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Sol-Central Space
Station; Conference Auditorium A
In orbit over planet Earth
The Sol System, Terra Quadrant, Sol Sector
MAR 17 2795/2795.076; 1601 Hours (CST)
The men and women sauntered into the conference room, finding their seats around the amber, oval-shaped table.
Commodore Christopher Blair, XO of the Dentares-class megacarrier TCS Concord’s Claw as well as its Senior Intelligence Officer, took his seat near the foremost end of the table. He clasped his hands over the table as he patiently awaited the arrival of all who had been invited to this meeting. He recognized Senator Richardson of the Terran Great Assembly, Fleet Admiral Mason Tierson of the ConFleet Armada’s flagship, Strategos Ghünter Bohrman from the New Republic of Andorra, President Joseph Kruger of the Free Republic of Landreich, an ambassador from the Confederate Border Worlds, a tall, dignified representative of the Firekkan Commonwealth, and the Crown Prince Serrikoth nar Kiranka of the Eleventh Kilrathi Empire (the Kilrathi Imperium).
Scattered about the gathering were a few Navy space marshals outside the Admiralty Court who maintained sectors of strategic importance along both the Spinward and Coreward Rim frontier. He sneered at the notice of Space Marshal Albrecht among the gathering, but let it pass.
The meeting room’s door hissed back open as a late arrival strode in. It was Vell Ricaud II, the CEO of the Kindred organization in the Tri-System region of the Vidur Sector. Blair smiled warmly at his old friend.
As soon as the people settled in, Senator Richardson rose from his seat. "Thank you all for coming," he spoke. "I assure you we would not have called this meeting if it was not of the highest importance. You are probably aware by now why we sought this meeting, so we will get right down to the point. Commodore Blair?"
"Thank you, Senator." Blair stood as Richardson sat back down. "My guess is you are all aware of the attempted Steltek invasion two years ago in the Avalon Sector. Fifty-nine capital ships were laid to waste." A series of nods and affirmative grunts was his answer. "What you might not be aware of, however, is a certain Confed Special Operations mission two months ago. Admiral Tierson, I believe you can tell us best the details of the TCS Phlegethon’s reconnaissance mission."
"I should think so, Commodore." The older man rose, straightening his uniform. "On 2795.015 the omnicarrier TCS Phlegethon was given orders to proceed on a Space-Folding recon mission in the Canés Venatici Galaxy. From the Delta Agnes System of the Alpha Tango Theta Sector we were to do long-range scans of the Gamma Onisis System. Gamma Onisis is the system believed to be the staging point from which the Steltek launched their attempted invasion in 2793. We completed the scans, but not without incident. Three Marauder-class Steltek ships—the same kind as the one that appeared in the Avalon Sector—attacked us and we were forced to retaliate. We set a trap. My fighter squadrons lured the Marauders into a nearby nebulae which I then had ignited. The Marauders were destroyed, and the Phlegethon returned."
"Your performance in that engagement is becoming legendary, Tierson," Blair commended. The Admiral nodded as he sat back down. "Yes, the Phlegethon returned. Its scan of the Gamma Onisis System complete, Special Operations had the recon data it needed. What we discovered wasn’t good." Blair’s gaze went cold. "There is not one, or two, or three Steltek Marauders out there. There is a whole fleet. Analysis of the recon data shows there are thirty-seven of them, all stationed and cached in a large series of orbital shipyards above the planets in Gamma Onisis. This number is not counting the three Marauders that the Phlegethon destroyed. By now the Steltek could have manufactured another one or two, and we don’t know how many other Steltek-inhabited regions of the Canés Venatici Galaxy there could be. Other Steltek sectors could be harboring Marauder fleets of their own of equal or larger size. We cannot afford to underestimate them now."
"Our worst fears are confirmed, then," Strategos Bohrman muttered.
"I’m afraid so."
"Then we strike now," the Crown Prince Serrikoth seethed. His fur ruffled and his lips curled in a show of mild annoyance. "We combine our own fleets, travel to this Gamma Onisis System in Canés Venatici, and crush the enemy. We won’t give them a chance to strike. We take the fight to them. We put them on the defensive... and annihilate them. Surely together, not even the Steltek can stand against us. And if they are not expecting us... the element of surprise can be a valuable advantage. Even against what could very well be the true Kn’thrak."
"It’s a little too late for that. You see, Prince, the Steltek have already begun their invasion."
Deathly silence filled the room. Those that did not already know the news shuddered.
"Just yesterday a Confederation outpost on the Spinward Rim was evacuated, then destroyed when a lone Steltek Marauder made what best evidence indicates was a space-folding jump into the Argent Sector. We can only guess at just what method of space-folding the Steltek are utilizing—or if it’s coaxial space-folding at all—but we do know that they are not constricted to the use of wormhole-esque gateways as their sole method of long-distance transportation like the Nephilim invaders were a century ago." Blair’s memories of the savage Nephilim War were anything but pleasant, but even the strongest of the Nephilim’s Tiamat dreadnoughts or Kraken ship killers couldn’t stand against a Steltek Marauder. "But after destroying four other installations, the Marauder simply disappeared."
