Star Crusader: Battle Fleet Victorious

by Thomas, Michael G.

  "Our agents reported that vessels were being built in your old shipyards."

  The General didn't seem surprised.

  "Makes sense, the two largest shipyards are in orbit over Ctenosaura Primus. The next largest is at Star Base Mognathus 7."

  Colonel Gun nodded in agreement.

  "Yes, but what we did not know was that they have taken something our scientists have been working on for some time now. It would appear they are stripping technology from an alien vessel, or perhaps using it to create something else, and they are doing it at Ctenosaura. Our information confirms they have already used it in the design of the engines in their new ships, and we have an idea where they found this thing."

  Spartan tapped the imagery. "This tech is a game changer."

  "New ships, like the fast ones we met in battle?"

  "Yes," agreed Spartan, "But it's a lot worse than a couple of dozen fast cruisers. Our intelligence shows they've been sending in thousands of technicians, including huge numbers of CTC employees to the Ctenosaura shipyards."

  Gun sighed.

  "We don't know exactly what is happening, but you can be sure it's something significant. We have incomplete reports over the last year of partially built hulks being sent here, and in the last two months they have been outfitted in your shipyards. Whatever they are doing, it's a problem. Take a look."

  Major Spartan's words piqued all of their interest. Nate even wondered if he was supposed to be hearing this part. Spartan enlarged the capital world so that it showed the two gigantic orbital shipyards. Each was more an artificial moon and surrounded by floating platforms, gantries, and frames for the dozens of ships in different stages of construction. The shipyards filled the tactical projection, and then moved to the side to show the mysterious shape, almost as big as the facility itself. The structure had multiple separate components, each fused together in a great hulk. Major Spartan and Colonel Gun stepped back, waiting as the General examined it.

  "Wait...I've seen this shape before."

  He then looked to Gun. "It can't be. That ship, it is...Trusskan."

  The two Alliance officers nodded, and even Commander Higgins, who'd been silent until now seemed stunned.

  "Trusskan? They found one of their ships."

  Gun moved closer and tapped the ship. The inner section glowed red, highlighting one large section.

  "We found this vessel some time ago, and even crippled and adrift, it managed to destroy an Alliance ship and kill hundreds of crew and warriors. It was hidden and placed in the care of the CTC Corporation and protected by a special Marine unit, one that has since vanished."

  "What?" said the General, "Why have I not heard about this?"

  Gun snarled while shaking his head.

  "We just found out ourselves. CTC have declared for the Star Empire, and are supplying them with technology, personnel, and equipment, in exchange for some grand prize."

  "Yes, I heard there was an attack at some of your facilities," said the General, "This is unexpected, though with the enemy on the rise, perhaps they see them as a safer bet for the future."

  "Perhaps," said Gun, "Anyway, we intercepted a CTC convoy trying to smuggle supplies and technicians out of the Alliance. We stopped them, and they turned on us."

  "Big mistake," said Spartan, "A very big mistake."

  "True," said Gun, "Their computers confirm High Command's worst fears. CTC have been working with the enemy, and it started well before any of this fighting began, perhaps even a decade ago. They have turned on us and are officially classed as agents of the Star Empire."

  "You know this for certain?"

  Spartan nodded.

  "Yeah. Gun and me have...involvements with CTC. I was on the alien derelict, though."

  He paused and then glanced at Gun, something occurring to him.

  "Thinking about it, the reason we even sent a ship to investigate it was due to high level reports from CTC operatives. Alliance High Command sent us out there, without knowing it was down to CTC."

  Commander Higgins listened to all of this in stunned surprise.

  "So they planned this several years ago, made you find and recover the derelict, and now have it in the shipyards over their homeworld. Now they have technology vastly more powerful than anything we have."

  Colonel Gun growled.

  "Those ships we've seen, you know, the fast ones."

  "Yeah, makes sense," said Spartan, "We wondered how they were able to build ships with similar engine tech as us, and now we know. CTC has been selling tech to the Star Empire for years, and we've been helping them do it."

  "And now they have the derelict. Their ships will be unstoppable if they can replicate any of the systems. You remember what happened out there."

  Spartan's nostrils twitched. "Yeah, I do."

  He looked to Commander Higgins. "I was on that derelict, and it was like something from a movie. The technology on it was enough to win a war on its own. Hell, the Klithi were going to break our mutual defence treaty and enter Alliance space to destroy it. That's how scared they were of that thing. And the machine on board, that..."

  Gun gave him a signal, and Spartan stopped speaking immediately, as though a switch had just been pushed. There was one question remaining for Commander Higgins. And when he asked it, both of the IAB officers smiled.

  "What are their intentions?"

  Gun laughed and then struck Commander Higgins in the shoulder.

  "That, Commander, is the right question. Now, where are those pilots of yours?"

  The Commander looked to the door.

  "They're coming. I don't understand what you need them for. What exactly are we planning on doing?"

  Gun nodded towards the image of the shipyard.

  "We're going to launch a full-scale assault on their facilities, right in the heart of the Star Empire."

  Commander Higgins was stunned.

  "To what end? They will turn on us in minutes. It is suicide."

