest had made it to the safety of their ships. Unfortunately, the conscripts fighting the Humans had not been so well trained and most of them had been sucked out of the bay.

“They will be trying to exit the bay shortly,” his second in command spoke. “They’ve gone back into their ships and shut the hatches. We can’t close the bay doors; we have been locked out from the emergency flight control room.”

“Inform our ships that I want the assault ships destroyed and the Fold Space Drive on the other Human ship disabled,” the Kleese commander ordered. “We will take the Humans and the Kiveans on board that ship captive and interrogate them as to the defenses of their home system as well as to what they hoped to accomplish by coming here. The Council of Overlords will be highly interested in that report.”

“As you command,” one of the other Kleese replied in a nearly emotionless voice.

The Kleese commander looked around the Command Center from his position atop the Command Pedestal. The conscripts currently in the Command Center would have to be eliminated; they had witnessed too much on the viewscreens. The same would go for the conscripts in battle suits that had survived the battle with the Humans. Conscripts were easily replaced and there was no reason to allow rumors to fly about the station.

Chapter Ten

Wade was in the Control Center of the Distant Star nervously watching the main viewscreens. On one of the screens, a small counter was slowly counting down.

“Five minutes until the zero mark,” spoke Mase Sutton the sensor operator. He looked expectantly back at Captain Rios. “Energy shield is at twenty percent.”

“The flight bay is still quiet,” Anne Norman added from Communications where she was intently watching several viewscreens focused on the half-wrecked bay. Signs of fighting were evident everywhere, from the black burn marks of energy weapons fire to holes in the walls where RG rounds had penetrated.

“There’s not an atmosphere out there now,” Wade said as he looked over at Captain Rios. “We destroyed the hatches and heavily damaged the corridor. It will take time to repair it so they can gain entry.”

“Let’s just hope those damn mother ships don’t fire into this bay,” Rios replied as he glanced impatiently at the counter wanting it to reach zero. “We can’t fully activate our energy shield until we’re out.” He knew that pulse fusion fire into the bay from the Kleese mother ships could prove devastating to the three nearly helpless Earth ships.

“The Kiveans that came on board are situated,” Marken reported as he came in through the open hatch, which was guarded by two army rangers. “We had to put some in the corridors and the cargo bays until other arrangements can be made. It’s not comfortable, but it'll do for now.”

“How are they doing?” asked Wade, looking over at Marken.

“They’re just glad to be off the station,” Marken replied in a tired voice. “We’ve already deactivated the poison devices implanted in them by the Kleese.” Marken and the rest of his people who had escaped with the Humans had deactivated the same type of implants years back.

“I’m sorry about Taalon,” said Wade, wishing the talented Kivean computer specialist hadn’t been killed. He had been instrumental in their original escape and then in their return to retrieve the Kleese space station.

“It was a risk, and he was willing to take it,” Marken said with a look of grief upon his face. “We all knew there would be grave risks when we first planned our revolt.”

“Coming up on one minute,” spoke Sutton as the counter began counting down the seconds.

“Standby to exit the flight bay,” ordered Captain Rios, glancing over at Dash Stahls at the Helm. The two assault ships would go first in an attempt to give the passenger liner some covering fire.

“Maneuvering thrusters and sublight drive are powered up,” Stahls replied his hands hovering above his controls.

“Ten seconds,” Sutton said in an uneasy voice.

“Zero!”

“Assault ships are leaving the bay,” Anne reported breathlessly as they suddenly lifted from their berths and accelerated out of the flight bay.

“Take us out,” ordered Rios, looking at the helm officer. “Energy shield to full power as soon as we’re out of the bay!”

The Distant Star rose up from her berth and accelerated out of the flight bay, heading for open space.

“Shields at maximum,” Sutton reported as the energy shield around the Distant Star sprang to full power.

The Distant Star rocked violently and the lights dimmed for a brief moment. It seemed as if a giant fist had struck the ship.

“Shield is holding,” Sutton reported as he watched his instruments closely, sweat forming on his brow. “We’re being hit by energy weapons from one of the mother ships. The two assault ships are also under fire. No internal damage showing.”

On one of the viewscreens, Wade could see one of the assault ships; he wasn’t sure which one. His eyes widened as he saw a dark blue pulse fusion beam from one of the Kleese ships penetrate its screen, blowing out a large section of the hull.

“It’s the Furious,” Sutton stated as his hands moved over his controls.

Wade could see the Furious firing back with its particle beam weapon. The ship’s pulse fusion beams as well as defensive energy batteries were also firing.

“Our assault ships are only causing light damage to the Kleese mother ships,” Sutton reported with anguish on his face. “They just don’t have the firepower to penetrate the Kleese energy screens and cause major damage.”

The Distant Star shook violently again and Wade saw several red lights appear on the damage control board. Numerous other lights were showing amber.

“We just lost air pressure in several storage compartments and Engineering is reporting that the fusion reactor is beginning to overheat,” the damage control officer reported. “Engineering reports they won’t be able to maintain the shield at this strength for more than another few minutes or we may lose the reactor.”

A brilliant flash lit up one of the viewscreens, indicating a twenty-megaton antimatter missile had gone off. Wade turned to look at the Kleese mother ship that had been hit when several brilliant beams of blue light speared the disk ship, causing massive damage to its hull and internal structure.

“It’s the Constellation; they’re here!” screamed Anne with relief flooding her face.

-

“Pour it on,” Colonel Adamson ordered as he glared at the main viewscreen showing the Distant Star and the two Human assault ships under heavy attack. Space was aglow with energy beams and exploding antimatter missiles.

“Sir, the Furious is reporting major damage,” Major Kelley reported his eyes widening in worry. “Lieutenant Stern is stating that they’re attempting to evacuate and will set the ship’s scuttling charges.”

“What about Major Olson, the ship’s commander?”

“He’s dead, Sir,” Kelley replied. “Lieutenant Stern said an energy beam penetrate the Command Center, killing the Major and most of the command crew. She's taken control of the ship as the highest ranking officer still on board.”

“Damn,” Adamson oathed as the two light cruisers Achilles and Canopus joined in the attack upon the Kleese mother ship the Constellation was targeting. “Order the Centurion and the Trafalgar to give them covering fire while they evacuate.”

On the main viewscreen, two twenty-megaton antimatter missiles flashed through a weakened section of the Kleese energy screen, striking the Kleese ship. Two brilliant suns suddenly formed where the hull of the Kleese vessel had been. In moments, it was reduced to glowing wreckage.

Loud cheering broke out in the Command Center of the Constellation upon seeing the Kleese ship’s destruction.

“There are still five more of them,” Adamson reminded his crew as the Constellation shuddered from inbound weapons fire. “Tell the Distant Star to get out of here and we’ll meet them at the rendezvous coordinates. Keep a watch out for those other three mother ships that are still docked to the station.”

-

Wade watched the Furious worriedly as they began to accelerate away from the battle. He could see the other three assault ships surrounding it, trying to draw fire away from the valiant ship. Even as he watched, he saw several drop ships leave the vessel. Then the Furious exploded, hurling debris in every direction. Some of it impacted on the energy shields of the other assault ships.

“Crap!” Captain Rios uttered in horror, knowing that many of the marines and the ship’s crew couldn’t have gotten off in time, not in just two drop ships!

“Furious is down,” Sutton reported in a grim voice.

“Get us into Fold Space,” ordered Rios, speaking to the helm officer. “Once we’re gone, our military units can pull out.”

Moments later, the Distant Star entered Fold Space and accelerated rapidly away from the battle. On the main viewscreen, the Kleese trading station rapidly shrunk amidst a scattering of antimatter explosions still going off around it.

-

Beth was nearly thrown to the floor as the Warspite’s energy shield was struck by a Kleese antimatter missile. Several consoles went dark and she could hear a woman officer screaming in pain. Beth was in her normal marine captain’s uniform, not her battle suit. She was wondering now if that might not have been a mistake as the suits contained their own oxygen supply and could operate in a vacuum.

“Drop ships from the Furious are being picked up by the Centurion,” Ensign Knolls reported as she watched the data appearing on her sensors. “The Achilles is under heavy fire and their shield is rapidly weakening.”

“Our own shield is at forty percent,” Lieutenant Jarvis, the damage control officer, reported from his console. “We can’t take another antimatter hit to the shields.”

“Colonel Adamson is ordering us to withdraw,” the communications officer reported. “The Constellation and the two light cruisers will cover us as we jump into Fold Space.”

“Make it so,” Donaldson ordered the helm officer. “Take us into Fold Space immediately.”

The 200-meter assault ship turned and then accelerated away from the battle. Several blue pulse fusion beams narrowly missed the ship as the helm officer varied the Warspite’s course in an attempt to make it a harder target to hit.

“We’re not a fighter jet,” Major Donaldson reminded the helm officer as the ship made a tight turn to avoid energy beam fire from a nearby Kleese mother ship.

“Almost there,” the helm officer replied as the ship began to make the transition from regular space to Fold Space.

Beth looked around expectantly. The entire Command Center crew was tense as the ship continued to accelerate. Each one was afraid that a Kleese sublight antimatter missile or a pulse fusion beam would strike the ship before they could escape.

“Fold Space Drive activated,” the helm officer reported triumphantly, knowing they were now safe from enemy fire.

On the sensor screen, the other two assault ships were doing the same, leaving the Constellation and two light cruisers far behind. On the viewscreen, they could see the Constellation’s powerful energy screen covered in antimatter explosions.

“I hope they get away,” Beth spoke in a quiet voice, fearful that the Constellation might be destroyed. They were taking on five Kleese mother ships and even with the Constellation’s improved shields and weapons, the ship couldn’t survive long against those odds.

-

Colonel Adamson gripped his command chair as the Constellation shook violently. On the damage control board, more lights turned red and even more glowed amber.

“Shields at sixty percent,” Major Kelley reported. “Railgun batteries four and six are offline. Pulse fusion turrets seven and twelve have been destroyed. We’re showing vacuum in compartments B fourteen and C eighteen. There’s a fire in cargo bay three.”

“Keep firing,” Colonel Adamson said in a calm and determined voice. “Order the Achilles and the Canopus to withdraw. As soon as they’ve jumped into Fold Space, we’ll make our exit. Concentrate our fire on the Kleese mother ship closest to the Achilles.”

The Constellation fired her two bow particle beam cannons, spearing the indicated Kleese ship and causing several powerful explosions, causing the large vessel to stagger. The four main bow railguns fired, sending massive rounds into the damaged ship, further escalating the damage. Several internal explosions blew out a large portion of the Kleese ship’s hull.

-

The Kleese were not to be outdone. All five of the remaining Kleese ships poured their fire into the Achilles, knocking down the ship’s energy shield even as it turned to jump into the safety of Fold Space. An antimatter missile detonated right above the ship’s hull, destroying the Fold Space Drive and crippling the ship’s sublight engines. The ship faltered and seemed to lurch as Kleese energy weapons and pulse fusion beams tore open the hull. Then, in a massive explosion, the Achilles blew apart, sending glowing debris in all directions.

-

“Achilles is down,” spoke Lieutenant Saur in a strained voice from her sensor console where the Achilles friendly green icon had just vanished.

“Canopus has made the jump to Fold Space,” reported Major Kelly, feeling shaken by the loss of the light cruiser.

“Take us into Fold Space,” Colonel Adamson ordered, tight-lipped. He hadn’t expected to lose an assault ship, let alone a light cruiser.

The ship shook again as her screen was hit by pulse fusion beams from the nearest Kleese ship and then the Constellation jumped into the safety of Fold Space. As soon as the ship passed the light speed barrier, the firing stopped and the ship seemed to take on an eerie silence.

“We’re in Fold Space,” Major Kelly reported with a heavy sigh of relief. “Damage control teams report the fire in cargo bay three is out.”

“Very well,” breathed Colonel Adamson, allowing himself to relax. “Let’s start getting the damage repaired and get to the rendezvous point. We need to see what damage the other ships received before we continue back toward home.”

Adamson leaned back in his command chair and thought about the battle. The Achilles and Furious were gone and numerous others killed. He just hoped that the mission had been worth it.

-

The Kleese commander gazed at the viewscreen in the Command Center of the station in silence. The Humans had escaped and in doing so, destroyed another Kleese mother ship. True, they had destroyed two Human ships in return, but Kleese ships were not supposed to be able to be destroyed. He looked around at the conscripts in the Command Center and then picked up a small black control box laying on a data console on the Command Pedestal. He quickly entered some commands and then pressed a small button on the box. Almost instantly, all the conscripts in the Command Center dropped dead at their consoles.

“Bring in their replacements,” he ordered, feeling no remorse over his action. “Remove all files from the computers concerning the Humans and the battle; there is no need for the other conscripts on the station to know what happened.”

“What about our military conscripts?” one of the others asked as he began removing the data from the computer core and started transferring it to a secure computer terminal in the Kleese living quarters.

“Those that were involved in the battle with the Humans will have to be eliminated,” the Kleese commander ordered. “We will transmit a report to the Council of Overlords; the Humans are their problem now.”

-

The Distant Star dropped out of Fold Space in the system designated as a rendezvous point if the mission went south. It had definitely done that.

“Ship status!” Demanded Captain Rios as the ship came out of Fold Space and nearly to a dead stop in space. The crew had been rushing about getting the Kivean refugees better situated as well as checking on the ship’s damage.

On the primary viewscreens, a sea of unwinking stars surrounded them. On the main sensor screen, no contacts were showing nearby.

“We seem to be okay,” Sutton reported from his sensor console. “No signs of pursuit and the system seems to be quiet.”

“The Kleese will not be pursuing us,” Marken said with assurance. “They'll be cleaning up the mess we left behind. They will not want to leave any trace of the battle for the nonaligned worlds or other inbound trade ships to see.”

“What about the trade ships that were in the bay with us?” asked Wade, worried about his marines on the assault ships. “Will the Kleese destroy them?”

“I don’t think so,” replied Marken, glancing over at Wade. “They'll be told not to speak of what occurred at the station or face serious repercussions.”

“Centurion, Warspite, and the Trafalgar are dropping out of Fold Space,” Sutton reported, glad to see the three small warships.

Wade felt a flood of relief knowing that Beth had made it; he was extremely concerned about who had survived the destruction of the Furious. Jamie had been on board that assault ship.

-

Several hours later, Wade sat in his quarters looking at the casualty reports from their battle with the Kleese. They'd pretty much walked into a trap as it now was obvious that the Kleese had been aware of their presence almost as soon as they had gone aboard the station. They were fortunate to have escaped at all even though it had proved costly.

The two drop ships evacuated from the Furious had contained thirty-two marines and sixteen members of the ship’s crew. Jamie had been one of those fortunate enough to get away. For that Wade was thankful, but many other marines had not made it off the ship and others had been lost on the station. Total marine casualty figures were sixty-seven. They'd also lost the Furious and the Achilles, which was unexpected.

A quiet knock on his door interrupted his thoughts and standing up, he opened it and found Marken and Harnett standing there. Wade wondered what the two Kiveans wanted.

“Come in,” Wade said, gesturing for them to enter.

Marken and Harnett stepped inside and sat down, looking expectantly at Wade. “We have to talk to you about something,” began Harnett, knowing that her life mate felt uncomfortable bringing up this subject with Wade so shortly after the battle with the Kleese.

“What is it?” asked Wade, sitting down across from them. “How is Sergeant Dawson?” Wade had gone to check on Dawson earlier, but he had been in surgery with Harnett.

“Dawson will be fine,” Harnett replied with a reassuring nod. “He had some internal injuries and a lot of bleeding, but his condition has stabilized. I've injected him with some medical nanites I have on board, and they should help with his healing. Due to the scope of his injuries it will be several weeks before he will be able to resume his duties.”

“That’s good news,” Wade replied, relieved that the sergeant was going to make it. “It will take us nearly eight weeks to return to Earth so that should give him plenty of time to recover. What else did you want to talk to me about?”

“Marken has been speaking to some of the Kiveans that came on board,” answered Harnett, glancing over at her life mate. “They've been telling us about the attack upon our world by the Kleese.”

Wade leaned back in his chair with a somber look upon his face. From what Marken had told him earlier, he knew that much of the Kivean home planet had been nuked. The Kivean race had suffered the same fate as Earth had from the Kleese.

“When we escaped from the Kleese originally, they were furious beyond belief. We always knew the Kleese were a cruel and heartless race. They decided to make an example of our people to ensure there were no more future revolts. We thought from what we were told earlier the Kleese had nuked the planet, but that’s not correct. They used antimatter missiles upon all of the major population centers except one. There are survivors on the planet.”

“Survivors!" uttered Wade, sitting up straighter and looking intently at Marken. “How many?”

“At least several million,” Marken said, joining in on the conversation. “Many of our main research centers are in the city of Micene and it was not bombed. Micene has a population of well over one million. It also contains the Planetary University where our most talented young people are sent to study. The Kleese spared the city as they are still interested in some of the research being done there.”

“What are you proposing?” Wade asked, already suspecting what Marken was going to say.”

“When we get back to Centerpoint Station, I would like to have a rescue plan already made up to go to our home world and evacuate as many of our people as possible off the planet.”

Wade closed his eyes, knowing the difficulty of what Marken was asking. Operation Insurrection would have already been launched by the time they returned. Wade was unsure if General Mitchell and Fleet Admiral Kirby would be willing to commit to another major operation while Insurrection was in play.

“Even if we were to launch an assault upon your planet to free your people and bring as many of them as possible back to the Solar System, we don’t have the passenger ships to bring back large numbers.”

“Not a problem,” Marken replied with an excited look upon his face. “There is a large orbiting space station above our world, not nearly as big as a Kleese station, but still large enough. We did much of our trading from this station with other worlds and even tourists left on passenger ships to those worlds the Kleese allowed us to visit. There will be at least twenty passenger liners and numerous cargo vessels docked to the station. We can use those to evacuate as many of our people as possible.”

“You’ve never been to your world,” Wade stated with a sigh. “Are you sure they would be willing to leave?”

“It is true that we have never been to Kivea,” Harnett replied with regret in her eyes, knowing now she would never see it as others had described. “But occasionally a trade ship from our planet would stop by the station with news. We never lost hope of being able to go there some day.”

Wade nodded in understanding. He knew it would be very hard to turn down the Kiveans' request after all they had done for the Human race. If not for them and their advanced technology, there would have been far fewer survivors.

“The nonaligned races have furnished us with a lot of high level technological information,” Marken continued his eyes focusing on Wade. “The researchers in the city of Micene will be very useful in converting that information to practical use.”

Wade let out a heavy sigh; he knew that to do as Marken and Harnett were suggesting would require a major ground campaign. After what the Kiveans and the Humans had done to the Kleese there was no doubt there would be a heavy contingent of conscripts in battle suits upon Kivea, perhaps even some Kleese.

“I will speak to Colonel Adamson once we have our repairs completed and have gone back into Fold Space,” Wade promised. He was also going to ask to have Beth and Captain Jeffries transferred to the Distant Star. Perhaps between the three of them they could come up with a plan to submit to General Mitchell and Fleet Admiral Kirby.

“Thank you,” replied Harnett, standing up and walking over, then giving Wade a friendly hug. “We knew we could count on you.”

“We need to go check on our Kivean passengers,” Marken spoke with a grimace. A number had died when two of the Distant Star’s cargo bays had been blasted open in the battle with the Kleese ships.

The two left leaving Wade alone with his thoughts. Doing what the two Kiveans were requesting would not be simple by any means. It might very well be impossible. However, Harnett and Marken had risked their lives leading the Kivean revolt on the space station and freeing the Human conscripts. Wade would do everything in his power to give them what they wanted.

-

Colonel Adamson was looking at the latest status reports of the remaining ships under his command. All were damaged to some extent.

“All ships will have their hull breaches welded shut within the next hour,” Major Kelley reported. He had been speaking with the various commanders checking on the current status of their repairs. “We’re also sending additional supplies over to the Distant Star to help accommodate the Kiveans that came on board.”

“How many did they end up with?” asked Adamson, curiously. He had been stunned when Captain Rios had told him about the new Kivean refugees and what had happened to their world.

“Two hundred and twelve are still alive,” reported Kelley, glancing down at one of the data screens on his console.

“Will they be able to handle the extra Kiveans?”

“Captain Rios says they will; they weren’t traveling with a full load of passengers to begin with. Also, Major Nelson is requesting that Captain Williams and Captain Jeffries be transferred to the Distant Star.”

“I wonder what that’s all about?” spoke Adamson with a sneaking suspicion that it involved the Kiveans. “Do as he asks and keep me informed when you find out what he’s up to.”

“Engineering reports that all systems are back online and operating at peak efficiency,” Ensign Travers reported from Communications as she listened to the various departments report in on the progress of their repairs.

“Sensors are still clear,” Lieutenant Saur added as she checked the most recent sensor scans.

“We can probably jump back into Fold Space in another few hours,” suggested Major Kelley. He would feel more comfortable if they put some additional distance between them and the Kleese space station.

Colonel Adamson nodded; he too was anxious to get back underway; he felt vulnerable sitting here in open space. “Inform all ships that we'll be jumping back into Fold Space in three more hours, which should give them time to finish their current repairs. Fleet is to stay at Condition Two until further notice. Lieutenant Saur, keep a close watch on those sensors. If you detect even the faintest hint of something coming toward us, I want to know yesterday.”

“Yes, Sir,” Lieutenant Saur replied.

Adamson leaned back in his command chair satisfied that everything that needed to be done was well underway. He just hoped the information the nonaligned worlds had put on that computer flash drive was worth what it had cost in ships and lives. The flash drive was currently inside the secure safe in the captain’s quarters on the Distant Star.

-

The Kleese Council of Overlords was once more in session upon their home world. The sky was overcast and a cold wind blew across the desolate landscape. Only in the one city upon the planet were there signs of life.

“One of our trading stations was assigned the task of launching an attack against the Humans to test the power of the Humans’ weapons. The attack failed,” Xatul spoke in an angry voice. “Four mother ships and one hundred and twenty assault ships were lost.”

“Humans!” responded Bixutl. “If word of our defeat gets out we could have numerous revolts across the Empire. The Humans must be wiped out; not a single member of their species can be allowed to survive.”

The other Kleese nodded in agreement. It had already been decided to send several Kleese warships to the system to handle the situation. The crews had been assembled and were even now preparing for departure.

“I have given the order for six of our warships to leave today and travel to the Human worlds,” Xatul stated his multifaceted eyes gazing at the others. “It will take them six weeks to arrive at their destination. Once there, they will destroy the Human fleet and then annihilate every remaining visage of their civilization. They will scorch the Humans' star system, ensuring that not a single one of their species survives.”

“It is necessary,” spoke Raluth with a nod of his triangular head. “Are we still certain that it is not necessary to awaken some of the Zaltule from their long sleep and allow them to handle the Humans?”

“It will not be necessary,” Xatul responded his attention focusing on Raluth standing at the far end of the heavy stone council table. “We will be able to deal with the Humans without the Zaltule. They will remain asleep.”

The Kleese Council of Overlords accepted this decision. It was their way. Xatul was the current Supreme Overlord since he was the most powerful Kleese. His decisions were to be obeyed without question once they were made.

Later that day, in the far reaches of the Kleese home solar system, six large black disk ships of the Kleese military jumped into Fold Space. Their destination and orders; the Human solar system and the total eradication of the vermin that infested it.

Chapter Eleven

Admiral Rivers looked at the numerous green icons on the sensor screen with muted satisfaction. He couldn’t help but smile, knowing all those ships were part of his command. It would be the largest fleet ever to leave the Solar System. All fifty-two warships of Fourth Fleet were represented as well as six supply ships, two ammunition ships, and the massive marine transport ship, the Fire Fox. The marine transport was heavily armed and held six hundred marines trained in the Type Three battle suits. In addition, each of the Human built assault ships held one platoon of twenty marines trained in the Type Two battle suits. That gave him an effective fighting force of twelve hundred ground troops.

“Quite impressive,” Colonel Andler commented from where he was standing on Rivers' right side. Andler had been in charge of the marines and regular army troops deployed to Tent City outside Jornada. He had worked hard qualifying for the Type Three battle suits and been given this command by General Mitchell.

“We’ll be leaving in two more hours,” Rivers said as he turned to glance at the colonel. “We may be gone for eighteen months; are your people ready for that length of deployment?”

“We’re ready,” Andler responded with a confirming nod. “All of my marines know what’s at stake. If we succeed, it may just buy us the time we need to solidify our hold on the Solar System and get our population built up to the point where we can actually stand up to the Kleese head on.”

Rivers let out a deep sigh. He was of American Indian descent and had spent much of his time in the military. If the Human race was going to be able to actually fight a successful war against the Kleese, they would have to commit to a wartime economy for a long time to come. It meant that warship production and the training of new military personnel would continue nonstop until the conflict was determined one way or the other. The only thing the Human race had going for it was that the Kleese home systems were so far away and they hadn’t really been challenged militarily in hundreds of years.

“Over twenty weeks to get to our destination,” Andler stated with a deep frown. “It’s going to be a long and boring trip.” Even with the brisk and detailed training schedule he and his subordinates had worked out, there was only so much you could do on board a spaceship.

“I hope so,” Rivers responded in a sincere voice. “If it’s boring, that means we haven’t been detected by the Kleese. I can handle that type of boring.”

Rivers looked up at another viewscreen on the front wall of the Command Center showing an image of the two sections of the galaxy dominated by the Kleese and the Strell. At one edge, where the two Empires nearly overlapped, were a series of worlds recently taken over by one or the other of the two Galactic Empires. This information came from the data taken from the Kleese communications center. This was Fourth Fleet’s destination; they would try to stir up enough trouble to cause the Kleese and the Strell to turn their attention upon each other, perhaps even their war fleets.

-

Captain Mark Stevens was in one of the troop assembly bays inside the troop transport, Fire Fox. Next to him stood Captain Dylan Winfrey of the British Royal Marines and several lieutenants. Winfrey had finally completed his training, reaching the summit of the mountain on the fifth attempt. In front of them stood one hundred and twenty marines in four precisely spaced lines. All stood at attention, eyes forward.

“We leave in two more hours,” Mark announced in a steady and commanding voice as his eyes swept across the formation. “If you have any messages you want to send to family members, now is the time to do it. Once we leave the Solar System, there will be no further communications. As all of you know, it might be eighteen months or more before we return.”

“If we return,” a voice muttered from down in the ranks of assembled marines.

“I heard that, Private Turner,” spoke Lieutenant Taylor, glaring at the young marine. “You will stay quiet in the ranks!”

“I told you to keep your mouth shut,” added Private Morris, in a very quiet and subdued voice. She kept her face and eyes straight ahead, not wanting to be reprimanded. There was no point starting this mission peeling potatoes. Turner never seemed to know when to keep quiet.

“We’ll have daily PT and mission training for what we may be facing when we arrive at our destination,” Mark said as his eyes moved across the assembled marines, seeing determination on most of their faces. “We have some videos furnished to us by the Kiveans of Kleese conscripts in action on numerous worlds, including a few videos involving some of the Human conscripts taken from Earth. I think you’ll find the videos quite informative, though I must warn you there are parts of them that are extremely gruesome.”

“There are six hundred marines on this ship as well as a crew of over two hundred,” Captain Winfrey added as his eyes raked over the British marines now a part of this company. “While the ship may seem large and she is the largest vessel so far built by our race, I can assure you that after a while the ship will begin to feel quite small. We have a lot of training ahead of us to prepare for the coming battles. Study the videos so you'll be familiar with what's likely ahead. Mark my words, not all of us will be coming home.”

“Company, dismissed!” uttered Mark. He wanted to give everyone plenty of time to send messages home if they wanted to. Unfortunately, Captain Winfrey was correct; some of these marines would not be returning to the Solar System.

Mark watched the marines quickly exit the large troop assembly bay, which would also be used for training. “They look like a spirited group.”

“They are,” grinned Dylan. “Some of the marines in my unit have been with me for over six years.”

“I guess it was rough at the British survival camp,” Mark said, recalling his own miserable days at Tent City next to Jornada. He knew the area now was buried in over four feet of snow, ice, and ash.

“Same as what you went through, I imagine,” Dylan replied in a somber voice. “We had thousands of people coming in seeking refuge. Food was scarce and we never had enough power. Over a thousand people froze to death. If General Mitchell hadn’t returned when he did, we would've lost a majority of the people in the camp.”

Mark nodded, recalling his daily tours of Tent City and how penetrating the cold had felt. He was going to miss not having Lieutenant Griffith along. Fortunately, Mark had taken two weeks' leave and spent the majority of that time on the Moon at Luna City visiting Sam and his family. It was remarkable to see how people were putting their lives back together and planning for the future. Sam had even confided in Mark that he and his wife were thinking about having another child. Mark wondered if there would be a new arrival in Sam’s family by the time they got back from this mission.

“We better make the rounds,” suggested Dylan, knowing the time for departure was growing close.

“Let’s go,” replied Mark, turning and heading for the large hatch leading to the outside corridor. He just hoped he had made the right decision volunteering for this mission.

-

General Mitchell, Fleet Admiral Kirby, and General Pittman were all in the large Command Center of Centerpoint Station. The Command Pedestal had been modified and now held several large control consoles at which four lieutenants sat directing the activity of the other personnel in the room. Behind them were three large command chairs with smaller consoles from which any information being displayed in the Command Center could be called up. Normally only one chair was filled, and that by the officer currently on duty.

“Almost time,” breathed Michael, looking at the main viewscreen, which was focused on the five hundred-meter battlecruiser Independence, Admiral Rivers’ flagship. Michael could see the communication and sensor blisters on the hull of the ship as well as numerous weapon turrets.

“That’s a major portion of our fleet,” commented General Pittman, feeling uneasy about sending so many ships away from the Solar System for such an extended period of time. “I just hope they all return safely.”

“We still have three fleets to protect us,” General Mitchell replied his eyes focused on the viewscreen. There was a lot riding on this mission.

“Plus all the assault ships based here at Centerpoint,” Michael reminded them. “After the failure of the last Kleese attack, I don’t think we have anything to be concerned about for a while. By the time the Kleese get back around to us, we should have Fifth Fleet up and running.”

“If we can find the crews,” General Pittman pointed out with a frustrated shake of his head.

It was becoming harder each day to find the qualified people they needed. If it continued, they might be forced to establish a draft for the military. Pittman suspected with all that had happened on Earth this would be very unpopular with the populace at large. While the civilians wanted revenge against the Kleese, they'd been through so much that asking them to join the military was going to be pushing it.

“I spoke to President Randle earlier today,” Michael said, still finding it strange to call his brother-in-law president. “Cheryl has the first part of the recruitment campaign for the new military academy on Vesta ready to go. She'll be launching it next week.”

“Mayor Silas is nearly done with the habitation dome for our general fleet training,” Mitchell added, pleased with the progress they were making with the two new facilities. Between the two of them, they should be able to properly train the people needed if they could encourage enough to enlist in the military and take the training.

“Have you ever sat down and figured just how many people we need for the planned fleet?” asked Michael, looking over questionably at the other two. “I did, and it’s nearly forty-five thousand personnel to crew the six fleets we’re planning plus the assault ships here at Centerpoint. That doesn’t include support personnel and others that will be needed.”

“I’ve figured it,” General Mitchell responded with a slight nod. “For our entire military, including support personnel, it comes out to nearly three hundred thousand people. That doesn’t include the civilians we’re currently using on Centerpoint.”

“I figure our current population of eighteen million gives us a pool of about two million people of military age that are young enough to handle the stresses that will be involved in our new military.”

“That’s about fifteen percent of the two million,” said General Pittman, arching his eyebrows. “Can we get that many to volunteer without going to a draft?”

“I don’t know,” replied Mitchell, looking back at the main viewscreen. The Independence was beginning to move as well as the rest of the fleet. “Let's see how well Cheryl does with her recruiting campaign before we consider a draft.”

Michael nodded his head in agreement. Cheryl could be quite persuasive when she wanted to be. If she had much input into this media campaign, it might indeed attract a number of new volunteers for the two training facilities. All they could do was wait and see; they just couldn’t wait too long.

-

Admiral Rivers sat in his command chair waiting as the fleet accelerated away from Centerpoint Station. He looked around as the Command Center buzzed with increased activity as they prepared to jump into Fold Space.

“All systems operating at peak efficiency,” reported Colonel Greerman, turning to face the admiral. Greerman was the ship’s executive officer. “Ready to enter Fold Space upon your command.”

Rivers nodded and turned to glance toward the Helm, which was near the front of the Command Center. “Helm, stand by to take us into Fold Space. Communications, inform all ships that Fold Space entry will be in one minute. Countdown will come from the Independence. Colonel Greerman, the ship is yours; let’s begin our mission.”

Greerman smiled and strolled quickly over to stand just behind the young officer sitting at the helm controls. “At my mark, turn the key,” he ordered.

Rivers waited patiently as he thought over the parameters of their mission. To start a war or military skirmish between the Kleese and the Strell was going to be a tall order. He still wasn’t quite certain how they were going to accomplish that. He had twenty weeks to come up with a plan.

“Ten seconds,” Colonel Greerman spoke in a loud and calm voice.

“Mark!”

The Independence suddenly accelerated rapidly and made the jump into Fold Space. In just a few moments, they were traveling faster than the speed of light with their speed steadily increasing. For this mission, the fleet would travel at a cruising speed of five light years per hour. Even the cargo and ammunition ships had been equipped with newest military drives to ensure they could keep up. Every one thousand light years or less if needed, the fleet would drop out of Fold Space and perform maintenance on the Fold Space Drives as well as other essential systems. No one was quite certain how the fleet’s systems would hold out on such a long journey.

-

In Centerpoint, the three commanding officers watched the ships vanish from the viewscreens. On the main sensor screen, the ships could still be seen, but they were now moving rapidly away.

“Operation Insurrection has now begun,” General Mitchell announced in a calm and steady voice.

“Let’s hope it succeeds,” Michael added as he watched nearly a fourth of the fleet under his command speeding away.

“Rivers is a military genius,” stated General Pittman, folding his arms across his chest. “If anyone can pull this off, it’s him. Now let’s just hope and pray that the Kleese leave us alone until Fourth Fleet returns.”

-

Mason was at his sister’s house with Adrienne. Susan had asked them to come over for supper and to spend some time with the kids. She thought having Mason over regularly when Michael was gone attending to his fleet duties was good for the two girls.

