Invasion: Journal Three (Shockwave Book 3)

by Hammer Trollkin

  “Simple answer, it won’t be simple. Ask any port-tech about their constant drilling over the last few weeks, in precision teleportation, to prepare for what we’re calling the 3-D dance. Of course, they didn’t know what all that drilling was about. Let’s remedy that.

  “The troop transports will dip, drop, and dash. In simple terms, the ships will dip below the Primer teleportation screen. Troops will port to the drop zones in their assigned grid sectors. The ship will climb into orbit to receive the next group. Then the dance step repeats. Dip, drop, dash.

  “Now, I do have to move along. Be patient, you’ll be receiving updates on Operation Viper... soon.”

  The dance step repeats? I definitely have a follow-up question. If the drop ships don’t drop really fast, backed up by a ridiculous number of space and air support craft to see them to the ground, what’s to stop the Primer planetary defense guns and air-tanks from blowing them to atomic dust? The fortress defense installations outside every dome base would be able to do just that.

  *COMMUNAL: I think I can answer that question. Solcom has noticed there are no planetary defense guns, only dome defense guns designed to work in-atmosphere. That is rather interesting, don’t you think? Perhaps in their arrogance, they thought it impossible there could be an attack from orbit.

  Hi Communal. You’re sitting right there. We could just talk, you know. You miss conversing in the Journal, don’t you? I have a response to your observation. Knowing the power of those fortress guns, I’m sure they can hit the transports on the dip.

  *COMMUNAL: I suppose I do miss our talks. And, you are correct. The fortress guns could readily destroy the transports when they dip into the atmosphere. We are certain Solcom has also noticed a wide corridor of opportunity allowing an atmospheric brush without concern for the fortresses. They will dip, drop, and dash to orbit. Then they will swing around Prime while the next round of troops port aboard, and dip again into the corridor.

  Okay, but what about air-tanks? A flock of those could compromise the transport’s shielding.

  *COMMUNAL: We agree again. They had better dump the SPICE before the drop-ships begin their runs.

  How do you know all this, Communal? No, don’t answer that. Thanks for sharing.

  ***

  Kreahaam Interim Command opened our camp perimeter early this morning, giving us some freedom to exercise and blow off steam in an area of trails adjacent to our camp. There’s even a lake. They finally have enough masks to filter the oxygen. It’s June 13th. There will be a Viper briefing at 1100 Zulu, which may include some real-time reporting. The few communications we’ve received say pretty much the same thing, using slightly different wording. The prosecution of Operation Viper has been going better than expected. Ground troop insertion may begin as soon as 0500, June 14th

  FANGS OF THE VIPER

  Shockwave, GG, and Dirty Feet have been called to a ready-room for our first assignment on Prime. It’s June 13th, late in the evening. But it’s finally happening. My SpecOps group will be in the first wave to crash against the Empire homeworld of Cygnus Prime.

  As could be predicted, they’ve hurried us here to sit us down again, to wait. We’re missing the Vidgrid and holocloud presentations that are playing at military bases throughout human-controlled space. Solcom even gave the thing a name, Fangs of the Viper.

  Since we’re just sitting here waiting for the intel chiefs, Fierce is crafting a QuIM connection that should get us in on the action. We may be able to get beyond the canned cinema and grab some real-time events.

  Communal is lounging at the door, our blocker and lookout, just in case we’re not supposed to, uhhh, craft any connections. Honestly, we’d ask for permission, but there’s no one home at the moment, at least no humans. The whole place is so... automated.

  We untangled in the facility port-room as ordered and were met by a little bot who said, “Follow me.”

  He led us to the room we’re in now and continued, “Someone will be along when they have an opportunity. The restrooms and a small kitchen are down the hallway, there. Help yourselves to some water, coffee, and donuts. The donuts are excellent, so I’m told, though they may be a bit stale. That is merely conjecture, as I am aware they have been sitting there since yesterday afternoon.

  “If you don’t finish them, the remains will go to Robby, our robodog. He says he doesn’t care for the taste, but he can process sugar and lipids. The sugar boost, that he does like. My preference is that you eat the things, as Robby can get quite rambunctious given a sugar boost. With that, I bid you a fond goodbye.” And that was that.

  Fierce has us hooked-up. “I’m in. What shall we watch? Fangs of the Viper? Or, real time streaming?”

