The Slaver Wars: First Strike (The Slaver Wars Book Four)

by Weil, Raymond L.

  “Yes, Sir,” Mason replied. “We need to engage them immediately before they detect us.”

  “Plot a micro-jump to intercept the Hocklyns,” ordered Thomas, taking a deep breath and walking over to the plotting table to gaze at the display. “They are already in range of the planet, and their sensors should have detected the mining operations as well as the defensive satellites by now. I want to be in combat range when we come out of the jump.”

  “They are either moving in to attack or still gathering data,” suggested Mason, glancing over at the commander.

  “Designate the two Hocklyns ships as Hostiles One and Two,” Thomas continued as he planned what to do next. He folded his arms across his chest and contemplated the best strategy to use in this situation. “The destroyers Argyle and Swanson will engage Hostile One, and we will engage Hostile Two. Argyle and Swanson are to concentrate on disabling their target’s jump drive. I doubt if they have the firepower to take out the cruiser on their own.”

  “That will be tough on those two destroyers going toe to toe with a Hocklyn escort cruiser,” Major Glenn warned, his eyes showing deep concern. “We could lose one or both of them, even with our better shielding.”

  “I know, Glenn,” Thomas said, knowing Mason was right. “But we have no choice. We can’t let them report back with what they have discovered. Get the jump set up.”

  Major Mason spoke to Navigation and the two escort destroyers. It didn’t take long to have the micro-jump plotted and ready to implement.

  “Ready to jump and engage the Hocklyns,” he reported, his eyes on the holographic display which had been changed to tactical mode. He could feel the increased tension in the crew of the Command Center.

  “Jump!” ordered Commander Thomas, returning to his command console and buckling himself in.

  In front of the three Federation ships, blue-white spatial vortexes appeared. Moments later, the ships were gone.

  -

  First Leader Malken was watching the viewscreen, which was focused on the planet ahead, when the warning klaxons started sounding. His head moved sharply to gaze at the sensor operator.

  “Three ships have just jumped into extreme combat range, First Leader,” the sensor operator reported, his large eyes narrowing as he studied the data on the sensor screen.

  “I want the size and identification of those ships now!” snapped Malken, his eyes turning into dark slits. Perhaps this was the opportunity the High Council had been hoping for to identify who was responsible for the missing ships. Great honor could be forthcoming with that discovery. “Stand by to jump on my command once we have their identity.”

  “Incoming fire,” Second Leader Slith warned as his board lit up with inbound threat icons.

  He quickly passed on the order to return fire without consulting the First Leader. He was surprised that the aliens had attacked without warning. That seemed to indicate the aliens already knew who the Hocklyns were.

  The Hocklyn cruiser rocked as missiles and explosive rounds struck the energy screen. First Leader Malken was nearly thrown to the floor from the ferocity of the attack.

  “Put one of their ships up on the viewscreen,” ordered Malken, angrily. How dare someone attack his ship without warning!

  “Screens are holding,” Slith reported as he listened to the reports coming in from the various stations. “Weapons stations are returning fire. The WarFire is also under attack. We have one ship of 700 meters and two of 400 meters engaging us.”

  “Turn and engage with our energy beams,” ordered Malken, knowing that very few alien warships could withstand the Hocklyn’s powerful energy weapons. If the attackers could not knock down his screens, then the energy beams would make short work of them. His two ships were larger and more powerfully armed. “I want boarding teams ready to go. Have our Protectors prepared to board the enemy ships as soon as they are disabled. They are to secure all computers and any star maps they can find!”

  If his Protectors could board the enemy ships and find information leading to their home worlds, then much honor would come his way. Malken felt pleased with the good fortune that had suddenly been thrust upon him.

  -

  Commander Thomas watched the sensors as reports began to come in on their first strike. As he had suspected, the Hocklyn’s energy screen was holding up to the initial attack. On the main viewscreen appeared one of the Hocklyn escort cruisers. It was wedge shaped and covered with weapon emplacements. Some of these flickered with light, indicating they were firing. There was no doubt in his mind that the StarSearch would be on the receiving end of that weapons fire. He looked back over at the tactical display.