“So, Uncle Mason,” Karen began from across the table. “Can I go visit the Kivean’s magical city?”

Adrienne laughed as she saw the confused look on Mason’s face. “That’s what all the kids are calling it,” she explained. “With their tall, slender buildings and the high walkways between them, they’re unlike anything we’ve ever built. They’re also very colorful with their paint schemes. Their city does look like something out of a storybook.”

Mason nodded in understanding. He guessed he was so used to spending time with the Kiveans and after being in their city numerous times that he had gotten use to their different style of architecture.

“How are your grades in school?” he asked, gazing at his niece and waiting for a response.

“Perfect,” she replied with a proud smile. “I’m in the top two percent of my class and I’m already beginning to take advanced courses. I’m going to be a doctor someday, just like Harnett!”

“Karen got to meet Harnett at the clinic several months ago,” Susan explained as she took a bite of her salad. It was such a relief not to have to worry about the food shortages of a few short years ago. There was even more meat available now as the animal herds were being gradually increased. “Harnett spent some time showing Karen around and explaining what some of the medical treatment devices were and how they worked.”

“I like Harnett,” Karen spoke in a serious voice. “She invited Mom and me to come visit her at their city sometime.”

“Harnett is gone at the moment,” Mason said as he took a bite of his mashed potatoes and gravy. They were just like their mother used to make. “Harnett and her life mate Marken have gone away on a mission for us and won’t be back for a few more weeks.”

Karen face took on a disappointed look and then it brightened back up. “But when they come back, we can go visit her, right?”

“I’m sure we can arrange something,” Mason responded with a nod. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“This meatloaf is wonderful,” Adrienne spoke as she took another bite and looked over at Susan. “You’re such a great cook!”

“It was our mother,” Susan replied, pleased that Adrienne was impressed with the meatloaf. She knew it was one of Mason’s favorite foods. “She was determined that I learn how to cook and take care of kids when I was a teenager. I had to cook at least one evening meal a week completely on my own. She also insisted that I make my spending money babysitting several of the neighborhood children.”

Mason laughed, recalling how unruly the Turner twins had been. There were times when he had thought that Susan was going to pull her hair out because of the pranks they'd played on her. They were always coming up with something new to aggravate his sister.

The two girls finished eating and then went to the living room to watch a video while the adults continued to eat at a more leisurely pace.

“When are Marken and Harnett supposed to be back?” Susan asked.

She knew about the trading station mission and had been concerned something bad might happen. From what Michael had explained to her, there would be Kleese and perhaps thousands of armed conscripts on the station. At least Major Nelson and Captain Williams had gone along on the mission with them.

“In three more weeks,” Mason responded. “It just depends on how much time they spend at the station and if they run into problems.”

“And if they don’t come back, we’ll never know what happened to them, will we?” Susan said with a worried look upon her face.

“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” Mason said reassuringly, looking at his sister. “Marken felt that they could get in and get out without anyone knowing who they were.”

“I hope he’s right,” Susan said with a frown still on her face. “I’ll just be glad when they get back.”

“What about Admiral Rivers?” Adrienne asked as she buttered another roll. She was going to have to get Susan to give her the recipe for the rolls as well as a cooking lesson. It still amazed her how well Susan could cook. Every meal was a new experience.

“That’s a little more complicated,” spoke Mason, looking at the two women. With Adrienne being his wife, and Susan being Michael’s wife, he wasn’t too concerned about them revealing secrets. Still, there were certain things he couldn’t tell them.

“Yes,” Susan said, looking at her brother. “Michael told me that Fourth Fleet was leaving on a secret mission and would be gone for over a year. Where are they going? Are they going to attack the Kleese?”

Susan was unsure if she wanted that to happen. It had been so peaceful the last several years, with the exception of the Kleese attack a month back. But that attack hadn’t even gotten near any of the habitats or colonies. Michael had been a little vague when she had asked him where Rivers was going. She had a strong suspicion that Mason would be also.

“I can’t say a lot,” began Mason, taking a deep breath. He hated keeping secrets from his wife and sister, but if this plan were to succeed, the fewer people who knew what Fourth Fleet was doing, the better. “They’ll be gone for over a year and their mission does involve the Kleese. If they’re successful, we may not see a Kleese ship for quite some time.”

Susan nodded, knowing she wasn’t going to get anything else out of Mason. He had told her pretty much the same thing that Michael had. “How’s the job of president going?”

“Susan, you know your brother doesn’t like that title,” Adrienne said with a twinkle in her eyes. “He gets uptight every time someone calls him Mister President.” It was one of the few things she enjoyed teasing Mason about. Adrienne suspected that Mason really missed the days when the only thing he had to worry about was Smithfield and his company.

Mason sighed and took a bite of the last piece of meatloaf on his plate. “I guess someone had to take the job,” he said as he reached for seconds. He eyed the meatloaf plate for a moment before taking a generous piece. “We didn’t dare let any of the career politicians on the Moon have the job, it would have been disastrous.”

“What about the recent elections?” asked Susan, curiously. “I hear the first formal meeting of the new Federated Assembly will take place next week.”

“I'll be attending and opening the meeting,” Mason responded with an irritated look in his eyes. Diplomacy was one thing he hated, but he understood the need for it upon occasion. “Each habitat with a population of more than two hundred thousand was allowed to choose two delegates. Habitats with smaller populations were grouped with habitats similar in size until they reached the mandatory two hundred thousand level.”

“Sounds like a lot of delegates for the assembly,” Susan said her eyes looking thoughtful. “How’s it going to work?”

“There will be a council elected to run the assembly,” Mason explained. “The assembly will be allowed to propose legislation, which will then be turned over to the council. If the council feels the legislation or request is worthy of further consideration, they'll work with the assembly to draft a resolution which they’ll send to me. I then have the authority to approve or veto the resolution.”

“Sound like you’re going to get a lot of resolutions to look over,” Susan spoke her eyes focusing on her brother. “It could become very time consuming and tedious.” She knew Earth politicians had been notorious for generating mountains of new laws and regulations almost on a daily basis.

“Hopefully not,” Mason replied as he reached for more mashed potatoes.

Susan grinned seeing how much Mason was eating. She just wished that Michael could have been here also. It would be great to have a meal with the entire family in attendance.

“We have created some guidelines detailing the authority of the council and the assembly. Most of the time they will be able to carry out actions without consulting me. Only if resolutions meet certain criteria will I become involved.”

“What if the council gets out of hand?” asked Susan, politicians had a habit of doing that. She would hate to see them screw up everything that Mason and the others had accomplished over the last few years.

“It won’t,” Mason promised as he reached for the last roll in the breadbasket. “Six members of the council are appointed and the other six are elected from the assembly. I got to select the six that were appointed and Mayor Silas, Professor Scott, and I were very careful in choosing those members.”

Mason, Mayor Silas, Professor Scott, and General Mitchell had taken great pains to ensure that the assembly's powers were limited. The Human race was in a very precarious situation and some hard steps might be necessary to ensure that it survived. They didn’t have time for career politicians to get in the way. Later, when the Human population had increased considerably and the situation was more stable, the assembly would be given more power. Sometime in the future, they might even elect the president, but not now. For now, Mason was in charge and determined that Humanity would survive the challenges facing it.

Susan nodded, feeling satisfied with Mason’s answers. She knew that the Human survivors were in good hands with Mason in charge. He had a habit of always coming out on top in a bad situation. If anyone could see the Human race through the challenges ahead, it would be Mason. Even when she had been a young girl, Mason had always been there for her. She didn’t know how many times he had bailed her out of trouble the Turner twins had caused. As she watched Mason eat, she felt confident that her brother would be able to do the same thing for the Human survivors.

Chapter Twelve

The Kleese Council of Overlords was meeting once again. It was very seldom they met twice to discuss the same problem. The latest report concerning the growing Human dilemma was disconcerting. Somehow, the Humans had managed to sneak on board another Kleese space station in an attempt to trade with the nonaligned worlds. Part of the station had been heavily damaged in the Human's escape and another valuable exploration ship destroyed. More Kleese had died aboard the exploration ship, which was intolerable. The Humans were now responsible for more Kleese deaths than any other species in over a thousand years.

“How did they manage to get aboard the station undetected?” demanded Raluth, his dark arms waving in the air.

The large arachnid Kleese was highly upset with what these upstart Humans were doing. Were all the Kleese in the outer regions of the Empire weak minded? Had they become too complacent after all of the years of not facing a dangerous and determined opponent?

“The Kleese commander of the trading station detected the Humans and their Kiveans allies almost immediately,” Xatul responded in a cold and impassionate voice. “He strongly suspected they'd come to the trading station to make contact with the nonaligned worlds. The Humans and the Kiveans were allowed to contact the trading representatives to see if any of them violated the neutrality agreement.”

“Were any of them foolish enough to violate the agreement?” Bixutl asked with a threatening overtone in his voice. To do so would result in an immediate military response from the nearest Kleese space station.

“No, not that the station commander is aware of,” Xatul responded.

“What about the conscripts that know an exploration ship was destroyed as well as more Kleese being killed?

“All the conscripts on the station that witnessed the battle or were a part of it have been eliminated,” Xatul answered. “The others on the station are being told that the damage to the flight bay and surrounding area was caused by the explosion of a ship’s Fold Space Drive as it was attempting to land.”

“Conscripts can easily be replaced,” spoke Keluth his voice void of compassion, his dark multifaceted eyes focusing on Xatul.

“What about the weapons on the Human ships?” inquired Raluth with some concern in his voice. “They must be powerful or they would not have been able to destroy our exploration ships so easily.”

“They've perfected a particle beam weapon of some strength,” Xatul replied. “We strongly suspect this is a development of the Kiveans and why they were so successful in taking the trading station and defeating our fleets. We were hoping to learn more in our previous attack, but there were no survivors.”

“A particle beam weapon,” Martule said in a sharp voice. “All of our research has indicated that the power to energize a particle beam as an efficient weapon is impractical. That's why we have focused more on pulse fusion weapons and our antimatter sublight missiles.”

“Will this weapon be dangerous to our warships?” asked Bixutl his large eyes focusing on the Supreme Overlord. It was nearly incomprehensible to think that the Humans might be able to damage or even destroy one of the Kleese powerful warships.

“Unknown,” Xatul responded. “The commander of our warships will be stopping at two trading stations to add some of their ships to his fleet. When he arrives at the Human star system, he will have an overwhelming force under his command. The Humans and their system will die!”

“The commander should attempt to capture one of the Human ships so we may study this weapon,” suggested Martule, thinking about the power this new weapon might add to the Kleese Empire. “It might be a weapon that we can install on our warships if they have truly solved the power and dispersion problem.”

“The weapon must be dangerous if the Humans have been able to destroy so many of our exploration ships with it,” stated Raluth in a more stern voice; then he issued a warning. “Our warships should use extreme caution when they engage the Humans. It would be unwise to underestimate this race.”

“Our warships have much stronger energy shields than the explorations ships,” Bixutl pointed out to the other Overlords. “The Humans will not find it so easy to destroy one. I am confident our fleet will put an end to this nuisance.”

“Bixutl is correct,” Xatul stated in a confident voice. “The fleet will end this Human threat and their species will soon be forgotten.”

-

Wade was in a small conference room on the Distant Star meeting with Captain Williams, Captain Jeffries, and Marken. They'd been discussing a possible mission to Kivea to rescue some of the survivors of the Kleese attack.

“It will be relatively easy to build another habitat in our current asteroid,” Marken informed them in a patient voice, knowing he needed to convince the Humans of the viability of launching this rescue mission. “I can have our engineers start on it as soon as we get back.”

“That’s a long way to go with a sizable fleet and not be detected,” Wade pointed out worriedly. “We’re talking about three thousand light years, and after what we did at the trading station the Kleese will be on the lookout for any of our ships entering their space.”

“I looked at the star charts before I came in,” Jeffries informed them with a thoughtful look upon his face. “If we’re careful, stay out of the main space lanes, and only drop out of Fold Space in specifically selected systems, we just might be able to get to Kivea undetected. If we take only ships with military Fold Space Drives, we can reach Kivea in thirty days.”

“It will take a lot of planning to do that,” Wade said, knowing he would need to speak to Colonel Adamson about the practicality of reaching Kivea undetected. This would be a hazardous mission, and there was no doubt in Wade’s mind that there would be some heavy fighting on the ground and perhaps in orbit.

“You’re sure there will be passenger liners and cargo ships still docked to the space station above Kivea?” Beth asked her eyes focusing on Marken.

She understood his desire to rescue as many of his people as possible. She wasn’t sure how many Kiveans would be needed for a viable population that could survive and produce the future generations needed for a strong and healthy race. If they didn’t undertake this mission, the Kivean race might be destined to pass away into obscurity.

“There should be,” Marken responded his eyes narrowing. “The ships are designed specifically for Kivean use and the Kleese probably just left them at the station rather than spend the time and resources that would be necessary to refurbish them for other races.”

“We can take some of the passenger liners in the Solar System,” suggested Jeffries, thinking about how many they had available. “They’ll need to have military Fold Space Drives and power plants installed.”

“How long would that take?” asked Wade, looking over at Marken. Marken was far more familiar with engineering and spacecraft modifications than he was.

“There are eighteen large passenger ships currently in the Solar System,” Marken replied his eyes narrowing even further as he thought about what would be required. “The ships would need military drives, which will require a military fusion reactor. The ships should also need to be equipped with energy shields for their protection.”

“So, how long?” Beth asked with a sigh. She was starting to realize that even when they got back, it was going to take a while to organize this rescue mission if President Randal and General Mitchell approved it.

“It can be done in Vesta’s spacedock,” Marken answered his eyes focusing on Beth. Vesta had the largest spacedock and the work could be easily done there rather than the construction bays at Centerpoint Station. “For all eighteen passenger ships, it will take about six weeks.”

Beth punched up some information on a computer pad in front of her and then glanced up at the others. “If we take all eighteen passenger ships that gives us the lifting capacity for a little over seventeen thousand passengers. We would also have to take several cargo ships with additional supplies for the ships due to the length of the trip. Those ships will also have to be modified, and that’s going to add a few more weeks to our timeline.”

Wade leaned back and let out a deep breath as he looked at the others. “This is going to involve a number of warships also,” he said, shaking his head. He suspected that Fleet Admiral Kirby wouldn’t be pleased about committing so many of his ships to this operation. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing this without at least a full fleet for support.”

Beth looked at Marken for a long moment before she asked her next question. “Marken,” she said in a quiet and concerned voice. “What will happen to the people we leave behind on Kivea?”

A distressed look crossed Marken’s face. “The Kleese will most likely kill all that we leave behind,” he said in a strained and somber voice. “But if we do nothing, there is a good chance they will be killed eventually anyway, particularly the more your race attacks the Kleese. We can only hope to save as many of our more talented young people, scientists, and technicians as possible to allow my race to start over and help yours in this war.”

Beth looked over at Wade, who nodded back. She had already decided she would do everything she could to help Marken and the Kiveans. “We will do what we can,” she promised. “Just keep in mind that we’ll need to sell this plan to President Randle and General Mitchell.”

“As well as Fleet Admiral Kirby,” Jeffries reminded them.

Marken nodded in understanding. He knew these Humans would try to help him and that was all he could ask for.

-

Beth and Wade were in the large cafeteria on the passenger ship enjoying a meal together. Since Beth had transferred to the Distant Star, they'd made it a habit to eat together at least once each day.

“Do you think President Randle and General Mitchell will approve the Kivea mission?” she asked as she took a bite of the fruit salad on the plate in front of her. She was still amazed at the wide food assortment on the passenger ship. Each meal seemed to reveal more surprising and exotic foods.

“I think so,” Wade responded as he looked at the tantalizing fried chicken on his plate. “With the technical information we got from the nonaligned worlds, additional Kivean scientists and technicians will be highly useful. I think we can use that to help sway their opinion.”

Beth nodded. She would be glad to get back home and to Vesta. Her mother was getting older and she hated leaving her alone for such an extended period of time. Wade was also her closest friend and sometimes she sensed that he wanted more. She felt guilty at keeping him at a distance and knew that, at some point in time, she would have to let her guard down where he was concerned. It had been well over two years now since her fiancée had vanished on Earth. It was time for her to put the past behind her and begin living for the future.

Wade watched as Beth ate her fruit salad. It still amazed him at how women, even in the military, seemed so self-conscious about their figures, and Beth had a nice one. Taking a bite of the chicken Wade savored the taste, enjoying how well it was cooked. The cooks who worked in this cafeteria were excellent! Wade strongly suspected that since this had been a high level trading mission President Randle had made sure the Distant Star had the best of everything. Wade was also anxious to get home and see if his brother had actually enrolled in the new military academy. He sincerely hoped so, since it would be a huge relief to his parents.

-

The next few weeks passed quickly by, and at last it was time to for the fleet to drop out of Fold Space inside the Solar System. The Constellation and her fleet exited just inside the orbit of Jupiter and came to a stop. Colonel Adamson immediately sent a message to Centerpoint Station informing Fleet Admiral

Kirby and General Mitchell of their arrival.

“It’s good to be home,” spoke Major Kelly with a big smile on his face as he saw the numerous friendly green icons appearing on the tactical sensor screen. On this mission, he had seen his first combat in space, and it was much different than being on a frigate in the British navy.

“Centerpoint is requesting that we come in as soon as possible,” Ensign Travers reported as she listened to a message she was receiving over her communications system.

“They want to see the information on the computer drive,” guessed Kelly, knowingly. He couldn’t blame them; he was highly curious also as to what was on the drive. Marken had hinted that the technical information could play an important role in future battles with the Kleese.

“Set a course for Centerpoint and take the fleet back into Fold Space,” Colonel Adamson ordered with a nod. “Ensign Travers, contact the Distant Star and inform them we’re going on into Centerpoint and that General Mitchell and Fleet Admiral Kirby will want to meet with Marken and Major Nelson as soon as we arrive.”

Adamson also wondered how Mitchell and Kirby would respond to Major Nelson and Marken’s plan to go to Kivea and rescue some of the survivors of the Kleese attack upon that world. Nelson had spoken to him about it, inquiring as to what type of fleet units would be needed to pull the mission off.

A few minutes later, all six ships were back in Fold Space and moving at several times the speed of light toward Earth and Centerpoint Station. The crews on board were excited to be back home and ready for some well-deserved leave time.

-

At Centerpoint, General Mitchell and Fleet Admiral Kirby were in the general’s office discussing the returning mission. They were both interested to see what technical information the nonaligned worlds had provided. From the brief report that Marken had sent earlier, when the Distant Star had come within communications range, he had indicated that the mission had been successful far beyond what they had originally hoped.

“Two ships lost,” Michael spoke as he looked over the casualty reports. “A light cruiser and one of the assault ships.”

“The Achilles and the Furious,” Mitchell responded with a nod and a somber look upon his face. “The information had a cost.”

“It always does,” answered Michael with a sigh. “What concerns me most are the two hundred Kiveans they rescued from the station and the news that Kivea has been attacked.”

“Yes,” responded Mitchell, arching his eyebrow. “Major Nelson, Captain Williams, Captain Jeffries, Marken, and Harnett have requested a meeting to discuss the current conditions on Kivea as soon as possible.”

“They’re going to want to launch a rescue mission,” predicted Kirby, drawing in a sharp breath.

“How do we tell them no after everything that Marken and his people have done for us?” Mitchell asked his eyes narrowing. ‘If not for Marken and his people, we would have lost millions more in the survival camps on Earth.”

“I don’t think we can say no,” Michael responded his forehead creasing in a heavy frown. “It just makes it harder with Fourth Fleet and Admiral Rivers away.” Things had been so much simpler back when he commanded the Raven; now they would have another important decision to make with possibly huge ramifications for the Human race.

“Well, we'll see if we can delay it until Fifth Fleet is up and running, then I might be willing to risk the ships,” Mitchell spoke as he thought about what would be needed for such a mission. No matter which way he looked at it, the operation would be a big undertaking. “It will take time to make the needed preparations for such a mission.”

Michael nodded in agreement. The rescue mission was going to be no simple task and it would be going into the heart of Kleese controlled space. There was also no doubt that there would be Kleese ships in orbit above Kivea.

“I suspect that Major Nelson and Marken already have a plan drawn up,” Mitchell said, looking across his desk at Michael. “Let’s see what they have to say and then we can make a decision.”

-

A thousand light years away, six dark black disk ships dropped out of Fold Space at one of the large Kleese space stations. The ships were three kilometers across and one thousand meters thick, their hulls were covered in weapons emplacements with pulse fusion batteries and energy beam turrets everywhere. Hundreds of small hatches hid sublight antimatter missiles ready to be launched at a moment’s notice. Unlike the larger Kleese exploration cruisers, these ships were designed for war and there were no large training facilities or holding areas for conscripts. The entire ship was filled with power systems and narrow corridors that would make it nearly impossible for a conscript in a battle suit to traverse. These ships were designed for fleet battles and planetary bombardment.

A few minutes after the six warships exited Fold Space more ships began appearing. Ten more of the large Kleese exploration ships, each with thirty assault ships, made an appearance. These ships were from a distant Kleese space station and the commander of the six warships had ordered them to accompany his fleet to the Humans’ star system. He intended to take additional ships from this station as well. When the Kleese fleet arrived at the Humans' system, it would be with an overwhelming force that would roll over the Humans and their defenses.

Unnoticed by the Kleese warships, several nonaligned world trading ships made the jump into Fold Space as soon as the Kleese warships put in an appearance. One of the ships took some quick scans and then set a course toward Earth.

-

Wade was eating with his parents and speaking to Ryan. The major had arrived the previous day to Vesta and immediately gone to see his parents. He had three weeks' leave until he had to report to Centerpoint for a final decision on the Kivea mission. They had submitted their plan to the higher authorities, and it was being reviewed.

“So, Ryan,” Wade began as he added more salt to his fried potatoes. He noticed his mother frowning so he put the salt shaker back down. “When will you start your first classes at the new military academy?”

“End of the month,” Ryan replied between bites. He was quickly polishing off the hamburger steak on his plate. “They seem to be in a rush to get the training started. The media channels are full of commercials advertising the military academy here at Vesta and the one they’ve built on the Moon.”

“They’re rushing it,” their father put in with a frown. “I’ve overheard a few of the spacedock workers talking about how we’ll soon have more ships than crews to operate them.”

“You would think that with eighteen million survivors they could find the crews,” their mom commented with a heavy sigh. “We have enough ships to protect us, don’t we Wade?”

“Yes, Mom,” responded Wade reassuringly, as he cut off a piece of his steak with his knife. “We have plenty of ships that are already fully operational and all the habitats and colonies are heavily defended. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Ryan does have a class schedule,” added his father, getting up, walking over to a cabinet, and taking a sheet of paper out of a drawer. He walked back and handed the sheet to Wade before sitting back down.

“Classes will be six days a week and we get Sundays off,” Ryan explained as he reached for another piece of meat. “The classes will last twelve weeks, then we get a full week off, and go back for another twelve-week session. At the end of the twenty-four weeks, we’ll take exams to see if we advance to the next semester or have to take any classes over.”

Wade noticed that Ryan was taking two classes being taught by Kiveans. One covered basic galactic history and the other was more technical, explaining the science and technology behind the Fold Space Drive, as well as antigravity. In most of the classes, there would be some hands on experience of some type.

“What are your future plans?” asked Jonathan, looking over at Wade.

“That’s up to General Mitchell,” he responded, being careful not to give off any hint that he might already have a new mission involving the rescue of the Kiveans from their home world. His parents wouldn’t be happy to hear he was leaving on another long deployment.

“Just so they don’t send you off for months at a time like this last mission,” his mother chided as she dumped the last of the fried potatoes onto his plate. “I would much rather that you were stationed here at Vesta so we could see you more often.”

“Perhaps someday,” Wade replied as he took a bite of the potatoes. Beth was at her mother's and Wade strongly suspected she was being told the same thing. It was difficult for families to be apart, especially after what had happened to Earth.

-

Mason was visiting Pamela Cairns in the Control Center when a warning alarm suddenly sounded. His eyes instantly went to the main sensor screen, which showed an angry red threat icon that had just appeared inside of Saturn’s orbit.

“What’s that?” he demanded, stepping up closer to the large screen and scrutinizing the red icon. He suspected instantly that it wasn’t a Human ship.

“Unidentified,” Colonel Bailey replied from where he was standing behind the military consoles. “It just dropped out of Fold Space. Fleet Admiral Kirby is sending the battlecruiser Repulse and two light cruisers out to investigate.”

“The ship doesn’t match anything in our database,” Lieutenant Struthers added as he ran the ship’s profile through the Control Center’s large ship database. The ship database had been procured from the computers in Centerpoint Station as well as from the data taken in the attack upon the Kleese communications center.

“I think it’s a nonaligned world’s ship,” Pamela said after a moment as she looked at the data appearing on her main console. There were some excellent sensor satellites in orbit around Saturn and they were giving them detailed information about the alien ship. “It doesn’t seem to be armed.”

“I think Pamela’s right,” Colonel Bailey announced in agreement, glancing over at Mason. “The ship doesn’t exactly match anything in our database but there are several nonaligned worlds that have ships similar to this one.”

“What’s it doing here?” questioned Mason, feeling intrigued. The nonaligned worlds reportedly were intent on staying neutral in any conflict involving the Kleese for fear of being attacked.

“The ship’s activating its Fold Space Drive and is leaving,” Struthers reported suddenly as the red icon began accelerating away from Saturn. It was soon going at many times the speed of light, then vanished from the sensors. “It’s gone!”

“It left a beacon,” Jessica Lang reported from Communications with an uneasy look upon her face. “I’m picking up a transmission from the location the ship left near Saturn.”

“I’m picking up a very small object on the sensors,” Lieutenant Struthers confirmed as he reached forward and touched several icons on one of the multiple computer screens in front of him. “It’s several meters in diameter and is just setting there.”

Colonel Bailey stepped over to the communications console and sent a quick message to Fleet Admiral Kirby, apprising him of this latest development. “Admiral Kirby has ordered one of the light cruisers to pick up the beacon,” he said after a moment. “We should know shortly just what it is.”

Mason nodded. He wondered what was going on. Why had a nonaligned world’s ship left a beacon in the Solar System? Mason had a frightening feeling that he wasn’t going to like whatever this was. He felt a cold chill run down his back; this had all the inklings of bad news.

-

Fleet Admiral Kirby and General Mitchell both had stunned and worried looks upon their faces. They'd just received a priority message from the light cruiser Vincent. When the cruiser closed to within a thousand meters of the beacon, it had transmitted a data package to the light cruiser. The major in charge of the light cruiser had immediately transmitted the data package to Centerpoint Station.

On the main viewscreen, there was a dark black disk ship. It was obviously heavily armed and meant for war. Several others could be seen in the background.

“So that’s a Kleese warship,” General Mitchell spoke in a low voice as he stared at the screen.

“Six of them plus mother ships and assault ships,” Kirby replied, concerned about the size of the fleet headed their way.

They hadn’t been expecting to face anything of this magnitude or so quickly. He wished now that Admiral Rivers and Fourth Fleet were still here, but it was far too late to recall them as they'd been out of communications range for weeks. This battle would have to be fought with the ships he still had available in the Solar System.

“The nonaligned world’s ship didn’t identify itself,” General Mitchell noted. “They jumped in, dumped the beacon, and then took off.”

“No, it didn’t,” Kirby replied as he thought over in his mind the ships he had available to fight the coming battle. “They were probably highly concerned about the Kleese finding out we had received a warning and from whom.”

General Mitchell was silent for a moment. “Copy the data package and make sure there is no way to trace it back to its point of origin. Then we need to erase all evidence from our computers across the system that might indicate a ship was ever here. We owe that to the nonaligned world’s ship for bringing us the warning.”

Michael nodded in agreement. He let out a deep breath, knowing he needed to make a call to Mason and let him know what was coming their way. Michael had wanted to avoid a major fleet battle, but now that wish seemed unlikely. They would have to commit their entire fleet to repelling this attack and Michael wasn’t sure if even that would be enough.

Chapter Thirteen

Mason’s face turned pale after listening to Michael explain what was in the transmission from the nonaligned world’s ship. Michael ended the conversation by asking Mason to let Susan know he wouldn’t be coming home anytime soon and to look in on the girls.

Mason looked over at Colonel Bailey, who had been listening in. “This sounds serious; what do we need to do?” Mason was worried this might cause panic throughout all the main colonies and habitats. The recent Kleese attack near Neptune had nearly done that. He would need to put out a statement to help reassure the civilian population.

Bailey was silent for several moments as he thought about the best way to defend Vesta. “I imagine by now the Kleese know about Luna City, Mars Central, and Vesta,” the colonel began his face creasing in a heavy frown. “I would suggest that we immediately go to Condition Three as a precautionary measure. I’ll deploy extra marines to the spacedock and I’m also going to position two of the assault ships we have assigned to us to take up defensive positions just inside the tunnel entrance near the outer airlocks.”

“What about our mining operations, cargo ships, and the prospecting ships?” asked Pamela, glancing at one of the large sensor screens covered with numerous green icons representing the nonmilitary ships in the system. There were hundreds of green icons, and she knew they couldn’t afford to lose them.

“Fleet Admiral Kirby feels the attack will occur shortly,” Colonel Bailey spoke his eyes turning toward the screen. “Probably sometime in the next two weeks. It might be best to begin removing any tempting targets to safer locations.”

Looking around the busy Control Center, Mason thought about what needed to be done. Pamela was right; they couldn’t afford to lose too many of the nonmilitary ships, they were just too valuable and it would take time to replace them. This was also going to disrupt travel between the various colonies and habitats, but it might be for the best for their own protection.

“Order all passenger liners to return to their home ports,” Mason said, reaching a decision. “All cargo ships are to finish their current deliveries and then they’re to return also. Prospecting ships are to remain at their main mining operation locations until further notice.” Then, as an afterthought, he looked intently at Pamela. “Tell Brian that includes the Raven also!”

Pamela nodded; she would enjoy telling Brian that he and the Raven were grounded until further notice. She had thoroughly enjoyed the last butt chewing she had given the Raven’s rebellious captain after the Neptune incident.

Mason took in a deep breath; he needed to speak to Mayor Silas, Professor Scott, and Ralph Steward. Steward was the current elected head of the Federated Assembly Council from the recent elections. He also wanted to speak to Darren at Holbrook Station. Even though the station was heavily armed, one well placed twenty-megaton sublight missile could destroy it.

-

Adrienne was at Susan’s learning to cook bread from scratch when the emergency alarms began sounding. Both she and Susan looked at each other nervously, wondering what was happening.

“I’ll turn the video screen on,” Susan said as they went into the living room. She picked up the remote from where the girls had left it and flipped the screen on.

“I hope it’s not the Kleese,” Adrienne spoke worriedly as she gazed expectantly at the screen. Her worst fears were realized as Mason appeared with a serious look upon his face.

“People of Vesta and the Solar System,” Mason began in a calm and controlled voice. “In the last few hours, we've been made aware of a new threat against our people. The Kleese are gathering a fleet to attack us once again. This fleet will have a number of actual Kleese warships in it, which we have not faced before. Unlike their exploration ships, or mother ships as we call them, these ships are heavily armed and designed exclusively for war.”

Mason paused and took a sip of water before continuing. “All civilian facilities in the Solar System will be going to Condition Three as a precautionary measure. All military installations and units will be going to Condition Two. All military personnel are to report for duty immediately. At the moment, there are no signs of an imminent attack, but one is expected sometime in the next few days.”

“This isn’t good,” spoke Susan, feeling worried about Michael. If a Kleese warfleet was coming, he would be aboard the Armageddon directing the Human fleets. If there was a battle, he would be in the middle of it.

“Our defenses are stronger than ever,” Mason said in a confident voice, his eyes steady. “Our fleet is much better armed and prepared than in previous battles. Our military feels confident they can handle this situation. I would ask that each and every one of you try to remain calm and go about your normal routines. We'll keep you informed if there are any new developments. This broadcast will be repeated for the next hour to ensure everyone is aware of the reason for the setting of Condition Three. Thank you.”

The screen reset itself and Mason’s message began replaying. Susan turned the video screen off and looked over at Adrienne with a somber look upon her face. “It’s always going to be like this, isn’t it?”

Adrienne nodded, her deep blue eyes filled with emotion. She understood Susan’s fears about Michael being on the front lines of any battle. They were relatively safe here inside Vesta, and Adrienne didn’t see how any attack could get to them as heavily defended as the asteroid was. Mason would be home late as he would want to ensure everything was ready in case of an attack. She would have a long talk with him then so she could better understand what was happening. Knowing Mason, there were probably some things he hadn’t revealed during the public address.

“We’re at war,” Adrienne spoke in a calm and compassionate voice. “The Kleese are the ones that attacked us and destroyed Earth. They came very close to wiping us out the first time. Someday it will be their turn, but for now all we can do is hope to survive and make a better and safer world for our children someday.”

“Speaking of children,” Susan said her eyes widening. “Candace and Karen will be home shortly, would you mind staying until they get here?”

“Not at all,” Adrienne responded. Then, with a big smile, she added, “You still need to finish showing me how to make your mother’s bread. I want to surprise Mason with it some night.”

“Sure,” Susan said, allowing herself to relax. She really enjoyed Adrienne’s company. “My brother would like that.”

-

Wade was standing in his parent’s living room listening to President Randle. He felt a cold shiver run down his back when he heard the president mention Kleese warships. Marken had warned them about these vessels, saying they were extremely dangerous.

“What does it mean, son?” his father asked as he turned the video screen off. Jonathan looked questionably at Wade, figuring he would know more about what President Randle had just said.

“Trouble,” Wade said with a frown as he sat down in a recliner across from his dad. “Marken told me about the Kleese warships. We were hoping not to have to face one for a while yet.”

“More dangerous than their big mother ships?” questioned Jonathan, finding that thought hard to believe. The mother ships were huge!

“Much more,” replied Wade, gravely. He could hear his mother in the kitchen putting up the dishes. “The big mother ships are more for exploration and directing the Kleese assault ships. They have a lot of weapons, but not when you consider how large they are. The Kleese warships, on the other hand, were built for war and are covered with heavy weapons.”

“Can we stop them?” Jonathan asked, not wanting his wife to hear him and Wade talking. He didn’t want to worry her.

