It was now the 27th of Franckise, halfway through 1393 and a full year and two months since the Dark Lords return. There had been several more encounters with scout craft from the Kingdom of a Thousand Stars. All aimed, whether by coincidence or not, at either cluster three or cluster four. Almost all the slaves and many of the crew of each vessel captured had been more than willing to give information. Some even volunteering to join the Legion. Their services were politely rejected however, although a few were kept for further questioning, but in a very gentle sense as they were able to give more detailed information than the rest.
All those captured were either sent to a relocation and educational facility for assessment and eventual relocation or to a detention facility where they would be held until the war was over.
Not all such encounters had been as bloodless as the first. Later probes had been at higher levels of alertness and some had been able to detect the Legions craft lying in wait for them. One craft at least had been destroyed by its crew rather than surrender. Several shuttles full of Legion troops were caught in the blast and destroyed as well.
Such was the status of the war before the 27th.
*********
The stealthy satellites continued their silent watch all this time until one was aroused by the event that it had been placed there to watch for. This was a larger satellite, the size of an asteroid a few hundred meters across and it was not a single ship that was detected dropping out of hyper in the lonely GR343D system in the Drapers Rock Galaxy, but many ships. Many different sizes, some rivalling the Legions battleships arrived. More than a hundred had appeared before the last emerged.
The lonely sentinel watched dispassionately as the ships that arrived formed loose groups and began to explore the system. Its programing did not allow for it to consider its chances of survival as this clearly was not a scouting mission but an invasion, so it continued to gather information as the alien craft approached its location. Programs buried in its hard core memory flashed into priority mode and the satellite ran a fast, deep probe of several of the closest craft. Swiftly condensing all information gathered into a single file, it sent it to the nearest sister satellite for onward transmission. Now revealed to the craft that its updated memory recognised as that of the Kingdom, it waited, while continuing to gather information and sending packets to its sister.
One of the largest star craft drew closer having detected the satellites transmissions and a tractor beam reached out. Crude, the satellite noted but sufficient for its task. The satellite was pulled into the shuttle bay of the large craft, just slightly smaller than a Barrows class battleship. Once inside, the satellite completed its final instructions. Hidden in its depths was a quantity of antimatter many times larger than a standard warhead of an anti-matter missile combined with normal matter in a statis field. Satisfied it was in the best position to do lethal damage to the Kingdoms ship the satellite instructed the statis field to collapse.
The explosion was vast enough to consume the entire ship as well as slamming into nearby ships. Lethal radiation also wreaked havoc on nearby ships along with such debris that survived the blast. Satellite ID8845PLT had performed its last service to the Empire. It never concerned itself as to why the latest and largest thrust had appeared in a galaxy located in the third cluster.
*********
Fleet Admiral Wist struggled up from the depths of her disturbed slumber. Laying still for a fraction she wondered what had disturbed her. The soft chime reminded her.
“Yes?”
“An incursion has occurred sir, more the a hundred ships. The satellite monitoring the system has been destroyed. It is a rim system sir, we have full details for you.” The voice was that of the communications officer.
Admiral Wist consulted the ships internal clock. ‘Damn too late to go back to sleep,’ She decided. “OK, wake up my staff. Location of the Star Commander?”
“On his way to the Rim Station sir. Due to arrive in two periods.”
“Send a message advising him of the incursion. Give him what details we have.”
“Do you wish to recommend his return, sir?” The communications officer asked.
“No, let him make that decision for himself.” Admiral Wist replied.
“Yes sir. On it. I will copy to your Chief of Staff.”
“Thank you, please wake up my senior staff. Meeting in a half period.”
“Yes sir.” The communications officer signed off without mentioning that the admiral had asked twice for her senior staff to be roused.
With a sigh, the admiral rose and went to wash and dress. Her toilet completed, she surveyed herself in the three dimensional mirror. Satisfied that she was projecting the proper image of a successful fighting admiral, she left her room to join her staff.
*********
Not far away, as distances in a galaxy go, another admiral was considering his options. The destruction of three of his fleet, together with damage to others ranging from severe to significant, had effectively removed eleven craft, including the three performing ongoing rescue attempts, from his effective fleet. Standing on his flagship, the Hells Heart, Great Khan Jemai Naskar was not happy.
Next to him stood the Strategist, Zarater Zi Dapta. This man, effectively the third in command frowned as he considered the holograph in front of him. It showed the galaxy in which they had arrived in as much detail as they had, which was only a little. He slapped his whip into his gloved hand as he considered what to say then turned around.
