“Have them pull back to the rear of our formation,” ordered Aktill.
“Analysis of the weapons the small globes used against us indicates some type of high energy ion beam that is disrupting our energy shields,” Samarth informed the High Lord. “The humans are pulling their small attack ships and the globes back toward their formation.”
Aktill took a few moments to study the tactical situation. “We’ll give our ships some time to repair what damage they can. When repairs are completed, we’ll advance to pointblank range and hammer the humans with our energy weapons and missiles. If we concentrate our fire on just a few of their ships at a time, we should be able to bring their shields down and destroy them.”
-
Precious minutes passed as Race waited tensely for the Shari to resume their attack. Their jamming was even preventing them from detecting the inbound Federation fleet though Race knew it had to be getting near.
“Shari are advancing,” warned Commander Arnett as several warning alarms sounded on the sensor console.
“They want a short-range engagement,” commented Colonel Cowel with concern in his eyes. “They must hope that at that range they can bring down our shields.”
Race nodded his head and then flipped his mini-comm over to ship-to-ship. “We have a Federation fleet inbound toward our position. It should be here momentarily. However, the Shari are going to reach us first. All ships continuous fire; let’s show the Shari we aren’t to be messed with.”
“Weapons firing!” called out Major Daniels as his tactical team went to work.
-
The Shari fleet had closed to optimal weapons range. Space was full of destructive energy beams, power beams, and particle beam fire. Beams of destructive energy flashed back and forth between the two fleets. An energy beam penetrated the shield of a Shari battlecruiser, blowing an energy beam turret to shreds and blasting out a huge gaping hole in the hull of the ship. Other energy beams penetrated the weakening shield, ripping open compartment after compartment. Inside the ship, frantic Shari raced trying to close emergency hatches and bring the spreading fires under control. Then a Devastator Three missile detonated and fifty megatons of energy turned the ship into molten metal.
In the human formation, dozens of Shari battlecruisers were firing every weapon they had at the dreadnought Raven. Its shield flared brighter and brighter as numerous thirty-megaton nuclear warheads impacted the energy shield. Finally, an energy beam penetrated, raking the hull leaving a deep gash in the side of the ship. Inside, alarms sounded and emergency bulkheads slammed shut. Two other energy beams penetrated the weakening shield, boring deep inside the two-thousand-meter vessel. Secondary explosions began shaking the ship, sending sections of the hull drifting off into space. With a bright flare the energy shield failed, leaving the vessel suddenly defenseless from the Shari missiles. Six thirty-megaton explosions suddenly tore the ship apart, leaving glowing wreckage and wisps of burning gas, which quickly faded, as there was no oxygen to keep it burning.
-
“Dreadnought Raven is down,” reported Captain Davis in a shaken voice. “They battered its shield down with multiple energy beam strikes and nuclear missiles. Sensors indicate six explosions in the megaton range destroyed the ship.”
Race grimaced at hearing of the ship’s destruction. Over three thousand people, both Human and Alton, had just died. “Keep all weapons firing. Take those Shari ships out!”
“I have Federation ships exiting hyperspace at seven hundred thousand kilometers,” reported Captain Davis excitedly.
“Admiral, I have a Rear Admiral Massie Tolsen on the comm,” reported Captain Denise Travers from Communications. “She wants to know if you need any assistance.”
Race reeled in shock at hearing those words. Massie? Here? A rear admiral? “Put her on my comm frequency.”
“Hello, big brother,” a familiar female voice said. “I see you’ve gotten yourself into another predicament.”
“Massie, I don’t know how you became a rear admiral but we need to eliminate this Shari fleet before they take word of the Dyson Sphere back to their empire.”
“On our way,” Massie answered. “And Race, I knew from the beginning you hadn’t resigned; so do Mom and Dad.”
“Ships still emerging from hyperspace,” Captain Davis said. “I’m detecting at least one hundred and twenty Alton battleships inbound to intercept the Shari. There are Federation battleships, battlecarriers, battlecruisers, and strikecruisers in the fleet as well.”