“I don’t know,” answered Wade, truthfully. “We’ll try, but I’m afraid it’s going to be very costly.”

“President Randle said you need to report in immediately.”

“Yeah; I’m going to call Beth and then we’ll both report to Colonel Bailey and see what he needs us to do. Most of our marines are still at Centerpoint; only a few of them came back to Vesta when we did.”

“Just be careful, Wade,” Jonathan cautioned in a low and concerned voice. “Don’t do anything heroic and get yourself hurt or worse.”

Wade nodded. He stood up to go call Beth. They'd only been home a few days and now this had to happen. He wished the rest of his marines were here at Vesta, it would make him feel better having that experienced group around him if they had to protect the asteroid from invasion.

-

Darren Kirby sat back down in his command chair feeling stunned at what his brother had just told him. Kleese warships! They'd accomplished so much in the past two years, and now it was all in danger of being destroyed.

“What are we going to do?” Shirley Melvin, his second in command, asked. She had been listening in on the conversation with Fleet Admiral Kirby.

“I want all nonessential personnel off the station as soon as possible,” Darren said after a moment.

“Send them to Centerpoint?” Shirley asked.

“No,” Darren responded with a strange look in his eyes. “I’m not sure even Centerpoint is going to be safe in this battle. There’s only one place that I know of that might be safe, and that’s Jornada.”

“Jornada!” exclaimed Shirley with a surprised look upon her face. “Why Jornada?”

“Look at the viewscreen,” Darren said, pointing toward the dark cloud shrouded planet it was displaying. “Does it look to you like anyone could survive down there? The Kleese may think the same thing and overlook the spaceport. If Lawrence shuts down all of his external power except for his underground facilities, the Kleese may never know he’s there.”

“He has nearly sixty thousand people at Jornada,” Shirley nodded in sudden understanding. “Enough to start over if necessary.”

“Let’s just hope it’s not necessary,” Darren said with a heavy frown. “I want everyone off the station in the next two hours; I’ll contact Lawrence and explain to him what we’re doing. I want just enough people left on Holbrook to operate the weapons and keep our systems functioning.”

“I’ll get right on it,” Shirley replied as she made to leave the Command Center.

“Shirley,” Darren said before she could step through the hatch. “Make sure you’re on one of those shuttles going down to Jornada.”

Shirley stared at Darren for a long moment before going through the hatch. It would be a cold day in hell before she left Holbrook Station. Her husband was currently working on Centerpoint and there was no way she was going to abandon her post.

-

Marken looked over at Harnett with a sad and frustrated expression. “The Kleese warships are coming; six of them.”

Harnett gasped in fear and sat down, her light red face turning pale in shock. “How soon?” She had never heard of anyone in recent memory seeing more than one of the deadly ships, and now six of them were headed here!

“Any day,” Marken replied as he came over and sat down by his life mate. He reached over and took her hand. “It’s worse than that. They'll be bringing a large number of their exploration and assault ships. I don’t know if the Humans will be able to stop them.”

“What are we going to do?” Harnett asked, not wanting to see her Human friends harmed or killed.

“Our asteroid and city are heavily defended,” Marken spoke in a soft voice. “The weapon emplacements on the exterior of the asteroid are well hidden and shouldn’t give us away. We have several hundred Human soldiers to help defend our city that have been trained in the Type Two battle suits, as well as those who will be operating our offensive and defensive weapons systems.”

“I don’t want to see everything end,” Harnett spoke her eyes meeting Marken’s with the hint of tears beginning to glisten. “The Humans have been through so much and deserve to survive.”

“They still may,” Marken responded in a grave voice. “I’m taking one of the assault ships we have assigned to us and will be going to Centerpoint to aid in its defense. General Mitchell feels my advice will be useful in the coming battle. A few other Kiveans are going with me as well.”

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Harnett said, squeezing Marken’s hand with worry in her eyes. “But if there is anyone that can help the Humans to defeat this threat, it’s you.”

“Harnett, if something happens to me and the Humans manage to survive, you must tell them about what we discovered on the computer drive from the nonaligned worlds.”

“The clones,” Harnett said her eyes widening in surprise. “Do you think that’s wise?”

“I don’t think we’re going to have any other choice,” Marken responded in a somber and heavy voice. “The cloning technology on that computer drive could solve the Humans' personnel problems.”

“But it'll also open up a lot of moral issues,” Harnett was quick to point out. When they'd discovered the cloning technology on the computer drive, she had suggested destroying it. It went against everything she believed in. They'd decided not to turn this potentially dangerous technology over to the Humans until they could discuss it more. “How can we give them this technology with what it might mean if they decide to use it?”

“It might be our only hope of winning the war,” replied Marken with a heavy sigh. Then he gazed deeply into Harnett’s eyes. “Just promise me you'll give them the technology.”

Harnett hesitated and then took a deep breath. All of her life she had tried to help people who were suffering. To do as Marken was asking went against many of her beliefs as a medical practitioner. However, she knew her life mate was right. This was war, and the cloning technology could be a game changer for the Humans. If there was no other choice, she would give it to her Human friends.

-

Wade and Beth reported to Colonel Bailey, who had been pleased to see them. If it became necessary to defend Vesta from invasion, these two officers were the best he could get.

“I’m assigning a full company of marines in Type Three battle suits and two companies in Type Twos to the spacedock,” Bailey informed both of them as he briefly went over his defensive plans. “Major Nelson, you'll be in overall command with Captain Williams as your second. If the Kleese get conscripts into the spacedock don’t let them get any further.”

“They won’t,” Wade promised the colonel, his eyes narrowing. “Captain Williams and I will make sure that if they make it into the spacedock they won’t be leaving there.”

“Major, I don’t know what’s going to happen in this battle. We have a good-sized fleet, but we’ve never fought any Kleese warships before. If they manage to fight their way through the tunnel and if it looks as if the spacedock is going to be overrun, I will destroy the linking tunnel between the dock and Smithfield. If I do, you and your marines will be trapped in the spacedock with the Kleese conscripts.”

“Do what you must, Colonel,” Wade answered his eyes unwavering. “We’ll do our job and you do yours.”

“Good luck, Major,” replied Colonel Bailey, reaching out and shaking Wade’s hand. “With luck we’ll all still be here when this is over.”

-

Later, the two of them walked the spacedock to look over the defensive preparations.

“It seems as if we can’t get any leave time in,” Beth said, glancing over at Wade.

“I know,” replied Wade, wishing he could have spent more time with his parents and Ryan. “How’s your mother?”

“She’s doing fine; one of her friends is going to stay with her until this crisis is over. I think Mom is just glad not to be alone.”

“Ryan’s at the academy getting ready to go through orientation,” Wade said. “It will continue even through this emergency.”

“Probably for the best,” Beth responded with a nod. “They have students from all across the Solar System and it wouldn’t be practical for them to attempt to go back home.”

They continued to walk on in silence. For some reason, Beth felt like she needed to speak about an issue that'd been weighing heavily on her mind recently, but something was holding her back. With every day that passed, she was beginning to realize just how much Wade meant to her. When this emergency was over, she would have to find some way to tell him.

-

Fleet Admiral Kirby was in the Command Center of the Armageddon as it moved away from Centerpoint Station. Other ships were also leaving the flight bays and taking up supporting positions around the flagship.

“We have four extra light cruisers that will be a part of Fifth Fleet when the battlecruisers are finished,” Major Makita reported as he studied the tactical screen. “Where do you want them?”

“Assign them to Second Fleet since they lost the Achilles on the trading station mission,” Kirby replied as he thought over his fleet dispositions.

“Admiral,” spoke Lieutenant Jones from Communications, looking confused. “Darren is sending all of his nonessential personnel from Holbrook Station down to Jornada.”

“A good decision,” commented Makita, nodding his head in approval. “In the shape Earth is in the Kleese may never suspect we still have an active base on the planet.”

“Tell Darren that if Holbrook Station is heavily damaged in this attack he’s to evacuate the rest of his people to Centerpoint immediately.” He didn’t want a panicked pilot heading for Earth with survivors, which might tip the Kleese off to the base on the planet.

“Yes, Sir,” responded Lieutenant Jones. He quickly turned back to his communications console and began sending the orders.

“I wish we could detect a ship in Fold Space before it got into the Solar System,” Kirby said as he gazed at the large tactical screen, which showed the current deployment of the fleet. The Armageddon and First Fleet were around Centerpoint, Second Fleet was orbiting above Luna City, and Third Fleet was at Mars.

“How do you think we’ll fare against the Kleese warships?” Major Makita asked as he stepped away from a console where he had been checking on the ship’s power status. In some ways, the Armageddon was much like the attack submarine he once commanded.

“They'll have six of their primary warships and we’ll have twelve battlecruisers,” Kirby responded his eyes narrowing and his forehead creasing in a frown. “We’ll have fifty-one light cruisers and ninety-six assault ships in the combined fleet. We also have another two hundred assault ships from Centerpoint that we can call upon if need be. Another seventy assault ships are scattered around the system defending the major colonies and asteroid habitats.”

“That’s a lot of firepower,” Makita commented. Then his eyes focused on Kirby with a very intense look. “But is it enough?”

“That’s the million dollar question,” Kirby replied with a sigh. “Remember that Centerpoint, Holbrook, and all the colonies and habitats are heavily armed with both defensive and offensive weapons. I don’t see how those six ships can destroy everything, but we also don’t know for sure how many other ships they’ll be bringing. From the data packet we received from the nonaligned world’s ship, we can expect at least ten mother ships and three hundred assault ships.”

Makita was silent as he dwelled upon those numbers. “We have better shields and weapons,” he quickly pointed out. “That'll make a difference.”

“As far as their mother ships and assault ships, that’s true,” Kirby conceded. “But we don’t know much about the Kleese warships; they’re the big unknown in all of this. If we can’t find a way to destroy them, we can’t win this battle.”

Kirby’s eyes returned to the tactical screen and all the friendly green icons that were present. He knew when all of this was over there would be far fewer, if there were any left at all. His thoughts turned to Susan and the two girls. He was glad they were inside Vesta; it was the most heavily defended colony in the Solar System. The habitats were also deep inside and nearly impervious from attack. He just hoped he would get to see his family when this battle was over.

-

Wade was in his Type Three command suit with Beth standing next to him in hers. The suit’s equipment allowed him to scan the large spacedock and seek out the best positions to place his defending forces. For the last several days, Beth and he had been going around the dock trying to determine where their three hundred marines could best cover the massive airlock doors through which the attack would come. There were also half a dozen energy beam emplacements with their long barrels pointed toward the doors. If Kleese conscripts did manage to break into the spacedock as they did several years ago, they would find it extremely costly.

“Wade,” Beth’s voice came over their private channel with an odd catch in it.

“Yes?” Wade answered as he used his suit to greatly enhance his view of a section of the dock near the massive airlocks. There were some large shipping containers stored there that could be used for cover. He almost had his deployment plan for his marines figured out and just needed to work on a few more minor details.

“I think I’m finally over Donald,” Beth spoke in a quiet voice. “I’m ready to move on.”

Wade froze for a moment. The comment had taken him totally by surprise. Was Beth saying what he thought she was? “That’s great,” he responded, trying to sound casual. “When this is over we can discuss it more in private.”

“I would like that,” responded Beth, demurely. “Just let me know when and where.”

Wade felt his pulse racing slightly. He had waited a long time for Beth to say those words. He just wished they were not getting ready to fight a major battle. It was at that moment that the red Condition One lights began flashing in the spacedock and a warning siren began to howl.

“Guess I timed that about right,” Beth muttered as she turned to go to her marines.

-

Michael was asleep in his quarters when the alert sounded. His eyes instantly snapped open and it took him only a moment to realize what was happening. He slapped the com button next to his bed as he threw the blanket back and swung his legs out.

“Status!” he spoke quickly as he reached for his uniform.

“Kleese ships are dropping out of Fold Space just outside the orbit of Mars,” Major Makita reported. “We don’t have numbers on them yet, but we should have shortly.”

“Make sure all commands are at Condition One and notify President Randle of the current status of the Kleese ships if he doesn’t already.” Michael knew if Colonel Bailey was on the ball at Vesta that Mason would know shortly. “I’ll be in the Command Center in a few minutes.” As he dressed, Michael wished he had time to send a message to Susan. He wanted to reassure her one more time that everything was going to be all right.

-

Stepping into the Command Center, Michael’s eyes quickly swept over the busy crew. He could sense a heightened anxiety level, but everyone seemed to be functioning normally. “What do we have?” he asked, gazing over at Major Makita, who was sitting in the command chair. Makita quickly got up and stepped over to one side.

“It’s not good,” he said, shaking his head worriedly. “We have six Kleese warships as well as sixteen mother ships, and that means four hundred and eighty assault ships as well.”

“What are they doing?”

“I would guess they’re taking detailed scans of the system,” answered Makita, glancing at the tactical screen. “They haven’t moved since they dropped out of Fold Space.”

Michael sat down in the command chair with his eyes focusing on the large tactical screen on the front wall. “I’m moving First and Second Fleet to outside the orbit of the Moon,” he said after a moment. “Third Fleet will remain at Mars until we determine the Kleese's intentions. Get me Admiral Sanders on the com. I want both fleets two million kilometers outside Earth’s orbit. If we have to fight a fleet engagement, I want to put some distance between us and any tempting targets for the Kleese.”

“Yes, Sir,” Makita replied as he passed on the orders.

A few minutes later, both fleets were moving out toward the coordinates in space where they would await the Kleese. Admiral Kirby watched the tactical screen as they set up in a large defensive formation. Michael could see large numbers of green icons leaving Centerpoint Station. Those would be the two hundred assault ships normally based there. As soon as the enemy’s intentions were clear, those ships would probably be joining the two assembled fleets.

“Enemy is moving,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported from her sensor console.

“Where are they headed?” Kirby asked, already suspecting the answer and feeling his heart begin to race.

“For us,” Lieutenant Fullerton replied, her voice sounding frightened. “They’re all headed straight for us.”

Chapter Thirteen

“How long until they're here?” asked Admiral Kirby, drawing in a sharp breath, his eyes focused on the tactical screen displaying the red threat icons that represented the inbound Kleese fleet.

“Thirty-two minutes,” Lieutenant Fullerton replied her hazel eyes gazing at the admiral. She hoped he had a good battle plan. “They’re in Fold Space, and based on their current acceleration and course they should drop back out about twenty thousand kilometers from our current position.”

“No chance they’re headed for Luna City or Centerpoint is there?” asked Major Makita as he strode over to stand next to Bree gazing intently at her sensor data screens as if wanting to confirm the data himself.

“No, Sir,” replied Fullerton, shaking her head and glancing up at the executive officer. “If they maintain their current course and acceleration, they’re heading for us.”

“That tears it,” stated Kirby, knowing they were going to have to fight a major fleet action. “Contact Admiral Stehr and tell him we need Third Fleet here as soon as possible. Let him know the expected arrival time of the Kleese fleet.”

“Message sent,” reported Lieutenant Jones from Communications after a few moments.

“I want one hundred and fifty of the assault ships just launched from Centerpoint to come to our coordinates,” continued Kirby, knowing he needed the reinforcements. “We’ll assign fifty of them to each of our fleets; the rest will stay and help in the defense of the station and Luna City if the Kleese get past us.”

Kirby watched with calm nerves as the Command Center around him hummed with increased activity as his orders were swiftly carried out. Michael’s brow furrowed as he thought about what was ahead for his fleet. There was no way to know what was going to happen in this battle as they'd never fought an actual Kleese warship before. He let out a long sigh and refocused his eyes on the tactical screen and the hundreds of red threat icons it was displaying.

-

General Mitchell, General Pittman, and Marken were in the Command Center in Centerpoint Station watching the approaching Kleese ships on the main tactical screen. The news coming in over the sensors wasn’t good. The Kleese had brought a very large fleet, larger than expected.

“All cargo ships, passenger ships, and prospecting ships have shut down,” General Pittman reported as he looked at several data screens and then back up at a sensor screen showing a number of green icons quickly disappearing.

“At least most of them had already returned to their home ports or mining operations,” commented Mitchell, knowing that all over the Solar System ship captains were rushing to make their ships as invisible as possible. They had made plans months back that if a major Kleese attack were to occur, all nonmilitary ships would come to a stop, drop their power to a minimum, and go dark until the threat was over. This was the first time they'd actually utilized that procedure.

“It’s essential that our battlecruisers concentrate on the Kleese warships with their heavy particle beam weapons as well as antimatter missiles,” Marken spoke his eyes showing deep concern over the coming battle and wanting to stress the importance of hitting the Kleese warships as hard as possible. “The light cruisers can handle the mother ships for awhile and our own assault ships can engage the Kleese assault ships one on one.”

Mitchell nodded and ordered the communications officer to pass on Marken’s recommendations to Fleet Admiral Kirby. They needed every advantage possible in the coming battle, and Marken’s familiarity with the Kleese would play an essential part.

“What if the particle beam weapons don’t work against their shields?” asked General Pittman, glancing over at Marken. “We don’t know how powerful the shields are on a Kleese warship.”

“I don’t know,” Marken replied with some concern in his voice. “We may have to concentrate all of our battlecruisers’ fire upon one ship. I don’t believe even a Kleese warship could stand up to that amount of firepower for long.”

General Mitchell nodded his head in agreement. Fighting a battle in space was much more difficult than fighting one on land. He just hoped that Fleet Admiral Kirby was up to it. At least with Marken on Centerpoint they'd stand a much better chance of understanding and countering the Kleese tactics.

-

Michael watched intently as the first Kleese ship began to drop out of Fold Space. In just a matter of a few minutes, all six Kleese warships and mother ships were in normal space twenty thousand kilometers from the fleet.

“Mother ships are launching assault ships,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported as numerous red threat icons began appearing on her sensors. She let out a deep breath as they continued to appear. Her heart raced as she saw the numbers continue to increase. God! There were so many of them!

On one of the primary viewscreens, a dark black disk shape appeared. All talking in the Command Center ceased as everyone gazed at the deadly ship. The Kleese warship was three kilometers in diameter and a thousand meters thick. On its hull, they could see numerous weapons emplacements as well as metal hatches that probably hid launching tubes for sublight antimatter missiles. The ship looked to be heavily armored and ready for war.

“Computer estimates indicate that ship is carrying at least ten times the weapons of a mother ship,” Major Makita spoke in a stunned voice as he looked at the information coming over a data screen. “If its energy screen is as powerful as their weapons, we could have trouble penetrating it.”

“Form the fleet up into formation Alpha Attack Two,” ordered Kirby, briskly. This was a large concave lens formation with the battlecruisers and light cruisers interspaced throughout to help give covering fire to the assault ships.

“Third Fleet will be arriving in twelve more minutes,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported as she scanned the incoming Human ships, urging them to get here as quickly as possible.

“Place them in our formation as soon as they arrive,” ordered Kirby, hoping the Kleese didn’t attack before then. “Ship status?”

“All systems are powered up and working at optimum levels,” replied Major Makita. “Shield is energized and weapons are on standby.”

-

The Kleese commander was a minor Overlord. If he achieved a victory over the Humans and their Kivean collaborators, it would move him that much closer to reaching a venerated position on the Council. Axtell stood upon the Command Pedestal in the Kleese warship, Dark Oblivion, watching the tactical screen showing the waiting Human ships. It was an honor to command one of the great warships of the Kleese and he planned to use it to his full advantage. Only by accumulating power could one hope to move up in the Kleese hierarchy and eventually to the Council of Overlords. This fleet of warships was his means to do just that.

“Humans are nearly within striking range,” Darlu, his second in command, reported from where he was standing upon his six legs next to Axtell. “Their assault ships and their other major fleet will be joining their main fleet shortly.”

“Excellent,” Axtell spoke in a steady voice. “We will allow them to join together and then annihilate them in one massive battle.”

“The Humans and their Kivean allies are to be eliminated from this system,” Darlu responded in a cold and impassionate voice, recalling the orders from the Council. His dark arms pointed at the main tactical screen in the Command Center. “The space station they stole from us is in orbit between the planet and its moon. Once the battle here has been won, we will take back what is ours.”

“Prepare our ships to advance,” Axtell ordered, his multifaceted eyes looking over at his second in command. “All warships are to focus on the larger Human ships. They will be the most dangerous, though I doubt if they possess any weapons that can penetrate the advanced shields on one of our warships.”

-

“The Centerpoint assault ships are taking up their positions in our fleet formation,” Major Makita reported as the one hundred and fifty small two hundred-meter ships moved into their assigned slots. “Third Fleet has arrived and Admiral Stehr is moving his ships into position also.”

Michael let out a long, deep breath as he gazed at the main tactical screen. He had three hundred and nine ships in his formation opposed by nearly five hundred Kleese ships. The screen seemed to be alive with green and red icons. So far, neither side had fired a weapon.

“Kleese fleet is moving forward,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported her voice sounding nervous. Her delicate hands flew over her screens, touching icons and calling up additional information. “They will be in optimum engagement range in two minutes.”

Michael activated the ship-to-ship com, which would allow him to broadcast to all of the ships in the Human fleet. “All ships stand by to fire,” he spoke in a calm and self-assured voice. “Particle weapons to focus on the Kleese warships first and the Kleese mother ships second. All ships will fire two volleys at the warships, then light cruisers and assault ships are to shift fire to the mother ships and the assault vessels. All battlecruisers will continue to pound the six Kleese warships until they are either destroyed or forced to withdraw. Good luck and good hunting.”

“All ships are acknowledging the message,” Lieutenant Jones reported.

“Move the fleet forward,” ordered Michael, knowing it was time to see just how powerful the Kleese warships were. In just a few moments, they'd know if the Human fleet stood a chance or if it was doomed to go down in defeat.

-

Mason stood in the Control Center on Vesta next to Colonel Bailey. He had already placed all the colonies and habitats in the system at Condition One. At Condition One, civilians would be going to reinforced bunkers for their protection. He knew above him, in the city, marines in Type Two battle suits would now be on guard. The city would be quiet with no one other than the military moving about.

Gazing at the main tactical screen, he let out a heavy sigh of resignation. The Kleese had come in force and the Human forces were obviously outnumbered. There was no way to know how this battle was going to go.

“I hope Michael knows what he’s doing,” commented Drake from where he and Pamela were sitting at the primary control console. “This battle could be costly.” He had already spoken to his wife, Larcy, and she had taken their daughter over to their parents, who had a small, protective bunker beneath the house.

“I’m sure Fleet Admiral Kirby has a well thought out battle plan,” Colonel Bailey stated as he watched the red and green icons on the screen grow ever nearer. Any moment now, firing between the two fleets would commence.

Pamela brushed a strand of black hair away from her eyes. She wished she could be with her husband and son through this, but her duty required she stay here and help coordinate the actions of the people in the Control Center. By now, Paul and Mike were safely in a bunker.

“Michael has a knack for figuring ways out of tough situations,” Mason added, his voice sounding confident. Inside, he wasn’t so certain. Michael was facing a superior force with unknown weapons from the Kleese warships.

“Ships are opening fire,” Lieutenant Struthers reported suddenly as a red light began flashing above his control panel.

“So; now it begins,” mumbled Drake in a subdued voice.

-

“All ships, fire!” Kirby ordered over the ship-to-ship com.

“Firing,” Lieutenant Edmondson replied as he punched several buttons on his complicated control console. Other weapons officers were doing the same in front of their consoles. Targeting sensors were reaching out and feeding data to the ship’s weapons. Pulse fusion batteries and energy turrets locked on their targets, ready to fire.

From the Armageddon, Two deep blue particle beams shot out to strike the energy shield of one of the black disk warships of the Kleese. The beams hit the shield and the screen seemed to glow brightly at the impact points, but it didn’t go down.

“Kleese shields are holding,” gasped Major Makita as he saw the particle beams were not penetrating.

“Launching antimatter missiles,” Edmondson stated as he flipped several switches on his console. “Firing pulse fusion beams and energy weapons.”

Two massive explosions lit up the Kleese warship. For a moment, it looked like it might have suffered some damage, but then the light faded and the Kleese warship remained intact. There was not even a burn mark on the hull. Pulse fusion beams and energy beams struck the energy screen to little effect.

“Kleese shield is holding,” Lieutenant Edmondson reported with a look of astonishment on his face.

“All ships have opened fire and the Kleese are responding,” Major Makita reported as the Armageddon suddenly shook violently.

“Pulse fusion beams and an antimatter missile just struck our energy screen,” Lieutenant Marsten reported his eyes showing some concern. “Shields are holding at forty percent.”

“Our weapons fire seems ineffective against the Kleese warships,” Lieutenant Edmonson hastily informed the admiral. “Continuing to fire.”

A sudden nearby flash lit up one of the viewscreens, which dimmed automatically and then returned to normal. It showed a dissipating field of debris and plasma.

“What was that?” demanded Michael, glancing at Lieutenant Fullerton at the primary sensor console.

“The light cruiser Minsk is down,” she replied her eyes meeting the admirals. “We've also lost four assault ships with others showing significant damage.”

“Crap.” Michael exhaled and then drew in a sharp breath. “Shift our fire to the mother ships and the assault ships, at least our weapons can penetrate their screens, unless they’ve been massively upgraded.”

“Shifting fire,” Lieutenant Edmondson responded.

On the main screen, a Kleese assault ship appeared. Instantly, several particle beams struck the ship’s shield, penetrating it and striking the hull. The top section of the ship exploded and debris started drifting away. Then an antimatter missile detonated in a bright blast and when the explosion cleared, the Kleese assault ship was gone.

“Weapons are still effective against the assault ships,” Makita confirmed in a relieved voice. “But what do we do about their warships?”

“I don’t know,” Kirby replied his brow creased in a worried frown. “But we had better figure something out soon or this battle will be over.”

-

Space between the two fleets was lit with exploding ordnance as well as flashes of energy beams. The Kleese were firing pulse fusion beams and energy weapons nonstop, mixed in with occasional sublight antimatter missiles. The Human ships were responding in kind, the only difference being the bright blue particle beams that continuously flicked out, striking Kleese ships.

An antimatter missile slammed into the bow of the light cruiser Dresden, destroying all bow weapons and opening up numerous compartments to space. The valiant cruiser turned broadside and opened fire with her remaining weapons. Pulse fusion beams and energy beams struck the energy shield of the Kleese mother ship that had launched the devastating missile. Several pulse fusion beams penetrated the weakening shield, which was under heavy attack from several assault ships as well as another light cruiser. Debris was blasted away from the hull as explosions marched across the mother ship’s armor. Then a number of powerful particle beams smashed into the hull, cutting deep inside and setting off several powerful explosions. Two antimatter missiles flashed through the weakened screen and twin massive fireballs obliterated the Kleese ship, leaving nothing but glowing debris behind.

The Dresden turned toward another target when a pair of missiles from a Kleese warship struck the stern of the light cruiser. Two massive explosions tore the ship apart, vaporizing armor and crew alike. When the fireballs dissipated, the ship was gone.

-

“Light cruiser Dresden is down,” Lieutenant Fullerton spoke in an anxious voice. “We’ve lost six more assault ships and the battlecruiser Agamemnon is heavily damaged.”

“Order the Agamemnon to fall back to Centerpoint,” Kirby ordered in an attempt to save the cruiser and its crew. “Have light cruisers Haskins and Bunker Hill cover her withdrawal. Designate the six Kleese warships as Bugs One through Six. I want all battlecruisers to concentrate their fire on Bug One. Pound it with antimatter missiles and particle beam fire. Those shields have to come down!”

-

The Kleese Overlord was pleased. As he had expected, the shields of his warships were impervious to the Human's particle beam weapons. While the Humans were managing to destroy some of his assault ships and had even managed to take out an exploration ship, his warships would be the end of them.

“All warships are to focus their fire on the larger Human ships,” he ordered in a commanding voice. “Once they are destroyed, the rest of the Human ships will be easy prey.”

“As you command,” Darlu responded as he passed on the order to the other Kleese in the Command Center. There were no conscripts on the Kleese warship; the Dark Oblivion had a crew of five hundred and twenty Kleese.

Weapons fire reached out from the Kleese ships, striking the battlecruisers Vanguard and Trident. The Vanguard’s shield weakened in several areas and enemy weapons fire blasted away at the ship’s armor. Several pulse fusion turrets were blown apart and a ragged rent was torn into the hull. Internal explosions blew out a major section of the ship’s armor, opening up numerous compartments to the cold vacuum of space. A well-placed Kleese antimatter missile detonated in the rent and the battlecruiser ceased to be as its thousands of tons were converted into shattered debris and glowing gases.

The Trident was struggling as the chief engineer desperately diverted all available power to the energy shield, effectively shutting down most of the ship’s weapons systems. The shield was under heavy attack and it was all he could do to keep it from failing. He had even diverted power from life support in a last ditch effort to save the battlecruiser.

“Turn off the damn lights!” he yelled. “I want every bit of available power going to the shield!” He could hear a higher pitched noise coming from the straining fusion reactor as he coaxed every erg of energy possible from it. It was a sound he had never heard before.

-

“Battlecruiser Vanguard is down, light cruisers Acadia, Bremen, and Dover are down,” Lieutenant Fullerton spoke her voice filled with grief. They were losing a lot of people in the battle.

“Battlecruiser Trident is under heavy attack and in danger of their energy shield failing,” Major Makita reported. On one of the viewscreens, the Trident appeared, its shield aglow with heavy weapons fire from several Kleese warships. If something wasn’t done quickly, the ship would be destroyed.

“All battlecruisers are targeting Bug One,” Major Makita reported as the Armageddon shook as more weapons fire impacted the ship’s energy shield.

“Fire our bow heavy railguns also,” Michael ordered. He wanted to hit the Kleese warship with everything they had. That shield had to be knocked down or this battle was lost.

On the primary screen, Bug One was being displayed. The Kleese warship was being struck by dozens of particle beams and railgun rounds. Twenty-megaton antimatter missiles began detonating against its energy screen in rapid succession. The firing grew more intense until the entire shield was aglow with energy, and then several railgun rounds flashed through a weakened section, slamming into the warship’s hull. A major portion was blasted away into space, opening up the ship’s interior. A pulse fusion beam struck and then several more blue particle beams. The ship’s shield seemed to falter and then, all at once, it failed. The Kleese warship vanished as over a dozen antimatter missiles detonated against its heavily armored hull. For a moment, the ship looked like a star gone nova.

“We got one!” Major Makita cried jubilantly as the red icon representing the Kleese ship vanished from the tactical screen.

-

But the Kleese were also intent on annihilating the Human ships. Assault ships from both sides were in a deadly duel. The Human ships had better shields and were equipped with particle beam weapons, but the Kleese assault ships were also heavily armed with pulse fusion beams and antimatter missiles. For every Human ship that was destroyed, three Kleese ships were annihilated in return. The light cruisers were also making a huge difference in the battle against the assault ships. However, the Kleese mother ships were pouring their deadly fire into the Human light cruisers and assault ships, which was evening up the odds. In bright explosions, assault ships were being blasted apart, and occasionally a light cruiser would die a violent death.

-

Michael studied the primary tactical screen with deep concern etched onto his face. The Human fleet was losing, though the light cruisers and the assault ships were preventing the Kleese from breaking through to Luna City and Centerpoint Station.

“Focus our attack on Bug Two,” he ordered grimly, knowing he had no other option.

If the fleet could hammer the Kleese enough, and in particular take out several more of their warships, perhaps Centerpoint and Luna City could use their offensive weapons to finish off the Kleese fleet. It was a long shot, but at the moment it was the only thing he could come up with.

Michael was suddenly flung forward against the restraining straps in his command chair. Several people screamed and the lights flickered, went out, and then came back on. He could smell something burning in the air. He looked up at the viewscreens and saw they weren’t functioning.

“We were hit by two antimatter missiles,” Major Makita explained breathlessly as he spoke to the ship’s chief engineer over the com system. “Our primary reactor was knocked out of the power loop but should be back online shortly. The energy shield is at twenty percent; I’ve pulled the Armageddon back and ordered two of our light cruisers to cover us while we get the power back up.” Even as he spoke, the viewscreens and tactical screen blinked back to life.

“Battlecruiser Titan is down, light cruisers Vixen, Sydney, Chicago, and Harris are down. We’ve lost sixteen more assault ships,” reported Lieutenant Fullerton, feeling distressed at the growing losses. She knew on some of those ships she had friends that were dying.

“We can’t keep losing ships like this,” Major Makita groaned as the ship shook violently once again.

On the damage control console, red lights flared into being. Many more turned amber.

“Kleese fusion beam hit the hull. We’ve got several compartments open to space and we’re venting atmosphere,” reported the damage control officer. “We’re closing off the damaged areas.”

The ship shook violently again and even more red lights came on.

“Fold Space Drive is down,” reported Makita, grimly. “The chief engineer says it will take several hours to repair. Enemy ships seem to be closing on us.”

“They’ve figured out we’re the flagship,” Michael responded as his eyes narrowed in concern. “Tell the chief not to worry about the Fold Space Drive as long as he can keep the sublight drive functioning.”

“Battlecruisers Vega and Glory are moving in for support,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported as the two large green icons moved closer to the Armageddon.

“Bug Two is under heavy attack,” Lieutenant Edmondson shouted from Tactical.

On the viewscreen, Bug Two was covered in massive explosions. Several particle beams penetrated its screen, blasting large glowing holes in the hull.

“Bug Two is pulling back,” Major Makita said as the ship moved away from the attacking battlecruisers.

“We didn’t get to finish her off,” Michael said with disappointment showing on his face. He glanced back at the main tactical screen. If things didn’t change shortly, the Human fleet would either be destroyed or forced to withdraw back to Centerpoint.

-

Both fleets were now heavily engaged with all ships firing weapon after weapon. Space was full of flashes of particle, fusion, and energy beam weapons as well as the titanic explosions of antimatter missiles. Assault ships on both sides were being smashed open as multiple ships pummeled their victims. The Kleese mother ships were firing determinedly on the light cruisers, attempting to wipe them out and take them away from the Human fleet equation. The light cruisers were returning fire, occasionally slipping a particle beam through the mother ships’ energy shields, which would be quickly followed by an antimatter missile.

Two more Kleese mother ships were blown apart in rapid succession by the light cruisers. The cruisers were using their combined weapons to pummel the mother ships’ energy shields, knocking them down and then finishing them off with the sublight missiles. Multiple twenty-megaton antimatter explosions were not healthy even for a behemoth like a Kleese mother ship.

