The Dallas was also being attacked by twenty dreadnaughts and was having success until two of 3,600 foot long ships accelerated and rammed her from both sides. Before she died she fired 40 needles into the surrounding dreadnaughts and fired her primary beams into the two ships ramming her. The resulting explosions cleared space for 20 miles around the site.
Kosiev asked, “Has the second fleet made contact?”
“In three minutes,” Kelly answered.
“Ship count, Ensign?”
“We’ve lost 68 ships, sir. The Alliance has lost 875. The Empire ships have taken a drastic toll on their heavy ships but they still have more than 800 in the first fleet. They have started to ram our larger ships, Admiral.”
Kosiev pushed a button on his com and said, “All ships begin weave on my command, Execute!”
The Earth fleet suddenly went in four different directions. One quarter of them went straight down thru the Alliance fleet while one quarter of them went vertical. The other half of the fleet went left and right. The Alliance fleet found itself with ships passing from different directions and they could not change directions as quickly to ram. They would try to follow the ship they were attacking only to find another human ship firing at them from above and below.
Kosiev ordered, “Initiate one quarter change, execute!” All the Human ships rotated ninety degrees and continued moving thru the Alliance ships firing needles and Primary beams. The Alliance ships just could not change direction fast enough to keep up with the faster smaller ships and they were getting mauled.
The Washington looked on fire as it was struck by hundreds of beams and missiles. Captain Mikado watched as three dreadnaughts picked up speed and attempted to ram. “Fly straight at the lead dreadnaught and run down its length,” Mikado ordered and then held on to his arm rests as the Washington abruptly changed direction. The other two dreadnaughts tried to match the turn but only flew into the dreadnaught the Washington was running along. The screen of the Washington was so hot it penetrated the dreadnaughts screen and burned thru the top of the dreadnaught for its entire length setting off its missile magazines as it passed. The dreadnaught exploded behind the Washington taking the other two Alliance ships with it. Alliance ships were dying by the hundreds.
Captain Rubens in the Los Angeles was approaching three dreadnaughts from below that were chasing the Clearwater. He hit two with his primary beams and the third one with three needles. All three were dead and bleeding atmosphere as he passed. The Clearwater turned suddenly leaving three ramming ships passing thru the spot it had just occupied. Captain Rubens ordered, “Kill those three rammers.” As the Los Angeles passed vertically by the three dreadnaughts, three needles punctured each of the dreadnaughts screens. Two of them didn’t even leave rubble when the hornets hit their missile magazines. The third was broken into three parts bleeding atmosphere and enduring multiple explosions.
The Subleader was watching his fleet being destroyed around him. He tried to call the Warleader for direction but he couldn’t break thru the interference. He saw his second support fleet being attacked by the second Earth Fleet and he knew he couldn’t expect help from that quarter. “Order the remaining ships to turn and join the second fleet. Do it immediately.”
“Sir, the Alliance ships are turning and running toward the second fleet.”
Kosiev ordered, “Cease weaving and pick a ship to destroy before it joins them.”
The Human ships broke formation and every ship attacked a single Alliance warship. Three hundred and forty Alliance ships were destroyed before they made it to their second fleet.
“Ship Count, Mr. Kelly?”
“We are down to 330 ships. The Alliance first fleet has lost 1908.”
“Form up and prepare to move in on the remaining Alliance fleet. Commodore Davidson, we will be joining your attack in thirty seconds.”
“Welcome to the party, Sir.”
“All ships, forward,” Kosiev ordered.
Tgon-Gee watched the carnage and looked at his Fleet Admiral and said, “Can you think of any reason why we would want to take on these Humans?”
“Excellency, I would suggest that our burial plans should extend indefinitely. Whoever attacks those small warships is going to lose a high number of theirs. We should thank the Cainth Admiral for his warning.”
“I agree. The thing that interests me the most is that shield they have around their planet. We don’t have anything remotely close to the technology to do that. If we had that shield so we didn’t have to fear the Alliance, we would have our freedom back. Make immediate plans to visit the Cainth. I’m going to leave tomorrow and surprise them; I want to know how they knew this was going to happen.”
The Warleader was beyond frustration. Nothing he did would penetrate the screen around the planet. Then he had a thought. “Subman Fznegt. I want you to take your ten ship squadron and go out to the orbit of the big moon and accelerate into one of those small moons circling the planet. Keep your screens on and launch all your nuclear missiles right ahead of you.”
Subman Fznegt heard his instructions and knew that his time had come. All Vgrig with his rank were used if necessary to suicide. “Warleader, May I off load all the non-essential crewmen?”
