“Pull back. We will regroup outside the belt at our original entry position.”
His three ships began to move through the belt to open space. They picked up Ognevoy, Ranjit, and Zadornyy on the way. Once out of the asteroids, the Confederation ships moved further into open space to align with the waiting Goth ships and then form a line facing the asteroid belt. Two Goth destroyers were picking up pods from the lost Heimdellr. Ognevoy joined the work in progress.
The pirate destroyers followed them. The pirate corvettes left to protect the pirate rear were arrayed on the edge of the asteroids across from the Goth squadron sitting in open space. They waited and observed the OrCon ships as the ships came out of the belt and passed into open space. Hawkins had sent orders not to engage, fearing the waiting Goths would use that as an excuse to come into the fight. The Goth commander had showed he would fight if required, but he had seen the fighting in the rocks and watched as the waiting corvettes had deposited several more mines in the belt. He would take great mine damage and asteroid hits, and if the enemy pulled back into the belt, he would have nothing to show for it. The Goth commander had shown no inclination to enter the asteroids, and Hawkins was quite willing to let sleeping dogs lie right now. He had his ships join the line along the edge of the twisting rock formations. They were joined by the gallant little destroyer Emerald.
The smoking Revnostnyy limped further out into space. A series of explosions rocked her engineering section. She had taken severe punishment from the mines, and the crew could no longer hold her together. Escape pods came off the vessel as she slowed to a stop. The other Orion ships limped to retrieve the pods before the pirates found the scene too tempting to ignore and moved out to hit them.
The pirates fine-tuned their single defense line and watched the ships floating in open space in front of them. Each side was in easy missile range but nobody launched. Each knew the defenses of the other would handle the incoming fire, and it would largely be a waste of ordnance. The Goth ships hovered in open space while a few retrieved pods. In the asteroid belt, the pirates waited while the Zekes moved further back into the belt with their damaged ships.
Admiral Dietrich sat in his command chair with Captain Bergman standing near him. The Admiral ignored him while scanning through his screens monitoring the activity in space around him. The Goths were defeated and only two battle cruisers, one heavy cruiser, two light cruisers, and a destroyer survived. All were damaged to some degree. He had already directed his ships to lend all support to assist them. His support was limited now, but the relief convoy was still coming, and he would take all ships to meet it and then provide more extensive assistance.
Dietrich had not been tempted to move into the asteroid field to support the OrCons. It would have been akin to a cavalry charge over un-scouted ground against a well-prepared, determined foe. Successful? Perhaps. Costly? Definitely. As he scanned his hovering screens, the main screen on the forward bulkhead sprang to life. There was an incoming call from the pirates. Dietrich considered declining the invitation to talk but decided it was wise to get to know one’s enemy and this was an opportunity. He nodded to the man on the comm station and the screen sprang to life.
Raferty Hawkins leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and rested his left hand on the dagger hilt protruding from his left boot. He stared evenly at the two men on his own floating view screen. He conducted himself in such an unhurried manner it gave the impression of a man passing the day with a neighbor. He addressed his two adversaries who faced him across the empty gulf of space. “Captain Raferty Hawkins of the pirate vessel Predator.” He tilted his head slightly as he waited for a reply.
The Admiral was having none of this polite exchange. He spoke sharply and his tone left no doubt as to what he thought of the man he was addressing. “Admiral Dietrich.” He was going to forego further introductions as unworthy for his one-man audience but then nodded to his right, “Captain Bergman of the Fleet staff.” For some reason he felt it necessary to identify Bergman as an outsider. If the captain had been a member of his squadron, there was no way he would be sharing the screen with the Admiral as the latter addressed the enemy.
Hawkins nodded slowly in acknowledgement as Dietrich rapidly continued. He could not hold his temper any longer. “How dare you fire on escape pods! They pose no military threat to you! It is a violation of the rules of war and standing rules of engagement that have been in effect for decades! You are scum!”
