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  “With what result?”

  “The largest burst of gamma rays possible outside a nova.”

  “Could our force fields handle that burst?”

  “Probably not, but the ship that hits with the boson beam will just jump into green space or go FTL before it arrives. The burst of radiation would kill the ship that fired it.”

  “Could the Invader ships’ force field withstand it?”

  Cole thought a moment and tilted his head, “I’d be greatly surprised if it could. However, I’m not at all certain about that. Their force fields are on a different order of magnitude from anything I’ve ever seen.”

  Ian looked at Cole, “Can we use this explosion as a weapon?”

  “Not near an inhabited planet.”

  “But it could be used in open space.”

  Cole and Ian looked at Argel and she smiled, “It could have a boson projector attached to it set to fire when it entered normal space.”

  Cole nodded, “But the neutron material must have a blue field around it so it could be handled.”

  “It could have a blue field inside a drive field. The drive field will deactivate and the neutron mass will emerge into normal space with the detonator. The blue field will disappear and the detonator on the boson projector will activate the moment it enters normal space.”

  Ian looked at the two scientists shaking his head, “This is one dangerous toy you’re talking about here.”

  “They’ll have to be constructed in open space to avoid accidents killing a planet.”

  “How long will it take to build them?”

  Cole looked at Argel, “If you could build a facility, not long at all. The parts are easily put together.”

  Ian shook his head, “How would we deliver it?”

  “It should be delivered by a very small ship that doesn’t produce a large wave in green space.”

  Ian pressed his wrist unit and Kregen appeared on it. Ian explained what they were discussing and Kregen said, “I have just the pilots to do it.”

  Ian contacted the Kilper Admiral and brought him into the conversation, “Admiral, may we use one of your ship building facilities currently above one of your planets to build a new weapon?”

  “What kind of weapon?” Ian told him and the Admiral just stared at him. “We’ll need to move it into deep space.”

  “I imagine you would.”

  “Does your facilities have jump capability?”

  “They can be modified to jump.”

  “Can we have one?”

  “Make sure it’s a long way out in deep space.”

  Ian looked at Cole and he shrugged, “He’s right. It will need to be far out in deep space. We’ll jump the facility to the location of the exploded neutron star to collect the material needed for the device.”

  “If it’s that dangerous, can we use it near a galaxy?”

  “We’ll adjust the size of the neutron material to limit the size of the explosion.”

  Ian looked at the Admiral and he said, “A ten foot diameter piece of that material holds more atoms than a planet. Imagine releasing every atom of a planet instantly.”

  Ian looked back at Cole, “Are you sure about this?”

  “We’ll be using pieces that are smaller than a beach ball.”

  Argel saw Ian’s shock and laughed, “It’s the small fire cracker that makes the most noise.”

  Cole smiled, “The piece will be housed on the end of the boson projector. I suspect the boson device will be smaller than one of the ancient baseball bats.”

  Ian looked at the two Admirals, “Can either of you see a use for this?”

  Kregen nodded, “How do we usually initiate an attack?”

  Ian thought a moment, “You’re right. We gather our ships in open space and jump to our designated targets inside the galaxy being attacked.”

  “All we need to do is determine where they will gather and it should kick things off with a bang.”

  Ian looked at the Kilper Admiral and said, “We’re going to do it.”

  The Admiral nodded and pushed a button on his panel.

  ***

  Drey looked at the message from Ian and turned to Dee, “What do you think about this new weapon?”

  “It’s another reason to be thankful we’re fighting this war somewhere else.”

  “This is a real planet killer.”

  “It could actually destroy a huge area in a galaxy if the neutron material was large enough. Does that bother you?” Drey just stared at her. “If it does, I’m really surprised.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Killing has not been a problem for you in the past.”

  “I don’t take pleasure in doing it.”

  “That hasn’t stopped you.”

  Drey sighed, “I guess I’m starting to develop a sense of civility.”

  Dee snorted, “Tell that to the Freaks. They have stopped anyone from damaging a business on their new planet.”

  Drey smiled, “I guess some good does come out of it.”

  Dee smiled, “I know your heart, Drey. I know it’s good.”

  “Thank you.”

  “However, there is a development that is going to impact our relationship.”

  Drey looked at Dee and she saw his immediate concern, “What is that?”

  “We need to pick a name.”

  “For what?”

  “Our baby should have a name.” Dee watched the gamut of emotions and she smiled, “Violet is not the only one.”

  Drey rushed over and took her in his arms. He held her tight and after a few moments leaned back and looked in her eyes, “How am I going to survive without you with me?”

  “Moe will keep us in contact mentally. I’ll be with you.”

  Drey stared at her, “I guess you know I wouldn’t allow you to take part in combat.”

  “It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. I thought about fighting you on this but I know you’re right. Our child is what we’re fighting for and placing it in harm’s way isn’t the right thing to do.”

