by Bob Blanton
The next day, the Enterprise and Victory launched six squadrons of Hyraxes and two squadrons of Foxes. One-hundred-ninety-two fighters formed up and accelerated toward the Paraxean fleet.
The night before, they had seeded two thousand missiles inside the area they expected the Paraxeans to cross as well as an additional twelve laser mines. They had also sent two squadrons of Hyraxes on a vector to bring them above the expected plane of engagement. They were currently coasting along in silent mode.
The Paraxean fleet was still on the same heading; it had five squadrons of Foxes out providing cover for the fleet. As the Delphinean force entered the Paraxean sensor range, one of the carriers disgorged six hundred Foxes.
“Oh my god, they really decided to use numbers,” Liz said. “Do we know how they launched all of those fighters so quickly?”
“All of the fighters came out of one flight bay,” ADI said. “They used a similar maneuver to the one Catie and I worked out for the Sakira. They essentially released the magnetic hold of the Foxes, adjusted their wheels, then did a maximum acceleration of the carrier. The Foxes’ inertia just rolled them out.”
“How did they achieve enough acceleration to do that?” Blake asked.
“Captain Blake, our satellites detected that they dumped an enormous amount of mass to create that acceleration,” ADI said.
“So they were putting on a show,” Blake said.
“It would seem so.”
“If they launched that many from one flight bay, that suggests they could be carrying up to five thousand fighters between the two carriers,” Blake said.
“It is possible,” ADI said, “but our sensors showed the two carriers behind the battleship for over twelve hours. One could surmise that they used that cover to move fighters into the single flight bay to maximize the theatrical effect of launching them.”
“Let’s hope you’re right,” Blake said. “Admiral, any change in plans?”
“I see that they’ve turned that battleship so that it’s presenting its big cannons toward our fighters.”
“Correct, and their fighters are clustered inside the firing range of those cannons,” Blake said.
“Then let’s see if we can bring them out,” Admiral Michaels said. “Execute as planned.”
“Yes, sir!”
The Hyraxes continued to accelerate toward the Paraxean fleet, fanning as they prepared to engage.
“Execute, Omega-6,” Liz ordered.
The forty-eight Foxes accelerated at 3-Gs behind the Hyrax screen. Just before they passed the Hyraxes, they released four salvos of missiles, ten seconds apart. They flipped their jets and did a max acceleration to check their velocity, and slowly the Hyraxes gained on them and eventually passed them. But four waves of 96 missiles were silently coasting toward the Paraxean position.
The Paraxean Foxes continued to maintain their position inside the range of the battleship’s cannons. They were in a tight cluster waiting for the Delphinean fighters to launch missiles.
“Well, they’re not following our plan,” Blake said.
“I can see that,” Admiral Michaels said. “Any recommendations?”
“Hey, they're nice and tight, let’s see what they think of our railguns,” Blake said.
“Yes!” Catie hissed and pumped her fist.
“Agreed,” Admiral Michaels said.
Blake nodded to Liz.
“Execute Odin-3,” Liz ordered.
“Odin-3, aye,” Kasper replied.
The 144 Hyraxes started to corkscrew as they continued to approach the battleship and the waiting Paraxean Foxes. When they were within ten-thousand meters, each Hyrax fired off five rounds from their railguns, then one minute later, they launched two salvos of missiles before veering off and circling back toward the Delphinean carriers.
The railguns’ slugs were traveling at over 50 km per second as they streamed toward the Paraxean battleship, each of them on a different vector. The Paraxean Foxes waited quietly for the slugs to enter laser-range. Once the slugs were within range, the area was lit up by the laser light being dispersed off the polished slugs. The reflected light blinded the Paraxean sensors. They continued to fire at the slugs that they had a targeted solution for, knowing the slugs couldn’t change direction, but they were confused as to why the slugs were not breaking up. The melted slugs tore through the Paraxean Foxes. Only ten percent of them made contact, but with 720 slugs, 72 Paraxean Foxes were annihilated, and their wreckage damaged or destroyed another two hundred Foxes. The slugs continued their course and impacted the battleship, which could not try and target them without hitting one of their own Foxes.
