Warlord's Invasion (Starfight Book 1) Read online

  The armored guards bowed, as did several of the nearby light reds. Kubersly looked at his marines. He wondered if he should follow suit. It was obvious the aliens did not want to harm them. That this was some type of honor.

  The one in dark red raised a black paw, at which point the guards stood upright.

  A Cat with a light red uniform brought four long boxes. The boxes were thin as if each contained a stick. The dark red spoke to the guards who pointed at each of the four marines.

  The marines were nudged into a horizontal line facing the dark red.

  The dark red opened a box.

  The insides if the boxes—to Kubersly’s amazement—were cushioned.

  The dark red reached in and took out a long black blade made of a strange shimmering substance. It shined like obsidian. He held the sword and walked to Sargent Windsor, presenting it to her. She paused for a moment. She bowed before taking the sword with two hands.

  An elaborate ritualistic gift, then.

  The same thing happened to Lieutenant Bertini and Private Lynch.

  Kubersly was last. When the dark red gave Kubersly his sword, he bowed as well.

  The dark red stared at him with its green eyes.

  Kubersly didn’t know what to make of its expression.

  The blade felt warm in his hands like it radiated energy. The surface texture felt rough but refined. For a slight moment, Kubersly had a fleeting thought. He thought about using the blade to kill. Obviously, the Cat before him was one of high rank and importance. The dark red’s loss would profoundly affect the enemy.

  But what did that teach the aliens about humans?

  Kubersly shook off the idea. He gazed at the other marines. They, too, must have come to the same conclusion. Then he realized the implications of his decision, and to a certain extent, the reason for the gift. The blade was an act of truce and camaraderie between one accomplished warrior and another. A symbol. Kubersly would shatter this symbol by using it as a weapon upon the one who gave it to him. He bowed, again.

  The dark red uttered a short brutish speech and their ceremony came to an end.

  Later, in the shuttlecraft down to the planet, Kubersly, upon further scanning the blade, saw something on the handle. There were vertical lines, like markings. He counted them. There were twenty-six markings on the handle...

  Twenty-six...why?

  Then he realized. Twenty-six for each of the alien troops he killed.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Fifteen days later

  December 29th 3986 AD

  Betelgeuse System, above Betelgeuse V …Nickname: Serenal

  Courier Ship

  Passenger Compartment…

  It had taken two weeks on the fastest hyperlight courier ship to traverse the distance between the frontier world called Meerlat and the sector’s capital, Betelgeuse. For Vier Kleingelt, the journey of 1600 light years had been entirely uneventful and dreadfully boring compared to the twelve hours of vibrant albeit horrible activity she had ever witnessed as the commander of Meerlat. After her escape, she hadn’t heard about Meerlat since Colonel Streit’s surrender. None of the FTL capable recon probes sent to scout its status had managed to escape the system without being blasted out of neighboring hyperspace. It seemed the aliens also had a method of detecting ships moving in hyperlight as well as an even more sophisticated—and successful—method of preventing even the fastest human vessels from escaping once that system was established.

  What she did know was that the alien fleets were still on the move. A gradual pace compared to the speed in which she went, but it was apparent they were conquering neighboring systems closest to Meerlat in systematic order, driving deeper into human territory.

  The good thing was that the most populated and most heavily fortified human star system in the sector knew everything she knew, although it would take more weeks before the crown world, Trantor, heard about the invasion. Her ship was the fastest courier ship in human history, but it was still nothing compared to the fastest human drone ship. Message-carrying machine-controlled drones could achieve a speed of .003 light years per second, or just under 100,000 times the speed of light, whereas the fastest manned ship could only achieve 38,000 times the speed of light.

