“You need to fly over and see the Kivean’s new habitat in their asteroid,” added Mason, looking over at Adrienne. “If you think our new habitat is amazing, theirs is astonishing. It almost looks like a fantasyland inside. Their buildings are slim and have high, soaring towers. They are interconnected with moving walkways far above the ground. It’s the type of city we might have built in another five hundred years.”
“I might have to get Harnett to show me around,” Adrienne replied, thrilled at the thought. It had been a long time since she had been off the station.
It was at that moment that Mason’s small phone, lying next to his plate, began ringing. With a frown, Mason answered it, and as he talked his frown deepened to a look of worry. He finally laid it back down and was silent for a moment, deep in thought.
“What is it, Mason?” asked Susan, growing concerned. She could sense from her brother’s composure that something was wrong.
“That was Pamela,” Mason answered as he slowly stood up. “They just picked up an unidentified assault ship just outside the orbit of Neptune. It hung around for a few minutes and then left. General Mitchell informed her that it wasn’t one of ours.”
“So they’ve found us,” Adrienne spoke, her eyes widening in concern.
“It seems so,” responded Mason, trying to sound calm. “I’m calling Colonel Bailey, Drake, Ethan, and a few others in for a quick meeting. The ship will have to report back, so we probably have a week or so before they can return with a fleet.”
“I’ll stay here with Susan for a while,” volunteered Adrienne, knowing this news would worry Mason’s sister.
“Thanks,” Mason replied, grateful that Adrienne had volunteered to stay with Susan a bit longer. “I’ll talk to you in the morning.” With that, Mason turned and left.
“I’m glad you’re staying,” Susan said with a weak smile. “It’s good to have someone to talk to at times.”
Adrienne nodded in understanding. She just hoped that everything turned out okay.
-
Twelve days passed, and the Liberation and her fleet were ready to be deployed. Plans were already underway to build the next generation of battlecruisers, and Vesta’s interior spacedock was being expanded under the careful direction of a number of experienced Kivean engineers. The new dock would be able to build four of the newly designed battlecruisers at a time with a completion date of eight months.
Production of the newly designed light cruisers was being shifted to the captured Kleese space station. The spacedock would also be able to continue to construct new cargo ships and prospecting ships as needed. Currently, they only had ten cargo ships being used to haul metals from the mining sites to the smelting operations inside Vesta. New cargo ships would be needed to haul additional refined metals to the large space station for ship construction as well as to Luna City and Mars Central.
Mason was inside the Control Center speaking to Pamela Cairns and Colonel Bailey when the alarms went off on the main sensor panel. Instantly, everyone’s eyes were drawn to the red threat icons suddenly appearing just outside the orbit of Neptune.
“Assault ships detected,” the sensor operator called out as the red icons continued to appear.
“This is it,” Pamela spoke her eyes locked upon the sensor screen. She was glad Paul was home with their son. She knew that the media stations on Vesta would shortly be reporting the incoming ships. She could feel her heart beginning to beat faster.
“General Mitchell is placing all military at Condition One,” Jessica reported from Communications. “He is expecting engagement within the next six hours.”
Colonel Bailey walked over to the four new tactical consoles recently installed in the Control Center. He wanted to speak to the pair of military officers that were sitting in front of each one to ensure they knew their responsibilities in the coming battle. The new consoles controlled the weapon emplacements inside the ship tunnel as well as all the ones that had been installed upon the surface of the asteroid. A series of viewscreens above the consoles gave the weapons techs a full view of the space around Vesta. There was also a small tactical screen above each console.
“Contact all cargo and prospecting ships and tell them to go dark,” Mason ordered. “Same for all mining sites. No communications unless it’s an emergency.”
Pamela quickly made sure the four Communication operators understood their orders and stood over them as they began sending out the messages. Her eyes kept wandering up to the large sensor screen showing more enemy ships arriving.
Captain Williams came rushing into the Control Center, her eyes quickly going to the sensor screen and taking in the red threat icons, knowing instantly what they meant. “They’re here,” she stated, coming to a stop and turning her attention to Mason and Colonel Bailey.
“Make sure the spacedock is secure, Captain,” Bailey ordered in a calm voice. He knew his other military personnel would be securing the rest of the asteroid. Williams was his most experienced officer with the battle suits, and as long as she could hold the spacedock, the enemy couldn’t get to the civilians inside.
Beth nodded; she hoped the sudden change in the situation wouldn’t frighten her mother. If she had time, she would give her a call and try to reassure her. Right now she needed to get her marines ready. They wouldn’t put on their battle armor until they knew Kleese warships were approaching Vesta. She was also glad there were energy beam batteries as well as railgun turrets in the main tunnel that led to the spacedock. An enemy intent on reaching the spacedock would suffer heavy losses if they were foolish enough to try.
-
Fleet Admiral Michael Kirby let out a deep breath as he gazed at the tactical screen. “What’s the latest ship count?”
“Two hundred and twelve assault ships and six Kleese disk ships,” Ensign Bree Fullerton reported in an uneasy voice. “No more ships have dropped out of Fold Space in the last five minutes.”
