Roar of Lions

by Mark Iles

“Ah yes, I read the files of the crew on route. Chief of the Boat, take note of this man. If you speak out of turn again, you will need his services. Now listen in. Word has it that the enemy is planning an attack on this system. Colonel Delmar needs all ships available and ready for action, and that includes Vampyre. Yes, I know this ship's a mess and we have a patchwork crew, but your Medical Officer is right. I commanded Vampyre once before, and I know her well—which is why I’ve been re-assigned. Other members of my team have also served aboard, including your new X.O., Lieutenant Kes Philips. He’ll be speaking when I’m finished.

  “Fifty percent of the in-system fleet, such as it is, will be deployed in six groups ringing Capulet. Vampyre will be part of the remainder, which have been assigned to protect the sun. Hopefully this way, whichever angle the enemy comes in from, they’ll face a fight. If it’s our group they hit, we’ll get assistance from the squadron protecting the planet. If it’s the other way around, then the planet has had it. We can’t afford to abandon the sun to help the planet, because if they take this star out, we’ve all had it. Wherever they hit, hopefully we’ll be able to delay them long enough for reinforcements to reach us.”

  Kes took his cue and continued the brief. Coughing briefly, he said, “As the C.O. says, the admiralty has staged Task Units at strategic positions. A.O.W reinforcements have been despatched. By staging our ships as we have, it’s hoped we can hold the enemy off until they arrive.”

  “By that time this system could be dust,” someone from the regulars muttered.

  “Things are what they are,” Selena replied firmly. “The die is cast. Now, are you all finished?”

  “Yes, Ma’am,” Singh said. “When do we leave?”

  “As soon as this ship is repaired and ready for action, so get to it.”

  ***

  “We’re all set to go, Captain,” Singh said, without looking away from his console.

  “Excellent.” Selena keyed the ship’s tannoy. “All hands standby, set condition Alpha and prepare for launch.” She visualised her crew checking systems all over the ship, hatches and valves normally open planet-side would be double checked to ensure they were closed and airtight. She closed the mic and looked over at the attentive Singh. “Launch.”

  Slowly the Vampyre rose, gaining speed as she did so. The cityscape visible through the wall screens fell away, and soon they faced the open sky. Cotton wool clouds vanished in a downward motion, the blue sky darkened and then, quite suddenly, they’d reached high orbit. Selena ordered the ship through a few manoeuvres as they moved further away from the planet, test firing the weapons once they’d passed the orbiting planetary defence stations and the moons. Once those were complete, they continued to the centre of the system, continuing to conduct trials as they went. The few glitches and a small fire were dealt with quickly, showing that her crew were highly trained veterans.

  In no time at all, the Vampyre was ready for action and eager for the taste of blood.

  “Inform all that we’re en route to our station,” Selena said to the Comms Officer.

  Increasing speed, the Vampyre swept through the system and took up her post on the far side of the sun, along with Vanquish and Voracious, two other ships of the same class. Apart from themselves there were four other task units, each with three ships, placed on an axis around the sun, Selena’s group being the furthest away. Capulet itself had its planet-based and orbital defences plus the home fleet, which was split into four sections facing away from the sun.

  They’d not had time to test their four torpedo tubes, nor could they afford to waste those projectiles. But the three sunbeam weapons worked well, as did their shields and Close in Weapon Systems.

  There was something special about being aboard a space-going vessel, Selena thought. It might be the subtle scent of lubricants, the sound of the engines, the soft silky touch of silicon or even the low hubbub from the crew’s chatter as they moved about the ship. There was also the enticing scent of cooking wafting from the ships galley through the air vents, the shushing sound of hot beverages being made for the bridge crew via the dispensers, the rattle of dice and occasional curse as off-duty officers played board or digital games.

  They’d been lucky so far and Selena knew it; the Vampyre had been repaired quickly, although the damage she’d suffered had been bad enough to warrant a major refit. Several of the other ships picketed out here had also sustained damage, although it had been limited enough not to warrant dockyard maintenance. Consequently, the Vampyre was relatively fit and bearing her teeth, while the other ships sat still licking their wounds, their crews carrying out what repairs they could in situ.

