Prince Lakat shifted his multifaceted eyes to the tactical display, seeing an intimidating number of red threat icons. He knew these ships could destroy his fleet. On one of the main viewscreens, the disk ships of the Ancients were visibly moving closer.
Enemy fleet is opening fire, warned the Vorn at the sensor console.
Prince Lakat’s mothership shook violently, nearly throwing the prince to the floor. Are we damaged? Prince Lakat looked toward the damage control console.
No, replied Renwarld. That was wreckage striking our energy screen.
Wreckage?
Yes, the Dawn Enforcer has been destroyed.
Prince Lakat felt shocked. The Dawn Enforcer was the other mothership with the fleet. Before the prince could reply or give the order to flee into hyperspace, the ship began shaking violently and a white light filled the Command Center.
-
“Both motherships have been destroyed,” confirmed Lieutenant Brooks.
“I don’t miss,” said Lieutenant Mays haughtily as she targeted a nearby Vorn battleship. Moments later on a viewscreen, a massive flash of light signaled its annihilation from a Zero-Point Energy round.
“All ships are engaging,” reported Captain Randson. “The Vorn appear confused from the destruction of their two motherships. Their return fire is sporadic.”
“Then let’s destroy them,” ordered Kurt. “I don’t want a single Vorn ship escaping.”
-
In space, the combined Human and Glaymon fleet unleashed a fierce barrage of weapons fire upon the stunned Vorns. Zero-Point Energy rounds, five-hundred-megaton dark matter missiles, particle beams, force beams, energy beams, and direct energy projectors opened up on the Vorn fleet. The fleet was already reeling from the loss of Prince Lakat and the two motherships. There was confusion between the military leaders on the battleships over who should assume command of the fleet.
Bright explosions littered space as Vorn energy shields were overwhelmed. The volume of incoming fire was so great many Vorn ships simply ceased to exist as their shields collapsed, releasing their stored energy and vaporizing the ships they were supposed to protect. Most of the Vorn small spindle-shaped cruisers were annihilated in the first thirty seconds of combat with only the larger Vorn battleships able to withstand the terrible onslaught of raw energy raining down upon their fleet. However, even the Vorn 1,200-meter battleships could handle only so much destructive energy and soon even their shields began to fail.
While the Vorn battleships’ battle armor could sometimes withstand the loss of their energy shield and the release of the shield’s stored power, they were helpless against the weapons being used against them.
Particle beam fire from several Human battleships ripped open the hull of a Vorn battleship, exposing its vulnerable heart. A well placed dark matter missile turned the ship into a miniature nova. Human battlecruisers systematically overloaded Vorn energy screens and then used their beam weapons to savage the vessels, tearing them apart.
A pair of dark matter missiles slammed into the center of an ailing Vorn battleship, annihilating it. The Vorn fleet was rapidly dying when one military leader managed to reestablish command and ordered the surviving ships to flee.
-
“Vorn fleet is entering hyperspace,” reported Lieutenant Brooks.
“How many?” asked Kurt disappointed they weren’t going to be able to destroy all the Vorn ships.
“Twelve battleships and eighteen cruisers.”
Andrew grinned broadly. “That’s cutting them down to size.”
“Our own losses?” Kurt wasn’t aware of any ships being destroyed.
“None,” replied Andrew. “We have a few ships reporting minor damage only.”
“By destroying the motherships first we destroyed their command structure,” explained Aleea. “By the time the other military leaders in the battleships were able to come to a consensus on command the battle was over.”
Kurt nodded. He quickly contacted Fleet Captain Lilith and congratulated her on a well-fought battle. The Glaymon ships had fought as well as the Human ones.
“Where’s the other Vorn fleet?” Kurt intended on doing the same to it. If this type of attack had worked once it should work again.
“Kubitz,” Lieutenant Pierce answered. “I’m picking up panicked communications from passenger and cargo ships jumping away from the system. They report a Vorn fleet is attacking the Controller Station.”
