Full squadrons of Simulin battlecruisers and escort cruisers were targeting individual Federation ships. Ten Simulin battlecruisers were concentrating their fire on a fifteen-hundred-meter AI sphere. Its screen radiated higher and higher until a massive influx of Simulin antimatter missiles caused it to fail. Across the hull of the huge warship, explosions rattled its surface as Simulin energy beams slammed home. Large, gaping chasms were opened up in the hull and then a dozen antimatter missiles arrived, changing the vessel into molten metal and glowing plasma.
-
“AI ship 437 is down,” reported Kevin as the ship vanished from his sensors. “Other ships are receiving substantial damage.”
Jeremy looked worriedly at one of the main viewscreens where an Alton battleship was besieged by several squadrons of Simulin ships. The top section of the vessel suddenly exploded and debris started drifting away from the ship. Then an antimatter missile slammed into the stern of the battleship and the vessel vanished in a fiery explosion.
The viewscreens on the front wall of the Command Center were steadily shifting, showing other ships joined in heavy combat. Even as Jeremy watched, a Federation battleship was blown apart as numerous Simulin energy beams penetrated its energy screen followed by several antimatter missiles.
“Battleship Nomad is down,” reported Kevin in a grave voice.
“We have numerous ships reporting heavy damage,” Commander Malen added with growing worry on her face. “We can’t take this pounding much longer.”
Jeremy took a deep breath. “Are we causing any damage to the Dyson Sphere?”
“Very little,” Ariel answered with deep concern showing in her dark eyes. “Our sensors are indicating energy shields have been activated around the vortex area.”
“What if we fired directly into the vortex? Is there any chance we could destabilize it?”
“No,” Ariel responded. “I’m now detecting a powerful energy shield directly above the vortex.”
The Avenger shook violently and alarms began sounding on the damage control console. Red lights began appearing, indicating the hull had been compromised.
Jeremy looked around the Command Center. The crew were at their consoles showing no fear of what was occurring around them.
“We can’t destroy it,” Kevin said in a grim voice. “Jeremy, we’re losing ships. Two AI warspheres have just been destroyed. The damage to the fleet is mounting.”
“Ariel, is there any target we can hit which might damage the Dyson Sphere?”
Ariel shook her head. “I’m talking to Clarissa and she’s making inquiries of Andram and Shilum. They feel now that the interior is protected by energy shields to prevent just the type of damage we’re trying to cause.” Ariel paused as if listening to someone. “The Command AI is volunteering to use some of its ships to ram the Dyson Sphere with their antimatter warheads set to detonate on contact.”
“Will that work?” Jeremy hated the idea of sacrificing ships in such a manner, but they had to find a way to damage or destroy the sphere.
“I’m running calculations now,” Ariel replied. A few moments passed and then she spoke. “No, the energy shields are too powerful. Even if we rammed the sphere in some of the worldlets, I don’t believe we would be able to cause significant damage. Our only hope is to destroy the area around one of the vortexes releasing the energy being used to keep them activated.”
Commander Malen looked over at Jeremy. “What do we do?”
“Keep fighting until we figure out how to destroy the Dyson Sphere,” Jeremy answered determinedly. “We’re never going to get this opportunity again.”
-
In space, the AI warspheres were in the midst of the battle with the Simulins. They were the most powerful ships in the fleet and moving directly into the center of the advancing Simulin formation. Particle beams were flashing out, followed by multitudes of one hundred-megaton antimatter missiles. The heart of the Simulin formation was a furnace of burning and dying ships.
A heavily damaged warsphere rammed a Simulin battlecruiser sending both to their deaths in a fiery funeral pyre. Two warspheres combined and blasted down the energy shield of a Simulin battlecruiser and then raked its hull with particle beams, causing devastating damage until an antimatter missile detonated blowing the ship apart.
Three AI warspheres were surrounded by sixty Simulin battlecruisers and had their shields repeatedly pummeled by Simulin energy beams and antimatter missiles until the shields weakened and failed. In three horrendous explosions, the warspheres were destroyed.