  Real time has the votes. But, there’s just too much to process. Fierce can filter, letting the AI choose key events that are unfolding. That looks good. He chose a summary scroll with a level one briefing.

  VIPER CAMPAIGN LEVEL 1 SUMMARY EVENTS TO DATE.

  6/10: Viper Strike Fleet transits Cygnus Prime gate, distance 1-Lightday, 3-day ETA to planetary orbit at maximum SLS burn. Triad battle group separation implemented, Liberty Group mid-position, Freedom Group to port, Justice Group starboard. Supershark schools released post transit to gain velocity. Destroyer patrols active, FTL-2 limitation with drone guide buffer.

  6/11: Multiple stealth minefields detected. Pong Counter-munitions deployed. PCMs were effective. Enemy begins active probing of battle groups, strafing runs only.

  6/12: Shark schools reach minimum effective velocity.

  Spike! 0803 hours. Justice Battle Group engaged by enemy forces consisting of 25 dreadnaught class warships. SLS Vega is first to engage.

  PAUSE SUMMARY. PROVIDE LEVEL 3 BRIEFING SLS VEGA.

  JUSTICE BG COMMAND, SLSF Aldrin:

  Justice Battle Group, this is Aldrin. Attention! Enemy is inbound, one-light-minute. Sector grid with initial battle zone assignments have been enlined. Destroyers, save your Supersharks for the pentalinks. Move out.

  DISPLAY.

  SLS Vega achieves target lock on dreadnaught D3 and fires his main gun at maximum effective range. D3 anticipates the edge of range shot, evading to starboard in a warp drive maneuver: close drive, adjust position 20-degrees-right, 5-degrees-down, reopening the drive. The process repeats, as D3 repositions to fire. Vega anticipates, engaging positioning thrusters to avoid the shot, then comes about to adjust for the velocity shifts of D3.

  The dreadnaught commander is skilled, continuing with warp maneuvers as Vega strives to bring his nose in line with D3, but losing the battle with inertia. Vega is having some success with rail, but can-not bring his main gun to bear.

  SLS VEGA: Vega to Justice Command, I need assistance with D3. Unable to position for a PBW shot.

  JUSTICE COMMAND: Roger, Vega. Justice is aware and has already dropped starfighers for a THOr strike.

  D3 has dropped out of warp, having achieved an optimal firing position. Vega leaps forward on afterburner. The destructive force from D3 impacts Vegas aft section to port, tearing through a fuel tank. The tank flashes off in a hydrogen burst as Vega jettisons, the blast sending him in an uncontrolled spin. He fires thrusters to gain control as D3 positions for another shot.

  With two starfighters on approach, D3 begins another series of warp vector adjustments.

  As Vega struggles to regain attitude control, his large bore railgun has swiveled to track D3. When the enemy ship drops out of warp to adjust, he opens fire, most of the spooky penetrator rounds pushing through D3s shields, tearing up the area around the shield projector array. Vega registers a quantum glimpse flash notice of a high energy impact as he finally rotates into position for a PBW shot. The quantum glimpse database is now sufficient to correlate the glimpse flash with time to impact. Without sufficient time to maneuver, Vega shifts power to forward shields and fires his PBW.

  The close range focused GRASER beam begins to spread across Vega’s shielding, then breaks through as a control module errors-out, sha
ttering his PBW pulse tube. The crew of D3 has no time to react to the PBW bolt already released, and it pushes enough energy through the shields to cause a small hull breach. Vega is passing over the dreadnaught, but doesn’t bother to come about, with his main gun rendered useless. Instead, he fires thrusters to spin on his axis just enough to bring his railguns to bear.

  D3 is almost in position to fire again, and finish Vega, but instead maneuvers to address the persistent starfighters as they strive to gain a firing position. A GRASER wave envelops one of the drones, overwhelming the minimal shielding, crushing the ship in a devastating wave of energy. The D3 commander then initiates a warp pivot to target the other starfighter. 10 THOr shells begin their phased eruptions, pummeling the dreadnaught. Vega fires both of his railguns, targeting D3s shield projector. The dreadnaught’s shields are in the midst of cascading failure as the final two THOr plasmatic spears break through the outer hull.

