by TR Cameron
"Break off," Cross ordered, and his squadron pulled away, dodging answering blasts from the rammers. Now that they were in range, the carriers focused their might on the starbase, sending flight after flight of torpedoes accompanied by an unceasing barrage of energy weapons.
"Lee, centralize control of the squadron here." He watched as the ships fell back into line and designators lit up on the helm display showing each ship as it came under the authority of the Washington's computer.
"Strafing run again. This time, if they rotate, we spiral with them. Lock all weapons on a single enemy and keep them there."
"Affirmative, Commander," answered Lee and Walsh together.
The sixteen ships again approached in pairs. When the top rammer attempted to evade, the attackers went with it, continuing to batter it in a continuous attack. By the time three-fourths of the squadron was past, the enemy's shields had failed. The last fourth finished it off, and the defender slid out of control, sparking and smoking from internal explosions as it separated from the rest of its group.
"Excellent work," said Cross. "Line up again and—"
His words were drowned out by the sound of missiles smashing into the shields and hull. While they’d been focused on the enemy, a mammoth flight of torpedoes from the complete other side of the sector had drilled into them, evenly distributed among his squadron.
"Status," he shouted above the alarms, which Matthews quickly cut off.
"Minor damage to the Washington, Commander. Mainly cosmetic and armor. Shields are re-energizing. The same is true of all the ships in the squadron. Some have lost weapons, but remain mostly intact."
"Excellent. Let's try it again, but keep an eye on those bastards with the torpedoes." They lined up for the next run, and Cross saw another set of missiles launched from across the sector.
"Admiral," he said, after keying the connection to the flagship, "request fighter support to take out the flock of torpedoes on its way toward us."
"Affirmative, Washington," replied an unknown voice. Cross heard the same voice order fighter intervention before dropping off the channel.
Jacobs, who was listening in, said, "Guess the admirals are busy."
"Must be."
The double squadron began its attack run, and the enemy again tried to rotate out of the way, this time adding a counter-barrage of torpedoes to the mix. The human ships emerged victorious again, as the drives of one of the rammers failed and left it adrift without power.
Despite the best efforts of the fighters, Cross saw that at least half of the torpedoes were still inbound. He reached over to his display and tapped an enemy cruiser to designate it, then gave the command. "Swim."
The Washington's computer sent the ships of his squadron in separate directions, each making evasive patterns to avoid counterattacks and torpedoes both. The maneuver gave them enough time to eliminate the rest of the missiles, as yet another flight was launched.
At the end of the movement, each ship in his squadron was within max range to attack the cruiser he’d marked. They did so, launching at it from a wide enough variety of angles and positions that the remaining pair of defenders was unable to block them all. Even so, it took a lucky shot to turn the tide. The carrier's shields failed, for just a moment, and a line of torpedoes penetrated its fighter hangar, diving deep into the ship before impacting and exploding. Despite the strengthened armor in that section, without the protection of the hull and shields, the carrier stood no chance. Explosions marched up the spine of the ship, and then it exploded, sending fragments and energy into the other carrier and the two blockers. Those were quickly inundated with additional damage of their own and broke off their attack on the starbase. They turned to limp away, and Cross saw several unoccupied Union vessels change course to intercept them.
One of the alien ships, though, headed in a different direction. The rammer trailed debris and flames as it slammed into the lower half of the starbase, caving in the station's hull before exploding.
The damage was catastrophic. The bottom portion of the base disintegrated, and power was lost throughout the entire lower half. The facility immediately began to list as the station-keeping thrusters in the bottom section no longer existed to keep it in balance. The floating fortress abandoned its attacks on the upper half to aim all its destructive potential at the now vulnerable lower half.
Cross watched as AAN ships, the Beijing among them, took turns absorbing the blasts from the fortress. But at the rate that it was pouring out damage, they couldn’t hold for long.
"Can we do anything to help the base?" Cross asked.
General murmurs of negation filled the bridge, and Jacobs said, "We could try to assist with the defense, but taking sixteen decks from the attack to do so is probably the slow path to defeat rather than the quick path to victory."
Cross nodded in agreement. "All right then. Have we identified the command ships? Is she here?"
The tactical officer had the answer at the ready, and the four vessels at the rear of the enemy formation were outlined in scarlet. One of them, the Ruby Rain, was filled in with that color.
"All right, all right," Cross said, rubbing his palms together. "Let's see if she's out of lives yet." He thought for a second, then decided he'd better clear his plan with command, and connected with the flagship.
"Your request is denied, Washington. Reinforcements are imminent. This will be the battle where we turn the tide against those alien bastards. This will be the battle where we send them running away in defeat for a change. Just hold the line until our ships get here."
With a muttered curse, Cross killed the channel and picked a nearby ship to attack. All the while, he kept an eye on the blood red icon on the display and waited for the chance to make it wink out forever.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
"Status," Indraat Vray demanded in a growl.
"Computer calculates the starbase is too compromised to survive. However, its end isn’t imminent. The humans are putting up a solid defense against the floating fortress."
"Overall numbers?"
