Nowhere to Run Read Free Page B

look like there was more than just our ship attacking.”
    Abby looked at Gary, “What about the orbital defenses?”
    “We’ve locked on FTL missiles and they’ll hit just as G comes into normal space and fires on the surface.”
    “Gary, my systems are activated and are routed to your board.”
    Abbey looked at Gary and he reached forward, lifted a glass cover, and pressed the red button on his console. G jumped in close to the planet launched FTL missiles at the orbital defenses, and fired beams at the planet. Hundreds of nuclear explosions erupted on the surface sending a massive shock wave out that marched across the land mass as the White Ship jumped to the other side of the planet and a hundred more reactors were hit by brilliant beams coming from orbit. They watched as the shock waves rushed across the surface of the two continents, obliterating the giant cities. Bright red hot spots appeared glowing through the clouds where nuclear reactors were blown flat and their containment vessels ruptured causing them to burn into the planet’s surface. The nuclear fires sent tons of radioactive material soaring into the atmosphere joining the mushroom clouds which rose to sixty thousand feet and began releasing the highly radioactive particles back into the planet’s atmosphere. The particles were then spread around the planet by the high winds in the upper stratosphere.
    Gary watched the conflagration from orbit and saw that billions had been killed on the surface. There were billions more that survived the shock waves but they would only have ten days before they died of radiation poisoning. “The warships are coming back.”
    Gary sighed, “Get us back to the Hub, G.”
    The warships arrived and the Admiral was furious. His anger lasted five minutes as the second in command shot him with a blaster at the Second Councilor’s orders. The thousands of commercial vessels and warships in orbit saw they could do nothing to save the survivors. To enter the planet’s atmosphere was certain death. If they opened their ports to remove survivors, radioactive particles would enter the ships. They watched as the planet died. Many went to the two orbital platforms to see if anyone survived the massive missile strikes.
    • • •
    The First began receiving communications from the rest of the High Council and the Second told them that the Third had suggested they use his ships to start the search. The First had started getting his ships ready to join them when the planet was hit and he called off sending them.
    The only one that knew the truth was the Sixth Councilor when he saw the communication from the Third asking for assistance. He remained silent and knew that his planet would be the next one set up for destruction if he said anything. He decided that this was something that would have to be discussed by the members of the High Council that were not supporters of the First. The First was going to pay for this.
    • • •
    G arrived back at the Hub in time to intercept the conversation between the Admiral and the Hub Computer.
    “It looks like you are now in the First’s pocket.”
    “Here’s a news flash in case you’ve missed it, we all are.”
    The Computer paused and then said, “How do you account for the planet being hit so quickly?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Aeredom was hit as soon as the fleet left orbit and jumped away. There is only two ways it could have happened so quickly.” The Admiral was silent. The Hub Computer said, “They either have ships watching all our planets waiting for an opportunity to attack or they can hear our communications.”
    “I thought you said our conversations couldn’t be heard.”
    “I’ve used a revolving encryption and I know we would not be able to break it.”
    “Do you think the White Ships can do it?”
    “If they can, we are in deep trouble. That would indicate they are ahead of us technologically; and if you’re hearing this, you just killed more than