Pray for the Prey (27 page)

Gibbs calmed down slightly and said, “What did you do?”

“I pushed Admiral Arvolo into sending Gonzalez back to fill one of my admiral slots. He was the Captain of the Havana and ran the fleet when the Admirals were away. I should have known that you don’t play chicken with the best mind in the fleet.”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“All the clues were right there in front of me and I missed them all.” Kate looked at Gibbs and said, “So did you.”

“What?”

“Why do you think your ship was chosen to go out and meet that Violet Ship?”

“I guess to give the Fleet’s newest Admiral an honor.”

“But you weren’t commanding the ship; Eric was.”

Gibbs thought a moment and then he got it when Kate said, “And Admiral Cyanna Hardy was commanding one of their sub fleets during the trip to M-87. I should have seen it and didn’t.”

“They used the skirmish to complete Eric’s promotion requirements.”

“That’s exactly what they did. By taking part in the fight with the Violet Ship, he completed his combat experience requirement. Oh, he got me and he knows it.”

“What are you going to do about it?”

Two things; one I’m not going to ever try to pull another one over on the Old Man. And two; I’m going to volunteer to assist in teaching the advanced tactical training at the Academy.”

Gibbs sighed, “Well, at least we won’t have to worry about Eric’s Fleet ever not holding up their end in a conflict.”

“I also suspect they will be the competition for number one this year. I should have left well enough alone but nooooo, I had to do something stupid. I can still see Cyanna’s face when she sent his promotion papers.”

“What happened?”

“I immediately contacted her and said that Eric had not fulfilled the requirements for promotion. Oh, she played me like a fish. She said, ‘Exactly what requirement has he not met?’ I said, ‘The combat…’ and stopped right there. She was smiling at me with a very smug expression. I told her I would announce the promotion and send her first fleet’s newest admiral over for orientation.”

Kate slowly shook her head, “Cyanna said, ‘I’m surprised you promoted him so quickly to Captain. I would have thought you would make him your Executive Officer. That way he would have been off limits.’”

“I checked into who her executive officer is and he was the number two graduate from the advanced tactical training.” Kate smiled, “She didn’t have to tell me that. It was her way of making peace and ending this. Those officers can only be promoted in the Admiral’s Fleet where they are assigned.”

“Who is replacing Eric?”

“You should select the one you want. You need to do it quick; with the rapid growth of the fleet, the good ones will go quick.”

“Did you know that Loree Barber has been selected for the advanced training?”

“She has?”

“Her pre-test scores were in the top one percent in the fleet.”

“How did you know that?”

“Oh, I have my ways.”

“You better jump on it.”

“Already ahead of you; I’ve sent you the promotion request.”

“Stand by.” Kate turned to her computer and pushed some keys. She started laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

“She has been selected to be Vice Admiral Kenny Anders Executive Officer effective yesterday. Evidently the news is out and good leaders are being protected. She’s promoted to Captain and will serve with the Admiral on board the Tampa.” Kate turned back to Gibbs and said, “You better go back to your source and find another.”

Gibbs shook his head, “There’s a lot more to being an Admiral than I thought.”

“You’ve got that right and the others have more experience. Get on it, Sailor.”

• • •

George and RV sat in the Command Center with Meisa manning the communications panel. “You handled it the right way, RV.”

“Thank you for that; I don’t feel good about killing a ship that had no chance.”

“What’s bothering you?”

“I keep seeing that creature’s face. He has no hope.”

“Serves him right.”

“George, please tell me you don’t believe that. Do you not remember back at the start when we were facing the Moet, Alliance, and the Blue Giants who were all out to destroy us? Have you forgotten your fear?”

George stared at RV and sighed, “No, I can remember.”

“They have no hope, George. They are forced to fight a way for millions of years and attack other galaxies. If they don’t; they die. They have no hope and I believe that the creature meant it when he said he was not going to go out and kill anymore. He’s weary of the killing and he has no hope of survival.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Just like Chris insisted on saving the Moet from the Alliance. We need to try and help that species against the ones truly responsible for Earth’s destruction.”

“You’re serious?”

“I am. I’ve lived under a regime that you did their bidding or you and your family died. I felt that hopelessness and it sucks the life out of you. You know it’s the right thing to do.”

George looked at Meisa and saw her love for him in her eyes. She didn’t make a move, but he knew what she was thinking. He said to her, “You are my heart, Meisa.” He turned to RV and said, “Call the Command Team in and let’s discuss this. I want consensus on this before we make a decision.” Meisa turned to her board and started making the contacts.

• • •

Ten hours later the group gathered around the table. George said, “You’ve heard RV’s idea on what we should do. How do you feel about this?”

Chris said, “I’m with RV.”

Jillian, “RV.”

Bender, “RV without question.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Most of my planets have been forced to fight a war for hundreds of thousands of years. I know what that creature is going through.”

Admiral, “RV, for the same reason as Bender.”

Boden, “We will always choose to defend those that are unable to do so. I choose RV.”

George said, “I choose RV’s plan as well. We are going to need more ships to take on the, what did he call them, Majors?”

Boden said, “I think it’s time I told you something.”

Everyone turned to him and he said, “We know how to increase the power of your beams.”

RV said, “Do tell.”

“We’ve been reluctant to release this technology because of the danger it represents, but I now feel it couldn’t be in better hands. If you are able to forgive your worst enemy and go to his defense, you are worthy keepers of the technology.”

RV said, “That’s why you didn’t need our ships.”

Boden smiled, “I’m surprised you made that intuitive leap; but yes you’re right. Our planets are defended by them.”

George stared at the small being and said, “It is so hard to trust.”

“It is, Mr. President, but you have earned our trust today.”

