by Chris Hechtl
Blockade
The Federation Reborn 7
Chris Hechtl
Copyright © 2019 by Chris Hechtl
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book and or portions thereof in any form.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and locations are fictional. Some may be parodies. Some characters are with permission. Any resemblance of some characters and places to others are strictly in the mind of the reader. Grin.
Cover art by Chris Hechtl, 2019. All rights reserved. The models are owned by their respective creators and used under the usage license. Some models were made by Chris Hechtl; others were purchased on Daz3d.com or Renderosity.com.
Proofread and copy edited by Wayne Gaskin, Paul Klebaur, Carlos d'Empaire, Poon Yee
Professionally copy edited by Rea Myers.
Formatted by Goodlifeguide.com
Bibliography
The Founding of the Federation Series:
First Steps
To Touch the Stars
The First A.I. War
Stepping Stones
Cornerstone: Tales of the Founding of the Federation 2
Desperate Defense: Book 1 of the First Terran Interstellar War
Waking the Sleeping Giant: Book 2 of the First Terran Interstellar War
We the People (forthcoming)
The Hyperspace War (forthcoming)
Tales of the Founding of the Federation 3 (forthcoming)
Gothenburg: Aka Ragnarok or the Xeno War:
Sparks (forthcoming)
The Wandering Engineer Series:
New Dawn
Fools Gold
Destiny's Choice
Ghost Station
Plague Planet
Pirate's Bane
Ghosts from the Past
13 Degrees of Separation
Jethro Goes to War Series:
Jethro Goes to War
First to Fight
No Place Like Home
Recruiting Drive
Gods of War
The Federation Reborn Series:
Battlelines
Pirate Rage
Retribution
Tales of the Federation Reborn
The Gathering Storm
Semper Fidelis
A Piece of the Pi Tales 2
The Turning Tide
Liberty or Death
Tales of the Federation Reborn 3: Folklore
Blockade
Tales of the Federation Reborn 4 (forthcoming)
Horatio Logan Chronicles:
Enemy of my Enemy
Court-Martial
Full Circle (merging with Pi)
Shelby Logan Chronicles:
Convoy
Shiver me Timbers
The Adventures in Pi:
In Search of Pi
Pi Fight
Independent Federation novels:
Kai's Story
Independent Anthologies and Short Stories:
Multiverse 1
Multiverse 2
Multiverse 3
Multiverse 4
The Bootstrap Series:
Bootstrap Colony
Second Chances
Other Series:
Princess Rescue Inc
Princess Rescue Inc 2 (working title, forthcoming)
Afraid of the Dark
Dedication
I'd like to dedicate this book to Admiral William H. McRaven. His speech did what it was supposed to do; it touched and inspired me. He articulated many of the things I have thought of and put into practice for so long so well. I encourage everyone to take a moment and look it up on YouTube.
And yes, Admiral, I do make my bed. Just don't ask how well, cats are involved. :)
Table of Contents
Introduction
ACT I
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
ACT II
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
ACT III
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Epilogue
Authors Afterword
Cast
Appendix
Recommended Reading Order
Sneak Peek
Introduction
The United Federation of Sapient Star Systems was founded by several species and became a beacon of civilization for four centuries. Most of the Milky Way Galaxy had been explored in that short time period. One hundred and twenty-one sapient species counted themselves as full-time members. The federation not only facilitated the advancement of technology but also the evolution of its member species. It was a golden age for sentient life in the galaxy. That was, until they made the mistake of expanding their exploration from the Milky Way to the nearest galaxy.
The wormhole gate that was meant to open new worlds to federation explorers quickly became a portal to hell. Xenophobic aliens poured through the gateway, invading federation space, and laying waste to everything they found.
Seven centuries after the war wound down, a stasis pod was found in the outskirts of the Senka star system by a tramp tender running from pirates. Within the pod was a long-lost federation admiral, Fleet Admiral John Henry Irons.
Admiral Irons and his internal A.I. helped the mostly-female crew escape the pirates and then rebuilt the ship during their journey. The admiral dealt with his time shock by setting a goal of restoring the federation and reigniting the light of civilization in the galaxy once more.
But forces were at work to stop him. The pirates were far more than the simple scourge they had first appeared to be. Horath, their homeworld, declared itself an empire under the leadership of Emperor Pyotr Ramichov and launched a brutal offensive to take control of the sector, and eventually, the galaxy. The empire had started on a path of xenophobia and initiated acts of genocide against the populations it conquered.
