by Andy Hoare
'Seventy-five. called the helmsman, a note of tension creeping into his voice.
'Hold steady' Lucian replied, referring as much to the vessel's course as the helmsman's nerves.
The range counter on the holograph counted down, and there was still no response from the alien fleet.
'Fifty kilometres.
'Good. Lucian stood, adjusting the holster at his belt. 'Full power to secondary arrays.
The red lighting dimmed for a moment as the secondary communications array bled off the power it needed to go from cold to fully ready in mere seconds. Lucian kept his eyes on the holograph, knowing that the aliens would pick up the power surge at any moment.
'Station three, open a- the green holographic icons representing the alien vessels suddenly shifted, breaking formation as Lucian had known they would.
'Twenty-five. called the helmsman.
'Station three, open it now!
The bridge filled with howling static as the servitor at the communications station opened a broadcast on all channels on which the secondary array was capable of transmitting. This had better work, thought Lucian.
'Alien fleet. he said, knowing that his words would be flooding the ether across every conceivable frequency. 'Alien fleet, this is the Oceanid, flagship of the Arcadius Grand Fleet. Please respond immediately'
The bridge address system howled with feedback as the communications servitor adjusted the gain, sweeping the channels for any sign of a response. Lucian had hoped to get as close as possible to Arris Epsilon before announcing his presence, looking to gain any advantage possible over the aliens. He strained to filter out the random noise flooding the bridge, looking for any sign of an intelligible response. Of course, even if the aliens could, and did respond, there was no guarantee they would be able to communicate with one another. No matter, he thought for that was why he had been so careful to gain the upper hand. If they could not or would not talk, he would settle things the old-fashioned way.
A high-pitched wail burst forth, modulated by an arrhythmic pulse. The communications servitor opened its mouth and gave out a squeal, turning its head and looking straight at Lucian, almost accusingly, as it did so. The pulse continued for ten seconds or so, before the channel went completely silent, and a clear voice cut through.
'Oceanid. the voice said in perfectly enunciated High Gothic. 'This is the Water Caste starship Vior'la'-Gal'Leath'Shas'el. Please state your intentions'
Lucian stepped from his command throne, towards the forward viewing port. The distance between the Oceanid and the alien vessels was too great to afford visual recognition, but Lucian looked towards the area of space where he knew the aliens' position lay as he replied.
'Alien vessel, my intentions depend entirely upon your own. Please stand down and allow me to approach.
As he awaited an answer, Lucian looked sidelong at Raldi. The helmsman mouthed 'twenty-five' back at him.
At their current speed, Lucian would expect the alien vessels to be visible in the next few minutes. Then, and only then, he would be able to gauge the relative odds.
'Oceanid, it is not in our nature to seek meaningless confrontation. You may approach, but be warned, our vessels are heavily armed, and will fire if threatened.
Lucian chuckled to himself before replying, 'Understood. Stand by'
Indicating to the communications station with a finger drawn across his throat that the channel should be closed, Lucian turned back to the holograph. As the range shortened, the seven vessels took on more detail, the Oceanid's cogitation banks providing details of size, mass and approximate power levels. The minutes passed, Lucian absorbing the data presented in the readouts. He looked to make an estimate of the alien vessels' capabilities relative to the Oceanid's, but the cogitators simply could not discern enough data, never having encountered this race, or their vessels, before.
'Coming up on ten kilometres, sir' called Helmsman Raldi, Lucian looking to the viewing port once more.
The yellow-green globe of Arris Epsilon dominated the view, but Lucian could just make out the glittering constellation of lights that he knew to be the alien fleet. The seven vessels had dispersed their formation, entering a pattern from which they could afford one another mutual support were things to get ugly. It was no surprise to Lucian when he saw that the vessel that had answered his transmission, the 'Vior'la something-or-other', had taken position at the centre of the formation.
I would have done the same thing in their place, thought Lucian, his suspicions that he was not facing idiots confirmed.
