Warpath

by Randolph Lalonde

  “Keep your eye on it,” Minh-Chu said. “The Clever Dream is about to reach the clearing, it’s going up and over through denser areas. They’re going to need someone to break off and give them cover, Slick.”

  “Hatter Squadron, go help them out,” Slick ordered. Twenty-one fighters broke off, turning upwards to cut the fighters chasing the Clever Dream off. “When you’re done with that, return to assist us.”

  “Do not engage these bastards in the middle,” Minh-Chu said as he started to guide his fighter towards the outer edge of the clearing. “Stay near the edges and fire from cover. We do not know how desperate they are to win this engagement.”

  “Good thought, Ronin,” Slick said. “Repeating: All fighters, stay to the edges of the clearing. Cover is your friend.”

  Minh-Chu’s gunship and his wingmen’s Uriels all got their first clear shot at the enemy as they reached the edge of the clearing and started flying from one asteroid to another. Sticky and Maid started firing their turrets, Carnie and Jinx fired their guns and seeker missiles.

  A flash of light rendered Minh-Chu’s sensors useless for three seconds, and he looked through the transparent metal canopy of his cockpit, flying by sight. “EMP, I repeat, they dropped an EMP,” Sticky said into the communicator.

  “Antimatter alarm,” crackled Jinx in return. The same reading came up on Minh-Chu’s computer. It was launched from the other side of the clearing. “Break, get behind the biggest rock you can find!” he ordered as he twitched his controls down, pointing his nose at the missile.

  He manually slapped the power controls to his left to shunt all available energy to his forward shields and opened fire with all the weapons on the nose of his fighter. Pulses of light crossed the extreme distance between his fighter and the opposite end of the clearing at the missile that was just breaking through the asteroid cluster there. He started launching micromissiles before he managed to obtain a lock, and continued after.

  All the while he rotated his thrusters so his gunship was pointed backwards, between two massive asteroids that read high in iron and other metals. His heart seemed to jump as he scored two hits on the missile with his guns, but it didn’t detonate. It was twelve hundred kilometres into the clearing on the opposite side when his first micromissile struck it, and the enemy missile twisted in space before the second struck and Minh-Chu wholly concentrated on getting his fighter behind the asteroid he was manoeuvring around, praying it had the mass to protect him and his co-pilots.

  They were bathed in light, but his gunship’s sensors only flickered for a moment. He made it behind the asteroid in time, and the metal content saved them. “Get ready to engage,” he said to his gunners, knowing no one else would be able to hear him through communications yet. He fired his thrusters on maximum towards a space between asteroids that would lead his vessel to the clearing. As soon as they came out from his shelter, he saw the havoc the enemy caused with his own eyes. The other side of the asteroid field was in motion. The massive asteroids that had hung almost still in the white silence were turning and drifting into each other slowly.

  His tactical display showed that all but three of their fighters had checked in as soon as communications began to function. “All fighters, cross the opening at full thrust and engage those fighters at close range. We turned their dirty trick against them,” he said.

  “Good shooting, Ronin,” Slick said.

  “I aim to please,” Ronin replied.

  The Uriel and Ramiels well above the clearing amongst the asteroids engaged the enemy fighters, taking the first three out in seconds with gunfire. It was twenty-one Triton fighters against ten up there, and Ronin was sure they’d be finished wiping out the enemy soon. Minh-Chu was at the lead of the fighters crossing through the clearing, with the remaining seven ships in his squadron, and forty-two from the Triton behind him. The open distance was crossed quickly, and they were within ten thousand kilometres of the enemy fighters where their Order ships gathered together as a group of thirty-five. “Order of Eden fighters, you have one chance to stand down and allow us passage. Otherwise you will be fired upon.”

  The entire group of fighters began accelerating to meet Minh-Chu and his allies. He didn’t expect a response, but he got one. “Raider fighter group,” replied a fighter pilot from the other side. “We will hunt you down and kill every last one of you. This is the sacred space of the Order of Eden, and you are trespassing.”