Kurt took a deep, steadying breath. “Lieutenant Styles, set a course for the Kubitz System. Bring us out of hyperspace twenty thousand kilometers from the station.”
“The Controller Station?” Andrew said with a deep frown. “There are races from all over the galaxy there.”
“I’m surprised the Vorn attacked the Kubitz System so quickly. There are easier targets they could have chosen.”
Lieutenant Styles looked back at the admiral. “Fleet is ready to enter hyperspace.”
“Take us to Kubitz; we will stay at Condition One.”
-
Moments later the combined fleet vanished into hyperspace, leaving a devastated world behind. The Vorn had managed to harvest 88 percent of the planet but part of the planet’s population and all of its infrastructure remained. The Tellurites could rebuild though it would be decades before they dared venture away from their planet to raid others.
-
Grantz was in the deep shelter beneath the Human embassy compound with most of the civilians and a few Marines. Word had been received that the Vorn had entered the system. There were a lot of worried people as they talked about what might happen.
“Where is Vickers?” demanded Grantz worried about his gold in the safe above.
“He’s coming,” replied Corporal Binger, growing impatient with Grantz. He was in command of a small squad of Marines helping the civilians in the deep underground shelter.
It was all Grantz could do not to go charging back up to the upper levels of the embassy and get his gold. His entire future was upstairs in his quarters.
He took out his private comm unit but it wasn’t working. Grantz glared at the thick walls, knowing he was cut off from finding out what was going on in the system. He wanted to speak to Dolman. Avery would know the current status.
“Be patient,” suggested Corporal Binger. “There’s nothing you can do anyway.”
With a snarl, Grantz turned and went further into the shelter brushing by several startled civilians. He found a seat and sat down, trying not to think about everything that he had worked for could shortly be gone.
-
Prince Lashall gazed at the main viewscreen showing the large space station sitting between the sixth and seventh planets of the system. The station was forty kilometers in length and ten in width. On its surface were a number of what looked like small habitable domes one to two kilometers in diameter.
This is the system the fleeing ships are coming to, sent Military Leader Volmont. The fourth planet appears to be heavily populated.
What about this station? Why is it so far out?
Unknown, Volmont answered. When we arrived, there were over five hundred ships in orbit around it. Most of those jumped into hyperspace. The station is heavily armed and we have detected a large number of small warships which have taken up positions between it and our fleet. The ships are 200 meters in length.
Prince Lashall gazed fixedly at the station on the viewscreen. This would be the third world for his fleet to harvest. He was convinced this system must be special because the ships in the other two systems had fled here. It made him want to harvest the planet to see if its food pellets would be as unique as the ones from the first planet they had harvested in this cluster. He was already feeling the eagerness to taste the pellets from this food species.
Do we need Prince Lakat’s fleet?
Volmont shook his triangular shaped head, his antenna waving slightly. No. While we may lose some cruisers in this system, I do not believe there is anything he
re capable of harming our battleships or the three motherships.
Very well, begin the attack.
-
In space, the Vorn fleet surged forward toward the massive space station and the squadrons of Kubitz patrol ships which waited. There were twenty-two squadrons of twenty ships each, all heavily armed. As soon as the Vorn began moving the twenty-two squadrons accelerated forward, spreading apart. The crews in each ship knew it would take the full firepower of an entire squadron to have any hope of bringing the shields of the Vorn warships down.
The small ships accelerated forward at a reckless speed and then turned sharply just as they came within weapons range, going around the Vorn ships. They flew down the flanks of the Vorn fleet formation raking it with weapons fire. Their wild speed was making it difficult for the Vorn ships to get a weapons lock. Black antimatter beams flicked out, missing their targets. Small antimatter missiles hit several of the small patrol ships causing minimal damage. The twenty-two squadrons flew past the Vorn formation managing to destroy two Vorn cruisers and suffering few losses.