“Whoever placed the satellite into this system had a reason to do so. Therefore we have three options. The first is to return.” That produced a reaction but Dapta continued. “The second option is to make a small jump into a close by system that looks suitable.” There were grunts of approval at that. “The third option, is to jump into the habitable zone of this galaxy to seize a suitable star.” He looked at the two Counsellors, the Great Khan and the Second Great Khan.
First Counsellor Rapa Di Lictor stroked his long beard. “Your first option, Strategist, is not an option at all. Although you were correct to give it. Your third option is too bold. The second option clearly is the correct one.” He stood back, a satisfied look on his face. Dupa Lept, the Second Councillor nodded in agreement.
Karu N’Rastcu, the Second Great Khan, grunted. This was not one of agreement, but one of disgust. “You are a pair of complete windbags. There will be satellites like that one in every nearby system. I am sure that the stars around us are thick with them. Well now we know what happened to our scouts. They were captured. We only know for sure that two were destroyed, one by their own crew. The only course is what Dapta suggests, jump into the middle of them. And we have to do it from here.”
“I concede some of your points, but not the need to make a massive jump into the green zone of this galaxy. I do not see the necessity.” Rapa Di Lictor replied.
“First, Senior Counsellor, one of the reasons this particular galaxy was chosen was its size. It is small and seemed unimportant. Well that is not the case as the deadly satellite showed.” The Second Great Khan retorted. “We have now lost almost ten percent of our force, including one of the most powerful ships of the fleet. We have almost half the Kingdoms force with us and we can ill afford another disaster like the one we have had.’ He paused. “We will also have the advantage of surprise.” Came with a cold smile.
Great Khan Jemai Remi Naskar nodded. “I agree, this is what a soldier of the kingdom would do!”
The two counsellors exchanged glances. They were outvoted but still had influence. The Second Counsellor stepped into the silence. “On such an important decision, I feel, we feel,” he amended, “we feel that the thoughts of other senior officers should be canvased.”
“There will be no such inquiry made.” The gravelly voice of the Great Khan silenced all talk. “That will lead to disunity and to plots against the Kingdom.” He smiled, the smile of a predator, “Surely you do not want that?”
The two Counsellors bowed. “Of course not, Great Khan.”
“We will leave in twelve periods, as soon as the selected area is agreed on. N’Rastcu and Zi Dapta, meet with the Navigator and the Star Analyst. Go over the details of each star, whatever they have. See if you can come to an agreement on the most likely list of the closest stars that may support life. We can’t stay here much longer, I wish to leave in twelve periods once you have a recommendation and we have to get the fleet ready first.”
“Yes Great Khan,” Karu N’Rastcu turned to the two counsellors. “Do you wish to join us?”
“I don’t think our presence will be necessary.” The senior replied.
The two officers left with the Navigator in search of the Star Analyst. They didn’t smile although they wanted to.
*********
Others were considering the next step as well. Fleet Admiral Wist, Commander Cluster Defence Force One, Cluster 3, had been meeting with her staff as well as her senior commanders. The only senior officer missing was Admiral Hasling, Commander of scouting forces, Cluster 3. He was in another galaxy.
“They have three choices sir, as I see it. The best is to jump to where there may be a suitable planet in the green belt. I could give you some planets they could jump to sir, but they would be guesses at best.” Fleet Admiral Wist’s operations officer unknowingly proceeded to lay out the same scenario as Strategist, Zarater Zi Dapta. She finished, “The difficulty is in what direction they go. Our best option is to attack, at once.” The officer, Vice Admiral Danissa of Christos paused as she considered the options she had presented. “Also, due to the lower density of stars and gas in this galaxy we can get there quickly, under three periods in transit.”
Fleet Admiral Wist weighed her options. “All our forces have the jump coordinates and we could leave quickly and be there in the time you say. That’s good but what do you consider our chances?”
The operations officer stared at the plot which now showed the GR343D system. “Well sir, we have four planetoids and four quads each of battleships, heavy and light cruisers. Fifty two fighting craft. We are not sure, but they have about a hundred craft of all types.”
A hiss of sharply indrawn breath sounded in the room as the operations officer continued.
