Avenger One, Transiting to Egleesius Cruiser “EG2,” Plugy’s Star
Walker found he liked the view from the Avenger much better when he was in the cockpit of it, rather than hanging from underneath a wing. Unfortunately, the SalSha needed the cockpit flooded for maximum-G maneuvering, which meant he was moved out to one of the wing ordnance stations, along with five other members of First Squad. He had decided it beat being one of the four troopers pinned to the weapons stations inside the bomb bay…at least he could see out. If the Avenger was hit by a shipborne weapon—either missile or laser—it probably wouldn’t matter whether he had the bomber’s thin armor protecting him; he’d still be dead. Second Squad was in similar positions on Avenger Two.
“We are coming into weapons range of the target ship,” Thorb commed.
“Keep the weapons systems off and the speed moderate, just like we briefed,” Walker replied. “Maybe if we don’t look like we’re on an attack profile, the ship won’t consider us to be its enemies.”
“Or maybe it will,” Thorb replied. “I have weapons systems activating on the ship—some of the hatches on it were covers over defensive lasers. They are extruding, and the ship is turning so it can fire at us.”
“Full speed, Thorb! Get us there as quickly as you can. You’re cleared to maneuver as needed.” He said the last over the common frequency so the troops were aware maneuvering would start soon. Not that they could do anything to prepare.
Without warning, Thorb snapped the bomber to the side, and Walker hit his head on the side of the CASPer. He tightened his straps as much as he could while looking at the stars dancing in front of his eyes.
“Make sure you tighten your str—” he started to say, but the second maneuver exceeded 10 Gs, and Walker lost consciousness.
* * *
Avenger One, Transiting to Egleesius Cruiser “EG2,” Plugy’s Star
“Grahp dung!” Thorb swore as the target ship began turning. They’d been coming in from aft of the ship—outside the defensive arcs of any of the ship’s weapons—but with the ship turning, all the cruiser’s weapons had a good view of, and an easy shot at, his bomber. There were nowhere near as many as on a “normal” Egleesius-class ship, but it only took one laser strike to really ruin his day. He jammed the throttles full forward as several radar and lidar detection systems activated, and a laser bolt narrowly missed as it passed between Avenger One and Avenger Two.
“Missile launch,” reported Klarb, his bombardier, from the right side of the cockpit.
“Awesome,” Thorb muttered. “Use your countermeasures when appropriate.”
He began heavy maneuvering, randomly yanking the bomber back and forth in all three dimensions, with computer-assisted 15-20 G pulls. He knew as much as he tried to be “random,” eventually, he would repeat a series of maneuvers, and the computer onboard the cruiser would have him dead to rights.
Thorb tried to maneuver to the stern of the ship, but every time he was getting close to where the ship could no longer shoot at him, it maneuvered, spinning on its axis to present its weapons again.
Still, the maneuvering and countermeasures appeared to be working, and there weren’t as many weapons firing as he would have expected. A near-constant string of chaff, flares, and decoys spewed forth from behind his craft, pulling the cruiser’s targeting systems away from his craft. Although there were several close calls, the bombers made it to the ship.
Avenger Two was in the lead, having either been shot at or maneuvered less, and Thorb followed it in as the bomber made its approach to the target. As they drew close to the ship, its weapons stopped firing at them, and the lasers withdrew into the ship. “Avenger Two, Avenger One. Does the ship withdrawing its weapons seem…odd to you?” he commed as Avenger Two swept in on the ship.
“It is like the grahp swimming away unexpectedly,” Fillb, the pilot of Avenger Two, replied. “It makes me want to do the happy dance of joy. Going in to land.” The craft’s landing gear came down as it approached its landing zone near the aft end of the ship.
Still, something seemed wrong.
“Walker, Thorb, are you awake yet?”
“Mmph,” Walker replied. “What…where…are we there yet?”
“We’re on final approach to the ship, but it just stopped firing at us. While I welcome not being shot at, it seems strange. Why would the ship do that?”
