Chapter 34

We timed our descent with the turbulence and pushed our way through a boundary layer that was only forty metres thick. Samples of this are were taken then just below it we took a great many more then slowly came up four hundred metres. We had gone beyond the safe limit limits on the hull but I knew that there was some leeway in the placing of figures.

At a safer depth we examined what we had found. The samples taken in the boundary level were worthless but those below it were easily the best we had got to date.

I said, "Tom, let's go back during the next calm time? The samples of processor crystal are fantastic. The ones for the weapon are significantly different than anything we have seen so far."

"What do you want to do?"

"We keep the shield in place for the weapon grade crystal but we draw in one long process to make a large crystal. That takes a long time so we come back to this depth then go back once again for the same sized processor crystal."

"We came close to being crushed the last time and went past the safety mark."

"We go no further than last time. The boundary layer is not turbulent at all and I think it is relatively safe even there."

"Like I said, I trust you and it is with more than just our lives here."

"I know."

We settled lower and in time with the statistics on the turbulence. I wished our ship was stronger but it was already the strongest ship we could make. The race that sold us their crystals were well known for making very strong ships and their shields were the strongest known. It is possible that they found a giant with the properties we were looking for at less pressures. They certainly had the best computers in our home galaxy.

We took our first large sample and then agreed to just stay in the boundary layer till the crystal had set. We had to radiate a considerable amount of heat from the crystal and from the ship itself. We drew our next sample and were three quartes done when we heard some ominous groaning. We immediately started to rise. The computer was programmed to do this.

We ran diagnostics and pinpointed the problem to a small crack in our keel. We had to stop at the top of the boundary layer for there was a lot of turbulence above. At a lessening we took a chance and rose more than a hundred metres before we were carried far to one side.

We continued to raise though and at the old safe level we continued up for the small crack spelt doom for our ship. I got the latest crystal pulled aboard. I was using mindless work to ease my worry for there was nothing I could do.

We went around and checked on our family members but our minds were unaccustomedly closed tight. I sat on the deck now with the children and just talked to them. They knew something was wrong but not the severity. The youngest was seven and the oldest present was fifteen. They had all heard the noises.

More creaking was heard and I was informed that the crack had lengthened. I silently ordered more thrust as the crack was on the stern section of the ship. A large bulkhead had been put in amidship for strength and security. This would keep the new stresses from being transferred to the stern. It would do nothing really for it was far too weak but it did occupy our time.

After twenty minutes of agony I was informed that the forces on our ship were now not as strong as the remaining portion of our undamaged keel.

I appeared happy and the children relaxed too. If we all had to die it was good to be with friends and family.

We increased thrust now and in twenty minutes we could detect the ships above us. The wives naturally quizzed the computer and started to get very angry at me and at Tommy too. The children were all checked once more and then I was attacked by accusations once again.

At a million and some odd kilometres the wives entered the ship to see first hand what I had done to it. It looked no differently to the untrained eye but the girls were all very trained.

I said to all of them, "I was wrong to endanger others but I will do it again even if I have to go down there again." They were quiet then and their own blocks went up.

Tommy and I went to work on our crystals. The wives got the one for the weapon and asked to test it. They would at least be occupied and not accusing me of things in their hidden thoughts.

We examined the processor crystal. It had been damaged in the transit through the boundary layer. I cleaned this portion away as Tommy got the test bed adjusted to the size of crystal we had recovered.

In an hour we had chipped away half of the crystal as it was fractured but the rest looked surprisingly good. The other ships AIs had been improved with the additional crystal and I decided to try the same thing with what we had. We left the system and hid in open space.

The two sets of wives had been all for installing the new crystals in the other ships but strangely not this one. I pulled rank as captain now and ordered it. Seventy one minutes after installation a rich voice came from the speaker when I asked for a report. The personality of our AI had migrated successfully to the new crystal.

"Computational power has significantly increased but the actual computer substrate is now the limiting factor. I think that if it is improved the overall performance should go up three hundred and twenty six times."

If this were true then it would be significantly better than when we improved the Pat'uch class computer and brought it up to the Glaxi'da. It may even be very close to what Zolanda was capable of.

Tom and I now worked hard to see what improvements we could make. Possibly a Glaxi'da class machine could get the crystal as a stopgap method. Everything got many times more complicated for even a small amount of improvement. My goal now was not the computer but a ship capable of getting more crystals from the giant we had left behind.

