The Algean scout ship came out of star drive and the ship leader looked at his board, “Looks like nothing in this system.”
“Sensors indicate that there are other planets on the other side of the star,” the systems operator answered.
“Are there any in the habitation zone?”
The systems operator looked at his board again, “Gravity readings indicate that there is a planet inside the zone for life to develop.”
The ship leader looked at his readings and ordered, “Plot a course around the sun and take readings on the planets as we pass. There may be life we can harvest and we should make sure.”
The systems operator turned the ship toward the closest planet.
Admiral Dorg asked Klas to get the Dremels attention so he could make a suggestion. The Dremel were all talking on their communication consoles so he had to yell to get them to hear him. The leader stood up and said, “We are in the middle of a crisis. What do you want?”
Dorg said while Klas translated, “Why don’t you let us attempt to destroy the scout. We are much better armed than your ships and we can jump to where ever the scout is located. What I need from you is a distraction to take their attention for just a moment. Can you set off a nuclear explosion on one of the asteroids on the other side of the sun and give me the coordinates of the scout?”
The leader told the other Dremel to stop making plans and to listen. They turned from their consoles and listened as he told them of Dorg’s offer. One went back to his console and spoke for a few moments and then said something to the Leader. “We have a small ship armed with a nuclear missile on one of the asteroids on that side of the sun. He will fire it into another asteroid close by when ordered. Why do you want him to do that?”
“I need something to distract the scout for just a moment as we come out of our jump so that they won’t communicate. We’ll jump in directly behind the scout just as the explosion goes off and attempt to destroy it. I’m hoping that being inside the jump limit the emergence of a star drive near them will be discounted as a sensor error. We need to do this an hour after the scout has crossed the jump limit.”
The Leader looked at Dorg for a moment then said, “Are you sure your ship can destroy it? That scout is the same size as your ship and heavily armed.”
“From what I’ve seen of your ships, we have a much better chance than you do. None of them could get through our screens.”
The Leader stood and was struggling to make a decision but finally said, “Nekrn, give him the current coordinates of the scout and prepare to fire the missile.”
Dorg left his chair and went back to the shuttle to go back to the Rossville. He told Klas to stay with the Dremel and translate his communications.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” Klas asked.
“No, you need to stay and make sure these leaders don’t do something that would cause the Plants to start communicating with their home world. Plus, we need to time this down to the second. Keep your com open, I’ll let you know when I’m back on board.”
Dorg ran into the shuttle and sent the coordinates to his jump and weapons officer. He ordered the primary beam charged and two needles loaded with 40 hornets each. As he entered the bridge he asked, “Do we have them on visual yet?”
Glensh said, “We’re getting a feed from the Dremel ship that is going to fire the missile and we’ve locked our jump system to come in twenty miles astern of them.”
“Klas, ask the Dremel how long after launch before the missile hits the asteroid.”
“They say 15 of your sems from launch.”
“Get Mikado and Ren-Bir on the com,” Dorg ordered. The two ship captains appeared on his display and Dorg said, “We have a Plant scout that just jumped into the system on the other side of the sun. I am sending you the coordinates of the ship and I am planning to jump in and surround that ship with our three vessels and fire immediately on emergence from null space. The Dremel are going to detonate a nuclear weapon and we will all jump one sem before it goes off. Have your jump officers synchronize their systems with Rossville and use your primary beam and two needles. We’ll begin the operation as soon as the plant ship is a drag inside the jump limit, any questions?”
“No sir,” they both said and broke connection to ready their ships.
Glensh looked up from his display and said, Sir, the scout has crossed the jump limit and is a drag inside it.
“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.”
Tag and Kosiev looked at each other holding their bag of popcorn and Tag said, “Maybe there is something to this important decisions and popcorn.”
“Sir, the Planet Ross has just asked if they can donate one of their continents to build additional ship building facilities. They will give the land freely.”
Kosiev said, “If we get this kind of support, we can probably make that happen if Sten will send some of his planners to Ross.”
“Let’s get him on the line and see if he can help with that project. We should wait until Sten has all his facilities completed and then send the workers to Ross. We also need to determine how to distribute these ships to our members. If they are all contributing to this effort, then they should receive some benefit.”
