Tactical continued, “If the Zekes are waxed, the Goths will probably make a big power move to fill the vacuum. If we come together there is safety in numbers.”
“Agree on the power grab. I think it will be a widespread power grab and we need eyes throughout the Badlands to see what the Goths do. They probably have units and small groups on several planets and in space to move against Zeke commercial and trading concerns once they get word the Zeke squadron is destroyed. If the Zekes survive the coming battle, we will rally Flot 1 at that time and support them.”
Tactical nodded, not entirely convinced, and moved to the ops station. She knew there was no point in arguing and, besides, she was not entirely sure this wasn’t the correct course of action. She sent the transmission schedule information she had learned from the Lodus commander to the Zeke squadron and then prepared for battle.
Rafe was lost in thought for a moment and then spoke up. “Send a rally order for our squadron to form up near the Zeke base on Gammatiga. There may be opportunity there for supplies and if we can protect the base from the OrCons or the Goths, so much the better. If we assist the Zekes here, they will owe us and if the Zekes are wiped out, they won’t need all the supplies. Either way there should be a windfall of supplies for us. Include a sitrep in the rally order to bring everyone up to date.”
Tactical and Baby Doll prepared and sent the rally order and the situation report in a short time. It would take days to muster Alpha squadron near Gammatiga, but the chance for free supplies would bring them running.
Predator cruised behind Shamrock as time ticked by.
Chapter 11
With the taking of Lodus, Empire fleet battle preparations became obvious. Missile ports were opened, gun turrets rotated, and maneuvering thrusters fired up as systems checks were conducted throughout the squadron. Communication officers checked connectivity with each other across all nets. Backup power systems were powered up. Sky sent her two support ships to their lone Badlands base on the planet of Gammatiga.
“No problems reported yet, ma’am,” reported Commander Cassidy.
“Very well,” Sky replied. She knew no captain would report a problem unless it severely hindered his ship’s ability to fight. She was confident there would be no such report. Each morning the squadron ships were required to report status of all systems and ongoing efforts to correct any problems. The last several mornings the morning reports had been clean of significant problems and any captain who conveniently “forgot” to report significant system problems could be relieved of his or her command if this was brought to light. Sky was not worried in that regard. With the exception of Mackenzie, her squadron ships might be old and limited in capabilities, but the crews would give the best account of themselves possible. Sky had told her captains to tell their crews of the overall OrCon plan so they knew of the surprise attacks falling on their comrades back in the home systems. The men and women in her squadron would be ready.
Two hours prior to the expected battle, the Shamrock transmitted the expected message to the waiting Goth trading vessel that would pass it on to the submerged OrCon vessels. The one word code was repeated three times and then ended. Both the Predator and Empire squadron noted the Shamrock’s comm dish swing and then return to its original position pointing at the planet. Several minutes later, Shamrock called to report a one-word response was received from the Goth ship at the halfway point. This told everyone their plans were still on track and the taking of Lodus had gone unreported to the approaching enemy force.
Sky turned in her seat and spoke to her operations officer. “Execute the mining plan, Lisa.”
“Aye, Captain,” Commander Cassidy turned to the communications stations. “Signal formation Delta to all ships.”
The Empire ships moved into an abeam formation and increased speed to move out of a synchronized planet orbit. They were proceeding to the point where they would be in two hours of synchronized orbit, in other words, the place where the OrCons would emerge and the battle fought. On arrival at that point and, on signal from the flagship, the ships began to push out magnetic mines in a steady rhythm. The ships were putting in a minefield just to the non-planet side of their expected future position. Sky predicted the OrCons would come out of subspace there to pin the Empire ships between them and the planet. The mines spilled out in roughly even lines and drifted slowly behind the ships. The mines were inert now as their timers could be command activated from the Aurora flagship at the appropriate time. Once the timers activated the mine sensors and engines, each mine sensor would note any metal object within the three-kilometer sensor range and the mine’s engine would propel the mine to that object. The mine warheads wouldn’t arm until within three hundred meters of the metal object that attracted the mine. If the mines were not used, they could be deactivated and recovered or they could be detonated by the correct command code.
There was a risk to a minefield being laid down so close to a major space port, but Sky would ensure no ship would be allowed to wander into the field. It was obvious the orbiting ships had come to the conclusion that a fight was imminent and were fleeing orbit or jockeying for a good viewing position. Space fights were a common occurrence in the Badlands and considered a spectator event. It was not uncommon for betting pools to be established as to the winner, total ship losses, number of casualties, etc.
The mine laying was completed in an hour. A rectangular box of hundreds of mines now stretched out for hundreds of square kilometers. The squadron reversed course and proceeded back to its original synchronized position above the city of Aquaban. There would be more maneuvering to be in exactly the right position to engage the OrCons as they emerged from subspace, but there was plenty of time for that. Sky ordered her crews to eat and rest as much as possible. The one hour wait would be hard enough, doing it at battle stations wouldn’t help matters.
Chapter 12
“Signal line ahead,” ordered Sky from her CIC seat.
