Sheppard's Quest

by Gary Caplan

  Torpedo launches and cannon fire from four Varlon cruisers at the Karratin ship were intense. The Zeloc used an effective defense and released a massive energy wave from its entire hull, then discharged needlelike projectiles at the oncoming torpedoes. The vast energy wave disrupted or detonated most of the next volley of Varlon torpedoes. The more reinforced torpedoes were struck by the projectiles and were either destroyed or flew off course, damaged. One of the cruisers guarding near the planet, a Heroic-class starship, the Diana, attempted to strike at one of the Varlon attacking the Zeloc from the starboard flank. But the Diana was severely damaged by enemy returning fire.

  The patrol ships supported the orbital base against the Varlon cruiser and were barely able to hold out against its plasma torpedoes and the Varlon’s higher-energy particle-beam weapons. The multiple antimatter torpedoes fired by the patrol frigates did only minimal to light damage against the Varlon cruiser.

  On board the Pisces, the tactical officer reported, “Sensors show another I-class dreadnaught is taking up an orbital position for planetary bombardment.”

  Commodore Helmslar, a feline Kyz officer, said as she looked at her tactical display, “Order the remaining four cruisers to form strikes against it. Ground planetary defense should be able to hold off most of the Varlon spider ships for a time. We cannot let them establish a foothold here.” The crew and officers of the Pisces had fought Varlon and Accad before, and had survived in no small part due to Helmslar’s knowledge and skill. “Now that the nova cannons are charged, coordinate nova fire on the H-class with the Cassiopeia and the Nalgteth.”

  In moments the tactical officers had coordinated a firing sequence and had selected an area to strike at the Varlon heavy dreadnaught. Helmslar wondered while looking at the chronometer if they would they get the chance to complete the coordinated strike since the heavy dreadnaught seemed to be firing weapons as well now.

  Helmslar looked up at the view screen, her feline eyes watching the balls of plasma energy hurtling toward the Pisces. “Activate grav boots and brace for impact.”

  She looked at one of her injured tactical officers and her unconscious first officer, who was shaken badly by a previous weapons impact. Helmslar activated her console and plotted some targeting solutions. She said to the second officer, “When the nova cannon is recharged, coordinate an antimatter torpedo spread just after the discharge, followed by either plasma or disruptor cannons—whatever we still have functional.”

  The communication officer said, “There is a coded message from Commodore Sheppard: ‘Help is about to arrive.’”

  Helmslar said, “About time.”

  The second officer, Commander Kithic, a Rigezon, said, “Sir, the Varlon are firing some nanomachine co-opting torpedoes. One of our ships is affected, but the Zeloc is firing intercepting missiles that seem to be neutralizing the torpedoes containing the Varlon nanomachines.”

  Helmslar said, “Comms officer, send our thanks to Admiral Gar fa’ eld.”

  The Zeloc had released some spherical stealth drones earlier as it orbited, and now they began to move close to the Varlon starfighters that attempted to get under the Zeloc’s first layer of defense screens. The drones began to drain energy from the Varlon starcraft.

  The nova cannons fired, and three would have struck in about the same area if an antimatter torpedo hadn’t exploded nearby, moving the firing ship and causing one nova blast to be a few degrees off and hit another area instead. The damage done to the heavy dreadnaught was severe where the two nova weapons succeeded in striking, but there was only moderate damage along the area struck by the third blast.

  Once in range, various particle cannons, plasma cannons, energy disruptors, and missiles and torpedoes hurled between the ships. Within minutes, after several volleys, the damage to the Alliance ships was overall severe, with heavy damage to most ships. Starships had to maneuver through floating debris torn off starcraft. The Alliance starships managed to score only some further light damage to the Varlon heavy dreadnaught even with the help of several starfighters not involved with starfighter-to-starfighter combat.

  The J-class had some moderate damage but had disabled one of the Alliance ships and moderately to severely damaged another two cruisers.

  The Zeloc’s draining probes and drones had also been successful in affecting not only the Varlon attacking directly, but most of the Varlon in the area, including the H-class. The Zeloc also released a combination of torpedoes to weaken enemy defense screens and various types of heavy particle and antimatter beams at the attacking Varlon cruisers, causing them moderate to severe damage.

