-
On one of the viewscreens, Colonel Winfrey saw Sergeant Dawson and his eight Marines escorting the twenty crew personnel who would operate the systems on the assault ship move out and head toward the now decimated enemy line. It was at that moment that the railguns stopped firing.
“That’s it, sir,” the ensign at the tactical station said regretfully. “There’s not enough power left to operate them anymore.”
Dylan nodded. “You did a good job, son.” He looked around at the six people still in the Command Center. “Let’s go; we’re getting out of here. “Captain Foster, fall back to the Defender and help with getting the injured out of the ship. We’re leaving.”
-
Minor Overlord Matol stared in disbelief at a viewscreen. It showed a major portion of the spaceport had been devastated. It was covered in smoke and fire. “What just happened?” he demanded.
“The Humans activated several railgun turrets on their ship,” the Zaltule at the tactical station reported.
“Many of our warriors died,” added the Zaltule at Communications.
“Overlord,” the Zaltule at the sensor console said, turning toward Matol. “I’m picking up inbound ships in Fold Space.”
“The Humans!” Matol said harshly. “They come to rescue their brethren.” Matol gazed at the smoke covered spaceport on the screen. He knew that hundreds of conscripts had been killed as well as numerous Zaltule. He had suddenly lost interest in capturing the Humans. He looked back at the Zaltule in front of Tactical. “Target the Human ship at the spaceport with a pulse fusion beam. I want it destroyed.”
The Zaltule hesitated. “A pulse fusion beam is not designed to be used in a planet’s atmosphere. It will destroy a major portion of the spaceport and kill many of our warriors.”
Matol rose up to his full height and gazed angrily at the Zaltule at Tactical. “Do as I have ordered!”
-
On the spaceport, Colonel Winfrey watched as Marines in battlesuits carried the wounded out of the ship. He was saddened to learn that Commander Greer had died only a few minutes earlier. Captain Taylor had reported the assault ship had been captured with no losses. Looking around, Dylan knew they needed to hurry. There was no way to tell what the Zaltule would do after the losses they had just suffered from the railguns.
-
The sky suddenly lit up as a beam of light flashed down from the Zaltule battlecruiser, striking the Defender. Marines stared in shock knowing what it signified. Colonel Winfrey’s shoulders drooped realizing he had failed to save his Marines and the injured. In a massive explosion the ship blew up, killing everyone within a six-hundred-meter radius. Conscripts, Zaltule, and Humans alike died in the powerful blast.
-
Sergeant Dawson had nearly reached the assault ship when a massive explosion shook the spaceport. Looking back, he saw a rising pillar of fire and smoke where the Defender had been. “Nicole,” he mumbled, knowing no one could have survived that blast. He stopped staring in shock at the carnage. He couldn’t believe that Captain Foster was gone.
“Sergeant Dawson,” Captain Taylor’s voice came over the command channel. “Get your people inside the ship, we need to leave.”
“But the colonel and the others!” objected Dawson. Surely some would have survived.
“They’re gone,” Taylor said in a shaken voice. “We will be too if we don’t get off this godforsaken planet.”
Dawson shook himself and then turned back toward the assault ship. “Let’s go, people,” he said feeling numb. “We’re leaving.”
-
The Constellation, Callisto, and the battlecruisers Cygnus and Carina dropped out of Fold Space within two hundred thousand kilometers of Lymeth Three.
“See if you can contact anyone on the planet,” ordered Admiral Adamson.
All the ships he had brought were at Condition One and ready for combat. He had left the battlecruiser Falcon with the rest of the fleet to act as a command ship if this rescue attempt failed and his ships were lost.
“I have a weak signal from Captain Stern,” Lieutenant Travers said. Then her face turned pale. “She reports the Defender and most of the surviving crew and Marines have been killed by what she believes was a Zaltule pulse fusion beam. They’ve captured an assault ship and are attempting to escape in it.”
“How many are left?” asked Adamson, feeling ill at the deaths.
