by Britt Ringel
“Uh, I don’t think so,” replied Anderson. “Lieutenant Salle hasn’t ordered one yet.”
“Do it,” Twist ordered.
“Wait a minute, L-T,” Dozier countermanded. “We need to focus on the important stuff first. We must reestablish contact with Captain Weis or we could be sending conflicting orders to the crew.”
Twist spun toward the senior chief. He lowered his hand away from his mouth and let the blood run free. “They’re dead, Chief! That second missile followed right behind the first and ripped the heart out of the ship.”
Dozier glared with scarcely hidden contempt even as the other petty officers looked upon the young officer with abject horror.
Twist looked around the room angrily. “Nobody in my section can contact the bridge… none of your sections can make contact either. I don’t like it but we are Auxiliary Control. Command of Falcata falls to us.” He wiped at his dripping chin. “Falls to me.”
Dozier quickly stifled the laugh that escaped his lips. He stared at the deck and then said, “Okay, we have Falcata until communication’s been restored.” He looked up and glared again at Twist. “But we aren’t focusing on the enemy fleet when we need to worry about ourselves.” The matter now settled, Dozier sprang into action. “Crowley, one of your teams absolutely must reach the Captain.” He turned to Anderson. “Work with Marcus on our sensors and see what we can tell about Falcata’s condition… I need to know whether or not to launch our ELTI and call abandon ship.”
Twist attempted to stand but was held back by his shockseat restraints. He growled before popping them free. “We are not abandoning this ship! The Republic is counting on us!”
“Might not have a choice,” Dozier said dismissively.
“Then that order will come from me!” Twist screamed furiously.
As one, every head in the compartment turned toward the lieutenant.
A red-faced Twist stomped toward Dozier and stared hard at the senior chief. “I am the lawfully appointed commander of Falcata, Jamie. I’m the ship’s captain until a higher ranking officer relieves me. Get that through your head or consider yourself relieved of duty.”
Without waiting for a response, he turned toward Anderson and thrust his finger forward. “You, get your section working on a damage assessment of that enemy fleet. You also need to contact Saber. I must talk with her captain because he’s the new squadron commander. In fact, get all the ship captains into the same channel.”
Twist stalked to Crowley and peered over his shoulder at the trouble board. “Contact Ops A and tell Ensign Kirkpatrick that we need to confirm the status of Captain Weis and Lieutenant Hayashi.”
As soon as he said the names the realization that his mentors were likely dead washed through him. He shuddered at the blow. It’s excess material right now, Caden. Push it aside and process it later. He wiped his chin again. The blood flow had become a trickle. Twist turned back toward Dozier. The man was standing idly near his shockseat. Give him a simple command first. Make it easy for him. “Chief, One-MC.”
After several moments of contemplation, the senior chief’s hand reached toward his panel. “You’re on, Lieutenant.”
“Attention, Falcata. Command has flowed to Auxiliary Control. We’ve been gut-punched but we’re still sailors and we’ve still got a mission. Twist out.”
Crowley waved for Twist’s attention. “Sir, Ops-A has patched me through to Ensign Kirkpatrick.” He switched the comm line to his panel’s speakers.
“Vix?” Twist called out, a bit too loudly given the confines of the room.
“Caden, they’re all dead! The bridge has been destroyed. You’ve got to take command.”
“It’s done, Vix,” he assured. “Didn’t you hear me on the ship’s main channel?”
The layers of stress in Kirkpatrick’s answer were unlike anything Twist had heard during OTS. “No, I’m still in a vacuum. The ship’s hurt bad but still sailable. We had two major fires but one of them’s out. The other one is aft of the bridge and I’ve got a team working on it. It’s just two sections from a decompressed compartment. I can kill the fire if you let me decompress tunnel drive control.”
Twist turned toward Dozier. “Chief, we aren’t diving anytime soon. Do you think we can get away with that?”
A flicker of surprise swept over the chief’s face. “Have them shut everything off first, if there’s time. It will make starting back up a lot easier.”
“Even the heaters?”
