The Ganthoran Gambit (The First Admiral Series)

by Benning, William J.

  “That would get their attention, but what about their Axe-Blades?” Lokkrien asked

  “Watch and learn.” Billy indicated the War Table image once again.

  This time Lokkrien saw the three massive blocks of Axe-Blade fighters, followed by the horse-shoe formation of Ganthoran Destroyers. Standing against them were the two Star-Destroyers. With growing unease, Lokkrien watched the Destroyer horse-shoe start to close in on the Alliance Star-Destroyers as the Axe-Blades swarmed forwards.

  “So, what’s our next move, sir?” Lokkrien was eager to be brought up to speed.

  “Admiral Lokkrien, we wait,” Billy began, “then we hit and run, fire, and retreat.”

  “Hit and run usually means there’s a trap set somewhere?” Lokkrien asked speculatively.

  “Yes, you’re still very perceptive, Admiral,” Billy said, “We have what’s left of Grobbeg’s Fleet and our own Second Fleet on the far side of the Calyx Wormhole.”

  “Interesting combination, sir?” Lokkrien remarked quizzically.

  “Yes, the Ganthoran “Screaming Death” to pin them down at the wormhole exit, and our pulsar-cannon to pick them off,” Billy announced triumphantly.

  “Sounds fine in theory, sir.” Lokkrien had to admit it was a good idea to combine Ganthoran and Alliance weapons. “But we still need to get them in to the wormhole?”

  “Well, I didn’t say it would be easy,” Billy joked, “we fire and retreat, leading them closer and closer to the wormhole.”

  “And, they just follow us in?”

  “Yes, that’s more or less it.”

  “And, what if they don’t buy it, sir? Lokkrien asked. “What’s the fall back plan?”

  “Well, if they don’t buy it, the most likely path they will take is to go after Ganthus and Ganthus City,” Billy began, “the Imperial Guard Fleet is stationed in orbit above Ganthus, and we can easily bring First and Second Fleet from the Wormhole and catch the enemy between our two forces, but you’re forgetting one very obvious circumstance, Admiral.”

  “And, what’s that, sir?” Lokkrien asked.

  “We have all three Adjudicators in our custody. If they want their mysterious Adjudicator/Emperor figure, they’ll have to take them from us,” Billy announced. “Without him, they have no figurehead, and the Ganthoran people will not accept a military dictatorship.”

  “Sir!” The voice of a Scanner Officer cut through the darkness of the War Room. “The Ganthorans are within pulsar-cannon range!”

  “Excellent!” Billy exclaimed. “Give them one salvo of all guns, plus the Trionic Cannon and then withdraw fifty thousand kilometres.”

  “Yes, sir,” the WATO responded, “opening fire now, sir!”

  On the War Table image, the fourteen Star-Cruisers each unleashed ten high-yield pulsar- bolts, whist the two Star-Destroyers fired one Trionic cannon each.

  With a screen of Destroyers in front of the Cruisers and “Six-Cigar” Carriers, the smaller Ganthoran vessels took the brunt of the pulsar-cannon salvo. The one hundred and forty high-yield pulsar-bolts slashed downrange and blew almost one hundred Ganthoran Destroyers to oblivion. Dozens more were damaged as the high-yield pulsar-bolts hurtled though the Destroyer lines, grazing and damaging hulls as they sped onwards. For many of the Ganthoran crews, the end was swift and painless. Following their orders, they were making full speed to catch up with the Alliance vessels after the humiliating encounter with the big Star-Destroyers. With less than a second to respond, many Destroyers ran headlong into the hail of pulsar-bolts that hurtled out towards them. And, when struck by an Alliance pulsar-bolt, the Destroyer simply exploded and cast debris and flames into the paths of their comrades.

  For those aboard the vessels that were only grazed by the white-hot, speeding pulsar-bolts, their chances of survival decreased depending upon the damage that they had sustained.

  In a badly-damaged Destroyer, there were only seconds of blind panic and terror for the crew members to find their way to the life-pods. For many crew members, there were not enough precious seconds before the vessel de-pressurised and froze or suffocated them to death. For other crews, a last panic-stricken scramble for survival meant trying to repair the massive damage that the pulsar-bolt had inflicted. And, once more, the fate of freezing, suffocation, or annihilation awaited them.

