Fighting for Melbourne Read online

  The War Leader turned to his weapons leader, “You will not activate any of our defenses. If you do, I will personally execute you.”

  “But we’re defenseless against them!”

  “We have our orders and we will follow them. Under no circumstances will we offer resistance to this enemy.”

  The War Leader’s Second said, “This is a suicide mission.”

  The War Leader turned three of his eyes to his second while the other three remained fixed on the monitor, “That’s what we get for allowing this enemy to destroy so many of our ships when they attacked. Our choice was simple, accept this mission or everyone on board be executed for our failure. If we manage to survive this, we’ll be deemed innocent of any crime and resume our former place in the fleet.”

  “It’s sure death either way, War Leader.”

  “Probably, but at least we’ve lived longer on the flight here.” The War Leader stared at the monitor and stood up, “What are they doing?”

  The Second turned to the monitor, “It appears they’re surrounding us.”

  The War Leader sat back down and ordered, “Continue on our current course.”

  • • •

  The High Leader stared at the wall display and said, “Whoever is commanding that ship is a pretty cool customer.”

  The Fleet Manager nodded and lifted his communicator, “I want a shot fired over the top of that vessel. Do not hit it!”

  “I thought you didn’t want it destroyed?”

  “High Leader, if they’re here to talk, they won’t respond to the blaster. If they return fire, we destroy them.”

  • • •

  A brilliant, giant, blaster beam ripped over the top of the Planet Killer warming the inside of the ship. The War Leader Shouted, “DO NOT ACTIVATE OUR WEAPONS!!” The Weapon Leader Jerked one of his arms back from his console. Every member of the crew was almost black in color from their fear. Even the War Leader’s skin tone was close to black and he hated himself for allowing his fear to show. But the ship continued moving toward Fagan space and it wasn’t fired on again.

  • • •

  Wade contacted Fleet Operations and he was immediately transferred to the Prime Minister’s office. “Commander Alexander, what’s going on?” Abby asked.

  “Sir, there is a single alien Planet Killer moving toward Fagan space. Its weapons are shut down and it didn’t respond to a Fagan Fortress firing a shot over it.”

  Abby’s eyes closed, and she started shaking her head. She pressed a button on her console calling Rory and Fleet Admiral Mulvaney to her office. “They’re coming to communicate with the Fagan,” Abby stated.

  “That’s how I see it, Sir,” Wade replied.

  “I want that conversation sent directly to me as it happens, Commander!”

  “Yes Sir.”

  Rory came running in with Admiral Mulvaney right behind him. Abby pointed at the monitor with a feed coming in from one of the scouts and Rory said, “The aliens are going to try and talk with the Fagan.”

  “Yes.”

  “This is not good,” Admiral Mulvaney responded. “Should we try to take that Planet Killer out?”

  “Our scouts don’t have the firepower to do it and if we did, I suspect the Fagan will wonder who did it and send an emissary to the aliens to find out what they wanted to communicate. There’s no stopping this. Admiral, I may be issuing a declaration of war and we’ll initiate Operation Zombie immediately if what I think is going to happen, does.”

  • • •

  The High Leader turned to the Fleet Manager, “How do we communicate with them?”

  “I’m reasonably certain they’ve learned our language. They’re inside communication range now.”

  The High Leader handed the Fleet Admiral the hand communicator, “You’re the one that wants to talk with them.”

  The Fleet Admiral nodded and set the communication panel to a wide frequency, “That’s close enough. Stop where you are or I’ll order your vessel destroyed.”

  • • •

  The War Leader heard the computer translated voice over the speakers and turned to his pilot, “Stop the ship.”

  The giant Planet Killer came to stop still surrounded by the three giant Fagan Fortresses. “Why have you come to our space?” The Fleet Manager asked.

  “My leaders have sent me here to clear up an issue that has confused us.”

  “Why would we be interested in clearing up one of your issues? We’re at war with you,” the Fleet Manager replied.

  “I told them the effort was probably worthless, but they still ordered me to come and ask you a question,” The War Leader answered.

  The Fleet Manager looked at the High Leader and then asked, “What is your question?”

  “My leaders want to know why you’ve stopped sending the small white ships to attack us.”

  • • •

  Abby stood up, “INITIATE OPERATION ZOMBIE NOW!!” Admiral Mulvaney ran out of the office and she turned to Rory, “Send a feed of this to Grady!!”

  • • •

  The High Leader snatched the communicator from the Admiral, “ARE YOU TOTALLY INSANE!?! THOSE WHITE SHIPS ARE PART OF YOUR CIVILIZATION AND THEY’VE BEEN ATTACKING US!”

  The War Leader heard the anger in the new voice and knew what he said next could get him killed, “I have recorded evidence of those white ships leading the first fleet you sent to attack us. May I share it with you?”

  The High Leader was approaching rage and the Admiral put a hand on his shoulder, “High Leader, we should see this?!”

  The High Leader sat back and said curtly, “Send your recording!”

  The High Leader and Admiral turned to the wall monitor and saw twenty-five of the small white ships firing on the alien’s front lines, just before they turned and fled. The High Leader’s eyes narrowed, and the Fleet Manager said, “Something is going on here.”