Then the Hyraxes that were launched the night before lit up their engines. They raced in on an attack vector and started firing their railguns. This was the original plan. The first squadrons of Hyraxes were supposed to engage the enemy fighters, and when the battlefield was chaotic enough, these Hyraxes were to go active.
Another 120 iron slugs were streaking toward the battleship. The Paraxean Foxes moved to set up a screen, using their lasers to try and destroy the slugs, but they again had little effect. The slugs slammed into the battleship, tearing holes into it. The Paraxeans launched another four hundred Foxes from the two carriers while at the same time, the battleship reversed its acceleration and started to retreat.
“Do we go after them?” Blake asked.
“No, they’ll spread their Foxes out so the railguns won’t be effective, and we’re outnumbered, and who knows how many more Foxes they’ll launch. Bring our pilots home, and we’ll do some planning for tomorrow.”
◆ ◆ ◆
“ADI, call our friend, Commodore Warlmag,” Marc said.
“You really want to poke that bear again?” Blake asked.
“I definitely think we should poke him,” Admiral Michaels said. “I assume you’re going to ask for his surrender.”
“Brilliant minds think alike,” Marc said.
“Well, if you’re planning on providing the entertainment, I’m having a glass of wine,” Samantha said.
“You’ve spent too much time hanging around Blake,” Marc said.
“And you are cruel,” Blake said. “All of us are on duty, so no scotch.”
“I think we can make an exception,” Admiral Michaels said.
“Remind me to add you to my Christmas list,” Blake said. He quickly grabbed a bottle and glasses from the cabinet and offered drinks to his team.
“Like the lady, I would prefer wine,” Commander Desjardins said.
Blake frowned at his XO, but nodded to his steward who brought out a bottle of Pinot Noir from the wine fridge in the captain’s dining room. Liz was happy to accept the glass of scotch.
“Mates, it’s a good thing you sent over a case of scotch earlier,” Commander Frankham, the wing commander of the Victory, said.
“I like to stay on good terms with my compatriots,” Blake said.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Captain Clements said.
“If you want to be on good terms, you should send over a case of good Irish Whiskey,” Commander Fitzgerald, the XO of the Victory, said.
“Oops,” Blake said.
“I’ll order a case,” Catie said. “I have some connections with a few of the Oryx pilots.”
“Well, do you think you’ve kept him waiting long enough?” Admiral Michaels asked.
“I think so,” Marc said. “Commodore Warlmag, how are you doing today?”
“I am going to feed you one of those railguns,” Commodore Warlmag growled.
“It seems you continue to overestimate your hand,” Marc said. “It is we who are feeding you from our railguns.”
“It is not me that is overestimating his hand,” Commodore Warlmag said.
“It is not me that is traveling in the opposite direction from this morning,” Marc said. “I wanted to give you the opportunity to surrender before any more Paraxean lives are wasted.”
“You know what you can do with that requ
est,” Commodore Warlmag said. “We’ll be back soon, and then the battle will really start!”
“Captain, he has disconnected,” ADI said.
“Thank you,” Marc said. “What does that tell us?”
“He still thinks he can beat us,” Catie said.
“Yes, but why?” Admiral Michaels said.
“He must not think he’s put his best foot forward,” Blake said.
“What’s he going to change?” Admiral Michaels asked.
“I suspect he might have decided he should listen to the professionals,” Captain Clements said. “These last two engagements have all the earmarks of being led by a political appointee instead of a military strategist.”
“I think you’re probably right,” Admiral Michaels said. “It reminds me of how another commander I know would run a battle.”
“I think I know who you’re referring to, and I have to agree,” Captain Clements said. “He keeps playing threes and acting like they’re aces.”
“Time to regroup and replan,” Admiral Michaels said. “Or possibly go back to the plan where we thought we were fighting professionals.”
