The Definitive SpaceFed Trilogy (SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy).: A thrilling, action-packed Sci-fi space adventure. (SpaceFed StarShips Series Book 8) Read online

  The Definitive SpaceFed Trilogy

  By Gerry A. Saunders

  Cover Art by Gerry A. Saunders.

  Copyright © 2014 Gerry A. Saunders

  No part of this publication can be copied, or transmitted in any form, without the authorization in writing of the author.

  For those readers who would like the Trilogy in one book.

  This trilogy is complete and up to date in its entirety, and includes material not included in the first editions.

  This particularly applies, to the first book which only had 197 pages and now has 300.

  Battles at Zeta Reticuli

  Battle for Delta Pavonis

  An Alliance at Kepler

  SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy

  A Novel by Gerry A. Saunders

  Book One

  2nd Edition

  Includes new material

  Battles at Zeta Reticuli

  Cover Art by Gerry A. Saunders.

  Copyright © 2014 Gerry A. Saunders

  No part of this publication can be copied, or transmitted in any form, without the authorization in writing of the author.

  A thrilling, action-packed Sci-fi space adventure series.

  In the spring of 2301, the Space Federation finally received its latest interstellar StarShip the Adromeda7. She had been built in the starship construction facility on Mars and was the first in a new generation of ships equipped with the latest in weaponry, and advanced comms systems. The comms systems also enabled Andromeda’s central AI to communicate with the Captain and his crew, via transceiver implants that had been inserted into their brains, giving the ship an organic feel.

  Their first mission was:

  One: To find the Starship Hawk, which had been commissioned in 2290 and sent to Procyon in Canis Major. But had disappeared under mysterious circumstances. By 2295, with nothing having been heard of her since, she was feared lost.

  Two: To locate the missing settler starship the Acarea, which had been powered by the now obsolete nuclear pulse engine. The Acarea had been launched almost two hundred years earlier, and before the faster-than-light barrier was broken by the warp-drive. She had a specially selected crew, plus eighty-five settlers. The ship was self-sustaining and equipped with everything needed to allow the settlers to start a new life on one of the planets orbiting Procyon.

  It was to be ‘The Great Adventure.' Earth’s first real attempt at colonizing the stars. However, as most people now believed that it would have been virtually impossible for this type of binary star to have habitable planets. It was a mystery why the Acarea had been sent to Procyon instead of Alpha Centauri. Nevertheless, the disappearance of this ship was perhaps the greater mystery of the two.

  Richardson’s final remit was to search for any habitable planets in nearby star systems.

  Other SpaceFed books by this Author

  SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy.

  Book 1. Battles at Zeta Reticuli.

  Book 2. Battle for Delta Pavonis.

  Book 3. An Alliance at Kepler.

  You can follow on with the story in these next books.

  SpaceFed StarShips Series.

  Book 4. Death of Time.

  Book 5. Acarea. A Triumph or Disaster?

  Book 6. The Garoden War.

  http://www.spacefedbooks.com

  Content

  SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy

  See more by this Author

  Content

  Prologue

  Chapter 1. Setting the scene.

  Chapter 2.

  Chapter 3.

  Chapter 4.

  Chapter 5.

  Chapter 6.

  Chapter 7.

  Chapter 8.

  Chapter 9.

  Chapter 10.

  Chapter 11.

  Chapter 12.

  Chapter 13.

  Chapter 14.

  Chapter 15.

  Chapter 16.

  Chapter 17.

  Chapter 18.

  Chapter 19.

  Chapter 20.

  Chapter 21.

  Chapter 22.

  Chapter 23.

  Chapter 24.

  Chapter 25.

  Chapter 26.

  Chapter 27.

  Chapter 28.

  Chapter 29.

  Chapter 30.

  Chapter 31.

  Chapter 32.

  Prologue

  Commander Atro, struggled to keep control of his Battlecruiser, as one of the enemy’s blue globe vessels passed right through it, missing him by just a few centimetres.

  As the enemy ship passed through, it dissolved everything in its path. Leaving his ship in two pieces.

  He tried to scream as the air rushed out of the now severed sections of his vessel. Then the effects of sudden depressurization ruptured his and his crew’s bodies, sending their remains out into space.

  Commander Kribourg trembled with fear as he saw his Starships flare and dissolve one after the other.

  “Jump!” he yelled at his pilot.

  “Where too?”

  “Jump, for Crilla’s sake. Jump anywhere you fool, away from here!”

  Suddenly, a wormhole formed a kilometre in front of them, and a massive blue globe ship emerged from it.

  Too late, he thought as space boiled around them.

  Fearing the worst, he closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Then, just in time, his Battlecruiser jumped, leaving the inferno behind.

  Commander Kribourg’s ship exited warp, three light years away from the engagement.

  He waited a few seconds for his body to recover from the wrenching effect of warp exit, and, his tactical display, to update with new data on his current situation.

  Kribourg cursed under his breath as he viewed his tactical screen’s update. He could see that they were alone, even though he had been sure that he’d seen two other warp entry signatures when his ship jumped.

