by Isaac Hooke
There was no mention of Jonathan’s mutiny attempt against Admiral Knox. Good. Perhaps Yale hadn’t reviewed that part yet.
“Now, on to your plan,” Admiral Yale continued. “I have considered it in detail, and I believe it’s something workable. I agree to follow it, with some modifications. You see, unfortunately my sister destroyer-class starship, the Pharos, was heavily damaged in the last encounter: she’s basically out of action. The same is true of the Cleopatra, one of our corvettes. The other two corvettes are moderately damaged, with half their laser turrets inactive, and some point defenses offline. The Ptolemy itself is fully operational and undamaged, of course.”
How convenient, Jonathan thought.
“In any case,” the admiral continued. “Here are the modifications I propose...”
Jonathan was somewhat surprised Admiral Yale had agreed to his plan so readily, but as the man rattled off his modifications, Jonathan realized the admiral wasn’t agreeing after all. Jonathan hadn’t had the best of luck with admirals in the past. It looked like that trend was destined to continue.
“Dragonfly 1, prepare to record response,” Jonathan said when the message ended. He took a deep breath. “Begin. Admiral Yale, thank you for agreeing to my plan. But I believe two corvettes won’t be enough to hold the Slipstream 2-Avalon. You’re placing the Ptolemy, Cleopatra and Pharos too far back. At the very least the Ptolemy must be moved forward, if not the latter two as well. Please reconsider. End.”
Fifteen minutes later the reply arrived. “I’m the commodore of the fleet, and as such my destroyer cannot be allowed to enter the line of fire.”
But that’s the whole point of a destroyer! Jonathan thought.
“And as I already stated,” the admiral continued. “The Cleopatra and Pharos are out of action. With all the missiles and mortars we’re going to mine the entrance with, I’m sure the two corvettes will be more than enough. Plus you forget the Ptolemy will still participate with its long range weapons.”
Jonathan cleared his throat and recorded the next message. “Even with your long range capability, those two ships will be overwhelmed. I guarantee you. If you insist on this course of action, I hope you have the decency to transfer the crews over to other vessels. Let the AIs run the corvettes.”
The reply: “The crews will remain aboard, as per their duty. I find it outrageous that you would suggest otherwise. That you would address me so informally by encouraging dereliction of duty shows that perhaps you have spent far too long away from civilization. You’re in United Systems territory now. We do things a little bit differently here. Captains obey their superior officers. And starships are run by people, not robots. If events fare poorly for the corvettes, the crew can simply resort to the lifepods.”
Jonathan sighed. If there’s time to use them.
“I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by your attitude,” the admiral carried on. “Given your mutinous actions aboard the Callaway. I hadn’t meant to bring that up, but you’ve forced my hand. And while I intend to overlook your actions for the time being, once this battle is done, I’m going to have to give you over to the appropriate authority.”
When the admiral finished, Jonathan sent his reply: “My apologies, Admiral. We will proceed with the modified plan, as you suggested. And when the battle is over, I will readily go to whatever authority you deem appropriate. I do have one question. What’s the status on the Tau Delta Avalon VI colony? Were the residents successfully evacuated?”
Fifteen minutes later: “That would be two questions, Captain.” There was a pause, and Jonathan guessed the admiral had deleted something nasty, like: you impertinent little shit. “The residents were evacuated, but the colony itself, and its military base, were completely destroyed.”
“Would you mind telling me how that came about?” Jonathan sent.
In answer: “While the Ptolemy remained behind to guard 2-Avalon, I dispatched Task Unit 80.3.2 to intercept the enemy. The battle occurred between the colony and the second gas giant in the system. The task unit tried to repel the enemy, but they were forced to perform a tactical retrograde. The survivors joined the Ptolemy at 2-Avalon while the aliens continued onward to the colony. The brutes razed the place. Afterward they moved into the orbits of the inner planets, assuming a position two hundred million kilometers from Delta Avalon itself. We’ve been sitting here orbiting on opposite sides of the star ever since.”
