Conflict Unending

by Raymond L. Weil

  “I’m not sure this planet even has a solid surface,” reported Commander Kurt Morlan, a Human. “If it does our sensors aren’t picking it up.”

  “Our science ships have found such worlds,” replied Admiral Lukel. “This one may be similar.”

  “All ships are tied to our navigation console,” Maleea said as she carefully began lowering the fleet down into the thick, turbulent atmosphere of the planet.

  On a viewscreen, massive sheets of lighting flashed from cloud to cloud. The clouds seemed to be moving at horrific speeds.

  “I’m detecting sustained winds of nearly 420 kilometers per hour,” reported the officer sitting in front of the sensor console.

  “Entering the atmosphere,” reported Morlan.

  For several minutes the entire fleet descended until they were completely obscured by the planet’s atmosphere.

  “We’re twelve hundred kilometers in and all ships are stationary,” reported Maleea. “We are using our gravity drives to hold position.” On the viewscreens, clouds hurtled past the fleet and ammonia ice pellets impacted the energy screens, causing thousands of little bright flashes.

  “Energy shields are at minimum,” added Commander Morlan. “They should provide adequate protection from the planet’s atmosphere.”

  Admiral Lukel nodded. “All ships are to go silent and hold energy usage to a minimum until the Eternals arrive.” Lukel didn’t believe there was any way the Eternals would be able to detect his hidden fleet, not with all the energy discharges, which occurred naturally in this planet’s atmosphere.

  -

  Fleet Commander Tarsal’s attention was brought to the tactical display by an announcement by Garald as a warning alarm began sounding on the sensor console.

  “Sensors are detecting a large Originator fleet at the fleet base.”

  “How large?” asked Tarsal, leaning forward in his command chair.

  “At least seven thousand vessels,” replied Garald. “There are also thousands of satellites orbiting the base.”

  Tarsal felt uneasy upon hearing this information. “Our fleet is still powerful enough to destroy this Originator fleet and the base. We will continue into the system. Drop us out of hyperspace two hundred thousand kilometers from the fleet base so we can take more detailed scans. I don’t want any surprises. This is going to be a major battle, one I intend to win.”

  After the defeat at the Originators’ star cluster, Tarsal was determined to redeem his reputation. He had wondered if being sent so far away was an indication of the Council of Eternals’ lack of trust in his leadership abilities. It was time to retake that trust and remind the council he was still their best military leader.

  “Fleet is dropping out of hyperspace,” reported Devonn from the Helm. “We are at two hundred thousand kilometers from the fleet base and the Originator fleet.”

  “Commencing detailed scans,” added Garald.

  Tarsal gazed at several viewscreens showing greatly magnified views of the fleet base, ships, and satellites. With trepidation, he recognized a number of Originator dreadnaughts and the deadly little attack spheres which had caused so much damage back at the Originator star cluster.

  “Detecting six thousand of the larger Originator battlecruisers. Each is 2,200 meters in length. They have the improved energy shields and weapons. Detecting two hundred of the 3,200-meter dreadnaughts and one at 3,600 meters. There are also eighteen hundred of the 2,000-meter battlecruisers and fourteen dreadnaughts in close orbit of the fleet base.

  Tarsal’s eyes narrowed. This would be no easy battle. The two hundred and fourteen dreadnaughts were a serious danger as they were capable of destroying Eternal battlecruisers in one on one combat. The thousands of small attack spheres around the fleet base were also a concern.

  “There is no doubt Humans are commanding this fleet,” said Garald. “They will not be as logical as the military AIs in their tactics.”

  “We still have overwhelming numbers and firepower in our favor,” replied Fleet Commander Tarsal. “While we will doubtlessly suffer significant losses in this battle, it will be a major victory for the empire if we destroy this fleet and the fleet base.” It would also reassert his status with the council.

  “We are just outside of weapons range,” Lomart said as his hands hovered over his weapons console.

