Star Crusader: Siege of Kalar

  Nate looked to Matilda.

  “Are they serious?”

  She nodded. “It would appear so.”

  “Good hunting,” said Katanga, “Move fast, and hit them hard. Katanga out.”

  Engines pulsed with power as the formation split apart. The two remaining Confederate Class ships took the lead, the Spartan class armoured transports following just behind. They all opened fire, hitting the rear of the Star Empire forces before they had a chance to react.

  “Let’s do this.”

  Nate hit the engine boosters and raced out, with his friends nearby. The six remaining Byotai attack cruisers headed in the same direction, as well as four squadrons of Hawkmoth fighters, and a single depleted formation of Lightning fighters, with a trio of Jackal dropships for support. They moved quickly and right between the columns of ships. Nate glanced back to see the Alliance ships engaging the enemy. Salvos of guns and missiles raced back and forth, almost obscuring them.

  “Stay close to the cruisers,” said Lieutenant Commander Holder.

  “Sir.”

  Nate pulled on the stick, moving in closer as the shots came in thick and fast. The columns of ships changed course so that they could bring their guns to bear on their attackers.

  “Destroy them!” Katanga ordered.

  At that moment, the six attack cruisers split apart into three pairs and made for the Rift Engine ships. Their guns opened up, hammering the fragile ships with their heavy arsenals of mass drivers.

  “This is it,” said Valdis.

  She reached out and placed a hand on Nate’s arm.

  “Good luck.”

  The fighters peeled away from the ships. Nate’s unit and one of the Byotai squadrons raced towards the engineering ships. Two Star Empire cruisers and a Byotai frigate moved to defend it, forcing them to take evasive action. Three Hawkmoths were cut apart in as many seconds, and then came the flak. The shells exploded, scattering razor sharp debris in their path. An attack cruiser partially exploded, but the wrecked vessel continued towards its target, her engines burning white hot with power. Another burst of shots came even closer, but Nate pulled up just in time.

  “Wow, hold on!”

  The three Phantoms twisted about violently as they raced through the barrage. Hundreds of shots missed, but a good number struck the armour, some glancing off, others punching deep into the armour. One particularly heavy shot hit the cockpit, making Nate jump.

  “Ouch, that was close.”

  Valdis shook her head and turned her attention back to her controls. The turrets spun about looking for targets, and then they appeared, a wave of Mahingan medium fighters. Without even speaking with Nate, she tagged the craft and opened fire. All three Phantoms did the same, filling space with massed gunfire. Nate kept his eyes locked on the target, and by some miracle they blasted past the screen of ships to face the stern of the first Rift Engine ship.

  “There is it.”

  He was so tense he could barely speak. The thing was huge, and scores of enemy fighters came out from behind it.

  “Valdis, I need cover!”

  Shots slammed into the front of the Phantom, but he couldn’t turn away now, so he activated the primary guns and took aim. Valdis kept on shooting, even loosing off four missiles from the mag-fed roller system on the wings. Nate checked the ship for his designated target, but something told him to ignore its engines and power units. Instead he aimed for a series of pipe units partially hidden behind extended plates.

  That looks important.

  The flank-mounted 75mm mass drivers activated, spitting their heavy shells deep into the rear of the ship. At the same time, the first of the Byotai attack cruisers came in with every one of its forward guns firing. Nate pulled away at the last moment, only for three Mahingans to settle in behind him.

  “Get them off me!”

  Nate started to panic as he pulled the stick left and right. Shots struck all around them as they moved along the length of the ship. He nearly forgot their strafing manoeuvre, but Valdis quickly reminded him. As they spun around, both watched open-mouthed as the entire ship shuddered. A ripple of light ran along its hull, and then the thing split apart.

  “Holy…”

  Valdis hit the guns and opened fire as a pair of Mahingans came in from above. She raked them both as Nate spun back into position and rejoined the other fighters. He breathed a sigh of relief as the other two Phantoms and the single Lightning moved back together.

