President’s Conference Room, Terran Government Headquarters, Lake Pedam, Nigeria, March 04, 2021
“Grand Admiral Michael, I wanted to pass on the grateful thanks of a very frightened population,” said Terran President Katrina Nehru to the figure on the view screen. “If not for your assistance, the Drakuls would be overrunning the planet right now.”
“We were happy to assist thee,” replied Grand Admiral Michael, “especially since thy ship Vella Gulf was instrumental in helping us to make significant gains against the Drakuls in our war against them. We must be going, however. We currently have the Drakuls on the run and need to keep up the pressure. If we can trap them in their system, we will end this war, once and for all.”
“I understand completely,” said President Nehru, “and I look forward to talking with you under better circumstances. The Vella Gulf is the only ship we have that is operational, but we will happily send it with you.”
“Wow,” she said after Grand Admiral Michael had signed off; “he looked just like an angel...”
* * * * *
Chapter Forty-Four
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, Lalande 21185 System, March 12, 2021
The force was the biggest that Captain Sheppard had ever seen, although he was admittedly a bit of a novice at major interstellar battles. They had rendezvoused with a fleet from Archonis and now had two super dreadnoughts, four dreadnoughts, five battleships, seven battlecruisers and five cruisers. When they had entered the Lalande 21185 system, they had also found the Emperor’s Paw waiting for them, along with another dreadnought and the brand new spacecraft carrier Night Strike. The Terrans’ contribution of a single cruiser looked pathetic compared with the other star nations, but the Terra had been in too bad a shape to join them, and the rest of the fleet was scrap that was currently being fed into Terra’s replicators to make new ships. There would be a nice sized fleet once they got all of the wreckage around Saturn cleared out, but that was a long time in the future.
With the Terra sidelined for major repairs, it was up to the Vella Gulf to carry the flag of the Republic of Terra into the climactic battle with the Drakuls. No one really expected the Drakuls to have too much in the way of capital ships left; the alliance forces had already exterminated two whole Drakul fleets.
“All ships, this is Grand Admiral Michael,” the Archon transmitted as the ships approached the stargate to COROT-7 and the planet Drakon, the home world of the Drakuls. “We are faced with an enemy that has attacked us from the very bowels of hell. They shall not stop us, for our mission is true. Our faith is pure! Let us advance and send these demons back to the hell from whence they came. For God and Archonis!”
“For God and Archonis!” replied the rest of the fleet.
“Here we go,” said Captain Sheppard as the first mine clearance vessels transited the stargate. Robot ships led the assault into the next system. After transit, they launched a number of decoys for the mines near the stargate to attack. The Archons expected a lot of mines and had used all 20 of the mine clearance ships they had available. The Holy Word would follow them in, followed by the Emperor’s Paw and the Vella Gulf, and then the rest of the fleet.
“Leaders lead,” Captain Yerrow had said, with the Mrowry equivalent of a shrug, when Captain Sheppard had asked why Yerrow had requested the honor of following the Holy Word into the system. It seemed like suicide to him, but when the Mrowry officer had asked if the Vella Gulf would follow them, Sheppard had said, “Certainly; I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Captain Sheppard shook his head in remembrance. His mother had always warned him that his mouth would be the end of him; it appeared that her prophesy had finally come true. All he could hope for was that the Drakuls would be too worried about the Holy Word to bother with his little cruiser.
He watched the front view screen, waiting for the lead ships to begin the assault. The key was to follow the mine clearance drones closely enough that the enemy couldn’t bring up any additional mines after the drones did their job, but not so closely that the warships intercepted mines that were still headed for the drones. The Holy Word began advancing toward the gate.
“All ahead full,” said Captain Sheppard. “Maintain separation from the Emperor’s Paw.”
The Emperor’s Paw made the jump in front of them. It seemed like forever, and yet no time at all, for them to reach the gate. They made the jump...straight into hell. Although the drones had eliminated most of the mines around the stargate, they had done nothing to reduce the Drakul fleet waiting for them, a fleet that was considerably larger than expected.
