Lens of Time Read online

  The engineer entered the calculations in his unit and said, “The ship would be weightless so the movement would happen almost immediately. However, almost is significant when attempting to operate at these speeds.”

  “Give me your best guess.”

  The engineer stared at the data and said, “The ship could be pushed to one quarter light speed in that time. It would take the relay forty thousandth of a second to trigger the drive.”

  “How far would it move in that remaining forty thousandth of a second?”

  “About one mile six hundred yards.”

  “That is longer than the ship.”

  The engineer shrugged, “Yes but it may slam it into another ship if the fighting is at close quarters.”

  “The ship will be weightless so no damage would happen. It would then have an opportunity to fire on the ship that attacked it.”

  “It could also cause the ship to jerk its way across the battle scene one mile at a time if the attacker continues to fire.”

  “But somewhere in that time our ship would be able to return fire.”

  “There is that.”

  Boden thought for a moment and said, “This is not a defense system that will be easily controlled.”

  “It will have to be automatic. Even the ship’s computer couldn’t react fast enough to do it.”

  Boden looked at the ship building yard and said, “I want that ship over there set up with this system and we’ll trial it when it’s ready.”

  The engineer nodded and left.

  • • •

  A week later the Engineer reported back to Boden. “It’s not going to work.”

  “Why not?”

  “The sudden move disrupts the computer. It forces it to reboot. While that happens the ship is defenseless. The computer can’t do it fast enough but if the system moves the ship without having the computer in the process…”

  “The computer is forced to reboot.” The Engineer nodded. “Well, we need to find something. Let me know if you have any other ideas.”

  • • •

  Kate watched the display with Kenny and said, “What’s going on?”

  “I want you to give me your take on something.”

  “Sure, is that why you’re not telling me what you’re doing?”

  “You’ve broken the code.” Kenny said, “Jess, are you ready to pursue?”

  “I am.”

  “Then jump to the coordinates and send the signal.”

  The Tampa jumped and Kate saw an old Alliance Warship accelerate away from a Moet Cruiser. The Moet accelerated after the escaping ship and started firing beams at it. The two ships disappeared in jumps and the Tampa followed close behind. Kate saw the Moet gaining on the battle ship and six jumps later watched as it blew the large Alliance Battleship apart. The Moet then turned and attacked the Tampa. The Tampa hit the Moet with six new main beams and vaporized it.

  Kenny turned to Kate and she said, “I hope there weren’t any crewmen on those ships.”

  “There weren’t. Tell me what you think?”

  Kate sat back down from where she had stood up during the battle and said, “It looked real to me. If you hadn’t said anything about it wanting my opinion, I would have thought they had gone back to war with each other. Why did you do this?”

  “One more thing; did you see anything else happen during the chase?”

  Kate thought about it, “I don’t know what you mean?”

  “Then you didn’t see it.”

  “See what?”

  “The Alliance and Moet ships each deployed three advanced sensor probes when they were jumping through Sierra Space.”

  “So that’s what this is about?”

  “It is.”

  “Well, I didn’t see them being delivered. How did you do it?”

  “We released them under the ships as they moved through Sierra Space. Once they were clear of the drive field, the antenna popped into normal space and the rest of the buoy in Sierra Space was reduced to the size of an atom. The delivery took less than a hundredth of a second.”

  “What are you planning to do?”

  “We’re launching 800 pairs of ships and have them jump into M-87 and deploy as many sensor buoys as possible before they’re destroyed. This was a trial to see if we could pull off the disguise of two ships attacking each other.”

  “It appeared real to me.”

  Kenny looked at his computer, “Jess, did you detect the buoys being launched?”

  “I did but I was really scanning for them. The buoys followed a missile out of the launcher tubes. I was able to barely see one of them and I wasn’t able to get a good read on it.”

  Kate tilted her head and said, “If the computer couldn’t see them when it was looking for them, I suspect you’ve got it set up the right way.”

  Kenny pushed a button and said, “Jess, jump us out to the ships.” The Tampa disappeared from the outer edge of the galaxy and reappeared in deep space between M-87 and M-83. Kenny looked at the sixteen hundred ships and noticed they were spread out across a twenty thousand mile front. Kate said, “Are you jumping all of them simultaneously?”

  “I am. We want it to appear as if the Alliance Ships are being pursued from a space battle.” Kenny pressed a clear cover and a yellow button came up out of the console. Kenny turned the button to the right and then pressed it. The sixteen hundred ships disappeared. “Let’s go back to Sierra Garcia and see if any are delivered.” The Tampa disappeared.

  • • •

  “Attack warning, attack warning; we have large numbers of ships jumping into our sector. Lock on the invaders and eliminate them.”

  An old Alliance Ship appeared in the Lunje system. It was being chased by an old Moet Cruiser and they were firing on each other. Ten ships appeared around the two ships just before they jumped back into Sierra Space. The ten ships pursued the two combatants.

