The Senior: The Paul Brennon Chronicles, #2

By Phil Stuart-Douek

Paul Brennon, having taken control of the mighty Rohal fleet, and ended the ten year war between Rohal and Earth, is on his way back to Rohal to take up his position as Senior of the fleet. Unfortunately he appears to have lost the remains of his fleet. After he is attacked by ships from a local neighbour of Rohal, and saved by a straggler from his own fleet he learns that there is more trouble waiting for him when he gets to Rohal. It seems that while Bracknet and the mighty Rohal fleet were otherwise engaged, the local planets were making their own plans.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Phil Stuart-Douek
• Release date: Apr 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215787373

Book preview

Prologue

The Rohal are a bipedal reptilian species who have been dominant in their part of the galaxy for almost two millennia.  Averaging eight feet tall they are a formidable fighting force, with advanced technology and an even more advanced sense of honour.

It was that sense of honour which precipitated a ten-year war with the planet earth, based on an assumption that because a trading scout had seen evidence that the planet had once been the home to a mighty reptilian species, that the Humans currently inhabiting the planet must have wrested it from the ancestors of the Rohal. This insult had to be avenged.

It was during an extended battle of this war, when both sides had fought themselves to a standstill and yet neither could strike the decisive blow, that a Rohal Captain called Drago took his ship back in time, through a temporal rift, intending to travel back a few days and give his crew enough time to make repairs to his ship. Unfortunately, his ship was hit by weapons fire as it entered the rift, and instead of the few days he had intended to travel, he had sent his ship back nearly three thousand years. Setting the ship to self-destruct, he and the remaining crew left the ship in an escape pod and returned through the rift.

The AI on the ship, once the crew had left, decided that it had other plans than oblivion and set a course to the nearest inhabited planet, Earth, where it parked itself on the Moon and set itself to wait the  one thousand plus years it would take for technology on earth to evolve to a level where she might request help in repairs. After a couple of abortive attempts, she managed to contact Paul Brennon.

Paul Brennon was an electronics and Computer wizard, who was misusing his talents, and working as a freelance patent thief. Due to his occupation, he was already of interest to various governments, one of whom he had already done some work for. When he was contacted by the computer of this futuristic ship, a chain of events was set in motion which involved the death of several agents, several attempts on Paul’s life, a romance with the female agent assigned to protect him, and finally the repair and re-launch of the alien ship The Xanos.

Paul had taken the Xanos back to it’s own time, and having discovered his mistake in thinking that it was a Human ship, set about ending the war. His cause was aided by the fact that he had been appointed captain of the Xanos nearly eight hundred and fifty  years previously, and this made him the Senior of the Rohal fleet. However, the peace negotiations with the Humans could only be finalized after Paul agreed that the previous commander of the Rohal fleet, Braknet, could be tried for his crime of starting a war based on erroneous information.

Braknet was executed for his crime.

Paul had supervised the repairs to the Rohal fleet and dispatched them back to Rohal before returning to twenty nineth century earth for one last visit, before himself traveling to Rohal to take up the reins as Senior of the Rohal fleet. Traveling with him as he is attempting to catch up with the fleet are Angela, his former bodyguard who became his lover and most recently his wife, Professor Dennis Parkes, a MIT professor who had been assigned to the mission to explore the ship and Grocal, a Rohal who had been the ships engineer under Drago, and whom Paul had invited to rejoin as his science first officer.

Chapter 1

The corridor was long and floored with black marble. Pillars stood sentinel down its length supporting the heavy ceiling above, which was carved with depictions of famous battles. Not the space battles of the last few centuries, this corridor was older than the space fleet. They were the real battles, where a Rohal came face to face with their enemy and battled with teeth and claw, sometimes using the huge clawed gauntlets that had been a favourite weapon.

Karnon paused, as was his wont, when he got to his favourite depiction. It showed Breenon, one of the legendary heroes of Rohal in the moment of triumph at his greatest battle; the one that had made him a legend. He was depicted eviscerating Datnik, his arch enemy of the time and enemy of the Rohal home world. The fact that Datnik was also Rohal mattered little, and Karnon never considered how the ceiling would look on the approach to the First’s office had Datnik won in the battle between the two Feuding Warlords. Legend had it that in a time of greatest need Breenon would return to battle for Rohal once again.

