by Ryk Brown
“Unless they can operate in space, I’m afraid they won’t be much use to us,” Nathan told him.
“What if they could?” Dylan asked. “What if they could even jump?”
Nathan looked at Dylan. “Can they?”
“Well, not the stock ones, no,” Dylan explained, “but the ones Subvert has can.”
“You mentioned that name when we first met you,” Jessica realized, her eyebrows furrowing. “Who are they?”
Dylan looked uncertain. He glanced at the guard, who was also staring at him. “They’re a group that opposes SilTek’s refusal to make offensive weapons or create a military that can attack other worlds. They believe the existence of a strong offense is the best defense.”
“They have P-Seventy-Twos that can operate in space?” Nathan asked directly.
“Yes. They have been converting P-Seventy-Twos into jump fighters that use swarm technology to attack enemy ships. They want to demonstrate that technology can be more lethal than large warships, when used correctly. They were going to use them to launch a retaliatory attack against the next world that attacked us, to show that there will be consequences for doing so.”
“And your leaders allow this?” Cameron wondered.
“Oh, hell no,” Dylan assured her. “Subvert is totally underground.”
“Does SilTek even know about them?” Jessica asked.
“Oh, they know. They’ve been hunting them for years, but, like I said, they’re underground. I mean, really underground, like in caves and tunnels, and stuff.”
“How do you know all this?” Jessica wondered, growing more suspicious of him with each passing moment.
“I uh……uh…”
“You’re one of them, aren’t you?” Jessica guessed.
“Not officially,” he insisted, “but I have a friend who is a member. I’ve been helping him with their swarm AI code. That’s what I was doing when the attack started.”
“Let me get this straight,” Nathan said, “Subvert has makeshift jump fighters that use the same grav-lift systems as the Sugali fighters?”
Dylan looked confused. “Isn’t that what I just said?”
“Any chance you could contact them?” Nathan wondered.
“Shouldn’t be too hard,” Dylan insisted. “Hell, if I know Zeller, he’s getting ready to launch right now.”
“How many operational P-Seventy-Twos do they have?” Jessica asked.
“At least four, for sure,” Dylan promised.
“If those ships can get inside their shields…” Cameron began.
“Then we might have a chance,” Nathan finished for her.
* * *
“Reapers are away,” Naralena reported. “Flight reports aft starboard landing bay will be clear in five minutes.”
“How are they managing that?” Dylan wondered.
“Turn off the artificial gravity and use a few thruster packs to float it out of the bay into space,” Nathan explained.
“You’re just going to leave it behind?” Dylan asked in disbelief. “Can’t it be fixed?”
“No time,” Nathan replied. “Besides, we can come back for it later, assuming we’re still in one piece.”
Dylan suddenly felt the need to shut up.
“Comms, patch me through to Reaper One,” Nathan instructed.
“One moment.”
“Did you get that message recorded?” Nathan asked Dylan.
“Yeah,” Dylan replied. “She compressed it so the entire message can be sent as a single-burst transmission.”
“Reaper One is on your comm-set,” Naralena reported.
“Reaper One, Aurora Actual,” Nathan called.
“Aurora Actual, go for Reaper One,” Lieutenant Commander Manes replied.
“Sit tight, here,” Nathan instructed. “If you don’t hear from us within the hour, head for the Orswellan system and report to General Telles.”
“Aye, sir,” the lieutenant commander replied.
“And don’t assume that either the Orswellan or Rogen systems are safe,” Nathan added. “For all we know, the Dusahn could have already attacked them.”
After a moment of silence, the lieutenant commander asked, “And if they have?”
Nathan sighed. “Find a way to survive.”
“Are you sure you don’t want us to come with you?”
“No insult intended, Lieutenant Commander, but I don’t think your Reapers would turn the tide on this one. Besides, if things go south, I suspect that the Ghatazhak could make use of your ships.”
“Understood,” the lieutenant commander replied. “Good hunting, sir.”
Nathan tapped his comm-set, ending the call, and then turned around to query Jessica and Cameron at the tactical station. “Any ideas?”
“Start every pass with jump missiles, but don’t always strike from the same side,” Cameron suggested.
“Isn’t that counterproductive?” Nathan wondered. “Isn’t the entire purpose of striking with jump missiles to weaken their shields?”
“Yes, but if we always lead with jump missiles and then attack the same side, they’ll figure it out in a hurry and be ready for us. We need to vary our tactics. Single-point, multi-point, opposing sides, same sides…maybe even do something obvious to trick them into leaving one side uncovered.”
“I don’t think we have that kind of time,” Nathan replied, “and, unless we can get them to split up, which I highly doubt, they’ll just rotate the weak to the inside, never allowing us more than a single shot at the same shield section.”
“You’re assuming their commanders are skilled tacticians,” Jessica pointed out. “If they had to resort to automating as many systems as possible, that means they lack manpower. That could mean their commanders are inexperienced.”
“Would you send an inexperienced captain to capture a world like SilTek?” Nathan asked. “And that same automation could also be dictating their tactics.”
