Warpath

by Randolph Lalonde

  “Enough,” Minh-Chu said, “I hope.”

  “This is the British Alliance ship William. Please cease and desist all combat activity and clear the area, we are launching defence fighters and drones.”

  Minh-Chu waited an extra three seconds as the Morrigan made it behind the abandoned observation station. It had already taken significant damage from the Pontos’ pulse cannons. His gave his accumulator missile time to build a little more charge, then triggered the final stage of the small reactor’s cycle, creating a small, unsafe amount of dense unshielded antimatter. The drifting rack of missiles flew apart, sending most of the munitions thrusting against the Pontos’ shields. An instant after they finished impacting, the accumulator missile exploded, filling the area with white light.

  “I’m sorry, say again, B.A. William?” Minh-Chu asked.

  “-and drones are incoming, please fall back and refrain from detonating any other large munitions.”

  “Understood, B.A. William,” replied Governor Anderson from the Barricade. “We will move to a holding position once we have a clear line of fire on the Pontos.”

  Minh-Chu’s tactical display updated, indicating that he was to join the Barricade, the Morrigan and Dent had received the same orders. “B.A. William Command,” he said, looking at the broad carrier on his tactical display as it launched thirty fighters at a time. “My biggest antimatter weapon only reduced that ship’s exterior power readings by eleven percent, it still has a seriously high shield reading and its recharging fast.”

  “Thank you, Ronin,” said someone from the command deck of that ship. There was no way Minh-Chu could know who they were or what rank they had. “We are aware, please follow your commander’s orders.”

  “There’s nothing we can do against that,” Dent said. “Unless you’ve got another dozen accumulator missiles in your back pocket.”

  “Retreat,” Minh-Chu said. “We’ll merge our shields with the Morrigan, get a good field going.” He guided his ship into position on the ship’s port side as Dent did the same.

  “Merging the field,” Captain McFadden said. “Slave your controls to my helm please.”

  “Aye,” Minh-Chu said as he watched the drones engage the Pontos. The ship hadn’t done anything but reduce the shield power of everyone in the area. It wasn’t firing at them like an enemy set to destroy its opponents. “The Pontos was more interested in distracting us,” Minh-Chu said.

  “I was just thinking the same thing,” Captain McFadden said. “It’s biding its time.”

  “The Barricade is performing a deep scan now, we just got a clear line of sight,” Governor Anderson said. “Get into our group, now.”

  The trio of them broke cover, thrusting as quickly as they could into open space. Several bolts of energy struck their shields. One got through and Minh-Chu’s eyes went wide as he saw what those blasts really were. “They are firing super-heated plasma contained in an energy field. Uriel fighters cannot take that kind of fire. Our cockpits are not strong enough.”

  Minh-Chu took control of his fighter. “Dent and I are going to move our ships to the front of the Morrigan, so you’re between that ship and us. We’ll still add to your shield’s charge.”

  “My damage control team can confirm your readings, Ronin,” Captain McFadden said. “Set your shields to charge as fast as they can, that single shot blasted a third of the way through our hull.”

  Once Dent and he were in a better position, Minh-Chu looked at the mess the Pontos was making of the British Alliance drones. Most of them were destroyed in two shots – one to break their shields down, and another to superheat large portions of their instruments – and Minh-Chu couldn’t help but feel lucky that he wasn’t a member of the fighter squadron moving in behind the drones. They were British pilots, incredibly talented, well trained, well disciplined. Their fighters weren’t half as well armed or as manoeuvrable as their Uriels, but they did have more armour and better shields.

  “They’re going to get killed,” Dent said. “The Brits have to move their destroyers in faster.”

  Minh-Chu could see there were fourteen British Alliance destroyers and nine corvettes coming around the planet, but they would not be able to find a firing solution for another minute, up to two in some cases. Most of the drones were reduced to rubble by the time the manned fighters were launching missiles, and Minh-Chu had to force himself not to look away as the Pontos began firing on the British pilots.

  The Pontos began to move towards Kambis rapidly, opening large doors along the front of the ship. “The energy readings on whatever is in there are off the charts.”