  “Hocklyns are firing railguns and missiles, Sir,” Major Mason reported as the StarSearch began to shudder from the weapons fire striking their energy screen.

  Commander Thomas nodded as he kept his eyes focused on the holographic tactical display above the plotting table.

  “Continue to close the range. Focus bow lasers and pulse lasers on Hostile One,” ordered Thomas, grimly. This battle needed to be short! “Follow up the laser strike with two Devastator missiles programmed with a five second impact separation.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Major Glenn replied as he carried out the order.

  “Destroyers Argyle and Swanson are both engaged. Swanson is reporting minor damage from missile fire,” reported Communications.

  In space, exploding missiles and explosive rounds were going off in dazzling flashes as they found their targets. Both sides were using defensive missiles to destroy inbound ordnance. Occasionally, a heavy missile would strike a ship’s screen brightly illuminating it in a fiery explosion.

  “Activate defensive lasers,” Thomas ordered Tactical. “It’s time we show the Hocklyns just what we have.” So far, the Hocklyns were using the same types of weapons as they had in the past; nothing new had been detected.

  Instantly, eight of the sixteen defensive laser batteries the StarSearch was equipped with opened up, destroying enemy missiles in bright explosions almost as soon as they were launched from the Hocklyn escort cruiser. Their advanced computer targeting systems made misses few and far between.

  The helm officer turned the ship slightly, bringing the heavy bow lasers to bear on the Hocklyn cruiser. The tactical officer quickly entered the coordinates in his weapons console and gave the order to fire. Two other tactical officers were next to him, operating the ship’s other weapons.

  Moments later, the main laser weapons fired, sending out powerful orange-red beams striking the Hocklyn’s energy screen. The screen wavered and shimmered as it struggled to resist the sudden onset of energy from the lasers. Gaps appeared in the screen, allowing several of the laser beams to penetrate and strike the ship’s hull, carving deep holes that glowed cherry-red. On the StarSearch’s main viewscreen, several explosions could be seen as compartments inside the Hocklyn ship were suddenly exposed to vacuum.

  -

  “Lasers!” Malken oathed as he read the data coming in on the sensors.

  Instantly, warning alarms began to sound and red lights began flashing on the damage control board. He knew that his ship was suffering serious damage and now realized he was facing a very advanced enemy. The plan to disable and board the attacking ships would have to be abandoned; they would have to be destroyed instead.

  “Firing energy beams,” Slith reported as the Kraken finished its turn and brought its heavy energy beams to bear on the attacking ship.

  Two bright blue beams speared out from the Hocklyn ship, striking the attacking vessel. The enemy ship’s energy screen wavered, but held.

  “Focus all weapons on that same point,” Malken ordered loudly, angry that the ship was still there. “We must knock that screen down! Honor is at stake!”

  Malken felt a serious vibration spread through the Kraken as more red lights lit up on the damage control board. The energy beams should have penetrated the attacking ship’s energy screen. He started to feel uneasy as he realized the enemy cr
uiser was much more powerful than he had originally believed.

  “We’re taking serious damage from their lasers,” warned Slith, worriedly. “We have numerous compartments open to vacuum and several fires that are out of control. We won’t be able to keep the energy screen up much longer.”

  “I have a tentative identity on the attacking ships,” the computer operator reported. “They are Human Federation of World’s ships!”

  “Impossible!” Malken bellowed in growing anger and frustration as his ship continued to take damage. “We destroyed them centuries ago. The humans are all dead!”

  A panel shorted out, throwing a cascade of bright sparks across the War Room. Smoke was becoming prevalent in the air as the ship’s ventilation system struggled to keep the air clear.

  “Evidently not,” Slith retorted as more red lights appeared on the damage control board. The ship was starting to come apart around them! The damage control board was indicating numerous compartments in vacuum and spreading fires; the ship wouldn’t last much longer. “Those are human ships out there, and our jump drive is offline. Engineering is reporting the drive core has suffered heavy damage, and we can’t jump until repairs are made. The WarFire is reporting their drive is also offline.”

