The Anvil of Dust and Stars (Dark Seas Series Book 1)

by Damon Alan

  Sheffaris stared at her a moment, mouth slightly ajar. “By the stars, you're right. We should have figured that out over the three other attacks and kept a reserve. How many they lose and the locations will tell them… Hopefully not a lesson learned too late. Maybe they haven't seen us yet.”

  The Captain hit the fleet intercom. “All ships, return to jump positions on the Chimera. We are going to jump to the outer system.” Sheffaris dialed into Sarah's ear alone. “Plot a jump far enough out our gravity lens flare will be invisible to Hive sensors, but close enough we can return to Korvand within two hours.”

  “Roger,” Sarah replied. Sarah plotted the course.

  “Comm, advise the odd numbered flotillas to jump to Lieutenant Dayson's deep space point. We'll see if the Flotilla Captains are smart enough to figure out why and do so. Explain our thoughts on it. If they do make the jump, we'll force the Hive to miscount our actual warships by half.”

  Inside of three hours seven flotillas gathered at a point so far from Korvand's star that it was just a bright point of light in the sky. Over one hundred and eighty ships floated in the darkness, waiting for the signal from their commander to return home.

  “This ploy will only work once,” Sheffaris said. “But if we win the first of the coming battles, it might give more people time to evacuate.”

  The days passed excruciatingly slow. Entering FTL broke the entanglers, atoms didn't stay entangled through highspace to atoms outside the bubble. FTL broke the method used to communicate instantly regardless of distance. Inconvenient, but insurmountable. There was no way to advise anyone about the tactic once the flotillas sat at their rally point. Twenty days after jumping, half a month, Sheffaris ordered the flotillas home.

  They jumped into a furor. The probes were all gone or destroyed, but Naval Command wanted to know where they'd been. Only the Queen's history of pulling for the Captain saved him. The other brass were furious. Captain Sheffaris deployed the flotillas back to the LaGrange points they were assigned before the probes arrived.

  Sarah was promoted to command the navigation section on Bravo shift, although all that meant was Ensign Karden worked for her as well as with her. Navigation wasn't a large section.

  Despite the uproar by the Navy brass, things settled down quickly on the Chimera itself. The waiting began.

  In time the furor among the brass died down as well, at least on the surface. The probes weren't a threat anyway, at least not directly. It was what was coming after that was the horror. The Third Flotilla drilled daily for the first eight months following the arrival of the probes. They simulated attacks several times a day. At the eight month mark Sheffaris cut it back to two times a week. Crews were to be well fed and well rested. Supply ships docked regularly to keep the flotilla supplied and fueled. New entanglers were fitted across the flotillas that jumped out of the system.

  Sarah called Vonn every night. He was comfortable in his new position, and their apartment was within a kilometer of the Villotte's boarding ramp.

  Considering the stakes, Sarah never felt more relaxed. She was favored by her commanding officer and Vonn had an escape arranged for himself and Jac. The Navy was performing at top efficiency.

  She started to think victory, for at least one battle, was possible.

  Chapter 21 - Circles of Light

  36 MAPRI 15319

  The Hive came during the eleventh month after probing Korvand's defenses. Listening posts out system detected seven lens flares. If that was all of them and the Hive fleet sizes were the same as they historically were, the thirteen flotillas of the Royal Navy had a path to victory.

  It soon became apparent that the outer listening posts weren't as good at detecting the gravitational lens flares of ships dropping into realspace as the Navy hoped. As time passed seventeen fleets were detected decelerating into the system, from numerous different angles. Despite the numbers, Knight Captain Sheffaris still felt the fight was winnable. Or so he said. The home team had ground and orbital emplacements on their side as well, which he believed would more than equalize the fight.

  Sheffaris deployed his assets to intercept and destroy the enemy fleets prior to reaching their targets. Very little went according to plan. Over the next days fleets met in space near strategic targets, fought, and the victors moved on to rendezvous with other friendly fleets or engage a new target. Both sides won battles, it was too early to determine who would prevail for the system.

