Earth Fall_To the Stars [Book Two]
Page 26
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On board the Vengeance four more anxious days passed. Major Dolan was asleep in his quarters when the Condition One alarms suddenly sounded, and Ensign Carter’s voice came over the comm system. “All hands, report to your battlestations! This is not a drill! Condition One has now been set. A large force of Trellixian battlecruisers has jumped into the system, and combat is imminent.”
Mark hurriedly dressed, knowing this was the battle they had been expecting. As he buttoned the last button on his uniform, he felt the ship come alive around him as all systems were powered up.
It only took Mark a few moments after that to reach the Command Center. As he sat down in the command chair, Captain Erickson came through the hatch, aided by a medical tech and two Marines. Mark started to get up when Erickson motioned for him to remain seated.
“This is your command still,” Erickson said as he sat down in front of an auxiliary console and strapped himself in. “I just couldn’t stay in my quarters if the ship was going into combat.”
Mark nodded and turned his attention to the tactical display. A horde of red threat icons were popping into existence a short distance from Bator Seven. “What do we have?”
“We estimate a Trellixian fleet of over six hundred vessels, all battlecruisers,” reported Kia. “They’re dropping from hyperspace six hundred thousand kilometers from the planet.”
“Voltrex Defense Command has placed the entire system on alert,” added Ensign Smith as she listened to the comm channel connecting her to the Voltrex military comm network.
“Are we ready to depart the bay?”
“Yes,” answered Brett. “Just waiting on your order.”
“Take us out. We can’t activate our energy shield in here. Plot a rendezvous course with Fleet Commander Kamuss’s fleet. We’ll act as part of his command during this engagement.” Mark turned to Lieutenant Reynolds at the science console. “Lisa, what is the status of the Jelnoid weapons the Voltrex have installed?”
“Both shipyards have twenty primary energy cannons functioning as well as the energy shield. Two of the battlestations have six cannons each. None of the remaining battlestations have any of the new cannons installed, though they all have the more powerful Jelnoid energy shields. Those were finished yesterday.”
Mark took a deep breath. “Let’s hope that’s enough.”
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In the repair bay, the Vengeance rose from her berth and moved toward the large protective doors which quietly slid open. The small human battlecruiser moved out of the bay and into open space with the doors closing behind her. The ship turned and sped toward Battle Commander Kamuss’s waiting fleet.
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“The Vengeance has left the repair bay and is joining up with us,” reported Lieutenant Commander LeLath on board the Claw of Honor. “Major Dolan is placing his ship under your command.”
Kamuss nodded his understanding. These Humans continued to demonstrate they were an honorable species and one the Voltrex could easily work with. “Change our fleet orientation to face the Trellixians,” ordered Kamuss. His fleet was already in the defensive grid, as were the ships of the other fleets. They would let the enemy come to them, but, from this battle, there could be no retreat. “Assign some support ships to protect the Vengeance. We’ll need her weapons in this battle.”
Kamuss watched as the Vengeance joined his formation. It was comforting to know he had one vessel which could easily destroy a Trellixian battlecruiser. He also wanted to ensure that Human vessel was well protected, since it was their most powerful asset other than the two shipyards.
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All across the system, patrolling Voltrex warships initiated short hyperjumps back to Bator Seven. At Bator Nine additional energy beam satellites circled the space station as well as four squadrons of patrol ships. In addition, ten medium-size support ships provided extra firepower.
Around the planet’s equator, sirens sounded at all the small mining colonies, and civilians rushed to their shelters. The Voltrex military handed out energy weapons to the civilians who had been trained to use them. If the Trellixians attempted to land, the Voltrex were ready to repel them or to go down fighting.
Commander Keevha on board the Bator Nine space station watched expectantly as her command prepared for battle. The few cargo ships in transit between the planet and the station were hastily sent back to the planet. Energy beam turrets powered up, and the station’s energy shield activated. They had finished installing the new Jelnoid shield two days before. Commander Keevha just hoped it was strong enough to keep the station safe.
