“I was wondering that myself, sir,” Brock said.
“Load all tubes with anti-missile missiles. If this goes off, I don’t know how many they’ll have, but I don’t want any to get through. Call in the Pelican, the Lucky, and the Saber from their patrol locations.”
“Yes, sir,” Brock said, and relayed the order. “The Pelican and the Lucky will be here in an hour, the Saber is farther out, probably two.”
“Damn…any others out of maintenance yet?”
“No, sir.”
He sighed and nodded. “Alright, it’s up to us.”
* * *
The Parya and the Eca emerged together, and immediately put their plan into action. On the Parya, Lieutenant Commander Vi’Zsuto immediately broadcast the message Admiral El’Jyiurma had recorded while they were in transit.
“On all channels, this is Admiral El’Jyiurma of the Serpentes Navy. Captain El’Taja is a traitor and has weapons that can cause massive destruction to your planet and your people. We are on a mission to destroy his ships and return him to Strorix.”
“Launch the fighters!” El’Jyiurma ordered quickly.
The Iderith-class large carrier was a huge version of the Serpentes’ ships. Like the others, it was spherical, but had multiple fusion plants and engines mounted in the top and bottom curves of the ship. Unlike many ships that used hangar bays for fighters, the carriers and transports of the Serpentes Navy had another method.
Around the ship, the fighters were integrated into the hull in concentric circles. There were two layers above the middle, and two below, for a total of 50 fighters, shaped the same as the main ships. All the maintenance to the fighters could be done from inside the ship, since the top half of the fighter was nothing but armor.
In this case, the Viper pilots were already in their Ashika-class fighters and ready to launch. When the signal came, they were pushed away from the carrier by a burst of compressed air, which freed the engine and weapons, mounted on the bottom. Once they reached a safe distance, which only took seconds, they lit their engines and formed up.
* * *
“Emergence! It’s an Iderith and a Vatta!” Vi’Uszorri called out on the bridge.
“El’Jyiurma’s ship for sure. Launch the jammers,” El’Taja ordered.
From each of the destroyers, two directed jamming missiles launched to not only interfere with the sensor returns for the new arrivals but stop their communications.
“They’re launching fighters,” Vi’Scasi reported.
“Fire as soon as they are in range,” El’Taja said calmly.
* * *
“Two new contacts in system, Admiral, we’re receiving a transmission,” Mosley said and put the audio on speaker.
“On all channels, this is Admiral El’Jyiurma of the Serpentes Navy. Captain El’Taja is—”
“What happened?” Gallagher raised an eyebrow at Mosley.
“It looks like the ships under Admiral, or Captain, El’Taja’s command launched jammers as soon as the new vessels emerged into the system,” Brock said. “Wait one…I had something else, but the jammers are screwing with the pickup.”
Gallagher watched as Brock leaned closer to her console, as if it would help her see through the jamming.
“I’d swear I saw a large number of smaller returns before the jamming started. If I had to guess, I’d say fighters. They were too large and too far away to be missiles,” Brock said.
“So…who do we believe?” Gallagher said.
“Sir, we already had doubts about this…El’Taja,” Brock said and shrugged.
He sighed. “You’re right. Put the planet on defensive standing. Activate all defensive platforms and take us to red alert.”
Throughout the ship, the lights changed to a red-filtered lighting, and a klaxon sounded. Personnel who weren’t already at their battle stations quickly made their way to where they needed to be.
* * *
“Admiral, it looks like the traitor was ready for us. He launched jamming missiles as soon as we emerged. No idea how much of our message got through,” Commander Vi’Kshalu reported from the weapons station.
“Time until he could launch on the planet?” El’Jyiurma asked.
“Twenty-five minutes,” Vi’Kshalu said.
“Time until our fighters are in range?”
Vi’Kshalu hissed. “Thirty minutes, Admiral.”
“Send some fighters to kill those jammers. We have to let the humans know.”
“Flight One, divert to destroy the jamming missiles,” she heard Vi’Zsuto send.
Due to the rate of closure, it only took five minutes for the five fighters of Flight One to engage the missiles. They only carried four missiles, so they decided instead to use the dual large lasers which were a part of the fighters’ armament. The jamming made targeting them difficult, and it took them ten precious minutes to destroy all ten of them.
“Comms clear! Sending the full message again,” Vi’Zsuto reported.
* * *
“It looks like the jamming has stopped, Admiral,” Brock said.
“Incoming transmission,” Mosley said.
From the speakers on the bridge, they finally heard the full message. “On all channels, this is Admiral El’Jyiurma of the Serpentes Navy. Captain El’Taja is a traitor and has weapons that can cause massive destruction to your planet and your people. We are on a mission to destroy his ships and return him to Strorix.”
“Confirmed, the new arrivals launched what looks like 50 fighters! Holy shit! Umm…sorry, sir,” Brock said.
“No need to be, that pretty much sums up the situation. Time until they have an angle on the planet?”
“Ten minutes, sir. We won’t be in range in time,” Brock said.