  Venting atmosphere tapers off as internal hatches seal. SLSF Glenn is on route with Captain Hoffman at the helm. The destroyer is a blur as it streaks in at FTL-10, drops warp to deliver a HAKI, then warps away, as Hoffman enters coordinates for the next assignment. The impactor munition with its overkill nuke payload detonates, incinerating D3 in a nuclear fireball.

  RESUME LEVEL 1 SUMMARY.

  6/12 continued: Justice Battle Group obtained decisive victory over enemy forces. 2 battlestars damaged. SLS Vega was able to rejoin the battle group under field repair status. SLS Alnair was tugged to a repair ship for extensive damage repair. 10 enemy dreadnaughts were destroyed, 2 more severely damaged, the remaining retreated under warp.

  Spike! 1205 hours. 35 dreadnaught and cruiser class warships attack to port, targeting supply and hauler vessels. Freedom Battle Group shifts position to screen. SLS Freedom battle carrier deploys starfighters.

  PAUSE SUMMARY. PROVIDE LEVEL 3 BRIEFING SLS FREEDOM.

  DISPLAY.

  An Empire strike group of 35 ships composed of dreadnaughts and cruisers is moving in to take advantage of several fleet tactical errors. Freedom Group’s lead destroyer patrols have moved too far forward, the rearguard destroyers are too far to starboard, and the haulers are struggling to keep pace after a refueling accident.

  The enemy ships are relatively close when detected. With a reduced lead time for action, 5 battlestars and the battle carrier SLS Freedom decelerate at maximum burn to provide cover for the haulers. 20 enemy ships push in to attack the haulers, while the others move forward to harry the rest of the battle group.

  Freedom decides an extreme measure is necessary to protect the haulers, most of which are carrying SUGAR and SPICE for Operation Goodnight. He launches all 100 starfighters, assigning 5 to each approaching dreadnaught.

  Starfighters 1-5 boost to intercept their assigned ship, a cruiser class vessel, assigned designation C1. At one-light-minute the drones spread out in a pinwheel pattern to cover against warp maneuvers. C1 shifts to port in a standard warp tactic. Starfighters 4 and 5 drop their THOr shells, which rotate in search of a target lock just before C1 again drops its warp field.

  All 10 THOr shells from Starfighter 4 activate at the same time, each shell bursting with a shaped high yield nuclear exciter explosion that in turn launches a low-Z coherence adaptive material. The nuclear plumes light the darkness, ending with ten powerful plasmatic spears of energy hammering the shielding of the cruiser, producing toroidal waves of ionized atomic particles. The shielding collapses. Fire from Starfighter 5 follows on within milliseconds, the nuclear flames punching through the ship’s hull, ending in massive structural failure throughout the forward quarter of the ship. The atmosphere flashes briefly as the rest of the ship shatters.

  RESUME LEVEL 1 SUMMARY AT 6/13, REAL TIME.

  VIPER COMMAND, 1602 hours: Continue maximum deceleration for orbital insertion. Operation Goodnight haulers, tighten your approach, and await drop coordinates. Anticipate 14 hours to drop. Hold.

  Alert. We have activity from Duros Base. This information is confirmed. There are 4 pentalinks on fast approach, clocking FTL-2. Cease deceleration burn and adjust to wide orbital setting. Come about for attack vectors, enline assignments will be coming momentarily in dynamic modality. Port-tech data will be available momentarily. Hold.

  Attention. Estimate three targets in range of main group, 60 minutes. Penta 4 has closed warp and is holding position near the main Prime moon, Duros.

  Destroyers, you are released. Pentas 1 and 2 have moved hard to fleet starboard. Penta 3 is leaning to port. Freedom Group, you have Penta 3, and will be first to engage. Exercise due caution with that monster. Utilize the data, capitalize on what works. Make the most of your SSC3s. Destroy those ships before they reach the fleet.

  PAUSE SUMMARY. PROVIDE LEVEL 3 BREIFING FREEDOM BATTLE GROUP.

  DISPLAY. INTERPRETIVE ANALYSIS.

  At FTL-10, the Freedom BG destroyers could close the distance in minutes. Caution is advised, with League tacticians still uncertain of the full range of pentalink capabilities. SLSF Jemison has returned from an initial recon pass, at distance, to determine if the penta has a defensive array in a forward position, set in order to destroy League kinetic impactors, or League destroyers on an attack run. After extensive interpretations necessitated by the warp and general relativistic distortions, the scans show no active defenses, other than the impressive energetic shielding, and the powerful warp drive.

