by Selby, Caleb
***
Kesler had never liked Tenith. Since their days at the academy, they had been in fierce competition for varying positions, promotions and even once, a romantic interest, with one barely edging out the other at every turn. Their rivalry had culminated in the fact that Tenith had received his own command first, a fact Tenith had been sure to rub in over the short course of his appointment. How it had irked Kesler, having Tenith think he was better than him, even though Kesler had been asked directly by Fedrin to forgo the promotion in order to help him run the Iovara.
Yet now, watching the stray fragments of burning hull and blackened ash floating where the Corinthia had, just moments earlier, been flying proudly, Kesler instantly felt juvenile and trivial forever wishing Tenith anything but the very best. Kesler couldn’t even remember if he had ever shared one kind word with Tenith in the eight years they had known one another. Now, he would never get another chance to do so.
***
Fedrin gawked at what was left of the Corinthia, astonished and speechless. One of the most powerful ships of his fleet was gone before it had fired a shot. He hardly had time to process the loss when more alarms started to blare and the tactical display began to flash. More missiles were on their way; willing and eager to inflict more damage upon the ever humbled, and shrinking, Sixth Fleet.
“Move us up!” ordered Fedrin as he spotted Commander Colby and his destroyer in trouble. “Get between the missiles and the Arbitrator!”
“Too late!” Kesler called back as he watched the Arbitrator take two missiles back to back on her port side.
“It’s not too late!” Fedrin yelled back. “Take us in!”
The Iovara shot forward just in time to take the full brunt of a solo missile bent on destroying the now vulnerable destroyer. Fedrin held the arms of his chair tightly as the missile smashed the topside shields of his ship.
“Commander Colby extends his thanks,” Gallo voiced up.
“Tell him to get out of here,” Fedrin said. “There’s no use having him here that weak. He’ll just be a liability.”
Another alarm sounded. Fedrin looked up and shook his head just as three missiles slammed into Hornell Carrier, crippling her aft secondary fighter bay.
“We’re getting eaten alive out here!” Searle shouted out to Fedrin over a transmission.
More alerts sounded as two other missiles came swooping down beneath the Revenge, and then back up to smash into the Bolter.
“The plan is a bust!” Commander Kendrick called out over a transmission. “We have to pull back now or we’re as good as dead!”
“Searle lookout!” yelled Fedrin, switching transmissions to the Revenge cruiser.
“I see them!” Searle answered. “They’re going to hit us Fedrin. There’s nothing I can do!”
The missiles came hard and fast toward Searle’s cruiser. Fedrin winced as they crashed into her starboard side, one after another, wearing the shields down so much that the last one pierced right through the ship, coming back out the other side and exploding some distance away.
“You ok?” Fedrin called out.
“We…fine…breach…locked,” Searle answered in a choppy transmission.
Fedrin turned to Kesler. “Do you think can we hang on till we get into firing range?”
“I can’t see how,” Tarkin said on behalf of Kesler who was tied up in a transmission with the Bolter. “This is a disaster!”
“It’s how most battles start in open space!” Jonas shouted down to Tarkin. “The Krohns have the superior long range weapons and always wreak havoc on us like this from afar. But once we get close...” Jonas smiled and patted his control station.
Kesler ended his transmission and shook his head. “I agree with Tarkin. I don’t think we can win this time. Our plan was compromised and we’re outnumbered four to one. Even if we get a couple good shots in, they’ll still have plenty of ships left to finish us off.”
Fedrin sat back in his chair and reluctantly nodded. “Then take us out of here.”
“We’re almost in weapon’s range,” Jonas called down. “Be a shame not to fire what we have loaded before we hit the road.”
Fedrin reluctantly nodded. “Let’s fire our rounds and then get out of here then.”
“What of the data device?” Kesler asked.
“We’ll have to think of something else,” Fedrin answered. “Something less overt.”
Kesler looked at Fedrin skeptically.
Fedrin shrugged. “I’ve got nothing right now.”
Kesler shook his head as he turned back to his station.
