Carinae Sector: 02 - Admiral's Fury - Part 1 - Purple Blood (32 page)

Thatak’siema accepted the report and noted the interest of her serf lord in the projected hologram. She now asked that the drone was to await her further orders in the lobby after instructing that her gratitude be conveyed to the matriarch. As the drone backed away in a series of bows she coolly turned to the still engrossed Malang’troh.

‘Well Lord Malang’troh the report interests you more than the risk of Temeroth’s anger? I am troubled by this news of his rage, as he is feared even amongst his own race.’

Malang’troh knocked his staff on the floor again, but this time only once as he quietly replied in a dialect known only between each other.

‘Your Grace, we already knew of the risks after your cousin’s arrival earlier, and I think the warning was deliberately leaked to the Deltas Vass. The Fenshilla ships are another matter and I consider they are performing more dark work for Temeroth.’

Thatak’siema now reviewed the details of the Deltas Vass report and made her own observations, as Malang’troh activated another hologram of the surrounding star systems.

‘Well my lord I consider your council wise as always, the Fenshilla would appear to scout out past the Posient bulge. However we have to consider the reason for their interest and how we will respond to their involvement.’

Malang’troh gave her a lingering glance she enjoyed as he spoke again.

‘I think the Fenshilla are on a long range search and destroy mission, and that you yourself could be a target of opportunity if they can get hold of you. Now looking at the star map of the outer regions, as well as earlier reports, I consider they are searching for the Traders or even the Maveen.’

Thatak’siema activated her ornate data tablet and wordlessly looked through a series of both old and new reports. She handed the tablet to Malang’troh who voiced his opinion at what he was now seeing, before offering final pithy advice.

‘The Dradfer colonies again from your information, and we know from recent reports the Jerecab are likely to be fighting with the new race, the humans, at these worlds. Also I recommend that you should seek out Temeroth under the accords and not await any of his surprises.’

Thatak’siema was in quiet agreement with his words as her next comments indicated.

‘A dangerous scenario is underway and it does not just involve the humans. Now I can forestall the Battle Lord and rightfully deflect his anger under the accords. I will also later save myself a long journey towards the Zronte worlds.’

Thatak’siema had then summoned back the Deltas Vass drone, and he was dispatched back to his home world with both gratitude and an express series of requests from the second envoy. After the drone had left, Thatak’siema had then summoned her younger cousin from her quarters, and within an hour had her leaving for the distant Cephrit star systems. She ignored the cold attitude of her serf lord, as he no doubt was brooding over her future close meeting with Lord Temeroth.

                                                                     ***

The Resuria again exited the globe of light generated by the Maveen gate ships and gradually gained speed as it flew across the latest star system. Captain Narindestat noted the increase in tension in his bridge crew as he spoke softly.

‘Well we are well inside the Orion arm of the galaxy and now things will become interesting very quickly. Process all your searches according to our training drills and we will be fine. The Maveen will either hide nearby or proceed with their plans for this part of the galaxy. Prepare the type two hyper drive for operation within three hours as I confirm the destination star system coordinates.’

The Trader crew obeyed their new orders as the communications officer announced that the Maveen sector delegate was present with another Maveen probe in deep space alongside their space. Narindestat tuned out the activity around him and was soon speaking with the Earth lead probe. Garendestat returned from elsewhere on the ship, and the Trader captain again made the double handed Trader gesture to remain quiet and in contemplation.

‘Captain Narindestat, we urge you to proceed directly towards Cephrit space using your powerful jump drive module. We estimate you can be near Cephrit star base 31 and back again in about fifteen days. We will await your return here and we confirm all the special instructions you required earlier are now being carried out.’

The Trader captain gave his son a quiet glance that spoke volumes and Lieutenant Garendestat was careful to stay well away from the field of view of the main screen cameras. Narindestat wasted no time on courtesy in his curt reply with the Earth probe, even though he had not spoken with the Maveen for a few days.

‘So it is agreed then Earth probe, we seek our former mentors and you await our return at this location. I am relieved to hear our additional plans are in progress and I will report on the next parts of my mission upon our return.’

Captain Narindestat gave a short gesture and the communications officer broke the video link with the two now fast receding Maveen ships, as Garendestat gave a gasp of relief. He looked over at his son and asked a short question.

‘So it is as you have suspected and our quarry is none the wiser? We will deal further with that issue once we reach the former Dradfer worlds.’

Garendestat gave a short affirmative nod and looked over with rising concern at the new navigation plot of their intended course. He voiced a quick question of his own in reply as he reviewed the fine details of the course change.

‘Captain, it is an audacious hyper jump that you are planning, and are the Maveen aware of this development?’

Captain Narindestat now gave his son a smile of respect that was returned as he informally replied.

‘Well the Maveen cannot know of either development and for once I am relieved about that situation.’

The now heavily accelerating Trader ship was several thousand kilometres away from the two senior Maveen probes, before a blue communications laser joined both the smaller black ships. The sector delegate conveyed bemusement as he made an observation.

‘The Trader did not speak to confirm details he must be aware of by now. He assumes we do not know of their sensor issues and the obvious implications, plus the change of course he must now be implementing.’

The Earth probe considered his concise reply for only microseconds as he had been also evaluating their latest intelligence from the Orion arm. The intelligence included information that he had seen fit not to pass onto Captain Narindestat.

‘The captain chafes at our supervision of his activities and he longs for greater determination of his mission, despite our assistance in reaching this location so quickly. The two changes are expected given our advanced analysis of Trader command structures and the nature of his remaining cargo. I remember the secret planning for our previous journey into this part of the galaxy one hundred and fifty years ago, and our reasons are as valid then as they are now.’

