The Call of Honor

Empire Rising Book 18

D. J. Holmes

https://www.facebook.com/Author.D.J.Holmes

d.j.holmess@hotmail.com

Comments welcome!

Cover illustrated by Tom Edwards:

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https://tomedwardsdesign.com/

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to any persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales are entirely coincidental.

Copyright © D. J. Holmes 2023

Prologue

Gayla, Karacknid Homeworld, 2nd November 2511 AD, (four months after the close of Debt of Deceit).

As soon as Imperator Tanaka-lan entered the large audience chamber, every conversation ceased, and every head turned. Tanaka-lan paused as every Admiral, Warrior, Scribe, and Clan and Tribal leader fell to their knees and lowered their eyes. For the briefest of moments, Tanaka-lan allowed himself to savor the moment. On several occasions as a Captain and then as an Admiral, he had been summoned into the audience chamber to meet the previous Imperator: Taranaki. He had been both terrified and awed, each visit leaving a deep impression on him. Now he knew better. Taranaki had been a fraud, and his lies had thrust the Empire into a twenty-five-year civil war.

But now that period was behind his people. He was the undisputed Imperator, just as he had envisioned twenty-five years ago. Though he had conquered Gayla five years prior, he had never set foot into the audience chamber, nor had he sat on Taranaki’s throne. He had been waiting for this moment, and now it had arrived! Taking a deep breath, Tanaka-lan savored the experience for several more seconds, then he began the long walk forward.

The audience chamber stretched out for half a kilometer and over six thousand Karacknids were present. Tanaka-lan took his time as he passed them all, compelling them to remain bowed. He wanted them all to understand their place, for too long the hierarchy of Karacknid society had been questioned. Tanaka-lan had no intention of tolerating it any further.

When he reached the end of the long chamber, Tanaka-lan ascended the fourteen steps to the throne. Each step was decorated with the colors and emblems of the fourteen clans. By ascending each step, Tanaka-lan symbolically rose above them all, even as they acted as a reminder that he could never have reached his position without them. That was one lesson Taranaki had forgotten, and it was a mistake Tanaka-lan had no intention of repeating.

Stopping in front of the large throne, Tanaka-lan surveyed it, as this was the closest he had ever come to it. Up its legs and along its handles and back were carvings of Karacknid warriors in battle. In each, they were slicing limbs of opponents or running them through with their claws. Some even showed ceremonial beheadings, a privilege reserved for only the most formidable foes the Empire had faced. Tanaka-lan recognized a number of the alien species, but several were unfamiliar to him. He made a mental note to find out who they were.

"Someday soon we will add a new carving," Tanaka-lan promised himself. He could already picture it; the Human Emperor Somerville would be bound and cast down at his feet. Tanaka-lan would tower over him, and in one fell swoop of a clawed hand, he would put an end to the Imperator killer and finally restore his people’s glory. Soon, he promised Somerville.

But before that could happen, he had other matters to attend to, the most important of which he now focused his mind upon. Forgetting about the carvings, Tanaka-lan turned and sat down on the throne. “Hail Imperator!” six thousand voices cried out together as soon as he did. “Hail Imperator!” they repeated as every Karacknid rose to their feet. “Hail Imperator!” they shouted even louder as their eyes now rose to gaze on Tanaka-lan. Then they fell silent once more.

Tanaka-lan raised a clawed hand. “Hail the Clans,” he called out. “And hail the Karacknid people! May our glory never fade, and our conquest never end.”

Every Karacknid raised a clawed hand. “Hail! Hail! Hail!” they echoed.

With the ceremony completed, silence descended on the chamber once again. Everyone waited with bated breath to see what Tanaka-lan’s first official act as the uncontested Imperator would be. “Bring forth the supplicants,” Tanaka-lan ordered in a voice that easily filled the chamber.

At the far end of the chamber, the same large ornate doors Tanaka-lan had used to enter opened once again. Three imposing Karacknids entered, heads lowered. They followed the faint markings on the floor leading them up to Tanaka-lan’s throne. A little behind them, seven more Karacknids appeared and started down the path.

They were the heads of three of the Empire’s fourteen clans and seven of its many smaller tribes. Former supporters of the now deceased false Imperator, Tanaka-lan had withheld from them the honor of participating in his ascension. Now, however, they would get their opportunity to pay homage, but as it had been made clear to them, it would come at a price. As they moved up between the observing Karacknids, a sense of disdain filled the chamber. Every other Karacknid present had supported Tanaka-lan; some had been at his side from the very beginning of the civil war. They now looked down on what were some of the last holdouts.

For his part, Tanaka-lan had to keep his feelings on the matter in check. Some of those now holding their heads high had been his vicious opponents just a few years prior. The civil war had turned clan against clan and tribe against tribe. He had no doubt there were many observing the supplicants who had grudges they wished to see settled. However, that was the last thing Tanaka-lan desired. He needed a united Empire. For twenty-five years, the Humans had avoided the retribution they deserved because his people had been fighting amongst themselves. He had no intention of letting any more infighting stand in the way of the retribution the Humans deserved.

When the supplicants halted before the throne, the leader of the largest clan fell to his knees, lowering his head until his lips touched the ground. “Imperator,” he began, “The Grangnosan clan hails you. I come before you to swear fealty. My people and I will serve you until our deaths. We are yours, now and forever.” The clan leader paused for a moment and then continued. “And we vow to pay the restitution tax you have requested.” Finishing, the clan leader raised his head slightly to catch a glimpse of Tanaka-lan.

Tanaka-lan met his gaze, but didn't immediately acknowledge his words, making the clan leader think Tanaka-lan was expecting more from him. The restitution tax was already a humiliation. For the next five years, Tanaka-lan was demanding that the three clans and seven tribes pay an additional ten percent of all their revenues. He had made it a requirement for all the remaining clans and tribes that had not yet recognized him as the true Imperator of their people.

Just as the clan leader began to open his mouth to offer something more, Tanaka-lan nodded to him. “Your oath is accepted. Stand and assume your rightful position among your peers.”

With a look of relief, the clan leader quickly stood and made his way to where the other eleven clan leaders already stood. More than one of the other leaders gave the new addition a contemptuous look, but Tanaka-lan dismissed it, recognizing it as a problem for another day.

One by one, the remaining clan and tribal leaders swore fealty. Tanaka-lan accepted each in turn and spoke words of welcome, accepting them under his rule. When the last tribal leader took his place, Tanaka-lan rose. He allowed his gaze to sweep over the thousands of gathered warriors for several moments, then he began to speak.

“Leaders of the Karacknid Empire, as your Imperator, in return for your allegiance, I swear to fulfill my duty to protect our Empire, to extend our conquests, and to add to the glorious deeds that mark our people as the unrivalled rulers of this galaxy.

“For the last twenty-five years, we have suffered through a regrettable strife. A strife that has caused us all considerable pain and loss. Yet this is not through any fault of your own. It was the lies of Taranaki and the vain ambitions of the false Imperators that sparked this civil war. But now, that time is behind us. Once more, we are united under one banner. Once more, our fleets and armies can venture forth to conquer in the name of our Empire.

“To that end, I am announcing a reprieve on the restitution tax for those who have just sworn allegiance. The past must be put behind us. We are all equals now, and we will all contribute fairly towards the future we are about to forge.

“In addition, I am declaring a three-month grace period, within which any other tribes who have not yet sworn allegiance to me may return to Gayla and do so. They too will be spared from the restitution tax. However, once these three months are up, there will be no more leniency. Any tribes or families that remain disloyal will be considered traitors to our Empire and our people. They will be hunted to extinction; no man, woman, or child will be spared. These, then, are my final words to the tribes that still refuse to bend the knee,” Tanaka-lan's tone hardened until his spoke in a growl. “Return to the fold or face annihilation.”

Pausing for a moment, he made eye contact with several of his most influential subjects. The leaders of the three clans who had just sworn their loyalty looked overjoyed. Tanaka-lan had to suppress a smile. It was a simple ruse. He had never intended to impose the additional taxes, as it would have placed an undue burden on their industries and shipbuilding efforts. But now he had earned their gratitude, and it had cost him nothing.

Others weren't so pleased, however; they would have anticipated their positions in the Empire improving as their rivals suffered under the taxes. On the majority of faces though, Tanaka-lan saw only eager anticipation; for far too long, brother had fought brother while the Empire's borders had continued to shrink. Everyone could feel it, now was the time for that disgrace to end. And it begins with getting our scribes in order, Tanaka-lan thought as he took a deep breath and prepared to speak again.

“And speaking of traitors to our people, as many of you know, High Scribe Huran’kang has followed the path of his predecessor. He has sided with the Human Emperor Somerville and, even as we speak, seeks to usurp my position and install an Imperator of his choosing. One who would broker peace with the Humans and forsake our traditions.” Tanaka-lan paused and then let out a deep laugh. “Huran’kang proves himself a fool for even entertaining such thoughts. As Imperator, and with the full authority of our fourteen tribes, I officially expel him from the order of Scribes and excommunicate him from our people. He and those who follow him will no longer be considered Karacknid. Instead, they are to be executed on sight.”

Tanaka-lan raised a hand and gestured towards the small group of scribes near the front of the chamber. “In his place, I appoint Hocal’lin as High Scribe. From this day forward, he will lead his fellow scribes in safeguarding the records of our people’s glorious deeds and chronicling the many conquests we will achieve together.”

Hocal’lin moved forward until he came to the same spot where the supplicants had bowed before Tanaka-lan. He lowered himself to one knee, bowed his head for a brief moment, and then looked up again to meet Tanaka-lan’s eyes. “I accept this honor, Imperator, and I swear my fealty to the Karacknid people.”

Tanaka-lan nodded to him. “On behalf of the Karacknid people, I accept your vow.”

Hocal’lin bowed and then stepped back, taking up a new position among the clan leaders at the front of the chamber.

“Now,” Tanaka-lan said as he brought his hands together and slowly allowed his claws to extend. “Let me address the most pressing matter before us all; the direct cause of the shame that still rests upon us. The Humans and their allies killed Taranaki, they desecrated our homeworld, and corrupted our High Scribe. For too long, they have escaped the repercussions of their transgressions. For too long, they have dwelt on their worlds in peace and safety. For too long, they have remained free. Every day that this continues, the shame of our people grows.”

Tanaka-lan raised his voice as he began to shout. “Well, I say, that ends now! Now that we are united once again, we will no longer tolerate the Humans’ insolence. Now that we are one, we will no longer let them live in peace. Now that we are brothers in arms, we will once and for all time wipe away the shame these Humans have imposed upon us!”

Tanaka-lan rose from his throne and raised his clawed hands into the air. “What say the Karacknid people? Shall we go to war together?”

Just as he expected, an eruption of noise broke out all around him as thousands of Karacknids found their voice. Many roared in agreement, others shouted out words of assent. Quickly, the noise coalesced around one word: death! “Death! Death! Death!” the throng of Karacknid leaders shouted, working themselves into a frenzy.

Tanaka-lan let it build for more than a minute until it reached a crescendo. Then he retracted his claws and unclenched his fists. Instantly, there was silence all around him. He opened his mouth wide as he smiled at his people, showing them his fangs. “Then the Karacknid Empire goes to war!” he bellowed. “Let us mobilize all our forces and we will strike deep into the heart of our enemies and rip them apart!”

Again, a wall of noise exploded and washed over Tanaka-lan. He smiled even wider at it and once more extended his claws. For several minutes he watched as a frenzy took hold of his people once again. It wasn’t quite as strong as the types of frenzies Taranaki had once inspired, but Tanaka-lan was okay with that. He didn't want his people worshipping him as a god; he wanted them devoted to the Karacknid Empire as a whole, and he didn't want them so blinded by faith that they could not see reality as it truly was.

After several minutes, Tanaka-lan made a hand gesture of respect towards his people, bowed his head slightly, and then turned and left them to their chanting. With another gesture, he signaled for his brother to follow him. Together, they walked into a small reception room adjoining the audience chamber. Several tables held refreshments and there were a handful of seats. Tanaka-lan chose a drink and then gestured for his younger brother to sit. “Well, what did you think?” he asked his spy chief.

“It could not have gone any better, brother,” Kralin-lan replied. “The Drodran and Julminn clans will not be happy with their rivals not having to pay the restitution tax, but once they get to move their fleets against the Humans, they will soon forget their disappointment.”

“And as word spreads, the rest of the holdout tribes and families will come back into the fold,” Tanaka-lan said.

Kralin-lan nodded. “Most certainly will. But those that have sided with the Free Karacknids may be another matter.” As he spoke, he pronounced ‘Free’ with the same deep disdain every loyal Karacknid had come to use when referring to their brethren who had renounced their people.

Tanaka-lan extended his claws and waved a hand at Kralin-lan. “They do not matter; we will hunt them to extinction once we deal with Huran’kang. We can train our youngest warriors against these Free vermin until they are nothing but a distant memory.” Tanaka-lan leaned forward. “Speaking of vermin, have you news regarding Huran’kang?”

Kralin-lan smiled. “I do.”

As he explained the latest intel his spies and scout ships had discovered, Tanaka-lan quickly came to share his brother’s smile. “Soon he will be but a memory too,” Tanaka-lan said with excitement. “And then there will be nothing to divide our attention from the Humans.” His tone lost its eagerness, however, as he held Kralin-lan’s gaze. “There is one other matter I wish you to look into now that Fara’man’s former supporters have joined us.”

“What is it, my Imperator,” Kralin-lan said formally, sensing his brother’s seriousness.

“Fara’man’s death,” Tanaka-lan said. “It was too easy, too clean. It handed all of his supporters into my hand and ended our civil war without any further bloodshed. Someone was behind it. And they orchestrated it in such a way that Fara’man’s killer couldn’t inherit his claim to be Imperator. Whoever was behind this, we need to know who they are and what they are up to. I will not stand for any of the clans meddling in our internal affairs without my permission. And if it is an external actor, then they must be taught the folly of trying to manipulate us.”

Kralin-lan’s eyes widened. “You think another civilization could have been behind the duel? But who? Fara’man’s death only served to make us stronger. Who would want that?”

“That is the question,” Tanaka-lan replied as he nodded his head. “I can think of at least one: the same species who gave us the weapons that allowed us to defeat Shu’gal. We know they have superior weapons to ours and so may not fear us. And that they were willing to interfere in our civil war to see me become Imperator.”

Kralin-lan raised a hand to his chin as he thought. “Of course, we are already working to ascertain just who these aliens are so that we may add them to our list of conquests. But perhaps we can learn something from Fara’man’s former supporters that opens up new leads for my investigators.”

“Indeed,” Tanaka-lan said, thinking back to his brief conversation with the alien who had brought him the advanced single-use weapons. Until the Humans were wiped out or enslaved, they would always be his first priority, but he couldn’t ignore the threat the mysterious weapons suppliers posed. Whoever they were, they clearly did not fear a united Karacknid Empire once more reaching out to conquer the galaxy. And that, Tanaka-lan had to admit, meant they were quite possibly an even greater threat than the Humans ever could be. But it is one we will deal with in due time, he promised himself.

Chapter 1

 The history of inter-system warfare teaches us that the best form of defense is a strong offense. With one caveat, you must hit the enemy where it hurts.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Imperial Palace, Earth, 3rd January 2512 AD, (two months later).

"Thank you all for coming," Emperor James Somerville said as he stepped into the small briefing room. He took a moment to lock eyes with each of the Admirals present. They were his closest friends and advisors, as well as the best military commanders he had. Vice Admiral Scott smiled as their eyes met. Admiral Becket, and Vice Admirals Clements and Nogamoro each gave him a nod. Vice Admiral Ivanov's face held a sterner expression, but James knew her well enough to see the warmth there. Finally, his niece, Vice Admiral Emilie Alveraz, winked at him. With a nod of his own, James moved towards the four remaining empty seats. Behind him, Christine and their two chiefs of staff followed.

"Let me come straight to it," he began when they had each taken their seats. A tap on the holo display in front of him caused it to spring to life, showing a map of the Karacknid Empire. More than thirty symbols marked out important systems and fleets. "Some of you already know, but the news is less than a day old, so it hasn't made it to your briefing packets yet. The latest Kalassai intelligence report has concluded that the Karacknid civil war is over." James paused to let the news, which they had all been expecting, sink in.

"Fara’man was, of course, killed several months ago, but it now appears that each of the three clans and most of the tribes that supported him have joined Tanaka-lan," James explained. "Kalassai scout ships have detected squadrons belonging to each group freely moving through Tanaka-lan’s territory. It appears the Karacknids are united once again. Given our history with them and with Tanaka-lan in particular, I expect the next Kalassai intelligence reports to bring news that Karacknid warfleets have begun moving our way. The resumption of hostilities is now months, if not just weeks away. To that end, I've brought you here to discuss our overarching strategic options. You are my best commanders, and you know our enemy as well as I do. It may be that Tanaka-lan decides to strike at the Mindus or the Varanni Alliance first, but I fear we are the ones directly in his sights."

"I think there can be little doubt about it," Becket agreed. "It might make some tactical sense for him to hit the Mindus first. They are the weakest after all, having been conquered once before. But their forts lie between ours and the Varanni, making them the easiest to reinforce." Becket shook her head. "No, given our history with him, he will be coming here first."

The others nodded to show their agreement with Becket’s words. "Which begs the question," James responded, "What additional steps can we take? We’ve been preparing for this for twenty-five years, yet now that the moment approaches, I cannot help but feel an impending sense of doom. Even with the tens of thousands of ships they have lost during their civil war, we will still be outnumbered if they focus their entire strength against us. If we only have a few months before hostilities resume, we must do whatever we can to give ourselves an advantage. So, I'm open to suggestions."

For nearly a minute, no one spoke as they each ran through various scenarios in their own minds. Emilie was the first to break the silence. "We know they're coming, and we know their likely route of attack. I can’t see Tanaka-lan wanting to risk trying to attack us through the Gift wormhole. Not with all the Gift forts we have built up. That means he has to cross The Wilds. We have plans in place for when that happens, but beyond that, we have a simple choice—either we take an aggressive stance or a defensive one.”

James nodded. That much was obvious to all of them. “So which do you prefer?” he asked. “You want to hit them first?”

Emilie glanced at Christine. “I know you have just spent a great deal of energy convincing our politicians that the first-strike movement was not in our best interest. But now, perhaps it is. If we can strike at all of the Karacknid supply bases just inside their border before they can move larger fleets up to the frontline, we could delay any attack by months.”

“Or we could speed up their attack,” Ivanov countered. “I think we are all in agreement that an attack is inevitable. But if we start striking at Karacknid frontline bases, it may provoke Tanaka-lan to rush his battlefleets to the front sooner. And for what? There are over thirty supply depots along the Karacknid border that faces us. Would we strike at them all? And even if we did, what difference would it really make? Most of them are old and close to being in disrepair. The main Karacknid fleet bases are a hundred or more light-years deeper within their territory. If we truly wish to make a dent, we’d have to strike at least a couple of those. We’d need two or three thousand ships. Ships that may not come back.”

“But if we could delay an assault on our worlds by three or four months, would that not be worth the loss of so many ships?” Emilie asked. “I know it is harsh to speak in such ways, but right now our allies have their fleets spread right across the frontline. If we could confirm Tanaka-lan is indeed preparing his fleets to move against us, then our allies could move twenty thousand or more ships to join us in the time a powerful raid would buy us.”

James brought a hand up to rub his jaw as he considered his niece’s suggestion. He couldn’t deny that it appealed to him, for it would put his forces on the front foot. Yet the logistics of striking so deep into Karacknid space would not be easy. Moreover, if things went awry and the fleet was lost, it would leave a gap in the Empire’s defenses. That would give Tanaka-lan the opportunity to seize the initiative. If Tanaka-lan advanced quickly, he could force the Empire’s fleet onto the defensive and strike before any Allied reinforcements arrived. “You prefer a different strategy?” James asked Ivanov.

Ivanov nodded. “We spent the last two decades building up our forts and our artificial shift passages. I believe we should use them. I’ve been thinking about a potential modification to Counterthrust.”

Everyone around the table leaned in to listen. They were all familiar with Counterthrust. It was one of a number of plans they had come up with to implement when the inevitable Karacknid advance began. It involved deploying several large fleets into The Wilds to contest every system between the Karacknid border and the Empire’s border forts. The idea wasn’t to fight any major battles, but to engage the Karacknid scouting forces and, if the opportunity arose, the vanguard of the Karacknid fleet. It was one giant delaying operation that simulations suggested could buy the Empire a month or two additional time to prepare their forts.

"The idea of Counterthrust is to delay the Karacknids and allow us to accurately track the direction of their main fleet," Ivanov continued. "But instead of trying to figure out where the Karacknids would eventually land their first blow against our forts, what if we give them a target they couldn't refuse?" Leaning forward, Ivanov altered the holo display to zoom in on the line of Imperial forts. Gamma Fort began to flash a moment later. "Each of our forts has weaknesses, ones we are well aware of and have put measures in place to address. We've detected many Karacknid spy ships over the years, even if we've been unable to capture any. We have to assume Tanaka-lan is aware of these weaknesses as well. What if we gradually move ships from Gamma Fort and overlook one of its weaknesses? If we could tempt Tanaka-lan into attacking this fort, I believe we could devastate his fleet."

Ivanov manipulated the holo display again to zoom in on the Gamma Fort system. For five minutes, she outlined how she believed the system gave a defender, who knew in advance that the fort would come under attack, some unique advantages. James found himself nodding as he listened. He had visited the system several times over the last twenty years, of course, but he hadn’t studied it quite as deeply as Ivanov clearly had. In his mind, he could easily picture what she was proposing. It would require them to amass and hide a great number of ships in the Gamma system, but if they could—and if they could guarantee Tanaka-lan would attack—they could win a great victory. But those are some big ifs, James thought to himself.

Emilie had the same thought. "What if he strikes us at several places at once?" she asked. "If we put all our eggs in one basket, trusting that we will win one decisive battle, we could find ourselves outflanked and we could lose several other forts before we could redeploy our forces. At least with a strike against targets within the Karacknid Empire, if something went wrong, we would have weeks if not months to adjust our defensive positions."

“A fair point,” James said as he gave Emilie a nod. “Yet I like Ivanov’s thinking. We should run some simulations in the coming days to game out just how a battle at Gamma Fort may go. In the longer term, it may be a strategy we want to employ. Though I fear it would be very difficult to lure Tanaka-lan into any kind of trap. He was an exceptional commander twenty-five years ago, and since then he has fought in hundreds of battles. I fear he will be even more capable now.”

"Perhaps there is a way we could limit Tanaka-lan’s options if we fear he may try to strike at several forts at once," Vice Admiral Clements suggested. "If we still have several months before hostilities are likely to erupt, we could expand operation Lifeblood. With enough ships committed to it, when Tanaka-lan advances on our forts with his full fleet, he may find himself without the resources to launch multiple attacks across a wide theater at once. If we put him into a position where he has to strike at one Fort, then he may be more likely to fall for Ivanov’s trap."

“I like it,” James responded. “But do we have the supplies and construction materials we would need?”

Clements, who headed up the fleet’s Logistics Division, nodded. “I'd have to move some pieces around, but we could do it.”

“Then let’s put that in motion right away,” James decided. “What are the rest of your thoughts on Emilie’s suggestion,” he asked the group as he shared a glance with his niece, not wanting her to think he was ignoring her. “Seeking to draw Tanaka-lan into attacking Gamma Fort does not necessarily preclude us from launching a first strike of our own as well.”

“Have we heard anything more from High Scribe Huran’kang?” Nogamoro asked. “If he is successful in choosing a new Imperator and drawing some of the Karacknid clans and tribes to his banner, then perhaps we could coordinate with him. If we could link up our pre-emptive strike force with some of the High Scribe’s forces, then perhaps we could cause enough mischief to divert Tanaka-lan’s ire away from us for more than a handful of months. If he feared the civil war was reigniting, he couldn’t launch a full-scale attack against us."

“That would be ideal,” James replied. “But sadly, since he left, we have heard nothing. By now he should have denounced Tanaka-lan, released my statement renouncing any claim to the Karacknid throne, and made the arrangements for his Trava-klan. He had promised to send word to us when everything was in place. But nothing has reached us.”

“Perhaps then we should send ships into Karacknid space to speed any news,” Nogamoro suggested. “Restarting their civil war is still the best hope we have to prevent an attack on our borders.”

“We would have to send our own ships for this,” Ivanov responded. “There is no way the Kalassai would want to make contact with any Karacknid faction.”

“No,” James agreed. For centuries, the Karacknids had sought to hunt the Kalassai to extinction. He doubted they would be willing to speak to any Karacknid faction, no matter what promises they made. “And sending our ships would be asking a lot of their crews. Without being able to tell friend from foe, it would be very hard to make contact with Huran’kang’s people unless they reveal themselves. Still, I believe it is a risk worth taking. We can never risk sending a full fleet in on the hope we could make contact, but several of our spy ships could be dispatched.”

“I can make the arrangements,” Ivanov said.

“Very well,” James replied. He then turned to his oldest friend amongst his admirals. “Admiral Becket, you have been quiet so far,” he said as he prompted his friend to join the conversation.

“I think I am in agreement with most of what has been said,” Becket responded after taking a moment to collect her thoughts. “And I believe Emilie is right, though it will be risky, taking the front foot is preferable to me. Perhaps though, we don’t need to commit too large a force to striking at the Karacknid frontline. As long as their defenses are relatively weak, we could strike at whatever supply depots we can with smaller forces. That would then free up other ships for a larger attack, but one that would hit them elsewhere.”

“You’re thinking of a repeat of your raid through Conclave space?” James asked as he raised an eyebrow.

Becket nodded. “We would have to act fast for news of such an attack to reach Tanaka-lan before he begins to move his fleets towards our borders. But if we could, think of how it might be received by the Karacknids? After all, it wasn’t just my raid that was launched through Conclave space. Your invasion that pierced all the way to Gayla came that way. If Tanaka-lan feared we might threaten his homeworld again, he would have to leave a substantial number of ships behind to defend it.”

James smiled at the predatory tone of Becket’s voice. “I like it,” he responded. “But you’re right, we’d have to put this together quickly. And we couldn’t do it by half measure, we’d have to commit a lot of ships to this to make the threat appear real… What does everyone else think?” James asked as he looked around at the others.

“The Gift is our greatest strategic advantage. If we can force the Karacknid to fight on two fronts, it is only going to help us,” Nogamoro said. “But what if they call our bluff? Attacking through Conclave space could draw all of Tanaka-lan’s fleets there. Would we send our entire fleet through the Gift to defend them? And if we did and we lost our ships, we would have nothing to protect our border forts. Yet if we didn’t, the Conclave species would fall.”

“Fair points,” Becket responded. “But those risks already exist, whether we launch our own attack or not. For all we know, Tanaka-lan could be planning to send fleets to assault the Conclave species even as he hits us here in his own efforts to make us fight a two-front war. But, as you said, in such a scenario, the Gift gives us the advantage. If our attack does provoke him, as bad as that might be for the Conclave species, it would still be a strategic victory in the coming war.”

“I tend to agree,” James said as he found himself already coming to a decision. “But just how many ships do you think we would need?”

“It would have to be a force large enough to make the Karacknids think it was a serious push on Gayla,” Becket answered. “The fleet you led numbered over three thousand ships. Given how much our fleet has grown since then, I'd say we need at least six thousand now.”

Emilie let out a whistle. “That’s a far bigger pre-emptive strike than even I was proposing.”

“Indeed it is,” Becket said as she nodded. “But if it's going to work, we need to commit to it.” She turned and smiled at James. “I know it would make you uneasy to pull so many ships away from our strategic reserve fleets, but in reality, they will not be too far away. With the artificial shift passage to the Gift from Earth, and then from the other side of the wormhole to Conclave space, we could return within two months. As long as we are keeping a vigil on the Karacknid border here, the FTL communicator at Scalatar would allow you to recall us long before Tanaka-lan could bring up his main invasion force if he decided to strike at Earth first.”

“There is another factor we could also consider,” Emilie suggested. “The Protectorates. I’m sure they would want to be informed that the Karacknid civil war is over. We know they’ve known about the Karacknids for decades and have been preparing to eventually face them. If we can draw Tanaka-lan into moving a portion of his fleet towards Conclave space, it would threaten the Protectorates as well. I know relations are far from friendly between them and us. But against a common foe, we may find common ground. At the very least, we should inform them we expect their aggressive neighbor to begin conquering the species closest to them again. Who knows, they may be prepared to join us in our war.”

“That would be a pleasant turn of events,” Christine said. “But the reports coming back from the diplomats I have sent to speak with them are not exactly encouraging. The Protectorates don’t seem intent on restarting their war with us any time soon, but they are still a long way from trusting us. The damage the snake-like aliens have done to our relations is going to take a long time to heal. But, there is merit to your words Vice Admiral,” Christine said as she smiled at Emilie. “The closer Tanaka-lan’s fleets get to Protectorate space, the more likely they will be to work with us.”

“So, Emperor, what do you think?” Becket asked.

James took a deep breath as he pondered Becket’s suggestion. He glanced at Christine to judge her reaction. She smiled and dipped her head towards him, letting him know she trusted his instincts. “All right,” he said after a moment’s pause, “Here’s what I’m thinking. From this moment on, we are to consider ourselves at war with the Karacknids. Christine and I will make a national speech to that effect before the three houses of government. Admiral Becket will take as many ships as we can muster through the Gift and launch an attack into Karacknid space.” James fixed Becket with a hard stare. “You're to cause as much mayhem as possible, but not risk your fleet for I expect we will need it back here within six to eight months, if not sooner.”

“I understand, Emperor.” Becket said as she gave him a serious nod.

"In the meantime,” James continued, “we will accelerate Operation Lifeblood. Admiral Ivanov will relocate her command to Gamma Fort and begin preparations for her trap there, while Admiral Alveraz will assume command of our forward squadrons. We will reinforce her squadrons with additional ships, and she will begin raiding every lightly defended Karacknid supply depot adjacent to the Wilds.” He looked around at all his commanders. "I don’t expect any of these actions to prevent the inevitable, but the more time we can buy ourselves, the more construction we will have coming online, and the more time our allies will have to bring ships into this theater, if indeed Tanaka-lan decides this is where he will land his main blow.” Around him, heads nodded in agreement.

James nodded back as he tapped the table in front of him. “Then Becket and I will write up our plans and transmit them to our Allied counterparts. I’m sure the Varanni and Mindus will want to begin operations of their own, and I will encourage them to that effect. The Conclave species will no doubt be concerned by us bringing the war to their territory, but Admiral Shraw will understand.”

“And after our speech, perhaps I should pay a visit to Kulrea,” Christine suggested. “The Kulreans will not be pleased if we are the ones beginning hostilities, but hopefully, if I go in person, they will understand.”

“They better,” James said. The Kulreans' odd sense of morality had been a constant source of annoyance for him over the years. Initially pacifist, when they had realized the Karacknids would conquer them if Humanity and her allies fell, they had talked themselves into committing to defending the Allied borders. Yet after the Karacknid war, they had withdrawn all their worldships back to their home system.

On paper, the Kulreans were still committed to redeploying their ships if war broke out again. Certainly, in the last twenty-five years they had gone to great lengths to help Humanity and her allies develop their technological base and defensive positions. Yet with twenty-five years having passed since the last Karacknid fleet threatened an Allied system, James never felt any certainty about the likelihood the Kulreans would commit ships to their aid once again.

“Make sure you remind them of just how powerful Tanaka-lan has become,” he told his wife. “Far from weakening them, their civil war has forced them to streamline their production capabilities, and it has seen them advance their weapon systems considerably, not to mention the fact that they now have hundreds of commanders with extensive battle experience. If the Kulreans are not standing with us when Tanaka-lan comes, we may stand little chance of victory.”

Christine nodded. “Don’t worry, my dear, I will impress upon them the seriousness of our situation.”

“And I will send a message to Wal-sma and May-sic,” Emilie said. “If they have ships nearby, they may want to send some to join up with Admiral Becket’s force. And even if not, they should begin moving their battlefleet towards our space.”

“Agreed,” James said. The Kalassai were an even stranger species than the Kulreans. But they all but considered Emilie one of their own and one thing was for sure, when the fighting would recommence with the Karacknids, they intended to be on the front lines. Since being given their new home system by the Varanni, they had devoted themselves to rebuilding the many city ships they had lost over the last several centuries since the Karacknid had destroyed their homeworld. Every one was built for the purpose of ensuring the Karacknids could never threaten their children again.

James smiled at his commanders. “Then it is settled, we have an initial strategic response in place. I suggest you all go away and prepare an operational plan for your part in it, and we will reconvene tomorrow to flesh out the more intricate details. Though I want orders to go out today to begin making preparations to gather Admiral Becket’s fleet.”

“I will send the orders out as soon as we are done here,” Nicholls, James’ Chief of Staff, said.

James nodded. “Very well, let us get to work then, for I fear our time is quickly running out.”

Chapter 2

It has taken many centuries to find concrete evidence of what some scientists have long suspected, but now we know; the latent capabilities of the Human brain are quite amazing.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Sao Paulo Fighter Training Facility, Earth, 4th January 2512 AD, (one day later).

Georgia Somerville ducked and weaved through the intense fighter fight. Five hundred Imperial and Varanni fighters clashed into one another as Crian frigates and destroyers hovered on the periphery of the battle, taking shots at any fighter that strayed too close. A fighter wing of three hundred Imperial Hellcats was carrying out a simulated assault on a Varanni fleet base. Georgia had been invited to be an overseer of the simulation in order to grade each Commander and Squadron Leader’s performance.

The commander of the attack had tried to sneak past the Varanni and Crian outer patrols only to run afoul of a squadron of light warships. The warships had entangled the Imperial fighters in a brawl long enough for the Varanni to direct their fighters to the engagement. Now the battle had degenerated into a massive dogfight where the outcome would depend on each individual pilot's skill rather than overarching tactics.

For the past six months, Georgia had been working as a flight instructor on Earth, and most of the pilots in the simulated battle had been trained by her to one degree or another. As she always did in simulations, she was flying her own Hellcat through the dogfight. Her finger was well away from her primary trigger for she didn’t want to tip the balance one way or another, yet she felt that she could only get a real feel for what was going on by being in the simulation too. She’d review everything in more detail later to write up her final report, but for now, she needed to experience the battle in real time.

A beep from her flight computer brought a small smile to her lips. Two Varanni fighters were angling in behind her in an attempt to take her out. Let’s see just how good your training has been, she thought towards them. If either of you can hit my shields, I’ll write you a commendation. Seconds later, laser beams began to zip past Georgia’s Hellcat on all sides. In an instant, she slipped into her trance-like state and began to dodge. For ten seconds, her two pursuers did their very best to hit her, but to no avail.

Then, ahead of her, Georgia saw an opportunity. Twisting her fighter towards it, she dove in towards a flight of three Varanni fighters that were pursuing two Hellcats. Laser beams from her pursuers continued to zip past her on all sides. At exactly the right time, for barely longer than a second, Georgia reduced her evasive maneuvers. Then she immediately pulled up and to her right as she threw her Hellcat into a corkscrew. Through the very point her Hellcat had been, six laser beams tried to take her out. They all missed their intended target, but two found Georgia’s. One of the three Varanni fighters ahead of her was blown apart by the two beams. The pilots of the other two were startled and broke away from the Hellcats they were chasing.

Georgia grinned as she imagined the irritation the defeated Varanni pilot had to be feeling. No doubt he would have some choice words for his comrades. Before her two pursuers could waste any more time on her and she be accused of interfering too much, Georgia flicked a switch on her simulator’s cockpit. It activated her transponder, letting the two Varanni pilots know who she was. Both of them wiggled their wings as a sign of respect and then broke off in search of other targets.

Georgia watched them go for a few moments and then returned to observing the wider battle. Already the superior Hellcat numbers were beginning to tell and over the next five minutes, the Human Wing Commander bested the Varanni defenders. The turning point came when the Wing Commander dispatched sixty fighters to take on the Varanni warships. Two thirds of them were destroyed by antimatter missiles. With the warships out of the way, the Hellcats' numerical advantage was able to win out, and the Varanni fighters were all shot down.

The victory was not a complete win however, for enough Hellcats had been destroyed to blunt the attack on the fleet base. As a result, just over one hundred Hellcats dove in through the fleet base’s defensive fire and launched missiles. They were only able to do minimal damage before having to turn tail and run back to their carriers. But the fleet base’s defensive fighters have been destroyed, Georgia thought to herself, the Hellcats can refuel, rearm, and return to finish the job if they wanted. A partial success then, she concluded.

A long monotone beep sounded moments later to signal the end of the simulation. Georgia let go of her flight stick as the holographic screen went blank and she then began to roll her shoulders and stretch out her fingers. A moment later her canopy hissed as it began to open, and Georgia nimbly sprang out of the cockpit. She brought herself to an immediate halt when she was confronted by Admiral Becket standing waiting for her. “Admiral, what are you doing here?” Georgia blurted. Then her cheeks reddened, and she quickly snapped a salute. “I beg your pardon, Admiral.”

Becket grinned even as she shook her head and tutted at Georgia. “I’m going to have to have a word with your father. It seems you need a refresher on how to show deference to superior officers.

Georgia almost stuck her tongue out at the Admiral, but she knew it was wise not to take things any further. “Is there something I can do for you, Admiral?” She asked instead.

Becket nodded. “There is.” She then gestured towards the hatch that led out of the large simulation room. Most of the other pilots who had just come out of the simulation were standing near their simulators, not wanting to leave the room before Georgia, nor interrupt the two senior officers. “Shall we walk and talk? I imagine you’ll want to go back to your quarters and have a shower to freshen up. How long were you in that simulator for?”

Georgia scratched the back of her head as she tried to count up. “I think we ran four different missions. So maybe six hours?”

Becket shook her head. “Yours is one part of the fleet I’m glad I never took an interest in. Sitting in such cramped spaces for so long is not for me. Even if it's a simulator.” Becket smiled again as she turned and began to walk, “though it does seem to suit you. I see you’ve lost none of your skills. What exactly do you call that move I saw you execute? Getting your opponents to shoot one another is a fine feat.”

Georgia’s cheeks reddened again as she walked side-by-side with Becket. “I don't exactly have a name for it, Admiral. It just came to me in the moment.”

“Of course it did,” Becket said as she laughed. “You seem to have a lot of those moments. Which is why I’m here I suppose. I’m sure you’ve heard all the chatter over the last day?”

“It’s been hard to miss,” Georgia said. “It seems like every ship in the system is preparing to break orbit and depart for somewhere. Have we been attacked?”

“Not exactly,” Becket answered. “But I am taking a fleet out on a mission. For once we are going to be the ones doing the attacking.”

Georgia’s eyes widened. “Tanaka-lan. My father fears he is preparing to attack us, doesn’t he?” Becket nodded. “Then we are going to strike first, aren’t we?”

Becket smiled as she nodded again. “You're two for two so far. So, why don’t you guess why I’m here?”

“Well,” Georgia said slowly. “If you’re taking a fleet out, you’re leading the attack. So, you want me to command one of your fighter squadrons?”

Becket shook her head. “Close, but not exactly. I’ve requested you be promoted to Wing Commander forthwith. I want you to command all my fighters, not just one squadron.”

Georgia’s mouth fell open. She had been expecting to serve another six months or so on earth training more pilots before rotating back into commanding a squadron of her own. “Ho.. how many fighters are going to be in your wing?” she found herself asking.

“We're still working out how many ships we can pull together in the short window we have, but it’s looking like upwards of three thousand,” Becket responded without any emotion.

Georgia took a step back as her eyes widened to match the shape of her mouth. “And you want me to command them all?” She asked in disbelief.

Becket rolled her eyes. “Come on now, that’s enough with the modesty. You’ve held the rank of acting Wing Commander before. You can’t be that surprised. Just who do you think is the most experienced fighter pilot in the fleet? And the most experienced Squadron Leader? Who else would you choose to command the fighter wing of our first strike against the Karacknid’s in twenty-five years?”

“There must be someone else,” Georgia said as she shook her head. Yet as she racked her brain, she couldn’t come up with another name. Becket simply smirked at her as she waited. “Fine,” Georgia said with a pout. “Maybe you’re right.”

“So you accept?” Becket asked.

“On one condition,” Georgia responded as she began to get her head around the idea. “I fly with my fighters. I’m not sitting in a carrier watching as pilots fight for me while I risk nothing.”

“Where we are going, I’m guessing the carriers are going to be in as much danger as the fighters, but that condition is fine by me,” Becket replied. “Your skills would be wasted sitting on a carrier anyway. Though you're the one going to tell your parents about your condition, not I.”

Georgia's growing excitement took a stumble. No doubt Becket had spoken to her father before putting in the request for a promotion. Probably he and her mother were excited by the idea, for Wing Commanders typically organized their forces from a fleet carrier. Becket grinned at the expression on Georgia’s face. “You should have asked for two conditions,” she said with a wink.

Georgia nodded resigning herself to the tough conversation. “I suppose I should have. I better go speak to them now and then I can join you on your flagship to help with the preparations.”

“You better,” Becket said. “I’ve also got permission for you to have your pick of the pilots in system. So you're going to have a lot of names to go through. Then you can begin running training simulations with them as soon as you’re ready. We’re going to have a couple of months travel time to get to our target zone, but by the time we do, I expect you to have every pilot ready.”

“Two months?” Georgia repeated as she tried to picture where exactly they would be going. “Unless we’re leaving tomorrow, we can’t be going through The Wilds.”

“Correct,” Becket said with a nod. "Technically our target is classified until we officially depart, but when we do leave, which should be in a week or so at most, we'll be heading towards the Gift. I’ll leave you to imagine where we’ll be headed after that.”

Georgia’s eyes widened once again. Though she was a fighter pilot, she had studied the events and battles of the Karacknid War almost as much as her older brother had. Becket’s raid into Karacknid space via the Conclave territories when she had been a Rear Admiral was legendary. So too was her father’s invasion through the same area of space. I’m going to live it this time instead of just reading about it, she told herself. This is really happening, was her next thought. All her life she had been training to face the Karacknids like her parents had. She couldn’t help but be filled with fear at the prospect that it was finally going to happen.

“Come on,” Becket said as she slapped her young friend on the shoulder. “There will be time enough to contemplate things on the voyage to our targets. Let’s focus on the tasks right in front of us for now.”

“Aye, Admiral,” Georgia said as she tried to force her trepidation away and turn her mind to the mountain of tasks that were about to fall in her lap.

*

IS Trident, 12th January 2512 AD, (eight days later).

Georgia spent the next week on board Trident, Becket’s flagship, working furiously to integrate her two hundred and fifty squadrons into Becket’s order of battle. Her fighter force was by far the largest she had ever been a part of and the largest to see offensive operations since the Karacknid War.

Alongside her own work, being based on the flagship also led to her being drafted in to help with other aspects of the fleet’s preparation. After briefly toying with the idea of setting up her own command staff on one of Becket’s carriers, she had decided to ditch tradition and base herself on the flagship. The dreadnought’s massive bridge had more than enough room for her and her three staff officers and it meant she and Becket could coordinate far better than if she was on another ship. It also allowed her to familiarize herself with all the other commanders who would be serving under Becket.

So engrossed in a report she was reading, if it hadn’t been for the alarm she had set on her datapad, Georgia would have forgotten all about the arriving shuttle. As it was, the alarm going off barely gave her enough time to change into her dress uniform and rush onto Trident’s main hangar bay. When she got there, Becket, her Chief of Staff Albright and Trident’s Captain were already waiting for their guests.

“Nice of you to join us,” Becket commented as Georgia fell in step beside her.

“Sorry, Admiral, I got distracted.” Georgia apologized.

“Chasing up some rebellious pilot or another,” Goodwin said with a chuckle.

Georgia tried to think of a witty comeback, but she couldn’t find one. The problem was, Goodwin was right. The allure of flying a tiny, armored fighter through the depths of space only to launch an attack against a ship bristling with hundreds of point defensive cannons attracted a certain kind of person to sign up for Imperial Fighter School. More often than not, that type of person didn’t handle the rules and regulations that came with being stationed on an Imperial warship well. Eventually though, most learnt to fall in line, but of course, they caused more than a few headaches for their commanding officers along the way.

“Here we go,” Becket said as a shuttle swooped into the hangar bay. Everyone stiffened as its rear access ramp began to descend and six Imperial Guards Marines marched out. Behind them, the Emperor and Empress of Humanity walked out, accompanied by Georgia’s twin. Despite the formality of the situation, Georgia grinned at her parents and then winked at Edward. Edward winked back, but James and Christine only gave her a slight nod before stepping up to Becket first.

“Emperor, Empress, welcome on board Trident,” Becket said formally as she gave James and Christine a salute.

“A pleasure to step foot on such a fine ship,” James said loudly enough for everyone in the hangar to hear. He gave Becket a salute and then held out a hand for her to shake. Becket then introduced James and Christine to Goodwin and Albright.

“And of course, I think you’re already familiar with my Wing Commander,” Becket said as James and Christine stepped in front of Georgia.

“I have come across her once or twice,” James said with a grin.

Georgia gave her father a salute. He returned it and then stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. Georgia wrapped her arms around him and held on tightly, for she wasn’t sure when she would get to see her father or mother again. When James released her, she gave her mother a wide grin and hugged her as well.

To her surprise, Edward pulled her into a hug next. “Don’t go doing anything crazy out there,” he said as they broke apart.

“I’ll do my best,” she said with a wink. “And try not to get too bored without me.”

Edward grinned. “Don’t worry, I won’t. I’ll be leaving the system myself soon anyway.”

“Oh?” Georgia said as her eyebrows rose. “Where are you going?”

Edward tapped his nose. “Top secret Imperial Intelligence work. If I told you, I might have to kill you.”

Georgia rolled her eyes; her brother was always trying to make her think he was involved in one super-secret plot or another. She turned to her mother for help.

“For once, he’s telling the truth,” Christine said. “Mark has assigned him to lead an off-world mission. Beyond that, even I don’t know exactly what he’s going to be doing.”

“Well, well, they’re finally trusting you out on your own, are they?” Georgia said, not sure whether she should continue to mock her brother or be impressed.

“Let’s just say we both have important work to do,” Edward responded. “We can compare notes when we get back and see who ends up having the most exciting trip.”

“Who has the safest trip,” Christine interjected. “Both of you are going to see enough danger without going looking for it just to show the other up. Do you hear me?”

“Of course,” Georgia and Edward said in unison. “We know what we are doing,” they added. Then they looked at each other, grinned, and Georgia shoved Edward’s shoulder. “I do at least,” she said.

“So, Admiral Becket, how is your fleet coming together?” James asked loudly, cutting off any possibility of Georgia and Edward squabbling.

“Our preparations are almost complete, Emperor,” Becket responded. “We have three thousand five hundred ships ready to depart this evening. Another thousand should meet us at the Gift and Rear Admiral Jourm’s Varanni Alliance fleet should be no more than a week behind us.”

James nodded. “I'm glad to hear it. I'll have a brief word with Jourm and make sure to send him on his way quickly when he arrives here.”

Becket smiled. “Hopefully by the time he catches up to us at Scalatar, Admiral Shraw and I will have a concrete plan drawn up.”

“I imagine you will,” James said as he returned her smile. “Now, would you care to lead me to Trident’s bridge?”

“Of course, this way,” Becket said, though they both knew James could find his way to the bridge in the dark. He had spent enough months poring over the dreadnought's designs before she had been built to do so, never mind the many times he had visited Becket since.

When they got to the bridge, James spoke to several of the officers he knew while Becket introduced him to the new faces among her command staff. Georgia then took her parents over to her smaller command area. “These are Lieutenants Kean, Fabregas, and Capello,” Georgia said as she introduced her three staff officers. “Kean handles my COMs, Fabregas manages my operations, and Capello coordinates the flight logistics of the Wing.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” James said as he shook their hands. “I’m sure my daughter is well served by each of you.” He shared a few more brief words with them before turning back to Becket. “All right, I think I’m ready.”

“You can take my command chair if you wish, Emperor,” Becket responded.

James shook his head as he gestured to her command chair. “You sit, you’re the commander here.” As Becket moved over and sat in her command chair, James moved to stand beside it. Christine joined him on his other side.

“COM channel to the fleet is open, Emperor,” Rogers, Becket’s COM officer informed James.

James nodded, cleared his throat, stood up straight, and then spoke from the heart. “Men and women of Admiral Becket’s fleet, for the last week you have been making preparations to depart without knowing your final destination, though perhaps it has not been hard to guess. Well, I am here to inform you that your fleet is officially being designated First Strike Fleet Alpha. You all know the Karacknid civil war is over, it is now only a matter of time before Imperator Tanaka-lan turns the full force of his Empire’s fleets against us and our allies.

"Well, we are not going to sit back and wait for him to come. All across our frontlines, fleets will be moving into position to raid Karacknid supply depots and hamper their preparations to invade us. You, however, have an even greater task to accomplish. First Strike Fleet Alpha will be the tip of our spear. Admiral Becket and your ships will be departing today for the Gift and Conclave space. From there you will endeavor to strike deep into the Karacknid Empire’s territory. Your mission is simple; cause as much destruction to our enemy as possible and so draw his eye and wrath upon you, rather than upon us here.

"And in Admiral Becket, I’m sending my best commander to lead you. Moreover, if you are part of this fleet, then it means you are among the best captains, crews, and warships we have. Christine and I have therefore come to give you a fitting send-off. I do not desire any of you to take any unnecessary risks, for your ships will be needed back here to defend against Tanaka-lan soon enough. But for now, we have a narrow window where Tanaka-lan will still be readying himself. So, I bid you farewell with this charge; strike our enemy where he is weak and destroy as much of his war fighting industrial capacity as you can.”

James paused as he smiled at all the naval personnel watching him. “I wish I were going with you, but this is your opportunity to live up to the standards those who have come before you have set. So all I can say is godspeed, and may you bring death to our enemies.” James squared his shoulders and slowly raised a hand in salute. “Go with the blessing of your Emperor and Empress.”

“Transmission sent,” Rogers said a moment after James lowered his hand. “Every ship in the fleet is acknowledging receipt of it.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” James said as he gave Rogers a nod.

“Fine words, Emperor,” Becket said as she stood from her command chair. “We will carry them with us as we leave,” she added, then she grinned. “Though of course, I didn’t expect anything less. Your speeches from the Karacknid War are almost as legendary as your battles.”

Christine put an arm around her husband’s waist. “So I hear,” she said, “I’d like to be able to claim credit for that, but he seemed to pick that skill up sometime before we got married.”

“Shall we retire to my quarters?” Becket asked, “There's still a couple of hours before we are going to depart.”

“As you wish,” James said. He turned and nodded to the officers manning Trident’s bridge and then followed Becket out. Before she crossed the threshold, Becket gestured for Georgia to follow them.

“I'll make my goodbyes quickly,” Becket said once they were in her quarters. “There’s still much I have to see to. Georgia has a full plate as well, but I thought you would like a few moments with her in private.”

“Thank you,” Christine said as she stepped over to Becket and gave her a hug. “Good luck out there.”

“Not that you’ll need it,” James said as he shook Becket’s hand.

“Until we return?” Becket said as she gave him a nod and turned and left.

“I really do have a lot to get to,” Georgia said as Christine moved beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. “But I have a few minutes to spare,” she added as she smiled and put an arm around her mother. She had gone through enough goodbyes now to know they were never easy, but that didn’t mean she wanted to rush them. Letting go of her mother, she moved over to Edward and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing harder than necessary. “So, how about you tell me what this secret mission of yours entails?” As her father rolled his eyes, Georgia grinned. Just because they were leaving didn’t mean she couldn’t have a little more fun.

Chapter 3

From the time we first encountered them, the Karacknid civilization has been undergoing a great upheaval. Even today, no one knows where their journey may end.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Ulanis, abandoned Karacknid colony, (same time).

Huran’kang looked up as the flap into his tent opened. “It is time,” Captain Jar’ung said as he entered. “They are all gathered.”

Huran’kang slowly rose from where he had been sitting meditating. “No more have come?” he asked his most trusted aide.

Jar’ung shook his head. “I am sorry, High Scribe.”

“It matters not,” Huran’kang said, forcing himself to keep his voice neutral. “We will prevail.”

Jar’ung nodded and half-stepped back, holding the tent flap open for Huran’kang. As he walked out, Huran’kang’s emotions waged war within him. None of the Karacknid Empire’s fourteen clans had come; they had all sworn allegiance to Tanaka-lan. That was a heavy blow, for he had been hoping at least one, if not two, would come. The latest messages he had received from their leaders had encouraged him that they would come, but his hope was dashed when news of Tanaka-lan’s ascension ceremony reached them.

Despite the disappointment, fifteen families would be represented at the Trava-klan. Given the ultimatum Tanaka-lan had issued; that they would now all be considered traitors to the Karacknid Empire; their presence was a defiant statement.

Perhaps just as importantly, the group who called themselves the Free Karacknids had sent some of their leaders. Huran’kang did not yet know if they intended to enter a combatant into the contest to choose a new Imperator, but even their presence was a positive sign. The Free Karacknids supposedly had supporters amongst almost all the major clans, and their presence suggested the possibility of turning some of the other clans against Tanaka-lan.

Huran’kang wasn't entirely sure what he thought of that, as the Free Karacknids wanted far more radical changes to how the Empire was run. He knew there was dissension within their ranks, but the fact that some of them wanted Emperor Somerville to be their Imperator suggested their ideology was far from rational. Joining them would be akin to mounting a wild Granshar and attempting to ride it into battle, Huran’kang thought as he walked through the small city of tents towards the arena that had been set up. If the Free Karacknids entered their own contestant into the competition and won, it would upend all of his plans. It was a risk he would have to take though, for the only chance his plans had of defeating Tanaka-lan was if his candidate won and the Free Karacknids submitted to him.

As he walked through the tents, other Karacknids noticed Huran’kang and began to follow him. By the time he reached the arena, nearly three thousand Karacknid warriors had assembled. Intentionally, the arena had been built at the bottom of a small depression that acted like a natural amphitheater. Huran’kang moved to a large rock and jumped atop it. Standing straight, he surveyed his people as they moved to occupy spots where they could watch. Sixteen distinct groups began to form as each family and the warriors they had sent gathered together.

The final group, despite its small size, was by far the most impressive as it was made up of intimidating looking warriors from each of the Empire’s fourteen clans. Every one of them carried battle scars that demonstrated they had fought bravely to earn the decorated armor they sported. In contrast, the representatives of each of the fifteen families looked drab, as they were low-level families who stood to gain very little from joining Tanaka-lan, and much from backing the High Scribe’s plot to install a new Imperator.

When everyone was gathered, Huran’kang reached into his tunic and pulled out a scroll. Slowly, he released its three seals and unrolled it. “Loyal people of the Karacknid Empire. For too long false Imperators have vied for control of our species. For too long they have placed their pride and glory above that of the Empire. Taranaki was the first to lead us down such a foolish path and now Tanaka-lan seeks to do the same. Well, as High Scribe of our people, I, Huran’kang, will not allow this.

“The time has come to choose a new Imperator and unite our people as one, as we once were. To that end, I publicly denounce Tanaka-lan. He is unfit to be our Imperator and none of our clans or families owe him their allegiance. I therefore implore every Karacknid loyal to our Empire to turn from following him and follow the new Imperator who will be chosen today in Trava-klan.

“To that end, I also bring a message from the Human Emperor, James Somerville. Though he is our enemy, he did us a great service by working with my predecessor, High Scribe Fralin-yang, to reveal Taranaki’s sins, and then in killing the blasphemous Imperator. I have visited him personally on his homeworld of Earth and bring this message directly to you from him.” Huran’kang paused as he looked down at the scroll, even though he knew the words by heart. “As Emperor of the Human race, and vanquisher of Taranaki, I, James Somerville, renounce…”

Huran’kang didn't get to finish his sentence. The sound of a massive crack erupted overhead just as he tried to announce Somerville’s declaration that he renounced any claim to succeed Taranaki. The immensity of the crack caused every Karacknid, including Huran’kang, to duck down and lift their heads. Huran’kang gasped at the sight that greeted him. At least six Karacknid warships were visible in low orbit. Around them, the sky was awash with fireballs as missiles detonated in their hundreds.

In the span of just three seconds, two of the warships broke apart as they were struck by more missiles. They began to be pulled down by the planet’s gravity even as they broke apart into thousands of pieces of debris. More loud cracks echoed overhead. As the first pieces of debris hit the atmosphere, shockwaves started to pummel them as well.

Around Huran’kang, shouts and cries of alarm began to break out. Every group started to scatter, abandoning the Trava-klan. Huran’kang swore, knowing if they didn’t complete the Trava-klan now, he would never convince the families to gather again. Taking a deep breath, he prepared to call them all to stand their ground, hoping his ships could hold off those attacking them long enough to complete the gladiatorial battle. Movement out of the corner of his eye made Huran’kang pause. Glancing aside, he swore even louder. Tens of shuttles had suddenly burst through the atmosphere and were speeding directly towards them. As other Karacknids spotted them, cries of alarm began to fill the natural amphitheater and panic started to take hold as everyone rushed towards their tents to gather their things and call for shuttles to come from orbit to collect them.

“Tanaka-lan,” Huran’kang growled, certain of who their attacker was. Somehow, he had found out about the Trava-klan and had arrived just in time to wreck it. He’s going to kill us all, Huran’kang was certain. He had gathered most of his most loyal supporters to witness the Trava-klan alongside the fifteen families. All would be wiped out and any hope of installing an Imperator who honored the traditions of the Karacknid Empire would be extinguished for another generation, if not forever. “That cannot be allowed to happen,” Huran’kang said in a low tone as he accepted his fate. There was only one way he could think of to buy his people time.

Jumping down from the rock he still stood upon, Huran’kang landed beside his most trusted follower. “Captain Jur’ang, you are to take command of our people. Get as many of them out of here as possible. Do whatever it takes.”

Jur’ang’s eyes widened. “It has to be Tanaka-lan,” he responded. “He must have jammed our COMs or our ships would have warned us of his approach. He is here for you. I can’t leave you.”

“You must,” Huran’kang insisted. “That is an order. Leave your best warriors with me to buy time, but get the rest out.” Huran’kang reached over and grabbed Jur’ang by the shoulders, even though the warrior towered over him. “I am not what matters; the other scribes and our records are. With them you can rebuild our movement. If Tanaka-lan gets them, he will destroy them and all hope of restoring an honorable Imperator to the throne. Go now or you will forever doom our people.”

Jur’ang stared at Huran’kang for several seconds, emotions flooding across his face. However, it didn’t take long for them to coalesce into resolve. He gave Huran’kang one slow nod which the High Scribe returned, then turned and began to bark out orders. It wasn't long before the one hundred or so Karacknid warriors who hadn’t fled moved in closer around Huran’kang. Then Jur’ang gave his friend one last look before turning and running.

"May the glory of our people go with you," Huran’kang thought towards his captain as he ran to make his escape. Then Huran’kang turned to watch the approaching shuttles. In less than a minute, they began to land around the amphitheater, surrounding it. Hundreds of warriors poured out. Some charged off towards the tent city, but most formed a circle around where Huran’kang stood. Huran’kang saw why a few moments later, as out of one of the last shuttles to touchdown, Tanaka-lan himself stepped out. He walked to the edge of the natural amphitheater and looked down towards Huran’kang.

Slowly he raised one hand up and pointed his claws at the High Scribe. “You have betrayed your people; you are no longer a scribe. Today, you die at my hands, traitor.” With his other hand, Tanaka-lan gestured towards one of his commanders. In response, the Karacknids that surrounded Huran’kang set down their rifles and removed their pistols from their holsters. They all extended their claws and then together, began to advance.

Without a word from Huran’kang, the warriors defending him did the same. Moments later, duels broke out all around him as warrior fought warrior in one-on-one combat to the death. As razor-sharp claws sliced off limbs, ripped deep into torsos, or carved open necks, Huran’kang felt his knees wobble. He was a scribe, not a warrior. It wasn’t that he was afraid of death but seeing it up close in all its horror was not pleasant. As minutes passed and the bodies began to pile up, the bottom of the arena ran orange with Karacknid blood. More than once Huran’kang flinched as he was splattered with the substance that carried a nauseating smell with it. Though he wanted to turn away and not watch, Huran’kang forced himself to witness everything. His warriors were giving their lives for him and for his idea of a better Empire, it was the least he could do in return.

As the last few warriors protecting Huran’kang were killed, Tanaka-lan began to descend from where he had watched the carnage. When just one warrior was left, Tanaka-lan faced him himself. The warrior charged the Imperator but Tanaka-lan ducked under his swipe. Springing back up, he rammed his claws up under the warrior’s chin and into his brain. With a squelching sound, Tanaka-lan ripped his claws back out and then turned to Huran’kang. Though his lip quivered, Huran’kang held his ground.

“Kneel before me traitor and I will give you a clean death,” Tanaka-lan commanded.

“I will only kneel before a true Imperator of our people,” Huran’kang spat, trying to cover his fear with venom in his voice.

Tanaka-lan actually laughed. “A scribe with a morsel of pride, I am impressed.” Then his tone changed, hardening in an instant. “So be it!” Without giving Huran’kang a moment to react, Tanaka-lan swiped at him with his right and then left hand. In a flash, Huran’kang's arms were cut from his torso. Tanaka-lan attacked again so quickly that Huran’kang had barely even registered the pain before both of his legs were sliced from his body as well.

Agony engulfed the High Scribe as he crumpled to the ground, his limbs scattered about him. Blood began to pour profusely from every wound. Huran’kang tried to scream out in pain, but he couldn’t muster the breath to do so. With his eyes still open, he saw Tanaka-lan spit at him, then turn and lead his soldiers away, the High Scribe already discarded in the Imperator’s mind.

Despite his pain, Huran’kang’s last thoughts turned to Jur’ang. He desperately hoped the captain and his people had managed to escape. But how can he stand up to such power? Huran’kang asked as despair filled him. How can anyone? No answer came to the High Scribe as his mind began to go fuzzy. Eventually, his pain also started to numb. His last thought was a recognition that death was upon him, and then a moment later it took him.

*

Satisfaction flowed through Tanaka-lan as he marched away from the High Scribe’s body. He had thought it might take years to bring the traitor under his claws. Now that he was dead, there was nothing to interfere with his Empire’s internal politics whilst he focused on destroying the Humans and their allies. That didn’t mean his work on Ulanis was done, however. Thanks to Huran’kang, all the families that had refused to submit to him had gathered their leaders in one place. He was going to hunt down and kill as many of them as he could. “What is the situation?” He asked as he reached the mobile command post that had been deployed from his shuttle.

“We have landed troops all around this large group of tents, Imperator,” Major General Drprim’tar informed him. “None of the traitors in there will escape, though they are putting up a good fight. Most of those who were gathered here, however, did not flee towards the tents. It seems they had shuttles and air cars hidden at various locations nearby. We even detected a couple of corvettes taking off from the planet’s surface.”

Tanaka-lan nodded, he expected nothing less. The independent families and especially the Free Karacknids had been hunted by one or other, and at times all of the factions who had been fighting to claim the title of Imperator of the Karacknid Empire. Some had been in hiding for nearly twenty years. By now they were experts at avoiding being caught by their enemies. “Track every group that left this place,” Tanaka-lan ordered. “If they have already made it to space that is no longer your problem, Major General. My fleet will deal with them. But as for the rest, I’ll be leaving you here to search out every last one of the rats who have gone to ground. You are to execute every traitor you find, only spare any family heads you come across. I wish to make an example of them myself.”

“Understood, Imperator,” Drprim’tar said as he bowed to Tanaka-lan.

Tanaka-lan walked past him and studied the holographic display that currently showed a map of the local area. He examined how Drprim’tar had his forces laid out and studied the escape routes his foes had taken. When he was content, he nodded and then looked up at Drprim’tar. “Hunt them all down, then rejoin the fleet when you have completed your mission.”

“Yes, Sir,” Drprim’tar snapped.

Tanaka-lan turned and marched over to his shuttle. “Back to the flagship,” he ordered as soon as he sat in one of the flight seats.

Ten minutes later, he stepped onto the Retribution’s bridge. “I have dispatched over a hundred of our ships to chase the shuttles and ships that fled the surface, Imperator,” Tanaka-lan’s chief of staff reported. “We are encountering some resistance though, it appears the traitors had several groups of warships hidden throughout the system.”

Tanaka-lan grunted as he moved to his command chair and sat down to study the massive holographic display in front of him. It seemed Huran’kang and his people had been even more resourceful than he had estimated. It looked like there were at least two hundred small ships and shuttles streaming away from Ulanis. Hundreds more small pockets of debris marked where others had already been destroyed. Further out from the planet, a couple of hundred warships were rushing towards his position. They were split into nearly twenty groups, none of which seemed to be coordinating with the other.

With him, Tanaka-lan had just three hundred ships of his own. With all fourteen of the Empire’s clans gathered at Gayla, he hadn’t been able to take any more for fear of leaving his seat of power undefended. Whilst he trusted most of the clans, he didn’t want to tempt some of the ones that had sworn fealty to him more recently by offering them the opportunity to seize their people’s homeworld and the Imperial throne.

“We will strike at these seven groups,” Tanaka-lan ordered as he selected the largest enemy forces. “Once they are destroyed, we will mop up as many of the others as we can. I very much doubt they will try to fight together. They flee for their lives, any pretense at uniting behind another pretender is gone. I also want individual ships dispatched after each group that manages to escape, we will track them all and hunt them down one by one.”

“Aye, Imperator, your orders will be carried out right away,” Yams’a’an, his Chief of Staff responded.

For the next two hours, Tanaka-lan watched as his battle-hardened ships tore through his enemies. A handful of ships were lost, but overall, his forces were killing the traitors at a rate of three to one. Though every enemy ship that was destroyed brought him pleasure, he was more irked by those that escaped. At least thirty had managed to reach the system’s mass shadow and jump down one of its five shift passages. He had no doubt each ship that escaped represented leaders of various traitorous families who would now return to their people to bring a warning that he was hunting them. They would all soon scatter across the Empire, hiding wherever they could.

“We will split the fleet into five sections,” Tanaka-lan decided when most of the traitorous ships still left in the system had been destroyed. “We will take Retribution and head after this group,” he said as he highlighted one group of five frigates that had expertly avoided a flotilla sent to intercept them.

“As you command, Imperator,” Yams’a’an replied with a bow.

*

Retribution, 26th January 2512 AD, (two weeks later).

“We have them, Imperator, there is no escape now,” Yams’a’an said gleefully as the convoy of traitorous ships turned away from the shift passage they had been fleeing towards. Tanaka-lan had hidden warships near the shift passage and then herded the traitors towards it, letting them think they could escape. Now the hidden warships had come out of stealth and were bearing down on them, completing his trap.

“We’re getting a communication from one of those ships,” Retribution’s COM officer reported. “They want to surrender.”

“There is no surrender,” Tanaka-lan responded. “Inform them, their chance to swear fealty has long since come and gone.”

“They are saying there are women and children aboard their ships,” a COM officer replied after sending his transmission. “They ask for mercy for their families.”

“Then their traitorous ways will die with them,” Tanaka-lan said solemnly. He took no delight in killing women and children, yet he knew if he executed their husbands and fathers and let them live, the children would only grow up to resent him and continue the ideologies of their parents. “Have Commodore Masat’an’s destroyers move ahead of the main fleet and wipe out this convoy,” he ordered. “Inform Masat’an I want him to do a sloppy job of his assault. At least one of their small yachts is to be allowed to escape into the nearby asteroid field.”

“Understood, Imperator,” Yams’a’an responded.

As the destroyers tore into the convoy Tanaka-lan had discovered after pursuing some of the traitors from Ulanis, their warships put up a decent fight. Turning, they engaged Commodore Masat’an’s force in an attempt to give their freighters a chance to escape. If it wasn’t for Tanaka-lan’s orders, their efforts would have proved futile. Instead though, one freighter and two small yachts managed to enter a nearby asteroid field. The traitorous warships had done their best to jam all sensors and COMs in an attempt to hide their families’ escape, but it hadn’t been enough, not that they knew it yet.

After confirming where the ships had fled to, Tanaka-lan deployed a ring of stealth recon drones around the asteroid field, then turned his ships around and moved to the edge of the system. Once they crossed the system’s mass shadow, they jumped into shift space. However, a second later they reverted to real space, turned around once more, and in stealth began to cruise into the system.

A full day passed before his recon drones detected anything. When they did, Tanaka-lan smiled. His patience had paid off. The freighter and three yachts had all exited the asteroid field together and were headed towards one of the system's other shift passages, one that led towards the southern border of the Empire. They’re going to meet with others in their faction, Tanaka-lan guessed. “Lay in a pursuit course,” he ordered. “Have Commodore Masat’an's destroyers move ahead and follow that freighter. He is not to allow himself to be detected, however.”

“Transmitting your orders now,” Yams’a’an said.

As his Chief of Staff got his fleet moving, Tanaka-lan pulled up a star map of the local sector. If the traitors continued fleeing south, it would bring him close to the area of his Empire that faced Human space. That was fine with him, for his plan had always been to head to his border systems and survey the supply depots and garrison forces there. I can kill two granshras with one thrust, he thought to himself. Already he had sent orders for the one hundred thousand warships under his direct command to begin moving to the fleet bases nearest the Empire’s southern border. Behind them, another one hundred thousand clan warships should be assembling too.

Tanaka-lan knew there was no way the aging supply depots would be able to let him utilize his full force at the onset of hostilities with the Humans. Since the outbreak of the civil war, they had been controlled by Fara’man, and Tanaka-lan knew the false Imperator had neglected the upkeep of the bases. But Tanaka-lan already had a full fleet of construction ships on their way to enlarge the depots. Until then, they would still serve to allow him to begin his war of revenge whilst his main forces assembled. It’s just a matter of time, he told himself as he envisaged destroying the traitors and the Humans in two quick thrusts.

Chapter 4

There is nothing more terrifying for a powerful fleet than to learn enemy formations are operating within your supply lines. Even if the damage is negligible, the psychological edge it gives should never be discounted.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Hammerclaw, FOB Dresden, 27th February 2512 AD, (one month later).

Commodore Jonathan Somerville briskly walked onto the bridge of his heavy cruiser. Technically, the ship belonged to Captain Alan Montgomery, but since Jonathan and his command staff had been based on the ship for the past five months, it was starting to feel like home. However, acclimating to this new environment was still a challenge. Jonathan had been taken aback by his unexpected promotion to Commodore. He knew he had led the squadron of ships he had gathered against the Rillelio admirably, but even so, he had anticipated resuming command of the Kestrel or perhaps being promoted to command a battleship or dreadnought, not an entire squadron of one hundred and eighty ships!

If commanding such a large fleet were his only responsibility, Jonathan believed he'd be adjusting well. Yet, in addition to that, he had also been assigned to the forward operating base Dresden, situated almost exactly in the middle of The Wilds, which had been built nearly a decade ago. Five months prior, Jonathan was promoted, given command of a recently assembled squadron of one hundred ships, and dispatched to reinforce Dresden as its new senior commander. Thus, in addition to managing such a large force, he had to oversee the operations of the FOB, supervise the twelve alien systems Dresden was responsible for keeping an eye on, and regularly send out patrols towards Karacknid space to monitor the part of the Karacknid border that Dresden overlooked.

Jonathan had described his experience as a baptism of fire in a letter to his mother back on Earth. Despite the initial rush, however, after four months on station, things were beginning to feel slightly monotonous. Diplomats from the Imperial Diplomatic Corps were stationed on each of the inhabited worlds to maintain the Empire’s relations with the locals. Jonathan's main task was to stand by in case his ships were needed. This responsibility, combined with the need to oversee his dispersed flotillas that were out on patrol or hunting pirates, meant that Hammerclaw had not left Dresden since its arrival. Jonathan, unaccustomed to this level of inactivity, was eagerly awaiting an opportunity for a short cruise aboard Hammerclaw. So, when his Chief of Staff Jules Iso informed him that a packet ship had arrived from Earth, he hastily made his way to the bridge, hoping for some news or new orders.

"Have any messages been received from the ship yet?" Jonathan asked as he moved over to his command chair.

"Nothing yet, Commodore," Natasha Rossi responded from her COM station.

Before a message could arrive, the sudden appearance of sixty new contacts accelerating in behind the packet ship had Jonathan leaning forward in his command chair. "Identify those contacts," he commanded immediately. He was about to order all the ships at Dresden to go to battlestations when he noticed something odd: the packet ship wasn't reacting to the new contacts. If these were hostile, the ship would already be racing away from them.

"Picking up a transmission, Commodore. It's from the packet ship," Rossi reported. "I'm forwarding it to your command chair."

Jonathan immediately opened the transmission and skimmed through the new orders it contained to ascertain the current situation.

"I'm starting to identify those new contacts," Samuel Harte, Jonathan's tactical officer, reported. The Admiralty had permitted Jonathan to bring only one of his former lieutenants from Kestrel, and Harte had been the obvious choice as his tactical officer. "They're Engineer Corps ships. Seems like all of them are. I wonder what they're doing this far out?"

Jonathan's eyes widened at this revelation as he glanced back at the holo display, his gaze then shifting to Dresden. The small fleet base had been constructed over a few years around a rocky moon that orbited the system's only gas giant. Alongside a gas mining facility orbiting the same gas giant, both stations were designed to supply and carry out minor repairs for a fleet of two to three hundred ships on extended missions. Having read the files on Dresden, Jonathan knew that six Engineer Corps construction ships had spent about a year working on both stations. What could sixty build? He wondered.

Looking back down at his orders, he swiftly found his answer and it made him frown. Beyond mentioning the expected arrival of the construction ships, his orders made almost no other reference to them. The only addition was the name of the engineer commanding the squadron. “It appears whatever they’re here for, we’re going to have to wait for Major General Samantha Steinmetz to tell us in person,” Jonathan told his officers. “Invite the Major General aboard Hammerclaw as soon as her ships reach orbit. Schedule a Captains' conference for the same time. She apparently wants to update the entire squadron about her mission. Make sure every ship tops up its fuel and munitions supplies too. Whatever is going on, I want us ready to depart within the day if it is necessary.”

"Aye, aye, Commodore," Iso responded. She was grinning while Jonathan was still frowning, clearly excited about the prospect of leaving Dresden.

*

An hour later, Jonathan, accompanied by his Imperial Guard shadow and now girlfriend, Becca, entered Hammerclaw's main hangar. They arrived just as Major General Steinmetz's shuttle touched down. Jonathan moved towards her, a smile on his face, and saluted as she descended the shuttle's access ramp. "Welcome aboard the Hammerclaw, Major General."

"It's a pleasure, Commodore," Steinmetz replied, returning his salute.

"Your arrival is quite unexpected," Jonathan commented. "But it's nice to have something to break the monotony. My steward has prepared some refreshments if you'd like to join me in my quarters, or if you'd prefer, my Captains are assembling now, and you could address them first."

"I appreciate the offer, Commodore, but time is of the essence. If you don't mind, I'd like to speak with you and your Captains, and then perhaps we'll have time for refreshments," Steinmetz responded.

"By all means," Jonathan said, nodding. "Please, follow me." As they walked, he continued their conversation. "Has something occurred on Earth that my orders didn't cover?" He asked. While waiting for Steinmetz, Jonathan had reviewed his latest orders and the messages from his parents. Both were dated from some time ago and didn’t mention Steinmetz and so he felt something had to have happened since.

"It has," Steinmetz confirmed. "I don't know all the details, of course, for my role in all this is but a small part. But a large Allied Fleet left the Sol system a week before we did, and from what I could discern, they were heading towards the Gift. Before that, your mother gave quite the speech. It seems all fourteen Karacknid Clans have united behind Tanaka-lan. Now, it's only a matter of time before he directs his fleets against us. Here," Steinmetz added, handing Jonathan a datapad, "these are your additional orders. They were too sensitive to transmit ship-to-ship, so I was ordered to deliver them to you personally."

Jonathan eagerly accepted the datapad and input his lengthy access code. A number of files appeared before him, all dated after the orders he had spent the past hour reviewing, rendering his prior examination obsolete. As he read and walked, he whistled in surprise. "You underestimated the size of the fleet. The exact numbers aren’t here, but if Admiral Becket is in command, they must be targeting something important. If they're going through the Gift, I can only think of one thing."

"Exactly," Steinmetz agreed. "Which means, sooner or later, the war is going to reach us here. I doubt Tanaka-lan will allow us to attack him without retaliation."

"I'm still unclear about your role in all this," Jonathan said as he scanned his new orders. It seemed he was to deploy more of his stealth frigates towards the Karacknid border and even probe some of their border supply depots. The orders didn't specify, but Jonathan suspected the reconnaissance was in preparation for strikes against such targets. However, other than emphasizing his responsibility to protect Major General Steinmetz’s operations, they provided no further details.

"All will become clear in a moment, Commodore," Steinmetz reassured. "If you don't mind, I'd rather inform you and your Captains together rather than repeat myself. Though, it's not too hard to guess—we are engineers, after all. We're likely to be building something."

Jonathan laughed. "That's true enough. I'm happy to wait to spare you going over things twice."

As they continued towards the heavy cruiser’s main briefing room, Jonathan asked Steinmetz a few more general questions about her journey from Earth and her specific expertise. But for the most part, his eyes kept being drawn back to his orders and a copy of the speech his mother had given to Earth’s citizens outlining the need to strike at their enemy before Tanaka-lan could gather his full strength.

We're going to war; he realized as the reality began to sink in. He had climbed the Imperial Fleet’s ranks fighting secessionists, pirates, protectorates, and then the Rillelio. Growing up, he hadn't expected to face any of them. The Karacknids had always been the enemy he envisioned battling in every daydream as a teenager and every simulation as a cadet. With his station so close to the front line, there was no doubt his squadron would be in the thick of the impending war. The future of our Empire and our species will rest upon us, he thought as the weight on his shoulders seemed to triple.

Steinmetz sensed what Jonathan was going through. As they stopped outside the briefing room, she reached over and squeezed his shoulder. "I know, it's a lot to take in. But this is what we've spent our lives preparing for."

Jonathan nodded as he pulled himself out of his introspective spiral. "It is, and when they come, they will find us ready." He then gestured for Steinmetz to precede him into the briefing room.

“Thank you, Captain,” Steinmetz said as she smiled and went first.

As she walked past him, Jonathan shared a glance with Becca. Though they were far from considering marriage yet, having not even publicly acknowledged their relationship beyond close family and friends, they had talked about what a shared future might look like, including children. With the constant threat of the Karacknid invasion hanging over them, they had debated the wisdom of starting a family. Yet, as Jonathan argued, both of their parents had brought them into the world during the height of the First Karacknid War. Neither would be here now to defend their species if they hadn't. All of a sudden though, Jonathan found himself more sympathetic to Becca’s perspective.

"Hmm," Becca murmured, clearing her throat, pulling Jonathan from his thoughts.

"Right," Jonathan said, winking at her before stepping into the briefing room. He smiled upon seeing all thirty of the Captains, whose ships were currently at Dresden, waiting for him. He had come to know some quite well over the last five months, while others were still somewhat strangers. Nevertheless, they were his Captains, and that's what mattered.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," he said, standing before them. "Allow me to introduce Major General Steinmetz of the Marine Corps. It seems she's been dispatched to our sector of The Wilds to construct something. As for what that might be, Steinmetz will enlighten us." Jonathan turned and motioned for Steinmetz to come forward. As she stepped into his place, Jonathan found a seat and waited to hear her briefing.

"Thank you for your welcome, Commodore," Steinmetz said. "I apologize for the rush and the secrecy. What I’m about to disclose must remain confidential, known only to you and your First Lieutenants. Is that understood?" Jonathan’s eyebrows rose even as he nodded with the rest of his officers. "Good. For several years now, I have been involved in what has been dubbed Operation Lifeblood. This project aims to establish numerous hidden FOBs, like Dresden, throughout The Wilds and even on the borders of the Karacknid Empire. The location of these FOBs is classified, as is their purpose, though you might have some idea about their intended function.

"As of one month ago, the Admiralty has decided to accelerate these efforts. You might not know yet, but the briefing packet Commodore Somerville has just received informs us that the Karacknid civil war is officially over. All fourteen of their clans now follow Tanaka-lan. Our Emperor and the Admiralty believe that war is imminent, likely within months. Therefore, I have been dispatched here to construct two more of these hidden FOBs. With the resources I’ve brought, we should be able to complete each within three months."

Steinmetz turned to look at Jonathan. "For this task, I will require an escort for both of my squadrons, and may need a portion of your fleet to move forward to a position where they can provide support if needed." She smiled as she continued, "The catch is that neither you nor your captains can know where the bases are being built. That piece of information is strictly on a need-to-know basis."

Jonathan wanted to let out the same whistle he had earlier upon hearing Steinmetz's revelation, but he restrained himself in front of his officers. "So you want some of my ships to accompany you, but their captains can't know where. Then you want my squadron to shadow your squadrons to protect them, but we can't know their locations either?"

Steinmetz nodded. “That is the challenge, Commodore. I have some ideas about how we can accomplish this, but we can figure out the specifics together. I have several Engineer Corps supply freighters with me. They are designed to match the speed of military warships and carry enough supplies to keep your squadron operational away from Dresden for the three months we will require your assistance.”

Jonathan nodded. He was sure the freighters would be beneficial. Almost as soon as he had taken command of the FOB, he had been requesting more of them. He only had three and he had deployed them all forward towards Karacknid space to resupply his stealth frigates monitoring the Karacknid border so they didn’t have to return to Dresden. Yet, he remained skeptical of Steinmetz's proposal. “I presume you’ll want me to command the squadron that is to shadow you?” He asked to which Steinmetz nodded. “I will also need to stay in touch with the rest of my dispersed forces. They will need to know my location to keep me updated on their activities.”

Steinmetz nodded again. “That’s why I want your squadron to shadow us, not directly accompany us to the systems we're targeting. I concede, it will be a logistical nightmare, but we need to figure out a way to make this work. The Admiralty wants both FOBs operational before any open hostilities break out in this sector of the front.”

Jonathan let out a long breath. “Then I suppose we had better find a way to make it all work. Please, General, continue with your briefing,” Jonathan said, gesturing for Steinmetz to resume detailing what her mission was going to require.

As she started describing the logistical needs of her two squadrons and the work they would be carrying out, Jonathan shared a glance with his XO. They both had been hoping for something to break the monotony, and it seemed they had certainly got that.

Chapter 5

The loyalty of the Karacknids to their Imperator is all but unquestioning, but, if one can be brought to ask that first question, then the whole edifice can fall. Out of the ashes we have seen beautiful and wonderous things arise, but it was not always so.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Hammerclaw, 13th March 2512 AD, (two weeks later).

Nine days after arriving at the uninhabited system that Steinmetz and he had chosen, Jonathan found himself pacing back-and-forth across Hammerclaw’s bridge. Once again, he felt the boredom of monotony creeping up on him. In the end, Steinmetz had been forced to accept a compromise. Two of Jonathan’s most trusted frigate Captains knew the locations of the two systems where the engineer was constructing her secret FOBs. Both frigates were currently keeping station with Hammerclaw, but if needed, Jonathan could dispatch one to each of Steinmetz’s squadrons currently at work.

Concurrently, Steinmetz had two of her own frigates which knew their position and the location of Jonathan’s squadron. Between them, Steinmetz and Jonathan were able to keep each other up to date on their activities without compromising the locations of the secret FOBs any more than necessary. It was still theoretically possible that whatever Karacknid spy ships were operating in the area might happen across the frigates as they travelled back and forth, but each Captain had specific instructions to keep their movements as covert as possible.

So far, Jonathan had received one report from both construction operations, informing him that both systems were ideal for the purpose they had been chosen for. As he understood it, construction was already underway, and it appeared both should be finished on schedule. That was good news, yet it only reinforced to Jonathan that he had swapped one monotonous post for another, for while he continued to get updates from his stealth frigates observing the Karacknid border, Hammerclaw was now consigned to remaining stationary at her current location until the construction work was finished.

Father always warned me that flag rank wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, Jonathan reminded himself as he continued to pace. When he had been a lieutenant, he had thought a Captain’s life was one of luxury and adventure, only to find it largely consisted of reading daily reports and maintaining training standards. As a Captain though, he had imagined that being a flag officer would allow him to focus on pitting his wits against enemy commanders and imagining new war strategies and battle tactics. Instead, now he found himself managing the supplies and personnel of not just one ship, but nearly two hundred. You must know your people if you are to lead them into battle, Jonathan thought in his father’s voice as he remembered one of his lessons. And you will only know them if you spend time with them, among them and their problems.

A beep from one of Hammerclaw's sensor consoles brought Jonathan’s pacing to an immediate halt. He turned towards Lieutenant Harte. “A ship has jumped into the system. Just one light minute away,” the tactical officer responded as he looked up from his console.

Jonathan moved to his command chair. He had his squadron of thirty ships sitting on the edge of an uninhabited system’s mass shadow. Unless it was an extreme coincidence, no ship should exit shift space so close to his squadron’s position unless it knew he was here. Yet he wasn’t expecting another report from either of Steinmetz’s frigates for another week. “Can we ID the ship yet?” He asked, almost certain it had to be an Imperial ship, yet he wanted to be sure.

“The impulse drive is Imperial,” Harte responded. “I’d wager it's a destroyer. Hold on… the computer has recognized her; it's Obelisk.”

Jonathan’s shoulders relaxed at the revelation, yet he frowned as well. Obelisk was one of the destroyers meant to be patrolling the Karacknid border. If her Captain had news, he was meant to report to the fast frigates whose job it was to relay orders back and forth.

“Transmission coming in now, Commodore,” Rossi informed Jonathan moments later.

Jonathan opened the file on his command chair, scanned the first couple of paragraphs, and then looked back up to Rossi. “Request Captain Montgomery and Commander Iso report to the bridge immediately,” he responded. “Then send orders for Obelisk to rendezvous with us. In fact, get the fleet moving towards her.”

“Aye, Commodore,” Rossi replied.

Jonathan turned back to Obelisk’s report and read through it slowly. As he did, he shook his head several times, for he knew he had a decision to make. Steinmetz is not going to like it, he thought to himself, but I have to go.

“What’s going on, Commodore?” Iso asked as she quickly entered the bridge and moved to her command chair. Montgomery entered right behind her.

Jonathan sent them both the report Obelisk’s Captain had written. “Obelisk encountered several damaged Karacknid warships attempting to enter the Wilds while she was patrolling the Karacknid border. When she moved to engage, they surrendered. They’ve requested to speak to a senior Imperial Commander. Apparently, they are Free Karacknids, Karacknids who refused to accept the rule of any of the contenders in their civil war. High Scribe Huran’kang was supposed to be convincing them to join him and unite the Karacknid people against Tanaka-lan. If they are trying to flee Karacknid space instead, something must have gone wrong.”

Already, the news Steinmetz had brought from Earth had left Jonathan concerned for the two Karacknids he almost thought of as friends. Huran’kang had left Earth with his father’s blessing to try to choose a new Imperator for the Karacknid people, one who would not put his own glory above that of their species. Yet if the fourteen Karacknid clans had now all joined Tanaka-lan, then Jonathan feared Huran’kang’s efforts held little chance of success.

“And you want to go and meet with them?” Montgomery guessed.

Jonathan nodded.

“But what about Steinmetz?” Iso asked in concern. “Protecting her is our primary responsibility.”

“Defeating the Karacknids is our primary responsibility,” Jonathan countered. “Protecting Steinmetz is just one way of achieving that. Obelisk left the Karacknid ships in a system just a week’s travel from here. We can be there, speak with them, and be back within a fortnight. Chances are Steinmetz won’t have even sent a frigate with an update for us by then.”

“And we can send our two frigates to her construction squadrons with the details of where we're going,” Montgomery suggested, clearly more eager to see what was happening than Iso. “It won’t be too much more difficult for her to get in touch with us than if we just stay here.”

“Exactly,” Jonathan agreed. “Iso, plot a flight path for us and send it to the rest of the squadron. The sooner we get moving, the sooner we’ll be back.”

Iso glanced from Jonathan to Montgomery and then nodded. “Aye, Captain.”

Jonathan did his best to give her a disarming smile. They had both wanted action, now they were getting even more than they had expected.

*

IS Hammerclaw, 22nd March 2512 AD, (eight days later).

After making the best possible speed towards the system where Obelisk had encountered the Karacknids, Hammerclaw and Jonathan's squadron exited shift space to meet them after eight days of travel. “Twelve contacts being detected,” Lieutenant Harte reported within moments. “They’re exactly where Obelisk left them.”

“Except there were three before,” Jonathan said. “Keep the crews at their battle stations,” he instructed.

“Obelisk’s Captain is hailing us, Commodore,” Rossi informed Jonathan.

“Put her on screen,” Jonathan responded.

“Commodore, there are more ships there than I left. The Karacknids didn’t say anything about more ships joining them,” Susan McLarty informed Jonathan. “It could be a trap.”

Jonathan pursed his lips together as he considered the possibility. He highly doubted it. Not because the Karacknids were not known for being sneaky, they were, but it seemed like a lot of effort to go to in order to ambush a small Imperial squadron. If the Karacknids had tried to lure an entire battlefleet in, then that would be another matter. “I’ll keep that under consideration,” he said to McLarty.

McLarty nodded. “Thank you, Commodore.”

“Let’s hail them and ask what's going on,” Jonathan decided. “Set course towards their ships, but let’s stick to forty percent maximum thrust for now.”

“Aye, Commodore,” Iso said as she turned and began to give orders to Jonathan’s other officers.

“I have a Karacknid willing to speak to you,” Rossi informed him a minute later. “A captain, Kal’na.”

Jonathan nodded. It was the same Captain who had spoken to McLarty. “Captain, I am Commodore Somerville, heir to the Imperial throne. Captain McLarty brought news of your surrender and request to me, and I have come to speak with you. However, you appear to have received additional ships since McLarty left.”

The Karacknid in front of Jonathan jumped to his feet as Jonathan mentioned his name. To Jonathan's shock, he then fell down to one knee and lowered his head. “Imperator’s Heir, I did not know it was you who would come. It is a great honor to meet you. One I do not deserve.” The Karacknid then raised his head so that their eyes met. “If it pleases you, I am Captain Kal’na. I lead a group within the movement that we call the Free Karacknids, though others call us traitors. Let me assure you that our additional ships mean you no ill will. I freely surrender them to you now along with the ships that have already surrendered. They are simply refugees who have managed to flee from Tanaka-lan’s persecution, as we have.”

“I will accept your word, Captain,” Jonathan said, though he had no intention of letting his guard down. “Keep your ships powered down and we will approach. I’ll be sending Marines over to secure each of your ships temporarily until we can meet in person and discuss just what is going on. Let me warn you though, if your ships try to power up their reactors or engines, we will take that as a hostile act and respond accordingly.”

“Of course, Imperator’s Heir, we will do nothing to threaten you. You would be most welcome on board my ship to talk face-to-face if you wish, or I will bring the leaders of our people to meet you on your flagship.”

“I will host you, Captain,” Jonathan insisted, certain that Becca would never allow him to take such a bold risk as to meet the captain on his own ship. “As soon as our ships rendezvous with one another, you are most welcome to come aboard.”

Kal’na bowed his head again. “Thank you, Imperator’s Heir, you do us a great honor.”

*

An hour later, Jonathan, Iso, Montgomery, and Becca stood in Hammerclaw’s main hangar as they watched the Karacknid shuttle deftly land in front of them. Surrounding the shuttle, and stationed out in the nearest hall, Beckett had twenty special forces marines in full combat armor. She also stood just in front of Jonathan, ready to protect his body from any weapons fire or explosion that might come his way.

Nothing untoward happened, however. Instead, as the Karacknid shuttle’s access ramp descended, a handful of large, heavily muscled, but unarmored and unarmed Karacknids began to descend. Jonathan’s eyes widened as he recognized one of them. He stepped forward quickly and held out a hand. “Captain Jar’ung, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

Jar’ung hesitated, glanced at Kal’na, and then reached out and took Jonathan’s hand. “I didn’t expect to see you here either, Imperator’s Heir.” He glanced at the extra pip on Jonathan’s shoulder. “It seems you have received a promotion since we last met.”

Jonathan smiled. “I have indeed, Captain. I’m now commanding one of the squadrons tasked with watching your species' border.”

“In that case, our meeting today is almost as fortuitous as the first time we met,” Jar’ung said. “Then, we helped you escape your pursuers, perhaps this time you can return the favor.”

“If I can, I will,” Jonathan said seriously, knowing he owed Jar’ung a debt, and not just from the first time they had met. He never would have had the ship numbers to take on the Rillelio if Jar’ung and High Scribe Huran’kang hadn’t joined forces with him when they did.

Jar’ung glanced at Kal’na again. “Then I am confident our discussions will go well. However, it is not my place to speak any further now.”

Jonathan followed Jar’ung’s gaze and saw Kal’na was waiting patiently to greet him. “Of course, Captain,” he said to Jar’ung, “we will speak more later.” He then turned to Kal’na and gave the Karacknid a nod of his head. “Captain, welcome on board my flagship.”

Kal’na fell to one knee before him again. The rest of the Karacknids but Jar’ung followed suit a moment later. “It is an honor to be here, Imperator’s Heir,” Kal’na replied.

“Please,” Jonathan said as he gestured for Kal’na to stand. “There’s no need for that here. Our people don’t even bow like that to my father, let alone me.”

“Then they do not show you the honor you deserve,” Kal’na said fiercely.

His tone caught Jonathan off guard, and he laughed nervously as he glanced at Becca. “That’s not it,” he explained, “at least, that’s mostly not it. My species shows our respect to one another in a different way. Here, like this,” he said as he held out his hand to Kal’na.

Kal’na stared at it for a moment, then awkwardly took it, trying to mimic how Jonathan and Jar’ung had shaken hands. “It is a strange custom,” Kal’na said. “One could accidentally slice another's wrist if one was not careful.” Kal’na then smiled. “But I suppose, without claws, the risk is somewhat lessened.”

Jonathan found himself smiling too, a Karacknid with a sense of humor? That was a discovery indeed! “I suppose it is not something we have had to worry about,” he replied. “Perhaps I have been too hasty in offering the gesture with you and Jar’ung.”

Kal’na laughed too. “Perhaps you have Imperator’s Heir, but you have done us both an honor as well. For now, how about we both observe our respective species' customs?”

Jonathan nodded. “That’s fine by me, Captain. Now would you like to introduce me to your comrades, or shall I escort you to a room where I have refreshments and chairs ready for us to converse?”

“Let us proceed to this room and then we can make further introductions,” Kal’na decided.

Once everyone was seated, and a drink to their liking found, Jonathan gestured towards Iso, “This is my Chief of Staff, Commander Iso, and this is my Flag Captain, Captain Montgomery.” Both nodded their heads towards Kal’na.

Kal’na returned the gesture and then pointed at the three Karacknids beside him. “These are Captains, Gal’tra, Kilnin’lan, and Destri-son, and of course you know Jar’ung, though he is not a part of our movement. We four, however, each lead one band within the Federation of Free Karacknids.”

Jonathan’s eyebrows rose at the name, for it was new to him. He also did not miss the grimace on Jar’ung’s face at Kal’na’s words. “Well, you are most welcome on board Hammerclaw,” Jonathan began. “I admit though, I’m surprised that you have surrendered yourselves to us. Perhaps you would like to begin by explaining why you have left your Empire’s borders.”

“We have left, because we were faced with no other choice,” Kal’na said. “Tanaka-lan is on a crusade to kill every last Free Karacknid. He is hunting us to extinction, including our women and children. We had hoped with High Scribe Huran’kang’s backing, there may have been a chance to see a Free Karacknid Imperator, one who would impose the changes our society needs in light of our species' fall into corruption. But alas, that will now never happen.”

Kal’na’s words made a number of questions jump into Jonathan’s mind. So far, he had only heard about the Free Karacknids from Huran’kang and Jar’ung. Already he was starting to suspect there was more to them than he had been led to believe. Yet his concern for Huran’kang overrode his other thoughts, and he turned to Jar’ung in concern. Kal’na turned to follow Jonathan’s gaze, then he gestured towards Jar’ung. “He can tell the story if he wishes.”

“Huran’kang is dead,” Jar’ung said, pain written across his features. Jonathan’s face fell. “We had called a gathering of all the clans and families not yet aligned with Tanaka-lan to hold the Trava-klan. Many came, including Kal’na and representatives from his faction. But none of the clans came. They had already decided to swear allegiance to Tanaka-lan. And then, we were betrayed.

