Star Crusades Nexus: Book 06 - Call to Arms Read Free Page A

T’Kari.
    “T’Kron?”
    He smiled at her and replied through his translators.
    “I am here at the request of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.”
    General Rivers.
    “What are you doing here?” he asked, “I thought you were with reinforcements for T’Karan?”
    “That’s a good point, T’Kron. We were hit coming through the Spacebridge. Only one ship made it through.”
    It took a moment for his translators to do their work, but once done, his expression changed from a relaxed smile to a tense look.
    “That is bad news. My exiles are spread thin at the moment. We do not have the forces for T’Karan on our own.”
    Teresa raised an eyebrow.
    “You think the Biomechs will try and take the colonies in T’Karan?”
    T’Kron nodded.
    “Yes. Even with the Jötnar barracks on Luthien, it will be difficult. The Prophecy speaks of a great devourer that will swallow Helios and then every world. Helios has already put out the call, and all available ships are heading for its defense.”
    Teresa had seen the reports, as well as the lists of ships from the many races that had been sent to bolster the world’s defenses. At first she had given little thought to the general strategy of the enemy, but as she listened to T’Kron, her mind began to explore other alternatives. He continued to speak before finally stopping and watching at her. She noticed him and apologized, looking at him sheepishly.
    “I’m sorry. Where were you?”
    T’Kron was unfazed by her lack of attention.
    “You were thinking of the enemy? You have other ideas for them?”
    Teresa was used to their speed of thought and well-trained and logical minds. Even so, she was still surprised to see that her thinking process was so transparent to them.
    “Yes. I have concerns.”
    T’Kron indicated for her to walk with him a little further along the vast hangar space.
    “Tell me, please.”
    Teresa looked at the ship being built and recalled the awful creatures and carnage that had occurred on this uncomfortably hot planet.
    “The Biomechs. We know they are a hybrid race of biomechanical creatures that were treated almost as gods on their worlds.”
    “Yes, that is true. Before they made contact with us, the Helions and the others, they ruled over many domains. Their experiments in biomechanics repulsed all of us though. Before our terrible war, we learned that all of them were hundreds, and some even thousands of years old.”
    “So what is their end game?” asked Teresa.
    T’Kron didn’t quite understand the terminology and had to check his own records before answering.
    “We have never worried too much about this. Mere survival against the Machine Gods was enough.”
    Teresa shook her head.
    “No, we know they attempted to dominate your race, along with the others. There’s no reason to think they do not want to finish this. The question is, how?”
    “I might have a few ideas about that.”
    Teresa recognized the voice and turned about to see the gruff old figure of General Cornwallis, the Chief of Defense for the Alliance Marine Corps. She only met him briefly before, but his voice and upper class accent were hard to forget.
    “General, what are you doing here?”
    A number of other senior officers gathered around them while others continued on along the designated pathways to the central hub of the base. He spoke with a junior officer and sent him off on an errand before continuing to speak with her.
    “General Rivers’ strategy is to split our forces, with half defending our key territories here and in T’Karan while and the remainder are heading to Helios. I’m here to assist Admiral Anderson in implementing this new plan.”
    “Teresa Morato?” asked a brusque voice.
    It could easily have been that of a large man, but when she twisted her head, she spotted the oversized shapes of a large group of Jötnar lurking about near a shuttle. One of them had broken away and was heading toward her.
    “Olik?” she asked with