Space was becoming littered with debris from damaged and dying ships. Fires could be seen burning inside assault ships, and light cruisers had large jagged rents in their hulls glowing from the heat of raging fires within. Battlecruisers’ hulls were pockmarked with severe damage. The Kleese fleet was in the same shape, with every mother ship showing signs of weapons fire. Several were nearly out of action from the massive damage received from antimatter missile strikes. Others had major sections of their hulls that had been blown away, revealing corridors and compartments within.

-

At Centerpoint, Marken and Generals Mitchell, and Pittman were watching the deadly battle on the Command Center’s massive screens. On one screen, a heavily damaged assault ship smashed into a Kleese warship’s energy screen to vanish in a blinding explosion, causing the entire screen to flicker briefly.

“Did you see that?” Marken cried his eyes turning to focus on the two generals.

“Yeah,” replied Pittman, shaking his head sadly. “We just lost another ship.”

“No,” responded Marken, excitedly. “Did you see how the Kleese warship’s energy screen reacted to the impact of the assault ship?”

“It flickered,” answered General Mitchell, not seeing Marken’s point.

“The entire screen flickered,” responded Marken, trying to be patient. “The impact nearly caused the screen to overload and go down, that’s why the entire screen flickered momentarily.”

“I don’t see what you’re getting at,” spoke General Pittman, looking confused.

“If the battle continues as it is, Admiral Kirby is going to lose,” Marken explained in a concerned voice. “The Kleese warships are just too powerful. We’re having trouble getting past their energy screens.”

“What are you suggesting?” Mitchell asked his eyes focusing on the Kivean.

“We ram them!” Marken shouted his eyes wide. “We ram them with our ships.”

Mitchell looked over at Pittman as he thought over Marken’s suggestion. The idea sounded crazy, but it just might work. “The assault ships aren’t large enough,” he said after a moment. “We would have to use a light cruiser or even a battlecruiser.”

“To sacrifice our ships like that,” Pittman said horrified at the idea. “How can we ask our crews to do such a thing?”

“We ask for volunteers,” Mitchell whispered as he activated the com to speak with Fleet Admiral Kirby. He took a deep breath and then began informing Kirby of Marken’s idea.

-

Michael reeled in shock upon hearing Marken’s suggestion. How could he ask his people to sacrifice themselves in such a way? He quickly contacted Admirals Stehr and Sanders and informed them of the strategy that General Mitchell and Marken were suggesting, asking them if they had any other ideas. He hated the idea of sacrificing any of his crews or warships.

He had just finished talking to them when the Armageddon shook violently as if struck by a giant fist and the power went out. He heard several loud screams, and the Command Center suddenly lit up as a console exploded in a bright shower of sparks. Michael coughed and his eyes were burning as smoke began to fill the room. The emergency lighting quickly came back on and Michael saw Major Makita stagger back to his feet with his left arm hanging limply at his side. The ventilation system kicked back in and began drawing out the thick black smoke.

“Sublight drive is down,” Makita reported grimly, his face wracked with pain from his broken arm as he studied one of the data screens. “Energy shield is at five percent. We won’t survive another strike.”

“We’ve lost four more light cruisers and twenty-two additional assault ships,” Lieutenant Fullerton added in a numb voice. Her heart was racing and she felt fear flooding through her. There was no doubt in her mind that she was about to die.

-

Admiral Stehr looked in horror at the main viewscreen showing the Armageddon lying dead in space. The ship had damage over much of its hull and several fires could be seen burning inside.

“Armageddon reports her energy shield is at five percent and her primary fusion reactor is offline,” the communications officer informed the admiral. “Sublight and Fold Space Drives are also down.”

Stehr took a deep breath knowing he had only one choice. He turned to his executive officer, Major McKenna. “Mike, order the crew to abandon ship, the same for the Vega and Glory.”

“Admiral, what are you going to do?” McKenna asked his eyes widening in suspicion.

“We’re losing the battle; we have to take out those Kleese warships. You heard what Admiral Kirby said.”

McKenna looked at Admiral Stehr for a long moment. “Someone will have to stay and navigate the ship,” McKenna said softly. “I’ll do it.”

“No, you have a family back in Luna City. This is my command and my ship. I’ll stay with her until the end.”

McKenna took a deep breath before nodding his head. “Yes, Sir,” he said stepping back and saluting. He then turned and passed on the admiral’s orders.

Stehr took let out a heavy sigh and then contacted the commanding officers of the Vega and the Glory. It was time to teach the Kleese a lesson in humility.

-

Fleet Admiral Kirby was sitting in his command chair waiting for the Kleese to finish off the Armageddon. He was thinking of Susan and their two daughters, Candace and Karen. He wished he could tell them that he loved them one more time before he died. The crew in the Command Center was quiet, knowing there was nothing else they could do.

“Sir! The primary viewscreen!” shouted Makita, pointing toward it.

On the screen, third fleet’s flagship, the Liberation, was accelerating toward the nearest Kleese warship. It was closely followed by the Vega and the Glory. All three ships were firing their weapons nonstop, raining a hail of energy fire and antimatter missiles on three of the dark Kleese ships.

“What are they doing?” Lieutenant Fullerton gasped as she saw, from her remaining sensors, that the three battlecruisers were on collision courses for the Kleese ships.”

“They’re carrying out General Mitchell and Marken’s plan,” Michael said in a quiet and subdued voice as he spoke a silent prayer for whoever was still on board those ships. There was no doubt in his mind that Admiral Stehr was still upon the Liberation. He was about to lose a very close friend.

-

The Kleese Overlord Axtell stared in shock at the Human ship bearing down on the Dark Oblivion. Surely, the Humans were not committing suicide!

“If that ship hits our shield, it will fail,” warned Darlu his voice showing consternation.

“We will be destroyed,” another Kleese stated, looking over at Axtell accusingly.

“Move us away!” shouted Axtell, waving his hands toward Navigation.

“Too late,” Darlu replied as the Human ship struck the Dark Oblivion’s energy shield.

-

Admiral Stehr watched in satisfaction as his ship reached its target. One of the last things he had done was to order the tactical officer to set the ship’s antimatter missiles to explode on contact. He closed his eyes just before the Liberation struck the Kleese warship’s energy shield.

-

In space, the Liberation struck the powerful shield of the Dark Oblivion. Instantly the ship’s mass was converted to energy, overwhelming the energy screen. At the same time, eighty twenty-megaton sublight antimatter missiles detonated. A massive blinding light, brighter than the sun, covered the Kleese ship and when it faded, nothing remained other than a field of rapidly dissipating and glowing gas. The Vega and Glory struck their targets with the same results. Three glowing nova like explosions appeared in the midst of the Kleese fleet. In just a matter of seconds, three of the deadly Kleese warships were gone. In addition, a number of assault ships supporting the warships had been annihilated in the massive blasts.

-

“Order all ships to concentrate on Bug Two,” ordered Michael, fighting to keep his emotions in check after the sacrifice of the three battlecruisers. The lights in the Command Center brightened slightly, but most of the consoles were still without power. “We damaged it earlier, perhaps now we can finish it off.”

“Kleese fleet is beginning to pull back,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported as several of her sensors came back to life including the main tactical screen.

Michael hit his ship-to-ship com. “Admiral Sanders, you have command of the fleet. Hit the Kleese as hard as you can as they withdraw. Your primary targets are the damaged Kleese warship and the mother ships. I want them taken out!”

“Yes, Sir,” Admiral Sanders replied. Sanders was still shaken by what had happened to Admiral Stehr and his three battlecruisers.

Michael leaned back in his command chair. The Armageddon was just a spectator now; they would have to be towed back to Centerpoint for repairs. On the tactical screen, he could see Kleese ships vanishing as they were annihilated by determined light cruisers and assault ships. The fleet’s five still combat-capable battlecruisers were pouring their fire into Bug Two. After a few moments, the icon representing Bug Two swelled up and then vanished from the tactical screen.

“Bug Two is down,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported with obvious relief in her voice.

“Kleese fleet is entering Fold Space,” Major Makita reported his face breaking out into a grin. “They’re leaving!”

“There are still a few damaged Kleese vessels remaining,” Lieutenant Edmondson pointed out. On the main tactical screen, there were probably a dozen red icons within range of the fleet’s weapons.

“Finish them off, and then we need to search for survivors,” Michael ordered his shoulders relaxing, knowing the battle had been won. However, the losses had been massive. From looking at the tactical screen, Michael suspected they'd lost over half of the fleet, and many more ships were heavily damaged. He felt sadness flow over him, realizing how costly this victory had been and the tremendous number of lives that had been lost.

-

“We won!” said General Pittman, letting out a deep breath. “The Kleese fleet is retreating.”

“But look at our fleet,” General Mitchell replied in a pained voice. It would take months, if not years, to replace what had been lost today, particularly the trained fleet personnel. This was a battle that was going to be very difficult to recover from. They may have won the battle, but they might have just lost the war.

Marken nodded, sensing the shock everyone in the Command Center was feeling at the lives lost. “A lot of Humans died today,” he conceded. “But you’re still alive and still free.”

General Mitchell knew Marken was right. The Kleese had just confirmed how dangerous this war was going to be and the sacrifices that might be needed if the Human race was to survive. Admiral Stehr had demonstrated that today. It was a sacrifice no one would ever forget.

Chapter Fourteen

General Mitchell gazed anxiously at one of the viewscreens as First Fleet’s flagship was towed cautiously into one of the flight bays. The Armageddon was heavily damaged and battle scars were evident across her discolored hull. Other fleet warships were also being brought in for major repairs. Several light cruisers and nearly a dozen assault ships were being left in space a few hundred kilometers from the station as they were deemed too unsafe to be allowed to approach the station. Their crews were still working valiantly to save their ships with assistance from repair crews sent to assist from Centerpoint. Mitchell let out a deep sigh, knowing the fleet had been badly hurt.

“I have the final fleet losses,” General Pittman said as he stepped back up on the Command Pedestal and sat down at one of the control consoles. He had a bleak look on his face.

“How bad?” Mitchell asked with a grimace, knowing the news wouldn’t be good.

“We lost five battlecruisers, fourteen light cruisers and eighty-seven assault ships,” Pittman reported in a strained voice. “Three battlecruisers suffered heavy damage as well as twenty-two of the light cruisers. We’re still getting the reports in from the assault ships, but early estimates seem to indicate that at least seventy of them will need major repair time in the flight bays.”

“It’s bad,” said Mitchell, shaking his head as he tried to grasp the ramifications of the losses. “If not for Admiral Stehr taking out those three Kleese warships, it would have been much worse. What about Kleese losses?”

“We took out five of their six warships, seven of their mother ships, and one hundred and twelve assault ships.”

“We’ve bought some time,” Mitchell said, drawing in a deep breath and standing up. He pulled back his shoulders and looked around the busy Command Center. “Inform the flight bay crews to place a priority on ship repair for the time being. They’re to suspend new ship construction until we can get the fleet back up and running.”

“I have a report from Marken,” Pittman added. “You might find this interesting. He handed Mitchell a sheet of paper he had been carrying with him. Marken had left the Command Center to go consult with several other Kiveans about possible strategies to combat the Kleese warships if they returned.

Mitchell read the paper, his eyes widening at what Marken was suggesting. “He wants us to modify a dozen of our larger cargo ships,” Mitchell said as he read more. “Fill them up with water to increase their mass and add half a dozen twenty-megaton antimatter warheads, as well as an energy shield. They'd be operated by remote control and used to ram any Kleese warship that enters the Solar System.”

“That might work once or twice,” General Pittman commented his eyes narrowing. “But once the Kleese become aware of the tactic, I’m sure they will think of some type of countermeasure.”

“Possibly,” Mitchell answered as he thought the suggestion over. “But it might buy us the time we need to come up with a weapon that is effective against the Kleese warships. It’s better than ramming them with our battlecruisers. Contact Ethan Hall at Vesta and see if he can begin implementing this immediately. They’re better equipped for this type of work than we are.”

“I’ll get on it right away,” Pittman responded with a brief nod. Then he looked at Mitchell with a worried look. “How do we go about replacing the crews we just lost? We need thousands of new recruits.”

“I don’t know,” Mitchell responded his forehead creasing in a deep and worried frown. “I’m going to speak to President Randle and Cheryl Robinson about that situation to see if they have any ideas. It’s going to be a serious problem.”

-

Marken stood in the flight bay, looking at the Armageddon as it lay in its docking cradle. The bow of the ship was nearly nonexistent where a Kleese antimatter missile had struck. Other heavy damage was caused by pulse fusion beams and energy weapons fire. The hull was torn open in several spots and covered in burn marks. He was amazed the ship had survived.

“The ship’s a mess,” Larnell spoke as he gazed at the Human flagship. Larnell had come along with Marken in case his help was needed on the station.

“We knew when we freed the Humans and escaped the Kleese that they were a warrior race,” Marken said in a soft and respectful voice. “We waited years to find such a race. They prove it every time they face the Kleese.”

Larnell looked over at Marken and slowly nodded his head in agreement. “When you first suggested using the Humans I had my doubts, but now, after their victories over the Kleese, there is no longer any uncertainty. If the Kleese are ever to be stopped, this is the race that has the best chance of doing it.”

Marken let out a heavy sigh. “We have much research to do yet, particularly with what we learned on our mission to the nonaligned worlds trading station.” The Humans had turned the computer drive over to the Kiveans to evaluate all the new technology it contained. Several Human scientists had looked at it and quickly realized the technology described was far beyond anything they were familiar with.

Larnell noticed that some of the crew were beginning to come out of the hatches on the Armageddon. A number were being carried out on stretchers. “You mean the technology the nonaligned worlds gave us,” Larnell said. He was one of the few Kiveans that knew fully what was on the computer drive. “What have you decided about the cloning technology?”

A grave look came over Marken’s face. His eyes narrowed and his forehead creased deeply as he considered his answer. “I don’t think we have any choice,” he said after a moment. “It'll solve the Human's personnel problem for their warships and give them an even more effective fighting force.”

“What does Harnett think about it? I’m sure she’s not totally in agreement.”

“She’s not pleased with my decision due to the moral questions it will bring up, but she understands that if we are to defeat the Kleese this might be our only option.”

“When will you tell the Humans?”

Marken shook his head. “Not yet; we need to give them some time to recover from this battle and then I will request a meeting with the Human leadership, as well as the military.”

“You’re going to use it as leverage to launch the rescue mission to Kivea,” Larnell said his eyes widening. “Is that wise?”

“The cloning technology is very complicated and highly technical. It would help us immensely if we had some of the research scientists from our home planet to assist us. I may speak to Major Nelson first, though. I'm closer to him than any other Human, and I trust his judgment on serious matters. He may be able to assist us in deciding how best to proceed with this.”

Larnell nodded, not sure if he liked using this tactic with the Humans. He did agree about consulting with Major Nelson. “If that is your decision, I'll support it.”

“Thank you,” replied Marken, watching Fleet Admiral Kirby come out of the hatch of the Armageddon.

Marken could already see engineers and repair crews looking over the damage the flagship had suffered. Some of them were shaking their heads and pointing at various parts of the ship as if they couldn’t believe the ship had survived. He let out a heavy sigh, knowing that the war against the Kleese had just barely begun.

-

At Vesta, Susan gave a deep sigh of relief as the all clear alarms sounded. Her brother had come on the media stations a few moments back announcing that the Kleese warships had been driven off with heavy losses to both sides. He had also mentioned that he would shortly be meeting with Admiral Kirby to discuss the current situation with the fleet. Susan suspected Mason had purposely mentioned Michael just so she would know he was safe.

They were in a small shelter beneath their home and Adrienne and a few others were there with her. Susan was glad that Adrienne had made it to the shelter as she had been an immense help with the two girls. Both children had been frightened something bad might happen to their father.

“I guess we can go back up,” Adrienne said as she walked over to stand next to Susan with Candace holding her hand tightly. “For now, I suppose things will go back to normal.”

“I guess,” responded Susan with a tired look in her eyes. “Mason said he would be meeting with Michael shortly. I hope that means he’s coming home for a while.”

“I’m sure it does,” Adrienne answered as Candace released her hand and took her mother’s. Adrienne looked down at the young girl. Someday she wanted children of her own. She had mentioned it casually to Mason and he didn’t seem to be opposed to the idea. Perhaps she should bring it up again.

-

Mason was in the Control Center discussing the recent battle with Colonel Bailey. They were both concerned about the losses the fleet had suffered and where they would come up with the new personnel to operate the warships as they came back online.

“It’s going to be difficult,” admitted Bailey as he watched green icons slowly begin to appear on the main sensor screen. The all clear signal had been broadcast, and the civilian liners, cargo ships, and prospector ships were powering back up.

“They’re eighteen million people in the Solar System,” Pamela said, looking confused. “Surely we can find enough people to operate our warships.”

“The ships are highly technical, much more so than the old navy ships we had back on Earth,” explained Colonel Bailey, glancing over at Pamela still sitting at her command console next to Drake. “We’ve used a lot of the old navy and air force crews we found from all across the world. Unfortunately, not a lot of them survived.”

“We also need crews for the passenger liners and cargo ships,” added Mason, arching his eyebrow. “Even more so now that we’re spread out across the Solar System.”

It was beginning to look as if they were going to have to install a military draft. It would be highly unpopular, but he didn’t see that they had any other choice. There were approximately three hundred thousand young people turning eighteen in the coming year. Some of them would be exempt due to college and others would not pass the fitness or mental exams for the military. Considering they needed recruits for the space marines, regular army, and the fleet they were talking about a large percentage of those that would be eligible.

“I don’t think it would be wise to automate our warships any further,” Colonel Bailey said, thinking about where their future crews would come from.

He had spoken briefly to General Mitchell and knew there'd been some problems on a few of the fleet ships with repair crews not being able to keep up with the damage during the battle. They needed larger crews on the ships.

“What are we going to do, Mason?” Pamela asked as she glanced around.

There were nearly eighty personnel in the new Control Center and the tension level had definitely come down. People were talking and a few were even laughing. They had gone back to Condition Five, which was the lowest alert level.

“What if we take some of the crews off the cargo ships?” Drake suggested. “At least they would have some of the technical training that would be needed on the warships.”

“It would help somewhat, but not enough,” Colonel Bailey answered. He had a growing feeling in the pit of his stomach that this personnel problem was about to become a serious issue.

“It’s going to be a problem,” Mason admitted. One that as president, he would have to figure out an answer to. “I suggest we all go home and get some rest. We can discuss what we’re going to do about this tomorrow when our heads are clearer.”

“I have a few more things to do here and then I want to go check on Paul and Mike,” Pamela said, thinking about her family. “I’m sure they’re okay, but this ordeal probably frightened Mike.” Any twelve-year-old would be scared to death in a situation like the one they'd just gone through. She wanted to get home to reassure her family everything was all right.

Drake nodded in agreement; his wife was the same way. Larcy became hysterical if anyone simply mentioned the Kleese around her. He hoped his parents and brother had been able to keep her calm.

-

A little later, Mason was walking through the Smithfield habitat. It was no longer the largest habitat inside Vesta, but to Mason it was home. This was where he had been raised and where his father and grandfather formed the Smithfield Mining Corporation. The habitat was thirty kilometers long, twelve kilometers wide, and nearly two kilometers high. Some days, clouds even formed near the top of the habitat. Several times a year, they experienced brief showers that lasted for a few precious minutes. Whenever that occurred, most of the inhabitants of Smithfield would come out and stand in the gentle rain.

Nearly four hundred thousand people now inhabited Smithfield. The streets were busier and a little noisier. There were also a lot more shops and small restaurants. On the perimeter of the habitat was a wide belt of green. Fields had been planted to raise crops and trees had been allowed to grow to help remind people of Earth. There were even a few small lakes as well as meandering streams that flowed around the habitat, seemingly in a random pattern. The small streams were key to moving water to allow for the subterranean irrigation of much of the habitat.

Mason lived on the outskirts of Smithfield in a quiet neighborhood close to his sister’s home. As he walked, he thought about the recent battle and what it would mean to the struggling economy of the different colonies and habitats. They'd set up a currency to allow people to earn a living and to buy the things they needed. More resources would now have to be diverted to Centerpoint to help repair the fleet and build new ships. He would have to talk to the Federated Assembly Council and perhaps the assembly itself to explain the diversion of resources. There would be grumbling, but in the end they would agree since they were dependent upon the military for protection.

Looking around, Mason saw he was nearly home. There were people going about their daily routines; a few waved at Mason and even said hello. Children were out playing, and he could smell someone barbecuing. It was hard to believe the dire situation they were in when things around him seemed so normal. It would be good to get back home and speak with Adrienne.

-

Wade and Beth were in a small Italian restaurant enjoying a quiet meal. Wade was eating spaghetti and Beth was taking small bites out of a slice of sausage pizza as if she had something weighing heavily on her mind.

“I spoke to Colonel Bailey about the battle yesterday,” Wade spoke as he twirled his spaghetti against his spoon as his mother had taught him to do so many years ago. He didn’t know how many times she had scolded him for not using the spoon when eating. He guessed having noodles dangling out of his mouth wasn’t a pleasant sight.

“We lost a lot of ships,” Beth replied in a solemn voice. She had spent quite some time the previous night calming down her mother and assuring her that the danger was past. She had also spent a restless night thinking nervously about what she had said to Wade earlier.

“Marken is on his way back and has asked me to come to their city for a meeting.”

Beth looked at Wade in surprise after hearing that statement. “Anybody else?”

“No,” Wade replied with a perplexed look on his face. “That’s what doesn’t make any sense. If it was about the planned rescue mission to Kivea, I’m pretty sure he would want you there as well as a few others. This has to be about something else. From the sound of his voice, it sounded serious.”

“More mysteries,” Beth said with a heavy sigh. “Perhaps it involves yesterday’s battle.”

Both were silent for a long moment and then Wade looked over at Beth. “When we were in the spacedock, you mentioned that you were ready to move on with your life. What exactly did you mean?”

Beth hadn’t been expecting that question so quickly. She had laid awake much of the previous night just thinking how she would explain her feelings to Wade.

“Donald’s gone,” she said after a moment, feeling her pulse beginning to race. She couldn’t believe how nervous she suddenly felt. After everything she had been through, why was this conversation scaring her?

“He was lost on Earth,” Wade responded his eyes focusing on Beth. Beth hadn’t spoken a lot about Donald, though he knew they'd been deeply in love. Everyone had lost loved ones on Earth when the Kleese destroyed it.

“How he died, I’ll probably never know,” she replied regretfully. “I’ve finally put his memories to rest and I need to get on with my life.” She hesitated and then slowly reached out her hand and placed it over Wade's. “I would like you to be a big part of that.”

Wade put his fork down and placed his other hand over Beth’s. “I have been hoping that someday you would say that,” he said in a reassuring voice. He knew this had been difficult for her.

“We don’t have to rush into anything,” Beth said quickly, not wanting Wade to misconstrue what she was saying. “We have a lot in common and we’re good for each other.”

Wade nodded, a smile spreading across his face. “We can take it slow and see what happens.”

“I think I would like that,” Beth responded, the nervousness leaving her voice. She just hoped she hadn’t made a mistake and ruined their friendship, but in her heart, she knew she had done the right thing speaking to Wade.

-

Several days later, Wade was in the Kivean habitat. He paused as he stepped inside, marveling at what they had built. While the habitat was much smaller than those in Vesta, it was full of greenery and flowing water. Numerous small streams and lakes were evident, with a lush forest growing on one side of the habitat. The greenery extended into the Kivean city where wide swaths of green were evident. Even a few slow moving streams ran through the city.

The city itself was a marvel. Tall, slim buildings extended high into the air, seeming to defy gravity. Moving walkways extended from building to building, seeming to float far above the ground with nothing holding them in place. The buildings themselves were hundreds of meters tall and a multitude of colors. No buildings were the same in color or construction; each one had its own uniqueness and elegance.

It took a while but Wade finally made it to the large building Marken had requested Wade come to. Stepping inside, he was surprised to find two heavily armed Human guards. From the insignia on their uniforms, they were from Australia and had probably come from the survival camp in that country. Many of the soldiers who had elected to join the new military still wore some insignia giving their country of origin.

“Identification, Sir,” one of them spoke, stepping over to Wade.

Wade reached into the shirt pocket of his uniform and handed over the ID he always carried on his person.

The soldier quickly glanced at it and then nodded. “You’re expected in conference room K-10 on the tenth floor.”

“Thank you,” Wade replied as he put his ID back in his pocket. Seeing a bank of elevators, Wade quickly made his way over to the nearest and after pressing the button, stepped inside once the door slid open.

A few minutes later, Wade was standing in front of conference room K-10. He stood in a softly lit corridor with cushiony carpet on the floor that seemed to give as he walked. Knocking on the door, he grasped the handle and turned it, stepping inside. He paused in surprise seeing everyone sitting at a long table. Marken was at the head of the table and others around the table included Harnett, Kalarn, Larnell, Skagern, and several other Kiveans Wade was not familiar with.

“Hello, Major,” Marken said, standing up with a big smile. “I believe you know most of my fellow Kiveans here. The two you don’t are Malton, who is a geneticist, and Crylia, who is a doctor that specializes in Human physiology.”

“Hello,” Wade said as he sat down in the seat Marken was indicating. Wade looked around the group and then asked. “Why did you ask me to come to this meeting?”

Harnett looked over at Marken who nodded and then, taking a deep breath, she stood up and looked over at Wade. She wondered how Adrienne would react to what she was about to reveal to her husband. Adrienne and she were close friends and she hoped this wouldn’t affect their relationship.

“As you know, the nonaligned worlds provided us with a computer drive which contains a tremendous amount of new technology,” she began.

“Yes,” answered Wade, recalling what Marken had mentioned about the drive before. “If we can figure the technology out, it'll give us a better power source for our ships, stronger weapons, and even a faster Fold Space Drive.”

Harnett nodded. “That’s only part of the technology that’s on the computer drive. She hesitated and then continued, knowing she might as well get this over with. “There is also some highly advanced cloning technology.”

“Cloning?” repeated Wade, unsure if he had heard correctly. He looked at Harnett with a confused look upon his face.

“Yes, cloning,” responded Harnett, nodding her head. “On the computer drive are the technological instructions for building cloning chambers that can grow a human from embryo to full maturity in a little less than two years.”

Wade felt his head spinning as he thought about the ramifications of what Harnett had just said. “Two years,” he mumbled, trying to grasp how that could be possible.

“Yes,” Harnett continued her eyes focused on Wade. “There is also a method to imprint information or memories on the subject’s brain so when they awake they'll be fully functional.”

“I don’t understand,” said Wade, feeling even more confused. Just what was Harnett telling him?

Harnett glanced over at Crylia for help explaining. She wasn’t sure how to make Wade understand. It had been difficult enough for her to grasp all the concepts in the technology when she had first learned of it.

“We can grow a human to full maturity in two years using this technology,” Crylia explained in a calm voice. “When the subject wakes up he would have basic memories as to how to use his body and even speak. It would be like waking up and having amnesia. Everything still works; you just can’t remember your past.”

Marken stood back up and gazed at Wade, suspecting what the major was going through. It had affected him much the same way when he had first learned about the cloning technology. “Major, as you know, the military is going to have a serious problem filling all the positions needed for your fleet operations going forward. Imagine if we can grow a Human clone and supply the necessary personnel to operate those ships. Not only can we program basic information into their brains, we can also supply them with what you would consider a full college education.”

“You mean you can program them to operate our warships?” asked Wade, shaking his head in disbelief.

“No,” Crylia answered. “There is only so much that can be imprinted in this manner. The Human clone would lack hands on experience, which is a big part of the learning process. They would have to attend the military schools to get that knowledge and become fully Human. They'd also need to interact with other Humans until their personalities become set.”

“Would they be Human?” asked Wade, beginning to realize the moral questions that would be asked. Would the clones be given full citizenship or would they be considered property? My God, he couldn’t believe they were even talking about this!

“Once they become acclimated they would be as Human as anyone else,” Malton answered. “There will be no difference between them and a regular Human other than they were grown in a cloning chamber.”

“Have you mentioned this to General Mitchell or President Randle?” Wade wasn’t sure how they would respond. Hell, he wasn’t sure how any of the surviving Humans would.

“No,” admitted Marken, looking down at the table. “That’s why we wanted to speak to you first. We need to know how you think they will respond to this proposal or if we should drop it completely.”

“One thing you should know, Major,” Kalarn said his eyes narrowing slightly. “Without this technology, we don’t see any way to fill the fleet slots that are now open and will be opening in the near future. Using the clones, we could fill those slots and crew whatever sized fleet General Mitchell and Fleet Admiral Kirby feels are necessary for the defense of the Solar System. We could possibly even launch major attacks against the Kleese.”

Wade closed his eyes, trying to think of how to respond. He didn’t like the sound of this technology, but without it the Human race as well as the Kiveans might not survive. If the Kleese launched another major attack with their fleet, Admiral Kirby might not be able to stop it. From listening to Harnett and the others, if they could buy a few years' time they could build the fleet to the point it might actually be possible to stand up to the Kleese on a more even footing. They might be able to keep the Kleese from attacking the Solar System.

“I think we have to use it,” he said slowly, looking around the expectant group. He could see by the knowing looks on their faces they'd already come to that conclusion as well.

“We agree,” responded Marken, nodding his head. “Now we just need to figure out the best way to make this proposal to General Mitchell and President Randle; that’s where we need your help.”

Wade drew in a sharp breath; this was going to be a long day. What they were about to propose doing would undoubtedly change the Human race. However, it might also be humanity's salvation.

“Very well,” he said. “Let’s talk over what needs to be done and how we ensure the fair treatment of these clones. I also want to know more about this technology and how it works.”

Marken nodded and allowed himself to smile. If they could buy a few years' time, the war with the Kleese would change. The Humans would come storming out of the Solar System and the galaxy would never be the same again.

Chapter Fifteen

Admiral Rivers leaned back in his command chair, watching the main viewscreen as the fleet prepared to drop out of Fold Space. It had been ten weeks since they'd left the Solar System. The Command Center was unusually quiet as each emergence from Fold Space took them deeper into Kleese controlled territory.

“Dropping out of Fold Space,” Colonel Greerman reported as his eyes focused on the main sensor screen.

At the moment, the screen was covered in static from the effects of Fold Space. It would take several moments for the sensors to begin receiving information. For those few seconds, the fleet would be vulnerable.

“Drop out,” spoke Ensign Horace Rodriquez from the Helm as he checked several controls on his console.

“Sensors coming online,” reported Lieutenant Mandy Hertz after several uneventful moments passed. “No nearby contacts.”

Rivers allowed himself to relax. They'd been dropping out of Fold Space once a week to recalibrate the fleet’s Fold Space Drives and other key systems. So far, there'd been no problems or other ships detected.

“What do we have?” inquired Rivers, looking over at Lieutenant Hertz expectantly.

“System’s a blue giant,” she replied as she gazed at the data coming in over the ship’s powerful sensors. “Not detecting any planets, though there is a ring of asteroids far out from the star.”

“Any signs of mining activity?” asked Colonel Greerman, worriedly. This was one of their biggest fears. They'd been dropping out of Fold Space in systems not likely to have any inhabited planets, although there was always the possibility of stumbling across a mining operation in one of the dead systems.

“Nothing showing on sensors,” answered Hertz, glancing over at the admiral. “It’s a small asteroid field and probably not worth the investment in mining.”

“Very well,” Rivers replied, satisfied the system was safe.” He then turned toward Colonel Greerman. “Notify all ships we will begin a twenty-four hour period of maintenance checks. Fleet will stay at Condition Three.”

“Yes, Sir,” replied Colonel Greerman as he began passing on the necessary orders.

Admiral Rivers let out a long and deep breath. They'd traveled a little over 7,200 light years on the way to their destination. They still had nearly 9,000 light years to go. He had prayed for a boring trip, but the crews of his ships were becoming restless. There had already been reports of a few scuffles and a number of loud arguments.

-

Captain Mark Stevens stood in front of his company of marines in his Type Three command battle suit. All one hundred of his fellow marines were encased in theirs as well. Captain Winfrey and Lieutenants Taylor and Davies were standing next to him in their command suits as they looked over the assembled company.

“I know we don’t have enough room in this bay to run drills in the suits,” Mark spoke in a commanding voice. “Today, we will do PT for two hours in the suits to keep all of us acclimated in their use. Starting tomorrow, we'll be doing platoon-sized drills in the suits. Each platoon will drill for four hours before being replaced by the next. We’ll eventually break this down into squads and run actual battle drills using lasers to render their targets immobile.”

“Immobile,” muttered Private Turner with a grimace, which was hidden by his suit helmet.

That meant when a laser hit a vital part of the suit, the suit would become immobilized. Turner hated lying on the floor not able to move. It had happened too often back on the station when they were trying to get up that damn mountain. He had been immobilized four of the five times they attempted to get to the top. Once, he had been immobile for nearly four grueling hours.

“Crap,” uttered Private Morris, shaking her head. Turner’s com was on and everyone had heard his comment. He should have made sure it was off before he opened his big mouth.

Lieutenant Taylor strolled over in his battle suit until he was standing directly in front of Private Turner. “Do you have a problem with that, Private?”

“No, Sir,” gulped Turner, realizing he had screwed up again. Why did this stuff always happen to him?

“Good,” replied Lieutenant Taylor as he activated a control in his command suit, drew the laser pistol from his holster, and shot Turner in the chest.

Instantly Turner felt his battle suit go rigid and he began to fall over. He fell against Private Morris, who quickly stepped out of the way to allow Turner to fall noisily to the deck.

Private Morris allowed herself to grin. Maybe Turner would learn to keep his mouth shut. She focused her eyes back on Lieutenant Taylor, ignoring Private Turner. In her helmet, she thought she could hear a few chuckles coming from some of the other marines whose coms were on.

Mark nodded his approval. All of the marines under his command had to learn that there were consequences for their actions. Here in the training bay they were harmless, but out in the field of battle, mistakes could be costly.

