“Four hundred ships lost,” said President Steward, his eyes growing wide. “Was it smart for Admiral Rivers to attempt to take on this Zaltule fleet? It seems to me he made a serious tactical error.”
“It was necessary,” said Hyram Blake, raising an eyebrow. “By fighting at Callenda, he showed the Alliance we Humans were willing to fight for each and every Alliance world. He solidified the Alliance and reinforced their will to fight. While it’s regrettable he lost so many ships, it was a necessary sacrifice to keep the Alliance united.”
“I see,” President Steward replied noncommittally. He then turned back to General Mitchell. “So, what is your plan of battle? I assume you have one.”
“We do,” General Mitchell replied. “We only have a slim chance against a fleet this large and we’re going to take some very substantial losses no matter what we do.”
“How substantial?” asked President Steward, fearing he wasn’t going to like the answer.
“We may lose most of the Solar System, very likely Mars, and possibly Vesta. There’s a reasonable chance we could also lose the colonies on the Moon.”
President Steward’s face turned pale and then he looked over at General Wainright. General Wainright was in command of the Jornada space complex on Earth along with Lawrence Henderson. “Is that why General Wainright is here?”
General Mitchell slowly nodded. “Yes, in the worst case scenario there’s a possibility the only survivors in the Solar System will be in the underground facilities at Jornada.”
“How many people can we put in those facilities long term?” Steward asked.
“Forty thousand,” General Wainright answered. “Anymore than that and long term survival becomes questionable, particularly if we have to stay hidden on Earth for years.”
“We’ll be sending down additional assault ships,” Admiral Kelly added. “We can hide ten of them in the blastcrete ship hangars at Jornada.”
“How soon can we start sending people down?”
“Tomorrow,” answered General Mitchell, looking at the president. “We can have everyone down plus the necessary equipment and supplies in less than five days.”
President Steward nodded his acceptance. “Do it.” Then he looked over at Fleet Admiral Achlyn and their other allies. “What about your people?”
“We will stay hidden in our asteroids,” Achlyn answered. “We’re hoping the Zaltule will not discover them. We’re already in the process of camouflaging our offensive and defensive weapon sites so they won’t be detectable to Zaltule scans.”
“How do we win?” asked President Steward, looking intently at General Mitchell.
General Mitchell sighed. “You won’t like this.” He then proceeded to explain to President Mitchell the new weapon Marken and his team had come up with. Both Marken and Gerald Lawson had to spend time explaining to the president how the weapon would work.
When they were done, President Steward’s face was nearly ashen. “What you’re talking about could be as dangerous as the Zaltule fleet!”
“It may be our only hope,” General Mitchell answered with a grim look of determination. “We’ll only use it as a last resort.”
President Steward didn’t reply. He knew after listening to General Mitchell’s battle plan that he might be the last person in the Solar System to hold the office of president. Because if General Mitchell used the weapon Marken and Gerald Lawson had described, there might not be a Solar System left and every living being in the system would be dead.
Chapter Twenty
Military Overlord Harmock was pleased with his fleet’s progress. In two more days, they would be arriving in the Humans’ home star system. He felt no guilt at what he intended to do. He was going to eradicate the Humans and make their race extinct so they could never become a threat to the Kleese again. Once the Humans were eliminated, his fleet would proceed to Lanolth and give the Alliance an ultimatum. Surrender unconditionally to the Zaltule and swear allegiance to the warrior clan or face annihilation.
Kleese collars of obedience would be placed around the necks of all of the Alliance leaders. If Lanolth refused to surrender the Alliance, he would order the fleet to destroy every ship and facility in the system. Once that was done, antimatter missiles would be dropped upon the surface of Lanolth until all life upon the planet was obliterated. The fleet would then proceed to the next planet in the Alliance and demand the same thing. If they had to destroy every planet that had joined the Alliance, the Zaltule would do so.