“No you may not. I want your ships operating at top efficiency when you hit the screen.”
“As you wish Warleader.”
“Sir, we have ten ships moving away from the fleet toward the moon,” Lt. Minishe said.
“Weapons, target those ships. It they turn toward us, I want them hit 80 miles out from the screen,” Colonel Taz ordered. “Get me a channel to the Washington.”
“Admiral Kosiev, this is Colonel Taz; I’m the overall commander of the fortresses. We have observed ten Alliance ships leaving the main body of the fleet and moving toward our moon. If they turn and make a run at us, I am going to release weapons. Do you want us to then continue to fire at the Alliance fleet?”
Kosiev looked at Tag and Tag asked, “How many of their ships are in range of your beams?”
“All but one; the largest ship is stationed by itself between the moon and our screen about 8,000 miles out, all the others are holding station within five miles of the screen.”
Tag shrugged and looked at Dorg and Kosiev; Kosiev said, “Colonel, kill as many as you can. I don’t want all those ships to scatter and run the chance that one might escape to warn the Alliance of our screen. I’m going to have Commodore Johnson jump ten battleships to the other side of the sun to prevent their ships from escaping the way they came in.”
Colonel Taz said, “We’ll delay firing as long as possible to give them a chance to jump.”
“There’s no need Colonel; all of his ships are outside the jump limit. Start your firing when and if those ten ships run at you. If they don’t, then hold your fire. I don’t want to use your weapons if it can be avoided.”
“Yes sir.”
Dorg said, “With all due respect, I would like to see them.”
Tag said, “Don’t worry. They have started ramming our ships with dreadnaughts; I don’t see any other purpose of those ships except to do the same.”
“Warleader, we are in position.”
‘Start your acceleration now.”
Lt. Minishe said, “Sir the ten ships have turned and are accelerating toward our fort.”
“Attention all fortresses; this is Colonel Taz. We are going live weapons. Target the ships around our screen. Hold your fire until we eliminate the ten suicide ships. The four fortresses on this side of the planet are to target their zones. As the other forts rotate into position, move your zone with the rotation. I think they will run directly from the planet, but stay alert in case they try to run around it. We will fire in 30 seconds.”
The ten Vgrig ships were accelerating at their maximum speed and were 80 miles from the surface of the screen when a bright white light 5 miles wide erupted from the fortress and hit the ten ships. Nothing remained when it turned off.
; “Holy Groad, what was that?” the Warleader said. Then he saw more than a hundred of those beams fire through his ships. “Get out of there!” he yelled into his com; but it was no use. His fleet was sitting still and it took a few moments to get under way. Those moments proved fatal when those beams moving at light speed hit his ships. Out of 800 ships hanging above the planet only 10 were able to start moving but they were hit before they could move out of range. Where those beams hit, nothing remained. “War leader, the screen has reduced to 87 degs thickness,” the sensor officer said, “and all of our ships have been blown out of existence.”
“How are our other fleets doing?”
“Only 210 of 2000 managed to make the third fleets lines. We lost 1790 ships to the Humans first fleet of 450 ships. They are attacking the third fleet with 780 ships now.”
“Pilot, take the ship away from the planet and head for the Star drive limit at top speed. We have got to warn the Alliance about this race.” The big ship turned and moved toward the moon then went vertical to escape the system. As it picked up speed the sensor officer said, “Warleader, there are ten of the Human battleships closing on us at twice our speed. They will intercept us more than 1000 segs from the jump limit.”
The Warleader had never known the fear he was feeling. He was trapped. He sat in his command chair and watched those ships coming at him at unbelievable velocity. His silver plume was laying flat against his back and he could see his death approaching. “Warleader, I know we would never consider surrendering,” his second said, “but if we all die here, there will be no one to warn our world of this danger. I will follow you to death, but the Home Nest must be warned.”
“Honor demands a death before dishonor,” the Warleader said. “But you’re right. This is a danger that we must try at all costs to warn the Vetrel. Abandon ship; set the self destruct. Everyone into survival Pods. Let’s hope these Humans take prisoners. Abandon ship!”
Commodore Johnson saw the big ship stop and start emitting life boats. “Hold your position,” he ordered his ships. “I’m sure they have set a self destruct; let’s wait until it goes off. Communications; order a transport for the prisoners.”
On Cainth the Clan Leaders watched the fortresses totally destroy the fleet above the planet. Terl looked at the clan leaders and said, “That’s what will go on line over us tomorrow. Only 300 ships remain to be converted. For the first time in more than 1500 cycles, we can feel what it’s like to be free.”
