| Author |
Conspicuous Consumption |
Juxtapose
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 1308
From: Give me your bullets!
|  Posted: 2003-09-02 15:51
Rolling thunder punctuated with a crash. A ragged cheer was raised by the few officers remaining.
A sudden shudder through the ship made the Admiral stumble. His free hand grabbed the back of a bolted down, bright orange, plastic rec chair.
“Damn lucky. That’s what you are.” The Admiral said as he looked at the display console.
“You shouldn’t confuse luck with skill, sir.” said the man sitting in the rec chair.
“Well, Captain, I am secure in the knowledge that should you beat me I can always demote you.”
Another shudder made the Admiral pause. Closing his eyes, he imagined a great white tiger stalking through the jungles. His pass code, the tiger, was accepted by the Neural Fleet Battle Net and the Admiral quickly scanned through battle reports. A quick review of the tactical situation showed that everything was going as planned. Disconnecting from the net, he opened his eyes and caught sight of the display consol before him and grimaced.
“Troubles, Admiral?”
“Only the ones you are giving me. That and it appears as if there were a few more defense bunkers planet-side than bunker-busters deployed to remove them. Those Intel boys must have thought our last foray was too easy and decided to make this one trifle more adventurous. However, that situation is under control. I will not be distracted.”
“Admi-“, The Captain began but stopped as the Admiral waved him silent.
“None of that, Captain. My honor, that of my Service and my entire fleet has been besmirched and I will not rest until I have seen it cleansed.” Hoisting his arm before him, the Admiral prepared for his delivery. A quick sprint and he released the ball. Still kneeling he watched as the ball streaked towards the ten pins, praying for a strike and victory.
A tiniest hint of a dimming of the lights was a warning that Admiral had been dreading. A mere fraction of second later, gravity was lost and the ship lurched and danced around him. Bowling ball and pins did not meet in an explosion of victory for the Admiralty over the Infantry. Instead the ball imbedded itself harmlessly in the thick padding above and to the left of the lane as the ten pins caromed around the far end of the lane.
Admiral Juxtapose had instinctively grabbed a zero-g rung nearest him the moment the lights dimmed. Power was needed in the shields, a lot of power if the gravity wells were drained.
The Captain, still seated in his chair, changed the console’s screen from Ten Pin to tactical, though careful not to delete the score.
“It also appears as if your Naval Intelligence neglected to mention the Trader’s Carrier Detachment orbiting the far side of our target.” The Captain said, expanding the tactical view to cover the Recreation room’s far wall.
A bird’s eye view of a large Ice-blue planet filled the wall, featureless, one half glaringly bright against the pitch black of the surrounding space. Covering a 30 degree arc of the night side orbited the Admiral’s command, the Confederation battle group Tiger. Dozens of green highlighted ships were already in orbit, dozens more were moving to their assigned disembarkation points.
On the exact opposite side, about half dozen newly arrived ships were being scanned and cataloged on screen by the computer. Scores of red diamonds flowed like a river down the dark curve of the planet poles. Magnified to fill the wall, sparks of particle cannons were visible emanating from river of red diamonds.
In the seconds it took for the Captain to access and display the tactical display, Admiral Juxtapose had been in conference with the Fleet AI assessing the situation. The Galactic Naval Carrier Detachment was no surprise, as he mentioned to the Captain. The system was an obvious target and the icy planet, the only habitable planet. The exact number and hull size of the UGTO forces had been determined several days before the attack commenced. What had not been determined, until just now, was the make of the Galactic Dreadnaughts, as the sleek lines of a Dreadnaught made at the Titan Shipyard did not alter whether the imposing star ship carried fighters, supplies or banks of torpedoes.
“Don’t start swimming away,” The Admiral announced to the crew occupying the Rec room, “I’m activating the Captain’s Prerogative, so anyone who wants to walk back, I’m headed to the bridge.” That said Juxtapose activated the local gravity fields in the room.
Much like the Neural Fleet Net, the Captain’s Prerogative was reserved only for the senior officer of a ship. Whatever room that officer was in, there was a guarantee that enough power would be rationed to allow at least ½ gravity. A tradition recognized in the Navies and fleets of the ICC and any other organization who outfitted their ships with energy draining Active Shields instead of heavy plate armor.
With a clatter of bowling pins and a collective sigh or relief, gravity was restored. Juxtapose climbed to his feet and briefly surveyed the lane. Once certain that his bowling ball was safely embedded in the foam, he turned and offered the Captain his hand.
“You beat me. You needed the aide of a wing of enemy assault fighters to do so, but you beat me. If you survive the landing, we can weigh treason charges versus the best out of five frames instead of three.”
The Captain chuckled and shook the Admiral’s hand, “I will do my best to get crushed beneath a Lander, sir.”
“Never mind that,” Juxtapose said as he led the Captain and men into the corridor, “chances are that we won’t survive long enough to deploy you or your forces.”
---- ---- ----- ------
After the initial attack, the enemy fighters were keeping a safe distance. A steady torrent of accelerated particles and rockets kept Battle Group Tiger’s shields flaring, but both sides were in no immediate danger of incurring causalities.
Five minutes after the arrival of UGTO combat vessels, the remaining ICC vessels entered orbit around the Ice planet and awaited orders to commence the attack.
Battle Group Tiger was similar to the other dozen or so Detachments, Squadrons, Battle Groups, and fleets of the Confederated Navies: a hodge-podge of space worthy ships and half-hulled hulks. Along with dozen refitted liners and heavy transports, Tiger boasted nearly a half wing of Assault Cruisers, of which three out of four were fully operational; three cruisers in various forms, functionality and repair; and a dozen picket ships ranging from a nearly lethal, modified and repainted UGTO Assault Destroyer to the modified Fast Attack scouts which could double as ship-to-ship transports or close combat fighters.
Leading the Battle Group was the former Missile Dreadnaught, Conspicuous Consumption. Now much modified as Admiral Juxtapose’s Command Dreadnaught, it was the largest and most shot at vessel in the fleet.
Moments before the bridge’s pressure doors opened, a red light and chime signaled the imminent return of gravity. The various officers and crew quickly snatched at whatever wasn’t already fastened down before it was too late. The door slid open with a rattle of falling debris and a collective sigh or relief. Zero gravity was something that could be expected in the ICC navy, but not something fully appreciated by a majority of the crew.
“Welcome back Admiral,” Vice-Captain Colby’s said, voice muffled from within his combat chair. Several other officers greeted him as well, but for the most part the bridge was quiet as the crew worked silently through the Bridge Neural Net. “On behalf of the crew, I would like to express sympathy for your loss at bowling to Captain Warner.”
Juxtapose climbed into the Captain’s Chair. Sensing his return, the chair sealed around him and instantly connected him to the Bridge Net. All around him was his ship, the men and their work. Everything needed to fly a Dreadnaught by mere thought and feather touch.
“Yes, thank you Colby.” Juxtapose said to the Vice-Captain and his bridge crew. “Remind me re-pressurize your cabin before you go on break.”
The Admiral then switched on the Common channel. “Undoubtedly, by now you all have heard of the Army’s hollow victory over your commanding officer. Let’s hope they do not also require the UGTO’s assistance to take this lovely planet we all see before us. To be safe, I believe it is time to disperse our unwanted guests…both those we have onboard and our Earthen bretheren on the far side of this planet.” The Admiral switched on the ship’s engines and opened the launch bay doors.
“All ships: release pods!” He ordered. “Good Luck Captain Warner. Give em Hell!”
“Likewise, Admiral. Happy hunting” The Captain’s voice came across the common channel.
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I type with the tongues of my enemies, ascend from the backs of my friends, ignore the plight of innocents, and dance on the graves of my gods
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Pope
Fleet Admiral
Joined: June 11, 2002
Posts: 2449
From: World of tomorrow
| Posted: 2003-09-02 16:19
excellent.
