who try to stealweapons.”
“Weapons? What weapons?” Firanus said.
“The anti-matter generator. You said the Earthling tried to steal one.”
Kalia spoke to Danatus. “Lieutenant Danatus. You are a weapons officer. Would you say that a portable anti-matter generator qualifies as a
weapon?”
Danatus appeared miserable. “Sorry Aurrie, but I think you got a bit
carried away with that remark. Anti-matter has some energy content, but
it releases it in an omni-directional manner. Hardly the sort of thing one
would want for a weapon.”
Firanus shook his head. “Your blind hatred betrays you again, priest-
ess.”
Aurora protested. “No, don’t you see? For a civilized person, an anti- matter explosive is too crude to consider for a weapon. But for an Earthling it would represent an almost Goddess-like power. Massive
omnidirectional destruction; they could not conceive of anything better.” Kalia said, “Youexpect us to believe that even savages like the
Earthlings would be so insane as to send our leaders poisoned letters and sign them? You expect us to believe that there are creatures so demented as to create weapons that destroy in all directions at once, without any
discrimination whatsoever? Youreally expect us to believe that?” Aurora spread her hands. “What happened at Draco 4?” There was silence at the table.
Chapter 19
The time for action had arrived.
Commodore Collinus stood at the flagship command post, watching the fleet deploy. With Admiral Phillipus incapacitated from his near-fatal bout with Pathocoli Cygnus, the Commodore was in operational command. As he gave his orders with apparent calm, however, Collinus was also keenly aware of the eyes of Princess Minaphera and her top courtiers boring into his back from 10 meters away. The eyes of the Empire—and the future Empress herself—were on him. If he handled himself well, his future would be assured.
The key thing was to be methodical, and avoid all risk of nasty surprises. The Earthlings might be technologically backward, but their command of large amounts of bluebacks gave them the ability to acquire dangerous weaponry. Moreover, their successful planet assassination attacks and their near-successful pathogen assault on the flagship—Collinus was not one of those whose suspicions were directed elsewhere—showed a fiendish ingenuity in using such capabilities as they had with deadly effect.
So there would be no sloppiness of improvisation. This attack would be done by the book, with frigates and destroyers positioned on the outside of the fleet, backed up by light and heavy cruisers, then the battlecruisers, with the massive firepower of the heavy battleships at the very center.
His Executive Communications Officer approached and saluted.“All units report in position and prepared for battle,” the XCO said.
“Very well,” Collinus replied. He turned to face the Princess.
“Your Divine Majesty to Be, we are ready to engage the enemy.”
“It’s about time,” one of the male courtiers cracked, sending a cackle of laughter through the rest. The lot of them were silenced by a snap of the Princess’s fingers.
“Very good, Commodore,” she said. “Please proceed with your assault.”
Collinus gave her his sharpest salute and turned to issue his orders.
“All ahead, 0.01 luminal.”
“Yes sir,” the XCO said. “0.01 luminal, dead ahead.”
The fleet began to move. At 0.01 luminal it would take over 500 seconds for the fleet to cover the million miles of space separating its staging area from the planet assassins’ Peruvian bases. But there was no rea- son to rush, and plenty of wisdom in not doing so. The coalition armada almostcertainly had a huge advantage in firepower. The Earthling’s best chance lay in pulling some kind of surprise. With his slow but methodical approach, Collinus would not give them that chance.
Tension mounted as the range closed. “500,000 miles.” The XCO announced. “450,000 miles. 400,000 miles.”
No movement was evident on the Earthling side. In fact, no Earthling ships were visible at all. The lack of a visible enemy was unnerving. Could the Earthlings have acquired cloaking technology? If so, their sudden appearance at close quarters could be devastating. It could be even worse if they had acquired autonomous helitorpedoes, or “heledos.” Those could be kept cloaked until impact. A ship could be blown to hadrons before it even knew what hit it.
“300,000 miles,” the XCO intoned. “250,000 miles.”
