by Wayne Basta
Her force of ships hardly constituted a fleet, and in truth, they didn’t have a proper designation, but Saracasi thought it sounded more impressive that way. Let the Alliance sort out what it would from the term. No need for them to know that she had chosen “second” only because they had already destroyed the equivalent of the Union’s first.
“Rebel fleet,” came the reply from the Alliance, “this is Commodore Dolan of Alliance Task Force 413. You’re in possession of illegal military hardware. You’re ordered to stand by and prepare to be boarded. Comply now. You will not get a second warning.”
Saracasi identified the ship where the order had originated. Unexpectedly, it had come from the frigate. Most Alliance officers commanded from onboard carriers. She switched her comm over to the gunships’ channel. “Cutty Sark, take your ships and head for the frigate. Concentrate on disabling her communications.”
“Aye, Commodore,” Fracsid replied.
The three gunships broke out of formation and accelerated toward the Alliance frigate. Three gunships against a frigate should put the gunships at only a slight disadvantage, if the fighters were kept out of the mix. Satisfied that Fracsid could handle the assignment from there, she turned her attention to the fighter deployment.
Jerik had the fighters in a screening defensive formation. The fighters were far enough ahead to intercept incoming projectiles and enemy fighters, but not too far away to be outside the coverage of Defiant Glory’s defense batteries. It was a common tactic for carriers. Unfortunately, it also tied up their primary offensive tool for defense.
“Captain Needa,” Saracasi said, “designate the Alliance carrier as the primary target for the fighters. Minimal defenses for us. We’re going after the corvette.”
“Aye,” Jerik replied. “Mr. Gotit, plot an intercept course for the corvette. Valour Squadron, designate priority target Alliance carrier. Wildcard Squadron, provide cover. Reserve fighters, launch and reform defense screen.”
Several minutes went by as the two fleets moved closer together. Though they hadn’t jumped in at an incredible distance, the Union ships were still further from Dantyne than a normal jump would dictate. Dantyne didn’t have full planetary defense coverage, and their weapons were light, but unlike on Enro and Mirthod, there were defense batteries to worry about. Keeping those from tipping the balance in the battle would be important.
“Alliance fleet is firing torpedoes at us,” Tadashio announced, the first hint of concern in his voice.
Saracasi glanced at the tactical display, relieved to see that some of their reserve fighters had already been launched. Jerik calmly ordered, “Defense fighters, engage torpedoes.”
Torpedoes were dangerous weapons, capable of doing a lot of damage to a capital ship. Fortunately, they were also expensive, so they weren’t wasted on small craft that could keep up with their ability to maneuver. Unfortunately, that meant Defiant Glory was the only ship worth shooting them at.
“Point defense batteries, stand by,” Jerik ordered.
A tense minute went by while their fighters and the torpedoes moved closer. On the tactical display, they converged, and the sensor data became confused for a moment. Then the response from the fighters came. “All but two down,” the flight leader reported.
“Point defense batteries, engage,” Jerik said. “Fighters stay clear.”
Defiant Glory didn’t match up to regular warships, but as a former mining ship, she had a few advantages. She had been built tough, as stray asteroid fragments could be dangerous. And her original complement of mining equipment had been easy to convert to point defense weapons. She had far better coverage in that area than most warships.
Their plasma beam turrets lanced out into space, converging around the evasively moving torpedoes. Before the lead one could get close enough for Saracasi to feel concerned, the beams found their target and detonated the warhead. One of the torpedoes vanished from the display.
“Final torpedo is changing targets!” Tadashio shouted. “And it’s out of range of our defensive guns.”
The sudden change in tactics took Saracasi off guard. Defiant Glory was the biggest threat, but the Alliance commander had apparently decided she was also too well defended. While Saracasi watched helplessly, the final torpedo moved away from her ship and toward the mostly defenseless cutter flying escort to them.