Jonathan sent one last message of thanks, and repeated his intention to proceed with the modified plan. He tapped in Barrick and the two captains, and gave the order for the Talon and her two escorts to proceed at eighty percent speed toward the four remaining enemy ships. They would reach firing range in two days. Jonathan could have reduced that by allowing the Talon to achieve full speed, but that would have meant pulling away from the Galilei and Artimus.
“The enemy fleet is accelerating away from us,” Barrick announced shortly thereafter. “According to Otter, their trajectory lines up with Task Group 80.3 and the Slipstream 2-Avalon beyond. We’ve forced their hand. They’re making a run for it.”
Jonathan had expected as much. If their positions had been reversed, with Jonathan’s fleet surrounded by enemies on two sides, he would have chosen a similar course of action.
“Task Group 80.3 is retreating to the Slipstream, as planned,” Barrick said.
Jonathan had the lagged tactical display active on his aReal, and over the next few hours he watched as the human task group reached the Slipstream and mined the entrance with mortars and missiles. When that was done, two of the corvettes, the Renaissance and the Giza, assumed defensive positions on either side.
As part of Admiral Yale’s modifications to the plan, the Ptolemy led the Pharos and Cleopatra to a position fifty thousand kilometers behind the Slipstream, forming a smaller task unit that would participate with long range weapons, but would otherwise avoid taking part in any close fighting.
Jonathan shook his head. He was still convinced that two corvettes at the entrance wouldn’t be enough to hold back the enemy. At least some of the enemy ships would still punch through the blockade, regardless of any long range support from the Ptolemy, Pharos and Cleopatra.
Well, there was nothing he could do about it. Admirals would be admirals.
He removed his aReal, lay down, and shut his eyes to get some much needed sleep.
TWO DAYS PASSED. The Talon and her escorts were two and a half days behind the fleeing enemy vessels by then, thanks to their slightly slower speed.
Jonathan had only just returned to the bridge when the opposing fleet braked to a halt, six hundred thousand kilometers from the Slipstream.
Also as Jonathan predicted.
The laser ship proceeded forward, escorted by fighters from the pyramid vessel. At the five hundred thousand kilometer mark, it separated, leaving behind a trailing lens segment.
“The Ptolemy and Pharos are scrambling Avengers,” Barrick said. “And the rest of the fleet is launching the first wave of missiles and mortars.”
It was a bit soon, but Jonathan always felt that way in regards to long range weapons. He supposed the slightly early launch wouldn’t matter in the overall scheme of things.
The laser continued to separate into segments every one hundred thousand kilometers. In the meantime, the Ptolemy launched three more successive waves of missiles and mortars.
Jonathan shook his head once more.
He’s going to expend everything to take down that laser ship, leaving nothing for the three behind it.
The lead segment was two hundred thousand kilometers from the Slipstream when the Avengers approached to within one hundred thousand kilometers. The fighters and missiles were behind the mortars, obviously intending to use them as shields against the laser weapon. Though as the range closed, those “shields” would rapidly lose effectiveness.
“The lead segment is opening fire,” Barrick said. “So far, all missiles and Avengers remain intact.”
The laser
continued to fire as the final segment detached. When the Avengers closed to within fifty thousand kilometers, the laser began to drill through the mortars, eliminating the sheltering human fighters and missiles in turn.
At the twenty-five thousand kilometer mark, Barrick announced: “Enemy fighters are breaking away from the laser to intercept the incoming wave. Meanwhile, the lead segment is coming to a halt.”
Jonathan felt so helpless. He wished there was something he could do to participate in the battle. But at the current distance, he was nothing more than an observer.
What if Yale loses?
thirty-two
The opposing fighters closed, intercepting one another ten thousand kilometers out from the laser segment. While the two sides exchanged fire in repeated flybys, the laser continued to pick off missiles and mortars, and Avengers themselves.
Some of the Avengers attempted to make a run at the laser, but they were shot down by the enemy fighters.
