Obsidian Ressurection

by T J Bryan

  Defectless continued, "You must help. You cannot wait. Megra ship has begun kinetic bombardment of our homeworld. There is little time left. Death is the only outcome to a perfect world if you do not help. You must help."

  "Defectless," said Abel, "Tell me where your homeworld is located. Tell me how many Megra are attacking your planet. There is a great deal we need to know about your condition."

  "Our perfect planet is called in your EG Maltzoff in the Cranmore system. Our perfect land is 8 days tunnel from Cranmore locus."

  "And how many Megra ships entered your system to attack?"

  Defectless struck another pose. "There are more than one?"

  "Yes, now how many attacked your world and destroyed your fleet."

  "One. It was mighty and no one could stand against it."

  Abel thought a moment. "Only one Megra attacked Maltzoff your perfect homeworld?"

  "One. No more were needed. One."

  Abel realized that with only one Megra in Maltzoff there might be some form of temporary relief for the Theans. But how accurate Defectless was in his description was open to question. Defectless had gone running to Wu to seek help and by now other Megra ships may have entered Maltzoff, or for that matter the homeworld might by now be entirely destroyed."

  Moments later the Chairman Bjorn Haverson arrived. Bjorn had been elected Chairman after the coup and had for the most part given up his profession as a surgeon at the Collegium hospital. As Mita Park made introductions Abel could see the rather amazed look on the former surgeons face.

  The discussion continued for three hours and at times became quite heated as the Theans demanded that the OCN help them. The Chairman took the lead in the conversation and Abel sat back to think. He consulted his inter-tab to check the status of all OCN assets. As Abel reviewed the list of ships and their locations he realized that with travel time to Maltzoff and the dire strait of the Theans that timely help was impossible.

  Unless he thought he could redirect Farn and her two ships to Maltzoff. Abel quickly checked Nomi's Book of Stars for the tunnel times. Farn had been gone five days. In another day she should be crossing Girots. If I can catch her I can redirect her to Maltzoff. If there is only one Megra there she has a real chance of either destroying the Megra or perhaps driving it away. In the Third Battle of Wu the intensity of the fighting had resulted in one Megra ship running. On the other hand the flight to New Horizons was another three months long. Farn might well arrive too late, or perhaps just in time to watch the New Horizons collapse. She might also arrive in time for some miraculous victory which Abel knew was impossible. On the other hand if he did not act the Theans would simply cease to exist. Kinetic bombardment was essentially genocide and often the first step in terraforming.

  As the Chairman called for a break Abel took Bjorn aside and asked his opinion about redirecting Farn. Bjorn had several questions but decided to defer to the First Admiral's advice.

  Twenty minutes later the command center of the Naval Wing of the Collegium began a continuous broadcast via Q Ball to Farn. The message as slow as it was repeated over and over again.

  ...

  Jamon System - State Visitors House - Year 3247. October 27 ET: 13:38

  Discussions with the Theans had resumed at 06:00 and had gone nowhere fast. The Theans were insisting on immediate assistance and were so desperate that they began to make threats. Abel and the Chairman knew the threats were empty and only reflected the panic into which the Theans had fallen.

  Mita Park had prepared a lavish breakfast but the Theans ignored the food and immediately began to berate the Chairman. Mita's inter-tab chimed and she momentarily left the room only to return a minute later. She leaned into Abel's ear.

  "New Hildr has a message: 'Destroyed enemy, all clear, proceed NH'.''

  Abel stood. He had turned off his inter-tab and vid-com in order to avoid distractions during the tense discussions but now he activated both. The message was at the top of the stack. 'From New Hildr, decoded at 07:18, reads as follows: 'Destroyed enemy, all clear, proceed NH'.'

  Before announcing the progress to the Theans who once again were on a rant focused on the Chairman, Abel opened his inter-tab to Nomi's Book of Stars. It took a few moments for Abel to figure out how they might proceed from Thean space, but he quickly realized that Pope Leo would need to be traversed. Abel laid his inter-tab upon the conference table and thought for a moment.

  "Theans and Mr. Chairman may I have your attention. We have good news."

