Mike's War: Sequel to Jesse's Starship (30 page)

“Run a scan and tell me how much steel is used in them.”

“Stand by.” Mike waited a few moments and then heard, “Less than ten percent, Sir.”

“Send your report to my computer and get out of there. Thank you for taking a look.”

“They deserve the effort, Sir.”

Mike leaned back in his chair and Tilly said, “What are you thinking?”

“I’m…not…really…sure.”

T
he Planetary Commander watched the invasion begin and saw the Beamship exploded. The air above the city was filled with the enemy’s warriors circling the skyscrapers where his warriors were stationed to fire at the invaders. “How are they able to stay in the air?”

His Support Officer said, “One of our scanners shows that they are manipulating their force fields to generate lift.”

The PC looked at her, “Why haven’t we shot any of them down?”

“I don’t know what it is but they appear to be firing some kind of projectile that locks on our warrior’s armor and follows them into the rooms they’re firing from.”

The PC watched the display and shook his head. Every one of his warriors that leaned out of a window to fire their blaster was hit with some kind of explosive round. He looked at his Support Officer, “I see they’ve landed troops in the streets as well.”

“They have.”

“Are our warriors able to fire on them from above?”

The female took a breath and shook her head, “No, they can’t. If they lean out far enough to fire on them in the streets, they’re hit by one of those rounds. The only way this tactic would work was is the Beamship was keeping everything clear above the city. Do you want me to dispatch another ship to that city?”

“What do you think would happen if I removed a ship from another city and sent it there?” The Female sighed. The PC nodded, “They would immediately drop on that city. You know they are scanning the planet down to the insects in the bushes at the base of the buildings.” The PC changed his display and shook his head.

The Female said, “What?”

The PC put the view on his panel’s display on the huge wall monitor. It revealed twenty of the small ships that destroyed the Beamship hanging stationary in the air ten miles outside the city. She knew that it would be highly unlikely another Beamship could make it to the city even if they chose to send one. The PC changed the view and his Headquarters Staff saw hundreds of thousands of Civilians leaving the city. The enemy troops were organizing their exit and the small streams moving outside the city’s borders rapidly turned into rivers of the inhabitants running to safety. He heard the female say, “There are only six hundred warriors still alive in that city, Commander.”

He turned and said, “I want all the inhabitants in every city removed from the streets and sent out of the city.”

“Why would you do that? They are our only insurance against them?”

The PC turned to her and shook his head, “Are those in that city insurance? We can’t even take a shot at them. The only way we could use them as insurance would be to kill every one of them in a city to show we mean business.” The Support Officer lowered her head. The PC said, “That being was right. I have no problem firing at their warriors among those inhabitants. The inhabitants would have also restricted their ability to maneuver; however, I will not kill defenseless beings. There are some things that are just not acceptable.” He paused and said, “Once the local populations are out of the cities, order our warriors down to street level and we’ll face them on the ground. I want the Beamships in the air over the cities as well.”

The Support Officer nodded and went to her station to start issuing orders.

• • •

“Mike, the Gracken are moving the populations out of the cities.”

“WHAT!?!”

“The populations are being forced outside the cities and the Gracken Warriors are moving out of the buildings to ground level.”

Tilly looked at Mike, “What are they doing?”

Mike smiled, “The right thing in keeping with their code of conduct. That Gracken leader put the civilians in the streets hoping we would not attack. Now that he sees we will, he’s not willing to see them killed. That is what I saw in their language. I really found it difficult to believe he would do it. Now I see that if I were in his place, I probably would have given it a try as well.”

“No you wouldn’t.”

Mike looked at Tilly, “If I had to put innocent civilians in the street to prevent the deaths of my warriors, I would do it!” Tilly shook her head. “War forces us to do things we would never do normally. However, now that he sees the only way to use those civilians is to start killing them to prevent our continued invasion, he’s doing the right thing in releasing them.” Mike looked at Tilly, “Please notice that no civilian was killed in our attack on that city. So don’t get sanctimonious at him doing everything in his power to prevent the deaths of those under his command.”