However, Harmock strongly suspected that once the Alliance learned of the defeat of the Humans, they would quickly agree to the Zaltule terms. A few quick public executions of some of their leaders would also be beneficial in bringing them into seeing the wisdom of submitting to the Zaltule. Harmock had done some research on the worlds that made up the Alliance and many of them would fit in well with the Kleese Empire he envisioned. Particularly once many of the worlds inhabited by useless vermin had been cleansed.
“The small Human ship that has been shadowing us has most likely already informed the Human home system of our imminent arrival,” commented Minor Overlord Gareth.
“That will be for the best,” said Harmock, shifting his eyes toward his second in command. He hadn’t been able to destroy the annoying vessel at Callenda as it had stayed out of weapons range. “It will ensure all the Human ships are gathered in one location to oppose us. I know of no force in the galaxy that can stop ten thousand Zaltule battlecruisers. While the battle may be fierce, we will win by sheer firepower and greater numbers.”
“With the fall of the Humans and the Alliance, our last major obstacle to expanding the empire into the rest of the galaxy will have been removed.”
Harmock nodded. “When we are through, we’ll leave a token force to keep a watch on the former Alliance worlds and the rest of the fleet shall return to the core worlds. We will use our shipyards to repair our heavily damaged ships and build new ones to bring our fleet back up to full strength. Then we’ll move the new trading station outside of the empire and begin our expansion into the rest of the galaxy.”
“What if the other clans reject our vision of expanding the empire?”
“Those that object will be eliminated,” Harmock said coldly with his eyes turning red. “We have the ships to enforce our will upon the empire and all of the other clans. Between our fleet and the reserve fleet under command of War Overlord Tetus, the other clans will not dare challenge us.”
“The Zaltule are the supreme race in the galaxy,” Gareth said. “All others shall be subservient to us.”
Harmock turned his gaze back to the tactical screen and the small red threat icon that had been shadowing the fleet for so many days. Shortly they would drop out of Fold Space and when they did, he would give the orders to locate and destroy that small pest of a ship.
-
Captain Hailey Rogers was growing more anxious with every passing hour. Ever since they had discovered the Zaltule’s destination, the crew had been going about their assignments with a look of resignation. They all knew the Solar System couldn’t stop the Zaltule juggernaut now aimed at its heart.
“Any word from Centerpoint?” asked Lieutenant Stein as he came into the Command Center and took his place at the sensor console.
“No,” Hailey answered. “I haven’t been expecting a response to our communication updates. They know what’s coming and we can only hope, by some miracle, they can deal with it.”
Hailey leaned back in her command chair and took a deep breath. She had been getting very little sleep knowing that the future for the Human race was looking very bleak. She had finally asked the ship’s doctor to give her something to help. She would take the medication tonight, as she wanted to be on top of her game when they arrived in the Solar System. Hailey knew when the Sparrow arrived home, death would arrive with them.
-
Colonel Wade Nelson, Major Jeffries, Captain Ryan Nelson, and Captain Jamie Stern were standing in the m
assive spacedock inside Vesta. Ships were being moved outside and weapon emplacements were being installed in a number of strategic locations to cover the massive airlock doors. In addition, four assault ships had been brought in and placed in the berths closest to the airlocks leading to the habitats inside of Vesta. If it became absolutely necessary, the assault ships could use their energy turrets to aid in the defense of the spacedock.
“You think they’re going to get in, don’t you?” said Major Jeffries, looking over at Wade. He had known the colonel long enough to have a sense for what Wade was thinking.
Wade slowly nodded his head. He was still feeling shaken at realizing Captain Nicole Foster and so many other good Marines he had known had died at Lymeth Three. “We’ll need to be ready to blow the tunnel if they do. In previous battles, the Zaltule have withdrawn when it became evident they couldn’t win. In this case, I don’t believe they’ll withdraw until we’ve either destroyed most of their fleet or until they’ve achieved their objective.”
