Chapter 35: The Attack!

Around the system, ships started hypering out. The ships destined to stay, started recovering the injured and helpless from the explosions on Terra; while Commodore White, along with his wife Maria, begin dealing with the UN. Two weeks later, the ships dropped out of fold and reformed into their attack wings.

Ken stood on the Flag Bridge, facing the main viewer. On the screen were Captain Nickolas Johansson of the Hope, and Captain Jenny Mai-ling of the Freedom Train.

"Captains, good luck, and God speed. We will fold-in, exactly ten minutes after you get there. I'm sorry you have to use hyperspeed to enter the system, but I think our fold drives would let the surprise out of the bag. Get in there, secure the station, and the miner's barracks. We know where they are housed. The hard part will be taking Tau Ceti prime.

"Do not be merciful. There is no negotiating with these bastards. They're guilty of crimes against humanity and they shall feel our wrath. Washington out."

The screen changed and showed the two ships moving away from the fleet. Then they blurred and disappeared into hyperspace.

Ken looked over to Lieutenant Susan Wright, his communications officer, "Susan, open a fleet wide com."

"Aye, Aye, Admiral!"

Turning to her communications console, Susan brought up every ship in the fleet.

"You're on Admiral," she said upon receiving an open com configuration.

"This is Admiral Thompson, to all ships of the fleet. We will fold out of here in four days. I want all crews to stand down to yellow alert, eat and get some rest. In eight hours, we will conduct a fleet wide test of our defenses. Before I sign off, I want to say that I'm very proud of every one of you!

"In a few days, we are all going to 'meet the elephant'. So let's make sure we do our best, capture the system and brought our loved ones home. Once again, in the name of whatever god you worship, I ask that your God bless everyone one of you for stepping forward in our planet's time of need. This is the Washington, out."

Cutting the connection, he looked at his bridge crew, and said, "All of you get some rest. You're dismissed."

Kala sat beside her husband and watched the bridge crew file out. Getting up from her chair, she moved over to him. She sat in his lap and cuddled with him.

"I love you, Ken. Now carry me to our bed and make love to me."

Slipping his arms under Kala, Ken stood up as the bridge doors chimed.

Setting her down, he said, "Enter."

The doors opened and Tina Wayne, along with three other girls came on to the bridge.

"Tina, what are you doing on the ship?"

Tina came to attention, and saluted the man she admired.

"Sir, Apocalypse Squadron, reporting for duty."

Confused, Ken looked at the four young girls, "Damn it Tina, you four we're supposed to be on the America. I wanted you all safe."

"I know, Sir, but you had no legal right to do that to us. Now, squadron number 666 is reporting for duty. We have our fighters and we have been cleared for flight duty. We just wanted to let you know we love you, and we'll do anything to keep this ship, you and your family safe. The Crytherians must pay for their crimes and the four horsemen are going to deliver it."

Ken sat back down in his chair as he looked at Tina.

"Tina, please don't do this. I've already lost your parents. I don't think I could handle losing you. I think of you like my sister."

"I know, Sir, and your sister is second of command of the Oregon."

"My sister is not on the Oregon, she's back on SPD1 being healed," Ken snapped.

"We know, but if it wasn't for her injuries, she would be here. We are your knights, we will help defend you and this fleet." Stepping forward she continued, "Now I think of you as the older brother I never had and I love you." Wrapping her arms around Ken, she hugged him and stepped back. "Now go get some rest, as you ordered all of the crew to do. We will be ready when you need us."

Kala placed her hand on Ken's shoulder, and squeezed. "She's right my husband. Don't worry, I see them being victorious." Looking at Shannon, she continued, "You, young lady! When you get an order to bank your fighter, do so, or you're a dead woman!"

Startled, Shannon looked at the mysterious woman. "Yes, Ma'am, I will."

Kala smiled warmly at the four girls, "Now you all know I'm a fighter pilot, if you ever need to talk, let me know. I can teach you things that you would never dream ... Wait! All of you take my hand, and close your eyes."

Kala held her hand out, and each girl clutched it.

Closing her eyes she continued, "Now think of my voice and relax, I'm going to share my knowledge of space fighter tactics with you all."

Concentrating, she sent forth the information, the experience she has learned and then she dove into each of their brains and activated an ability in each girl to know where the other was at all time and allow them to talk to each other with their minds. Opening her eyes, she sent a silent warning not to talk about it to anyone but the Admiral's family.

"There! Now you know what I know of combat. I pray it may keep you all alive."

All four girls moved at the same time and hugged Kala. Each had tears running down their faces as they continued to thank her.

