by D. J. Holmes
James nodded when Epsilon altered course slightly just moments after the first stage of his multistage missiles went off-line. The missiles would have to fly ballistically for nine minutes before reigniting their second stage. The Karacknid’s weren’t stupid, they had immediately recognized what his missiles were going to do. They’re still going to get a surprise, James thought. There was no way they could know about the missiles’ second stage.
Whether the Karacknid knew what was coming or not, Guardian and the four hundred other Varanni warships in First Fleet give them something else to think about as they launched their first missile salvo of three and a half thousand missiles. A couple of minutes later Epsilon replied with eight thousand missiles of their own. James swallowed hard when he saw the numbers. However effective their opening attack was, First Fleet was going to get hurt by the Karacknid’s reply. A quick glance at the secondary holo projector displaying Second and Third fleets told him they were facing even greater opening salvos.
“Varanni missiles are three minutes out from Epsilon Fleet’s point defense range, our missiles should be coming back online any moment,” Miyamoto reported.
Before he had finished speaking, twelve hundred new contacts appeared on the gravimetric sensors. At once they accelerated at rates even the Varanni missiles couldn’t match. It didn’t take long for the multistage missiles to locate Epsilon Fleet and alter their trajectory to close with them, the Karacknids hadn’t carried out anywhere near a severe enough course change to get out of range of the multistage missiles’ second stage engines.
“Our missiles will strike home thirty seconds after the Varanni salvo,” Miyamoto updated.
“Good shooting, you have timed it well,” James responded. “McGrath has her attack timed well I presume?”
“The fighters and bombers will be forty seconds behind our missiles,” Miyamoto answered.
James nodded to his tactical officer and focused on Epsilon Fleet. They needed to hit Epsilon Fleet hard. Jorum’s strategy relied on them knocking Epsilon Fleet out of action quickly so that some ships from First Fleet could be dispatched to Third Fleet’s aide.
As the first Varanni missile salvo came under fire, the greater number of ships in Epsilon Fleet quickly reduced their numbers. Even so, at least twenty got through the hail of point defense fire and exploded among the Karacknid warships. Moments later, on a different trajectory, James’ multistage missiles came crashing in. In part because there were far less of them, the Karacknid fleet had positioned itself to focus on the Varanni missiles. It was a mistake. The trick they liked to pull against their opponents was being pulled on them. Worse, the ECM jammers on the Human missiles were much more effective than the Karacknids were expecting. A further surprise came when the multistage missiles detonated much further out than typical thermal nuclear warheads. Instead of diving close to score a direct hit, the warheads pumped their explosive energy into a focusing lens which shot out a high-powered grazer beam. The beams from the multistage missiles shot through space and ripped into the unprepared Karacknid warships. Sixty ships were destroyed outright and many more suffered catastrophic damage when a beam of intense energy punched right through it.
Amidst the chaos, almost everyone in Epsilon Fleet had forgotten about the one hundred and eighty-eight small contacts that were McGrath’s fighters and bombers. Those that hadn’t forgotten, ordered point defenses to open up on them, but they were too little too late. Twisting and turning, McGrath’s fighters and bombers evaded almost everything that was thrown at them. They quickly closed enough to release their plasma missiles. The pilots of the fighters and bombers targeted each of their missiles at an as yet undamaged Karacknid capital ship. As a result, almost every Karacknid dreadnought and battleship took a plasma missile hit to their stern. Several detonated as power overloads caused secondary explosions. Most, though they survived the attack, suffered significant damage to their engines and power relays, decreasing their maneuvering capabilities.
In total, eighty-six Karacknid ships were destroyed by the combined attack. However more than three hundred other ships had taken significant damage. It took them a few minutes to reform their formation, but when they did, they fired their third salvo at First Fleet. Then they prepared themselves for the second Varanni salvo.
“There’s at least a thousand missiles less in their third salvo Vice Admiral,” Ivanov reported. “We gave them a bloody nose. I would expect their point defense efficiency to be down even more.”
“We’ll soon see if it is enough,” James replied. “Now we have to make sure they don’t return the favor.” James didn’t take his eyes off the first Karacknid missile salvo that was coming his way. Moments later the familiar sound of Golden Hind’s flak cannons firing could be heard. With his subordinates all hunched over their command consoles to aid Golden Hind’s computers in their attempt to shoot down every incoming missile, James had nothing to do but watch the readout of Karacknid missile numbers.
The first flak cannon rounds took out more than five hundred. Then the Varanni’s more powerful point defense lasers reduced that number even more. A few seconds later Golden Hind’s plasma cannons, AM missiles and point defense lasers opened up as well. When the enemy missile count was down to four thousand, the Varanni ships released their electrostatic waves. More than fifteen hundred missiles suddenly lost tracking. Desperately, every point defense weapon in First Fleet targeted those that were still homing in on them.
