“Sir, I recommend deploying our smaller vessels out front in a traditional screen to absorb the impact of the enemy projectiles and to make a dent in the enemy fighter swarm before they reach our main line. Our larger capital ships can then fire more railgun projectiles before they take damage. With luck, we can destroy several of the enemy capital ships before they can fire a second volley of projectiles."
“And the super ship?”
"I don't know its capabilities, sir. My first inclination is to send bombers into disabling it while our capital ships destroy their ships. Then all our forces can focus on the super ship."
“I fear the super ship may be the greater threat,” Dawyn said. “But we will see soon enough, the drone reports movement among their fleet. Assume battle stations.”
“Yes, sir.”
***
As the Dauntless exited the atmosphere of Eligar II, Derek eyed the Federation fleet assembling into what looked like battle lines. “Umm, John, Ashley, why is the fleet assembling like that?”
“Could be practicing,” Ashley said. “Or paying respect to the dead.”
“I doubt it,” John said.
“Then what do you think it is?”
“Something bad, or they would have told everyone. They’re keeping whatever it is tight-lipped to avoid a panic.”
“You’re getting paranoid in your old age, dear,” Ashley admonished him. “You’re seeing negatives in everything.”
“Not paranoid, my lovely wife. Realistic.”
Derek took a moment to connect to Selene’s personal comm channel. Selene, are you there, he asked through his implant.
At first there was no response, then, yes, I’m here, Derek. Are you okay?
Yes, yes, I’m fine. I was more worried about you during the battle. Timely aid by the Black Fleet, eh?
Very timely. Oh, I met John and Ashley's daughter, Emma. She is flying with Victory Squadron. She came to the Independence looking for them.
Oh, they’ll be delighted to hear that…I think. Is she still there?
No, we are back in space now. Don't you think they’ll be happy to see their daughter?
If the cold shoulder their son gave them is any indication, I would say possibly not. But I don’t know the relationship between them and their daughter. Should I tell them their daughter is looking for them?
Sure. What did you need?
We noticed the fleet is assembling. And based on the fact you’ve re-deployed, something must be up. What is going on, Selene?
The line was silent for a moment. I’m not supposed to tell you, but because this is a secure line I will. The fleet detected gravity waves behind Eligar VI. Emma and others in fleet command believe it is related to whatever force destroyed Serpentis III.
Oh, Derek thought. He hadn’t seen the footage Selene collected in the Serpentis system, but she had told him about it. He still woke in cold sweats due to nightmares induced by that horrifying event. That makes sense. And they’re not telling anyone to avoid panic.
That’s my guess. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Well, I best brief John and Ashley. Talk to you soon. Love you. Derek froze. He hadn’t said those words to her yet. Would she reciprocate?
I love you too, came the reply. Stay safe.
Derek let out a big sigh of relief and ended the link. He cleared his throat. “I learned the reason for the mass assembling.” Derek briefed John and Ashley on the details of his conversation with Selene, though he intentionally left out the last bit about them professing their love for one another and the presence of Emma.
John let out a low whistle. “Well, I guess we should have seen this coming, eh? I mean, whatever destroyed Serpentis III was bound to show its ugly face again…somewhere. Could have been here as well as anywhere. It’s not a surprise to a realist like me,” he smirked and winked at his wife.
“Great, if we make it out of this you’ll be insufferable,” Ashley said. “Thank you for the information, Derek. Let’s get ready.”
Chapter 15 - Sun and Moon
“What is the status of evacuations, Zigana?”
“All available transports have been deployed, sir. Six hundred thousand civilians have been evacuated. We estimate one million remain.”
“So few civilians are still alive down there?”
“Yes, sir. The first assault wiped out much of the populace, then those with the means to leave left after our victory. The second assault was equally devastating to what population remained.”
Martin shook his head. “A pity. It had a population of thirty million before, did it not?”
“Correct, sir.”
“And the governor?”