With the help of some new friends in Pyrax, Irons salvaged a federation warship, Firefly, and along with other long-forgotten ships, he was able to use them to fend off the initial pirate invasion. Irons and his newly-reformed Federation Navy were on their way to rebuild the federation, only for him to be driven out of the system into exile by Pyrax’s cutthroat politics.
Irons had several harrowing adventures along the way before jumping into an empty star system and right into the hands of the pirates. Unaware of who they had captured, Irons was able to lead a successful
mutiny and not only captured the ship along with the other ships in the star system but also used them to defeat the enemy task force staging in the neighboring star system for an invasion of Pyrax.
Once the battle was over, Irons took stock and led his battered forces with the newly-captured ships to Antigua. There he founded a new capital of the federation. Once he had a shipyard and the beginnings of ansible communications underway, he took a side trip to a secret research facility he had used to create the nova bomb and where he had been given his rebuilt body and A.I.
While there, he woke the sleepers that remained and tripped a Xeno virus. He was also declared president pro temp by the last president of the federation in a message that transcended time itself.
He returned from the facility with the group of sleepers, including two additional flag officers. Admiral White, a Neochimp, became their battle fleet commander and took the fight to the enemy in Protodon while Admiral Subert took over Pyrax and set up shop there. Between the two shipyards, the federation began to build the ships and weapons needed to crush the Horathian pirate threat once and for all.
But, the Horathians weren't sitting idle. They had begun expanding their empire, and when word of the admiral and his reborn federation was picked up by forces en route to Protodon, they moved in with the intent to destroy the upstarts and crush the seed of free civilization once more.
With grievous losses, Admiral White's Second Fleet fought them off and forced the remaining Horathian warships to retreat.
As the battle for Protodon raged, Admiral Irons ordered Firefly to go to Epsilon Triangula to find out what was going on there. She was ambushed by a pirate task force led by Admiral von Berk, who then retreated when fresh federation reinforcements started to flow into the star system. The federation fleet did its best to stop them, but the enemy used captured and brainwashed victims to pilot their ships to get around the blockades.
Word spread by courier vessel to the Horathian capital. A force was dispatched under Admiral De Gaulte, one of the Horathian’s battle fleet leading strategists. He, alongside his OPS officer, Commander Catherine Ramichov, and also the eldest princess of the realm, marshaled a fleet to oppose the federation.
Admiral White's reinforced Second Fleet moved in to block Admiral von Berk, but before they could engage, the battle cruisers they'd fought earlier reappeared in the star system. The battle cruisers fought a delaying action, allowing Admiral von Berk to escape.
However, Admiral White received additional reinforcements and went after them. Admiral Von Berk took his captured slaves and personnel and escaped just before Second Fleet arrived with blood in their eyes. Trapped in the cul-de-sac system, the remaining Horathians were torn apart in a bloody battle the likes of which they were ill-prepared for.
Admiral White fell back on the neighboring empty system of B95a3 and found additional reinforcements waiting for him there. He began the march towards Dead Drop and the inevitable clash with the Horathian Empire, unaware that Admiral De Gaulte had launched his much larger and more powerful offensive force known as the Retribution Fleet.
The Retribution Fleet chased out a Federation prowler. But, in their zeal to warn Admiral White and Second Fleet, the crew of the prowler pushed their small ship too hard causing engineering issues. They were forced to reduce speed, and the Retribution Fleet caught up with them. They managed to get a warning off in B-97a but were then hunted down and destroyed.
Admiral White saw the danger and turned his fleet to flee. A running battle ensued with Second Fleet taking damage but chewing up the enemy's small craft in return. Second Fleet managed to escape but were embittered by further losses in hyperspace.
Word of the battle got to Protodon by courier and raced through the ansible network. Panic ensued briefly as reinforcements were rushed to buttress up the tattered Second Fleet as it straggled out of hyperspace in the B-95a3 star system. After careful consideration and some repairs, Admiral White did a reassessment of the situation and ordered his force to fall back on Protodon and the defenses there. The Retribution Fleet entered the system some time later largely uncontested.
In Protodon, Admiral White was gratified to see fresh reinforcements arrive. He laid a trap, but when Admiral De Gaulte arrived, the opposing admiral sensed something was wrong and failed to fall for it. Instead, a long-range clash between the opposing two fleets’ small craft tore apart a majority of the remaining Horathian fighter and bomber squadrons to shreds before Admiral De Gaulte escaped.
Halfway across the star system, Admiral De Gaulte saw Second Fleet arrive in his wake. His ship sensors confirmed the actual size of the enemy fleet for the first time, justifying his retreat. But, in their rush across the star system to what safety laid in the next jump point, his sensor techs discovered a mine field awaiting them.
