Righteous Reign Episode 4 Ragged Remnant

by Thomas J. MacDonald

  As a leader, Commander Elantham employs an assertive-consensus style of command. It means he will try to gain agreement but will enforce his own decisions, when necessary. It is considered the best way to run a ship. He is dedicated to his personnel, and they are completely loyal to him. Though he indirectly works for Admiral Bryant in Epsilon, he enjoys the knowledge that he leads a craft once headed by me - Fleet Admiral Kurt Brubacher. The Shenzhen has a proud and storied history.

  Right now, his ship is patrolling a small sector around Mu Bootis, a trinary system on the extreme western edge of the corridor the OFSA now controls. It is right on the border and one hundred twenty light-years from Sol and has been the site of constant Isesinis encroachments.

  The Shenzhen's position is a result of orders that rippled down through the chain of command from Admiral Stevens to Admiral Laft and then on to Vice Admiral Boets who leads one of four Fleets of eighteen of Epsilon's autonomous Frigates. For Boets' part, he had directed twelve of his contingent to take up a line from Mu Bootis to Kappa Corona Borealis a distance of about twenty light-years. The other six are patrolling places located halfway between those front-liners and a quarter light-year farther from the temporary border. It means that a ship is no more distant than a light-year from another and can call on six that are within less than a parsec. Depending on the skill of their Captains, the modified Frigates are usually capable of holding-their-own or even defeating two or three enemy ships by themselves. The two-hour arrival time for help is believed to be more than adequate.

  And each ship's duty area has been chosen to be rich in natural protection while still neighboring Isesinis attack points. It is entirely possible for a ship to use the local cover for protection while inflicting considerable damage on the enemy. The entire Autonomous Frigate Fleet is also aware there are hidden SOCC assets along this part of the border but are not certain of their whereabouts.

  While the Shenzhen is positioned at Sol-vector RA 231.12495º x Dec 37.37717º at 120 Ly, the FSS Taipei is situated at RA 226.57605º by Dec. 37.64574º @ 120 Ly, and the FSS Lisbon is at RA 224.96265º, Dec 37.37717º, distance 119.75 Ly. All three can reach each other in two hours at forty percent of "C" velocity. The Taipei is directed by Commander Gu Megret a Latarian and the Lisbon is run by Captain Shannon McLaoch who also heads the local six-ship Autonomous Frigate Squadron. The next outlying vessels under her authority are in a similarly tight formation placing them just four hours away from Elantham.

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  Aboard the Taipei, Megret is as tense as Elantham as he too scans the data readouts on his main screen for clues to incoming Isesinis Vessels. Every minute or so, the proximity of both the Shenzhen and the Lisbon interrupt other conscious thoughts. When the situation is this strained, it is important to know who to call for help. Megret is from Lata, known to the Federation as Xi Scorpius. His people are similar to humans but display several facial bone rills and larger, disc-shaped, rounder, protruding earlobes.

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  On the Lisbon, McLaoch has her XO monitoring the screen numbers as the Second Officer supervises communications. Both are reporting changes to the Captain as they occur. Shannon is a red-haired, green-eyed beauty with an elegance derived from her height and regal bearing. She is a real rarity. The fact her shoulder-length tresses are not dyed is almost unheard of. This genetic trait has died out for the most part.

  She is ready to defend her own space or to order her ship and the others in the squad to a common battle site at a moments notice, if necessary. And she will call for additional aid if, things are too hot to handle alone.

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  On the Flag Bridge of the FSS Valkyrie Admiral Laft is receiving continuous patrol accounts from his Fleets' Vice Admirals each responsible for one-third of the seventy-two Autonomous Frigates under his control. Valkyrie is a recent acquisition. Until six months ago he ran the operation from Admiral Bryant's ship the Valhalla.

  Among the incoming statements are the ones from Vice Admiral Boets who commands the dozen and a half Frigates guarding the stretch of the boundary from Mu Bootis to Kappa Corona Borealis that divides the remaining Orion Federation from the Isesinis. Laft watches Boets' commentaries intensely because those eighteen ships are in the most tested section of the entire perimeter.