James knew they weren’t going to get them all, the numbers simply weren’t dropping fast enough. “Signal all ships in our fleet, tell them to prepare for evasive maneuvers on my mark,” he called to Emilie.
“Transmitting now Vice Admiral,” she called back.
James gripped his command chair as he watched the missiles come closer and closer. He had to time it perfectly, the longer he waited, the more his point defense gunners could take out. Yet if he gave the order too late, it would be ineffective. He forced himself to take a deep breath and slowly count to three, “now,” he shouted. The harness in his command chair tightened around his chest as Golden Hind’s navigation officer threw the large battleship into a corkscrew. Every ECM jammer was powered up to full and several decoys were ejected from the flagship and began to broadcast signals that mimicked the ship’s electromagnetic profile. Every ship in the Human fleet went through the same process and among the Varanni warships, a similar action was carried out. Nevertheless, many of the two hundred Karacknid missiles that had evaded everything the Varanni and Human ships had thrown at them detonated as they found targets.
James was thrown around in his command chair as one and then a second missile scored proximity hits. Both missiles detonated more than one hundred meters away from Golden Hind, yet the Karacknid missiles carried a payload greater than any Human warship had faced before. The resulting explosive forces burnt off valstronium armor, sensor nodes and point defense emplacements. Alarms blared on the bridge, reporting that sections of the ship had been opened to space. For a couple of seconds James felt his vision blur as the battleship’s inertial compensators struggled to deal with the forces being put on the ship. Then, as soon as his body started to feel normal again, he demanded damage reports for his flagship and fleet.
“We’ve got hull breaches on decks twelve and thirteen, sections twenty-two through to twenty-four, starboard side” Ivanov called out. “Missile tubes eighteen and nineteen are unresponsive. We lost quite a lot of point defense emplacements from the outer hull in those areas. No other damage reports coming in from elsewhere.”
“And the fleet?” James asked as he turned to Miyamoto.
“Two destroyers and a light cruiser have been lost, eleven other ships are reporting significant damage,” Miyamoto cut off, gasped and then swore. Other alarms went off around him. Out of the corner of his eye James saw an explosion on the holo projector. “That was Buffalo,” Miyamoto said and swore again. “She took a direct hit just above reactors three and four. Something must h
ave overloaded.”
James swore. Buffalo was one of the eight battlecruisers of Gupta’s squadron. She was a significant loss. “Tell our damaged ships to pull out of formation and get out of here,” James ordered. “How did the Varanni fare?”
“Eight ships destroyed; others are pulling out of formation now as well. Several of their capital ships took hits, but they are all still in fighting trim,” Dzedzyk reported. James had given his astrologer responsibility for monitoring the Varanni fleet.
For the next eight minutes James threw himself into helping his damaged ships and reorganizing his fleet. He paused briefly to watch the second Varanni missile salvo attack Epsilon Fleet. They had done quite a bit of damage to their point defense capabilities for forty missiles reached attack range and when Golden Hind’s sensors cleared, twelve Karacknid contacts had disappeared. A number of others were falling out of formation and pulling back to safety. Just under nine hundred Karacknid ships were left in Epsilon fleet. James forgot about them as another seven thousand enemy missiles approached his fleet’s point defenses. Just before they did, explosions appeared among them. James suddenly remembered McGrath’s fighters and bombers, he had forgotten about their return journey, he’d been so focused on his damaged ships. A quick check of a secondary display told him she had lost fourteen fighters and six bombers in her attack run, the Karacknid point defenses had obviously proven effective despite being distracted. However, that left her more than one hundred and fifty fighters and they were tearing into the Karacknid’s missile salvo. In the space of twelve seconds, they destroyed more than four hundred of them.
“Let McGrath know we appreciate the help,” James called to his niece when the fighters pulled away so as not to get shot by their own forces. Not wanting to distract his officers, James lapsed into silence as First Fleet tried to shoot down as many missiles as possible. Despite their losses, they actually shot down more Karacknid missiles, experience and a quick analysis of the first salvo allowed the point defense gunners to increase their efficiency. Nevertheless, James had to order his ships to carry out drastic evasive maneuvers. This time, no missiles targeted Golden Hind directly, and James had to watch as explosions erupted among his ships. Too many came at once for him to keep track of everything, but he did see the medium cruiser Sophie take two direct hits. The force of both detonations ripped the cruiser in two and reduced the once proud warship to a ball of debris.
James ground his teeth together. Though he had lost many ships under his command, it never got easier. He had served with Sophie’s commander as a Junior Lieutenant, though they hadn’t been friends, he had respected her. Forcing the memories of their time together out of his mind, James turned to Ivanov. “How bad is it?” he asked.
“Six ships are requesting permission to drop out of formation, we’ve lost another three frigates and two medium cruisers,” she answered.
