Attack Butterfly (Rust Bucket Universe)

by Atk. Butterfly

  Admiral Nick took the disk and popped it into the terminal. He looked at the specifications that Admiral Oden wanted him to see and then nodded. "Okay, I agree. We do need this type of ship. I promise that I'll get behind it if you can figure out where the Malakins disappeared to. I feel uncomfortable knowing that they're still a threat to Echo."

  Dave looked at Nicky and thought for a moment until he remembered some of Admiral Nick's background. Then he realized why his friend, Nicky, was particularly worried. Admiral Nick's daughter was now a resident of Echo, having married and moved to be with her husband, one of its citizens.

  Dave answered, "I know you do. I feel uncomfortable about the Malakins threatening any of our planets. Mind you, I will get to the heart of this and I'll try to do so before they show up out of nowhere."

  Nicky asked, "Did you get this idea from the Battle of Samar in World War II?"

  "Partly. You researched it?" Dave replied.

  "Curiosity got the better of me," Nicky admitted.

  ***

  Dave went to his quarters, still unsure of how the Malakins had disappeared. After all, the fifth wave had retreated at top speed. Yet, as far as he knew, they weren't picked up by any of the space sensors when they left the perimeter. They had to still be inside the perimeter to Echo or one of the space sensors was inoperative somehow. Could they be mimicking the codes sent by the space sensors?

  Dave got up and called headquarters. "This is Admiral Oden. Put out a special to all the space sensors for a diagnostic check. Let me know the results."

  "Right away, sir."

  Dave hung up knowing they would get on it immediately. They were already aware that he didn't ask for something that wasn't needed or just to make work. If he wanted something, it was to protect the Union and the Navy. He went back to the door and stood in the doorway looking up at the stars. "You're out there somewhere. I know you are."

  He stepped back in for a moment, pulled a cigarette from a nearby pack, and lit it. Then Dave stood in the doorway again as he watched the smoke curl upwards and disappear into the dark. Up and up it rose in the light, occasionally curling down, around, and back up again for reasons unknown to him. Once it was out of the light, it was gone though it was still there moving slowly spiraling upwards while continuing to curl and eddy along its slow path. Dave continued to smoke, wondering about the Malakins when the answer stared him in the face.

  "Of course! I should have remembered that they can do anything out of sight that they can do within sight!" Dave said to no one as he grabbed for his shoulder pack and then the handset to his phone.

  "Headquarters office."

  "This is Admiral Oden. Scramble all fighters now!"

  "Yes sir!"

  Dave then raced out of his quarters and leaped into his hover. He engaged the engine and threw it into forward. Had the hover possessed any tires, he would have left skid marks. Instead, he only left some dust behind him as he hurried over to headquarters.

  Two minutes later, Dave disengaged the engine, letting the hover slam to the ground as he leaped clear of it and ran for the door to the building housing fleet headquarters. He ran for the planning room, shouting at some sergeants, "Follow me into planning. Have someone feed in the latest reports on Malakin positions!"

  Dave slowed down only when he reached the planning room.

  "Anyone notify Admiral Nick yet?" Dave asked.

  "Yes sir. I figured something was up when you called a fighter scramble and thought he should know," one sergeant answered.

  Dave replied, "Good for you, sergeant. Stick close by me and don't let me forget things like that. Okay, plot the positions of the retreating Malakin fifth wave. Assume that they've found the sensor line on the way in and know to avoid it."

  Dave watched as the hologram image of space lit up in the room with the positions entered. "Okay, plot the last possible moment they could have changed course to return directly back to Echo without our space sensors catching them in the act. If I was commanding the enemy fleet, I'd try to delay my attack enough to appear like I'm the next wave so that the real next wave can enter the battle on my heels and make a decisive difference."

  The sergeants entered information into the terminals. Moments later, a curve, or more accurately, a U-turn appeared along the projected course the fifth wave took.

  Dave instructed, "Take the time when that could have occurred and plot the amount of time it would take them to complete the trip back without using their engines after completing their course change."

  More information was entered into the terminals. Numbers appeared next to the projected course leading back to Echo.

  Dave said, "Give me the course projections to intercept them and a channel to the senior squadron commander."

  Moments later, the figures were on the image. A sergeant handed a radio handset to Dave. Within moments, Dave was speaking to the Commodore in charge of the two squadrons working together. Dave explained his suspicions and then suggested something that might work.

  ***

  Minutes later, both squadrons were in position. On board, their personnel were loading something they rarely used. The settings were rechecked and then they launched four waves of space torpedoes. The torpedoes left the ships and followed the course settings until they finally ran out of fuel in their main tanks. Despite that, the torpedoes continued to follow the same course, not having run into anything to stop them or cause them to explode.

  A few minutes later, one last torpedo was sent out by itself, its warhead removed and replaced with sensor equipment.

  ***

  A few hours later, the leading torpedoes suddenly came alive as proximity sensors alerted them to enemy targets and a small reserve fuel supply was given to the engines. The Malakins never knew what hit them when the small, impossible to detect torpedoes suddenly powered up from nearly point blank range and bore in on targets that were drifting in space in an attempt to deceive the defenders of Echo. Even though some torpedoes chose the same targets as other torpedoes, the damage was enough to destroy or cripple over half the surviving fifth wave.

