“Energy beam strike to construction bay four,” reported the damage control officer. “The energy shield wavered slightly over that area due to the detonation of a number of Trellixian fusion missiles in the same spot on the shield.”
“Shield is stable now,” added Castell from Tactical.
“Repair crews are on the way to the bay. For now it’s been sealed off,” reported the officer at damage control. “The damage did not spread.”
“We’ve eliminated thirty-seven of the enemy battlecruisers with the aid of the fleets. Both fleets are taking heavy losses. We’re losing a lot of support ships.” The sensor officer’s gaze was focused on his screens as he kept track of the battle.
Kallon studied the tactical display. Unless he was mistaken, between the shipyard and the two fleets, they could destroy what remained of the attacking Trellixian ships. However, in the meantime, the two fleets would be decimated. More ships were dying every few seconds. Kallon tried not to think about the loss of life.
-
Fleet Commander Kamuss was nearly thrown to the deck as the Claw of Honor shook violently, and warning lights filled the damage control console.
“We’ve been hit by three Trellixian energy beams,” reported LeLath. “We have multiple decks open to space and heavy casualties. Energy shield is at 28 percent and falling.”
The ship shook again, and Kamuss could see the frightened look on LeLath’s face, though she did not speak her fears. He knew he was about to lose his ship. The ship suddenly shook violently again as if it had been struck by another vessel. Alarms began sounding and the damage control console lit up with more red lights. He expected to see his ship coming apart around him.
“Fusion missile hit to the shield,” reported Zalurr. “The shield is failing.”
“Commander! Look on the viewscreen!” shouted Metriic.
On the screen, the Vengeance was putting herself between the Claw of Honor and the attacking Trellixian ships, leaving her support ships behind. She was so close that her energy screen was shielding the Voltrex vessel from the Trellixian weapons. The energy screen of the Human ship glowed white with exploding energy from the number of enemy vessels trying to destroy it.
“Get our screen back up!” ordered Kamuss as he gazed admiringly at the Human vessel. “Pull us back to safety! The Vengeance can’t handle that firepower for too long.” Kamuss knew the Human ship had only one functioning reactor.
“Shield is going back up,” reported Diboll.
“We’re pulling back, and the Vengeance is also,” added Metriic.
Kamuss’s gaze was glued to the viewscreens.
The Vengeance fired her energy weapons nonstop, destroying Trellixian battlecruiser after battlecruiser. A group of support ships surged forward to give cover to the Human ship. The space around the Claw of Honor seemed to be full of dying vessels, both Voltrex and Trellixian.
-
Major Mark Dolan let out a deep sigh of relief as the Vengeance and the rest of the Voltrex ships pulled back to just below the defense grid. In their wake they left dozens of destroyed Voltrex warships and a few Trellixian battlecruisers. The nearest battlestation with Jelnoid energy cannons was now firing nonstop at the Trellixian ships. Occasionally one of the deadly warships would blow apart from excessive damage.
“Continue to target the nearest Trellixian battlecruisers,” ordered Mark as he stared at the viewscreens. Brilliant flashes of light indicated the detonation of Voltrex and Trellixian fusion missiles.
“We tapped out the fusion reactor at 115 percent,” cautioned Lisa. “Another minute or two and it would have melted the new alloys we installed.”
“Two minutes and eighteen seconds,” added Chloe. “I was monitoring it.”
Mark nodded. “We did what we had to do.”
Lisa agreed with the major. She would have hated to see LeLath die in this battle.
-
Fleet Commander Kamuss’s shoulders slumped as more Voltrex ships died. His fleet and Fleet Commander Alassah’s fleet were still attacking the Trellixians in squadron-size units. Occasionally a Trellixian battlecruiser would be destroyed. Several times an entire squadron of Voltrex ships would die in the attack. The weapons fire from the battlestations helped as well as the energy beam fire from the defense grid. On the main viewscreen, numerous small explosions marked where Trellixian energy beam fire was destroying the satellites which made up the grid.
