The Shattered Empire (The Shadow Space Chronicles Book 2)

by Kal Spriggs

  Doctor Gaspodschin's frown of distaste showed what she thought of that, “Baron Giovanni, the Nova Roma engineers and scientists obviously have a limited grasp of the forces they are working with. While their accomplishments towards applications are notable, their knowledge of theory is painfully absent.”

  “Yet the guns they managed to design have an effective range almost nine thousand kilometers further than those of your own fleet,” Lucius said, eyes narrowed.

  “Yet they have only the vaguest idea of what happens to the energy going in one end, much less how it reacts with the target on the other,” Gaspodschin snapped. “Worse, their 'translated' Ghornath manuals are riddled with errors and mathematical equations that make no sense.” She shook her head, “And as for the two 'scientists' that your ally loaned us, they fumble with technology that is far too dangerous for us to engage.”

  “That dangerous technology is what we face from our enemies,” Lucius said. “For that matter, we'll have to find some way to match or beat it, we cannot rely upon the enemy being predictable in the future.”

  Doctor Wade spoke up, “Sir, I think this has gotten a bit emotional. Perhaps if we could continue with the briefing, you can see what we are currently working on, and how it relates to the war effort?”

  Lucius let out a sigh, “Yes, please.” The woman's abrasiveness set him on edge. There was a sense of arrogance there... and Lucius was reminded of Matthew Nogita's comments about ship design.

  Doctor Wade brought up an image of a large array, “Baron, this is one of the prototypes we wish to begin construction on.” He activated a button and the array expanded. “This, sir, is designed to draw upon the zero point energy fluctuations of vacuum. On a large scale, such as this, an array could easily exceed the power output of the solar array and produce large quantities of antimatter. Also, it does not use a collider, such as the solar array, instead it assembles the antimatter out of raw energy and generated quarks.”

  “That's interesting...” Lucius frowned. “How long to put into production?”

  “We're just on the prototype,” Doctor Gaspodschin said sharply. “But we think that the prototype design could be built in six months. As a bonus, we can build it in deep space, well away from any star system and utilize encoded shadow space coordinates to prevent its location from falling into enemy hands. Even a psychic can't pull it's location from a navigator if he doesn't know it.”

  Lucius nodded, “I like that idea. What's the downside?”

  The two scientists looked at one another. “There is a hazard. The system can become unstable, if our algorithms are correct. We're dealing with quantum forces, so the production of power on this scale is hazardous. The array itself could, in theory be used as a weapon, though we aren't sure how great of control we could have on it. If something goes wrong with the production process, we would have to evacuate the area... this is the other reason we don't want it located in a star system.”

  Lucius nodded, “Very well. He looked at Dreyfus, “I trust your people will manage the security for the location?”

  “My intelligence people will make this very secure.” Admiral Dreyfus said.

  “Then it has my initial approval. I'll want to see the overview of the security precautions and I'd like to run some of them past General Mira's people for security against psychics,” Lucius said. He saw Doctor Gaspodschin frown at that and he made a mental note to talk with Admiral Dreyfus about it.

  “Our next project is one that Doctor Gaspodschin and I have worked on personally,” Doctor Wade said. “It is an improvement on the Amalgamated Worlds Jung-Hai Power Armor.” Lucius frowned at that. He remembered, vaguely, that the Amalgamated Worlds power armor sets had run off antimatter plants and that dumbed-down versions had been the basis of the Nova Roma Empire's own powered armor.

  Doctor Gaspodschin brought up an image of a squat, armored figure. “Baron, basically this started out as a limited improvement, but we've since completely overhauled the design of our existing power armor. We've compared its schematics to the Nova Roma and even the Centauri Confederation designs and we've continued to improve and implement other designs along the way.”

  Lucius narrowed his eyes, “This sounds expensive.” His Nova Roma Marines aboard the War Shrike had no access to power armor, in part because of war-time limitations, but in part because the power armor they did have was too expensive to produce enough of it for everywhere it was needed.

