(Fleet Command Center, Coldana Prime, Coldana System)
Fleet Base Coldana had twelve shuttles, primarily used for in-system transfer of personnel on shore leave, though they were also available for search and rescue work, when that was needed. Unfortunately, despite being the primary fleet base for the Fifteenth Fleet, they were somewhat lacking in manpower. They were, after all, on the back end of nowhere, as far as the Consortium was concerned, and most of the fleet’s screening elements had been parceled out for antipiracy work.
Of course, even if they had been blessed to have their entire fleet in Coldana, it would not be enough for what was coming. The X’thari Swarm measured in the thousands, and no one was sure whether they could actually kill the Harvester. This was an effort beyond anything the Consortium Navy could put together, certainly on no notice, with no time to build up their forces.
One hundred and twelve warships of the Consortium Navy were present here. One hundred and twelve shups, against one hundred and seventy-five thousand. Admiral Fullstout was proud of his fleet, and he certainly had not allowed training to lapse, despite this being a backwater post. Indeed, training and competition between crews was vital to keeping up morale. He would put any one of his crews against twice or even three times their number, and lay money on his crews, his ships. Even at five to one, he would lay even odds on his people. But they were outnumbered over FIFTEEN HUNDRED to one! There was no fleet in existence who could beat back such odds.
But they could hurt the X’thari, buy the time the Consortium needed to gather the fleets. He knew that Admiral Warhelm and Tenth Fleet were already on their way. They would crash into the X’thari swarm as well, bleeding them. He had no illusions about their chances, however. The X’thari were simply too many. But, if they could bleed them enough, slow them enough, then the rest of the fleet would have time to gather before the entire sector was overwhelmed.
“Admiral, Shuttles 1 through 6 are in position. Fighters have launched. Firebringer is ready.”
“Put me on, system wide.” The officer nodded that he was on, and Admiral Fullstout looked into the camera. “Men and women of the Consortium Navy, Citizens of the Consortium, People of Coldana, I am Admiral Fullstout. As you know, the X’thari Swarm is upon us. Their ships number in the hundreds of thousands. I will not lie to you. There is no way for us to win this fight.”
“We will not survive this battle. But how we go out will define how we are remembered for eternity. Will we simply lay down, roll over, and let these… creatures destroy everything that we have built over generations? Or will we fight the hopeless fight, for no reason other than to ensure that the motherless bastards bleed for every last step? Every minute we resist is another minute the Consortium has to rally the fleets. Every drone killed and ship destroyed is one that the swarm has to replace. The longer and bloodier we make our final stand, the greater the chance that the Consortium will be able to rally troops to fight the Swarm.”
“Now is the hour of our final test! Now is the last stand of Coldana! Now we show the universe that the flames of Jormak Lavabrew, who forged the Consortium from the disunited clans, has not gone out! Now the X’thari learn that the grim defiance of Karfun Coldblight, first settler of Coldana, has not gone missing in his descendants, and those who carry on his legacy!”
“To all the people of Coldana, I say to you, FIGHT! If we are to die, then take as many of the bastards down with you as you can! To the men and women of the Navy, you are the first defense. Give them to the icy grip of the Hell-queen herself! If we must die, then we must die, but make it a death to be remembered in song for all eternity! DEATH AND GLORY AWAIT US!”
Admiral Fullstout took a moment to breathe, and then said, “Execute Firebringer!”
(Free Trader Fucking Bitch, Coldana System)
If anyone asked, Captain Chernikova would say with certainty that there was a problem with the air filtration system. That was why it merely looked like her eyes were tearing up. Not that she would be alone. The entire crew were silent, watching the screens as the Consortium got into formation, ready to defend the planet against the oncoming X’thari. They had all been listening to the Admiral’s speech.
Timofey bowed his head. “That was good. That was almost Russian.”
Whatever Chernikova was going to say flew from her mind when she saw the sensors. Overlapping tarpits were covering the entire system, but suddenly six shuttles went to lightspeed, covering the distance between the fleet and the X’thari in seconds. And they didn’t stop.
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Six massive explosions appeared on the scanners, as one by one the shuttles met a X’thari ship at superluminal speeds, resulting in an impact that was beyond what any ship’s shields or hull could withstand. Six capitol ships exploded with such vigor that the closest scout ships were also destroyed. Six shuttles, with their crews, in return for thirteen enemy ships destroyed. That was a favorable trade in anyone’s book. But it would not be enough.
Then the fighters attacked. Two hundred fighters, with fifty bombers following behind them, launched themselves into the gap created by the six shuttles, throwing themselves into the fire while the X’thari were still reeling from the sudden attack. Their suicidal attacks deepened the hole in the X’thari lines, as ships burned and died by the dozens.
That was when the final six shuttles went to warp, one by one. The first four hit more ships, clearing the path. The last two, however, made it through. Like a bolt from the hand of a vengeful god, they struck the Harvester, traveling at over five hundred times the speed of light! Their impacts each hit the Harvester with a force of 337 YOTTAJOULES! Each was worth 80.5 PETATONS of TNT!