“The Trellixians are now in range of more of our battlestations,” reported Lieutenant Commander LeLath. “The added firepower is starting to have an effect.”
Kamuss watched a viewscreen as the massed energy beam fire from one of the battlestations slammed into the main section of a Trellixian battlecruiser, setting off massive explosions and hurling large pieces of glowing debris into space. Several fusion missiles arrived, and the enemy ship vanished in a pair of novalike explosions.
“The ship losses are balancing out,” reported Zalurr. “The weapons fire from the battlestations, the Vengeance, and our ships has evened up the battle. I don’t believe the Trellixians can win.”
Kamuss nodded, agreeing with Zalurr’s assessment of the situation. Looking at the tactical displays, Kamuss saw the Trellixians were now losing as many ships as the Voltrex. If the Trellixians did not withdraw, they would be wiped out, though there wouldn’t be much remaining of the Voltrex fleets either.
-
Trellixian Battle Commander Balforr saw victory slipping away from his grasp. “Fire the Malken missile at the nearest battlestation,” he ordered. “I want a full barrage of our fusion missiles to follow. Surely the Malken missile can break its energy shield.”
The firepower from the Voltrex battlestations and the defense grid was having an adverse effect on his fleet. Too many ships were being lost. The Jelnoid energy shields prevented him from destroying the shipyard or the battlestations. As a result his fleet suffered.
Second Officer Jaltor looked at Balforr. “We only have the one. The High Command didn’t think additional missiles were necessary due to the new fifty-megaton fusion missiles.”
“A mistake on their part,” replied Balforr, his eyes revealing his growing anger. “Now do as I command!” He was determined to cause as much damage to this system’s defenses as possible.
Balforr would have liked to fire the missile at the Human ship, but dozens of Trellixian vessels had surged forward to cover it as well as the Voltrex ship it seemed to be protecting. No way he could hit the Human vessel. However, the nearer battlestation was a more tempting target.
“Missiles launched,” reported Jaltor.
Balforr’s eyes shifted to the viewscreen of the one-thousand-meter battlestation.
-
The Malken missile struck the shield of the battlestation in a massive blast of light and energy, causing it to fluctuate at the point of impact. Ten more fusion missiles struck almost simultaneously. Two missiles penetrated. In two massive blasts, the battlestation was obliterated.
-
Kamuss had to close his eyes as brightness filled the Command Center from the viewscreens before they dimmed automatically. “What was that?”
“Battlestation Twelve has been destroyed,” reported Zalurr in a shaken voice. “The Trellixians deployed a different type of missile. Sensors indicate a detonation of one hundred megatons. They also followed up with a strike of their other fusion missiles. It appears two of them penetrated the weakened energy shield and destroyed the station.”
“Antimatter,” reported Meela from Communications. “The Humans say the Trellixians used some of these missiles against their world. They also believe the missiles are difficult to produce, as the Trellixians only seem to possess a few of them.”
Kamuss watched as the viewscreens came back on. One showed Battlestation Twelve or what was left of it. A scattering field of glowing wreckage was all that remained. This was one of the stations with the Jelnoid cannons and was probably why the Trellixians had chosen to attack it.
-
“Prepare the fleet to enter hyperspace,” ordered Balforr in resignation. With the appearance of Jelnoid technology, he couldn’t conquer the system. He had succeeded in causing massive damage to the defending fleets and the planet’s defensive grid but not enough to allow him to win if he remained.
Jaltor looked at Balforr in confusion. “If we withdraw, nothing will stop the Voltrex from developing Jelnoid technology and spreading it to all their worlds. This part of space will forever be off-limits to our fleets.”
“We can’t prevent it now,” Balforr said as he watched several more of his battlecruisers being destroyed by the shipyard as well as the Human ship. “We should have destroyed the Humans when we first found their world. Now we will live with that mistake.”
-
Major Dolan watched in surprise as the Trellixian ships disengaged and made the jump into hyperspace.
“They’re leaving,” reported Chloe.
“Why?”
