by Randy Dyess
“All senior officers to the bridge,” he said into the comm system before getting up to leave his ready room. As he stood there, he took his copy of his book out of trousers and placed it in the pocket over his heart. This was the Quant way of saying “species before individuals;” it was a signal to his crew of the sacrifice they were about to make.
*****
After explaining Fleet Commander Kleach’s order to the rest of the senior officers, Commander Qugnyt picked up his comm unit. “Comms, patch me through to the entire ship.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“This is the commander. As you all know, we are heading into battle against a Freack harvest fleet. The Freack are early, but that doesn’t mean they will not proceed to the rest of our space. A general evacuation notice has gone out to all of our colonies, and the rest of the Quant fleet will be assisting them in the evacuation, which means we are alone.
“We don’t know how many there are, nor how strong they are. I’ve just talked to Fleet Commander Kleach, who says the research colony on Quantum cannot be evacuated in time. He has asked us to buy the researchers enough time to get into their shelters. We don’t know how we’ll do against the Freack ships, but Fleet Commander Kleach has asked, and I agree with his request, that we utilize this opportunity to learn as much about the capabilities of the Freack ships as possible.
“We are going to do just that. We will not retreat from this battle, and we will use everything in our arsenal to determine what needs to be done to win this war against the Freack. We will not make it out alive, but our scientists back home will have the data we generated to improve the rest of the fleet for the next battle.”
Commander Qugnyt looked down and closed his eyes. A moment of silence was observed as, all over the three ships of his squad, individual Quants took out their books and placed them in the pockets over their hearts. They were ready to die for the knowledge they needed.
“Comms, I want a series of comm relay probes spaced between here and the Freack fleet. I want a constant data stream sent with all sensor readings, comm traffic, and battle reports,” he commanded as he lifted his head and steeled himself for the upcoming battle. “I want you to make sure fleet command has every blimp of this battle. They need data and we are going to give it to them.”
“Yes, Commander,” the comms officer shouted. He knew what was expected and he would not let his people down.
“Helm, how much longer until we get into Grydyd range?” Commander Qugnyt asked.
The Grydyd, named after the large predators the Freack had populated their planet with, was the Quant’s largest missile. It was designed to blow apart asteroids the size of the Freack attack ship, although it had never been tested against an actual Freack ship. They believed, however, that the smaller Freack attack ships they had seen during earlier harvests could not stand up against the missiles.
“Ten mini-divisions,” the weapons officer replied. “All missile tubes have been loaded.”
“I want a spread fired as soon as we get into missile range: one Grydyd to each attack ship. We need to find out what they can do.”
“Commander, fifty Freack attack ships have broken away from the main formation and are headed our way,” the tactical officer interrupted.
“New contact time.”
“Five mini-divisions,” the weapons officer replied.
“Inform the squad to get ready. Fire all missiles as the Freack attack ships come into range. I want Borer missiles and spread lasers ready as soon as the Gyrdyds have left our tubes.”
“Yes, Commander,” the weapons officer replied as he bent over his station and sent the commands to the other two ships.
“Attack formation, Quantum One,” Qugnyt commanded his helm officer.
“Weapons range in one mini-division,” the weapons officer reported. “All ships report status ready.”
The next mini-division seemed like the longest in Commander Qugnyt’s life as his squad came within contact range with the Freack.
*****
A cheer erupted on the bridge of the Druggette as thirty Freack attack ships were torn apart from the Grydyd missiles. “Thirty attack ships destroyed,” the tactical officer reported.
“Any evidence of defensive weapons or shields?” Commander Qugnyt asked.
“No sensor data shows any defensive weapons fire or shields. The Freack didn’t even try to evade our missiles—they just let them slam into their ships.”
“Which means they either underestimated our weapons or simply didn’t care,” Commander Qugnyt said.
“Do you think they’re callous enough to let thirty of their ships get destroyed without even trying to survive?” the first officer questioned.
“It appears so.”
“Freack returning fire. Plasma balls launched from remaining Freack ships,” the tactical officer called out.
“Spread lasers—and I want Borer missiles launched,” Commander Qugnyt said. “Who’s the closest?”
“The Clus. Three mini-divisions.”
“The Clus is increasing her shield strength. She’s using all reserve power,” the tactical officer said.
“Spread lasers have no effect on Freack weapons,” the weapons officer said.
“Did you get good readings?” Commander Qugnyt asked. He had hoped the spread lasers would disrupt the technology the Freack used to contain the plasma ball. “Keep firing and target all spread lasers on one plasma ball. Try to spread them in a pattern around the ball—maybe it’s something we’re not seeing that controls those things.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“Clus is getting hit,” the tactical officer shouted. “Shields are holding!”
Commander Qugnyt looked at the main viewer. The Clus’ shields flared and the ship exploded.
“Clus is down,” said the tactical officer. “Good readings on the shields: they held for two mini-divisions before flaring out.”
“Borer missiles making contact. All twenty Freack ships have been damaged.”
“Reload with our last Gyrdyds. I want to make a run at one of the larger ships,” Qugnyt commanded his weapons officer.
“Commander, thirty Freack launch ships breaking off and heading our way.”
“Form up with the Weog. Let’s see how the Gyrdyds do against them.” The Freack attack ships had been the same size as the Quant patrol vessels, but the launch ships were much larger at over twenty times the size and mass of the Druggette. Commander Qugnyt expected them, at least, to have defensive weapons or shields.
“Launch ships in weapons range in three mini-rotations,” the tactical officer reported.
“Launch ships are firing! Fifty plasma balls are heading our way… and they are huge!”
“Specifics,” Commander Qugnyt said.
“Each plasma ball is the size of our ship—fifteen times the size of the attack ship’s weapons.”