  He worries because he knows these picket duties are not as simple as they sound. The home position is the center of a cube. But, each Frigate must land, hurl long range sensors to all regions in the box that are not within normal transducer reception, and then begin to tour the assigned space. They're actually required to search a nearly five cubic light-year box that is almost five times the height on its Z axis as the length of its X or Y axis. And all these ships' tours must be synchronized. The Shenzhen has to be working in the same region of its workspace and in the same travel pattern as the Taipei and the Lisbon, so spacing never varies. They must follow their assigned paths as if linked by an invisible Pantograph. Haphazard execution could place the crafts as far as two parsecs apart, significantly increasing the threat to each. So each Captain is ordered to relay their exact position to their Squad Commander every fifteen minutes. In turn, that Officer transmits those chronicles to Admiral Laft. They are nerve wrecking operations for all concerned.

  Each of Laft's Fleets does two weeks supporting duty, followed by seven days on that front, then a week-long stand-down. The work is so intense that the three of four duty-cycle is mandatory. If the ships did more extended deployments, their personnel would be burnt out in a couple of months.

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  We began our Commission Meeting aboard the Examiner, at eight-hundred thirty hours on Saturday, April 16. It was a fairly regular one with few surprises. But, we were all on the edge of our seats as George recounted the details of Epsilon's Autonomous Frigate detail. He literally read the reports into the record verbatim. The current contingent hadn't met any intruders yet, but the tension experienced during the watch was palpable in the ships' Captains' accounts. It struck me that we were using this force as an early warning system, the first line of defense, and a lure to draw the enemy into a larger attack. The annunciator on George's data pad chimes. He stops and scans it.

  "I'm sorry. Can we break this, for a while? I'm receiving updates from Laft. There's some action, right now.

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  At thirteen hundred hours, thirty minutes, on Saturday, April 16, 2270, Commander Mu Megret is preparing for the Bridge Shift changeover, when his Executive Officer Lieutenant Commander Kim Chi will take control of the FSS Taipei for the next six hours. Kim is already on the bridge as Megret updates her - all the while, keeping one eye and a portion of his consciousness on the main screen readouts.

  "We're in this part of the patrol circuit, right now.' Gu Megret advises as he points to Taipei's icon on the star map presented on his datapad screen. 'We need to complete this." He adds as he traces the course indicated on the screen. 'Shenzhen is here... ...and Lisbon is here." He supplements again directing Commander Kim's attention to two screen images. 'There's been no unexplained activity. All systems are typical. Velocity is set at forty percent of maximum IPE output. We are still synchronous with both Shenzhen and Lisbon. We're just coming up on..." Megret tensed as he ceased the evaluation suddenly, then took a single step forward, standing rigidly still, and peering intently at the main screen.

  "Activate tactical alert! Charge all weapons systems! All port side arms to salvo mode. All starboard armaments to independent. Synchronized bow and stern placements with port batteries. Heading twelve degrees starbo
ard five degrees positive Z-axis! Increase IPE to maximum on fifteen-minute acceleration ramp! Change starboard two and port number five screens to long-range sensor images! Load all torpedo tubes and hold for solutions! Ready all launchers and cannons! Port side weapons to auto sensor control! Starboard ordinance to manual control! Communication - establish a constant link to the Shenzhen and the Lisbon. Tell them we've made contact." The Captain bellowed the commands as some numbers at the bottom of the main screen rose in value rapidly.

  The Taipei veered to its right with an upward attitude accelerating at a barely tolerable rate. Though everyone could feel the G-forces, all personnel would have seated and belted or secured for conducting necessary operations, in response to the initial battle-stations' warning. Hums and soft vibrations were more felt than heard throughout the craft as its hundreds of weapons rotated to their readiness positions and loaders filled launch tubes with deadly anti-matter torpedoes.