“Tag,” Kosiev said, “Let’s think about that; why have 830 fleets? There should only be one navy and all of the members will provide crews. After we start this project and get it on the way, we’ll get Danielle to announce the formation of a new Navy that will defend all of its members and request all new warships be made a part of the new fleet. Leaders of the various elements of the fleets will be selected from each member.”
“What a great concept. We’ll start it by asking the members to provide the crews for the new ships and tell them that these ships are going to be the nucleus of the Stars Realm Navy. We will then ask them to provide ships to us to use in our plans against the plants. It will then be a simple matter to consolidate all our ships into one organization; but first, let’s com Sten about Ross.”
Tag and Kosiev sat on board Moscow and looked at the fifty new ships joining their fleet. It had been a fast six months since Danielle had asked for support and the new worlds responded splendidly. The facilities were completed in three weeks and then the loads of raw materials began to arrive. Another 100 ships were being delivered in thirty days. Ross had its first facility on line within four weeks after the work crews arrived and twenty more were due to begin operation within forty days. Ross was planning for eighty ship building facilities when all were completed. The plants had still not shown up at the Dremels planet and the asteroid forts were in place. More than 4,000 ships were in their system forty of them were megaships.
“We need to rethink the Navy idea,” Kosiev said.
Tag looked at him and said, “I wondered if you were going to bring that up.”
“Why? Do you know something I don’t?”
“No, I just got to thinking that why would we want all of those out of date ships in our navy. As long as we can prevent the various members from ever attacking each other, we really don’t need them disarmed. We will also have more ships than we can effectively command within twelve months and double that number twelve months later. All we really need is crews that we can train for the new ships.”
Kosiev sighed and said, “You’re right. I think now we need Danielle to announce the creation of the new Navy and a meeting to select the one to lead it.”
“I thought it would be you,” Tag said.
“They might select me, but to just appoint me would smack of favoritism and would start us out on the wrong foot. We have to allow the leader and his second in command to be selected by all our members.”
“You’re right. I’ll get Danielle to make the announcement. If you’re not selected, can you serve under someone else?”
Kosiev cocked his head to the right and said, “What do you think I’ve been doing with you? I know who has the real power here.”
Tag smiled and said, “Maybe, but you’re the one that made it happen. Don’t sell yourself short.”
Kosiev said, “Ensign Orton, get Terl and Tgon-Gee on a channel.”
Tag and Kosiev went to the mess and got a bag of popcorn and a sweet drink and came back to the bridge just as the two leaders came on their display. “What do you need Mr. Gardner?” Tgon-Gee asked.
“We’ve been discussing the organization of our fleet now that we have the new Megaships coming on line and we think we have a suggestion and would like your take on it.”
“Go ahead,” Terl said.
“We think that instead of having 837 navies we should have a fleet that is commanded by our Queen. It will be the Stars Realm Navy and the members will provide the crews that man its ships. The purpose of the fleet is to protect the members of the Realm from all dangers both foreign and domestic.”
Terl and Tgon-Gee looked at the display and then Terl said, “You expect us to give up our warships?”
Kosiev said, “Absolutely not. Only the ships that all the members have contributed to build will be in the fleet. All the members will keep their ships. Only the ships built on Sten’s planet and Ross will be in the fleet.”
“Who will command the fleet?” Tgon-Gee asked.
“That’s why we called you. We should get all the member worlds to send a military representative to a gathering where the Fleet commander will be selected. This is a Navy of all the members and all of them should participate in its founding.” Tag paused for a moment and then said, “We should also have an Academy where the crews of the fleet are trained. The first crews will actually be existing sailors on current assignments but once our fleet is manned, the next generation should be trained by the Stars Realm trainers.”
Tgon-Gee looked at Tag and said, “I initially felt huge reservations about this suggestion. I felt I was giving up my independence and protection but the reality is that I would trust that fleet more than any other fleet in our membership other than Earth and Cainth of course. We will instill in those crews that the duty to protect our worlds is the most important role they play. We will also have multiple races on each ship so we can start building commonality among our members.”
Terl listened intently and then said, “I don’t care if you took all of my ships. Except for your forgiveness, we would have no ships. I think the idea is outstanding. Where will the fleet be headquartered?”
Tag hesitated but then said, “It will be located at the Capital of the Stars Realm.”
Tgon-Gee said, “So Earth will have control of the fleet.”