Now the fleet had moved to inside the orbit of theEarth’s large semiplanetary satellite. Having the Moon at his back made Collinus even more nervous. If this was a trap, his retreat could be cut off.
Then it happened. Just after the XCO announced they had passed the 200,000 miles mark, the officer suddenly raised his head in alarm. “Sir!” he cried. “We are picking up a series of electromagnetic impulses, being directed at us by transmitters in Peru!”
Collinus leapt to the nearest sensor console. “Show me the wave- form!” he shouted.
The technician pushed a button, and the waveform showed on his screen. It was a series of rapid pulses. “Sir,” the technician said. “It appears to be some kind of primitive range determination device.”
Yes, thought Collinus. But range from where? It would make no sense to use electromagnetic radiation for range determination if the weapons associated with them were near the transmitters. That was obvious, since his superluminal warships could easily outrun the electromagnetic waves on their return bounce. The Earthlings had to know that. No, the only way such a ranging system made any military sense was if weapons it was being used to guide were already in direct proximity to their targets. Cloaked heledos! It was a trap. There was not an moment to be lost.
Collinus shouted his orders. “Evasive maneuvers! Raise all shields! Fire at will, point blank range!”
Instantly, the fleet broke formation, with ships veering in every direction at hyperluminal speeds. A light cruiser crashed into a heavy cruiser, causing a blast that incinerated a nearby frigate as well. Helicannons fired in every direction, tearing massive rents in the fabric of space-time and smashing in the hulls of any warship so unlucky as to be in the line of fire. On some ships the engines melted, overtaxed with the effort to provide full mobility, shielding, and firepower at the same time. On others they exploded. On every ship sirens wailed and casualties mounted, as undersized damage control parties desperately tried to cope with the havoc of battle.
Commodore Collinus stared at his war room holodisplay and tried to suppress a rising sense of panic. The battle was turning into a disaster, and he didn’t know what to do.
The XCO spoke. “Commodore. There’s been an overload explosion in our main helicannon battery. The gunners want to evacuate.”
“Stand and fight!” Collinus yelled. “Stand and fight!”
In her palace-cell in the junior officers quarters area, Aurora heard the staccato crackle of the flagship’s massive helicannon, and then the crashing detonation as the vessel took its first blow. Damage alert sirens wailed eerily, bringing back a nightmare memory from her childhood.
“Holy Minerva,” she cried. “We’re hit!” Hamilton looked confused. “How is that possible? You know no one on Earth has anything that can strike this fleet.”
Aurora didn’t know. But another crashing explosion left no doubt about the reality of their predicament. “It must be Eegees,” she cried. “The fleet has been ambushed! Come on, let’s get to Damage Control. They’ll need all the volunteers they can get.”
Unimpeded by their vanished guard detail, Aurora and Hamilton ran from the palace to emerge onto a boulevard that was filled with smoke and panicked Weegees of every rank running in every direction.
“Which way?” Hamilton shouted.
Aurora looked up and down the boulevard. She had no idea where Damage Control was headquartered on this ship. But the ship had a medical cen
ter near the Secondary Administrative Discipline Shack; she had seen it on the day of the trial. She pointed in that direction. “To the hos- pital! We can help out there. Let’s go!”
They took off at a run.
Admiral Phillipus staggered from his hospital bed. His body ravaged by the assault of Pathocoli Cygnus, the old officer barely had the strength to walk. But he had to get to the command bridge. The fleet was in danger.
The 5th class priestess who was serving as his nurse suddenly appeared in the doorway and blocked his path. “Now, Admiral,” shesaid. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I’ve got to get back to my post.” She shook her head. “Sorry, sir, doctor’s orders. Yo u are to stay confined to your bed until you effect full recovery.” She looked at her clip- board and added brightly, “Which should be in just three more days.”
“But the fleet is under attack,” he pleaded.
She shook her head. “Back to bed, sir.”
He tried to push past her, but in his weakened condition he did not
stand a chance. Then suddenly the ship shook from another detonation, and a huge piece of the ceiling came crashing down on the two of them. The Admiral was knocked to the ground, stunned.
