The Lost Fleet: Genesis: A Slaver Wars Novel
Page 24
-
The last AI ship had just made their jump when the hatch to the Command Center opened and Fleet Admiral Strong and Lieutenant Kevin Walters hurried in.
“Status!” called out Jeremy as he sat down in his command chair.
“AIs have jumped, and the rest of the fleet is on standby,” reported Commander Malen.
Jeremy nodded. “Ariel, how long until the Dominator gets here?”
“They’re at seven light years and will be at the estimated exit coordinates in twenty-two minutes.”
“The Simulin fleet?”
“They’ve all entered hyperspace. As I told Commander Malen, they’ll arrive six minutes after the Dominator and Admiral Sithe.”
Jeremy leaned back in his command chair as he thought about what was soon to occur. There was no doubt the Simulins had detected the Dominator and the other ships in her task group. By now they had also probably detected the AI ships, which should be exiting hyperspace at the expected rendezvous coordinates.
“Ariel, how long will it take for us to enter hyperspace and reach the Dominator’s coordinates?”
“Twenty-eight seconds.”
Jeremy’s eyes shifted to the nearby tactical display. The AI ships were beginning to show up on the sensors at the expected dropout point of the Originator ship. “Commander Malen, I want all of our remaining ships to enter hyperspace and arrive at the rendezvous coordinates forty seconds before the Simulins do.” That would give his ships just enough time to raise their shields and bring all weapons online. “Ariel can help coordinate the jump.” If they timed this just right, he could get in an opening volley before the Simulins could raise their shields or fire a weapon. He might also be able to take them by surprise.
Jeremy’s eyes focused on the largest green icon coming toward the nebula, the Dominator with his wife, Kelsey. She was about to become involved in a major battle and how she fought the Dominator might well determine all of their survival. The Simulins outnumbered them by nearly three to one. Without the Dominator’s superior weapons this would be a very costly and possibly short battle.
-
“Admiral Sithe is ordering us to go to Condition One,” Lieutenant Lee Michelson said from Communications.
“Do it,” ordered Kelsey as she studied the red threat icons on the Dominator’s long-range sensors. “Kazak, what is the makeup of that fleet?”
“Two hundred twelve battlecruisers and five hundred seven escort cruisers. They will arrive at our dropout coordinates exactly six minutes and eleven seconds after we do.”
“Can we jump before they arrive?”
“The Dominator could. Admiral Sithe’s ships will need a few more minutes of cool down time for their drive cores before it’s safe for them to jump.”
“What if they jumped without the additional cool down time?”
“They risk damage to their hyperdrives,” Kazak answered. “I believe the ships themselves would be fine but the drives would need extensive recalibration and may even suffer some minor damage.”
Kelsey looked sharply at Kazak. “Recommendations?”
Kazak looked a little uncomfortable as he answered. “We have the capability to destroy the Simulin fleet. I can activate the energy-siphoning field as soon as the Simulins arrive. In less than five minutes their ships will be powerless.”
“Our own ships will be in range of the field,” Andram pointed out. “Kazak, can you localize the field or set it so it doesn’t affect our own warships.”
“We may have another problem with using the energy-siphoning field,” Lieutenant Tracey Burkes said from her sensor station. “There’s a group of AI ships that have just jumped to our expected exit coordinates.”
“Jeremy and Kevin,” said Katie, her green eyes lighting up. “They’re coming out to help us against the Simulins.”
Kazak was silent for a moment as he was communicating with the ship’s core computer. “Yes, there are a number of projectors on the hull of the Dominator, which can be used to localize the affect of the siphoning-field. However, due to the number of Simulin ships we’re dealing with it will be better if all of Fleet Admiral Strong’s ships are within fifteen hundred kilometers of the Dominator. I can then project the field out past that point.”
Kelsey pursed her lips as she thought. “How soon before we can communicate with Fleet Admiral Strong?” It was hard for her to say that and not just “Jeremy”.
“Two minutes before we exit hyperspace,” Kazak answered.