  Minutes later, the single torpedo arrived. It sent back sensor readings of surviving ships attempting to finish the sneak attack, even though they had been discovered as evidenced by the torpedo attack.

  ***

  Dave looked at the surviving enemy ships, in the transmissions from the torpedo carrying a sensor package, that continued towards Echo. He decided that the Malakins might have thought the torpedoes had been sent out after them when they retreated. It was an easy enough error to make, but not one he thought he would make. Still, he gave the Malakins credit for thinking of a novel way to attack. It almost worked and it still could.

  The sixth wave was yet to be spotted. It was probably passing the space sensors, whose positions were probably known to the enemy by now by using the same trick of discovery if the earlier attacking Malakins hadn't broadcast the locations. Dave realized that he had no way yet of knowing where for sure the Malakin sixth wave would come from. Also, he still had the remnants of the fifth wave to finish off. He decided to take a chance. It was more than a chance. It was a gamble. He called the Commodore of the squadrons defending Echo.

  He ordered, "Commodore, send out two more waves of torpedoes. Then have the armed transports follow the torpedoes. Make sure they understand they are not to get in front of the torpedoes. They are to shut off their engines as soon as they're on course. Then prepare your warships to meet and deal with the sixth wave which I suspect is trying to sneak up on us using the same method."

  "You know where they're coming from?" the Commodore asked.

  Dave replied, "I wish I did. All I know is that I'm trying to keep your force hidden and fool the enemy into believing that the armed transports are you beating up on the fifth wave. Maybe that will force them to attempt something that reveals their position."

  "I hope you're right, Admiral."

  Dave replied, "I hope I am too. Good luck. Out."r />
  "Hey! They've got Edun back completely now!" one sergeant hollered as a report came in.

  Admiral Oden walked over to look at the reports and see how the battle went. As much as he wanted to keep track of that battle while it was going on, he ignored most of the earlier reports out of concern over getting information from it mixed up with the battle to hold Echo. Now he could look at it briefly and see what might be available to assist him. He stopped reading when he read one section commending Captain Grade for outstanding efforts to defend his ship when all his gun stations were put out of action. Captain Grade had loaded junk onto the fighter catapults and fired them off at the enemy, successfully damaging an enemy warship and keeping his carrier intact as it withdrew. Admiral Oden marveled at how resourceful his friend was. Captain Grade would certainly make Commodore soon with actions like that under his belt.

  ***

  The second launching of two waves of torpedoes along the projected course of the fifth wave of attacking Malakin warships went off smoothly. It was followed by twenty armed transports. As soon as the torpedoes were steady in speed and on course, the transports matched them in speed and shut down their engines and running lights, becoming mere ghosts in the endless void. They would just barely be in range of anything the torpedoes attacked.

  ***

  Susan watched as more torpedoes were fired into the same area. She wondered if that meant that they had scored hits. It made little sense to her to send more torpedoes hours later if the others hadn't hit anything. For that reason, she deduced that the first barrage of torpedoes had indeed hit something. As well, she wondered if the enemy was that stupid to remain on the same course knowing that they had been spotted. She reasoned that they must be. Otherwise, why were the squadrons sending out more?

  Then she spotted the transports following the torpedoes. She was puzzled as she tried to piece together what was happening based only on her observations. They were armed, but not very heavily. Could they stand up to a Malakin force, even with the torpedoes leading off? Susan decided then that the transports were in for a difficult battle if they ran into the enemy in strength. The transports were too big and lightly armed despite their armor to last very long in a real slug fest. It would have been better to send fighters, she felt.

  ***

  Admiral Nick looked at the screens with Admiral Oden. Nicky handed Dave a sheet of paper which Dave read. Admiral Nick said, "I was going to surprise you with that in the morning. Congratulations, Dave. It couldn't happen to a better officer."

  "Thanks, Nicky. You ought to be up for your second star as well."

  Admiral Nick said, "Oh, I am, but I just don't have your brilliance. I'm a plodder. I'll get there and do well for the Union and myself. It's just that you're a comet and you'll get there sooner. Care for a drink to celebrate your promotion to Rear Admiral?"

  "I reckon we can have a short one. Otherwise I want to keep my head clear. Fine with you?" asked Dave.

  Nicky said, "Sounds more than reasonable to me. When this battle is over, I'll stand you to a real drink in the club."

  Dave said, "Sure, Nicky. We can do that."

  Both men continued to watch the screens as the armed transports followed the torpedo waves.

  "What if the torpedoes attack the same ships as before?" asked Admiral Nick.

  Dave said, "Shouldn't happen. The dead ships would have lost considerable speed. The damaged ships will probably be lagging between the good ones and the dead ones. That should just about even the odds for the transports."

  Nick replied, "Hmmm. Yeah, I think you're right about that. Okay, this should damage or destroy some of the unluckier enemy ships. Still, facing them with lightly armed transports is risky."

