“Are you going to blast some music?” Stan asked.
“Yeah,” Hank said. “We can release when it ends.”
“OK,” Bahroot said, “here are two songs by Kronkle.”
“Yes!” exclaimed Ralph from over at helm. “I bet it’s ‘Storm the Walls’ and ‘Leave No Survivors.’”
“How did you know?” asked Bahroot. “Those are my favorite songs by them.”
“Aren’t they everyone’s?” Cameron asked.
“Well,” Bahroot surmised, “not everyone listens to heavy Rincah music.”
“That’s true,” Stan said, “but…”
“If they do, those are the favorites,” finished Hank.
Across the entire fleet, pounding drums and distorted stringed instruments let everyone know a countdown of some sort was happening. It was the type of music to hype one up even if they were unfamiliar with the style of music from the Rincah System. Some knew the details of the mission the Lormell ship and the two frigates commanded by Hank and Stan were on; most did not. It didn’t matter. They all knew that within two hours, they would all be in battle.
On the ship Basher, a cheer went up. They were thrilled to hear music from one of the most popular bands in the last fifty years from their home system played unexpectedly. Captain Dustin Rogers sat back in his seat and pounded a fist on his armrest in time to the beat. When the vocals started, the entire ship’s crew sang along loudly. Badly, but loudly.
* * * * *
Chapter Sixteen
Bleeve Dreadnaught Devastation
“Well?” demanded Admiral Gorligthah. “Have you figured out what those ships were doing? Is it a mine field or not?”
“We believe so sir,” Vice Admiral Ashlah answered. “One ship separated, revealing themselves to be some type of destroyer and two frigates. Laying mines in front of our path is the only logical explanation. They banked around before ever coming into range.”
“We also believe we detected the readings of two large shuttles,” continued Ashlah. “They were moving incredibly fast, so it was hard to get a good reading.”
“We are less than an hour from engaging the enemy,” observed Gorligthah. “They may have been some type of sensor ships, attempting to get detailed readings of ours. Fire a missile. Program it to detonate exactly where those three ships turned, and fire another one thousand steps beyond that. That will be where they laid the first mines. If they laid them, it will set them off.”
“Yes, sir,” Ashlah answered. He turned and gave the commands.
“Sir, nothing detonated but our missiles,” Ashlah informed him later.
“Fire several more directly in the path they took as they turned away. Any mines laid will be behind in the path they took after they turned; if not, it was a probing mission. Launch one of the new gunboats and have them track down the shuttles,” Gorligthah decided.
A few minutes later Gorligthah waved the vice admiral back to his platform. “Prepare for engagement. We will be within range in thirty minutes. Get me the information on the forces near that planet. Have they engaged? Why have I heard nothing?”
“Sir,” Ashlah explained, “the three task forces are on the backside of the planet. We did not place relay sensors in that area of the system. Until they come around, we cannot contact them. We cannot relay through the Galaxy Network because of some type of jamming. We have also not been able to send the scheduled report back to the palace.”
“Plans were made for this possible occurrence.” Gorligthah laughed. “By the time we finish destroying this Salvage Fleet, a fleet of thirty ships will have already secured their system.”
“What if the battle lasts longer than predicted, Admiral?” asked Ashlah.
“It will not,” the admiral said. “Should it drag out, this Harmon Tomeral is in for a surprise. The queen’s remaining ships will come here as a reserve force if there is no contact. Glory to the queen.” It was shouted back by all on the bridge.
* * *
Skitter Force Headquarters
General Fellgothah walked out of the communications center and stepped back over to his map. He rose up on six legs, folded his top two behind his upper body, and studied. The placement of his forces would be crucial if the enemy reached the planet.
“Colonel Klayrah,” the general said, “the admiral has informed me of a potential troop carrier in the Salvage Fleet. His tactical officer insists it is a large ship. Huge, as a matter of fact. We must be ready if any of its troops reach the planet.”
“Yes, sir,” answered Colonel Klayrah. “I have informed the commander of the anti-air unit to be vigilant. If they enter the atmosphere near our forces, they will be cut from the sky with the new crossfire lasers.”
General Fellgothah looked from his map over to his XO. “And if they enter on the other side of the planet and come to us flying low?” he asked quietly.
“Sir, I…” stammered the much younger Bleeve. He finally looked up from his slate with a lost look.
“Klayrah,” Fellgothah said. “You have much to learn. The battle in space has not begun. There is still time. Deploy several systems away from the units. Cover likely avenues of approach. Ensure the systems are set to detect something small. I am sure they will have fighters.”
* * *
Queen’s Palace
Bleeve
“My Queen,” Zikorah said, his head low, “the secondary fleet has left for Salvage System.”
“Ensure your Ojarnap spy keeps us informed. I want to know the moment the fleet enters the system. The commander will be too busy taking it to report back. Is the reserve fleet ready to go to Nazrooth?”
“Yes, my Queen,” answered the intelligence officer. “We will be left with only the defense platforms and the few ships in the shipyards undergoing refurbishing.”
“I know that, idiot,” shouted the Bleeve queen. “I will have the Salvage Fleet completely destroyed.”
