Nowhere to Hide (26 page)

“You will effectively end trade between our planets.”

“I think trade will end with the Invader’s arrival.”

The Sovereign was surprised by the remark and leaned back in his chair. He shrugged, “I guess there is that.”

Drey lifted his communicator, “You can convert your commercial ships to a FTL drive and that would take care of that issue. If you start now, most of them should be up and running in less than a year or so.”

The ruler of the Pental nodded, “When are you going to start this process?”

“We’re getting the assignments done as we speak; however, we won’t start until our first effort at delaying their fleets takes place. Depending on what happens with that plan, it could be delayed for months or it could start immediately afterwards.”

The Gedna looked around his display and waited for someone to ask but no one spoke. “What are you planning to do?”

“We’re going to attempt to destroy the four fleets organizing to come here before they leave.”

The Sovereign started chuckling, “Oh, is that all?”

Ian shrugged, “Most of you might remember what happened to the ten million ships that gathered outside your galaxy prior to their attack. We’re going to do that again but on a much larger scale.”

Once again silence dominated the conference. Ian watched the faces of the many creatures on his display and said, “If we’re successful, we’re sending four of our highly trained attack fleets to take the war into their domain. At that point, if we’re successful, we can delay the disruption until the Invaders start organizing to attack again. If I were you, I’d start the conversion to FTL drives immediately.”

One of the leaders leaned forward, “Do we have a choice about whether we do this or not?”

“Certainly; any of you that don’t want subspace disrupted around your planets just let us know and we won’t do it.”

“Ever?”

“If we aren’t too busy fighting them, we’ll try to come back later. However, I’ll make no promises. Once we finish disrupting subspace, my ships will be preparing to meet their fleets when they arrive.”

“Will our ships be going with you?”

“We could use the help.”

The Gedna spoke up, “We will be sending our ships with your forces when they come. I’d rather fight them following your plan.”

“We will send our ships as well,” the Sovereign quickly added.

“And we will be sending our fleets with you.”

Ian looked at the Pental Ruler and smiled, “It’s good to see you’re working with us on this.”

“The earlier attack I led on your galaxy was a mistake. I will never act in a hostile manner to your civilization again. I hope you can forgive my stupidity.”

“You’ve just gone a long way towards making that happen.”

Ian turned back to the reluctant leader, “Why do you want us to delay disrupting your space?”

“We are currently moving large populations from my planet to another galaxy and our commercial ships are making that happen. Disrupting space around my planets would stop our exodus.” The other leaders were shocked at the remark. The leader continued, “All of you know that my ships are nowhere near as powerful as yours. We will be easily conquered and our best chance of survival is to move as many of my citizens as possible to a safer location.”

Ian smiled, “When you need us, we will come and disrupt the space around your planets. We have also moved our populations and are still in the process of making that happen.”

Every leader on the display jerked their attention to Ian. The Gedna smiled, “It might be a good idea for us to do the same.”

Ian smiled, “I’m surprised you haven’t started.”

The Gedna looked at the Sovereign, “Perhaps we can work together to get our larger commercial vessels converted to FTL and see how many of our citizens would be interested in finding a new home.”

The Sovereign nodded and turned to Ian, “Perhaps you can delay your disruption until the last minute for all of us?”

Drey smiled, “For what it’s worth, we have the location of six galaxies that the Invaders have already conquered. I really don’t expect them to go back to them for further conquests. They’ve pretty much killed all the intelligent civilizations in them so it would be a waste of time for them to return.”

Ian shook his head slowly, “Admiral Montgomery, please get a list of those galaxies to the Negotiator for dissemination and we’ll delay disruption as long as possible.”

The meeting ended with all the leaders in M87 rushing to make plans to move their populations. Drey appeared on Ian’s display and said, “I don’t expect the civilizations in M87 to pose a problem for centuries to come.”

“If they’re given centuries.”

“What do you mean?”

“There are still four Invader fleets we’ll have to face. I don’t expect them to delay if we’re successful.”