  For those crews where the damage was slight, the battle for survival revolved around being able to avoid the Destroyers around them. The pulsar-bolt made no distinction as to whom it struck, but one Destroyer having been struck would most likely be in the path of other vessels which had also been damaged. The Navigation and Helm operators aboard the Destroyers would hold the lives of their comrades in their hands as they tried to guess and second guess where the debris and out of control vessels around them would fall. For some; the operators and their skilled captains that proved to have guessed right, they were able to extract their wounded vessels from the destruction.

  For others, their operators took a wrong turn and collided with debris, an out of control vessel, or were simply mown down by the progress of the larger vessels following behind them.

  For those struck by the Trionic Cannon Streams that seethed through the entire Ganthoran formation, the end was usually mercifully swift. With the Trions of the ship’s hull de-stabilised, the explosion was usually instantaneously fatal to the crew. The exception was for those caught on the very edge of the Trion Stream. A large Cruiser would last a few seconds before the entire hull was engulfed by the corrosively-spreading unstable Trions. With the hull engulfed, the final explosion was catastrophic; nothing and no one would survive the annihilation that followed.

  Once more, the Trion Streams had ripped a pathway through the Ganthoran formation sweeping two “Six-Cigar” Carriers and five Cruisers, from the centre of the formation into oblivion.

  “Right, Navigation, take us back fifty thousand kilometres, one percent light speed.” Billy was well pleased with the result of the latest round of gunfire.

  “Yes, sir!” As the Navigation Technician responded from the darkness, the Alliance images on the War Table began to turn and move away from the advancing Ganthorans.

  “Giving them a bit of a sporting chance, sir?” Lokkrien asked.

  “Well, we don’t want to run away from them too quickly.” Billy grinned.

  At one percent of light speed, the Alliance ships would cover the fifty thousand kilometres in less than thirty seconds. At full speed, the Ganthoran “Six-Cigar” Carriers would take around two minutes to cover the distance.

  “Sir, repairs are completed on Colossus,” an Engineering Technician said.

  “Excellent,” Billy responded, “and the repairs to Aquarius?”

  “Relatively minor damage, sir, some crew accommodation decks got knocked about a bit, but no casualties reported,” the Engineering Technician responded.

  “She’s a tough old girl.” Lokkrien was aware of just how special a place in Billy’s heart the Aquarius was.

  “Yes, but it would be shame to lose her so early on,” Billy said.

  “Ganthorans coming back within range,” the Scanner Officer called.

  “Very well, same again, one salvo and withdraw, but concentrate the Trionic Cannon on the flanks of the formation,” Billy ordered.

  If his guess was correct, Frontier General Sal’nor would have his ships stationed at the centre of the formation.

  If Billy concentrated the Trionic Cannon on the flanks of the formation, he would be cutting down the vessels from Kav’al and Timmeg’s Frontier Fleets. If Kav’al and Timmeg saw their ships being cut to ribbons, whilst Sal’nor’s vessels stayed relatively unscathed, it would put pressure on what must already be an uneasy alliance. Anything that was likely to disrupt this unlikely alliance of Frontier Generals could only be of further benefit to Billy Caudwell.

  “Opening fire now, sir!” the WATO announced.

  On the War Table image, dozens of Destroyers in the front three lines of the Ganthoran formation si
mply vanished. The one hundred and forty high-yield pulsar-bolts had slammed into, or cut through, the hulls of many vessels in the first three ranks. The Trion Stream from Olympus cut a swathe through the Ganthoran left wing, whilst the Trion Stream from Colossus cut through the Ganthoran right.

  “Comms, signal Colossus to concentrate her Trionic Cannon on the Carriers,” Billy ordered.

  Having seen the Trion Stream from Olympus annihilate a “Six-Cigar” Carrier and three more Cruisers, Billy had noticed that the Trion Stream from Colossus had barely grazed the edge of the Ganthoran right wing. It had been an effective strike, but had only managed to strike down two Cruisers and a few dozen Destroyers.

  The Frontier Fleets still had a massive advantage in Axe-Blade fighters, and it was more effective to remove the Carriers and their fighter complement.

  “Yes, sir!” the WATO said.

  Although it was the job of the Communications Officers to relay messages from the War Room, it was the Weapons and Tactical Officer’s job to direct the gunfire.

