The Intrepid will lead them towards the mine field where the warheads will be drifting. They were coded to recognize friendly ship so they won’t activate as the Intrepid passes through them. As the Intrepid flees his ships will exit the shadow and start closing in. That would make the Dacarians react. He guessed that they will send just one, maybe two ships after the Intrepid. But when his ships appear they will surely react. He knew that if they time it right it will look as if they are launched from Proxima. Especially considering that the Intrepid will run towards it. And when they hit the mine field…he smiled at the thought, even with their shields active they will suffer damage and he planned to hit them with rounds from the MAC guns before that.
And the best part of the plan was that his ships will be just the anvil. The real deadly blow was going to come from the second squadron. He planned for two eventualities about them. The first one was that the whole rearguard will give chase. In that case the second squadron will have an open route in to their rear. If they leave ships at the Warp Point than the second squadron will drift close enough so that it destroys them first and then move in for the kill on the first group. It was a risky plan but he knew that he can make it work. That it would work.
Two hour later he looked at the faces of the commanders of his ships. All twenty six captains were present. They all had the copy of the plan forwarded as soon as he transitioned from the warp point.
They had time to study it and to see and make some suggestions. For the past half an hour they had a discussion about what changes they should implement.
“Admiral it is a risky plan. The first squadron will have to hold until the second squadron arrives. And if they leave a rear guard at the Warp Point it will be even harder considering that they will have to pass through them to. I don’t know if we will be able to do it in time.”
Jennings exhaled. Elisabeth was nothing the same concerns he had. The plan had many unknowns but it was the best one he could come up with. He trusted her enough to place her in command of the second squadron with the Prince Royal.
“You make a good point Elisabeth. But I have enough trust in your capabilities and I think that this is the best course of action. We have several months to practice it to perfection and we will. There is much we don’t know about them but what we know is that they are arrogant. This plan will use that arrogance.”
“And while you hide in the asteroid belt Elisabeth and he hides in the shadow of the planet my ass will be on the line. Thank you for that Sam.”
The comment came from Eliot Sanders the commander of the Intrepid.
The small joke even with all the seriousness it held made everyone relax and laugh.
“You are welcomed Eliot.”
“If I have command of the second squadron I would like to use my fighters for the first strike in case there is a rear guard.”
“We will practice that too. We won’t have the numbers or the minefield that our fleets in the Sol System will have. We will have to fight a ship to ship battle even with the warheads we have. It will be bloody and it will be hard. We will have to use ingenuity and surprise, we might even need to have luck but we will win people. And we will strike at the asses of all those ships that will transition through the warp point when we finish with the bastards here. Mark my words.
You are dismissed. Return to your ships and study the plan. We will start the exercises tomorrow.”
His last words held a strength that inspired them all. Even Elisabeth who was almost always serious was lifted by them.
He looked at the faces on the table. They were different, from all colors and nations. He had captains from America, Canada, Britain, France, Russia, Germany, South Africa, India, Japan, China and Israel. It was inspiring. Before his eyes he had humanity united for the first time. They had differences and some arguments but they worked together, they functioned like a team. His crew had an influence on that too. The Prometheus had a mixed crew from several nations. Just as the Deadalus before it. The Intrepid was the same.
That unity was the real strength. Mankind achieved so much when it was separated into nations, when neighbors were enemies. It was hard to imagine how far they could go now that they were united.
As they slowly left the room he watched them go with pride. They were sure in themselves. That was good. That was something they will need in the days that were coming.
All humanity will need it…
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
In the months that followed the last of the ships were finished and the repairs on the battleship and the cruisers went in to the last stages.
Several new ships from the Orion, the Essex and the corvette class were under construction but they were far from completion. What was possible to be done was being done. The mining of the warp point was finished and the fleets were conducting constant exercises. In total four fleets were formed. The fourth was divided in to squadrons and sent to the newly formed colonies.
The First and Second Fleet stayed in Sol and encompassed almost all of the ships that were finished. Third fleet with its twenty six ships was in Proxima Centaury.
The Home Fleet as everyone was calling the combined First and Second Fleet consisted of the three Alteran ships, Two hundred and thirty five Los Angeles ships, twenty six Orion’s, six Essex and twenty corvettes. It also had an air wing of eight thousand vipers that were placed on the war ships and the civilian ships.
The fleet was separated in to three parts.
One Essex class, one Orion, four corvettes, and twenty Los Angeles class were staying in orbit around Earth. They combined with the station, the satellites that were built and the planet fighters in number of over thirty thousand were the last line of defense.
A mine field of nuclear warheads was placed in Earth’s orbit at a distance that will allow safety for the ships and satellites.
