Pray for the Prey (10 page)

Dolly hit the emergency pad on her panel and George and Arvolo appeared on her screen. Before they could say anything Dolly said, “Ten thousand Violet Ships have arrived in orbit above Earth and are blasting the planet. They started with New York but are now starting to spread out and hit all our cities.”

George jumped out of his chair and yelled, “Arvolo, get the fleet there.”

Dolly yelled, “You will disregard that order. You’ll never arrive in time and if you do you’ll endanger all of our colonies.”

George stared at her not able to speak. Dolly said, “None of our colonies report being attacked. They must believe that this is our only planet. I’m sure they thought the attack craft awaiting transport at New York were the ships that attacked their fleet because the numbers match up with those we used. If you come here with the fleet they’ll know this is not our only planet and they’ll plan to destroy every civilization in this galaxy. You must not come.”

George stared at Dolly on his display and said, “I can’t let you die. I just can’t.”

Jeff came over and wrapped Dolly in his arms. Hemon watched the display and was thankful Sasha and his son were at the Alliance Capital, talking with them about the treaty. George said, “Arvolo, get the fleets moving!”

Dolly yelled, “You will ignore that order and stay where you are. Do you understand!?!”

Cyanna looked at RV and saw an expression that was a barely restrained mask of rage. She knew that the Violet Ships were going to pay for this act in a major way. RV gritted his teeth and said, “I understand.”

Dolly looked at George in her display and said, “I love you so much, George.”

“I love you, Sissy.” George watched Dolly lean back as Jeff kissed her just before his display turned to static.

George dropped his head in his hands as Meisa rushed forward and took him in her arms.

• • •

The Task Force Controller watched the planet appear below him as his ships emerged into normal space. He activated the general ship frequency and shouted, “Find those ships.”

After what seemed like an eternity but was only thirty seconds he heard, “I’ve scanned twelve hundred and eighty six ships on the ground at a space port next to a large city.”

“Send the coordinates and hit them with everything you’ve got.”

Nine hundred and sixty seven Violet Ships darted above New York and fired energy pulses at the parked ships. The resulting nuclear explosions vaporized all of New York City, blasting a crater fifty miles wide. Thirty miles of seawater next to the coast was also vaporized and the tsunami that came rushing in on the coast evaporated before it could arrive at the former city but inundated all of New Jersey, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Violet ships that rushed toward the ships in New York moved up the eastern seaboard, hitting every city with a nuclear energy pulse.

Miami to West Palm was vaporized and the three hundred mile an hour shock wave moved out into Florida, killing everything across the state. Orlando, Jacksonville, Savannah, Charleston, Charlotte were hit at the same moment as Miami. The mushroom clouds sprung up faster than could be imagined. Washington, Pittsburg, Chicago, Quebec, Toronto, and Ontario were all hit by one ship that still continued firing at New York. The entire east coast of North America was a massive wave front of four thousand degree winds blowing inland.

The Controller saw the grounded ships vaporized and hit his communicator, “Let’s do this quickly. Fan out and hit every major population center. You must complete your tasks within fifty micro-measures.”

Half the fleet turned west and in less than two minutes every city and community with more than two thousand inhabitants was hit with a nuke. The west coast was a twin of the east as thousands of mushroom clouds rushed up into the upper atmosphere spreading the radioactive debris into the upper level winds. The other half of the Violet Ships turned east and the destruction continued in Europe and Asia. It only took ten ships to obliterate all of the cities in South America in less than four minutes. One of the pulses hit in the center of Rio de Janeiro and obliterated the most beautiful harbor in the world.

The Violet Ships flew quickly around the planet, launching their pulses as they moved quickly overhead. All over Earth, a hundred thousand mushroom clouds rushed into the upper atmosphere, carrying huge loads of debris that was now radioactive. Ten minutes after New York was vaporized, Sydney, Australia was hit with two nukes and the Command Center was destroyed in a nuclear flash. An hour after the Violet Ships arrived they jumped away. The Probe that was out in the asteroid belt recorded their exit as well as the probe the Violet Ships left behind. Earth was awash with radiation in its death throes and soon animals and plants began dying from the intense radiation.

