by Worth, Dan
There was a polite knock, and the door of her office slid open. McManus entered and saw her expression.
‘Rough call with the boss?’
She nodded slowly. ‘We had to keep it brief – the encryption won’t hold out against a concerted attack for more than a couple of minutes – but yes. He’s still not convinced about what happened here. It’s all in my report, and in Singh’s accompanying analysis... but I still think that he thinks that we screwed up somehow.’
‘You did what you could, ma’am.’
‘Yes, but if we’re all going to be heading into a trap, then Command need to know.’
‘You could go over his head.’
‘I could, though I doubt it would make me very popular. I could lose overall command of this group for a start, and then where would we be?’
‘Better to be unpopular than dead, I’ve always found. I’m very unpopular and yet I’m still breathing. Funny that.’
‘I need... something!’ she threw up her hands in exasperation. ‘Shit, how do you prove a negative? How do get evidence when the very point is that we didn’t see them at all?’
‘What we need is for the Shapers to pull the same trick on Admiral Cartwright. Then he’ll start to listen.’
‘Have Singh go over the data again to see if there’s anything that shows that those ships were there and not transmitting or receiving. Something that we’ve missed that’d give us their positions, only we didn’t notice at the time.’
‘I’ll tell him ma’am.’ McManus gave her a look of almost fatherly concern. ‘Admiral, if you don’t mind me asking: how much sleep have you had lately?’
‘Not much. Too much to do. Too much to worry about. Too many people to grieve over.’
‘Why don’t you ask the Doc. to give you something? You could use a decent stretch of shut-eye. You need to rest, or you’ll burn out.’
‘I guess you’re right,’ said Chen, massaging her temples.
‘I’ve been meaning to ask, ma’am, if you don’t mind,’ said McManus. ‘The picture of the chap on your desk, who is he? You’ve never mentioned a husband, boyfriend, whatever.’
Chen picked up the picture of Alvaro Ramirez and gazed at the handsome, brown face that smiled blankly back at her.
‘He was my XO, back on the Mark Antony. I was... I was a different person then, and I think he made me a better one, all things considered,’ she said. ‘He was a good man, better than I deserved. He was killed in action at Maranos.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that. Good XO’s are hard to come by.’
‘It was... more than that. We became close. Too close, in fact and when he died...’ She shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, but... now you know why I fight.’
‘To avenge him?’
‘Him, and all the other others like him. For the lost.’
‘You need to get some sleep, ma’am,’ said McManus, softly. ‘Please?’
McManus made his way back to the bridge, pondering what he had just heard. So, Chen had ended up in bed with one of her officers, had she? She wasn’t the first, doubtless not the last, he mused. It made him nostalgic for his first command, that Scandinavian lieutenant, what was her name again? Ingrid... ah, Ingrid...
The sights and sounds of the bridge roused him from his reverie. The view outside the windows was a mass of floating wreckage still being probed for bodies. The search for the living had been abandoned some hours before. The broken remains of the crews from the destroyed or crippled vessels now packed the medical bays of the remaining warships, whilst part of the hangar deck of the Anzio had been turned into a makeshift field hospital to cope with the casualties that had been lifted off the planet below until hospital ships arrived to take them back to the Commonwealth.
Chen was right, he mused, there was too much to do. Shale’s forces were still rooting out the last pockets of enemy resistance in the city, a grim task that had turned into a costly action of house to house fighting. The navy would have flattened the city from orbit, were it not for the pockets of civilians that Shale’s forces kept finding holed up in barricaded buildings. Gunderson’s men, on the other hand, were re-fortifying their position around the array, clearing the forest around it with incendiaries to provide clear fields of fire and prevent another surprise assault.
Meanwhile, teams of engineers were addressing the systems failures that had plagued the destroyers, refitting components and test firing the new weapons again to ensure that such a fiasco did not occur again. It had turned out, after an investigation back home, that the ships had never test fired their guns whilst under combat conditions with their shields and engines and other weapons all drawing power at once, and the outdated reactor relays aboard the affected vessels had been unable to withstand the strain, causing them to overload and triggering an emergency shutdown of the vessels’ powerplants.