“She reports less than sixty.”
Admiral Adamson face took on a look of grave determination. “Tell Captain Stern to take off, we’ll give them covering fire until they can enter Fold Space. Do they know the present fleet coordinates?”
After a moment, Lieutenant Travers nodded her head. “Yes, they have one of the Defender’s assistant navigation officers on board. He knows where to go.”
Adamson took a deep breath looking across the Command Center. “All right people, let’s do this. Helm, take us in. Tactical, prepare to fire all weapons.”
-
Minor Overlord Matol gazed at the four Human warships that had just appeared on the viewscreens. If he could destroy these four ships, then his victory over the Humans would be complete.
“Move out and engage the Humans,” he ordered. “I want them hit with every antimatter missile we have.”
“Overlord, an assault ship has left the spaceport,” the Zaltule at the ship’s sensors reported.
“I imagine all of them will be leaving soon,” Matol answered, not concerned about the ship. He was focused on destroying the four Human warships coming toward him. “Order all ships to close the range.”
-
In space, the two forces rapidly closed. Energy weapons began lighting up the void and then powerful antimatter missiles started slamming into the shields of both sides.
From the planet, a single assault ship rose through the atmosphere and began accelerating away from the battle.
A Zaltule battlecruiser was struck by two multi-warhead antimatter missiles, tearing a large hole in its overloaded energy screen. A particle beam and two pulse fusion beams struck the armored hull, carving a deep, glowing crater into the side of the ship.
Then the plasma cannon on the heavy battlecruiser Callisto fired and struck the already damaged Zaltule cruiser. The plasma beam tore a hole completely through the ship, setting off numerous secondary explosions. Almost instantly the energy screen went down, leaving the ship vulnerable. Another multi-warhead antimatter missile vaporized the vessel and in its place, six blazing suns appeared.
Even as this was happening, the assault ship activated its Fold Space Drive and accelerated away from the battle at a speed many times that of light.
-
“They’re gone,” Commander Shepherd said with relief in her voice.
Admiral Adamson nodded his head. “Then we’re leaving too. Helm, get us out of here. That’s way too many battlecruisers to be tangling with.” Even as he spoke, he felt the Constellation take a hard blow. A number of red lights appeared on the damage control console.
“An energy beam penetrated the shield. We have half a dozen compartments open to space,” reported Commander Shepherd. “I’m dispatching damage control teams.”
The ship suddenly began shaking violently. Consoles exploded in showers of sparks and Adamson could hear someone screaming.
“We’ve taken a hit to Engineering,” called out Commander Shepherd in a panicked voice. “Fold Space Drive is down and the sublight drive is damaged.”
“They’re hitting us with multiple antimatter missiles,” reported Lieutenant Kali Summers from Tactical. “Energy shield is down to 19 percent.”
“Can we repair the Fold Space Drive?”
Commander Sandra Shepherd straightened her shoulders and looked over at the admiral. “No, sir. It’s too heavily damaged.”
“Cygnus and Carina have made the transition to Fold Space,” Lieutenant Percy Nash replied in a quivering voice.
“I have Commander Symington on the comm,” repo
rted Lieutenant Travers.
Adamson drew a deep breath. He knew the Constellation was finished. “Bree,” he said over the command channel to the Callisto. “Get out of here and get our people home; that’s an order. You’re in charge of the fleet now.”
“I’m sorry, sir,” Bree said. “Is there anything we can do?”
“No, we’ve lost our Fold Space Drive and the shield is about to fail. Get back to the fleet.”
“It’s been an honor, sir,” Bree’s voice came over the command channel and then it went silent.
“Callisto has made the transition into Fold Space.”
Before Admiral Adamson could say another word, a brilliant light lit up the Command Center, sending them all to oblivion.
-
Minor Overlord Matol nodded in satisfaction as the large Human warship was annihilated. In its place, a fiery ball of expanding gas was all that remained of the enemy vessel. He had been surprised at how quickly the other Human ships had fled. He was also curious as to why that single assault vessel had left the planet with out orders and transited into Fold Space.