Captain Winfrey shook his head in disapproval. Private Turner continued to disappoint him. The man showed a tremendous amount of potential, but he continuously found ways to get into trouble. He let out a deep sigh as he stared at the immobile Type Three battle suit containing the private. Perhaps some extra KP duty was in order. Back when they had been on guard duty at the survival center at Lakenheath, Private Turner had been personally responsible for saving hundreds of lives. Anytime Dylan needed someone to go out on a search and rescue mission, Turner had been the first to volunteer. For that reason alone, Winfrey had been willing to overlook some of the private’s short comings. He would speak to Corporal Green and ask him to keep a closer watch on Turner.

-

Admiral Rivers was standing in Main Engineering listening to his chief engineer. Craig Steverson was a brilliant engineer and expected all of the systems on the ship to run to perfection. If he had any fault, it was that he was a perfectionist and sometimes demanded nearly the impossible from his crew.

“Everything still seems to be functioning normally,” Steverson was saying as he watched several junior engineers running diagnostics on the ship’s main fusion reactor. “There are a few minor adjustments that need to be made here and there, but for the most part the ship seems to be holding up very well.”

Rivers looked around Engineering, noting how spotless everything was. Consoles, equipment, the deck, everything looked as if it had been recently wiped down. “Keep up the good work, Chief,” commented Rivers, nodding his head in approval.

“We’re fortunate that even when we’re in Fold Space we can do a lot of preventative maintenance,” Steverson replied as he switched his gaze to several other engineers who were about to go into the chamber that contained the heart of the Fold Space Drive.

Rivers noted where the Chief’s attention was focused and couldn’t help but grin. “I’ll get out of your hair. Just keep the Independence ready for battle and her systems running at peak efficiency.”

“Yes, Sir,” Steverson replied as he turned and hurried after the two men who had gone into the Fold Space chamber.

Rivers shook his head and left Engineering to go to the officer’s mess. It had been a while since he ate, and he could feel his stomach beginning to rumble. As he walked through the ship, he sensed a feeling of boredom from many of the crewmembers he was passing. There was little talking and the crew seemed to be in no particular hurry to get to where they were going. When he reached the officer’s mess, he filled his tray and sat down. In the morning, he would speak to Colonel Greerman about arranging more emergency drills for all of the ships. There were ways to keep the crews active. Perhaps a contest between ships with some type of reward for the winner. He had held back some steaks on board one of the supply ships for special occasions. A steak dinner for the winning crew might be just what the fleet needed. A little competition would help to break the monotony of their voyage.

-

Private Turner was in the barracks with his squad watching a video of some of the Human conscripts taken from Earth fighting a type of creature that looked like a giant locust.

“They died by the thousands,” Captain Winfrey said in a calm voice as he saw the fighting on the screen change to hand to hand. Energy Lances became the weapon of the day as the Humans waded into the alien locusts, cutting them in two as they charged. Then massive explosions began going off in the ranks of the locusts, blowing massive gaps in their charging formation. Even Humans in battle suits could be seen being hurled into the air by the blasts. Then the screen went dark.

The room was quiet as the ten marines digested what they'd just witnessed. It was gruesome and the carnage to the enemy had been brutal.

“I spoke to Major Nelson, who took part in this battle,” Captain Winfrey said in a solemn voice. “They lost their commanding officer in this attack and a number of good marines. It was only when they fired their heavy explosive rounds down upon their own position that they managed to turn the tide of the battle to their advantage. Major Nelson said they never knew how many of the insect like aliens they killed, but it was in the thousands.”

“We only have twelve hundred marines with us,” Private Morris spoke, still shaken from watching the video. She had not expected something so horrific and violent. It made her realize just what they might be getting themselves into on some of the alien worlds they would be attacking.

“That’s correct,” replied Winfrey, nodding his head. “We also have some new and heavier equipment with us on the Fire Fox that should help if we get into a heavy combat situation like the one you just witnessed. Major Nelson was instrumental in suggesting that we add this equipment to our mission.”

Everyone was silent for a long moment then Private Turner asked a question. “Just how many missions are we going to be expected to go on before we head back home?”

“We don’t know,” Captain Winfrey confessed with a heavy frown. “We want the Strell and the Kleese to focus their attention on one another. Hopefully, this will lessen the chance of the Kleese mounting a major attack on the Solar System. We’re small potatoes compared to the Strell, which control a Galactic Empire.”

“So, we’re going to start a galactic war,” stated Private Morris, appalled at the idea of causing so many deaths. She hated the Kleese, but the Strell had not been the ones to attack Earth.

“The Kleese attacked us first,” Winfrey reminded them in a strict, lecturing voice. “They wiped out over ninety-eight percent of the Human race. There is no reason to show them any mercy or compassion; they will show none to you. As for the Strell, they are just as ruthless. They have conquered hundreds of worlds and employ the same tactics as the Kleese.”

After Captain Winfrey left the barracks room, the ten marines sat around discussing the video and what the captain had told them. It sounded like they would be on this mission for quite some time, and after watching the video they were beginning to realize that some of them might not be returning home.

-

Captain Stevens was sitting across from Colonel Andler in a small briefing room discussing the current status of the marines on the Fire Fox.

“They’re growing restless,” spoke Mark, thinking about the drills they'd gone through earlier in the day. “It’s even worse on the assault ships because they don’t have the room to do major drills.”

“That’s why there are only twenty marines on each one of them,” responded Colonel Andler, leaning back and placing his large hands upon the surface of the small table they were sitting at. “With a twenty-week voyage, we knew there'd be a problem with boredom.”

Mark nodded. He wished that Lieutenant Griffith was here; he always had a habit of coming up with unique ways to dispel boredom. He had done it more than once during their long tour of duty at Tent City.

“I would suggest that as we get nearer to our destination, we pick out an uninhabited world and spend a good week going through simulated battle drills. With our battle suits, a breathable atmosphere isn’t needed.”

“I've thought much the same,” replied Andler, arching his eyebrow as he thought about what they needed to do. “There is a large neutral zone in the area we’re going to where we may be able to find such a world. I’ll suggest it to Admiral Rivers.”

“It will certainly help to lessen casualties,” Mark responded, not wanting to lose any of his marines. He was about to say more when the Condition One alarm sounded and red lights began flashing in the briefing room.

“Something’s happened!” spoke Colonel Andler, standing up. “I hope the Kleese haven’t found us.”

“It could be a drill,” suggested Mark, knowing that a few were planned in the next few days.

“Admiral Rivers would have told me first,” Andler answered as he headed for the door to go up to the Fire Fox’s Command Center.

Mark watched him go and then with a sharp breath decided to go check on his marine company. At Condition One, a squad was supposed to get into their Type Three battle suits in case they were needed to repel boarders.

-

Admiral Rivers looked with concern at the large tactical screen. Two red threat icons had suddenly appeared in the system. “Range,” he demanded as he gazed over at Lieutenant Hertz, who was busily pressing icons on her computer screens.

“Four hundred and twelve million kilometers,” she reported briskly as more detailed information became available. “They’re not Kleese warships.”

“Who are they?” asked Colonel Greerman, striding over to look over Lieutenant Hertz’s shoulder at the information coming up on her screen.

“I’m running it through the ship database now,” she responded as she waited for the computer to respond. The ship’s computer had been loaded with the ship database from Centerpoint as well as ship information gathered from the attack on the communications center.

“Can they detect us at this range?” asked Admiral Rivers as his eyes returned to the tactical screen and the two red icons. As he watched, they seemed to be moving away from the fleet.

“I don’t think so,” Lieutenant Hertz answered as the computer finally identified the unknown ships. “The ships are Dirden cargo vessels. They have no weapons and only minimal sensors. The Dirden home world is only twenty light years from our current position.”

“Probably checking their systems same as us,” commented Colonel Greerman, feeling satisfied that the two ships were not an immediate threat. “Do you want to take the fleet into Fold Space?”

“No,” Rivers responded as he watched the two red icons as they steadily moved away from the fleet. “We’re right in the middle of our system checks and the Dirden vessels don’t seem to pose a threat. Take us back to Condition Three but keep an eye on them. If they turn or do anything that looks suspicious, we’re out of here!”

Looking around the Command Center, Rivers could see the tension leaving the faces of the crew. For a moment, everyone had thought that the Kleese had stumbled across them. If that had been the case, the entire mission would've been jeopardized.

-

Eight hours later, all system checks were complete and the only major problem found was aboard one of the two ammunition ships. A power relay to the ship’s fusion reactor had to be replaced and once that was finished, the fleet was ready to get under way once more.

“Take us back into Fold Space,” ordered Admiral Rivers, glancing one last time at the large tactical screen. The two Dirden cargo ships had left the system several hours back and never came close to the fleet.

“Entering Fold Space,” Ensign Rodriquez replied as he turned the large key that controlled the ship’s powerful Fold Space Drive.

Instantly, the Independence and the rest of the ships of Fourth Fleet accelerated to a speed of many times that of light and soon left the blue giant system far behind. They'd have to drop out of Fold Space twelve more times before they reached their destination. They still had a long ways to go before they reached their target area.

-

On the Kleese home world, a turbulent meeting was being held. The Council of Overlords was discussing the recent setback of the warfleet that had been sent to the Human system.

Bixutl slammed his hand down upon the hard, unforgiving stone of the council table. “Five warships destroyed!” he uttered in an angry voice. He folded the seven digits of his hand into a fist and waved it at Xatul, the Supreme Overlord. “How is this possible? We haven’t lost a warship of that class in over a thousand years; not since the war with the Strell!”

“Minor Overlord Axtell and the Dark Oblivion did not survive,” Xatul responded his eyes raking over Bixutl. “The information we have from the surviving warship is sketchy at best. I've sent instructions for them to return as soon as possible so we can examine the ship’s records of the battle.”

“What do we do about the Humans in the meantime?” demanded Hymtal, folding his long black arms over the thick, coarse hair on his chest. “It seems as if they are becoming a major threat.”

“Their fleet was badly damaged in the battle,” Xatul replied in a calm and commanding voice. “Most of their major warships were destroyed and many others were heavily damaged. Even with the aid of the station they stole from us, it will take time to repair what they lost. It will be several years before we have to worry about the Humans again.”

“I am not so certain,” Bixutl responded his voice rising in ire. “The Humans need to be destroyed while we have the opportunity. If we have destroyed so many of their warships, why not send our fleet back reinforced with additional exploration ships to finish the job?”

“While it is true that we have heavily damaged their fleet, scans from an earlier battle indicate they have placed heavy weapons around their known colonies as well as added more weapons to the trading station they have taken. I think it is a wiser course of action to wait until our surviving warship returns, and then we can study the data of the battle to determine our next course of action. That will ensure the next attack will not fail.”

“And if it is determined that the Humans are indeed a major threat to our Empire, then what will be your recommendation?” asked Keluth. He wondered if the Supreme Overlord was showing weakness at his refusal to deal with this Human problem. Any sign of weakness would result in Xatul being removed as the Supreme Overlord and being replaced by another from the council.

“Don’t doubt my determination in dealing with this problem,” warned Xatul, sensing misgivings in Keluth’s voice. “After reviewing the battle data from our warship, if we deem the Humans are indeed a serious threat then I will awaken the Zaltule and have them deal with these vermin.”

Everyone became quiet at Xatul’s mentioning of the Zaltule. There was no doubt that the warrior sect would make quick work of the upstart Humans.

“We will awaken the Zaltule,” agreed Bixutl. However, once the Zaltule were awakened and they learned of the tremendous amount of time that had passed while they were asleep, there was no doubt in Bixutl’s mind they would not be willing to return to their sleep chambers. Awakening the Zaltule would shake the Kleese Empire to its core. He also suspected it would have a profound effect on the makeup of the council as well.

“Very well,” Keluth responded in a more conciliatory tone. “We will wait the warship’s arrival.”

-

Hours later, Xatul was aboard his private shuttle going into orbit around the eighth planet of their star system. From this distance, the small K Class star shed very little light upon the planet below. It was an ice planet with a diameter of nearly twenty thousand kilometers, but that was not what interested Xatul. There was a small moon sixteen hundred kilometers in diameter orbiting the planet. Around the moon were nearly two thousand dark disk ships. All were the same, three kilometers across and one thousand meters thick. These were the warships of the Zaltule.

Xatul studied the ships for a long moment. They were serviced regularly and could be made combat ready in a matter of hours. Each ship was preserved by a weak stasis field that ensured the ship stayed the same year after year.

“Take us down to the surface,” Xatul directed the pilot of the shuttle. It was time for him to make an inspection of the massive underground installation on the moon.

“We’re being targeted by the moon’s weapons,” the pilot reported as a red warning light began flashing.

“That is to be expected,” replied Xatul, calmly. He quickly entered a command code on the communications panel and sent it to the appropriate location on the moon’s surface. Moments later, the red light stopped flashing.

The shuttle quickly dropped down toward the dark rock of the airless moon. As they neared the surface, a massive airlock swung open and the shuttle entered. It quickly sat down in a large landing bay with hundreds of other small and large shuttles. A group of heavily armed Kleese in battle armor made an appearance and quickly surrounded the ship. There were no chances taken when it came to the Zaltule. Xatul quickly exited the shuttle, identifying himself to the waiting garrison commander.

“I have come for an inspection,” Xatul spoke in his commanding voice, expecting obedience. “Take me to the main sleeping chamber.”

“As you command,” replied the commander, motioning for his troops to follow.

They walked a short distance, their multiple legs making clicking noises upon the metal floor of the landing bay. After going through several airlocks with thick metallic hatches, they took a small tram further into the moon. Most of the armed troops stayed behind, with only two entering the tram to accompany them. After nearly twenty minutes, they arrived at their destination.

Xatul exited the tram feeling a sharp chill. The temperature in this section of the moon was noticeably colder. Ahead of him was a massive hatch with ten heavily armed Kleese standing guard duty. Once more, he had to identify himself before he was allowed admittance. After the guards were satisfied he was indeed the Supreme Overlord, he was allowed entrance to the sleeping chamber.

Stepping through the hatch with the garrison commander, Xatul came to a stop before a large heavily reinforced window. There was ice evident on the inside. Looking out, he could see a massive chamber that seemed to stretch for kilometers. Inside the chamber were tens of thousands of large black cases in orderly rows stacked ten high. A few Kleese in protective gear moved slowly down the long rows, inspecting the recording instruments on each case.

“How many sleep chamber failures have we had in the past month?” Xatul demanded, turning to face the garrison commander.

“Forty-eight,” the commander replied.

“Too many,” Xatul muttered as his gaze returned to the inside of the chamber. There were twenty of these massive chambers hidden on this moon buried deep beneath its scarred surface.

After being asleep for so long, the Zaltule were slowly dying. This was a secret that only the garrison commander and the Kleese stationed here knew. Guard duty on the moon was a permanent assignment and no Kleese ever left here after being assigned. Xatul was the only other Kleese who knew what was happening.

“How many are still asleep?”

“Over twenty-two million,” the garrison commander replied. “We have lost over six thousand in the last ten years. However, the rate of sleep death is increasing. We will lose twice that many in the next ten years and twice as many the following ten.”

Xatul nodded his head. Events were proceeding that would force him to wake up the Zaltule whether he wanted to or not. Their warrior abilities were too valuable to be lost to the Kleese. If they were not awakened, most of the Zaltule would die in the next one hundred and fifty years if the rate of sleep death continued to accelerate.

“Begin making preparations to rouse the Zaltule,” ordered Xatul, looking over at the garrison commander. “Make sure we have everything in place for the awakening.”

“Yes, Overlord,” replied the commander. “When will this awakening begin?”

“Not for a while yet,” responded Xatul, wanting to delay it for as long as possible, but knowing that a final decision would have to be made soon.

There was a strong possibility that once the Zaltule were awakened his days of being the Kleese Supreme Overlord would be over. There was no doubt that the Zaltule would demand control of the council. At that time, there would also begin a rapid expansion of the Kleese Empire as the Zaltule in their warships spread across the galaxy. The time of slow expansion of the Empire would be over. This had always been the plan when the Zaltule went to sleep, only Xatul hadn't expected it to come about during his lifetime. Interstellar war would soon be returning to the galaxy, and Xatul seriously doubted if anything or anyone could stop the Zaltule.

Chapter Sixteen

General Mitchell leaned back in his chair, his face covered in disbelief at what Marken had just revealed to the group sitting around the conference table. Looking at the others, he could see the same stunned look upon General Pittman and Fleet Admiral Kirby’s faces as well as the others. Only President Randle seemed unsurprised at Marken’s announcement.

“Clones?” uttered General Pittman his face changing to a look of confusion. “What do you mean, clones?”

“You say you can grow them to full maturity in less than two years?” asked Kirby, trying to think of all the ramifications of the bombshell Marken had just dropped on them. This was one of the last things he had been expecting to hear when Marken and Major Nelson requested this meeting.

“Yes,” Marken responded with a confirming nod. Major Nelson, Harnett, Malton, and Crylia were also seated at the table. Between them, he hoped they could answer all of the questions that were sure to come. “The technology was on the computer drive we received from the nonaligned worlds.”

“Imagine,” spoke Major Nelson, leaning forward knowing he had everyone’s undivided attention. “What if we could have one hundred thousand fully trained men and women for the fleet as well as the Type Two and Three battle suits in four to six more years? Then we could add another ten to twenty thousand per year as needed. Our fleet would be as large as we want, along with our Space Marine Corps.”

“It would solve our current personnel problem,” Cheryl Robinson admitted her eyes growing wide at the thought. “Is this really possible?”

“Yes,” Wade responded with a nod. “If I didn’t believe this could work, I wouldn’t be sitting here today.”

“Will these clones be fully Human?” asked Mayor Silas of Luna City, taking in a deep breath. His mind was still trying to get a grasp on what Marken and the major were proposing. “Will they have the same rights as regular Humans?”

“They will be fully Human,” Crylia confirmed her eyes narrowing. It was essential the Humans in this room understood that the Clones would be real people. “There will be no appreciable difference between a Human clone and one born naturally. They will even be able to have children.”

“But what will they be like?” General Mitchell asked with deep concern etched into his face. “They won’t have a childhood; will they be more like robots without emotions?”

“They will be intelligent but very innocent when they first come out of the cloning chambers,” Harnett explained in a patient voice. “The clones will learn quickly, and their Human emotions should establish themselves as soon as they begin interacting with other Humans. We must be careful who they interact with at first to ensure that they develop a normal range of feelings.”

“It will be necessary to select a large number of dependable Humans to work with the clones the first year, perhaps even going through their training with them,” added Crylia, wanting to stress how important that first year would be. “We are also going to be developing videos they can watch to help move things along.”

“Videos may be fine,” spoke Cheryl, shaking her head. “But it can’t replace real Human interaction.” She could well remember what it had been like for her growing up in her parent’s home. These clones wouldn’t have that crucial experience. “They won’t have a childhood and the memories of that upbringing.”

“You'll have a lot of people who will object to his,” Professor Scott said in a softer voice. “Some people may never accept the clones as Human.”

“We’re well aware of that possibility,” Marken admitted with a sigh. “But we hope that as the years go by, the clones will be accepted as valuable members of Human society.”

“It may take time,” Cheryl commented as she thought about how best to tell the surviving Humans in the colonies and habitats about the clones. It would involve a very well thought out media campaign. Perhaps more so than even the military recruitment campaign she was currently running. “In the long run, I think it can be done,” she added after a moment of thought.

“If we do this, then I propose that we give the clones the same Human rights as everyone else,” Mason said, looking intently at the others. “There will be no distinction between the two.”

Harnett breathed out a long sigh of relief. This was what she had been hoping to hear. It would make everything easier and solve some of the moral issues bothering her.

“What if a clone doesn’t want to be in the military?” Professor Scott asked his forehead creasing with concern. “What if they refuse to fight?”

Marken looked over at Major Nelson, who nodded and then stood up to better address the group. This was one of the questions they'd already debated amongst themselves.

“This is a survival situation,” Wade began in a well-controlled voice. “The clones will be taught from the very beginning that they’re to become part of the Human military. They will be required to go through all of the training to prepare them for that day. When they graduate, they will be given a choice. If they choose not to become part of the military, then they can become part of our normal Human society. But we estimate that over ninety percent of them will choose to serve.”

“So you’re essentially going to force them to go through military training?” asked Mayor Silas not happy with that idea.

“That’s what they’re being created for,” countered Wade his eyes focusing on the mayor. “It will also be good for the clones to be in a well structured environment until they are actually ready to make decisions on their own. Even though they will be physically mature, you may want to consider them as minor children until they graduate.”

“I see,” replied Mayor Silas, leaning back in his chair and placing his right hand on the table. This was something he wanted to talk to Mason about later on in private. He wasn’t completely sold yet on this clone idea.

The discussion continued for another four long hours with details being worked out on the number of initial clones there would be as well as how they would be treated. It became clear early on that the clone idea was going to be accepted. They really had no other choice if they wanted to survive in the war against the Kleese. This might well be the only viable option available to them.

When they were finally all in agreement, General Mitchell looked around the group. “Is there anything else we need to discuss?”

Marken stood up with his eyes focused on General Mitchell and Fleet Admiral Kirby. “If we’re going to do cloning we need more help. I propose we launch our mission to Kivea to rescue as many of our scientists, technicians, and young people as possible.”

Fleet Admiral Kirby suspected this was going to come up at some point in time. “We do have nearly all of our ships from the Kleese attack repaired and back in operation,” he admitted. “Not only that but Fifth Fleet will be fully operational in another week. The battlecruisers have already left Vesta and are going through their space trials along with their light cruisers and assault ships.”

“We had a difficult time coming up with the crews for the new and damaged ships,” announced Cheryl, recalling how they'd searched the entire system to find enough qualified people. Many were going through on the job training, which was a dangerous situation. While the ships were back in operation, they still had a long ways to go before they were operating at peak efficiency.

“What’s the minimum amount of warships we could send on this mission?” asked Mason, looking over at Major Nelson and Marken.

He didn’t know if there would ever be a good time to launch this rescue mission. At the moment, the Kleese were still off balance from their last attack. Mason felt confident they had a window of opportunity available for the next few months so it would be safe to launch this mission if it could be pulled together quickly enough.

“Marken and I have discussed this in detail,” admitted Wade. He had felt nervous about keeping these discussions a secret from the president and the higher ups in the military but Marken had insisted. “We feel we can successfully complete the mission with two battlecruisers, eight light cruisers, and twenty-four assault ships.”

“How long would you be gone?” Mason asked his eyes focusing on Major Nelson.

“Ten weeks,” Wade replied in an even voice.

“We would have Fourth Fleet gone and nearly half of another fleet if we agree to this,” Kirby was quick to point out. “It could make us vulnerable to a Kleese attack with the current untrained status of the crews on some of our ships.”

“Without these Kivean scientists and technicians, how hard will it be to complete the cloning project?” asked Mason, drawing in a sharp breath.

“It's still possible, though we might have to scale the project back to half of what we could possibly do with the added help,” Marken replied his eyes focused on Mason.

Harnett looked over at Marken, struggling to keep her face straight. That wasn’t quite true. If they involved more of the Kiveans in the asteroid city, it might still be possible to create the full number of clones needed. It would be more difficult, but she was confident it could be done.

“You originally spoke of taking all of the large passenger ships with you,” spoke General Mitchell. “How long would it take to have all eighteen ships upgraded and ready to leave?”

“Six weeks,” Marken quickly responded. “There are a large number of Kivean technicians willing to help with the conversion. There will be other ships we'll need as well.”

“We need to discuss this,” Mason said, feeling the heavy weight of authority descending upon his shoulders. “We’ll give you our decision tomorrow.”

Marken nodded; he had expected no less. “Remember, our race’s future depends on this mission.”

Harnett let out a deep breath. She hoped the Humans agreed. If not, it was doubtful the Kivean race would survive. There were simply not enough Kiveans of childbearing age in the new city to carry on the race. Of course, they could always resort to cloning if everything else failed though Harnett preferred not to go that route just yet.

-

The next day, Wade was called into General Mitchell’s office. Going inside, he saw Fleet Admiral Kirby was there as well as Colonel Adamson. General Mitchell indicated for Wade to take a seat.

“The president has approved your rescue mission to Kivea,” General Mitchell began as he drummed the fingers of his right hand on the desk. “It was a difficult decision, but it was felt that if we can rescue enough Kivean scientists and technicians, it could well be worth it. We still have a lot of the technology on that computer drive from the nonaligned worlds we need to decipher.”

Wade nodded and reaching into his pocket, he slid a small computer flash drive across the table toward General Mitchell.

“What’s that?” asked Mitchell, picking up the small thumb sized drive and gazing questionably at it.

“The schematics to an ion cannon,” Wade replied with a smile crossing his face. “The cannons are designed to be placed upon a planet or asteroid and are quite deadly to ships in orbit. They have a much greater range than our particle beam cannons and should be deadly, even against Kleese mother ships.”

“This is some of the technology from the nonaligned worlds computer drive,” Admiral Kirby stated, taken aback by the major’s description of the weapons capabilities.

“How hard will it be to build these?” asked Mitchell, looking over at Major Nelson. Every colony and habitat would be screaming for these once the capabilities of the ion cannons were revealed.

“They're highly technical and complicated to build,” Wade admitted. “It’s another reason we need the scientists and technicians from Kivea.”

“A bribe!” laughed General Mitchell, realizing what Marken and the major had planned. “In this case, it isn’t necessary. Tell Marken the rescue mission is on and that Colonel Adamson will be leading it.” Once again, it amazed Mitchell just how Human the Kiveans could be at times.

“Is there anything else you’ll need?” Kirby asked.

Wade hesitated for a moment. The attack on Kivea was bound to involve a lot of fighting on the ground. “We want the Crimson Star and a full load out of marines to go with us to take the Kivean city of Micene. It has an estimated population of over one million and will probably be full of Kleese conscripts. Marken also feels there will be some Kleese on the ground coordinating the research of the Kivean scientists.”

“The Crimson Star,” Kirby uttered, not feeling surprised. “That’s our only other military transport ship.”

“We’re risking a lot on this mission,” Wade said, knowing he badly needed the ship if the mission was to succeed. “But if we manage to rescue those Kivean scientists, just think of what it might mean to the defense of our Solar System. The ion cannons could make our colonies and habitats nearly impervious to attack from the Kleese, and there is so much more on the nonaligned worlds computer drive.”

General Mitchell looked down at the flash drive in his hand. Major Nelson was right; the ion cannons would make a huge difference in the defense of the Solar System. There was so much more valuable information on the nonaligned world’s computer drive that needed to be deciphered and workable schematics drawn up. There were some very good Human scientists, but the Kiveans seemed to have a knack for this type of work. Even so, they were having a hard time deciphering some of the information.

“Very well,” he said after a moment. “You and Marken will coordinate everything through Colonel Adamson. Major Nelson, you will be in charge of the marines going on this mission as well as the ground assault.”

“Yes, Sir,” responded Wade. He had hoped to be given command.

“Major,” General Mitchell spoke his face taking on a serious look. “Make sure this mission is a success; a lot is riding on it.”

“I will, Sir,” promised Wade as he stood up. He knew Marken would be ecstatic over the news that the mission was a go.

-

President Randle was having a meeting with the head of the Federated Assembly Council, Ralph Steward, to discuss the concept of using clones to satisfy the shortfalls in their military recruiting.

“Clones,” Steward spoke, the word sounding distasteful as it came from his mouth. “A lot of the assembly won’t like it.”

“I was hesitant myself at first,” admitted Mason, knowing he had to sell the idea to Steward. Even Mayor Silas had taken some convincing. “But by using the clones to fill in for the shortfalls in our recruiting, it will alleviate the need for a draft.”

“And these clones will be real people?” Steward asked doubtfully. “How can that be if they’re grown in canisters?”

“Not canisters; growth chambers,” Mason responded. “The Kiveans will take DNA from as many people as possible and then combine that DNA in various patterns to make a new Human. With enough DNA samples, the combinations are nearly infinite, so we won’t have hundreds or even thousands of clones that all look alike. They will all be unique, and after maturity and training you won’t be able to tell them apart from a naturally born Human.”

“How many of them will there be?” Steward asked. He didn’t want true Humans to become a minority.

“Probably around one hundred thousand initially,” Mason answered. “That will allow us to expand our military to a size that will be able to adequately defend the Solar System. We’ll then add ten to twenty thousand a year depending on what our needs are. Don’t forget that there will also be regular Humans who'll volunteer for military service. Our armed services will be a combination of Human clones and people from the colonies and habitats.”

“And the clones will be treated as real people?” asked Steward, feeling skeptical about how true Humans would respond to the knowledge that some Humans were clones.

“Yes,” Mason answered. “I want you to speak to the Federated Council and work up a new set of laws that will protect the clones from discrimination. It should spell out that clones have the same rights as all people. If you need any more information, I will be glad to get Marken or his life mate, Harnett, to speak with you or the council.”

“I think I can handle this,” replied Steward, drawing in a sharp breath. “Just the promise that a draft won’t be necessary should allow this measure to pass. I may need to call upon Harnett to speak to the council to explain the cloning process in more detail.”

“I’m sure she will be happy to do that,” Mason answered.

-

After finishing his meeting with Steward, Mason made his way to a small restaurant where he was meeting Adrienne for lunch. Adrienne had just returned from the Kivean’s asteroid where she had been meeting with Harnett over some of the finer details concerning the clones Mason needed.

Sitting down across from his wife, Mason allowed himself to smile. She was gorgeous and had allowed her blonde hair to grow longer until it now lay upon her shoulders with a gentle curl. He could get lost at times in her deep blue eyes.

“Harnett was excited to see me,” Adrienne said as she looked at the menu in front of her. Baked chicken breast sounded good to her. This particular restaurant made a sauce she absolutely loved with chicken.

“I'll bet,” responded Mason. He knew that Adrienne and Harnett were very close and talked about nearly everything. “They got their way with the clones and the rescue mission to Kivea is being set up.”

“Yes,” Adrienne replied with an eye-catching smile. “She told me all about that. Did you know that they’ve been building a new habitat and city in their asteroid for the Kiveans they plan to rescue?”

“Yes,” admitted Mason, recalling some of his conversations with Marken over the new construction. “We had to help them with some of the raw materials they needed. “Their new habitat is twenty kilometers in length and six kilometers wide, with a height of four kilometers. Marken claims he can make it rain on a regular basis inside the habitat when they’re finished with it.”

“Rain…” Adrienne said her blue eyes getting a dreamy look in them. “I would love to stand outside in a good soaking rain.”

“You may get your wish,” Mason said with a laugh as he decided to try the Prime Rib.

“Do you think he could do the same thing in our habitats?” asked Adrienne, wistfully.

“Possibly,” Mason answered after thinking about it for a moment. “I’ll have to ask him.”

“What’s on your schedule for this afternoon?”

“I have a meeting with Sean Miller and Ethan Hall about the ships they need to update for the Kivea mission. I doubt if they’re going to be happy about their work on the next group of warships coming to a halt.”

“At least they’ll have a large number of Kivean engineers and technicians to help them,” Adrienne was quick to point out. “That should speed things up tremendously.”

“It should,” Mason responded as a server came toward their table to take their orders. He let out a heavy sigh; it was going to be a long day. He was just glad he could take an hour out of his busy schedule to eat lunch with Adrienne.

-

Wade and Beth were standing next to a small stream in the New Eden habitat. They had come out for a picnic and to discuss the upcoming mission to Kivea. Over the last few months, they'd become closer as Beth had gradually let her guard down.

“I can’t believe that you and Marken were going to bribe General Mitchell with the ion cannons,” Beth said, trying not to giggle. Knowing General Mitchell he could have very easily thrown Wade into the brig.

“It wasn’t necessary,” Wade said defensively as he looked out at the slow moving water.

The stream was about ten meters across and he couldn’t quite see the bottom. He knew that Lori Wright had stocked all the streams and lakes in the habitat with fish. He had checked the water in the stream earlier and had found much to his surprise that it was cold. That probably meant Lori had put several species of trout in this particular stream. He could also hear a few birds calling in the distance, and in the nearby trees he noticed several species of colorful butterflies.

“And they gave you the Crimson Star,” Beth said, feeling relief they were taking the large troop ship on this mission. It would allow them to bring some of the special equipment along that Wade had helped to design with Marken’s help. The new gear would give the marines on the ground some heavy firepower if it were needed.

“There will be twenty-four assault ships going also,” Wade told her as he watched Beth begin to unpack the picnic basket and lay the food out upon the blanket she had spread out earlier. “We’ll have two platoons aboard each one so when you include the marines on board the Crimson Star it gives us a fighting force of over fifteen hundred.”

“I hope that’s enough,” Beth replied, pursing her lips. “We used more than that on many of the missions the Kleese sent us on.”

“I know,” admitted Wade, trying not to think about those horrific days. “But the Kleese won’t be expecting us to attack Kivea, and we’ll have a decisive advantage by having some of our marines in the Type Three suits. Marken and I both agree that the conscripts on Kivea will be mostly in Type Two suits, perhaps even in the weaker Type Ones.”

Beth took the lid off one of the large bowls she had laid out. It was full of fried chicken. She had potato salad, baked beans, and homemade rolls that her mother had helped her with.

“I hope you’re hungry,” she said as she handed Wade a plate. “How’s Ryan doing at the military academy?”

“Great,” Wade answered with an all-knowing grin. “He really likes it and hopes to become a fleet officer. I know that Mom and Dad are happy he’s attending and didn’t rush right off to become a marine.”

“He’ll make a great officer,” Beth responded. “If he’s anything like you, the Kleese had better watch out.”

Wade laughed and began filling his plate. He couldn’t wait to taste the chicken and other food that Beth had brought. They were going to take it easy today, and then tomorrow he was going to recall all of his marines back to Centerpoint to begin training for the mission. Wade wasn’t sure what was going to be waiting for them on Kivea, but he planned on being prepared.

-

Mason was in the spacedock speaking with Sean and Ethan, explaining to them what they were going to be doing for the next six weeks. Neither had been happy to have to stop work on the next four battlecruisers considering the hulls had already been laid.

“I guess we have to do it,” grumbled Ethan, looking down at his hands as he thought about what would be involved in upgrading the passenger liners. They would need a more powerful fusion reactor, a military Fold Space Drive, as well as an energy shield. At least they didn’t have to put weapons on them.

“How many Kivean engineers and technicians are we going to have to assist us?” Sean asked as he thought about the schedule he would need to set up to get everything done in the time frame Mason had mentioned.

“Marken’s sending over close to two hundred Kiveans,” answered Mason, seeing surprise on Sean’s face at the large number of Kiveans he was going to have at his disposal.