  Colonel Gun laughed.

  “If we do not destroy that derelict, and the entire shipyard, we will be gifting the greatest weapon every created to our new enemy. Do you want to face them with that kind of tech?”

  He then looked to Major Spartan.

  “Whatever they're planning will be made irrelevant if we succeed. Are you up for this little excursion?”

  Spartan grinned.

  “When am I not?”

  * * *

  Lieutenant Commander Holder could hear them talking, and as they reached the last passage, she turned back towards them. This part was clearly different in that multiple pairs of marines were on guard, as well as two combat Grunts.

  "IAB ships are not designed for fleet actions."

  She moved to the entry door and then almost smirked.

  "That might be something to do with why the Colonel wants to speak with us."

  Nate gulped at hearing that. He'd assumed they were heading to meet the CAG, assuming Victorious even had one. Instead, they would be meeting the highest ranked Alliance officer in the fleet. Before they knew it, the entire group marched into a wide-open command deck. The lights were on full, and as they entered, more than a dozen pairs of eyes turned to look at them. Nate was first in behind Lieutenant Commander Holder, and as they approached the officers, they stopped and saluted. Nate's eyes drifted around the place as the officers exchanged pleasantries.

  Wow!

  There was a dull yellow glow to the place, much of it coming from the massive set of three large displays at the front. Each unit showed a myriad of information from local shipping routes, to planetary specifications and ship status indications. Nate could see one showing a long top-down view of part of the ship, and inside were multiple blocks of dropships and troops.

  The operations level. Looks a lot smaller from in here.

  The consoles ran at waist height, and two officers and a single, grey skinned humanoid operated the controls. Nate's eyes widened, realising what he was looking at.

>   A Thegn!

  These creatures were the remnant of the millions of different kinds of synthetic foot soldiers created in the war by the enemy. Built from scratch, they included all kinds of warriors from lowly Thegn foot soldiers, up through to the tall Biomech Jötnar that had rampaged from planet to planet. These tough creatures could fight with firearms and blades as easily as repairing broken technology. What they lacked in emotion and social skills, they made up for in almost every other area. Nate looked at the one in front of the display. He'd heard their skin performed the same job as armour, but not once had he expected to see one in the flesh. Now leaderless and homeless, they had signed on to the Alliance, and in less than a decade had proven their value in navigation, engineering, and computer science. They provided a cadre of skilled, though never fully trusted operatives aboard certain Navy vessels.

  "Nate," whispered Cassandra.

  She was not looking at him, but off to the right of the displays, where steps ran down into a circular section jutting out from the ship. It was small, but appeared partially, or perhaps entirely transparent. On the other side were the blackness of space, and the dull shape of another ship in close formation. It was one of the transports, and though similar in design to the Confederate Class, he could already see the differences. It still looked dangerous and a little evil to his eye. There was something about its lines and curves that reminded him of something else.

  Incredible! It's like a Biomech inspired warship.

  Just thinking about it made Nate think about what the thing would be like in combat. He'd flown missions around similar ships in the simulator before, but the games involving Biomech vessels had always proved to be something quite unique.

  "Ensign."

  Nate's eyes snapped back and before him was the largest Jötnar he'd ever seen. He had to angle his head back to see the exaggerated muscles filling the face of the troll like officer. For a second he thought it was Sergeant Nál, but this one stood even taller than the terrifying Marine Corps Sergeant.

  "Sir...I mean, Colonel."

  Their eyes met, and the officer bared his teeth in what could just as easily have been a grin or a growl. Nate knew right away who it was, and he found it almost impossible to speak, let alone move a single muscle.

  "Welcome aboard, Ensign."

  The Jötnar's attention shifted to the others before he moved back to the middle of the room, and just behind the three consoles.

  "I am Colonel Gun, and this is my taskforce."

  Nate gulped at hearing that. He tried to opened his mouth, but his throat dried up, making it impossible to speak and difficult to breathe. Colonel Gun was the most famous Jötnar in history. He'd turned against his creators decades ago, and after years of war had become the Alliance's greatest synthetic advocate. Some may still not trust his people, but of all the great victories in humanity's wars, Gun and his kin were always featured prominently. The Jötnar turned to his right and nodded in the direction of the man they'd seen earlier, back on Furiosa.

  "This is Major Spartan, commander of 1st Battalion."

  Nate remained utterly incapable of speaking. The man walked towards the group of pilots, and to where Commander Higgins and Lieutenant Commander Holder waited. Though outranking them both, he seemed to be little interested in procedure or protocol. He spoke few words, and then the small group turned around to face the pilots.

  "Ironclads, that's your name, isn't it?"

  Each nodded in agreement, but only Valdis spoke.

  "Yes...Major. Ironclad Squadron, from Furiosa."

  The man looked away and spoke quietly before turning his attention back to them.

  "We've not got much time. But I have to know, is it true?"

  Nate looked to his friends, and then to Spartan.

  "What true, Sir?"

  They exchanged looks, but Nate could manage less than a second before he lowered his gaze. The man looked nothing like he'd expected and seemed more barbarian than officer material. His voice was gravelly, gruff, and uncompromising.