“Lieutenant Michelson, send a message to those AI ships at the two-minute mark,” ordered Kelsey. “Inform them that they must be within fifteen hundred kilometers of the Dominator so we can activate the energy-siphoning field. If they’re caught outside of that range, their energy could be drained as well.”
Kelsey settled back in her command chair. It would take five minutes to drain all the energy from the Simulin vessels. During that time, the Simulins would be attacking with every weapon at their disposal. Her eyes narrowed sharply as she realized how violent that attack would probably be. Admiral Sithe’s ships, as well as the AIs, might take some heavy losses before the energy-siphoning field finished its work.
-
Jeremy was watching tensely as the counter on the tactical display was counting down. As it reached zero, the Avenger accelerated and entered the swirling blue-white spatial vortex, which had formed in front of the battleship. He knew from the tactical display the other ships of his fleet, Human, Alton, and Carethian were doing the same thing. They had just received an FTL message from the Command AI informing them they needed to jump as close to the expected dropout coordinates of the Dominator as possible. It had been necessary for Ariel to calculate the hyperspace jump for all of the ships of the three fleets so they would exit within fifteen hundred kilometers of where the Dominator was going to be. The Command AI had gone on to explain the Originator ship was going to activate its energy-siphoning field, and it was essential no friendly ships get caught in it. If they did, they could become easy prey for the Simulins.
“Damn, we’re putting a lot of ships in a small area for a hyperjump,” muttered Kevin.
“Don’t worry,” Ariel said in a confident voice. “We’ll emerge in a scattered globe formation with the Dominator in the center. There won’t be any dangerous affects from the jump. I’ve done hundreds of pinpoint jumps before and we’re all still here.”
Jeremy was confident of Ariel’s navigation abilities. “Once we exit hyperspace scan for any ships that might be more than fifteen hundred kilometers from the Dominator. If we detect any, it’s critical they use their sublight drives to get within that safety zone.”
He had originally planned on dropping out of hyperspace behind where the Simulins were due to appear in order to catch then in a crossfire between the Dominator, Admiral Sithe, and the AI ships. Now he had been forced to change his plan and commit all of his forces together.
“Simulins?” he asked, looking over at Kevin.
“Forty-four seconds after we exit the vortex,” Kevin answered and then continued. “We’re cutting this pretty close, Jeremy.”
Jeremy gazed at the viewscreens and the swirling dark purple colors that seemed to be in constant turmoil, and then he felt a gut wrenching sensation and knew the Avenger had exited hyperspace.
“Status!” he demanded as the screens in the Command Center gradually began to clear of static.
“Energy shield is at 60 percent and increasing,” reported Lieutenant Charles Preston. “Should be at full power in another twenty seconds.”
“Sensors coming online,” added Kevin as his fingers flew across his screens touching icons. “We’re four hundred and eighty kilometers from the Dominator. Scanning our other ships to check on their locations.”
“Weapons coming online,” reported Lieutenant Preston.
“All systems are powering up and working at optimum levels,” Commander Malen said as she checked her command console. “All departments are at Condition
One and all interior hatches and bulkheads have been closed.”
“Damn!” uttered Kevin, his face turning pale. “Two Carethian cruisers are three thousand kilometers from the Dominator!”
“Grayseth is ordering them to head toward the fleet as fast as possible,” Ariel reported as she listened in on the ship-to-ship communications. “He’s quite aggravated the two cruisers mistimed their jump.”
“Spatial vortexes detected,” said Kevin, looking worriedly toward the nearby tactical display, now coming alive with green and red icons. Two green icons were intermixed amongst the red threat icons that were rapidly appearing.
“Some of those Simulins vessels are exiting inside the fifteen hundred kilometer safe zone,” warned Ariel as she used the ship’s sensors to scan surrounding space. “They won’t be affected by the Dominator’s energy-siphoning field.”
Jeremy quickly passed on orders to his fleets. “All ships, fire on any Simulin vessel within the fifteen hundred kilometer exclusion zone. They must be destroyed!”
