17 - Forever Defend

<< Never Surrender

Ages - Kurtherian Gambit - The Kurtherian Gambit

Might Makes Right >>

Events in this book occur about 13 years after end of Book 16. Yoll has settled down, is becoming a center of interest to other systems. Bethany Anne meets with Ixtalis, Estarians, Yaree (Karillians), and has first contact with Kurtherian-enhanced group (Leath), who are trying to exterminate the Yaree. Etheric Empire battles Leath, drives them off Yaree planet (Karillia). Along the way there are encounters with slavers, pirates, and such, as well as the formation and development of Bad Company. ArchAngel II is launched, Gabrielle and Eric have twins, Stephen and Jennifer settle down as a couple.

Pirates

Chapter 09

After checking for support defenses and finding none, Pirate ship F’zeer addresses Commercial Transport ship K’leen Ii n the Gorn system.Tabitha, Ranger II, on ship, awaiting attack, with Ryu, Hirotoshi, and others. . Wants Captain M'rin to tell her where they might be boarded. F'zeer Captain Brell addresses K’leen II. Pay tribute for going through system, or be captured as slaves. Join Pirates if want to live.M’rin Captain refuses.

Brell tells Strill to control the K’leen’s bridge, shoot someone to do so. Control engine rooms by destroying the motors.F’zeer boards K’leen, Tabitha & Ryu board F’zeer. Skaine battleship on the way to help enforce pirate demands. Tabitha boards F'zeer. Barnabas on the way. Barnabas notifies Bethany Anne that he needs ArchAngel to help Tabitha.

Tabitha on pirate ship, being attacked. Places blue ray in hallway, turns it on.

Tabitha calls Achronyx, to take out attackers with pucks. It happens. Tabitha attacks the Bridge.

Tabitha, Achronyx and Elites explode the pirate ship.

Battleship watches Achronyx approach. Tabitha appears on Bridge screens, issues challenge.Appears inside screens, blast a few holes in side of Schlett, runs to other empty location. Schlett follows, starts to annihilate Achronyx. until Barnabas and ArchAngel II show up, missiles, kill. Skaine Battleship Shllettt (Captain Bok) surrenders.

Empire Business

Chapter 21

On QBBS Meredith Reynolds, in the “throne room”. Ixtalis, 1st mission was for spying. 2nd mission demanded trade, etc.) Missions failed. This was their 3rd(negotiations) attempt.

Bethaany Anne to meet with Ixtalis first, then Estarians, then Yaree.

Senior Principal Trade Legate Addix, with no tech support, meets with Bethany Anne, to ask for help. Member of ruling Ixtali Council.

BA thinks she was set up to be killed, thereby killing BA at the same time. ADAM can shut down her switch, and does so.

X’Bock sends the kill command. Bethany Anne throws X’Bock into Etheric, stuns 4 others. Addix wakened, watches X’Bock go into Etheric forever. Bethany Anne reads Addix’ mind for truth.

Offers her a mind-reading session, or full return to her group, and she handles the consequences. Addix choses mind-reading. Bethany Anne reads Addix.

It is explained that power for power’s sake is bad. Power as a tool is useful Ixtali need to make a choice. Neutral is impossible. Addix goes back to her Council, to try to handle matters better.

Rep. Addix wants to meet just when first defensive material being shipped out. Must be earlier, as Bethany Anne plans to go out with first deployment. But twins getting out of Pod then, so she has to be around for them, so she will not be going out with the first batch. Addix meets with Bethany Anne, learns that her kill switch had been turned off, and that, in the future, every kill switch would be turned off if any Etheric ship was nearby. Bethany Anne wants information from Ixtalis, as she and forces will be gone fighting Kurtherians.

Estarians, Senior Delegate Cannock, feel physical response to Bethany Anne. VERY unusual! Gabrielle meets him, was assigned to talk to him before Bethany Anne was to meet with him in private. Estarians merchants, not fighters, Came for fighters. Bethany Anne will fight for them against the Leath (Kurtherians).

Yoll needs planet to which Earth people can migrate, without too many negative feelings. Estaria and Ogg fit that description. Estarians looking for an arms-length friendly relationship. Could “tap on shoulder” if needed help .Humans would like 7 bases, (militaristic) in Asteroid belt, deeded to humans, supplied, manned by humans, no need to know by Estarians. Could protect Estarians if alien ships attacked. One asteroid, Gaitune-67, would have atmosphere, small town.Developed by an Estarian Company, so no questions asked.Want a solid defense before any migration might occur. If Estarians ever tried to enslave humans, they would be destroyed.

