On the viewscreens, the first antimatter missiles arrived, only to explode harmlessly against energy shields.
“Those cargo ships have shields!” swore Gareth in shock. “What type of race puts energy shields on cargo ships?”
“The Humans,” replied Harmock, his eyes focusing intently on the tactical screen. “The Humans have once more shown their cleverness and why they’re a threat to us. Intensify our rate of fire!”
More weapons began firing as Harmock informed all of his ship commanders of the approaching threat. He wondered what other surprises the Humans had waiting for his fleet. He strongly suspected this wouldn’t be the only one.
-
In space, several cargo ships exploded as their energy screens were quickly overloaded. There hadn’t been enough time to emplace new fusion reactors to allow for a fully powered military grade energy screen. Most of the energy shields could stand up to several antimatter hits before they failed, but the Zaltule were firing thousands of missiles in an attempt to destroy the cargo ships before they reached the fleet.
More cargo ships died as the weapons fire turned against them ramped up in intensity. A Lanolthian three-hundred-meter cargo vessel exploded in a bright fireball as its screen was penetrated. Nearby a Nalton, five-hundred-meter heavy cargo ship blew up as pulse fusion beams ripped it apart. Across the entire line of charging cargo ships, explosions filled space as ships were annihilated in rapid succession by the Zaltule battlecruisers. Even so, eight hundred ships were hard to destroy. Forty-seven made it to the Zaltule formation and thirty-one struck Zaltule energy screens, destroying both the cargo ship and the Zaltule battlecruiser. Across the Zaltule battle globe, titanic explosions marked the location of dying ships.
-
Harmock shook his head in admiration. This had been a clever tactic by the Humans; if it had succeeded, his fleet could have been heavily damaged. As it was, he had destroyed eight hundred cargo ships at the loss of thirty-seven Zaltule battlecruisers. He strongly doubted if the Humans had any more cargo ships left to attempt this strategy again.
“Proceed to the fleet guarding the planet,” Harmock ordered. “We will eliminate it and then bombard the planet’s surface with antimatter missiles. Once we have cleansed this planet of Human life, we’ll move on to the next phase of our attack.”
-
In Centerpoint, General Mitchell looked over at Marken, who was standing next to him observing the progress of the battle. “I had hoped the cargo ships would be more successful.”
“The Zaltule are clever warriors,” Marken answered as he turned toward General Mitchell. “They must have realized immediately the threat the cargo vessels represented.”
“Zaltule fleet is proceeding toward Mars,” Colonel Angus Roberson, the chief operations officer in the Command Center, reported.
General Mitchell turned his attention back to one of the tactical screens focused on the situation at the red planet. The next stage of the battle was about to begin. He felt great sadness knowing he was about to sacrifice a fleet.
-
Commander Symington watched steadfastly as the Zaltule began entering combat range. She had backed her fleet down to within five hundred kilometers of the surface of Mars to give the ion cannons more effective reach. On one of the viewscreens focused on the planet, she could see several of the large city domes.
“All ships are at Condition One,” reported the communications officer.
“Energy screens and weapons are powered up,” added Lieutenant Fields from Tactical. “Ready to fire on your order.”
“General Sanchez reports the ion cannons are online and powered up,” the communications officer said. “The defense grid will fire in conjunction with the ion cannons.”
“Stand by all ships,” Bree spoke over the ship-to-ship comm. She watched as the Zaltule neared engagement range, and then they were there. “Fire!” She let out a deep breath, knowing there would be no retreat and no surviving this battle. Her job was to destroy Zaltule ships, and she fully intended to carry that mission out.
-
Instantly from every ship in her command antimatter missiles, energy beams, pulse fusion beams, particle beams, and plasma beams were fired toward the advancing Zaltule ships. At the same moment, four hundred massive planetary ion cannons activated, sending their deadly beams toward the Zaltule ships. Two seconds later, the satellites in the defense grid directed their energy turrets at the Zaltule battlecruisers and fired.