  The Lunje Commander looked over at his navigator, “Where did these ships originate?”

  “The trails indicate they came from a rather distant galaxy. My scanners indicate they are currently in the process of a space battle.”

  The Commander pressed his console, “Central Control, it appears these ships are chasing each other. We’ve scanned them and their technology is not anything to concern us. It appears this is the continuation of a space battle that started in another galaxy.”

  “Destroy those ships.”

  “One has just been killed by the chaser. We’ve just eliminated the other ship.”

  “All ships report in on destruction of your targets.”

  Ten minutes later, all sixteen hundred ships were expanding clouds of gas and debris.

  George sat in the lower level of the command center and waited until ten hours had passed after the destruction of the last ship. He looked around the room and said, “Activate your buoys.”

  The huge room had more than six hundred operators at consoles. There was an identical room on the level below and George waited for the count. “Sir, only two of the Major’s Capitals did not have a successful deployment. The others are on line.”

  “How many others were deployed?”

  “About six hundred others.”

  George frowned, “Only a quarter of them were deployed.”

  Bob looked at his board, “Sir, half of the ships were destroyed before they made another jump. They only deployed one buoy. Two of them never had the opportunity to deploy one. Whatever system they use for defense is effective.”

  George looked at Bob’s board and said, “Get the computers learning the languages. I want those buoys monitored around the clock.”

  “We’re on it, Sir.”

  George looked at the board again and then turned and left the room.

  • • •

  The aide arrived and the door went up on his leader’s quarters, “What have you been able to determine about the ships that entered our sector?”

  “The general consensus is that they were fro
m a space battle that started in another galaxy and ended with the pursued ships fleeing here to attempt an escape.”

  “Do you have the plot from Central Control?”

  “I do.”

  “Did you notice anything irregular in the path those ships flew?”

  The aide paused and thought a moment and then said, “I don’t think so.”

  The large creature waited and the aide finally said, “What am I missing?”

  “What are the chances of all eight hundred of those pairs of ships jumping into an inhabited planet’s system on every jump and every capital had them arrive there first?”

  The aide saw it, “This is not what it was made to appear.”

  “No, it wasn’t. But what was it? That’s what’s troubling me.”

  “Could it have been an attempt to test our defensive capabilities?”

  The large creature was silent and finally said, “Perhaps. But no signal was recorded leaving those ships. I’ve also sent several of my ships to investigate the sites of their destruction and there is no residue of any bodies in the wreckage.”

  “They might have been completely burned in the explosion. Our beams are quite hot.”

  “I understand that; but no residue? There should have been some on the molecular level.”

  “Do you think they were flown by remote control?”

  “I don’t want to go that way but what else would explain the missing protoplasm at every site? Someone did something here; I’ve not been able to figure out what it is.”

  The aide thought a moment and said, “Well, if no signal was sent by those ships then they couldn’t have been sent to map our sector or plot our defenses unless they have a communications system we can’t track.”

  “There is one other possibility.” The aide waited. “They were sent here to deliver something.”

  The aide thought about the idea and then said, “I’ll get some of our ships to go to the entry point of those ships and scan the entire path they followed until they were destroyed.”

  “That ‘s why I called you here. Make sure the ships can be trusted and let me know what you find.”

  The door slid down and the aide crawled away.

  • • •

  “Sir, we have something irregular happening here.”

  Lt. Jensen walked over to the operator’s display and saw a large purple ship appear in the distance. The operator said, “They’ve turned on their scanners and are moving directly at the buoy.”

  “Retract the antenna and keep it down for 48 hours.”

  • • •

  The buoy’s small antenna disappeared. Two hours later the large purple ship passed over the buoy’s location and continued toward the outer system.

  Jensen hit his panel, “Sir, I think they’re suspicious and are scanning the entire route followed by the ships that delivered the buoys.”

  “Keep me informed on what’s happening.”

  “Yes Sir.”

  Chapter Three

  “What are the numbers?”

  “We’ve completed almost 400,000.”

  “I was hoping for more.”

  “I think this is the best we can do. These ships are not easily built.”

  “Have any of our neighbors detected our building efforts?”

  “Not yet. As you know, most of the building facilities are underground or under the surface of a moon. I don’t think they’re brave enough yet to enter our territory uninvited.”

  “They don’t have to enter. Their scanners will see most everything from outside our borders.”

  “They won’t penetrate that far underground. We haven’t put any of the new ships in our lines yet so I think we have some time. Once they show up, that’s when they might take action.”

  “Our friends in the other sector appear to have most of their attention.”

  “The sector’s leaders are, if nothing else, greedy. If they can take other civilizations without much of a fight, that’s where they will place their attention.”

  “Have we heard anything about them uniting against us?”

  “The Moget are pushing for it but most just think they’re over reacting.”

  “They are our closest neighbor.”

