Center Worlds - Spark

by Tim Morrison

  Chapter 5.1

  Loss Of A Planet - Clanworld Desinlo -17 BA

  Ryo Camelin continued to command the TGX-2 and it began to move onwards. Clan Michelab challenged his authority on a number of occasions, but the Leader of Clan Camelin refused to be drawn into a war with them on their terms. Then a signal was received that made no sense. A single ship dropping into the Desinlo system from a billion kims away, moving towards the planet on a steady course. The TGX-2 did a Vortex jump to investigate.

  As soon as they dropped into range, battlestations were called, and Ryo noted Gya and Lyo mustered to the bridge to be placed in combat seats by the hatches. He knew they were safe, even as the ship was identified for what it really was. A Gunstar.

  Gunstar. A planet-killing weapon designed by long-dead elders from Clan Kerilac and now able to be built by Clan Michelab. Banned by the entire Confederacy, but as the Clan was at war, they now disregarded those laws. Fifty mets long, with a realspace thruster and an unshielded fusion reactor, the Gunstar was a flying mainframe. Capable of pumping out a full Terawatt of destructive tachyon pulsed energy as it destroyed itself. Very basic targeting systems finished it off. Plus a massive shield up front to stop anything destroying it before it got into firing range.

  Ryo was watching readouts as he listened to Gya quietly explain to Lyo how the Gunstars worked, and when he heard her comment about them all being destroyed, quietly interrupted them.

  "This is a new one, Gya." Gya and Lyo looked up to see the Commander looking at them. "Sensors, any idea where this came from? Gunstars were never equipped with Neospace drives before."

  "We are detecting evidence of a neospace plume from back along the Gunstar's point of origin. It's moving at half-light towards the primary of this system. No evidence that it has a neospace drive, most likely, it was dropped by a FTL ship which then slipped back into drive." Came the report from the science station.

  "How long until it is within it's firing range?" Kalen asked.

  "At current speed, 300 seconds, Captain." Tactical reported.

  "Our weapons platforms didn't slow it or damage it?" Ryo asked.

  "Negative, Commander. It appears to have a very secure forward shield, proof against a Mainframe barrage, and we are too far away for Missiles or Lances to strike it in time."

  Ryo furrowed his brow, then looked at Kalen. "We can't let it get into range, one blast from it will destroy everything we've done over the past eight cycles."

  "You think we should blockade the path?" Kalen replied, checking the readouts.

  "I don't think we're being given any choice in the matter." Ryo said, then looked at the primary monitor again.

  "Tactical, navigation, activate neospace drives and put us directly, I mean directly in the path of the Gunstar, at maximum planetary orbital range. I want it to have to physically hit us before it can get into firing range. Spin the ship so that our drives face the thing, then feather the thrust. Our engine ports should be able to take the impact from it's blast, and the anterior cannon hopefully can cut it apart before it gets a chance to fire." Ryo ordered.

  Gya and Lyo felt the deckplates shudder and vibrate as the ship spun around then slid into neospace, travelling slightly above lightspeed as it slid across the star system to drop out in the path of the oncoming weapon. More vibration as the ship spun on it's axis so that it's six main exhausts pointed at the rapidly approaching spacecraft and then the engines began to spew half-burned fuel in an attempt to generate a cloud of hydrogen that would help to cushion or disperse the blast.

  "It's scanning us, Commander." Tactical reported, "I'm detecting energy buildup – It may be preparing to fire."

  "If you detect the tachyon surge, full thrust plume." Kalen ordered.

  "We probably won't even know until it strikes us, Kal-" Ryo said, then the entire ship shuddered and vibrated.

  "Weapon has fired, Gunstar is vaporizing." Tactical reported.

  "Damage Control, what's our status?" Kalen yelled as the entire ship shook from the impact of the super-luminial weapon.

  "Engines one, three, and six are offline, fuel feed blowout. Fire in aft damage control unit, Aft gunnery control is not responding to hails. No reply, the lines may be actually damaged." Damage Control reported as the automatic systems reported their status.

  "Commander, oh Gods, we have a major situation." Tactical said as an alarm blipped. Kalen walked over as Ryo looked on. "Commander, Six more Gunstars just dropped out and are approaching. Almost the same vector, similar speed."