"Our objective has been met, Fleet-Captain. We’ve eliminated almost all the damaged ships in the sector and now hold a two-to-one advantage."
Her first officer turned around from the helm station. "Is it time for phase two?" she asked, a bloodthirsty grin on her face.
Indraat smiled, appreciating the woman's spirit. "No, let's do some more damage here first. Besides, our secondary objective hasn’t been accomplished yet."
She identified targets, and the four-ship command group swooped after a pair of damaged cruisers that had been faltering toward the edge of the battle. Their own barrage, plus a salvo from one of the torpedo ships in the rear, quickly ended them. Her weapons officer took obvious delight in destroying the escape pods with surgical blasts of laser and plasma. Indraat had a momentary qualm, but didn’t restrain him. Once and for all, it was time to eliminate the trespassers and the species that spawned them.
"Fleet-Captain," her religious officer said, and gestured toward the main screen. The display revealed that significant human reinforcements had arrived, fulfilling the other purpose of the battle.
"How many are there?"
"Our numbers are now even, Fleet-Captain," replied her second, Tareel Yast, from tactical.
"Let's see what we can do about that," she said, and issued new orders to her fleet. Where they’d thus far been operating in small clusters, at her command they reformed into battle groups of thirty-two ships, each with its own pre-determined task. One drove at the newly arrived reinforcements from the first human group, another at the ships from the other kind of humans. The third battle group made an attack run at the starbase, launching from a distance, then strafing and engaging the defenders from close range before circling the doomed installation to repeat the process in reverse.
Indraat watched the battle as if it was a game. Pieces were removed, pawns were exchanged for her opponent's pawns, and on occasion her forces would
overwhelm an enemy capital flagship or carrier with only the loss of lesser ships from her side. The battle was clearly devolving into the middle game, where losses would be comparable, and her advantage was minuscule.
"Commander, the trespassers' ship is inbound." Her head snapped up, and she saw sixteen vessels skirting the main battle on a clear path toward her command ships. "Call back the fourth battle group and…" she stopped mid-sentence, gaining control of the rage that had momentarily overcome her. Righteous rage. Righteous rage at those who’d insulted her gods.
"Belay that order. All Xroeshyn forces, disengage in preparation for phase two." She watched as throughout the sector, her ships began to distance themselves from the human forces and moved toward one of the two gravitic imbalances present in the area that would permit them to catch a wave and transit from the sector. "Keep us out of range of the trespassers, Creena."
"Affirmative, Fleet-Captain."
Indraat triggered a preset communication channel that connected her directly to the commander of the Sapphire Sky. "Captain Ishaan, our failure to destroy the starbase leaves only one option."
The man on the screen nodded, serene and unconcerned, unbowed and uncompromising despite his relatively advanced age. "Yes, Fleet-Captain. I understand and accept this."
"Do you have personnel to discharge?"
Ishaan Tren shook his head, sending the tall spikes of feathers on the top aflutter. Normally, it was regulation to wear them tied back, but Indraat respected his choice to abandon that requirement at this decisive moment. "They departed a short while ago, Fleet-Captain. It’s only me and a skeleton crew of volunteers that remain."
"You are, and always have been, a testament to all that is good in our military, Captain. Your actions against the humans will be remembered."
He nodded acknowledgment and gave her a small smile. "I can ask for no more." He reached offscreen, and a countdown clock appeared in the corner of the screen. "Farewell, Fleet-Captain Indraat Vray. When it’s your time, may the gods welcome you with open arms."
"May your duration in the in-between be short, so that you may spread your wings and fly in paradise."
"So may it be," he intoned.
"So may it be," she echoed, as did several members of her bridge crew that had risen in respect for the fortress's commander. He nodded once, then killed the channel and vanished from the screen.
"Final disengage, head for transit points, full speed."
She watched on the display as her ships flew away like startled birds, heading for their ordered destinations. The human forces responded sluggishly, some of them following, others holding position in apparent confusion, and still others firing at targets of opportunity as they rocketed past. After a half-minute it became clear to all that the only Xroeshyn ship remaining near the starbase was the fortress. She saw the humans realize the danger and grinned. "Not nearly soon enough, defilers."
Seconds later, the Sapphire Sky exploded in a brilliant fireball. The sharp tines that made up its surface sped outward to impale several ships, penetrating some, destroying a few. The main force of the explosion was channeled into the starbase, directly through the damaged section and up into the top, thanks to subtle and clever maneuvering during that final minute of the fortress's life. The starbase erupted, adding to the devastation as human ships pinwheeled away, caught in the force blast as it radiated away from the installation. Some of them collided, some regained equilibrium without further damage, and others simply drifted.
A broad smile broke across Indraat's face. "Hopefully we got some important ships with the sacrifice of the Sapphire Sky. However, it matters not if we didn’t. We’ve accomplished our objectives for this battle. Well done, crew of the Ruby Rain." She gave a contented sigh, then hit the button to address the entire fleet. "Time for transit. Execute."