  The recording showed huge numbers of alien warships and Planet Killers erupt from their front lines chasing the twenty-five small warships. Suddenly, the recording showed the twenty-five ships moving at high speed toward another group of twenty-five white warships flying just ahead of the Fagan fleet. The recording stopped, and the War Leader said, “Notice that your fleet is being led to our territory by the white ships. They must be part of your forces.”

  The Fleet Manager quickly interjected, “High Leader, notice that the large ships we thought were moving the slaves are no longer with those white ships. They must have flown away when they moved beyond our scanning range.”

  The High Leader was surprised by the Fleet Manager’s comment and turned back to the monitor, “We were pursuing those white ships from a planet where all of the slaves on one of our captured planets were removed. We followed them to see who was responsible for doing that. They led us directly to you.”

  The War Leader sat back, “So, you’re saying those white ships are not part of your military?”

  “NO, I MEAN YES, THEY ARE NOT PART OF OUR FORCES!!”

  The War Leader paused and said, “Then it appears both of our civilizations have been played for fools. We were led to believe that those white ships belonged to each other and they led your fleet to our territory to cause a war between us.”

  • • •

  Grady was watching the conversation and said, “Looks like the cat is out of the bag, Abby.”

  “We’re starting the migration of Melbourne’s population to the colonies immediately.”

  “Abby, you can’t use your new ships against them.”

  “I know, Grady.”

  “I’m serious, Abby. You’re going to have tremendous pressure put on you to do it.”

  “That’s why I’m paid the big crowns, Grady.”

  • • •

  “Well, if those white ships don’t belong to you and they don’t belong to me, who do they belong to?” the High Leader asked.

  “This isn’t the first time they’ve led an enemy to our space,” the War Leade
r responded. “That civilization with the invisible scouts was led to us by two of those ships six years ago.”

  “Are you saying they don’t belong to that civilization as well?” the High Leader asked.

  “We’ve recorded them attacking the warships from that enemy over the years. They must be part of an unknown civilization. We have determined that the species flying the white ships is the same species as the one on a planet we destroyed just before they led the first enemy to our space.”

  “Do you have an image of the species on that planet?” The Fleet Admiral asked.

  “Yes.” The War Leader nodded to his communication leader and he sent an image.

  The High Leader and Fleet Admiral were shocked, “That is the same species as the slaves that were taken from one of our slave planets.”

  “It’s also the same species as the first enemy. It appears that species is not working together but against each other,” the War Leader remarked.

  “Why did you destroy that planet?” the Fleet Manager asked.

  “They were close to our space and we don’t allow an advanced civilization near our territory.”

  “We also don’t allow it,” the High Leader added.

  “So, I’ve answered your question and you’ve given me some valuable information. I will allow you to return to your civilization.”

  “You might want to consider doing something about this unknown civilization.”

  “And why would I do that?”

  The War Leader paused and remarked, “Those white ships have led two powerful civilizations to our empire, one of them yours, and my leaders want to make sure they don’t lead another one to us. You should also consider that they could lead an advanced civilization to your territory as well.”

  The Fleet Manager whispered, “He’s right, High Leader.”

  The High Leader thought about it and asked, “What are you suggesting?”

  “It’s going to be next to impossible to find this unknown civilization, but we should send out scouts to search for it.”

  The Fleet Manager said loud enough to be heard, “I know where that civilization is located.” The High Leader and War Leader were both shocked by the pronouncement. The Fleet Manager sat down and said, “The white ships moved the slaves and led us to your civilization just as we were planning an invasion of the next spiral arm out toward the edge of the galaxy. It forced us to cancel the invasion and move all our fleets to the side of our territory toward your civilization. I’ve also planned to send some scouts out to that spiral arm to look around and they were destroyed by the white ships before they could launch. The next spiral arm out from us toward the edge of the galaxy is where that civilization must be located.”

  The War Leader sat up straight, “Then it is in both of our interests to find that civilization and destroy it.”

  “We’ll find it and destroy it,” the High Leader stated.

  The Fleet Manager started shaking his head and the High Leader muted the communicator, “We must include them in the search, High Leader.”

  “Why?! They’re an enemy.”

  “Sire, what if this civilization is more powerful than we can handle without sending most of our forces against it? This enemy could then attack while we’re weakened, and we couldn’t stop them.”

  The High Leader’s eyes widened and knew that wasn’t a risk he wanted to take. He unmuted the communicator and asked, “What do you propose?”

  The War Leader was surprised by the question and quickly started speaking, “We call a truce while dealing with this unknown civilization and combine forces to remove it.”

  The High Leader considered the proposal and the Fleet Manager stated, “And just what assurance do we have that you won’t violate this truce?”

  “I’ll take this back to my leaders and I’m certain they will not violate this truce. Those white ships have caused us massive losses over the years. Removing them is more important than continuing the war with you.”

  “You need to know that I will not end the war between us,” the High Leader stated firmly.

  “Why not? We were tricked into fighting each other,” the War Leader responded.