The second wave of missiles and mortars broke through during that fight. A few of the Avengers diverted from the main fighting to escort the missiles in, and in moments the lead segment had fallen. The Avengers brought down the remaining fighters, and took their places behind the ensuing mortars to escort the next wave toward the second lens segment.
Some of the enemy fighters had remained behind at that segment, so that the previous battle basically repeated itself. The Avengers thinned the enemy fighter ranks enough for the next wave of missiles and mortars to break through, and then a few Avengers escorted the missiles in toward the lens target.
The battle of attrition continued at the next two segments. By the time the Avengers reached the fourth segment, all the enemy fighters had been destroyed, and the two dart ships moved forward to help repel the Avengers and incoming missile waves; the dart ships didn’t reach the fourth segment soon enough. Only two Avengers remained by the time that segment was taken out, so when the dart ships closed, the remaining Avengers were quickly shot down, along with the few incoming missiles and mortars.
The final segment advanced, as did the pyramid ship. Once the laser segment reached the one hundred thousand kilometer mark from the Slipstream, it would be able to pick off the remaining United Systems corvettes one by one, at its leisure.
Jonathan sent a message to the admiral: “Admiral Yale. You have to take out that final segment at all costs. If you have no missiles or mortars remaining, I would suggest using the slugs from mag-rails as offensive weapons. The Raakarr can only detect them at the last moment. Hem them in by firing spreads in successive waves: the targets will be forced to turn into the next group of slugs as they attempt to avoid the previous wave.”
Before his message reached the admiral, a final volley of mortars launched from Task Group 80.3 and one of the corvettes, the Giza, accelerated away from the Slipstream, taking cover behind the mortars. Presumably the task group was out of missiles by then.
The corvette closed with the incoming enemies. The Giza was too big to be completely shielded by the mortars, and by the hundred thousand kilometer mark it began to take damage from the remaining laser segment. The corvette rotated so that different sides faced the enemy weapon, but Jonathan knew the ship was basically sacrificing itself.
Jonathan received a reply from the admiral. “I’ve instructed the corvette to launch mag-rail slugs, as per your suggestion. Let’s hope it works.”
With the approach of the Giza, the enemy vessels began to randomly alter their courses every few seconds, so that they approached in a three-dimensional zigzag pattern, reducing the chances that they would be caught at unawares by incoming slugs: they were familiar with that tactic from their encounter with Jonathan in the Elder galaxy.
But apparently the Giza got lucky, because when it reached the twenty thousand kilometer mark, the laser ship abruptly dived and then broke apart, presumably as incoming slugs struck.
The dart ships cut the corvette in half with their particle beams a moment later.
Jonathan doubted that any lifepods had been launched in time.
The survivors of the enemy fleet came in. No fighters remained on either side. Nor long range kinetic kills. Unless the admiral decided to repurpose some of the missiles and nukes mining the Slipstream entrance, the next battle would be between starships alone.
The Renaissance remained faithfully in place by the Slipstream entrance, while the Ptolemy, Pharos and Cleopatra cowered fifty thousand kilometers behind it.
The two dart ships positioned themselves in front of the pyramid vessel to act as shields. With their particle beams, they eliminated the few mortars that Task Group 80.3 had previously lobbed their way. They continued to randomly vary their courses sightly, but as a single cohesive group.
At the fifteen thousand kilometer mark from the Slipstream, one of the dart ships pulled ahead, taking damage from the Renaissance’s heavy lasers. The dart ship fired its particle beam, exploding its opponent. Again Jonathan doubted the corvette had time to launch lifepods.
The lead dart ship plowed right into one of the waiting nukes that mined the entrance. Half of the ship was incinerated and the remainder broke apart. Debris from the vessel continued forward with the same momentum, exploding more missiles and nukes in its path.
With their particle beams, the following two ships detonated the last of the mines and in moments the aliens had escaped through the Slipstream.
Jonathan slumped in defeat. Well, we tried.