“Have the Termite spread out wide to cover more area. We have to stop those missiles. In the meantime, hail the new ships.”
* * *
“They’ve destroyed the jammers, sir.”
El’Taja hissed loudly in frustration and spread his hood. He checked the timer; they still had 10 minutes until they could launch.
“How long until the fighters overtake?”
“Fifteen minutes, sir.”
“Good…launch as soon as we have the angle. Change out two missiles on each ship to lead with jammers, then fire the venoms 10 seconds later.”
He watched the system map intently as his squadron approached the launch point. It was a given that they would all be destroyed, but perhaps all was not lost.
“Prepare the bridge for separation and deactivate the emergency rescue beacons. We will make for the planet.”
* * *
“Admiral, we’re being hailed by the humans. An Admiral named Gallagher on the GSS Ravager,” Vi’Zsuto said.
El’Jyiurma accepted the communication, herself. “Admiral Gallagher, this is Admiral El’Jyiurma aboard the SRN Parya. We have launched fighters to deal with our traitors and stop them from attacking your planet, but I’m afraid they will not be in time.”
“I’ll be honest, Admiral El’Jyiurma, I’m not sure who to trust right now…but we are taking the threat against our planet seriously. Can your fighters handle them alone?”
“Yes. Our fighters are well equipped to take out the Navas.”
“Once they do…we expect they will immediately return to your carrier, or we will be forced to engage.”
“I understand completely, and they will do so.”
“Thank you, Admiral. We’ll talk again once this is all over.”
* * *
“Missile separation. They’re jamming, sir,” Brock reported.
“Dammit. Can we get a read from the remote platforms?”
“Negative. The spread of the jammers has us blind to all of our sensor stations.”
Gallagher ran his hand through his thinning, grey hair. “I’m getting too old for this shit. Have the Termite launch ECM missiles; maybe we can, at least, screw with the missiles behind the jammers.”
“Sir, i
f they actually target the planet…” Brock looked up from her station.
“I know, the countermeasures won’t matter, but we have to try something. Launch a spread of anti-missiles at the jammers. I know it’s a slim chance, but if we can open a hole, we can see what’s behind them.”
“ECM away from the Termite. Anti-missiles away, Admiral,” Gilmore said.
Gallagher rested his elbows on the arms of his command chair and projected calm and confidence as he watched the display. They lost track of their own missiles within seconds due to the jamming. At the point where the anti-missiles should have hit what they thought the source was, nothing happened.
Gallagher frowned. “Depending on the gap in the launch, we won’t have much time to react once those jammers pass us…if they pass us.”
“We’ve lost contact with the planet and the defense platforms, sir. Those jammers are good,” Brock said.
* * *
“Engaging fighters! Missiles away from all ships, defense lasers firing. Nine missiles have targeted each ship. Their next wave of fighters is 10 minutes behind,” Vi’Scasi reported on the bridge of the Adma.
El’Taja didn’t even make the order, he triggered the ship separation himself. At his command, the top and bottom halves of the Adma separated. They could survive alone, but their combat efficiency was severely hampered without the bridge to centrally control the weapons. The sphere that encapsulated the bridge burned its small engines for 60 seconds toward Gieliv, and then shut down.
“What about the others? Shouldn’t we have ordered them to do the same?” Vi’Uszorri asked.
“No, they have served their purpose.”
Even though only nine missiles had targeted each Nava-class destroyer, they were more than enough to overwhelm the limited defensive lasers on each ship. Destroyers were never meant to face down this level of firepower. Across the squadron, some survived a few seconds longer than others, but at the end of it, all five destroyers were destroyed. Only two of the other escape spheres survived, and they immediately transmitted rescue beacons.
None of the fighters were hit.
* * *
“Squadron Leader to Parya. We have two escape spheres transmitting. What are your orders?”
“Return to the ship; we will pick them up later.” El’Jyiurma collapsed her hood, which she had not realized she had spread during the attack.
“Affirmative.”
“It looks like they’ve jammed the humans, Admiral. They’ll never see the missiles in time,” Vi’Kshalu said.
“Inform the Eca to launch transports toward the planet, we need to get the antivenin down there as soon as possible in case the missiles make it.”
* * *
“Jammers have passed, we have 10 more missiles incoming. Engaging with lasers,” Gilmore reported as he started manipulating the targets for the defensive lasers.
Gallagher said nothing that might distract him and clenched his hands until his fingernails dug into his palm. He watched as both his ship and the Termite fired every laser they could bring to bear, and it was almost enough.
Nine of the missiles were destroyed in space, the tenth slid past the planetary defense platforms. The jammers had burned out their sensors completely. One missile entered the atmosphere.
“Admiral, it looks like the fighters have turned back, but there are 30 larger radar returns making for the planet at high speed. I’d guess transports of some type.”
“Dammit, get me that Admiral again.”
* * *
“The human is hailing us again, Admiral. Looks like they missed one missile.”
She had expected he would, now that he was clear of the jamming, and accepted.