  Tarsal nodded. It was time to correct that. “Devonn, move the entire fleet forward in standard battle formation.” This was a double horn-shaped formation with the tips of the horn out far enough they could be closed to form a partial englobement of an enemy fleet if the battle reached that point. Tarsal fully expected it to. He had the numbers and the Originator fleet was penned down as it had to defend the fleet base. It would severely limit the tactics the Humans could use. It was time to show these Humans the superiority of the Eternals.

  -

  Hailey watched intently as the Eternals closed with her fleet. From their actions, she did not believe they had detected Admiral Lukel’s fleet, hidden deep in the atmosphere of the gas giant. “Caria, put the fleet in a disk formation two ships deep. Dreadnaughts spread throughout to give supporting fire to the battlecruisers.”

  “What about the defense globes?” asked Commander Sutherland.

  “Not yet; we’ll hit them with the globes when they’re the most vulnerable.”

  “Combat range in two minutes,” reported Captain Adams. “Detecting targeting scans.”

  “Condition one has been set throughout the fleet,” reported Commander Sutherland.

  “Fleet will be in battle formation thirty seconds before the Eternals achieve effective combat range.

  Hailey leaned forward clinching the armrests of her command chair. Her heart was beating faster and she was taking deeper breaths. If her plan was to work, the Eternals had to engage her fleet without detecting Admiral Lukel’s.

  The seconds passed quickly with everyone in the Command Center focusing on the tactical displays and viewscreens. The massive four-kilometer long Eternal battlecruisers were frightening to see as they filled the screens.

  “That’s a hell of a lot of ships,” said Commander Sutherland.

  “They’re just bigger targets,” said Lieutenant Sparks nervously. “Their size should make them easier to hit.”

  “Your attitude in the face of danger is amazing,” said Caria, looking over at Sparks. “Aren’t you afraid of dying?”

  Sparks nodded. “Yes, we all are but the Eternals are a danger to everyone and they must be stopped. I also trust Rear Admiral Mann to keep us safe.”

  “Combat range,” said Captain Adams.

  Immediately the alarm klaxons started to sound and red lights began to flash.

  “Fire!” ordered Hailey over the comm channel connecting her to the entire fleet. Then she looked over at Commander Sutherland. “Someone turn off those damn alarms and lights.”

  -

  The two opposing fleets opened fire on one another almost simultaneously. From the Originator ships ion, gravitonic, particle, and antimatter beams flashed out, tearing into Eternal shields. Missile hatches slid open and thousands of dark matter missiles launched and slammed into the Eternal fleet.

  Particle beam fire from several battlecruisers penetrated through a weak spot in an energy shield, hitting the central section of an Eternal warship, setting off massive explosions and hurling glowing debris into space. A gravitonic beam penetrated the weakened screen, tearing open a wide gash in the hull above Engineering. The Eternal battlecruiser suddenly lost power and its protective shield vanished. In an instant, a 400-megaton dark matter missile arrived, burying itself deep inside the ship before detonating in a massive explosion of light. The inside of the Eternal vessel became as hot as the center of a star. In moments the vessel vanished; in its place was a growing ball of raging energy.

  Close by multitudes of dark matter missiles were detonating against an Eternal energy screen. The screen grew brighter and brighter as more detonations clawed across the wavering scre
en. The screen suddenly failed and the hapless Eternal battlecruiser was struck by dozens of dark matter missiles. In moments a small nova appeared as the ship was obliterated.

  Across the Eternal formation, hundreds of Eternal battlecruisers were dying.

  -

  Fleet Commander Tarsal gripped his command chair as the Conqueror was struck by heavy weapons fire. Klaxons screamed loudly as reports of damage flooded into the Command Center.

  “Particle beam strike to the stern has put a twenty-meter deep hole in our hull,” reported the damage control officer. “A gravitonic beam has opened four compartments near Engineering to space. Damage control teams are en route. Combat efficiency has not been reduced.”

  “All ships, continue to fire!” ordered Tarsal. He had expected losses but not so many at the beginning of the battle. Looking at several viewscreens, he saw bright blasts of light in the Originator fleet formation. He knew those were dying Originator ships.

