Stars & Empire 2: 10 More Galactic Tales (Stars & Empire Box Set Collection) Read online

  Greg looked around the desolate landscape of the crater. Even from here, the wrecked spaceship was imposing. It lay smashed against one rim of the crater. He wondered how much farther it would have slid if the crater wall hadn’t stopped it. There was a thin layer of lunar dust on everything. That was one thing Greg hated about the Moon, all the damn dust. It got into everything!

  Greg kicked the dust with one of his spacesuit’s boots and frowned, watching it fly up. Just walking sent up little puffs of dust at times. “I hate this dust,” muttered Gregg, looking at the drone.

  Jason stood next to the drone. Reaching up, he grasped a latch on the hatch and turned. He followed the same procedure for the other three latches. In moments, he had the small hatch open and, reaching inside, began taking out the small bundles of supplies that were stored inside. More food, water, and other basics that they might need. It would take two trips with the rover to get everything back to the wreck. Looking up, Jason stared at the Earth. The friendly blue and white globe made him feel homesick for his sister and brother. All his life, the three of them had always been there for each other. Due to the security slapped on the current mission, his conversations with his siblings the last few days had been brief.

  “Let’s get this unloaded,” said Jason, turning to Greg. “We have a lot to do.”

  -

  The next day, they were all in the Command Center. Lisa was examining the computer and had a panel off one side so she could see the processors. The two engineers were tracing wiring and checking for obvious damage.

  “This doesn’t look too different from our own computers,” Lisa commented in surprise, shining a bright light inside the console. She turned her deep blue eyes toward Colonel Greene. “There are a few things different internally, but it’s still just a basic computer.”

  “I would have thought it would be far more advanced,” commented Greene, frowning. “These people seem so far ahead of us technically that I assumed their computers would be also.”

  “Is it safe to turn back on?” asked Jason, walking over to stand next to Lisa. He was still nervous about the possibility of reactivating the emergency beacon.

  “As soon as I get this panel back on, it shouldn’t be a problem,” replied Lisa, standing back up and wishing she could stretch decently. It wasn’t easy to bend over in a cumbersome spacesuit. “We just need to get some power to it.”

  “What about the power?” asked Greene, looking over at the two engineers who had several panels off one wall, examining the wiring behind it.

  “No problem,” responded Adam, turning to face the colonel. “We’ve located the main power lead, and all we have to do is attach the RTG to it.”

  “What do you think, Commander Strong?” asked Greene, turning toward Jason.

  “Let’s do it,” Jason answered with a nod. “We have a lot of unanswered questions and that computer could hold the keys. As you said, we can always cut the power.”

  “Very well, let’s get the power hooked up.”

  -

  Power, the AI thought as it watched the humans in the Command Center. It could siphon off power from the human’s power source to replenish its own diminishing power reserves. This would solve the immediate power problem and give the AI more time to observe these new humans. The AI watched with interest as two of the humans attached their power source to the main power conduit for the Command Center. The AI made a few quick adjustments to some of the systems to ensure that all the power went to the systems in the Command Center and didn’t bleed back out into damaged lines and consoles in other sections of the ship. Its own power levels were getting dangerously low.

  -

  “RTG is hooked up,” reported Adam Simmins, stepping back from where he had been working. Trying to get everything attached properly while wearing a bulky spacesuit was a challenge. The RTG was a round cylinder approximately four feet tall and two feet in diameter.

  “Turn it on,” ordered Colonel Greene, taking a deep breath. “I want everyone to watch the consoles and see if anything happens. Adam, if I tell you to cut the power I want it off instantly!”

  Simmins nodded and reached over and flipped a switch. Instantly, several lights on the RTG blinked on. Other than that, nothing seemed to happen.

  “The computer’s not coming on,” reported Lisa, gazing at the screen and wondering if there was a button she needed to push. She felt disappointed that the computer hadn’t reacted to the power being restored.

  “It may be necessary to let the power build up,” suggested Jason, looking around the Command Center. “There may be some type of minimum power requirement for the Command Center in order for its systems to function.”

  He had at least expected a few lights or something to come on when the RTG had been activated. No lights had come on or anything. All the consoles were still dark. Everything was eerily still. Jason felt a little uneasy that nothing had come on. Something just didn’t feel right. Where was the power going?

  -

  For two hours, Jason watched power flow into the systems in the Command Center. While they waited, everyone spent their time examining the consoles and controls. Jason did his best to explain to the others what Greg and he had found out the first time they had talked to the computer. Everyone listened and asked questions. They all felt intrigued by what the computer had said and what it might know.

  “This computer seems very advanced in its programming,” Lisa commented as she listened to Jason. “The way it reacted to your voice commands indicates a high level of programming.”

  “I just hope it can answer some of our questions,” Greg added. “I’ve been waiting for weeks to find out where this ship came from.”

  “We have a lot of questions to ask also,” spoke Colonel Greene, recalling everything that Tom Hays and he had discussed. For the time being Washington was leaving Tom Hays in charge of this mission. Tom was well qualified and had worked with Washington before on other missions.