“Admiral, we have transports on the way to your planet. It is imperative that you allow them to land.”
“I don’t have to do a damn thing! Your people just started a war!”
“Admiral, as my message said, they are traitors, and we have destroyed them. That missile is a biological weapon. It will disperse a very potent venom through aerial dispersion. Anyone who comes into contact with it will die.”
“How do I know that’s not an invasion force on the way?!”
“You don’t…and I expect I would feel the same way, but the antivenin on those transports is your only chance. There are also human doctors on those transports, with the expertise to handle the situation.”
There was silence for a moment, and she waited, and hoped, that he would listen.
“Are any of your people on those transports as well?”
“Yes, one Viper per transport, for protection. You may dictate where they land, and they will not deviate. I recommend it be in the impacted area once that missile explodes.”
She waited again, as she could tell the channel had been muted or cut.
* * *
Gallagher muted the line when Brock got her attention.
“Admiral, we’ve re-established contact with headquarters. The missile exploded in the air and rained down a green substance over a large populated area.”
“Any readings on what it was?”
“It was close to one of the medical labs…initial analysis from the scanners reads as rattlesnake venom of some type…but more lethal than anything we’ve ever seen.”
“Time until those transports can land on the planet?”
“Based on current speed, about 30 minutes, sir. I have them in weapons range now. Missiles are locked and loaded.” Gilmore looked up from his console.
Gallagher stared at the 30 ships heading for his planet on the sensor display, beside the ground map showing the large area affected by the missile. If they were telling the truth, they might need the help.
“Get me the Citizen Health Department. Lieutenant Mosley, please notify El’Jyiurma that we’ll get back to her in a few minutes.”
After a moment, a red-haired woman wearing a lab coat, identified as Doctor Lucia Gibson, appeared on the display. “What can I do for you Admiral? As you can imagine, we’re rather busy.”
“Doctor Gibson…is this something you can handle on your own?”
“I’m not sure yet, Admiral. This is a fast-acting substance, and we’re still trying to determine if anything we have will work on it. Based on some sample tests, the antivenin we have for our native snakes doesn’t work. We’re trying broad spectrum treatments, but so far, nothing.”
“The Serpentes are offering assistance. There are 30 transports on course for the planet, which they claim are carrying doctors and a stockpile of their antivenin that will counter the attack.”
“Admiral, I don’t know who or what the Serpentes are, but if they can help, we need it.”
“They’re the race who attacked us. It’s a bit confusing.”
“Well, I don’t have time for confusing. If they can help, let them land! I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
The connection went blank, and he reopened the connection to El’Jyiurma.
“Admiral, as you predicted, the warhead has gone off and potentially infected over a thousand of our people. My Citizen Health Department has informed me that their treatments are ineffective. Your transports have permission to land. Coordinates will be transmitted, and you will be under armed observation by our military. Before any of our people are touched, a member of our CHD will get a sample of the cure for testing.”
“Of course, Admiral. Thank you for allowing us to fix what the traitors did.”
“Please hold your ships where they are until this situation is resolved. We will contact you with further instructions.”
“Very well, Admiral. Good luck.”
Once the channel was closed, Gilmore nodded. “Ships are slowing, sir. Looks like they’re going to stop.”
“Now, we wait.”
* * *
“General! We have something else entering the atmosphere,” Colonel Carter Poole said in the Gieliv Military Command Center.
“What is it?” General Stevens walked over to look over his shoulder
.
“Not sure, sir. Doesn’t seem to be emitting any electronic emissions at all.”
“Debris from the destroyed ships?”
“No sir, I don’t think so.”
General Stevens looked up at the bank of displays on the wall. One of them showed the transports on the way, and they were still 10 minutes from the planet.
“We haven’t been notified anything else was coming…destroy it.”
“Yes, sir!”
Poole typed on his console, and air defense emplacements around the city fired. Two missiles streaked up and destroyed the sphere just as it finished burning through the atmosphere.
* * *
On the ground in and around the city of Stranta, mechs, tanks, and infantry surrounded the areas which had been designated as landing zones for the transports. At the location picked for the first landing, Brigadier General Jan Copeland and Doctor Charles Cole waited. Cole had a remote lab set up in an emergency response truck and prepared his equipment.
Once everything was ready, the only thing he needed was a sample, so he exited and joined Copeland, standing behind an armored barricade.
“Is all this really necessary, General?” Cole asked.
“Hopefully not, Doctor. But I’d rather be safe than sorry. From what we’ve learned, these are very large, very dangerous snakes.” Copeland scratched her neck and looked down at her fingers, which were covered with blood.
“Damn, you got hit?” Cole moved around to look at her neck.
“Yeah, I was doing a review of newly graduated recruits.”
Cole looked at her neck, and her jaw dropped. The point where the venom had hit was obvious, as the skin was already bubbling and showing signs of necrosis.
“Shit…this stuff works fast.”
“Over a thousand people are finding that out right now, Doctor. We’re going to need to know fast if their cure works or not.”
Salvage Conquest Page 37