  “They are,” Doctor Wade said, “But so is normal power armor. These suits are far more capable.” He brought up a series of schematics, “We upgraded the suit's processing power and power systems. The improved computer allows the suit to run autonomous jamming and countermeasure systems.” Lucius frowned at that, it sounded more like a fighter than an armored suit. “The upgraded antimatter plant allows for four hundred hours of standard use or two hundred hours of combat use.”

  Lucius quirked an eyebrow at Admiral Dreyfus, who gave him a slight shrug. Those kinds of power estimates always seemed to prove optimistic after actual field use.

  “In addition, we have added a defense screen that can be used in both vacuum and atmosphere,” Doctor Gaspodschin said.

  “Now that's interesting,” Lucius said and leaned forward. A defense screen utilized ionized plasma to induce a planar, focused zone which deflected or at least disrupted projectiles and energy weapons. They tended to be more effective in vacuum than in atmosphere, if only because the interactions with the atmosphere had a turbulence effect on the plasma in the screen.

  “Indeed, we're certain that the added defense will increase survivability by at least forty percent,” Doctor Gaspodschin said. “And when you add in the countermeasure systems and jamming we think that can be increased to almost seventy percent.”

  Lucius nodded slowly, “This is intriguing, continue.”

  “We've also improved the graviton pulsers of the original design, to the point that the suit has limited flight and highly improved jump capabilities,” Doctor Wade said. “This would be a higher energy cost and would run the power plant down sooner, but would allow for unorthodox tactics in a planetary environment.”

  Lucius glanced at Admiral Dreyfus. The Admiral nodded, “My Marines have looked it over, they approved most of the changes.”

  “Very well,” Lucius said. “What's the cost against the normal suits?”

  Doctor Gaspodschin shrugged, “We already have a stockpile of the normal suits. Many of the parts are interchangeable, so maintenance would not be fundamentally a problem.” She hesitated, “However, each suit costs almost three times as much as the standard power armor to produce. Most of that cost is in the computer system and the defense screen.”

  “So we can only make one third as many, unless we allocate more towards these suits than we otherwise would the other ones,” Lucius said. He frowned. He didn't know enough to feel comfortable making a decision like that. He wished, suddenly, that he'd known to bring Colonel Proscia up. The weathered Marine had decades of combat experience and Lucius felt certain that he would be better able to make the right call.

  “We already have a stockpile of the older suits, Baron,” Doctor Wade said. “These new ones can be implemented in batches, with new units receiving them over time.” He shrugged, “We call this armor Juggernaut power armor. We feel confident that the Juggernaut will prove itself, especially in use against the Chxor.”

  Lucius nodded slowly. The Chxor favored lighter caliber projectile weapons aboard their ships as being less likely to damage essential machinery. Also, while they had larger, man-portable weapons, they rarely used them planet-side Their tactics there tended towards police forces and when Nova Roma Marines had managed to come to grips with them, their better armor and equipment often proved successful.

  Of course, the problematic part was that the Chxor would not hesitate to drop kinetic or even nuclear strikes on their own people... if they thought it was the most efficient way to stop an enemy. No amount of countermeasur
es or even a suit-mounted defense screen would stop that level of attack. “Alright, again, preliminary agreement. I want to see actual performance with this system as well as a full analysis by Admiral Dreyfus's Marines before we go into full production.”

  Doctor Gaspodschin gave a thin smile, “Of course, Baron Giovanni.”

  She closed out the Juggernaut power armor and brought up a new schematic. “Baron, this, I think, is the answer to creating a next generation fighter. We're calling it the Maverick.” Lucius would have liked a moment to study the scale, something seemed off to him, but she flipped through to a detailed schematic of the power plant before he could pin down what bothered him. “It uses a similar upgrade in the power systems from the Juggernaut's design, albeit on a larger scale. The increase in power allows us to utilize systems which are more power intensive and creates a superior fighter.”