Yaree. Similar to Earth gypsies. Traveled the systems. Were mis-represented, so want to tell Bethany Anne of their true history, or kill her to keep it secret if they could not trust her (Guards knocked out, delegates challenged for weapons/killing means carried). .Had been waiting their turn, when called to her throne. 5e in the Delegate’s group. Tomthum leads, with sub-delegate Caspise. Had been hiding the truth since they came, need help. They were originally called Karillians. Agreed to help them, housed them overnight for a meeting next morning with Military advisors.

Empress is disappearing, and Queen Bitch will be coming back.

Bethany Anne speaks to Yollin/population from Open Court on Meredith Reynolds. Relinquished Crown of Empress, to go out and fight the Kurtherians, as the Queen Bitch. Barnabas witnesses Sarah & Johnny, on eighth level, invites them to see ArchAngel, as a reward for loyalty and support.

Bad Company; Recruits R'yhek; Recruits Shi-tan

Chapter 19

R'yhek see small Human, speaks Yollin, wants to talk to R’yhek. Named Christina. Fixes hind back-plates so they don’t hurt him any longer.

Nathan and Ecaterina join them in bar. Christina loses her bet with ADAM.

Drinks Pepsi that R’yhek made. Right ingredients! Delicious! Have a job for him

Asked R’yhek to join them. He agreed, gave bar to N’Nook.

R’yhek agrees to join group. Makes best Pepsi EVER! Joins Bad Company.

Nathan presents R’yhek (R'yhek the Red) to Prometheus for medical review and enhancement. Accepted. R’yhek enters pod. All Pepsi came with him. Bounty hunter after a thief (Kiel). A set-up. Kiel punched him, Shi-tan shot Kiel with a thrim-pistol. Took Kiel to ship, then back to Yollin space. Shadow ship following Shi-Tan’ ship.

Powerdrive approaching Yoll. Wanted three barrels of Coke this time. Slightly addictive, but wants it.

Kiel to be delivered to Bad Company, at all Guns Blazing Bar .Bethany Anne pays bounty to Shi-tan, then recruits him for Bad Company, as a mercenary. No more bounty hunting for him! Shi-tan, R’yhek, Nathan go to Eudos to interview another candidate.

Shi-Tan, R’yhek, Nathan, Ecaterina, Christina go to bar (Dirtside Bar), start a fight. Bastek sees fight start, jumps down into middle to control it. Going bad – someone puled a laser. Yollins, miners (who hated humans). Pistols fired, Bastek shot in chest. Christina helps fight. Nathan turns Pricolici, joined by Shi-tan. And ends fight. After healing in Pod, Bastek joins Bad Company as Chief Medical Officer.

Fight with the Leath

Chapter 23

Bethany Anne realizes that Karillians will be fighting Kurtherian- modified race on their home planet, and she WILL be in that fight! Bethany Anne has been slowly going crazy “Empressing”. And needs a fight, or she’ll blow her top. Sequester her in a low-risk area? Best to hope for. Less than 6 months to prepare for war on Karillian soil. Attacked methodically over last 500 years, every 70 years. 6 attacks so far, seventh in 6 months. Want to exterminate Karillians, use planet as base. Karillians now a part of Etheric Empire.(Sent Articles of Agreement to Karillian leadership) Need to anticipate quantity of fighters, based on past experience. Enemy’s enhancements, based on delta between each invasion.What is needed to get back in and out again.

Tom believes the Phraim-‘Eh clan is behind this attack, (Similar to Germans, during WWII). Fighting will be on main land mass. Two months to move defensive arrays to Karillian, 2 months to dig in. Bethany Anne insists on being tin the middle of it all.

ArchAngel high in sky, 5 other G’laxix Sphaea-class warships, anticipating attack in planet. Has chosen pyramid-looking structures already built (500 ft high), hundreds of years before, by Karillians. Everyone wondering at her strategy. She has special goodies” E’Kolorn had prepared, being sent out just before attacks. New super-dreadnought will deliver them depart back to Yoll. Bethany Anne agrees to let Gabrielle fight with Eric.Has imported 12 old shipping containers from first earth moon base. Setting up three defensive positions, one, and octagon, with Team BMW’s new anti-grav shields on three sides. Twelve shipping containers placed around sides, on ground in jungle, one, a rusty old container, sliding into the pyramid itself.

