Darkness: Book One of the Oortian Wars

by Iain Richmond

  “Add the Battle-Net data to the main holo-feed, Commander.”

  Chen watched the main hologram-feed in the center of the bridge adjust and now showed five shadows in a protective arc around a large shadow. In the asteroid field, shifting numbers appeared below hundreds of similar sized asteroids. Many continued to adjust while some of the numbers remained the same.

  Chen leaned hard against his harness. “Lieutenant Bai, what is happening?”

  “Scanners are working through the asteroid field, Admiral.”

  “Why is it taking longer this time?” Chen looked back to the holo-feed and focused on a handful of clustered asteroids with shifting numbers until they slowed in unison like the movement of a timer ticking down the seconds,

  .19…

  .186…

  .1858…

  .18581…

  .185806…

  And stopped. The hologram turned red.

  .18580608, 1,597 confirmed matches.

  The Battle-Net aboard the Qing Long wailed, alerts filling the bridge and echoing off the bulkheads. The same scenario carried out over the entire 10th Fleet.

  “Hull Pounders!” Commander Lee bellowed, “1,597 confirmed matches!”

  Admiral Chen slammed the COM switch from his command chair that connected him directly to the cruiser. “Get out of there, Captain! Commander Lee, Battle-group secures Lie Gong’s retreat.” He spun towards Commander Lee, “Can we get a lock on enemy targets?”

  “Out of range, Admiral. As soon as they cross the midpoint of the asteroid field we can lock, but they’re too close to our boats. Viper Group Alpha has lock.” Lee spoke as he flashed the Admiral’s order to the lead Viper using the laser beacon.

  Chen hammered his armrest with a fist. “If they can make it back.” He could not risk moving the rest of 10th Fleet closer, which could be exactly what the Oortians wanted.

  The Lei Gong fired her port thrusters turning the cruiser’s bow back around, towards the Fleet. A wave of missiles flew from the defending Viper battle-group locked onto over 1,500 confirmed Hull Pounders. The first wave targeted the closest Oortians in the asteroid field.

  Admiral Chen followed the streaking missiles on the their main holo-feed. It glowed with hundreds of blue embers burning toward red enemy targets. “Something is wrong,” he whispered to himself, “why are they waiting?”

  A puzzled voice came over the COM.

  “They are not moving. Repeat, the Oortian targets have not taken defensive maneuvers.” Hope sounded from the Li Gong’s captain. “Twenty seconds until the first missile wave reaches its targets… We may have another false scan– wait. The Viper’s laser beacons are flashing.” The captain’s voice grew with intensity. “Picking up heat signatures! Increasing!”

  Admiral Chen pushed against his harness, helpless with the rest of 10th Fleet, watching and listening. “Captain. Do not fire your main engine until you have made the full turn.” Chen saw the cruiser’s stern light up. “You are not in position! Do not…”

  The Lei Gong engaged its main engine before the cruiser had made the full turn. She was out of position, arcing back toward the Fleet instead of taking a straight line.

  The fleeing Lie Gong continued to push its scanner feed to 10th Fleet. Hundreds of enemy signatures hurtled into the asteroids that lay between them and the battle group’s waves of missiles. The missiles were met with a storm of dense shrapnel.

  The bridge of Chen’s Command Ship watched in horror, the hologram bloomed with explosions. Distant missiles were shredded by rock and ice before they reached what was left of the asteroid field.

  “Sir, the Vipers are holding their positions,” Commander Lee stated.

  “The battle group protects the Lie Gong.” Chen followed the path of the cruiser that was only now getting back on course towards the Fleet. “She will never make it on her own.” Missiles from the Fleet were too far away to save her from the mass of Hull Pounders that erupted out of the pulverized asteroid field.

  The swarm of Hull Pounders rolled wide of the Viper patrol boats. Flash beacons were bouncing signals from one Viper to the next in a frantic, chaotic speech.

  Flame poured from the main engine of the lead Viper as it throttled towards the enemies skirting around their starboard flank. The four other Vipers followed its lead and burned towards the cloud of Hull Pounders in an attempt to cut them off.

  Desperate to aid the battle-group that protected her escape, the Lei Gong unleashed her rail guns while moving towards the safety of 10th Fleet’s weapons range. Hull Pounder signatures disappeared with each salvo from the cruiser. High velocity lead rounds streaking toward the charging Oortians, exploding within the enemy swarm.