Shaking his head slightly in wonder at the prowess of his hero, Karnon continued the twenty paces or so, until he reached the huge obsidian doors, which marked both the entrance to the office of the First, and the end of the Corridor of Heroes. He barely bothered to acknowledge the sentries posted outside the door. One of the sentries pushed the huge door, easily twice his height, and although heavy, the door opened silently inward until Karnon was able to pass through. He waited just inside the threshold to be announced, as was tradition.

Karnon was the Second of the Rohal Ruling council. Standing at just over seven feet tall, with a broad flat head, which was two thirds the width of his shoulders, he was powerfully built. Reptilian in origin, the Rohal now walked upright and what had previously been their forelegs had evolved into capable hands, although with only four digits apiece. The arms however hung in front of the torso, rather than at the side due to the angle of the middle joint. Another vestige from their evolutionary origin was a frill of skin around the neck which would extend outwards when a Rohal was angry or felt threatened, making them look even bigger and more fearsome.

Karnon regarded the chamber with his yellow, slit pupiled eyes, which he licked apprehensively as he planned his approach to the First, whom he could see seated at the huge stone dais that served as a desk to the most senior Rohal on the planet.

Defrin, the First of the Ruling council didn’t look up as Karnon approached. He knew exactly why his junior had come to see him, as he had come to see him every day at this time since the final wave of the battle fleet had been dispatched to Earth.

Still no news from the fleet, then Karnon? he opened, his eyes still scanning the display which was inset into the Dais in front of him.

We still await the news, promised by Braknet, of his glorious victory, answered the Second stopping a yard before the Dais.

They have only been gone five seasons.

True, but the journey only takes two, and we should have had some communications by now, we can send messages to that section of space in less than half a season, responded Karnon.

It may be, then, that the fleet is already on the homeward leg, and we are just awaiting the announcement, said Defrin, finally looking up from the screen he had been reading. Your animosity towards Braknet makes you anxious to highlight his possible failure.

I have no animosity towards our glorious Senior, protested Karnon. But I am concerned that this campaign that he is involved in, is going to cause the ruin of the Rohal homeworld. We have no finances or materials to build and repair much needed machinery here on the planet. All the ships that would normally be engaged in trade are off fighting in what many consider to be a totally pointless war. All our males, who are old enough to operate a ship are also gone. All that are left are the old and the infirm. Even our females are unable to produce due to the lack of fertile males. This war, if not over soon could be the end of our race.

Oh, don’t be so melodramatic Karnon, snapped Defrin. Braknet will be back soon, the economy will recover, trade will recommence, and I am sure that after 5 or 6 seasons on their ships, our returning warriors will be anxious to recommence fertilizing their mates. We have undergone hardships before, we are at war, this always comes with a cost.

We always seem to be at war with somebody, said Karnon. Before this so-called insult from the Humans, of which, he added I have yet to see proof, there was the Fearlen, only a short spat by Braknet’s standards I’ll allow. Before the Fearlen it was the Lluni, or was it the Relus I forget, these conflicts all seem to merge into one. He never seems to be happy unless he is waging war. It’s time to clip his claws Defrin. It’s time to bring the fleet directly under the control of the council.

And have the anarchy that we had for nearly Two hundred turnings? said Defrin lurching to his feet. No. While I am still First the council will deal with the matters planetary, and the fleet will be controlled by the Senior. That is the way of things.

Even if the ‘way of things’ causes the destruction of our society? snapped Karnon, forgetting himself.

You, said Defrin. May make First someday, if you live long enough. Until then you will abide by my decisions and remember your place.

Karnon, knowing he had overstepped the mark dropped his gaze from Defrin. He didn’t go quite so far as to give the gesture of obedience, the ritual offering of the throat, but his demeanour was that of a subordinate once more.

I apologise, First, I forgot myself, he said knowing that his own hot headedness had cost him this opportunity and knowing also that he would not get too many more. His spies had told him that the fleet was indeed returning, and without Braknet, who by all accounts was dead. But he didn’t want the First to know of this yet. His plan revolved around getting the first to agree to the councils taking control of the fleet, and Braknet’s record was a huge incentive in this. If the First knew about a new Senior, Karnon knew that he would propose waiting to see how the new Senior handled matters and he would be back at the beginning.