  The "Tactical Alert" order had triggered a ship-wide broadcast continuously repeating the announcement - "All personnel to combat positions! Secure all systems for conflict! Seal all atmospheric compartments! Shields to maximum!" - In a soft, calm, firm, feminine voice, while annunciator panels throughout the vessel flashed red indicators and continuously streamed the same message in bright red lettering. Lighting levels were automatically reduced by thirty percent at the same time, to facilitate graphics viewing and conserve energy.

  Three silvery tear-drop shapes suddenly burst into normal space about a twenty thousand kilometers to the Taipei's upper port-side bow field of view.

  "Port-side weaps - initiate release of anti-matter torpedoes and missiles in salvo mode. Starboard batteries target those ships specifically. Fire all particle cannons - launch spears in wave one. Follow that with a flurry of anti-matter missiles!" Megret snapped.

  Chatter received from sensors, shield control, various engineering stations, and all the arsenal stations was continuous but sequential. The system only allows one audio report at a time. Each post understands how to be concise and brief, and the system is designed to indicate each department's turn. The Command Station's internal comm control can override everyone else, so the Captain can always issue an order.

  The primary display image suddenly filled with energy flashes and streams of assorted projectiles each following its relentless path toward the metallic targets. Beams struck first, rocking the opponent ships. Then, AM torpedoes were followed by the dreaded "Spears of Fear" which were trailed by a volley of Anti-matter Missiles. The Isesinis hurled their response. Some ammo sought incoming ordinance. Others were directed at the Taipei. Most of Taipei's initial bombardment was absorbed by shielding, but a small percentage did limited damage. Sensor monitors reported their antagonists' energy barriers were diminished considerably by the initial barrage.

  "All weapons stations execute a second attack!" The Captain hollered - seeking to launch a second assault before Isesinis charges struck his ship.

  As another torrent streaks from the Taipei, it rocks violently in response to multiple concussions. The darkness of space becomes the brilliance of a dazzling sunny day as explosions strain all four vessels. Most arriving threats are absorbed by shielding, but violent shocks rupture cooling lines and conduits that required rerouting to sustain operating systems and weaponry. Departmental commentaries are continuous as are the Las-Com communications from both the Shenzhen and the Lisbon which are well on the way. Damage and casualty data are continually revised amongst the details in the bottom band on all the monitors.

  An hour and a half into the scrap, a torpedo destroyed one enemy ship's starboard bow weapons' assemblies and another's hangar bay. But, shortly after, the Taipei pitched viciously and slid violently to its starboard bow, temporarily losing the lane of the course it was following.

  "All systems' departments report!" Megret bellowed.

  As he received the narratives it became apparent the starboard, aft AMPE engine was gone, and all local sensor transducers and shield emitters in that section of the ship were either missing or inactive.

  "Shutdown anti-matter regulators to that AMPE unit! Emergency repair teams to Starboard Engine Room! Increase power to shielding to the hull of compartments four - eight, four - eleven, three - eight through three - eleven, and five eight through five - eleven. Adjust course to heading five degrees port, minus one degree Z axis. Weapons armories at starboard aft concentrate on defensive only fire! All other batteries target those ships and fire!" The Captain barked.

  The pace of status commentaries elevates and now includes regular reports from Sick Bay. But, the Taipei battles on, continuously darting in and out of the naturally occurring rocky debris as it launches munitions volleys at its pernicious foe in response to Megret's directives. The third enemy ship vomits flotsam and bodies from somewhere near its engine room. He eyes a change in the video sensor readouts. Minutes later, the Shenzhen breaks into regular space.

  "Can you use some help, Captain Megret?" The Barian counterpart calls out over the comm system.

  "Wow. Am I glad to see you! I've given these guys a few black eyes and bloody noses, but they've hurt us badly." Megret responds.

  "I'll protect your rear. Continue launching as much as you can. We'll join in."

  The Taipei's Commander sees the Shenzhen take a position to its rear and commence firing at a ferocious rate employing mostly Spears targeted at the opponents damaged areas.