“They did not have the ships remaining to defeat us. The Voltrex willingness to sacrifice their warships to defeat the Trellixians was the turning point, along with the firepower from the battlestations. The Voltrex were losing ships at a three-to-one rate at the beginning of the battle. During this last part it was nearly even. When you add in the firepower from the shipyard, our own ship, and the battlestations, the Trellixians realized victory was not possible. They withdrew to save what was left of their fleet.”
Mark took a deep breath and stood. “Will they return?”
“Unknown,” replied Chloe. “It depends on the resources the Trellixians are willing to commit to fight the Voltrex. Once Jelnoid technology has been applied to the Voltrex ships, the Trellixian fleet losses will increase substantially.”
“Good job, Major,” said Captain Erickson, standing with the help of a med tech. “I couldn’t have done better myself.”
“Thank you, sir,” Mark answered. “But the Vengeance is still your ship.”
Erickson nodded. “Yes, but, if I recall correctly, a new battleship is being finished in the Voltrex shipyard. I think you will make a fine commanding officer for it. When that ship leaves the construction bay, you will be its captain.”
Mark didn’t know what to say. He just stood there with his eyes open wide.
“Think about who you want for your command crew,” ordered Erickson. “I would also suggest choosing a Voltrex as your second in command.”
Mark nodded. “I will do that immediately, sir.”
Erickson looked at the med tech and the two Marines who stood close by. “Now get me back to my quarters. I suspect if the ship’s doctors knew I was in the Command Center, we would all be in trouble.”
Moments later, after Captain Erickson left the Command Center, Mark was deep in thought. He could hardly believe that shortly he would be in command of a battleship, one fully equipped with Jelnoid technology. Looking around the room, Mark wondered who he should ask to join him on the new vessel. His eyes focused on Lisa and the others. He had a lot to think about.
Chapter Twenty
Trellixian Battle Commander Balforr stood in front of the tactical display, his breathing barely under control. He had lost! His fleet defeated!
“How do we tell the High Command we have failed?” asked Second Officer Jaltor. “We will both be executed for such a colossal defeat.”
“Silence!” roared Balforr, baring his sharp tearing teeth to show his anger.
He was tempted to put his hands around Jaltor’s neck and silence him once and for all. Balforr wondered, if he had attacked several weeks back, would today’s battle have been different? If he could have attacked before the Voltrex deployed the Jelnoid technology from the Human ship? Now it was too late, and Jelnoid technology would soon be loose in the galaxy, technology very dangerous to the Trellixian Empire. He felt uneasy about what the future might hold.
For several minutes Balforr struggled with how to best explain this debacle to the High Command and not lose his position in the fleet. He realized there was only one possible solution. Walking over to one of the guards in the Command Center, Balforr came to a stop. “Hand me your energy pistol.”
The guard did so without question. He was trained to obey orders from his commanding officer.
Balforr turned toward Second Officer Jaltor and, without hesitation, shot him in the chest. Jaltor looked at Balforr with a look of surprise and confusion and then fell to the floor. “Because of his failure as a second officer we were defeated by the Voltrex,” announced Balforr. “His recommendations resulted in delaying our attack against the Voltrex colony world.” Balforr did not know if this gambit would work, but it would give the High Command the blood they would demand for this defeat. “How many ships do we have remaining?”
“Two hundred and seventy-eight,” answered Maldane from the sensor console. “Some of them are damaged.” Maldane did not look at the body of the second officer lying on the deck. He had no desire to join him.
“Order all ships to initiate repairs while I plan our next move.” Balforr looked down at Jaltor’s unmoving body. “Guards, remove this vermin from the Command Center.”
Two guards hurried over and carried Second Officer Jaltor’s body out. It would be taken to a waste disposal chute and incinerated.
Battle Commander Balforr sat back down in his command chair. In his mind he reviewed what he would tell the High Command. He also wondered if he should eliminate any more members of the ship’s command crew.
-
On the Vengeance, Mark listened as Chloe described the damage the ship had suffered during the recent battle. It was surprisingly minor. A few blown power couplings and a number of lights in different sections of the ship. The Jelnoid energy shield had protected the ship amazingly well.