“That being our elimination,” said Captain Stern grimly. She had only recently been cleared for combat after her harrowing experience at Lymeth Three. It was difficult to be standing her with Colonel Nelson and discuss the coming attack without Nicole nearby with her usual satchel of explosives.
Wade looked over to where a number of hover tanks were being unloaded from a cargo ship. They had been brought in from Freedom Station where there was a production line for the small and deadly armored vehicles.
“What’s being done with all the ships we’re sending out?” Ryan asked as he saw several small prospector vessels making their way toward the massive airlock doors.
Major Jeffries turned his attention to the two small ships just as the doors began to open. “All the nonmilitary ships in the system will be hiding out in the asteroids and the Kuiper Belt in the hope the Zaltule will overlook some of them if the battle goes their way. They have instructions that when the warning is sent from Centerpoint that the Zaltule are about to drop out of Fold Space to power all of their systems down until the battle is over and the all clear is given. If they receive no message, they’re to remain silent and only power back up when their life support begins to run low.”
“Then what?” asked Captain Stern. “If the all clear isn’t given then that will indicate the Zaltule have won.”
“Fleet Admiral Kelly has sent two battlecruisers, four light cruisers, and twelve assault ships to a nearby system with orders to remain there until this is over. The hospital ship Micene as well as a number of fully loaded cargo ships, several passenger liners, as well as the troop ship Argyle will be with them as well. Once it’s been determined the Zaltule have left the system, the fleet will return and begin searching for survivors.”
“If they find no one?” asked Ryan, feeling deeply concerned that General Mitchell and Fleet Admiral Kelly had felt sending this small fleet to a nearby system was necessary. It indicated to him, they had little confidence of a Human victory.
Major Jeffries drew in a deep breath. “Once their search is over, they will leave the system and set out for a part of the galaxy far away from the Kleese Empire. Perhaps someday in the distant future Humans will return and finish what we began.”
Wade looked over to where some dockworkers were putting up blastcrete walls to act as protection for the Marines who would be defending Vesta. They were making a big mess of the spacedock, but if the Zaltule got inside what the dockhands were doing would be minor compared to the damage the Zaltule would cause. He looked back toward the airlock doors leading toward the inhabited parts of the asteroid. There were a lot of civilians who were depending on them for protection. Wade shuddered to think what would happen if the Zaltule got loose in any of the habitats.
-
Time passed and Fleet Admiral Kelly gazed with growing apprehension at the tactical screen on the wall of his flagship, the heavy battlecruiser Armageddon.
“They’re almost here,” commented Commander Kevin Makita as he studied the tactical screen, which was showing the approaching Zaltule armada. “God, that’s a lot of ships.”
Fleet Admiral Kelly had to agree. “Lieutenant Fullerton, have we determined their most probable drop out point?”
The lieutenant ran some quick calculations on her computer and then turned toward the admiral. “Mars,” she said, her eyes widening. “They’re headed for Mars.”
“Communications, send a message to Commander Symington on the Callisto and to General Sanchez that they can expect the Zaltule warfleet to drop out of Fold Space in their vicinity.”
“Are we going to support them?” asked Commander Makita. His eyes shifted from the tactical screen to the admiral.
Kelly let out a deep sigh. “We can’t. We have to focus on the defense of the two stations and the Moon. If we have any hope of victory, we must lure the Zaltule here to destroy them where our heaviest firepower is.”
“Commander Symington won’t stand a chance,” Makita said in a somber voice. “Mars will be hit heavily and a lot of people will die.”
“I know,” Kelly answered, his eyes showing a haunted look. “But they’ll hurt the Zaltule and for every ship they can take out, it will mean one less we’ll have to face later. We do have a little surprise planned for them once they arrive at Mars.”
“The cargo ships?”
“Yes,” replied Kelly, nodding his head. “The cargo ships.”
Commander Makita looked back at the tactical display, noting it was showing twelve minutes before the Zaltule warfleet dropped out of Fold Space. “At least with the Sparrow and the Fold Space sensors we had time to evacuate all the cities on Mars. Everyone’s in the deep shelters.”