“What of their allies?” questioned Zikorah timidly.
“Your report indicated the Tretrayon System has less than twenty ships,” Queen Shamilorah said, her voice poison. “Are you telling me now it was incorrect?”
“No, my Queen,” answered Zikorah quickly. “That is all they have, and my sources have found no evidence of mutual defense pacts by Salvage with other systems, save the Nilta. The Nilta System is a poor system, with only one small warship and several Q-ships. I merely thought I would bring the Tretrayon System to the forefront, since they have a modest amount of warships.”
“They will not leave their system defenseless,” she dismissed. “Granted, they have impressive defense platforms, a rather new development if your report is accurate, but they will not leave it only to them.”
“If they do, it will be another system easily taken,” suggested Zikorah. “The majority of ground forces are based on the desert planet Joth. Since it is of no value to you, I would suggest orbital bombardment with kinetic spears.”
“In due time, Zikorah,” the queen said as she shifted her great bulk and settled. “My forces must defend my new system, take Salvage, and then we will look to this Tretrayon System. After that I may take Nilta. Still, have your agency look into it and determine if there are any mutual defense pacts within the Tretrayon System besides that with Salvage.”
After a few quiet moments, the queen spoke again, “Speaking of Ojarnaps, summon their ambassador. I wish to make a proposal. They are constantly trying to gain more and more trade. Let us see what they are willing to do to earn it.”
“As you demand, my Queen,” Zikorah answered.
* * *
Cube
Salvage System
“Hey, sir, welcome back to our humble abode,” Mike Melton said as he raised his cup of coffee in salute. “I think we’re set here. How’s the Rear D looking?”
“Looks purty good, I reckon,” Twiggy Bentalt answered with a grin. “Lemme get a cup of that stuff. Wait…did you make it, or did Tim? ‘Cause you know them Smilps can’t ma
ke a pot to save their life.”
“Don’t I know it,” Mike answered as he pointed toward the counter. “Help yourself.”
Twiggy sat down with his cup and leaned back in his chair, his long legs stretched out under the table. He was wearing his Salvage Fleet uniform with the rank of captain on it. Bradford walked in with a Nilta hovering behind him. Shortly after, two Kashkal officers came in in their protective suits. The last to enter the conference room was Planet Administrator Joslyn “JoJo’’ Whaley-Bentalt, though she was in a Salvage Fleet uniform and not the typical clothes she wore on the planet Salvage. With her was a Withaloo lieutenant commander.
“Hey darlin’,” Twiggy said to JoJo. “How’s my boy?”
She smiled back at her husband and sat down beside him. “He’s fine; his Aunt Moroath is spoiling him. You know how he loves to visit her house in Dome Rebirth. I swear he prefers Withaloo cooking to mine.”
Twiggy knew better than to say anything. In marriage, you pick your battles. Instead, he said, “Looks like we got everybody we need. Let’s get this thing started, but before we do, I want y’all to know we may get visitors. Defense Platform Eleven tells me they suspect a small freighter or something. They’ve been keeping an eye on it, since it’s an Ojarnap. Now I know, that’s not a reason to suspect anything, profiling and all that, but you know as well as I do the Ojarnap do an awful lot of trading with the Bleeve.”
“Did they say why they suspect them?” Bradford asked. He shifted his unlit cigar over to the other side of his mouth without a hand.
“Yep,” Twiggy answered. “They say the ship’s been in system for days, but hasn’t gone to Salvage or even to the spaceport. It just sorta travels the normal route like it’s going to, but never does.”
“This is very suspicious,” said Parlak LeeKa. The Kashkal officer looked over at his fellow ship commander for confirmation.
“I say we snatch ‘em up,” Bradford volunteered. “How ‘bout I go over and see ‘em in Piece Of Junk with a squad or two of Tralge?”
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking,” agreed Twiggy. “Parlak, take your ship and the Kashkal Trainer and head toward the gate so we can keep ‘em from running. Queen Chinell, you fly formation with the two Withaloo frigates. Get between them and the port. I’ll keep Skittle near Cube. I don’t know that we need to launch fighters, but be ready, JoJo. What’s our fighter count, anyway?
“We have thirty-two, plus the Kashkal’s thirty from their Trainer,” answered JoJo. “That includes the four from the two Withaloo ships, and the four new Nilta fighters.”
“Those things are fast, you hear me?” Bradford said with a grin.
“We are quite proud of them,” said Queen Chinell through the translator. Though she was only a ship queen, she was the best they had, and the fact the Nilta System had sent four of their new Stinger fighters to be part of her Q-ship’s defense was impressive. Only one actual warship had been completed and was back in their system, but enough fighters had been built to spare some for the Q-ship stationed in their ally’s system.
“In the last two years,” she continued, “we have learned our race has a great tolerance for G-forces, so the fighter designs have been modified, with your help, to take advantage of it.”
“Alright,” Twiggy said, “back to the system’s defense. We have the twelve defense platforms, the Cube, the Kashkal medium battlecruiser, two light battlecruisers, three frigates, and a Q-ship. Oh, and the Kashkal Trainer. What are its capabilities?”
