The Unreachable Stars: Book #11 of The Human Chronicles Saga (24 page)

“It’s the homo-sapien way. Now open the channel.”

********

First-Noslead Lonnis Huon received the link from the fleeing starship. It had already been identified as what the Humans called the
Pegasus II
, the ship belonging to Adam Cain. Anticipation grew in his chest as he wondered if Panur could be aboard.

“Open the link,” he commanded. “This is First-Noslead Huon. Identify yourself.”

“You know who this is,” the voice said over the comm. “I have Panur with me, and I wish to offer my surrender. Will you respect the offer and not blast the hell out of me if I reduce speed?”

“I will not blast you, Adam Cain, although I am not familiar with the substance within your body known as
hell
. I do not know what hell is.”

There was a long pause on the link before the voice responded. “Damn, I hate to leave a hanging curve ball out there like that…but I’ll accept your word. I’m reducing speed. Please send a pulse to indicate your location within the fleet.”

“Sending, yet I still do not comprehend your reference to the word
hell
.”

“Let’s save that for another time. I have your location, ETA—estimated time of arrival—six minutes. This should make you a hero to your Queen. Don’t fuck it up.”

“Human language is very difficult for our translators, so I am cutting the link before misunderstandings arise.”

“A wise move, dickhead…”

Chapter 24

 “Drone surveillance has the
Pegasus
docking with a beamship,” reported Commander Walker. “Looks like Cain’s going to give up the alien.”

“Comm…open a link to the Sol-Kor fleet.”

“Aye, sir.”

“This is Admiral Andy Tobias, commander of the Orion-Cygnus Union fleet, requesting a link to the leader of the Sol-Kor forces in the region. Please respond.”

There was only a momentary delay before a voice answered. “This is High-Noslead Lonnis Huon. I am the leader of the Sol-Kor force you see before you.”

“I wish to discuss with you the return of the mutant Panur, as initiated by the Human Adam Cain. It has been through the combined effort of the Human and Juirean fleets that this event is taking place. We have now delivered Panur to you according to the immunity terms offered by your Queen. I need to know your intentions at this point.”

“My intentions will depend on the orders I receive from my Queen. Until then, remove your fleet from this vicinity immediately or I will initiate action against your inferior force.”

On the bridge of
Mount Rushmore
, all eyes were on Tobias as he worked through his next move. “I’m sorry, but I will not comply. However, we won’t attack as long as you don’t. But I would respectfully request that you contact your Queen immediately for an answer to my question regarding the immunity offer.”

“You suggest I
demand
a response from my Queen?” The voice sounded incredulous. “You obviously do not understand Sol-Kor society.”

“I’m not demanding anything, just that you make your report in a timely manner. I’m sure that when you do, your Queen will give you an answer without having to be coaxed.”

“I will make my report the moment Panur is back within Sol-Kor control, yet I will not hold off on an attack for more than two of your hours as I await commands from my Queen. You have that time to withdraw your forces.”

“Agreed…but we’re not going anywhere, so let’s just hope your Queen honors her offer of immunity.”

“You question the integrity of my Queen?”

“Let’s just wait a couple of hours to see what happens. After that, who knows?”

********

The
Pegasus II
fit easily in the landing bay of the huge beamship, and once atmosphere was restored to the chamber, Adam cracked the hatch and stepped out onto the metal deck, wearing a clear respirator mask over his mouth and nose. As usual, Panur showed no signs of distress, his body adapting instantly to Sol-Kor air.

There were easily fifty armed aliens surrounding the
Pegasus II
, and as soon as Adam and Panur were clear of the doorway, several of them pushed past them and entered the starship. Adam gritted his teeth, knowing they were going on board to disable the ship. His precious
Pegasus
II
was here for the duration…at least for the duration of Plan B.

A huge, gray-skinned alien stepped up to him. “The leader of the Human fleet has contacted me,” the officer said without introducing himself. “He says your arrival here was initiated by them—the Humans and the Juireans. Is this true?”

“Yes it is. I have been working with them from the beginning to return Panur to your Queen.” Adam turned to the tiny alien and held out double palms. “Ta-da…here he is. Now how about some of that immunity we’ve been promised? My galaxy would really like to get back to normal without having to worry about Sol-Kor dietary requirements.”

The officer nodded to others, and soon Panur was surrounded by hulking seven-foot-tall creatures who dwarfed him with ease, making all the ruckus over the tiny alien seem even that much more absurd. He began to be led away.

“Thanks for nothing, you traitor!” Panur yelled back at Adam, wobbling slightly as he was led away. “I trusted you, and now I find out this was your plan all along.”

“I’m just fulfilling the terms of the Queen’s offer. Now go sober up somewhere.”

Adam turned back to the High-Noslead and smiled. “What now, chief?”

As it was with almost every species, the eyes are the gateway to the mind, and in those of the alien, Adam saw a wickedness, and almost insane humor. “I am aware of your history with the Sol-Kor, Adam Cain. And although you have helped to return the mutant to us, I will still present you to my Queen to answer for your past deeds. There will be no immunity for you. Combined with Panur’s return and your capture, I will be rightly rewarded. I thank you for this opportunity. Now, lead him away!”

********

First-Noslead Lonnis Huon didn’t rank high enough to speak directly with the Queen, so his report was filtered through several others of more deserving status. It was Council Member Gori Bon who delivered the news.

