Jackson thinking replies, "Mulvey, we are at least a half an hour away from their location by how they...” Jackson pauses, as he thinks again. Mulvey has real potential. I should give him a chance. He says, "But you're right, have mines laid out all around the outer perimeter."
Mulvey goes to set up the minefields deployment while Jackson walks over to Klaus who he sees diligently wrapping new tape around the control handles yet again. Jackson watching Klaus has seen him do this since there very first meeting, he asks, "Klaus, you know, I've seen you do this a hundred times, but I never knew why?"
Klaus smirks, stating, "Well sir, I've been doing this since I was old enough to walk and well, I used to have to wrap rags around the controls of the mega ships. So I could grasp on to them. As I grew older, I would continue to wrap tape around them to help me control the ship better. I guess you could say it’s like my security blanket."
Kitanna overhearing this giggles, “Really now.”
Klaus blushing smiles and says, "Well, It's just something I'm used to I guess."
Jackson noticing the chemistry thinks. Geez, about time those two found each other.
Twenty minutes later, Mulvey announces, "We have fifteen spotters in position, and have targeted at least three dozen ships so far. We seem to be undetected, and we are preparing the first wave to attack, in just a few moments."
Jackson says, "Tell them to attack when ready."
Mulvey relays the order as Kitanna scans the area for results. The support fighters attack.
After a brief minute Kitanna announces, "We have multiple strikes confirmed, on several T-Challa ships. I'm unable to determine the overall damage effectiveness on their fleet, as they are still cloaked. We’re reporting no casualties to our forces so far. I have scanned several debris fields, and my best educated guess, I’d have to say we inflicted heavy damage."
Mulvey announces, "We have the second wave jumping in."
The bridge crew waits, as Kitanna reviews the data, and says, "Sir, we have multiple ships uncloaking and raising shields."
She pauses as she studies the screen. Then she announces, "Sir! We have at least four hundred ships. They’re raising shields, and spreading outward."
Jackson orders aloud, "Send in the nuke strike wings, now! Let’s do as much as we can, before they get too far apart."
Mulvey sends out Jackson's orders. Kitanna reports a few moments later, "Sir, we have several ships down. They seem to have been prepared for the hyper jump attack. We were only sixty-four percent effective with the nuke attack. They have lost only thirty-six ships, and we lost almost forty four ships."
Jackson frustrated announces, "Ok, we do this the old school. Recall all ships, and uncloak them. Have the Carriers remain cloaked, and prepare for long range firing solutions. Tell our fighters to lure them into the minefield. We’ll have the fleet fire one salvo, and regroup at the alpha site."
Mulvey concerned asks, "Sir, only one salvo?"
Jackson repeats himself, "One salvo and we jump to alpha site, is that clear Captain."
Mulvey apprehensively replies, "Yes sir."
The fighters lead the T-Challa armada, into the waiting trap.
Mulvey studying the pursuing ships announces, "We have over forty ships, mostly Heavy Cruisers in range."
Jackson says, "Wait for them to hit the mines."
The fighters navigate easily through the minefield as the T-Challa fleet pursues. Six minutes later, Kitanna yells, "We have impact. Several ships have hit the mines."
Jackson stands up from his chair and orders, "All ships fire, and hit hyperspace!"
The five Super Carriers launch a devastating attack, decimating the Heavy Cruisers, as the Carrier’s immediately jump into hyperspace. After twenty minutes, the Super Carriers drop out of hyperspace.
Kitanna reports, "We have no signs of any pursuit, but the majority may have re-cloaked at this time."
Jackson orders, "Reload all our fighters for another wave and prepare to send them back out."
Kitanna reports, "We confirmed kills on at least sixty ships overall, while damaging over a dozen more. I can now detect at least eleven ships that are partially cloaked, due to damage from our attack, and for that reason I can now calculate their trajectory, and where they are heading."
Mulvey curious says, "General, sir, from what limited tactics I've learned in my short time with you, it’s that the T-Challa adapt to whatever we throw at them and compensate. I mean no disrespect sir, but at this point I doubt that’s there is anything you would do that they may not be prepared for sir."
