Read Online Escape 3: Defeat the Aliens by T. Jackson King - Free Book Online
Authors: T. Jackson King
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NATO of the Stars. That’s the good news,” Jane said.
“Out with the rest of it,” Poindexter said bluntly, her tone tough but courteous.
Jane gave a quick nod. “On our arrival near the outermost planet of the Slinkeroo system, we immediately detected the presence of an enemy Collector ship in orbit above the world of Notter,” she said, her mezzo-soprano voice sounding firm. “My attempt to impersonate the cockroach former commander of the Blue Sky failed. The enemy ship’s AI, unlike most ship AIs, alerted the Alien ship captain to the reality of our arrival. In talking to the enemy captain we discovered the news of our raid on the Market world has spread across the stars of the Buyer society. Worse, the captain said a new attack fleet is being gathered at star Kepler 62. That star is 1,200 light years distant from Earth.” Jane paused, bit her lower lip, then continued. “As your neutrino sensors may report, I came back here with our original four fleet ships plus one. The fifth ship is the one we captured during our battles at HD 128311. Its captain is Joe Batigula. He chose to name his ship Manila Bay . We had some casualties but no deaths. I concluded we should all return here to alert you and the JCS to the fact another attack on Earth is likely to happen, though it could take two or three months for the enemy to gather a fleet larger than the six ships led by Diligent Taskmaster.” She looked up at the ceiling. “Star Traveler, neutrino transmit the AV record of my conversations with the enemy captain and yours with the enemy ship mind to Peterson. Also include the vidcam records of our Market world battle and our encounters with the Slinkeroo people. Do it now.”
“Transmitting those vidcam datafiles,” the AI hummed.
Nearest to Poindexter was the four star general who was chief of the Army. Like Jane he was of Japanese ethnic ancestry. The man grimaced. “Crap! We need to alert General McAuley to this. Maybe he can form a joint command with the folks he is meeting.”
Poindexter looked to her right, gave the man a look that could freeze a snowball, then fixed back on Jane. “Captain of the fleet Yamaguchi, you did just right to return here. Thank you for sending your contact records. And congratulations on the capture of another Collector ship. It is good to hear you liberated many Captives from their cells.” The woman paused, gave a nod to the other chiefs of the JCS as the four of them gathered at her table, then fixed back on his wife. “Captain Poindexter, I gather Earth has at least 48 days before any enemy fleet arrives here, since that is the FTL travel time to this enemy star base. Correct?”
“Correct,” Jane said, her slim fingers gripping the armrests tightly even as her face stayed calm and collected. “However, based on our past encounters with the enemy and the distances we have traveled star to star, I estimate it will be at least two months or longer before a new enemy fleet leaves for Earth. That travel time will take another month and a half. We have some time to prepare.”
Poindexter folded her hands on the display table and peered intently at Bill’s captain. “Informal now. Jane, you would not have returned here without spending the last few days coming up with some kind of plan for dealing with this new threat. What is your plan? I need something to convey to General McAuley and to President Hartman. You know them. They always want solutions whenever anyone reports a problem to them.”
“Harriet, I do have some thoughts,” Jane said, leaning forward a bit.
Bill tensed. This was the crux point. His wife had shared with him last night the outlines of her plan to deal with the new attack threat, while they lay next to each other in the dark, holding each other close. Neither had felt like love making. Both had needed closeness.
Poindexter lifted an eyebrow. “Share with us.”
“My plan has four stages,” Jane said quickly. “First stage is to leave
“Out with the rest of it,” Poindexter said bluntly, her tone tough but courteous.
Jane gave a quick nod. “On our arrival near the outermost planet of the Slinkeroo system, we immediately detected the presence of an enemy Collector ship in orbit above the world of Notter,” she said, her mezzo-soprano voice sounding firm. “My attempt to impersonate the cockroach former commander of the Blue Sky failed. The enemy ship’s AI, unlike most ship AIs, alerted the Alien ship captain to the reality of our arrival. In talking to the enemy captain we discovered the news of our raid on the Market world has spread across the stars of the Buyer society. Worse, the captain said a new attack fleet is being gathered at star Kepler 62. That star is 1,200 light years distant from Earth.” Jane paused, bit her lower lip, then continued. “As your neutrino sensors may report, I came back here with our original four fleet ships plus one. The fifth ship is the one we captured during our battles at HD 128311. Its captain is Joe Batigula. He chose to name his ship Manila Bay . We had some casualties but no deaths. I concluded we should all return here to alert you and the JCS to the fact another attack on Earth is likely to happen, though it could take two or three months for the enemy to gather a fleet larger than the six ships led by Diligent Taskmaster.” She looked up at the ceiling. “Star Traveler, neutrino transmit the AV record of my conversations with the enemy captain and yours with the enemy ship mind to Peterson. Also include the vidcam records of our Market world battle and our encounters with the Slinkeroo people. Do it now.”
“Transmitting those vidcam datafiles,” the AI hummed.
Nearest to Poindexter was the four star general who was chief of the Army. Like Jane he was of Japanese ethnic ancestry. The man grimaced. “Crap! We need to alert General McAuley to this. Maybe he can form a joint command with the folks he is meeting.”
Poindexter looked to her right, gave the man a look that could freeze a snowball, then fixed back on Jane. “Captain of the fleet Yamaguchi, you did just right to return here. Thank you for sending your contact records. And congratulations on the capture of another Collector ship. It is good to hear you liberated many Captives from their cells.” The woman paused, gave a nod to the other chiefs of the JCS as the four of them gathered at her table, then fixed back on his wife. “Captain Poindexter, I gather Earth has at least 48 days before any enemy fleet arrives here, since that is the FTL travel time to this enemy star base. Correct?”
“Correct,” Jane said, her slim fingers gripping the armrests tightly even as her face stayed calm and collected. “However, based on our past encounters with the enemy and the distances we have traveled star to star, I estimate it will be at least two months or longer before a new enemy fleet leaves for Earth. That travel time will take another month and a half. We have some time to prepare.”
Poindexter folded her hands on the display table and peered intently at Bill’s captain. “Informal now. Jane, you would not have returned here without spending the last few days coming up with some kind of plan for dealing with this new threat. What is your plan? I need something to convey to General McAuley and to President Hartman. You know them. They always want solutions whenever anyone reports a problem to them.”
“Harriet, I do have some thoughts,” Jane said, leaning forward a bit.
Bill tensed. This was the crux point. His wife had shared with him last night the outlines of her plan to deal with the new attack threat, while they lay next to each other in the dark, holding each other close. Neither had felt like love making. Both had needed closeness.
Poindexter lifted an eyebrow. “Share with us.”
“My plan has four stages,” Jane said quickly. “First stage is to leave
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