Star Crusader: Siege of Kalar

  “Civilian transports, mining ships, liners. These are not ships of war.”

  She watched carefully as the formation pushed through, moving so close to the mines that some even bounced off their hulls. After two more minutes, the first reached the outer limits of the minefield. A second followed and then more were through. Those able to still use their engines started to accelerate away.

  “Communications. I need to speak with their commanders.”

  “Negative, Captain,” came back the reply, “They…uh…they’re jamming our data traffic.”

  “What?”

  Captain Galanos looked to the video feed from the Rift. She could now see at least thirty civilian ships, most of which were now in the centre of the minefield. The Rift continued to crackle with energy, but something deep down worried her.

  “Try again.”

  “Sir, there is nothing I can do. All of the ships are blocking comms traffic. They are transmitting the same distress calls over and over. Every other channel is being blocked with white noise.”

  Her eyes narrowed, but she knew what she had to do.

  “Roll out the guns. Target the nearest ships.”

  The mood in the ship changed in an instant. Many of them had doubts, but the Captain had done the one thing none of them could do. She made the call, and now each went about their business. She pulled the intercom unit down and hit the vanguard command channel.

  “This is Galanos. I do not believe these ships are refugees. Weapons free, don’t let them through. Disable rather than destroy, if possible.”

  She pushed the unit back and waited for what was to come. Of all the ships in the vanguard, Relentless was the least suited to long-range gunnery. She was there for command and control, as well as to provide air cover as needed. Dozens of flashes surrounded the Helion cruisers as they fired first, unleashing a salvo of heavy cruise missiles and torpedoes. The Helions were the masters of long-range missile warfare, and even Captain Galanos smiled as the first wave raced off towards the ships.

  Forgive me if I am wrong.

  She may have had doubts, but quickly shifted them to the back of her mind. Her gut instincts rarely failed her, and the stakes this time could not have been higher. The first missiles arrived nearly twenty seconds later and slammed into the largest of the transports. The smaller missiles punched holes through the hull, disabling engines, and breaking apart critical compartments, but the torpedoes did the real damage. Each was the size of a fighter and equipped with powerful engines, advanced computer guidance systems, and nano-atomic warheads that could destroy a frigate in one or two hits.

  “Her engines are gone, Sir. Critical damage to all decks along her stern.”

  The crew watched as the rear of the biggest ship exploded in a terrible fireball that filled the screen. For a few seconds, it looked as though the entire ship had been utterly annihilated, but then the debris cloud dissipated, and the crippled ship drifted along its original course. As the light faded, many more came in behind it and adjusted their course directly for the Warbarge.

  “Sir,” called out the tactical officer, “Ships are adjusting their course towards Promethium. Computer calculates they are changing to a ramming velocity and heading.

  “They want to ram the Warbarge?”

  “It looks that way, Sir.”

  “Very well.”

  There was little time to spend worrying about right or wrong now. The Warbarge was critical to the defence of the region, as well as having a crew of seventy-five officers and thirteen hundred enlisted men and women.

  “Promethium. Target the lead vessels and hit them hard. They are moving on an increasing velocity towards your position. Destroy them.”

  The acknowledgement was quick and matter-of-fact. Galanos watched her own ship rotate ten more degrees to provide the optimal launch vector. At that moment, Promethium opened fire, sending massive volleys of fire into the approaching horde. The shells hammered into the formation of civilian ships wreaking terrible destruction. The minefield then reactivated, to the horror of the officers on the command deck. A ripple of explosions tore through the civilian ships, but scores more came through. Every one changed their heading to move for the Warbarge and on into the rest of the System. Three more ships succumbed, without attempting to turn away or firing defensive weaponry, leading her to doubt her decision.

  “No,” she said unbelievingly, “It can’t be. They would sacrifice so much, and for what?”

  One after another they exploded, yet still they came. The 255mm guns used by the Warbarge were old-fashioned, yet capable of blasting even heavy warships to atoms. Round after round hammered the ships, but every second brought them closer.

  That’s enough!

  Without further ado, Captain Galanos hit the battlestations warning and turned to her officers.

  “Activate gun ports, and prepare to fire on my mark. If I’m right, they’re coming through in force and mean to break this vanguard with weight of numbers.”

  She turned to the image of the Admiral.

  “Sir, I believe this is the moment.”

  “You’re certain?”

  Galanos looked to the massive vertical display, and at that very moment, a wave of ship bows appeared. It was impossible to tell if they were friend or foe, but her heart pounded just the same. A quick glance to the computer analysis showed at least one was civilian, but she was sure another looked suspiciously like a Star Empire cruiser.

  “Yes. I am certain of it.”

  Her head twisted about as she turned to her CAG, but then a message in the smooth alien accent filled the internal speakers.

  “We, the Nozu-Kuba People's Militia martyr ourselves to cleanse this System of the enemy’s taint.”

  “What?” said one of her more junior officers, but Captain Galanos watched two more civilian ships succumb to the explosions.

  “We clear the path, for the one.”

  Captain Galanos’ eyes widened in amazement.

  “Get everything in the air, now! It is time.”

  “Sir!”