Forces separated into Quarters: 4 to a team, 4 teams to a section. All sections dropped together. Looked like incandescent strings coming out of the sky, raining death on those below. Sixth time this planet attacked, time to get rid of all of its defenders, permanently, and move Leath forces onto bigger challenges. Over 1000 pods, from each of 20 ships, spread over main continent. Waits until they are down before firing. First shot (puck) took out Quarter Fourth D’shock, lifting him, slamming him into his Pod, denting it.

Bethany Anne and John go down personally to inspect first battlefield. Shot out several sections of aliens. Back at ArchAngel, a massive warship appeared out of the Gate, ArchAngel began firing at it. If the land forces did not succeed, Warship would pulverize planet with small asteroids captured and deployed onto planet. Dust, etc., might bring on Ice Age that would destroy planet for centuries, until Kurtherians would reclaim it.

Bethany Anne throws fireballs at incoming Leaths, destroys them. Kinetics from above bury all of Bethany Anne’s ammo (bad planning), and she calls for rescue. A G’laxix Sphaea-class warship will try to rescue her and Teams. ArchAngel II destroys Leath Deluge.

Julianna Feigen and Ei partner get through Gate, to recon space beyond, into Leath system, Julianna piloting by hand (Mind-comm knocked out by one hit on her ship.

Bethany Anne managed to get everyone into Etheric before Leaths hit top of Pyramid, collapsed it with kinetic shells Sheltered in cave in back of pyramid.Pyramid being attacked by 4 large tri-pedal mechanical tanks, attacking cave with rockets. Bethany Anne drops one of the flying shipping containers on one, crushes it. Three tanks fire 7 missile into pyramid, destroying top, four flying into cave opening, destroying cave. Bethany Anne had moved them all, through Etheric, into attack position behind the tanks. Killed several more of the land troops.Bethany Anne and John capture 3 remaining land tanks, attacking Leath ground forces.

Torcellan Ship Luxurious

Chapter 19

Tabitha, Elites & Dio on ship, on vacation, going back to Meredith Reynolds, when notice of unexpected stop occurs, to check on a distress Call from their sector. Tabitha & Elite don armor, go to bridge. Skaines notify Bridge that they were not in distress, and that they were waiting to capture the Luxurious. Tabitha makes herself known, and Skaines departs in 3 different directions. Tabitha meets with Captain, and explains situation –

Clarified situation. Had no plans to be on ship to back up Captain, as they were on vacation. Captain is setting them up for receiving a large reward for helping ship. Tabitha and Elite plan to use it to invest in land, clean it up, re-sell it, and make more money to do the same. A “piece of land of their own”.

Riot on Yoll - Follow-up

Chapter 05

Follow-up. Commanded building be shelled – pushing hands down from the top – causing dust storm, killing all 172 rebels. Left Queen’s message.

“May this warning help the next generation learn not to become Caste in their thoughts. There are no Kolin, Chloret, Mont, Shuk, or Kiene. Yoll is for Yollins. Everyone deserves a chance to spread their talents toward the stars - The Queen Bitch.”

Message from Yuko

Chapter 15

Earth had gone to hell, and rebelled against the Vamps, and all friends of TQB. Almost all gone. Human-created Gates can’t go that far yet, so no hope of going back. Bethany Anne grieves, with Eric, over loss of all of her friends.

Cats

Chapter 17

Cat missing for two days, in Karillian stuff they were packing?Also, Bobcat messed up a batch of beer, And Yelena tasted it first. Yes, John Grimes DOES find cat in Karillian materials, on the planet

Gabrielle's pregnancy. Difficult.

Chapter 18

The nanocytes TOM had used and the ones Eric had transferred the good old-fashioned way were mixing in the twins inside Gabrielle, and there were…complications.

So Gabrielle helping in the diplomatic areas (non-physical)

TOM has reported that Medi-pod is having difficulty manipulating twin’s nanocytes while they are inside Gabrielle.TOM and ADAM want them inside the pod doc immediately. Simulations show 87% chance of success. ADAM guarantees success. Gabrielle up in 30 minutes, nanocytes re-programmed for better. So be it. Two healthy twin boys emerge from Pod, Stephen Michael Escobar, and John Michael Escobar.

Gabrielle announces she will be taking Eric's name, Escobar, and that they will be married. divorce would be VERY painful.

17 Epilogue

Chapter Epilogue

Leath gone from Karillian Planet, all back on Yoll, Meredith Reynolds. Ricky Bob sending back info on Leath activities, Bethany Anne et al babysitting, so Eric and Gabrielle can celebrate their anniversary.