The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict (9 page)

“When will it
commence?” asked Anderson, raising his eyebrows.

“I will leave
that up to Admiral Streth,” Kincaid replied. He folded his arms across his
chest and spoke in a serious tone. “I just hope Admiral Strong and the
Carethians are still there when the admiral arrives. If not, I would not want
to be any Hocklyns or AIs in the way of the Fleet Admiral’s wrath.”

“There will be
some serious repercussions even for us if Careth has fallen,” Senator Malle
reminded the other two. “Admiral Strong and the other four of the Special Five
are Federation heroes and are held in very high esteem by the civilian
population.”

“I wish we
could have launched this rescue mission weeks ago,” Senator Anderson spoke, with
a frown. “Why is Hedon so fired up to launch it now? In another few weeks, we
will have more ships updated with Alton technology and weapons. He'd have a
much stronger force.”

“We don’t have
weeks,” answered Kincaid in a lower and more solemn voice. “A light cruiser
arrived a few days ago from Admiral Strong. The Hocklyns and AIs are besieging
the planet and have already launched two attacks. I’m sure there have been
others by now. Fleet Admiral Streth is right; we can’t wait any longer. I’m
just glad he forced our hand using Ambassador Tureen.”

“This will be
the beginning of the next phase of the war,” Senator Malle warned. “Once
Admiral Streth leaves, I don’t think he will stop until he has freed the old
Federation worlds.”

“You may be
right,” Kincaid responded as he came back to his desk and sat down. “It will be
up to us to make sure he has what he needs. Ships, supplies, battle stations,
missiles; everything we can think of. We'll wait until Admiral Streth has left
and then try to push this through the Senate.”

“How?” Senator
Anderson asked his brow wrinkled in thought. “Senator Fulbright will object as
usual.”

“We will tell
the Senate it is better to fight the Hocklyns and the AIs on their turf rather
than ours,” Kincaid replied evenly. “We can remind them about what happened at
New Tellus and that by attacking the Hocklyns in their territory we prevent
them from attacking other Federation worlds.”

The other two
nodded. It would be a tough sell, particularly after what had happened in
Operation First Strike and the tragic losses the fleet suffered. However, if
they were going to defeat the Hocklyns and the AIs, the war had to be taken to
them and Admiral Streth was the only one that could do that. There was no doubt
in their minds that once the civilian population of the Federation learned
about what Fleet Admiral Streth was doing; the entire population would rally in
support of the Fleet Admiral.

President
Kincaid leaned back and took a deep breath. The sheer savagery of the attack on
New Tellus had stunned the Federation. It had brought the war home and made
people across the Federation realize what was at stake. He also needed to speak
to the Federation’s allies about committing some of their ships to the war
effort. So far the Kessels, Darvonians, and Zanths had agreed to build up their
fleets to help protect the Federation’s flanks. Now it was time for them to
take a more aggressive role.

He would have
the Federation ambassadors meet with representatives of the three race’s
governments and see what could be agreed upon. This was a question of survival,
and everyone had to be on board. Kincaid closed his eyes briefly, wondering
what the next few months would bring. With Admiral Streth, anything was
possible.

Jeremy looked
over at Kelsey, who was still sound asleep next to him. She looked so beautiful
and innocent early in the morning. He allowed himself to smile and put his arm around
her. He felt her snuggle closer with a quiet moan of contentment. For a few
moments, Jeremy lay there and didn't worry about the dangerous situation they
were in. Kelsey and he had taken Colonel Malen’s advice and were spending most
of their nights together. Jeremy knew that Kevin and Katie were doing the same.
Even Angela had been spending more and more time with her marine captain over
on the space station whenever the opportunity arose.

It had been
weeks since Admiral Streth’s horrific battle over the Hocklyn fleet base and
there still had been no word. Even the light cruiser they had sent back to the
Federation three weeks earlier had failed to return. It was an eight-day trip
back to Federation space, then figure a couple of days at New Tellus and eight
more back. The cruiser should have been back several days ago. It made Jeremy
wonder if the Federation had survived the Hocklyn attack. Every day that passed
without word only made the prospects of the Federation having won the battle
even less.

