The Lost Fleet Box Set, page 54
part #1 of The Lost Fleet Series
However, the big thing about the Alton ships was what the battleships were dragging behind them with their ships’ powerful tractor beams. Each ship was pulling one-half of an Indomitable Class battlestation. Once they reached Gaia and were reassembled, there would be ten of the powerful battlestations protecting the planet.
“Alton fleet’s making transit,” Madelyn informed Race. In the tactical display, the friendly green icons of the Alton vessels blinked out, one by one as they were swallowed by the vortex.
“Pelel is asking us to hurry,” reported Lieutenant Travers. “He has enough power to keep the vortex activated for only another fourteen minutes.”
“That’ll be long enough,” answered Race.
The fleets were entering the vortex with minimal spacing and at high speeds to get all the ships through in the designated time period. Race’s gaze kept shifting to the sensor screens above Lieutenant Davis’s console, worrying the Simulins could show up at any moment and bring the transit of the relief fleets to a screeching halt.
“New Providence relief fleet is up next,” said Madelyn, as another group of green icons neared the swirling vortex.
Looking at one of the viewscreens, Race saw the two New Providence battleships enter the vortex followed by thirty strikecruisers and ten supply ships. “Only the Carethians remain,” he said as the last group of ships neared the spatial anomaly.
“We go on the hunt,” Admiral Calmat said with pride over the comm to Race and the others who were listening. “Our clans will grow strong and earn much honor in this new galaxy.”
“For the hunt,” Race responded gravely. “Go with honor.” As he watched, the Bear’s flagship, Hunter, entered the vortex, followed by sixty medium cruisers, twenty supply ships, and forty small colony ships carrying two thousand Bears each.
“All relief fleets are through,” confirmed Lieutenant Davis with a relieved sigh as the last icon vanished.
“Shut down the vortex and recharge the capacitor stations,” ordered Race. They’d finished with a few minutes to spare, so a lot of power still remained in the stations.
“Recharge them?” inquired Colonel Cowel, looking confused. “Shouldn’t we be getting ready to destroy them?”
“Not quite yet,” Race said, a wolfish glint in his eyes. “I have a plan for the stations and the Simulins when they arrive.”
“I wonder if the Simulins were waiting for the relief fleets?” commented Madelyn. “There may be a huge battle taking place even now in the Triangulum Galaxy.”
“We just sent 269 warships there, not counting hospital, supply, and colony ships,” spoke Colonel Cowel with a worried frown. “Each ship has a maximum crew load. I hope we didn’t send them all to their deaths.”
“We didn’t,” Race responded, his eyes shifting to Cowel. “Those crews are maxed out to give Admiral Strong additional crew support if he needs it. Most of those ships could easily operate with 30 percent less personnel than they have on board. The battlestations and Admiral Jackson’s battleships should be able to protect the fleets as they arrive.”
“Admiral Korrel is on the comm again,” reported Lieutenant Travers in a tired voice. “He’s demanding we immediately destroy the capacitor stations, or he’ll fire on them himself.”
“Maybe we should have gone with the relief fleets,” muttered Madelyn, shaking her head. Admiral Korrel would be a problem, particularly when they returned to the Federation.
Race activated his minicomm, so he could speak directly to the rebellious admiral. “Don’t fire on those stations,” Race warned. “If you do so, I’ll have you brought up on charges of mutiny.”
“Mutiny?” sputtered Korrel, barely able to hold his anger in check. “I’ll see you court-martialed!”
“Perhaps,” Race replied evenly. “But I’m in command now, and you will follow my orders, or I’ll have you placed in the brig.”
Korrel was quiet for a long moment. “Are you going to destroy the stations?”
“When the time is right,” Race replied calmly. “The Simulins won’t get control of them nor will they gain a foothold in our galaxy.”
“You’d better be right,” warned Korrel. “If not, I’ll be the first one to testify at your court-martial.”