Our computer reported a preliminary test firing of the weapons grade crystal in one of our escorts. The readings went off the scale and we detected damage aboard the ship. Our minds quested out and this time it was Tom and I berating our wives for not doing small scale surges first and damaging the ship and endangering everybody on it.

We kept at it even though we were outvoted. Again I put the captain hat on and chastised them they way they should be without regard to their status in the family. I did get an apology but I could tell they weren't taking full responsibility for what they had done.

The crystal was surprisingly undamaged and moved to another of the escorts while the wives were all instructed to stay and finish repairing the ship They could now spit nails but they did what they were ordered to do while the other ship went through the tests. This time they stopped short of burning out the power supply and the energy conduits.

After repeated fire we found that the crystal was thirteen and a half times more powerful and the beam didn't diverge as much. This made the unit great for long distance work.

Tom and I were busy on plans for redesigning an existing ship to find the limits of the weapon. This could only happen if we stripped everything from a ship that was not completely necessary. Our new computer assisted us much more than what the old Pat'uch could ever do.

I wanted to get to one of our bases and build a new hull then move everything over from the one we had. At the same time Tommy wanted to start on his new ship that could handle this weapon. The idea came to both of us at about the same time.

Borin had weapons enclosures all over her hull and the active crystal was moved to the appropriate one when needed. We could form some of the ribs to accept the enclosures without losing any strength. The matter transmitter would remain the same. We had to have the apparatus for gathering more samples but now they would only be the large size. The energy conduits though will be massive. Two of the cabins would have to go for the added power and switching gear. Another two engines could then be installed to take advantage of the additional power but the inertial compensator could only take one at best.

The wives helped with the planning though they were now crew. They worked reluctantly but they did work. We found that a hybrid ship though was not going to work as well as a special purpose one. The sample taking equipment was removed and the design simplified significantly

The ship turned into a three person fighter by the time we got to the closest base. One more berth had to go for offensive purposes and this should work well. We had no other weapon and the only missiles were those that delivered probes to track the enemy.

A new computer of the Glaxi'da size was too large but it could be modified in a few days to handle just one processor. It would be still a bit larger than Pat'uch but not much.

The ship was made in just days. All available resources were put to this task. It was a tight fit in the computer but we did get it built on time and installed the single crystal. I lay alone in the computer room as the crystal took its first programming. Before it had piggybacked on an old processor.

The headache left quickly. Additional checks took an hour and the wives were given the ship to test and to crew. I didn't need the aggravation I was receiving but they worked harder knowing that they would fight with it.

The extra engine was put in and the temporal/inertial compensator was redlined. I had never heard of a faster ship unless it was the ones that the people that made Zolanda could make.

Test firing of the weapon showed that it was even more fearsome. It sucked up all the power it was given and could take more. This was even with the engines getting little or no power.

We had a weapon now that could turn the tide of war. It was still mainly untested and had a great many problems to work out but I felt they would be surmountable in time. Broadsides we found were not accurate as those shots out of the stern or bow.

The wives left to our most critical area and Tommy and I went back to making a single purpose research vessel to harvest crystalline material. We didn't need all the bells and whistles but there was little we could change. Some minor improvements in structural integrity were added but it made getting from own part of the ship to another difficult for many of the structural members went from one side of the ship to another with no regard for crew.

In a week we were back collecting crystal but we were now alone. We stayed in the lower boundary layer and produced hundreds of weapons grade crystals but the processors were uniformly poor in quality for their size. We hit on the idea of dragging the material through the boundary material that made the crystals improve.

Our cargo was taken away to be placed in waiting hulls. More Soplasia had been called in to join the battle against us. It looked like the harder we fought the more the Soplasia wanted to test us and themselves. We were now in a race to see if I could build enough ships to fight the ever increasing number of Soplasia ships arriving.

Catrina had gone out in one of the ships with one of the Soplasia females. She tried to reason with the race and had to punctuate her words with the death of their ships. Ships finally did bow to her will but only after she incapacitated all of them. It proved to be faster if the larger ships with the queens were silenced first.

This only worked for small groups and never for the ships that didn't call this portion of space home. The other Soplasia seemed to have a different way of looking at things and never cooperated.

Catrina had even taken the female with her and boarded a Soplasia hull that only had a shot through it that destroyed the computer and the captain's quarters. The woman and the female Soplasia used the weapons on all those around them and the scent given off by Catrina said she was not just a mere captain.

She ordered repairs made and took over the captain's cabin after it was repaired.