“Thinking
about the Federation?” Kelsey spoke sleepily, her deep blue eyes focusing on
Jeremy as she pushed back her natural inclination to fall back to sleep.

“Some,”
admitted Jeremy, pulling Kelsey closer. “The BattleCry should have been back by
now.”

“They may be
waiting for the relief fleet,” replied Kelsey, knowing Jeremy was extremely
worried. They all were worried about what had happened back in the Federation.
Each day without the relief fleet showing up only increased the growing
despair.

Jeremy
released Kelsey and sat up, swinging his legs out of bed. “The Hocklyns and AIs
have attacked us three more times since the BattleCry left. In each attack,
they have eliminated more of our fighters and bombers as well as degraded the
defense grid. Any day now, they will launch an all out attack to try to finish
us off. I don’t know if we can stop them again, Kelsey.”

“Grayseth is
bringing more satellites up every day to replace the ones that have been
destroyed,” Kelsey responded with a deep sigh. It was hard to imagine that she
and Jeremy might only have a few days left. “The Carethians are doing
everything they can to replace the losses.”

“I know,”
answered Jeremy his voice taking on a disheartening tone. “But they can’t
replace the missile platforms or the laser satellites. We’ve lost sixteen of
the defensive battle stations. After each attack, we’re weaker than before.
They also can’t replace the fighter and bomber losses.”

Kelsey nodded
and stood up, allowing the sheet to fall away from her body. For a moment, she
saw Jeremy’s eyes alight with desire and she thought he might take her back to
bed. “I spoke to Malith yesterday; even the Carethians on the space station are
growing concerned. He said that she and all the rest of the female Carethians
on the space station might be sent to one of the underground cities shortly, where
they would be safe.”

Jeremy let out
a sharp breath and then forced a smile after taking a long, admiring look at
Kelsey. “I'd better get to the Command Center; I have a conference call with Grayseth
and Admiral Stillson scheduled this morning. I’m not surprised that all the
female bears are going back to Careth. The Carethians don’t believe in
endangering the females of their species.”

Kelsey nodded.
She understood that command came first and their personal lives second, at
least for now. Jeremy turned and went to take a quick shower, while Kelsey lay
back down and thought about what was ahead of them. Someday, she hoped, she and
Jeremy could have a family, but if the Federation had fallen then that dream
might come to an unpleasant end very shortly. At least they were together now.

-

An hour later,
Jeremy was speaking to Grayseth and Admiral Stillson over the com system.

“It’s not
good,” Admiral Stillson said worriedly, knowing they were in a deteriorating tactical
situation. “We may be better off joining our fleets after the fighter and
bomber losses we have suffered.”

“We've moved
as many of our people as possible into the underground cities,” Grayseth added,
regret sounding in his voice. “Many others have been moved to bunkers and cave
facilities we have prepared for this situation. Later today, we'll be evacuating
all of the female Carethians from the station.”

Jeremy nodded
as he thought about what to do. The Hocklyns had, thus far, avoided attacking
the space station or directly engaging the two orbiting Federation fleets.
Instead, they would jump in between the fleets and hit the defense grid. Most
of the battles were between opposing groups of fighters and occasionally the
bombers would get near enough to launch their missiles. In system K-774, the stealth
scouts had reported the arrival of numerous large freighters delivering new
fighters to the Hocklyns to replace their losses.

“The main
attack will come shortly,” uttered Jeremy, knowing it was pretty much over
except for the dying. They had half the fighters and bombers they'd started
with, including the extra ones that had been stored on the space station. “Position
four of our battlecarriers at strategic locations beneath the defense grid. I
want all four carriers to have full loads of fighters even if we have to take
them from the other carriers. Those fighters are to be used to intercept any
missiles targeting the surface of Careth.”

“We also have
our own surface aircraft that can be used to intercept missiles,” Grayseth
informed them in his powerful voice. “I have already ordered them to be
dispersed across the planet. Numerous ground based interceptors are ready to launch
if missiles are detected heading toward our cities.”