  The Queen went on the holostations and radio networks to tell the people the attack had begun. She asked for people to remain calm. Sarah watched the transmission as it arrived nearly an hour after it was transmitted.

  “Citizens, the attack we have feared has come. The enemy is at our gates, but I assure you that I will be here with you, as will your military. The Navy are engaging the enemy as we speak, and we are winning victories across the system. We are taking losses at well, you know I will not lie to you. But I believe we will prevail. Remain calm, maintain your dignity, and follow the directives of your local authorities. Let's have this time of suffering pull us closer, not push us apart.”

  The signal returned to the news, showing a holovid of a friendly destroyer detonating scatterpack nukes near some enemy ships. The destroyer limped away damaged, but the enemy ships were burning hulks. Sarah knew that scene was a rarity, that in reality the losses on the Korvandi side were staggering. The public, however, wouldn't benefit from that knowledge.

  The Third Flotilla was still untouched. They sat within quick reach of Korvand, ready to intercept any enemy fleets that dropped out of highspace near the planet. That would not happen for a while yet. Despite numerous battles already underway, most of the Hive were still in the outer regions of the star system.

  Sarah's shifts came and went. She was unable to talk to Vonn, but knew the Villotte should have already rendezvoused with a jump harness in orbit and left the Korvandi system. If Sarah survived, she'd find out the destination later.

  Twenty-four days after the battle began, an enemy fleet dropped out of highspace over Korvand. Sarah or her counterpart on Alpha shift kept several plotted jumps to Korvand available to intercept the enemy. The plot used depended on the enemy location relative to the planet.

  Orbital batteries over Korvand opened up on the enemy as the Third Flotilla prepared to jump to the homeworld and defend it.

  “Battlestations. All hands battlestations. This is not a drill. Prepare to launch grapplers on my command,” Sheffaris ordered. “You have five minutes to be at your station and secured in your grav couch.”

  After the spin up the flotilla entered highspace for a six minute jump. As the Chimera arrived space over Korvand was awash with explosions and destruction.

  “Third flotilla, launch all grapplers and G-Ks. Open hunting.” The grapplers were allowed to find their own targets. Sarah missed that type of fighting. Instead she plotted an escape jump away from Korvand to several locations, including different star systems.

  Space around the Chimera seemed to become solid so many railguns were fired. Missiles launched by the fleet were computer guided through the streams of kinetic kill munitions flowing from the Third Flotilla guns.

  The enemy fleet was already savaged by the orbital guns and missile launchers when the Chimera arrived. It was obliterated by the combined fury of Sarah's flotilla and Korvand's orbital defenses over the next half hour.

  “That made no sense,” the XO commented as the last Hive vessel disintegrated. “We didn't take a single hit, let alone a loss.”

  Captain Sheffaris agreed. “No… they weren't even attacking our orbital stations. They bombed ground targets.”

  The XO barked an order toward the front of the bridge. “Sensors. Report ground targets.”

  The sensors section began listing cities, remote bases. Some bombs were targeted on the ocean. Later analysis would indicate a submarine was the target, likely a backup command and control station.

  “What type of targets are these? There isn'
t any strike or defense capacity at these locations,” the XO asked.

  Captain Sheffaris studied the list. “They're decapitating our military. Eliminating the leadership.”

  “Then…”

  “Yeah… we're a primary target.”

  “How much command and control is left on the ground?” the XO asked.

  Captain Sheffaris brought up a display on his holoscreen, then marked the destroyed bases in red. Only one site remained. The Queen's Palace. “The anti-missile batteries at Endurna must have taken out the nukes and kinetic kills sent for the Queen. Impressive work.”

  The XO didn't seem as impressed. “Maybe the low bidder doesn't get the contract when the capital city is being defended.”

  Sarah understood the XO's attitude. It was hard not to be upset when the enemy achieves its objectives despite facing off against the best defenses Korvand had.

  The Third Flotilla orbited six hundred kilometers above Korvand. “Orders Captain?” Sarah asked. “Should we return to our former location?”