“How many ships total?” asked Race, still finding it hard to believe his sister was actually here.
“Last count is five hundred and twelve.”
Commander Arnett turned toward Race with a big smile on her face. “Talk about a relief fleet!”
“Shari are attempting to withdraw!” called out Captain Davis. “They’re disengaging and turning away.”
“We can’t let them,” Race said determinedly. “I want that Shari fleet destroyed! Send in the bombers, Defense Globes, and the fighters.”
-
High Lord Aktill looked in shock at the main tactical screen. It was full of new red threat icons rapidly closing with his fleet. Even as he watched, he saw on one of the many Command Center viewscreens another of his battlecruisers explode as it was turned into a miniature sun.
“More Federation ships, including Alton battleships,” said Lower Lord Samarth as he listened to panicked reports coming in from across the fleet. “Our ship commanders want to know what their orders are.”
“We leave,” Aktill said in a shrill voice. “The humans and their allies have invaded our empire. We must get word back to the Shari Grand Council that we are now at war and what we’ve found here!”
-
For many minutes, the battle continued in full fury. The Shari were now outnumbered and heavily outgunned. Ship after ship died in blazing pyres of antimatter destruction. Occasionally a Federation vessel would fall as a squadron of Shari vessels managed to blast a shield down in their frantic attempt to escape. A few Shari vessels did manage to fight themselves to safety and upon escaping the battle jumped into hyperspace.
-
“Some of the Shari ships have escaped,” announced Commander Arnett as she watched them vanish on the tactical display near her.
“How many?” asked Race with a sickening feeling. Those ships would race back to their empire and report on the battle. He greatly feared he had just plunged the Federation into another galactic war.
“Forty-seven,” Captain Davis answered. “Some of them are heavily damaged and probably won’t make it back to their empire.”
“However, some will,” Race said with a deep sigh. He turned back to Commander Arnett. “Let’s get search and rescue out there. We have some fighter and bomber pilots who need to be rescued. See what help our damaged ships need. Captain Travers, get my sister back on the comm. I need to meet with her and find out just what the hell is going on and how she became a rear admiral.”
-
Race was sitting in his quarters when a marine opened the hatch and his younger sister walked in. She was dressed in the dark blue uniform of a rear admiral and had a big smile on her face. Race stood up and felt relief at seeing Massie.
“Hello,” she said, walking over and giving Race a big hug. She stepped back and looked at him. “I saw the Dyson Sphere on my way over to the WarHawk in my shuttle. My God, Race; it’s gigantic!”
Race looked down at his sister. He was slightly taller than she was. “Yes. Now the big question is, what are we going to do with it?”
“Explore it and learn more about the Originators,” Massie said excitedly, her eyes lighting up. “My support fleet will be here shortly and there are ten Alton science ships coming.”
“I don’t understand,” Race said with a frown spreading across his face. “How did you become a rear admiral and where did you get that fleet?”
“It was the Altons,” Massie explained. “I was alrea
dy in line for rear admiral and Ambassador Tureen got Fleet Admiral Nagumo to approve it. The Altons had already assembled their fleet and demanded the Federation Council supply suitable numbers of warships in case your secret mission discovered the Dyson Sphere’s location. Ambassador Tureen went in front of the Federation Council as soon as your fleet left. There was quite a ruckus when Ambassador Tureen told them about the Originators and that there might be a Dyson Sphere in Shari space. Just the thought of the Shari gaining control of such an object frightened the council into agreeing with Ambassador Tureen’s demands.”
“Remind me never to play poker with him,” Race said, shaking his head amazed at what the Alton ambassador had managed to accomplish. “I still don’t understand where all the Federation ships came from.”
“Every fleet near the Shari border was ordered to rendezvous with the Altons. I was given command of the Federation forces and told to respond to whatever threat the Shari might pose to the Dyson Sphere if you managed to locate it. Alton Admiral Lankell is the overall commander of the mission. He has experience from the war with the Hocklyns and the AIs and is a very good tactician.”
