Admiral's Challenge (A Spineward Sectors Novel: Book 8)

by Luke Sky Wachter

  “Oh, I’m very much aware that we’ll be going up against imperial grade tech here,” I said with flat finality, “and it doesn’t change my position in the slightest. We can’t go out with anything less than our full power or we risk being ground up and spat back out as nothing but wreckage. But, by the same token, once we’ve got all our ships firing on all cylinders I believe we have a chance. And if there’s one thing we’ve shown, it’s that as long as we’ve got a fighting chance, the MSP runs from no one.”

  “You’d need a squadron of battleships just to get close enough to her—” the Yard Manager protested.

  “Which we are very fortunate to have,” I cut in.

  “And another one to do any damage and have a chance to take her out,” the Manager continued doggedly, “which completely ignores whatever battleships, cruisers, and lesser ships she has accompanying her. We know the Carrier’s got two battleships at least.”

  I sighed and shook my head. This was getting us nowhere fast.

  “She does have a point,” Laurent said heavily, “just dealing with that Command Carrier by itself will be difficult, at best. If we’re trying to fight off the rest of a fleet—including other battleships—at the same time, it could become next to impossible. We’re going to have to come up with a way to draw it off.”

  “What’s a top Imperial ship doing out here on the border of Confederation space, anyway?” Hammer asked.

  “That’s a good question, and we need to ask it,” said one of Druid’s former officers, a man I’d tapped to run one of the new capture battleships. “Imperial Command Carriers don’t grow on trees; these invaders must have Imperial backing if they’ve got one of their Command Carriers. And we can’t fight the Empire of Man; they’re too strong.”

  “Could have been pirated,” Spalding pointed out, “a mutiny, perhaps, when they was pullin’ out of the Spine?”

  “Don’t tell me it belongs to pirates,” Druid’s officer snorted, “if it was really pirates, the Imperial Fleet would have torn up every Sector of the Spine until they retrieved her. Gorgon Front or no Gorgon Front, a blow to Imperial pride of that magnitude couldn’t have been swept under the rug and ignored.”

  “Ignored just like the Spine and their commitments to it,” growled Gunnery Chief Lesner.

  I slammed my hands down on the table to get back the attention of the room. “Don’t try telling me that anything is too much for the men and women in this room,” I said with determination. “So what if it’s a Command Carrier? The Empire probably is backing them in one way or another but, again, so what? This group just conquered one of our worlds and shows no signs of stopping there. People they shot up and destroyed—including one of our warships, an MSP battleship no less. Far from making me scared of their power, they just made a powerful enemy instead.”

  “This will be an uphill battle,” Hammer said into the growing silence.

  “That’s the only kind I like,” I said with a savage smile as I turned to Spalding. “I’m not just calling up MSP assets; I’ve also sent a message to LeGodat at Easy Haven. We’re pulling out all the stops on this one. However we can get all of our major combatants crewed up and ready to run in two weeks’ time, it’s going to take the Commodore to run out here with whatever he can scrape up. Looking at the timetable, that means the Phoenix won’t be ready to depart with the rest of the fleet.”

  “I’ll put my best men on the job, Sir,” Spalding said with a nod.

  I shook my head. “I’m going to need every ship I can get my hands on, and this isn’t going to be a simple one-off campaign. We’re going to have to strip off the escorts from the Command Carrier, and that’s going to take time, which means I’m going to need you pulling major ships—ships like the Furious Phoenix—out of Gambit as fast as you can. We’ll need everything we’ve got ready in time for the final battle against the Carrier,” I explained.

  “But, Sir!” Spalding cried.

  “I need the problems with Phoenix’s drive and inner hull resolved, Spalding,” I said seriously. “She’s a fast ship; I’m sure that as soon as you’ve got her tuned up you’ll catch up to us in no time. But I can’t leave anything on the table for this one. We’ve got to go all-in if we’re going to face off against that monster of an Imperial ship and her fleet of escorts.”

  “Ah,” Spalding said, slapping a hand on his forehead.

