Defending Earth-Searching for Death Feeders (10 page)

“Yes Sir. I’ll contact the ship when things are ready. Are you going down with them?”

Kyle looked at Legune who was only hearing one side of the conversation. “No, I’ll be leaving to follow the Feeder Ship that came to their planet.” Both Kerits showed their shock at the statement.

“But Kyle. We can’t risk being seen, yet.”

“I’m taking Legune with me. She’ll let me see if any Feeders are near. Don’t lecture me on how important I am. I don’t trust anyone else to go and do this and it has to be done.”

“Kyle, this isn’t a good idea.”

Kyle linked Legune and her father into the conversation and Linked Grendel in as well, “High Leader, we have to know what we’re facing, otherwise, we’re building in the dark. Who would you trust to go in my place and know what needs to be examined?”

“You will not take a high risk?”

“I can’t promise that, High Leader.”

“You should not attack one of their ships.”

“It’s going to have to be done eventually and you know it. If the opportunity presents itself, I will take advantage of it.”

“Who do you recommend to replace you if you go and get yourself killed?”

Kyle shook his head, “Kyley can handle it. Especially if she knows what we’re going to have to face.”

“Then Amelee should go with you.”

Kyle paused and, after a moment nodded, “Yes, I think you’re right. I’ll contact her and have her report to my ship.”

Grengel sighed; Amelee would stop him from doing something really stupid. “Report to the Leadership on your return.”

“I will, High Leader.”

Legune looked at Kyle, “There’s only two chairs.”

“No, there’s an extra next to mine under the floor.”

“She’s going to take my panel?”

The Elder said, “You said she’s done well.”

Kyle stared at them and then said, “If we’re going to see how your species works with us, I guess this as good a time as any. Amelee will take the chair next to me.”

Legune nodded and looked at her father, “I’ll be back to help you.”

Her Father nodded and hugged her, “Keep them safe, Child.”

Kyle saw twenty people enter the room wearing the green uniform of educators. He looked at the Elder and smiled, “I will also keep her safe.” He looked at Legune, “We need to go.” Legune nodded and followed him out of the room.

“Why are you in such a big hurry?”

“I don’t know if the Feeders will be able to detect the Micro-probe I sent after the ship that came to your home world. It’s active at the moment but we could lose it if we wait.”

“Do you intend to attack that ship?”

“No.”

“Well, that’s good to hear.”

“I intend to attack a different ship. I don’t want the Feeder Leaders to connect that ship to your planet. We have to pick another.”

Kyle thought, “Amber, where’s Admiral Jorgenson.”

“She’s just arrived in the landing bay. She’ll meet you on board.” Kyle nodded and started walking faster.

E
ric leaned back in his chair and watched the invasion fleet moving in toward the planet. He shook his head and sighed. He followed the fleet from its home planet and listened to the Planet’s Leaders give their final instructions to the Fleet’s Commander.

“Do not cause permanent damage to the planet’s surface and use only enough force to force them to surrender.”

“And if they ask for terms?”

“There will be no terms! They will bend to our will and farm the planet for our populations.”

“I don’t like attacking a planet that has no defenses.”

“I don’t really care what you like, you will follow your orders or you will find yourself in prison. Do you understand!?”

“Yes, Council Leader, I will do as you order.”

• • •

Eric sighed. He loved the solitude of space and the beauty of all the stars, galaxies, and nebulas. The planet he was viewing on his monitor was a blue and green gem hanging in space. It was actually more beautiful than Earth, whose surface was scarred from the Legends’ attack more than a hundred years earlier. This was such a waste. He put his hand on his light drive and tried hard to push it to leave what was going to happen behind. He closed his eyes and shook his head. He lifted his hand, leaned back in his command chair, and thought, “Kelly, do you have a moment?”

“What’s up?”

“I have an invasion fleet moving in on a planet that possesses no defenses. I know we’re supposed to be searching for a real danger to the Alliance and neither of these civilizations pose a threat, but…”

“Send me your coordinates.”