  “Very well, withdraw another fifty thousand kilometres, one half of one percent light speed,” Billy commanded.

  “A little bit slower, sir?” Lokkrien asked.

  “Yes, it might give them the idea that we’re running low on fuel or protecting a damaged ship,” Billy said, “and prepare the Star-Destroyer Eagles for launch!”

  “Launching Eagles?” Lokkrien said quietly, “I thought we were trying to avoid a fighter-on-fighter battle?”

  He knew that it was improper to challenge the First Admiral openly.

  “I didn’t say we were going to use them for an attack, Marrhus,” Billy said, “we need every gun we can muster on the far side of the Wormhole.”

  “But, we’re nowhere near the Wormhole yet.”

  “Not yet, Marrhus, not yet, but when we do get there, we’ll have to feed our ships through the Wormhole a bit at a time.”

  “Ah.” The truth of the situation began to dawn on the Chief of Staff. “And we feed the Eagles in first, followed by the Star-Cruisers, and then finally the big ships?”

  “Well done, Marrhus,” Billy praised, “all the ships with close range weapons form the cordon on the other side of the Wormhole, we face down the Ganthorans this side to allow them to take up position and escape through the Trionic Web.”

  “And, that’s why you’re First Admiral and I’m not.” Lokkrien had to acknowledge a sound tactical plan.

  “Sir, the Ganthorans are in range again!” the Scanner Officer said.

  “Very good,” Billy acknowledged, “WATO, same again, one salvo then withdraw one hundred thousand kilometres at one third of one percent light speed.”

  “Firing now, sir,” the WATO said.

  On the War Table image, Billy could see the Ganthoran formation. It was slightly more ragged than he had seen it before. Behind the three “Rings”, the slew of damaged vessels was growing larger and longer as the not-so-effective ships tried desperately to stay up with the main Fleet. Except, this time, the Ganthorans were ready for the salvo of pulsar-bolts.

  When the Star-Cruisers opened fire, the Ganthorans also opened fire with their “Screaming Death” weapons pods. It was a massive gamble by General Sal’nor, but at longer range, the “Screaming Death” wave did manage to neutralise most of the energy from the pulsar-bolts. And, instead of hundreds of the Ganthoran Destroyers being blown to smithereens or crippled, less than fifty of the small ships suffered some form of damage.

  Once more, on the War Table image, Billy caught snap-shots of what had happened within the Ganthoran formation. The great shimmering wave of “Screaming Death” surged forwards from the front of the Ganthoran formation, and instead of huge numbers of Destroyers vanishing from the image or weaving and veering from their stations, Billy saw only a few ships lurch and begin to fly erratically. He noticed one Ganthoran Destroyer struck cleanly on the front of the hull, but instead of vanishing in a huge burst of flame and debris, the ship lurched from its station and began to veer away from the rest of the formation.

  “Well, it took you long enough to work that one out, General Sal’nor,” Billy said quietly to himself. “Get us out of here, Navigation!”

  The wave of “Screaming Death”, however, was not enough to stop a Trion Stream.

  Once again, the lane of destruction cut through the centre of the two flanking “Rings”. Another group of Destroyers, two Carriers, and four Cruisers vanished from the War Table image.

  “That should encourage them a bit more!” Lokkrien announced. “How did you know their weapons would stop out pulsar-bolts?”

  “Their “Screaming Death” is a combined sonic and electro-magnetic wave. Our pulsar-bolts are an energy discharge weapon. Their frequencies partly cancel each other out,” Billy replied. “A strong enough and sustained wave of “Screaming Death could break down our Force Shielding.”

  “Well, that’s a comforting thought.” Lokkrien smiled nervously.

  “No, Marrhus, they’d have to assemble their whole Fleet and fire from about a quarter of a kilometre away to break down a Star-Cruiser’s Force Shielding.”

  Once more, Billy saw the Ganthoran Combined Frontier Fleets set off in pursuit of the Alliance ships. On the War Table image, the Star-Cruisers and Star-Destroyers formed no recognisable formation. The two Star-Destroyers were side-by-side with the gaggle of Star-Cruisers around them. The Ganthorans, however, emboldened by the success of fending off the pulsar-bolts, were starting to deploy the heavier Cruisers to the front of their advance. Sal’nor was, perhaps, thinking of unleashing a massive wave of “Screaming Death” at the Alliance ships and following up with his surviving Axe-Blades and Destroyers.