Dozier nodded. “Yeah, they won’t keep it from freezing solid for much longer than a couple minutes and it will take longer than that to get atmo back into the room.”
Twist gave the chief a supportive nod. “Thanks, Chief. Vix, you have authority to de—did you hear all that?”
“Yeah,” Kirkpatrick answered quickly. “Kirkpatrick out… Santos, tell—”
Twist cut the channel and moved to Anderson’s station. The tactical plot was now providing the latest information on the Hollaran fleet. The picture had changed drastically. Two ships had been destroyed by the Brevic missile attack, a standard frigate and the previously damaged frigate escort. Republic Javelins had also found their way into a destroyer’s thick hide.
They have a light cruiser, one destroyer and two damaged destroyers… plus one more frigate escort. Twist felt a faint smile cross his face. The odds are improving.
Neither formation had maneuvered since retrograding for missile defense. The combatants were sailing away from each other at a combined speed of .4c and were presently 6lm apart.
Anderson looked up from his panel. “Lieutenant, every ship has someone in the squadron command channel. It’s ready.”
“Thank you, Scott.” Twist cleared his throat as he tried to recall the vice squadron commander’s name. “Uh, Captain of Saber, you have command of the squadron. Captain Weis is dead.”
“Negative,” a young voice answered. “Captain Dexter is in the Med Bay. This is Saber’s first officer, Lieutenant Foy.”
Twist blew air out in exasperation. His lip throbbed distractingly. “Okay. Well, then who the hell is next in line?”
A timid, uncertain voice answered. “I guess it’s me. I’m Lieutenant Hardy, Harpoon’s captain.”
Silence filled the channel as Twist waited for instructions. His eyes strayed as he waited. The Hollaran task force was beginning to turn. They’ve already turned, he reminded himself. Six minutes ago. The silence pervaded as he watched the Hollaran ships settle on a trajectory away from Calycia and toward the Carme tunnel point.
“Captain,” Twist nudged, “the Hollies have come about. Looks like they’re going to try to sail past us and get to their friends.”
“I see it,” Hardy answered. More interminable silence followed.
“Sir,” Twist persisted, “we can’t let them by us. Admiral Balraji needs us to counter them. We’ve got to maneuver and engage before they get past us.”
“We don’t have enough to stop them,” Hardy judged. “We might have an equal number of ships but they out-mass us with that light cruiser.”
The statement was true. While both formations had three destroyers and a frigate, all in varying states of disrepair, DesRon-14 had but a frigate to match the Hollaran flagship, the light cruiser.
Twist examined the tactical plot. The enemy’s strength was easily apparent. At first blush, they seemed unstoppable with the forces DesRon-14 had left. Easy, Caden, it’s all logistics, right? he tried to calm himself. Twist Construction won out against larger corporations before. Toli-Star was going to outbid us for the airstrip contract until we broke down their offer into separate parts and showed Decker Aviation just how weak it was….
Twist funneled confidence into his voice as he built his solution. “Captain Hardy, we can stop them. We need to break this laser fight into two engagements. On the first pass, we stay outside of light laser range, cut no closer than seven or eight light-seconds. That entirely removes their escort frigate. It has nothing that can fire over five
light-seconds. Let Falcata fend off the light cruiser. We’re hurt amidship but we have functional defenses on our starboard beam and our power core is in good shape. Double up on one of the damaged destroyers and knock it from the fight. Have Matchlock cripple their escort frigate. On the second run, you can decide whether to repeat and attrite another destroyer or close to knife-fighting range and wipe them out.” He gulped a breath and continued, “And then, you have to take us back to Two-Six so we can support their attack and take back Kalyke but first, sir, you must appoint a vice commander.”
“Captain Twist is the vice commander,” Hardy said immediately.
The marriage of the honorific, “captain,” to his name and the news that he was now second in command of the squadron rocked Twist onto his heels. He stared in astonishment at the station panel. I can’t be the vice commander! There are four other ship captains with ranks higher than mine. His own words came back to haunt him: “You know as well as I do that Republic commanders have always had broad authority to organize their chains of command as they see fit.”
“Acknowledge that, Captain Twist,” Hardy pressed.
