The Lost Fleet: Genesis: A Slaver Wars Novel (27 page)

“Send a
message to Abrade. He may detonate the charges if and when the Simulins get
within one hundred million kilometers of the sphere.”

Aktill had
received a message from the Shari Grand Council of High Lords authorizing him
to detonate the charges if he felt it was the only way to gain access to the
Dyson Sphere. In the back of his mind, he recalled the message from the Human
admiral warning him not to set off the nuclear devices on the surface. The
admiral said if there was a controlling intelligence inside the Dyson Sphere it
might consider the detonation of the charges a threat and react in kind.

In all the
time the different fleets had been in the system, there had been no indication
of any type of response from the megastructure. Abrade was certain that if
there had been a guiding intelligence in the distant past, it had long since
ceased to function. Even so, Aktill had still hesitated about giving permission
to set off the nuclear charges. However, with the arrival of the Simulins he
didn’t see he had any choice. He would give the order to detonate the charges
and then wait and see if there was a response from the Dyson Sphere.

-

“Admiral,”
Major Nolan said. “Captain Abrams is requesting permission to take the
exploration cutter back down to the surface of the Dyson Sphere. She still
believes the exploration team is alive and trapped inside.”

Race frowned
and shifted his eyes over to the major. “If we’re forced to leave they may end
up trapped. If the Simulins find them, they won’t last long.” He didn’t want to
put more lives in jeopardy.

Major Nolan
nodded in understanding. “There’s a structure close to where the exploration
team went inside the Dyson Sphere she can park the cutter beneath. It will be
out of sight of the Simulins and should be safe from sensor scans.”

“The cutter
has the capacity to make it back to Federation space,” Colonel Cowel said. “It
won’t be easy, but it could be done.”

“Volunteers
only,” Race said, reaching a decision. “While he thought the likelihood of the
exploration team still being alive was minimal, if Major Nolan and Captain
Abrams felt the risk was justified he was willing to take the gamble. “Fill
that cutter up with supplies.” Looking at the tactical display and the Simulin
vessels, he gave an additional order. “I assume you’re putting a full platoon
of Marines on board. Make sure they have weapons that can take out Conqueror
Drones. The Simulins might deploy some on the surface of the Dyson Sphere.”

“I’ll take
care of it,” Nolan promised. Nolan had suspected what the admiral would say and
had already taken care of everything. The cutter could launch immediately.

“Tell Captain
Abrams good luck and I hope she succeeds.”

“Admiral, the
Simulins are opening up spatial vortexes,” warned Captain Davis as a warning
alarm sounded on his sensor console. “I believe they’re getting ready to jump
closer to the Dyson Sphere.”

“All ships,
prepare for combat,” Race ordered over his minicomm, which was set for
ship-to-ship communications. Looking around he saw the Command Center come alive with intense activity as the crew prepared for battle. He knew it would be
the same across the entire fleet, both in the Human ships and the Alton ones.

-

Reesa was
inside the Central Control Station deep within the massive Dyson Sphere. There
were four other AIs present besides Leeda and Rakell.

“The Simulin
ships have activated their hyperdrives and are preparing to jump closer to the
Shrieel,” reported one of the male AIs.

His name was
Vidor if Reesa remembered correctly. “Is there any chance the Simulins can
access the Dyson Sphere?”

A look of
troubled concern crossed Rakell’s face. “I don’t know. If they have brought the
command key with them, it’s possible they could access one of the intergalactic
vortex sites. We believe they only possess one.”

Reesa’s face
paled upon hearing that. “You can’t let that happen. They would only bring in
more of their ships. If that happens billions, possibly trillions of beings in
this galaxy will die!”

Leeda looked
frightened. “If they make it inside, we have no way to fight them. There are
only a handful of AIs ever programmed with that ability. To the rest of us, the
thought of armed combat is repulsive. We can contain them to just the areas
around the vortex generators, but nothing else.”

Reesa well
understood the problem as most Altons were also nonaggressive. Reesa suddenly
had an idea. “Back at Raelen, there’s a full platoon of Marines under the
command of Sergeant Wilde. They have weapons that could be used to keep the
Simulins out.”

