Gun had already turned to walk away and simply called out to them.
“I need to speak with High Command. Get your senior officers to the briefing room in ten minutes. I’ve got something for you, and I think you’re going to like it.”
Spartan looked to Khan who was still shaking his head.
“Something already? Is he crazy? One ship is still not finished, and Titan is still being repaired. The second batch is not even structurally complete.”
Khan nodded quickly in agreement.
Exactly. We’re not even at a quarter-strength yet. Three platoons, that’s it, Spartan.”
Spartan watched Gun move further away, and he turned back and shouted at them.
“Spartan, I need you with me. Khan, get the others. I need whatever can fly in the air, and fast.”
He then continued onwards and vanished around the distant corner. Spartan looked back to Khan and placed one hand on his friend’s arm. Gun shouted for him, even though he was now well out of sight.
“Gun doesn’t mess around. Get the seniors officers assembled, and meet me there in five minutes.”
Khan looked surprised.
“You think he’s serious?”
Spartan lifted an eyebrow.
“He’s always serious, and if he wants the officers in a briefing in ten minutes, I’d suggest it is damned serious. Get me the officers from 1st Company, and round up all the senior officers from Euryale. Looks like we are going to have work to do.”
Khan chuckled.
“They won’t like that. Most of them are heading off for some expected R&R.”
Spartan scowled, but not at Khan, merely in response to the expected attitude.
“Remember the war, my friend. The enemy doesn’t wait until our bellies are full and our beds are warm.”
Khan grinned.
“Isn’t that the truth?”
* * *
Gun waited in the centre of the circular room while the last of officers shuffled inside. Some were still straightening their uniforms, and at least one had forgotten his tunic. It was a rushed assembly, and Gun let it go, for now.
“Khan?”
Several of the officers looked about, and one muttered something before Spartan moved closer to him. Nobody could hear him speak, but Gun nodded and seemed to accept whatever he’d heard. As they waited, Spartan held up his personal secpad for Gun to see. They looked over the details. Gun kept looking to the door.
It was a large space, much bigger than would be found on any Alliance vessel, and at some point in the past had been some type of command room for the Biomechs. Much of the sculpture and design remained, giving it a dark, sinister feel, as though at any moment the walls could come alive. Spartan felt far from a stranger, though, and the odd curves and shadows cast on the floor was more welcoming to him than the bright lights of most space stations. Around him was an odd mixture of characters from the command elements of the newly established IAB. There were the naval officers of IAS Euryale, as well as the officers and NCOs of 1st Company, the only intact combat unit so far of the IAB at Taxxu. Spartan noticed Gun looking to the doorway for perhaps the fifth time and shook his head.
Where is he?
Gun’s eyes caught his, and he could see the irritation in his face. Spartan shrugged, moving his attention to the right where he was pleased to see Five-Seven waiting. As the sole representative of the Thegns, he stood out, yet nothing seemed to faze him, not even the glances from some of the disapproving officers.
Here he comes.
Spartan heard the approach before the two doors hissed open. In walked Khan, flanked by a pair of Thegns, each wearing their minimalist Naval Auxiliary uniforms. Every pair of eyes moved to watch them as they marched inside. Khan didn’t stop until he was standing next to Spartan and facing the rest of the officers.
“Took your time,” said Spartan.
Khan grumbled and nodded towards Gun. The group was relatively small, but it now represented all the active units in the IAB, including two Thegns who were part of Five-Seven’s crew.
“Spartan, it’s time,” said Gun.
Spartan nodded, but so little that only those nearest would have even spotted the movement. Gun took in a breath and began speaking, just as the centre holographic projector displayed videostreams from multiple news networks.
“Our last mission on Spascia is getting a lot of attention on the networks. There are videostreams of the assault, and a lot of people want to know what these machines are, and where they came from.”
Spartan then smiled.
“When High Command put out a statement that they were virtual presence soldiers, the response was incredible. Interest in military careers has increased fifteen percent, with the majority of those requesting information on training and posting out here.”
He looked to Gun.
“The IAB is making a real difference, and we are at the front-line. A lot of people doubted we could do this, and week by week we’re proving them wrong.”
He then looked out to the officers.
“One day, the entire Alliance military could look like what we have built out here. Our soldiers will operate from inside heavily protected command and control ships, and we will travel to the warzones with speed and overwhelming force.”
Gun shifted uncomfortably and nodded before speaking.
“Spartan is correct, but whether that happens is out of our hands. For now, we are the first response against threats internal and external. Spascia has proven once and for all that only an IAB company can be at a target in hours or days, instead of weeks or months.”
He took in another quick breath.
“We can hit a target before a conventional battlegroup can even be assembled.”
A murmur of self-congratulation spread among the small group, but Gun lifted his hand to silence them.
“With success comes responsibility, and because of what we have achieved, we are drawing a lot of attention. That is why we have been given a new mission, one perfectly suited to our unique skills. A ship is missing, and we are being sent to investigate.”
