by G. P. Hudson
“Kemmar ships are returning fire, Sir,” said the tactical officer.
The void between the two armadas erupted, as missiles, energy bolts, and plasma cannons were fired from each. In the midst of the exchange, thousands of smaller fighter craft from both sides battled for control of the sky.
Konos held his armrest in an iron grip as the early casualty reports flashed across one of his command displays. It showed the names of dead fighter pilots shot down in the early stages of the battle. He made a point of knowing the names of all his pilots, and he cringed at the realization that the early dead were among the new recruits.
He tried to assure himself that he had done all he could to train them, but it didn’t help. No matter how well trained they were, there was no substitute for experience. His crew would no longer be green after today.
“Contacts!” the tactical officer announced again. “Reading multiple Juttari warships directly behind us.”
Konos whipped around to face the tactical officer. The color had drained from the man’s face. “Juttari ships are firing weapons.”
Chapter 5
The bridge crew struggled to stay in their seats as concussions rocked the Intrepid. Pulling up a tactical screen, Konos confirmed his fears. Red threat icons completely surrounded the blue fleet.
The main viewscreen lit up with blinding flashes of light as ships on both sides started to explode.
“We’ve lost the Magellan,” said the tactical officer.
Another new colonial ship, with a mostly new crew. He glanced over to his casualty report, and cursed as more of his pilots’ names appeared. They were just kids, eager to fight for their homes. Hoping to return as war heroes.
Explosions continued to rock his ship. The point defense system began to fail. There was simply too much firepower amassed against them. They were being massacred. Then the explosions stopped, and the enemy ships vanished from the main viewscreen.
“What the hell just happened?” Konos barked.
“General Ornios has jumped us away from the enemy, Sir. We have landed near the jump gate.”
“What about our birds?”
“They are still in the battle, Sir.”
“Order them to jump to our position immediately.”
“Transmitting orders.”
Konos clenched his jaw. Jumping to the gate was prudent of General Ornios, as it gave them the added defensive power of the autonomous weapon systems stationed there. But it left their birds stranded, and each second they remained meant more loss of life.
“Fighters and bombers have returned, Sir.”
Konos leaned back in his chair in relief and watched the enemy resume their pounding of the space station.
“Sir, General Ornios is ordering the UHSF battleships to fire coil guns,” said Mani.
“I guess he’s giving up on the station,” said Konos.
The Vanguard had proven how effective the big coil guns could be, and now each UHSF battleship came equipped with the big weapons. The coil guns fired huge projectiles at close to the speed of light, with devastating effect. The projectiles didn’t have a heat signature, like a missile, and were very difficult to detect. In this situation, many of those projectiles would hit the station.
“Battleships are firing,” said Mani.
Konos held his breath in anticipation. He felt confident that the attack would disable, or destroy, many of the enemy ships. A few more rounds, and then the fleet could jump back in and mop up.
Only not one ship was hit. The enemy ships vanished a split second before impact. Instead, the coil gun ordnance tore into the station. Fresh explosions rocked the giant structure, destroying large swathes of fresh construction. Konos glanced at Mani, who appeared equally stunned.
“Tactical, where did those ships go?”
“The enemy is no longer in this system, Sir.”
“Huh, that’s some trick.”
“Contacts! Kemmar and Juttari have just appeared on the far side of the space station. They’re firing.”
Konos watched helplessly as the enemy resumed its attack on the prone station.
“General Ornios is ordering another coil gun attack.”
The battleships fired their guns again. Projectiles were sent hurling toward the enemy. And just as Konos expected, the enemy vanished before impact. This time, due to the position of the Kemmar and Juttari ships, most of the projectiles missed the station.
What else do they have up their sleeves? thought Konos.
When the enemy appeared the third time, their coordinated attack finished off the massive battle station. It blew apart in a tremendous explosion, causing the bridge crew to shield their eyes, even from their current distance.
“Picking up gate activity,” said the tactical officer.
“On screen,” said Konos.
The bridge’s main viewscreen switched perspective to show the space behind them begin to shimmer as the gigantic oval of the jump gate took shape.
A split second later and the autonomous defense systems were moving and firing weapons at the Kemmar ships pushing through the gate. It took only seconds for the first enemy ship to blow apart, but more ships barged through, firing back at the defense systems.
“Contacts!” the tactical officer announced, his voice cracking with anxiety. “Kemmar and Juttari ships have appeared all around us. They’re firing weapons!”
Konos swallowed hard as the first explosions rocked his ship. “Return fire. Point defense status?”
“Failing, Sir. Several of our batteries have been knocked out.”
The Intrepid stabbed out with energy bolts and missiles in all directions, futilely trying to fend off the relentless enemy onslaught. Multiple ships were firing on her now, and Konos cringed as more point defense batteries went offline.
His birds were not fairing much better. They had again closed with the enemy, but found themselves outnumbered, and the pilot casualty reports streamed across Konos’s display with greater speed.
An electrical fire erupted as a heavy concussion rocked the Intrepid. Thick smoke billowed into the bridge, and several crewmembers were overcome with coughing fits.