The only way was to make sure that the fleet didn’t get home sometime soon, to give him more time to sway the First. If that didn’t work, then more drastic measures may be called for.

Taking his leave from the First’s office he strode purposefully back through the corridor of heroes to his own, less impressive, but still large office. He punched a few keys on the display on his desk.

He looked into the screen and waited. The light from the screen was reflected in his yellow eyes making them momentarily green as he was connected to the person he had been waiting for.

Did you get the communication? he said.

It arrived a quarter ago.

Can you do it?

Now we have the command codes it will be simple.

Then begin.

Karnon disconnected from his call and finally sank down into the chair behind his desk. He was restless and agitated. The plan he had put in motion may take a season to come to fruition, but Rohal needed this. It could no longer sustain the tic that was the warring space fleet, and once the space fleet was under the control of the council, and Defrin had lost face, it would not be long before Karnon was First.

Some distance away, the Rohal fleet was indeed on its way home, and without Braknet who had been executed following his trial. The ships were all damaged, some had had to drop to sub light speeds to make repairs, but although they were spread out over five or six light years, they were all making reasonable progress. The journey in their condition should have taken them about 19 months.

The Xanos, Paul’s ship, had been traveling at 15% above standard speed with the idea that they would catch up with the main fleet. Xan, the ships computer had forecast that they should have done so after four months. It was getting closer to five now and there was still no sign of the fleet. Paul was starting to get a little worried.

It wouldn’t look good to arrive back at Rohal, as the new Senior of the fleet, having managed to lose them all on the way.

Xan, any sign of the rest of the fleet? asked Paul as he entered the command centre.

Not yet, long range scanners have still not picked up any sign of them.

This had become almost a ritual conversation of the past three weeks, ever since Xan had said she had expected to sight the fleet any day.

Paul threw himself down into his chair at the command console.

And you’re sure that we are on the same course, there isn’t any different way they might have taken? He asked.

This is space, said Xan, we are traveling in a straight line from Earth to Rohal, there is no other course.

And we didn’t pass them, perhaps a light-year either side of us?

We have not. I have been scanning our course twenty lightyears ahead, five, behind and three either side. We should have detected them by now.

Paul was thoughtful for a minute and was about to speak again when Angela entered the command centre.

At five feet six, with short blonde hair and an exceptionally misleading air of vulnerability about her, Angela was the secret service agent who had originally been tasked to keep Paul under surveillance and then become his bodyguard. She had saved his life on several occasions, and was formidable in combat, whether armed or not. Xan, who was responsible for the allocation of rank and position on the ship had appointed her as first officer of weapons and tactics.

Any news? she asked looking as Paul, but she need not have bothered. She could tell by his face that the fleet still hadn’t been detected.

I don’t suppose, she said that there’s any way that they could have been attacked and destroyed? Despite the repairs they were still pretty beat up.

I would have detected some debris, or evidence of weapons fire. There is nothing like that on my scans.

So, where the hell are they? asked Paul non-plussed I can’t go back to Rohal with a single ship.

It was at this time that Grocal, and Parkes entered the command centre, they were arguing.

Grocal, who was Rohal, towered over his companion. Over eight feet in height with the large flat head of his species, he was unique in that he was not quite so dogmatic regarding the honour code that the Rohal clung to, and was known for telling the truth, even when the truth was not what his seniors wanted to hear. He had been the engineering first officer when Drago had been captain of the Xanos, but as Parkes had already been assigned to that position when Paul had asked Grocal to re-join the ship, Grocal had become the science officer. He was still, however, heavily involved in the repairs and upgrades that Parkes was making to the Xanos. It was this that had sparked the argument in which they were currently involved.

Parkes, who was an older man, a retired professor at MIT, still dressed as such, wearing jackets with leather patched elbows and ties, with which he polished his glasses fervently whenever he was thinking or nervous.

He was polishing them now as he turned to Grocal. What you have to remember is that you have grown up with this technology. We had to learn to repair it from scratch when we not only didn’t know the technology, we weren’t even aware of the theories behind it. Nor did we know, that you lot couldn’t count up to ten.