“Tanaka-lan launched a surprise attack. He took out our ships in orbit and landed ground troops. Huran’kang and most of his followers, including many of our scribes, were all killed. The High Scribe ordered me to flee to save as many scribes and records as I could. I’m afraid we suffered many losses, and it was only with Kal’na’s help that any of us got out alive.”

“I am sorry to hear that,” Jonathan said. “Huran’kang was an honorable High Scribe.”

“He was that,” Kal’na said, preventing Jar’ung from speaking further. “But sadly, the path he wished to take our species on is no longer open to us. That is why we are here now. As an official representative of the Federation of Free Karacknids, I wish to request asylum for all of our bands that wish to leave our species' Empire. And then if you accept, we also desperately need your help rescuing our people from Tanaka-lan.”

Jonathan barely heard anything past asylum. He had to sit back in his chair as he shared a glance with Iso and Montgomery. He wanted to puff out his cheeks and let out a long breath, but he didn’t want to insult Kal’na. “You surprise me, Captain,” he said after a moment. “That is not what I was expecting to hear. But just so we’re clear, exactly what do you mean by asylum?”

Kal’na smiled. “That is a pointed question, Imperator’s Heir. Let me be honest with you. We are desperate. Our surrendering to you should tell you that. So in truth, we are at the point where we would accept asylum in whatever form your Imperator would grant it to us. We are all willing to surrender ourselves to him and rely on his mercy. We would not, however, be willing to become slaves. Whatever your Emperor determines, we would need to be allowed to keep our honor.”

Jonathan nodded. “I think I know your people well enough to understand that much,” he said. “And I’m sure my father would have no desire to humiliate you, especially as you oppose Tanaka-lan. But you must know my people are highly suspicious of yours. Hundreds of millions of our people are dead because of your Empire’s aggression. But tell me, ideally, what is it your Federation wants out of this?”

Kal’na glanced at his comrades and then turned back to Jonathan. He didn’t speak for several moments as he gathered his thoughts. “Firstly, we would like peace and safety. Some of us have been on the run ever since your father killed Taranaki. We would like to be able to find a place we could call our own once again. As to exactly what that would look like though, there are some divisions within our movement. As you might understand, since Taranaki’s death, many things about our species' past and customs have been questioned. Not all of us have come to the same conclusions.

“Personally, my comrades and I dream of a world of our own. One where we can implement the reforms we wish to see. There are others within our movement however who would prefer to be given an area of land on one of your colonies. They see your father as Taranaki’s true successor, and if allowed, would be willing to swear fealty to him and his successors.”

Jonathan did his best to hide the shock from his face. He failed miserably though. “They would swear fealty?”

Kal’na nodded. “They believe your father’s victory over Taranaki demonstrated the failure of our customs and the depth to which they have been corrupted. As they see it, only by honoring your father’s victory can they begin to undo the shame our species has brought upon itself.”

“And you do not see things that way?” Jonathan followed up.

“Not exactly,” Kal’na said. “I do not believe anyone other than a Karacknid can rightly hold the position of our Imperator. However, I agree that your father’s victory could only have been possible because our species lost its way many centuries ago. Our focus on conquest and enslavement of others rather than the betterment of ourselves has inflated our egos. My species thinks it is great when it is not. There are many like me who believe foundational changes to our society are needed if ever we are to redress the disgrace your father rightly brought upon us.

“Since Taranaki’s death, we have been working to implement these changes within our Empire, but now it is clear that is impossible. Now, I believe our people must take another path. If we were granted a world where we could implement these changes, then that world could become a shining light for the rest of our Empire, showcasing how things could be different.”

Jonathan leaned forward in his chair as his shock gave way to curiosity. “What kind of changes are you talking about?”

“That is a matter of debate among us,” Kal'na said with a smile. “Most of the ancient records of our species have been destroyed or, more accurately, tampered with, despite the scribes' best efforts to preserve them. It appears that for generations, even before Taranaki began systematically corrupting our species, our past Imperators sought to change our history to achieve their goals. Now, many within our movement seek to study the ancient scrolls, piecing together what is true and discerning what our species was once like. As you can perhaps imagine, this process is difficult, and much is open to debate.

“I can therefore only answer for myself and my comrades here. What we would like is to see the Clan Legislature restored. Once, instead of a single Imperator, each Clan appointed one representative to sit on the Legislature that oversaw all affairs of our species. Then, under them, providing advice and guidance, there was also a Family Assembly, where each family could appoint a representative. In this way, the voices of all Karacknid people could be heard and the collective will of our species could be allowed to determine the direction our Empire took.”

Jonathan had to fight to keep his mouth from falling open. He found himself questioning what he had just heard. What Kal’na had just described almost sounded like democracy. Never in a million years would he have suspected the Karacknids of desiring such a thing. One thing made him dubious, however. “I confess, it intrigues me greatly to hear you describe such a thing, for it is not entirely dissimilar to how my species organizes itself. Yet, what about your species' martial prowess? If you were given a world, would you not seek to conquer those around you?”

“From my reading of our earliest manuscripts, our species' martial prowess was first and foremost used to defend ourselves, not to be aggressive,” Kal’na answered. “If we were given asylum, we would seek to use those capabilities in defense of our home and, if requested, your Imperator’s people. In this way, we could accomplish many new heroic deeds worthy of being recorded by our scribes.”

Jonathan couldn’t help shaking his head. What Kal’na was saying sounded almost too good to be true. A world of Karacknids loyal to his father would be a great asset in the coming war against Tanaka-lan. Yet even as Kal’na described it, it was still difficult for Jonathan to actually imagine how it could be true.

“Is there a problem, Imperator's Heir?” Kal’na asked.

“No problem,” Jonathan said hastily. “It’s just a lot to take in. I cannot speak for my father with certainty, but I believe he would be very favorable towards granting your people asylum and providing you somewhere where you could experiment with restoring your ancient customs.”

Kal’na smiled, but then leaned forward with a serious look on his face. “Then you will help us rescue the rest of our people and make this possible?”

“Rescue your people?” Jonathan asked, sensing the catch was finally coming.

“Yes, as I mentioned at the beginning of our conversation, Tanaka-lan is hunting us. Many have already been killed, but there are still squadrons and flotillas of our people trying to make their way here. One of our largest groups, the group I lead and the group containing the rest of Jar’ung’s people have become trapped, however. We cannot get them out without your assistance.”

Jonathan looked at Jar’ung. “Kal’na is correct, Imperator’s Heir. Tanaka-lan’s forces cornered our fleet in a system a month’s journey from here. They have hidden themselves within a very large asteroid field, but they are surrounded. The narrow path through the asteroids has prevented Tanaka-lan’s forces from deploying a large enough force to defeat our ships, but they are blasting their way through the field with their energy weapons. It is very thick and may yet take weeks for them to get through, but eventually, they will. That is why we are here, without your assistance, all our families will be killed.”

“And we know Tanaka-lan himself is hunting every one of the Federation convoys that are trying to make their way to your space,” Kal’na added. “It may even be he has brought his fleet to add his ships to the effort to blast their way towards our convoy. So, time is of the essence.”

Jonathan swallowed hard. He wanted to glance at Iso and Montgomery to get an impression of their thoughts, but at the end of the day he knew the buck stopped with him. Already he had left his responsibility of protecting Steinmetz’s engineers. Now, Kal’na was all but asking him to invade Karacknid space. The moment our ships cross the border, Tanaka-lan will interpret it as an act of war, he was certain. It would cause him to rush ships to the frontline even faster than he was planning. Jonathan didn’t know his father’s plans, but if Becket had been sent through the Gift to attack Karacknid systems opposite Conclave space, then he was clearly trying to draw Tanaka-lan’s eye there. If Jonathan tried to help Kal’na, it would have the opposite effect and bring Tanaka-lan’s focus here.

But how can I pass up the opportunity Kal’na and his people represent? Jonathan asked himself. Unless the Karacknids changed their ways, the coming war would only end in one of two outcomes. Either humanity and her allies would be conquered and enslaved, or the Karacknid civilization would have to be blasted back into the Stone Age to ensure they could never be a threat again. But if we can change them, then perhaps a real peace could be forged. In his heart, Jonathan knew he had no other choice. He had to lead his squadron into enemy territory.

Chapter 6

We still know almost nothing about the Silizzeras civilization, but we know enough to rank them among the greatest threats the Empire or indeed any free sentient species has faced. Only the Antarians strike more fear into the minds of the Fleet’s senior strategists.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Anaconsada

Agent Rarmanca of the Silizzeras Collective slithered into the Ministry of Protection’s large reception chamber. She was greeted with complete silence. Not a single Silizzera was in sight. Though she knew she had been called back to answer for what her superiors undoubtedly thought of as failures, she held her head high as she crossed the large chamber and used her tail to summon one of the turbolifts. She did her best to keep her body rigid and to not let off any pheromones that would reveal her apprehension, for though she could see no one watching, she was sure they were.

When it appeared, she rode the turbolift all the way to the top level. As soon as it opened, she proceeded forward without any hesitation, though the chamber in front of her was pitch black. The darkness made her heart rate increase though. When she had been summoned to appear before the High Court once before, there had been at least enough light for her to see where she was going, even if she had never been able to see the faces of the Senior Agents of the Ministry.

“That is far enough,” a voice hissed from way above Rarmanca. “Stand before us and be judged.”

“Agent,” another voice said. “You were tasked with overseeing the Galatarian sector and ensuring no one species achieved dominance. In this, you have failed. You have ended the Karacknid Civil war and encouraged the Humans and their allies to open friendly negotiations with the Protectorates.”

“But the end of the civil war means hostilities between the Humans and Karacknids will resume,” Rarmanca protested.

“Silence!” the first voice hissed. “You are here to be judged, not defend yourself.”

“The civil war kept the mightiest species within your sector busy while the greatest threat from the Furtun sector slowly expanded towards their border. You have allowed the Karacknids to once again look outward. This species has been deemed a primary threat, and you have set them on a path that may allow them to conquer their entire sector. This is a risk the Silizzeras Collective will not permit.”

Though she suspected it already pointless, Rarmanca felt she had to defend her actions. “The Humans have been getting too strong. I had to end the civil war.”

Her words were greeted with laughter and the taste of contempt filled the air. Rarmanca clamped her tongue into her mouth. She didn’t want to taste it. Rather than react in anger, however, she released her own pheromones, letting the Senior Agents taste her contempt for them. “The Humans should not be underestimated.”

More laughter filled the chamber. “The Humans are nothing. Their allies have made them what they are, and their allies will all fall to the Karacknids now that you have ended their civil war.”

“Which means,” a new voice said. “You must face the consequences of your failures. Judgement has already been decided. Henceforth, you are removed from oversight of the Galatarian sector. Instead, you will be transferred to the Coheoum sector, where you will be stationed until the end of your natural life.”

Rarmanca couldn’t contain herself, pheromones of anger and indignation burst from her body as her muscles tensed and her tongue began to flick in and out rapidly. The Coheoum sector had been pacified a millennium ago. Only two sentient species now lived in it, and both were too fearful to leave their home systems. She was being exiled, when the plans she had put in motion just needed time to come to fruition!

Before she could protest however, another new voice spoke so quietly Rarmanca had to strain herself to hear. “That is not all, Agent. It has also come to our attention that whilst on Earth, your cover was blown. The Humans actually discovered you, and not just one of your prosthetics, but you yourself. They even have an image of you. This is beyond unacceptable. It is blasphemous. By revealing yourself, you have put the mission of the Ministry and the safety of our entire species in jeopardy. An example must be made...”

The speaker paused, and only then did it dawn on Rarmanca how serious her predicament was. She had thought her misstep would go unnoticed. She certainly hadn’t included it in her report. That it hadn’t been missed, told her the Ministry had their own eyes and ears on Earth. Though her heart raced, and her pheromones went wild, Rarmanca tried to calm herself. They are not going to execute you, she told herself. They would not be banishing you to the Coheoum sector if that was the case.

When the new speaker continued, it turned out to be even worse. “As a result of your unacceptable failures, you are hereby forbidden from ever reconnecting to the mind blend until your natural death. Only then will your memories be absorbed into the Collective. Yet even that is a mercy. For if you fail us again, your memories will be destroyed and every last vestige of you removed from the Collective.”

Rarmanca’s body collapsed to the floor in shock. The Collective was the heart and soul of the Silizzaras people. More than ninety-nine percent of all Silizzaras spent their lives physically hibernating while their minds all joined together into one union where the thoughts and memories of all Silizzaras who had ever lived resided. Protecting the Collective was why she had volunteered to be taken from the mind blend in the first place. Protecting it so that the memories of her ancestors, and one day her own, would be kept safe was her reason for existence. One day she had hoped to rejoin it and as her memories were shared with all of her people, win their awe and respect for the deeds she had done on their behalf. Now it was all gone, taken from her in a heartbeat.

“Get up!” the first voice demanded. “If you have any shred of self-respect left, get up!”

“Your punishments fit your crimes,” the second voice spoke again. “You cannot have come here expecting anything less. Get up and leave us before we deem it too lenient to allow your memories to be added to the Collective after your death.”

For a moment, Rarmanca felt indifferent to her fate. She just wanted to give up. What did it matter if her memories were kept if she would never get to experience the Collective to see how they were received by her peers? But then she remembered her parents, and her siblings. They were all eagerly awaiting her return to the Collective. She could never give them that now, but she could at least give them her memories. And when they see them, they will know I didn’t fail. I did all I could for them.

Though it galled her to do so, Rarmanca lowered her head in a bow to the Senior Agents above her. “Thank you for your mercy,” she said, only able to bring herself to whisper. She suspected that they could all tell from her pheromones that her words were empty, but at least she had outwardly shown them respect.

“Go now, Agent, before we change our minds,” the first voice said, speaking for the last time.

Hanging her head, Rarmanca turned and slithered out of the chamber and back into the waiting turbolift. On her journey back down to the ground floor of the Ministry building, waves of emotions rolled over her. Shame hit her first, as it dawned on her that soon everyone in the Collective would know about the Council’s judgement. Then her shame turned to resentment towards the Council and all those in the Collective who would believe their verdict. None of them knew what it was really like in Human or Karacknid space. None of them grasped just what a threat the Humans could become if given enough time.

As the turbolift reached the bottom of the building and opened its doors, Rarmanca’s resentment had turned to anger. Anger at the Council, but even more so at the Human Empress. Somerville had dared to think she could mess with Rarmanca. She had even tried to capture her. She is the reason I am in this mess! Rarmanca spat to herself. If it hadn’t been for her meddling, I would be returning home a celebrated hero, not one condemned to ignominy! Though the sector she had been assigned to was far from Earth, Rarmanca swore to herself she would find a way to kill the Empress and destroy her precious Empire. The Council could be damned for all she cared, in the end, when her memories were shared with the Collective, everyone would see what she was going to do was right.

With anger bubbling through her, Rarmanca stepped off the turbolift back into the building's large entrance chamber. She was so furious, she slithered right past the Silizzarus leaning against a nearby wall. Only a sudden wave of pheromones full of intense disdain alerted her to the presence of someone else. A second later, she recognized the distinctive taste of the pheromones. In her angered state, she was in no condition to face who it was, especially as the other Silizzarus spoke.

“So, you have finally shown everyone your true colors,” Cordra said, her voice dripping with contempt. “And at the hands of such a primitive species. I am glad I was here to witness it.”

Rarmanca spun towards the Silizzarus who had bullied her throughout her childhood and then became her hated rival in the academy as they had both trained to become agents. She bared her fangs and hissed at her. “Get out of my way!”

Cordra laughed. “Out of your way? How could I possibly be in your way? I am headed for Earth to fix your mess, while you are going to the back end of nowhere.” She laughed again. “You are so far beneath me I couldn’t even slither over you if I tried.”

Rage filled Rarmanca. Rage at the Council, rage at Empress Somerville, and now rage at the one sentient she hated above all others. The arguments that had led her to hold her tongue in front of the Council evaporated as her rage erupted into wrath. “Die!” was all she screamed as she lunged at Cordra and spat venom from her teeth.

Faster than she thought possible, Cordra sprang out of the way. The venom splashed onto the wall she had been leaning against and began to bubble as it disintegrated it. Rarmanca turned to follow Cordra to spit again, but her opponent hadn’t just jumped, she was slithering away as fast as she could towards a nearby door. Rarmanca, blinded by fury, charged after her, her fangs ready to spit again.

Just as Cordra got to the door, she spun around. The look on her face made Rarmanca come to an immediate halt. Instead of fear or concern, she was simply smiling. “Temper, temper,” she said as she shook her head.

At the same time, movement to Cordra’s left made Rarmanca turn her head. Her eyes widened in horror as two armed guards appeared through the door. Right behind them, a Silizzar wearing the uniform of a Senior Agent came into sight a moment later. “Agent Rarmanca,” he said, his voice identifying him as the first Senior Agent who had spoken to her when she had been before the Council. “It seems you have attacked a fellow Agent. Was it not enough that you failed your species, now you seek to kill one of us as well? Your actions are unacceptable. I hereby sentence you to death. Guards, kill her!”

“No!” Rarmanca screamed as the guards raised their electrostatic rifles towards her. The rifles worked by causing a Silizzaras's brain to melt even as the pulses of electricity also corrupted the memory bank implant each Silizzaras was given at birth. If the guards fired, her memories would be destroyed forever, never to make it to the Collective. As she screamed, Rarmanca threw herself to her belly and slithered as fast as she could, zigzagging towards the exit of the chamber. Rage gave her strength as she realized her rival had planned to provoke her.

The guards were too well trained for her, however. Whilst their first few shots missed, they soon tracked her. In quick succession, one and then a second pulse hit Rarmanca. She let out one squeal of pain, then her body began to writhe uncontrollably. As unfathomable pain assaulted her, one involuntary muscle spasm turned Rarmanca’s head towards Cordra. Her rival was smiling as Rarmanca twitched and died before her. May they be your undoing fool, Rarmanca wished with the last moment of lucidity her brain allowed her as she hoped her rival would meet her end on Earth. Then the pain grew so intense she blacked out. A second later, her brain disintegrated and Rarmanca was no more.

Chapter 7

The Empire is now the largest known political entity in explored space. With the Gift’s seven wormholes, the Sun Gates and the Wazniach drive, our military and trade ships range across thousands of light years bringing peace and prosperity to hundreds of species and trillions of sentients.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Trident, 22nd March 2512 AD.

Throughout the four-week journey from Earth to Scalatar, Admiral Becket pushed herself and her fleet's crews to their limits. Daily training exercises, simulated battles, and live fire drills were a constant occurrence. As more and more squadrons and ships joined her on the journey, she only amplified the fleet’s efforts. Under her command, she now had four thousand Imperial, Vestarian, Mindus, and Varanni Alliance ships. In total, eight different species manned her ships.

For the last twenty years, each species had been training with one another, preparing for the inevitable day when the war with the Karacknids would resume. Even so, many of the Captains and squadron commanders hadn’t operated together before. Thus, Becket had done everything in her power to ensure they could all fight as one cohesive unit.

As Trident and her fleet jumped out of shift space into the Gramrian’s home system of Scalatar, Becket was on the bridge to observe her fleet’s performance. She smiled as, exactly as she had instructed, her fleet began to emerge, squadron after squadron. Then, without having to wait for orders, groups of frigates and destroyers moved off to shield her force, while larger squadrons of cruisers took the point and began leading the fleet towards Scalatar.

Only when she was satisfied with her fleet’s performance did Becket turn her attention to Scalatar itself. She wasn’t disappointed by what she saw. Three thousand warships were in high orbit around the Gramrians’ homeworld. Like her fleet, they were a mixture of various designs. Two thousand of them were Conclave ships, and from the visuals that Trident was receiving, it seemed like each of the five Conclave species had contributed ships to the attack, though the majority appeared to be Gramrian.

Among the other warships, five hundred were Imperial, diverted from the garrison that had been monitoring the Protectorates. The last six hundred were Kalassai, including six city ships. Becket nodded when she saw the massive ships. Emilie had assured her that the Kalassai would want to be a part of the attack, and it seemed she had been correct.

Three thousand ships and six new species, Becket mused to herself as she stifled a yawn. The task of molding her massive fleet into one unified fighting unit was just beginning. Fortunately, it was another month's journey to the Karacknid border from Scalatar, so she would have some time to prepare them. And I’m sure Shraw has already begun the process, Becket thought. The Gramrian Admiral was as competent a commander as any Imperial or Varanni she knew.

“Signal Admiral Shraw’s flagship,” Becket requested as her fleet approached Scalatar. “Have him report on board as soon as we reach orbit.”

“Aye, Admiral,” her COM officer replied.

Becket nodded in acknowledgment. Her fleet would need to spend a couple of days at Scalatar to replenish their fuel supplies, but she was keen to meet with Shraw as soon as possible. The sooner they devised their plan of attack, the sooner they could begin simulations with their entire force.

*

Two hours later, Becket presided over a meeting with all her senior commanders. Rear Admiral Jourm, the son of the Varanni High Admiral, represented the Varanni portion of her fleet, while Admiral Shraw led the Conclave ships. Accompanying them were Commander Albright, her Chief of Staff, Georgia, her Wing Commander, and Becket’s second in command of the Imperial ships, Vice Admiral Hughes. A holo image of Rear Admiral Wal-sma, floating in the viscous substance her species lived in, completed the gathering as she joined remotely from her ship in orbit.

“All of you have done well to get your ships here on our tight timetable,” Becket began. “I presume your fleets will be ready to depart within a couple of days?”

“We are ready to depart now, Admiral,” Shraw said. “You just need to give the order.”

“As are my ships,” Wal-sma echoed. “We are eager to resume hostilities with our ancient foe.”

“I understand the sentiment,” Becket responded. “As soon as my ships are refueled, then we will be on our way. This may be one of our last chances to meet like this, so this is our opportunity to decide on our plan of attack. My orders from Emperor Somerville are simple: we are to strike into Karacknid space and cause as much destruction, and draw as many Karacknid ships against us as possible.” Becket glanced at Shraw. “I know that is not ideal for the species of the Conclave Alliance, but we must force the Karacknids to fight on two fronts if we can.”

Shraw bobbed his long-nosed, reptilian head up and down. “It is not ideal, Admiral. Our defenses are not quite as strong as those your species has built. Yet we understand our role in this coming war. If Tanaka-lan focuses all of his strength against you and wins, then our demise will surely follow. All my commanders understand the importance of this mission.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Becket responded. “Then let us begin.”

“If I may, I have a plan I have been working on to propose,” Shraw said as he pulled a data chip from one of his uniform’s pockets.

Becket smiled, not at all surprised. She had her own plan, but she was eager to examine Shraw’s first. “Go ahead,” she encouraged him.

Shraw connected the data chip to the briefing room’s holo projector, and a map of the areas of the Karacknid Empire bordering Conclave space appeared. “Here is where I think we should strike,” Shraw said as a series of red arrows appeared. They began to the west of the border’s most noticeable feature, a place all the Allied commanders referred to as the Valley. This was a segment of the Karacknid Empire separated from its other territories by two large, dense areas of dark matter. Like a valley flanked by two mountain ranges, there were only a few passages into the area from the rest of the Karacknid Empire. Becket had utilized this feature to great advantage during her last attack on the Karacknids. She had blocked off the handful of shift passages into the Valley with mines, providing her fleet ample time to hit many of the Valley’s systems.

“Attacking the Valley itself would not achieve the aims of our operation,” Shraw explained. “Few of those systems have been rebuilt since Admiral Becket raided the area thirty years ago. Since then, the Karacknids have been too preoccupied with their civil war to restore them. To the east, however, there are many systems of economic or military value. Striking them would cause the Karacknids significant distress.

“In addition, if we operated close to the Valley, we could station a squadron here,” Shraw continued. On the holo map, the southernmost shift passage that passed from the eastern sectors of the Karacknid Empire into the Valley began to flash. “That fleet could keep this shift passage open, so that if necessary, our fleet could fall back into the Valley and retreat back here. This would prevent us from being outflanked, and retreating through the Valley would likely be the simplest route.

“Moreover,” Shraw said, revealing a predatory grin. “This shift passage is of particular interest.” About one hundred light years into Karacknid space, beyond the initial red arrows, a lengthy shift passage was highlighted. “According to the latest Kalassai intelligence, the Karacknids have not yet discovered this shift passage.” Shraw paused and glanced at the holo image of Wal-sma.

“That is correct, Admiral,” Wal-sma said as she wriggled her body in affirmation. “We have been moving our spy ships through the shift passage since the end of the Karacknid war and have not yet been discovered.

“Well then, I’m sure if we were to strike these systems along the border, the Das’tana clan’s defense fleet would undoubtedly be dispatched to reinforce their border fleets,” Shraw hypothesized. “This would open the door for us to travel up this shift passage and get in behind them. We could devastate the Das’tana clan’s main industrial worlds before their ships could return. They would have no choice but to cry out to Tanaka-lan for help.”

“And of course, the way would also be open for us to advance on Gayla,” Becket said, winking at Shraw. “I like it,” she declared. “But I think it's missing something.” Reaching over to the holo display, Becket changed the image. “Here is what I was thinking.” An almost identical map appeared, with similar arrows outlining a proposed line of advance, one that led to the same shift passage Shraw had identified.

“I guess great minds think alike,” Becket said, sharing a predatory grin of her own with Shraw. “My plan calls for a few more attacks along the border. I'd like to weaken their border defenses as much as possible, in case we ever want to launch another attack of our own in this sector later in the war. But otherwise, it seems you have some skills as a strategist after all, Admiral.”

“It seems you both do,” Jourm said, speaking with the same formality Becket had come to expect from his father. If the younger Jourm proved to be as effective a commander as his father had been in the Karacknid War, then Becket knew he would be a vital asset in the upcoming operation. Already in the simulated battles they had fought, he had been pushing her to her limit. “I do not think we will come up with a better overall strategy,” Jourm continued. “As always, the devil will be in the details, is that not how you say it?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at Becket.

“You are correct on both accounts,” Becket said, nodding. “Let's look at some of the finer details then, shall we?”

*

22nd April 2512 AD, (four weeks later).

Wing Commander Georgia Somerville scrutinized the readout from her passive sensors. Usually, on a long flight towards a target, she liked to close her eyes and daydream or read a novel she had brought with her. But now, as Wing Commander, she couldn't allow herself to relax. She needed to be ready at a moment's notice to respond to whatever threat appeared. She also needed to observe how other aspects of her plan were playing out around the system.

Arranged around her stealthed Hellcat, six hundred other Allied fighters were cruising into the system. A Karacknid system! She thought, not for the first time. She still hadn't fully wrapped her head around it, despite the two months of training she had spent preparing her pilots for just this moment. Her fighters were the main force of the raid about to be carried out on the Karacknid border base nestled in orbit around the system’s fourth planet. The base was home to three hundred Karacknid warships, a sizable supply depot, and a number of orbital defenses. According to Conclave reconnaissance, the base hadn't been upgraded since the end of the Karacknid War, and most of the ships hadn’t left the system since.

Among the Karacknid warships, there were several squadrons of more modern designs, likely stationed at the base to conduct their own reconnaissance of Allied activity. But unless the rest of the Karacknid warships had undergone refits, they wouldn't be as big of a threat as their numbers suggested. That didn't mean Georgia, or Rear Admiral Jourm, who was commanding the fleet element of the attack, were going to take things lightly.

Two hours into her flight, the first stage of Georgia’s plan began. Forty Conclave warships suddenly emerged from stealth and began attacking the Karacknid flotilla patrolling the main shift passage into the system. With only six Karacknid warships out on patrol, the battle was brief and one-sided. Lacking the numbers to threaten the Karacknid base, the Conclave warships instead settled onto a course towards a dense asteroid field that was home to several small mining operations.

Though the loss of the mining outpost would be inconsequential to the Karacknid Empire, as Georgia had predicted, the base's warships were not willing to simply sit back and watch them be destroyed. Sixty Karacknid warships broke orbit and began to accelerate hard to intercept the Conclave ships. As her Hellcat's computer projected the courses of both groups of ships, it was clear there was no way the Karacknids could prevent the attack on the mining outpost, yet they would get there in time to ensure the Conclave ships couldn't leave unmolested.

However, Georgia’s plan wasn't going to let that happen. Another hour later, three hundred Varanni fighters emerged from stealth as they went to full acceleration. Their appearance told the Karacknids something more serious was happening, for Varanni fighters hadn’t operated this side of the Rift in over twenty-five years. It was too late for the Karacknid squadron that was chasing the Conclave ships, however. As soon as the fighters appeared, the forty Conclave ships turned away from the mining stations towards their pursuers. Initially, the Karacknids squadron tried to reverse its course to run back to their base, but it soon became apparent they would be caught before they could get to safety. Realizing this, they turned back to engage the Conclave ships.

In response, the Conclave ships altered course onto one that would allow them to fire off just one missile salvo before the momentum of both groups of ships took them out of range of one another. Georgia nodded at the Conclave commander’s skills. The battle was turning out just as she had hoped.

Within thirty seconds, both groups of ships fired at one another. As soon as the Karacknids missiles were away, one hundred of the Varanni fighters diverted to intercept them. They tore into the antiship missiles, shooting down nearly two hundred of them. The greatly reduced Karacknid salvo then crashed into the Conclave ships. Georgia’s passive sensors detected six antimatter detonations, and four Conclave ships disappeared.

Moments later, Conclave antimatter missiles began to detonate among the Karacknids ships. Sixteen explosions destroyed or crippled twelve of their targets, immediately telling Georgia that these were older Karacknid constructions, not designed to stand up to antimatter warheads. The onslaught wasn’t over for the Karacknids however, for just as the last antimatter warhead detonated among their formation, two hundred Varanni fighters came swooping in. Varanni fighters didn’t carry antimatter missiles, instead they had a large grazer cannon that ran the length of their ship. As a result, they had to get closer to their targets before they could fire, however, when they did, they almost never missed.

One hundred and eighty-two fighters reached attack range. All but seven of their beams found targets. In the blink of an eye, the Karacknid formation was blown into debris as massive grazer beams burnt right through ships and blasted out the other sides. Only four ships remained intact after the strike, and each of them had suffered badly. As the Varanni fighters flew away from their victims, the Conclave squadron began to decelerate and turn back, preparing to finish off the Karacknid stragglers.

Georgia dismissed the surviving Karacknids from her mind; they were no longer a threat. Instead, she waited for Rear Admiral Jourm to reveal himself. He did so ten minutes later, as one thousand eight hundred ships activated their impulse drives as they began to move into the system. Their trajectory pointed directly at the Karacknid base. Its defenders, now numbering just two hundred and forty, were badly outnumbered.

Half an hour passed before the Karacknids reacted. If they were smart, Georgia thought, they should be retreating. The two hundred and forty warships could combine with warships from other systems to form a fleet large enough to face Jourm. Yet they didn’t. Instead, they prepared to defend their base. Their first move was to launch two hundred of their own fighters to make a preemptive strike at Jourm’s ships, hoping to weaken them before they could attack the base. Georgia was impressed with the timing of the strike, for the Karacknid fighters would reach Jourm’s ships just as the Varanni fighter force that had struck the Karacknid squadron would be returning to land.

However, the Karacknid commander had underestimated the number of fighters Georgia had brought with her. The three hundred Hellcats she had kept in reserve launched from their carriers and charged the Karacknids. A massive dogfight ensued. As she watched it on her passive sensors, Georgia’s fingers twitched as she imagined herself in the midst of the battle. Thanks to their numerical advantage, and the fact the Hellcats had anti-fighter missiles whereas the older Karacknid variants didn’t, the engagement was short-lived. One hundred and sixty Karacknid fighters were destroyed for the loss of just forty-three Hellcats. Forty Karacknid strays managed to break away from the dogfight and charge Jourm’s ships, but almost all of them were shot down before they could fire their anti-ship particle cannons. Two cruisers suffered hits and had to fall out of the Allied formation, but neither were crippled.

With the way clear, Jourm continued towards the Karacknid base. He altered his fleet’s heading so that they would pass just close enough to fire a single salvo at the base. When the moment came, they opened fire with their mark VII multistage missiles and then flew past the system’s fifth planet.

From the Karacknid warships and the battlestations of the Karacknid base, four thousand missiles were fired in return. Immediately Lancer frigates, Kestrel class drone cruisers, and a hundred refueled fighters moved out to engage them. Between them, they destroyed nearly eight hundred of the Karacknid missiles. As the rest approached the Allied fleet, tens of thousands of area of effect flak detonations and electrostatic bursts, energy weapons, and autocannon rounds reached out towards them. Just seventy made it into attack range. As they detonated, shields flared and then were negated by the antimatter, then more explosions erupted as the antimatter collided with normal matter. Twelve Allied ships were destroyed and as many again crippled or badly damaged.

For the Karacknids, it did not go so well. They too launched a couple of squadrons of fighters to intercept the Allied missiles, but they barely made a dent in their numbers. Things only got worse as the multistage missiles jettisoned their first stage and each released five smaller antimatter warheads. Point defense fire had more of an impact as hundreds and then thousands of missiles were taken out. Yet the computer on Georgia’s Hellcat told her thousands still remained and estimated that at least five hundred should reach attack range.

As soon as she saw the missile strike was going to be successful, Georgia flicked on her COM system. “All fighters, this is Wing Commander Somerville. The attack is a go. Repeat, the attack is a go. All fighters to full throttle.”

Doing as she commanded, Georgia powered up her Hellcat's reactor to full and then funneled all its energy to her impulse thrusters. Immediately, her Hellcat shot forward, almost as fast as a missile, as did the other six hundred fighters in formation around her. Charging at full speed, they dove towards the system’s fourth planet. Just thirty seconds later, Georgia’s passive sensors lost track of the Allied missiles and the Karacknid base as they were on the other side of the planet. “All fighters pull up,” she ordered as her sensors started to feel the planet’s gravity grabbing onto her fighter. Pulling up, she used the planet's gravity to slingshot her around its equator. In just forty seconds, the Karacknid base started to come into view.

The scene was like something out of an over-dramatized holo movie. A wall of explosions was rapidly approaching the Karacknid base and warships as their point defense fire blew up hundreds of Allied missiles every second. Then, almost in the blink of an eye, the wall reached the Karacknid base. The blue hue from far larger antimatter explosions then filled Georgia’s view out of her cockpit window. As the antimatter reached out and struck warships and battle stations, they detonated in blinding flashes. For a full five seconds, far too many detonations kept going off for Georgia to count. Then space went dark again after the last missile detonated. Here and there, small pockets of flames could be seen as atmosphere or reactor fuel burnt on damaged ships.

Just at the right moment, Georgia's six hundred fighters rushed into the confusion. With every Karacknid point defense weapon pointing in the wrong direction, their charge met almost no resistance. Rapidly, targeting computers assessed what was left of the Karacknid forces and assigned targets to each squadron. Then each Hellcat rippled off its two smaller antimatter missiles. Realizing the new threat, Karacknid point defense weapons quickly tried to target the new missiles. Their fire was sporadic at first, but quickly picked up. Hundreds of them were shot down, yet more than half made it to their targets. The results were devastating. Every surviving Karacknid warship suffered at least two hits and most of the battlestations and other orbital stations of the base were struck as well.

As she pulled up and away from the planet, Georgia marveled that all but two of her fighters had survived the attack. Then she strained her neck as she turned to watch the detonation of her missiles. When the blue hue from the antimatter missiles dissipated, not a single Karacknid warship was left. It appeared all but two of the battlestations had also been destroyed and most of the supply stations and other facilities had been ravaged as well.

Georgia allowed herself to smile. They had just launched the first successful attack of what was inevitably going to be called the Second Karacknid War. The base wasn’t completely destroyed, but it had been rendered unusable and if the Karacknids wanted to rebuild it, they'd have to devote a significant amount of resources to it. More importantly, the Karacknid fleet stationed at the base had been destroyed. This means they can't come and harass us as we continue our advance, Georgia thought, still smiling. Though she knew harder battles were to come, she still allowed herself to enjoy the success of her pilots. We have to, for it will not always be like this, she was sure.

Chapter 8

Among the most important species that have been incorporated into the Empire’s political structure are the Gramrians. Their military prowess is rivaled only by the Karacknids and their loyalty to the line of Somerville has never faded, not even the Civil War caused it to falter.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Hunter, 23nd April 2512 AD, (one day later).

Admiral Shraw felt a drop of saliva run down one of his elongated teeth as he stared at his bridge's main holo display. Currently, he was observing one of the Karacknid border bases, a site he knew well, having dispatched spy ships to monitor it for the last two decades. Now, at last, he was going to strike it. Since he had commenced his relentless surveillance of the Karacknid border following the end of the last war, he had lived in constant fear that this base could supply a fleet destined to devastate his species' planets. Now, he was about to ensure it could never be used for such a purpose.

His plan was straightforward. While he was aware that the Humans had spent many years developing secret weaponry kept in reserve, he and his people harbored no such qualms about hiding their best weapons. One of the designs he had ordered to be built was what he affectionately dubbed ‘Nest Busters.’ As massive as a heavy cruiser, they were longer and narrower than a standard warship. They didn't boast missile tubes along their port or starboard sides. Instead, each Nest Buster housed ten colossal electromagnetic cannons that almost spanned the full length of the ship. Shraw had brought twenty of these vessels with his fleet to confront the Karacknid base.

"Let us begin," he commanded.

"Aye, Admiral," his Chief of Staff responded.

Moments later, eighty warships executed a micro jump into the system. Their sudden appearance caught the system picket off guard, allowing them to destroy or rout the defenses. Next, Shraw’s entire fleet of one thousand five hundred ships jumped in. Together, they set their course for the Karacknid fleet base. As expected, the three hundred and fifty Karacknid warships stationed at the base didn’t come out to meet them. Instead, they merely waited for Shraw’s ships to approach.

However, that wasn't going to happen. An hour and a half after entering the system, Shraw’s ships halted relative to their target. Without needing orders, the twenty Nest Busters advanced along with nearly a hundred freighters needed for support. Once within range, they unleashed their firepower. Each Nest Buster accelerated its ten missiles up to a speed of 0.4c. The gigantic missiles then accelerated even more. With a flight time of forty minutes to their targets, they achieved a velocity of 0.8c before they came into attack range. Just before they did, each missile split apart to launch twenty smaller bomb-pumped laser warheads.

In total, two thousand warheads accelerated as hard as they could for five more minutes, further boosting their momentum. Then, Karacknid point-defensive fire reached out in an attempt to neutralize them. With their warships and battlestations, the Karacknids managed to put up a fierce resistance. They shot down all but nine of the missiles. However, these nine managed to reach the point where they could detonate, sending nine laser beams piercing into the Karacknid forces. One frigate was destroyed, and three cruisers and a battlestation sustained damage.

The Karacknids' losses were minimal, but crucially, the effectiveness of their defensive fire had been slightly reduced. Shraw nodded at the outcome; that was all he needed. Contained within the freighters clustered around his Nest Busters were enough of his oversized missiles to continue bombarding the Karacknids for an entire day. Even then, when he ran out of missiles, his ships had another surprise to resort to if necessary.

For an hour, the Karacknids did nothing but endure the assault head-on. Every eight minutes, a new salvo of bomb-pumped warheads crashed into their position, each one whittling down their strength bit by bit, ensuring that the next salvo would be even more effective. When a heavy cruiser that had already been hit suffered two more impacts in one salvo and broke apart, the Karacknids finally reacted. Ninety fighters launched from their orbital hangars, and moved out to try and intercept the oversized missiles before they could release their smaller warheads.

However, Shraw had anticipated this. A nod to his Chief of Staff sent out orders for his three hundred Imperial fighters to come out of stealth. They charged in and engaged the Karacknid fighters before they could retreat to their base. In the ensuing melee, all but a handful of the Karacknid fighters were destroyed at the cost of only twenty-seven Imperial Hellcats.

For another half an hour, the Nest Busters continued to hammer the Karacknids, destroying more of their ships and stations. They then paused their fire as freighters moved alongside them to restock their missiles. Just forty minutes later, they resumed their onslaught. The ten freighters that had resupplied them moved to the back of Shraw’s fleet, while another eleven remained beside each Nest Buster, letting the Karacknids know the bombardment could go on for hours more.

Realizing their situation was hopeless, the Karacknid warships finally broke orbit and charged the Nest Busters. This was their only option if they didn't want to be destroyed piece by piece without firing a shot themselves. Of course, Shraw had foreseen this years ago when he had first devised this strategy. "Take us in," he commanded.

At once, his fleet surged forward towards the Nest Busters to aid them. His ships were perfectly positioned, for the holo display showed that his fleet would reach the Nest Busters just as the first salvo fired by the Karacknids would reach them. With his numerical advantage, Shraw was confident his ships' point defenses would neutralize all the Karacknid missiles before they hit any of the Nest Busters.

Seeing this too, the Karacknids did the only thing they could; they took the limiters off their reactors and engines and increased their thrust. Within minutes, Karacknid ships began to fall out of formation as they suffered failures and were even crippled by small detonations that blew out their power relays. Shraw had the option of ordering his fleet to match the Karacknids' increase in acceleration, but he sat silently in his command chair, waiting.

Just ten minutes before the Karacknid ships entered the range where they could fire their anti-ship missiles, hundreds of detonations began exploding all around them. In seconds, the Karacknid force of two hundred warships was torn apart. Barely a handful of ships escaped unscathed. Shraw's scaled lips peeled back over his razor-sharp teeth as he grinned at his opponents' demise. Knowing his enemy would eventually have to charge his Nest Busters, he had filled a handful of the freighters accompanying the Nest Busters with the latest Allied stealth mines. Each mine carried a small nuclear warhead that, when detonated, turned its energy into a powerful grazer beam.

The few remaining Karacknid ships continued on their course for about thirty seconds, then flipped end over end to point their impulse engines towards the Nest Busters and began to decelerate. It was clear even to them they didn't have the firepower to overcome the small squadron of warships defending the Nest Busters, let alone confront Shraw’s fleet. "Finish them," Shraw ordered.

From his Imperial carriers, three fresh squadrons of Hellcats launched and raced after the retreating Karacknids. They caught up with them and slammed antimatter missiles into each warship long before they made it back to their base. Then, Shraw faced his first real dilemma of the engagement. He could continue whittling away at the base's battlestations with his Nest Busters, a task that would take several more hours and consume most of the oversized missiles he had brought with him. Alternatively, he could move his fleet in to finish the job.

"Move us forward," he decided. "We’ll finish them ourselves at extreme range." Although he knew it would likely cost him a ship or two, Shraw wanted to preserve his Nest Busters’ missiles in case another opportunity to use them arose.

Over the next two hours, he oversaw his fleet as his ships advanced to engage the Karacknid base. In just three salvos, they destroyed the remaining Karacknid battlestations and all the orbital facilities the Karacknids had built. In the end, only one light cruiser was destroyed by the Karacknids' return fire. While several more ships would need to be dispatched back to Scalatar for repairs, Shraw considered the exchange more than favorable. "That is one less system to threaten our homeworld," he said to his officers before giving the order to turn the fleet towards the system’s other shift passage, which would take them deeper into the Karacknid empire towards the rendezvous point with Admiral Becket.

*

IS Trident, 7th May 2512 AD, (two weeks later).

Admiral Becket was sitting at her desk drinking a hot cup of coffee as she read over Vice Admiral Hughes's report. Along with Rear Admiral Jourm and herself, Hughes had hit one of the weakly defended Karacknid border garrisons. It seemed from his report he had acquitted himself admirably. Between their three attacks, they had destroyed five hundred Karacknid warships and three important supply depots.

A beep from her desk’s COM unit prompted Becket to set her datapad down. “Go ahead,” she instructed.

“Admiral, Admiral Shraw’s fleet has just jumped out of shift space. He has sent over his battle report and informed me his ships are ready to proceed,” Albright, Becket’s Chief of Staff, let her know.

“Thank you, Commander,” Becket replied. “Transfer Shraw’s report to me and jump the fleet out to our staging area for the attack.”

“Aye, Admiral,” Albright responded.

Becket took another sip of her coffee, finished reading Hughes's report, and then turned to Shraw’s. She found exactly what she expected; both he and his Nest Busters had performed well. Just under half an hour later, she set her datapad down again, finished her coffee, and then left her quarters and stepped onto Trident’s bridge.

“We’ll be exiting shift space in two minutes, Admiral,” Goodwin, Trident’s Captain, informed her.

Becket nodded to him as she sat in her command chair. When the timer on the main holo display reached zero, a small tremor ran through the bridge as Trident reverted to real space. Quickly, the holo display updated as Trident’s passive sensors assessed the space around her. As expected, four frigates were waiting half a light second directly ahead of Becket’s flagship. Leaving Albright and the rest of her command staff to coordinate with the six thousand warships and almost as many freighters of her fleet, Becket turned towards her COM officer and waited.

“I have Captain Jensen’s report,” Lieutenant Mitsugi informed her, adjusting the main holo display.

The large holo image in front of Becket changed from showing her fleet to displaying the main Karacknid border fort that faced Conclave space. While the other four systems her forces had already struck didn't deserve the name 'fort', this one did. As part of her attack plan, Becket had toyed with the idea of simply circumnavigating the fort. However, she didn't like the idea of leaving its garrison in her rear. A full nine hundred Karacknid warships were based at the fort and, if they wanted, they could attempt to raid her supply lines or act as an anvil for the hammer of a much larger enemy force that might come against them in the days ahead.

As a result, she had come to destroy the warships and, if possible, the fort’s defenses as well. With her numerical advantage, she could easily cruise up to the fort and blast it to pieces. However, the simulations she had run suggested she could lose upwards of two to three hundred warships. If she could avoid it, she didn’t want to suffer such losses so early in the campaign.

For an hour, she studied the holo display of the sensor readings the stealth frigates had brought back. It seemed nothing had changed at the fort since the last reconnaissance mission Conclave frigates had carried out four months ago. Still, Becket wanted to be sure. The fort was the only system the Das’tana clan had continued to modernize throughout the Karacknid Civil war. As such, there might be one or two hidden surprises.

Coming to a decision, Becket typed out a short message on her command chair’s control panel and sent it to her senior officers. Within a couple of minutes, she had received replies from each of them giving their consent.

“All right, we shall go with plan alpha-three,” Becket informed Albright and her staff officers.

“I’ll put it in motion right away,” Albright said.

Alpha-three called for Rear Admiral Jourm to launch a raid on the system. His ships had attacked the closest Karacknid base to the fort, and so it was very likely the commander of the Fort’s defenses already knew an Allied attack force was operating in the area. Within minutes of giving her command, Jourm’s vanguard, and then his main force carried out a micro jump into the system. Trident waited twenty minutes for Jourm to clear away the Karacknid picket ships, and then jumped in as well with the rest of Becket’s fleet.

As her flagship sensors peered out into the system, Becket saw Jourm and his one thousand two hundred ships were already racing towards their targets. Alongside the fort, the system was home to several mining operations on two of its inner planets. Both planets had orbital mineral processing and storage facilities as well. Jourm was heading for them, with over a hundred destroyers and frigates, along with a couple of hundred fighters spread out ahead of his formation, looking for hidden enemies or unknown dangers.

Becket began to tap her command chair as she waited to see how the Karacknid commander would respond. If he wanted, he had the strength to confront Jourm. It would likely cost him most of his fleet, but he could drive Jourm away with heavy losses, and so end the Rear Admiral’s raiding activities. It would, however, leave his fort open to attack. Unless of course, you have more ships than you're letting on, Becket thought. One trick she had seen the Protectorates use, and that she herself had employed, was to hide warships on the underside of battlestations and other large orbital stations. With the continuous construction work that had been going on at the fort over the last decade, it would have been easy for the Karacknids to slip in several hundred additional ships unnoticed.

Ten more minutes passed without anything happening, but then Becket sat forward in her command chair. Power spikes were being detected from every Karacknid warship. They were preparing to break orbit! Becket frowned moments later though, for as the nine hundred warships left their positions and moved onto a heading to intercept Jourm, no additional ships joined them. He’s going to risk leaving his fort undefended if he loses his fleet? Becket asked, confused by her enemy’s actions. She shook her head, she doubted that was the case. Something else was going on. “I want stealth drones sent in close to those ships. If there are any stealthed ships in formation with them, I want to know about it,” she ordered.

As Becket waited for her stealth drones to see if they could discover anything, she could do nothing more but watch events play out. Wisely, Jourm gave up all pretense of attacking the inner system mining operations. Instead, he began to maneuver his fleet against the Karacknid warships. From his actions, it was clear that he, like Becket, sensed something more was afoot. So, while he didn’t turn and try to completely disengage from the confrontation, he carried out several course changes to keep them at arm’s length.

“I have something!” Armstrong called out from his tactical console. “Look at this.”

On the holo display, a zoomed-in image of the Karacknid fleet appeared. Seconds later, the Karacknid warships carried out a course correction to try and continue to intercept Jourm’s ships. It was only for the briefest of moments, but all of a sudden, around the Karacknid warships, six hundred smaller heat sources were detected. “They have to be fighters,” Armstrong said. “But we haven’t detected any launches from their carriers or the fort’s hangars. We’ve been watching both closely.”

“Hidden hangars,” Becket guessed. “They slow launched those fighters and are planning to surprise Jourm with them. How many carriers do they have in their fleet?”

“Eight,” Albright answered. “We estimate they can launch another five hundred fighters.”

“Eleven hundred,” Becket said out loud. “And if they are all modern fighters, they will pack a punch. Jourm is in trouble.” Her mind quickly scrambled to come up with a solution. The Karacknid commander had enough fighters that if Jourm decided to turn and try to run, he could just send all his fighters after Jourm. They would likely cause enough damage to Jourm’s ships that the Karacknid fleet would be able to bring a lot of them to battle. Becket feared Jourm could lose half his force if she didn’t act.

“Have Shraw and Hughes move their ships into the system at once. They are to head for the fort and make it look like they are going to attack,” Becket ordered. “Have Hughes warn Jourm about the fighters using his gravimetric pulse array and order him to fall back.”

“Aye, Admiral,” Albright snapped at once.

From around Trident, two thousand four hundred ships suddenly shot forward. From Hughes’ dreadnought, gravimetric pulses also began to flash out, instantaneously crossing the system. Within a minute, Jourm’s fleet responded. They gave up all pretense of engaging the Karacknid warships and instead turned onto a course directly away from the enemy fort.

The Karacknid commander hesitated for several minutes. He could still have sent his fighters after Jourm, and then closed in to destroy whatever ships the fighters damaged with his own fleet. But by then, Hughes and Shraw would be attacking his fort. Of course, he could come charging to the rescue, but given the number of ships Hughes and Shraw had, the battle for the fort might already have been lost by then. In the end, the Karacknid commander did the sensible thing. He dispatched over twenty light ships to race to the nearby shift passages to call for aid. Then he took his main fleet back towards the fort to prepare to defend it.

He's hoping we’ll siege him rather than just launch a straight-up attack, Becket figured. That was an option open to her, especially as she had already destroyed all the forces the Karacknid light ships were on their way towards to call for help. But she didn’t have the time, not if she wanted to strike deeper into her enemies’ territory.

"Send a message to Hughes via laser COM,” Becket ordered. “Instruct him we will enact plan Beta-seven.” Now that she had flushed out the Karacknids' hidden forces, it was time to take the fort’s garrison out. But there’s no harm in letting the Karacknid commander see exactly what he wants to, Becket said to herself.

Albright smiled. “Yes, Admiral. The Karacknids won’t know what is going on.”

Becket returned his smile. “That is the plan.”

*

For the next day, from her hidden position on the edge of the system, Becket orchestrated her forces as they made it look like they were preparing to put the fort under siege. She had Jourm’s, Shraw’s, and Hughes’ fleets split into six smaller fleets, which then moved into high orbit around the Karacknid fort to envelop it. Then the larger Allied ships activated their jammers, cutting off the orbital fort and the small Karacknid colony below from the rest of the system. At the same time, four hundred destroyers and frigates patrolled the gaps between the six Allied fleets, ensuring no Karacknid light ship or fighter could escape the blockade.

Once she had everything organized just as she wished, Becket finally moved her two thousand four hundred warships into the inner system. At the same time, Hughes, Shraw, and Jourm began launching probing attacks against the Karacknid fort. At random intervals, they would dispatch a portion of their force to swoop out of the jamming haze their capital ships were creating to make attack runs against the Karacknid ships or orbital stations. None of the attacks actually came within weapons range of the fort, the idea was simply to test the Karacknids’ responses, and lull them into a false sense of security.

For another day Becket continued the probing attacks, then she was ready to actually launch the decisive phase of Beta-seven. “Instruct Hughes, Shraw, and Jourm to begin the final attack,” she ordered.

Over the next hour, all the formations that had already carried out probing attacks did so again one by one. In succession, they charged out of the jamming haze towards the fort from a predetermined angle. Responding to each one, the Karacknid warships were pulled one way and then another as they maneuvered to make sure they had the best attack vector to confront each potential threat. By the time the probing attacks were all complete, Becket had achieved two things. Firstly, she had the Karacknid warships exactly where she wanted them. And secondly, the Karacknid commander had now seen all the Allied ships he knew about charge his position only to turn around again.

Finally, the time had come for Becket’s ships to reveal themselves. Four hours before giving the order for the rest of the Allied fleet to intensify its probing feints, Becket’s ships had begun to accelerate along a course that would briefly take them into missile range of the fort. Without warning, they burst through the jamming haze right as the last of Jourm’s force disappeared behind it again. Becket had her two thousand four hundred ships directly lined up behind the Karacknid warships. Nothing currently stood between her fleet and the fort’s orbital stations.

“They are responding quickly,” Goodwin commented as within seconds the Karacknid warships began to turn to race to reposition themselves.

“I hope we startled them,” Becket said, “but you are right, you’d hardly know it from their reaction times. Thankfully, the timing is already in our favor.”

“Opening fire,” Lieutenant Anderson announced from his tactical console just four minutes later. At the touch of a button, he released thirty-four thousand missiles towards the enemy fort. Exactly four minutes and fifty seconds later, he fired a second volley.

The Karacknid warships, scrambling to get to a position where they could return fire, just managed to get out one uncoordinated salvo. With their battlestations adding their own ordnance, it was still impressive, rising to over twenty thousand missiles. Before the missiles reached Becket's ships however, over three hundred Lancer frigates and Kestrel cruisers, accompanied by a couple of thousand fighters, came rushing out of the jamming haze to intercept them. Thousands of the Karacknid missiles were destroyed and the rest were forced to carry out evasive maneuvers, disrupting their formation.

Though she was focused on the progress of her own missiles, Becket had to take a moment to check on her Wing Commander. Just as she suspected, Georgia had outdone herself once more. Her Hellcat had registered seven missile kills. If only we had a thousand of her, Becket wished.

Having fired first, the Allied missiles reached their targets and began to detonate before Becket’s fleet needed to defend itself. Like Becket, the Karacknid commander deployed his fighters to engage the missiles first. Over a thousand moved out and took out as many Allied missiles as they could. Still, thousands more continued on. Every one of them ignored the Karacknid warships, flew past them, and began to detonate among the orbital stations. Nearly a hundred explosions bathed the orbital battlestations, hangars and supply stations in antimatter blowing them apart.

When the Karacknid salvo reached the Allied ships, its reduced numbers meant that only thirty missiles managed to penetrate the Allied defensive fire. Just twelve ships were destroyed and another nineteen were badly damaged.

In contrast, Becket's second salvo proved even more deadly. Without the point defenses of the destroyed battlestations, the Karacknids antimissile fire proved even less effective. Again, Becket had targeted the orbital stations of the fort, and so this time, more than a hundred antimatter missiles detonated, filling the planet’s orbitals with bright blue explosions. When they cleared, Becket turned to her tactical officer. “How did we do, Lieutenant?”

“I think we got almost all of them, Admiral,” Anderson responded. “Every orbital hangar is gone, and ninety-five percent of the hidden ones we managed to detect have been taken out as well. We also managed to get nine of their battlestations.”

Becket nodded and spoke loud enough for all her officers to hear. “Good work, people. Let’s pull back behind the jamming haze and step the fleet down from battle stations. It's time to rest for a while.”

*

Becket was content to wait two more days before she began the final phase of her plan. While she was in a hurry to strike deeper into Karacknid space, destroying a sizeable enemy fleet now without suffering too many losses would buy her more time later. With almost all the orbitals destroyed, the oversized Karacknid fighter force had been robbed of its ability to be easily refueled and resupplied. Images from stealth drones sent in close to the fort showed long lines of fighters queuing up around the Karacknid carriers after her fleet’s attack on the fort's orbital stations.

Although she didn’t want any actual attacks, Becket intentionally exacerbated the fighters' difficulties by continuing her probing attacks, many of which were carried out by her fighters. Each time, the Karacknid commander was forced to sortie some of his fighters in response, just in case the attack was genuine. In this way, Becket forced the Karacknids to work themselves to exhaustion as they were landing, refueling, and rearming their fighters twenty-four hours a day for two days straight.

“I think the time has come,” Albright informed Becket as they sat side-by-side in their command chairs watching the Karacknid fort. “Look at these lines now,” he added as he pulled up one of the latest images from the stealth drones. It showed one carrier and at least a hundred dots lined up outside it waiting to land. The Karacknids had so many fighters that every time they refueled one, they had to launch it right away to make room for another to land. “They could be playing things up to make us think they are in a worse situation than they are, but analysts believe there is no way they could be refueling them any faster than they appear to be.”

“Then send word to our senior commanders,” Becket responded. “We begin our attack in one hour.”

Exactly an hour later, the jamming haze surrounding the Karacknid fort dissipated as Becket’s capital ships switched off their jammers. Immediately, Becket’s, Jourm’s, Shraw’s, and Hughes’ fleets were revealed. Each had a strength of nearly two thousand warships. Moreover, they were all charging towards the Karacknid fort from four very different angles. The course of each fleet made it clear that they only intended to enter missile range long enough to fire one salvo.

Having already worked out the timings to a fraction of a second, each fleet fired at precisely the right moment to ensure that their four salvos reached the Karacknid warships at the same instant. Unless the enemy commander wanted to ignore one of the salvos, he’d have to split his defensive fire four ways. The tactic Becket was employing was a favorite of the Karacknids, but she had no problem using it against them.

With the Karacknid fighters essentially out of the fight, Becket also had all five thousand of her own fighters launched and slowly cruising towards a point between each of her four fleets. The one drawback of her strategy meant the Karacknid could focus their fire on just one of her fleets. Yet she was confident Georgia’s fighters could intercept enough to make the strategy work.

“It’s Shraw’s fleet they’re targeting!” Anderson called out as the Karacknid warships fired.

“Wing Commander Somerville has signaled to say she’s engaging,” Mitsugi reported.

Once again, the Emperor’s daughter did not disappoint. Her six thousand fighters took out nearly nine thousand Karacknid missiles as they swooped in and peppered them with their plasma cannons. Shraw’s force suffered several losses as the remaining missiles attacked them, but the Gramrians' losses were minimal.

Becket’s multi-angled attack ensured that the Karacknids weren’t so lucky. At least two thousand missiles dodged every defensive weapon fired at them by the Karacknid warships. When the detonation of antimatter missiles finally ceased, no more than seventy Karacknid warships of the original nine hundred appeared operational.

“Combine the fleet and we will move in to finish them,” Becket ordered.

It took an hour for Albright to maneuver each of the Allied fleet elements together and form up into one defensive formation. Then they moved into extreme missile range and fired three more salvos at what was left of the Karacknid garrison and the fort. The third salvo destroyed any last vestige of Karacknid presence from around the system’s fifth planet.

The final stage of the battle proved to be entirely one-sided, zero missiles fired from the remaining Karacknid battlestations reached Becket’s fleet. Lancer frigates and Kestrel cruisers took them all out before any could detonate.

“I believe our work here is done,” Becket said to her command staff. “But we are far from finished with the Karacknids. Signal our commanders and inform them they can begin their independent operations. We will see them at the rendezvous point.”

“Aye, Admiral,” Albright responded.

Becket nodded to her Chief of Staff and pulled up a star map of the Karacknid systems they were about to hit. Once again, her force was going to split into four fleets and raid as many of the lightly defended systems behind the Karacknid border bases as they could in the space of two weeks. Then they would make a run for the hidden shift passage that would allow them to leap more than a hundred light years deeper into the Karacknid Empire.

It was Becket’s hope that they would slip past whatever forces the Karacknids would send to try and deal with her and then re-emerge in their rear to cause even more havoc. Strike and move, strike and move, Becket thought to herself as she remembered a lesson the then Major Johnston had told her back when she had been a Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Space Navy. The lesson applied just as well to multi-system warfare as it did to boxing.

Chapter 9

Luck can win you one battle, maybe even two. Sometimes even the greatest of commanders cannot beat an opponent’s luck. But over enough battles, skill always wins out in the end.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Hammerclaw, 10th May 2512 AD.

A month after gathering as much of his dispersed squadron as he could, and then following Kal’na into Karacknid space, Jonathan’s heart raced as his ships prepared to jump into the system where Kal’na’s people were trapped. Thanks to Kal’na’s help, they had slipped past one of the Karacknid border forts without having to fight their way through. However, they had been spotted and one hundred and fifty warships had been dispatched after them. Jonathan had stealth frigates behind his main force keeping tabs on their pursuers, so he knew they were just one system behind him. If for some reason Kal’na’s convoy had already been defeated, or there were even more Karacknid warships in the system than Kal’na believed, Jonathan was about to find out his squadron was surrounded.

So far, the only thing that had kept him from already being caught was his headlong rush through Karacknid system after system. He was trying to get in and out to rescue the free Karacknids without having to fight, but even if he had wanted to attack the basically unguarded systems they passed through, doing so would have been suicide. The Karacknid warships pursuing him were doing so at a breakneck pace. It was only because he didn’t have any warships larger than a heavy cruiser in his squadron that he'd been able to keep ahead of them at all.

“All right, I think we’re ready,” Jonathan said to Iso. “Take us in.”

“Aye, Commodore,” Iso replied, then she sent Jonathan’s order to the rest of the ships in their squadron. A second later, they carried out one final micro jump.

As a slight tremor ran through Hammerclaw, Jonathan’s eyes turned to the heavy cruiser’s holo display. Right away, large energy blooms were detected. Within a couple of seconds, more than a hundred were picked up. As Jonathan watched, the number kept rising.

“They look to be blasts from energy weapons,” Harte reported. “I think the Karacknids are still trying to blast their way into the asteroid field.”

Jonathan's shoulders tightened. If Harte was correct, then it meant the Free Karacknid convoy hadn’t been destroyed yet. However, that raised another question in Jonathan’s mind. “Keep our passives focused on that area and confirm,” Jonathan ordered. “Launch a wave of stealth drones into the system, make sure you cover it all. Just because there is one Karacknid force out there making noise, it doesn’t mean that’s all there is.”

“Understood, Commodore,” Harte responded.

Despite the risk to the Free Karacknid convoy, Jonathan waited for Hammerclaw’s passive sensors and the stealth drones to start to get a good look at the system. Unsurprisingly, Kal’na contacted him within a minute of them jumping in.

"Imperator’s Heir, our convoy is clearly still in the asteroid field and under attack. Why do we wait?" he said in a tone that wasn’t quite demanding, but was getting very close to it.

"Look at how many Karacknid warships have the asteroid field surrounded," Jonathan replied. "Why are only half of them using their energy weapons to blast away at the asteroids?"

"It looks like they are spread out to make sure the convoy can’t escape by any other route," Kal’na replied.

"It’s been nearly two months since the convoy was trapped," Jonathan said. "Yet there are only sixty warships trying to get at them. And they don’t look like they’re rushing to do so either. Doesn’t that surprise you?"

Kal’na’s eyes widened, and his claws came out of their sheaths. "You think it is a trap?" Before Jonathan could answer, Kal’na nodded. "Of course it is. These are Tanaka-lan’s best commanders! They are trying to lure more of us in to help our brethren so they can kill us as well."

"That’s what I’ve been afraid of, Captain," Jonathan agreed.

"You guessed this is what we might find?"

Jonathan nodded. "I’m afraid so."

"So, what do we do then?"

Jonathan smiled. "If we can, we're going to spring their trap. Then we surprise them. No matter who's commanding the forces in this system, no matter how good they are, they can’t be expecting a Human fleet to show up."

Kal’na grinned, showing all of his large black teeth. "What do you have in mind, Imperator’s Heir?"

Jonathan smiled back and then began to explain.

*

It took three hours to get everything into place. Though Jonathan felt like his concern for the trapped Free Karacknid convoy should have been growing, in fact, it was lessening. The more he watched the Karacknid warships trying to blast their way through the asteroid field, the more certain he became that they were making a half-hearted effort at it, at best.

"Any moment now," Harte announced.

Sure enough, just ten seconds later, ten new contacts appeared on Hammerclaw’s main holo display. Along the way to the system, Kal’na’s six warships had been joined by four other Free Karacknid ships they had encountered. Together, they charged one of the flotillas of Karacknid ships watching the asteroid field. The flotilla was on the far side of the asteroid field from the narrow passage that led into the heart of the field. It had obviously been stationed there to make sure the Free Karacknid convoy didn’t find a different way out of the field. Kal’na’s ships actually outnumbered the small flotilla, and so it was the Karacknid Captain’s job to make it look like he was actually attempting a rescue.

Coming to that very conclusion, the Karacknid commander quickly started to send individual ships and flotillas to reinforce the position Kal’na was charging. The problem he had however, was that he didn’t have enough ships close enough to tip the balance against Kal’na before Kal’na reached the asteroid field. Jonathan watched, his hands tense as he waited to see if the enemy commander would take the bait. A full minute passed, and no new ships appeared on the holo display. Just as Jonathan was starting to think he had been wrong, and there were no hidden ships, suddenly twenty new contacts appeared.

"They are all light cruisers!" Harte announced. "Kal’na is going to be in a pickle if he doesn’t turn soon."

As if the Free Karacknid Captain heard Harte, his ten ships quickly turned and began to decelerate. "I think they’ll make it," Harte said after a moment. "But these five ships here will get close enough to fire one salvo if they chase them all the way to the system’s mass shadow."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Jonathan said as he brought a hand up to stroke his chin. He had been right. There had been hidden ships. The question now was, were the twenty cruisers all the enemy commander had? In total, there were now eighty Karacknid warships on Hammerclaw’s holo display. So far, none of the stealth drones Jonathan had sent into the system had found any others. Yet, it didn’t mean they weren’t out there.

With many of the Karacknid warships still speeding towards the point Kal’na had been about to attack, the next part of Jonathan’s plan was designed to lure the rest out, if they were there. Half an hour after Kal’na’s ships turned to run to safety, the energy readings from the narrow passage that led all the way to the center of the asteroid field suddenly began to spike.

"The Free Karacknids have begun their breakout," Iso said. "Kal’na’s message must have reached them."

"Now we see just what we’re up against," Jonathan commented.

To the Karacknid commander, Jonathan hoped it now looked like Kal’na’s charge had been a diversion to draw ships away from the asteroid passage’s opening, allowing the convoy to escape. As Jonathan watched, the twenty-three Free Karacknid warships that were part of the convoy began to engage the Karacknid ships that had been using their energy weapons to blast their way into the asteroid field. Though the free Karacknids didn’t outnumber their counterparts, there was a very real risk they could win the fight, permitting the convoy to make a dash for safety while most of the Karacknid warships were heading in the opposite direction. If the Karacknid commander had more ships, he needed to deploy them now.

Within seconds, ten destroyers suddenly appeared on the holo display as they began to accelerate towards the new engagement. Jonathan glanced at Iso. “What do you think, Commander?”

Iso shrugged her shoulders. “If they had more, you’d think they would send them as well. But then, how can we be sure?”

Jonathan nodded; that was the crux of the matter. If the Karacknid commander was a wily one; he might suspect even more was going on than met the eye. In which case, he could be holding more ships back. Jonathan glanced at the chronometer on his command chair. He needed to make a decision, as it wouldn’t be long before the fleet of one hundred and fifty Karacknids which had pursued all the way from the border, would be arriving.

You’ve come all this way, Jonathan said to himself. And if you turn back now, you will lose Kal’na’s trust, and probably him as well. Jonathan was almost certain that if he didn’t try to help the Free Karacknid convoy, Kal’na and his ships would anyway. He understood; their families were onboard some of the freighters. “We go for it,” Jonathan decided. “There’s no point waiting around. Take us out of stealth, maximum thrust.”

“Aye, sir!” Iso responded enthusiastically, giving orders for Jonathan’s squadron of fifty-four Imperial warships to stop simply cruising into the system in stealth and instead power up their reactors and impulse engines to full.

As his ships sprang into action, Jonathan waited with bated breath to see if more contacts would appear. To his surprise, more than five minutes passed, and none did. By then, Jonathan was pretty certain the Karacknids had no more ships. If they did, there was no point in keeping them hidden now. His ships were already committed and couldn’t turn back without being drawn into battle. The ships already being tracked by Hammerclaw reinforced Jonathan’s conclusion as every single ship in the system was desperately racing back to support the Karacknid warships fighting with the free Karacknid convoy's escorts.

Jonathan turned to Harte. “Focus on their larger ships first, let’s try and take out their senior commanders. I doubt they’ll run even if it becomes clear we have a significant advantage, but maybe we can reduce the effectiveness of their cohesion.”

“Will do, Commodore,” Harte said seriously. He didn’t look back at his console right away, however. Jonathan raised his eyebrows. “I was just thinking, Captain, what if they have the same idea?”

Jonathan smiled. “That’s the risk we’re going to have to take,” he replied. Hammerclaw had two of her sister ships with her, but that hardly mattered. If the Karacknids wanted, they could focus all their missiles on the three heavy cruisers. However, the problem was that with most of the Karacknid warships still racing back towards the convoy, they weren't going to have the numerical advantage and so it would be foolish to waste missiles by focusing on one target. “But if they do try it, they’re going to make it harder for themselves to keep that convoy bottled up. When it comes to these Free Karacknids, for once, I think the Karacknids are fighting someone they hate even more than us.”

“Aye, Commodore, I understand,” Harte said, sounding a little more confident.

Twenty minutes later, Jonathan’s fifty-four warships fired their first salvo at the Karacknid ships still engaged with the Free Karacknid warships. The six fighter squadrons launched from the two pocket carriers in his fleet raced in after the long-range mark VII missiles. Jonathan's ships followed behind, still charging as they sought to close the range.

The Karacknids had been reinforced up to thirty-seven ships as more of their number returned. Realizing that Jonathan's ships were now their main threat, they had pulled back from the asteroid field and returned fire just thirty seconds after Jonathan’s first salvo. Over the next fifteen minutes, both groups of ships released two more missile salvos before any reached their targets.

Not willing to sit back and play no part in their own rescue, sixteen Free Karacknid warships emerged from the asteroid field and began firing their own salvos at the Karacknids’ rear. The timing wasn’t perfect, but their attacks helped nonetheless. A full minute before Jonathan’s first salvo reached the Karacknids, one hundred and fifty-three Free Karacknid missiles slammed into the force that had been hunting them. Most were shot down, but a couple detonated, bathing the Karacknid ships in antimatter.

The Karacknid force barely had enough time to reform its formation and turn its point defenses towards Jonathan’s missiles before they came charging in. Eight made it through the point defense fire to detonate. Three scored direct hits, punched through Karacknid armor, and blew two destroyers and a light cruiser apart. The other five scored proximity hits and damaged each of their targets, with two scoring crippling blows.

Without giving the Karacknids a second to recover, the six squadrons of Hellcats launched their attack. Four fighters were shot down before they could fire, but the rest launched one hundred and fifty-six small antimatter missiles. They didn’t have the ECM of the larger, ship-fired missiles, but they were small, maneuverable, and they were already very close to their targets when the Hellcats released them. Thirty-two survived the defensive fire hurled at them, dove in among the Karacknid warships and blasted apart another six ships and damaging twice as many more.

As the Karacknid missiles fired at his squadron came into attack range, Jonathan’s fingers dug into his command chair. Flak cannons and arc emitters destroyed many of them. The rest had to face off against the plasma and laser cannons, and AM missile launchers of his ships. “Initiate evasive maneuvers!” Jonathan ordered at the last second as six missiles were still closing in on his ships. Three overshot their targets and flew away harmlessly, two realized they were going to miss and detonated as close as they could, smashing antimatter into their targets' shields. The third smashed through its target's shield, collided with its armor, and detonated. Antimatter connected with normal matter and exploded, blasting through armor, hull, internal bulkheads, and structures of the destroyer Plato.

Jonathan winced as he expected the destroyer to disappear in secondary explosions. Yet none came. “Deploy emergency recovery shuttles over to that destroyer!” he ordered at once as Plato rolled over in the visual he was watching, and a massive hole in her side came into view. It looked like nearly a quarter of the destroyer's mass was gone. “We can’t save her. Evacuate her crew before she breaks apart.”

“Launching recovery shuttles now, Commodore,” Lieutenant Jenner, Jonathan’s operations officer, replied forcefully.

“Hercules and Python are reporting minimal damage,” Albright informed Jonathan. “Their shields are both at less than fifteen percent strength and they've lost a bit of armor and some point defenses. But structurally, they are sound.”

“Place them at the back of the fleet,” Jonathan ordered. “Two more,” he then called out to his officers. “Our attack has already crippled them; their next salvos won’t be a threat. But there are still two more already in space. We need to weather them. So let’s get our ships ready!”

Frantically, for the remaining four minutes they had, Jonathan and his staff officers reorganized their formation, analyzed the ECM and evasive maneuvers of the previous salvos' missiles, and updated the parameters of their point defensive targeting protocols. Long before Jonathan felt they were ready; the next salvo was already upon them.

Despite the stress of the situation, however, as gigajoules of energy were hurled out towards the Karacknid missiles, the tension in Jonathan's shoulders eased. It seemed like their work was already paying off. More missiles were being shot down than before. Even so, Jonathan’s body tightened again as his fleet had to throw itself into evasive maneuvers. Only one missile scored a proximity hit, yet it battered down the frigate’s shield and blasted antimatter into the small ship. Jonathan’s hands tightened into fists as he watched debris and atmosphere spill from a large wound that ran down the side of the ship. “Order Sparrow to pull out of the battle,” he ordered at once. “And get them whatever help they need.”

Once again, Jonathan threw himself into preparing for the next enemy salvo. Only occasionally did he spare a glance at how his own missiles were faring. His mind was too focused on his own ships. For even though he didn't know many of the people who were dying personally, it didn’t matter; they were his people.

Exactly five minutes after the previous salvo, another one came crashing in. Two missiles made it to attack range, both missed their targets and detonated as soon as they realized they couldn’t score a direct hit. Antimatter crashed into the shields of a medium and a light cruiser. To Jonathan’s relief, both shields fended off the destructive particles.

Only once he was sure his ships were safe, did Jonathan fully focus on the Karacknids. With nearly a third of their force already destroyed by his first salvo, Jonathan’s second and third salvos proved devastating. His second had destroyed or crippled sixteen of their targets, and the bomb-pumped laser mark VIII missiles of his third ensured not a single Karacknid warship was left.

Even as the laser beams began piercing into their targets, Jonathan shifted his focus to the rest of the Karacknid warships in the system. There were still forty of them, however, they were spread out and still rushing to join one another. The ones that had been closest to the ships Jonathan had just destroyed had already turned and begun to decelerate, not wanting to face him on their own. "They’ll have reformed in half an hour and then they will charge us," Jonathan predicted. If he understood how Tanaka-lan’s forces felt about the Free Karacknids correctly, they’d probably be willing to die throwing themselves against his ships rather than see the Free Karacknid convoy escape.

“Open a COM channel to those Free Karacknid warships,” Jonathan requested as he swiveled in his command chair to face Lieutenant Rossi. “I want to speak with whoever their senior commander is.”

Moments later, Jonathan bowed his head towards an impressive-looking Karacknid warrior. “I am Commodore Somerville; we are working with Kal’na to help rescue you.”

“I know who you are, Imperator’s Heir,” the Karacknid said as he bowed deeply. “Kal’na has informed us of your willingness to help. We are forever in your debt. I am Captain Har’gna.”

“It is an honor to meet you, Captain,” Jonathan said quickly. “I’m afraid there is little time for niceties however, you need to get your convoy out of the asteroid field immediately. We have a narrow window to get out of here and we need to take it before we are attacked once again.”

“I understand, Commodore, I have already given orders for our ships to leave the asteroid field. They should be emerging any moment now,” Har’gna responded.

Even as he spoke, on a secondary holo display, Jonathan saw new ships begin to race out of the narrow twisting path that led deeper into the asteroid field. His eyes widened as more and more of them appeared. Over the space of sixty seconds, four hundred ships exited the asteroid field.

“That is all of our convoy, Commodore,” Har’gna said. “We will fall into formation with you and follow your orders.”

“Very well, Captain, I’ll have my Lieutenants liaise with you and we will get underway immediately,” Jonathan said as he gave Har’gna another small bow. He ended the COM channel and turned to Iso. “There’s no time to waste.”

“I already have a course plotted,” Iso told him as she pulled up a star map on the holo display. “If we head for this shift passage, we should be able to avoid the Karacknid warships in this system and it should give us the best route home to help us avoid the garrison fleet that is behind us.”

“Get us moving,” Jonathan said as he nodded. On their journey to rescue the Free Karacknid convoy, they had discussed a number of possible routes home. Given how things had played out, Iso had selected the safest route available to them.

As the fleet began to move, Harte cleared his throat. “Commodore, Plato has been fully evacuated. They were unable to set her self destruct.”

Jonathan nodded; he had already scanned Lieutenant Jenner’s report. “Take your shot, Lieutenant,” he said to his tactical officer in a somber tone. At the touch of a button from Harte, Hammerclaw fired two heavy plasma bolts. Both struck the destroyer’s reactors and blew the destroyer into millions of pieces of debris. Jonathan waited only long enough to make sure the shots connected and then turned his head away. He didn’t need to see any more destruction; the day's fighting had already taught him commanding a squadron of ships in battle came with an emotional cost he had never experienced simply being a Captain.

For the next hour and a half, Hammerclaw led the Free Karacknid Convoy away from the asteroid field and towards the shift passage. Kal’na and his ten warships were able to join them as the remaining Karacknid ships in the system combined to make one squadron and then set off in pursuit of the convoy. For the entire flight, Jonathan didn’t leave the bridge, nor did he take his eye off the holo display. He was all too aware they were a hundred light years behind enemy territory and a surprise could materialize at any moment.

As a result, he was staring right at the holo display when eighty new contacts appeared from the very shift passage they were heading towards. Jonathan bit back a curse as several of his officers shouted in alarm. Fighting to keep calm, he pulled up a star map in his command chair’s holo display. His heart sank as he studied it. There were no other shift passages open to them that might take them home. The one they had taken into the system would have one hundred and fifty Karacknid warships waiting for them at the other end of it. Now the newcomers had blocked the passage Iso wanted to take. The only other option open to them that had a chance of getting them home would require them to turn around and engage the Karacknids pursuing them. Doing so would almost certainly be fatal for most of the ships in the convoy. Jonathan shook his head. He could see no way out.

Unaware of her commander's growing despair, Iso brought more bad news. “Commodore, we're starting to identify those ships. One of them is an oversized dreadnaught. Our intel says it is Tanaka-lan’s flagship!”

Jonathan’s head shot up from the star map he had been looking at. Sure enough, he recognized the visuals. Almost every Imperial Commander knew what Tanaka-lan’s flagship looked like. His heart sank at the sight. If Tanaka-lan had come in person to destroy the Free Karacknid convoy, then it was likely there were hundreds of other ships nearby. And even if there weren't, how can I beat him? Jonathan asked himself. Tanaka-lan was probably the greatest military strategist in the galaxy. What chance did he have?

As if to make matters worse, Rossi changed the view on the holo display. Suddenly a massive Karacknid in the most ornate armor Jonathan had ever seen was peering down at them. “That oversized dreadnaught is transmitting an unencrypted message,” Rossi explained. “I thought you would like to see it, Commodore?” Though it was the last thing Jonathan wanted to see, he nodded nonetheless.

“Traitors, why am I not surprised that you have turned to these Human rats to be your saviors?” Tanaka-lan spat. Even though he sounded angry, he was grinning, and saliva could be seen running down his bared teeth. “You want to worship their Emperor? Very well, I will grant you your desires. You will die today with them, and I will do to you what I will do to them. Not a single one of you will be spared; your pathetic genealogical line ends today!”

Jonathan’s hands tightened into fists once again. Anger replaced his despair. Tanaka-lan had invaded and tried to conquer Earth once before. He had killed millions of Jonathan’s fellow countrymen in the process. Jonathan could see in Tanaka-lan’s eyes and face that he intended to do the same, and much worse, in the war that was about to break out between their two empires. “He means to kill every woman and child in this convoy!” Jonathan growled to himself. “He can try, but I’m not going to make it easy for him.”

In his anger, Jonathan sought a way to get past Tanaka-lan. His despair from earlier had been justified; getting past eighty enemy ships was almost impossible, especially now commanded by Tanaka-lan, and especially with his super dreadnaught in the midst of his squadron. As he accepted the almost insurmountable odds, a peace descended on Jonathan. Then an idea came to him. He smiled as it formulated in his mind. Just because we can’t get home doesn’t mean we can’t make things difficult for him, Jonathan told himself as hope joined his anger.

Chapter 10

The opening moves in the Second Karacknid War are key for any naval cadet to study if they wish to understand the course the rest of the conflict took. For what happened in the early engagements inevitably caused the war to progress in the manner in which it did.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Suddenly reminded of his surroundings, Jonathan looked around Hammerclaw’s bridge to find Iso, Harte, Rossi, and the rest of his officers staring at him. Jonathan did his best to give them a disarming smile. “Tanaka-lan thinks he has us trapped. But that's only because he thinks we’re trying to get home. This gives us an edge. One we can use. So, we’re not going down without a fight, are we? Are we?” He repeated more loudly, seeking a response.

“No, sir!” Iso replied, matching his tone.

“What say the rest of you?” Jonathan asked, keeping his voice raised.

“No, sir!” the rest of his staff officers and Hammerclaw’s bridge officers replied in unison.

Jonathan nodded. “That’s more like it. Now, Lieutenant Rossi, get me Kal’na and Har’gna on a COM channel.”

“Right away, Commodore,” Rossi said enthusiastically.

“Commodore,” Kal’na said as soon as a holo image of him and Har’gna appeared in front of Jonathan. “Please tell us you have a plan.”

Jonathan nodded. “I do, but I’m afraid it’s not one that will get us to safety. It will hopefully buy us time, however. Here’s what I need you to begin doing immediately.”

It took Jonathan just a couple of minutes to explain and though it was a long shot, given they had no other options, Kal’na and Har’gna agreed. Moments after Jonathan ended the COM channel, all of his ships and every Free Karacknid ship in the convoy that had any, powered up their ECM to full. Doing so alerted Tanaka-lan that Jonathan was up to something, but he still wouldn’t be able to know exactly what. To keep the Karacknid Imperator in the dark, Jonathan launched all his fighters and moved them ahead of his force so they could be on the lookout for stealthed Karacknid reconnaissance drones.

Once all the preparations were underway, Jonathan had nothing more to do but sit in his command chair and watch as his and Tanaka-lan’s forces headed straight for one another. As the minutes ticked by, Jonathan felt his nerves rising. Tanaka-lan had to know they were up to something as no one in their right mind would charge the Imperator’s force. What is he planning? Jonathan couldn't help asking himself. If Tanaka-lan anticipated Jonathan’s plan, just how was he planning to counter it?

Several ideas occurred to Jonathan. Any one of them could be Tanaka-lan's strategy, and he wouldn’t know it. His doubts made Jonathan question his own plan. Yet even as he went over it again and again, he couldn’t think of any other options available to them. Either they directly confronted Tanaka-lan and ordered the convoy to scatter, or they stuck with the course he had decided to take.

“Kal’na has just signaled, Commodore,” Rossi said, interrupting Jonathan’s thoughts. “They have finished their preparations.”

“Thank you,” Jonathan replied, nodding to his COMs officer. Ten more minutes, he thought to himself as he turned back to the holo display. Time seemed to pass excruciatingly slowly as Jonathan watched the two groups of ships draw closer. Eventually, however, Hammerclaw reached the predetermined point. “Send out the order to initiate,” Jonathan instructed, leaning forward in his command chair.

As soon as Rossi relayed the message, almost all of Jonathan's ships and those in the Free Karacknid convoy dropped their ECM, flipped end over end, and began to decelerate relative to Tanaka-lan’s force. However, forty of the Free Karacknid freighters, along with

the damaged frigate Sparrow, didn’t. Instead, some kept their current heading, while others began to spread out, widening their formation. Just sixty seconds later, they all detonated as carefully placed charges fragmented each ship into thousands of pieces of debris.

Suddenly, Tanaka-lan’s force found themselves barreling straight into a wall of material traveling at nearly 0.5c. Taking into account the velocity of Tanaka-lan’s ships, the closing speed was greater than the speed of light. At such velocities, even a small piece of debris could prove fatal for whatever it struck. Once all the explosions had passed, the final part of Jonathan’s plan came online. More than two hundred Imperial recon drones had been altered over the last hour. Their active and passive sensors had been removed, and instead, the ECM units from several antiship warheads had been installed in each. As they powered up their ECM, the repurposed recon drones bathed the wave of debris in sensor-jamming emissions, making it nearly impossible for the Karacknid forces to track the small pieces of debris hurtling towards them.

Jonathan held his breath. If Tanaka-lan had anticipated his plan and had a countermeasure ready, he would act soon. If so, then Jonathan had forced the Free Karacknids to abandon their freighters for nothing, as the ships they had squeezed onto would be destroyed as easily as the ones Jonathan had just detonated.

“They’re turning!” Iso shouted, just as Jonathan nearly leapt from his command chair.

Jonathan watched, eyes wide, hardly able to believe what he was seeing. Tanaka-lan’s ships were desperately altering their heading in an effort to avoid the approaching debris. He didn’t see it coming! Jonathan realized as he observed the direction Tanaka-lan was veering onto. Jonathan had meticulously planned how the Karacknid freighters were to be detonated to create a very specific debris wave. He had left Tanaka-lan two easier routes to navigate around the debris, either of which would give his convoy an opening. Even as Tanaka-lan directed his ships towards one, Jonathan found it hard to believe the Imperator wasn’t trying something else.

“Commodore, should we alter course again?” Iso asked, tearing Jonathan’s eyes away from Tanaka-lan’s ships.

“Of course!” he said with a smile. He had almost forgotten what his plan called for next, he was so surprised. “Turn us onto a heading of seven, nine, seven point one,” he ordered, choosing the path that worked best given the course Tanaka-lan had selected.

Immediately, Jonathan's ships and the Free Karacknid convoy began to turn again. This time, towards another one of the system's shift passages. The passage led deeper into the Karacknid Empire, rather than to safety. Yet it represented the convoy’s best chance to live to fight another day. Jonathan was certain that as soon as Tanaka-lan bypassed the wave of debris, he would resume his pursuit of the convoy, as would the forty Karacknid warships still behind them, and the garrison detachment likely only an hour or so from jumping into the system. But we will not die today, Jonathan thought towards Tanaka-lan.

A cheer went up around the bridge as Harte updated the holo display to project the course of the convoy and his best estimate for the course Tanaka-lan’s ship would take. It showed the convoy would reach the shift passage just before Tanaka-lan could fire a salvo at them. Jonathan nodded and shared a smile with Iso and then Harte. His plan had worked.

“Good work everyone,” Jonathan said to his officers. “But we need to remain vigilant. Send a spread of recon drones out towards the shift passage. Let’s make sure there are no more surprises waiting for us.”

“Commodore, Kal’na and Har’gna are hailing us,” Rossi informed Jonathan after Iso had given orders for the drones to be launched.

“Put them on the main holo display,” Jonathan requested. He then smiled at the two Karacknids as their faces appeared in front of him. “I’m not sure how long that bought us, Captains, but we are still alive and going to get out of this system. That at least is something.”

Kal’na bared his teeth. “It is indeed, Imperator’s Heir. And for that, we thank you. The fate of our families would have been sealed if Tanaka-lan had arrived here before we got them out of that asteroid field. We could not have done it without you.”

“I promised I would help,” Jonathan replied. “I’m just sorry we couldn’t do more. We are far from out of danger yet.”

“That is why we wish to speak to you, Imperator’s Heir,” Har’gna said. “You have already accomplished more than we thought possible. Now we are only heading deeper into our species’ territory, where it will be even harder to escape. Especially so with all the freighters in our convoy. They may be able to match the speeds of your warships, but they will be almost impossible to hide.”

Har’gna paused and glanced at Kal’na, who nodded at his friend. “Which is why,” Kal’na said, “we want to let you know we consider your promise to us fulfilled. You got our convoy out from the asteroid field. Now, you should focus on saving yourself and your ships. In the next system, you should be able to make a run for it. Tanaka-lan will focus on hunting us down, which will give you a chance to escape.”

Jonathan appreciated the captains’ gesture. He had to admit he was tempted. If he could escape, he’d be able to save the lives of his squadron, and almost as important to him, Becca’s life. Yet, as he glanced at Iso, Harte, and the other officers on Hammerclaw’s bridge, he knew he couldn’t. All their faces were filled with determination. None of them saw the Free Karacknids as allies yet, but they had come to see them as their responsibility. Whether Karacknid or not, women and children were still women and children in Jonathan’s book, and in his officers’.

“We will not be leaving you,” Jonathan said as he met Har’gna’s and Kal’na’s eyes. “We are in this together now. Whatever awaits us in the next system, we will face it together. The fate of your people will be the fate of mine.”

Again, Har’gna and Kal’na shared a look. “Your words honor us, Imperator’s Heir,” Kal’na said. “Even as they bring honor to you. I give you my thanks, and I will make sure they are passed on to all my people. We will not forget.”

Jonathan smiled. “There’s nothing to thank me for yet. All I’ve done is bought us another day or two. We may get to the next system and find ourselves in an even bigger predicament than we were here. Still, as long as we have a chance, there is hope.”

“There is,” Har’gna said. “And it may yet be that we can figure a way out of whatever new trap Tanaka-lan is planning for us. I will send you all the information we have on the next system and the surrounding ones right away. Perhaps you will see something we cannot. It seems you have some skill in that area.”

“I will do my best,” Jonathan promised.

*

Jonathan remained on Hammerclaw’s bridge as the ship raced across the system, leading the convoy to safety. Once they jumped into shift space and could no longer be attacked, he dismissed his crew from their battle stations, yet he did not leave his command chair. He had many reports to read through from the fighting, and the needs of his fleet to see to, and far more importantly, he needed to figure out just what they were going to do when they got to the next system. There wasn’t a shred of doubt in his mind that Tanaka’lan would be right on their heels when they jumped out. And though he had somehow bested the Karacknid Imperator once, he was all but certain he couldn’t do it again. No, Jonathan knew he needed to find some other way to try and get the Free Karacknids to safety.

It was while he was scanning through the different reports on his command chair’s holo display that one caught his eye. It was flashing at him, marking it out as a priority message. As he tapped on it to get more details, he frowned. It was from Imperial Intelligence and marked Top Secret. Where has this come from? He asked himself. As if reading his thoughts, the file spat out more information. Jonathan’s confusion only grew as the file informed him it had unlocked itself because the ship’s computer had determined Hammerclaw had been in combat with a Karacknid warship.

Deciding he wasn’t going to figure out what was going on without opening the file, Jonathan tapped in his long passcode. Immediately, the file opened up and a whole host of images appeared around Jonathan. His eyes bulged and he let out a loud whistle as he took them all in. Reams of information scrolled past him detailing intelligence estimates of Karacknid fleet dispositions behind the frontlines. Maps identified critical supply nodes and industrial operations.

One map in particular caught his attention right away as it was labeled Operation Lifeblood. Jonathan gestured towards it to enlarge it. He couldn’t help letting out another whistle even as he shook his head. The map seemed to be showing at least ten secret FOBs the fleet’s engineers had built. Steinmetz had suggested quite a number had been built over the last two decades, but these were different, they were behind the frontline! Someone had built them in Karacknid space! How? Jonathan asked himself, even as he spotted something else that answered his question. Hidden shift passages! Marked on the star map were shift passages Jonathan didn’t recognize. They had to be hidden shift passages the Kalassai had left out of the information they had shared with Humanity.

The official information they shared with us, Jonathan corrected as he realized what must have happened. Someone, probably his father or Emilie’s husband Mark, had figured the information the Kalassai had shared two decades ago would eventually find its way into the hands of the Karacknids. They kept some hidden, and they have been using them to sneak engineering squadrons behind enemy lines to build FOBs raiding fleets can use when war breaks out again.

As it dawned on him what this discovery might mean for his squadron and the convoy, Jonathan leaned forward in his command chair and zoomed the map in on the area of space Hammerclaw was in. He sucked in a deep breath when he saw something he hadn’t even dared to hope. There was a hidden shift passage not far from the one his fleet was currently heading down! While it didn’t lead to one of the FOBs, it did lead to a different system. One Tanaka’lan won’t know we can get to! Jonathan thought right away.

With his hand, Jonathan then traced out a route to the nearest hidden FOB. The Free Karacknid convoy would have to pass through two more Karacknid systems, but then they could get to another hidden shift passage that led to the hidden FOB. We can hide there, regroup, refuel, and then make a break for it, Jonathan figured as he actually started to believe he could get the convoy to safety.

Zooming the image in again, he saw there was another FOB they could then make for which would almost bring them to the edge of the Karacknid Empire. Better yet, there was then a hidden shift passage that would let them bypass the Karacknid border forts. That is how the engineers' squadron snuck in the first place, I bet! Jonathan was sure.

“What are you looking at, Commodore?” Iso asked from her command chair, sounding confused.

With the swipe of his hand, Jonathan minimized the maps and reports so he could see his Chief of Staff. He couldn’t help grinning at her. With a tap on his command chair, he sent them up to her. “Something you’re going to want to see, Commander. Have a look at that.” Moments later, Iso looked up, her eyes wide as she grinned at Jonathan. “I can hardly believe it.”

“Me too,” Jonathan replied. “As soon as we exit shift space to make our next course correction, hail Har’gna and Kal’na. We need to get moving towards this shift passage before Tanaka-lan can detect us as he passes.”

“I’ll hail them as soon as we can,” Iso replied.

“Good, now let’s examine these files some more and make sure we understand them fully,” Jonathan said, wanting to be sure about what he thought was possible before suggesting anything to the two Karacknids.

Three hours later, Hammerclaw exited shift space at a tight turn in the shift passage in order to reorient themselves and jump back in. Seconds after reverting to real space, Iso had Har’gna and Kal’na on a COM channel.

“I have a change of plan for us, Captains,” Jonathan said to them. "We are not jumping into shift space. There's somewhere else I'd like us to go."

“What are you talking about, Imperator’s Heir? Where else can we go?” Har’gna asked.

“I want us to go in this heading,” Jonathan said as he sent a new course across the COM channel to them.

Kal’na shook his head. “This leads to nowhere.”

Jonathan smiled. “According to your star maps, yes, but there is something there I wish to show you. Something I’ve just learnt about myself.” Both of the Captains looked at one another, and though Jonathan wasn’t very familiar with their species, he could feel their doubt. “Look,” he said to them, “I’m sorry, but I can’t exactly explain where I want us to go, nor how I know about it. You have to trust me. But this is the best option for my ships and your convoy. You trusted me this far, please, trust me again. We have little time to waste. Tanaka-lan is probably only an hour or so behind us.”

“Your course leads nowhere, Imperator’s Heir,” Kal’na said slowly. “But if you’re certain, and if you’re taking your ships that way, then I suppose heading to nowhere is better than heading to the system we know Tanaka-lan will be hunting us in.”

Jonathan smiled. “Exactly. And trust me, this leads somewhere better than nowhere. We need to get going now, however, so I’m going to turn my ships. We’ll carry out an acceleration burn for half an hour to build up some momentum and then we’ll have to coast until we are sure Tanaka-lan has passed us.”

“We can do that, Imperator’s Heir,” Kal’na said.

“Excellent,” Jonathan said. “And if you can, there’s something else. Kal’na has mentioned there are other Free Karacknids out there, even other convoys. I think we can help them too. But we need to get the word out. All of your people who can, need to gather in this system.” As he spoke, Jonathan sent coordinates over to Har’gna and Kal’na. “If they can gather there as quickly as possible, I think they can join us and we may be able to get you all to safety.”

