Counterstrike (Black Fleet Trilogy, Book 3)

by Joshua Dalzelle

  The more he thought about it, the more Jackson was pretty sure he didn’t like the Vruahn. There was an arrogance and smugness he’d detected in Setsi about the arrangement they had with Blake and his crew that didn’t sit well with him. It certainly wasn’t a partnership born out of mutual need, and from what he could see the crew of human explorers were being tricked into doing the dirty work the Vruahn felt was far beneath them.

  Jackson’s ruminations were harshly interrupted by a klaxon alarm accompanied by a flashing light. He knew that on any human vessel that meant trouble of some sort, so he turned back the way he’d come and raced for the flight deck. He’d only taken three steps before the lights in the corridor cut out and he felt the gut-wrenching sensation of freefall as artificial gravity failed.

  “Computer!” Jackson barked as he caromed off the bulkhead, still trying to arrest his forward momentum. “Report!”

  “Main power failure,” the computer intoned. “Backup systems initializing.”

  “No shit,” Jackson muttered as he got a good grip on the edge of a hatchway. “Is Colonel Blake on his way back to this ship?”

  “Affirmative, Captain Wolfe.”

  Jackson only grunted a response, now able to get his bearings and begin moving up the corridor again. A soft glow of emergency lighting came up along the edges of the deck to at least let him see where the hell he was going. He was still heading to the flight deck, but he had absolutely zero working knowledge of the exotic energy transmission system employed by the Vruahn. He’d at least be moral support for the colonel once he made his way back over.

  It was only a few minutes after Jackson had gotten himself settled down into what he now internally referred to as the copilot’s seat when Colonel Blake, executing a precise flip to orient his feet towards the front of the flight deck, shot in and quickly took his seat.

  “Impressive,” Jackson nodded his appreciation of Blake’s zero g aerobatics. “So do you know what’s happened?”

  “I do,” Blake said grimly. “The Phage executed a three-pronged, simultaneous strike on three Vruahn power production facilities, one of which provides power to our ships. I don’t know the extent of the damage, but from what I can infer the planets themselves may have been lost.”

  “Damn,” Jackson let out a low whistle. “So how long before our backup power takes over?”

  “I’m not sure,” Blake admitted. “I’ve never had to switch over to it. In the meantime the computer will begin negotiating with other feeder sites to get main power back online as soon as possible. The cruiser has just detached from us so we’re free floating right now.”

  “Not a pleasant proposition,” Jackson frowned. “Why would they cut us loose and leave this ship adrift with no engines or maneuvering?”

  “Four Phage ships just entered the system,” Blake said tightly. “They look to be generally Alpha-like in configuration but with completely different power signatures.”

  “So they’re not the variety built to kill humans,” Jackson nodded. “Have the Phage ever made such an overt move against the Vruahn before?”

  “Not since they were discovered over three hundred years ago,” Blake shook his head. “Setsi seemed genuinely shocked at the news.”

  For the next thirty minutes the pair tensely watched the monitors, while the computer displayed data from the two other Vruahn ships in the system of the Phage ships deploying out from the point where they emerged into the system.

  “What are the combat capabilities of the two Vruahn ships that still have power?” Jackson asked.

  “Zero,” Blake said. “I told you, they’re completely pacifist. We’re the only thing in this system that isn’t Phage that has a chance of fighting back.”

  Jackson bit back the retort he had about how high and mighty ideals were fine … until you were staring down the barrel of a gun with nothing to defend yourself but sanctimony and self-righteousness.

  The Phage ships seemed intent on trying to cut off the two Vruahn cruisers, deploying into a picket line that was moving to cut off their retreat. Jackson wasn’t entirely sure of the scale he was seeing on the display, but it looked like the Vruahn ships, though mobile, weren’t at full power themselves. They were struggling to stay ahead of their tormenters and he surmised their FTL drives must have also been offline since they hadn’t hopped out yet.