  “You know, your religion is a lie, and your Queen is just some cyborg bitch who’s really high on herself. Oh yeah, and there’s every chance that your families, who you think are safe under the protection of the Order are actually being fed to a race called the Edxi. That’s who you’re really protecting, a bunch of insect people who feed humans to their children.”

  “You are a lying worm, and a terrorist,” the enemy pilot replied. “I am The Revenant, and I will kill you.”

  “I’m Ronin,” Minh-Chu replied. “Are you sure you don’t want to be friends? I make a mean lo-mein stir fry.”

  “Terrorist,” repeated the Revenant.

  Minh-Chu closed the channel, then marked the fighter who was broadcasting and the four surrounding him. “Those are ours,” he told his crew and wingmen, Jinx and Carnie.

  “Looks like we’re in for a good one,” Slick said. “Good hunting everyone, watch your spacing.”

  Minh-Chu started guiding his gunship around a massive asteroid. “Get ready to fire as soon as we clear this.”

  “Gotcha,” Sticky said.

  “Yup,” replied Maid.

  Minh-Chu flipped his fighter so the dorsal side faced the asteroid, released the safeties on all four of his micro-missile racks and tipped his nose at the spot where he knew the nearest enemy fighter would come up on the asteroid’s horizon. It was the one who issued threats. As soon as the enemy fighter was in sight, he fired his thrusters and began the fight to get behind his target while he gestured for his missile system to lock on to the four wingmen with him. His four missile pods each focused on one fighter as they broke formation, and Minh-Chu had only two seconds to rapid fire his missiles, sending two dozen seeking projectiles after them. He wanted this Order of Eden Wing Commander, and he wanted him to die alone. “Take his wingmen out,” Minh-Chu told his gunners as well as Jinx and Carnie.

  “I’ve got Delta three,” Carnie replied.

  “I’m getting the best of Delta four, looks like Delta two is using our targets as lures while he tries to get behind us,” added Jinx. “Have to keep those asteroids as close cover.”

  Minh-Chu set his shields to adjust automatically and spun his fighter so he was flying backwards. His nose was pointed directly at the Revenant, who was ducking between two asteroids and fighting to get behind him. Minh-Chu fired his thrusters on full, turned to skim the surface of a massive asteroid and hit his afterburners. He let the Revenant come at him, and when the needle-nosed fighter crested the horizon, Minh-Chu opened fire with his guns, sending ice up between them and striking the enemy ship’s shields head on. A missile lock warning sounded, and he stopped accelerating, spun his thrusters so they pointed straight up, then fired them as soon as he reached the edge of the asteroid. It took the full thrust of his ship to slow down, turn to avoid a small cluster of ice and stone, then spin so he could get another shot on the Revenant as he went by. The missile lock on him was broken, and he almost got a lock on the enemy Wing Commander before he ducked behind another asteroid.

  “He’s too manoeuvrable,” Sticky said. “We’re not going to get him. Get Carnie to take him out while Revenant’s chasing us.”

  Minh-Chu ignored her, noticing that delta two was trying to close with him from the other side of the asteroid he was approaching. He maintained his course at a drift, rotated his ship towards delta two then waited. “We’ll piss him off, then.”

  Delta two, one of Revenant’s wingmen, came into open view, Minh-Chu obtained a missile lock, and he opened fire with two of his pods for a second, launching six gui
ded mini-missiles at the enemy fighter. Delta two was too close, moving too quickly towards Minh-Chu’s gunship to avoid any of the missiles, and the fighter exploded as they struck, ripping the cockpit to shreds. Minh-Chu casually thrusted to the side to let the wreckage pass.

  Revenant was coming around, and Minh-Chu wanted Revenant to follow his lead, so he blasted towards the area where most of his allies were successfully cleaning up the enemy fighters. His tactical display flashed red, and he saw that there were fifty more fighters coming. “They’re just too eager to die,” he whispered to himself.

  “My bogey is down,” announced Jinx.

  “Just a second before mine,” said Carnie. “And I’m on another.”

  “I’m coming up on you, Jinx,” Minh-Chu said as his missile lock warning notified him that Revenant was behind him, trying to lock on. “Their Wing Commander is right behind, take him out.”