“No idea,” Walker replied. “Maybe you are within minimum range of their weapons or sensors, and the ship can’t see you anymore.”
“I don’t—shit!” Thorb yelled as the target ship suddenly fired all of its thrusters. Avenger Two was close aboard, passing alongside one of the stern thrusters when it activated, and it was caught in the plasma jet. The Avenger bomber was immolated; everyone onboard was burned to a cinder in a fraction of a second.
* * *
CIC, EMS Arion, Plugy’s Star
“Shit!” the TacCon said. “They just got Avenger Two with one of their maneuvering thrusters.”
“Avenger One is going to have the devil’s own time getting aboard now, too,” the sensor operator noted. “The ship is now randomly firing its thrusters, and it’s spinning around like a snake. Even if they don’t get caught in a thruster, they are going to be crushed by the ship with it whipping about like it is. There’s no way they can launch the CASPers at the ship, either. They’ll either get burned up, or they’ll miss and go flying off into space.”
“What’s Avenger One doing?”
“He’s still trying to get aboard, but the odds are he’s either going to get burned up by one of the thrusters, or he’ll smash into the side of the ship as it spins around.”
“He can’t dodge in there and land quickly?”
“No, sir. He’s trying, but…”
“But the odds are, he isn’t going to make it,” Captain Teenge replied. “In that case, we’re going to have to help them. Helm, full speed ahead. TacCon, open the bow doors and charge the particle accelerator cannon.”
“We’re…we’re going to fire at the cruiser?” the TacCon asked. “With the Avenger that close to it?”
“Not unless we have to…” the captain said, with her race’s approximation of a smile. “But the cruiser doesn’t know that.”
“Sir!” the sensor operator called. “The cruiser has turned toward us and ceased its random motion. Its bow doors are opening, and it looks like the ship is preparing to fire!”
“I’m sure it is.” Teenge kept her eyes on the Tri-V screen. She didn’t need to look around the space to know her crew was scared; she could feel it in the air, hear it with every breath taken and every dial turned. Everyone moved too quickly, too erratically. It wasn’t efficient for the operation of a ship…but at least they trusted her. In her first mission as captain, that, at least, was good to know. Now she just needed to not lose the ship…
“Hard dive to port!” she ordered suddenly. “Close bow doors and safe the spinal mount!”
She could hear a collective sigh sweep across the CIC as the reaction thrusters shoved the ship “down” and to port.
“The cruiser is firing!” the sensor operator yelled, and the breaths that had just been released by everyone in the CIC were drawn again. Teenge was pretty sure she drew one herself, but then the shot went wide; the cruiser hadn’t expected her to cut and run suddenly.
“Sir! Their bow doors are still open,” the TacCon said. “Do you want us to program in some evasive maneuvers?”
“No, that won’t be necessary,” she said, sounding more cool and composed than she felt. A 40-terawatt particle beam close aboard would do that to you. “We let it see that we’re going away from it; there’s no need for it to fire again. We are doing what it wanted us to. Continue the turn away from it.”
Her eyes focused on the little dot representing Avenger One on the Tri-V as it merged with the cruiser. Good luck, she said silently. That’s all I can do for you.
* * *
Avenger One, Transiting to Egle
esius Cruiser “EG2,” Plugy’s Star
“The ship stopped maneuvering,” Thorb said. “Do you think I should approach it, or is it a net they are trying to draw me into?”
“Is it doing anything else?” Walker asked.
“No it…wait, the bow of the ship is…opening up somehow.”
“It’s getting ready to fire its main weapon!” Walker exclaimed. “It won’t be able to dodge around with the doors open—it would risk breaking them or jamming them out of position. This is our chance—get us down!”
Thorb jammed the throttles forward and dove in past the thrusters. With a brilliant flash, the spinal mount fired, then the bow doors began closing a few seconds later. His window of opportunity was closing along with the doors; once they were shut, the ship could begin maneuvering again.
