The Admiral nodded his approval and sent the Battle Officer on his way.
P’Mar watched the Kthpok move back through the room for a moment then turned his attention on the Iidx news broadcasts being shown on a nearby bank of monitors. His lips curled in satisfaction at the devastation being shown. In the background he could hear Iidx reporters describing the disaster but ignored the noise. Superimposed on the screen was a quick translation. Most of what was said was a recitation of statistics: The number of dead (a reasonable amount and soon to grow), the wounded (a much higher number) and an estimate of the cost for repairs.
From the reporting he could tell there was some question as to where the attack had come from. All the Iidx were asking why the Council of Queens had been killed and who could do it. He gave a slight shake of his head. It seemed the period of actual combat between the hives had been so far in the past for the Iidx that they’d forgotten what happened to the Queens of the conquered hive.
The Admiral gave a soft snort of derision. None of the explanations given by the Bugs included the Kthpok. Which was amusing since the only new factor on the planet for the past several years was the Kthpok. In fact, it was beyond amusing, it was ridiculous.
The investigators and experts questioned by the reporters were being very noncommittal. All they’d say was that the explosions were related and tests were being conducted to determine what explosives had been used.
P’Mar chuckled. The Bugs could run all the tests they wanted for all the good it’d do them. There wouldn’t be enough time to complete the tests and, if they were completed, there wouldn’t be anyone to report the results to.
R’Gon missed the Admiral’s deadline to launch the drones but only by half an hour. There had been some last minute programming updates that needed to be made in the artificial intelligence.
At last hatches opened in the armored hulls of the Carriers to let the drones emerge. The smaller ships combined into packs then dove for the planet. Armored hulls were soon glowing red from air friction as the vessels moved deeper into the atmosphere. For those watching the skies from the surface they would have seen clusters of falling stars tracking across the sky.
“We have new signals,” announced Ensign Comunit from the scanning station of Refuge. He was one of three Iidx operators who were watching the Kthpok Swarm which was in orbit over Main Hive.
The Swarm Master left his station where he was taking reports, made his way through the Control Room towards the Scanning Suite. He walked past the console where the Queens were watching the catastrophe unfold. Junior Queen Krissen glanced up then rose from her saddle to follow him. The Senior Queen remained where she was watching the ongoing reports. Zelof reached Scanning and looked down at Comunit’s monitor. “What have you got for me, Ensign?” he asked.
“Swarm Master, I have a large number of small vessels leaving the main swarm heading towards the planet,” replied the Ensign. “They just appeared from the Kthpok Swarm.” He looked up at the Swarm Master. “They weren’t there a moment ago, sir.”
Zelof nodded as he remembered the Kthpok exercise in the outer asteroid belt earlier that year. “That’s small Kthpok attack craft,” he explained turning to look at the Ensign. “They’re carried in a Hive ship then released when needed. It appears they’re atmospheric capable as well. Can you tell where they’re heading?”
Comunit worked his equipment for a moment, confirming courses then rattled off several bases. Zelof waved his antennae in understanding. “Those bases are what remains of our major surface defenses and would be priority targets,” he commented. “Has their Swarm in orbit made any movement towards our orbital defense platforms?”
“Nothing threatening the ODP’s,” confirmed Ensign Comunit. Then he glanced up at Zelof again and added, “At least not for the moment.”
“Very good,” said the Swarm Master. “Transfer the list of bases threatened to communications,” he ordered.
The Ensign turned around to carry out his orders as Zelof moved back to his station and called over to Communications. Queen Krissen quietly shadowed the Swarm Master. “Lieutenant Chattan, Scanning is sending a list of bases to your station,” he announced. “Contact the Commander of each base on that list. Under my authority those Commanders are to launch fighters to shoot down the oncoming vessels. They are hostile. Repeat they are hostile.”
“You can’t do that,” said Krissen breaking into the conversation. “They…the Kthpok may have monitored the explosions and are sending assistance.”