This time, when Har’gna and Kal’na looked at each other, Jonathan could see the skepticism on their faces. However, Har’gna nodded. “If we’re trusting you with this new course, we may as well trust you with this as well. We’ll send our fastest ships. They should be able to escape Tanaka-lan and make contact with whatever is left of our people. Though if Tanaka-lan has been hunting us himself, there may be few left to meet us.”

“That just makes it all the more important that we get word to them,” Jonathan replied. “Speak to your captains and get them moving. Have the rest of your convoy follow Hammerclaw.”

“We will,” Kal’na said before each Karacknid gave Jonathan a small bow and then ended the COM channel.

Jonathan nodded to Iso and she sent orders for his squadron to turn and begin accelerating with their impulse engines. Less than a minute later the Free Karacknid convoy began to follow. Moments after that, four frigates jumped into shift space towards the system they had all originally been heading towards.

Just as Jonathan intended, for half an hour his ships accelerated into open space beyond the shift passage and through the dark matter that made operating a shift drive impossible. Then they cut their engines and went into stealth. Just under twenty minutes later, their passive sensors picked up more than a hundred ships exiting shift space. When the Karacknids had recharged their shift drives, the same number of sensor anomalies were detected, signaling they had jumped back into shift space.

However, Jonathan knew Tanaka-lan to be wily enough to have secretly left a ship behind to watch in case his prey tried to double back on him.  Playing it safe, Jonathan kept his ships cruising in stealth for another six hours. Then slowly he had them accelerate at a rate that wouldn’t give off the tell-tale gravimetric pulses that would alert a nearby Karacknid spy ship.

A full day after Tanaka-lan’s ships had been detected jumping into shift space, Jonathan allowed his ships to go to full power. For six more days they then cruised through open space, seemingly heading nowhere. When they had come out of stealth, Jonathan had explained to Har’gna and Kal’na where he was taking them, but both Captains hadn’t exactly seemed like they believed him. The idea of the Kalassai knowing about secret shift passages that allowed them to travel freely through Karacknid space was too much for their pride to accept.

As a result, a week after he had convinced them to trust him, Jonathan had both Har’gna and Kal’na on another COM channel. “Well, what do you think now?” He asked them as the shift passage started to come into range of their sensors. At the same time, he sent them a map of just where the shift passage led. “We can take it all the way to the system you call Jar’tanung. Tanaka-lan will have no idea where we are.”

“I am sorry I doubted you, Imperator’s Heir,” Kal’na said. “It seems your species, and the Kalassai, have more secrets than we believed. Do you know of more of these passages?”

Jonathan smiled and nodded. “More passages, and I have another surprise for you, if we can make it that far. I’m sorry I can’t share them with you however, these are secrets even I wasn’t aware of until a week ago. For now, I need to keep them close, for I cannot let them fall into Tanaka-lan’s hands.

“I understand, Imperator’s Heir,” Kal’na said. “We too would not want these secrets to fall into his hands. We have trusted you this far, so we will happily trust you in these matters as well. Though I hope one day you will come to trust us enough to share your information.”

“My father is the one who would have to make that decision, Captain, but that day may be closer than either of us think. If we can get your people out of here, I am sure he will grant you your request for asylum and then our two peoples may become friends and even allies one day.”

“That is something worth striving for,” Kal’na said as Har’gna nodded.

Jonathan smiled at them both. They were still far from safe, but now they had a real chance of getting his squadron and their families out of Tanaka-lan’s clutches. And then who knows what the future holds if we can learn to work together, Jonathan thought as he allowed his mind to momentarily think beyond the many difficulties that still lay before them.

Chapter 11

Intel is key in any war. The combatant who knows where his enemy is, and just as crucially, how to get to him, has often won before a shot has even been fired.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Hammerclaw, Jar’tanung system, 13th May 2512 AD, (three days later).

Three days after traversing the hidden shift passage, Hammerclaw arrived in the Jar’tanung system. Once, this system belonged to the Tanulans, but according to Kal’na, it had fallen into the clutches of the Karacknid Empire three hundred years ago. Now, the Tanulans’ homeworld and the other world in their system that they had colonized before being conquered, served as manufacturing hubs. Resources, brought in from several nearby systems, were processed and then converted into electronic components that powered Karacknid civilian and military devices.

Being quite a distance from any hostile territories, the system only had five warships assigned to it. Three orbited the Tanulans’ homeworld, while the other two hovered over their colony. Beyond them and a ground force of several thousand warriors overseeing the manufacturing hubs on each planet's surface, there seemed to be no other Karacknid presence.

Despite having faith in Kal’na’s intelligence, Jonathan proceeded with utmost caution as he led his ships into the system. For several hours, they remained in stealth while passive sensors swept the system for any signs of additional threats. Only when he was as confident as he could be, did Jonathan give the order to advance into the system. As they powered up their reactors and engines, his ships remained stealthy - Jonathan had no intention of alerting the Karacknids to their presence. Their one advantage over Tanaka-lan was the uncertainty of their current location. The longer Jonathan could maintain this ambiguity, the more advantageous he knew it would be.

Maintaining stealth prolonged their journey across the system to thirty-one hours, but Jonathan didn't mind. As long as Tanaka-lan was searching for them elsewhere, they could afford to take their time to ensure they remained undetected.

Upon reaching the next shift passage at the far side of the system, Jonathan didn't immediately jump his ships out. Instead, they spent another four hours navigating up the shift passage in normal space before transitioning into shift space. Hammerclaw’s passive sensors hadn't detected any hidden monitoring stations along the system’s mass shadow, but Jonathan, being cautious as ever, played it safe.

Three days later, when they entered another Karacknid system—this time, one that was home to several asteroid mining bases that gathered resources for Jar’tanung, Jonathan continued his cautious approach. He spent twenty-eight hours maneuvering his ships stealthily through the system, evading the mining bases and the sporadic freighters moving through the system.

As it turned out, his caution proved fortunate. Just two hours before Hammerclaw and Jonathan’s convoy reached the shift passage they were targeting, two Karacknid frigates burst out of shift space from the passage. Instantly, they activated their active sensors and began to sprint into the system.

"Tanaka-lan sent them," Jonathan said, certain of his deduction. "He must have dispatched scout ships across all the nearby systems in search of us."

"Will they detect us, Harte?" Iso queried.

Harte shook his head, uncertainty clouding his face. "I'm sorry, Commander, but I can't say for sure. Based on their trajectory, they shouldn’t come close enough for their active emissions to overload our stealth coating. However, the Free Karacknid freighters are another matter. It might be touch and go."

Iso nodded, exchanging a glance with Jonathan. "Have our ships reduce their acceleration," Jonathan commanded. He reclined in his command chair, attempting to project an image of tranquility. The truth was, however, there was nothing else he could do. Any movement now was sure to result in them being found out. All they could do was wait and hope. As time started to feel like it was passing ever so slowly, Jonathan could feel an urge to tap his foot or fiddle with the buttons on his command chair. He did his best to fight against both impulses.

For an hour, Hammerclaw’s bridge was bathed in near silence as every officer watched the two Karacknid frigates draw nearer, then begin to pass their position. Tension was palpable as they monitored the two enemy ships, bracing for the slightest deviation from their course that would suggest they had spotted something. Jonathan was prepared to order an immediate attack if needed. Fortunately though, he didn't have to. The two frigates approached his ships and the Free Karacknid convoy, bypassed them, and journeyed deeper into the system without exhibiting any indication that they had detected something out of the ordinary.

An hour after they passed Hammerclaw, Jonathan released a drawn-out breath and rolled his shoulders, trying to work out the tension that had accumulated in them. "I believe the danger has passed," he declared, breaking the bridge's silence. "Get us moving again," he instructed. "I don't want us to still be here if more warships begin to emerge from shift space."

"Aye, aye, Sir," Iso responded with gusto.

*

Four days after evading the two Karacknid frigates, Hammerclaw entered her third system since giving Tanaka-lan the slip. Once again, Jonathan took his time to ensure there were no enemy ships that could detect them. Fortunately, the system his ships were now navigating was uninhabited. There wasn't a Karacknid colony, an orbital facility, or, according to Hammerclaw’s passive sensors, even any Karacknid freighters cruising through the system.

"Proceed to the rendezvous point," Jonathan commanded when he was satisfied it was safe to venture further into the system.

Maintaining their stealth, his ships gradually entered the system and began a slow approach towards one of the large asteroid fields nestled at its edge. Six hours later, Lieutenant Durand halted Hammerclaw beside the asteroid field, positioning the asteroids between the vessel and the inner system.

"Open a laser COM channel to Kal’na," Jonathan requested. "Inform him he can attempt to make contact."

"Aye, Commodore," Rossi acknowledged.

Now we shall see, Jonathan mused. Nineteen days had elapsed since Kal’na had dispatched his four swift frigates to alert the other Free Karacknids, summoning them to the rendezvous point. Jonathan wasn't certain whether to anticipate just one or two Karacknid ships or a significantly larger assembly.

"What is happening?" Iso inquired after nearly five minutes passed without any communication from Kal’na.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Jonathan replied, although he was beginning to suspect that whatever was consuming Kal’na's attention was unlikely to be good news. If Tanaka-lan has traced some of them here, we might already be in a predicament, he worried. Thus far, none of his stealth drones or ships had detected any signs of activity within the system, but they wouldn't if Tanaka-lan had orchestrated a trap for them.

"Kal’na is hailing us," Rossi announced a minute later.

When Kal’na’s face materialized before Jonathan, it was accompanied by an image of a large fleet of Karacknid ships. Most were freighters or other civilian vessels, although several formidable-looking warships were interspersed among them. A rough visual count informed Jonathan there were over two hundred of them. "That's not what I think it is, is it?" Jonathan questioned.

Kal’na was already grinning. "It certainly is, Commodore. It seems news of your presence in our space and your willingness to assist us has spread rapidly. Over two hundred thousand Free Karacknids are aboard those ships. They've all gathered here in the hope that you can aid them in escaping Tanaka-lan’s fury."

Suddenly, the weight of responsibility pressing down on Jonathan's shoulders magnified. "Some of those ships appear incredibly antiquated. Can they keep pace with us? Equally important, can they hide if Tanaka-lan comes searching for us?"

"They'll do their utmost," Kal’na assured him. "Everyone here has been fleeing from Tanaka-lan or the other pretenders for over a decade. Our ships may be old, but many of their systems have been upgraded over the years and, more critically, their crews know how to survive. And let me remind you, your ship’s sensors haven’t detected them yet, have they?"

Jonathan glanced at Harte, who shook his head. Jonathan was impressed. According to Kal’na’s data, the new ships were less than five light seconds from their position, and yet Hammerclaw could see no sign of them. He drew a deep breath as he turned his mind back to the implications of all the newcomers. "All right then, you know why I chose this location as our rendezvous point. What do you want to do next? Are there likely others en-route here, or should we depart before Tanaka-lan can catch up with us?"

"I'd like to wait if you're agreeable," Kal’na said. "I've spoken with several leaders from the different groups that have already arrived. They know of at least two other small convoys striving to join us, and there might be more. Two of the frigates I sent to spread news of your call for a rendezvous haven't returned yet. They could be accompanying other groups here."

Or they might already be obliterated, Jonathan thought, though he didn't voice this concern aloud. "What about Tanaka-lan’s forces? Have any of your people encountered them?"

Kal’na shook his head. "Not directly. I suspect they wouldn't have made it here if they had. But they have received reports. At least two other convoys have been discovered and eliminated. Tanaka-lan has ships scouring every system between where we lost him and the border, searching for us or any other Free Karacknid groups fleeing the failed Trava-klan."

Jonathan performed some swift mental calculations. If Tanaka-lan had made a beeline to their current system aboard his superdreadnought, he should still be four, or perhaps even five days away. Naturally, he could have left his flagship behind and switched to a swifter ship, but considering the Imperator couldn't possibly know where Jonathan was leading his ships, Jonathan deemed that unlikely. "I can grant you another four days. We'll see who joins us by then. However, after that, we must keep moving. And if any Karacknid ships or squadrons start inspecting this system, we'll need to depart immediately. We can't afford to let Tanaka-lan learn of our next destination."

Kal’na grinned. "Another secret passage. I'd love to witness Tanaka-lan's frustration when he realizes how we're eluding him. He will be livid." Kal’na's expression then turned somber. "Four days. I'd prefer to wait longer. But we must consider those already with us, as well as those who might yet join us."

"Indeed," Jonathan concurred. "Four days is already perilous enough. Now," he transitioned, turning his thoughts towards what he predicted would be the primary issue demanding his attention during their wait. "What's the condition of these ships and their occupants? Are they going to need any assistance?”

Kal’na bowed deeply to Jonathan. "I understand your own ships are beginning to deplete their supplies, Imperator's Heir. Our situation mirrors yours, and I appreciate your offer of assistance. I'll communicate with the leaders of the other factions and get back to you."

Jonathan returned Kal’na's bow before the Karacknid terminated the COM channel.

*

Nine hours after reaching the rendezvous point, Jonathan was still coordinating logistics with Iso and Jenner for their expanding fleet. As he suspected, incorporating all the newcomers into their convoy and offering them aid had become a logistical nightmare. However, he soon forgot about the headache it was causing him when a more significant problem arose without warning.

"Contact report!" Harte announced across the bridge. "Two ships are emerging over the asteroid field. They're in stealth but not particularly cautious about concealing their approach."

"Put them on the main display," Jonathan immediately requested. When they appeared, it was evident they were both Karacknid destroyers.

"If they haven't spotted us already, they will soon," Iso speculated.

"Hail Kal’na, see if his people recognize them," Jonathan instructed, catching Rossi’s eyes.

"On it, Commodore," Rossi responded as she swiveled back around to her COM console.

"Call the squadron to battle stations," Jonathan ordered next. If the newcomers were scouts from Tanaka-lan, they needed to eliminate them swiftly. And then we'll have to relocate right away, Jonathan was sure.

"I estimate their passive sensors will detect some of the convoy's freighters within the next three minutes," Iso said, providing an update.

"I have firing solutions on them, Commodore," Harte added.

Before Jonathan could issue the order to fire or to wait, Rossi intervened. "Kal’na has responded. They are Free Karacknid ships. He plans to hail them with a laser COM link as soon as they're within range."

Jonathan felt his body unwind at the news. However, the relief was fleeting, as his anxiety swiftly started to mount again. If these were Free Karacknids, they knew that many of their kin were congregating behind the asteroid field. Why had they approached so hastily and risked detection or pursuit?

A minute later, Jonathan received his answer as Kal’na appeared on Hammerclaw’s main holo display. "Commodore, firstly, let me apologize for the rashness of the two captains who have just joined us. I am aware that your instructions for my people were explicitly clear. However, they bring concerning news. They were part of the convoy that was seeking to rendezvous with us here. However, Tanaka-lan’s hunting parties caught up with them. Most of the convoy's warships engaged the enemy to allow the freighters carrying their families to escape. Unfortunately, the battle did not go well.

"Our warships were quickly destroyed, allowing Tanaka-lan’s forces to pursue the freighters. Unable to escape the system, the freighters landed on the system’s inhabited world. It is a mining world with an indigenous population that our Empire has enslaved. The warriors on our freighters led their families into the deep mines that the world is infamous for, where they couldn’t be threatened by orbital bombardment. Currently, they are trapped and likely to be captured or killed by ground troops if we cannot assist them.

"The system is just a two-day journey from here. As they left to seek aid, the destroyer captains observed Tanaka-lan’s forces landing numerous shuttles, presumably preparing a ground assault into the mines." Kal’na bowed deeply to Jonathan. "I know it would be risky to assist them, but over thirty thousand fled into the mines. They will all be killed if we do not intervene."

Jonathan wanted to groan. Leaving the rendezvous point, heading closer to where Tanaka-lan's main forces were, and potentially delaying the safety of the Karacknids he was already responsible for, were the last things he wanted to do. Yet, how could he abandon thirty thousand women and children to be slaughtered? Especially when he was close enough to help. "Send me the details," Jonathan said, already certain he knew what he had to do. "We can't risk our convoy here, but perhaps we can still help."

Kal’na revealed his razor-sharp teeth in a smile. "Immediately, Commodore. Thank you."

Ten minutes later, Jonathan had a plan worked out. "I don't like it," Captain Montgomery said. "It's supposed to be my job to protect you."

Jonathan smiled at his Flag Captain. "It's also supposed to be your job to be my second-in-command. Hammerclaw is too slow for what we need, and someone needs to be ready to lead the convoy to the next hidden shift passage. That is your role. Now, there’s no time for this back-and-forth."

Montgomery scrunched up his face to show his displeasure, but he didn’t protest any further. Jonathan smiled and nodded at him. “Thank you. Now, I’ll take Iso, Rossi, and Harte with me. You can have the rest of my command staff to aid you in overseeing the convoy. And remember, don’t wait any longer than the four days we originally planned. As soon as they are up, head for the shift passage. If we can, we’ll join you. If we don’t, then you must assume we have failed and been killed. It will then be your responsibility to get everyone to safety.”

“Aye, Commodore, I won’t let you down,” Montgomery promised.

Jonathan jumped to his feet and offered him a quick salute, which Montgomery returned. “Iso, Rossi, Harte, let’s go. There’s no time to lose.” As he strode out of the bridge, his three staff officers and Major Becca Samuels followed behind. From the look she gave him as he passed her, Jonathan could tell Becca was far from pleased with the additional risk he was taking. It is my duty, he tried to say to her with his eyes. But his efforts didn’t change her expression. Even so, she didn’t voice her concerns audibly and instead fell in step behind his other officers.

Quickly, Jonathan led them to Hammerclaw’s main hangar. When they arrived, the majority of the heavy cruiser’s marines were already filing into the shuttles at the rear access ramp’s opening. Jonathan made for the shuttle where the rest of Becca’s Imperial Guard Marines stood waiting. “Let’s get going,” he said to them. Two turned and moved up into the shuttle while the other four waited for Jonathan to pass. As soon as they were all strapped in, the shuttle took off and left the hangar as other shuttles also began to launch.

Once they were out in space, the shuttle was joined by hundreds more as all the marines from the larger ships in Jonathan’s squadron transferred over to the light cruisers, destroyers, and frigates of his force. At the same time, nearly as many Karacknid shuttles were transporting warriors across to the smaller Karacknid warships.

“Approaching Spartan,” the shuttle pilot announced just four minutes into their flight.

Jonathan strained his neck to look out a viewport to take in the light cruiser. Rather than the appearance of sturdiness that Hammerclaw exuded, Spartan’s smaller frame and sleek lines made it clear what she was built for: speed. It was why Jonathan had chosen her as his temporary flagship. There was no way Hammerclaw and his larger cruisers could reach the trapped Karacknid civilians within the four-day window he thought they had before Tanaka-lan could catch them. But Spartan and Jonathan’s other light ships might just manage such a mission.

Once their shuttle touched down on Spartan, Jonathan descended its access ramp and was greeted by the light cruiser's First Lieutenant. “Welcome on board, Commodore,” the Lieutenant said after snapping a salute. “I’m Lieutenant Manson. Shall I show you to the bridge?”

“Yes please, Lieutenant,” Jonathan replied. “Do you need any help getting all the extra marines sorted?”

“Major Wentworth has taken charge of that, Commodore,” Manson replied as she began to lead them out of the hangar. “He seems delighted by the idea of trying to fit another two hundred marines on board.”

Jonathan chuckled. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Ridgeway was the commander of Hammerclaw’s marines and the senior commander of the squadron's marines. Since Jonathan had met him, he had been consistently sharing his view that every Imperial warship should have a higher compliment of Marines. Clearly, he wasn’t the only marine officer to think so. Well, he’ll get his fill of it too, Jonathan thought to himself. Ridgeway was on one of the shuttles just behind Jonathan’s, and somehow between him and Wentworth, they were going to have to figure out how to fit a heavy cruiser's marine complement into Spartan.

As Manson led them onto the bridge, every officer jumped to their feet. “Welcome to the bridge, Commodore, I’m Captain Spires,” a very tall ginger-haired man said as he stepped over to Jonathan and held out his hand. “It’s an honor to have you transfer your flag here, even if it is only temporary.”

“Thank you for your welcome, Captain. I’m sure your ship and its crew will be the ones making me proud,” Jonathan replied. “Now, where do you want us?”

Spires gestured towards four free command chairs. “I’ve cleared these four consoles for you, Commodore. You and your team can work from here.”

“Excellent,” Jonathan said with a nod as he moved over to sit in one of the command chairs. “So, what is the status of our ships?”

“There are still about fifty shuttles bringing over the last marines and supplies, Commodore,” one of Spires' officers reported at once. “The last one should be docking within the next three minutes."

“And Spartan and all the other ships have already reported ready to proceed as soon as they have taken on their marines,” Spires added. “Kal’na has also signaled he is ready to depart.”

“Then start us moving as soon as the last marines have been ferried across,” Jonathan ordered, “don’t wait for my permission.”

“Understood, Commodore,” Spires replied.

Six minutes later, as Jonathan requested, all the light cruisers, destroyers, and frigates of his squadron and the Free Karacknid warships turned and began to accelerate away from the convoy. Jonathan’s force numbered fifty-six warships. On board they had an additional three thousand Marines and fifteen hundred Karacknids transferred over from the larger ships.

At first, they remained in stealth as they moved up around the asteroid field. After four hours, however, once they were far enough away from the convoy, they came out of stealth and went to full acceleration as they raced towards the shift passage the two Karacknid destroyers had come from. With time of the essence, Jonathan knew he couldn’t try to sneak into the system where the Karacknids were trapped. Though it meant his ships were likely to be detected by whatever scouts Tanaka-lan had out looking for them, it had now become a race rather than a game of hide and seek.

Chapter 12

Compared to its founding, today the Empire is vast on a scale no Human could have fathomed in the twenty fifth century. Yet naval warfare has changed very little, any commander from those days would immediately recognize the strategies of modern warfare.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Spartan, 19th May 2512 AD, (two days later).

Not wanting to get ambushed as soon as he entered the system where the Free Karacknids were trapped, Jonathan cautiously jumped out of shift space twenty light-minutes outside the system’s mass shadow. After spending just ten minutes observing the edge of the shift passage with Spartan’s passive sensors and launching several stealth recon drones ahead of his ships, Jonathan gave the order to advance at full speed.

Ahead of them, the only visible Karacknid forces in the system were forty ships in orbit around the second planet. Thanks to Kal’na’s intel, Jonathan knew the second planet was home to a species who called themselves the Trihisi. They had been conquered centuries ago and put to work mining the many rich veins of rare metals that their planet was teeming with. As a result, their homeworld's surface was littered with deep mine shafts, many of which were three or four miles deep and crisscrossed back and forth, connecting with one another.

As his ships charged into the system, Jonathan held his breath, waiting to see if any other hidden Karacknid ships would announce themselves by powering up their reactors and engines to give chase. Yet, none did. “I think it's just us and them,” Jonathan said to Iso and Spartan’s bridge officers.

“What if they don’t come out to engage us?” Spiers asked.

Jonathan smiled at the tall captain. “Don’t worry, they will. If they’ve dropped half their crews down there and have sent them into the mines, they won’t want us getting close enough to launch strikes down at the surface to hit their forces. They’ll have to head us off,” he assured Spiers. Now, just figure that out already, would you, he thought towards his opponent.

Though it took longer than Jonathan expected, fifteen minutes after his ships began accelerating, all but four of the Karacknid warships broke away from the second planet. They settled onto a direct intercept course for Spartan and Jonathan’s ships. “Analysis, Lieutenant Harte?” Jonathan requested.

“Thirty-six enemy ships,” Harte responded at once. “From their drive signatures, the computer estimates there are twelve light cruisers, ten destroyers, and fourteen frigates. The four ships that remained behind are frigates. Given our numerical advantage, I estimate we will outnumber them by about one hundred and fifty missiles.”

Jonathan nodded to his tactical officer. Having left four of his own ships behind at the edge of the system, he had sixteen more warships than his opponent. With such a numerical advantage, his force should win the battle with relative ease. The Karacknids did have more light cruisers than him, but if he focused his first volleys on their larger ships, he would be able to destroy a greater proportion of their overall firepower. The problem was, the impending engagement, while likely to result in victory, could end up costing Jonathan a third or more of his fleet. Perhaps even worse, most of the ships that survived would likely be damaged to one degree or another. They would be sitting ducks if there were other hunting parties nearby.

That was why Jonathan had two tricks up his sleeve he intended to use. The first was a very old tactic his great uncle had pioneered. It didn't work well in large fleet battles where massive spread-out salvos dominated the battlefield. But in a small engagement, especially with his ships in the tight ball formation he had them in, there was a chance it would catch the Karacknids off guard. The second was more standard, but having already put it in motion, there was little the Karacknids could do to counter it.

Despite his plans, Jonathan couldn’t help but feel his nerves grow as both groups of ships closed with one another. He had over a hundred stealth recon drones out between his ships and his opponents, looking for any sign of hidden warships or other tricks about to be played on him. Just because they couldn't detect anything, didn't convince Jonathan that nothing was out there. Nor was he completely confident in his own ideas. He knew all too well that as soon as the missiles began to fly, anything could happen. And even if we do fight our way through, we still have their ground forces to contend with, Jonathan reminded himself.

Biting his lip, Jonathan forced the negative thoughts aside. He had already committed to trying to save the Free Karacknids from the mines they had fled into. Second-guessing himself wasn’t going to help anyone. “Tell me when it’s time,” Jonathan said as he turned to Harte in an effort to distract himself.

“We’re seven minutes away, Commodore,” Harte replied. “I’ll update you when we are a minute out.”

Jonathan nodded his thanks and then returned to staring at the approaching enemy ships. It appeared they were content to charge into missile range and duke it out with Jonathan’s force, seemingly having accepted their fate. While it was exactly what Jonathan expected of an outnumbered Karacknid force— their deaths would almost certainly allow another one of their squadrons to catch and defeat Jonathan’s ships—Jonathan didn't allow himself to assume that was all that was happening.

“We’re a minute out now, Commodore,” Harte informed Jonathan and the rest of the officers on Spartan’s bridge.

Jonathan let out a long slow breath and prepared himself. If the Karacknids had any tricks up their sleeves, they would likely reveal them as he revealed his. As soon as the minute was up, Jonathan nodded at Rossi, signaling her to send the order. In response to the message that Spartan transmitted out into space, forty-eight new contacts appeared on the holo as they began to rapidly accelerate. Each was a Hellcat fighter, launched more than an hour ago from the two pocket carriers Jonathan had left at the edge of the system. Each carrier was a light cruiser that had most of its missile tubes and defenses replaced to accommodate two Hellcat squadrons.

As Jonathan had requested, Harte had timed the appearance of the fighters perfectly. As they accelerated hard to catch up to and then overtake Spartan, they would do so just in time to follow in the first salvo of mark VII missiles Jonathan’s ships would fire. Suddenly, the odds had shifted even more in Jonathan’s favor, for his first salvo would now prove quite devastating.

“Something is happening with the Karacknid fleet,” Iso said in alarm moments later.

Jonathan sat forward in his command chair. It looked like some of the Karacknid warships were shimmering on the holo display. It lasted only a couple of seconds and then the images settled down once again, except this time, where there had been six frigates, there were now six light cruisers. Jonathan turned to Harte.

Shock was written across the tactical Lieutenant’s face. “I’m sorry, Commodore. They must have had them disguised as frigates even before we entered the system. Neither our ships' passives nor the passive sensors of the stealth recon drones we launched were able to tell the difference. It’s only now that we are targeting them with active sensors that we’ve seen through the ruse. Or more likely, they knew we soon would and dropped the disguise.”

Jonathan ground his teeth together. He was angry that they had been so easily deceived despite being on the lookout for just such a trick. Facing six extra light cruisers instead of frigates would add an additional forty-eight missiles to the Karacknid salvo, cutting Jonathan's ships’ advantage in half. Though he wanted to vent his anger at someone, Jonathan knew berating Harte or anyone else would achieve nothing. “Don’t blame yourself, Lieutenant,” Jonathan said instead. “We were all fooled. But it is something we cannot let happen again. There’s nothing more we can do now, however. So, let’s destroy this force, an extra six light cruisers or not, we can still beat them, can’t we, Spartans?”

“Aye, Sir!” Iso, Harte, Rossi, and a number of the Spartan’s officers shouted in unison.

“That’s what I thought,” Jonathan said with a smile. “Now, let’s show them just what we can do! Harte, fire as soon as we come into range. Focus fire on those light cruisers.”

“With pleasure, Commodore,” Harte responded. “Firing!” he called out a minute later.

From Jonathan’s thirty-two Imperial warships, two hundred and fifty mark VII missiles shot out towards the Karacknids. Their high acceleration rates meant they rapidly began to catch up to and then overtake the charging Hellcats. Sixty seconds after they were fired, the Karacknids fired their own salvo of three hundred and twenty missiles. Then, four minutes and fifty-seven seconds after their first salvo, Jonathan's ships fired again, this time they were joined by Kal’na’s warships, adding another one hundred and seventy missiles. Though the Free Karacknid missiles were older and so less effective than the ones fired by Tanaka-lan’s force, in this instance, it wasn’t going to matter.

Thanks to the tight formation Jonathan had his ships in, the incoming salvo of Karacknid missiles had formed a tight wave as they tracked their targets. Long before Jonathan's second salvo of mark VII missiles reached attack range, their first-stage engines cut off and each missile released three smaller antimatter warheads. The smaller, more agile missiles targeted the Karacknid salvo and raced to intercept it. Behind them, the slower but larger Free Karacknid missiles also began to turn as they moved to follow their smaller comrades.

Sensing what was happening, the Karacknid missiles started to spread out and tried to dodge the incoming attack. They were only partially successful, however, for the small multistage mark VII warheads were able to outmaneuver them. Just seven seconds after the mark VIIs were released, hundreds of small antimatter detonations erupted right in front of the Karacknid salvo. Nearly a third of the Karacknid missiles were blown apart as they collided with the antimatter particles. Then, less than half a second later, the larger Free Karacknid missiles detonated; their explosions caught many of the wildly maneuvering Karacknid missiles, destroying even more. When all the antimatter cleared, less than half the Karacknid missiles fired at Jonathan’s force were still charging in.

Jonathan smiled; his great uncle’s tactic had worked. Taking out an enemy antiship salvo with one’s own antiship missiles was extremely difficult to pull off, especially if your enemy suspected it. Yet it was a tactic that hadn’t been used for nearly three decades. And we didn’t have our smaller and more agile warheads then, Jonathan thought as he assessed the possibility of trying the tactic again?

Before Spartan and her comrades had to defend themselves, Jonathan’s first missile salvo struck home. With a significant number of light cruisers, the Karacknids put out an impressive amount of point defensive fire. They managed to destroy all but seven of the warheads released by the mark VII missiles. As those seven dove in to attack their targets, however, the Karacknid warships threw themselves into evasive maneuvers. Doing so caused two missiles to miss entirely and three more to only score proximity hits. In the end, only four Karacknid warships were destroyed or badly crippled. Yet escaping relatively unscathed had come at the price of seriously disrupting the Karacknid squadron’s formation.

Into the confusion, charged Jonathan’s forty-eight fighters. Six were shot down before they could fire their missiles, but then the rest released their antiship antimatter warheads. Three more fighters were shot down as they turned away from their targets but the majority of the Karacknid’s point defense fire now turned onto the larger fighter-launched missiles. Released much closer to their targets, the missiles only had a flight time of eight seconds. Seventy-one were shot down in that time. Thirteen remained to slam into the Karacknid's formation, as they detonated they filled Spartan’s sensors with antimatter blooms. When the sensors cleared, ten more Karacknid ships had been blown apart or were falling out of formation.

Jonathan clenched his fist in satisfaction. He had already taken out a third of the Karacknid squadron's strength. His satisfaction grew as the greatly reduced Karacknid missile salvo tried and failed to penetrate his squadron’s defenses. His ships simply had too many point defenses and easily overran the one hundred and fifty-four enemy missiles that tried to destroy his ships.

Judging the tactic worth trying again, Jonathan used his third salvo to strike at the Karacknids' second salvo. Although not as many Karacknid missiles were destroyed, nearly a third were. It was enough to give the point defenses of Jonathan’s ships a good chance at defending themselves again. As they engaged the Karacknid missiles, their point defenses shot down all but two. One missed its target completely while the second scored a proximity hit on a Free Karacknid destroyer. It shuddered as it was hit and a significant portion of its armor was burnt off along with several weapons emplacements. Nevertheless, it continued on, its engines still accelerating it towards its enemies. For a moment, Jonathan thought the destroyer would absorb the destructive antimatter particles and survive. Yet four seconds later, some kind of secondary explosion blasted the destroyer into billions of tiny particles.

“Harte, now we focus on hitting them again,” Jonathan ordered. “Iso, turn us onto a heading of seven, two, two point six. I have no desire for them to get into energy weapon range.”

“Aye, sir,” Harte and then Iso said one after the other.

As Jonathan assessed the holo display, he was now confident of victory. The third Karacknid salvo, fired after his first attack had come in, was only two-thirds the strength of the first salvos they had fired. He knew he wouldn’t get off scot-free when they reached his ships, but his squadron would just have to absorb the losses. Now he needed to return to whittling down the charging Karacknid squadron’s strength before they reached energy weapon range.

Jonathan’s and the Karacknids’ fourth salvos crashed into each other at almost the same moment. Both sides took losses. Kal’na lost another ship, this time it was a frigate, while two of Jonathan’s cruisers suffered direct hits against their shields. One was so badly damaged that it had to fall out of formation while the second lost a shield and a lot of armor but otherwise got off relatively lightly. According to Spartan’s sensors, the Karacknids lost four ships.

Four more salvos were exchanged between both sides as they battered each other. Each time after firing, Jonathan ordered another course change as he kept turning away from the Karacknids. Even so, they doggedly followed him, and the momentum of both groups of ships was in their favor. When the eighth salvo from Spartan struck the Karacknids, they had less than half of their original force left. Jonathan edged forward on his command chair as he watched at least twenty antimatter missiles detonate. If he didn’t stop them this time, some would get into energy weapons range.

As the antimatter blooms dissipated, Jonathan bit back a curse. Six Karacknid ships were still accelerating after Spartan. "Fire one more salvo at them, then order every ship to begin maximum evasive maneuvers,” Jonathan ordered. “We’ll not waste time trying to line up our own energy weapon shots, let our missiles finish them. I just want to minimize their attack as much as possible.”

“Understood, Commodore, sending your orders out now,” Iso replied.

Though he knew the odds were against Spartan being destroyed, Jonathan gripped his command chair tightly as the charging Karacknids approached energy weapon range. There were eight light cruisers still in his order of battle. Even if each of the Karacknid ships targeted one, the chances were slim they’d all score killing hits. Yet knowing those odds and actually facing down a volley of energy beams were two different things and Jonathan couldn’t reason away the fear he felt rising up within him.

As the Karacknids got into range and fired their heavy laser cannons and directed mass beams, Jonathan’s ships were already wildly maneuvering. Each had spread apart from their comrades so that they could twist, turn and weave to make it as hard as possible for them to be hit. Even so, explosions filled the holo display as energy weapons found their targets. Just twenty seconds after firing, the six Karacknid ships disappeared in a blaze of antimatter explosions as Jonathan’s final salvo overloaded their defensive fire. They had accomplished their task however, as four more ships were destroyed from Jonathan’s formation and a fifth badly damaged.

“They targeted the Free Karacknids,” Harte said barely above a whisper. “They only fired at Kal’na’s ships,” he added a little louder.

“What?” Jonathan asked even as he processed Harte’s words. Of course it made sense as he thought about it. Tanaka-lan’s forces hated their so-called free brethren, and while there were tens of thousands of Imperial warships able to replace Jonathan's ships, every Free Karacknid ship destroyed seriously dented their numbers. “Show me,” Jonathan demanded.

As the holo display altered and zoomed in on the Free Karacknid section of Jonathan’s formation, his body tensed. There was a hole in the formation right where Kal’na’s light cruisers had been. Right where his ship had been! “Rectifier, where is she?” Jonathan asked.

“I’m sorry, Commodore, but there’s no sign of her,” Iso said. “The last sensor readings we have of her were when two laser beams connected with her. One moment she was there, the next she was gone.”

“Hail, Har’gna,” Jonathan requested as he felt a sense of loss for a Karacknid he never thought he would.

“Commodore, I am sorry to report, we have lost Kal’na,” Har’gna said as soon as he was connected with Jonathan. “We've detected no escape pods or shuttles from Rectifier. We have to conclude he was killed with the rest of his ship’s crew.”

Jonathan ground his teeth together. He already felt bad enough for the losses his own ships had suffered, almost though, this was worse, for as well as losing a potential friend, he had begun to hope Kal’na might have been the revolutionary leader to lead the Karacknids away from their worldview requiring constant conquest and war.

“You feel his loss, Commodore?” Har’gna asked as Jonathan turned back and met his eyes. Har’gna noted it, “I see that you do. You honor him. He was a great warrior and well respected among our movement. He will be long remembered amongst our people.” Har’gna raised both his hands and extended his claws. “We must go on with our mission, however. Kal’na would have it no other way. He died to free our people trapped on the planet below us, we must ensure that it was not in vain.”

“We will,” Jonathan promised Har’gna. “We will.”

Har’gna gave James a small bow. “Kal’na died because he trusted you were the friend our people needed. He has come to convince me that he was right. I give you my word, Imperator's Heir, as he followed you, so too will I until we lead both our peoples to safety.”

Jonathan bowed deeply to Har’gna. “I’m honored, Captain. I will do my best to live up to your trust and the trust Kal’na put in me.” Har’gna nodded and retracted his claws. “Let us proceed to the planet then,” Jonathan continued. “And if we find any of Tanaka-lan’s warriors hunting your people, we will destroy them all.”

“We will,” Har’gna said, echoing Jonathan’s promise from moments before.

“Then set course for the second planet,” Jonathan ordered as soon as Har’gna’s face disappeared from in front of him. “Begin scanning the planet, I want to know exactly what is going on, on the surface by the time we reach orbit.”

“Aye, Commodore,” Iso responded.

“The four frigates are already running,” Harte reported. “They’re heading to three different shift passages.”

“They’re going to try and find help,” Jonathan said. “Which means this rescue operation needs to be a quick one!”

The journey to the Trihisi’s homeworld took two hours. In that time, Har’gna was able to make contact with the Free Karacknids hiding underneath the planet’s surface. As they approached orbit, Jonathan found himself looking at a complicated map of a large section of the subsurface mines. They ran for hundreds of miles and were far too intricate for his mind to grasp. It was almost like looking at the roots of a massive tree, or rather, the interconnected roots of a forest of trees. There were many large tunnels with hundreds of smaller ones branching off them, many of which connected to one another or even to other larger tunnels. Along them all, there were many bulkheads with large, thick vault-like doors that could be closed in the event of an explosion or collapse.

Five days ago, the Free Karacknids had fought their way into the mines and then began sealing the hatches and doors behind them in order to prevent Tanaka-lan’s forces from reaching them. After reorganizing themselves and receiving reinforcements, Tanaka-lan’s squadron had landed ground troops and began to carefully blast their way through hatch after hatch in pursuit of their quarry. Thankfully, the Free Karacknids had access to a detailed map of the mines and had all their positions accurately mapped. Though they were deep enough to keep themselves safe from any attempt to bombard the mines from orbit, they were able to communicate and transmit the information to Har’gna.

With an accurate picture of where the Free Karacknids were, and decent estimates on the enemies strength, Lieutenant Colonel Ridgway and his command staff were able to put together an assault plan to get into the mines and extract the Free Karacknids. Ridgeway then briefed James and his staff officers on the bridge as they worked out the best way to land his forces safely.

As they finished, Jonathan opened his mouth to wish the Lieutenant Colonel well when Rossi interrupted them. “Commodore, I have another transmission coming from the surface. It’s not on any Karacknid frequencies. It’s from one of the Trihisi, they wish to speak to you!”

Jonathan’s eyebrows shot up as he turned to his COM officer. “Well, I guess I better talk to them.”

A moment later, the image of a very strange-looking alien appeared on the holo display. It had a bulbous, mollusk-like body that was covered in ripples of what looked like fat. Whilst no arms or legs were visible in the image Jonathan could see, the alien's head ended in three long antennae, each with a large eye at its end. “Commander of the warships that just defeated our masters, who are you and what are your intentions with our planet? You have just accomplished something our recorded history says is impossible, you defeated a Karacknid force! Are you the Humans we have heard rumors of?”

Jonathan’s eyebrows rose again at the mention of his species. “I am Commodore Jonathan Somerville,” Jonathan said in response. “I command the Imperial warships in this squadron. You are correct in your guess; we are from the Human Empire. As to our intentions, we mean you no harm. We are simply here to rescue some of our allies before they can be killed. May I ask, whom am I speaking with?”

“You are the Humans!” the alien said in astonishment. “Only a few of us have dared to believe the rumors, and even then, never did I believe I would see you with my own eyes. Is it true, you have made war against the Karacknids and won? Are you here now to liberate our world? If so, we are ready to fight. I am Dasousi, I lead a section of our underground resistance. We have not openly resisted the Karacknids for centuries, but we are ready to do so if the time is right.”

Jonathan’s emotions both rose and dipped at Dasousi’s words. The idea that species within the Empire were waiting to revolt was a very encouraging development. Yet Jonathan was certain that if they tried to do so now, Tanaka-lan would easily crush them. He'd probably destroy the entire planet just to make an example, Jonathan guessed.

“We have defeated the Karacknids,” Jonathan replied as he did his best to temper Dasousi’s expectations. “However, that was two decades ago, and we only managed to win a temporary peace. Nor did we defeat them by ourselves, we are part of an alliance of more than ten species. Together we fought to prevent the Karacknids from conquering our worlds. Now, I fear the war that ended twenty-five years ago will soon recommence. I’m sure you’re aware that Tanaka-lan has won their civil war, and now he prepares to wage war on my species once again.

“As for your world, I am afraid I can offer you little assistance. My squadron is small and we are trapped behind enemy lines. We did not come here to invade or conquer, but simply to rescue some of our friends. I’m sorry I cannot offer your people any help.”

Though Jonathan had just met Dasousi, he could see disappointment fill his face. “But surely, if your ships have come this far into the Karacknid’s Empire, then you could help us. We are ready to throw off our enslavers. In fact, we are eager.”

Jonathan felt even more sadness for the aliens. “I can understand such a desire, and I am truly sorry that I cannot offer you help. We do not have the ships to take and hold the system, nor does my species. It may be that in the years to come we may begin to push back the Karacknid’s borders, and one day we could come to liberate you. However, that day is years away yet. If you were to rise up now, you would only bring the wrath of Tanaka-lan down upon you. You may be able to defeat the ground troops here, but they would simply bring in a fleet and bombard your cities from space.”

Dasousi looked down at something below where Jonathan couldn’t see. He didn’t raise his three eyes for several seconds. “When my species was first conquered four hundred and eighty years ago, the Karacknids bombarded several of our cities after defeating our orbital fleet. We know what they are capable of. That is why we desire to fight, for we would rid ourselves of them forever if we could. However, we cannot risk the future of our entire species. I am glad to have the rumors of your existence confirmed, however, you have proven to be a disappointment.”

Instinctively, Jonathan wanted to defend his species and his Empire, yet he held back. If Dasousi and his people were disappointed in him, then that was for the best, for he didn’t want to be responsible for encouraging them to fight when only death and destruction would be their fate. “I hope one day fleets from my species can return and I can make up for your disappointment,” Jonathan said. “But as I said, that is a long way off. For now, I would suggest your people avoid doing anything hostile towards the Karacknids. In fact, your people should leave the areas where there has been recent fighting. Some of our friends landed on your planet and Tanaka-lan’s forces have been trying to hunt them down. We will soon be landing troops to recover our friends. I wouldn’t want any of your species to be caught in the crossfire.”

Dasousi focused his three eyes on Jonathan. “The only forces that landed on our planet were Karacknids, now they fight one another, presumably as a continuation of their civil war. Why would you be friends with either side?”

Jonathan smiled. “That is the same question I would have asked myself just a couple of years ago if I could have seen where I’d be now. The short answer is that there are some within the Karacknid Empire who wish to change their ways and not focus on conquering and enslaving others. If I can, I’d like to see their movement strengthened. As you can imagine, Tanaka-lan desires to eradicate them all. Those who are currently trapped on your planet in your mines are some of the Karacknids who wish to change their ways. We came to rescue them. For your own safety and the safety of your people, however, I would advise you to stay well clear and not get involved. If we are successful, Tanaka-lan will not be happy.”

“Then I will end our communication here, Commodore Somerville, for I do not wish Tanaka-lan to learn that we have spoken,” Dasousi said. “Thank you for your honesty and for not inflating our hopes. Perhaps, as you say, one day things may be different. Until then, my species will do what it has always done; survive.”

“I wish you luck,” Jonathan replied, “and I will make sure my senior commanders know of your species' existence and willingness to revolt against the Karacknids. Perhaps one day our two species may find a way to help one another.” Jonathan bowed to the alien and then cut the COM channel.

He shook his head as Iso, Spiers, Ridgway, and Harte stared at him. “That was not pleasant,” he said to them. “But what else could I have said?”

“You did the right thing,” Captain Spiers said. “There’s no way we could have helped them, if they tried to rebel, they’d be squashed like a bug.” As he finished, Spiers cheeks reddened. “Not that I meant to insult them.”

Jonathan laughed. “Don’t worry, Captain, I’ve probably met more aliens than you and Dasousi still caught me a little off guard.” He then turned to Ridgeway. “We’re almost in orbit, Lieutenant Colonel, I suggest you better get going. And try your best not to harm any of the civilians.”

“I will, Commodore. We’ll have those Free Karacknids out in a matter of hours,” Ridgeway promised, just as aware as Jonathan that additional Karacknid warships could appear in the system at any moment.

Jonathan returned Ridgeway’s salute and then swiveled around in his command chair as the Lieutenant Colonel marched out of the bridge. Before she could leave, he caught Becca’s gaze. Good luck, he mouthed to her. She flashed him a reassuring smile, though it had little effect on the nerves Jonathan could feel building in his stomach. Then she turned and followed Ridgeway, ready to play her part in the landing.

Knowing he had tasks that needed doing, Jonathan forced himself to swivel around again and not watch her leave. “Begin the bombardment,” he instructed Harte.

As the Imperial and Free Karacknid warships entered orbit around the Trihisi’s homeworld, tungsten spears began to rain down on the landing sites Tanaka-lan’s forces had set up. Each had largely been evacuated already, but there were still a lot of supplies and larger vehicles that hadn’t been moved yet. They all disappeared in massive fireballs. Next, Harte targeted any smaller formations of Karacknid forces that were out in the open. By now, most of the Karacknid warriors had either moved into the mines or sought safety in the Trihisi cities, correctly assuming Jonathan wouldn’t bombard Trihisi cities. Even so, at least several thousand Karacknid warriors were killed in the brief bombardment.

Before the final tungsten spears struck the planet’s surface, more than a hundred shuttles had already taken off from Jonathan's ships. They raced towards the planet’s atmosphere, as they sought to use the cover from the receding ground explosions to land safely. In total, Ridgeway had four thousand marines and two thousand Karacknid warriors that would have to be landed in four waves. As the shuttles flew past Spartan, Jonathan couldn’t help focusing on the one that was marked as carrying Major Samuels and her special forces marines. Though Jonathan knew first-hand Becca was an extremely capable soldier, he still feared for her safety. Be safe, he thought towards her shuttle, even as he feared what might happen to her, and how he would respond if it did.

Chapter 13

I have seen enough visual recordings of ground combat to know I never wish to experience it firsthand. As bad as such engagements appear, even they pale compared to the subterrain battles that have been fought against the Antarians. Each and every time they are a blood bath, and a terrifying one at that.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

As her shuttle began to bump and jostle her around in her seat, Major Becca Samuels checked her plasma rifle for the fourth time, ensuring it was fully charged and set to the correct settings. She had already touched base with the fifteen special forces marines sharing her shuttle and others in the three additional shuttles carrying the first wave of her force to the planet’s surface. As the most senior special forces marine among Jonathan's squadron, Ridgeway had appointed her to lead the landing operations.

"Touchdown in thirty seconds," the shuttle pilot announced as the turbulence from entering the planet's atmosphere subsided. "No sign of opposition."

Relief washed over Becca at the pilot's words. One thing she despised about being a marine was landing on a hostile world. The vulnerability to ground weapons, against which she had no defense, left her feeling helpless — a sensation she detested above all. Ridgeway's plan involved six shuttles performing a flyby of the landing zone before the first wave's arrival. If they hadn't encountered any resistance, it implied that the Karacknids were still hiding from the orbital bombardment.

"Five seconds," the pilot intoned. Becca reached to unfasten her flight seat harness. "Go, go, go!" The pilot instructed, as he slammed on the shuttle's braking thrusters. Almost in the blink of an eye, the shuttle came to a halt just five meters above the planet's surface, gently touched down, he then activated the rear access ramp.

G-forces pinned Becca into her seat, but as soon as they eased, she unharnessed herself and made her way towards the rear access ramp. Four special forces marines led the way out, then Becca was the fifth Human to step foot on the Trihisi homeworld. As soon as she disembarked, she veered left as the marines from her shuttle and the other three under her command spread out to secure the landing zone. Lieutenant Harte had engulfed the area in a hail of tungsten spears, driving away any nearby Karacknids and forming a wide circle of craters.

Dust filled the air and the shuttles took off again as Becca sprinted to her designated crater and dove into it for cover. Her combat armor beeped, warning her that its temperature was rising due to the fires that still raged in and around the crater. Ignoring the heat, Becca moved through the crater to the other side. Cautiously, she peeked over the edge to survey what lay beyond the landing zone. The Trihisi's world was a barren, rocky one. The small granular rocks underfoot and rolling hills in the distance reminded Becca of an Earth desert. Scanning the horizon, she found no signs of enemy troop movements or weapons emplacements.

"Eastern sector is clear," she relayed over her special forces marines' COM channel. "Lieutenants, check in."

"Western sector clear," Lieutenant Gonzales responded promptly.

Several seconds passed before Lieutenant Michaels also reported in. "North clear."

Lieutenant Avery was the last to relay her status. "South clear too," she eventually announced.

Becca switched COM channels. "The LZ appears secure, Commander," she informed Ridgeway.

"Wave one, you are clear to land," Ridgeway instructed. "All shuttles are to return to their ships as soon as they have their troops disembarked. Wave two will load up and land as soon as they get here." Even as Ridgeway began to give out his orders, Becca could hear the whining of more shuttle engines as the rest of the shuttles from wave one began to approach.

"This is Major Jeffers," the marine officer in charge of the first wave reported. "All forces are to move to the craters and join the special forces marines."

In response, Becca's crater began to fill as another twenty marines in combat armor joined her. After speaking to the Lieutenant commanding them, Becca returned to the LZ to meet up with Jeffers. "Have your people secured the LZ?" She asked him.

Jeffers nodded. "We'll take it from here, Major. You can proceed with your phase of the operation. Try not to have too much fun."

Becca smiled as she responded, although she knew Jeffers couldn't see her face through her combat armor. "We'll try not to outshine you regulars too much."

She could practically feel Jeffers rolling his eyes even as she turned away and began to sprint towards her target. "Special forces marines on me," she ordered. "Lieutenant Gonzales, your force will take point. Move out now."

"Moving, Major," Gonzales affirmed.

As Gonzales' marines left their craters and sprinted towards the first line of rocky hills about a mile away, Becca and the rest of her force followed at a slightly more measured pace. Ridgeway's plan was to divide his force into three parts. Becca's special forces marines were assigned to launch a flanking attack on the primary Karacknid force that was still advancing towards the trapped friendly Karacknids. The allied Karacknid warriors landing in the second wave of shuttles were then to launch a secondary flanking attack with significantly more strength. Becca's task was merely to throw the Karacknids off balance and distract them from the main assault on their position. While all this was happening, Ridgeway would lead his four thousand Marines through the mine system to create a pathway for the trapped friendly Karacknid civilians. Then his force would keep that path open for the friendlies to be evacuated.

Becca had appreciated the plan from the moment Ridgeway began outlining it; it allowed the squadron's special forces marines to act independently. Without being slowed down by the pace of regular marines, Becca would be able to utilize her force to its full potential.

"I have the mineshaft in sight," Gonzales reported as Becca approached the hills. "It's three miles ahead of us, built into the next ridgeline."

"Move ahead and secure the ridgeline," Becca instructed. "We'll provide covering fire from here, then move up and secure the mine shaft entrance."

"Acknowledged," Gonzales replied.

Breaking into a sprint, Becca reached the base of the small range of hills ten seconds later. She took just thirty seconds to ascend the nearest one. Upon reaching the top, she dropped to her stomach and crawled the final few meters. Resting her plasma rifle on her shoulder, she used her combat armor's enhanced optics to survey the open valley between her position and the next hill formation. Below her, Gonzales' twelve special forces marines were already sprinting across the flat gravel expanse. Each left a trail of dust billowing up behind them. If any Karacknids were in the area, they would be impossible to miss, although the marines' speed and zigzagging movements made them challenging targets. As she scanned the horizon, however, there was no sign of enemy presence. No adversaries were out in the open, nor could she detect any on the opposing ridge of hills overlooking Gonzales' marines. "It looks clear, Lieutenant Gonzales," Becca reported to her subordinate. "Secure the ridgeline."

"Approaching now, Major," Gonzales replied.

Becca kept her eyes trained on the top of the ridgeline as the small figures of Gonzales and his special forces marines came into view. In groups of four, they spread out and ascended the three small hills overlooking the mineshaft's entrance. Much like Becca, they threw themselves to the ground and crawled up to the hills' peaks. "No sign of enemy activity, Major," Gonzales reported a moment later.

"Understood, we're moving to your position now," Becca affirmed. "Let's go," she added for the rest of her force. "Lieutenant Michaels, take point."

Breaking into another sprint, Becca joined the rest of her force as the three platoons raced across the open ground. Upon reaching the next line of hills, instead of ascending them, they proceeded directly to the large mineshaft. With a diameter of approximately ten meters, it was one of the smaller shafts leading into the underground mining system. Becca understood it served more as a ventilation shaft than a path for heavy machinery or mined ore. Even so, at the entrance to the shaft there was a large landing pad capable of accommodating a couple of shuttles. The shaft itself was sealed by a circular hatch that seemed to roll to one side when opened. "Get to work, Sergeant" Becca ordered, gesturing towards the door.

Two engineering specialists from her marines approached its access panel. They began to fiddle with it and attempted to attach their own control devices. A minute passed, and then one of them turned back to Becca. "Sorry, Major, I don't think we can open it this way," Sergeant Slow informed her.

"Very well, set the charges," Becca instructed.

Reaching into the storage compartments of their combat armor, the engineers retrieved several shaped charges and began placing them around the circular hatch.

"Wave two is landing," Major Jeffers informed Becca over the command COM channel.

"We have our objective secured," Becca replied. "Dispatch the rest of my force towards my location as soon as they disembark."

"Will do, Major," Jeffers responded.

"Charges ready," Sergeant Slow informed Becca a moment later.

"Fall back and stay alert," she responded. "Michaels, keep the area secure. I’m joining Gonzales to survey the surroundings."

Breaking into a jog, Becca ascended the hill Gonzales was on at a brisk, but safe pace. A minute later, she joined her subordinate at the crest of the hill. "No sign of any activity," Gonzales reported as Becca crouched beside her.

Becca nodded and then began to survey the area herself. Approximately six miles to the north was another line of hills that appeared as barren and deserted as the ones she was on. To the east and west was an endless expanse of flat, rocky terrain interspersed with sandy stretches. To the south, however, lay a sprawling city. All Becca could see of it was the large thirty-meter wall that surrounded the city, presumably protecting it from dust and sandstorms that likely swept through the largely flat terrain. Behind the walls, she could discern several spires and towers, but not much else. From the city, a narrow path appeared to lead to the mineshaft below her position, but it was unoccupied. Like the hills around her, the city seemed deserted. They're probably keeping their heads down, hoping to stay out of trouble, Becca reasoned.

Turning back, Becca saw a trail of dust moving towards them from the direction of the LZ. The second half of her force was on its way. When they were in clear view, she patted Gonzales on the shoulder and then made her way back down to the mineshaft just in time to greet the newcomers. "Everyone ready?" She asked the Lieutenants leading the five platoons of her force. When they all nodded or affirmed, she sought out Sergeant Slow. "Detonate in thirty," she commanded. "Everyone fall back," she instructed the rest of her marines. Then she switched COM channels. "Colonel, we are breaching momentarily. Initiating our phase of the operation."

You’re right on schedule, Major," Ridgeway replied. "Good luck down there. I'll see you on the other side."

"Thanks, Colonel," Becca replied. She then turned back to her engineers to see Sergeant Slow holding up both his hands with five fingers spread apart. Swiftly, she moved to find cover.

"Fire in the hole," Slow announced as Becca got out of the way. Five seconds later, the shaped charges placed around the door detonated, melting a combat armor-sized hole right through it.

"Michaels, take point," Becca ordered as her engineers began deploying hundreds of nano recon drones. "Gonzales, leave a squad on your hill and follow us in. Everyone else, let’s move. And remember to keep your eyes and ears open!"

Moving forward, Becca ensured she was right behind Michaels’ platoon. As soon as they entered the mineshaft, they were bathed in darkness. Automatically, Becca’s combat armor switched to night vision. Each marine's armor unit was equipped with powerful flashlights but turning them on would give away their presence. Preferring the cover of darkness, Michaels' platoon, Becca, and the rest of her force cautiously proceeded. Rather than jogging or even walking quickly, they took slow, careful steps, keeping noise to an absolute minimum.

On her combat armor’s HUD, a map of the mine's interior began to unfold as the nano drones explored. The map created by the drones perfectly overlaid the intel the Free Karacknids had provided. With a thought, Becca included the planned route for her assault. They would have to follow the shaft they were in until it connected to another smaller shaft. From there, they would head towards an intersection where seven shafts met. Free Karacknid intel suggested Tanaka-lan’s Karacknids were guarding the intersection as one of the shafts leading away from it led towards where the Free Karacknids were hiding. Becca’s job was to strike the intersection, making it seem like she intended to seize and hold it. In reality, her attack was a diversion to draw as many Karacknid troops towards the intersection and away from where Ridgeway was planning his main offensive.

"No resistance yet, Major," Michaels updated Becca as they began their descent, confirming what the drones had already reported. It appeared the Karacknids hadn't left a guard to watch the shaft.

Confident that their incursion into the mine hadn't been detected, Becca looked around as she ventured deeper underground. The shaft was almost a perfect circle with a narrow flat part at the bottom just wide enough for two marines in combat armor to walk abreast. Instinctively, Becca reached out an armored hand to touch the smooth edges of the shaft. Whatever machinery the Karacknids used to bore the shaft was clearly impressive. Above her, three large pipes ran along the shaft, presumably delivering oxygen or other gases deeper into the mines. "Check those pipes," Becca ordered, not wanting any unpleasant surprises.

"Scanning," one of the marines responded. "They're carrying a standard mixture of the planet’s atmosphere. It must be a backup in case all the hatches get sealed and air needs to be pumped deeper underground."

"Very well," Becca acknowledged. She then fell silent as she followed Michaels' platoon down the shaft. They covered about half a mile before they reached the junction where the shafts intersected. "We’re taking the right one," Becca informed Michaels, though the Lieutenant also had Becca's map on her HUD.

"Checking it now, Major," Michaels responded. "It’s clear," she updated a few seconds later.

"Then we keep moving," Becca ordered. "The intersection we want is about a mile ahead of us, it’s just around a bend in the shaft. Keep your senses sharp, everyone, the Karacknids must know we've been landing troops. Unless they are fools, they will have lookouts watching all the shafts that lead to their positions.”

“Don’t worry, Major, we’ll spot them before they spot us,” Michaels said confidently.

Ten minutes passed as they cautiously advanced down the mineshaft, then something further ahead caught Becca’s attention. She had her wave of nano drones scouting no more than two hundred meters ahead of her forces at any one time. The last thing she wanted was for the Karacknids to detect them and be alerted that an attack was imminent. Some of her leading drones had begun to pick up distant lights. “You see that?” She asked Michaels.

“I’m beginning to see it,” Michaels responded. “It looks like light coming from the ceiling of the shaft ahead. The Karacknids may have the sections of the shafts they're occupying illuminated.”

Becca allowed herself a small smile. The Karacknids were making it even easier for her. According to her understanding of Karacknid physiology, they struggled just as much as Humans to see in the dark, especially if they were standing in a lighted area peering into the darkness. “Use it to your advantage, Lieutenant. Take out any lookouts you spot.”

“With pleasure,” Michaels responded enthusiastically.

“I’ve got something,” one of Michaels's marines whispered over the COM channel a minute later. “It looks like three Karacknids, dead ahead. They’re about a hundred and fifty meters further down the shaft, just before it turns towards the intersection. I don’t think they’ve seen me yet, but they're definitely looking this way.”

“Can you get close enough to use your knife?” Michaels asked.

“Negative,” the marine replied, “there's a good chance they'd spot me first and at least one of them will be able to raise the alarm.”

“All right, let’s improvise,” Michaels said. “Hunter, Jackson, move up beside Rodriguez. All three of you, be ready. I’ll pop a flash grenade and then you take them. Try to do it silently if possible.”

Becca nodded her approval. Whereas flashbangs were designed to disorient a target both visually and audibly, flash grenades only emitted a piercing light. For those peering into the darkness, it would catch the Karacknids by surprise.

“We’re ready,” Rodriguez informed Michaels.

In front of her, Becca saw Michaels reach out and tap the edge of the shaft with her armored fist. Being twenty meters behind Rodriguez, she was far enough back that there was no way the Karacknids could see her. However, they heard her right away. All three of them turned to peer towards where the sound was coming from. At that instant, Michaels detonated her flash grenade. All three Karacknids let out hisses as clawed hands snapped up to cover their eyes.

The light from the flash grenade allowed Becca to watch as Rodriguez and Michaels's other two marines charged. Broke into a sprint, they nevertheless moved almost silently, each already had their long nano-carbon knives out. The Karacknid warriors, sensing the sudden burst of light was the beginning of an attack, forced their eyes open and reached for their laser rifles. None of them were quick enough, however. Each marine reached out and slashed at their throats, piercing through the weak spots in their armor and connecting with arteries and vocal cords. Sparks flew as Karacknid claws slashed at their attackers' metallic armor, but none of the attacks were accurate enough to penetrate the combat armor’s weak spots. Swiftly, Rodriguez, Hunter and Jackson wrestled their targets to the ground and held them until they stopped struggling.

“They are down,” Rodriguez reported. “I don’t think they managed to raise an alarm.”

“Move to the bend in the shaft,” Michaels ordered her platoon. “Make sure there are no more Karacknids coming this way.”

As Michaels's marines moved, Becca ordered her nano drones to the corner of the shaft as well. She sent just one around it to get a visual. Peering further down the shaft towards the large intersection that was their target, it appeared Rodriguez had been correct. Becca could see quite a number of Karacknid warriors moving about further down the shaft towards the intersection, but none were looking up towards their position. “It looks like we're clear,” Becca said to her marines. “Everyone move up to the bend in the shaft and get ready.”

This is it, she thought to herself. No matter how sneaky they were from here on in, the Karacknids were about to learn they were under attack. And then they will turn their full force on us, Becca was sure. Just as Ridgeway hoped. When the Lieutenant Colonel had outlined his plan, Becca had agreed to it immediately. Now however, she couldn’t deny the butterflies that filled her stomach at the prospect of poking the hornet's nest in front of her.

Chapter 14

Initially the Marine’s medics specialized only in providing augments for a select few of their force. Now every marine receives advanced augments, and our medics’ can now also augment Gramrian and Karacknid special forces as well.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Doing her best to ignore her nerves, Becca followed her own orders and moved up to where the bodies of the three dead Karacknids lay. It felt wrong to step out of the darkness into the light coming from the ceiling of the shaft, but there was nothing she could do about that. As the rest of her one hundred-strong force gathered, she sent the same single nano drone forward towards the large intersection. If the Karacknids had any of their own nano drones watching the area, she didn’t want them alerted just yet.

“It looks like they’re using it as a supply hub,” she said to her Lieutenants who were all receiving the same feed. This large intersection covered an area of several football fields. The Karacknid warriors had several large machines that looked like anti-gravity trucks parked along one side of it. Quite a number of crates were stacked together as well. There were even some large tent-like buildings, possibly serving as barracks for the Karacknids hunting the Free Karacknids. In the far distance, down one of the shafts, the drone also began to pick up the sounds of weapons fire. “The Free Karacknids are down there,” Becca said as she highlighted the large mining shaft that the sounds were coming from.

“All right,” Becca said to her Lieutenants. “Here’s the plan. There’s no way we can cover the distance to the intersection without being spotted, so we're not going to try being stealthy. We’ll use the nano drones to blow as many of the lights as we can and then charge. They don't look like they're expecting us, so speed is our best ally now. We’ll take the intersection, set up a defensive perimeter, and then draw them onto us. Everyone in agreement?”

Each of Becca’s Lieutenants replied in the affirmative with none having any additional suggestions. “Then get ready, we go on my mark,” Becca said. As her force got ready, she carefully began to send her nano drones down towards the intersection. Handfuls of them stopped right below the ceiling lights and hovered in place. To Becca’s surprise, her drones didn’t encounter any Karacknid ones.

“Three, two, one, mark!” Becca shouted when her drones were all in position. At the same time, she sent an order to each of the drones to detonate. Though they were microscopically small, the drones were designed to be able to cluster together and then detonate with a small amount of explosive force. It wasn't much, but it was enough to blow out many of the ceiling lights. Suddenly, the small shaft Becca’s marines were in was bathed in darkness once again along with nearly half of the large intersection.

The moment she sent the order to the drones, Becca also broke into a sprint as she followed Michaels’ platoon. Though they were all trying to be quiet, footfalls from a hundred special forces marines in combat armor soon began to echo down the mineshaft. Cries of alarm went up the minute the lights were blown. Initially, they drowned out the footfalls, but as the marines got closer, the Karacknid warriors must have heard something, for a stream of laser beams started zipping down the mineshaft. Two marines were hit before anyone could react. Then, a hail of plasma bolts took out all the Karacknids near the mineshaft’s opening.

“Grenades,” Michaels shouted. “And charge!”

Flashbangs and high explosive grenades were hurled down the shaft and into the large intersection. Becca’s helmet automatically shielded her from the intense light given off by the flashbangs. Through the gaps in the marines in front of her, she could see Karacknid warriors covering their eyes or diving for cover. Seconds later, more laser beams began to rain down on the marines who had now broken out into a sprint. Three more fell but then the squads of Michaels' platoon reached the intersection. Without needing instructions, they split left and right as they exited the small mineshaft. Laser beams cut down another marine beside Becca but then she reached the intersection and moved right, firing at any target that presented itself.

“More grenades, second platoon!” Becca ordered as she dove behind a crate. From the marines who followed her in, another thirty grenades were lobbed up high into the air and across to the far side of the intersection. As they detonated and Michaels' platoon laid down covering fire, the four other platoons of Becca’s command charged into the intersection and sought cover. “Advance!” Becca ordered as the flashbangs had finished bathing the intersection in light.

Moving forward rapidly, each squad charged once again. The special forces marines moved with such speed that they covered the distance to the crates and hover trucks Karacknid warriors were using for cover before the Karacknids knew how close the danger was. Point-blank firefights or even hand-to-hand combat broke out as the marines crashed into their opponents. The fighting lasted barely thirty more seconds as the marines crossed the large intersection and took out almost every Karacknid warrior. A handful, realizing they stood no chance, fell back down a couple of the mineshafts leaving about fifty of their comrades’ bodies behind.

“Intersection is clear, Major,” Michaels reported as Becca scanned the area looking for more targets. She had shot down one Karacknid warrior but remained behind the first piece of cover she had found to be able to coordinate the fight if necessary. The marines had been so relentless though no additional orders had been needed.

“Good work marines,” Becca said proudly. “Now, get to work. Get these hover trucks moved up to seal the mineshafts and move whatever crates are needed. I want defensible positions set up within a couple of minutes.” On her HUD Becca began to select the various mineshafts that led away from the intersection and assigned them to each of her four platoons. Next, she released half her nano drones to head down the six other mineshafts leading off the intersection to look for trouble. According to the Free Karacknid’s intel, most of Tanaka-lan’s forces were still below her position. She had no doubt that as soon as they learned their rear had been attacked, they would be coming her way. Which meant they had to get ready quickly.

“Sergeant Slow, have your engineers start laying demolition charges,” Becca ordered. “Then move back up the shaft we attacked from with your hypervelocity launchers. I don’t want to lose any of them until we need them. Sergeant Hutchinson, take charge of our wounded. Get them moved back up the mineshaft and back to the LZ.”

As her marines got to work, Becca moved forward to check on each mineshaft. There was no way the Karacknid hover trucks, nor the crates of supplies being moved to block the mineshafts would hold back a serious attack for long, but her job wasn’t to capture and hold the intersection. She just needed to get the Karacknids’ attention.

A beep on her HUD told her a counter-attack was incoming. A number of the nano drones she had sent down two of the shafts were starting to come under attack. The Karacknids had finally deployed their own drones towards her location. “Shafts two and three, get ready,” she warned her marines.

Sure enough, just thirty seconds after the last of her nano drones were destroyed or forced out of the two shafts, Karacknid warriors came charging down them. Moments before, someone had turned off all the remaining lights in the intersection and down the shafts. It didn’t hinder Becca’s marines however, and quickly hundreds of plasma bolts began to easily cut down the Karacknid’s charge. Even though they were attacking down two of the larger mineshafts that were about four times the diameter of the smaller one Becca had launched her attack from, it was still a narrow vector of attack, giving the defenders a significant advantage. Both attacks barely lasted a minute before the Karacknids retreated back down both shafts leaving at least thirty warriors dead behind them.

“They’re going to need a lot more warriors than that if they’re going to get past us,” Gonzales quipped.

“Don’t get too cocky,” Becca warned, “according to the intel, there are at least five thousand of them down here.

“If they keep blindly charging like that, we could take them all,” Gonzales responded. “Though, I might need to recharge my plasma rifle to get them all.”

Becca didn’t respond to Gonzales’ bravado. Of course, if the Karacknids wanted to do just that, she wasn’t going to complain, but the warriors were meant to be among Tanaka-lan’s best. They might have tried a hasty frontal attack to test her defenses, but Becca expected whatever came next to be more serious.

A full five minutes passed before another attack came. The first sign that something was happening was when Becca’s nano drones down another smaller shaft began to come under attack. “Shaft one, looks like you’re up,” she warned her marines guarding it.

This time, before charging, the Karacknids hurled some of their own grenades at the defenses blocking shaft one. Though her marines were already taking cover, shrapnel from the explosions injured two more of Becca’s people. As they were dragged to safety, the rest jumped up from their cover and began to fire at the charging Karacknids. Moments later, Imperial grenades started to detonate among the Karacknid warriors. At least a hundred Karacknids died, though their charge was nearly successful. The closest Karacknids got to within fifteen meters of the makeshift defenses. A couple managed to hurl grenades over the defenses and into the intersection. Becca ducked down just in time to take cover from the explosion.

Just as the Karacknid’s attack began to falter, suddenly Becca’s remaining drones in almost all the other shafts came under attack. “That was just a diversion!” she warned her Lieutenants. “A bigger attack is incoming!”

Simultaneously, Karacknids began to charge down four of the other shafts. They hurled grenades and poured laser beams onto Becca’s defenders. Becca stayed behind cover and watched the fight play out on her HUD. Within seconds she got the feeling two of the attacks were the main threat. “Michaels, send your reserves to shafts three and four,” she ordered. “Marines, don’t hold back any grenades. This is it.”

Seemingly willing to pay any price to regain the intersection, hundreds of Karacknids charged down all the mineshafts. As plasma bolts and grenades killed many of them, those that came behind had to charge over the bodies of their fallen comrades. Doing so didn’t seem to deter them, however, for they attacked with a ferocity that shocked Becca, despite all the reports she had read of battles from the Karacknid War. We won’t be able to hold for much longer, she told herself as the casualty list on her HUD began to quickly rise.

“Major, come in Major,” Sergeant Hutchinson’s voice crackled over Becca’s COM unit.

“I’m here, Sergeant, what is it?” Becca asked, even as she focused most of her attention on the fighting.

“We’ve made contact with Karacknid warriors,” Hutchinson said.

Becca forgot about the battle in front of her in an instant. Hutchinson had been evacuating their wounded up the mineshaft they had come down through. “What is your status now?” She demanded.

“We fought them off, but they are now between us and you,” Hutchinson said. “There were at least twenty of them, though there could be more. We’re pulling back to the surface now.”

Becca swore. The Karacknids were trying to cut her off. No, she thought to herself, They already have! “Get to safety,” she ordered Hutchinson. “Don’t worry about us.” With a thought, Becca then ordered most of her remaining nano drones into the two mineshafts the Karacknids weren’t attacking through. As she did, her eyes flicked to the one that led deeper under the planet’s surface. If they couldn’t fight their way through the Karacknids moving to block them, then she'd have to retreat down it. Yet she didn’t want to lead her forces deeper into the mines. Especially when she didn’t know what was down there. And maybe they have left that one open for us intentionally, a voice in Becca’s mind suggested. It could very well be a trap. We need to get moving! She told herself.

Without warning, two explosions rocked shafts three and four. The shockwaves slammed into the crate Becca was taking cover behind and caused it to topple towards her. With one hand, Becca delayed the crate's fall whilst she used her other hand and her feet to jump out of its way. Landing on her feet, she looked to see two massive fireballs where the makeshift defenses along the entrances to mineshafts three and four had been.

“They have missile launchers!” someone shouted over the command channel.

Becca reacted at once. “Engineers, return fire, blow shafts one to five!”

Immediately, the engineers Becca had held back in the shaft they had used to reach the intersection moved out into the open. Each had a hypervelocity missile launcher already resting on their shoulder. “Firing!” Sergeant Slow announced seconds before five hypervelocity missiles shot out of their launchers. In the blink of an eye, they rocketed across the intersection and disappeared down the shafts. Each struck the roof of their respective mineshafts less than a second after being fired. The ground underneath Becca’s feet shook, and then flames, rubble, and dust came billowing out of each shaft.

“Time to move!” Becca ordered. “I’m sorry, but we have no time for the fallen. Platoons, gather your wounded and let’s get moving. Gonzalez, take your platoon back up our mineshaft. Prepare for contact, Hutchinson reports there are Karacknids in the shaft trying to block us. We need to punch through them… Belay that!” Becca shouted as she glanced at her HUD. She then swore again. The nano drones she had sent back up the shaft were detecting at least fifty Karacknids moving towards them.

“Rearguard, prepare for contact,” she warned the squad she had guarding the shaft. Then she checked the other open shaft. So far, her drones there hadn’t encountered any signs of the enemy. “Gonzales, take shaft seven instead. Everyone, we’re falling back through shaft seven. Get moving at once. The main Karacknid attack will likely resume at any moment.”

As quickly as she could, Becca organized the retreat of her forces down shaft seven. Initially, she left a squad of marines at each of the other shafts. As she predicted, the Karacknids began their attack as soon as the flames died down from the hypervelocity missile detonations. Climbing over a mixture of rubble and dead bodies, the Karacknid warriors screamed battle cries as they charged. The remaining squads shot down many more of them, but they could only delay the Karacknid charges by a handful of seconds. Becca remained in the intersection until every one of her wounded was taken out and the lead squads of her five platoons were already moving down shaft seven. “All right, rearguard squads, fall back,” she ordered even as she turned and ran down shaft seven herself. About a hundred yards down the shaft, Michaels’ platoon had set up a firing line. As Becca’s rearguard came charging down the shaft, Michaels’ marines fired past them and into the Karacknids that were starting to swarm into the intersection.

“Sergeant Slow, blow your charges!” Becca ordered as soon as the last of her rearguard squads came barreling past her.

Once again, the ground under Becca’s feet rumbled as all the demolition charges Sergeant Slow and his engineers had placed on the Karacknid supply crates and equipment in the intersection detonated. Dust and flames shot up shaft seven and engulfed Becca and Lieutenant Michaels' marines. Becca’s combat armor beeped at her, warning her of the heat, but it held together as she braced herself against the force of the shockwaves. Through her feet, she could feel more vibrations as she guessed chunks of the intersection’s roof were breaking off and collapsing in on the Karacknid warriors. They’re going to keep coming, Becca thought as images of the ferocity of the Karacknids' charge filled her mind. Intellectually, she had known the Karacknids were ruthless enemies, but now that she had seen it firsthand, she knew no report could ever capture what it was like to truly face them.

"Michaels, your platoon is on rearguard," Becca ordered as soon as the flames receded, and her COM unit reported it was back in contact with the marines around her. "That will hold them back for a little while, but they are going to keep coming. You’re going to have to buy us as much time as possible. Sergeant Slow, move up to the next emergency hatch. See if you can override it and get it to close. If we can, I want to start closing the hatches behind us and sealing them. Both of you, let me know if you need me. Right now, I need to move forward and see just what is ahead of us." And make sure we are not heading into a trap! Becca thought but didn't add as she turned and quickly moved down shaft seven to catch up with Gonzalez and see just what she had gotten her marines into.

Chapter 15

No matter how good one’s intel is on a system or planet, if you can, always hire the expertise of a local scout. Many a Fleet Captain has had their plans thwarted by an uncharted asteroid field or comet.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Becca quickly made her way to the front of her moving formation to join Gonzales as his marines scouted their way down the mineshaft. As she did, she pulled up the map of the mines the Free Karacknids had provided. She had already checked to ensure the shaft didn't lead towards another intersection Tanaka-lan’s marines held, but beyond that, she hadn't had time to plan an escape route. Seeing the shaft they were in split about a mile ahead and that both branches led to intersections with shafts going back towards the planet’s surface, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Now, she thought to herself, which one should I choose? After taking thirty seconds to trace several potential routes, she decided on the right fork. There were three different paths leading to mineshafts that surfaced relatively close to the LZ. Her marines still had quite a march ahead, at least ten miles, but they would be far from any of the enemy cities. She knew that if necessary, Ridgeway could send shuttles to pick up her wounded wherever they emerged. That’s assuming the other forces don’t need them, Becca reminded herself. Given how aggressive the Karacknids had proven to be, she was almost certain they would.

"We'll take the right fork up ahead," Becca informed Gonzales, her decision made.

"Understood, Major," Gonzales replied.

"We've got contact," Michaels suddenly shouted over the command COM channel. "Karacknids are pushing up our shaft now."

"Acknowledged," Becca said, knowing Michaels didn't need any further instructions. "Pick up the pace, Gonzales," she ordered. Becca stopped moving with forward elements of her force and stood to one side to allow marines to file past her. If it weren't for her injured, she knew she could order her unit to break into a sprint and they'd be able to move faster than any Karacknid pursuer. However, it took two marines to carry a marine in combat armor, and she couldn’t order her injured to be removed from their armor, as in many cases, it was the armor’s built-in medical systems that were keeping them alive.

When her force had moved past her, Becca headed back towards the signs of fighting unfolding in the mineshaft to their rear. "How's it going?" She asked when she reached Sergeant Slow and his engineers.

"We've hacked through some of the control systems," Slow said. "The problem is, they aren't Karacknid in design. Or at least, not entirely. I think the Karacknids have had the locals design and build out the mine systems.”

"Can you get it closed or not?" Becca demanded, certain Michaels and his marines didn't have the time for lengthy explanations.

Sergeant Slow shook his head. "If I had another ten minutes, maybe. But I doubt we have that long."

"No, we don’t," Becca said. "Forget about this hatch. Move to the front of our force and see if you can find another one. Try to put what you've learned here to use and get it sealed. If not, move on again. We can’t slow down to let you experiment, but you need to do your best regardless. Our escape may depend on you sealing one or two of these hatches."

"Aye, Major," Slow said as he and his engineers began packing up their equipment.

Becca switched COM channels to update Ridgeway on her progress. "Lieutenant Colonel, I have a sit rep for you… Lieutenant Colonel?" On her HUD, her COM unit indicated it was broadcasting on the correct channel. Quickly, she ordered it to run a diagnostic. When the diagnostic came back green, she checked her COM history. She hadn't received any messages since her force had begun its assault on the Karacknid-controlled intersection. Maybe we're too deep, she told herself, as she should have received a message from Ridgeway informing her of the Free Karacknids' feint attack. Or we're being jammed, she speculated. Either way, there was nothing she could do about it now, especially as she was still deep underground. We have to go deeper before we can ascend, she thought as she turned and broke into a fast jog to follow Slow’s engineers. The noise from Michaels' platoon trying to hold back their pursuers echoed down the mineshaft.

"Lieutenant Avery, have your platoon gather any unused grenades and other heavy weaponry, then prepare to relieve Michaels' platoon," Becca ordered as she caught up with Avery’s marines.

"Understood, Major," Avery responded.

"Ah, Major, you're going to want to come up here and see this," Gonzales said a minute later as Becca continued to make her way forward to join him.

"What is it, Lieutenant?" Becca asked as she accessed the nano drones closest to Gonzales’ position to see what was happening. She gasped when she saw three small aliens standing next to her Lieutenant.

"We just reached the intersection, Major," Gonzales informed her. "We were securing it when three Trihisi appeared from nowhere. I think they have hidden doorways built into their intersections. I can’t see where else they came from. Their leader wants to speak with you."

"I'm coming," Becca said, suppressing a groan. Whatever the aliens wanted, she didn't need any more complications, nor did she want them caught in the crossfire. "Avery, hold your position and let Michaels' platoon pass you by. You might need to buy us more time while I figure out what's going on."

"Understood, Major, we'll do our best," Avery responded.

Becca then broke into a sprint as she dashed down the right fork of the mineshaft towards the intersection where Gonzales and the aliens awaited. When she arrived, Becca had to catch her breath, for the Trihisi were amongst the strangest aliens she had encountered in person. Their long, hairless, wrinkled bodies and short legs reminded her of moles back on Earth. Yet the three antennae that each ended in a large eye were like something from a horror holo-drama about a mutant crab. The combination sent a shiver down her spine.

Despite her revulsion, Becca retracted her combat armor’s helmet so she could speak to the aliens eye to eye. "Greetings," she said. "I am Major Samuels. My marines have been fighting the Karacknids, and their forces are pursuing us. They will likely reach this intersection in several minutes. What can I do for you?"

"Greetings, Human, I am Supervisor Gisof. It is because you are fighting the Karacknids that I am here. They have exploited my people for centuries. My parents were killed by them for daring to complain about their harsh treatment. I am part of a group prepared to revolt against them to put an end to their atrocities once and for all."

"I know my commander, Commodore Somerville, spoke with one of your leaders. I believe his name was Dasousi. However, as my commander stated, we cannot help you overthrow the Karacknids at this time. If you get involved with what we are doing, it will only end badly for your people," Becca said, growing impatient. She didn't have time to revisit Somerville's diplomatic discussions.

"We are aware of the words your commander shared with Dasousi and we agree we cannot be seen to openly help you," Gisof said. "However, we thought perhaps you might appreciate some covert assistance." As he spoke, Gisof pulled something resembling a datapad from beneath his long body. He tapped it with one of his short, stubby fingers and an image appeared that Becca recognized right away. It was a map of the underground mining tunnels they were in.

"I am one of the Supervisors of the mining operations in this part of our planet," Gisof explained. "I have access to all the mine control systems." Reaching forward, Gisof tapped on the map at a location Becca guessed was close to where they were. "I have just closed one of the emergency hatches between your people and the Karacknids pursuing them. It is locked and will not open for the Karacknids."

Becca’s eyes widened at Gisof’s words and actions. “You can shut down any hatch you wish to?" she stammered.

Gisof’s mouth widened. “I can, Major.”

"One moment," Becca said, holding up a finger and turning slightly away from the alien. “Lieutenant Michaels, status update?” She requested.

"Major, we were in a close-run firefight with our pursuers. One of the emergency hatches just closed right in front of us though, almost trapping us with them, but we're all okay. Did Sergeant Slow get them working?"

“Negative, Lieutenant,” Becca replied. “I’ll explain in a moment, just get your people moving. Join up with us as soon as you can.” Becca turned back to Gisof with a smile. “Well, it appears you are capable of doing what you say. If you’re willing to help us further, I’m not going to refuse your offer. But do you understand the consequences if the Karacknids realize what you’ve done?”

"We understand," Gisof said. "We have already made it look like the command software for the mine controls has been hacked. No one but us three here knows what we are doing, and the secret will die with us if necessary. To the Karacknids, it should appear that you are the ones who have taken control of their systems."

“Excellent,” Becca said, her smile widening. “Perhaps one of your people should speak with my engineer, Sergeant Slow. He can explain our systems to you and then maybe help you make the hack look more like it came from us.”

Gisof bowed his head towards Becca. “That sounds wise, Major.”

“Sergeant Slow, come and join us at this intersection,” Becca requested over the COM channel. “Now,” she said, lowering herself to one knee so that she was closer to Gisof. “Explain to me just what you have control over.”

Three minutes later, Becca stood again, feeling far more confident about her situation. Already, Gisof had closed and sealed two more emergency hatches behind Michaels’ retreating forces. More importantly, he had all but guaranteed he could lead Becca’s troops back to the surface and to safety. More intriguingly, however, were the other ideas Gisof had shared. Through the control systems, Gisof was able to get a good idea of where a significant portion of the Karacknid forces were. He could also open and close all the emergency hatches within about three miles of their current location. That gave Becca an opening. Her mission was to distract the Karacknids as much as possible so that Lieutenant Colonel Ridgeway could evacuate the Free Karacknid civilians. Technically, she had already played the part Ridgeway was expecting, but now she could do even more. How can I pass up such an opportunity? she asked herself.

Looking down at Gisof, Becca nodded. “Alright, I like your plan. Let me send a squad of my people back to the surface to inform my commander of our whereabouts so that he does not try to come looking for us. Perhaps one of your people can also help escort our wounded back to the surface? The rest of us will come with you.”

Gisof's mouth opened even wider than before. “I will see to it,” he said, turning to speak quietly to one of the two aliens with him. “Hanto will show your people the way,” Gisof said as he turned back to Becca and gestured towards his compatriot.

“Lieutenant Gonzales,” Becca called out.

“Yes, Major,” Gonzales replied, appearing at Becca's shoulder.

“This is Hanto, I want you to assign one of your sergeants to take command of the wounded and extract them to the surface and get them evacuated back up to the ships. Hanto will be their guide.”

“Yes, Major…” Gonzales hesitated before turning. “What will the rest of us be doing, Major?”

Becca smiled at her subordinate. “We are going to pay the Karacknids another visit before we pull out.”

“Right,” Gonzales said without any sign of disappointment.

Becca smiled at her subordinate. They all wanted to get to the surface, but if there was another chance to hit their enemy, they weren’t about to just pass it up. And they had fallen brethren to avenge. Already Becca had lost five dead and eight more were badly wounded. A quarter of them were from Gonzales' squad.. “See to it, Lieutenant,” Becca ordered.

“Yes, Major,” Gonzales responded, saluting before turning to gather her platoon and the wounded.

“Lieutenants, to me,” Becca called next as she gathered the rest of her senior officers. Quickly, she explained just what Gisof was capable of, then she projected an image of a mineshaft in front of them using her combat armor. “I want our attacks to be lightning fast. We strike, kill a few warriors, cause some confusion, and pull back with minimal losses. Do you understand?”

“We do,” they all replied.

“Very well, we will split into our platoons and strike separately. I will accompany Lieutenant Michaels’ platoon, and Gislof will be with me. When you're in position, signal, and I’ll have him open your hatch. You will only have sixty seconds, then he will be closing the hatch again.”

“That is all we’ll need,” Michaels said on behalf of Becca’s Lieutenants.

“Then let’s get to it, the sooner we hit them, the sooner we can get to the surface and get out of here,” Becca glanced at Gislof. “I don’t know about any of you, but I’ve already seen enough fighting in these confined spaces to last me a lifetime. No offense, Supervisor.”

“None taken,” Gislof replied. “Before the Karacknids conquered us, my species spent portions of our lives dwelling underground. Yet even for us, operating at the depths to which the Karacknids force us to mine has become uncomfortable.”

“Then let’s hit them and we can all head home,” Becca replied. “Move out!”

Choosing to attach herself to Michaels’ platoon again, Becca followed as Michaels assigned a squad to take point and then they headed down one of the shafts leading off from the intersection they had gathered in. With Becca’s drones scouting ahead and Gislof’s datapad feeding him information from the mineshafts’ sensors, they were able to quickly travel over two miles through the tunnels until they got to a small mineshaft that connected to a much larger one.

“They are still on the other side of the closed hatch,” Gislof informed Becca when they stopped to prepare themselves.

“The drones confirm the way is clear up to the hatch,” Becca said to Michaels. “You can move up to it.”

“First squad, lead us off,” Michaels responded.

“Hang back,” Becca instructed Gislof. “We are not going to engage.”

“Of course, Major,” Gislof said, though he sounded disappointed.

For three minutes, Michaels' platoon carefully made its way up the small mineshaft until they reached the closed hatch. Michaels then signaled to Becca to say his platoon was ready. “Lieutenants, check in,” Becca said over the command COM channel.

“In position,” Avery and Gonzales said one after the other.

“We’re still two minutes out,” Maguire updated.

“We’re about the same,” Rastogi said.

“Confirm when you are ready,” Becca requested. “Show me what’s happening on the other side?” she asked Gislof as they waited.

The Supervisor held up his datapad to Becca and switched the image to show a live feed of the Karacknids on the other side of the hatch. There were just three warriors protecting the closed hatch, but about three hundred meters further on down, the mineshaft came to a small intersection where three shafts connected. There, there were about thirty Karacknids. Despite Becca’s earlier attacks, none seemed to be on their guard, and some were even sitting. Clearly, their commander doesn’t think this area is in any danger, Becca decided. “You have everything prepared?” she asked Gislof.

"Yes, Major, I’ll kill the lights and open the hatch simultaneously,” Gislof answered.

“Very good,” Becca said with a nod. “Go and show Lieutenant Michaels the live feed,” she requested.

As Gislof shuffled over to Michaels, Becca slowly watched time tick by on her HUD’s chronometer. At almost the exact second Avery had predicted, he contacted Becca to say his platoon was in position. A couple of seconds later, Rastogi did the same.

“Ready, Gislof?” Becca said as she gestured to the alien. When he nodded, Becca nodded back. “Five seconds,” she said over the command COM channel. “Three, two, one,” she counted down and then gestured for Gislof to do his thing. At the touch of a button, the Supervisor switched off all the lights around the five hatches and had them rise open with a swoosh.

Hanging back so as to coordinate her five platoons, Becca watched Michaels’ platoon’s assault through the visuals from Michaels' combat armor. The images were good enough that Becca could see the surprise on the three Karacknid warriors' faces as the hatch whooshed open without warning. Before they could lift their weapons, plasma bolts cut them down. In the blink of an eye, Michaels was on the move. One of his squads moved right to secure their flank, while the other three turned left as they headed down the opposite direction of the mineshaft the hatch opened onto. As soon as they were close enough, they hurled their last two explosive grenades accompanied by several flash bangs down towards the intersection in front of them.

The speed of their attack was such that the Karacknids in the intersection were still scrambling to their feet and moving to find cover when Michaels burst upon them. An intense firefight broke out as the marines spread out to find their own cover. Becca winced when she saw one and then a second of Michaels' marines take hits. Yet, quickly the platoon began to secure the smaller intersection. Within forty seconds, the firefight was over.

“Position secured,” Michaels reported.

“Get your wounded and fall back,” Becca ordered. She then accessed the visuals from Lieutenant Avery and saw that he too had assaulted the intersection she had assigned him to hit. Gonzales’, Maguire’s and Rastogi’s targets were a little further from the hatches they were to attack from, yet within a couple of minutes they too had hit the small Karacknid detachments. By the time another minute had passed all five platoons had pulled back into the mineshaft they had attacked from and Gislof had closed the hatches behind them.

“Fall back to the rendezvous point,” Becca ordered her Lieutenants. “I think we’ve done more than enough to give Ridgeway the distraction he needs.” And to make the enemy commander wonder just what is going on, Becca hoped. Though Gislof had only been able to hack into the control panels for a small section of the planet’s system of mines, specifically the ones he was a supervisor over, the Karacknids commander wasn’t to know that. With luck, he’ll have to post additional warriors to watch every hatch, she thought.

For ten minutes, Becca traveled back towards the intersection she had chosen as a rendezvous site. It was far from the five spots her platoons had just hit and the original intersection where she had first attacked. With Gislof monitoring all the hatches that might allow Karacknid warriors to intercept them or attack the rendezvous site, they were able to move with relative speed and safety. Meanwhile, Becca reviewed her force’s casualties.

Out of the one hundred and six special forces marines she had led into the mines, twelve were KIA, nine of whose bodies were abandoned within the mines at the site of their first battle with the Karacknids. Thinking about it made Becca's hands tighten, yet she knew leaving them was the right decision. The other three had been lost in the platoons’ quick raids, and the marines had been able to retrieve their bodies. In addition to those killed, she had twenty-three wounded. Most of them had already been evacuated with Sergeant Hutchinson, and thankfully the rest were walking wounded and so were able to keep up with the platoons as they fell back to the rendezvous site.

Nearly a third of my force, Becca thought to herself as guilt assailed her. Not since the Karacknid war had any Imperial Marine force suffered such an attrition rate. And we’re supposed to be special forces marines! Becca knew fighting in the mineshafts inevitably caused higher casualties, yet she couldn’t help but feel she had failed those who had died. A phrase that both Jonathan and his father had shared with her sprang into her mind; the burden of Command. She was feeling it now, and though she doubted any other commander in Ridgeway’s division could have done better, it didn’t ease the guilt she felt.

When Michaels' platoon reached the intersection Becca had chosen to meet at, Avery’s and Maguire’s platoons were already there. Becca assessed both platoons’ conditions and then assigned Avery to take up a rearguard position and Maguire to begin to scout out the route she and Gislof had chosen as the best to take them back to the surface near the LZ. When Rastogi arrived to join them, Becca gave his marines a moment to rest and then they all set off, everyone glad to finally be on their way out of the increasingly claustrophobic feeling mineshafts.

Chapter 16

After a long deployment along the outer edges of the Empire’s borders, it is a great pleasure to return to one’s home colony and breathe fresh air again. I imagine it is the same for marines sent to rout out Antarian infestations. Often such operations can last months and with little rest. Every cadet should give the utmost honor to marines engaged in such work.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

As they had to essentially circumnavigate several Karacknid positions, it took twenty minutes before Becca’s force started heading up towards the planet’s surface once again. When the lead squad of Maguire’s platoon was just five minutes from reaching the exit they were heading towards, Gislof reached out and grabbed Becca’s wrist. “Major, there is something you must see,” he said urgently.

Becca stepped to one side of the mineshaft to allow her marines to keep moving past and gestured for Gislof to do the same. “What is it?” she asked, suddenly concerned their way was about to be blocked.

“Look at this,” Gislof said as he held up his datapad. “Some of your forces have come into the section of the mines I’m able to monitor. These are more of your marines, aren’t they?”

Becca frowned as she stared at the image for a few seconds until she started to make out the small shapes Gislof was showing her. They were indeed marines. She counted about thirty of them. They looked to be guarding an intersection. In fact, as she watched, she could tell they were moving equipment to block off a couple of the mineshafts.

“They are Lieutenant Colonel Ridgeway’s marines,” Becca said. “It looks like this is part of his evacuation route. They are holding the intersection open for Ridgeway to escort those he has come to rescue through it.”

Gislof nodded. “That’s what I thought. That's why I had to stop you. I’m afraid they're in trouble. Look.” With a touch on his datapad, Gislof zoomed the image out to show the wider system of mineshafts. “A large Karacknid force has just entered the mines through this shaft. They must have come from one of our nearby cities. They're heading out towards this intersection. There are over a thousand of them.”

Becca swore. It did look like Ridgeway’s marines were in trouble. Immediately she switched COM channels to Ridgeway’s channel. “Lieutenant Colonel, this is Major Samuels,” she said. When no reply came, she repeated herself. Then she swore again, Ridgeway was probably too far underground for her COM unit to reach him now. “Major Jeffers, this is Samuels, what is the status of our operation?”

