Righteous Reign Episode 3 - Rampant Rampage
Page 15
As our modified force increases in strength, we will target more locations on each assault day. Then, we will do another group and revisit some from the first day on the next visit. Repeat attacks will be very random, so our antagonists have to reinforce all the positions, to be sure.
Today, SOCC is monitoring three sites, in case our enemy has abandoned any. The closest one to us is at RA 90.746667º x DEC -27.6223056º @ 119 light-years. That is exactly four light-years from us. There is another on exactly the same vector at 35.15 parsecs from Sol. There is a third at RA 90.6556º x Dec -25.545º @ 115 Ly. We have designated them ZULU 1, 2, and 3. I would prefer to attack the second and third choices. I don't want to poke a hornet's nest too close to our home base.
Savign's report says they're all still in place and their strength hasn't changed. I authorize the strike on Z-2, followed by Z-3 if all goes well at the first one.
TACTICAL ACTION MESSAGE #ZETA-0333401
CLASSIFIED - TOP SECRET (NTK)
ENCRYPTED - AUTHENTICATION ROOT I.D. ZETA-1-A7444-727^&
From:F. Admiral K. Brubacher Zeta Commander
To:Admiral A. Urquhart Commander Zeta T1, Admiral Savign Commander Zeta-SF
C.C.Gamma Command HQ, Epsilon Command HQ, CIC
Re:Action Order
Date: Sept. 27, 2267
Admiral Urquhart,
You are ordered and required to execute the following.
Bring all necessary power to bear against the Zulu-2 target to disrupt, disorganize and destroy as much of that force as possible.
If successful on item 1 repeat the same process on the Zulu-3 target as soon after the first as it is viable.
This order authorizes the use of lethal force.
Good Luck!!
Fleet Admiral Kurt Brubacher
Then, I sit and wait.
...........................................................................................................................
Andy Urquhart is watching the sensor displays on the monitors aboard his Admiral's Craft at fourteen hundred that afternoon. Long range detectors are showing the enemy fleet at RA 90.746667º x DEC -27.6223056º @ 116 light-years is calmly going about its business. The focus is too tight to see the two Fleets enter the region; but, suddenly sixteen giant craft are bearing down from above and behind them, while another sixteen are making the same approach from below. With both approaching from the rear, their firing angles are toward the bows of the targets so they can't be caught in each other's crossfire.
The onslaught seemed like heavy snow in a driving wind. Sheets of weapons streaked into the vessels just as they began to react to sensor readings. It was too late. They rocked and rolled. Two giant fusion flares erupted against the dark background as the lightning-like strike pounded the remaining two. Fifty, sixty, then, eighty hits to each within a few seconds. One went dark the other flared, it was over in less than a minute with nothing remaining but swirling rubble, dissipating gas and a puff of smoke that would be gone as quickly as the gas. Urquhart's forces had suffered no damage or losses.
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MEMO
CLASSIFIED - TOP SECRET (NTK)
ENCRYPTED - AUTHENTICATION ROOT I.D. ZET-T1-5-C9965-331@&
From:Admiral A. Urquhart Commander Zeta T-1
To:F. Admiral K. Brubacher Zeta HQ Commander
C.C.Admiral Savign Zeta-SF-SOCC Commander
Re:TAM #ZETA-0333401
Date:September 27, 2267
Admiral,
Part 1 complete. No damage or casualties. On to part 2
Urquhart.
...........................................................................................................................
It's sixteen thirty on September 27, and Andy's now sitting watching a quarter light-year from Zulu 3. Again the ships approach in the same manner with the exception that, this time they approach the upper and lower hulls toward the stern of the ships. They rain hell upon the enemy again without respite. Two go out in the first few instants. The third and final one takes a little longer. But, it's gone within a couple of minutes. The tactics and technology have worked effectively.
...........................................................................................................................
MEMO
CLASSIFIED - TOP SECRET (NTK)
ENCRYPTED - AUTHENTICATION ROOT I.D. ZET-T1-4-Z7975-351Z%
From:Admiral A. Urquhart Commander Zeta T-1
To:F. Admiral K. Brubacher Zeta HQ Commander
C.C.Admiral Savign Zeta-SF-SOCC Commander
Re:TAM #ZETA-0333401
Date:September 27, 2267
Admiral,
Part 2 complete. Success. No losses. On the way home.
Urquhart.
...........................................................................................................................
"Andy, you and your people, did a great job." I offered as Admiral Urquahart sat in the chair across the desk from me.
"Yes sir, but, your work made it possible. The weapons worked. The few hits we took showed the shields work. And, your analysis and subsequent tactics were spot-on. We had a couple of minor injuries from concussive shocks. But no one died, and no ships were lost."
"Don't sell yourself short. You and your people did the job."
"I hate to say this. But, after what the Isesinis did to us, it was fun to see these bastards going up in smoke. How long do you think it'll take for them to realize they've lost some ships?"
"If they're anything like us, they know by now. Those ships haven't checked in."
"You know who really deserves the credit?' The question was rhetorical. "Vice Admiral Svjosloki made it all possible. That guy's another Einstein!" Andy sniggers.
