The Phoenix Project

by Kris Powers

A shudder went through the ship as it struggled to rush through the Earth’s atmosphere and return incoming fire.

  “How soon until we reach the Phoenix’s outer defensive range?”

  “Two minutes,” the helm officer replied.

  “Engineering, if you have any more power you can dump into our dorsal shield, now is the time to do it!”

  “We’re on it Captain,” he heard through his communications link.

  “Shields are down to one quarter,” the weapons officer said.

  “Direct all fire to blind their targeting systems,” Madison commanded.

  “Shields won’t hold much longer,” the weapons officer reported. A shower of sparks fell from a console behind him at the back of the bridge.

  “Time?” Joshua demanded.

  “Sixty seconds.”

  “Shields are going down!”

  A hail of particle beams scorched the armored hull. A torpedo found its way into a magazine in the upper battle module and detonated the volatile explosives within. The entire watermelon shaped module mounted atop the hull exploded sending shrapnel into the ship. Joshua and Madison felt and heard the churning and shearing away of metal from so far away in the Endeavour. Both looked to the damage control station’s attendant for answers.

  “We’ve just lost the upper battle module. We have a major hull breach in the aft section.”

  “Send damage control to do what they can.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Helm, get us to Phoenix Base,” Joshua said.

  “Just another thirty seconds.”

  “Five more hull breaches! We’re losing one of the sub—light engines,” the damage control officer reported.

  A massive hit to the forward part of the ship shook the entire bridge, despite its position at the center of the forward third of the vessel. An officer on the left side of the bridge saw the displays turn bright white and knew to run as the station began to receive a rush of energy it couldn’t contain. He raced away from the glowing displays just as they exploded.

  “Divert shield energy to the engines!” Madison shouted amidst the mayhem.

  “Aye Sir,” an officer responded.

  “We’re almost there!” the helm exclaimed.

  “Prepare to exit the atmosphere.”

  Scores of hits registered across the hull as the ship entered its death throes. The Endeavour began to blow away its armored plating as internal explosions began to take their toll. The proud ship turned into an inferno blazing away against the morning sun rising to witness its destruction.

  “We’ve got it! The General’s shuttle is within the Phoenix’s defense grid. The destroyers are withdrawing,” the helmsman reported. A moment after he reported the situation, the entire screen occupying the forward wall of the bridge burst into flames.

  “Damage?” Joshua asked.

  “We’ve got major breaches across the upper hull. Secondary explosions from overloaded generators have crippled the ship and one of the FTL drives is on fire. Engineering reports they can not eject it,” she said and turned to face her superior officer. “It’s going critical.”

  “How long?” Joshua asked, while Madison watched him in sympathy.

  “Less than five minutes, Sir.”

  “Is there nothing they can do?”

  “No Sir,” she replied.

  Joshua looked at the burning forward wall of the command center before he spoke again. “Abandon ship.”

  The drilling klaxon of the evacuation order sounded after Joshua entered the command into his console. All of the officers jumped to obey the order and hurried out in an orderly manner. Joshua armed the self destruct to preserve the atmosphere from the cataclysmic explosion of the plasma powered FTL drives. He remained on the bridge in a desire to stay with the ship that had been home to him for the last five years. Madison waited for a moment before she put a hand on his shoulder.

  “It’s time to go, Josh.”

  Flames engulfed the entire weapons centre at the back of the bridge. Joshua grabbed Madison by the hand and raced off the bridge.

  Chaos started to take shape as they ran through the corridor leading from the bridge and to the nearest life boat. Fires rose into existence from the walls and ceilings caved in as the ship began to disintegrate. They were forced to change their escape route when an explosion deep inside the ship blew a hole through the deck plating. Smoke collecting through the upper half of the hallways forced the two to run bent over to the next available life boat.

  They were relieved to find the few personnel on board the life boat were waiting for anyone left on that deck. Joshua and Madison boarded the tiny escape vehicle and sat on a bench within its confines.

  “Is there anyone left on this deck?” Joshua asked.

  “No Sir, you were the last ones,” a midshipman replied.

  “Then get us out of here.”

  An exterior armored plate’s bolts exploded, allowing it to fall from the burning cruiser. The cylindrical escape vehicle flew out on its thrusters to join a flotilla of similar vehicles gathering in the sky above the American Sea.

  “Heading, Captain?” the pilot of the lifeboat asked.

  “To Phoenix Base. We’re already within its defense bubble.”

  The pilot nodded and the entire flotilla headed to an island in the middle of the American Sea. Behind them, the Excalibur ship began to lose altitude. Long clouds of smoke flew from it as the ship became wreathed in flame. Its dive into the American Sea was interrupted when it self destruct activated.

  The sub—light furnaces exploded and erased much of the aft third of the ship forcing the rest of the blasted hull forward into a vertical position relative to the water. Powerful explosives throughout the rest of the ship detonated and forced the ship apart until it was nothing more than boulder—sized pieces falling into the water.

  Nadine entered the command center of the Phoenix Base. Maria interrupted her trajectory towards Elliot.

  “I hope you were God Damned worth it!”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The Endeavour was just lost in your escape attempt.”