Across the Zaltule formation, energy screens flared brightly as the weapons fire from the defending fleet struck. Then the ion beams and energy beams arrived. Dozens of Zaltule energy screens were battered down in an instant. Explosions blew out huge rifts in the hulls of numerous Zaltule battlecruisers. The Human fleet, detecting the failure of the energy shields, promptly fired antimatter missiles at the now defenseless Zaltule battlecruisers. In less than twenty seconds, sixty-eight Zaltule battlecruisers died as antimatter energy obliterated them from existence.
However, the Zaltule had a massive fleet and the losses to ten thousand vessels were negligible. The Zaltule battlecruisers took out their wrath on the defending Human fleet as well as upon the defense grid. Missile hatches slid open and a massive wave of missiles was launched at the defending fleet and satellites. The entire Human fleet seemed to vanish as they became encompassed in furnace fire from the exploding antimatter missiles. The area of space where the Human fleet was became as bright as a supernova. Satellites vanished from orbit as they were instantly obliterated by antimatter explosions.
The massive release of antimatter energy was far more than many of the Human fleet’s ships could handle. An antimatter missile penetrated the failing energy screen of an assault ship and slammed into the stern of the vessel, causing the ship to vanish in a fiery explosion. Zaltule pulse fusion beams penetrated the weakened shield of a light cruiser, ripping open compartment after compartment until the ship blew apart. More ships with failing screens in the Human fleet were targeted and swiftly annihilated by the massive firepower of the Zaltule fleet.
-
Commander Symington felt the Callisto rock as its energy screen was being pummeled by the Zaltule.
“Light cruisers Monarch, Renown, and Darden are down,” reported Ensign Davis in a strained and frightened voice. “Battlecruiser Stardust is down. We’ve also lost seventeen assault ships.”
“It’s the antimatter energy,” Lieutenant Fields said breathlessly as he fired the ship’s plasma cannon at a Zaltule battlecruiser. “It’s weakening our shields and allowing the Zaltule to penetrate them with their other weapons.”
Bree knew she was losing the battle, but every Zaltule ship she could destroy or severely damage was one less Fleet Admiral Kelly would have to face. “Flush our missile tubes as rapidly as possible,” she ordered, determined to cause as much damage to the enemy as possible.
“General Sanchez is preparing to fire the ion cannons again,” the communications officer reported.
Bree nodded. “All ships, the ion cannons are getting ready to fire; take out any Zaltule ships that have their screens taken down.” Bree knew this battle was rapidly nearing its end, and she had no intention of fleeing into Fold Space.
-
From the surface of Mars, four hundred ion beams leaped up to smash into the Zaltule formation. More screens were savaged and failed. Antimatter missiles followed, turning more Zaltule battlecruisers into miniature suns.
The Zaltule ignored the losses and continued to focus on the Human ships. Light cruisers and assault ships were rapidly being annihilated by the more powerful Zaltule battlecruisers. The heavy battlecruiser Dresden came under fire from over one hundred Zaltule battlecruisers. Her energy shield flared up into the ultraviolet and then a massive explosion tore the ship in two. Moments later over twenty antimatter missiles arrived, turning the two ship fragments into molten metal and glowing gas.
The ship battle continued as four more Zaltule battlecruisers were
destroyed by the heavy fire of the Callisto and the remaining heavy cruisers. However, those were the only ships of Seventh Fleet still surviving and the entire might of the Zaltule fleet was turned against them. First to die was the Falcon, followed a few seconds later by the battlecruiser Oasis. The last of the battlecruisers, the Cygnus, managed to ram a Zaltule battlecruiser, destroying both vessels in a massive fireball. Then only the Callisto was left. Her energy screen flared brighter and brighter as the Zaltule increased the attack on the lone surviving Human vessel. Then the shield wavered briefly, but that was enough. Over one hundred antimatter missiles penetrated her energy screen and the Callisto and Commander Bree Symington ceased to be.
The Zaltule then closed on the planet, ignoring the ion beams and energy beams that continued to ravage their fleet. Occasionally a Zaltule battlecruiser would explode as its energy shield was hit by multiple beams. The Zaltule fleet paused for a moment and then spread out above the planet. More antimatter missiles were used to destroy the rest of the satellites in the defense grid, leaving only the deadly beams from the planet itself to deal with. Twelve more battlecruisers were destroyed by ion beams and then the Zaltule struck. Two thousand antimatter missiles were fired at the surface of Mars.