-
Supreme High Commander Nathalee gripped the armrests on his command chair as the Silent Victory received a jarring strike from several antimatter missiles. “Report!” he demanded in a harsh voice.
“We’re losing ships,” High Commander Tarnell answered as he consulted the battle computer. “Chance of Simulin victory is at 12 percent, chance of AI victory is at 14 percent. The battle computer is reporting a 74 percent probability of the battle resulting in a stalemate with most of the ships from both sides being eliminated.”
“What of the Great Sphere?”
Tarnell consulted several other Simulins who were working the ship’s science consoles as well as sensors. “The Great Sphere has activated hitherto unknown energy shields to protect itself. The AIs and their organic allies are not causing significant damage.”
Nathalee nodded. The activation of these energy shields was an interesting facet of data. It indicated the Great Sphere had a guiding intelligence defending itself from attack. This was information the Simulin Grand Council would find useful. If a way could be found to communicate with this intelligence, then perhaps it would be possible to access other areas of the Great Spheres.
“Continue the attack,” ordered Nathalee without hesitation. “These AIs and their organics are enemies of the Simulin race and must be eliminated. There can be none but Simulin.”
“None but Simulin,” replied Tarnell.
-
Rear Admiral Kathryn Barnes grimaced as she saw a Federation strikecruiser vanish in a fiery explosion from a Simulin antimatter missile.
“The fleet is sustaining heavy damage,” Clarissa reported. “Fleet Admiral Strong is hesitant to withdraw as we many not be able to return again. In all likelihood, the Simulins will increase the size of their defense fleets at the tunnel entrances to ensure this.”
Kathryn could sense the growing desperation she knew must be sweeping across the fleet. Only the AIs would be void of this horrible feeling. “Andram, is there anything we can do?”
The Alton scientist hesitated for a moment and then turned toward Kathryn with a grave look on his wizened face. “I may have found a way to destroy the Dyson Sphere.”
“What?” exclaimed Colonel Leon, her eyes growing wide in astonishment. “How?”
Andram turned back around and adjusted the ship’s large viewscreen. Instantly, the central sun appeared surrounded by half a dozen dark ribbons of power collection stations. “We destroy the system’s sun.”
Kathryn leaned back in her command chair in shock at hearing those words. “Is that even possible?”
“Yes,” Andram answered. “Shilum and I have been doing some calculations. If we take the Distant Horizon to the outer edge of the corona of the star and launch all of our antimatter missiles into the photosphere, it should cause a sufficient reaction to cause the star to go nova. It will take some precision because all of the missiles need to detonate within milliseconds of one another to cause the photosphere to become unstable enough.”
“We’ve lost another battlecruiser, and two more strikecruisers,” Captain Reynolds said in a grim voice. “We’ve also lost eighteen warspheres in the last seven minutes.”
“Clarissa, if we do this, can the Distant Horizon escape the nova?”
Clarissa was quiet for a long moment and then answered. “No, Admiral. The nova will be nearly instantaneous and we most likely won’t be able to activate our hyperdrive
in time to escape. The sheer mass of the sun and being so deep inside its gravity well may cause the drive to fail catastrophically when we jump into the outer regions of the corona.”
“Can we send some of the AI ships to do this?” asked Commander Grissim.
“No,” replied Andram, shaking his head. “Only the Distant Horizon possesses an energy shield powerful enough to allow us to get as close to the corona of the star as we’re going to need to be. We’re actually going to be within the outer edges.”
Kathryn closed her eyes briefly. She had always known there was a possibility she could die in her service to the fleet. Now it seemed as if that time had arrived. There were six large shuttles and four small cargo shuttles in the ship’s flight bay. “Commander Malen, give the order to evacuate all nonessential personnel.” She looked over at Katie and Kelsey. “That includes the two of you as well as Andram, Shilum, and Mikow.” She wasn’t going to be responsible for the deaths of two of the Special Five, and Jeremy would need the three Altons and their knowledge.
“Admiral,” protested Andram, you may need me to coordinate the missile strike.”