-
Those small craft are moving too quickly, sent Military Leader Volmont with a hint of frustration. Our ships are finding it difficult to get a solid weapons lock.
Prince Lashall watched the tactical display, seeing the small vessels changing course. They are coming back around.
We will be ready for them. Volmont sent new orders to the Vorn ships telepathically. Their speed would not protect them this time.
-
As the small ships began flying past the Vorn formation black antimatter spheres began launching by the thousands out of the tubes of the Vorn cruisers and battleships. There were so many the small patrol ships couldn’t maneuver through them even at the high speeds they were traveling. Sphere after sphere latched onto energy shields and began rapidly to drain them of power. Once the shields failed the spheres reached the ship hulls and the patrol ships began to lose power and drift helplessly in space.
From the Vorn ships small antimatter missiles were launched and soon space was full of the detonations of ten-megaton antimatter explosions. Every explosion marked the death of a Kubitz patrol ship. In just a few minutes all four hundred and forty ships were gone. Only a few drifting clouds of glowing gas indicated where they had been.
-
On the massive Controller Station, the commanding officers activated the station’s weapons. The station was very heavily armed with ion cannons, energy projectors, and hundreds of hyperspace missile tubes. They had hoped the patrol ships would have been more effective. Extra power was shunted to the station’s powerful energy shield in preparation for combat. A call was sent to Kubitz requesting part of its fleet be sent to aid the station.
-
At Kubitz, a decision was made. The Controllers and the leaders of the Kubitz government were in session trying to save the situation. The Controller Station was worth over a trillion credits and could not be lost. It would nearly bankrupt Kubitz to refinance its reconstruction. So a part of the Kubitz fleet was ordered to go to the aid of the station. They still had the Profiteer warships from Marsten and Dacroni Four to help protect the planet if necessary. The commanders of those ships had been informed if they failed to fight all the credits currently in their accounts would be forfeited. There were also the two Human battlecruisers in orbit as well as the powerful defense grid. The Kubitz defense grid had one hundred and ten of the new defensive platforms, which were supposed to be able to destroy a Vorn ship. It was the strongest defense grid in the Gothan Empire. There were powerful defensive batteries based on the ground as well.
-
In space, just outside of engagement range of the Vorn, two hundred and ten Kubitz battleships and four hundred and seven battlecruisers flashed into existence as they exited hyperspace. They had jumped from the orbit of Kubitz to the Controller Station. The fleet quickly formed up just in front of the station and waited.
-.
They are committing more of their fleet, reported Military Leader Volmont as he studied the arrival of the new ships. It seems they value this station highly.
All the more reason to destroy it, sent Prince Lashall.
We are nearing engagement range of both the new ships as well as the station.
Destroy them, ordered the prince. I wish to sample a food pellet from this food species. I suspect it will be highly pleasing.
As you command, replied Volmont.
-
On Kubitz, Grantz was becoming more concerned. He had just overheard several of the Marines talking about how all the patrol ships at the Controller Station had been destroyed and the Vorn were about to attack the station. Supposedly part of the fleet that was supposed to protect Kubitz had been sent to help the station.
“The fools,” muttered Grantz, seeing all of his dreams about to go up in flames. “The fleet should have stayed here. Perhaps by the time the Vorn destroy the station Fleet Admiral Vickers will have arrived.” No one responded and Grantz leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. He didn’t know what else could possibly go wrong today.
-
In space around the Controller Station the battle was intensifying. The Kubitz warships were firing every weapon they had at the advancing Vorn fleet. Their weapons fire was augmented by the heavier weapons on the station. In the Vorn formation, a number of cruisers died under the intense fire. One hundred-megaton antimatter explosions covered the front of the Vorn fleet forming a wall of fire. In less than a minute over two thousand warheads exploded against Vorn energy shields. When a shield failed, releasing its stored energy, the ship beneath it was in most cases annihilated.