“That will definitely help,” Ethan said as he looked over the large spacedock. There were a number of cargo ships as well as some of the small prospecting ships currently docked in the bay. “Sean, we’re going to need to get some of those ships moved to make room for the passenger liners.”

“Yeah,” Sean replied with a nod. “I’ll start moving them out of the bay this evening or early in the morning. We can always park them in orbit if we need to.”

Mason paused for a moment and looked around the spacedock. It was hard to imagine that only a few short years ago he was planning to take the Phoenix on the first trip to the stars. Now he was president in the midst of a galactic war, which the Human race could very easily lose.

“We’ll get it done,” promised Sean, looking over at Ethan who nodded back.

“I know you will,” Mason replied. “Just keep me posted on your progress.”

After he finished talking with the two men, Mason made his way back to the Smithfield habitat. He still had a long day ahead of him. It would be late in the evening before he made it back home to Adrienne.

Chapter Seventeen

Admiral Rivers studied the large tactical screen intently as the battlecruiser Independence and the rest of Fourth Fleet dropped out of Fold Space. They were at the extreme edge of their target system in order to avoid unwanted detection.

“Sensors coming online,” Lieutenant Hertz reported as she pressed several icons on the three computer screens on her console. She was feeling apprehensive; they could be in a combat situation shortly.

“If our information is accurate, the fourth planet should be under Strell control,” stated Colonel Greerman as he stepped over closer to the admiral.

Rivers nodded. They'd just completed a full week of military drills in a nearby uninhabited system. Colonel Andler had assured him his marines were ready to tackle their first target. If there were no signs of Strell warships, then the assault ships would hit the planet, attacking several of the major population centers or preferably spaceports, depending on how many there were. Once the Strell investigated, it would seem as if the Kleese had orchestrated the attack.

“Sensors are online and data is coming in,” Hertz reported her eyes focused on the large sensor screen above her. “It will take a few minutes to get a complete scan of the system.”

“Light cruisers have taken up screening positions,” Greerman informed Admiral Rivers. “Assault ships are standing by to begin their attack and the entire fleet is at Condition Two.”

Rivers waited patiently for the sensors to get a full reading of the star system. From the information they'd taken from the massive database on Centerpoint Station, the fourth planet in this system was inhabited by an avian species called the Orvions. They had short feathers over much of their bodies with wings growing from their backs. Their heads were birdlike with powerful beaks and narrow eyes. Two thin arms with delicate hands and fingers allowed the creatures to manipulate equipment and maintain a civilized culture.

“No Strell ships detected,” stated Lieutenant Hertz as her first scans were completed. “There are only a few cargo ships moving about the system.”

Rivers nodded and pressed a button on his command console, which would put him into contact with Colonel Andler on the Fire Fox. Everything looked promising for the attack.

“Mission is a go,” Rivers said as Andler came on the com. “I’ll hold the battlecruisers and the light cruisers here and maintain sensor scans. I won’t bring the fleet in unless a Strell warship appears or you meet greater ground resistance than expected.”

“I understand,” Andler replied. “This shouldn’t take long. If things go as planned, we should be in and out in less than six hours.”

“Good luck,” Rivers said as he turned off the com. Six hours in which they would have to be on watch for Strell warships. They had no way of knowing the patrol schedule the Strell might be using in this section of the galaxy or what type of weapons their ships might be equipped with.

“Go to Condition One,” Rivers ordered as he leaned back and prepared to wait.

Colonel Greerman stepped over to a console and pressed several buttons. Around him, alarms sounded and red lights began to flash as Condition One was set.

-

Sixteen assault ships broke off from the fleet and entered Fold Space followed by the heavily armed Fire Fox. The large troop ship would stay at the back of the formation in an attempt to avoid detection. The ships quickly accelerated to a speed far above that of light and headed toward their unsuspecting target.

Forty minutes later, the ships dropped out of Fold Space and went into high orbit around the Orvion’s planet. As soon as they went into orbit, the Fire Fox began sending out short-range jamming signals to prevent unwanted scans of the troop ship.

“Status!” demanded Captain Stockwell as he looked around the Command Center.

“No warships in orbit,” reported Ensign Eugene Bryan, the Fire Fox’s sensor operator.

“We’re receiving a number of hails from the planet demanding to know what Kleese assault ships are doing in the system,” Ensign Brill reported from Communications.

“One of the transmissions seems to be from the Strell.”

“Don’t reply to the Strell,” Colonel Andler ordered grim faced. “Send a wide beam message toward the planetary capital explaining that we don’t recognize the Strell claim to this system and we’re taking it over in the name of the Kleese Empire. Also find out where that Strell transmission is originating from.”

“That should stir things up,” commented Captain Stockwell from his position on Andler’s right side.

A few moments later, Ensign Brill turned toward Colonel Andler. “Message sent. The Strell representative is claiming that if we attack the planet it will be considered an act of war. He is demanding that we turn around and leave immediately or he will call in Strell warships. The transmission is being sent from the large spaceport next to what appears to be the capital city.”

“Sounds threatening,” Andler spoke with a wolfish grin, glancing over at Captain Stockwell.

“We expected that type of reaction,” commented Stockwell. “The Strell are bound to be highly upset seeing what looks like a Kleese warfleet in orbit.”

“We’ve located two large spaceports on the planet,” Ensign Bryan reported as more information came in over the ship’s powerful sensors.

“Then we know our targets,” Andler responded with a nod. By attacking the spaceports, it should significantly reduce civilian casualties. “Order the assault ships to begin their attack and make sure those Strell don’t survive.”

-

Captain Dylan Winfrey was in one of the first drop ships to head toward the planet. There'd been no resistance as they went into orbit, though Colonel Andler reported they had received numerous transmissions from the planet demanding to know why Kleese assault ships were in the system.

“Standby,” ordered Winfrey, gesturing for his marines to check their suits and weapons one last time. “Our target is the main spaceport just outside of the capital. It seems to be where the Strell conscripts are garrisoned as well as the Strell overseers. If we get into trouble we can call for railgun strikes from the Fire Fox, though I don’t expect that to happen.”

The drop ship shuddered violently for a moment as it entered the thicker air of the planet’s atmosphere. “Five minutes to touchdown,” spoke the ship’s pilot over the com system.

“Damn, this ride's rough,” complained Private Turner as he checked his RG rifle one more time, making sure both magazines were full. The rifle fired RG rounds as well as explosive rounds.

“Stop complaining,” demanded Private Morris, looking sharply at Turner. “They should've just tossed your ass out of the assault ship and you could've floated down to the planet.”

Several of the other marines laughed at this. Turner and Morris were always going after one another.

“Can the chatter,” ordered Dylan, shaking his metal helmet at the two. “There will be plenty of action for everyone shortly.”

The shuttle continued to arrow down toward the surface, passing over a large city of fifteen million inhabitants. It was composed of high towers that reached well over one thousand meters into the air. Many of the city's inhabitants were diving off buildings and flying away toward the countryside. Other drop ships were close by as they descended to the large spaceport just north of the city.

The marines stopped talking as the drop ship seemed to fall straight down, then came to a sudden, jarring halt. The back hatch swung open and the exit ramp descended until it touched the ground. They were on the planet!

“Let’s go!” Captain Winfrey ordered as he checked his RG rifle one final time and headed for the ramp. “Heavy explosive rounds are off limits unless I order them to be used. Regular RG rounds, explosive rounds, and energy weapons are authorized.” Approximately thirty percent of the marines would be carrying the deadly energy weapons.

Reaching the ground, Winfrey looked quickly around. There were four other drop ships nearby containing the rest of the marine company. “Form a defensive perimeter,” he ordered as the last of his marines came out of the drop ship, which quickly blasted back up into the air and accelerated away. It would return when it was time for them to be picked up.

“There goes our ride,” muttered Private Turner as he watched the small ship leave.

“Just keep your ass moving,” Private Morris suggested from his side. “There’s a stone wall over there that will give us some cover until the captain decides on our next move.”

“You need to be an officer,” grumbled Turner. “You’re always telling us what to do.”

Morris moved ahead of Turner in her ten-foot tall Type Three battle suit. She walked as if the suit was a natural extension of her body. She was one of those rare marines for whom the battle suits seemed to become like a second skin as easy to manipulate as an arm or a leg.

Winfrey had listened to the exchange and allowed himself to smile. Turner was right, at some point in time Private Morris would need to be promoted. She just needed some battle experience first. They all did.

“Perimeter established,” he called out over the command channel on his suit com when he saw that his marines were in their designated defensive positions. He heard the other four platoon leaders reply the same.

“Let’s move out then,” Captain Stevens ordered from his command suit. “Lieutenant Davies, your platoon will take point. Lieutenant Taylor and Sergeant Hughes, your platoons will be on the wings. Captain Winfrey’s platoon and mine will form a second skirmish line behind the first three platoons as we advance. There are already reports coming in that the other unit involved in this operation has encountered resistance.” Another company of marines had landed on the far side of the spaceport.

Captain Winfrey looked at the terrain ahead. They were about two kilometers from the outer edge of the spaceport. Large trees with strange looking yellowish-green leaves were abundant as well as several buildings that looked as if they were being used for storage.

“I have several enemy combatants in battle suits approaching from the perimeter of the spaceport,” reported Lieutenant Davies, excitedly. He was using the enhanced vision of his suit helmet to zoom in on the approaching conscripts.

“Same here,” Lieutenant Taylor added. “I have at least six conscripts in some type of battle suit, though I can’t tell what type of weapons they’re carrying. They've just exited the spaceport perimeter and are approaching slowly.”

“Stand by to engage,” Stevens ordered as he used the HUD in his helmet to zoom in on the approaching enemy.

He could see them now. They were enclosed in bulky armor not quite as large as what his marines had and definitely not as advanced. They were carrying some type of assault rifle, though he couldn’t make out the size or if it had explosive rounds like the RG rifles did. None seemed to be equipped with energy weapons. In the distance, he could see more conscripts moving around the spaceport proper preparing to defend it from attack. The conscripts moving toward them must be a probe so the commander of the defending forces could determine what he was up against.

“Hit them with RG explosive rounds on my command. I want them taken out quickly; then we'll charge the perimeter to begin our attack on the spaceport.”

“Ready,” replied Lieutenants Davies and Taylor.

“Let them get a little closer,” Stevens suggested as he continued to watch the approaching enemy. Another minute passed and Mark knew the enemy were now within range of the RG explosive rounds.

“Fire!” he ordered, knowing he was about to kill the dozen or so conscripts using the large trees for cover in their approach. But this was war and the conscripts in the battle suits were part of the Strell Empire.

Grenade-like explosions suddenly began going off several hundred meters in front of Stevens. He held his breath as he saw the enemy begin to go down. First one and then two, then in rapid succession all the others. In just a few moments, it was over. The enemy had never even gotten a shot off! Mark felt a moment of queasiness in the pit of his stomach at the swift death he had just dealt out.

“Advance!” he yelled as he waved his marines forward. In moments, all one hundred marines were moving at a half run. In battle suits that meant they were moving faster than an Olympic sprinter.

“Enemy are massing at the perimeter,” Sergeant Carrie Young reported as she saw numerous conscripts in battle suits forming up in front of her. She was in Lieutenant Davies’ platoon and second in command. “I can also see several heavy vehicles moving out from a couple of hangers on the spaceport.”

“Watch those vehicles,” Stevens warned with a hint of concern in his voice. “We may need to target them with the heavier suit explosives if they turn out to be armed.” He didn’t like the thought of having to tangle with armed vehicles.

Captain Winfrey was listening to the various conversations over the com in his command suit, knowing the combat situation was about to get much more intense. Using the HUD in his suit, he scanned the vehicles Sergeant Young had mentioned. His command suit had greater capabilities than a regular suit and it was easy for him to spot weapons on the vehicles. Two were obviously a light tank of some kind and the other was equipped with a rocket launcher. He hurriedly passed that information on to Mark. The rocket launcher could be a big problem if it was allowed to fire.

Several explosive rounds suddenly hit the ground around the advancing marines, showering them with dirt and rock as the tanks fired. The ground trembled from the force of the twin blasts. At the same time, the opposing ground troops opened up a heavy weapons fire from the assault rifles they were carrying.

On Winfrey’s HUD, two of his marine’s icons suddenly turned amber. “Return fire!” he yelled as he dove for cover behind a large tree. As he glanced at the tree, he noticed the leaves had a sick yellowish tinge to them and were covered with long sharp spikes. He was glad he had his battle suit to protect him.

“Lieutenant Taylor!” Captain Stevens yelled as he saw the missile launcher was preparing to fire with his HUD. “Take out those three vehicles with your suit explosives, now!” Mark knew that if that missile launcher fired a barrage of missiles he could lose a lot of marines.

Seconds later, explosions began going off around the three vehicles. The rocket launcher began firing, sending twelve small, deadly missiles toward the marine’s position, then it was hit by an explosive round. A massive explosion shook the spaceport as the launcher was blown apart, leaving a deep hole in the blastcrete. Black smoke poured into the air and then the two small tank-like vehicles were hit. The rocket rounds struck just behind the marines, cutting a wide swath of destruction where they hit and showering them with dirt and debris.

Mark knew if the rockets had hit twenty meters closer, he would have lost a lot of his marines even with the heavy protection of the battle suits they wore. They had gotten lucky that the enemy’s aim had been thrown off by the explosive rounds.

“Continue to advance,” he ordered, waving his marines forward as he stepped around a large tree and fired off three explosive rounds in the direction of the enemy forces. He saw the rounds explode and two enemy conscripts fall to the ground.

He quickly changed his helmet setting to show the current status of the one hundred marines under his command. Four were showing amber and one was a glaring red. He let out a deep sigh, knowing he had suffered his first casualty.

The first three platoons were nearly to the edge of the spaceport complex and the level of resistance was growing. More Strell conscripts kept pouring out of the buildings on the spaceport hiding behind vehicles, buildings, and stacks of cargo and supplies, firing upon the advancing marines.

Winfrey saw one of the marines near him go down, grabbing their shoulder. On his HUD, another icon turned amber.

“Where are you hit?” demanded Private Morris as she rushed over, firing her RG rifle in small quick bursts at the enemy positions.

“The shoulder,” groaned Private Dora Parker.

“Give it a moment,” Morris said, knowing the suit would be injecting Parker with painkillers and stimulates. She could see a small, jagged hole just below Parker’s shoulder. The suit was sealing it shut and soon no damage was evident other than a slight blemish on the suit armor.

“It’s starting to feel better,” Parker acknowledged as she staggered back to her feet. “I can go on now.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” Morris said as she turned away from Parker and began advancing once more.

“Mother hen,” muttered Turner from a few meters away.

“Shut up!” Morris replied as she fired a quick burst into an armored conscript that had just stepped out from behind a small building. The conscript slid to the ground and stopped moving.

“We’ve reached the perimeter of the spaceport,” Lieutenant Davies reported.

Moments later, all five platoons were in position along the periphery of the spaceport and still under heavy fire from the defenders, who had retreated back to the more stalwart buildings. Railgun rounds, explosive rounds, and occasionally light blue energy beams were pretty well keeping the enemy conscripts pinned down.

Captain Stevens paused as he gazed at the enemy positions. To reach them, his marines would have to cross several hundred meters of blastcrete with very little cover. In their current location, there were only a few trees and a couple of small structures providing meager protection from incoming fire. Fortunately, the enemy didn’t seem to have any more heavy weapons.

“Use of suit explosives is authorized,” Mark spoke, knowing there was only one way to end this and satisfy the mission objectives. “Rounds are to begin at two hundred meters and then every fifty meters after that. I want this entire section of the spaceport leveled.”

The different platoon leaders confirmed his orders and quickly positioned their marines to begin firing. The heavy explosive rounds in a Type Three battle suit were ten times more powerful than a grenade and contained in two tubes on the back of the suit. Each tube contained twenty of the deadly explosives and the advanced targeting systems in the suit could put them within a meter of the designated target.

Captain Stevens took a deep breath and then gave the order to fire. His eyes focused on the spaceport in front of him, knowing what was about to come.

A line of massive explosions suddenly slammed into the spaceport and began marching slowly across it. When the explosives struck a building, it simply ceased to be. Strell conscripts threw down their weapons and began running away from the advancing explosions as quickly as possible. From other buildings closer to the center of the spaceport, hundreds of the birdlike aliens took to the air and began flying away.

“Don’t shoot any of the Orvions,” ordered Mark hastily, seeing several of his marines hesitate for a moment as if they were going to fire on the fleeing aliens. “We’re not here to kill civilians, merely to eliminate the Strell forces holding the spaceport. Captain Winfrey, have your marines save five explosive rounds each in case we need them later; everyone else continue to fire.”

Winfrey gazed in awe at the destruction the marines were laying out in front of him. This was the first time he had ever seen the horrific damage the mass firing of explosive rounds from the Type Three battle suits could cause. Buildings were being blown apart, smoke and fire was everywhere, and all armed resistance had come to a stop. It was at that moment that he saw additional explosions begin on the far side of the spaceport. The marines attacking from that direction were now beginning their part of the demolition of the spaceport facilities.

A horrendous explosion suddenly shook the ground. From near the center of the spaceport a huge fireball rose up into the air. Debris began to fall around the marines and for a moment, they paused in their firing.

“A cargo ship exploded,” Captain Stevens informed everyone as he checked quickly with the Fire Fox. Colonel Andler was monitoring the ongoing battle from the troop transport and had reported on the massive explosion.

“Crap, I hope whoever is firing from the other side of the God damn spaceport doesn’t hit another one,” Private Turner complained as he wiped the dirt carefully off his RG rifle with his metal hand.

“Just hope they don’t blow you up instead,” laughed another marine. “You’re a big enough target to be mistaken for a cargo ship.”

Turner whirled around, but he couldn’t tell which of his fellow marines had made the wisecrack. Letting out a deep breath, he looked back toward the spaceport and continued to fire his explosive rounds. He still had six more he needed to find targets for.

-

From high orbit, the Fire Fox was behind the sixteen assault ships that were participating in the attack. It was also sending out short-range jamming signals to block any intrusive scans of the vessel. The Strell didn’t need to know there had been a strange, unidentified ship involved in the attack.

“That was one hell of an explosion,” commented Captain Stockwell as he stared at the main viewscreen, showing a pillar of fire and a rising pall of black smoke above the spaceport complex. He hadn’t managed to tear his eyes away from the screen when a second massive explosion occurred, followed by a half a dozen more only slightly smaller.

“Another cargo ship and some large shuttles just got it,” Ensign Bryan reported from the sensor console. “That’s all the ships that were on the ground.”

“Spaceport is pretty well destroyed,” spoke Colonel Andler with satisfaction. “Do we have any reports of any Strell being encountered?”

“No,” replied Captain Stockwell, shaking his head. “We think they were located in one of the larger buildings on the spaceport. At least that’s where their original signal came from and that building’s been destroyed. If there were any Strell inside, they surely died in the explosions.”

“What about our secondary objective?” asked Colonel Andler, referring to a smaller spaceport on the far side of the planet.

“It’s been destroyed and the marine commanders are requesting immediate pickup,” Ensign Brill reported from Communications where she had been monitoring the ongoing battles over the com system. “I’m now receiving the same request from the marines at the primary target. They report mission accomplished and to send down the drop ships.”

“Make it so,” ordered Colonel Andler, pleased that the mission had been accomplished. He wanted to get all of his marines picked up and leave orbit before any Strell warships showed up. While the assault ships could be easily mistaken for Kleese, the Fire Fox was obviously not. It might raise some unwanted questions. “Make sure every one of our marines are accounted for.” It wouldn’t do for the Strell to find a human body inside a left behind battle suit.

-

Captain Winfrey looked around him at all the death and destruction the marines had caused. There was burning and smoking rubble everywhere and a large number of bodies. Many of the Strell conscript’s armored suits had been torn apart by the power of the suit explosives. Dylan estimated there were over one hundred in just his immediate area.

“We caused a lot of damage,” Private Morris spoke from his side as she watched several marines checking the rubble for anything they might have missed.

“They were caught in the middle,” responded Winfrey, gesturing to a nearby dead conscript with a mostly intact suit of armor. It was obvious the conscripts had been a humanoid race. “They serve the Strell and we’re just trying to survive. There will be other battles like this one in the future.”

“Drop ships are coming!” yelled Private Turner, hearing a loud noise above them. Looking up, he could see ten of the small ships coming in to land around the spaceport to pick up the marines.

“Everyone load up as soon as the drop ships are down,” ordered Captain Stevens over the coms. “Make sure everyone is accounted for, including the dead. We leave no one behind!”

Mark sighed as he took another long look at his HUD showing the current status of the company of marines he and Captain Winfrey were in charge of. There were eight amber icons and four conspicuous red ones. He sadly suspected many of the marines had felt invulnerable in their battle suits and several had paid for that folly with their lives. He knew from speaking to Major Nelson they'd fought far tougher battles and suffered fewer casualties when they were conscripts for the Kleese.

However, the first battle of Operation Insurrection was now over, and Mark strongly suspected there would be steady improvement from here on out as his marines became better acclimated to using their suits in combat situations. There'd been a lot of videos shot by the suit cams of all the officers and they would be used for training purposes. Even as he thought about what needed to be done, a drop ship landed a few hundred meters away followed quickly by four more. They had zeroed in on the homing beacon he had activated in his command suit.

“Let’s load up,” he ordered as he began striding toward the opening hatch.

“Ride’s here,” Private Turner said as he slapped Private Morris on the back with his powerful metal arm, nearly knocking her over.

Olivia turned to glare at Turner, knowing he couldn’t see her face through her protective helmet. “Slap me one more time and I’ll put you on your ass!” she threatened as she began walking off angrily toward the nearby drop ship.

Turner only grinned; he enjoyed irritating Private Morris. Of course, if she ever became an officer she would probably make him regret his actions.

-

Thirty minutes later, all of the drop ships were safely back aboard their respective assault ships and the Fire Fox. The fleet turned and began accelerating away from the Orvion’s planet, heading back toward the rest of Fourth Fleet.

“Send the message,” ordered Colonel Andler, looking over at the communications officer.

“Yes, Sir,” ensign Brill responded as she sent the prerecorded message.

The message was short and to the point. It informed the Orvions that they were now a part of the Kleese Empire and that shortly an occupying force of Kleese conscripts would be arriving to ensure the planet stayed obedient.

“I guess that’s finished,” Captain Stockwell said as the Fire Fox jumped into Fold Space to rendezvous with the Independence and the rest of the fleet.

“This one’s done, but the next target has already been selected,” Colonel Andler replied. “We’ll give our troops a few days off and then we’ll begin reviewing the battle footage to correct what we did wrong. This battle was easy; some of the future ones won’t be.”

-

Admiral Rivers watched as the Fire Fox and attending assault ships took up their assigned positions in the fleet formation. The first mission had been accomplished. “What’s the casualty report?” he asked, knowing that some marines had died and many others had been wounded.

“More than expected,” Colonel Greerman said as he looked at a data screen next to him. “We lost nine dead and twenty-two wounded.”

“They’ll learn,” Rivers sighed. “Colonel Andler will get them straightened out.”

“I’m sure he will,” Greerman replied.

“Helm, take us out,” ordered Rivers as he settled back in his command chair.

A few minutes later, the fleet entered Fold Space. They were traveling much slower as Rivers was in no hurry to get to their next target. They'd be safe in Fold Space with no planets or star systems close to them. The marines would have six days to prepare and then they would hit their next target. This one would also be a Strell controlled planet. Looking around the Command Center, Rivers sensed the tension and anxiety prevalent earlier was gone. The first mission was completed and Operation Insurrection had commenced.

Chapter Eighteen

Major Wade Nelson stood in the Command Center of the troop transport Crimson Star. The ship was eight hundred meters long and was by far the largest ship Humans had ever built. Only her sister ship, the Fire Fox, could compare. He drew in a sharp breath as the ship dropped out of Fold Space in the designated system. His eyes were focused sharply on the static covered sensor screen, waiting for it to begin displaying information. So far, they'd managed to remain undetected, and it was essential that continue.

“Drop out complete,” reported Ensign Camilla Baker from the Helm as she checked her control console, seeing with relief that everything was still showing in the green.

“Sensors coming online,” added Ensign Lewis Perez as he leaned forward, eyeing his data screens.

“All ship systems seem to be normal,” Captain Sheldon said, pleased with how well the Crimson Star was functioning. This was their third stop on their way to Kivea. The next drop out would put them in the Kivea system for their planned attack.

Wade nodded as he saw the numerous green icons begin to appear on the large sensor screen. They had thirty-four warships, all eighteen of the large Human passenger liners, including the Distant Star, six cargo ships carrying extra supplies and munitions, as well as the ships that Marken had used to escape with originally. Those consisted of twelve more passenger liners and sixteen cargo ships they had converted to hold Kivean survivors.

“This is the closest I’ve ever been to Kivea,” Marken spoke his eyes looking over at Wade wistfully. “In all the years I was a conscript for the Kleese, I never came this close to home.”

“But you spoke to other Kiveans who had, didn’t you?” asked Wade, trying to recall what Marken had said about those rare instances.

“A few times,” replied Marken, somberly. “We even had a few new conscripts from the home system. Not many, just enough to help keep our population on the trading station stable. They told us wondrous things about the home world, a world none of us ever expected to return to or see.”

“Will there be any animosity toward us when we arrive at Kivea? After all, it was our escape that caused the Kleese to nearly destroy your world.”

“I don’t think so,” Marken replied his brow wrinkling in thought. “Our people have long resented the Kleese presence and their interference in our society. If we can take enough to freedom to reestablish our civilization, our people will support it. The Kleese have stifled our way of life on Kivea for hundreds of years; now it’s our turn to return to our roots and build the civilization my people have always wanted.”

“Even if it means fighting an interstellar war?”

“Yes,” Marken replied with renewed determination in his voice. “While our people are not great fighters, our scientists are better than the Kleese. Given time, we can develop weapons that will make your warships far superior to anything the Kleese have.”

“That may be in part why they destroyed your world,” Wade suggested. “They may have feared what a free Kivean race could be capable of.”

“Perhaps,” Marken responded. “We may never know, but I firmly believe that when we reach Kivea and I can explain the current situation to our surviving leaders, we'll have their full corporation.”

“Even though it will probably mean the end of all life on Kivea?”

“Yes,” Marken answered with a sad look. “Even if it means the end of our world. While we may not be great fighters, my people are not cowards, either.”

-

Colonel Adamson gazed around the Command Center of the Constellation, noting the increased buzz of activity as the fleet dropped out of Fold Space. Ships were checking in and reporting on their systems' status so a decision could be made on whether to move on quickly to the target or spend some time in this small white dwarf system doing needed repairs.

Looking at one of the viewscreens on the front wall, he was pleased to see another warship. It was the battlecruiser Agamemnon under the command of Colonel Oberon. Oberon was a big man and originally from Germany. Adamson also had eight light cruisers and twenty-four assault ships as part of his fleet. It was an auspicious command and he was surprised Admiral Sanders had not been put in charge of it. However, Fleet Admiral Kirby had informed him Admiral Sanders would be taking over Fifth Fleet until the Constellation returned. It made sense. With Admiral Rivers gone on Operation Insurrection and the death of Admiral Stehr, the fleet was short of qualified admirals until someone could be promoted.

“All warships are reporting no system problems,” Major Kelly reported as he watched the data coming in over the console he was standing next to. Maintenance checks were performed in Fold Space so it wasn’t surprising the military ships were battle ready. “All systems are operating within expected norms and only routine maintenance is needed.”

“What about the civilian ships?” Adamson asked. Even though all the civilian ships had some military personnel aboard, most of the cargo ships and particularly the passenger liners had civilian crews operating them.

“Reports are coming in now,” Kelly replied as he studied the data screen. After a moment, he let out a sigh and turned to face the colonel. “Two of the Kivean cargo ships are having drive problems. Their Fold Space Drive cores are running too hot and part of the cooling system needs to be further augmented. Estimated work will take six hours to correct.”

“Very well,” replied Adamson, resignedly. It was better to fix the problem here than in the Kivean system. “See if they need assistance with the repairs; we can send them some additional help if they need it.”

Kelly nodded and walked over to Communications to pass on the message. Over the months, he had grown more accustomed to being the executive officer on a space going battlecruiser. If you didn’t think about being out in space, it was similar in many ways to the British frigate he once commanded.

Colonel Adamson watched Kelly approvingly. He was a fine officer and would someday have his own command, probably sooner than he thought. Adamson leaned back in his command chair, thinking about what was ahead of them. There would almost certainly be a fleet battle in the Kivean system. He couldn’t see the Kleese leaving the planet unprotected with all the valuable scientists in the city of Micene. The Kleese wouldn’t be happy when they learned that Humans had arrived to take their captive scientists away from them.

-

Wade and Marken were meeting with Beth, Captain Jeffries, and Lieutenants Stern and Perry in a small briefing room close to the Command Center. They were discussing the planned operation to rescue as many of the survivors on Kivea as possible.

“You can probably expect a strong presence of armored conscripts on the ground,” Marken said as he put up an image of the city of Micene and the area surrounding it on a large viewscreen. “The city itself will have a population of one million, perhaps more since the Kleese devastated the planet. There are possibly another one or two million living in the countryside.”

“We can’t rescue nearly that many,” Beth said, her eyes growing wide at the numbers that Marken was mentioning. She knew they were going to be leaving a lot of defenseless Kiveans behind.

“You think everyone we leave behind will be killed by the Kleese when they return to the planet?” asked Lieutenant Stern. Jamie shuddered just thinking about the near genocide the Kleese had conducted on Earth and now perhaps Kivea as well.

“Most likely,” responded Marken with sadness in his eyes. “The Kleese will show no mercy to my people, particularly after we attack the planet and remove the scientists and their families.”

“Is this a mistake then?” asked Lieutenant Perry, knowing in a way they were contributing to genocide. “Perhaps we should leave the planet alone.”

“No,” answered Marken, shaking his head. “After what the Kleese have done to the planet, my people's will to survive will have been shattered. They have no hope, and to serve the Kleese in the manner they are now being forced into will eventually destroy them. I suspect the birth rate will go down dramatically, and in a few generations there will be no Kiveans left alive on the planet. At least this way we give my race hope for the future.”

“The mission will go on as planned,” Wade said in an even voice. “We all know what’s at stake. We need your Kivean scientists to help us develop new weapons in the war against the Kleese.”

Wade didn’t mention that the Kiveans were also needed to help with the cloning program as well as to help decipher the information on the computer drive the nonaligned worlds had given them. Some of that information was still on a need-to-know basis. Only a few Humans, other than the Kiveans, even knew about the cloning technology.

Standing up, Wade walked over to the viewscreen and pointed to a large complex of buildings and what looked like landing pads just north of the city. “This is the main spaceport and will be the center of our operations and the first objective. Once the spaceport is secure, we'll move out into the countryside and the city to eliminate any Kleese conscripts we find.”

“Will there be any Kleese in the city?” asked Lieutenant Perry.

“Probably,” Marken replied. “They've always been highly interested in our research and will undoubtedly have a presence in the city or at least at the main research centers and the Planetary University.”

“We want to do this quickly and efficiently,” Wade continued as he looked around the group. “It is essential that we hold civilian casualties down to a minimum.”

“What about the space station?” asked Beth, knowing there was a large construct in orbit around the planet. “How do we handle that?”

“Colonel Adamson will be responsible for securing the space around the planet with his warships including taking the station,” Wade answered. “We’re hoping that a lot of Kivean built spacecraft are docked to it since we'll need them for the evacuation. There will be four assault ships assigned to dock with the station, and they'll send their marines aboard to search for any hostile forces. They will also check the available ships to ensure no enemy forces are on them, either. Once that’s been done, Colonel Adamson will begin sending crews over to begin activating the ships. As you know, we have several hundred Kiveans that have come with us to ensure that we can fly their spacecraft.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Lieutenant Stern said as she brushed an errant strand of blonde hair out from her eyes. “Let’s just hope that the space station isn’t damaged in the fighting if there are Kleese conscripts on board.”

“I doubt if there will be many at all,” Marken said, glancing over at the lieutenant. “Their primary concern will be the city of Micene and its spaceport.”

“Marken is going to spend some time giving us some details about the spaceport and the city,” Wade added. “Keep in mind that Marken has never been on Kivea and much of the information we are going to cover is from Centerpoint’s computer database and what his people know about their home planet. Over the years, he has spoken to a few people from his home world, but they have been few and far between.”

Marken stood to address the group. Everyone’s eyes focused on him, knowing how valuable this information could be. This wasn’t going to be an easy operation and there was no doubt there would be casualties. They just needed to work out a plan to hold them to a minimum.

-

Mason was in the Control Center within Vesta speaking with Colonel Bailey. It had been over four weeks since the Constellation and her fleet had left for the Kivean home world. Looking at the main sensor screen, he nodded at seeing the numerous warships still on patrol in the system. First Fleet was back up to full strength and the newly built Fifth Fleet was showing marked improvement as their crews went through numerous battle drills under the command of Admiral Sanders. In addition, there were one hundred and sixty assault ships still based on Centerpoint Station, with another seventy spread out protecting the various colonies and habitats.

“When will Colonel Adamson launch his attack?” Mason asked. He was standing next to Bailey near the military consoles.

“Probably in the next day or so,” responded Bailey, looking over at the president. “It all depends on how heavily defended Kivea is. There may be a number of Kleese ships in orbit and a large defensive ground force deployed around the city of Micene. Once they know what they’re up against, it might take them an additional day or two to formulate an effective assault.”

“How’s Harnett taking Marken being gone on this mission?” asked Pamela, stepping over closer to the two.

She had been making her rounds of the Control Center speaking to some of the crew who were busy monitoring various activities going on throughout the system. At the moment, the prospecting ship Raven was missing again and she had several people using their instruments and long-range scanners trying to find it. She strongly suspected Bryan was out around some moon prospecting where he shouldn’t be. It aggravated her immensely how he continued to flagrantly disobey her orders.

“She’s nervous,” answered Mason, with a sigh. Adrienne was currently over at the Kiveans’ asteroid visiting with Harnett. She had even taken his niece Karen along, hoping the presence of the twelve-year-old would take Harnett’s mind off Marken’s long absence.

“Is the new habitat finished for the Kivean survivors?”