With a sudden finality, the torpedo detonated against the cutter’s shields. Several long seconds went by as the sensors tried to sort out the results. When the energy surge faded enough, Tadashio relayed the grim news. “Reading complete destruction of Ocean Mist. I’m not picking up any escape pod beacons,” the Kowwok operations officer said, his voice quavering.
The bridge faded to silence for a long moment, and Saracasi felt the gaze of everyone in the room on her. Taking the cutters had been her decision. Now, one had been lost with all hands within the first few minutes of their first engagement.
“Defiant Glory, we’re engaging the enemy,” Fracsid voice said into her earpiece, taking her away from being able to mourn this loss.
Putting aside the cutter’s destruction, Saracasi watched the display as the ships started firing at each other. The frigate had the clear advantage in firepower and defenses over the gunships, but they carried limited point defense weapons. The gunships could withstand the defense weapons while also being able to outmaneuver much of the fire from the heavier weapons.
Forcing herself not to focus too much on one segment of the fight, Saracasi surveyed the battlefield. The six fighters from Wildcard Squadron had just engaged the approaching Alliance fighters. This had allowed the ships from Valour Squadron, led by Sienn’lyn I’fu, to slip past and beeline for the carrier. A small miracle had granted them a slight advantage in total fighter craft.
“New contacts!” Tadashio reported. “One Alliance frigate coming around the planet’s horizon. Correction, one frigate and one corvette.”
Though she had half-expected it, Saracasi mentally cursed. The battle so far had been fairly balanced, even with the loss of the Ocean’s Mist. Now she would have to find out if the ace up her sleeve was really worth anything.
“Mr. Clemyo,” Saracasi said, trying to sound calm, “send a signal to the Phantom. Calculate a position at extreme weapons range of the new frigate and give them those jump coordinates.”
“Phantom” was what she had designated the four remaining cutters and their two gunship escorts. Waiting at a point five light-minutes away from Dantyne, the ships were outside effective sensor range but close enough that a comm signal followed by a micro hyperspace jump could bring them into the fight with minimal delay. The ships could potentially still be seen with a deep space scan, but the vastness of space kept the odds of that very low.
While she waited for the signal to travel through space, Defiant Glory moved within range of the first Alliance corvette’s weapons. Jerik redeployed the remaining fighter screen to stay behind them, away from the potentially deadly fire from the corvette. Exchanges of fire began flying between the two ships. Saracasi felt the slight vibration as kinetic energy, not fully absorbed by the shields, transferred to the ship.
Unlike in previous engagements, Defiant Glory weathered this first exchange of fire with little ill effect. After the Battle of Sulas, the main reactor had been rebuilt and replaced, and she now had a power supply adequate for her role as a warship, and her heavy weaponry outclassed that of a corvette, though not by much.
Jerik slowed the ship and reversed course, keeping the carrier between the corvette and the rest of the fleet. Saracasi turned her attention away from this immediate battle and reassessed the overall battle. Fracsid’s ships were still trading fire with the frigate, though Chimopori looked sluggish. The Alliance fighters had rallied and intercepted Valour Squadron before they could reach the Alliance carrier. This left the carrier untouched but had allowed Wildcard to give the Alliance fighters a solid strike.
Spread out as they were, the fleet was not able to brin
g very much firepower to bear against any particular enemy target. This proved the same for the Alliance, though their individual ships were slightly more powerful. She could either continue the broad focus or close ranks.
Making her decision, Saracasi began issuing orders. “Chimopori, break off and move to engage enemy fighters. Valour Squadron, disengage fighters and move to intercept Alliance Frigate F1. Defense fighters, advance to back up Wildcard. You’re clear to engage Carrier CV1 if the opportunity presents itself, but your primary focus is keeping those fighters occupied.”
The ships of her fleet started to move in response. It would take some time for the redeployment to occur. How quickly Phantom Group responded to their order would determine whether all the pieces got into place before the Alliance reinforcements arrived. Ground-based fighters had started to appear on the sensors as well, though they were still a significant distance out.
“New contacts!” Tadashio shouted again, this time with a note of cheerful shock in his voice. “Reading contact as our gunships and . . . Audacious!”