  “Intensify our attack then!” Malken hissed, his cold, dark eyes gazing at the tactical console and the four Hocklyns who sat there. “We must destroy them!”

  There was no doubt in Malken’s mind that they had found who had been destroying their ships and was responsible for those mysterious ship readings: it was the humans! He had to get this information back to the Hocklyn High Council! If he could escape and take this information back, then honor might yet be forthcoming. He felt his ship shake violently, and more red lights appeared on the damage control console.

  -

  Thomas felt the StarSearch shudder as an enemy missile penetrated a weak spot in the energy screen and detonated against the ship’s hull. Glancing at the damage control board, he saw that only minor damage was being reported. The new energy screens were holding up against the Hocklyn weapons fire. However, the Hocklyn energy beams were causing the screens to fluctuate and allowing some ordnance to penetrate.

  On a side viewscreen on the front wall, he watched as the two Devastator missiles launched. The two were separated by a five-second firing interval. More missiles erupted from the other six missile tubes, targeting the same location on the Hocklyn ship’s shields. The six Klave class missiles contained high explosive penetration warheads. The shield was already wavering under the intense fire from the lasers.

  Occasionally a laser or an explosive round would strike the Hocklyn cruiser, causing even more damage. Large areas on the Hocklyn ship’s hull were showing heavy damage with deep jagged holes. Weapon emplacements had been blasted away, and numerous fires were burning inside.

  “Swanson is reporting severe damage,” the communications officer reported, looking over at the commander. “They have numerous fires that are out of control and heavy casualties. They are requesting permission to withdraw.”

  “Denied,” Commander Thomas spoke with pain in his voice. “He had to keep the pressure up on the two Hocklyn warships even if it meant sacrificing the destroyer.

  It was at that moment that the first Klave missile detonated against the Hocklyn’s shields, followed seconds later by one of the Devastators. The ten-kiloton warhead finished what the lasers had nearly completed; the Hocklyn’s energy shield went down. The second Devastator missile and the rest of the Klaves detonated against the Hocklyn ship’s hull and the resulting nuclear explosion washed over the main viewscreen. When it cleared, the Hocklyn ship was gone.

  “Hostile One destroyed,” reported Major Mason.

  “Target Hostile Two,” Commander Thomas ordered, his eyes shifting to the two green icons on the tactical display that represented his destroyers. They had to help them before he lost one; they were not designed to take on a Hocklyn escort cruiser by themselves.

  “Swanson is down,” the sensor operator reported suddenly as a brilliant flash covered the main viewscreen. “Argyle is reporting that they are taking on heavy weapons fire and their shields are close to failure.”

  “Bring our heavy lasers to bear and fire two more Devastator missiles,” ordered Thomas, feeling numb at losing one of the destroyers and over two hundred men and women. This was the first time he had lost anyone in combat.

  Moments later, the second Hocklyn vessel vanished in multiple nuclear explosions as it activated its self-destructs.

  “Hostile Two is down,” the sensor operator reported with obvious relief in his voice.

  “Communications, contact the Argyle and see if they need assistance,” ordered Thomas, allowing himself to take a deep breath. Looking over at Major Mason, the commander continued, “Check on our casualties, Glenn; we lost some good people today.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Mason replied. He let out a long breath and glanced around the Command Center. Everyone looked shaken but were going about their assigned duties.

  Thomas looked over at the communications officer. “Communications, after you have contacted the Argyle, send a message to Fleet Command in the New Tellus system. Inform them that the two Hocklyn ships have been destroyed, but we lost the destroyer Swanson.”

  -

  Down on the planet, Lieutenant Krandle stared with open relief at the long-range sensors that showed both Hocklyn ships had been destroyed. She also noticed with sadness that one of the green icons representing the Federation ships was also missing. The battle hadn’t been without losses.