  “No, Lieutenant. We'll stay here. The enemy knows we have a trap to spring now. We'll stay here and defy their expectations.” The Captain barked at Sachelle. “Weapons, when the enemy ships drop out of highspace, they will have a moment of disorientation. We'll need to maximize our hits on them during that time.”

  Sarah turned back to her console. “Karden, erase the plot to the LaGrange point.” She sent the orbital parameters of the Chimera to the entire flotilla. Each ship would use thrusters to maintain position relative to the other ships based on that data.

  “Right way,” Karden replied.

  Sarah used her station to scan the planet below, estimating death tolls in her head. Tens of millions.

  Sarah's negative emotions burned inside her. Below were places dead, places she swore to defend. Places the Navy swore to defend. Sarah's Navy wasn't doing the job it was supposed to do.

  Hive pieces of…

  “I'm rotating shifts now,” the captain said. “I want this crew on duty when the next wave comes. You're all blooded and have some experience. I want that with me.”

  Alpha shift came on duty and replaced Bravo shift.

  Sarah retreated to her bunk to sleep, but sleep was hard to find. Sarah thought of the tactics the Hive used, dissimilar to the tactics of modern human navies. She pummeled her brain to try to think of how the Hive might react next. She wondered how they knew their targets on the planet below.

  I don't know. Nobody does.

  Sarah finally fell asleep, wondering if she'd survive the day to find Vonn again. She wondered where it was the Villotte had fled.

  * * *

  “Gravity lens flare, zero-two-four mark zero-four-one,” sensors yelled into the common bridge channel.“Eight thousand four hundred kilometers.”

  “That's point blank,” the XO declared.

  Captain Sheffaris hit the flotilla intercom. “Hive ships at transmitted location. All batteries open fire. Launch grapplers and G-Ks. Individual ship captains confirm your missile strikes with the Chimera to coordinate for maximum damage. Nuclear release granted. Current code forthcoming.”

  The captain shoved a paper book at the XO. “Transmit enemy coordinates and the nuclear codes, unlock those missiles.”

  “Aye, sir,” the XO replied.

  The Chimera rattled with a rapid vibrating stutter as railguns opened up on the enemy.

  “Dayson, get those escape routes plotted if you don't have them up to date.”

  “Done, sir. I'll confirm.” Sarah turned to her station and started her work.

  “Weapons, have the Enigma drop a few nukes on their FTL ship.”

  “Wilco, sir.”

  “Enemy launching grapplers,” sensors called out.

  “Get the G-Ks on them,” Sheffaris answered.

  The captain worked furiously on his command console, barking orders and questions to the various bridge stations. “How long until first shots on target?”

  “Just over two minutes,” weapons replied. “Should we put missiles in flight, Captain?”

  “Not yet. Every overly eager captain in our flotilla is doing just that. “We'll need to be the flotilla reserve until we can resupply.”

  Sachelle looked over at Sarah from her weapons station. Sachelle scrunched her face. She didn't seem to agree with the Captain's last order.

  “New gravity lens flares, two positions, captain. Both out of practical railgun range. Transmitting details to the flotilla.”

  Sarah watched the Captain's face drop. Others might not notice, but she was learning to read him. “Good job, get that information out there. Grant release on FTL nukes to target the new enemy fleets.”

  Three enemy fleets. I've never seen him show his emotions before under this type of duress before. Even for an instant.

  The XO barked an order to comm. “Tell those fucks in the orbital batteries we could use some help up here.”

  “Wilco, sir,” comm replied.

  Sachelle turned toward the captain. “Our rails are impacting the first enemy fleet, sir. They're returning fire, they've got their bearings.

  “Dayson, evasive. Comm, order all ships into evasive. Put the enemy fleet on visual.”