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MOC
Admiral
Joined: January 30, 2003
Posts: 66
From: Ocean City ,Maryland
| Posted: 2003-09-02 16:22
good read ,keep it up !
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Juxtapose
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 1308
From: Give me your bullets!
| Posted: 2003-09-02 21:58
--- --- --- PART II
“Shall we explore these feelings of anger and violence deeper?” asked the ship’s counselor, “we still have ten minutes remaining to our session.”
It was the Admiral’s third visit to the head doctor. Three down, three to go, he thought.
“If he would only take a berth on the port hull, the shields always fail there”
“Excuse me, Admiral?”
“That wasn’t meant to be out loud.” Admiral Juxtapose said, grinning.
“Yes, well, I think that saying that is important. It is good to express these feelings. To explore your anger”
Juxtapose sat up. The leather couch was just too damned comfortable. Clearly nothing he said would faze the young doctor sitting across from him, but he was pretty sure that falling asleep would only give the man cause to add an additional session.
“Listen, Doctor..”
“Please, call me Jeremy” Doctor Jeremy politely insisted.
“Right, Jeremy…Listen…violence, anger, aggression; I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have graduated from Academy if I hadn’t exhibited a little of all of them. I find anger to be very useful, it helps be justify certain things”
“Would you care to expand on that?”
“Well-l, gee…Like ordering the deflation of a pressure dome. Hunting and destroying my enemy. Um…waging war effectively on shoe-sting supplies. And it helps me sleep.”
“Uh-huh” nodded the doctor as he continued taking notes.
“Listen, I really appreciate the hard work you are doing for the kids and crew, but, honestly, I don’t quite understand why I am forced to attend these sessions. Couldn’t you just prescribe me some painkillers and mark me down as having attended all the required sessions? I would really hate to subject the crew to another depressurization drill just to get out of the next one”
The doctor placed his pad and pen on his lap and nodded slowly. “Admiral. All senior officers are required to attend these sessions. The Admiralty deemed it necessary. You have orders and so do I. Do you really think it would be appropriate for me to disobey a direct order? Would you? How would that look?”
“I would be willing to turn a blind eye, just this once”
Before the doctor could respond, the chime sounded indicating that the session was ended.
--- --- --- ---
The battle on the ice planet below, was winding itself down. The planet, since dubbed Greenland, was riddled with natural and man-made caverns. After the initial counter-attack on the landing zones was broken up by a lethal mixture of orbiting bombardment and ground based stubbornness, the Galactic Trade Organization’s marines had, and forgive the pun, melted into the planet to regroup. The foothold established by Captain Warren’s Troops had quickly expanded across the surface and below. After a week of heavy fighting in the cathedral ice halls of Greenland, the surviving enemy was quickly running out of bases and shelter.
The attack on the Carrier Detachment had not been as successful.
The enemy fighters had stationed themselves above the northern pole of the planet. From there they could rain unfocused harassing fire on the massed fleet. The planet’s natural magnetic field confused the targeting sensors for both the ICC and the UGTO. However, manually targeting a stationary Dreadnaught proved to be much easier than manually targeting a buzzing swarm of one man fighters from a quarter million miles away.
But the Admiral knew this before the battle had unfolded.
Once the Drop ships were safely away, Juxtapose had pulled the Conspicuous Consumption out of orbit. Building speed, he lopped up and twisted around to bear down on the fighters. Following him were two Assault Cruisers and two Heavy Cruisers equipped with missiles.
Long before any of Tiger’s combat ships could engage the fighters, they were buffeted with the now focused fire of the awaiting swarm of fighters. Most of the fire was concentrated on the Admiral’s ship. Shield strength was dropping. With over 250gu to cover before even getting into maximum weapons range, Juxtapose ordered his ships to break off the attack turn.
Once the attack squadron had broken orbit to attack the fighters, the three Carrier Dreadnaughts on the far side had launched most of their remaining fighters. These fighters had waited patiently alongside their carriers for the perfect opportunity. Seeing the Command Dreadnaught and escorting cruisers break off the attack with badly weakened shields, these reserves were ordered to reinforce the polar fighters in an attempt to knock out the Conspicuous Consumption.
“Polar fighters are at 490gu and holding. The second wave is 650gu away and accelerating to attack speeds, Admiral.” The Tactical officer reported.
“Leading by example got most of the cream of the British officer Corp killed by 1915.” Juxtapose stated to his bridge crew.
“Good thing the ICC never skimmed you from the top, sir” Vice-Captain Colby said.
“Hmm…I beginning to think that the accelerated training program for Vice-Captains and Tactical officers was a mistake. Officer shortage or not. If this plan fails, my final message to the Admiralty on the subject is all ready to be sent”
The Tactical officer grinned. “I’m flattered, sir. Would it be wrong of me to assume that if it succeeds you will be taking the credit?”
“That’s why I hired you. Always a step ahead.”
The two fighter groups had coalesced and were now bearing down on the fleeing Dreadnaught and cruisers. Their course was leading the two groups above and away from the dark side of Greenland. In between the increasing flare bursts of the rear shields, Juxtapose could make out the growing crescent of the planet.
“Frigates in place, Admiral” The communication officer announced.
“The scout wing?” asked the Admiral.
“They will be in position to jump the Carriers in 30 seconds, sir”
Juxtapose did the math. In twenty seconds they would be missing a large portion of their engines and be dead in space. Already warning bells were indicating imminent hull damage to their starboard engine pylon.
“Oh hell…we don’t have time for this. Execute now!” Juxtapose ordered as he began turning to face the approaching fighters.
A dozen jump flashes temporarily blinded the tactical displays of the bridge-crew. Hooked into both the Fleet Net and the Bridge Net, Juxtapose was able to watch as two modified Sensor Frigates and a handful of Scouts appear in the middle of the fighter group. Almost the moment they entered normal space from their short jumps, the Frigates activated their Pulse-Wave emitters.
Static and white noise nearly overwhelmed the Fleet Net as tens of thousands of tiny particles and hundreds of rockets exploded at once. Pulse-Waves were not very effective against larger vehicles or even the UGTO’s stock Assault Fighters, but five simultaneous waves and the detonation of tons of ordinance caused havoc.
Though a few of the fighters took physical damage when their munitions exploded on or near them, many of them suffered traumatic system failure. Those able to pull away did so, but many were cut down by the chemical beams that lanced out from the scouts and frigates. It was a turkey shoot.
But there were too many of them for the too few laser batteries the small ICC ships carried.
“250gu and closing fast on the main group of them, sir” The Tactical officer announced.
“All ships, set forward shields to full. Vice-Captain, rig for ramming speed!” The Admiral announced over the common band.
“Aye sir. I’ve ordered the kitchens to beat out a steady rhythm on the their kettles for the galley slaves to row to”
“Good man! All ships, aim for the fringes of the cloud. Don’t expend energy on the ones directly ahead. I doubt we will be have time for a second pass.”
To be continued
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I type with the tongues of my enemies, ascend from the backs of my friends, ignore the plight of innocents, and dance on the graves of my gods
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Captain Caveman
Cadet
Joined: October 12, 2002
Posts: 668
| Posted: 2003-09-03 03:27
I'm impressed. Very impressed.
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Juxtapose
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 1308
From: Give me your bullets!
| Posted: 2003-09-03 10:46
--- PART III
“Survivors?” Admiral Juxtapose mumbled and rolled deeper into his bunk.
“Yes sir. Two from the 8th Squadron, 3rd wing; one from the 16th Squadron, 2nd wing; two from…sir?” The 2nd Lieutenant stopped his recitation and look at his commander.
Admiral Juxtapose was laying in his bunk with both hands over his ears and glaring at the young officer. Once the man stopped, Juxtapose pulled himself out of the comfort of his bed and shuffled across his compartment to his kitchenette.
