“That’s that, then,” said Tyrell. “Well done, everybody. Com, make to Zephyr – instruct her to rendezvous with Zodiac and escort her back to Alliance space. Meanwhile, let’s go and pay our respects to that research station.”
Thirty minutes later, the Zenith was on the edge of the system and within weapons range of the facility.
“Hail them,” said Tyrell. “Tell them they have twenty minutes to evacuate, after which time the facility will be destroyed.”
“Reply coming in,” said the com officer. “They say they need at least two hours to make an orderly evacuation.”
“Who are they trying to kid? They’re probably hoping that second formation will come to their rescue. How far away are they?”
“Four hours away, even at full acceleration,” said the tactical officer.
“Inform the station that they now have eighteen minutes left before we commence firing. And warn them that if we see any signs of them raising shields, we will open fire immediately.”
Within minutes, the first escape pods began leaving the facility, small rocket motors firing brief bursts which pushed them away from the station and towards the inner system. All were broadcasting distress signals.
“Shall we send over a boarding party?” asked the XO.
Tyrell shook his head. “No. It’s very tempting but not worth the risk. If they’ve got any sense they’ll have destroyed anything of value and then booby trapped the place. That’s what I’d do, anyway. Apart from that, I don’t want risk a relief force arriving while we’ve still got people over there. We’ll retire to a safe distance and then blast the hell out of the place.”
The research facility was half a kilometer long, constructed of nine large domes which rotated about a long central spine.
“Start off with the domes,” said Tyrell. “We’ll take them out them one by one and then smash the spine.”
With no shielding to protect them, the first two domes were quickly ripped open by the Zenith’s Halo projectors. A pair of Banshees was dispatched to complete the job, reducing what was left to fragments.
‘That’s an awful lot of space junk we’re making,” said Baxter absently.
“Can’t make an omelet without busting a few eggs, XO. If it makes you feel better, by all means feel free to chuck a dust pan and broom out of the airlock before we depart,” said Tyrell. “Target the next dome.”
No sooner did the Halo beam touch home than the dome erupted in a great flash of incandescence that rivaled the sun. As the sensors on the Zenith fought to compensate for the brilliance of the detonation, the shields struggled to repel the surge of heat and radiation that swept over the ship.
“Great god almighty,” said Baxter. “What the hell was that?”
“Tac?”
“Anti-matter detonation… multiple detonations. Hard to be sure – readings are almost off the scale. Estimated yield in the region of two point five gigatons.”
“Catalogue all the data and we’ll pass it on to intelligence when we get back. Still think we should have sent over a boarding party, XO?”
“No, sir,” said Baxter. “I don’t think we’ll be needing that dust pan either. There won’t be anything left to sweep up after that.”
“No loose ends, then – just the job,” said Tyrell. “One research facility, a cruiser and two frigates destroyed for no loss. I think we can safely call that a successful first sortie. Helm, plot a course for home.”
“Sir,” said the tactical officer urgently. “A Combine battle group has just dropped out of hyperspace, distance one hundred thousand kilometers.”
“Make up?”
“One battle cruiser, two heavy cruisers, attendant destroyers and frigates. They are opening fire.”
“At that range?” said Baxter.
Moments later, three bolts of ionized energy passed two hundred meters astern of the Zenith. Baxter leaned over to Tyrell.
“I must be honest and say that they’ve managed to impress me,” he said quietly.
“Just their way of saying hello, XO. Are we ready, helm?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Engage.”
A second later the Zenith shot into hyperspace, a second volley from the Combine battle cruiser whistling harmlessly by.
* * *
Intruder One-nine, Haalikon system
Just as the Sjhakar research facility disappeared into an expanding cloud of space dust, Intruder One-nine reappeared in normal space near the edges of the Haalikon system. As soon as the stars reappeared, Simms cut the engines and secured the ship for silent running. He took a few moments to check that no electronic emissions were emanating from the Intruder’s hull and then allowed Jeffries to begin his sensor sweep.
“What do we have?”
“Data is still coming in…” said Jeffries.
“And?”
“And… we got… nothing.”
“Nothing in the vicinity?”
“No, sir. I mean… there’s nothing on the scope. Absolutely nothing. There appears to be no enemy activity within the system.”
“How can that be? There was a whole battle group stationed here a few weeks back. Is there a problem with the sensors?
“Don’t think so, skipper. We’re picking up all the expected natural emissions. I’ll run a diagnostic to be sure but I’d say the sensors are operating at peak efficiency.”
“Then where the hell did the Combine go?”
“I can’t tell you that. All I know is that they’re not here anymore.”
“Any activity along the border with Allied space?”
“No, not a thing.”
“That’s damn strange. Keep scanning. I’d better get on to base and let them know what the score is.”
Zenith
“Captain, we have a sub space signal coming in from Tac-net,” said the Zenith’s com officer. “We’re ordered to rendezvous with Intruder One-nine on the edge of the Haalikon system. Co-ordinates to follow.”
“Haalikon?” said the XO in surprise. “Has someone taken leave of their senses?”