“And you also say the alien Adam Cain is under our control as well?” the Queen asked.

Standing before the massive bulk of his mother, Bon nodded. He was a regular visitor to the sacred chambers, so he felt no intimidation. In fact, the news he brought to her at this time would bring great joy to the creator of the Sol-Kor, which Bon felt vicariously within his own body. “Yes, and with your permission, I shall expedite his transfer back to Kor so you may have your way with him.”

“Permission granted, Gori Bon. And have Panur returned along with the Human. I have missed him so much. There is a void in my soul when he is gone. Our interactions through these many thousands of years have always brought such joy to me. I do not understand why he must always go off on these journeys without warning me first.”

“In other business, my Queen, the Humans are requesting the immunity status you have offered, and they extended this to include their entire galaxy.” Gori Bon’s smile was thin and sinister.

Spittle drooled from the Queen’s heavily crusted lips as she attempted a smile of her own. There was a basin below to catch the liquid, which would be used in honoring ceremonies throughout the Colony. Bon saw that the basin was nearly full; he would order it changed out for a new one.

“I see that fleets of Humans and Juireans are in the vicinity of this particular portal.”

“That is correct, and our forces outnumber them by three to one.”

“Would you not think this a good time to start the wholesale harvest of the Human’s galaxy? With Panur’s return, the High-Noslead in command of the harvest will have my permission to commence full operations. I must say, the sample of the stock grown there is of the highest quality. Be sure to allot an additional portion for the Council and for the Noslead and his commanders, including the First-Noslead who is in command of the fleet now facing the Humans.”

Then the Queen’s mood turned serious. “This insignificant galaxy has caused me much distress, Gori Bon. The losses here have been inconsequential, yet they have been symbolic. Then to have been threatened by these creatures here, in my own chambers, is completely unacceptable. Order immediate harvests of the homeworlds of the major races, especially that of the Humans. Send even more harvesters. I want that entire galaxy devoid of advanced life as soon as possible. An example must be made. And with Panur back to complete work on his long-range beam platform, the harvest should come in at record levels. The Colony will grow substantially as a result, guaranteeing my longevity.”

“That was never in doubt, my Queen.”

More spittle drained from the side of the Queen’s mouth. “That is always in doubt, Gori Bon. The mysteries of Sol-Kor bodies dictate that. How my eggs know when it’s time for a new queen is unknown even to me.”

“There is no need for knowing, my Queen. Revel in the fact that the Colony knows, and that we will continue…forever.”

********

The first vessels to be taken out by the Sol-Kor were the observation drones. It was such a blatant attack that it confirmed Tobias’ worst fears. And only twenty minutes since the
Pegasus II
was taken aboard the beamship.

“They’re coming,” he announced to the bridge personnel. “Prepare for evasive maneuvers, even retreat if need be.”

“Retreat?” questioned Commander Ron Walker.

“With that many beamships it’s a good bet a lot of our forces will be knocked out of the fight. I doubt we’ll get close enough to the portal array to take it out. Obviously the alien bastards aren’t going to live up to their immunity offer, so we’re in this for the long-haul. The gloves come off now, Commander. But first, let’s make sure we can live to fight another day.”

“This is what Cain has been saying all along about the immunity offer,” added Walker.

“You’re right. And also about the mutant having a portal detector. I just hope Adam’s made other provisions for getting the information to us, and that they’re not riding around with him on the
Pegasus
. Surely Adam wouldn’t have led us here just to have the locations of the arrays go down with him?” Tobias shook his head out of frustration. “Riyad must have them. Send out a galaxy-wide alert to be on the lookout for the
Crescent Star
, and with implicit orders
not
to destroy the ship. We need those coordinates.”

“And if Tarazi doesn’t have them?”

“I refuse to believe we trained Cain to be that reckless, that shortsighted. No, he must be up to something else.”

“Let’s hope, sir. Otherwise we’re screwed.”

********

The sentry ships cast out countering beams as the Sol-Kor ships streamed toward the fleet. These were small destroyers, yet they still carried an incredible amount of firepower when compared to the lightly armed beamships.

Unfortunately, only ten ships were available as the first line of defense. They managed to blast eighteen alien warships to stardust before they were surrounded. Then the blue pulse beams saturated the defenders, who could only counteract four simultaneous beams. When struck with a dozen or more, the crews fell dormant and the deadly plasma bolts stopped. Moments later, the ten ships disappeared off Andy’s tac screen.

“Where are the damn Juireans?” he asked his communications officer, Lieutenant-Commander Grimes.

“Breaking off, sir,” she reported. “They see the futility of joining the attack.”

“Hell, they never even tried,” Tobias said. “Ron, do we have the location of the beamship that has Captain Cain aboard?”

“Yes, sir. It’s way in the back,” he added, anticipating the admiral’s thinking.

“Dammit. Anyway, we have the location of one of their portals, and it’s not like they can just pick up an array and move it somewhere else. We’ll be back, and in force the next time. At least we’ll take out one of them.” He looked out at the anxious faces of the bridge crew. “Call back the screeners. Sound the retreat, Commander. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

“Aye, sir.”

As the crew began to bark orders and go about their tasks, Admiral Andy Tobias slumped in his command chair.
Good-bye, Adam. It’s been a good run. I just wish I’d listened to you when I had the chance. Hooyah, sailor!