  Defectless who had almost been shouting at the Chairman paused. The Theans as a group turned away from the Chairman and faced Abel. Several indecipherable poses were struck and frustration was easy to read on the faces and in the odd postures of the Theans.

  "New Hildr and Mist of the OCN have destroyed the Megra at Maltzoff."

  The Theans were stunned and then the males proceeded to adopt poses that Abel could only compare to slow motion jumping jacks. The female Theans began a slow bobbing motion. As distorted as their bodies and faces may be, Abel could see they were both delighted and relieved.

  Abel continued. "I suggest you prepare your ship to return to your space. I will assign a SAR escort for your journey. In addition we will load relief supplies that you request aboard one of our armed freighters and dispatch it together with you on your return. We must act quickly for the Megra may return." Abel failed to mention that New Hildr and Mist had moved on.

  Defectless wanted to know more. How many cities were damaged? Was the population intact? Was the store of genetic material saved? What about the antiquities?

  Abel responded that it was too early to tell and that the slow, painfully slow communications with New Hildr prevented any meaningful update. The quickest way to learn the conditions on the Thean home world was to travel there with a relief ship and escort. The relief ship could bring any needed supplies.

  Unusual for the Theans they asked for a moment alone to discuss developments.

  Abel, Mita, and The Chairman left the room and about five minutes later Defectless opened the door and said. "Yes. We must return. Let us work on a supply list. Thank you. We pay homage. We have now obligation."

  Exactly what Defectless meant Abel was uncertain, but he was glad to end the meeting. Abel called Emmitt and several of his small staff to come to the visitors house and begin a list of relief supplies. There was little time to waste.

  Three days later and after a chaotic loading of supplies into Iceland's enormous hold the Thean ship Superb, the SAR Skeleif and the Iceland prepared to depart for Maltzoff. The trip would take approximately 24 days and in that time anything could happen.

  Abel stood on the dock with the crews of Skeleif and Iceland arrayed before him. The Theans stood at Abel's side. Sam Olderhausr Captain of Iceland and Captain Rod Galindo of Skeleif stood facing Abel with their crews arrayed behind. Abel stepped forward and the captains and the crews stood at attention.

  "Women and men of the Iceland and Skeleif, the Obsidian Commonwealth Navy expects every woman and man to do their duty."

  The crews and captains saluted. Abel returned the salute. The crews then turned and boarded their ships.

  Abel turned to the Theans to wish them a safe and speedy voyage, but was surprised to find Defectless holding a memory cube. Defectless reached toward Abel and handed him the cube. Abel looked closely at the cube and recognized it was of Greayson design. He looked up a question on his face.

  "And what is this?" asked Abel.

  "Eleos," responded Defectless. "You will find much that is useful at Eleos."

  Abel thought the gift odd, but then remembered Eleos was the shipyard that had built Greenland late in the Great War and the place referred to by the Magistar of Himmer as the place they had abandoned as the conflict approached. Eleos the shipyard for which there was no record in the Encyclopaedia Gallectica.

  Chapter Eighty Nine

  Maltzoff Tunnel - New Hildr - Year 3247. October 27 ET: 01:01

  Farn had b
een startled by Abel's message to redirect to Maltzoff. While crossing Girots they had begun to receive the dispatch but to complete the message they had to linger within the Girots system for half a day. Abel's orders were brief and simply said to redirect to Maltzoff and defend Theans if possible against one Megra. The entire message had taken more than a full day.

  Farn had informed Sohail that they were taking a detour on the way to New Horizons and although Sohail seemed suspicious he accepted Farn's explanation. She did inform him however that there might be trouble with Megra on the altered route. Sohail seemed anxious to strike at any Megra within reach so he held his objection to a slightly delayed arrival at New Horizons.

  The EG had nothing significant to say about Maltzoff and even with the current edition the last update on Maltzoff was over four hundred years old and simply said that the inhabitants of the system were genetic engineers. There was little else.

  Farn had ordered a probe sent ahead, but rather than wait the usual two hours she waited only ten minutes. She had ordered the tubes to be loaded with casters and she knew that the entire crew had intensely studied successful anti Megra tactics and was ready. As ready as they would ever be.