  “We see it, that’s what we’ve been trying to get a good scan of,” Governor Anderson said. “As far as we can scan so far, there are antimatter solids, and they are charging a separate shield system.”

  Minh-Chu had an idea as to what it was, but shook his head instead of saying it aloud.

  “Governor, send an evacuation order to Kambis, right now!” Captain McFadden said.

  Minh-Chu’s tactical screen updated with an evacuation order for Kambis. “Ronin, do you know what that is?” asked his old wingman, Slick, on a private channel.

  “A large armoured casing, independent propulsion, shielding and solid antimatter in the centre.” Minh-Chu said. “That’s enough power in one weapon to wipe out a fleet in tight formation, but they’re headed for Kambis’ atmosphere.”

  “So, that’s a planet killer,” Slick said, “That’s what you’re thinking.”

  “Look at the scan data,” Minh-Chu replied. “I can’t see what else it could be. There are half a billion people down there.” Minh-Chu grasped at his controls, only to discover they were under the control of the Morrigan. He turned the slave circuit off and thrust away from the combat hauler.

  “Ronin! Get back here right now!” Captian McFadden ordered. “What do you think you can do?”

  “I’ll think of something on my way there,” Minh-Chu said. He looked at the doors at the front of the Pontos, still opening. They still had powerful energy shields protecting what was inside.

  “There’s nothing you can do!” Captain McFadden said. “Ronin, listen, if that’s a planet burner, then we’re going to need you more than ever.”

  “Too many people look to you to lead them,” added Governor Anderson. “If you close in and try something heroic, you’re going to get slagged before you reach your target. Those destroyers are about to clear the planet, and they’re not going to hold their shells for you to try whatever you have in mind. Fall back, that’s an order, Wing Commander.”

  Minh-Chu gritted his teeth, staring at the Pontos thrusting away, then flipped his fighter and thrust away from the dark planet of Kambis. A field of debris was forming around the Citadel ship made of the broken hulls of British Alliance drones and the wreckage of manned fighters. Those small ships couldn’t make any difference. “There are half a billion people on that planet right now.” He set his navigational computer to automatically move back into formation with the Morrigan and punched between the buttons on his console. “You better tear that ship up!”

  The first of the British destroyers began firing their shells, striking the side of the Pontos to no immediate effect. The Barricade fired all its guns, even the railguns of the Morrigan were firing in a continuous stream, the tips of their barrels turning red.

  The rest of the Triton Fleet left behind to defend Tamber were finally out from behind the moon, and began firing. The Pontos began to slow as it closed in on the outer atmosphere of the planet.

  “This is the Triton, we need an update on the situation,” came Oz’s voice over Minh-Chu’s communicator as the Triton appeared on his tactical display.

  “The Pontos is about to launch a weapon towards Kambis, we are unsure, but it is most likely a planet wide weapon of mass destruction,” replied Governor Anderson from the Barricade.

  “Triton, fall back so we can increase our level of response,” ordered British Alliance command.

&n
bsp; “Firing a volley of torpedoes and everything we have as we clear the area,” Oz replied. The Triton had come in ninety eight thousand kilometres behind the Pontos, it was well out of range of any splash damage the British Alliance could hit the ship with. It was also in a position to block the Pontos’ escape.

  Regardless, Captain McPatrick, Minh-Chu’s old friend Oz, obeyed orders, firing a volley of torpedoes and fired all its non-energy weapons across the nearly one hundred thousand kilometre distance separating it and the Pontos on their way out.

  The Triton’s efforts, the constant volleys from the British Alliance Destroyers, the Barricades roaring guns, and the solid projectile fire from hundreds of smaller ships brought the Pontos’ shields down to low levels, and scarred the side of the vessel, but the enemy ship somehow managed to maintain a functional energy barrier. It was just enough to keep the vessel moving towards Kambis, on whatever mission it was sent to complete

  Minh-Chu could barely stand to watch as his tactical sensors illustrated an oblong object firing sideways from the front of the Pontos. The ship’s cargo doors closed behind it and the Pontos turned at a speed that seemed impossible for a ship its size.