“Admiral Stillson,
move your ships into Fourth Fleet’s formation. Commander Marks will be moved up
in rank to rear admiral and placed in charge of all carrier operations.”

“She can
command our fighters and bombers as well,” Grayseth added. “Commander Marks is
a fine warrior and my people will follow her orders. She is a great huntress,
and my people will hunt well with her. She will make a good admiral.”

“You should
prepare your small warships,” Jeremy suggested to Grayseth. “In the coming
battle, I suspect they will be needed.”

Grayseth was
silent for a moment and then responded. “I will order them to make ready. They
have been hungry to join the hunt.”

Jeremy nodded
to himself. The small warships were the last card he had to play against the
Hocklyns and the AIs. With luck, their use might buy them more time.

-

A few hours
later, Jeremy was studying the tactical display when he sensed a presence next
to him. Turning, he saw Ariel with a sad and questioning look upon her face.

“What’s it
like to die, Jeremy?” she asked in a low and unsure voice. “Will I just cease
to be?”

“I don’t
know,” Jeremy responded surprised at the question. “Everyone has to die
sometime; I guess we are fortunate in that we will get to choose how we die.”

“You are very
much like a Human,” Katie said as she walked up from behind Ariel. She had
overheard Ariel’s question. “My parents believed in an afterlife and I know
there are many that don’t. I can’t believe that this is all there is to living.
If there is an afterlife, there is no doubt in my mind that you will be there
with us.”

Ariel nodded.
She had read much about the various religions on Earth and back in the old
Federation. Her biggest regret was that she would not get the opportunity to
tell Clarissa goodbye. At least if she died, she would do so with her friends.

“Hocklyns are
jumping,” Kevin said suddenly as he saw the red icons representing the Hocklyn
ships in system K-774 begin to vanish.

“This is it,”
Jeremy said in a steady voice. “Colonel Malen, bring all of our forces up to
Condition One.”

Instantly, red
Condition One lights began to flash and warning klaxons began to sound. Over
the ship’s com system, Colonel Malen’s calm, authoritative voice could be heard
ordering the crew to their combat stations. Once that was done, she stepped
over to the command console and silenced the alarms and the flashing lights.

Jeremy watched
in silence as the rest of the first shift operations crew filed into the Command Center and relieved the junior officers. Jeremy was proud of his people, as each one
seemed unafraid of what was ahead. They all knew that this might be their last
battle.

“All of the
Hocklyn ships have jumped,” Ariel whispered as her beautiful dark eyes focused
on Jeremy.

“It’s what we've
been expecting,” replied Jeremy, taking a deep and steadying breath. “Colonel
Malen, make sure all ships have Devastator Threes in their tubes; there’s no
point in saving them. Either we win this battle or the Hocklyns do, and if it’s
the Hocklyns we won’t need them any more.”

“AIs are
jumping,” Ariel reported as the ten orange icons on the tactical display
vanished.

“We have forty
minutes,” Jeremy commented as he eyed the timer on the tactical display.
“Angela, get me Admiral Marks.”

A few moments
later, Rear Admiral Susan Mark’s voice came over the mini-com. “Yes, Admiral.”

“I have placed
four battlecarriers beneath the defense grid,” Jeremy began. “Their primary
function is to interdict any Hocklyn missiles that get through the defenses.
You'll also be coordinating all flight operations for our remaining fighters
and bombers and whatever Grayseth has left on the space station. I want bomber
strikes of squadron strength against individual Hocklyn ships as soon as they
jump in. Stay away from the AIs.”

“We will make
you proud, Admiral,” responded Susan, knowing her stint as an admiral was
probably going to be a very short one.

Jeremy turned
his attention back to the rest of his fleet. He quickly assigned his remaining
strikecruisers to work together in pairs. Two light cruisers would support each
one. The strikecruisers had orders to engage AI ships at their discretion.

Taking a deep
breath, Jeremy walked over to the Navigation console where Kelsey was sitting. There
was one more thing he needed to do and this might be his last opportunity to do
this. Taking his right hand, he reached out and gently squeezed her shoulder.