Carinae Sector: 02 - Admiral's Fury - Part 1 - Purple Blood (17 page)

Shafinal activated the launch sequence and the scout ship leisurely made its way towards outer space at a speed well within the local control limits. She verified the flight details with a bored junior Vorinne flight controller, before altering course to take the ship out of the star system. The Quixxe pilot had the presence of mind not to alter course as they passed a pair of massive Vorinne cruisers that ignored the myriad of other ships around them.

After three hours of careful flight, the scout ship reached the outskirts of the star system and entered the isolation of hyperspace. Apinal looked over at her four oldest children with satisfaction as she keyed the relevant details to her console. The Vorinne consistently under-rated the world skills of the Quixxe, seeing the slave race only as useful artisans and technicians. However, this complacency would change to fury once the scout ship was discovered to be missing.

Apinal talked quietly to her children as they set about the next phase of their escape. She knew that the easy part of the mission was over, as they still had to cross most of Vorinne space, then a large section of the galaxy, all without being detected to reach a star system that offered only possible sanctuary. At the back of her mind was the realisation that their destination could prove to be an ideal ambush site against their small ship by one of the vassal races.

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The Vorinne fleet entered the star system in ripples of light as the powerful cruisers dropped out of hyperspace. The six heavy cruisers, heavily armed and shielded titans of space, had little to fear in this part of the galaxy, though by training the crew kept vigilant watch. Thatak’siema watched critically from her acceleration couch in the position of honour as her liege, Lord Malang’troh, quietly went about the command of his fleet.

Malang’troh in turn looked around his bridge, as six junior Vorinne officers in wrap around consoles moved with barely perceptible movements of their trunks as they went about their duties using virtual control systems. Malang’troh twisted slightly in his own acceleration couch to report to his liege lady with the down-cast eyes expected of him due to his lower station. Thatak’siema had taken to flirting with him recently when they were by themselves by encouraging him to look her in the eyes, though she knew her forwardness was causing him discomfort.

‘Your Grace, the fleet has arrived at the Tilmud rear deployment zone and our sensors are picking up the battered remains of the Tilmud fleet. They appear to be organising a last ditch defence here as their core systems are only a few light years away. The Tilmud are also broadcasting ceasefire and surrender offers automatically.’

The second envoy kept her reply civil, as she knew Malang’troh needed the respect of his junior officers, though she could see for herself with her own console exactly what was happening at this system.

‘Thank you Lord Malang’troh, please ensure we broadcast the non-aggression and ceasefire imperatives we are entitled to as the first vassal race. We will position our ships between the Tilmud fleet and the likely entry points of the Cephrit fleet should they arrive here.’

Malang’troh gave a nod of assent and in minutes, the Vorinne fleet was arrowing across towards a suitable location in the system. After four hours, Thatak’siema quietly noted that a sole Tilmud frigate had left the defensive picket and was on an intercept course towards their eventual destination. She quietly asked for a communications line and began to speak without further delay to the still distant ship.

‘Attention Tilmud senior commander, this is Thatak’siema, second Vorinne envoy to the glorious Zronte high lords in a fleet commanded by Lord Malang’troh. Under the authority invested in me as the second envoy the war you have been conducting with the Cephrit is now ended. You will withdraw your remaining ships to your home worlds immediately and they will not be permitted to leave these systems for ten years, else the Tilmud face the righteous wrath and fury of the Vorinne.’

The second envoy relaxed in her acceleration crouch and patiently awaited a response over the many minutes it took the message to reach the Tilmud frigate.

Squadron Commander Tanuldesec crouched nervously in his command couch on the sole frigate before he offered a guarded question to Commander Giruldesec seated in front of him in his own command couch. He was well aware that the six Vorinne ships could easily account for the remaining two dozen Tilmud frigates and lifters, and he knew that he would have to be exceedingly careful in this situation.

