Carinae Sector: 02 - Admiral's Fury - Part 3 - Fleet Action (33 page)

Robert had recommended Paul Taylor as his successor, and Paul was even now combing over the Jerecab frigates with all the technology as his disposal. Already the teams had struck gold after they managed to reverse engineer key components of the sophisticated electronics controls for the advanced sensors. Apparently the Jerecab had long ago abandoned strict advice to hide the technology and instead had simplified it as much as possible to help them operate it reliably. Robert was reminded of the long-ago criticism of Captain Narindestat on the fitness of both the Jerecab and especially the Tilmud as space going races.

Emma packed the last box in front of her and smiled sweetly at her husband as she spoke.

‘Well that is the last one and we will be ready to leave Earth soon. We can have a traditional honeymoon in our quarters once we leave for the Emerald system with the first colonists in a few weeks. No one seems to understand the hurry with the new colony either…’

Robert smiled knowingly back at her as he ensured that all his data records were fully encrypted after he deleted key files. He knew that Mary was pulling every string possible to get three colony ships out to the Emerald system. The ruling council had argued that the Sanctuary colony in Tau Ceti was especially hard hit and should be repaired first. However Mary had used her new powers to over-rule their objections and three converted mining ships would go out with four of the newest destroyers as escorts.

Robert replayed in his mind the conversation he had three months ago with scout ship eleven, the Maveen defender of Earth, just after the battle near the moon.

‘The former Dradfer seven colony world, the one you call Emerald, has a special significance and you need to be wary of your actions on this world…’

Admiral Neilson had been intrigued by Robert relaying this message, and their later detection of a possible unexplained contrail over the Indian Ocean to her in a private meeting. Mary had looked at the younger couple for several moments before she replied tersely.

‘I think you may be right but we will let this secret sleep until it is ready to become our knowledge. Please remove all records of your conversation with the Maveen and leave no trail for later discovery. The southern oceans will remain quietly off limits for the foreseeable future in any case.’

Robert turned his attention back to the boxes that Emma had placed onto a trolley, he took a last long look at his old office, and then he closed the door to open a new life with Emma. The four boxes containing written records and old data tablets would be securely stored for the long term before later being destroyed. One of the data tablets was still powered and it had been appending, but not deleting Robert’s records via wireless for days. A full set of Robert’s files still remained intact on the data tablet, even if the information was now heavily encrypted.

                                                                     ***

Commander Giruldesec considered the news of the Jerecab defeat at Earth with mixed feelings. He has kept wisely silent in the earlier inquiry at Cephrit Station 31, as the Cephrit still did not trust his race and the Vorinne second envoy was also present. More importantly Lord Malang’troh was present and his presence had filled Giruldesec with dread. He had listened to the briefings and then the inquiry with suspicion mixed with heavy disbelief.

Apparently the arrogant and posturing Jerecab had underestimated the abilities of this new race called the humans, even if the Barus and the enigmatic Sspol had later come to their assistance. The Tilmud commander was also of the opinion that the human star system held no more unpleasant surprises after the departure of the Sspol. He knew that this was because the Sspol did not get along with many other races, especially the Maveen and their allies.

Giruldesec made long-term observations in his report to his uncle Tanuldesec, the new Tilmud high admiral regarding the humans. He considered that after the Tilmud had eventually rebuilt their own fleet they would address the continued existence of these upstart humans and the remaining Jerecab as a matter of form.

                                                                     ***

The Deltas Vass matriarch stood ever immobile in her verdant and lush clearing as her attendant male drones cared for her. The news of the recent pitched battle at the human home world had deeply unsettled her, but she was relieved that the humans had been victorious. The news of the Jerecab nations combining again after so long had been welcome, even if this in turn caused rare dissent among the other Deltas Vass matriarchs. The news that her most of her plans were still proceeding was pleasant surprise, and she was also relieved that the Cephrit were even now spiriting away the Quixxe family to safety.