Tgon-Gee saw the slaughter of the fleet at the planet and turned off his feed. “How close we have come to being made powerless. Dorg was right; the Alliance Leadership had set us up. He felt a deep burning anger and was determined to make them pay but first a trip to Cainth to thank them for their advice.”
Kosiev said, “Commodore Johnson, have one of your ships move toward the Saratoga and fire a light beam at it. We’re going to stop the feed now.”
“Yes, sir, the ship is already in position and the Saratoga has acknowledged the cut.”
The remaining Alliance warships were caught between two Human fleets and they had no chance of survival. The 738 human ships destroyed twice their number within 60 seconds of contact. The Subleader ordered a fast withdrawal but now the numbers were in the Humans favor and each ship took one of the remaining Alliance ships and destroyed them all before any of them could make it to the jump limit. The Alliance had sent 4800 ships and none survived. The Humans lost 240 of their 900 ships. More than 60% of those losses were from being rammed by larger Alliance ships.
Kosiev reviewed the results and said to Tag, “We have to change our fleet strategy; staying in formation works in space battles but not against ships willing to ram. We can’t give up our edge in speed and maneuverability by having our fleet stay in line.”
“You’re right,” Tag said while looking at the ship losses. “The weave worked well but we waited too late to start it. Perhaps we use both next time. We’ll engage them in formation and then start the weave once we break into their ranks. We should also change direction every ten seconds. They can’t maneuver as fast and it’s hard to ram when your target turns away faster than you can match.”
“I understand we took the flagships crew prisoner,” Dorg said. I thought this race was supposed to suicide before being captured?”
“I think they saw no one was going to escape and they know the importance of getting a warning to the Alliance,” Tag said as he watched the flagship self destruct on his video. “Admiral, leave a ship hidden that can watch the wreckage of their ship.”
“Why, do you think they have something planned?”
“How hard would it be to hide a small armored shuttle in the wreckage that was isolated from the blast?”
“I see your point. Their Warleader was not among the prisoners. Should we just destroy the wreckage?”
“No, we might want to let him escape.”
“For God’s sake, why?”
“We now know the screen will protect the planet. I don’t want the next invasion to target Earth but to target the fleet. He knows we only used 900 ships. The Alliance will not have a clue how many we used so they may order an all out attack fearing we have huge numbers. I hate to let them know about our planetary defenses, but I don’t want them to think we have more ships than those 900. The Warleader will also be able to verify that we lost 240 ships so the Alliance will not feel it needs to send all the ships in its arsenal. We still haven’t cut into their numbers enough. One thing for certain though, we won’t need to hide anything for the next battle; they will send everything they have if they lose the next one.”
Kosiev thought about Tags suggestion and said, “What if there isn’t a ship hiding in the rubble?”
“Then we have to arrange an escape but I think that is premature at this point. Move all your ships away from the wreckage and have the Cleveland come around from the sun and keep an eye out. We’ll give them five days to make their break. We also should make it look real and have one of our ships start the chase from too far away to catch them.”
“I’m nervous about revealing our planetary defenses, but you’re right. We can’t handle more than 40,000 warships. Do you think it might be a good idea to maybe add four more asteroid fortresses?”
“We haven’t fully charged the ones we’ve got. We’re still at only 60% charge after destroying those 800 ships. We can add more if we can get them to 100% capacity. Even with the sun and all those reactors, the system holds an inconceivable amount of energy and is still weeks off from fully charging. Think about how valuable that screen will be to our ships during a planetary fight to discharge their screens.”
Kosiev thought a moment and said, “I hadn’t even considered that.” Then he smiled. “You know; we’re not as much an underdog as it appears.” Then he started laughing.
Chapter 6
The Warleader sat in his small ship watching his screen as the Humans finished destroying the ships in the outer system. His race was not one to ever be intimidated by any military they had ever encountered but now he was nervous that his life was on the line for the first time in his career. He knew his species was no match for what he had witnessed here in this attack on the Humans. He thought back to his initial over confidence and wondered how he could have possibly planned things differently that would have led to a different outcome but he was forced to admit that the end result would have been the same. “I talked about killing; they actually did it,” he thought as he watched his screen. Every one of the survivors on his small ship was in a somber mood and frightened that they, too, would be discovered. He watched as the crew of his battle ship was picked up by the Humans and loaded aboard a transport that then moved out toward the large planet near the Star drive limit. The Warships escorting the transport followed as it moved further and further away. “Do you detect any other ships in the vicinity?” he asked his sensor officer.
Annihilation: The Power of a Queen Page 8