  “I’m really going to miss you.”

  “Me, too. However, I’ll have company.”

  “Violet will be there.”

  “Along with Becky.”

  “WHAT?”

  “I think the stress of war causes our species fertility rates to go up. I don’t have another answer for how all of us are pregnant so close together.”

  “It could be that we …”

  “I know, I know.”

  Drey smiled, “When?”

  “I’m due in seven months.”

  “Can you stay with me until the war begins?”

  “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

  Drey held her and smiled, “You’re right.”

  “About what?”

  “I’ll use any weapon we have to make sure our family survives.”

  Dee laughed, “This does put a different perspective on things.”

  Drey nodded and kissed his wife.

  ***

  The Father looked at the Advisor and fought hard not to show his disgust. This idiot was a political tool and nothing more. He had no real military experience and was so full of himself that there had to be a twin inside his skin. Someone on the Council wanted this slug to be a Grandfather and saw this as an opportunity to push it. But the Advisor was an idiot. He insisted on reworking the plans and even Grandfather couldn’t prevail at getting the council to reel him in. He decided he would just allow the pompous, incompetent ass to do his thing. After two weeks of constant infighting, he decided to bait him. He looked at the new plans in front of him and said without looking up, “Ummm, there should be great glory for the ones that lead this attack.” He looked up at the Advisor. “I’m thinking I should lead my first sub-fleet to carry out this particular exercise.”

  The Advisor looked up, stared at him, and then shook with disapproval, “I think the initial attack will be smaller than the follow up main invasion and my ships are
the perfect number to do it. Your family will have all of the primary targets assigned to it after the initial assault…if that meets your approval?”

  “I think my fleet is more experienced and would be perfect.” He argued for an hour and then the Advisor said, “I will contact the Council and allow them to make the decision.” The Advisor knew if it came to that, he would get his way.

  The Father managed to show the proper amount of anger and said, “No, we should be able to decide this between us. If you really think your ships should be used…I will reluctantly agree but I really wish you’d reconsider this. My first sub-fleet is one of the best in the Clan.”

  “No, my ships will lead the opening assault.”

  The Senior Father deliberately changed his color darker and stood up, “If you don’t mind, I need to check on one of my Sons.”

  The Advisor nodded and smirked as the Father left the bridge. The only one getting any glory would be him. He smiled and knew the Father was leaving to lick his wounds. He had lost the Council’s favor and now was the time for him to take it.

  ***

  “Grandfather, the Advisor has taken the role of leading the initial attack.”

  “What?”

  “I’ve done all I can to stop it but he has threatened to take it to the Council. Would you be able to change his plan?”

  The Grandfather swelled in size, “No, the first two failed attacks have diminished my standing. The Council would agree with him just to keep me in my place.”

  “I’m sorry I’ve put you in this position.”

  “You didn’t do it, Son. You did exactly as you were directed.”

  “What happens if his attack fails?”

  The Grandfather jerked his eye stalks around, “Is that possible?”

  “That galaxy has been nothing but a horror show. We really haven’t learned enough to know what we’ll have to face. I would have chosen to send a smaller force first to gather information. He refuses to accept any of my suggestions.”

  “I’ll let that be known to the Council Members in private.”

  “I hope this will help you.”

  “We’ll see.”

  The display went dark and the Father leaned back in his Son’s command chair. He could not make this call from his own ship; the Advisor had spies everywhere. He called his Son back in, “Do not tell anyone I spoke with Grandfather.”

  “Yes Father.”

  He sat in the chair and thought about what to do and after two hours returned to his ship to continue arguing with the idiot. He didn’t want to hope the Advisor’s attack failed but the Advisor’s ships were not part of his Family. He didn’t owe them anything. If he was lucky, the idiot would lead the attack and get himself killed. It probably wouldn’t happen but one could hope. At the rate the Advisor was taking to modify his plans, the attack would never happen. He thought about it and wondered if that was a good thing. He suspected the Council might have to step in and force the Advisor’s pseudopod. Eight months and the end wasn’t in sight.

  ***

  The Sovereign looked at Drey on his display, “Where is the female we’ve always spoken to?”

  “She’s my mate and she is expecting a child.”

  “Congratulations.”

  “Thank you.”

  “They haven’t returned.”

  Drey nodded and said, “We have probes in their galaxy and we’ve learned their language. It appears the leadership of the invasion was changed after the first two attacks and all of their plans are being changed.”

  “How much time do you think we have?”

  “I really don’t know but we’ll have an early warning when they start to organize their fleets.”

  “This additional time has been fortunate.”

  “Indeed it has.”

  “What’s the plan?”

  “We have a small surprise for them if they come here to organize their jump into your galaxy. I need all your ships to stay clear of their formations when they arrive until I notify you.”

  “It must be a rather large surprise.”

  “Those are the best ones. Will you pass that message to the other civilizations?”

  “I will.”

  “Thank you.”

