Some of his men turned to look back at him. It was clear that they would have liked to question his orders.
Mike let out a sigh and explained, “We are the rear guard. We’re going to make sure that we all have a way out open to us if need be.”
There they sat slowly following along as the two other ships of their task force moved deeper into the system and towards Arcadia.
“Anything?” Collins asked turning toward his maser operator.
Specialist Jim Byrd shook his head, “No sir, not yet.”
“Nothing here either,” Chac-Ras added working the space radar and other sensor unit next to the maser station.
Mike look to computer ops. where Ensign Barry Steven sat manning the terminal.
“Anything you can detect Barry?”
The redhead young officer was from America’s mid-west. He had also been a captive of the Karduans on the ISS Mammoth prior to its liberation.
“Sir, I’m detecting a faint signal from the asteroids along the Star Wolf’s path,” he said.
“Tie into sensors and find its source,” Mike ordered and looked to his comm. station, “Contact, the Star Wolf and give them the signal to trace.”
A chorus of “ayes” answered him as his men moved to carry out his orders.
Time went by slowly as they waited, sweated and worried. The Wolf sent a follow up saying they had also detected the signal and were aware of the situation.
The Star Wolf gave the asteroids a wide berth to insure that there wasn’t a hidden minefield within them. Nothing happened until the Cody reached the scattered asteroid belt.
“Sir, I’m detecting a huge maser pulse,” Byrd yelled out from his maser station.
“Confirmed! It’s coming from the various asteroids between here and the colony,” Ensign Steven said from his computer terminal.
“It would take dozens of maser systems to create such a field,” Specialist Byrd added. Thinking of the amount of wrecked or captured Confederation ships they must have stolen them off of to set up such a field.
“Why?” Hutton asked from the helm.
“Because they want to detect a ship with stealth plating,” Mike announced opening his commanded channel to the Wolf.
Hope face appeared in the small screen on his chair.
“No worries, we detected it as well,” the old captain said and turned to fire control officer. “Chief Burke, a little target practice if you please.”
Looking back to his main viewer, Collins saw the attack cruiser as it open fired with its long-range particle turrets knocking out all of the asteroids that had hidden maser systems which were within her range. He shook his head knowing that the damage was already done and that the Karduans now knew where the Wolf was.
The Star Wolf’s stealth armor was working better then it had since they first stole the ship. After the Battle of Austro Prime they found that amongst the Confederation prisoners were crewmen from the original crew of the Star Wolf. Some of these crewmen were engineering technicians that helped to restore some of her stealth capabilities. Unfortunately, she had numerous spots that had been repaired with regular hull armor and lacked stealth capabilities. They had coated these areas in TPA but it still wasn’t the same. A maser detection grid, this large would be able to detect the cruiser, not to mention that the IPS Spider was still attached to her rear section.
The Star Wolf knocked out the enemy’s detection grid just as enemy ships started to appear on their maser scopes.
From the sun side of the gas giant came eight ships led by a Karduan Star Destroyer – a ship more than twice the Wolf’s size. Her escort ships included four standard destroyers each with the firepower of a heavy cruiser. A companion destroyer, two older escort destroyers, and a human auxiliary carrier rounded out the approaching enemy force.
“Give me a wide maser sweep with all sensors,” Mike called seeing that the enemy squadron was almost all heavy and slower ships.
“Sir, the carrier is an old Lexington class and its transponder has identified it as the ISS Saratoga,” Ensign Steven reported from his station.
Mike knew that the Lexington class might have been an old auxiliary carrier but it could still carry up to forty-eight fighters. They were used mostly with the defense fleets as they were unable to keep up with the bend and maneuver capabilities of the Confederation’s more modern attack fleets.
Even with all of this it would take the enemy force close to an hour to close in on the Wolf and even then the attack cruiser’s superior speed would easily allow her to escape ahead of them. Star-fighters were new to the Karduans but they were learning quickly. Maybe they hoped to launch a fighter attack to slow the Wolf down and hurt her enough to keep her from escaping back to the gravity well.