Drawing closer to the alien fleet, the Oceanid passed the first of the alien vessels. He studied it as it slid silently by to starboard, its long, blocky form filling the smaller portholes as it passed. It was large, Lucian saw, of greater length than his own vessel, that much was immediately evident. It took the form of a long, central spine with a large drive section at the rear. Part way along the spine were mounted large, square structures, looking to Lucian like some form of modular cargo space, and at the fore a large prow featured what appeared to be a command tower bristling with antennae. Of most interest to Lucian were the long, rectangular barrelled weapons protruding from mountings just below the curved prow. These he had seen before.
Although few, Lucian judged these weapons capable of inflicting severe damage upon his vessel. In his judgement, the Oceanid could certainly take on several of these alien ships at once, and provided she got a good broadside on them could, in all likelihood, put them out of the fight. What Lucian took for cargo bays appeared to have been fitted at the expense of heavier or more numerous weapons batteries, and he guessed that other, up-gunned configurations existed.
Although larger than a manmade cruiser, Lucian judged these vessels of equivalent capability. Well, he thought, he'd taken on plenty of cruiser-sized enemies, and left blazing hulks dead in space behind him. If it came to it now, he'd do so again.
'Ordnance' Lucian called to the servitor at station two. 'I want all batteries made ready, but keep the ports closed until I give the order' The servitor gave a mechanical buzz in acknowledgement, its multiple, implanted appendages moving across the fire control console as it relayed Lucian's orders to the waiting weapons crews.
Another of the alien vessels was now by on the port side and Lucian noted that this one was configured in the same manner as the first. Emperor willing, he thought, all seven vessels would be of a similar, or even identical class.
'Closing on target. called the helmsman, Lucian seeing that the vessel with which he had communicated now loomed in the centre of the viewing port. He grinned, admitting to himself that he lived for moments such as these, despite the seriousness of the situation.
'Well enough, helm. Bring her alongside and reduce to station keeping. The alien flagship, for that was what Lucian took it to be, was prow on to the Oceanid, its fore-mounted weapons batteries facing towards Lucian's vessel, but evidently not, yet, tracking her. The Oceanid's drives growled as the helmsman reduced the ship's velocity, a rattling vibration running through the deck as the alien vessel loomed to starboard.
'Number three again? said Lucian in response to the juddering, grating sound. The helmsman nodded, though he did not turn to make eye contact with his master. 'Keep an eye on her Mister Raldi. If she misbehaves now we'll all be walking home'
'Aye sir' replied the helmsman, his right hand pulling back on a lever, coaxing power from the misbehaving drive, while the other kept the helm steady.
'Any second… there we are Mister Raldi, station keeping if you will'
The Oceanid slowed to a near dead stop as she came alongside the alien vessel, the starboard portholes entirely filled with its slab-sided bulk. Lucian clasped his hands behind his back as he cleared his throat and then nodded to the communications servitor.
'Alien vessel, this is Oceanid. Please acknowledge this signal'
'Oceanid, Vior'la'Gal'Leaih'Shas'el acknowledges. 'Please state your business'
'My business
' Lucian smirked ever so slightly as he spoke, 'is to receive your immediate and unconditional surrender, in the name of the Arcadius Grand Fleet and the Emperor of Man' He turned and nodded to the servitor at the ordnance station, who activated the controls that would raise the weapons ports on the Oceanid's flanks. He shoved to the back of his mind any doubts that the aliens would not fall for his bluff, counting on them not being able to take the risk that, as he had implied, his was the lead vessel of an incoming, and yet to be detected, fleet.
'Oceanid, please confirm your last transmission. the reply came from the alien vessel. 'Did you state that you expected to receive our surrender?
Lucian's smirk now turned into a dirty grin. He really did enjoy his work too much sometimes, he thought. 'That is correct' he replied. 'I expect you to heave to, power down and prepare for boarding' Lucian glanced across at the holograph, seeing that the outermost of the alien vessels were coming around, as he had expected they would.
'Do you surrender? he asked.
