Bodhi Five Alien War

By Christopher Charles

The last one was the acceleration. She began placing the code when she heard the hatch open. She punched the last number in when she felt something melt into her back. Turning, she saw the end of Captain Smith’s laser before he put a hole through her head.
Her metal body flew backward against the computer until the acceleration caught it. Her metal legs came loose. She felt her back strike the far bulkhead, but she was already fading. Another hole in her chest forced her from her metal body.
She laid beside it stunned. Captain Smith had just killed her. She was only in the body a short time, but it felt like hers. She watched Captain Smith worked the computer and the acceleration stopped.
Slowly she eased herself off the deck and moved around the Bridge. She did not like being killed. The shock of it was still in her wave. She could see the laser flame burning a hole in her head. She thought about attacking the Captain when she heard George behind her.
“Let it go, ma’am. There is another body waiting for you.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christopher Charles
• Release date: Jul 31, 2019

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Prologue Two

The war with Earthstar was over. Its north and south cannon had been removed and stored aboard the Battlestar Ship. It was a victory in one sense, but Admiral Hood, the primary objective, escaped. He was on his way to Earth with the other upgraded Battlestar.

Mr. Henderson wanted the upgrades to his Battlestar from the Earthstar. It was taking valuable time to load. He needed to be on his way if he hoped to prevent the Admiral from reaching Earth.

1 The Attack

It took them a full four hours even in the weightlessness to take everything Mr. Henderson wanted. He had one of the Starships bring the dismantled cannons into Battlestar’s shuttle bay while the upgrade equipment continued to flow into it.

Ana was finally feeling better after receiving the android’s ‘blaster’ charge. Her legs were starting to work, but her back was still numb. It was taking longer for her body to recover this time. She was hoping her back would not be one of the permanent parts of her not to recover. She remained in the Admiral’s cabin. She could see the monitor. She did not want to appear weak in front of her crew."

Captain Smith was becoming useful. He remembered other equipment further inside Earthstar. This was brought up for loading even though Captain Mattis did not like it.

Once the cannons were in place, Ralph took his Starship to the other end of the Earthstar. He took control of the dock and began filling all the available spaces in the shuttle bay with equipment for the other Battlestar Ship. When he was full, he traded places with Judy and took up the close orbit of Earthstar.

Judy’s ship was able to take the remaining supplies aboard. When Mr. Henderson said to take the dock itself, Captain Mattis immediately came on the screen.

You’re taking part of Earthstar! He yelled.

Ana switched her communicator on, The dock only will accommodate a Battlestar Ship, Captain. You do not have Battlestars, but we do. We will need them. She was surprised to find her voice working better, but it had been several hours.

You only have one Battlestar Ship, Captain Mattis said.

At the moment, Captain, but you have none. We will be taking both of them.

Then it is as the Admiral said, you came from an asteroid.

You are seeking information, Captain. We are only taking your docking system. You should feel fortunate that is all we want.

I’ve heard you’re planning on taking our androids, Captain Mattis said.

Only those wanting to leave, Captain. We are not forcing any to come aboard.

We need our android to survive, Captain Mattis said. They run our internal superstructure.

Maybe it is time Human ‘Beings’ took control of their lives again. The androids have made you weak.

No, it is you who are making us weak.

Sorry Captain, but we need them to complete the upgrading on the Battlestar Ship. We have more then you people to think of.

If we refuse to give them to you?

I don’t think that would be a good idea. We need to be on par with the Admiral for Earthstar’s protection and Earth’s. That means Androids to run our Battlestar.

You are not planning on taking them all?

Only what’s needed, Ana said, "Will that be satisfactory?

We have little choice. We are at your mercy.

Thank you for your understanding, Captain, Ana said cutting the communication. Switching to her communicator, she said, Sorry, Mr. Henderson, I could not resist speaking out.

You did find, ma’am, I would not have been so understanding.

Thank you, my arms and legs are functional, but my lower back is still out.

Would you like to take command, ma’am.

No, I will wait until I am fully functional, but we should remove any possibility of them being able to build a Battlestar.

I think that’s what our captain was complaining about. George has brought aboard all those with any knowledge of Battlestars or cannons.

They have the information in their computers. They can still produce one.

They never could produce one because of the lack of material. Whenever they build something, they have to take the material from another part of the Earthstar. That is why they only had two Starships. When the Admiral brought them the Battlestars, it gave them the opportunity to invade Earth.

Their Starships were deadly enough.

Yes, but they could not carry occupation forces.

George, have you been picking up on this? She had been keeping George, Judy, and Ralph in the communication loop.

Yes ma’am, Mr. Henderson is quite right. They would have difficulty building another Battlestar.

Thank you, George. I am not sure how secure this communication is. I want no detail of what is being taken expressed here.

The androids are still in communication with each other, ma’am.