Saracasi allowed herself a wide smile. Using the remains of Defiant Glory’s old reactor, generous amounts of spare hull plating, and flexible support struts, Saracasi had devised a false framework for their cutters. Flying in a tight formation, the cutters would appear on sensors to be the shape of the Audacious. The addition of the old reactor, along with the cutters’ own power sources, would provide a strong enough energy reading to mimic the anti-matter reactor of the experimental frigate.
She had told very few people about this plan. Only La’ari, responsible for assembling the frame, Lieutenant Sheanna Coramont, who commanded the group, and eventually the cutter captains had been told the full details. She hadn’t wanted to risk any potential leaks. For this to work, the Alliance had to believe that those cutters were indeed the unkillable frigate.
“Audacious is firing! Alliance frigate and corvette are going evasive and altering course,” Tadashio reported.
This news was both good and bad. By changing course, those ships would not join the current battle, providing no relief to the currently engaged Alliance ships. But the closer they got to the fake Audacious, the more likely it was that they would see through the deception. It would also increase the risk to the cutters, as they didn’t actually have an impenetrable shield to protect them from enemy fire.
Nervously, Saracasi watched the battle unfold. At this point, there was very little for her to do but watch. As the fleet commander, she was responsible for everything and everyone. Part of that responsibility was staying out of their way and letting them do their jobs. Unless something changed, she could only sit by and hope they did them well.
“Commodore,” Tadashio said via her earpiece, “I’ve been able to positively identify the frigate designated F2. She’s the Typhoon, the same ship you fought over Kol.”
“Thank you, Tada,” she said with a grim smile. If she played her cards right, that fact could be used to her advantage.
“Phantom lead, signal the frigate you’re engaging. Let them know you’re glad to see them, as you’re sad she got away from you at Kol,” Saracasi said.
“Understood,” came the simple reply from Sheanna, who was onboard one of the cutters. She would not understand the full details of the order, but she was quite perceptive. She had been aboard Audacious during the previous battle with the Alliance frigate.
While she awaited the relayed response from the frigate, the tide of the battle suddenly shifted. The additional firepower from Valour Squadron, working beside Fracsid’s two gunships, penetrated the shields on the first frigate, disabling her engines and, more importantly, her communications gear.
Not waiting for fate to balance out the battle, Saracasi began issuing orders. “Cutty Sark, Valour Squadron, break off and move to intercept the carrier. Captain Needa, break off from the corvette and move to intercept the carrier.
“Captain Coramont, transmit another message to the frigate. Let them know you’ve already had one carrier kill to your credit, so the others can have this next one. You’re hungry for a frigate.”
The ships responded to her orders. The gunships and fighters moved quickly away from the disabled frigate, putting her out of the engagement. While far from finished, without her main engines, the Alliance frigate was unable to maneuver to keep up. She would also make an easy target to mop up later.
Tense minutes went by as her fleet again repositioned themselves. The Alliance corvette followed Defiant Glory, continuing to fire on them. Typhoon and the second corvette got closer and closer to the phantom Audacious, but Sheanna did an admirable job of keeping their distance without being obvious about it.
Just before they got into firing range of the Alliance carrier, Tadashio gave an excited report. “Alliance ships are breaking off! Frigate F2 and Corvette C2 are accelerating away from Dantyne. Remaining fighter craft have begun making emergency landings aboard the carrier. Corvette C1 is accelerating to run interference between our fighters and the carrier.”
Saracasi smiled. “All fighters, break off from the carrier. Keep a safe distance from the corvette. Captain Needa, continue firing on the corvette but let the carrier go. Captain Coramont, make a show of pursuing the fleeing Alliance frigate but break off once you reach max weapons range.”
Despite the loss of Ocean Mist, her second battle had gone better than she had hoped. One cutter in exchange for one Alliance frigate and retaking Dantyne. Maybe this war wouldn’t last as long as she had once feared.