“Danielle has chosen to locate her Capital on the planet named Ross in honor of those that gave their life there to found our new brotherhood.”
Tgon-Gee started laughing.
Terl looked at him and said, “What’s so funny?”
“Every time I fall back into my old distrustful ways, my Queen does something to show me just how much I’ve yet to grow. Ross is the only choice for our capital, fleet, and academy. It is the spiritual founding of our coming together. It represents what can come from the worse of us to be the best of us. I however, do disagree about how you’ll select the Fleet commander.”
“How is that?” Tag asked.
“We are not a democracy anymore, if we ever were for that matter. We are a monarchy. What the Queen decides, that’s what we will do. If you start trying to get 830 worlds to agree on any course of action, then we’ll never get anything done. Quite frankly, I wouldn’t trust those new ships under anyone else’s control and I’m quite sure after having seen how it destroyed that Plant Scout, most of the member worlds would agree with me. They trust their Queen and rightly so.”
“Gentlemen, do you mind if I include the Queen in this conversation?”
“No, please invite her,” Terl said.
“Ensign Orton,” Kosiev said, “Please com the Queen and ask if she has a moment to talk with us.”
“Danielle,” Tag thought.
“Yes, Love.”
“You have a call coming in requesting you join our meeting. I think you really need to be in on this.”
“Leila is taking the call now; Leila, I will take that particular call. Hang on, I’ll be right there.” Leila raised her eyebrows wondering how Danielle knew about these calls before they came into her board.
“Good day,’ Danielle said. “How can I help you?”
Tag explained their conversation with Tgon-Gee and Terl adding their views as Tag finished. “Tgon-Gee is of the opinion that you should choose the fleet commander and not the members.”
“Your majesty, that many cannot make a decision in less than a season. Everyone will want the leader to be from their planet.”
Danielle listened to them and Kosiev remained silent and watched her. “She’s communicating with Tag. I can see it. How; can they hear each other’s thoughts?”
Finally Danielle said, “Tgon-Gee is right, I should make the decision. I’ve been told by everyone that the members trust me so it’s appropriate that they should back whomever I choose. However, I can’t leave my people out of the decision making process. Here is what I want to see happen; I want each member planet to elect a representative to be their voice to the Queen. We will build a structure on Ross, which will become our government center where they will meet and offer their opinions on what they would like the Queen to do in the various decisions that have to be made. The name of their organization will be “The First Family” and they will be charged with protecting all families in our Realm. They will be asked to offer multiple choices for the Queen. I of course will do what our psychics say is the best thing to do to insure our future. If I don’t do what the assembly asks, then I have to explain why, but I think a lot of the time we will be in agreement. Tgon-Gee or Terl will lead those meetings and I think they would listen to their wise council.”
The four looked at Danielle and Terl said, “I am amazed again. Who will make the announcements?”
“I will have my staff do all the things to make this happen. We should have our structures built within six months. We will announce our move to Ross and ask for selections to be done within that time frame. This will give those who wish to campaign for a position in the new Stars Realm government the time to organize. This should also make the new Navy easy to mandate.”
“Thank you, My Queen,” Tgon-Gee said and then Danielle smiled and disappeared from the display. Terl and Tgon-Gee broke the connection leaving Tag and Kosiev with their popcorn.
“Well. Let’s see what we can do to make this happen,” Tag said.
Three months later Tag and Kosiev were on board the Moscow discussing the plans for using the new ships that had been completed.
Tag looked at Kosiev and said, “The fleet academy is moving right along. We need to start putting a list of instructors to be assigned to teach there.”
“I hope you will forgive me but I have a trip to make,” Kosiev answered.
Tag looked at him and said, “Dremel?”
Kosiev nodded and said, “The Plants have not found them yet and we need to get ready for them. I’m taking fifty more Megaships out to Admiral Dorg and I’m going to take a good look at the situation there. The new crews will need some training to fit in with the existing ships and Dorg has told me he can use some help. I’ll jump back if you need me.”
Tag thought a minute and said, “No, go ahead with your plans. I’m sure the military staffs can put together a list that will do a good job. We’re still at least three months away from completing construction. Good luck, Admiral. Stay in touch and keep us up to date on any developments,” Tag Said.
“I’ll be glad to do so. I’ll see you in six months if nothing happens.”