“Acknowledged, sir,” he answered. “We’ve got to turn the squadron, sir.”
“You’re right. Have your WEPS contact mine to create an attack plan. Then we’ll look at it.”
“Will do, Captain.” Twist closed the channel and walked back to his weapons station. Forsaking the chair, he merely leaned over the panel to work the controls.
“Holt here.”
“You’re Falcata’s WEPS now,” Twist appointed bluntly.
“Who is this?” she asked drolly. Twist could almost see the young officer’s unconvinced smile through the voice-only channel.
“Lucy, you’ve got the rank—”
“Dunham is a jay-gee too,” Holt quibbled.
“Falcata’s missile magazines are dry so you’ve got the time and most importantly, you’re the best person for this job. You’re Falcata’s WEPS.”
“Caden, I’m not sure if I even want that responsibility,” she confided.
“Yeah, welcome to the club. Now contact Harpoon’s WEPS and create a mind-blowing plan that’s going to kill that light task force for us. He already has the basic concept. You just need to help him fill it out.”
Twist closed the channel and thought absentmindedly, Step One: Recognize the problem. He chuckled to himself, realizing that he had not considered a single checklist since the beginning of the encounter. We are so beyond checklists at this point…. He smiled despite himself.
Ten minutes later, the five remaining ships of DesRon-14 turned to port on an intercept course for the Hollaran light task force. Their course would take them just 3ls into heavy weapons range with a closure rate of .3c. Hardy and Twist had refined their strategy until a direct energy engagement at standoff range was assured, unless the Hollarans declined battle. If the light task force shied from contact, the Brevic squadron’s course guaranteed that the enemy ships would have to turn entirely away from their larger brothers, removing any possibility of their supporting the main engagement.
“We’re seven light-minutes out, closing at point-three-c, sir,” Dozier announced from his support panel. “Estimated contact in twenty-three minutes.”
Twist nodded silently. He placed himself into the shoes of his opponent. He’ll have twenty minutes to watch our approach. He’ll know we are going for a long-range duel to limit his firepower. He stared at the Hollaran force. So, he presents his ships’ port beams so they can all make a burn toward us in the last minute to reduce the range to inside five light-seconds where his resources are stronger than ours… Plus, he positions that escort frigate closest to us where it has the best chance of closing the range. His mouth tightened into a thin line. The aching pinch in his lower lip did not diminish his smile. I can beat him but I need him to commit to my plan.
Twist activated the squadron command channel. “Captain Hardy, we need all our ships to orient so our port beams are facing the enemy.”
“Most already are,” Hardy replied, “but Saber and Falcata are stronger starboard, aren’t they?”
“Yes, but we need to put us into a position where that Hollie can beat us.”
“Well,” Hardy balked. “That seems counterintuitive.”
Chapter 28
Lucille Holt stewed in consternation at Falcata’s predicament. Her ship was charging toward the enemy, outgunned and out-massed. At the present course and velocity, Falcata would cross paths with not only the Hollaran light cruiser but also two of the three destroyers. Although the exchange would last a mere thirteen seconds, the combined fire would easily destroy the Brevic ship.
She tapped her foot nervously next to her fire control station. Easy, Lucy. All three of those ships concentrating their fire solely at us is pretty unlikely. She cast her eyes downward to glare at her weapons panel. Twist was also offering the wrong side of Falcata. I understand the need to keep the squadron together but we could always rotate after the engagement before we maneuver. Positioned like this, all we are is a target. Falcata’s only portside heavy laser, the Merkell, had been annihilated during the missile attack. Since the squadron’s plan called for a fight outside of light laser range, the battered destroyer could contribute nothing to the offense yet faced a potential pummeling from their foes. I’m all for sacrifice but…. Falcata’s main channel crackled to life.
“Attention, crew of the Falcata. This is Lieutenant Twist. In five minutes, we will engage the remaining elements of the Hollaran light task force. This encounter will prevent that task force from joining with its comrades to tip the balance against Task Group Two-Six. Our skirmish will be vicious but it will give Admiral Balraji a fighting chance to destroy the heavy forces and take back Kalyke. This is not the fight we may have chosen but it’s the fight that’s been given to us. Every Brevic citizen is counting on us, for if we lose today, the entire Republic loses tomorrow and that makes this a fight worth winning.”