  Jason looked speculatively around the Command Center. It was laid out in the shape of a rectangle. There were a dozen control stations along the walls, a command console in the center where the commander would have sat, and a plotting table off to one side of the command console. Jason stood, trying to picture in his mind what this room must have looked like when it was operational and with its crew in place. He found it hard to imagine the sights the crew of this ship must have seen. There were large viewscreens on all four walls, with the largest on the front wall. This room must have been breathtaking when the ship was flying between the stars with all the screens on.

  Bringing his mind back to the present, Jason realized there had to be some type of power storage device located somewhere that required a minimum charge before activating any of the Command Center’s systems. Simmins and Edwards had checked the RTG and confirmed that it was generating power.

  “Nothing wrong here,” reported Simmins, standing up and stepping away from the RTG once again. “It’s generating plenty of power, but I can’t tell you where it’s going.”

  “I would think by now there should be sufficient power to operate the computer,” added Edwards, feeling confused. “The power has to be going somewhere.”

  “This is taking a lot longer than I expected,” commented Lisa, walking over and looking at the dark computer console. She was beginning to get impatient. She wanted access to the computer!

  The words were hardly out of her mouth when the computer console suddenly came on. The screen lit with a faint glow. At the same instant, the hatch to the Command Center suddenly shut. Before Jason could say anything, the overhead lights turned on.

  “What’s happening?” snapped Colonel Greene, realizing they were shut in. He looked over at Jason wanting an answer.

  Jason looked at a readout on his suit and saw that the Command Center was being pressurized. “The computer is pressurizing the Command Center.”

  “Just like it did last time,” Greg commented with relief in his voice.


  A few moments later, Jason checked the readings once more. Everything seemed normal. Nodding at the others, Jason removed his helmet. The air was fine, even though the room was still cool. The air was being heated, but it would take a few more minutes to be warm enough to feel comfortable.

  Greg and Colonel Greene quickly followed suit. When the other three saw that everything seemed to be okay, they removed theirs also.

  “Do you think it’s safe to take our spacesuits off completely?” asked Lisa, wanting to get her hands on the computer. It was difficult to work in these cumbersome spacesuits.

  “It should be,” replied Jason, nodding. “The computer didn’t depressurize the Command Center until we told it to last time.”

  “The Command Center will stay pressurized,” a computer voice suddenly spoke. “Command Center power reserves are at 1 percent and rising. All bulkheads and emergency safety fields are optimal.”

  Lisa stepped back in surprise, looking at the computer. Evidently, this computer could respond to voice commands as well as respond to what it heard in the Command Center. She recalled reading that in the report that Commander Strong had sent to Mission Control. She just hadn’t expected the computer to start talking immediately.

  Greg walked over to the computer so he could ask it a question. He had been impatient to find out the answer to one particular question that had been bothering him since they had first found the wreck. “Computer, where did this ship come from?”

  “That information is classified,” the voice replied.

  “Damn, that’s what it said last time,” Greg moaned in disappointment. He turned to Lisa and frowned. “Getting answers might not be as easy as we’d hoped.”

  “Perhaps you asked the wrong question,” spoke Lisa, thoughtfully. She had a lot of experience in dealing with computers. Oftentimes a question had to be phrased properly to get a response.

  “Computer, what was the name of your ship’s point of origin?”

  “The Human Federation of Worlds,” the computer responded promptly.

  “And how many systems were in the Federation?” Lisa continued, pleased that the computer had answered her first question.

  “That information is classified,” the computer replied.

  “Was there a war going on?” Jason asked suddenly.

  “Yes,” responded the computer.

  “Who were you fighting?”

  “The Hocklyn Slave Empire.”

  “Were the Hocklyns human?”

  “No.”

  Everyone was stunned as they gazed at each other. The war had been against aliens! This was not what any of them had wanted to hear.

  Jason hesitated for a moment trying to decide just how to ask the next question. Evidently the computer would give out information as long as it wasn’t too detailed. “What happened to the Human Federation of Worlds?”

  The computer was silent for a moment. It wasn’t going to answer the question until it was overruled by the watching AI. “The Federation was destroyed.”

  Everyone in the room became quiet. Somewhere out in the galaxy an alien empire had wiped out a human civilization. A ship from that destroyed civilization had evidently made it to Earth’s Moon. The question was, why?

  “What happened to the Hocklyns?” asked Colonel Greene, hoping that both sides had managed to wipe each other out. Earth didn’t need to get involved with a threat from space.

  The AI had now taken over complete control of the computer. It wanted the humans to know what awaited them in their future. Later, when it revealed itself, the AI would give them even more detailed information.

  “They still survive. Their empire comprises hundreds, possibly thousands of worlds.”

  “Thousands,” Greene repeated stunned, his eyes widening in concern. He looked around at the others. “How did their empire get so large?”