Chapter 28
The Battle Begins
It was two days before the Paraxeans turned around and headed toward Earth again. The carriers launched six hundred fighters again, this time in a more steady, rhythmic manner. The fighters formed up into four wings and headed toward the Delphinean fleet.
Admiral Michaels immediately ordered the launch of twenty squadrons of Hyraxes and five squadrons of Foxes to meet the threat. The Hyraxes formed up into four wings to match the Paraxeans; the Foxes spread out behind each wing to provide cover and weapons guidance for any missiles launched by the Paraxeans. While the Paraxeans were gone, Blake had sent several Foxes out to gather up the missiles they’d left in silent running mode. They had been relaunched as soon as the Paraxean fleet had been detected and were well ahead of the four wings of Delphinean fighters.
“Is Odin ready?” Admiral Michaels asked.
“Yes, sir,” Liz said. “We launched them as soon as we saw the fleet, they’re in position now.”
“Good, now let’s see how long it takes before this battle plan falls apart,” the admiral said.
“The Paraxeans have launched their first salvo of missiles,” ADI said. “Only half of the Foxes launched missiles. They have just launched a second salvo.”
“Definitely seems like he’s leaving it to the professionals,” Admiral Michaels said.
“Unfortunately,” Blake said.
“Missiles are approaching our mines,” Liz reported.
“Engage when ready,” Admiral Michaels said.
The mines activated their lasers and started taking out the Paraxean missiles. In seconds they had reduced the number of missiles from 600 to less than half, but then the missiles started to detonate next to the mines. The weapons officers in the Foxes took control of the mines and started to maneuver them to take out any missiles that approached them. As the second Paraxean missile salvo crossed the minefield, their effectiveness was drastically reduced as more were destroyed, and the rest had to spend as much time trying to avoid being destroyed as they did guiding the missiles. Over 400 made it through.
“They have Foxes on the edge of the battlefield guiding their missiles,” Catie said.
“I see that,” Admiral Michaels said. “Thank you, Lieutenant. Commander Farmer, would you direct some Foxes and missiles to take care of the spectators?”
“Already on their way,” Liz said. “Wing commanders, launch counterstrike missiles.”
During the two days, they had modified two hundred missiles and equipped them with lasers. These missiles now were streaking toward the Paraxean missiles. Once they reached them, they started firing lasers at the missiles, disabling them as they flew by. They managed to eliminate 50% of the missiles in both salvos before they had to sheer off and try to return to the Delphinean lines.
“Launch your strike missiles,” Liz ordered.
Each Hyrax launched two salvos of two missiles each at the approaching Foxes. The missiles accelerated at 5Gs and quickly closed the distance. About the time the first Paraxean salvo arrived at the Delphinean Hyrax wings, their salvo was entering the Paraxean fighter wings.
The Delphinean fighters were desperately targeting the Paraxean missiles, but now the missiles were changing directions and spiraling toward their targets. Even with the Hyraxes’ countermoves and greater armor, over one hundred were lost.
The Paraxeans faired much worse. When the Delphinean missile salvo reached them, they had a devastating accuracy. Even with only a 20% success rate, the 400 missiles in the first salvos took out over 90 of the Paraxean Foxes.
During the second salvo, the Odin Hyraxes struck. They were well above the battlefield, and had been running in silent mode toward the Paraxean battleship. Now they kicked on their engines and accelerated toward the battleship, using their thrusters to start a spiraling dance to hide which vector they were on when they fired their railguns. They were moving at over one hundred kilometers per second when they first fired their railguns. They fired eight rounds before sheering and accelerating away from the Paraxean fleet. The Paraxean Foxes flying guard for the battleship weren’t able to make up the delta speed to the Hyraxes and didn’t even bother to try and give chase.
By the time the second salvo had taken out another 70 Paraxean Foxes, the slugs were tearing through the battleship. The Foxes tried to intercept them and at least get a laser or plasma shot off to soften them up before they hit the battleship. Another twenty Foxes were destroyed as they tried to maneuver through the hail of slugs. The sensors showed over one hundred holes ripped into the battleship’s hull.