  Kribourg’s squadron had been in sector three when his ships had been all but wiped out by the blue globe vessels. Eight of them, including his battleship Vern, all disintegrated.

  However, although Kribourg’s ship had managed to get safely away. The other two remaining ships of his squadron had been forced to jump elsewhere. None having had time to jump back to their home planet, Crilla.

  “Commander, are you alright?” Lieutenant Bronto asked, seeing that his Commander looked close to breaking down.

  “Just.”

  The commander’s science officer scanned for their other two ships, but with no luck.

  “What’s our status Bronto?” Kribourg asked. “We’ve been sat here far too long.”

  “There seems to be a problem with the force field emitters, sir.”

  “Well. What’s wrong with them?”

  “When the Vern came apart, its hull grazed us down one side and damaged some of them, so we’re now a few emitters short.”

  “So, we’re short of a few emitters. What else?”

  “Nothing of importance sir.”

  “Nothing of importance! I’ll be the judge of that Bronto,” he snapped. “Damn it, what are you trying to say?”

  “We should have gone straight back to Crilla sir.”

  “What? Leave our other two ships out here?”

  “They can get home on their own sir, just like we can. If we stay here much longer, we’ll never get home. I can feel it, Captain.”

  “D
on’t be absurd Bronto,” he snapped back, then thought about what Bronto had said. Bronto was a pain sometimes, but he was usually right in the end.

  “Pilot, calculate a transit pattern for Crilla.”

  “Yes, sir,” Kribourg’s pilot acknowledged.

  Commander Kribourg sat back knowing there was nothing he could do now until the ‘Jump’ calculation for his home planet Crilla was complete, and that could take anywhere between ten to fifteen minutes.

  However, he still didn’t know what he could do about these blue globe ships. Nothing he had could touch them, and he didn’t think there was anything in the Galaxy that could. It made him sweat just thinking about it.

  If that’s the case, he thought to himself. We won’t survive.'

  The comms system suddenly beeped, indicating an incoming message.

  Bronto read the heading. “It’s a public broadcast to all Empire ships in deep space, sir. It’s coming from Tapin’s communications array.”

  “Put it on the speakers.”

  “Yes, sir.” He said, and the broadcast started

  I am Senate Chairman, Kasosko. I speak to my fellow inhabitants of Crilla, and on all of our Imperial ships and outposts,” there was a pause, then his voice continued.

  “In the next few hours, you will notice strange ships in the skies above our planet Crilla. When they arrive, do not be afraid. There is nothing to fear.

  Commander Kribourg felt betrayed as the senator’s broadcast continued. Why he felt like that, he wasn’t sure.

  “Trickery more like,” he muttered.

  “Maybe the war has ended, sir,” Kribourg’s pilot suggested.

  “Not for me,” he snapped back. Then turned his attention back to the broadcast.

  Space Navy Martial Trendor is dead. His accomplices are under guard and will be tried in due course. Those of you who can, deactivate your weapons and return to Crilla.

  Thank you for listening to me, Kasosko said, and the broadcast ended.

  Commander Kribourg slammed his closed fist down on the console in front of him, again and again. He was furious. Cursing and swearing like a madman. Then slowly regained control of himself.

  “I don’t believe it,” Kribourg angrily snapped. “And, who is this senator, anyway?”

  “I don’t know, but it’s a disaster,” Bronto replied.

  “Yes! It is a disaster, Bronto!” Kribourg agreed. “We need to leave. Now.”

  “Our crystal generating ship was lost to these blue globe vessels, I saw them destroy it,” Bronto said.

  “Yes. I know,” Kribourg replied, sounding very irritated.

  “But we should have enough Jump quota left to reach home, sir. If we don’t waste it,” Bronto added, trying to calm his Commander.

  By now, Kribourg was almost fuming with rage.

  “Pilot,” he yelled. “Where’s that damn ‘jump pattern’ for Crilla? It can’t possibly take you all day, you useless idiot!”

  “Sorry, sir. It’s almost complete, sir,” Kribourg’s pilot nervously replied.

  “It’ll only take us two weeks or so to get back to Crilla Captain,” Bronto said, again trying to calm him.

  “Whatever has happened, happened days ago, while that message was in Hyperlink to us. We’ve been sitting here just wasting our time,” he defiantly added.

  “All right, all right Bronto, I get your point.”

  “Got it, sir,” the pilot said, sounding pleased with himself.

  “About time. How many jumps?”

  “Only two, sir.”

  “Good, feed the program in and let’s get on with it.”

  “Yes, sir… Ten minutes to jump,” the pilot confirmed.

  Then Kribourg noticed Bronto watching him.

  “What?”

  “Nothing sir,” he said, hesitated, then added. “We must see what the situation is before you try anything.”

  “Why? We’ll still come out at Crilla with screens up and ready for battle.”

  “Not a good idea sir.”

  Kribourg sniffed contemptuously and ignored Bronto’s caution.