The Swarm Master gave a snort and turned to glare at the Queen. “Don’t you remember what Sesum said earlier?” he asked and gestured towards the screens showing the destruction of cities and bases. “We know what the Kthpok are doing and their objectives. This is the Kthpok plan for our conquest.”
“But…!” started Krissen.
“No!” hissed Zelof, making a cutting motion with a true-hand. “The Queens no longer direct! And if you attempt to give orders or countermand mine you will be taken to your quarters and kept there under guard.”
He waved his antennae at the scanner showing the track of inbound vessels. “I’ve seen these craft before,” he said. “They are not rescue vehicles! These craft are specifically designed for an assault. In fact, if our analysts are correct, these craft are completely automated. They’re maneuverable enough to make it through an asteroid belt and destroy a target deep inside. Our pilots in the fighters don’t have that maneuverability so they’ll need every advantage we can give them if they’re to survive. I will not handicap them by waiting to give them a warning!”
He turned away from the Queen to look back at Communications. “Have the fighters gotten airborne?” he asked.
“Most fighters are up,” reported Lieutenant Chattan. “One base is slow though.”
“Send the name of that Commander to my station here,” ordered Zelof. He’d deal with the individual later, when he had more time and if that commander was still alive. Right now there was an attack to defeat.
“After that’s done Chattan, set up a communications net with all the fighters involved in this action and patch me in,” the Swarm Master ordered.
It took a few minutes before the Lieutenant announced the net had been established and the Swarm Master was on air. Zelof glanced over at Krissen who was still watching him then turned back to the pickup and spoke. “This is Swarm Master Zelof to all forces, the incoming ships are hostile. Repeat, the incoming ships are hostile. What you will face is the next phase in an assault on our planet. The elimination of the Council of Queens and many facilities on Main Hive was their first phase. Now, after cowardly planting bombs in our cities, bases and facilities during their inspection trips, our enemy is putting themselves where they can be hit. Let’s take advantage of that. Good hunting. Swarm Master clear.”
Lieutenant Chattan thumbed a button on his console then turned around to announce. “The link’s been severed, Swarm Master.”
“Will the Kthpok be able to trace the transmission here?” Zelof asked.
“No sir,” the Lieutenant replied. “The closest they’ll get is Wartten. Everything’s being routed through there.”
“Good,” Zelof said and turned back to watch the Plot.
Captain Ultinanim, the Flight Leader of Interceptor Swarm Marrone assigned to Defense Base Harleton checked his instruments. The twenty-four fighters of his flight were orbiting several thousand feet above the forest east of their hive base and well away from the landing strips flight pattern. His antennae gave a slight quiver of anticipation. The Iidx in the Control Room had just given him an intercept course for the swarm of hostiles coming to kill his hive. They’d also released him to go kill them.
Keying his communicator to the flight net he began giving instructions. “This is Flight Leader Ultinanim,” he announced. “You heard the Swarm Master a few moments ago. We’re going out to face someone who’s taken advantage of our hospitality, killed Queens and intends us harm. We’re going to c
onvince them what they’re doing isn’t a very good idea. Ready your weapons. Confirm!”
After the pilots in his flight reported their weapons were ready the Captain continued his instructions. “Keep to your Wing Mates. This is what we’ve trained for. Over the years we’ve proven we’re the best flight in the Swarm so let’s go knock these shell-less slugs out of the sky.”
Captain Ultinanim swung his fighter out of the pattern he’d been following and headed for the enemy. His flight followed and took up the formation he’d drilled into their shells over the years. After a quick check to make sure everyone was in place the Captain gave the order to kick in afterburners and they climbed to meet their foe.
Minutes after leaving the base they were reaching the twenty thousand foot level when a tone sounded in the speakers of Ultinanim’s helmet. He glanced down at the radar screen on his instrument panel to see a mass of thirty dots tinged in hostile red just coming into detection range. Seconds later a warbling came over the speakers.
“Enemy fighters now in range,” announced the Captain over the flight net. “Select your targets now but don’t lock up, arm missiles and hold fire. Driver One, this is flight leader.”
