Of course a big part of that would be if the Humans and their allies could keep the Simulins away from Ornellia long enough so the defenses could be greatly enhanced and more warships built. Looking up, Dax wondered how soon the fleet engagement would begin. All the bunkers were still full of people though they had been resupplied with more food and medical items in case it ever became necessary to go into hiding again. He had spoken with Admiral Jackson on a number of occasions and felt confident in Jackson’s ability to protect the planet. Even so, Dax still felt apprehensive. He knew if Admiral Jackson lost just one battle, it could well spell doom for the Ornellian race.
-
“Simulins are entering hyperspace,” called out Lieutenant Ortega as the red threat icons on the long-range sensor screen began to blink out of existence to appear on another sensor display showing vessels in hyperspace. “Estimated dropout time from hyperspace is twenty-six minutes.”
“Our fleet formation?” asked Admiral Jackson, glancing over at Commander Blanton.
“All ships have formed up. Non-combatants have moved beneath the defense grid. The battlecarriers have formed up into a diamond formation, and Admiral Santeld has moved his ships into a supporting position around them.”
Jackson gazed at the tactical display trying to guess where the Simulins would exit hyperspace, wishing he could be at that location. It would allow him to hit the Simulin vessels before their energy screens could come fully online. “Take the fleet out two hundred thousand kilometers from Ornellia,” he ordered. “We’ll wait there for the Simulins.”
That would put the fleet just on the outside of the planet’s gravity well. He doubted if the Simulins would jump any closer and risk damage to their vessels. While the Simulins were perfectly capable of jumping within a gravity well, it was always a risk that could very easily compromise a hyperdrive core.
Jackson watched patiently as the fleet moved rapidly through space toward the expected exit point of the Simulin fleet. Minutes passed quickly by. He exhaled a deep breath, realizing he was once more about to take a fleet under his command into combat. Brave men and women were about to die in an attempt to keep Ornellia safe.
“All ships go to Condition One,” Jackson ordered when the counter for expected Simulin emergence reached the ten-minute mark. The fleet was already at Condition Two.
Instantly, klaxons sounded and red lights began flashing. After a minute, Commander Blanton turned the alarms and lights off, satisfied the crew was as ready as they were going to be. She shifted her gaze to the tactical display showing the inbound Simulin warships. “All stations are manned and ready for combat, sir.”
“Admiral Bachal reports all of his ships are ready for combat; the same for the AI warspheres,” Lieutenant Brenda Neal informed the admiral.
Jackson nodded. He was taking one hundred and twenty-seven ships into battle. He was going to be slightly outnumbered, but with the AI warspheres and the Alton battleships he felt he had a decisive advantage in firepower.
“Emergence vector calculated,” reported Lieutenant Margaret Burns from Navigation. “Six hundred and forty thousand kilometers from Ornellia, vector twenty-seven degrees by sixteen galactic north.”
“Can we get there in time to englobe them?”
“No, sir,” Commander Blanton replied as she quickly checked some data on one of her screens. “We would be two minutes short.”
It was about what Jackson had expected. “Very well, hold formation and we’ll engage as soon as we reach weapons range.”
More minutes crawled by and then suddenly alarms began sounding on the sensor console.
“Spatial vortexes detected,” reported Lieutenant Ortega. “Emergence coordinates are as projected.”
“Take us in,” Admiral Jackson ordered as he fastened his safety harness snugly across his waist and chest. He had no intention of giving the Simulins time to organize.
-
Simulin High Commander Altrab gazed with cold eyes at the viewscreens in the Command Center as they gradually cleared of static.
“All systems are coming online and working at optimum levels,” reported Second Commander Jarald.
On the main screen, the image shifted to show several nearby battlecruisers. The tactical display suddenly flickered and came to life showing a horde of red threat icons barreling toward the Simulin fleet as alarms began sounding.
“Sensor contacts,” reported the sensor operator. “Confirmed Fitula Nebula organic ships as well as AI vessels.”