“Inbound fleet detected,” reported the Zaltule at the sensors. “It’s one of ours.”
Matol was pleased. He had handed the Humans a resounding defeat. When the fleets gathered, he was sure War Overlord Tetus would send them out to find what was left of the Human fleet. Raising his triangular shaped head, he focused his multifaceted eyes on the tactical screen, which showed the first of what would be many Zaltule fleets coming to the Lymeth System. Stamping his six feet against the metal deck of the Command Pedestal, Matol was certain he would be promoted for his actions. Today had been a great day in his expected rise in power. The Humans had been defeated and were no longer a threat to the core worlds. Military Overlord Harmock was now free to carry out his attack against the Alliance and the Humans.
Chapter Thirteen
Captain Ryan Nelson was standing in the Command Center of the Marine assault ship Deliverance staring at the viewscreens in dismay. The heavy battlecruiser Callisto had just returned and confirmed that Admiral Adamson had been lost along with his flagship, the heavy battlecruiser Constellation. All the ships that had gone on the rescue mission were showing some signs of damage. The Callisto had several large burn marks on her hull and even a few spots where the hull had possibly been compromised.
“I can’t believe he’s gone,” Captain Durham said as he gazed at the viewscreen showing the recently returned Callisto. “Admiral Adamson has always found a way to survive. He’s been on dangerous missions before.”
Ryan felt a gut-wrenching torment. Not only had they lost Admiral Adamson, but Colonel Winfrey had perished as well. From the few reports he had seen so far from the survivors from Lymeth Three, most of the Marines and crew of the Defender had died in the blast when the troop ship had been destroyed. Even Captain Foster had met her end on the planet. Ryan knew his brother and Beth would take Captain Foster’s death very hard since she was one of the Marines who had been with them from day one. This situation was eerily similar to when Colonel Stratford and Major Stevens had died on the Kleese exploration ship.
“What are we going to do now?” asked Ryan, looking over at the captain. Ryan knew the situation had changed radically. The Zaltule would shortly be sending out ships to search for the rest of the Human fleet. There was no way they could dare go deeper into the empire, or they might never be able to return to the Alliance or the Solar System.
Durham let out a deep breath. “Well, the mission’s over, that’s for sure. As soon as we get the fleet organized I suspect we’ll start back toward Alliance space.”
Ryan wondered what all of this meant. They had obviously failed in their attempt to draw the Zaltule fleet away from the Alliance. Not only that they had suffered major losses both in ships and in personnel. Losses that would affect everyone for quite some time.
“I need to go speak with my Marines,” Ryan said after a moment. “They need to be told what’s happened.” It was a speech he wasn’t looking forward to.
Captain Durham nodded his understanding. “I’ll give you a few minutes and then I’ll make an announcement over the ship’s comm system so the crew will know what’s happened and how it will affect our mission.”
-
A few minutes later Ryan was gathered with his Marines in the largest training facility on the ship. He took a deep breath as he gazed at the concerned looks on most of their faces. They had all known about the planned rescue mission, and they must know by now something had gone horribly wrong.
Straightening his shoulders, Ryan began speaking. “A few minutes ago the heavy battlecruiser Callisto, along with the battlecruisers Cygnus and Carina, returned from Lymeth Three. All were damaged in the fighting above the planet but were able to safely disengage and return to the fleet.”
“Where’s the Constellation?” asked Alexander, cocking his eyebrow. “Shouldn’t they have returned with the Callisto?”
Ryan took a deep breath. “I am sad to report the Constellation was destroyed in the battle with the Zaltule. From the reports we’ve received, her Fold Space Drive was seriously damaged and Admiral Adamson couldn’t escape the Kleese. They gave their lives in the finest tradition of the fleet.”
The Marines grew silent as they stared at Ryan in disbelief. None had expected Admiral Adamson to die in the rescue attempt.