  At that exact second, the majority of the civilian ships exploded in a beautifully timed blast that tore deep inside the minefield. Dozens of ships vanished in an instant, annihilated by large numbers of micro-atomics that vaporised flesh and metal with ease. Captain Galanos knew immediately what had happened, and her hand began to shake.

  “Sir, the minefield. It’s down to seven percent. They’re coming through.”

  She watched the imagery as scores of warships poured through, and around them came scores, perhaps even hundreds of fighters. As soon as they were out of the Rift, they opened fire. There were light cruisers, armoured cruisers, and scores of Byotai ships.

  Commander Harper shook his head as the vessels streamed in. First there were only a dozen, but in a matter of seconds that number had multiplied to over sixty, and still more came through behind them.

  “This…this is incredible.”

  Captain Galanos didn’t seem to be quite as enthralled by what she could see.

  “I see three waves of warships, perhaps seventy or more, and they are moving fast. Plus those…”

  She pointed to the front of the formation, and then to the right flank. There were scores more ships in these two areas, operating like the front and the edge of a great plough.

  “The civilian ships are providing a defensive screen for the warships. They are sacrificing these martyred militia to save their forces for the fight to come.”

  She turned to her crew just as a direct ship-to-ship transmission arrived from Admiral Churchill.

  “This is what we have been waiting for. The enemy’s flagship and his primary forces are coming through. Stick to the plan and play it slow, and smart. We’ve planned for this, and we can drive them back. Listen to your Captain and do the Alliance proud.”

  As he disconnected, Galanos rose up, tall and confident, and spoke to those nearby.

  “So…the battle for Fiorr Veej begins. Fight
hard, and fight well. Either we leave this station aboard Relentless, or we die inside her hulk.”

  She turned her attention to Commander Harper.

  “There is no turning back now. Bring us about, bow to the enemy, and activate all remaining batteries. Let’s show these people how the Alliance fights a battle.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Alliance Armoured Assault Ship 'ANS Relentless'

  Fiorr Veej System, Deadlands

  January 19th 2473

  The klaxons sounded throughout the ship as once more the scramble warning sounded. Rex had seen this happen so many times now he could barely remember when it had been any different. It might just as easily have been another fighter drill, or even a simulation, but there were subtle markers telling him this thing was for real. For starters, he could actually feel the power systems activating inside the ship. These were advanced units, retrofitted to boost its gunnery power. Due to the coils running beneath the floor plates, he could always tell when the ship was gearing up for actual combat.

  “Pilots, scramble!”

  The port launch deck filled with activity as the pilots and crew rushed to their positions. The top deck had already released a pair of fighters, and three more from each flank blasted out into space. Rex leapt up from his chair and almost stumbled before running to his fighter. This was the third time today, but he could tell it was different. Hawkins was already there and climbing up the ladder to his own cockpit. He looked back and nodded to Rex.

  “They’re coming through!”

  It didn’t take long for the canopies to close down, and once more Rex found he was inside his fighter. The Kerberos pattern Lightning fighter was a sight to behold; although after all this time the novelty was certainly starting to wear thin. With the others away on their own adventures, he’d been left with the rest of the Squadron, and for some reason he failed to understand, they simply were not getting on. The canopy clunked into position, followed by his fighter moving along the rails to the flank launch positions.

  “Thunder Squadron away,” said Captain Cornwallis, “Knighthawks prepare for launch!”

  Rex wiped his brow as the counter ran down on his display. He waited inside the cramped interior for the command, and what he knew would come next. He was apprehensive, but not nervous, not until he heard words he never thought he’d hear.

  “ANS Promethium is under heavy attack. Multiple ships are closing in on her at ramming speed. Boarding transports and fighters are in support.”

  The canopy darkened, and the gentle vibration stopped as his craft moved into position.

  “Launching in five…four…three…”

  Rex took a quick breath and braced for the launch. As soon as it reached the moment, the magnetic levitation sled system thrust him towards the outer wall. One by one the layers slid back and then retuned behind him, as he breached the triple barrier system and then off into space. The darkness of the interior was quickly replaced by blazing fires as objects like burning comets continued bursting out of the Rift.

  “Fighters, form up. It’s time for…”

  All communication traffic vanished in an instant as a fleet of warships burst through. Rex looked out at the shapes as they spread out. There were at least thirty Alliance fighters now in space, moving ahead of the warships and directly at the incoming ships.

  “Where are my comms?”

  Rex hit the controls and tried to contact his comrades, but every frequency appeared corrupted by random chatter and noise. For a second, he reached Relentless, only for the signal to break again.

  How are they doing this?

  Rex nearly panicked as he tried to work out what to do. They’d drilled this a hundred times before, but there was no reason why they should have any difficulties in speaking to each other at this range. A quick check to his right showed the other members of the Squadron. They were ready, their missiles armed, and guns spinning up.

  “Let’s try line of sight.”

  All it took was the flick of a switch, and the internal communications switched the laser array on. This system could not be intercepted unless an object physically blocked the two systems. An image of Captain Cornwallis instantly appeared. The man looked angry, and there was shouting in the background.

