Sacrifice:The Shenkar War (47 page)

             
“
Make it so. Set course for the asteroid base. Use all precautions necessary to pass undetected,” Admiral Kelvin said into his comm unit.

             
“
Yes, sir!” replied the male voice.

             
Almost immediately, the ship seemed to come to life. While you couldn’t really hear the engines, there was a low hum that just reached the edge of a human hearing.

             
Admiral Kelvin turned to look out a nearby view port as if to confirm what he detected. Out the view port, stars began to pass slowly by.

             
“
Mr. Wellmo, I want you to take Jaera and destroy all evidence of this. Make sure nothing is left that could be incriminating,” said the Admiral as he turned from looking out the view port.

             
“
Yes, sir!” said Tim, saluting. Then he turned and exited the room with Jaera in tow.

             
Once the two had left, the Admiral continued.
“
Once we return to the base, we will need to completely refit this ship and again continue our work.”

             
“
Sir, you and your crew have done more than you were asked of. If anything, you should take the
Tryliene
and return to Earth to warn them of what is coming. The remaining Templar Knights can stay here and continue the work,” said Liam.

             
Admiral Kelvin looked at Liam for a long moment before speaking.
“
Whether we go or stay isn’t a choice for us anymore. We lost the nav computer on the EDF
Sacrifice
, so we wouldn’t be able to fold engines. Under this ship’s normal propulsion, it would take a month to return home. Even if we did get there ahead of the Shenkar fleet, it wouldn’t be by much. The Earth would still be only able to mount the defense they have prepared. One more battlecruiser wouldn’t matter much more. All we can do is continue our assaults in hopes of giving the Earth more time.”

             
The
Tryliene
passed through the system quietly as they made their way to the asteroid base. It took nearly eighteen hours to make their return path to the asteroid base. Omega shuttles began to ferry supplies to and from the
Tryliene
almost immediately upon the return of the battlecruiser.

Private Quarters of Admiral Kelvin, Asteroid Base

             
“
So let’s discuss what exactly happened on the bridge of the
Tryliene
with Jaera,” said Admiral Kelvin as he sat behind his desk looking up at Liam through steepled fingers.

             
“
It isn’t something I can easily explain, but I will try. I have explained how I see the surrounding energies of everything. I can focus on those and manipulate them to a degree, as you know. I have come to realize, though, that this ability grows with more practice. I can’t really say what the limits are, as I have yet to reach a peak,” Liam said in a quiet, even tone.

             
Admiral Kelvin looked at Liam for a time before speaking.
“
I know what you are . . . you are a fine soldier and a fine young man. As for the new attributes you have acquired? Well, let’s just say you are the next generation of the human race. I trust in you, Lieutenant Commander, that you will not abuse such power.”

             
Liam was speechless by what the Admiral said. It took him several seconds before he found his voice.
“
T-t-thank you, Admiral . . . I will try never to let you down,” Liam stammered as he snapped a salute.

             
“
Oh, I am sure there is no danger of that, young man. Just don’t tell anyone what I said, though . . . I have a reputation of being a hard ass to maintain,” Kelvin said with a smile.

             
“
I will keep your secret, sir,” Liam replied, laughing.

             
Before the Admiral could speak again, his comm unit chimed.

             
“
Admiral Kelvin, go ahead.”

             
“
Sir, we have a serious problem that I think you need to see,” said the worried voice of Commander Dunklin.

             
“
What is it?” asked the Admiral.

             
“
The Shenkar fleet sir . . . it’s gone!” said Dunklin.

             
Quickly jumping to his feet, the Admiral rushed around his desk and made his way to the command center of the asteroid base. Liam quickly fell into step behind and followed him. Upon entering the command center, Command Dunklin rushed to the Admiral, snapped a quick salute, and began to speak quickly.

             
“
Sir, the latest patrol just checked in . . . the Shenkar fleet is gone. From our estimates, they must have left within the past few hours.”

             
“
What happened to the order for the fleet to be under constant supervision?” demanded the Admiral.

             
“
Well, sir, they were supposed to have been, but due to a miscommunication, one patrol failed to launch. It seems the scheduled pilots who were to perform the patrol were also assigned to some work aboard the
Tryliene
--work that I was not informed of, sir. The two pilots were Lieutenant Wellmo and Lieutenant Barrows,” said Commander Dunklin, not bothering to hide his anger at this.

             
“
Yes, Commander, I see. My apologies, I hadn’t thought to inquire on whether they had other assignments.”

             
“
Thank you, sir.”

             
“
The question now is whether the Shenkar fleet has left for Earth or retreated. I am willing to bet they are headed to Earth with their new reinforcements.”

             
“
Yes, sir, that would be my estimation as well.”

             
“
How close are we to being at full capacity?”

             
Commander Dunklin looked as if he had not wanted this question to come.