Race turned off his minicomm with a heavy sigh. What he was planning carried some serious risks, but, if he was successful, it would deal a serious setback to the Simulins and their war machine.
-
Admiral Jackson felt a wrenching sensation and a brief moment of dizziness as the Dauntless dropped out of hyperspace. He blinked his eyes and took several deep breaths. Even as he did so, he felt the ship shake violently, and alarms sounded.
“Glancing energy beam strike to bow section fourteen, only minor damage,” reported a shaken Commander Sharon Blanton, as she staggered to the Damage Control console. “Energy screen is coming up.”
“Weapons online,” added Captain Dwight Lance from Tactical.
“Who hit us?” demanded Jackson, as the ship’s viewscreens came on and the tactical displays updated.
“Simulins,” reported Lieutenant Miguel Ortega from his Sensor console. “I’m detecting eighty Simulin warships engaging the Type Two battlestations. Two of the stations have already been destroyed.”
“All systems are powered up and working at optimum levels,” reported Commander Blanton.
“Set Condition One throughout the fleet. Stand by to fire weapons!” ordered Jackson. They’d made transit at Condition Two.
“Battlestations are under heavy fire,” reported Lieutenant Ortega. Even as he spoke, one of the battlestations vanished from his sensor screens.
“Battlestation T-6 is down.”
“Move us in to assist them,” ordered Jackson, seeing that his other five battleships had made transit and his battlecruisers were appearing. “Put us between the Simulins and the vortex, so we can protect our other ships as they emerge. We need to give them time to get their energy screens and weapons online.”
The Dauntless and the other five battleships accelerated and were soon mixed in with the seventeen remaining Type Two battlestations.
“All ships, fire!” ordered Jackson, his eyes focused intently on the tactical display.
The battleships fired a flurry of particle beams at the attackers, slamming into the main part of a Simulin battlecruiser, setting off massive explosions, and hurling glowing debris into space. Three of the massive spires disintegrated and then the ship blew apart.
“Simulin battlecruiser is down,” reported Lieutenant Ortega.
On one of the viewscreens, another one of the battlestations was under heavy attack. Its energy screen glowed brighter and brighter, and then a Simulin energy beam penetrated, blasting a huge glowing crater into the side of the station. It seemed to shudder violently and then blew apart, as a Simulin antimatter missile detonated inside the damaged area.
“Battlestation T-16 is down,” reported Ortega gravely. “The stations are taking a lot of damage.”
“Our battlecruisers are joining the battle,” reported Commander Blanton, as the ten vessels took up supporting positions around the six battleships.
“Order the battlecarriers to hold position behind us to cover the support vessels. They’re to keep the light cruisers with them, but I want the strikecruisers here pronto.”
“Message sent,” reported Lieutenant Brenda Neal from Communications.
“All of our fleet has made transit,” reported Commander Blanton as the friendly green icons appeared in the tactical display. “Ceres and New Tellus fleets are making transit next.”
“I want their battleships and strikecruisers in this battle as soon as their shields and weapons are up,” ordered Jackson. “The rest of their ships are to form up with our battlecarriers and support ships. We need to end this battle quickly.”
The Dauntless shuddered again as several Simulin antimatter missiles slammed into the ship’s energy shield.
“Energy shield is holding at 90 percent,” reported Captain Lance. “Firing power beams.”
“Battlecruiser Phobos is under heavy attack,” Commander Blanton informed Jackson, as she listened to various commanders over her minicomm, set to fleet-wide. “They’ve suffered an energy beam hit to secondary Engineering and have several fires out of control.”
“Put her up on a viewscreen,” ordered Jackson, shifting his attention to the front wall of the Command Center. The powerful battlecruiser appeared, and Jackson grimaced, as he saw the top section of the ship explode, and debris drifting away from the ship. “Order the Phobos to pull back!”