  It was on their third day on station that a sudden and deafening Uurgh Uurgh Uurgh snapped Selena from a deep sleep. In pure reflex she leapt from the bed, blood pounding and adrenaline surging, and ran non-stop to the bridge.

  “Hands to action stations!” Kes’ voice bellowed from the speakers and again came the Uurgh Uurgh Uurgh. “Hands to action stations, enemy vessels closing.”

  Selena hit the bridge running, leaping into her chair as Kes abandoned it.

  “Report,” she snapped, taking her survival suit from its compartment under her chair. She pulled it on with the speed and surety that came from practice.

  “An F.O.M. fleet has just entered the system. Three battlecruisers, two carriers, five destroyers, six frigates and several ancillaries. They’re on approach to Capulet. Planetary fleet is manoeuvring to intercept.”

  Kes checked her suit, she checked his; the rest of the crew examined each other. The slim oxygen tank and rebreather on her back enabled Selena to regain her seat, watching comfortably as other reports came in.

  Displays lit up all around Selena, showing that each station was prepared. “Inform Fleet Commander that Vampyre is ready for action and assuming command of this Task Unit.” The three ships in her group made a sub task unit of the in-system fleet and, as Selena was the senior officer, she was automatically in charge. If communications with her ship were lost, the next most senior would take over.

  “Acknowledgement received,” someone reported.

  “Ma’am,” Kes said, “what are your orders?”

  “We remain where we are, until ordered by the fleet commander to do otherwise. The fleet is well placed to deal with the intruders, and those ships could be a diversion to make us abandon our stations.” She watched the video feed. The planetary defence had a real fight on their hands, as it looked like the F.O.M. meant business. Swarms of fighters were already erupting from the larger vessels and taking up formation, while a number remained close by to protect the capital ships in Defensive Combat Patrols.

  She watched as the F.O.M. frigates and destroyers moved in closer to harass the defending ships and orbiting battle stations, while the enemy battleships engaged with their heavier weapons from a safer distance.

  “They’re not targeting the cities,” Kes said. “Just the ships and orbital platforms. Perhaps they’re trying to take them out in preparation for a landing.”

  “I doubt it,” Selena replied.” “They’d be hard pushed to do that with just two carriers, unless there are others out there waiting for the all clear before they come in. They’re probably just following the ForeRunner’s battle plan.”

  “Contact!” the ships communications officer shouted. “Two more ships have dropped into the system dead ahead. They’re ForeRunners!”

  “Shields up,” Selena ordered. “Task Unit prepare to engage.”

  A good strategy, Selena thought. Make us think you’re planning to invade, so we throw everything we have to try and stop you and abandon the sun.

  The screens switched to show two large white featureless orbs. They reminded Selena of the Sken vessels, although those ships were organic and these looked something like porcelain. A sense of dread pervaded the Vampyre’s bridge, as the enemy ships came towards them. Without warning, dazzling white objects spat from the craft, gaining speed as they came.

  �
��Voracious, take those out!” Selena commanded. “Standby close in weapon systems.” Selena knew that it took a few moments for their sunbeam weapons to recharge, and if she ordered all vessels to fire at once they would be at a tactical disadvantage.

  Sunbeams shot from Voracious, taking out the incoming projectiles en masse. Vanquish fired, taking out a second salvo. At her command, Vampyre and Voracious directly engaged the enemy vessels, leaving Vanquish as their goal keeper, destroying the incoming fire.

  “All ships, fire torpedoes!” Selena ordered, hoping that at least some of them would slip through. Tight lipped, she found herself gripping the arms of her chair and she forced herself to relax. If her crew saw her nervous, they would be too. Hearing the cough of the torpedo’s release she held her breath, willing them to strike home.

  At the very last minute the enemy ships released a band of multi-coloured rippling energy waves that simply absorbed the torps. Again and again beams and projectiles flashed towards the enemy as they closed, their beams splashing uselessly against the ForeRunner shields. Selena ordered all three ships to fire salvos of torpedoes in turn, but yet again they burst against the rainbow ribbons of energy.

