by David Buck
The Jerecab admiral stood and paced his bridge for an extended period, with his feet occasionally dislodging small clouds of fresh dander from the deck. He moved to retake his command chair after making a series of decisions he shared with his command crew.
‘All ships are to engage all vassal races and all independent races, including the Sspol on sight. We will attempt to drive the humans from these colonies by first destroying their supply links. Finally we will pursue the humans back to their home world and destroy them.’
The admiral was sure that the changes to his strategy were sound, and he set about implementing the new plans, starting with a full assault on the Aquamarine system.
***
Admiral Mary Neilson came onto the bridge at a dead run and picked up one of her data tablets from the flashing docking cradle. Nearby in space, the green super earth that gave this star system its name gleamed in silhouette as it was highlighted by the distant local star. Lieutenant Commander Griggs was at another console going through the reports from yet another sentry robot, and he spoke hurriedly as he could see the admiral was thinking furiously.
‘Admiral, I think our ruse has been discovered and the armada are coming this way. They obviously did not take the bait and enter either the Topaz or the Ivory star systems. We need four hours to get our latest arrivals clear and the armada will arrive in the system well before this occurs.’
A quick check of the reports on the data tablet had Mary shaking her head and issuing a string of orders.
‘All destroyers are to immediately abort their escort duties of the incoming transports and form up on the Exeter. The fleet will leave for the Echelon base to refuel as soon as possible. We will soon lose most of our supplies and fuel, also there is no way we can protect the outlying supply and troop ships.’
Mary had reluctantly agreed to use marines in the colonies; even as she pointed out that she did not have the strength in fighting ships to defend the transports. The rational from the Earth Council had been that the marines would allow them to tie up the Jerecab for years in the colonies. She noted that the Exeter was accelerating to flee the star system at the front of the fleet. Now looking again at her data tablet, she vented her frustration, for the numbers of marines on the transports had hit home.
‘We lose three thousand marines and six troop transports, plus several supply ships, and if I commit my forces now to protect them we lose our home world today. The death toll will be close to four thousand of our best and bravest people.’
Lieutenant Commander Griggs sombrely replied as he took the import of her complaint.
‘Admiral, the attempt at a ground war in the colonies was always regarded as futile. The high value Jerecab resources in the Gold system are the only possible exception to this view….’
Mary raised a hand in appeal and Griggs had the discipline to immediately fall silent. For several minutes the two senior officers checked over their information and made further plans. The first frigates of the Jerecab armada arrived at the opposite corner of the Aquamarine system and Mary checked over the time and distance calculations with only faint hope. The admiral could see that the majority of the lumbering transports would be destroyed within two hours as their escorting destroyers fled to her position. She knew that they needed an edge and she quietly announced an order she had been dreading.
‘All supply ships under intercept are to form up and attack the Jerecab frigates, and they are instructed to use any and all tactics to delay the Jerecab ships.’
Mary forced herself to remain calm as the nightmare unfolded in front of her. Griggs took in the details of the attack, and he noted that if the Jerecab could be delayed for half an hour then the human destroyers could escape with the bulk of the supply ships.
***
Admiral Baunrus yelled and hissed in triumph, and his crew gave hisses of both relief and pleasure as they took in the news. The armada had finally cornered the smaller human fleet and they knew that a resounding victory was possible within hours. Baunrus now wasted no time in ordering his armada forward, as he had been expecting to cross the system as quickly as possible to reach the human deployment zones. The admiral knew that the discovery of the destroyers here had more to do with luck and the fortunes of war rather than sound Jerecab intelligence.
‘All ships are to hold formation and drive across the star system at the humans. Ignore their slower transports and bring their fighting ships to battle.’
The admiral had also just received a welcome report from frigates patrolling in the other star systems. The frigate commanders had destroyed two small human facilities that were obviously tech labs and refuelling facilities. He was intrigued to learn that they had also seized human weapons and equipment.
Baunrus put aside the report and looked again at the tactical display, and the something about the arrangement of the human ships came to his attention. The tactical officer confirmed his suspicions.
‘The human destroyers guarding their transports flee, as if they knew we were arriving in this system. I estimate that they had about an hours’ warning, based on their current vectors.’
Baunrus was settling back to consider this strange bit of information, and he then noted that the human destroyers were making a fast approach to a hyper drive point. He felt rage that the humans could possibly escape before he noticed something else very strange. The slower transports had started to form a defensive formation across his pursuit of the destroyers. He keyed the closing velocity of his own ships and he now felt grudging respect for the mettle of the human transport ship commanders.
‘The humans seek to impede our attack with transports that are already as good as destroyed. All ships are to evade the transports and continue the pursuit of their destroyers.’
The various section commanders in their ships acknowledged his orders as the fleet tactical officer reported on the human destroyers.
‘Admiral, There are thirty two destroyers present, now given we have destroyed only two or three destroyers, I estimate their total numbers are possibly only forty and certainly not more that fifty destroyers. The current speed and trajectory of these ships could be a problem.’