  As Vier’s shuttle descended through the upper atmospheric layers of Betelgeuse V, otherwise called Serenal, she gazed out the window and noticed the green vegetation spread across the vast continent below. As she could recall, Betelgeuse V was colonized eight hundred years ago by nascent explorers from that ancient cradle called Earth. Being only 1.2 times as large as humanity’s homeworld, it was easily terraformed by adding Earth’s native plant and animal species. The fact that it orbited a star 120,000 times as bright as Sol meant little concern because the orbit of Betelgeuse V was over 400 times as far as Earth was to Earth’s sun.

  Gazing out the transparent aluminum window, she saw the vast cities spread all across the continent below. Their gleaming metallic luminosity reminded Vier a little bit of Trantor, humanity’s Crown World.

  Suddenly, Vier put her palm on her chin and sighed.

  Oh, how much she missed Trantor.

  Trantor. A gigantic planet-wide megalopolis city and civilization as far as the eye could see, even from orbit. She missed Trantor’s red glow during night and the low hum of its atmospheric recyclers working to clean the constant air pollution; the busy sounds of rushing aircars and the churning of blue-white antimatter generators. She often liked peeking out of a gravcar during the morning commute, to see a metal world made by humanity from the ground up. Most of all, she missed Trantor’s center of government, the administrative region called Tranpolis, where she could actually have a say and influence the politics of an entire star nation.

  Vier sighed, again. That mistake had cost her dearly. When she’d been demoted to Meerlat, her first reaction was that her new frontier command was barren. Barren of life, of activity, of effort and immersion. The people there seemed friendly enough, but they lacked a certain urgency that endowed the people in the core worlds. Sure, freedom was everywhere. The rules were lax and the human desire to explore and colonize was easily satisfied, but it still lacked the importance that came from being in the heart of humanity. Vier realized that if she had been born another person, perhaps carefree like her sister, she may have very well been content with Meerlat, but that was not who she was. She wanted to be in there, in the thick of the action, or as her savant mentor called aggressive control of one’s destiny.

  Lara was another matter entirely; someone who was simply satisfied with marrying a doctor and retreating into the unknown. Vier didn’t even want to think about that.

  The light of an entire world didn’t matter if I can’t influence the greater web of worlds.

  Looking down, Betelgeuse V reminded Vier of Trantor, but not by much. It did not have the entire planet-covering cityscapes of Trantor, but it had some. Its population was only 18 billion, whereas Trantor’s population was 85 billion. Whereas Trantor controlled the entire 12,000 light years-wide star nation, Betelgeuse V was the military nexus of a star zone 2500 light years across. In the event of alien aggression, its commandant controlled the entire region of warships and could operate independently as a fast response measure since it took far longer for news to travel to Trantor.

  So far, nothing had happened. And Vier thought the commandant’s actions were wise. There had been no lightning reprisal since the alien invasion began. That was because Senior Vice Admiral Wolfgang Mittermeyer had chosen instead to retreat all hyperlight capable forces away from the regions being invaded. Some might say that it appeared cowardly, but not Vier. She’d seen the aliens’ capabilities. Human warships stood no chance against that technology.

  So what options did that leave humanity?

  Well, for now, the only option seemed to be full scale retreat until a known method of successful resistance could be found.

  The good news was the aliens seemed to be slightly vulnerable to human missiles. Vi
er knew Human warships had no chance against alien warships, but human space missiles could inflict some damage in sublight combat. As a result, Vier had recommended to Mittermeyer that war production should be focused on creating gravity propelled missiles. She had told Mittermeyer in the video-mail that production of energy weapons should be halted entirely. Phased multi-dimensional nanopulses and its antecedent, gravitron darts, had no effect on the alien’s space-born warships’ shields. Perhaps if the enemy’s shields were taken out by nuclear tipped missiles, energy weapons might have an effect, but she didn’t know having never seen it happen. She did not know how their armor could withstand against that. As for laser weaponry, they were completely innocuous.

  This was the state of affairs for sublight battles. Hyperlight conflict was a different untested matter, and Vier surmised that the reason for her summoning had something to do with that. Perhaps in hyperlight battle, humanity would have a more even edge.