  The four planetary defending cruisers had an intense battle with the I-class dreadnaught, and as they were mostly battle cruisers, they successfully intercepted some landing ships but had taken heavy damage. Two developed some critical systems failures from the damage the I-class dreadnaught dealt them.

  The dreadnaught also suffered some moderate damage when it was also hit by some strikes from ground-based planetary defenses as it entered lower orbit. The earlier scattered Karratin stealth drones were eventually able to drain some energy from the I-class dreadnaught’s shields. That allowed for a spread of Zeloc’s torpedoes to cause an engine power failure and disable of some chameleon field emitters, which in turn allowed some better weapons locks from the remaining Alliance ships.

  It was then that the remaining two Accad starships, the Kadath-class dreadnaught and a cruiser, had finally arrived to orbit Treeton. A Cynz battle cruiser wasn’t far behind. The Accad cruiser went to battle the already-damaged patrol frigates and the starbase. The Kadath sent a torpedo spread against the Alliance ships as it passed, and headed directly for the Karratin starship. Two Alliance cruisers were hit and damaged, further disabling their drives. The Accad cruiser turned about to a broadside as the Cynz battle cruiser approached it on a vector that had closed the gap over time.

  The Kadath fired antimatter cannons at the Zeloc—not the extremely powerful kind a Kad’jiah-class had, but still deadly. The Zeloc’s shields, having been previously bombarded by the Varlon, mostly held but a small stream stuck and caused an explosion that damaged a section of the starboard hull. The Zeloc’s organo-metallic hull sealed and began a regenerative process.

  Aboard the Zeloc, sitting in the command chair, Vice Admiral Gar fa’ eld was concentrating, using his advanced Star Knight disciplines to see, hear, and sense the Kadath’s bridge. He knew enough of the Accad language and symbols to determine what was the status of the Accad bridge. The officers were at work at their stations, but they were tired after so the prolonged battle, and not being as attentive. It was easy enough to use remote viewing and telekinesis. Many of the bridge workstations were open and so were some in the central engineering area. Gar fa’ eld smiled. He would amuse himself, diverting power from charging weapons to life support, to restoring energy batteries, or to their combat training rooms and a few other noncombat systems that could be accessed. He even looked at the Accad cruiser and did some similar things, even almost causing the cruiser to veer toward the dreadnaught.

  On the Accad bridge, he clairsentiently watched the ship’s commanding officers Fleet Captain Kolg and Captain Kaldag. They were getting angry with their bridge crew.

  The tactical officer said, “Sir, a portion of the weapons power is still loading to the batteries, and some shielding energy was just diverted to engine systems; a forward movement occurred.”

  Kaldag said, “How was that ordered?”

  The engineering officer said, “It was requested from an engineering station, sir, using my code, but I did not request that.”

  The communication officer said, “Sir, our primary array just sent out a large series of signals, and somehow the request originated from my panel.”

  Kolg asked impatiently, “Have the weapons come on line, and why is the Karratin starship not firing all its weapons arrays at us?”

  The tactical officer said as he worked at his station, “Sir, I have no inf
ormation on why the Karrtin starship is not striking. I believe we are in its weapons range. Sir, I have just routed the weapons through a secure channel—what? No, the system is routing energy to the aft weapons not the port and forward where the enemy ships are.”

  Kolg remembered something. “Some Karratins have significant telekinetic and other psionic powers.”

  Kaldag said, “That must be what is happening here. Someone activate the psionic dampener.” Kolg said, “Yes, as we have no Jiyharr who can actively help us with this, so inhibit it now!”

  Eventually the Accads activated a psionic dampener that was part of the equiment in the Jiyharr built starship. Gar’fa eld had foreseen that action and had already set a delayed trigger to cause power fluctuations around the device. In the intervals of fluctuation, when its power to dampen was reduced, Gar’fa eld caused some other energy fluctuations, resulting in small explosions on the bridge or in engineering. At one point, he caused the hyperdrive to activate, and that used maneuvering energy the Accad were already low on. Once they stabilized their psionic dampener, it was more difficult, but as a grandmaster he was still able to effect some changes.