             
“
Well, sir, we have propulsion enough for cruising speeds but nothing that could possibly catch the Shenkar fleet. Also, weapon systems have still yet to be deciphered. It seems that when the ship came under attack--I guess you could call it that--they activated a fail-safe that locked down the ship. We haven’t been able to unlock several key systems.”

             
“
Well, do what you can, Commander. Work with the propulsion system, first of all. We need maximum speed if we are to catch the Shenkar fleet.”

             
Sighing, Dunklin scrubbed a hand through his hair. Behind him, Lieutenant Sukita spoke.
“
Sir, wouldn’t it just be easier to convert the Shenkar nav computer to jump the
Tryliene
ahead of the Shenkar fleet?”

             
“
It isn’t as easy as that, Lieutenant. For one thing, we don’t have the Earth’s jump coordinates or any of the preceding jumps to Earth. All of those were in the nav computer aboard the
Sacrifice
,” said Commander Dunklin.

             
“
Is that all?” said Lieutenant Sukita as she reached down beside her leg and lifted up a black box roughly the size of a shoe box.

             
“
Is that the nav computer from the
Sacrifice
?” asked an incredulous Commander Dunklin.

             
“
Ummm . . . yeah, before we evacuated the
Sacrifice
, I grabbed it. I figured there wouldn’t be any reason for it to be left onboard. For one, if the
Sacrifice
wasn’t completely destroyed, then I thought it might be possible for the Shenkar to retrieve the exact coordinates of Earth--”

             
“
But you can’t transfer--” interrupted Commander Dunklin.

             
Not waiting for the Commander to finish, Lieutenant Sukita in turn interrupted him.
“
Yes, I know the Meshtrell said it wouldn’t be possible for nav computers to be transferred from one ship to another, but they have been wrong before. And that is the second reason I chose to remove the nav computer. I figured if we were able capture a Shenkar capital ship, then we could try to install it. I realize it could take a long time to do such a task, but the possibility is still there.”

             
Admiral Kelvin smiled.
“
Lieutenant, you are going to rise high in the ranks with that sort of thinking.” Turning to a team of engineers, he summoned the leader over to him.

             
“
Yes, sir!” said the engineer, saluting.

             
“
Please take the nav computer from Lieutenant Sukita and find a way to link it to the Shenkar fold system.”

             
The engineer looked as if he was about to explain how this wasn’t possible when the Admiral cut him off.

             
“
I realize this is something that isn’t supposed to be possible, according to the Meshtrell, but do your best.”

             
The engineer saluted, then rushed forward, snatched up the small black box, and hurried back to his team. Immediately, they all ducked their heads down and began to speak in hushed tones on how to complete their task.

             
“
Okay, who is the Meshtrell who is an expert on fold propulsion theory?” Admiral Kelvin asked Commander Dunklin.

             
“
That would be Driika, sir.”

             
“
Have it report to my office.”

             
“
Yes, sir!” said Dunklin, who then turned to a nearby comm station.

             
“
Commander Brennan, Lieutenant Commander Maxis, I want to discuss an idea I have and your thoughts on it . . . follow me.”

             
And with that, Admiral Kelvin turned and exited the room into the small office he had just off the command center. Liam and Evan followed him in, and when he took a seat behind his desk, they stood before him at attention.

             
“
At ease, men. You two should realize by now that I am not all rules and regulations,” said the Admiral, a touch of amusement in his voice.

             
Liam and Evan relaxed into a more comfortable position while they waited on Driika. Liam thought to ask what the Admiral wished to discuss with them but resisted the urge.

             
Driika arrived five minutes later and stood before the Admiral, looking first from Liam to Evan to the Admiral and back again.

             
“
I have a few questions I need answered, Driika, and I am told you are the one to ask.”

             
“
I will try to answer you as best as I can, Admiral Kelvin,” said Driika in its mechanical voice.

             
“
When a ship engages its fold engine, I am to understand that a sort of energy bubble surrounds the ship? This is the reason the whole ship folds to its designated coordinates and not just the fold engines,” asked the Admiral.

             
“
Yes, Admiral, in simple terms, that would be correct,” answered Driika.

             
“
Can that bubble be extended outward to encompass, say, another small capital ship?” asked the Admiral.

             
Driika cocked its head to the side as if studying the Admiral and contemplating why the Admiral would ask such a question. After a few moments, Driika answered,
“
Yes, it is possible, but to do so would be very dangerous. You would need the second ship to be traveling as close as possible. The calculations of such a task would be unimaginable. Even so, the integrity of the fold energy field wouldn’t necessarily hold up.”

             
Without responding to Driika’s assessment, the Admiral turned to Liam and Evan.
“
How close can you Templar Knights fly?” he asked.

             
“
I would say close . . . sir, what is this all about if I may ask?” pressed Liam.