  “One of the Vruahn ships is flagging,” Jackson pointed out. “Do you know which one that is?”

  “I know it isn’t Setsi’s ship, but nothing more precise than that. We don’t have too much interaction with their regular fleet,” Blake said. “The Phage see it too.” Sure enough, two of the Phage ships peeled off from the formation and went to pounce on the stricken cruiser that was now trying to turn in and catch a gravity assist from the sixth planet in the system, a Class I gas giant with striations similar to Jupiter.

  It was a desperate move that was destined to fail. The two Phage ships put on a burst of acceleration that put them directly behind the fleeing ship in less than an hour. On the rudimentary telemetry link all they could decipher was that the Vruahn ship was no more. Jackson could make out from the accompanying data that the Phage had utilized a more intense form of the directed plasma weapon he’d been up against when they encountered that first Alpha.

  “That second cruiser is in deep shit if we can’t get this ship up and running,” Jackson said.

  “You want to pit us against four Phage heavies?” Blake cocked an eyebrow at him.

  “Want might be too strong a term,” Jackson said. “But we’re the only warship here and apparently the only beings with any compunction to fight.”

  “True,” Blake said quietly.

  What Jackson didn’t tell the colonel was that they’d yet to receive the promised help from Setsi. If the cruiser was destroyed with the alien still aboard, Jackson feared that their agreement might not be honored without another protracted negotiation with some other Vruahn. Or not at all. The Terran fleet was massing near New Sierra and they were waiting on him to bring back something that would allow them to kick the Phage right in the teeth. He wouldn’t go back empty-handed.

  After another hour of watching the Phage formation redeploy to try and box in the last cruiser, there were some promising flickers from the other terminals on the flight deck. With one last thump that could be felt through the deck plates the lights came back up fully and Jackson could literally feel the power course through the ship. All of the other displays flashed to life and the thrum of the engine coming back online vibrated the backs of their seats.

  “We’re in business,” Blake said. “We’re receiving power from a secondary generation site. We’ll be at full capacity in another twenty minutes. Propulsion and weapons energizing now. How do you want to do this?”

  “This is your ship.” Jackson was taken aback by the question. “I haven’t the first clue as to her capabilities.”

  “You’re far more qualified at long odds like this,” Blake argued. “I can pilot the ship, but I’d feel more comfortable with you handling tactics.”

  “Fair enough,” Jackson acquiesced, more interested in getting moving than in arguing the point further. “Target the closest Phage ship. Hit it with a full power active scan to get its attention. We need to break up that formation. From what I saw at Nuovo Patria I think we have the speed advantage. That’s going to be important.”

  “Active scans coming up now,” Blake said.

  “Phage fleet is already responding,” Jackson said in awe. “Even your sensors are instantaneous?”

  “For all practical purposes, yes,” Blake said. “At least at distances as short as within a star system.”

  “This advantage alone would be a game changer for us,” Jackson shook his head. “Too bad the Vruahn aren’t interested in a technological exchange. Keep focusing on that closest target and leave the engine in standby. Let’s wait to see what the rest do before we tip our hand that we have teeth and legs again.”

  “Yes, si
r,” Blake said without a trace of irony. “Switching weapons back to standby as well.”

  “What’s the response time if we need offensive systems?”

  “Eight seconds.”

  “I could get used to this,” Jackson muttered. “Look! Both the trailing ships in that formation are braking and turning in.”

  “One is still pursuing the cruiser, though,” Blake said.

  “But it’s not closing anymore,” Jackson said. “It’s just going to maintain position to keep us honest, but we’re now the focus—”

  The chirping from a panel on Blake’s side interrupted him.

  “Colonel, Captain,” a likeness of Setsi appeared on most of the monitors. “What is it you’re still doing in this system? Our data shows your ship has had power completely restored.”

  “We’re pulling the Phage off your ship so you can extend and escape,” Jackson answered. “That last one will likely hang back near you, but we’ll try to at least keep these other three occupied.”

