Survival is Never Free (The Death Prophecies Book 5) Read online

  Erica looked at Essay and said to Kamela, “Is that why you’re wanting to go to the Builder’s Galaxy?”

  “I don’t know.” Erica looked up and rolled her eyes and Kamela said, “I just feel the need to go there.” She turned to Essay, “Evidently, that is where you see the real enemies exist.”

  “The two are the most technologically advanced civilizations we’ve ever encountered.”

  “What about the one that gave you the design for your new vessels?”

  “They’re the most advanced but they’re more than a billion light years away from our galaxy.”

  “Distance is relative,” She reminded him.

  “To what?”

  “To how long it takes to travel it. How long will it take your ship to travel a hundred billion light years?”

  Essay looked up, “Poul?”

  “When we first went there, it took more than ninety days to get back.”

  Kamela looked up, “And now?”

  “Less than three weeks.”

  Kamela looked at Essay, “They’re not as far away as you think.”

  “But they’re not aggressive. They freely gave us a scan of one of their warships.”

  Kamela lifted her hand and stared at her long almond colored fingers, “Consider the Death Prophecies and see if you can come up with a threatening reason why they might have done that.” Essay and Erica looked at the list above the main monitor and Erica sighed. Kamela smiled, “Do you see it?”

  Essay looked at Erica and heard her say, “Death Prophecy Two; Never do what others can. They gave us that technology to remove the most powerful civilizations here.”

  “And?”

  “Once that’s done, all they have to do is come and remove us.”

  Essay slowly shook his head, “Is that what you think they did?”

  “How would I know?”

  “But…”

  “One has to be prepared for any eventuality. I just don’t see why they would freely give you that technology knowing about humanity’s violent past.”

  Erica looked at Essay, “Kamela’s right. Admiral Eagle suspected that the ship we scanned wasn’t one of their most advanced models.”

  Essay scowled, “Then that begs the question as to why we’re going to remove the Families and Builders?”

  Kamela smiled and shrugged, “It does, doesn’t it.”

  Essay glanced up at the wall speaker as Poul said, “That giant vessel was able to detect my presence even when I was in Ghost Mode and invisible.”

  Erica lowered her head and then looked over at Kamela, “They scanned our ship and learned everything in Poul’s database.”

  “Did they ask permission to do that?”

  “I can answer that question; they did not ask permission.”

  “Poul, do you think they’re a threat?”

  “I didn’t think so, Erica, but Kamela makes some good points. What they did doesn’t make sense unless they had an ulterior motive for allowing us to scan their ship.”

  Essay stared at Kamela and she said, “I’m sorry.”

  Erica tilted her head, “What are you sorry for?”

  “Essay isn’t going to sleep well after discussing this.”

  Erica shrugged, “Well, get in line, none of us will.”

  Poul spoke up again, “It’s not as bad as you think.”

  Essay shook his head, “How could it not be?”

  “We did not have the colonies in place when that vessel scanned my databanks. We also didn’t have the Essay Battleships or the Prophet Carriers. It was their technology coupled with our neutral hulls that really made a much smaller warship more powerful than the ship that scanned us.”

  “And if they have a more advanced vessel?”

  “They still won’t know about the colonies and there isn’t a record on Earth with their locations. We’ll remain an Unknown Enemy to them if they intend to do us harm.”

  Kamela nodded, “You’re probably right and this may not be the problem I suspect it is. I’m just the suspicious sort and their behavior doesn’t make sense to me unless they were working an agenda.”

  Essay looked at his panel and then at Kamela, “We need you to discuss this with the Senior Staff and Admiral Connor.” Kamela shrugged and looked back at the galaxy growing on the main monitor. It wasn’t going to be very long before they arrived.

  • • •

  “Leader, we’ve managed to get one of our scouts close to the galaxy where the Black Ships are gathering. It discovered something of interest.”

  The Builder Leader stopped studying the allocation of forces and turned his attention to the Leader of Scouts, “What is that?”

  “It appears that someone went in more than twenty years ago and blasted ten of the giant black ships that were under construction.”

  “How do you know it was twenty years ago?”

  “The residual radiation from the destroyed reactors confirms the time frame.” The Builder Leader was silent as he considered the implications of this discovery and the Scout Leader said, “There’s more.”

  “And that is?”

  “The blaster and missile hits bear the same signature as the vessels that came through the black hole and attacked our Carnivore Fleets around the same time.”

  “Why would they attack another galaxy?”

  “Leader, I suspect that civilization sees both the Black Ships and us as a potential threat.”

  The Leader turned on his mind link to the main computer and he processed the new findings. “That probably accounts for their stopping their attacks against us. They want us to be weakened by confrontation with the giant Black Warships. This also makes me wonder how they were able to get through the black hole to attack them and why we didn’t detect their presence when they did.”

  “Is it possible they came through another black hole other than ours?”

  The Builder Leader ran the idea through the computer and the answer surprised him. “The Data suggests that if they did come through another black hole, it was probably the closest galaxy other than the one the where the Black Ships are gathering.”