  In the end, Vier surmised that humanity could always surrender. The aliens did not kill civilians outright, and seemed to have a purpose for leaving civilians alive, but she didn’t know what that purpose was. If only, there was a way to communicate with the aliens. She knew surrender was not an option for Vice Admiral Mittermeyer. Trantor would have the ultimate say in that. She hoped that didn’t happen before all other options were exhausted.

  Betelgeuse System

  Betelgeuse V, Northern Continent

  Sector Military Command Headquarters

  Chief Commander’s Office, Suite 1, floor 2408…

  “...I have convened this meeting primarily to discuss your new orders personally.” Senior Vice Admiral Mittermeyer expressionless face couldn’t hide his kind eyes and warm cheeks no matter how hard he tried to appear serious.

  Vier sat within her senior commander’s office with a skyscraper view of 35th century Betel City. Lines of aircars rushed in the distance, their exteriors reflecting the bright red rays from the system’s supergiant. A cloudless sky allowed that same supergiant to bask the city in its auburn glow. The starzone’s military command headquarters was a massive twenty kilometer high skyscraper that knew few equals on the planet. It certainly fit with the human propensity that the buildings with the most authority should also be the largest and tallest. To Vier, she felt rather defenseless. The building did not have shields nor layers of earth to protect it from orbital or long-range kinetic bombardment. But she couldn’t help but admire the human fascination with megastructures.

  Mittermeyer continued, “I realize this may be inefficient, but I believe there’s no substitute for communicating in person. Tachyon communication has its drawbacks, of which some can’t be replaced even with holographic technology.” He shifted in his seat and laid his hands flatly on his desk. He wore the same black and blue uniform of a flag officer. “Besides, it gives me the opportunity to see you in person. Are you prepared to receive your new orders, rear admiral?”

  “Yes, sir.” Vier nodded. She thought about her friend Anton Shenks—how he wouldn’t be able to follow her wherever she went, how he was always there for her and how the first time—he wouldn’t be.

  “Good. There are two parts to your orders. Your first order is to take a fleet comprised of approximately twenty percent of the region’s hyperlight combat force and test the enemy’s hyperlight combat capability. Once you have attained insight on their abilities, you are to transfer all information to Lower Vice Admiral Mu Pei, who will then decide whether to counterattack with the remaining eighty percent of our hyperlight combat force. If Mu Pei decides to engage, this is where the second part of your orders are to come into play. Your second orders are to attempt to capture any piece of their technology, particularly their weapons and propulsion technology at the same time Mu Pei engages with his larger combat force. If and when Mu Pei engages, you must use everything in your power to achieve the second latter objective as long as it does not contravene with Mu Pei’s orders. Your fleet will consist of 800 dreadnoughts, carriers, cruisers, and destroyers and 100 marine transports made for hyperlight ship-to-ship assault. Your marine transports will be armed with hyperdrive nullifiers and suspenders.”

  Vier blinked in shock. She had never been in command of such a large force before…although, while sitting on the board of advisers to the President, she had influenced such a large force before. The 100 marine transport alone was more than she had ever directly commanded. A typical marine transport carried 50 assault flyers, each one manned by twenty marines. About 100,000 marines total.

  Mittermeyer opened his palm outward to calm her. “Since we don’t know our enemy’s hyperlight combat capabilities, but since we do know their sublight capabilities, we need to be safe and initially estimate that you will suffer heavy losses unless proved otherwise. We will work our strategy based on that belief. Although the unknowns have demonstrated a very high range of technologies—for instance, their sublight space combat technology is much more advanced than us, but their planetary infantry level technology is on our level—whereas their hyperlight combat abilities are concerned, it is very likely they outmatch us. Still, we need to test this.” Mittermeyer paused. “So once you have accomplished the first objective, and if the information we obtain is positive, Lower Vice Admiral Mu Pei’s fleet will come out of extreme detection range and engage the enemy hyperlight forces in the most tactically advantageous means with our remaining eighty percent. You will become part of his fleet and follow his orders in that scenario. I estimate we will receive reinforcements from the surrounding starzones in the coming weeks, so his numbers may be higher than what we have as of right now. If the information you obtain is not positive and in fact, we are indeed heavily disadvantaged in terms of hyperlight combat capabilities as well as sublight, you will withdraw your remaining units out of hyperlight detection range and follow Mu Pei’s orders, again.” He put his hands together on the ferroglass desk. “As for your second orders, depending on what technologies you obtain, or none at all, we will proceed accordingly. Any questions?”

