Jeremy nodded. He hated abandoning the valuable research ship, but he didn’t see anything they could do to save it. “Contact Admiral Cleeteus and have him jump one of his battlecruisers in to evacuate the crew. The strikecruisers can cover them while that’s being done.”
A few moments later, one of the Alton battlecruisers suddenly vanished into a spatial vortex to appear a few thousand kilometers from the stricken research ship. Jeremy just hoped that both Garan Mikow and Tanith Leeth were okay. He was anxious to know just what they had found that had provoked such a response from the AIs.
-
For the next hour, Jeremy and everyone else watched nervously as the two Alton ships made rendezvous and the crew of the Deep Search were shuttled over to the battlecruiser. Six strikecruisers were hovering nearby, knowing that at any moment the AIs could jump in and attack.
“I think we’re going to make it,” Commander Malen said as the last shuttle left the Deep Search. The words were hardly out of her mouth when the ship’s sensor alarms began sounding.
“Multiple contacts,” Kevin reported his eyes showing concern at how close the AIs had jumped to the Federation and Alton fleets. “Range two million kilometers.”
Suddenly three additional contacts blossomed unbelievably close to the Deep Search and the protecting Human strikecruisers and the Alton battlecruiser.
“The three original AI ships have jumped inside the planet’s gravity well,” reported Kevin quickly, seeing that they were already in attack range. “They’re going to try to destroy the Deep Search and our other ships!”
-
Above the planet, the strikecruisers turned broadside and opened fire with their main batteries quickly scoring several telling hits to the AIs’ screens with their heavy laser batteries and railgun turrets. But the main reason the cruisers had turned was to bring more missile tubes to bear. Suddenly from each strikecruiser, twelve 100-megaton sublight antimatter missiles flashed out of their tubes to impact the powerful screens of the AIs.
Unfortunately, for the AIs that meant that seventy-two of the deadly missiles all impacted the three energy screens within seconds of one another. Two of the AIs screens failed immediately and their heavily armored hulls were struck by multiple missiles. In both cases, glowing balls of pure energy flashed through the hull destroying critical systems inside the ships. As they were consumed by the ravaging antimatter energy their self-destructs activated, blowing both AI ships into millions of small, glowing pieces.
The third AI ship was heavily damaged but managing to return fire. The strikecruiser Lassen was hit by six fifty-megaton antimatter warheads, collapsing her screen. Deadly white AI energy beams flashed out, carving deeply into the cruiser and opening up numerous compartments to the vacuum of space. The ship staggered, and then several massive internal explosions blew out several large sections of the hull. An AI energy beam struck Engineering, destroying both the sublight drive and the hyperdrive. The ship’s computer, sensing critical damage to the ship, instantly initiated the Lassen’s self-destructs and the Human strikecruiser was blown apart as two brightly glowing suns appeared in her position.
-
“Strikecruiser Lassen is down,” Kevin reported, stunned at the sudden fury of the brief battle. Even as he spoke, the Alton battlecruiser blew the remaining AI apart with its powerful particle beam weapons. “All three AIs have been eliminated. The last shuttle is on board the Alton battlecruiser and all ships are returning to the fleet.”
Jeremy nodded. He knew the Alton battlecruiser could jump back at any time, but its commander was electing to stay with the remaining five strikecruisers. Glancing at the tactical hologram, Jeremy estimated it would take the six ships another twenty minutes to clear the planet’s gravity well. A sudden bright light attracted his attention and shifting his gaze to the main viewscreen, he saw that the Deep Search had blown itself apart with its self-destructs. Jeremy just hoped that the crew of the Alton research cruiser had managed to preserve the scans they had made of the galactic center.
-
Precious minutes passed as the six ships neared the edge of the gravity well. Fourth fleet and the Alton battlecruisers were at the ready, expecting a massive AI attack at any moment. Their expectations were rewarded as sensor alarms on all ships started sounding as the AI ships suddenly jumped back into hyperspace to appear moments later around Fourth Fleet.
