Its special-purpose weapon was a single-barreled four-meter-wide plasma cannon. The barrel was fifty meters in length and could fire a single plasma projectile at speeds of sixty megameters per hour. Strung along both sides of the ship were the GW’s main guns: twenty-four twin-barreled sixty-inch magrails turrets anchored on the top and bottom of the ship gave it an immense field of fire.
Intermixed with the main guns along both sides of the ship were twenty-four twin-barreled sixteen-inch magrail turrets. The GW was also equipped with twelve pulse beam lasers. These new lasers had had a lot of input from the Sumerians, and they were modeled on the captured Zodark ship’s weapon system. The lasers were actually a last-minute addition to the GW, one the shipbuilders hoped would add value.
Aside from its kinetic weapons, the ship was also equipped with ten forward and ten aft reloadable plasma torpedo launchers. They also carried four separate Havoc missile battery pods. Each missile pod consisted of two hundred single-shot missiles, giving the GW a complement of eight hundred missiles. Two hundred of the missiles were equipped with variable-yield nuclear warheads. They ranged from 250-kiloton to 100-megaton warheads, giving the ship a versatile capability.
Once the missile pods were expended, they could be swapped out and replaced with full pods by a replenishment ship. This meant the GW didn’t need to carry the necessary equipment to fabricate additional missiles or a reloading system, thus freeing up an enormous amount of space that would be dedicated to supporting the ship’s aviation wings, which, in time, would become a larger part of the GW.
For the time being, the aviation wings consisted of ten squadrons of twenty-four fighter drones. They also had a single squadron of twenty-four heavy-lift shuttlecraft to transfer cargo and personnel from the ship. The fighters, however, would be flown by pilots operating the drones from specially designed pilot pods on the ship. Until manned fighters were built and pilots had been trained to fly them, the GW would operate disposable drones that could be quickly fabricated on board the ship to replace their losses.
Hunt suddenly stopped spacing out, thinking about the ship’s capabilities when his attention was drawn to Admiral Chester Bailey. “Admiral Hunt, it is with pride that I assign you to be the first commander of the George Washington. We are entrusting you with the lives of four thousand, three hundred sailors and RA soldiers. You are hereby ordered to assume command of the George Washington and its personnel.”
The crowd cheered and Rear Admiral Hunt saluted before he shook hands with Admiral Bailey.
“Your first order as commander of this new warship is to lead your fleet to the Rhea system and establish a permanent military presence and base there. Your second order as commander is to find and destroy the Zodark ships threatening that system and Sol. Your third and final order as the second fleet commander is to find and then liberate the Sumerian planet of Sumer. Integrate their planet and people into our war effort and defeat the Zodarks’ military force by any and all means necessary.”
Admiral Bailey then turned and received the new guidon for George Washington and presented it to Admiral Hunt. Accepting it, Hunt did an about-face and waited for his senior enlisted NCO to walk up and receive the guidon from him. When that part of the military tradition was completed, Hunt, wearing his dress uniform and his medals, walked up to the podium Admiral Bailey had just used. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper that held his notes on it.
Hunt almost snickered at how old-school he was using a piece of paper to write some notes down. No one did that anymore. Most wrote whatever they wanted to say on their digital PA and then had their notes shown to them as they gave the speech—not Hunt.
He surveyed the crowd before him. “People of Earth, Madam President, Fleet Admiral Bailey, I graciously accept command of the George Washington, and I thank you for entrusting me with this ship and its crew. Tomorrow, this ship will leave for the Rhea system and our new colony, New Eden, to assert Earth’s dominance in space and protect our people and our way of life from a hideous and dangerous enemy. I have fought the Zodarks now on three separate occasions and been victorious. Not once did I run from danger, nor did I place my ship in more danger than what was necessary to achieve victory.
“I cannot promise or guarantee victory against the Zodarks every time we meet them in battle. But what I can tell you is that we will never run from a fight. We will never surrender, and we will fight to our last breath to ensure the safety and security of our people. We will bring the fight to the enemy, and in doing so, we will hope to achieve some semblance of peace that will allow our people to thrive and colonize new worlds.
“This ship, the George Washington, will be the vanguard of humanity. It will lead our people into the stars and be a beacon of hope wherever it travels. I want to thank everyone for being here today, and to the families of the loved ones who will serve under my command, thank you for raising some of the best young men and women our country has ever known. Thank you to the spouses for being there for your man or woman as they embark upon this grand journey. Thank you to all who have supported our people, and thank you to the hundreds of thousands who helped to build this grand warship that will bring security and peace to Sol and the Rhea system.”
Hunt then took a step back, and the ceremony concluded. The sailors and soldiers on the flight deck dispersed. The individuals who had family were given eight hours to leave the ship and spend some final time with their families on the station; those who were single were given the same eight hours to do what they wanted, but they were confined to the ship. All the holophones and means to communicate were made available, and a special surf and turf dinner was being prepared for them by a catering company hired for this momentous occasion. Unlike the Navy and military of old, Space Command allowed people to drink alcohol on the ship, but only at MWR facilities and with a strict drink limit policy.