Cyanna said, “They left a probe behind to see if anyone comes to the planet.”

Arvolo stared at his display as Jillian appeared, “What’s going on!?!”

Arvolo looked at Cyanna and she took the communication on her board, “Ten thousand Violet Ships jumped into Earth orbit and have destroyed the planet. They launched more than half a million nuclear pulses at all of the population centers. The entire planet is now covered with a radioactive cloud.”

“Why didn’t we send the fleet in!?!”

Cyanna played Dolly’s last words. Jillian fell back in her chair as Chris joined her on the display. Cyanna said, “There was no way for us to get the fleet there in time. For all intents and purposes, the planet was dead in less than two minutes after their first nuclear launch. Dolly was right. It would have done no good and it would have endangered our colonies as well as the Moet and Alliance planets.”

George appeared on the display and Cyanna and RV were shocked at the transformation. He was not emotional but said in a steely voice, “Chris, are you still at M-87.”

“Yes.”

“I want you to record the last three months of activity around the Violet Civilizations borders. Can you do that quickly?”

“Yes but why do you want it done?”

“Those ships jumped directly to Earth. They had to have our coordinates to be able to do that. Where do you think they would get them?”

Chris looked at Jillian and said, “Surely even they wouldn’t have done this.”

“Before I take action I need to make sure. Please carry out that task before you do anything else.”

Chris looked at Jillian and said, “We’re jumping now. I’ll send you the recording as soon as it’s completed.”

George’s display went dark.

Cyanna looked at RV, “What do you think he suspects.”

“Who would want us removed from this galaxy?”

Cyanna thought a moment, “The Violet Ships?”

Arvolo shook his head, “You can rule out the Blue Giants. They and the Alliance don’t know the location of Earth. Only the Moet know where Earth is located. There is a minute possibility that the Violet Civilization saw something in their scan when they scouted our Galaxy that caused this; but that is a remote possibility. They would have come sooner if that were the case. I’m sure George wants to make sure before he decides what to do.”

Cyanna took a deep breath, “Who is our leader now that Earth has been destroyed?”

“I’m sure that it will be Chris or George. The Colonies will not accept anyone else.”

“They might consider you.”

“They would be extremely stupid if they did.”

“Why do you say that?”

“It’s never wise to make a loaded weapon your leader. It might choose to be used at an inappropriate time. I am not suited for that role and you know it.”

“I do; I was just wondering if you know it.”

RV nodded and replayed the recording of Earth’s destruction. He tried to think about how to make the Violet Ships pay. It would have to be done carefully.

• • •

Chris set the scanners and collectors and looked at Jillian, “Do you have the location where we can emerge into normal space at the highest reception of light from M-87?”

“I had one location, but Zack and Izzy found another that will instantly appear.”

Chris stopped what he was doing and said, “I think I prefer to use our old one.”

Jillian paused before she entered the coordinates and looked at him, “Why?”

“I’m somewhat antsy about using a coordinate that they used multiple times. Doesn’t our old location load within two seconds?”

“Actually, if we go ahead and expand the fields before we emerge into normal space, it should be less than a second. Do you think they might have seen one of our ships?”

“They are millions of years ahead of us in technology. We may have caught up in weapons, but I worry about their other devices.”

“You’re probably right. I’ll use the old line into the galaxy. How far out do you want to start?”

“Start the week of the Moet attack and let’s move forward to two weeks ago.”

“Any reason why you chose that timeline?”

“I suspect it took the Violet Civilization at least two weeks to organize and plan that attack. If anything happened it should have occurred during that window. If we don’t see anything, we’ll move further out and go to one week.”

“You’re the boss. Why don’t you sound general quarters and I’ll get the drive ready. Is your board ready to record?”

“It is.” Chris hit the blue button and the alarms started blaring, “Battle stations; all hands to battle stations.” After a minute Chris turned off the loud speaker, but the red lights continued to flash until all units had reported in ready. Jillian announced, “Jump alert; we’ll be jumping in thirty seconds.”