The Nahabe too, were tending to their wounded and their battle damage. The great, spherical ships hung low in orbit, and the wounds in their hulls flickered with light as repair teams got to work. Periodically, the ships would fire objects towards the Santiago system’s sun. After a discreet inquiry, McManus had discovered that they were disposing of their dead in this fashion, cremating their bodies in the star after the appropriate religious ceremonies had been completed aboard ship. The undamaged Nahabe vessels remained in a high orbit, standing watch over the other ships and ready to respond to any further unexpected attacks. Chen had also arranged her vessels into a defensive posture, and whilst half of the modified Thea class cruisers remained with the bulk of the fleet, the others, along with squadrons of fighters, were combing the system for any other vessels lurking in the system.
McManus sat on the bridge and took all this activity in, casting an eye over the information that was coming in: lists of updated casualty figures, reports from patrols across the system that had so far found nothing, the results of ground actions taking place at this moment, the progress of the engineers working on damaged vessels or on the ships whose systems required their relays swapping out, the movements of Shaper vessels being tracked across hundreds of light years of space and so on. No wonder Chen was exhausted. Just digesting all of this information was enough to wear anyone out, without compounding it with the stress of weeks of combat and manoeuvres. Hell, they were all tired, but McManus knew that Chen couldn’t let the crew see that she was as worn out as they were.
Leaving Singh in command of the bridge, he made his way through the ship, talking to the crew at their stations: to flight engineers and pilots on the flight deck, to weapons officers in gunnery control, to the engineers tending the ship’s reactor, to the wounded in sick bay and to the medics who worked to heal them. Morale was shaky. They had won a victory over the Shapers, yes, but at great cost, and the final surprise attack had shaken many of them to the core. Faith in the new sensors was uncertain at best, and paranoia about phantom ships and invisible enemies was starting to creep into the minds of many. McManus did his best to quash those doubts, doubts that he himself held, though he would never admit it to the crew. He noticed that the paranoia seemed to be worst amongst the fighter pilots assigned to long patrols far away from the carrier and who seemed to be, literally, jumping at shadows out there in the blackness.
McManus decided to recommend to Chen that the patrols be curtailed, or at least kept within closer range of the carrier. Such paranoia could be infectious and was already, it seemed, spreading to the rest of the crew. It was whilst he was addressing a group of pilots that an urgent call demanded his presence on the bridge. He returned to find Chen already there, wearing a serious expression and looking little better for only a few hours sleep. Her expression was mirrored in the face of Lieutenant Commander Singh, who was poring over the display of his console. McManus returned to his seat at Chen’s side, and donning his HUD monocle, saw what had caused so much concern.
Singh had filled their HUD displays with a map of the surrounding systems as seen through the eyes of the captured sensor array. The
display had been orientated to centre on the Achernar system and hovered in the middle distance of their vision. Singh manipulated the display as he talked.
‘Five minutes ago, the sensor array on the planet below us registered a massive energy burst and space-time distortion from the Achernar system. I have pinpointed the point of origin to be the ship in orbit above the moon Orinoco. Initial readings are similar to those detected during the activation of the Maranos device.’
‘A Shaper generated wormhole...’ said Chen. ‘So that’s what they were doing all along. My God.’
‘Yes ma’am,’ replied Singh. ‘In the last few minutes we have detected ships emerging into the space around the large Shaper vessel.’ He zoomed the display in until it showed the fuzzy outline of the massive craft and a number of contacts moving away from what appeared to be its bows. ‘The array is currently tracking over thirty vessels, both of various Shaper types and others of unknown construction. More are emerging as we speak.’ As if to emphasise his point, a fresh handful of contacts winked into existence and began to move off.
‘If the Shapers have acquired Progenitor wormhole technology, then they can conceivably hit us anywhere,’ said Chen. ‘We need to alert Command immediately. Ensign Andrews, put me through to Admiral Cartwright at once, maximum encryption level.’
