“Commander?” Lee asked. “I didn’t know you were a diplomat with expert negotiating skills.”
Aaron recalled what Platus said to him on Atlas and his meeting with Quintus.
“Quintus is not our enemy. Let’s go, boys, somewhere out there, our real enemy awaits.”
Chapter 25 – Fortune Favors the Bold
Hammerhead
The strike craft sustained structural damage which would require repairs at a shipyard. An engineer could remedy the damage to the engines, but since neither of them qualified, Aaron chose the next best course of action—call Vee.
Despite his reservations, Quintus showed he was deserving of trust. The Imperial could have seized Hammerhead and returned to the Empire with it. Instead, he set them free with the ship. He told Quintus he would manage fine with thrusters. Hammerhead wouldn’t need working engines, a USSF ship would rendezvous with them. No doubt, Quintus thought it strange since no other ships were nearby according to his sensors, but he left the immediate area at high acceleration on a direct course to the incoming Imperial fleet.
The United Fleet wouldn’t be far from Atlas either, given the projections Aaron was aware of. That was the only way the United Fleet could arrive near the same timeframe the Imperial fleet was projected to enter Atlas.
An hour after departing the Imperial ship, Phoenix signaled.
Flaps jarred him.
“Commander, incoming hail from Phoenix, the XO is here!” he said.
About time. He triggered open a channel. “XO, took you long enough. Stand by for docking procedure. We took some hits and might be a little shaky.”
Relief was apparent in Vee’s reply. “We burned hard for your position, but backed off when that Imperial Destroyer boarded you. I was debating whether to disable them and threaten them to release you when you emerged from their docking bay. What happened aboard that ship, Commander?”
“Plenty happened, Vee. I’ll give you the details once we’re aboard. Flaps, take us in. And, Vee, once Hammerhead is secured, best acceleration for our incoming fleet.”
“Aye, sir, we’ll be on the deck in five,” Flaps said.
“Acknowledged. Best speed for our fleet, once you’re aboard,” Vee said.
****
Vee met them on arrival along with Max. On the way to the bridge Aaron gave the XO a summary of everything that occurred from the time they left the ship up to the meeting with Quintus Scipio.
When Aaron finished Vee shook his head.
“Rachael,” he said. “I can’t believe it. Just can’t.”
Aaron fixed him with serious look. “Out of everything I just told you, that’s what you latch on to?”
Vee shrugged. “I was beginning to like her. Besides, when I spoke to her last, she seemed quite fond of you.”
Did Vee hit his head?
“Fond? And how did that come up?”
“She felt you were avoiding her and she came to me and—”
“What are you, her psychologist?” he snapped. “Forget it . . . Lieutenant Delaine is the least of our problems now. Once we halt this madness at Atlas, we can focus on finding her and determining the part she played.”
They reached the bridge.
“Aaron,” Vee said. “I didn’t—”
Aaron stopped and looked at the others as they passed. “Prepare the ship to fight, Vee. We have to survive the next few hours if we intend to prevent a war.”
Lee and Flaps moved past them and took their stations, careful not to look at Aaron as they did. No doubt, they heard the entire exchange, but you’d never get them to admit it. When Max passed him, however, the doctor whispered, “Seems the spy lady got into your head, boy.”
Maybe he was right. But Aaron wasn’t going to admit it. He glared at Max as he passed. “If you remain on the bridge, Max, don’t get in the way.”
Max glared back but said nothing.
Flaps wiggled behind the helm. “This will be fun!”
“Long before this battle is over, Flaps,” Lee cautioned, as he took up the weapons station, “you will definitely have a change of heart.”
Aaron grunted as he took the command seat and adjusted the arm terminals. “When you hear the screams of your colleagues from stricken ships, their dying gasps for breathable air that isn’t coming, and no reprieve from plasma fires melting you through a bulkhead, you’ll understand.”