  “That’s why everyone is not paying them much attention. They think the Moget are just self-serving in their rants.”

  “They still haven’t gotten over the ten thousand ships that disappeared. Most of the sector is not as advanced and hope we do knock them down a level or two.”

  “We will have to deal with them eventually. How does the new ship compare to theirs?”

  “If we get off the first shot, we’ll win. Their beams are still capable of penetrating the force fields if they can be hit longer than a second.”

  “We’ll just have to avoid letting that happen.”

  “I think the idea is to hit and fly.”

  “Something like that.”

  “We’re moving crews to the new ships for training shortly.”

  “If we take ships out of the line, it will be noticed.”

  “We’re leaving the ships in place with just enough to move them around. Once we reach a million ships, we’ll move them to the line. I hope we have another event to distract the sector before that happens.”

  “I’ll contact our friends when that time arrives.”

  “I hope they can help.”

  “They already have. Even if they don’t, they’ve done more than they should.”

  “I’ll keep you informed on our progress.”

  • • •

  Captain Riebbe sat in the pilot’s chair and Beth turned on the new force field. The bubble appeared only twenty feet away from the small ship’s surface. “Beth what’s the reading?”

  Beth looked at her panel and said, “Oh my God.”

  “What?”

  “This field is stronger than a main battleship’s force field.”

  Riebbe just stared at her.

  “I’m serious.”

  “How does it do that?”

  “The area is tiny compared to what the field normally covers. The strength increases with the square of distance.”

  “Are you ready for the trial?”

  “What ship are we going to use?”

  “The Tampa has volunteered its services.”

  “Why can’t this be done by remote control?”

  “No remote control signal can make it through the new force field.”

  “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “We’ve got to know if this new weapon works before we start modifying all of our attack craft. Just strap in and turn on the oxygen to your suit. They’ve reinforced the cabin.”

  “A lot of good that will do!”

  “I know. But at least we’re together.”

  Beth smiled, “I wouldn’t have it any other way. What speed will we be using?”

  “We can’t go faster than six miles a second. Even if it worked at a faster speed, it wouldn’t do us any good. We’d blow past our target and lose the benefit.”

  Beth hit her communication panel, “Admiral Anders, we’re starting our approach run.”

  “Are you sure the two of you want to do this?”

  “Someone has to do it.”

  “But why you?”

  “Would you order one of your crew to take this risk?”

  Kenny sighed, “The field is at full power; good luck.”

  Riebbe said, “Modulate the field.”

  The force field surrounding the attack craft moved even closer to its hull as the section in front of the small white ship extended a hundred feet and formed a very sharp point. Beth looked at Riebbe, “Field is ready.”

  Riebbe hit the thrusters and said, “I love you.” The small white ship accelerated toward the mile long battleship.

  Kenny watched and said, “I want this recorded.”

  The small ship hit the Tampa’s force field and a huge flash illuminated the ship. Kenny watched and saw the attack
craft flying around the Tampa inside the force field. Kenny smiled and said, “It looks like we have our fusion missiles back.”

  Riebbe was howling as Beth hugged him. The small ship accelerated and exited the Tampa’s force field.

  Kenny laughed and said, “Now you’re showing off.”

  Captain Loree Barber looked at Kenny and asked, “Why is this so important?”

  “The new attack craft can only hold one of the new reactors due to its size. If we divide the power between its weapons and force field, it is vulnerable to the beams of the Major’s Battleships. By putting all of the reactor’s power into a greatly condensed force field, the attack craft can penetrate their force fields. The attack craft will not have a beam weapon so it needs something to hit the battleships once it penetrates their screen. It can carry fusion missiles and launch them at the ship with nothing to stop them.”

  Loree smiled, “This is a significant discovery.”

  “More than you know. The Major’s beams will not penetrate the bubble, that’s what we call the new force field, and it can take them on.”

  “Is it possible to use the force field on the Tampa?”

  “No, it won’t work. The area it has to cover is just too big.”

  “I guess those ships will be the Penetrator Craft.”

  Kenny smiled, “Loree, that’s exactly what we’ll name them.”

  Loree smiled.

  • • •

  Arvolo sat up from his beach chair and looked out at the ocean. It reminded him of Cuba but it was not the same. The ocean brought him peace and the sunset inspired him. RV thought about writing some poetry or at least a song. Then he remembered, he had no rhythm. Cyanna was walking back from the waves and smiled at him as she drew near. “You’re ready aren’t you?”

  “Does it show that much?”

  “It does.”

  “We’ll never have another honeymoon, my love. I don’t want to shorten this one and deprive you of the memories.”

  Cyanna dried her hair with a towel and sat down at his feet, “I’m missing it as well.” She looked out at the ocean and said, “This is beautiful, but not nearly as beautiful as a viewport full of stars. Things are happening and the fleet needs you.”

  “They need us.”

  “That’s nice of you to say but I know the real power here. We’ll leave in the morning.”