Dahlia's Deception (The Annihilation Series) (28 page)

“You get a gold star in your high achiever crown. I wonder what happened to cause this response. This is beyond any of my expectations.”

Dean shook his head, “I suspect something major happened.”

Tess said, “Why do you say that?”

Dean looked at Tess, “They’re frozen. No one is making a decision. It looks like they’re anchored to the portals and afraid to move.”

Dahlia thought about Dean’s statement and smiled, “If I were directing an invasion, where would I want to be?” Everyone looked at her and then started laughing. Dahlia shook her head, “I think we got a lucky hit in.” Ping looked at her and there was a twinkle in his eye. Dahlia knew he didn’t think it was luck.

• • •

The Pulse Missile went through the blue portal along with the thousands of others fired by the fast moving Battleship. It barely missed hitting six Blue Warships transiting the portal from the other side and almost hit another Pulse Missile as the two dove below an incoming Blue Warship. It continued on the trajectory below the portal once it cleared the field and spread out with the other Pulse Missiles. They moved a hundred miles away from the portal and the huge mass of Blue Warships waiting there to go through; there they stopped for a moment.

The avoidance programming terminated and the target acquisition program activated. The single missile’s electronic brain started receiving the frequency of giant ships off in the distance. The missile’s computer selected a frequency, locked in its location, and fired the missile’s thrusters. It accelerated at an incredible speed. As it moved closer to its selected target, the computer detected a huge ship that was a slightly different color than all the others, although it was still a shade of blue. A living being might have described it as royal blue. The targeting program had a subroutine that made targets that were different a priority target. It was still far enough away to adjust its path slightly and it bore down on the giant ship with a slightly different hull color.

• • •

The giant Harvesters were conserving power and didn’t have their force fields activated. They had no idea they were in any danger and were caught with all of their defenses down. The Green Energy from the two Pulse Missiles that hit the Exalted’s Ship consumed the giant ship leaving nothing but drifting atoms in the place it was parked a few moments earlier. Of the ten thousand missiles fired through the portal, the only ship that had two missiles hit it was the Exalted’s Harvester.

The New Exalted was chosen quickly and he ordered every Blue Ship on the other side of the portals to block anything from getting through. His ship was in a different galaxy than his predecessor’s and he had no information on how the invasion was being conducted. He actually didn’t know it had started. He sent execution teams from his ship through the portals and killed every Leader in the invasion above the rank of Squadron Leader. He sent their replacements a week later. All of them were chosen from his family’s ships, which he placed a long distance from the portals. It took another four weeks to bring the new Sector and Fleet Leaders up to speed on what had happened. The previous leaders were all executed before they could be debriefed.

The Five began firing on the ships surrounding the portals from long distance and none of the Blue Warships could go out and attack the Five’s fleets without disobeying the new Exalted’s orders to block the portals with every ship. Blue Ships died in the millions around the portals before they were released to continue the invasion.

• • •

During the lull in action, Ping and Dahlia got in a lot of fishing.

T
he Chinga Emperor looked at the other four Leaders of the Five and said, “One of my ships killed one of the Blue Warships and we managed to pull it back to one of my labs.”

“And?”

The Emperor looked at the Beast, “There was a small portal projector on board. Evidently their ships keep one in order to escape if needed.”

The Rageon Leader shook his head, “You can’t tell me that small ship could power a portal.”

“We hooked it up and a portal appeared. It wasn’t big enough for the ship to go through but it was a portal. Perhaps their ships are more powerful than we thought.”

“Can we use it to escape if it comes down to it?”

“I’ve attached it to one of our portal reactors and the readings indicate that it would break through to the other place we invaded.”

The Beast stood up, “I need a copy of that device!”

“My scientists have made four working prototypes. I’m sending each of you one to start mass production.”

The Drund First looked at the others, “If we have to flee, how many portals do we need to open?”

The four looked at the Rageon and he shook his head, “We will not be fleeing to another place. We will live or die here.”

