by D. J. Holmes
James smiled, “That is exactly when they will be the most use.”
“What about our missile pods?” Jil’lal asked, as James turned, he saw she was looking at Lightfoot. “We could modify them and use them as mines. That ought to give the Karacknid battlefleet a surprise. At the very least it would make them more cautious.”
Lightfoot gave Jil’lal a conciliatory nod. “That is one sneaky trick we can certainly attempt. At best though it will buy us a few hours, perhaps a day. I’m sure the Karacknid battlefleet will be deploying hundreds of scouts in each system before it jumps in. If we do manage to surprise them with some mines, they’d have to take some extra time checking each new system, but that should be relatively simple.”
“It is something we can attempt,” James said as Jil’lal looked his way. “Are you saying there’s nothing else?” he asked Lightfoot. James felt Lightfoot’s mood getting him down. Despite the size of the Karacknid fleet, he didn’t want to give in to despair. Lightfoot wasn’t helping in that regard.
“I’m not saying there’s nothing else,” Lightfoot said as he sat a little straighter. “Just that we have to accept this battlefleet is going to reach our border as soon as they want to. Unless…” Lightfoot paused as he turned his chair to fully face James. “Unless we are willing to try something audacious. Something that will risk all of our ships.”
James grinned as he saw the Lightfoot he had been hoping for appear. “Go on,” he demanded as his grin remained. His despair had lifted.
Chapter 35
Whilst only used sparingly; gravity well cruisers were deployed at crucial times during the War of Doom. That surprises many naval cadets for they are prevalent and well known on the modern battlefield. With only the smallest of updates they still play a key part in many battle tactics.
-Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD.
IS Drake.
Three extremely risky ideas were being hotly debated. Whilst Lightfoot’s initial idea seemed to be the most popular, his ingenuity had given rise to two other strategies as more people began to think outside the box. Unsurprisingly, the debate was largely between the Human Admirals and Ya’sia, Klack and the other Alliance commanders. Despite their more recent experience of warfare against the Karacknids, the Alliance officers were more risk adverse than James, Lightfoot, and Suarez. James was all too aware that most of his officers had spent the better part of the last two decades risking their lives time and time again. He didn’t know whether that made them numb to the dangers of Lightfoot’s strategy or if it gave them an edge over Ya’sia and Klack. Eventually, James decided he needed to bring the discussion to a close, they couldn’t spend all day arguing. Not when the Karacknids were likely to be close on their heels. “At this point I’m leaning heavily in favor of pursuing Lightfoot’s suggestion,” he said loud enough to be heard over the ongoing conversations. “We will sim it and the two other potential strategies and see how they play out. Then I will make my final decision. You all can send me any further thoughts you have on each strategy. For now, I think we should be heading back to our ships.”
Before anyone could respond to him, James and Captain Fisher’s COM units beeped urgently. “What is it?” James said after activating his unit.
“Admiral, the Karacknid battlefleet has just appeared,” an officer said hastily. “I’ve sent the sensor data to your conference room.”
“Thank you,” James said as he reached for the room’s holo projector. With a tap, it changed from showing a couple of potential places where Lightfoot’s strategy could be employed to the system they were in. Four thousand contacts were visible at the far end of the system. Slowly but methodically they were moving straight towards Drake’s position. “Four thousand,” James said. He turned to catch Jil’lal’s eyes. “You may have been onto something,” he said to her. “Maybe they don’t have the supplies to bring their whole fleet.”
“No, perhaps not,” Jil’lal said as she gave him a nod of thanks. “But four thousand is still enough ships to break through all our defenses.”
