Trial by Fire

By A.H. French

As they left the area, Allonin had a feeling something was wrong.Manara and #2 had left Andy down in the engine room and went to have lunch. The feeling of unease grew stronger. Sending out mental feelers through the ship, he felt a presence that was alien and very close to Andy. His mind screamed a warning as he transported to the engine room. Would he make it in time?

• Language: English
• Publisher: A.H. French
• Release date: Jun 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463852859

A.H. French

I am originally from New York . After retiring in 1998 I took my dream girl and relocated to a town just outside of Nashville TN. After 20 years of retirement life was getting dull. Taking the advice of an English teacher I had in 1961, I thought I would try my hand at writing. If nothing else, it keeps me thinking. One of my daughters is an art teacher and a very good one. She offers advice and encouragement along with my wife Carolyn. Now that I've managed to get thruogh one book , I'm thinking of adding and making a series. Time to return to my outline book..

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Trial By Fire

By A.H.French

Published By A.H.French @ Smashwords

Copyright © 2019 A.H.French

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

CHARACTERS

Allonin, Tri-Rep

Manara, Watcher, council member

Andromeda, Andy, Allonin's mate mother, super brain, runs Mothership

Roger Griffen, Allonin's best friend

Betty, Roger's wife

Lt. Darr, Science officer of Migrant fleet

Josh, human genius

The Phantom/shadow, Allonin's mentor

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 Alien Menace?

CHAPTER 2 Unfortunate Situation

CHAPTER 3 Vague Possibilities

CHAPTER 4 Gamble, Toss of the Dice

CHAPTER 5 Transfer

CHAPTER 6 Unexpected Trouble

CHAPTER 7 Earth Needs Help

CHAPTER 8 A Large Problem

CHAPTER 9 The Ozone Problem

CHAPTER 10 A Time for the Truth

CHAPTER 11 Project Complete

CHAPTER 12 Outsiders

CHAPTER 13 Unrest

CHAPTER 14 War?

CHAPTER 15 Conclusion.

CHAPTER 16 The New Mothership

CHAPTER 17 A Look at the Future

CHAPTER 18 The New Earth

CHAPTER 19 Ambush

CHAPTER 20 Plans

CHAPTER 21 Search

CHAPTER 22 A Safe Haven

CHAPTER 23 Offer for the Griffens

CHAPTER 24 Results

CHAPTER 25 Trial by Fire

About the Author

CHAPTER 1 Alien Menace?

When Allonin awoke he wasn't sure he was still alive. The wedding reception for Josh and Alice had been a party to remember. With eyes still closed, he tried to remember all that had happened last night. Mother had outdone herself. Working with Josh, they had made it a spectacular wedding. The mayor, George Walker, had been granted the authority to marry them by the council. Mother had been the maid of honor and Harry Swanson, the best man. After the ceremony, attendants started things off with champagne to toast the bride and groom. The attendees were then ushered into a large room with tables set for their dining pleasure. Everyone sat down and the attendants started serving the meal. One toast led to another followed by speech after speech. Music, dancing, and loud conversations followed. Some time after that, Allonin gradually fell into a quiet stupor. Andromeda must have helped him to their suite, as they were nose to nose when he woke up and they were stark naked. He messaged mother to send one of those hangover drinks. No, make that two and leave them on the living room table. He really didn't want to move for fear his head would roll off his shoulders and bounce on the floor. He noticed Andromeda was starting to move, so he staggered into the living room and snatched those precious drinks off the end table. Slowly he made his way back to the bed and handed her that life saving mixture. Nothing was said for a few minutes. Then Andromeda asked if they were going to live. Slowly turning his head he nodded affirmative, and wished he hadn't. After what seemed to be hours, but were mere minutes, they made their way to the shower. First the piping hot water, then the ice cold made them feel relatively good. As he dried off, Andromeda went to the living room server and ordered breakfast and a large pot of coffee. He emerged and poured the coffee as she went to dry off and dress. After breakfast, he felt a lot better about living. He pondered asking mother what was in those hangover drinks, but he thought it better not to know. As much as they had enjoyed the brief R&R, this was the day to say goodbye to their friends and return to the Mothership for their rounds in the quadrant. Hand in hand they left their suite and headed for the city center.