  “I see,” Setsi said. “Is there any particular action you’d like us to take?”

  “Given your lack of offensive or defensive systems, I’d advise you to continue your retreat,” Jackson said. “Try not to give any overt indications that your main flight systems are coming back online until you’re ready to hop completely out of here.”

  “A sound strategy,” Setsi said, its face as impassive as ever. “I shall leave you to your task.”

  “Not very chatty,” Jackson observed as the monitors switched back to their previous display modes.

  “Never is,” Blake said. “So what’s your next move? We can’t just sit here drifting forever running the sensors at full power.”

  “I want to lure in the closest one to us a bit more,” Jackson said. “He’s already taken the bait and is now accelerating towards us enough to know that he’s committed. Now we just have to hope your primary weapons are still as effective as the last time I saw them.”

  “You think these particular Phage are adapted to our ships?” Blake asked.

  “It’s a fair assumption,” Jackson said. “They’re obviously part of the larger, incredibly well-coordinated attack on the Vruahn, so I would think they’d have been adapted to the known threats. Stand by … the other two have stopped braking and are coming onto a direct intercept course.”

  They continued to watch as the three ships approaching formed up into a loose phalanx, their reactionless drives making it possible for them to come at them in a relatively shallow arc, paying little respect to neither the gas giant they were passing nor the primary star. Jackson noted a distinct difference in how these Phage were operating even with the little amount of observation he’d been afforded. Rather than behaving like a pack or a swarm they were flying in distinct formations, coordinating against targets … they were fighting like humans. While he wasn’t sure exactly what it meant, he knew it couldn’t possibly be a coincidence.

  The two trailing Phage ships in the formation continued to widen out from the lead ship that was bearing down on the seemingly helpless Vruahn warship. Jackson watched for a moment longer, unable to tell if they were trying to goad him into a rash move or if their tactics were really so simplistic that they’d given no thought about trying to disguise their flanking maneuver.

  “Okay,” Jackson said after a few more moments of silent observation. “Give me a crash course on your weaponry: types, ranges, and any limiting factors like charge times or guidance.”

  “Main weapon is a pulse laser battery, primary and redundant projectors with a maximum output of four hundred kilojoules,” Blake said. “There’s also two racks of guided fusion warhead missiles, eight missiles per rack, per side. Defensive systems include full coverage point-defense batteries and an EM diffusion screen that can take the sting out of their plasma bursts, but won’t completely deflect them.”

  “Impressive,” Jackson nodded. “Computer, give me a display of concentric rings with this ship as the epicenter. Label and adjust each ring to correspond with nominal and maximum effective range for all weapons.”

  “You are unauthorized—”

  “Override!” Blake shouted. “Captain Wolfe is to be accepted as command personnel with his authority to be superseded only by myself for the duration of the engagement.”

  “Acknowledged,” the computer said after a long pause and began populating one of Jackson’s displays to comply with his request.

  “Very good,” he said. “Now, superimpose the sensor data from local space onto this. Include all threats and scale accordingly to make sure I can still make out the details of the ranging rings.”

  “Acknowledged.”

  “Colonel, if you would, bring the primary flight systems online and stabilize our drift,” Jackson said. “Leave the weapons on standby for now.”

  “Yes, sir,” Blake said, his hands dancing over the holographic displays. “What reaction are you hoping to get?”

  “If they see that we’re regaining propulsion and attitude control they may decide on a reckless charge before the weapons come up as well,” Jackson said.

  The response from the Phage wasn’t exactly what Jackson was hoping for, but it was something he could work with. Instead of abandoning their methodical approach and coming at them in a blind rush they became even more cautious. The flanking ships turned in so they were paralleling the lead ship even as it began braking slightly, slowing enough so that it could closely observe the Vruahn ship while not risking flying into weapons range at speed.