  ***

  The Sovereign looked at his Fleet Controller, “What do you think they’re going to do?”

  “Whatever it is; I’d listen to his suggestion.”

  “You think they have something that will have that large of an impact?”

  “I’m telling you, I’d make sure I listened. I’ve studied that one and when he says that it will have a large impact, he’s understating the reality of what it is. That one is dangerous.”

  The Sovereign stared at his Fleet Controller and slowly nodded, “I’ll make sure everyone delays jumping in on them.” The Sovereign paused, “Are we ready?”

  “Most of our ships are modified and the others will be completed within two months.”

  “Keep me informed.”

  “I will, Sovereign.”

  The Sovereign stared at the dark display and pushed a button. After a few moments the Gedna appeared, “I’ve been told by the aliens that we have more time. How close are you to being ready?”

  “We’re done with updating our ships. We’re waiting on the shipment of the neutron missiles.”

  “I’ll have them to you momentarily. I’ve been told that it would be a bad idea to jump in on the invaders before being given approval.”

  “Oh?”

  “It appears they have some kind of surprise for them.”

  “Well, we should leave it to them to handle the invaders and listen to their warning.” The Sovereign showed his uncertainty and the Gedna said, “Whatever they have, you can count on it being beyond your wildest suspicions.”

  “You sound like my Fleet Controller.”

  “Did you give them a neutron missile?”

  “I did.”

  The Gedna started laughing, “Well, you can bet a planet that they’ve done something with it that will shock us all. Thank you for expediting the shipment.”

  “No problem.” The display went dark and the Sovereign contacted the Negotiator to deliver the warning to all civilizations not to jump out when the Invader’s ships arrived. He wondered what was going to happen.

  Chapter Six

  Drey sat on his ship and missed Dee. It just wasn’t the same anymore. He sighed and looked at the feed coming in from the microprobes in the Invader’s current conquest. Ships had started moving out and gathering at the edge of the galaxy and it wouldn’t be long before they began their offensive. Dee cried when he left her on Euclid but she knew it was the right thing to do. He waited above El Dorado in M87 and shook his head at the massive numbers of Union Warships around the planet. Most of the pilots were on the planet waiting for the call to go to a war status but it was still some time before those Invader ships began to organize.

  He shook his head and looked at the main display, “Doc, do you have the recording of the neutron trial?”

  “I do; I’ll put it on the monitor.”

  Drey watched the screen and saw a giant explosion off in the distance that was incredibly bright. “Doc, how far out was the recording device?”

  “The probe was a light minute away.”

  “Why so far?”

  “If it was any closer, Cole and Argel feared it would have been damaged by the gamma rays from the explosion.”

  “Did they learn anything?”

  “They learned how to modify the size of the neutron material to limit the range of damage.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It was initially thought that this weapon could only be used out in open space away from a galaxy. By using smaller amounts of the neutron material, it can be used in the space between stars in a galaxy. However, it can’t be used too close to an inhabited system.”

  “Are you saying it would kill life on the planet?”

  “No, most planets’ atmosphere wo
uld limit the destructiveness of the blast but ships not on the planets’ surface could be damaged if their force fields aren’t strong enough.”

  “I assume you’re referring to commercial ships.”

  “I am.”

  “Moe seems to think the coming attack will gather outside the edge of M87.”

  “Moe is somewhat smarter than I am. He can put massive amounts of data together to arrive at his conclusions; I would go with his assessment.”

  “We didn’t do it that way.”

  “Not when we attacked in Andromeda but remember, we had probes there to keep us up to date on what was happening. The Invaders don’t have that in M87.”

  Drey thought a moment, “You’re right; that would make a huge difference.”

  Ian appeared on the display, “How are you doing?”

  “I miss her, Ian.”

  Ian sighed, “I miss Violet as well.”

  “Have you decided how we’re going in on the next attack?”

  “We will go in after the civilizations in M87 launch their attack. We need to see if they can hold their own with the Invader’s warships.”

  “What does Moe say about that?”

  “He’s not certain. He does say that it appears their first move will not be with their entire ship inventory.”

  “He does; how did he arrive at that conclusion?”

  “He says the ships gathering for the attack came from another galaxy. None of those that are attacking that galaxy are in the initial gathering.”

  “Why is that?”

  “I really don’t know. Since none of the ships in the other galaxy have started moving out, the ships gathering will be the first to invade. I suspect the others will start organizing after they come here.”

  Drey stared at Ian on the display, “The first attack is to soften us up?”

  “I guess but I could be wrong.”

  “Do you think they would send that many ships just to collect information?”

  “I don’t know of any other reason; do you?”

  Drey thought about it, “They might be coming for glory.”

  “What?”

  “If those ships came from a different galaxy, it might be that the ones in the first galaxy are being punished for their failure in the first two attempts. Someone from the other galaxy is now in charge and wants to lead the charge.”