Jackson reluctantly asks, "I agree Captain, do you have a suggestion?"
Mulvey says, "Yes sir, I do, and if you would let me I'll explain.” Mulvey goes to the tactical holograph display in the C.i.C, and shows his idea, saying, "We are here uncloaked, and baiting them to come to us. We know it will take them at least an hour to get here, but we can intercept them in less than ten minutes, when they are here.” Mulvey continues, as he points to the location on the holoscreen. “They are currently heading toward our last heading, so sir, I would suggest we strike at them again, but in a different manner than what you have done before."
Mulvey pauses, as he looks over the tactical board saying aloud, "I just wish we knew the extent of their armada, and sir, we have at least one hour before our support fleet arrives."
Jackson comments, "Yes Captain, I see what you’re, saying, but what exactly is your plan?"
Mulvey says, "We need to split our forces. We have three Carriers cloak and wait for the T-Challa fleet to pass by them, while we lead them into our support forces that will be here." Mulvey points to the tactical holoscreen to show his plan and continues, "When their fleet passes at this juncture. We strike at them here." Mulvey once again points to the tactical holoscreen, and continues, "Then we meet up with the rest of our forces here.” Once again, Mulvey directs using the tactical holoboard.
Jackson stares at the diagram and says, "Mulvey, it's pretty risky. Those three Super Carriers could get discovered and destroyed without support, and your plan is eerily similar to what we just attempted when we lost Caleb."
Mulvey replies, "We don't attack with our Carriers directly General, sir. We’ll use our fighters only, and hit them from all sides. Then we’ll reload them and do it again, before we move out. Sir, they will think it’s much larger fleet as we can continue to strike at them."
Jackson says, "We will have to have the fighters launch at once and power down until the T-Challa are in range."
Mulvey replies, "Agreed, but we will have to be careful as we have no real data on the true size of their fleet, or their current formation. We could accidentally have a collision if we are not careful."
Kitanna shocked yells, "Sir! The decoy ship has been fired upon!"
Jackson replies, asking, "From the pursuing ship?"
Kitanna answers, "No sir, it was from directly ahead. I'm just getting its last telemetry now."
Kitanna goes through the data then jumps back, as she sees the final images. She immediately pulls the image up on the tactical holoscreen, and shows what appears to be the silhouette of Super Dreadnought firing at the doomed decoy.
Jackson concerned says, "That sure looked a lot like a Super Dreadnought, if the T-Challa are ahead of us too, we have a lot more forces to deal with." Jackson pauses to think. We're getting sandwiched between two fleets. Jackson disturbed asks, "Kitanna, any chance they could have another gateway?"
Kitanna replies, "No sir, we reviewed all the data from day one of the Yinglong's records. We only had three energy spikes, and those energy spikes are only caused when a gateway passes through another gateway, and we have already destroyed two of them so far."
Mulvey curious asks, "Could they have built one?"
Jackson replies, "I don't think so Captain, but we’ll need Val to answer that for us."
Kitanna interrupts and says, "Not really sir, I've read most of the T-Challa history on Paladin’s data
crystals archives, and it takes the T-Challa several years to construct a single gateway. It is more likely this ship or possible fleet could be part of this fleet we are already engaged with."
Jackson smiles and says, "I remember Caleb picking on me for not reviewing those data crystals. Good to see someone did look at them."
Mulvey asks, "Do you know how they are making them act like a black hole?"
Kitanna replies, "Yes, I looked over that data just after we lost Paladin. About six hundred years ago, the T-Challa discovered and attacked a system of aliens who possessed advanced technology. They were of great interest to the T-Challa. However, those aliens were not strong enough militarily to defend themselves against such an enormous military as the T-Challa Empire. So, rather than allowing the T-Challa access to their advanced technology, they instead activated a gravitational bomb, that caused their sun to collapse in on itself, and inadvertently created a black hole, which then destroyed their entire system. As a result the T-Challa gateway was also trapped in the gravitational pull of the black hole."
