"This is Fleet Command to incoming vessel, please identify yourself. You're putting out some weird readings, and we need to know where to slot you in," came an unfamiliar voice over the comm, and I took a moment to answer, stunned as I was by the fleet I could see out the window. Ships that defied my attempts to describe them floated in fast groups that seemed to span the horizon, with things that looked like rocks with engines, living trees that had branches waving in the solar wind, and things even stranger, all fell into position.
"This is the Shield Beetle, Sanctum, and Admiral Sage reporting in. The Wanderer fleet left ahead of us and should have arrived by now, so I believe I'm expected," I say, and the officer on the other end goes silent as they obviously consult with someone far higher up on the pay scale. Soon, a viewscreen is opened, and Tomek's face appears on it, grinning like a kid in a candy store.
"Sage, it's very good to see you, we were wondering if you'd been delayed," he said, and I smiled back at him.
"A bit of an unexpected detour did take place, but it didn't take us too long. We're here a day ahead of the attack," I chided.
"True, but that's not a lot of time to put you into a formation. I mean, your ship is way different now. I'm getting all sorts of readings off it, and it kind of looks like you've got only one small laser weapon now, even if you are putting out a lot of power," he told me bluntly.
"We do. Unfortunately, we had to sacrifice a lot of stuff to fit in the weapon. Our newest ally even agreed to join in the assault right before we start, but refuses to do so earlier than that. Seems they're a bit gun shy," I told him, and he looked at me, before just throwing up his hands.
"Okay, I'll ask you about it when you land. Stormhold command confirms a berth for the Sanctum," he said, and then I got a screen showing me where to land. Thanking him, I turned off the screen, and proceeded down into the atmosphere, marveling as even more hulls entered the system as we descended. I had hoped we'd find allies in the sealed away systems, but looking around, I felt small compared to the sheer number of them all. I nearly missed my landing slot watching what looked like an old sailing ship fly by, but soon enough Darien and I were landed, and standing in a room with what looked like the leadership of most of the galaxy.
"Ah, there you are," said Tomek as we walked into the room, and motioned us over to him, sitting down at a table in the corner.
"So, what's been going on?" I asked, and he drew our attention to the big screen at the front of the room, displaying information I could only now read as being formations for ships, and attack orders.
"We've been going over all the data that the Alpha's provided us for this assault. Most humans don't really want to trust them, but as of right now, they're the only real source of info on the enemy we're facing," he said, and I nod, looking over what's being displayed now. Most of it has to do with timing of the assault, as almost everyone present knew the Drak would likely come to the defense of their creator. That alone made this a dangerous battle, but one it seemed everyone present was intent on taking part in.
"With the Wanderers arriving a few days ago, we're ready to give this a shot, but I've got to admit, this whole thing seems centered on a device that none of us are being told much about. Freya's assured me that it will work, but she won't say how," said Tomek, very unsubtly digging for information. I just shrug at him.
"It will work, I know it. Just get me an opening, and the battle is as good as won," I tell him, and he seems about to argue, but then just nods in acceptance. Luckily, not many others feel the need to argue with the plan itself. Simply striking at the Org, even without the chance to win appears to be enough for them, as several species I didn't know the name of all shout approval as the briefing comes to an end. With that done, we're soon shuffled off into a side room, where I'm assaulted very quickly by two forms, a pair of fluffy arms bury me in fur, while a single, very strong arm wrapped itself around both myself and the fluffy one, holding us both tightly.
"They were worried sick about you, given you got delayed, so they insisted we tell them the moment you landed," said Freya through a fit of giggles as Joe and Bandit released me. I didn't argue with that, and soon enough, I swapped some quick stories. As it turned out, the Rings were actually very easy to gain allies on, as Bandit simply offered them a chance to fight their masters, and much of the 'younger' generation, those under a million years old, were eager to throw off their chains.
The Hai were even easier, as they quickly came around to wanting to oppose someone forcing their beliefs on another. They were fighting for others, not for themselves, and the Unfettered, as bad as they seemed, were quick to join the fight as well. Admiral Coth was apparently leading the joint fleet, due to his experience, and would be in command of all Hai forces when the time came. It was hoped, by some of the Hai leadership, that showing this trust would help bring him and the Unfettered back into the fold of their society, once the fighting was over.
"All that said, I think most everyone out there is expecting this to fail. It didn't take long for translation indexes to be traded between species, and once that was done, we compared notes. Everyone present has stories of the Drak defeating them, sealing them away, somewhere in their history. Most of those were dismissed as the ravings of madmen passed down by the deranged, at least until your fleet began freeing them," said Joe, and I took a moment to really understand that.
"Where will the rest of my fleet be in this fight, anyway? I won't have any time for commanding them," I say, and Tomek pulls out a small projector, which he quickly scrolls through to show a formation of Shield Beetles mixing in with Carriers and Dreadnoughts. They'd be playing defense for the larger hulls, keeping the carriers free so they could launch their squadrons, while the Dreadnoughts laid down long range fire support.
"We've actually had an easier time than expected slotting everyone together. Most of them are eager for any chance to do some damage for the Org, and are willing to be brought into a single chain of command. Most of that will be centered here," he said that and scrolled to a large vessel I recognized as a Bactrian, one of the largest vessels flying, even compared to the Dreadnoughts.
"We're calling her Core Command. She's a special job made up by the Deep. Not enough firepower to light a match, but she's got a sensor rig that Eyes would give his eyeteeth for, communications arrays that can cut through a black hole, and shields enough to fly through a hundred supernovae," as he spoke, I nodded, looking over the stat readings the thing was giving off. They quite literally, were off the scale currently used for such things, indicating it was a hodgepodge of various technologies.
"So, you have command and control there. That's a lot of ships though, how are you going to keep them sorted out?" I ask, and Tomek grins.
"We aren't even going to try, honestly. We've got millions of ships already, with more arriving every hour. Individually, it would be far too many to command, so we've been getting them sorted into fleets. The top command will set strategic goals for each fleet, and keep a running tally on who's got command of which force. If someone dies, we won't lose the chain of command, and we'll be able to keep everything moving," he explained, and I nod.
"As it is, we'll be operating off that plan Freya said she and the Epsilons whipped up. Get the package where it needs to be, and the battle will be won. She won't explain it more than that, but I assume you know the details?" he asked, and it was my turn to grin.
"I do. Darien and I will be on my ship. Like I said, just get us a shot, and the battles as good as won," I say.
"I don't like going into battle not knowing the full plan...but you've won every fight you've been in so far, even when the odds were against you, so I'll trust you," he answered after a few moments of thought.
"Don't worry, Captain. We'll be with him to make sure he doesn't screw this up," declared Joe, and I turn to face her, an incredulous expression on my face.
"What? That's not going to happen. You have your own forces to command. You two should be assisting with the Hai and Quarg chains," I say, but Bandit then gives me what I've come to recognize as a very serious look.
"No, we've already decided this. We've been with you since Hai space, where this all started, and we're not going to miss out on this end. Without you, we'd never have come this far, and we're going to make sure you live so you can take us ever farther," she declares. I try to think of something to say, but my mind draws a blank in the argument department. Looking to Tomek for some assistance, he just grins, shakes his head, and walks away, leaving me with the two aliens, while they help me plan out our part in the battle formation.