“Launch all fighters!” ordered Captain Sheppard. “Weapons free!”
“Holy shit!” muttered the OSO as he started targeting the enemy forces. “That is the largest ship I have ever seen!” Even bigger than the Holy Word, the flagship of the Drakul fleet was a full three miles long, brimming with missiles and lasers. Three other super dreadnoughts only slightly smaller waited at the stargate, as well as five dreadnoughts, six battleships, 12 battlecruisers and more cruisers than he could count.
The Holy Word had immediately been trapped between the biggest super dreadnought and one of the other super dreadnoughts when it entered the system, and it was trading fire with both. The carrier Night Strike entered the system after the Vella Gulf, and fighters began launching from all four of its catapults. Every Alliance ship was taken under fire as it entered the system.
Captain Sheppard counted the number of ships showing on the tactical plot and didn’t like the totals. “I’m not sure we can win this one,” he said in a low voice to Steropes.
“Did you see the courier ship the Holy Word just launched?” Steropes replied. “They’re probably thinking the same thing. I believe they are sending it back to let their rulers know.”
“Ummm...wouldn’t we want to retreat to the last system and wait for reinforcements?”
“I don’t know what the Archons are thinking,” replied Steropes; “however, it is my guess that Grand Admiral Michael is trying to take advantage of catching them all here. If by some chance we could destroy them all, including their replicator, then the rest of the forces could come and finish them off before the Drakuls can get off planet again. I imagine that he doesn’t want to have to chase them through the universe in order to eradicate them...again.”
The Alliance forces traded missiles and energy weapons with the enemy fleet. Although they gave better than they received, it didn’t appear the alliance forces were going to win the battle. While the Holy Word wasn’t out of the battle after the first 15 minutes, it was close; air and fluids streamed from it in more places than the Terrans could count. Still, it wasn’t done, and the smaller of the two super dreadnoughts that it was fighting blew up as Captain Sheppard watched. The biggest Drakul ship looked like it was in the same shape as the Holy Word. Both ships were wrecked; their captains were just too stubborn to admit defeat.
“Sir,” said the OSO, “another super dreadnought has changed directions and is headed toward the Holy Word.”
“If they take out the Word,” said Captain Sheppard, “they can deal with the rest of us at their leisure. Comm the fighters. See if they can hit the super dreadnought before it can get to the Word.”
Asp 01, COROT-7 System, March 12, 2021
“Asp 01 copies,” Lieutenant Sasaki ‘Supidi’ Akio replied. “We’re inbound to the target.” He punched the new target into the system. “That’s our target,” he said to Calvin.
Calvin looked over at Supidi’s system. “Big one,” he grunted. They were a long way off, but he could still see it in the long range viewer.
“Yeah,” said Supidi, “they want us to shoot the engines out of it.”
“Wonderful,” said Calvin. “This is going to suck.” He switched to the squadron frequency. “All Asps, join on me. We’ve got a high priority target. They need us to take out the motors of the super dreadnought in front of us.”
“Do you suppose they’ll even notice we’re here?” asked Li
eutenant Martyn ‘Tinman’ Sinclair from Asp 08. “Their missiles are bigger than our fighters.”
“They’ll notice when we shove a few megatons of explosives up their ass,” replied Calvin. “Follow me!”
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, COROT-7 System, March 12, 2021
“New contacts!” the OSO called as the ship shuddered from another missile strike. The Gulf’s shields were down, and they had already been hit several times. One of their engines was out, and Captain Sheppard could see flashes from the ongoing battle through the window-sized hole in the bridge. “Sir, I’ve got ships coming from around the other side of Drakon. They must have been hiding there with their power turned down. There are five more dreadnoughts and eight more battleships accelerating toward us!”
“Damn,” said Captain Sheppard. “We were close to pulling this off, but there’s no way we can beat all of them.”
“Sir, I have an incoming transmission from the Holy Word,” said the communications officer.
“On screen,” replied Captain Sheppard. The ship shook as another missile hit it.
