Space Knights: The Arrival by Gregory Samuelson (buy e reader .TXT) 📕

can tell that the barrier drive is settling down and we will begin to slow back to battle speed. Soon, my friend, you and your men will be able to scratch that itch of yours, and the end of this prophecy,” said Rattell as he rose. Both men clasped hands and headed for the door. In the hall Bruise turned his steps to head back toward the practice rooms to stay loose for the mission. Rattell returned to the bridge and resumed his seat in the command chair and felt more relaxed as he watched his command crew work their controls.

An hour passed as Rattell sat in his command chair and relaxed as the bridge crew flew the ship with utter calm. The crew knew their duties extremely well, for they were the best crew in the Boulthorian fleet. With expert skill they manned their systems and monitored the ship as well as scanning the space around them. All was going as planned. As the following hour passed Rattell got more into his usual battle-ready state of mind. His crew knew his moods and as he got up and stretched and paced the bridge, they focused more on their scanners and systems.

Then as the Boulthorian battleships were three-quarters of an hour away, a Lieutenant monitoring one of the forward scanning systems made an announcement. “Sir, I am picking up a large ship in orbit around Caldar.”

“That’s probably one of the pathetic ships guarding their planet. If it is there in our way, we’ll blow them away,” Rattell replied in a voice that was not troubled by the possibility of a Caldarian ship ahead of him.

However, the Lieutenant continued to study his monitor screen and his face started to change as he saw more ships appearing in the space around Caldar. In fact, from what he was seeing it appeared even from this distance that there were more ships around Caldar than the four that they were expecting. Finally as he checked and rechecked his monitor and turned to Rattell. “Ah, sir, I have a new report.”

“What is it,” said Rattell getting slightly aggravated about having his concentration being broken.

“Well sir, I have checked and rechecked my monitor, and I believe that there are more ships around Caldar than what we expected.”

“Oh, how many ships are there? You don’t have anything to fear. Our ships are more advanced and armed than theirs,” Rattell boasted.

The lieutenant checked the monitor one more time and shook his head before turning to give his commander the report. “Sir, there appear to be over fifty ships in the area we’re heading toward. In fact they are directly in line with us, and they aren’t Caldarian ships.”

Rattell was taken by surprise by the report. Why were there suddenly so many ships around Caldar? Where had they come from and why were they there? Could this prophecy be true? Could the Althorians know and want to protect the upcoming Griffin General? “There are over fifty! What kind of ships are they?”

The lieutenant took a deep breath and gave his report. “Ah sir, they’re not Caldarian or Althorian. It looks to me to be a blockade of Griffin Galleons.”

“Griffin Galleons,” stated Rattell, stunned and sitting back in his seat. His mind began to reel. Why in the universe were there that many Griffin ships around the planet? The Griffins usually didn’t send out their Galleons unless they were on a serious military mission. What would bring them here? The Griffin king himself usually didn’t even leave their home world of Graffes. This was extremely unusual.

“Sir, I can confirm the lieutenant’s report,” said a major, looking at his monitor. “My scope shows that there are in fact fifty-five Griffin Galleons as well as seventy smaller ships. Most are more Griffin ships; however, there are quite a few coming up that are Caldarian, Althorian, Venthurian, and various other craft.”

Rattell mulled this information in his mind for only a couple of minutes before he stood up and headed for his cabin. Once in his room Rattell went to the far wall and pushed a button that activated a desk and kytherum, the communication monitor. He then immediately pulled up his chair and sat and signaled Courak and Coalar. “As you have no doubt noticed, we have a rather serious problem.”

“Yes, we noticed,” commented Courak. “Now the issue at hand is what do we do? There’s no way we can get to the planet with that many ships against us. And it would be suicide to try to stand and fight.”

“I agree with Courak, it appears that our mission is bust. Personally I would relish the opportunity to take on a Griffin Galleon; however, I will not sacrifice myself or my ship and crew to assaulting this armada. My suggestion is that when we drop into regular space that we say that we are on a rescue mission and that we bluff our way to heading back home,” said Coalar.

Rattell thought about what the other two had said before speaking again. “You have both given some good thoughts. I hate the fact that for the first time in a very long time I won’t be able to even start a mission, let alone fail. What really bothers me is why they are here in the first place. The Griffins usually stay near the nest and don’t bring out their galleons unless they really mean business.”

“That’s true,” Coalar replied. “I don’t know why they are here, yet here they are. Now the issue is what do we do? My suggestion still stands.”

Courak took only a moment of consideration before he agreed. “I think that Coalar has a good idea. When we drop out of the barrier drive we tell the Griffins that we are heading for a rescue mission, and then we get out of here and head back home.”

Begrudgingly Rattell had to agree with his two fellow commanders. “Axlor will be furious with us. I have to agree that if we attempt to