“It is not enough to do the job,” Collins announced turning towards his maser station. “Jim, what do you got for me?”
“Sir, I’ve got nothing,” he said and quickly added. “Wait! I’m detecting five ships coming around the ice giant and heading on an intercept course with the Star Wolf.
“Relay that to the Star Wolf and the Cody,” he called to communications and then looked back to his maser operator. “Type of ships?”
“A Battle Destroyer, two Standard Destroyers and two Confederation frigates,” he said.
“Transponders on the frigates ID them as the ISS New Orleans and ISS Waterloo, both older Battle Class ships,” Steven added from the computer station.
“That makes three older Confederation ships,” Mike stated to no one in particular.
“Sounds like another Defense Fleet was defeated,” Thornton remarked from the helm.
“Sir, the two frigates have broken off and are heading towards us,” Byrd reported.
“Orders sir?’ Lt. Thornton asked glancing back at his captain.
“Hold one,” Mike said and looked down to his command channel and opened the link.
“Captain Hope’s face appeared on the small screen with a grin. His eyes were like those of his namesake as the Hawk studied his holo viewer’s star map closely watching the enemy fleet’s disposition.
“Sir, it looks like you were right and they are trying to flank and envelop you,” Mike commented with a smile.
“Yes, except for that detection grid and the carrier, I think we called it spot on,” he said with a nod.
“Two frigates are coming for me,” Mike reported calmly.
“Stick to the plan,” Hope said and continued, “We are coming about and making a run back to you.
“Good luck sir, don’t worry we’ll keep the door open,” he said knowing what his role in this battle would be.
“And to you,” Hope said and cut off the signal.
Mike could see that his screen was now showing the attack cruiser and sloop turning about and changing course back towards the gravity well. Their course would take them right through the battle destroyer and the two destroyers.
As Collins sat there smiling he realized his crew was waiting for orders.
“Helm, full speed ahead. Let’s go out and greet those frigates,” he said with a grin.
Closing on the old frigates he remembered the role of the Q-Ship was surprise and guile.
“Sir, the Karduan ships are ordering us to surrender and prepare to be boarded,” Jansen relayed.
“Stall them and get us closer,” Mike ordered leaning forward in his seat.
“Karduan ships, we are having communication trouble. Please repeat your last message,” Jansen said and then repeated his reply a half dozen times until the enemy stopped broadcasting.
“Sir, twenty minutes until we are in their range,” Byrd replied from the maser station.
Mike watched and slowly nodded. Waiting was the worst part but he couldn’t show his hand too soon.
“Two minutes until they are within our long range firing solution,” Chief Baker called out waiting at the fire control system.
Collins saw on the main viewer that they had just passed the green phase line a
nd could now open fire with their particle turrets.
“Steady on, hold your fire,” Mike said calmly. “Open a channel and tell them that we are an unarmed civilian freighter and don’t want to fight.”
It was a lie, a Ruse de Guerre or a deception of war. He wanted them a little closer before he fired but timing had to be right. Watching the viewer, he saw that they had passed the blue phase line and were in optimum torpedo range. In a few minutes they would pass the red phase line and the frigates’ particle turrets would be able to hit them back.
“All energy turrets extend and open fire,” Collins ordered “torpedo tubes one and two, fire one torpedo each on the approaching frigates.
In a matter of a minute the docile express freighter became a turret-covered ship of death. The Randori opened fire with its forward, topside and bow particle turrets. The two standard torpedoes were quickly launched and streaked across the space between them. They weren’t Blitzens but they were close enough that it didn’t matter. One found its mark and hit the Waterloo in its bow blowing a massive hole out of the front of the old frigate. The second ship torpedo was luckily shot down by the New Orleans before it could hit. The Randori continued to score numerous energy weapons hits on the frigates with the closer Waterloo taking a terrible beating.