To her relief, Jeffers responded right away. “Samuels, it’s good to hear your voice, we got Sergeant Hutchinson’s status update, but that was some time ago. Lieutenant Colonel Ridgeway has led his force into the mines and the last I heard, has fought his way through to free the Karacknid civilians. They're on their way back up now. Estimated time of arrival back at the LZ is another forty minutes or so.”

“There is a problem, Major,” Becca said quickly. “A secondary Karacknid force is moving through the mines to cut off Ridgeway’s evacuation route. I’m sending you the data now.”

A moment later, Jeffers swore in the same tone Becca had. “This is a problem, Major. Hold on a moment… Major, I’m sorry to have to ask this of you, but can your force move to intercept this new threat?” Jeffers said as he came back to her after thirty seconds. “I've dispatched as many platoons as I have free to move to the intersection, but it’s going to take some time for them to get there.”

Becca quickly checked through several routes her force could take to get in front of the advancing Karacknids. “Yes Major, I think I can do it. But we’ve lost nearly a third of our force, we can’t hold back a thousand Karacknid warriors on our own.”

“I know that Samuels, I'd hate to ask you, but you need to buy us as much time as you can,” Jeffers responded.

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Becca promised. “We're special forces marines, we won’t let you or Ridgeway down.”

“Keep in contact Major,” Jeffers said. “I’ll keep you updated as I get more forces into the area. I’ll get word passed on to Ridgeway as well, he should be able to send some of his forces forward too.”

“What about the Free Karacknid warriors, can they assist?” Becca asked.

“I’m afraid not,” Jeffers responded. “As soon as they attacked Tanaka-lan’s warriors, they went berserk. It worked wonderfully as a distraction, but now the Free Karacknid warriors are fleeing through the mines as fast as they can with thousands of warriors on their tails.”

“All right, we’ll just have to make do with what we’ve got. We’ll get moving at once,” Becca responded. Immediately, she switched COM channels. “Lieutenants, change of plan. We’ve got more work to do.” Using her HUD, she sent the images of the advancing Karacknids to her platoon leaders. Then she marked out the route she had chosen. “Avery, assign one of your sergeants to get the wounded out of here. Michaels, take point. Move as fast as you can. We need to get in front of them.”

“Moving now, Major,” Michaels replied without hesitation.

Becca turned to Gislof. “This is going to be bloody. You should stay here.”

“I think I will,” Gislof said slowly. “Are you really going to face them by yourselves?”

Becca nodded. “We have to, there is no one else.”

“Then perhaps you really are the warriors the rumors spoke of,” Gislof said. “I will stay here, but I will help as much as I can. As soon as the Karacknids enter the zones I have control over, I’ll start closing hatches in front of them. That should buy you time to get into position. Then, if you need to fall back, let me know and I'll buy you some time there too if I can. I’ll also transmit the data I’m getting to you so you can see what I'm seeing.”

“Perfect,” Becca said as she smiled at the alien. “And kill all the lights you can as well. We don’t need them.”

“They will all be switched off,” Gislof promised.

“Thank you,” Becca replied. “Now, I have to go.”

Gislof nodded. At once Becca turned and broke into a sprint to catch up with her force. For nine minutes they sprinted through the system of mineshafts. Becca lost count of how many intersections she passed through and sharp turns into new shafts she took. Her mind was entirely focused on watching the progress of the Karacknid flanking force. For the first six minutes, she was concerned her marines were going to arrive too late but then Gislof started closing emergency hatches in front of the Karacknids. At the first one, the Karacknids paused and tried to override the hatch's control panel. They spent a full minute before they gave up and blew the hatch open with a missile. That delay, and the short delay as they had to blow open three more, meant Becca’s seventy-three marines reached the hatch she had selected forty seconds before the lead elements of the large Karacknid force.

“Sergeant Lowe, set detonation charges, hide them as best you can. Everyone else, fall back. This will be a fighting retreat. Avery your platoon is up first. Maguire, you’re second, Gonzales third, Michaels fourth and Rastogi fifth. Hold them for as long as you can, then fall back, the next squad will give you covering fire. I want thirty meters between squads.”

“Taking up our positions now,” Avery responded as her platoon and the rest of Becca’s force sprinted down the mineshaft away from the direction the Karacknids were coming from.

“Sergeant Lowe, how many hypervelocity missiles do we have left?” Becca asked quickly.

“Just three, Major,” Lowe replied from where he was hunched over setting a demolition charge.

“Assign one of your marines to Gonzales’, Michaels’, and Rastogi’s platoons. As the platoon in front of them falls back, use one of the missiles to cover them.”

“Understood,” Lowe replied.

Allowing him to finish planting his charges, Becca turned and sprinted down the mineshaft that led towards the intersection Ridgeway’s marines were holding. Thanks to the visuals Gislof was sending her, she could see the marines there were busy fortifying their positions and it looked like at least another squad had joined them. Still, they were woefully unprepared for what was approaching them. Becca passed Avery’s platoon, nodded to the Lieutenant, and then moved on to join Maguire’s marines. She found a spot against one side of the mineshaft’s walls, fell to one knee, and then raised her plasma rifle in preparation.

“Major, don’t you want to fall back to coordinate our defense?” Maguire asked over their COM channel.

Becca shook her head. “You each know what to do, we keep fighting and falling back. I’ll be more useful here. I’ve led from the back enough already today.”

A large blast cut off the chance for any more conversation. Moments later, a couple of shapes came running down the mineshaft as Sergeant Lowe and one of his engineers fell back past Maguire’s platoon.

“Contact!” Avery shouted a handful of seconds later.

Becca watched through Avery’s visual feed as nine marines gunned down the first six Karacknids to come through the hatch they had just blown up. A moment later, enemy grenades were hurled through. Avery ducked his head down as they detonated and then looked back up. Already more than ten Karacknids were through the hatch and charging with many more behind them. With no cover for either attacker or defender, the fight became a bloodbath in seconds.

“Blow your charges!” Becca ordered Sergeant Slow.

Instantly, the area in front of the blown hatch erupted into a giant fireball. The detonation charges hurled rocks into the mineshaft from its sides and ceiling. At least twenty Karacknids were killed. Dust shot down the shaft to envelope Avery’s and Maguire’s marines.

“Avery, fall back,” Becca ordered as soon as the shockwave washed over her.

To Becca’s shock, before the flames had all gone out, or the dust had begun to settle, through Avery’s visuals, she could see Karacknids scrambling to climb over the fallen debris and resume their charge. “Covering fire!” she ordered even as she began to fire past Avery’s retreating marines into the growing crowd of enemy warriors. As just six special forces marines passed her position, Becca gritted her teeth together and began to take more accurate shots. Her advanced implants and years of training kicked in and she blasted plasma bolts through the faces of four Karacknid warriors in the space of three seconds. Then she hurled the last two grenades she had left on her utility belt and resumed firing.

After the grenades detonations there was a lull in the laser beams striking all around Becca’s position, but only for the briefest of seconds. Becca took the opportunity to check on the rest of Maguire’s platoon. She bit back a curse when she saw only five were still alive. Maguire wasn’t one of them. “Third platoon, fall back!” she ordered as she turned and fled herself. Overhead, a hypervelocity missile flashed past. It detonated barely twenty meters behind Becca and the shockwave picked her up and flung her several meters through the air. Only her augments allowed her to land on her feet and keep running. As she passed the next three platoons, she tried not to look at the individual marines, now certain that in just a few seconds many of them would be dead. Before she passed Rastogi’s platoon and made it to where Avery was with what was left of his platoon, the sounds of firing from Michaels’ marines reached her. The Karacknids were already on the attack again.

Becca glanced back up the mineshaft, then forced herself to ignore the firefight. “Lieutenant,” she called out as she waved Avery over. “We need to form another line; they will be breaking through Michaels any second now.”

To Avery’s credit, the Lieutenant simply nodded and started calling together what was left of her and Maguire’s platoon. Becca joined them as they moved further down the shaft and set up a new firing line.

“Falling back!” Gonzales shouted over the command COM channel moments later.

“We’ve got you,” Michaels assured the retreating platoon.

As Becca peered ahead, despite Gonzales’ retreat, the sound of fighting diminished for the briefest of moments as another hypervelocity missile slammed into the charging Karacknids. Within seconds though, so many laser beams were striking the mineshaft’s walls that the noise from the small explosions they caused had become nothing more than a background rumble. Becca’s eardrums could barely hear the beams hitting over the almost constant explosions from grenades and Lowe’s hypervelocity missiles. As Gonzales limped past Becca, her body tensed up more than it already had, for just two other marines accompanied their Lieutenant. We are being cut to pieces, Becca thought in anguish. Your people are being cut to pieces.

As a tear ran down her cheek, Becca gripped her plasma rifle tighter. She had no choice, the only way she had to slow the Karacknids was by using her marines as human shields. For nearly two more minutes, Michaels’ and Rastogi’s squads fought and bled to hold back the Karacknid onslaught. As they fell back in succession, Becca counted just seven marines pass her, then it was her turn again. First she laid down covering fire as she delicately fired past the retreating marines from Rastogi’s platoon. Then she went into full-auto fire.

For thirty seconds she held down her plasma rifle's trigger, cutting down every shape that emerged from the dust and darkness even as her rifle screamed at her in protest as it overheated. When a laser beam struck her thigh, she grunted in pain, gritted her teeth as her implants and armor sought to dull the pain, and kept on firing. Moments later however, something small and metallic landed not six feet in front of her. Becca had just enough time to think, grenade! When it exploded.

Shrapnel and explosive force from the weapon hurled Becca into the air. She landed with a thud and with enough force to knock the wind from her. Coughing and sputtering, she tried to roll over from her back onto her hands and knees. Desperately, she felt around for her plasma rifle, but couldn’t see or feel it anywhere. Pain in her shoulder and right arm made her wince, but she nevertheless pushed herself to her feet and pulled out her plasma pistol.

“We have to fall back,” Avery called out to her makeshift platoon. “Major,” she then added as she came towards Becca. “Are you alright?” she asked as she reached out and felt around the holes in Becca’s armor.

“I’m not dead yet,” Becca replied as she turned and limped back down the mineshaft as quickly as she could, even as more explosions erupted behind her and plasma bolts zipped past her back towards the Karacknids from the next firing line that had been set up. When she reached it, Becca slumped to her knees, turned, and began to fire back up the mineshaft. “We hold here,” she said to Avery and what was left of her force. “We don’t have the strength to form more firing lines. We are special forces marines and we’re going to hold here.”

Though no one had the strength or the energy to respond to her words, the marines that had been falling back behind the firing line turned and quickly joined their comrades. Just nineteen of the seventy-three marines Becca had placed in front of the Karacknid attack remained. Together they released an unending barrage of plasma bolts back up the mineshaft. For sixty seconds, they kept the Karacknids at bay, shooting down any that came within thirty meters of them. But the Karacknid warriors were firing blindly down the mineshaft and inevitably they began to find targets.

As marines began to fall all around her and her HUD kept her updated on the shrinking size of her force, Becca felt her fear and pain fade away. She knew what fate awaited her now. There was no way her marines could hold back the unending wave of enemy warriors for much longer. For a second, her mind went to Jonathan. I’m sorry, she thought as the future they had often talked about evaporated in front of her.

The twin explosions of two grenades amidst their firing line pulled Becca’s mind back to the fight in front of her as she was jostled left and then right. Three more marines were gone from her HUD as their armor was ripped apart. Standing, Becca let out a scream as she continued to fire at the rapidly approaching wall of Karacknid warriors. Within seconds, the enemy was suddenly upon her. Becca felt her plasma pistol slammed out of her hand by a Karacknid fist, then almost faster than she believed possible, three razor sharp claws came slicing towards her throat. Only her years of training saved her as she instinctively raised her armored arm to deflect the blow. Sparks filled her vision as the claws tried to bite into her armored forearm. Even as she deflected the blow, she had her free hand whipping out her nano carbon knife. With all the strength she had left, she slammed it into one of the creases between the Karacknid warrior's torso armor. It wasn’t a killing blow, but as the blade slid between the two armored plates, the warrior grunted. For full effect, Becca twisted the knife and then ripped it back out.

Despite the pain and shock of Becca’s knife, the Karacknid already had a second clawed hand pulled back ready to deliver a killing blow. Becca slammed her armored head forward to get inside the Karacknid warrior's reach. Catching him off guard, she made contact with his chin. As he stumbled back, she took the brief opening and aimed her knife’s point at the Karacknid’s throat. With another cry, she slammed it into him. Having spent some time with the Free Karacknids, she recognized the surprise on his face as her knife found its target and sliced into his arteries. The warrior stumbled back again and then fell to his knees, his clawed hands reaching up to his throat.

Even as Becca locked eyes with the Karacknid, a body slammed into her. The force threw her onto her back and sent more pain shooting through her several wounds. As Becca tried to push herself up, the warrior loomed over her, a laser rifle aimed at her head. Before Becca could react, the laser rifle exploded as something hit it and detonated its energy pack. Then three holes appeared in the warrior's torso as a hail of plasma bolts struck him. With a vacant expression on his face, he fell backward.

As Becca struggled to her knees, she saw other Karacknids being cut down in a similar fashion. Then two dots flashed past her. A fraction of a second later, two large explosions erupted further up the mineshaft in the direction the Karacknids were coming from. As a new wave of smoke and dust billowed down towards her, marines started appearing to her left and right. Charging into the Karacknids assaulting her firing line, they shot them down and then pushed on past what was left of her force. More than forty of them advanced up the mineshaft, using the detonation of the two hypervelocity missiles as cover to reclaim some of the mineshaft. Then they began to hurl grenades at the fresh wave of Karacknids that appeared.

Suddenly, Becca found herself being lifted back to her feet. “Major Samuels, Major Samuels, is that you?” a marine in combat armor with a Lieutenant’s markings said.

“Yes, it is,” Becca managed to reply through gritted teeth. It felt like her combat armor’s medical aids were failing.

“Lieutenant Colonel Ridgeway sent us, we’re to relieve you. He has redirected the civilians we were evacuating. We are to get you out of here and then pull back from the intersection,” the Lieutenant explained. “My Major is back there coordinating things now.” Before Becca could reply, two more missiles streaked overhead, making her duck. “We’re going to take down the mineshaft if we can,” the Lieutenant explained. “That ought to hold them back for a bit. Come on, there are medics attending to your marines. It looks like you need some attention too.”

The brief walk to the intersection she had been trying to stop the Karacknids from reaching and the longer journey through the mineshafts and back to the surface were a blur for Becca. Vaguely, she remembered medics swarming over her and injecting her with several concoctions. Each made her pain a little duller, but none came close to taking it away. Every step was agony. Nevertheless, she forced herself to keep going, even as two marines supported her. When she got to the surface, she retracted her combat armor’s helmet and gulped in the fresh air. Compared to Earth or the treated air on board a starship, the planet had a strong acidity to it, yet after being stuck underground for so long, it still felt sweet to her. Only after taking several deep breaths did she begin to look around.

The scene in front of her could only be described as pandemonium. Thousands of Karacknid women and children were thronging around outside the mineshaft entrance she had come from. Shuttles were landing and taking off haphazardly. As she looked further afield, she could see marines and Karacknid warriors manning defensive positions on the hills that overlooked where they were. Right away, Becca knew this wasn’t the LZ Jeffers had been defending. They are making it up as they go along now, Becca was sure. Without complaint, she allowed herself to be led over to what looked to be a hastily thrown together medical station. More than a hundred marines were sitting or laid out flat as medics moved among them. Most had some or all of their combat armor removed as the medics sought to get access to their injuries.

“I have Major Samuels here,” one of the marines helping Becca called out. “She has taken laser beams to her left leg and right arm, and there is shrapnel in her chest. I think she has a concussion as well. She has lost a lot of blood.”

Becca blinked in surprise at the seriousness of the medic’s tone and the list of her injuries. “Let me see,” a new voice said as another medic appeared. “Here, set her down over here.” Moments later, Becca felt parts of her combat armor being removed and her body being discussed like she wasn’t there. Then the same medic appeared in front of her face. “You’re not in a good way, Major,” the medic said. “But I think you’ll pull through. I’m going to sedate you now so I can work on your wounds and get you transported back up to the squadron.”

Becca opened her mouth to protest, but the medic was already pressing a hypo-spray to her neck. Before she could say anything, darkness reached up and took her.

Chapter 17

Though medical advancements have slowed in the last two centuries, as almost all diseases and injuries can now be healed with relative ease, not everything about a Human’s body that may be damaged or destroyed in combat can be fixed, especially if the damage is physiological. Cadets should keep this in mind as they complete their lives fire exercises.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Slowly, Becca became aware she was awake. It wasn’t her eyes opening that brought her back to consciousness, but the pain running through her body. It was mild and much more under control than she remembered, yet there nonetheless. Slowly, she cracked her eyelids and had to blink rapidly at the light coming at her from every direction.

“She’s waking up,” a voice said.

“Where am I?” Becca asked even as she tried to raise her head to look at her shoulder, right arm, and left leg, all sources of pain. As she did, she realized she was lying down and wasn’t in her combat armor or even her marine uniform. Both her arm and leg were wrapped in bandages, while she couldn’t turn enough to see her shoulder.

“You’re on Spartan,” a very familiar voice said as Jonathan’s face appeared in front of her. “We have just broken orbit and are leaving the Trihisi’s homeworld.” As he spoke, he took one of Becca’s hands in his. “You’re going to be ok, but you gave me a scare. How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been hit by an air car,” Becca said slowly as her voice cracked. “Do you have any water?”

“Of course,” Jonathan said.

He let go of her hand and quickly grabbed a cup with a straw, bringing it to her lips. Despite the indignity, Becca drank deeply. “How bad are my injuries?” She asked.

Another person stepped up beside Jonathan. “I’m Doctor Huffington, Spartan’s doctor,” the smiling blonde-haired woman said. “You were shot up pretty bad, but thanks to your armor and augments your body held together pretty well. We should be able to put you back together.”

Becca frowned, causing Jonathan to smile. “I think she wants the details, Doctor. Don't worry, she's not squeamish.”

“Very well,” Huffington said in a more formal tone. “Your armor was hit by two laser beams. One caused serious burns to your left leg, the second to your right forearm. In both cases, your skin and a portion of your flesh and muscle underneath were burnt away. I’ve removed all the damaged cells and begun speeding up your body’s recovery process. You should regrow your muscles in a couple of days and the skin will come back a couple of days after that. Three shrapnel shards also penetrated your armor, all struck your left shoulder. I’ve removed them but they tore up a lot of your muscles and scraped your shoulder bone, so it’s going to take a while before they all heal. You also broke a couple of ribs and have taken a few heavy knocks, resulting in bruising around the rest of your body. But they should all mend themselves without further intervention.”

Becca nodded. She had been hurt badly, but it was nothing her body couldn’t handle. She started thinking of exercise routines that would be best to help regain her strength and range of motion. Jonathan brought her back to the present as he waved a hand in front of her face.

“Becca?” he said for the second time.

“What is it?” She asked, confused.

“Doctor Huffington asked you a question,” Jonathan replied, his face filled with concern. “She wants to know how your pain levels are. Did you not hear her?”

“I’m sorry,” Becca said as she gave herself a mental shake. “I’m still a little groggy.” She coughed and turned to Huffington. “I am certainly aware of the injuries you mentioned. The pain is not unbearable, but it’s not pleasant either. I imagine it will grow if I try to move around?”

“It certainly will,” Huffington replied. “I’d suggest you try to stay as still as possible, at least for the next twenty-four hours. I’ll make sure to up your pain medication too, I don't want you in too much discomfort.”

Becca nodded and then lowered her head back onto the pillow. “Thank you, doctor.” As another thought came into her head, she shot back up, raising herself on her elbows. The sudden movement caused her to wince in pain. Yet it didn’t prevent her from turning to Jonathan, “My marines, how many made it out alive?” She asked, her nostrils flaring.

Jonathan took her hand again. “From the visuals I've seen of your fight, it’s a miracle any of you survived.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about your debrief, I’m sure that can come in a day or two’s time when you’re feeling up for it.”

Becca’s face hardened. “Don’t change the subject,” she said in a tone she only ever used with Jonathan when they were in private. “How many survived?”

Jonathan swallowed and then glanced at Huffington. “I'll leave you both alone,” the doctor said as she nodded to Jonathan and then stepped out of the medical alcove.

Jonathan squeezed Becca’s hand. “The marines you sent back to the surface before your final battle with the Karacknid flanking force were all recovered. The doctors in the squadron are still patching a few of them up, but they are all going to make it.”

“How many?” Becca asked, all but certain they were going to be the only survivors from her force.

“Twenty-one,” Jonathan said. “Some are in a pretty bad way, but we got to them all in time.”

Becca closed her eyes as she braced herself for what was coming next. “And the Marines I led to intercept the Karacknids?”

Jonathan lowered himself to come closer to her. “Four others were evacuated with you. We recovered two more who were badly injured as Lieutenant Colonel Ridgeway’s marines pushed the Karacknids back. I’m sorry, dear,” he said as he reached up and gently ran his fingers across Becca’s cheek. “But that is all.”

Becca closed her eyes and pressed her head back into her pillow. Out of her unit, only six had survived. Six out of seventy-three, she thought in anguish. Horror at the extent of the casualty rate filled her. Even as she felt ashamed though, it turned into anger at herself. How could she be worried about commanding one of the worst engagements in the Marines’ history when so many had died? It was the Marines that mattered, not her sense of failure!

“Wait a minute,” she said as she opened her eyes again and locked them with Jonathan’s. “I remember Ridgeway’s Marines arriving, they were able to push the Karacknids back past our last firing line. Surely more than two injured marines were recovered?”

Jonathan grimaced. “The Karacknids left no survivors. We have evidence they killed any injured marines or Free Karacknids they came across. They were fanatical.”

In an instant, Becca’s anger at herself evaporated. In its place, a wave of rage roared up within her. They had murdered her marines! Those savages! They will pay! She swore to herself.

Again, Jonathan squeezed her hand. “I know what it’s like to lose people under your command. And also what it’s like to lose people to a ruthless enemy.” Jonathan reached out and gently turned her chin so she was looking at him again. “I’m not going to tell you not to be angry. I know I am angry enough for the both of us. But you have to learn to harness it, to control it, so that it strengthens you rather than weakens you. Used rightly, their evil can become a tool in our hands to protect our people and make sure the lives of those lost were not lost in vain.”

The deep concern written across Jonathan's face and in his tone snapped Becca out of her rage, though she could still feel it simmering under the surface. To reassure him, she smiled. “Another one of your parents' lessons?”

Jonathan nodded, “Though not one they intentionally taught. It was just something I picked up growing up. I remember watching the visuals from when the Karacknids nuked Earth when they were with me. I saw it in their faces. You know they both saw it in person from orbit?” Becca nodded. “Well, I don’t think they ever got over it. When I saw their faces that day, even as a teenager I knew. That was what drove them. That was what made them do all that they did in what followed. They took their horror and their anger, and they turned it against the Karacknids… You can too,” Jonathan said as he held Becca’s gaze.

Becca stared back for a couple of seconds. She felt her anger bubbling, then she looked down. “I cannot be them, but I promise you this, I will make them pay.” She looked back up at Jonathan. “I won’t let their evil destroy me, but I will make them pay.”

Jonathan smiled. “That’s all I ask… Except,” he added, “that you let us do it together. This war that’s started is going to be a long one, we're both going to need each other before it’s over.”

Becca returned Jonathan's smile. “Agreed.” She chuckled and winked at him. “I'm going to need a fancy dressed Navy commander to land me on some Karacknid worlds after all, it may as well be you.”

Jonathan leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. “I’m glad you’re starting to feel more like yourself,” he said as he leaned back. “You had me worried there for a few minutes. When I heard what you were doing, I thought you were not going to make it back alive.”

The sound of heavy footsteps made Jonathan half stand and turn. When he saw who was approaching, he let go of Becca and stood up straight. “Lieutenant Colonel Ridgeway,” he said as he gave the marine a nod. “Are all your marines being seen to?”

“They are, Commodore, your ships’ crews are going the extra mile for us,” Ridgeway replied as he gave Jonathan a salute.

“It’s the least we can do after what your people did for the Free Karacknid civilians,” Jonathan responded.

“Well, we appreciate it,” Ridgeway said with a nod. He then turned and looked down at Becca. “Major Samuels, I'm pleased to hear you are expected to make a full recovery. I wanted to thank you personally. Without your quick intervention, our forces might have been cut off. Probably we could have fought our way through the force you interdicted, but it would have cost hundreds of lives. You spared us that at no little price to your own special forces marines. You did well. I'll make sure my report on the engagement conveys just how well.”

Becca couldn’t help but feel the shame from earlier return. It was accompanied by guilt, guilt that she was one of the few who had survived. She couldn’t bring herself to meet Ridgeway’s eyes, though she did force herself to answer. “Thank you for your praise, Lieutenant Colonel. My marines simply did what was their duty. I am sorry I got so many of them killed, however. The blame for our casualties rests solely on me.”

“May I, Commodore?” Ridgeway asked as he glanced at Jonathan.

Jonathan nodded and gestured towards Becca, “By all means.”

“Look at me, Major,” Ridgeway said in a stern, formal tone as he raised his voice.

Years of training forced Becca’s eyes up. “You engaged an enemy formation with a massive numerical superiority in one of the least ideal engagement terrains I have ever read about, let alone witnessed. In doing so, you killed three times your own number, delayed them long enough for reinforcements to arrive, and still managed to extract a portion of your force. You should be feeling nothing but pride at the accomplishment of your marines.”

Taking a step closer, Ridgeway lowered his voice and softened his tone. “But, I understand the survivor's guilt, and the responsibility you feel for your losses. You wouldn’t be a good commander if you didn’t. So take some time to lick your wounds, but don’t start to doubt yourself. You’re too good an officer for that,” Ridgeway’s eyes flicked to Jonathan and then back to Becca. “And if you’re going to be our Imperial Empress someday, then you need to learn to handle losses.” Ridgeway smiled. “Given what I’ve seen today, I have no doubt you'd make a damn good Empress to boot!” Ridgeway then gave Becca a salute, nodded to Jonathan and quickly left.

Jonathan reached out and squeezed Becca’s hand again. “It’s a good thing you marines know how to listen to your superiors, isn’t it?” He asked with an amused smile.

Becca’s right arm tensed as she felt like giving him a hard thump on his shoulder. She was prevented from doing so as Jonathan’s COM unit beeped. He glanced down at it and then back at her. “Go,” she said to him. “You have a squadron to get to safety. I will be fine here.”

Though she could see on his face that he wanted to stay, Jonathan nodded. “I will be back as soon as I can,” he promised. He then leaned in and kissed her again, this time a little more forcefully. She smiled at him as they broke apart and then Jonathan turned to leave.

“Wait,” she called out as one more thing occurred to her. “The alien that helped me, Gislof I think his name was. Did he make it out?”

Jonathan shook his head as he shrugged his shoulders. “We don’t know. There was no further communication from them once you were injured. Though hatches continue to open and close to help us and hinder the Karacknids.”

Becca nodded as she smiled and gestured for Jonathan to leave her, “Thank you,” she said as he started to turn. She hoped Gislof was ok, but she understood the lack of communication. No doubt he didn’t want the Karacknids to learn about what he had done. I hope you’re safe, friend, she thought towards him, certain that none of her marines would have survived without him.

*

As Jonathan left the Spartan’s medical bay, he was conflicted. He knew Becca was putting on a brave face despite both her injuries and the anguish she was in. He wanted nothing more than to be able to go and hold her and stay with her. Yet, he had other responsibilities, ones more important in the grand scheme of things, though his heart didn’t agree. Love complicates everything! He complained to himself. As he thought it, a wry smile came to his face. He could easily picture his mother laughing at him for making such a comment. Like you’re the first person to make this discovery, she would say back to him.

She’ll be alright, Jonathan assured himself as his thoughts turned back to Becca. She is strong. And I’ll be back as soon as I can. Refocusing himself, Jonathan strode purposefully towards Spartan’s bridge with the intention of dealing with his squadron’s needs as quickly as possible.

“What is the status?” Jonathan asked as soon as he stepped onto the bridge.

“All ships are still in formation,” Iso responded at once. “No sign of any Karacknid ships entering the system, and no communications from the planet’s surface. It looks like we’re in the clear.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Jonathan said. Just as he had entered the system, he had ordered his squadron to race back across it. Now was the time for speed, not stealth. “How are our ships dealing with the injured marines?”

“It’s tight,” Iso said. “Almost every warship’s medical bay is full, and I’ve had to organize several shuttles to pass medical supplies back-and-forth to get them to where they’re needed. The fighting was far bloodier than I imagined it would be.”

“It certainly was. Our marines fought bravely and paid a high price for their courage. But they did their duty, they certainly lived up to their reputation,” Jonathan agreed. “And the Free Karacknids, how are they settling in?”

“As best we can, we are keeping them separate from our warship crews. I didn’t want to risk any altercations between our people and theirs,” Iso said. Jonathan nodded to show he agreed. He didn’t think any of his people would try to start a fight with the Karacknids, but the Karacknids themselves were another matter. Even if they weren't loyal to Tanaka-lan, they were still a very aggressive species, and given everything they’ve gone through, many would be on edge.

“Most are being housed in hangars and cargo bays,” Iso continued to explain. “We’ve got enough tents and other materials to create partitions for them, so they have some privacy from one another. At best, we’ve only got enough food for everyone for two weeks, but hopefully that’s a problem we can solve soon.”

"Hopefully it is,” Jonathan replied. “What about the Trihisi, have there been any communications from them?” he asked as he turned to Rossi.

Rossi shook her head. “I think they’re happy to see the back of us,” she said. “But Captain Har’gna is waiting to speak to you.”

Jonathan turned to Harte. “Anything to report?”

“Nothing you wouldn’t expect, Commodore,” the tactical officer responded. “If we have to clear for battle stations it's going to take a lot longer than normal. And it will be all but impossible to launch recovery operations if we need to abandon a ship and lift its crew off with all our hangars full. But as long as we have enough of a warning, we should be able to put up as good a fight as normal.”

Jonathan pursed his lips together. He didn’t like the idea of being slow to get his ships cleared for action. “See what you can do about putting us in a semi-permanent position of having our ships ready for battle. I don’t want the crews to be under any unnecessary strain, but we are in the middle of enemy territory, don't forget. We may not have the luxury of taking extra time to get to battle stations if we need to.”

“I’ll look into it right away,” Harte said as he nodded and swiveled back to his console.

“All right,” Jonathan said as he caught Rossi’s eyes again. “Put Har’gna through.”

“Imperator’s Heir, I wanted to speak with you and thank you in person for your troops' actions on the planet surface,” Har’gna said when he was connected with Jonathan. “Tanaka-lan’s forces were ruthless in their attempts to get to our civilians. I know your people took a lot of losses, as did ours.”

“They did,” Jonathan replied, “but rescuing civilians from an evil enemy is exactly the kind of mission our soldiers signed up to risk their lives for. I am very happy we managed to get all your people out into safety.”

“As am I,” Har’gna said, “happy and thankful to you and your people. Even if they did sign up for such missions, I doubt they expected it would be Karacknid women and children they’d be fighting to protect. Once again, you and your squadron have proven yourselves worthy of honor.”

“How are the women and children? We're doing our best to look after those on our ships, do your ships need any assistance?” Jonathan asked.

“I’ve been in communication with the leaders of the civilians we rescued on our ships and on yours, they are all starting to settle in. We have no immediate needs at present, though fuel and supplies are quickly going to become a problem.”

Jonathan smiled at Har’gna. “I believe I have a solution to that.”

Har’gna showed his teeth. “You always seem to. Let me guess, it’s something you cannot share with me?”

Jonathan’s smile widened. “Not yet at least, but soon. Once we return to the rendezvous point with the rest of our convoy, I’ll be able to divulge the next step in my plan.”

“Very well, keep your secrets, Imperator’s Heir,” Har’gna said. “I shall return to helping my people get settled in. I just wanted to make sure you pass on my thanks to your soldiers and their commanders.”

“I will,” Jonathan promised. “And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to let me or my staff officers know.”

“Thank you,” Har’gna said as he gave Jonathan a deep bow. Jonathan returned it and then ended the COM channel.

“Sorry to disturb you, Commodore,” Spires, Spartan’s Captain, said. “But one of my Lieutenants is outside the bridge, he has one of the Free Karacknid leaders with him. He insisted on speaking with you.”

“That’s all right,” Jonathan said as he turned to Spires. “If you’re okay with him on your bridge, you can instruct your Lieutenant to show him in.”

Standing, Jonathan turned to face the bridge’s main hatch. At either side of it, the two marines stiffened at the prospect of a Karacknid close to Jonathan. As he looked at their faces, Jonathan couldn’t help thinking of Becca again. Neither were special forces marines, and out of the six Imperial guards that had been a part of Becca’s squad tasked with protecting him, only one had survived the battle with Tanaka-lan’s Karacknids, and he was in Spartan’s medical bay with Becca. She didn’t just lose most of those under her command, she lost her friends as well, Jonathan thought.

As the hatch swished open, he had to force a friendlier look on his face. The Karacknid that stepped in was one of the most impressive Jonathan had seen. Though he looked almost as old as High Scribe Huran’kang, he had at least a couple of inches on Har’gna and as many muscles, and his armor appeared even more ornate than any he had seen among the Free Karacknids. He was a highly esteemed warrior before he forsook his Empire’s ways, Jonathan guessed.

“Are you the Imperator’s Heir?” the Karacknid asked without introducing himself.

Taken aback by the warrior’s directness, Jonathan nodded. “I am. I am Commodore Jonathan Somerville.” Without warning, the Karacknid lunged forward. He moved with a speed that neither of the marines meant to be guarding Jonathan could match. With his augments, Jonathan was able to take a step back as the Karacknid approached, yet before he could raise his hands, the Karacknid threw himself to his knees. Stunning Jonathan, he then bowed right down so that his face touched the bridge’s deck.

“I am General Tasata-su, on behalf of my family, I hereby swear allegiance to you and to your father as our rightful Imperators. You have my heart and my claws. I am yours to command,” Tasata-su said without raising his face.

Jonathan’s mouth fell open in shock. More than a year ago he had first heard about a small faction of Karacknids who believed his father’s victory over Taranaki in their duel meant his father was the true Karacknid Imperator. Yet he had never met any. Kal-na had told him that almost all had been hunted to extinction by every faction in the Karacknid civil war in the twenty-five years since the duel. Not knowing how to respond, Jonathan just stared at the bowed Karacknid as a thousand thoughts ran through his mind.

Eventually, Tasata-su slowly turned his head up to look at Jonathan. When their eyes met, Tasata-su immediately lowered his head again. The movement snapped Jonathan out of his daze as he realized Tasata-su wasn’t going to move until he spoke to him. For another couple of seconds, he searched for the right words as he tried to remember everything he had learned about Karacknid culture, desperately not wanting to dishonor the warrior. “General Tasata-su,” Jonathan began formally. “As my father’s son and his heir, I accept your oath of loyalty and I pledge to reward your friendship with faith, and your loyalty with protection. Stand and be welcomed as a friend.”

Springing to his feet just as sprightly as he had lowered himself, Tasata-su stood and held Jonathan’s eyes. “I was not sure this day would ever come, Imperator’s Heir, and then you appear as if by magic to rescue me and my family. On behalf of them all, I thank you.”

“I am happy we were able to rescue you from Tanaka-lan’s forces,” Jonathan said as he held out his hand. “Welcome aboard Spartan.” When Tasata-su stared at Jonathan’s hand, Jonathan took a half step forward and raised it slightly higher. “This is how we greet one another and show respect among my species.”

Slowly Tasata-su reached out a hand and grasped Jonathan’s. Jonathan smiled as he shook the Karacknid’s hand up and down and then released it. “You’ll get the hang of it.” Jonathan then turned and gestured towards his command chair and the holo display showing his squadron and the surrounding system. “As you can imagine, I have much to see too. However, I do not wish to dishonor you and I am sure we have much to discuss. Perhaps you would like to retire to my personal quarters where my steward can serve you some refreshments. Once our ships are able to jump into shift space, I will join you and we can talk. I would very much like to hear your story and then perhaps to meet your family?”

Tasata-su bowed deeply to Jonathan again. “That would be acceptable, Imperator’s Heir, and you would honor my family by meeting them. I’m sorry to interrupt, but when I heard you were onboard, I had to know for certain. It has been many long years since I first set out to meet your father and give him my oath.”

Jonathan bowed back. “It will be a long journey out of your Empire’s territory and back to our homeworld, but if we make it, I promise I will introduce you to my father myself.”

“I look forward to that day, Imperator’s Heir,” Tasata-su said as he bowed again and then turned to allow himself to be led out of the bridge.

Jonathan shared looks with Iso, Harte, and Spiers, then moved over to his command chair and sat down. He shook his head as he replayed Tasata-su’s oath. Things are going to get really interesting if we do get back to Earth, he thought to himself, as he, for one, had no idea how the various factions among the Karacknids were going to be integrated into his father’s Empire. A problem for another time though, he thought. Quickly he turned his attention to the many things Iso needed him to review. He wanted to get through them, then meet with Tasata-su so that he could get back to Becca.

Chapter 18

Imperator Tanaka-lan’s name is still famous even outside the naval academies of the Imperial Fleet. I have no doubt that for centuries to come he will still be counted among the greatest adversaries the Empire and its fleet commanders have ever faced.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Spartan, 21st May 2512 AD, (two days later).

The instant Spartan jumped back into the system where Jonathan had left Hammerclaw and the convoy of Free Karacknid ships, contact alarms began to blare, and moments later, the holo display showed what Spartan's passive sensors were detecting. Right away, Jonathan knew they were in trouble.

"That's Tanaka-lan's flagship!" Harte announced in alarm.

Jonathan was already staring at it. Somehow, the Karacknid Imperator had found him. A shiver of fear ran down Jonathan's spine. He had escaped the expert tactician once before, but he very much doubted he could do it again. For several seconds, Jonathan's surprise at Tanaka-lan's presence and fear at what it meant held him motionless in his command chair. Only as the rest of the system began to be filled with contacts did Jonathan's mind start to kick into gear. "He's not after us," Jonathan realized. Tanaka-lan's superdreadnought was slowly heading towards the massive asteroid field where he had left the convoy hiding. There was only one reason he wasn't accelerating at full power—he was trying to keep his presence hidden!

Flashes drew Jonathan's eyes to the asteroid field. There were other Karacknid ships there, at least ten of them. Someone on the other side of the asteroid field was engaging them. Montgomery and Hammerclaw, Jonathan was certain. Why haven't they run yet? Jonathan asked himself. He had given Montgomery very clear instructions. At the first sign of Karacknid ships, he was to flee. He doesn't know about Tanaka-lan's squadron, Jonathan guessed. He thinks he can fight off the small flotilla attacking him and buy time for us to join him.

We are the ones who need to buy time for him, Jonathan knew instantly. "Set a direct course to intercept that superdreadnought," Jonathan ordered. "Maximum acceleration. I want them to see us coming."

"At once, sir," Iso said seriously.

"Rossi, do any of our ships have a gravimetric COM?" Jonathan asked next.

Rossi shook her head. "Sorry, none do, Commodore."

"Have one of our frigates carry out a prearranged maneuver message," Jonathan responded. "Instruct Montgomery to retreat."

"Yes, sir," Rossi said.

As his squadron of fifty-five ships began to accelerate into the system, Iso turned to Jonathan. "What is your plan, Commodore?"

"First, I want to focus Tanaka-lan's attention on us," Jonathan said honestly. "He can't be allowed to close with the convoy. After that, we'd better figure something out." Looking around, he raised his voice. "I need options, people, and I'd rather not tango with that superdreadnought if I don't have to!"

We'll start simming out ideas immediately," Iso replied.

Jonathan nodded at his Chief of Staff and then turned back to the holo display. Come on, turn, he thought, directing his wish towards Tanaka-lan’s flagship. He knew that a change in course would put his squadron in serious trouble, but he could not allow Tanaka-lan’s squadron to reach the convoy. They would tear it apart in minutes if they ignored Hammerclaw and the other warships and began targeting the freighters. For five minutes, Jonathan stared at the holo display, willing Tanaka-lan to change direction. Yet the superdreadnought and the thirty ships in formation with it didn't alter their heading by even a degree. Worse, instead they came out of stealth and began to charge towards the asteroid field.

Jonathan’s eyes flicked to Hammerclaw and the Free Karacknid convoy. Most of Montgomery’s warships were still engaging the Karacknid flotilla that was pestering them. However, all of the over two hundred and fifty freighters were now accelerating away from the asteroid field. Instead of heading into the system, or towards any one of the system shift passages, they were moving straight out towards the system’s mass shadow and the empty space beyond.

"How does it look?" Jonathan asked Harte.

With a tap on his console, Harte projected the courses of the convoy, Hammerclaw, and the warships with her, as well as Tanaka-lan’s ships. "Hammerclaw should be able to deal with their light ships harassing her in the next twenty minutes or so. If that’s the case and they flee to follow the convoy, Tanaka-lan will catch them an hour later. Then he’ll bring the freighters into range fifteen minutes after that. His momentum advantage is simply too great."

"Thank you," Jonathan said, even though Harte’s report made his stomach churn. Tanaka-lan would know he had the convoy cornered.

"Har’gna is hailing you, Commodore," Rossi informed Jonathan.

"I'll speak to him quickly," Jonathan said. He didn’t need the distraction, but he could anticipate what the Karacknid captain was thinking.

"Commodore," Har’gna said when he was connected. "Where is the convoy going, to another hidden shift passage?"

Jonathan nodded. "That was part of the information I was keeping from you. I suppose I can tell you the other part now. The shift passage leads to a system where our fleet has built a supply depot. The convoy can refuel and resupply there. But only if they get to the shift passage. We need to convince Tanaka-lan to turn back and engage us."

Har’gna shook his head, his voice filled with surprise. “A supply depot within our space? That is quite the feat.” His expression then turned more serious. “But how can we get Tanaka-lan to turn? He hates us more than anything. He knows who are in all those freighters. He won't give up taking them out just to engage a squadron of warships.”

“No,” Jonathan agreed as he brought a hand up to rub his jawline. “Then we need to give him a target he wants more,” Jonathan said as an idea came to him. “I need to go.”

“Right,” Har’gna said, dipping his head slightly.

Jonathan turned to Iso. “I need Tasata-su to join us on the bridge immediately.”

“I’ll send for him now,” Iso said as she began tapping on her console.

The three minutes it took to find Tasata-su and bring him to the bridge were agonizing for Jonathan. He couldn’t help his eyes flicking back and forth between Tanaka-lan’s flagship and the fleeing convoy. He could think of nothing else that would convince Tanaka-lan to abandon his pursuit of the convoy. If his idea failed, hundreds of thousands of Karacknid civilians would be killed. It has to work, he said to himself. In his conversations with Tasata-su, Jonathan had learnt that the General had once served with Tanaka-lan when they had both been junior officers more than fifty years ago. It was on that personal connection Jonathan was betting Hammerclaw, his squadron, and all the Free Karacknids.

"Imperator’s Heir, you wished to see me?" Tasata-su said as he stepped onto the bridge, accompanied by one of Spartan's junior lieutenants.

Jonathan spun around in his command chair. “I need your help, General,” he said, then waved towards the holo display. “Tanaka-lan is about to catch and destroy all the civilians we have rescued unless we can persuade him to chase us instead.”

Tasata-su took a couple of seconds to stare at the holo display. “If he chases us, will we survive?”

Jonathan smiled. “He’ll have us outgunned, but we are certainly not going to give up without a fight.”

Again, Tasata-su’s eyes flicked to the convoy and then back to Jonathan. “For my brethren, and to follow you, I am willing to risk my life. I am yours to command, Imperator’s Heir.”

“Then let us give Tanaka-lan a target he cannot refuse,” Jonathan replied. “Come and stand beside me. I apologize in advance if this is humiliating but do as I command.”

“As you wish, Imperator’s Heir,” Tasata-su said.

“Rossi, record this and transmit it to Tanaka-lan,” Jonathan instructed.

Taking a deep breath, Jonathan pushed back his shoulders and made himself look as imposing as possible as he sat in his command chair. “False Imperator Tanaka-lan, I am Jonathan Somerville, son of James Somerville, Heir to the Human and Karacknid Empires.” Raising a hand towards Tasata-su, Jonathan gestured for him to bow. Without hesitation, Tasata-su turned towards him and did so. Jonathan smiled towards Tanaka-lan. “As you can see, your people are learning who their true rulers are. My father and I are true warriors, you are nothing but a fool. I have already bested you once, now I come to challenge you again, yet you run away chasing women and children instead. It seems your people are finally seeing you for who you really are. What warrior slaughters children? It is beneath even your youngest cadet, and yet you pride yourself in it. Face me, or forever let your people know that you are nothing more than a slaughterer of those who cannot fight back.”

Finished, Jonathan gestured at Rossi to stop recording. He then turned to Tasata-su. “You may rise, General. I’m sorry, but hopefully it will enrage him.”

“There’s no need to apologize, Imperator’s Heir. I have sworn to follow you, my pride matters not. If we are successful in getting Tanaka-lan to engage us, then I will consider the humiliation worth it.”

“Well, thank you for your help,” Jonathan said as he turned towards the holo display to see what effect their transmission would have.

*

Slayer

The moment he received the transmission, Tanaka-lan knew what the younger Somerville wanted. In front of him, more Free Karacknid freighters than he had thought existed had just begun accelerating. If he could catch and destroy them all, he could bring a swift end to the Free Karacknid movement. Yet as Tanaka-lan glanced at his subordinates around him, he realized he had made a mistake. He had ordered the transmission to be played for everyone to see. Now they knew James’ son had called him out. Tanaka-lan wanted to extend his claws and dig them into the padding of his command chair, but he didn’t want his subordinates to see his anger.

Tanaka-lan stared at the small group of Imperial and Free Karacknid warships accelerating into the system as his heart rate increased. They were insignificant, especially compared to the prize that was already within claw's reach. He turned back to the convoy. Clearly, Jonathan wanted him to abandon it. But why, where did they think they could run to? With his superdreadnought, he could easily turn and destroy Somerville’s ships and then pursue the convoy if he wanted. Unless, Tanaka-lan thought as a possibility dawned on him. He wanted to shake his head at it, for it sounded impossible. Yet what other explanation could there be?

Suddenly, the events of the last several weeks became clear to him. Somehow, over the last two decades, the Humans had been creating artificial shift passages within his territory. That was how the Imperial squadron had evaded him before, and it was how the Free Karacknids were moving around the squadrons he had hunting them. "Damn Fara’man!” Tanaka-lan thought. The false Imperator had been completely lax in protecting his part of the border with the Humans. And damn Tasata-su! Tanaka-lan thought as his claws extended from his knuckles, despite his officers watching. He had known the General had joined the Free Karacknids several years ago, but to actually accept James as the rightful Imperator! And then to bow before a Human! Tanaka-lan was disgusted. Tasata-su had committed the ultimate blasphemy. It had to be avenged!

And then there were the Human’s words. Clearly, the Humans had learned much about his species’ customs since the last time Tanaka-lan had fought them. The young Somerville had challenged him directly, Tanaka-lan couldn’t ignore that, for his subordinates certainly wouldn’t. But there are bigger things at play now, Tanaka-lan thought as he tried to calm himself and turn his mind back to the artificial shift passage. If James Somerville had been secretly constructing artificial shift passages throughout this region of his Empire, then it meant the Humans were preparing to invade. They could slip large fleets behind the front line and cause havoc in his rear. If that were to happen, the offensive operations he had put in motion would be thrown into disarray. I need to find out where that shift passage is! Tanaka-lan decided.

“Alter course,” he ordered as he turned to his navigation officer. “Lay in a course for Somerville’s ships. Then send orders for our forward flotilla to fall back. They are to shadow the enemy convoy and track their course precisely.”

“At once, Imperator,” the officer responded.

All right, Tanaka-lan thought as he settled his eyes on Somerville’s group of ships. You wanted me, well, I’m coming for you now. And this time I won’t underestimate you. The last time, he had assumed he was dealing with a fool of an enemy commander, for who else would lead a small squadron of warships deep into his species’ territory. But now Tanaka-lan knew there was more at play. This time, there will be no escape.

*

Almost the exact same words went through Jonathan’s mind as Tanaka-lan’s superdreadnought began to turn. Well, you’ve got what you wanted, he said to himself. Now, how are you going to get yourself out of this? Instinctively, he wanted to order his ships to turn away from Tanaka-lan. Yet he couldn’t, not until Tanaka-lan had lost enough of his momentum advantage over the convoy that they could escape. “Show me how long we need to keep on this course to get to the point Tanaka-lan can no longer pursue the convoy,” Jonathan requested.

“Thirty-one minutes,” Harte informed Jonathan as the holo map updated to project the new course of Tanaka-lan’s squadron.

Jonathan nodded, fighting to keep his face as calm as possible. The courses showed Tanaka-lan’s ships would then just be one hour away from entering missile range. Clenching his teeth, Jonathan forced himself to do something he had been avoiding up to this point. Mentally, he calculated the strength difference in both sides' salvos. His ships could put out six hundred missiles. From what they had seen of Tanaka-lan’s superdreadnought the last time they had met, it could fire one hundred and twenty missiles all by itself. The rest of his thirty ships would add another five hundred and fifty. It was worse than that, however, for Tanaka-lan’s flagship and heavy cruisers would be able to take far more of a beating and keep on fighting. Every time one of Jonathan’s smaller ships took a hit, it was likely to be knocked out of the fight. In any prolonged engagement, Jonathan’s strength would be quickly whittled away.

We can’t fight them head-on, Jonathan knew. “What options have you come up with so far?” he asked as he turned to Iso.

The look on Iso’s face didn't exude confidence. She took a moment and looked down at her console. “We’ve ruled out our previous tricks as Tanaka-lan is bound to have thought up answers to them. I think the best we have come up with is this.” As she spoke, Iso transferred a simulation to the holo display. “If we turn the exact moment Tanaka-lan is committed to chasing us and can’t turn back after the convoy, we should be able to reach the system’s seventh planet just before the second missile salvo they would fire at us will reach us. The seventh planet has quite a few moons. One of them, this one here,” Iso pointed at one as the display zoomed in on it, “appears to have a high density of heavy metal deposits. We figure that we could blast it apart as we pass, creating a massive debris field in our wake that should disrupt the Karacknids' second salvo. It would also hamper Tanaka-lan from following us around the planet. We could use its gravity to slingshot onto a new course. I don’t think we could escape him, but we could gain some ground at least.”

Jonathan nodded as he considered it. Taking control of the display, he zoomed the image out again to assess their situation. The seventh planet was the only orbital body they could reach in the limited time they were going to have. “Just how are we going to blow an entire moon apart?” he asked.

“It was Harte’s idea,” Iso said.

Both turned to Jonathan’s tactical Lieutenant. “It would require some very precise firing,” Harte said as he pulled up his simulation of what he wanted to try. “But I think we can pull it off. First, we would use our energy weapons to blast a deep crater in the moon as we passed it. Then, a salvo of mark VII missiles would burn the hole deeper with their graze beams. Finally, we fire about fifty thermonuclear warheads into the hole. As long as we get the hole more than a third of the way to the moon’s core, the detonations should shatter it.”

“Well,” Jonathan said as he watched the moon shatter. “That would be quite the feat. I like it. And what’s more, I know my father pulled off something similar against Tanaka-lan in the last war, though that time, they blew up a whole bunch of asteroids in the midst of Tanaka-lan’s fleet. So, if he sees us trying something like this, he will be wary, perhaps even wary enough to give us more room, room we could use to get away… However,” Jonathan said as he paused to think.

“This is only a step,” he said a moment later. “We would still have to weather his first salvo, and then find a way to convince Tanaka-lan to let us escape… I think though, maybe there is a way,” Jonathan couldn’t help smiling as his voice grew in confidence. The idea of altering a trick that had previously worked on Tanaka-lan had inspired him. His face then hardened. There was only one way he could see it all working however, and it meant he was going to have to ask too much of his pilots. His mind went to his sister. It is always the way, Georgia often complained when it came to how fighters were used in combat.

“Ok, here’s what I’m thinking,” he said as he began to explain how he envisaged altering Harte’s plan. When he was done, he turned to Tasata-su. “What do you think, would it work?”

The Karacknid General nodded. “I think it has a chance. Not for a thousand years has an Imperator led his forces in battle in person. Your taunting of him has already shown one of the reasons why. When the honor of our entire species is tied up with our Imperator, it makes retreat unthinkable. It may also make what you wish to attempt possible too.”

Jonathan nodded in excitement. “That is good enough for me, let’s start with the preparations.”

“Sending out the order to activate our jammers now,” Iso responded.

Moments later, every Imperial and Free Karacknid ship activated their ECM to hinder Tanaka-lan’s ships from getting a good scan of them. Then, slower than normal, thanks to the crowding on board every ship, shuttles began to take off from four of the ships, two Imperial and two Karacknid. Over the course of twenty minutes, all four ships were fully evacuated apart from a small skeleton crew. Jonathan knew Tanaka-lan would likely be able to get a reasonable picture of what was going on given the amount of stealth recon drones his ships were detecting and engaging coming from Tanaka-lan’s squadron. Yet to the Imperator, it would look like Jonathan was attempting the same trick he had used the last time they had met. This was why Jonathan liked the idea so much, for in reality, he had no intention of detonating the ships to send a debris field towards Tanaka-lan.

“Ships are fully evacuated,” Iso informed Jonathan when the last shuttle carrying crew and Free Karacknids landed on Spartan.

“Our ships are really getting cramped now,” Captain Spiers pointed out.

Jonathan nodded, if they were forced to fight a prolonged engagement, it was going to hinder them. And it also meant that if any ship took damage, or worse, was lost, the casualties would be enormous. But there was nothing he could do about that. Jonathan had to fight his ships as best he could; he couldn’t risk worrying about the civilians. “Right,” he said as he stood. “I’ll be right back.”

Iso gave him a solemn nod, knowing what he was going to do. Upon exiting the bridge, Jonathan stepped into Spiers’ personal briefing room. A holo conference had already been set up with the forty-one remaining pilots based on Jonathan’s two pocket carriers. “Thank you for meeting with me,” Jonathan said as he gave them a nod. Though they were all sitting, Jonathan chose to remain standing. “I know Wing Commander Hibbert has already briefed you on what I am asking of you, but I felt I needed to speak to you personally. This will be the most dangerous mission of your lives, but also the most crucial. Our squadron and all the Karacknid civilians on our ships will be counting on you. The chances are very high that this may be a death sentence. I’m sorry I have to ask this of you, but there is no other war.”

Jonathan paused and took the time to look several of the pilots in the eyes. “You all know my sister is a Hellcat pilot. She has risked herself many times in similar circumstances. So believe me when I say I know what I’m asking of you. I wouldn’t do so unless it was absolutely necessary. Whatever the cost, Tanaka-lan’s flagship must be damaged. We must make him turn back, or our ships and perhaps even our convoy, will be lost. So, I’m asking you to summon all the skills and abilities you have to get this done. I know what an Imperial Hellcat in the hands of a skilled pilot can accomplish, and I have full confidence you will not let me down.” Jonathan rested his eyes on Hibbert. “Wing Commander Hibbert has personally vouched for each of you.”

“Indeed I have,” Wing Commander Hibbert replied. “These pilots are as good as any you’re ever going to meet. We will get the job done, sir, I promise it.” Hibbert looked around at his pilots. "Won't you?"

His words were met with a vigorous chorus of, “Yes, sir!”

Jonathan nodded. “Then all I can do is wish you luck, pilots. Give them hell!”

“Aye, sir!” Hibbert responded enthusiastically as most of the other pilots nodded or said something similar.

Jonathan smiled at them, then saluted and turned to leave the briefing room. He moved quickly before the pilots could see his forced smile fade. He knew bravado came with the job description for a fighter pilot, yet he had been in enough battles to know that few of those young faces would live to see another day. He hated sending them to all but certain death, yet he had no other choice. Not if he wanted to save his ships.

As he stepped out of the briefing room, Jonathan glanced at his chronometer. There were still twenty minutes until Tanaka-lan’s squadron would reach the point where they couldn’t turn back from the convoy. Confident that Iso and Harte had the preparations well in hand, he turned away from the bridge and towards Spartan’s medical bay. When he got there, he was reminded of how many marine casualties his ships were still dealing with, for despite being cleared for action, the bridge was still full of patients. If we suffer any more casualties, we won't know where to put them, Jonathan thought as he made his way to Becca’s alcove.

As he stepped into the alcove, Becca was already sitting up, a perturbed look on her face that disappeared as soon as she saw Jonathan. Instead, she broke into a wide smile. “Finally! Someone who can tell me what is going on around here. We've been cleared for battle stations, but no one knows why.”

Jonathan over exaggerated rolling his eyes. “I thought you were happy to see me because it was me.”

Becca waved him over. “Come give me a kiss and then tell me what’s happening.”

Jonathan did as he was told. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have much time. I just wanted to see you before the fighting begins. Tanaka-lan was in the system when we jumped in. I’ve managed to convince him to stop pursuing the convoy, but now he’s coming for us.”

Becca’s face turned serious. “Can you get away?”

“I have a plan, but like last time, it’s a long shot.”

Becca reached out and took his hand, squeezing it. “Your long-shot plans have a history of paying off. I know we are in good hands.”

Jonathan leaned in and gave Becca another kiss. “How are you feeling?”

Becca rolled her shoulders, then grimaced. “Things are still pretty painful, but I can feel my strength returning. I should be on the bridge with you to face this together.”

Jonathan couldn’t help laughing. “I don’t think you’re quite ready for that yet, dear. But you will be with me nonetheless,” he said as he touched his heart. "Now, I better go, just wanted to check in with you.”

“Ok, go kick Tanaka-lan’s butt one more time,” Becca said seriously. “I’ll be wishing you luck from here.” She then pulled him in for one final kiss.

When they broke apart, Jonathan smiled at her and then quickly turned to leave, knowing that he had to force himself or he’d want to stay longer. When he got back to the bridge, a brief glance at the holo display told him nothing had changed. The counter let everyone know there were still twelve minutes until Tanaka-lan reached the point of no return.

“Everything ready?” Jonathan asked after sitting in his command chair.

“Everyone’s in position,” Iso said. “We’re just waiting for go time.”

Jonathan nodded and shifted in his seat to get comfortable. He then joined the rest of his officers as they watched the timer count down. “Navigation, begin the turn,” Jonathan ordered the second Tanaka-lan’s ships could no longer turn to pursue the convoy. Immediately, every ship in Jonathan's squadron began to turn away from Tanaka-lan’s superdreadnought and towards the system’s seventh planet. Within seconds, the Karacknid ships began to match their maneuvers. The new course of both fleets meant the Karacknids would slot in behind Jonathan's ships and then slowly begin to close thanks to their higher momentum.

“Thirty-five minutes until they can fire their first salvo,” Harte reported. “Forty-four until we pass the moon.”

“Very good,” Jonathan responded. “Rossi, transmit a message to Captain Montgomery,” he requested, and then gave his orders for his Flag Captain. “Montgomery, we're going to do our best to try and give Tanaka-lan the slip, but do not wait for us. Take the convoy beyond the system’s mass shadow and up the hidden shift passage to the FOB. Don’t wait for us and don’t worry about Tanaka-lan seeing your course. It’s inevitable now that he will discover the shift passage, but it will take him several days to map it out. You need to get to the FOB and get refueled and resupplied as quickly as possible. If we haven’t caught up with you in two days, take the convoy on to the second FOB. Then out of the Karacknid Empire to safety.” Jonathan smiled as Rossi recorded him. “Good luck, Captain. Hopefully, I’ll be back on board Hammerclaw soon.”

“Sending the transmission now,” Rossi said when Jonathan was done. “It will take thirty-five minutes to reach Hammerclaw."

Jonathan nodded as he watched the distant convoy for several seconds. Tanaka-lan’s light flotilla had pulled back from engaging Hammerclaw, but they were staying close, watching the convoy’s every move. They're going to make it, he assured himself as he returned his gaze to Tanaka-lan’s superdreadnought, for the contest of wills between himself and Tanaka-lan was about to begin.

Chapter 19

No matter how one sided a battle may appear, every commander who leads an Imperial Fleet must be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the Empire.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

"Entering mark VII missile range in thirty seconds," Harte announced when the time came.

"Fire when ready," Jonathan responded. "Instruct Har’gna to do the same."

Five minutes later, with a touch of a button on his command console, Harte launched four hundred missiles from the Imperial ships in Jonathan’s squadron. As soon as they were clear of their ships, the missiles' impulse engines kicked in and boosted them towards Tanaka-lan’s pursuing squadron. Seventy seconds later, Tanaka-lan’s ships returned fire.

The next move in Jonathan’s plan came just thirty after that. All forty-one of his Hellcat fighters, slow-launched half an hour ago, emerged from stealth and began accelerating. Their attack run was timed to bring them in just behind Jonathan’s mark VII salvo. Finally, two minutes later, Har’gna’s warships fired their older missiles as soon as they came into range.

Before either side needed to defend themselves, both groups of ships fired again. This time Tanaka-lan’s squadron fired first, while Jonathan waited to combine his fire with Har’gna’s.

"Now we’ll see," Jonathan said as the anticipation culminated and his missiles closed in on the Karacknids. Three minutes before reaching Tanaka-lan’s ships, the multistage mark VII missiles' first stage switched off their engines and each released its three small antimatter warheads. Equipped with the same miniature inertial dampeners that the Hellcat fighters had, the warheads rapidly accelerated towards their targets. As the Karacknids began to open fire with their point defenses, the missile salvo spread out, seemingly aiming to take out as many enemy ships as possible.

Five seconds after the first missile was blown apart by defensive fire, Harte looked at Jonathan. Jonathan simply nodded. With another tap, Harte sent a new order to the missiles. It took just four seconds to reach them. When it did, all nine hundred of the remaining warheads altered course. Every single one targeted Tanaka-lan’s flagship.

Immediately, the rate at which the Karacknids were shooting the missiles down increased, as the warheads' evasive maneuvers weren't as effective against targets they weren't directly heading towards. The rate continued to rise as the warheads grouped up while closing in on the superdreadnought, allowing the Karacknid escorts to saturate the area with defensive fire. At the same time, many of the Karacknid warships reacted to the new development by positioning themselves between the incoming salvo and their flagship.

Jonathan found himself gently rocking forward in his command chair, silently urging the remaining missiles onward towards their target. "Yes!" he shouted when a missile got close enough to detonate. In quick succession, two more blue hues appeared near the giant superdreadnought. Jonathan leaned forward in his command chair, searching for more explosions. But they never came, for as the last handful of warheads made their final attack runs, they were all shot down. "How badly did we hit it?" Jonathan asked quickly, even as his fighters charged in after the missiles.

"I believe they were all proximity hits," Harte said. "No sign of any debris, but the superdreadnought's hull is radiating heat like a furnace. It can obviously take quite a beating."

Jonathan's excitement deflated. That was the problem with his squadron. The smaller version of the mark VII missiles that his destroyers and light cruisers carried just didn't pack a powerful enough punch to break through the armor of a Karacknid dreadnought in one hit, and no one knew how much more heavily armored Tanaka-lan’s superdreadnought was. But the Hellcat’s missiles carry a heavier punch, he reminded himself, fighting not to lose hope.

Clenching his fists in anticipation, Jonathan cheered on his fighters. With the Karacknids’ formation disrupted by so many ships moving to cover the flagship, and their defensive fire focused on the missiles, the fighters actually had a clear run at their targets. However, as they got closer, the Karacknids intensified their defensive fire. As fighters began to disappear from the holo display, Jonathan winced. In a matter of mere seconds, the wing of Hellcats was reduced to just twenty-five. But then they reached the point where they could release their heavy antimatter missiles.

Fifty of them shot off towards Tanaka-lan’s flagship. Behind them, rather than pull up and away to safety, the fighters charged on, just as Jonathan asked them to. As the Karacknids switched their fire to the more dangerous missiles, the fighters closed in, unopposed. As expected, the fire from thirty Karacknid warships quickly began to decimate the Hellcats' missiles. However, three got close enough to attempt to hit the superdreadnought. A Karacknid frigate threw itself in the way of one of the missiles; the ensuing detonation blew the frigate apart. Evasive maneuvers from the superdreadnought caused a second missile to miss. It detonated, attempting a proximity hit, but was too far away. The third failed to score a direct hit, but its proximity detonation was far more successful. Once again, the superdreadnought was bathed in antimatter. Its armor absorbed and deflected a great deal of the destructive energies, but a small portion of the explosive force managed to penetrate its hull, causing minimal damage.

Tanaka-lan’s flagship wasn't out of danger yet, however. With its sensors blinded by the antimatter explosions, it couldn't track the incoming fighters. Equally troublesome, as the fighters decelerated and swooped in close to the large ship, the other Karacknid ships couldn't fire for fear of hitting their own flagship. Suddenly, the giant ship found itself being swarmed by the seventeen Hellcats that had survived their attack runs. First, the Hellcats fired their anti-fighter missiles, aiming at sensor nodes or missile ports. Then the fighters switched to using their small plasma cannons. Designed to take out enemy fighters, they stood no chance of penetrating the dreadnought's thick armor. Yet Hibbert quickly spotted the open wound caused by the proximity hit. Immediately, he directed his fighters towards the damaged section. Hundreds of small plasma bolts began to pepper the area, widening the gash in the side of the superdreadnought and tearing deeper into its innards.

The fight didn’t go entirely Hibbert’s way, however, for it didn’t take long for the superdreadnought’s defensive gunners to start targeting the fighters again. Then, upon an order from Tanaka-lan, his frigates closed in on the flagship and, despite the risk to the dreadnought, they opened fire too. With his fighters dying around him, and the hole finally big enough, Hibbert gave his final order.

Confused by what he was seeing, Jonathan turned to Iso. “What are they doing?” He demanded.

His Chief of Staff shook her head, though she didn’t turn to Jonathan but continued watching the holo display. “I don’t know, Commodore.”

Jonathan’s eyes flicked back to the display. Hibbert’s remaining fighters had stopped peppering the superdreadnought. Instead, they pulled up and away from it, back into the intense fire of the rest of the Karacknid squadron. Yet even as Jonathan watched, they turned again and dove back in. Jonathan shook his head in confusion at what he was seeing. Then his mouth fell open as he realized. Hibbert was intentionally going to collide with Tanaka-lan’s flagship! At that exact moment, a large ship began carrying out evasive maneuvers, Tanaka-lan having seen what was coming a moment before Jonathan. At the same time, every defensive weapon in the Karacknid squadron opened up on the fighters.

Just eight Hellcats had been alive to follow Hibbert away from the superdreadnought and then to dive back in for one final attack. Four had been shot down in the maneuver. Three more were taken out by the flagship's gunners. The last one, piloted by Hibbert, dove and weaved incredibly fast. If Jonathan's mouth hadn’t already been open, it would have fallen open again. The Hellcat moved in ways Jonathan had only ever seen his sister accomplish. As if Hibbert had a sixth sense telling him where every enemy energy beam would be, he dodged them before they were fired. Even as he dodged the fire, Hibbert also expertly matched the superdreadnought’s evasive maneuvers. Accelerating as fast as his straining Hellcat’s engines allowed him, he slammed his fighter right into the wound his small plasma cannons had enlarged. The Hellcat's structure broke apart as it barreled through the reinforced decks and then its small reactor detonated. The explosion set off the thermonuclear warhead Hibbert had stashed under his flight seat.

As a massive fireball erupted from the dreadnought, Jonathan fell back in his command chair in surprise. “What was that?” He demanded, certain there was no way the Hellcat could have penetrated deep enough to detonate the superdreadnought’s reactors.

"Analyzing the sensor readings," Hart responded, "but I’m not sure at this point.”

“I think I know,” Spiers said a moment later as he looked up from where he had been typing on his console. “I just checked. Spartan’s magazine is showing forty-one thermonuclear warheads are missing.”

As realization dawned on Jonathan, he found a new level of respect for the fighter pilots that had just given their lives. Every one of them had left their carriers with no intention of returning. They took your words to heart, a voice in the back of Jonathan’s mind told him. It filled him with guilt and pride at what they had accomplished. On the holo display, what Jonathan had hoped for was already playing out in front of them. The superdreadnought, badly damaged, was having to slow. Rather than keep up their fast-paced pursuit of Jonathan's squadron, the rest of Tanaka-lan’s ships were clustering around their wounded flagship, preparing to defend it from the Free Karacknid missiles that were approaching.

James raised his voice as his eyes flicked to the swarm of six hundred Karacknid missiles now coming into attack range of his squadron. “Transmit this to every ship in our squadron,” he requested. “Every one of those pilots left their carriers willing to give their lives to save us,” he told his crews. “They died to give us this chance. So make every shot count so we can get out of here! That’s an order!”

“Message sent, Commodore, they won’t let you down,” Rossi reassured Jonathan.

Jonathan nodded to his COMs officer then turned to Iso. “The four ships are ready,” she said. “Their skeleton crews are preparing to evacuate.”

Let’s hope this works, Jonathan thought to himself as he turned to the holo display to watch the Karacknid salvo close with his ships. In just seconds, the Imperial ships began to defend themselves as flak cannons, arc emitters and long-range AM missile launchers fired. Then plasma bolts and laser beams ships joined the fray. Finally, thousands of short-range AM missiles were hurled at the closing Karacknid missiles.

Though every gunner and weapons system performed optimally, the sheer size of the Karacknid salvo was too much for them. Having anticipated that missiles would breach his defensive fire, Jonathan watched the Karacknid salvo close with his squadron with every fiber of his body on alert. He was waiting for just the perfect time. When it came, there was no computer warning, nor a checklist that had been met, Jonathan simply felt it. “Now!” he ordered as he thrust a finger at Harte.

Harte had been waiting, his fingers hovering over his command console. The moment he pressed it, every ship in Jonathan’s squadron stopped firing, cut their engines, and turned off their ECM. That was, every ship but four did so. The four that had been evacuated over an hour ago did almost the opposite. They too dropped their ECM, but instead of powering down, their reactors and engines were pushed to the max. At the same time, a single shuttle carrying each ship’s skeleton crew launched and rushed away from the ships.

A mere thirty-one Karacknid projectiles were still in play when Jonathan's fleet vanished from their targeting algorithms. Never before had they faced adversaries that, in the heat of battle, ceased all emissions and firepower. Traditionally, these warheads would utilize the enemy's ECM and defensive fire to home in on their targets, closing in relentlessly as they cut through the electronic fog and matched any evasive patterns. Perceiving the abrupt silence as evidence of destroyed targets, or a lock-on failure, each Karacknid missile switched to its reacquisition protocol. In their frantic search for fresh prey, all but three found the brightest targets in their field of view; the four vacant Imperial and Free Karacknid vessels. Together they dove in towards their new objective. A brief flurry of fire from the four ship’s defenses, manned by each ship’s computer, took out a handful of the missiles. The rest stuck each ship at almost the same instance, reducing them all to cosmic debris.

The triad of Karacknid missiles that did not take the decoy bait, however, managed to latch onto the echoes of sensor emissions from the other ships in Jonathan's fleet. By the time they established weak locks, two had overshot their prey and self-destructed in frustration. The third missile was still within striking distance, driving towards the unlucky destroyer, its antimatter payload ignited upon collision with the ship's shields, engulfing the destroyer.

Jonathan held his breath, uttering a silent prayer for the beleaguered ship. His pleas were answered when the vessel emerged from the radiant cloud. Yet it was a grotesque, scarred image of its former self. The destroyer's bow was disfigured, its hull torn by gaping wounds from which the ship's lifeblood; atmosphere, debris, and lifeless bodies, was steadily flowing.

"Launch all available emergency shuttles; we must save as many people as possible from that wreck!" Jonathan barked, his heart aching for the terror the Karacknid civilians aboard the ship were enduring. The initial casualty reports were bound to be horrifying – with over five hundred civilians and a sizable crew aboard, he dreaded the incoming reckoning.

"Launching the rescue shuttles now," Iso responded promptly.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Jonathan forced his attention back to the looming behemoth of Tanaka-lan's flagship. The Free Karacknids opening salvo, a swarm of one hundred and fifty missiles, was now preparing its offensive. "Deploying drones," Harte announced moments later. The holo display blinked to life with thirty-two new contacts appearing just behind the Free Karacknid missile swarm, simulating another Wing of Hellcat fighters.

A grim smile etched itself onto Jonathan's face as his stratagem bore fruit. Whether Tanaka-lan was fooled or simply too occupied with his crippled flagship to exercise complete control over his squadron, the decoy fighters had triggered a response. Seconds after the drones went active, the Karacknid fleet adjusted their course. All of Tanaka-lan's vessels, save his super dreadnought, began rotating to present their unmarred flanks towards the incoming missile swarm. Simultaneously, the enemy fleet began to decelerate, attempting to regroup around the damaged flagship while minimizing the closing speed of the approaching threat.

"Commodore!" Harte's voice rang out, brimming with excitement. "They've slowed to the point of no return! They won't be able to close the gap once we perform the slingshot maneuver around the seventh planet. We've done it!"

"We have," Jonathan acknowledged, allowing a small grin to spread across his features before he composed himself, steeling his expression. "But we're not out of the storm yet; we still have another missile barrage to withstand. So, let's stay focused and ready the squadron for the upcoming assault." His words pulled Harte back from the brink of premature celebration, and the bridge was once more a picture of determination as each officer hunched over their consoles, meticulously analyzing the incoming Karacknid salvo and recalibrating their defenses. Jonathan watched as the Karacknids deftly dispatched the smaller Free Karacknid barrage, but was taken aback when the enemy fleet did not resume its chase after realizing the deception of the drones. Something must be wrong he figured, for he doubted Tanaka-lan would ever give up on hunting them that easily.

"Missiles are three minutes out," Harte informed the bridge, "We'll reach the seventh planet’s gravitational field in thirty seconds."

"Commence the firing sequence the moment we're in position," Jonathan commanded. He had been aware that the timing would be critical, yet now, as he watched the enemy’s second salvo closing in at an alarming speed, the margin for error felt microscopic. He swallowed hard, realizing the dire consequences of failure. A scenario akin to the fate of the destroyer Gumption would be a mere appetizer compared to what his squadron would have to endure.

"We're within the moon's gravitational influence," Harte updated, "Engaging energy weapons."

Jonathan watched, heart pounding, as the meticulously planned operation unfolded, an exact replica of the countless simulations they had conducted. First, a rapid-fire volley of over three hundred mass driver rounds impacted the moon in rapid succession over the course of five seconds, causing the celestial body, about one-fifth the size of Earth, to visibly shudder. The relentless bombardment forged a gargantuan crater into the lunar surface. This was followed by a torrent of plasma bolts unleashed from the Imperial fleet's heavy cannons, melting a cavernous depression into the moon's surface. Then, the focus shifted to the precision lasering, as the Imperial and Karacknid warships fired their heavy laser cannons in a synchronized pattern. For ten excruciating seconds, they methodically carved a narrow, ten-meter-wide shaft into the lunar body as they fired one after another. Finally, a swarm of two hundred mark VIII missiles were dispatched from the Imperial vessels. Their flight was brief, they merely aligned themselves with the moon's surface before detonating in groups of ten. The unleashed thermonuclear energy from each missile formed three grazer beams, all of which converged on the moon, deepening the gaping shaft.

Right on cue, Spartan and two other light cruisers launched a salvo of fifty thermonuclear missiles in perfect harmony. They assumed a single-file formation, plunging towards the moon in unison. In less than a minute, they flew into the moon's newly created cavity, and a couple of heartbeats later, exploded. For an agonizing moment, Jonathan feared the worst, as the moon seemed unscathed. Then, in a breathtaking spectacle, the celestial body shattered. The thermonuclear blasts erupted from the moon's core, fracturing the monolithic body into three colossal segments. As they tumbled away, each began to disintegrate, birthing tens of thousands of smaller rock fragments. The gravity from the system's seventh planet then took hold, causing two of the larger sections to collide in a cataclysmic impact, scattering hundreds of thousands more fragments in every direction.

Unprepared for the ensuing chaos, the second Karacknid missile salvo blundered into the storm of high-velocity debris. The missiles found themselves assaulted by a myriad of rock fragments, from micro-dust moving at near-light speeds to colossal chunks comparable to superdreadnoughts. All together, they wreaked havoc on the missiles’ formation.

The aftermath was a sight to behold. Of the seven hundred Karacknid missiles locked onto Spartan, nearly half were obliterated or deflected wildly off course by the impromptu asteroid field. The majority of the survivors only survived due to hasty evasive maneuvers. Yet, by the time they reached Jonathan's squadron, their formation was a scattered mess. In contrast, Jonathan’s ships were as ready as they could be. As their defensive fire roared, the three hundred Karacknid missiles were halved, then halved again. In seconds, less than a handful remained.

Yet even at just three hundred, the number had been high for Jonathan’s ships to deal with entirely. Jonathan clenched his teeth as he realized not all would be eliminated in time. However, there wasn't time to order evasive maneuvers. Instead, a flurry of last-minute defensive fire took down two more, but three managed to complete their deadly charge.

Two of the missiles had targeted Karacknid destroyers. One warship vanished in a searing explosion as the missile breached its armor and detonated near its bridge. The second suffered a near miss, but the proximity was enough to incinerate its armor and a significant portion of its starboard side. The Imperial light cruiser Eglantine was targeted by the final missiles. Her shield deflected a portion of the destructive payload, but enough antimatter breached her defenses to melt through her valstronium armor and tear through her internal compartments.

Jonathan's was filled with anguish as he contemplated the casualties both his and Har'gna's people had just suffered. His sorrow was swiftly replaced by panic as a tone from Spartan's computer reminded him that the slingshot maneuver around the system's seventh planet was mere seconds away. As he looked up from the holo display, he found his officers' eyes fixed on him. His gaze wandered back to the three wounded warships, none of which seemed capable of executing the maneuver. He opened his mouth to order rescue shuttles, but quickly realized the futility of such an action. No shuttle could reach the stricken vessels and execute the slingshot maneuver in time. His eyes shifted to Tanaka-lan's squadron. His ships’ second salvo seemed to have crippled two of Tanaka-lan's vessels, but the rest were already angling for pursuit. We can't save them, Jonathan's thought. Delaying the slingshot maneuver now would allow Tanaka-lan's ships a decent chance of catching his squadron again. Fighting to keep his face neutral, Jonathan turned to Spartan's navigation officer. "Execute the slingshot maneuver," he commanded.

The officer faltered for a heartbeat. A sudden silence filled the bridge as everyone grasped what Jonathan was commanding. For a moment Jonathan thought the officer hadn’t heard him, or worse, was contemplating refusing. But then Spiers cleared his throat, jolting the Lieutenant from his stupor. "Aye, Commodore," he replied, his cheeks flushing as he pivoted back to his console. Seconds later, Spartan and the remaining ships in Jonathan's squadron skimmed dangerously close to the system's seventh planet, surrendering to its gravitational pull. They slingshoted around the celestial body, then blasted their engines to full power once again to break free from the gravity and sending them hurtling towards Montgomery's convoy.

Yet, as the maneuver unfolded, Jonathan's gaze was locked on the three wounded vessels left in their wake. He knew their imminent fate all too well. He yearned to open a COM channel to Eglantine and speak to her crew, but what could he possibly say? Any survivors aboard would already be painfully aware of their predicament. "Open a COM channel to Eglantine," Jonathan commanded, his voice heavy with sorrow. "If anyone is still there with a working COM unit, let them record any last messages they have. I'm afraid that's the most we can offer them now."

Minutes trickled by, agonizingly slowly, as Jonathan kept vigil over the doomed ships. Rossi managed to establish contact with a few survivors, but it only magnified Jonathan's heartache. They learned that Eglantine's captain and the remnants of her crew and Free Karacknid civilians were working tirelessly to salvage the light cruiser. Realizing there was no hope, they then gave up. Instead, the crew sent over their final messages, and crammed as many as possible into their remaining three shuttles, desperately attempting to escape.

Ultimately, it was all in vain. Half an hour after the devastating missile hits, Tanaka-lan's squadron, minus his superdreadnought, made a wide orbit around the seventh planet, skirting the debris from the obliterated moon. They sailed past the three crippled ships, mercilessly tearing them apart with heavy laser cannons. Then, they launched missiles to hunt down every escaping shuttle.

Jonathan's fingers dug into his palms, his teeth grinding together as he witnessed each ship’s destruction. A tempest of anger and despair raged within him. He had known of Tanaka-lan's monstrosity; he had read the reports of atrocities committed by the Imperator during the First Karacknid War. He had also seen Har'gna's accounts of butchered convoys of Free Karacknid women and children. But now, Jonathan was witnessing the brutality with his own eyes. That is the fate that awaits all the Empire’s systems if Tanaka-lan manages to defeat the Imperial fleet, he told himself. And it could befall us much sooner if we're not careful. Despite all they had managed to accomplish over the past hours, the specter of Tanaka-lan's relentlessness loomed ominously in Jonathan’s mind.

Chapter 20

There are crucial lessons that can be learned from every battle one fights in. The greatest challenge aspiring fleet commanders face is surviving enough battles to put such lessons to good use.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Slayer, (an hour earlier).

As the handful of small enemy fighters swarmed around his flagship, Tanaka-lan's rage quickly grew. He could feel their puny weapons biting into his ship and sending small tremors running up his command chair. It had taken four years to complete the ship he had personally designed for the sole purpose of destroying Humanity. Although she was the first of many that would follow, she was his pride and joy. And a small Human squadron had wounded her! He thought in fury. Almost as worse, thanks to the damage Slayer had already taken, his point defense gunners were struggling to shoot down the swarming fighters. They were hitting them, but they should have all been destroyed within a couple of seconds.

In an instant, Tanaka-lan’s rage evaporated when he saw the last six fighters pull away from Slayer and into the fire of his escort ships. There was only one reason they would do such a thing. “Evasive maneuvers!” Tanaka-lan screamed.

Time seemed to almost stand still as the enemy fighters turned and swooped in towards Slayer. Even as most were destroyed, Tanaka-lan sensed what was coming. Extending his claws, he dug into his command chair’s padded arms and tensed his body. A growl hissed between his teeth as one fighter evaded everything thrown at it. Then it struck his precious flagship. The impact of such a small ship only caused Tanaka-lan to be gently shaken in his command chair. A fraction of a second later though, the thermonuclear warhead detonated. In an instant, a far more powerful shockwave threw the Imperator about in his seat. Even with his restraints tightened around him, Tanaka-lan felt his head smash into something and the muscles of his torso scream at the forces being pushed through them. Tanaka-lan fought to remain conscious, but the g-forces won out and he blacked out.

Just a handful of seconds later, he regained consciousness. He awoke to find the bridge had gone completely dark. “Get emergency power up immediately!” He growled. “Then I want a systems check… Did you hear me!” He screamed when no one responded.

“Yes, Imperator, right away, Imperator,” a junior Lieutenant said, showing that at least some of the bridge officers were regaining consciousness.

Though he wanted to let out a bloodcurdling growl, Tanaka-lan took several deep breaths as he fought to calm himself. He then began to critically analyze his situation. He had been a fool to bring his superdreadnought on his hunt for the Free Karacknids. He had hoped the size and firepower of his flagship would have filled his enemies with fear. Yet, he hadn’t counted on coming up against a determined Human force. To them, his superdreadnought was simply a larger target, not something to run from.

They will never operate on their own again, Tanaka-lan promised himself. Nor will you, another voice in his head said. You made yourself as much a target as Slayer was. Though he hated admitting his own failures, Tanaka-lan knew it was right. He hadn’t survived a twenty-five year civil war by not learning from his mistakes. Mistakes or not, you are not beaten yet, he said to himself next, as his rage at what the Humans had done began to boil again. He still had a more powerful squadron than the Humans, and he had their convoy to hunt! “Where is this system’s check?” He demanded even as the bridge’s emergency lights came on.

“I’m sorry, Imperator, but our COMs systems appear to be down, as are our external sensors, so we’re having trouble figuring out just how bad the damage is,” Slayer’s Captain reported.

Tanaka-lan instantly unbuckled his restraints. “I'm transferring my flag to one of our heavy cruisers. I don’t have time for Slayer’s systems to be brought back online. See to her repair and get her back to the nearest fleet base. I will leave you a small escort.”

“Of course, Imperator,” Slayer’s Captain said, hanging his head in shame as Tanaka-lan quickly walked past him.

With a coldness he had developed after decades of senior command, Tanaka-lan dismissed his Flag Captain and even his flagship from his thoughts as he marched out of the bridge, his personal guard flanking him. All that mattered were the tactical realities of his battle with the Humans and Free Karacknids. Moving as fast as decorum would allow, he made his way to his personal shuttle. Within a minute of leaving the bridge, the shuttle launched and began accelerating away from Slayer.

“We have a salvo of Free Karacknid missiles incoming,” the shuttle’s pilot warned. “Should I take shelter behind Slayer?”

“No,” Tanaka-lan said fiercely. “Take me directly to Blade.”

“Of course, Imperator,” the pilot said meekly.

Reaching forward, Tanaka-lan began tapping on the controls of the holo display built into his personal shuttle. Through the shuttle’s sensors, he watched as his ships started to decelerate and close in around Slayer. Tanaka-lan cursed at the maneuver. His ships needed to continue after the Humans! “Send out orders to the squadron; they are to resume their previous heading!” Tanaka-lan ordered fiercely.

No reply came from the shuttle pilot for a couple of seconds. Then, even more tentatively than before, he started to apologize. “I’m sorry, Imperator, I'm trying to hail the nearby ships, but the shuttle isn’t tied into the squadron’s command COM channels, and the ships' COM officers must be busy.”

Tanaka-lan cursed again. He started to bark out new orders for the pilot to use his personal identification codes to wrest control of the command COM channels, but he stopped himself short. The Free Karacknid salvo was entering attack range, any confusion now could cost him more ships.

A couple of seconds later, the holo display in front of him updated to show a bunch of new smaller contacts coming in behind the anti-ship missiles. Impossible! Tanaka-lan thought. There was no way the humans had more fighters. If they had, they would have used them in their first attack; using them now made no sense. The reaction of his ships made Tanaka-lan growl, as they began to decelerate harder and move closer to his stricken flagship. We are losing more momentum! He complained. “Get me to Blade this instant!” He demanded, realizing it was the only way to fix the blunders his ships were making.

Of course they were fake! Tanaka-lan said to himself a minute later as the Free Karacknid missiles were easily shot down and the fighter contacts disappeared, proving themselves to be hoaxes. As his shuttle continued to race towards Blade, energy flashes from the distant Human and Free Karacknid force caught his attention. What are they doing? He asked as he tried to zoom the shuttle's limited sensors in. He got his answer moments later when heat blooms appeared on the surface of one of the moons orbiting the planet the Human force was fleeing towards. Instantly, Tanaka-lan’s mind was taken back to his duels with the Human Emperor. In one battle, Tanaka-lan had used the trick on the Human leader, but then James had used the same trick on one of Tanaka-lan’s commanders, to devastating effect. They're going to blow the moon to prevent us from following them, Tanaka-lan thought. No… he added as he realized more was going on. They're going to try and take out our second salvo!

“Have you got through to any of our ships' COM officers?” He demanded.

“Yes, Imperator, the frigate Triumph has responded, and other ships are starting to recognize you're on board rather than on Slayer,” the pilot responded.

“Get a message to whomever will listen, the missiles we have closing with the Humans, they have to go into evasive maneuvers at once!” Tanaka-lan ordered.

“Transmitting your order now, Imperator,” the shuttle pilot responded.

Tanaka-lan stared daggers at the small holo display as he watched the missiles race into the suddenly exploding moon. Some began to veer up and around the deadly asteroid wave, but many did not, or did so, but too late. Then a couple of seconds later, the holo display was filled with small explosions as hundreds of his missiles were destroyed. Tanaka-lan snarled. James’ son had found a way for his precious squadron to survive a little longer, but he promised himself it would only delay the inevitable.

Eventually, Tanaka-lan’s personal shuttle reached Blade. As soon as it touched down, Tanaka-lan marched down its access ramp. He pushed straight past the Lieutenant who had come to greet him and made for Blade’s bridge. “Imperator, it is an honor to have you…” Blade’s Captain began to say as he stood and began bowing.

“Sit down!” Tanaka-lan snapped as he waved the Captain away. “Change your transponder codes, let the squadron know this is now my flagship.” Tanaka-lan turned and sought out the heavy cruiser’s navigation officer. “Navigation, prepare a pursuit course after the Human squadron. Keep us clear of the debris from that moon, but I want to be right on their heels.”

“Of course, Imperator,” Blade’s Captain said.

“Right away,” the Navigation officer added.

Tanaka-lan barely registered the responses; he was already focused on the bridge’s main holo display, analyzing the tactical situation. The second Human and Free Karacknid missile salvo was still four minutes out from his ships. “Move the fleet into formation Sphere-three,” Tanaka-lan ordered begrudgingly. Thanks to his lighter ships pulling back to surround Slayer, he had no choice now but to protect the large super dreadnought, for if Slayer was lost completely, the day would turn into a disaster.

Thankfully, as the enemy missiles closed in and were engaged by his ships, that did not happen. Nevertheless, six missiles got close enough to detonate amongst Tanaka-lan’s ships, destroying a destroyer and frigate, and crippling a light cruiser. “Have our damaged ships and the frigates Death and Vanquish remain with Slayer,” Tanaka-lan ordered. “The rest are to follow us. Navigation, turn us onto your course.”

As his ships began to move, the holo display updated to project the course Blade’s navigation officer had come up with. Tanaka-lan ran his razor-sharp teeth back-and-forth across one another in frustration as he saw he couldn’t catch his prey before they reached the system’s mass shadow. But they are heading right after their precious convoy, Tanaka-lan saw. The convoy had already passed the mass shadow and yet it hadn’t jumped into shift space yet. That told Tanaka-lan either his earlier hunch had been wrong and there was no artificial shift passage, or that it had simply been constructed further out from the system. Smart, he thought, if it's further out, there would be far less chance we ever discover it. “We will pursue them right out of the system, wherever they are going, we will be right behind them,” Tanaka-lan told Blade’s bridge officers.

A whole day passed as Tanaka-lan remained on Blade’s bridge monitoring the Human and Free Karacknid squadron. With all the tricks the younger Somerville had used on him so far, he was unwilling to take his eyes off his adversary for even a second. That was why, as the convoy of Free Karacknid freighters winked out of existence, he saw it in person. “Mark that exact location,” he immediately requested. Then he sat back and waited some more. Sure enough, at the exact same point, Somerville’s squadron disappeared two hours later.

“Activate our dark matter scanners,” Tanaka-lan ordered another two hours later as his ships approached the location. Ten minutes later, he had his guess confirmed. There was a shift passage his species didn’t know about heading away from the system. Yet, as Blade closed with the shift passage and was able to scan it further, Tanaka-lan scowled. The shift passage didn’t look like the artificial passages he had encountered in Human space the last time he had fought them. There, the passages had been perfectly spherical, thanks to whatever device the Varanni had given them to make the passages. The one in front of him was nothing like that. Instead, it looked like every other shift passage Tanaka-lan had ever seen. It’s not artificial, he realized. It’s been here all along!

Zooming out the map of the system, Tanaka-lan accessed its historical survey data. The system his ships were in had been surveyed six hundred years ago. The data showed that the survey ship’s dark matter sensors hadn’t been able to detect as far as Blade’s could from her current position. We missed it!.. But then, how many more are there out there? Tanaka-lan asked himself. Suddenly, an old problem sprang into Tanaka-lan’s mind. When Somerville’s father had attacked his species’ homeworld in the past war, the accounts of Somerville’s advance through his people’s territory had been sketchy. Even after twenty-five years of investigations, Tanaka-lan had never been able to figure out how Somerville had advanced so far so quickly.

Is this how he did it? Tanaka-lan asked himself. Then something else hit him. The Humans had allied with the Kalassai just before Somerville’s invasion. For centuries his species had been hunting the Kalassai, and for centuries they had been avoiding extinction. The Kalassai have always known about these hidden shift passages, Tanaka-lan realized. But then, how many more of them are there out there? The question sent a shiver down Tanaka-lan’s spine, for if his entire Empire was riddled with unknown shift passages, then it was far less secure than he had imagined. Worse, he thought, if there are others, they could change the strategic situation along the entire border. His extensive line of defenses could have already been rendered irrelevant and he wouldn’t even know about it.

Tanaka-lan calmed himself before his imagination ran away with itself. The first step in dealing with any problem was to analyze it fully. “I want a ship sent back to the fleet base at Higdustai,” he requested. “They are to bring orders there that are to be sent to every fleet base in the Empire. I want every single one of our systems re-surveyed, the dark matter around every system is to be mapped right out to five light days beyond the system's mass shadow.”

“Yes, Imperator, right away,” Blade’s Captain responded, though even he couldn’t keep the incredulity entirely from his voice. What Tanaka-lan was asking would take thousands of ships and at least a year to accomplish, if not two or three.

Tanaka-lan was fully aware of that, but he saw no other choice. “Then jump us along this new shift passage to the furthest point we can scan,” he ordered. “We’ll jump out, scan the next section, and then jump further down.” We might be delayed, but we’re still coming for you, he thought towards the arrogant Somerville who had taunted him just hours before. Your secret is hidden no longer.

*

IS Spartan, 25th May 2512 AD, (four days later).

Four days after leaving Tanaka-lan behind, Spartan jumped out of shift space just beyond the edge of the FOB system’s mass shadow.. Four frigates entered the system first to check for Karacknid warships; when all they found was Hammerclaw and the Free Karacknid convoy, they jumped back to Jonathan’s squadron to bring the good news. Immediately, Jonathan jumped his ships in and set a course for the FOB.

“It’s not much to look at,” Iso commented.

“No,” Jonathan agreed as the holo display zoomed in on the small FOB. Built around the system’s only gas giant, it consisted of just two stations. One was a miniature version of the gas mining facilities he was used to seeing in Imperial space, the other, much larger, was nothing more than a series of large storage containers held together by scaffolding. “But if the gas miner’s tanks are full and all those containers are fully stocked, it’s got everything we need.”

“Well, it must have something, for Montgomery hasn’t wasted any time,” Iso said.

Jonathan nodded; Montgomery was doing just as he had ordered. Already, Hammerclaw and the Free Karacknid convoy had reached the FOB and Spartan’s sensors were picking up hundreds of shuttles descending on the two orbital facilities. “Hail Hammerclaw as soon as we are in two-way range,” he requested.

Twenty minutes later, Montgomery appeared on Spartan’s holo display and gave Jonathan a salute. “It’s good to see you again, Commodore,” he said.

“And you too,” Jonathan replied. “How are things with the convoy and the FOB?”

“The FOB is everything the report said it was,” Montgomery said. “We will easily have enough fuel, supplies, and munitions to restock every ship in our squadron. Servicing the Free Karacknid convoy might be another matter though. Another sixteen freighters and four warships joined us while you were on your mission to rescue those trapped in those mines. Altogether, we now have three hundred and sixty thousand civilians in the convoy. Karacknids don’t exactly enjoy most of our food, but they’ll have to make do. Even so, there’s only enough here to give them another week, possibly two if we stretched things. Fuel is another matter, there’s plenty of that to go around, but without food, it's not going to do us much good.”

“That’s what I feared,” Jonathan replied. “The FOB was never designed to provide for such a large number of people. At most, a large raiding squadron might have had a total crew of fifty thousand. We’re going to have to speak to Har’gna and the other Free Karacknid leaders and put our heads together to come up with a solution. And we'll have to do it fast, we have another thirty thousand civilians on our ships to add to your number. Food is going to become a problem real fast even with what we can pick up here.”

Montgomery let out a whistle. “You’ve got thirty thousand crammed on your ships? That must be cramped!”

Jonathan smiled. “Indeed it is, as soon as we get to the FOB, we’ll be transferring them over to the convoys’ freighters. I don’t know who is keener to start moving, our ships’ crews, or the Karacknids themselves.”

“I can imagine!” Montgomery responded. “I’ll see how many shuttles we can spare and have them waiting to assist. I doubt your ships will be able to take on any supplies until all the civilians are transferred across. They must be stuffed into your hangars and cargo bays.”