The main battle between the Paraxean Foxes and the Delphinean fighters continued. The Delphinean wing was taking the offensive now; they launched a third and fourth salvo of missiles at the Paraxeans, who also were still on the offensive. Unfortunately for them, they now were crossing the Delphinean missiles that had been coasting all morning. The missiles fired up their engines, and the one thousand missiles had a devastating effect, taking out over two hundred fifty of the Paraxean Foxes. In the face of this devastation, the Paraxeans turned around and tried to outrun the two missile salvos from the Hyraxes that had been fired at them. As the missiles caught up with the Paraxeans, they took out another one hundred fighters, leaving only eighty Paraxean Foxes to return to their fleet. The Hyraxes fired off their rail guns, unleashing hundreds of rounds, but forewarned, the Paraxean battleship was maneuvering so that their targeting solution was minimal.
The Paraxean fleet had already turned after the storm of slugs hit the battleship, and was now heading away from Earth. The Delphinean wings broke apart, with half of them returning to the carriers. The other half stayed to scour the battlefield looking for survivors, and to provide cover for the Oryxes that had entered the battlefield to collect the cockpit pods.
◆ ◆ ◆
“Report!” Admiral Michaels said.
“We lost one-hundred-thirty Hyraxes,” Blake said.
“Pilots?”
“We don’t know yet; we’re still collecting the pods.”
“What have you confirmed?” the admiral asked, forcing everyone to face the reality of what war meant.
“We have twenty pilots confirmed dead,” Blake said. “We have another thirty with serious injuries, and twenty with minor injuries. We have sixty pods yet to collect.”
“We’ve also brought in fifty Paraxean pods with survivors,” Captain Clements said.
“Why . . .” Catie cut herself off before she finished her question.
“We do not lose our humanity just because we are at war,” Captain Clark whispered to Catie.
Catie nodded her head.
“Captain Clark, we just recovered Jason’s pod. Except for a few bruises, he’s fine,” Blake said. “I’m sure you’ve been anxious.”
“Thank god,” Captain Clark said.
; Catie gave a sigh of relief; she’d been waiting on word of that pod, too.
Chapter 29
Secret Weapon
“We need a better battle plan,” Marc said. “I’m not sure we can sustain this.”
“We seem to be able to make them retreat, but we cannot seem to take that battleship out,” Admiral Michaels said.
“Its hull thickness is minimizing the impact of our slugs, especially the ones that are liquified before they strike,” Captain Clark said.
“Why do they keep bringing it out?” Catie asked.
“It gives them a safe place for their Foxes to retreat to. Even with the Hyrax’s superior energy absorbing capacity, we would never send one inside the firing range of that thing’s plasma cannons,” Admiral Michaels said.
“We could allocate more fighters to Odin,” Liz suggested.
“We could, but the more fighters we send out that way, the more likely they are to be detected. They have to be close before they fire; otherwise, the battleship can accelerate out of the way,” Commander Frankham said.
“But they have to use an enormous amount of reaction mass to accomplish that, they’ve got to run out sometime,” Catie said.
“You’re right, but we lost thirty-five pilots in that engagement, and we’ll lose more in the next. The Paraxeans are learning. I don’t think they can catch up with us, but we need a better plan, one that doesn’t cost so many lives,” Blake said.
“I have an idea,” Catie said, “but it’s kind of scary.” Catie had been up all night agonizing over the loss of so many pilots. She couldn’t stop trying to think of a way around it; the only one she could imagine was frightening.
“Scarier than what we been through?” Blake asked
“For the pilots, it will be,” Catie said.
“Would you do it?” Blake asked.
“Yeah, I think so,” Catie said. “No, I definitely would.”
“Okay, show us,” Marc said.
Catie threw her plan up on the table display so everyone could see it.
“What is that thing?” Blake asked.
“Odin’s Fist,” Catie said. “It has a battleship-sized plasma cannon and eight lasers.”