As her husband I got very angry at her and as captain I took away her flying privileges for acting irresponsibly even if it worked this one time. The particular ship she took now had other women with superior scent running the Soplasia crew.

We did find that the different groups of Soplasia acted slightly different. Soplasia ships were now made again but much larger. They had all our latest weapons and equipment. The seven female Soplasia had grown to ten and they were all Catrina's handmaidens. They even changed their smell to fit their higher status as serving the queen.

I put Tatiana, Fatima and Yelena on the ship with Catrina. They were all her surviving daughters. When I brought the woman back I told her, "You hold not only your life but the lives or three of your children in your hands. If you fail me the next time I may not have the opportunity to discipline you."

Tatiana, Fatima an Yelena were told much the same thing. They could not overrule the captain but they could sure make themselves heard.

More crews were now harvesting crystal, but now it was largely automated with the only biologicals orbiting the planet.

Into all this chaos fell a Seffra ship. It came into our monitored territory being pursued by a strong force of Soplasia. She changed course a few times but the Soplasia stayed doggedly on her tail. She was not running as fast as she could so we assumed she had engine damage. Ahead of her was the Soplasia territory that we had so thoroughly stirred up.

Megan went out in our fastest ship to date and with two dozen of our best fighters trying to keep up. Her job was to steer the ship away from most of the fighting and hopefully escort it out of our theatre of war. The Seffra could not survive the forces facing them. Megan would have a chance to talk for we could not allow a situation like this continue.

There were ships closer to the Seffra and I could even use our intelligence grid to communicate but it would take somebody like Megan to get them to understand. The firepower of her ship would further back up her words. I didn't want the Seffra to gain access to the grid for they could destroy it if that was their wish.

It took Megan four and a half days to approach the Seffra ship and match speed and direction. She was within the four light limit and it was doubtful if the Seffra had any probes out this far.

"Seffra vessel. State your purpose for entering our territory without leave."

"Who is this?" Came in reply.

"Megan, duly appointed representative of our leader. State the name of your ship and purpose for coming here."

"This is the Soondra. We are experiencing engine trouble. We are being pursued but an unknown number of Soplasia warships."

"Soondra, the number is eighty three. Nineteen of them have a weapon that can pierce you shield with impunity. Be advised that you are heading towards another colony that we are currently at war with. We estimate that there are a further hundred and thirty vessels. They had their own probe support out to fifty six lights though it has a great many gaps."

"What do you advise?"

"Will you accept an upload of data?"

There was a noticeable pause and then, "We will."

"Commencing, Now!" Information that we had taken years to acquire went out including all the up to the second data from our net. It included all of what we knew of the species and even gave a way to communicate with them if the need ever came about. The Seffra were able to find themselves in a map of the area and then the details of the pursuing Soplasia war ships.

"Thank you for the data... Megan. Is that your title?"

"That is my first name. The Soplasia enjoy war and now that they found us a worthy adversary they are all coming to join the party. It will be very dangerous to stay within this area."

"Do you require assistance from us?"

"Thank you Soondra but we had been having some setbacks but now are gaining the upper hand. You can do little except get your ship destroyed. It is faster than the Soplasia but as I said they have an energy weapon that you will be unable to defend against if they know where you are."

"Can you supply us with a safe area to repair our ship?"

"If you trust me then I will direct you to a calm area and keep the Soplasia off your back. How long do you feel you need before you can get underway again."

"Megan, our probes show you to be just a small ship. How do you expect to protect us?"

"Soondra, your military speed is about 13430 multiples of the speed of light. My little boat can do fifty percent more than you. I also have a energy weapon that can hole some of the pursuing Soplasia from this location. I also have twelve escorts of almost similar capabilities. I can prove my words if you wish."

"They are almost eight lights back. No energy weapon is effective at that range."

"The Seffra are poor gamblers. Would you care to bet?"

"What is the wager about?"

"You drop off a string of probes and I shoot the lead ship next time it gets close to throw some missiles at you."

"And the thing you wish to gain from us?"

"You keep on going and do not come back this way. You may send reports but you or your ship cannot return."

"What if you fail in this gamble?"

"I will give you a spare crystal that could be used to shoot all of those pursuing you."

"I accept that wager."

"You are not enough. Call a plebiscite now and then tell me the answer. Two of your pursuers have been accelerating for the last two minutes and should release their missiles at any moment."

In less than thirty seconds the person said, "The majority of the ship agree to your terms."