The second squadron was consisted of an Essex class, ten Los Angeles and ten corvettes and it was placed in the asteroid belt. It had the support of one thousand vipers that could be launched from the bases on the asteroids. Its job was to try to stop the alien fleet if the first plan at the warp point fails. For that eventuality the asteroid belt was extensively mined. It was a real dead trap.
The third part and by far the largest part of the fleet consisting of all other ships were staying in the proximity of the warp point.
Considering that the day of the attack was near the fleet was on constant alert.
Back on Earth the military was conducting constant exercises as well. And the world was preparing. All traces of the Valhalla mission were deleted. Nothing was left to chance. Everyone who knew something about it had a suicide pill with him as a last resort. Even if this battle was lost humanity will survive somewhere else.
The population was ready to disperse everywhere away from the towns when the enemy came to prevent massive casualties from bombardment.
Rail gun batteries were placed all around the globe in protected bases in the mountains and in the cities and were ready to open fire on any ship that will pass through the fleet. It was hoped that they will never have to fire but that was a hope that they were not ready to risk.
And as time passed humans everywhere were unusually calm. A sense of serenity settled. Everyone was doing their biding, their part in the war effort and at the same time doing the things that they always meant to do but never seemed to have the time. Old insults were forgotten and forgiven, families and friends were reuniting, love was being found… It seemed that as the danger was approaching, humans everywhere had already come to terms with the fact that they might die. For the first time sense the day man first stepped out of its caves it seemed that Earth had peace. Even the planetary issues were being solved. It seemed as if everyone wanted that if humans die at least everything else will survive. The world would continue living.
Calmness was present everywhere but many knew that it was the peace, the calm before the storm.
And the storm was near, so near that it could alm
ost be seen.
15 June 2019 13:27 hours
Bitola Republic of Macedonia
Fillip looked with a smile at the beautiful landscape that was stretching before his eyes. He inhaled and filed his lungs with fresh mountain air. He could hear the smile of his family in the background. It took an effort to convince and get a chopper to bring them here.
He turned and saw his sister and his two cousins smiling and running. They were playing like they are kids. At the same time his parents and aunt and uncle were sitting and playing cards.
The two oldest members of the family were talking and looking at the distance, his grandparent and the father of his uncle, two old, really old people.
They both had extensive military carriers, carriers that started in the Second World War. His grandfather left the army in the middle of the fifties, while Vasko the father of his uncle stayed all his life. He reached the rank of general before retirement in old Yugoslavia. His father and uncle served as well, but they both left the army early and dedicated themselves to their families.
So in way he continued the family tradition. It was good to have someone to talk to about the things he’d seen…and done. He wasn’t wearing his uniform today. It was his last day before reporting back to duty. It was good to be in civilian cloth. He still remembered what happened the last time he was on a mountain like this.
It sent shivers through him. He received another medal about the actions he took that day, but he didn’t care. He raised his head at the sky.
It was almost time…they will be here soon. He along with a squadron from the Macedonian Special Forces was part of the troops that were supposed to join the fleet. They were stationed on the Argus.
A smile appeared on his face as he remembered Anaya. He had a lot of good chats with the AI of the battleship. He liked her just the same as the other marines and soldiers did.
He was so entrenched in to his thoughts that he didn’t notice the old timers approaching him.
“Penny for your thoughts son…”
He turned his head and noticed them near him. His grandfather put his hand on his shoulder. He smiled and looked in to the grey eyes of the old man. He was ninety four years old and he still was moving like a young men. And those eyes burned with life inside. His hair was white, and he was bald on his forehead, but he still had life and energy in him.
He remembered the hard days when his grandmother died. The old man was hit hard, and it took him a lot of effort to survive the first few months. But he recovered and carried on. Sometime later he told Fillip that he was the main reason he continued living. He was his favorite nephew, the one that was always there.
“You know them grandpa. You both do.”
His grandparents looked at him. He liked to call them both that and it seemed that neither of them had trouble with that.
“It is near isn’t it?”
“Yes grandpa. They will be here in the next couple of weeks.”
“And you are afraid?”
Fillip looked at Vasko, and then at his grandparent.
“No grandpa Vasko…I’m not scared of them. I’ve seen them, fought them and killed them. I’m scared for what will happen if we fail, if the fleet fails. I and my men will be there in order to board them if we succeed or in a worst case scenario as a final attempt to stop them. But I feel useless up there.”
“And you fear for the men you command. It is the burden of a commander son, and the burden of every solder.”
Fillip looked at his family again. Both old men looked there too. They knew his thoughts and his real fears. They felt them too. They both wished they were younger and to be able to be beside him in the days that were waiting ahead. They knew the burden he was carrying, all old veterans did, especially the ones that still lived and had served in the World War.
They were rare now more than seventy years later but some like both men here still lived and remembered.