“That will be appreciated,” Jonathan said. “And then we need to work around the clock to take off as much of the supplies from the FOB as we can. I have no doubt Tanaka-lan is already making his way up the shift passage behind us. I want to be loaded and gone within two days. We’ll blow the station behind us too. If we can manage it, I want Tanaka-lan to arrive here and already find us gone. The more we can keep them guessing, the better.”

Montgomery raised a hand up and ran it through his hair. “Two days gives us very little time.”

Jonathan nodded. “I know, but we have little choice. With all these freighters, we have to stay one step ahead of him or he’ll rein us in, and after what we did to his flagship, I imagine he's pretty angry.”

Montgomery broke into a smile. “Yes, I suppose he would be. Very well, I’ll let the rest of the squadron know. We’ll certainly try our best. What about you? Do you plan to return to Hammerclaw once you reach us?”

Jonathan glanced around at Spartan’s bridge officers; they all stiffened at the question. “This light cruiser has impressed me, she knows how to put up a fight,” he said for their benefit. “But my place is on Hammerclaw, I’ll be transferring as soon as we reach the FOB.”

“We’ll be sorry to lose you, Commodore,” Captain Spiers said. “It’s been an honor to host you here.”

“The honor has been mine,” Jonathan said as he smiled at the Captain. “But I bet you're eager to get your quarters and office back.”

Spiers returned the smile. “I can’t deny that, Commodore.”

Jonathan turned back to Montgomery. “We’ll speak more when I come aboard. Then we can arrange this conference with Har’gna and the other Free Karacknid leaders. While our crews restock our ships, we need to come up with a plan to keep us ahead of Tanaka-lan and get us to Imperial space.”

Montgomery nodded. “I'll let them know you wish to speak with them as soon as you reach the FOB.”

“Thank you,” Jonathan said before ending the COM channel. “Well,” he said as he turned to Iso, Harte, and Rossi, "I guess we better go pack our things and say our goodbyes.” He then looked around at all of Spartan’s officers. “It’s been a pleasure, Spartans. Keep up the good work.”

“We will, Commodore,” Spiers said for his officers. “And we know you will get us out of this.”

Jonathan smiled, saluted Spartan’s bridge, and then nodded for his staff officers to proceed out ahead of him. "See you in a little bit,” he said to them as they left for their temporary quarters to gather their things. Jonathan then poked his head into his own quarters where, just as he expected, his steward Heaton was already packing up. “I’m going to go get Becca, can you pack her things as well?”

“Of course, sir,” Heaton said. “I’m sure she’ll be much more comfortable on Hammerclaw.”

Jonathan laughed. “I’m not sure she has sat around anywhere long enough to get comfortable, but who knows?”

Half an hour, Jonathan was in Spartan’s medical bay. On Becca’s insistence, he had helped her change out of her patient’s garb and into her Imperial Guard uniform. They both listened to a brief lecture from Spartan’s doctor, and then he signed off for her to leave his care. With one hand placed around his forearm, Becca leaned on Jonathan as they slowly walked out of the medical bay and towards Spartan’s hangar.

“How is the leg?” Jonathan asked her.

“Sore, but it’s supporting my weight fine,” Becca replied. “I’ll be back to duty soon, I’m sure.”

Jonathan wasn’t quite as sure, but he knew better than to argue the point. “It will be nice to get back on board Hammerclaw, and to our own quarters,” he said instead.

“That’s easy for you to say, you’re not the one who is going to have another doctor fussing over you and poking and prodding you.” She looked up at Jonathan hopefully, “Maybe as Commodore, you could speak with him. Assure him I’m all right.”

Jonathan laughed. “Let me think about that. Am I going to instruct the most senior doctor in my squadron to leave my injured girlfriend alone, or on the other hand, make sure he checks and double checks on everything that has been done to her to make sure everything is in order and then ask him to personally oversee her recovery?”

The hand that Becca linked through Jonathan’s tightened, holding him in place while she turned and gave him a surprisingly hard hit with her free hand. “You better be joking, mister. I’m warning you now. I’ve had enough of doctors for one lifetime!”

Jonathan laughed again as he winked at Becca. “I guess we’ll just have to find out. Keep up the thumping though, and you might just sway me one way over the other.” Jonathan then rolled the shoulder of his free arm. “That felt more like a child’s punch than an augmented marine's. Perhaps you’re not as recovered as I thought. Perhaps Hammerclaw’s doctor needs to look into things further.”

Becca tightened her free hand into a fist again and raised it. As Jonathan shot her the most innocent look she had ever seen from him, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter even as he did so too. When they stopped, Jonathan smiled at her. “We might be stuck in the midst of enemy territory, and have a long way to go yet before we get home, but at least we haven’t given up hope yet,” he said as he leaned in and kissed her, not in the least concerned about bumping into one of Spartan’s crew.

Chapter 21

The Silizzarus are the craftiest species we have ever encountered. Even now, a constant vigilance must be kept upon them, for as well as being masters of subterfuge, they are also extremely resourceful.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Vestar system, 4th May 2512 AD, (three weeks prior).

Agent Cordra watched the Vestarian home system materialize on her ship’s holo display as her needle-shaped craft slipped into the system. At the sight of the alien civilization's world a shiver of disgust ran down her spine to the tip of her tail. The stations in orbit around it, and the throng of ships maneuvering throughout the system were all symbols of the Vestarians' exploitation and plundering of the world that had birthed them, and their readiness to exploit the entire system for their own gain. It nauseated Cordra that any species would think they had the right to grow and expand their civilization at the expense of any system, let alone their home system. Yet it was always the same with every species the Silizzeras encountered.

Her revulsion was intensified by the fact she knew that just a century ago, the Vestarians had barely developed the technology to enter their planet’s orbit. Now, they were constructing interstellar warships and colonizing other systems. It was all Humanity's fault, which was why she had chosen Vestar as her first stop as she commenced her operations within the Human Empire. Her predecessor had underestimated the Humans, leading to her own downfall. Well, Cordra admitted to herself as her lips parted in a sardonic smile, she did have a little help from me.

One of the reasons Rarmanca had been outsmarted by the Humans was because she had overlooked their ability to make friends and allies. This was how they had won the Karacknid War, despite the Ministry decreeing the Humans were too dangerous to be allowed to expand their civilization. It was the exact reason why the Vestarian system was now such a hub of activity; their Human allies had worked industriously to bolster their economy and military-industrial complex in order to support the Humans. They cannot be allowed to continue amassing allies, Cordra thought to herself. It stops here and now. Using her tail, she activated her ship's COM systems and sent out a coded message. She had to wait an hour for a reply, but when it came, she smiled. Her transport into the system was already en-route.

They won't know what hit them, Cordra thought with glee, picturing the Human Emperor and Empress's reactions when they heard the news of all the havoc she was about to wreak. The Vestarians were on the brink of joining the federal system of the Human’s Empire, a move that would only strengthen the Vestarians and Humans. However, that was never going to happen; Cordra had come to ensure that.

*

IS Shadow, Vartun system, 7th May 2512 AD, (three days later).

Imperial Intelligence Senior Agent Edward Somerville sat on the bridge of the Shadow idly flicking a playing card back and forth across his fingers. Currently, Shadow was stationed in the Vestarian colony system of Vartun, deploying a field of reconnaissance drones around the outer system.

Initially, Edward had been thrilled when his father and Rear Admiral Alveraz had assigned him to lead the mission. Very few agents within Imperial Intelligence were aware that the Empire had managed to passively scan one of the snakelike aliens' ships before it had been expelled from the Sol system. Even fewer within the Navy knew. It therefore made logical sense for him to command the mission, but even so, he was proud he had been chosen. It had also given him a talking point with his more accomplished older brother and twin. With a total of six stealth frigates under his command, he was now responsible for leading over seven hundred crew and officers, not to mention heading the search for any additional snake-like alien provocateurs who might try to infiltrate Imperial space.

However, after more than four months, the initial excitement had given way to intense boredom. Ostensibly, his mission was to monitor the Empire's borders in order to locate and apprehend any covert alien agents who tried to infiltrate the Empire to stir dissent. In practice, however, this meant that Edward spent hours upon hours on Shadow's bridge watching her crew deploy long-duration stealth reconnaissance drones. Each of the frigates under his command was captained by an experienced officer who knew how to carry out their duties without any direction from him. And since none of them knew exactly what they were searching for, Edward didn't even have anyone to discuss their task with. Officially, they were deploying the drones to monitor smuggling activity and to watch for potential Karacknid spy ships entering the system, but even that possibility was slim, given the Karacknid border was located on the far side of Imperial space.

The result was that Edward had a critical mission to oversee - one that required precision and his undivided attention, for if more covert alien agents infiltrated the Empire, they could wreak havoc. Yet, it was also a mission that was driving him crazy with boredom. Being a Captain or Commodore can't possibly be this tedious, he said to himself, recalling Jonathan's tales of how mundane command could be. At least Jonathan had officers to supervise and a ship to manage; Edward had neither.

For nearly an hour, Edward perfected the technique of running the card over the back of his hand while casually observing the ongoing drone deployment. The card trick was one of hundreds of small 'tics' outlined by the Imperial Intelligence handbook. Field agents were expected to learn as many as possible to aid their cover stories. Edward was ticking them off one by one as the months rolled by. If he ever had to play the role of a seasoned gambler, he'd now be able to blend in that little bit better.

"Captain, I've started receiving a contact request on one of the Imperial Intelligence frequencies," Shadow’s COM officer reported. "The message also includes a set of coordinates and is addressed specifically to Agent Somerville."

Instantly, Edward sat upright in his command chair. Only a handful of people knew his current location, implying that whoever was contacting him likely had important news.

"Display the coordinates," Henning, Shadow’s captain requested.

"The coordinates indicate a location here, Captain, near the Vestar shift passage," the COM officer stated as a dot began to flash on the holo display at the mentioned location.

Henning turned to Edward. "What do you want to do, Agent?"

"Acknowledge the request and send them new coordinates," Edward responded, already deciding that he needed to meet with the contact. "Assuming there's a ship at that location, calculate the closest point where we can both meet and send them those coordinates. Then set course for the rendezvous point."

"As you wish," Henning said to Edward before turning to her officers to relay further instructions.

An hour and thirty-five minutes later, Shadow was nearing the rendezvous point. "Still no sign of anything on our passive scans," reported Shadow’s sensor officer, his voice touched with frustration. "I'm not certain there's anything out there."

Moments later, the bridge’s COM console beeped. "We are receiving a laser COM flash," announced the COM officer, smiling at the sensor officer. "There must be something out there."

"What does the message convey?" Henning inquired, her tone indicating that she wanted her officers to cut the chit-chat.

"It's a request for an audio and visual link," the COM officer replied.

Edward nodded when Henning turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

When a familiar face materialized on the bridge's holo display, Edward's smile widened and his excitement surged. "Agent Brooke, it's good to see you," Edward greeted. "I presume you bring news?"

Brooke nodded. Having previously worked together and so aware of some of Edward’s true mission, she had been recruited by him to serve as his second in command. For several months now, she had been stationed at Vestar, which Edward had chosen as the central hub for monitoring the expanding stealth drone network. "I'm aware we're all supposed to be in the dark about what we're actually seeking with these drones, but one drone has captured something very interesting. I came here straight away, thinking you'd want to know immediately."

"What exactly do you mean by 'interesting'?" Edward inquired, his excitement escalating.

"I have the data with me. Do you want me to transfer it, or should I show you in person?" Brooke responded.

Edward cast a glance at Henning and Shadow’s bridge officers; it was clear they were all keen to know, yet he had a responsibility to maintain operational security. "Better bring it over here. I presume you’re on Kittyhawk?"

Brooke smiled and nodded. "She was the quickest way to get to you."

"Dock her in the hangar bay then, and I'll meet you there," Edward directed.

"Understood," Brooke said, and then terminated the COM link.

"I’m beginning to detect something," Shadow’s sensor officer reported a moment later. "Although I’m only receiving distorted visuals. Whatever is approaching us, it's emitting barely any electromagnetic energy at all."

"Show us," Henning instructed.

As the holo display refreshed, Edward smiled. The Kittyhawk was one of Imperial Intelligence's latest designs; the product of a collaboration between Imperial Intelligence’s leading scientists and Admiral Scott. Smaller than a corvette, the ship featured an advanced heat sink capable of storing every joule of electromagnetic energy its systems produced, while an advanced stealth armor emitted light waves so it perfectly mimicked the star field behind it. As the Kittyhawk neared, all that could be seen on Shadow’s holo display was a small black speck resembling a series of bubbles.

"What on Earth is that?" Henning wondered aloud.

Edward unbuckled himself, stood, and winked at Henning. "That's above your pay grade I’m afraid, Captain. Can you order the hangar bay evacuated of all non-essential staff. We should be back shortly."

"Understood," Henning responded, though not with much enthusiasm.

In contrast, Edward hastened from the bridge towards Shadow’s hangar. If one of his drones had picked up something, there was really only one thing it could be, at least, only one thing that would cause Brooke to come racing to find him. If it was what he was hoping for, then his months of boredom were about to pay off big time!

As he entered the hangar, Brooke waved at him and moved to meet him. Edward took a moment to admire the sleek lines of the ship, careful not to stare too long as its strange armor could make him feel dizzy. Apart from Brooke, there were only two wide-eyed engineers present, moving fuel lines over to connect with the Kittyhawk.

Without wasting time, Brooke pulled out a datapad and began to project an image. "This is what the drone detected. I know you’re not supposed to tell me, but is this what I think it is?"

Edward grinned as he took the datapad, holding it up closer to see more detail. The image was an exact match for the one that had sparked his mission. "Where was this taken?"

"In the Vestar system, four days ago," Brooke answered. She then cleared her throat, forcing Edward to look away from the image. "I think it’s time for some answers, Agent. You pulled me away from fieldwork in The Wilds to sit behind a desk on Vestar without anything to do for months. I know you were in The Wilds before with your brother hunting these secretive, snakelike aliens. I know that’s what you’re doing now. That's one of their ships, isn’t it? Is there one of them on Vestar right now?"

Edward knew there was no point trying to deflect Brooke’s questions; she was far too astute for that. "You know I can’t divulge such information. But, I will say this: I chose you for this mission because I trust your instincts. So maybe you should do the same," he said with a wink.

Brooke smiled. "I knew it!" Her face then turned serious. "So, what do we do now? Are we going to hunt this snakelike alien down?"

Edward shook his head. “That’s beyond my authority. Nor do we have enough agents on Vestar to attempt such a feat.”

“But one of these aliens is on Vestar right now, doing who knows what. Surely we have to try and stop them, or at least warn the Vestarians,” Brooke countered.

Edward tossed the datapad up and caught it again. “If we warn them, there’s a good chance the snakelike alien will discover we know it is there. But we don’t need to worry about that, not with this. This is all we need. Come on,” he said as he turned to exit the hangar, leaving Brooke looking confused.

“Where are we going?” Brooke asked.

“The bridge,” Edward answered, “we have no time to waste.” As soon as he reached the bridge, Edward began issuing orders. “Captain Henning, we need to set course for the Vestar shift passage immediately. I want your maximum speed.”

“But if we come out of stealth, every ship in the system will know we’ve been lurking around here,” Henning cautioned.

Edward nodded. “I’m fully aware, but we can’t worry about that now. We need to reach Vestar as quickly as possible. Once we’re there, I want us back in stealth.” Edward moved to his command chair, sat down, and gestured towards Brooke. “Agent, pass your data to our sensor officer, then find yourself a seat.”

“Yes, boss,” Brooke said formally, though she was still smiling at finally getting to see some action.

“One of our drones picked up a hidden ship,” Edward explained to Shadow’s bridge officers. “Exactly the kind of ship we’ve been hoping to come across. I want all the data from Agent Brooke's datapad analyzed. I suspect an Imperial or Vestarian ship has rendezvoused with that ship to take on a passenger. I want that ship found.”

“Aye, sir,” Shadow’s sensor officer responded. “I’ve got something,” he said just a minute later. “At least, it’s the only possibility.”

Brooke nodded as the sensor officer zoomed out the image on the holo display to show a recording of the entire Vestar system. “That’s what I thought too. The only ship that came anywhere near that area.”

Edward frowned. As the recording was fast forwarded, a contact moved towards the hidden ship, circled around a nearby asteroid field several times, and then sped back towards Vestar. “What kind of ship is that?” He asked.

“Its transponder identifies it as a pleasure yacht named Kali. Roughly the size of a corvette,” the sensor officer said.

“But it doesn’t come very close to our hidden ship,” Edward observed.

“No, but if you're looking for a way for a passenger to leave the hidden ship and travel to Vestar, this is the only plausible scenario,” the officer explained. “If someone wanted to remain hidden, they could leave their ship, use a small personal flight device, and head to this nearby asteroid field. It would take about an hour, but then they’d be there where Kali could pick them up.”

Edward nodded. He felt certain that was exactly what had transpired. The sensor officer wasn't privy to this, but the snakelike aliens were minuscule, scarcely larger than an earthworm. Their ships and technology were also diminutive, which made it plausible that the contact his stealth drones had detected could carry a miniature shuttle the snakelike aliens could have taken to rendezvous with Kali. He was convinced at least one of them was on Vestar at that very moment, and they knew where its ship was!

“I want schematics of that pleasure yacht sent to my briefing room,” Edward ordered as he rose. “Brooke, come with me. We have some simulations to run.”

“As you wish,” Brooke responded, her face once again marked by confusion.

“And Captain Henning, ask Chief O'Rourke to check on our special cargo and make sure they are all ready for deployment,” Edward directed, adding to Brooke's bewilderment. He couldn't help but smile at her as he led her from the Shadow's bridge into his briefing room. “We have work to do,” he told her, his excitement giving way to a grim determination. The snake-like aliens had already caused his parents enough trouble; he was resolved to put a stop to it.

Chapter 22

Whilst most naval historians focus on the several wars that Humanity fought in between the First and Second Karacknid Wars, a proper history of the Empire’s ascent cannot overstate the quest to identify and confront the species our forebears first referred to as ‘the snakelike aliens.’

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Shadow, Vestar system, 10th May 2512 AD, (three days later).

The journey from Vartun to Vestar was a nerve-wracking one for Edward as he couldn’t stop imagining the snakelike alien might have already left. The tension escalated as Shadow stealthily navigated through the Vestar system towards the drone that had detected the alien craft.

“We’re in position, Captain,” Shadow’s navigation officer informed Henning.

“Very carefully, flash it with our laser COM,” Edward instructed. “I don’t want even a joule of energy missing the drone. If that ship is still there, it can’t detect even a hint of us.”

“Don’t worry, Agent. I’ve got this,” Shadow’s COM officer assured Edward, “Making contact now.”

Edward held his breath. If the ship had already left, he would be furious. The fact that his drone had identified the snakelike alien ship was testament to the efficacy of the drones he was deploying. But now that he had one of the aliens in his sights, he was intent on pursuing it.

“I have a link,” Shadow’s COM officer announced, her voice brimming with pride. “Downloading its databanks now.”

“It’s still there!” Shadow’s sensor officer exclaimed seconds later. “Look.”

On the holo display, the same image of the peculiar craft reappeared. Edward felt the tension drain from his body. The alien hadn't left; he still had the opportunity to engage it! He could sense a ripple of excitement among Shadow’s bridge officers. By now, everyone on the stealth frigate had deduced the identity of the craft's owners even though Edward hadn’t confirmed it to anyone.

For several seconds, Edward stared at the image, simply relieved to know it was still there. Then, he shook himself into action. He and Mark Alvarez, who was both his uncle and the head of Imperial Intelligence, had meticulously discussed what to do if Edward ever encountered a snakelike alien ship. “I want an encrypted message sent to our station on Vestar immediately,” Edward directed. “It should simply say: Pigeon, Mongoose.”

“Aye, Agent. Transmitting now,” Shadow’s COM officer replied.

Edward shared a glance with Brooke. He had chosen to fully brief her on the specifics of his mission. If something were to happen to him, she needed to understand exactly what was required of her. When their eyes met, Brooke nodded in understanding. Both words were codewords that would set in motion plans Edward had prepared months prior. 'Pigeon' would decrypt the file he had left in the Vestar Imperial Intelligence office and use Vestar’s Tachyon pulse COM array to send a request to Kulrea for help. The Kulreans, the most technologically advanced species among Humanity’s allies, had expressed significant concern about the snakelike aliens in their communications with Edward’s father.

As far as the Kulreans knew, their species hadn't been infiltrated by the secretive aliens known for assuming the forms of their adversaries. However, the mere possibility of a species operating covertly in the Kulrean sector without their knowledge was unsettling. The Kulreans had begun exploring and charting the stars surrounding their home system several millennia ago. They had believed they were familiar with all nearby extraterrestrials, despite their deliberate self-isolation. As it turned out, they had been wrong.

Edward and Alvarez had therefore considered it wise to involve the Kulreans. The more the pacifist and isolationist Kulreans became entangled in the affairs of their neighbors, the better, for with their technology they gave the Empire a far greater chance of defeating the Karacknids, and now the snakelike aliens as well.

That said, Edward had other considerations too. The snakelike aliens' technological capabilities remained a mystery, but given their demonstrated abilities, such as creating flawless replicas of Human bodies to inhabit and manipulate, and seamlessly entering and exiting shift space without concern for the dark matter that hindered Human and Kulrean shift drives, they were likely centuries ahead of Humanity. The best chance of capturing the snakelike alien ship and extracting information from it necessitated involving the Kulreans.

The second codeword, 'mongoose,' would trigger the upload of another file to the tachyon COM. This message would be sent back to Earth to inform Alvarez and Edward’s father of his intention to attempt the apprehension of the snakelike alien. Edward had already gathered everything he needed for this endeavor. Though eager, he was aware of the numerous uncertainties involved. As per Alvarez's instructions, he planned to minimize these risks as much as possible.

“All right, slowly back us away from the drone,” Edward ordered. “Then move us towards the asteroid field Kali circled when she came to pick up whoever was on that ship.”

“Whoever was on that ship, yes agent,” Henning replied knowingly. “We’ll get moving right away.”

Edward spent the next half hour observing as Shadow retreated from the drone and the snake-like alien ship, ensuring it didn't detect them and attempt to flee. He then turned to Shadow’s COM officer. “Download the latest news packet from Vestar and send it to Brooke's and my consoles,” he instructed. Currently, there were no signs of Kali or any other ship on a course that would take them near the asteroid field or the alien craft. With nothing else to do, Edward was keen to understand the ongoing events on Vestar. He doubted he could discern exactly what the alien was planning, but he was eager to try. Knowing Brooke, he suspected she was of the same mindset. Whatever you're up to, enjoy yourself, for it may be your last act against us, Edward mentally warned their unseen adversary.

*

The first day passed quickly for Edward, as he and Brooke sifted through a week's worth of news reports from Vestar which provided them with plenty to discuss and theorize about. However, as one day turned into two, then three, a knot of anxiety began to form in his stomach. He couldn't shake the idea that a ship had somehow slipped past them and returned the snakelike alien to its craft. Alternatively, the alien might have been on its ship the entire time and decided to leave. Of course Edward kept reminding himself the drone had been programmed to send an immediate alert if the alien vessel started to move. Yet it might have malfunctioned, or the snakelike alien might have detected and discreetly destroyed it. These and other potential scenarios played out in his mind more and more as three days stretched into four, and then five.

Finally, something occurred that put an end to the agonizing wait. The sudden beeping of his COM unit woke Edward from his sleep. It took him a second to realize what had roused him from his dreams. When he did, his first thought was that the alien ship had been detected moving away. This fear surged through him as he reached for his COM unit. “What is it?” He asked, trying to mask the sleepiness and concern in his voice.

“Apologies, Agent Somerville. Captain Henning instructed me to notify you immediately,” one of Shadow’s Lieutenants said. “We’ve detected Kali. She’s just left Vestar's orbit and is approaching our position on nearly the same course she took last time.”

Excitement surged through Edward, dispelling his fears. The alien is returning to its ship! “I’ll be right there,” he responded to the Lieutenant. “Please inform Agent Brooke as well.”

“Yes, sir,” the Lieutenant responded.

Edward jumped out of bed and quickly donned the nondescript flight suit that served as an Intelligence officer's uniform aboard ship. He was in his command chair on Shadow's bridge in less than a minute. “Thank you for informing me so promptly,” he said to Henning while focusing on the holo display. “How far away is she?”

“Another hour,” Henning responded. “But she is following her previous course exactly. She should pass right by us.”

Edward nodded. “And you're confident she will have no clue we are here?”

“I can’t guarantee she won’t,” Henning said cautiously. “But I’ve gone over her schematics several times. Unless she has been secretly upgraded with military-level sensors, she should have no clue we’re here until it’s too late.”

“Then you know what to do, Captain, this is your ship, you’re in charge,” Edward said, turning to Brooke, who had somehow beaten him to the bridge. “We’ll go and prepare our part.”

“As you wish, Agent,” Henning responded. “We’ll have her under our guns soon enough, then she’ll be all yours.”

Edward nodded at Shadow’s Captain and then gestured with his head for Brooke to follow him back out of the bridge and towards the hangar. He had full confidence in Henning and Shadow. There was no way Kali could outmaneuver or outfight the stealth frigate, and they had already deployed a full complement of their stealth recon drones around the area where they planned to interdict Kali, ensuring there was no way anyone could get off the yacht without being detected. There will be nowhere to run, Edward hoped.

*

Cordra was feeling good about herself. Her mission had gone well. Begrudgingly, she had to admit Rarmanca had done a good job setting up two covert cells on the planet. Of course, it couldn't have been too difficult. Before the Humans encountered the Vestarians, they had been ruled by a heavy-handed authoritarian government. While the democratic revolution that the Humans had aided was heavily supported by the populace, even now, there were still small pockets of disgruntled citizens who had fared much better under the previous regime. Rarmanca had successfully recruited a number of them to her cause, though no one actually knew who they were serving or that they were merely pawns in a very different game than the one they thought they were playing. It had therefore been easy for Cordra to make contact with the cells and pick up where Rarmanca had left off.

And soon they will be put to use, Cordra thought. In just eight days, she had been able to garner enough compromising evidence to corrupt several local politicians and set up the beginnings of two additional cells. All of her people had instructions that they would begin to implement over the next couple of months. Cordra was certain she would have to return again to put the final pieces of the plan into motion, but by the time she did, the rest of the elements needed for the attempted coup would be in place.

Cordra was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn’t notice the contact suddenly appear on the yacht’s small holo display. It was only when an alarm went off and the Human pilot suddenly swore that she blinked her Vestarian prosthetic’s body and turned to him. “What is it?”

The Human gestured wildly at the display. “Can’t you see? That’s a military ship!”

A shiver of fear ran down Cordra’s body as she turned to the holo display. Sure enough, there was a new contact there that hadn’t been visible moments before. Though Cordra didn’t view herself as an expert in stellar navigation, she knew enough to know the contact was coming right for them, and at a velocity Kali couldn’t match.

“They're after you, aren't they,” the Human said accusingly. “I knew you were up to some sketchy business, but not something like this. That’s an Imperial frigate out there!”

In the blink of an eye, far faster than a normal Vestarian could move, Cordra whipped out a plasma pistol. “Don’t say another word,” she said slowly to the Human. “Do exactly what I say, or you die.”

“Alright, alright,” the Human male said as he raised his hands. “You’re in charge, I don’t want any trouble.” He then nodded towards the display. “But what are you going to do about that? There’s no way we can get away.”

“Shut up,” Cordra repeated as she tried to think. A second later, she cursed Rarmanca. The deceased agent must have failed even more than the Ministry had suspected. It was the only explanation. Somehow, the Humans had discovered her ship. Why else would they be waiting out here to capture her rather than on Vestar. And the only way they could have done that is if they discovered Rarmanca’s first, Cordra told herself. She had been too careful for it to be her fault.

If they know about Needle, there’s no way I can get to her. Not right now anyway, Cordra figured. She had transferred from Needle to the yacht using an adapted flight suit for her prosthetic that had small thrusters built into it. The flight hadn’t been fun, but it was something all Silizzarus agents were trained to do. Yet the suit didn’t have any stealth technology and so the Human frigate’s sensors would detect her the moment she tried to leave the yacht. There is nowhere to go, she realized. Her only option was to hide. Thankfully though, that was something she was an expert at. All she had to do was hide long enough for the Humans to give up trying to find her and then she could make her escape. Or even better, she thought as she imagined sending her prosthetic out into space with its spacesuit and then one of its small engines overloading. She could fake her own death and then hide!

Cordra's imagination was interrupted when a light on the yacht's control console beeped and began to flash. "What's that?" Cordra asked.

"It's the COM unit," the Human said. "They're hailing us."

"Let's hear it," Cordra requested, keen to know just how much the Humans knew.

"Yacht Kali, this is the Imperial frigate Shadow. We have weapons trained on you and we can destroy you at a moment's notice. Cut your engines and prepare to be boarded. We have no interest in Kali's crew, but we believe you are carrying a foreign spy who is an imposter. Cut your engines now and no harm will come to you. It is the spy we are after."

At the mention of a spy, Cordra turned to the Human. His eyes were as wide as saucers, yet Cordra saw a hint of something else there. Instantly, she shot him in the chest with her plasma pistol. He let out a cry of agony and then slumped over in his flight seat. "I told you not to try anything," she said to the dead body. As she stared at the smoldering corpse, a new idea came to her. The thought of it made her body shiver, yet it was a good idea. Better than trying to fake her prosthetic's death by exiting the yacht.

Reaching over to the yacht's control panel, she tapped a button to cut its engines. Next, she reached over and pulled the Human's pistol from its holster. Then she began unlinking her body from the prosthetic. She didn't complete the process and retained just enough control to hold a plasma pistol in place. Tensing her body, and focusing her mind, Cordra pulled the trigger. The instant she did, she cut the final links she had with the prosthetic. She wasn't able to do it quick enough however, and several jolts of searing pain flashed into her mind as she felt the prosthetic's head and upper torso disintegrate.

As her real body began to feel the heat radiating down through the ruined prosthetic, Cordra quickly exited it and slithered onto the yacht's deck. She took a moment to take in the scene and nodded in satisfaction. It looked just like both aliens had tried to kill each other. With luck, they'll think I'm dead, she hoped. Now, she just had to find somewhere to hide!

*

With the shuttle already loaded up with everything they needed, when Edward and Brooke reached Shadow's hangar, they simply had to get on board their shuttle and strap themselves in.

"She is cutting her engines!" The pilot called out excitedly. "We are go for launch."

Edward shared a glance with Brooke, they both grinned. There was a very good chance they were about to be the first Humans to capture a snakelike alien. As the shuttle took off, Edward accessed the small holo display built into its crew compartment. In silence, they watched as the shuttle, followed by Shadow, closed with Kali. The image of Shadow made it clear that all her heavy laser and plasma cannons were trained on the small yacht. At the slightest sign that she was trying to power up any hidden weapons, she would be blasted into debris.

"We're coming alongside her now," the shuttle pilot announced five minutes later. "I'm going to line us up with her aft docking hatch."

"Understood," Edward acknowledged.

"We'll go first," Lieutenant Maicon reminded Edward. "Then you two can follow."

"Of course," Edward said as he nodded to the special forces marine. Though he had received combat training himself, he was more than happy to leave the clearing of the yacht to the professionals. Especially since they were all clad in combat armor and he wasn't.

"Docking," the shuttle pilot announced, just before a small jolt ran through the shuttle. "We are attached. The hatch isn't opening by itself, you'll have to do it manually."

"Get to it," Maicon instructed his marines.

The six special forces marines unbuckled themselves and moved to the back of the shuttle. Built into every shuttle’s access ramp was a docking hatch. The marines opened the shuttle's end, then their electronics specialist attached a device to the yacht's hatch. "It's no use," he said a few moments later. "It's been sealed tight and locked from the other side. It has high end encryption. Unless we want to wait another ten minutes, it will be quicker to cut our way through."

"I can ask Shadow to order them to open it," the shuttle's pilot suggested.

"Don't bother," Edward replied. "They haven’t been responding to our hails. Cut it, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir," Maicon replied. "You heard him," he then added to his marines.

Another specialist pulled out a plasma torch from its compartment in the shuttle and got to work. A minute later, he switched the plasma torch off then reached out with a gloved hand and pushed the cut-open docking hatch. As it fell backwards into the yacht, the marine jumped back to allow the rest of his squad to point their weapons towards the opening.

"Passageway is clear," one marine said.

"Move in, clear the entire yacht," Maicon instructed.

As the marines rushed through the open docking hatch, Edward and Brooke followed closely behind, their plasma pistols drawn. The first thing Edward did was seal the cut-open hatch with an expandable seal and set hidden sensors nearby, just in case the snakelike alien tried to sneak onto the shuttle. Having memorized the yacht’s schematics, Edward then made a beeline for the bridge. With the yacht only having four decks, it only took a minute to get there.

"You're going to want to see this, agents," one of the marines said as they saw Edward and Brooke approaching. Edward stepped onto the bridge and saw immediately what the marine was talking about. Two badly scorched bodies were slumped over in the yacht’s two flight seats. “It looks like they had a disagreement about surrendering,” the marine suggested.

"Maybe," Edward said as he moved forward for a closer look. “This seems to be Harkin,” he said to Brooke as he gestured at the scorched Human whose face was still recognizable. According to Kali’s registration details, she was owned by a Sebastian Harkin. From Imperial Intelligence’s file on him, Edward knew he owned one of the smaller private construction firms that had contracts with the Vestarian government. “Take DNA samples so we can get an initial confirmation,” he instructed Brooke. “Then we will have Shadow’s medical team take over. We need to do a full body scan to be sure.”

Edward then turned to the dead Vestarian. If Harkin really was dead and the snakelike alien was indeed a fake, then he was looking at an artificial Vestarian body that had once been inhabited by a small snakelike alien. The question is, Edward thought to himself as he peered over the ruined body, was the alien inside when the plasma bolts hit? His gut told him no, but the only way to be sure would be to carry out a full body scan on the dead Vestarian as well.

“Any sign of what we’re looking for?” Brooke asked as she moved up beside him and then knelt down beside the Vestarian body.

“You tell me,” Edward replied. “I can't see anything out of the ordinary, but I’m far from an expert on Vestarian physiology.”

Brooke leaned in to look into the holes burnt deep into the body and then shook her head. “I don’t see anything that would suggest the alien was here.”

“Either way, we have to assume this was staged,” Edward replied. “Let’s get to work.”

“Agreed,” Brooke said as she stood and matched Edward's movements as they both pulled out specially modified medical scanners.

“I’ll take this deck, you start on the one above, then we’ll take the two lower ones,” Edward instructed. He then activated his COM unit. “Lieutenant Maicon, is the yacht secure?”

“Just clearing the last two compartments,” Maicon said, then fell silent. “Ok, all clear,” he reported just a couple of seconds later. “Other than the two you’ve seen on the bridge, there doesn’t appear to be anyone else here.”

“All right, keep the yacht locked down while we begin our scans,” Edward instructed, then he nodded for Brooke to move out.

As she left, Edward moved to the front of the bridge and then carefully and methodically began scanning every nook and cranny of the room. When he was satisfied there was no way a small alien lifeform could be hiding anywhere, he deployed a fixed scanner that would detect any movement from anything trying to enter the bridge. Then, he moved out into the hallway and began scanning it and each of the compartments that ran along the length of the deck. Disappointingly, he found nothing out of the ordinary. When Brooke came back down from the upper deck, she too had nothing to report.

There are still two more decks, Edward encouraged himself as they moved down and split up again. In the third room he was scanning, Edward froze for a fraction of a second. His scanner had detected something! It was faint, far fainter than he had anticipated, but it was the first thing out of the ordinary he had detected. With his scanner programmed not to emit any kind of noise at its discovery, the only hint that his quarry might have of being discovered was Edward’s reaction. Quickly he started moving forward again and scanning as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Twice, he ran the scanner back over the same area to be sure. Sure enough, each time, under the deck plating beneath the bed of the quarters he was in, a small energy reading was being picked up.

It was so faint that the medical scanner didn’t even think it was a mouse, let alone a slightly larger snakelike alien. But it is! Edward was sure. It must have some kind of special flight suit that hides its body from scanners. But it is there.

When he was done scanning the room, Edward sighed, deployed another movement sensor, and moved on to the next compartment. For another ten minutes he carefully scanned the rest of the deck, then met up with Brooke. “Nothing,” he said even as he winked at her. “What about you?”

“Nothing either,” Brooke said as she shook her head.

“Back to the shuttle then,” Edward suggested. “Lieutenant, keep the yacht locked down,” he said over the COM channel to Maicon. “We have a few additional sensors we'd like to install, but once we’re done, we’ll be ready to hand the yacht over to Shadow’s engineers and medical team.” He spoke loudly enough that his voice echoed down the corridor towards the living quarters he suspected the snakelike alien to be in.

Once they got back to the shuttle, Brooke broke her silence. “You found it?” She asked excitedly.

Edward nodded. “I believe so, but there’s only one way to find out.” He then moved over to the shuttle’s holo display and pulled up the schematics of Kali. “I picked up something here, in this room,” he said as he pointed to the living quarters. “It was under the decking. It looks like there are two conduits that lead into the adjoining rooms. Each of them has three more conduits leading out.”

“All right, we install our devices at those three conduits, then seal the doors for each of the three rooms,” Brooke said. “We’ll have to move fast so it doesn’t figure out what we’re doing.”

“Then we better move fast,” Edward said as he moved over to the storage crate and began to pull out the devices they needed. Then he activated his COM unit again. “Maicon, can you close and seal every hatch in the yacht?”

“I can do, Agent. My software specialist has already taken control of the bridge's consoles,” Maicon responded.

“Then please do,” Edward requested. "Are you ready?” He asked as he turned back to Brooke.

“Let’s do this,” Brooke said seriously.

Full of nerves, Edward lifted the devices he needed and then headed back into the yacht. He and Brooke stopped outside the doors into the compartments they wanted. They glanced at each other, and then proceeded. Once inside, Edward made as if he was setting up a new motion scanner. Instead, however, he carefully lifted a section of the deck plating. Underneath it he inserted one of his devices into the conduit below the deck. He then repeated the process four more times in adjacent rooms. When he was done, he returned to the deck’s main corridor. Brooke was waiting for him. “Ready when you are,” she said.

“Let’s do this then,” Edward replied. They both pulled out their medical scanners and plasma pistols again. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Edward moved up to the hatch into the room he had first detected the anomaly. Reaching out to its access panel, he typed in his security code and it swished open for him. With Brooke right behind him, he scanned the room once more. They shared a look when they both detected the anomaly in the same location.

Edward’s body tensed. The most dangerous part of his plan was about to come. “I know you’re there,” he said in an authoritative voice. “Surrender and we won’t kill you. Refuse to come out and we’ll blast our way to you through the decking. I don’t care if I have to destroy Kali to get to you.” As he spoke, Edward and Brooke raised their pistols and pointed them at the exact point they were detecting the anomaly.

*

When the Humans entered the room she was hiding in for a second time, Cordra’s heart rate spiked. Then the Human spoke! Immediately her heart stopped cold. The unthinkable had happened. How? She asked herself in horror. Maybe it's a trap, she thought next in hope. They’re doing it in every room, trying to trick me. Quickly she accessed the small visual device she had hidden in the room with her datapad. Her fear ramped up when she saw the two Humans had their weapons pointed right at her. It was no trick. Somehow, they knew exactly where she was.

Cordra had only two choices. Either she fought or fled. Once again, she cursed Rarmanca. The fool had caused her downfall. Even in death, her rival had found a way to get revenge! In a split second, Cordra made her choice. There was no way she could kill the two Humans and the Marines in combat armor, at least not for sure. She could however run, and if she could make it to their Human’s shuttle there was a chance she could steal it.

Uncoiling her body, Cordra shot off as fast as she could. Every muscle along her long thin body strained as she slithered across the dry surface of the conduit she was in. In the blink of an eye, she left the room the two Humans were in and entered one of the adjacent rooms. Then she left it and made towards a conduit that would take her up a deck. Suddenly however, something slammed shut in front of her. It happened so fast Cordra couldn’t stop. Her head smashed into the metallic plate bringing her to an immediate halt. Instinctively, she whipped around. Yet even as she did, another plate snapped into place. Only then did Cordra realize the surface she was slithering on had changed. It was made of some other kind of metallic alloy, the same as the two plates that had just shut. It’s a trap! She realized in horror. She had slithered right into a Human trap!

Panic flooded through Cordra. The Humans had known she was hiding. They had come prepared, and she had slithered right into it! Summoning all her strength, Cordra smashed her head against the plate trying to get it to open. It didn’t budge even a millimeter. Next, she used her tail to pull out a small laser pistol she carried in her utility belt. Just before she fired, a new thought occurred to her. The box was so tiny that if the beam reflected or the heat from the beam simply conducted across the rest of its surface, she could cook herself alive. Flicking her tongue out, Cordra tasted the metallic alloy. She couldn’t be sure, but it felt like tungsten mixed with something else. Knowing it was risky, but determined to still try, Cordra powered the laser down to its lowest setting. Then she aimed at the plate furthest from her and fired. The beam didn’t reflect back at her, but immediately she felt the box around her warming.

The heat only added to Cordra’s panic. Dropping her weapon, she tried a different approach. Desperately she pulled out her datapad and tried to access any nearby control panels. The trap she was in had to have a control system. Cordra’s tongue flicked in and out in a hiss when her datapad couldn’t connect to anything nearby. The trap is shielded! She realized as her resilience faltered. There is no escape. Cordra closed her eyes as she felt her heart rate rapidly increasing. Her panic was threatening to take over and cause her body to start to shut down. With a great deal of effort, Cordra fought to control her breathing and the rate at which her tongue was flicking in and out. She couldn’t let her panic take a hold, she needed to keep control of her mind. The only way she was going to escape was if she was able to think!

Your ship! A voice said to her as she felt her initial panic start to recede. It can destroy the Human frigate, then you can fight your way out of this trap. With a couple of taps on her datapad, Cordra tried to make contact with Needle. She waited for several seconds, but no reply came back. The shielding! She cursed. In desperation, she sent an order for Needle to flee and get help. Then, after a moment’s notice, she also ordered it to self-destruct if it couldn’t get away. Even as she sent the commands, her emotions fell further, for she had no way of knowing if it had worked or not.

They’ve got you, she realized as the reality of her situation began to fully dawn on Cordra. For the first time, she started to think beyond herself. Never before had a Silizzarus been captured by an alien species. Before Raramanca, no one else had even figured out they existed. But now they will, Cordra thought in dismay. You have failed your people. Every species allied to the Humans will learn about us. Suddenly, Cordra knew what she had to do.

Slowly she picked up her laser pistol again. With a flick of one of its buttons, she set it to full power. All she had to do was fire several shots and her body would be incinerated. The Humans would learn next to nothing. Yet Cordra hesitated. If she incinerated herself, her implants would be destroyed too. All of her memories and her very consciousness would be lost forever. She closed her eyes, her mind filled with memories of her time within the Collective. It felt like yesterday when she had last embraced her siblings, parents, grandparents, great grandparents and many the generations before that. They all were waiting for her return where she could embrace them once more. With a gasp, Cordra dropped her laser pistol. She couldn’t kill herself, not when it meant she would lose everything.

I won’t betray them, she told herself as she thought of her family and tried to rationalize her choice. Whatever the Humans do to me, I won't tell them anything. They will learn nothing from me and eventually, they will lower their guard, then I will make no mistake and return to them!

Chapter 23

Some technological discoveries have little impact on the everyday lives of the Empire’s citizens. Others take decades or even a generation for their full effects to be felt. On rare occasions, a single discovery can reshape almost every aspect of the empire. The efforts of Edward Somerville led to one of these few revolutions.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Gently, half expecting the alien to jump out of the trap, Edward leaned over, removed the deck plating, and then lifted the device he had placed there just minutes before out of the conduit. Its control panel was flashing to indicate it had caught something, yet it was so well shielded that even it couldn’t tell what it was.

“Did it work? Do we have it?” Brooke asked excitedly over Edward’s shoulder.

“I’m not sure,” Edward said as he stood again. He held the trap in two hands. “I think it feels a little heavier.”

Brooke broke out into a grin. “Then we have it! We did it, we actually caught one of them!”

Edward looked down at the foot-long rectangular tungsten box. It suddenly felt far heavier in his hands. It was very possible he was holding the answer to the most guarded secret in the galaxy. “I think we better get back to Shadow,” he said, suddenly not wanting to be the one responsible for holding the trap, nor feeling as confident that it would hold the creature for long. On Shadow, they had a specifically designed brig built just for the snakelike alien. Once he placed it in there, he could hand over responsibility for keeping it in place to Shadow’s marines. And then maybe we can start to get some answers! Edward thought to himself. “Come on, let’s go,” Edward said as he began to quickly make his way through the yacht back to their shuttle.

As they walked, Edward used his COM unit to speak with Lieutenant Maicon. “I think we've caught it!” He said proudly. “We’re going back to Shadow now. Keep the ship on lockdown until we send a team over to take control of it and keep monitoring the sensors we’ve set up, just in case.”

“Understood,” Maicon replied. “Are you not going to tell us what you caught then?” He asked after a moment’s silence.

Edward laughed. “If it is what we think it is, you’ll find out soon enough, don't worry.”

When they got to the shuttle, Edward moved to his seat and carefully strapped himself in without letting go of the trap. “The marines are going to wait here,” he informed the shuttle’s pilot. “You can take us back to Shadow.”

“I can certainly do that, Agent, but are you sure that’s what you want? Check your holo display, we have visitors,” the pilot replied.

Edward’s body stiffened. Though the pilot’s relaxed tone suggested whoever the visitors were, they posed no threat, Edward wasn’t so sure. The snakelike aliens had demonstrated their ability to compromise almost anyone within the Empire. Whoever it was, they could appear friendly and turn against them in an instant. Hastily, he activated the holo display and requested it show a live feed from the shuttle’s sensors. His eyes widened at what he saw. At the same time, his body relaxed. If there was one species he was sure the snakelike aliens couldn’t fool, it was the Kulreans, and the shuttle’s sensors were showing three of their massive worldships were approaching Shadow.

“Visitors was an understatement!” Brooke said as she let out a whistle. “They have impeccable timing.”

“They certainly do,” Edward agreed in a detached tone. It wasn’t that he was worried the Kulreans were about to betray them, but he also didn’t want them stealing his thunder. He was the one who had caught the snakelike alien, not them.

“Captain Henning wishes to speak to you,” the shuttle pilot informed them a moment later.

With a tap on the holo display, Edward changed it to show Henning. “Agent Somerville,” she said right away. “One of the Kulrean worldships has hailed us. Superintendent Hallock is on board, and he wishes to speak to you.”

“Hallock?” Edward couldn’t help blurting out in surprise. Hallock was one of just five of the Kulreans’ most senior leaders. When he had sent his FTL message to Kulthar, he had been hoping for one worldship and its Captain, not Hallock! “Put him through,” Edward said quickly when he realized he had been staring at Henning. As best he could, he tried to smooth his facial features and put on a presentable smile. Though he had met Hallock several times in the Palace throughout his childhood, he couldn’t help feeling butterflies begin to dance around in his stomach. Hallock was by far the most pro-Human Superintendent, and the one who was constantly pushing for the Kulreans to be more involved in the Allied efforts to defend themselves against the Karacknids. In one sense, that made the prospect of speaking with him easier. Yet in another, he knew that if he did anything to upset the Superintendent, he could cause serious harm to the relationship between the Empire and Kulthar.

Before he had fully settled himself, Hallock’s face replaced Henning’s. Edward straightened as much as his flight seat would allow him. " Superintendent, I was not expecting that it would be you who would come. Thank you for responding to my request for assistance so quickly.”

Hallock broke into something akin to a Human smile. “Edward Somerville, when your message said it was from a Somerville, I didn’t realize it was from you. You have grown much since I last saw you, you even have the look of your father. I would ask you how he is, but I suspect we have more pressing matters to see to first.”

“Indeed we do,” Edward replied, “if you’re willing to help.” He held up the rectangular trap. “When we discovered the alien ship stationary at the edge of the system, we concluded the alien had left it there and taken one of our ships down to Vestar. For the last several days we’ve been waiting in case the snake-like alien tried to return. We interdicted the small ship you see next to Shadow and I believe we have captured one of the snakelike aliens.”

“You have captured one?” Hallock asked, his facial features showing surprise. “If that is true, then I am impressed. You seem to have inherited your father’s skills as well as his looks.” Hallock then sat forward in his command chair slightly. “You said you believe, are you not sure?”

“I’m fairly certain,” Edward explained. “The trap here blocks all electromagnetic radiation to prevent the snakelike alien from contacting its ship or seeking help from anyone else. As a result, it’s hard to know for sure what’s inside. Though I am certain that if the alien is not in here, it is still somewhere on this yacht.”

Hallock nodded. “And just what are you planning to do next?”

“We have a specially built holding chamber on Shadow for the alien, that’s where I was taking the trap so we could open it and find out for sure if something is inside.”

“Then what help is it that you need from me?” Hallock asked.

“Well, I’m open to whatever help you are willing to give,” Edward responded. “We came well prepared to capture one of these aliens if we got the chance, but now that we have one, I’ll be the first to admit I’m a little out of my depth. Specifically though, I messaged you because I believed one of your worldships would be best suited to try and capture the alien vessel. As far as we know, it hasn’t moved from when we first detected it. Now that we have captured its owner, unless there are others of its species on board, it may be possible to capture the ship. Given the impressive capabilities we already witnessed the snake-like alien ships exhibit, I thought this was an opportunity too important to attempt without your assistance.”

“A wise decision,” Hallock said. “My species is not exactly accustomed to capturing other species' ships, yet in the circumstances I believe we can make an exception. We also do not make a business of holding any sentient hostage against its will, yet if even half the things your father suspects of this alien species are true, then I am willing to make an exception there as well. If you would like, my people can prepare a cell for this alien on board my ship, then we can attempt to capture the alien’s ship, and if we are successful, we could bring both to your father on Earth. I believe it would only take us five days to make the journey.”

Edward had to fight to hide his surprise. He had known Kulrean worldships were fast, but five days was more than twice as fast as Shadow could get to Earth. “I think I’ll happily take you up on your offer,” he said to Hallock as he bowed again. “Thank you.”

“A wise choice, young Somerville. I suggest you proceed to Intrepid right away and bring your prisoner here so we can secure it as soon as possible, then we can move on to try and tackle its ship.”

“Of course, we will leave now,” Edward said.

“I look forward to seeing you again,” Hallock said as he bowed. Edward returned the gesture and then the Kulrean ended the COM channel.

“Well,” Edward said. “I guess we’re going to visit a Kulrean worldship.”

“This day just keeps getting stranger and stranger,” Brooke responded.

“Shall I disengage from Kali now, Agent Somerville?” the shuttle pilot asked.

“You may,” Edward said. “And inform Shadow they can begin processing the yacht.”

“Yes, sir,” the pilot replied.

Just ten minutes later, the shuttle approached Intrepid. From a distance, the worldship didn’t appear any more impressive than one of the fleet’s new dreadnoughts. Yet as they got closer and it was possible to comprehend the sheer size of the ship, Edward was blown away. He had only ever seen one in orbit before, never had he come so close.

“It’s massive,” Brooke said in awe. “How many Shadows could fit in there?”

“One thousand two hundred or so,” the shuttle pilot answered without hesitation. “I was asking myself the same thing,” he explained before Brooke could ask how he could possibly know that.

Brooke shook her head at the answer. “There are three of those things out there. Are there even three thousand frigates in the fleet?”

“There’s probably about twice that many, I believe,” Edward answered, he seemed to remember his brother had told him something like that. “Though at the Second Battle of Earth, there were fifty worldships.”

“It’s hard to imagine,” Brooke replied. "And to think, the battle was nearly lost.”

Edward nodded. Over the last year, he had experienced his first taste of combat on board his brother's ship Kestrel. It had been both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. But the battles had only ever involved a handful of ships. The idea of fifty of the behemoths in front of him and thousands upon thousands of others all clashing together made him feel smaller than he ever had before.

As he looked back down at the trap in his hands, his grip tightened. If there was a snake-like alien in there, then it was responsible for manipulating events and species in the galaxy in order to force them into such massive conflicts where millions died. You’re not getting away from us, he thought as the shuttle closed with Intrepid and then landed in one of her hangars.

“Welcome on board Intrepid,” Hallock said as Edward and Brooke stepped off the shuttle, surprising Edward by coming to meet them in person. Edward bowed low and Brooke mimicked him. When he rose, Hallock bowed slightly himself. For many other species, such a low bow would have been taken as an insult, but from a Kulrean, it was a sign of respect.

“Thank you for inviting us, and for offering your help,” Edward said formally.

“Think nothing of it,” Hallock said, “our species are friends and while many of my people are still wary of you Humans, I count your father as one of my closest allies. And given that a renewed war with the Karacknids is very close, if not already upon us, we must work together more closely now than when we did even during the Karacknid War.”

“I’m pleased to hear that,” Edward responded. “You know about Admiral Becket’s task force then?”

Hallock nodded. “Your father informed me. I confess, my fellow Superintendents were not pleased by your father’s decision, nor was I particularly happy, but from your species' perspective, I understand why you’re taking the actions you are.” Hallock glanced down at the rectangular metallic object Edward was holding. “I’m sure you’re eager to dispense with that. Please, come with me, my people have already prepared a suitable cell.”

As Hallock turned and began to walk out of the hangar, Edward quickly followed. He had to put a great deal of effort into focusing on Hallock’s words, for with every step they took new sights came into view that fought for his attention. His spy training was telling him to observe and remember everything he could for almost all of it was new to him. Moreover, though he was no expert in naval affairs, it seemed like there were advanced technologies on display around every corner.

“How are your siblings?” Hallock asked after being introduced to Brooke and inquiring about things on Earth.

“They are all well, as far as I know,” Edward responded. “Sarah is training to be a medic in the marines, and Jonathan and Georgia are serving with the fleet. I fear they will both be seeing action against the Karacknids soon.”

“Your parents are brave to allow all of you to serve in your armed forces,” Hallock responded. “Especially after everything they have seen. I am sure they live in constant concern for all of you.”

Edward nodded. “They do, they hide it well, but we know they do. But as much as they would like to stop us, they cannot, for we are simply following their examples.”

“Indeed,” Hallock said seriously. “It does seem to be the way of your people.” Edward looked up at him, not sure if Hallock meant it as an insult or not. He knew to the Kulreans, war, any war, was seen as an atrocity. Edward could understand the sentiment, though in his view, fighting to defend one’s family and home was very different to someone starting a war of greed or aggression.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Hallock said picking up on Edward's emotions. “I’m very glad for your species’ proficiency in war, for without it, the Karacknids would already be invading Kulthar. But it is hard for me to grasp the disposition of an entire species so prone to violence. And I have spent far more time with you and your allies than any of my species. Even the Varanni, as ancient and noble as they are, are an enigma to us.”

“That only makes me all the more thankful for your assistance in this matter,” Edward responded. “I know it runs very close to having you compromise your beliefs.”

“That is one thing I have learnt since my dealings with your father and your species,” Hallock said. “In the real world, sometimes compromises must be made. In this instance, given that this species appears to like working in the shadows in order to engulf us all in war, I will make an exception. Ah, here we are,” Hallock said as he cut off their conversation and gestured to a hatch. As he stepped up to it, it slipped open revealing a large room.

Following Hallock in, Edward saw two Kulreans sitting behind a control panel in one corner of the room. Beyond them, nearly half the room was split by a large see-through panel. It almost looked like glass, but Edward doubted it was made of something so flimsy. “You may open it,” Hallock said to one of the other Kulreans.

As if from nowhere, a door suddenly appeared in the transparent material and swung outward. It didn’t appear to have any handles or anything else one could grab onto. It simply opened at the touch of a button on the control panel. “Go ahead, place your trap in there,” Hallock said as he gestured towards the open door. “The cell is fully shielded, there is nothing the alien can do once you release it.”

“All right,” Edward said, wishing he could make himself sound as confident as Hallock did. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the Kulreans’ capabilities but given how little they knew about the snakelike aliens, he couldn’t help feeling something was going to go wrong. Tentatively, he walked through the open door and moved into the center of the cell. He then carefully set the metallic trap down. Backing out of the cell, he kept one eye on the trap, making sure it didn't open before he was out, and the door sealed itself closed.

“It’s ready,” one of the Kulrean technicians said.

“You can open it now,” Hallock said.

Pulling out his datapad, Edward entered his twelve-digit authorization code to acquire access to the trap, then he sent a command for it to open. With a snap, the trap unfolded until all sides were lying flat on the cell floor. Astounded by what happened next, Edward’s body tensed. Like a flash, something flew off the flattened trap. It zipped right across the cell and banged into the transparent side. Bouncing off, almost faster than Edward’s eyes could follow, it ricocheted around the edge of the cell. Then it jumped onto one of the walls and began to slither around it. The creature circled the cell several times in the space of just a handful of seconds before it moved onto the roof and again circled it.

“We are not going to hurt you,” Hallock said loudly, obviously able to have his voice transmitted into the cell. “There’s no need to be afraid. However, you cannot escape; trying to do so would be futile and may result in you injuring yourself.” Hallock stepped forward towards the transparent wall. “My name is Superintendent Hallock, I am one of the leaders of the Kulrean people. Though if our guess is right, you likely already know that. Come now, let us speak to one another as equals. Perhaps we can come to an understanding that could bring an end to the violence in our sector of the galaxy.”

For the briefest of moments, just after Hallock said the word ‘equals,’ the alien stopped its slithering. Its eye spun around to lock onto Hallock's and it hissed as it stuck out its tongue at him. It was the first sign of real intelligence the alien had shown. As quickly as it came though, it disappeared as the snakelike alien shot off again. This time it went straight for one of the far corners from where Hallock and Edward stood. Slithering right into the corner, it curled up in a tight ball with its head underneath its body. Ever so gently at first, but then with increasing vigor, the alien began to shiver.

“What is it doing?” Hallock asked as he turned to his technicians.

“I’m not sure, Superintendent,” a technician responded. “But its heart rate has increased. I think it might be scared or panicked even.”

“There’s no need to fear,” Hallock said as he turned back to the alien. “We will not hurt you.”

“What is that?” Edward asked as he pointed at something shiny that had briefly caught his eye as the alien shivered. “Is that a utility belt?”

“I believe so,” the technician responded. “We’ve detected some kind of computational device and an energy weapon. Both have been drained of their power.”

Edward was impressed, he had no idea how the Kulreans had done that! For a split second, the snakelike alien’s head shot up at the technician's words, then it ducked back down under its body. Edward smiled. “I guess it didn’t think that was possible. Maybe they’re not as advanced as we feared.”

“I cannot guess how advanced their entire civilization is,” the technician said, “but both devices are impressive given how small they are. I doubt we could construct anything that small that would have the same capabilities we’re detecting both of the alien's devices have.”

“Hhmm,” Edward said, a little disappointed.

“Its heart rate, has it settled?” Hallock asked, clearly more concerned about the alien than Edward was.

“It’s still a lot higher than when it was initially released from the trap, but it has stopped rising,” the technician answered.

“Then I guess it is just scared,” Hallock said. “Or that is an innate defense mechanism. I suppose, given its size, that would be natural. To it, we must appear as giants. Do you think that explains why they keep themselves hidden and appear to be working against all of us? Could it just be fear?”

Edward doubted that was the case. Hallock was being far too optimistic. Fear, given what he was looking at, was obviously a factor in the aliens' motivations, but if the snakelike aliens were so scared of Humanity, why would some of their species attempt to infiltrate Human worlds? No, Edward was sure there was much more going on. “Perhaps,” Edward responded, not wanting to directly contradict the Superintendent. “Until this alien is willing to talk however, I doubt we are going to find out, at least not from it.”

“Well, I suppose not,” Hallock agreed. He turned to the technician once more. “Is there anything else you can tell us about it?”

“We’re still carrying out detailed medical scans, they will take several hours to complete,” the technician responded. “Though there is one anomaly we’ve already confirmed. The entire chamber is quickly filling up with small biological particles that the alien is releasing. These are similar to the pheromones most sentient species give off, though they are two orders of magnitude greater in number.”

“Interesting,” Hallock said as he turned back to the snakelike alien. “Do you think that is how they communicate? Maybe that is why it is silent. Though, it does appear to understand what we are saying.”

“It is too early to tell, Superintendent, but it is possible.”

“Alright, it sounds like we need to give you more time,” Hallock said to the technician. “Make it a priority to figure out what it eats and drinks so we can make sure it doesn’t come to any harm. We will go and see to its ship and see what we can learn there. Then perhaps we will be in a better position to try communicating with this being.”

Again, for the briefest of seconds, the snakelike alien’s head appeared at the mention of its ship. “I think it understands us just fine,” Edward said. “That’s right,” he said, speaking a little louder. “We detected your ship when it entered the system. That’s how we knew to capture you, and now we will take your ship as well. Then we will learn much more about your species and just what it is you are up to.”

This time, the alien locked eyes with Edward. It flicked its tongue in and out a couple of times and then hissed at him as it opened its mouth revealing its fangs.

Though it was an obvious threat, Edward couldn’t help smiling. “I thought so.”

“Come on,” Hallock said as he placed a hand on Edward’s shoulder. “Taunting it will not get us anywhere.”

Though Edward wasn’t so sure about that, he allowed Hallock to gently turn him and then he followed the superintendent out of the cell. As Brooke fell in step beside him, they shared a glance that communicated their joint satisfaction. Whatever happened with the alien ship, they had done it, they had captured one of the snake-like aliens! We are one step closer to being able to stop them from ever interfering with our species again! Edward said to himself with pride.

Chapter 24

The Kulreans have ever remained friends of our Empire. However, the warmth of this friendship has grown and waned over the centuries. Not since the Karacknids Wars have their warships left their home system, and though there are still long standing agreements in place whereby we could call on their aide again, many question the reliability of ships and Captains who have not seen action for over four hundred years.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

When they got to the bridge, Edward found himself surprised once again. First, the sheer size of Intrepid’s holo display was overwhelming. It was far larger than even the largest holo displays he had seen at the Admiralty. More importantly though, the image the holo display was showing was not what he had expected. The alien ship that dominated the display was being shown in far more detail than he had seen before. It almost looked as if Intrepid was using its active sensors to scan the ship. Yet she can’t be, this must just be from her passives alone, Edward thought. Alongside the alien ship, Edward was also surprised to see that Intrepid and her sister ships had already surrounded it. Somehow, they had crept up to the alien ship without it detecting them.

“Superintendent, we have come as close to the alien vessel as I think we can risk,” a Kulrean said as he stood upon seeing Hallock.

Hallock gestured Edward over. “Edward Somerville, this is Intrepid’s Captain, Captain Poltric. He has been edging our ships closer to the alien vessel.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Captain,” Edward said formally as he bowed to Poltric.

“And you too,” Poltirc said as he dipped his head. “You are most welcome on board my command.”

“What do you make of the ship so far?” Hallock asked Poltric.

“It is an impressive piece of engineering, that's for sure,” Poltric replied. “It isn't much larger than one of our envoy class shuttles. Yet according to the Humans, it has shift drive capabilities and we’ve been able to detect several systems that appear to be directed energy weapons. Its stealth capabilities are also far more advanced than anything we’ve encountered before.”

“Yet we are able to detect it well enough,” Hallock said as he gestured towards the alien craft.

“These images are coming from a couple of stealth drones we have slipped close to the craft. Without them, at this range, Intrepid would have a very hard time detecting anything,” Poltirc explained.

“The ship is impressive enough then,” Hallock responded. “How confident are you that we can capture it?”

“We cannot be sure, but we are reasonably confident,” Poltric answered. “We have our weapons trained on it in case it tries to escape. I figured we wouldn’t want it getting away to alert the rest of the snakelike alien species that we have captured one of their people.”

“A wise precaution, though they are only authorized to fire disabling shots if it powers up and tries to flee. I will not kill any sentients who might be on board.”

Edward opened his mouth to protest. Even if it meant killing whatever snakelike aliens were on the small ship, the only advantage they had over their species was the fact they had captured one of their provocateurs and they didn’t know about it. Before he spoke however, his mother's training kicked in. Arguing against the Kulreans' sense of ethics would accomplish nothing but upsetting Hallock.

“And what about your disabling shots,” Hallock followed up, “are they likely to cause any harm to whatever beings are on board?”

“I’m afraid that’s a possibility,” Poltirc said, “though my officers have been liaising with the technicians in charge of keeping the prisoner secure. From the initial body scans they have taken; we believe the chance of any fatalities will be slim.”

Hallock let out something akin to a sigh. “I do not like it. These aliens have done nothing openly hostile to us.” He then glanced at Edward. “Though, they have interfered with our allies and most likely caused millions of deaths.” Hallock nodded to himself. “Very well, you may attempt to capture it.”

“Initiate the procedure,” Poltirc commanded his officers.

Seconds later, every arc emitter on the three worldships released huge bursts of electrostatic energy. On the holo display, it looked like three giant waves of electricity were hurled towards the small snake-like alien vessel. In the two seconds it took them to reach the vessel, the alien ship sprang into life. Its reactors and engines powered up in just a fraction of a second. Faster than Edward thought possible, it began to accelerate in an effort to avoid the sudden threat. Yet, Poltirc had planned his attack assuming the ship had capabilities far greater than even he suspected. Coming from three sides and covering a massive area of space, the electrostatic waves were impossible to avoid in just a handful of seconds.

In the blink of an eye, one and then a second wave crashed into the alien ship. Immediately, it lost power and stopped accelerating. Without power, its stealth capabilities also fell away and as Intrepid’s active sensors came online, the ship became completely visible on the holo display.

“Confirmed two hits, Captain,” one of Intrepid’s bridge officers called out. “Not detecting any power readings from reactors or engines.”

“Carry out a complete scan of the ship,” Poltirc ordered. “I want to make sure it has no weapons operational before we move any closer.”

Several minutes passed as Intrepid’s officers scanned the ship and assessed all the data they were getting back. Edward did his best to remain patient, but it was hard. Eventually it was Hallock who could wait no longer. “Well, Captain, what have you found?” The Superintendent asked.

“We are certain the ship has been disabled, Superintendent,” Poltirc responded. “We’re also not detecting any life signs, alive or dead. Either there are more snakelike aliens on Vestar, or we have already captured the only one that occupied the ship.”

“Are you ready to take the ship then?” Hallock asked.

“We can begin,” Poltirc said.

Edward watched with bated breath as Intrepid moved closer to the disabled ship. As they neared it, the holo display changed to show an image from one of the other worldships. Edward was therefore able to watch as a large hatch opened on Intrepid, revealing a massive hangar. Intrepid’s pilot skillfully flew the worldship right at the snakelike ship so that the disabled craft was brought into the hangar. To Edward, it looked like the worldship had opened its mouth and devoured its smaller prey.

“Target is secured,” Poltirc announced just a handful of seconds later. “Our engineers are already securing it to the hangar deck.” With a tap on his command console, Poltirc changed the holo display to show the hangar bay.

At least twenty Kulreans could be seen swarming around the alien ship. For the first time, Edward finally grasped just how small the alien ship was. On average, Kulreans were about ten inches taller than Humans, and so they were bigger, but not much bigger. As the engineers moved around the alien ship, they blocked most of it from view. It is smaller than a standard shuttle! Edward thought. Maybe not even bigger than a Hellcat. Once again, Edward found himself shocked.

“First, they will disable or remove the ship's external weapons,” Poltirc said as he began to give a running commentary on what they were watching. “Now they are disabling the ship’s engines. I’m getting confirmation that they are impulse engines, though they appear to be a very different design than anything we have seen before… Alright, the engineers are confident the ship cannot harm Intrepid or try and move under its own power. They’re going to try and open the one external hatch they have found… The hatch had to be cut open, but it’s far too small for any of our engineers to enter. We’re going to have to deploy drones into the ship to search it.”

Ten more minutes passed and to Edward, it looked like almost nothing was happening. Most of the engineers had stopped moving around the ship and were all standing still. Finally, though, Poltirc broke his silence. “The first drones have completed their scans,” he informed them. “They have gathered a great deal of data. It appears that this ship has a number of systems we are unfamiliar with, and others that are very impressive. Several appear to be damaged, but most have simply been disabled by our attack. My Chief Engineer hasn't stopped talking about the ship's miniature shift drive since his drones scanned it. I’m afraid there’s not much else I can tell you at this point, as some of it is beyond my understanding and the rest will take time to properly analyze.”

“What about data cores or memory banks?” Edward asked. “Is anything like that present on the ship, and are they accessible? It’s very likely we will learn the most about this species from whatever information we can retrieve.”

Poltric took a moment to speak to his Chief Engineer and then turned back to Edward. “We have confirmed the presence of data cores. Though they appear to be very sensitive. My Chief Engineer has tried to connect with them, but they are heavily encrypted. It could take a long time to access whatever information they contain.”

Edward nodded, unable to fully hide his disappointment. Despite their success in capturing the alien and now its ship, it seemed they weren’t going to get any fast answers to the many questions he and his parents had.

Hallock clapped Edward on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, my young friend, we will get you your information. Sometimes patience is all that is required. I daresay we will know more by the time we reach Earth. With your permission, I’d like to depart now.”

“Of course,” Edward replied as his disappointment started to give way to excitement at the prospect of returning to Earth and seeing his family. “I’m sure my mother and father will be delighted to learn about what we have captured.”

Beside him, Brooke cleared her throat. “I’m sure Captain Henning and Shadow are waiting for an update as well,” she reminded him.

Edward's cheeks reddened. He had completely forgotten about the Imperial Intelligence frigate with everything that had been happening. “And I need to contact President Tak’ar and let him know we captured a snakelike alien returning from his world,” Edward said as he thought out loud. “They need to be aware that the alien may have recruited some of his own people to use against the government or Imperial assets on the planet.”

“And that there may be other snakelike aliens down there,” Hallock reminded Edward. “Just because you captured only one, does not mean there are not others.”

“Right,” Edward said as he nodded. “With your permission, I’ll speak to Tak’ar and then we can depart?” When Hallock waved his hand in a Kulrean gesture for affirmation, Edward turned to Brooke. “I'm afraid you’ll have to stay here, Agent. I need someone to keep monitoring all the recon drones we have deployed in case any more aliens try to enter our systems. You can transfer over to Shadow. I’ll make sure all my files are decrypted and available to you, so you are fully briefed on the mission.” Edward smiled at Brooke as he spoke. “Though by now, you already know far more than your security level allows. I’m sure once Admiral Alveraz learns how much you know, your level will be bumped up a couple of notches.”

Though Brooke looked disappointed at not getting to go to Earth with their prisoner and the captured ship, she kept it from her voice. “Of course, I will make sure we remain vigilant in your absence.”

“It is settled then,” Hallock said, “we will proceed to Earth as soon as you finish speaking with President Tak’ar.”

Edward nodded. As his mind turned to Tak’ar, he was sure the Vestarian leader was not going to be pleased by much of what Edward had to tell him. When he had first arrived on Vestar months ago he had spoken to Tak’ar as his father had instructed. At the time he had been all too aware of the possibility that the snakelike aliens had tried to penetrate his species as they had Humanity. Yet knowing something was a possibility and actually facing it were two different things. He’s going to have to be suspicious of everyone! Edward thought, feeling sorry for his father’s old friend. But we’re making progress, Edward thought. And soon we will have more answers.

Chapter 25

Defending planets has always given military strategists a headache. Stationary defenses will always be vulnerable to mobile forces. There are only two ways to prevent this; either the defense must have bigger and longer ranged guns than their enemies, or they must have so many point defenses that an attacker cannot breach their defensive fire. If neither of these can be achieved, then orbital defenses will always have to be backed up by a powerful fleet of warships.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Trident, Jastong system 16th May 2512 AD, (four days later).

"Signal the Gramrian siege ships, inform them they can open fire," Becket ordered.

"Yes, Admiral," Lieutenant Mitsugi, Becket’s COM officer responded.

Seconds later, one hundred long-range Gramrian missiles were launched from their tubes towards the Karacknid colony of Jastong. For twenty-two minutes they accelerated across the open space between Becket’s fleet and the colony. Before the Karacknid battlestations and warships orbiting the colony could open fire, the missiles broke apart to release hundreds of smaller antimatter warheads. Almost all of them were obliterated in the ensuing point defensive fire, yet two reached their targets. One destroyed a Karacknid frigate, while the second engulfed a battlestation in antimatter.

"The station still appears to be intact," Lieutenant Anderson reported from his tactical console, "but it must have lost a lot of point defenses."

"We keep firing," Becket decided, now content that the Gramrian missiles would be able to breach their opponents' defenses. She knew Shraw didn't have many of the missiles, so she had wanted to be sure before committing them. "Go to full speed firing."

"Informing the siege ships now," Albright responded.

Becket made herself comfortable in her command chair as she prepared to watch the destruction of the Karacknid fleet base and orbital installations. After assaulting a number of Karacknid worlds along the frontline of the territory that faced Conclave space, she had successfully snuck her fleet a couple of hundred light-years deeper into the Karacknid Empire, thanks to a long, hidden shift passage. That had been three weeks ago. Since then, she had split her fleet into four sections and swiftly raided as many undefended systems as her forces could manage. Her attacks had culminated in reaching the Jastong system, though she had arrived faster than she had expected.

Jastong was the home colony of the Das'tana clan and the seat of their power. Becket had expected it to be far better defended; however, it seemed its garrison was elsewhere. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, Becket had spent three days assaulting the fortifications the Karacknids had built around the outskirts of the system. Then, she had moved her fleet in to surround Jastong. With over a hundred battlestations and four hundred warships guarding them, the Karacknid world was still a tough nut to crack. Yet, with Shraw's siege ships, Becket could sit at a distance and bombard the colony's defenders until they were destroyed or she ran out of missiles.

Of course, you could come out and fight, Becket mused as she contemplated what the commander of the Karacknid warships in orbit around Jastong would be thinking. With eighteen hundred warships in formation around Trident, she doubted that even a Karacknid commander would be so foolhardy. However, it couldn't be easy to sit in orbit, under constant attack without being able to return fire. Especially when it's your clan's home system, Becket guessed. Humanity didn't know a great deal about Karacknid society, but what they did know suggested that attacking a clan's homeworld would incite great anger and bring shame upon them. Becca hoped both would result in drawing Tanaka'lan's forces towards the Das’tana clan's territory. In the meantime, we'll tear up as much of the Das’tana clan's infrastructure as we can, Becket resolved. Although the Das’tana was one of the smaller of the fourteen Karacknid clans and, including the territory owned by the other Karacknid families, accounted for less than three percent of the Karacknid Empire's industrial strength, crippling as much of it as possible could only benefit Humanity in the long run.

"We scored another hit on a battlestation!" Anderson announced after the third salvo struck the Karacknids. "It's falling out of orbit; we must have taken out some of its engines."

Becket nodded. With luck, it was the first of many that would soon be destroyed. Then, when she was out of siege missiles, she could move in and finish the job.

"Picking up new activity from the Karacknids," Albright reported. "It looks like fighter launches from their orbital hangars."

"Quite a few of their warships are also powering up their reactors," Anderson warned.

"They're making a move," Becca concluded. Sure enough, just moments later, two hundred fighters suddenly accelerated away from the Karacknid colony. Right behind them, sixty frigates and destroyers also charged. They were all headed straight towards the Gramrian siege ships. Becket nearly sighed; the attack was far too obvious. Did the Karacknid commander think she wouldn't have anticipated such an attempt? "Signal Wing Commander Somerville and inform her she is free to engage," Becket ordered. "And have Commodore Nash move his squadron up and engage those destroyers and frigates. However, he must keep well away from the Karacknid fighters. I don't want them getting a chance to use their directed energy weapons against Nash's ships."

"I'll stress that point to him," Albright responded as he turned to open a COM channel and converse with the Commodore.

Becca watched the approaching attack carefully, looking for any hint that the Karacknids were planning some kind of trick. Yet, she saw nothing. Georgia has this, she said to herself confidently.

*

"Two hundred bogeys inbound," Georgia informed her Squadron Leaders. "Alpha wing will move up and engage. I want a focus on evasive tactics only. Beta and Gamma will perform a double slash. Delta, hang back in reserve in case we need assistance, or they have more fighters."

"Affirmative," each of Georgia’s four senior Flight Captains responded.

"Alpha wing, on me then," Georgia said as she gunned her Hellcat’s engines. As a free agent, not part of any single squadron in her force, Georgia had the flexibility to accompany any formation she chose. After the initial engagements along the Karacknid border, Admiral Becket had suggested she keep a wingman with her for extra protection. Georgia hadn't liked the idea, but she had tried it for Becket’s sake. However, in the couple of simulations she had run, none of her pilots had been able to keep up with her evasive maneuvers. The need to slow down to stay with them outweighed the benefits a wingman typically provided.

As the one hundred and twenty fighters from the ten squadrons of Alpha wing charged at the Karacknids, the enemy fighters pivoted to face them, setting up a head-on collision. This suited Georgia, as it meant they were no longer charging straight for the Gramrian siege ships. "Fire missiles then go evasive," Georgia ordered the pilots of Alpha wing.

She then let out a long, slow breath as she slipped into her trance-like state. Despite the risk in front of her, her pulse was steady and slow. Since the fleet's first attack on a Karacknid base, she had fought in four additional skirmishes. Compared to her battles against Protectorate fighters in the brief war the Empire had fought against the Protectorate species, engaging and destroying Karacknid fighters felt like child's play. And none of the Karacknid fighters they'd encountered so far seemed to be the latest version the Karacknids were known to have, nor were they equipped with missiles. Even the pilots seemed to be second rate.

Focus, Georgia warned herself. She didn’t want to get overconfident. Before the Karacknid fighters got into range, Georgia ordered her fighters to execute a flip, pointing their engines at the Karacknids. They began to decelerate relative to their targets in order to keep them in range longer and force them into a dogfight.

A minute before they entered range, Georgia turned her fighters to face their enemy once more. Slowly she started to build up her evasive maneuvers as she warmed up her mind and hand. Then, almost without conscious thought, as her targeting sensors beeped at her to confirm they had a lock, she tapped her flight stick twice to release her anti-fighter missiles. Immediately afterwards, she ramped up her evasive maneuvers to full. In front of her, she watched the missiles streak away from her fighters and dive into the Karacknid formation. Forced into evasive maneuvers, the Karacknid fighters lost cohesiveness, and a flurry of explosions erupted in front of Georgia's Hellcat. At least twenty-five missiles had found their mark.

A second later, though, the Karacknids sought their revenge as they came into range with their laser cannons. Suddenly, hundreds of beams began to shoot past Alpha wing’s Hellcats. As she had ordered, the Imperial fighters focused on twisting and weaving to make themselves as hard to hit as possible. Here and there, a few fired off their own plasma bolts when the opportunity arose, but for the most part, they focused on surviving. Georgia, on the other hand, took a very different approach. Within a couple of seconds, she was able to tell she was up against second-rate pilots. Even as she kept up her evasive maneuvers, she split her focus onto lining up her own shots.

In the six seconds it took both groups of fighters to close to point-blank range of one another, Georgia shot down three enemy craft. Then she spun her fighter around and continued firing as her engines began to slow her relative to the Karacknid fighters. She took out two more fighters before both groups separated from one another. Of the initial two hundred Karacknid fighters, thirty-eight had already been shot down whereas Georgia’s Hellcats, thanks to their maneuvers and shields, had only lost six of their number.

As her main engines boosted her Hellcat after the Karacknids once more, Georgia watched them closely. Their momentum was currently taking them away from the Gramrian siege ships and Georgia’s fighters, and thanks to her Hellcat's superior acceleration, she would be able to gain on them eventually. Just thirty seconds after the brief firefight, the Karacknid fighter commander made his decision. Sixty fighters broke away from his force and moved back onto their original heading to try and join the destroyers and frigates who were moving against the siege ships. The rest began to decelerate relative to Georgia’s Hellcat in order to close and engage them.

He wants to stop us pursuing the ones going for the siege ships, Georgia realized. If she didn't have any additional fighters, that would be a problem, yet she had no concerns in that department. Sure enough, four minutes later, just as Georgia had trained the Flight Captains to do, when just enough time had elapsed that the main Karacknid fighter force couldn’t turn and avoid engaging Alpha wing a second time, Delta wing’s Hellcats sprang to life. With one hundred and twenty fighters, each firing two missiles, facing off against just sixty Karacknid targets, the ensuing attack would be a bloodbath.

Leaving them to it, Georgia prepared herself as she crashed into the main Karacknid fighter force once again. This time, the closing velocity of both groups of fighters caused them to collide and then immediately break into a large dogfight as the engagement turned into a series of one-on-one engagements. Once again, for the most part, the pilots of Alpha Squadron focused entirely on evading the Karacknids fighters as they hurled hundreds of laser beams at the Hellcats. Georgia wove her way through the massive brawl, watching her fighters closely. Every time one looked to be in trouble, she swooped in and blasted the offending Karacknid fighter before it could score a kill. She couldn’t protect all her pilots like that, but time and time again she picked off enemy fighters ending their pursuit of her own people.

“Beta wing attacking now!” Beta wing’s Flight Leader called out. All of a sudden, Georgia’s sensor screen was filled with over two hundred new contacts as Beta wing launched their missiles into the dogfight. Coming in at a high velocity right behind their missiles, Beta wing’s pilots slashed right through the mass of scrapping fighters. With most of the Karacknid pilots focused on trying to follow and hit Alpha wing Hellcats, they were unprepared for the sudden appearance of more missiles and then more fighters swooping in from a new angle. In the span of five seconds, thirty-one more Karacknid fighters were blown apart.

“Gamma wing slashing now!” Gamma wing’s commander announced just four seconds after Beta wing’s fighters flew through the Karacknid fighters. Attacking from almost the exact opposite angle of Beta wing, they caught the Karacknid fighters further off guard and shot down an additional forty-three targets.

“Alpha wing, time to go on the offensive,” Georgia ordered.

Thanks to Beta and Gamma’s attacks, Alpha wing now had the numerical superiority. Quickly, as Georgia’s pilots shifted their focus to being aggressive, they began to blow apart enemy fighter after fighter. Georgia, having already lost count of how many kills she had, urged her pilots to focus on taking out the Karacknid fighters while she prioritized protecting them. As she had done before, every time one of her pilots got into difficulty, she tried to come to their aid.

In what felt like no time at all, but was actually nearly five minutes, the engagement came to an end as the last handful of fighters were shot down with the help of the returning Beta and Gamma wings. As Georgia came out of her trancelike state, she checked on Delta wing. Sure enough, they had easily dispatched the sixty Karacknid fighters that had headed their way. A glance at her sensor screen also told Georgia that Commodore Nash's light cruisers were making quick work of the Karacknid frigates and destroyers.

“Flight Leaders, check the fuel status of your squadrons,” Georgia requested. “We need to keep a strong CAP around the fleet in case they have more fighters, but I want to start sending our squadrons back to their carriers to refuel one at a time. We’ll start with the lowest squadrons first.”

After her flight leaders carried out her orders, Georgia tallied the results from the engagement. In total, her four wings were missing thirty-two Hellcats. With all two hundred of the enemy fighters having been destroyed, a kill ratio of nearly seven to one wasn’t bad. Although we did outnumber them by more than two to one, she cautioned herself. Even so, it was further evidence that her pilots were growing in skill and confidence as their campaign against the Das’tana clan progressed.

As her flight leaders handled getting the squadrons back to the carriers for refueling, Georgia took charge of the search and recovery operations. A number of rescue shuttles raced to the area from the fleet to look for ejected pilots. Seven transponder beacons lit up her screens as they marked ejected cockpits from a Hellcat or tracked damaged fighters that hadn't been completely destroyed. Quickly, Georgia began assigning different shuttles to each of the contacts.

A moment later, she grimaced when she saw one was heading on a fast trajectory almost in the opposite direction to the fleet’s carriers. A quick mental calculation told Georgia there was no way any of the shuttles could catch up to it and then have enough fuel to decelerate and make it back to a carrier. "It’s going to be close," she said to herself as she glanced at her fuel gauge, then gunned her engines and took off after the damaged Hellcat.

"Hawk-three," Georgia said to herself as she checked the readings coming in from the contact and learnt its call sign. Judging from where it was and its high velocity, it must have been damaged in the initial fight with the Karacknid force. Since then, it had been flying deep into space on a ballistic trajectory.

Ten minutes after going full throttle after the Hellcat, Georgia began to decelerate and bring her fighter in alongside the damaged craft. In a maneuver she knew she would berate any other pilot for trying, she brought her Hellcat to circle around what was left of Hawk-three. Up close, Georgia could see the Hellcat had its impulse engine blasted away and there was a scorch mark along one of its wings as well. As she passed over the Hellcat’s cockpit, she was relieved to see the pilot raise a hand and wave at her. Georgia waved back and then gave a thumbs up to the pilot. Continuing to circle the wrecked fighter, Georgia assessed the damage and then made an educated guess about where the structure of the Hellcat was still the strongest. Delicately, using her maneuvering thrusters, she nudged her Hellcat up against Hawk-three’s underside.

Slowly at first, but with increasing thrust, she began to arrest both fighters’ momentum. For nearly twenty minutes, she slowed Hawk-three until the damaged fighter was almost at a standstill relative to Trident. As a SAR shuttle came swooping in towards Hawk-three, Georgia disengaged herself and moved back so the shuttle could move in and take the Hellcat under tow. Only then did she glance at her fuel gauge. "It was close," she told herself, "but we’re fine." With just enough fuel to turn her Hellcat’s nose towards the flagship and initiate a twenty-second burn, Georgia shot off towards Trident and let herself coast right up to the dreadnought. At the last moment, she used what little power she had left to rapidly decelerate and then plunge down into the dreadnought’s hangar.

The moment her Hellcat touched down on the hangar deck, Georgia unbuckled herself, opened her cockpit canopy and jumped out. She quickly moved towards the toilets in the hangar that were reserved for pilots. She desperately needed to pee and then get back to her Hellcat to launch again as soon as it was refueled to resume watching over the fleet. She was so focused on her need to visit the restroom that she didn’t notice the pilots and hangar crew staring at her in astonishment.

*

Not for the first time, Becket found herself in awe of Wing Commander Somerville’s skills. By now she was certain of it; there was something unusual about the Emperor’s daughter. Something beyond the augments and the ability to train in a military flight simulator since she was a child. As Georgia’s Hellcat expertly decelerated and landed in one of Trident’s hangars, Becket made a mental note to speak to Trident’s doctor. After all her injuries, and the time Georgia had spent on Trident completing her rehabilitation during Becket’s campaign against the Flex-aor, Trident’s Doctor had several full medical scans of Georgia. There must be some explanation, perhaps Miyagi can find something, Becket thought. And you need to have a word with her, Becket added speaking to herself. A senior Wing Commander couldn’t go gallivanting off to rescue one fighter when the fleet was in the midst of a battle, even if there were no apparent threats.

“Another battlestation is falling out of orbit,” Anderson reported, drawing Becket’s mind back to the battle at hand.

Dismissing Georgia for now, Becket focused on the assault on the Karacknid world. For another two hours after the Karacknids' failed attack, Becket pummeled the defenses of their fleet base. Slowly but surely, she whittled away nearly half of the base's battlestations. Just as she felt the point was nearing where she could order her fleet in to finish the job, one of Trident’s junior sensor officers interrupted her planning.

“Sorry to disturb you, Admiral,” the Sub Lieutenant said tentatively. “But we’ve just picked up two Imperial frigates entering the system from the Foxtrot shift passage. One of them is carrying out a series of tight course corrections. I believe it’s a prearranged message.”

“Show me,” Becket requested.

A second later Lieutenant Colombia, Becket’s sensor officer, switched the holo display to show the new contact. “It is the beginning of a prearranged message,” she confirmed. “It’s 'Enemy Sighted!'” she added a couple of seconds later, her voice rising.

Becket sat up in her command chair. Her mind immediately started running through what it might mean. The frigate was clearly one of the hundred she had out scouting the nearby systems and keeping her in constant contact with the other elements of her fleet that were out raiding other systems. Either the scouts have picked up something, or one of the other fleets was in trouble, Becket decided. If it was the former, then it was likely a Karacknid fleet was on its way towards her location, seeking to prevent her from destroying the Das’tana clan’s homeworld. If the latter, then one of her admirals was likely calling for help. Either way, I need to get the fleet moving at once, Becket decided. If a Karacknid fleet was approaching, she didn’t want to get caught between it and Jastong’s defenders. And if Shraw or Jourm or Hughes were in trouble, they would need her help as soon as possible.

“Break off the attack,” Becket ordered. “Plot us a course towards the Foxtrot shift passage, maximum acceleration. Inform Wing Commander Somerville I want her force ready to deploy again as soon as she can get them all refueled. If Jastong’s defenders try to follow us, I want her fighters ready to strike at them.”

“Aye, Admiral, we’ll make the arrangements immediately,” Albright responded.

As her staff officers got to work, Becket sought out the new contacts once again. They were twenty light minutes away and so she’d have to wait that long for their full report to reach Trident. This was the part Becket hated; so much of combat in space seemed to consist of waiting. The only upside was that if there was a powerful Karacknid fleet about to jump out of the Foxtrot shift passage right behind the frigate, at least she would have plenty of room to maneuver.

When the frigate's report eventually did come, Becket scanned through it in less than a minute. As soon as she was done, she glanced at her Flag Captain, Goodwin and Chief of Staff, Albright. The frigate's news was even more concerning than Becket had anticipated. Then she turned to her tactical officer. “Anderson, put the frigate’s data up on the holo display.”

At once, the image of the Jastong system was replaced by a strategic map of all the nearby systems out to about two hundred light years. The positions of the other three elements of Becket’s fleet flashed in green along with the estimated locations of most of her scouts. Several small red dots represented Karacknid garrison forces and other small squadrons that were known to be operating in the area. The frigate's data added two much larger red dots. Each had been detected by one of the scout frigates, who had then met each other as they raced to bring back the news.

“They appear to be moving to rendezvous with one another,” Albright observed. “Then they will undoubtedly come for us.”

Becket nodded as she glanced back down at the frigates’ reports. The larger Karacknid force, numbering about five thousand ships, was approaching the Jastong system from the direction of the Karacknid Empire’s border. “They have to be the Das’tana clan’s main defensive fleet,” Becket said as she highlighted the larger red dot. “They moved from here towards the border to engage us when the first reports of our raids reached them. Then we slipped past them when we came north through the secret shift passages. I’m guessing the other fleet is an amalgamation of several nearby garrison squadrons that have been put together to try and stop us when they realized we were in their rear.”

“If they can combine, they’ll have almost as many warships as we do,” Goodwin cautioned. “Even if they are inferior ships and crews, we’d still take a lot of losses.”

“We can’t let them combine,” Becket responded gravely. “It would be the end of our campaign!” She glanced at the data representing her own fleet elements. Her fleet was spread out into four powerful forces. Though they each looked isolated, she had them positioned so at least one other fleet could quickly come to the aid of another one if it got in trouble. “Here’s what we’re going to do,” Becket said as she came to a quick decision. “It looks like both Karacknid fleets are moving to rendezvous in this system,” she said as she highlighted a system between both dots. “If we push it, we can get there ahead of the smaller fleet. So too can Rear Admiral Jourm’s fleet. Together we should be able to deal with the smaller Karacknid fleet, then Hughes and Shraw should be able to join us in time to tackle the larger force.

“If we can take out both, the entire sector will be at our mercy, and then Tanaka’lan will have no choice but to send a large fleet of reinforcements to the area. This is what we came here to do,” Becket continued as she raised her voice and looked around at her officers. “Send our fastest frigates to Jourm, Hughes, and Shraw, share this information with them, and send them orders to meet us at the J-17 system. Then get the fleet moving; we have a battle to fight!” As she spoke, Becket couldn’t help but let a hint of excitement creep into her voice. Sieging planets and raiding mining outposts were important victories in the long run, but decisive battles were what won wars.

Chapter 26

Napoleon taught us that to split up ones forces can lead to spectacular results, but it can also lead to defeat in detail. Only in training simulations should cadets and even young naval Lieutenants attempt such maneuvers. In real battles, only the most accomplished should entertain adapting the strategies of one of our greatest military commanders. A study of either Karacknid War, or the intervening years, will show a student of history why I give such definitive advice.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Trident, J-17 system, 25th May 2512 AD, (nine days later).

The moment Trident jumped into the J-17 system, Becket leaned forward, eagerly staring at the holo display. In seconds it updated to show the system and the contacts within. Seconds later, Becket breathed a sigh of relief. Trident’s laser COM had been able to make contact with additional Allied ships and receive their sensors information. Rear Admiral Jourm’s fleet had been able to arrive before her. Arrayed around his flagship were an additional one thousand four hundred ships that would add to Becket’s strength.

“Move us to join Jourm, then hail him when we’re in two-way communication,” Becket instructed.

“I have the Rear Admiral for you now, Admiral,” Lieutenant Mitsugi informed Becket several minutes later.

“Well met, Rear Admiral,” Becket said to Jourm as the Varanni’s face appeared on the holo display. “I trust you didn't encounter any difficulties getting here?”

“We did not, Admiral Becket, though we had to abandon raiding a particularly rich valstronium mining colony. As soon as we got your orders though, we made straight for the system.”

Becket nodded. “You’ve done well. What do you have to report?”

“We’ve been here for fourteen hours, Admiral. Several days ago, I sent small scouting squadrons ahead of my fleet with orders to proceed down each of the system’s shift passages,” Jourm answered. “So far, I haven’t heard back from the squadron that was to make contact with the main Karacknid force. However, the latest report I’ve got from the other squadron is that the smaller force is no more than eight hours away.”

Becket ran a hand through her hair as she thought. “If they’re that close, they probably have scouts in the system already, if not, they will be arriving soon. You’ve kept your force in stealth since arriving?”

“I have,” Jourm confirmed.

“How does this sound to you then?” Becket asked as she proceeded to outline a possible strategy to employ. “It will only work if the larger Karacknid force doesn’t arrive in the next several hours, but our initial scout reports suggested it was further away, and if your scout squadron hasn’t made contact yet, then we should have time to attempt to pull it off.”

“If it works, it’ll give us the best chance to defeat this first fleet quickly,” Jourm responded. “And if not, we’ll not be any worse off.”

“We could try and move up and hit them the moment they come out of shift space,” Becket suggested, “if we could catch them by surprise, we could overwhelm them.”

“But we’d still run the risk of taking significant losses,” Jourm replied. “And we’d have to push it to get to the other side of the system in time, there’s a good chance Karacknid scouts would arrive and detect us before we got there. Your first suggestion also gives Hughes and Shraw time to still get here and support us.”

Becket nodded, “Very well, may you take your fleet into the system as soon as you’re ready.”

“We proceed now, Admiral,” Jourm said as he gave Becket a quick bow.

Becket smiled at him. “We’ll have your back, Rear Admiral.”

Jourm smiled as well. “I never doubted it, Admiral.”

Becket gave him a nod and then ended the COM channel. “Make sure everyone in the fleet is fed and then start running through some drills,” Becket said as she turned to Albright. "It will be several hours yet; I don’t want them getting overworked or too relaxed. They need to be ready when the time comes.”

“I’ll make sure they're at peak efficiency, Admiral,” Albright promised.

Becket nodded to him and then caught Goodwin's eye. “More waiting,” she said to her Flag Captain as he nodded back, and then they both turned to the holo display. For the next five hours, they watched as Jourm took his fleet cautiously into the system. He was making for the shift passage the smaller Karacknid fleet was expected to emerge from and had nearly a hundred frigates and destroyers out ahead of his ships actively scanning the route for enemy ships and hidden traps. Any Karacknid scouts that would appear ahead of the small Karacknid fleet would think they had stumbled upon one of the Allied fleets on its way to raid another world, just as Becket intended.

Just after the sixth hour since Jourm's departure, the Karacknid fleet suddenly announced itself. Without any sign of a scouting squadron jumping in first, or even a small force sent into the system to guide them, suddenly three thousand two hundred contacts appeared on the holo display. Every single one of them was accelerating hard, straight towards Jourm’s fleet.

Nearly a minute passed before Jourm reacted, and when he did, it was agonizingly slow. It was so slow that, knowing Jourm and his ships as she did, Becket was sure he was putting it on. To the Karacknids, it would hopefully look like Jourm had been caught off guard as his ships, in small groups and squadrons, began to turn away from the new contacts. It took nearly five minutes for them to complete the turn and re-form themselves into a cohesive unit. As soon as they were together, they all began to accelerate back towards the position they had entered the system from. Faster than Jourm's ships, but not fast by the standards Becket was used to, the Karacknid fleet turned onto an intercept course.