Aaron gazed across the bridge as the crew adjusted their stations. Flaps’ gelled hair, matted in sweat against his forehead. As usual, there was no noticeable change in Lee’s appearance. Max now gripped the sides of the seat reserved for an Executive Officer, not much cynicism present. Poor Vee looked haggard, his stubble rife with grey hairs, he also looked troubled, his brow creased.
Aaron rose and moved over to Vee and leaned in to his ear.
“What else is troubling you, Vee, besides Lieutenant Delaine?”
Vee shook his head. “I don’t want to burden you with anything else just before a battle.”
“Might be more of a burden knowing something is troubling you and not what it is. Spill it, Vee.”
Vee sighed. “While you were frolicking on the planet, I repaired the ship fluctuations. A third rate technician could have corrected the problem. That alone was strange, but it reminded me of something else and I dug a little further.” He lowered his voice. “Aaron, we’ve both seen those fluctuations when . . .”
“When Trident was destroyed,” Aaron concluded for him.
“Yes,” Vee said. “And when I dug further, I unlocked a ‘kinetic barrier’ system and the missile systems. The advanced ‘havoc’ missile system can launch ordnance, which accelerates to near superluminal speeds. They’re the same missiles which hit Trident. It means this ship is . . .”
“It means another ship exactly like Phoenix destroyed Trident,” he said. He couldn’t believe another Fleet ship destroyed Trident.
“No. This ship destroyed Trident, Aaron,” Vee said. “I’m fairly certain someone sabotaged the kinetic barrier system to cause the fluctuations, forcing them to retreat during the encounter at Orion. They would have felt they could meet us close in and finish us because of the kinetic barrier. When it failed and they were close and vulnerable to our missiles, they retreated. Like the smaller attack craft, the operators obviously weren’t ordinary starship crew. They believed the advanced systems would be enough to win the engagement.”
“Then who? Who sabotaged this ship to save us during the attack on Trident?”
“That’s the one question I wish I had an answer for,” Vee said.
“Keep this to yourself for now,” Aaron said, moving back to the command seat.
Aaron approached the command chair and clapped Max on the back as he passed and sat. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I promised I’d get you back safely to Midea and I will,” he swept his hands across the bridge, “you’re in good hands, Max.”
Max shifted to look back at him. “I think I’ve endured the exact opposite of each of your promises so far. I hope this is the one promise you keep. What the blazes am I even going to do on a spaceship in combat?”
“Moral support, Max, and good luck.”
Max grunted. “You think I’m some kind of warship mascot?”
Aaron snickered. “Not at all. Technically, it’s peacetime so we don’t call them warships. That makes you a starship mascot.”
“Judging by what’s about to go down here, I’d say warship might be appropriate.”
“No, Max, not if me and Quintus have anything to say about it.”
Aaron resumed racking his brain about the ship’s bizarre and elusive origins—and capabilities.
“Ensign,” he said, rising out of his seat, and approaching the helm. He leaned in close. “This ship has the ability to make short jumps within a system. Get with the XO and access the system in the computer. Run the simulations and let’s come up with something to help us during the engagement.”
“Aye, sir,” Flaps replied, movi
ng to join Vee at the ops station near the rear of the bridge.
Aaron moved to the tactical station. “Lee, Phoenix is equipped with those nasty high-speed missiles which we faced back at Orion. Be ready to use them and more importantly, use your judgment in determining their best effective range. With near superluminal missiles, I don’t want to miss a hostile with a close shot and hit a friendly. I don’t think even the computer would be able to remotely detonate them fast enough.”
“Aye, Commander. I can tell you right now, however, at long range and within one light-second they will be ideal. Between four to five light-seconds, in a skirmish surrounded by friendly ships, is where it’s gonna get dicey. Of course if we fought this battle ourselves, we could spit them out and not worry at all.”
Aaron slapped Lee on the shoulder. “I’ll leave you to it, Lieutenant, that’s my thinking as well, but you’re the expert.”