As the squadron was approaching the minefield, the ships moved to the space side of the minefield and not the planet side. Sky had no intention of letting her squadron be caught between the planet and the OrCons. She would be the one doing the trapping. The OrCons would emerge and be caught in the minefield with the planet to one side and the Empire squadron on the other side. If the battle went badly, Sky could turn away from the OrCons and retreat into open space. The OrCons could not turn away from Sky’s ships without taking the planet into account.
Her squadron formed two parallel lines of four ships each as they approached the minefield. The destroyers took the inner line and would be closest to the minefield and the enemy as the OrCons emerged in the middle of the minefield. Behind them were the four cruisers with the two heavy cruisers in the middle and a light cruiser in the front and rear positions. The destroyers were to engage all enemy units within range as the enemy emerged from subspace, but their primary responsibility was to protect the cruisers. To this end, the destroyers would be charged with disrupting enemy attacks by decoying and destroying incoming missiles with guns, decoys, and defensive missiles. The cruisers would deliver the main attack on the enemy with 200 mm and 150 mm guns and anti-ship missiles. If the OrCons thought the Empire squadron would still be in the planet’s outer orbit and set up their attack the same way as Sky, their destroyers would emerge from subspace on the far side of their formation from the Empire formation. Sky and her ships would have a clear shot at the battle cruisers and cruisers without the enemy destroyers running interference. It was crucial that the Empire squadron get several shots in on the enemy major combatants before taking incoming rounds in return. Sky was counting on the minefield and the free opening shots to offset the enemy superiority in numbers and types of ships. She knew this was still a long shot for a victory, but she and her squadron would never get another opportunity like this. Her squadron and the mines had to inflict maximum punishment in a very few seconds.
Shamrock had also departed orbit and was approaching t
he minefield on the planet side. She sent out the one word coded signal to the submerged OrCons ships and turned back to the planet. The Empire ships and Predator noted the maneuver. The enemy force must be close to receive any message while in subspace. The fire-control computers on the Empire ships were energized now and they began searching for targets. They had the firing parameters entered, and the instant the enemy ships emerged, the sensors would lock onto the biggest targets and fire missiles at the cyclic rate.
Shamrock now arced to a space dock over Aquaban. She would soon dock but would not release the five Lodus crewmembers until after the battle started. At that time, the men would be set free to make their own way to wherever they wanted to go. Logan would secure the ship, repaint its real name and registration number on the hull, and depart. The ship would be there for the owner when he returned. Years prior Hawkins had worked out deals with several small traders to ensure he could get a ship on short notice when needed. This had proven useful on other occasions and did so once again.
Chapter 13
Five minutes passed and then ten. Sky calmly sat in her seat. She had been in battle before and knew this was the worst part. The thought in everyone’s mind was – this was going to be bad so let’s just get on with it. She waited.
Predator was at battle stations but maintained turrets pointed fore and aft, and missile ports closed to give no outward appearance of her readiness. Leg draped over the left arm of his command chair, Raferty Hawkins watched the Empire squadron and minefield on his command screen. Tactical and Baby Doll manned their respective stations. The bridge crew went about their duties and silence hung over the proceedings. Madison Hopkins manned the white phones. The white phones, slang for the equipment that listened to the white noise in space, were the primary means for detecting ships in subspace. She suddenly stiffened. Always alert to any change in the tenor of the bridge, the Captain noticed immediately.
“Tell me, Maddie,” Rafe commanded quietly.
“Several ships in subspace coming up from astern!”
There was a simple reason why Madison was on the white phones in these circumstances. She was the best at the job and nobody questioned her statement nor wasted time on confirmation. Tactical opened outer doors on the missile tubes and activated the defense shields. Predator was now committed to assisting the outnumbered Empire ships.
Rafe immediately hit his comm panel. “Mackenzie, they’re coming up from astern! They are just behind me!”
On Mackenzie’s bridge, Petty Officer Chou was monitoring the pirate frequency and cried out, “The OrCons are coming in behind us!”
Sky was quick to respond on her command frequency to all her ships. “All ahead flank! Execute contingency Zebra!”
Commanders never put all their faith in one plan and Sky was no different. The contingencies drawn up by the Mackenzie staff included one for this exact scenario. Sky had to consider all possibilities when plans were considered, including one that took into account that the OrCon squadron would come around the planet and come up from astern on the Empire ships. It was not a surprise this would happen since the OrCons probably didn’t trust the Goths and would not follow the agreed upon plan. The OrCons would not even have heard Shamrock faking Lodus’ final transmission as they were in subspace on the other side of the planet when it was sent.
The Empire ships leaped ahead and reformed their formation on the run. The new plan called for them to proceed up the long axis of the minefield on the space side. They would continue on this line until reaching the far forward edge of the minefield and would take a hard starboard turn to place the minefield between them and the oncoming OrCons while being pointed at the planet. Their formation was adjusted as the destroyers slid slightly downward and the cruisers moved slightly upward as the ships turned to place the minefield in between the two squadrons. All Empire ships would have an open field of fire through the minefield at the enemy. It would take two minutes to complete this maneuver. The warning from the pirates had been very fortuitous. The OrCons were still out of range and probably unaware the Empire had adjusted to them. The Empire ships could still get first shots, but at a longer range, reducing the hits achieved before the enemy activated their shields after coming out of subspace. The distance also precluded the use of guns. This battle would be fought entirely with missiles. Nothing could be done about that. The ships made the turn and were in front of the minefield with their bows pointed toward the planet. All ships reduced speed and aimed weapons through the minefield. They adjusted their formation and waited.