James nodded and closed his eyes, he had to stop himself from counting up the number of crew members who had just died. That was a calculation for after the fighting. Opening his eyes, he assessed the tactical situation once again. The Varanni’s third missile salvo was about to strike Epsilon Fleet. It was time for Jorum to act.
Chapter 35
My role at the Military Academy means I have to cover the entire history of the Empire. As most of my students come to understand pretty quickly, I have a soft spot for the First Galactic Expansion Era. There are so many lessons we can learn from those days that can prepare us for whatever the Empire future holds for it.
-Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD.
“Guardian is signaling,” Emilie reported. “Varanni ships are to close with Epsilon Fleet. The Outer Defense Fleet is to aid Second Fleet.”
“Acknowledge,” James responded. He checked the holo projection of the Mindus home system. Third Fleet was engaging Delta fleet, it looked like they were holding their own. The six hundred warships of Second Fleet were in more trouble. They were facing Gamma Fleet, which had just under thirteen hundred warships. From what James could tell, both fleets had exchanged two missile salvos and Second Fleet was suffering. “Take us onto heading seven four three point six,” he ordered. “Fleet will go to maximum acceleration.”
“Aye Vice Admiral,” Scott responded.
“There go the Varanni,” Miyamoto called.
James turned to watch as the four hundred and fifty Varanni warships of First Fleet turned towards Epsilon and went to maximum acceleration. “Signal Guardian, tell them, ‘happy hunting,’” James ordered.
“They wish the same to us,” Emilie replied.
James allowed himself to watch Epsilon Fleet for a few moments to see how they would respond. Unsurprisingly, they turned away from Guardian and her consorts and tried to stop the Varanni warships from closing the range. They had seen what the Varanni laser cannons could do. However, Epsilon Fleet was severely hampered by the damage the multistage missiles and McGrath’s fighters and bombers had done. None of their capital ships could put out even eighty percent of their maximum thrust. They would be able to fire a couple more salvos at Jorum’s ships, but then they would be in trouble.
Jorum will finish off Epsilon Fleet, James thought as he turned his attention back to the wider battle. Now we have to make sure Gamma Fleet doesn’t return the compliment to Second fleet.
*
Karacknid Dreadnought Savage
Over Admiral Hurlong grunted as he watched the new alien fleet engage his ships. Whoever they were, they had easily fended off the two probing fleets he had sent against them. Their weapons technologies were clearly a match for those of his own species. Now, as the three larger fleets he had sent to block the alien fleet’s advance engaged the newcomers, he had to admit that whoever they were, they had fleet commanders to match their technologies. No doubt there was a full species file on them back at his homeworld, Gayla, this whole sector of space had been explored and mapped centuries before. Whoever they were, they would regret their decision to intervene in his war with the Mindus. Right now though, they were proving to be more than a minor irritant. Their three fleets were engaging his own three fleets on at least equal terms. If they were able to push through the jamming screen and coordinate with the Mindus fleet, they could force him to retire from the system.
That is not happening under my command, he thought as he turned back to the main display on his flagship’s bridge. Whilst he had sent part of his forces to block the newcomer’s advance, the main part of his fleet was now concentrated around the Mindus homeworld. His invasion of Mindus space had been carefully planned. Since the Imperator had given him responsibility for the invasion five years ago, he had planned every stage of the conquest meticulously. The capture of Jaranna was to be the final piece of a masterful strategy. Even now he had several fleets sweeping through Mindus space, conquering their key systems which they had left undefended in a bid to protect their homeworld. His plan had been to keep the Mindus fleet locked up in their home system until the rest of their colonies had been brought under Karacknid control. Then he would have offered the Mindus terms. With no hope of any relief or aid, they would have had to accept. His return to Gayla would have been glorious. He could have presented the Mindus territory to his Imperator without having lost more than a squadron of ships, never mind the fleets that intelligence had suggested it might take to conquer them. Hurlong would have made a name for himself as a tactical mastermind. He had been sure it would lead to many more fleet commands and conquests. Now that was all disappearing as the alien fleet came closer and closer to Jaranna. He had no doubt that as soon as they could coordinate with the Mindus, the Mindus fleet would break orbit and rendezvous with the newcomers, then together they could push his forces out of the system. He let out another growl of frustration and grazed his claws along his command chair.
“The fleet will switch targets,” he commanded reluctantly. “We will fire two salvos at Jaranna itself and then a third at their orbital defenses. Target all their major population cent
ers with our first two salvos. Reduce the first and second salvo’s velocity so that all three salvos reach their point defenses at the same time.” If he couldn’t stop this new force from reaching Jaranna, he was going to make it so they had no reason to try. He had no doubt Imperator Taranaki would be displeased at the loss of such a valuable world, yet with new enemies to conquer, Hurlong hoped his Imperator would give him the opportunity to make good on his promise of new wealth and technologies for the Karacknid Empire. And with a new war to fight, the fleet will have more cause to request additional finance from the Empire’s coffers, that will make my superiors happy as well.