Aaron returned to his seat pondering what Vee told him. If this ship destroyed Trident where was the original crew? And if the Supreme Commander controlled who had access why would he permit anyone to use the ship to destroy another United Fleet ship? It could only mean one thing—this ship was the unknown belligerent attacking United Fleet and Empire assets along the border—not a surprise no one survived. Trident likely survived long enough only because of a saboteur. Why would the Supreme Commander sanction using any Fleet assets in this manner? How did Rachael secure use of the ship? Did she aid whoever used the ship when it carried out its attacks along the border? This endless cycle of thoughts is what Vee likely intended to spare him from when he protested discussing what he’d learned about the ship.
Aaron shook his head, there’d be nothing left of them to get answers to these burning questions if they didn’t survive. “Status, XO?”
“All ship systems prepped and ready,” Vee said. “Kinetic barrier, reflective armor and our over powered combat thrusters energized and ready when the call comes.”
Aaron nodded. “Very well then,” he said. “Lieutenant Lee?”
Lee swung his chair to face the command seat.
“Ready, Commander,” he said. “Railgun magazines fully loaded, turret deployment is functioning and responsive, and I’ve programmed the PDCs with additional algorithms for those new Imperial stealth missiles. I’ve also prepared a data packet for transmission throughout the United Fleet. Good thing they shot them at us by the nebula. Those things could have decimated half our fleet before we knew what hit us. I’m also working on our side project and making good progress with my simulations.”
“Well done, Lieutenant,” Aaron said, turning to face the ops station behind and to his right. “XO, given the simulations you’ve run with the kinetic barrier and our other systems, what’s the likelihood of complications?” Aaron asked.
Vee hesitated. “Without further empirical data I can’t be certain and the ship’s logs have been wiped. All the systems should be easy enough to activate. They’re mostly controlled by the battle computer with some input from the operators. But be mindful of the power draw. We won’t be able to fire weapons, maintain the reflective armor and the kinetic barrier all at once. We’re as combat capable as we can be with only the handful of us.”
What Vee meant was the four of them could fly and fight the starship but without a full crew when it came to damage control and other battle-space conditions, they would be at a significant disadvantage. Although repair nanites sealed hull breaches, they took a varying amount of hours to do so based on the extent of damage. Damage control crews usually kept the ship sealed and fighting until nanites repaired the damage—after the engagement. From the call to general quarters, well-drilled damage control teams in vacuum suits, stood ready throughout the ship to apply emergency hull seals.
“Fortune favors the bold,” Aaron said, to no one in particular.
Aaron saw Lee smile. Only the Lieutenant and Max would appreciate the quote.
Flaps shook his head. “I swear you people love to say strange things at the weirdest times.”
“Well,” Vee said laughing, “stick with the Commander any longer and you’ll soon become a culprit.” His console beeped. “Incoming hail from the planet for you, Commander. Prime Minister of Atlas Prime.”
“Send to the ready room.” He hadn’t grown comfortable calling it his ready room yet.
Aaron slipped into the ready room and activated the screen.
“I feared the worst, son.” Patrick Rayne said. “We’ve tried warning off the Imperial fleet and even disseminating to them everything that’s happened. There’s been no response.”
“I don’t think you’ll get a response either. This attack may have been in motion for some time.”
“Elements of the Border Worlds Space Defense Navy are grouping and will join you. I won’t keep you son. Promise me you’ll not do anything reckless.”
“That’s the one promise you know I can’t make dad. I’ll see you soon.”
Chapter 26 – 70 Years of Peace
Phoenix
Aaron returned to the bridge and took the command seat. Over the next hour as the opposing fleets maneuvered, he studied the tactical notes on the systems unlocked by Alvarez. Miroslav informed he’d finished running simulations with what they now called the blink drive. Based on the range and time required to charge between each jump, they devised workable strategies for its use during the pending engagement. Lee had finished his battle simulations sooner since it was a matter of determining the best use for such high-speed missiles. The Lieutenant had a keen tactical mind.
