Death of an Empire aotr-3 Read online

  Carter looked down on the orange colored planet. It looked very much like an orange colored desert. The scanners showed huge clouds of orange spores blowing in giant wind storms. “Why did you decide to trial the spores in this universe?”

  Weed turned from the display, “We’ve noticed that the Invaders are quite linear in their attacks. You know that the coordinates for universes are sequential, right?”

  Carter nodded.

  “We didn’t want to go to a universe where they might still have ships present, so we selected a universe with coordinates a hundred smaller than the current universe being invaded. It wasn’t affected but the next one to it was this one. This universe is dead and there’s no reason for them to return.”

  “Do you think they might have left a probe behind?”

  “We considered that but I’m sure they would have discovered thousands of years ago that it was a waste of technology. If a ship came here it would immediately leave. Why would they really care about anyone coming here to investigate? I’m confident we can trial our spore here and not be bothered.”

  “Do you think the entire universe is dead?”

  “No, they only invaded planets with intelligent life that could do the farming.”

  “Some of the unaffected planets could eventually develop intelligence.”

  Weed turned and replied, “That’s true, but once they developed a star drive and investigated one of the contaminated planets their civilization was doomed. The spores would go back with them to their home world and infect the ecology.”

  Carter shook his head, “These creatures are killing universes more efficiently than any of the Red Demon’s tools ever accomplished. If they kill them all, won’t it stop their drug production?”

  Weed leaned back showing his disagreement, “No, they’ll just develop a ship to enter the atmosphere of the dead planets and take the drug from the blowing spores. However, that won’t happen for millions of years with the number of available universes left to attack. I think the production of the drug is actually the primary focus of their efforts and destroying intelligent life is simply a byproduct.”

  Carter sighed, “I have to agree. Otherwise they would just be harvesting the drug from universes like this one.”

  Seed leaned forward agreeing, “You see it as well.”

  “So what’s next?”

  “We’re going to drop a packet of spores on five planets like this one and observe what happens.”

  Carter frowned, “Just a packet?”

  “I think you’ll be surprised at what happens. Would you like to do the honors?”

  “Certainly, what do I need to do?”

  Weed handed Carter a small plastic bag with a green powder in it, “Teleport this down to a hundred feet above the surface of the planet and release it so that it hits a hard surface.”

  “Why a hundred feet?”

  “The fall will burst the bag and release the spores.”

  Carter turned on his armor and took the packet in his hand. He teleported out of the ship and looked down on the dead planet. He checked his scanners and saw a huge orange storm blowing across a vast plain. He teleported the bag ten miles in front of the oncoming orange cloud and released it above a rocky plateau. He focused on the bag and saw a small puff of dust from its impact. Carter looked at the planet and felt an overwhelming anger at creatures that would do this to a living world. He teleported back to the ship as it jumped away to find the next four targets. “How long will it take for the spores to start working?”

  “We’ve delayed the response for thirty days.”

  “Why that long?”

  “We want them to be carried by the invaders to other locations before they discover their existence and this will be a good way to see if the delay works.”

  Carter smiled, “That’s a good plan. Are we going to stay here?”

  “No, we’ll come back in twenty nine days and start recording what happens.”

  Carter smiled, “Good, I get to see Jenna.”

  “Alex.”

  “Yes, Grace.”

  “The Algeans have started their trial. How far along are you on the new power system?”

  “Not far enough. Keep me posted on what’s happening.”

  “You need to hurry.”

  “Grace, we’re doing all we can. I’ll let Vring and Kreej know what’s going on. We’ll do all we can.”

  “Alex, I’m worried.”

  “Should we delay the Algeans?”

  “You know that won’t stop them. They are driven by different goals.”

  “How so?”

  “They’re working to prevent the discovery of the Stars Realm in their dimension. We are a secondary consideration.”

  Alex paused, “Grace, I’m afraid I’m on their side on this issue. My first loyalty is to the Realm.”

  “As is mine; this is a clear conflict of interest for them and us. Unfortunately we are not given any wiggle room on this issue either. We are sworn to the Realm and must allow them to continue but we’ve got to do all we can to try and save our friends here. You are the key to making that happen.”

  “Do the Algeans Know?”

  “They do; but like us they also have no room to maneuver. Their first loyalty is with the Realm.”

  “We’ll step up our trials, Grace. If we fail I want you here with me.”

  “I’m sorry, Alex. My destiny lies with our friends.”

  Alex decided that he was going to triple the trials. He couldn’t allow Grace to come to harm. Even Grace didn’t know she was his first priority even ahead of the Realm and he was not going to allow her to die; no matter what he had to do to protect her.

  TK and Malah waited in the Defense Facility to receive their armor. TK had selected Malah two weeks earlier and had been given her Zecka just five days ago. “Are you excited?”

