Alien Mine Ch. 09

Leslie sat still, a million thoughts running through her head. Making up her mind was suddenly easy. No, I can't go along; I have to find a way to let others know. Keeping her face blank, her mind went through her options. Outright refusal would get her nowhere, perhaps even killed. But if she played it right, she would get the chance.

The control scared her more than anything. If Rhys could take someone like her and force her to obey, to be part of the plan, there would be nothing to stop him from eventually ruling the world, creating a ruling class. Fuck she thought, I have to try and stay away from him; I can't let them seduce me again.

Rhys glanced at the other girls and nodded. Leslie had never been able to get rid of the low level of arousal that she seemed to feel around Rhys. She felt it growing for some reason, her body reacting even though her mind was screaming no! I have got to figure a way to block this mind control. Is this the ultimate goal? This group will control everyone? No one will have free will again? What can I do? Sandy was talking about plans, but all Leslie could think about was her rising lust and her failure to resist it. She tried to keep her face from showing excitement, but a familiar lassitude started to come over her. Leslie could feel her nipples tighten and become hard, almost poking out of her dress. She could see Thea was affected as well; the look on her face said it all.

Leslie felt Rhys' hands on her pulling her to her feet. Strong arms pulling her into a kiss, and oh God, the heat. Leslie's hips began to move of their own accord, pressing into Rhys, feeling him become hard.

The blissful moment was broken when Rhys pulled back, and she heard Sandy say...The Om, they are here.

***

Leslie suddenly felt empty, the lust wiped away in a second. What happened, she wondered, now alarmed and trying to comprehend what it meant that the Om were here.

Alarms went off, and a threat warning appeared on the tac grid." Om ship detected!"

"Activating stealth mode and combat configuration," Sandy said out loud while walking into the control room.

Thea, Kiania, and Amancia took up positions to operate the weapon systems and damage control. Leslie followed, desperately trying to clear her head and understand what was happening. The arousal her body had been feeling was replaced by fear, and adrenaline shot through her.

"Give Leslie and Thea a visual," Rhys ordered, and a hologram appeared that she could view.

They had been approaching the orbit of Jupiter when the ship had detected the Om heading 140 by 15 degrees nadir from their course. An image of the Om's vessel appeared floating next to the hologram, along with threat assessments and capabilities. A second one appeared on the sensors.

"Two of them," Sandy said, and Rhys felt information about them slot into his brain. Type of vessels, weapons capabilities, speed, and maneuverability along with a schematic. The Om vessels did not look right, Rhys thought, a weird combination of curves and bulges. The design was definitely alien in every sense.

"Have they detected us yet?" A graphic appeared in the hologram showing sensor detection range estimates and distances.

"We are still out of their sensor range, the AI estimates, but they will detect us before we can change course to avoid," Sandy said.

Rhys took a breath and a second to steady his nerves.

"I thought there were not any Om ships left in the solar system," Sandy said.

"They are not in weapons range," Amancia interjected.

"There were not supposed to be," Rhys replied, "Bob, what are we facing?"

"The AI had identified both of them as exploratory system vessels. "They are lightly armed, typically operating from a larger warp-capable ship. Armed with energy weapons, both plasma and beam, with limited missile capability. They appear to be headed out system, nadir, or below the planetary plane. They are smaller and less heavily armed than this vessel. Still, together the two of them are formidable," Bob announced verbally so everyone could hear.

Rhys, Amancia, Kiania, and Sandy could see the information as the AI provided detailed information over the link.

"They are moving at approximately 0.3 light," Sandy said. "Wherever they are going, they are in a hurry."

"Bob, is there any way to tell if these are from the Om ship that was destroyed, or are we seeing a new incursion?"

"These are not combat vessels; if it was a new incursion, we would see more capable vessels. Or nests as the Om refer to them. It is most likely they were already on Earth when the battle with the Drans took place. They may be trying to find the wreckage, salvage weapons, or perhaps worse, find enough surviving communications gear to contact other Om vessels."

"We can't let them do that; the shuttle is our one advantage. No telling what new weapons they may be able to salvage," Rhys said.

"What are our advantages, Bob?"