Aaron then turned his attention to and studied the tactical situation on the holo-imager. The Imperial fleet held just outside Atlas. The United Fleet arrived soon after and Supreme Commander Shepherd divided the fleet into three wings and began a hard burn for the Imperials. He thought it strange Shepherd hadn’t sent a communication, but then he remembered with full stealth protocols activated, no one could detect Phoenix until she got within less than a few light-minutes.
The USSF ships’ deployment followed standard doctrine for large-sized engagements. There hadn’t been an engagement of this magnitude since the war ended seventy years prior.
The center comprised the majority of the heaviest ships, protected by a forward screen of frigates and destroyers commonly referred to as front-line or picket ships. The heavy cruisers protected the flanks. The Imperials deployed a similar strategy. Despite not commanding any major fleet actions in recent years, Shepherd didn’t rise to Supreme Commander without good reason. Oh no . . . “Mad Dog” Shepherd earned his nickname years ago when he rammed a Mercenary Alliance dreadnought with his crippled flagship. The daring maneuver broke the enemy formation and cleared the way for his battleship formation to pulverize the forward Mercenary formation. The lessons learned today would be taught at Fleet Academy for years to come.
The Imperial fleet held a slight numerical advantage with seventy ships to the United Fleet’s fifty-five. Another worrisome force multiplier was those damned stealth missiles packing matter/antimatter. The only good news was the new Imperial warheads were slow and they were aware of their existence. Then there were the advanced laser batteries. Who knows how many of the Imperial ships mounted the new weapons systems? That detail alone could shape the way this engagement went.
Although Phoenix fielded many prototype technologies, which might be ready for deployment throughout the Fleet, she was still essentially a classified ship. And many technologies deployed aboard her would need new classes of line ships to accommodate them.
After studying the sensor returns from Shepherd’s ships, it was apparent the shipyards had already retrofitted some with havoc heavy missiles. The downside was these missiles were expensive and there was no mass production. They were still considered to be in a prototype stage of development.
Local Atlas Navy ships joined the rear echelon of The United Fleet but minutes later quickly began accelerating on a return vector to Atlas. Shepherd must have ordered them to return and p
rovide a last line of defense for Atlas. Those ships would intercept any Imperial ships making a break for the planet. Hopefully, any surviving Imperial ship would have too much damage to make an assault. The local Atlas navy wouldn’t be able to handle much more. It wasn’t uncommon for a decommissioned ship to form the bulk of local navy ships. Their duties entailed nothing beyond routine in-system patrols and anti-piracy operations.
Large fleet engagements kicked off from a distance of several light-minutes and progressed towards a brutal point-blank brawl.
During the initial phases, the fleets poked each other with long-range missile ordnance, each hoping to soften up the other with tactical strikes. In subsequent phases, the smaller screen of ships would engage their counter parts.
If you could secure dominance in the lightweight division, the larger combatants would be more vulnerable. This weakness manifested due to the difficulty which larger capital-sized weapons encountered when tracking smaller ships with high transversal velocities at close range.
The lighter armaments of a single frigate didn’t pose a significant threat to larger capital ships, but that could change with coordinated strikes. It was sound judgment on the part of any frigate captain to remain well outside the range of battleship firepower despite the latter’s inability to track them well up close. The difficult part was getting into range of the battleship, as it usually required smart maneuvering to avoid incoming fire, while still cutting the distance. A direct burn was out of the question.
Once the large combatants on either side closed in for the final stages of a fleet engagement, and became otherwise pre-occupied, the lighter ships could maneuver with a little less hassle around a chosen target. Repeated precision strikes on weapons or engines might best be described as death by a thousand cuts.
The squadrons throughout each wing would vary the tightness of their formations. While the more maneuverable frigates could compensate in the event one of them was isolated or overreached, it would be difficult for the lumbering heavy ships to move in to protect an isolated squad member. With squadrons of combatants exchanging volleys of missiles, even a three-ship formation would be crippled if they found themselves too far outside the envelope of their own squadrons unified and coordinated point defense.
Border Worlds (United Star Systems Book 1) Page 21