As they approached, they saw the mayor ahead of them with Robert Griffen. Allonin gave a whistle and the two of them turned back toward them. After exchanging pleasantries, they proceeded to the center. Over coffee, they told Robert and the mayor they were just leaving for the Mothership. Robert asked if it was time for their six to eight week trip through the quadrant. Allonin nodded, arose and shook hands with them, as Andromeda gave them each a hug. They walked out of the center and proceeded to the landing pad. The rest of the team were already there. As the portal closed, mother appeared to tell them they had to get up to the ship in a hurry. The quarantine satellites had sounded alarms. Ships were crossing the boundary. As fast as they could they got back to the Mother-ship. Mother had already plotted the intercept co-ordinates and the ship left orbit to confront the alien ships. She also readied a wing of fighters and had them on standby. Out through the vid-screen they could make out a cloud, but were still too far away to make out what it was. Allonin along with Andromeda made their way to the command ship; messaging mother to stop a thousand kilometers from what ever was there. As they approached the intercept point, mother slowed the Mother-ship. At one thousand kilometers it stopped. Taking the command ship out through the port, he signaled mother to try different hailing frequencies to make contact. Moving around to the front, he was astounded to see what looked like a flotilla of icebergs. He had mother scan them and she reported that indeed, there were living beings in those large chunks of ice. There had to be a thousand icebergs in front of them. Mother alerted them that communication was available. She told #1 to activate the communication system on his chair and the translator device would make it so the commander and the leader of the alien ships could converse. We transmitted to the alien ship that I was commander Allonin, a tri-rep for the watchers and were inquiring why they had passed the quarantine satellites that makes this solar system off limits. The person who answered was Commander Zin, the military leader of the convoy. He stated he knew of the watchers and apologized for entering this space. He heard the satellites, but they did not understand what was broadcast. By the time they did, they were already past them. I then inquired as to their destination. His answer was most disconcerting

CHAPTER 2 Unfortunate Situation

They were from a world that is never warmer than the temperature of hard ice. Unfortunately, their planet had been inching closer to their sun over the last one hundred years. Knowing this, our science/logistics expert, Lieutenant Daar informed President Monzer and myself of the consequences of remaining on our home planet. Over that one hundred year period, we assembled enough ships to take ten percent of our population with us in search of a new home. Those that come in these ships are the winners of a planet wide lottery. If allowed, we will turn our ships to a new heading and leave to continue our search. We radioed him to stay here for a few minutes while we communicated with the watchers. Before I could notify mother to ask for a meeting with the watchers, She had already done so and was told that I should return to the Mothership and proceed to that side room where I had met them before. Informing Commander Zin of my ensuing meeting, I asked him to wait till I returned. He said he would wait. Turning around we headed for the hanger and my meeting with the watchers. With misgivings about what I wanted to try, I entered the room. Sitting at a soft lounge chair was one of the watchers. As I walked forward, I sensed that this was one of the original three I had met some months ago. Yes, Allonin, I am the one that originally spoke to you she said. She continued to relate that mother had advised her of the situation that has transpired in this solar system. Which led to the question of why he needed a meeting with the watchers. Knowing she knew as much as he did, He went straight to the point. He had an idea that might help the travelers in their search for a new home. But to do this, he first needed to know if there is an ice planet somewhere in the vicinity of this quadrant. Before answering his question, she had information that he needed to know about. Without waiting for any questions from him, she explained that he needed someone that could interact with him one on one instead of going to all the trouble of a meeting of the watchers every time that something out of the ordinary arose. She had been asked and had accepted the role for the council. Allonin, my name is Manara and when the need arises, you can use your mental capabilities to reach me. If you're to far away, mother can attach you to the amplifier and you can then reach me. Only call when something out of the ordinary or not in your regulations arises. To answer his question about a frozen planet, she advised him there was one just outside his quadrant and had already given the co-ordinates to mother. Please keep me advised on how you handle this and whether the outcome is good or bad. He stood, bowed, and thanked her, and hoping he'd never give her cause for grief. She also stood, winked at him and faded from view.

CHAPTER 3 Vague Possibilities

He sat for a few minutes contemplating what had just transpired, but decided not to dwell on it. He called for mother and asked her if she would consider a half-baked idea he had for those people and those ships. Her answer was straight to the point. he was the commander and she would do all she could to help him in all his endeavors. He finally decided to go with this wild idea and have a round table discussion. He called everyone to the observation deck and sitting with drink in hand explained what he wanted to try. The gist of it was to use the shields to encompass as many of the alien ships as possible, Nothing could possibly get through the shields from outside, but would the shields keep everything inside while moving. The other snag was, could the shields stand the stress of star drive. After a heated discussion it was agreed to try. With that in mind they went back over to the lead ship and told Commander Zin what they were going to try; with an asteroid first. If it worked, then they could take a number of ships within their shields and transport them to a planet that was an hour away by star drive. If I can get the Mothership from the quadrants on either side of them to help, it could be accomplished within twenty four hours. Commander Zin said they would have to look at the plus and minus aspects of this and while they were in discussions would be a good tine to try this asteroid maneuver and see the results. Allonin told mother to get the ship ready, they were going to move an asteroid. To get an idea of the scope of what he intended, they went to the far side of the solar system and found what they were looking for. #2 did some fast equations