“I think...” Tarkin started to say but was interrupted when a tremendous surge of energy riveted through the ship.
“Plasma rounds away!” Jonas called out.
Fedrin nodded. “Take us about, best possible speed!”
The remaining ships of the sixth fleet fired their primary weapons and turned away sharply; their plasma rounds continued to burn toward the enemy vessels to help cover their retreat. The molten plasma shots struck multiple Krohn warships, destroying several of them, but not enough to dent their overall superior force.
A fresh series of warning alarms sounded at Kesler’s station. “More missiles on the way!” he shouted out, much to everyone’s dismay.
“Do you ever have any good news to report?” Jonas called down to Kesler.
“We need to move faster!” Fedrin shouted out. “Those missiles will rip us to pieces if they get to us!”
“Engines are running at maximum!” an engineering consultant answered. “There’s no more to give, Sir!”
“Have Commander Kendrick divert all fighters to our rear!” Fedrin ordered, ignoring the engineer. “Have them try and target the missiles the best they can!”
“Aye, Sir!” Kesler answered, knowing full well that the fighters had little chance of shooting down one missile, let alone a dozen.
Fedrin felt helpless as he watched the formation of missiles close the distance with his fleeing ships and then proceed to slam into the Bolter destroyer. He winced as one after the other, the deadly projectiles pounded down the Bolter’s shields until she was exposed and vulnerable. The final missile easily pierced through the naked hull and passed through several decks of the ship before it lodged itself into a bulkhead somewhere deep amidships. Fedrin turned his eyes, not wanting to see what was to happen next.
The resulting explosion tore the humble destroyer in two halves; the engines and secondary hangar sections forming the mass of one; and the bridge, life support generators and primary hangar comprising the bulk of the other. Bodies, furniture, personal effects, and various storage boxes and containers slowly spilled into space confirming the totality of the ship’s demise. It was hard for the Iovara officers to watch as the frigid, murderous space slowly killed their comrades, their friends.
“That ship was home to a lot of good people,” Kesler said, blankly staring at the screen while the ship continued to spill its life’s blood into space.
“Commander Sanders is with his daughter now,” Gallo said quietly.
The Iovara command crew hardly had time enough to absorb the shock of yet another catastrophic loss when two more missiles crashed into her. The first missile grazed off the top of the ship, taking with it several exterior instruments before spinning off behind the ship and harmlessly exploding. The other slammed into her side, ravaging the shielding but inflicting no major damage.
“Report?” Fedrin called out.
“We’re ok,” Kesler quickly answered, “...but I’m guessing those eight missiles heading straight for us will leave a fairly large dent!”
“Seriously? Enough with the cruddy news!” Jonas shouted down. “Is your job to depress us all the time?”
Fedrin looked up to the main screen in time to see the missiles parade past the scanner heading toward his ship.
“Here they come!” Kesler announced, prompting the command crew to brace for impact.
The missiles were mer
e moments from smashing the Iovara into space dust when a tremendous burst of red light slashed before their flight path, causing each projectile to explode ineffectually.
“What was that?” Fedrin yelled as his ship shook violently from the nearby shock waves. “I want to know what that was!”
“We’re alive!” Jonas yelled out and clapped his hands. “Being alive is my favorite!”
Kesler rapidly looked at several of his instruments and then shrugged. “I have no idea Admiral!” he said. “It looks like something intercepted the missiles before they hit us but I have no idea what it was!”
“Any idea where it came from?” Fedrin asked.
“Working on it right now,” Kesler answered. “It’ll take the combat computer a minute to triangulate.”
“Better work fast,” Gallo said, gazing into a monitor. “Looks like the rest of the Krohn fighters are coming up followed by more missiles!”
“Admiral!” Tarkin suddenly yelled.
Fedrin looked down at Tarkin.
“There’s a big ship coming up from the planet!”
Fedrin immediately looked to Kesler who was already scanning the surface of the cloudy planet below to confirm Tarkin’s sighting.
“Enemy fighters closing in!” Gallo updated.