Eric looked up and heard, “I’ve sent them, Eric.” Eric looked at his scanner monitor and, after a moment, another Light Ship appeared beside his ship.

He waited and then heard, “It does appear that planet doesn’t have any defenses.”

“They’re basically an agricultural planet that sells their crops to the planet that’s attacking. They have no desire to leave the planet but they do want the technology their attackers provide for advanced farming machinery.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“The attackers have grown to depend on them for their food. They’ve pretty much stopped farming their own world.”

There was another pause and Kelly said, “It looks like the farmers have tripled their prices.”

“They have. They allowed the Attackers to become dependent and know they can do nothing but pay their price.”

“Eric, this is not our fight.”

“I know. But I signed on to save life and this is going to be a bloodbath. I want to see if we can do something to prevent it.”

“Both sides have a point. You can’t blame the farmers.”

“Kelly, they destroy tons of crops because they can’t use all of what they produce. They’re artificially forcing the price higher.”

“If you stop the attack, they’ll raise the price even higher. And if you stop that Commander from carrying out his orders, he’ll pay the price for failing.”

“I know. But I’m going to attempt to do something about this and I need you to help me buy enough time to make it happen.”

“Fleet may not approve your actions.”

“I’ll accept the consequences. Will you help me?”

Kelly looked at the huge fleet of Warships moving in on the planet and shook her head, “Eric, I have a good career going. I expect to be considered for promotion, soon.”

“I’ll try to do it alone. I understand.”

Kelly looked up at the ceiling on her ship and screamed. She sighed and thought, “What do you need me to do?”

“Follow me in and just follow my lead.”

“Lead the way.”

Eric looked up, “Leif, can you handle the weapons?”

“I can. I think Fleet didn’t send two operators on our ships because this is a scouting mission. They did not anticipate they would be used to fight. However, if you hold a position, I should be able to manage.”

• • •

The Fleet Leader saw the planet growing larger on his monitor and looked at his Communications Leader, “Order all ships to active weapons.” He felt the huge lasers on his ship’s hull start vibrating as power was fed to them. He looked at his panel and saw the missile ports had reported in loaded and ready. Then he heard in his mind, “That’s about far enough!” He looked at his monitor and saw two tiny ships holding position between his fleet and the planet.

“Who are you?”

“I’m here to see if I can prevent your attack.”

“I don’t see that happening. You should move your ships or I’ll be forced to open fire on you.”

“Go right ahead. But understand that I will open fire on any ship that moves past my current location.”

The Fleet Leader shook his head. At least those two ships had defenses, unlike the planet. He looked at his Weapons Operator and nodded. After a moment, targeting data was sent and every laser on the ship opened fire on the two ships. Twenty missiles were also launched at each of the two vessels. The giant fleet continued moving forward and he saw the brilliant flashes of the lasers hitting the two ships. He also saw every missile fired at the two vessels were hit and exploded less than a mile from his ship. “Last warning, stop your ships or we will.”

“What was the power of the beams they used to kill the missiles?”

The Scan Operator looked at the Fleet Leader with a sick expression, “More than force eighty.”

The Fleet Leader’s wide mouth opened and then snapped shut. He looked at the two ships still being hit by all his lasers and shook his head, “And their force fields.”

“Stronger than force two hundred.”

“ALL SHIPS STOP AND HOLD POSITION!!” The Fleet Leader knew he was facing a technologically superior civilization. He waited and then heard the Dgraden Leader in his mind along with another being talking to him.

“What do you mean we should lower our prices?!”

“Do you not see the fleet coming to attack your planet?”

“Let them. They’ll die of starvation before they can force us to feed them. We have my citizens at every field prepared to burn them into ashes before we allow them to be taken!”

“My Fleets will burn you for your arrogance!” The Fleet Leader’s head went back. That was the Leader of the Assembly on his planet in the conversation. What was going on here?

Eric shook his head, he didn’t count on the Farmer’s Leader being so hardheaded. “Both of you profit from your mutual trade. Surely there must be a way to work out this pricing dilemma?”