Chris waited and felt the ship jump into Sierra Space and then break back into normal space with the gigantic galaxy directly in front of them. “I’ve got it; start the run.”

The Jukebox accelerated into the light from M-87 at high speed recording what was being received into their computer. Jillian said, “We’ll be arriving at two weeks in five seconds; 4,3,2, and 1…” The Jukebox reentered Sierra Space and jumped toward M-83. Two minutes later, twenty Violet Ships appeared at the place they had left normal space.

Chris rewound the recording and started it running at ten time’s normal speed. Jillian watched the recording on her panel and after ten hours she said, “Wait a minute!”

“I saw it; hold on.” Chris rewound the video and started it at normal speed. After ten minutes they saw a Moet Dreadnaught emerge into normal space and was immediately surrounded by ten Violet Ships. They continued to watch and after forty five minutes the Moet Ship jumped away unharmed.

Chris felt his anger and Jillian said, “It looks like they made a deal with the Devil.”

Chris activated his panel and saw George and Arvolo on his screen, “I’m sending you a recording we just found in the material we collected. Stand by.”

Chris watched as George and Arvolo looked at their wall displays and after the video finished Chris said, “What are you going to do about this?”

George looked at Arvolo on his screen and said, “Do you need any suggestions?”

“No Sir. I’ll handle it.”

“When you’re ready, I do want to go with you; however, you will have complete command of the exercise.”

Chris watched Arvolo’s expression and knew that the Cuban could see that George didn’t trust himself to act rationally. Chris looked at Jillian and she shook her head. This was George’s show. Chris said, “Will you send us a feed of what you do?”

Arvolo shook his head, “I’m sure our transmissions can’t be tracked or deciphered but they can be heard being made. If we start communicating, the Violet Ships might suspect something. This exercise will be done under communication silence. I will send you a recording after it’s over.”

Chris nodded, “That’s fine. Good luck.” Arvolo and George cut the connection. “This could get ugly.”

“Why do you say that?”

“How do you think the Cuban is going to find out where the Moets are located?”

Jillian thought a moment and sat back in her chair. Chris was right; this could get very ugly.

• • •

Cyanna was mad and she was letting RV know about it. “I will not stay behind on this exercise.”

RV took her hands in his and said, “Jeff Garcia was killed with Dolly. Jeff was Bob Owen’s mentor and Kenny Anders’ former Commander and close friend. I refuse to take all of our Admirals on this mission. Now, if you refuse to follow my orders, leave and tell either Kenny or Bob that they will stay so you can go.” Cyanna stared at RV in silence. RV said, “I’m serious; go and tell one of them they can’t go.”

Cyanna sat down and started crying. “You know I can’t do that.”

“I would have probably taken you anyway, but George has forbidden me to take all of our Admirals. I respect his decision and know it’s a good one. If you think about it so will you. Do you want to take my place?”

Cyanna looked up sharply and said, “That would defeat the reason I want to go.”

“I know.”

Cyanna came into RV’s arms and said, “If you go off and get yourself killed without me with you, I’ll kill you myself.” RV laughed. “I’m serious. We do have time travel you know.” Cyanna paused and jumped up straight, “Hey, can’t we go back in time and hit that fleet before it attacked Earth?”

RV slowly shook his head, “We could, but it would do no good.”

“Why not?”

“Because it would make a massive change in the events in this universe and a new universe would branch off from this one still leaving Earth dead in this one. If our fleet remained in the old universe, there would be severe repercussions with duplicate ships and people co-existing. “

“Then what good is it if you can’t change the past?”

“There are special circumstances where the past can be changed, but that change cannot have any impact on the following events. Saving Zack was an example of it. You can use it to determine what the best next step might be. Just as we now know who gave the Violet Ships our location.”

“Just be careful and come back to me.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Cyanna closed her eyes and lay on his chest. She prayed she wouldn’t lose another love in her life. Then she heard him say, “We won’t be leaving right away. We’re going to give them one more opportunity to see if they really did what we suspect.”