  “Yes, I am, TK. I’ve seen what the flyers can do and I want to start learning how to use my armor. What about you?”

  “I’m not sure. I’m still young to be placed in the ranks of the Flyers. I’m concerned that they might resent me. I know Jingos is not happy with having to wait.”

  “You just don’t look at their thoughts. I’ve never understood the reluctance of Humans to look at the thoughts of others. Jingos totally supports you getting armor now. All the citizens of the Realm want the Royal Family to have every protection possible. Jingos feels the same way.”

  “I wish Mon and Dad would get fitted.”

  “Your father just doesn’t feel he should. Your Mother supports him in that decision.”

  “Even so, it bothers me for some reason.” TK thought a moment and said, “Malah, we feel that to invade a person’s privacy it wrong. We’ll only do it if circumstances force us to it. You don’t have that problem because all of your species are telepathic. Besides, I don’t need to look as long as I have you.”

  Malah laughed, “Right you are. Let’s go and get us some technology and afterwards I’d like to use it to get home.”

  TK laughed with her and said, “Lead the way great Flyer.”

  The giant Black Ship entered a solar system and moved on the planet. It was obviously civilized and had a huge population centered in numerous industrialized cities. No ships rose to meet the incoming Invader and the only thing indicating the planet had space technology was two giant satellites orbiting the planet on opposite sides. The satellites were more than a hundred miles in diameter and the Invader saw a force field go up as it drew closer.

  The Ship Master looked at the huge structure on his display and turned to his Sensor Master, “What can you determine about that satellite?”

  “The force field is quite strong. Before it went up I scanned the surface and didn’t see any type of beam emplacements. Once the field was active, my scans were blocked.”

  “Send a copy of this to Fleet.”

  The Sensor Officer nodded and sent the report.

  “Prepare our beams.”

  “They are ta
rgeted on the structure, Sire.”

  The Ship Master quickly looked back at his display as the Sensor Master said, “Incoming missile.” The missile was tiny. It was less than three hundred feet long but it did have a force field around it. The Satellite had only fired the one missile and that bothered him.

  “Readings?”

  “None are getting through the force field.”

  The Ship Master may have regretted his next decision if he had lived long enough. He decided to allow it to hit his force field and destroy itself. The missile went through the force field without even a spark to indicate it had impacted. It hit the giant Black Ship and it exploded so violently that the force field didn’t have time to drop before the blast was reflected back into the center of the explosion doubling the intensity of the blast.

  Timmy looked at Robby and Dani and said, “I wondered what you saw that brought us here.”

  “We weren’t sure, Timmy.” Robby looked at Dani and continued, “We just saw this planet and knew we should come here.”

  “It looks like we’ve found a weapon to use against the Invaders if we can persuade the planet to give us the technology.”

  Dani shook her head, “No, that’s not going to help us. This will actually harm our efforts to survive.” Timmy leaned forward in his command chair and stared at her. Dani saw his expression and shook her head, “The only thing this will do is cause the Invaders to build a stronger ship.”

  Robby nodded, “They’ll lose ships here but they will record the technology that planet is using to enhance their capabilities. This is not good.”

  Greyson said, “So getting the technology is wasted effort if they are going to come up with a counter to it.”

  Robby and Dani nodded. They waited as fifteen Black Ships jumped in and were destroyed.

  Greyson said, “There’s a Black Ship at the jump limit recording what’s happening. I can see their scan. Should we teleport one of those missiles to open space to take a look at it?”

  Robby shook his head, “No, the Invader will record its disappearance and know that there is another adversary here. It would make them start looking for us again.”

  Dani watched the battle and sighed, “We need to see how long it takes them to build a new ship and bring it on line. Greyson, leave a screened microprobe here to record what happens.”

  “The probe is launched.”

  Timmy looked up from his command board, “How did you know to come here?”

  “Timmy, Dani’s and my ability to sense danger is growing stronger. We saw this happening and knew the best decision was to come here.”

  Greyson said, “I did get a reading on the force field being used by the missile. It appears to match the frequency of the force field it hits almost instantaneously. Maybe Alex can use this.”

  Robby looked away from the display and thought a moment, “No, it won’t help. I suspect that the invaders will simply modify their force fields to use two different frequencies so that if one is read the other will stop the missile. At least that’s how I would counter it.”

  “What if two don’t work?”

  “Then they’ll use four and have them changed a thousand times a second, Timmy. We could do that and I’m certain they will as well.”

  “Then why are we here?”

  Dani looked at Robby and he nodded, “We’re sensing the Invaders will be delayed here. It gives us more time to develop our defense. At least that’s what we think is causing us to be here. We can’t think of another reason.”

  Timmy stared at the huge battle at the planet and saw more Black Ships jumping in, “They are somewhat single minded, aren’t they?”

  Robby nodded, “Yes, they are.”