“AI ships are in attack range,” Kevin reported uneasily as one of the deadly fifteen hundred-meter spheres appeared on one of the large viewscreens. “Detecting eighty-two ships!”
“Six minutes before our battlecruisers clear the gravity well,” reported Commander Malen, her face pale from the nearness of the AIs.
“All ships, fire!” Jeremy ordered in a commanding voice. “Take those AI spheres down!”
Even as Jeremy spoke, the Avenger shuddered violently and several red lights appeared on the damage control console.
“Energy beam strike to section eighteen,” the damage control officer reported. “We have four compartments open to space.”
“Light cruisers Sundance and Britannia are down,” Kevin said as the two friendly green icons vanished from his sensor screen.
“Firing particle beam cannon,” Lieutenant Preston spoke.
“Power beams firing,” added another of the tactical officers as she depressed several blinking buttons on her console.
-
In space, bright blue and violet beams reached out to strike the AIs’ energy screens. Powerful sublight antimatter missiles began smashing into the AI shields, causing them to waver in some sections. Occasionally a missile would slip through and explode against the armored hull of an AI ship gouging deep glowing chasms in the armor and interior. In several cases, multiple missiles and energy beams struck, destroying the deadly ships in massive explosions of light.
The AIs also possessed powerful weapons. Fifty-megaton antimatter missiles were being hurled at the Human and Alton ships. Powerful white beams of pure energy carved long jagged cuts into ship hulls. A battlecruiser was bracketed by numerous antimatter explosions and then four of the deadly AI energy beams flashed through the failing ship’s energy screen, blowing the ship apart. Alton ships closed fearlessly on the AIs, firing their powerful particle beam weapons, which cut right through the AI shields carving deep glowing gashes into the hulls of the massive vessels.
-
“Battlecruiser Decatur is down,” Kevin spoke as the large warship’s icon blossomed on the sensor screen and then vanished. “Strikecruiser Nova is down.”
Jeremy flinched. The Nova had been with Fourth Fleet for a long time.
“One more minute until the ships are clear of the gravity well,” Commander Malen reported in a strained voice as she watched the tactical holographic displays. Both fleets were now intermingled and firing upon one another at near point blank range.
“Admiral Marks wants to know if she should send her bombers in,” Angela spoke from communications.
“The bombers will have little effect against the AIs,” spoke Ariel as she made sure that the Avenger’s weapons were hitting their targets. She was keeping a close watch on the targeting computers and missile launching systems.
“No,” Jeremy responded as he saw several more of his light cruisers vanish from one of the tactical displays. He clenched his hands tightly, knowing they had no choice but to continue to engage the AIs. “We’ll be jumping out shortly, and we won’t have time to recover the bombers. It’s best to keep them on the carriers for now.”
“Admiral Cleeteus is moving his battlecruisers even closer to the AIs,” Commander Malen reported her eyes growing wide.
On one of the main viewscreens, an Alton battlecruiser could be seen engaging an AI ship at a distance of what could be no more than ten thousand meters. Energy beam weapons fired from both vessels. From the Alton ship, half a dozen bright blue particle beam weapons tore through the AI’s shield, blowing out massive sections of the AI ship’s hull. On t
he Alton battlecruiser, several antimatter explosions caused their shield to waver and two of the AI’s deadly white energy beams flashed through, entering the ship on one side and then exiting the other. Hull debris could be seen floating away from the stricken cruiser.
-
Around the fleet’s battlecarriers, the light cruisers fought valiantly to keep the AIs from firing on the large Federation ships. Mixed in with the defenders, a number of battlecruisers and strikecruisers added their considerable firepower. Bright flashes of light were visible everywhere, and then an AI ship made a short hyperjump to within fifty kilometers of the battlecarrier Boise. The AI ship poured a withering hail of fire into the battlecarrier, stripping her energy shield away and then firing six fifty-megaton antimatter missiles into the ship. Six glowing suns appeared, instantly annihilating the large carrier.
-
“Battlecarrier Boise is down,” Kevin reported through clenched teeth. Looking up at the main viewscreen, he saw the damaged Alton battlecruiser suddenly explode in a blazing light, taking the nearby AI ship with it.