And as they looked at him, they looked at his eyes. He was young twenty nine years old but he had experience and had seen his fair share of bloodshed and death. They both knew of his medals, and the reason they were awarded. He had the eyes of experience and the cold bloodiness of a real soldier when it was needed. As Vasko looked at him he already knew that if he stayed alive and in the army one day he would command. He had everything that was needed. And his younger colleagues that he talked too agreed. But at the same time the old man wondered if he really wanted the young man before him to stay in the army, the federation army now.
It was hard life and a life that wanted, requested a lot of sacrifice. This young man wasn’t his nephew but he loved him just the same.
As he looked at him he noticed the tears that flowed on his cheeks. The boy wiped them out and turned to the distance.
“Everything will be ok. Just have faith.”
Both old people hugged him. As they did his parents looked at him as well. They didn’t say anything but he knew what they wanted to tell him.
“Fillip, come here and I want you to see something. Leave those old timers to tell their stories.”
He smiled as he heard the voice of his sister. Ana was four years younger. She smiled as she looked at her brother. She feared for him but she felt deep inside that he will come back. He always did.
“I’m coming, I’m coming.”
He left the two old guys and they watched him go. They both feared for him but also had faith. He was one of those few…the ones that always gave their all, their best and always somehow managed to stay alive and come on top. They looked at the strange medallion he wore around his neck. It was the memory he carried from the day the aliens came a gift from an enemy that died by his hands. They both knew of the last words that the alien said to him, about the strange request. They hoped that he won’t have to make it come true.
The day passed quickly. Their ride came before the sunset. At home they all sat and chatted to pass the time. Fillip was supposed to leave late in the evening, and everyone wanted to be there to send him off. The girls didn’t make it. Several hours later he was all alone.
He was calm. He looked at the clock. It was 03.00 in the morning. He picked up his gear and slowly descended the stairs. As he exited the house he noticed his father standing outside waiting for him.
The middle aged former colonel in the Yugoslavian army watched his son in his military uniform. He looked splendid even under the moon light.
He loved his son but they were never really close. When the boy was younger they argued often, and one of the reasons was his decision to join the army. He did it in secret at the end leaving him no choice in the matter. He was against that decision considering how smart his son was. He was one of the smartest people he knew and he believed that he should choose a different life than the one in the military. But in the end he had to back out. His son made his decision and he accepted it.
“Father…”
“Fillip…”
“I thought you would be sleeping.”
The older man looked away.
“Always trying to hide what you know, don’t you?”
Fillip looked at the same place as his father. He knew that he never slept when he went away. But he never mentioned it. It was something they never spoke about.
“You know that I never sleep in days like these.”
Fillip inhaled.
“Yes father. I do. But you never get up to. I know you watch me go. I know you say your goodbye and your prayer by the window.”
“Yes…son.”
“Why not today?”
His father turned. He noticed tears in his eyes. He didn’t try to clear his eyes. But when he spoke his voice was calm.
“The day you were born Fillip was the proudest day of my life. So was the day your sister came to this world. It was good to watch you grow, to see you becoming the man you are today. But i never wanted this for you, the life of a soldier the pain i see every time i look in to your eyes. The same pain i saw in the eyes of your grandfa
ther. I never came out before because I always trusted you.”
Fillip looked at his father. He approached him and put his hand on his shoulder. His father didn’t turn away and just looked at him. He noticed the pride in his eyes, a pride he never saw before. He felt tears in his eyes too.
“I never came out before, but it was never like this Fillip. Never like this.”
“Don’t worry father.”
His father exhaled.
“I always worry Fillip. It is my job to worry.”
Fillip smiled and hugged his father.
“Thanks dad. I love you.”
The old men hugged him harder.
Before he let go he heard a whisper.
“I’m proud of you son. I was always proud. Always…”
He let him go and looked at his eyes.
“Always son, since the day you were born.”
Fillip smiled and nodded. His father let him go and he went out of the yard and started heading down the street. He noticed the car that was coming after him coming towards him. He stopped before it reached him.
A soldier came out of it as the car stopped and saluted.
“Sir...”
“At ease private.”
The soldier relaxed and nodded. He was young barely out of his twenties.
Fillip turned and looked at his house. He noticed his father looking at him from the yard. He smiled. He always knew what his father felt but it was good to hear it. Good to hear it.
He raised his hand and his father raised his. Then he turned and entered the car. As the vehicle started moving away the middle aged man came out in the street and kept looking at it. He always worried but for the first time in his life he felt fear. A fear of what his son will see in the days ahead. He stayed there for a long time after the car went away looking in to the distance. The few neighbors that saw him looked away. They knew what was happening. After a while the man turned and went home.
The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) Page 31