  Lucius frowned at that. From what he knew of fighter design, power was important, but size was the primary issue. That was one reason the Nova Roma designed Harrasser was larger than most of its equivalent craft. In doing so, they fit in more room for weapons.

  Doctor Gaspodschin didn't seem to notice his frown, she continued in a satisfied tone, “The increased power systems allowed us to add an advanced jamming system and a countermeasure chaff system which should increase survivability by at least two hundred percent.” She took a deep breath, “It also allowed us to upgrade the drive system to increase acceleration by twenty-five percent.”

  Lucius nodded slowly, “Those are substantial improvements, but what about the offensive firepower?”

  Doctor Gaspodschin frowned, “It mounts hard-points for missiles as well as the Raptor's pulse laser system.” She brought up the offensive stats.

  Lucius stared at that for a long moment and he felt his lips form into a hard, flat line. He took a long moment to quell his anger before he spoke, “This fighter design utilizes a shorter ranged weapon for fighter engagement... and from what I can see it also mounts hard points for only one ship-killer missile or four interceptor missiles?”

  “We thought that use of ship-killer missiles on a strike fighter was overkill. It can mount two medium weight missiles or four interceptor missiles.” Doctor Gaspodschin said. “We've designed a medium weight missile set that performs admirably against the types of targets that fighters should be engaging...”

  “Doctor,” Lucius interrupted. “Those fighters will need to engage a variety of craft. I've seen the medium weight missiles in use. While they are effective against destroyers and lighter warships, they are not effective enough against Chxor cruisers, much less the Chxor dreadnoughts.” Doctor Gaspodschin opened her mouth to argue, but Lucius continued, “In addition, this design lacks sustained combat abilities against enemy fighter craft such as the Colonial Republic's Patriot or the very common Interceptor. Its internal weapons are either short ranged or, like the missile system, short on ammunition. Four interceptor missiles? Even with your best, it takes two to kill a single fighter. This craft will have no choice but to close to energy weapons range and engage... with the piddling little pulse laser you've installed. Yes, it's better than the rotary cannons that the Colonial Republic uses... but it is inferior to the Harasser's gun and completely ineffective against anything larger than a shuttle.”

  Lucius paused for breath and Doctor Gaspodschin spoke up, “Baron, the defensive measures we've installed should give the fighters an advantage at both close and long range...”

  “An advantage, yes, but the craft is too lightly armed to make that a serious advantage,” Lucius interrupted. He turned to Admiral Dreyfus, “I know, that under Amalgamated Worlds, fighter craft served as auxiliaries and skirmishers, rather than main line combatants.”

  Admiral Dreyfus nodded slowly, “This is true. The changes to this design were approved by my own pilots, my own officers. We feel survivability would give us the edge in an engagement with other fighters.”

  “It might,” Lucius said. “But the craft would only be an interceptor. It would not be a multipurpose craft and would force us to rely upon either a separate bomber or larger vessels to perform the role of an attack craft.” Lucius sighed, “The reason that the Nova Roma Harasser is so successful is that it's load can be configured for a number of threats... and that it mounts enough ordinance to effectively engage numerically superior opponents... at ranges outside their own.”

  He looked between Admiral Dreyfus and the scientists. “The reason I'm angry, and I am angry, is not because you designed an inferior fighter. It is because the work you put into it was without the input of my own people... just as, I understand, some of your other ship design has been.” Lucius let out a sigh, “Part of that is my fault, but part of it is your own, Admiral.”

  Admiral Dreyfus opened his mouth, but Lucius raised one hand and spoke, “Look, Admiral, this is something we both bear responsibility for. I've had a number of my people come to me in regards to a certain institutional arrogance which they've encountered between your people and my own. Your experienced personnel fought with Amalgamated Worlds Fleet, often against the Provisional Colonial Republican Army as well as skirmishes with Wrethe pirates and the like. They were undefeated. Those victories were forged through the use of large, heavily armored ships and the use of fighters to screen them.”