Fedrin nodded as he considered his options. “Move all fighters to intercept!” he finally ordered. “Keep their formations loose and able to adjust to advances on their flanks. Have the Revenge and the Hornell cut hard to port, and offer a few broadsides of their DEG guns to the fighters. Everyone else, hard to starboard!”
“Whoa!” Kesler exclaimed as he spotted what Tarkin had noticed.
Fedrin shed his harness and jumped to Kesler’s side. “What is it?”
Without a word, Kesler inputted his screen data to the main viewing screen. What Fedrin saw made his jaw drop.
“What is it?” Tarkin asked, who was unsure of the significance of the sight before him.
Kesler gaped at the screen in stupefied disbelief. “It’s...it’s the Idok!” he stammered.
“It’s about time you came up with some good news!” Jonas yelled down. “See, it’s not so hard!”
Tarkin looked at Kesler slightly confused and then nodded in understanding. “The Admiral’s wife’s ship?”
Kesler nodded. “That it is.”
A spontaneous cheer went up on the bridge as the mammoth battle carrier came into full sight, followed closely by her fighter squadrons. Fedrin hadn’t had time to process the significance of what he was seeing when the Idok let loose with several sweeping motions of the same powerful weapon he had witnessed moments earlier. The beam instantly destroyed a wing of Krohn fighters, and three formations of inbound missiles.
“Hail them!” Fedrin said.
“They’ve already hailed us and have instructed us to join them in a counterattack!” Gallo announced.
“All ships come about!” Fedrin yelled, activating the fleet-wide transmitter. “I repeat, come about! Open gun ports and let loose with everything we have! We’re going to win this thing after all!”
Kesler looked up at Fedrin and held his ear. “I’m right here, Sir!”
Fedrin laughed, slapped Kesler’s shoulder, and then leapt back to his seat. “Divert all surplus power to prow shields and keep them steady. Let’s do this!”
“Aye, Sir!” Gallo answered.
The surviving Sixth Fleet vessels collectively turned around together and followed the Idok’s brazen attack toward the superior force of Krohn warships.
“Would you look at that?” Jonas exclaimed, gazing with unbridled envy as the Idok fired her new and mysterious weapon at a batch of three Krohn cruisers, destroying all of them almost instantly.
“Stop your drooling and coordinate our firing resolutions!” Fedrin called up to Jonas. “It’s not done yet!”
“Right, right,” Jonas said as he looked to his own station.
Moments later, another surge of energy riveted through the ship as two more plasma rounds left the confines of the Iovara and burned toward the enemy.
Kesler pumped his fist in the air as he watched the two rounds make contact with twin Krohn destroyers, utterly destroying both.
“Nice shot!” Tarkin called up.
“It really was,” Jonas said. “But thanks for noticing. It’s nice having your work admired.”
Tarkin smiled and shook his head.
A beep sounded at Kesler’s station. “Looks like three Krohn Cruisers have broken away from the main fleet body and are coming full speed toward our left flank.”
“Arm DEG guns and ready EMOD turrets,” Fedrin ordered.
Jonas nodded as he flipped the switches to activate the Iovara’s host of secondary weaponry. “DEG guns armed and ready,” he announced.
“And the EMOD’s?” Fedrin pressed as he looked at his own tactical scanner.
“Coming on-line now,” Jonas answered. “Give me a target in range and I can offer discounts on cremation...calling hours and service included!”
“I don’t think we’re going to need them,” remarked Kesler as he watched the three inbound Cruisers fall prey to the ever-impressive attacks from the imposing Idok.
Fedrin looked on and realized Kesler was right. Nothing but unorganized fighter squadrons, and hundreds of escape pods now stood where one of the greatest Krohn fleets ever assembled had been just moments earlier.
“Receiving transmission from the Idok,” Gallo said, hardly able to control himself from shouting out in excitement.
A young Lieutenant, Fedrin did not recognize, appeared on the main screen.
“Lieutenant Commander Pertikone of the NPF Battle Carrier Idok reporting, Sir!” the young man said emphatically, following a proper salute.