Jackson asks, "Why hasn't that gateway been destroyed yet."
Kitanna replies, "I don't know why...."
The com officer interrupts announcing, "Sir, I have an incoming transmission from Val Arao."
Kitanna smiles and says, "Val will know."
Val appears on the holocom and says, "Hello Jacks, can I help somehow."
Jackson asks, "Val, are you ok?"
Val happily replies, "I'm me again Jacks, although I don't really know how."
Jackson asks, "Do you still have all that X'ena technology in your head?"
Val answers, "Yes, and no Jacks. It’s still in here, but I don't have free access to it as before. It takes a lot of concentration, and all it does is fill in the blank spaces of where I'm confused."
Jackson relieved asks, "Val buddy, we have possibly two T-Challa fleets in our area, and they’re cloaked. Any chance they could have another gateway here."
Val quickly looks over a few data screens and says, "I'll look into it Jacks, but we’re still six or seven days away. So I have no way of helping you detect just how many gateways are out there, but I'll review the data anyways."
Jackson adds, asking, "Val, one other thing, we were just talking with Kitanna. Why hasn't the other gateway near the black hole been destroyed yet?"
Val thinks for a moment answering, "Well Jacks, the reason the other gateway hasn't been destroyed by the black hole, is it’s caught in a time delayed field. You see Jacks, for the gateway, only a few minutes has passed. It should take close to three thousand years in our time for it to be pulled into that hole."
Jackson hopeful asks, "Val, what if anything can you do to help us from out there?"
Val smiles replies, "I'm looking over all the information Kitanna sent me, just give me a few hours. I’ll see what I can come up with."
Jackson sits down and thinks. We have two forces coming toward us, one from behind the other from ahead. We have our own secondary forces at least one hour away, and we have no way of knowing, just what we are truly up against.
Mulvey says, "Sir, I think we should proceed with my plan, regardless of this second fleet."
Jackson sighs and says, "I'm reluctant to divide us up more than we are. At least not until we have more intel on this other fleet."
Mulvey replies, "Sir, I can move our rendezvous location here.” Mulvey stops and points at the tactical holoscreen and continues, "This will take us further away from our support fleet by ten or twenty minutes, but it will give us more than forty minutes on this second fleet, and sir, you have never played it safe why start now."
Jackson smirks and says, "Ok Mulvey, proceed with your plan."
Mulvey has two Carriers uncloak, jumping into hyperspace on a direct intercept course with the Battleship fleet. While the Yorktown and the other Carriers position themselves in different locations along the projected flight path of the pursuing T-Challa fleet. Their fighters are fully armed, and loaded for an all-out attack.
Kitanna reports, "Sir, I'm projecting at least a wide dispersion of the T-Challa ships heading toward us. They are currently in pursuit of the other two Carriers, and by my best determination, we could easily be facing a force of around two hundred ships. They should be in firing range in just less than eleven minutes."
Jackson centered says, "Well, let’s have our deck crew set up for quick loads of all our torpedo racks. That should give us some breathing room, this way they can re-launch much quicker."
The minute’s countdown, as the T-Challa fleet passes near the hidden Earth fleet. Kitanna reports, "Sir, at this range, I'm able to pick up multiple energy signatures. We are talking about a major fleet here. We could have over four hundred ships."
Jackson looks to Mulvey and asks, "When do you plan to launch your attack Captain."
Mulvey smiles and grabs the com, then orders, "All ships fire."
Multiple torpedoes fire in all directions directly into the core of the T-Challa fleet, and immediately jump into hyperspace, to appear as if they are evading an all-out counter assault. They cloak returning to the three Carriers and hastily re-arm. The T-Challa fleet uncloak, and start to power up shields just as a second wave strikes, and does exactly the same thing. Finally, the reloaded waves re-launches, and does one last all-out attack. After recovering all fighters, all three Carriers jump back into hyperspace. They rendezvous with the other two Carriers just twenty minutes away again.