"He's pretty smart, for sure. Are you ready for the next one? Savign is lining up bigger targets for next week. You might want to bring another Fleet or two into the mix, if any more are modified, by then."
"I'm ready. I have half a Theatre prepared. Those additional two Fleets should be ready by then. As we move up, I can add more and more power." He finished as he raised his glass of Scotch. I met the gesture, and we gulped the last down and rose. He left.
...........................................................................................................................
MEMO
CLASSIFIED - TOP SECRET (NTK)
ENCRYPTED - AUTHENTICATION ROOT I.D. ZET-1-Y2236-113+=
From:F. Admiral K Brubacher Zeta HQ Commander
To:Epsilon HQ Commander, Gamma HQ Commander, CIC
C.C.Limited Distribution
Re:TAM #ZETA-0333401
Date:September 27, 2267
My friends,
Today we executed two raids in reference to the above TAM. Both were unqualified successes. A few injuries. No losses. All preparations worked well.
We're back in the game.
F. Admiral K. Brubacher
...........................................................................................................................
A short while later, I received the first reply.
MEMO
CLASSIFIED - TOP SECRET (NTK)
ENCRYPTED - AUTHENTICATION ROOT I.D. CIC-01-W0091-132?<
From:King David I Orion Federation CIC
To:F. Admiral K Brubacher C&C / Zeta HQ Commander
C.C.Epsilon HQ Commander, Gamma HQ Commander,
Re:TAM #ZETA-0333401
Date:September 27, 2267
Kurt,
Congratulations to you and your team. I know an incredible amount of work went into this achievement. Your research, planning, preparations, and execution have been impeccable.
Good Job!
Your Freind
David Delnikov
A short while later, I received two more along similar lines fr
om George and Steven.
Then, I called a meeting of all Tier 2 and 3 Commanders.
...........................................................................................................................
I got busy and didn't enter my office until almost meeting time. Everyone was seated with a drink in hand and smiling. All rose and saluted me; including Grace and Bill who were surprisingly in attendance. I returned the gesture.
"Hope you don't mind, old friend. We thought we'd crash your party." Bill said with wry smile.
"I thought you weren't cleared for full duty?" I queried.
"Doc cleared me this afternoon. Says I could dig ditches with a hand shovel, now!" He chuckled.
"Good, because we need you. Besides... we kind of like having you around." Everyone chuckled.
"Bill and I wanted to congratulate you all. You've taken a bad situation and showed us a way out." Grace announced.
Everyone nodded and mumbled their thanks.
"There's always been too much humility in your senior group Kurt. It's contagious, and I think they caught it from you. You've all done a great job. We're buying the drinks after this meeting. And make sure that Engineer... Vos... you know - the new Vice Admiral. Anyway, make sure he's there. He's been great for the service." Bill blustered.
I nodded. Then, I took over; directing my attention to my subordinates.
"I called you all in because we need a bigger victory for all our people. We need something the Orion Federation can see, and the enemy won't dismiss. I don't want to do another raid for our own gratification.
Savign, I want your people to look for something with twenty or thirty enemy ships. In fact, find two targets; so we have options.
How are the modifications going? Andy, can you have an entire Theatre ready? You can hit them with six Fleets and still have two in reserve. And, what do you think of taking along our new friends?"
"I can have a Tier 3 ready. Our techs are doing all the prep work, and Gojen moves the ships in and out of the Spiel docks quickly. As far as our friends go, the Polemista organize and fight in a similar manner to us. They have proven they can work with us. I can take a couple of Fleets along. For this mission, we can have them fight with us. We can give them opportunities to Command their own units in the next stage."
"Greg, do you want to take a Theatre along and observe? You haven't been involved with this side of things, yet. I want to get you into the real action, soon. So, it wouldn't be bad to take a look."
"Sure, my people would love an outing. It would be a respite from the monotony." Astinov responds.
"Have any of your ships been modified, yet?"
"Yes sir, I've got half a Theatre, now."
"Good. I don't want to send you along if you're totally vulnerable. Okay, we'll break it up and head down to the pub. Who's up for darts or snooker?" I direct over my shoulder with a sly smile as I head toward the door.
"Stick to darts. The guys a hustler!" Bill whispers loud enough for me to overhear.
"I'm in for darts!" A slew of voices chorus.
...........................................................................................................................
Early, on Thursday, September 26, 2267, fourteen ships from Musca and thirteen from Libra Fleets arrived at our vetting area severely battered. They were hit by an Isesinis contingent while trying to make their way to us. Three of the Libra Carriers and most of its senior Command Chain had been destroyed. Musca had lost two Frigates, but was otherwise intact. Every ship was damaged in one fashion or another. But, one image, in particular, stuck in my mind. The Fleet Flagship, FSS Belarus, had extensive burns and a massive dent on the port side of its bow. But, what was so unusual was to see two of its giant gun placements hanging over the precipice created by the upper edge of the depression. They were only suspended by hydraulic, electrical, and cooling lines, and could have broken free at any time while in FTL mode. They more than likely would have penetrated a portal and killed anyone inside. We never travel with anything damaged inside the protection of our shields. The Belarus must have been desperate to make a hasty getaway.