“I’m still stuck on that first word. Uhm...what was it again?” Juxtapose asked as he fumbled for his coffee mug.
“Survivors, sir?” The puzzled 2nd Lieutenant asked.
“That’s it. Survivors. Prisoners even. That’s pretty much what you are saying we have now, isn’t it?” The Admiral was finished making his cup of coffee and was now pouring a second cup.
“Yes, sir. In the Repair bay”
“Since when did we take survivors? We don’t take survivors, never! And certainly not when I’m trying to get some sleep.”
“Yes, sir”
“I said to be woken once the engines are repaired and for nothing else! Are those fixed?”
“Sir? I believe the last estimate was at least 120 more ship hours.”
The Admiral waved his hand, dismissing the information, “Bah, then you are early!”
“Hold these” He handed the young man the two cups of coffee and walked the three steps to his closet. After a few moments of momentous effort, the Admiral’s pants had been wrestled on. “Right, give me those over and come with me”
--- --- ---
The UGTO Attack fighters had taken over 60% casualties in the short battle above the plane of the elliptic. The Conspicuous Consumption, framed by four Cruisers, energy arcing off one another’s shields struck the disabled cloud of Assault Fighters at full speed and dead on. It was quite a sight, until, that is, the Dreadnaught’s Front port shield failed.
One fighter had ricocheted off the Assault Cruiser just above the Dreadnaught, in doing so, the rear third of the craft had been sheered off and disintegrated by the shields. The remaining 2/3 of the craft passed through Conspicuous Consumption’s failed Front port shield, was slowed from 50gu per second to 48gu per second by the navigation shields and came to a full stop half way through the Port Engine Pylon, right between service deck Delta and Deck 5. Both of which were uninhabited until the arrival of Captain John Evon of the 8th Galactic Trade Tactical Squadron.
--- --- ---
The Bridge Net flickered. Even enclosed in the protective, anti-inertia, combat chairs, Admiral Juxtapose was jarred.
“Aww, Crap!” The bridge exclaimed, almost in unison over the Bridge Net. Each one had quickly patched into the video feed from the crash sight. From deep within the massive Engine Pylon stars were visible.
“Looks like we’ve been boarded” The Admiral said as he watched globs of flesh and liquefied human remains mingle with debris and float past the video. Intruder Alerts were triggered the moment non-identifiable DNA was detected on board. “No need to batten down for this one, though. The Port Pylon saved us from certain capture.”
“Sir, power levels dropping. I’m shutting down engines 3 and 4. Repair details are already enroute.”
At the same moment the Admiral was issuing orders across the Bridge Net, through the Fleet Neural Net, Juxtapose watched as the six modified Stealth Attack Scouts entered normal space beneath the UGTO Carrier Detachment on the far side of Greenland.
Viewed through the video feed of the lead Scout, the three Carrier Dreadnaughts were enormous, obscuring most of the view of the planet.
Blinding beams of light, like glowing spider’s legs that were too small to support their massive weight, appeared suddenly from all three Dreadnaughts. The lead Scouts wingman exploded in a flare brighter than the lasers that descended to meet it.
“Scatter pattern Delta! Break off! Break off!” Captain Himmen screamed to his wing moments before a tight cluster of Proton Torpedoes shattered his small ship. Out from behind the Dreadnaughts, looping tight over and down across their sleek sides slid a Galactic Torpedo Cruiser.
The four remaining scouts needed no more encouragement. Build for speed and maneuverability they raced in separate directions desperate to get out from the range of the Dreadnaughts Chemical Beam batteries. Torpedoes skimmed past one, narrowly missing. Almost out of range, but not far enough as twin beams lanced into the small craft’s shield. For an instant the shield flared bright and held, but then it failed and the lasers bore two, meter wide holes through the craft’s starboard stabilizers.
Crippled, the pilot ejected from his ship, firing his suit’s rockets to escape the doomed vessel and the oncoming torpedo salvo.
On board the Flag ship, the bridge crew was just becoming aware of the desperate situation on the far side of Greenland.
“What the hell is happening!?” The Vice-Captain demanded from no one specific.
The Admiral ignored him, concentrating on the three remaining craft. The pilots who were frantically maneuvering had forgotten their primary objective: planting locator transponders on the three UGTO Dreadnaughts. Juxtapose took control of the three ships weapons systems and, like buckshot out of a gun, discharged all the transponders moments before they hurtled into sub-space and safety.
“Huge power spikes coming from all three Dreads,” reported the Tactical officer. “wait…and from the Torpedo cruiser as well…I don’t understand it!”
Admiral Juxtapose nodded slowly. “They were able to overwhelm the Stealth scouts. Those power spikes are ECCM emitters, dozens of them. Ours Scouts were visible the moment they came out of jump”
The Tactical officer looked at the Admiral in disbelief, “Madness! They would drain that much power to catch a few modified Scout ships!? Not to mention that much ECCM would practically cripple their own system. Impossible!”
“One of the beacons stuck. The Admiral is correct.” The Vice-Captain said. “But it makes no sense!”
“They obviously don’t want to be snuck up upon. Hmm…with that much noise coming from them, we probably could track them without the beacons.” Juxtapose noted the navigation charts as the bright red dot of the beacon suddenly accelerated away from the planet. “Looks like they are making for the outer gas giant and its cluster of moons.”
The Admiral disengaged himself from his chair and stretched. “Make for the planet. Best speed. Put the fleet in orbit to support the infantry. Colby, you know what to do.”
“Yes sir.”
“I think I need to make a phone call…”
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[ This Message was edited by: Juxtapose on 2003-09-03 10:49 ]
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I type with the tongues of my enemies, ascend from the backs of my friends, ignore the plight of innocents, and dance on the graves of my gods
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Rogue Spear
Grand Admiral
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 20, 2002
Posts: 848
From: Texas
| Posted: 2003-09-03 13:41
Bah ive had bowel movements that made more sense than that!
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Juxtapose
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 1308
From: Give me your bullets!
| Posted: 2003-09-03 14:31
HAR!
Don't even pretend that you read this, Rogue! Your 4 second attention span coupled with your First Grade Literacy probably didn't get you past the first sentence....except to scan for pictures.
And as for bowel movements? Why, I have seen prettier things in my toilet after a rough week-long bender than that scrawny thing pasted on the back of that Milk carton.
Aww...I'm just kidding Rogue. You do matter. Your words to make a difference....
They cut like daggers. I was wrong to believe I was a literary master ready to walk in the shadow of such gOds of posting as yourself.
Oh...no point...no point at all
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I type with the tongues of my enemies, ascend from the backs of my friends, ignore the plight of innocents, and dance on the graves of my gods
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Rogue Spear
Grand Admiral
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 20, 2002
Posts: 848
From: Texas
| Posted: 2003-09-03 16:30
Your forgiven, your right the 1st sentence is quite provocative tho, so im sure the rest of it is okay. Keep up the good work Jux!
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Juxtapose
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 1308
From: Give me your bullets!
| Posted: 2003-09-11 12:40
---PART IV
“Got them!” The Tactical officer shouted across the Bridge-Net. Instantly a window appeared showing the view from the Fast-Attack Scout Vysion. The Admiral magnified the image until he could just make out the silhouettes of the three dreadnaughts against the dim glow of the giant red gas planet.
“I can probably get about 1,500gu closer. Any closer than that and I am sure to be detected by their ECCM.” Captain Anasio reported.
“Hold your position, Captain” Juxtapose ordered. He could sense that the cat and mouse game which had kept half of the fleet occupied for the past week was coming to an end. “I don’t want to alert them”
Two hours until preparations were completed and they could be underway. The Conspicuous Consumption, flanked by four Assault Cruisers, two Heavy Cruisers and a half dozen Assault Frigates and Fast-Attack Scouts would descend upon the unwary prey and finish the game.