Drey shrugged, “Well…you have to admit; things just got a lot more exciting.”

“That they did.”

***

The Senior Father looked at his adopted son, “What did you determine?”

“We can live on the small sea life in most planets’ oceans. It’s actually better for us than the organic material we’ve been consuming. Our Family is healthier as a result of the new feeding method.”

The Senior Father stared at him for a long moment, “What do you think about the coming attack on the large galaxy?”

“I think it would be a mistake to go back there.”

“Why?”

“They are more advanced technologically than we are. Our ships are powerful and we outnumber them, I think, so it will be a vicious fight.”

“What do you mean you think we outnumber them?”

“Every time we’ve sent forces there, they’ve been destroyed. We really don’t know what’s waiting for us in that galaxy.”

“What do you think about the Senior Grandfather’s belief that they will come after us if we don’t eliminate them?”

“I believe he’s right.”

The Daughter jerked her head around, “You do?”

“What would we do if an outside force attacked us and killed our families? Would we just let it go; or would we strive to build enough forces to kill them. On that point, I agree with the Senior Grandfather.”

“So you feel we have to go and attack their galaxy?”

“Not really.”

“What other option is there?”

The adopted Father stared at the Senior Father and smiled, “You know the answer to that question.”

The Daughter turned to her father, “Is he right?”

The Senior Father smiled, “Open a frequency close to the ones we use to communicate between our ships.” The adopted Father grew lighter in color showing his agreement.

“It’s open, Father. What are you doing?”

“Seeing if those creatures in that galaxy are as advanced as I believe they are.” He pressed the communicator and said, “I wish to send a representative to communicate with you. I know you’re listening to my transmissions; if this is agreeable with you, please do something to let me know it will be safe to send him. I’ll give you twenty minutes to offer a response.”

The Adopted Father nodded, “You know they’re watching everything we do?”

“When did you find out?”

“I suspected it all along. I also suspected if they have been listening to our transmissions they must have learned our language by now.”

The Daughter looked at the two, “We’ve not detected any probes.”

“How do you think those civilizations discovered our probes?” The Daughter looked blank. “Their probes found them. It stands to reason that if our probes didn’t detect theirs, then we couldn’t either. I may be wrong and there aren’t any.”

The other Father said, “We’ll soon know.”

“They could just refuse to communicate.”

“Would you?”

The Senior Father shrugged.

***

“IAN!!”

“What’s wrong, Moe?”

“One of our probes had just intercepted a transmission from the Flagship of that first fleet that attacked.”

“And?”

“He’s asking to send a representative to communicate with us.”

“WHAT!?!”

“He’s also asking us to make some sort of demonstration to let him know his representative will be safe.”

Ian slammed his panel, “DREY, GET ON THE CHANNEL NOW!!”

“What’s wrong, Ian?”

“The commander of the Invader Fleet that attacked us is requesting to send a representative to communicate with us.” Drey just stared at Ian on the display, shaking his head. “I’m serious, Drey.”

“Why would he do that?”

Ian sat down and started thinking, “He may just be trying to confirm that he’s being watched by our probes.”

Moe said, “I’m pretty certain he already knew that.”

“How?”

“We removed his probes that were here and I’m certain those probes did not see how we found them. Oh, he knows. He also knows we’ve translated his language.”

Drey looked up, “Oh?”

“He sent the message in his language.”

Ian looked at Drey, “So if we respond to his request, he’ll know we have probes watching him and also know his language. I don’t know if we should do this.”

“That family has been acting weird anyway.”

Ian jerked his head up, “What do you mean, Moe?”

“They stopped the invasion of a planet and sent the ships to land on an uninhabited planet. Soon after that, they stopped all their attacks and sent all their ships to uninhabited planets with oceans. They are not acting at all like the other Invader fleets.”

Ian smiled, “Is there a way for you to make a response to his request?”

“You’re not considering doing this, are you?”

“Drey, I believe something is going on in that fleet. They stopped killing planets; that’s got to mean something. Moe, can you do it?”