“Patrol ships and support ships are ready for combat,” reported her second in command.
“Civilians on the surface are going to their secure locations,” reported Lamaros.
Commander Keevha watched the tactical display. “It appears the enemy is focused on Bator Seven.” If Bator Seven fell, the Trellixians’ next target would be Bator Nine, as it was the next-most powerfully defended and populated planet in the system. Any surviving ship units had orders to fall back to the large space station and aid in its defense.
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Trellixian Battle Commander Balforr’s eyes widened as the Human ship exited the Voltrex shipyard and then took up a position within one of the Voltrex fleets.
“Their ship’s been repaired,” said Second Officer Jaltor, his eyes shifting toward Battle Commander Balforr. “It must be destroyed!”
“We must assume they have shared the data on their ship’s weapons with the shipyard. That shipyard and its computers must be annihilated. I want one hundred of our battlecruisers to perform a short hyperspace jump and attack it. The rest of our fleet will attack the Voltrex fleet where the Human ship is. At the moment, the shipyard and the Human vessel are our primary targets. We must destroy both.” Balforr wasn’t pleased with these latest developments. The Human ship would be a major danger particularly with the Voltrex ships supporting it.
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The Trellixian fleet accelerated toward Bator Seven and the waiting Voltrex ships. Just before the Trellixian fleet reached combat range, one hundred of the battlecruisers performed a short hyperjump, appearing around the shipyard where the Vengeance had been repaired. As soon as the Trellixian ships exited hyperspace, they launched their missiles and fired energy cannons at the heavily armed Voltrex shipyard. The Trellixians would knock down the energy shield and then use their fifty-megaton missiles to destroy it.
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The shipyard shook as its energy shield was suddenly pounded by fifty-megaton warheads and Trellixian energy beams. The Jelnoid shield was strained but held.
“Shield is holding,” reported Castell from Tactical. “Activating the new energy beam cannons and firing. Patrol ships are engaging.” Four squadrons of the small patrol ships defended the shipyard.
Defense Commander Kallon frowned. His shipyard was surrounded by Trellixian battlecruisers—all trying to destroy it. In the past this would mean the shipyard was doomed. But the new Jelnoid energy shield seemed to be working, though it took a lot of energy from the shipyard’s power systems.
On a viewscreen, he saw a pair of Jelnoid energy beams cut right through the energy shield of a Trellixian warship, nearly cutting it in two. A Voltrex twenty-megaton fusion warhead detonated against the ship’s hull, turning it into molten ruins.
“Ship destroyed,” confirmed the sensor officer. “The energy beams are penetrating the Trellixian energy shields as expected.”
Defense Commander Kallon leaned back in his command chair, breathing a sigh of relief. The new weapons were working as projected. Perhaps he would survive this after all.
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“All weapons, fire!” ordered Voltrex Battle Commander Kamuss as the Trellixian fleet came within weapons range. Voltrex Fleet Commander Alassah had moved his fleet to join with Kamuss’s to oppose the enemy. That gave them a total of 14 battleships, 100 battlecruisers, and 327 support ships to stem the Trellixians’ advance.
“Defensive
grid is firing,” reported Zalurr. “We have three battlestations in range of the Trellixian fleet as well. One of them has the new energy cannons.”
Kamuss shifted his gaze to the viewscreens on the front wall of the Command Center. Suddenly four brilliant energy beams struck one of the Trellixian battlecruisers, tearing it apart.
“That was from the Vengeance,” reported LeLath with a pleased look in her eyes.
“Reposition a few more of our larger support ships to help protect that Human vessel,” ordered Battle Commander Kamuss. The Vengeance would play a huge role in this battle. The small Human battlecruiser was deadly to the Trellixians, and no doubt they would do everything in their power to take it out. Kamuss was determined not to allow that to happen.
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In space, the battle rapidly heated up. At the shipyard the Trellixian battlecruisers pounded the station’s energy shield, hoping it would fail. Countless fifty-megaton missiles and energy beams struck the shield nonstop. The screen was covered with energy, causing it to glow brightly.