--- ---
“Fleet Admiral Motori was noticeably tight-lipped about the whole situation. I don’t know, but to me and what I saw, it appears that the Galactic Navy is pulling back.” Juxtapose said.
“Pulling back? That’s fantastic!” Lieutenant-Captain Schoeler exclaimed.
“Hm…sounds rather optimistic. We really haven’t hit them hard enough for that” Vice-Captain Colby said to the engineer. “Even with their recent defeat in Caranie, they still outgun us 2 to 1.
“I agree” Juxtapose nodded. “But, and if Intel is correct, the UGTO presence in Epsilon Eri, Bernards and Procyron has disappeared. Com pick-ups indicate that the Galactic Fleet in that sector is grouping in Lelande. The Navy in our sector looks to be doing the same.”
“Lelande?” Captain Warren questioned. “What tactical genius is running their show? They mass in Lelande and we can waltz right in and retake everything we have lost since the war began!”
“Ikemi was not very forthcoming with reasons or ideas. But there is something going on and it is something that doesn’t include our friends licking their wounds in orbit around Big Red. Intel guaranteed me that there was not a single UGTO ship within a half week of here. I take little stock in Intel, but this time it came directly from Admiral Lowery, so I plan to take advantage of that and finish those damn dreads off, once and for all.”
“You all know what you have to do. You all know the plan. If all goes well, which it will, we get taken off the line and back to Exthera for some well deserved R & R.”
The Admiral dismissed the two dozen men and women attending the briefing. Only a half hour remained before Battle Group Tiger would be poised to strike. As they left, Juxtapose wished them all luck but also motioned for Vice-Captain Colby and Captain Warren to remain behind.
“There is no reason for the UGTO to go on the defensive, just the opposite really. We are stretched thin, too thin and the Galactic Navy knows it. A few more months and we would either be outflanked or so thinly strung out that a fleet comprised entirely of Stations could pass through our lines without our knowing and orbiting Exthera before we could bat a lash.”
Captain Warren nodded in agreement. His men were battle hardened veterans of a dozen campaigns. His soldiers had twice the number of battle stars pinned to their chest than any UGTO Marine, but not because they were best. The UGTO had more Marines in reserves than the ICC had on the line. Each soldier fought every battle. Every battle took its toll. That toll was becoming more evident with each passing week of combat.
“But the Admiralty believes it is not a pre-offensive build up or some sort of trap?” The Captain asked.
“They can’t be sure, but, you said it yourself: Lelande?”
“This has something to do with this Carrier Group, doesn’t it, sir?” Vice-Captain Colby asked.
Juxtapose nodded. “Who knows. But as strange as this sounds, I don’t think they were expecting us when they arrived in orbit around Greenland.”
Warren and Colby exchanged puzzled looks as Juxtapose continued. “Why the eccm? Where are their reinforcements? Since when has the UGTO abandoned its ships, especially to such an under strength group such as Tiger? Hell, the second an EAD shows up, I for one am running like hell. But none are coming. The UGTO doesn’t give the ICC victories, but now they are giving us half of known space?”
“Well, its not like we have the resources to take what they are giving us, even without a fight. But why take us aside to tell us this?” Colby questioned.
“Well, there is something. A rather sensitive something, I might add.” Juxtapose said as he initiated a security blanket on the briefing room. “Fleet Admiral Ikemi and I, it seems, share a mutual friend in a certain Rear Admiral Freilinger.”
“You mean, Rear Admiral Freilinger in the UGTO’s Stellar Affairs Department!?” Captain Warren said, slightly taken aback.
“The same. And don’t give me those looks. I know both of you have had numerous contacts with friends in the UGTO sphere, some of them in rather compromising positions.” Juxtapose waved his hand, dismissing their guilty looks. “We all do it, it can’t be helped. They might deny it, but we are fighting a Civil War, not some border skirmish. Back to my point…”
“You both are familiar with the Sirius Expedition that was supposed to be launched to explore the systems beyond Known Space? Good. Well, despite what you have read, it was not cancelled because of the war. It went ahead as scheduled, just a little better armed than what was originally planned.”
“Cocky bastards aren’t they.” Colby muttered.
“We weren’t really giving them cause not to be, at the time. Well-l, we started holding our own and it seems the Galactic Navy thought it best to withdraw this fleet…except the fleet hasn’t come back. Freilinger basically said that they have lost contact with them. To top that, it seems that several scouting missions sent to retrieve them haven’t reported back either.”
“Some sort of anomaly?” Warren asked.
“Neither the Admiralty nor the Trade Council’s scientific stations have reported anything abnormal.”
“They can’t be thinking that the entire fleet mutinied?!” Colby said.
“Just before the UGTO started pulling back from that region, there were some unconfirmed reports that an unknown vessel sporting a transponder code remarkable in resemblance to the Trade Organization Battle Cruiser Aon, a ship that supposedly went to Sirius, attacked a Free-Stater mining settlement in Delta Pavalonis.”
“But, was it a Galactic Naval vessel or some modified privateer?” Colby asked.
“Unfortunately, that is where the loyalties of old school chums and the Navy’s Secret Policy collide. Freilinger wouldn’t say anymore. But, judging from the UGTO’s reaction, I would say it was the Aon.”
Captain shook his head in amazement, “An entire Battle Fleet, gone rogue. I can see how that would upset the Trade Council a bit.”
“Still doesn’t explain the ECCM, does it?” Warren asked. “The prisoners I have interrogated claimed they didn’t know why, but half the Galactic fleet was recalled last month to be retrofitted with it.”
Juxtapose grunted his agreement. “Don’t need that much ECCM to find a rogue battle fleet, but-“ He paused as his Fleet AI cut into his thoughts.
“What the hell?” He mumbled, digesting the information streaming into his consciousness. A moment later, klaxons sounded throughout the ship.
--- ---
“Picket ships report jump flashes 7,850gu from our current position!” The Communication officer reported as Juxtapose and Colby entered the bridge.
“Admiral Juxtapose, are you reading this?” Captain Anasio of the Fast-Attack Scout Vysion voice crackled across the common line.
“Patch his visuals through to the main screen” Juxtapose ordered as he climbed into his chair.
“Holy, sweet mother!” Captain Anasio’s voice exclaimed over the common band. “Did you see that! That things reactor must have blown.”
Even from the scout’s distant position the brilliant flowering of light was blinding. Dark cones of shadow were visible stretching away from the dozen moons surrounding the Carrier Detachment as the light and heat seared the surface of the closest moon.
“Catching secondary explosions, sir! Whoo-wee! Looks like at least two more ships just went up! Bet you it was their support ships…maybe even that bastard TC!” The Captain shouted excitedly.
Juxtapose ignored the Captain’s streaming report and turned to his navigation and tactical views. “Report on those jump flashes. How many, what ships?” He ordered.
“Sensor and visual reports are negative, sir” The captain of the picket ship nearest the jump flashes reported. “I believe it was one outgoing jump, sir.”
“Sir, the second carrier appears to be adrift and burning.” The Tactical officer reported. “Looks like similar damage to the engines, but can’t be certain from this range. Request we allow the Vysion to approach sensor range.?”
“You hear that, Captain Anasio?” Juxtapose asked?
“Aye, Sir. Plotting a jump course now.”
“Admiral, sir!” The captain of the picket ship interrupted.
“Report, Captain”
“Sir, my sensors are picking up energy readings from where that last jump flash was seen. They correspond with some sort of tractor beam.”
“The coordinates of those readings are roughly where the large concentration of debris from the Assault fighters are.” Vice-Captain Colby said. “Looks like we must of missed something important.”
“Engines not lighting! Seems the gas giant is causing some sort of gravity displacement field Admiral.” Captain Anasio reported.
“Sir, confirmation that the third Carrier Dreadnaught is taking damage. I can’t see what’s causing it, but the infrared filters are showing temperatures on the aft hull plating is reaching the boiling point.”
“Captain Anasio, get in there and report!” Juxtapose barked.
