by J. S. Hawn
“Transmit to Oeillet and Charon to pursue and destroy enemy targets.”
Jonathan paused looking at the read out. “Message to convoy to form sphere, Fury and Cronus to take center.”
“Aye sir,” Heath said beginning the transmission.
As he did so, Jonathan hit the switch on his console ordering general quarters.
Across Fury, the klaxon blared and crewmen dropped whatever they had been doing as the prerecorded voice called out repeatedly,
“ALL HANDS, MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”
Jonathan watched as his board lit up as each section reported stations manned and ready. One minute and ten seconds till all green, Jonathan allowed himself a small smile at that. He’d been running his regular gauntlet of drills since the convoy had gotten underway, and the results of this were showing in the crew's performance. Still, training was no substitute for experience. Jonathan sat in silence, his jaw set and his expression neutral as the two Solarian destroyers closed on the fleeing Colonial ships. A good size gap had appeared between the the Solarian ships and the convoy when two more signatures resolved out of the Liu Bei’s debris field, not far from the stern of Charon and Oeillet. As Jonathan had suspected, the first two ships were decoys designed to draw off the convoy’s escorts. Once that was done, the trap was sprung and the four ships would turn on the now isolated Solarian destroyers. No doubt the hope was to neutralize the convoy’s escorts, thus making the sluggish merchantmen vulnerable to being picked off one by one.
“Communication signal the Cronus. My compliments to Captain Trendale and ask if he is ready to ambush the ambushers.”
The debris field the Colonials had hid in was a double edge sword. As much as it scrambled the Solarian lidar systems and scopes, it also rendered the Colonials nearly blind. They would have been able to ascertain the existence of the convoy, but not necessarily how many escorts it had or what class.
“Signal from Cronus sir. Captain Trendale’s compliments, message reads After you Fury.”
Jonathan was about to give the order to move away from the transports and engage when the face of his XO popped up on his screen. George was at his station in the auxiliary control center. One of the more morbid aspects of the XO’s duties was when the ship was in combat, the only thing he was suppose to do was to standby in case the Captain died and the bridge was taken out.
“Skipper, I think you should hear this,” George said.
Next to George a window appeared showing the grizzled face of Lt. Alan Sing, Fury’s assistant tactical officer.
“Go ahead Mr. Sing,” George urged the other man.
“Right, uh Captain sir I think we need to hold off,” Sing said.
“Oh, and why perchance is that Mr. Sing?” Jonathan asked slightly annoyed.
“Well sir, it's like this. I think there is another pair of Colonials waiting to jump on us, or the merchies as soon as we move to engage.” Jonathan raised an eyebrow.
“Any evidence of this or just a gut feeling?”
Sing nodded vigorously and pulled a sensor readout up for Jonathan to see.
“I had the gut feeling, so I had the computer run a pattern displacement on the asteroids and ice chunks in the belt. Scopes can’t pick out power signatures in that muck, but it can find drift patterns look here,” Sing circled two points with a red circle. “And here, do you see sir?”
Jonathan studied the image intently for a moment then nodded. The sensor read out was tracking micro meteorites. The readout Sing had sent him indicated four areas in the belt where the drift pattern shifted. Asteroids seemed to be going around or reversing direction there, the by- product of bouncing off a ship's kinetic barriers. The sensor logs showed the two frigates, which had jumped from the ambush moving out of the belt, but left two other similar signatures still in the belt, both were causing larger displacement than the frigates.
Jonathan bit his lip. These could of course be other decoys meant to prevent him from supporting Oeillet and Charon. Jonathan looked at the read out. Cronus was already moving to engage, and Oeillet and Charon had raised their barriers and made ready to stand and fight. Jonathan made his decision.
“Mr. Heath signal Cronus. Tell them they're going to have to go it alone. Tell Oeillet and Charon to close with bogeys 1 and 2 and destroy them. Cronus will pursue bogey 3 and 4, and we will hold here.”
Jonathan thought for another moment and then nodded, turning back to the screen.
“Let's see if this works. Both of you stand ready.” Sing and George acknowledged and winked out.
Jonathan brought up the video link to the Fury’s hanger where Major Alicia Kern fully kitted out in zero-g combat armor stared back at him.
“Major, are your Devil Dogs ready to jump off?”