"Just one, Commodore?" Vell Ricaud inquired, a little surprised. "You think they’d give our galaxy a little more credit after we’ve taken out four of their Marauders to date. Seems a bit odd."
"Yes, it does. They sent just one Marauder when we know they have an entire fleet ready and waiting. Perhaps they did it to raise our defenses, keep us on our toes while they bide their time and form their plan."
"Or maybe they’re just toying with us. You ever think about that?"
Blair sighed. "They’re in every position to do so if they are. Regardless, we have no choice but to play along."
"But we must strike!" Serrikoth shouted, slamming a furred fist on the table. "We must fight; act. Heart of the Tiger, I beseech you—they have put us on the defensive far too long!"
"And strike we will, Prince." Blair held the Kilrathi prince’s gaze. "If you recall, the Confederation once ended a half-century conflict with the Kilrathi by destroying their homeworld of Kilrah. We forced a truce."
"It is true." Serrikoth smiled, if bitterly. "Then we do as I said. Pool our fleets and ravage this Gamma Onisis System. It is to be a war of gatagak’vu."
"‘Total eradication,’ right?" Richardson grunted at the notion. "A rather gung ho approach, don’t you think?"
"Maybe not," Blair said. The Kilrathi heir had read his mind, he mused. "We ran analyses on the three planets within Gamma Onisis. Two are M-class; habitable. One by one we will make anti-matter warhead runs on their planets until the Steltek agree to a truce, or at least a cease-fire."
"Excellent."
"We need to get the Steltek to talk, to listen. It is Intelligence’s understanding that millennia ago they used to inhabit this galaxy until, for reasons we can only speculate at, they abandoned it to move to the Canés Venatici Galaxy. They claim our species have ‘profaned’ and are ‘destroying’ the Milky Way Galaxy, and they feel it is their task to ‘vindicate’ their former galaxy by destroying us all."
"The philosophy of an enlightened race?" Space Marshal Albrecht piped. "I think not."
"Whatever their way of thinking may be, their threat is undeniable. If we do nothing, rest assured, they will reclaim this galaxy."
"Tell us your plan, Commodore," Senator Richardson said.
"Special Operations’ plan is twofold. First, we proceed with what Crown Prince Serrikoth suggested—put the Steltek on the defensive and try to take out their homeworlds, if that’s what they are. Maybe get them to talk about peace. Secondly, we proceed with a more uncertain plan, one that has been put together with the much-appreciated assistance of the Fourth Kilrathi Imperium. The Kindred organization’s involvement will be instrumental to this plan’s success."
"What kind of plan?"
"I am not at liberty to discuss the details just yet, but if it succeeds and things go as planned, we will stand stronger than ever against the Steltek."
"That’s right," Vell agreed.
"Any other questions?" Blair asked. A few of the men and women whispered amongst themselves, but no one ventured another question. "All right then. You may report back to your fleets and await further instructions."
Sol-Central Space
Station; Docking Port Beta
1632 Hours (CST)
Vell Ricaud shoved his way through the line of maintenance workers and officers working their way toward the carrier at the docking port’s end.
"Watch it, buddy," a disgruntled ensign warned as Vell pushed past him.
"Yeah, up yours, too." Breaking free of the line, he ran to catch up with Blair.
"Hey, Chris," he called, "you going to leave without even saying hi?"
Blair stopped and faced him. "Nice to see you again, Vell. When we spoke yesterday over subspace I wasn’t sure if you were going to make it."
So he knew about the mounting troubles with the Chirichan Clan. Two days ago the blasted cyborg pirates nearly had Anhur at their mercy before the combined forces of the Kindred and the CIS intervened. Old Hassan showed the pirates quite a fight. "I had to," he explained. "It’s my fleet that’s going on his little Coreward Unknown Territory expedition, remember?"
"Sure do. You’re still up to it, right?"
"What’s the harm? My people are good to go."
"So how’s Melissa?"
Vell raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Quite good, actually." He raised his hand and displayed a richly decorated ring. "She’s my fiancée now."
"Finally popped the question, did you?"
"Bloody right I did. What about you? Last I heard, you and that Captain Kincaid gal on your fancy-ass megacarrier had something special going there."
It was Blair’s turn to grin. "Last I heard, we still do. She’s waiting for me now."
Vell noticed the TCS Concord’s Claw beyond Docking Port Beta’s viewports. Used to be called the TCS Blair until Blair got fed up with the vanity and deceased status the name could imply and changed it, he recalled. Though it couldn’t measure up to the Phlegethon or any of the other omnicarriers nearing completion at various Confed shipyards, it was a big ship.
"Guess I better head back to the Desiccator then. Melissa said she’s got a surprise for me when I get back."
Blair smirked. "I’ll bet she does."
Vell turned, waving. "See you around then, Chris."
"I’ll contact your flagship within the hour. You’ll hear the specifics of the Kindred’s mission then."
"Gotcha."
Vell made his way back through the line to the turbolift, hurrying. He did, after all, have a surprise waiting for him.