"Now you four get out of here, and go relax," ordered Kala, and they watch the four girls file out the room. "Well, love, I did the best I could for them. They are now telepathically linked to each other, and I gave them all my experience."

"Thank you, love. Now, let's go make love."

Captain Nickolas Johansson paced his day cabin aboard the Ex-Crytherian cruiser Starburst, now the Bringer of Hope, and looked at the counter on his wall. He saw that they had less then ten minutes, before they dropped out of hyperspace into the Tau Ceti system. Taking a drink of his hot tea, he moved to his desk and sat down.

Down in the hangar bays, the pilots and deck crews of the fighters and bombers, rushed to finish loading up their planes as the AI delivered the time until emergence. Commander John Stratton looked up as his squadron leader approached him. "What's up guys?"

Captain William Barlow looked at his boss and said, "John, all my birds are up and ready, but Lieutenant Williams is down. She may not be back up in time. Mary was getting out of her shower, and did not know she had knocked her soap on the floor. She slipped on the soap, and broke her right leg when she fell. Doctor Andorra thinks she can have it mended, and all; however, I doubt it."

John pulled out his imitation Cuban cigar and bit the end off it.

"William, don't worry. If Jamie said she would have Mary in her fighter then she will." John said. He looked at Michal McCall and Thomas Kincaide and continued, "McCall, you and Kincaide's primary mission is to protect the bombers on their saturation run on the defenses on Karsakini. Can do?"

Michal looked at John and remembered how John felt when he thought his wife and daughters were dead, and then afterwards, when he had found out that they had been kidnapped and rescued by the flagship.

"You know it, John. It's time these bastards learn what it means when they tried to kidnap your wife and daughters. It's time the Crytherians learn that they don't want the human race as enemies," he said.

Thomas nodded his head in agreement with Michal, and added his two cents, "I agree ... But, what about WMDs? I mean they used them on us in Reno, do we use them on them?"

John shook his head, and answered them, "Negative. Admiral Thompson said standard weapons only against soft targets. The use of WMDs are only authorized against enemy warships, or defense stations, only.

"While you're softening the targets for the marines and mechs, Steven and I, will be leading our squadrons against any orbital ships. We are to target engines and knock them out. Admiral Thompson doesn't want any ship to get away if we can help it."

Steven Whitedove looked up from his computer pad as he was checking the weapon loadouts on the Lighting class fighters. "Yes, Sir. Are we carrying Odin's?"

"Yes, we will carry Odin's, in case we need them. The Devastators are going to carry Galahad missile packs with .5-pound anti-matter warheads." John looked over at the bombers being loaded and he saw his wife driving a portable tractor beam and lifting an Odin up under his black fighter. While under another fighter, one of the techs was finishing the painting of a thunderbird on the hull.

"Steven, can I see your pad?"

Steven hands the pad to John. "Sure John."

John looked at the pad and said, "Look we shall..."

Captain Johansson looked at his computer and started to type commands into it when a voice interrupted him.

"Sir, we will be dropping out of hyper space in eight minutes into the Tau Ceti system."

"Thank you, Petya." Nickolas looked over at the AI/Interface of his ship, and sighed, "Petya, I still wish you would have talked with us about becoming an AI."

"I know, Nickolas, but I couldn't. When we became AI's there were some powerful command codes imprinted into us, which prevent us from talking about it. These codes prevent us from talking about how we became Interfaces, what was done to us, even how it was done, and when and where." Looking at his big brother Petya continued, "It is a decision I gladly made..."

Nickolas picked up his cup of black tea, finished it, and set it down.

He interrupted his brother, saying, "Petya, I did not know all that, about you not being able to talk about it. But why this ship? Why not one of the new battleships or one of those big carriers that were under construction? I figure the fleet will scrap this cruiser after the mission, or once we have more ships."

Petya was surprised by Nickolas' question but knew the answer.

"Actually," he replied, "I talked with Amy on the flagship. Admiral Thompson was talking with Amy and he said that the Hope will be taken into dry dock, gutted and literally rebuilt. When they are done, she will be more powerful than an Apollo class heavy cruiser!

"She will become a command cruiser for a fast cruiser squadron. Admiral Thompson is planning on sending us out on raids to attack T'Lari and Crytherian ships where we can find them." Cocking his head at his brother, just as he used to do, he smiled and continued, "This ship is going to kick some serious ass when we are done with her.