“That’s probably all of them,” Wade commented. He was currently serving as executive officer since Colonel Stehr had been promoted and taken command of the Liberation.
“What do you think they’ll do?” asked Kirby, seeing they were going to be greatly outnumbered.
“They’ll come straight for the station. Once it’s secured, they’ll take out all of our settlements across the solar system. This time they won’t leave a single Human alive, not after what we did to them.”
Kirby studied the tactical screen for a moment before reaching a decision. “I’m joining all three fleets into one and we will meet them before they can reach the Moon or the Earth.”
“I think that’s the correct decision,” Wade responded in agreement. He felt a little out of place not wearing a battle suit.
“Lieutenant Jones, contact the Phoenix and the Liberation and tell them to rendezvous with us at the following coordinates. The ones he gave her were ten million kilometers out past the orbit of the Moon. “Then get me General Mitchell and I’ll explain to him what we’re doing.”
-
Four hours later, Michael gazed at the tactical screen, watching the approaching Kleese fleet. He looked nervously at the handful of green icons that now comprised his own fleet, hoping it was enough. He had three five hundred-meter battlecruisers, twelve three hundred-meter light cruisers, and thirty two hundred-meter assault ships. His biggest advantages were superior energy screens, particle beams, and the large railguns on the battlecruisers and the light cruisers. He had twenty more assault cruisers equipped with the newer energy screens and particle beams, which he could call forward. They were currently in a defensive position over Luna City and the Kleese space station. The other assault ships in the Kleese station hadn’t been updated and lacked trained crews and were being used to shuttle survivors.
“Enemy is continuing to close,” Ensign Fullerton spoke as she watched her sensors. “The assault ships have taken the lead with the disk ships following a short distance behind.”
“The Kleese don’t want
to risk physical injury to themselves,” commented Wade, seeing that they were going to let the assault ships fight the fleet battle. This was a weakness the Kleese were showing, and Wade wondered how they could take advantage of that.
Kirby nodded and activated his fleet communications. “All ships, prepare to engage. Use our particle beams and railguns to knock their screens down and then finish them off with antimatter missiles. We can’t let any of them get past us.”
Wade stood at the tactical console behind Fleet Admiral Kirby. He had trained enough with Colonel Stehr that he knew how to handle the ship’s weapons. He wondered what Beth was doing at Vesta. He strongly suspected that by now she was in the spacedock with her marines ready to repel any attack made on the asteroid. He just hoped they both survived this battle.
Chapter Twenty
The Kleese assault ships advanced in a massive wave, intent on destroying those that had defied their Galactic Empire. The six large disk ships followed in their wake, with the Kleese on board directing the movement of the assault fleet. Nothing would be left to chance; the renegade Kiveans and the surviving Humans would all be wiped out. Defiance of the Empire was not allowed and would not be tolerated. Kleese had been killed by these renegades, and now they would die for it.
There was also some confusion as to why this system still existed. The Kleese exploration ship involved had been destroyed when the Humans and Kiveans had taken the space station from its assigned position. However, several surviving Kleese who had been on the exploration ship when it was in the Human’s system had reported that a fusion missile had been fired into the Human’s planet and detonated.
Now, long-range scans indicated thriving colonies on the planet’s moon as well as upon the fourth planet. There were even indications of activity at one of the larger asteroids. All would have to be dealt with before the Kleese left the system. This time there would be no survivors.
Seeing the Human and Kivean controlled ships were entering attack range, the Kleese commander gave the order to attack. Simultaneously from two hundred and twelve assault ships energy beams, pulse fusion beams, and antimatter missiles were hurled at the blocking Human fleet. They would destroy the defending fleet first and then proceed to the space station. Once it was back under Kleese control, all traces of Humans and Kiveans would be annihilated from the system.
-
“They fired from extreme range,” Major Nelson reported as the Armageddon shook slightly from the long-range attack. Then the ship shook more violently as several antimatter missiles impacted the ship’s energy shield. Fortunately, the reinforced shield held, though it was weakened considerably. “Shield strength at forty percent; regenerating.”
“We just lost one of our assault ships,” Ensign Fullerton reported. “Ship W-212 is down.”
Fleet Admiral Kirby looked at the tactical screen and watched the green icon representing the assault ship fade away; several more ships had amber circles around them indicating damage. “Fire all weapons,” Kirby ordered over the fleet channel. “Two can play at this game.”
Instantly, from the Human fleet energy beams, pulse fusion beams, and more powerful particle beams shot out. Mixed in were railgun rounds and a few antimatter missiles. Kirby didn’t want to waste the powerful missiles at this stage; he needed them to finish enemy ships off when their shields were disabled.
The Human attack also fell to the wayside for the most part due to the distance. Energy beams and pulse fusion beams weakened exponentially at long distances. However, the particle beams were better contained and half a dozen Kleese assault ships vanished in blazing explosions as the beams tore through their shields, vaporizing sections of the hulls and then causing internal damage. Then, a few seconds later, the massive railgun rounds began to impact. Kleese shields flickered as the rounds passed right through and struck the armored hulls. The three thousand pound tungsten rounds penetrated the hulls, inflicting massive amounts of internal damage to vulnerable systems. More shields wavered and then collapsed.
