Andromedea by Marcia Tucker

Author:Marcia Tucker [Tucker, Marcia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: alternate universes, Science Fiction, space travel, space fleet, alien species, Space Opera, artificial intelligence
ISBN: 9781734672800
Publisher: Mosaic Circle Press
Published: 2020-03-24T22:00:00+00:00

26: Aldebaran

Jaime called the Defender Astralon next — reluctantly. They confirmed the scanner sighting of five small starships that accurately matched the description provided by Starguard Pliverr. Jaime directed Colonel Filipi to move her vessel to the far side of the Aldebaran System for now — for their own safety. Jaime’s own Nebulae-class Elektra would remain exactly where it was. He estimated that the alien ships would reach Debbar Community in forty minutes. Time enough for him to get more information if he was careful.

Of course he dared not cept the Sdaldi directly. Instead, he would verify Pricilla’s report on the ships themselves and the contents therein. The minds of the Sdaldi could be anywhere from Level 3 all the way to 8, but Jaime still wouldn’t try to cept them, much less read them. Pricilla Pliverr’s description of the irresistible lure of the empaths aboard each ship had been brutally graphic. He wasn’t about to add himself to the list of victims.

Settling down lower in his contour chair aboard the Elektra, Starguard Jaime Cenntl closed his eyes. After raising his mentshield until it was hard and tight, he gingerly extended his powers of perception in the direction of the ships. This was to be a strict mattcepting only, but he had to be sure to avoid detection.

Warp-based stardrive, nothing like ours — damn shame a planet can’t outrun them like our ships can, Jaime mused. A couple of funny devices — I have no idea what they could be for. Strange… the ships register on our scanners and I can cept them, but they don’t show on the visuals, as if they’re visually shielded. No weapons of note. Nice that our technology surpasses theirs anyway. Too bad that’s not going to make a damn bit of difference. Where did they come from, and how long did it take to get here?? He cepted the “funny devices” again, but could not ascertain their function.

He glanced at the time display; only fifteen minutes had passed. Resolutely, he went back to work. All right, nothing to be concerned about as far as the ships go. Let’s check out the personnel...

Jaime mattcepted around some more — ten Humanoid-type Constructs in each ship, big, bulky and mechanical, like those used aboard Fleet starships several centuries ago. Five blobby organic creatures…

He pulled his mental senses away hard, his mind reeling from the contact. Those blob-things were obviously the empaths! He’d only got a glimpse of amorphous bodies and tentacles before one of the creatures had sent out a blast of emotion. Luckily, it had not been directed toward his position and he was still undetected.

Oh, holy hell, he thought weakly, the things are hungry!

Abruptly he jerked upright and checked his ship's systems, shaking his head. To his dismay, he discovered that somehow he’d nudged the Elektra out of orbit and closer to the alien ships. Did that lure get me already? he thought in a moment of panic, then steadfastly worked to distance his ship again.

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