"The Om ships have limited missile technology defense against sprint mode missile attacks. Range diagrams appeared overlaid on the vectors. Rhys could see the effective range of each weapon and optimal firing solutions. He wished he could hand this off to someone else; this wasn't his kind of battlefield.

As Rhys concentrated, he felt something in his mind, like someone tapping softly and seeking entrance. He focused on that tiny area and felt the AI. Then it was as if a door opened, sucking him and the girls into it. Rhys could see and feel the ship with greater intensity, and he and the girls were all suddenly connected with the AI and with each other. Weapon information capabilities and engineering performance was slotted into their minds. Additional information poured in, tactics, Om capabilities, and threats, and recommended actions. This was much more than the tac grid they were used to. It was as if they had all become part of the ship, each knowing what the other was thinking, and the ship sensors were integrated into their minds, or is it one merged mind, Rhys wondered.

"What just happened? "Amancia said out loud as she could feel Rhys and the AI in her mind, but also Sandy and Kiania.

"I have strengthened the link with the AI," Bob said.

"God, that feels good," said Sandy in a sexy voice. "Being suddenly linked this tightly felt amazing. It's like I am even more of a part of the ship than before."

Rhys agreed. The data flow was fantastic, and now he had better access to tactical advice from the AI. As he examined the weapons and the Om ships' positions, he felt that new part of his mind in contact with the AI, and he began to see options for attacking and defending against the Om. Rhys realized the ship's AI was feeding him information, but it was more than that. It was as if he had suddenly been given a textbook on tactics that he already understood. It wasn't just him; Sandy Amancia and Kiania were all there with him, all of them seeing and absorbing the information. Weapon capabilities, missile types, energy weapons, and ranges were suddenly slotted into their minds.

Interacting in this way allowed them to make decisions at the speed of thought. Rhys and the girls quickly sorted through their options. Whatever the Om were trying to do could not be good for the Earth. Right now, the shuttle's stealth field was their most significant advantage, and they needed to take advantage of it to even the odds.

"Ok," Rhys said, "whatever they are doing here, we need to destroy them if possible."

Rhys projected confidence he did not feel. While their ship gave them several advantages, he had never fought a battle like this. Despite his own doubts, the girls felt a wave of calm, their nerves steadied, and their confidence suddenly verged on arrogance.

Oops, a little too much, Rhys thought, toning it down.

"Bringing up the energy screens," Kiania said before Rhys could actually tell her.

Rhys was startled as strength parameters, defense capabilities, and frequencies appeared before his eyes. The four minds and the AI exchanged ideas, measured capabilities, and went through their options. Tactics and weapons were considered and an attack plan agreed upon at the speed of thought. Three missiles sped away. They were closing the Om, and the combined V was almost 0.4 light making the missiles harder to intercept.

"The Om will detect the incoming in three seconds, launch the next three in 2.5 seconds," Rhys ordered.

The missiles carried their own countermeasures against decoys and jamming; the Om would only have seconds to respond. The next set of missiles brought a much more sophisticated stealth field. These were large, and the shuttle could only carry ten of them. They would accelerate quickly then go inactive and loiter until the target was in range. What made them so effective was their final acceleration. Once activated, their drive fields would not last long, but they sprint accelerated to 0.5 light as soon as they were detected.

The AI gave them launch courses based on the prediction that the Om would continue on their current path. The distance between them was one light minute and closing fast.

"The relativistic effects are severe at this speed," Sandy noted.

They were seeing the light wave of where the Om had been, not where they were now. But the Om likewise had to deal with the similar effects of their ship.

"We are in detection range of the Om," Rhys noted for Thea and Leslie.

The Om ships appeared to vomit missiles the second they detected the shuttle. "Eight incoming," Kiania said. Tracking information showed projected missile tracks and velocities.

"Maneuver," Rhys commanded.

Sandy flipped the ship end for end and decelerated at the maximum the shuttle could stand. It was disorienting as the gravitonic capacitors strained to keep the ship from collapsing in on itself. Rhys felt nausea sweep over him, but then it was gone. The missiles intended for them were aimed at where they would have been had they continued on course.

