Five Order of Eden capitol ships had already managed to escape before Haven Fleet managed to project their own interdiction signals, trapping the remaining sixteen. Those were pounded into submission in minutes by Haven Fleet reinforcements and the War Forge's array of heavy weapons. There were a few dozen destroyer and smaller capitol class craft as well, but some were already surrendering, others were on the run, Haven ships giving chase. For many of the Haven destroyers, the crews were experiencing their first battle, and Ayan was happy they were doing it with the assistance of the more experienced Nafalli. A battle that started with disaster had turned around quickly, becoming a clear victory.
It amazed her that some crews were still bothering to fight Haven boarding parties, erroneously thinking that surprising them with combat droids and under armoured crewmembers could somehow save their ship, or earn them rewards from their Order of Eden masters. Jake was leading three squads to the bridge of the Ascent One, where they were meeting resistance from automated and human resistance even though Minh-Chu reported that the commanders had escaped. There was still a hope that Jake could capture several officers. The systems of the Ascent One would be completely taken over by Haven Fleet soon, especially considering the good progress Jake was making towards a main data line. For some reason, the storage drives aboard that ship hadn't been wiped yet, and it was making regular attempts to form a wormhole even though Haven's interdiction systems were making that impossible.
The door opened and Leon stepped inside. "The Rear Admiral looked like he was sucking a lemon when he left."
"His battle group took the heaviest losses during the hack," Ayan explained, clearing her throat. Not knowing why, she stood up, straightening her uniform with a tug at her waist. That was something her mother did all the time, even after Freeground switched to vacsuits that self-adjusted, she recalled. With no little effort, Ayan cleared her head and looked to Leon. "How is it out there?"
"In the Command Centre?" Leon asked, glancing over his shoulder at the door. "Honestly?"
"Yes, always. No sugar coating, please." Ayan liked Leon, enjoyed his company and he was such a good personal assistant that she wouldn't dream of replacing him with an artificial intelligence. He was even good with Laura, who seemed to like him. His days with her were numbered, though. He was too good to stay, and the fleet needed commanders.
Leon thought for a moment before answering. Then; "I think they're waiting for someone to tell them we're winning."
Are we? Did we? Haven Shore is in flames. Our losses are in the thousands and just under half of those are thanks to a fumble with our own technology. Now we're doing clean up, but I don't know if staying in the Haven System is the best idea. We're exposed here. Our enemies have intimate knowledge of this solar system, and there could be a dozen Order battlegroups on the way already. A vibration against her right wrist drew her attention to the command and control band there. It was a notification that the first prisoners had been transported to the War Forge. There were several Order of Eden commanders that were caught in escape craft, enemy soldiers of lower rank, and Wheeler. There have been victories, too. Ayan allowed herself to feel a swell of hope for a moment then nodded. "I'll tell them," she said to Leon as she walked towards the sliding hatch.
"Are you sure you don't want to work it into a short speech? You know, refine things a little before you make a statement?" he asked her in a quiet rush.
"I'll keep it short and simple," Ayan said as she went out to the circular walkway along the top tier of the circular Command Centre. It was the highest tier as well. In response to a triple-tap on the interface of her left command and control unit, a whistle sounded across the fleet's communication system and every public communications band. "To our enemies, this is your signal to offer your official, unconditional surrender. We will be merciful and consider any true offer to switch sides. Anyone who raises a weapon from this point on will be killed on sight or executed forthwith. In short: surrender or die."
