by Ryan Krauter
Loren nodded and ran to the bulkhead and punched the comm panel, putting in the code for direct access to the bridge. "Loren to Captain Elco!" he yelled.
"Elco here," came the swift reply. "Good to hear you again."
"Good to be here. Captain, we should call off the attack on that cruiser were on. It's hosed and Tash isn't aboard anymore."
"Are you sure?"
Loren could tell Elco wasn't entirely sold on the reasoning behind the request. "Yes, Captain. Trust me; please call it off!"
"Alright, I guess you must know what you're doing by this stage of the game, eh?" Elco gave a fatalistic grin and turned off-screen as the signal was cut.
"Mastruk, call off the attack on that cruiser."
"Second volley of torpedoes is away, Captain!" she reported.
"Send the codes and take them out then."
"Got it, Captain."
Down in C3, Mastruk tapped in a master command at her console. She sent a destruct code to the three torpedoes on the way and watched the display as small explosions blew them apart without detonating their warheads. It was a waste; they didn't have many of the big weapons left and they'd just taken them out. With enough time, the controllers could have retasked them to another target, but something must have been extremely time critical for the Captain to just call for their self-destruct routine. Oh well, hopefully it was for a good cause.
Tash stepped out of the shuttle to see the hangar bay techs waiting on him. Shuttle activity during a battle was extremely unusual, and as a result he had quite an audience.
"Captain Sohk insisted I leave her vessel; the cloak had failed and she realized she was too much of a target. Her sacrifice will be noted in due time."
He stepped over to the senior officer present. "Tell your captain to send the order to commence our run to Delos immediately. I have preprogrammed orders stored in every ship here. Go now."
The crew woman simply nodded and tapped the earbud she was wearing, informing her captain of the Commander's presence and new orders.
Admiral Bak was starting to think this wasn't going to last as long as he'd hoped. The Primans kept maneuvering, and finally he saw what they were trying to do; they were trying to position themselves so that Bak's fleet was outboard of them relative to Delos.
The last pass having been completed, he looked at the holo field to get an update on his fleet's status as well as what the Primans were doing. He saw them maneuver and reform, but instead of turning back towards him they turned away.
A sinking feeling struck him, made worse by the fact that he knew he wouldn't be able to react in time. He felt heartburn, bile in his throat; he was going to be left behind.
The Priman fleet made another minor course adjustment and jumped to hyperspace.
"Dammit!" Bak yelled as he pounded his holo table.
Ravine's small fleet was down to eighteen ships now, having lost one to friendly crossfire as they weaved through Tash's larger fleet and one to a spread of Confed torpedoes.
From the bridge, she watched Tash's forces align and then disappear. A half dozen derelict but intact ships from his fleet floated where they'd been left behind. His fleet was probably down to somewhere in the high fifties in terms of hulls; the Confeds had taken out a good number entirely, plus disabled a half dozen more. On the negative side, the Confed fleet was no more than a Task Force now, boasting only seventeen ships in various states of repair.
She was watching Captain Vol coordinate fleet movements when she received an incoming message from the Confed ship Avenger. The communication was carrying a recognition code unique to Representative Velk.
"Representative," she said as she accepted the comm request from a bridge station. "I am glad to see you well."
"Likewise, Commander," Velk replied. "The Confederation forces are trying to organize a push to follow Representative Tash. We believe he escaped the Harbinger and is aboard another vessel. I was able to request Avenger stop her bombardment of Harbinger. May I request that we contact her captain to inform him of your new status and inquire as to the Representative?"
"Please do so," she replied, "and link me in."
It only took a second, and they were then viewing the wreckage of Harbinger's bridge. Captain Sohk was there, a cut above her left eye bleeding slowly but continuously, a trickle running down her eyebrow and around the outer corner of her eye.
"Representatives," she said solemnly. "Do you wish a report?"
"I am here to change your orders, Captain," Ravine replied, holding up the totem she'd shown her own forces earlier before they'd entered hyperspace. Captain Sohk stood straighter as she called her bridge crew to attention.
"Much has happened in the last few hours, Captain," Ravine said. "Suffice it to say, Representative Tash is no longer Commander. As the new Commander, I am altering our plans with the guidance of the Council. I need to know what the Representative has planned."
"He intends to make for Delos, Commander," Sohk admitted. "I believe he plans to attempt an all out assault on the Confed capital and force a surrender in one decisive battle."
Ravine shook her head, doing her best to keep an impassive face as a good Commander would. They couldn't see her disappointment or anger.
"My fleet will form up to pursue. Do you have any vessels here capable of joining us?"
Captain Sohk looked down at a display and shook her head. "I am sorry, Commander, but most of these ships are barely survivable as it is."
"Then I will leave a cruiser to tend your needs." She looked at Captain Vol, and he nodded before giving orders to a subordinate. She really didn't know if they could spare a ship, but there were a half dozen of her people's vessels out here that might be doomed to a cold and painful death if abandoned.
Aboard Majestic, Admiral Bak was frantically trying to coordinate his decimated fleet's actions. He could offer up sixteen fighting ships, having detailed one destroyer to help recovery of escape pods and assistance to disabled vessels.