  “Look,” said Valdis.

  Far off to the right another of the massive engines tore itself apart, leaving just one of the vessels at the Rift.

  “Can they hold it open with just one?”

  Valdis shrugged.

  “Who knows? If they only needed one, then why use three?”

  Nate might have laughed, had it not been for their impossible situation. He checked the tactical display and gulped at seeing the losses they’d taken. A third of the fighters were destroyed or missing, and two Byotai attack cruisers were gone.

  “Where are the others?”

  It took a second for him to spot them. The ships were heavily embroiled in a battle in the middle of the enemy fleet.

  “They’re taking out the other two Rift Engines ships.”

  Nate licked his lips and considered turning back, but a missile from a Mahingan screamed past, narrowly avoiding him and exploded alongside Billy’s fighter. A huge chunk of an engine ripped off, followed by a massive trail of sparks.

  “Billy!”

  “We’re okay!” Billy might have been trying to sound stoic, but Nate knew him much better than that. The fighter had taken a beating, and the other Mahingans clearly smelt the blood in the water. They moved around, trying to line up, but Nate and the others raced in, raking them with fire.

  “Everybody, through the Rift, now!” Katanga ordered.

  Nate keyed his comms but was blocked by Lieutenant Commander Holder.

  “What about my ships? I will not leave them behind.”

  “Do as you wish, but we are moving through. Blood Fury has taken the honour of destroying the last Rift Engine. Once the last ship goes, the Rift will collapse. Do not let their sacrifice be in vain.”

  Nate scanned the horizon before finding the last remaining ship. There were three Byotai attack cruisers firing at it, but the enemy had positioned a screen of frigates and civilian ships to block the gunfire. Some made it through, but they blocked enough to protect the valuable cargo. There was a moment’s hesitation, but the loss of two more Lightnings quickly persuaded Holder to give the order.

  “Through the Rift. It’s out of our hands now.”

  “But, Sir, we…” said Cassandra.

  “Follow my orders, and get through, now!”

  There was bitterness from the pilots, but they obeyed. The fighters and the last surviving Byotai attack cruisers altered course for the Rift. Their engines glowed with power as they raced away. This time the enemy held back and turned back to protect their critical ships. One by one the ships breached the Rift, until just Katanga’s flagship and fifteen fighters remained. They moved closer to the Rift when Valdis called out.

  “Look. The Blood Fury.”

  Both turned and watched to the left as the last remaining attack cruiser accelerated at the Rift Engine. The Byotai ship was a mess, her front section completely torn away, and explosions wracking her hull. Yet on she went, with every one of her remaining guns firing. Corvettes and frigates tried to block her path, but she crashed through them, crumpling them like wet tissue paper.

  “That is suicide,” said Nate.

  “No. Not suicide, sacrifice.”

  The ship was seconds away from impact when Nate’s fighter penetrated the Rift. One moment they were in the middle of the fight, and the next they were in the Fiorr Veej System. At that exact moment, the Rift finally collapsed in a bright flash of colours. The structure remained, but the innards crackled with deadly energy that would rip a ship apart in nano-seconds. The way bac
k was closed for now, so he turned his attention ahead, and to the battle to come.

  Nate half expected to see the defeated Alliance fleet in front of him, but was astonished to find a massive battle taking place. Admiral Churchill’s fleet was fully engaged and positioned around the shattered hulk of the Warbarge. The massive battleship, ANS Warlord and her fleet faced against a Star Empire fleet of roughly equal size, and they were both giving as good as they got.

  Katanga spoke once more, this time using the translator circuit, probably for speed rather than accuracy.

  “All ships and fighters. Boost your engines and join the fight. Our brothers need us.”

  All did as ordered and accelerated as fast as they could into the battle. It didn’t take long for them to reach the stragglers, and the Byotai attack cruisers swept in like wolves picking off the weak and wounded.

  “Fighters, follow me in. We’re going to Relentless.”