“Optimal firing range,” Wade called out as he directed the weapons crews to concentrate on individual Kleese ships. His plan of attack was simple: hit a ship with several particle beams and then follow up with an antimatter missile.
-
In space, ships from both sides continued to die. The Kleese had no defense against the large railgun rounds or the particle beam weapons. Explosions began marching across their ship’s hulls as numerous railgun rounds from the Human battlecruisers and light cruisers smashed into the Kleese assault ships. Shields wavered and collapsed, allowing energy beams and pulse fusion beams to breach the armored hulls. Large sections of hull plating were blown out, and secondary explosions shook the assault ships. Ship after ship died in fiery explosions.
The powerful particle beams flashed through energy screens as if they were not even there, blasting huge, ragged rents in ship hulls. Energy screens flickered and then collapsed. As soon as a shield failed, an antimatter missile would arrive, blasting the assault ship apart in a massive burst of energy.
The battle wasn’t one sided. The Humans were vastly outnumbered, and the Kleese were taking advantage of that fact. Half a dozen Kleese assault ships would team up under the direction of their Kleese overseers and fire at one of the Human ships. Occasionally a shield would become overloaded and collapse. Whenever that happened, the Human assault ship would die from the massive amount of weapons fire targeting it.
-
“Assault ship W-78, W-116, and W-197 are down,” reported Ensign Fullerton, knowing with a sickening feeling that each one of those ships had contained over one hundred fellow Humans.
“We’ve taken out sixteen of their assault ships,” Wade reported as he checked the tactical screen.
“We won’t have a fleet left at this rate,” replied Kirby, worriedly. “Not if we keep losing ships like this. They just have too many!”
The Armageddon shuddered violently and the lights dimmed, and then brightened back up. On the damage control board, several lights turned amber.
“Light damage to the hull in sections eighteen and nineteen,” the Damage Control officer reported. “Hull integrity is still intact.”
“Admiral,” spoke Wade, knowing they needed to do something quickly. “We need to attack the Kleese disk ships; it might disrupt this entire attack.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Michael answered in agreement. He then issued new orders over the fleet communication frequency. “All battlecruisers force your way through the Kleese assault ships, your new targets are the Kleese disk ships. Light cruisers will furnish support. All assault ships will stay in your current formation and continue the attack. Designate the disk ships as bugs one through six.”
Michael took a deep breath. So much depended on the decisions he was making. On the main viewscreen space seemed to be covered with bright explosions.
-
The Armageddon, Phoenix, and Liberation all suddenly accelerated forward with their accompanying light cruisers taking up screening positions around them to help draw some of the enemy fire.
For a moment, the Kleese assault ships hesitated, unsure as to what was happening and then the Human capital ships entered their formation. Particle beams fired, penetrating Kleese shields. Railguns blasted away at nearly point blank range. Antimatter missiles blew assault ship after assault ship apart as their pent up energy was released. In a matter of just a few seconds, eight more Kleese ships died.
The Kleese hurriedly redirected their fleet’s fire toward the encroaching ships. The light cruiser Repulse was the first to die as the joint fire from over ten assault ships ravaged her shields, allowing several antimatter missiles to flash through, detonating against the hull. The ship vanished as two glowing suns appeared where she had been.
Moments later, two more light cruisers followed the Repulse in death. The cruisers Independence and Fury died as antimatter explosions annihilated them.
-
“Light cruiser
s Repulse, Independence, and Fury are down,” Ensign Fullerton reported in a strained voice. She could feel her hands shaking as she delivered the ship losses. She had known several of the officers on the Fury.
“We’re through!” yelled Wade, jubilantly. “Targeting Kleese disk ships.”
-
From the Armageddon, two dark blue particle beams shot out, stabbing at the large disk ship in front of them. The ship’s energy shield flickered briefly and then the beams struck the hull, tearing massive rents in the armor. Large tungsten railgun rounds slammed into the ship, penetrating deep within. A railgun round penetrated the Engineering section, damaging the systems that controlled the ship's energy shield. Instantly, the shield collapsed. Detecting the shield had failed; the Armageddon launched four sublight antimatter missiles. The antimatter missiles arrived microseconds after launch and the Kleese disk ship vanished as raging torrents of energy consumed it.
“Bug one is down,” Ensign Fullerton reported.
The other five Kleese disk ships were now frantically returning fire as the Kleese on board finally realized they were under attack. Half a dozen powerful pulse fusion beams struck the Phoenix, causing her shield to waver. Then several antimatter missiles impacted the shield, releasing massive amounts of energy. The Phoenix staggered and fell out of formation as several pulse fusion beams flashed through the weakened screen and struck the hull. Two of the light cruisers quickly interposed themselves between the Phoenix and the Kleese disk ship that had launched the devastating attack. The Kleese shifted their attack to them. Instantly the cruisers screens lit up as antimatter explosions and energy weapons fire blanketed them.
Galactic Empire Wars: Destruction (The Galactic Empire Wars) Page 32