  “What about Joshua and Madison?” Maria asked.

  “They just reported in. They’re safe and on their way,” Elliot said as he joined them.

  “I am so glad I got to you in time,” Nadine said.

  “What about all those people who just died on the Endeavour?” Maria asked.

  “I,” Nadine replied and stopped.

  “Maria!” Elliot exclaimed.

  “What?”

  “Back off! She’s here for a reason. Let her tell us why,” Elliot said.

  Nadine embraced him tightly. He returned the embrace and then drew away to look at her.

  “I thought you said we were never going to see each other again?”

  “I thought so, but I guess I didn’t know myself as well as I thought. Thanks for all the help.”

  “You’re welcome. Why did you say you were glad you caught us in time?”

  “Yes, why did you?” Maria interrupted. “Because we were supposed to leave in ten minutes for New York and now we’re cut off from the rest of the Brass. So how did you know?”

  “I didn’t know about that,” Nadine replied.

  “I believe you. Now, why were you trying to reach us Nadine?” Elliot asked.

  “You’ve got a MERA agent here,” Nadine said.

  “What?” Maria asked.

  “Do you know who it is?” Elliot asked Nadine.

  “No, Catherine didn’t tell me.”

  “How convenient,” Maria said.

  “Maria, stop it. I’ll have security put at all access points for the warhead and place added security to the command center.”

  “Switch to the backup codes on the computer system. Yours may have been compromised,” Maria said to Elliot.

  “I’m doing it now.” He input a series of commands into a nearby station.

  “Do you have any personnel lists I can go through?” N
adine asked.

  “You wouldn’t have the time. There are literally thousands of people here,” Elliot said.

  “I don’t get it. Why would the Council activate the warhead? They would kill billions of their own people,” Maria asked.

  “They’re nothing if not pragmatists,” Nadine said. “They’re only concerned with bringing all of the colonies under their jurisdiction no matter the cost to either side.”

  “We’ve got other problems on top of that: the Coalition Fleet has begun to attack and I’ve received reports that their new fleet has just launched,” Elliot said.

  “I know. I wanted to get back and warn you but I couldn’t get here in time.”

  “You did your best.”

  Joshua and Madison entered the command center looking disheveled. Their uniforms and faces were covered in soot from the fires that had ravaged the Endeavour.

  “Are you alright?” Elliot asked as they approached his chair.

  “Never mind us. What’s the situation?” Joshua asked.

  “We’ve already lost a quarter of the fleet. Many of our ships were caught by surprise by the early attack but all our battle groups are responding now in full force,” Elliot said.

  “Can we get the new ships launched in time?” Madison asked.

  “Ranik and Lathiel are on schedule, but it’s still another ten minutes,” Elliot said.

  “Can we last that long?” Nadine asked.

  “Who’s we?” Joshua asked.

  “Nadine has requested asylum and I’m granting it,” Elliot replied.

  Nadine noticed Joshua’s stare ending at her olive uniform. She pulled the three gold stars off each side of her collar.

  “If these are so important to you, you can have them,” Nadine said, presenting them to Joshua.

  Joshua took the stars, each with five points, in his hands.

  “You mean it?”

  “Yes,” Nadine replied and removed her duty tunic with the Coalition coat of arms at its breast. She let it fall to the floor. “I’m with you now.”

  Madison smiled and embraced her warmly. “I told Eli you’d figure it out.”

  “Thanks, for that and for the rescue. I wouldn’t have made it back without you two.”

  Joshua put the gold stars into his pocket and extended his hand, which Nadine firmly grasped.

  “I guess I can’t call you a bitch anymore.”

  “Well, I usually called you a smartass behind your back. I guess I can’t do that anymore either.”

  “Of course you can,” Madison said. “I always do.”

  “I’d hate to break up your bonding session, but I’m just wondering if we’re staying or getting out of here at some point,” Joshua said to deflect any continued conversation at his expense.

  “The Coalition has already surrounded us with heavy fighters and frigates. Anything that leaves will get shot down the minute it exits our weapons range,” Elliot said.

  “That’s it? Don’t you have a backup plan?” Joshua asked.

  “There is a shuttle. It can enter into FTL speeds for a limited time and circumvent the enemy ships.”

  “Than that’s our plan,” Joshua said. “What about everyone else?”

  “They may be able to evacuate once those ships attack.”

  “How do we know they’re going to attack?” Madison asked. “The Coalition already has a saboteur here.”

  “The Twelve know that, but I doubt anyone else does,” Elliot said.

  “No, they wouldn’t,” Nadine confirmed.

  “Then the rest of the Coalition forces are going to attempt to disable our defenses and seize control of the base.”

  “You’re right. While they’re attacking, your people can escape,” Nadine said.

  “In the meantime, I’m directing as many ships as I can to defend our new fleet at Mars until they can launch,” Elliot said and returned to directing the battle while the rest of the Admiralty evacuated to the Hood.

  All three cruisers of the First Battle Group rested in the ocean near the docks of New York. They had been waiting for over an hour while the last Senators arrived to leave for Mars.

