the ships arrive to support them.”
“I hate we had to kill those scouts.”
“Don’t let it bother you too much, Jingo. They’re the ones that send the Duke’s fleets out to conquer innocent civilizations.”
“What’s the plan now, BC?”
“We’ll allow them to move forward and about fifty light years from our current position and we’ll destroy some of their squadrons. They’re not going to find our worlds following this course.”
“How are we going to irritate the Duke if we’re stuck out here?”
“Oh, I think Jessica can come up with a few ideas. I’m teleporting you to her momentarily”
Jessica and Jingo were parked outside the jump limit watching a fleet of warships moving away from New Ulmerton to attack another newly discovered civilization. “Jess, that fleet can only mean trouble for someone.”
“I know.”
“But if we destroy it, will the Duke then go to the planet it was headed toward? Or will he just chalk it up to the ship that attacked earlier. He could possibly do both…”
“Be quiet, Jingo. I’m going to attack those ships an hour before they arrive at the jump limit. Attacking here offers no clue as to where we come from.”
“Is that a good idea? He could send a Searcher to attack the planet this fleet was destined.”
“Attacking here will keep those Searchers here and anything that occupies that Duke’s attention is a good thing.”
“He’s a King, Jessica.”
“Like Anglo, I refuse to call him a King. He’s just like his ancestor Duke Ales Jongo. He deserves that title instead.”
“There are more than a hundred ships in that fleet. Can you handle that many?”
“I won’t know until I try.”
“Fleet Control, we are approaching the limit; are there any last instructions?”
“Don’t waste time getting control of that planet.”
“You know we won’t.”
Suddenly Fleet Control heard over their communication panels, “And I won’t either.” Fleet Control had the fleet on their scanners and watched as the fleet was hit by bright red beams.
Jessica teleported into the middle of the fleet and fired her ten primary beams. The first ten ships were ripped in half and began exploding like a string of giant firecrackers. The next ten had the entire middle section disintegrated as the red beams grew wider. The remaining ships began firing at the source of the beams but nothing stopped those terrible blasts. Thirty more ships were blown apart adding their debris to the wreckage of the others. Fifty ships turned and tried to make a run back to the planet but ran headlong into the demon ship that had teleported in front of them as they attempted to escape.
Niles ordered, “Lower our screens immediately. Turn off all weapons.”
“Captain, we’ll be killed.”
“Do as you’re ordered. We’ll be killed if we don’t.”
“Jingo, one of their ships has lowered their screens and turned off their weapons.”
“Save them for last. We’ll decide what to do with them after we handle the others.”
Only fifteen ships remained and they were destroyed in less than thirty seconds. Of the hundred and eight ships that had left the planet, only one remained alive.
Niles sat on board and waited for his ship to die. His sensor officer looked at him, “Why are they waiting?”
Niles hit his com, “My sensor officer just asked why you haven’t destroyed my ship. I really couldn’t answer his question. Perhaps you can tell him.”
Jingo started laughing. Jessica said, “I better take this one. You’ll still be telling him why when the Searchers that left the planet arrive.”
“Hey, that’s not nice.”
“Captain, we’re considering doing that right now. If we don’t destroy your ship, you’ll just go and kill millions of innocent people. I’m just reluctant to kill a defenseless ship. Perhaps you’ll raise your screens again.”
“Noooo. I don’t think we’ll do that. However, we’re as good as dead anyway.”
“Because you surrendered, right?”
“Captain Barden, you will attack that ship immediately. If you fail to follow our orders you and your crew will be tried for treason.”
Niles said, “It looks like I was right. However, I’m tired of this senseless killing I’ve been forced to do. Go ahead and fire on us. At least that would be faster than the torture we’d receive from Daulun.”
‘Captain, how many of your crew feel as you do?”
“Just my Sensor Officer and I; all the others revel in the misery we cause.” Suddenly, Niles and his sensor officer were covered by a silver screen as the rest of the bridge crew advanced to kill them. The executive officer yelled, “Raise the screens and fire on that ship.”
Niles and Toland found themselves on the bridge of a small ship. A short four armed creature had some sort of gun trained on them. They saw the main display on the wall with a view of their former ship. They watched as the screens went up and then it was hit with a beam wider than the ship. Nothing remained.
Jingo looked at the two and said, “Welcome aboard. I trust you’ll behave yourselves.”
Niles shrugged, “What else can we do. We’re dead if we return to New Ulmerton. However, I know two of our Searchers were ordered to attack you. They should be arriving momentarily.”
Toland said, “Actually, they won’t arrive for another two hours.”
Niles looked at him, “Really?”
“Yes. They’re fast but they started from the planet.”
Jingo said, “Are we going to hang around and wait for them?”
“I’d really like to do just that but it might lead to the Duke calling for help. No, we’ll leave momentarily.”
Niles said, “Actually, Daulun is a King.”
“Not in my book, mister. He’s nothing but an evil Provincial Duke.”
Toland said, “You can call him a mud rat as far as I’m concerned. I’m just glad I don’t have to see another world fall to those monsters.”
“You sound like the Princess.”
Niles jerked his head around to look at Jingo, “She’s still alive.”
“Of course, we don’t kill the innocent. It appears her father has been deceiving her about his activities.”
Niles shook his head slowly, “I’m so glad to hear you say that. She’s seems to be such a nice person that I really didn’t want to believe she was evil enough to pull that facade off.” Niles looked at Jingo, “What are you going to do with us?”
“I’m not sure.”
Jessica asked, “Do you know anything about the old Ultraships?”
“I downloaded the manual on them when I was in flight school. They were great ships.”
“How did you do that?”
“It was still in the military database.”
“The Duke has a military database?”
“Yes, but he doesn’t have the ships. I downloaded it because I love the history of all the ancient ships that once protected the Realm. That data base is where the Kin..I mean, Duke, learned how to manufacture the blasters used by the shock troops. He also found how to make null drives for the Searchers in that computer.”
“Where is that computer located?”
“It’s in a heavily guarded building four miles from Daulun’s castle.”
Jingo said, “I want to introduce you to someone. Until I can make that happen, welcome aboard. Are we ready to go, Jess?”
“In a moment.” The three heard over the speaker, “I really wish I could hang around and wait for you two slowpokes to arrive but duty calls me elsewhere. It’s not often I get to see Searchers that are the cowards you are this close. Normally, you only attack those that can’t fight back. You have so much to be proud of; you truly are the finest of the Province’s Fleet.”