This was a reference to the fact that the Rohal, only having four digits per upper limb, used Octal, or base eight for their mathematics.

Take a look at this for instance, Grocal shot back opening one of the panels with which the control centre’s walls were lined Which retarded tree monkey decided to adapt a pod navigation module, instead of building a new one? The frequencies are all wrong. 50% of the work that you had to do on the rest of the navigation calibration could have been avoided.

That retarded tree monkey would be me, said Paul with a twinkle in his eye.

Any other Rohal would have been mortified at having inadvertently called his captain, and the Senior of the Rohal fleet a retarded tree monkey. Grocal was, however, not any other Rohal.

Well, you should have known better. he snapped at Paul That navigation system is going to take me a full day to put right, and I am going to have to wait until we can shut it down before I can do so.

We have a saying on earth, Grocal, said Angela amused at the science officers’ outburst, ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.’ It has served me well through the years."

Grocal regarded her for a moment before licking his eyes. He knew this made her squirm a little and so did it all the more when he was baiting her. He then pointedly ignored her and turned back to Parkes.

Angela threw the first thing that came to hand at the Science officer, a pad on which she had been making notes. The pad hit him cleanly on the back of the head before falling to the floor. Grocal merely turned his head to face her and licked his eyes slowly in her direction, before ignoring her once more.

Laughing, Paul retrieved the pad and handed it back to Angela. He had been amazed at the way that the science officer had integrated into his tiny crew. Even though all communications had to be done through Xan, as he could not speak English, and the hisses and growls of Rohal made no sense to any of them. Xan kept up a running two-way translation, but when she translated Grocal’s words she did so in a voice very different from her own. This had become the voice of Grocal and most of the time they forgot that it wasn’t him speaking.

When you two have finished, Paul said still laughing. How is the auxiliary power system coming along?

The power system itself is working fine, we have another smaller reaction chamber built in one of the rear compartments. Its output is exactly half that of our main reactor. Our problem is that we are still having trouble with the automatic calibration procedure. Each time we think we have it; we enter another feedback loop and have to isolate the power.

Paul had nearly been killed by such a feedback loop from the main reactor and he was anxious to avoid a repeat performance.

How are you actually gauging the power consumption of the ship? he asked.

We have several frequency splitters in the main power system, these are linked together and feed back information directly to our calibration system. The problem is that there is a slight time delay, only about four or five nanoseconds, but it is enough for the demand on the power system to change and make the calibration incorrect.

Paul thought about this for a moment

What causes the fluctuation in the power requirements?

Any number of things replied Grocal firing a weapon, starting a transport, even activating a light could be enough to change the power requirement enough to destroy the calibration.

And how long does this auto calibration take?

450 nanoseconds, said Parkes.

"Ok, how about if, when we try to activate the auxiliary power, as part of the procedure Xan, for the half second it takes for the calibration, prevents any change in the power grid. That way the delay from the frequency splitters would be immaterial. If anyone activated anything in that time, it simply would be delayed by that time and activate once the auxiliary power was online.

If Xan cannot guarantee that the power grid would be stable for the time needed, for instance if we were taking fire and our shields were being battered, then she would delay activation of the auxiliary power until she could."

Parkes looked at Grocal, who returned the look, once again licking his eyes.

Not bad for a retarded tree monkey, said Parkes and Grocal nodded before they turned and left the command centre.

You know, said Paul plaintively You would have thought that as the Captain I would at least get a little respect.

Angela laughed at him How wrong you were, she said standing up. Come on, we can’t do anything more here for the moment, how about we spend some time... She was interrupted by Xan.

There are twelve ships approaching, I believe they are Runai.

Who are the Runai? asked Paul, as he dropped the speed of the ship to below light speed.

They are a close neighbour of the Rohal, a reptilian species but not as dominant. We fought with them for over 17 turnings before an accommodation was made. They are considered a lesser species and pay a tax to the Rohal home world, explained Xan.

Are they likely to be hostile? This from Angela who was examining the approaching ships on her console.

They would not dare attack a Rohal warship, said Xan certainly.