A momentary delay, and then the terse reply, 'No, Oceanid, we do not surrender'
'I had a feeling. replied Lucian, crossing to his command throne and sitting, 'that you would say that'
'Fire!
The Oceanid's starboard weapons banks opened fire as one, their mighty roar filling the ship, their report vibrating through the decks.
'Hard to starboard, Mister Raldi, cross the T' ordered Lucian without even looking to see what, if any damage the broadside had inflicted upon the alien vessel.
'Aye sir' called back the helmsman, hauling on the wheel as he brought the Oceanid around.
'Damage? called Lucian.
'Significant, sir' the officer at the operations station called back in reply. Lucian glanced at the banks of screens all around his command throne, seeing that, indeed, the sucker punch of a broadside had inflicted fearsome damage upon the alien. The other vessel was listing to its port, thick, oily smoke billowing from its mid-section, flickering plasma fire lighting the clouds from within.
'Ordnance, prepare a second volley.
Lucian watched as the view from the forward viewing port showed the alien ship's drives to starboard. Wait, he steadied himself, sensing a kill if he timed the volley exactly right.
'Lined up sir! Raldi called, struggling with the mighty wheel of the helm.
'Thank you, Mister Raldi. replied Lucian, waiting one, two, three seconds more before ordering. 'Starboard batteries, fire!
The Oceanid was once more filled with the mighty roar of the cannons' discharge. This time, Lucian watched the other ship as the broadside slammed into its rear section. A handful of the projectiles exploded prematurely as they were swallowed in the superheated wake of the vessel's vast engines, but the majority struck the superstructure, smashing through the metres-thick armoured engine casings and exploding deep within.
For a moment, the two vessels continued to glide past one another, the Oceanid having crossed the T and carried on past. Then, as Lucian watched, the alien ship's drive section was rent asunder as a mighty split appeared along its length, blinding white, atomic fire lancing out of the crack. A second later the entire drive section came away from the spine connecting it to the bulk of the vessel, jettisoned, Lucian judged, by the ship's captain in a last ditch effort to save his crew.
The effort was wasted, though, for the damage to the drive section was such that it entered a critical chain reaction before it could entirely separate, disappearing as it was swallowed in a rapidly expanding ball of the purest, most blinding white light. Lucian turned his head away as the viewing port dimmed to compensate for the blast, bracing himself against the blast's wave front that buffeted his vessel less than a second later. He was shocked, for a moment, at me violence of the alien vessel's death.
He glanced at the holograph, which was still recovering from the interference created by the vessel's demise. The outer ships were completing their manoeuvre, and he quickly chose his next victim, reading off its coordinates to the helmsman.
'What next, sir? called Raldi. 'They're closing on us!
'Now. Lucian called back, 'we make for the Rosetta and pray that Korvane has the good sense to take advantage of the little distraction we've just created, and gets back to his ship'
'And then, sir?
'Then it's just a small matter of fighting our way clear'
'Of all six alien ships, sir?
'Stop asking awkward questions and do your job, Mister Raldi. All power, on previous heading, if you please'
Lucian leant back in his command throne, inwardly still quite shocked at the manner of the death of the alien ship. Despite the power of its primary weapons batteries, its class was evidently incapable of withstanding a couple of good broadsides. He knew, however, that the scales would soon be evened, as the other alien ships were inbound and scarcely likely to allow him to get as close to them as he had to their flagship.
'Four minutes, sir' said the helmsman, Lucian seeing from the holograph that the alien vessel onto which he had locked was coming around, attempting to bring its forward weapons batteries to bear on his ship.
'This is going to sting' Lucian said, addressing no one in particular. 'Shields to full, helm, bring us in on our port. Port weapons, stand by'
The Oceanid lined up its prey, the gulf between the two vessels closing rapidly. At ten kilometres, the alien ship opened fire, its forward weapons flashing as they threw hyper-velocity projectiles across the void.
The first volley went wide, thanks to the fact that the Oceanid was prow on to the other ship, but mere seconds later it unleashed a second, this one far more accurate, and deadly.