‘Giruldesec, we continue to broadcast both our non-aggression and surrender on all channels to the Vorinne ships?’

The answer given was a positive, and the squadron commander replayed the Vorinne message as he marshalled his own reply. He had the presence of mind to order the crew to power the engines down, even as he unbuckled the webbing holding him into the couch. He ambled on all four limbs to a clear section of the bridge, gave a terse order as he bend low to the deck in supplication, and kept his gaze downcast.

‘Communications officer, just activate only the bridge camera at my location as we reply to the Vorinne edicts.’

The squadron commander waited patiently as the order was fulfilled and Giruldesec had the presence of mind to order the bridge crew to remain silent at all costs. The communications officer gave a gruff cough of obedience, and Tanuldesec could only keep his eyes down as he spoke carefully in high Barus.

‘Your Grace and Eminence second envoy Thatak’siema, you favour the pitiful remnants of the Tilmud with your wisdom and authority. High Lord Malang’troh, it is an honour to serve and the power of your fleet is noted. My name is Squadron Commander Tanuldesec and I now command the Tilmud fleet. Fleet Admiral Lord Biruldesec and the rest of the senior commanders are now dead after battles with the Cephrit. The Tilmud seek an end to war and we will comply with all your lawful edicts.’

Tanuldesec chose to remain supine as the message reached out for the Vorinne ships and he was careful to keep his gaze downcast as he waited patiently. His attentiveness was rewarded eventually as the Vorinne second envoy spoke again in a softer manner he felt was tinged with mild amusement.

‘I thank you for the courtesy you have shown me today by observing formal custom and your compliance to my lawful commands. My concern is that there should not be a resultant power struggle amongst the Tilmud; therefore, you are promoted to High Admiral Tanuldesec. Your charter under my auspices is to ensure the Tilmud do not collapse further into a civil war. However, your first duty is to accompany our fleet to Cephrit star base 31 with two of your own frigates as an honour guard. For obvious reasons you are to ensure the three frigates are disarmed and you are not permitted to wear side arms in the presence of the Cephrit on their star base. Your race will walk small around the Cephrit for many years because of this tragic war. Now you may arise and begin your preparations to leave with our ships.’

Thatak’siema watched with evident satisfaction the still prone form of the new Tilmud admiral before her concise orders eventually arrived, and he scrambled hurriedly to his feet. Tanuldesec gave a formal bow of compliance and kept his gaze lowered as he replied before the communication link was broken.

‘Your grace, I thank you for your wisdom and mercy, may the holy words of the edicts lead the Tilmud to walk in favour of the Zronte and the Vorinne.’

Thatak’siema sat back and considered fleetingly how the distant Zronte would react to this news, even if she were aware of the personal interest of the Zronte High ambassador in seeing the war ended.  After several hours, the combined fleet of Vorinne cruisers and three smaller Tilmud frigates reached the hyper drive location point and vast coronas of light crowned the larger cruisers as they led the Tilmud frigates over to Cephrit space.

                                                                     ***

Chapter 6

Professor Robert Seville purposely walked out from under the tall trees outside his office block and across the large section of the Fremantle docks towards his destination. The northern side of the harbour was once a huge container and freight terminal, but in the last one hundred years the eastern section near the monorail bridge had had been converted for other more important uses. He paused and watched for a moment as another monorail passed over the bridge to the city before he turned his attention back to his life’s work.

The professor now looked over the derelict Trader sneak ship two, and he still felt again a sense of awe as he remember the history of mankind’s first contact with the Traders off the coast of Western Australia one hundred and fifty years earlier. The ship had remained in cradle at the centre for advanced spacecraft research institute, or ASRI, as it had proven difficult to move for many years.

The well respected researcher and space engineer knew that sneak ship four had been sent at considerable effort and cost to the United States and was now located in San Francisco. Sneak ship two looked largely unchanged compared to the first videos made so long ago about the ship, and Robert knew that this was due to the advanced materials with which the ship was constructed.