‘Yes ma’am.’
A low resolution image of Cartwright appeared in Chen’s field of vision.
‘Sir, are you seeing what we’re seeing in the Achernar system?’ said Chen.
‘Yes we are, Admiral Chen, and believe me, it is of great concern. My sensor officer alerted me to it only moments ago.’
‘Sir, our readings confirm that the Shapers have succeeded in constructing a wormhole device in the Achernar system.’
‘That was our assessment also. We already suspected that they possessed such technology: it’s the only way to explain the sudden attack on the Arkari that took place simultaneously with the Battle for Earth.’
‘And now they are using it against us. Sir, I request orders. We must strike against them to curtail this threat.’
‘Agreed. I will contact Admiral Hawkwood at once. We have almost completed the re-arming of the Nemesis class ships. Order your crews to stand by, Admiral Chen. We shall continue to monitor the situation. Cartwright out.’
Over the next few hours, the swarm of ships in the Achernar system continued to grow. Contacts continued to appear in close proximity to the large Shaper craft, before moving off to join the fleet currently assembling above the moon. Along with Shaper vessels of all sizes, from nimble scout craft to great battleships, was a steady, unending stream of other vessels whose drive signatures were unfamiliar and which moved in a manner that suggested that they were far less advanced than the Shaper craft which shepherded them into position.
Chen used the time to get her ships ready for whatever might be about to come. She doubled the number of engineers working to repair her damaged ships, recalled all vessels and fighter craft from across the system and transferred the wounded to the Army transport ships still in orbit above Valparaiso. Meanwhile, the number of ships now detected in the Achernar system continued to grow. The armada now numbered in the hundreds, and more were arriving by the minute. The Shapers were quite clearly assembling a fleet capable of delivering a knockout blow against the already beleaguered Commonwealth forces. Chen and her crew tensely awaited their orders.
‘Would you look at that,’ muttered McManus, unable to take his eyes off the ever increasing numbers of ships on the sensor display. ‘What I wouldn’t give for a spread of anti-matter missiles right now.’
‘You may get your wish,’ Chen replied. ‘But for now, we have to wait.’
They did not have to wait long. An hour passed, and the enemy fleet started to move off, jumping into hyperspace on a vector that would take them into the heart of the Commonwealth. Even as they departed Achernar, more ships continued to arrive through the portal.
Chen’s impatience grew. She contacted Cartwright again and was told that the government were still deliberating what action to take. The President was still locked in her situation room with her closest advisors, trying to decide whether to strike at Achernar or consolidate defences around the core systems. Chen swore inwardly at the indecision of the civilians that she assumed were now paralysed by panic. Now was a time for decisive action, not prevarication.
After another hour had passed, and still no word from Command, Singh again alerted her to something that he had spotted on the sensor readings. As he spoke, his voice wavered slightly, the dread caused by what he had found clearly evident.
‘Admiral, new contacts spotted by the array: we’re seeing fifty Shaper vessels moving in formation through hyperspace. Ma’am, they are within Commonwealth held space. At their current speed and their current heading, I estimate that they will arrive within the Solar System within three days.’
He showed Chen, moving the map to show a group of ships moving between the star systems to the south east of Earth. They were roughly ten light years behind what was considered to be the front line. The Shapers had chosen this moment to reveal themselves, to show that they had a dagger aimed straight at the heart of human civilisation.
‘They were surely there all along, lurking in interstellar space, invisible to our sensors,’ said Chen, with a leaden finality. ‘Our forces are dispersed and out of position. It seems that we have fallen for a ruse. The Shapers know how we can find them, and they used it against us.’
She called Cartwright again and was again told to stand by for orders. Her superior was clearly as frustrated and alarmed as she, impatient for some sort of decision, but government and Naval Command were still agonising over what to do; indeed what could they do to now counter two fleets of inbound ships? Panic was gripping the administration. Eventually, after another two hours of agonising waiting, Chen’s orders arrived.
