New Valoria under attack! Where is the Third Fleet?
“Moments ago hostile forces landed in force at Golden Sands. We have reports of heavy fighting throughout the city. While an alien battleship continues to menace the residents from above.” Said the reporter on the screen. “As of this time, we still have no comment from the Navy. But our sources tell us that the Third Fleet had no ships in orbit at the time of the attack. Leaving only the Thirteenth Reserve Defense Fleet to defend New Valoria.”
She paused as images of ships exploding played out across the monitor, followed by a gun duel between Valorian Ophera class cruisers and two ships with a distinctive black and silver paint job. Red and blue bolts of energy sailed between the vessels, as a cruiser was torn apart by concentrated fire. “Reports indicate that the defense fleet has been virtually annihilated, with over six hundred cruisers sunk in a matter of minutes by a mere three ships.”
Tika turned from the screen and looked at her Battle-Leader. “Well, that’s a disaster, but what do you make of it?”
He frowned, “It’s hard to make any guesses based on a news report, but Golden Sands is primarily a deuterium refinery and refueling port for small ships. They also ship large quantities of fuel up to the local starbase and shipyard for military use.”
“Interesting point, but I was thinking about the larger implications. There is also the question about the Valorian Third Fleet. I mean seriously where are they? The local media are reporting about how they aren’t there while a small Refuge force has decimated the local defense fleet and landed troops on the planet.”
“Right, it would be a political nightmare. I just don’t bother with that, I leave that to...”
“I know, I know. It’s not your thing, but we both know what this could mean.”
“Agreed, but I do wonder how our old friends are doing. We haven’t talked to them in years. Not since Cantra.”
“Well, apparently they are invading New Valoria. Although I can’t tell you why.”
“I’m sure we will find out. In the meantime, the drive should be about ready for a jump.”
“Right time to take her in, get debriefed and give the crew some leave.” She stretched as she stood up, “and maybe we can find out what our old friends are up to?”
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EFS Enterprise, 0300 hours:
The ship shuddered and the cannons hummed. Countryman leaned over the strategic console as he watched blips moving on the sensors.
Kaori smiled, “Target destroyed.”
Countryman nodded as he watched that last cruiser go down. In the distance, the Umikaze was taking out the starbase, while the Coto was engaged with the last two remaining cruisers in the system. One credit that he’d give the defense fleet was that they didn’t cut and run. They’d held their ground, even after the bloody nose he’d given them.
“Contacts, Valorian battlegroup entering the system. One battleship, four cruisers, 28 destroyers.”
“They’re early,” commented Countryman before focusing the group on the viewer. Where he noticed all of them were venting drive plasma.
Eri spoke up, “Looks like they redlined their drives to get here faster.”
Countryman turned to Misaki, “What about the main group?”
“All indications indicate they are still eight hours out.”
That was all well and good, but they hadn’t even acquired one barrel of deuterium yet. Forrest had reported that Golden Sands was largely secure and the target was in their possession, but they were still loading the first shipment. The only way to move what they needed into orbit was by shuttlecraft. It would be a bit before those first shuttles could launch with the first shipment of desperately needed deuterium. In the meantime, they would have to hold without it.
As for the Valorians, they had seen movements indicating the local garrison was mobilizing for a counter assault. Forrest had assigned Kirk to organize a defense, while Evanov was to take his division for a counter-assault. The idea was to keep the Valorians off balance, the requirement for mobility meant Evanov wasn’t going to have any Scorpions. They were powerful, but far too slow for the kind of mobile warfare required. Nothing for him to worry about at the moment though, he had other worries.
“Order the Coto and Umikaze to fall back, defensive formation.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Coto acknowledges and reports she has destroyed the Fleet Starbase.”
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“Umikaze reports she is on her way.”
Countryman nodded and noted that the starbase was indeed breaking up, with multiple lifeboats now in the void.
What followed was a period of waiting. Both destroyers quickly took up defensive positions as ordered and not long after the Valorian battlegroup reached their position. The battleship opened up with her forward torpedo batteries and her heavy cruiser escort followed suit.
The ship shook and Countryman ordered, “Target the battleship, focus fire on her shield grid, all cutting beams, maximum firepower.”
“Aye, sir,” said Kaori as she directed the beam weapons against the encroaching capital ship. Several sustained purple streams slammed into the forward shields of the battleship. The energy barriers strained against the focused high-intensity supercharged beams. A potential waste of valuable energy since it cost more to fire a supercharged shot, yet it proved it’s worth a second later, as the beams punched through and tore into the unprotected hull beneath.
