Carinae Sector: 02 - Admiral's Fury - Part 3 - Fleet Action (24 page)

‘Sorry for not getting back to you earlier as I had a lot on my mind. The cold conditions are helping us, as there is no liquid water to fill the tunnel. The rock in the top layers is badly fractured so we have had to remove a lot of that. Rick and his team are a great help with their bracing methods as well.’

Mark ensured that two of the crew recycled their air bottles as the mining drone continued to tunnel down to the trapped colonists. After four hours, the new tunnel measured four hundred metres deep, and Mark was very happy with the stability of the tunnel. He then sent four volunteers down on ropes with long poles, and Rick insisted on going as Mark checked over the status of the two mining drones as he waited. After fifteen minutes, Rick provided welcome news over the radio.

‘We are in radio conversation with several colonists and most of the five thousand people in the bottom the tunnel are still alive. They have a lot of air, food, water and equipment down there with them, and they will also be warm down there. So there is no urgency to extract them providing you are still happy with the tunnel.’

Mark admitted to himself that he had not considered keeping surviving colonists warm with their colony now pulverised rubble. Nevertheless, he recovered by pointing out what they would do next.

‘Rick, stay with them and tell their leaders what we are doing. We will rig a mining elevator with a cage for eventual extraction of the colonists. We will see if those building still intact at the landing field can be made warm and airtight. We need to clear the landing field so that other ships can land and help us. Finally when any of them ask about Earth and the Jerecab armada, we do not know anything yet and probably will not for at least a day.’

The worry about their home world and their families dogged the rescuers despite the news of the survival of the colonists underground. All knew that those ships that eventually could turn up might be Jerecab frigates sent back to tidy up any lose ends. Mark thought quietly that if the Earth were truly gone he would first speak with Rick and Joel before contacting the Cephrit.

The massive world of Tyr rose on the horizon of the Sanctuary moon, as the rescuers turned their attention to the latest tasks. Mark repacked the remote controls for the mining drones, and then led his few rescuers over towards the destroyed colony dome and the landing field.

                                                                     ***

Admiral Mary Neilson stifled her surprise as a metallic voice spoke politely across the bridge of the Exeter. An external camera shot now revealed the presence of the sole Maveen probe and sled in space nearby.

‘I am scout probe eleven, and I was given the transponder code for the destroyer Exeter after I spoke to Robert Seville. I wish to speak with Admiral Neilson in secrecy as I have to leave your solar system shortly.’

Mary glanced around her bridge and she had no problems in reassuring the probe as she replied.

‘I am Admiral Mary Neilson and you are reassured that I need to keep no secrets from my bridge. I also thank you for your efforts in defending our world. I understand you will feel discomfort around so many vassal ships, but you are safe for the moment in our solar system.’

The probe noted and admired the confidence of the human as he spoke again at length.

‘Admiral Neilson, I congratulate you and your race on your hard fought victory. Your race has a real sense of purpose and good fighting skills, and this day that is what prevented your extinction. Now I remind you of the covert alliance agreed to by your ancestors with the Traders and the Maveen one hundred and fifty years ago. Therefore, I expect to leave safely as part of the provisions in the alliance. If required you can tell the vassals that I have safe passage due to my contribution to your world’s defences. I in turn will relay a message of your victory and the survival of Earth to the distant Barede colony.’

Mary decided that the Maveen probe was direct and to the point as many of the old briefings had indicated. She kept her reply warm and polite, even if she felt she was being steered in a direction she had not thought about at all.

‘Well in that case once again you have the gratitude of humanity and you best be on your way.’

The Maveen probe left the vicinity of the moon and gave the nearby Cephrit cruiser squadrons a wide berth as it now moved over towards the Sspol cruisers. He ensured that the twin clauses of non-aggression and allies were still being sent to him by the mysterious hydrogen-breathing race. Altarebe had earlier briefed the probe on the best manner to speak with the Sspol. Now satisfied that he was still safe, Probe three was soon speaking with Captain Hallime, the senior captain of the Sspol.