  “Captain, we’ve got…”

  The image flashed once, and then cut again, reappearing for a fraction of a second.

  What?

  Rex opened his mouth to speak, but then it turned white and cut off. He looked back to the other fighters and spotted Hawkins moving out in front of the formation. He rolled left and then right, in the way they’d practiced, and then boosted his engines. The wagging of the wings was a tried and tested system that dated back to the time of biplanes.

  “Excellent,” said Rex, “We’ll use the old ways.”

  One by one the pilots of Knighthawk Squadron did the same, and soon the entire formation was blasting up and towards a trio of enemy ships as they made their way towards Promethium. The journey would be less than a minute, but it was enough time for Rex to check the area for signs of fighting. The massive Warbarge was there, front and centre, while the rest of the vanguard jostled for position around it. Missiles launched almost continuously, and then there were the guns. The Alliance ships could put out quite a bombardment, but the massed volleys coming from the Warbarge were incredible. The great cannons spewed plasma out into space as they launched heavy shells deep into the approaching ships. Not even the old armoured warships of the past could have withstood such a savage beating.

  * * *

  “What’s going on?” Captain Galanos shouted, “Why are our own ships turning on us?”

  Explosions filled the central display as a Helion cruiser took more than twenty direct hits. The shells were not coming from the approaching horde of military and civilian ships, but from a pair of Alliance frigates that had just arrived, only to turn on the Helions. Her tactical officer pointed at the main screen system.

  “Computer confirms it’s coming from our own ships.”

  Her eyes widened as she listened, but her new second-in-command, the young Commander Harper, indicated the formation of vessels.

  “We can see that. The question is why? Who is in command of those ships?”

  The tactical officer answered quickly, reeling off the names from the database. As he finished speaking, Harper turned back to the Captain.

  “Sir, I know each of those men. They are loyal, no doubt about it. It must be something else.”

  “Perhaps. All I want to know is why are they firing at our forces? Is it sabotage, or have their crews turned? Is this a technical failure or mutiny?”

  Commander Harper nodded and rejoined the other officers. He took over the micromanagement of the crew, leaving Galanos to observe the ongoing battle. Seconds later, he called out as new data appeared on the screen.

  “Captain. We have urgent distress calls from their commanders.

  “Put them on.”

  “…requesting urgent assistance. Computer systems are locked out. Unable to stop computer overrides.”

  Captain Galanos shook her head with frustration. She knew exactly what was going on, and it left her fuming. One destroyer began to turn erratically just as its guns opened fire, narrowly avoiding Relentless.

  “Have restored some engine control. Moving away to avoid collateral…”

  The signal cut, but to her relief the destroyer did as the captain had promised, and tilted away from the battle, even as its guns continued to fire.

  “We must be thankful the override is only partial. Are you telling me that CTC or some other organisation has penetrated our defences?”

  “Penetrated?” Commander Harper asked, “CTC is responsible for most ship maintenance in the entire Alliance. In the last decade, they’ve taken over contracts for everything from…”

  He saw she was far from impressed.

  “Sir, the signals are coming from inside Alliance vessels. There must be CTC operatives aboard
them.”

  Galanos lifted a hand and snorted with derision.

  “Then we have been betrayed. I do not have time for this. They will have to deal with this themselves. Activate manual protocols. It’s time for the direct laser comms. We need to salvage the perimeter before it completely collapses.”

  She pointed to the tactical display, moved the images of the enemy ships away, and concentrated on the rest of the fleet. Several squadrons were already moving towards them, but the formation was broken, and there was clearly confusion. This wasn’t the first attack out of the Star Empire’s territory, but it was by far the largest.

  “Look!” said one of the officers.

  All attention turned to the imagery as the Red Star appeared. The infamous Byotai warship, and now flagship of this particular host, moved in like the apex predator it was. Before the ship even left the Rift, another three-dozen Byotai ships leapt through, all with gun ports open and scores of fighters spreading out in front of them.

  Captain Galanos held her breath as her own squadrons raced and engaged the enemy. There were now hundreds of fighters from both sides, and they cut away at each other, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. Directly ahead the formation of civilian ships were a minute away from reaching Promethium.

  “Vanguard units, move in and protect the Warbarge. Do not let them board her!”

  The small unit of ships adjusted their formation and unleashed wave after wave of gunfire. The enemy kept on coming, even as multiple civilian ships tore apart. Promethium hit them so hard two larger transports vanished, their hulls replaced by a dozen smaller fragments, yet still they came.

  “Sir,” said Harper, “The rest of the Helios Battlegroup is moving in alongside us. Their commander requests we continue management of the forward deployment area.”

  “Understood.”

  That one sentence showed the true gravity of the situation, perhaps far more than even the fighting going on around them. She was junior to the commander of the battlegroup, yet she’d been there first, and continuity of action was critical. Relentless was also purpose-built to operate as an assault carrier, as well as a command ship. She should have relaxed at hearing that news, but it seemed to make little difference to the numbers pouring through. At first, she’d been rather confident of their victory, but even with the battlegroup she still just had her half a dozen ships, the battered Warbarge, and a dozen front-line vessels. She was outnumbered five to one, and the odds worsening by the minute.