Hunt walked up to the President and Admiral Bailey and thanked them privately for the opportunity to command such a ship as this and the grand fleet they had built to support it. The VIPs that would be traveling with them to New Eden were then escorted to their quarters for the evening. They’d be shoving off promptly at 0900 hours the following morning.
As the VIPs were escorted to their rooms, Hunt found his wife standing next to their daughter, looking fabulous in a formfitting dress. With that dress and her makeup, she looked twenty years younger and hot as hell in his eyes. He hugged his daughter, who was there with her boyfriend, and said a few final words to her.
“My all-grown-up princess,” he finally said. Then he gave her one last hug before she left the ship with the others who would not be staying.
Hunt winked mischievously at his wife as he led her up to his admiral’s quarters and office, which were conveniently placed right next to each other. The two of them spent several hours alone together, saying their goodbyes and making love one last time. Neither of them knew when he’d be back or if he’d be back. This next mission could have him gone for many years.
When he escorted his wife off the ship, it was nearly time for dinner. Hunt was scheduled to have dinner with Admiral Bailey, President Luca, and a couple of his senior staff. They were still docked to the station, so this was a very exclusive meal being prepared by the White House chefs themselves using the ship’s own kitchen. Unlike the military traditions of old, the officers, chiefs, and enlisted did not eat in separate dining facilities anymore or have different quality levels of food. Everyone ate at the same dining facilities scattered throughout the ship and enjoyed the same food.
The only thing Hunt didn’t like about this current deployment to Rhea was how his fleet was getting there. They’d be departing to the new system in waves instead of going all at once. They had already sent ahead several squadrons of Vipers nearly two weeks ago, then a convoy of cruisers and heavy transports had gone ahead. His convoy would be the final wave, consisting of the GW, six battleships, and a slew of orbital assault ships. It represented roughly eight
y percent of the combined fleet’s firepower.
When they arrived in New Eden, the President and Admiral Bailey would be pinning Admiral Halsey with her third star, promoting her to vice admiral. She was going to be made the military commander for all expeditionary forces outside of Sol.
In addition to all the military members arriving in the Rhea system, an army of nearly ten thousand civilians and two thousand government workers would also be accompanying them on the large transports. They would assist Admiral Halsey in establishing the colonies and mining facilities on the planet and the two moons. They still had a second full planet in the system where they hadn’t even established a presence yet, so that was also something they were looking to exploit next.
President Luca was also appointing a governor, David Crawley, to be the new civilian leader of New Eden and the Rhea system. He’d take over the administrative details from Admiral Halsey and free her up to focus on the military needs of securing the planet and the system.
During the next couple of years, there was going to be a major push to establish a large shipyard and a couple of starbases in the system. While the TPA as an alliance was focusing its efforts on evacuating their people and government to Alpha Centauri, the Republic was going all-in on the Rhea system. Come hell or high water, the Republic was determined to take and hold this system.
*******
Standing on the bridge of this magnificent warship, Rear Admiral Miles Hunt looked at the massive twenty-meter-wide wraparound display in the front of the bridge. It showed the six battleships traveling with his warship in formation, three on either flank of his ship. It also gave him an impressive view of the front third of the GW and the massive plasma cannon that anchored the centerline of the forward section of the ship. It was a beautiful sight, something he’d not soon forget.
“Are we ready to leave, Admiral?” inquired the President as she stood next to him. She was going to be seated in the chair next to his. Fleet Admiral Bailey sat on the opposite side of Hunt. It wasn’t lost on him that he was flanked and by the two most powerful people in his country.
Turning to look at President Luca, Hunt could see she was a bit nervous. She’d been on a starship before, but never one that traveled via FTL, and she’d also never left Sol. Neither had Admiral Bailey for that matter, so this was an entirely new experience for them both.
Admiral Hunt smiled. “Yes, ma’am,” he answered. “We’re about to transition from our MPD thrusters to our FTL system. Once we jump, it’ll take us roughly four days to reach our destination.”
President Luca nodded, a little too quickly. She looked more than just a little anxious.
Admiral Bailey got up and walked over to him. “When you first left for Rhea, it took you what—six and a half months to travel there?” he asked.
Hunt chuckled at the memory. “Yes, Admiral, your memory is correct. When we went back the second time, it had been cut down to six weeks. Now, with the new modifications we’ve made and the Zodark and Sumerian technology we’ve incorporated into our FTL and MPD systems, we’ve cut it down to four days. If you remember, the Viper-class frigates can actually make the jump in three days. That’s how you both will travel back to Earth once you’re ready.”
The three of them talked for a little bit longer before the helmsman informed them they were ready to initiate the FTL jump. Everyone then took their seats and strapped in. A call went out across the ship’s 1MC, alerting everyone that the ship was preparing to jump. They had three minutes to secure what they were doing and strap into a jump seat. The jumps were typically nonevents, but occasionally there was a bit of turbulence.
“Once the FTL bubble forms, the ship squeezes through time and space toward its destination,” Hunt reminded Bailey and President Luca. “It’s kind of like squeezing the last bit of toothpaste out of a tube.”