When he rallied his senses he saw the nurse was lying on the ground next to him, stone cold dead. There was nothing he could do for her. He crawled from the room, finally managing to bring himself back to his feet once he made it to the hall.
The hospital corridor was filled with toxic fumes and rushing people. Trying to avoid eye contact with anyone who might recognize him, the Admiral made it to an auxiliary emergency stairwell. Leaning heavily on the banister, he stumbled down the stairs. There was an emergency exit in front of him. He pushed it open with all his might, but itdidn’t give. Then he pushed again and opened a gap. He squeezed through the opening and emerged onto the street.
The boulevard was a scene of chaos, mitigated only by the stretcherbearers who, running into the hospital with their bloody loads, at least seemed to have a purpose to their activity. He looked up the boulevard towards the command section. The distance to the bridge was over a mile. He would never make it there unassisted. But any WGE officer he turned to for help would be bound to immediately return him to the hospital.
Then a sweet voice with a familiar Pegasus twang sounded behind him.
“Admiral Phillipus, is that you?”
He turned. It was the Minervan priestess with her study specimen.
“Help me,” he croaked. “I’ve got to make it to the bridge.”
The Princess was besieged on every side.
“Your Divine Majesty to Be, we must withdraw,” Commodore Collinus said.
She shook her head. “Is there really no alternative?”
“Please, Divine Princess,” Chief Commercial Consul Frondrippus
urged. “There is no time to be lost. If we lose the fleet the whole Southern Sector will go up in flames, and all of Cepheus will be thrown open to attack.”
She turned to Flagship Captain Renatus. The man had written the Empire’s leading textbook on maneuvers and tactics. “Renatus?” “I see little choice, Divine Princess. We must withdraw and regroup.” The Princess eyed the fleet holodisplay. Most of the squadron was engaged in chaotic evasive maneuvers, some had already begun to retreat. Only the flagship had stood its ground, protecting the cripples that were too damaged to move.
“Those are our people out there, we can’t just abandon them,” Fleet Chaplain Kalia protested.
“We must,” insisted Collinus. “This position is too exposed.” The Princess gnashed her teeth in frustration. She did not want to
abandon the wounded ships. Tens of thousands of subjects would be lost, but even worse, accepting defeat at the hands of the Earthlings could destabilize the entire Southern Sector. The credibility of the Empire was at stake. Yet all the responsible military opinion recommended withdrawal. Losing a battle would be bad. Losing the Fleet would be a disaster. She faced Commodore Collinus. “Very well,” she said distastefully. “Do what youmust.”
Collinus turned to the XCO. “Order an immediate general retreat.” A voice sounded from the doorway. “Belay that order, Mister!” The Princess gasped in surprise. Standing in the entrance to the
Command Bridge was Admiral Phillipus. Wearing soiled hospital bedclothes and supported on either side by the Minervan priestess and her Earthling, the Admiral’s gaunt disease-ravaged figure was a sight to evoke pity.
“Admiral Phillipus,” Frondrippus said. “What are you doing here? You should be in bed.”
“No,” the Admiral said decisively. “I should be here.” He turned to
face the Commodore. “Collinus, what’s the situation?”
“Desperate, sir. We’re surrounded by cloaked heledos. Ten percent of
the fleet has been destroyed, and another twenty percent is heavily damaged. Gun batteries are dead on most of the rest. We need to withdraw at
once.”
“No. We need to attack. XCO, order a generaladvance.” “Belay that,” Collinus snapped. “Admiral Phillipus, you are not well.
I am in command.”
The Princess smiled. “Not anymore you’re not.”
Frondrippus expressed shock. “But Your Divine Majesty to Be!
Surely you must see that Admiral Phillipus is sick. His illness has addled
his judgment. We must withdraw!”
The Princess ignored him. “It’s your show, Admiral.”
“Yes, Divine Princess. XCO, issue the order. ‘All ships, advance at
once.’”
“But sir,” Collinus protested. “What about the heledos?” The Admiral set his mouth in a grim line. “Damn the heledos. Full
speed ahead.”