“I can not engage the…” The Captain’s reply was cut short. The view of the Carrier Dreadnaughts was interrupted by a flash. The next instant the video feed was lost.
Juxtapose had been in contact with the Vysion’s AI the moment the connection was lost. In the microseconds between the flash and the lost feed, the AI had transmitted a brief report.
Forward shielding depleted in .032 seconds. Hull integrity failing. System loss imminent. Unknown energy source originates 58.3gu forward present position
The Admiral and his crew sat in stunned silence. The Scout ship had been destroyed in less time than it took him to register the AI’s report. Too much had happened in too short a time for him to digest.
“Sir,” The communications Officer said, breaking the silence, “I’m picking up a signal message from the cluster, audio only. Non-coded, over the general band.”
“Put it up” The Admiral whispered.
“…ips, I repeat, to all ships. Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is the Galactic Naval Carrier Hector, we are disabled and under attack by unknown forces. Request assistance. I repeat, we are disabled and burning and need help.” Garbled cries and muffled shouting could be heard in the back ground. “Controls lost and are on drifting towards the fourth moon.” Collision Warning sirens blared across the open channel. “God! We are going down! Mayday, mayd-"
To be concluded in the Fifth and final chapter
_________________
[ This Message was edited by: Juxtapose on 2003-09-11 12:58 ]
_________________
I type with the tongues of my enemies, ascend from the backs of my friends, ignore the plight of innocents, and dance on the graves of my gods
|
Juxtapose
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 1308
From: Give me your bullets!
| Posted: 2003-09-12 12:41
--- Part V of VI Couldn't quite finish it off, so one more installment
The fourth moon of the red gas giant known as Big Red, had been a mass of craters, pitted and scarred. At one point it bore an uncanny resemblance to Luna, except that it was only about a tenth its size. But even at one tenth of a lunar mass, it exhibited enough mass to attract lesser objects. When the UGTO Carrier Dreadnaught, Menaleaus’ reactor suffered a catastrophic failure while in orbit of this moon, the resulting multi-gigaton explosion had a unique effect. Instead of merely smoothing away a billion and one half years of cratered history, the rock nearest the blast melted away into space. Further away, liquid rock flowed from the force of the blast wave. What was left looked like a large, smooth grey scoop of ice cream which some giant, on a very warm day, had taken a bite from.
The image was shattered, most literally, when soon after, the UGTO Carrier Dreadnaught, Hector, caught in the moon’s gravity well, slammed into the newly created bowl. Her forward armor hull plating at full and traveling at a stately 10gu per second, the Hector easily bore through the quickly cooling crust and into the still molten mantel. Though the failure of her engines was not as catastrophic as that of the Menaleaus, occurring as it did while the doomed ship was entombed deep within the moon’s surface, the results were stupendous.
The complete and utter destruction of the fourth moon of Big Red disabled an artificial gravity well in which the remaining Carrier Dreadnaught, the Achean and her escort, the Torpedo Cruiser Berretta were trapped. They were both able to escape, though neither unscathed.
--- --- ---
“Well-l, here we are again” Juxtapose said as he stared at the cloud of debris surrounding the Command Dread and its six escorting Cruisers. A short week and a half ago this had been the location of his command’s complete rout of the enemy’s massed Assault Fighter Wing. Not much of the individual fighters were salvageable after being rammed by the Dreadnaught and cruisers, but what was deemed important was plucked from space.
“So what do you think they are looking for?” The Admiral questioned aloud.
“Still no contacts, sir. If there is an enemy ship here, a small one, it is going to be tough to detect.” The Tactical officer reported.
Juxtapose surveyed the system from the Fleet Net’s tactical view. A dozen Transports, support ships and handful of Assault Frigates were scattered in orbit around Greenland. The combat arm of Tiger, with the Conspicuous Consumption at the center was parked 7,800gu away from the planet. All that was visible was a distant dark blot framed by stars. Big Red, the site of the fatal attack on the Vysion and the mysterious destruction of most of the UGTO fleet, was almost on the opposite side of the system, a good two hours by tachyon jump away.
“Anything?” Juxtapose demanded. He was losing patience rapidly. Far too many things had happened in the past hour and very few had explanations attached.
“Still nothing, sir. It may take some time”
“All ships, fan out. Lets see if we can’t flush out some game. This one isn’t going to get away.” He needed answers. Whether it be rogue UGTO fleets or a case of unbelievably and incredibly well armed pirates the Admiral needed to know what happened to his Scout ship and what had caused the undoing of his prey, the Carrier Detachment.
“Sir, pardon the intrusion, but Doctor Olin has requested access to the Bridge Net.” The Communication Officer reported.
“Who?” Juxtapose asked.
“Doctor Olin, sir. He is the Stellar Cartographer assigned to Battle Group Tiger, sir.”
“Not now.”
“Um…sorry sir, but he is insisting. He is on Greenland right now and he claims it is important.”
“I don’t give a damn where he is! Tell him we know all about what happened in the cluster this morning and we are a little busy at the moment” Juxtapose shouted.
“Yes sir.” After a pause, the Communication officer cleared his voice nervously, “I’m sorry sir, he just won’t take no, he says it is extremely important”
Juxtapose glared at his Communication officer as the doctor’s balding, red faced appeared before him. Turning towards the doctor, Juxtapose put on his warmest smile before speaking, “Doctor, what the Fu-“
“Admiral!” The doctor interrupted. “Thank God! My readings!” The doctor gasped excitedly, “from around Greenland! Gravity meters have just spiked at 0.01g’s and are holding steady! It appears as if the air pressure…”
“For god’s sake, speak English.” The Vice-Captain interjected before Juxtapose could interrupt with a string of obscenities.
“Something huge, probably at least three things have just entered close orbit on the darkside of Greenland. My readings indi-“ The Doctor’s head disembodied head wavered and vanished.
“Lost the connection, sir. Shall I attempt to re-establishing it?” Juxtapose heard his Communication officer ask in the distance. The Admiral had already accessed the visuals and was investigating the dark side of Greenland. The usual constellations of dome lights and orbiting vehicles met his scrutiny. “I don’t think that will be…” Juxtapose paused as he fiddled with the zoom controls. “necessary…anyone else seeing those streaks? Looks like a whole fiddle full of meteors just got dropped on the planet.”
“I see them. Hmm…strange sir, I am unable to access the orbital observatory.” Colby said.
Something was wrong. The Fleet AI forced itself into his consciousness screaming alarms the same instant scores of new pinpoints of light appeared on the surface of Greenland. Juxtapose mentally staggered under the AI powerful intrusion. Twenty-two of the ships in the Battle-group, twenty-two out of thirty-six suddenly winked out off the Net.
“Raise Greenland and any ship in orbit. Now!” Juxtapose screamed as he issued orders to the Cruisers and picket ships still under his control. Ready weapons and prepare for close orbit insertion.
“Sir, I can’t get through! The planet is being jammed at the source!” The Communication Officer said helplessly.
“God damnit!” Juxtapose pointed towards the planet “There’s the damn planet! Tight beam a message to it, then!”
The officer looked up and shrugged his shoulders. “Still not getting through sir.”
“Impossible!” Colby hissed as he took control of the communication net and began working furiously.
“Sir!” One of his science officers cried, panic visible on her face, “a localized gravity field has been detected!”
“Tachyon Jump field is destabilizing” His Engineer shouted. “I don’t think we can jump if we wanted to.”
A growing feeling of helpless and dread. Thinking was becoming difficult. Closing his eyes would not bring the calming darkness, but only bring the focused attention of the panicked Fleet AI.
Explosion were visible across the darkened surface of Greenland. Fires feeding off the oxygen rich atmospheres of Hydro-Farms twinkled brightly, even from his great distance. A bright flash lit the dark surface for an instant. An orbiting transport or liner’s reactor had breached, most likely, the Admiral thought. More ships could be seen, fire seemingly leaping from their hulls as some unseen force tore into them.