  “The Lie Gong is effectively using self-detonating slugs, Admiral, the enemy pursuit is slowing, 758 Hull Pounders remain, but will overtake the Lie Gong in twenty-five seconds.” Commander Lee continued to monitor 10th Fleet’s linked Battle-Net. “We have lock and can fire at the remaining enemy targets.”

  “Our missiles will not reach them in time.” Chen looked toward his commander. “Hold.”

  Sporadic waves of chasing blue embers belched from the battle-group. The Viper's unleashed a final salvo at the enemy swarm that emptied their stores.

  Admiral Chen fell silent. The hologram showed the impossible. The entire Oortian swarm came to a full stop, letting the cruiser escape, and shot toward the incoming missiles fired from the now helpless, Viper battle-group.

  Detonations lit the hologram. Heavily outnumbered missiles slammed into the oncoming swarm of Hull Pounders. Hot slugs from the rail guns of the fleeing Lei Gong exploded near the battle-group. The number of Oortian signatures decreased with each exploding supersonic round from the Lie Gong and the remaining missiles laid waste to the enemy, but the Hull Pounders kept coming.

  Streaking hot slugs flew from the Lie Gong’s rail guns. The hologram on the bridge of Admiral Chen’s flagship bloomed in white and blue hues. More Hull Pounders disappeared and the remaining swarm tore through the sleek Viper class vessels.

  Epoxy pushed through gaping wounds, each vessel desperately trying to repair itself.

  A bright flash consumed the hologram, followed by another, and another.

  “The Lie Gong is the only signature left, sir. All Oortian Hull Pounders,” Lee gathered himself, “and our battle group are destroyed.”

  “They did their job.” Admiral Chen spoke to the officers and crewman on the bridge. “As will we.” He looked toward the hologram with the surviving cruiser moving back into position amongst 10th Fleet. Over 1,500 Hull Pounders destroyed he thought, the horror washing over him as the loss of 150 crewman and five vessels sunk in.

  New alarms sounded from the Battle-Net.

  “What now?” Chen barked.

  “Picking up a small heat signature on the face of the black field, Admiral.” Commander Lee adjusted the hologram from his.

  A small bump rose on the face of the endless black wall.

  “We have a lock, Admiral.” Lee continued to scan the incoming data. “It’s growing, over a klick wide – now two klicks.”

  Over two kilometers across, Chen thought, the size of Station Pluto. “Move us back, Lieutenant. 10th Fleet remains joined to our Battle-Net, bow thrusters only.” Chen focused on the hologram.

  “Three more signatures, another, five total.” Commander Lee’s hands raced across his controls, eyes darting around his screen. “Three more emerging. Now have eight signatures, sir. All are over two klicks wide and increasing.”

  “Admiral Chen.” Lieutenant Bai waited for his attention. “Data from our scanners are showing immense energy signatures from each object and they’re intensifying. No weapons bays or openings detected.” Bai turned back to her screens.

  “That we can detect,” emphasized Commander Lee. “Eight objects have fully emerged from the field, Admiral.”

  Chen gave Lee a skeptical stare. “And how do we know that, Commander?”

  “Each of the eight d
iscs now cover exactly the same surface area,” Lee stated.

  “Lieutenant Bai, are the energy levels stronger or growing more rapidly within any of them?” Admiral Chen was not going to wait for these monstrosities to open fire on 10th Fleet.

  Bai quickly worked through the available data being streamed to her station from the linked Battle-Net. “Object in center of the grouping has twice the energy signature of the other seven surrounding it.”

  “Commander Lee, target center object, fifty Hell-Fire missiles, two waves of twenty-five, ten second delay, on my command.”

  One hundred and fifty crewmembers gone, more Admiral Chen thought, if Captain Yue Fei and the first battle group were also destroyed somewhere inside the field.

  “Hell-Fire’s ready, sir.”

  “FIRE!”

  62

  Captain Falco

  Battle Station Pluto

  Captain Falco and his officers leaned forward on the poly-slab table in the Pluto Room Command Center. What could be done to Station Pluto, had been, Falco thought as all in the room sat locked onto the black COM-Box sitting in the center of the table. They listened to Admiral Chen bark out orders as new forms of demons emerged from the black wall. Missiles were in the terminal chase and 10th Fleet stubbornly held its ground.