The Priman fleet had a lead on him and their ships were most likely in better shape; he'd have to push his ships to their max and beyond to keep up and resigned himself to potentially losing one or two in the impending chase.
He was interrupted by simultaneous comm requests from Captain Elco of Avenger and the Priman in charge of the small force that had appeared to try and disrupt the larger fleet. He accepted both requests and put them on a split screen at his station.
"I'm sorry to be multitasking like this," he said by way of apology, "but I'll bet our information overlaps and we don't have much time to spare." He received nods from both and was surprised that the Priman didn't want to speak yet. He pressed on.
"I intend to take what vessels we can scrape up and pursue the Priman fleet. Do you have any input on that?"
"I am the new Priman Commander," Ravine stated. "I have a new mandate and guidance from our Council, which can be corroborated by your Commander Loren Stone and Representative Velk if they are still in the same company. We are offering a new cease-fire, a true one between our leaderships made out in the open, unlike the underhanded arrangement in place now. I intend to assert control over the rogue ex-Commander who travels with the fleet."
Well, Admiral Bak thought, that sure as hell wasn't the first thing he'd expected to hear from the Priman Commander.
"I can elaborate as well," stated Captain Elco from the other side of the screen. "We have Representative Velk and Commander Stone aboard. We believe Tash fled to another cruiser in the formation, having previously commanded from the magnetically cloaked cruiser we had been shadowing. He appears set to carry out his plan of attempting to reduce Delos."
Admiral Bak only took a second to ponder the next step. "Commander, I am going to leave in a minute or two and run at max speed to Delos. Do you plan to follow, and when we get there, what are your intentions?"
"We will follow as close as you allow, Admiral. If we can identify the Representative's location, I will fire on his ship myself. Short
of that, I will once again place my fleet among his to disrupt their fire and movement."
"That will put you in our area of fire, you realize," Bak warned. "This is our homeworld and I need to defend it."
"I understand, Admiral; do what you must. My higher leadership believes we can come to some sort of resolution to this conflict, and I intend to do what I can to stop this without excessive loss of either Priman or Confed lives. My hope is that we can quickly establish communications with my fleet. If we do that, I will be able to confirm my position and take control with little trouble or loss of life."
Admiral Bak wasted no time. "Open a comm channel and I'll send you the information I'm about to burst to my fleet."
Admiral Bak recorded a message and sent it out as an omnidirectional signal, hoping for as many takers as possible to hear and oblige. The signal would spread out from the fleet and as it pinged relay stations of the Galactic Data Net as well as Confed military satellites, it would increase coverage exponentially. It contained a rough attack plan and pre planned maneuvers for his incoming ships as well as anyone who might be able to get there before them and be waiting.
"All vessels that can hear this transmission: This is Admiral Nodam Bak, of the Confederation Navy. We are in the midst of a tremendous running battle with a sizable Priman fleet. This war has lasted almost three years for my people; and as it has spread to the galactic core, more and more have been dragged into it. The Primans have many ships, many dedicated warriors, for they have been preparing for this assault for generations. Today, however, we believe there is a new opportunity. I have talked with and am now accompanied by their new Commander, the military officer in charge of their fighting units. We believe the time is here for a true cease-fire, and a real negotiated peace between the Primans and all of us.
"There is one problem that stands in our way; a rogue fleet, led by their former Commander, is headed to Delos, capital of the Confederation of Systems, to destroy our capital. They should arrive there in roughly twenty-three hours. My fleet will only be minutes behind, but a few minutes can be everything in a battle.
"This message is as much for Confederation forces as it is anyone else in this galaxy who fights the Primans, fears their arrival, or simply feels compelled to fight the tyranny of a military force bent on genocide in order to cement their place in this galaxy. I call all loyalist Confederation forces as well as the independent systems that have broken away because of the disputes amongst our government. I assure you, when the Priman situation is dealt with, we will reunite as one and deal with the threat from within. But I won't stop there; I am calling everyone who wants to be a part of this fight, tomorrow at Delos, to stop the Priman advance. Talaran, Enkarran, every race up and down this spiral arm that has already seen so much fighting. And those of you in the Core, who haven't seen the Priman war machine yet but certainly will if they're not stopped. Stalemate this rogue fleet and their war machine grinds to a halt. From that point, I truly believe we have the means to find a way to live together. My fleet is accompanied by Priman ships, a separate force sent out by their ruling council to help stop the death spiral we're all trapped in."
Admiral Bak stopped, paused and took the briefest of moments to think about what he'd just said. Oversell it, and people would lose the message. Don't give them a good enough reason, and they wouldn't show up. Had he done enough? He only hoped history would be kind to him if this speech worked and the Confederation won the day. If they lost, well, there wouldn't be anyone around to care anyway.
"Inhabitants of this galaxy, this is our chance. Stopping the Primans tomorrow is not just one more battle in this war; it could be the end of it entirely. I hope to see you in orbit around Delos."
Admiral Bak looked around his plot room and saw many of the crew nodding and even a few salutes. He returned them and turned towards his liaison to Captain Montari on the bridge of Majestic. "Give the order; emergency speed to Delos."