“Ships have exited the planet’s gravity well,” reported Commander Malen, looking over at Jeremy. “We can jump!”
Jeremy instantly changed his mini-com back to ship-to-ship. “All ships enter hyperspace now and rendezvous at the emergence coordinates.” Then looking over Commander Malen, “The Avenger will jump last.”
Around the Avenger, ship after ship opened up blue-white spatial vortexes and jumped into the safety of hyperspace. Even as they were jumping, another battlecruiser and strikecruiser were struck down by the AIs.
“The Alton battlecruiser Cydonia has come alongside,” Kevin reported. The Cydonia was Admiral Cleeteus flagship.
“They will jump when we do,” Angela reported from Communications.
Jeremy nodded. This didn’t surprise him much. Admiral Cleeteus hated what the AIs had become. He was also an anachronism for the Altons, as he didn’t mind fighting. The Avenger began to take on more fire as there were fewer Federation ships for the AIs to target. Fortunately, the battleship’s powerful energy shield was holding up.
“All ships have jumped,” reported Kevin, looking at Jeremy expectantly. “It’s our turn!”
“Jump us out,” Jeremy ordered just as the Avenger was struck by what felt like a massive hammer. Jeremy was flung forward and struck his head against the command console.
“Hyperdrive is down!” yelled Commander Malen as her face took on a panicked look. Consoles were shorting out and dark smoke was filling the Command Center. In the distance, she could hear people screaming.
Jeremy felt his head swim and then he passed out into painless darkness.
Chapter Four
Jeremy felt as if he had been hit in the head with a hammer. He struggled to open his eyes as the room gradually swam back into focus. He saw instantly that he wasn’t in the Command Center but in the med bay.
“What happened?” he stammered, seeing a doctor and nurse standing close by.
“You hit your head, Admiral,” Doctor Clarence Ruyl answered as he stepped over to the side of Jeremy’s bed and looked at several medical devices that were reporting on Jeremy’s current condition.
“The ship, is it safe?” Jeremy forced out. It was all he could do to maintain his focus. He suspected he was pumped full of medication.
“It’s safe,” Doctor Ruyl responded. “Evidently the Altons have a few technologies they haven’t told us about yet.”
“What do you mean?” asked Jeremy, feeling as if he was about to pass out again. He needed to get back to the Command Center and find out what kind of shape the Avenger was in.
“From what I was told,” the doctor began, “We received a partial hit from an antimatter missile and several AI energy beams. There was substantial damage in Engineering. We lost the hyperdrive and the sublight drive was knocked offline. Admiral Cleeteus maneuvered his flagship directly over us and activated some type of tractor beam and dragged the Avenger into hyperspace. We’re at the rendezvous coordinates and damage control teams are working to repair the ship.”
“I need to get to the Command Center,” spoke Jeremy, trying to get up.
The doctor put his hand firmly on Jeremy’s chest and pushed him back down. “You’re not going anywhere for a few days,” he said firmly. “Now go to sleep. The fleet’s in good hands.”
Jeremy was going to argue more, but the doctor must have adjusted his medication as he drifted off into a deep and restful slumber.
Ariel was watching Jeremy via her sensors in the med bay. She'd briefly panicked when she saw Jeremy get knocked unconscious in the Command Center. For a moment, she'd thought they were all going to die. Kevin had yelled at her to focus on the ship and its condition. If it had been anyone else except for one of the Special Five, Ariel would have ignored the order. She went back to rerouting ship systems to stabilize the Avenger even as medical personnel rushed to Jeremy’s side.
Now, gazing at Jeremy resting in the med bay, she went back to work. She kept one of her monitors focused on Jeremy just in case he needed her.
-
When next Jeremy awoke, he could tell considerable time had passed. His head felt much better and he only had a minor headache. Ariel was standing by his bed with a look of concern in her deep, dark eyes.