Kelly nodded. All across the Solar System, the civilian population had gone to their shelters. For the last two days, a steady stream of people had made their way to their assigned bunkers. With a feeling of guilt, he knew there was a good chance, particularly on Mars, that the shelters wouldn’t be able to protect the people inside of them.
-
Commander Bree Symington watched the ship’s tactical screen as Seventh Fleet pulled back until it was directly over the surface of Mars. The red planet loomed large on one of the ship’s viewscreens. They were between the planet and the expected drop out point of the Zaltule Fleet. Bree’s fleet was twelve hundred kilometers above the planet and in range of where the numerous ion cannons on the surface could support her fleet. There were also eight hundred defense satellites armed with powerful energy turrets that could add their firepower to her ships.
Since their return from their failed mission, all of her warships had been repaired and sent to Mars. Due to her combat experience on the mission, she was given overall command of what was left of the fleet. With her return with what remained of Admiral Adamson’s force, the fleet around Mars had been greatly augmented. She now had two heavy battlecruisers, four regular battlecruisers, fifteen light cruisers, and sixty assault ships to oppose the Zaltule with. Bree knew it wasn’t enough, not by a long shot. Bree wished Admiral Adamson were here to command the coming battle; she wasn’t sure she was ready for this.
-
Minutes passed and suddenly three-kilometer-in-length Zaltule battlecruisers started appearing near Mars. They dropped out of Fold Space by the hundreds, and then by the thousands. In less than five minutes, nearly ten thousand heavily armed and dangerous Zaltule battlecruisers had appeared less than forty thousand kilometers from Mars. As soon as the last ships dropped out of Fold Space, the fleet formed up into a giant globe formation and began moving toward the planet.
Twelve million kilometers from Mars, eight hundred heavily laden cargo ships powered up upon receiving a signal from General Sanchez, who had noted the arrival of the Zaltule. They quickly dumped energy into their Fold Space Drives and made the transition into Fold Space. Their target was the Zaltule fleet now approaching the red planet. There was not a single living being inside any of the ships.
-
“Contact
s!” called out Jalridd, the Zaltule standing in front of the sensor console of the Warrior’s Fire. “The sensors are showing eight hundred contacts have entered Fold Space and are heading toward our coordinates.”
“Eight hundred more warships?” said Minor Overlord Gareth in surprise. He shifted his multifaceted eyes toward the tactical screen, which was now displaying the new contacts as red threat icons.
“Can you identify the type of warships in that formation?” asked Military Overlord Harmock as he scrutinized the tactical screen. He didn’t trust the Humans to fight as other worlds had in the past. They were too clever at the art of war.
“No,” answered Jalridd with confusion in his voice. “They are of multiple types and sizes.”
Gareth looked over at Harmock. “A trap, or more Alliance ships?”
“Most likely a trap,” Harmock answered. “Salten, I want those ships targeted with multiple antimatter missiles as soon as they drop out of Fold Space.”
-
Several more minutes passed and then suddenly the first ships began appearing. As soon as they did, they powered up their sublight drives, activated their energy shields, and charged toward the tightly bunched Zaltule fleet.
“Cargo ships,” spoke Gareth as several of the mysterious vessels were put up on the viewscreens. “I don’t understand. There are cargo ships from several Alliance worlds coming toward us. What type of tactic is this? Where are the Human warships?”
Harmock rose up to his full height as he quickly recognized the threat to his fleet. “All ships, concentrate your fire on those vessels. They intend to ram!”
“Ram?” said Gareth in surprise.
“Yes, ram,” replied Harmock as the ships in his fleet began firing their missiles and energy weapons toward the charging cargo ships. “Every one of those cargo ships is probably heavily loaded and are now serving as massive projectiles aimed at our ships. Not even our energy shields can stand up to an impact from such an object of mass as those ships represent.”
Galactic Empire Wars: Insurrection (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 5) Page 31