Robert paused again next to the ship, as he had for many years, and he considered for a moment the significance of the missing lower forward section of the Trader ship. The researcher frowned as he contemplated the razor sharp cuts into the ship’s hull made to remove something the aliens did not want humanity to have access. He then walked under an awning directly into the open small hold in the ship and made his way towards the front of the ship.

Robert’s assistant professor, Paul Taylor, was carefully scanning the rear of the flight cockpit with a new low powered laser scanner when Robert reached him. Robert surveyed the now well-known cockpit and greeted Paul jovially.

‘Morning Paul, so have you managed to locate the long missing manuals for this ship yet?’

Paul patiently replied, though he did have a frown as he considered the readings on the new senor.

‘The readings on this wall on the left side of the lower drawer here are showing an anomaly I find interesting. The wall thickness is thicker than all other drawers though our existing x-ray or ultrasound technology would not have picked up anything due to the materials used and their refraction characteristics.’

Robert carefully checked the readings and made several sensor sweeps himself to ensure the new laser scanner was working correctly, however the difference in the side of the drawer remained. He paused for a moment and placed several mobile phone calls to other institute team members, and three more researchers were soon crammed into the sneak ship cockpit with a mix of measuring equipment and tools.

After three more days, Paul had gained additional notoriety by finding the mechanism that allowed the drawer to be removed. The team crowded around the detached draw as Robert knelt and identified four small Trader fasteners along the thickened wall, before he methodically removed and stored the fasteners.

A collective and hushed breath came from the other researchers, as he carefully slid the side plate away towards the rear of the drawer to reveal a thin rectangular case inside the cavity. The dark case was embossed with two names in Trader language that the researchers had no difficulty in recognising as ‘Illuria’ and ‘Sneak Ship Two’.

Robert carefully opened the case and identified several small Trader memory modules nestled snugly inside. Without further delay, Robert stood and closed the case again as he looked around the cockpit to address his fellow researchers.

‘I think we found the original build details for the sneak ship and possibly the main ship as well. I want this case guarded by a pair of guards at all times in our secure laboratory. The first task I want done is for the data to be safely replicated to backup drives offsite.’

The research team quickly followed Robert from the sneak ship and headed towards the laboratory. As Robert walked past the front of the ship, he glanced at the mutilated forward section of the ship with a quiet grin of both accomplishment and satisfaction.

                                                                     ***

The queen rested quietly in a deep abyss of the southern ocean and thought about her preparations to leave as she waited patiently for her eldest daughter awaken. She noted Gementer’s vital signs had increased, even a she noted with concern the extra fissures in her daughter’s hull. Gementer finally stirred groggily from her hibernation and the queen had the presence of mind to make the soft sub-sonic calls that her daughters had found so reassuring when they were much younger. She also noted that Seliandre hovered patiently off to one side as well.

Gementer felt strange and she felt disorientated even as she became aware of here mother nearby. She startled in panic as she felt the larger and more leaden nature of her body around her, and her first words reinforced her mother’s concerns.

‘What has happened to me? I feel so much larger and heavier, though I feel very weak.’

The princess now fell silent by both habit and tiredness as her mother now spoke carefully.

‘Gementer, you have had a change in hull whilst you have been asleep. The change is the variform one for a space only existence. The current rate of change will still allow you to leave with all of us later, but for now you must remain still and rest.’

The queen was impressed with Gementer’s reply, as she always she was more concerned about her sisters.

‘So my sisters have not also changed to the same extent have they? And have Armuen and Cliade now got hulls suitable for going into space?’

The ancient queen looked over as she detected the two youngest daughters in question approach as she replied.

‘Gementer, please remain in the cradle we jury-rigged and do not move. We will have to wait until your condition stabilises before we leave this world. I want you to teach the both of your youngest sisters everything I taught you repeatedly, as they need to be up to speed for when we leave this world in about one hundred and fifty years.’