  The Black ships continued to come and more than three thousand had been destroyed. After two hours, Timmy sighed, “Should we go now?”

  Dani furrowed her brow and said, “Not just yet.”

  Robby looked at her, “Do you see something?”

  “Something else,” Dani pointed at the display on the wall and said, “That!”

  A black colored ship fifty percent larger than the other Black Ships appeared on the display and moved on the satellite. The first missile arrived and exploded on its force field. The satellite saw the explosion and launched a hundred missiles. They were all stopped by the new ship’s screen. The huge Black Ship moved closer to the huge orbiting structure and fired a massive orange beam into it. It exploded and fell toward the planet below. The ship then fired into the planet and the single beam blew away the atmosphere and cracked the planet. The fault line in the planet’s surface ran more than six thousand miles and the surface caught fire from the magma rushing up to the surface.”

  Robby watched the devastation and said, “It appears I may have been wrong about them being delayed.”

  Dani looked away from the display, “They have the next ships waiting for when they’re needed. Now we know why we needed to come see this. We have to develop a ship that is not just slightly stronger than their current ship but many times more powerful.” She looked at Timmy, “Let’s go home. I’ll send this recording to Alex as soon as we arrive.”

  Timmy stared at the now dead planet as Greyson teleported away. Greyson realized that Grace may have been right. This enemy was something to fear.

  Chapter Three

  “Carter, are you ready?”

  Carter gave a start, “Give me about an hour; I’ll meet you on the ship.”

  “We’ll be waiting.”

  Jenna looked at Carter, “So, you’re off again.”

  Carter kissed her and smiled, “I hate to go, especially with the baby on the way.”

  “Oh quit worrying about us; we’ll be fine. Just stay in touch.”

  “I will.” Carter went to the learning center and looked in the Military Database at the teleportation probes; fifty minutes later he teleported to the Algean’s ship after speaking with Alex.

  Carter looked at the display and saw the orange planet, “I don’t see any difference.”

  Seed turned from the scanner and replied, “Today is when the really virulent spores we released are going to activate.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean by that?”

  “The initial spores are created to delay thirty days before they activate. However, the spores that are released from the infected orange plants will not be delayed. They will attack anything that has that orange plant’s structure. Every time the spores kill an orange plant they will release billions of new spores. We should be able to see an effect shortly.”

  Carter stared at the display but saw nothing different from the first visit. He used his armor’s scanner and looked at the surface and absently asked, “How long does it take one of those spores to kill an orange plant?”

  “Less than thirty minutes. The new spores will be released in less than fifteen minutes from the moment the spore infects an orange plant.”

  “Are we over the place where we dropped the packet?”

  Weed shook with his laughter, “Of course. We aren’t so incompetent that we’d miss it.”

  “I wasn’t being critical. It’s just that every place on the surface looks identical.”

  Seed said from the command chair, “Notice the four tall mountains to the north?”

  Carter widened his scan and said, “Those are mountains?”

  “It doesn’t look like it from a scan but they are over twenty thousand feet high. The uniform orange color tends to hide them.”

  Carter looked at them with an active scan and saw that she was right. He looked back at the plain and saw something. There was a patch of ground that wasn’t orange. “Do you see that?”

  “Yes we do; and it’s growing.”

  Carter watched and saw Weed was right. The small patch seemed to double in size in less than five minutes. As he watched over the next hour the patch grew from a hundred square yards to a hundred square miles. He backed his scan out and saw thousands of areas on the surface that were losing their
orange color. He heard Weed say, “That storm really scattered the spores. We should get a major change in the next thirty minutes; that’s when the second generation of spores begins doing their work.”

  Carter moved his scan to the ocean and saw the orange colored seas were not showing any change. He wondered about that but looked back at the original site. He saw hundreds of clear patches of land on the surface that had stopped growing. He checked his watch and waited thirty minutes. What he saw stunned him. The clear patches were expanding at a phenomenal rate. From orbit it looked like the orange surface was retreating before an advance of brown colored dirt. He looked closer and saw the orange plants were falling apart and dissolving. Nothing remained after that brown wave washed over them. He looked back at the oceans and saw the change there was even more dramatic. It was like giant ripples were leaving the center of clear patches of ocean and routing the orange waters before them.

  Carter looked at Seed, “Did you think it was going to react this fast?”

  Seed looked at Carter leaning back, “No! This is beyond anything we envisioned. That orange plant offers no resistance to our spores.” Seed looked back at the display, “At the current rate of expansion, the planet will be clear in less than two days.”

  Carter looked at Seed and shook his head, “If these spores are on a starship, the addicted crew might be dead in less than an hour after the spores activate.”

  “You’re probably right. We need to change the delay from thirty days to ninety days.”

  “Why?”

  “We must make sure the spores are spread around the Invader’s fleets and planets. This would give them a warning before they could be spread.”

  “How long will it take to make the change?”