The Lost Fleet: Into the Darkness

by Raymond L. Weil

“We won’t last that long,” Commander Grissim said tersely as the ship shook violently. The hull seemed to ring from the sound of the impacts to the screen.

  “Energy screen is down to sixty percent,” Major Weir reported.

  Every weapon the exploration dreadnought had was firing nonstop at the encircling Simulin battlecruisers. On the primary viewscreen particle beam fire slammed into the main part of a Simulin warship, setting off massive explosions and hurling glowing debris into space.

  “How did they follow us?” demanded Kathryn. “Our sensors should have picked them up.”

  “Unknown,” replied Clarissa. She wasn’t in command of the ship, but she was doing everything in her power to ensure all the ship’s weapons were on target.

  “Task group is going to jump in,” reported Captain Travers from Communications. “We’re to join their formation.”

  “Sublight drive?” asked Kathryn, looking over at the helm station.

  “Still functional,” answered Lieutenant Styles.

  “Vortexes forming,” called out Captain Reynolds. “Task group is twelve thousand kilometers off our starboard bow.”

  “Get us there,” ordered Kathryn, feeling her heart hammering in her chest. If they could make it to the task group, they just might survive this.

  “All weapons target Simulin battlecruiser at x-axis 17 degrees, y-axis 40 degrees,” ordered Major Weir. “Fire on the turn.”

  -

  As the ship turned to starboard and accelerated toward the task group every weapon the ship had fired upon the Simulin battlecruiser blocking its path. Power beams, particle beams, energy beams, and Devastator Three missiles pummeled the ship, breaking its shield down. Moments later two Devastator Three missiles detonated against the Simulin hull, turning the vessel into a glowing cloud of gas.

  “Target destroyed,” reported Captain Reynolds.

  “We’re going to make it,” said Colonel Leon as she watched the ship’s tactical display.

  “We’re being bracketed by the remaining Simulins!” warned Captain Reynolds. On the tactical display, the remaining Simulin ships were rapidly closing the range on the Distant Horizon. It was obvious they didn’t plan to allow the ship to escape.

  The Distant Horizon took a massive hit to her bow, losing most of her heavy weapons. Warning alarms sounded and more red lights appeared on the damage control console.

  “Energy beam strike to our bow,” reported Commander Grissim grimly. “We’ve lost our particle beam cannons and two of our primary power beams.”

  “We have numerous compartments in the forward section open to space and there are several fires out of control in adjoining compartments,” reported the damage control officer. “I’m initiating the fire suppression systems in those areas.”

  Major Weir fired a broadside at the nearest Simulin vessel with the ship’s secondary hull weapons. Power beams and energy weapons fired upon the Simulin ship, ripping open compartment after compartment.

  Just then, the deck heaved under Admiral Barnes and she found herself flying through the air. The lights in the Command Center seemed to flicker and then steadied. Struggling to stand, Kathryn stumbled back to her command chair. Her safety harness, which was supposed to hold her in place, was torn in two. Looking around, she saw smoke and sparks everywhere. Alarms were screaming from the damage control console and red lights were rapidly blinking on.

  “Sublight drive is out,” reported a shaken Commander Grissim. She had a dark bruise on her forehead.

  “Energy screen is at twenty percent and falling,” added Major Weir. “It won’t last much longer.”

  “Medics to the Command Center,” Colonel Leon ordered as she saw a number of the crew were unconscious and possibly injured.

  “Simulins are closing,” reported Captain Reynolds with a strained look upon his face.

  Taking a deep breath, Rear Admiral Kathryn Barnes prepared to die. Her ship would not withstand another missile strike or energy beam. She looked around the Command Center, seeing the knowing looks on the faces of her crew.

  -

  Kelsey looked over at Katie. “I’m sorry, Katie,” she said in a soft voice.

  “I wish I could have said goodbye to Kevin,” Katie answered in a wavering voice. “He was so happy when we arrived in the Distant Horizon.”