“I still don’t understand why you were given command of such a large force. Aren’t there other admirals in the fleet with you?”
“Yes,” admitted Massie, looking a little aggravated. “Some of them were hesitant to accept my command, but after a dressing down from Admiral Lankell, they changed their minds. Also, Ambassador Tureen was very insistent I command the Federation forces.”
Race sat back down, indicating for his sister to take a seat also. “So, just how does Admiral Lankell intend to defend the Dyson Sphere? Enough Shari vessels escaped to send word to their Grand Council as to what we’ve discovered here.”
“The Altons have a two-fold plan,” Massie answered. “A large Alton fleet is going to Shari space with an ambassador to speak to the Shari Grand Council of High Lords. They want to have this star cluster declared neutral territory with the Altons promising nothing learned here will ever be used against the Shari Empire.”
“What if they refuse?” Race couldn’t see the Shari accepting this request.
Massie let out a deep sigh. “In the supply fleet there are twenty Alton Indomitable Class battlestations as well as a number of fleet repair vessels. We’re going to build a base close to the Dyson Sphere powerful enough to repel any foreseeable Shari attack.”
Race nodded. The next few months were going to be highly interesting. He was surprised the Altons were taking such a lead role in this with their population being comprised of so many pacifists. Then again, how often did one get to explore a Dyson Sphere built by a race that had been extinct for over two million years?
Massie stood up and gazed at her big brother. “I want you to take me on a tour of the WarHawk. You do know you have command of the most powerful ship ever built.”
Race stood up and smiled. “Yes, she’s quite a vessel.” As they left his quarters, Race felt immense relief knowing his sister and his parents knew he hadn’t been forced to resign from the fleet. With Massie here his life would be quite interesting; things were never dull when she was around. With the ships that had just arrived and the supply fleet inbound, they were going to get to explore the Dyson Sphere. Race wondered what they would find when they got inside. He had always wanted to be an explorer and now that wish was going to be granted.
“How’s Mom and Dad?” he asked as they began walking off down the corridor with two marines escorts. “I want to hear all about home.” As they ambled down the corridor, Race listened as his sister spoke of their parents.
-
In space, the Dyson Sphere waited. For two million years, no living being had walked its surface. That was about to change.
Chapter Eighteen
Jeremy stared at the viewscreen in the Avenger as the sixteen-hundred-meter battleship once more emerged from hyperspace. They were deep within the blue giant cluster and nearing the dark matter nebula, which hid the Dyson Sphere. It had taken some coaxing, but the Originator AI had finally furnished Clarissa with a code to allow them access to the interior of the sphere. It had even told them where the best entry point would be. They had been stealthily moving through the cluster once again using the T-Tauri stars for their hyperspace exits so as not to be detected by the Simulins. It helped that the dense hydrogen clouds in the nebula played havoc with long-range sensors, making detection even harder.
“All ships have exited hyperspace,” Ariel reported as she checked the ship’s sensors. “No signs of Simulin ships.”
Jeremy nodded. They had only detected a few since they had entered the nebula and those had been at extreme range.
“Distance to the first target?”
“Eighteen light-years,” Ariel answered promptly.
Jeremy activated his ship-to-ship comm. “All ships, twenty minutes until we jump to tunnel target one.” That should allow all the drive cores to properly cool.
Looking at the tactical displays, they were full of green icons. If they failed to destroy the Dyson Sphere, it would cripple his fleet strength for years to come. He had brought ten Federation battleships, twenty battlecruisers, sixty strikecruisers, seventy Alton battleships, fifty Alton battlecruisers, three hundred AI fifteen-hundred-meter spheres, and all one hundred and twenty of the one-thousand-meter AI warspheres. A total of six hundred thirty ships would be going into battle in an attempt to destroy the Dyson Sphere. If they failed, none of them would be returning home. He had left Admiral Jackson at Gaia with a substantial force as well as Grayseth and his Carethian ships. Grayseth had objected stringently about being left behind, but Jeremy had patiently explained to his large Bear friend that if the fleet failed to return Grayseth would be looked to for leadership of the colony. That placated the Bear and he had reluctantly agreed to stay at Gaia.