The matriarch’s plans had changed again, and she had recently dispatched males to carry out further instructions as the puppet master sought to adapt to the circumstances. But for once, she knew that her latest contingencies did not involve producing a third daughter. She kept both her daughters well apart from each other and soothed both in turn by caresses from her smaller tentacles. The eldest daughter would soon be old enough to be schooled by a series of especially selected tutors, and the life chapter matriarch knew the information she supplied would have to be carefully filtered.

                                                                     ***

Malang’troh rocked back on his six legged haunches inside his formal chambers of his luxurious private palace on Vituma four. He glanced to one side at the close-by form of his liege lady, and hopefully his mate and breeding partner. He tried to avoid looking at the new blue scales on her flank denoting both her healing scars and her readiness to mate, even as Thatak’siema pointedly ignored him. He turned his attention back to his pair of data tablets and they continued to work separately in companionable silence.

The Vorinne lord noted that his latest protégé, now Captain Dreshe’ahal, was leaving within days with six ships from Vituma four on a long range exploration mission. The second envoy had taken awhile to convince, but had eventually agreed with the logic of sending Captain Dreshe’ahal and his cruisers out well around and then out past the territories of first the humans and then the Cephrit. Lord Malang’troh had also ensured that two of his most experienced commanders accompanied the intelligent young captain on a voyage of discovery that would take decades.

Thatak’siema had agreed to the journey, once she was able to persuade her young cousin to remain at Cephrit star base 31 as her trade envoy seconded to the Cephrit fleet master. Malang’troh knew that this was to keep an eye on the Cephrit, for both the senior Vorinne had privately formed the opinion that the Cephrit, or even the two Barus officers, might be engaged in questionable activities, despite the recent inquiry at the star base.

Thatak’siema for her part continued to peruse her own three data tablets and ignored his proximity. She had recovered from her assault in the several months since, and was most grateful for a new and more powerful staff of office he cunningly had crafted for her by his Quixxe artisans. He knew she was not yet anointed by the royal court for mating, and hence the vile attack of the Zronte battle lord was just that, an attempt to incite division and discredit the second envoy rather than just to be initiator for her breeding cycle. They both ignored by long habit the discrete Quixxe artisans and servants at the edges of Malang’troh’s formal chambers who anxiously obeyed their every whim.

Thatak’siema now noted his concern for her, and sought to deflect it by speaking in an obscure dialect that they both understood. She knew that Malang’troh’s simmering rage at the fortunately distant Zronte battle lord could still see him killed.

‘Lord Malang’troh, the royal court has yet to reply to my submission, and I suspect they dither even now. Rest assured there is not a backbone amongst them and my submission will be carefully considered before being approved. The recent problems with that hyper nova have otherwise taken over all their attention. For the moment I am grateful to be in your loyal company and to be free of official duties.’

Malang’troh politely muttered a short reply and continued to brood on the injustice of the situation, for he was concerned that the royal court could just liquidate them to solve the diplomatic issue of the assault. He also knew that the biological role of breeding initiator had once been the role of a lead Vorinne male.

However no Vorinne male had gone through that transformation for many tens of thousands of years due to the imposed Zronte biological controls. Male Zronte now fulfilled that role and strict cultural conditions ensured that only selected and respected Vorinne females were first prepared and carefully initiated into a breeding state. The practice kept the Vorinne population in check and was the prime biological hold that the Zronte held over the Vorinne.

Thatak’siema now gave a shrill cry of victory and handed Malang’troh one of her data tablets. She then knocked her new staff on the floor twice and curtly dismissed the Quixxe servants from the chambers. A very surprised Malang’troh quickly read the personal message from the royal court and his sombre mood lifted as he took in the signature.