Hawkins stared at the Admiral for a long moment, and then replied with a forced calm. “Your forces lead an OrCon squadron to one of our houses. They sit by while the OrCons killed a bunch of women and children and then you want to lecture me on rules of engagement. I don’t think so.” His voice had a titanium edge to it. He was more than willing to exchange views on this particular topic with this admiral.
Admiral Dietrich was surprised at the calm but hard vehemence of the retort. His initial response was to deny such outrageous claims, but something in the pirate’s manner caused him to pause. In that pause, Hawkins continued. “Don’t believe me, do you? Ask your captain there. If he is from fleet staff, I bet he knows about the attack, and how it was carried out. Let’s see how good a liar he is.”
Bergman did not wait to be questioned. He spoke rapidly with just the right amount of indignation. “You lie! We had nothing to do with any such event! The Orion ships were free to engage targets as they so desired. If inappropriate targets were hit, it is their mistake, and we can hardly be held responsible for their actions.”
Dietrich turned his head to his right and stared at Bergman. He knew calculated words and the slanting of the truth when he heard it. No amount of injured self-righteousness could hide it from his practiced ear. He had been listening to such parsing for decades. It should not be possible that forces of the Goldenes Tor would be a party to such acts, but Dietrich suddenly had the sickening feeling it was not only possible but damned likely. Women and children were “inappropriate targets”? What had his side done?
Bergman was not content to deny the allegation and turned the conversation back over to the Admiral. He hurriedly spoke on. “No pirate can claim any sort of injury at the hands of others. You operate outside the law, and can hardly expect the law’s protection when it is convenient for you to make such a claim. Years of raiding and killing have earned you nothing but a death warrant throughout this region, not the protection of the law or the good will of those who abide by it.”
Captain Bergman realized he might have protested too much and now fell silent, quietly regarding Hawkins as the pirate smiled back at him. Hawkins did not try to match the captain’s heat, but spoke as if Bergman had not had an outburst. “Well, this situation can be easily resolved right here and right now. Come on in. You got a chance to finish this today. You outnumber us. We’re not going to run and leave our wounded ships behind. You may never get another opportunity like this, Captain. You score a big victory here in your first fight with me, you’re guaranteed to make admiral. You can be the guy who did what nobody else could do despite years of trying.” Hawkins leaned close to the screen. “Come on. Execute the death warrant you just referenced. Let’s do it.”
Bergman stared at Hawkins’ image. Everything the pirate said was true and also not true. Hawkins continued to lightly taunt the Goth officer. “Come on. You don’t even have to come in here yourself. You can justify keeping your battle cruisers outside. Too big and cumbersome to be amongst the asteroids and, besides, someone has to protect the direct route to the oncoming convoy. Send your little boys in here to do the dirty work.”
Bergman did a quick computation. He knew the Admiral had the final call, but he could make a recommendation. The remaining OrCon ships and Goth forces now on station did outnumber the pirates and Zekes. He did not know if the OrCons would participate in the attack, but assumed they would commit what ships they could. The two battle cruisers of his force would be useless in a hide-and-seek fight among the spinning rocks and, a
s the pirate rightfully pointed out, someone had to guard against several enemy ships dashing from the rocks and heading for the convoy. If the remaining ships moved against the enemy in the asteroids, they would first have to make a frontal attack across open space against an enemy hidden within the belt who would get many free shots while absorbing none in return. There would be at least two broadsides from those three damned freighters and multiple salvos from the pirate and Zeke warships. His force would lose at least three ships and possibly many more to major damage. The number of Goth and OrCon ships to reach the rocks would be less than the enemy force hiding there. The pirates knew the asteroid field. They knew all the ambush points, kill zones, and hiding places. They would always get first shot. They or the Zekes had the mines and could scatter them and retreat further into the asteroid belt so Goth forces would be further attrited before getting meaningful shots at the enemy. Even now the enemy was moving their cripples further into the belt so the Goths could not be sure of even getting them.
