The Fleet Master looked over the harvest inventory and took a pinch of orange powder and sniffed it. Oh that was so good. He turned back to his reports and noticed that the light on his communication panel from the ship that was sent to investigate the three ships was extinguished. That was odd. He pushed a control toggle and sent a query. No response. Something wasnt right. He punched his board and sent the coordinates of the three ships to a ten ship group. Tell me whats going on out there.
Ill contact you as soon as we arrive.
The Fleet Master watched his board and saw all ten lights on his panel go out in less than three micro units. He stood and hit his main alarm and sent the coordinates out to the quick response units. He looked at his Ship Master, Take me one light year from these coordinates and feed the view to my display.
The Empires Ships had moved another eight hundred miles starboard to clear the huge cloud of vapor caused by the destruction of the ten Black Ships that had jumped in on them. The three ships beams fired so fast that all ten were dead in less than three seconds. Alright, the party is about to start. Im sure the band will arrive with the next group and well have the opportunity to show our dance moves. Start the rotation now and listen for the escape signal. I would suggest a beam width of fifty miles and dont be afraid to sweep up the floor around you.
Jingos and Ron looked at their Weapons Officers and they nodded that they heard the order.
One moment the three ships were alone in empty space and the next moment they were surrounded by a thousand Black Ships.
Trent watched his display carefully and saw that half of the Black Ships were close to Jingos Ship. Sweep to the top of the formation.
As the three ships fired a wide white beam and moved it across the space surrounding their formation, they rotated forty five degrees, and the five hundred ships surrounding Jingos ships were caught in a cross fire between two Empire Ships as they rotated. All five hundred were disintegrated and the three ships rotated again and eliminated the remaining ships. Trent heard his Drive Officer yell, Going horizontal, Sir.
Trey, it looks like you were right. The current model of Black Ships cant stand up to our beams.
Greyson, keep your attention on your scanner. We need to see if were detected.
Ive felt several active scans pass us. If they can see us, they would have sent a ship in the last group to our location.
I dont care at this point. Keep your attention on the scanner and have your recorders gather the view of the battle site. You can watch it later.
Will do.
Trent watched his display and said, More incoming; continuous firing of the beams.
Each of the three white ships had six huge beams sweeping space around and inside their formation. How are the collectors holding up?
Weve been hit seventy four times by one of their main beams. The Collectors are still in the blue.
Trent was surprised. The hull collectors had not come close to being overcharged and all three ships were being hit continuously. Hey, Trent, I see a shy wall flower about a light year away watching the proceedings.
Trent looked at his scanner and saw the ship, If I had to guess, I think that might be one of their higher ranking officials. Hes probably their best dancer.
Are we going to do anything about it?
Ron, were holding our own but I feel weve gathered enough information. Im ordering a withdrawal in sixty seconds. Why dont you jump over on the way out and ask that ship to dance. You can join us at the escape coordinates. Well be waiting on you.
Thank you. I hope he can cha-cha-cha.
Trent watched his chronometer and said, Bristone in 3, 2, 1, Execute!
The Fleet Master was shocked at the destruction being done to his ships. More than four thousand had been completely disintegrated and fourteen hundred more damaged and hanging immobile. He looked over at his Communications Master to open a channel to the Masters when he heard his Sensor Master yell, White Ship off our bow.
He looked at his display just in time to see the beam coming to take his life.
The three Empire Ships waited for another attack but nothing showed up. Ron looked at his display, How long are we going to wait?
I think if they could have detected our escape coordinates, they would have already arrived.
I agree, Jingos. Lets go home.
The three white ships teleported into ten other universes and waited an hour in the last before they jumped back to New Hope.
Greyson, it appears you were right about them seeing us. There are more than a thousand Black Ships at the site of the battle and none of them are moving our way.
Trey, I was just thinking about the ones behind the Invaders and wondering if they have any connection to the Red Demons.
Yeah? So what?
Well, Ive dug around in my ancient data and found the coordinates of the universe where the Eight Legs launched all their attacks.
Trey thought a moment and started laughing out loud, Greyson, you sly old dog. Youre brilliant.
I just thought it might cause them some consternation.
Let me look at this with someone and determine the implications but I want to do it.
Maddy looked at Jingo, Do what?
I have no idea.
Maddy looked at her Father, You better be thankful the Emperor doesnt know you came along on this trip.
What he doesnt know wont hurt him.
Trey smiled, Oh, I suspect he wouldnt say much.
Jingo tilted his head, Why not?
Because he was here in Grace watching it as well.
What!?!
He wasnt in any danger. He was covered with a psychic bubble as well as the stealth field.
Was he here before us?
No, he left after we jumped here.
How did you cover him in a bubble?
I didnt. I had someone else do it.
Who?
Lets just say it was a close friend. Greyson, take us out of here and while were jumping through other universes, why dont you play your recordings of the battle.
The large wall display activated and they watched in slow motion as the first Black Ship to arrive was blown apart. Freeze it there just a moment, Greyson and run it back to the view of the Black Ship before it was hit. The view changed to the huge Black Ship as it emerged out of null space. Put the picture of the ship that destroyed our first two ships that were sent here beside it. Trey stared at the two and said, Can you rotate the picture so were seeing the same side?
Ive already done an analysis and its the same ship.
Trey felt his joy and said, This is the first payback. Theres more to come. Go ahead with the recording of the battle and tell me what you see.
The Invaders will need a ship that is several orders of magnitude stronger than those in use presently. I suspect that we may have a delay before that happens.
Why do you say that, Greyson?
Maddy, Trey can probably answer this better than I but you know how long they were delayed after we seeded their ships with the spores? I would think that their first order of business was to build a fleet to continue their harvesting of the Orange Pods. Once that fleet was completed they sent it out and began working on fleets to be held in reserve. If the next ship is not a huge improvement over the one currently being used, they will have to start construction of a ship that can handle our beams. Even then they may not be successful with whatever they build.
Trey nodded, Our ships didnt use their reflective hulls in this fight so the builder doesnt know about them. I also noticed that we didnt use the full power of our beams.
They didnt?
No, Jingo. I suspect the Commanders were concerned about tapping into the full energy stored in their ships outer skins. If they narrow those beams to less than a hundred yards in width and use full power, I suspect even the next ship they send wont hold up.
So what happens now?
Trey thought about what was coming and played the various situations in his consciousness, I think a much stronger ship will be built and the new fleet will come to attack our ships. Once those fail, I suspect single newer models will be sent to trial against us until they find something that works. While theyre working on that, we will send the fleet here to destroy their ships in this universe.
What about my suggestion?
I need to collaborate with someone to see the long term danger of doing that, Greyson. However, if we sense its safe, well send a couple of ships first and have them jump to that universe using their standard universal drives.
Maddy and Jingo saw it and Jingo said, Now that should prove interesting.
Trey started laughing, Im going to have to be there to see what happens. I wouldnt miss that for anything.
Grang and I want to see, too.
So do I.
Ok, ok, just keep this quiet until I check it out.
Greyson said, Mums the word.