Kitanna announces, "We we’re extremely effective sir. We lost only eleven-support fighters, and it looks like we inflicted heavy damage onto this fleet. I'm estimating we have destroyed at least another sixteen ships and heavily damaged eight Dreadnoughts sir. Their ships are now firing wildly into space trying to locate us."
Mulvey confidently replies, "We will need to set up again in a few hours for another strike, with the Battleship fleet in support this time."
Jackson sighs, saying, "I’m Sorry Captain, but this is going to take forever. We need a better plan."
Kitanna alarmed announces, "General, sir, they have activated the gateway! I'm detecting multiple ships passing through it."
Jackson places his hands over his face, and groans, asking, "How many Kitanna?"
Kitanna uncomfortably replies, "At least two hundred sir."
Jackson frustrated yells, "How the hell can they maintain this level of construction! Caleb told us they only had fifty years left of resources."
Kitanna says, "General, sir, the gateway is closed, and those ships have cloaked, by my best estimation they have replenished their forces, and may have even increased their overall numbers, considerably."
Jackson frustrated asks, "Can you lock onto that gateway, Kitanna?"
Kitanna replies, "Yes sir, after every use it leaves a very large energy spike, which they cannot properly cloak. However, after a few hours I will not be able to detect it."
Jackson asks, "How long till we all link up?"
Mulvey replies, "Some forty eight minutes, give or take a few minutes."
"I'll be in my ready room.” Jackson announces, as he heads up to his room, thinking. If we go for it in one major strike we can destroy that gateway, but I risk the entire fleet in the process, and if we keep doing these hit and run tactics, we could be out here for months."
As Jackson enters his room, he sees a com message waiting for him. He activates it, and is stunned to see a holoimage of Val that says, “Jacks, I think I figured out a way we can destroy that gateway, and most of their fleet. Unfortunately, you’re not going to like it, because we can only do it one time. Contact me when you’re ready."
Jackson contacts the Bridge, "Get me Val on the com system, now."
After a brief few moments, Tess appears, saying, "Hi Jacks, figured you'd be calling soon."
Jackson impatiently asks, "Where's Val?"
Tess smiles, saying, "He's down accessing a bunch of data to make his idea work."
Jackson now curious asks, "H
e's not going back to his old ways."
Jackson sees Val running around in the background stumbling, as he carries numerous items, with the maintenance bots behind him picking up things as he drops them running across the ship. Then there’s a loud crash behind Tess. Val yells out, "Sorry! I’ll clean it up."
Tess who cringes and says, "Nope, he's his normal self."
Jackson smiles and asks, "What is he trying to make?"
Tess replies, "He thinks he found a way to activate the T-Challa gateway network."
Val yells from behind Tess, "Not activate it, just change its access point."
Jackson takes a deep breath and says, "Val, can you tell me in stupid people terms."
Val comes around the corner, into full view of the holoscreen and says, "When they activate the gateway it sends out a protocol request to the other gateway. I can alter that protocol, accessing the black hole gateway instead. However, Jacks, I can only do this one time. Because after I reprogram their protocol system, they will easily see how I accessed it, and block me from ever doing it again."
Jackson confused asks, “How does this help us Val? They’re already willing to open the gateway to the black hole if they can get close enough to us.”
Val simply answers, “If you can get them to try and open it for reinforcements and I switch it on them then the outcome would be pretty drastic.”
Jackson smiles and says, "Val if you were here I'd kiss you."
Val laughs, saying, "Sorry Jacks, but I much prefer my wife kisses."
Jackson laughs, saying, "Ok buddy, so all I have to do is get them to activate the gateway again for reinforcements, and you can lock that gateway to the one with black hole."
Val replies, "Yes, but it’s going to take me a few minutes to get it up and running. I’ll probably need to work with Kitanna so I can get it to work with the Yorktown’s communication and computer systems there."
Jackson smiles and says, "Do whatever you have to Val, just have it ready to go in under fifteen minutes."
Val hesitates for a moment replies, "Fifteen minutes, hmm yeah, no problem Jacks."
The Ocoda Chronicles Book 2 Lost Heroes Page 21