The hide and seek fight among the rocks would quickly turn into a melee with ships shooting anything which popped up on their sensors. There was no realistic way to avoid firing on Zeke ships, especially when it was obvious the Zekes would fire on them. The Zeke ships would be sending continuous data streams to the Aurora Empire. Bergman knew the Aurora Empire would do nothing about it now, considering their current situation. But to believe the Zekes would witness the destruction of their Badlands Squadron, the death of a peer of the realm, and would forget about it was ridiculous. The Zekes would bide their time. When their situation allowed, they would be back in the Badlands in force. The Zekes would then expand their influence here and push the Goldenes Tor militarily and commercially. The Aurora Empire would be back with a vengeance. In the meantime, it was likely the Zekes would supply and support these pirates as their surrogates in the Badlands to force the Goldenes Tor to expend its strength and resources.
An attack here would be a losing proposition all around. Bergman sighed. Hawkins noted the sigh and pounced. “You’re not coming! You have a superior force and us cornered, and you still won’t do it. One thing always true about Goths, they will avoid a straight up fight at all costs. Just like the war between the Zekes and the OrCons. You would never fight either of them but hoped they would weaken each other so you can tear off pieces of their territories for yourself without a fight. Goths are nothing but scavengers. Offer them a straight up fight and they run the other way with their tails between their legs.” Hawkins let go a low taunting laugh that ended in a condescending smile at Bergman.
Bergman noticed several flag bridge personnel shift in their seats and glanced back at the command section in the rear of the flag bridge. The pirate had ensured this conversation was on an open net, so Bergman could well imagine this same scene repeating itself on the bridges of the other ships of the force. He glanced to his left at Light Admiral Dietrich. The Admiral was studiously observing the bulkhead to his own left while pointedly ignoring his own command screen and Bergman. The Admiral’s body language was obvious, “You elbowed your way into this conversation. Well, buddy, it’s all yours. Have a good time.”
Bergman reviewed the tactical situation and his options. As much as he disliked it, his initial reasoning was sound, and he still arrived at the same conclusion. An attack would net them some of the pirate ships, but certainly not all. There was a very good chance they would lose every ship they sent in and there were no reinforcements even remotely close. Depending upon the number of pirates left, the convoy could be at risk. The Zekes would fight alongside the pirates and be fired upon by Goth ships causing a political incident with potentially long-range implications. No way could he condone an attack here. Wrong place, wrong time. But Bergman promised himself he would work very hard to help create the right place at the right time.
As if reading his thoughts, Hawkins spoke. “I’ll see you down the road, Captain. We won’t be going anywhere. You have the advantage in ships and support, but I have one great advantage. Eventually, you have to go home, and I already am home. The only way to negate that advantage is for you to move here in force and never leave.” Hawkins leaned close to the screen. “And whatever you think that will cost you in blood and treasure, it will actually cost much, much more.” Hawkins abruptly terminated the connection.
Captain Bergman turned to Admiral Dietrich. “Admiral, if I may make a suggestion?”
Admiral Dietrich stopped his minute inspection of the bulkhead to his left and turned to him with an inquiring look. Bergman continued, “Sir, I propose we should recover our escape pods, repair our ships, assist our Confederation friends in their repairs, and depart when feasible.”
Dietrich silently nodded. He had arrived at the same conclusion several minutes before. A frontal assault on the asteroid position was out of the question. Going around either flank into the rocks and the minefields was equally ludicrous. He also knew he had no hope of waiting out the pirates. Reinforcements were days away, and the asteroid belt was much too large to cover with his current force. The Orion force was few in number now, and all ships were damaged. Their assistance was marginal at best and an attack against the pirate and Zekes forces without the OrCons in the forefront would be inviting Aurora Empire wrath and retaliation.
The two enemy forces had several damaged ships but they could repair or abandon them if necessary to make an escape. Even now they were pulling their damaged ships back through the asteroids. They could deploy more mines or adjust the fields they already have placed.
If Dietrich spread his ships out to cover as much as the asteroid belt as possible and the enemy remained concentrated, it would be an invitation to disaster. His squadron would be thinned out while the pirates and Zekes could leave the belt as a single force at a time and place of their choosing, and easily break through any blocking vessels. There was no victory to be achieved here.
