“Looks like they’re sending down landing craft,” said Wokoma.

That changed everything. Command had assumed their aim would simply be to hold the system as a foothold. If they were putting boots on the ground, then this was a different game altogether.

Chase asked, “What are our options for long-range attack? Can we target them from beside the planet?”

“Not likely,” said Wokoma. “That’s the whole point in us coming here.”

“Damn it,” said Chase. “Okay, move in and target the landing craft with torpedoes.”

Everyone got to work, and the Trafalgar crew moved as quickly as they could. The first torpedoes struck their targets, and two of the five landing craft were exploded before they could make it through the atmosphere. It wasn’t long before the fighters were swarming again, weapons blazing, lighting up the Trafalgar’s hull.

“Evasive!” yelled Chase as the inertial dampers started failing, and he was pinned in his seat by the momentum.

It flipped back on a moment later. “Come around,” said Chase. “Keep targeting those landing craft.” There were three craft still heading towards the surface, and the Trafalgar sent a rain of compressed energy weapons fire down upon them, Heating the atmosphere in a storm cloud of glowing energy One of them pulled up.

“It looks like one’s heading back towards the hostile ship,” said Wokoma. Chase wished they had support craft they could utilise right now as well. It would certainly help him out.

“Good work,” said Chase. The Trafalgar shook once more as several fighters swirled around it, keeping close to their hull. The defence turrets were at full capacity, sweeping the space around the Trafalgar clear. They were still out-gunned by the small fighters. Chase did not want to see the Trafalgar go down in death by a thousand cuts.

“Engines, can we get a quick burst of the thrusters to put some more space between us and them?”

Wokoma, working the helm, complied, and they pulled far enough ahead to lose the fighters for a moment.

“Rear guns,” said Chase. All turrets now turned aft and targeted several of the fighters that went up immediately. The bridge crew let out a whoop of celebration.

Chase smiled to himself. He wouldn’t encourage such behaviour just yet. “Let’s keep at it, people. We’re not out of it yet,” he said. The landing craft that had pressed on hit the atmosphere, glowing red, starting its descent.

“Can we get torpedo lock?” asked Chase.

“Affirmative,” Wokoma confirmed.

“Fire,” said Chase. Several torpedoes descended towards the surface of Hemera, and the diving landing craft ruptured.

“That’s more like it,” said Chase. The Trafalgar’s hull lit up as the fighters came at them and swarmed them once more. The helm pushed hard to starboard to stop them from getting too close, but they were now staying with them. Chase fought on, regretting not having their own fighters.

“How many shuttles have we got prepped and ready?” he asked. Wokoma turned and looked back at him like he was insane.

“That might just work,” Wokoma said after Chase had explained the plan. They would deploy several of the Trafalgar’s contingency craft as a distraction to allow them to take out more of the fighters.

“We’re not talking about fighter craft, though,” said Martinez. “We are dealing with ship-to-surface vessels with limited firepower,” he said.

Chase nodded. “It’s going to be damn dangerous. Whoever flies, I want volunteers only.”

The fighters were still battling tooth and nail for every win the Trafalgar claimed. Chase wondered if they were dealing with skilled pilots or drones controlled by the ships themselves.

Wokoma had a response. “We’ve got three shuttles ready to launch, sir,” she told him.

Chase gave the order and three extra blue dots appeared on the holographic display, Immediately, several of the fighters broke off from the Trafalgar in pursuit.

“Okay, Wokoma, target the closest hostile and fire.” Free from the swarming fighters, the Trafalgar moved in close on the larger vessel and let slip a barrage of torpedoes and compressed energy fire, filling the screen like a downpour. The hostile ship started backing away from its descent into orbit.

“Very good, Wokoma,” said Chase. “How are the shuttles doing?” he asked, watching as the blue dots intricately flew around the tactical readout.

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“So far, so good,” said Wokoma. The closest shuttle vanished from the readout, and Chase felt a knot in his stomach tighten.

