Re-Creator of Universes - Book 4 of Re-Forge

Alien Attack

The alert klaxon called staff to battle stations on every ship in the fleet. On SP2, the current flagship for humankind, Admiral Matt Black, sprinted from the Gym to stand next to the Command Chair, and he asked: "Captain, give me a situation report... Stat."

Captain Sharon Black answered: "Admiral, our ships patrolling the Oort cloud perimeter are informing me that there are planet-sized objects incoming. WAIT! ... Oh, My God. We have two Jupiter-size planets incoming from exact opposite sides of the compass. Their target is the Sun, and they will impact simultaneously. Admiral, they are moving at incredible speed."

Matt said: "Such an action makes this an unprovoked, act of war."

Then, to Matt's, Flagship SP, he asked: "SP2, how long do we have until impact, and can you see them approaching yet?"

SP2 said: "No, Admiral, they are out of my range, but from transmitted data, I estimate that we have minus twenty-nine hours. I added the Sun's gravity effect in my calculations as it will help them accelerate as they approach."

Matt said: "If they impact, we're goners, how fast are they going?"

SP2 said: "Approximately thirty-million kilometres per hour and accelerating, Admiral."

Matt ordered: "SP2, open a channel, I need to broadcast, fleet-wide."

SP2 said "Admiral, 'B' Sharp is the best tool for this. It has a channel open. It may help you if I initiate the Battle Command and Control, holo-display."

Matt walked quickly into the 'BCC' as the holographic display ballooned to fill the small hall and ordered: "Give me a full system view, SP2."

Then Matt donned his holographic interface gloves while he studied the tactical display and thought: "Okay, take a few seconds, we can't fight this directly, and I don't think we can outrun what this means... but united, we are strong."

Matt didn't speak at first but directed all ships with his interface gloves as if he was conducting an orchestra. In this way, he ordered every vessel in the system to form up around either Eden or Luna, whichever was closest. Then he gave the verbal order, saying: "All ships, accelerate to the positions indicated at full power, fastest trajectory. We have minus twenty-nine hours to impact.

Matt had directed Eden to park in the sun-shadow of Neptune and Luna to park in the sun-shadow of Uranus, as the colony ships were closest to those two planets, but on opposite sides of the sun.

Matt took off his gloves and folded his arms across his chest to watch as he saw the ships begin moving toward their targets. Satisfied that every ship was moving as ordered, He left the BCC.

He looked at Sharon as he passed and said: "I'm going for a run in the Gym; I need time to think."

Kilometres passed tirelessly under Matt's running shoes as he thought, "The goal is survival. The priorities are to investigate, control, then... retaliate. That is, if we survive this catastrophic event."

So... What is my desired outcome if we survive this? We must be stronger to face the next challenge. Right, because it won't stop with one attack. They will hammer us until we are extinct. I'm beginning to think everyone in the universe wants us dead."

Where are all my super-smart people? We need to discuss how to survive so I can make the best decisions. Fifteen months has passed since the reptiles departed. Surely, something like this is way beyond their ability."

Matt asked: "SP2, what's our ETA to Eden?"

SP2 answered: "Minus one hour and thirty-two minutes, Admiral."