  Clarissa didn’t know what to say or what to do. Many of the ship’s weapons were either destroyed or disabled. The sublight drive was damaged and it would still be another eight to ten minutes until Betrem had the hyperdrive functional again. For the first time in her long life, the AI felt completely helpless. She had sworn to protect the Special Five and now she was incapable of saving Kelsey and Katie. She sent a mournful message to Ariel apologizing for her failure.

  “Spatial vortexes forming off our port and starboard side,” Captain Reynolds said in total shock. “We have two AI spheres.”

  “I have a message from the Command AI,” Lieutenant Travers reported. “It says these two AI ships will buy us the time we need to activate our hyperdrive.”

  Kathryn leaned back in her command chair in shock. On the main viewscreen appeared one of the fifteen hundred-meter AI spheres. All of its weapons were firing, blasting away at the Simulins. The Simulins reeled from the sudden pointblank attack. We might have a chance, she thought.

  “Commander Grissim, tell Betrem he has five minutes to get that hyperdrive functioning!”

  -

  Jeremy looked at one of the main viewscreens in the Command Center of the Avenger. It showed a literal firestorm at the edge of the Simulin formation. He knew this was the location of the two AI spheres and the Distant Horizon. He leaned forward trying to see the exploration dreadnought pleading for its survival.

  “More vortexes opening,” Ariel reported. She was fidgeting, as she wanted to close the range to help Clarissa. “Clarissa is reporting heavy damage to the Distant Horizon.”

  “Fifteen more Simulin battlecruisers,” reported Kevin with anxiety in his voice.

  “All ships continue to fire upon the Simulin formation,” Jeremy ordered. They were at extreme range for most of their weapons but just maybe they could take enough pressure off the two AI spheres and the Distant Horizon to allow the exploration dreadnought to finish the repairs to its hyperdrive.

  A sudden flash of light filled the viewscreen. When it cleared, one of the AI spheres was gone. There was also a Simulin battlecruiser missing. It had been too close to the blast and been torn apart by the powerful explosion.

  “We just lost AI sphere 264,” Kevin reported. If the AIs succeeded in saving the Distant Horizon, he would never doubt their allegiance again.

  “Distant Horizon reports hyperdrive is online,” reported Angela excitedly.

  “Tell them to jump to the emergency coordinates,” Jeremy quickly ordered. “We’ll follow.”

  On the viewscreen a swirling blue-white spatial vortex formed. The Distant Horizon used its remaining maneuvering thrusters to push it into the vortex. Moments later, the vortex vanished. At the same time, the second AI sphere rammed a nearby Simulin battlecruiser. Both ships vanished in a brilliant fireball of released energy. Two nearby Simulin battlecruisers suffered severe damage from the blast and flying hull fragments and began to drift away from the site of the explosion.

  “All ships, jump to the emergency coordinates,” Jeremy ordered over his mini-comm, which was set to ship-to-ship. He felt vastly relieved to see the Distant Horizon had made the jump into hyperspace.

  He would have to remember to thank the Command AI. Jeremy hadn’t ordered the two AI ships to jump in as they did. That had been a decision by the Command AI. It reinforced Jeremy’s belief the AIs were no longer a threat. When they returned to Gaia and he had an opportunity to talk to Kurene and Mikow, he would give the order to begin creating more AIs.

  Chapter Eleven

  Governor Barnes was standing, looking out across the Aquaria habitat deep inside Ceres, but his mind was a million light-years away. In his
hand, he held two sheets of paper, which contained a message from his daughter. It was a message he’d read countless times since receiving it.

  “I can’t believe she’s not coming back,” he said slowly to the fleet officer standing beside him.

  In the distance, he could see birds flying in the air above the city. Even from here, a few kilometers away, he could see people moving about and electric vehicles driving down the thoroughfares. There was a Chinese restaurant in the city Kathryn had always liked to eat at as a child. He could still picture her opening her fortune cookie and then looking expectantly as he opened his. They would then read their fortunes to each other laughing the entire time.

  “They did find Admiral Strong and his fleets,” spoke Admiral Kalen. “They’re not alone.”

  Governor Barnes was silent as his heart felt empty. “We used to come here together and gaze out over the habitat. We would have a contest to see how many different bird species we could identify. I think her favorite were the scissortails. She used to get so excited anytime she saw one.”