“Missile hit in officer berthing,” said the duty engineer. “Damage repair crews responding.”
“Ye must all retreat,” Grand Admiral Michael ordered from the front screen. “We do not gain anything further from thy destruction. We will stay as a rearguard and hold them off as long as we can. Get back to Alliance space and mine the stargate. Perhaps ye will have time to rebuild the fleet before they attack again.”
“Helmsman, proceed to the stargate,” Captain Sheppard said.
“Head to the stargate, aye,” confirmed the helmsman.
“We’re not going to run, are we?” asked Steropes.
“We’re not running,” replied Captain Sheppard. “We are retreating, as ordered by Grand Admiral Michael.”
“They just called in the Mrowry fighters,” the OSO noted. As he watched, all six squadrons launched simultaneously, and over 350 missiles streaked inbound toward the super dreadnought approaching the Holy Word. “That’s going to leave a mark.”
* * * * *
Chapter Forty-Five
Drakon, COROT-7 System, March 12, 2021
The Overlord hated the stupid Archons. If their wings didn’t taste so good, there wouldn’t be any reason for keeping a single one of them alive. As it was, he was going to have to teach them a lesson. After he destroyed this pitiful fleet, he would send out the Home Fleet and wipe them out, all the way up the star chain to their home world.
With the Home Fleet committed to the battle, it wouldn’t be long. He could sense that they were about to break. No...it wouldn’t be long at all.
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, COROT-7 System, March 12, 2021
“Sir, Captain Smetlurge is hailing the fleet,” said the communications officer.
“On screen,” replied Captain Sheppard.
The front view screen changed to a live feed of Smetlurge from his bridge.
“Everyone else may do as they desire,” he said. “As for us, we have a different mission. We have experienced the rape of our system by the Drakuls, and we will not suffer it again. Hopefully our versions of the afterlife will line up, Grand Admiral Michael. I would very much like to talk strategy and leadership with you some time. Captain Smetlurge, out.” The front screen returned to the tactical plot.
“Sir, he just cut off the transmission,” the communications officer said.
“The Hooolong ship is moving out of formation,” Steropes noted. “It has begun accelerating toward the new Drakul fleet.”
Captain Sheppard looked stunned. “He can’t hope to take on that big of a force.”
“I do not believe that is his intention,” Steropes said. “The Drakuls ended his civilization. I know what that’s like, and how the need for revenge burns within you. I don’t think he intends to do battle with the Drakuls. I have analyzed his vector, and I believe he intends to destroy the planet.”
Asp 01, COROT-7 System, March 12, 2021
“Asp 01 copies,” Supidi commed. He looked at Calvin. “The Gulf says that the super dreadnought’s shields are down, courtesy of the Mrowry. Something’s going on, and we need to give the Holy Word time to get back into the battle.
“Attack Plan Red,” Calvin said without hesitation.
“Really?” asked Supidi. Attack Plan Red involved splitting into the squadron into two-fighter sections to attack a target from a multitude of angles. It kept the target from turning to protect a vulnerable spot, but left the attackers extremely vulnerable to defensive fire, as they were no longer massing their attack along a single axis. It would be a death sentence for many of the squadron’s crews.
“Do it,” ordered Calvin.
Supidi switched to the squadron frequency. “All Asps, Attack Plan Red. I say again, Attack Plan Red.” When all the rest of the squadron indicated that they heard, Supidi transmitted, “Execute!” and the squadron, which had been flying in a 12-fighter formation, flew apart into six sections of two. Staying outside of the range of the dreadnought’s defensive weapons, the squadron maneuvered into position.
“They’re ready,” said Supidi, looking at his plot.
Calvin switched to the squadron frequency. “This is where we earn our pay,” he transmitted. “We’ve got to keep the super dreadnought off of the Holy Word. If the Word goes, we’re done for. The Drakul ship’s shields are down, and we need to take out its engines. Commencing attack run...now!”