The Vorn were firing back. Black antimatter beams were blasting huge chasms in the sides of Kubitz warships, sending debris flying through space. Black antimatter spheres were latching onto ship screens, draining away their energy. Very slowly the Kubitz warships were being forced back toward the station.
The commanders on the station were becoming desperate. They began overpowering their energy projectors in an attempt to knock down the Vorn shields. In bright flashes the beams shot out, penetrating Vorn screens. In the space of two minutes eight Vorn battleships died at the expense of every projector that fired as they melted from the excessive energy.
In sudden fear the commanders saw a number of Vorn black energy spheres latch onto the station’s energy screen. But this screen was powered by a number of antimatter chambers, and it was going to take time for the screen to be made powerless.
The station suddenly shuddered violently as a number of Vorn black antimatter beams penetrated the screen, ripping open several sections of the station. On its surface, one of the habitation domes blew apart as it was struck by a pair of beams. In the Command Center of the station, numerous red lights were appearing on the damage control board indicating growing damage.
The sound of tearing and stressed metal could be heard throughout the station as damage control teams and repair robots raced to make repairs. There were thousands of beings from other worlds trapped on board. Their ships had fled when the Vorn dropped out of hyperspace.
The entire station suddenly seemed to keel over as a Vorn antimatter missile penetrated and exploded against one end of the station. The massive structure was torn apart and secondary explosions blew entire sections away. A second antimatter missile penetrated, striking the same area. A full third of the station had suddenly become uninhabitable and a torn and twisted wreck.
-
Prince Lashall remained silent even when the fleet started losing battleships. The enemy fleet was nearly powerless and the large space station was starting to take major damage. Once the fleet and station were destroyed, the Vorn fleet would advance on the planet. This fleet had to be the planet’s main defense and once it was eliminated, the planet would be open to attack and being harvested.
Suddenly alarms began sounding on the sensor console as more red threat icons suddenly began appearing behind the Vorn fleet. On one o
f the viewscreens a monstrous disk ship appeared. It was easily 2,000 meters across. With a sinking feeling he recognized its construction as being a ship of the Ancients. Why had they come here and why now?
They are already in combat range, sent Military Leader Volmont as he tried to adjust the Vorn fleet formation to defend against this new threat.
Prince Lashall was about to respond when a Zero-Point Energy round detonated against the mothership’s energy screen, sending it into oblivion.
-
“All three motherships have been destroyed,” reported Lieutenant Brooks. On the ship’s main viewscreen, three glowing nova-like explosions were visible in the heart of the Vorn formation. Other explosions were now appearing as the full fleet poured their weapons fire into the stunned Vorn ships.
“Add another one to my list,” gloated Lieutenant Mays as she targeted a Vorn battleship with a Zero-Point Energy round. She pressed an icon on her computer screen, and almost instantly the Vorn battleship vanished as it was annihilated by the deadly round.
“Order all Kubitz warships to pull back to the station and stay there,” ordered Kurt. “This is going to get violent.”
Evidently this Vorn fleet was better organized than the last as the battleships and cruisers turned rapidly to face the Human and Glaymon fleet. Black antimatter beams flashed from the Vorn ships and black antimatter spheres were being launched in massive numbers.
Kurt only smiled as he knew these weapons would be ineffective against his ships. The Vorn were going to learn a harsh lesson in space warfare when it came to Glaymon battleships and energy screens. The Vorn in this battle just didn’t have the numbers to be a serious threat.
-
On board her command ship, Fleet Captain Lilith was calmly directing the weapons fire of her fleet. Arleen, the ship’s AI, was communicating Lilith’s orders to the other AIs in other ships. There was at least one on every vessel. The Glaymon battleships were focusing their firepower on the Vorn battleships while the smaller Glaymon disk battlecruisers were annihilating the Vorn cruisers.
“Fleet has suffered only minor damage,” Marcus reported as he monitored communications. “Fleet Admiral Vickers has destroyed all three motherships and is shifting his fire to the Vorn battleships.”
The Star Cross: The Vorn! Page 15