Altrab gazed at the quickly approaching threat icons. There were a large number of the spherical AI ships as well as some of the more powerful organic warships. He knew from previous reports these vessels were just as powerful as his own battlecruisers, perhaps even more so.
“What does the battle computer recommend?”
Second Commander Jarald spent a few moments checking the computer and then turned toward the High Commander. “Based on previous encounters with the ship types approaching us we only have a 14 percent chance of victory.”
Altrab’s eyes widened as he weighed his options. He had never been in a battle where the Simulin fleet he was leading hadn’t been predicted to win. Supreme High Commander Callat had been very clear that Altrab was not to risk heavy losses to his fleet. That order was contrary to standard Simulin battle procedure.
“Form the fleet up in standard attack formation. We will engage the enemy and test the strength of their fleet and weapons.”
“There can be none but Simulin,” said Jarald. “All other organics must be eliminated.”
“None but Simulin,” Altrab replied. “It is as it has been for thousands of years. All other organics must die so the Simulin race can spread across all the known galaxies.” However, in all that time they had never encountered such opposition as posed by these strange organics and the AIs from the Fitula Nebula.
-
The Simulin fleet quickly formed up into a phalanx, shields nearly touching and the vessels very close together. The fleet began moving slowly toward the advancing enemy. Energy weapons were charged and hatches on missile tubes slid open.
-
Admiral Jackson watched as the Command Center in the Dauntless came alive with intense activity as the crew prepared for battle.
“Simulins have formed up into a tight offensive formation and are advancing,” reported Lieutenant Ortega.
“That’s not a very good tactical formation,” commented Commander Blanton, raising her eyebrows as she examined the closely grouped icons in the tactical display near her. “It may work fine against energy beams and other similar weapons, but our antimatter missiles will wreck havoc with it.”
“This High Commander evidently has never fought against any of our ships before,” Jackson said, agreeing with the commander’s assessment. “While our antimatter missiles might not penetrate their screens, they will scramble their targeting sensors as close together as they are. I want all ships to fire a full barrage of the one hundred-megaton missiles, then a quick follow up with particle beams and power beams. Let’s try to take out as many as we can before they adjust their formation.”
“Ready to fire,” reported Captain Lance from Tactical. “Antimatter missiles are armed and hatches are open.”
“One minute to optimum weapons range,” spoke Lieutenant Ortega.
“Simulins are firing,” reported Commander Blanton as a warning alarm sounded on her command console.
The Dauntless shuddered as several Simulin antimatter missiles slammed into her energy shield, severely jarring the ship. The lights in the Command Center flickered briefly and then returned to normal.
Admiral Jackson looked quickly around the Command Center, noting the missile strike hadn’t affected the crew. Orders were still being sent and operations were proceeding smoothly.
“Engagement range!” called out Lieutenant Ortega.
“Missiles firing!” responded Captain Lance as he pressed several icons on the screen in front of him. N
ext to the captain his weapons officers were busy targeting the ship’s powerful beam weapons at the onrushing Simulin vessels.
On the main viewscreen, the Simulin fleet seemed to vanish as hundreds of antimatter missiles detonated against their shields. Their weapons fire faltered and nearly stopped as the screen became filled with light.
“Continuous fire on all beam weapons,” ordered Admiral Jackson, wanting to take advantage of the sudden decrease in Simulin weapons fire. He knew the antimatter blasts had temporarily blinded their sensors and for at least a few seconds their ships would be vulnerable.
-
Particle beams tore into the tight Simulin formation, blasting gaping holes in their energy screens. The center section of a Simulin battlecruiser was torn open by multiple particle beams. A moment later a Devastator Three missile arrived, and the fifty-megaton warhead turned the seventeen-hundred-meter ship into burning plasma.
Another Simulin battlecruiser took a massive hit to its bow, losing all six energy weapon spires. Energy beam fire from two AI warspheres quickly finished the stricken ship off, blowing it into a thousand pieces of fiery wreckage.