Sandy flipped them again and accelerated at max.

"Random evasion sequence," the AI announced, and the ship began twisting and turning, changing speed while still maintaining the course it was on.

"They are commencing counter-battery fire," Kiania called out as the Om suddenly maneuvered and more ordnance was detected.

Sandy brought them down relative to the planetary plane and to the right in a long turn that would put the Om in a stern chase. The first two of their missiles were destroyed by beam weapons. Some kind of energy weapon Rhys noted to himself. The third missile managed to partially avoid the defense and exploded just off the side. It was not a direct hit, but the ship slowed suddenly, indicating probable damage.

"Enemy vessel remains 80% effective," Sandy said, changing course, so they were heading directly away from the Om ships. They were leading them in a stern chase but remaining just within their detection range. Both Om ships followed, turning to pursue.

Three of the incoming missiles had target lock on them and were coming too fast to maneuver away from. Counter missiles fired, and Amancia used the beam weapons as point defense. Counter missile fire got one, then Amancia nailed one with the lasers. The third one was intercepted by another missile but not before getting close.

"Now, let's see if the trap we left works," said Rhys.

"Going evasive," Sandy said as the sensors reported another launch of incoming missiles. Kiania began laying down counter-battery fire along the most probable incoming trajectories. Seconds later, the missiles they had launched that had been loitering came out of stealth and went into sprint mode. Acceleration to 50% speed of light in seconds meant a closing rate of almost 0.7 light speed. The Om had no time to respond. Point defense got one, but the other was a direct hit. At those speeds, there was nothing left of the Om's vessel.

"One down," Kiania said as the blazing flash of light subsided. "It looks like the largest pieces left are about the size of a quarter, so I don't think there will be any survivors."

Rhys had never seen a flash of light like that. The energy release of two objects colliding at relativistic speeds created an explosion of light and energy that would be seen from Earth. Well, that was a problem for another time.

"That will be detected by sensors in space; no way to hide it," Rhys said, looking at Leslie.

She didn't reply; that seemed like a minor problem now.

"The remaining ship is accelerating to engage us; we will be in weapons range of them in 30 seconds," Amancia said.

"Fire three more, Amancia," Rhys ordered.

Three missiles left the shuttle headed for the alien ship. The Om ship went evasive, and their point defense got the one missile that managed to lock on.

As the surviving Om vessel came within range of its weapons, the shuttle began maneuvering. Sandy threw them into a randomized avoidance pattern being run by the ship's AI.

Kiania began firing a long-range beam weapon that they referred to as the disrupter. As best as they could tell, it would cause ordinary matter to just fall apart by breaking the molecular bonds holding it together. Matter just seemed to disappear whenever the beam came in contact. The ships were still light seconds apart, so she was firing based upon where the AI estimated the Om ship would be, but the Om were taking avoiding action as well. That was fine, it slowed their progress toward them, and they might get lucky, Rhys thought.

Kiania was using high-energy laser weapons as well. These were mainly defensive in nature, seemingly designed more for point defense. Still, the power could be concentrated in a single laser making it an effective long-range weapon as well.

"No other ships detected ahead," noted Sandy. "The sensors cannot detect anything in the direction they were headed; we can outrun them and then go into stealth."

Rhys started to reply when suddenly Sandy said, "good idea, executing." Rhys had barely formed his thoughts when she grasped what he was thinking and took action. The shuttle had taken a few hits on their energy screens. But they were at long range, and the problems of the delay in time meant most of those missed.

"Bob, where was the battle between the Om and Drans when I was aboard?"

Coordinates and a spatial grid of the solar system sprang into being, with the position plotted.

"It looks like they were heading for the site of the battle," Rhys said. "They must think there is something worth salvaging to risk their ships like this."

"That would be a problem; they must not be allowed to escape. The Om will be back in force if they learn we are operating here." Bob said.

Everything just got more complicated.

Leslie had watched in awe and more than a little fear as Rhys and the girls had engaged actual aliens in combat. The whole trip had been beyond anything she had ever dreamed about. They were communicating over the link as Rhys had explained it. Still, she had detected the change when they came under attack. Leslie could sense the difference in them, changes in body posture, the aroused look on the women's face, and she could almost feel the aggression and eagerness flowing off Rhys.