“How are you?” asked Ariel, sounding anxious. It worried her anytime any of the Special Five were injured. Both Katie and Angela had been seriously injured in the past; now it was Jeremy. The five were considered special since Jeremy and Katie’s fathers had played a crucial part in establishing the Federation. Kelsey’s father had been the military leader of Ceres at the time and had also played a huge part in forming the new Human Federation of Worlds. Angela and Kevin had been on the New Horizon along with Jeremy, Kelsey, and Katie when it had been hijacked and flown deep into Hocklyn space. The New Horizon had been Earth’s first attempt at interstellar flight. It had been necessary for warships from Ceres and New Tellus to find the New Horizon and rescue what was left of its crew from the Hocklyns. The only survivors had been the four young cadets and Katie.
“I’m feeling better,” admitted Jeremy, rising up to a sitting position. “How long have I been out?” He wanted to find out what the current status was of the ship, and Ariel would have all of that information.
“Two days,” Ariel replied her eyes focusing on Jeremy. “Doctor Ruyl felt it was wise to keep you under while he treated your concussion.” She moved closer until she was almost touching Jeremy, a look of deep concern still on her face. “Jeremy, we were lucky to escape. If Admiral Cleeteus hadn’t used the Cydonia to drag the Avenger through the vortex, the ship would've been destroyed.”
Jeremy tried to remember what Doctor Ruyl had said about that. “I was told they used some type of tractor beam,” spoke Jeremy, looking confused. The Altons had never mentioned they had such a capability before.”
“Yes,” replied Ariel, nodding her head. “I spoke to Admiral Cleeteus earlier. He came over to the Avenger to check on your condition personally.”
It surprised Jeremy greatly that the admiral would even speak to Ariel. The Altons were highly suspicious of any AIs, including the two the Federation possessed. Ariel and Clarissa were the only sentient AIs in the Federation, and over the last several years, the Altons had come to accept them as part of the Federation military, though they still didn’t trust them fully.
“The tractor beam is a common device on all of their ships; it’s used to maneuver heavy objects into their cargo and flight bays. They had to bypass their safety protocols to greatly enhance the power of the one on the Cydonia so they could latch onto the Avenger. From what Admiral Cleeteus said, there'd been a risk that the Alton ship’s fusion plant could have exploded from the amount of power that was diverted to the tractor beam. As it was, the ship suffered some minor damage to a number of its power couplings. We only made it into the vortex with a few seconds to spare before the tractor beam burned out.”
Jeremy nodded, knowing if they hadn’t made it out of the system, the AIs would have made short work of the Avenger. “Where are we now?”
“We jumped to the emergency coordinates and spent twelve hours on badly needed repairs,” reported Ariel, recalling the breakneck repairs done on the Avenger and a few other ships. “Two light cruisers and a Monarch had to be scuttled with their self-destruct charges due to excessive damage. Then we made another longer jump to put some distance between us and the AIs. We’re currently in a red giant system working on more repairs before we set course for New Providence. Admiral Marks has been coordinating everything with Admiral Cleeteus.”
“What did we lose?” asked Jeremy, bracing himself for the bad news. You didn’t take on over eighty AI ships and not suffer losses.
Ariel hesitated but the doctor had told her Jeremy was nearly recovered from his injury. “Two battlecruisers, one battlecarrier, three strikecruisers, one Monarch cruiser, and eight light cruisers,” Ariel reported her eyes focused on Jeremy. “The Altons also lost three of their battlecruisers.”
Jeremy grimaced, knowing it could have been a lot worse. “What about the AIs?”
“We took out eighteen of them,” answered Ariel, wishing it could have been more. With the more powerful weapons the Federation ships were now equipped with, the AIs were no longer as invincible as they once were.
“What about the information from the research ship?” asked Jeremy, looking sharply at Ariel. If they had failed to save the information, the entire mission would be considered a failure.
“They saved it,” Ariel answered. “A copy of the information is in a secure safe upon the Cydonia as well as a backup copy here on the Avenger.”
Looking across the med bay, Jeremy noticed Doctor Ruyl frowning at Ariel. “You better go, Ariel; ask Kevin to stop by later.”
The Slaver Wars: Endgame Page 5