Over a hundred fifty people in the lower tiers of the Command Centre turned up to her. Most of them split their attention between their duties and Ayan. She had to keep the rest short. There were many satisfied smiles on those upturned faces. Hearing the harsh terms of surrender offered to the Order after mixed news of victory and losses seemed to bolster them. "Now, to Haven Fleet and our allies I say this is a day of loss and victory both. Thousands of civilians, people who believed in us, were saved and spirited away aboard the Pelican, which will return when we've secured the solar system. The enemy Admiral in command of this entire solar system, Lucius Wheeler, has been captured and is now in hand. Hundreds of Order officers will be joining him in our cells to await interrogation, and we see no indication that the Order or Edxi have sent reinforcements to this system. This day will live long in our memories as one of loss, yes, but as a time when we were able to defeat the Order when they were dug in, their war machine in full evidence, ready to fight. This is proof that they can be defeated." That was all she planned to say, and though it felt less celebratory or complete than she'd like, Ayan knew that her statement only included facts that she could confirm, and she hoped more good news was coming. "The entire Admiralty is proud of the Fleet and everyone else who has done their part in this fight," she added before starting to turn away from the railing.
"Will we be staying?" asked Julie, one of the science and scanning analysts several tiers below her.
"Are we really taking the Haven System back?" asked another voice that Ayan couldn't put a name to.
Ayan turned back towards the command centre and nodded before she really had an answer. Her heart told her what she wanted to say. As a ripple of excited whispers moved across the Command Centre at her brief nod, she considered what she'd actually say. Reason told her that would have been easier to pack the whole fleet up and escape to an unknown system where they could rally, maybe even outside the Cluster.
Sentimentality and another, weaker logical point of view was more appealing, though. If they stayed it would be an example to the whole galaxy, that tyranny could be defeated. It would be the more difficult option, she was sure.
What she said next would go far to bolster the morale of the whole fleet, but she'd have to answer to the Admiralty for it. It wasn't her decision alone. "We're staying. The Haven System is our home. We will fortify this space, and behind those walls we'll build a nation where people can live happy, productive lives in a democracy. I put this call out to all who seek refuge: Come to the Haven System. Whether you want to join the fight against the Order and their allies, or need a safe place to live, I invite you."
The cheers that followed only lifted her spirits for a moment. Commanders in the tiers below cut the adulation short, there was still a lot of work to do. A glance at her command and control unit revealed that confirmation scans of the Sunspire verified that her mother was killed along with all but one of her bridge crew. With a nod, Ayan stepped away from the railing with as much grace as she could manage, disappearing through the door behind her.
Leaning against the tall arm of the nearest chair, she breathed deeply, then let the air out in a long sigh. Tears dripped down her face, and her breath caught in her chest, making it more difficult to steady herself. "I could have been a better daughter to you, I'm so sorry," Ayan wept quietly, her legs, her hands shaking and she let herself sink to her knees beside the chair. "I'll build this for you, for your granddaughter, and for the son I'll have with Jake. I'll make this the brightest place in the galaxy so there will always be a place that remembers you."
The door behind her slipped open and Leon put an arm around her as he hurriedly reached down to tap on her command and control unit. "You forgot to cut the transmission," he whispered as he squeezed her shoulders in his arms.
"Everyone heard?"
He nodded. "Sorry I didn't get to you faster."
Finding control again as she fought a tide of embarrassment, forcefully deciding that her tears had to wait, Ayan wiped her face
and got to her feet. "All right. We have work to do."
Thirty-Four
Not Quite Like Old Times
* * *
"For the son I'll have with Jake." Jacob Valent saw Ayan say in a small window on his helmet display. She was her knees, fallen, weeping uncontrollably. The woman he'd loved for so long that it seemed like an unwavering fact in his core was undone by the news that her mother died in combat.
Seeing her in pain was enough to cause him a kind of haunting agony that he could hide, but Jake knew himself well enough to be aware that it would reveal itself as something else later. Most likely aggression, the kind that you had to express. That would only be lessened by what she said, what he was fixating on. That she intended, or believed that they'd have a son together.
Yes, the other parts of her declaration were more important. The promises she made would be powerful, and it was unusual for her to keep speaking publicly after breaking down. He wished he was there, not just to comfort her, but to somehow lessen her grief, take some of it on himself. He knew that focusing on her mentioning a forthcoming son was more than a little self-centred, but that's what stuck with him.