  “Why couldn’t they have come through that galaxy’s black hole?”

  “According to your data, the new Black Ships were being built away from the others outside the galaxy. The computer calculates that whoever attacked deliberately stayed away from the Black Warships. That would seem to suggest they came from that distant galaxy.” The Scout Leader was silent and the Builder Leader smiled, “That would also suggest that galaxy is close to the one that sent warships to attack us and that it’s possible to transit its black hole.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Call a conference of the Elders. We should start our exodus now.”

  • • •

  Essay closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. Kamela had connected with them telepathically and allowed them to hear the two Builders’ thoughts. “It looks like war is coming sooner than later and the Builders will escape with all of their forces intact.”

  Essay opened his eyes and looked at Erica, “It does.”

  “Take me out to the other civilization,” Kamela requested.

  “We need to go back and warn the Admiralty about this.”

  “They’ve been warned. Take me to the other enemy’s location.”

  Essay’s eyes narrowed, “Just how were they warned?”

  “They know that I suddenly appeared and made you go and see the two enemies. Your leaders are smart enough to know that something must be happening outside of the ordinary events and they will prepare for that eventuality. Now take me there!”

  Essay activated the stardrive and turned the ship toward the conquered galaxy; they arrived in less than two hours. Kamela sat in her chair with her eyes closed and said, “I can’t connect you to my thoughts. This species is telepathic and might detect that connection. I’m resisting my mind’s urge to look around.”

  Erica stared at her and said, “Just what a
re you doing?”

  “I’m keeping my mind passive and looking at the thoughts flowing past me. Wait…here he is.”

  • • •

  The Controller linked with the Senior Controller who had just arrived with his Family, “It’s good to see you’ve come to assist us.”

  “It’s taken a long time to come from the distant reaches of the universe. I’ve been examining the information you sent and I’m curious about your plan.”

  “I intend to eradicate the Small Being’s civilization.”

  “What will you do if they attempt to flee our attack; you know that many civilizations have done exactly that.”

  “We will pursue them.”

  “And leave their galaxy behind?”

  “We can always come back to it. These Monsters are actually more technologically advanced than any civilization we’ve ever encountered. We can’t allow them to go elsewhere and build to come back and attack us. We’d have no assurance that any new Depots we build will survive if they are not completely destroyed.”

  The other Controller frowned, “You are asking me to bypass this galaxy to chase these beings!?”

  “I am. And if you want your share of the harvest you will do it. You’re going to eventually take your Family and leave and centuries from now, my Family will be faced with an even more powerful enemy coming after me with a vengeance. You would demand the same thing if you were in my place.”

  “And if they run to another galaxy?”

  “Then we’ll have two galaxies to harvest.”

  The Senior Controller knew he would be demanding the same and he thought, “Let us hope we can kill them here.”

  “That is my plan.”

  “I’ll get my vessels supplied and await further instructions.”

  • • •

  Kamela opened her eyes, “This enemy is going to pursue the ones you call Builders if they flee.”

  Essay shrugged, “We sort of suspected that.”

  “Did you anticipate that they will not be leaving any of their forces behind?”

  Essay looked at Erica and then back to Kamela, “No, we thought they would leave some of their vessels to start the conquest of the Builder’s Galaxy.”

  “They’re not going to do that. If they see the Builders start running, they will start their pursuit immediately. They’ll arrive within a month or two behind the Builders in the galaxy you call Carand.”

  Essay looked at Erica, “What are we going to do about this?”

  Erica looked up, “Poul, do you have that frequency one of the Carand Fleet Leaders used?”

  “I do.”

  “What are you thinking, Erica?’

  Erica turned to Kamela, “We need to prepare a surprise party for the Builders.”

  “We’d violate the Death Prophecies if we communicate with them.”

  Erica turned to Essay, “You mean about doing nothing to jeopardize our Unknown Enemy status?” Essay nodded. “We’ve violated that more times than I can count already. They’ve gotten readings on our vessels every time we’ve visited their galaxy. They know of our existence and possess information on our capabilities. Communicating with them won’t make a real difference.”

  Kamela looked at Erica and saw her smile as she asked, “What are you going to tell them?”

  Kamela shrugged, “I’m going to be a modern day Kindred Paul Revere. I’m going to go through their domain shouting, ‘THE BUILDERS ARE COMING! THE BUILDERS ARE COMING!”

  Essay chuckled and activated the stardrive, “How do you know about Human history?”

  “My grandfather knew it so all of his children knew it as well. I learned it from my parents. Your species is quite interesting and entertaining for a peaceful society.”

  Essay pushed the thruster handle forward, “Next stop the Carand Galaxy.” The Prophet’s Eyes turned and accelerated toward the distant speck of light.