“What about Colonel Winfrey and the others; are they still trapped on the planet?” asked Lieutenant Guthrie, forcing herself to ask the question.
“No,” answered Ryan, shaking his head. “The Zaltule hit the Defender with a pulse fusion beam, destroying the ship and nearly everyone on board and around her. Captain Taylor and Captain Stern managed to seize a Kleese assault ship and escape with a small complement of Marines and crew. They’re currently undergoing debriefing on the Callisto.”
The training facility grew silent once more as everyone tried to grasp what Ryan had just said. How could they have lost both of the fleet’s commanders?
“They’re all dead?” asked Lauren, her face turning pale. She had known many of the Marines on the Defender, some for years.
“Yes, they died fighting and from I’ve been told they took a hell of a lot of Kleese conscripts and Zaltule with them.”
“What about Captain Foster?” asked Casey with concern in her voice. Surely Nicole had escaped.
Ryan slowly shook his head. “She was killed along with many other Marines we all knew.”
“What’s going to happen to us now?” asked Casey, her eyes wide in shock. She had met Captain Foster a number of times and knew what she meant to Wade and Beth. She was anxious to find out which Marines had made it out on the Kleese assault ship. Like Lauren, she had known a lot of the Marines on the Defender. About one-third of the Marines had been clones. “Are we going to continue our mission?”
“Commander Symington on the Callisto will decide that,” Ryan answered. “Captain Durham and I both believe that we will shortly be starting back toward the Alliance.”
“Then our mission has failed?” said Lauren, shaking her head in concern.
“We may have seriously underestimated the number of ships the Zaltule have available to them. We have no idea how they managed to discover what our target systems were going to be.”
“Will we hit any targets on the way home?” asked Sergeant McElroy.
“I don’t know,” Ryan replied. “We have a long list of secondary targets, but it may not be worth the effort. We may be better off returning to the Alliance and then back home.”
“What does this mean for the Zaltule fleets outside Alliance space?” asked Sergeant Reinhardt.
“We don’t know. The purpose of this mission was to create enough unrest in Kleese space to force the Zaltule to fall back into their empire and search for us. That part of the mission has obviously failed. Captain Durham will be making an announcement shortly, and perhaps then we’ll know what Commander Symington has planned for the fleet. For t
he time being all combat training is canceled. We need to think about our fellow Marines and the fleet personnel who fell in combat, for today they gave the greatest sacrifice to the Alliance and the Solar System they could; their lives.”
-
Later, Ryan was in his quarters with Casey, Autumn, Lauren, and Alexander. It was a very quiet and solemn group of Marines.
“Well, this was a big screw-up,” mumbled Alexander after a few moments as he plopped down on the small couch against the wall.
“I wonder why the Zaltule used a pulse fusion beam on the Defender? They must have killed a lot of their own warriors in the blast,” said Autumn. She was leaning against the wall with her arms folded across her chest.
Casey let out a deep sigh. “It’s war, things like this happen.” She looked over at Ryan wanting to hear what he had to say.
“It could have been any of us,” Ryan said as he looked at Casey and the others. “All of us are aware of the risks we take every time we go into combat.”
“Yeah,” Lauren said with a weak grin. “I can’t believe Alexander is still alive with all the risks he takes.”
“They’re too busy shooting at you to pay me any mind,” retorted Alexander.
Casey walked over and took Ryan’s hand. She wasn’t worried about showing some affection toward him with this group. “At least we’re all still alive and together, that’s what counts.”
“It just goes to show how fleeting life can be,” Autumn said with a deep sigh. “We’re Marines, and at any time we could face the same situation Colonel Winfrey did. Hell, we’ve been damn lucky so far.”
“This war with the Zaltule is coming to a head,” Lauren commented, coming over and sitting down next to Alexander, making sure she wasn’t touching him. No point in giving him any ideas; he had enough of those already without her giving him any additional encouragement.
Galactic Empire Wars: Insurrection (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 5) Page 19