* Date: January 24, 2183
* Time: 9:20 AM
* Location: UGS Yorktown Bridge
[Attention all personnel! The admiral has issued to abandon ship! I repeat! The admiral has issued to abandon ship!]
All around the hull of the battle carrier Yorktown, sailors and officers rushed to the designated lifeboats as the order for evacuation was sounded by the X.O. With how damaged the battle carrier was, it was only time before the order was given. Luckily, most nonessential crew were dropped off at the research facility Gilgamesh, making the evacuation smooth. Meanwhile, on the bridge, officers stood still, staring at their Vice Admiral. When they overheard the conversation between him and the Fleet Admiral of the First Fleet, they immediately understood what he was about to do. They had to abandon the ship because their beloved admiral planned to use it as a projectile to shatter the Kaynian capital ship's shield.
[The order is given, my dear.]
''Thank you, Luck.''
Gaft said as he observed his surroundings. The eyes of his officers stared right at him. He knew that they knew what he was about to do. This was something that Abraham found hard to convey to his trusted officers. He and Luck needed to die for Eden and Earth to survive.
''Sir, with all due respect. It doesn't have to be you that stays behind!''
Said one of the officers, and everyone agreed with his statement. But as much as Gaft wanted to agree with the young officer. He couldn't. With the situation they were in and how durable the Kaynian dreadnought was. The First and Third Fleet would suffer heavy losses if he did something that could tip the favor for Earth and her people.
"I wish I could do that, but you all know me. I treat Yorktown as if she were my child. I'll stay with her until the end, as a father should. Eden is all that stands between the Kaynians and Earth. So, it's up to me and Luck to ensure that doesn't happen..."
''...It's been an honor leading you to space and beyond.''
The admiral's words stung the hearts of the bridge officers. Nevertheless, they needed to follow through with his command. The only thing they could do in the end was to salute to pay their respect to their beloved Vice Admiral. One by one, the officers gave a firm salute to their admiral.
''It's been an honor, Vice Admiral.''
''Been an honor, sir.''
''It's been a pleasure, admiral.''
''Good luck, sir.''
The officers all said their goodbyes as they proceeded to exit the bridge. Leaving only the Vice Admiral all along with his wife on his terminal. Gaft could tell she was on the verge of telling him to join the officers and leave Yorktown, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
[My dear, I could do this by myself. You don't need to be here.]
''No. I won't leave the two of you. Luck, don't deny me this. I want to spend our last moments together. Not far apart.''
Abraham responded with a soft tone to his voice, reaching the artificial ear of the A.I. Luck. The X.O. couldn't help but blush as she listened to her husband's wish. And as a wife, why would she dare deny him the right to be next to her in their last moments? Luck was truly blessed to have this man be her husband.
[I- I am touched, Abraham.]
The A.I. responded as her virtual avatar blushed lightly. However, the situation deemed that she places all her power on maintaining and maneuvering Yorktown to the Kaynian capital ship. Meanwhile, the admiral stared intently at his terminal, which displayed the silhouette of the enemy vessel.
''Luck, status on the Howling Knight?''
[My dear, the stealth ship is currently on our starboard.]
''Good, make a connection. I want to say a few things before we go.''
[Very well, initiating. Connection established.]
On his terminal screen appeared the face of the I.C.E. Agent currently commanding the Howling Knight. Indigo, the former A.I. of Ghost Team Cloak and Dagger, anticipated this meeting. He sought answers on how to breach the shields of the Kaynian dreadnought, crucial for Sword and Shield's boarding operation.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
[Vice Admiral.]
''Agent Indigo...''
''...I'll cut to the chase agent. You're probably wondering how Yorktown would shatter the energy shielding of the super capital. Yes?''
The agent nodded in agreement because from what she had read about the damage sustained by the battle carrier. It was clear to the A.I. that her super type High Energy Laser Cannon was disabled during a Kaynian Corvette's ramming on her bow. However, she wasn't one to judge how the Vice Admiral would conduct a maneuver to break the Kaynian dreadnought's shielding.
[Indeed, admiral, I'm perplexed about how you would engage the Kaynian super capital to let Sword and Shield infiltrate its hull and wreak havoc. All in the name of eliminating the leading Kaynian figure. Codename Arc.]
Gaft gave a faint smile as he exhaled. I.C.E. Agents weren't easy to fool, so telling the truth about how he would do the impossible was necessary. Either way, it's not like the agent would worry about his plan to ram his beloved ship at the speed of light at the Kaynian super capital.
''Yorktown's hell cannon is compromised, her drone squadron is reduced to almost nothing, and Nuclear-guided torpedo strikes wouldn't do much. So, engaging from afar isn't viable.''
Indigo waited, curious about where the Vice Admiral intended to lead the conversation. The looming question remained: how would the admiral achieve such a daunting task? Without the main armament of the battle carrier, there wasn't anything that could reliably damage the Kaynian vessel.
''However, Yorktown still has her real space drive. It's the only way we could destroy the shields of that bastard of a ship.''
The A.I. stared at the admiral as she processed what she had heard. The idea of utilizing a ship's FTL to give them a chance of killing the leader figure on board was fisable, yes. Yorktown was two point five kilometers long and weighed several million tons. Turning the battle carrier into a ginormous slug would definitely shatter the shields of the Kaynian super capital.
[Quite an idea, Vice Admiral. Obviously, you and your wife would perish in the process.]