As one, the 12 fighters turned inbound toward their target. The crew of the super dreadnought had obviously been watching the fighters set up, because the ship began turning, trying to keep its vulnerable engines away from the threat. There was nowhere to hide, though, as the fighters attacked from all sides.
“It looks like they just launched a missile from every launcher they have,” said Supidi as the fighters entered the dreadnought’s missile range. “This is going to be ugly.” The warship fought with a ferocity born of desperation. Relatively new to the fight, the dreadnought’s missile racks were nearly full, and its crew flushed them all to try and stop the fighters.
“Evasive measures!” Supidi commed to the squadron. “All countermeasures on!”
Calvin began to maneuver the fighter randomly and violently as they closed with their target, and the fighter’s anti-missile laser fired at the missiles targeting them.
“Launching countermeasures,” Supidi announced, toggling the switch that released a pattern of decoys. “Full spread.”
Calvin continued to maneuver the fighter as the decoys launched. Some ran off in front of the fighter to draw off the incoming missiles, while others dropped behind it. Some reflected radar, creating a larger image; others burned fiercely to decoy missiles that used infrared seekers.
Calvin could feel a slight vibration in the fighter’s controls as the defensive laser fired, and then a shudder as a missile blew up close to them. A high pitched whistle could be heard in the cockpit as the air left through the hole that had materialized next to Calvin’s head.
“Damn,” Calvin said. “That was too close.”
“30 seconds to launch,” noted Supidi, turning on the missile launch panel. “Master Armament panel is ‘on,’” he advised. “Damn!” he added, “the dreadnought is turning toward us. Our missiles won’t get the engines. 07 and 08 are behind it; looks like it’s going to be up to them. Here goes...roll out.”
Calvin stopped maneuvering and gave the system two seconds to align and download the final targeting information. A green light illuminated on his heads-up display, and he pulled the trigger. Missiles detached and roared off toward the super dreadnought. “Asp 01, Fox One!” he called, indicating missile launch.
The last missile launched, and Calvin put the controls hard over as he began maneuvering again. “Let’s get the hell out of here,” he said.
Asp 03, COROT-7 System, March 12, 2021
“How are we looking?” asked Asp 03’s pilot, Lieutenant Rob ‘Thing 1’ Mees.
“Shitty,
” swore Asp 03’s WSO, Lieutenant Paul ‘Thing 2’ Mees. “It just turned. We’re in its broadside. We’re—” He was interrupted as a 5.25 meter laser from the dreadnought speared through the cockpit, killing both officers and destroying the fighter.
Asp 07, COROT-7 System, March 12, 2021
“Looks like it’s going to be up to us,” said Asp 07’s WSO, Lieutenant Brett Dylan ‘Foxy’ Fox.
“Oh, yeah?” asked his pilot, Lieutenant Matthew ‘Exit’ Kamins, pulling the fighter around hard.
“Yeah,” replied Foxy. “The dreadnought just turned away from us. We’re the ones with a shot at its motors.”
“Good,” replied Exit, “Let’s nail it, and then get the hell out of here. It’s getting awfully—”
Designed to attack dreadnoughts, the anti-ship missile was so large that Exit actually saw it a fraction of a second before it hit. Many times the size of Asp 07, there was nothing left of the fighter afterward.
Asp 08, COROT-7 System, March 12, 2021
“That was a big one!” noted Lieutenant Terry ‘Guppy’ Gupton, the pilot of Asp 08, as a flash lit up space to his left. He continued maneuvering for all he was worth.
“Yeah, that’s what it looks like when an anti-ship missile hits a fighter,” replied his WSO, Lieutenant Martyn ‘Tinman’ Sinclair. “We just lost 07.”
“So it’s just us?” asked Guppy.
“Yeah,” agreed Tinman. “We’re the only fighter left with a shot from behind the ship, and they’re launching everything they’ve got at us. Even the big shit, the anti-ship lasers and missiles.”
“The anti-ship missiles?” asked Guppy. “Didn’t you say that those things were bigger than our fighter?”
Theogony 3: Terra Stands Alone Page 33