HE RECEIVED A message a few minutes later.
“I’m ordering the Dragonflies to replace the Gate,” Admiral Yale said. “I want to pursue these bastards. As soon as you arrive, of course.”
Jonathan smiled sarcastically. Of course. That way you can sit back and avoid getting your hands dirty again.
“Otter tells me the Zarafe have detected United Systems shuttles emerging from behind one of the inner planets,” Barrick confirmed a moment later. “They appear to be dragging a Gate, and will arrive at the same time we do.”
Captain Rodriguez tapped in a moment later. Jonathan accepted the connection.
“What are we going to do?” Rodriguez asked.
“Only thing we can do,” Jonathan said. “Go to 2-Avalon, launch a probe to scope the other side, and then follow the Raakarr.”
“What about the Ptolemy?” Rodriguez pressed.
“We pretend she doesn’t exist,” Jonathan said. “And don’t factor her into any of our strategies.”
Jonathan had the admiral confirm his weapon inventories, and as Jonathan suspected, Task Group 80.3 had exhausted all long range missiles in the attack. They still had some mortars and point defense slugs left, however.
You could have fired those to coincide with the arrival of the enemy at the Slipstream, Admiral Yale, he thought bitterly. Then again, with the way the remaining ships had been randomly moving, even if the admiral had fired slugs, he likely would have missed.
When the Talon, Artemis and Galilei were roughly half a day to the Slipstream, Barrick called Jonathan to the bridge.
“A heat signature has emerged from 2-Avalon,” Barrick said.
“Only one?” Jonathan asked.
“Only one,” Barrick agreed. “It’s the pyramid ship. Otter says she’s badly damaged: there are dark streaks all over her hull, two new cavities on her leading face, and thermal leaks everywhere on her IR band. He also tells me none of their stilt cannons are intact. They’re defenseless.”
“Looks like they had a run-in with a real United Systems fleet,” Jonathan said.
He tapped in his two captains. “Are you seeing this?”
“We are,” Captain Rodriguez replied over the comm. “Feels good to finally have some backup.”
“Though it took them long enough to get their act together,” Captain Rail complained.
“Relay the information to Admiral Yale,” Jonathan said. “In case he hasn’t figured out the enemy’s particle beams are offline.”
“Looks like they’re already clo
sing with the vessel,” Rodriguez said.
Jonathan glanced at his lagged tactical display. Sure enough, Task Group 80.3 was approaching the defenseless vessel. He noted that the Ptolemy was no longer hanging back. With the enemy ship obviously badly damaged, Admiral Yale was suddenly an eager participant in the operation.
“Barrick, I want the Talon to order their surrender,” Jonathan told the telepath.
Ten minutes later Barrick had the answer: “Valor says they agree. But he urges caution nonetheless, and advises that we destroy the ship immediately.”
Jonathan pursed his lips. “It does seem a little too easy, given the nature of their mission, and that they’ve always preferred self-destruction to capture in the past.”
On the lagging tactical display, the Ptolemy and her escorts continued to approach the ship.
“Dragonfly 1,” Jonathan said. “Send a message to Admiral Yale: Admiral, I advise you to put some distance between yourself and that vessel. We have reason to suspect treachery.”
Admiral Yale’s response came some minutes later: “We’re already changing course.”
Jonathan watched as the Ptolemy and her escorts slowly swung wide. But apparently the pyramid ship had pretended to be more damaged than it actually was, because it suddenly altered course and accelerated to its top speed. It was set to overtake the United Systems destroyer in moments.
Again Jonathan felt that overwhelming sense of helplessness. “Their surrender was definitely a ruse. Dragonfly 1, tell the Admiral to get the hell out of there. Emergency speed!” He turned toward Barrick: “I want Valor to order the pyramid ship to change course immediately!”
“Valor has already done so,” Barrick said. “We have yet to receive a reply.” He paused. “It appears the Ptolemy is firing at them. We’re detecting a full mortar spread, and the thermal signature of a laser blast.”