  • • •

  Erica sat at her console and looked at Kamela staring out of the front viewport. She was…different. She was about six feet two inches tall and slight of frame with long flowing black hair that fell straight down her back. Her white uniform was a stark contrast to her almond colored skin and her yellow eyes seemed to stare right through you. Erica knew from history that the Kindred were incredibly strong. Her long delicate fingers were beautiful and she moved in a fluid motion that a cat would envy.

  “You are also quite striking for a human female.”

  Erica turned red, “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. Your species is not telepathic and has not learned how to censure your thoughts before you think them. That’s one of the things I really envy about humans.”

  Essay had left the bridge to clean up and Erica thought, “Kamela, why are you really here?”

  The Kindred turned to Erica and shrugged, “I honestly don’t know. I just know that I have to be here at this moment in time. I believe it must have something to do with protecting my people.”

  “Why would your people be in danger? The Builders will probably ignore them since they’re a primitive society and represent no threat to them.”

  “That is probably true but that other enemy will devour them if they come through the black hole.”

  Erica’s eyes widened slightly and she nodded, “That’s true. Does that mean the Black Ships will make it into the Milky Way?”

  Kamela looked back at the viewport, “I don’t know. That possibility worries me.”

  “Me, too.” Erica hesitated and then said, “I hope you won’t mention why I requested this assignment.”

  Kamela smiled and turned around, “Mum’s the word.”

  “Thank you.” Erica looked at her panel and Kamela turned back to the viewport.

  • • •

  Essay pulled back on the thrusters and looked over his shoulder at Kamela, “Is there anywhere in particular you want to go?”

  “I was thinking we’d go to that asteroid and tell them what’s coming.”

  “I don’t think that would work.”

  Everyone looked at the wall speaker, “Why not, Poul?”

  “Because they may not blow their cover by sharing the information. I have the main communication frequencies of every civilization in this galaxy. Why not just send what you want to say to all of them simultaneously and let them work out how they want to welcome their guests.”

  Essay shrugged, “That sounds like a good idea. What do you think we should communicate to them?”

  “I think I can cobble up some images of the Builders fighting the Black Fleets that we recorded over the last twenty years of scouting them. I don’t think I’d be good at narrating them, though.”

  “Poul, I’ll narrate it.”

  Essay and Kamela looked at Erica and she smiled, “I seem to have a knack for saying just the wrong thing at just the right time.” They continued to stare at her and she shrugged, “I get it from my mother.”

  Essay started laughing and said, “This I have to hear.” Essay looked at his panel, “I’m going to take the ship directly above the galaxy so that every civilization has a clear line of transmission to them. Poul, can you drive the transmission with enough power to break through all of this galaxy’s communication devices?”

  “I can.”

  “Let us know when you’re ready.”

  “I’ll start sending the initial images to you as I pull them out of my databanks.” Essay, Erica, and Kamela looked at the main monitor and sat back in their chairs. The ooo’s and ahhh’s filled the bridge until Erica called out, “Poul, you don’t really get an idea of just how large those Builder Vessels and Satellites are.”

  “What about this?” Poul asked as the images continued to change on the monitor.

  They saw an image of the Carand’s Royal Planet along with its moon appear on the monitor. They watched as the moon moved off the image and was placed next to one of the Builder Worlds. It was less than one third the size of the Builder World. “Where are you going to put tha
t particular image?”

  “I think at the end should do it.”

  Erica smiled, “That’s a good place for it. I think we have enough, Poul.”

  “Alrighty, then.”

  Essay hit the thrusters and the Prophet’s Eyes accelerated over the galaxy and stopped directly above the black hole. The Carand Warships detected its presence and launched three fleets toward it. Erica hit her communicator button and started the video, “Listen up! I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that the civilization you see in the video being sent to you is coming soon to a galaxy near you; matter of fact, it’s your galaxy and they intend to make some rather radical changes. They are conquerors and are called the Builders. I guess you can see they build some rather large weapons to defeat their prey. Anyway, they should be here within four weeks at which point they’ll target one or two civilizations to annihilate. At that point they’ll start destroying one or two of you at a time. That’s the bad news. The good news is that they’re going to remove one or two of you at a time. This last image should give you an idea of the size of the Warships coming to see you. Enjoy the party.” Erica ran her hand across her throat as she broke communication and Essay accelerated away as a hundred thousand Carand Warships roared in.

  • • •

  The Fleet Royal didn’t report to the Royal Family but left his fleet and arrived at the hidden asteroid. He rushed down the portal and arrived to see Janek pacing the floor in front of a star map. He turned around and said, “DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?”

  The Royal nodded, “Not only did they broadcast that video on our main frequency but they also sent it on the one I used long ago. They intended for me to get it directly.”

  Janek shook his head, “That means they know about us.”

  “It appears they do.”

  “”We must confirm this!”

  “How?”

  “Convince the Royal Family to send out scouts toward that galaxy.”

  “Our scouts can’t communicate that far.”

  “Send out enough to form a long line where a communication can be passed back along the line if they encounter those monsters moving this way.” The Fleet Royal nodded and stood up. “If they’re found to be coming here, you should get back here before they arrive.”