Wade nodded at Pamela. “Yes, it’s large enough to hold sixty thousand Kiveans with plenty of room for future expansion. It’s amazing what Kivean construction technology is capable of.”

“I was speaking to General Mitchell yesterday,” Colonel Bailey commented as he saw one of the operators at a console motion for Pamela’s attention. “Several Kivean engineers are helping them install six ion beam cannons around Luna City. The general said that when they’re done, the cannons will be able to blow a hole ten meters wide through a Kleese exploration ship from twelve thousand kilometers.”

“Impressive,” responded Mason, seeing Pamela speaking to one of the sensor operators and suspecting they were talking about Bryan and the Raven. He saw an extremely aggravated look appear on her face. “I hadn’t realized they’re that powerful.”

“It depends on the available power,” Bailey explained. “They’re using a dedicated fusion reactor to power the ones at Luna City.”

“I think I had better go check on Pamela before Bryan gets himself into a ton of trouble, if he hasn’t already,” Mason said. He walked over to the console Pamela was at just in time to hear her spout out.

“Pluto!” Pamela moaned loudly, shaking her head in disbelief. “How the hell did he get way out there?” She had thought Pluto was out of range of the small prospector ships. Something here just didn’t make any sense. She looked over at Mason accusingly.

“It’s my fault, I’m afraid,” confessed Mason with a sheepish look upon his face. “As a favor to Michael I authorized a complete refit of the Raven, giving the ship a much better sublight drive. I figured if Bryan was going to get into trouble at least he should have a chance to get away.”

Pamela sighed deeply and shook her head at Mason. “Well, he got away; clear out to Pluto! We have several sensor satellites in the vicinity of the dwarf planet, and one of them is clearly showing the Raven in low orbit.”

Mason tried not to laugh. “The system’s not in any danger at the moment. When he gets back, I promise that either Michael or I will have a serious talk with him.”

“Just make him understand that he can’t go flying off all over the Solar System as he does,” Pamela said in a more controlled voice. “What if all the prospectors did that?”

“I’ll take care of it,” Mason promised.

“We’ll see,” Pamela responded with doubt lingering in her eyes.

Mason looked up at the main sensor screen and all the green icons present. He wondered how Admiral Rivers was doing with Operation Insurrection. It would be months yet before Fourth Fleet was expected to return. That is if it returned. It might be prudent to increase work on the ion cannons. They held the biggest promise to help defend the system from attack. In the morning, he would contact Mayor Silas and the others, run the idea across them, and see if they were willing to reallocate resources and personnel. He would also need to speak to the Kiveans about furnishing more engineers to help with the construction, as well as the installation.

Later tomorrow, he was scheduled to go on a tour of some of the other asteroid habitats scattered throughout the asteroid belt. Pallas, Juno, Metis, and half a dozen other asteroids held sizable Human habitats of over two hundred thousand people. A dozen others held smaller habitats of from ten to fifty thousand. Mason was taking the tour to reassure everyone that their best interests were being looked after and no one was being forgotten. He allowed a smile to cross his face; he was making Adrienne go with him since the tour had been her idea to help morale in the system.

-

Xatul was not happy with the latest reports from the lone warship that had survived the attack upon the Human system. By all indications, the Kleese fleet had been winning when the Humans had used a suicide tactic and crashed three of their major ships into the Kleese warships, turning the tide of the battle. In many ways, this was a tactic similar to something the Zaltule would consider.

“The Human particle beam weapons were ineffective against our warships,” Raluth commented as he studied the report in front of him on the large stone table. He shuffled his six double-jointed legs impatiently, still trying to comprehend how the attack could have possibly failed. “Even with the destruction of five of our six warships, the remaining fleet should have been able to finish these Human vermin off. Why did that not happen?”

“The commander of the remaining warship must be punished!” demanded Hymtal, shaking his fist. “He should have pressed the attack and at least annihilated what remained of the Human fleet. He has failed as a Kleese commander and should pay the ultimate price for his poor decision.”

“The commander of the warship and his entire command crew have been eliminated,” Xatul responded with no compassion or regret in his voice. “It is as you said; they failed us and have paid the price. It will be an example to others that the Council of Overlords does not accept failure, even from members of the Kleese race.”

“The Humans are a minor nuisance,” spoke Bixutl, waving his hands dismissively. “Their fleet has been badly damaged and they don’t have the population numbers to be a great threat to our Empire. We have time to deal with them. Of greater concern are the reports we have received the last few days of the Strell threatening to take action against us in the neutral area where we are contesting numerous worlds. They claim that we have attacked several of their worlds and are demanding the attacks stop immediately or they may consider it an act of war.”

“Ridiculous!” Martule spoke in a loud and menacing voice. “The Strell are only seeking an excuse to break our nonaggression agreement and resume hostilities to take over all of the worlds in the neutral area.”

“That cannot be allowed!” roared Keluth, shaking his triangularly shaped head. “How dare the Strell make up these accusations and threaten us.”

“We are talking about several hundred inhabited worlds,” Bixutl said his multifaceted eyes focusing on the Supreme Overlord. “We should send more of our ships into the area to protect those worlds we have claimed as our own.”

Xatul was silent as he looked around at the other Overlords. Between them, they controlled much of the power in the Kleese Empire. “A war with the Strell will be extremely counterproductive and tie up vast resources. If we send ships, we must make sure any engagement with Strell vessels occurs only in the neutral area.”

“The Strell may have grown weak since the great wars,” pointed out Raluth, seeing a way to increase the power he held. “They don’t know we still possess the Zaltule. We could awaken them and sweep through Strell space before they have a chance to fully mobilize.”

“I don’t want to awaken the Zaltule just yet,” spoke Xatul, fearing that if the warrior sect were brought out of deep sleep there would be considerable shakeups on the council. “They should only be awoken if there is a major threat to the Empire, and I am not seeing one.”

Raluth slammed his hand down upon the stone of the table, his eyes focusing angrily on Xatul. “We have an opportunity!” he snarled. “The Strell would not be expecting such an attack.”

“Let us determine the actual threat posed by the Strell,” Xatul suggested in a powerful voice. “I propose that we double the amount of exploration ships we currently have in the neutral area and increase the size of our conscript garrisons on the worlds we do control. Perhaps a show of force will put the Strell back in their place and we can avoid a major war, which would greatly reduce the available recourses that we, as a group, control.”

“As you command,” growled Raluth, venting his disappointment with a stomping of his multiple legs. “But as Overlords, if the Strell threats continue, we must respond with a force that will show them the true strength of our Empire!”

“Agreed,” replied Xatul, knowing that soon he might not have any other choice but to awaken the Zaltule. The growing numbers dying in the sleeping chambers would soon force him to awaken them anyway. The Empire could not afford to lose the valuable warrior sect, even if it meant a massive shift of power.

Upon their moon, arrangements were already being made. All he needed to do was give the word and the awakening would begin. The warrior sect would once more be a major force in the Kleese Empire as well as on the Council of Overlords. Looking around the council, he wondered what Overlords would lose their places to the powerful Zaltule. Even his own position would not be assured. It might be necessary for him to take some precautionary measures to ensure he maintained control of the council. When the Zaltule were awakened, war would return to the Empire and the surrounding galactic regions. It was the way of the warrior sect and they would not allow anything or anyone from preventing them assuming their rightful place in the Empire.

Chapter Nineteen

Colonel Adamson drew in a sharp breath as the Constellation dropped out of Fold Space two million kilometers from the Kivean home world. They'd come in at many times the speed of light, hoping to confuse any tracking systems that might be in operation.

“Drop out! reported Ensign Martin as the Constellation and the rest of the ships in the fleet entered normal space.

“Sensors coming online,” added Lieutenant Saur as data began flowing across her screens.

“Jamming commencing,” reported Ensign Travers from Communications as the Constellation began sending out signals across all long-range frequencies to prevent the Kleese from calling for help. Her fingers ran nimbly across her screen, tapping icons and ensuring that no messages could leave the system.

“Agamemnon and Crimson Star have commenced jamming also,” Major Kelly said as he listened to reports coming in from the other ships. “Only short-range communications are still being received.”

On the main tactical screen, red threat icons began to blossom. First one, two, and then an entire fleet appeared. A large green icon began showing, indicating the Kivean space station that was in orbit. Around it, a number of amber icons began to show, indicating possible cargo and passenger ships.

“Take us in,” ordered Colonel Adamson as he looked at the tactical screen and the waiting Kleese ships. “Do we have a breakdown on the hostile ships?”

“Yes, Sir,” replied Major Kelly as the information appeared on a screen. “We have two exploration ships and twenty-seven assault ships in orbit around the planet.”

“All ships to activate Fold Space Drives, I want to hit those two mother ships before they can launch the rest of their assault ships. Designate them as Bug One and Bug Two. The Constellation will take Bug One and the Agamemnon will take Bug Two. Light cruisers are to focus on the Kleese assault ships. Our own assault ships will form a protective perimeter around our noncombatants with the Crimson Star acting as the command ship. All ships set Condition One throughout the fleet. Stand by to fire weapons!”

Major Kelly quickly passed on the orders as Ensign Martin prepared to take the ship back into Fold Space. All the rest of the ships in the fleet were tied in by a computer link and would match the Constellation’s movements. “Entering Fold Space,” Martin reported as he reached forward on his console and turned a large gold key.

All ships in the fleet instantly accelerated into Fold Space and headed toward Kivea and the waiting Kleese ships. They were traveling at many times the speed of light and rapidly covered the distance between them and the planet. In four minutes, the ships began dropping out of Fold Space once more.

“In target range of the exploration ships,” reported Lieutenant Saur as his screens began to clear and the large tactical screen on the front wall began displaying information.

“We have target lock with our particle beam cannons,” spoke Lieutenant Reyes from Tactical. “Antimatter missiles are also showing a firm lock on target.”

“Inbound message from one of the Kleese exploration ships,” Ensign Travers reported. “They are demanding to know who we are and what we want in this system. We’re also picking up the same demand from a ground station.”

“Noncombatants are beginning to pull back,” Major Kelly reported. On one of the sensor screens, the Human assault ships and noncombatants were dropping back behind the battlecruisers and light cruisers.

On the primary viewscreen, the image shifted to show one of the two eight thousand-meter Kleese mother ships. The giant exploration ship nearly filled the screen.

“Fire!” ordered Adamson, looking over at Tactical. “Take them out, now!” In the past, the Kleese mother ships had been shown to be highly vulnerable to the new particle beam weapons.

-

From the Constellation and the Agamemnon, dark blue particle beams flashed out and struck the two Kleese exploration ships. The beams smashed into the hulls, causing damaging explosions as the Kleese didn’t even have their energy screens up. Large chunks of hull material were blasted loose to drift away from the stricken ships. On both Kleese ships internal explosions continued, tearing the ships apart from within. Alarms rang and frightened conscripts ran to their damage control stations seeking to save their ships. Fires were breaking out and numerous compartments were now open to space.

In the Kleese Command Center upon one of the ships, the stunned Kleese looked at one another in shock.

“Humans!” spoke one, recognizing the attacking ships from descriptions downloaded recently into all exploration ships' databases.

“Why are they here?” demanded the Kleese commander. “Send a message to the nearest trading station and request reinforcements. Tell them the Humans are here and to send all available ships!”

“Communications are being jammed,” one of the Kleese replied as several conscripts reported failure to send out any long-range messages.

The exploration ship shuddered violently, nearly throwing the Kleese off the Command Pedestal. They looked at each other, knowing they'd made a critical mistake having their shields down. They had not been expecting an attack this deep into Kleese space. Operating the energy screen continuously was power consuming, so they'd left it down to conserve energy. The conscripts on duty hadn’t even been running long-range scans.

“Raise our energy shield and return fire!” ordered the Kleese commander, seeing multitudes of red lights appearing on the damage control console.

“We can’t,” another of the Kleese replied. “Too many power conduits have been destroyed.”

“Fold Space Drive is offline due to lack of power,” reported the Kleese nearest to the commander. “Our engineers are saying it will take two hours to get power to the drive.”

The Kleese commander gazed at a still functioning viewscreen showing a Human warship firing its weapons. Without a functioning energy shield, his ship was doomed.

-

“Antimatter missiles,” ordered Adamson, seeking to take advantage of the Kleese foolishness of not having their screens up. Their total lack of readiness had been a surprise, and Adamson intended to make them pay for their laxness. Evidently, they hadn’t even been detected when they had initially dropped out of Fold Space.

“Missiles away,” spoke Lieutenant Reyes as he pressed two glowing green buttons on his console.

Instantly, from two of the open missile hatches on the Constellation there was a blur of movement then two twenty-megaton sublight antimatter missiles flashed out to detonate against the armored hull of Bug One. Two glowing explosions of released energy fused the metal of the ship and boiled away the atmosphere. In microseconds, all conscripts and Kleese upon the ship were dead, and then it exploded as the antimatter energy breached critical systems inside and blew the ship apart.

“Bug One is down,” reported Lieutenant Saurs, excitedly. “Bug Two is under heavy attack and has suffered major damage from the Agamemnon.”

On the main viewscreen, all that was left of Bug One was an expanding visage of glowing gas and shattered debris. The image shifted to show Bug Two just as four railgun rounds from the Agamemnon slammed into the Kleese ship, setting off a cascade of internal explosions. Then an antimatter missile arrived, diving deep inside the Kleese mother ship and detonating. Moments later, the disk ship ceased to be.

“Bug Two is down,” reported Lieutenant Saur in stunned disbelief that they had destroyed the two large ships so quickly. The battle hadn’t even lasted a minute.

“Light cruisers are engaging the assault ships,” Major Kelly responded as he tried to keep track of the rapidly expanding battle. Looking up, he could see bright explosions on the viewscreens designating weapons fire impacting on targets.

-

In space, the eight light cruisers were picking off the assault ships almost as easily as the battlecruisers had the mother ships. Even the assault ships had been caught with their shields down, and they'd paid a heavy initial price for their mistake. In the first thirty seconds of the battle, twelve assault ships were destroyed outright and another eight damaged. Assault ships' armor held little resistance when struck by a particle beam followed up by a twenty-megaton antimatter missile.

Space was full of glaring explosions of released antimatter energy as Kleese assault ships were swept away. Very few Kleese ships had even managed to fire back as they reeled in confusion, not understanding what was happening. The exploration ships were gone and no Kleese were passing on orders. Frantic messages to the planet were being left unanswered as the incoming fire against the remaining assault ships intensified.

-

“Light cruiser Spica is reporting moderate damage to her armor,” reported Major Kelly, who was monitoring the communication between ships. “No hull breaches as of yet.”

From the Constellation, four bow railgun cannons fired, blasting another Kleese assault ship into thousands of glowing pieces. Assault ship commanders quickly realized that if they stayed where they were, they would die. The remaining assault ships quickly activated their Fold Space Drives in an attempt to escape. Only three managed to get away; the rest died brutal deaths around Kivea.

“Three assault ships managed to escape,” Major Kelly reported with a hint of aggravation in his voice. “All other ships have been destroyed.”

“We’re no longer receiving messages from the Kivean ground station,” Lieutenant Travers reported. “They’ve gone silent.”

“Damn!” uttered Colonel Adamson at the report of three Kivean assault ships escaping. “Those assault ships will be returning with reinforcements.”

“It will take them a while to get organized,” Major Kelly replied. “Maybe long enough for us to finish this operation.”

“Let’s hope so,” Adamson responded with a worried frown crossing his face. “I want that Kleese broadcast from the ground station pinpointed. Inform Major Nelson of its location so he can make it a priority target.”

He quickly contacted the captain of the Crimson Star, informing him to launch the ground attack. Then, looking over at Major Kelly, “Move us closer to the space station. We need to get our marines aboard and begin assessing the situation on it as well as on the Kivean ships.”

“Yes, Sir,” Kelly replied as he began passing orders to the various ships assigned to that particular aspect of the mission.

-

Forty-eight drop ships were hurtling toward the lone remaining spaceport on Kivea. In addition, four special cargo drop ships from the Crimson Star were following closely behind. Major Nelson was inside one of the cargo drop ships, which was three times the size of a regular one.

“Standby to disembark,” Wade ordered over his command suit’s com to the platoon inside the cargo drop ship with him.

“Here we go again,” muttered Sergeant Phil Dawson as he checked his RG rifle one more time, ensuring he had a full clip locked in.

“At least Sergeant Russell is on board one of the other drop ships,” Corporal Nicole Foster said with a grin. “He won’t see your fat ass fall out of the hatch when it opens.” Nicole rubbed her right hand over the large energy weapon she held in her left. She was looking forward to trying it out on the planet. Normally she carried an RG rifle and a satchel of explosives.

“I’m not fat,” Dawson growled. “That’s just a rumor Russell started.”

“We know that, Sergeant,” Private Lisa Hayes replied soothingly. “You’re just so fun to tease at times. Besides, you did get shot on our last mission and spend several weeks taking it easy in the med bay.”

Dawson stayed quiet, recalling those weeks. He knew he owed his life to Major Nelson for carrying him back to the Distant Star.

Wade was listening to his marines as well as the other drop ships; the first few were already landing on the southern edge of the spaceport. He could feel his own drop ship entering more turbulence as it was buffeted by its rapid descent through the planet’s atmosphere.

“Landing in two minutes,” the pilot informed them over the com system

Wade felt perspiration on his forehead. He always felt nervous during a drop. It had always amazed him that in all the drops he had made, even for the Kleese, there had been very little weapons fire aimed at the descending drop ships. All the fighting generally occurred once the marines disembarked.

The vibrations in the drop ship grew more intense and the marines became quiet as they looked around, hoping everyone came out of this combat situation in one piece. In war, there were no guarantees, and friends and comrades could easily be lost. The ship slowed, and then seemed to drop suddenly until it came to a jarring halt. The large back hatch swung open and the heavy armored ramp slid down.

“Out!” yelled Sergeant Dawson as he marched rapidly down the ramp, his large RG rifle held at the ready. In the distance, he could hear the firing of weapons.

Wade waited a minute and then followed the platoon out. Behind him came two tank like vehicles. These were operated by marines who were not enclosed in battle suits. The small tanks held a five-person crew and were armed with a heavy railgun cannon plus two small energy beam turrets. The latter had five times the firepower of the portable energy weapons the marines in the Type Three battle suits carried. Behind the gun turret was an explosives launcher that carried the same explosives as those in the twin tubes of the Type Three suits. This was Wade’s answer to providing his marines with heavy firepower when needed.

-

In the Control Center of the spaceport, four Kleese stared at their viewscreens in growing anger and frustration. They'd not expected an attack this deep inside their territory, though after the Humans had attacked the nonaligned worlds trading station they shouldn't have been surprised.

“All of our ships in orbit have been destroyed,” one of the Kleese reported in an ominous voice, looking at a sensor screen, which was showing a myriad of debris and gases in orbit. “Two or three of our assault ships may have escaped.”

“Humans!” spat the Kleese commander, shaking his triangular head in anger. “How dare these vermin attack us here!”

Another viewscreen switched to a different view, showing Humans in battle suits emerging from their drop ships and immediately moving on the spaceport.

“Our conscripts are responding,” the third Kleese reported in a grim voice. “But none of them have a Type Three battle suit; many only have the Type Ones. I fear this will be a short battle with the Humans victorious.”

“Our assault ships will return with a fleet,” the Kleese commander responded as he calculated the time it would take the ships to report to the nearest Kleese space station and return with a strong enough force to destroy the Humans or at least drive them away.

He knew they would never make it back in time. From the number of ships in orbit hanging back, there was no doubt in the Kleese commander’s mind that the Humans had come for the Kivean scientists. This would be a disaster, and one he and his fellow Kleese could do nothing to prevent.

“Contact our brethren in the city and instruct them to take cover in their bunker; we'll do the same here. Our conscripts will do what they must to protect us.”

The others nodded and worked quickly to pass on his orders before they all turned and rushed to the underground bunker built in a hidden location deep beneath the spaceport. No one other than the Kleese and the conscripts that had built the bunkers knew they existed. The conscripts wouldn’t talk as they had been eliminated as soon as the bunkers had been completed.

-

Wade ducked behind a blastcrete wall as incoming RG fire struck the ground next to him. The Kleese conscripts had formed a long skirmish line. They were hunkered down behind vehicles and anything else they could use for cover and were firing on the advancing marines.

“Watch it, Major,” Lieutenant Stern cautioned as she fired two RG explosive rounds into the door of the building from which the incoming fire was coming. The door exploded outward and a Kleese armored conscript tumbled out to lie unmoving on the ground.

Wade nodded and used the advanced sensors in his HUD to check on the progress of the battle. It seemed the Kleese conscripts had been fighting a delaying action while they set up defensive positions nearer the center of the spaceport around its Control Center and some of the larger hangers. Unfortunately, the Control Center and the buildings were constructed of blastcrete and nearly impervious to the weapons that Wade’s marines had.

“They seem to be holding off attacking for now,” Jamie commented as she peered around the corner of the blastcrete wall and then looked back at Wade. “They’ve set up several hard points to cover all the approaches. It’s going to be difficult to pry them out of those positions.”

“That’s why we have the new tanks,” Wade explained, glad that Marken and some Kivean technicians along with a few Human military designers had built them. “They pack the firepower for just this type of situation. The heavy railgun cannon on the main turret should be able to take out those hard points. We have eight of them currently awaiting my orders to advance.”

“I think it’s time to give that order,” Jamie replied as she saw two of the green icons representing her marines turn amber.

Wade was in agreement as he put in the call to bring the tanks up. This would be something that the opposing conscripts had never encountered and Wade hoped sufficient to end this battle.

-

Beth threw herself to the ground and rolled before coming back up on her knees firing at the six conscripts that had appeared in front of her. One was in a Type Two suit and the other five were in Type Ones. She fired a long burst and saw two of her opponents go down, then felt a sudden sharp pain in her right arm causing her to drop her RG rifle. She groaned loudly, grabbing her arm and fell to the ground as several more rounds bounced off the chest of her Type Three battle suit.

“Stay down, Captain!” yelled Sergeant Russell as he ran forward with four other marines laying down a heavy covering fire. One of the marines switched to RG explosive rounds and began blasting away at the remaining conscripts seeking cover. None of them made it.

Beth staggered back to her feet and looked over her suit. Her HUD was indicating no major damage or impairment to suit systems even though she had several good-sized dents in her chest armor and another near her right shoulder. If she hadn’t been wearing a command suit, the weapons fire would have killed her.

Sergeant Russell came over, picked up her rifle, and handed it to her. “Are you okay, Captain?” he asked with concern in his voice. It was his duty to watch after the captain and while his attention had been focused elsewhere, she had nearly gotten herself killed.

“I’m fine, Sergeant,” replied Beth, taking a deep breath, knowing how close she had come to buying the farm. She would be more careful from here on out.

“Major Nelson is moving the tanks up,” Russell informed her. “We’re to hold our positions until they arrive and can reduce those hard points the Kleese conscripts have set up.”

Beth hadn’t heard Wade send that order. She must have been too involved trying to stay alive. “That’s good, Sergeant,” she responded, feeling the pain in her shoulder subsiding. “Have everyone ready to advance as soon as the tank bombardment begins.”

Russell nodded and quickly began passing on the order. He was relieved the captain hadn’t been hurt. If she had, there was no way he would’ve wanted to pass that news on to the major.

-

Wade was standing next to Lieutenant Stern as the new tanks opened up with the large railguns with which they were equipped. The rounds were being fired at hypersonic speeds and their impacts on the enemy’s positions were dramatic. Entire walls were pulverized upon impact and reduced to dust and rubble. At the same time, the tanks opened up with their energy gun turrets, sweeping them across the enemy’s positions. To ensure the destruction of the hard points the Kleese conscripts had set up, they also began firing explosive rounds from their multiple launching tubes. The entire center of the spaceport complex became covered in explosions and soon multiple fires and heavy black smoke were visible.

“Enemy conscripts are leaving the central area,” reported Sergeant Dawson from where he was observing the attack. He was standing behind an over turned vehicle, which gave him some protection from incoming fire. He was hunkered over in his towering battle suit so as not to be a tempting target. “The heavy firing has driven them out and a large group is headed toward us!”

“Let’s take them out,” ordered Wade over the com system. “They’re disorganized and confused from our attack. All platoons advance and engage!” This might be their opportunity to end this quickly. The longer it continued, the more casualties his marines would suffer.

Instantly, nearly two hundred marines in Type Three and Two battle suits rose up from cover and charged the enemy. RG fire grew intense as both sides began firing at one another. Explosive rounds began decimating the enemy forces, but a few of the enemy conscripts were also encased in Type Two suits and began firing their own explosive rounds back at the marines.

Wade saw several green icons in his HUD suddenly turn a deadly red while others became amber as the fighting intensified. He was firing his own RG rifle in short bursts at the approaching enemy.

“Keep up the fire!” yelled Corporal Foster as she cut an enemy in two with her energy weapon. She was firing nearly nonstop, switching rapidly from one target to the next.

“Damn, there are a lot of them!” screamed Private Juan Flores as he drew his Energy Lance and lunged toward an armored conscript that had come too close.

“It’s going to be hand-to-hand shortly,” Wade yelled over the com as he saw the remaining enemy conscripts were nearly upon them. “Use your Energy Lances if needed.” Wade quickly drew his and stood waiting as the enemy neared.

The remaining enemy forces reached the marines, and the humming of Energy Lances became prevalent as the marines wielded them like ancient Samurai, cutting wide swaths into the enemy lines as they swung the fearsome weapons with a vengeance. Dozens of armor-encased conscripts fell to the deadly weapons as the marines met them head on, wanting to end this battle. The hand-to-hand fighting spread to include nearly everyone and then it began to wane as the enemy was annihilated. In just a few minutes, it was over with no one other than the marines still standing.

Wade turned off his Energy Lance and returned it to his waist. Around him lay three Kleese conscripts with their heads lopped off. Taking a deep breath, Wade looked around and saw that the fighting in his area was over. There were dead bodies everywhere, including a few of his marines. Listening over his com, he knew that the fighting in other areas of the spaceport was nearly done.

“I want the spaceport searched to ensure we got them all,” ordered Wade, drawing in a sharp breath as he looked at all the carnage that surrounded him. “Once we have the spaceport secured, we’ll move into the city and secure the university and the area around it.”

-

Beth was nearly breathless from the combat in her area. Just as in Wade’s sector, the fighting had become hand-to-hand and she had lost several marines. She looked down at her armor, noticing the splattering of red blood it was covered in. The conscripts they'd been fighting were of course humanoid, which the Kleese seemed to prefer. Killing aliens that were insects or a cold-blooded species would have been easier and less haunting.

“Area’s secure,” reported Sergeant Russell. “We’re beginning to check out the remaining buildings for any survivors. We’re also finding a lot of dead Kiveans. They were caught in the crossfire and never stood a chance.”

Beth closed her eyes, wishing the Kiveans had survived. She hated the thought that innocents had died. “Very well,” she replied, nodding her head. “Major Nelson wants the entire spaceport secured before we advance on the city.”

Beth watched as her marines began spreading out and advancing across her section of the spaceport. On her HUD, she was showing six red icons and nearly twenty more that were amber. At least for now, the fighting was over.

-

Colonel Adamson listened attentively to the reports they were receiving from the ground. The spaceport was secure and Major Nelson was beginning to send marines into the city. So far, resistance in the city had been minimal since most of the Kleese conscripts had been garrisoned at the spaceport. He was also sad to hear that a large number of Kiveans had died in the attack.

“The Kivean space station is secure,” Major Kelly reported as he turned to look at the colonel. “Our marines met only minor resistance and had no problem securing the station. We’re sending the Kiveans over now to evaluate the spacecraft that are docked and in close orbit.”

“Let’s make it quick,” ordered Colonel Adamson as he looked across the Command Center. “We don’t know when the Kleese will return with a strong force. We need to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.”

“Yes, Sir,” Major Kelly responded. “We should have several days before they can get to the nearest station and return.”

Adamson leaned back in his command chair. The first parts of the mission were over. The spaceport and the space station were secure and Major Nelson’s forces were moving rapidly through the city. In another few hours, they could begin sending shuttles down to start the evacuation. Adamson just hoped they had time to get it done before the Kleese showed back up.

-

Marken was meeting with the Kivean leaders of the city of Micene. He had explained to them the events leading up to his staging a revolt against the Kleese, freeing the Humans, and finally taking the large Kleese space station. When he was finished, he was met by silence as the city leaders weighed what he had just told them. The news had been a shock to them as the Kleese had never offered an explanation as to why they'd attacked Kivea.

“We suspected something involving our people had occurred somewhere out in space,” Carlton, the acting governor of the city and surrounding area said with a deep sigh. “The Kleese told us nothing; they just began bombarding our planet with antimatter missiles. We have slightly less than three million survivors in Micene and the surrounding countryside.”

“There are twenty-two passenger ships and twenty-eight cargo ships docked to the space station or in orbit next to it,” Marken said, trying to stay calm knowing he was dooming most of his people to death. “With the ships we brought with us we can evacuate a little over seventy thousand people.”

“Seventy thousand out of three million,” spoke one of the other Kiveans in the room, his eyes growing wide knowing what it would mean for those left behind. “When the Kleese return, they will undoubtedly strike Micene with an antimatter missile to ensure there are no additional rescues in the future. They will wipe out the rest of our people. That is the way of the Kleese.”

“But many of our scientists, technicians, and the young people at the university would survive,” added another, accepting the truth. “Our people will be able to live free of the Kleese and perhaps play a crucial part in their eventual destruction.”

“We have no lives now under the Kleese,” Carlton pointed out with a heavy sigh. “Our race would have been gone in a few more generations; at least this way our people will survive.” Carlton then turned to look poignantly at Marken. “There was no way you could know what the Kleese would do to Kivea after you staged your revolt. Don’t let that weigh on your conscious. We will do everything we can to aid in the evacuation. Just tell us what you need, and we’ll help.”

“Thank you,” replied Marken, feeling relieved. “We need to move quickly as the Kleese could return with a warfleet at any time.”

-

For the next few days, shuttles rose up from Kivea at a frantic rate. Kivean ships at the space station were reactivated and supplied. Across the city, Kivean scientists and technicians gathered their families and reported to the spaceport to be evacuated. They were joined by nearly twelve thousand young people from the university and some of their families that lived in Micene and the surrounding area. Ships were packed as full as possible with some Kiveans even being put on the Human warships so more could be taken. At the end of three days, slightly over seventy-five thousand Kiveans were safely in the orbiting ships.

-

“We’re leaving,” Marken told the assembled Kivean leaders as he met with them one final time. “The Humans will protect our people, and someday we will return to Kivea to make it ours once more.”

“You have done the right thing, Marken,” Carton spoke with a slight nod. “While life here on Kivea will shortly be coming to an end, it will begin anew with those that are going with you.”

“In time, we will avenge what the Kleese have done to our world,” Marken promised in a solemn voice. “The Kleese have no idea what the Humans are capable of, particularly with our scientific help. I just wish we could have saved more.”

“You have saved enough,” replied Carlton and several others nodded in agreement. “Now go and guide our people. You're their leader now and I'm certain you will do what is best.”

Marken nodded and turning left the meeting chamber where the last Kivean leaders stood silently watching him depart. He felt a huge loss in his heart knowing that, very shortly, the only Kiveans left living would be those in the fleet and the ones back in the Humans' star system.

Carlton looked gravely around at his fellow Kiveans. “Let us go home and spend these final hours with our families, knowing that the Kivean race will go on, though not on Kivea.”

-

Colonel Adamson watched impatiently as Marken’s shuttle docked with the Rising Sun. Marken had decided to move his quarters over to the large passenger liner to be with his people. His thoughts were interrupted as a warning alarm went off on the main sensor console.

“We have Kleese ships dropping out of Fold Space at four million kilometers,” reported Lieutenant Saur.

“Composition!” demanded Major Kelly, striding over to the sensor console to gaze over Saur’s shoulder at the incoming sensor data.

“Eight Kleese mother ships and they’re beginning to deploy their assault ships,” replied Saur, looking up at the major anxiously. “The Kleese assault ships are accelerating and jumping into Fold Space as soon as they exit the mother ships’ flight bays.

“Two hundred and forty assault ships,” Kelly said, looking back at Colonel Adamson meaningfully. “I don’t think we can handle that many.”

Colonel Adamson switched to his ship-to-ship communications knowing it was time to depart. “All ships set Condition One and prepare to enter Fold Space. The Kleese are here and we’re leaving!”

“We have confirmations coming in from the other ships,” reported Ensign Travers as she gazed nervously at the growing number of red threat icons now appearing on the main tactical screen.

“Ensign Martin, link all ships to the Constellation,” ordered Adamson. “We’ll enter Fold Space together.”

“Five minutes to set up the link,” Martin replied as his hands flew deftly over his console. “It’s taking longer because of the Kivean ships we've added; their computers and ours are slightly different.”

“Set us up in defensive formation Delta Three,” ordered Adamson, seeing the increased activity in the Command Center due to the Kleese arrival. This would put the battlecruisers and the light cruisers in between the approaching Kleese and the civilian ships. The twenty-four assault ships would be on the perimeter of the civilians ensuring no enemy ship or weapons fire got through. The Crimson Star would be responsible for coordinating the defense of the civilian ships.

“Ships are moving now,” Major Kelly reported as he eyed the tactical screen nervously as the Human fleet moved into its defensive formation. Some of the Kleese assault ships were going to reach the fleet before they could jump to the safety of Fold Space.

“Stand by to fire!” ordered Colonel Adamson, gripping the armrests on his command chair. This was going to be close.

“Assault ships in range!” Lieutenant Saur warned breathlessly as the ships began dropping out of Fold Space.

“Fire!” ordered Adamson his eyes focused on the tactical screen as well as several of the large viewscreens close by.

“Firing,” responded Lieutenant Reyes as he began launching sublight antimatter missiles. They were fast, nearly undetectable, and deadly to assault ships. Reyes knew that they were the best option the fleet had to hold off the inbound ships for the few precious minutes they needed until they could enter the safety of Fold Space.

On the main viewscreens, numerous explosions began going off in space, signifying antimatter hits. Both battlecruisers and the eight light cruisers were launching the deadly missiles in sprint mode, filling space with the deadly missiles.

“Kleese assault ships are firing,” Saur reported as more warning alarms went off on her sensor console.

The Constellation shook violently and the lights dimmed briefly.

