“One minute to jump termination,” Colonel Malen continued as she watched the counter switch over and begin counting down the seconds.
Over their private channel, Jeremy heard Kelsey’s voice. “I love you, Jeremy.”
Jeremy looked over at Kelsey and replied softly. “I love you too.”
“Vortex is forming, we’re dropping out of hyperspace,” Colonel Malen said as she gripped the edge of the holographic table with her hands.
Eight blue-white spatial vortexes suddenly formed in system K-774 and the Avenger and the other seven strikecruisers suddenly found themselves three thousand kilometers from their targets.
“Systems coming online,” Ariel reported as she quickly powered up essential systems. “Shields are at one hundred percent and power beams are charging.”
On the front wall, the screens were beginning to clear of static. At the same time, the tactical display began updating.
“Firing Devastator Threes,” Ariel reported as she got a firm sensor lock on the AIs. She sent firing orders and sensor information to the Nemesis and Avenger’s targeting computers. She knew it would only be seconds before the AIs responded to the sudden appearance of the Federation ships.
“Incoming fire,” Colonel Malen reported as the Avenger shuddered violently. “Shield is holding. All ships are firing.”
In space, Devastator Threes from the Avenger and the Nemesis were already arriving on target. Due to the distance and it taking several microseconds for the missiles to arrive upon target, the AIs were able to shoot down eight of the deadly missiles in the first wave. However, Ariel had expected this and had launched fourteen missiles at the AI she'd targeted. Four of the forty-megaton missiles detonated on a narrow section of the AI’s energy screen in bright fiery blasts, causing a small hole thirty meters across to form in the energy shield. Instantly, the other two missiles flashed through, detonating on the armor of the AI ship. Uncontrolled energy burned through the hull, melting systems and turning thousands of tons of metal and battle armor instantly into incandescent gas. The ship’s self-destructs, detecting irreparable damage, instantly activated, blowing the 1,500-meter sphere into a million pieces of glowing debris.
“AI is down,” reported Kevin, excitedly.
“Accelerating toward the next target,” Ariel spoke as she moved the Avenger and the Nemesis toward the next nearest AI sphere. Power beams were firing and the violet energy beams were hitting the AI’s shields, causing them to glow from the influx of energy.
“Second AI is down,” Kevin reported as another of the orange icons flared up and vanished from his sensors.
Now all of the remaining AI ships were returning fire. Powerful energy beams pummeled the screens of the advancing strikecruisers. Several screens began to glow brightly and brief holes began to appear. Beams flashed through and tore massive holes in the battle armor, reaching inside and setting off internal explosions. In just a matter of a few seconds, two strikecruisers exploded as they received enormous interior damage, causing their nuclear self-destructs to detonate.
“Strikecruisers Taurus and New London are down,” Kevin spoke, his face turning pale. Both had died within a few seconds of one another.
“We need to concentrate our fire,” Colonel Malen spoke as the Avenger shook violently. She saw several amber and red lights appear on the damage control console. “We just got hit by an energy beam. We have multiple compartments open to space and several internal fires in our storage areas. Damage control teams are en route.”
Jeremy quickly ordered the remaining strikecruisers to concentrate on a single AI. He knew he had to destroy them quickly or all was lost. Their ships were taking too much damage.
“Firing missiles,” Ariel reported as she watched with that faraway look in her eyes as missiles from the Avenger and Nemesis flashed out of the missile tubes toward the designated target.
Fiery explosions roared across the screen of the AI once again, tearing a brief hole in the shield, then two more missiles darted through, impacting the hull. Moments later, the AI ship was in ruins.
But the AIs were not idle. They intensified their fire, concentrating on one strikecruiser. The shields of the Federation ship glowed bright and then began to buckle beneath the onslaught. Two AI energy beams burst through, blasting deep glowing holes in the cruiser’s hull. Then more beams penetrated, riddling the cruiser as the shield failed completely. Sensing the massive damage, the ship's two nuclear destruct charges initiated. Two glowing fireballs marked the cruiser’s death.
