Earth Under Fire
Page 2
Vin paused. “I need to be there, Admiral. I have to be. I can’t explain it, right now.”
A moment passed, then another. “I will get your armor ready so you can attend with me on the bridge,” Hayet conceded.
“Thank you, Admiral.”
***
Three hours later…
Vin walked through rows of flowers. He was in the Imperial Garden -- not because he liked to walk near flowers during tough times, but because there was someone here he wanted to meet before he left.
He saw her.
Countess Maylene Nesterio stood like a silent statue in the palatial gardens. She wore the evening gown she usually wore when she meandered around the flowers.
“Maylene!” Vin called out.
“Vin?” Maylene said, gazing up.
Vin walked closer to her. He was quiet for a long time, then he finally said it, “I have to leave Earth, Maylene. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
“When does a king not know when he’ll be back? It’s the Garolans, again, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“I knew it was them when I saw all those high ranking men arrive. What is it this time?”
Vin wanted to not spill what may be his last meeting with her with such darkness, but… “An invasion, Maylene. A Garolan war fleet is on its way here. I’m going into space to stop them.”
After a long moment, she spoke, “I see.”
Vin could barely see her as the sun was setting across the horizon. It was getting dark. “Maylene... I have something to ask you.”
“What?”
He came closer. God, why am I shaking? I’m a king. Kings shouldn’t shake even before their loved ones.
He paused… then he decided to just do it. He came with three steps of her and knelt.
“Now?” Maylene asked hysterically.
“There’s no better time,” Vin whispered. “Will you marry me?” He offered her a ceremonial ring that used to be his mother’s.
The woman in front of him bit her lip. Several pregnant seconds passed, then several more. Finally, she spoke. “Yes.” Maylene nodded emphatically. “I will marry you.”
Vin’s heart exploded with madness and joy and whatever emotions he had in him at the time. He got up and hugged her. “That’s all I wanted to hear you say.”
She smiled. “What now?”
Vin wondered what to say next. In the back of his mind, he knew his heart just got heavier as he was about to face an impending invasion that could kill him. The stakes just got higher. But he had to be with his frontline troops. “I will be back. I promise.”
She nodded back to him.
A king does not break promises…
Chapter 2
Above Earth
Vin stared into the cold abyss outside the viewscreen.
The vast rim of Earth descended now, becoming smaller as his transport exited the planet’s exosphere. From this view, Earth looked no different from Earth of the past, before the Parchant Kingdom came to power. For three hundred years, the Parchant Dynasty ruled Earth, making it a strong nation with its policies and commands. Even when other nations around the Earth Dominion Sphere grew and perished, the Earth Dominion maintained its strong presence within this area of the galaxy.
Throughout the years, the Earth Dominion fought many wars… some lost, but most won, but each time it grew stronger, becoming a key player in the local galactic sphere.
No wonder the Garolans held grudges against us. King Vin’s gaze remained on the descending planet. We should have known they were building a fleet to settle the score once and for all for all those concessions we forced them to make.
But no… Vin had to be Vin. Vin had to be innocent. He had to listen to his advisors – that striking first and starting a war was much different from being struck and responding to a war.
Oh, how he should have known!
Now, it was too late to regret not using every past moment to prepare his kingdom for war against this Garolan threat… especially against this alien threat. Three thousand plus warships— it was more than any previously recorded Garolan fleet—and, who knew what technology they had.
The war could very well turn badly for the humans quickly, and Vin could just as easily lose his kingdom.
Ever since his father died in that accidental crash two years ago, Vin had been the sole monarch responsible for the well-being of the kingdom. At 16 years of age, he was perfect for the role. He learned quickly, trusted his advisors, made sure everyone around him was competent in the field that they advised. In the two years since he began his rule, he had done numerous things to create and maintain a kingdom that was his vision.
… But how he was wrong! – How his advisors had been wrong! How he had made the mistake of not preparing his kingdom for an inevitable war!
I should have listened to my doubts. I should have listened to the little voice that thought something might go wrong… that something was wrong. I should have paid attention to the little details that told me that they were going to invade, that everything they showed me was fake and meant to keep us at ease.
How he should have known! Vin grudgingly smacked his head with his hand.
He glanced up and was certain no one saw their king smack his own head. Then, he glared out the window, again. Now, Earth was a ball covering half the viewscreen.
The shuttle suddenly shook. He felt queasy in his stomach, but the feeling resided.
We’re almost there.
Vin instinctively knew that the shaking was because his shuttle entered the artificial gravitational field of the Fleetship.
Almost there. He couldn’t wait to get on board Hayet’s flagship and participate in the going-ons at the flag bridge… although he knew he’d be at best an overseer and at worst a hindrance to the Fleet Admiral’s operations. But damn it! He had to be there! Everything relied on how Hayet would command the fleet – everything relied on what happened in the flag bridge.
That was why Vin made sure he had to be there to see it. He needed to be there, because if he remained in his palace on earth, and the fleet lost the battle, he would forever regret not being there to witness or to change the events. He would hate to lose his kingdom having never taken a more direct role in it.