“They’ll eradicate you.”

“That may be; however, is it safe to assume that you won’t be going through those portals with peaceful intentions?”

The four looked at the Rageon like he had six heads. The Beast managed to say, “What is wrong with you? You’ve not been the same since you went to that invisible planet.”

“I have no intention of attacking anyone in order to take their territory. I’m assuming that you intend to invade that other place and take control.”

The Beast yelled, “OF COURSE WE’RE GOING TO TAKE CONTROL!! Are you that lost mentally?”

“We will not be participating. I wish you success on your endeavor.”

The Four saw the Rageon disappear from their monitors and the Hedgon shook his head back and forth, “We need his ships.”

“No we don’t. We have enough to win this if we can get through their defenses around the portals we use. We have to produce enough of them to make it impossible for them to stop us.”

The Chinga said, “How many?”

The Beast said, “A million would do it.”

The Drund said, “Then each of us will produce a quarter of a million portal projectors. When they’re done, we’ll see if the time has come to flee. How long do you think it will take for you to manufacture the needed number?”

The Beast said, “Have them ready in three months. We’ll meet again at that time.”

The Four nodded and the conference ended.

• • •

The Upper Sector Leader looked at his Communicator, “Order the others to back off on their offenses. Keep them under pressure but I want them to have enough ships to damage the forces in that other universe.”

The Lower Sector Leader said, “That was a good idea to allow them to capture a portal projector.”

“The hard part was making it look real. In three months we will start an all-out attack on their forces. This will be over soon.”

The Left Sector Leader frowned, “How many times have we said that very thing only to find we were wrong.”

“They have what they need now; they will go there once we commit all our forces.”

“I truly hope you’re right.”

• • •

“PING!”

“What’s wrong Pare?”

“I’ve intercepted a transmission from the Blue Ship Leaders that all of their forces are to back off on their offenses but keep pressure on the Five for three months.”

“Was that all they said?” There was silence and Ping said, “Pare?”

“The Invaders set up one of their warships to be attacked; it had a working model of their portal projector on board.” Ping was silent and Pare said, “I hate delivering only bad news; but it appears the Invaders have broken the Five’s encryption and know that they plan to have enough projectors in three months to flee if they must.”

“The Five must see this as a setup.”

“Would it matter; if someone held a blaster at your head and gave you a key to a door to escape; would you use it?”

Ping shook his head, “You’re right. They could have left one floating in space with a note saying, best wishes and bon voyage; the Five would have taken it and used it gladly.”

“Is there anything we can do?”

“Hi, Dahlia, I didn’t know you were listening in.”

“That’s ok, Pare; I heard it in Ping’s mind. Ping?”

“I’m thinking!”

“Pare, did you hear anything about the Rageon?”

“I let Sprigly know what was happening and he’s detected portal projectors being trialed in every domain but the Rageon. It appears they aren’t building projectors.”

Ping shrugged, “Well, at least the Realm has a fighting chance against the other four.”

“Sprigly says they still outnumber the Realm’s Warships by a large margin.”

“That’s true; but we know the lay of the land there and the Gardners can use their psychic ships in the fighting.”

Dahlia said, “I thought they only had one.”

“No, three were missing at the end of the first fight for Creation. I suspect they have at least three at their disposal and they will make a huge difference in the fight.”

“You sound like you don’t think the Gardners will be ready in time.”

“I wish I could say for certain they will be; however, nothing is certain.”

“One thing is.”

“What’s that, Dolly?”

“We’re at the end of this conflict as far as we’re concerned.”

“Oh?”

“Have you come up with something to do about this?”

Ping sighed, “Not at this moment.”

“Until you do; our part of the plan is done.”

• • •

Ping lifted his wrist unit, “Sprigly!”

“Yes Ping.”

“Pare tells me you did a scan of the Five and saw they are developing portal projectors; is the development being done in central locations?”

“No, they’re being manufactured on more than two hundred thousand planets scattered around four of their territories. Don’t get your hopes up.”