“We haven’t seen any evidence of AI-driven tactics in the past,” Jessica commented.
“It makes sense that they would use AI against AI,” Cameron added.
“How many times have you beaten the ship’s computer at chess?” Nathan challenged. “We have to assume they’ll use good battle tactics. If they do not, then we’ll jump on that opportunity.”
“Flight reports the landing bay is clear,” Naralena announced.
“First four jump missiles are on the cats and ready for launch,” Jessica added. “Second four are on the deck and in line for launch.”
“Very well,” Nathan replied, taking his seat. “Mister Sheehan?”
“On course and speed for return jump to SilTek,” Loki replied. “Insertion point will be five light minutes out.”
Nathan looked over to Lieutenant Commander Yosef at the sensor station.
“It will only take me about twenty seconds to detect the enemy targets, and calculate their course and speeds.”
“Two minutes to reload the cats and launch the second wave,” Cameron reported.
“Make our insertion point three minutes out,” Nathan decided. “Put a three-minute jump delay on the first round, and one minute on the second, so they come in one minute apart.”
“Three minutes means they’ll detect us just as we’re about to attack,” Jessica warned.
“That’s the idea,” Nathan replied. “I’d like to start this battle by looking stupid.”
“We most certainly will,” Cameron grumbled under her breath.
“Jump plot updated,” Loki reported. “Ready to jump.”
“All decks show battle stations manned and ready,” Naralena announced.
“Very well, let’s go defend SilTek,” Nathan said.
“Executing insertion jump in five seconds,” Loki replied. “Three…”
&nb
sp; Nathan glanced at the tactical displays on the lower corners of the main view screen…
“Two…”
His ship was armed to the teeth and ready for action…
“One…”
But their success lay in the hands of an unknown element…
“Jumping.”
He only hoped that Subvert would answer their call.
“Jump complete,” Loki reported as their jump flash faded, and the light inside the Aurora’s bridge returned to normal.
“Scanning with passive sensors,” Kaylah announced. “Don’t want to make it too obvious.”
“Launching first four jump missiles,” Cameron announced. A few seconds later, she added, “Four jump missiles away.”
Nathan observed the Aurora’s bow at the bottom center of the view screen as two pairs of jump missiles streaked ahead on either side.
“Four contacts,” Kaylah reported, “two battleships and two heavy cruisers. Ships are in high orbit over SilTek, line abreast, fifty-kilometer spacing, with the cruisers on the outside. They’re bombarding the surface. Transferring target data to tactical.”
“What are they targeting?” Nathan wondered.
“Nothing,” Kaylah replied. “Firing patterns indicate they are attempting to cover the most surface possible.”
“They’re carpet-bombing?” Cameron asked.
“They’re not trying to capture SilTek,” Nathan realized. “They’re trying to glass it.”
“Why glass it?” Jessica wondered.
Nathan turned to look at Dylan. “Every building has a shelter, right?”
“Yes, but…”
“What about SilTek’s manufacturing facilities?”
“They’re all underground, as well,” Dylan replied.
“They’re trying to make the surface uninhabitable,” Nathan realized. “Pound them into submission.”
“They can glass the entire planet, and all of the manufacturing facilities will still be at their disposal,” Cameron concluded.
“SilTek isn’t just lying and taking it,” Kaylah reported. “They’re fighting back.”
“Second group of four jump missiles ready to launch,” Cameron announced. “All eight still need targeting data.”
“We’re at a minute thirty,” Jessica warned.
“They’re launching their own jump missiles from the surface,” Kaylah continued.
“Are they having any effect?” Nathan asked.
“Minimal,” Kaylah replied. “All their power is going to their ventral shields.”
“What side of them are we facing?”
“The starboard side, slightly below,” Kaylah replied. “We’re basically pointed at SilTek’s southern pole.”
“Helm,” Nathan snapped, “pitch up twenty degrees, and prepare to jump us to a position directly above the targets. Turn into them as soon as we come out of the jump.”
“Pitching up,” Josh replied.
“Hold the second wave of missiles,” Nathan added. “First wave launches at plus three point five; target is the nearest cruiser.”
“Plotting jump,” Loki confirmed.
“Holding second wave,” Cameron replied.
“The second wave will target the battleship nearest the targeted cruiser,” Nathan added. “Dorsal side, just aft of midship, and get a third wave up and ready; same target as the second wave, ten seconds after.”
“Understood,” Cameron replied as she entered the targeting data.
“Pitch maneuver complete,” Josh reported.
“Jump plotted,” Loki added.
“Snap jump,” Nathan instructed.
“Jumping,” Loki replied as the wave of blue-white light swept over them. “Jump complete…”
“…Turning into the targets,” Josh added.
“Launch second wave as soon as we come around,” Nathan ordered.
“Dorsal shields on all four enemy ships are at twenty percent!” Kaylah exclaimed.
“Perfect,” Nathan commented.