“Too late,” Commander Blanton replied, as an antimatter missile slammed into the stern of the battlecruiser, and the ship vanished in a fiery explosion.
“Battlecruiser Phobos is down,” reported Lieutenant Ortega in a shaken voice.
“Our strikecruisers have arrived,” Commander Blanton reported, as the twenty green icons spread out around the battleships and battlecruisers.
“Intensify our rate of fire,” ordered Jackson firmly. “Hit them with everything we have!”
-
The space between the Simulins and the relief ships became filled with weapons fire. Exploding missiles slammed into the screens on both sides and occasionally a particle beam or an energy beam would slip through, damaging the unfortunate ship. From the vortex, more ships emerged and as they did, warships were sent up to assist Admiral Jackson in his battle with the Simulin fleet. With each passing minute, the Simulins lost more ships, as they were now vastly outnumbered.
-
“What does the battle computer say?” demanded the Simulin High Commander.
He’d not been expecting to face a fleet of this size. His ships had been on patrol in the system when the vortex had activated, and twenty small spheres had come through. He’d instantly engaged them, thinking this was some type of probe force.
“Chance of victory is at 8 percent and dropping,” the ship’s second in command reported. “The battle computer is recommending an immediate withdrawal.”
The Simulin High Commander winced as one of the viewscreens was covered in white light as an escort cruiser exploded from an antimatter strike. “If our other fleets were still in position, we could destroy these organics,” he proclaimed, as he gazed with hate at the numerous red icons flooding into the system through the vortex.
The other Simulin fleets had been pulled back to participate in the invasion of the AI galaxy, the same galaxy these ships were coming from. So the High Commander had no reinforcements to call upon.
“We know where they’ll go,” the second in command replied. “The battle computer predicts with a 95 percent certainty these ships will proceed to the nebula where the other organics and the AIs have taken refuge.”
The High Commander nodded. He’d made his decision. “In a few more weeks we’ll have gathered sufficient forces to annihilate all within the nebula. We’ll withdraw and take part in that attack. No technologically advanced organics can be allowed to survive. Once our invasion fleet reaches their galaxy, there will be no more ships of the organics coming through this vortex.”
-
“Strikecruisers Nimrod and Voltaire cover battlestation T-14,” ordered Jackson, as he saw six Simulin vessels attack the station. In the last few minutes, six more of the battlestations had died fiery deaths. They’d served their purpose in keeping the Simulins away from the open intergalactic vortex, though they were paying a steep price.
-
The station was fighting valiantly against its attackers, firing particle beam after particle beam with its missile tubes in auto mode. Antimatter missiles were expelled at a rapid rate, lighting up the Simulin energy shields with cascades of exploding energy. Suddenly one of the Simulin shields weakened, and several bright blue particle beams penetrated, raking the ship’s hull and opening up numerous compartments to the vacuum of space. Then one of the station’s antimatter missiles shot through a hole in the screen generated by a particle beam, and the Simulin escort cruiser vanished in a massive fireball of uncontrolled energy.
The remaining Simulin ships continued to press the station as they moved closer, firing every energy beam they had at the battlestation. The station’s screen exploded in a cascade of colors, as energy spread across it. However, the firepower from the Simulin ships was too great. A Simulin energy beam penetrated the weakened shield, blowing a particle beam cannon to shreds and blasting out a deep glowing gash in the station’s armor. Several more energy beams slipped through the energy screen, tearing open major sections of the hull. Finally twin Simulin antimatter missiles flashed through the now minuscule screen and exploded. Two glowing suns appeared as the station vanished under the onslaught of the released energy.
-
“Battlestation T-14 is down,” reported Ortega.
“The strikecruiser couldn’t get there in time,” said Commander Blanton sadly.
“Simulin fleet is withdrawing,” reported Lieutenant Ortega, as vortices appeared on his sensor screens.
“Let them go,” ordered Commander Jackson, not wanting to risk losing any more of his valuable ships. “How many of the battlestations are left?”