Even Tyrell raised an eyebrow. “Haalikon’s just about the most heavily defended Combine asset on the border. I can understand them sending in one of the Intruders. They’re stealthy. We’re not. Com, can you confirm the message is from Tac-net?”
“Authentication codes match, sir.”
“Request confirmation just the same.”
“Aye, aye, sir.” A few minutes later, the com officer looked up from his console. “The orders stand, sir. Intruder One-nine has picked up some anomalous readings and we are to offer support.”
“Fair enough,” said Tyrell. “Do we have the co-ordinates?”
“Coming through now, sir.”
“Very good. Nav, lay in a course for Haalikon.”
“Aye aye, sir. Course is locked in. ETA six hours, fifteen minutes.”
“Understood,” said Tyrell. “XO – keep the crew stood down for now, but let them know we’ll be returning to battle stations in a couple of hours.”
“Roger,” said Baxter. “No peace for the wicked.”
Chapter 12: Nobody Home
Haalikon system
Zenith zoomed into normal space just a few thousand kilometers astern of Intruder One-nine, the reconnaissance ship’s coded subspace beacon guiding the Zenith over the last stage of the journey.
“Good work, Nav,” said Tyrell as the Intruder came within visual range. “Tac, anything on the threat board?”
“Negative, sir.”
“OK, then,” said Tyrell. “Let’s see what One-nine has for us.” A minute later, he was in contact with Lt. Jeffries on board the Intruder.
“Initial scans indicate that there are no Combine assets left within the system,” said Jeffries. “Haalikon 3 is uninhabited and all structures appear to be powered down. There is a partially completed orbital facility which also appears to have been abandoned. There is no evidence of any operational warp disrupters or orbital batteries.�
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“Understood, One-nine. Any indication of enemy combat vessels? I’m thinking of something skulking around in a low power state.”
“There’s nothing within detectable levels, sir. If there are any enemy units hidden away, they must have been powered down for several days.”
“Thanks, One-nine.” said Tyrell. “Curiouser and curiouser,” he said, turning to the XO. “I can understand the combat group being elsewhere but it looks like the whole darned system’s been vacated. Why the heck would they do that?”
“Search me. Do we go in for a closer look?”
“That’s what they pay us for, XO.”
“And if it’s a trap?”
“We’ll go in well above the orbital plane and do a high speed fly-by of Haalikon 3, scanners to active as we close. If we see anything suspicious, we’ll just keep right on going and make the jump to hyper-space. If not, we’ll come about for a closer look.”
The Zenith increased speed to point one C and rocketed in-system, her scanners blasting out waves of concentrated energy as they neared the former colony of Haalikon 3. Although a host of return echoes registered on the sensors, none were catalogued as hostile. As a final precaution, the partially completed orbital facility was targeted with a pair of Banshee missiles as the Zenith hurtled past. If there were any hidden batteries still in operation, it would be enough to flush them out. Eyes fixed to the tactical console, Tyrell and Baxter watched the missiles speed away and bore in on the facility. As the range closed, they waited for a Combine response. None came. The missiles homed in on their target without interference and detonated in quick succession, reducing the facility to a junk pile.
“Well how about that?” said Baxter.
“Beats the hell out of me,” said Tyrell. “Turn us about and signal One-nine to join us in orbit around Haalikon 3. I think it’s time to go in for a closer look.”
* * *
Three days later and with the Zenith safely moored in space dock above Trinity base, Captain Tyrell and the XO took the shuttle down to the surface where they were immediately whisked off to a meeting with the C-in-C himself.
“Be seated,” said Torrance as Tyrell and Baxter entered his office. “Firstly, let me congratulate you on a successful mission in the Sjhakar system. Good work, gentlemen.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Tyrell.
“The ships performed well?”
“Yes, sir. The Z class destroyers are everything we expected. They’re the ideal platform for raiding and skirmishing – fast, maneuverable and well armed. As you are probably aware, there is a necessary trade off as regards armor so I wouldn’t advise going head to head with a comparable force of cruisers – unless there were no other options, anyway.”
“Don’t worry, Captain. That’s not what we designed them for and the planning staff will bear that in mind when they schedule future missions. I’d also like an evaluation of your personnel. I understand that almost a third were fresh out of training. It’s a higher ratio than I’d like, but with the current expansion of the fleet – not to mention the losses incurred during the last few years – I’m afraid it’s unavoidable, at least in the short term.”
“I don’t see it as a problem, sir. The crucial factor was that we were given sufficient time to train as a crew before going into action. It’s vital. That aside, we have enough good officers to go around, and perhaps most importantly, we have a core of experienced chiefs. If there’s one lesson we’ve learned, it’s that the senior non-coms are the backbone of the fleet. When trouble starts, they are the ones that the ratings look to and the junior officers depend upon.”
That much was true, thought Torrance. The men with gold braid on their epaulettes might command the machine but the senior NCOs were the oil that kept the cogs within the machine turning smoothly. Without them, the whole apparatus would slowly but surely grind to a halt. And while there were usually enough competent officers to go around, the same couldn’t always be said for experienced chiefs, which is why the postings board had received a string of complaints from ship’s commanders concerning the cherry picking of some of their best senior NCOs for service on the Zs. Good for Tyrell and the other captains in his squadron, but less well received elsewhere. However, there was still the old saying that what goes around comes around.