It was standard procedure to be strapped in when the ship jumped. If there was a mishap with the FTL system, it would probably happen in the first seconds. It could lead to a rough, uncontrolled exit from the bubble if things went awry. After the first sixty seconds, they could unstrap themselves and go about their regular duties until they were told they were leaving FTL. Then everyone would strap back in for the exit.
Once Hunt confirmed that the President was strapped in and so was Admiral Bailey, Hunt nodded to his helmsman, who initiated the FTL jump. A bright flash of light occurred, and the ship flew through space at an incredible rate of speed. The look on the President’s face said it all. Her eyes went wide first with fear, then with awe as she looked at the bubble around the ship. The GW flew through the stars like a car driving at night in a snowstorm passes through a cloud of snowflakes. It was an incredible thing to see. Even for Hunt, this never got old.
Leaning in toward him, Admiral Bailey whispered, “Miles, this is incredible. Thank you for insisting that I take the President and head out here. I…don’t know what to say.”
Admiral Hunt smiled at his friend. “I’m just glad you agreed, sir,” he said. “I think it’s important that you see what we’re fighting for firsthand. It’ll be great for the troops and sailors to see their president and commander in person so far away from home.”
Hunt cleared his throat. “I’m telling you, sir, if we can fully wrestle this place away from the Zodarks, this new world will be better than Earth. It’s five percent larger, its air and environment are so clean and pure, and it’s got more open land than you can shake a stick at. A full seventy percent of the planet is open land—no more fear of overpopulation or a polluted world. This place is paradise.”
While he was talking, President Luca had unbuckled herself and walked over near them. She heard him talking and joined in. “I’m excited about seeing this place too. I heard when the Chairman returned to China after visiting Alpha Centauri, it completely changed his perspective on Earth. He really set into motion a bold plan to transplant as much of the TPA as possible to Alpha.”
Hunt laughed. “I think the Chairman did that out of fear of the Zodarks more than anything else. They are a terrifying enemy, Madam President. I’ve seen them firsthand. Terrifying might even be a soft term.”
The next four days sped by. Admiral Hunt had the crew run through numerous general quarters drills, which annoyed the President at first, but she came to understand the need for them and, in time, actually enjoyed watching the crew perform them. By the end of the fourth day, she was gladly observing some of the different sections go through the drills and what they were supposed to do.
The President and Admiral Bailey made a point of visiting as many of the soldiers and sailors on the ship as possible. They ate at different times and in various mess halls, so they’d see the different crews. They spent time in every section of the ship, from the laundry room to the kitchen, the machine shop, Engineering, weapons, and flight operations. They spent nearly all of their time touring the ship and getting to know the men and women operating the GW.
When the fleet finally arrived in the Rhea system, President Luca suddenly seemed concerned. “This jump point is so dark and devoid of life,” she commented.
After a moment, Hunt ascertained that she had thought they were going to land near a planet. He had to spend a couple of minutes explaining that a ship actually had to jump to an open space in a system, so it didn’t accidentally slam into a moon or a planet or get entangled in a planet’s gravity well.
The first two or three minutes after a jump was the most vulnerable window for a ship. This was the time it took the ship to transition from FTL travel to its MPD thrusters. The ship had to retract the FTL pods into their armored covers and then spin up the plasma drives. All of that took some time to accomplish, even for a well-practiced crew.
While the engineering department was getting the ship ready for regular travel, the sophisticated array of electronic sensors went to work. The GW had the newest, most advanced sensor suite ever built by Earth. They had been able to reverse engineer some of the Zodark systems from the captur
ed enemy ship and had integrated much of that ship’s technology into the GW. As the sensor data returned to the GW, it painted a big picture of what was going on in the system.
Admiral Hunt marveled at the speed and clarity of this new system—it was truly incredible. Unlike his previous ship, the Rook, it didn’t take hours for him to start receiving new data. It was almost instantaneous, and it was detailed. He saw the Voyager near New Eden, the space elevator, the makeshift station they had above the planet, and the space elevator currently under construction over Tigris, one of the planet’s primary moons. Hunt also saw the massive armada of ships that comprised his fleet.
“Helm, plot a course toward the Voyager,” Hunt ordered. “Inform the rest of the fleet that we have arrived. Tell Admiral Halsey that once we settle into a position near them, she’s to take a shuttle over to the GW to meet with Admiral Bailey and President Luca.” He wanted to get things rolling now that his fleet was fully formed.
“Yes, Admiral,” replied his helmsman and coms officers.
For the next six hours, not much happened as the GW and her battleship escorts moved closer to New Eden and the rest of their fleet. A few of the frigates zoomed out to the location of the stargate, their own orders in hand. They’d join the Viper that had crossed over a few days prior as they set up a multisystem tripwire to warn them of a pending Zodark fleet.
Hunt also ordered one of their transports to immediately head toward the stargate. They’d designed a series of stationary weapon platforms they were going to anchor near the gate, including a collection of plasma torpedo turrets and magrail turrets. The goal was to establish a series of defensive weapon platforms around the gate to gain control of who entered it.
Into the Battle Page 17