“All systems functioning at optimum levels,” Commander Malen reported as she stepped away from her command console. “Ship is at Condition Two.”
“Are we doing the right thing?” Kevin asked over the private comm channel that connected him and Angela with Jeremy and Ariel. He had voiced his concern earlier to Jeremy about taking so many of their warships and dedicating them to this battle.
Jeremy took a deep breath. This was something he had debated with himself for many long hours as well. It has been tempting to stay inside the nebula where they were safe from the Simulins. The Altons were using another one of their technologies to thicken the gaseous clouds that surrounded Gaia, making them too dense to travel through in hyperspace. They were also doing this in other areas of the gaseous nebula to make finding a safe passage through almost impossible. They needed several years yet to accomplish their plan and once it was finished, the nebula would finally be safe from Simulin attack. Even when the Simulins finally figured out how to travel through the higher bands of hyperspace currently being scrambled by the hyperspace interference buoys, the thicker areas of the gas cloud would protect Gaia.
“When the relief fleets arrived they brought specific orders from Fleet Admiral Nagumo and Fleet Admiral Streth we were to do everything in our power to take the battle to the Simulins. That was over two years ago.”
Kevin looked at his sensor screens and then back toward Jeremy. “I have a lot of respect for both fleet admirals, but they aren’t here.”
“By attacking the Simulins we’re protecting the home galaxy from attack,” Angela said. “Brace and I have talked about this. We can’t just hide in the nebula forever. I know it’s a risk, but it’s one I believe we have to take.”
Ariel looked at Jeremy and then spoke. “If we’re successful destroying the Dyson Sphere we prevent the Simulins from calling in major reinforcements from other galaxies they may control. It will also allow us to build up our AI fleet to take on the Simulins for possession of this galaxy.”
Kevin leaned back in his chair and gazed at his console. “We have the Originator ship; we could learn a lot from it.”
�
�It may even allow us to go home someday,” Jeremy added.
Angela looked over at Jeremy and then to Kevin. “We are home,” she said in a soft voice. “Gaia is ours and our children’s future.”
Kevin nodded his agreement. He had long since given up any hope of returning to the home galaxy. Gaia was a good world and it was where he and Katie would someday raise their children.
-
The twenty minutes quickly passed and the massed fleet jumped back into hyperspace. Their first target was one of the seven hundred and forty kilometer energy collection spheres just outside of the tunnel entrance to the Dyson Sphere. The plan was to jump in, engage whatever ships were present and then destroy the sphere. Once that was done a blockading force would be left behind to secure the entrance to the black matter tunnel while the rest of the fleet entered and attacked the Dyson Sphere.
-
The Avenger exited the swirling blue-white spatial vortex just twenty thousand kilometers from the Simulin energy collection sphere. Around her, hundreds of other vortexes opened as the rest of the Federation fleet exited hyperspace.
“Contacts!” called out Kevin as his sensors began picking up Simulin vessels. “Seven battlecruisers and ten escort cruisers.”
“All ships, formation A-03,” Jeremy ordered over the ship-to-ship comm. Formation A-03 was an attack formation resembling a half sphere with the flat side facing the Simulins. Damaged ships could fall back and be replaced by the ships in the rear of the formation.
-
In space, the Federation fleet quickly formed up and began advancing toward the Simulin warships and the massive collector station. On the station alarms sounded as the Simulin crew was summoned to battlestations. Hundreds of energy cannons were activated and missile hatches slid open. The station’s powerful energy shield snapped into existence as the station prepared for combat. Never in the long history of the Simulins had someone dared to attack one of the stations. A frantic message was sent down the black matter tunnel sending word of the impending attack and requesting fleet reinforcements.
The Lost Fleet: Oblivion's Light: A Slaver Wars Novel Page 27
