Machine Planet (Conquest of Stars Book 4)

by Sid Kar

  “Ummm…No, unfortunately it’s not, at least not that I know of,” Rockvyk walked back and forth pacing the room anxiously wondering what quandary he had babbled himself into, “Starfleet Majestic has actually disapp…” he began to speak.

  “Vice-Commodore Barryett,” suddenly the voice of the communications officer Capitan Dorrvyk boomed over the room intercom, “sorry for the emergency interruption. But I thought you would want to know that the battle is about to begin. Starfleet Commander Jaryett’s fleet is about to intercept the Mercurian invaders.”

  “We will be there right away,” Barryett replied then turned to Tollvyk and Rockvyk, “we will have to continue this conversation later.”

  The three of them briskly walked out of Vice-Commodore’s room and hurried to the command room. Rockvyk mulled his thoughts wondering whether he should broach the topic of Starfleet Majestic again at all.

  “I will be retiring to my room while the repairs and retrofitting are underway,” Admiral Valorun stood up from his raised command chair and the rest of the room rose up to their feet and saluted him simultaneously. “I am not to be disturbed unless the enemy makes an aggressive move. Lewyn you are in command.”

  “Yes, Grand Admiral,” Lewyn saluted him again. This time the respect in his utterance of ‘Grand’ was as clear to the rest of the room as the disdain had been earlier.

  The old coot had done it again, Lewyn thought to himself with a smile after Valorun had exited the room. By the gods and demons he had.

  The grand admiral had hooked two fish with the same bait. He had delivered a decisive blow to his external enemy and he had silenced his internal enemies in the same move.

  Lewyn knew that there had existed a great deal of opposition to bringing Valorun back out of the blue from his retirement. Celebrated war hero he was, but the new class of Admirals and Vice-Admirals believed that it was now their moment of glory under the stars. The old rector of admiralty would only draw off all the light to his grand self like a blackhole from all the nearby suns. Admiral Flannan was the most promising of the newly promoted Admirals and he was their chosen one.

  But the old hands in command of the Admiralstad were all Valorun’s proteges. They had gotten cold feet at the idea of relying on admirals with no battle experience in waging a total war against another powerful galactic empire. Valorun had done it once, he could do it twice.

  Now Admiral Flannan was not a complete rookie commander of warships, unlike Lewyn himself who had never seen a battle before arriving abroad Megaship Maverick. Flannan had been in the last war with Valorun, his spaceship had wreaked destruction and drawn enemies’ blood, but he had been just a commander of a battleship. He had received few promotions and the high watermark of his battle leadership had been leading twelve battleships in a minor skirmish.

  And now Valorun had given Flannan his opportunity. Given him overwhelming odds in his favor and Flannan had nearly botched it up. If not for Valorun’s intervention, the Starfirians would have escaped after inflicting higher losses on Mercurians than they had sustained themselves.

  The outcome of the struggle was never in doubt. Their numbers advantage would mean that they would crush Starfirians when they finally attacked the planet. But Admiral Flannan’s bulb had blown its fuse. A commander was not to take his superior numbers for granted and fight nonchalantly. This had been drilled into all their heads during their time at the Mercurian Academy of Space Navy. Conversely, a larger force was expected to inflict a larger damage on the enemy than that it received. Otherwise, the commander was inept and incompetent, the more forthright retired officer–instructors of the Academy had declared.

  Valorun had said to all the new Admirals, like a grandmaster to his initiates, go ahead, you are ready, meet the challenge head on. And when they had failed, the old master had stepped in, almost warily, an old weary man, doing his duty, when the young ones and others had failed.

  For the first time a strange realization dawned upon Lewyn. All that Valorun was with his honor and integrity, with his optimal mix of prudence and boldness, with all his duty and loyalty, there was also a very shrewd mind buried deep inside. And it surprised him that it took him so long to realize this. One did not win a major space war with just Academy faithfulness and devotion to traditional Mercurian virtues.

  He was the cleverest who could hide his cleverness.