What is their range?

I am not sure, ma’am, but they cannot communicate between dimensions.

Thank you, George. How soon before we are ready to depart?

We have the north dock in tow, ma’am, Mr. Henderson said.

We only have to bring it inside.

Ralph?

Everything appears normal, ma’am.

Judy?

I am approaching the Battlestar with the north dock, ma’am.

It will take us another ten minutes to store all of this, ma’am, Mr. Henderson said.

That’s too long, Ana said. I have a feeling we have overstayed our welcome.

There is an uneasiness among the androids, George said.

Let’s go to general quarters now, Mr. Henderson. All pilots in their Starfighters.

Yes ma’am, we are moving out of the Earthstar.

Ana heard the General Quarters siren go off. When it stopped, she said, Judy, you still have the tow?

The Battlestar shuttle has it now, ma’am.

Ralph?

Pilots have been in place for four hours, ma’am. They would like to come out.

They will have to wait!

We have the tow line, ma’am, Mr. Henderson said. We are moving away from the Earthstar.

Judy, you take the point. Ralph, open the EM wave and send a probe.

Yes ma’am, sending one now.

Ana waited a few seconds, then asked, Ralph?

Four quads of P-torpedoes, ma’am. I would suspect they are sensor triggered.

I am sure they are. Mr. Henderson, do you pick anything up on your sensors?

There is something very small on our present heading.

Then reverse heading and take the Earthstar’s orbit away from the sun on my mark, Ana said. Judy, take the point. Ralph stay between us and Earthstar.

Yes ma’am, moving back now.

Mr. Henderson stand by to cut the docks loose.

Yes ma’am, but we have them inside. They are securing them now.

How soon before we can accelerate?

Shuttle bay crew says in five, ma’am.

Judy, do you pick up anything on your sensors?

I am picking up small blips from several quadrants approaching Earthstar.

Their locking us in! Set a course using the Earthstar’s orbit and lock it.

Set! Ralph said.

Judy?

Set ma’am!

Mr. Henderson?

I have everyone locked in, ma’am.

A large warp hole is forming, ma’am, Ralph yelled.

Full thrust on my mark, Ana yelled, Three, Two, ignition!

Ana felt her back being pressed against the back of her chair. She knew they probably took some damage in the shuttle bay from the loose dock, but they had to move.

The Earthstar has disappeared, ma’am! Ralph shouted.

Set the shields! Ana yelled.

Yes ma’am, Mr. Henderson said. Shields set! He knew they were still exposed until the acceleration stopped and the engines exhaust could be covered.

Suddenly Ana felt a sharp increase in their acceleration as the three Starships moved rapidly away from the Earthstar. The exploding quads of torpedoes sent a giant wave of energy into the hole the Earthstar had produced.

Most of the impact of the exploding quads was contained in the other dimension at first, but it quickly enlarged the portal sending debris and an energy wave toward the small fleet. Suddenly more shock waves appeared behind them indicating the quads approaching the now missing Earthstar had exploded.

Receiving the first shock wave in thirty seconds, Mr. Henderson said. Setting new course, locked in, on my mark!

Belay that! Ana shouted, Judy set EM Wave for a minus dimension.

Set, ma’am, Judy said.

Wave in ten, Mr. Henderson said.

Now Judy, but make it small, Ana said.

Another wave opened, and the three ships moved through.

Now, Mr. Henderson!

Three, two, course change, Mr. Henderson said.

The three ships entered the hole and moved in a sharp angle away from it. The huge energy wave reached the small hole and sent part of its energy through, but none of it reached the ships. They remained on course as more waves tried to breech the opening.

Anything on the sensors?

No ma’am, Mr. Henderson said.

Then reverse thrust!

Are we going back, ma’am?

The Earthstar took those quads, Mr. Henderson. We need to check for survivors.

Setting it in the computer now, reversing in three, two, now. We will be there in five.

Thank you, Mr. Henderson, we will stay in this dimension.

What happened? Ralph asked.

The Earthstar had EM Wave potential, Mr. Henderson said. They used it and found the four quads of p-torpedoes.

I thought it was them who left them.

It must have been our Admiral’s gift.

Why would they want to move into the other dimension? Judy asked.

They didn’t trust us, Ana said.

We went to general quarters, ma’am, Mr. Henderson said. I am sure their sensors picked it up.

This does not feel like the Admiral, he would not have come back to drop the quads off.

You are right, ma’am, Mr. Henderson said. He would have used the time to place distance between us. He probably even counted on us picking up the refitting supplies.

It has given him four hours.

Then who, ma’am? Ralph asked.

The ones who created Earthstar.

How and why, ma’am, Mr. Henderson asked.

Ana could feel the reverse engines slowing their acceleration, George, what are you picking up from the androids?

