Star Force: Zealot (SF87) (Star Force Origin Series) (11 page)

When Riley slept he did so on a dropship. Eating there as well, while not returning to the
Zeus
for weeks straight as he searched the remains of the destroyed ships for survivors using his psionics, all of which he brought back to the
Zeus
or the nearest jumpship, or occasionally one of the largest Jonstar vessels that was partially intact. All the Humans went to Star Force ships, but the other surviving crews were mixed up considerably as people were sent to the nearest safe haven possible while the search teams went back out collecting what they hoped would be more living souls…while having to leave the bodies where they lay.

Riley lost track of the days as they passed, moving from one search mission to another, until he got a signal from a relief fleet made up of six Star Force jumpships that had been dispatched immediately from the invasion of the Karrach System. Their full load of drones immediately deployed and created a perimeter around the massive debris field as well as assisted with pushing operations to clear lanes for ships to move through and about more easily.

The jumpships launched flocks of dropships with more search crews and supplies, aiding in the recovery effort while giving Riley a bit of peace of mind concerning the Trinx showing up again. He’d hoped they’d committed everything they had to that assault, but there was no way to know for sure without having accurate numbers on their military, for which Star Force had none whatsoever, even with estimates given to them by The Nine.

The other major cause for concern was the Uriti, for it was holding position as ordered but no one knew how long it would continue to do so. The transmitter onboard the
Zeus
had been damaged in the attack, or rather the exterior components, and until they were rebuilt they had no way of contacting it. Leaving it the big wild card in the present situation above and beyond the Trinx.

And the last thing they needed was for it to head over to the debris field for a look at what happened…or to start eating the ships and their tantalizing corovon components.

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