“Clarissa, can you launch the missiles to do the job?”
“Yes, Admiral,” Clarissa said softly. “I can do it. There’s no reason for Andram or any of the others to stay.”
“What’s the nearest ship that can take on our shuttles?”
“The AI command ship is nearby,” Commander Grissim answered in a steady voice. “It has ten warspheres and twenty of the fifteen-hundred-meter spheres as escorts.”
Kathryn nodded. That would be a safe place for her people. “Clarissa, contact the Command AI and inform it of what we’re getting ready to do.” She looked around at Andram and the others who were still standing in the Command Center, hesitant to leave. “Go now,” she ordered. “Or I’ll have you escorted to the shuttle by marines.”
“Goodbye, Admiral,” Kelsey said, her eyes filled with shock over what they were about to do. She had never imagined anything like this.
“It’s been an honor,” Katie added as she walked over to Kelsey’s side. She looked over at Clarissa and a tear formed in her eye. “Clarissa, I’m so sorry.”
“Its fine, Katie,” said Clarissa, turning toward Katie with a weak smile. “You have always been my best friend. Don’t forget me.”
“I won’t,” sobbed Katie as she turned and left the Command Center followed by the others.
The Command Center was quiet for a long moment and then Kathryn began giving orders. “Clarissa, expedite getting them off the ship and anyone else we can get to those shuttles in the next few minutes. I want to make our hyperspace jump to the star as soon as possible. Contact Ariel and tell her what we’re preparing to do.”
“I already have,” Clarissa replied as she squared up her shoulders.
-
“They’re going to do what?” exploded Jeremy, his eyes taking on a look of disbelief.
“Andram and Shilum have figured out how to cause the central sun to go nova. They’re already evacuating all nonessential personnel to the Command AI’s ship. Clarissa says we have twenty minutes to get out of the Dyson Sphere before the nova reaches us.”
Kevin looked over at Jeremy and then spoke with his voice almost in a whisper. “They’re sacrificing the Distant Horizon to destroy the Dyson Sphere.”
“It’s the only way,” Ariel replied in a somber voice. “I’ve run the calculations with Clarissa, and the plan will work.”
“How soon before the shuttles reach the Command AI’s ship?”
“They’re already docking,” answered Ariel. “The Command AI has sent twenty of the remaining warspheres to cover the Distant Horizon until they’re ready to make their hyperjump.”
Jeremy looked at one of the viewscreens, which showed the exploration dreadnought. He couldn’t believe he was agreeing to this. Over the ship-to-ship comm, he contacted all of his remaining ships. “We’re leaving. I want a short hyperjump to the exit tunnel and then full subspace speed until we’re out. Once we’ve cleared the Dyson Sphere, we’ll jump to the dark matter tunnel entrance and then jump out. Timing is of the essence.”
-
Aboard the Distant Horizon, Kathryn watched as the rest of the fleet disengaged from the Simulins and opened up spatial vortexes to jump the short distance to the escape tunnel. Once she was satisfied all the ships were gone except her escort, she turned to Commander Grissim. “Make the jump to the corona. Clarissa, as soon as we jump, the remaining AI warspheres are to join Fleet Admiral Strong.”
Moments later a swirling blue-white vortex formed in front of the Distant Horizon and Lieutenant Styles quickly flew the exploration dreadnought into it.
-
Kathryn was nearly thrown from her command chair as the ship exited its vortex in the outer edge of the star’s corona. Alarm bells were ringing and multiple red lights were appearing on the damage control console.
“Hyperdrive is down,” confirmed Clarissa in a calm voice.
“Chief Engineer Jalat is working on it,” Commander Grissim reported. “He doesn’t know if it’s repairable.”
Kathryn nodded. They had known this might be a one-way trip.
“Admiral, the energy shield is rapidly weakening,” reported Colonel Leon from her command console. “I estimate three or four minutes is the longest it will remain up.”