  "Six! Spin us side-on and arm the cannon for barrage fire. Set up our relativistic guns to generate an interdiction zone as far away from us as possible. Try to shred them as they approach. Where are those cruisers?" Ryo ordered.

  The massive ship turned side-on to the approaching weapons and it's main cannon opened up, firing barrages against the heavily armoured bows with little effect. Smaller guns along the top and side of the TGX began to fire packets of Cobalt spheres that expanded outwards as they sped away from the ship at near-light speed, becoming a lethal cloud at about 250,000 kims away.

  "Lyo, get down to Aft Gun Control and let us know what's going on. Stay in the central shaft and contact the Bridge on the closest working Comm. Move, lad!" Kalen barked. Lyo stood, and dashed out the door.

  Gya looked around, slightly bewildered, until she was motioned over by Comm Officer Cato. "Monitor this channel, let me know if you hear anything, even if it's just a blast of static, copy?" A pair of headphones was thrust onto her head and Gya began to listen intently to a whisper of noise that was being received by the Battlecruiser.

  Ryo reviewed the incoming reports as the ship's guns continued to pour a lethal barrage of energy and projectiles at the oncoming weapons. As they watched, the Gunstars passed through the 250,000 kim zone. Not all of them though, three exploded, and a fourth began to drift sideways, no longer under control.

  "Keep the guns aimed at the last two, it looks like our projectiles are doing better than the lances." Kalen barked.

  "Energy buildup – they're going to fire!" Tactical reported.

  "Brace for impact." Ryo shouted just before the ship rang like a gong and then showers of sparks and fire leapt from some consoles.

  "Cato, I hear something, I think it's voices." Gya said, tapping Cato on the shoulder as the ship rumbled around them. The other woman quickly flipped one of the earphones away from Gya's head and listened intently.

  "Captain, we have incoming, it sounds like friendlies but I'm not sure, they're only just coming in Actual range." she reported.

  "Put me on Comm, Cato. That may be our cruiser wing." Ryo said. At the nod from the officer, he spoke. "This is Commander Camelin on board TGX-2. We are under attack by Gunstars deployed from one or more carrier craft. Are you able to assist?"

  A loud blast of static that quickly resolved into a strong and clear voice. "... Camelin this is Captain Tokoma aboard Cruiser Decious. We have you in visual and are moving to assist. Sorry we're late to the party but we have dealt with the Carrier. My wing is ready to assist and defend."

  Ryo nodded, and replied "Acknowledged, Cruiser Decious. Glad to have you around. We have killed seven Gunstars, however there may be more." He paused, then the entire deck surged violently, Ryo fell against the table as the main lights went out, followed by most of the control consoles.

  "TGX-2 are you receiving? Relativistic projectiles have just passed through your location. We are in pursuit, however they are going to hit the planet. Can you receive and are you able to assist?"

  "No reply, sir. I'm detecting massive damage, the ship has been holed in a hundred places." Captain Tokoma's Science officer reported.

  Tokoma shook his head and swore quietly. "All cruisers, target those projectiles and tear them into pieces, I don't want any to reach the surface. Open it up, Sergeant!"

  The twelve cigar-shaped cruisers leapt forward, their laser-based weapons firing continuously as they targeted the cloud of projectiles speedin
g towards the rapidly approaching globe. Projectile after projectile flared and dissolved into a cloud of slag, however before they could even clear half the cloud, the leading edge had entered the atmosphere and was impacting.

  Captain Tokoma watched as the last projectile struck, then turned to his Comm Officer. "Signal the Clanworld. We'll need repair and recovery. Clanworld Desinlo has been destroyed."

  The cruisers spun and went to pull alongside the ailing TGX battlecruiser, now listing and venting from close to a hundred impact points where the near lightspeed projectiles had cut through the outer hull like it was foam.

  “That was brutal.” Kalen gasped as he lifted a ceiling panel off one of the other staff and staggered over to where Ryo was leaning against the comm console, shaking his own head from the ringing and impact.

  “What is Helva hit us? How badly are we hurt?” Ryo yelled.

  “Most systems are impacted, Commander. We're not getting much. Primaries are rebooting and rerouting.” Damage Control reported.