“AI is down,” Kevin reported as he watched another AI vanish from the screen. Then he saw a friendly green icon swell up and also vanish. “Strikecruiser Zeus is down.” At this rate, there would be no AIs or strikecruisers left at the end of the battle.
-
“Foreign AI operation detected,” reported the AI at the command ship’s computer consoles, turning to face the Command AI. “This must be the second of the two AIs the Humans reportedly have on board their ships.”
The Command AI nodded. “Send the virus. The AI must be destroyed!”
-
“Fourth AI is down,” Kevin reported as Devastator Three strikes from the other strikecruisers continued to slam home. On his sensor screen, another orange icon flared up and died away. Kevin was beginning to believe they just might win.
It was at that moment that the Communications panel exploded, hurling Angela brutally to the floor. At the same time, Ariel’s hologram vanished.
“No!” screamed Katie her face turning ashen as her fingers ran rapidly over her computer control console.
She got up, ran over to Ariel’s computer console, and slammed her hands down on two prominent red buttons. The panel was beginning to smoke as Katie tore open its protective cover. She reached inside, grabbing the large green crystal at the panel’s center. She pulled it loose, clutching it to her chest, then fell back just as the panel exploded, throwing a shower of bright sparks over her.
“Medics to the Command Center,” Jeremy yelled over his mini-com, seeing that both Angela and Katie weren’t moving. He started to move toward them.
“Jeremy, fight the ship!” Colonel Malen spoke in a stern voice. “You can’t help them if we’re all dead.” Then she turned to Kevin, who was already kneeling over Katie. “Lieutenant Walters, the same goes for you. Get back to your station; the medics will take care of Lieutenant Johnson.”
Jeremy forced himself to turn his attention back to the battle. “All strikecruisers form up on the Avenger. We have three AIs left; designate them as targets one through three. All ships, target the nearest AI and fire Devastator Three missiles.” Jeremy had to force himself to remain calm. It was all he could do not to rush over and check on Angela and Katie. Glancing over at Navigation, he saw that Kelsey had a pale and shocked look upon her face.
“Kelsey, plot us a jump back to Careth. Get us as close to the gravity well as possible.”
Kelsey nodded as she turned back to her console and began entering numbers. She didn’t have Ariel to help her plot the jump, but she knew what had to be done.
The Avenger shuddered and another control panel exploded in a shower of sparks just as the medics rushed in. Smoke began to fill the Command Center.
In space, the weapons fire between the three surviving AIs and the five attacking strikecruisers intensified. Energy beams and power beams flicked back and forth. The AIs were rotating their ships in an attempt to prevent the strikecruisers from hitting the energy shields in a small area, thus preventing holes from forming.
Eight AI energy beams bracketed the strikecruiser Punisher and her energy shield failed. Even as she died, her last Devastator Three missiles flashed out from her tubes, joining the other missiles launched from the other strikecruisers and smashing into the shield of the nearest AI ship. Forty-two Devastator Threes managed to strike the energy screen in brilliant explosions of energy. Two holes formed and six missiles struck the armored hull. The AI ship turned into a glowing sun a
s its metal was consumed.
“AI One is down,” uttered Kevin, as he looked back seeing that the medics were working on Katie. She didn’t seem to be conscious. She still had Ariel’s memory crystal clutched tightly in her hands. A few feet away other medics were working on Angela. Kevin was really worried and it was all he could do not to get up and rush to her side.
“AIs are jumping out,” Colonel Malen reported with relief in her voice as the two remaining AIs vanished from the tactical display.
“All ships, prepare to jump,” ordered Jeremy, nodding at Kelsey to transmit the jump coordinates to the other three surviving strikecruisers. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Moments later, spatial vortexes formed in front of the four strikecruisers and they quickly entered them, jumping into the safety of hyperspace. The vortexes collapsed back into nothing and the strikecruisers were gone, leaving behind them glowing wreckage and destruction.