-
In space, the Simulin warfleet exited hundreds of swirling spatial vortexes. For just a few seconds they were vulnerable as their shields and weapons were still powering up.
The one hundred and forty AI ships fired instantly upon detecting the Simulin vessels exiting their vortexes. Their fire was concentrated on the emerging battlecruisers within fifteen hundred kilometers of the Dominator as they were the biggest threat. Space was suddenly filled with massive antimatter explosions as precisely aimed sublight missiles exploded against the unshielded hulls of the Simulin warships.
One AI antimatter missile slammed into the bow of a Simulin battlecruiser, vaporizing all six energy beam spires as well as the front three hundred meters of the ship. Two more exploding missiles quickly turned the rest of the ship into burning plasma.
As another Simulin battlecruiser emerged from its vortex, four antimatter missiles met its arrival. The ship was instantly annihilated, leaving only a few wisps of glowing gas to mark its destruction.
For eighteen seconds the deadly carnage continued as the Human, Alton, and Carethian warships joined in, firing hundreds of missiles at the inbound Simulin vessels. Then the Simulins shields came up and stabilized. The easy kills were over.
-
“Report!” ordered Jeremy as he drew in a sharp breath.
“Forty-eight Simulin battlecruisers have been destroyed as well as sixty-seven escort cruisers,” answered Ariel. “We got all of them that were within fifteen hundred kilometers of the Dominator.” She had been using the Avenger’s sensors to keep track of the destruction. “The Simulins should never have emerged from hyperspace so close to our fleet.”
Jeremy let out a huge sigh of relief. He had never expected to achieve such surprise against the Simulins. It was evident they hadn’t been expecting the AI ships or the other Federation ships to be waiting for them.
“Simulin ships are opening fire,” warned Kevin as alarms sounded on his sensor console. Then with a look of dismay, he added. “The two Carethian cruisers aren’t going to make it back to the fleet.”
On a viewscreen, a highly magnified view showed one of the now trapped Carethian warships. Simulin energy beams were pummeling its energy shield and then a beam penetrated, ripping a huge hole in the hull. The single beam was quickly followed by others until multiple explosions began shaking the vessel. Moments later it began to break apart. A brilliant flash of light indicated the arrival of a Simulin antimatter missile.
“Both Carethian cruisers are down,” reported Kevin grimly. “They never stood a chance.”
“The Simulins aren’t firing on our ships,” Commander Malen said in confusion. “Other than those two Carethian ships no other vessel is reporting incoming fire.”
“Jeremy, the Simulins are concentrating their fire on the Dominator,” Kevin said worriedly as his sensors began picking up massive releases of energy where the Dominator was located. “They must be launching every antimatter missile in their tubes!”
“Put the Dominator on screen.” Jeremy knew the Originator ship had a powerful energy screen, but just how powerful was it? It was now obvious what the Simulins’ plan was. They were attempting to overload the Dominator’s energy screen to either damage or destroy the ship.
On the screen the Dominator appeared. The ship was hidden by the torrential releases of antimatter energy pummeling the ship’s powerful energy screen. The center of the screen looked like a raging inferno.
“All ships, hit the Simulins with everything we have,” Jeremy ordered over the ship-to-ship comm. “We need to take some of the pressure off the Dominator.” He was greatly concerned. Even the Dominator might have difficulty resisting such a deluge of destructive energy.
“Message from the Dominator,” Lieutenant Lantz reported. “Energy-siphoning field has been activated. We should see a rapid reduction in the Simulins’ energy screens as well as their energy weapons fire in only a matter of a few minutes.”
-
Kelsey grimaced as she felt the Dominator shake from the Simulin bombardment of the ship’s primary energy screen. The massive viewscreen surrounding her had been dimmed to block out the intense light from the ongoing antimatter explosions.
“Kazak, what’s the status of our energy shield?”
“Eighty-two percent and holding,” replied the AI, sounding unconcerned. “The energy shield of the Dominator was designed to handle this type of an attack.”