Chris said, “I find it remarkable that the most peaceful being in this room possesses the most powerful weapon.”

RV smiled, “You need look no further than the rhino.”

“He’s not very peaceful.”

“That’s true, but he is also not a carnivore.”

George said, “Go tell them, RV. Take them a communicator and tell them they can duplicate it for their own use to hide their communications.”

RV looked at Boden, “How much stronger is this beam?”

“It is much tighter than the current ones you’re using but it will blow through your force field like it wasn’t there.”

“I like it.”

“Calm down, RV. Go and tell them.”

• • •

“Hive Controller, one of the White Ships has returned and is parked just outside our territory.”

The Hive Controller saw the strange creature on his display and said, “I didn’t expect you to come back.”

“We’ve been having discussions and we’ve been struggling with your situation.”

“I’m not sure what you mean?”

“No one should live without hope. No one. I am here to let you know that if you are attacked by the Majors, we will come to your defense.”

“WHAT!”

“My leaders have agreed on this without dissent. I am going to leave a package here that has a subspace communicator. It will work anywhere in this universe and it is encrypted where your communications cannot be understood. It is also untraceable. You may duplicate it and use it as you choose. The first frequency will contact us directly and if you call, we will come.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“I felt that you meant what you said about not attacking others again. We can’t leave you to die without helping. We really feel this is the right thing to do.”

“I need to tell you that I will be sharing this with our former enemy.”

“The important word in you last sentence is former. I feel we are making a good decision. Don’t let us down.”

The Hive Controller stared at the strange looking being and said, “You have brought what we didn’t have.”

“What is that?”

“Hope. Thank you.”

RV smiled and nodded and the Havana disappeared.

The Hive Controller sat and thought about the kind of beings that would do what was just done and felt his fundamental view of the universe change. There was good out there. And it had found him. He presses a button and the Leader of the Horde appeared, “Do you need…what happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“Something has happened. I can see it in you.”

“There is another chance for us. Let me tell you what just took place.”

Chapter Nineteen

“H
ave you heard from the Hive Controller?”

George nodded, “He is of the opinion that our fleet was not seen by the Majors.”

“How could they miss it?”

“RV, do you still watch any of the entertainment channels.”

“I sometimes tune in to the travel channel.”

George laughed out loud, “What, you don’t get enough?”

“No…they just show reruns of places on Earth.”

George turned serious and said, “I didn’t know that. I’ll have to take a look at that myself.”

“Why do you ask about the entertainment channels?”

“The Hive Controller told me that they had planned the attack for weeks and the Majors never showed up. That would indicate that their communications are not tracked.”

“I can understand why. Just listening to all the chatter between the ships in our fleet is impossible. I suspect they are looking at hundreds of thousands of civilizations and it would be overwhelming.”

“The Majors appeared the moment they began moving their ships away from their battle lines. That convinces me that is where they are being watched.”

RV thought a moment and said, “What channels would be entertaining to a predator?”

“That’s how I see it. The Majors watch the battles between the civilizations they are forcing to fight. It’s their entertainment.”

“How can they use this information?” George just stared at RV. “What’s going on? You’re up to something.”

“I sent Boden and Sasha to meet with the two leaders of those former enemies. I asked that they determine what they could about them.”

RV slowly nodded his head, “That’s not a bad idea. What did they see?”

“Those two are furious about the way they have been manipulated by the Majors. They have made contact with the other civilization that was attacking the Horde and shared what they had learned. They are still having mock battles at their battle lines and thousands of ships are being destroyed in every attack. They are old ships that have been in their mothballed fleets and they still have a good supply to use. But they are not infinite.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because they will have to start destroying their good ships before too much longer. Boden and Sasha met with the three leaders of those civilizations and discussed where they’re going from this point forward. They all agreed that their warring days against other civilizations are over. They are working to develop ships that can take on the Majors.”

“Do you take them at their word?”

“They all three suggested that if they are eventually attacked, we should not come to their defense. They felt that we would one day be able to take them on and they did not want to see us dragged into their problem.”

RV looked over George’s shoulder on his display and didn’t see Meisa at her communications board, “Where’s Meisa?”

George smiled, “It is so good to have someone as smart as you to bounce things off.”

“You’re giving them our reactors and force fields?”

“As well as our main guns.”

“I notice you didn’t mention the strikers.”

“We will not share our gravity technology.”

“Our ships are still incredibly fast without it.”

George nodded, “They have started building new ships and the three of them are incredible in the numbers they are producing.”

“That means the mock battles can continue for quite some time.”

“You’ve seen it again; you’re right, RV. They know their current battleships cannot stand up to the Majors, so they serve no use in the coming fight. They are going to start having some massive battles that will hopefully convince the Majors that they are unable to leave to attack other galaxies.”

“Won’t the Majors have questions about the White Ships they were leaving to destroy?”

“They told the Majors that their probe showed the White Ships were attacked and destroyed by a combined force from their own galaxy. The Majors asked for a copy of the recording but were told the probe’s video was transmitted in static. They asked the Majors if they would like to have the frequency of the probe to view the planet and they declined. I’m sure they would rather view ships dying than a dead planet.”

“I’m also sure you brought in some of the destroyed ships from the Moet attack and put them around the planet.”

George laughed and said, “We used some of our old eighteen hundred foot ships for target practice with the Federation’s new beam.”

“That’s an even better idea.” RV paused, “You really haven’t weakened us. Our new beams will still kill the new ships they’re building. This should be a win-win for both of us.”

“How’s the ship count?”

“Within a year it should be doubled. We’ve got the training down to a science and our ten thousand planets are providing more sailors than we need. Why are you telling me this?”