The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict by Raymond L. Weil Read Free Book Online

station if need be.
    “Grayseth
reports he has fighters and bombers being prepped and ready to deploy upon your
orders,” Angela reported from Communications. She looked nervously at the main
viewscreen, knowing that soon it would be showing Hocklyn ships coming with the
intention of killing them. She swallowed loudly and then looked around, hoping
no one had noticed.
    Jeremy nodded,
knowing that today many of Grayseth’s brave pilots might die. There was nothing
else they could do until the Hocklyns and the AIs arrived. He leaned back in
his chair and watched the tactical display expectantly.
    -
    Commodore
Krilen nodded in satisfaction as his dreadnought, the IronHand, exited
hyperspace into the Careth system. “Status,” he rasped in his cold and
demanding voice.
    “All ships
present, including the AIs,” First Leader Angoth reported as he checked the
tactical screen. “We are two million kilometers out from the planet.”
    “Take us into
the gravity well,” ordered Krilen, as he watched the tactical screen begin to
fill up with red threat icons.
    War Leader Versith
and he had come up with a plan to force the Humans to commit their fleet. They
would take their ships into the gravity well, but stay well away from the large
space station and the weapons it was bound to be armed with. The Human fleet
would have to engage or risk allowing the Hocklyn ships to bombard the planet.
    -
    On board the
Viden, War Leader Versith watched as the Hocklyn fleet neared the gravity well
of the planet. He noted that the Humans had divided their forces into two
separate fleets, one on each side of Careth. It was a good strategy to protect
the planet from the Hocklyns, as well as the AIs. Stepping down from the
command pedestal, he walked across the War Room until he was standing in front
of the large tactical display.
    “We will take
our fleet to this position,” he said to First Leader Trion as he pointed to a
part of the display between the two Human fleets, but away from the space
station. “They will have no choice but to engage us.”
    “Honor will
come today,” Trion spoke with a satisfied nod. “It is a good plan.”
    “Have our war
wings ready to deploy armed with interceptors. If the Humans launch their
bombers, I want to be able to destroy them. Inform our pilots that the Human
bombers are their priority target.”
    “As you
command,” Trion responded as he moved over to Communications to carry out the
order.
    Versith’s eyes
strayed over to Second Leader Jaseth at his weapons console. Once again, a
Protector stood watchfully nearby. Soon, Jaseth would have the opportunity to
use the Viden’s weapons against the Humans. Perhaps that would help to curb the
young Hocklyn’s raging anger.
    -
    Commodore
Krilen watched impassively as the fleets began to enter the planet’s gravity
well. The goal of this battle was to severely cripple the Humans' ability to
defend the planet and to see how many of the deadly sublight missiles they
might have.
    “AIs are ready
to jump once engagement has begun,” First Leader Angoth reported. He crossed
his large, powerful arms across the chest plate of his dark gray battle armor
and looked intently at the tactical screen. He was curious to see if the AIs
would do as promised.
    Krilen nodded.
The AIs had started speaking again. They'd agreed with the battle plan that Versith
had come up with. Very shortly, they would begin their crucial part in this
engagement.
    “Honor comes
to us today,” Angoth intoned, pleased that after so long they were finally
going into battle.
    “Yes, there
will be much honor gained today,” Krilen agreed in response. He needed to
accrue honor if he wanted to continue to advance in the Hocklyn command
hierarchy. This battle today would be the next step in his desire for more and
greater power.
    -
    “They have
entered the gravity well,” Ariel reported as she studied her sensors. She was
standing to Jeremy’s left, dressed in her regulation dark blue