Tilly sighed, “I couldn’t do what you’re doing, Mike.”

Mike looked at her with love in his eyes, “I thank God every day that you couldn’t. You are what keeps me grounded.”

Tilly smiled, “What are you going to do now?”

“I’m going to end this war now that I see the Gracken are worth the effort.” Tilly’s eyes went wide as Mike smiled at her, “You were right; now I understand what’s going on.” Mike leaned forward and picked up his communicator.

• • •

The PC was issuing orders when a voice blared out over his intercom, “I know you’re probably busy at the moment but I was wondering if you would deliver a message for me.”

He looked at his Support Officer and slightly smiled, “I don’t know who this being is but he certainly doesn’t lack audacity.” He lifted his communicator and said, “I am busy at the moment. What message do you want me to deliver?”

“I hope you’ll contact that Leader of yours that I communicated with prior to our last visit and ask if he will come here and speak with me.”

The PC slowly shook his head, “I’m sure he’s not going to do that.”

“If he says no, ask him if he would prefer that I come to him to have our conversation.”

Every Gracken in the room froze at Mike’s comment. The Planetary Commander felt his fear and almost released himself. He took a breath and decided this was not something he was going to wager on. “I will ask and see if he responds.”

“That would be good. I’ll wait an hour before I continue this invasion. I will also stop firing on your warriors in the city we’re currently attacking. Just make sure they understand that they will be shot if they attempt to fire on my forces.”

“I will send the instructions.” The PC looked at his Communications Commander, “Get the Elder on the channel…NOW!”

• • •

The Elder was watching the wall in the Chamber when the two Elders on it disappeared and were replaced by the Planetary Commander’s face. “This one has sent a priority message to the Chamber. It has been determined that his message should be heard.”

Every Elder in the room became silent. The PC said, “I have been asked by the being that one of you communicated with to request that you return to speak with him.”

The Elder shook his head, “I am not going to do that. There are more important things for us to do at the moment.”

“The Being said that if you said no to his request, to ask if you would rather him come to you to have the conversation.”

The room exploded in shouts. The Elder felt his two hearts start beating at an incredible speed. The wall sounded a loud screech and the room became silent. The Elder’s face appeared on the wall beside the Planetary Commander’s. “Do you think he could do that?”

The PC shook his head, “I think you would be a better judge of that. My conversations with him have been somewhat abbreviated and have taken place during combat. His forces are currently dropping on this planet and he has defeated the forces in one of the cities we’ve occupied.”

The Elder stared at the PC and said, “I want your opinion of him.”

The PC shook his head, “He doesn’t lack for audacity, but I’ve seen that he clearly has the temperament of a warrior. I don’t think he would make idle threats.”

The Elder stared at the PC and thought about his conversation with the being and said, “No, I don’t think he would either.”

The Wall Computer interrupted, “Are you saying that being knows the location of our planets!?!”

The Elder hesitated and said, “I can’t positively say he doesn’t.”

“That civilization possesses a beam that is capable of destroying our worlds.”

The Elder stood up, “Then it appears I will be going to speak with him…unless those of you here want to see if he really does know where we are.”

The Elder on the left end of the front row said, “Go and have everything that’s said send to this room.”

The Elder nodded and started walking out of the Chamber. He looked over his shoulder and said, “Tell him I’m coming.” The PC nodded and disappeared from the wall.

• • •

Mike waited and hoped he was right. The hundred thousand Spartan Warriors on the transports above Fippen wondered what was going on. Faye looked at Bowen, “What’s happening?”

“I honestly don’t have a clue. Neither does Adams or Jesse know either. We’ll have to wait and see.” Bowen looked up at his wall display and said, “I think we’re about to find out.”

Faye looked at the monitor and saw a huge Gracken Warship hanging in space two hundred miles away from the Q ships above the planet. “This should prove to be interesting. I’m really glad you allowed me to be here.”

Bowen smiled, “Let’s see if Mike has the transmission broadcast to all of us.” Bowen waited a moment and smiled as he heard, “I’m glad you came.”