His kingdom…
His kingdom with Maylene as his queen. His dream of starting a family… with Maylene! It would all go down the drain if he lost the battle... he had to be there!
Above Earth
Main Human Fleet
Envy’s Curse
Flag Bridge
“Welcome to the flag bridge, your majesty,” Fleet Admiral Hayet announced, dressed in standard battlearmor, his flag chevrons and stripes showing on his shoulder and helmet. “Your battle armor is ready for use, although it isn’t needed, yet. Standard protocol dictates that all active fleet members wear battle armor during deployment, but you’re not considered part of the fleet, sir.”
“I will wear it,” Vin said. “How do I put it on?”
“It is simple,” Hayet replied as he took the armored exoskeleton off the stand. It looked like it weighed a hundred pounds, but Hayet held it with one arm. “The mechanical sensors tap into your nerves and adjust the armor’s motors to move the entire contraption to your body. It takes five seconds to get used to it, sir. Allow me to put it on.”
Vin stood still and watched as Hayet adjusted the armor around the contours of his body. He felt a glowing warmth as the armor slid around him, and seconds later, it was over. He breathed inside the exoskeleton suit, and it smelled like recycled oxygen … cardboard oxygen, in other words. The Inner Helmet Display instantaneously activated, and now he could see everything around him in all directions. Words and numbers displayed in front of him as well, beside every bridge crewman, beside every workstation, and even atop every holo. It synchronized with the informatics on the bridge that could only be seen with the naked eye.
“It’s a charm,” said Vin.
Hayet n
odded beside him, and motioned with his hand for both of them to take their seats.
Vin walked towards his seat on the bridge, and was amazed by how the suit adjusted to his movements. It felt surreal—like his own body.
Seconds later, he sat down. It’s all happening—It’s all real.
“With your majesty’s permission,” Fleet Admiral Hayet spoke, “I would like to move the fleet out of Earth’s orbit to the rendezvous point with the other fleets.”
“You have my permission, Admiral,” Vin replied.
Hayet eye-clicked a display button in his helmet’s hud. “All ships, prepare to leave Earth’s orbit. The King is aboard.”
The Earth Detachment, about three hundred warships – ranging from superdreadnoughts to destroyers – all sped out of Earth orbit in wondrous formation just like one of those military recruitment holovids. They were a strong fleet, led by a strong Fleet Admiral and a king who wanted to be at the front lines no matter what. Although each of those three hundred warships were more powerful than anything a prestellar navy could create, together, they were still nothing compared to the fleet of the alien invaders. To become something that could counter that fleet, those three hundred human warships would have to combine with the all of the other warships within the human Kingdom, and, they would have to be used in a perfect way – a way that neither Vin nor the Fleet Admiral knew how to do just yet…
Chapter 3
Vega Gathering Point
Main Human Fleet
Envy’s Curse
Flag Bridge
Three days later…
Sixteen hundred ships.
Sixteen hundred human ships, all coalesced into one fleet. It was the greatest gathering Vin had ever witnessed, and if it weren’t for the fact that he faced a number twice as many, he would have felt patriotic satisfaction at the awesomeness of such a view.
Sitting on the flag bridge, he saw the ships through the central holomap in front of him.
It had taken three days for all the human fleets to coalesce into one. In the meantime, Vin had watched the bridge operations mostly as a silent bystander, with the occasional comment and interaction with the Fleet Admiral. He didn’t want to get in the way, yet at the same time he didn’t want to be a nobody.
The bridge operations was slow, but he had gotten to know most of the other commanders when Hayet tied Vin’s helmet’s monitor sensor feed into Hayet’s own monitor feed.
And—now that the fleet was finally together, Vin realized something of vast importance.
My hopes and dreams rests with these men and women, most of whom only know me through holovids. The hopes and dreams of humanity rests with them. I ought to give a speech…Not yet. It’s not time, yet.
“Admiral,” a communication lieutenant called out, “the Commodore signals his side of the operation is ready.”
“Tell the commodore he may proceed,” Hayet responded.
Vin glanced at the holomap with interest. The first shot was about to be fired light years away.
Chapter 4
Enola Nebula
Human Scout Fleet
Destruction’s Gain
Flag Bridge
Commodore Joules Chambers stood at the center of his flagship in his fleet eighty light years away from the King and the Fleet Admiral. Using instantaneous hyperlight communications, he could hyperbeam whatever he saw through his fleet to the Fleet Admiral. He sipped his tea, knowing it could very well be his last.
“Fleet reports ready, sir,” the communications lieutenant announced.
“Very well,” Commodore Chambers said. He set his teacup down and put on his helmet. Through his helmet’s inside-display, he saw the thirty human ships of his fleet. They surrounded his flagship, organized as a wedge formation, ready to take on the enemy.
Thirty human ships.
Against the entire alien armada.
Oh, he knew he was probably going to die the moment he learned the mission parameters three days ago. He had prepared for it ever since then.