“Sir, we’ve just lost a shuttle,” Wokoma updated him.

“Target those fighters,” said Chase. He wasn’t keen to simply fire out of vengeance, but it would be untrue to say he didn’t desire it. The Trafalgar’s turrets took out several of the fighters as they pursued.

“Sir, the hostiles are launching more landing craft,” said Wokoma.

“Those should be our focus,” said Chase. As the Trafalgar continued to close in on the landing craft, Chase saw the ship’s launch from the larger hostile craft and immediately take a pounding from the Trafalgar’s weapons.

“Concentrate fire on that landing ship,” said Chase, and a moment later, it exploded. Chase released a fist bump.

“Sir, we’ve lost another shuttle,” reported Wokoma.

“Get the remaining one back,” said Chase.

“Aye, sir,” Wokoma replied and relayed the orders.

“Okay, put as much distance as possible between us and the hostiles,” said Chase. As they ascended to a higher orbit, with several of the fighters in pursuit.

“Target rear guns,” said Chase, and watched the tactical display as several of the red dots were annihilated.

“Shuttle three is aboard,” reported Wokoma.

“Excellent. All power to engines,” said Chase, who was momentarily thrown from his chair as the Trafalgar came under heavy fire from the fighters. “Right, bring us about,” said Chase.

“I have a torpedo lock on the closest fighter,” said Wokoma.

“Fire,” said Chase. As the Trafalgar came about, the swarm indicated by the tactical display was visible in the forward viewport, and Chase gleefully watched as the torpedo homed in on the lead fighter, taking it out in one direct hit.

“Excellent work, Winter,” he said. The Trafalgar’s turrets made short work of the nearest remaining fighters, and the pursuing fighters broke off formation and withdrew to the other ships in their fleet. The surviving landing craft were pushing forward for orbital descent.

“Torpedoes,” said Chase, and they ripped through the sky towards them.

“Accuracy is limited at this range,” said Wokoma. Chase knew that—while they weren’t as manoeuvrable as the fighters, they certainly could dodge the torpedoes if they had any sense.

The first transport did, but the second took a direct hit and descended to the planet below at terminal velocity.

They pulled back. Chase keeping one eye on the tactical readout. The original hostile ship was still intact.

The second was destroyed, and about two-thirds of their fighter wing had also been irradicated. But one of the landing craft was making it to the surface unopposed. It wasn’t the greatest outcome Chase could have hoped for, but their orders were to disrupt as much as possible.

“Bridge to engine room,” said Chase. “Dryden, I need you to fire up the drive.”

“It can’t be done!” a defensive voice yelled back. “We’re taking a pounding down here and we’ve only just jumped. How the hell do you expect me to achieve that under these conditions?” said Dryden voice crackled through the communicator.

Chase took a deep breath.

“Listen, there is the possibility of an inter-system jump. I’m not even talking about that. Would it be possible to get us simply to the other side of the planet?”

There was a moment of silence, the engineer giving this some thought. “I’m just running the numbers,” he said. The ship shook again. While the fighters had initially found the Trafalgar’s forces spread out enough to get in, attack several targets, and move out, they were now concentrated closely, matching the Trafalgar’s speed, and had much more manoeuvrability. The defence turrets were having some luck getting their numbers down, but Chase did not want to risk a hull breach.

“Chase,” said Dryden further, “it’s going to be risky, but I think we have a 68% chance of not exploding.”

“That’s terribly specific…”

“I’m saying we probably won’t die trying it. You want to or not?”

“Well then,” said Chase, “at your earliest convenience, please jump us to the far side of the planet.”

He held on to his armrests, clicking the button for internal comms. “All hands, this is Lieutenant Chase. Prepare for immediate jump.”

And with that, the battleship Trafalgar jumped a matter of a few hundred thousand miles. The forward view went from showing one part of the planet to another.