Despite her fear, her body responded to whatever was happening. Sexual excitement suddenly climbing, her nipples hard as if she was about to have sex. It was confusing and exhilarating, and her fear receded.

Rhys looked her way and smiled. "We are going to continue to maintain our evasive maneuvers, but we are still able to gradually draw away. We took a few hits while scoring a few ourselves, but neither vessel was damaged," he said by way of explanation.

"How long do you think they will follow us?'' Sandy asked?

"The Om have quit firing and are resuming their original course. We are out of their effective weapons range, but they can still detect us. We are faster and are pulling away. Soon we can reactivate stealth mode, slip away if we want," answered Rhys. "After that, well, let's see what happens. We need to know what they are doing here."

"The Om are outgunned, yet they are not running for Earth. There must be something important if they are willing to risk another ship. They can't have many on Earth, or we would have seen them," Amancia said.

I agree," Rhys said. We can't just let them go, stay out of range but let's use our speed and see if we can get there first, wherever there is. Be cautious as we get close; if there is more left of the Om ship than we thought, they may have active weapons.

"According to the coordinates, it is a six-hour run from here," Sandy said.

Rhys turned to Leslie, "come help me fix dinner, I don't know about the rest of you, but I am getting hungry."

Leslie jumped when he spoke to her. "How can you think about eating at a time like this?"

"Easy," Rhys said. "One thing I learned in the Army was to eat and sleep whenever you get the chance; you never know when the opportunity will come again."

"I can help too," said Thea, "unless you need me to stay here."

"Stay at the station, please," Rhys said, "at least until we are sure we are remaining undetectable."

Leslie followed him into the kitchen. "I don't have a lot of culinary skills, never had the time to learn or the interest, to be honest."

"Neither do I,'' said Rhys, "the girls tell me I should stay out of the kitchen for everyone's sake, but they need to remain at their stations for a bit. Besides, the ship will do most of the cooking."

"You don't need to be there?"

Rhys tapped his head, "I am linked in, I can see everything they can, and I am only a few steps from the bridge, so we get to fix dinner."

Leslie stopped with a concerned expression on her face. "Good God, Rhys, I can't believe I am in an alien spaceship; we just killed members of an alien race we have never met!" she said somberly, looking at him closely. "It doesn't feel right; it's just never how I would ever imagine meeting an alien race."

"I know, me either, but we have had a couple of months or so to adjust, and we have Bob, and it keeps us sane most of the time," he said.

"It doesn't bother you, does it," she said, her expression blank, like all emotion had been wiped off her face. "I watched the other girls; it didn't bother them either. They seemed excited about it."

"What are we supposed to feel? They have been doing their best to kill us every chance they get."

"What did you feel, Rhys?

He was quiet for a few seconds. "Fear at first, I was afraid I wouldn't know what to do, that I might let everyone down. Then relief that we were alive, that we survived our first space combat. Satisfaction when they were destroyed, pride at the way we all worked together to defeat them. You are Director for Clandestine Operations. How do you feel when you order a drone missile to take out a target, or when an enemy asset is taken out?"

Leslie kept her face blank. I feel little. Satisfaction if it goes well, but I found early on that I had to divorce myself from the emotions that go with the job. It's too easy to start enjoying it, to see everything as a target to be taken out. That leads to disastrous decisions; killing always escalates tensions. Sometimes it's necessary, but I never let myself gloat or feel enjoyment when a target is destroyed."

"Yes, it's necessary to keep a perspective in your job. That's one of the reasons we chose you. But this isn't a fight amongst humans; it's humans against aliens who want to destroy the Earth and us. It's a total war as if the Huns were sweeping down into the cities. But even then, it was other humans. A civilization might have been destroyed, hundreds of thousands of innocents slaughtered. However, humans were still alive at the end of the day. If we lose this, we lose everything... forever. It's a total war for survival, Leslie." Rhys stepped closer, looking down into her eyes. "I will do anything, use anyone, make any decision necessary for the human race to survive."