“She has indicated her intention to remain on the planet until the last transports have lifted off, sir.”
“Stubborn woman,” Martin muttered. “All right, let’s…”
“We’re detecting void anomalies, sir!” Zigana interrupted.
“Where?” Admiral Martin Rigsby asked.
“The dark side of the moon, sir.”
“Sound general quarters and order battle stations, raise shields. Do we have targeting solutions?”
“We have a clear line of fire on a handful of enemy vessels, sir, but it appears most of their ships are behind the moon.”
A signal came in from the Nightblade. The Supreme Commander spoke. “All Federation forces, converge on the moon. Smaller vessels to the fore, larger vessels to the aft. Keep lines of fire clear. Capital ships fire every railgun you have and use missiles to maximum effect by detonating ahead of impact. Good luck and Godspeed, captains.”
We will need all the luck we can get. “Full speed ahead, Zigana, fire as we go. Launch what remains of our fighters.”
“Aye, sir.”
***
Selene flew at the head of Raptor Squadron; the lost fighters having been replaced and new reserve pilots having been drawn up. What a way to break them in, facing the largest Krai’kesh fleet to date.
All around her Federation squadrons formed up. Victory Squadron led the charge. “This is Victory One to all Federation fighters. Form up in screen formation. Nothing gets through to the capital ships without going through us, understood?”
Clicks came in large numbers, giving Selene the impression of excitement. There was nothing to get excited about, but she gave her click of acknowledgment anyway.
At first nothing happened, the Krai’kesh ships just floated there in space. But then came the flood. Hundreds of Krai’kesh fighters, numbering more than her HUD could detect, came around both sides of the moon and formed into a single cloud of death. Here we go. Selene activated her targeting computer and prepared to launch missiles at the oncoming hoard.
The Federation fleet had similar ideas, for missiles streaked from almost all the capital ships, big and small. Railguns and lasers followed, detonating the missiles as they neared the Krai’kesh hoard. This time, however, the Krai’kesh were ready for the tactic. They expanded like a balloon being filled with air, bursting outward to mitigate the damage of the explosions and then re-compressing moments later. Smart bastards.
A second volley of missiles met the same evasive measures and the Krai’kesh fighters continued their inexorable hurtle toward the Federation fleet.
The front line of the Krai'kesh fighters neared and Selene picked a target. She fired her own missiles now that the enemy was within range of fighter-based missiles. The enemy spread out to dodge, but several other fighters had launched missiles simultaneously and the enemy fighters by spreading ran into the explosive radius of the other missiles. Gotcha, bastards. Mass explosions. Now the melee began.
Selene targeted one fighter and fired a burst of coilgun projectiles. She was pleased to see the enemy had not yet figured out a way to counter those, and felt satisfaction seeing the enemy fighter explode in a cloud of organic shards. She moved on to the next target.
The Krai’kesh drones were not sitting idly, for they were launching projecti
les of their own in waves at the Federation fighters. Due to the number of projectiles and proximity to other fighters, the Federation fighters had limited ability to dodge the strikes. Over a dozen fighters disappeared from Selene’s HUD after a single volley from the Krai’kesh, while half a dozen more went EV.
Selene spun her fighter but received a lock warning which prompted her to rise to avoid being hit by a projectile. The lock warning did not subside, however, and she jinked to the right out of instinct. Just in time, too, for a projectile covered in green acid flew through her last known position seconds later. She turned her fighter again to find the assailant. There, a fighter had come from the side. She fired, causing it to explode. The drones made no effort to evade - they flew out and shot at anything that moved until they were destroyed. Smart on the Krai’kesh part but a blessing to the Federation. If this many Krai’kesh fighters were manned by actual Krai’kesh pilots or those commanders well…it would be a different battle.
