The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict
Read The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict Online
Authors: Raymond L. Weil
Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict
(The Slaver Wars Book 6)
Raymond L. Weil
Books in the Slaver Wars
Series
Moon Wreck (The
Slaver Wars Book 1)
The Slaver Wars:
Alien Contact (The Slaver Wars Book 2)
Moon Wreck: Fleet Academy (The Slaver Wars Book 3)
The Slaver Wars:
First Strike (The Slaver Wars Book 4)
The Slaver Wars:
Retaliation (The Slaver Wars Book 5)
The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict (The
Slaver Wars Book 6)
Website:
http://raymondlweil.com/
Copyright © June 2014 by Raymond L. Weil
All Rights Reserved
Cover Design by Humblenations.com
This
book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either
products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All
rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.
The Slaver Wars
:
Galactic Conflict
Commodore
Krilen gazed nervously at the large tactical sensor screen. There were four
hundred heavily armed Hocklyn warships represented by friendly green icons waiting
for him to give the order to attack. Also showing were four of the large AI
ships in the center of the formation that had been silent for the past few days,
refusing all attempts at communication. Krilen wondered what would happen when the
AIs finally broke their silence. He crossed his powerful arms and gazed over at
his First Leader.
“The AIs are
still not communicating,” Angoth commented as he approached the command
pedestal where Krilen was standing. Angoth was over two meters in height, which
was normal for a reptilian Hocklyn. He wore dark gray body armor, which
signified that he was of command rank. “It makes me wonder if the reports we
received of Fleet Commodore Resmunt being defeated are indeed accurate.” He let
his six-digit hand stray down to the hilt of his knife, which was in a
protective sheath at his waist. In many ways, he wished the AIs were not here; they
were disruptive to the moral of the fleet.
“Over one
hundred AI ships reportedly destroyed, and Fleet Commodore Resmunt’s fleet
losses were in excess of six hundred warships,” Krilen spoke in a low voice, still
finding it hard to comprehend such losses. “If true, it is the greatest defeat
in Hocklyn history.”
“These Humans
are a threat to the Empire,” admonished Angoth, shaking his head. “What about
these mysterious ships that reportedly came to the Humans' aid? How could the
AIs lose so many ships?”
“Unknown,”
Krilen replied, his large, cold eyes turning even darker. “From what Resmunt
reports, the unknown ships jumped into the Human system and attacked the AIs.
Resmunt claims the AIs had no defense against the energy weapons these new
aliens used. The battle quickly turned to the Humans' favor and Resmunt was
forced to withdraw in order to save what remained of his fleet. The AIs fled
and did not show up at Resmunt’s designated rendezvous coordinates. He believes
they are fleeing back to AI space in the galactic center.”
“What about
us?” Angoth inquired in his grating voice. For weeks now, they had sat in this
system acquiring no honor. Their fleet had been steadily growing as more ships
arrived from the outer reaches of the Empire. It was time to attack! Only by
attacking the Humans defending Careth could the warriors of the fleet gain
honor.
“High Leader
Nartel has sent a message to Fleet Commodore Resmunt to send us two of his
fleets to assist in our attack. War Leader Versith and Osbith are being
reassigned temporarily to our fleet. They both will have the newly updated
ships.”
Angoth nodded
his head in appreciation. “I know of War Leader Versith; he is a very talented
warrior. The crew of his flagship, the Viden, have achieved much honor under
his command.”
“So I
understand,” Krilen replied as he turned to gaze toward the large viewscreens
on the front wall of the War Room. “Once their fleets arrive we will begin our
attack upon the Carethian System.”
“What of the
AIs?”
“We will
communicate our intentions when the time comes,” Krilen answered evenly as he
looked up at one of the large viewscreens, which showed one of the massive 1,500-meter
AI spheres. He wondered how the AIs felt knowing their ships were not as
invulnerable to attack as they once were. For that matter, he wondered if the
AIs even had feelings.
-
Rear Admiral
Jeremy Strong was aboard the massive space station that served as the Command Center for the defense of the Carethian system. The station was six kilometers
across and contained two large repair bays for fleet ships. Twenty dual power
beam installations were the station’s primary armament, as well as its
Devastator Three missiles tubes. It also had numerous flight bays containing
hundreds of fighters and bombers.
He was
standing next to Grayseth, looking at the large holographic tactical display
that showed the Hocklyn and AI ships four light years distant in system K-774.
It had been over three weeks since they'd dispatched a destroyer to New Tellus.
The destroyer had been laying a new line of FTL communication buoys and they
lost contact with it before it arrived at its destination. They still didn’t
know if Admiral Streth and New Tellus had survived or if the Hocklyns and the
AIs had destroyed the New Human Federation of Worlds. For all they knew, they
might be the only Federation survivors left in the galaxy.
“Their numbers
continue to grow,” Grayseth spoke, his large brown eyes looking over at Jeremy.
The bear towered over Jeremy and his massive form was heavily muscled.
“Yes,” Jeremy
replied in agreement. He looked over at Grayseth and smiled. The two had become
very good friends over the past six months. “I wish we knew what happened at
New Tellus.” Jeremy knew all the Humans in the fleet were deeply concerned.
Most had family back in the Federation, and the not knowing was hard on
everyone. Rumors were already flying that the Federation had been destroyed. “I
was certain we would have heard something by now.”