“Sir, I’m getting an odd message from New Orleans. They say they surrender and that their human crewmen have taken control of their ship,” Jansen reported from comm.
Mike let out a hard breath and frowned.
“Cease fire on their ship,” and then added, “Tell them to prove it.”
A moment later the New Orleans opened fire on the Waterloo crippling her maneuver drives with a fusion shot to her engines.
As his crew cheered Mike looked doubtful.
“It could be a Blue trick, open a channel on main viewer,” he ordered.
In another moment he could see the bridge of the New Orleans. There was some smoke but the old ship’s ventilation system was quickly clearing the room. Unlike the Waterloo which was a wreck, the New Orleans was in better condition having shot down the incoming ship torpedo. She still had numerous hull breeches and several turrets where blown clean off but her heavily armored engines, both bender and maneuver drives were still intact.
The crew of the bridge seemed to be mostly made up of humans along with several Karduan males. There were more than a few bodies lying on the deck, all of which were Blue female officers.
“I’m Lt. Michael Collins, Captain of the Imperial Q-Ship Randori. If this is some kind of trick, I’ll blow you from space with every turret I have.”
A human male wearing the tattered remains of Confederation uniform with the rank of Lt. junior grade moved closer to the viewer.
“No trick sir, we’ve been waiting for an opportunity to mutiny. One of my men figured out the how to override the slave collars. We have control of the bridge and engineering section but there are still armed Karduan guardswomen onboard,” he said looking tired but happy to be free.
“What’s your name, lieutenant?” Mike asked starting to believe that they were who they said they were.
“Lt. John Card, sir,” he answered. The young officer was brown haired and brown eyed and looked like he could use a shave and a bath.
Mike nodded and opened his command channel to the Wolf.
“Sir, you copy this?” he asked.
Hope shook his head, “Your call captain.”
“How much time do we have?”
The Hawk looked to his maser operator Ben Lewis.
“We have an hour before the Battle Destroyer and two Destroyers are on us and fifteen minutes after that the enemy fighters should reach us. Thirty minutes after that the Star Destroyer and the Karduan main force will reach us if we can’t fight our way clear,” he could hear Lewis report.
“You got that Mike?” Hope asked.
“Yep, I’ll send over a boarding party to either get that ship underway or to evacuate any of our people and blow them up. The Randori will proceed as planned.”
“Roger that - Hope out,” the old captain said shutting off his channel.
Mike opened a channel to the leader of his boarding parties.
“Jack, I want two boarding parties ready to go. Use our cargo shuttle along with the armor shuttle. The first is to secure the New Orleans. Take all of our repair droids, a prize crew and some extra emergency hull plating. The second is to board the Waterloo and rescue any humans and Karduans that wish to surrender.”
“No problem Mike, I’ve got it,” Master Gunnery Sergeant Jack Masters replied having already moved to do just what his captain had ordered
“No chances Top, I can only give you an hour and you don’t want to get stuck like we did back on the Alamo,” he advised.
“Don’t worry boss, I remember the Alamo,” he said straight-faced though it sounded like a bad joke.
“Jack, rig the Waterloo to blow,” he added, “remote detonator.”
“Right,” he replied and the channel went black.
Mike squirmed in his seat wishing he could do something to help. He liked being in command of a ship but he also like leading a boarding party into a firefight. It was tough sitting on the sidelines he thought and now he knew how Captain Hope must have felt all those times he was on missions.
“Cover fire for our shuttles, if anyone fires on them blast them to hell,” he ordered. The Waterloo hadn’t officially surrendered yet but she had several hits to her bridge and there really wasn’t much of her left to surrender.
“Sir, shuttles have launched,” Chas-Ras reported from his sensor station.
That was fast he thought but then he shook his head and smiled. The Gunny was the best.