Leeda looked
over at Rakell, who slowly nodded. “Send a small space transport. Bring the
entire group here. If the Simulins gain entry, we may indeed need them. Reesa
is correct; we can’t allow the Simulins to endanger the organic races of this
galaxy.”

“Rakell, let
me send a message to Admiral Tolsen and warn him of the danger. He can stop the
Simulins with his fleet if he knows about the command key. You know what our
people are like from the friendship message that’s being broadcast.”

“Never in our
long history of maintaining the Shrieel have we ever allowed communication to
the outside. It was prohibited by the Originators to ensure no other species
ever gained access.”

Reesa felt
desperate. “The Simulins already have access to over thirty of your Shrieel. Do
you want to add this one to the list? What would your Originators say?”

Rakell
hesitated and then gestured for Reesa to follow him. “I will allow you to
communicate with your admiral, but do not reveal any of what we have told you
about the Shrieel, only that the Simulins must not be allowed to come near.”

“Thank you,”
said Reesa, feeling immense relief. She was finally going to get to tell
Admiral Tolsen the exploration team was still alive.

-

“Simulin
vessels are exiting hyperspace,” reported Captain Davis. “Distance is one
hundred eighty million kilometers from the Dyson Sphere.”

“What are they
up to?” asked Colonel Cowel as he gazed at the tactical display. “Why didn’t
they jump in closer and attack either the Shari or us?”

“The
exploration cutter has landed,” added Major Nolan. “It’s hidden, so the
Simulins shouldn’t be able to spot it.”

“If we’re
forced to leave, how long can they stay and still be able to make it back to
the Federation?” Race didn’t like the idea of leaving the cutter behind at the
Dyson Sphere, but Major Nolan was determined to do everything in his power to
give the trapped exploration team a chance if they still survived.

“Four weeks
and then they’ll have to start back,” answered Nolan.

“We could
leave a dreadnought in a nearby system,” suggested Commander Arnett. “With its
stealth energy shield, it would be undetectable.”

Race nodded.
“That sounds like a plausible plan.” The dreadnought
Corvus
under the
command of Commander Edison Smart would be ideal as Smart wouldn’t take
unnecessary risks. It made Race feel better knowing the cutter wouldn’t be
entirely on its own.

“Sir,” called
out Captain Denise Travers, her eyes wide in shock. “I have Reesa Jast on the
comm.”

“What?”
Colonel Cowel said in disbelief. He looked over at the admiral. “How is that
possible? Have they made it back to the cutter?”

“No, sir,”
Travers replied. “The signal is coming from inside the Dyson Sphere.”

Race felt a
chill run down his back. There had to be a reason why Reesa had finally
contacted him, and with the appearance of the Simulin fleet he strongly
suspected it wouldn’t be good news he was about to hear. “Transfer her over to
me.”

“Admiral,”
came Reesa’s voice over the comm channel.

“It’s been a
while,” Race responded. “We’ve been worried about you. What’s the status of the
exploratory team?”

“We’re all
fine,” she answered. “But that’s not why I contacted you. I’ve been informed
the Simulins may have something that’s called a command key. This key will
allow them to access the intergalactic vortex areas of the Dyson Sphere. If
they can use the key, they can activate a vortex and summon their fleets.”

“How do you
know this?” demanded Race. He was right about not liking what Reesa was saying.
If the Simulins came through in mass, they could endanger the entire galaxy.

There was a
long silence on the comm as if Reesa was speaking to someone else and then her
voice returned. “There are Originator AIs with me. They say you must stop the
Simulin fleet from reaching the Dyson Sphere and landing.”

“I was already
planning on engaging them,” Race said as he thought over Reesa’s words. Just
what was this command key and who were these Originator AIs?

There was
silence once more and then Reesa’s voice returned. “You should also be aware
that under no circumstances is any part of the Dyson Sphere to be attacked. To
do so will activate defensive measures capable of destroying every vessel in
the system.”

“The Shari have placed nuclear charges on the surface,” Race replied. “I’ve already warned them
about the possible consequences of setting them off.”