“Only seven,” reported Commander Blanton, shaking her head at the losses the stations had taken. “Two of them are reporting significant damage.”
“Pull the crews off the two damaged stations and have several of the battlecarriers move up and attach the other five to their hulls. Once the two damaged ones have been evacuated, I want Devastator Threes set to destroy them. Also check the wreckage from the other stations to see if we need to eliminate any of it before we leave.”
“All fleets have made transit,” Lieutenant Ortega informed the admiral. “I’m also not picking up anything on the long-range scans, except the retreating Simulin fleet.”
Jackson nodded. That gave him enough time to organize his fleets and set out for the nebula. He was surprised there hadn’t been more Simulin ships waiting for them. From the data Admiral Strong had sent, the Simulins normally kept several fleets nearby. He wondered where they were.
-
In a nearby star system, an AI sphere slowly rose up out of the thick concealing atmosphere of the gas giant it had been hiding in. Its long-range sensors had detected the arrival of more Federation fleets and the ensuing brief battle with the Simulins. The AI in command immediately ordered an FTL message to be sent to the nebula and to stand by to make a hyperspace jump to the Sigma System. They would make contact with the new arrivals and escort them back safely to the nebula where they would be taken to Gaia. The AI in command was curious as to why such a large fleet had been sent. No doubt it would please Admiral Strong and the other organics, but the AI was interested in finding out just why this fleet was here.
-
Deep in the heart of the blue giant cluster, the gathered Simulin fleet waited inside the Dyson Sphere. Several times small vortices had been established with the AI galaxy, as tests were run to ensure everything was as it should be.
The massive fleet’s High Commander gazed impassively at a viewscreen showing the now inactive vortex. His fleet was ready and would be making the journey in waves with numerous ships transiting within seconds of one another. If there were an organic or AI fleet waiting, this method would ensure enough ships survived to carry the attack to the enemy. As rapid as the transit was planned, it would take only a few minutes to allow them to overwhelm any waiting opposition.
“We attack in twelve hours,” the High Commander spoke, satisfied with the reports from the last test. “Our battle computer predicts a 96 percent probability we can successfully make transit and eliminate any waiting opposition.”
“It is as it should be,” replied his second in command with little emotion in his voice. “We shall go to this new galaxy, find its Great Sphere, and then begin our war against that galaxy’s organics.”
-
Hours passed, and Race paced in the Command Center, as much more time had gone by than he’d thought possible before the expected Simulin attack. Glancing at one of the main viewscreens, he could see three massive globes floating in space. All three of the capacitor stations had been moved inside the weakened area of space where he expected the vortex to open.
“Admiral Korrel is demanding to know what you’re waiting for,” reported Lieutenant Travers with a disgusted look on her face. “He’s threatening to send another FTL message to the Federation.”
Before Race could reply, warning alarms flashed, and red lights appeared on the Sensor console.
“Vortex activation,” reported Lieutenant Davis. “Massive vortex is forming.”
“All ships, go to Condition One,” ordered Race over his fleet-wide minicomm. “Stand by to fire weapons.”
Immediately more alarm klaxons sounded, and additional red lights flashed. The Command Center came alive with intense activity as the crew prepared for battle.
“Order all noncombatants to jump out,” ordered Race. The fleet repair ships, Alton science vessels, and the supply ships would make the jump to the Astral System.
“Simulin ships making transit,” reported Commander Arnett, as red threat icons appeared in the tactical display near her.
“All ships, hold your fire,” ordered Race, as he prepared to implement his plan.
Colonel Cowel looked at Race in confusion but passed the command on to Tactical.
“Entry of 240 Simulin battlecruisers,” reported Lieutenant Davis, as the sensors identified the enemy ships. “More ships making transit. Our noncombat ships have jumped.”
“What is the first group doing?” demanded Race. He needed them to stay in the weakened area of space.