Voltrex Defense Commander Kallon ordered Voltrex Fleet Commander Masurl to bring his fleet to the aid of the station. His six battleships, twenty-eight battlecruisers, and fifty-three support ships would help take some of the pressure off the hard-pressed shipyard. Kallon wasn’t sure how much energy the new energy shield could take, and he was going to use the fleet to force the Trellixians to shift some of their targeting.
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Fleet Commander Masurl considered his orders as he studied the tactical display. The shipyard was under heavy attack from the Trellixian force. Its energy screen was covered with exploding Trellixian fusion missiles. However, the energy beam fire from the shipyard was holding the enemy ships at bay. Even as Masurl turned his attention to a viewscreen, a Trellixian battlecruiser exploded in a massive fireball, which quickly faded away in the vacuum of space.
“We’ll engage at minimum range and by squadrons,” he ordered. “That will take some of the pressure off the shipyard.”
The fleet quickly reformed and advanced toward the Trellixian battlecruisers. The ships’ crews were determined to take the battle to the hated enemy.
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The commander of the Trellixian ships attacking the shipyard saw the approaching Voltrex warships. He quickly ordered part of his fleet to shift its fire from the station to the small patrol ships and the Voltrex fleet. While a Trellixian battlecruiser was much more powerful, the Voltrex were still capable of overwhelming a Trellixian energy screen if enough firepower could be brought to bear. The commander was already angry, since his weapons, so far, had not brought down the powerful energy shield protecting the station. He needed to thin out the enemy so he could focus all of his firepower on the large shipyard.
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The Voltrex’s small two-hundred-meter-long patrol ships fired every weapon they possessed at the Trellixian ships with little or no effect. Suddenly six of the small vessels exploded as Trellixian energy beams ripped into them. The energy shields on the small warships were no match for Trellixian weapons. Fifty-megaton explosions turned more of the small patrol ships into fiery molten wrecks. In less than two minutes all forty of the small patrol ships were destroyed. A few wisps of glowing gas and several small fields of debris were all that remained. The patrol ships damaged only one Trellixian battlecruiser, and that damage was negligible.
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Voltrex Defense Commander Kallon was in a state of shock over how easily the forty patrol ships assigned to defending the shipyard were destroyed. “Order the rest of our patrol ships to drop into a lower orbit to intercept any missile fired at the planet.”
Different squadrons of patrol ships defended the other shipyard, orbiting stations, as well as the battlestations. He could not see sacrificing the rest of them needlessly. On several viewscreens, he saw three more Trellixian battlecruisers attacking the station blow apart. The Jelnoid energy beams were bringing down the enemy’s energy shields, and then the station was launching twenty-megaton missiles to finish off the vessels. Defense Commander Kallon was pleased with the effectiveness of the Jelnoid energy beams. They were everything the Humans had promised.
“Admiral Masurl has engaged,” reported the sensor officer.
Commander Kallon stood and walked to one of the tactical displays. “Keep firing the new energy cannons. We need to take as much pressure off his warships as possible.” Even as Kallon gave the order one of Admiral Masurl’s battleships was riddled by Trellixian energy beam fire. Moments later a Trellixian fifty-megaton missile completed the ship’s destruction, consuming it in a massive fireball of raw energy. It was a quick reminder of just how powerful a Trellixian battlecruiser was.
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Admiral Masurl ordered his ships to attack in squadron strength. He groaned inwardly as one of his battleships and several battlecruisers vanished from the tactical display. On one of the viewscreens, he saw a squadron of Voltrex battlecruisers and support ships attack one of the enemy vessels. Energy beams and fusion missiles pounded its screen, which suddenly collapsed. Energy beams ripped open compartment after compartment, and then several twenty-megaton missiles arrived, finishing off the Trellixian vessel. Other Voltrex squadrons were also having success, though the cost was high.
Everywhere Masurl looked, Voltrex warships were dying. The support ships were rapidly being destroyed because their energy screens were far weaker than a Voltrex battlecruiser or battleship. But their added firepower was helping to bring down a few Trellixian energy shields. With a deep growl, Masurl knew this battle would be costly.
