Read Online The Slaver Wars: First Strike (The Slaver Wars Book Four) by Raymond L. Weil - Free Book Online

power beams and the new Devastator Three missiles may be able
to take them out; we won’t know until we have a chance to engage them. Our new
strike cruisers have been designed just for that purpose.”
    “As you said,
we will deal with the AIs when they make an appearance,” Admiral Kalen said in
agreement, focusing his attention on the Fleet Admiral. “Let’s just hope that’s
not too soon. Now, how large is the Ready Reserve Fleet you’re turning over to Admiral
Streth?”
    Karla pressed
an icon on her computer pad and the numbers came up. “There are twenty-four
Conqueror class battle cruisers, twenty-four Galaxy class battle carriers,
forty-eight Monarch heavy cruisers, one hundred and twenty light cruisers, and one
hundred and forty destroyers.”
    “That’s a
sizable fleet,” Governor Malleck commented. Then his eyes narrowed. “But most
of those ships are close to twenty years old! I don’t know if I feel
comfortable putting Admiral Streth in a Conqueror class battle cruiser with
paint peeling off its hull.”
    “I agree,”
said Colonel Grissim, shaking her head disapprovingly. “I realize that a ten to
twenty year old battle cruiser is a still powerful ship, but I would like
Admiral Streth’s flagship to be one of our newer models.”
    “We would be
willing to provide a suitable flagship,” Admiral Telleck volunteered. He
thought that one of the newer Conqueror class battle cruisers would be more
suitable; they had several that had been completed in the massive construction
bays of Ceres in just the past year.
    Admiral Johnson
allowed a fleeting smile to cross her face. “I never said we weren’t sending
any new ships. Admiral Streth’s flagship will be the new Vanquisher class
battleship that is currently under construction at New Tellus Station. We will
also be sending two new Conqueror class battle cruisers, two new Galaxy class
battle carriers, four of the new Monarch heavy cruisers and eight of our new
strike cruisers as support ships for the StarStrike.”
    “The
StarStrike!” Admiral Teleck spoke in a stunned voice, his eyes widening at
hearing the name of the ship.
    “Yes, the
StarStrike,” repeated Karla, grinning. Then, with an even larger smile, “What
other name could we choose for Admiral Streth’s flagship?”
    -
    Admiral Streth
opened his eyes and, for a moment, everything looked white, then his eyes began
to focus and he started seeing colors. “Be patient, Admiral,” a woman’s gentle voice
spoke close to his head. “Your eyesight should return shortly.”
    Gradually the
room came into focus, and Hedon began to make out objects around him. “How
long?” he managed to croak out, realizing that his throat felt parched.
“Water.”
    “Here, drink
this,” the woman doctor next to him said, handing him a glass.
    He reached up
and had trouble holding it, so she helped him as he took a couple of swallows.
Then, laying his head back down on the pillow, he looked at the doctor
inquiringly.
    “I am Doctor
Evelyn Reynolds, and I am in charge of the cryosleep units here on Ceres.”
    “Why have I
been awakened?” asked Hedon surprised at how weak he felt. Comparing this to
the last time he had been awoken he realized that a very long time must have
passed.
    Doctor
Reynolds looked at Admiral Streth and then replied in a calm and extremely
respectful voice. “It’s been nearly two hundred and seventy years since your
last awakening, and it is time to fight the Hocklyns.”
    -
    Admiral Streth
gazed curiously at this new admiral who wore the rank of Fleet Admiral. Hedon
wondered briefly how that was going to work as he also wore the same rank.
    They were
seated in a small conference room. Hedon had insisted the meeting be held
somewhere else besides his hospital room. He also felt better being dressed in
his fleet uniform; it made everything seem more familiar and easier to accept.
    Two orderlies
had helped him walk to the meeting room, which was inside the hospital. He
still