Planet Predators (19 page)

Zack looked and saw RV was right. The light green glow surrounded the invading fleet, which had stopped and organized itself into the line formations. Once the formation and force field was in place the huge fleet started moving forward. The Front ranks of the Jenze Fleet arrived and fired hundreds of thousands of missiles at the approaching ships. The missiles streaked out and started impacting the force field. The blasts were gigantic but did not penetrate the ranks of the approaching ships. The Jenze Fleet split and moved over the top and bottom of the invaders as they fired their main beams at the individual ships in the ranks of the attackers. Nothing made it through the force field. The incoming fleet did not fire back and waited until the massive defensive fleet had gathered around its formation.

RV said, “They’re making a huge mistake. They shouldn’t have all their ships at the battle. They should have left half of them at the planet.”

Zack continued to watch the display, “Why is that?”

“The invaders are waiting for them. They must think they can kill those ships.”

One of the Jenze main battleships fired twenty heavy missiles at the force field and followed them in with its force field at its maximum strength. The missiles and ship struck the force field and blew a hole in it that allowed two other Jenze ships to get through the force field before it closed. The two ships attacked the invaders and destroyed eight ships before they were hit with a white ball of something. The invading fleet then fired millions of the white streaks of energy that went out and homed in on the Jenze Fleet. The strange energy pulses hit and blew through the Jenze force fields as if they weren’t there. The Jenze Fleet began exploding around the invaders and the explosions moved away and began destroying those ships in the outer ranks. If a white pulse hit a ship, it died in a huge explosion. The thousands of Jenze ships further from the invaders turned to run but the pulses were faster and caught them. Hundreds began jumping into green space but of the three hundred thousand ships that left the planet, more than two hundred and fifty thousand were destroyed. The survivors jumped back in to normal space at the planet but they were now outnumbered by more than four to one.

RV looked at Izzy, “Did you get a reading on the strength of that force field?”

“Yes, I did. That energy ball, pulse, or whatever you want to call it, is twice as strong as the beams being used by the Jenze.”

RV watched the large violet colored ships accelerate towards the planet and arrive a thousand miles above the planetary force field. The fifty thousand survivors rushed at the fleet to suicide against the force field but were destroyed by the strange white pulses before they could get close. Zack said, “They’ve taken station above the continent with the force field structure.”

RV focused in on the continent below the fleet and saw a huge pyramid surrounded by a modern city emitting a broad beam. The invading ships all launched a white pulse at the huge structure on the surface and two hundred thousand of them struck the force field directly above the pyramid. The force field held momentarily but failed when a hundred and fifty thousand pulses hit it. Fifty thousand of the pulses screamed down to the planet’s surface and disintegrated the huge pyramid along with the city surrounding it. The force field around the rest of the planet disappeared and the huge fleet began raining hundreds of thousands of the pulses into the now defenseless world. The fleet moved around the planet continuing to rain down destruction and soon a tsunami of wind borne fire began sweeping across the surface at more than three hundred miles per hour. Everything was burned out of existence including the oceans.

Izzy and Zack watched the planet’s destruction but RV separated his display and focused in on the ranks of the invaders. He studied the ships closely and saw that one of them in the center of the formation was slightly larger than the others. He brought the view in closer and saw a section on its hull slide back and large cone shaped device emerge and orient itself away from the planet and above the solar system’s plane. He set his board and had his sensors look in the direction the cone was pointed. He brought the view out and saw the beam was aimed outside the galaxy. He followed the direction and saw a distant galaxy. He recorded his findings and then turned his board back to the planet. “This fleet has just called for a general invasion of this galaxy.”

Izzy and Zack turned and looked at him.

“One of their ships has just sent a message to another galaxy and I’m reasonably certain that the major invasion will now start since the species in those ships have determined that they can be successful against the Jenze.”

Zack was in a state of shock and Izzy was holding his hand, “What makes you think that, RV?”

“Those ships invaded this galaxy ten million years ago and had their butts kicked by the Jenze. I’m sure they’ve mapped every Jenze planet and have been working to develop a weapon to defeat the planetary force field. They aren’t coming to kill every one; only the Jenze.”