Captain Delatorre, the sole Alliance Navy senior officer present, and Captain of IAS Euryale lifted his hand.
“Commander Gun, as you know, our ships are all unserviceable. We cannot be expected to operate another mission until after repairs and new trials. There are plenty of other vessels in the fleet ready for a mission like this.”
He looked around, noting there were no officers from the other two ships present.
“The IAB is nowhere near capacity. Most of our units unformed, and of our three ships, one is incomplete; the other damaged from the fighting at Karnak.”
“And Euryale, she is fully operational, is she not?” Gun asked.
The Captain shook his head.
“I need to replace a third of the crew. We need replenishment and new kit. I think you’ll find the Marine contingent will need assistance as well. Half of their Grunts are gone, and two of my dropships need replacing.”
Gun looked to Spartan who said just a few words. Gun muttered and then looked back to the Captain.
“Liaise with Five-Seven and get her ready. He has additional Thegn crew, each already trained with the Auxiliary. Load as much gear as you have time for. I don’t care how ready we are…in sixty minutes IAS Euryale will be leaving Taxxu.”
The Captain rose to his feet to protest. Gun signalled for him to stay where he was.
“You’ve told me your concerns, and they are noted. I have already sent orders to our replenishment teams to get started.”
The man looked to Spartan, but he found nothing but the harsh glance from the commander of the 1st Battalion. Captain Delatorre was clearly unimpressed by his treatment and began to sit back down. Spartan felt obligated to say something.
“Captain. We need your skills and experience, as much as we need the skills of our crews and marines. If you’ll give us a moment, you will understand why.”
The Captai
n nodded and waited in silence, along with the men and women of 1st Combat Company. Gun shuffled his feet impatiently and signalled to one of the technicians. The imagery changed to show the T’Karan System.
“Now, to the mission. Three hours ago we lost contact with ANS Orion, almost forty astronomical units from T’Karan.”
A murmur of surprise rippled through the men and women. The distance was nothing in terms of long-distance space travel, but it was unusual for an unescorted patrol. The model changed to show the Alliance warship.
“ANS Orion is one of the first Liberty class destroyers. She’s reliable, and so is her captain. They have seen action over the last twelve months and were fresh out of refit.”
Spartan looked at the shape, and memories quickly returned of the battle at the Black Rift. He’d seen the shapes of Alliance ships, the last of the fleet that were making a desperate assault on the enemy. The Liberty ships were hardy things, yet he’d seen them crumple to the gunfire of true ships-of-the-line, and it had been far from pretty.
“They were sent on a routine patrol when an unidentified object was detected. The distance was substantial and Orion already several days out when they got the call.”
Gun licked his upper lip before continuing.
“What they found was this.”
The image changed again; this time replaced by the vast derelict. It rotated slowly so that the vessel could be seen from all directions. Some of the marines strained to get a closer view of the components.
“Orion moved in nearer, and while investigating the derelict, they simply vanished without a trace. We’ve had no contact since, and our long-range scans are picking up nothing more than scattered debris.”
He paused, letting that sink in.
“I know what you’re all thinking. It was probably a collision or an accident, and you might be right. Apart from this.”
He nodded to Spartan who then walked up to the model. As he moved his hands, the object twisted about and then stopped. A flashing blue line surrounded one section on the left part of the vessel.
“The ship is modular, and this particular section is a patrol ship.”
He looked at his small audience.
“We’ve checked with the Helions and the T’Kari, and got nothing. But the Klithi are another story. They will tell us little, other than that this one vessel is in their ship registry.”
Spartan glanced to Gun who gave him the nod.
“It is a patrol ship from the Trusska.”
There was no response for a moment.
“Yes, you heard me, the Trusska. The mythical race that apparently committed suicide centuries ago.”
He turned around and pointed at the vessel.
“At least one part of that derelict is of Trusskan origin. And all the Klithi would tell us was to keep well away. Their last message said Trusskan ships bring only death. They are moving their primary fleet to protect their Spacebridge to Helios. They suggest we do the same, and prepare for a major offensive! No wonder they're scared.”
That brought a smile to both Gun and Khan’s faces. The imagery deactivated, and Gun took over.
“In any case, we’ve been given orders to investigate the location from a safe distance. Once there, we will perform a full tactical scan and then send in boarding teams. If there is a risk to T'Karan, or Alliance territory, we have full authority to conduct a search and destroy mission. All options are at our disposal, including destruction from deep space. If it is as serious as the Klithi suggest, then downfall protocols will come into effect.”
Spartan looked surprised.
"Downfall? As in crew and equipment expendable?"
Gun nodded.
"Exactly, under those circumstances, any price must be paid to stop it."
Lieutenant Armstrong lifted his hand, but he looked more amused that worried.
“Yes, Lieutenant,” said Gun.
“Downfall, on the word of aliens."