  As Gar’ fa eld was causing havoc on the two Accad Starship bridges, Zeloc thought to its builder, Gar’fa eld, “I will send the singularity torpedo into the hanger bay and deplete its starfighter capacity as well as give them a reason to retreat.” Gar’ fa eld sent a thought of agreement. The Zeloc released a special weapon as a deterrent—a singularity torpedo that was targeted for the Accad’s main starfighter hanger—along with a warning that approaching the planet would result in further damage.

  The singularity torpedo activated close to target, then slid along a vector while rotating and effectively absorbing enemy weapons fire. It struck the Accad dreadnaught’s hull and discharged energy along the temporary accretion disc that formed. The singularity torpedo drew all matter within two kilometers of the micro event horizon. Afterward the singularity spun rapidly and collapsed.

  While this was occurring, the Cynz battle cruiser was combating the Accad cruiser using newly derived and perhaps more effective weapons it forged from the starship merger it completed. The Cynz moved rapidly and at one point directly impacted the other ship in a collision—a collision which the hardened crystalline Cynz crew had prepared for and the Accad starship’s crew did not. The Accad ship veered off course and was severely damaged as was the Cynz, but the hardier Cynz mostly survived the inertial impacts, while the reptilian Accad were thrown about.

  There were multiple hyperspace point signatures nearby as over fifty Talcon starships moved out and toward the Varlon. The Talcon starship designs were metallo-crystalline structures that appeared vaguely birdlike. As Sheppard watched the view screen with the crew from the bridge of the Phoenix, the Talcon starships moved for their targets like eagles or hawks preparing to rend apart their prey.

  On the Varlon command dreadnaught, Strike General Selketh looked at her tactical display, which revealed multiple hyperspace points opening and Talcon warships moving out. Most of her ship’s long-range sensor ability had been damaged by the Lyramenian battle cruiser, and she now knew why.

  After releasing a vast number of projectiles, eventually several of the Talcon’s comet-like projectile weapons pushed through defensive screens and struck hulls. They were like huge spears, and being solid matter, impacted and penetrated the Varlon’s organo-metallic Spunril and gouged the Accad’s organo-metallic diburnum-alloy hulls and battered their weapons emitters. The Varlon intensified their chameleon fields and went on the defensive, using evasive maneuvers. The two active Accad ships began to do the same.

  Selketh looked over at Felgrooth and said, “This system is lost to us. Begin the retreat.”

  Felgrooth replied, “Yes, General. I can see we will not be taking this system.”

  Selketh said sullenly, “We will have much explaining to do in the report to Strike Marshal Vodun.” She watched as the weapons officer targeted the incoming projectiles. “As soon as it is possible activate our jump drive. Set course for our base.”

  Back aboard the Phoenix, Commodore Sheppard breathed a sigh of relief when the Varlon H-class, after exchanging plasma-cannon and disruptor-weapons fire with some Talcon cruisers, activated its jump engines and retreated before it was surrounded. Only a few of the already-damaged Varlon ships were able to retreat before the Talcon got to them. The Talcon had weapons systems similar to the Varlon, with similar energy ranges. The Accadian dreadnaught was the only one of their ships that barely escaped, and it was heavily damaged. The Talcon then assisted in rescue missions for the more damaged Alliance of Worlds starships.

  Sheppard said, “Thank you for responding, Vice Admiral Kitrith.”

  The Talcon Kitrith said, “As we are allied, this Varlon and Accad torpedo base is now both a Talcon and an Alliance of Worlds problem; therefore, we of course responded when we could.”

  Sheppard said, “Then to our continued alliance with the Talcon.”

  He saluted the Talcon in the manner he’d learned they used to show respect, and he received a return salute.