Dietrich now regarded Bergman with a neutral expression on his face, but his eyes said it all. “You just got a dose of what we have been putting up with for years out here. Welcome to the Badlands.” The fleet staff officer could not hold his gaze and quickly looked away.
Captain Bergman suddenly recalled Admiral Dietrich’s biography. Relatively few naval officers did operational tours in the Badlands. The Navy had a small commitment here compared to their overall deployment throughout the Empire. Not many officers wanted to do multiple operational tours here as it was not considered career enhancing. Admiral Dietrich was one of the few who had done exactly that. He was also one of the very, very few who had done it and still made flag rank. Bergman would have to remember that.
Unbidden, another memory came to him. Fregattenkapitan Steiner of the destroyer Abendhimmel had also done multiple operational tours in the Badlands. Bergman had thought Steiner a coward whose report had deliberately enhanced the pirates’ capabilities and assets to cover up his own grossly inadequate actions. Bergman had stated as such to Admiral Beck after Steiner had departed the informal board of inquiry at Rosstrappe. Now he wasn’t so sure. One of the lessons he had learned during his shipboard tours was, events and decisions that seemed so black and white to those in the rear area did not always appear that way when out in space. He seemed to have forgotten this during his recent tours as an instructor at the Naval Institute and as a section head at Naval Headquarters. The lesson returned as a gale force wind today. Bergman smiled ruefully to himself. He would not forget it again. He would also revise his recommendation regarding Steiner. The young commander had been absolutely right about one thing. Raferty Hawkins was no back-alley thief and it was time to stop treating him as such.
As the combined force prepared to retrieve the few remaining escape pods and move away from the asteroid belt, Admiral Dietrich rose from his seat and turned to Captain Bergman. “Please join me in my day cabin, Captain. I wish to discuss inappropriate targets.” The tone of his voice left no doubt this was not a polite invitation.
Chapter 57
&n
bsp; Skyler Mallory floated in the middle of nothing. Everything was dark and silent. She looked around her. Nothing, nothing at all. Sky closed her eyes and marveled at the stillness. She liked the silence and the calm. No responsibilities. No life or death decisions. Just quiet peace. She remembered the chaos, the explosions, the screams of the fearful and the dying. She had been in the middle of pure hell. Now, nothing but peace. She wondered if this was death. If so, not too bad. Probably be boring after a while but for now, not bad. She could use the respite.
Suddenly it was hard to breathe. Her chest felt constricted. Pain swept through her body. She concentrated on just breathing. Much like a swimmer coming up from underwater, she labored to take in a breath and fill her lungs. Then two strong odors hit her nostrils. One of tobacco being smoked and the second of old Tartar whiskey, distilled only on Zelenka. This was crazy. She must be dead. Then a raspy voice sounded, “You’re twitching like a detached frog leg so you must be coming out of it. Open your eyes already. I got other patients to look at, you know.”
Sky strained and slowly her eyelids lifted. The speaker had been leaning over her bed but was now straightening up. He had unkempt hair, three days beard growth, and could use a shower. His lean frame and haunted look had all the hallmarks of an addict of some sort. He inhaled on the cigarette tucked in the corner of his mouth and blew out a smoke cloud.
He regarded her with red, bloodshot eyes as Sky searched for her voice, and after two attempts she croaked, “My crew, my ship?”
“Your ship is right out there,” he casually gestured through the bulkhead. “It is working on partial power. Your crew had dozens of casualties. We are still sorting it out, but you won’t like the final numbers. To anticipate your next questions, you’ve been out for nineteen hours, and you are on Predator in a small room off the medical bay usually reserved for contagious patients.” He paused and then added, “Oh, yeah. We won the fight. Now we’re on the far side of the asteroid belt making repairs, and the enemy has departed but will undoubtedly return and annoy us on another day.”
Allies of Convenience: Pirates of the Badlands Series Book 1 Page 31