Recruit: Book One of the Universal Conflict ( Under Constant Editing)

Chapter 38

  The fleet came out of stardrive four lightyears from the Sha'agra system and immediately cloaked to avoid detection. Here they dispersed the programmers ships around the system to stand by for the orders to disable all traffic on the ground and those going in or out of the system. The cloaked battleships stopped just outside the system. Drones launched and immediately cloaked for surveillance to determine the threat level on the surface.

  Gwersa sat next to Chuff as he flew his drone over the squad's sector, Shoure was his wingman, keeping his eyes open for aerial countermeasures.

  The scene on the ground showed mature Ruchkitay performing daily routines, no sense of urgency that preceded a swarming. It was noticed that they were on edge for some reason.

  "This one is going to be tough." Cory declared, unhappily "We should pull back while we inform the troops. I'll go tell the Commander. Continue surveillance, set down where you can see what's going on."

  When Cory got to the bridge he found T'ilvesh at the scanner station. The Commander looked worried, pacing back and forth behind the officer manning the console.

  "I don't like this," T'ilvesh said "something doesn't feel right. I just can't figure out what."

  "I think you're right." Cory interjected "There's something off, but what?"

  T'ilvesh shrugged his shoulders "What's on your mind, Cory."

  "I came to request falling back," Cory said "we can set up observation posts on world and off. We need more intelligence before we commit to an offensive. You're right, something's wrong. We need to find out what it is first."

  T'ilvesh immediately issued the orders to fall back leaving surveillance in place to monitor the planets surface. As the ship turned to leave the scanners warned of a warp opening just beyond the systems outer planets orbit.

  Out of the wormhole came a ship to rival the Retailator in size. As Cory and T'ilvesh watched, the massive vessel headed to Sha'agra. If the ship contained reinforcements it meant the Ruchkitay had found out about the reclamation efforts.

  "Programmers, disable that ship but do not evacuate the atmosphere." T'ilvesh ordered, turning to Cory "Let's find out who or what is in that ship before we act."

  "You don't think it's Ruchki's?" Cory asked "Can we hack the internal comm system of that ship?"

  "Get Tij here,ASAP!" T'ilvesh ordered.

  "Sir," Shree acknowledged as she contacted the programmers ships to relay the Commanders orders.

  Turning to Cory, T'ilvesh motioned to join him in the ready room. Cory closed the door behind him then sat across from T'ilvesh and waited while the Commander sat, trying to put what he felt into words.

  T'ilvesh had never felt this type of apprehension before. Sure, he had been cautious on more than one reclamation, but this planet had him scared. Very scared. He struggled to put it into words that wouldn't make him appear weak. Sensing his struggle Cory spoke up first.

  "You need to be careful," Cory started "it's dangerous to attack before you know what you're up against."

  "It doesn't make me look like a coward?" T'ilvesh asked "I can't afford to have the rest of the fleet see me as weak."

  "I see you as trying to keep your crews alive." Cory responded "Don't act rashly. That's what gets people killed."

  "Sir," Shree interrupted "Tij will be here in twenty minutes."

  "Thank you, Shree." T'ilvesh said "Now we wait."

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  Tij came into the ready room wondering why he had been called to the Revenge. His work was on the programmers ship overseeing the disabling of all ships entering or leaving the system.