“Antimatter hit to the energy screen,” Major Kelly reported. “It’s holding at seventy percent.”

“We’ve taken out six of their assault ships,” Lieutenant Saur reported as she watched the sensor data coming in over her screens. “Mother ships have entered Fold Space!”

“Nearly ready to activate the Fold Space Drive,” reported Ensign Martin as he tied the last few Kivean ships into the Constellation’s helm system.

Major Kelly was breathing rapidly as he hovered over Tactical directing the firing of the ships’ weapons. Barely a minute had passed when he saw a bright light cover the main viewscreen.

“Light cruiser Vincent is down,” Lieutenant Saur reported suddenly as the friendly green icon swelled up and disappeared. “She was hit by multiple antimatter missiles. “Mother ships are nearly in engagement range!”

“Ready to enter Fold Space!” yelled Ensign Martin.

“Do it!” ordered Adamson, seeing the mother ships drop out of Fold Space just a few thousand kilometers from the fleet. “Get us out of here!”

Almost instantly, the entire fleet jumped into Fold Space just as the Kleese mother ships fired hundreds of sublight missiles. They passed harmlessly through the area the fleet had just occupied.

Colonel Adamson breathed out a long sigh of relief. That was close. Another few moments and he could've lost a significant part of the fleet. “Continue to accelerate, and take us to our emergency coordinates. We’ll check for any damage the fleet received during the brief battle and then we'll set a course for home.”

-

The Kleese fleet went into orbit over Kivea. As soon as they made an appearance, the two groups of Kleese that were hiding in their deep underground bunkers begin demanding to be rescued. However, orders from the Council of Overlords recently had made it clear what was to be done with Kleese that failed in their duties to the Empire.

From the eight Kleese exploration ships, sublight antimatter missiles began raining down upon Kivea. The city of Micene vanished as four twenty-megaton explosions destroyed the city. Other missiles fell on the surrounding countryside. Once satisfied that the habitable area had been annihilated the Kleese fleet slowly circled the planet, continuing to rain down a hail of destruction. After an hour, the planet’s atmosphere began to turn an unhealthy brown and all life on Kivea ceased to be.

Chapter Twenty

Admiral Rivers gazed at the latest system they were planning to attack. This would be the eighth Strell system since they'd arrived in the contested area between the two Galactic Empires.

“Status?” he asked, looking over at Lieutenant Hertz at the sensor console. A few hours back, one of Fourth Fleet’s assault ships had entered the system, taken some quick scans and then returned. Rivers had begun using this tactic as it only risked one ship and not the entire fleet.

“Half a dozen cargo ships showing on the sensors,” Hertz replied as she checked the incoming data. “No changes since the assault ship jumped back.”

“You would've thought that by now the Strell would have sent some warships to reinforce the garrisons they've placed on these planets,” Colonel Greerman commented his brow creased in a frown. “If we were in their shoes, we would have.”

“It is strange,” Rivers admitted as he watched the data coming up on the tactical screen. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of Kleese exploration ships the last few weeks above the worlds they control. Something seems to be going on. That seems to indicate there has been some type of communication between the Kleese and the Strell. I’m guessing the Strell have been demanding an explanation for the attacks on their worlds, and the increase in mother ships is the Kleese's response to a possible hostile situation.”

“Should we send in the attack?” Greerman asked. The fleet was on the outskirts of the system attempting to avoid any sensor scans from the target planet.

“Send in the assault ships,” Rivers ordered, ready to get this attack started. If they could keep ramping up the tension between the Strell and the Kleese, it was only a matter of time before armed conflict broke out between the two Empires. “Inform the Fire Fox they’re to hold back until we confirm there’re no threats to our fleet units.” This was another precaution that Rivers had started taking. The Fire Fox was obviously not a Kleese ship, and in the most recent attacks, they had held the large marine transport back until the assault ships signaled the all clear.

“Assault ships entering Fold Space,” Ensign Hertz reported as the ships accelerated and soon vanished from her sensor screen.

-

The ten assault ships dropped out of Fold Space fifty thousand kilometers from their target. The planet was a blue and white globe that looked from space much as Earth once had. The ships quickly took up orbits above their designated targets and then waited. If there was no military response in the next hour, they'd begin sending down the drop ships and call in the Fire Fox.

The Human assault ships had only been in orbit for twenty minutes when their sensor alarms began going off. The crews were already at Condition One, and they watched their sensors in awe at what was appearing. At a distance of two million kilometers, massive warships were dropping out of Fold Space. The ships were a dark gray in color and nearly two kilometers long. They were one thousand meters in diameter with curved hulls covered with weapon turrets and small hatches that were obviously missile tubes. Even as the Human ships watched, the hatches slid open and the weapon turrets began to turn toward the assault ships. From their ship identification database, they knew these ships were Strell warships.

Fortunately, Admiral Rivers had considered this possibility. The assault ships quickly formed up into a defensive formation and waited for the Strell ships to advance. It wasn’t a long wait as the Strell ships quickly began to accelerate toward the Human ships.

From the lead Strell ship, came a demand for immediate surrender and an explanation as to why Kleese ships were in violation of the neutrality treaty for this region of space. They did not receive a response.

Major Leland of the assault ship Tiberius was in charge of the ten Human ships and was anxiously watching the approaching Strell ships. There was no doubt in his mind that if those heavily armed ships got close enough just one of them could annihilate his entire fleet.

“Standby to launch sublight missiles,” he ordered in a calm voice, speaking to all the tactical officers in his small fleet. “We will fire four each and then get the hell out of here!” This was the opportunity they'd been seeking to ignite a war between the two Galactic Empires. This would have to be timed almost to the microsecond.

The Strell ships entered extreme sublight missile range and on the main viewscreen of the Tiberius, Major Leland could see the large weapons turrets pointed at his fleet. He could wait no longer. If the Strell fired first and a ship was seriously damaged or destroyed, it could compromise the entire mission.

“Fire!” he ordered. Instantly, from all ten assault ships four deadly sublight antimatter missiles launched. “Activate Fold Space Drives, now!” The entire intent of this scenario was to make the Strell think that the Kleese had fired upon their warships and then fled.

The Strell ships were equipped with very advanced computers, which were tied in to the defensive weapons systems. From the Strell ships defensive fire leaped out, destroying thirty-two of the inbound missiles. Eight impacted the Strell warships’ powerful screens, with only one missile actually causing any damage. On the lead Strell ship, four antimatter missiles struck, weakening the shield and allowing the last missile to burn a hole in the tough battle armor of the ship’s hull. Multiple compartments were opened to space but more importantly, several Strell were killed.

When the Strell commander learned of the loss of life, he immediately sent a message back to the nearest military outpost of the Strell Empire notifying it of the Kleese attack. There was a very good possibility this attack would send the two Empires to war. He was also highly aggravated that the Kleese assault ships had escaped into Fold Space. Another few seconds and his fleet would have destroyed them.

-

Upon detecting the Strell ships, Admiral Rivers had sent the rest of Fourth Fleet to their emergency rendezvous coordinates; the same location the fleeing assault ships were heading toward. He had watched the brief engagement on the Independence’s tactical screen, satisfied that everything had gone as planned. Now the fleet needed to set back and observe the results of today’s altercation. If the Kleese and the Strell went to war, then Fourth Fleet could begin the long journey back home. Nodding at Colonel Greerman, the Independence accelerated into Fold Space and headed to join the rest of the fleet.

-

Captain Stevens and Captain Winfrey had watched the arrival of the Strell ships from inside the Command Center of the Fire Fox. After they entered Fold Space, Dylan turned toward Mark with a curious look in his eyes.

“Is this it? Have we started a war?” he asked

“Most likely,” Mark answered with a slight nod of his head.

If they had, then they would be returning home soon. He wondered if Lieutenant Griffith and his wife would have a new baby by the time they got back. He was ready to return home to find out and spend some quality time with his best friend. A marine couldn’t survive on just war alone, he had to remember that he was Human and there were other important things in life. Mark wondered if it was time for him to consider settling down and building a new life for himself. It was a decision he would make after they returned home.

-

Wade and Beth were back in the New Eden habitat. The rescue fleet had returned home two days ago. The return of the fleet had been broadcast on all of the major media outlets, informing the public of the rescue of the Kiveans and the successful return of the mission. They'd been treated like heroes when they disembarked at Centerpoint Station.

“General Mitchell promised us four weeks of uninterrupted leave,” Beth spoke with a dreamy look in her eyes. “I promised Mom we would do some major shopping. It'll be nice to get out of these military uniforms for a while. Mom says she knows the perfect dress shop and there’s a fantastic shoe store right next to it.”

Wade laughed, shaking his head. What was it with women and shoes? “You need to spend time with your mom,” he said as they walked along the wide street, which cut directly through the center of the city. “We’ve been gone for nearly ten weeks.”

“What about Ryan? How’s he doing at the military academy?”

“He’s doing great!” answered Wade, recalling what his dad had told him earlier. “He passed all of his classes for the first semester and is doing well in the second. My dad feels pretty confident Ryan will end up being an officer.”

The two entered one of the small parks that were so prevalent in the city. Tall trees, fountains, green grass, and numerous walkways allowed visitors to briefly forget about the hectic lives they lived. Wade could see several red Cardinals in the nearby trees and even a few colorful butterflies flitting about around the flowers carefully planted in small plots throughout the park. He took a long breath, breathing in the sweet air.

They stopped and sat down on a park bench, just enjoying each other’s company. There were a few others in the park, but they paid little attention to the two military officers. It wasn’t that uncommon to see people dressed in military uniforms about. After all, they were at war.

Wade took Beth’s hand and looked into her eyes. “So, what are your plans for the next few weeks?”

Beth smiled demurely and then leaned forward and kissed Wade passionately on the lips. She drew back and smiled. “Some alone time with you, and I don’t mean at our parent’s homes, either.”

Wade felt his pulse begin to race. This leave might be something special. He put his arm around Beth and pulled her close. “I think I can handle that,” he said with a grin.

-

General Mitchell was also on Vesta. He was currently in a massive secure research facility that had recently been completed with the help of the Kiveans.

“So we’re ready?” asked Mitchell, looking across the small conference table at Malton and Crylia.

“The first clones are already growing in the cloning chambers,” Malton responded with a nod of his head. “We had some genetic material from your Human military, which we used for the first ones.”

“We will be revealing to the public shortly what we’re doing with the clones and asking more people to donate DNA,” Cheryl Robinson informed the small group as she tapped her right index finger on the table. “Once people understand how Human the clones will be and how they will be used, I don’t think we’ll have any problems getting people to donate their DNA. The procedure is quite simple and can be done at almost any doctor’s office or medical center.”

“How many clones have been started?” asked Mitchell, looking over at Crylia.

“Six hundred so far,” she replied, studying some data on a computer pad. “They will serve as a test group to ensure we have done everything correctly in building the cloning chambers. We’ll monitor them for a few months and as soon as we’re satisfied that the chambers are working properly we will begin adding more. With the help of some of the Kiveans that came back with Marken we should have no problem having ten thousand cloning chambers in operation by the end of six months and twenty thousand in a year.”

General Mitchell nodded. This was his new military they were talking about. If Admiral Rivers was successful in creating a heightened state of tension between the Kleese and the Strell, then they might just have the time needed to get the clones trained and ready for combat.

“Let me know if you need anything else,” he said as stood up to leave. “Colonel Bailey will be making regular inspections of the cloning facility and be responsible for its security.”

As he stepped out of the conference room, General Mitchell couldn’t help but wonder if they were doing the right thing. Creating people to serve in combat sounded highly unethical, and in some ways reminded him of what the Kleese did with the conscripts they took from various planets. However, there would be one major difference, he reminded himself; they would give the clones a choice as to what they wanted to do with their lives.

-

In the heart of the Kleese Empire upon the cold and desolate world that served as their capital, the Kleese Council of Overlords was meeting once more. This meeting had been more volatile than previous ones as major events had occurred both inside the Empire and in the neutral area between the Strell and the Kleese Empires.

“Two of our trading worlds attacked by the Strell and they've put large garrisons on both,” Raluth spoke in an agitated voice, his multifaceted eyes looking angrily at Xatul the Supreme Overlord. “I knew these false accusations by the Strell of us attacking their trading worlds were only a pretense for them taking aggressive action against us!”

“We must respond in kind,” demanded Martule. “If not, they'll take over all of the worlds in the neutral area. We cannot allow that to happen.”

“We've already sent more exploration ships to protect our interests,” Xatul quickly pointed out. “So far there have been no actual battles between our ships and theirs. The systems they invaded contained only small conscript garrisons.”

“For now!” proclaimed Raluth, loudly. “We must strike back before the Strell invade our Empire with their ships.”

“What about the Humans?” asked Hymtal, shuffling uneasily upon his six double-jointed legs. “They have taken the Kivean scientists from Kivea.”

“They are a minor nuisance compared to the Strell,” spoke Raluth, glaring at Hymtal.

“Perhaps they are for now, but they have the Kivean scientists and those are some of the brightest minds in our Empire,” responded Hymtal sharply. “They might not be such a minor nuisance shortly.”

“We must awaken the Zaltule,” Bixutl spoke in a loud and demanding voice as his eyes swept across the council. “The warrior sect will take care of the Strell and then they can be used to annihilate this Human nuisance.”

The other Overlords became silent as they thought about awakening the Zaltule. Once awakened, the Kleese Empire would be changed forever. All eyes turned toward Supreme Overlord Xatul, awaiting his decision.

Xatul looked around at the other Overlords, seeing the determined looks in their eyes demanding that the Zaltule be awakened. He took in a deep and long breath, wondering if they truly realized the ramifications of awakening the warrior sect. He had planned to begin their awakening shortly anyway, due to the growing threat from the sleep death that was taking more of their lives every year. This would only speed things up by a few months. In order to maintain his position as Supreme Overlord, he would offer the Zaltule two seats upon the council. Looking over at Hymtal and Raluth, he knew which seats he would suggest. Two warriors of the Zaltule should have no problem in removing a couple of council Overlords. He just hoped that would be sufficient to satisfy their desire for power.

“I will give the order,” Xatul stated after another moment of thought. “The Zaltule will be awakened to handle this new menace from the Strell, as well as the Humans. I will send the order and the awakening will commence immediately.”

The other Overlords seemed satisfied with this announcement, but Xatul couldn’t help but wonder if he was doing the right thing. He doubted if any of his fellow Overlords fully understood just how dangerous the Zaltule were. By awakening the Zaltule, they would be throwing the known galaxy into a state of war. The Zaltule would demand nothing less as they firmly believed that the Kleese were the supreme race in the galaxy and should rule over all of the other lesser races.

-

Several weeks later, Mason and Adrienne were in the new habitat the Kiveans had built for those rescued from their home planet. They were standing next to a waterfall that cascaded over a cliff several hundred meters above their heads, falling into a pool of deep clear water. Mason strongly suspected the water was piped back up the small mountain to fall back down again. Mason’s niece Karen had managed to talk Adrienne into bringing her along and the now thirteen-year-old was staring in amazement at the waterfall.

There were several picnic tables on the thick green grass and colorful flowers and plants were everywhere. Some of the trees had already reached ten to twelve feet in height, thanks to Kivean genetic engineering, which gave the trees a huge growth spurt in their first year or two. This time next year, those trees would be over twenty feet tall with leaf-covered limbs home to birds and other beneficial insects. Stone walkways led to the water and created a path around the small pool. Mason thought he could see fish darting around in the bottom amongst the rocks and stones.

“It’s beautiful,” spoke Karen her eyes wide in awe. She had never seen anything quite like this before.

Harnett stepped over and placed her hand upon Karen’s shoulder. “I’m glad you like it. The waterfall is one of my favorites also.”

Adrienne stepped over closer to Harnett and Karen, then all three walked on down the stone path to get closer to the water, leaving Mason and Marken alone where they could talk.

“I spoke to General Mitchell earlier today,” Mason said, looking over at Marken. “He’s been sending some light cruisers out on reconnaissance missions to nearby Kleese controlled worlds. Many of the Exploration ships that were there in the past are gone.”

“I suspect your Admiral Rivers is responsible,” Marken answered as he thought it over. “I'll talk to General Mitchell and suggest that for the time being we suspend all offensive missions against the Kleese. Admiral Rivers may have bought us the time we were hoping for; there is no sense in endangering that.”

Mason nodded his head in agreement as he watched Karen holding both Adrienne and Harnett’s hands. He wondered if it was time for him and Adrienne to consider having children. It was something they should have a serious conversation about.

“I visited the research center where the cloning chambers are,” Mason continued, recalling his visit from several days previously. “Crylia feels confident that soon they'll be ready for the first ten thousand clones to begin maturing in the cloning chambers.”

“It will change the war,” Marken said, watching Harnett with Karen. He deeply regretted that Harnett and he had never had children. “We can build as large a fleet as we want once the clones begin finishing their military training and if enough of them elect to stay in the military. We also have a number of Kivean scientists and technicians that will soon begin working in the facility. Some have already begun looking at the information on the computer drive the nonaligned worlds gave us.”

Mason turned his head to look back toward the new Kivean city visible in the distance. It had slim, soaring towers that reached over a thousand meters into the air. Slender walkways connected the towers at various levels, allowing for easy access from one tower to the next. As in Marken’s city, no two towers looked alike or were of the same color. It was as if a magical city had been transplanted into the center of the asteroid.

“This is a beautiful place,” Mason said, looking back at Marken. “I’m glad we came here.”

“That’s not the only reason we came here,” Marken said with a grin as he looked at the timepiece on his wrist. He saw it was time.

Mason heard a strange roaring noise and for a second he thought an explosion had occurred in the city. Then drops of water started falling from the sky, splashing in the pool and upon the stones. His eyes widened as he realized it was rain. The noise he had heard had been thunder!

Karen screamed and started jumping up and down in excitement. Harnett began laughing and Adrienne just stared wondrously up into the now cloud covered sky of the habitat as rain started coming down in earnest. In just a few minutes, they were all thoroughly soaked.

“It’s raining!” yelled Karen, running up to Mason with a big grin on her face. “Just like in the videos.”

“Yes,” replied Mason, nodding his head appreciatively at Marken, knowing he had arranged this. “Just like in the videos.”

They stood out in the rain enjoying the gently falling drops until it finally stopped. For now, everything was peaceful and just as it should be. However, in the future, the Kleese still waited and there was a war waiting to be fought.

-

In the Kleese home system on the moon the Zaltule slept within, one of the sleeping chambers had been activated. For several long minutes technicians worked upon it, and then it opened. A massive Kleese warrior stepped out and gazed at the waiting Kleese, then he spoke. “I am Harmock, leader of the Zaltule.”

In the observation chamber, Supreme Overlord Xatul watched impassively. The awakening had started and the galaxy would never be the same again.

The End

If you enjoyed Galactic Empire Wars: Emergence and would like to see the series continue, please post a review with some stars. Good reviews encourage an author to write and help books to sell. Reviews can be just a few short sentences describing what you liked about the book. If you have suggestions, please contact me at my website listed on the following page. Thank you for reading Emergence and being so supportive.

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Website: http://raymondlweil.com/

Other Books by Raymond L. Weil

Available at Amazon

Moon Wreck (The Slaver Wars Book 1)

The Slaver Wars: Alien Contact (The Slaver Wars Book 2)

Moon Wreck: Fleet Academy (The Slaver Wars Book 3)

The Slaver Wars: First Strike (The Slaver Wars Book 4)

The Slaver Wars: Retaliation (The Slaver Wars Book 5)

The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict (The Slaver Wars Book 6)

-

Dragon Dreams

Dragon Dreams: Dragon Wars

Dragon Dreams: Gilmreth the Awakening

Dragon Dreams: Snowden the White Dragon

-

Star One: Tycho City: Survival

Star One: Neutron Star

Star One: Dark Star

-

Galactic Empire Wars: Destruction

Galactic Empire Wars: Emergence

-

The Slaver Wars: Endgame!

Coming October 2014

-

Turn the page for an exciting announcement!!!

Stars & Empire

Humanity wasn't built for peace. Not on Earth. Not in space. Not on other worlds. Join first colonizers, space marines and rebel forces as they battle for domination against separate factions, alien nations and, sometimes, themselves across the galaxies.

10 of the most recognizable names in space opera today bring you a value-packed bundle like no other, containing everything from full-length novels to tantalizing episode starts to popular serials. The same works you see right on Amazon's bestseller lists.

About 2200 pages of rocket-fueled adventure!

BONUS:

Each author has provided special content — from deleted scenes to complete short stories — you won't find anywhere else!

This LIMITED-EDITION bundle includes:

MARINES (Crimson Worlds 1) - Jay Allan

PENNSYLVANIA: Books 1 and 2 - Michael Bunker

OMEGA RISING (Omega Force 1) - Joshua Dalzelle

FOREVER GATE: Parts 1 and 2 - Isaac Hooke

THE EMPIRE'S CORPS - Christopher G. Nuttall

REBEL - Edward W. Robertson

DARK SPACE: Book 1 - Jasper T. Scott

THE TERRAN GAMBIT (Episode #1: The Pax Humana Saga) - Endi Webb

THE SYNCHRONICITY WAR: Part I - Dietmar Arthur Wehr

GALACTIC EMPIRE WARS: Destruction - Raymond L. Weil

http://amzn.com/B00MVAGP9W

Turn the page for an introduction to The Slaver Wars: Alien Contact.

The Slaver Wars: Alien Contact

Chapter One

The 1,200-meter battle cruiser StarStrike slid quietly through empty space. The ship was a Conqueror Class Command Cruiser, one of the most powerful warships ever built by the Human Federation of Worlds. There were only four of the powerful ships of war in the Federation’s entire fleet. The StarStrike and its small fleet were on a fact finding mission deep within suspected enemy territory. The 1,500-meter Galaxy Class Battle Carrier Victory was above the StarStrike, along with its four light cruiser escorts. Several small fighter craft flew around the small fleet keeping a constant vigilance for any incoming threats. Two space destroyers were ahead of the fleet scanning for any potential enemy targets. It was essential that the human fleet remain undetected until it had completed its reconnaissance mission.

Fleet Admiral Hedon Streth sat at his command console watching the main viewscreen on the front wall of the Command Center. He was of medium build, and his dark hair was just starting to turn gray on the sides. The admiral was forty-two years old, and the worry lines on his face showed that he had been through a lot the past few months. Months he would like to forget. It had been a trying and desperate time for the entire human race.

The viewscreen showed unwinking stars ahead, and the scanners and long-range sensors were free of threats. The Command Center was in the shape of a rectangle, and its twenty-crew personnel were efficiently going about their jobs. At the reinforced security hatch, two heavily armed marines stood guard. No one entered the Command Center without the proper clearance. Two more similarly armed marines stood just outside the hatch in the corridor. Security now was much more obvious than a few short months ago.

“Still nothing,” Colonel Amanda Sheen, the executive officer, spoke. She was standing next to the holographic plotting table, which showed the present fleet disposition and the CAP fighters that were flying their routine patrol routes. She was currently checking the large tactical screens above her as well as the information appearing on the table.

“Confirm mission status,” ordered Admiral Streth, letting out a deep breath and shifting his gaze from the viewscreen to his executive officer.

They had picked this system hoping it would be clear of enemy activity. Their mission was extremely sensitive, and the security of the Human Federation of Worlds depended upon its success. Hedon felt the full weight of that responsibility on his shoulders and knew that this mission just had to succeed. Failure was not an option. The entire Federation was in extreme danger, and this mission might well determine the future of mankind in the galaxy.

“Navigation, I want a position status report,” Colonel Sheen barked, her blue eyes turning toward the two officers sitting at the main navigation console.

“We are currently one hundred and eighteen astronomical units out from the target system’s primary. Fleet is currently moving in system at eighteen percent speed of light on sublight engines,” replied the chief navigation officer.

“What do we have on the long-range sensors?” Sheen asked over her mini-com, glancing over at the large scanning and sensor console, which was manned by two fleet officers. She wore a small communications device in her right ear, which allowed her to contact any station on the ship in an instant.

“System has two planets,” Lieutenant Stalls reported smoothly as he checked the latest information coming in on his computer screens. “Both are gas giants in distant orbits. No asteroid fields or moons detected. System is absent of any artificial emissions.”

“System is as we had hoped,” reported Colonel Sheen turning to face the admiral. “There are no signs of any enemy vessels, and the system has no significant resources to attract any type of mining or scientific activity.”

Admiral Streth nodded his head in acknowledgement. He knew that Amanda was a highly qualified officer graduating in the top ten percent of her class at the fleet academy. She was a brunette with a trim figure and thirty-two years of age. She was also a firm disciplinarian. The crew respected her, and she was everything he could ask for in an executive officer.

“Get me the Victory, I think it’s time we get some information about this area of space,” ordered Admiral Streth, reaching a decision. They had been moving steadily deeper into suspected Hocklyn space for the last eight weeks. “It’s time we launch the stealth scouts and find out what’s out there.”

Colonel Sheen nodded. This was their mission and she was ready to get it started. Glancing back at the sensor and scanner screens, she noted that they were clearly empty of any hostile threats. That needed to continue for several more days if they hoped for any chance of success. Looking around the Command Center, she could sense the heightened vibrancy in the crew at the admiral’s announcement to begin the actual mission.

-

On board the Victory, Commander Adler listened as the admiral ordered the launch of the stealth scouts. The Victory had six of the highly advanced scout ships on board, which were nearly undetectable to normal methods of scanning. It was hoped that the Hocklyns would have no way to detect the small surveillance vessels. Their entire mission and the safety of their fleet depended on it.

Adler ended the communication with the admiral and turned to his executive officer Major Timmins. “I want all six scout ships ready to launch ASAP. Mission is a go.”

“Finally,” responded Major Timmins letting out a deep breath and then announcing over his mini-com, “All stations stand by for scout ship launch. Mission is a go. Flight bay, begin launch preparations.”

Instantly the tension and excitement in the Command Center notched up. This was what everyone had been waiting for. It was time to find out just how large the Hocklyn Empire was and how big a threat they were to the Federation.

Commander Adler turned toward the lieutenant in charge of Navigation. “I want a list of the twenty nearest stars that are capable of supporting life-bearing planets.”

“Yes, sir,” the young blonde replied as she began entering commands into her computer.

Lieutenant Ashton was rated as one of the top navigators in the entire fleet. She also held an advanced degree in Stellar Cartography. She had written an impressive thesis on deep space navigation her senior year at the fleet academy on Tellus.

-

Down below in the main flight bay, the six scout ships were brought up on elevators from their secure hangers beneath. The ships were covered in a layer of dark composite material that the scientists swore would be impervious to Hocklyn scans. Power sources were muffled, and the ships were built to present a minimal profile to enemy ships.

Each scout could carry a six-man crew and were capable of operating independently of the fleet for eight to ten days. They had FTL drives as well as powerful sublight engines. The ships were wedge shaped with gentle curves. Each was twenty-two meters long and twelve meters wide. Weapons consisted of six Hunter anti-fighter missiles hidden inside the wings and two medium lasers in the nose. The nose lasers were a recent development and had been added at the last minute to the scouts. The pilots were still arguing whether the lasers were an improvement over the 30mm cannons they had replaced.

Technicians quickly checked over all six ships, making sure they were ready for their missions. The ships had been kept on standby for nearly two weeks. A quick check and all the scouts were deemed ready for immediate launch. The deck chief notified flight control that all six scouts were mission ready.

Flight control was at the far end of the massive flight bay. Large reinforced glass windows looked out over the bay allowing the controllers inside to see the activity in the bay. Inside flight control was a hum of busy activity as men and women watched their consoles and kept track of all the activity going on inside the bay as well as outside. The CAG was standing next to the flight operations officer at the main control console. Across the back wall, numerous viewscreens depicted activity inside the bay. Several large scanner screens showed the flight space around the fleet and the current locations of the CAP fighters that were out on patrol.

Activating his mini-com, the CAG gave the order for the flight crews to board their scouts. The technicians were finished, now it would be up to the highly trained crews to begin their mission and bring home the information the Federation so desperately needed.

The waiting crews quickly made their way into their respective vessels. They had been in the pilot’s ready room, hoping this star system would be secure enough so they could start their covert mission. Nerves had been getting on edge and tempers had been flaring as they moved farther away from the Federation and deeper into what was suspected to be Hocklyn controlled space. They all felt relieved and energized that it was finally time to launch the mission.

Captain Karl Arcles settled down into his pilot’s seat in one of the scouts and looked over at his copilot, Lieutenant Lacy Sanders. The young twenty-six-year-old blonde looked slightly pale. It was one thing to train for this type of mission; it was another to actually do it.

“Nothing to be nervous about Lieutenant,” Arcles said with a reassuring smile. “Just treat this as a routine flight. We’ve done this often enough in practice.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Lieutenant Sanders taking a deep breath. Lacy could feel her heart racing. She looked over at Captain Arcles and said nervously. “Only this time it’s for real, and what we find may determine the future of the entire human race. I know they said the Hocklyns shouldn’t be able to detect our scout ships. We all know that the Hocklyn’s technology level is higher than ours. What if the experts are wrong?”

Arcles leaned back in his seat and didn’t reply. The lieutenant was correct. The future of humanity's home system and its four outlying colony worlds rested on what this mission discovered about the Hocklyns. The Hocklyns had attacked the Human Federation of Worlds without provocation. Millions of innocent people had died in the brutal attack.

The mission of this fleet was to find out just how large an empire the Hocklyns controlled, and what could be done to prevent future attacks. Was it just a few worlds as the Federation government hoped, or was it a large galaxy-spanning empire? The Hocklyns held a decisive edge in technology. That had already been determined from the technologies on their ships. Did they also hold a decisive edge in population as well as natural resources? Karl just hoped the experts were right and the scout ships were undetectable.

“Launch at your discretion, Captain Arcles.” The CAG’s voice came over the com system. “Good luck and good hunting.”

“Let’s get the systems powered up,” ordered Arcles glancing over at Lieutenant Sanders. “It’s time to get this show on the road.”

It only took the two a few minutes to finish powering up the small ship and complete their final preflight checks. The techs had already checked everything earlier, so it was mainly a matter of flipping a few switches and powering up the sublight drive.

“Everything shows green,” Lieutenant Sanders reported as she tightened her safety harness. She closed her eyes briefly and said a short prayer. This mission frightened her. They were so far away from home, and if anything happened, they would be on their own. No one would be coming to save them.

Captain Arcles reached forward, taking the scout ship’s controls. A moment later, the little ship darted out from the flight bay and moved away from the majestic battle carrier. “Insert first FTL coordinates,” he ordered, looking over at Sanders. He had flown with the lieutenant often enough that he knew that once the mission began she would calm down. She was a very capable officer; she just needed to learn to control her anxiety.

The lieutenant tapped a few commands into her navigation computer and then nodded as she double-checked the results. “Coordinates locked in.”

Arcles nodded and turned the controls over to the ship’s flight computer. He watched as the FTL timer began counting down and soon neared zero. The other scout ships didn’t show on the small ship’s scanners and sensors, but he knew they were out there.

“Standby for FTL insertion,” Arcles spoke over the com to the other crewmembers. There were two mission specialists in the cockpit behind him who were responsible for the scout’s sensors and stealth systems. Two more technicians were back in the small crew compartment.

Moments later, a spatial vortex of blue-white light appeared directly in front of the curved nose of the scout ship. The scout ship darted into the vortex, which instantly vanished, leaving no sign of the scout. Within a few minutes, the other five scouts had vanished in the same way. Each scout had a different set of destinations to search.

-

Admiral Streth watched as the six scout ships vanished into the blue-white vortexes of light. He let out a deep breath and wondered about what they would find. They were nearly six hundred light years from home, and in what was believed to be enemy territory. The entire outcome of the war might very well rest on what the scouts discovered.

“It’s begun,” Colonel Sheen commented quietly, seeing that the six blips representing the scouts had vanished from her plotting table. They had been tracked by high-resolution cameras as they left the Victory.

In a way, she felt relieved that the mission had finally been launched. Not knowing what the Federation actually faced had been gnawing fearfully in the pit of her stomach for quite some time. Amanda just wanted her parents to be safe back home on Aquaria. Recent events had made her extremely concerned for her parents' safety.

Colonel Sheen pursed her lips, feeling apprehensive at what the scouts might discover. When she had entered the fleet academy, she had never dreamed she would become part of an interstellar war. That was something that only happened on the holo vids or in books. Her parents lived on the colony of Beltran Three, called Aquaria by its inhabitants. The planet was nearly eighty percent water and possessed the most beautiful ocean beaches of any of the four major colonies. Amanda knew that the orbital defenses above her home planet were being heavily strengthened to protect the colony from another Hocklyn attack. She just prayed that it would be enough and that her parents would remain safe.

“Mission counter has started,” she reported as a timer began moving on the plotting table. “First system emergence should occur in twenty-two minutes.”

Admiral Streth nodded. “I want the fleet kept at Condition Two. We don’t know how well the stealth protection on those scouts will hold up. If the Hocklyns detect them, we could have their warships here soon after.”

“Yes, sir,” responded Colonel Sheen, hoping that was not the case. She walked several paces over to a set of consoles manned by two lieutenants and two ensigns. “Keep all weapon systems on standby. If any unknowns are detected, I want firing solutions yesterday!”

Lieutenant Jacobs instantly responded. “All targets will be locked upon FTL emergence until deemed friendly or unfriendly.”

Colonel Sheen nodded and passed the same order over her mini-com to the rest of the fleet after setting her com to fleet-wide so she could communicate the admiral’s orders to the other ship commanders. She then continued to walk from console to console in the Command Center, talking to the men and women who manned them. At the helm control console, she ordered Lieutenant Jenikens to be prepared for emergency maneuvers upon her command if they went to Condition One.

Satisfied that everything was as ready as it could be, she returned to her station at the plotting table. She could have done the same thing over her mini-com, which connected her to all the stations, but she preferred to talk to the individual crewmembers whenever possible. She felt it made a better impression upon them.

Admiral Streth had watched Colonel Sheen move through the Command Center talking to the crew. He leaned back in his seat, thinking about what had brought them to this point. It had all started eight months back when a strange vessel had entered the Stalor System, which contained a small mining operation. The miners had instantly screamed for help when their scanners had detected an alien ship going into orbit above the volcanic moon they were mining. It was the first alien ship ever encountered by the Federation.

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