Officers and crew were operating in a sort of automatic state. Many appeared to be in a zombie-like condition; reflexively carrying out necessary operations. The blank stares of some seemed to peer through others towards some other reality. A small percentage appeared more aware but were still mechanical in the execution of duties and their personal interactions. According to Vice Admiral Marie Bryant and her Counselling Department, these people were experiencing the numbness that comes from a sudden severe shock. From the little bit of disjointed information we did get, she felt they had been attacked abruptly and unexpectedly and suffered great losses in a very short span of time. Most were in the early stages of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the next twenty-four hours were critical to their recovery.She suggested we not try to debrief them too quickly. Instead, we should permit them to absorb the fact they were relatively safe and secure, now. They should be allowed to rest and sleep, and those that required medical intervention should be treated, immediately.
We drafted skeleton crews from throughout our various operations to man the vessels and relieved all Musca and Libra personnel. They were relocated to several Headquarters Supercarriers. The most seriously injured were transported to Tier Three Mobile Hospitals.
So, it was not until late on Friday when some began to relate their stories without prompting or prodding by us. According to Marie and Admiral Savage, it was best if we just let the details spill from them without our intervention. It was Musca's Vice Admiral Engava and Rear Admiral Glish who filled in most of the details for us. I knew both of these Officers. They had served aboard the FSS Shenzhen when I was the ship's Captain. In fact, they attended a course I taught in July 2255. Both had been young exuberant newly commissioned Ensigns with great potential. It was satisfying for me to see their careers had come so far.
Anyway, the story was that they had been in hiding near 16 Cygni on the far side of the Orion Federation, since the Isesinis invasion. At first, they were separate, but then they accidentally discovered each other. Both Fleets had suffered damage and crew losses but were relatively intact from the initial encounters. After several months, they found they were running low on basic food supplies and weapons, and had even considered disembarking to live out their lives on a habitable planet. Just when things seemed hopeless with no other course of action, they received one of our transmitted messages.
The two Fleet Commanders spent several days discussing the best way to reach Zeta HQ; finally deciding to risk a direct route across the Federation. It would be the shortest but the most dangerous. However, it could allow them to reach us without resorting to rationing. At first, the fact weapons were so depleted was the greatest impediment until they realized the devices were useless against this enemy, anyway. So, they plotted as direct a course as possible that would allow them to travel across the least active regions of the Realm. Stops were planned at locations in open space away from planetary systems and trade routes. In all, it would be a one hundred forty light-year journey requiring six - five days long, seven Parsec jumps at twenty percent maximum FTL velocity. With a days rest at each stop, it would take a total of thirty-five days to reach our hiding place. But, the alternative was an almost two-hundred light-year trip with the first nearly fifty in enemy territory. All they could hope for was that space is so expansive their conduits and layovers would not encounter Isesinis contingents. They departed on Wednesday, July 3, 2267.
But they didn't get their wish. At two early planned stops, they landed on large enemy flotillas and successfully executed "skip-offs" to avoid a conflict. But the experiences were hair-raising and took them well out of the way extending the voyage even farther. They considered heading back beyond the border; but, decided it was just as dangerous since they had already traveled too far. That was when they finally decided to initiate apportioning food. It was obv
ious they would not make it to Zeta in the original time allotted.
Optimism rose as the next several stops were unoccupied by Isesinis forces. But the euphoria morphed into a nightmare at their last stop in Federation space. At a position on vector RA 88.8575680º x DEC. -26.52179º at 112 Ly from Sol they were badly mangled by a group of thirty-five Isesinis craft. This formation must have detected their exit thresholds. They were ready and waiting for the two Fleets when they reentered normal space. Five warships were destroyed and seven others harshly battered in the thirty seconds it took to implement another "skip-off."
Some surviving ships were so badly ravaged their crews felt it risky to perform even short jumps. So, the remaining distance was covered in a series of quick, two light-year hops. Between these launches, those vessels took the time to examine systems to determine if they would hold up to the next one.
At each stop until crossing the border, they feared further assaults. Across the boundary, crews were transferred between vessels leaving the most severely damaged with only skeleton attendance for the last parsec. Those ships were so crippled their ability to make the destination was questionable. It took nearly a week to finish that final leg of the journey. All the while, the crews of the most severely impaired craft feared sudden annihilation from partially stressed and crippled reactors. But, those valiant people were determined to save them; so, they could be repaired and returned to action. It had taken them eighty-five days to run the gauntlet.
Late in the evening on September 27, I sent Savign the coordinates of the encounter described by Vice Admiral Engava after verifying them in her ship's log.
A couple of days later I received an urgent memo.
MEMO
CLASSIFIED - ULTRA SECRET (NTK)
ENCRYPTED - AUTHENTICATION ROOT I.D. ZET-SF-03-Q9786-968!?
From:Admiral Savign Zeta - SF - SOCC Commander
To:Admiral K. Brubacher Zeta HQ Commander
C.CZeta Tier 2 Commanders
Re:Ripe Fruit
Date:September 29, 2267
Admiral,
We have located two possible marks of higher significance at the following locations.