“Aye sir. 1st Platoon is kitted out and flight 1 of gunships is standing by.”
“Right then, go ahead and launch. It looks like we're going to have a visitor sooner than I would like.”
Jonathan continued to issue orders holding Fury within the formation of merchantmen, while the other vessels closed to attack range.
Bogeys 1 and 2 which had turned back toward Oeillet and Charon were indeed definitively identified by their signature as New Congo class ships, the same class Jonathan had dealt with in New Helsinki. Lidar painted their emissions profile as CCNS New Bolobo and Sonki.
Bogeys 2 and 3 also turned heading toward Cronus. No doubt, the Colonials had decided their best course was to engage the three Solarian destroyers as separately as possible rather than all together. It was prudent, especially since the Solarian ships were bigger and better armed. It also landed credence to Lt. Sing’s theory. If Jonathan had been in command of the Colonials, he’d have the frigates tie down the Solarian escorts then spring his trap. Bogeys 2 and 3 EM resolved gradually as the range closed. One was pinged as CCNS Ando. The other though...
“Sir, this can't be right,” Heath said from his station. “EM shows Bogey 3 as an Octavian class Frigate designation unknown.”
Jonathan looked at the profile, and then slowly shook his head.
“The read out is correct Mr. Heath. It does makes sense. OMI reports show that the Colonials have a higher number of hulls in service than previously estimated. In all likelihood, they are newly purchased vessels from the inner world. Rule number one of business, after all, is that war is good for business.”
Jonathan quickly called up the ship's copy of Jane's Fighting Ships. Yes, Octavian was a fairly new class of warship launched just five years before as the latest addition to the navy of the Earth Treaty Organization. They weren't really new though. They were mostly built on the recycled frames of Peacekeeper class Frigates, which dated from the Terran Federal Union. The ship had 325 men, two rail guns and Jonathan's eyes went wide, 40 missile tubes. It was a goddamn missile boat. Plain and simple.
“ETO ships out here?” Elman his voice showing he didn't really believe it.
“Yes indeed,” Jonathan said e-messaging him the Jane’s entry.
“No doubt somebody in the ETO is making a tidy profit selling the Colonials extra hulls.”
Lt. Commander Elman stared wide eyed,“Can they do that?”
“Of course they can. According to Jane's, Octavians are designated export class. In my limited experience with ETO export laws, that means shipyards don't even need government approval to fill orders for private buyers. That's why we have so many ETO built craft in the hands of mercs and pirates.”
“But that's...” Elman said obviously dumbfounded.
“That’s the inner worlds Mr. Elman. Nothing stands between a Terran and a Omnicred,” Heath said sullenly.
As they spoke, Oeillet and Charon closed in range of New Bolobo and Sonki. The read out went wild with a light show of color as rail guns fired and missiles and decoys went off like fireworks.
“Sir, Flight 1 launching,” Elman said.
Three new icons appeared next to Fury as the gunships took off. On board was a pl
atoon's worth of Solarian Marines. Each gunship was armed to the teeth with a forward mounted tri-barrel firing depleted uranium slugs, two plasma cannons, and a dozen missiles. Jonathan wasn't sure about using boarders. It tended to be a high risk high reward option, but in a case like this you needed to play all your pieces.
Jonathan's board lit up again as Cronus came in range of Ando and the Octavian class.
Jonathan squeezed his arm rest in anxiety as he watched the battle unfold, no other Colonial ships made an appearance. If it turned out he was wrong and there were no other Colonial forces or if it was just a tender ship, then he would have unnecessarily put Solarian spacers at risk.
Reports from the unfolding engagement were filtering in. Oeillet had taken a bad hit and lost one of its main rail gun batteries, and Cronus was reporting the Octavian as having more missile launchers than any previously known class. It was pushing Cronus’s defense system to the limit.
Finally, Jonathan could take it anymore, “Prepare..” A loud alarm sounded cutting off what Jonathan was going to say.
“Sir, new signature coming out of the field. Sensors indicate destroyer class currently unknown closing quickly on Cronus’s rear.
“All ahead full, helmsman. Mr. Elman get our barriers up and the guns loaded. We are going to come right up this bastard’s tail pipe.”
Jonathan brought up Lt. Sing’s sensor model.