Pinned between the minefield and the oncoming enemy force, Admiral De Gaulte had no choice but to maneuver and cut through the minefield. His maneuver took him into the arms of Second Fleet, which shredded and tore at his fleet. Second Fleet was damaged in return fire.
Prince Adam Ramichov was killed when his ship was destroyed. His younger brother Mason Ramichov was trapped in the dreadnought Star Mauler when she was crippled and forced to play rearguard. The titanic ship turned and ripped and tore at the Federation wolves like an angry bear with nothing left to lose. She devastated Second Fleet before she was destroyed.
The Retribution Fleet managed to flee to B-97a while news of the battle was sent to Protodon. They were chased out of that system by a pair of light cruisers running a bluff.
Garth saw two cruiser teams sent south to scout for possible Federation forces. These ships later encountered TF3.2 known as the Eastern Front with one barely escaping and the other being destroyed. Princess Ramichov was dispatched to the homeworld to let them know the gravity of the situation with the Federation.
Admiral Irons decided to promote many of the flag officers as well as frock Shelby Logan to commodore as her mission launched to bring the Federation into the Tau sector. Second Fleet was still shaking down and things were returning to normal when Admiral Irons received word through the ansible that Bek was in a near state of civil war and that Admiral Logan had been arrested. He raced to the rescue.
Meanwhile, the revised Second Fleet arrived in the B-97 cluster. They worked their way forward, but Admiral De Gaulte sent forces to get behind them to prey upon their supply lines. Several Federation ships were lost before the plot was uncovered, and forces were dispatched to drive the raiders into a trap in B-95a3.
The delay had been costly, however, allowing the Retribution Fleet to not only be resupplied but also partially repaired and reinforced in the Dead Drop star system.
The Eastern Front dispatched forces to clear out its flanks while waiting for orders in the B-87R star system. While they impatiently waited, Admiral Irons' forces arrived in Bek after transiting the rapids and forced the capitulation of Admiral Childress and a restoration of the chain of command, not to mention the acquittal of Admiral Logan. Admiral Irons supervised a restructuring of the chain of command there before returning to the Federation, stopping at Nuevo along the way home.
Reinforcements continued to trickle into Garth and Dead Drop. In a rare coup, Princess Ramichov and the Admiralty managed to win over sending a quarter of their capital ships including an elite carrier force to Dead Drop with the intent of smashing the Federation.
When the admiral returned to contact with the Federation, he authorized the Eastern Front to move on Garth as well as Second Fleet's attack on Dead Drop. Both forces launched. After successfully transiting the rapids once again, Admiral Irons passed through Federation space, passing on keys and doing interviews as he went.
When Second Fleet arrived in Dead Drop, they found the Retribution Fleet ready to fight. The forces there had marshaled everything they could to fight off the Federation. They were outmatched by the reinforced Second Fleet.
However, a twist of events brought the reinforceme
nts from Horath in time to not only save the star system but push the Federation forces out of the system. The tables had turned; Second Fleet was horrifyingly outmatched and outgunned. In order to buy time, the Federation fighters tangled with the elite pirate fighters. They took heavy losses, but the bombers managed to destroy two of the enemy's capital ships with antimatter weapons, the first use of such weapons during the war. Second Fleet managed to escape the trap with minimum losses.
Admiral Irons arrived in the capital and began to settle in when word that the tables had turned came through the ansible. Orders were immediately cut for the bulk of Home Fleet to scramble. The super dreadnoughts Sun Tzu and her division mate Sky Titan led a force to Second Fleet's rescue. Admiral Irons made certain they left with antimatter ordinance in their magazines.
Forces, including those in Protodon, were dispatched to Second Fleet's defense. Meanwhile, Second Fleet did its best to deal with the damage.
On Antigua, Governor Randall began to prepare for his move into the vice presidency campaign but first had to deal with a series of natural disasters. By refusing to divert SAR personnel, he made a powerful enemy.
Just when they thought things could return to normal, the courier ship Dancer arrived in Airea 3 with news of the plagues in Tau sector. The government and navy worked with their medical experts to find a way to combat the new terrifying threat on their flank.
In Dead Drop the Retribution Fleet tried to deal with their own losses and damage to the star system's infrastructure. In Bf994 Rear Admiral V'r'z'll's forces destroyed a pirate destroyer and then launched their offensive.
Second Fleet saw the arrival of Kittyhawk and her escorts. Despite objections Commodore Vargess stripped the CEV of her compliment and sent her back empty to get more small craft.
Small convoys and reinforcements trickled into Dead Drop and Garth. When news of the recent battle in Dead Drop reached the empire, the emperor was livid. He ordered the Pestilence Project expedited.