Some unseen force. The same force that dispatched the UGTO Carrier Detachment with apparent ease. Had destroyed the Vysion. Was now sitting in orbit around his planet, invisible to his ship.
Juxtapose shut it all off. “Ok! Everyone calm down.” He ordered. “All Cruisers accelerate to patrol speed and spread out. All crews prepare for…something. Colby, focus as much energy through the pulse beams and establish communications with the planet.
“Sir, I’ve tried… I am not getting reception confirmation from any of the stations that are in line of sight. Something must be blocking the beam’s path, but the computer reads all clear… It is all clear, look for yourself.
“What the hell. Let’s test a little theory of mine.” The Admiral mumbled. He overrode control on weapons and, sighting down the path of the communication laser, fired a sabot rocket.
When it vanished 250gu out, wide eyes and silence greeted the Admiral.
“Bring the ship about!” He shouted. “Full sensors forward. Charge all weapon’s banks .Cruisers at my back, whatever is out there, I don’t want to go nova like those Carriers did!”
“Commander Edder, you were able to install that ECCM pulse emitter we pulled from the wreckage, weren’t you?” The Admiral asked, hopping he seemed the picture of poised leadership to his watching crew.
“Aye, sir.”
“Now would seem like a good time to test it.” Juxtapose ordered.
Lights dimmed as power was transmitted through the emitter’s filters. A bubble of white noise expanded out from the Conspicuous Consumption and bounced off the cruisers slowly circling behind.
“That’s odd” Commander Edder said. “Readings show that there is nothing out there. The Cruisers don’t even appear.”
“Could it be defective or installed incorrectly?” The Vice-Captain asked.
“No, it’s in there correctly. Seems whoever is out there can jam its effects” Juxtapose said. “Edder, route the emitter through the reactor and dump as much energy as possible into it. Try to focus the pulse towards the last coordinates of the rocket.”
“Um, sir? I don’t think our systems can handle that much…” The Commander paused as The Admiral stared at him. “Yes sir, rerouting now.”
Juxtapose’s stomach lurched for an instant as gravity dropped and was then restored. His screens dimmed and flickered back up as reserve power was pushed through the ECCM emitters.
“Sweet God!” Juxtapose whispered as the ship’s cameras refocused on the enormous blood red object a mere 100gu away. Crew members cried out in shock and terror.
It was as if the dragon adorning the prow of an ancient Viking longboat had swollen and become the very ship itself, except this was nothing a Norseman could ever have envisioned. Alien. Juxtapose knew it without thinking. Alien in design and alien in the sheer terror the mere sight of it created.
“Full shields forward!” He cried.
A half-dozen, dull yellow beams lanced out from the alien vessel. The shield flared, blinding the video feed. A roar deafened the Admiral as the world went black.
--- ---
Blackness absolute pressed down upon the Admiral as he pushed his head out from the protective cocoon of his chair. The Admiral gingerly sniffed the air. Warm and oily, just how he left it.
“Anything anyone wants to report?” Juxtapose yelled out to the bridge crew still tucked inside their combat chairs.
“I think I messed myself” Came the muffled voice of Commander Edder. A half dozen voices could be heard laughing.
A light flared from the Admiral’s right as Vice-Admiral Colby pushed his leaned out of his chair holding an antique Zippo. “Why are we still alive?” he asked.
The Admiral laughed. “Can’t really prove that we are.” He surveyed his bridge in the dim light of the orange flame, “my best guess is that we are dead in the water, the ship is half destroyed and at any moment that monster out there is going to finish us off.”
“How chipper.” Colby replied.
“Funny, Vice-Captain, I don’t recall rank going out with the power”
“How chipper, sir.”
A faint hammering could be heard coming from the bridge pressure doors. Suddenly, the room was bathed in harsh, white light as the door was pried open.
“Ah, it’s Chief Yonda!” Exclaimed the Admiral. “Marvelous job on the wiring of this tub.”
The Chief, a humorless perfectionist and unpleasant man, held the door open as the bridge crew walked out. “The auxiliary Bridge is up and running, sir.”
“Damage report?” Juxtapose asked as he and the chief jogged down the narrow access corridor towards the Auxiliary bridge.
“We've been temporarily blinded. No communication internal or external, video or sensor. Starbord engines are gone, but the boys working the repair drones were on the ball, so we can probably slap together the Tach-drive."
"That all? And to think I was worried. What is the ETA on the engines?"
The chief stopped, "Perhaps you don't understand. The Starboard pylon is gone, right down to the second level truss. The only thing that saved the Tach-drive was that when it tore free, it took most of whatever was being aimed at the reactor and drive."
The Admiral gaped at the chief as he continued his jog to the bridge. "my poor ship!" he said.
"Full power should be back up as soon as we know what else missing and after I run some checks."
"No time for that Chief. Since we clearly should be dead already, I am willing to take a few more risks." The Admiral said as he moved into the Auxiliary Bridge. "So, should you." He smiled as he lowered himself into the command chair."
"Aye Sir."
Juxtapose sat in his command chair, trying to be patient, trying to access the Neural nets. Nothing happened, just his own thoughts moving around in his brain. He must be in shock, he thought. They all must be. They should be dead. They might be dead at any moment and we all know it. Crushed in the maw of that monster that lurked right outside this hull
No, he thought, not yet. Please not yet. Not until I know what that was. I would hate to die not knowing how this is going to end
Thoughts that weren’t his own trickled into his mind. Always a bit disconcerting at first, but it was a sign the Neural Net was back online. Thinking of white Tigers, Juxtapose was thrust into the virtual real-time chaos that surrounded his ship...
To be concluded in it's remaining entirety in Part VI
_________________
[ This Message was edited by: Juxtapose on 2003-09-12 12:41 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Juxtapose on 2003-09-12 13:48 ]
_________________
I type with the tongues of my enemies, ascend from the backs of my friends, ignore the plight of innocents, and dance on the graves of my gods
|
Juxtapose
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 1308
From: Give me your bullets!
| Posted: 2003-09-17 13:32
Captain Warren stood on a rocky shelf of worn granite and lichen overlooking the small farming commune of Hold. It was one of the dozen or so green valleys that were scattered across the near barren ice world of Greenland. Deep below the valley, automated mining cities bore into the rocky core of the planet, extracting what heavy-metals and radioactives that could be found. During the two week long battle for Greenland, Hold and most of her sister communities had been spared the fighting. The UGTO Marines had opted to build their bases and redoubts deep within the ice caverns and the frozen wilderness of the planet, leaving their families in the relative comfort of these green oases.
“Captain, Sir.” The radio man said. “Something is happening.”
Warren looked into the night sky. The bright streaks of descending bombs had ebbed and vanished. The pulsating flashes that marked the destruction of the orbiting transports and their escorts had ended. Now new wonders appeared overhead.
Murmers and whispers greeted the appearance of Greenland’s three new satellites. Against the night’s sky, half the stars were suddenly blotted out by the blackness. One, orbiting high above the equator had its top flanges lit by the sun. Blood red and massive.
Below the massive structures, long streamers could be seen lowering from it into the atmosphere. Contrails of fire flared across the sky beneath the orbiting monsters as they were dragged through the upper atmosphere. Each one was hundreds of kilometers in length and at least twenty meters in diameter.
“Wonders of wonders.” Warren whispered as he watched the enhanced view on the radio operator’s screen. Thousands of red and black objects were spewing from the bottom of the lowered cords. Contrails now of black pods, each twinkling with lights, flowed from one side of the cord as smoke and flames streamed from the other.
Looking up from the screen he faced his gathered staff and nodded. “Well ladies and gentlemen, looks like we will be having company.”
--- --
“Wait…a few more seconds…Now! Fire!” Juxtapose screamed over the Battle net.