  -

  An Originator battlecruiser was struck by multiple energy beams. The energy shield resisted and fluctuated as more beams struck the triplex shield. Finally, a beam penetrated and then half a dozen hit the hull of the ship. Huge pieces of the hull were blown off into space. The beams drilled deep into the heart of the battlecruiser, setting off secondary explosions. The shield continued to weaken and more holes began to form. Several Eternal antimatter missiles penetrated, striking the ship. Moments later the battlecruiser vanished in a fiery explosion.

  An Eternal energy beam penetrated the stressed shield of a dreadnaught, blowing an energy beam turret to shreds and blasting out a huge hole in the hull. Inside the vessel, alarms sounded as the crew and repair robots rushed to contain and repair the damage. Emergency bulkheads slammed shut, sealing off the damaged areas.

  -

  The Victory shuddered as fourteen Eternal antimatter missiles hit the energy shield, jarring the ship. The triplex screen seemed to flicker and then the flickering vanished as the screen returned to full power.

  Hailey looked quickly around the Command Center to see if everyone was okay. Lieutenant Sparks had a pale look on her face and her eyes were open very wide. “Get me a status report. All batteries, continuous fire.”

  “It was a number of missile hits to our energy screen,” answered Commander Sutherland. “There is no damage to the ship. Shield is holding.”

  Hailey nodded as she kept her eyes on the tactical displays. She was losing ships but so were the Eternals.

  “Eternal fleet is fully engaged,” reported Captain Adams.

  Grinning, Hailey nodded. It was time for the first of her surprises. “Lieutenant Sparks, contact Admiral Lukel. We require the presence of his fleet.”

  -

  Deep inside the atmosphere of the gas giant Admiral Lukel received the message.

  “Maleea, take the fleet out of the planet’s atmosphere. “I want to jump the fleet to within twenty thousand kilometers of the rear of the Eternal fleet. Commander Morlan, as soon as the fleet exits hyperspace I want all of our defense globes launched. The regular globes will go in first, freezing the Eternal shields with their ion cannons. The new globes will go in last, targeting Eternal ships with their ion and particle beam cannons. If a hole is detected in an Eternal ship’s energy screen they are to enter it and detonate the 400-megaton dark matter warhead they carry.”

  “We’ll be ready,” replied Morlan as he passed on the order to the other dreadnaughts in the fleet.

  -

  Fleet Commander Tarsal heard the sensor officer swear and he turned to see what was going on.

  “A second Originator fleet has been detected,” reported Garland. “It was hiding in the atmosphere of one of the gas giants. It has just entered hyperspace.”

  “How large is it?” Tarsal had not been expecting another enemy fleet. This could change the tactical situation.

  “Same as the first. Six thousand battlecruisers and two hundred dreadnaughts.”

  Tarsal turned his attention to the tactical display seeing the second enemy fleet emerge from hyperspace directly behind his fleet. Suddenly he had no desire to continue this battle. The odds had just shifted. While it was still possible to achieve victory, he would lose a major portion of his fleet. His fleet was also in a bad position, penned between two powerful enemy forces.

  “Stand by to enter hyperspace,” he ordered. “We will pull back and regroup.” It would give him time to adjust his fleet into an appropriate formation to take on the two Originator fleets.

  “We can’t,” reported Devonn, his eyes widening in shock. “We’re locked out of hyperspace.”

  Tarsal looked over at Garald. “What’s going on?”

  “The Originators are broadcasting a hyperspace jamming field from several of their ships as well as the fleet base.”

  “Can we find a way through it?”

  “In time,” replied Devonn as he worked at his console. “It may take ten to twenty minutes. The jamming field is constantly shifting across numerous frequencies. It is very sophisticated.”

  Taking a deep breath, Tarsal turned toward the tactical display with an icy glare. The new fleet was launching thousands of the small attack spheres. There was no doubt in his mind he was facing probably two Human fleet officers. Whether he wanted to or not he knew he would have to fight this battle until one side won. He was determined to be the winner.