  “I thought you said we wouldn’t leave until every ship was ready?” Hammer asked neutrally.

  “Yes,” chimed in Laurent, “I know I speak for everyone on my ship when I say that we want to be in on the action. Even if we’re fighting a bit hurt, the Furious Phoenix can handle it. If you’re worried, I’ll only ask for volunteers.”

  I held up a hand. “I need every battleship we can muster, and we won’t be leaving without that much. But the Phoenix has some serious problems and I’ll not risk her—or the lives of her crew—when we know something’s wrong with her,” I said firmly.

  “Then I respectfully request that I, and the majority of the crew, be transferred over to one of the battleships. I believe we can do a lot more good there than we will sitting around in dry dock,” Laurent said mulishly.

  “Very well,” I said after pausing a tick. Laurent; Druid’s former XO; Hammer; and…I, I suppose, had four functional battleships. I finally gave a reluctant sigh, knowing I’d need Druid again. Even though the man had just lost one of my most important assets, watching the battle showed that he hadn’t had a chance. Caught out beyond the grav-limit with hours to go until his jump engines recharged was a death trap; that he’d managed to escape was no small accomplishment. “Laurent can take one ship and we’ll put Druid back in command of another. Along with you two, that should let us captain all of our battleships.”

  “We’ll need to shuffle things around,” Hammer warned.

  “Of course, I—” I started.

  “You need me out there, Sir!” said Spalding, who had been turning increasingly red-faced. “Without a good engineer on the Royal Rage, how can you possibly expect to squeeze every ounce out of her engines!”

  “You make a good point, Commander,” I said, shaking my head, “and I’m going to need you to tap for me a good replacement officer to run the ship in your absence. I’m also thinking that all of our battleships should be set up to run the ‘Montagne Maneuver’. But, that said, your request is going to have to be denied. I want you tearing into the Phoenix the moment the rest of the ships are ready to go. With some luck, you’ll be joining us out there before you know it.”

  “But Admiral!” Spalding protested.

  “My decisions made,” I said flatly, “you’ll fix the Phoenix and come along board her as her Chief Engineer. We can talk about a transfer later, after that Cruiser rejoins the fleet.”

  “Aye-aye, Sir,” the half-cyborg Engineer said finally, the words sounding strangled. Then, almost too quietly to catch, he muttered, “If its firepower he wants…I’ll show him firepower!”

  “Listen up, people: with a Command Carrier, a pair of Battleships, and Saint Murphy knows what else, this will be our biggest challenge yet. The threat is real, and even with a squadron of battleships this is going to be an uphill climb,” I paused and took a deep breath. “We sally for Tracto as soon as our four fully functional battleships are ready, where the plan is to meet up with whatever forces Commodore LeGodat of Easy Haven can muster. After that, we’ll see what the situation is and make our plans from there.”

  Heads nodded in slow agreement, some with determination like Leonora Hammer, others with satisfaction like Captain Laurent, while dissatisfaction practically radiated from the two engineers. But everyone knew his or her duty, and appeared ready to carry it out.

  “Alright then, now that’s settled. As far as anyone knows, did I miss anything?” I asked, honestly concerned.

  “We can load up a freighter or two with spare parts and goodies. You’re going to need them if you take any serious battle damage,” Spalding said gruffly, “I can l
ook into it.”

  “Good,” I nodded, giving him permission to continue.

  “You might want to think about calling back in the New Dream. Having a Constructor ship wandering about is a recipe for disaster,” Glenda added.

  “We’ll send out a message, and an escort, if we need to,” I agreed.

  “What about the droids and uplifts at Tracto?” Laurent asked gruffly. “Are they going to join us? If so, what kind of command protocols are we going to have? I’m not sure I want them with us but, if they do come, almost as many disasters result from coalition or allied forces getting their signals mixed up as from enemy action.”

  “I have a few ideas on that matter, but we’ll just have to see how things play out when we hit Tracto with the main fleet,” I said firmly.