If there was any doubt about her faithfulness, or the strength of their relationship, it was eradicated. Her declaration was sent across all bands, it would spread across the solar system then beyond, as quickly as the hyper transmitter system could pass it on. He was frozen as he tried to clear his head, the squad he had taken towards the bridge holding as they made the final hardware connection to the control systems of the Ascent One. The main entrance to the command centre of the ship was just ahead, flanked by two broad hallways. Their sensors hinted that there was an ambush of some kind waiting for them, but an improvised scrambler put in place by the enemy kept the details a secret.
A son with Ayan, he thought. Jake loved Laura, wanted to spend more time with her and call her a daughter of his own if Ayan would allow it. The topic of marriage hadn't come up. It was an archaic institution, but ever since Minh-Chu confided that he planned on proposing to Ashley, the idea wouldn't go away. Ayan talked about the visions she'd been given by the Victory Machine several times, but she'd only spoken of the son she saw in it once. There was sorrow in her then, he almost missed that it was about that boy, but looking back, it was as plain as day. The words she spoke only moments ago told him that it was something she still wanted or believed would come to be in the future. Maybe she's already pregnant? It was a random thought, one that he shook away as he reminded himself that she'd taken the same stop shot that the rest of the fleet did. She wouldn't age, but she couldn't have children either. Stop shots can be reversed, came the thought, but again, he tried to focus on the present.
Ensign Un-Luk was down in the floor at his feet, where a makeshift hatch had been cut through the deck. She was busy wresting control of the whole ship, making connections to the main data and systems lines. "Almost done, Admiral," said the only Mergillian in his squad, noticing him looking down into the small space for the third time.
I need to snap out of it. I shouldn't even be thinking of a son right now, Laura is amazing, and I barely get to see her as it is. Would having a second kid make any sense? I'd have to stay close to home, but there's so much work to do in the sector, let alone the galaxy. Can I really take a step back, stay behind enemy lines, help run the show light years away from the action? Jake thought, chastising himself. There won't be another kid if I get killed right at the finish line, either. I've got to get my head straight. But what happens after this? Do I settle down? The answer was more a feeling than a thought. The notion of building a family with Ayan was attractive, but he knew he'd go crazy, wish he was out in the fight more and more all the time.
"Jake, I have news," Minh-Chu said through the private channel they shared.
"Yeah, the Rear Admiral is gone, I saw it on my tactical system," Jake said. "It was a long shot anyway."
"While that is true, West didn't get away clean. Two of my pilots took the mission very seriously and jumped onto his ship before I could tell them to let it go. Last I saw they were stuck to the hull of his ship like tree frogs while the Veritas took off through a wormhole. I would have followed them, but I guess I'm not as crazy as I used to be."
"Wait, they did what?" Jake asked.
"They made like flying monkeys and jumped after him. Nothing I can do for now."
"Well, no," Jake chuckled. "Nothing you can do now except hope that they're smart enough to get themselves out of whatever mess they find themselves in."
"Right," Minh-Chu sighed. "I'm flying my fighter remotely so it can meet me at the nearest airlock. There are still some seriously heavy security bots guarding the hangar, even though it's empty."
"All right," Jake sighed, a little amused at the notion of two of Minh-Chu's pilots leaping onto the back of the Rear Admiral's escaping ship. "Hopefully they signal us when they get where they're going without showing everyone in the Order where they are."
"They're new, but resourceful. They might have a chance. I'll calculate their potential destinations based on where that wormhole was pointing when things cool down."
The most immediate thing on Minh-Chu's mission list was the direction of fighter pilots in the Haven System. Throughout the day he'd been assisting the Triton Flight Deck, often to such an extent that they had nothing to tell them for long spans of time. Minh-Chu's multi-taking abilities were astonishing, especially when he was dogfighting while sending commands to other pilots through his tactical system. "Good job today, Minh," Jake said as alerts started to appear on his own tactical map.