“Captain, one of the Karduan destroyers has broken off from the Battle Destroyer’s group and has come about on a direct course towards us,” Jim Byrd announced.
“That was to be expected but they must not really think we are a real threat yet,” he declared with a laugh.
“Why do you say that sir?” Thornton asked from the helm.
“Well … they only sent one destroyer,” he said as his bridge crew laughed.
It was a good laugh and they all felt better for it.
“Sir, our shuttles have docked without incident,” Ensign Steven reported a few minutes later.
“All right, let’s go say hello to this destroyer,” Mike said sounding optimistic, “Helm, full speed! Let’s close the distance to the Kardie destroyer.
Mike still had several cards up his sleeve but he knew that this time some of his surprises were gone. They knew he was a warship and a heavily armed one at that. He couldn’t play the distance game as easily with a destroyer as they had similar if not equal firepower. If he got too close the Karduan ship could give him a very bad day. He still had much better maneuvering speed and that would help.
“Time to target?”
“Fifteen minutes,” the maser station reported.
Lt. Collins watched the screen while trying to keep tabs on the boarding parties. He needed his first officer but Cappillo was in engineering. Mike would have said let Chief Bell handle it but Rufo was needed on hand if his next trick didn’t work.
“Captain, Gunny Masters reports that they have cleared the Waterloo and have rescued ten of our people, five Karduan males and they have taken six female Blues prisoner,” Jansen reported. “He is now heading to the New Orleans to help with repairs.”
“Acknowledge his report,” he said wishing he had a cup of coffee.
“Ten minutes, sir,” Specialist Byrd sang out.
Mike waited and watched the battle destroyer, which was still thirty minutes from the Wolf and the Cody. Watching the screen, it looked like the Star Wolf had slowed down perhaps to give the Randori a little more time to carry out her part of the plan.
“Five minutes,” the countdown continued from the maser station.
“Load Blitzens,” he commanded as the fire control officer repeated his order.
&n
bsp; A Blitz Krieg torpedo had a warhead the equivalent of a half-kiloton nuke and enemy ships always tried to take them out even before other missiles. The Blitz Krieg was named after the German tank tactic of lighting war, which was used in World War Two to overwhelm Poland, France and most of Europe.
They were more often simply called Blitzens after the fastest of Santa’s reindeers. The torpedoes had cutting edge avionics and counter warfare software. They were also extremely fast, often getting to a target even before an energy shot or accompanying missiles could hit. This sometimes made them a solitary target for counter batteries to shoot at, but with their extreme speed they tended to counter even that.
These Blitzens were also coated in TPA or Tran-Poly Aluminum which standard Karduan sensors had difficulty locking onto. This is why Mike had waited to the last minutes to fire his standard torpedoes in the last fight. He knew the enemy was watching and studying him while he battled the frigates. The frigates probably had maser systems beings they were once Confederation ships and could track his TPA treated torpedoes. The destroyer was a different story unless it had a maser refit.
“One minute until we are in range and they will have a firing solution a minute after that,” Chief Baker reported before the maser station could.
One minute to wreck havoc and death Mike thought.
“Extend missile turrets and commerce firing,” Collins ordered having kept from using his standard missile turrets in the last battle.
A half dozen turrets extended and rapidly fired, quickly followed by his long range particle turrets.
“Enemy anti-missile measures are in place and they are knocking down only about twenty percent of our missiles,” Chac-Ras reported from standard sensors.
Mike smiled thinking – they don’t have maser system.
“Fire Blitzens!” he ordered
“Torpedoes away,” Baker cried out with a smile and a chuckle.
The crew watched as the enemy fired at their missiles and at the Randori. They were now in range of the destroyer and they were taking numerous hits from their long-range particle guns. The Q-ship rocked as it stabilizers fought to right the ship. A moment later two Blitzens hit the destroyer, one in its bow and the other amid-ship.
Wolf's Run: The Chase of War (Star Wolf Sqaudron Book 2) Page 13