  Falco was incensed by the silence from 10th Fleet. The open-COM they shared was on, light was green, the last order was to FIRE.

  Son of a bitch has us on mute, Falco thought, we can hear the shit storm raging and all we get is the common courtesy of listening in… Pure arrogance and it’s going to get you and what remains of 10th Fleet killed. If only Captain Fei were in command of the Fleet. Falco felt a pang of sorrow and pushed it aside.

  “Admiral, withdraw to Battle Station Pluto,” Falco whispered helplessly to the COM-Box while his officers sat in stunned silence. “Get 10th Fleet out of there.”

  “Lieutenant Wallace! Get the Admiral or Commander Lee on the COM now!” Falco’s mind was still processing the vastness of what was coming.

  “COM-Link is open one way, Captain. We can hear and that’s it, until the Admiral chooses differently.” Wallace continued tapping on his data-pad in frustration.

  Falco sat in the Pluto Room, simmering with rage. “We can sit and listen as eight Oortian…” He paused. “What the hell can they be anyway? Whatever they are, each is larger than Station Pluto and 10th Fleet just lost another five Vipers.”

  “Last we heard, the objects have not moved and the Oortian field is stationary.” Lieutenant Wallace looked around the table. “Why has the field not surrounded 10th Fleet as it did Captain Fei’s battle-group?”

  Ensign Holts nodded. “Increasing the mass of something as vast as the black field would take a substantial amount of resources, regardless of the Oortian technology or the field’s makeup.”

  “A window for 10th Fleet to escape?” Captain Falco asked. Even in these dire times, Falco imagined a future with Sierra. The wall between them was down and he would not see it rise again. He had far more to live for today than yesterday.

  “Yes, Captain.” Holts held Falco’s stare, then moved her hands across her data-pad. “Possibly.”

  “Or the Oortians could be waiting for a tactical advantage?” Commander Shar’ran leaned back in his chair that looked far too small for him.

  Any theories they came up with were a long shot. Even the Battle-Net’s analysis was based on human thoughts, needs and driving forces, but it was learning with each Oortian encounter.

  “What if the Oortians are only protecting their territory?” Holts looked exhausted. She moved her fingers in circles over her closed eyes.

  “What if the Oortians are simply giving 10th Fleet the opportunity to retreat?” Falco’s arms flew up. “Either way the only move is retreat. The Fleet returns to Battle Station Pluto.”

  “The Oortians lost well over fifteen hundred Hull Pounders,” Commander Shar’ran stated to his fellow officers, his eyes moved to each one. “The death of comrades is what drives conflict, it is revenge of the fallen that escalates skirmishes into battles and battles into wars, not the words or actions of cowardly statesmen.” Commander Shar’ran leaned into the table. “We have lost hundreds of crewmen, officers and possibly ten Vipers. Those numbers may increase exponentially in the next few minutes. There can be no retreat. Admiral Chen has loosed Hell-Fire missiles.”

  Chief Pema Tenzin listened to his fellow officers while they worked through the skirmish they had witnessed between 10th Fleet and the Oortians. Falco kept a close eye on the man, as his way was always to ponder, ponder some more and then listen. When he chose to speak, there was a generational-wisdom that flowed from him.

  “They are an ancient civilization that has sat at the border of humanity’s claimed system, our solar system, for longer than we may ever know.” Chief Tenzin kept his soft, clear eyes on the black box in the center of the table.

  Falco and the others fell silent and hung on every word.

  “Happenstance? I think not. Fear? Highly unlikely based on what we have seen and experienced to this point.” Tenzin exhaled, his eyes eased closed as if meditating, then opened as he continued. “Threat?” his eyes rose off the COM-Box and found each person at the table, “Lack of, is more realistic. I believe we simply and accidentally trespassed and are being forcefully shown the door.”

  “And are unwilling to open it,” Ensign Holts stated.

  “Captain Falco!” Admiral Chen’s baritone belted out of the black COM-Box. “I assume you have prepared Station Pluto, shielded the Anam Cara and are using her Battle-Net to coordinate your defenses and update the system with current data on the Oortians being sent from 10th Fleet’s COM.”

  Commander Shar’ran shot Falco and Lieutenant Wallace a quick nod and Ensign Holts continually looked over the incoming data.