  Vier took a moment to think. “Sir, what if I successfully acquire all their technologies?”

  Mittermeyer smiled. “That’s wishful thinking, but I like your optimism. In the best case scenario, we will take that information and send it to every star’s construction facilities, so that we may manufacture new weapons and equipment using that technology. So far, it seems the enemy’s invasion pace isn’t so fast that we won’t have time to create new starships and defenses. In the instance that we don’t even have the tools to create such new starships, we will manufacture them. Trantor has the ultimate say in what types of weapons and equipment we will concentrate on producing, regardless of what new technologies we-you obtain. I have forwarded Trantor a list of recommendations, including yours, as to what types of weapons we focus on creating using technology we have right now, from the information you’ve obtained in the battle of Meerlat.”

  “What if I acquire none, sir?”

  “If we are significantly outmatched in hyperlight combat and you are unable to acquire any technologies, we will be in a hole. We will be at the mercy of our enemies. If we can combat their ships in hyperlight on a near equal footing but your marine assault fails, we will still have some tactical room to maneuver. We will continue to find other ways to obtain their technology.”

  Something odd made Vier curious. “Why a frontal marine assault on their hyperlight war fleet? Surely, they have auxiliary vessels or isolated warships which can be more vulnerable targets to capture technology from? And what about targets within gravity wells?”

  “Rest assured, other officers are also being forwarded orders to do just that. Yours will be part of a larger effort to access their hyperlight war technology and to obtain technologies. As for marine assaults inside a gravity well, my staff has come to the conclusion that the enemy is for the most part invulnerable in sublight combat.”

  Vier thought about the force she would command, including the transports. It would be a lo
t of ships. At least two million men. “Sir, how much am I allowed to lose in order to accomplish the first and second objectives? How much am I allowed to sacrifice in order to find out their hyperlight edge or to obtain their technology?”

  “If need be, all of it.” Mittermeyer stared at her solemnly. His ordinarily kind face looked grim and dark.

  “All of it?”

  “Yes…” He cleared his throat. “…However, although 900 warships seems plenty, I doubt you’ll be using all of it to access their capabilities. In the event that the other three commodores fail—either because of some type of hyperlight sensor technology or an extreme counterweapon that prevents any of their ships from leaving—you are authorized to use all 900 expendable warships in your command to find out just why we can’t leave with the information we obtain. In the case of assaulting their ships to acquire their technology, use everything in your power to accomplish that as long as you also follow Mu Pei’s orders.” Mittermeyer leaned forward. “It is crucial we know how their weapon, armor, power generation, and propulsion work. My general staff is very intrigued on how their sublight missiles propel themselves and how their antimissile countermeasures operate. At the moment, it is magic. Their shield and sublight ship-to-ship energy weapons are also tantamount. Find out everything as long as it’s not suicide.”

  Vier took a moment to take it all in. 900 plus ships. Two million spacers. Approximately twenty percent of the region’s faster than light combat fleet. “Why me, sir?”

  “Unlike your opponents in the Galactic Senate, I am one of your benefactors. Your ‘exile’ was unfair. In fact, your aggressiveness is perfectly suited for this task—although, I admit, it probably caused your demotion in the first place. It is bad luck that your place of exile is one of the first systems to be attacked. But it is also good luck. You are fortunate to be in the area where the events are most crucial. Use the opportunity.”