• • •

“I didn’t come here because you asked.”

“No, you came here because you don’t know if I really know where you are.”

“Do you?”

“Let’s hold that thought for a moment.” Mike pressed a series of buttons on is panel and saw Hetzel and the Celean appear on his display along with the Gracken Elder. Mike’s face appeared a moment later. Tilly almost screamed at him for revealing himself.

The Gracken Elder saw Mike’s face appear on his display and leaned back in his chair. It was a certainty that this being did know the location of his planets or he would have never revealed his appearance. He looked over his shoulder and one of his officers said, “He is what’s called a human.”

He turned back to the display and said, “I’m surprised you’ve revealed what species you are.”

“Don’t be. It won’t make any difference at the end of our conversation.”

“Oh?”

“Just pay attention and you’ll understand just how dumb you’ve been.” The Elder’s mouth tightened but he had to admit that he liked the spirit of this creature. The Elders in the Chamber listening to the exchange didn’t know whether to be insulted or intrigued.

Hetzel shook his head, “Why have you included me in this?”

“Because I need you and the Celean to learn about what’s really happening and I need the two of you to forget your petty differences and help me with this.” Mike looked at the Celean, “Can you do that?”

The Celean smiled, “I will.”

Mike looked at the Elder on his display, “I am going to tell them about why you invaded their planets and I trust you will stop me when I’m wrong.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re not stupid.” Mike looked at Hetzel, “You recently considered blasting the four planets the Gracken invaded because you believed the only reason they had not invaded more planets was because they lacked the forces to do it.” Mike saw the Gracken’s expression change. Good.

“Is this something we should be discussing where he can hear what we say?”

“It is. I want him to understand that if you’re willing to destroy four of your own planets, you wouldn’t hesitate to destroy his.”

Hetzel looked at the Celean and turned back to the display, “Yes, we were very close to blasting those four planets into rubble.”

Mike saw the Gracken lean forward and his eyes narrowed. Mike shook his head, “That would have been a mistake.”

The Celean said, “Other than the obvious reason of killing all the innocent people on those planets, what other reason would there be not to do it?”

“Because the warriors of those four planets represent less than one percent of their total force.” Mike saw the Gracken was surprised.

Hetzel’s eyes went wide, “What do you mean!?”

“The evidence is there in front of you. You’ve just not put it together.”

The Celean’s eyes narrowed, “What have we missed?”

Mike looked at the Gracken, “I wondered when we attacked their warships above Fippen and our rounds blew their ships apart why they weren’t armored. I learned today that their heavy blasters are built using an extremely hard plastic material. The Gracken are currently at war with another civilization and they are barely hanging on. They are barely hanging on because they lack the needed metals to build the weapons needed to build the ships and armaments to win.” Mike saw the Gracken’s face go completely neutral. He didn’t want to reveal the observation was right.

The Gracken stared at Mike on his display and was amazed at the insight this being had. This being was dangerous and he might be forced to try and kill him before this was over. He looked at his panel and typed a message to the Chamber for them to prepare every warship available to be ready to respond to his call.

Mike saw the Elder moving his hand and said, “I don’t blame you at this point for your fear. However, you should hear the next thing before you send your forces here.” The Elder’s eyes narrowed to slits and Mike said, “I have a conversation with the Celean Representative recently about where the Gracken are located.” The Gracken’s eyes opened wide. “I asked him why the Gracken had taken so long to come here.”

Hetzel shook his head, “I don’t follow you.”

“If the Gracken could detect the nuclear particles from the first planet you destroyed seven thousand years ago, why are they just now showing up when we all know they don’t appear to possess a high level of patience.” Mike saw Hetzel thinking about his statement and then Mike said, “They came as soon as they detected it. Those particles traveled seven thousand years out into the universe and were detected by the Gracken between one and two years ago. I had Celean to produce a map showing all the galaxies that were at that distance from the original explosion and there are forty three galaxies that met the criteria. Mike leaned down and said, “I’m sending that map to you now.”