  Lewyn turned to face Valorun’s empty throne and saluted it with an honest smile of newfound respect for a man he had considered old spaceship overdue on its decommission date.

  “Vice Commodore, we have replaced your damaged shield and hull section; with the new fittings, it should be the strongest outer region of your starship,” Chief Engineer Vorkar reported on Barryett’s terminal.

  “Appreciate your fast work,” Barryett replied, “We will get out of the orbit now to make way for starships returning from the battle.”

  “And we have also rearmed you,” Vorkar smiled, “Replenished your rockets, replaced the destroyed laser turrets and all. Only we don’t have the superweapons in stock at Rainmar.”

  “Glad to hear you took that initiative,” Barryett replied, “The thought had crossed my mind but I didn’t want to burden you with any extra duties.”

  “You were lucky to be the only starship in need,” Vorkar said then saluted, “Alright then.”

  “Alright,” Barryett terminated the connection and turned his attention to the command room where the crew was frantically running around and many had congregated around the larger terminals.

  “Take us out of the orbit and position us for the battle,” Barryett said.

  “Yes sir, maneuvering out of the orbital repair yards,” Flyptar replied.

  “Why don’t we put the live gravitron scan of the battle on the big screen,” Barryett said, “I want all of you back at your stations preparing. No matter what rabbit Jaryett manages to pull out of his hat, we will still be facing overwhelming odds.”

  “I will relay the gravitron scanner to the front screen,” Horyett said and his section started transmitting the incoming readings on the large screen in front of the command room where they saw a large number of red triangular symbols representing the Starfirian vessels fast approaching an even larger force of blue circles indicating the Mercurian spaceships.

  “Vice Commodore, we need a great strategy to overcome the enemy,” Capitan Zurryvk said, “Even with the massive support available from the planetary rockets and laser batteries, the Battle AI is projecting us to be the probable losers.”

  Barryett said nothing for a few moments. He was confounded himself. What could he even say or do…

  “We are going to follow the standard battle tactics for this situation and that is why I want you to run through the practice simulations at your stations,” Barryett said, “I am no Commodore Raptor for ingenious tactics. The decisions will be Starfleet Commander Jaryett’s, we have to execute them well and hope for the best.”

  Barryett knew he was not much of a leader to give hope in dire circumstances. He himself had little of it at this moment.

  But however minuscule hope of at least a survivable draw or even a restrained defeat allowing for the possibility of an orderly retreat Barryett or his officers might have had, it all evaporated as they watched the battle unfold and the initial delight in Commander Jaryett’s clever stratagem had rapidly morphed into a wide-eyed horror at the ruthless rollup of his fleet by Mercurian reserves who had jumped into the battle.

  The room watched the gravitron scanner’s projection with its symbols and numbers in stunned silence.

  The pin drop silence was only shattered by the hard pounding of his desk by Colonel Tollvyk who appeared ready for a maniacal seizure with both of his palms curled into fists and his body beginning to shake in anger and his eyes seething red with rage.

  “Vice-Commodore, what are we going to do?” Capitan Alvina asked, her tone more of a desperate plea than of a question seeking an answer.

  “I don’t know,”
Barryett shook his head while keeping his eyes fixated on the screen, “I honestly don’t know.” He knew this much that a commander ought not to show haplessness, but he was helpless in even pretending otherwise.

  “I know exactly what we are going to do,” Col. Tollvyk stood up shaking his fists and the entire command room bolted their necks towards him, “we are going to ram this starship into the flagship of the bastard who commands the Mercurian Fleet. That’s what we are going to do.”

  Barryett opened his mouth but words stuck in his throat and only sucked in air.

  Detective Rockvyk and Stardjacker Norvyk quickly walked over to either side of Tollvyk, steadied him and sat him down. Rockvyk gave him a glass of cold water which Tollvyk gulped down and Norvyk massaged his neck to release tension. Tollvyk then stared into his terminal like a dead man.

  “Vice-Commodore, you can’t let this starship be destroyed,” Rockvyk turned around and said, “The evidence it contains can save our Kingdom from its internal enemies.”