“We can only
wait,” Grayseth spoke in understanding, knowing his Human friends were deeply
concerned about their home worlds.
“You’re right,
my friend,” Jeremy said with a sigh. He knew worrying was not going to help.
“I don’t
believe the evil ones will wait much longer before they attack,” Grayseth added
as he folded his powerful arms across his large chest. “They know that each day
they wait, we only grow stronger.”
“Jeremy, we
have the computer updates completed,” Lieutenant Katie Johnson reported as she
stood up from where she'd been sitting at the main computer console with
Karalle, a young female Carethian.
She had been
setting up a new targeting program that would allow the power beam
installations to fire in unison at a specific target. She'd also set up a
similar program for the Devastator Three missiles in the station’s missile
tubes. The new program would allow the station to fire upon an AI ship,
creating holes in the vessel’s powerful energy shield. Ariel had helped Katie
perfect the new program. It was similar to the one used on the strikecruisers
but had been adapted for the computers and targeting systems on the massive
space station. They had been working on it for weeks.
“That’s great,
Katie,” Jeremy replied, pleased that Katie had finished the modifications.
Katie was one of his closest friends and a member of the Special Five. Fleet
personnel had picked that nickname for Jeremy and his four friends who were the
only survivors of the New Horizon incident from so many years ago.
A warning
alarm suddenly sounded, drawing Jeremy’s attention back to the holographic
tactical display that depicted the Carethian system. Two glaring red threat
icons had appeared a short ten million kilometers from Careth.
“Two Hocklyn
support cruisers at ten million kilometers,” Colonel Millburn
reported from his seat in front of the large sensor
console. The console was manned by both Humans and Carethians.
“Another
probe,” growled Grayseth, wishing they could destroy the two cruisers. If they
followed the normal pattern, they would not give the defenders time to launch
an attack.
All of the Human
warships had been pulled back inside Careth’s gravity well to help protect them
and it would take too long for them to respond to this incursion. Grayseth
continued staring at the ships in anger, wishing he could attack them. His own
people had a large number of small warships, but they were being held back in
secret within the hidden underground cities on Careth.
“They’re
taking detailed scans,” Colonel Millburn continued as he studied the data
coming across the sensors. He pressed several buttons on his console, which
brought up even more data on his screens. “Definitely scanning us, Sir,” he
continued. “They are taking detailed scans of the station and the orbiting
defenses.”
“The attack
will be coming soon,” Jeremy said, letting out a deep breath as he continued to
watch the two red icons floating tauntingly in the tactical display. He knew
their days of peace were about to come to an end.
“Jeremy,”
Katie spoke, her voice sounding tense. “Ariel is reporting that more AI ships
and additional Hocklyn units are jumping into system K-774.”
Jeremy looked
back over at the other tactical display and noticed more orange and red threat
icons appearing. He had two stealth scouts stationed on the perimeter of the
system keeping a wary eye on the enemy warships. There were also a number of
FTL detection buoys in the system, which sent reports to Careth anytime a new
FTL jump was detected.
“What do we
have, Ariel?” asked Jeremy over his mini-com, knowing the AI would already be cataloguing
the new arrivals.
“It’s not
good, Jeremy,” Ariel spoke in her youthful female voice. “The FTL events have
stopped and I've analyzed the new ships that are present. We have six more AI
ships that have jumped into the system as well as twelve Hocklyn dreadnoughts,
twenty-four warcruisers, and ninety-six support cruisers.”
Jeremy passed
on the information to Grayseth as they both gazed with concern at all the new
red and orange threat icons. They both knew that shortly the Hocklyns and AIs
would be attacking. The ten AI ships would be a major problem with their ability
to jump inside the gravity well of a planet.
“They may have
been waiting for these ships to launch their attack,” Grayseth uttered, his large
eyes narrowing as he studied the tactical display.
“I agree,”
responded Jeremy, feeling his pulse beating faster. He just hoped they were
ready for what was about to be thrown at them.
“We must
prepare for battle,” Grayseth continued in a calm voice. “The evil ones must be
destroyed.”
“Katie and I
will be going back to the Avenger,” Jeremy decided after a moment. “We will be
undocking and taking Fourth Fleet and Ceres Fleet to Condition Three.”
“What about
the station?” Grayseth asked. He knew that with its larger crew that it could
stay at a higher alert level for a much longer time than the two defending
fleets. He was willing to follow Jeremy’s orders since he had more experience
in dealing with the Hocklyns.
“Condition
Two,” Jeremy suggested, his eyes meeting Grayseth’s.
“It will be
done,” answered Grayseth gravely as he reached forward and pressed one of the
alert buttons on the master console in front of him. Instantly, red lights
began flashing and alarms sounded. The bear knew that shortly many of the Humans
that he had come to call friends over the past few months would be giving their
lives to save his world. Then, looking over at Jeremy, he spoke again in a
solemn voice. “We will hunt together.”
“Yes, my
friend,” replied Jeremy gravely, gazing deeply into Grayseth’s eyes. “We will
hunt together.”
-
War Leader Versith
listened to his new orders from Commodore Krilen. His war fleet had been
shuffled around some, with all of the damaged ships continuing on to Kenward
Seven. They had been replaced with repaired ships from Fleet Commodore Resmunt’s
surviving fleet by orders from High Leader Nartel. War Leader Osbith’s fleet
had also been similarly shuffled around. The two War Leaders now commanded full
strength war fleets with which to attack the Humans.