"Thanks. I'm going to take it easy and follow up on that giant Citadel ship we marked earlier. We're still picking it up, but there's something strange about the readings."
"Good hunting," Jake replied, wishing he could say; 'be careful,' instead, but he knew his old friend would consider that a jinx. He turned his full attention to the tactical alert. "I'm in full control of the ship except for the two main security doors to the right and left of the bridge. Someone's cut the wiring there and rigged manual controls," Ensign Un-Luk said, hopping out of the hole in the deck. "The ship's internal sensors are sending data to our tactical systems now. The news isn't good, Sir, I'm sorry."
Jake saw that there were three heavy war robots on treads, each ready to pounce the moment Jake and his squad made a run for the bridge. Behind them there was a gathering of eighty-two crewmen in light to medium armour, all armed. These were the ones that Alaka and Stephanie's squads hadn't managed to subdue. Everywhere they went there were dozens of deranged Order of Eden crewmembers who fought like devils using everything they could find in the ship's armoury against the squads. In light armour, they weren't much of a match, but when they gathered in large numbers they could do serious damage. "Good work." The control panel for the entire ship appeared on Jake's right command and control bracer. He digitally transferred his command flag in the name of Haven Fleet, officially claiming the ship as a war prize. With a flick of his eye, he added Stephanie and Alaka to the command list.
"Those robots are going to be a problem. They're the latest rollers from the Order," Frost said as he looked their scans over. "They're made to take whole crowds out."
"Are they just as good at taking out single targets?" Jake asked, looking at the specifications and the programmed behaviour profiles. They were complex security robots, and these ones were loaded down with anti-riot gear since they were slated for delivery to Tamber. The staff had moved them from the cargo bay to the main hall to the bridge, a pretty smart move.
"Well," Frost considered. "Not really, what are you thinking?"
Jake tried to deactivate them remotely but his efforts prompted a response in big red letters: WIRELESS CONNECTION UNAVAILABLE. "We'll have to do this the hard way. I'll take the two on the left, you take the one on the right. Everyone else, blast the crewmembers with suppression nets if they poke their heads out. Set stun to maximum."
"A few of the crewmembers will
die if we set it that high," Ensign Un-Luk breathed.
"We'll give them a chance to surrender," Jake said. "Then they're taking their lives into their own hands."
"We've got to make sure these stuns work," Frost added. "Can't afford to have some bastard pretending until they can pop a great big grenade in our faces, aye?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to question. I was talking to myself," Un-Luk said. "I'm ready." She brandished her rifle, which was almost as long as she was tall, a little over a metre if she stood in a relaxed pose.
Jake tapped into the ship wide communications and cleared his throat. "To the crew of the Ascent One: This is Admiral Jacob Valent. Put your weapons down, deactivate all security systems under your control, and surrender immediately. If you don't, we'll kill every last one of you. You have ten seconds."
The sound of Stephanie's laughter over the command channel was as surprising as it was pleasant. "Well, that worked," she said. "I've got a whole corridor filling up with regular Order crewmembers already."
"Knock them out with gas and restrain 'em," Jake said. "We don't have the manpower to process them all right now, so we'll pile them into a safe storage room somewhere."
"Aye," Stephanie said. "Looks like everyone on this deck and the one below is surrendering. I've marked the galley as their surrender point and we're watching our scanners for anyone who wants to use this opportunity to cause trouble."
"Good, no surrenders here," Jake said, nodding at Frost. "We'll charge first, then, once the robots are focused on you and me, the rest of the squad moves in. Shields to maximum. Remember; only Frost and I will be going after these bots until we give you the word to fire on them. Give us some space to deal with them. One half of the squad fires on my target, the other half on Frost's. We need their shields down fast, so use your Knight Killer rounds."
Spinward Fringe Broadcast 14 Page 28