Exodus: Machine War 1 Supernova. by Doug Dandridge Page B

down on a missile field on the larger continent.
    We don’t have
that many kinetics aboard , thought the Captain.  Every ship carried some,
but they really didn’t expect to use them, especially Exploration Command
ships.   KE weapons were really nothing more than masses of iron, a ton each,
with a built in single grabber that could accelerate them up enough velocity to
generate megatons of force, along with their own acceleration due to gravity. 
They could always make more, but they didn’t have the time for that now.
    There were more
flashes on the holo as the lasers kept taking out warheads, and kinetics
continued to strike subs and missile fields.  Then the well ran dry, and there
were no more kinetics to drop.  Albright was tempted to order missile strikes,
which could double as kinetics if launched without their warheads.  She
resisted the temptation, since, as an exploration vessel, she didn’t have that
many in her magazines to start with, and they were really the only weapons she
had for use against ships of her tech level or greater, if any came along.
    “I think we’re
going to get them all,” called out the tactical officer over the com.  There
were only a couple of score weapons left, and, though the atmosphere was
roiling with explosive energy and electromagnetic radiation.  And then the
unthinkable happened, and the tactical system lost lock on one weapon, which
hurtled down on a coastal city on the larger continent.
    The weapon
flared, brighter than the kinetics, and a mushroom cloud rose into the air and
into the stratosphere.  The city below the blast started to dissolve as the
blast wave moved out, following the thermal wave that set everything burnable
on fire.
    “There were over
five million citizens in that city,” said H’rrana in a hollow tone.  He glared
at Lamsat, and tried to rise from his seat before the Phlistaran Marine pushed
him back.  “Your people murdered five million of our citizens.”
    “In
self-defense,” yelled back Lamsat, returning the glare.
    “And you,”
continued H’rrana, turning his gaze to the Captain.  “You killed thousands of
our people, with your strikes on our submarines and missile fields.  You too
are a murderer, and the blood of those people is on your hands.”
    Albright
suppressed a flash of guilt and looked up to meet the eyes of the Honish
representative.  “I do not accept your guilt, H’rrana.  I saved billions of
your peoples with the actions of this ship.  If you didn’t want your people put
at risk, you shouldn’t have launched thousands of damned nukes at the
Tsazorians while my ship was in orbit about your planet.  And you,” she said,
turning toward Lamsat, “are just as guilty.”
    She looked back
at the holo, to see the large mushroom cloud still rising from the nuke strike,
and the several smaller from the kinetics.  “My God.  We came here to tell you
people what danger you are in from that damned blue star, and all you can think
about is killing each other.”
    She looked over
at her Marine Lieutenant, making sure she had his attention.  “Lieutenant
J’rrantar.  Would you please escort the gentlemen, and lady,” she nodded to
Nastra, “to suitable quarters.  They are our guests while we sort this
situation out.”
    As soon as the
aliens were all out of the conference room Albright contacted Nagakami.  “Get
me the leaders of the two nations on the com.  I want to make sure we
understand the situation here.”  Moments later the heads of the two leaders of
Tsarzor and Honish appeared in separate holos floating above the table.  She
wasn’t sure if they could see each other, though both casts were also being
recast to the other side.  Albright took a deep breath and began the work of
diplomacy, making sure both leaders knew what was going on.

Chapter Four
     
    It is hard to reason with a
species gone mad.
    Old Brakakak saying.
     
    “We’ve confirmed
it, Captain,” said Commander Sophia