‘I am probe three still masquerading as scout probe eleven. Greetings Captain of the Sspol; a mighty victory has resulted for the humans, and the noble and brave Sspol have contributed in a legendary manner. Our discussion will be brief; but know the ancients are alive and well, they are very grateful for the continuing protection of the Sspol.’

Captain Hallime had already prepared a terse but detailed reply that he now gave to the Maveen.

‘Maveen ally; we welcome the human victory for it is a victory of life over extinction or slavery. The Fenshilla meddlers attacked a Trader ship nearby; it escaped and Maveen fighting ships later destroyed four of the eight Fenshilla cruisers. We later helped the Maveen take the Trader ship to the Arranen system; the Traders left on another mission to seek new colonies and the Dradfer near the Crux sector. The Dradfer hide secrets relating to their time long ago near this system. Later one of the four remaining Fenshilla ships was destroyed, possibly by the captured humans onboard the ship.’

The Maveen just knew he had to get all this information to both the Earth probe and later to Queen Angwene as soon as possible. Captain Hallime then sent the Maveen on his way before he said anything else.

‘We cannot rouse the suspicions of the vassals; we need to stop talking, the Sspol will also leave this system very soon.’

The Maveen probe applied engine thrust even as he sent a polite but terse best wishes and a good-bye statement to Captain Hallime. After several minutes, probe three was racing across the solar system towards the most secluded hyper jump point well beyond the orbit of Neptune. The Maveen was aware of the vassal ships tracking him, so he coaxed even higher speed from the sled as he ensured his cloaking mechanism was not engaged. He felt relieved to be leaving the solar system, however briefly that would be for, as the exercise in plausibility by not using the cloak was heavily against his core programming for personal survival.

                                                                     ***

The Cephrit fleet master had watched critically as the lone Maveen probe flew over to speak first with the humans and then the strange Sspol, of all things, before it had then fled the solar system at a speed he did not believe was possible. The chirrs of disbelief from his junior officers told him the same observation was being realised by them as well. However, the very bright tactical officer also quickly pointed out something else.

‘Fleet master, we know the Maveen ships can cloak very well, so I suggest that the Maveen probe’s cloak is damaged. We could possibly verify this fact when we do speak with the humans or the Barus.’

The fleet master congratulated the younger Cephrit for a moment on his logic, before asking to speak with human admiral. After several moments, a human female appeared on screen and the fleet master noted her blue and dark grey uniform, as she gave a full bow of respect and spoke first.

‘I am Admiral Mary Neilson of Earth. Fleet master of the mighty Cephrit, you honour the people of Earth by your presence, and we are grateful you came to protect us. We understand your ships arrived too late for the battle, but we still seek your assistance.

I would like to come across and meet you at a later stage with the Barus officers also present.’

Mary offered yet another bow of respect, and she noted that the fleet master was silent and still for several seconds as he thought through her request. Eventually he spoke to the humans for the first time.

‘Admiral, we the unnamed salute the resourcefulness and the bravery your race has displayed in the unfortunate war with the Jerecab. We regret we missed the battle as we are constrained by edicts and the recent war with the Tilmud. We will assist you further, but the request for a physical meeting is denied at this stage due to your world’s haven status.’

Mary knew she could not labour the point of meeting with a vassal race, but she did qualify her request as she offered another bow of respect.

‘Your objections are understood wise and gracious fleet master. We need help to send the remaining Jerecab ships home, for your ships to assist the Barus, and also seek wise counsel on how to adhere to galactic edicts.’

The fleet master was delighted in the respect shown by the human admiral, and he chirred his approval after finally giving the half bow of a senior vassal to a junior vassal. The Cephrit then became generous and instructive in his reply to Mary.