  Sticky fired at Revenant with the rear turret, sending the enemy under cover over and over again as he moved from asteroid to asteroid, trying to get a quick lock on Minh-Chu’s gunship with missiles.

  “I see you, coming in from your eleven o’clock, right behind him. Easy with that gun, Sticky,” Jinx said.

  “I’ll stop when you’re tearing him up,” Sticky said.

  Minh-Chu passed under a stony asteroid and watched as Jinx began to move in. He was almost in position when Revenant reversed, ducked behind a narrow asteroid, and spun his fighter around so he would be ready for Jinx when he came into sight. Minh-Chu tried to decelerate and turn so he could cover his wingman. He saw what was happening. Jinx was moving past the asteroid too quickly to adjust his course and avoid getting into Revenant’s crosshairs.

  A hail of close-range missile and gunfire tore through Jinx’s shields. Revenant began accelerating after him, locking missiles and firing. Minh-Chu was able to catch sight of Revenant just long enough to lock missiles as he tried to give chase, and he tapped the trigger in time to strike.

  As Jinx’s fighter was torn apart by a stream of missiles and a hail of bullets, three of Minh-Chu’s missiles struck Revenant from behind, damaging his port thruster pods. Revenant’s ship spun into one asteroid, chipping off a spray of ice, then collided with another, his fighter lost power.

  “Jinx and Rigger are gone,” Sticky said. “Revenant is dead. No power, no life signs.”

  Minh-Chu fired a burst of parting shots at Revenant’s fighter, and was satisfied as a compartment burst open, releasing air from the rear section of the ship. It didn’t make any difference to his mood. “Triton to all craft,” announced Chief Mendle. “Recovery, recovery. Time to return to the nest.”

  The Triton appeared amongst the icy asteroids above and well ahead. “We’re being directed to the Triton,” Sticky said. “The Revenge is going to be too busy to take us in, I guess.”

  “Then that’s it,” Minh-Chu said. “We’re packing it in.”

  Chapter 43

  The Charge

  “Jake, we’re going to take care of this fighter problem,” Oz said as he stood in front of his command seat on the Triton. “We’ve got antimatter alarms going off, they’re bringing in heavier munitions to take you out.”

  “Understood, where do you want us?” Jake replied, the image of him in his captain’s seat appearing in the middle of the Triton Bridge.

  “One of those Battle Ships is already taking a position in front of the base, so take it out. They are covering the side of the base with the least shielding and weaponry coverage.”

  “Changing course now,” Captain Valent replied.

  Ayan sat down in the seat to the right of Oz. “Jake,” she said to the hologram in front of her. “You’re running your scanners so high, you should be able to find the number of times their shields pulse per nanosecond. If you sync your DEMP beams up with the exact time that their shields are weakest, right before they are reinforced during that charge cycle, you might be able to break through a little more and knock out their shield emitters. Those DEMP beams are perfect for overloading sensors and emitter systems.”

  “Then I’ll crack their hull open with my guns,” Jake said. “Thank you, Ayan.”

  “Good hunting, luv,” she replied with a wink.

  The holographic image of Jake faded off as he flashed a roguish grin.

  “Tactical, order all gun turrets to fire on those fighters,” Oz said. “Flak and high explosive rounds.” He looked at the holographic tactical display and saw that the Triton’s dorsal side was alread facing towards the enemy fighters. They were on course to pass by.

  “Aye, Sir,” replied Lieutenant Gwen Yore.

  The gunnery deck began to fire, sending tens of thousands of rounds towards the fifty enemy fighters that were trying to close with the Revenge so they could fire antimatter missiles. At first, much of the anti-fighter fire struck the asteroids that were still between most gun emplacements, then they passed into a clear firing area. The fighters scrambled for cover, but in seconds their number were reduced by half.

  The rounds his gunners were using barely scratched the asteroids, keeping the field of combat calm, but the fighters didn’t stand a chance. A group of nine broke through and headed for the Revenge, using cover.