--- --
Thought to be dead in space, the attackers had ignored the crippled dread, aiming their deadly beams at the surviving Cruisers. When the Admiral had reconnected to the Fleet AI, he was confronted with a nightmare. His six cruisers were caught in a dogfight against a faster, more agile and a more numerous enemy. Twelve small red vessels were diving in and around the Assault Cruiser’s torpedo volleys, getting close and stabbing them with their deadly energy beams. The four Assault Cruisers were holding up under the constant battering, but the Heavy Cruiser, Hardtack, had already been lost, with all hands.
After the initial shock of the attack on their flag ship, the cruisers had pounced on the monstrous vessel. Volley after volley of torpedoes and particle weapons had holed the soft shelled alien with ease. Half a wing of the ship had been sheared off, spewing boiling fluids and flames. Just when it looked as if it would blow, the ship had Jumped away.
Without fanfare, a wavering of focus or flicker of light, the enemy fleet had appeared 1000gu above the Conspicuous Consumption. Two more monstrous red and orange molted behemouths were flanked by several other smaller, but just as deadly looking vessels. Streaking from between these stationary ships, the dozen hammer-head raced towards the battle group.
As soon as the battle was joined, it was clear which side would come out the winner. Juxtapose had ordered his ships to fall back to the crippled Dreadnaught. One engine was on line. The hull surrounding the fighter bays had buckled, sealing the doors. The Sabot rocket launchers had been destroyed in the initial blast. But the three 2000k chemical laser batteries, salvaged from a hulled Elite Assault Dreadnaught during the battle of Caranie, were charged and ready.
-- -
The sleek, red, hammer-head craft was racing past the Conspicuous Consumption bearing down on the crippled Heavy Cruiser Yen as the three chemical laser batteries tore across its soft red hull. The ship burst into an orange flaming comet, streaking across the battle.
“Oh crap! We caught their attention” Vice-Captain Colby noted.
"Well, don't blame me! I was fine with playing possum" Juxtapose said as he accelerated the ship.
Across the battlefield the two massive alien vessels and their escorting ships had begun accelerating towards the Conspicuous Consumption.
Juxtapose grunted as he noted the stats. Presently his ship was making 5gu per second, her top speed. The enemy vessels had already accelerated to 15gu per second and did not appear to be slowing. Turning towards Chief Engineer Yonda, Juxtapose pointed out the problem. “We need our Drive online and we need it fast!”
“I’m working on it, Admiral.” Yonda replied, not looking up from his station.
Two hammer-head vessels slipped through the Assault Cruiser’s wall of munitions and bore down on the Conspicuous Consumption. They dove under her and looped back, diving their prows directly at the bridge section of the Dread.
“I think they are going to ram us!” The Tactical officer cried.
At the last moment, they broke off their dives and streamed across the hull of the ship. Their prey had been the Hard Tack. Simultaneously the alien vessels fired into the ship. Its shields flared bright for an instance withstanding the brunt of the beams before failing. As the two attackers banked away, several bright pinpricks detached from their underbellies and fell towards the conning tower of the Hard Tack. The bright sparks of energy easily bore their way into the superstructure in front of the command tower. They impacted against the main support frame of the cruiser and shattered. Matter and anti-matter sought each other out in a blinding series of explosions. The energy released tore the vessel apart, sending a gout of molten metal and energy up through the command tower and erupting out of the bridge view screens.
“The Hard Tack is gone, sir” The Tactical officer reported.
“Anyone get out?” Colby asked.
“Several pods ejected, sir, but I think they were destroyed in the blast.”
Captain Tollier and his entire crew. Juxtapose thought. He quickly scanned the remaining Assault Cruisers. Not good. All had hull damage, though none critical yet. But all were low on energy reserves and ammunition.
Captain Numbuto of the Impure Thoughts cut in on the Admiral’s thoughts. “Sir, they appear to be pulling back to regroup. I suggest we get the hell out of here.”
“Agreed, enough of this hero crap! All ships, get your asses over to me, pronto!” He ordered.
The nine remaining hammer-head vessels crossed the narrowing straight between the two fleets and took up station around the lead most vehicle which was headed straight towards the fleeing Command Dread.
“Engines, Chief! I need them now!” Juxtapose yelled.
“A couple more minutes! The pumps were fussed and my men are swimming in the fuel fixing them” Chief Yonda growled. “We should be blessing them for being so quick”
“We will be dead for sure this time, Chief” Juxtapose barked. “How long till they are on us?” He asked his Tactical officer.
“Three minutes till they are within our weapons range. Theirs is…”He shrugged helplessly, “…who knows.”
The Jump Drive Indicator flashed green. The Admiral seized control over his small force’s navigations and plotted a course straight out from their position for the maximum range on their drives.
“Brace for jump!” He shouted over the common fleet band and mentally stabbed the Jump button.
Klaxons sounded and sirens whined as the Tachyon Field dissipated a nano-second after forming, dumping the battle group a mere 100gu from their starting position.
Juxtapose screamed in rage as the Science Officer announced the formation of a gravity well.
“Where is it coming from?” He demanded. When told: the enemy fleet, he cursed the man, “I know that, you fool! Which ship, damnit?!”
“I-I think it is coming from the mid-sized ship to the right of the lead vessel, sir” The officer stammered.
“Numbuto, you hear that? Disable that interdictor.”
“Aye, sir! All ships come about.” The Captain ordered
“Bring this piece of junk about!” Juxtapose ordered. “Charge!”
The four cruisers pulled tight loops and accelerated towards the oncoming enemy ships. The larger enemy ships pulled tight around the interdictor and slowed, allowing the smaller craft to race forward and engage the cruiser.
“Full shields forward!” Numbuto ordered the Cruisers. “Ignore the smaller ships, focus on that large one shielding the Interdictor. Pass pattern Gamma and take out the Dictor!”
Juxtapose watched as his cruisers sped away towards the approaching enemy. Plans formed in his head. One way or another, he thought, the interdictor must be disabled or destroyed.
Torpedoes sped towards the enemy vessels, drilling into the soft skin of the ship before exploding. Gouts of flame marked each torpedo hit. The front Assault Cruiser, Yariman, shuddered under the assault of the massed enemy’s powerful disrupter beams. The smaller hammer-head vessels, sensing the crippling blow the Yariman had withstood, leapt towards her, spearing her with dozen more beams.
The next three Assault Cruisers began taking fire, but not as focused. They pulled up over the monstrous vessels, weaving between the pulsating cords of energy that were cutting into the Yariman, and fired all weapons at the now visible interdictor. Suddenly, from behind the cruisers, the Yariman exploded. Superheated metals exploded in all directions, tearing into the alien vessels and cruisers.
An instant later, the three remaining cruisers and their target were out of range.
The interdictor’s hull was pitted, burning and torn, but still very much intact.
The Admiral checked the navigation map and cursed. The enemy fleet had turned away from the limping Dreadnaught and was coming around to pursue the cruisers. He wouldn’t be able to catch them and he wouldn’t be able to stop them.
“Admiral, it just wasn’t enough, those ships -“Numbuto began, near tears. Impure Thoughts had come through the brief engagement unscathed. But her sister ships had not fared so well. Flames and debris streamed from both as their Captain’s struggled to bring the ships about for another pass. “
“I know Captain…” Juxtapose said as he commanded the AI to override the controls on the remaining cruisers, "You all did the best you could, now it's my turn."
Before the Captain’s of the Westchester and the Cloud Nine knew what happening, their ships had begun decelerating and turning back away from the enemy fleet. The Impure Thoughts was the Admiral’s best bet. He initiated the Abandon Ship command as he brought the cruiser back around to bear down on the interdictor.
The Fleet Net erupted in chaos as the Cruiser Captains fought to regain control of their ships. They cursed and screamed at the Admiral when they realized what was happening. Officers and crew aboard the Impure Thoughtsshouted in anger and alarm as their combat chairs sealed and locked. Juxtapose muted them all except Captain Numbuto who was silent throughout the eruption.