Lucian felt the Oceanid stagger beneath him as the enemy weapons hit home, blasting great chunks out of her armoured prow. The bridge was plunged into almost total darkness, lit only by the strobe of a third volley fired by the closing ship.
This volley struck the port superstructure a glancing blow, an entire fin tearing itself free of the hull and spinning crazily into space. A series of secondary explosions sounded through the deck, and Lucian judged that these were the forward conversion plants. We can survive without them, he told himself, if we can survive this.
'Helm! Full retros, ten second burn. Cut mains to fifty per cent. Lucian ordered, as the distance between the two vessels passed the one kilometre mark. He knew he would get only one salvo in against this enemy, and even that might be bought at too high a price. He would not sit idly by and abandon his son to an alien invasion of Arris Epsilon, however, he would do all he could to afford Korvane the opportunity to escape.
The Oceanid shuddered once more, the retro fhrusters struggling to arrest her forward momentum. As the bridge lights sputtered back to life, Lucian saw from the read-outs that the alien vessel's second volley had damaged one of the thrusters, and felt his ship veering to port under the uneven thrust.
'Compensate, plus fifty to the starboard primary, plus twenty to the secondary. he ordered the helm, feeling the Oceanid coming back on course.
No sooner was his ship brought back under control than the two vessels were right on top of each other, and as the alien cruiser passed to starboard, Lucian roared, 'Open fire! All port batteries!
The range was not so great, and the angle, nowhere near as good as the broadside on the first alien nonetheless, the volley was a good one. The mighty cannon spat death across the void, macro-shells crossing the gulf between the two vessels in seconds. The alien vessel had been preparing a fourth shot when the Oceanid's broadside hit, its forward batteries caught in the process of turning to track and acquire their target.
Half of the broadside merely glanced, or missed the target entirely, but the other half struck home. The alien vessel's shields were smashed asunder, barely registering on Lucian's read-outs. The macro-shells impacted at an apparently weak point between two of the modules slung under the ship's spine, dislodging a protruding section of superstructure, which crashed into the forward of the modules. As Lucian watched, the mod
ule exploded violently, secondary explosions blossoming forwards to engulf the lower portion of the vessel's prow. At the last, the three remaining modules ejected, spinning off into space as the crippled vessel disengaged, evidently seeking to put as much space between itself and the Oceanid as possible, in as short a time as it could.
Lucian laughed out loud for the joy of it all, scarcely able to believe that he had seen off a second alien vessel in one day.
'Who was it once said you never feel more alive than when someone's just shot at you and missed? he asked no one in particular, revelling in the familiar feeling of victory. He looked to the holograph for the next target.
'Sir' called the helmsman. 'Shall I adjust?
'What? Lucian asked, looking to the holograph in search of whatever Raldi was talking about. 'I see nothing. What is it?
'Forty-five high to port, sir, inbound.
Lucian saw that the area of space to which Raldi referred was invisible to the augurs and black on the holograph, and would remain so until the augur arrays were repaired, following the damage done to them in the flight from Mundus Chasmata. He surged to his feet and crossed to the viewing port, immediately seeing what his helmsman was talking about.
'Damn. he said.
A fleet of capital ships, all Imperial in design, was closing in on the Oceanid's position. Lucian immediately saw from their heading that they were far from friendly. In fact, he knew immediately who they belonged to.
'Gerrit! The communications array burst into angry, hissing life. 'Gerrit, this is Imperial Commander Culpepper Luneberg. I order you to kill your engines and surrender now. Do so and I shall show you mercy.
'Keep your mercy. growled Lucian, turning to the servitor at station three. 'Comms, open a channel to Korvane, wherever he is, right now.
He sat once more, his mind racing with the possibilities. He had faced tough odds when it was just the alien vessels he had to fight through, to link up with the Rosetta, but now he faced Luneberg's fleet too, things looked decidedly grim. Yet still, he would not abandon his son.