“I can bring a probe into normal space, fire its thrusters, go back into subspace, and jump away.”

“Would they see it?”

“If I do it right outside their control room, they can’t miss it.”

Ian looked at Drey, “You’ve got to wonder what they’re thinking.”

Drey shrugged, “Then do it; I want to know what’s going on.”

“Moe, do it.”

***

The Daughter saw fifteen minutes had passed and she shook her top, “Perhaps you are giving those civilizations far more credit for being more advanced than us.” Suddenly, a bright flash erupted directly in front of the giant battleship next to the main viewport, blinding the ones on the bridge momentarily. The Daughter shook her eyes and looked down at her control panel, “Something entered normal space and fired an engine. There’s no trace of it now.”

“What do you think now, Daughter?”

“Perhaps avoiding that galaxy would be a very good thing to do.”

The Senior Father looked at the adopted Father, “I want you to go and negotiate with them.”

“What do you want?”

“I want their assurances that, if we do not participate in any future attack on their galaxy, they will not seek retribution against us in the future.”

“I suspect they’ll want more than that?”

“Then find out what it is and agree to do it.”

The Father extended a pseudopod forward and the Senior grasped it. He turned and left for his battleship.

***

“Kregen!”

“Yes Sir.”

“I need you to get the Freaks fired up and at battle stations immediately. I’ll send them their instructions momentarily.”

“Right away, Sir.”

***

Annie and Ryan were blasted out of bed by the alarm going off at full intensity, “Battle stations, all hands to battle stations, this is not a drill.”

“What’s going on!?!”

“I don’t know, Annie; whatever it is, we better not be late.” They sprinted out of the building that housed their quarters and saw a speeder waiting for them. The speeder broke every speed limit on the planet and dropped them off at their attack ship. Ryan kissed her quickly and they sprinted on board their ships as hundreds of attack ships started lifting into the atmosphere. Annie yelled, “What’s going on, Sammy.”

“We have a Blue Priority Mission. I’ve not received any details yet.”

“This mission comes from the Crown?”

“It does. We’ve been ordered into orbit and told to hold our position until the Prince sends us our destination.”

“Well, get us out of here!” Annie’s ship lifted and she saw Ryan just in front of her, “How did he get away first?”

“He didn’t stop to fasten his belts.”

“In the future, we won’t either.”

The thousand attack ships that were holding station in orbit were joined by the ones on the planet in less than ten minutes. They formed up into their wings without conscious thought as they checked their systems for possible combat. They suddenly heard the Prince say over their communication system, “Alright Freaks. I’ve been told you’re the best and I want you to prove it. The Obelisk Computer is going to send all of you a coordinate momentarily and I want every one of you to jump to that location and surround a ship you find there. You will not fire on that ship but will simply surround it and wait on my arrival.”

Drey looked at Ian, “What if that ship fires on them?”

“Then all bets are off and we’ll destroy it. I don’t think they would go to this effort to waste it by being aggressive.” Drey shrugged and leaned back in Ian’s co-pilot’s chair. “Moe, I need to know where that ship arrives.”

“I have a ship leaving their fleet. The probe will detect its jump signature and send it to me. I’ll get it to the Freaks as soon as I receive it.” Ian waited and after a few minutes Moe said, “Got it!”

***

Ryan saw the coordinate appear on his panel and he pressed his jump button along with the other two thousand attack ships.

The Adopted Father looked out of the viewport and saw normal space appear outside the edge of the giant galaxy. An instant later, two thousand small ships appeared around his vessel. He rocked from side to side in astonishment. This just wasn’t possible. He saw the ships surrounding his vessel and knew there was no possible way for any of his ships to have responded as quickly as these had demonstrated. A female manning the communication panel looked at him, “Father, should I open a channel?”

The Father looked at the formations surrounding his vessel and raised a pseudopod, shaking it left and right. The female moved her appendage away from her panel. He leaned back in his chair and waited. The one he needed to speak with was not there…yet.