  Nate looked ahead at the swirling battle, and there, right in the middle was their old ship. She looked bigger than he remembered, and long lines of gunfire surrounded her as she fought off the attention of three enemy ships.

  “Let’s do this.”

  Nine remaining fighters blasted through the outer perimeter of the battle and towards the main engagement. They were at least a minute away, and Nate used that time to get his breath back.

  “Where are the rest of the ships?”

  Valdis checked the systems, while the Byotai ships fanned out to hit more targets. Then she spotted them to their right, moving away from the fighting.

  “Look!”

  There was a vast horde, scores and scores of ships, and every one racing off to the distant Serpentis Rift, away from the battle. It would take them a good few hours to reach it, but they were far enough away that they were effectively out of the fight.

  “So…they made it through. You know where they’re going, don’t you?”

  Valdis looked grim as she listened.

  “Tenth Quadrant and Makos. He won’t stand a chance, not against all of that.”

  Nate hit his fist against the cockpit panel to his left with frustration.

  “So win or lose, they still got past us. We were supposed to hold them here, and let nothing else through.”

  “It doesn’t matter now. Look, we’ve got our own problems.”

  Nate looked for Relentless, and then found the two large Byotai heavy cruisers, bearing the insignia of the Star Empire. One had turned around, and its flank gun batteries opened up, filling the area around the fighters with shells.

  “Evasive action!”

  Nate barely knew what was happening as he did his best to avoid the fire, just as before. At the same time, he pulled the trigger and lashed out at the target. There was not a great deal he could accomplish, but that didn’t stop him from trying. As he banked and turned, his friends did the same. Flames flashed in front of their gun turrets and mass driver cannons. It was a beautiful and a terrible sight, and it all seemed to slow down to Nate. Warnings triggered inside his fighter, and he expected to be blown out into space. And then the unthinkable happened.

  “Nate! Move!”

  One minute the Byotai ship was there, and the next it was blocked from view as ANS Indomitable and the remaining Spartan Class ships appeared out of thin air. Three seconds after they arrived, they opened fire, hitting the Byotai ship with a terrible barrage at point-blank range. The enemy ship was soon completely covered in small explosions. It might have survived the barrage until the particle cannons fitted to the bow of Indomitable opened fire. The dreaded weapons pulverised the ship, tearing open a massive hole in the flank of the vessel. The attack didn’t stop there, and the Alliance ship continued blasting away until the ship snapped along its upper superstructure and drifted apart, mortally wounded, leaking air and crew into the void.

  “Pull up!” Valdis yelled.

  Nate had been so interested in what was happening around them he’d failed to see how close he was. He pulled on the controls, adjusted and boosted the engines. They screamed away from the wreckage just as the power plants went nuclear.

  “Wow,” said Billy over the comms network, “Can you see that?”

  Nate glanced back over his shoulder and watched the ship tear itself apart. The death of a ship was one of those things that struck multiple emotions at once. The loss of life, and even the loss of a great ship was always a tragedy, but there was also the incredible beauty of the thing’s death. Every one died in a different way, some slowly burning inside out, breaking apart, or even vanishing behind cataclysmic nuclear explosions.

  “Yeah. I see it all right. And look at the others go.”

  Valdis watched the glowing engine mark the departure of the other ships. They scattered as each did its best to extricate itself from the fighting. Those that could either made for the Serpentis Rift or fell back into the darkness, in a vain attempt to escape their pursuers. The Alliance ships gave chase, but many stayed back to nurse their wounds, or to help those drifting about in lifeboats. At the same time, the pair of T’Kari ships activated their Rift disruption equipment, and fired beams deep into the celestial structure. Nate could tell they’d just made passing from system to system that much more dangerous, and even it last just an hour, it would give them time to regroup. They’d done it. Nate let out a low, exhausted sign and then checked the local system to see quite how much damage the fleet had sustained.

  “Wow…just wow. We took a beating here.”

  Valdis remained silent, her attention on the Byotai ships moving in around ANS Warlord, the flagship of Admiral Churchill, and also the temporary home of Prince Kratha.