On the holo display, the course of both fleets was projected into the future. “They’re going to get away,” Goodwin said with a nod. He glanced at Becket. “The timing is working perfectly.”

Becket nodded, without knowing exactly when the Karacknid force would enter the system, it had been guesswork trying to figure out exactly where Jourm should have taken his ships as he made his way into the system. With five shift passages to choose from, heading towards any of them could have set things up as they were now, or they may not have worked. As it was, the Karacknid commander now had a choice. The lower acceleration rates of his dreadnoughts and battleships meant he couldn’t catch Jourm. But he had a significant numerical advantage over the fourteen hundred Allied ships, and if he wanted, he could use it.

Initially, the Karacknid commander didn’t make any additional moves. For a full fifteen minutes, it appeared he was simply content to chase Jourm’s ships out of the system. To a degree, such a move made sense, for it would allow him to join up with the larger Karacknid fleet that was approaching and then together they could follow Jourm. Yet it also allowed Jourm to escape and join up with the other Allied fleets operating in the vicinity. As if to point that fact out, six frigates broke away from Jourm’s fleet. Moving at their maximum acceleration, they headed in the direction of the shift passage the rest of Jourm’s ships were moving towards.

Becket smiled, Jourm knew how to pull off a bluff. “He’s sending word to all the nearby Allied ships that he has encountered an enemy fleet,” Becket explained to her staff officers. “The enemy commander will have to figure Jourm will be receiving reinforcements as he falls back through the next system.”

Becket's smile widened a minute later when the Karacknid commander fell for her trap. From his fleet of three thousand four hundred warships, two thousand two hundred frigates, destroyers, and cruisers leaped ahead of their larger consorts. As the holo display updated, their new acceleration rates showed they would catch Jourm’s ships an hour before they reached the system’s mass shadow. While their numerical superiority didn’t turn into much of an advantage in missile numbers, it was more than enough for the ships to destroy or cripple a lot of Jourm’s force. Especially if there are carriers among those ships, Becket thought. It was one surprise her forces had come across over the last couple of months. So far, they hadn’t encountered any large Karacknid carriers, presumably because Tanaka-lan had moved them all towards his border with the Empire. Even so, the Das'tana clan did have quite a number of smaller, cruiser-sized carriers, similar to the Imperial Fleet’s pocket carriers. As a result, larger amounts of fighters than expected had turned up at several battles.

“Begin moving us into the system,” Becket ordered. “Five percent thrust. Then start slow launching our fighters. I want them to be ready in case there is a fighter wing with those cruisers and destroyers.”

“Yes, Admiral,” Albright responded.

Now we wait some more, Becket thought to herself. As her ship stealthily started moving into the system, the holo display showed it would take two hours for her to join up with Jourm’s force. Becket didn’t expect to be able to go unnoticed that long, but the longer the Karacknid light ships kept charging, the further they got from the support of their capital ships.

After an hour passed, Becket knew she had the Karacknids. Her fleet had already reached the point where she could come out of stealth and charge the Karacknid light ships, bringing them into range before they could run back to their capital ships for help. Still, she kept her ships in stealth and waited. Every second drew Jourm’s fleet closer to hers.

“Flash Jourm’s flagship with our laser COM,” Becket requested fifteen minutes later. “Instruct him it’s time to start decelerating.”

In response to her command, all of Jourm’s ships flipped end over end and began to use their main impulse engines to arrest their momentum. Becket watched the light Karacknid ships eagerly. To any competent commander, it would be obvious something was amiss. While it looked like Jourm was turning to engage the light Karacknid ships, there was no reason for him to do so, not when he'd been trying to flee moments before. Even if Jourm fought and defeated the light Karacknid ships, getting entangled in a prolonged engagement would only allow the Karacknid capital ships to catch up.

“I’m detecting many more active recon drones being launched from the Karacknid ships,” Anderson reported. “They're spreading out beyond Jourm’s ships.”

Becket nodded. “They suspect something is up,” she said. “Though they’re still coming.”

“Maybe they think Jourm is bluffing?” Albright suggested.

“A valid point,” Becket replied. “Though if he was bluffing, you'd think he might have launched a drone ahead of his fleet and started actively communicating with his ships to make it look like he did have reinforcements out there.”

“I don’t think we’ll remain hidden for much longer,” Anderson updated. “A few of those active recon drones are coming our way. I estimate they will get close enough to overload our stealth coating with their emissions in about five minutes.”

“Then let’s get ready,” Becket ordered. “Albright, work out courses for us and Jourm so that we can combine and then confront the light Karacknid ships. Assume they will turn and decelerate as soon as we come out of stealth. Prioritize getting both our fleets together and then closing with them. I don’t want to take extra losses because we rushed overlapping our fields of fire.”

“I already have several potential courses worked out, Admiral, I just need to adjust the one closest to our current positions,” Albright responded.

Becket nodded to her Chief of Staff, trusting him to complete the maneuver perfectly. Having two fleets, together numbering over three thousand ships, converge from two different angles with vastly different momentum was no easy feat. Yet it was something the Allied ships in her fleet had simulated a thousand times and practiced for real at least a dozen times since leaving Earth.

“They’ve spotted us!” Anderson called out sixty seconds later. “Look, they are turning.”

Sure enough, as the holo display updated, all two thousand Karacknid light ships suddenly copied Jourm’s maneuvers, flipped end over end, and started trying to accelerate away from the Varanni Admiral’s ships.

“No sense in hiding any longer,” Becket said, “Albright, take us out of stealth and join our fleets together.”

“Aye, Admiral,” Albright said in a serious tone without looking up from his console.

Not wanting to distract him, Becket watched as her and Jourm’s fleets started a complex series of maneuvers. Over a period of twenty minutes, each fleet broke apart into its numerous squadrons. Then the squadrons all matched each other’s momentum and course and coalesced into a tight spherical formation. As soon as they were all in their correct positions, the fleet turned onto a direct intercept course for the Karacknid light ships and gave chase. Just as they had trained, Albright had executed the maneuver in a manner that allowed the Allied ships to keep their momentum advantage over the Karacknid light ships and so, despite the Karacknid ships' acceleration advantage, Becket’s force of three thousand two hundred ships started to gain on them.

“Focus our fire on their cruisers first,” Becket instructed as her fleet approached missile range. “The quicker we can reduce their salvo numbers, the easier this fight will be.”

“Yes, Admiral. We can fire our first salvo of mark VII’s in seven minutes,” Anderson reported.

“New contacts!” Lieutenant Colombia called out in alarm. “Hundreds of them! They’re headed right for us.”

Becket’s eyes widened as five hundred new contacts appeared not far away from the Karacknid light ships. Every one of them was accelerating hard towards her flagship. “They have to be fighters,” she concluded. “There’s no way they hid that many ships from us.” Becket’s ships had the whole area saturated with active recon drones and so she was certain they couldn’t be anything else.

“Confirmed, Admiral, they are fighters,” Anderson updated a few moments later.

“Wing Commander Somerville is requesting permission to engage,” Mitsugi informed Becket as she looked up from her COM console.

“Permission granted,” Becket replied.

“What do you think they’re doing?” Goodwin asked. “Why didn’t they wait to attack with a missile salvo?”

Becket considered the question. “They’re desperate,” was the only answer she could come to. “They’re trying to distract us and buy more time for themselves to get away.”

Goodwin shook his head. “It feels like a waste.”

“It will be, unless they get through to strike at our capital ships,” Becket responded. The thought made her turn to Mitsugi. “Lieutenant, inform Wing Commander Somerville that I suspect those fighters plan to kamikaze themselves against our dreadnoughts. They must be stopped at all costs.”

Mitsugi nodded and turned to her COM console. “Wing Commander Somerville has confirmed, Admiral. She has suggested you move our light ships out ahead of the fleet.”

“See to it, Albright,” Becket requested.

Moments later, a host of frigates and drone cruisers moved ahead of the main body of her fleet. As they organized themselves, Becket focused her attention on the fighter battle that was about to break out. She couldn’t help feeling there was something she had missed, for despite her words to Goodwin, it did feel like a massive waste of resources to just fling five hundred fighters at her well-defended fleet.

As she expected, Georgia executed her responsibilities well. With seven hundred of her own fighters in space and more squadrons launching every minute, Georgia split her forces into three groups. Each group lined up behind the other and in turns, met the advancing Karacknid fighters head-on. The Imperial Hellcats and Varanni Liberators fired off their anti-fighter missiles, then focused on their evasive maneuvers until they flew through the Karacknid formation and out of range of their weapons.

Becket relaxed slightly when the first wave of Allied fighters shot down fifty-six Karacknid targets. The enemy fighters didn’t appear any more advanced than usual. She did notice that hardly any of Georgia’s first attack wave were taken out. The Karacknids are focusing on their own evasive maneuvers as well, Becket figured.

As the second and third waves launched their attacks, another one hundred and twenty-four Karacknid fighters were destroyed. Once they made it through each of the three waves, the Karacknid fighters had a couple of minutes peace to rearrange their formation. Then it was the turn of the PD frigates and drone cruisers to engage. Over two hundred of the smaller ships, bristling with point defenses, awaited the approaching three hundred and thirty enemy targets.

Just before the Allied ships opened fire with their weapons, space around the Karacknid fighters suddenly became hazy on Trident’s holo display. “What is happening?” Becket demanded at once.

“They’ve just powered up their ECM way higher than expected,” Colombia reported. “We have no record of Karacknid fighters being able to do that.”

“They must be new variants,” Albright said. “Why didn’t our fighters notice that?”

“Worry about that later,” Becket said with irritation. “Focus on analyzing whatever they’re doing so we can counter it by the time they reach us.” They must look identical to their old variants, Becket figured, or else she was sure Georgia would have noticed. But that’s a problem for another time, she told herself as the Karacknid fighters pierced through her outer shell of light ships. Many were shot down, but far more than should have made it through. By the time the last PD frigate stopped firing, two hundred and eleven enemy fighters still remained.

“They’re angling towards our position in the fleet,” Colombia warned.

“They want our dreadnoughts,” Becket was sure. “Albright, what’s the update on their ECM?”

“Those fighters seem to have the energy reserves to put out about thirty percent more ECM than standard fighters,” Albright reported. “And it's more sophisticated too. Our specialists need more time to analyze it before they can make any recommendations for modifications to our sensors or tracking software.”

“We don’t have any more time,” Becket said as she turned her attention back to the holo display. The Karacknid fighters were just forty-five seconds out from entering the range of her ships' point defenses.

At the last moment, three more freshly launched squadrons of Hellcats cut through the Karacknid’s fighter formation at a 45° angle to their approach. Twelve more enemy fighters were shot down. Then the rest started carrying out wild evasive maneuvers as Trident and every other one of Becket’s three thousand ships opened fire on them.

Even with their advanced ECM, the weight of fire coming the fighters' way was so heavy that their numbers rapidly began to dwindle. The area of effect flak cannons and arc emitters were especially deadly as they were almost impervious to ECM. Even so, no matter how many were shot down around them, the rest of the Karacknid fighters kept pressing on.

“Some are going to reach us,” Becket said, her voice full of concern. “All capital ships are to commence evasive maneuvers, now!”

Even as they kept firing, the five hundred battlecruisers, battleships, and dreadnoughts of Becket’s fleet began to wheel, twist, corkscrew, and turn. Just fifteen Karacknid fighters got close enough to open fire with their directed matter weapons. Yet, their fire was far more deadly than a Hellcat's antimatter missiles. As streams of particles accelerated to almost the speed of light pierced through the Allied fleet's formation, a number of detonations erupted around Trident.

There was a brief lull as the remaining fighters recharged their weapons. In the space of just three more seconds, half of what remained were shot down. Then they fired again. Three more ships disappeared in blinding flashes.

“They’re kamikazeing themselves!” someone shouted.

On the holo display, Becca could see just four fighters were left. Each tried to slam itself into one of her dreadnoughts. One headed straight for Trident. Now in the midst of the Allied fleet’s formation, more than half of every ship’s point defensive guns wouldn’t fire for fear of hitting one of their comrades. Instantly realizing the problem, Becket used her authority clearance to override all of Trident’s firing safety parameters. With the Karacknid fighter just three seconds away from colliding into the dreadnought, suddenly all her weapons started firing again. Three laser beams dissected the fighter and it disappeared as it was melted to slag.

A second later, two more explosions erupted amidst the Allied fleet's formation, telling Becket two Karacknid fighters had slammed into their targets. Becket winced when she saw a dreadnought and a heavy cruiser immediately start to fall out of formation. The dreadnought looked to have a massive hole blown in its stern and one of its impulse engines was completely gone. Even if she didn’t detonate from secondary damage, Becket knew there was no way she could be salvaged. If she couldn’t keep up with the fleet, she would have to be scuttled.

“Resume our original heading and keep up the pursuit of the Karacknid light ships,” Becca ordered her staff officers, anger in her voice. “See to our damaged ships and our wounded. Get me a damage report when you can.” She then turned her attention to the fleeing Karacknid light ships. Soon they would come into missile range of her fleet, and she was eager for payback.

Chapter 27

Throughout the Karacknid Wars Era, Imperial ship classes and sizes were constantly changing. Assault cruisers, battleships, dreadnoughts, and even super dreadnoughts were all introduced into the fleet in this period. Since then, no new classes have been needed. However, that does not mean ship sizes have not grown. Today, a light cruiser would mass more than double an Imperial battleship from the Karacknid War Era. Naval cadets who have the privilege of visiting the fleet museum in Earth’s orbit are always amazed by how small the warships our forebears fought in.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Ten minutes later, the final butcher's bill came in. Two battleships had been destroyed outright, a dreadnought and heavy cruiser were crippled and in need of evacuation, while another battleship and battlecruiser were badly damaged by the Karacknid fighters' directed matter weapons and kamikaze attacks.

If they had used those fighters in conjunction with a missile salvo, they would have caused far more damage, Becket thought to herself as she shook her head. She still didn't understand it. Yes, her ships carrying out evasive maneuvers meant it would take longer for her to get into range of the fleeing Karacknid light ships, but she was still going to catch them, nonetheless.

For another twenty minutes, Becket pondered what was going on, unable to come up with an explanation. Only when her ships came into range and fired their first salvo of the battle did she get an answer. The moment her ships opened fire, the Karacknid force suddenly split in two. Just over a thousand frigates and destroyers increased their acceleration rates and began to pull away from the light and medium cruisers.

"They're leaving them!" Goodwin said in surprise.

"Calculate their course," Becket instructed as she guessed what was happening. "That's it," she said as the holo display updated with the frigates' and destroyers' new course. "The enemy commander is more worried about his capital ships than those cruisers," she said, turning to Goodwin and Albright, who were both looking at her. "He's sacrificing the cruisers to get his destroyers and frigates back to protect his capital ships. It's a smart play." Though it would allow Becket to quickly dispatch the Karacknid cruisers, by the time she caught up with the fleeing Karacknid capital ships, they would be a far tougher nut to crack.

"But we are still gaining on those frigates and destroyers; our momentum advantage means we'll catch them before they reach the capital ships," Anderson argued.

"Correct," Becket responded. "But we've got to destroy these cruisers first; they will delay us more than you think, and then, even if we get into range of those light ships, plenty will survive."

"Do you want to just destroy the cruisers and pull back?" Albright suggested.

Becket shook her head. It was tempting; destroying over a thousand Karacknid ships with likely minimal losses would be a good victory. But, if she turned to engage the larger Karacknid force that should still be approaching their position, she'd have nearly two thousand Karacknid warships in her rear. No, she had put herself into this situation, and now she had to see it through. "We press on," she told her officers. "We need to destroy these cruisers as quickly as possible, though, so let's make every missile count!"

Four minutes after the Allied fleet fired their mark VII missiles, the Karacknid cruisers retaliated. Then, both groups of ships unleashed a second barrage. In contrast to the seventy-eight thousand missiles fired by Becket's ships, the Karacknids' twenty-one thousand seemed pitiful. Yet as the first salvo closed in, Becket gripped her command chair, fearing the missiles would have the same ECM capabilities their fighters had demonstrated.

Before she could confirm if they did, her own missiles decimated the Karacknid cruisers. Each mark VII released five small antimatter warheads, filling space with deadly weapons. The numbers were simply too great for the Karacknids to handle, and hundreds breached their defenses. When the antimatter detonations cleared, over a quarter of the Karacknid cruisers—two hundred and sixty-five in total—were either gone or falling out of formation, most spinning out of control.

"Engaging enemy missiles now!" Anderson announced a couple of minutes later.

As the first flak cannon rounds shot off towards the Karacknid missiles, Becket's body relaxed, despite the imminent danger. None of the missiles had shown any improved ECM capabilities. Those fighters must have been new, she surmised. She knew from the Imperial Fleet's logistics that it was far easier to ship out updated Hellcat fighters to remote outposts than retrofit older warships with new tech.

Despite lacking advanced ECM, a handful of missiles still managed to evade everything fired at them from Becket’s fleet. Four found their targets, destroying one frigate and lightly damaging three larger vessels. When both sides' second salvos collided, the outcome was just as one-sided. Over three hundred Karacknid cruisers were taken out, while just two of Becket’s were damaged. By the time the Karacknid cruisers launched their third salvo, its strength had already been reduced by a quarter, making the engagement a foregone conclusion. Just four Imperial salvos later and the entire Karacknid force had been turned into debris.

"Now for their destroyers and frigates," Becket said to her staff officers as her fleet surged after the faster ships. It took half an hour to rein them in. When they caught up, Becket faced a decision: either she could continue the pursuit directly behind them and fire several salvos from her ships' forward missile tubes, or stop accelerating, turn her ships, and fire a full salvo. "Turn us," she ordered, making her decision. Over the course of the next three minutes, all three thousand two hundred Allied warships turned together, fired over seventy thousand missiles, and then turned back onto their original heading.

The Karacknid destroyers and frigates didn't mimic the maneuver. They didn't even bother launching missiles from their rear tubes, certain they would never be able to penetrate the Allied fleet's defenses. Instead, they pushed their engines and reactors over their safety limits and raced as fast as they could to catch up with their capital ships. With Becket's ships turning and consequently ceasing to accelerate, the Karacknid light ships were able to get ahead. Yet, they had to endure one full salvo. As it crashed against them, their defenses fared worse than the cruisers they had abandoned. Three hundred and sixty-two contacts were obliterated from Trident’s holo display.

"Seventeen hundred enemy contacts left," Anderson reported. "Those destroyers and frigates will reach the capital ships just after we enter missile range of them all. At the current acceleration rates, we’ll be able to fire three salvos before they reach the system’s mass shadow and can jump out."

Becket nodded as she considered the odds. She nearly outnumbered the Karacknids two to one. She suspected if the Karacknid commander didn't know there was a larger fleet of his species' ships approaching from a different system, he would turn and sacrifice his ships just to cripple as many of hers as possible. Everything he has done has been to preserve his force so he can link up with the other fleet, Becket was certain.

"It’s time to take a risk," Becket said to Albright and her other officers. "I want Wing Commander Somerville to launch all of her fighters. They are all to move against that fleet. We’ll time our first missile salvo to strike just as they are combining, with our fighters striking right behind it. Between their maneuvers and our missiles, we should be able to sow enough confusion to allow our fighters to land a decisive blow.

"Understood, Admiral, we’ll make the preparations now," Albright responded.

Becket waited several minutes as she watched the progress of the Karacknid destroyers and frigates. When she was certain Georgia would have finished making her preparations, she tapped on her command chair and opened a COM channel to her Wing Commander. "Commander," Becket said to the Emperor’s daughter with a nod. "It seems you deserve another commendation for your flying. How many kills have you racked up so far today?"

"I honestly couldn’t tell you, Admiral," Georgia replied. "I’ve been focusing on commanding and my flying. We are just trying to do our best to keep the fleet safe and win this battle."

"I am certain you are," Becket replied. "I just wanted to stress upon you the importance of this strike. We need to cripple as many of the enemy’s capital ships as possible and not let them escape. We can’t have a large force operating in our rear when the next Karacknid fleet comes, or if we do, we’ll likely find ourselves the ones being trapped and hounded."

Georgia nodded. "I understand, Admiral. And I'll impress the importance of our mission upon my pilots."

"Thank you," Becket said as she smiled. "Just avoid taking any crazy risks. Whatever happens now, we’re going to need your fighters again before too long."

"Understood, Admiral," Georgia said formally. "We are ready to launch now, with your permission?"

"You have it," Becket replied. "Good luck out there, Commander." Georgia nodded, then ended the COM channel. Becket watched as, for the first time since their campaign against the Karacknids had started, all three thousand six hundred fighters of Georgia’s force launched and formed up into their squadrons, ready to strike at one target together. Once they were properly arrayed, they set off after the fleeing Karacknids.

They will be able to see what’s coming, Becket thought to herself as she returned her gaze to the Karacknid warships. But they cannot prevent it. As soon as the Karacknids calculated the flight path of Georgia’s fighters, they would know she was planning her attack to strike them just as their light ships and capital ships rejoined with one another. The Karacknids would know that was when they were most vulnerable, yet there was little they could do to prevent it. If they wanted, they could slow their destroyers and frigates and have them join the capital ships after Georgia’s attack, but then Georgia could just focus all her strength on the enemy capital ships. Without their light ships to protect them, she would rip massive holes in their formation.

No, you have no choice but to weather the storm coming your way, Becket thought towards the enemy commander. If you can.

*

"So give them everything you’ve got," Georgia said as she finished speaking to her pilots. "I don’t want anyone pulling out of their attack runs early or firing before you have a full lock. Either we take them out now, or they might end up coming back to haunt us. Everyone with me?" she asked forcefully.

Over the open COM channel with over three thousand pilots, there was such a chorus of confirmations that Georgia couldn’t make out any single voice. The noise made her smile, however, for her pilots were showing that they trusted her. They will follow you, she assured herself. "Let’s get them then!" she said, pouring confidence into her voice as her pilots fell silent. "Squadron Leaders, prepare your pilots. We turn in ten seconds."

This time more than three hundred Squadron Leaders confirmed Georgia’s words. On her flight computer, Georgia gave her autopilot the command to begin turning her force towards the Karacknid fleet. Seconds later, every fighter in her formation set off after their targets. Georgia couldn’t help but be moved as she looked out her cockpit and was greeted by the sight of hundreds of Hellcats and Liberators arrayed around her. There were a handful of times she had flown in such large formations, but only in combat exercises around Earth. Now they were all heading into battle together, and the sight was glorious.

But with more numbers comes more losses, a voice in the back of Georgia’s mind said. She grimaced at the thought. Her experience fighting the Protectorates and the Flex-aor had taught her to expect fighter casualties of over fifty percent, and even higher at times. Getting used to such carnage had been very tough, especially when it was often close friends she always seemed to be losing. But now, the pilots around her weren’t just friends, they were people she was responsible for; pilots she had spent the last months teaching and training. It is the price of war, Georgia told herself as she steeled her emotions. Either her pilots risked and even lost their lives now, or their families and loved ones would face enslavement and orbital bombardment later.

As she pushed away any last vestige of concern for her pilots, Georgia glanced at the chronometer on her screen. There was still a flight time of thirty minutes. Starting with rolling her shoulders several times, Georgia began going through her pre-combat routine. She already felt warmed up after her duel with the Karacknid fighters who had charged the fleet, but she methodically prepared herself mentally and physically, nonetheless. When the Allied fleet opened fire with their first salvo, she paused to watch the tens of thousands of new contacts appear on her screen, then again, she paused when the Karacknids returned fire.

By the time both sets of missiles raced past her fighters’ formation, Georgia was already in her trance-like state, and her focus had narrowed down solely onto the enemy fleet. She watched it like a hawk looking for any sign of more enemy fighters suddenly appearing or that a squadron of light ships would break away to engage her fighters.

As a result, when her force was just seven minutes out, Georgia immediately spotted the small tell-tale energy spikes several of the larger Karacknid capital ships were giving off. “We’ve got fighter launches!” She called out over her squadron leader COM channel. “They’ll be headed our way soon. Everyone keep your eyes open.” Immediately, Georgia then reached out to the cloud of active and passive recon drones that Admiral Becket had surrounding the Karacknid fleet. Accessing their feed, she watched as they counted and tracked the fighter launches. Two minutes later, she had a final count as four hundred new Karacknid fighters began accelerating hard to intercept her force.

Georgia toyed with the idea of detaching several squadrons to head off the Karacknid fighters, but if she did so, she'd be weakening her attack on the Karacknid capital ships. Instead, she decided to take a leaf out of the book of the Karacknid fighters who had made kamikaze attacks on her fleet. "All squadrons, we will face the Karacknid fighter force head-on, fire our anti-fighter missiles, and then go evasive. No one is to try and shoot down any fighters after launching their missiles. That’s an order. Today is not the day for racking up kills."

"Move into formation Delta seven," she then said a moment later as the enemy fighters approached. Delta seven allowed her squadrons to spread out and reduce the likelihood that the Karacknid fighters would get any lucky kills by accidentally hitting other fighters than the ones they were targeting. "Fire now!" she ordered when her fighters reached maximum range. From each Hellcat and Liberator, two missiles were launched. With just four hundred Karacknid fighters to deal with, almost every Karacknid fighter found themselves targeted by at least five missiles.

The outcome was inevitable, and nearly half of the Karacknid fighters were blown apart, despite their ECM and their pilots' skillful evasive maneuvers. The survivors, as if in a rage, started firing wildly at Georgia’s force. As both groups of craft rapidly closed in on one another, explosions started erupting amidst the Allied fighters. Georgia winced when a Hellcat was blown apart more than six hundred meters to her left. Without warning, Georgia’s Hellcat’s shield suddenly flared as a laser beam glanced off it. Georgia’s eyes widened in shock; she hadn’t seen or sensed the beam incoming. Though it was against her own orders, she sought out the fighter that had hit her. In the last few seconds before they passed one another, the fighter tried firing a handful more beams at Georgia. Expertly, she evaded them all.

As both formations flew past each other, the Karacknid fighters spun around to point their noses backward and kept firing. Georgia had to evade a couple more shots, but then the pilot gave up. As he switched targets, Georgia helplessly watched as he managed to blow away one and then a second Hellcat. He's good, Georgia thought through gritted teeth. As soon as her fighters were out of range of the Karacknids, she selected the contact and used the sensor information Becket’s recon drones had gathered to retrace its steps right back to the carrier it had launched from. Georgia couldn’t get revenge on the fighter, but she could take out its carrier, so it would have nowhere to land and refuel!

Let the fireworks begin, Georgia thought as her fighters approached the Karacknid fleet. Still in her trance-like state and continuing her evasive maneuvers, she nevertheless watched as the Karacknid capital ships, destroyers, and cruisers moved to combine with one another. Even to her relatively untrained eye, the maneuver was far slower and more haphazard than Georgia was used to seeing from Allied fleets.

Minutes before the Karacknid ships were in something that resembled a proper defensive formation, Becket’s missiles came charging in. The Karacknids put up a valiant fight, yet the multi-warhead mark VII missiles simply saturated their defenses. Thirty seconds before Georgia’s fighters entered the range of the Karacknids' point defense weapons, their fleet was enveloped in a blue haze as hundreds of antimatter missiles began to detonate. In the space of just five seconds, Georgia’s fighter registered four hundred and eighty-six explosions.

"We've got them!" she said excitedly to her squadron leaders. With at least several hundred Karacknid warships crippled and falling out of formation, the rest of the fleet still not in a proper formation, and so many of them still carrying out wild evasive maneuvers, the conditions were perfect for a fighter attack. And with more fighters than the enemy had ships, Georgia’s force could double up on all their capital ships. Quickly, Georgia assigned final targets for her force, then she forgot about everything but her Hellcat, the space immediately in front of it, and her final target: the Karacknid fleet carrier.

Seconds later, despite all the distractions the Karacknid fleet faced, tens of thousands of laser beams began pelting Georgia’s fighters. It didn’t take long for small explosions to start erupting all around Georgia’s Hellcat as Allied fighters started dying in their tens and twenties. Georgia was only vaguely aware of the deaths of her pilots, as her intense focus drowned out everything else but her target. Even when her shield flared from a hit, and then a second one, she barely blinked. Cognitively she was aware her shield had been depleted, but it didn’t faze her. All that mattered was the next evasive maneuver, and the next.

As she almost always was, when her Hellcat beeped at her to tell her she was entering missile range, Georgia was surprised. After each battle she remembered the flight through an enemies’ defensive fire being much longer than it actually felt when the time came. Her surprise only lasted a fraction of a second though, then she was depressing the trigger on her flight stick to fire one and then a second anti-ship missile. The moment she saw them flash away from her Hellcat, she pushed her flight stick down as she dove under the Karacknid fleet.

For a couple of seconds, laser beams continued to flash past her, and then they all but ceased as the Karacknids switched their fire onto the missiles that were the real threat. The lull gave Georgia a chance to watch the progress of her missiles. She swore when one was shot down almost instantly. With all her might, she willed the second one on towards the Karacknid carrier. All around it, more missiles were blown apart and Georgia started to lose hope. Yet with a flight time of just nine seconds, the missile made it all the way to the carrier. It perfectly matched the sudden sharp turn the carrier tried to make and slammed right into it. For a second, Georgia feared the missile had turned out to be a dud. But then a blinding blue flash suddenly erupted from amidst the vessel. A second later, it shattered into millions of pieces.

Georgia let out a satisfied whoop at the destruction she had just wrought. She shouted in satisfaction again as hundreds more antimatter detonations began to erupt as other missiles found their mark. As she watched, just over five hundred of the two thousand strong Karacknid fleet disappeared from her screen as they were either obliterated or so badly crippled that her sensors could no longer detect their reactors or engines. We did it, she thought to herself. The enemy force had been crippled. Emphasizing the point, as her fighter pulled further away from the Karacknid fleet, Admiral Becket's second salvo flashed past her fighters on its way to add to the carnage. One of Georgia’s secondary screens told her that four hundred and sixty-eight fighters were no longer reporting in, signaling that most had been lost. Georgia felt their deaths; it was a heavy price to pay, yet they had destroyed one Karacknid warship for every fighter lost. Such an exchange was unheard of, and Georgia swelled with pride in her wing.

*

Twenty minutes later, Admiral Becket watched as the beleaguered Karacknid fleet disappeared from Trident’s sensors as they jumped into shift space. After Georgia’s fighter attack and her fleet slamming three salvos into them, just a third of their number survived to escape. And barely a fifth of their capital ships, Becket thought to herself as she assessed the last sensor scans of the Karacknid fleet taken before it disappeared. Half of them have to be badly damaged, she was certain. They won't be troubling us any further.

Turning her attention to her fleet, she pulled up the initial damage reports that were coming in. Two hundred and fifty-four of her own ships had been destroyed or badly damaged as her fleet had fended off the Karacknids' three salvos. It was a heavy price to pay given she was three months away from the nearest reinforcements. Yet her fleet had won a resounding victory. The first proper fleet engagement of what Becket was certain would soon be called the Second Karacknid War. At least, it will be if we survive long enough for historians to name it, she thought cynically. "Send a message to all the damaged and crippled Karacknid ships that were not able to make the jump to shift space," Becket said as she switched her focus from the Karacknid ships that had escaped. "Demand that they surrender immediately, or we will destroy them. Give them just one chance, then start taking out every ship that doesn't surrender. We don’t have time to waste playing games with them."

Half an hour later, every single one of the seventy-six Karacknid warships that had been badly damaged or crippled were all turned into debris. Not a single one surrendered. "Stand us down from battlestations," Becket ordered. "Make sure everyone gets a warm meal. But ensure every ship prioritizes repairing their damage, and we need to finalize evacuating the ships that we're going to have to scuttle. The second Karacknid fleet could arrive any moment and we need to be ready."

"Aye, Admiral," Albright responded. "We will transmit your orders to the fleet now."

As if Becket had summoned the news, before Lieutenant Mitsugi could start to transmit Becket’s orders, his COM console began to flash. "Admiral, we’re getting a gravimetric comm message. It is coming from the other side of the system," he called out. Every officer on Trident’s bridge turned to Mitsugi or to the holo display which began to show a contact flashing near one of the shift passages that led into the system. "It’s from the heavy cruiser Bastion," Mitsugi explained as Trident’s computer began to decode the gravimetric pulses.

"She is commanded by Commodore Harkin," Albright updated everyone. "He commands the squadron Rear Admiral Jourm sent to check on the larger Karacknid force."

"Harkin reports he made brief contact with a Karacknid fleet of five thousand warships," Mitsugi reported. "He was then engaged by a Karacknid screening squadron and chased off. The screening squadron is right on his heels and he believes their fleet is at most six hours behind him. Sending you the report now," Mitsugi said as he looked up from his console towards Becket.

Becket pulled up the file on her command chair and quickly scanned through it. It was brief, as any message sent via a gravimetric COM had to be. Yet it told all she needed to know. Five thousand ships were more than the initial scouts that had discovered the fleet had estimated. With her losses, her force numbered just under three thousand warships, but some of them were damaged, reducing their effectiveness.

As nerves began to grow in her stomach, Becket glanced at the holo display and the map of the system. The shift passage her fleet had entered the system from was seven hours away from her current position. She could try and race to the shift passage and jump back out towards her other fleets and thereby add to her strength. Yet if the Karacknid fleet jumped in before she escaped, she could find herself forced into a battle. The other option was to jump out of the same shift passage the Karacknid fleet she had just decimated had used. She could jump out behind them and finish them off and then try and outrun the larger Karacknid fleet. Yet what about Hughes and Shraw? She asked herself. If either of their fleets jumped into the system, they could end up facing five thousand murderous Karacknid warships by themselves.

There is no choice, Becket told herself. She wasn’t going to abandon her friends. She had committed her forces to engage both Karacknid fleets, and that was what she was going to have to do. "Set course for Bastion," Becket ordered. "I want the best possible speed our fleet can make. We have a job to finish," she said as confidently as she could. And let us hope our friends arrive in time to aid us!

Chapter 28

Logistics is a skill any aspiring naval commander must master just as much as strategy and tactics. If one cannot keep their ship, squadron, or fleet in supply during a campaign, then even a master tactician could not win the smallest of battles.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Trident

Ten minutes after giving the order for her fleet to move to meet the new Karacknid fleet, alarms suddenly started blaring around the bridge. "New contacts entering the system!" Anderson called out.

Becket’s heart jumped into her mouth as she feared she had made the wrong decision.

"Judging from their position, they are entering the system from the same shift passage we did," Lieutenant Colombia added. "Initial acceleration profiles suggest they are Imperial warships."

Becket had to fight to hide her relief. As more than fourteen hundred new contacts began to cautiously move into the system, there was only one explanation as to who it was. Rear Admiral Hughes had arrived. "Signal those ships with a gravimetric COM," Becket snapped. "Request them to immediately rendezvous with us. Inform them of Bastion's report."

"Aye, Admiral," Mitsugi responded.

Becket knew Hughes would understand. As soon as he realized a massive Karacknid fleet could be jumping in down the shift passage adjacent to the one he had just exited, he'd know he needed to get out of the area immediately. Please stay away, Becket thought towards the five thousand strong Karacknid fleet. If they did jump in and caught Hughes, she knew Hughes' ships would give a good account of themselves, but their destruction would be guaranteed. And then we’d have to fight them too, Becket was sure, and even with the losses Hughes' ships might inflict, she could still find herself outnumbered and outgunned as well. To have any chance she needed to add Hughes' ships to her own and then also hope Shraw managed to arrive in good time as well.

Just a minute later, more alarms went off. For a moment Becket worried her fears had summoned the Karacknid fleet. "I’m picking up additional contacts," Anderson said, his voice showing his surprise at all the activity. "Ships are accelerating into the system from the same passage Bastion entered from. They are on an intercept course. Confirmed, they are Karacknid warships. There are over eighty of them."

"Just eighty?" Becket asked. "There are no more jumping in behind them?"

Anderson shook his head. “Their profiles match the data Bastion sent on the screening squadron that was pursuing him.”

“What are their acceleration rates?” Becket asked, as a new sinking feeling overcame her.

Moments later, Anderson updated the holo display. “They must all be light cruisers or smaller,” he said. “They have a fourteen percent thrust advantage over Commodore Harkin’s force.”

And the advantage in missiles, Becket thought as she did the calculations in her head. Harkin had thirty-eight warships in his squadron and while he had his flagship, the heavy cruiser Bastion, and six medium cruisers, their extra missiles didn’t make up for the numerical advantage the Karacknid screening squadron had.

“At both groups' current acceleration rates, the Karacknids will catch Harkin in twenty-seven minutes,” Anderson reported.

Becket kept her face impassive, despite her emotions. Her ships were still hours away from reaching Harkin, there was nothing her fleet could do. Hughes was another matter, he could turn to aid Harkin, yet Becket knew she couldn’t give such an order, for if the main Karacknid fleet appeared suddenly, Hughes would be walking straight into their guns. “We have no choice but to watch,” Becket said to her staff officers.

Silence descended on the bridge as over the next forty minutes everyone watched the Karacknids catch up to and engage Harkin's squadron. Both groups of ships hammered each other relentlessly as they exchanged four salvos. Initially, Harkin’s force almost gave as good as it got with the fighters from its one pocket carrier bolstering its first salvo. Yet as more Karacknid missiles came in, Harkin's ships started taking more losses. Becket found both her hands clenched and saw many of her officers did as well. There was nothing worse than helplessly watching comrades fight and die alone.

“Harkin’s fleet is carrying out some kind of maneuver!” Anderson called out just moments after they fired their fifth salvo.

Becket nodded as she understood what was happening. Bastion and Harkin's remaining four medium cruisers were turning towards the Karacknid squadron. At the same time, what was left of his frigates, destroyers and light cruisers upped their acceleration rates. “He is sacrificing himself to let his ships get away.”

Though she didn’t want to, Becket forced herself to watch as Harkin’s flagship flew straight into the next Karacknid salvo. Every ship was hit by multiple antimatter missiles. They battered down the cruisers’ shields and melted them all to slag. All, except Bastion. Miraculously, somehow the heavy cruiser survived the four detonations that bathed it in antimatter.

What emerged from the destructive force was a shadow of the heavy cruiser’s former self as more than half of its armor had been melted away and several deep holes were visible even from the distance Trident’s optical sensors were observing it from. Nevertheless, Bastion fired another half salvo of missiles and then her energy readings spiked as she began charging her plasma and laser cannons. As a result, the Karacknids were forced to waste a half salvo of their own on the heavy cruiser to ensure she didn’t get close enough to blast at them with her energy weapons. Bravely, Bastion tried to defend herself as nearly two hundred missiles descended on her, yet she stood no chance. As more than a hundred missiles detonated around her, she simply ceased to exist as every one of her molecules was obliterated by antimatter particles released from the explosions.

“Remember their sacrifice,” Becket said to Trident’s bridge officers. “Commodore Harkin just showed us how to face our enemy. When this fleet appears, we will all be standing between the Karacknids and the invasion of our worlds. May we acquit ourselves just as admirably.” She looked around at her officers, seeing on their faces that they understood. Becket nodded to herself. We are committed now, she thought. With every likelihood that Shraw would appear in the system at any moment, she couldn’t pull back unless she knew his fleet was safe.

An hour and a half later, Becket and Hughes fleets met and combined into one, bringing Becket’s force up to four thousand four hundred warships. When they were within two-way communication range, she spoke with her second-in-command. “I’m sorry we didn’t make it here any sooner, Admiral,” Hughes began. “We let you down, we should have been here to assist you against the first Karacknid fleet.”

“Do not worry yourself, Rear Admiral, I rushed here knowing it might only be Jourm who was able to join us,” Becket replied. “Though I was hoping both you and Shraw would be here before the second Karacknid fleet arrived.”

Hughes nodded. “There is still time.”

“You have had no contact with him then?” Becket asked.

“I’m afraid not,” he said as he shook his head. “Though he likely would have been approaching from a different angle. I wasn’t expecting to bump into him after passing on your orders.”

“Well, we can’t wait around in the middle of the system for him to show up,” Becket said. “If Shraw does jump in, it’s likely to be near where we are expecting the Karacknid fleet to appear. I want us to go into stealth and slowly make our way there so that we’re in position to assist him if he does. The Karacknid screening squadron that destroyed Harkin already knows we are here, we cannot get around that, but we can still make the Karacknid commander second guess himself. What do you think?”

“I concur, Admiral. Though if the Karacknids arrive before Shraw, we’re going to have a real fight on our hands.”

“There’s little we can do about that at this stage,” Becket replied. “Though if it comes to it, I want us to be ready, so you can start putting your head together with your staff officers and come up with a plan or two.”

“We’ll do that and share what we’ve got with your officers,” Hughes said. “What do you wish to do if Shraw doesn’t come?”

“Then we pull back,” Becket replied, “And hope we can stay ahead of this Karacknid force. I don’t want to tangle with it unless we have the advantage, otherwise our losses will be far higher than we can sustain.”

Hughes nodded, though the look on his face told Becket he thought the same about that idea as she did. With the Karacknids operating within their own territory and having home advantage, there was only so long Becket could run from them if they mounted a determined pursuit. Either she would quickly find herself cornered or run out of fuel. Yet unless she was prepared to abandon her campaign and retreat back towards Conclave space, she had to put up a fight. Tanaka-lan will never divert ships here if the only news he receives is that the Das’tana clan’s border fleet defeated us and put an end to our raiding, Becket told herself. She had to win this battle, or she might as well give up on her mission and bring her ships back to Earth.

“Very well then,” Becket said to Hughes. “Both our staff can put their heads together and we can see what we come up with. We’ll speak again when we have a definitive plan.”

“As you wish, Admiral,” Hughes replied, nodding.

For the next few hours, as her fleet stealthily cruised towards the shift passage the Karacknids were expected to appear from, Becket worked with her officers, Hughes, and Jourm as they went through several potential strategies. As more time passed, the more Becket grew concerned that there was still no sign of Shraw. As the moment approached where the Karacknids should begin to jump into the system, Becket felt the pressure growing on her to make a decision. She and her team had come up with a number of plans that included incorporating Admiral Shraw’s ships. In hope, she held off making a decision, desperately wanting to be able to choose one of those plans where her fleet would have numerical superiority. Yet the chronometer on the holo display continued to count the passage of time far more quickly than she desired.

We need to buy more time, Becket told herself, still confident that Shraw would be doing everything in his power to join them. “I want to make an alteration to plan beta three,” Becket told her staff officers. “If we can, I’d like to delay the main Karacknid fleet from entering the system for as long as possible. We’re going to detach several light squadrons from our fleet and Hughes's fleet and give them to Rear Admiral Jourm. In stealth, he is to move up to the shift passage the Karacknids are expected to arrive from and engage every screening squadron that comes out of shift space. We want the Karacknid fleet commander to think we have all our forces arrayed around the shift passage ready to strike at his fleet the moment it appears. That should delay him from jumping his main force directly into the system.”

“Understood, Admiral. We will begin making the necessary arrangements,” Albright responded. “Do you wish to speak with Jourm?”

Becket nodded, and a moment later she was facing the Varanni commander. “I don’t want any heroics, Rear Admiral. And don’t let your ships be drawn into an engagement they can’t pull out of. Just contest the area around the shift passage and make it look like we don’t want their scouts getting into the system to discover the fleet we might have hidden nearby.”

“I understand, Admiral, we will destroy as many of the scouts and screening ships as possible,” Jourm said confidently.

“Just be ready to pull back if they bring too many ships in,” Becket cautioned.

Jourm smiled. “We will be careful, Admiral.”

Becket gave Jourm a small bow and then ended the COM channel.

“That should buy us an hour or more, I’d guess,” Goodwin said. “But what then, what if Shraw doesn’t come?”

“Then we go with plan alpha three,” Becket responded, trying to make herself sound more confident. Alpha three called for her ships to play an elaborate game of cat and mouse with the Karacknid fleet, drawing them ever deeper into the system. Then, at an opportune moment, Becket hoped to use some of the inner system’s planets or moons to disrupt the Karacknid fleet's formation and concentrate all of her force against a part of the enemy's.

It was a risky plan, for if it failed, the Karacknid commander could end up being able to isolate a part of Becket’s fleet. Yet it was one that would give the advantage to whichever fleet commander was the most able at coordinating their forces. Given what Becket had seen of the Karacknid fleets stationed in this sector of their Empire, she was willing to bet on her fleet’s maneuverability over theirs. Moreover, she figured Tanaka-lan would have gathered his best commanders to lead the fleet he was preparing to assault Allied space with, which meant she should be able to best whoever commanded the Karacknid fleet.

But am I good enough to overcome an advantage of five hundred or more ships? Becket asked herself. That was the question of the day, but there was only one way she was going to get an answer and that was to once again test her skills to the limit.

After Jourm’s squadrons broke away from Becket’s fleet, another hour passed without anything happening. Then the moment Becket had been wanting to be delayed finally came. Eighty more Karacknid light ships jumped into the system. Trident was now close enough to the shift passage to pick up the emissions from their reversion to real space. For ten minutes the ships appeared to do nothing but sit stationary, presumably covertly communicating with the screening squadron already in the system. Then two frigates turned around and jumped back out of the system. The rest powered up their reactors and engines and began slowly moving into the system, spreading out as their active sensors filled space with electromagnetic energy looking for the stealthed Allied fleet that could be hiding nearby. At the same time, the squadron that had destroyed Commodore Harken’s ships moved to rendezvous with them, their active sensors also coming fully online.

It didn’t take long for Jourm to act. Seven minutes after the new Karacknid ships started moving into the system, six Imperial destroyers came out of stealth. They charged two Karacknid frigates, launched a salvo of long-range mark VII missiles, and then pulled back. Both frigates were destroyed before any other Karacknid ships could come to their aid. Two minutes later, a pair of Varanni light cruisers pounced on three Karacknid destroyers. A short sharp engagement ensued as both sides hurled three volleys at one another. Two of the Karacknid destroyers were taken out, then the light cruisers pulled back as a Karacknid heavy cruiser and its escorts came to the destroyers' aid.

Deciding his ships were taking too many losses, the Karacknid commander changed tactics. Instead of spreading out, his ships now formed into four groups of twenty and more cautiously began scanning the area around the shift passage. For twelve minutes they continued looking for more hidden targets, then Jourm struck again. Twenty-seven ships suddenly came out of stealth and charged one of the groups of Karacknid scouts. Almost immediately, the two nearest groups moved to support their friends. Yet that left the final group of Karacknid ships isolated. Before anyone could fire, Jourm’s twenty-seven ships pulled back. In their place, thirty-four ships came out of stealth as they accelerated along a different vector towards the isolated Karacknid ships. They fired off four volleys at the Karacknids and then pulled away to disappear into stealth once more. Half of the Karacknid twenty ships were destroyed or crippled.

Over the course of an hour, the engagements gradually spread into the system and grew in size as more Karacknid screening ships appeared and joined their brethren. Slowly but surely, they pushed Jourm’s squadrons back and cleared more space around the end of the shift passage. Yet Jourm made them pay dearly for every light second they advanced, especially as the further they pushed his ships back, the more spread out the Karacknid screening forces became, and the more vulnerable they were once more.

At one point, Becket found herself pumping her fist as other officers cheered when Jourm pulled off a particularly satisfying move. With more than half of the five hundred ships Becket had sent him forward with, he feinted attacking first one, and then a second Karacknid squadron. The Karacknids' reaction to both left one of their other squadrons exposed, and it was against this group of ships that the last of Jourm’s hidden ships came out of stealth to attack. In a savage strike that had Jourm’s temporary flagship and its consorts close to energy weapon range, he destroyed all eighty of the ships that had attacked and killed Commodore Harkin’s force. That’s for Harkin! Becket thought as she gritted her teeth, And there is more coming!

Despite her concern about the strength of the main Karacknid force, Jourm’s string of minor victories lifted Becket’s mood, and that of her officers. In the space of a little over an hour, the Rear Admiral crippled or destroyed over two hundred enemy ships for the price of just forty of his own. If he keeps this up, we may end up having numerical parity with them, even without Shraw, Becket allowed herself to hope.

The attack avenging Harkin proved a turning point, however. Just five minutes later, hundreds of new contacts began appearing on Trident’s holo display. They didn’t stop coming until the counter beside them reached five thousand one hundred. Added to the already four hundred screening ships, the number came to one a good bit higher than Becket had been expecting. She couldn’t help her emotions dropping slightly. Even with Jourm’s successes, they were still outnumbered by over eleven hundred ships!

“They are coming straight into the system!” Goodwin warned. “They have clearly given up trying to find us with their scouts.”

Becket nodded. The enemy commander knew how many ships she had; he just didn’t know where they all were. But with his numbers, he didn’t need to. He was trying to force a fight. “Order Jourm to pull back immediately,” Becket ordered. “Then take us out of stealth, pull us back towards the inner system and prepare to enact plan alpha three.”

As quickly as they could, Becket’s fleet did as she ordered. Jourm’s light ships moved even faster as they sought to get away from the massive Karacknid fleet and rejoin the Allied force. Once every squadron of ships had completed the maneuver, Lieutenant Anderson was able to update the holo display to show how each combatant’s current trajectory and accelerations would play out. “They can’t catch us,” Goodwin said, a hint of relief in his voice. “They can pursue us, but they can’t catch us.”

“Which is just what we are letting them do, for now at least,” Becket responded. Before she began plan alpha three, she needed to draw the Karacknids away from the system’s mass shadow and the shift passage Shraw may yet appear from. The last thing she needed now was for Shraw to appear only to find himself surrounded by enemy ships. We fall back, and then we start the job of whittling down their strength, Becket thought to herself to build up her confidence. Then we move in and finish them off.

Chapter 29

To fight for the protection of one’s people is the second highest calling anyone can answer. The first is to fight and die. With the Empire surrounded by enemies, every cadet must be ready to answer what duty requires of them if necessary.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

For forty-five minutes, Becket fell back into the inner system, drawing the Karacknids in after her. “I think they’re up to something,” Anderson said in concern as Becket’s fleet passed by one of the system’s three gas giants. He tapped his console and then turned around to Becket and Albright. “Look at this, a couple of our drones have been detecting very small energy spikes. They’re not massively out of the ordinary for Karacknid ships, but these particular ones have only been coming from these two carriers here.”

The image on the holo display zoomed in to show two carriers. Neither looked to be doing anything out of the ordinary, yet every now and again there were small energy spikes. Becket watched several of them, counting the interval between them. It wasn’t exact, but it was consistent. “I think these are fighter launches,” Becket said. “They’re taking a leaf out of our book and slow launching their fighters." With a tap on her command chair, she returned the image to show the wider system.

“It’s what I'd do if I had the numbers,” she said as she put herself in the Karacknid commander’s position. As far as he was concerned, with their momentum advantage, Becket’s ships could outrun him all the way across the system and jump out down one of two shift passages in the general direction Becket was heading. “He doesn’t want us getting away to raid other systems, so he’s going to throw his fighters at us to try and cripple as many ships as possible. Then we’d have to decide whether or not to slow down and aid them or flee and sacrifice them to his missiles.”

“But the first Karacknid fleet wasted their fighters throwing them against us unsupported,” Goodwin countered. “They’re not going to make the same mistake again, are they?”

“Something tells me they’re going to have a few more than five hundred this time,” Becket said as she glanced at the running count of Karacknid carriers. Like Allied carriers, Karacknid ones were built to mimic their other warships to make them hard to identify and target in a missile duel. Yet several had been confirmed and Becket could see there were a number of other contenders being analyzed by her officers. “Wing Commander Somerville is to slow launch her entire force. I want every fighter she has prepped for anti-fighter combat and launched, ready to confront whatever the Karacknids are about to throw at us.”

“Sending your orders to her now,” Albright responded.

Ten minutes later, Albright looked up from his console. “Admiral, every fighter that was fueled and ready is in space. We have three thousand two hundred out there. Another couple of hundred should be ready to launch in the next ten minutes, Wing Commander Somerville suggested they form a second force to be held back in reserve.”

Becket nodded. “Understood.”

“Somerville has also requested to speak with you,” Albright added.

“Put her through to my chair’s COM unit,” Becket responded.

“Admiral,” Georgia said, concern filling her voice. “If they have anywhere near as many fighters as we do, it’s unlikely we'll be able to stop them all. If they fly right through us, we'll only get one shot at them and then they’ll be coming for you.”

Becket smiled. “I understand how fighter combat works, Wing Commander. You don’t have to remind me.”

Georgia’s cheeks reddened. “Of course, Admiral.”

“I appreciate your concern, commander,” Becket added as she winked. “It’s good to know the Imperial Princess is looking out for me.”

Georgia’s eyes sharpened as she held Becket’s gaze. “You’re mocking me?”

Becket smiled again. “Only a little, Commander. I do appreciate your warning. We’ll do everything we can to prepare for the likelihood they’ll get past your fighters. But even if they hurt us, don’t worry, we’ll still have your fighters to return the compliment when the time comes.”

Though Georgia nodded, Becket could see on her face that she was thinking something along the lines of; ‘if you survive that long.’ “Was there something else, Commander?” Becket asked, moving the conversation on.

“Yes, I had an idea. How does this sound to you?” Georgia said as she leaned forward in her cockpit, presumably to tap a button.

A moment later, a file appeared on the holo display of Becket’s command chair. Becket studied it for a second, but then shook her head. “I’m not sure how this would help you. If we fire missiles at them, they’ll just dodge. You know Karacknid fighters are far nimbler than anti-ship missiles.”

“Run the simulation forward,” Georgia requested. “I thought we could try something like what you are about to see.”

As she did as she was asked, Becket’s eyes widened. “It might work, it's worth trying anyway. You're confident it will?”

“It will all but guarantee some fighters will reach us unscathed, but we might be able to reduce that number more than if we didn’t try it,” Georgia answered.

“Then we shall try it,” Becket decided. “I’ll send your plan to Albright.” Before she could say anything more, several alarms began to go off around the bridge which cut off Becket. A quick glance at the main holo display told Becket that three thousand new contacts had appeared and were accelerating towards her flagship. “It appears your moment has come, Wing Commander,” Becket said as she turned back to Georgia. “At least they don’t outnumber us. Happy hunting.”

“We’ll take as many as we can,” Georgia promised.

*

“We’ll meet them at fifty percent thrust,” Georgia informed her Squadron Leaders as her flight computer calculated an intercept course for the newly appeared three thousand Karacknid fighters. Doing so would reduce her fighters’ maneuverability, but it would also decrease the relative closing speed, thus giving her force more time to shoot at their targets. As soon as her flight computer had the course, she sent it to all her pilots. “Engaging engines now,” she announced as she pushed her throttle forward to fifty percent.

"How do you like that?" Georgia asked, a satisfied smile spreading across her lips. If the Karacknid fighters had thought they had pulled one over on her, they were about to discover they had been mistaken. The Karacknid fighters had announced themselves when they were just fifteen minutes out from striking at the Allied Fleet. Normally, if such an attack came in without warning, Georgia would have been scrambling to get all her fighters launched, never mind organizing them into a single unit to face the enemy. That was not to be the case now, however, as almost her entire force was prepared and waiting.

As her Hellcats and Liberators moved forward to block the Karacknid fighters’ path, Georgia stared at the wave of enemy contacts. There was a chance they might detach a thousand fighters or so to try and draw her into a dogfight, yet she had no intention of being diverted from her goal. Her only mission was to destroy as many of the enemy fighters intending to attack her fleet as possible. She could worry about dogfights after the main threat was dealt with.

A beep from her flight computer drew Georgia's gaze down to one of her sensor screens. The Allied Fleet had just opened fire. Over seventy-five thousand missiles were suddenly accelerating hard to catch up with her Hellcats. In the space of just four minutes, they did, and then they passed Georgia’s formation. As they did, they spread out and formed into a large oval pattern, one that was far wider than the formation of Karacknid fighters.

“Sixty seconds!” Georgia called out to all her pilots. “Missiles first, then give them everything you’ve got with your energy weapons. This is not the time to focus on evasive maneuvers. I want as many kills as possible.”

When the missile salvo was just thirty seconds out from the Karacknid fighters, every missile suddenly changed course and moved to close with the small Karacknid craft. Anticipating the move, the Karacknid fighters began to split up into squadrons as they either pulled up or under the approaching wave of missiles. Yet the missiles ceased their maneuver just halfway through it. Instead of diving into the midst of the densely packed Karacknid fighters, they returned to a straighter course. Suddenly, the Karacknid fighters that had begun their evasive maneuvers faced a dilemma. Either they continued to move around the outside of the giant oval, or they flew through its middle. Hundreds pulled up and over even as the antimatter missiles started to detonate. The vast majority, however, chose to fly through the heart of the oval of blue antimatter detonations.

At that very moment, all of Georgia’s fighters came into range with their anti-fighter missiles. Three thousand fingers or appendages tapped their firing triggers at the same time, and six thousand missiles left their racks. Karacknid fighters began blaring warnings at their pilots as they detected the targeting sensors of the missiles. Yet, so many of the Karacknid fighters were tightly packed together as they passed between the wall of exploding antimatter warheads, that there was little room for evasive maneuvers.

In their panic, a handful of Karacknid fighters actually collided with each other, most of them exploding on impact as their pilots tried to evade. The rest, as best they could given the restrictions, powered up their ECM to full, launched countermeasures, and tried to twist and weave to shake any missiles that might be tracking them. Many were successful, but almost as many were not. Ten seconds after firing her missiles, space in front of Georgia’s Hellcat lit up as nearly a thousand missiles found their mark.

In just a blink of an eye later, both sides came into range of one another with their energy weapons. The Karacknid fighters that had pulled out and around the antimatter missiles were too far away to be engaged, yet there were only five hundred of them. The rest, fifteen hundred strong, faced off against Georgia’s three thousand in a brief but savage fight.

Georgia wasted no time getting to work. Trusting her instincts to keep her evading the Karacknids' fire, she sighted on one target after another. Each time she released a quartet of plasma bolts. Every target was struck by at least one of the bolts. In the six seconds it took for both groups of fighters to close and then pass by one another, Georgia shot down five Karacknid fighters. The moment her targets passed her, Georgia swung her fighter around and blasted away at the Karacknids’ rear, taking out four more targets before they got out of range. A quick glance at her sensor screen told her they had taken out half of the Karacknid fighters that had passed through the center of her oval of antimatter detonations. Georgia couldn’t help but grimace. It was better than she had hoped for, yet more than a thousand Karacknid fighters remained to charge Becket’s fleet. Even as Georgia watched, they began to reform after all their evasive maneuvers as they prepared to strike at as many Allied ships as possible.

*

"Eleven hundred and fifty-six contacts still inbound," Anderson announced a few moments later on Trident’s bridge. "They’ll enter attack range of our capital ships in four minutes."

"Three more squadrons have sortied and are lining up last-minute attack runs on them," Colombia added.

Becket nodded to her sensor officer, then focused her full attention on the incoming enemy fighters. She had arranged her fleet into three spherical layers. The outer layer consisted of her PD frigates and drone cruisers. Next, she had two thousand light cruisers, destroyers, and frigates. Lastly, her capital ships and the rest of her light ships huddled close together. If the Karacknid fighters wanted to hit her battleships and dreadnoughts, they were going to have to run a gauntlet to get to them.

That’s exactly what they're going to do, Becket thought as the Karacknid fighters ignored the three Hellcat squadrons that snapped at them. They then went into full evasive mode as they charged past her first layer of defenses. The fire from the PD frigates and drone cruisers ripped into the fighters, destroying one hundred and forty of them. Then it was the turn of Becket's second layer of ships. They too opened up with every defensive weapon they had, destroying two hundred more. Yet the Karacknid fighters held their nerve and not a single one of them opened fire on the Allied light ships.

A total of six hundred and seventy-seven fighters broke through Becket's second layer and charged at her capital ships. The most intense wave of defensive fire yet reached out to greet them. Even so, it was not enough. Despite hundreds of fighters being shot down, at least a hundred made it into attack range. At the last second, frigates and light cruisers threw themselves in front of their larger consorts. Maneuvering wildly, the Karacknid fighters tried to get firing angles around them, then they opened fire. Streams of matter accelerated to a significant portion of the speed of light flashed out towards the Allied capital ships. Shields flared, and then explosions erupted all around Trident.

The Karacknid fighters weren't finished yet, however, for unlike Allied fighters, they could fire multiple times. Instead of pulling up and away to safety, they continued to twist and weave as they drew closer to the Allied fleet. Defensive fire continued to deplete their numbers, yet thirty survived long enough to fire again.

The moment Becket saw the fighters fire for a second time, she was violently thrown around in her command chair despite the tightness of her harness. For a second, the lights around her dimmed, and then alarms began to blare.

"We’ve been hit! We’ve been hit!" Someone began to shout.

"Shields are down," Another voice called out.

“Where were we struck?” Goodwin’s authoritative voice demanded.

Becket gave herself a mental shake and looked down at her body to make sure she was still in one piece. Her chest hurt and she felt a little dizzy. With a great deal of effort, she ignored both as she sought to figure out what had happened.

“Getting fragmented damage reports coming in now, Captain,” Trident’s First Lieutenant responded. “They're coming from our forward nose sections. I think it must have been a glancing blow or we'd already be seeing more damage reports.”

“Chief O’Kelly reports our reactors and engines are operating normally,” Trident’s Second Lieutenant updated everyone.

“All right, show me our fleet,” Becket requested as she turned to her staff officers. She had heard enough to leave her flagship in Goodwin’s hands. She needed to see to the fleet.

As the main holo display began to be updated with fragmentary images of her ships, Becket could see enough to know right away that her force had taken significant losses. Large clouds of debris were moving in many directions and at least a hundred ships were falling out of formation, trails of atmosphere and debris flowing from them. Becket had a good enough mental picture of the strategic situation to know every one of the damaged ships would have to be abandoned. She simply didn’t have enough momentum or maneuvering space to slow her fleet in the face of the charging Karacknids.

“Calculate how many of those crippled ships we can get shuttles to and then back to rendezvous with us,” Becket ordered quickly. “Start launching rescue shuttles immediately. Then signal all crippled ships that cannot keep up with the fleet. They need to get their people to their cargo holds ready to be taken off at once. Make sure all the ships we can’t get shuttles to know which ships we are trying to rescue people from. If they can, they are to launch their own shuttles and get their people to positions we can pick them up from.”

“Yes, Admiral, right away,” Albright responded seriously.

“Once we have established contact with all the damaged ships and they’ve begun preparations to be evacuated, make sure the senior commanders know their ships need scuttled,” Becket added. Albright nodded somberly. No one liked the idea of scuttling warships that were worth billions of credits and were likely littered with the bodies of their fallen comrades. Yet there was no choice. No one knew just how much access the Karacknids had to Imperial technology but handing them damaged ships that were still likely to be full of fully functioning equipment could not happen.

Ten minutes later, hundreds of shuttles were streaming back-and-forth from the damaged Imperial ships as they fell further and further behind Trident and the rest of Becket’s fleet. Thankfully, her flagship had taken minimal damage and though she had lost some missile tubes and point defenses, she was still very much in the battle. With the Karacknid fleet still accelerating hard after her, Becket gave her shuttles as much time as possible to take off the thousands of stranded fleet personnel. Yet after twenty minutes of rescue operations, she had to give one of the most difficult orders of her career. “Alter the fleet’s heading in twelve minutes,” she informed her navigation officer. “Take us onto a heading towards the first gas giant. We’ll slingshot around it and head deeper into the system. It’s time to begin alpha three. Mitsugi, let the shuttle pilots know, they need to prioritize returning to their ships.”

“I’ll prep the course change now, Admiral,” the navigation officer responded.

“And the shuttles will be informed,” Mitsugi added.

Though she knew it wouldn’t do any good, Becket pulled up a file one of her staff officers had been compiling. It listed all the personnel still known to be on the damaged ships. Thirteen thousand three hundred were still waiting to be taken off. A glance at the holo display told Becket there were possibly upwards of fifty shuttles still closing with damaged ships, preparing to take on more. Yet they would only be able to take about a tenth of those still waiting. Eleven thousand, Becket thought to herself. Her fleet’s turn would take her ships away from the stranded fleet personnel, potentially leaving them to die alone. Yet she had no choice.

When the time came for her ships to turn, Becket left Albright to handle the maneuver and instead watched the ships she was leaving behind. In the space of a few minutes, more than a hundred escape pods and shuttles took off from them. They all moved together to form a small flotilla and then, as they set course for the system’s third planet, a rocky world that barely had an atmosphere, the warships began to detonate one by one as they were scuttled. Becket had directed the escape pods and shuttles towards the planet in the hope that they could land there, and their occupants survive long enough for her to come back and get them once the battle was over.

Now we have to win, Becket said to herself as she returned her gaze to the Karacknid fleet pursuing her. Thankfully, the Karacknid fleet was already turning to follow her ships, moving away from the fleeing escape pods. We will be back for you, she promised her people, even as her fleet left them astern.

Chapter 30

Just as the Empire’s rise looked far from guaranteed and relied entirely on many victories being won on the battlefield, any one of which could have spelled the end of the Empire if it had been lost, so too was the Empire’s final ascent to the position of power it now holds today. A close study on any one of the major battles of the Inter-Karacknid War Period or the Second Karacknid War will show a student of history that one wrong decision, or one communications failure, could have turned the tide of a battle, and thus a war, and so the fate of the Empire.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

As her fleet moved away from the system’s third gas giant and the Karacknids copied her maneuver around it, Becket assessed the new strategic situation. She had lost over three hundred ships, many of them heavy cruisers or larger capital ships. Now the numerical advantage was even more heavily in her opponent’s favor. Yet not a single Karacknid fighter had survived the strike on her fleet, and she still had the momentum advantage.

The idea of alpha three was to use the room the inner system gave her to outmaneuver and outthink the enemy commander and so allow her to slowly but surely whittle away his strength. With a greater numerical advantage in the Karacknids’ favor, it was going to be harder to accomplish, and the risks were now higher too, for if Becket was caught out even once, a single full-strength enemy salvo could cripple more of her ships. But we have the fighter advantage now, Becket told herself as she began to envisage how she could adapt alpha three. And we have Georgia!

“Adjust our heading to seven, three, four point one,” Becket requested. She then waited half an hour to draw the Karacknids deeper into the inner system. “Now it’s time to play some games with them,” she told her officers, filling her voice with confidence. Reaching out, she pointed towards one flank of the Karacknid fleet. “We’re going to make a run on this squadron. Prep our fighters for a mock attack.”

Ten minutes later, Becket had her fleet prepared. “Turn us,” she ordered. Ceasing to flee, every one of her ships turned their noses towards the Karacknids and then re-engaged their engines. Two thousand fighters formed up into their squadrons and started to move ahead of Becket’s ships.

The Karacknids reacted seconds later. Not wanting to allow Becket's ships to charge into energy weapon range, they began to decelerate and alter course. At the same time, several hundred additional fighters, clearly held back as a reserve, appeared as they prepared to defend their fleet. Becket allowed her fleet to close with the Karacknids for just a couple of minutes, then she turned to Albright and nodded. "Turn us again,” she ordered.

As soon as her ships revealed they weren’t really trying to face off against the Karacknids, the Karacknid fleet resumed its pursuit. In the space of fifteen minutes, Becket repeated the maneuvers three more times, each time she lined up on a different section of the Karacknid fleet. Every maneuver allowed the Karacknids to gain on her slightly, yet it also caused their formation to spread out. By the fifth time she turned, the Karacknids didn’t react just so quickly. Rather than decelerate, they waited to see if Becket was faking again. “One hundred and ten percent thrust!” Becket ordered after a full minute passed and the Karacknids didn't begin to turn to keep her at range.

As soon as her ships increased their thrust, the Karacknids decided they needed to respond. Once again, they angled away from Becket’s fleet to ensure any engagement would be fought at long range. "I want one salvo, then we pull back,” Becket instructed her staff officers. “Albright, turn us as soon as we fire.”

“Yes, Admiral,” Albright responded seriously.

“Signal Wing Commander Somerville to have her fighters ready,” Becket ordered.

“Affirmative,” Mitsugi replied.

Four minutes later, Becket’s four thousand two hundred warships rippled off one hundred and seven thousand mark VII missiles. Instantly, they altered course to once again pull away from the Karacknids. Just as Becket hoped, the Karacknids hesitated. Fearing Becket was only pretending to pull away to make them turn after her, they waited even as they fired their own missile salvo.

“Take us back to one hundred percent thrust,” Becket ordered as soon as her ships began to open up a gap to the Karacknids again. “And get those ships evacuated,” she added as she glanced at a secondary holo display showing seven contacts that had fallen out of formation, their reactors or engines failing due to the stress she had put them under. Though she had lost seven ships, as her missile salvo hurtled towards the Karacknids, she deemed it worth the cost. With the Karacknid fleet having to carry out more hasty maneuvers, their formation was even more disorganized than it had been before. Becket had every one of her missiles targeting just one of the Karacknid squadrons along the fleet’s starboard flank. Though being so tightly clustered together meant the missiles would be easier to shoot down, the Karacknids’ formation meant that not all of their ships would be able to aid their comrades.

After a flight time of nine minutes, the missiles began their attack runs. First, each missile released a series of smaller antimatter warheads. Then they revealed their true targets as they all turned towards the single Karacknid squadron Becket had isolated. Frantically, the rest of the Karacknid fleet began to reorganize so as to maximize their defensive fire. Tens of thousands were shot down. Yet not all were. In the space of three seconds, the sensors detected one hundred and nine antimatter detonations. The amount of energy released momentarily blinded the sensors, but as they cleared, sixty-seven enemy ships were gone, and another twenty-nine were falling out of formation, unable to keep up with the rest of the Karacknid fleet. The squadron Becket had targeted had been all but wiped out.

Just over two percent of their strength, Becket said to herself. It was a small proportion, but it was a start. But now it is our turn, she thought, as a Karacknid salvo of one hundred and twenty-seven thousand missiles closed with her fleet.

Before they reached attack range, Georgia's additional one thousand six hundred fighters came out of stealth and joined the other two thousand that had been flanking the fleet. Together, they flew out towards the Karacknid missiles, then they flipped end over end and started to accelerate back towards Becket’s fleet in an effort to reduce the relative closing velocity of the Karacknid missiles. As soon as they came into range, the three thousand six hundred fighters collectively fired their two anti-fighter missiles. Being larger and less maneuverable than a fighter, the Karacknid anti-ship missiles tried to dodge, but over two thousand failed to do so.

Then, Georgia’s fighters opened up with their plasma and laser cannons. For a full thirty seconds, her fighters blasted away at the missiles as they closed with them, and then flew past the Allied fighters. An additional ten thousand missiles were shot down, as almost every pilot scored at least three kills. A glance at a secondary readout on her command chair told Becket that Georgia had taken out ten by herself. A light cruiser's worth of missiles! Becket thought. And twelve thousand destroyed in total, nearly ten percent of the missile salvo. Becket was impressed; already her advantage in fighters was paying for itself.

Nevertheless, as the Karacknid missiles reached her fleet and her ships opened up with their point defenses, Becket’s body tensed, for she knew she was still about to suffer additional losses. On the holo display, it looked like successive waves of fire were cascading towards the Allied Fleet as defensive weapons fired in barrages. Each barrage destroyed thousands of Karacknid missiles, then the next barrage struck, and then the next. The waves of fire raced towards the Allied Fleet and then engulfed it as the last desperate fire from the Allied ships took out as many remaining missiles as possible. Then the fire turned from red and orange explosions of destroyed missiles to a bright blue as tens of missiles reached their targets and detonated, releasing plumes of antimatter.

Being in the heart of the Allied formation, Trident didn’t have to carry out evasive maneuvers nor was she targeted. Instead, Becket watched tensely as ships around the outer shell of her formation were struck and large holes blasted into them. She counted nine ships destroyed outright, and twelve more veering out of formation, while other undamaged ships had to carry out emergency evasive maneuvers to avoid them.

“Albright, take command of assisting those damaged ships,” Becket requested. Then, despite her desire to help them, she forced herself to stay focused on the wider strategic situation. Proportionally, she had hurt the Karacknids more than the losses she had taken, but they were still a long way away from reaching parity with the enemy.

Over the next hour, Becket attempted several other tactical maneuvers against her opponent. One, she had to pull out of at the last moment, for the Karacknid commander anticipated her tactic and countered it perfectly. The second allowed her to fire off another full salvo and then pull back. Once again, Georgia’s fighters reduced the missiles the Karacknids fired in return. Once again, the Karacknids suffered slightly more losses than Becket did.

As Trident's sensors cleared up and Becket was able to assess the Karacknid fleet once again, she shook her head slightly. We're going to run out of missiles before we gain an advantage at this rate, she thought to herself even as she tried to put a brave face on it for her officers. Looking around the inner system, Becket looked for something that would give her an edge. After more than a minute, her eyes settled on the system’s fifth planet. Unusually, the small rocky world was orbited by five large moons, each one almost the size of Earth’s. Pulling up the data on her command chair’s holo display, Becket began to input a series of commands. Moments later, a simulation played out in front of her. Becket pursed her lips together as she considered it. The move wouldn’t win them the battle, but it would give her a chance to whittle away more of the enemy strength. And we could throw our fighters into the mix too, she thought as she nodded to herself.

“I have an idea,” Becket said to her command staff. “Plot us a course towards the fifth planet, then we’re going to work out a couple of different courses for our fleet to take. If the Karacknids follow us, we’re going to split up and prepare a little surprise for them.”

Forty-five minutes later, Becket's ships approached the system’s fifth planet with the Karacknids right on their tail. The course of Becket’s fleet made her intentions clear. She was going to slingshot around the planet and possibly head towards the outer system and a shift passage that would allow her to escape her pursuer. If that was her plan, there was little the Karacknid commander could do but stay as close as possible and follow her into shift space.

As the Allied Fleet closed with the fifth planet, however, that was not how things played out. Just as Becket's ships began to be captured by the planet’s gravity, every one of her cruisers, destroyers, and frigates broke away from the Allied capital ships. Rather than just slingshot around the third planet, they increased acceleration rate and were able to fly between the planet and one of its large moons, gaining a gravitational boost from both orbital bodies. Almost swinging right around the moon, they came out on a course that put them back in front of the pursuing Karacknid fleet. As soon as they could, they opened fire and then began to alter their course again, turning back into the inner system.

The momentum difference between the light ships and the Karacknid fleet meant the Karacknids could not open fire with their missiles. At the same time, unless they abandoned their slingshot maneuver to follow Becket’s capital ships, they couldn’t avoid the missiles coming straight down their throats. To add to the threat, every one of Georgia’s three thousand six hundred fighters suddenly appeared, accelerating hard after the allied missiles. Alone, the smaller salvo from the Allied light ships was unlikely to pose a serious threat to the Karacknids, but with the massive fighter strike coming in right behind, Becket had set up a potentially devastating attack.

With little they could do but prepare to defend themselves, the Karacknids altered their formation to a more defensive posture and then four hundred fighters launched from their carriers and prepared to engage Georgia’s attack force. Georgia waited until the fighters passed the point where they couldn't simply turn back to their carriers, and then she followed Becket’s instruction. Two thousand six hundred of her fighters abandoned their attack run and peeled off onto a course that followed the Allied light ships. The other thousand, all kitted out for anti-fighter combat, slowed, and engaged the Karacknid fighters. Two thousand anti-fighter missiles appeared on Trident’s holo display as they opened fire, and then a short, sharp engagement ensued. Barely eighty Karacknid fighters managed to escape the dogfight and limp back to their fleet.

Even as the fighter engagement took place, the Allied light ships' salvo tried to breach the Karacknid fleet's defenses. With the Karacknid ships accelerating towards the missiles, the closing velocity made it hard to shoot the missiles down. Yet there were fewer than sixty thousand of them, and so the Karacknid defenses shot down all but a handful. Only twelve ships were badly damaged or destroyed.

Becket was satisfied with the outcome, nonetheless. She had destroyed what she hoped was the last of the Karacknid fighters and a number of enemy ships for the price of just a few of her own fighters. She then watched with anticipation as the Karacknid fleet approached the system’s third planet. If the Karacknid commander wanted to, he could direct his light ships to mimic the maneuver hers had taken. If they did, Becket intended to order her light ships to turn and engage them. Assisted by Georgia’s fighters, they could overwhelm the Karacknid light ships and destroy a great deal of them. Sadly though, the Karacknid fleet remained together as it rounded the rocky planet. “Bring both elements of our fleet back together,” Becket ordered her staff officers, the courses both groups of ships would need having already been worked out.

The fight is far from over yet, she thought toward her opponent as Trident and the rest of the Allied capital ships turned away from their course towards the outer system and made to rendezvous with their light ships. It would take an hour for them to combine together once more, but her capital ships still had the momentum advantage over the Karacknid fleet, and so the Karacknid commander’s only real choice was to continue his pursuit. If he wanted to, he could detach his frigates and destroyers to chase and catch up with Becket’s capital ships, but the Allied warships' superior firepower would quickly decimate their smaller foes. Now I just need to find a way to get a fighter strike into them, Becket thought to herself. If she could orchestrate one and then a second fighter strike, each accompanied by a full salvo from her ships, then she was confident she could significantly reduce the Karacknid fleet’s numbers. Then we can turn and face them head-on.

“Turn us onto a heading of seven three seven point two,” Becket requested an hour later as her fleet reformed, and she decided on her next tactic to employ. “Once more into the breach,” she said to her officers as she nodded towards the enemy. “We still have work to do.”

The Allied fleet had barely begun its turn when contact alarms began to blare. “Hundreds of ships entering the system!” Anderson called out. “From the same passage the Karacknid fleet came from.”

Becket’s confidence faltered as she turned her eyes to the new contacts as they appeared on the holo display. The number had already risen above five hundred and was still climbing. If they were all enemy warships, there was now no chance she could whittle away the Karacknid fleet’s strength to the point where she could hope to fight and win a straight-up battle. We'll have to run for it, Becket began to think. Her thought was immediately cut off as one of the contacts turned blue on the holo display, marking it as friendly. A second later, it was followed by another, then another, and soon all of the hundreds of contacts were marked as Allied warships. Shraw has come! Becket knew, as her confidence soared again. She didn’t understand how the Admiral was emerging from the same shift passage the Karacknid fleet had, nor what had delayed him, but it didn’t matter. He was here now!

“Alter course again,” Becket demanded as she gave instructions for her officers to turn the fleet to try and rendezvous with the new ships. Less than a minute later, the Karacknid fleet responded. Knowing he couldn’t let the two Allied fleets combine, the Karacknid commander moved his force to block Becket’s path.

“Picking up a gravimetric COM message from Admiral Shraw’s flagship,” Lieutenant Mitsugi reported. “He apologizes for being late, but is prepared to join the attack now. He is sending a more detailed report as well; it will take several minutes for it all to be transmitted via the gravimetric COM.”

“Shraw’s fleet is altering course,” Anderson reported a moment later.

“He is moving to engage,” Becket knew, without even having to see the one thousand six hundred ships of Shraw’s fleet change course. As far as Shraw was concerned, he had arrived in the system to see his allies being pursued by a larger enemy force; of course the Gramrian was going to charge into battle.

Becket closed her eyes as she assessed the situation. She could order Shraw to pull back, and together they could try and outmaneuver the Karacknid fleet and combine. Yet the Karacknid commander had shown he had no intention of making that easy, and then, if they did manage to pull it off, the Karacknid commander would see it coming long before they could join up. If he is smart, then he’d just pull back and await reinforcements to join him, Becket guessed. We have to fight now, even with our forces divided, she decided. That was only way to win the battle and keep her campaign to draw more of Tanaka-lan’s forces after her alive.

The problem was, as Shraw charged, the Karacknid fleet could focus all its fire on Shraw’s ships. Becket was confident that she now had the numbers to win a proper fleet-on-fleet battle, yet it could end up costing her friend his life along with his entire fleet. Even if that means all of the ships with Trident get off scratch-free, it's too high a price to pay, Becket said to herself. That left only one choice: the only way to keep the Karacknids from concentrating their fire on Shraw was to force them to focus on her.

“We stay on this course for another fifteen minutes,” Becket informed Albright and her staff officers. “Then we turn and charge. With Shraw we have the numerical advantage, but he will be overwhelmed and cut apart if he closes to missile range. Unless we can convince the Karacknids we're the bigger threat. We are going to close to energy weapon range and slice that fleet apart. First though, we're going to coordinate our fire with Shraw and cause as much havoc and destruction as possible. Albright, coordinate with Shraw; Anderson, update Wing Commander Somerville and get her fighters ready for a sortie against the Karacknid fleet. Mitsugi, make sure every Captain in our fleet knows what I'm about to ask of them. Our ships need to be ready for close quarters combat.”

“Aye, Admiral,” Albright replied on behalf of Becket’s staff officers, with an earnest look on his face.

Becket could feel it all around her; her officers knew what her words meant. Closing to energy weapon range was like a street brawl with knives; everyone involved was likely to end up being sliced and slashed. We have no choice, she said to herself a second time. We need to end this now.

Chapter 31

In the end, the only way to beat an enemy is to face them head on. One can only run for so long.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

At the moment she had chosen, Becket’s fleet of four thousand two hundred warships ceased trying to flee from the Karacknid fleet and turned onto a direct intercept course. With Shraw already charging, Becket’s move meant they would both enter missile range of the Karacknids at the same time. Though it took a couple of minutes, the Karacknid commander rightly guessed what that meant; Becket’s turn was no feint. In response, he turned his ships to close with Shraw in an effort to defeat the smaller Allied Fleet before facing off against Becket’s ships, yet Shraw reacted instantly, pulling his ships away. The Karacknid commander’s delay in turning, however, meant Becket's ships were gaining on him while he could not close the range to Shraw.

“If the Karacknid fleet remains on this course, we'll be able to fire five salvos, and then we’ll reach energy weapon range,” Anderson updated everyone.

“Shall I order Wing Commander Somerville to prepare a fighter strike with our first salvo?” Albright asked.

Becket shook her head. “No, I have another idea for them. Signal Shraw though; his fighters can attack with his first salvo.”

Albright stared at Becket for a couple of seconds, clearly trying to follow Becket’s logic. A fighter strike with the first salvo would cause the most devastation and so reduce the strength of the subsequent salvos the Karacknids could fire.

“When we close to energy weapon range, I want to cause as much mayhem as possible,” Becket explained.

“Understood,” Albright responded, nodding in understanding.

Becket turned back to the holo display to watch the Karacknid fleet. Due to his turn after Shraw, the Karacknid commander had little leeway now. If he turned and tried to flee, Becket's and Shraw's ships could easily join together and then hunt him down. If he turned towards Becket’s ships even slightly, it would reduce the amount of missile salvos he could fire at her ships before they came into energy weapon range. Realistically, all he could do was keep pursuing Shraw, as that would lengthen the time it took Becket to get her ships close enough to ravage the Karacknids with their energy weapons. The only real question on Becket’s mind was, were the Karacknids going to target her ships or Shraw’s?

Her answer came fifteen minutes later, when, just seconds after both Allied fleets released their first coordinated salvo, the Karacknids returned fire. Becket couldn’t help breathing a sigh of relief as one hundred and twenty thousand missiles came hurtling towards her ships. Though it meant her life was in serious danger, it also meant Shraw’s fleet was not going to be destroyed. The Karacknid commander had deemed her fleet the greater threat.

“We have five salvos to weather,” Becket said in an earnest tone to her officers. “Five, and then we can bring this battle to an end. Let’s prepare our defenses the best we can and make sure every missile we fire does as much damage as possible. Let’s finish this,” she ordered firmly. Putting a stern look on her face, Becket then turned to fully face the holo display and unflinchingly watch as the battle unfolded.

Fired first, her and Shraw’s missiles began the final stage of the battle. Coming in from two different angles, the Karacknids had to split their defensive fire between the two groups that totaled over one hundred and thirty thousand missiles. As a result, several hundred made it through to detonate amongst their targets. Even as antimatter detonations bloomed within the Karacknid fleet, Shraw’s eleven hundred fighters raced in and released their missiles too. Over five hundred ships were taken out of the fight in the carnage.

The Karacknids soon had their revenge, however, as their massive missile salvo also saturated Becket’s fleet’s defenses. Seconds later, violent blue light from multiple antimatter detonations washed over many of her ships. When the explosions ceased and Trident's sensors once again reached out around her, three hundred and thirty-three ships were destroyed or crippled.

Without Shraw’s fighters, the second Allied salvos proved less deadly, taking out just three hundred enemy ships. In turn, Becket lost almost as many of her own from the Karacknids’ second salvo. The third Allied salvo proved more deadly, as the Allied warships were able to switch to their mark VIII missiles. The bomb-pumped grazer warheads each sent two deadly grazer beams piercing into the Karacknid fleet, and hundreds of explosions followed. Once again, Karacknid ships disappeared from the threat analysis projected on Trident’s holo display. The battle continued to be far from one-sided, however, for every loss Becket’s fleet took, their defenses were worryingly reduced. The losses meant that a hundred antimatter missiles from the Karacknids third salvo were able to dodge everything fired at them and plunge into the midst of Becket’s formation.

Seconds before the missiles started to detonate, alarms went off around the bridge. One of the missiles was targeting Trident! Without waiting for orders, Trident’s navigation officer threw the dreadnought into an evasive turn. Every point-defense weapon she had fired frantically at the corkscrewing contact. None scored a hit. Instead, the missile maneuvered to match Trident’s turn and then dove in. In its haste, it overshot the dreadnought, but a fraction of a second later it detonated. Antimatter was flung against Trident’s shield, ripped the shield out of the way, and then collided with the dreadnought’s valstronium armor, detonating on impact.

Becket was banged about hard in her command chair, telling her that a significant amount of explosive force had smashed into her flagship. The bridge was filled with alarms as the lights flickered and several consoles lost power. We are hurt, but not out of the fight, Becket told herself as she watched Trident’s bridge officers pull themselves together and begin to tap on their consoles. As Goodwin dealt with his ship’s damage, Becket focused on the wider battle. Her fleet had taken another hammering, but she still had three thousand ships charging the Karacknids.

“We will fire our fourth salvo, and then hold off on the fifth,” Becket informed Albright and her officers. “I want the fifth fired so that it strikes the Karacknids twelve seconds before we enter energy weapon range. Wing Commander Somerville’s fighters are to time their attack to be releasing their missiles just six seconds after the mark VIII warheads detonate. The timing must be precise!”

“I’ll make sure she understands,” Albright responded.

Becket nodded to her Chief of Staff and then turned to face the next salvo of Karacknid missiles that was already racing towards her. Two more salvos, she said to herself as she braced herself for the possibility Trident could be hit again.

*

Georgia’s eyes widened as Albright informed her of what Becket had requested. “Do you understand?” Albright asked when he finished.

Georgia took a second to reply. “That’s going to be quite the feat.”

“The Admiral is well aware, Wing Commander. She trusts you and your pilots are up to it.”

“Then we will be,” Georgia said as she nodded to herself.

“Great, I have other duties to attend to now, good luck Commander,” Albright said quickly.

Reaching over to her COM unit, Georgia switched channels to speak to all her pilots. “Listen up, ladies and gentlemen,” she began. “We’re going to strike the Karacknid fleet just before our ships enter energy weapon range. Admiral Becket is also going to coordinate a salvo of mark VIII missiles with our attack. We’ll be releasing our missiles just after the bomb-pumped warheads detonate. That means there’s going to be a lot of enemy and friendly ordnance out there, not to mention the debris from damaged ships. We’re also going to have to hold off selecting targets until the missiles have detonated, as we can’t waste any missiles on already crippled ships.” Georgia paused to let her words sink in. “I know we’re asking a lot of you; this is going to require the best flying any of us have ever produced. But Admiral Becket and I are confident we can pull it off. The more havoc we can cause, the more effective Admiral Becket’s attack can be. So let’s not disappoint her. We go on my mark, so stay alert.”

To emphasize her point, Georgia input data into her flight computer to estimate the flight course of her attack, then sent a short simulation to all her pilots so they could see what they were about to attempt. Next, she assessed the current positions of the Karacknid fleet and began to assign different sectors to her various squadrons, so that every section of the enemy fleet would come under attack by her fighters. Georgia then looked up just in time to see the fourth Allied and Karacknid salvos attempt to savage one another.

Both fleets took a hammering, and hundreds of ships were gutted or blown apart. Georgia’s body tensed at the tens of thousands of deaths amongst the Allied fleet she was witnessing. Even if she lost every fighter in her force in the next twenty minutes, only a fraction of the number of lives would be lost compared to what she had just witnessed. And it’s about to happen again, she thought to herself as the Karacknid fleet fired the final salvo they would be able to before Becket’s force reached energy weapon range. Even as she watched the carnage, Georgia's Hellcat beeped at her, letting her know that it would soon be time to go to full acceleration. Quickly, Georgia’s eyes sought out Becket’s flagship to make sure it was still there. Thankfully, Trident was still visible, though there was a trail of debris behind the dreadnought, signaling it had been hit at least once.

Ten seconds later, at the exact time she needed to, Georgia tapped her COM unit. “All fighters, full acceleration, follow my lead,” she ordered as she pushed her throttle to full. Immediately, three thousand Imperial Hellcats and Varanni Liberators raced ahead of the Allied Fleet towards their targets, which were just three minutes away. As they charged in, the Karacknids’ final salvo flashed past them. Georgia spared a quick glance behind her after the detonations stopped to see another two hundred Allied ships had been removed from the battle. But now it's our turn, she said out loud, anger in her voice as she turned back to look at the Karacknid fleet ahead of her.

A second later, Georgia’s Hellcat beeped again, this time telling her the Allied Fleet had fired, and more than ninety thousand missiles were now rapidly accelerating towards her. This is going to be intense! Georgia thought, even as she began her evasive maneuvers. Less than a minute later, the Karacknid fleet began to open fire with its point defenses. With her fighters leading the charge, all their ordnance was aimed at Georgia’s force.

Instantly, fighters began to explode all around Georgia. In her trancelike state, Georgia refused to let their destruction distract her. Instead, every ounce of her mental focus went into dodging every laser beam fired at her. For a full ten seconds, Georgia faced the full might of the Karacknid fleet's defensive fire and evaded it all. Then, like someone had flicked a switch, the amount of weaponry targeting her dropped by fifty percent. At the same time, Admiral Becket’s final missile salvo came racing through the midst of Georgia’s fighters. As soon as they caught up with the fighters, tens of thousands of them began to detonate as the Karacknid targeted them. Georgia’s view screen was filled with explosions as missiles in their hundreds died directly in front of her. Her shields flared as debris smashed into them, and she had to twist and weave around several shattered missiles.

For a full three seconds, the most frantic three seconds of Georgia’s life, the missiles continued to accelerate ahead of her fighter. Then, as one, every remaining missile detonated. The thermonuclear force from each warhead was contained within the missile and focused into two bright green grazer beams. Georgia had to blink back at the violent explosion of color as the beams raced towards the Karacknid fleet in the blink of an eye. A moment later, more than a thousand of the wildly gyrating Karacknid warships erupted in explosions as grazer beams pierced through their armor and ripped holes into anything they touched.

With time of the essence, even as the defensive fire coming her way intensified again, Georgia quickly assessed the Karacknid fleet and began to assign undamaged targets to her Squadron Leaders. As soon as she was done, she refocused solely on the dreadnought that she had chosen for herself. It was in formation with five other massive ships, but three of them were already venting debris and atmosphere from grazer beam hits. Sweat ran down her forehead and the back of her neck as Georgia twisted and weaved as quickly and wildly as she could. Only at the last moment did she level out, and for just long enough to pull her flight stick’s trigger, launching both of her anti-ship missiles. Then she threw her Hellcat into a corkscrew and pulled up and above the Karacknid fleet.

As she glanced down at her target, she saw her missiles were accompanied by at least a couple of thousand others. In the space of six seconds, they rapidly accelerated into the midst of the already disjointed Karacknid formation. Every Karacknid ship that could, was hurling laser beams at the missiles, but many ships were not firing, and others were firing with less than half of their defensive weapons. Three hundred missiles reached their targets, and all across the Karacknid formation, capital ships erupted as antimatter detonations ripped into them. Georgia screamed in satisfaction as both her missiles struck her dreadnought together. There was one giant flash, and then the dreadnought was gone.

The action wasn’t over yet, however, for even as Georgia looked, Admiral Becket’s fleet rushed into view. For the briefest of seconds, there was a lull in the explosions; then, at basically the same moment, both fleets fired their heavy energy weapons. Laser beams, plasma bolts, and from the Allied ships, mass driver rounds, hurtled across the space between both fleets. Georgia knew if she had been where she was five seconds ago, her Hellcat would have been fried by the sheer amount of energy being released by the massive warships.

An instant later, Georgia’s view screen was filled with more destruction than she had seen over the course of the rest of the battle. Hundreds of ships were blown apart by multiple hits, while thousands more were heavily damaged or crippled as laser beams punched right through them or plasma beams melted giant sections of their superstructures. Where a mass driver round struck, the energy from the impact simply obliterated the ship in question.

As if stunned by what they had both done, there was ten seconds of silence from both fleets. Then they fired again. Many of Admiral Becket’s ships were the first to recharge their weapons, then thousands more explosions rippled up and down the Karacknid fleet even as they returned fire. Three seconds after the second salvo of energy weapons tore into both sides, the battered ships passed by one another. Those that could, turned, recharged their weapons, and fired one final salvo that obliterated more of their foes.

With their energy capacitors spent and drifting out of range of one another, the savage fight ended after three salvos. For Georgia, though, three was more than enough. Even as she continued her evasive maneuvers, still in her trancelike state, she was nevertheless horrified at the carnage in front of her. Of the four thousand Allied warships that had started the charge against the Karacknids, no more than two and a half thousand remained. Yet it appeared as if every one of them was venting atmosphere or leaving a trail of debris behind it as they moved away from the Karacknid fleet. Barely half appeared to be under control, with the rest either spinning wildly or falling out of formation.

The Karacknid fleet, thanks to her assault and Becket’s last-second missile salvo, had fared far worse. Where their formation and coordination had been badly disrupted just before entering energy weapon range, Becket’s fleet had been fully functional and had systematically targeted every intact Karacknid ship. Their initial strength of five thousand five hundred had been reduced to four and a half just before Georgia’s fighters had struck. Now, Georgia’s Hellcat’s sensors only detected one thousand nine hundred intact Karacknid warships, many of which looked to be heavily damaged.

Their troubles were far from over yet, however, for Georgia could also see Admiral Shraw’s sixteen hundred warships charging in to face off against the beleaguered Karacknids. Already they had two missile salvos in space, and it looked like Shraw had nine hundred fighters refueled, rearmed, and preparing to race in with the third salvo the Allied ships would undoubtedly fire. They are done for, Georgia instinctively knew, even as she watched the Karacknids struggle to get their ships under control and regain some kind of defensive formation.

Though she wanted to watch the demise of her enemies, Georgia knew she needed to turn her attention to her own forces. Focusing her Hellcat’s sensors on Admiral Becket’s fleet, she first sought out the flagship. She was relieved to see Trident was intact, albeit sporting three new deep gashes where energy weapons had clearly penetrated her armor. Making contact with her staff officers, she ascertained the status of every carrier that was left and then began to make contact with them to assess the damage. Then she and her officers turned their attention to their own squadrons and began to direct the survivors of the engagement to land on the few carriers that were able to take them. At the same time, they began to coordinate the scarce search and rescue shuttles that Becket’s fleet could spare to pick up the handful of pilots who had managed to eject from their damaged fighters in the engagement.

Only once she was sure all her people were going to be taken care of, did Georgia look back at the Karacknid fleet. As she slowly flew her Hellcat in towards Trident, she watched as Shraw’s three missile salvos and fighter strike finished off the Karacknid fleet. The fighters met so little resistance that they were able to almost fly to point-blank range before they released their missiles into the handful of Karacknid ships that remained by that point. By the time Shraw was done, not a single Karacknid warship was left intact.

We did it, Georgia thought to herself as her body started to relax, and she closed with Trident and flew through the battered remains of Becket’s ships. The price on Becket’s fleet had been high, but they had won!

*

IS Trident,

As Becket looked up from one of the many readouts she was studying, assessing the damage to her fleet, and saw Georgia's Hellcat close with her flagship, she smiled as very similar thoughts ran through her mind. The initial damage reports told her she had lost or would have to scuttle fully half of the ships she had started the battle with. Yet in the space of a day, she had soundly defeated both Karacknid fleets, totaling over eight thousand warships. Now there was nothing stopping her from returning to the Das'tana clan's home system and finishing her assault on it.