“Its size, maneuverability, and shielding would designate it a light battlecruiser, though its bay is larger to accommodate the fighter pilot training,” answered Parlak. “As an added bonus, it has the offensive weapons of a much larger ship due to weapons crew training.”
“Nice,” Twiggy said. “Also, if they get past us, the spaceports have weapons systems now.”
“Cube will be in position by tomorrow to put a hurting on them if a fleet comes through the gate,” Mike volunteered. “With the upgrades to the shielding and the six pulse cannons mounted above the clear-steel bay doors now, we can deal serious damage if they come within range. With two hundred missile launchers, I doubt they will.”
“Alright, we have the workings of a plan,” Twiggy drawled. “To be honest, I doubt we’ll do anything other than get in some training. Half the crews are reservists, anyway. We don’t always get off the planet these days, so I’m good with it.”
“Some of these guys are kind of old,” Bradford said, “but then again, me and Mike ain’t as young as we used to be.”
“Most of them did their time in one fleet or another,” JoJo said. “They know being in the fleet or Marines fulltime would be too much, but they still want to do their part for their new home. I’m glad Harmon agreed with the program.”
“I agree,” Parlak said. “Like myself, many of our instructors have finished their time in the fleet. We still have much to offer, only in other ways. They will lead our trainees on the two ships should the need arise.”
“Well, hell,” Bradford said. “Sitting here won’t tell us if that freighter is full of spies or lousy traders. Let’s go find out.” He stood and walked out of the conference room as they heard him shout, “Hey, Tim, run get the Tralge platoon leader. I may need the trinary and his platoon to stab a few guys for me. What? No, you can’t board with ‘em! What are you gonna do? Hit ‘em with a wrench?”
* * * * *
Chapter Seventeen
Kashkal’s Legacy
“Sir,” the weapons officer announced, “the enemy will be within range in one minute.”
“Good,” Rick Kashka said. He pressed a button and spoke to his entire fleet. “Once again, it is time to fight. This is a good thing. Before, we lived to fight and fought to live. Now, we fight so others may live. Prepare for a mass launch.”
As one, missiles flew from all twenty-five Kashkal ships. The Bleeve ships would move into the range of the missiles before they ran out of fuel. They fired three volleys before the Bleeve could fire back. By the time missiles were inbound, Rick ordered ten Kashkal ships to split from the now-moving formation to take on the six Bleeve ships coming from a different angle.
“Sir, we have destroyed four of their ships and damaged many more,” announced the tactical officer. “Prepare for incoming missiles!”
Only two missiles made it past the defensive lasers and anti-missile missiles. Still, the entire ship shuddered as the shields held, but were weakened. The new missiles were powerful. Had the Bleeve concentrated on only a few ships, the results would have been similar to the damage they took from the Kashkal.
“Begin turnover,” Rick ordered. “Rear ships move forward. Let them hit fresh shields while we repair. Continue launching.”
Half the Kashkal ships pulled ahead of the slowing one. The entire fleet continued to launch missiles. After a barrage of missiles came into the formation, those ships turned and slowed, their rear shields taking the blows from the next. Using a bounding overwatch, the fleet was able to spread the hits around, while all the Bleeve took missiles to their forward shields.
The Bleeve never got close enough to engage their powerful lasers. All eighteen were destroyed or rendered incapable of continuing the fight. It was not without cost, though. When the engagement was over, four Kashkal ships had been destroyed. Several more had fusion plants, but no engines, though their life support was still functioning. All had taken damage.
* * *
Bleeve Heavy Battlecruiser Despair’s Cry
Rounding Planet Zynalt
Captain Ainoklah threw a slate against the bulkhead. “What do you mean we cannot launch yet? They have launched twice!”
“Sir,” explained his executive officer, “they are nearly stopped. At our speed we will fly right into the kill zone of their missiles, yet they are out of reach of ours. We cannot fire until we are closer.”
“How many more times will they launch before we can?” demanded Ainoklah.
“The t
actical officer assures me it is only once more,” answered the XO.
“Sir!” shouted the tactical officer, interrupting them. “Twenty-four missiles are tracking us in two flights. We cannot evade at this speed. If the defensive lasers don’t stop them, that many may penetrate our shields. Thirty-six! The total is thirty-six locked on to us!”
Ainoklah rose up on all eight legs and ordered repair crews to the forward sections in anticipation. This is not going the way the admiral said it would, he thought. Not at all. He watched the countdown until missile range on the corner of the main screen as reports came in.
The moment it hit zero, he ordered all thirty missile launchers on his ship to fire, and keep firing as soon as they reloaded. The other five ships in his task force did the same. Perhaps the sheer volume of missiles the task force can launch will save the day, he hoped.
For his task force, it wasn’t meant to be. After successfully launching two salvos, he felt the ship shudder beneath him as several missiles struck its shields. He was knocked from his platform when the next three destroyed the shield and penetrated several decks. The lights flickered, and sparks flew from several panels. As he was attempting to get back to his position, two more struck, and the bridge went dark. Moments later, half the emergency lighting came on to show the bridge filled with smoke in the dim amber light. Not at all, he thought as the gravity plates started to fail.
* * *
Salvage Title
Hide the Lightning Page 12