He was unable to use the “safe” docking program Walker liked and threw the bomber forward into a hard dive at the ship, then went to full throttles again just before impact. Someone would certainly have been mad at him if he’d done it on a friendly ship—there was going to be damage to the skin of the ship—but he doubted anyone would yell at him…this time.
The bomber slammed into the cruiser a little harder than he’d intended, and the world listed a little to port as the port main mount bent. Oops. That one he probably would get yelled at for.
He triggered the magnetic locks on the landing gear and yelled, “Bombs away!”
Klarb opened the bomb bay doors and pressed the manual jettison button, releasing the locks on the weapons stations. It also provided a burst of air to separate ordnance from the bomber, and the CASPers were slammed down onto the ship. Most of them recovered and were able to get their boots locked to the ship as it started maneuvering wildly again, but one of the suits floated off past the cockpit’s window.
“Colonel Walker, one of the suits is headed into space,” Thorb transmitted.
“I know,” Walker replied. “It’s Private Rollins. Either his straps broke, or he hadn’t strapped in. The high G maneuvers…he’s gone.”
* * * * *
Chapter Fifteen
EMS Pegasus, Golara System
Alexis watched the data stream being constantly updated in her pinplants as it was sent from the various ships in the fleet, her fleet. Preliminary casualty counts were depressing.
“I’m sure the families of the dead will be consoled by that,” she snapped.
“Easy to say, coming from a machine.”
“How many of your kind were there?” she asked.
“Many is not an answer.”
Their relationship, such as it was, went back many years. From a certain perspective, they had blood together, as the AI inhabited her sister’s body. Until recently, Alexis had considered Ghost a powerful ally. Since the beginning of the Merc Guild’s vendetta against Humanity, though, Ghost had become increasingly less reliable and forthcoming, and Alexis was forced to wonder if the machine intelligence had ever been either, except when it served its own purposes.
The Winged Hussars had lost six ships, including a cruiser, Citation. That ship was lost with all hands, as were three of the others. The other ships she’d lost were an escort frigate and four regular frigates.
Three more ships were heavily damaged and wouldn’t be ready to fight for at least a week. Sleipnir, Commander Yoshuka’s command ship, another escort frigate, Hrunting, and Stonewall Jackson. The ancient Izlian heavy cruiser was a standout in the battle, absorbing an absurd amount of fire. It was the worst damaged, though. Engineers were still evaluating if it was worth saving. The battle would have been much worse without the old battle wagon.
Four more ships had moderate damage. The cruisers Affirmed and Omaha, the frigate Ulfberht, and the only carrier to be damaged, Wyvern. That was just bad luck. A group of enemy drones had been aimed at a cruiser formation which wasn’t there when they arrived, so the damned things had mauled one of her carriers. Those four ships could move and fight, and they would be able to affect repairs by themselves.
A dozen other ships had minor damage, mostly overloaded shield generators or grazed armor. One frigate had a fusion plant down, but it would be back online within a few hours. There were a few injured onboard, as well, with bruises and broken bones from high-G maneuvers.
They’d also come into the system with 480 drones on the carriers, and 40 more on Pegasus, but less than 100 had survived the battle. The carriers could make more, especially since they’d taken the shipyard stores intact, but that would take time, as each Fiend-class carrier could only make five drones a day.
In lives lost, the total was 1,091 dead and 203 injured, including troopers killed and injured attacking the shipyards. It was the bloodiest day in the 100 years of Winged Hussars’ history. More than the lives, it was also the experience. Hundreds of those spacers represented years of experience which, considering the war they found themselves in, were irreplaceable. The 205 dead on Citation and another 90 aboard Sleipnir were the worst. Commander James O’Connel, captain of Citation, took with him 19 years’ experience commanding ships in the Hussars. His crew had been elite; now they were dead.
“Commander?” Alexis’ eyes focused in her wardroom, looking at the doorway. Her second in command, Paka, floated there holding a slate. “You have a minute?”