  “We’re going to be stretched, crew-wise, especially with the loss of the Parliamentary Power,” advised Leonora Hammer. “Normally, if a captain loses his ship and crew, there’s a review board that takes a look at everything before making a recommendation. I’m not saying you need to do this,” Leonora said in a way that made it clear she disagreed with my decision, “but, regardless of your decision about the Commodore, the loss of his crew is going to hurt.”

  “We’ll make do,” I said after a moment, “and I know more recruits have shown up at Tracto. We can add them, green as they are. Every little bit helps.”

  “There’s also the public opinion factor to consider,” Hammer said, taking a deep breath.

  “What?” I asked looking at her with surprise.

  “I don’t know what you think about the rest of the Sector—not just here, but also at Tracto. News of the Power’s loss is going to circulate and, when it does, it’s going to hit hard. You’ll want to be prepared to answer questions,” she said.

  For a moment I wanted to rebuke her for bringing up the PR angle when lives were on the line but just a few seconds thought told me she was right. The public at large was a massive, ravening beast when attention was stirred up—and no one knew this better than a Montagne. I could ill afford to offend that beast, or allow the fears to run rampant in even so small an off-world population of expatriates as existed in Tracto.

  “I’ll take that under advisement, and deal with it if it becomes a problem,” I said, my mind already running through a few potential speeches.

  “Just don’t wait too long,” Hammer advised.

  “Noted,” I said shortly. “Anything else?” I asked, sweeping the table. I’d never run a fleet this green—or with this much firepower—before. I wanted to get this part as right as possible before we sailed off into the darkness of cold space and all our plans went out the window—as they inevitably did.

  Chapter Sixty-seven: Wolf-9

  “Are you sure you’re making the right call here, Commodore?” asked Captain Stravinksy.

  “I think it is,” LeGodat said in a quelling tone.

  “We just got the Heavy Cruiser, Little Gift, out of the repair dock after the last time we sent her out to assist Admiral Montagne—and now we’re stripping our defenses to the bone? Sir, I respectfully think—” started Stravinsky.

  “The Gift has been out of space dock for more than six months, which is plenty of time to complete a shakedown cruise and work her up,” LeGodat cut in, and the Captain opened her mouth in response but he overrode her before she could speak, “and in the future, when I want your opinion on this mission, I’ll ask for it, Captain.”

  “But sir,” Sarkozi protested.

  “I don’t have a problem with this mission; Synthia McCruise doesn’t have a problem with this mission; right now, the only one who has a problem is you, Captain,” he said severely. “Lock it down and stay on task. We have a credible threat against the safety of this Sector, and if this Sector falls so does this Confederation Fleet Base. A Confederation Admiral has asked for reinforcements, and I aim to give him them. That will be all, Captain.”

  “Commodore,” she cried, “he’s not even a real Confederation officer. His commission is honorary!”

  “Full stop right there, Captain,” LeGodat barked. “I wouldn’t even be a Commodore if not for Admiral Montagne, so if you don’t accept his rank then you sure as all the blue blazes can’t call me by mine—and another thing: whatever the status of his commission, he was legally placed in command of a Confederation Fleet. I don’t know about you, but Confederation Fleets seem to be amazingly light on throw weight out here presently. So forgive me, Captain,” he said witheringly, “if I choose to ignore a few legal irregularities in favor of supporting a man who has not only defended this Sector, but has gone so far as repulsing a fully-fledged Droid invasion of two of our neighbors! The Grand Assembly has done nothing about our current situation, except issue hold-in-place orders as a relief fleet is being assembled. Well, it’s been being assembled for the past two years. As Saint Murphy is my witness, if we don’t hang together then we’re doomed to hang separately out here, and now the other side has a Command Carrier. You’re blasted right I agree that concentrating our firepower is the right call. Get over yourself, Captain!”

  The Captain looked shocked as LeGodat looked at her with disappointment. “I understand and will comply, Commodore,” she said finally.

  “Good,” LeGodat snorted, turning away.