-
Commodore Krilen looked in shock at what his sensor screens were telling him. The brief battle had only lasted a few minutes, but it had been long enough to allow the Humans to destroy five of the massive AI ships at a loss of only four of their own.
“The AIs are gone,” spoke First Leader Angoth, looking at the tactical screen in shock. “How did the Humans destroy five of them so swiftly?”
“Those damn hell weapons,” Krilen snapped his eyes full of fire. “They took the AIs by surprise, which shouldn’t have happened.”
“What do we do now?”
Krilen hesitated for a moment as he thought over his options. The Humans had used a lot of their deadly missiles against the AIs, more than the AIs had thought remained. It made Krilen wonder just how many more they still had. “We can’t attack until we receive more reinforcements or the AIs' return. We will continue to repair our ships and wait; we have no other choice.”
Krilen looked at one of the viewscreens, which was showing the area of space where the recent battle had occurred. It was full of glowing gases and debris. He was now beginning to understand just why the AIs were fearful of the Humans. He would send a full report of the battle to the High Council. There was no doubt in Krilen’s mind that they would not like what he was going to say.
Chapter Seven
Jeremy breathed a belated sigh of relief as the Avenger dropped back out of hyperspace into the Carethian system. It had been a harrowing forty minutes as medics carried both Angela and Katie out on stretchers.
“I put Ariel’s memory crystal in the secure safe,” Colonel Malen reported as she came out of a small doorway on one side of the Command Center.
Through the doorway was a very small office that could be used by the commanding officer. The small office contained a desk a few chairs and a safe that was used to keep important documents, as well as ship orders. Jeremy very seldom even used the office; most of the time he forgot it was even there.
“Did it look damaged?” asked Jeremy, concerned. He knew there had to be a reason that Katie had been so frantic to get the crystal out of the console, possibly risking her life to do so.
He couldn’t imagine life without Ariel. She had been a part of his life since returning from the New Horizon incident so long ago. Even worse was the fact that two of his closest friends had been injured and were even now being treated in the med bay. Jeremy had no idea how serious their injuries were. He glanced over at the sensor panel, which had been taken over by an ensign and felt a sense of loss. Kevin had gone to check on the two girls. Both had still been unconscious when they'd been carried from the Command Center.
“The crystal looks as if it’s been slightly burned on one end,” Malen replied. “I don’t know enough about it to guess how badly the crystal is damaged; only Lieutenant Johnson would know that.”
Jeremy was silent as he thought that over. He knew there was nothing he could do until Katie was back up and on duty. She had designed the memory crystal for both Ariel and Clarissa. Taking a deep breath, he tried not to think what it would mean if the crystal was irreparable and Ariel was gone.
“What’s the status of our ships?” inquired Jeremy, tilting his head slightly.
“Light damage to the Avenger and the Nemesis,” Malen reported as she walked over and studied the data on a small screen next to the tactical display. The Vega and Orion have moderate to heavy damage and will need to spend some time in the station repair bays. I wouldn’t risk them in combat in their current condition.”
Jeremy nodded. He knew they were lucky to have gotten out of system K-774 alive. He was still anxious to find out what exactly had happened to Ariel. The Communications console and Ariel’s computer console both being damaged at the same time were too much of a coincidence. It was almost as if the AIs had intentionally tried to take Ariel out.
“How many Devastator Threes do we still have?”
“On all four ships combined we have fifty-three,” responded Malen, grimly. She knew that was not enough of the deadly sublight missiles to fight a major battle with. “Of course, the two battle stations have full loads and there are still one hundred and eight on the space station.”
“Entering Careth’s gravity well,” Kelsey reported over the mini-com. “Jeremy, can I go to the med bay?”
“Go,” replied Jeremy, knowing Kelsey was anxious to check on Angela and Katie. Since they were inside the gravity well, there would be no need to plot additional jumps, and Ensign Striker at the helm could take the Avenger on into the space station.
“Grayseth is on the com,” the backup communications officer reported from the auxiliary console. “He’s inquiring as to what assistance we need.”