In any just and sane universe, that would have been the end of it. One such impact would be enough to crack open a moon. Two, especially so close together, would shatter it. In a universe ruled by a kind and loving creator, any biological creature, even the Harvester, would have been a miniature nebula after being reduced to its component molecules by such an impact! For a brief moment, Chernikova allowed herself to hope.
The interference from the explosions cleared, but Chernikova did not see it. A psychic scream blasted across the solar system, stunning every living creature who heard it. Wiping the blood from her nose, Chernikova desperately looked at her plot, and hope died.
“It’s still there!”
How? How could it be able to shrug off such an impact? It would have to have shields to equal a planetary… command… center. “Oh god, those bastards! They have PLANETARY shields on that thing!”
Gregor, her copilot, frowned as he looked over the readings they were getting from the military sensors. “Don’t think so, Captain. Not sure, but I think it was more like layered shields. Shuttle 11 hit the top layer, blasted it to hell, and took out one or two more. Shuttle 12, she hit another one, but there must be a limit on how many shields they could layer, because the Harvester is clearly damaged. Looks like some massive burns, and the thing is BLEEDING!”
“With everything they hit it with? It should be DEAD, not bleeding! How the hell is it still alive after a dreadnought blowing up took out seventeen percent of the thing’s total mass lass time?”
“Cap’n, you’re forgetting, last time the Harvester was trying to eat the dreadnought. They were inside the shields, inside the ‘hull’, when it went off. Grenade is pretty damn dangerous in a hallway, right? But toss one at the Bitch while we’re in deep space, with shields up, and it is no big deal. They never fought the Harvester’s shields before.”
(Fleet Command Center, Coldana Prime, Coldana System)
“Damn. For a second there, I really thought that was going to work.”
Admiral Fullstout sighed. It WOULD be too much to ask for the gravest threat to the known galaxy to be wiped out so early in the battle, he guessed. “So did I, Captain. So did I. Any word on what that scream was about?”
The captain shook his head. “No sir. Best guess is that it was the Harvester, in pain. This suggests that the psy abilities of the X’thari have not been fully examined in the past. If their Harvester is powerful enough to affect the entire system because it got hurt…”
“Then there isn’t any point in trying to land someone on the thing. Even with 1000% Psy Resistance, there is no way someone could withstand that thing’s power, especially at close range.” He shook his head. “Guess it is a good thing I sent all the Fleet’s Marines down to the surface with all the weapons and ammo that they could carry. They wouldn’t have been much good up here.”
“Admiral, the X’thari are closing ranks. The hole is gone.”
Admiral Fullstout nodded grimly as he watched the X’thari continue their advance, with twice the number of ships between his forces and the Harvester now. There was no way he could force another hole, not now that the enemy knew what his plan was. Even if he sent his entire fleet, it would be impossible. “Understood. All ships, initiate Last Stand. Protect the planet as long as you can. May the Ancestors guide your path.”
Half an hour after the failed attack on the X’thari fleet, Fullstout was still on edge as he watched the enemy advance, relentless and unstoppable. Suddenly, a sensor officer called out, “ADMIRAL! Multiple Anchor drive signatures! Five signatures total!”
“Hmph. I guess we should be honored, boys. The bastards went and called for reinforcements!” Fullstout looked at the screen. Still, if that was the X’thari, they had certainly come in at strange points. All five points were clearly too small to be anything other than scout craft, but they were separated in five different directions, forming a pentagon perpendicular to the ecliptic. When the ships finally reappeared in realspace, Fullstout’s eyes widened. Those weren’t X’thari ships!
“Incoming transmission, Admiral! It is from the new ships!”
“Put it through!”
“This is Black Star Ship Heartseeker and sisters. Tenth Fleet is heavily engaged, and taking casualties in an attempt to relieve you. Nomad communications networks are helping spread tactical data on the situation.”
“This is Admiral Fullstout, Fifteenth Fleet, Consortium Navy. That’s better news than we had hoped, Heartseeker. We can confirm Firebringer is a partial failure. The Harvester is wounded, but still active.”
“Understood. We currently show the X’thari fleet splitting up, with most of the escort ships moving to intercept or chase us. We’ll draw them off as long as we can before jumping out. At the very least, your ships will get a good shot at their heavy hitters, even if you can’t get to the Harvester.”
Five ships, draw off all those escorts? How in the worlds were they planning on doing that? He had no sooner thought that, than he saw that it was coming true. Five great tendrils of the Swarm split off from the approach to Coldana, chasing the five quick-moving Black Star crafts. But why?
“Of course!” Fullstout looked to the officer who spoke. He grinned sheepishly, and said, “The Black Star ships came in on X’thari drives, Admiral! The only reason no one uses the X’thari anchor drives is because it riles up the X’thari, and they rabidly attack any ship they see using one, forgetting anything else!”
Fullstout’s eyes widened. “All ships! Advance on the enemy! Full speed ahead! Kill those fuckers before their escorts get tired of chasing Black Stars!” He paused, and then said, “Heartseeker, Admiral Fullstout. Many thanks to you and yours. Ancestors guide you.”
“Spearfather guide your blade, Admiral. Heartseeker, out.”