  “Knighthawk Squadron, Ironclads Squadron. It’s time to come home.”

  Nate almost choked at hearing the sound of Captain Galanos’ voice. He opened his visor and rubbed his face before moving the fighter to follow Lieutenant Commander Holder’s Lightning.

  “We’re going home,” he said quietly.

  Next to speak was the Lieutenant Commander, and even she sounded relieved.

  “You heard the Captain. Form up and use the central landing deck. Watch your sides, Phantoms. You’re carrying a lot of weight.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  The fighters used the large bow opening to land. The inner lights glowed bright yellow, and Nate smiled happily when it came to his turn. He passed the forward guns and turrets, and the battle-scarred hull to the deck. The Phantom felt massive as he brought it in, continuing towards the stern and placing it gently on the ground. Clamps locked them in place, followed by the elevator moving them upwards and towards the pressurised hangar deck. He removed his helmet and leaned over to Valdis.

  “I can’t believe we made it through all that.”

  She looked back at him, and he saw the twinkle in her eye, the one that always seemed to get her into trouble.

  “Maybe now I can see what’s so special about this old ship of yours.”

  The fighter rose up onto the hangar deck, and there were scores of people moving about. Up they went until the fighter locked still, and the cockpit began pressure normalisation. It didn’t take long before the doors unlocked, and the two of them were making their way to the side doors. Nate could see his friends, at least those that had survived the battle. Nate’s eyes ran from left to right as he checked who’d made it.

  “Rex, Hawkins, Augustyniak? What about the brothers?”

  Two more pilots emerged from further back on the deck and jogged over to the small group of pilots. Nate recognised them instantly as the Foss brothers, but the loss of the others almost broke him. He stepped closer to them and nearly lost his footing. Cassandra reached out, and Valdis grabbed his arm. Matilda faced off against the brothers.

  “What about…”

  Jaren lifted both of his hands and shook his head.

  “Hawkins bought the farm, and Augustyniak, he flew right into a shuttle. Their both gone.”

  “Rex?” Cassandra asked quietly.

  Th
e bothers looked to each other, and then back to the group. Jaren looked Cassandra right in the eye.

  “He took over after it all went south. A pair of Mahingans got him after the rout started.”

  Travis tried to join in, but his words didn’t seem to help.

  “We tracked the ID code on the cameras, but it looks like the Mahingans got away. We know their codes, though. Next time we see them, it’ll be payback time.”

  “Next time?” Cassandra asked bitterly.

  Footsteps marked the approach of a pair of officers, and the youngsters turned around. Captain Cornwallis moved towards them. At his side was an exhausted Lieutenant Commander Holder. They covered the distance slowly, but the deck crew separated, giving them space. The Captain rarely smiled, but this time he seemed to have changed. He stopped in front of Nate and looked to each of them.

  “Excellent work, pilots. We beat them back, and thanks to you we did it without losing the entire fleet. Our losses are high in all squadrons, but it looks like the Knighthawks took the number one kill count.”

  That should have been enough for a great celebration. Back in their gaming days it would have been music to their ears, but not today. Nate felt hollow inside, and the deaths of many Star Empire pilots wouldn’t change that for him. Captain Cornwallis could see his encouragement was not having the desired effect.

  “Turning up with Katanga right then…”

  He shook his head.

  “That was some serious cavalry in the nick of time action. Great job. We’ve already heard from the Admiral, and he expresses his thanks to you all, and for your sacrifice.”

  He looked from the pilots and towards the three battered Phantoms.

  “And these are your mysterious Phantoms. Impressive, very impressive.”

  He hesitated, and then tapped his antiquated looking Secpad.

  “We have a little more combat before this thing is done. But when it’s all over, what do you pilots think of spending a little more time with these fighters? R&D tells me they want to do a full strip down on them, and you are the resident experts.”

  Nate looked to his friends and back to the Captain.

  “Sounds good, Sir. But right now, there’s only one thing I think we want.”