* * *
“They’ve settled onto their course, Komandor. Four light-minutes and closing.”
HCS Alp’s primary wall screen was a flood of information. Dead center on the tactical plot, the five Brevic warships were slicing in at a thin angle designed to limit the engagement to heavy weapons only. It was a prudent decision, Alp’s captain knew. Even though the Brevic vessels were outgunned in a heavy laser contest, they were even more severely outclassed at closer range. Despite positioning his escort frigate, Puki, closest to the Brevic warships, she would still pass beyond the limits of her light lasers. “Any signs of rotation from them?” the ship captain asked.
After a brief moment, Alp’s sensor officer shook her head. “Negative. They’re all heading three-one-zero. They’ll obviously burn hard after the pass and try to circle behind us and back to their heavier ships.”
Why didn’t they just run from us in the first place? the captain asked himself. It was suspicious. If the Brevic light units had desired, they could have continued sailing away from his forces. Instead, the Brevic commander seemed content to enter a lop-sided engagement. Not horribly uneven but not one I would want to face. He considered options while watching the plot. Maybe he has orders to stop us at all costs… or maybe he’s a junior officer taking over for a dead commander. Furthermore, the Brevic ships were coming in at thoughtless orientations. Whatever the reason, it’s an opportunity that I cannot pass. Those ships won’t accept a second run after the beating I’ll hand them here.
The captain continued to watch the plot with skeptical eyes. The entire Brevic squadron would only pass within heavy weapons range yet each ship was oriented identically.
It must be a junior officer, he justified. We hit every destroyer with our missile attack and must have gotten lucky enough to kill their overall commander. The new one is holding his squadron’s reins too tightly. He watched the range between the formations decrease.
“Komandor, they’re all oriented toward us,” Alp’s first officer poin
ted out hopefully. “Facing like that, they wouldn’t be able to counter if we thrust to break inside of five light-seconds.”
He nodded. “I know, Josef, but we’ll have to rotate Puki and Wulver onto a proper heading first. If we act too quickly, they’ll see what we’re doing and have time to react. We want to wait until it’s too late for them to rotate away.”
“When should we do it?” asked the junior officer.
Alp’s captain brought a hand to his face and considered the question. Twenty seconds to come to the proper heading and then a fifteen-second burn to push us well inside of five light-seconds. The Hollaran judged speed and distance with the aid of his chair arm console. “We’ll start our move twenty-one light-seconds from them. By the time the jaws of our trap begin to close, we’ll be just entering heavy weapons range, well on our way to closing to… within three light-seconds.” He looked at his executive officer and smiled dangerously. “It’s perfect. Even Puki will be within range.”
“Two light-minutes and closing,” Alp’s sensor officer announced.
“Send out the targeting assignments,” the captain ordered. “We’re only going to get one pass so we must make it count. I want a massacre.”
* * *
“We’ve just broken under one light-minute, Lieutenant,” Chief Dozier alerted. “Two minutes and forty-five seconds until heavy laser range.”
Across the small room, Twist watched numerous simulations play out on his console. “They ought to make their move between twenty and twenty-five light-seconds out,” he mumbled to himself. Finally, he said into the comm channel, “Captain Hardy, I recommend we execute when we come within twenty-two light-seconds of them.”
Hardy’s voice answered eight seconds later. “Roger. DesRon Fourteen, commence your individual maneuvers when Harpoon hits the twenty-two light-second mark. You have your targets.”
Two minutes later, the five Brevic ships responded and fired their thrusters independently to change heading a full one hundred eighty degrees. Falcata and Saber thrust laterally, rotating to bring their stronger, starboard beams to face the enemy. The remaining three ships rolled vertically, inverting to permit a change of heading while keeping their current beams to the Hollarans. The maneuver began with the two fleets 22ls from each other. By the time the Brevic ships had come about, twenty seconds later, the two combatants had closed to 16ls.