"Release your probes and do it in a wide area."

Probes had always been expelled from the ship but now thousands more were cast out. The flow didn't slow for it was necessary to stay within range of the Soplasia ships.

Megan had to avoid talking about her ship and the methods it used to go the speed she claimed and power the crystal she mentioned. Nancy was Megan's daughter and mine. She was currently thirty eight months old. Megan introduced the child and let her continue with the talks. There was a lot of talk but little scientific information passed. It was hoped that the Seffra would not think us too much different from themselves.

At an agreed upon time Megan used the stern position and aimed at least eight light years away. The range was not extreme but the accuracy of the shots was another matter. It took twelve bursts till one hit a vessel. Minute changes were made and then the first two were targeted and destroyed. Six more ships after that were hit till they started making some evasive course changes.

Nancy said, "My mommy got eight. Daddy says she is blind as a bat but he still loves her."

"What is a bat?"

"A flying nocturnal mammal that relies on high frequency sound to detect its prey."

"Put your mommy back on please Nancy."

Megan said, "I am here."

"Why did you destroy the other six vessels? They were not attacking."

"My husband said you guys are too foolish to survive. If I shot two then more will accelerate and then release their missiles. Do you think that I am to wait till then to shoot? They are all chasing you with the intent to kill your ship and everybody on it. You have outmoded sense of responsibility and duty. When dealing with sane individuals your way works very well but dealing with an insane and very powerful group requires an approach that you people can't seem to comprehend. Now do you consider my wager won?"

Again it took a while and the voice said, "We do Megan."

"I am sending you an update on our patrolled area. There is a good area coming up. If you follow our suggestions you will get a chance to make your repairs."

The data was sent but in a moment there was no reply. "What is your wish Soondra?"

"It was decided to just proceed as we are."

"It is your ship and the lives of your crew. I am not going to nursemaid you through that cordon of enemy ships. I suggest you release a message torpedo before you reach that area for I fear you won't be able to do that later."

"You are not going to go with us?"

"You pursue this action and you will end up dead. The amount of foolishness about your race was underrated. This is your last chance. Will you take our suggestion and then our protection?"

"We are going ahead but may veer off to avoid most of the enemy concentration. May we have access to your probes data?"

"You would not give me control of your ship. What makes you think I would allow you to have control of our net."

"We would not damage it?"

"Give me control of your ship first."

"We cannot do that."

"So be it. You were told the range of their data net. My advice is to send your torpedo while you still can."

Megan called me now. "What are we going to do with those morons Leif?"

"I told you this situation had a good chance of happening."

"I didn't think you were this accurate."

"Being polite, and not saying I was lying to you?"

"No, you never lie to us. You are slippery sometimes but no lies. Now what are we going to do. Not everybody on that ship deserves to die just because the ones running the ship are stupid."

"The Soplasia will have four hours to prepare for the arrival. The sensor field between the Seffra and the Soplasia is still pretty much in place. The best we can do is allow the Soplasia to set their trap and we hit them the same time the Seffra come through. They will be caught by both of us."

"Their ship will not last with the Soplasia energy weapon."

"Probably not and there is nothing we can do about it. We can use the situation to our advantage and then take out as many Soplasia as possible."

We scrambled our own assets. They had been warned as soon as the Seffra ship was found. With our knowledge of Soplasia tactics we saw six places to ambush the Seffra. They liked to give a small ambush to test the enemy then spring the next one when they knew what they were dealing with. This had been sent in the data and everything else they could use to stay alive. It would not be enough.

We got to all the ambush points first and spread a great deal of our own probes. These sensors would be accessible to both us and the Seffra. The Seffra would still be excluded from the main net. At each point we found poorly covered Soplasia areas. Any existing Soplasia sensors were cleared by ours. This allowed us to have various escape routes. The Seffra would then have a chance to disengage and possibly make some needed repairs if they were still alive.

Our ships and missiles crept into a staging area covering four of the ambush sites but the Seffra had made no course change yet. Just outside the Soplasia sensors they finally made their choice.

The Soplasia scrambled to intercept. Not all ships could make it to the battle but they could fire on the Seffra if they managed to slip through the front of the trap.

The Seffra altered course again and sent out their own probes. The Soplasia knew what was happening and stopped emitting energy at about the time of the probes arrival. The Soplasia ships would now be hard to detect. The Soondra didn't slow that much for it still had a great many pursuers. Our own forces had been harrying this group and now there was only twenty nine units.