“Yes,” James replied as a measure of enthusiasm filled his voice. “But if we can whittle that number down, or better yet, if Suarez can cut their supplies even more,” he added as he slapped Suarez on the back. “Then maybe we can reduce them to a size we can handle.” Though he tried to sound more confident than he felt, James guessed from the looks in most of the officers’ eyes that he wasn’t succeeding. Even if the Karacknids only had four thousand now, they could have more following. And even if they don’t, as soon as they get the supplies they need, they soon will. Even so, four thousand was far better than five or six or ten. It was a start. We’ll have to make the best of it, James thought. Even if the others weren’t optimistic, he was determined to be. “All right everyone, back to your ships. We’ll fall back through a couple more systems and then we’ll begin to put our plans into action. I hope we will get to see each other all again in happier times,” he added as he began to shake hands and bow to the commanders as they rushed out of the conference room. As he expected, Ya’sia was the last to leave. “Admiral,” James said as he gave her a slight bow. “You have some additional thoughts on Lightfoot’s suggestion?”
Ya’sia shook her head. “I get that we have to take risks. I don’t like it, but it is your homeworld that is under direct threat. No, I wanted to discuss something else. It is something Alliance High Command has explored. In the event that our borders are breached and our homeworlds seriously threatened, we have plans to evacuate a small fleet and several colony ships. If we have to, we are making preparations to run from the Karacknids and set up a new base far from here. One where we will have the time to prepare to face them again.”
James stared at Ya’sia, mouth open. It sounded like she was admitting defeat. No, not just her, the entire Alliance High Command, James thought as he shook his head. “Why are you telling me this?” he asked as he tried to make sense of what Ya’sia had said.
Ya’sia turned and gestured towards the holo image that showed the Karacknid battlefleet. “Even if they only have four thousand now, that number will rise. If we cannot stop them before they get to Earth, your homeworld will fall. If it does, I have little hope the Alliance can defend our own territory. When news of this Karacknid battlefleet reaches Alliance High command I believe they will put their evacuation plan in motion.” When James opened his mouth to complain, Ya’sia cut him off. “I’m not saying we will give up. We will fight to the last. But we must be wise. The future of all of our species is at stake. Think about how much the Mindus helped us. In passing on their technological base to us they have given us a massive step up against the Karacknids. If we can flee and find new friends and allies and assist them, they may be able to stand against the Karacknids where we have failed.”
“I still don’t know why you’re telling me this,” James complained.
“Because you’re not just an Admiral in your species’ Navy, you are your people’s Emperor. I think your species should prepare to evacuate some of your citizens, your technologies, and your culture. Your people can go with mine, or we might go our separate ways to better our chances of survival. But either way, you should make the necessary preparations.”
James shook his head again. “There’s no way I’m doing that” he almost spat at Ya’sia. “That would be admitting we have already been beaten. We are a long way from that.”
“I agree,” Ya’sia said calmly. “But if or when this battlefleet reaches your homeworld, it will be too late. These are preparations that should be made now. Made in the hope that they will not be needed, but made, nonetheless. You are your species’ Emperor; you have a duty to your people that goes beyond commanding warships and fighting battles.” James was still shaking his head when Ya’sia placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m not trying to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. I just thought you should know. You can think on it. Perhaps you should inform Christine of our plans. She may have thoughts of her own on th
e idea.”
James grimaced at Ya’sia; he knew what she was doing. It wasn’t hard for him to picture Christine’s response. Though she would be horrified by the idea of being defeated, she would quickly see the wisdom in preparing for the worst. Deep down, James saw it too, but the warrior in him did not want to admit that. A glance at the Karacknid battlefleet told him that time was of the essence. Reaching a hand up he gently lifted Ya’sia’s hand off his shoulder and squeezed hers as he stepped aside for her to pass him. “I will give it some thought, I promise,” he told her. “For now though, I’ll let you go back to your ship.”
“Of course Admiral, you only have to ask and I will send you the files on the preparations we have made,” Ya’sia said as she gave James another bow.