The missiles targeted all the visible population centers and the ion cannon installations. Across the planet huge flashes of light exploded, blasting the surface as antimatter energy ran amuck. All the cities of Mars died as the buildings were obliterated and massive craters appeared where the proud domed cities once stood. Ash and dust were tossed up into the atmosphere, blotting out the dim light from the distant sun.
The Zaltule, satisfied this Human planet was no more, split their fleet. They had lost one hundred and twenty-nine ships in the battle. Now it was time for the next phase. Eight thousand Zaltule battlecruisers headed for Earth and the other nineteen hundred turned and headed toward Vesta.
-
General Mitchell closed his eyes and shook his head. Seventh Fleet was gone and Mars had been ravaged. He had no idea what the casualties in the deep bunkers were, but he knew they would be heavy. General Sanchez had gone silent so Mitchell didn’t know if he had survived the attack or not.
“The Zaltule have split their fleet,” Lieutenant Bryan Vail at the main sensor console reported. “It looks as if eight thousand warships are headed toward us and eighteen hundred and seventy are heading toward Vesta.”
Mitchell turned toward Captain Jennifer Owens at Communications. “Contact Fleet Commander Achlyn and tell him what’s coming his way. He has permission to fight the battle as he sees fit.” Fleet Commander Achlyn was responsible for the defense of Vesta.
Letting out a long breath, Mitchell looked over at Marken. The Kivean had been at his side during the entire battle at Mars and had remained silent. “We’ll try the mines next; if they don’t work it will be a fleet action.”
“What about the new weapon?” asked Marken, feeling it was their only real hope for victory.
“Not yet,” responded Mitchell, shaking his head. “It’s a weapon of last resort. When it’s the final thing we have left, I’ll consider using it.”
Marken nodded. He turned his eyes toward the many viewscreens and tactical screens in the large Command Center. This coming battle would decide the fate of the Kleese Empire and the Alliance. This was what he had worked for all of his life, to see the end of the Kleese. He had no doubt the new weapon could bring that about, but it might also destroy everything they had built in the Solar System. Marken was glad it would be General Mitchell who would decide whether to use it or not. It was a decision Marken couldn’t make, no matter how much he wanted to destroy the Kleese.
Chapter Twenty-One
General Will Bailey was in his Command Center buried deep inside Vesta. He felt the anxiety of his officers ramp up in intensity when it was revealed just how many Zaltule battlecruisers were inbound toward the dwarf planet. The enemy had already made the transition into Fold Space and would be shortly dropping out probably in close proximity to Vesta. General Bailey was well aware of what had happened at Mars. The sheer size of the Zaltule fleet was playing havoc with the battle plans that had been drawn up for the defense of the Solar System.
“All surface weapon sites have been activated and their energy shields are up,” reported Captain Will Davis from his tactical console. “Marines are setting up their defenses in the spacedock and the explosives in the entrance tunnel are ready to be activated.” If there was danger of the Zaltule entering the wide and long entrance to the spacedock, explosives would be set off to bring down the ceiling, effectively blocking the tunnel.
“Fleet Commander Achlyn will allow the Zaltule to engage the defenses here at Vesta and then he’ll move in with his fleet.” General Bailey paused as he looked around at the worried men and women inside the Command Center. “People, we have over six million civilians to protect. We’re fighting for the very survival of the Human race and we will not stop fighting until every one of our weapons has been destroyed and there are no members of the military left to fire a rifle.”
“Zaltule battlecruisers are dropping out of Fold Space,” reported Lieutenant Jarvis Trent. “Range is two hundred thousand kilometers.”
“This is it, people,” Bailey said in his commanding voice. “Today we either defeat the Kleese Empire or humanity ceases to be.”