  "Entry to Maltzoff in ten," called out Siv Dhal the defence specialist.

  Captain Siggy Ivar spoke, "Give me a count Mr. Dahl by minutes."

  As Siv began to call out entry time Maltzoff. Farn who was standing, decided to sit in the Commodore's chair besides the captain. Farn kept reviewing tactical considerations in her head. She had gone through dozens of scenarios for New Hildr and Mist. But now was the moment of truth. Speculation and planning were inevitably abandoned in the moment of first contact with the enemy. But Farn knew the weaknesses of dumbbell ships and was fully prepared to exploit every weakness she could find.

  Moments later they entered the system.

  Captain Ivar called out, "Ping the probe. Drop a mailbox and give me a full system scan Mr. Dahl."

  Siv Dahl brought up a vid screen of the system and at this distance there was not much to see. Maltzoff system had a dwarf sun and only two planets without moons. One planet was habitable. The system was a clean one and that made a full scan faster and more complete than systems filled with planets, asteroids, and debris.

  Within fifteen minutes Siv Dahl had a full scan. "Full scan complete. I have one dumbbell energy signature and no others within the system. The planet's albedo is 90% of that listed in the EG."

  "Hail the planet Mr. Dahl."

  "Aye aye, Sir."

  Moments later Siv began to attempt to hail the surface, but to no avail.

  Farn thought that the Theans were either too busy to reply, or too concerned the hail might be a ruse, or simply too dead. The changed albedo of the planet indicated that kinetic bombardment was destroying the surface and that New Hildr and Mist must act fast if they were to save any remnants of Thean civilization.

  Farn looked at Siggy. "Take us in at best speed Siggy. Lets jump the bastard while he's too busy killing the helpless."

  Both Siggy and Farn knew that the probability of surprising the Dumbbell completely was ridiculous and that even at the best reaction speed it would take six hours to be anywhere near attack range even by casters. In that time the Megra would surely spot their entry.

  Farn knew that in a system as clean as Maltzoff any fight would be simple hammer and tong. There were no moons to hid behind. No dust clouds to obscure an approach. No debris field to duck into when needed. No. This was going to be a fist fight.

  Farn directed Mist to remain parallel to the flight of New Hildr but well away. Mist manoeuvred herself to be more than a million kilometres off the elliptical plane from New Hildr's approach.

  Farn reviewed dumbbell tactics and capabilities in her head. The only offensive weapon the OCN had seen in combat with dumbbells had been anti-matter torpedoes. The fastest cycle time for launch of those torpedoes had been 90 seconds. The weakness of the dumbbell was the connecting rod between the two spheres, however the OCN had inflicted significant damage to the lower sphere where the dirty fusion engines were located. The forward sphere, which seemed to be the crews quarters, were more durable and perhaps better armored. However Farn knew that the sample size of the OCN assessment was three engagements. Not enough to really draw any safe conclusions. In addition enough time had passed for the Megra to consider OCN tactics as well and Farn had to assume they learned from their mistakes.

  Siggy looked to Farn. "Siggy this is going to be a meat grinder. We will rely on casters in a continuous barrage as we close in on the Megra. He either shoots a torpedo and is killed by his own weapon as the casters do their job, or he will refrain from firing his torpedoes in which case we will alternate casters with 'K's."

  Siggy nodded. "Mr. Motts, load a brace of casters please. Prepare a continuous sequential barrage. Mr. Dhal give me a distance by 1,000,000 kilometres please. Let me know the moment that dumbbell moves."

  Siv Dhal called out, "11 million kilometres and closing."

  Siggy continued, "Give me your best speed Mr. Einarsson. Let's not give this bastard too much time to think."

  Hilde Einarsson was New Hildr's pilot and had flown with Farn and Siggy for almost a year. Farn knew Hilde was good.

  "Aye aye, Sir." replied Hilde. "This system is so clean we can use GWP for at least five million kilometres. That will give us a closing speed of 40% SOL if that is wanted."

