fleets are able to do so
better under our command.”
“Curious.”
“Annoying. They are a very obtuse race, and without
self-sufficiency they don’t live long enough to learn. If they were part of
Star Force we could counter the problem, but as they are, they’re going to be
lagging behind in the strategy department.”
“ So long as you command them
that is not a major concern.”
“Not for our purposes here, no.”
“Then let’s put them to use immediately along with
what I have here.”
“Do you have a target in mind?”
“Nothing specific, but the longer we delay the
stronger the enemy will become.”
“But we can’t provoke the counterstrike just yet. Not
unless we can force it against the Sentinel line.”
“I was not thinking of anything so large.”
“Feel free to clue me in.”
“Just read my mind.”
“I’d prefer the map, if you don’t mind. I’ll brain
raid only if we get stuck.”
“Terms accepted,” Cal-com said, with them striking a
friendly deal going forward for how they’d handle the telepathic issue. Cal-com
was too much of a warrior to expect Paul not to use it, and Paul was too
respectful to use it on a whim. With the balance set they began moving forward
with their planning, and within a week they had a basic strategy that Paul sent
out over the network for the other trailblazers to chew on and improve.
Meanwhile Paul and Cal-com began theoretical planning
deep into the future, exploring many options and scenarios as they plotted out
the development of both of their empires and tried to intertwine them as much
as possible to mutual advantage.
9
July 3, 2683
Nephla System (near
to Achkor)
Neph
When the Voku warship/mini conglomerate emerged into
planetary orbit it was immediately detected and the fleet of lizard cruisers
that had been guarding the world for the past 9 months moved to engage quickly.
Strong as the Voku were technologically, one large warship wasn’t going to be
enough to beat the cruisers that were protecting the infantile colony on what
had previously been a Skarron world. The lizards had recently moved in,
eliminated the opposition, and were now devoting a significant amount of their
smaller vessels to holding it.
They knew the Voku’s approximate strength, and sensing a mismatch they moved en mass towards it, intent on taking advantage of the opportunity while it
existed, fully aware that there might be more ships nearby.
The Voku simply held their position in orbit not far
from their jumppoint, waiting for the cruisers to come up to them. They were
almost in plasma range when addition contacts began jumping in behind the Voku,
with the green crystals that appeared opening fire immediately on the lizard
ships with their sammies and burning into their
shields with the constant topaz beams.
As the Dvapp warships continued to arrive more beams
leapt out, touching targets and quickly getting through their shields to the
hulls as four, five, six or beams would be attacking an individual ship at
once. More and more green crystals appeared out of the jumppoint and flew
forward, encircling the Voku ship that hadn’t moved nor engaged the enemy…and
it wasn’t going to save for self-defense. It was armed but not here for the
naval battle, rather carrying Voku ground troops for the forthcoming assault.
There were lizard incursions occurring all along the
edge of the ADZ that stretched out to Achkor as they preyed upon weak Skarron
worlds and others, with Star Force and the Voku countering them wherever they
appeared within the new annex to the ADZ loosely termed the ‘Achkor Region.’ It
had no firm boundaries like the ADZ, but rather stretched out beyond Beta
Region to Achkor itself, from which there was a string of worlds being
colonized to create a second defense line.
Some were uninhabited worlds, but many were formerly
Skarron or now lizard colonies that were being removed. Nearly all of the
Skarron worlds in the
better under our command.”
“Curious.”
“Annoying. They are a very obtuse race, and without
self-sufficiency they don’t live long enough to learn. If they were part of
Star Force we could counter the problem, but as they are, they’re going to be
lagging behind in the strategy department.”
“ So long as you command them
that is not a major concern.”
“Not for our purposes here, no.”
“Then let’s put them to use immediately along with
what I have here.”
“Do you have a target in mind?”
“Nothing specific, but the longer we delay the
stronger the enemy will become.”
“But we can’t provoke the counterstrike just yet. Not
unless we can force it against the Sentinel line.”
“I was not thinking of anything so large.”
“Feel free to clue me in.”
“Just read my mind.”
“I’d prefer the map, if you don’t mind. I’ll brain
raid only if we get stuck.”
“Terms accepted,” Cal-com said, with them striking a
friendly deal going forward for how they’d handle the telepathic issue. Cal-com
was too much of a warrior to expect Paul not to use it, and Paul was too
respectful to use it on a whim. With the balance set they began moving forward
with their planning, and within a week they had a basic strategy that Paul sent
out over the network for the other trailblazers to chew on and improve.
Meanwhile Paul and Cal-com began theoretical planning
deep into the future, exploring many options and scenarios as they plotted out
the development of both of their empires and tried to intertwine them as much
as possible to mutual advantage.
9
July 3, 2683
Nephla System (near
to Achkor)
Neph
When the Voku warship/mini conglomerate emerged into
planetary orbit it was immediately detected and the fleet of lizard cruisers
that had been guarding the world for the past 9 months moved to engage quickly.
Strong as the Voku were technologically, one large warship wasn’t going to be
enough to beat the cruisers that were protecting the infantile colony on what
had previously been a Skarron world. The lizards had recently moved in,
eliminated the opposition, and were now devoting a significant amount of their
smaller vessels to holding it.
They knew the Voku’s approximate strength, and sensing a mismatch they moved en mass towards it, intent on taking advantage of the opportunity while it
existed, fully aware that there might be more ships nearby.
The Voku simply held their position in orbit not far
from their jumppoint, waiting for the cruisers to come up to them. They were
almost in plasma range when addition contacts began jumping in behind the Voku,
with the green crystals that appeared opening fire immediately on the lizard
ships with their sammies and burning into their
shields with the constant topaz beams.
As the Dvapp warships continued to arrive more beams
leapt out, touching targets and quickly getting through their shields to the
hulls as four, five, six or beams would be attacking an individual ship at
once. More and more green crystals appeared out of the jumppoint and flew
forward, encircling the Voku ship that hadn’t moved nor engaged the enemy…and
it wasn’t going to save for self-defense. It was armed but not here for the
naval battle, rather carrying Voku ground troops for the forthcoming assault.
There were lizard incursions occurring all along the
edge of the ADZ that stretched out to Achkor as they preyed upon weak Skarron
worlds and others, with Star Force and the Voku countering them wherever they
appeared within the new annex to the ADZ loosely termed the ‘Achkor Region.’ It
had no firm boundaries like the ADZ, but rather stretched out beyond Beta
Region to Achkor itself, from which there was a string of worlds being
colonized to create a second defense line.
Some were uninhabited worlds, but many were formerly
Skarron or now lizard colonies that were being removed. Nearly all of the
Skarron worlds in the
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