  Ten minutes later, Commander Kribourg’s ship warped space, created an artificial wormhole, and they slipped into it on the first stage of their homeward journey.

  Kribourg’s second in command, Bronto, had seen a change coming over Kribourg’s face and demeanour. And didn’t like what he saw. ‘Visions of Grandeur’ came to mind.

  “What are you thinking Bronto? Your expression isn’t pretty.”

  “You worry me, sir.”

  “Why?”

  “You’ve changed.”

  “Come, come. How have I changed?”

  You’re unstable, he thought. Then thought again, No, better not say it.

  Instead, he replied. “You take too many risks, sir. We should have jumped as soon as those ships appeared.”

  “You mean, run?”

  “No, sir. A tactical retreat.”

  “Pilot, do you think I should have run?”

  Kribourg’s pilot didn’t answer. He kept quiet, knowing what Commander Kribourg would do to him later if he did.

  “Bah, coward.”

  “No, sir. He's smart in keeping with what he is good at.”

  “And you would do well to remember that as well, Lieutenant Bronto. I can get rid of you anytime I like. You’re only a science officer.”

  That hurt Bronto, but he stayed silent. The fool’s unstable, he thought.

  Sensing Bronto’s hostility to him, Kribourg’s hand dropped to the butt of his sidearm.

  “Have you got something else to say?” he asked Bronto.

  “No, sir,” Bronto said, noting Kribourg’s twitching hand as it hovered just above his sidearm.

  Kribourg relaxed just a touch.

  “Good. Now let’s get to work in wiping these pests out of Crilla’s space.”

  He took his snuff-box from his pocket. Opened it and sniffed the contents, once. Then realized Bronto and the pilot were watching him.

  “It’s mine,” he growled.

  “We know sir,” Bronto replied, trying to look uncaring.

  Kribourg grinned and took another sniff just to show his authority.

  Bronto swore to himself that he’d kill this arrogant Commander one day, and sooner rather than later. Then shrugged, trying to control his frustration.

  Then Kribourg and Bronto put their differences aside, and, using their tactical computers, started working on their battle plan ready for when they exited warp close to their home world, Crilla.

  Commander Kribourg’s ship exited warp and entered Normal-space amid the din of contact-alarm warnings permeating throughout his vessel.

  Tactical displays rapidly updated to the ship’s new location.

  “Grief,” Bronto groaned. “Look at all those ships!”

  “Lock our Antimatter weapon on the largest gold looking ship,” Kribourg shouted in rage. “Aliens,” he growled.

  “No sir,” Bronto yelled. “You fool. You’ll kill us all.”

  Four years earlier.

  Am I entombed forever, in this metal so cold? Yet wait, forsaken I am not. I see my shadow, but it has flesh. My twin is born…. Tell him not his fate, for we are one.

  Andromeda7…. 2301 A.D.

  Chapter 1. Setting the scene.

  After almost two hundred years of global upheaval and changes, the year 2300 A.D. seemed promising to homo-sapiens on the planet Earth, the hub of intelligent life in the solar system.

  Only 25 years before, man’s domain had merely consisted of the planets around him. But in 2300, with the improvements in Henderson's Star-drive, or Jump drive as most people knew it, man's dreams of the stars were finally realized.

  Henderson had never taken credit for his work. He had always claimed that when he was trying to ‘grow’ the first warp crystal. He’d had a vision, at a critical time. He’d said that pictures came into his mind from nowhere, which showed him the error of the method he was using to produce the warp crystals
. It was, he had said, an inspirational moment. After which he was then able to successfully change the warp crystal growing method.

  The new Earth Federation had come into being in 2146. But, by 2235, the E.F. having reached the limits of tolerance with past wars, had founded the present Space Federation and banned all military operations in space.

  The Space Federation itself was a non-military organization, and was funded by the E.F. There had been a previous attempt to turn it into a Space Navy. But, this had been firmly rejected, and it continued in the way it had originally been envisaged, with the exploration and scientific research of Space as its primary aim. However, a certain amount of weaponry was of course required to protect the ships and their crews.

  It was in the spring of 2301 when the Andromeda7, the first of Earth’s new generation of StarShips, was received by the Federation. The ship was aptly named after the 'Andromeda Galaxy’ and had been constructed in the new starship construction facility on Mars.

  The Andromeda was the first in a new class of Starships that employed state-of-the-art technology utilising the newest and most advanced ideas and features. Which in turn, enabled many services and facilities to be fully automated. All of which had resulted in a significant reduction in the number of crew members that would normally be required to man a ship of this size.

  The Andromeda was a kilometre long, and a hundred metres at her widest point, occupying some five point eight million cubic metres in total.

  Her metallic hull was gold looking in color, and oval in cross-section, with each end tapering to a point. The rear section was a slightly different shade than the rest of the ship. And was made from a material that enabled the specially bonded Photonic laser stream, produced by the steerable sub-light drive, to pass through unhindered thus achieving maximum thrust.