James returned her gesture and waved as she left the conference room. Then he shook his head. He would have to request those files now, even if he didn’t want them. Ya’sia would be insulted if he didn’t. Once again, he turned to the Karacknid battlefleet. You will not destroy my homeworld, he thought angrily, not while I still live. Even as he allowed his anger to boil, he felt a twinge of guilt. He was Humanity’s Emperor, fighting and dying was only one of his responsibilities. With a sigh he left the conference room and headed for Drake’s bridge. Ya’sia’s conversation had not lightened his mood at all. Yet he didn’t have time to wallow in his thoughts, he needed to get his fleet out of the system ASAP.
*
IS Mjolnir, 7th April 2484 AD (eleven days later).
Rear Admiral Suarez intently stared at the holo projection. He knew what it was showing intimately, but he didn’t want to look left or right. If he did, one of his staff officers or Mjolnir’s bridge officers would catch his eye. Given what was in front of him, he didn’t trust his emotions. Four days ago, he had transferred his flag to the medium cruiser Mjolnir. Then, along with eighty other warships, they had broken away from Somerville’s fleet and gone into stealth. For two full days they had watched as the Karacknid battlefleet slowly passed through their system and jumped out in pursuit of the Emperor’s fleet. It had taken another eighteen hours for the first Karacknid convoy to appear. Suarez was looking at it now. He is not taking any risks, Suarez thought as he imagined the orders the Karacknid commander had given the convoy escorts. When Commodore Scott had spotted the convoys, each had consisted of approximately one hundred freighters and had been guarded by thirty warships. Understandably, the convoys had been combined into much larger ones of four hundred. It made them more unwieldy, but they were easier to defend as they approached the frontline. However, instead of the expected one hundred and twenty escorts, the convoy in front of Suarez had two hundred and twenty. Crucially, two battlecruisers sat at the center of the force that was leading the convoy. There has to be a way, Suarez said to himself. There has to be. Though his force was outnumbered two to one, he had to at least try and hit the convoy. If he went back now, he’d have to go through several systems in a wide arc around the Karacknid battlefleet. It would be weeks before he could re-join Somerville’s fleet. That was fine if he managed to take out some freighters. If he didn’t manage to attack the convoy, the entire operation would be a total waste of time and ships. Both of which Somerville could have used in other ways.
Taking a deep breath, he set his mind to work on the problem. Though he kept staring at the holo plot, his thoughts were elsewhere. After more than five minutes of throwing out idea after idea, he finally settled on something. “Okay,” he said as he finally turned to his staff officers. “Here’s what we are going to try.”
Two hours later his ships were in position. The first sign to the Karacknids that something was happening was when forty light cruisers, destroyers, and frigates, lit off their engines. Having maneuvered themselves to be directly in front of the convoy, Suarez’s detached warships charged straight down the Karacknids’ throats. With Mjolnir still in stealth and off to one side of the Karacknid convoy, Suarez watched the Karacknid commander’s response. From both flanks of the convoy, half of the escorts increased their acceleration rates and moved to join the two battlecruisers at the front of the convoy. To all intents and purposes, it looked like the Human warships intended to charge right through the Karacknid escorts and get into energy weapon range of the convoy. The chances were slim that Suarez’s ships could accomplish such a feat, but even if just two or three ships managed to, they could take out a whole group of freighters within seconds. It was a threat the Karacknid commander had to take seriously, just as he had hoped.
Patiently, Suarez sat in his command chair and waited for the right moment. For over twenty minutes the squadron he had detached from his force charged the Karacknids. Just seconds before they reached the point of no return, every ship fired its maneuvering thrusters. Flipping end over end, they turned their engines towards the Karacknids. Then they began a maximum thrust deceleration burn. “Now!” Suarez ordered. “Go active, full acceleration.”