  “Because you’ve admitted that you will not allow another advanced civilization to exist. We will also not allow that. I will allow a truce for the sole purpose of finding this unknown civilization and destroying it. I will also limit the number of warships you may send to make that happen.”

  “In what way will you limit us?”

  The High Leader glanced at the Fleet Manager and he said, “You may send a hundred-thousand warships but none of the large ships like you’re in now. We will not trust you to not turn on us once that civilization is found and destroyed. We will allow your forces one week to leave and return to your civilization once it’s destroyed.”

  “What if you need our Planet Killers?”

  “Then we’ll reconsider it after we find it,” The High Leader replied. “However, that is a large spiral arm and it can take a while to find this civilization.”

  “Then allow us to send a hundred-thousand scouts to assist you in your search.” The War Leader’s suggestion was greeted with silence and he quickly added, “Our scouts do not possess a beam that would endanger any of your ships. You could destroy them at will if you chose.”

  The Fleet Manager was stunned by the number being offered and he whispered, “We must agree with this.”

  The High Leader muted the communicator, “Why?”

  “If they can send a hundred-thousand scouts, that civilization is much larger than we think. We only have forty-thousand scouts and the normal ratio of scouts to warships is ten warships for each scout. We need the additional time to build up our forces.”

  The High Leader unmuted the communicator, “How long will it take for your scouts to arrive?”

  “A month from now. I must first talk with my leaders and then get them organized.”

  “If we don’t hear from you within a month, this truce is off!” the High Leader replied.

  “May I leave at my fastest speed?”

  The Fleet Manager ordered, “Do not fire on that vessel and allow it to leave in peace.”

  The War Leader ordered, “Move away from those ships and go to maximum speed!”

  • • •

  The High Leader turned to the Fleet Manager and he said, “High Leader, I’ve been wondering why that enemy has not been sending any white ships when they attacked. Now we know. I also believe that this unknown civilization doesn’t have massive numbers of warships.”

  “How do you arrive at that conclusion?”

  “If they did, they wouldn’t have needed to lead us to that civilization. Remember that when we were led to that enemy’s territory, our ships were no match for those white ships. If they have large numbers of them, they would have allowed us to invade and just destroyed our fleets before attacking us here. They didn’t do that which tells me they could have been overwhelmed by our numbers.”

  “But our ships are a match for them now.”

  “Yes, High Leader, they are. But consider that they’ve been building up their forces just like we have. That alien is right; we should do this together. It gives us more time to build and an opportunity to see their most advanced warships.”

  The High Leader nodded slightly and was glad he never executed this Commander.

  • • •

  Abby looked at Grady on the monitor, “Looks like our time has run out.”

  “You’ve got more time than you think, Abby. They’re going to take a month to get the scouts here and at least another two weeks to assign them areas of the Perseus Arm to search. Get all the Super Rabbits out and hit them as they start across the void. That will delay them some more and give you more time to move the populations off Melbourne.”

  “Grady, can your ships assist us in moving them.”

  “No. Unfortunately, we are forced to build smaller warships that wouldn’t make a difference. Maybe some time i
n the future we’ll start building freighters but for the moment, we have none.”

  “What will you do if they find the colonies, Grady?”

  “Your enemy is my enemy, Abby. But if you don’t send any of your advanced warships to defend Melbourne, the computer says that there is only a three-percent probability of them finding the colonies within the next ten years.”

  “Grady, you’ve not shown me the warships you’re building on New Britannia.”

  “And it will remain that way, Abby. You won’t always be the Prime Minister and you need only look at what your Parliament has done in the past to see why?”

  “Are they more powerful than our Garrions?”

  “What do you think?” Grady asked as he disappeared from the monitor.

  Rory turned to Abby, “Should I send some scouts to take a look at New Britannia?”

  “Rory, if the crap hits the fan, where would you want to go?” Rory stared at her and Abby added, “Some of the best scientists on Melbourne went to New Britannia. Do you not think they would be able to detect our scouts? And if we sent them, that would prove to Grady that we are a threat to him and New Britannia. I trust Grady and Taffy with my life. I suspect I’ll be voted out of office for not defending Melbourne with our newest ships. If that happens, after some time has passed, you and I will be going to visit Taffy for an extended period.”

  “The aliens and Fagan will know that we’ve moved our populations when they attack Abby. They won’t see anyone on the planet if we’re successful in moving the population.”

  “I have a plan to prevent that, Rory. It will require close timing with our fleets, but I think we can pull it off.”

  “What have you planned?” Abby told him, and Rory began nodding. “Contact all the building facilities and order them to start building Super Rabbits at their fastest speed. Forget about saving spare parts or inventory.” Rory nodded and left Abby’s office.

  Abby lowered her head and felt a deep fear in her heart. Thousands of sailors were going to die to prevent the colonies from being discovered. She now knew what Grady and Taffy experienced when Britannia was attacked and destroyed years ago. Right beside her fear was a hatred filling her for the beings coming to destroy Melbourne. Now all three of the original colonies would be destroyed and there was no stopping it. But one day, they would pay for their actions. She prayed she would be alive when that happened…if it happened.