Bailey knew that in all four habitats sirens would be sounding indicating the likelihood of immediate combat with the Zaltule. All the inhabitants of Vesta had long since gone to their protective shelters to await the outcome of the battle. Marines had been deployed in the spacedock as well as at their fallback position inside of Smithfield. If the Zaltule made it into Smithfield, then something very bad had happened.
-
In space, nineteen hundred Zaltule battlecruisers dropped out of Fold Space and began forming up in a giant open cone formation. Sensor scans had already indicated the asteroid was heavily defended and probably the home to many of the surviving Humans. The presence of so many Humans was one of the reasons the asteroid had been listed as a high priority target so early in the attack.
“We are detecting ten heavy weapons sites upon the asteroid as well as a possible means of entry,” the Zaltule in front of the sensor console reported on the fleet’s flagship, the Conquerors Pride. “There is what appears to be a large airlock protected by multiple weapon turrets in one quadrant.”
Minor Overlord Barral gazed at the viewscreens, which showed the large asteroid. “Move us forward and engage those fixed defenses,” he ordered. “I also want ships assigned to probe the area of that hatch to see if we can gain entry. We must find a way inside so we can destroy this nest of the Humans.”
-
The Zaltule fleet began accelerating and soon entered engagement range of the asteroid when its defenses suddenly opened up. Ion cannons and particle beam cannons reached out and tore open the energy shields on countless Zaltule battlecruisers. Fiery explosions spread across the Zaltule cone of battle as vessels were blown apart. The attack was fierce and intense, bringing the Zaltule advance to a sudden halt.
-
“Those weapons are much more powerful than shipboard ones,” the sensor operator reported to Minor Overlord Barral. “They’re cutting through our energy shields.”
Barral studied the inbound weapons fire for a few moments as several ion beams tore open huge holes in the energy screen of a forward battlecruiser. At the same time, particle beam fire ripped into the ship, inflicting major damage until the vessel was reduced to a scattering of glowing debris.
“Return fire,” Barral ordered. In all his life as a Zaltule warrior, he had never encountered such powerful fixed defenses. “Target just two of those weapon sites with the weapons of our entire fleet. Once we have destroyed the first two weapon sites, we’ll turn our fire toward the next two. We have the ships and the firepower to destroy those weapons.” Barral watched expectantly as his fleet began to return fire. He knew he wou
ld lose a number of vessels to the powerful weapons, but in the end, he would destroy every weapon on the surface of the asteroid and then the Humans within.
The Zaltule returned fire and a barrage of antimatter missiles struck two of the Vesta weapons sites. However, these sites were powered by multiple fusion reactors, more than were on a heavy battlecruiser. The shields had been designed to take this type of punishment, at least for a while.
Space above and around the two weapons sites was lit up by the bright explosions of antimatter missiles. The ground around the two sites quickly turned molten from the released energy striking the energy shields. Energy and pulse fusion beams lanced down seeking an opening but only made the shields glow brighter where they struck. For the moment, the two weapons sites were resisting the combined firepower of the Zaltule battlecruisers.
-
At the tunnel entrance to the spacedock, ten Zaltule battlecruisers came in low over the horizon. They had lost four other battlecruisers from defensive weapons fire. Upon detecting the approach of the Zaltule vessels, the twelve particle beam cannons surrounding the huge airlock opened fire. The forward leading Zaltule warship burst into flames and then arrowed downward, crashing into the airless dark surface of Vesta. The other battlecruisers opened fire with their energy weapons and pulse fusion cannons trying to eliminate the dangerous weapons turrets protecting the large armored airlock. First one and then two of the particle beam emplacements were destroyed as they were blown apart. The remaining particle beam turrets continued to fire and another Zaltule battlecruiser was blown in two with the remains of the shattered vessel falling to impact in a nearby crater.
The remaining ships intensified their efforts and after few more minutes eliminated the last of the particle beam cannons. Energy beams were brought into play and focused on the massive airlock doors, gradually burning deeper and deeper into the thick protective armor. More Zaltule battlecruisers dropped down and then had to move even closer to the surface as a nearby weapon site blew three of them apart in fiery explosions.
Galactic Empire Wars: Insurrection (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 5) Page 32