“Driver One here leader.”
“Driver One, you’re point. Lock onto a target and fire one missile only. I realize this is a very long shot but I want to see what they’ve got.”
“Acknowledged, Flight Leader. Driver One is to lock onto a target and open fire with a single missile. One clear.”
Seconds later a missile dropped from under the right wing of Driver One. Its solid fuel drive ignited, accelerating the weapon ahead of the fighter. A narrow trail of white smoke marked its path. The rest of the pilots of Marrone watched the missile close with its target.
“What’re they doing?” Ultinanim muttered to himself as the seconds passed. The enemy hadn’t employed counter measures or tried evasive maneuvers to divert the missile from its target. All the Kthpok did was shift their formation slightly giving each craft a little more room to maneuver. It took just over a minute for the missile to cross the distance to its target. Then the Captain gasped in shock. At the last moment the targeted craft brought up its electronics to jam the missiles targeting system and veered just enough to let the missile pass. There was an austere elegance in the movement.
“Did you see that move?”
“Affirmative Three,” replied the Flight Leader. “They’ve got fantastic responses. All Drivers this is flight leader. Hold fire. At point blank range, say, ten thousand yards, we’ll launch. At that point even fast responses won’t be able to avoid our weapons. Lock onto a target now and track. Launch on my command.” Acknowledgements to the order came in rapid succession.
Following his own orders, Ultinanim selected a target and instructed his craft’s computer to confirm. When the lock was confirmed he turned his attention back to flying. Time seemed to slow as his flight closed on their quarry. A quick glance over the instruments indicated there were no problems.
The distance separating the two forces reached fifteen thousand yards. Knowing it would take only seconds to reach his fire line the Captain grasped the control wheel firmly and positioned fingers over the launch button and communicator.
A warning tone sounded, causing him to jump slightly. He reached over with a middle hand to silence the alert as he glanced to one side of his HUD. The Kthpok had launched! Sixty missiles were racing towards his flight.
Keying his communicator he called, “Marrone flight, launch and go evasive!” Ultinanim launched two missiles at the enemy ship he’d been tracking, keyed for countermeasures and his flight began the maneuvers designed to confuse the targeting of the incoming missiles.
Forty-eight missiles fired by Marrone flight approached the sixty missiles launched by the Kthpok. Both groups of missiles interpenetrated then passed through without any damage. Seconds before the missiles fired by the Kthpok reached the Iidx their maneuvers became more erratic as aircraft worked to break missile lock.
Two of the twenty-four Iidx pilots lost track of their surroundings as they continued their evasive maneuvers and collided before the missiles had closed. The fireball was left behind when the rest of the flight continued towards their enemy. Chaff and flares blew out from the undersides of the aircraft to further confuse the targeting computers of the oncoming missiles.
Of the sixty missiles fired by the Kthpok seventeen went after flares and detonated, twenty-one were confused by the chaff and wandered off to exhaust their fuel supply. They fell to the forest thousands of feet below and exploded. Six had lost lock on their initial target but reacquired and all raced in on one aircraft. The pilot ejected just before his craft blew apart in a brilliant fireball of burning fuel and vaporized metal.
Ultinanim put his craft through all the maneuvers he’d learned over the years to shake the missiles on his tail. But the two tasked for his destruction followed him through every gyration. He glanced down at a scope for a moment and snorted in disgust. Three more missiles had picked up on him and they were all closing on him. At the last moment, the Captain kicked out more chaff, pulled back on his control wheel to climb and made a sharp left turn. He quickly put out the air spoilers and killed his speed. Unable to duplicate the unexpected movement, the five missiles sped past. Their drives ran out of fuel, arced over then started to drop for the wooded surface of Main Hive thousands of feet below.