Perhaps you should explain that to them, Angela retorted They are charging their weapons systems.

Xan open a communication with them, and ask Grocal and the Professor to join us in the command centre. Angela, raise the shields and see if you can find any way to disable the ships without killing anyone. Don’t fire yet, Paul ordered.

They are not answering our communications, Xan replied as the doors opened and Grocal and the Professor entered each going to their own station.

The ships were within visual range now, although he had nothing as a visual reference Paul got the impression that they were a small ship. They were about the size and shape of an escape pod, but had a thin ridge protruding all the way along each side, so that a quarter of the width of the ship was actually made up of the two ridges.

As they neared the ship they dived towards the Xanos and their formation opened into a circle, they appeared to be intending to pass the Xanos on all sides simultaneously.

Paul, deciding that this would not be a good idea turned his ship hard to port and applying a burst of power to the engines rushed to meet the oncoming ships.

His tactic worked, and he passed outside the ring of approaching ships, so that only six of the attackers could bring their weapons to bear without the risk of hitting one of their own ships. That was enough however and the Xanos was rocked as the energy bolts smashed into her shields.

Angela, any luck? Paul asked.

I think I can take them out, but I could only do it one at a time. She said

That’s better than nothing he said and turned the Xanos once again to meet the ships that had themselves turned around and were re-joining the attack.

Xan transmit a call to the fleet, if these guys think that someone may be on the way to help, they may decide not to hang around.

As the formation of ships approached once again, Paul started to turn the ship to port. They were ready for him, and their formation instantly altered course to match. He had expected this however and as he saw their change in direction, he instead pulled the ship upwards, again increasing power to the engines. The attackers were not prepared for this second piece of evasion had once again passed by the Xanos, with only half their number being able to bring their weapons to bear safely.

As they passed, Angela opened fire with the Xanos’ s energy weapons and, hitting one of the ships aft of centre, disabled its single engine.

Way to go said Paul, we’ll get another on the next pass.

Our shields will not take much more of this punishment, said Parkes; We have less than 30% capability left.

What about the auxiliary power? asked Paul.

We hadn’t had chance to set it up Grocal said we need to be a bit more aggressive if we are going to survive this.

Paul was not a cold-blooded killer, however he wasn’t going to be killed by someone who had attacked him either. He was quite willing to defend himself if required.

Angela Target the front ship with a couple of fusion cannon shots. Let’s see if we can’t discourage them.

The Fusion cannon was a weapon that Angela had devised having seen how the ball of fuel, they had ejected from the engine during their repair of the Xanos, had behaved. She now had the ability to create a fusion reaction in tiny pellets of fuel, and then shoot these at a target. These mini suns did immeasurable damage in the 30 seconds it took the reaction to exhaust the fuel pellet and burn out.

The front ship disappeared in a flash of orange as the first shot from the cannon hit it, but the others continued their attack, reducing the shields to less than 5%

Angela, how many can you target at the same time? asked Paul.

Six. No more she said her hands flying over her console and firing several cannons at the one time. Three more of the ships were destroyed but the others dodged the shots and then continued their attack.

Angela was now firing continuously with both the energy weapons and the fusion cannons, Paul was jinking and jiving the ship, trying to avoid the blasts that were coming from the other ships, and trying not to get caught between them, knowing that that would be fatal.

Another one of the attacker’s ships dissolved in a ball of fire and then another. Suddenly Grocal made a growling noise that Xan did not bother to translate. He had seen something on his panel that apparently had pleased him.

Paul had no time to ask him what it was, for at that instant another ship passed the Xanos, Weapons firing in all directions simultaneously. Instantly four of the attacking ships were destroyed and the remainder turned tail and fled.

Xan, what is that ship? asked Paul, recognizing the Rohal insignia on the side of the ship, which was twice the size of the Xanos."

She is the Derig, Xan replied, Captain Drago’s ship.

Chapter 2

Defrin was seated at his desk in his office when the huge obsidian door swung silently inwards once again. He didn’t look up. Is it that time already? he thought to himself, knowing that Karnon had entered his office and was about to launch into his daily speech about taking control of the space fleet.