  “Damn it!” Selena snarled in frustration, as the task unit continued to fire in rotation, sunbeams intercepting incoming weapons or flashing towards the enemy ships.

  “What have we got left?” she demanded suddenly of Kes, aware of the limited number of torpedoes each ship carried.

  “Twenty torpedoes and four planet busters. All ships have about the same.”

  Again, the enemy fired. This time several swarms of those eye-searing white shapes grew in the screens as they raced towards them, before suddenly jigging this way and that. The other two ships in the task unit engaged the weapons as ordered, while the Vampyre focused on the enemy. Close defence weapons suddenly kicked in, the thud of beam weapons and constant rattle of Gatling guns adding to the clamour of voices and her shouts of command.

  “Clear,” Kes said, indicating the incoming fire had been taken out.

  “All weapons, focus on the enemy ships,” Selena said loudly. “Stand by. Fire!”

  Beside them, the Vanquish suddenly blossomed into a growing ball of flame and debris, and then vanished in a blinding explosion. Another missile exploded alongside Voracious, the shrapnel shredding parts of the ship and disabling its engines, although it doggedly continued to spit fire at the enemy.

  That’s when something hit the Vampyre. The ship shuddered violently. Alarms went off as compartments and corridors were exposed to vacuum.

  “Report,” she shouted, relieved that the bridge was holding firm, and airtight. Thank God for the battle drills on the way out, she thought. At least her crew had been prepared for this.

  “It was just debris from the Vanquish, Ma’am,” Kes replied. “Defence guns took most of it out but some got through, hit us amidships. Port-side main corridor’s exposed to vacuum. Repair bots are on their way, no casualty reports as of yet.”

  “Damage control reports life support, power and weapons are all functioning normally, Ma’am. They have teams on the way to tackle the damage and sickbay has just confirmed there are no casualties,” Kes reported, relief in his voice evident.

  “Get me an update on the damage, please.”

  “Just a big gash in our side and numerous perforations. Apart from that rent, they’ll have it sorted out in no time. I’m sure glad we weren’t any closer to the explosion.”

  “You can say that again,” Selena breathed. “Continue firing.” She watched as the partially disabled Voracious kept up her barrage against the enemy, despite drifting listlessly.

  “Nothing’s getting through,” Kes said, grimly, gritting his teeth as he glared at the approaching enemy ships.

  Selena had an idea. “Okay,” she said. “This time, fire four torpedoes. Two planet busters to follow, interspaced by two seconds. A second pair to follow four seconds later, same timing. I don’t expect the torpedoes to get through but I do want to catch them off guard with the busters. Voracious is to follow suit by targeting the other enemy vessel, is that clear? Good. Standby. Fire!”

  The torpedo tubes coughed again.

  “Ma’am, the other task units are dispatching a ship each to us,” Comms said.

  “Negative, tell them to recall them!” Selena prayed she’d made the right call. If she was wrong, and Vampyre and Voracious lost this fight, the other people in the system would pay the price.

  Barely seconds later, a third ForeRunner vessel appeared, on a separate attack path to the sun. Selena breathed out slowly, she knew it. Both the attack on her group and the one protecting the planet had been diversions. This was the main threat, their throw of the dice. Luckily, the other units had remained in place and would be able to deal with this new menace.

  The two enemy vessels approaching them fired again but, as before, their missiles ran headfirst into the sunbeams, which cut through them before splashing against the enemy’s defensive shields.

  The Vampyre’s torpedoes hit and exploded, as brief glints of light in the dark. Then there was a blinding flash followed almost immediately by three others, a slight pause between each. All on the bridge tore their faces away from the screens, dazzled by the ferocity of the explosions. Voracious had already fired, and again came those blinding flashes. It took a moment or two for Selena’s vision to clear, when it did she saw that the incoming pair of ships had completely vanished. There was nothing left of them, except an expanding field of diamond dust glittering in reflected sunlight.