Baunrus felt quiet satisfaction as he took in these estimations, for he knew he faced only one human world, whereas he had the resources of the eight core Red Jerecab worlds behind him. He made another series of calculations and he confirmed that the human destroyers had made enough of a start to possibly escape. The admiral knew that if his armada followed into another sector there was no guarantee that the two fleets would arrive in the same relative positions to each other. He was settling back to congratulate himself again, as he would still hand the humans a big defeat, when the tactical officer gave a hiss of fear across the bridge.
‘Admiral, two Sspol cruisers have left the shadow of the outer gas giant and are heading this way at very high speed. Also other ships have arrived across the star system from our position.’
Baunrus gave a start and got to his feet to angrily pace his bridge. He knew that the Traders had attacked one of his bases earlier, but he had discounted any real possibility of a battle with them while he sought to run down the humans. Another order was issued as he sought to discount what he really feared.
‘I want a tactical assessment of these new ships as soon as possible, for we must know if we are springing a trap.’
Baunrus knew that it would take an extended battle to destroy the human ships, for with recent bitter experience he knew that their destroyers went down hard. The admiral decided to remain with his current series of orders even if he felt the situation was far from ideal. His resolve was vindicated as the tactical officer spoke again.
‘Sir the incoming ships are over three hours away and are identified as the Barus research fleet. Our own limited intelligence places their other cruiser squadron at a system outside the conflict zone.’
Baunrus was well aware of this intelligence as he had used it as justification for dispatching a dozen sh
ips into the next star system. He was hoping to obtain their first reports shortly as these ships were guarding his retreat. He readily discounted the threats facing him as he noted they would be in firing range in half an hour.
‘So apart from the humans we only face the weakest Barus ships and the two Sspol cruisers. The Trader ship is unlikely to be here and the Barus squadron is elsewhere.’
Baunrus noted that his armada was in perfect formation as it ran down the human transport ships.
***
Mary Neilson looked over their current status and noted that two of their destroyers, the Tokyo and the Buenos Aires, were now lagging behind the rest of the fleet. The admiral placed an urgent communications message to both ships, as she could see that the supply ships would soon be attacked.
‘Ben, Freya, your ships are falling behind and you will be over-run by the armada if you cannot keep up…’
Mary was about to speak further when her view screen lit up with the features of Gindane, the Barus captain. She noted that the Barus were transmitting over an open channel as the captain began to speak.
‘Sorry admiral we are too far way, though we will attempt to intervene. The Sspol state that they will attack and have three more ships nearby. A Trader ship is also due at some stage and has already agreed to operate with our nearby cruiser squadron.’
Mary kept her face impassive for she was sure the Jerecab would have intercepted the open message. The admiral waited as Gindane repeated her message in high Barus, which she could follow slightly, before turning to the ship’s communications officer.
‘Hail the Jerecab armada directly and I will speak with them’
After the view screen came alive to show a surprised Jerecab sitting in his command console, Mary began to speak forcefully in halting Barus language.
‘We have beaten your inferior ships a number of times and we will do so again today. You will leave for your own systems or be destroyed.’
Mary did her best to appear hard and ruthless, even to the extent of baring her teeth in anger. The view screen promptly went dead as the Jerecab broke the connection, and she noted that her efforts were probably in vain as the Jerecab continued their approach. A report came up on her data tablet showing that two of their smaller supply facilities had been recently destroyed, but Mary’s attention returned to the two lagging destroyers as the view screen again came alive, this time with the familiar features of Ben and Freya.
***
The sound of a laser pistol echoed around the bridge of the Jerecab flag ship, before Admiral Baunrus put the pistol away. One of the junior lieutenants had actually laughed on the bridge and the admiral had responded immediately with his laser pistol. The crumpled body of the junior officer now lay on the decking with a massive hole through him where the laser blast had struck. Baunrus ignored both the dead body and the burning console nearby as he strode around his bridge in livid rage.
‘A human female, a female has the utter outrage to challenge me and tell me that we will be destroyed. Just for that I will ensure that any humans we capture suffer a lingering death.’
The admiral repeated the same message in a transmission to the Barus captain, as he could not bear to even bring himself to look at the human admiral again. He noted that his message was then relayed by open channel to the humans, though he still did not know their language. No doubt the Barus captain was adding her own opinion in the process, not that he cared one bit.
Neanres was in his own frigate commanding the left forward section of the armada, and he had sixteen frigates under his command. He noted the transmission from the humans in stony silence and was relieved to note that not even a smirk had appeared on his own command bridge. He was running his own tactical scenarios and had seen that two of the human destroyers were falling behind. The commander watched with keen interest as these two destroyers now turned to face the armada with a smaller number of supply ships.
Neanres could tell that these ships had lagged behind and that the humans must have made a decision about their fate. He quietly sent an alternate course to his section to skirt the closest supply ships, but was careful to label the course as not approved. As his ships held their position in the armada, Neanres noted something about the closest formation of supply ships.