  “She became a fine officer,” Kalen said. “Admiral Teleck would have been proud of her.”

  Governor Barnes let out a deep sigh. “We’ve lost so many good people since the start of the war with the Hocklyns and the AIs. Sometimes I wonder if we’re destined to go from one war to the next with no end in sight.”

  “We’ve had relative peace the last few years,” Kalen pointed out. “Just a few skirmishes with the Borzon and the Shari. The Federation and our allies are growing stronger as new civilized worlds become members. We’re not as alone as we once were.”

  “I spent too much time worrying about politics instead of her in recent years,” Barnes said with sadness in his voice. “I used to drag her around to diplomatic dinners, hoping someday she would follow me into politics.”

  “She chose the fleet instead,” Kalen said. “That must have been a shock.”

  “It was,” Barns responded with a slight smile, recalling the argument he had with Kathryn over her decision. “But she’s as stubborn as her mother was.”

  Admiral Kalen was silent for several moments, knowing the governor was grieving for his daughter. “I’ve studied the data packet Admiral Tolsen and Admiral Jackson sent. The Simulins are going to be a problem. I don’t think the Federation Council is going to be anxious to rush into another war even considering the potential danger these Simulins pose. Many of the senators desire peace and will do almost anything to keep it, even if it means ignoring this threat.”

  Governor Barnes let out a deep sigh and nodded. “Former Fleet Admiral Streth has been sending messages across the Federation requesting aid for Admiral Tolsen at the black hole. He also wants to send a relief fleet to the Triangulum Galaxy to aid Admiral Strong in his fight against the Simulins.”

  “From what I read in Admiral Strong’s report, he plans on returning to Gaia and staying there,” Kalen replied. “He’s built some powerful defenses and has the ships to protect it if the Simulins ever stumble across it. They’ve already begun colonizing the planet.”

  “Kathryn’s new home,” responded Governor Barnes wistfully. “I wish I could see it.” Nearby he could see a pair of birds circling. Were they scissortails?

  “What do you want to do?” asked Admiral Kalen. “Ceres hasn’t always followed the will of the council.”

  “I’m going to meet with Ambassador Tureen and Senator Karnes later this week,” Governor Barnes replied. “I’m not sure what we can do, but I’m not going to stand idly by and let Admiral Strong and my daughter fight the Simulins alone.”

  “What about President Malle?” Kalen asked. “What are you going to say to him?”

  “The council will be in a quandary,” Barnes said, shaking his head in disgust. “Governor Fulbright will never agree to commit any forces to fight the Simulins. He’ll instruct the senators from Serenity to block any such attempt. The senators from Bliss will support him as their world is also in the Epsilon Eridani System. I don’t see any help coming from the council because it’ll become bogged down in political in fighting.”

  “Do you want me to speak with Fleet Admiral Nagumo? He might be more responsive for a request to send aid.”

  Governor Barnes hesitated. He hated dragging the fleet admiral into this, but anything he could do to help would be appreciated. “Yes; make sure he understands we feel the Simulin threat is real and needs to be addressed. If he’s interested in helping, I want to meet with him.”

  “He’s currently in the Alpha Centauri System visiting Harmony,” Kalen replied. “I’ll do a quick flit over there in the Ceres and speak with him.”

  “Thanks,” Governor Barnes replied. In the distance, he could see a pair of scissortails circling above a grove of trees. He wished Kathryn were here, she would have loved the sight.

  -

  It was two weeks later and Admiral Tolsen stood in the Command Center of the WarHawk staring at one of the tactical displays showing the current disposition of the ships under his command. After the Distant Horizon’s drone had come through, he’d been expecting the Simulins to show up at any time. The fleet was practicing battle maneuvers on a regular basis in preparation for meeting the threat.

  “You’ve done everything you can,” commented Commander Arnett as they finished the latest drill. “The fleet is in the best tactical position you can put it.”

  “Yes, but it’s not enough,” Race said, stepping back from the display. Later he would go over the results from the drill and see if he could spot any obvious weaknesses in his plan.