Confusion, ma’am, they lost a lot of friends back there.

It is more than that, George. One of their kind placed the quads there.

I thought the quads were for us, ma’am, Ralph said.

I think they were for Earthstar, and us if they got lucky.

When could they have placed them, Mr. Henderson asked.

When we had two ships inside removing the docking equipment. Ralph could only see one side of Earthstar. I would bet you will pick up a slight wave distortion in your tapes Ralph.

Checking now, ma’am, Ralph said.

George, I believe this is more the reason for the confusion among the androids.

Yes ma’am, I am suggesting it now.

I have it! Ralph shouted. A small wave was closing as we came around.

It could have been our Captain Mattis, Mr. Henderson said.

George? Ana asked.

It was an android, ma’am, programmed to destroy Earthstar if it was defeated in battle. The builders could not afford the knowledge it contained to reach Earth.

Do we carry any of those androids with us?

No ma’am, I screened them on both sides of the veil. I only took the younger androids. The ones with blocked memory areas or tainted waves, I left behind. You should know the androids are devastated. They will never have the trust they once enjoyed even among themselves.

Maybe they are turning human, Ana said.

Ma’am, we are approaching a large area of electromagnetic energy, Mr. Henderson said. "We will lose all power if we enter it.

Take evasive action, Mr. Henderson.

I am bringing it up on the screen.

Ana could see a large cloud of energy whirling slowly in front of them, Is that on the electromagnetic sensor?

Yes ma’am, Mr. Henderson said, You would not see it otherwise. I am taking us around it. It appears the dimensions are distorted. This looks like more than the work of P-torpedoes, ma’am.

Place sensors on full, look for any debris.

Nothing of any size, ma’am, Ralph said. P-torpedoes would have left more unless it hit something inside the Earthstar.

Check the mass, Mr. Henderson. She kept staring at the screen trying to pick up anything floating.

It seems the debris has been scattered through the dimensions, most of it has evaporated.

George, what is your feeling here?

He did not answer.

George! Ana repeated.

No answer.

Do you see any red lights in the engine compartment, Mr. Henderson?

No ma’am, but I can’t send anyone to check. He’s in android environment.

Leave him be unless you pick up a red light, then flush the compartment.

Yes ma’am.

What about the other pods we picked up moving toward Earthstar?

Nothing, Mr. Henderson said. They may have been triggered to explode together, but P-torpedoes did not do this. Even a direct hit would have left debris.

Ralph?

Nothing on the pods in this dimension, but they could still be waiting for us in the Earthstar’s plane.

Ralph move into the other dimensions and look for those P-torpedoes, record what debris your sensors pick up.

Yes ma’am, Ralph replied, Moving off your computer lock now, Mr. Henderson.

Ana watched Ralph disappear into the darkness, Let’s move further back from the distortion area, Mr. Henderson. We will wait for Ralph out of the P-torpedo range.

Yes ma’am, moving at impulse away from the distortion.

Ana watched it shrink. The distortion was caving inward trying to repair itself. After ten minutes she could see Ralph’s ship. He was inside the distortion towing a large piece of metal towards them.

Ralph! She shouted, Get out of there, now!

His ship is dead, ma’am, Mr. Henderson said. He cannot respond. The distortion has affected his transmission, but he appears to be moving towards us.

Back on line, ma’am, George said. Sorry for the sudden departure. I want inside to check for survivors.

Nice to have you back, George, but a little advance warning would be useful.

Yes ma’am.

So, what did you find out?

There is one survivor, I believe Ralph is bringing her.

Do you know who?

Yes ma’am, it is the companion of Alexious the Great.

Rose?

Yes ma’am.

It was nice she survived, I liked her.

You are also quite right about the explosion, ma’am. It was done from the inside by an android. The quads were only set out for us. They all triggered at the same time.

There were more than two sets of quads!

Yes, in all dimensions except the one we are presently in. That is why we have a distortion between the dimensions here.

Why not here? Mr. Henderson asked.

They did not have time to place it. We had already gone to general quarters.

Then why did Earthstar move into the other dimension?

It appears Captain Mattis was not aware of the android’s intent on destroying Earthstar, George said.

Ana was having difficulty comprehending on what was being said. The android, without emotion one, just killed a whole civilization.

George, picking up on her thoughts, said, Experiment, ma’am. It is the end of an experiment.

Sorry George, I cannot think of it that way.

The creators of the experiment had lost control. They needed to end it. He allowed that to settle a moment, then he said, The Admiral and us are the loose ends, ma’am.

Why us?

We have EM ability, ma’am, that makes them vulnerable.

Then we can expect a problem?

Not until we have rooted out the Admiral for them, George said. Then we will become their next target.

Androids? Ana asked.

No, you were unexpected, George said, At least on Earthstar. I am not so sure about your asteroid.

"That has