  “AC? Are you still online?” Ryo called, he heard a hiss, then the voice of the AI replied. “All core systems functional, Commander Camelin. AC is online.”

  “Can you identify what happened?” Ryo asked as he helped Cato and Gya back to their chairs from where they had been flung by the deck bucking wildly. He then slumped against the comm console as the primary computer collated the reports.

  “The ship was impacted by a large number of Cobalt projectiles travelling at prox 95 light. Outer hull is severely compromised. All major sections of the ship are airtight, automatics are working to restrict atmosphere loss. Damage is primarily around launch and landing bays, outer gun platforms, docking ring, and fuel tanks. We have lost eight percent total fuel and venting continues.”

  Ryo got to his feet again and staggered over to where Kalen was leaning, helping the other man to his feet as well.

  “We got a war on our hands, Captain.” He said.

  “Commander, we have a broken ship. If we don't get her fixed, we won't be fighting anything except vacuum.” Kalen replied.

  “Do we have communications? Anything? Anybody?” Ryo asked.

  Other staff had managed to get back to their stations and ship systems were coming back to life as the automatics routed around damaged sections to reconnect data lines and control systems.

  “Tactical is coming online, the N'Gouras are in close orbit, ready to assist, Commander. Nothing else in system. They are relaying tactical data to compensate, We are in the Clear.” Came the report from the tactical console.

  “Reactors are all stable. No damage to them or their fuel assemblies. Engines are all offline. Venting fuel from all tanks, loss estimated at 10% and rising.” Reactor control reported.

  “All weapons are offline, Commander. We have no response from any gun control. We may have lost forward control, reports indicate a projectile may have passed right through it.” Gun Control reported.

  “We have steering control, but no main engines. We are working to correct the list and gravity control is operational. No loss of field. Primary grav chute is offline due to venting.” Navigation reported as they began to fire thrusters to correct the ship's attitude against the uncontrolled fuel venting.

  “We've got to stop the fuel leaks, Commander. Atomized hydrogen out there combined with leaking oxygen can cause secondary explosions if it builds up any pressure. The last thing we need is a feedback pulse to the tanks – we'd lose the ship and blast half the atmosphere off the planet if we go up.” Kalen said as he looked at the readings coming from Damage Control.

  “Put the tanks into drydock.” Ryo said.

  “Commander?” Kalen asked, not sure what he had heard.

  “Switch the tanks into drydock mode. That activates the baffles and compartmentalizes them. We can stop the leaks and then switch back once we've patched the hull. We're not going anywhere right now anyways, so shut down the primary drives and lock the tanks down.” Ryo said, going over to reactor control.

  “Aye sir, Dryock mode set, activating baffles and lock down.”

  “Get me a comm line to Tokoma, I need to know what's happened out there.” Ryo said, looking over at Cato.

  “The planet's burning, Commander. We shot down maybe half of them, the rest impacted. At the speed they were going, they've driven into the mantle. I've got volcanic activity all over the impact zone. Fresh magma. Massive atmospheric disruption. The city is in shambles, the shield was down and at least three projectiles hit close enough to have caused major quakes. We still don't have any word from any of the teams, we may have lost the people down there, Sir.” Tokoma reported as he read off sensor readings and described the visuals for the stricken battlecruiser.

  “We'll worry about our teams once we get stabilized. What's your view of us visually?” Kalen asked.

  “You're not doing much better. Fuel blows all over the anterior hull, we count at least sixty full depth punctures, Captain. We can see straight through the hull on many different impact points. Most of the venting has stopped, but you are in a massive cloud of debris.” Tokama replied.

  “The core is still running, so we can repair. Did you get a message through?” Ryo asked.

  “Yes, Commander. Clanworld is sending a repair ship now, it'll be here in ten hours.” Came the reply.

  “Good, we're going to need some work done on this old girl.” Kalen said, looking out the hatch, then he pushed off to almost run out and grabbed at a crewman as he nearly staggered in, face coated with blood.

  “Gya, grab his arm, help me get him to medical!” Kalen said as Gya rushed around the console to assist. She didn't immediately realize, but as she got close saw that this was Lyo, badly hurt, but it was her Lyo.