“Helm, break formation and dive under the Freack formation. Have the Weog go over. Let’s see if we can ditch the plasma balls. Weapons, fire when we are in range.”
“Yes, Commander,” the helm officer reported.
“Firing now.”
“Commander, plasma balls are changing course. My calculations show the degree of change will not be enough to match our change,” the tactical officer shouted.
“Keep on course. Are the Freack changing course to match us?”
“No, Commander, they are still on the same heading.”
“Plasma balls have dissipated. Freack are changing course.”
“Do you think they can’t change course once they fire?” Sub-Commander Merq asked. As the second officer, it was her job to analyze the Freack formations and report on possible counter-attack patterns.
“Maybe,” Commander Qugnyt responded. “The next time they fire, I want you to change course again. Let’s see what they do in response.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“Gyrdyds on target now,” the weapons officer shouted.
&
nbsp; “Twenty direct hits,” the tactical officer said. “Ten launch ships are venting, but still coming our way. Another ten are dropping out of formation!”
Another cheer went up along the bridge crew; they now knew their weapons could be used against the larger Freack ships. If they had more missiles targeted on each launch ship, they might have taken all twenty out of action.
“Borer missiles launched. Spread lasers still have no effect.”
“Shut them down—no use in wasting energy reserves on them.”
“Freack firing! Plasma balls are coming at three times the speed as the previous launch.”
“Execute new formation,” Sub-Commander Merq told the helm. The Druggette and Weog both changed course, so they would cross the Freack formation at a ninety-degree angle.
“Plasma balls changing course. I estimate that we are safe, but the Weog is not moving fast enough—they’re going to get hit.”
The bridge crew of the Druggette watched as a ship-sized plasma ball washed over the Weog. The shields did not hold, and the ship melted as the plasma expanded over her.
“Weog’s shields were at maximum,” the tactical officer reported.
“Borer missiles making contact,” the weapons officer reported. “Little to no damage on all ten launch ships.”
“Do we have any more Gyrdyds?” Commander Qugnyt asked.
“Three. Loading now.”
“Hold them,” he said. “Merq, I want an attack course plotted against one of the mother ships. Fire all three remaining Gyrdyds at the same location—let’s see what damage they can do.”
“Commander, analysis of the launch ship coming in. No defensive fire, no shields, and they did not alter course to evade our attack. I have been able to track the plasma balls fired from the damaged ships: they dissipated as the Freack ships were damaged.”
“Good. Looks like they have to maintain course after they fire,” Commander Qugnyt said as he smiled. Now they would be able to create attack formations to counter Freack weapons fire.
“Commander, thirty launch ships, and one hundred attack ships have picked up speed and are heading toward Quantum. I estimate they will arrive in twenty mini-divisions.”
“Are we in contact with the colony?”
“No, Commander. No one is answering our hails.”
“Contact fleet and ask them if the colony has had time to get to the shelters.”
“Commander, three damaged Freack launch ships are dropping out of the formation chasing us. The rest have picked up speed.”
“Merq, time to weapons range on the mothership?” Commander Qugnyt asked.
“It’s going to be close, but I think we’ll make it before those launch ships come into range.”
“As soon as the missiles clear the tubes, alter course thirty degrees, up twenty. Let’s see if we can outrun them.”
“Commander, Fleet is commanding us to break off the attack. Sixty percent of the researchers are in the shelters and the others are too far out to make it. We’ve bought them enough time, and fleet command has enough data.”
“Understood,” he responded. “I would have liked to have had a shot at that mothership, though.”
“Maybe next time,” Sub-Commander Merq said. “Let’s see if we can get out of here in one piece.”
“Do what you can.”
“Commander, twenty attack ships have doubled back on us and have us pinned against the chasing launch ships,” Sub-Commander Merq said.
“Merq?”
“Sorry, Commander—the launch ships blocked our view of them.”
“Options?”
“I don’t see any—they have us trapped. We might be able to use the remaining Gyrdyds and Borers to escape, but, it’ll take everything we’ve got, and there won’t be any second chances.”
“Turn off shields and put all power into the drives. Make a sprint at that mothership. If we go down, I want data on how our missiles do against one of those monsters.”
“Commander,” the tactical officer shouted, “Freack ships have created a cone formation and have fired. I estimate four mini-divisions until contact. They fired in a pattern, this time, and we can only go forward.”
“Are we going to be able to fire?”
“Yes, Commander, we should be able to last long enough to fire, but I don’t think we’ll be able to record the damage.”
“Drop a probe and have it record for us.”
“Commander, the mothership has fired five plasma balls thirty times our size. I don’t think we have a chance against them.”
“Time to contact?”
“Estimate two minutes to contact.”
“Fire all Gyrdyds.”
“We’re still one mini-division out.”
“I don’t care; fire now for maximum range. All power to shields,” Commander Qugnyt responded before switching his comm unit to ship-wide. “All hands, it has been an honor.”
Commander Qugnyt’s last words had barely reached everyone’s ears when the Freack weapons contacted the Druggette. The ship’s shields didn’t have any effect on the massive plasma balls, and no evidence of the Druggette remained—not even a single atom.
Its last probe recorded the ship’s demise, remaining long enough to see two Grydyd missiles slam into the Freack mothership. Two large craters appeared, but the massive mothership shrugged them off and continued toward its destination. The probe also recorded the third Grydyd changing course and impacting a small object directly behind one of the plasma balls fired by the mothership. The destruction of the object caused the plasma ball to dissipate before it had a chance to contact the Druggette.
Spider War Series:
Battle At Pirate’s Bay: Book 0
First Contact: Book 1
On The Run: Book 2
Fighting Back: Book 3: (Coming Apr 2017)
Fleet Action: Book 4: (Coming May 2017)
Invasion: Book 5: (Coming Jun 2017)
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