“Hull breaches, decks seven and ten. Emergency containment fields are in place,” said Mani.
On the viewscreen, half the defense systems focused on the assault coming through the gate, while the rest went after the enemy ships on their rear. But the enemy refused to sit still.
They jumped in and out, at first luring the defense systems further away from the fleet, and then jumping back in to resume the attack. By comparison, the Allied fleet seemed flat footed. They were outnumbered, and outmaneuvered.
Ships continued to blow apart. Now those explosions came from Diakan and UHSF ships, along with Kemmar and Juttari.
The relentless push through the jump gate continued, with several Kemmar ships managing to gain a beachhead. These seemed equipped with much heavier armor. They continued to focus their fire on the defense systems, creating a bigger gap for the rest of the Kemmar ships coming through. Soon their fire would be focused on what remained of the fleet.
Konos requested a comm link with General Ornios. Moments later the Diakan appeared on Konos’s display.
“What is it, Captain?” said Ornios, fixing Konos with an unblinking stare.
“General, this strategy isn’t working. We need to use our jump systems to counter the enemy’s maneuverability.”
“Negative. Our top priority is defending this gate.”
“But General-”
Ornios’s face disappeared from Konos’s display, just as the glaring light from a massive explosion filled the main viewscreen. Konos looked to his tactical screen, which confirmed his suspicions. General Ornios’s ship had been destroyed.
Several tiny suns filled the viewscreen as more ships blew apart. To Konos’s dismay, not one was an enemy vessel.
We’re lambs to the slaughter, thought Konos, not daring to speak the words out loud. Another heavy co
ncussion jostled the bridge crew, and a young Ensign screamed as flames erupted from his console, scorching the man’s face.
“Hull breaches decks two to four,” said Mani. “Containment fields cannot compensate.”
The beginning of the end, Konos thought. The Intrepid was crippled, and the odds against them were too great. The enemy would continue to target the breach until the Intrepid was destroyed.
A Chaanisar suddenly appeared on Konos’s comm screen. “This is Colonel Soon. I am taking command of the fleet. Sync your jump systems to mine and prepare to retreat.”
“What about this system? The gate?” said Konos.
Soon’s face remained stern. “This system is lost. Remaining would only serve to destroy all our ships. A waste of lives and resources.”
“Understood,” said Konos. “Advise all birds to return to the nest immediately,” he said to Mani.
The remaining fighters and bombers jumped short range to land alongside the Intrepid. They were close enough to the carrier for the jump field to envelop them.
Moments later the screen flickered and they were surrounded by empty space. The battle was over, and Konos hung his head in defeat.
Chapter 6
“This is your first time on Earth, isn’t it,” said Jon seated across from Governor Sallas.
“Yes, it is,” said Sallas despondently. “Too bad it wasn’t under better circumstances.”
“I feel awful about what happened to New Byzantium.”
“I shouldn’t have left the planet,” said Sallas, his face darkening with anger. “I shouldn’t have listened to Captain Marcus.”
“Don’t be too hard on Captain Marcus. He was just doing his duty. You can’t blame him.” Jon could see the Governor was grief stricken. He knew that no matter what he said, Sallas would continue to second guess his actions. “Look, it was a surprise attack. Nobody knew the Kemmar had jump technology. No one expected this.”
Sallas looked down at the floor, saying nothing.
“Did you manage to find out anything about the Seibens?” Jon intended to shift the conversation, but was also genuinely concerned for his friend.
“I did. They survived the attack, but their home has been destroyed. They’re currently on the space station with the rest of the survivors.”
“I see. They’re alive, that’s the important thing. Can you send them a message from me?”
“Of course.”
“Let them know that I would like them to come to Earth. I’ll make the arrangements. Tell them they can stay as long as they like, and if they want to settle here permanently they are welcome.”
“I will. You’ll likely be getting many more settlers from the colonies now.”
“It’s been a steady stream. The radiation has mostly been cleaned up. Native vegetation and wildlife have been steadily reintroduced. But Earth needs to be repopulated.” Jon noticed the pained expression on Sallas’s face. “Don’t worry. We’ll make sure the radiation is cleaned up on New Byzantium too.”
“Thank you, Admiral.”
“We also need to improve our defenses so that this doesn’t happen again.”
“Is that possible? What’s to stop the Kemmar from striking one of the other planets?”
“We are adjusting our strategy to focus on low orbit protection. The difficulty with the Kemmar is they’re willing to sacrifice ships to achieve their goals. The ships that hit New Byzantium were completely destroyed, but not before they managed to nuke the capitol. We need to have sufficient assets in place to eliminate the threat before they can hit the surface.”
“I still don’t understand why they did it.”
“It’s our belief that they were hoping to kill you in the process.”
“Me?”
“You are the leader of the colonies. That makes you a high value target.”
“So New Byzantium was hit because of me. I should’ve never left.”
“There’s no point in blaming yourself, Governor. The Kemmar are ruthless. You couldn’t have changed anything by remaining on the surface. Your death would’ve only given them the victory they were looking for.”