Rafe Hawkins calmly sat while organized, hurried activity surged around him. Madison Hopkins tilted her head, listening intently as she tuned out the noise around her.
“I can’t tell an exact number but many. Two or three seriously heavy ships, cruisers, and many destroyers. Packed tight in formation. Coming abeam now on the port side. Eight hundred to a thousand klicks out.”
Predator had the very latest in sensors and Maddie was the best, so Rafe had no doubt these were reliable estimates and would soon make use of them. The OrCons in subspace undoubtedly heard Predator as they passed her but assumed she was just a ship in orbit about the planet. Rafe would use that to his advantage.
“Tactical, call Mackenzie and synch up our sensors with theirs. I want them to see what we see when we see it. Once the OrCons are past us, we’ll swing in behind them. We will turn to port and shoot on the rear of the OrCon formation when it is time to attack. Helm, stay below their plane of travel and we will dive away after firing. Ops, we’ll shoot one salvo of canister from the heavy guns to mark targets and then start putting missiles through the bushes onto targets.” Rafe often referred to hiding in subspace as being in the bushes. The concealment works well until the enemy knows you’re there and starts shooting at you. Then subspace offers the same protection as hiding behind a bush. In other words, not much.
“Sensors tied in with the Zekes,” Tactical reported almost immediately.
“We’ll fire starboard tubes only.” Rafe could feel several eyes shift to him as he spoke the order. The ship was firing only half its missile tubes at the enemy force. He quickly followed with an explanation. “No matter how many missiles we fire, we cannot destroy the OrCon squadron so we will take a volley from them as we run away. The OrCons do not have a database on us. They will assume we are a standard Clan destroyer and fire the appropriate number of missiles to destroy us while not wasting any ordnance out of their limited supply. We should survive that. If we fire full salvos at the OrCons, they will know we have additional missile tubes that we can use in defense and they will add to their missile attack in response. Not sure we can survive that. I want to help the Zekes, but not die in the effort.” Heads nodded around the bridge at the decision. A couple of the bridge crew smiled inwardly. That’s why that guy is the captain, always thinking ahead.
Rafe continued, “For our canister to be effective we have to be close. I want our missiles to impact their targets when the OrCons are on the edge of the Zekes’ missile envelope so they can shoot and cover our retreat. They will also get to shoot several times though the minefield before the OrCons can blast through it. Tell the Zekes our plan. Helm, follow in trace of the OrCons with Maddie’s guidance. ”
“Helm, aye,” spoke Eli.
“Zekes up to speed,” reported Tactical.
“OrCons will be in effective range of Zeke missiles in seventy-five seconds. Recommend turn to port in twenty-five seconds, fire canister ten seconds later,” Baby Doll stated.
“Do it,” commanded Rafe.
The ship shuddered as the 125 mm main battery turrets rotated to starboard in anticipation of the ship’s turn to port. The four guns would fire several canister rounds, essentially giant shotgun shells filled with small explosive balls. The 125 mm shell would depart the gun, dissolve into a cloud of balls that expanded as it went down range. Any impacts with ships in subspace would cause small explosions against invisible targets that the fire control comp
uters would immediately lock onto. Missiles would then be launched at those targets.
Onboard Mackenzie, Sky keyed her command frequency. “Every ship will fire offensive missiles once the pirates ID the targets. We will continue to fire until the enemy shoots back. We will not detonate the minefield until I am confident the enemy has fired their largest salvo. I want the detonation of the mines to take out the maximum number of enemy missiles. If they do not shoot their largest salvo first we will not detonate the minefield. Hopefully, their remaining salvos will be less, as there will be less enemy ships to shoot at us. Good hunting.”
Sky turned to the Ops Officer, “Lisa, I want missiles downrange as soon as we see the pirates shoot. Make sure every ship salvos. The pirates are going to be hung out there marking the OrCons, and we need to cover them as they come off target.”
“Aye, Captain.”
Predator turned to port exactly on time. Ten seconds later the ship shook continuously as the four guns of the two twin turrets forming the main battery fired several canister rounds each. The OrCon sensors would have honed in on the gun reports from astern. If they didn’t come out of subspace then, they surely would when the rear ships reported the explosive balls impacting on their hulls.
After a delay of fifteen seconds, Rafe commanded, “Shoot in interval!”
Predator’s fire control computers would wait to discern a ship coming out of subspace before shooting, but Hawkins was overriding that. He was counting on the explosive marking balls finding something and then the inflight missiles with their active seekers locking onto that something. If the missiles did not lock onto the ships marked by the canister rounds, they would lock onto any of the emerging OrCons ships. Firing in interval meant a salvo of six missiles would be fired every five seconds.
Allies of Convenience: Pirates of the Badlands Series Book 1 Page 6