“Where is your Commander Lieutenant?” Fedrin asked bluntly.
The young man relaxed his stance and shook his head. “It’s a long story Admiral.”
“Get on with it then!” said Fedrin sharply. “Is she there? Is she ok?”
“Admiral!” Gallo suddenly called out.
Fedrin turned to face his ensign. “What?” he asked harshly.
“I’m getting some strange EM activity coming from the planet,” he answered ominously.
“Confirm that,” Tarkin added. “And it’s coming up fast!”
Fedrin hardly heard what was being said when a small, familiar looking ship came bursting out from the cloudy atmosphere and gracefully flew under the Idok.
“Whoa there,” Kesler said in awe. “What do we have here?”
“This has got to be the weirdest day of my life,” Jonas said with a shake of his head. “And I’ve had some weird days.”
“A transmission is forcing its way into our network!” Gallo spoke up with alarm. “It’s routing its way to the main screen. I can’t stop it!”
Fedrin turned to the main screen as the image of the Idok Bridge was slowly replaced by a cloaked Sion figure.
“Trab!” Fedrin exclaimed. “What is going on? What is happening?”
“Fedrin,” Trab answered in a very reserved, yet pleased tone. “All will be explained in time.”
“But how can you be here?” Fedrin asked. “You told me that we would be on our own! You told me that the Sions could not afford to help us!”
The hooded form nodded and spoke in an ominous tone. “Things have changed Fedrin.”
“Such as?” asked Fedrin.
“Many of your ships are damaged, are they not?” Trab asked, ignoring Fedrin’s question.
Fedrin nodded. “Some of us got beat up pretty bad. Some much worse,” he added sadly.
Trab nodded with understanding. “Allow your ships to come into high orbit and begin repairs. My ship and crew will lend assistance to your repair teams and install Sion components as we have done with the Idok. In the meantime, we must meet on the colony.”
“Meet on the colony?” Fedrin asked. “As in you and I?”
Trab nodded.
“For the device?�
�� Fedrin clarified.
Trab nodded. “Amongst other reasons.”
“I already have a Raider team prepping to go down,” Fedrin said. “I’ve told them where the device is and how to get it. That’ll be our fastest and most efficient option.”
“They have her,” said Trab calmly.
Fedrin looked confused. “Have who?”
“They have your wife.”
“Who has her? Why?”
Trab waved his arm activating a recorded video message that played in the lower right corner of the main transmission screen. It showed a darkened room with a single hanging light fixed above a metal chair in the center. In the chair sat Commander Etana, head down, stripped of her uniform, wearing nothing but rags. She was tied to the chair with composite chains that dug deep into her flesh. Blood seeped from where the bonds wrapped her legs, chest, and arms. Only the faint rhythmic rise and fall of her chest indicated she was still alive.
Gallo, Tarkin, Kesler, Jonas and the other Iovara officers looked at the video in horror and then slowly turned their collective gazes to their Admiral. Fedrin sat resolutely in his chair, undoubtedly distraught, but in full control of his emotions. His jaw was tight, his fists clenched, and his eyes fixed on the horrific spectacle before him.
“Fedrin,” a vile sounding voice from off screen spoke. “If you ever want to see your little tramp again, come to the Voigt colony before the setting of the sun,” the voice trailed off and the image dissipated from view.
“Is that it?” Fedrin asked, looking intently at Trab.
Trab nodded. “That’s all we’ve received.”
“And it’s genuine?” Fedrin asked.
“It is,” Trab answered gravely.
“It’s a trap,” stated Fedrin frankly, looking for Trab to dissuade him.
“Undoubtedly,” replied Trab.
Fedrin nodded with resolve. “I guess I’ll see you there!” he said firmly and immediately stood to his feet. “Kesler,” he then said promptly. “You are promoted to the rank of Commodore, effective immediately.”
Kesler looked at Fedrin stunned, unable to respond.
“My standing orders are to coordinate with the Sions to repair the fleet. With any luck, I’ll be back here tonight with Etana and the data device.”