Two Simulin escort cruisers were targeted by Admiral Bachal’s Alton battleships, and in a matter of moments they were nothing more than drifting debris.
-
Simulin High Commander Altrab gasped in pain as his restraining harness bit deeply into his skin. The ship shook violently as it took an energy weapon hit to its bow.
“Status!” Altrab demanded as he gazed in anger at the viewscreens.
He had made a serious tactical error in bunching his fleet up in too tight a formation. He’d also underestimated the power of the enemy’s missiles, assuming they would be no stronger than his own. He had paid for that mistake with the loss of a number of ships and even more were reporting severe damage.
“We must spread our formation,” stated Second Commander Jarald as he stared at the newest recommendation from the battle computer. The chance of a Simulin victory was now down to 8 percent. He had never seen such a number before.
“Do so,” ordered Altrab as he watched a Simulin escort cruiser being blown apart by several AI ships. It was becoming rapidly obvious the one-thousand-meter spherical ships of the AIs were more powerfully armed than a Simulin battlecruiser.
On another screen he saw Simulin energy beams penetrate the screen of an enemy warship, opening up a number of compartments. Then a Simulin missile arrived, turning the vessel into a scattering of stardust. “Intensify our rate of fire. Have multiple ships fire upon single targets.”
“Their screens are more powerful than previously reported,” Second Commander Jarald was quick to point out. “Our energy weapons are having trouble penetrating.”
Altrab felt growing frustration as another one of his escort cruisers was annihilated. He had never faced an enemy such as this in his long career.
“Orders have been sent,” Jarald reported. “Fleet is increasing the spacing between ships; weapons have been switched to continuous and autonomous fire. Our fleet is now firing in three ship units upon individual enemy targets.”
Altrab nodded. He would watch and see how this change of tactics affected the enemy. In the back of his mind, he knew Supreme Admiral Callat expected him to return with the majority of his fleet.
-
In space, warsphere W-119 was struggling to keep its energy shield intact. Simulin energy beams and antimatter missiles were pummeling it relentlessly. The screen seemed to flicker briefly and during that time two Simulin energy beams penetrated blasting out two deep glowing craters in the ship’s hull. In retaliation the warsphere fired all of its particle beam cannons at a Simulin escort cruiser, tearing its screen down, riddling its hull, and turning it into a drifting and powerless hulk. The warsphere’s screen flickered again and an antimatter missile penetrated. In a brilliant explosion, the warsphere was turned into a miniature sun.
-
“Warsphere W-119 is down,” reported Lieutenant Ortega.
“Alton battleship Windstar is reporting heavy damage,” added Lieutenant Neal. “Admiral Bachal is ordering it to the rear of the formation.”
The Dauntless shook violently, and a console exploded in a shower of sparks. The operator collapsed to the floor, unmoving.
“Get me a status report,” barked Jackson. “All batteries, continuous fire! Medics, take care of that crewman!”
On the viewscreens, he watched grimly as two more Simulin battlecruisers exploded under the heavy fire from his fleet.
“Simulin energy beam penetrated our energy shield,” reported Commander Blanton. “We have two compartments open to space. Damage control teams have been dispatched. No impact on our fighting ability.”
Jackson nodded as he watched two medics working on the downed officer. The man was sitting up but still seemed shaken. Smoke from the damaged console was rapidly clearing from the Command Center.
A sudden flash of light suddenly filled one of the secondary viewscreens.
“What was that?” demanded Jackson. He knew a ship of some sort had just died.
“Strikecruiser Plymouth is down,” reported Lieutenant Ortega grimly. “We’ve also just lost the Alton battlecruiser EarlyDawn.”
“Enemy fleet is beginning to spread their formation,” warned Commander Blanton as she studied one of the tactical displays. “It looks as if we’ve taken out six of their battlecruisers and fourteen of their escorts so far.”