“I have to
go,” Reesa said, sounding rushed. “The AIs are concerned about the Simulins
using the command key to gain entrance. They have no way to force them out once
that happens other than to keep them isolated at the intergalactic vortex
apertures. We’re going to use Sergeant Wilde’s Marines to try to push them back
if necessary.”

“Reesa,
Captain Abrams has landed in the exploration cutter near where you entered the
Dyson Sphere. She has a full platoon armed with weapons capable of taking out
Conqueror Drones.”

“I’ll speak to
the AIs. Tell Captain Abrams we’ll send someone to her if we need the Marines.
Be aware the AIs on the Dyson Sphere have physical bodies, they’re not
holograms. Admiral, I have to go. The AIs don’t like communicating with anyone
outside the Dyson Sphere. If you have to leave, don’t come back for us or your
ships will be destroyed.”

Race heard the
comm line go dead. He had a horrible feeling this was not going to end well. It
sounded as if the Dyson Sphere was much more dangerous than they had believed,
particularly if it was capable of taking out all the ships in the system. There
was only one decision he could make.

“Commander
Arnett, I want all the battlestations evacuated and placed on automatic. Inform
all fleet units to be prepared to go into hyperspace at a moment’s notice.”

“What was that
all about?” asked Major Nolan, looking confused. “Is the exploration team
safe?”

Race nodded
and then spent a good minute repeating what Reesa had told him.

“AIs,”
muttered Colonel Cowel with a deep frown. “Why is it always AIs?”

“I’ll send a
message to Captain Abrams informing her they may be contacted by someone from
inside the Dyson Sphere,” added Major Nolan. “I would hate to see them
accidently blow one of these Originator AIs apart.”

“Simulins are
moving again,” reported Captain Davis. “They’re heading toward a part of the
Dyson Sphere with one of the concave surface areas.”

Commander
Arnett shifted her eyes from the tactical display to Admiral Tolsen. “They’re
heading toward one of the vortex areas between the Shari and us.”

Race knew,
after talking to Reesa, he had no choice but to use everything he had available
to keep the Simulins from reaching the surface of the Dyson Sphere. If they
did, it could be a disaster.

Activating his
ship-to-ship comm, he spoke to all the fleets under his command. “This is
Admiral Tolsen; I have just received a message from Reesa Jast inside the Dyson
Sphere. Under no conditions can any Simulin warships or shuttles be allowed to
land on the hull of the Dyson Sphere. There’s a slim possibility they could
activate one of the intergalactic vortexes and bring thousands of their ships
through, just as they did at the galactic center. All ships form up into attack
formation AA14; we’ll be moving out shortly to engage the enemy.”

Race turned
toward Talon Briez, the Alton navigation officer. “Plot an intercept course for
the Simulin fleet.” He then contacted Massie on the battlecarrier
Hera
.
“Massie, once we engage the Simulins you’re to keep your battlecarriers back
behind the fleet formation. Launch all of your fighters. They’re to intercept
any Simulin shuttles that might try to make a run toward the Dyson Sphere. You
will also be responsible for protecting the Alton science ships, the supply
ships, as well as the four fleet repair vessels.”

“We won’t let
any of them get through,” promised Massie. “We’ll keep the noncombat ships safe
as well.”

Race then
contacted Commander Smart on the
Corvus
. “Edison, I need you to remain
behind and finish the evacuation of the battlestations. I’ll let you know when
you can rejoin the fleet.”

Leaning back
in his command chair, Race let out a deep sigh. He had no idea how this was
going to end. Then he realized he needed to send one more message. “Captain
Travers, contact the Shari High Lord and warn him they cannot set off those
nuclear charges they’ve placed on the hull. Tell him we’ve just learned the
Dyson Sphere does have defenses which will be activated if they do.”

“Course is
plotted,” reported Briez from Navigation.

“Send it to
all ships and implement,” Race ordered. He was once more going into battle, and
this was a battle he couldn’t afford to lose.

-

Sergeant Wilde
was at camp with the rest of the exploratory team and her Marines. For days
they had searched the museum and surrounding buildings for an entrance that
would allow them to rescue Reesa. It was with great sadness that Brenda knew,
in all likelihood, Reesa was gone. No water and no food would have been her
downfall.