“However we can also draw on the galactic defence force commanded by Vice Admiral Jon Capper. They have six older battleships, eight Heavy and sixteen light cruisers. They will add to the punch. And we have another advantage. This is a K class star and it’s in the lower end of mass for that class. That means that our hyper missiles will be less affected.”
“And we have the four armoured planetoids. They are the difference!” Admiral Rapas, the second in command smiled. “With your permission sir, I will return to my flagship to prepare.”
“Orders will follow, we leave in point five of a period.” The two officers saluted. As Admiral Rapas hurried off, “Get me Vice Admiral Capper,” went to comm center.
*********
Half the allotted time had passed and the forces of the Kingdom were slowly getting organised into a shape to be ready for the jump to hyperspace. When some of the sub unit commanders learnt of the Great Khans decision, they protested. Carefully of cause, to protest too much could raise cause for accusations of a lack of confidence in the Great Khan as well as the desire to take over his command. That would be bad as the Great Khan was connected to the court.
The son of a cousin of the ruling monarch, referred to as ‘The’ Khan, Great Khan Jemai Naskar stood well above the other officers in the fleet. That he had been given the command over other, more senior and experienced officers had caused some animosity and jealousy. However the fleet followed him for two reasons. First, while not brilliant, he was competent. Second, in the ongoing rounds of war in their galaxy, he had proved to be a brave and, best of all, lucky commander. His connections to the court had, of course, helped.
He was also smart enough to surround himself with both loyal and intelligent officers.
In a holograph conference, Jemai Naskar laid down the law. “Enough, there will be no more discussion. The decision is final. I agree it is bold, but it will be unexpected and we will have the element of surprise on our hands. We will leave at the time I specified.” He looked at Karu N’Rastcu who quietly gave him the time remaining. “Five point eight periods. Get your sub fleets into position for leaving. We are working out the schedule and will get it to you soon. No more arguments. All hail the Kingdom!”
The Hologram vanished as the communications officer shut the feed down.
“Some of those hails were less than convincing.” He looked at his second in command.
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“Indeed, The Khan would not be happy if he heard.” Karu N’Rastcu glanced at the Counsellors. “What do you think First Councillor?”
Rapa Di Lictor hated N’Rastcu quite as much as N’Rastcu hated him. The two never passed up a chance to bite at each other like rabid beasts. Jemai loved it!
“I think that some of the objections were quite legitimate. They are worried.” Di Lictor replied.
“”Perhaps, but that was not my question.” The Second Great Khan replied. “I was listening to their response to the ‘Hails”. I felt that they were inadequate. Didn’t you?”
“I will speak with the other counsellor’s and report back. It is difficult to judge from such a transmission.” Came the smooth reply.
“Do that, and report to me directly. I was not at all satisfied and I will not have my uncle so disparaged.” Jemai Naskar spoke quietly as he slapped his whip against the side of his command chair softly. A very dangerous sign. The two counsellors bowed and left.
After giving the retreating pair a contemptuous glance, Naskar turned to his second in command. “Let’s go and check on the cripples. I want to see who we can take with us and who we have to destroy.” The Great Khan relaxed in his command chair as Hells Heart moved to the small collection of damaged ships.
They had just arrived and were about to review the damage together when there was a cry.
“Great Khan, I have something.” A sensor officer called.
“What is it?” The two officers walked over to the console. They were followed by the Strategist, Zarater Zi Dapta.
“I pick up a sighting and then it disappears.” His finger stabbed at the screen. “See what I mean!” The screen flickered as something appeared and disappeared.
“What?” Jemai stared.
“It’s a warship. I am certain.” The strategist stared at the screen. “How many have you seen?” He asked the operator.
“Four or five at least. Sir, I am not sure.”
“You should be certain.” Snarled the First Counsellor.
“Enough!” Snapped the Great Khan. “Communications, get me Dark Heart, she is closest.”
Before the communication could be made, the sensor operator gave a cry of surprise. “Sirs, more contacts.” Admiral Wist had arrived.
*********
“Open fire on your discretion, Captain.”
“Sir!” Captain Liard, commanding officer of the Red Rose had laid his plans. Surprised at first when ordered back to this galaxy, known as Drapers Rock by the inhabitants with a sense of humour, he had listened to the brief by the Star Commander with astonishment. But he realised the implications and understood the reasons for the fleet dispersal. Now, he and the three other captains intended to use the capabilities of the armoured planetoids in full.
“Scanners locate and mark all battleships in our sector.” The command went out followed by, “Weapons, fire as previously ordered.”