  "Concentrate on protecting your damage. Just give me a little covering fire!" Commander Elantham calls out over the radio a few minutes later.

  Suddenly, Elantham's ship accelerates, pulls ahead of its partner, then begins an arc that Gu realizes is the start of a giant loop. By the time the Shenzhen reaches the enemy vessels, it is traveling at high velocity, upside down relative to them, and launching continuous streams of AM missiles, torpedoes and spears down on its startled antagonists.

  Almost simultaneously, the three ships all suffer a series of catastrophic explosions spraying spiraling parts, scrap, metal, plastics, and armored figures and body parts throughout the local region. Then, one at a time, they erupt into blinding fusion energy balls, damaging anti-matter storage systems and ending in still brighter annihilations.

  "Thanks, Ned." Commander Megret breathed barely audibly through a sigh of relief as overwhelming exhaustion replaced the tension draining from his body.

  "You're welcome. You'd have done the same thing." The Shenzhen's Captain responded cordially as his ship was moving to join the Taipei.

  The Lisbon erupted from a conduit just as the Shenzhen pulled up alongside. A few minutes later the three were in formation.

  "Engineering, can we use our lone AMPE to get back?" Megret queried over the intercom.

  "Aye, Captain. But with that and all the other damage, we'll be limited to seventeen percent." The response came.

  Megret advised HQ the Taipei was out of commission and would be limping home. Vice Admiral Boets would have to determine the handling of the situation. It was likely Admiral Laft would actually change the entire duty cycle moving the next eighteen ships into the region and assigning this one to a rest period. So Boets would probably order them to Rigil or Earth for leave - except for the Taipei which will need to land at Lambda or 44 Bootis for major repairs. And, Megret was advising them of one hundred ninety-seven casualties. Fifteen were dead and the rest suffered from a variety of injuries of varying gravity.

  Chapter 3 Formulating Strategies

  Monday April 25, 2270

  "Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul." Douglas MacArthur

  It took us from April 10, 2270, to April 15 to get our Commands into reasonable formations and sit together for a C&C Commission meeting on Rigil. I chuckled to myself when I entered the large boardroom. Grace had her new gavel on the table. Though the old one was somewhere in the building, she now preferred the one scavenged from the wood of Lowry's bar rail.

  After she called the meeting to order, we spent five
days hashing out the handling of the current situation. Each of the three remaining Regional Tier One Commands was deployed to a sector representing a third of the Orion Federation Space we now occupied. We spent fifteen minutes discussing the hair raising scuffle near Mu Bootes. Epsilon would resume it's Mobile Fifth RAC responsibilities and tactics. Bryant would employ its autonomous Frigates to patrol our trade and travel corridors instead of using SOCC subs. And, Zeta would resume all of the objectives described in the R&R. We would again conduct HQ, Tier two and three, Fleet, and planetary audits and examinations. We would enforce the rule of law. And, IGB would resume its security responsibilities of protecting world and Federation dignitaries and infrastructure. And, we would conduct any military operations required of us.

  SOCC would face the biggest change in goals, obligations, and range. It would conduct surveillance and reconnaissance throughout the entire region of the Orion Federation currently occupied by the Isesinis. First and foremost was the need to find this Governor Kilkos. Second was the need to map each and every installation throughout that region. Their third most important task was to observe and report on Federation member worlds and others inhabited by innocent pre-industrial species.

  "You've got to be kidding?" Savign challenged.

  "What do you mean?" Grace inquired.

  "It's too much to handle, with a force the size of the SOCC. You are ordering eight hundred and forty ships to surveil nearly eight million cubic light-years. It's impossible!"

  "How so?"

  "The sheer volume. Over three thousand OFSA ships could barely handle it all before. And subs are small. They don't hold a lot of fuel, food, gases, supplies or ammunition. They need more frequent resupply. So, they're less efficient for long patrol or recon missions. We'd need more vessels and a much better logistics system than SOCC is currently endowed with."

  "Can you give us an idea of your needs? I mean the SOCC requirements to be capable of executing your orders." George inquired softly.