Jeremy tapped his mini-com and changed its frequency to that used by the station. “We’re back,” Jeremy said, trying to keep his voice calm.
“I’m glad to see you survived,” Grayseth responded in his strong and powerful voice. “I am already moving ships out of the repair bays to make room for the Orion and Vega; I assume you want them repaired first?”
Jeremy knew that the powerful viewscreens in the Command Center of the station could easily show Grayseth the damage to the strikecruisers. “Yes; we don’t know what the Hocklyns and the AIs will do now.”
“At the moment, the Hocklyns haven’t moved other than to send a few ships to investigate the wreckage from the battle,” Grayseth responded. They'd been watching system K-774 very closely using the two stealth scouts positioned on the outskirts of the system. “There have also been no signs of the two AI ships that fled the battle. We’re hoping to pick them up on some of the FTL sensor buoys in other systems.”
Jeremy leaned back in his command chair and briefly closed his eyes. The attack on the AIs had cost him four of his irreplaceable strikecruisers and most of his supply of the Devastator Three missiles. It was a gamble he'd taken in hopes of buying enough time for Admiral Streth to return. Jeremy knew that if he was wrong, the Careth system would not survive the next attack.
“As soon as we dock, I’ll come aboard,” Jeremy said, wondering what else they could do to protect the system. “I need to stop by the med bay and check on several members of the crew.”
“I will tell Admiral Marks you’re coming on board,” Grayseth replied. “It was a good hunt, Jeremy,” Grayseth added. “You have bought us some much needed time to work on repairing our defenses.”
“I just hope it was worth it,” Jeremy replied as he stood up. He hoped that Angela and Katie pulled through. He could not imagine losing either of them.
-
A few minutes later, Jeremy stepped into the med bay. Looking around, he saw Katie in one of the beds with Kevin hovering close by. Both of her hands were wrapped in bandages.
“How is she?” Jeremy asked with concern in his voice as he walked over to stand next to Kevin.
“Sleeping,” replied Kevin, sounding exhausted. “She suffered some pretty bad burns on her hands and a mild electrical shock. The doctors gave her something to make her sleep. They say she should be fine in a
couple of days and there shouldn’t be any scarring.”
“What about Angela?”
“Kelsey’s in with her,” Kevin replied as his eyes remained focused on Katie. “What about Ariel?”
“We don’t know,” Jeremy replied with a shake of his head. “Her crystal looks to be slightly damaged; we will have to wait until Katie can examine it.”
“The AIs attacked Ariel, didn’t they?”
“It would seem that way,” answered Jeremy with a slight nod of his head. “Colonel Malen thinks the AIs sent some type of computer virus through the communications system in an attempt to access Ariel’s program and disrupt it. Malen believes that Angela realized something was wrong and when she tried to shut the system down, the virus caused the console to overload and explode.”
“If something has happened to Ariel, I wouldn’t want to be the AIs when Katie learns of it,” spoke Kevin, softly. There was no doubt in Kevin’s mind that Katie would think of some way to retaliate against the AIs.
Jeremy left Kevin and Katie and made his way over to another section of the med bay, which was sealed off. Several doctors and a nurse were standing there talking.
“How’s Lieutenant DeSota?” Jeremy asked when the three stopped speaking as he approached.
“Not good,” the senior doctor in charge replied. “She has major burns to her hands and arms as well as some internal injuries. Her left arm is broken as well as two of her ribs.”
“We’re going to do surgery shortly to stop the internal bleeding,” continued the other doctor. “We’re pretty confident we can repair everything. She will be off duty for at least six to ten weeks.”
“Then it’s not life threatening?”
“No,” replied the senior doctor, shaking his head. “The internal bleeding was brought about by her broken ribs, which also caused one of her lungs to partially collapse. However, we have managed to stabilize her and her bio readings are strong, so she should come through surgery okay. Then it’s just a matter of rest and rehabilitation.”
The Slaver Wars: Galactic Conflict Page 10