“We will price our crops and no one will tell us what it should be.”

Eric began to really dislike the leader of the Farmers. “Ok. Price them like you want.”

The Council Leader yelled, “WHAT?”

“Relax. If they don’t want your business, I recently found a world less than a hundred light years from your planet that I’ll broker a deal between the two of you. They’ll provide much more than you need and have the stores to solve your hunger issues immediately.”

“And just what will we use to pay them?”

“They’re starting to build ships to explore their planetary system and I know they’ll gladly provide you the food you need if you will assist them in building modern ships.”

“WAIT A MINUTE!”

“Be quiet, you had your chance. Now you can worry about keeping your farming machinery operating and burn most of what you produce.”

“But…”

“There’s more ways to make war than using warships. You’re waging war on the ones that have depended on you and you deserve what you get.”

The Council Leader quickly said, “What do you require to lead us to this planet you mentioned?”

“I ask that you leave this planet in peace and not attack them.”

“Wait, wait. We’ll lower our prices to half of what they were before and I promise you this planet he mentioned will not be able to get food to you fast enough to save those that are starving.”

“I think I prefer another supplier than you.”

Eric smiled, “You might want to think about that?”

There was a silence and the Leader of the Assembly said, “Why?”

“Ask your Fleet Leader?”

“Council Leader, paying for a warship is six times more expensive than the farming equipment we use to pay the Dgraden. The price needed to pay this new planet may be much higher than what they just offered.”

“How do we know they will honor their word?”

“I will keep the price at half.”

Eric pressed his panel and looked up, “I’ve just sent your Fleet Leader a frequency he can use to contact me if they fail to keep their promise. I’ll come back and take you to the other planet if they break the deal.”

“Who are you?”

“We’re just passing through your galaxy and felt that what you were about to do to each other wasn’t good for either of you. We decided we should try to stop the bloodshed. After all, the two of you do need each other.”

“Will you load my ships now?”

“I will have the crops at the normal pickup points.”

“I’m sure the two of you can work this out. Contact me if a problem arises.” Eric thought to Kelly, “Let’s get out of here.”

The two Light Ships disappeared and the Fleet Leader said, “We are unable to determine how those ships left. I also think both of you should know they have force eighty beams and force two hundred force fields.”

The two Leaders contacted each other on their monitors and the Dgraden said, “I think we would be wise to make sure they don’t feel the need to return.”

“I agree.

• • •

“Eric that was amazing.”

“I’m glad they didn’t call my bluff.”

“What bluff?”

“I haven’t discovered a planet that could have fed them. Have you?”

Kelly’s expression showed her shock. “Remind me to never play poker with you!”

“Thanks for your help, Kelly.”

“You know we’ll have to report this to fleet.”

“I know. I’ll tell them I forced you to assist me.”

“Get real, Eric, you couldn’t force me to do anything.”

“Still, thanks. I apologize if I’ve damaged your career aspirations.”

“You were right.”

“About what?”

“Saving lives is more important.”

“None were lost here, I can accept whatever Fleet decides.”

“Me, too, Eric.”

• • •

Two months later, Captains Kelly Connor and Eric Norden were promoted to Commodore for their actions in stopping the attack which, Fleet announced, were in keeping with the highest standards of the Alliance. From that moment forward, the search for dangers to the Alliance morphed into a peacekeeping mission as well.

• • •

Kyle approached the port with Legune and saw Amelee walking across the landing bay. He stopped and waited on her to arrive; he noticed that Legune wasn’t smiling. “Sorry, Commander, I was visiting a former crewman who serviced my ship on Eden.”

Kyle smiled, “It’s always good to see old friends. Has Grengel told you why you’re here?”

“He has. I have some concern about allowing the Feeders to discover us before we’re ready.”

“I do as well but we have to know what we’re up against. You’ll take the chair next to my station.”

Amelee’s eyes widened and then narrowed. She looked at Legune and saw her staring at her. “Yes Sir.”

Kyle looked at the Lieutenant standing next to the port, “Have you completed your services?”