Admiral Jackson took a deep breath. He had known this battle would be costly. Both sides were losing a lot of ships. “We’ll maintain contact for five more minutes and then pull back to the defense grid. As soon as we reach the grid, I want the Anlon bombers sent in. They’re to target any Simulin ship showing damage or a weakened energy screen.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Blanton. “Contacting the battlecarriers now.”
-
The battle in space was intensifying. Particle beam fire from two Alton battleships slammed into the center part of a Simulin battlecruiser, setting off massive explosions and hurling glowing debris away from the hull. Secondary explosions began to shake the vessel and then it exploded as an antimatter missile detonated on the stern.
The aft section of a Human battlecruiser was blown off from a Simulin antimatter strike, leaving the ship drifting helplessly in space with little or no power. The ship came under intense attack from several Simulin escort cruisers using their energy beams to riddle the ship. In a flaming detonation the battlecruiser blew apart, sending flaming debris in all directions.
-
Simulin High Commander Altrab glared coldly at the ship’s main viewscreen. Several Simulin warships were in the last throes of being destroyed by concentrated fire from six AI ships. His thoughts turned toward his orders from Supreme High Commander Callat. He was not to allow his fleet to suffer significant losses. There was not a single blemish on his long career as a Simulin High Commander; that was about to change.
“Give the order to withdraw,” Altrab said harshly, knowing it would leave a black mark on his record even though he was only following orders.
“Withdraw?” asked Second Commander Jarald, looking confused. “Why? We are inflicting grave losses on the enemy. It is not our way to retreat; we must destroy all who are not Simulin!”
“In most cases, you would be correct,” answered Altrab, looking over at his second in command. “However, due to our recent fleet losses and the Great Sphere having been destroyed, we must preserve our fleet. Those were the orders given to me by Supreme High Commander Callat.”
“We must obey the Supreme High Commander,” said Jarald in acknowledgment. “I will begin preparations for the fleet to withdraw.”
Altrab turned his attention back to the viewscreens. It was against all of his training to retreat with most of his fleet still remaining. However, he would obey his orders. They would return to Tranton and report to Supreme High Commander Callat about what had transpired here at Ornellia. Perhaps some
time in the future he would return with a much larger fleet and complete the destruction of these organics and their AIs.
-
Admiral Jackson was about to give the order to fall back to Ornellia when the Simulin fleet suddenly began jumping out.
“Simulins are opening up spatial vortexes,” reported Lieutenant Ortega.
“They’re leaving!” gasped Commander Blanton as she watched in disbelief. “Why?”
“Unknown,” replied Jackson, leaning forward in his command chair. “Continue to hit them until the last ship is gone from the system.”
Jackson breathed out a long sigh of relief. While he had lost a number of ships, his fleet hadn’t been crippled. Once the last Simulin vessel withdrew, he would pull back to Ornellia and have the two fleet repair ships come out and begin repairs. He knew he had a number of damaged ships. Some of the repair work would be minor, but the rest of it would be quite extensive.
On the main viewscreen, the image shifted to show more ships of the fleet. Several had jagged pits in their hulls, and many were showing burn marks from energy weapon strikes. All would need to spend time with the repair ships.
“Last Simulin ship has entered hyperspace,” reported Lieutenant Ortega.
“Give me a status on all fleet ships and the condition of the crews. I want to know the casualty figures both dead and injured. Also, find out if we have any ships that can’t make it back to Ornellia. If so, the Alton battleships are equipped with tractor beams and can tow them back.”
“Yes, sir,” Commander Blanton said. “I’ll check on ship conditions and get the rest of the information to you as soon as possible.”
Jackson nodded. This battle was over. He just wondered how many more were still in his future.
-
On Ornellia, Dax Matol was standing in the Control Center of his bunker complex. He had gone there so he could monitor the battle between the Humans and the Simulins. It was with great relief that he saw the Simulin fleet turn and flee the system.
“It’s over,” Les Ketene said as the last Simulin ship vanished from the sensor screen.
The Lost Fleet: Genesis: A Slaver Wars Novel Page 22