The Karacknid convoy commander responded instantly. Escorts that had moved forward decelerated as they fell back towards the weakened flanks of the convoy. Yet the ships Suarez had with him were already diving towards the convoy. The Karacknid escorts would be too late. Come on, he thought, come on, scatter! If the Karacknid freighter Captains lost their nerve and broke formation, he’d be able to take out a lot of them. Yet they didn’t budge. Suarez frowned as he stared at the convoy. Not only were the freighters not moving. The escorts on the flanks of the convoy weren’t either. Instead of forming up into one formation to better protect themselves, they were staying spread out. It would allow them to better protect the freighters, but if he wanted to, Suarez could blow them apart and then go for the freighters anyway. Something is not right, he thought as soon as he noticed the actions of the escorts. His mind went to the Jaranna system. The Karacknid defensive force there hadn’t reacted when Lightfoot’s fleet had arrived in system because they had several large forces hiding within the system. “Launch a spread of drones immediately!” Suarez demanded as a shiver of fear ran down his spine. The commander of the Karacknid battlefleet liked traps. He could have just walked into one. “Lock onto the convoy with our multistage missiles,” he followed up. He had been planning to keep his ships’ final salvo of multistage missiles for the end of the engagement. They were perfect for hunting down spread-out freighters. Now he needed them for another reason. “Fire as soon as the squadron is ready.”
Suarez watched the recon drones go in trepidation. Minutes later he shook his head, they weren’t detecting anything. There was a massive space around the convoy though. If there were warships lying in wait in front of the convoy’s flightpath, they could be anywhere. When the multistage missiles shot out, Suarez’ hands tightened into fists. The missiles would be a better indication of just what was going on. Suddenly, a blaze of new contacts appeared on the holo plot. Three groups of twenty ships had reacted. Two were ahead of the convoy and one behind. The twenty ships to the rear of the convoy accelerated to intercept his missiles. The other two groups were settling onto an intercept trajectory for Mjolnir. “Reverse course, get us out of here,” Suarez snapped. If he engaged the forty Karacknid warships, he could probably beat them, but his fleet would never escape the system. The rest of the Karacknids would close in and surround him. “Signal Commodore Nordstrom, order her to rendezvous with us at the delta shift passage. We cannot fight this force. We need to fall back.” Even as he gave the order, Suarez thanked whatever gods were looking after Nordstrom’s forty ships. If he had of delayed the attack by ten minutes, Nordstrom’s ships would have run right into the middle of one of the hidden Karacknid squadrons just as they began their breaking maneuver. Now, they were just about able to get away without being brought into missile range. It had been pure luck. For both of us, Suarez thought as the holo plot updated to show the projected course of the Karacknid warships. One group of twenty ships would get into missile range briefly with his ships as they fell back. They’d only get off one salvo though.
Before Suarez had to worry about that, he watched as his multistage missiles raced towards the convoy. Wisely, his tactical officer had spread the missiles out in a wide arc. Karacknid warships were racing to place themselves between the thickest sections of missiles and the freighters. For their part, the freighters continued on unswerving. Suarez was impressed, their Captains clearly had nerves of steel. As point defenses opened up, the missiles did everything they could to avoid being hit. Then, ignoring the Karacknid warships, those that survived, dove into the convoy. Twelve freighters were blown apart or badly crippled. Unconscious of the action, Suarez shook his head. Taking out twelve when there were three hundred and eighty-two left meant almost nothing. The Karacknids would likely not even notice they were gone. As if to mock him, a large group of new contacts appeared on the gravimetric plot thirty seconds later. A second convoy had entered the system, consisting of four hundred more freighters and just as many escorts.
“Missile launches,” Mjolnir’s tactical officer announced. “One hundred and ninety missiles incoming.”
“Let’s take them,” Suarez said as he nodded to his Chief of Staff. At least, his ships could do that much. With his squadron racing away from the convoy, it took fourteen minutes for the missiles to catch up with them. When they did, every point defense weapon in his squadron opened up. Only one missile managed to dodge everything that was hurled at it. Zeroing in on two destroyers, it swerved towards the leftmost one at the last second. The destroyer tried and failed to dodge the missile. In the blink of an eye a large blue antimatter ball erupted from within the midst of the destroyer. When it dissipated, the warship was no more.