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Trellixian Battle Commander Balforr’s eyes narrowed in frustration as he witnessed obvious Jelnoid energy beam fire coming from one of the Voltrex battlestations and the shipyard under attack. He suspected the other shipyard was similarly armed as well as more of the battlestations. Not only that, the Human ship was inside one of the Voltrex fleet formations and was systematically destroying Trellixian battlecruisers with its energy beam weapons. He had already pulled his own flagship to the rear of his fleet as a precaution.
“We’re losing ships at a faster rate than predicted,” reported Second Officer Jaltor as their ship shook slightly from a Voltrex energy beam impact to the shield. “Only one battlestation has fired Jelnoid energy beams. The others we’ve engaged are firing the weaker Voltrex weapons. However, all seem to be protected by Jelnoid energy shields.”
Balforr leaned forward in his command chair, clenching the armrests tightly. “Continue the attack. In such a short period of time, I can’t believe the Voltrex were able to convert their power systems and everything else necessary to use Jelnoid weaponry. If we can overload their power systems, we can eliminate the threat. Order our ship commanders to use more of the fifty-megaton missiles. We will wear down their shields and destroy them. We’ve already confirmed only the Human vessel is equipped with Jelnoid technology. The Voltrex ships are not, and they are considerably weaker than our battlecruisers.”
“We will be victorious,” replied Jaltor.
“Have part of our fleet target the defensive grid. We must weaken the weapons fire upon our fleet.”
“As you command,” replied Second Officer Jaltor.
Battle Commander Balforr gazed at the viewscreens. They were lit up from the powerful explosions of fusion missiles. Occasionally a larger explosion erupted, indicating the destruction of a warship. He wondered if he had waited too long to launch his attack.
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Major Dolan groaned as two Voltrex support ships covering the Vengeance were blown apart by multiple fusion warhead strikes. The viewscreens were full of bright flashes of light from exploding Trellixian missiles.
“The Trellixians are losing a lot of ships,” reported Kia.
On the large tactical display, Mark could see the green icons representing Voltrex ships blinking out of existence in increasing frequency. “So are the Voltrex.”
“Their shields just aren’t strong enough,” said Kia.
“No, Major,” Chloe replied. “The battle is still too close to call. Both sides are losing vessels at a very high rate.”
“Major, Battle Commander Zolmar is taking his fleet to the shipyard to assist Admiral Masurl,” reported Kia. “They’ll try to overwhelm the Trellixians with weapons fire from their ships and the shipyard.”
“Major, Battle Commander Kamuss and Battle Commander Alassah are ordering us to fall back to just behind the defensive grid,” reported Ensign Smith. “We’re losing too many support ships, and they need to reorganize their fleet formation.”
“Do it,” ordered Mark. “They’re in charge here. Ensign Carter, continue hitting them with our energy beams.” Even as Mark spoke, three more of the support ships surrounding the Vengeance exploded, sending flaming debris into the ship’s energy shield. The ships were sacrificing themselves to keep the Vengeance safe.
“Shield is holding at 78 percent,” reported Lisa, her gaze concerned. “We’re putting a lot of stress on the fusion reactor. Don’t forget. We only have the one.”
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The battle continued to intensify, especially around the shipyard. Several Voltrex support ships turned broadside and opened fire with their main batteries, quickly scoring several hits with their energy turrets on a Trellixian warship which had lost its energy shield. A Voltrex battlecruiser added its firepower, and suddenly the Trellixian vessel broke apart. Before the two support ships could celebrate their victory, half a dozen enemy fifty-megaton missiles arrived, turning both of the midsize vessels into flaming wreckage.
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On the shipyard, Voltrex Defense Commander Kallon’s whiskers curled, and his lips formed into a snarl as the defending fleet around him was methodically cut to pieces. However, the Trellixian were losing ships as well, most to the powerful Jelnoid energy beams on the station. The station suddenly shuddered violently, and several red lights appeared on the damage control console.