Kelsey looked over at Kazak. She wondered just what type of enemy the Dominator had been designed to fight against that would require such a powerful energy shield. She shuddered to think of what such an enemy would do to a Federation ship. When this battle was over, she intended to ask Kazak who that enemy had been.
“Energy-siphoning field?”
“Activated,” confirmed Kazak. “Three more minutes and the Simulins will be powerless.”
-
Simulin High Commander Jaklar gazed in frustration at the main viewscreen on the front wall of his Command Center. The ancient ship of the sphere builders seemed to be unaffected by the massive assault from the hundreds of antimatter missiles that were striking its energy shield. Not only that, the fleet had suffered significant losses from the AIs and organics from the Fitula Nebula upon emergence from hyperspace. It had been a calculated risk to jump in so close, but the battle computer had recommended it.
“High Commander, our energy shield is dropping in power,” his second in command reported with uncertainty in his eyes. “It’s down to 47 percent. We’re showing a massive power loss across the ship. Our other warships are reporting the same.”
“What does the battle computer say?”
“In the previous battle here at the Fitula Nebula, the same energy drain was reported. We lost several thousand warships due to it. The battle computer is now predicting a 4 percent probability of a Simulin victory.”
Jaklar knew his orders from Supreme High Commander Callat were to destroy or at least damage the ancient vessel. He could see only one way to accomplish that order. “Set a course for the ship of the sphere builders and accelerate to full sublight. Order our escorts to give us covering fire as we go in.”
“We’re going to ram?” asked the ship’s second in command, his eyes widening.
“Yes,” Jaklar answered evenly. “We have our orders. I don’t see any way to capture that ship so we’re going to destroy it. There can only be Simulins.”
The second in command nodded in response. “There can only be Simulin. All others must be eliminated.”
“Channel all of our remaining power to the energy shield. Set all antimatter missiles to detonate upon impact,” Jaklar ordered. Jaklar had no fear of death as it was the duty of all Simulins to eliminate as many organics and threats to the empire as possible.
-
Moments later the Simulin flagship, four other battlecruisers, and ten escort cruisers suddenly accelerated toward the ancient ship. It might be able to stop
their weapons, but what would happen when a seventeen-hundred-meter Simulin battlecruiser impacted the energy shield that protected the ancient vessel?
-
“Jeremy, we may have a problem,” Ariel said, her dark eyes showing worry. “The Simulin flagship and fourteen other vessels are accelerating and heading toward the Dominator.”
“They’re going to ram!” Commander Malen said, her eyes widening in disbelief. “It’s the only chance they have to damage or destroy the ship.”
“All ships, focus your weapons fire on the inbound Simulin warships. We believe they’re going to attempt to ram the Dominator,” ordered Jeremy over the ship-to-ship comm channel. He leaned forward in his command chair feeling his heart begin to pound.
“They’re coming fast,” warned Kevin. “Their still accelerating!”
“Shifting fire,” reported Lieutenant Preston as he and the other weapons officers adjusted their weapons fire toward the rapidly approaching Simulin vessels.
Jeremy looked toward Communications. “Lieutenant Lantz, warn the Dominator.” Jeremy didn’t know what would happen if one of those Simulin vessels managed to ram the Originator ship.
-
The Simulin warships had formed up into a tight formation giving maximum protection to the fleet flagship at its center. Brilliant explosions began going off as antimatter missiles slammed into the defensive energy screens. The Simulin vessels weren’t firing back as all of their power was being directed into their energy screens. Energy beams and particle beams were brought into play. The screen on an escort cruiser failed first, and the ship exploded as it was torn apart by multiple beams. A battlecruiser had its stern blown off from an antimatter missile strike. More Simulin ships were suffering damage as their shields were overwhelmed. However, the Simulin flagship remained unharmed as it continued to accelerate toward its target.
-
“Fleet Admiral Strong says they’re going to attempt to ram,” warned Lieutenant Michelson in a shaky voice.