  “Are the Achilles and the Orion ready to leave?” Nelson asked his first officer on the bridge of the Hood.

  “The other two ships have reported in. The last Senator has just arrived.” With all of the brass aboard, the regular first officer had temporarily been relieved by a tall, lanky woman with the rank of full Admiral.

  “Is everyone aboard?” Nelson asked.

  “Everyone except Admirals Fredericks and Peterson. They’ve sent a message informing us that they’re surrounded and unable to leave, but their escape shuttle is still operational. They will rendezvous with us at Mars.”

  “Lift off.”

  The three cruisers some eight hundred yards long lifted out of the ocean and achieved orbit within a minute. The rest of the group surrounded the three ships and the battle group’s carrier launched all of its fighters to protect them.

  “Take us to Mars, maximum FTL speeds,” Nelson said.

  It was at the midway point to Mars that the Fleet Admiral saw a cluster of distant objects on the main screen.

  “What is that?”

  “Enemy ships Sir,” the weapons officer reported from behind him. “Three Coalition Battle Groups.”

  “Why didn’t we see them before?”

  “They’re jamming us. Long range sensors couldn’t detect them.”

  “Go to Battle Stations,” Nelson ordered.

  Once the Coalition ships entered weapons range, a hail of torpedoes left the forward lines bound for the frigates at the front of the single Alliance battle group.

  “All fighters engage their forward lines. Have our frigates fire their primaries to pave the way,” Nelson said.

  The dozen Alliance frigates at the front line fired the single plasma cannons mounted at the bows of their ships. They fired bright beams from their emitters and managed to destroy several fighters before blasting the bows of the olive colored Coalition frigates.

  The five hundred Alliance fighters plunged into the fray and engaged the enemy fighters. They were smaller than their olive counterparts, but had greater firepower.

  “Can we escape to Mars?” Nelson asked.

  “I doubt it, not if we continue to hold our cruisers from the fight. Even then, we’re outnumbered three to one.”

  “Can we at least buy some time for our cruisers?”

  “There are too many enemy ships. They’re already beginning to box us in,” his first officer replied.

  “What if we charge their lines? We can at least get a few ships through.”

  “With fighter escort, we might be able to break through.”

  “We have got to get the Prime Ministers and the Senate to Mars. Order all ships to full sub—light and run for the center of their lines,” Nelson commanded.

  The Alliance ships surprised their enemy by suddenly racing into the core of the Coalition forces even as it thinned in numbers in an attempt to surround the charging Alliance ships. The Alliance warships fired every cannon they had into the enemy force. Their fighters emptied their racks of torpedoes into the enemy fighters and ships as they vied for freedom from the Coalition forces.

  The Alliance fighters began to dissolve in multiple firestorms as they sacrificed themselves for the government they were sworn to protect. Multiple beams began to find their targets within the Alliance battle group. The Coalition knew the Senate, the Prime Ministers, and the Admiralty were aboard the cruisers but did not know what group was on which vessel.

  “The Orion is beginning to take damage.”

  “Damn,” Nelson said. “Can we get the cruisers through?”

  “We still have another minute before we can clear the enemy lines and they’re beginning to move back into their former positions. None of our ships will make it through at this rate.”

  “We need to throw them off balance,” Nelson said, eyeing the three Coalition carriers at
the core of the enemy fleet. “Have the Achilles and the Orion prepare to break right when I give the word. Have all of our other ships head for that carrier!”

  The Alliance battle group had already lost ten ships, but gathered its remaining forces and headed for a Coalition carrier that hadn’t been able to launch all of its fighters.

  “Sir, all three of our cruisers can’t leave during a charge like this. Without at least one or two of our cruisers leading the charge it won’t distract the enemy sufficiently.”

  “Yes, I know,” Nelson said. He continued to examine the events taking place on the screen. Many enemy ships were abandoning their positions to protect the carrier. “We’re staying to buy the Orion and the Achilles the time they need to leave the battle zone.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “They might get the Admiralty, but the government will survive,” Nelson said. “Tell the Achilles and the Orion to break off now and make a run for Mars. Tactical fire the primaries at those Coalition cruisers protecting the carrier.”

  All involved followed his orders and the two cruisers carrying the Senate and the Prime Ministers broke from the group just as the Hood fired all three of its primary cannons. The enemy replied by bolstering their numbers around the carrier as more fire converged on the diminishing numbers of the First Battle Group. Three frigates broke up under concentrated fire from the Coalition fleet but the remaining Alliance ships continued their assault on the carrier at the center of enemy lines.

  The two cruisers carrying the Senate and Prime Ministers managed to find a soft spot in the enemy defenses. With a series of blasts from their Primary cannons they successfully breached the enemy lines and moved at flank speed to Mars. Nelson watched their escape on one of the screens over the main monitor. His attention was brought back to his situation once he felt a ripple through the deck plates from an explosion.

  “What’s our status?”

  “Nineteen ships destroyed as well as two hundred and seventy of our fighters,” the first officer reported.

  “It’s time to try and break free. Order all of our ships to scatter. Anyone who breaks through is to head for Earth and reinforce our lines there until General Order Thirty—Eight is given. All ships: fire at will!”