''That's right, but it's the least we could do for Earth and her people...''
''...Yorktown has the mass, after all, and at FTL transit. She could tear a hole on a moon the size of Luna.''
Weighing their options in the open, the agent concluded that this plan was the best option out of thousands that could be made. No doubt if the First and Third Fleet engaged the Kaynian dreadnought, they would suffer the same fate as the Second Fleet. The I.C.E. Agent saluted to show her respect to the Vice Admiral and his X.O. as they were willing to sacrifice themselves for Earth and her people.
[I bid you farewell, Vice Admiral.]
The Vice Admiral nodded in return as he tapped his terminal and terminated the connection between Yorktown and the Howling Knight. Returning his gaze to his X.O., Gaft would need to check whether or not the crew made it out safely, as no one other than him and Luck would do this arduous task.
''Luck, status on the evacuation?''
[My dear, all personnel successfully evacuated the ship.]
''Good, warm up our real space drive and prime our nukes. It's about time we end this.''
[Right away, my dear.]
The hull resonated with the hum of the FTL drive, its vibrations intensifying as the battle carrier's reactor surged with heat. So much heat for charging a real space drive in the middle of a battle. The Vice Admiral was keenly aware of what was unfolding. According to an ancient belief, intense belief brings about reality. Yorktown seemed to epitomize this concept perfectly, mysteriously showing its raw hatred for the Kaynians at times of combat.
[My dear, Yorktown's reactor has exceeded the temperature necessary for the FTL drive.]
''Let her be, Luck. Yorktown's just letting off some steam from her reactor. No harm in that. She's our kid, after all...''
''...Now, point us directly at the Kaynian dreadnought.''
[Of course.]
The damaged battle carrier shifted its angle by a few degrees enough to have the Kaynian super capital in its sight. The mighty Yorktown has expelled everything it could offer. Its crew had made their farewells to her and her admiral. Now, it was time for her to lay down her hull and ram at light speeds at the one that ravaged the surface of Eden.
[My dear, real space drive ready. Awaiting order.]
Taking a deep breath, the Vice Admiral smiled one last time before saying the words that would change their fate forever.
''Let's do this. One. Last. Time.''
[Acknowledged, my dear.]
As the battle carrier accelerated, it transitioned to faster-than-light speed. Immediately, Yorktown collided directly with the energy shielding of the Class V Dreadnought, Oblivion. The impact triggered a massive explosion, creating a powerful shockwave that shattered the alien ship's shields. Milliseconds later, a colossal nuclear explosion followed, amplifying the destructive force of the initial shockwave. The hull of the super capital was scorched with nuclear flame as the explosion ravaged the mighty armor of the Oblivion. Meanwhile, inside, the crew had little time to prepare as they were thrown around by the shockwave and explosion.
* Date: January 24, 2183
* Time: 9:30 AM
* Location: UGS Iowa Bridge
Meanwhile, on the bridge of the supercarrier, Iowa, Fleet Admiral Arthur Kingstone sat quietly as his officers saw the destruction of the battle carrier Yorktown in an attempt at shattering the Kaynian super capital's shielding. The explosion was visible from where the two fleets were waiting, about two hundred fifty thousand kilometers from Eden.
[Fleet Admiral, the battle carrier, UGS Yorktown, had impacted the Kaynian dreadnought and has breached its shielding.]
Queen, the X.O. of the supercarrier, stated with a hint of lament in her tone. Looking at his terminal, the admiral could only empathize with the death of the Vice Admiral and X.O. of the battle carrier. However, this was the reality of their situation, and he would act accordingly to ensure Eden didn't fall to the might of the Kaynians.
''Hmm, patch me through to comms.''
[Understood.]
The A.I. quickly connected the admiral's terminal to the comms of the two fleets under his command. The sailors, officers, pilots, and captains accepted the connection as they knew what would happen next.
''All ships, this is Fleet Admiral Arthur Kingstone...''
''...Vice Admiral Abraham Gaft and his X.O. of the Yorktown had just shattered the energy shielding of the Kaynian dreadnought by ramming at light speed. With its shields gone, we will concentrate our fire on the alien ship and send it to hell. The admiral's death will not be in vain.''
Arthur's words strung true to the hearts of the men and women of the two fleets. Seeing the damage their enemies had inflicted on Eden, it was finally time to teach these aliens a lesson. Every corvette, destroyer, cruiser, and carrier had their hell cannons ready to fire, only waiting for the Fleet Admiral's word to commence their strike. Taking a breather, Kingstone let out an exhausted sigh before giving a command.
''All ships fire at will!''
Immediately, one hundred eighty hell cannon beams were fired, instantly impacting the Kaynian super capital. The unshielded alien ship would receive the wrath of the two fleets as its hull armor was assaulted by energy beams. The hell cannon strike would yield minor results as the alien vessel endured and began to turn its broadsides slowly.
[Fleet Admiral, our hell cannon strike has done minor damage across the Kaynian dreadnought's hull and is now turning its broadsides at us.]
''Have our drone craft squadrons and torpedos on the way. We can't let that dreadnought fire its broadside at us!''
[Very well, orders away.]
Having relied on the admiral's order to the rest of the fleet, swarms of drone crafts flew out of their hangars and raced toward the Kaynian super capital. Meanwhile, Cruisers, Destroyers, and Corvettes fired their torpedos that accompanied the drone crafts toward their shared objective.
To Be Continued.