The order went out, and those ships that were still combat capable started to move forward.
Admiral Phillipus eyed the 4-d fleet holodisplay. Damage had indeed been massive. Helicity reserves were way down. To save power they would have to go in much slower than he would like, and there would be no power for shields. If the enemy still had significant firepower in reserve, this could be a suicide mission. Without the protection of a helicity shield, only the massive flagship would stand any chance at all. As a man of honor, there was only one position he could take. He turned tothe Princess.
“Divine Princess, the flagship must lead the attack. The danger could be very great. I advise you to take the Imperial Yacht and relocate the court to a saferposition.”
“Very well,” Frondrippus nodded, and he and most of the courtiers started to move rapidly towards to door.
“No,” the Princess said calmly. “My subjects are facing peril for me. I will face peril for them. I will remain here.”
The Admiral felt a surge of pride. The Princess was still young, but she had the blood of 244 Minapheras in her. She would make a fine Empress some day. He snapped her a Navy combat veteran salute.
He turned back to the holodisplay. Since the advance had resumed, the enemy had gone strangely quiet. No doubt they were holding their fire until the fleet approached psioray range, at which point they would cut loose with everything they had. None of the smaller ships would last a microsecond. He called out his new orders. “XCO, tell the rest of the squadron to hold back and guard our flanks. We’re going in alone.”
The XCO called out the closing distance. “Range 100,000 miles. 90,000 miles, 80,000 miles. 70,000 miles sir. We are within psioray effectiverange.”
Still no sign of action from the Earthlings. No doubt they were engaged in multiplexing their helicannon-targeting quadratures on his pseudo-coordinates. That way, when they opened fire, the result would be instant annihilation. There was not much time. The flagship needed to fire first, and get out quick.
“All psioray batteries, open fire on Peru.”
Nothing happened.
The Admiral stared in horror at the holodisplay. At most there could be seconds left. “XCO, get me the psioray batte
ry. They need to fire at once.”
“Yes, sir!” The XCO punched a button, and immediately the holoim- age of a young Navy lieutenant hovered in the room. The man had taken severe burns, and his grime-soaked uniform was ripped in several places. Phillipus heard a gasp from the Minervan priestess beside him.
“Lieutenant Danatus, sir!” the man said.
“What’s your status, Danatus?” The Admiral shouted. “We need a psioray firing on the double!”
“I know, sir!We’ve had an overload explosion that destroyed battery one. Battery two is out of power.We’re trying to crosslink the reserve helicitpower from one to two.”
The Admiral stared speechless. What the young officer was trying to do was incredibly dangerous.
The holoimage of a hand tapped Danatus on the shoulder, and his image turned to face its owner. Then he faced the Admiral again. “We’ve got it sir! Firing a threesecond psioray burst, …now!”
The ear-piercing whine of a psioray battery at full power shattered the air of the bridge for three seconds. Then it was over.“That’s it,” the Admiral shouted. “XCO, get this squadron out of here. All ships to with- draw to defensive formation around the damaged units. We’ll take them in tow to a repair station near this system’s ringed gas giant.”
The Admiral watched the fleet holodisplay for several more seconds until he was sure all ships were out of danger. Then he turned to face his monarch.
The Princess was beaming.
Chapter 20
“This is Kolta Bruna reporting for the Galactic News Service.” The President watched the gorgeous blonde reporter with intense interest, and not only for her very sexy looks. He also wanted to know what she had to say too.
“I’m here in Peru at one of the base camps of the Earthling resistance fighters that the WesternGalactic Empire has labeled ‘planet assassins.’ Just one hour ago, this camp, along with the rest of Peru, received a massive three-second psioray bombardment from the Weegee battlefleet. With no shielding to protect them, the natives were forced to take the fullintensity of the blast, resulting in the shrinkage of every inhabitant of this country to less than 1/100th of their normalsize.”
The Holy Land: Fanatical Earthling planet assassins are spreading chaos through the galaxy. Is there any nice way to stop them? Page 19