The mission parameters were for him to take his thirty ships and head straight for the monster that was the Garolan fleet. He was to tachyon beam back any information he obtained on their weapons and defenses.
Chambers sighed. Worse, his ships comprised the oldest, most expendable war craft in the human fleet. They were outdated, with older weaponry and outdated shields, and were told to go against the head of the monster.
Chambers bit his lip inside his helmet. Sitting in the flag bridge of his cruiser, he realized he had all the reasons to be mad for being chosen for such a sacrificial mission. But… he wasn’t mad at anyone. He wasn’t the type of person to hate people, or his superiors. If there was a reason and a cause to die for, this was probably more fitting than anything else he could think of. “All ships, ahead forward,” he announced.
“Yes, sir. Relaying orders, sir,” the communications lieutenant replied.
Towards destiny. Commodore Chambers nodded his head.
Main Human Fleet
Envy’s Curse
Flag Bridge
80 light-years away, Vin watched as the scouting fleet headed by Commodore Chambers sped forward towards the enemy in zero-space. The scouting fleet was outnumbered 1 to 100. He gave a side glance at Fleet Admiral Hayet and nodded. The battle was about to begin. The first shots were about to be fired.
Epsilon Eridani Expanse
0-space
Human Scout Fleet
Flagship Destruction’s Gain
Flag Bridge
“All weapons, fire when within range!” Chambers ordered. “Set zp deflectors to full! Fire on my designated targets! Com, you recording all this?”
“Yes, sir,” said the sweat-drenched, wavering lieutenant who thought he was about to die… which wasn’t that far from fact.
The distance between the two fleets was 70,000 miles apart in 0-space, which was a smaller universe compared to the real universe. At this distance, both fleets entered their opponent’s laser envelope. Ships from both fleets fired. The portion of the enemy fleet that was within laser range shot their laser beams into the zp deflectors of Chambers’s thirty ship fleet. Most of those laser beams were deflected, but those that penetrated the barrier slammed into the forward armor of Chambers’s fleet.
Boom! Armor tore and holes punched through Chambers’s ships.
At the same time, Chambers’s lasers smashed into the portion of the enemy fleet within range. Those that got through the enemy deflector screens slammed into the forward armor of those ships.
“Status of our ships?” Chambers asked of the holomap AI.
“Twelve ships experienced heavy damage to their frontal hull. The Derlat and Mussolini have lost communication with the rest of the fleet.”
“How much damage did we give to the enemy?”
“Largely undeterminable,” the AI replied. “However, four enemy ships have lost formation for unknown reasons.”
“I see,” Chambers muttered. That’s not bad,We did considerable damage to them and suffered not so considerable damage to ourselves…And then he spoke aloud, “All ships, continue on course towards zpb range. Let’s test their zpb defenses.”
When the distance between the two fleets reached 10,000 miles, both fleets fired their singularity burst guns. Zero point spatial bursts slammed into the deflectors of ships in both fleets. Space in front of each targeted ship exploded with microsingularities, most of which could not be contained by the deflector screens on either side. Armor tore, and explosions blasted through hull metal. Thousands of crewmembers on both sides died.
For a moment, Chambers was happy the enemy did not have any new close range weapons. But that moment passed when he gazed at the damage done to his ships. “But is this all?” he asked. After forty years of no war, the weapons and defenses of the enemy had only changed so little? “Computer, what’s the damage to our fleet from their singularity bursts?”
“Twenty ships are experiencing microsingularity d
amage inside their hulls. Five of our ships are no longer capable of sustaining zero-point power. I advise we withdraw now, since we have gathered all the information we wanted to know.”
“Agreed,” Chambers said. “All ships, withdraw!”
Throughout the human fleet, all the ships that could instantaneously decelerate and reaccelerate in the other direction… did so. The Garolan ships pursued the human ships using every ship they had that could enter within range. As time passed, more Garolan ships entered range. Laser and singularity bursts from both fleets continued to pummel each other.
“The Akira signals damage to their main propulsion drive! The Jimenez has lost both primary drive fields!”
“Damn! All ships, get out of here!” Chambers yelled.
“There’s just too many of them, sir!” one of the lieutenants called out.
Inside Commodore Chambers’s soul, his heart furiously wanted to head backwards, and stab at the enemy, but his mind knew that was not the mission parameter – nor was it a possibility. Going backwards was suicidal. In fact, what he had already done was near suicidal. The enemy outnumbered him 100 to 1. “All ships, escape velocity!” he shouted.
A zero-point burst splashed into the rear deflector screen of Commodore Chambers’s flagship, Destruction’s Gain. The massive 40 gigaton blast overwhelmed the rear deflectors and chaotic energy poured into the rear armor and hull of Chamber’s flagship. The impact threw everyone in the flag bridge against their seat straps. But the worst thing that could happen did not. The flagship’s primary drive fields still functioned albeit all the energy that poured into the surrounding area.
“We’re free!” the ensigns and lieutenants yelled inside the flag bridge.
Chambers sighed in relief. Now, it was up to how the Fleet Admiral would make use of all the information Chambers had gathered today…