  “I…can’t…just…run…away,” Barryett spoke stutteringly as he watched a few Starfirian spaceships straggle back towards Rainmar.

  Capitan Alvina jumped out of her chair and ran in front of Barryett’s section and said, “We stand no chance now. They don’t expect us to commit suicide. We will fight again when Starfleet Majestic is dispatched.”

  Rockvyk was about to open his mouth upon hearing the mention of Starfleet Majestic when suddenly Tollvyk sprang out of his chair and sprinted next to Alvina.

  “You can’t do that to Raptor, you can’t make a deserter out of him and out of me and out of the rest of us. I want to fight! I will fight to death.” he said.

  “But Raptor deserves a chance to fight too Col. Toll, you can’t want him to die helplessly in his sleep, not knowing, not commanding, not having even a chance to fight, Raptor will not want that and you know it Toll,” Alvina said directly to him.

  Tollvyk said nothing but slowly walked back to his chair and slumped down. Rockvyk stepped in front to plead the case. He knew that as a civilian, even if a state detective, he could say what army men would dare not, even that in agreement with their own minds.

  “Vice Commodore Barryett, I respect the honor of the Army officers and soldiers and their willingness to die in the battle,” Rockvyk said walking next to Alvina and looking directly at Barryett, “But our goal is not to die, and not even to just fight, but to win. And victory comes by carefully picking your battles, committing when chance is in your favor and retreating when against. This is what our ancestors, the Steppe Warriors did. They raided their enemy letting loose a hailstorm of arrows but didn’t wait around for the enemy to hit them back. They turned their horses and were off galloping, gone before the enemy could blink and then only to repeat themselves when another opportune moment presented itself. No one in Starfire Nation would consider it dishonorable to follow their example, of our greatest Kings and Warriors.”

  Barryett looked around the room and saw the eyes of the command staff watching him intently with hope that he would follow heed of Rockvyk’s argument. He knew they wanted to follow Rockvyk’s direction because he himself wanted to take that course of action. Whether it was the honorable choice was another question.

  “Capitan Alvina, please return to your section,” Barryett said. He could not afford a breakdown in discipline no matter what decision he made. Alvina started walking back and Barryett continued, “This is a command decision. Let us see if Com. Raptor has come to.”

  Barryett opened a connection in his terminal to the medical section and Chief Medical Officer Colonel Mobar answered him.

  “Yes, Vice-Commodore, what can I do?” he asked.

  “Has Raptor returned to any state of mind to make conscious decisions?” Barryett asked.

  “No…no,” Mobar said and shook his head, with slight contempt that he would have expressed verbally had it not been an executive officer asking him, “He is not even conscious nor will be for many days. We are taking it slow, repairing each damaged part carefully, then giving his body some rest, then moving to the next one.”

  “Can it be expedited? We really need the Commodore for a crucial decision,” Barryett asked.

  “Can’t be,” Mobar shook his head, “We have to steadily defreeze each wounded section, work on it to repair the damage, at times even operating on a molecular level, transforming molecule by molecule with tools of atomic precision. Tools we don’t even use with our hands,” Mobar said then continued, “he might die if we expedite,” Mobar said, “our medical honor will not allow it. We will try it if you order us to but we will resign first and you will have to conscript us.”

  “Nobody is talking of that,” Barryett said.

  “But I know the crucial decision you are talking about in the command room,” Mobar said, “It is not my place to intrude in the operational matters, but I know the mood of the starship. Men want to fight and they want to fight under Raptor when they have a fighting chance.”

  “So do we all,” Barryett said, cut off the connection and turned to the room. He stood up.

  “Everyone here knows I was once a Commodore,” Barryett said. A few in the room gulped as it was considered gauche to mention an officer’s demotion in public. “I was punished for a matter of no concern to any of you. A just punishment or unjust persecution, I will not debate. But I already have one stain on my record and reputation, I can take another.” He turned to communications officer Dorrvyk and said, “Inform the Starfleet Command at Rainmar, that despite protestations to the contrary by the crew of Starship Conquistador who wished to fight on to avenge their fellow soldiers, Vice Commodore Barryett has ordered a strategic retreat.”