“The crew is sealed and ready to flush, Admiral. However, I respectfully request to remain aboard” Numbuto said.
“I envy you, Captain.” The Admiral said as he ordered the Impure Thoughts to evacuate. “No man should have to survive his command.”
"Never fear, Admiral, you may yet have your chance!"
Escape chutes under the glossy black, cocoon-like combat chairs flanking Captain Numbuto opened. All across the ship, crew and officers were suddenly launched from the ship in their chairs-turned-escape pods. Safely into space, they watched the brilliant blue glow of the cruiser’s engine dwindle into the blackness of space as it raced towards the enemy. From the other direction the two cruisers glided past, sweeping the pods into their bays before accelerating away from the enemy.
The hammer-head ships scattered before the on rushing cruiser, spearing it with disrupter fire. Calculations made, the Admiral powered down all weapons and systems except the shields and engines. Shields and engines at full strength he dove the ship towards the crippled interdictor.
Captain Numbuto released himself from his command chair and floated across the bridge in zero-g. The towering dura-glass windows, three meters tall and five meters wide, gave the Captain a stunning view of the approaching alien fleet. When the klaxons sounded, warning the empty ship of a cascading reactor overload, he shut them down, preferring to spend his last moments silently watching.
Juxtapose piloted the cruiser on a course that took it above the disc of enemy ships. He pitched the ship forward at maximum velocity, sending it hurtling towards the enemy interdictor.
The huge alien vessels flanking the Interdictor, one’s fires burning as savagely as that of the ship it was protecting, slowly turned towards the onrushing cruiser. At the last instant, a second before the reactor breeched and erupted, before the Impure Thoughts collided with the Interdictor, the two huge ships, one still burning, Jumped in a flash of light.
Two ships collided, the reactor burst and the Conspicuous Consumption’s visual feeds went black.
“Several secondary explosions reported from the Westchester!”
“Get me visuals!” He ordered.
One of the massive craft still remained. The hull of the ship had ruptured. Clouds of burning debris and fluid surrounded it. The burnt shell of the Interdictor was visible near it as well as several other smaller hull types.
“Gravity well is gone, Admiral!” The Science officer reported.
“Damn bugs! We squashed them good!” Vice-Captain Colby shouted. He was met with cheers across the bridge net.
Juxtapose searched the screen, “I don’t know… I swear I saw jump flashes before the explosion…” Something caught his eye. “Where is the second ship?” Flames, burning on a piece of red hull debris. “The other big one?”
“Probably completely destroyed, Admiral.”
Juxtapose focused the magnification on the piece of debris. Something about it was different then all the other pieces of burning debris. The Admiral checked the nav map and in an instant knew the answer.
“Jump! Jump! Jump!” He screamed as he simultaneously threw the Cloud Nine, Westchester and Conspicuous Consumption’s drives into gear. In a flash of tachyons the Westchester and Cloud Nine were gone. The Dreadnaught was not.
Wide eyed and cursing, the Admiral turned to his Chief Engineer who was frantically searching for the problem.
“Incoming!” Screamed his Tactical officer.
Two bright pinpricks of light raced towards the ship Lights flickered and gravity was lost as all energy reserves were poured into the shields. The Admiral was slammed against the chair’s cushioned interior as the two anti-matter projectiles exploded against the shields.
Around the burning piece of alien hull, the monster ship appeared. In the last second before impact and the explosion, the ship had jumped…not far, but far enough to survive and close enough to finish off the crippled Command Dreadnaught.
Beams of light and energy crackled and snapped as the shields flared against the disrupters.
“Return Fire!” White light raked across the prow of the alien ship. Huge chunks of hull matter broke free. Juxtapose cried over the roaring of the shield flares. “Where the hell is my Drive!”
“It got thrown off-line when we tried to jump in the gravity well!” Yonda yelled. “I’m working on it!”
“Shields collapsing, sir!”
“Incoming vessels, sir!” the Tactical officer shouted over the din.
Two Jump flashes temporarily blinded the feeds. When they came back a second later, the bridge crew was silenced by the sight of a white washed Galactic Navy Dreadnaught parked less than hundred yards above where they sat on the bridge. The name, The Achean, was clearly visible, painted in twenty meter tall letters along its hull.
A Torpedo Cruiser slid into view as it passed over the and above the Dreadnaught. Proton torpedoes streamed from its gun turrets. At the same instance, the Dread’s banks of chemical lasers and the Cruiser’s lasers ripped into the top hull of the alien ship. Internal explosions tore the port wing of the vessel off. Fire spurted from the open wound.
Juxtapose targeted the exposed internals and fired his lasers. The beams entered the exposed hull at an angle; bore their way through half the length of the ship before exiting in a fireball of destruction.
“Can you get clear?” A voice asked across the common band.
Juxtapose pushed his ship down and away from the rapidly disintegrating vessel. A half minute later he responded, “We’re clear”
The Dreadnaught dipped its nose and accelerated. It plowed headfirst into the wreckage of the alien hull, its thick armor plating easily absorbing the impact from the weaker hulled ship. With a quarter of her front buried in back of the burning ship, The Achean fired her front mounted lasers and blew the ship to pieces.
“Interesting method” Commented Juxtapose over the common band, as he brought his ship to a stop. Switching back to the bridge net he turned to his engineer, "How about that drive, Chief Yonda?”
The Engineer looked pained.“Almost online, give me a few minutes, just a few.”
The Torpedo Cruiser circled above the Carrier Dreadnaught, out of range of the Conspicuous Consumption’s laser batteries, but close enough to pummel them with proton torpedoes.
“Captain of the rebel craft,” Responded the voice, “This is Captain Henderson of the UGTO Dreadnaught Achean"
“Nice to finally meet you, Captain. This is Admiral Juxtapose, formally of the Battle Group Tiger, Captain of the ICC Modified Assault Dreadnaught Conspicuous Consumption." He said, smiling at his officers who were trying not to chuckle. "Perfect timing, Captain!"
"We were monitoring your engagement. Now, lower your shields and prepare to turn command of your crippled Command Dread over to my First Officer."
Don’t be an ass” Exclaimed the Admiral, “Take a look on your scopes, there are still more of those things out there” Juxtapose looked to his Vice-Captain, “Not a rational man”
“Well, we have been trying to kill him for the past two weeks” Colby replied. "Probably got to him."
“You are a pirate and a criminal, and unless you obey, you and your crew will be treated as such and hung. Now...You have one minute to lower your shield or you will be taken by force. Don’t trifle with us, I am in no mood. You are in no position to negotiate, fight or flee.”
“But Captain! Please, just look at the ice planet! You-” Juxtapose protested but was interrupted by a warning siren.
A single proton torpedo impacted on the front shield, sending a shudder through the ship.
“Admiral…” Yonda said, nodding his head.”
“Well, sorry we can’t stay for the executions…but thanks for the help!” Juxtapose cut the connection. The course was already plotted.
“Lets get the hell out of here.” Juxtapose released the built-up tachyon particles in a burst of energy. Riding the focused tachyon shock wave, the Conspicuous Consumption leapt away at 20 times the speed of light.
The End
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[ This Message was edited by: Juxtapose on 2003-09-17 13:40 ]
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I type with the tongues of my enemies, ascend from the backs of my friends, ignore the plight of innocents, and dance on the graves of my gods
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Depthcharge
Fleet Admiral
Galactic Navy
Joined: December 08, 2002
Posts: 1549
From: DFW, Tx
| Posted: 2003-09-17 21:39
nice! =)
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History Is Written By The Victors
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Pope
Fleet Admiral
Joined: June 11, 2002
Posts: 2449
From: World of tomorrow
| Posted: 2003-09-18 15:13
did i mention yet this is pretty incredible?
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