‘Admiral Neilson, we have already sent a message probe to our ships in the Tau Ceti system to relay the news of your victory. The ships there include two Trader sneak ships that escaped a Fenshilla attack and their account of the attack should be taken very seriously. We are already arranging to help our valued Barus allies. The Jerecab will receive limited help from us, as their recent actions are dishonourable in our eyes. We will ensure that you adhere to galactic edicts before we leave, but note that the edicts are in place for your own protection as a haven race.’

Mary knew that it was pointless to protest as Gindane had earlier told her about the set ways of the Cephrit. The news of Trader ships at Tau Ceti intrigued her and she was resolved to learn their story at a later stage. She instead asked for more of an explanation on what edicts they would have to follow in the present circumstances.

‘Fleet master, it is one hundred and fifty years since we were advised on the subject of edicts and that was only with the Traders and the Maveen. So could you please advise us on the actual edicts we need to comply with after the battle?’

The fleet master already had a list on a screen in front of him and he wasted no time in making a lengthy explanation.

‘The Jerecab have surrendered, but they need to be paroled to be allowed to leave here. This is to prevent their ships possibly fighting again before they arrive at their own worlds. Any disabled ships that are not human will need to have their command sections or at least the advanced sensor modules removed and destroyed. This now also applies to the two Trader sneak ships in Tau Ceti, though we can do nothing about their crews, who are fortunately all human. The two remaining large orbiting bases nearby are obviously joined cruisers, and for a haven race their existence is not permitted and they will need to be destroyed or broken up. We will leave two cruisers out past the orbit of Neptune to both ensure your compliance and to look for any further problems with the edicts.’

Mary was going to object to the presence of the two Cephrit cruisers in the solar system for an extended period, but she once again remembered the instructions Gindane had give her. Instead, she flipped the edict ruling into a request after acknowledging that humanity would comply with the fleet master’s instructions.

‘We will dismantle the surviving cruisers and their sections will be put in place as set defences on the moon. We will ask the Cephrit and the Barus to implement the edict requirements on the command sections of alien ships. Note that our fleet is badly damaged and it will take years for us to effect full repairs and replacements. Your cruisers are welcome to patrol this system and the surrounding systems for the interim.’

The fleet master chirred in good nature as he listened to the human admiral’s reply, for he was already warming to the new race, so like the Traders in so many ways. The senior male also knew that he could give only a limited commitment to defend the humans.

‘Admiral, the fate of the orbiting bases will be considered further as we have to comply fully with the edicts. Our two cruisers will be gone from this system after two of your months as it is still rated as a haven system. We still will patrol the former Dradfer colonies and several systems nearby, but the moment you colonise any of these worlds the onus of defence rests with your race. The overlords have only forbidden vassals to colonise these worlds, and so the edict does not say anything about a haven or independent race being also restricted.’

The Cephrit fleet master knew he was splitting his antennae thin with this ruling, but he also knew that the second envoy would not object at this stage.

Mary calmly took in the news of the cruisers and the status of the former colonies with relief. She decided then that she would repeat her earlier request and gave another bow as she spoke.

‘Fleet master of the wise Cephrit, it sounds very much like we should still meet to clarify the whole process further? Also we seek news of our forces left behind in the other star systems?’

The fleet master knew that the human was being diplomatic, and he cautioned her even as he agreed to her request.

‘I will agree to meet with you just this once, but on a Barus cruiser as I understand you have already met with the Barus. The Jerecab commander will also be present as a matter of courtesy to your race. Note that your haven status generally means that ongoing meetings, and especially trade, are not permitted with vassal races. In addition, you should keep the Traders and the Maveen away from any worlds you chose to inhabit. I will now speak with Captain Omerio with regards to your request.’

The conversation ended more graciously than Mary felt was actually the case, and she now waited for Omerio to contact her. The thought of speaking with the Jerecab directly unsettled her so soon after the battle. After forty minutes of reporting the earlier conversation to the Earth council, Omerio called and stated he was already setting up the meeting. Mary soon boarded one of her shuttles and set off to Omerio’s flagship to meet both the Barus and the Cephrit.