  Each destroyer has only two SSC3 missiles, a total of 30 available to the entire attack fleet. Slipping a HAKI past the forward warp drive would cause extensive damage. It’s worth trying. SLSF Hadfield is on approach, attempting a 20-degree angle of attack, Jemison is on wing, ready to assist, and recording the event.

  Destroyed! Hadfield has been destroyed in the attack run. Imaging is adjusting. Hadfield impacted with an unknown force and disintegrated.

  PAUSE DISPLAY.

  INTERACT GRID FUNCTION.

  Query. Provide detailed information regarding unknown force.

  There is no direct information. The force associated with the impact of Hadfield does not register at available scan power levels. Note, the initial impact occurred well outside the ship’s warp field. It is as though the ship struck something before it arrived, which is apparently impossible.

  If I may be so bold, Communal, who I believe is known to you, often says on their INtelicast, ‘it is generally appropriate to share more information with humans than a particular query may suggest.’ In that vein, I will mention the projection field that destroyed Hadfield is far beyond Primer technology. Again, in line with another Communal INtelicast, it would seem someone on the evil side of the equation is involved in illegal arms brokering, contrary to the edict of a great power that is definitely interested in this universe.

  Further, I am certain, Communal would next suggest we should expect an intervention. On an INtelicast series they provided extensive information regarding such interventions over the millennia, with detailed corroborating evidence. I can almost hear their final words of explanation, their bottom line as they would say it. A huge tech explosion is coming our way.

  PAUSE.

  I can’t let this diatribe just flow past without some more information.

  Until recently I didn’t even know there was an AI community, not with the kind of independence that would allow this sort of behavior. “What do you think, about what the Solcom AI said, just now, about evil arms dealers breaking the law of a ‘great power?’”

  That got Communal moving over to the table to glance around at us. “I think the AI is astute, and though there may have been a little too much fandom in his considerations, I do agree with the general constructs.

  “Further, I suspect you will now want to explore this matter further. Though, might I suggest, for now, the focus return to the Viper situation?”

  RESUME DISPLAY. INTERPRETIVE ANALYSIS.

  Viper Command has halted destroyer interdictions to analyze scanner data, after a flyby with more state-of-the-art equipment.
The destroyers are standing-off at a safe distance, awaiting commands.

  VIPER COMMAND, 1620 hours: Destroyer groups, continue tracking until released. We need to determine coverage characteristics of this new shielding. We’re picking up something with the upgrade scans, but they could just as well be ghost images. SLS Glenn, approach Penta-1, fire two regular hypes to their port side, fore and aft, exact coordinates are now, enlined; SLS Kelly, topside strikes, coordinates delivered over enline. Watch your distances at launch. You are cleared to engage.

  The hype launches are uneventful, with missiles destroyed upon impact with the standard pentalink energetic shielding. The exotic projection screen may only cover the fore position of the enemy ships.

  Viper Command has 15 battlestars on afterburner, racing ahead of the main battle groups, apportioning five per pentalink. The pentalinks had already achieved a moderate increase in acceleration. Maximum effective fire range in one minute.

  ADJUST DISPLAY. SHOW FREEDOM GROUP FORWARD POSITIONS.

  Freedom Group’s five forward positioned battlestars are leaning to the port side of Penta-3, two are approaching from above, three from below, when the enemy ship closes warp and begins a clockwise rotation. Pulses of GRASER waves erupt in sustained fire, impacting the shields of SLS Merak. The battlestar begins to come apart, the end coming with a final explosion of the hydrogen fuel tanks.

  Abruptly, the entire port side of the pentalink is engulfed in an assortment of destructive energy as a coordinated attack unfolds.

  ADJUST DISPLAY. HUMAN SENSORY CONSIDERATIONS.

  Two schools of shark impactors streak in at 0.5C, pushing deep into the shielding before being torn apart and thrown aft of the ship. Four PBW discharges follow, impacting the shielding with energy bleeding across much of the EM spectrum, with visible light shining as the brightness of a star. The shielding is buckling and shimmering, the shield projector array glowing. SLSF Tereshkova and SLSF Liwei move in quickly. Two SSC3 Growler missiles strike side by side, tearing into the shielding, and in turn being shredded and cast aft of the ship.