  “All ships, target those small attack spheres when they come within range.” Tarsal knew those small spheres could be dangerous because of the large numbers being released by the Originator dreadnaughts. “Switch fleet to primary defensive formation.” This would be a globe with his flagship in the center. At least in this formation his fleet could deal with an attack from any direction. Unfortunately it took the initiative in the battle away from the Eternal fleet and shifted it to the Originators. It would also take some minutes to change into the new formation. Tarsal knew he was going to lose a lot of ships. His hoped for increased status with the Eternal Council was fading away.

  -

  On board the fleet base, Allora smiled as she saw the Eternals hurriedly adjust their fleet formation. They would not be able to do so before the defense globes struck. Admiral Lukel should be able to begin firing upon the Eternals before their fleet finished getting into their new formation.

  “Stand by with the defense globes,” she ordered. Allora was in the Command Center of the fleet base. She had been a military AI for a very long time; several million years to be exact. She had been in shutdown mode until the base had been reactivated. There were only a few military AIs as old as Allora in all of Originator space. Unfortunately for the Eternals she had some combat experience though it had been limited. “We will launch the globes in twenty seconds when the Eternals are in the middle of adjusting their formation. They should be the most vulnerable at that time.” Allora was pleased Rear Admiral Mann had placed the defense globes under her command even though the admiral had suggested how the globes should be used.

  -

  Fleet Commander Tarsal felt disaster looming as the new Originator fleet came within firing range and launched its small attack spheres at his fleet. At the same time all of the spheres circling the fleet base suddenly accelerated and headed toward his fleet as well.

  “We have incoming weapons fire from both Originator fleets,” reported Garland. “It will still be several minutes before the fleet is in its defensive formation.”

  Tarsal’s eyes narrowed sharply. The enemy was launching their attack at the worst possible moment. “All ships, target the incoming attack spheres. They must be destroyed before they reach our fleet.” Tarsal knew that would be nearly impossible as there were forty thousand of the deadly spheres inbound. He suddenly grew concerned he might not be able to win this battle. “I want our ships in their assigned defensive positions now!”

  -

  No one in the Command Center replied. They all knew the fleet’s ships were not going to make it in time.

  - />
  Weapons fire from both Originator fleets was pummeling the shifting Eternal fleet as it struggled to form up into a defensive sphere. Dark matter missiles were lighting up space as thousands were detonating every second. Energy beams crisscrossed space, with some striking defensive energy shields and others penetrating. For the first time since the battle started the Eternals began to lose ships faster than the Originators.

  Thirty-two thousand ten-meter defense globes attacked the Eternal fleet. Each globe had a gravity drive, which allowed for very high accelerations. Ion cannons were firing, preventing Eternal shields from modulating. Thousands of particle beams were smashing into defensive energy screens, occasionally penetrating.

  The Eternals were firing thousands of energy beams at the inbound defense globes, trying to destroy them. When a beam struck a globe, it generally knocked down the defense screen and then obliterated the globe in a fiery explosion. Ten-megaton antimatter weapons were detonating in their midst, turning globes too close to the explosion into shattered pieces of glowing wreckage.

  -

  Hailey watched awe-stricken at the largest viewscreen in the Command Center. Space was lit up with explosions as the Eternals tried to annihilate the attacking defense globes. The amount of weapons fire aimed at her fleet and Admiral Lukel’s was minimal.

  “Hit them as hard as we can,” Hailey ordered. “We need to use this opportunity to take as many of them out as possible.” She leaned forward in her command chair feeling the adrenalin rushing through her.

  “Second wave of defense globes is committing,” reported Commander Sutherland.

  More explosions appeared on the screen as the second wave from the fleet base and Admiral Lukel’s fleet swept past the first generation defense globes. The new globes were larger, had more powerful weapons, a stronger defense screen, and were much faster. Within seconds they were within the Eternal formation, striking ships with weak or fluctuating energy screens. Four-hundred-megaton explosions began to blow Eternal battlecruisers apart. Moments later the surviving first generation globes reached the Eternal fleet and more explosions shook the now shattered formation.