  “Three minutes to the Calyx Wormhole, sir,” the Navigation Officer said.

  “Very good. WATO, as soon as we arrive, launch the Eagles and open the Wormhole for them,” Billy ordered.

  “Sir, the Eagles don’t have any Force Shielding?” the WATO asked.

  It was a valid point. The single seat Eagle fighters did not possess the Force Shielding Generators that the larger Alliance vessels carried, and the turbulence in the Wormhole would make it a very uncomfortable ride for the pilots.

  “The Ganthorans don’t have Force Shielding either, and they’ve managed for the last few centuries,” Billy countered, “when they get through the Wormhole, pass control of all fighters to Admiral Parbe’an’s command.”

  “Yes, sir,” the WATO acknowledged.

  “It’ll be rough for the Eagles in there, sir,” Lokkrien said.

  “Yes, I know Marrhus, but we might not have time to launch them when we arrive on the other side,” Billy replied calmly. “If the Ganthorans overrun us here and go straight through, Parbe’an will need every gun ready, there and then. It’s a chance we just have to take.”

  “Sir, signal from Admiral Parbe’an,” a Communications Officer called, “position ready.”

  “Thank you Comms,” Billy said, “make response, good news, customers on the way, expect trade in about fifteen to twenty minutes.”

  It was a piece of sheer showmanship and bravado from Billy Caudwell, however, the part of his mind that was Teg Skarral Portan knew that he had to show as much confidence as possible. Confidence was infectious, as was uncertainty. And, the last thing the Alliance crews needed to see from their Supreme Commander was any form of uncertainty.

  “Sir, we’re approaching the Wormhole,” the Navigation officer announced.

  “Very good. WATO, get those Eagles launched and away as soon as we arrive,” Billy ordered, “and, prepare the Star-Cruisers to follow them.”

  “Which will leave Olympus and Colossus waiting here with no fighter or Star-Cruiser escort?” Lokkrien asked.

  “That’s the plan,” Billy replied, “two vulnerable vessels holding the rearguard.”

  “Eagles are launching, sir,” the WATO announced.

  “Very good,” Billy acknowledged, “how long until the Ganthorans reach our position?”
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br />   “They’ll be within weapons range in nine minutes, sir.”

  “Nine minutes isn’t enough to get all of our ships through?” Lokkrien realised that if the Ganthorans attacked with the Alliance Fleet divided on either side of the Wormhole, they would be in serious trouble.

  “Yes, I know, Marrhus,” Billy’s quiet and anxious tone told Lokkrien that the First Admiral was worried.

  Focussing intently on the War Table image, Billy quickly scanned the scene in front of him. The great, looming, grey misty presence of the Wormhole dominated the three-dimensional image, dwarfing even the two massive Star-Destroyers. The Star-Cruiser, Agamemnon was stationed close to the Wormhole; holding the aperture open with a constant stream of Cheddax radiation. The two Star-Destroyers were forming the centre of the four-by-four formation. The Eagles from the Star-Cruisers and the Star-Destroyers were already emerging from the Landing Bays like flying insects from a nest, and swarming towards the aperture of the Wormhole.

  The Ganthorans were still distant on the War Table image, however, they were closing the gap to the Wormhole far quicker than Billy had expected. For Billy Caudwell, it was becoming obvious that the Ganthorans would reach the Wormhole before the whole Alliance contingent had passed through. He had miscalculated on the speed of his own approach, and now he would have to take decisive action.

  “WATO,” Billy called, “bring Olympus and Colossus forward to intercept the Ganthorans.”

  “What about the Star-Cruiser supports?” Lokkrien asked quietly.

  “We need them on the other side of the Wormhole,” Billy responded equally quietly, “we have to buy them the time to get through.”

  “It’s a big risk, sir,” Lokkrien said.

  “Big risks for big rewards.” Billy finalised his decision. “Time to intercept, WATO?”

  “We can be there in a few seconds, sir.”

  “Very good,” Billy said, “keep them as far away from the Wormhole as we can.”

  The atmosphere in the War Room suddenly became tense. This was not a part of the plan that any of the War Room personnel had expected. Something must have gone wrong for the First Admiral to make such an irregular departure from his original plan.