The door to Jon’s office swung open and a young officer walked in. Sallas turned in his chair to see who it was, and a feeling of dread filled Jon. Only urgent news would provoke this breach of protocol.
The man approached Jon, stood at attention and saluted.
“At ease Lieutenant. What’s happened?”
“I apologize for interrupting, Sir, but there’s been a development. You’re needed in the Operations Room.”
“I see,” said Jon, icicles forming along his spine. “I’m sorry Governor Sallas, but I’m going to have to cut our meeting short. Can we resume our conversation later?”
“Of course. Clearly you have more important matters to attend to.”
“Thank you for understanding. One of my men will show you to your quarters.”
Jon nodded to the Lieutenant and they both walked out of the room. In the hallway two waiting Marines joined them as they made their way to the Operations Room.
The interior of the mountain complex had not changed much since Jon had first been here a little over a year ago. The real difference was that President Lewis was no longer in power, and Space Force had been transformed into the UHSF. It had been a difficult transition for many here, but most had seen the benefit of the change.
In reality, the Juttari had decimated Space Force, so there really weren’t many options left. Nonetheless, Jon knew that many quietly resented the new organization, and he was sure their hate for the Chaanisar lay at the root of that resentment.
Arriving at the Operations Room, Jon entered while the Lieutenant and the two Marines remained outside. Inside, Kevin, General Dathos, First Colonel Brock, and Colonel Bast were already present.
“Tell me,” said Jon, striding up to the other men.
“We’ve lost Telepylos, Sir,” said Kevin.
“What? How is that possible?”
“The Kemmar and the Juttari launched a surprise attack, overwhelming our defenses.”
“The Kemmar and the Juttari? They’re allies now?”
“Yes, Admiral. So it would seem,” said General Dathos.
“I thought the Juttari never allied with anyone?” said Jon, looking at Brock.
“They never have, Sir,” said Brock. “This is a first, as far as I know.”
“Now we know how the Kemmar got their hands on the jump system,” said Jon. “What about our forces there? Were there any survivors?”
“Yes, Sir. They tried to fight off the attack, but they were hopelessly outnumbered. A Kemmar and a Juttari force jumped in and surrounded them. The fleet jumped to the gate and made a stand there with the help of the defense systems. But another wave of Kemmar ships poured through the gate, overwhelming the fleet.”
“So not only do the Kemmar have the jump system, they now control a system just two-hundred-and-fifty light years away from Sol.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“That is unacceptable. I want a strike force put together immediately to retake Telepylos.”
“Admiral, perhaps we should weigh our actions carefully here,” said Dathos.
“What are you talking about? The Kemmar have the jump system. That system puts them within striking distance of Earth. You saw what they did to New Byzantium.”
“Yes, Admiral, but the Kemmar are now allied with the Juttari, and the jump gate in that system connects to the Kemmar Empire. Even if we retake Telepylos, we would need a great amount of resources to hold it, whereas the Kemmar can use the gate to send supplies and reinforcements through.”
“We can take back the system, General. We have the ships.”
“Yes, but we have other systems to defend as well. If we stretch our forces out too thin we may end up losing a more important system as a result.”
“You know what I think, General? We’ve been playing defense for over a year now, and we’ve become complacent. The Jut
tari and the Kemmar? Not so much. They’ve been busy, and they caught us with our pants down. It’s time to go on the offensive, and we’re going to start right here, in Telepylos.”
Jon pointed to the holomap which displayed the barren system. “And I’ll tell you something else. We’re going through that jump gate, and we’re going to invade the Kemmar Empire.”
“But Admiral, the Kemmar have the jump system, and they’re allied with the Juttari,” Dathos pleaded.
“Yes they are. And I’m sure they feel pretty good about themselves right now. Well I’m about to burst their bubble. You know all those shiny new ships the colonies have been building? I’m going to put them to use. We are going after the Kemmar.”
Chapter 7
Seiben stood in line on the New Byzantium space station, waiting for his family’s daily food rations. He had lined up early to get a good spot, but still had to wait for hours. He could tell that the influx of refugees had overwhelmed the station. It was tough for everyone. But things seemed particularly unorganized today, and it started to grate on his nerves.
“How hard can it be to disperse food rations?” said Seiben to the man standing in front of him.
“I don’t know, but if they don’t hurry up I’m going to take my business elsewhere,” replied the man.
Seiben laughed, and slapped him on the back. “Isn’t it bad enough we have to eat the damn things? I mean, it’s nothing more than slop. Even a dog would turn up its nose at it.”
“Hey, I’ll take yours if you don’t like it,” said a man from behind.
“Oh I’ll eat the slop, don’t you worry about that,” said Seiben.
“Then shut the fuck up, and stop your whining.”
Seiben turned around to confront the rude person behind him. The man was much taller than Seiben, and looked very fit and muscular. He was clearly much younger, however, and Seiben decided to use his age as leverage.
“Just who do you think you’re talking to, boy?” said Seiben, jutting out his chin.
“Boy? I’ll break you in two, old man.”