The weapons officer on each planetoid smiled as they turned to their respective consoles. Each of the vast ships could, with their AI capability engage multiple targets. In an inter-ship captain’s chat, the captains had laid out sectors of fire and agreed to limit their salvos to ten missiles each.
Viewing the main holo screen, Admiral Wist saw that they had come in to the side and above the invasion fleet. ‘Not to bad,’ she thought. She also noted that Vice Admiral Capper’s force had come in below and off to the right, which was good, she watched as the fleet smoothly deployed. The cruisers moving to assigned positions.
“You were right.” Went to Vice Admiral Danissa, “We’ve got them” She smiled. “Send a contact message to the Star Commander and to Admiral of the Legion Mont De Templer.”
“Done sir.” The communications officer turned to his console.
Captain Liard twisted in his bridge chair to face Admiral Wist, “Firing sir.”
The Red Rose fired.
The Red Lady fired.
The Red Diamond fired
The Red Star fired.
The results were devastating. Each of Admiral Wist’s giant ships was theoretically capable of engaging more than twenty different targets with multiple missiles. The captains had agreed to fire salvoes of ten. All hit. Then came the second salvo from the unfired missile launchers.
*********
Having given his orders to turn the ships around and open fire, Great Khan Jemai Naskar felt helpless. There was a brief interval where star ships, coming out of hyper were vulnerable. They had to seek out and identify the enemy first, whereas those that were already in normal space only had to react. But the ships of the Kingdom had no hyper missiles and had to reorient their ships and advance to their missile range. That gave the Empire ships the necessary time.
Jemai Naskar and his officers gaped as forty of their largest battleships exploded. Some burst in half while others had secondary explosion as reactors or weapons also unleashed their fire on their own ships. Then more terrible blasts followed as the second group of star ships opened fire and another salvo of missiles from the armoured planetoids slashed in.
“Turn us around, get us out of here.” The Great Khan screamed.
“We are too deep in the gravity well to jump.” The navigator panted.
“Pilot, take us around the sun,” Zarater Zi Dapta ordered, “If we can get the cover ….”
Jemai Naskar nodded, his face ashen. He was watching his fleet melt away in front of his eyes.
“Large vessel appearing to our right.” The sensor officer shouted.
*********
The battleship Barnacle, nicknamed by its crew Rusty, was possibly the oldest battleship in the empire. However she and her crew had already destroyed three smaller craft as they sliced around the flank of the Kingdoms fleet.
“Large ship maneuvering ahead.” The sensor operator reported.
“That’s the command vessel we were told to look out for.!” The pilot exclaimed.
“Full thrusters.” The Captain ordered. “Watch that group to the left. They seem damaged. Blast them anyway if the so much as sneeze in our direction.”
“Yes sir!” Weapons replied.
The attending craft had abandoned all the crippled star ships at the outbreak of the conflict. However they had been swiftly destroyed by the Empires cruisers. What was left was defenceless. Those left onboard could only watch as the Barnacle floated by.
“Weapons, you know what to do.” Captain Le Baron smiled. “Pilot stay out of their cones of fire.
“Sir.”
*********
“More speed!” Jemai Naskar raged at the pilot and the engineer. “It’s like we are standing still.”
“If I ask the reactor for any more, it will blow.” The Fourth Officer protested.
“That doesn’t matter, I will not be taken alive.” The Great Khan snarled.
They watched on their screens as the pilot of the Barnacle maneuvered to proper firing position.
“I know what he is doing, he wants to cripple us, take the reactor out, so they can board us.” Karu N’Rastcu, the Second Great Khan whispered to Jemai.
Jemai grunted. “Pilot.”
“Great Khan?”
“If that ship gets close enough, ram it!”
*********
“Optimum range sir.”
“Fire.”
A finger of golden light sprang out and touched the Hells Heart. Right in the engine room.
Runs vital to the operation of the ship were severed. The engines died. The ship continued on a steady course, away from the scene of carnage, driven by its momentum.
“Sen a message to Vice Admiral Capper, advise him that we have the Kingdoms command battleship in company. Engines disabled.” Captain Le Baron continued. “We are monitoring all known Kingdom frequencies and blocking them. Awaiting further instructions.”
“On its way sir.”
“And stay on top of the comm frequencies.”
“Yes sir.” The communications officer replied.
“Pilot, engineering, tractor beams. I want that ship stopped!”