"As to why I became an AI? What better way for me to say thank you to the Federation for healing me of Tay-Sachs Disease? You know what it was doing to me. I now have a longer and much healthier life. If I have to be in a capsule, so be it. I can still date and love like I used to, but now I can have that life I never had before." Petya smiled once more at his brother and continued, "Also, Nick, it's my turn to watch over you for a change. Now I've something to do. I will see you on the bridge in four minutes." In a puff of blue smoke, he disappeared from the room as Nickolas got up and carries his cup to the replicator.

Deep in the computer room, Petya appeared and said, "Hope, my love, how went the simulation?"

An image of a beautiful woman appeared, and looked at Petya. "Hi, Petya, I think I have it. Let me play it for you on the screen. I've gone over all conversations that Captain Thran has had with other ships." On the screen Captain Thran appeared, and said, "This is Captain Thran of the cruiser Starburst... "

Petya watched the recording, and compared it to other deliveries. Then he smiled, and looked down at the five foot tall AI.

"Beautiful Hope, I could kiss you."

Hope beamed at the compliment, and then looked over at Petya and stepped up to him. Looking up into his brown eyes, she slid her arms up around his neck.

"Well lover, nothing is stopping you."

Leaning in she pressed her lips against his. Both Petya and Hope felt their programming merge and join. Stepping back Hope looked into Petya's face, as holographic tears ran down her face.

"Now, we are one. We have finished the merging."

Reaching up she touched his cheek "Now what I know, you know; and what you know, I know. We are one." Analyzing all the new information she had received, she said, "Petya did you really put frogs in Nadya's underwear drawer?"

Petya blinked at the question and said, "Yes, I did. I was mad at her for some reason. Why, though, I don't remember. However, I sure got my butt spanked by my father."

Hope started giggling and said, "Well we must talk about it later. For now, my love, you're needed on the bridge. Thirty seconds to hyper engine shut down."

"Okay, my love, I'm gone."

Kissing her once more, he disappeared from the computer room, and appeared on the bridge.

Captain Johansson walked onto the bridge and looked around at his crew.

As he sat down in his chair he said, "Status report."

Ensign Louise Spindle looked up from her sensors and said, "Sir we shall be dropping out of Hyper, in one minute. All weapons are armed, all planes are ready to launch. The crew is at condition red throughout the ship." Looking at the clock, she continued, "Thirty seconds until deployment. Captain Mai-ling reports the Freedom Train has all her landers loaded and ready to deploy. As soon as we start taking out the defenses they will land and attack."

Behind them, Petya materialized on the bridge and saw that everything was ready. Suddenly the starfield cleared and they were in the new system. In the distance, the planet Karsakini waited. As they watched the planet, several space stations start sending messages to the new ship.

"Sir, I have contact with a ship closing on us. My God it's a T'Lari cruiser, escorted by a Crytherian battleship of the Baliska class."

Nickolas watched the Crytherian battleship and the T'Lari cruiser head for the hyperlimit.

"Ensign Spindle, are they scanning us?"

Louise checked her sensors and replied, "Sir, I don't think so. However, I will keep an eye on them until they hyper out of the system." Her sensor board finished its scan of the system and she started reading the scans. "Sir, sensors have finished the system scan. I've detected two more battleships, four cruisers, and thirty-six destroyers. There are also nineteen freighters and nine other ships that read as hyper capable, there..."

Ensign John Andorra pressed his ear as the com unit started buzzing in it. "Sir, I have com from the space station near the Planet Karsakini. They want to know where the Dancer is."

Petya walked over to the com and said to his brother, "I will handle this Nicky." Petya activated the holoprojectors and the bridge was converted back to the way it was before the ship was captured. Holographic images of the original crew appeared and took the place of the human crew. Looking at the holograms he saw everything was the way he wanted and he continued talking, "Now everyone, do not say a word. Seal the doors." The main doors sealed shut so no one could enter the room and on the main screen, an image appeared of a Crytherian warrior.

"Cruiser Starburst, where is the Dancer?"

Petya walked over until he was in front of his brother, and said, "This is Thran captain of the Starburst. I dispatched Dancer to chase down a Tralcan ion trail while I brought the shipment here. We have seventeen thousand five hundred and ninety-three new slaves on board the freighter. Ten thousand four hundred and ninety two are prime miners, the rest are meant for the auction house at Velcaria."

"Very good Thran, we await your new cargo. Two more should be coming in after you with another fifty thousand. The T'Lari, are demanding more of the slaves, particularly the children. Why, we do not know, but from now on half the shipments will be turned over to the T'Lari. Therefore, your new slaves are very welcome. However, there is a convoy due in from Tal'icar. They are on the way to pick up the first shipment; it should arrive in twenty days. You may proceed to Valcar station and dock, and the freighter Bounty Harvest may land on Karsakini and unload their cargo."