  Chapter 12

  New Information

  The Phoenix and all of the other starships of task forces brought to the Treeton system were conducting in-space repairs. Some linked up side by side to aid in damage-control tasks and repair what could be restored. Several of the starships in the three task forces were what some engineers called “shocked” by being in the battle. The Cynz went to salvage the sections of their abandoned cruiser. The Hegemony starships regenerated and repaired their structures then went to assist with various repairs to the allied fleet, including a few damaged Talcon starships.

  The Talcon began local repair activities and continued to assist with the restoration and repair of the Alliance of Worlds starships. They even had a ship that converted into a repair-dock facility and was able to effect structural repairs. Tugs moved three of the worse-off starships to an orbital docking repair station that the Star Patrol maintained in orbit above Treeton III. After a few hours, an Alliance warbase arrived; it was the largest of Alliance starcraft but not very maneuverable in combat. It was basically a large mobile starbase and had repair docking facilities as well as the active equivalent firepower of two Constellation-class dreadnaught carriers. The base station immediately began to send repair teams and to tow smaller Heroic and Waterway cruisers inside for hull restoration.

  Sheppard, having finished task-force defense-planning activities, began to work on his other project and to look at new clues in the various specimen disappearances. The Phoenix hadn’t had any critical systems damage and was essentially fully functional, though some starfighters hadn’t reported back to the hangers.

  Sheppard was finishing a quick meal with Sharon in the officers’ galley as he said, “I have not been this tired in a while.”

  Sharon looked over at him, then said, “You know I have been worried about you; you seem more than troubled.”

  Sheppard said, “It’s this war. I was hoping after I left patrolling on my last ship when I took the promotion to commodore that I would get to explore some more.”

  Sharon said, “Well, you do have an astrophysics degree that you have not really used much, but that is what happens when you take the command career.”

  Sheppard said, “Yeah, the command career has gone well, but it takes a toll. I did get to be acting fleet admiral for about two years. That was because of all those assassinations of our command admirals.”

  Sharon said, “I heard not long ago the Hegemony informed our intelligence division they recently found out that those assassinations had been planned out by the Varlon before the Accad arrived.”

  Sheppard said, “Yes, and I suppose it gives some insight into the Varlon early strategy. Well, now that we finally have reordered the fifty fleets due to loss of starships, I’m acting vice admiral, only one rank above my actual rank.”

  Sharon said, “Even though at first you thought this hunt f
or missing specimens was just trouble, I think you seem to be enjoining the diversion.”

  Sheppard replied, “You’re right, Sharon. At first I was worried about the political side, but I did get to spend time with you.” He smiled at her warmly. “Also, it’s much better than having to review casualty reports and ship damage reports.”

  Sharon, “Yeah, I had a few science-section colleagues get injured in this last battle.”

  Sheppard said, “Yes, its good for us the Talcon finally arrived. They did not give me a full accounting of their arrival—something about the Accad or maybe these Jiyharr having broken one of their transmission codes or the Varlon having possibly determined one of our system’s codes.”

  After finishing the last bit of her lunch, Sharon said, “So they did not want to take the chance.”

  Sheppard said, “Yes, they were very cautious.”

  Sharon said, “Well, I hope this specimen hunt gives you some happier results. I have enjoyed working on it.” She smiled, moved toward him, and kissed him, which he began to return. “Well, I should get back to my duties before someone thinks I am taking up too much of your precious time.” She then whispered, “Sherman is looking around in the hall behind you.”

  He watched Sharon walk out. He could sense she was worried about the pressure on him having such a close call, potentially getting seriously defeated before the aid from the Talcon could arrive. Sheppard was relieved to see her even for a short lunch after the intense activity on the bridge.

  Sheppard returned to his office after reviewing another status report Sherman shared with him. He sat down in his chair and began listening to some Mozart for a few moments to unwind a bit before Natarris was to visit. Sheppard had asked him to come to the command office to be present when the data and communication transmission from the Aharri’s Fleet Captain Klein arrived. Natarris recently sent Sheppard a brief report that additional information from the Star Knights’ Interorder Coordination Division (IOCD) recently arrived about other systems affected. Sheppard also invited Garfield, as this was also Star Knight business. Garfield wasn’t in uniform today, he was in more of an engineer’s garb, as if he’d just completed some repairs or finished some project.