The sector delegate expressed agreement with the Earth probe in his next statement as well as a gentle warning.

‘Well the parameters are certainly acceptable, and I rate the chances of major battle at over ninety percent. The contingency plan is in place even though it has been thousands of years since we had to respond in such as fashion. I will have to return to the Arranen system shortly for the next phase of our plans.’

The two senior probes now broke off communications, and they each now moved away to differing sections of the star system, and their respective hidden pairs of gate ships and additional probes. After three hours a vast crown of light engulfed the Trader stack as it made a long distance hyper jump further across the Orion arm of the galaxy.

                                                                     ***

Mary Neilson stood and had the sense to offer a polite bow as the view screen came alive with an image of the female Barus captain standing on the bridge of her ship. She had been awaiting the message after the Earth fleet had detected two Barus destroyers and a cruiser entering the Platinum system an hour earlier. After a two minute delay owing to distance, Gindane began to speak after offering a curt bow in reply.

‘Captain Gindane to Admiral Neilson, your other officers did not leave me with much beyond your name before they were slain by the treacherous Jerecab. We are safe enough at the moment as I have my destroyers picketing the other hyper drive points.’

Mary waited for several seconds to ensure the Barus had finished speaking before she replied in turn.

‘Admiral Mary Neilson to Captain Gindane, you have my apologies for any lack of courtesy. I regret that my fleet was unable to save Admiral Thomas Stanford and his crew recently, though note that this was part of a greater effort to deceive and delay the Jerecab.’

Mary kept her attention on the tall and furry occupants of the Barus cruiser’s bridge, and she noted a tall Barus male in a white sleeveless uniform now standing alongside Gindane. After more time had elapsed Gindane introduced her companion, offered a further statement on the recent losses and finally an invitation.

‘This is Flag Captain Omerio and he has a squadron of cruisers in a nearby star system. Unfortunately his fleet and my own fleet are not enough to help much in the defence of your world. The two admirals and their crews went about their duties without regard for their own lives and they fought hard against superior Jerecab forces. You are welcome to come onboard and meet with us to discuss the defence of your home world.’

Mary now sat back to listen as Omerio began to speak slowly with information of his own about the Jerecab armada. She quietly accessed three of her earlier reports on outlying star systems and noted the similarities with what Omerio was now stating from his own intelligence efforts. He also stated his main concern after asking a specific question.

‘So your ships are not affected by the active scans of the Jerecab ships? We were concerned that the designs of your destroyers could indicate a design weakness that would leave you open for attack. However the effectiveness of your spinal mount weapon has been a pleasant surprise.’

Mary looked over at her bridge console, and noted that the first batch of six destroyers were due to return from refuelling at the remote Echelon base within four hours. She looked over at her tactical officer and gave concise instructions.

Lieutenant, take the Exeter along with the next batch of destroyers to the refuelling station. The Lieutenant Commander and myself with cross over in a shuttle to speak to the senior Barus officers in the meantime.’

Mary now fixed both Omerio and Gindane with a tight smile as she responded to Omerio’s question and the earlier invitation.

‘We noted the strange and powerful sensor pulses and we are evaluating their effects and their uses. We suffered losses of target acquisitions for our weapons, but this effect is only transient. We conducted extensive testing in live fire exercises as these battles would be our first in space. I accept your invitation to meet and I will arrive at your ship in three hours.’

Mary now waited the required time for the message to reach the distant Barus ships as she quietly gave additional orders around her bridge. In minutes Gindane had given a warm reply, and Mary quickly led Griggs towards to awaiting shuttle craft on the hangar deck.

                                                                     ***

Captain Narindestat looked up from his command console in alarm as the first reports came in from Garendestat after the ship left the hyper jump point.

‘Captain, we detect two Barus fleet cruisers heading away from us only a short distance across the star system and I have cloaked the ship as a precaution.  I think it highly probable that the Barus would have seen our hyper drive pulse when we arrived.’

The Trader captain looked over at the navigation chart for only a moment before he gave an order.

‘Come around to starboard forty and north fifty and we will angle out towards the outer asteroid belt in this star system. We will maintain our current speed as our engine flare could also give us away.’

The cloaked Resuria banked steeply and edged away further into space as further long minutes elapsed. Garendestat looked relaxed before a resigned expression crossed his face and he spoke again.

‘The two cruisers have now altered course and look to be in a search pattern, and I expect an active scan within minutes.’

Narindestat knew that his ship could escape direct detection; however they were still too close to the entry point for the system and the Barus should be able to work out what had happened. He was under no illusions as he replied to his son.

‘The enigma in our sneak ships will have to wait until our escape. We will have to talk our way out of this one and for once I am glad we are in a standard ship design.’

After several more minutes, two powerful active scans raced past and the Trader captain knew that his ship would be discovered. The view screen came active and a Barus commander began to speak.

‘Commander Delforio to Trader battle cruiser, please state your intentions and lower your cloak. We lawfully patrol these star systems and you will know that access to the nearby former Dradfer colonies is prohibited.’

Narindestat gave a brief signal of agreement to Garendestat and in moments the cloak around the Resuria was down. He carefully stood to offer a bow and replied to the Barus commander.

‘Captain Narindestat of the exiled Trader race to Commander Delforio, we reply in accordance with galactic edicts. We willingly comply with both your requests as we now journey to Cephrit space. Can I ask you two questions if I may do so?’

The now visibly relieved Barus commander gave a nervous smile and a curt reply.

‘You may ask away but expect no answer.’

Narindestat knew that his ship was roughly eight times the fighting strength of the two Barus cruisers, so he had no trouble understanding the apparent relief on the bridge of the cruiser. Even so he carefully made his questions as polite as possible to reassure the Barus commander suspiciously eyeing him across the video link.