  The Revenge was moving between asteroids so quickly, weaving as though it were a fish in water. It was about to pass well beneath the Triton’s gunnery deck. They started decelerating to match speed. As the nine fighters emerged from cover to fire their payloads, the Revenge’s anti-fighter guns tore the first three to shreds.

  Something in the corner of the tactical display caught his eye then. Minh-Chu and four of his Samurai Wing fighters were moving in on the Revenge from above instead of going to the Triton to land. “Ronin, you are off mission,” Oz said. “The Revenge can take a couple small antimatter hits if it has to, get into the landing bay, we are trying to make a fast getaway.”

  “The Revenge doesn’t have to take antimatter strikes with us here,” Minh-Chu said as his fighters moved in behind the enemy, holding nothing back as they raked them with gunfire. He had trained the pilots he had with him well. They used guns to kill the pilots or disable their engines instead of missiles, so they reduced the chance of setting off the enemy’s antimatter ammunition by mistake.

  They killed all but one of the fighters. The last enemy ship attempted to retreat by pulling up and using asteroids for cover, but it made itself vulnerable to the Triton’s turret fire. “Hold fire!” Oz ordered. It was too late.

  “Roll out!” Ronin ordered to one of his pilots who were following the enemy too closely.

  The gunnery deck made quick work of the fighter, but set off the antimatter missiles inside at the same time. The fighter exploded, taking one of Samurai Squadron’s Uriels with it.

  “Ronin here, requesting emergency recovery in Revenge’s rear hangar. I have injured, and that blast took out my shield’s capacitor array.”

  “You are cleared, we are opening the door,” replied Lieutenant Commander Stephanie Vega.

  Minh-Chu’s gunship and his remaining Uriel wingmen looped back towards the rear of the Revenge and slowed to approach.

  The only enemy fighters left were returning to the base. It was a low structure built onto one of the largest asteroids with two towers above it. They both had numerous large antennae and emitters. “Okay, let’s take those shields out,” Oz said, selecting the base as their target. “Hold on torpedoes, but all other weapon emplacements are clear to fire as soon as you have a shot.” He looked at the systems summary and saw that the Triton’s shields were fully charged with a reserve that could regenerate them five times, all torpedo tubes were loaded, and the rest of their primary systems were in the green. The Triton had never been in better shape. ‘This is not what we are here for,’ Hausgiest said in his mind.

  ‘My intention is to make it look like this is why we’re here.’ Oz replied.

  ‘Then why have you not signalled the Revenge that you intend to fire on the station until you are clear of
the asteroid field? Jacob Valent is readying his most significant weapons, and will be firing soon, as though you are here to destroy the Order of Eden installation,’ Hausgiest replied.

  Oz entered a suggested course for the Revenge that would take them up, towards the base, then to a stretch of space clear enough to enter a wormhole.

  ‘Did you forget?’ Hausgiest asked mentally, slightly amused.

  ‘No,’ Oz replied in his thoughts. ‘I wanted to do as much damage on our way through as possible, but you’re right. Taking out one battleship and damaging a base won’t make a difference in the course of the war, but keeping the Triton and the Revenge in the best shape possible could.’

  “Sir,” Ensign Shane Gallow, one of the junior communications officers said. “The Revenge acknowledges your new orders and is changing course so they can move under cover while we clear the area. They will fire when possible, but are making your order top priority.”

  “Answering through communications,” Ayan said. “Sounds like Jake is disappointed that he won’t get a chance to take that battleship out.”

  Their torpedo guidance system continued to track the base and the Order of Eden Battleship, but there were still thousands of large asteroids between them and the Triton. The Revenge began to change course, weaving through the mess of giant ice shards, then rotating so their main guns were facing the base and the battleship blocking it.

  The directed electromagnetic pulse beams fired as soon as they passed between asteroids. Oz could see that the weapon system was pouring energy into its beam, taking the enemy shields down a two to three percent at a time whenever it pulsed. The Revenge was struck by nine enemy shells as it passed into the open for several seconds, but their shields held. While they were in that opening, they fired their DEMP beam weapon constantly, draining all the power they held in reserve. The enemy battlecruiser’s port side shields were down to twelve percent power as the Revenge passed back behind several asteroids.