  Third Fleet was positioned in a globe around the expected emergence point of a Simulin attack. Admiral Jackson’s flagship, the Dauntless, along with his two battlecruisers and four strikecruisers were mixed in with Race’s command. Jackson’s two battlecarriers had been assigned to protect Capacitor Station One, all civilian ships, as well as the fleet repair vessels. Admiral Bachal’s Alton ships were close by to be used as a quick response strike force once the Simulins arrived. They would be the Sunday punch and would hit the Simulins head on as they emerged from the spatial vortex.

  “You’d think they’d come through in force,” stated Colonel Cowel. “It’s what I would do. I’d keep sending ships through until I had a beachhead established and then move out to secure the area around the black hole.”

  “We’ll give a good accounting of ourselves,” Madelyn said confidently. “They won’t find us so easy to overcome.”

  “I know we will,” Race said. “But damn it, Madelyn, we’re talking about facing seventeen hundred-meter battlecruisers with technology equivalent to the AIs and possibly even the Altons. How can we stop something like that?”

  At that moment, the alarms on the sensor console began sounding. “Spatial vortexes detected,” reported Lieutenant Davis as his trained eyes shifted to his sensor screens. “Two million kilometers.”

  “I’m getting Alton ID codes,” added Lieutenant Travers with relief in her voice. When the alarms sounded, everyone was instantly afraid it was the expected Simulin attack.

  “Altons?” Madelyn said, looking confused. “Admiral Bachal didn’t mention any other ships showing up.”

  “Put them on the main viewscreens,” ordered Race, shifting his attention to the front of the Command Center. He hoped the Alton vessels were warships and not more research ships.

  The viewscreens zoomed in on the new arrivals and Race felt his breath taken away. “Please tell me those are what I think they are.”

  “Twelve Alton battleships, each towing an Indomitable Class Battlestation,” Commander Arnett said with eyes aglow. “Now that’s a relief for sore eyes.”

  “I have Admiral Victell on the comm,” Lieutenant Travers said with a smile. “He wants to know where you want the battlestations.”

  “The only way they could get Indomitable Class Battlestations here so quickly is if they come from Astral,” Colonel Cowel said, his eyes widening. “They must have removed them from orbit.”


  Race nodded, still finding it hard to speak. He knew exactly where he wanted them. The Indomitable Class Battlestations were one thousand meters in diameter and armed with numerous heavy particle beam cannons and sublight antimatter missile tubes. They also had multiple energy beam turrets for defense. They’d be a hard nut to crack with their powerful defensive screens. They could easily be a game changer in a battle with the Simulins. He’d have to adjust his battle plan to take into account this sudden addition to his forces.

  “I want them around the expected entry vortex for the Simulins,” Race ordered, finally able to talk. With the battlestations, he just might be able to drive back the expected Simulin attack and keep them away from the capacitor stations.

  -

  Over the next few weeks, additional reinforcements straggled in. A full squadron of fifteen battlecruisers from New Providence, a fleet of thirty battlecruisers from Careth under command of the Bear battleship Hunter, as well as a few more Federation ships. More surprising was the fact New Providence sent twenty Type Two battlestations as well as five hundred particle beam satellites.

  Admiral Tolsen carefully placed the Type Two battlestations in positions where they could support the more powerful Indomitable Class stations. The five hundred particle beam satellites he placed as close to what the suspected emergence point of the Simulins would be as he dared. For the first time he felt he could beat back any conceivable Simulin attack.

  -

  “That’s one hell of a mousetrap,” commented Commander Arnett as she watched the last particle beam satellite being put into position on one of the viewscreens.

  “It should be enough,” Race said, folding his arms across his chest. “We’ll be able to blow anything apart that comes through the vortex.”

  “So, what do we do now?”

  “We wait,” Race replied, looking over at Madelyn. “We continue the repairs to the capacitor stations so we can send a relief fleet through to Admiral Strong and Admiral Barnes. I just hope they can stay alive until we can send them help.”

  Madelyn nodded. There had been very little response from the Federation about forming a relief fleet. Discussions were still ongoing, but only Careth and New Providence had promised to provide ships. It was difficult to find people and crews who were willing to make the journey to the Triangulum Galaxy, particularly since it was most likely a one-way trip.