  Siggy thought if this were a fleet engagement that kind of speed would be a problem, for the opportunity to engage the enemy fleet would be momentary, and then to reverse course and return to the battlefield would take hours. However in a single ship on ship encounter speed was an advantage. The Megra was in orbit and had significant mass. When Megra spotted New Hildr and Mist he would need to get moving and his stationary position would make getting up any speed time consuming; time Siggy intended to deny him. Further Megra torpedoes were slow compared to an OCN ship in full flight. "Mr. Einarsson engage GWP as long as we remain free of system gravity wells."

  With the GWP engaged the ship accelerated at an enormous rate, but the Greayson gravity compensators on the ship made the increase in speed only faintly noticeable on the bridge.

  "8 million kilometres and closing" called out Siv.

  Farn knew that Siggy would fire his first round of casters at about one million kilometres. At the speed they were traveling the casters would arrive at the dumbbell in ten seconds and will have gained a speed a bit in excess of 60% SOL. The casters were going to do a lot more damage than simply blistering the paint of the Megra ship.

  Siv continued his countdown and Farn checked her status board for Mist. Mist had pulled further apart from New Hildr and when attacked the dumbbell would find itself defending against two ships launching casters from widely different angels, and with a 90 second cycle time for dumbbell torpedoes, and at the closing speed of the OCN ships, the Megra would get at best one or two torpedo launches before both Mist and New Hildr were effectively in and then out of range. However in that same time period, and with a cycle time of eight seconds, both Mist and the far more powerful New Hildr could launch more than a hundred casters and 'K's. That is if Farn were willing to waste that ammunition which knowing her ultimate destination at New Horizons she was unwilling to do. Farn thought perhaps 50 casters and 'K's would do the trick. Unless the Megra had its own tricks.

  "7 million and closing."

  Farn looked at the status on the vid screen. She had never pushed her ship this hard and the speed was building up to a point that human reflexes might not be fast enough to ensure hits on the dumbbell.

  Soon the count was at 2 million. The pass by of the dumbbell would be less than 40 seconds and with 24 tubes on New Hildr with a cycle time of 8 seconds they could launch almost a hundred missiles. Mist might well get off 32.

  Siggy was watching the status board as well, and without waiting for Siv to call out the one million kilometre mark, he spoke.

  "Mark. Fire a continuous s
equential barrage. Four volleys. The last volley 'K's please.

  Farn felt the deck shift slightly as the casters streaked away toward their target.

  "Incoming," called out Molly Mots. "Anti-matter..."

  Molly did not finish for a blinding light appeared on the vid screen as automatic attenuation dampened the view to preserve human vision on the bridge. When the screen adjusted the crew caught a brief glimpse of plasma and dust as they sped by the now vaporized Megra ship.

  Without thinking Farn said, "Guess the didn't get the memo about casters and torpedoes."

  Moments later Farn took her code book and composed a message to Abel. The message was necessarily brief; 'destroyed enemy, all clear, proceed NH'. The message itself took over six hours to transmit.

  "Set us a new course to New Horizons please Captain Ivar." said Farn.

  As much as Farn wanted to wait in system to asses the damage to the Theans and their cities, she could not wait. What was done was done she figured and New Hildr and Mist alone could offer no succour or realistic assistance. She knew Abel would send assistance when he learned that the system was clear, but for now she must press on to New Horizons. She did however take a short detour to plant mines just inside the entry portal to Maltzoff together with a beacon warning that mines were present. Anyone entering the system who was not OCN and knew how to ping the mines location, would surely proceed slowly and with caution.

  Farn looked carefully at Nomi's Book of Stars. The detour to Maltzoff had created complications in sailing a route to New Horizons. She would have to return to Cranmore on one of the two return knot lines and the only line available from Maltzoff led through Pitman, Gatecliff and Pope Leo in 24 days. Pope Leo would then allow her on to the 8 day tunnel leading back to Cranmore and eventually redirect to New Horizons.

  Farn did not look forward to another visit to Pope Leo. Farn considered sending another message to Abel about the route, but realized that Abel had Nomi's Book of Stars and would easily realize that the only path forward for New Hildr and Mist was through Pope Leo. When Farn had passed through Pope Leo eleven moths ago two Megra were in orbit and heavy lifters were descending to the planet. Farn had little doubt that she would meet the Megra again at Pope Leo.