“Mr. Heath, transmit this information to Major and her Marines please. Tell them to look for this signature. If they find this signature, I believe they’ll find the Colonial tender. I’d like them to take it more or less intact. Now full speed ahead.”
The three gunships peeled off and dived toward the asteroid belt, while Fury moved past the clustered transports toward the Colonial vessels.
Bringing up the com to engineering, “Mr. Okai, how’s she looking.”
“All green sir. Good showing considering how long she was in mothball.”
“Right then. Well let's see if she’s still got her legs, full speed ahead,” Jonathan replied.
“Aye sir,” Okai answered.
Jonathan and every other crewman braced as the acceleration alarm sounded. Three seconds later the main reactor let out a massive spike of power, and Jonathan felt himself crushed into his seat, his eyes went wide as he watched the master read out. The ship’s compensators were working overtime to adjust to the new acceleration, but the crew still experienced fifteen seconds of 7 G’s. There was a scattering of reports of injuries, broken bones and the like, and Jonathan made a note to do more acceleration training at the next opportunity.
Lt. Commander Heath called out, “Sir Bogey 5 has turned and she’s heading straight for us. EM is resolving. Its a Militare class destroyer designation CCNS Abouet.”
Jonathan smiled a predatory grin. The Militare was a class of ship similar to Fury’s own Horatio class in that it was designed as a commerce raider. The Militare class was close to twenty years old, and the Colonials had opted to make it a Frigate killer, a vessel designed to take out escorts or system patrol craft. As such, she was long on main armament hosting 12 rail guns and 12 plasma cannons, but was short on torpedos which were a crucial element to break the back of larger vessels.
“Range is closing, ten seconds to optimum firing position,” Elman called out.
“Right, keep us facing toward her at all times, and get those torpedoes firing and missiles firing. I want as narrow a profile as possible and us to overwhelm her PDS. Full power to forward barriers.”
“Five seconds..four..three..two..one..FIRE!”
Jonathan winced slightly as Elman bellowed the order. It wasn't necessary to yell so loud what with the sound sensitive com system, but he was young, he’d learn. The Fury seemed to shudder as her armaments let loose.
“Sir Abouet is opening up.”
Jonathan watched the seconds tick down. Super heated plasma and depleted uranium slugs flew toward the ships as they speed toward each other. Abouet was the first to get hit. Her kinetic barrier flared as the plasma bolts struck home. The ship began to turn to better distribute the power of the blast. It was a logical move and it was successful. The plasma barriers were strained, but didn't break as the kinetic slugs plowed into them.
“Fire torpedos,” Jonathan ordered.
“Aye sir, Fire one,” Elman said.
The board went from yellow to green as the torpedos left their tubes.
“Missiles sir?” Elman asked.
“Wait one!” Jonathan said as the kinetic barrier strained from the impact of plasma bolts and rail gun shots.
“Full speed ahead keep firing all weapons, but hold off on missiles until we are within 3,000 feet,” Jonathan said.
“Sir, that’s awfully damn close,” Elman said his brow beginning to sweat underneath his clear vac helmet.
“Exactly. They expected us to roll and bring our broadside to bear since they are suppose to be able to easily out run us. In a few minutes, they are going to realize we're not slowing down, and...”
Abouet seemed to be coming to that conclusion as Jonathan spoke. The next round of plasma blast from Fury tore into its already overstretched barriers, which flickered and died. This allowed three of of Fury's rail gun slugs to rip into the vessel, the fourth went wide but the three that connected did their work well. Two of Abouet’s plasma cannons were knocked out, as was the hydraulic control for one of its forward turrets. The third shell found its way into the crew quarters and opened the mostly empty section to space. Abouet was still reeling when the broadside of torpedos hit her amidships.
“Sir, signal from Abouet. They surrender, repeat they surrender,” Heath called out.
“Right. Cease fire and scramble two of our remaining gunships to secure that ship. Make sure there's a medical team onboard.”
“Aye sir.”
“Now let's go help Cronus out.”
Jonathan kept his face neutral as they passed by the stricken destroyer. He’d expected the engagement to be drawn out, but even he had underestimated the speed with which Fury had closed the gap between her and the enemy ship. Sometimes the best way to be unexpected, was to use what was tried and true rather than new and shiney.