  The object it launched into the atmosphere of Kambis accelerated through the atmosphere, its shields creating a fireball many times its size. As soon as it was in the open atmosphere it burst into more pieces than Minh-Chu’s tactical systems could track, and the shards triggered an antimatter alarm.

  “Tell me this isn’t happening, Minh,” Dent said. “I knew people down there.”

  “We cannot let this drive us to destruction,” Minh-Chu said on an open channel, “or murder, or waste. Take the Pontos, and as many crewmembers as you can alive. We need to know why this is happening, people will never stop asking.”

  As soon as the silver shelled projectile finished entering the atmosphere, the two hundred ten metre long case split open and fell away. Thousands of shards of solid antimatter, each with their own containment shield, split in all directions, moving at speeds that Minh-Chu’s sensors could not track in real time. Once they were dispersed around the planet, the energy field expanded, and each solid antimatter shard became a gas covering thousands of metres.

  Chatter on all fleet communications bands stopped for a moment, as the antimatter gas was suspended in Kambis’s atmosphere by the isolation fields separating it from normal matter. Then the fields ran out of power, and the gaseous antimatter made contact with normal matter, and, for a moment that no one would forget, Kambis turned white and blue as it was enveloped by an explosion unlike any ever recorded.

  Chapter 17

  In Flames

  The bridge of the Triton was silent until Henrietta gently announced; “The entire planet has been struck by an antimatter explosion. There are no signs of city ruins, and most of the atmosphere has been burned away. Kambis’s surface is on fire.”

  “Thank you, Henrietta,” Oz said. “Agameg, how is the Pontos doing?”

  “Energy readings indicate that their shield is holding at three percent. I believe they are drawing on power reserves, and doubt that they will survive long enough to leave the gravity of the planet and an escape into a wormhole.”

  “Signal the British Alliance, they are to cease heavy weapons fire immediately. Ronin is right, we are capturing that ship. People will need answers.”

  “Transmission sent,” answered Lieutenant Commander Erron. “We have a reply.”

  “This is Admiral Charon, we will eliminate this threat. The weapons aboard that ship are enough to significantly damage the fleet,” said a firm female voice.

  “Cease fire, you are here by invitation of Triton Fleet,” Oz said just as sternly.

  “A moment, Admiral,” replied Admiral Charon.

  He turned to Agameg, “Launch all our gunships, hold on launching anything smaller. Load high yield torpedoes and prepare for single firing, we’ll launch them sequentially if we have to at all. Tell the gunnery bay to load EMP rounds only and begin firing on their shields.”

  “Admiral McPatrick,” replied Admiral Charon. “We are recalling our combat support ships and ceasing fire. Good hunting, Triton, we will be here if you need us.”

  “Signal the Barricade,” Oz said. “They are to close and begin emitting interdiction fields so the Pontos can’t get away. He looked to Panloo at the helm. “Close in, present our front and sides, do not give them a large target to fire on.”

  “Aye,” she replied.

  “Sir,” Agameg said, alarm in his voice. “The Warlord and Samurai squadron are coming through a wormhole seventy thousand kilometres behind us. The Warlord is firing their thrusters in an emergency deceleration pattern. They are badly damaged, the rest of Samurai squadron is damaged, but they are reporting that they are still combat ready. Three are reporting low ammunition.”

  “Oz,” Jake said over the emergency communications band. A hologram of him in his vacsuit armour appeared with just enough of a background to suggest that he was in his quarters. “We have a carrier, two battlecruisers, and two destroyers coming in behind us. I did my best to slow them down in the asteroid field. We’ve lost people, and have taken serious damage, our bridge is open to space. A few missiles brought a small group of Order Knights aboard. We have jettisoned all our escape craft with the injured aboard and they are awaiting rescue.”

  “Ordering British Alliance forces to support you, get clear, Warlord, and take care of your incursion,” Oz replied. “We’ll request that they begin a recovery operation.”

  “Thanks, working on it,” Jake said, cocking a wide bore short rifle with four barrels.