  Dreyfus frowned and Lucius could see that the older officer knew where the topic would turn. He continued on, “What your people fail to realize is that they have not been locked in a battle for survival for the past twenty years. They have not faced numerically superior forces of dreadnoughts. They have not, in fact, even faced the more modern Republic Liberation Fleet, whose tactics could overwhelm your fighter screen and engage your larger ships.”

  Lucius sighed, “We adapted. And yes, your crews have learned and started to adapt as well, but from the standpoint that they know better, that they are only learning our tactics to appease me... and to get along with their new comrades.” He looked over at the scientists, “Or worse, they disregard the new strategic paradigm and draw up ships and equipment which would be an overall mistake.”

  Lucius activated his own controls and flipped through the design files for the fighter. “We had discussed use of the Harasser throughout the United Colonies Fleet, but you preferred the use of the Raptor due to parts, equipment and training purposes.” Lucius pulled up the schematics, “I assume you would want to put this new fighter into general production?” He waited until Doctor Wade gave him a nod. “It masses the same as the Raptor, but I can clearly see that it mounts less munitions and is designed for one purpose... to screen the larger ships of this fleet.”

  Lucius shook his head, “I want a new design. Take the Harasser and go from there. Get with Matthew Nogita and, god help you, James Harbach. I want to see what this new power plant can do in the Harasser's frame and how your defensive systems would fit in as well. And before you tell me that won't work... I want to see what you can come up with. It's called a fusion of ideas. Make it work, understood?”

  Doctor Gaspodschin gave him a sharp, angry nod. Doctor Wade muttered something like an agreement.

  Lucius took his seat. “Now... next project.”

  ***

  Reese slammed the door in frustration as he came back into the apartment. He froze, though as he saw Alanis, staring at him with wide eyes. Great, he thought, I thought she was out. He saw her gaze go to the open bottle in his hand. His hand slipped behind his back without him even realizing it at first. When he caught her gaze and realized what he'd done, he felt his ears burn.

  “A little early for drinking, isn't it Reese?” Alanis asked, her voice sharp.

  He felt a spike of rage at her tone... she sounded just like her brother: calm, collected, and, worst of all, non-judgmental. Before he could stop himself he snapped, “What do you care, aren't you supposed to be dropping off your paperwork today?” In an anachronistic trend, the Academy required potential cadets to hand deliver their packets.

  She looked
away, “I already did.”

  Reese growled and brought his bottle up for a drink. The cheap liquor burned as it worked its way down his throat. He nearly gagged at the flavor... but this was for the oblivion it would bring, not the taste. If he drank enough he would sleep a deep, dreamless sleep. He wouldn't think, he wouldn't worry, and he wouldn't be visited by phantoms.

  “Talk to me, Reese,” Alanis said, her voice hoarse with worry. Her tone twisted his heart and he felt tears well up in his eyes. He was hurting her, he knew, and he hated that. Yet what choice did he have? She is destroying me, Reese thought.

  Reese lowered the bottle and set it carefully on the dining room table. He looked up and met her dark eyed gaze. “You want to talk. Fine, let us talk.”

  “Why won't you accept my decision?” Alanis asked, her voice pleading.

  “Because, my love,” Reese said, hoarsely, “We are married, this shouldn't be your decision or my decision... it should be our decision.”

  He saw her pinch her lips at that. She had, he knew, already compromised as much as she thought she could. She doesn't realize how little that really is, Reese thought, she's too caught up in the glory of service to realize the big lie.

  “I tried to compromise, Reese,” Alanis said in an echo of his thoughts. “Between you and Lucius, I decided to go to the new Academy here on Faraday, to become an officer. What more can you ask?”

  “That you not throw your life and our marriage away?” Reese growled. He saw the look of hurt on her face and he sighed. “I'm sorry. It's just...” He trailed off and suddenly he didn't see her at all, he saw his younger brother, Grady. He remembered a similar argument, then, between his father and his brother. His father had railed against Reese for encouraging Grady to join the service... and had never forgiven Reese when the news came of Grady's death at the First Battle of Danar. His father had hung himself only a year later and left a scathing letter condemning the military.