CHAPTER TWELVEJune 2173Aramite / Zuma / Varso
...Aramite...
The lights on the Solaris StarGate changed from green to red. A vehicle was about to come through. The energy field within the ring shimmered then a cargo transporter emerged from the StarGate and turned towards Aramite.
As the transporter was entering Aramite's atmosphere, the lights on the Tranchilite StarGate changed from green to red. A tranchillion mothership came through and turned towards the Zuma StarGate. As it approached the Zuma StarGate a second tranchillion mothership came through the Tranchilite StarGate. It, also, headed towards the Zuma StarGate.
Then a third and a fourth mothership came through the tranchillion StarGate. They both headed towards the Zuma system as well.
After them, a steady procession of grelite warships came through. All four of these headed for the Zuma StarGate.
Another four tranchillion motherships emerged from the Tranchilite StarGate but these remained in system. One headed towards the Zuma StarGate but stopped short and held station. The second headed towards the Corpsious StarGate and held station. The third headed towards the Solaris StarGate and held station. The fourth turned in a wide arc to face the Tranchilite StarGate it had just come through.
The Tranchilite StarGate's energy field shimmered again and four more grelite warships emerged one after the other — each stopping at one of the four StarGates. Rebecca's blockade of the Aramite system was now in effect.
Both the tranchillion and grelite emperors had seen the wisdom of Rebecca's request. On top of that they had agreed to share the costs of building two new StarGates. The grelites were going to build the one in the Varso system while the tranchillions were constructing a new one in their own system. Varso was to be directly linked to Tranchilite.
The last grelite warship finished its manoeuvre and held station at the tranchillion StarGate. They were all in position.
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...Zuma...
A steady procession of tranchillion and grelite starships came through the Aramite StarGate. The first two tranchillion motherships headed straight for the Varso StarGate as did the first two grelite warships. Once they had left the system, two more tranchillion motherships came through. One headed towards the Varso StarGate while the other turned in a wide arc and held station facing the Aramite StarGate it had just come through.
The energy field shimmered again and another two grelite warships emerged from the Aramite StarGate. One joined the tranchillion mothership blockading the Varso StarGate while the other joined the tranchillion mothership blockading the Aramite StarGate. Rebecca's blockade of the Zuma system was now in effect.
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...Varso...
The energy field of the Zuma StarGate shimmered as the first tranchillion mothership emerged from its ring. It was followed by a second mothership. The first one headed for the Fermur StarGate but stopped to blockade it. The second mothership turned away from the planet and stopped in the position where the new StarGate to Tranchilite was to be constructed.
The energy field of the Zuma StarGate shimmered again. Two grelite warships flew into the system. One headed towards the Fermur StarGate to join the tranchillion mothership. The other turned in a wide arc to face the Zuma StarGate once again. There it sat to blockade the StarGate.
The area of space around the second tranchillion mothership started to become busy as hundreds of construction craft emerged from it to begin building the new StarGate.
After all of the initial material needed for the new StarGate was offloaded, the mothership slowly moved away and took up its position near to the grelite warship blockading the Zuma StarGate.
The route to the Varso system was now secure and if any trouble were to come from the Fermur or Tripitar systems it wouldn't get very far.
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...Aramite...
"Sir," said one of the communications officers aboard the Parupia. "Aramite's traffic control are hailing us."
"Put them through," said Captain Tmorphide. He stood in front of the holoprojector with his hands clasped behind his back. When the image came through he could tell that the aramiteling was either nervous or irritated because his snout was twitching.
"Are you the captain?"
"I am Captain Tmorphide of the Parupia. How may I help you?"
"You need to clear the StarGate. In fact, you need to clear all the StarGates."
"We will remain where we are. We have been tasked to provide security for this StarGate."
"On whose authority?"
"The Alliance." The captain could see the aramiteling struggling with this information.
"What is the Alliance?"
"We are trying to save the galaxy."
"You will still need to move your ships. It is against Confederation law."
"We are trying to save the Confederation. It is under attack in case you hadn't noticed."
"No. We have a civil war here. It is not galactic."
"Not yet. But it will be."
"You need to move your ships."
"We are here to help. Let us know if you require assistance with your civil war." The captain signalled for his communications officer to cut the link. The holoimage vanished.
"Captain. They are hailing us again," said the communications officer.
"Ignore them for now." The captain walked back over to his command chair and sat down.
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GALAXY AT WAR - Book 5 - The Paladin Knights
Science FictionPaladin Knight, Rebecca Chambers, has recruited and trained four additional Paladin Knights. She foresees the need to liberate humanity's closest neighbour, Osolieus, to prevent the war from reaching the Sol system through the StarGate that is due t...