She glanced at her HUD and saw two Raptor Squadron pilots were dead. “Raptor Six is hit, I repeat, raptor Six going…” the link closed as the icon for Raptor Six blinked out of existence. Make that three pilots down. She targeted enemy fighter after enemy fighter in what seemed an endless loop of enemies. Target, fire, target, fire, target lock, evade, target fire, such was the rhythm Selene fell into.
“The Valkyrie is taking heavy damage,” Emma Edgerton came over the flight group channel. “All fighters, pull back, they’ve breached the line and are attacking the capital ships.”
Selene and Raptor Squadron complied, turning back and destroying Krai’kesh fighters as they passed. The heavy cruiser Valkyrie looked as though it had seen better days. Pieces of hull were missing, and bodies and debris were exhausting into space. Selene noticed odd-shaped enemy fighters ramming the Valkyrie. They were longer and wider than the typical fighters and had a large spike or horn on the front. The new enemy fighters were ramming the ship, tearing into the hull.
The coilgun batteries fired continuous streams of high velocity projectiles but as fast as they fired the enemy filled the gap. Several batteries lay in ruin from where the Krai’kesh had targeted the batteries to cripple the point defense system of the Valkyrie.
“This is the Valkyrie. We are being boarded by Krai’kesh forces. I repeat, enemy ships have crashed through our hull and are spilling enemy skitterers and commanders into our ships. Our security forces are being overrun. The bridge is on lockdown. Abandoning ship.”
“Shit,” Selene swore. That explains those larger “fighters.” That was a first for the Krai’kesh, invading the Federation ships.
How are we going to get out of this one?
***
“Did you hear that?” Derek asked. “The Krai’kesh are using their fighters to ram the Valkyrie and attack it from within.”
“Smart move,” John said. “I’m surprised they didn’t do it earlier.”
“How so?”
“Well, if you have the choice of ramming the enemy capital ship and dying, dog-fighting with Federation fighters and being destroyed gradually by point defenses or our fighters or using your fighters to get inside the capital ship where you can fight in melee, one of your biggest strengths, what would you do?”
“I need to get on the Valkyrie,” Derek said. “My Marines and I can assist.
“It’s too late for her,” John said. “You hear them, they’re abandoning ship.”
“I feel useless here, John. I need to do something.”
“Go speak sweet nothings to your girlfriend. Give her some moral support.”
“You know what I mean,” Derek said, gritting his teeth.
John fell silent for several moments. “I can drop you off on the Independence, but that’s only because it’s on the way. Deal?”
“The Independence hasn’t been invaded yet.”
“‘Yet’ is the operative word there, son. If the Krai’kesh did it to one ship, you can bet your bottom dollar they’ll do it to more. Want us to drop you off or no?”
“Drop me off.”
***
“Sir, we lost contact with the bridge of the Valkyrie.”
Martin put his face in his hands. One of the strongest cruisers in the black fleet down.
“The Krai’kesh changed their tactics. Have any other capital ships been invaded?”
“Three more sir, two corvettes and a frigate. Reports indicate they’re fighting a losing battle.”
“Damn it. Tighten up our point defenses. Target any of those enemy transport fighters who come close as top priority.”
“Of course, sir. It may come sooner than we wish. I’m detecting the swarm of enemy fighters heading this way.”
“Prepare the ship for boarding.”
“Yes, sir.”
The order circulated through the ship for the crew to prepare to be boarded. The alert would activate all Marines aboard the ship, sending them to designated chokepoints and points of interest aboard the ship. Non-essential personnel would report to the armory to receive heavy weapons and body armor also. It wouldn't be much against a concentrated Krai'kesh assault, but if they held them at chokepoints, they could at least slow their progress.
“What damage have the enemy capital ships sustained, Zigana?”
“Minimal, sir. Most are still hidden behind the moon. The entire fleet has destroyed five of the ships, sir.”
“And how many of ours have they destroyed?”
“Their large projectiles have destroyed two frigates and a destroyer so far, sir. Other ships are reporting varying degrees of damage. That figure is not considering the boarding actions.”