The Captain dropped the nose of his aircraft towards the ground and rammed his speed levers forward to regain his airspeed then glanced down at his instruments to see about his flight. A groan escaped his mandibles. He’d lost thirteen of his twenty-four fighters. There wasn’t time to see how many of his pilots had ejected because the Kthpok…
As the Iidx missiles neared their targets an uncanny evasion pattern appeared among the Kthpok ships. Counter measures caused most of the missiles to miss. Only two Kthpok craft were hit. One started to break up then exploded when its fuel tanks ignited. The other experienced a glancing blow that disabled its drives. It began a slow dive towards the planet trailing smoke. A fiery explosion marked the end of its plunge.
By the time the Iidx Flight Leader had reformed his depleted flight the Kthpok aircraft had swept past without firing another shot. It appeared the Kthpok were focused on destroying Harleton and didn’t think Marrone flight was worth the effort. Following their commander the Iidx swung around to chase the Kthpok then kicked in their afterburners again.
Ultinanim switched frequencies and keyed his radio. “Harleton Control,” he called, “this is Marrone Flight Leader. Hostiles have broken through. Twenty-eight hostiles are still inbound. We have ships down. SAR needed.”
“Harleton confirms,” came the reply. “Twenty-eight inbound. Marrone in pursuit, SAR is being dispatched to make pickup.”
The Captain cut the link, reset the frequency to his flight net and concentrated on making up lost ground. Five miles from the line where the surface defenses would open fire Marrone flight caught up with the Kthpok. This time there were no half measures. Every missile remaining with Marrone was launched.
The Flight Leader followed the track of the missiles as the Kthpok continued to ignore his force. Just like the earlier confrontation counter measures and evasive maneuvers were employed at the last moment by the Kthpok. Explosions dotted the sky. Scanners fuzzed from the electronics being used making it difficult to see how many Kthpok had been hit.
When his screen cleared Ultinanim began cursing. After launching every missile they had, another forty-four weapons, his flight had destroyed only one additional attacking vessel. And to make matters worse, the Kthpok were staying on course for the base. He keyed his communicator. “Harleton Control, this is Marrone Flight Leader.”
“Leader, this is Harleton Control. Go!”
“Harleton, our missiles are ineffective,” he reported. “We’ve exhausted our load out and killed only three. Twenty-seven are still in bound. Marrone flight is closing to engage with lasers.�
��
“Negative, Marrone Flight Leader. You’ll confuse the defensive targeting if you do that. We don’t want you killed by friendly fire. Go to point Beta-1 and wait. You can pick off what’s left.”
The Flight Leader acknowledged and passed on the instructions. There was some grumbling from his pilots. It seemed they thought the results of the fight didn’t match their actual skill at aerial combat. They’d destroyed only three Kthpok and wanted a chance to improve that score. But they were disciplined soldiers and had their orders so the flight swung around to take up their assigned position. They’d guard the most likely escape route.
Just before the Kthpok force reached the four mile trigger zone for the Harleton Base defenses it split into three smaller flights of nine ships each. One of the flights split off, kicked in their afterburners and sped for the Base Control Center. Another flight raced for the interior of the base and the flight line. The last flight concentrated on the defenses.
The base commander had enough warning of the attack to move his mobile defenses into the best possible position to face the attack. Surface-to-Air missiles emplaced just inside the base perimeter fence speared out towards the oncoming forces. Once again counter measures and decoys were employed by the Kthpok. Just as before, the attacking vessels veered and dodged the weapons with uncanny economy. Only two ships were blotted from the sky in balls of fire.
The crews of the SAM Battery’s launchers raced through the drill to get more missiles in place and ready to launch. As the missile batteries were reloading laser mounts came to bear on the Kthpok fighters. Streams of brilliant green pulses of light sped into the sky and moved back and forth as the defenses worked to kill the attacking craft. Explosions marked the destruction of an enemy but those explosions were few.
The Iidx SAM crews worked quickly and efficiently but by the time the second flight of SAM’s were ready to launch the Kthpok were attacking. Seven aircraft swept in just above the tree tops. Missiles homing in on the targeting radar employed by the SAM’s streaked through the sky and explosions eliminated the targeting ability of the SAM crews.
Betrayal Page 27
