Chapter 17: What to do about Earth

The people of Dermas V took note of the space battle taking place at the edge of their solar system. They were more advanced than they had let on. Having figured some things out from many 'coincidences', they also had a complete distaste for the Grays. The Grays were the only race they knew of, and that was only because of the distasteful experiments that had been made on them years before. They were quickly able to ascertain that the winning side in this battle was the Grays, because of the shape of the mother ships.

The single governmental entity on Dermas V was quick to act, and immediately took the planet to invasion status. Fully expecting an attack from the Grays on their home planet, they launched their entire fleet of in-system class warships of assorted sizes and capabilities. Although armed with light laser-energy systems, their most affective weapon was their rail-gun technology.

The Fourteen fighters from the UFP Defender opened up on the 'long nose', closest to them. Their disrupters turned the inside into vacuum from multiple hits, prior to the fighter craft from the Flagship coming into play.

The dogfight was brief for the 14 UFP fighters, but before they fell to the antimatter bullets from the 1000 fighters that engaged them, they managed to destroy 87 of the enemy. In addition to this, one of the fighters managed to place a disrupter volley into one of the flagship's engine compartments. The crippled ship was left unable to maneuver, and at this point was too close to Dermas V. It would be consumed in the Planet Destroyer's firestorm.

As the Gray fighter craft approached the crippled fighters from the Defender, hundreds of ships rose from the Dermas V's surface. Many more, which had been in space at the time, turned their attention to the Gray's ships as well. Their rail-guns inflicted significant damage to two Flagships and one 'long-nose', before the fighters were ordered to deal with the planetary spacecraft.

All the while this was taking place, the Planet Destroyer was deploying to its full length. It had begun its firing calculations.

Dermas V's planetary spacecraft were no match for the fighters from the Flagships. Being drastically out-gunned and out-maneuvered, they still gave good accounts of themselves, racking up an almost one for one exchange per fighter ship lost.

Gray Leader was not impressed with his losses, especially after his own ship took moderate damage from rail-gun projectile fire. He ordered his ships that were capable into a retreat, just before the Planet Destroyer was ready to fire.

Another of the retreating Gray's ships, was crippled. Its engines were struck with rail-gun fire from the rear. The tide of the battle was turning, and the Dermas V's president was pleased to see the Gray's in retreat, not knowing that his planet had already lost.

The Planet Destroyer fired is deadly payload toward the planet, then opened its hyperspace window to escape. It did escape, and prior to any of the Dermas V's fighter's rail-gun fire reaching it. The rest of the Gray's fleet jumped at the same time.

The pilots of the sixteen crippled fighters and the two derelicts watched as Grays slipped away. They also saw the projectile impact the planet. A few moments later, they watched the planet erupt outward as it was reduced to dust. They were saved from losing their eyesight by the fact that their view screens could only display a non-damaging amount of light. Most of the Dermas V residents were not so fortunate.

The UFP pilots sat in horror as they watched the death of a planet, and of their cousins. They knew that this war had taken a turn for the worse. They awaited their rescue. It came from one of the Dermas' ships, at first.

Jim sat watching the display from the remote sensor. He was sick at what he was watching. But before he could fall into depression, he ordered Fleet to scramble six battleships to the sector, plus two carrier groups.

Jim and his wives were sickened by what they watched. Leah seemed very upset about the loss of The Defender. Perhaps it was Jim's fatherly instincts, but he knew it was more than just the lost of ship and life.

Three days later the first battleship arrived in-system. It recovered the pilots of the sixteen fighters, as well as pilots from 78 of the Dermas V's fighters, that were left with nowhere to go. It was discovered that there were small settlements on four of the other planets and moons. They returned the Demas pilots there, only to have one and all refuse to stay. It was also apparent in short order, that the residents of the four small settlements also wanted to leave.

"Jim, the remaining residents of the Dermas System are requesting asylum of us," AI said.

Jim sighed and asked, "How many?"

"Admiral Rainer reports the count to be one thousand and eleven."

"Is that all that survived?"

"Yes. The report is, that the planet's population was 15 Billion."

"Approved. Bring them here."

"Rainer reports approval received," AI said. "He also says that they have the wreck of one of the captured ships, with its drive system intact."

Jim was pleased. Now they would get some insight into the hyper-drive. Hopefully, they would even be able to identify the dimension the Grays were using. From there, they could set up monitoring stations in hyperspace itself.

"AI, set up a planning meeting with the War Cabinet. I think its time we strike at Salina. We need to cut off their supply of fuel."

"The meeting is set for sixteen thousand cycles, this evening."

"Very good," Jim said, translating 16,000 cycles to the Earth equivalent of about 7 PM.

Jim turned his attention to Leah. They went out to the presidential balcony to talk. Leah had wanted her own ship, however she had given it up in favor of staying aboard the Enterprise, with her father.

"So what is it that is really bothering you, Honey?" Jim asked in a concerned tone.

"Dad, the loss of a whole planet, its too much!"

"You know that's not what I am talking about."

Leah sighed in resignation.

"I think Derek was fond of me."

Jim thought for a moment of the way his daughter was wording that.

"I think the feeling may have been mutual."

"Yes, Dad. I liked him a lot."