But first, we pick up the escape shuttles that had to flee into the inner system, and then we see to our own wounds, Becket thought, knowing there was a long journey ahead of her before her fleet would be able to leave the system together as a cohesive unit.

Trident and many of her other ships would need a lot of attention to make right as much of the damage they had suffered as was possible without returning to a construction yard. Yet, in the meantime, Shraw and all of Becket’s undamaged ships could raid every system within twenty light years of their current position. And then we will destroy the Das'tana clan's home system and send a message to Tanaka-lan and the rest of the Karacknid clans that they cannot leave their systems undefended if they think they can make war on us!

Chapter 32

Due to the sheer size of the Empire, its political system has always been messy. It’s impossible to organize and rule over trillions of citizens without some turmoil and inefficiencies. It is these weaknesses of our system that our enemies have at times sought to exploit.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Imperial Palace, Earth, 16th May 2512 AD, (eight days previous).

As the small black ball smashed off the court's wall and threatened to bounce right past him, James lunged towards it. Just as his racket reached out to swipe the ball back, a bead of sweat dripped from his eyebrow to his eyelid. The sudden stinging in his eye threw off James’ aim, and though his racket connected with the squash ball, the ball struck the court’s wall far higher than he intended. As it shot up into the air, Rachel rushed forward, jumped, and smashed a volley that sent the ball careening to the back of the court. Instinctively, even as he wiped his forehead with his forearm, James rushed towards the back of the court. Yet he only managed to get there in time to see the ball smash into the back of the court, then bounce past him right back to strike the front of the court again and onto the floor.

“My point and my game!” Rachel said as she beamed at James.

Breathing heavily, James shook his head at his daughter. She had barely broken a sweat. “I can’t keep up,” he said between breaths. “You’ve been spending too much time training at the Academy. I thought you were meant to be studying medicine.”

Rachel's smile widened. “I’m studying to be a marine medic, which means we're expected to be as tough as any other marine. But I don’t think that’s your problem, father. I think you’ve had a few too many birthdays to think you can beat someone like me.”

James rolled his eyes, though secretly, he was starting to realize she might be right. Growing up, he had always loved squash. Yet, after he got his augments, it hadn’t been as fun anymore. He could beat any normal person with ease, and most other Humans, except augmented marines, though typically they had no interest in the sport. However, after his kids got their augments, he had been able to find worthy opponents once again. Yet it didn’t take long for Jonathan, Edward, and Georgia to start being able to beat him every time. Now he was going to have to add Rachel to the list. Maybe I need to talk to Christine about having another baby or two, he thought to himself, smirking at the look such a remark was sure to conjure on her face.

“Ready to go again already?” Rachel asked, misinterpreting James’ smirk.

James held up a hand. “Let me get my breath back first.”

“Do whatever you need to do, old man,” Rachel said, smiling as she began some simple stretches.

Just as he felt ready for another round, the buzz of his COM unit interrupted them. “Sorry, dear,” James said, turning to exit the squash court. The tone of the unit indicated a priority call. “I have to take this.”

“Of course you do,” Rachel replied with a hint of playfulness. “You probably arranged the call with your Flag Lieutenant before you even got here.”

James playfully dismissed her jibe as he left the squash court, retrieving his COM unit from the chair where he had placed it. “Go ahead.”

“Sorry to disturb you, Emperor,” the familiar voice of Rear Admiral Hutchinson, the commander of Earth’s orbital defenses, came through. “But I thought you should know. Three worldships just jumped into the system. They’re rapidly approaching Earth.”

“Already?” James asked, excitement evident in his voice. He had received Edward’s message via Vestar’s FTL COM nearly a week prior, but Edward hadn’t specified their arrival time. “That was fast! How long until they reach orbit?”

“At their current acceleration, no more than an hour,” Hutchinson informed him. “One of the worldship's transponders identifies it as Superintendent Hallock’s flagship. Is there a reason for their visit? It hasn’t been scheduled. Should I inform the diplomatic corps?”

“The reason has only been disclosed to a select few in the Inner Council,” James explained. “There's no need to notify the diplomatic corps just yet; I'm sure they'll find out soon enough once the ships are in orbit. However, do inform Christine and Rear Admiral Alvarez.”

“Of course, Emperor,” Hutchinson affirmed.

“Thank you,” James said, then clicked off the COM unit. Re-entering the squash court, he rejoined his daughter. “I’m sorry, Rachel, but we’ll have to reschedule. Edward has returned, and he's brought important intel that I need to review. We’ll finish our game another day.”

Rachel nodded. “If you have to go, you have to go. But I'll count this as a forfeit, thereby claiming victory.”

James shrugged. “If that’s how you want to win, so be it. Though I thought I raised you to be more sportsmanlike,” he teased, winking at his youngest daughter.

“You raised me to be a winner,” Rachel countered. “I can't help it if my opposition is below par. I can only beat whoever is in front of me.”

James shook his head at his daughter's feigned insolence. “I hope you don’t talk to your drill instructors this way. Or wait, maybe I hope you do; then you might learn some manners!”

Rachel’s eyes widened in mock horror. “I wouldn’t dare! They are far more intimidating than you.”

James chuckled as he moved over to put an arm around Rachel’s shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze. “I hope to see you later for dinner if things with your brother don't drag on too long.”

“I'm looking forward to seeing him,” Rachel responded. “Maybe I can challenge him to a game while he's here. At least then I'll get a real workout.”

James rolled his eyes, taking a moment to give his daughter a fond wave as he turned to leave. Once he stepped out of the squash court, he quickened his pace. He needed to shower and get cleaned up before taking a shuttle up to Hallock’s worldship. They would be arriving soon!

*

Forty-five minutes later, James exited the Palace from its main entrance and strode over to the shuttle landing pads where a shuttle, with its engines already humming, awaited him. Glancing up the access ramp, he nodded at Mark Alvarez. “You're here already?” He greeted the head of Imperial Intelligence.

“I wasn’t going to miss this, Emperor. They've had a week to interrogate the alien and study its ship. Who knows what discoveries they've made!”

“I know,” James replied, his excitement evident in his smile. He had so many questions about these elusive aliens. From the information they had already gathered, it was clear that the aliens had been meddling in Humanity's politics and interspecies relationships for some time. Now, James hoped he would get answers as to why. “Okay, pilot, I'm ready to go,” James announced, securing himself in his seat.

“No one else is joining us?” Alvarez inquired.

James shook his head. “Not yet, at least. Christine and I want to keep this under wraps. If there's another alien agent on Earth, or even some active cells, we don’t want them suspecting that we've captured one of their kind. We’ll see what Hallock and Edward have discovered and then decide how to proceed from there.”

Alvarez smiled. “We might make a real spy out of you yet.”

“Since we discovered these snake-like aliens, I’ve already learnt far more about spy work than I ever wanted to. For all the dangers to our species, you and Christine enjoy all the skulking around in the shadows far more than is natural.”

“It is the way of the world, and seemingly, the way of the galaxy. Even when you were a young firebrand Captain fighting for the British Star Kingdom, there were always secret agents moving in the shadows supporting you.”

Though he knew it was true, James had no desire to admit it. Thankfully, he was saved by the roar of the shuttle's engines, as they lifted off and soared through Earth’s atmosphere. Given they often spent several hours together each day, both were happy to enjoy the view from the viewport, observing the hustle and bustle of Earth's orbit. With the Empire gearing up for an all-out war, thousands of warships and tens of thousands of other vessels were constantly on the move.

When the worldships came into view, and then quickly dominated the scene in front of the shuttle, James found himself once again marveling at their majesty as they dwarfed everything around them. Equipped with the firepower of fifty dreadnoughts and even more defensive capabilities, each ship could potentially change the outcome of a major battle. We need them at the frontlines as soon as possible, James reminded himself. At the end of the Karacknid War, Hallock and the other Superintendents had vowed to deploy their worldships to defend the Allied borders if the Karacknids resumed hostilities. Although that hadn't technically occurred yet, James sensed it was imminent. In addition to gathering intelligence about the captured alien agents, he needed to discuss the positioning of the worldships with Hallock while the Superintendent was in the Sol system.

As the shuttle touched down in one of the worldship's vast hangars, James stepped onto the access ramp and pulled his youngest son into a warm embrace. “It’s good to see you again,” he remarked, pulling back. “You've achieved more than I ever expected.”

Edward gave a modest smile. “Most of our discoveries are thanks to Hallock and his team.”

“But we wouldn't have had this chance if not for Edward's capture of the alien,” Hallock interjected, moving forward to firmly shake James' hand. “Welcome aboard.”

“Always a pleasure,” James replied, releasing Hallock’s hand and bowing slightly to the alien. Hallock reciprocated the gesture. After exchanging greetings with Alvarez, Hallock directed them toward one of the exits from the hangar bay. “Please, come with me. I have refreshments prepared, but I suspect you’re more eager to see the alien and its ship. My lead scientist will brief you on our findings.”

“Straight to business, I like that,” James remarked, exchanging a knowing look with Alvarez. “We'll leave the diplomacy to Christine. She's organizing a grand banquet in your honor.”

“I will be delighted to attend,” Hallock responded, “but there are more pressing issues at hand.”

Exiting the hangar, Hallock guided them down a short corridor and into a sizable turbo lift. After a short, thirty-second ride, the doors slid open, revealing what seemed to be another hangar. At its center was one of the smallest ships James had ever laid eyes on. It was even tinier than a Hellcat, it looked more like a child’s plaything than a real ship. “This is it?” he inquired, stepping closer.

“It is,” Edward said, stepping forward, “but please, don’t touch. Hallock’s technicians have been working tirelessly to access various sections of it and decrypt multiple safety mechanisms. Any perceived threat and the ship's systems might further lock down or even self-destruct.”

James retracted his hands, resisting the urge to touch the small craft. “In that case, I’ll merely observe.”

“A wise decision, Emperor,” Hallock agreed. He signaled for one of the several Kulreans present in the hangar. “This is my Chief Scientist, Pashar Sandu. Sandu, please update Emperor Somerville and Rear Admiral Alvarez on what you have discovered so far.”

“Certainly, Superintendent,” Sandu responded. He beckoned for the group to gather closer. Activating a holo display, Sandu projected an enlarged image of the ship positioned just a few feet from James. Slowly, the outer layers of the ship turned transparent, revealing its intricate inner systems. Symbols and annotations marked various subsystems, ranging from the propulsion engines to its core computer.

“Let’s begin here,” Sandu initiated, directing their attention to the rear of the ship where the engines were prominently displayed. The image of the engines enlarged further, slowly rotating for a comprehensive view. “These are impulse engines,” Sandu elucidated, “operating on principles similar to both Kulrean and Human technology. However, they deliver considerably greater thrust and consume less energy.” With a gesture, Sandu highlighted what James assumed were the reactors — two of them. “Their antimatter reactors also function akin to those in our worldships. However, these compact reactors produce an astounding amount of energy. By comparison, these reactors seem to be an order of magnitude more powerful than ours.

“We’re still piecing together how their impulse engines or reactors achieve such remarkable power and efficiency. Yet, we’ve gleaned a few insights and remain hopeful that we can unravel the majority of their mysteries. At the very least, we expect to integrate some of the concepts we're uncovering from their technology into our own to achieve performance enhancements.”

Hallock, nodding in agreement, playfully patted James on the shoulder. “Want to hear the best part?” He continued, answering his own question, “This technology isn't derived from ours and given that your team discovered the ship, we can unreservedly share all our findings with you. This doesn’t fall under the prohibition of transferring advanced weapons technology that the other Superintendents imposed on you.”

James’ eyebrows rose in surprise as he fully turned to face Hallock. “Are you certain? We could harness antimatter reactors and impulse engines this potent?”

Hallock glanced at Sandu. “I doubt we will be able to perfectly replicate these technologies, not without more samples to reverse engineer. While some principles overlap with our technological understanding, the insights we're gaining should be adaptable to your designs. At the very least, you should be able to achieve notable improvements in your impulse engines. Moreover, the antimatter reactor's design might allow you to reverse-engineer your own version. It might be basic in comparison, but an antimatter reactor remains a formidable tool.”

“Undoubtedly!” James concurred. “This will provide us a distinct advantage against the Karacknids.” Despite the Karacknids possessing antimatter warhead technology for centuries, they hadn't yet developed antimatter reactors. Whilst his own engineers had cracked the secret to antimatter warheads since the last war, James knew they still thought they were decades away from a working reactor. “Scott will be over the moon!” James exclaimed to Alvarez, visualizing the euphoria of the head of the fleet's R&D division upon hearing Sandu’s revelations. “What other discoveries have you made?” He eagerly inquired.

Sandu allowed himself a smile, a rare sight for a Kulrean in James’ experience, save for the expressive Hallock. “Shall we discuss the FTL drive?” Sandu asked, his grin broadening upon seeing James' reaction. Another gesture illuminated a different subsystem on the holo-display. “From our assessment, this appears to be a shift drive, though its design diverges considerably from what either of our species has conceived. I’ve perused the visual data you collected of the ship in action; it appeared able to enter shift space without necessitating a shift passage.” Jonathan nodded, listening intently. “I can’t confirm definitively,” Sandu elaborated, “but I surmise this drive might possess such capabilities. We’re still investigating, but several design facets suggest it's crafted to emanate a supplementary field that mitigates the influence of dark matter in shift space.”

James had to shake his head at the implications. Advanced impulse engines and antimatter reactors were impressive, yet they were little more than incremental advancements on existing Human technology. However, the ability to traverse the stars unfettered by dark matter was revolutionary! Even between Earth and Britannia there existed over three hundred uncharted systems with suspected colonizable worlds, never mind the thousands of others that could contain many valuable resources. All were systems untouched by any explorer. Granted, with Varanni dark matter repellers, creating new shift passages to these systems was feasible. Yet, making routes to them all would span decades if not centuries. Without concrete evidence of their worth, who would embark on such a venture? Yet if Sandu's hypothesis about the drive held true, a single ship could visit every system within a month. An armada with such drives could bypass conventional territorial defenses, allowing a direct assault on an adversary's core planets, James thought as he pictured striking at the Karacknids’ homeworld with impunity.

“Do you think you can replicate this field so we can redesign our own shift drives to have one?” James inquired, holding his breath in anticipation.

“In due time, I believe we can,” Sandu replied. “However, I can't specify whether we're looking at a timeline of six months or six decades. The device clearly utilizes advanced physics and mathematics. To fully grasp its operation, we'll need breakthroughs in these theoretical domains, along with comprehending the technological design of the drive. Ideally, having multiple drives to study would expedite the process. It would be more efficient if we could extract the drive from the ship and dissect it to understand its functionality. But with only this one sample, I hesitate to do more than scan it. Once we disassemble it, I doubt we'd manage to reconstruct it.”

James pursed his lips, processing the less-than-ideal prognosis. Even if realizing such a technology took a century, its revolutionary potential made the wait worthwhile. Still, it wouldn't aid in their immediate conflict with the Karacknids, he mused, feeling a pang of disappointment. “If feasible, we'll strive to provide more samples for you to analyze,” James responded. “It feels strange to say this, but perhaps we'd benefit if these snake-like aliens sent a few more operatives into our space. If we’re vigilant, we could capture another of their vessels.”

“I'm certain Sandu would appreciate that, Emperor,” Hallock interjected with a hint of humor, “but I'm skeptical that your wife or your subjects would concur.”

“Perhaps you're right,” James conceded, his thoughts already racing ahead as he wondered what other advanced things the ship could have. “What insights have you gleaned about the ship’s weaponry?”

“That's arguably our most intriguing find,” Sandu declared. “The vessel undoubtedly boasts armaments, but their precise nature remains elusive. We suspect they're some form of advanced energy cannon, but their functioning remains a conundrum. Evidently, they harness substantial power from the ship's reactors. However, beyond that, our understanding is limited. A significant hurdle is our inability to probe deeply into the weapons' interiors with our scans. Whatever protective measures guard against the energies the weapons emit also hinder our investigative tools.”

“In an ideal scenario, we'd extract at least one weapon for a thorough examination. Yet, we're apprehensive that such a move might trigger the ship's defense mechanisms. It's conceivable that the vessel might initiate self-destruction or purge its data cores.”

“And the cores may yet prove to be the most valuable,” Edward remarked, speaking for the first time since they had entered the hangar. He elaborated when James looked his way with a raised eyebrow. “I’m no scientist, nor a tactician, so I might not grasp the significance of antimatter reactors or impulse engines. However, consider what insights we might glean if we could decrypt their data cores. We could discover the location of the species' homeworld or find schematics for their weaponry and other technologies. Given their advanced shift drives, they might possess star maps covering extensive regions of the galaxy.”

James nodded, acknowledging the valid points Edward raised. “Is there progress on this front?”

“We’ve successfully isolated several data cores aboard the ship without triggering any security protocols,” Sandu reported. “Our computers can access the data, but it's encrypted. Currently, our best cryptographer estimates that a brute force decryption of just one core could take up to six months. Considering the number of cores we've accessed thus far, it would be six years to decrypt them all. And there are at least a hundred more. With your approval, once we complete our work here, I'd like to transport the ship to Kulthar. Employing one of our supercomputers there could expedite the decryption process by a factor of ten.”

“I’m confident that Admiral Scott and her team will want a comprehensive review of the ship and your findings,” James responded. “But once they’re satisfied, I won’t object to you moving the ship if it accelerates the timeline. However, it's essential that you share your discoveries with us.”

“Any information derived directly from the alien vessel, which isn't contingent on our proprietary technology, will be disclosed to you, Emperor. You have my word,” Hallock affirmed.

James nodded, reflecting on the magnitude of the revelations. Individually, any of these innovations could revolutionize the Empire's fleet in the imminent war with the Karacknids. Collectively, they could decisively tilt the balance. But how swiftly are we going to be able to harness these innovations for our fleet? he pondered.

“Shall we proceed with the briefing?” Sandu inquired, oblivious to James’ thoughts.

“Emperor?” Hallock prompted.

“Yes, please continue,” James responded, his eagerness palpable for the insights Sandu would unveil next.

For the next thirty minutes, Sandu elucidated on the various systems and subsystems that his team had identified, speculating on their functions and operations. The intricacies of the techno-jargon soon overwhelmed James. He imagined, Scott and Sandu were going to get on like a house on fire. By the time Sandu concluded, James felt inundated with information. Yet, he was convinced of one fact: if Sandu, Scott, and their respective teams could harness even a fraction of the potential that the alien vessel offered, Humanity's technological prowess would leap forward by a century or more.

“Clearly, you're still absorbing all this,” Hallock observed with a smile. “But our discussion isn’t over. You’ve seen the ship and our preliminary findings. Shall we discuss our captive?” He signaled another Kulrean to approach.

Caught off guard, it took James a moment to recall what Hallock meant. Amidst the whirlwind of revelations, he had momentarily overlooked the captured alien. “Of course,” he responded, his excitement growing further. “We should address that, shouldn't we?”

Chapter 33

To be a respected naval officer who can rise through the ranks of the Imperial Fleet, a cadet must be a man or woman of their word, for trust is hard to earn and extremely easy to lose. But just because this is expected of a naval officer, it does not mean our enemies deserve the same treatment.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

“This is Fartan Hiyah,” Hallock introduced, motioning to the technician he'd beckoned. “She’s a xeno biologist and has been examining our guest for the past week.”

Jonathan inclined his head towards Hiyah in acknowledgment. “I’m eager to hear your findings.”

Taking control of the display, Hiyah transitioned it to show an image of a containment cell. At first, James believed it to be unoccupied until Hiyah zoomed in on one corner. There, curled into a tight ball, lay the snake-like alien Edward had captured. “This is a live feed,” Hiyah explained. “From our observations, and based on certain physiological markers, we believe the creature is female. She hasn't shifted her position in three days. We’ve continuously monitored her vital signs, assuring she remains in good health. Yet, she has not moved.”

“Initially, she displayed signs reminiscent of distress, perhaps even a panic attack. This state persisted for several hours post-captivity. Since then, she's settled considerably. Despite her diminutive stature relative to any sentient species we've previously encountered, she possesses unique capabilities. Her demonstrated agility suggests she could rival the speed of one of your augmented marines. Moreover, her oral cavity seems to harbor a venom potent enough to be lethal to either of our species upon contact with bare skin.”

“What does she eat and drink??” James queried. “Her inactivity, could it signify some form of protest, like a hunger strike?”

“It’s a viable hypothesis,” Hiyah mused. “Preliminary scans indicate her species possesses an unusually slow metabolic rate. If she had nourished herself prior to her capture, her current state might simply indicate she is not yet hungry.”

Jonathan contemplated the implications. An alien who could move fast and go long periods without eating would be a dangerous foe in any ground confrontation. “Any insights into her dietary preferences?”

“We’ve presented an assortment of sustenance — options our research suggests her physiology could accommodate. Yet, she's declined every offering,” Hiyah answered.

“It seems we may remain in the dark until hunger motivates her to break her fast,” Hallock commented.

“Except for what I’ve shared, there’s not much that deviates from standard biology in this species,” Hiyah resumed. “However, there's a notable exception: its cerebral structure.” A touch on the display controls transitioned the image. Initially, it depicted the full elongated form of the alien. Slowly, the image zoomed into the creature’s head, which gradually turned translucent, revealing what James could only perceive as a metallic cube embedded at the very core of the creature’s brain.

“When we first identified this, our initial assumption was that it might be a suicide mechanism. However, after a more comprehensive examination in collaboration with technician Standu, our hypothesis evolved. We postulate it's a type of neural enhancer. Not in the sense that it augments cognitive functions, but more in the way that it projects them externally.” Hiyah gestured towards Standu, who then altered the display. The screen now portrayed a compartment seemingly containing multiple bodies preserved in vats.

“This compartment is situated within the alien ship,” Standu explained. “While these seem like genuine bodies at a glance, they're actually artificial replicas. The collection includes two Human duplicates, one Varanni, and even a Kulrean. Embedded within each is a similar neural device which, we suspect, interfaces with the one inside our captive's cranium. Our theory posits that these devices enable the alien to manipulate these replicas, making them extensions of herself.”

James was not taken aback, especially recalling how seamlessly the snake-alien agent they had pursued had blended in on Earth. What did astonish him was the inclusion of a Kulrean replica. He pivoted to Hallock, “Is it conceivable that they've penetrated your civilization as well?”

Hallock's face was etched with unease. “It’s difficult to ascertain. Naturally, I'd wish otherwise.” He motioned to the Kulrean figure on display. “But the tangible evidence here suggests a potential breach. I’ve dispatched word to my fellow Superintendents. We'll launch an exhaustive inquiry to determine any infiltration. Yet if there are no active agents currently among us, discerning past transgressions might prove elusive.”

A surge of speculative theories bubbled in James’s mind, though he deemed it prudent to withhold them. One predominant thought was whether the snake-like aliens, perceiving the Kulreans as potential adversaries, had stealthily influenced their society, perhaps millennia prior, nudging them towards pacifism. But such historical manipulations seemed nearly impossible to validate.

“This revelation is indeed disconcerting,” Hiyah concurred. “But the utility of this neural apparatus doesn’t end there. Its architecture appears capable of interfacing with multiple similar devices.”

Standu interjected, “Saying it interfaces with 'multiple' devices might be an understatement. In theory, this equipment could simultaneously engage with billions. Additionally, its data storage proficiency is unparalleled. The internal components of this device surpass the most sophisticated tech aboard the alien vessel by a significant margin.”

“Our inference is that this apparatus continuously catalogues every thought, emotion, and sensory input of its host,” Hiyah added. “It then possesses the capability to broadcast this vast dataset to other similar devices.”

“It remains speculative at this juncture, but we surmise that this could indicate the alien civilization inhabits some form of simulated reality,” Edward theorized, joining the conversation once more. “Alternatively, they might have evolved to integrate their consciousness into a collective neural matrix, enabling a holistic sharing of thoughts and lived experiences.”

“And given the device's ability to store information, this network might incorporate not only living entities but potentially the memories, experiences and even personalities of deceased aliens,” Standu proposed.

James thought out loud as he took in what they were telling him. “If their existence is embedded within a simulation where they coexist with their ancestors, their societal structure could resemble yours,” he posited, looking towards Hallock. “One where they see no need to venture beyond their solar system. It's conceivable that such an insular culture would perceive us as a looming threat. As we expand, we might inevitably encroach upon their territories, presenting unforeseen challenges.”

“And consider the ramifications if their planet or planets were subjugated,” Edward interjected. “Possessing stored memories or even personalities spanning millennia means the loss would be profound. It's not merely a segment of their population at stake but their entire existence and way of life.”

James pondered what it might be like to live with your ancestors watching your every move from within a simulation. The concept of their constant surveillance seemed daunting. Yet think of the combined wisdom! He thought. “Has the alien communicated verbally? Perhaps their primary mode of communication is through this neural link?” He asked as the idea came to him.

“They seem capable of vocalizations resembling language,” Hiyah clarified. “When Superintendent Hallock and Commander Edward initially engaged, the alien responded with a hiss which we interpreted as linguistic. Since that instance, it hasn’t attempted further communication. I'm inclined to believe their species communicates more efficiently via their neural links than vocalizations. Regrettably, our endeavors to interface with this link have been unsuccessful. Presently, we can't relay messages through this implant.”

James, glancing between Hallock and Edward, then asked another question. “Have there been subsequent attempts at communication?”

Both shook their heads. “We deemed it prudent to gather further data before initiating another dialogue,” Edward answered.

James rubbed his chin contemplatively. He turned to Alvarez, who had been silent so far. “What’s your perspective?”

“If we want to get her to talk, we need to approach it like an interrogation,” Alvarez responded after a brief pause. “For uncooperative subjects, we typically resort to enhanced interrogation or employ leverage to elicit a response.” His gaze momentarily met Hallock's. “Given the circumstances, the latter seems more appropriate.” James subtly nodded, confident Hallock wouldn't condone causing physical distress to another sentient being.

Alvarez continued, “Our task is deciphering the alien's motivations. Their actions suggest hostility, yet our understanding of their culture remains rudimentary.” He nodded towards Edward, “Unlocking the ship's data cores could offer invaluable insights. However, if that solution remains distant, we’re operating with limited intelligence.”

James, feeling a tinge of despondency, queried, “So you'd advise against immediate confrontation?” A large part of him wanted to confront the alien and seek the reasons behind its species’ actions.

“I didn’t say that exactly,” Alvarez responded. “Perhaps we have one approach we can employ.” Alvarez addressed the two technicians. “Why, in your estimation, has the alien not attempted suicide? It's evident it cannot escape, and from the visuals provided, it seems distressed in its captivity. Given what we know about their secretive nature, why does it continue to exist and thereby allow us to study it?”

Hiyah and Standu exchanged uncertain looks. “Why would any sentient species choose self-destruction?” Hiyah inquired. “Such an act should be inconceivable for evolved beings.”

Alvarez smiled, having anticipated this response. “Not all sentient beings share your perspective.” He exchanged a meaningful glance with James. “In espionage, an operative might be expected to end their life to safeguard critical intelligence. Considering the covert tendencies of these snake-like aliens, it's plausible they’d adopt a similar protocol – unless another factor influences them.”

James furrowed his brow. “And what might that be?”

“The neural link,” Alvarez elaborated. “If it indeed archives all their cognitive experiences, facilitating the transfer of their consciousness into a neural network, then their concept of mortality would be very different from ours. For them, genuine death might only occur when both the physical body and the neural imprint are destroyed. The alien might be resisting self-destruction in the hopes of transmitting its cognitive data back to its species' collective neural framework, thus achieving a form of immortality. In this context, self-harm would equate to renouncing any hope of immortality.”

James’ eyes widened in realization. “So, you’re suggesting this is our leverage.”

Hallock interjected with a concerned tone, “If you're insinuating that we threaten the alien with simultaneous physical and cognitive annihilation, I must emphasize, Emperor, that causing harm to any sentient being under my care, captive or not, is unthinkable.”

James responded with a placating smile. “Rest assured, Superintendent. I harbor no intentions of undertaking such measures aboard your vessel. I hold your people and your customs in high regard. Yet, our captive remains unaware of these constraints, correct? If you're not averse to a modicum of subterfuge, maybe we can exploit Alvarez's insight to extract crucial intelligence.”

Hallock hesitated. “I can’t profess enthusiasm for deception. However, wartime often mandates uncomfortable choices. Given the evidence suggesting these aliens attempted to infiltrate my species, perhaps their duplicity means it is only fair that you may employ some of your own.

James nodded in agreement. “Precisely my perspective, Superintendent. And there is always the carrot as well as the stick.” Detecting Hallock’s puzzlement, he continued, “With your consent, I wish to interact with our guest. I believe a demonstration might show you what I mean.”

Hallock glanced at his two technicians. Neither of them gave a nod of approval, but they also didn't voice any objections. "I suppose you can make the attempt," Hallock conceded. "We may as well see what information we can glean."

"Excellent," James responded, his anticipation palpable. "Do you want to lead the interrogation, or should I?" He directed his question to Alvarez.

"I believe your words might carry more weight, Emperor. You possess the most authority," Alvarez reasoned.

"Very well, I'll take the lead," James confirmed.

Edward interjected, "Hallock and I have discussed the prospect of questioning the alien several times. I've brainstormed a series of potential questions and a few strategic approaches."

James playfully slapped his son on the shoulder. "Always one step ahead," he remarked. "You might be gunning for Alvarez's position before long." He winked. "Fill me in as we walk," he suggested, noting Edward's cheeks redden.

"She's detained through here," Hallock directed, gesturing towards one of the exits from their current location.

En route to the turbolift, Edward and Hallock conveyed their insights to James. Alvarez weighed in periodically with his thoughts as well. Shortly after their brief turbolift journey, James found himself in a spacious chamber divided by a transparent, glass-like partition. Two technicians manned a control console, keeping tabs on the snake-like alien's activity. Drawn to the alien, James approached the barrier, pressing his hand against its smooth surface. Even with the images of the creature he had already seen, he was taken aback by its diminutive size. Nestled in the corner of its confinement, the creature could have easily escaped notice if he hadn’t known it was there.

Exchanging glances with Hallock, Alvarez, and Edward, "Here goes nothing," he muttered.  Taking a deep breath, he faced the creature once more, rapping the glass firmly with his knuckles. "Alien agent, I am James Somerville, Emperor of the Human Empire. I trust you recognize both my species and my identity. I am here to converse with you."

James paused momentarily, allowing the alien a chance to respond. Receiving no acknowledgment, he tapped on the glass more forcefully. "You are our captive. Your apprehension occurred during your covert operation on one of our allies’ planets. We possess compelling evidence tying you—or at least your associates—to a series of crimes, including homicides, bombings, and various covert operations within our territory. Now is the moment for you to address these allegations. Should you manage to exonerate yourself, we might contemplate your release." After pausing again, James’ words were once again met with silence.

"She can hear me, ok?" James asked Hallock

Hallock glanced at one of the technicians, who gave an affirmative nod, "The communication systems are operational,” he responded.

James turned back to the cell, deep in thought. If he couldn’t rely on physical force to make the alien communicate, his alternatives were limited. He decided to implement Alvarez's suggestion; there was no point beating about the bush. “It's unfortunate you won't converse with me, given we potentially have much to discuss. Once upon a time, your species was unknown to us, as were your covert actions against our civilization. But now, we're much more informed. For instance, we're aware of your neural implant and its functionality.”

Behind James, a beep sounded. “Her heart rate just increased,” the technician notified him. James acknowledged her with a nod. “So, you comprehend me, good. Then let me be direct; we understand the purpose of your implant. As we speak, it's documenting every thought and experience, including our present conversation. I presume you're eager to reunite with your kind, to share your experiences and knowledge.”

James leaned closer to the transparent barrier. “However, unless you collaborate, that will never happen. Once we've extracted every possible piece of knowledge from the dissection of your dead body, we’ll extract that implant. Then, we'll take it apart to uncover its mysteries. Once our study is finished, every last fragment of data it contains will be erased, obliterating your existence. None of your memories will ever reach your compatriots.”

James paused, glanced at the technician who nodded to say she thought his words were getting through, then refocused on the alien. “Understand this: the concept of physical death may not faze you, but what about the prospect of absolute annihilation? I am determined to obliterate not just your physical entity, but your consciousness as well... Unless, of course, you cooperate.

“And if you do, then I have an offer for you. An offer that is far more generous than you deserve…. You may not know this yet, but we've also seized your spacecraft. It is housed within this very vessel as we speak. Should you choose to answer our questions, I will sanction your release along with your ship. For I want you to bring a message back to your species from me. You know I have the authority to do this. 

And I promise you, I don’t intend to ask you to betray the secrets of your species; my demands are simple. I seek details of every endeavor your species has embarked upon against us and our allies. I desire insights into any clandestine operations within our domain, and identities and coordinates of any Humans you have recruited to your ranks. Divulge this, and you have my assurance: I will free you. You can return to your species and seamlessly integrate into your neural collective.”

James allowed the silence to linger, hoping the alien would react. When she remained motionless, he raised his voice, “Your choices are clear: face eternal oblivion or return to your kin, memories intact. Choose wisely and promptly. My offer expires the moment I exit this chamber.” He paused, counting to ten silently, hoping for a response. When none came, he motioned to Hallock and the rest. “If she will not speak, let’s not waste anymore time on her. We'll take her ship apart and learn all we can from it while your technicians do the same to her and her implant. I have no desire to ruin my appetite witnessing such things myself. With deliberate steps, James advanced towards the exit.

*

Following the Kulrean technician's comments regarding her heart rate, Cordra struggled to maintain her composure. The mockery from the Humans and Kulreans only intensified her efforts. Being exposed to such inferior beings was revolting! Yet, as the Human Emperor continued his discourse, she faltered. To her people, their implants and the Collective were sacred. Their communion with the ancestors and their civilization's commitment to safeguarding it took precedence over all else. It was blasphemous for a Human to even utter such words.

Yet as the Human Emperor laid out his terms, Cordra couldn’t ignore the emotional pull they held. When captured, she had vowed never to divulge any secrets about her kind. However, it seemed they had already gleaned significant information. Over the past week, the weight of her impending separation from the Collective had weighed heavier and heavier on her. The thought of never again immersing in the vast wisdom of her forebears or experiencing their pride was unbearable. She also mourned the loss of connection to her children and children’s children to a hundred generations. Now, only the stark void of death beckoned her.

I needn’t reveal everything, Cordra couldn’t stop herself thinking. Merely enough to convince them I’ve been telling the truth. As the Human Emperor pivoted to depart, Cordra quickly justified considering his offer. By disclosing certain covert operations within the territories of the Humans and their allies, it could inadvertently benefit her species. As the Humans busied themselves with the leads she provided, other cells could continue their work unopposed. The seizure of her ship also weighed on her mind. It was imperative she retrieve it before the Humans unraveled its technological marvels. Moreover, she didn’t have a scheduled check-in with the Ministry for some time. At the moment they had no idea she had been captured and the Humans warned of her species efforts against them. If she was released she could bring a vital warning back to them.

Yet doubts filled Cordra. Could she rely on the Emperor’s word? Though she was aware the Humans held him to be honorable by their standards, her species had manipulated his populace, destabilized his government, and embroiled his species in several potential civilization ending conflicts. How could she trust someone who perceived her as such a threat? As Somerville neared the cell's exit, the paralyzing fear she'd felt at her capture surged anew, drowning out Cordra’s reason. Her yearning to reconnect with the Collective became overpowering. Suddenly, she propelled herself forward. “Wait!” she cried out.

*

James halted abruptly, one foot poised above the hatchway. A triumphant grin threatened to break out. He had her! Regaining composure, he spun around, face impassive. “So you can communicate,” he remarked, eyeing the compact extraterrestrial. “Are you inclined to accept my proposal?”

To his astonishment, the alien nodded, then retorted, “I am, provided your promise stands. In return, I will supply the information you seek.”

“My word stands,” James responded. He gestured to Hallock, Alvarez, and Edward, as he continued, “We have numerous queries. If you respond candidly and comprehensively, you shall gain your freedom.”

Cordra’s tongue darted out, manifesting her disdain — both at James’s conceited demeanor and her own feelings of shame. Yet, she acquiesced, “Proceed with your questions.” She said even as her body filled the cell with pheromones of despondency.

James couldn’t suppress a grin as he exchanged knowing looks with his team. He was finally going to get some answers. Not to the biggest questions he had, not yet. But once the alien started talking, it would be harder and harder for her to stop!

Chapter 34

The history of naval warfare teaches us that if one can pull it off, raiding an enemies’ frontier systems can severely disrupt their war plans. It will draw away their forces from launching any offensive operations and damage their logistical capabilities. Yet in the long run, it can only ever be a stop gap. To truly win a war, the enemies’ fleet must be found and destroyed. Only then will the threat they pose be neutralized.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Beast, FOB Dresden System, 18th May 2512 AD.

As her newly constructed dreadnought exited shift space, Emilie barely felt the small tremor that ran through the large ship. Though her flagship had completed a number of shift jumps to reach the system that was home to FOB Dresden, Emilie still smiled. It seemed every time she stepped foot on a newly built Imperial warship, the fleet’s engineers were getting better and better. Soon we'll not even know we're entering and exiting shift space, she reckoned.

Her smile didn't last long, however, for as Beast’s sensors began to sift through all the electromagnetic energy reaching them, the bridge's holo display updated to show the FOB. Apart from four destroyers in orbit with the supply hub, there was no sign of her cousin's squadron. Frowning, Emilie looked around the rest of the system, expecting to see Jonathan's ships carrying out a live fire drill or some other kind of exercise. Yet there wasn’t another ship detected in the system. Where is he? Emilie asked herself. Weeks ago, she had sent orders ahead of her fleet instructing Jonathan to prepare his squadron to link up with her force. He was supposed to be ready and waiting.

Emilie gave up searching the system and instead glanced at her own fleet's formation. With Beast, she had three hundred and twenty warships, including five other dreadnoughts identical to Beast, which were the heart of her force. Two other fleets of roughly the same size were also under her command, and together they had been tasked with raiding as many of the Karacknid supply depots along the frontline as possible. It had taken longer than Emilie had hoped to gather the required ships, given how many had been dispatched with Admiral Becket for her more powerful raid. And now Jonathan isn't even here with his one hundred ships, Emilie complained to herself.

"Take us into the system," Emilie ordered. "Signal all ships to prepare to take on supplies and munitions. Then send a message to those destroyers and request an update."

"Aye, Admiral," Hughes, Emilie's Chief of Staff, responded. After giving orders to the rest of Emilie's staff officers, he turned back to his Admiral. "What do you want to do about Commodore Somerville?"

"We can't wait for him," Emilie said, a hint of her irritation leaking into her voice. "If he's nearby, we will send orders for him to rendezvous with us as we advance. If not, then we proceed without him. If even half the reports of additional Karacknid warships appearing along the frontline are accurate, we cannot afford to delay our attacks."

“Understood,” Hughes said with a nod.

As her ships moved into the system towards the FOB, Emilie waited as patiently as she could for her request for an update to be sent to the four destroyers. Twenty-two minutes later, their reply arrived. Opening it, Emilie quickly scanned what they had to say. What she read only increased her dissatisfaction. Each of the four destroyers had been out on long reconnaissance missions and had returned to find Commodore Somerville and his squadron gone. The only information they had was a message Jonathan had left for them.

Just what is going on? Emilie asked herself after reading Jonathan’s words. It seemed one of his long-range scouts had encountered some Free Karacknids who had requested asylum. Jonathan, who was supposed to have been protecting a squadron of Engineer Corps construction ships, had instead taken his squadron to meet the Free Karacknids. But that had been over two months ago. By now both Jonathan's ships and the Engineering Corps squadron should have returned. Where are they all? Emilie wondered as she started to get a bad feeling about the situation. She knew her cousin had a soft spot for the Karacknids, and that Tanaka-lan was among the most cunning opponents Humanity had faced. Something had gone wrong, she was sure.

“I have new orders for those four destroyers,” Emilie informed her Chief of Staff. “I want them to head towards the system Commodore Somerville was supposed to be meeting with a Free Karacknid envoy. They are to check that system and those around it for any sign of Commodore Somerville’s ships, and bring a message to him from me.” Quickly, Emilie drafted a short message for Jonathan, instructing him to join her as soon as possible.

“I’ll transmit it now, Admiral,” Emilie’s COM officer responded.

Despite her misgivings, Emilie could think of nothing else she could do. Already she had dispatched sixteen stealth frigates and destroyers forward towards the frontline to recon the systems she planned to raid. If they came across Jonathan's squadron, they would no doubt send word back to her. Other than that, she had no choice but to focus on her own mission. With that in mind, she opened the reconnaissance reports from the four destroyers. Each had just returned from different sectors of the frontline that faced FOB Dresden. As Emilie expected, they confirmed more Karacknid warships were appearing at some of their frontline fleet bases. More than that, though, they had also spotted supply ships and what appeared to be construction freighters at several of the supply hubs. Tanaka-lan is preparing the entire sector to become a base of operations for a fleet far larger than what is already here, Emilie concluded. Which means we either attack now before they arrive, or we lose our chance.

*

Emilie remained in the dark about her cousin’s activities for another half a day as her three hundred ships closed with the FOB and completed the process of topping up their fuel tanks. As soon as they were done, Emilie ordered her fleet to leave the FOB and head out of the system again towards Karacknid space. Half an hour later, contact alarms began to blare around Beast’s bridge.

“We’ve got multiple contacts appearing out of shift space!” Beast’s sensor officer called out. “Over forty and the number is rising!”

“Send the fleet to battle stations,” Emilie snapped. “Track and identify every one of those contacts. Bring us onto a new heading of seven, four, five point three.”

Within seconds, Emilie’s fleet began to veer away from the shift passage they had been heading towards and the new contacts that had just emerged from it.

“The computer is starting to identify the contacts,” Beast's tactical officer updated thirty seconds later. “They’re ours. They are mainly Engineering Corps ships with some fleet escorts.”

Immediately Emilie’s concern disappeared. “Return us to our original heading,” she requested. “Hail the senior commander of the force as soon as we are in two-way communication range.”

Five minutes later, Emilie smiled and saluted the holo image of Major General Steinmetz. “Major General, I’m pleased to see your ships alive and intact,” Emilie said. “I was expecting to find them at Dresden when I arrived.”

“Vice Admiral, I apologize, we were delayed; it took a lot longer to finish our work than I had initially estimated. I’m sure we gave you quite a fright coming out of shift space almost on top of you. I know you had us concerned. We were not expecting such a sizeable fleet presence at Dresden. I presume you’re not here simply to reinforce the FOB?”

Emilie smiled again. “I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to discuss our plans, but I’m sure you can guess what we are up to. With that in mind, it would be prudent for you to take your ships back to Beta fort as soon as possible.”

“That was our plan,” Steinmetz said as she nodded. “We just need to refuel, and we will be on our way.”

“Have you heard any more from Commodore Somerville?” Emilie asked. “I know he left protecting your squadron to meet with some Karacknids who were seeking asylum. But beyond that, I have no news of him. He was supposed to rendezvous with my fleet to add his strength to mine.”

“Yes, we received a report from him,” Steinmetz answered. “I'll have it transmitted to you immediately. Though, that was a couple of months ago now. He said the Free Karacknids he met with told him of others trapped within the Karacknid Empire who wished to escape. Commodore Somerville took his fleet into enemy space in order to save them. I was hoping to return here to find news of his success. But now you have me worried.”

Emilie had to fight to keep the shock from her face. Her cousin had left Dresden before official news of Admiral Becket’s pre-emptive strike against the Karacknids could have reached him. Moreover, he would have had no idea the Admiralty had tasked Emilie with striking at Karacknid bases along the frontline. As far as he knew, no fighting had broken out between the Empire and the Karacknids, and yet he took his squadron into their space! Emilie shook her head. She had no idea what her cousin was thinking! If James and Christine hadn’t already decided to strike first, Jonathan could have started the war without even consulting them!

Steinmetz smiled as she nodded. “That’s exactly how I reacted, Vice Admiral. The Emperor’s son is a good commander by all accounts, but it appears he can be rather rash.” Steinmetz’s features changed as she grew more serious. “I hope nothing bad has happened to him. If he’s not here and you have not heard from him, then it must mean he is still within the Karacknid Empire’s territory.”

“Or by now, it’s more likely his force has already been caught and destroyed,” Emilie couldn’t help adding as a deep-seated fear that her cousin was already dead gripped her. “Our scouts are reporting more and more Karacknid warships amassing along the frontlines.”

“It is a possibility,” Steinmetz responded. “But don’t forget our hidden FOBs behind the frontlines. I’ve personally overseen the construction of three of them over the last six years. With their aid, he may have been able to avoid being caught.”

“Of course,” Emilie said as a glimmer of hope for her cousin returned. “As soon as his ship detected it was in combat with Karacknid vessels, it should have unlocked the encrypted files regarding the hidden FOBs and shift passages within the Karacknid Empire. That would have given him a chance!”

“And if he’s half as good a commander as they say, then he may be just fine,” Steinmetz responded.

“He might,” Emilie said, though she suspected if Jonathan was still alive, "just fine" wouldn’t describe the situation he found himself in. Not with all the additional Karacknid warships flowing towards the border. “I will read your report and his, and we will see what we can do to help him,” Emilie said to Steinmetz.

“Then let me wish you luck, Vice Admiral,” Steinmetz replied. “I’m sure my ships no longer need their escort. I’ll have them refuel first at the FOB and then they can catch up with you. Hopefully, they can assist you in finding Commodore Somerville.”

“Thank you,” Emilie said as she gave Steinmetz a grateful nod. “Have a swift journey back to Beta fort.”

Steinmetz smiled, and then Emilie cut the COM channel. She shared a glance with her Chief of Staff and Flag Captain. Both looked worried. Emilie felt the same. It was one thing to launch a series of surprise attacks against unsuspecting Karacknid fleet bases. It would be something else entirely if they had to try and punch through the Karacknid frontline to rescue the Imperial Heir. “Pull up a map of the Karacknid Empire around the system where Commodore Somerville went to meet these Free Karacknids,” she requested. “We’ve got to figure out where he might have gone.” And then figure out what we can do to help him, she thought, but didn’t add.

Chapter 35

From the wars of Earth’s ancient to past, right up until the Antarian Wars, one proverb has yet to be shown false; an army marches on its stomach.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Hammerclaw, 9th June 2512 AD, (twenty-one days later).

“Have we received an update on how much longer they expect to be?” Jonathan asked Rossi as he leaned over towards his COMs officer.

“The last I heard from them was five minutes ago, Commodore,” Rossi replied. “They expect to be at least another hour.”

Jonathan nodded several times as he tapped his fingers on his command chair and looked back to the main holo display. Hammerclaw and fifteen of his ships, accompanied by twelve Free Karacknid warships and twenty freighters, were in orbit above the Jasar's homeworld. The Jasar had been conquered by the Karacknid's two hundred years ago and were essentially turned into a monoculture agricultural world used to feed billions of Karacknid warriors and civilians. After defeating the small garrison, Har’gna had landed over a thousand of his warriors and taken control of the planet’s main spaceport. For the last forty minutes, thirty freight shuttles had been rushing back-and-forth between the spaceport and the empty freighters they had brought with them.

According to the initial estimate Har’gna had sent up, they would be able to take off enough food to feed the Free Karacknid convoy for several weeks. That was good, for after being able to refuel and rearm the convoy at the first hidden FOB, food had become their biggest problem. For the last two weeks, Jonathan and Har’gna had sent out several raiding flotillas to scavenge for food. With over four hundred thousand civilians now in the convoy, and still growing by the day, food was a priority. Even with their find today, they still wouldn’t have enough food to get very far out of Karacknid space. But it was a good find nonetheless.

Despite their great need for food, Jonathan couldn’t help his tapping for he felt vulnerable sitting still for so long. The moment their force had jumped into the system, a Karacknid frigate had bolted into shift space. That had been four hours ago, and Jonathan felt he was just waiting for an enemy squadron to appear to engage them.

With a great deal of effort, he fought to stop his tapping fingers, not wanting to show his officers he was nervous. To distract himself, he pulled up a visual of the spaceport Har’gna had captured and began to watch the shuttles landing and taking off. It wasn’t much of a distraction, but it was better than staring out at the main holo display’s depiction of the empty system just waiting for enemy ships to appear. On a whim, he zoomed the image in to the point where he could see individual Karacknid warriors and marines guarding the perimeter of the spaceport.

The Jasar people hadn’t exactly welcomed Jonathan’s force with open arms, seeing as he had been accompanied by Karacknid ships, yet they had seemed to enjoy seeing the Loyalist Karacknid ships be destroyed in orbit and the fighting that had broken out on the surface between the Free and Loyalist ground troops. So far, they had seemed content to leave the spaceport be, but scans of the surrounding cities and towns had shown the Jasar arming themselves and in violent mobs killing the few Karacknids that were spread out across the planet. Jonathan had tried to speak to their leaders and warn them against an uprising, telling them that Tanaka-lan had several large fleets nearby that would no doubt retake control of the planet the moment Jonathan's ships left. Yet they hadn’t listened. After two hundred years of occupation, the Jasar had decided to take the chance to get some revenge, no matter the consequences.

The sight of several groups of marines in combat armor on the planet’s surface made Jonathan half turn and glance at Becca. Despite the injuries she had suffered fighting in the tunnels to free the trapped Karacknid civilians, she had returned to duty a week ago. He had almost had to physically restrain her to keep her from joining the forces that had landed on the planet to assault the spaceport. Whether it was just because she felt she had a duty to fight alongside Hammerclaw's marines, or she wanted to test herself after her recovery, Jonathan didn’t know, but either way, he had forbidden her from going. According to Hammerclaw's doctor, she was still a long way from being fully fit, and there was no way he was risking her until she was. And maybe never again, Jonathan couldn’t help thinking as he remembered his horror at her injuries.

Despite Jonathan’s fears, and the slow passage of time, eventually Rossi updated Jonathan to let him know the last shuttle full of food supplies had taken off. Minutes later, six final shuttles took off from the planet’s surface carrying the remnants of the ground force that had been securing the spaceport. “Break orbit and set course for the shift passage back to the convoy as soon as those shuttles land,” Jonathan instructed his officers.

“Will we make for the next hidden FOB?” Iso asked after acknowledging Jonathan’s order.

Jonathan nodded. “We should have enough food to get to it. From there, we can send out a few more scavenging squadrons and hopefully get the final supplies we need to make a dash past their border systems and out into The Wilds.”

As his ships broke orbit to begin the four-hour journey to the shift passage that would lead them back towards the convoy, Jonathan turned his mind to just how he was going to get the Free Karacknids to safety. Already he had sent his stealth frigates out to survey the systems between where the convoy was currently hiding and the next hidden FOB to make sure the way was clear. In the last two weeks, both the scouts Jonathan sent out and the three Karacknid ships that had joined up with them were bringing back increasingly concerning reports of more Karacknid ships entering the area. Most appeared to be making their way towards the border fleet bases while some were clearly hunting for the Free Karacknid convoy. Jonathan couldn’t help the foreboding feeling growing within him that the ships they were starting to see now were but a foretaste of what was to come, as he suspected Tanaka-lan was bringing up his main fleets to the border to prepare for a full-scale war against his father’s Empire.

Which is why we need to get out of here and get the convoy moving as quickly as possible, Jonathan said to himself. Thanks to the hidden FOB and the secret shift passages Tanaka-lan didn’t know about, they had been able to break contact with him. But Jonathan had no doubt the Karacknid Imperator had destroyed the first FOB and discovered the second secret shift passage heading away from it. That meant Tanaka-lan now knew Jonathan was using shift passages he didn’t know about to evade capture. If Jonathan were in Tanaka-lan’s shoes, he knew the best way to handle such a problem would be to flood the entire border area with ships, and that seemed to be what Tanaka-lan was doing. Sooner or later, we're going to bump into a force we cannot handle, Jonathan feared. And the longer they took to get out of Karacknid space, the more likely that was going to be.

A sudden beep from one of Hammerclaw’s tactical consoles made Jonathan jump in his seat. His eyes shot up to the holo display as the sense of dread in his stomach tightened. Contacts began to appear that turned red almost instantly. Jonathan couldn’t help feeling his fears had summoned the enemy ships. For several seconds, he held his breath as the number of contacts rose. Only when it stopped at twenty-one did he breathe again. The force had to be a garrison from one of the adjacent systems, called to action by the frigate that had escaped more than twelve hours ago.

“Confirmed, twenty-one Karacknid warships,” Lieutenant Harte reported calmly. “Just one medium cruiser, the rest are five light cruisers, ten destroyers, and five frigates. They are turning onto an intercept course.”

“They want to take the freighters,” Jonathan was sure. Any commander worth his salt would quickly be able to figure out why Jonathan had risked being discovered just to attack an agricultural world. If the Karacknid commander knew the convoy was having food problems, then he would likely figure it a good trade to lose his squadron to destroy Jonathan’s freighters. “We need to fend them off,” Jonathan decided immediately. “The convoy will begin to starve if we lose these freighters. Hail, Har’gna.”

“I have him,” Rossi said a moment later as Har’gna appeared on the bridge’s main holo display.

“Captain, I need half your ships,” Jonathan said quickly. “I'll confront these newcomers while you get the freighters back to the convoy.”

Har’gna shook his head. “You can have my ships, but I'm joining you, Imperator's Heir. You're not risking your life without me by your side. Not when you fight for my people.”

“There may yet be other dangers out there the freighters may face,” Jonathan countered. “They need a good commander escorting them.”

“And they will have one. I will assign my second in command to take charge,” Har’gna responded.

Jonathan nodded. Though he could have ordered Har’gna to go with the freighters, he didn't want to use the trust he had built up with his friend against him. “Very well, we will face them together. We must defeat them quickly, for there may be other ships on their way, and we'll need to rejoin the freighters as fast as possible.”

Har’gna extended the claws from his right hand. “Agreed, Imperator’s Heir. We have the advantage; let us use it.”

Jonathan gave Har’gna a bow of respect and then gestured for Rossi to cut the COM channel. “Iso, turn our squadron onto an intercept course for those ships. Maximum acceleration.”

Iso nodded, and moments later, the sixteen Imperial ships of Jonathan's squadron and six Karacknid warships turned towards the newcomers. For half an hour, both sides continued on their trajectories, but then the Loyalist Karacknids altered course. “They’ve given up trying to close with the freighters; they're maneuvering to keep us at maximum missile range,” Harte concluded.

“That’s fine with me,” Jonathan responded. With Hammerclaw and his other medium cruisers, he had a significant missile advantage. If the Karacknids were content for him to blast them into debris at range, then so too was he.

For another half an hour, Jonathan’s force closed with the Karacknids as the freighters and their escort raced in almost the opposite direction. Then the fight began as both sides fired at one another from maximum range. Jonathan’s ships released three hundred and forty-eight missiles, while the Karacknids managed just two hundred and seventy-six. Both sides fired three salvos before the first missiles reached their targets. Despite copious amounts of defensive fire, antimatter missiles detonated amongst both squadrons. Two Imperial ships suffered proximity hits, though their shields absorbed most of the damage.

“Valhalla is signaling to say she can’t keep station with us,” Rossi reported. “Two of her reactors have shut down from the shockwaves of the proximity hit.”

“Tell her to prioritize her repairs,” Jonathan responded. Losing the medium cruiser would hurt his force, but there was no other choice. And we got one of them, Jonathan reassured himself as he focused on the Karacknid squadron. One of their destroyers had been obliterated by two antimatter missiles, and at least two other ships had taken damage. As he watched them, the Loyalist Karacknids made another maneuver. Jonathan leaned forward in his command chair as they turned back towards the shift passage they had entered the system from. His eyes narrowed. It looked like they were running. But why now? He already had two more salvos closing in on them and would easily be able to fire another one even if he didn't turn to pursue. Do they want me to follow them? As he asked himself the question, Jonathan felt uneasy. Moments ago, it looked like the Karacknids were willing to fight to the death. Now they were running.

“I have a course plotted to pursue them,” Iso informed Jonathan. “We should be able to finish them just before they reach the system’s mass shadow.”

Jonathan hesitated. “We’re not changing course,” he said, unable to ignore his gut. “Fire one more salvo, and then we will turn to rejoin the freighters.”

“Har’gna wishes to speak with you,” Rossi informed Jonathan after his orders were sent out to the squadron.

“I do not understand, Imperator’s Heir,” Har’gna said after Jonathan nodded to Rossi to connect him. “If we let them escape, they’ll bring news of our freighters and where they’re headed back to Tanaka-lan. We should destroy them now while we have the chance.”

Jonathan shook his head. “Something is not right. First, they charge into the system like they’re willing to sacrifice themselves to hurt us, then they turn. It feels like they’re trying to draw us away from the freighters.”

“Firing!” Harte called out. A moment later, Hammerclaw shuddered as her missile tubes launched eighteen missiles into space. “Next enemy salvo is two minutes out.”

“We will disengage with them and see what they do next; that may tell us what they’re really up to,” Jonathan said, resuming his conversation with Har’gna.

Har’gna didn’t look so sure, but he bowed nonetheless. “As you wish, Imperator’s Heir.” Jonathan bowed as Har’gna’s face disappeared from the main holo display and was replaced by the next Karacknid salvo. Before his ships could turn safely, they needed to face it.

Once again, flak cannons sent out a cloud of shrapnel towards the enemy missiles. Then arc emitters filled space with enough electrostatic electricity to fry many missiles' seeker heads. Next, plasma bolts, laser beams, and AM missiles targeted individual Karacknid anti-ship missiles as hundreds of them were blown apart. Just two made it through the hail of fire. One struck a Free Karacknid frigate and blew the small warship clean in two. Both sides spiraled away from one another, spilling atmosphere, debris, and bodies into space.

The second targeted Hammerclaw. Jonathan’s restraints tightened around him as his flagship’s navigation officer threw the heavy cruiser into a wild evasive maneuver. The maneuver half worked. The missile failed to score a direct hit, yet managed to detonate just five hundred meters off Hammerclaw’s starboard bow. Antimatter particles burst out from the explosion. The first stream collided with the ionized gases that made up the cruiser’s shields and were annihilated as they detonated.

More antimatter struck Hammerclaw’s valstronium armor, and Jonathan was thrown back into his command chair. Despite the force of the jolt, only a couple of alarms went off. “No hull breaches!” Hammerclaw's First Lieutenant called out. “Getting damage reports from missile tube eighteen, and several sensor nodes and point defense weapons aren't responding.”

“Get us back into formation,” Montgomery, Hammerclaw’s Captain, ordered. “And send repair teams forward to assess tube eighteen, and get some drones out in space to get visuals of the damage. I want to know if we have any armor left on our bow.”

“Begin the squadron’s turn as soon as we are all in formation again,” Jonathan ordered as he caught Iso’s eye.

As his ships began to turn, Jonathan pressed his lips together. Now he was about to see if he was right, or if he was just acting scared of shadows. It took three minutes for something to happen, almost long enough for Jonathan to start to doubt himself. But then, eight new contacts suddenly appeared as they jumped into the system. Immediately they began to accelerate straight towards the Karacknid squadron to reinforce them.

“They did have more ships!” Iso said.

“And just enough to make it an even fight,” Jonathan responded. As far as the Loyalist Karacknids were concerned, he was sure that was all they were after. A straight-up fight where both sides suffered heavy casualties was no victory from their perspective.

“What do you want to do now?” Iso asked.

“We weather this last salvo and then follow the freighters out of here,” Jonathan replied. He was sure the two Karacknid forces would turn and give chase if for no other reason than to follow him and seek to learn where the rest of the convoy was. “Though we’re not going to make it that easy for them.”

“Har’gna is on a COM channel again, Commodore,” Rossi informed Jonathan.

“How did you know?” Har’gna asked a moment later.

“Nothing more than a hunch,” Jonathan replied. “But one I’m glad I listened to.”

“As am I,” Har’gna agreed. “But what do we do now? If we allow them, they will follow us all the way to the convoy and give away our location. Should I pull back the rest of the escorts from the freighters?”

Jonathan shook his head. “No need; I have something else in mind.”

As Jonathan explained, Har’gna nodded. “That works for me, Imperator’s Heir. Let’s show them we’re not as easily turned away from a fight as they might think.”

Before any more plans could be made, one more missile salvo had to be dealt with. Jonathan's force shot down almost all the missiles coming at them. Only three got close enough to detonate, causing minor damage, but the third badly crippled the destroyer Santiago, and she had to be abandoned. However, with the nearest Karacknid force still keeping its distance, every one of Santiago’s crew were able to be taken off. The Karacknid force suffered more heavily, with three more of its ships being destroyed outright, and others took more damage.

After joining up with Valhalla, Jonathan’s ships raced across the system to catch up to the freighters. Both Loyalist Karacknid forces followed at a distance; the nearest one remained just out of missile range to ensure Jonathan’s ships couldn’t give them the slip. When the freighters and their light escort reached the system’s mass shadow and the shift passage back towards the convoy, they disappeared from Hammerclaw’s sensors. Half an hour later, Hammerclaw and her consorts reached the same point and jumped into shift space as well.

Just two seconds later, a second tremor ran through Jonathan’s command chair as Hammerclaw jumped back out of shift space. Immediately, his force of twenty ships went into stealth mode, turned, and directed all their reactors’ energy into recharging their shift drives. Through Hammerclaw’s passive sensors, Jonathan was able to watch both Karacknid forces approach the system’s mass shadow. Twenty minutes later, the ships he had engaged jumped into shift space. The second group of eight ships approached the same spot seventeen minutes after that. “Now!” Jonathan ordered.

All twenty of Jonathan's ships jumped into shift space once again. Two seconds later, they reverted to real space right in front of the eight Karacknid vessels. Immediately, over three hundred missiles were hurled at them. To their credit, the Karacknids fired a salvo thirty seconds later. They then turned as one to try and reduce the closing velocity of the incoming missiles. It made little difference as a minute later, Jonathan’s missiles assaulted and overwhelmed their defenses, blasting all eight of them into debris. Having fired just one hundred and ten missiles, Jonathan’s Imperial and Har’gna's Free Karacknid warships easily swatted the Karacknid salvo away before they could cause any damage.

“Back into shift space,” Jonathan ordered, even as Iso began to turn the squadron once again. As soon as their reactors were charged, they jumped back down the shift passage after the freighters and the first Karacknid force.

The journey time to the next system was sixteen hours, so Jonathan had plenty of time to think and plan his next move. Deciding that jumping out of shift space right on the edge of the system’s mass shadow would be too dangerous, he jumped out three light seconds further outside the system. Almost immediately, Hammerclaw detected the fifteen Karacknid ships that had pursued the freighters into shift space. They were sitting stationary right on the edge of the system, their active sensors scanning the space around them. Ahead of them, a wave of more than a hundred recon drones was also moving into the system, scanning as they advanced. Further ahead of them were the Free Karacknid freighters and six escorts, easily identifiable as their acceleration rates gave them away.

“They’re wondering where we are,” Montgomery commented.

“And probably waiting for their friends,” Jonathan added. Just as he had hoped, having jumped into the system, and not seeing Jonathan's ships, the Karacknid commander had decided to hold off charging in, in case Jonathan was lying in ambush somewhere. “If they’re looking for us, let’s not disappoint them. Harte, as soon as you’re ready.”

“Yes, sir,” Harte responded. “I just want to make sure we have exact fixes on every ship.”

Jonathan smiled at his tactical officer. “I understand, and don't worry, you’ve got this.”

Harte glanced up at Jonathan, gave a weak smile in return, and then went back to peering over his console. Combining the passive sensor data from all of Jonathan’s Imperial ships, he worked as fast as he could to triangulate the position of every Karacknid ship. “I’ve got it,” he said three minutes later. “Targeting data sent to all our ships. Energy weapons are fully charged.”

“Then jump us in Lieutenant,” Jonathan ordered. “Weapons free.”

With a touch on his command console, Harte activated all of Jonathan’s ships' shift drives. Each drive tore a hole into space and propelled their ship through it. Less than half a second later, they exited through a second hole, and each ship emerged back into normal space. Even as they emerged, heavy laser beams, plasma cannons, and mass drivers began spewing their destructive ordnance. The Karacknid ships started evasive maneuvers the moment they detected ships emerging right on top of them. Yet, it was too late for nearly half of them as they were blasted apart by Harte’s shots.

Even as the rest of the Karacknid ships spun away and tried to bring their own energy weapons to bear, Harte followed up his first attack. In the space of just a couple of seconds, he targeted each of the remaining Karacknid ships with Imperial missiles and then launched mark VIII warheads at them. The bomb-pumped laser warheads barely left their tubes when they detonated, each releasing two grazer beams towards their targets. The Karacknids had no time to target the missiles with their point defenses, and so every Imperial missile was able to release its grazer beams. The remaining Karacknid ships were sliced apart as each one was hit by at least six beams. In the space of just eight seconds, the Karacknid force was completely destroyed. While a couple had managed to return fire with their own heavy laser cannons, none had scored any hits.

“Excellent work!” Jonathan said as he beamed at Harte. “That couldn’t have gone any better. Congratulate all our gunners on a job well done. Now, set course for those freighters and let’s catch up to them before anyone else finds us. And then let’s get their food to where it needs to go.” While I figure out just what our next steps are going to be, Jonathan said to himself, rather less confidently. If the ships they had encountered were indicative of the size of forces that were moving around nearby systems, he was certain things were only going to get more difficult from here.

Chapter 36

By all accounts the economy of the Empire is closely monitored by the agents of the Imperial Economic Division, yet how they can accurately track or better yet; forecast, the economic activity of trillions of sentients and billions of organizations is beyond me. Nevertheless, somehow they do, at least well enough to gather the taxes that fund the Empire’s every growing demand for naval warships and marine divisions.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Hammerclaw, 13th June 2512 AD.

Four days after their skirmish with the Karacknid flotillas that had tried to intercept them, Hammerclaw approached the place where Jonathan had hidden the convoy. Deftly, Harte maneuvered Jonathan's ships and the Free Karacknid freighters into a low orbit around the only gas giant in the uninhabited system. With multiple swirling purple and orange storms moving across the gas giant's surface, Jonathan couldn't help but be distracted by its beauty as they orbited it. The beauty was only enhanced by the extremely thick planetary ring that bathed the gas giant's surface in dancing shadows as the asteroids blocked light from the system's red dwarf.

Once they were in a stable orbit, Harte then took the ships through an opening in the gas giant's planetary ring and into a cavern-like structure within the ring. Stuffed inside the cavern were hundreds of Free Karacknid warships and freighters, and the rest of Jonathan's squadron.

"Is it just me or are there more ships here than when we left?" Montgomery asked, his voice rising. "Something tells me we didn't get enough food."

Sure enough, half an hour later, after Jonathan checked in with the senior captain he had left in charge of the convoy, they learned that twenty more Free Karacknid freighters and seven warships had joined them, increasing the number of people Jonathan was responsible for by another thirty thousand. Along with the updates on the convoy’s situation, Jonathan also received the latest scout reports that had come in since he had been away. "I think it's time we held a Captain's conference to plan our final steps out of Karacknid space," Jonathan said after reading through them. "Iso, invite Captains Faraday and Young to report on board Hammerclaw, and ask Har'gna to join us with his two senior commanders as well."

"I’ll speak to them all immediately, Commodore," Iso replied.

Half an hour later, Jonathan sat around a large oval table in Hammerclaw's main briefing room with his staff officers, Montgomery, his squadron's two most senior Captains, Faraday and Young, and Har'gna and his Free Karacknids. "We have done well so far," Jonathan began as he reviewed their situation. "If you had told me how many civilians we'd end up being responsible for when we first started out on this mission, I'd never have believed we could have avoided being caught and brought to battle this long. Yet the noose is tightening around us. Tanaka-lan is flooding ships into the whole sector. The longer we wait, the more difficult it's going to be to get all our freighters to safety. Currently, we have enough food to last five weeks if we stretch things out; we can keep gathering things as we move, but move we must. It's time to make a break for the second FOB and then the hidden shift passage that leads from it out beyond the Karacknid Empire's borders."

As he spoke, Jonathan activated the briefing room's main holo display. It showed a map of the sector of the Karacknid Empire they were in, marking out their position, the system of the hidden FOB they had previously visited, and all the Karacknid border forts and fleet bases. Two new items were also displayed and highlighted in red. One was the position of the second hidden FOB, and from it, a long snaking line led between two Karacknid fleet bases and ended on the other side of the border. Jonathan smiled as Har'gna and his commanders leaned forward and studied the visuals. For operational security, he hadn't revealed the location of the second FOB or the shift passage to them before.

"If we can make it to the Drasconi system, there is a short secret shift passage to the hidden FOB. Once there, we can take on the final fuel and food supplies we'll need to head into The Wilds and make it most of the way to Beta fort. Once we are out of the Karacknid Empire's space, I can send fast frigates ahead of us to call for aid, and additional food and fuel can be brought to us."

"You have a secret shift passage that leads right through our borders?" Gant'ar asked, surprise filling the Free Karacknid's voice. "That is a great strategic advantage."

"It is," Jonathan agreed as he nodded. "Which, you can understand, is why I would hope such knowledge will stay between us. I will provide each of you with an encrypted data file containing the coordinates of the shift passages and how to traverse them, but if possible, I would very much like them to remain a secret from Tanaka-lan. If one of us is killed, the others need to be ready to lead the convoy to freedom, but I do not want the circle of those who are aware of this information to grow any wider than necessary."

Har'gna bowed deeply to Jonathan. "On behalf of my people, I wish to thank you again, Imperator. This is information that could help your species win its war against Tanaka-lan, and yet you risk it to save my people. Once again, you honor us. I only hope that one day we can repay you in kind."

"Don't thank me just yet," Jonathan said as he updated the image again, this time adding information from his scouts and the Free Karacknids that had recently joined the convoy. Between the convoy's current position and Drasconi, there were thirty different systems with a multitude of shift passages connecting them. In eight of them, flashing symbols represented Karacknid squadrons that had been detected. They ranged in size from just forty ships to over one hundred and fifty.

"In order to get to the shift passage that leads to the next FOB, we need to get through this area of space," Jonathan explained. With one more tap on the holo display's control, sixteen snaking lines appeared that made their way from the convoy’s position through the various systems to the hidden FOB. "There are a number of routes we can take, yet each one of them is perilous and filled with the unknown. These are just the enemy squadrons we know about; there are likely to be others moving into the area to search for us or simply passing through on their way to the frontline. If there was no opposition, we could move through the area in a couple of weeks, but we're going to have to be very careful."

“And yet we only have enough food supplies for four, maybe five weeks,” Montgomery cautioned.

Jonathan nodded. “Which means as we go, we will have to raid or pick up additional food supplies, further complicating things.”

“It does appear to be a daunting task,” Har’gna said. “But we now have over two hundred and twenty warships. We can easily fight our way through even the strongest of these squadrons if necessary.”

“Except, any battle we fight in will reduce our strength and only serve to draw more Karacknids after us,” Jonathan said. “If we can, I'd like us to get to the next FOB without drawing too much attention.”

“Then it will be a hard task indeed,” Har’gna responded as everyone fell silent, contemplating the image in front of them.

“What if drawing attention is exactly what we need to be doing?” Harte asked, surprising Jonathan as he spoke up.

“What do you mean?” Jonathan queried.

Harte nodded towards the holo display. “There are a lot of systems between us and the FOB. It gives us a lot of potential routes, yes, but it also means Karacknid forces could show up in any system at any time. But what if we didn't stay hidden? Or at least part of our fleet didn't? If we carried out a few raids, or allowed some of our freighters to be spotted in specially chosen systems, we could draw the Karacknid forces this way or that as we choose, and then open up a more direct path for the main convoy.” As Harte looked back down from the holo display projected above everyone and found every eye staring at him, his face reddened. “I mean, it's an idea at least. Maybe it would be too complicated to pull off.” He quickly looked down at his feet as he fell silent.

Jonathan brought a hand up to rub his jaw as he stared up at the holo display. In his mind, a version of Harte's idea began to take shape. There were four systems that immediately jumped out to him. They were key transport hubs that he had hoped to avoid. But what if he attacked one or two of them? And then what if a part of the convoy was spotted in a third? News would quickly travel to the nearby systems and draw the Karacknids in. It could work, he thought as he nodded. It would require splitting his forces, which was always a risk, but the payoff might very well be worth it.

“Well, what do you all think?” Jonathan asked the others around the table. Over the next ten minutes they discussed it, fine-tuned it, and then agreed it was their best option.

“Well, let's get things moving,” Jonathan said, excitement in his voice. “It will take us a few hours to get the convoy out of here and moving. By then I want to have sent out ships to scout the systems we need to hit, and to check that they're not being followed. Let's get this show on the road!”

*

IS Hammerclaw, 20th June 2512 AD.

A week into Harte's plan, and Jonathan had to admit things were going swimmingly. Free Karacknid warships had raided two systems, and Captain Faraday had led a third of Jonathan's squadron to engage and destroy a Karacknid force of seventeen ships. Each action had drawn the surrounding Karacknid forces to their locations like moths to a flame. As a result, Jonathan had been able to lead the convoy half of the way towards the Drasconi system, and it looked like Harte’s tactics were going to ensure the second half of the journey would be just as smooth.

To that end, a day ago, Jonathan had left the convoy behind as he led Hammerclaw and thirty-seven Imperial and Free Karacknid warships to strike at another target. As his flagship jumped into the system, Jonathan tried to remain patient as he waited for an update from the frigate he had sent ahead to scout things out.

“We are being flashed by a laser COM,” Rossi updated within seconds of the jump. “It's Finch. She's transferring a report and her sensor data.”

With the frigate’s data in front of him, Jonathan was able to assess the situation within the system. It looked like nothing had changed since the scouts he had sent out a week ago had returned. The only signs of life within the system were around the third gas giant's moon. On the data sent from Finch, and on Hammerclaw's own passive sensors, the entire moon lit up with electromagnetic emissions like it was on fire. Under the surface of the moon's thick crust was perhaps one of the richest veins of valstronium Jonathan had ever heard of. It easily rivaled those found on Excalibur, and so the planet's surface was almost entirely covered by mining and processing plants. The moon's orbit was also full of further processing facilities and freight stations. As a result, it made the system a prime target for the kind of diversion Harte's plan called for. Especially as there were only twenty warships guarding the entire facility. At least, twenty warships plus an additional fifteen battlestations, each with more than double the firepower Hammerclaw had.

“It looks like there's no reason not to proceed,” Jonathan said to his command staff. “Let's begin.”

Moments later, the solitary Karacknid freighter they had brought with them powered up its reactors and engines and began to accelerate into the system. At the same time, it began frantically transmitting a message demanding help towards the moon's garrison. Pretending it was a supply freighter from a nearby system, its Captain would be screaming that it was being hunted by Imperial raiding ships.

Jonathan sat back in his command chair to wait and see what would happen. He had decided to try a version of the same trick the Karacknid had recently tried on him. There was no way he could tangle with the moon's battlestations, but its garrison was another matter. And if he could lure them out and destroy them, then he could make it look like he intended to threaten the moon's orbitals as well.

Less than a minute after the freighter began its acceleration, Hammerclaw and most of Jonathan’s force also started moving into the system, though they remained in stealth and moved much slower than the freighter. Initially, the Karacknid garrison didn’t respond to the freighter's sudden appearance. Their gravimetric sensors would easily identify the freighter as a Karacknid one, and though its acceleration rate was higher than they might normally expect, it wasn't entirely out of the ordinary. With the moon on the other side of the system relative to Hammerclaw and the freighter, it took a full twenty minutes for the freighter's message to reach the garrison. Once again though, despite the message, there was no immediate response. A couple of frigates broke orbit, but they didn’t appear to be rushing to the aid of the freighter.

Eventually, fifty minutes after the freighter first appeared, the garrison reacted. The sudden appearance of ten Imperial destroyers and frigates on the edge of the system, which began to accelerate hard after the freighter, finally got their attention. All twenty Karacknid warships broke orbit and turned onto an intercept course for the freighter and went to maximum acceleration. Jonathan couldn’t help smiling as they did so.

“We have them,” Harte said eagerly, keen to see his idea bearing fruit.

“If they don’t spot us, we have them,” Jonathan cautioned his promising tactical officer. “Let’s focus on making sure that’s how things play out.”

“Yes, of course, Commodore,” Harte said as he nodded seriously.

For an hour and a half, the ten ships Jonathan had initially left behind chased the Free Karacknid freighter. The key to Jonathan’s deception was for the Karacknid garrison to focus so heavily on the Imperial ships that they didn’t look too closely at the Free Karacknid freighter. As the garrison warships moved away from the safety of their battlestations and closed with Jonathan’s ten ships, it appeared that was exactly what was happening. At the exact moment Jonathan’s plan called for, the Free Karacknid freighter suddenly increased its acceleration. It was only by a couple of percentage points, but it was enough to prolong the time it would take the Imperial destroyers and frigates to bring it into weapons range. The increased time meant the Karacknid garrison ships would just reach the freighter in time to be able to protect it and then exact revenge on the Imperial warships.

As any commander would be expected to do, the Imperial ships immediately began to decelerate and turned back towards the shift passage they had jumped into the system from. Not wishing to let their quarry escape, the Karacknid garrison continued its pursuit. As the garrison ships caught up to and passed the Free Karacknid freighter, Jonathan’s body tensed. If ever they were going to examine the freighter closely, now was the time. Yet the freighter sailed right past them, unmolested.

Ten minutes later, the Karacknid garrison ships crossed the point of no return. “Bring us out of stealth, maximum acceleration. Signal our light ships to slow and rendezvous with us. Let’s make this quick,” Jonathan ordered.

The moment Jonathan’s twenty-seven warships came out of stealth and began to accelerate towards the Karacknid garrison force, the Karacknid knew they were in trouble. Yet there was little they could do about it. Yes, they immediately turned and began to decelerate, but having slowly accelerated into the system for a considerable amount of time, Jonathan’s ships had a significant momentum advantage. It was also an easy maneuver for the ten Imperial destroyers and frigates to turn for a second time and slot into formation around Hammerclaw.

Half an hour later, Jonathan's force brought the Karacknids into missile range. As both groups fired, the combined Imperial and Free Karacknid salvo was double the size of that released by the garrison ships. The ensuing battle lasted just four missile salvos, and Jonathan's ships were barely threatened. He lost an Imperial destroyer and a Free Karacknid frigate to lucky antimatter hits, but throughout the battle Hammerclaw never had to carry out any evasive maneuvers, for no Karacknid missiles made it through the outer layer of his formation.

Outnumbered two to one, the Loyalist Karacknid ships were blown apart. Jonathan’s first salvo destroyed a quarter of their force, and the second half of what was left after that. The final two salvos were more of a mopping-up exercise than a proper engagement.

“Good shooting everyone,” Jonathan said to his officers, then he joined Iso in organizing the search and rescue shuttles as they scoured the debris from the two destroyed ships from their squadron. As soon as Jonathan was sure there was no chance of finding any more survivors, he redirected his ships towards the valstronium mining moon. Though he had no intention of attacking it, the Karacknid defenders didn’t need to know that. The whole point of his attack had been to draw out and destroy their garrison ships to make it appear he wished to then strike at the moon’s mining facilities.

Immediately after his ships altered course onto one that would put them into a high orbit around the moon, three frigates broke away from the moon. Each began accelerating hard towards the three nearest shift passages out of the system. “It looks like someone’s a little concerned,” Montgomery commented. “I’d say young Harte’s idea is going to pan out nicely once again.”

“Let’s not get too cocky,” Jonathan responded, “but I can’t say I’m disappointed.” Two of the three shift passages led to systems that were also adjacent to ones Jonathan hoped to take the convoy through. If the frigates were on their way to call for immediate aid, then Harte’s strategy was indeed going to continue to prove successful.

It took another two hours for his ships to approach the moon and slot into a high but descending orbit that would slowly bring them into range to strike at the moon’s orbital stations. For another hour, Jonathan allowed his ships to slowly orbit the moon as every active and passive sensor scanned the moon’s defenses, apparently preparing for an assault. However, the moment the last of the three Karacknid frigates crossed the system’s mass shadow and jumped out, Jonathan gave the order for his ships to level off. With no intention of actually engaging the battlestations, Jonathan wanted to keep his ships well out of range of their heavy missiles.

Instead, his only interest was in ensuring no additional Karacknid ships could leave the moon to bring word that he wasn’t actually launching any attacks. As he and Iso had planned, their thirty-five ships split up into four flotillas and they moved to encompass the moon, ensuring that they could intercept any frigate or freighter that tried to break orbit. Then, for a further twelve hours, Hammerclaw and her consorts kept a close watch on the Karacknid ships orbiting the moon. Wisely, the Karacknids made no effort to break past their besiegers.

After retiring for a short four-hour nap, Jonathan returned to the bridge to find nothing had changed. “Well,” he said as he sat down in his command chair, “I think we have accomplished what we came here to do. Signal our flotillas, let’s break orbit and head back to the convoy.”

“Aye, Commodore,” Iso replied at once.

With their job done, Jonathan’s ships rendezvoused with one another and then set course for the shift passage they had entered the system from. Almost at once, three freighters broke away from the moon’s surface and headed towards the shift passages. Jonathan had no doubt they would be bringing word that the moon hadn’t been assaulted, yet he was confident it would arrive too late. By the time they reached their destinations, whatever Karacknid warships were rushing to the moon would have already jumped into shift space.

With luck, we’ve bought ourselves three or four days, or maybe even more, Jonathan hoped. It would take that long for some of the Karacknid ships in the nearby systems to reach the valstronium mining moon, and then when they realized the moon was not under immediate threat, they couldn’t exactly pull out and leave it with no garrison. By then, Jonathan planned to have rendezvoused with the convoy and be well on their way to the second FOB.

Chapter 37

‘The best trap is the one your prey walks into and still does not know your claws are already around his throat,’ is a quote attributed to the famous Gramrian Admiral Shraw. There are a number of historical battles a cadet can study from his campaigns where one can see his ideas being put into action. Yet just as often it has been our enemies who have accomplished this feat as well.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Hammerclaw, 24th June 2512 AD.

Moments after his ships rejoined the convoy, Jonathan felt something was wrong. Iso was leaning over her console speaking to Faraday, who had been left in command of the convoy. Her body had tensed, and though Jonathan couldn't make out all her words, her voice had sharpened. When she finished speaking, she turned to Jonathan, her face full of concern.

“What is it?” Jonathan asked, fighting to keep his voice level.

“Some of our advanced scouts returned while we were gone,” Iso answered. She half turned and tapped a couple of buttons on her console. “Faraday has sent their findings over. It’s not good.”

As the view on the holo display switched from showing the convoy to a star map of the systems they still had to traverse to get to the FOB, Iso began to explain. “A large fleet of over a thousand Karacknid warships has moved into this system. It contains an old fleet base that wasn’t in use according to the Free Karacknids' intel. The fleet has brought many supply and construction freighters with it. It seems they intend to reactivate it.”

Jonathan cursed. He understood what had happened. Tanaka-lan was likely reactivating old fleet bases all along the border that had fallen into disrepair because of the Karacknids’ civil war. “There’s no way those thousand ships will be content to just sit in that system. They’ll send out strong patrols into all the nearby systems, including Drasconi.” Jonathan felt his body deflate as he continued to speak. “We can’t get to the FOB. There’s no chance. They’ll spot us long before we get close to Drasconi. And even if they only sent a quarter of their force after us, we couldn’t make it past them.”

As silence fell upon the bridge, Jonathan looked around to see every officer staring at him. They had all heard his words. Even as he looked at them, anxiety and fear began to creep into many of their eyes. “Pull up a wider star map,” Jonathan ordered, his voice hardening. Losing any chance of getting to the FOB was a massive blow. Especially after the success they had enjoyed using Harte’s tactics. But he wasn’t ready to give up yet. When the map zoomed out to show a large area of space including the Karacknid border systems, Jonathan stared at it, desperately seeking an answer to their problem.

“Maybe we can draw enough of that fleet away that we could slip past them,” Rossi suggested. “It has been working for us so far.”

Harte answered Jonathan’s COMs officer before he could. “I can’t see it working, not this time. If that fleet is there to reactivate the fleet base, then protecting it and their construction freighters will be their priority. Even if they detected the convoy, or a decoy that looked like the convoy, they’d still keep enough ships back to defend that base. Then, as soon as we closed with the Drasconi system, they'd be in striking distance of the convoy.”

“We need another way home,” Jonathan said as his eyes came to rest on one of the Karacknid border systems close to their position. It was actually closer than the Drasconi system, but given that it had its own garrison force of over three hundred warships, it had been ruled out as a possible escape route weeks ago. “With this new fleet in front of us, and Tanaka-lan likely somewhere close behind, time is running out. We may need to take more drastic measures.” Tapping on his command chair, Jonathan took control of the holo display and zoomed in on the border system. It updated to show what little intelligence Hammerclaw’s files had on the system. Most of it was more than three months old, gathered by scouts Jonathan had dispatched from Dresden when he had first taken command of the FOB. Some additional information was marked as coming from Har'gna’s Free Karacknids, but even they knew little of the border system, having had no reason to visit it before.

Despite their limited intelligence, it looked to be the convoy’s best hope. Three hundred Karacknid warships was a powerful force, yet almost every other border system had more. And crucially, the more recent scouting reports Jonathan had from the scouts he had dispatched from the convoy suggested none of the additional Karacknid ships moving through the sector had been heading towards the Fort. It's the weakest point we have any hope of making it to, Jonathan told himself. His eyes flicked back to the Drasconi system and the new enemy fleet near it. Either we face that fleet, or we risk fighting our way through the border system.

“I don’t see that we have any choice,” Jonathan said as he turned to Iso and his officers. “Either we can punch through the border here at Hijal or we give up and accept we will soon be surrounded and defeated.”

No one responded to Jonathan’s words, instead they continued to stare at him, the same looks on their faces. Jonathan hardened his voice further. “We are not defeated yet,” he told them as he looked around, meeting their eyes. “We still have a fighting chance, and a fighting chance is more than good enough for me. Is it not for you, officers of the Imperial Fleet?” Pausing, Jonathan looked around at his officers again, most of them lowered their eyes as he held their gaze; when they looked up, their concern was replaced with a look of grim determination. Jonathan nodded. “That’s more like it. Now, ready the convoy to get moving. And organize a holo conference with Faraday, Young, Har'gna, and his Senior Captains.”

“Right away, Commodore,” Iso responded, pouring as much confidence into her voice as she could.

As Jonathan's Senior Captains, as well as Har'gna and his Captains, appeared on Jonathan’s command chair’s small holo display, they all looked as grim as his officers had moments before. “You’re all well aware of the news then,” Jonathan said to them. “What are your thoughts?”

“We’ve been discussing it since we heard,” Faraday explained as he glanced at Har'gna, and the Karacknid nodded. “We can't see how we can get past this fleet; there’s no way to distract them so that they would move all their ships.”

Jonathan nodded. “That’s our conclusion too.”

“And Tanaka-lan can’t be far behind us,” Har'gna said. “With all the raids we’ve been carrying out, he’ll have pieced together roughly where we are headed, even if he doesn’t know about the FOB and secret shift passages.”

“Which leaves us with little choice,” Jonathan said. “We need to make a bid for freedom now or we will be surrounded and trapped. Have you considered the Hijal system?”

“We have,” Faraday said as he nodded. “Of course, it is one of the closest border systems, but it has a garrison of at least three hundred ships. Even if we try to find a way through, the convoy would be decimated.”

“Perhaps,” Jonathan said slowly. “But what other choice do we have? Have you another solution?”

“You want to attack the fleet base?” Har'gna asked, the warrior’s voice full of surprise.

“I don’t, but I see little other alternative. And we don’t have to attack it, we just have to get past it. That opens up other options to us,” Jonathan responded.

“Then you have a plan?” Gant'ar asked eagerly.

“Not yet, I’m afraid,” Jonathan said. “But I’m sure between the five of us, we can figure something out as we go. But go we must, for speed is now our ally. If Tanaka-lan or any of the other nearby Loyalist squadrons figure out where we’re going, they could get word to Hijal ahead of us, and then we would never make it through the system. We must proceed towards the border system with all haste. My staff officers are already preparing the convoy to depart. Unless you have any better plans, or serious reservations, we must get moving at once.”

Har'gna glanced at his Captains and then turned back to Jonathan. “It’s not that I disagree with your assessment, Imperator’s Heir. But if we have to confront this border garrison, we will take serious losses. And if they get amongst the convoy, they could do untold damage.”

“I agree,” Jonathan said as he nodded. “But that is what our warships are for; if it comes to it, we will place our ships between theirs and the convoy and ensure they cannot pass us.”

“But even then, can we be sure the convoy can get through the system?” Gant'ar asked, his voice now full of doubt.

“We will get through this system,” Jonathan promised the Free Karacknid, his voice hardening again. “Or every one of my ships will die trying. With this new fleet in front of us and Tanaka-lan behind, that is the best I can offer. But I know we can find a way. I know I can find a way to get this done.”

For a couple of seconds, all of the assembled Captains looked at each other, then Har'gna nodded. “Very well, Imperator’s Heir. If you’re willing to risk your squadron and your own life, we can only trust you with ours as well. As you say, we have no other options before us, and I will gladly fight to get my family to safety rather than see them fall into Tanaka-lan’s hands.”

“Then we are in agreement,” Jonathan said as he held Har'gna’s eyes. “We will see this through together, no matter the cost to ourselves.”

Har'gna bowed deeply to Jonathan. “And if we must die fighting to break our families out from under Tanaka-lan’s claws, then it will be an honor to die at your side, Imperator’s Heir.”

Jonathan smiled a grim smile. “And yours, Captain. Now, let us ready our ships.”

The Karacknid Captains nodded and then disappeared one by one from the holo conference.

“Aye, Commodore, we are with you,” Faraday said on his and Young’s behalf as Jonathan turned to him. Jonathan smiled at them and then they too disappeared.

“Turn the convoy,” Jonathan ordered his staff officers. “Set course for the Hijal system.”

*

IS Hammerclaw, 3rd July 2512 AD, (nine days later).

To Jonathan's surprise, the convoy's journey toward Hijal turned out to be far easier than expected. Two small Karacknid flotillas that had bumped into them were fought off with the loss of only one warship. Apart from that, they didn't come across any other signs of squadrons out on patrol or Tanaka-lan hunting them. Things had been going so well that, after a week, Jonathan decided he could move ahead of the convoy and survey the Hijal system himself. He knew that no matter how smooth the journey to Hijal had been, getting through the border system would be an entirely different challenge. He wanted to see what he was going to be up against with his own eyes so that he could figure out exactly how to tackle the convoy's final obstacle.

Two days before the convoy was due to reach Hijal, Hammerclaw and six other Imperial ships stealthily slipped into the system. Jonathan positioned his small flotilla four light minutes out from the system’s mass shadow, far from where any Karacknid picket ships were likely to be. For an hour, he stared out at the system as Hammerclaw’s passive sensors sifted through every joule of electromagnetic energy that washed over the heavy cruiser. First, Jonathan assessed every orbital body and asteroid field in the system, looking for potential routes for the convoy to sneak through. Then, when Hammerclaw’s computer had built up as accurate a picture of the Karacknid fleet base and its garrison as it could from the heavy cruiser’s current position, he turned his attention to his foes.

Around the fleet base, there were three hundred and twelve warships, with a further thirty picket ships spread out across the system. Though on the smaller side for a Karacknid border system, the fleet base was still impressive and looked like it could easily service over a thousand ships if necessary. That fact left Jonathan feeling uneasy, for if that were the case, he was surprised they hadn’t detected or even bumped into additional Karacknid ships moving towards the base. Tanaka-lan must be planning to launch his first strikes from other systems, Jonathan concluded.

Though the large squadron of Karacknid warships was the main threat to the convoy, Jonathan spent almost as much time studying the patrol routes of the system’s pickets. They were the eyes and ears of the squadron, and if they detected the convoy, they would call their comrades in to blast the convoy's freighters into debris. After an additional half-hour of watching the patrol routes, Jonathan had to fight to keep his disappointment from his face. He knew his officers were watching him closely. He had hoped he would be able to find some flaw in their patrol routes through which he could sneak the convoy. Yet there was none. Every possible way he imagined trying to take the convoy through the system ended up bumping into a Karacknid patrol ship.

Jonathan bit back a sigh. That left only one option. He’d have to bring the convoy in somewhere around where Hammerclaw presently was, and then have it slowly circumnavigate the system in normal space, passing through the dark matter that filled space beyond the system’s mass shadow. A couple of taps on his command chair told Jonathan it would take over four days to complete such a maneuver. It was far from ideal, especially given the convoy’s food situation, yet there was no other choice. And in the meantime, they were going to have to find a way to keep the Karacknids distracted. There was no other choice, for unless he was prepared to have the freighters move at a fraction of their maximum speed, sooner or later chances were the Karacknid scouts would detect the freighters moving up and over the system. If they were focused on his warships, however, the chance would degrade significantly, especially if the inner system was being filled with energy bursts from weapons fire. The other option was to have the freighters try to stealthily circumnavigate the system, yet that would take a month, if not more. By the time the freighters reached the shift passage that led into The Wilds, almost everyone on board would likely have starved to death.

The convoy has to go at something close to full speed, Jonathan thought to himself. We just need a way to buy them the time they need. As his eyes turned back to the fleet base, several construction freighters caught his eye. Even if Tanaka-lan hadn't sent reinforcements in the form of warships to the base, he clearly still tasked engineers to expand it. Which means we can threaten the base and possibly tie up its garrison for the length of time we need, Jonathan thought as a plan began to formulate in his mind.

“All right,” he said fifteen minutes later as he turned to Iso. “I think I have seen enough. Leave Adder and Pheasant here to continue to monitor the system. Plot the rest of us a course back to the convoy. We have preparations to make.”

“Aye, Commodore,” Iso replied, her face full of curiosity.

*

Wrathful

A little over thirty light seconds away, Imperator Tanaka-lan watched all but two of the Imperial ships blink from his sensors as they jumped back into shift space. “Shall we intercept those two and destroy them?” his tactical officer asked.

“No, leave them,” Tanaka-lan replied, his mind only partially focused on the question. “Let them watch; they can learn as much as they want.” The two small frigates meant nothing to him. What had his attention was the heavy cruiser that had just left. It was the same one that had confronted him and escaped twice before. The one that was the flagship to Emperor Somerville’s son. The one that will soon die at my hands, Tanaka-lan promised himself as it  took a great deal of willpower for him to keep his claws retracted. Somerville's son had humiliated him twice now; not in all of his battles in the Civil War had he lost twice in a row. I won’t be underestimating him this time, Tanaka-lan promised. This time it will be the end for his bid to lead the traitors from my Empire!

And he’s falling for it, Tanaka-lan thought as his emotions calmed, and he smiled. After discovering the Humans knew about hidden shift passages, and worse, had actually built their own bases within his Empire, Tanaka-lan had given up trying to chase the Humans and their traitorous allies. Instead, he had adopted a different tactic. With tens of thousands of his fleet already on the move towards the front lines, he had sent back orders for many of his smaller squadrons to hurry forward. Inundating the border sectors with ships, whilst leaving three border fleet bases relatively unguarded, had been designed to force the Emperor’s son to make his escape attempt at one of the three systems. Tanaka-lan had split his forces to cover all three, but had chosen the one he deemed the most likely for himself.

Soon I will bring him to battle and wipe out the remnants of the Free Karacknids, Tanaka-lan thought eagerly. And then the real war can begin. It was still going to take a couple of months for his full fleet to advance on the front, and then possibly another month or two for the fleet bases to be brought up to the capacity where they could handle the supplies his fleet would need to advance, but the moment was fast approaching where he would be able to strike at the Humans and destroy them once and for all. And now the key to victory is about to impale himself onto my claws, Tanaka-lan thought as a drop of drool ran down his teeth and over his lower lip. With Somerville’s son captured, he could use the boy as bait to draw out and crush his father once and for all.

“Imperator, we’re being flashed by a laser COM. It’s from the frigate Husk. She is one of the messenger frigates tasked with bringing us news.”

“Send her report to me,” Tanaka-lan requested.

Moments later, Tanaka-lan’s claws extended and dug into the soft patches of his command chair. A significant Imperial fleet had invaded the Das’tana clan’s sector of the Empire and was rampaging through the clan's worlds. Tanaka-lan growled as he pictured the face of his foe. Somerville was trying to distract him. The Humans knew his invasion was imminent, and they wished to draw away his forces to defend a far-flung sector.