At the point of no return, the Saffra were given control of the sensors in this area and the recent history so they knew where ships were hiding or laying doggo. We received no reply but the Soondra made another abrupt course change to avoid the worse of the opposition.

The Soplasia missiles and mines came into play and the Soondra did what it could to protect itself. It now launched three torpedos in hopes that at least one got through. The Soplasia now powered up their ships and attacked along side their weapons.

I gave the signal for our own forces to attack. Those closest to the Soondra were targeted first. Though we held the Soplasia ships back there were a lot of missiles getting through. The Soondra abandoned evasive manoeuvres so that it could get through the trap as soon as possible. The Soplasia ships died in our trap but so did our own ships. The losses looked to be greater than at any one time in our prolonged conflict.

Our own missiles were very effective. When the enemy used their weapons to stop our missiles, they stood out very brightly for our energy weapons.

The task force following the Soondra came in range and smelt blood. They now attacked with less regard for their own safety and they suffered for it. We did too, even if we had a longer time to prepare for this event.

The Soplasia reinforcements were not allowed to join the battle and it was much easier to pick them off in small groups or singletons. By this time we had a full ninety percent of our forces dedicated to this battle. Numerically we were far outnumbered. Their ships were larger and capable of absorbing more punishment. Their weapons were very dangerous to us but ours were even more effective against them.

Most of our ships had only our missiles for there had not been time to arm enough of our ships with the crystal. The remnants of the task force caught up to the Soondra. Their numbers were down to thirteen but missiles had been fired for a long time and the ships that fired them were no longer operational.

Our own efforts went to screen the Soondra from this form of attack but it was too thick and a great many got through. The Soondra fought now like an animal in a moving trap. Great portions of its hull had disappeared. This is where her weapons were and some of our ships were able to slip in and nestle amongst the wreckage and try to cover this area.

The battle went on for twelve hours. At times there were lulls in the battle and we had a chance to make some repairs or rescue some of our people from severely damaged hulls.

Catrina came to our rescue. She broadcast her position so the Soplasia would know. Behind her came all of our old ships. Her own ship was firing frantically for hers was the only one with the energy weapon. The rest had missiles though and these went out in a massive burst that was intended to swamp the enemy's defences.

The Soplasia were now hit from another direction and pulled into a sphere for protection. This was a logical move against missiles but not energy weapons. We now used the remainder of our own missiles in the hope that the Soplasia would continue. When the missile front engulfed the Soplasia we followed up with energy weapons now. For a full two minutes they absorbed this punishment before seeing their mistake and tried to spread out once more.

We abandoned the Soondra and now attacked. The next hour the Soplasia ignored the Seffra and were cut down. Very few fled for it was not in their makeup. Our own losses were greatest now for we too saw a way to finally win and pushed even harder. Towards the end of the hour the enemy fire got less and less but we continued to hammer their hulls as they did to their own. Those same ships and personnel would come at us again and they only thought of total annihilation for us.

While the clean-up continued we tried to regain contact with the Soondra. Sandra got close and used her mind and found many still alive and deep within the ship.

The remainder of our ships that had been guarding our bases now brought repair units. Our own ships were worked on first so there would be enough to repel more of the Soplasia when they came. We stayed in this area for eight days. We knew of more Soplasia reinforcements coming and couldn't wait any longer.

The surviving Seffra were put in stasis along with our dead and badly wounded and transported out. Our own people and some of the surviving Seffra took whatever we could of value from the ship. This mainly meant the AI and the memory crystals. All the auxiliary ships that had not been destroyed had been repaired and put to use transporting people.

With two engines working the Soondra was aimed at an nearby Soplasia world over two lights away. It would take nearly two weeks to get there at her present speed. It was hoped the Soplasia would do the destroying for us though she was now under a countdown of one week unless she was boarded.

I had not taken part in the battle other than to direct. Daniela and Alicea had prepared for the sudden influx of refugees. There were not that many compared to what the Soondra could carry. The Seffra vessel had 1745 adults and 376 children before the battle. The adult population had taken the brunt of the casualties and there was only 545 surviving. The children numbered only 239 for some had held positions during the fighting.

The ships split up and returned to our bases but not Earth. The Seffra like us accept death especially that in battle better than humans but we are not immune. Catrina and Yelena were two of the casualties along with five of my older children. This time I worked with my wives to show determination to fight our enemies instead of the great chasm within us all.