  Dave explained, "Perhaps, but the torpedoes will be their first worry. They'll get two waves and be expecting another. Instead, the transports will come alive first and have maneuverability as an added advantage. Plus, they'll already be in weapons range, even as lightly armed as they are. They'll be able to fire as they come alive. They'll have sitting ducks for targets. If the enemy tries to power up and engage, they'll only attract more torpedoes in on their engines for sure. I think we can write off the fifth wave with this attack. What I'm more concerned about is whether the transports can avoid engaging the sixth wave. That one's untouched and would wipe them out in minutes."

  Nick remarked, "But I thought you wanted the sixth wave to go after them?"

  Dave replied, "There's a difference in wanting them to go after them and wanting our people to escape harm."

  Admiral Nick responded, "Ahh, I see a little clearer where you're heading with that. Well, then a toast to your promotion and the complete success and safe return of the transports!"

  Dave said, "I'll definitely drink to that last part."

  With that, they clinked their glasses and drank.

  ***

  Not quite as long a wait took place before the screens showed the torpedoes activating and charging at the remaining Malakin warships of the fifth attack wave. The enemy ships were considerably closer to Echo and evidently surprised by the second attack of torpedoes. One enemy ship tried to power up. It promptly went dead as two torpedoes locked on and homed in on it, destroying it utterly. Other torpedoes locked onto the nearest object that fit the specifications programmed into them and activated before charging. More enemy ships suffered damage and destruction.

  Then the second wave of torpedoes got into sensor range and activated. As they charged, the lightly armed transports powered up and fired their weapons at what Rear Admiral Oden called sitting ducks. The presence of Union warships left the Malakin fifth wave with no choice but to engage their engines and attack, forgetting momentarily the torpedoes. The remaining torpedoes didn't forget the Malakin warships as they homed in on the doomed enemy warships. The torpedoes inflicted more damage and destruction. The bolts from the transports easily hit among the enemy ships in what was definitely a one-sided battle despite the disparity in the size of ships and number of armaments of the two forces.

  The transports got the jump on the Malakin forces in achieving maneuverability. They easily avoided most of the return fire, what little there was. What hits the transports did suffer were usually to cargo holds where there was nothing to damage. The crew areas were small and widely separated, giving most of the crew members a certain degree of safety.

  The battle lasted less than fifteen minutes, costing only two destroyed transports before nullifying the fifth wave as a threat. The transports quickly checked their two lost ships for survivors before they changed course and headed back to Echo at their top speed. With their position already known, the transports were able to loudly broadcast their victory and did.

  ***

  Dave and Nicky watched the screens. They were both grateful for the light losses and ecstatic about the outcome. Both men studied the screens intently for the remotest of signs from the enemy sixth wave. They watched as the transports reached almost halfway back to Echo when some enemy ships suddenly popped out of nothingness to attack from several angles.

  Dave watched as the armed transports followed their instructions and ran from the fight while their gunners did their best to discourage pursuit. Two of the transports winked out on the screen, indicating that they hadn't fared well. Dave couldn't allow himself to worry at that moment about their ultimate fate. He was already moving towards the hologram space chart where the positions were already posted.

  As he looked at the chart, he envisioned the sixth wave as being strung out over a wide area based on the starting positions of the ships that attacked the returning transports. He reached out and picked up a radio handset.

  Dave ordered, "Commodore, get ready to send out almost every torpedo you have left. The computers are sending the projected courses to you now. Plan on hitting them from the flank based on where you are now in relation to them. If they miss, have them self-detonate no later than an hour after passing Point Yankee."

  "Yes sir. By the
way, congratulations on your promotion."

  "Thanks. Good luck and be ready to move quickly," Dave replied.

  ***

  Minutes later, torpedo after torpedo was launched. Shortly after launch, the torpedoes' engines shut off making them nearly invisible to enemy sensors. They moved through space like silent spirits, barely registering on anyone's sensors until they were close, very close, at which time it would be too late if the ship wasn't recognized as friendly by a responder. Their own sensors were attuned to finding sleeping enemy ships at close range, even if the torpedoes had to travel far first.

  Though slow, the torpedoes could still do a job despite being an old trick from an even older bag of tricks. Even though mankind thought that he would be able to remain at peace, the torpedoes remained in his arsenal only because they were already available, cheap, and no one thought to get rid of them since they barely registered in the budget when overall costs were looked at by accountants.

  Almost two hours passed before the first torpedo activated its onboard engine and targeted itself on an unresponsive ship it located and queried. Too late for the enemy ship to react, the torpedo showed on the enemy's own sensors when the torpedo engine fired up. Too late, the enemy ship tried to escape by engaging its own engines. Too late, the enemy thought to use its guns against the incoming torpedo. The ship took the hit while its actions alerted two other torpedoes that bore in on its now running engines to complete the job of destruction.

  Because of the wide swath in which the torpedoes were launched, other torpedoes passed the destroyed target because it wasn't in their limited sensor range as they sought out other enemy warships. Some enemy ships, as the first, reacted wrong or too late. Others saw the danger as ships near them were hit and did the right thing for escaping destruction by the torpedoes.