“Klas, tell the Dremel to launch the missiles on my mark, we will jump at 14 sems after launch. Ready, mark; please count down the launch for us.”
“Ten sems, nine, eight, seven… two, one, fire.”
“Mark 14 sems and jump; ready weapons,” Dorg ordered.
The time counted down and the Jump Officer said, “Jumping now.”
The three megaships jumped and broke back into normal space surrounding the Algean Scout just as the nuclear explosion detonated. “Fire now,” Dorg yelled!
The scout was hit by three 5,000 foot wide primary beams and six needles. The 6,400 foot long scout disappeared in an explosion that didn’t even leave rubble. Nothing remained of the huge ship bigger than dust motes and expanding gas. “Communications, did you detect any kind of broadcast from that ship?”
“There was the beginning of a frequency that I’ve not seen before, but only for one hundredth of a sem. Nothing could have been said in that amount of time.”
“Tune your sensors to that frequency and see if anything is being beamed at this system.”
They waited for a drag and nothing was detected. “Perhaps there are so many scouts out that they don’t maintain constant communication. We’ll have to plan as if they did and start moving quickly. Jump us back to the planet,” Dorg ordered. “Captain Mikado, take your ship to the sun side of this system and power down and watch for any Plant follow-up. Captain Ren-Bir, you do the same on this side of the sun.”
The Leaders of the Dremel stood as Dorg entered the room. The speaker said, “My name is Grijly. On behave of my race I thank you for your help I also pass along a message from our fleet commander thanking you for not firing on our ships when we attacked you. We are no match for your vessels.”
“We are truly happy to help. We only detected a small frequency broadcast just before we destroyed the scout. We think it was too short to have carried any information but we have to assume that the scout’s absence will be investigated. We need to start planning for the upcoming conflict.”
“We do appreciate your help but the Plants will bring thousands of ships when they attack us. Can you stop them all before they bombard our world?”
“I don’t know but we can possibly prevent them from bombarding you. I need your permission to bring some defenses in for your planet.”
“By all means bring them. After seeing your ship in action, nothing you do will surprise me.”
Dorg smiled and said, “Oh, I might have a few surprises for you.” He pressed his com and said, “Tresk, order the asteroids to jump into this system and send them close to the sun to fully charge them. After they’re fully charged, bring them to the planet and get them in place. I want trial coverage within ten drags.”
“We can probably do it in less than five, sir. They were charged before we left and I’m certain that they will lose very little of their power jumping here.”
“I still want them at full charge. The numbers they are going to have to handle are staggering and I intend to use every advantage I can get.”
Klas listened to the Cainth Admiral issue his instructions and wished that his people had known this race earlier; they might still be alive.
Planet Leader Sten was in his office when Tag contacted him. “Planet Leader, one of our ships has just destroyed a Plant Scout ship. It looks like time is growing short before full hostilities begin. Is there any way to speed up your production of Megaships?”
Sten looked at Tag on his display and said, “It’s good to see you. I was just discussing that with Admiral Kosiev. We are currently producing ten a month. We plan to launch five within seven rotations. These ships are huge at five thousand feet long and take time to complete. If you will send us enough engineers and techs to complete the other hundred facilities, which are only half done, and enough raw materials, we should reach our goal of a hundred and ten a month within three months after those facilities are complete; but it has to happen quickly to meet that goal.”
“Let me go to work on that. Perhaps our Queen might get things done quicker than we can thru our bureaucratic methods.”
“I suspect you’re right.”
“Danielle,” Tag thought.
“Yes, Love.”
Tag quickly explained about the attack at the Dremels system and what Sten had told him. “Can you help us get enough skilled techs to Sten’s world to make this happen?”
“All I can do is ask our members to help. I’ll get Leila to schedule an emergency announcement six hours from now. Perhaps our members will respond to my request; I can’t order them to go.”
“You underestimate your authority. I think you could and your orders would be followed.” Tag paused, “However, do what you think is best.”
“I prefer to ask. No one likes a demanding Leader. If that fails, I’ll start issuing orders.”
“Fair enough, Dear. Talk with you later, I love you.”
All the member worlds of the Stars Realm received notice of the emergency message from their Queen. This was the first time that she was going to speak to all of them since she had addressed the old Alliance Government. The tension mounted as the time approached for her to speak and everyone wondered what was so important. Finally, all the communication devices on every planet changed to a screen with Danielle sitting facing them. She still looked small and she was wearing a dark blue suit that made her blond hair look like a halo around her. She was holding Rose and a huge number of those watching had tuned in just to have a chance to see their queen and her new child.
“Citizens of the Stars Realm, I want to thank you for taking a moment to hear me today. I have learned that the Plant Race is going to attack another world shortly. One of our ships destroyed one of their scouts today.” Danielle then played the recording of the three megaships destroying the scout. The 830 worlds were amazed at the power of the new ship and how quickly they destroyed the target. “I show you this recording because the ships you see here are one of our newest Battleships. We currently have twenty three of them in service but we need so many more to stand a chance against the hundreds of thousands of ships the plants will send against them. Planet Leader Sten tells me that if he can get the skilled engineers, technical help, and raw materials to complete the ship building facilities on his world, that he could be producing 110 of these ships every thirty rotations. I believe that it is extremely important to make this happen. These ships will be used to defend all of us and we all have a vested interest in our fight against the plants. We also cannot stand by and watch the Dremel be eaten by these monsters. With that in mind, I am asking each world to provide as many engineers, construction teams, technicians, and building materials that you can give to make this happen. I have ordered the navy to provide transportation to those who volunteer to go on board of one of our ultra ships to get them to work as quickly as possible. If your leaders will contact Admiral Kosiev he will arrange the transportation for all that you can give us. I am proud to serve you as your Queen and I reluctantly ask this of you. I do not want to interrupt your lives if I can avoid it and only critical events will ever make me do it but now is a moment that we must act. I see this as all of us doing what is needed to defend all of us. Please help Sten get his facilities completed. I believe that you can be counted on to help. I also want to introduce The Stars Realm to our new Daughter Rose who was born twelve days ago.” Danielle lifted the baby and showed her to the camera. “Thank you for taking a moment for me and Rose.”
“Well, how do you think that went?” Tag asked Kosiev.
“We’ll know shortly. If they are going to help, they’ll be contacting us for transportation.”
“Admiral,” Ensign Orton said, “We have ninety worlds requesting transportation immediately. I have 200, no make that 350 on line saying they will provide their own transportation and will have them arriving at Sten’s world within six rotations. If you could provide transportation from the Star Drive limit in, then time will be saved. The Vgrig are sending 8,000 engineers and are requesting to be allowed to crew a hundred of the new ships when they are ready. Sir, my board is overloaded.”