From: FleetComSolar
To: Admiral Michelle Chen CO CNV Winston S. Churchill, 3 Fleet, Eyes only.
Auth: KIGDF647321O
Message:
Shaper assault on Commonwealth core systems confirmed. Co-ordinated strike with 5 Fleet, Admiral John Cartwright commanding, to be undertaken against enemy vessels in Achernar system. Primary target: unknown Shaper vessel of immense size in orbit above Achernar 6a (Orinoco) to be destroyed at all costs. Secondary targets: all enemy assets in space or on surface of Orinoco. Indiscriminate use of spacecraft weapons against ground and space targets authorised. Surrendering vessels to be considered legitimate targets. Vessels under command of Admiral Chen to lead initial diversionary attack. All ships to proceed immediately to forward attack co-ordinates (attached). Nemesis class vessels to be attached to Admiral Cartwright’s command and to proceed to forward positions (co-ordinates withheld). Ground forces in Santiago and Chittagong systems to be left in place and to hold captured facilities at all costs against all attempt to recapture them by the enemy. Possible additional Nahabe fleet assets to be made available. Further details to follow.
-Message Ends-
Chen scanned the order quickly, her mouth hardening into a thin line and her pulse racing. She took a deep breath, and then she issued orders:
‘Commander McManus. Ensure that the ship is ready for departure. Ensign Andrews, relay the order to prepare for departure to all warships still in system including Nahabe ships, then get me Admiral Cartwright and the Lord Protector via a secure channel and relay it through to my office.’
‘Admiral Chen, you have your orders.’
‘Yes sir, and I would like clarification. I am to lead a diversionary attack against the Achernar system?’
‘Yes, it’s there in black and white.’
‘Sir, my vessels are likely to experience severe losses. With respect sir, this is a suicide mission.’
Cartwright appeared to be unable to meet her gaze for a moment.
‘Yes, Admiral Chen. It may well be that, but if anyone can pull through, I’d say that you
were the person to lead this mission. We cannot avoid the fact that the enemy will see us coming, but if we are to succeed at all, we must attempt to divide his attention. You are to draw off as much of the enemy forces as possible in an initial attack, ahead of my own assault. I will have command of the Nemesis strategic missile destroyers. They will be used against the Shaper dreadnought and the wormhole portal in the hope that we can destroy them outright or disable them. You will of course have the Nahabe ships currently under your command to accompany you.’
‘These orders speak of “additional Nahabe fleet assets to be made available,” sir. I would ask for further information with this in mind.’
‘I’m afraid nothing concrete has been made available yet,’ said Cartwright. ‘Our government received an official communiqué from the Nahabe just over an hour ago. The language is a little obtuse, I gather, but it seems that they too have noticed the Shaper wormhole device in Achernar and wish to assist. Perhaps our esteemed friend currently listening to this conversation can shed some light on this.’
The Lord Protector had been silent so far, but now the being, bedecked once more in its full battle regalia, began to speak.
‘We received communication from our military command only moments ago. It is possible that this has also been relayed to your own government. They are preparing a sizeable fleet of gunspheres in order to strike at the Achernar system. Numbers and types of ships are not detailed, presumably for fear of interception, but it seems that they are trying to allay my own fears. My people have a reputation of insular behaviour, one that is well earned, but it seems that their opinion has been swayed by one of us who has spent considerable time living and indeed fighting alongside humans. They call him The Speaker. He has dared to say what many could not: that our fate is inextricably linked to the fate of the other races in the galaxy - that we cannot fight alone. It is because of him that my Order was despatched to Earth to aid in its defence, and it is because of him that we now go to war. War against the Shapers is the Most Holy of Wars. We have beaten them back from our borders once more, but now they threaten others. It is time. The message ends: “When the humans lock swords with the enemy, we shall appear to fight at their side like guardian spirits.” I believe this means that our ships intend to use their translation drives to instantly jump into battle once you engage the enemy.’