“Make good use of your senior chiefs while you can, Captain. If the fleet continues to expand, I think it’s fair to say that you’ll find some of your own departing before very long.”
“It’s something we are already planning for,” said Tyrell. “We’ve identified those likely to step up and fill the void. That’s one of the good things about a combat mission – it gives you the chance to observe the crew under battle stress. There’s no substitute for it.”
“Indeed there is not,” said Torrance. “But to business… As you might imagine, our prime interest lies in the results of your excursion into the Haalikon system. We already have the preliminary results of the Intruder’s scans and further analysis will no doubt give us a more detailed picture, but for the time being I’d appreciate your personal account.”
“There’s not much to tell, sir,” began Tyrell. “After rendezvousing with Intruder One-nine, we undertook a high speed pass through the system, passing close to Haalikon 3 on the way. Our active scans confirmed the results of the Intruder’s passive sensors – that there was no Combine presence within the system. A missile strike against their new orbital facility confirmed that there weren’t even any orbital batteries left on station. Having ruled out the possibility of an ambush, Intruder One-nine joined us in orbit around Haalikon 3. We made several revolutions of the planet before proceeding back to Alliance space. As unlikely as it seems, the Combine has evacuated the system. Ships, orbitals, everything.”
“You may be interested to know that initial reports from Intruders operating in the Oneida and Ebron sectors suggest a similar situation. The Combine seems to have withdrawn to their previous positions.”
“Do we have any indications as to why?”
“At present, none at all,” said Torrance. “We can’t see any strategic advantage in doing so – quite the opposite, in fact. And another thing we don’t quite understand is why they would remove their orbital batteries. They had dozens of the things in operation – some of them heavy caliber platforms. Why not leave them in place? At the very least it would make us work to regain the system.”
“We were thinking the same thing,” said Tyrell. “We were surprised to encounter no opposition at all at Haalikon. It’s as if they were giving us a written invitation to move in and reoccupy.”
“Are you suggesting some kind of deception?”
“I’m not sure I’m qualified to make that kind of judgment, but that’s certainly what it feels like to me.”
“It’s true that the Combine has enjoyed little success assaulting the Shield,” said Torrance. “During the past few weeks, their attacks have dwindled to the point where they’ve almost given up. Certainly, in terms of ship losses, their forays have cost them more than they’ve cost us. It’s possible that this could be a ruse to lure us into the open and smother us with superior numbers.”
“Haalikon is one very tempting target,” said Tyrell.
“But one we will refuse for the present,” said Torrance. “However, if the Combine really has withdrawn, it changes the whole tactical situation along the Alliance-Combine border. Captain Tyrell, your orders are to return to Haalikon and set up a patrol line between there and the other two abandoned colonies. If so much as an unarmed drone enters any one of those systems, we want to know about it. I want the Zenith and Zephyr to ready to sail in forty eight hours. Zodiac will join up after she’s completed her repairs. Any questions?”
“No, sir.”
“Very well. Good hunting.”
* * *
Fleet Intel, Trinity Base
On the other side of Trinity base, Brigadier Faulkner sat at his desk, deep furrows of concentration lining his brow
. He’d been studying the scans obtained by the Zenith and Intruder one-nine for ten straight hours, examining every minute detail in the hope of finding some insight into why the Combine had retreated back to their own side of the border. His instincts told him to be suspicious – that it was a ploy, some kind of deception, but the more he studied and the more he thought, the stranger it all seemed. Why remove the orbital batteries but leave other assets intact? When the Alliance had withdrawn they had done exactly the opposite, and for sound military reasons.
A couple of things had been nagging at him since he first read through the data. One was the fact that the Combine had obviously gone to considerable lengths to make their withdrawal covert. The other thing was that however covert they had been, his intelligence people should have picked it up. He wasn’t sure which thought made him more uncomfortable.
Whichever way you looked at it, the Combine had caught them on the hop. But if they were planning some kind of trap as Torrance suspected, they would surely have left clues. Subtle ones to be sure, but something that would be noticed. Something interesting enough to arouse the curiosity of the Alliance, hook them and then reel them in. In the event, the Combine had crept softly away, like a thief in the night. Why? It made no sense at all.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. As he did so, the door to his office burst open and his adjutant rushed in. He was about to rebuke her when he saw the excited expression on her face.
“Sir, you need to see this.” It was single sheet of paper with just a few short paragraphs. Faulkner read through the document twice before looking up.
“Get in touch with the C-in-C’s office. Tell them I need to speak with the General immediately.”
“Yes, sir,” she said.
As she left the room, Faulkner sat in silence for a few moments. Then he rose from his chair and walked over to the single faded photograph set on the wall. For the thousandth time he studied the ensign’s features, her oval face with wide-set almond shaped eyes, graceful nose and delicately curved mouth. Her full lips were turned slightly up at the edges, hinting at a smile though the eyes seemed tinged with sadness. As always it was the eyes which drew him back, captivating him. They returned his gaze almost knowingly, haunting him, piercing the depths of his soul.
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