  "Can you fly our drones into battle? And win in a contested sector?"

  Nate considered his response, and while he waited, Cassandra piped up. She knew what the man wanted to hear and was more than happy to agree without knowing the details.

  "Yes, Major."

  Nate gasped as she spoke. Like the others, he knew full well they didn't even know the specifications of these drones. They were little more than a rumour outside of Taxxu.

  "We can handle the drones, no problem at all."

  Nate was sure Spartan's eye glinted as he watched the young pilots. It was as though he'd seen something that either amused him, or reminded him of something he'd seen before, perhaps himself.

  "I see. And can you pass on these skills?"

  Nate was stunned to hear this. He turned to look at Commander Higgins, but the man gave him a stern telling off with just his eyes. Nate turned his attention back to Spartan, cleared his throat, and answered.

  "Sir, you want us to teach others to fly the drones?"

  Spartan laughed.

  "No, son. They can fly them already."

  He licked his lips with anticipation.

  "I want to know if you can teach them to fly like you do. We have thirty-six hours to prepare, and I understand you have skills we are lacking. You could give our force a major edge, if you're up to it."

  Nate listened, but the words simply bounced about in his skull before vanishing into nothingness. He recognised some of the names, especially the Serpentis Rift, because that was the route they took when they left the rest of the fleet to come to Karnak. The details of the overall military strategy were incredibly complex, and he knew it was of little importance to him. Nate would never be asked to formulate a plan or lead a fleet. His job was controlling fighters, and as he waited, his mind drifted through all the different possibilities. He was aboard a monstrous warship, and now having a situation he barely understood explained to him. He knew about the growing crisis between the two major powers. All he wanted to know was how it affected him, and what he was expected to do about it. Spartan nodded in the direction of General Honorius.

  "The General says that between you you've logged nearly fifty kills, and most of you are simulator pilots. I've got ships, and I've got ground troops. But air support..."

  He looked to Colonel Gun.

  "That is something we have planned for the future, but right now, I need those skills today."

  There was a pause, and Spartan nodded off to the rear of the bridge.

  "Come with me."

  They moved further back in the bridge section, leaving behind the Captain and his deck crew. Nate and his fellow pilots waited in silence as General Honorius and the two IAB officers moved away. Then Spartan stopped and looked back at them.

  "You need to hear this, too."

  Nate looked to his friends, but Matilda and Valdis were already moving, and the others were right behind them. Nate, not wanting to be last, moved ahead, and soon they were joining the officers. At the back of the command deck was an open plan area surrounding a circular table. Once there he stopped and waited for the others to move into position. Spartan watched the pilots stand up straight and erect, as though on parade.

  "Stand easy, pilots. This is important. Right now High Command is waiting for a major Naval clash, and they are certain we will be victorious."

  Billy grinned as he listened and turned back to Nate who appeared unimpressed. None of the other pilots seemed particularly excited at this news either.

  "Okay, what did I say wrong?" asked the Major.

  Commander Higgins looked at his pilots nervously, and then focussed on Matilda.

  "Ensign Croft. Please explain your concerns."

  Matilda had no hesitation in speaking her mind, even before these giants.

  "Well, Sir. A major engagement can only end in failure for us."

  Spartan tried to hide a smile and was forced to lift a hand to cover his mouth. He looked
to Commander Higgins who tried to look apologetic. Spartan shook his head and was about to speak again, but the look on Matilda's face remained adamant.

  "Okay, go on then."

  "The Star Empire is a massive collection of star systems, with billions of citizens. They have access to all the remaining military assets of two states. How many ships did the collective Anicinàbe clans have in total?"

  Spartan waited and then realised it was a question. He actually looked a little surprised and had to turn to Colonel Gun.

  "Well?"

  The wizened old warrior grunted and then muttered a response.

  "We don't know. Each clan numbered anything from ten to a hundred ships of different sizes."

  "And how many clans?"

  This time both of the officers shrugged. General Honorious had no such difficulty in answering.

  "The Anicinàbe have a dozen large clans, with up to ten times that number out on the fringes and just a handful of ships each."

  "Okay," said Matilda, "So a conservative estimate would put this on a hundred and fifty ships of different classes. And at worst case more than ten times that number."

  Spartan licked his lips and nodded slowly.

  "That's correct. And then..."

  Matilda continued speaking as though she'd not even stopped.

  "Then we have what's left of the Byotai military. Their fleet strength before the fighting was six flotillas of twenty plus ships, and then the warships of the Royal Squadron. So, one hundred and twenty ships minimum at pre-war strength."

  The young pilot moved her attention to the General.

  "How many ships have you lost fighting them, and how many are now in the hands of the enemy?"

  The General did not look happy at having this subject raised, and Commander Higgins moved to intervene. The old Byotai lifted a hand to stop him, trying to smile in the Human fashion.

  "Records are far from complete, child."

  Matilda's eyebrows twitched at that term, and even with the use of translators, the Byotai knew he'd made a mistake. He nodded politely and carried on explaining.

  "More than half turned on us in the opening days. I estimate less than a third remained in our hands after the first week. Now we have barely enough for a single small fleet. A best guess would be around thirty ships, including those of Makos."