‘Tactical officer, give me a high resolution display of those closest human ships…’
Neanres noted the large number of smaller contacts around the transports and he sent an urgent message to the admiral.
‘Admiral, the humans have launched smaller objects from the transports and they are either mines or missiles. Also they would have marines armed with heavier weapons, and I recommend we take evasive action.’
Admiral Baunrus had only just started to regain his composure when the message from Neanres arrived, and he wasted no time in his harsh reply.
‘Commander, I do not care if they have launched five hundred nuclear mines, we are going straight through them or their destroyers will escape.’
Neanres kept his pride in check as the armada came within range and opened fire.
***
Mary Neilson forced her self to remain calm after wishing Ben and Freya, and their ship crews the best of luck. The admiral knew that the second brief message from the Barus as they relayed the Jerecab answer had only strengthened the resolve of her fleet. She then noted that her four of her rearmost destroyers were now just inside extreme missile range of the armada and she immediately placed another order with grid coordinates.
‘Rear ships fire all missiles at these locations north and south of the oncoming armada.’
Twenty four missiles raced from the rear guard destroyers and began to cross to the Jerecab ships. Mary noted that the Jerecab were concentrating on their immediate targets, and a series of smaller explosions occurred as a few of the suited marines were killed and a handful of mines were destroyed. The supply ships altered course and attempted to close the passing Jerecab frigates. She could see that four of the supply ships were about to fall, when a series of smaller explosions rippled through the armada, causing her to offer a brief commentary.
‘We did insist that all of the supply ships carry a handful of nuclear mines, even as a self destruct method.’
The admiral could see that her fleet was still nearly an hour away from entering hyper space as she noted the first missiles approaching the battle. Two large flashes of light also told her that the Tokyo and the Buenos Aires were now firing their main weapons. The two ships also managed to fire several missiles each into the oncoming armada. She watched closely as their combined attack was concentrated on one frigate, which now spun wildly into the side of another Jerecab ship. But even as she noted this small victory, the first four supply ships exploded in a series of large flashes.
***
Neanres had seen the two human destroyers take down a central frigate that was nearby, and the tactical officer had then screamed a warning about the incoming missiles. He then activated the earlier suggested course change, and his section altered course immediately to one side to flank the closest human ships. The course change left his section of ships with a clear run at the two human destroyers and he wasted no time in making another course change.
‘In five minutes time we are to alter course for the two closest human destroyers. Prepare to launch missiles in ten minutes.’
The long minutes ticked down to first the course change and then the launch of the missiles, and Neanres found the silence from Admiral Baunrus to be ominous. He now switched his console view to the rear of his frigate and he witnessed the problems the admiral was facing.
Admiral Baunrus was again ranting at his junior commanders, for several other sections had altered course to evade the collisions. He was particularly upset with Commander Neanres, as he had been the first to alter course, but he noted that at least this junior commander was not causing collisions. Two more explosions occurred in the massed ranks of his frigates, as they either collided with the wreckage of one
of the supply ships, or were hit by weapons fire from the human destroyers.
The admiral frantically issued a series of orders to the central sections of his armada as the final supply ships in the closest group finally exploded. The two closest destroyers had launched missiles at short range and had managed to strike several of his ships. He was at the point of berating Neanres, when he noted that the commander’s section had resumed course and then fired thirty missiles. However his satisfaction was short lived as more human missiles arrived and targeted several frigates in the central section of the armada.
***
Admiral Mary Neilson had watched the course change of flanking frigates and she had no trouble in forecasting about what was about to happen. She yelled a frantic order as the frigates launched their missiles, for she knew that the rest of her ships were now too far away to help.
‘Ben, Freya, go to last ditch now for there are thirty missiles heading inwards….’
The Jerecab missiles crossed rapidly to the Tokyo and the Buenos Aries, and Mary noted that the point defences of the two destroyers managed to bring down several of them. Mary could also see that several of the second group of transports still survived and were also attempted to bring down other missiles with their meagre weapons. She counted another eight missiles brought down and considered that both destroyers were being fought superbly. The two destroyers had earlier launched a second and third volley of missiles and the status for each ship told her they had now run out of these weapons. The Tokyo had fired on the flanking frigates and eight of her missiles now survived and were racing towards the targets. The Buenos Aries had managed to launch ten missiles at the armada itself, and Mary watched as they tore through the area of space littered with the wreckage of the first transport group.
The admiral’s attention was brought back to the two destroyers themselves as the remaining Jerecab missiles arrived. A series of large explosions rocked both ships and when the view cleared, Mary could see that both ships were now tumbling wrecks in space. The remaining transports did not last much longer as the concentrated weapons fire of the armada now tore them to pieces. Mary slumped in her chair for a moment in a mixture of shock and grief as Lieutenant Commander Griggs quietly spoke on the bridge.