CHAPTER THIRTY
The Pandora emerged from the gravity wave at incredible speed, far faster than Kate had ever flown. She immediately steered onto an evasive trajectory to avoid a large chunk of what was once a starship as it spun past.
"Pandora, connect to the battle net."
"Unable to comply, Commander. It’s rejecting our hails."
"Idiots," she breathed. "Okay, better hail the Washington." She’d found the ship on the screen almost immediately upon sector entrance, as if a portion of her mind was dedicated to doing so regardless of the other tasks that presented themselves.
"Kate, I'm so glad you're okay," said Cross, almost shouting in his excitement. "You are okay, right?"
"Yes. You?"
"The Washington is battered, but she’s still running. Everyone here is good."
She breathed a sigh of relief. They both spoke together, then fell into laughter despite the enormity of the situation around them.
"You first," he said.
"What happened here?"
"Biggest number of enemy ships they've brought yet. They beat us up for a while, blew up the starbase, and ran away."
"They're not running. They're headed for Earth."
"What?" Cross yelled over the channel.
"Claire's ship was able to listen in on orders from the Xroeshyn home planet. This was only the first part of their plan. They're heading for Earth right now."
"Have you told the admirals?"
"They're not answering."
"Fitzpatrick, get us networked with the admirals. They need to hear this." His voice grew stronger as he continued, "Claire's ship? I don't see another ship."
"That ship you don't see, plus fourteen more, are already on the way to Earth. We considered taking care of the birds ourselves, but thought you all might feel bad if you didn't get to join in."
Cross laughed, a wonderful sound to her ears, and she realized how much she’d missed it.
A new voice broke into their discussion, "This is Admiral Rodriguez aboard the Chicago. All commanders will connect to the flagship. Conference in ten minutes. Rodriguez out."
"I guess I better get someone else to pilot, so I can pay attention," Kate said. "I'm sure the admirals will have incredibly useful things to say." She almost, but not quite, hid the note of derision, still ticked off over being locked out of the force while she was gone.
Cross laughed again, the melodic tone a balm to her nerves. "It’s so good to have you back, Kate."
"It’s so good to be back, Cross."
AT THE APPOINTED TIME, her screen lit up with the admiral's face and a number of other boxes ready to be filled with anyone who spoke across the channel. One of those illuminated with the face of Admiral Mark Stephenson, who immediately set about chastising her.
"Commander Flynn, running off from battle is generally considered treason, or at least desertion. If I had my way, you’d be—"
"Respectfully, Admiral Stephenson, stow it." The beaming face of Admiral Margaret Flynn appeared in the corner of the screen. "Commander Flynn, what did you discover that we so urgently need to know?"
"At this moment the aliens are en route to Earth."
Another captain scoffed. "More likely that they're heading to Starbase 3, continuing to march forward as they have been."
Cross growled, "In case you didn't notice, Roth, they skipped five before coming to four. They’re apparently no longer bound to operate in a straight line."
"Captains, silence," came the commanding voice of Admiral Rodriguez. "The whole story, as quickly as possible, Flynn. Everyone else, shut up or be court-martialed."
A grin twitched the corners of her mouth as she told the tale of the alien base, the storage depot, the treasure trove of dormant ships, and everything she knew and understood about the Domeki.
When she was finished, Rodriguez asked, "How sure are you of the message you intercepted?"
"Completely sure, Admiral."
"Because if you're wrong, we’ll be abandoning Starbase 3 and all upon it to their fate in order to chase after a figment of your imagination."
"One hundred percent positive, Admiral."
&nbs
p; Kate nodded decisively. "This conference is at an end. All ships, best time to Earth. Make essential repairs, but do not delay." The channel fell, the display filled with a vision of the starfield and the litter of starship debris that decorated it.
Moments later, Cross appeared on the screen. "As much as I hate to say this, we need to make repairs before we can leave. Don't wait for us. Go."
"I'm tired of leaving you behind, Anderson Cross."
He laughed. "I'm tired of being left behind. Maybe you can give me one of those fancy new ships you found, so we can fly together again."
Kate snorted. "I'm going into exploration once this is over. Do you really think that's something you'd enjoy?"
Cross paused and turned unexpectedly serious. "Turns out, being the captain of a battleship isn’t all it's cracked up to be. I think if I was with you, I’d be completely happy to be an explorer."
They gave each other matching grins, then Kate shook herself out of the moment.
"Gotta go. Stay safe, Ace."
"You too, Red," he said to her back as she headed for the bridge.
Moments later, the Pandora washed from the sector, leaving behind discarded shells, floating hulks, and ships under repair. For just an instant before she departed, the vista looked serene, as if the universe was holding its breath to enjoy one last moment of peace. Then the colors rippled, and the Pandora tore from the sector, headed for what would, one way or another, be the decisive battle in the war against the Xroeshyn.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
"Wake up," a whisper from the goddess who had the power of a shout filled his ear. He jolted up in his bed, immediately assaulted by the jangling alarm bells ringing in the cathedral.
His protector was already in motion, gathering his armor and bringing it to his side. She helped him to hastily dress, rejecting his ceremonial robes and pushing him from the room in only his protective regalia.