  “Point Emergence! I’m reading multiple hyper-footprints on the edge of the system’s hyper-limit,” barked Officer Johanson.

  “What?” Commodore LeGodat growled. “Turn the task force and reorient on the position of the new contacts. I want to know who’s come to Easy Haven and why.”

  A few minutes later, as the tally of ships, their sizes, and classifications was finally fully listed, the Commodore’s ship received a transmission.

  “What do they want, Comm.?” demanded LeGodat.

  The Communication Officer looked up with surprise. “It’s the New Sector Guard, Commodore. They say they have orders to join our forces for the duration of the current emergency,” reported the Lieutenant.

  “Really?” LeGodat asked with surprise.

  “Yes,” the Officer nodded, “although, they are requesting a clarification. It seems that while they have their orders, they are currently unaware of just what the emergency is. They also say they have a file from the Sector Governor that’s your eyes only.”

  LeGodat barked out a surprised laugh.

  “Interesting,” he mused.

  Chapter Sixty-eight: Reinforcements

  “So that’s the last of it, Admiral,” Major Lafiet finished his report, “and other than the mix-up over whether we could release a recently-arrested group of officers and crew who plead out to that new group you’ve got headed out for Sector 24, I think everything is on track. But I do apologize over that, sir. No excuse. I should have just held them, regardless of what the local magistrate said about sentencing them to a penal colony.”

  “You’ve done wonders out here, Major,” I said, clenching my teeth to cut back an angry remark. “You had no way of knowing a fellow officer would abuse her authority like that, or that I would have preferred that this specific group be sent down planet to rot.”

  “Again, I’m sorry, Admiral. All the paperwork was in order but before I knew it…” Lafiet trailed off ruefully.

  “Water under the bridge,” I said, taking a deep breath to clear my head. “I realize how much of a mad house it’s been out here. A stumble here and there is only to be expected. But don’t worry; you continue to have my full faith and confidence. Just don’t let it happen again.”

  “Yes, Sir,” the Major nodded sharply and then hesitated before continuing. “What should I do if those particular individuals happen to come through here again?”

  “If they’re wise—” I started right before the emergency klaxon started screaming.

  Dropping my data slate on the table, I snatched up my Dark Sword of Power and rushed out of the room. I didn’t know if the emergency was external or internal, and I wasn’t about to take the risk of guessing wrong. F
rom now on, I would be prepared for all eventualities.

  “What have we got?” I barked, lunging onto the bridge of the Royal Rage.

  “I’ve got three Cruisers—one Heavy and two Light—along with 14 Destroyers, a pair of mine-layers, and three full squadrons of Corvettes,” the Sensor Officer said urgently. “I’m also reading at least four medium-sized freighters in the middle of their formation. It looks like a fleet and its fleet train, Sir.”

  “Does the profile of the Heavy Cruiser match our last recorded specifications of the Gift?” I asked, relaxing back into my chair as my heart rate began to slow.

  The Sensor Officer paused for a beat and then; “Checking,” he said. After a moment he turned around and nodded in the affirmative as his face flushed a deep shade of red. I gestured for him to go on. “It’s a match, Admiral,” he said, relief evident in his voice.

  “Good enough,” I said with an inaudible sigh.

  “Are you saying that you know about these ships, Sir?” he asked with surprise.

  “I’ve been expecting reinforcements from our brothers and sisters in Easy Haven for a few days now,” I replied.

  “Almost gave me a heart attack,” one of the Sensor operators said loud enough to be heard.

  “Silence in the Sensor pit,” the Sensor Officer turned and said angrily.

  “Well, that’s a relief,” Major Lafiet said.

  “All’s well that ends well,” I said happily.

  “Contact!” exclaimed one of the Sensor techs. “Multiple new contacts have just appeared in close proximity to the newly-arrived fleet.”

  “What?” I said with surprise.

  “You weren’t expecting these ones, I take it?” Lafiet asked.

  I shook my head as the tally came in: three more Cruisers, three squadrons of Destroyers, and a host of smaller ships.