Defrin was not stupid. He knew that Karnon was after removing him as First of the council, and the only way he could do so safely is if Defrin didn’t have the support of the Senior of the fleet. Braknet had been a staunch ally to him, although that was probably because Defrin had always given him the resources he required for his endless wars. Times were changing however and one thing that Karnon was right about was that Rohal couldn’t sustain this war any longer. Braknet’s claws had to be clipped, and Defrin was fully intending to do so once he returned. The rest of the ruling council was divided on the issue of whether the space fleet should be controlled by the council. At last count Karnon could, Defrin thought, count on the support of Helig and Selfid, whereas he himself knew that Teithe, Grocalis, and Ractor were definitely on his side. He would have to play a careful game to ensure that he didn’t lose the majority. Losing a vote of this magnitude would be fatal and he would instantly be forced to resign as First and possibly retire from the council entirely. He was not ready to do that yet.

Karnon approached the dais and Defrin continued to stare at the display that he had been pretending to read for the last few minutes. Acting like he had only just noticed that Karnon had entered he looked up.

Still no word from the fleet then? he said before Karnon could open his mouth.

No First, said Karnon, remembering how his hot headedness had cost him at their last meeting. He intended to be far more controlled this time.

Defrin looked at him and said nothing, waiting for Karnon to make the argument that he knew was coming.

It would appear that the fleet has been delayed, perhaps even defeated. Karnon eventually said If that has happened, then we are indeed in a degree of difficulty.

And your proposal regarding this would be?

Recall the fleet to Rohal, and then take it under the direct control of the council. That way we could ensure its availability for the duties it was originally built.

It was originally built to serve Rohal, which I believe it is actively doing at the moment said Defrin mildly.

Fighting a war, based at best on second hand information, against a strong opponent with allies, and for a world that even if we took possession would benefit the Rohal home world little. This has become a crusade of Braknet’s and it is going to destroy us.

Defrin found himself in the difficult position of actually agreeing with Karnon, but not wanting to make life too easy for him. He wanted the second to work hard for the concession he was about to give away, make it look like it had cost the First dear to concede this point. That way when Karnon made his move he would think the First far more vulnerable than he actually was.

Tradition is not so easily broken, how can I recall a fleet over which I have no control. We must vote on this issue at the next session of the council on the next turning and then if the vote is tied, I will agree, with the backing of the council, that we can recall the fleet. Once the fleet is back on Rohal we can then decide how to proceed. It may be that Braknet will return victorious and with many spoils of the war, in which case there will be no difficulty. He saw Karnon’s tongue flick out across his eyes. This was one of the things that would mean Karnon would never be first. He cleaned his eyes whenever he was nervous or if he thought he had won a point. He gave away his position far too easily and what’s more was he didn’t even realize he was doing it.

If that’s all said Defrin, I have to bask, this office is a little chilly and I hate those temperature control suits that you youngers wear, they are so restricting.

Karnon bowed his way out of the office and hurried back to his own. He wanted to speak to the other members of the council before tomorrow’s meeting. He knew that he could count on Helig and Selfid, although that old fool thought that Selfid was with him, it was Teithe and Grocalis he needed to convince. He only needed one more vote and he could get the fleet recalled. He increased his pace but when he got back to his office found it already occupied by Ractor. This was Defrin’s staunchest ally on the council and Karnon was not even going to speak to her, but she obviously wanted to speak with him.

I am concerned, she said I have heard that you are advocating recalling the fleet and even trying to take control of it from the Senior. This is madness. The senior would never give up control of the fleet without a fight; we would have civil war on our hands such as we have not had for one thousand seasons.

The senior will obey the rule of the council, he always has, said Karnon.

He has acceded to our requests, out of a courtesy and as part of negotiations for further resources. He is not bound by law to obey the council, nor will he when he knows you are trying to take over his fleet.

The fleet belongs to Rohal snapped Karnon not to the senior. He is just its guardian and he must accept the fact that times are changing. It is not acceptable any more to go charging around the galaxy picking fights with anyone who looks sideways at him. The fleet needs to be available for the protection and provision of the planet, else why would we have built it in the first place?

Are you sure that you have no other motives for wishing the fleet to return to Rohal? asked Ractor silkily. Karnon licked his eyes quickly.

"My only motive is to re-establish