Aboard the Sabre class fleet carrier Broadsword, Halley and Web stealthily finished their journey to the midships hangar bay.
They'd both been sent to the medical bay upon arrival, not a surprise to anyone considering their injuries. The staff had been preparing to admit them for the night when Halley had announced matter-of-factly that they both had important business and needed to leave. Web had provided a distraction and they'd both snuck out, sure that their names were now on some sort of list of shame when it came to the med staff. Still, they had a war to end, and the permanent medical treatments could wait a day or two.
Spotted in a row down the flight line were six Freedom class transports, extra benches of seats installed for a max-capacity mission. The only problem, in her mind, was this mission was all about defense and not attack. Instead of fifty fully loaded marines in powered armor each, the transports were going to load up with the senators who were guests aboard the huge vessel. The problem was that the ship, the entire fleet, was less than a day away from the decisive battle that could end the war. No holds barred, nothing to save for later, last one standing wins. She had caught up on some hastily compiled Top Secret briefs from Loren, Velk and the rest about their time in Priman space. She knew that the new Priman Commander, the former Representative Ravine, was promising a real cease-fire, negotiated right with the Confed Navy if need be. But Halley hadn't stayed alive and successful in this business for so long by reading Intel briefs and wishing for them to come true. So she'd hedged their bets; she and Web were loading up the senators and would launch with them as soon as the fleet reverted to real space in the Delos System. From there, she'd simply head the opposite direction from wherever the conflict was. She could make a short-ranged hyperspace jump if need be, but that was the last of the backup plans; she needed the Confed navy to stop the Primans and have their new Commander assert power over their wayward fleet.
At that point, she and a couple hundred senators were going to go for a stroll down the halls of government on Delos and go ring Zek Dennix's front doorbell.
Captain Elco and Commander Stone were in Elco's day cabin, fighting post-battle fatigue and burnout from being 'on' for days on end. They had plowed through a mountain of admin work, reports on the ship's state and readiness at their expected arrival time, pre-planned maneuvers Admiral Bak had sent out before the fleet jumped to hyperspace, and more. An orderly from the galley had appeared bearing a tray filled with a hot meal; Elco had decreed the whole crew would have a decent meal during what was a relatively low-workload time in hyperspace, and the cooks had apparently decided to force feed their commanding officers as well.
The tray sat off to the side of Elco's low table in his guest sitting area, meal consumed ravenously as both men realized they'd forgotten how long it had been since they'd really eaten.
Loren took a moment to stretch, legs out under the table, arms above his head, as he stared out the porthole into the blurred space that came with faster than light travel.
"You think Admiral Bak's speech will get us any other hulls for the fight?" he asked the captain.
"Tough call, actually," Elco responded. "Let's assume a whole slew of ships heard that message. First, they needed to hear it in time to get to Delos before the Primans. Second, they very well might need to beg permission from a ranking officer some distance away. Then we have to hope any local forces in the Delos system welcome them and integrate them into the order of battle and not just tell them to move on. That's a lot of moving parts."
"I wonder if someone else will try calling the shots once we engage. Admiral Bak just summarily ordered the entire Confed Navy to Delos. There are a lot of other Admirals who outrank him, not to mention the Fleet Admirals out there as well. I just hope we can all agree who's in charge when we get there."
"There's another small problem," Elco said after a lengthy pause. Loren turned to cast a sidelong glance at the man and realized he'd been trying to figure out how to state whatever unpleasantness would follow. "We lost an escort carrier to a reactor meltdown. It scramme
d in time; everybody's safe but that's a hull and her fighters we won't have. The escort carriers are becoming quite popular because we can crank them out a lot faster than a Sabre class fleet carrier, but something had to give in the design and smaller hyperdrive reactors were one part of that. The destroyers are falling behind, too. They'll probably drag the aft end of this formation by a good thirty minutes considering the distance we're traveling."
Loren did the math, look of dismay on his face. "You mean we're going to revert and look for a fight with twelve capital ships? Fifteen eventually? Combined with Ravine's fleet that's twenty-nine ships to Tash's-" Loren looked down at a data tablet in his hand, "fifty-six. Not great odds."
"If it was easy," Elco admonished him, "it wouldn't be worth doing."
"This is not what was on the brochure when I joined Confed, though. Just saying."
Tash was sweating, and he needed it to stop before he could go out and address the crew. He'd commandeered a VIP cabin and composed orders and a quick statement that was sent via burst to his fleet, but all of a sudden it had finally caught up with him. Ravine and that room full of easily-led cowards on the council were going to bargain with these beings. Why didn't they just let him do his job?
He needed to be able to engage whatever defenses protected Delos and level the capital before Ravine and her pet humans arrived. Sooner or later they'd break through his comm blackout and have him removed from command. And that foolish act would doom his people to a life of mediocrity henceforth, something they'd spent generations proclaiming would never happen to them again.
He still had a good twelve hours before they reached Delos, and from what he knew of Confed hyperspace capabilities, they'd have at least some time to themselves in the system before Ravine, Avenger and the reset arrived. He just needed to make the most of. Now, what other resources did he have?