“Why?”

“I know you’re thinking about going after those planets but it appears they aren’t keeping the projectors they build on the planets. As soon as one’s completed, it’s placed in a battleship and it jumps away from the planet. The Four recognize that those planets are the key to their survival and the planet is defended with multiple layers of warships. They’ve extended their force fields to maximum and they overlap.”

Dahlia said, “Why would they do that? Won’t it weaken them to the point where they’re useless?”

Ping said, “Their force fields are already useless against our pulse beams. However, any of our ships that try to get within firing range of the planet will have to go through one of their force fields and they’ll open fire on that area immediately.”

“Couldn’t we send enough ships to overwhelm them?”

“And we might kill a few thousand planets before we lost too many ships to continue. Honestly Dahlia, I wondered why they didn’t use this strategy to protect their production planets.”

“Ping’s right. Going after the planets building the portals will not work.”

“Sprigly, do you see anything we can do?”

“Not at the moment.”

“We could go after their production planets again.”

“If they’re going to flee this universe, why would they care if you did?”

“Then we could go after their ships and reduce the number going against the Realm.”

“Dahlia, we could kill a thousand ships an hour and not make a dent in their numbers.”

“There’s got to be something?”

“Sprigly.”

“Yes, Ping.”

“Notify the Gardners about what’s going on.” Sprigly was silent. “Don’t worry about having a way to contact them; we’re on the same team and you’re not betraying us by talking to them.”

“How did you know I could contact them?”

“The King would have insisted you have the means to get them here to pull Victoria out if things got rough.”

“I’ll let them know.”

“Ping, where are you?”

“When you come; I need some extra fishing line and hooks.”

“Do we have time for that?”

“If we don’t, we’ll make time.”

• • •

“Dean.”

“Yes.”

“Ping says we should leave.”

“I know.”

“Are we?”

“What?”

“Going to leave?”

Dean sighed as Tess came over, “I just heard Vicky’s question.”

Dean looked at his older sister, “And?”

“Dean, you have been the brains behind our defense of the planet. Your strategies have kept us alive longer that I thought possible; I think the Realm can use your help against the Four if they invade.”

“Tess, I’m needed here.”

“We’ve discussed the situation and there’s nothing we can do. We don’t have enough warships to impact the Four or the Invader’s numbers. We can’t go after the projectors; once again, we don’t have enough ships. We’ve done all we can to delay the endgame, but now, the momentum is more than we can stop. Ping can direct the Fleets. You need to take your mate to safety.”

Dean stared at Tess and finally nodded. Victoria put her hand on his arm and he saw her sorrow at what he was being forced to do. Tess contacted Sprigly and told him to call the Gardners to come and take Victoria back to the Realm. A few moments later Sprigly came running into the control room, “They can’t come.”

Victoria looked at Sprigly in shock, “WHAT!?!”

“They say if they leave long enough to come here, their project will fall apart. They apologized and say they notified the King. He’s furious but he had to make a choice.” Sprigly looked at Victoria.

She slowly nodded, “I’m proud of my father.”

Dean was angry, “Why? He’s leaving you here to die.”

Victoria looked at Dean and shook her head, “No, he’s leaving me here to save the Realm. That’s the only thing that would make him do it.”

Dean stood and took Victoria in his arms. He removed his helmet and tossed it on the chair behind them and started walking out of the control room. “Tess, we’re going fishing.”

“I’ll meet you there.”

“Better hurry; Vicky’s going to catch all the fish.”

Dean looked at Vicky, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be; it’s been worth it. I wouldn’t change anything.”

• • •

Tag looked at Danielle and saw her frustration. He knew time was running out and he was starting to believe that the answer to the field wouldn’t be found in time. Jixie said, “We can’t just leave the Princess there.”

Danielle move the emitter controls and said, “We’ll pick her up after we release the device.” She looked at Tag and saw him shake his head. “We’ll have time to do it.”