Seeing the Fury quickly dispatch their flagship and closing rapidly with them, the two Frigates Cronus had been dueling turned to make a run for it. The sturdier Octavian managed to clear weapons range, but the Ando had no such luck. She’d already taken a pounding from Cronus and as she turned her barrier failed, and one of Cronus's rail gun slugs tore directly into the engine room destabilizing the reactor.
Jonathan winced as the frigate’s icon flashed and disappeared.
“Signal Cronus to support the Oeillet and Charon. We are going after the Octavian.”
Fury flew at full speed in dogged pursuit of the Colonial Frigate.
The ammunition conveyor thundered like some terrible prehistoric beast as it brought more missiles and depleted uranium slugs up from the ammo bunkers. Once the deadly instruments arrived at their intended destination by mechanical means, they were heaved off their conveyors by the ship's crew using nothing but pure muscle power and loaded into the missile tubes or rail gun autoloader, and when the gunnery light turned green sent hurling into the black at terrible speeds.
Despite the raw destructive power Fury was sending toward the fleeing frigate, Jonathan could see from his vantage it was having little effect. The fleeing ships proximity defense system was tagging missiles with interceptors or point defense lasers turning them into nothing but floating scrap before they got within effective range. Octavian was already out of effective plasma battery range, and was juking and jinking making its already small profile a difficult target for the Fury's forward rail guns to hit. Meanwhile, Fury's active firing during the pursuit kept her on a straight course which made her an easy target for Octavian’s two aft rail guns. Thus far, the forward kinetic barriers had stopped all the slugs but the strain was beginning to show. Watching the range continue to grow J
onathan shook his head.
“Helmsman, reduce speed to one quarter.”
“Aye sir, reducing speed,” replied the helmsman.
“Mr. Elman make safe the batteries, and when the Octavian leaves effective range redistribute kinetic barriers to regular setting.”
“Aye sir,” Elman said the disappointment evident in his voice.
No doubt he was frustrated at letting a foe get away, but he’d learn eventually that it was enough to win with a minimum of losses. Jonathan brought up the ship's PA, “Attention all hands, this is the Captain. I have decided to terminate our pursuit of the enemy Octavian class frigate. Though I know some of you will be disappointed by this course of action, the fact is that through luck, skill, and no small part of iron will on your part we succeeded in crushing an enemy wolf pack. That one ship escaped our clutches is irrelevant. Its command ship has surrendered and...”Jonathan looked at the note that Heath just handed him. “I have just been informed that a detachment of Marines under the command of Major Kern has captured the enemy collier. Be proud of what you did today. This war has not begun as we hoped, and you have handed the Navy what maybe its first major victory. That is all,” Jonathan concluded.
Across the Fury's compartments the crew, their hair matted with grease, their uniforms soaked with sweat took up a cheer..’Three cheers for Fury..” In the forward coolant department, a cheer went up for Able Spacer Frigate the ship's pet Gremlin, who was hoisted above the crewman's heads and passed back and forth. All the time rations and other treats being stuck in his tiny hands much to his enjoyment.
On the bridge where the echo of the crewman's cheers could be heard but the celebration was more sedate, Jonathan slumped in his chair. He allowed himself a moment's respite, and slowly let go of the deep sense of dread which had gripped him throughout the entire engagement. Each time Jonathan had taken command of a ship he’d lost half his crew. First on Valiant and then Titan that had cost him a serious injury as well one he was still recovering from. Now though, that irrational fear that had gripped him was seeping away like a piece of old gnarled driftwood being carried out to sea by the unstoppable tide of his relief. One of the worst parts about being Captain was that you could never let anyone see what you were thinking. Fear and self doubt had to be buried, and buried deep. This made command of a warship the most desirable but loneliest profession. Returning his mind to his duty, Jonathan called up the read out of the convoy and its escorts. The situation was manageable. Faced with the threat of an Olympian class destroyer New Bolobo and Sonki had turned to flee. Sonki was too badly damaged to make a clean getaway and had surrendered. New Bolobo was making a run for it, but she was bleeding atmosphere, and Jonathan doubted the ship would make it very far. On the Solarian side, Oeillet had taken several hits and was reporting over 200 casualties. Charon and Cronus, on the other hand, had only sustained minor damage and reported a dozen casualties each.