Entire sections of plating disintegrated like wet tissue paper as the beam tore into the hull. Then cut out, leaving the ship still intact, but her forward shields were now fluctuating.
Before they could recover, he gave the order to fire the cannons. Multiple turrets deployed, rotated and targeted the battleship in rapid order, as the other vessel unleashed its full payload as well.
The Enterprise shook with each hit, but the plating was holding, so far at least. The Valorian battleship wasn’t so lucky as her weakened shields buckled letting the cannon tear into the hull. Entire sections of hull were reduced to swiss cheese in seconds, as fires erupted, bodies and loose objects were ejected into space and other parts of the battleship were straight up vented. Her commander realizing the danger pulled back, the ship firing thrusters hard to bring her port shields to bear.
“Target heavily damaged, she’s pulling back. Reading significant damage to her forward sections, and systems. Notably her forward weapon mounts and shield generators, she’ll need a refit to fully restore her shields.”
He mentally noted that, as he turned his attention to the other vessels. The Coto and Umikaze were already heavily engaged, by hostile destroyers and cruisers. Several of which were now moving to attack him.
“Coto to fleet! We’re taking heavy damage, hull plating failing!”
Countryman noticed, “Kaori...”
“On it!” she interrupted, and redirected the main cannons to support the Coto. Just as a destroyer came up on the flank of the vessel, firing several torpedoes, which slammed into her port nacelle. At least one got through the plating, tearing into the outboard engines.
The Coto returned fire with her aft beam emitters, scoring several penetrating hits on the destroyer, as she came about. Then the ship got shredded by heavy cannon hits from the Enterprise, but the Valorians had noticed that Coto was vulnerable. Multiple ships moved to focus on the wounded destroyer.
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Golden Sands, 0320 Hours:
Forrest noted the report from Kirk. Then turned to the men, “Hurry it up boys, we don’t got all day. Come on get that shuttle loaded.”
“Yes, sir!”
The men shifted as they loaded a series of barrels containing highly concentrated Deuterium. Each of them had been lashed into pallets, for easy movement. Loading was actually going fairly well, if perhaps a little slower than he would have liked.
Still they’d manage to press a few Valorian techs into helping them drain the fuel in the silos and transfer it into containers for transit. Even as he watched several men were also refueling the shuttles. He figured they would be able to launch in the next ten minutes.
At least Kirk was able to give him some good news, the perimeter was secure and the last of the local forces had capitulated. That just left the counterattack for him to deal with. Hopefully Evanov would keep the Valorian ground forces off balance. Forrest had given him a few objectives, facilities to hit, and storehouses to raid. The goal was to take as much back as they could in the few hours they had, to just cause havoc, and then get out. This was a raid after all.
One of the officers walked over, “That’s it sir, we’ve got eight shuttles fully loaded.”
He smiled, not that anyone could see with his helmet on. “Excellent, clear the launch area and tell the pilots to take off.”
“Aye, sir!” said the man, as he went to get those shuttles into the air. That fuel was something the fleet needed.
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0325:
Evanov surveyed the facility in the distance. The structure was, according to the data he pulled, owned by a Valorian Company. One that supplied primarily military grade sensors and electronic warfare suites to the Valorian Navy. They also sold these systems to licensed mercenary companies. It was one of several locations that Forrest had identified as being worth hitting.
Turning to his lieutenant he commented, “I see a few patrols, several watchtowers and a perimeter fence.”
“Nothing major, I think we can be in and out before they blink.”
“Agreed, we’ll do a standard frontal assault. Tanks in front, clear the defenses, then raid the facility. Don’t bother with prisoners, shoot anything that moves.”
“Aye, sir. We’ll take her hard and swift.”
Evanov gave the order to advance, and paid close attention as his tanks swept in. Clearing out the perimeter in barely a minute or two. Then the infantry followed up, breaching the structure with practiced precision. Several firefights were reported in the building, but the sweep went smoothly, none of the scum survived.
By the time his truck was in front of the compound, the men were already pulling anything that looked valuable from the facility and loading it into the trucks. He smiled when he saw the stacks of alien data disks, once decrypted the scientists were sure to be drooling over that one. He figured they might have some good stuff on them.
“Excellent work lads, let’s not idle. Pack it up, we move out in ten minutes.”
“Aye, sir!”