“Sure,” she said. “What do you need?”
“I’ve finished the fleet assessments,” the Veetanho said and held out the slate. Alexis took it and quickly scanned the data.
“You want to send Whirlaway to highguard?”
Paka nodded. “Frigates Tyrfing and Lobera as well. Bring Tizona and Bishop back with the two Maki frigates Evening Dew and Crisp Bloom.”
Alexis chuckled. “Love those Maki names.”
“Commander Yoshuka thinks they’re splendid.”
“Of course he does; he’s Maki, too. He lobbied to have Sleipnir renamed Trodden Meadow.”
“Meadow Treader,” Paka corrected, and they both laughed.
“Detach Biter with them as well. Captain Porter in Whirlaway is a good choice. Jay is due for promotion to commander.”
“That leaves us with only three undamaged escort frigates here,” Paka said.
“I know, but I want at least a light escort screen there at highguard in case a battleship pops through. I’m going to send Shadowfax once we have the situation more in hand, so we have a heavy hitter, too, just in case that battleship does materialize. Until then, inform Captain Porter to keep that highguard tight, do you understand? I don’t want to risk some corvette or courier slipping back out.” She glanced at the tactical Tri-V glowing above her desk. On it was an image of Golara’s stargate, slowly rotating. “No ships out of here through that stargate until I say so.”
“Understood,” Paka said and floated back into the CIC.
Once she was alone, she commed Colonel Enkh. As the other most experienced commander, Alexis was leaning heavily on her. “What’s the status down at the yards?” she asked.
“Everything is pretty good, considering. Your medical staff on the transports are tending the wounded. Nigel even managed to come away with a Lumar merc company that is working for him now.”
“Aliens working for Asbaran?” Alexis said, shaking her head. “What happened down there?”
“Long story,” Sansar said. “I figured we’d have a debrief down here in a few hours?”
“Sounds like a plan. I’m shuffling crews and repairs. We took a bit of a mauling.” She told Sansar how many she’d lost.
“I’m sorry,” Sansar said, sounding as sincere as Alexis knew she was.
“We’re at war,” Alexis said.
“Ragnar’s Reavers were wiped out in the assault. They lost several dropships on the way in, then were o
verrun by Goka. I got there just as they were about to fall. First Sergeant Amunson had assumed command and held until we arrived. He didn’t survive.”
“We’ll make sure their families know about it on Earth.”
“It’s the least we can do,” Sansar agreed. “Now some good news. It looks like you have two battleships now. Send some people over as soon as you can spare them?”
“Will do. Cartwright okay?”
“Looks like it,” Sansar said. “He has Bucephalus docked with the main zero-gravity facility, and they’re running an inventory. I understand he took the surviving highest ranking prisoner, a MinSha who killed the Maki in charge.”
“Sounds like it was messy near the end.”
“After his people took the warehouses, they found a dozen Flatar with Tortantulas who eventually surrendered. They’re the leaders of the assault team that jumped in space. Oh, did I mention the crazy spiders didn’t have space suits?”
Alexis hissed. Yeah, that was crazy. “Okay, give me three hours, and we’ll meet in the command center. Let Cartwright know; he can host it, since he took the place. My regards to all your people on a job well done.”
“And yours,” Sansar said. “See you in a few hours.”
Alexis notified Paka of the planned meeting and had her spread it to the other units that were along, then spent an hour talking with individual ship commanders and using her pinplants to modify defensive and offensive ship formations and orders of battle. All the while, she hoped it wouldn’t be necessary soon. Even when Shadowfax eventually arrived at the emergence point, a single 40-terawatt particle accelerator cannon wasn’t much throw weight. Not if a battleship came through ready for battle.
“It is equally unlikely that a battleship will arrive by itself,” she replied. That there was no reply was proof enough that Alexis was correct. Ghost only tended to stick its digital nose in her business when she was wrong.
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