  Only the third ForeRunner craft remained now and Selena quickly called the Task Unit commander, advising that he follow her tactic. Before he could do so, the pristine white orb averted course and vanished into the depths of space.

  All around her Selena could hear cheers and cries of relief. In the respite, she looked back towards the battle for Capulet. It was chaos. Myriad beams of light flashed in the dark above the pearl of a world, the flickers of battle like constant lightning in a distant storm. There was so much debris there from shattered ships that it was impossible to tell which side they were from. One of her screens switched to a planetary feed, which showed point defence guns guttering, missiles and ships exploding. The constant blooms of silent explosions and flashes from power beams reminded Selena of the huge firework display they ran every year on Capulet, to celebrate First Landing.

  “Oh my God,” Comms said.

  Selena caught her breath. The enemy had taken a large number of casualties and were in retreat, but now swarms of missiles fell towards Capulet like a glittering snowstorm. Many ships in the defensive fleet threw themselves into the path of the projects, flaring briefly as they died. Despite their heroics, much of the barrage got through and fell planetward.

  “No!” Selena said, jumping to her feet. Fear and disbelief wrenched at her stomach, tying it in knots. “No, not Jas too. Please…”

  Then planetary defence kicked and, one by one, the enemy missiles winked out of existence.

  “Did any of the enemy missiles get through?” Selena demanded of no one. “Is Capulet hit?”

  “No,” Kes said through puffed cheeks. “Nothing got through at all, thank heavens.”

  Of course, he’d be worried too, Selena thought. Jessica’s down there, in charge of the search teams.

  In the long silence that followed, no one else spoke. Then came sighs of relief and quiet murmurings, a cheer here and there. Selena keyed the inter-ship communications. “Enemy vessels destroyed, and the remainder have legged it. Prepare to take on survivors.”

  Voracious lay drifting. Torn open. On one side chunks were missing from the ship and there was obvious damage to the engines. A few bodies in survival suits drifted nearby. Just looking at the wreck Selena felt sick, knowing there would be many casualties. How any of that crew had managed to continue fighting as they had was beyond imagining.

  Selena keyed her hand-held. “Staff, get over to Voracious with a rescue team and s
ee what you can do to help them.”

  “Roger that, Ma’am. On it.”

  The bridge crew watched silently as their lifeboat docked with the stricken vessel. Selena ordered the Vampyre moved to a safer distance from the damaged craft, as per safety procedures unless they were coming alongside to render assistance. A while later, someone put a cup of coffee in her armrest.

  Her hand-held vibrated, and a small red light blinked. She took the call on the main screen. “Admiral,” she greeted.

  “Good day, Commander. An excellent job on destroying those ships, very intuitive.” Van Pluy began. “A shame that other ship escaped. They’re bound to overcome your strategy in time, but at least we have a way to destroy them for the time being. I’m damn proud of the whole Battalion, you fought like lions.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  “We’ve taken quite a few prisoners too. Many of the enemy got out of their ships in survival suits or escape pods. Your Lieutenant Roberts and a Lenar are sitting in on their interrogation’. The captives will be put into stasis afterwards, until we decide what to do with them.”

  “That’s a great idea, Sir. We can’t have any of the enemy sitting in prisons; they could get up to all kinds of mischief. What are you orders?”

  “To remain where you are, under fleet command, until you’re released. Then report back to Colonel Delmar.”

  Inwardly, Selena sighed. “Very good, sir. Signing off.” She cut the comms and brought up a link to Staff. “Sergeant Moore, a situation report if you will.”

  “We’ve boarded the Voracious, Commander. So far we have twenty-three survivors, nineteen of which are wounded. We’re unable to get into some of the compartments at this moment in time, until we can install false bulkheads to ensure there’s no loss of atmosphere when we enter. There could be any number of survivors in them.”

  “We can’t spare any more men; do the best that you can.”

  Staff’s forehead furrowed beneath the cropped black but graying hair. “I’ll send the lifeboat over with the badly wounded, and get the pilot to pick up what we need. Those of this ship’s crew that can function will remain at their posts, in case of another attack. She might be wounded but this ship can still fight.”