  Dorrvyk starred at him for a few seconds and Barryett widened his eyes at him, “What are you waiting for Capitan Dorrvyk, didn’t you hear Col. Mobar, Raptor is in no condition to issue decisions and I am in charge.”

  “Yes sir,” Dorrvyk quickly turned around and started tapping out a message in code for Rainmar.

  “Where to sir?” navigation officer Overyk asked.

  “Plot a course for deep space adjoining the borders of Karxian Empire,” Barryett replied.

  “Right on it,” Overyk said.

  Barryett looked around the room and saw the room was apprehensive but visibly relieved. Everyone here had proven themselves through multiple space battles, but he knew they all felt a tinge of guilt at abandoning a populated planet; correct strategic decision it maybe. He himself wondered what would Raptor have done?

  “I will carry the fight to the enemy in Conquistador’s name,” Stardjacker Norvyk said, “Appointed by Raptor I may not be yet, but I feel as if I am his warrior now.”

  “You are his savior,” Tollvyk said, “It is only because of you that we could rescue him from Mercurian soldiers.”

  “All three of us…” Norvyk began to speak.

  “Do not be too humble, Capitan,” Rockvyk chuckled. His spirits had lightened after Barryett’s decision. He did not fancy a vain death for glory. “I am a tall and strong fellow and can manhandle two or three of any toughest sons of guns in the galaxy, but only you could have tossed around those Mercurian soldiers like soft pillows.”

  Norvyk said nothing then Barryett asked, “Why take such a deadly gamble?”

  “Vice-Commodore, that is what a Stardjacker is created for, to infiltrate enemy spaceships and spaceports,” Norvyk said, “We haven’t been in a war like this for a long time, so our secondary role to protect our own starships has taken the forefront, but make no mistake, my primary mission is deep behind enemy space. I won’t assassinate the enemy commander, I believe I owe Com. Raptor the honor of killing him in a space battle.”

  “Nor will I approve of such an assassination, besides a dishonorable tactic, it would require approval from Starfleet Command,” Barryett said.

  “But I will conduct espionage,” Norvyk added, “and that will be of most value to us. We know nothing of the Mercurians, any information I learn a
nd manage to transmit will help us immensely in war.”

  “I agree,” Rockvyk chimed in, “SPASI has nothing on Mercurians, and I bet your Army Investigations and Spies department doesn’t either. He will be our first spy and saboteur rolled into one.”

  “I find that a reasonable argument as a tactic for our side,” Barryett said, “but a reckless if a brave one for you to personally advocate Capitan Norvyk. But I will approve of it. Someone has to pay them back, though I want you to stay far more on the side of spying and far less sabotage, if any. Information on the enemy will be of far more help than any sabotage of a single enemy spaceship.”

  “I concur,” Norvyk replied, “I also don’t want to alert them of my presence till I know what I am up against.”

  “Then take the fight to the enemy in Commodore Raptor’s name,” VC Barryett said.

  “I will take it to them in that very Mystery spyship we brought Com. Raptor on,” Norvyk replied, saluted VC Barryett, turned around and shook Rockvyk’s hand and Col. Tollvyk’s hand and then exited the command room.

  “Are we ready for an immediate, accelerated departure out of this star system?” Barryett asked Flyptar.

  “We are,” Flyptar replied.

  “Then take us out as soon as Capitan Norvyk’s spyship launches,” Barryett ordered.

  “Yes sir,” Flyptar replied and the flight section started working the controls to shift significant power to Conquistador’s fusion engines.

  Chapter 6: Siege of Rainmar

  “Grand Admiral, he is running away,” Vice-Admiral Lewyn exclaimed incredulously pointing to the gravitron display of Conquistador’s parabolic flight path out of the star system visible on the large front screen of Maverick’s command room.

  “A wise choice,” Valorun pushed his lips out in a half smile.

  “Its commander is no maverick then,” Lewyn said.

  “Or he recognizes when his force is beat and lives to fight another day,” Valorun said, “I don’t think we have seen the last of him yet.”