RV pulled up a ship that had attacked the Jenze millions of years earlier and they saw that it was similar to the current ship being used by the invading fleet. “This is where your people were exterminated, Zack.”

Izzy watched the continued bombardment and asked, “Then how did they arrive at Earth more than three million years from now?”

“I have no idea. That’s an issue we’ll have to attempt to answer later. We need to go home and deliver what we’ve discovered.” Izzy continued to hold Zack’s hand. RV jumped the Ninja and watched as they stood and left the bridge….together. RV put on his glasses that he had refused to wear since Izzy came on board and sighed. He took his time arriving home to give them time together. Once again, I lose to a flat-belly.

* * *

Chris looked at the huge display in the planetarium as Paul Howard pulled up a close up view of M87. Paul said as the huge galaxy grew in size, “We were given this view when you went out originally to capture the Jenze Weapon. It was off to the side of your line of sight to Earth but we were able to enhance it and see details we’ve never seen before.”

“What can you tell me about it, Doctor?”

“That galaxy is in a class by itself. It’s located at the center of the Virgo Super Cluster of which the Milky Way is a part. We are of the opinion that all the other five thousand galaxies actually revolve around this monster. Our best approximation is that it has 200 times the mass of our galaxy.”

“What makes it so special?”

“It has a black hole in the center that staggers the imagination. Most black holes in the center of Galaxies are about seven or eight hundred times the mass of our sun. The black hole in the center of M87 is more than six billion times the mass of our sun. It is possibly the largest black hole in the universe and it is extremely active.”

Chris stared at the image and said, “That huge jet coming out of the center must be dangerous?”

“It is and it erupts periodically with a pulse of gamma and x-rays that extend more than six thousand light years from the center. It erases all the dust in its path preventing the formation of any new stars. It will also kill any life on planets that happen to be close by.”

“Are you saying that life will be rare in M87?”

“Oh no! M87 was once thought to be the same width as our galaxy but we now know that it is about 500,000 light years wide. It has more than ten times the number of stars in it as well. Our galaxy has between 120 to 150 star clusters inside it. M87 has more than 12,000 orbiting the black hole at the center. Some of those clusters located close to the center only have half a light year separating the individual stars. The average for the Milky Way is seven light years. There are more than two trillion stars in that giant galaxy and half of them are older than the Milky Way.”

Chris stared at the image and asked, “If I were looking for intelligent life in that galaxy, where would I start my search?”

Start on the outer edges that are on the same plane as the black hole. Anything above and below it would be in the path of the black hole’s eruptions. Start in from the edges.”

“Do you see any areas that appear to be good candidates?”

Doctor Howard smiled, “There are too many Class G-Stars to count but I’ve made a map of the galaxy and highlighted the ones that are in their prime. I’d start with those.”

Chris took the insert, “Thanks, I appreciate your help.”

“Dr. Connor, I suspect there are more civilized planets in M87 than a thousand other galaxies. I would also suspect that a huge number of those civilizations are ancient.”

Chris nodded, “We already know that to be true. We just need to find the bullies of the bunch.”

Dr. Howard slowly shook his head, “I suspect they will find you.”

Chris smiled, “I suspect you’re right.”

* * *

“Jillian, Captain Arvolo is back.”

“Thank you, Lt.” Jillian went to her command chair and said, “Contact the Ninja.” Captain Arvolo’s face appeared on her display and she saw him smile, “Captain, did you find what you were looking for?”

“Yes, we did. Who should I send the documentation to?”

“Send a copy to George, Dolly, and Chris’s address. I also want you to drop off the Jenze with Dolly.”

“What’s going to happen to him?”

“George wants to talk with him about the reactors and then he’ll be pretty much free to do as he pleases.”

RV sighed and said, “I would recommend you sent Commodore Rosillo with him until we are finished with him. He’s pretty much helpless without someone to guide him in our society.”

Jillian stared at Arvolo and saw this was not something she should question, “I’ll clear it through Dolly. As soon as you drop them off I need you to get to the Jukebox ASAP.”