  The main screen changed from ship telemetry to a visual of the first Hive fleet to arrive on scene. Explosions dotted the enemy ships as they suffered under Third Flotilla fire. As the explosions continued from inert metal striking spacecraft hulls at meteoric speeds, two much larger explosions detonated. Several seconds passed as the Chimera bridge AI compensated for the brightness of the nuclear detonations, finally revealing an entire fleet of ships on fire.

  Captain Sheffaris shook his fist at the screen. “Good work, everyone. Weapons, how long before their fire gets to us?”

  “About seventy seconds, Captain.”

  “Let's hope they aren't as effective as we were.”

  “We have incoming sublight nuclear munitions, Captain. Initiating defensive fire.”

  A new wave of vibrations began as much smaller railguns filled space with pellets designed to destroy incoming nuclear weapons before they could detonate.

  The Third Flotilla started the process of coordinating their responses to the two new enemy fleets, responding as a whole instead of individual ships. Sarah watched as the Captain's plan unfolded.

  Sachelle and I were right to get him here…

  “The Queen's Guard is evacuating her from the capital, Captain,” comm said. “Apparently against her will.”

  “We can sort that out later, but it's about time,” he replied. “How long until she's away from the planet?”

  Sarah answered. “It will be several minutes, sir, and that's after she's in flight. We don't know if she's in the air yet. I have the details on her yacht, it's one heck of a speedboat, but it still has to climb to orbit.”

  “Right. Comm, transmit to the Guard that we will provide a bubble for the Queen to evacuate if needed.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  An explosion rocked the Chimera, somewhere aft along her length.

  “Status,” Sheffaris barked. He punched the intercom. “Damage control to stations.”

  Sarah scanned the internal sensor system report. “A direct hit from enemy fire, sir, internal sensors are reporting damage to the shuttle bay, the machine shop, and a storage hold. We lost a water tank.”

  “Nothing crippling,” Sheffaris said. “Continue evasive.”

  “Aye, sir,” Sarah replied.

  Sensors reported numerous hits on multiple ships within the flotilla. Eight ships vanished into expanding clouds of gas and debris.

  “We can't sustain these losses,” Sheffaris said to the XO. “We haven't seriously engaged the other two flee—”

  The ship lurched, groaned like an old dog laying down, and then jerked violently to the side.

  “Small nuke, in close,” weapons reported.

  “Another series inbound!” a sensors officer screamed.

  A flash of white,
Sarah's gravity couch failed to function. The controls of her console rushed toward her face.

  Blackness.

  Chapter 22 - Only One Thing Remains

  20 MAI 15319

  Sarah's eyes opened, but didn't focus. A klaxon sounded in her ears, a monotonous drone overlaid with a ringing tone that seemed to originate within her.

  Captain Sheffaris bellowed into the intercom. “All medics to medbay. Prepare to receive casualties.”

  Sarah's ears rang, her mouth tasted of blood. Her eyes finally focused, revealing the carnage around her. In front of her the navigation console was damaged. A holodisplay was smashed and the plastic panel the controls were embedded in was cracked in a starburst. She looked to her right and the unseeing eyes of Ensign Karden stared back at her, lifeless. Karden's neck twisted at an odd angle, and a blood drenched metal tube jutted from the ceiling toward the floor next to him. Karden's right side was ripped open and his internal organs hung out onto his uniform along with several jagged pieces of shattered bone.

  That could be me…

  Sarah stared at the radiation exposure badge on Karden's arm. Flash... Flash... Flash... The sharp red color made her anxious, but she couldn't remember why it mattered.

  Several orbs of blood floated in front of Sarah's face on air currents. Sarah turned her head away from Karden and the motion slung blood from her face. Is that mine? She reached up with her hand and pulled fingers back drenched in red.

  Fuck.

  Discovering her injury jarred her mind back into gear. The sound in her ears began to take on meaning again. “…point four kilometers at zero-eight-zero mark one-one-zero.” Her face hurt. She pushed the pain aside, forcing herself to concentrate.

  Sarah looked around the bridge. Smoke laced the air and the smell of burning plastic filled her nostrils.

  Wiring… burning wiring. Okay, Sarah, pull it together…