  “Sergeant Simmons, tell the people they can come out of the deep bunkers. Set the defensive satellites to Condition Two. This is over with for now.”

  -

  Commander Thomas had moved his remaining two ships over Caden’s World. The StarSearch and Argyle had just gone into orbit when the sensor operator reported more contacts jumping into the system. The tension in the Command Center went up as everyone wondered if it were more Hocklyns.

  “What do we have?” demanded Thomas, focusing his eyes on the large sensor screen next to the plotting table. He watched nervously as over a dozen red threat icons appeared, and then visibly relaxed as they turned to a friendly green.

  “I have the battlecruiser WarHawk and two battle carriers, the Liberty and Independence, as well as two Monarch heavy cruisers and eight light cruisers reporting in,” the communications officer replied.

  “They sent a full fleet,” Major Mason commented surprised at the number and size of the ships in the quick response force. “They were not going to take any chances with what might be waiting for them here.”

  “I have Rear Admiral Tolsen on the com, Sir,” the communications officer reported. “He is requesting our current status.”

  Thomas took a deep breath and then activated his mini-com, putting him in instant contact with Admiral Tolsen. “Admiral Tolsen, this is Commander Thomas of the StarSearch. We are currently going into orbit over Caden’s World. Both of the Hocklyn ships have been destroyed and from what we can tell were not able to get word out as to what they had found.”

  “That’s good news, Commander,” Admiral Tolsen’s strong voice responded. “What are the conditions of your ships?”

  “The Swanson was destroyed in the battle, the Argyle has moderate damage, and I have sent additional repair crews over to assist. The StarSearch received some minor damage and should be back to full operational status within two hours.”

  Admiral Tolsen was quiet for a moment before replying, “We will be micro-jumping in system and will rendezvous with you in a few hours. Once there, I want you and your executive officer to come aboard the WarHawk for a meeting. I want to go over the battle with you in detail as well as all the data that you collected. If the Hocklyns found this system once, it’s only a matter of time before they find it again.”

  -

  Commander Thomas looked out of the shuttle’s cockpit windows as they neared the WarHawk. The sh
ip was massive at 1,200 meters. The battlecruiser was covered with weapon emplacements, including offensive and defensive turrets that dotted the hull. However, Thomas knew that the WarHawk’s most powerful weapons were the new power beams that had been installed in the bow. Rumor had it that they were much more powerful than lasers.

  “I wonder what will happen next?” Mason commented as he stared at the massive warship and the open flight bay that they were rapidly approaching.

  “We prepare for war,” Thomas replied in a sad voice. “We knew this day was coming, it’s just here earlier than we expected.”

  After the shuttle landed in the bay, Commander Thomas and Major Mason made their way to one of the small briefing rooms next to the Command Center. Two heavily armed marines allowed the two to enter. Once inside, they found Rear Admiral Tolsen and several of his aides.

  “Have a seat, gentlemen,” said Tolsen, motioning for them to sit down. “I want to go over this battle in detail before sending a full report to Fleet Command.”

  For the next hour, they went over every aspect of the battle, from the weapons used in the opening salvos to the end when the heavy lasers had been used as well as the four Devastator missiles.

  “I’m concerned about one thing,” Admiral Tolsen commented as he watched the last Hocklyn escort cruiser explode in a series of nuclear explosions on the large viewscreen. “The Hocklyns screens seemed to hold up surprisingly well to our initial attack. Even when the lasers were used, the shields didn’t go down instantly.”

  “Is it possible the Hocklyns have strengthened their shields?” asked Major Mason, worriedly.

  For years, the Federation had been basing their strategy on the fact that the AIs had not allowed the Hocklyns to further develop their weapons. For untold centuries, the Hocklyn ships and weapons had remained the same.

  “I guess it’s possible,” Tolsen surmised not looking pleased. “We need to get this data back to Fleet Command and let the experts analyze it. I’ve already sent shuttles out to check the wreckage, but I don’t expect to find anything meaningful.”