  “The Hocklyns are members of the Slaver Empire, which covers much of the center of the galaxy. Only twelve systems are actually inhabited by the Hocklyns. The other systems were all conquered by them or their allies.”

  “Their allies?” asked Jason, feeling uneasy. “What do you mean, their allies?”

  “There are three other races along with the Hocklyns that control the military power of the Slaver Empire. These four races are each responsible for a section of the empire. The Hocklyns were responsible for the section in which the Human Federation of Worlds was located.”

  “What do the Hocklyns do to the worlds they conquer, and why did they completely destroy the Human Federation of Worlds?” Jason asked his tone indicating his concern.

  They had just found out there were multiple alien worlds and none of them were friendly toward humans. If this Hocklyn Empire was still out there, how long would it be before they found Earth? Jason felt a huge emptiness form in the pit of his stomach. Looking at the others, Jason saw stunned and disbelieving looks upon their faces.

  “The Hocklyns conquer a world and then that world works for the Slaver Empire, furnishing whatever material goods the empire requires of it. Conquered worlds are not allowed to have a military, and their populations are strictly controlled.”

  “What happens if a world refuses to furnish what the Hocklyns demand?” asked Colonel Greene, looking over at Jason worriedly.

  “The Hocklyns will make an example of that world so others will not attempt to do the same. They have been known to destroy the largest city on the planet, and then continue to wipe out other cities until the rebelling world capitulates to their demands.”

  “What about the Human Federation of Worlds? Why were they destroyed and not conquered?” Jason asked. These Hocklyns sounded like a race he never wanted to encounter.

  “The Federation chose to fight. We had a powerful fleet and felt it could stand up to the Hocklyns. We were wrong. The Hocklyns made an example of the Federation.”

  The room was silent for a moment as everyone attempted to digest what the computer was telling them. This story sounded so fantastic! Nevertheless, this ship was a warship, and it was here on the Moon. There was no reason to think the computer was making this up.

  “Why is your ship here?” asked Colonel Greene, fearing the answer.

  “This was the only other known human world. We came to set up a base and warn your people that the Hocklyns are coming.”

  The room was quiet, and it suddenly seemed colder. No one noticed that the computer was no longer answering with "this information is classified" any longer. The AI was in full control of the ship’s computer.

  Jason stared at the computer with a cold chill running down his back. He was picturing his family back on Earth and the threat they might someday face. “When?” he asked.

  Upon the front wall of the Command Center, the large viewscreen suddenly came to life. A map of the known galaxy appeared. The center was covered in red and as they watched, the red slowly grew as it spread out across the galaxy. It approached one of the spiral arms where there was a blinking emblem. It slowly reached the blinking emblem, causing it to go out, and then continued on.

  Colonel Greene and Jason stepped over closer to the screen. There were numbers scrolling across, which they suspected represented a timeline.

  “At the current rate of expansion, the Hocklyn Empire will reach this solar system in 268 of your years. The Slaver Empire will control the entire galaxy another 1,200 years after that.”

  Everyone felt relief at the threat not being imminent.

  “We have time, then,” spoke Colonel Greene, looking at the others. “We have 268 years to get our planet ready.”

  “What do you mean?” Greg asked, confused. “Ready for what?”

  “It means that learning how this ship functions and everything that goes into constructing a warship like this one will have to be researched,” Greene replied with dark and determined eyes. From a military standpoint, he understood the threat that the Hocklyns represented to the future of Earth. “This ship just became our planet’s greatest asset and perhaps its o
nly hope for survival. If what this computer just told us is true, the Hocklyns are coming and there is nothing we can do to change that.”

  The five others looked at each other, realizing just what Colonel Greene’s words meant. Then they gazed back at the large screen, which showed the red continuing to grow until it covered the entire galaxy. This discovery on the Moon was about to change life on Earth.

  Chapter Five

  Colonel Greene and Jason were inside one of the medical wards staring at one of the bodies on a table. It appeared to be that of a young man in his late twenties. There was considerable damage done to the body from the cold and airless environment in which it had been kept. Colonel Greene reached forward and pulled the covering completely off.

  “Body seems to be completely human,” Greene commented as his eyes swept over all the visible parts. “I would need to do a complete autopsy to make sure.”

  He walked over to several other bodies and choosing a woman, did the same thing. She looked to be in her early to mid thirties. Everything looked perfectly normal for a human female.

  “What do you think killed them?” Jason asked. He could count thirty bodies in this room. Three more rooms besides this one were full of bodies. That made a total of 120. He wondered just how large the ship’s crew complement had been?

  Greene sighed deeply. This had been troubling him also. Ever since Commander Strong had told him about the dead bodies, he had wondered what had happened.

  “Some of them may have died in the crash,” he responded, taking the coverings off several more bodies. “With the state of the bodies, it’s difficult to tell. Out best bet may be to ask the computer.”

  “I wonder if there’s a medical computer in here?” asked Jason, gazing around at all the equipment on the walls. The equipment showed very little damage as it was securely fastened down.