“Of course. And the super ship?”
Zigana paused as he reviewed the data. He furrowed his brows. “Sir, this is odd. The gravity waves have not ceased emanating from behind Eligar VI. We expected the waves would have moved when the super ship moved.”
“Is the super ship behind the moon?” Martin asked, his stomach sinking.
“We can’t tell, sir.”
“Get me the Supreme Commander, I think we…”
Zigana looked up. “Sir, we’re detecting a massive void signature behind us.”
Martin snapped his mouth shut and reviewed the sensor display. A massive signature with gravitation emanations consistent with those detected from behind Eligar VI had appeared between the black fleet and Eligar II. “Wait, is that…”
“Inside the G-line, yes, sir. The enemy vessel is in high orbit of Eligar II. It’s descending, sir, no ascending.”
“That makes little sense.”
"The appendages on the enemy vessel are extending, sir. They're slamming into the ground. They 're burrowing into the ground. The enemy ship is pulling itself toward the surface of the planet, sir."
“No,” Martin said. “No, no, no.” I had it all wrong. He broke out in a sweat and his heart raced. “Put me through to the Supreme Commander, now!”
The display appeared moments later, revealing Dawyn Darklance. “Yes, Admiral, I see the super ship. We are splitting our forces to attack it.”
“We had it all wrong, sir,” Martin said. “I kept thinking the enemy somehow pushed the moon toward Serpentis III, hence we expected them to exit behind the moon. But the enemy vessel is descending toward the surface of the planet, not toward the moon. This doesn’t make sense unless the super ship will pull the moon down on the planet.”
Even as Martin spoke the gravitational waves emanated in a focused wave toward the moon at a level far above what they were before.
Dawyn’s eyes grew wide. “They’re using the planet’s gravity to amplify their own power and pull the moon toward them.” He looked off-screen. “Put me through to the entire fleet.” Moments later he spoke, “attention all Federation forces, focus all fire on the enemy super ship attacking the surface of Eligar II. I repeat, ignore the enemy capital ships and focus everything on that super ship. We cannot let that ship succeed!” The link closed.
“Zigana, put me thr
ough to my wife, now.”
“Of course, sir.”
Felicity appeared on display. She wore a stoic expression and her eyes met Martin’s. “I heard the news, Martin.”
“Felicity, you need to get you and the children off the planet now.”
“The children just left on the next transport up to the Independence, Martin. I told you, I will remain until the last civilian is evacuated. That is the oath I swore when I was elected governor.”
“Damn your oath, Felicity!” Martin roared. “You will die if you don’t evacuate. This isn’t a ship, it’s not noble to go down with the entire planet!”
Felicity did not speak for a moment. Finally, she quirked an eyebrow. “Are you quite finished, Martin?”
Martin nodded weakly.
“Now you’re done throwing your tantrum, I hope you can see this is necessary and that my planet is just like a ship. Just as I would not ask you to abandon the Independence before the rest of your crew, do not ask this of me.”
“Felicity…” Tears ran down Martin’s face.
Felicity's eyes held tears. She sniffled. "I'll tell you what, dear, you send this super ship back to whatever hell spawned it and save my planet, and we'll see each other again. But Martin…if we don't…if I don't make it, take care of the kids, will you?"
“Don’t talk like that, Felicity. I’ll see you soon. I will do everything possible to stop that thing. I’ll talk to you soon, my love.”
“I love you, Martin.” She blew him a kiss and ended the link.
Zigana cleared his throat. “Sir, we have a firing solution on the enemy vessel. Shall we fire?”
“Yes, fire everything we have at that monstrosity.”
“Firing all batteries and launching missiles, sir.”
Martin watched the sensor display as the railgun projectiles streaked across gap in moments, the missiles lagging. The railgun shells descended and disappeared. No concussion wave, no indications of impact. "Zigana?" Martin asked.
Eclipse: Book Two of the Dark Tide Trilogy Page 15