“Finishing our turn,” Josh reported as he rolled the ship out of its turn.
“Launching second round of jump missiles,” Cameron announced.
“Transferring track data to tactical,” Kaylah reported.
“Four missiles away,” Cameron announced. “Reloading all cats.”
“I’ve got the track data,” Jessica added. “Passing targeting data to second group of missiles.”
“As soon as the third wave of missiles is away, I want to go back to our original insertion position and execute our attack jump from there, but twenty seconds after all three waves of jump missiles have struck,” Nathan instructed his flight crew.
“Got it,” Josh replied confidently.
“I thought you wanted to look stupid,” Jessica taunted.
“They beat me to it,” Nathan commented.
“We’re at two point five minutes,” Jessica warned.
“Launching third group,” Cameron announced.
“I’ve already given them their targeting data,” Jessica added.
“Four more missiles away,” Cameron followed.
“Turning,” Josh announced.
“Get us back to square one,” Nathan urged.
“Jumping in five seconds,” Loki replied. “Three……two……one…”
“Turn complete,” Josh replied triumphantly.
“…Jumping.”
“Turning back to original attack plot,” Josh reported as the jump flash faded.
“Jump complete,” Loki reported.
“Attack jump one…when ready,” Nathan ordered.
“Attack jump one, in twenty seconds,” Loki replied, checking his navigation display.
“First missile impacts in five seconds,” Cameron warned.
Nathan fought to regulate his breathing, trying to control his body’s release of adrenalin and remain calm.
“Missile impacts…now,” Cameron reported.
“Jumping in five seconds,” Loki announced.
“Three…”
“Let’s hope this works,” Cameron said.
“Two…”
Dylan clutched the side of the comm-station with all his might.
“One…”
“Here goes nothing,” Nathan joked uneasily.
“Jumping.”
The blue-white jump flash washed over the bridge momentarily, and the main view screen was filled with the planet SilTek and the four Dusahn warships bombarding it from orbit.
“First cruiser, all tubes, fire at will,” Nathan instructed.
“Targeting cruiser,” Jessica replied.
“Comms, start your transmission,” Nathan ordered.
“Transmitting to Subvert on all known channels and frequencies,” Naralena replied.
“Cruiser’s midship and aft starboard shields are down to twenty percent,” Kaylah reported.
“Jess,” Nathan called.
“Got it!” Jessica assured him. “Firing all tubes.”
“We’re being targeted,” Cameron warned as the bridge lit up with red-orange flashes as waves of plasma torpedoes raced from under the Aurora’s nose toward the first cruiser.
Four flashes of blue-white light appeared on the main view screen, a kilometer above the battleship on the other side of the nearby cruiser.
“Second wave impact in five seconds,” Cameron added.
“Multiple missile launches on the surface,” Kaylah warned.
Nathan watched the screen as plasma torpedoes continued to traverse the distance to the first cruiser, lighting up their starboard shields with each impact.
“Battleship has activated point-defenses,” Kaylah reported.
“Against us, or them?” Nathan wondered.
�
��Both!”
“Nice,” Nathan replied.
Two small explosions appeared above the battleship, followed two seconds later by two brilliant flashes, as two of the four missiles struck the battleship’s underpowered dorsal shields.
“Two got through!” Cameron exclaimed.
“Battleship’s shields are down to ten percent!” Kaylah added.
Four more jump flashes appeared above the battleship.
“They’re not engaging the third wave,” Cameron realized.
“Their targeting sensors haven’t had time to recover,” Kaylah surmised.
Four more brilliant flashes appeared, lighting up what was left of the battleship’s dorsal shields. Explosions appeared all over her topside as shield emitters overloaded and blew apart.
“Battleship One has lost all midship dorsal shields!” Kaylah announced.
“Hold fire,” Nathan ordered. “Helm, pitch up ten and roll ninety to port. Jump us to the battleship, one click away, passing one click over.”
“Pitching and rolling,” Josh responded as he started the maneuver.
“Preparing micro-jump,” Loki added.
“Jess, all guns to port, add in the broadsides, and fire as we pass,” Nathan added. “You’re only going to get about ten seconds; make them count.”
“I plan to,” Jessica assured him.
“The second battleship is launching short-range missiles at us,” Cameron warned. “Impact in ten seconds.”
“More surface launches,” Kaylah announced. “They’re jump missiles!”
“Loki?” Nathan called.
“Ready.”
“Standby to jump,” Nathan ordered. He counted for a few seconds in his head and then gave the order. “Jump.”
The blue-white flash washed over the bridge, and the battleship appeared in their view screen, on the left side, sliding aft.
“Targeting,” Jessica announced.
“Missiles passed under us!” Cameron exclaimed.
“Battleship is rolling to port,” Kaylah warned.
“Firing!” Jessica reported.
Nathan stared at the left side of the main view screen, watching the black and crimson battleship slowly roll over as they passed. Red-orange bolts of energy streaked from the Aurora’s forward plasma turret, slamming into the hull of the massive warship.