  One hundred fifty ‘Battle-Cubes’ are ready to go, the Infinity Wall was now a lethal ring of hand-held rocket launchers. Each ‘Battle-Cube’ was sealed off from the rest of the station. The final touch consisting of a laser-saw cutting out a perfectly round two-meter hole in the crystal clear wall of each Cube. Once punched out, within seconds the vacuum of space had equalized each Cube. The Infinity Wall was the only section of Station Pluto that could be cut without instantly filling with grav-fluid and mending epoxy. Two crewmen with grav-boots shared a handheld RBS-1100 missile launcher and stood ready for action.

  The utility passage that fed the battle-ring acted as the containment field from which no one would leave. It would allow access to the Battle-Cubes by crewman in exposure suits and grav-boots, but that was it. The utility passage would be permanently sealed once everyone was inside.

  It was the ring of death for the attacking Oortians and crew who manned the bunkers. Battle Station Pluto had two goals. Inflict heavy damage to their enemy and be left standing. The assumption being that it took just one living soul on the inside of the station to cut through the welded hatch, attach a pressure valve and process the living back into the land of oxygen and gravity. At least that was Falco’s plan.

  “Yes, Admiral, the station is ready but, sir, a withdrawal to Battle Station Pl—”

  “The data from the skirmish with the Hull Pounders, Captain. What do you see?” Chen, his tone remained even, each word sounded as a drum beat. “Quickly, Captain, our situation will shortly change as the missiles near their target.”

  Ensign Holts looked to Falco, her eyes understanding what the Admiral was getting at. She slid the thin data-screen across the smooth surface. Falco snagged the speeding object and looked at the charted image.

  The earlier image of the pulverized asteroid field filled one side and the remaining Oortian Hull Pounders were grouped behind the heavy debris, keeping it between them and the Battle-group sent by 10th Fleet. A thin red line arced around the field, its trajectory swung far outside and away from the battle-group and around 10th Fleet.

  Falco brushed a finger across the image to follow the red line.

&
nbsp; “Captain?” Impatience was entering the admiral’s voice.

  Falco’s hand froze on the image that now filled the screen. “They know we’re here.”

  “Yes, Captain. They were not heading to destroy the battle group, the cruiser, or even 10th Fleet. The Oortian Hull Pounders were trying to skirt outside of our range and move against Station Pluto.”

  Captain Falco pulled himself closer to the COM-Box. “I understand, Admiral. They died protecting Station Pluto.”

  “There is no time to waste, Captain. Ready your station as I believe 10th Fleet does not have the time or speed to outrun the coming Oortian advance.” Chen exhaled. “At least all of our vessels cannot outrun the enemy when they choose to attack. The Fleet will stay together and fight as one.”

  “A fighting withdrawal.” Falco’s voice fell flat.

  “Yes.” Determination filled the Admiral’s voice. “A fighting withdrawal. Good luck, Captain, we will do all that we can to slow the coming storm.” Chen inhaled a powerful breath and smoothly released it. “The rest is up to you.”

  Falco felt the moment like the impact of a sledgehammer. The bulkheads closed in on him. We are but a speck out here. The thought of the vacuum of space probing every square meter of his plastic surroundings filled his thoughts. Tentacles wrapping around the station, trying to find a weakness, trying to get in. Not just any station, Battle Station Pluto, he thought, suppressing a potential fit of laughter. Having his boat at the center of the coming chaos gave him hope. When the time came, the Anam Cara may decide their fate. ‘Pull your shit together Jack!’ The voice of Vice Admiral Hallsworth snapped Falco back into the moment.

  “Commander Shar’ran, initiate Battle Stations, Level Four, continue to packet and send all data to the United Nations Command.”

  “10th Fleet’s Hell-Fires must be close to contact, Captain.” Shar’ran was fastened to the monitor connected to the Battle-Net and the Anam Cara.

  Falco nodded toward his commander. Why would the Oortians remain stationary? Eight colossal disks, with God knows what behind them, sitting on the face of the black field, in plain sight. Why would the Oortians show them to an enemy they know has powerful weapons? But there was more that crawled through Falco’s thoughts, Admiral Chen had gone further to find that enemies were lurking just beyond the Oortian Detector’s range. A distance that was reliant on the Fleet’s sensors.