Taking a deep breath, Kathryn looked around her command crew. Most were watching her, their eyes showing little fear. “I’ve been proud to be your commander,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better crew. Take solace in the thought that what we’re about to do will protect our home galaxy as well as Gaia.” She turned toward Clarissa. “Launch the missiles and Clarissa, I want you to know that I consider you a friend.”
“Thank you, Admiral,” Clarissa responded as she activated the complicated launching process she had set up. The Distant Horizon had thirty-six missile tubes and she had nearly two hundred missiles to launch. She had adjusted the missiles’ subspace drives to allow for multiple launches and for all them to arrive on target simultaneously. It would be a rapid launch and she could have all the missiles launched in twelve seconds. “Missiles launching.”
Rear Admiral Kathryn Barnes, the daughter of Governor Barnes of Ceres, closed her eyes waiting for death. She just wished she could have seen her father one last time.
-
The two hundred missiles arrived at their target within milliseconds of one another. Already the intense heat was causing the missiles to melt. In a massive explosion all the missiles detonated, each releasing one hundred-megatons of antimatter energy. The star seemed to recoil in on itself and then it exploded. Raw energy raced outwards toward the surrounding energy collection rings and the Dyson Sphere. The energy collection rings were destroyed in seconds and still the ravaging energy continued outward.
-
Supreme High Commander Nathalee leaned back in his command chair in shock. The AIs and their organic allies had done the impossible. They had found a way to destroy the Great Sphere.
“Nine minutes until the nova reaches us,” reported High Commander Tarnell. “The battle computer estimates a 98 percent chance the Great Sphere will be destroyed.”
Nathalee did not respond. He had failed in his duty to the Simulin Empire and now one of its most important assets was about to be lost. He would pay for that failure with his life and the lives of every Simulin in his fleet.
-
The nova swept outward and approached the Dyson Sphere. The Simulin ships that had survived the fleet battle were snuffed away like insects. All across the Dyson Sphere emergency energy shields came into being. However, even those powerful shields hadn’t been designed to withstand the all-consuming force of a nova. The shields resisted briefly. Then they failed and the full power of the nova smashed into the Dyson Sphere. For a moment, nothing happened, and then the entire sphere blew apart in a cataclysmic explosion. Its dense hull material became fuel for the ragin
g energy of the nova and then the nearly impossible happened. The exotic material of the Dyson Sphere caused the nova to greatly expand in renewed force and fury. In a heartbeat, the star turned into a supernova and that energy now raced toward the edge of the dark matter nebula.
-
Jeremy watched the Avenger’s sensors, which were recording what was happening down the tunnel of the dark matter nebula.
“The star has turned into a supernova,” Ariel reported in an even voice. “The Dyson Sphere has been destroyed.”
“What will its effects be on the dark matter?” asked Commander Malen.
“Unknown,” Ariel answered. “It will have to be studied. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”
Jeremy was silent for a long moment. He had lost numerous ships during the battle inside the Dyson Sphere. Worst of all he had lost the Distant Horizon and those aboard her. The evacuated crew from the exploration dreadnought were already docking with the Avenger and would soon all be safely aboard. Jeremy turned toward Ariel and saw the lonely look upon her face. “I’m sorry about Clarissa, we’ll all miss her.”
“I know,” answered Ariel in a soft voice. “Jeremy, if you don’t mind I would prefer not to be in the Command Center for awhile.”
Jeremy nodded in understanding. They were all going to have to deal with these losses. “Commander Malen, as soon as the survivors from the Distant Horizon are all on board set a course for home.”
“Yes, Admiral,” Kyla responded.
Jeremy looked back at the viewscreens showing the dark matter nebula. What they had accomplished today would change this galaxy. No longer were the Simulins undefeatable. They were now cut off from major reinforcements from their other galaxies and had lost a large portion of their warships. While this battle had been won, there were still many more waiting in the future. Jeremy was also determined no one would ever forget the great sacrifice made inside the Dyson Sphere. Today new heroes had come to light. Heroes whose sacrifice would always be remembered.
The Lost Fleet: Oblivion's Light: A Slaver Wars Novel Page 29