‘Cousin, my personal condolences on your assault by the throwback, and I wish you well in your recovery. I have registered my strongest protests to the senior Zronte ambassador who happens to be the battle lord’s father. He will make ample amends on his son’s behalf. Note that your Lord Malang’troh’s advice to send out a long range exploration mission is heavily favoured by the royal court. You are permitted to mate entirely under your own discretion, I repeat discretion. You will be excused from your duties in the interim….E.’

Malang’troh looked over in amazement at Thatak’siema, who had placed her staff on the floor and was unhurriedly undressing from her wrap around cloak.

‘My grace …’ He stated breathlessly, but a single look from her silenced him. The second envoy finished disrobing, and he openly admired her beauty as she crossed to him, and now quickly disrobed him as she spoke.

‘My older cousin the Empress is ever one for discretion, never mind the stories I could tell of her own earlier life. I now stand to lose nothing and I had hoped that this would occur. My discretion means my personal choice, not a political choice, and my choice is you my loyal and faithful Lord.’

The two large Vorinne were soon coiled up as a rapturous and sinuous one for a long time, and they both now knew that it was the start of a difficult, but exciting new life together. Waves of empathy radiated from them both and other Vorinne elsewhere in the chambers paused for a moment as they detected the wild emotions of the mating.

Out in the side chambers, two Quixxe servants quietly and nervously conferred on this new development and documented all that had occurred. The two artisans already had covert intelligence on the surprising Vorinne decision to send out the exploration fleet. They even had access through surveillance of the Empress’s message and forwarded all they had recorded to a secluded house several kilometres distant. In the house two Deltas Vass drones prepared the records for immediate dispatch, as their matriarch had to know the full details of what had actually caused this event.

                                                                     ***

Battle Lord Temeroth fumed in rage as he once again read the report on how a combined force of Maveen, Traders and Sspol had attacked the Fenshilla mercenary fleet he had earlier commissioned. He also knew that the commandant’s own cruiser had later been destroyed after humans had escaped and then blown up the reactors powering the ship. Plainly, the gene meddlers had underestimated the resolve of this strange new race.

The additional news that the Jerecab had suffered a heavy defeat had not improved his mood, as he sat back to consider the ramifications further. He was sure that something was missing from what he could tell of the scattered reports of the space battle at Earth.

The Zronte had made repeated requests for further information from the Vorinne second envoy, before his father had interceded and told him to desist in an urgent message. He twitched his three-metre tail in anger, as the terse language the high ambassador had used in the message also fuelled his rage.

Temeroth was not used to being addressed in such an insulting manner and knew that if he had been in his father’s company then the two Zronte males would have fought to the death. Now seeking space to think, he cradled his data tablet and slowly walked out the massive atrium, trailed by his Zronte drone guards. He had recently been permitted to leave the battle field as the Kulvar had withdrawn early, but Temeroth knew that he would have to make the most of his leave. He stopped walking as he glanced to one side at his latest concubine. The large female Zronte was young and already bigger than Temeroth, and rested quietly in a side room after eating again, but he knew that it would be weeks yet before she was ready to breed.

The Zronte had nodded politely to his new concubine, for he knew that snubbing her would cost him later on. He then walked down towards the feeding pens holding the terrified Quixxe mules that could smell his approach. A short distance from the pens he stopped, as he was not yet hungry, and his honour guard fanned out protectively around him.

The now calmer Zronte battle lord looked at the last report on his data tablet from the Fenshilla. He noted with rising interest the fact that the two Fenshilla transports had later found other human survivors that they had captured and taken to one of their hidden biological research facilities.

The Fenshilla had offered to analyse the biological assets of the captured humans as an act of contrition for the failure of their fleet. Temeroth allowed himself a bleak grin as he considered the possibilities of this news, as perhaps the humans would turn out to be both edible and delicious. His stomach now grumbled in anticipation, and he now left his data tablet on the ground, before stalking off with massive strides into the nearest open feeding pen. Terrified squawks from the Quixxe mules greeted his arrival, and in moments his latest meal was pushed alive and kicking in panic into his feeding pen.