  Again, Jackson was intrigued, and horrified, at how these Phage seemed able to reason out basic tactics beyond the usual swarm and destroy he’d observed from all but a single Alpha since the war began. He made a mental note to ask Blake for all the sensor logs of the encounter for Fleet Research and Science Division. Maybe the Phage employed a more careful strategy with a technologically advanced foe like the Vruahn, while a less capable species like humans were just bludgeoned with the less-capable units. Bruised ego aside, it was certainly something to consider.

  “Now what, Captain?” Blake asked, clearly becoming agitated that Jackson was letting three massive Phage ships continue to close with complete impunity.

  “Now, Colonel, we spring our trap,” Jackson grinned at his companion. “Put our nose on the lead Phage. Activate all offensive and defensive systems and accelerate to flank speed at your discretion.”

  “Coming about,” Blake dialed in the new course. “Guns coming up … here we go!” There was no sensation of acceleration inside the advanced warship, but Jackson was so accustomed to interpreting his universe through the passionless numbers on a navigation display that he felt an electric thrill as he watched the ship scream towards their target at over six hundred g’s.

  “Computer, I want a firing solution for an automatic full salvo from our main guns the moment the target crosses our maximum range threshold,” Jackson said.

  “At that range there is no guarantee the target will be disabled or destroyed,” the computer said.

  “I asked for a firing solution, not a lecture,” Jackson said. “Make it happen.”

  “Acknowledged,” the computer responded. “Firing solution calculated and verified. Please confirm order to auto-fire main battery.” Jackson looked over to Blake and made an ‘after you’ gesture with his hand.

  “Confirmed,” Blake said. “You are clear to automatically fire the main battery as per Captain Wolfe’s instructions.”

  “Acknowledged.”

  Jackson watched the acceleration taper off as the ship quickly approached its maximum real-space velocity and was already travelling an order of magnitude faster than any thrust powered Terran vessel could achieve. He tamped down the resentment and jealousy of the Vruahn’s technical prowess and concentrated on the matter at hand. Their closure rate was now over .65c and was actually decreasing despite their acceleration, since the Phage were now braking hard in the face of Jackson’s charge. He ruefully acknowledged that due to the d
ifficulties of precisely timing the shot of a laser, a speed of light weapon, at relativistic speeds the two humans had no choice but to turn the operation over to the computer.

  “Full salvo standing by … firing,” the computer said.

  “Fire at will,” Jackson ordered. “Maintain continuous fire on the target.”

  “Acknowledged.”

  They didn’t have long to wait and Jackson thrilled at a battle unfolding in the span of hours instead of days. He had to temper himself as the compressed time scale certainly upped the adrenaline factor, but it also took away the extended periods of time he was accustomed to when devising strategy and reacting to his opponent.

  The powerful laser battery continued to fire even as the first salvo ripped into the prow of the target. Unable to evade the blasts or absorb that much energy, the Phage ship mushroomed out and gave the next few blasts unimpeded access to its internals. The organic hull material stretched and cracked as the laser energy superheated the internal workings of the ship, sublimating them to a fast-expanding gas and exerting inexorable pressure against the hull, stretching it to its limit.

  “Cease fire!” Jackson barked as the Phage ship began to spin out of control, thousands of cracks in the hull acting as tiny gas jets and pushing the now-lifeless hulk into an erratic tumble. “Colonel, angle us away from the debris and keep us on a trajectory towards the outer system.”

  “The other two ships are turning in and pursuing,” Blake pointed out. Jackson checked again on the sensor data coming in on their other two targets.

  “Ignore them for now,” Jackson said. “Look at their acceleration profile. They’re coming about to pursue, but I don’t think they actually are trying to catch us. Set course for a direct intercept of the Phage ship pursuing Setsi’s cruiser.”

  “Course set and engaged,” Blake said. “We’re now at maximum velocity. Time to intercept … four hours and eight minutes.” Jackson saw that the target was nearly half a system away and could only shake his head again. He amended his earlier thoughts slightly as he realized that if the Vruahn would simply give them ships like this stripped of their weaponry that Starfleet could still mount an effective defense along the Frontier.