“Yes sir.” The pilot answered for both.
*********
The Kingdoms fleet had put up a valiant fight but they were totally out classed. Several of the Empires ships had taken hits on their shields with resultant damage to systems in the craft. Only two light cruisers had any significant damage with injuries to several members of the crew. Finally all the kingdoms craft were either disabled, damaged beyond repair or destroyed.
On the bridge of the Hells Heart, Great Khan Jemai Naskar sat slumped in his chair. Emergency lights showed the way for any crew member moving around.
He knew that the crew on the craft watching them were simply making sure that they didn’t get away. The tractor beams had brought them to a stable stop.
Coming to a decision, he rose to his feet and looked around the bridge. “Karu, Zarater! There is much that we must do. Take a dozen loyal arms men each. Set explosives at all vital spots, you know the ones. We will restart the reactor if we can, otherwise we must rely on the explosives.” He smiled. “I am relying on you! Go!”
They both nodded, then saluted and left.
The two counsellors looked at each, shocked.
“You can’t be thinking of destroying the ship?” The senior exclaimed.
“There is vital material in the computers and in our minds. I am not going to risk losing it to these creatures. They must already have taken enough information to harm us from the craft they may have captured. I will not give them more!” Jemai was emphatic. “If you wish to take your own lives now, go, in any case, go!”
The two looked at each other, then left the bridge.
Jemai keyed ship wide communications. “Order code 11 now in effect. All non-essential personal to go to quarters now.” Code 11 meant that the ship was to be destroyed and the security team had orders to kill if necessary. It also meant that the life rafts were disabled.
“Now we wait.” The bridge crew just stared at him.
*********
The Battle of the Rim Stars, if it could be called that, was over. None of the Kingdoms fleet had surrendered. All had gone down fighting. It had taken under half a period.
“Let’s do the cleanup.” Admiral Wist instructed her staff. Turning to communications, she instructed them to connect with Admiral Rapas, and Vice Admiral Capper. This was quickly done.
“Congratulations to you both and your teams. Now the hard work. Admiral Rapas, I want that command ship, but not at the expense of a lot of lives. They have had time to prepare, so be careful. Admiral Capper, please pass my thanks to Captain Le Baron and her crew on the Barnacle for their excellent work.” They then proceeded to discuss options and assign tasks.
*********
Sitting on the Hells Heart bridge, the Great Khan felt almost tranquil. On the holo projector he watched the giant space craft float majestically towards him. The ship had been extensively mined and he held the trigger in his hand. The bridge crew had been dismissed and he had sealed the only access door. He was alone.
The Comm unit pinged and a picture appeared.
“This is Admiral Rapas, I wish to speak to your commander.”
“I am Great Khan Jemai Naskar. I lead this force.”
The admiral took a deep breath and began, he hoped, to persuade Jemai Naskar to surrender. “Great Khan, your people have fought and died with courage. There is no need for any further loss of life, it is unnecessary and a great waste. We have scanned your vessel and have noted your demolition charges, including the one on your bridge. Surrender and not only will you be well treated but we will give all your injured medical treatment.”
Choking back a laugh. Jemai just replied, “The Kingdom doses not surrender.” He held up his switch and pressed it.
The battleship exploded in a ball of light, demolition charges adding little to the nuclear warhead.
Admiral Rapas winced at the explosion. “Well, that’s that.” He said. “Get me Admiral Wist.” The communications officer quickly complied.
“Nothing else you could do Rapas, this is pretty typical of the Kingdoms way of operating. Their way of handling discipline is pretty rough.” Wist gave a grim laugh. “And some think that our Master is hard.”
“Indeed, but He is fair at least.” There was a pause. “And I wish we had had a look at the information on that command ship.”
“As do I. But that can’t be helped.” Admiral Wist responded.
“Yes sir.” Rapas paused. “Leaves a bad taste however.” The connection terminated.
Admiral Wist sat for a fraction, then spoke to her operations officer. “Location of the Star Commander?”
“He is at the rim station sir. He decided to stay there awaiting developments.”
Admiral Wist turned to Vice Admiral Danissa, “Draw up a preliminary report. Show me, then forward it.”
“Yes sir.” Vice Admiral Danissa of Christos saluted and left.
“Now what will happen next?” Admiral Wist sat back in her chair and wondered aloud, while the rest of the Galactic Defence force examined all the debris and saved who they could.