  “Open a channel to British Alliance defence,” Oz said.

  “This is Admiral Charon, I’ve been eavesdropping. We will intercept the incoming carriers, and I’m sending three corvettes to recover the Warlord’s wounded. That is, if you want the help.”

  “Be my guest, Admiral,” Oz replied. The light of an intense explosion drowned out the illumination shed by the fires on Kambis’ surface for a moment. “Tactical, what was that?”

  “Someone detonated a cloaked electromagnetic pulse bomb directly aft of the Pontos. It flashed no more than ten metres away from its hull. The Pontos’ hull is undamaged, systems are unchanged, but its shields are gone.”

  “Request for communication from the Clever Dream,” Lieutenant Commander Erron announced.

  “Lieutenant Garrison here. Lewis wouldn’t let me keep him out of this one,” said the communication. “Where do you want us?”

  “Remain cloaked and stand ready to assist. You’re not even on the Triton’s scanners, so I doubt anyone else has found your location.”

  “I’d rather be fighting,” Lewis said.

  “You will be,” Oz said. “Do you happen to have any of those super EMP’s left?”

  “I may have six left, Admiral,” Lewis replied. “Do you have a target?”

  “I might, just stay out of sight for now,” Oz replied.

  “Fine,” Lewis replied peevishly.

  “All Triton Group ships, focus your fire on the Pontos’ weapons and main thrusters.” Oz ordered.

  Victor Davis took a seat in the second command seat beside Oz. “You heard the admiral, tactical. Focus on weapons first so our fighters can get close.”

  “It’s time, Paula,” Oz said. “Launch all fighters.”

  “Three large wormholes opening thirty one thousand kilometres aft,” Agameg announced. “The Warlord is manoeuvring to cross in front of them.”

  “Jake, what are you doing? I have the British closing in so they can engage.”

  Chapter 18

  The Warlord

  “We’re dropping our primary EMP weapon in front of the carriers and abandoning ship,” Jake replied from where he stood behind Frost, who had both hands on the manual lever for the latest version of the Big Surprise. Originally, the Big Surprise was a large electromagnetic pulse bomb that the crew built on to as various initiations and rituals were observed. The origi
nal was used during the Battle of Port Rush.

  The new Big Surprise was the same size, but constructed of top-end components with heavy shielding, propulsion and guidance systems. “Drop our payload now, Frost.” Jake said after making sure everyone’s vacsuits were sealed.

  “Aye, we barely knew ye, farewell,” Frost said as he pulled the creaking lever. The bay doors swung open and the black, oblong missile was pushed into space. Its rocket engine fired immediately, thrusting towards the newly arrived Order of Eden carrier group.

  “Ash, start the thruster firing sequence,” Jake ordered over his communicator. He got all the confirmation he needed when he felt the deck rumble through the soles of his boots. She was in another group of survivors, surrounded by Warlord soldiers on the other side of the ship.

  He’d never been so tired in his life. They had been running through the ship, shooting, fighting since the boarders’ missile tubes rammed through the hull. Half the engineering crew in the centre of the ship were injured or killed in the first three minutes.

  They disabled their cloaking systems first, then the bridge took intensive fire, and Jake barely got everyone out before it was breached. The Order Knights were efficient, terrifying, and knew where to hit them. They didn’t care who they killed, as long as they took the Warlord out of the fight. Jake didn’t want to be around to see the second part of their plan.

  “Falling back to the aft cargo bay,” Stephanie said. “They’re breaking through here.”

  “Here too!” Ayan said, coming down the hallway leading to the launch room with three soldiers in tow. She slung her rifle and closed the hatch behind her. “There are four doors between us and them, but this is the biggest compartment.”

  Jake looked to the open launch doors then to Frost. “Alice is falling back to this compartment with the rest of the survivors. It’s about do get crowded.”

  “What’re you thinking, Jake?” Frost asked, a twinkle in his eye.

  “The whole crew will be isolated in three main compartments, we could take the last thirteen Knights out, but there would be heavy losses.”