He shook his head and clearly had little time for the Klithi.
"What are we expecting to find, Sir?”
Gun’s face tightened a little.
“ANS Orion was lost with all hands, and we have a massive vessel moving into Alliance territory. The Klithi have never misled us before, and they are terrified of this thing. Our mission is simple; to get there weeks before a conventional fleet, and to find out what happened well before it can be a major threat to our colonies.”
Spartan nodded twice as he listened.
“And if we find hostiles, what does High Command sanction?”
Now Gun seemed to positively beam at the question.
“If we deem it a threat, we have full authorisation to destroy whatever we find out there.”
CHAPTER FOUR
One event occurred in the Great Biomech War that has never been fully explained. A ship vanished in the T'Karan System and reappeared many months later in the Sol sector, near the planet Mars. The journey was vast, and in theory, only possible via the use of the Interstellar Network of Spacebridges. Survey ships would spend years looking for answers, but there are many that say the ship never really vanished. An even smaller group suggest those that reappeared in the Sol System might simply have been copies or clones of the original captives, a hypothesis generally laughed at by the scientific community. The alternative is that there is a Spacebridge out there, perhaps even an additional network that could provide the answers.
Evolution of the Biomechs
Admiral Jarvis Naval Station, T’Karan System
IAS Euryale moved in a wide elliptical orbit around the vast space station. She was not the only one doing this, but no sooner had she arrived and the other vessels busily altered their courses. Of all the ships in T’Karan, IAS Euryale was now the furthest from the station. Her shape stood out against every other vessel, not due to her size or ungainly appearance, but because of the great double ring at her stern. This odd arrangement made her appear like no other. Neither the humans nor the myriad of races in the many worlds connected to the Helios Nexus used such technology. White flashes burned continually from her main drive as she moved onto her orbital course.
Created over a decade ago, the Admiral Jarvis Naval Station was massive, and one that had no equal in the known galaxy. It was a thriving places, a centre for commerce, shipbuilding, and engineering, and every year it grew. What had started as a forward base of operations for a military offensive had now turned into something quite different. The station included a vast shipyard, as well as a thriving engineering station and Marine Corps barracks and was the stopover point for every military fleet or convoy that moved from Alpha Centauri to the Orion Nebula. The station was also the home of the T’Karan Fleet, one of the most heavily armed Heavy Strike Groups in the Alliance.
“She’s different every time I see her.”
Dozens of ships waited in orbit, with one in particular standing out more than the rest. As well as the large number of military ships, there were also small groups of civilian vessels, each bearing the marking of the newly minted Alliance Navy Auxiliary. For most of the ships the change in name made little difference, but Spartan could see each carried at least a single retrofitted defence turret. One of the requirements, apart from an ANA sanctioned crew, was they all had to be armed, even if just by a single turret.
“ANS Warlord,” Spartan said under his breath, “Flagship of the T’Karan Strike Group.”
The ship was unique, something hastily improvised in the war. Back then, ships were manufactured and hurled out into battle, often incomplete. ANS Warlord had been an attempt to consolidate the resources of two Conqueror class battlecruisers into one vessel. The hulls had been fused together during the initial production, and then extra layers of spaced armour installed throughout. It was an ungainly monster, yet somehow it had survived multiple engagements and been present at the Black Rift. Khan leaned in closer.
“He will be here, you know that?”
Spartan smiled, but his expression was grim.
“I know. Anderson has enough to do without reminiscing about the old days. Another time, maybe.”
Khan looked at his friend for a little longer and then turned his attention back to the mainscreen. Unlike the physical windows on the left and right-hand sides of the bridge, this part could show them any view they wished. One half pointed at the station, while a smaller section darted about, investigating every vessel in the area. There were many news ships, the majority variants of the Liberty design. A single Helion missile cruiser was connected to a long docking platform, and drones moved about its hull. Khan pointed to another object off to the right.
“And that one is Harbinger, the highest kill record in the fleet for any Crusader class. She was almost destroyed in a ground attack run in the war. Impressive ship.”
Spartan swallowed uncomfortably. He knew a lot of the men and women aboard that ship, and many of them had been lost in that battle. Even so, seeing one of the ships from the war brought back images of the final space battles. Spartan had witnessed the destruction of numerous Alliance ships; he’d even given orders to fire on many of them.
“Impressive crew.”
Captain Delatorre looked at the ship and shook his head.
“She’s still running railguns. I thought all the Crusader class now run particle beams.”
Spartan looked in the direction of the ship.
“All of the surviving first ships retained their armament. Many were upgraded, but none survived the war. Any remaining with railguns were moved to the home fleets. They were supposed to be the second-line of defence.”
He looked back to the Captain.
“That’s why so many were available for combat at the end of the war; archaic perhaps, but their crews were experienced, and they fought damned hard. When the call came, they joined up with Liberty class escorts and fought against the Biomechs.”
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