“An awful lot of Voltrex ships are making their way toward the two shipyards for repairs,” reported Kia as she studied the information from her sensors.
“How many ships did they lose?”
“Over half of their fleet,” replied Kia. “Probably 40 percent of what remains has suffered damage.”
Brenda looked at Major Dolan. “Will the Trellixians attack again?”
“Probably not for a while and, by the time they do, the Voltrex should have installed the Jelnoid energy cannons on the rest of the battlestations. Once that’s finished, the Trellixians won’t dare attack.” Mark would feel a lot easier when that was done. Fifteen battlestations all armed with Jelnoid energy cannons and protected by a Jelnoid energy shield would be impossible for the Trellixians to get past. Mark hoped someday Earth would be as strongly defended.
“Their defense grids been hit pretty heavily too,” said Kia. “On the side of the planet where the Trellixian fleets were, it looks as if nearly 63 percent of the grid is gone.”
“They can adjust their remaining satellites to cover the planet,” said Chloe. “I also suspect they can bring in new satellites from their other worlds, if needed.”
“Fleet Commander Kamuss is asking about the condition of our ship,” reported Ensign Smith, her gaze shifting to Major Dolan. “He reports his flagship is heavily damaged and will take several weeks to repair.”
“Inform Commander Kamuss that our repairs are minor and will be completed in an hour. Offer him our help with his repairs.”
Ensign Smith nodded and sent the message.
Mark looked at the computer console where Chloe resided. “Is there any chance the Trellixians will attack again?”
“No,” Chloe replied in her youthful voice. “They lost over half of their fleet. It will take them at least three to four weeks to repair their battle damage. By then the Voltrex will have the new Jelnoid energy beams installed in all their battlestations as well as their big station above Bator Nine.”
Mark let out a deep breath. It seemed all they needed to do was get their new battleship ready, and they could set out for Earth. He wondered what President Hathaway and General Mitchell would say when the Fury
and the Vengeance arrived in the solar system.
“Commander Kallon requests we take up a defensive position near the shipyard,” Ensign Smith reported. “He’s sending coordinates. We’ll be joined by ten battlecruisers and thirty support ships. He believes the battle is over, but he wants to be prepared, just in case the Trellixians return. All ships assigned to us are undamaged. The rest of the Voltrex fleet will be evaluated to determine which ships are still fully combat capable.”
“Set a course,” ordered Mark. “Also ask Commander Kallon if there’s anything else we can do.”
A moment later Ensign Smith turned toward Mark. “Not at the moment. Commander Kallon does want to thank us for our part in the battle. If not for the Vengeance, many more Voltrex ships would have been lost, including the Claw of Honor, Fleet Commander Kamuss’s flagship. Fleet Commander Zolmar’s flagship is the least damaged and should only need a day to repair. Once it is, Fleet Commander Zolmar will join our fleet formation and take command.”
“Tell Commander Kallon that we were glad to assist, and we’ll be waiting for Fleet Commander Zolmar to join us.” Mark knew this battle had made the alliance between the Voltrex and the humans even closer. He also felt very optimistic about what the Voltrex could do to help Earth.
-
Lisa and Brenda were in the ship’s cafeteria, talking. It had been a trying day and one in which they could have died.
“I may give up exploration,” said Brenda as she stirred her coffee with a spoon. “It’s a lot more dangerous than I imagined it would be.”
Lisa nodded. She was beginning to feel the same way. The thrill of finding new worlds and studying new lifeforms rapidly faded away with the stark reality of what they had been through. The galaxy was a harsh place, much of that caused by the Trellixians, but no doubt the stars around Earth would be much the same.
Any worlds worth colonizing could already have Trellixian colonies on them. Star systems rich in minerals would have Trellixian mining operations already established. Lisa had decided this would be her one and only exploration mission. She preferred doing research on Earth at Complex One with Professor Wilkens. When they returned, she would tell him that.
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