“Why is that?”

“You have been given command of our Needles. Admiral Anders ship has been kicking out backside in maneuvers and I would hate to give up our mission to his ship. I need you to get our pilots in shape.”

Arvolo squinted, “What is a Needle?”

“It’s a new ship designed to be a small attack craft for the new class of battleship. We need you, Captain. Get here quickly.”

Arvolo smiled, “Who is in command of the pilots now?”

“Captain West Maddit.”

Arvolo rolled his eyes, “That explains a lot. What are you going to do with him?”

Jillian tilted her head. Admiral Anders had recommended him to command the Needles. “What would you like to do with him?”

“Don’t do anything until I arrive. I’ll handle his disposition.”

* * *

Jeff met the Ninja at the Melbourne Spaceport and Zack and Izzy left with him. Just before Zack stepped off the ship he turned to RV, “I know you have been honest and have treated me with respect. I count you as one of my friends.”

RV smiled and the handsome Jenze stepped out of the landing bay. Izzy smiled and started to say something but then shook her head and followed Zack out.

Dolly sat in her chair and watched the two disembark from the Ninja and saw the Jenze take Izzy’s hand as they walked away with Jeff. What went wrong? She was perfect for the Cuban. This was her first failure and she intended to find out where she had made a mistake. She had to stay at the top of her game in manipulating the important relationships. What went wrong? She shook her head and went to greet the two arrivals.

* * *

RV lifted the Ninja and accelerated into the upper atmosphere. He located the Jukebox and turned on the speed. He had a job to do and cleaning up after Auto Maddit wasn’t going to be easy. He flew the Ninja into the landing bay and Lt. Wheatly announced, “Crew, Attennnshun!” Wheatly saluted RV as he stepped out of the port and RV returned it. “Where are the pilots?”

“They’re in the simulator going over yesterday’s mission results.”

“Take me there, Lt.”

RV followed Wheatly to the simulator room and as he quietly entered the darkened room he saw Captain Maddit standing in front of the class dressing down one of the pilots. The Captain was pointing to a recording where a ship had left the one in front to go and attack four other ships. “What possessed you to leave your wingman!?! You know the rules of engagement. It led to your wingman being knocked out of the maneuver. I will not tolerate incompetence.”

The pilot stood at attention and said, “Those ships were moving in to attack the Jukebox.”

“I don’t care if they were moving in to attack your mother; you will not leave your wingman.”

RV said from the back of the room, “I would think you would be congratulating him on his quick thinking.”

The room grew silent and Maddit turned and looked at the back of the room and saw Arvolo striding toward the front of the room. Maddit smirked, “Well if it isn’t the great Cuban. I see you still ignore the uniform regulations.”

RV looked down at the island shirt he was wearing and said, “I’m off duty for the moment. I just wanted to come see how the training was going.”

Maddit knew he had seniority on Arvolo and said, “I haven’t approved you to be in this class. You may leave now.”

Arvolo stood there slowly shaking his head, “You haven’t changed at all.”

“If you don’t want to end up in the brig, you’ll leave immediately.”

Lt. Wheatly stepped in and came up to Arvolo with a clipboard and saluted, “Admiral, you need to sign these orders.” Maddit heard the Lt. and his face showed his shock. Arvolo signed and Wheatly said, “Thank you, Admiral.”

Arvolo looked at Maddit and barked, “You will come to attention, Captain.” Maddit snapped to attention along with the other twenty pilots. Arvolo walked up and looked him in the eyes from two inches away, “You sanctimonious piece of lizard crap. Using a wingman went out with jets. You don’t know anything about space tactics and you are ruining these pilots’ chances of survival. You will report directly to the naval base in Guantanamo where you assume command of the janitorial services. The base Commander will be inspecting your work to determine whether or not you have a place in this modern Navy.” Arvolo keyed his com, “Major Lundgren, please report to the simulator immediately.”

Arvolo continued to stare in Maddit’s eyes until the Marine Major arrived. “Yes Sir, Admiral.”