Chapter Eleven
“I’m not looking forward to another day in that room,” Valinther grumbled as he gave his clothing a final check in the mirror.
Lahkaba nodded his agreement. They stood waiting in the common room of the quarters the Dotran had given them, waiting for Rathalos to arrive and transport them to the next meeting. None of them looked excited.
When the door to the apartment finally opened, their Kowwok guide came in, escorted by Lt. Commander Bryel Prytoker. This was the first time they had seen Bryel after the initial greeting at the starport, even though he had been the Dotran representative to Congress.
“Commander Prytoker, what a surprise. Your presence at the meetings has been missed,” Lahkaba said, surprising himself with the sincerity in his voice.
“I apologize. My duties have kept me elsewhere,” Bryel responded, his tone evasive. “I’m here to inform you that Minister Amib will not be able to meet with you today.”
“That is . . . unfortunate,” Lionell replied. “When will we be rescheduling?”
“For tomorrow,” Bryel answered. “In the meantime, I can provide you with a tour of some of the city’s best cultural icons, if you don’t desire to stay here all day.”
“You mean we can’t go anywhere on our own?” Valinther asked, sounding accusatory.
For his part, Bryel had enough tact to look embarrassed as he replied, “Unfortunately, not without military escort. For your safety. There are undoubtedly Alliance spies on the planet, and your safety is our responsibility.”
“Right,” Lionell replied.
Speaking up for the first time, Zoeko said, “Commander Prytoker is quite correct. Did we not confine his movements while on Irod?”
Zoeko’s point was met by silence by the rest of the group. She had a point.
“Very well,” he said. “Since I don’t want to be locked up here, perhaps this tour of yours would be enlightening.” The idea of seeing Dotran cultural hotspots didn’t really appeal to him, but he agreed to Bryel’s tour merely to get out of sitting in the apartment for the entire day.
When he had remarked it could be enlightening, he hadn’t really meant it. Several hours later, he was forced to change that assessment.
They made several stops, but the art museum proved the most interesting. The first piece they viewed upon entering the museum was a giant statue of a Dotran warrior. Suitably, the statue was made out of bronze and depicted a legendary hero from Dotran myth: Scarlo, Champi
on of Azar.
From there, they toured the museum, seeing a magnificent painting of the Queen Jeliana, considered to be the most beautiful Dotran to ever live. She was, of course, a gold. By the time they had gotten through half the museum, Lahkaba hadn’t seen but a handful of paintings or statues that depicted anything other than gold or bronze Dotran. Those that did showed reds and oranges. The only blues and greens he saw were background figures, usually looking up in admiration at some gold or bronze hero.
As they walked, he remarked to Bryel, “Your people certainly aren’t subtle about the golds and bronzes being in charge.”
“Of course they’re in charge—they’re superior mentally and physically,” Bryel replied, sounding as if he were repeating something from memory. As he spoke, Lahkaba saw him cast an almost imperceptible glance down at his blue-scaled hands.
Stopping before a large painting, Bryel said, “Take this one by Moresala. It depicts the hero Scarlo after he defeated a barbarian horde assaulting his city.”
The painting showed the same well-muscled and intimidating Dotran that Lahkaba had seen in the statue from the main foyer. His bronze form stood over a decapitated Dotran with orange scales, while a swarm of other Dotran rode away on some kind of four-legged creature in the distance. A crowd stood on the walls of a city, cheering.
“Of course, some historians believe Scarlo was actually a blue,” Bryel said, his tone quieter than it had been a moment before. “They say that the belief that Scarlo was bronze emerged a few hundred years later, due to the famous statue of him being made of actual bronze, a common building material in the time it was made.”
The statement from Bryel took Lahkaba off guard. He cast a look around to see what the others thought and only then noticed that the rest of the group had moved on to the next painting. Before he could give a response, Bryel, too, moved on to join them.
Lahkaba followed, still contemplating Bryel’s statement. As he got closer, his thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of an argument. Zoeko and Valinther were glaring at each other.