"It will not work," he growled quietly, as if addressing Somerville. "Destroy as many of my irrelevant systems as you wish; I am coming for your son and then your homeworld, and then your insolence will be no more."

To calm himself down, Tanaka-lan brought up an image of the hidden fleet he had arrayed around the outer edge of the Hijal system. Alongside his new flagship, the dreadnought Wrathful, he had three hundred other ships in stealth, along with tens of thousands of recon drones. All were waiting and watching, ready to pounce on the Imperial and traitorous convoy when it finally arrived. "My revenge is not far off," Tanaka-lan thought as he smiled, and another drop of drool ran down his lip.

Chapter 38

Death comes to all of our heroes.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Hammerclaw, 5th July 2512 AD, (two days later).

After meeting with his senior commanders and gathering their input, Jonathan initiated the first stage of his plan. He jumped the convoy and his warships into the Hijal system, positioning them ten light minutes outside the system’s mass shadow. Then ten frigates stealthily detached from the convoy and began their silent journey around the system. For six hours, Jonathan allowed them a head start on the convoy, letting them use their passive sensors to search for hidden Karacknid listening posts or scout ships.

Then, with Jonathan's nod of approval, the convoy set in motion. Three hundred and forty-seven freighters, each laden with Karacknid civilians and escorted by thirty warships, started their cautious drift away from Hammerclaw. Every freighter was being as stealthy as possible and maintained an acceleration rate that ensured the gravimetric waves from their impulse engines wouldn’t be detected by Loyalist Karacknid ships in the vicinity.

There they go, Jonathan thought, his emotions akin to a parent witnessing their child's first day of school. The further the convoy traveled from Hammerclaw, the less control he had over their safety. After weeks of shepherding the Karacknid civilians, it was unsettling to see them embark independently. But they couldn't accompany Jonathan to his next destination. He had to rely on their commanders and his strategy. Good luck, he thought towards them as their trajectory was put up on the holo display.

In the end, Jonathan had adjusted the route he wanted the convoy to pursue. Given that Hijal was bordered by several dense asteroid belts, and based on Har’gna’s recommendation, the convoy was directed to weave between these belts during their system-wide journey. Jonathan hoped the asteroid belts would mask most of the emissions that might expose the convoy. The benefits of the route also meant their travel time to the shift passage leading into The Wilds was cut by eight hours.

“I suppose it's our turn now,” Jonathan remarked, looking at his officers and Montgomery. “Is our lead flotilla prepared?”

“Ready and eager,” Harte replied.

Taking a deep breath, Jonathan spared a moment to absorb the information from Hammerclaw’s passive sensors. Apparently, the system remained unchanged since his visit a few days prior. He steeled himself, This is the moment. “Jump us in,” he commanded.

Moments later, Hammerclaw, along with Jonathan’s two hundred and twenty warships, transitioned into shift space, reappearing six seconds later. Almost instantly, thirty light cruisers and destroyers advanced, targeting the four Karacknid ships patrolling the shift passage's terminus. The Karacknid ships, whether paralyzed by surprise or merely inefficient, had a sluggish response. It took them almost thirty seconds to fully pivot and accelerate deeper into the system.

“Two are going to get away,” Harte announced as the holo display on Hammerclaw updated to reflect their trajectories.

“Advance into the system,” Jonathan directed as his vanguard flotilla initiated their assault on the two Karacknid scouts. A mere half salvo was enough to annihilate the scouts, and their retaliatory fire was effortlessly intercepted.

As Hammerclaw ventured deeper into the system, she was suddenly accompanied by four hundred additional contacts. Only half were genuine warships, the rest were repurposed freighters or recon drones — a ploy designed to give the illusion that Jonathan's fleet was more formidable than it truly was. His strategy hinged on intimidating the Karacknid garrison fleet into remaining in orbit around their base. If he could restrict their movement, he could feign a siege on the base while the convoy navigated around the system.

If the Karacknids felt compelled to safeguard their base by breaking orbit to prevent Jonathan from nearing it, his task would get a lot harder. In that scenario, the only viable tactic would be to dispense with the ruse of a large fleet and instead lure the Karacknids into an extended pursuit. Such a chase would require Jonathan to occasionally permit the Karacknids to catch up and fight a brief engagement, as the best way to divert attention from the convoy was fill the system with all the electromagnetic emissions a battle gave off. Jonathan didn’t want to have to turn the fight into a chase. But if that was the only way he could get the convoy to safety, then that was what he was going to have to do.

*

Wrathful

“Four hundred ships exceeds our scouts' estimates,” Tanaka-lan’s tactical officer noted as the Human fleet progressed into the system.

“They're decoys,” Tanaka-lan declared with certainty. He had witnessed this strategy multiple times. Humans excelled at deceiving ships’ sensors from a distance. He was convinced that, should they confront the Humans directly, the ruse would unravel, revealing no more than two hundred ships.

“Do you wish to advise the garrison to break orbit as a precaution?” Tanaka-lan’s Chief of Staff inquired.

Tanaka-lan dismissed the idea with a shake of his head. “Move us into position behind them,” he commanded. “Dispatch stealth frigates to patrol up the shift passage in normal space as well. Their convoy is lurking out there somewhere. It must be located before we act.” Tanaka-lan pivoted to address his Chief of Staff directly, emphasizing his words. “Should they detect even the slightest trace of us, I shall hold you personally responsible. Our presence must remain concealed until they are encircled. Clear?”

“Crystal,” affirmed the Chief of Staff.

For the next hour, Tanaka-lan's armada of four hundred and fifty warships followed Somerville's fleet, eventually sealing off the shift passage through which they entered the system. Impatience gnawed at Tanaka-lan, his warriors instincts yearned to emerge from stealth and pounce on the Human and traitors ships. However, their convoy remained elusive and so he had to wait. He couldn’t risk it getting away. “Instruct a squadron to traverse up the shift passage in shift space and seek out the convoy,” he directed, frustration evident in his tone. “They must've positioned it deeper within the shift passage.”

“Aye, Imperator,” an officer acknowledged.

If it came to it, he would capture the younger Somerville and then hunt down the convoy. However, Tanaka-lan preferred to deal with both simultaneously, enabling him to eliminate them from the equation and fully concentrate on the impending war. As a result, he waited another hour as his ships executed a series of jumps up the shift passage. However, none reported back with news of the convoy's location. Something else is going on, Tanaka-lan mused, reclining in his command chair to reassess the situation. He remained convinced that the Humans didn't possess the number of ships they were feigning. So why push further into the system? The answer seemed clear: to divert the garrison fleet. And the reason for this diversion was to ensure the convoy's smooth passage. But their whereabouts remained a mystery. It was implausible for even a single freighter to bypass the covert drones and ships he'd stationed at the shift passage's terminus, much less hundreds. So where were they?

An answer struck Tanaka-lan as he gazed beyond the shift passage and the inner system. "Realign our passive sensors," he directed, leaning forward with renewed vigor. "Focus on these sectors." He selected several areas of the outer system beyond the system's mass shadow. Assuming the convoy had navigated around the system from approximately where the Human and traitorous warships had exited shift space, the convoy wouldn't have progressed too far. "And send stealth frigates to these zones."

Around forty-five minutes later, Tanaka-lan's triumphant grin exposed razor sharp black teeth, and his claws unsheathed in elation. He had them! Though some officers seemed skeptical — only a few sensor pings had been identified — the readings emanated from one of the regions he'd pinpointed. Plotting the convoy's trajectory from one asteroid field to the next, Tanaka-lan's satisfaction grew as he noted the distance between Jonathan Somerville's fleet and the convoy. The younger commander was too far removed to assist. Especially if I execute this strategy, he contemplated, inputting commands into his chair's panel. With Somerville deep within the inner system, Tanaka-lan could capture the convoy and subsequently then turn and engage Somerville’s warships at his leisure.

"The hunt concludes now," Tanaka-lan announced to his subordinates, dispatching orders to their consoles. "Take us out of stealth and advance!"

*

IS Hammerclaw

"I suspect our deception won't hold much longer," Harte remarked. "The sensor activity from the fleet base has intensified. They will soon be able to see through the drones’ fake emissions."

"Then this is as far as we go," Jonathan concluded. "Position us in a high orbit around the base. Direct all active sensors towards it. We need to give the impression we're meticulously surveying the base for a potential assault. Also, relay instructions to Captain Young to ready his flotilla for an initial recon attack."

"Aye, Commodore," Iso acknowledged.

At this juncture, Jonathan's strategy was simple. While keeping his drones and retrofitted freighters at bay, he would dispatch various segments of his fleet to assess the base's defenses. Hopefully, this would maintain the illusion of his force outnumbering the garrison, while simultaneously providing short engagements that would camouflage any out-of-place signals emanating from outside the system.

However, before anyone could act on his orders, alarms for new contacts blared. Jonathan’s heart skipped a beat. Wherever the new contacts were coming from, it wasn’t the fleet base, which meant they were likely behind him. Filled with apprehension, he expanded the holo image just as Harte started updating everyone based on Hammerclaw’s sensor readings.

“Hundreds of new contacts!” Harte exclaimed. “They're emerging from the outer system. Right on our tail!”

Fool! Jonathan thought the moment he saw the new contacts. Although they trailed his force, they were positioned closer to his fleet than the end of the shift passage he had entered from. More crucially, they weren't directly behind him but seemed to be veering from a trajectory that cut across his path. They’ve been in the system all along, Jonathan knew instantly. Tanaka-lan, he thought as his gaze fixated on the three massive dreadnoughts at the heart of the Karacknid formation. Even though they differed from the one his ships had previously damaged, Jonathan was certain the Karacknid Imperator was aboard one of them. He outplayed us, Jonathan lamented. Everything, from the diminished garrison force to the scanty number of ships in the preceding systems, had all been a trap. And I fell right into it.

Doubt assaulted Jonathan's confidence. He had thought that besting the enemy Imperator had meant something before. That he was a competent commander. That he did have what it took to get the convoy to safety. Yet, in an instant, that all evaporated. Tanaka-lan had lured him in like a fool, and Jonathan had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. Jonathan’s eyes flicked to the garrison force. Though they hadn’t moved yet, he knew what was coming. Soon they would break orbit, and his ships would be trapped between both forces. Even if he made it into the inner system, there was no way he could avoid facing off against at least one of them. We are doomed, Jonathan feared. Sadness and guilt filled him. After all his officers and ships had accomplished, after how far they had come and how close they were to making it out of Karacknid space, they were going to fall at the last hurdle. And it’s all my fault, he thought in anguish.

“There are four hundred and fifty of them,” Harte reported next. “And they’re beginning to split up.”

In a second, Jonathan’s self-incrimination evaporated. As the enemy force began to split and three hundred turned towards the outer system, his blood turned to ice. Tanaka-lan had found the convoy. Of course he has! Jonathan thought in despair. The Imperator would have known full well Jonathan would have brought the convoy with him. And now I have left them alone with almost no defenses! They are all going to die.

Just as Jonathan felt like giving up, his words to Har'gna came back to him. ‘I will do whatever it takes. You have my word.’ Instantly, Jonathan’s anguish turned to anger. If Tanaka-lan wanted to destroy his ships and mercilessly slaughter hundreds of thousands of women and children, Jonathan had no intention of making it easy for him.

“Turn the fleet now!” Jonathan ordered. “Put us onto a rendezvous course for the larger Karacknid force. I want one hundred and ten percent acceleration from our forces. Any ship that can’t keep up is to be left behind.”

“Commodore, are you sure?” Iso asked.

“Now!” Jonathan repeated in the most serious tone he had ever used. In a flash, Iso turned back to her console and did as she was told. “Rossi, signal the convoy. Tell them to go to maximum acceleration and avoid the larger Karacknid force for as long as they can. Let them know we are coming.”

Moments later, new alarms went off. “The garrison force is breaking orbit. They’re coming after us, Commodore,” Harte said.

Jonathan nodded absentmindedly. The garrison force was of no immediate concern to him. Yes, they would likely catch and destroy his ships eventually, if Tanaka-lan didn’t do so first. But that didn’t matter in the slightest. His gaze was focused solely on the one hundred and thirty Karacknid warships that were moving in from the inner system to intercept him. Their job was evidently to stop him from interfering with Tanaka-lan’s attack on the convoy. “We must fight our way through them,” Jonathan said as he voiced his thoughts aloud. “Everything is lost if we don’t.” Realizing what he had said, Jonathan turned to Iso. “Open a COM channel with all our warships; I need to speak to our people.”

“At once, Commodore,” Rossi responded.

“Human and Free Karacknid ships, you can all see what is before us. Tanaka-lan has come, and he is intent on unleashing a storm of death onto the civilians of our convoy,” Jonathan began as he attempted to rally his ships. “Yet, we still have a chance to stand in the breach and hold back his assault. The momentum of Tanaka-lan’s ships is taking them away from the convoy. It will be a long chase for him to turn and catch our freighters. If we can close with him, we have a chance to buy the time our convoy needs to escape.

“Tanaka-lan thirsts for our deaths. I say we give him what he desires! Let us close with him and spend our lives dearly. May we strike such a blow against Tanaka-lan that he will not quickly forget it. Let us show him why we fight - for the freedom of our people! If we must die, then let us die well. Commodore Sommerville out.”

As he spoke, Jonathan kept his eyes on the main holo display and the view of Tanaka-lan’s ships. Now, though, he looked around at his officers. One by one, he met their eyes. No more words needed to be said. They all knew the ramifications of his order. Both Iso and Montgomery nodded, showing that they were ready for what was to come. A mixture of fear and determination filled the faces of the rest of Jonathan’s officers. Though he kept his face impassive, he felt the same. No doubt to them, he seemed like an old man, yet in reality they were all young. All of them had many years ahead of them. Yet they were all about to give it up to give the Karacknid civilians a chance. It's what duty and honor call us to, Jonathan told himself, amazed that no one looked like they wanted to object. Despite their fear, every officer knew they had taken on responsibility for the convoy; now they had to fulfil their charge.

As Jonathan completed a full circle in his command chair, meeting everyone’s eyes, he came to Becca last. She was standing stiffly at attention beside the main hatch into the bridge. As their eyes met, much passed between them: their fear and sense of duty, their hopes for a future together, and Becca’s willingness to follow Jonathan wherever he led them. Slowly and silently, Becca raised her right hand to give Jonathan a salute.

It was the final encouragement he needed. Swinging his command chair around again, he faced the holo display and Tanaka-lan’s ships once more. Already the Imperator’s main force was sharply turning as it moved to pursue the convoy. The convoy itself had received Jonathan’s order and was making the best possible speed for the safe passage to The Wilds. Tanaka-lan’s smaller force was completing its own turn as it maneuvered to try and intercept Jonathan's ships as they in turn attempted to catch Tanaka-lan.

“They’re going to be able to interpose themselves between us and Tanaka-lan’s main force,” Harte informed Jonathan as he projected both groups of ships' courses forward in time. “On their current heading, it looks like they plan to close to energy weapon range.”

“Tanaka-lan is going to sacrifice them,” Jonathan concluded. “He hopes to cripple us so we cannot catch him. Then either his ships can turn and destroy us once they have taken the convoy, or the fleet base’s garrison can do so in his stead.” Jonathan hardened his voice. “Is that how we're going to let things play out?” He asked his officers.

Cries of, “No, Sir” or “No, Commodore,” filled the bridge.

“Exactly what I thought,” Jonathan responded. “Then let us prepare to dispatch this force so we can move on to our real targets. I want every idea you have that will give us an advantage.”

Twenty minutes later, Jonathan felt his squadron was ready. The Karacknid squadron of one hundred and thirty ships would get to fire off three salvos, and then whatever ships they had left would be able to fire their energy weapons. Jonathan was confident they would only get off one volley, for he intended to make sure every one of the Karacknid ships was blown apart by his own energy weapons.

Before both sides reached weapons range of one another, however, Jonathan had other problems to see to. With his fleet accelerating at one hundred and ten percent thrust, ships were constantly falling out of formation from damage to their reactors or engines. Those that could made quick repairs and followed after Jonathan's squadron, in the hope that they could still be of some use. The damage to others meant they were out of commission; where possible, Jonathan evacuated their crews, for there was nothing he could do for their ships. With the Karacknid garrison fleet moving to pursue his ships, any that were left behind would fall under their guns. To Jonathan’s dismay, three ships suffered such cataclysmic damage that they detonated as their reactors overloaded or melted down. In each case, only a single survivor was able to be saved. Despite the losses, no one on Hammerclaw’s bridge complained, nor did anyone from the rest of the squadron. Everyone knew it was necessary if they were to have any chance of catching Tanaka-lan.

By the time Harte announced they were about to enter missile range of the one hundred and thirty Karacknid ships designated enemy squadron Beta, Jonathan had lost eleven ships to failure or explosions. Even so, he still outnumbered his first opponents by eighty ships, and he intended to make it count. “Fire!” he ordered as soon as his ships came into range. Seconds later, four thousand six hundred missiles were shot out of their tubes towards the Karacknid squadron. Four minutes and forty-six seconds after that, a second salvo was fired. The Karacknids fired their second salvo after almost the same delay, showing they were the cream of Tanaka-lan’s forces.

Before either side could fire their third salvos, they had to defend themselves. Twenty seconds before the Karacknid salvo reached defensive weapon range of Jonathan's ships, a hundred shuttles suddenly came out of stealth and began engaging them. Equipped with weapons primarily designed to defend themselves from surface-to-air missiles, the shuttles were nevertheless able to shoot down a considerable number of anti-ship missiles in the brief seconds the Karacknid missiles were in the range of their weapons. About a sixth of the enemy salvo was taken out.

The tactic meant that none of Jonathan's ships would have shuttles to evacuate their crew in case of an emergency, nor could search and rescue shuttles be sent from undamaged ships to pick up crews that needed to abandon ship. Yet, given that only ships that survived the engagement with light damage would have any chance of catching Tanaka-lan’s force, Jonathan had deemed the cost worth it.

Just before the remaining Karacknid missiles crashed into his force, over a thousand active and passive recon drones powered up. Arrayed all around Jonathan's ships, they filled space with jamming emissions or sought to replicate the sensor profile of Jonathan's ships. With Tanaka-lan’s alpha squadron filling space with gravimetric emissions as they accelerated hard after the convoy, the drones were no longer necessary to track him and so they too were being used up. Finally, every defensive weapon opened fire.

Despite all of Jonathan’s ploys, several missiles made it into attack range. Moments later, Hammerclaw’s sensors were blinded by antimatter detonations. When they cleared, eight ships were gone or falling out of formation.

In reply, Jonathan’s missiles took seventeen enemy ships out of the battle. Then, both squadrons fixed their formations and fired their third and final salvos. Having already lost a tenth of their strength, and with Jonathan's second and third salvos being mark VII missiles, the Karacknids' losses mounted. Twenty-three and forty-one ships were lost to each salvo, while Jonathan lost just twenty-four ships to the next two enemy missile barrages.

After their last salvos hit home, what was left of both forces prepared for the coming energy weapon duel. Jonathan’s body tensed as his one hundred and eighty ships rushed towards the remaining sixty-four Karacknids. Laser beams, plasma bolts, and mass driver rounds slashed out to savage their targets. Both squadrons disappeared behind fiery explosions. Hammerclaw, being one of just four heavy cruisers in Jonathan’s force, was targeted by three enemy ships. Evasive maneuvers quickly saved her from several laser beams; her shields deflected several more, but then they were overwhelmed and failed. Three beams struck Jonathan’s flagship. One was at a tight enough angle that Hammerclaw’s valstronium armor absorbed and deflected enough energy to save the cruiser from a hull breach. The other two burned right through the armor and pierced into Hammerclaw’s innards.

Jonathan was thrown around in his command chair, and then alarms filled the bridge. The fact that he was still alive and the bridge seemed to have power told Jonathan the damage wasn’t fatal. Nevertheless, he waited with bated breath as Montgomery oversaw his ship and sought to ascertain just how bad the damage was.

“We’ve lost starboard missile tubes two, seven, and eight,” a Lieutenant reported. “At least twenty casualties are on their way to sickbay and we have fifteen crew now listed as missing in action.”

“Engines are still fully functioning,” another updated.

“Chief O’Rourke says reactor one can’t be pushed above eighty percent, but the other three are all good to go,” a third Lieutenant informed Montgomery moments later.

“And our sensors?” Montgomery asked as he waved a hand towards the blank holo display.

“Getting them back now, Captain,” Hammerclaw’s tactical Lieutenant called out. “I’ve had to reroute the data from several of our sensor arrays.”

Thirty seconds later, the holo display sprang to life again and showed everyone both squadrons. The scene was one of devastation. Nearly twenty Imperial or Free Karacknid ships had been blasted into debris. As many as thirty more were falling out of formation or spinning away, wildly out of control. Of the Karacknid squadron, not a single intact ship was visible. Every one had been targeted by at least two of Jonathan’s ships.

Despite the damage to Hammerclaw and his losses, Jonathan’s body sat a little straighter as some tension drained from his back and shoulders. The first hurdle was down. Using his command chair’s control panel, Jonathan switched the image on the holo display to find Tanaka-lan’s three hundred warships. Seemingly unconcerned for their now-deceased brethren, they were still charging full speed after the convoy.

“Fifteen minutes,” Jonathan said authoritatively. “Signal our ships and inform them they have fifteen minutes to make good their repairs. Then we accelerate and take the fight to Tanaka-lan. Anyone who cannot keep up should abandon ship and do whatever they can to avoid the Karacknid garrison fleet,” Jonathan said to his officers. “We can do nothing more for them; our duty lies ahead of us now.”

With three hundred warships, Jonathan had no hope of defeating the Karacknid Imperator. But if he could force Tanaka-lan to turn and fight him, even for just a handful of salvos, it would buy the convoy many precious minutes. Minutes that could be the difference between them reaching the system’s mass shadow or not. The Free Karacknid warriors will have the honorable deaths they desire, and we will do what duty demands of us, Jonathan thought to himself. And may I make you proud, he thought towards his mother and father.

Chapter 39

Sometimes fortune plays as important a role in the outcome of any military campaign as logistics, tactics or strategy. The early engagements of the Second Karacknid War illustrate this point well enough. Yet I am not so sure those who lived through the events saw it that way.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Beast

Emilie and her fleet of three hundred and ten warships jumped into the Hijal system, ready for a fight. After carefully examining the scouting data on the Karacknid border systems, Emilie deemed Hijal the easiest nut to crack. Her plan was to smash her way through the system’s garrison fleet and then push on into Karacknid space, searching for any sign of Jonathan and his Free Karacknids.

As Beast’s passive sensors began sifting through the electromagnetic energy washing over them, the holo display updated. Just in time, Emilie saw Jonathan and the Karacknid squadron clash with their energy weapons. She gasped as the acceleration profile of Hammerclaw was identified. It then merged with the Karacknid warships, and chaos ensued. Emilie shook her head, utterly confused by Jonathan's actions. Given his numerical advantage, he could have stayed at a distance from the Karacknids and decimated them. Why was he taking such risks? Though filled with questions, she watched the brief engagement until she was certain that Hammerclaw had survived.

Once assured, she expanded the holo image to encompass the rest of the system. Immediately, what appeared to be the Hijal system’s garrison fleet caught her eye. It was moving from its base towards Jonathan’s ships. Though there was a distance between Jonathan’s ships and the garrison fleet, their current trajectories suggested an inevitable confrontation. Emilie's confusion grew. "What is he doing?" she wondered aloud. It was only when she spotted the large convoy of Karacknid freighters, far outside the system but accelerating towards Beast, that she grasped Jonathan's intentions.

“The Free Karacknids,” she announced, drawing the attention of many officers. Jonathan was trying to smuggle whoever was aboard those freighters through the system and had attacked the system's fleet base as a diversion. However, it looked like he had been outmaneuvered, and badly! Besides the Karacknid squadron Jonathan had decimated, another three hundred warships blocked the path between Jonathan and the convoy. And they would soon intercept the freighters too. She didn't know how many Free Karacknids were on those freighters but given Jonathan’s apparent willingness to confront a far larger Karacknid fleet, they were clearly important to him.

They are important to him, but not my primary concern right now, Emilie reminded herself. As a naval officer, her sworn duty was to protect the Emperor and his lineage. She had to save Jonathan, regardless of whatever heroic feat he believed he was undertaking. “Take the fleet in, maximum acceleration, set us on this trajectory,” Emilie directed, choosing a path that would allow her to meet Jonathan's ships.  If he turned to rendezvous with her quickly it would prevent either the garrison fleet or the Karacknids chasing the Free Karacknid convoy from obliterating her cousin’s remaining vessels.

“Transmit a message to Hammerclaw using the gravimetric COM,” Emilie instructed. “Send this: Commodore Sommerville, by order of Vice Admiral Emilie Alveraz, you are ordered to adjust course and rendezvous with my ships. As the Imperial Heir, you cannot afford to risk yourself for the freighters in the outer system. Turn, and we can escort your ships to safety.”

“Transmitting now, Admiral,” Emilie’s COMs officer confirmed.

*

IS Hammerclaw

When contact alarms blared throughout the bridge and Hammerclaw's sensors detected Imperial ships accelerating into the system, Jonathan was as taken aback as Emilie had been. For a fleeting moment, hope swelled within him and his officers as Harte charted the Imperial ships' trajectory. Their approach suggested that with a minor course alteration, they could converge with the convoy and assist in its evacuation from the system.

But then Emilie’s message reached Hammerclaw. Initially, Jonathan frowned in confusion. His bewilderment quickly transformed into frustration. How could his cousin disregard the dire situation of the freighters and instruct him to abandon them? Perhaps she's unaware, he hoped. “Rossi, send a response: Admiral, those freighters are transporting over four hundred and fifty thousand Karacknid women and children. They are all Free Karacknids. Tanaka-lan leads the forces trailing them. He intends to slaughter them all. I cannot abandon them. Join us and help ensure their safety.”

*

IS Beast

Emilie faltered upon receiving Jonathan’s message. Her heart ached for the innocent souls aboard the freighters. Although she instinctively viewed all Karacknids with suspicion, she believed that targeting defenseless women and children was morally reprehensible. While she yearned to assist, she recognized her primary duty: she couldn't permit Jonathan to be harmed or taken prisoner, especially with Tanaka-lan commanding the enemy fleet! As much as she wanted, she couldn’t fulfill both objectives. If she directed her entire fleet to confront Tanaka-lan’s forces and instructed Jonathan to head for the system’s mass shadow, the Karacknid garrison fleet would inevitably catch and annihilate him. The only viable solution was for him to change course immediately.

Reluctantly, she addressed her COMs officer. “Transmit this: Adjust your course immediately, Commodore. Emphasize Sommerville’s rank.”

“Aye, Admiral,” the Lieutenant responded.

*

IS Hammerclaw

Jonathan grasped his cousin's intentions clearly. Emphasizing his rank was a definitive command, and duty dictated he comply.

“What would you have us do, Commodore?” Iso inquired.

“We do nothing,” Jonathan replied, raising a hand to his jaw, deep in thought about how to persuade Emilie. After a moment, he activated the recording feature on his command chair. “Cousin,” he began, attempting to appeal to Emilie’s emotions as much as her reason. “I cannot redirect my ships. We've pledged our protection to these people. Many have already sworn allegiance to my father and even to me. They're as much a part of our Empire as you and I.

“Consider this: they embody a new future for the Karacknid people—a future where honor is achieved through service and honing skills that are not just focused on conquest and massacre. If we hold any hope that the Karacknid civilization might one day prize these values over mere conquest, it lies with those on board the freighters. If it costs my life to grant them this opportunity, I believe it's a worthy sacrifice. And one that may save our people from a great deal of loss in the future as well.”

Turning to Rossi, Jonathan offered a brief smile. “Broadcast that, audio and visual,” he directed, transmitting the recording from his command chair to her station. He then leaned back. The conventional transmission to Beast would take six minutes, but Emilie would immediately discern his decision by his ships’ consistent course.

*

IS Beast

Emilie’s hands tightened into fists as she stared at Jonathan’s unmoving squadron. The fool, she thought, as more seconds ticked by and he didn’t turn. Didn't he realize how important he was to the Empire? When Tanaka-lan’s real invasion came, it would boost the fleet’s morale no end to know the Imperial Heir fought on the frontlines with them. And then there is his potential to be Emperor one day, Emilie thought, cursing inwardly. “Repeat the last message,” she ordered, though she doubted Jonathan would listen. He was as headstrong as his father and mother combined!

A minute later, when Hammerclaw still hadn’t turned, Emilie shook her head. Blast him! she thought. He’s going to make me witness his death! What will I say to his parents?

For several more minutes, Emilie observed Jonathan’s ships continue their charge to intercept Tanaka-lan’s squadron. Just as she was about to give up and order her ships to decrease their acceleration rates, a button on her console began to flash. “We’ve just received a standard message from Hammerclaw,” Emilie’s COM officer informed her. Emilie projected it onto her command chair’s holo display and viewed it. As Jonathan spoke, she began to grasp his perspective. In her imagination, she pictured the freighters teeming with Human women and children. Then the image of her son replacing one of the little boys she saw. What would she do in Jonathan’s place? There was only one answer. Her life paled into insignificance compared to four hundred and fifty thousand people.

Yet Emilie still wavered. She knew Jonathan had made several Karacknid acquaintances prior to his mission to save their civilians. Unquestionably, he had fostered even deeper connections since. While he might regard them as allies and friends, she found it much more challenging. But what if he is correct? Emilie wondered. If the Free Karacknids could escape their Empire and forge a distinct civilization, one divergent from Tanaka-lan’s path, then perhaps they might persuade countless other Karacknids to abandon their relentless ambition to annihilate and dominate her species' civilization. What am I supposed to do? Emilie asked herself, her emotions swirling into a tempest of contradictions. She had a sworn duty to safeguard Jonathan, but she also bore responsibility to the Empire and its destiny. And then there were the children Tanaka-lan planned to cruelly massacre!

Emilie closed her eyes as she tried to clear her mind and think through her options. It didn’t take long for an idea to come to her, one that might save the freighters and get Jonathan to safety. Immediately, her thoughts went to her son and husband. Samuel and Mark were both back on Earth. Every time she stepped aboard a warship, she understood the risks she was taking and the potential consequences for her family. She and Mark had discussed it often. Many times, he had expressed his desire for her to secure a position at the Naval Academy. With all her battle experience, she could contribute immensely to the Empire by training the next generation of officers. While true, Emilie had known she was needed more elsewhere. Behind Admiral Becket and her uncle, she was perhaps the third best commander in the fleet. She had to be on the front lines when the war with the Karacknids finally began.

And now, here you are, she told herself. And you have no choice. Emilie’s heart ached for her husband and son. A tear escaped her eye and trickling down her cheek. Mourn for their loss later, she sternly told herself. First, do what needs to be done.

Opening her eyes, Emilie turned to her Chief of Staff. “Commander Finch, we’re going to split the fleet,” she announced. “I want one hundred and fifty ships to rendezvous with Somerville. They are to escort his ships out of the system and ward off the garrison squadron. Appoint Rear Admiral Ryans to lead. Emphasize that he is senior to Commodore Somerville. Somerville must obey his every order; otherwise, Ryans is to have him relieved of command.”

“Yes, Admiral,” Emilie’s Chief of Staff responded gravely. “And the rest of us?”

“We'll intercept Tanaka-lan’s fleet and protect that convoy of freighters,” Emilie replied in a subdued tone. “It's the only way to ensure their safety and that of the Imperial Heir. Pass my instructions on to all our vessels. Everyone must fulfill their duty. Our sworn commitment to the Emperor and the fleet comes before all else.”

Finch nodded, his expression darkening as he grasped the gravity of Emilie's orders.

As Finch began issuing directives and the fleet started to move, Emilie recorded a message for Jonathan. “Cousin,” she began, offering a warm smile, “your argument is compelling. You've persuaded me. I'll assist, but on one condition. You must immediately turn your ships towards the safe passage out of this system. I’m dispatching nearly half my fleet to ensure your safety. I will confront Tanaka-lan. You have already done enough. Your relationship to the Free Karacknids is crucial. You need to survive this just as much as that convoy does if the future you hope for them is ever going to materialize. Every officer and crew member aboard my vessels has pledged to protect you. Comply with my directive and head for safety, and I will deal with Tanaka-lan.”

Emilie fixed an intense gaze on the recording device. “Let me be clear: if you don’t, I'll change course. This plan only proceeds if I'm certain of your safety.” Emilie's voice softened, “For the sake of your parents and the Empire you embody, comply.” Pausing, she looked down at her clasped hands. Another tear threatened to fall. “I’m sending you the letters I wrote to Mark and Samuel. I'll pen another when I can. Ensure they receive them. As Samuel matures, help him understand my decision. Make sure he knows that I loved him with all my heart and that it is for him and his future that I do this.” Another tear ran down Emilie’s cheek as she imagined her son growing up to hate her for leaving him. “Please, help him understand,” she pleaded as she looked back up at the recording device. She stared unblinkingly for a couple of seconds, desperate for Jonathan to grasp just how important it was to her. Then she tapped her console to stop recording.

As she finished, Emilie had to raise a hand to wipe a tear from her cheek. She then sent the message to her COMs officer to transmit. “Ensure everyone on our ships gets at least a few minutes to themselves to write or record any final messages they wish to relay to our other vessels.”

“Aye, aye,” Finch replied, his voice thick with emotion.

When Finch turned back to his console, Emilie opened a new file on her command chair. Holding back tears, she began to write her final letter to her husband and son. Agony filled her heart, and her fingers trembled as she sought the right words for Samuel. He was only five; she knew he couldn’t understand now. But he will someday, she thought, seeking solace in the hope Jonathan and Mark would help him see. One day, these words will mean something with him. With as much effort as she had ever devoted to anything before, Emilie sought to convey the depth of her feelings to her son who was going to grow up without his mother.

*

IS Hammerclaw.

Listening to Emilie’s message, Jonathan felt a constriction in his heart and a tremor in his lips. A torrent of anger and love overwhelmed him. He hadn’t wanted Emilie to risk herself against Tanaka-lan for him, but to confront him with equal strength! Consider her perspective, a voice whispered in his mind. What if it was your father in danger? He recognized he would sacrifice everything for his father's safety. His father epitomized the Empire. The Empire’s hopes of vanquishing Tanaka-lan were pinned on his parents. That's how Emilie perceives you, the voice continued. Although he comprehended this intellectually, he couldn't emotionally reconcile with the notion. To him, Emilie held more significance to the Empire and their people than he did.

She’ll divert her fleet if I don't comply, Jonathan said to himself when Emilie’s message ended. Despite the melancholy in his cousin's eyes, he recognized her resolve. She had been sincere. If he persisted on his course, she’d adjust hers. She wasn't willing to jeopardize both their lives. Jonathan exhaled deeply, torn between wanting to continue his offensive against Tanaka-lan and the guilt of potentially being responsible for Emilie’s fate. His failures had granted Tanaka-lan the opportunity to threaten the convoy. If anyone should face the consequences, it ought to be him.

Yet, glancing at Emilie’s formidable fleet, Jonathan acknowledged that she was better equipped to protect the convoy. His own fleet was outnumbered and many of his vessels were damaged, whereas Emilie’s was fresh and ready for a fight. She also appeared to have several pocket carriers accompanying her. More, in contrast to his largest vessel, a heavy cruiser, Emilie commanded four dreadnoughts, supplemented by a number of battleships and battlecruisers. Her fleet undoubtedly offered the convoy its best chance of survival. Reflecting on his own words, Jonathan questioned if his own life, if sacrificed, might guarantee the Karacknids' safety and a brighter future for their civilization. Was his pride worth more than Emilie's life and the potential of a reimagined Karacknid society?

With a sigh that was filled with sorrow, Jonathan made his decision. While he felt an urge to sink into his chair or even flee, he steeled himself for the task ahead. “Convey Admiral Alveraz’s directives to the squadron. Set a new course to rendezvous with Vice Admiral Alveraz’s secondary fleet. Initiate the turn as soon as possible.”

Iso hesitated, exchanging glances with Montgomery and the other staff officers. “Are you certain, Commodore?”

Jonathan didn’t meet her eyes. “I am, Commander. Turn our ships. Reduce acceleration rates to one hundred percent. And instruct the damaged ships we left behind to follow us. If possible, I want to recover as many as we can.”

“Yes, Commodore,” Iso said, her voice betraying a mixture of relief and a hint of defeat.

Not wanting to look at any of his officers, Jonathan watched as his ships turned on the holo display. However, not all of his squadron complied. Every one of the Free Karacknid warships continued on, unwavering in their quest to intercept Tanaka-lan.

“Get me Har’gna,” Jonathan requested. “Why haven’t you turned?” he demanded as soon as Har’gna appeared before him. “Didn’t you receive Admiral Alveraz’s message? She won’t commit to engaging Tanaka-lan unless we turn.”

Har’gna bared his teeth to Jonathan in the Karacknid equivalent of a smile. “She said she would not engage unless you turned, Imperator’s Heir. And turn you have, though I am sure it was no easy decision for you. Letting others fight in your stead isn't the Karacknid way, nor, I believe, yours. Yet your position places on you responsibilities that are rarely pleasant.”

“But why not turn then?” Jonathan pressed. “You know the fate that awaits Alveraz’s ships, so why sacrifice your ships as well?”

“Your Admiral Alveraz goes to fight and die for our people, even though she doesn’t know us. I, and my people, won't simply stand by and watch others fight to protect our families. Honor calls us to fight for those we love, regardless of the cost. We will engage Tanaka-lan alongside your Admiral Alveraz and honor her bravery as we fight beside her.” Har’gna blinked and then fixed Jonathan with a piercing gaze. “We are prepared to die so that our families might live. However, Admiral Alveraz is correct, you, Imperator’s Heir, must survive. You have shown us a respect and trust that many of our own kind haven't. The future of our movement rests with your father and you. Please look after our people and ensure our dream of a liberated Karacknid civilization is realized.”

Jonathan felt the profound weight of Har’gna's words, sensing the responsibility the Karacknid leader was placing upon him. He bowed deeply in response. “You have my word, Captain. I will do everything in my power to ensure the safety of your people and bring your vision to life.”

Har’gna stood, bowing so low that his forehead touched the deck of his ship’s bridge. When he rose, he held his right hand over his face and extended his claws. “We go to our deaths, Imperator’s Heir, and we fight in your name. May we honor you.”

"May you honor yourselves and your families," Jonathan replied as he gave Har’gna a salute.

“Death to Tanaka-lan!” Har’gna called out, and his officers echoed his words back to him.

“Death to Tanaka-lan,” Jonathan repeated. He then nodded to Har’gna. “Fight well, my friend.”

Har’gna smiled again. “As you command, Imperator’s Heir. Farewell.”

“Farewell,” Jonathan replied, struggling to keep the sadness from his voice. Har’gna held his gaze for a few more seconds, then leaned forward and tapped a button on his command chair, ending their conversation.

Jonathan exchanged glances with Iso and Montgomery. After weeks of working with Har’gna and his officers, they had all developed a growing friendship together. Now, that camaraderie would perish with them. But others will rise up to lead their people, Jonathan told himself, his gaze shifting to the fleeing convoy, seeking to find solace in the potential it represented as his friends and family charged into battle as he fled.

*

Wrathful

To suggest that Tanaka-lan was displeased with the turn of events would be a gross understatement. In the span of mere minutes, he went from moving to bring the traitor’s convoy under his guns and having Emperor Somerville’s son charging towards his inevitable death or capture, to watching both prizes slip through his grasp. He's going to escape again! Tanaka-lan raged. Although he was aware it wasn't directly his fault, Tanaka-lan couldn't suppress the rising anger within him. The Emperor’s son, Jonathan, he thought, forcing himself to use the boy’s name, was poised to elude him for a third time.

As he evaluated the three hundred and thirty new ships accelerating into the system, Tanaka-lan scoured his mind for a strategy to engage all three of his intended targets. Yet, no solution materialized. The opposing fleet, now moving to pass the convoy and preparing to confront his ships, was simply too formidable. Tanaka-lan was certain they'd team up with the convoy's escort, pivot, and then attempt to reach energy weapon range of his vessels to rake his ships. Unless he wanted to risk them obliterating his flagship, he'd have to divert his course from them—and, consequently, the escaping convoy.

And they have fighters! Tanaka-lan thought as he spotted their carriers. While he still had some in reserve, it seemed likely the newcomers had more. That meant he'd need to reconfigure his formation to shield his capital ships, for any fighter strike would likely target his dreadnoughts, regardless of whether they were aware of his personal presence aboard. Doing so would cost precious time, time that would give the convoy an even better chance to escape.

Most of all though, what made Tanaka-lan certain the convoy would escape was the dreadnought at the center of the newcomers' formation. Thanks to the spy ships he had observing the Humans' worlds, he knew who commanded it. While his spies had almost no direct contact with Human assets, he had made it a priority to always track the whereabouts of the enemy’s top commanders, as this gave him a great deal of information about their intentions. Emilie Alveraz, Tanaka-lan silently mouthed her name. He was familiar with her, having battled her several times during his species' previous war with the Humans. Although he viewed himself as the superior tactician, even without a fighter advantage and the capability to charge his ships, Tanaka-lan humbly recognized that Alveraz had the skills to stall him long enough for the convoy to flee. There's no stopping them! Tanaka-lan told himself. With significant effort, he mentally shelved his desire to crush the convoy. He would put it away for now, but one day, I will have my revenge, he thought, convinced that wherever it went, he'd eventually pursue and annihilate the convoy once he had conquered the Humans' territory.

Turning from the convoy, Tanaka-lan focused instead on Somerville’s son. With his ships now also darting towards the shift passage leading from Hijal into unclaimed space, it appeared Jonathan Somerville would elude capture too. Tanaka-lan had already dispatched the system's garrison to tail the younger Somerville, but they would only manage to fire two salvos before their prey could make the jump to shift space. With some of the newcomers' ships converging with Somerville's, Tanaka-lan was certain they would do whatever necessary to shield the Emperor’s heir from the missiles. For a moment, he toyed with the idea of deploying his fighters to target the heavy cruiser transporting Jonathan Somerville. However, such a move would expose his own capital ships to the incoming fighters. He had a trick he hoped would deal with them, but he needed his fighters just in case. You've learned your lesson in that respect, he mused, acknowledging that as much as he yearned to annihilate the Emperor’s progeny, he wouldn't jeopardize his own life in the process.

Finding no viable strategy to ensnare either of his prime targets, Tanaka-lan refocused on the newcomers accelerating to confront him. She is kin to the Emperor, he reminded himself. She'll have to suffice. Extending a finger towards the holo representation of Alveraz’s flagship, Tanaka-lan highlighted it. “This is our target,” he directed his officers. You might believe you're displaying valor, he mentally taunted the opposing Admiral, but your recklessness will herald the downfall of your Emperor.

Chapter 40

Every commander must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the Empire. The real trick however, is knowing when that time has come.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

IS Beast

As her ships continued to charge towards Tanaka-lan’s force, Emilie’s mind felt clearer than ever before. Though she was about to face off against what was likely the best fleet commander in the galaxy, she was relaxed. Jonathan’s ships had turned, ensuring her uncle’s son's safety. Now, having come to terms with her fate, Emilie no longer cared about what was to happen to her. Instead, every ounce of her energy was devoted to the impending battle. If possible, she planned to take Tanaka-lan with her into death. With their Imperator gone, there was a good chance the Karacknid Empire would descend into disillusionment and internal strife again. Even if it didn’t, Tanaka-lan’s demise would significantly disrupt his invasion plans. I’m not going to make this easy for you, she thought towards her people’s greatest enemy.

With her renewed sense of purpose, Emilie visualized her best approach. Her primary objective was to slow the Karacknid’s pursuit of the convoy. Then, she aimed to target Tanaka-lan directly. Given only three dreadnoughts were present in the enemy’s formation, he had to be on one of them. We will destroy all three, and then there will be no doubt, she resolved. As she played things out in her mind, she came to the same conclusion Tanaka-lan had already reached. If she could make the Karacknids fear she was attempting to get within energy weapon range, Tanaka-lan would likely retreat. If not, that would be even better, Emilie mused.

“Signal the convoy's escorts,” Emilie directed her Chief of Staff, “have them detach from the convoy and rendezvous with us. Determine the best way to incorporate them into our formation.”

“Aye, Admiral,” Finch acknowledged.

“Then, communicate with the Free Karacknid warships from Jonathan's squadron. Let them know there’s no point in facing Tanaka-lan alone. Request they coordinate with us,” Emilie continued. “Establish a direct COM channel when we’re within range.”

“Yes, Admiral,” her COMs officer confirmed.

Emilie was relieved when, two minutes later, the Free Karacknid warships adjusted their trajectory. Instead of charging straight into the weapons range of Tanaka-lan’s fleet, they synchronized their movement with her ships. For the next two hours, every group in the system adhered to their new courses. The convoy, cutting directly through the system, approached, and then passed Emilie’s formation. As it did, its thirty escorts decelerated and redirected to merge with her fleet. Throughout the flight, Beast received numerous communications from various Free Karacknid leaders aboard some of the freighters. While some expressed gratitude towards Emilie’s officers, others offered advice for the looming confrontation. Emilie passed them all off onto her subordinates. She didn’t want the distraction. Her mind needed to be clear for what was to come.

“I have Captain Har’gna on a COM channel for you,” Emilie’s COM officer informed her ten minutes later. “According to Commodore Somerville’s report, he commands the Free Karacknid ships.”

Emilie bowed her head slightly as an image of an impressively muscled Karacknid appeared in front of her. Despite Jonathan’s words and the report she had read, she couldn’t suppress the instinctive tension at the sight of a species she had detested for the past thirty years. “Captain, I’m glad you are willing to fight alongside my ships.”

Har’gna's lips peeled back to reveal long black teeth. “I would stand alone against a thousand of Tanaka-lan’s warriors if that’s what it took to protect my family. But when someone offers to stand beside me, I am not going to turn them down.” Har’gna then bowed his head deeply, a gesture of respect that caught Emilie off guard. “Your Imperator’s Heir has shown your species is worthy of great honor. Your actions today confirm that. You command a larger force; I assume you have a plan for this upcoming fight?”

Emilie, momentarily taken aback, nodded. “I do,” she responded, striving to overcome her ingrained aversion and concentrate on the imminent battle. “I was thinking we would exploit Tanaka-lan’s urgency to reach the convoy. According to Commodore Somerville’s report, your Imperator represents everything your people stand against.”

Har’gna spat onto the deck of his bridge. “Tanaka-lan is no Imperator of mine. But you are right, he is a bloodthirsty tyrant who would relish the massacre of our people.”

Emilie smiled. “Then that is the opportunity we need,” she said as she began laying out her strategy. Although straightforward, it was sufficient to secure the convoy's escape. As Har’gna's sentiments had already implied, the Free Karacknid Captain eagerly agreed to concentrate their forces on obliterating the three dreadnoughts in Tanaka-lan’s formation.

“If we can safeguard my people and eliminate the false Imperator, even if it costs both our lives, it would be a feat worthy of remembrance,” Har’gna stated when Emilie concluded.

“Then let us fight and perish together,” Emilie proposed, attempting to use phrasing the Karacknid would resonate with.

“Together,” Har’gna affirmed, offering Emilie a unique salute, showcasing his elongated claws.

Emilie responded with a traditional naval salute. Just as she was about to conclude their dialogue, an alert on the bridge interrupted her.

“Tanaka-lan’s ships are changing direction!” Finch announced, his voice full of astonishment.

Emilie’s eyes shot away from the holo display showing Har’gna to one displaying the system. Sure enough, Tanaka-lan’s ships were turning away from pursuing the convoy. Time seemed to slow as the ships continued turning. Emilie held her breath as she waited to see what the Imperator was doing. Eventually, when they settled onto a new course, she looked back at Har’gna, sorrow evident in her eyes. She shook her head at the Captain. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. He’s all but giving up on the convoy.”

Har’gna had also been looking at another display, but Emilie’s words brought his eyes back to hers. “As much as I hate him, I cannot deny his skill,” Har’gna said. “If he destroys us quickly, and then you, he may still catch a part of the convoy. We will draw it out as long as we can.”

“And I will ensure he gets nowhere near your people’s ships,” Emilie promised.

“Avenge our deaths, Admiral,” Har’gna said, sitting up straighter, drawing himself up to his full height. “And may your people avenge yours. I must go and prepare now.”

“May your people remember your courage,” Emilie said, struggling to find the right words.

Har’gna saluted her again, which Emilie returned, and then he ended the COM channel. Once it did, the image Emilie was looking at was replaced by one of Tanaka-lan’s ships. The sight of them made Emilie grimace. The battle had only just begun, and already she had miscalculated. The course she had requested Har’gna to take more than an hour ago meant they were both closing with Tanaka-lan’s ships on opposing courses. With his turn, Tanaka-lan’s ships were now decelerating to close with Har’gna’s ships. Given the speed the Free Karacknids had built up to try and catch Tanaka-lan, there was no way they could avoid an engagement. "He will destroy them, then turn and engage us," Emilie realized, placing herself in Tanaka-lan’s shoes.

A glance at the display showing the wider system told her that if he was skilled and quick enough, he could potentially pass through both fleets and still intercept the convoy just as it was jumping to shift space. Even one salvo of missiles from the ships he had left could annihilate hundreds of freighters. I cannot help Har’gna, but I can still delay him long enough so that the freighters jump out unmolested. No matter what Tanaka-lan thinks, he is not getting past us that easily, Emilie told herself, trying to regain her composure.

Despite regaining most of her calm, as Tanaka-lan closed with Har’gna’s ships over the next half hour, Emilie felt her body tensing and her fingernails digging into her command chair. In just three salvos, Tanaka-lan’s three-hundred-strong squadron reduced Har’gna’s Free Karacknid force to wreckage. In return, he lost less than five percent of his own force. Then, the moment the last Free Karacknid ship was destroyed, Tanaka-lan redirected onto an intercept course for the convoy. Though it seemed he was overlooking Emilie's ships, she knew it was a challenge. He was saying to her, "Come and fight me if you dare." Without hesitation, Emilie’s Imperial ships surged forward.

“Begin launching our fighters,” Emilie instructed Finch. “Slow launch them, I don’t want Tanaka-lan knowing how many we have until the last moment. Inform Wing Commander Ziyech that his Hellcats are to strike with our third salvo. We’ll weaken Tanaka-lan’s force as much as possible, then he is to target their dreadnoughts.”

“Passing your orders on to our pocket carriers now,” Finch responded.

For another half-hour, Emilie and Tanaka-lan’s ships closed in on one another. Then they opened fire. As the holo display filled with new contacts, Emilie felt a surge of hope. With her capital ship filled squadron, she wasn’t as outnumbered as it had initially seemed. While Tanaka-lan’s ships fired eight thousand three hundred missiles, she was close behind with six thousand six hundred.

But as she observed the missiles, a sudden maneuver from Tanaka-lan’s ships took Emilie by surprise yet again. He’s veering off? she asked herself. Moments later, she discerned the truth: she had made another mistake! Tanaka-lan had already abandoned the idea of catching the convoy. He wasn’t interested it taking it out instead, his focus was solely on neutralizing her ships. "He’s veered off to bombard us from a distance," Emilie said to her officers. With his numerical superiority, he intended to stay at a range and pummel her until her ships were decimated.

Wide-eyed, Emilie glanced at a secondary reading showing more details about her squadron’s trajectory. What she saw made her shake her head. There was no way she could pull her ships out now. We are all going to die, and he’s not even trying to chase the convoy any longer! she thought as she looked at her officers in anguish. Their deaths will accomplish nothing. Emilie couldn't help it as her determination faltered, and she felt her body deflate. No! A voice in her head that sounded almost like her uncle's said fiercely. Not for nothing. The convoy is safe, as is Jonathan, and you still have a chance to take Tanaka-lan!

Emilie nodded at her own words, remembering Har’gna’s advice. If she could take on Tanaka-lan, her sacrifice would still have meaning. “If he wants a ranged fight, then let us give it to him,” Emilie declared, raising her voice so everyone on the bridge could hear. “Focus our fire on the flotillas protecting those dreadnoughts. We will strip them away and clear a path for our fighters! And set a new course; I want to close with them as best we can. The sooner we get into mark VIII missile range, the sooner we can really start to hurt them.” Let’s do this, she then said to herself as both fleets prepared to defend themselves.

As Emilie’s first salvo reached the Karacknid warships and was consumed by defensive fire, just over thirty missiles penetrated the Karacknids’ defenses. Seventeen of the frigates, destroyers, and light cruisers around the dreadnoughts were destroyed. But Emilie’s ships paid a steep price for their successes, with twenty-four of her vessels destroyed or crippled. Emilie delegated search and rescue operations to her staff officers, turning her attention to reshuffling her defensive formation. Less than five minutes later, the second salvos from both groups of ships collided, causing comparable levels of destruction as more Karacknid and Imperial ships were taken out.

“We should be able to fire mark VIII’s with our fourth salvo,” Finch reported as Emilie’s ships closed in on Tanaka-lan’s fleet as swiftly as possible. Although the Karacknid fleet was veering away, they couldn't negate the substantial momentum they had built up chasing the convoy in such a short period, allowing Emilie to slowly close the range.

“Instruct our fighters; they go in with our fourth salvo,” Emilie commanded changing her plan from earlier. “They have permission to detach as many squadrons as Wing Commander Ziyech deems necessary to confront the fighters the Karacknid sends against them. But the majority of our force must target those dreadnoughts. We'll focus our grazer beams on the remaining escorts and carve a path for them.”

“Understood, Admiral. I'll pass the word on to him personally,” Finch replied.

Moments later, all one hundred fighters Emilie had slow-launched powered up and advanced towards the Karacknids. However, before Beast and her consorts could unleash their mark VIII missiles, another Karacknid salvo tore through their ranks. This time, the antimatter missiles penetrated the outer defenses of Emilie’s formation, causing explosions among the capital ships. The shields of the other three dreadnoughts in her fleet flared as they repelled deadly antimatter particles. Miraculously, Beast didn't need to perform evasive maneuvers as no missiles targeted her. But Emilie was certain that such luck wouldn't last long.

“Firing mark VIIIs,” Finch announced as soon as Emilie’s ships returned to formation after their evasive maneuvers.

From Emilie’s fleet, just over five thousand five hundred mark VIII missiles were launched. As their engines ignited, propelling them towards Tanaka-lan’s ships, Emilie's hopes soared with them. However, she was weighed down by the realization of how much their strength had diminished. Her initial salvo had been over a thousand missiles stronger. And it’s only going to decrease from here, she recognized, as the Karacknids’ fourth salvo rapidly closed the gap between the fleets.

As her fourth salvo surged past her fighters, Emilie observed the Karacknid formation, anticipating the appearance of Tanaka-lan’s fighters. She was certain he had carriers accompanying him. Yet, as her missiles and Hellcat fighters neared, no Karacknid fighters emerged to challenge them. What is he doing? Emilie wondered, growing apprehensive about any surprises Tanaka-lan might have. Is he really going to let our fighters assault his capital ships? On the holo display, that seemed to be the case; even as Emilie’s fourth salvo navigated the barrage of Karacknid defensive fire, no opposing fighters made an appearance.

Despite numerous mark VIII missiles reaching their attack range, detonating, and unleashing grazer beams upon the Karacknid ships, there was still no sign of their fighters. Yet, as Emilie’s Hellcats followed in the wake of the missiles, the formation of the Karacknid fleet started to shift. Eight heavy cruisers, previously untouched by Emilie’s missiles, positioned themselves to intercept the fighters. As they unleashed their firepower, space around the Hellcats became inundated with laser beams. The volume was so great, Emilie had to consult a secondary readout to validate her observations. “How?” she murmured, her voice faltering at the sight of so many fighters suddenly being blown apart.

On the holo display, Emilie’s tactical officer magnified the image of one of the heavy cruisers. Now that Beast was in proximity to get a clear view, it was evident that this heavy cruiser was unlike a typical Karacknid vessel. It had fewer missile ports and bristled with point-defense lasers batteries.

“They’re emitting quarter-strength beams,” Finch observed as the visuals displayed the heavy cruiser firing at an unprecedented rate. “Those beams might not breach an anti-ship missile’s armor, but a couple of beams would likely neutralize a Hellcat’s shield.”

“And one more would cripple even the sturdiest part of a Hellcat,” Emilie finished, realizing Tanaka-lan’s strategy. Surveying her own fleet confirmed her suspicions. While she had been inefficiently using her missiles on his lighter vessels, his salvos had been systematically targeting her larger capital ships. “We can’t reach him!” Emilie realized, frustration evident filling her voice. Tanaka-lan had teased her with the opportunity to close with him, but in reality, he had always been out of reach. He's defended himself too effectively!

Emilie’s hands clenched as she witnessed her remaining fighters reach missile range and deploy their anti-ship missiles. None managed to set their sights on the dreadnoughts. They only succeeded in destroying a few of the anti-fighter heavy cruisers and several other smaller vessels. However, even as the antimatter missiles erupted amidst the Karacknid fleet, Emilie’s fighters, usually shielded from counterattacks as the enemy shifted their fire to their launched missiles, were relentlessly pursued and decimated by the heavy cruisers. With their laser cannons ineffective against the fighter's anti-ship missiles, the Karacknid cruisers maintained their intense assault, eliminating all but fourteen of Emilie’s fighters.

Then, to add insult to injury, eighty new contacts materialized above the Karacknid fleet. Their fighters finally joined the battle, ignoring the Hellcats, they commenced an attack run on Emilie’s ships. As the Karacknid warships realigned into formation, they launched another salvo set to hit Emilie's ships just before their fighters reached them.

“We have done our duty,” Emilie proclaimed to her officers, sensing their resolve waver. “We've rescued Commodore Somerville and nearly half a million Karacknid civilians. You've achieved more than what I asked of you. Tanaka-lan has outmaneuvered us; that much is true. But defeating him wasn't our primary objective today. Remember, this is merely the inaugural battle in the coming war for our species' survival. Let's ensure we take as many of these foes down with us as possible. Every ship we obliterate is one less threat to our homeworlds and loved ones. Let us uphold our roles as naval officers and rain destruction upon our adversaries!”

Emilie observed her officers around her as they exchanged renewed looks of resolve and determination. With newfound purpose, they returned to their duties. “Deploy our light ships to intercept the next missile salvo and the fighters before they reach us,” Emilie commanded, issuing fresh directives. “Reposition our capital ships into defensive formation delta six. Aim our next salvo at their battlecruisers. With any luck, they'll anticipate we're targeting the dreadnoughts, and realize our true intentions only when it’s too late. Let's strip Tanaka-lan of some of his capital ships!”

As her revised commands were relayed to the fifth salvo already engaging the Karacknids, Emilie watched with gratification as two battlecruisers and twelve other vessels were disintegrated by grazer beams. Then, it was the Karacknids' move. Their fifth salvo, matching the size of Emilie’s initial salvo, overwhelmed her squadron's defenses. Thirty-eight missiles exploded amongst her ships. But strangely, none targeted Beast. Emilie's confusion was soon overshadowed by despair as several missiles targeted one of Beast's sister ships. Right in front of her, the dreadnought Cronus was struck by three antimatter missiles. One scored a proximity hit which battered down the dreadnought’s shields, then two others struck her, punched through her armor, and blew the massive warship apart from within. In the blink of an eye, Cronus shattered into seven different fiery chunks. They flew away from each other in every direction as the energy from the blast hurled them outwards.

Distraught, Emilie turned her gaze to the primary holo display, only to see the onset of the Karacknid fighters' assault. She braced herself for impending devastation. Over thirty Karacknid fighters, having evaded her ships’ defensive volleys, unleashed their potent directed-mass weapons. Particle beams, accelerated to near-light speeds, ruthlessly tore through Emilie's ships. Numerous vessels, from frigates to battlecruisers, were engulfed in flames. Both of Emilie’s surviving dreadnoughts were severely damaged, one was cut in two by a beam, while the other was struck several times and left powerless, its engines critically damaged.

By the time the fighters had moved through her formation and moved beyond range, Emilie’s squadron was left in ruins. Trying to contain her emotions, she assessed the wreckage. Over half of her squadron was gone, with almost all the remaining ships heavily damaged. It appeared that only Beast had emerged unscathed from the onslaught. Yet, there was more to come, Emilie realized, as she noticed the Karacknid fleet's sixth salvo approaching swiftly, and a seventh being unleashed moments later.

As best she could, Emilie organized her remaining ships into a new defensive formation, coordinating their fire and directing them as best she could. Both sides exchanged three more salvos. Ignoring her own losses, Emilie focused solely on Tanaka-lan’s ships. Knowing there was nothing more she could do for those perishing around her, she concentrated on inflicting damage on the enemy. With each destroyer or cruiser she neutralized, she pumped her fist in determination. Adjusting their formation once again, she launched as many missiles as possible. However, as she went to releasing one last salvo, Emilie recoiled in shock at what she saw on the holo display. Her ships were obliterated. Every single one. The Karacknids’ last salvo had reduced the remaining few to nothing more than debris.

Stunned, Emilie glanced at Finch and her Flag Captain. “How are we still here?” she inquired. Realization dawned on her even as she spoke. “He knows!” Gazing at the three Karacknid dreadnoughts, Emilie emitted a visceral growl. Now she grasped why he had ceased pursuing the convoy. Somehow, he had discerned that she led the squadron opposing him. While Emilie liked to think she was naturally humble, she was also acutely aware of her significance to the fleet, especially to James’ defensive strategies. And Tanaka-lan knows it too! He had been aiming to sideline her in the impending war. No, she thought, correcting herself. If that were the case, then Beast would already be in ruins. He's after me! A shiver of apprehension coursed through her at the prospect of confronting the Karacknid Imperator. Yet, recalling the countless lives he'd taken, her trepidation swiftly turned into fury. “If Tanaka-lan believes he can capture us, let’s show him he has made a severe miscalculation!” Emilie addressed her officers. “Keep firing. Target the lighter vessels on the periphery of their formation. Let’s try overwhelming their defenses and take one or two more down with us.”

“Aye, Aye, Commodore!” Finch responded with gravity.

“And increase to one hundred and ten percent thrust,” Emilie instructed. “Perhaps they'll be imprudent enough to let us get within energy weapon range.”

As Beast surged ahead, launching missiles, Emilie’s initial rage began to falter. Reacting to her assault, Tanaka-lan consolidated his ships’ formation. They effortlessly repelled the meager barrage Beast could muster. But then, to Emilie’s astonishment, the Karacknid vessels decelerated. All but one. A lone dreadnought maintained its trajectory, seemingly intent on a confrontation. Emilie could only conclude it was Tanaka-lan’s flagship. He wants to finish me himself. Emilie recalled accounts of several battles from the Karacknid civil war, clandestinely gathered by Kalassai spy vessels, detailing one-on-one naval duels. Tanaka-lan had partaken in several, personally vanquishing multiple contenders for his rule. Now he aims to best me too, Emilie reflected. Instead of filling her with fear though, it rekindled her resolve.

“He desires a duel!” Emilie exclaimed to her officers. “Beast remains unscathed in this conflict. This is our moment. Ready the missiles and energy weapons! We can strike at him. For Earth and our Empire!” she declared, rallying her officers.

Chapter 41

Honor is a concept almost all sentient species understand. It is a strange thing indeed, for it may cause one warrior to lay down their life for another, and yet lead the next warrior to slaughter all those around him. In the right hands, a sense of honor can be the spark that sets the hearts of a fleet’s crew into an inferno of righteous rage. In the wrong, it can cause a whole civilization to commit atrocities they might have thought unthinkable just decades ago.

-Excerpt from Empire Ascendant 3015 AD.

Wrathful

“The fleet will hold here,” Tanaka-lan ordered minutes before. “Take Wrathful forward; we will finish this ourselves.”

“As you wish, Imperator,” Tanaka-lan’s Chief of Staff said.

Whilst there was a hint of hesitation in his voice, Tanaka-lan chose to ignore it. If he didn’t understand now, he soon would, for Tanaka-lan had no doubt he would crush Admiral Alveraz’s flagship. Then, news of his victory would spread across the fleet. It would be a sign to his warriors that the Humans would soon be defeated once and for all. Almost all of his officers knew who Alveraz was, and they knew of her feats in the last war. She wasn’t James Somerville, the one who had killed their last Imperator, but her death would be the symbol of victory his forces needed. There will be no doubt that we can beat them after this, Tanaka-lan thought as his claws extended from his knuckles in anticipation.

“One salvo and then launch our fighters,” he ordered.

With Alveraz having already fired a useless salvo at his squadron, Wrathful was able to fire as Alveraz reloaded. Forty-eight missiles were released by the dreadnought. They quickly covered the distance to the Imperial warship and sought to penetrate its defenses. Tanaka-lan grinned as they did so. Two smashed themselves against the Imperial ship's shield, tore it down, and then antimatter detonated against its hull. Yet the enemy dreadnought flew through the explosions and then fired forty-four of its own missiles in revenge.

“Prepare for evasive maneuvers,” Tanaka-lan ordered, all but certain the Imperial missiles would be able to get close enough to release some of their grazer beams. The Humans' bomb-pumped grazer warheads were one capability he lusted after, but as yet his technicians hadn’t been able to miniaturize the technology enough to make it feasible yet.

“Launching fighters,” Tanaka-lan’s Chief of Staff announced. From Wrathful’s hangar, six fighters took off, formed up, and then charged Alveraz’s flagship. Moments later, Wrathful fired again. Then she began carrying out evasive maneuvers as her defensive weapons opened up on the Imperial missiles.

Just three enemy missiles survived Wrathful’s defensive fire. Yet as they detonated, six grazer beams flashed across the final distance to Wrathful in a fraction of a second. Four missed, but two struck true. Wrathful shook around Tanaka-lan, and alarms blared as the beams burnt through Wrathful’s armor and savaged her innards. Yet her reactor and engines avoided any damage, and she surged on.

“We’ll be in energy weapons range thirty seconds after our fighters attack,” Tanaka-lan’s tactical officer shouted over the din of the rest of Wrathful’s officers as they dealt with the damage.

“Focus on her weapons, missile ports, and then engines,” Tanaka-lan ordered. “I want her crippled, not destroyed!”

“Understood, Imperator,” the officer replied.

Drowning out the noise of the bridge, Tanaka-lan’s lips peeled back and drool formed around his razor-sharp black teeth as he watched his final salvo approach Alveraz’s ship. As the Imperial dreadnought opened fire with its point defenses, Tanaka-lan’s smile widened. The hits from his previous salvo had clearly damaged its point defenses. He raised a clawed hand as six missiles got close enough to detonate. As per his orders, none tried to score a direct hit. Instead, they exploded up to a mile away from the large warship, sending waves of antimatter washing over its hull. In seconds, sensor nodes, heavy energy weapons, point defensive guns, and missile tubes were blown off along with much of the dreadnought’s armor.

All but blinded and nearly completely defanged, Alveraz’s hapless flagship offered almost no resistance to Tanaka-lan’s six fighters. With near impunity, they swirled around the Imperial dreadnought, streams of super-accelerated matter slammed into the ship, blowing out its engines and targeting its remaining energy weapons and mass driver cannons. Then, as Wrathful closed to energy weapon range, they turned and fell back to a safe distance.

The moment both dreadnoughts came into effective range, they opened fire. Explosions erupted up and down Beast’s hull as laser beams pierced deep within her. With many of her engines and maneuvering thrusters already damaged, she was a sitting duck for the Karacknid fire. In contrast, Wrathful easily dodged almost all of the beleaguered fire coming her way. Two plasma bolts struck Tanaka-lan’s flagship. One didn’t penetrate Wrathful’s armor, while the other took out two missile tubes, but did nothing more. Several laser beams fired in response took out the offending Imperial heavy plasma cannon.

“Cease firing!” Tanaka-lan ordered as soon as the last Imperial energy weapon was taken out. Already, Alveraz’s flagship had lost all her engines and there wasn’t an intact point defensive weapon in sight. Tanaka-lan’s opponent was dead in the water. “Launch boarding shuttles,” Tanaka-lan ordered as he stood. “You have the bridge,” he said to his Chief of Staff. “I’m joining the second wave.”

*

“I think I have managed to get access to one of the hangar two’s landing cameras,” a sensor officer said to Beast’s bridge.

“Get it on whatever holo display is working,” Emilie said hastily as smoke swirled around from several consoles that had overloaded and were still smoldering. After the first barrage from Tanaka-lan’s flagship, the bridge had suffered a power surge and lost contact with the rest of the ship. Emilie could feel from the lack of vibrations running through her command chair that Beast’s engines were dead, and the small tremors from her mass drivers firing had ceased nearly a minute ago. Yet so too had the shockwaves from enemy weapons blasting away at her dreadnought. She desperately needed to know what was going on.

“Here it is,” the same officer said a moment later.

Suddenly the bridge was lit up as the holo display on someone else’s console sprang to life. An image of open space appeared with nothing but stars to be seen. Slowly though, the image began to rotate, telling Emilie Beast wasn’t even under control. For an agonizing thirty seconds, everyone stared at the image, waiting to see something. Then, eventually, the Karacknid fleet came into view. All but one ship was at a distance that was barely visible. Tanaka-lan’s flagship was impossible to miss however as it closed with Beast, its energy weapons pointed directly at her. It wasn’t the formidable warship that grabbed Emilie’s attention though, but the eight much smaller objects that were rapidly approaching.

“Patch me through to every speaker you can reach on the ship,” Emilie demanded at once. “All hands, prepare to be boarded,” she warned a moment later. “They will show no mercy, so give none. Fight to the last man and woman. We have no other choice now.” Unbuckling herself, Emilie stood and pulled her plasma pistol from its holster. “That goes for us as well,” she said to her staff officers and Beast's bridge officers. “Captain McKnight, you will know how to defend your ship the best.”

McKnight nodded and turned to one of the marines who had been guarding the bridge’s access hatch. “Major Neville, how do you want to deploy us?”

Neville glanced at Emilie and then back to McKnight. “I’ll take your officers with me. I’ve already sent orders for my squads to move out to cover the external docking hatches and places they're likely to try and cut their way inside. Once we make contact my marines will fall back and will prepare defensive positions.” Again Neville glanced at Emilie. “They’ll be coming for the bridge. That’s good, we can use that. Your people can form a defensive line and hold them in place, then we’ll try and flank them.”

“And where do you want me?” Emilie asked, determined to fight alongside the people she had led to their deaths.

Neville shook his head. “With all respect, Admiral. It’s you they want. They would have destroyed us already otherwise. If you want us to take as many of them with us as possible, then you need to remain here and draw them in. Knowing their objective is the only advantage we have.”

Emilie opened her mouth intent on overruling the Major, then she closed it again. He was the expert. As much as she wanted to fight, she wanted to see as many Karacknids dead as possible more. Instead of protesting, she simply nodded to Neville.

Neville nodded back. “Don’t worry, Admiral,” he said, gesturing towards the pistol in her hand. “You'll get your opportunity to use that. Just think long and hard about who your target will be.” As Emilie frowned, Neville nodded to McKnight, “Let’s go.” Before Emilie could speak, he turned and led the two marines who had stood guard with him out of the bridge. McKnight shared a glance with Emilie, then moved to follow, as did all of his officers.

Finch hesitated for a moment. “I’ll leave Simpson and Daniels with you,” he said, turning and nodding to each. “The rest of us will go with Neville. Don’t worry, the only way a Karacknid is getting in here is over our dead bodies.”

“Show them hell,” Emilie forced herself to say confidently, though as her staff officers filed past, she knew she was looking each one in the face for the last time. When it was just her, Simpson, and Daniel, she gave them the bravest smile she could muster and gestured to two of the thickest consoles furthest from the main hatch into the bridge. “Take cover behind those. I’ll get an angle from here,” she said, moving behind a similar console.

After getting behind her cover and practicing aiming towards the hatch, Emilie hunkered down as she waited. Alone with her thoughts, her mind kept returning to Neville’s words. She knew the marine would put up the best fight he possibly could, but with an entire Karacknid fleet out there, the Karacknids could keep landing warriors for days. Eventually, they would punch through Neville’s defenses. And if that is Tanaka-lan’s flagship out there, Emilie reminded herself, every warrior on board is likely one of his elite troops.

In the silence on the bridge, Emilie’s thoughts drifted to her husband and son. Neville was right; the only reason Tanaka-lan was boarding her ship was to capture her. Which means you could survive this, she thought, picturing how Mark would react to learning of her death or what Samuel’s life would be like growing up without a mother. I won’t give him anything, she swore to herself, imagining the types of torture Tanaka-lan might subject her to. As long as you're alive, there's a chance. She might find a way to escape, possibly with the help of some Free Karacknids. Or James might even find a way to broker an exchange for her. If he knew she was a prisoner of war, he'd try to capture one of Tanaka-lan’s Admirals for a swap.

But would Tanaka-lan accept? Emilie asked. She knew the answer right away. He wouldn’t care about one of his own, not in exchange for her. He had already shown the lengths he was willing to go to capture her. And what Free Karacknid would risk themselves to free me? she asked as her hope she could escape if she was taken prisoner fading. No, all that would await was Tanaka-lan's torture until she eventually broke. Even then, if somehow she managed to keep her deepest secrets from him, she would be but a shell of her former self. There'd be nothing left to return to her husband and son.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered as a tear trickled down her cheek. Slowly, but with purpose, she rose and made her way to her command chair. After tapping a few buttons, she pressed her fingers against the console and initiated Beast’s self-destruct. She set it for ten minutes. If Neville’s marines were still holding out, she could delay it longer, but if not, she wouldn’t allow Tanaka-lan to take her. Her final act would be to take every Karacknid on board Beast with her into death as her flagship erupted in a fireball.

With the self-destruct set, Emilie glanced at her two officers, then returned to her position behind the console. In no time at all, the sounds of fighting began to echo down the open hatch to the bridge. Explosions and screams filled Emilie’s ears. She bit down hard on her lip, resisting the urge to roar in frustration. Twenty seconds later, a marine ran down the corridor and poked his head in. “They’ve reached the last barricades. Neville wanted you to know.” Reaching into the bridge, he tapped on the main hatch’s control panel. When he stepped back out, it shut and locked itself in place.

For another thirty seconds or so, the faint sounds of fighting continued, then they died down entirely. “They will either cut through the hatch or blow it open,” Emilie warned her officers. “Stay behind your console until they start coming in.”

Almost before the words left her mouth, there was a sudden explosion. Flames and heat washed over Emilie and then receded almost as quickly. A massive crash and banging noise marked where the hatch went flying across the bridge. Emilie counted to two, and then sprang up from her cover just enough to start firing. A horde of Karacknid warriors were already rushing onto the bridge. With so many targets, she held down her trigger and released a stream of plasma bolts at them. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see Simpson and Daniels doing the same. Barely a second later though, they were both cut down as laser beams slashed through their bodies.

Emilie managed to shoot down two warriors before several of them charged her. One knocked the pistol from her hand while another drove a fist into her stomach. The force lifted Emilie up from her kneeling position and flung her across one of the bridge's consoles. Coughing blood, she rolled over and tried to stand. A Karacknid foot smashed into her chest, sending her flying for a second time. She landed, her vision darkening, but she fought to remain conscious. Desperately, she searched for the small knife she kept in her utility belt. Finding it, she whipped it out, and from the ground, she pushed herself to her knees. She froze when she looked up to see a massive Karacknid towering over her. She recognized him instantly, even as he opened his mouth and let out a deep rumble of a laugh.

“So,” Tanaka-lan said as he loomed over her, “this is the famed Admiral Emilie Alveraz. And you are a relation of your Emperor, no less! Yet you are nothing more than a pitiful wretch.” Looking around at his warriors, Tanaka-lan then let out another laugh. “You would be no match for one of our younglings, let alone a trained warrior. What fools your people are to let your women go to war for them!”

Despite her terror, movement behind Tanaka-lan caught her eye. One of his warriors was looking at the console on her command chair. Only then did Emilie remember the self-destruct mechanism. It had to be about to go off, and she had Tanaka-lan right in front of her. Despite the pain she was in, Emilie couldn’t help but smile. She had him right where she wanted after all! But only if that warrior doesn’t figure out what is happening, Emilie thought to herself. She needed a distraction, and there was only one option before her. With a roar, she forced herself to her feet, charging at Tanaka-lan with her knife aimed for his throat.

To her horror, Tanaka-lan actually laughed. Then, as if he was casually reaching for a drink, he raised a clawed hand towards her. Emilie tried to smash his arm away with her free hand to let her knife still strike home. However, even as he smiled, for just a fraction of a second, Tanaka-lan moved with his full speed. Suddenly, he jabbed forward, impaling Emilie’s left shoulder with his razor-sharp claws. Still laughing, he lifted her up into the air. With his other hand, he slapped her right hand, sending her knife flying.

Emilie screamed in agony as the weight of her body caused Tanaka-lan’s claws to slice deeper into her. With no apparent effort, Tanaka-lan hoisted her up high. “You thought you could touch me?” He asked with derision. “And I thought you had some tactical sense. You are nothing but a fool.”

Just a little longer, Emilie urged herself, even as her screams continued. Just a little longer.

“Imperator,” a concerned voice suddenly interjected, diverting Tanaka-lan's attention.

The officer's anxious tone prompted Tanaka-lan to turn. “What is it, Krag’tar?” He inquired of one of his most trusted Lieutenants.

“I think the ship's self-destruct has been set. There’s a countdown here; we don’t have much time,” Krag’tar reported. Emilie's heart sank as he spoke. “I think I can disable it, but I need her fingerprints.”

Tanaka-lan turned back to Emilie with a smirk. “So that was your game? You were close; I'll give you that.” Without warning, the claws on Tanaka-lan’s free hand extended. Faster than Emilie could react, he slashed at her, severing her left hand clean from her wrist. Stepping forward, he gently slid Emilie’s detached hand across the deck toward Krag’tar with his foot as Emilie screamed anew in pain.

Krag’tar grabbed the hand and pressed its bloodied fingers against the console. “It's been deactivated,” he declared a moment later, glancing back at Tanaka-lan.

Already on the brink of unconsciousness, Krag’tar’s words drained the last remnants of Emilie’s hope. Letting out a final scream of agony and despair, she slumped against Tanaka-lan’s grip.

Tanaka-lan regarded her limp form briefly, then withdrew his claws, letting her drop to the deck with a thud. In a gesture of supreme contempt, he spat on her open wound. Then he pivoted and began to exit the bridge. “Bring her,” he commanded, pushing out his chest with pride as he strode past the assembled warriors of the boarding party that lined the corridors leading back to his shuttle. Although only a fraction of his fleet's full strength had engaged in the day's battle, he had secured a significant victory against the Humans—the first of many. He wanted his warriors to witness his triumph. And just you wait, Emperor Somerville, Tanaka-lan thought as he pictured his oldest adversary. Soon it will be you at the mercy of my claws!

*

IS Hammerclaw

As Jonathan watched, hands clenched, while Emilie’s squadron fought and perished, he was consumed with shame and sorrow. From his earliest recollections, Emilie had been an integral part of his life. Being his only cousin, she had spent a lot of time with him and his siblings when they had been children. As he matured, she, along with her father, had introduced him to the fleet, its history, and its traditions. Now, he was witnessing her live up to those traditions, even to death, while he fled in the other direction.

Even though the Karacknid garrison fleet had pursued his ships and the squadron Emilie had sent to assist him, Jonathan barely registered the swift, two-salvo engagement. The Imperial ships surrounding Hammerclaw ensured no missiles threatened his flagship. Instead, his gaze was fixed, nearly unblinkingly, on his cousin as she valiantly defended him. He wanted to etch every moment into his memory, so he'd never forget her sacrifice.

To his astonishment, Beast seemed to weather every salvo unleashed upon her. Though she hadn't communicated with him, Jonathan knew Emilie would be targeting Tanaka-lan if possible. The survival of her flagship kindled hope in him that she might succeed! But when the Karacknid fighters assailed her fleet, and every other Imperial Dreadnought was either obliterated or incapacitated, Beast remained untouched. That's when Jonathan realized Tanaka-lan's intention: he wanted to capture Emilie. Dread welled up in Jonathan as he pondered the atrocities Tanaka-lan might inflict upon her.

Unbeknownst to him, blood trickled down from his hands where his nails had pierced his skin. Paralyzed by despair, he could only watch as Tanaka-lan's forces decimated the remnants of Emilie’s squadron. Subsequently, a Karacknid dreadnought advanced, engaging Beast. When the short confrontation ended, Hammerclaw’s sensors detected several shuttles approaching and docking with the devastated wreck that had been Emilie’s flagship. Only then did Jonathan shut his eyes. He had experienced enough hand-to-hand fights with the Karacknids to vividly picture the horrors transpiring within Beast’s ravaged hallways.

A mere fifteen minutes later, he observed the shuttles disengage from Beast and head back to the Karacknid dreadnought. As they approached, the dreadnought unleashed a volley of laser beams, causing Beast to explode into an immense fireball. When Hammerclaw’s sensors cleared, no trace remained of Emilie’s vessel.

Battling tears, Jonathan mourned for his cousin. Had she died, the weight of guilt would have crushed him. But at least her suffering would have ended. Now, she was in enemy hands, enduring what he should have faced. How am I going to explain this to Mark? Jonathan questioned himself, his lip quivering. And Samuel? He had no answer.

Despite his despair, Jonathan's thoughts shifted to the convoy and his commitment to Har’gna. They must succeed, he told himself. They will succeed, he vowed, for both Har’gna and Emilie’s sake. And for that to happen, Humanity had to prevail in the impending war. If Tanaka-lan bests us, he will hunt down and torture and kill all the Free Karacknids. Just as he is about to do to Emilie! Jonathan couldn’t help thinking. The thought of her impending agony ignited a fiery rage within Jonathan.

As Hammerclaw approached the system’s mass shadow, Jonathan fixated on the final scans showing Tanaka-lan's flagship. We will stop you, he silently vowed to the vanishing silhouette of the dreadnought. A newfound determination, the intensity of which he had never felt before, surged within him. At the same time, a profound sense of gravity settled upon him. We will stop you, he vowed once more. Whatever the cost in ships or lives, at that moment Jonathan knew he would not stop fighting, not until Tanaka-lan and everything he stood for was no more!

Epilogue

Sol system, 7th August 2512 AD, (one month later).

When James was first told of the snake-like alien’s request to meet with him, he had ignored it. Cordra, as she had told them her name was, had been mainly dealing with Edward and a couple of Alveraz’s other agents since their agreement. She had been moved to an Imperial Intelligence black site on Corfu after a couple of weeks. Hallock had decided he needed to return to Kulthar to see how the investigation into the possibility that the snake-like aliens had infiltrated his people was progressing. Scott had been disappointed that the alien ship was being taken from her, but she had agreed that decrypting all the ship's data cores was the best way to uncover additional secrets.

Since being moved to Corfu, Cordra had continued answering most of Alveraz’s questions, but it had quickly become apparent that the information, while true as far as they could confirm, was of limited value. It had led to the arrest of several high-profile members of society and the discovery and eradication of two covert cells on Earth and three others on Varanni Prime and in Crian space. But beyond that, it had been weeks since any truly useful information had been gained from her. To James’ disappointment, she continued to refuse to answer any questions about her species, its history, or its technologies. Knowing what she wanted, James had therefore been avoiding her for weeks. Yet, when Edward had called him after promising to pass on her demand for the fourth time, James had reluctantly agreed.

“You sure this can hold her?” He asked his son as Edward led him from the shuttle landing pad into the small compound that had been specifically built for Cordra.

“It has so far,” Edward replied. “I had a couple of Hallock’s technicians look over our designs before we finalized it, and they approved, so I’m pretty confident.” James nodded as he was led through three hatches, each one larger and more secure-looking than the last. “She’s right this way,” Edward said as he pointed to another hatch. “We have a six-inch-thick glass composite material dividing the room just like on Superintendent Hallock’s flagship, so you can see and talk to her without getting too close.”

“She didn’t tell you what she wanted?” James asked as he stopped in front of the hatch that led into the cell.

Edward shook his head. “But I’m sure you can guess.”

James let out a sigh. “Very well, this may be the end of her cooperation, but let’s hope not. Time to find out anyway.”

As they both stepped into the cell, James saw Cordra was curled up in a ball in one corner. The noise of their footsteps made her lift her head, and when she saw him, she uncoiled and slithered closer to the glass. "Emperor Somerville, you have finally come. I have kept my end of our bargain, yet you treat me as if I don’t exist.”

“Well, I’m here now,” James replied. “What is it you want?”

“For you to keep your word,” Cordra hissed. “I have answered all your people’s questions two and three times. No one has asked me anything new for over a week. You said you would release me when I answered all your questions, and I have. Now let me go!”

James took a moment to hold Cordra’s gaze. Then he nodded slowly. “You have kept your end of our bargain; I will grant you that. And I intend to keep mine as well. However, for someone supposedly so adept in the arts of deception and subterfuge, you should have paid closer attention to my words. I said I would release you and your ship, and I will. However, I did not say when that would be.” James took a step closer to the glass barrier between them. “Your people have been trying to orchestrate the conquest and destruction of my species. You represent the greatest threat to every sentient species in this sector of the galaxy. You’re a fool if you think I will simply release you today to go running back to your people.” James shook his head. “No, you will remain here with us until the threat your species poses has been neutralized. Once we have discovered your homeworld and curtailed your species' ability to move freely among the stars, then I will release you.”

Cordra hissed loudly in rage, bared her fangs, and spat something at James’ head. It struck the glass alloy and immediately began to sizzle and steam. “You lying scum!” Cordra shouted. “You have no honor.” Cordra hissed again even louder. “I will kill you! I swear it, I will kill you!”

James smiled pleasantly. “Perhaps, one day you will. But you need to get in line; there are many others who desire that very same thing. And given that you’re going to be in this cell for a very, very long time, I doubt you’re ever going to get the pleasure… That is, unless you want to reveal to us the location of your species' homeworld? If you were to tell us that, then we could pay your people a visit and convince your leaders to leave the rest of the galaxy alone. Then I would uphold my word and let you go.”

Cordra hissed again, spat at James' head for a second time, and then, to James’s surprise, charged him. Faster than he had imagined, despite the briefing he had received about her abilities, she smashed her head into the glass alloy. In a flash, she reared back and then smashed it again. Three more times she crashed into the glass, but it didn’t so much as crack. With a final hiss of rage, she spun around and darted into the corner of her cell, curling herself up in a ball once more.

“Don't think she took that too well, do you?” James said as he turned to Edward.

“You could have been a little more tactful about it,” Edward replied. “It’s going to take weeks to calm her down before we can try talking to her again.”

“I doubt we’ll ever get anything more useful from her,” James said. In truth, if he didn’t think she would just go back to trying to destroy his Empire, he might have considered letting her go. With nothing to gain from holding her, despite what she had likely done in the past, James didn’t relish the idea of holding another sentient being in such a confined space, possibly for years. But he believed Cordra when she said she wanted to kill him. And there was also much to be gained from keeping Cordra’s people in the dark about her capture. James was sure, sooner or later, her species would realize she had gone missing. But even then, they couldn’t be certain of what had happened or that he had captured her. And, though it might not happen this week or the next, James was certain they would eventually figure out how to find and stop the snake-like aliens, so the longer they were in the dark the better.

“All right,” he said as he gave Edward a nod. “I think I’ve seen all I need to see. I’m going to return to the Palace. You should be looking to get back out and join the hunt for more of her kind. If we could capture another one, we’d be a lot closer to getting some of the real answers we're looking for.”

Edward smiled. “Actually, I have a meeting scheduled with Alvarez for later today. I believe that is exactly what we are going to discuss. With luck, I’ll be on a ship out of the system within the week to resume my duties on our southern border.”

“I better let your mother know then; she’ll want to make the most of the time she has with you while you’re still here,” James said as he clapped his son on the shoulder as they walked out of the cell.

*

Three hours later, James had managed to find a break in his schedule to sneak into his personal library. He liked to come here to think when a pressing decision had to be made, or at other times, simply to escape from the pressures of being Emperor. As he read through one of the many books his uncle had left him, he sought solace now. Casually, without any hurry, he was reading through a collection of first-hand accounts from Admiral Nelson’s Battle of the Nile. He always enjoyed learning more about one of his greatest heroes, and often it was from studying ancient battle tactics and strategies that he developed fresh ones of his own.

When the control panel of the door into the library beeped to let him know someone was outside, James couldn’t help but frown. He had been found. When the door swished open without his permission, irritation spread across his face. The Palace staff knew he wasn’t supposed to be interrupted when in his library. Both his frown and irritation disappeared the second he saw the look on his wife’s face.

“What’s the matter?” James asked as he jumped to his feet. Terror gripped him as he imagined something had happened to one of their children. Had news come from Becket? Had Georgia died fighting with Becket’s fleet? Or perhaps it was from Emilie saying Jonathan had been killed in their raids against the Karacknid border bases.

“We’ve been looking for you everywhere,” Christine said, her voice breaking. “We just received an FTL COM message from Beta Fort. It's a message from Jonathan; he sent a fast frigate to deliver the news.”

As her lips trembled and a tear ran down his wife’s cheek, James pulled her into a hug, his own fear intensifying. “What is it?” he asked as they held each other.

Christine held him tightly for a moment, then pushed herself back to look him in the eyes. “It’s Emilie. Tanaka-lan has captured her!”

Shock coursed through James. From the first syllable of Emilie’s name, he instantly feared she had been killed. Memories of his niece flooded him: the first time he had met her when she had won his foundation’s science scholarship, learning she was his brother's illegitimate daughter, and when she had told him she wanted to join the Navy and follow in his footsteps. Ever since then, she had been more like a daughter to him than a niece. And now she’s dead… James' thoughts began to spiral in anguish, but then the rest of Christine’s sentence finally registered with him.

“Captured?” James echoed in disbelief. As Christine nodded, his mind raced, imagining the implications. The Karacknids were not known for taking prisoners. If they had taken Emilie, it was because they recognized her significance. They could be torturing her for details about our defenses, James thought with horror. Emilie was familiar with many of James' strategies. If the Karacknids obtained even a fraction of that information, numerous plans he had spent years crafting could be compromised. And it is Tanaka-lan that has her! James reminded himself as he fully processed what Christine had said. He had no doubt the Karacknid Imperator would go to whatever lengths he thought necessary to get his niece to talk.

“How did it happen?” James asked as he shook his head with all the emotions running through him. He felt utterly helpless. If Emilie had been captured along the Karacknid frontlines, it must have happened over a month ago. By now, she would have already suffered immensely. She could be suffering right at this very instant!

“It’s a long story,” Christine answered as James pulled her into another hug, this time for his own benefit as much as hers. “Jonathan took his squadron into Karacknid space to rescue some Free Karacknids,” Christine continued as they held one another. “He was successful; he has brought nearly half a million Free Karacknids out of Tanaka-lan’s clutches. They are all on their way here, wanting to settle within our Empire. When she saw what Jonathan had done, Emilie took her squadron in after him. She found Jonathan surrounded by Tanaka-lan’s forces. She sacrificed herself to get Jonathan and the Free Karacknids out alive. But instead of killing her, Tanaka-lan crippled her ship and Jonathan is certain he took her captive.”

“I need to read his report,” James said as he broke apart from Christine. She pulled a datapad from one of her pockets and handed it to him. James took it, gave her hand a squeeze, and then moved over to sit back in his seat. In silence, he opened the report and began to read. Christine moved to another seat and sat nearby to give him comfort.

When he set the datapad back down, James had even more conflicting emotions running through him. He was immensely proud of what Jonathan had accomplished, albeit he still felt his son's initial actions had been foolish. He felt the same pride in Emilie. And yet his horror at her capture overshadowed her success and the Free Karacknids’ escape. And then there was the reality of her torture. No matter how hard he tried, James couldn’t shake the mental pictures of what Tanaka-lan might be doing to his niece at that very moment.

Despite all those emotions, however, one thing was clear from Jonathan’s report. Besides bringing the Free Karacknids out and confronting Tanaka-lan, Jonathan had also brought back valuable intel. From James’s other scouts and from reports coming from Varanni and Mindus space, it was clear the Karacknids were amassing their forces along the border. Yet Jonathan had seen far more ships than any other scouts, and the fact that Tanaka-lan was already operating along the border told James all he needed to know. The Karacknid Imperator was mobilizing his full force to the front in preparation for war.

Combining all the scouting reports, the allies had estimated that as many as sixty thousand warships were moving into attack positions. Jonathan’s intel bumped that number up closer to ninety thousand. And the majority would be directed at them, James was sure. Whether Becket’s diversionary attacks had drawn some of Tanaka-lan’s forces away or not, they hadn’t distracted him in the way they had hoped. For clearly Tanaka-lan had come in person to lead the invasion.

Turning to Christine, they both shared a haunted look. Both understood what Jonathan’s report meant. Total war was coming to the Empire, and they had precious little time left to prepare. “I need to go to the front lines,” James said. “It's time to muster the full fleet and prepare to meet him.”

Christine nodded, though the emotions on her face screamed that she wanted anything else but that. “I know,” she said, nonetheless. “If he’s coming to destroy everything we’ve built, then you must face him once again.” Standing, James and Christine hugged, both understanding what their words meant. Once battle was joined, either James or Tanaka-lan would have to die. That was the only way to end the war that was about to begin.

*

Wrathful, Karacknid fleet base Jartong, 19th August 2512 AD, (two weeks later).

Battered, bloodied, and bruised, now missing both her hands, an ear, and most of her front teeth, Emilie nevertheless stood as proudly as she could after being dragged onto the bridge of Tanaka-lan’s flagship. Her whole body ached, and she felt weak and dizzy from all the blood loss and the pathetic medical treatment she had been given. Yet she refused to cower in front of the Karacknid Imperator. Instead, she met his eyes unblinkingly.

“Thank you for joining me, Admiral,” Tanaka-lan said amusement pouring from his voice. He then grew more serious. “Despite your appearance, I confess, you have proven to be more resilient than I first imagined. My agents tell me they’ve barely been able to beat any information out of you. Something tells me you are operating under the false assumption that your species may win this coming war. That your Emperor has a chance to defeat me. Well, it’s time to put an end to that notion.”

Reaching out, Tanaka-lan tapped a button on the console beside him. A holo display sprang to life and showed the image of a system. Though she didn’t want to play his games, Emilie’s eyes flicked to the image. What she saw made her mouth gape open. Thousands of ships were visible, arrayed around an orbital fleet base. Emilie shook her head. She was wrong. There weren’t thousands, but tens of thousands. Perhaps as many as seventy or eighty.

“One hundred and six thousand to be precise,” Tanaka-lan said, reading her thoughts. “And every one built for the sole purpose of defeating your Emperor and conquering your homeworld. While my other fleets assault your allies and draw their strength away from your borders, I will personally drive a spear through your Emperor and right into the heart of your civilization. This war will not be like the last one. It will end in one swift assault. I will sweep away your border forts and your fleets, and your entire species will become my slaves.”

Emilie shook her head at the overwhelming force being shown to her. All of the Allied battle plans had been drawn up on the assumption that Tanaka-lan might bring between one hundred and thirty to one hundred and forty thousand warships to the fight. Warships that would then attack across the entire frontline. With the allies and the Karacknid Empire sharing a border that was over four hundred light years long, it was expected the coming war would be fought between fleets of ten or twenty thousand strong at most. Yet if Tanaka-lan was telling the truth, she was looking at a fleet that no Allied defense could withstand.

“You see,” Tanaka-lan sneered. “Your species has no hope. Your defeat is certain, and your resolve is meaningless. Go back to your cell and ponder your species' future, forsake the notion that you can have victory over me.” With a wave of his hand, Tanaka-lan dismissed her.

Emilie knew what he was doing. He was trying to break her so she would tell him everything he wanted. Despite her dread at the size of his fleet and the horror she felt for her broken body, rage still flowed through her. Though she knew it would have consequences, she wanted to show him she hadn’t been cowered yet. Just before the two guards came to grab her, she lunged for Tanaka-lan and spat at him. To her great satisfaction, she hit him square on the cheek.

Tanaka-lan roared at her. He extended his claws and raised his hand, ready to swipe at her neck. Emilie’s eyes widened; certain she was about to die. But then Tanaka-lan took a half step back and slowly retracted his claws. “That’s what you want, isn’t it?” He asked. He shook his head at her. “I have no intention of making it that easy, Human.” He then growled again. “If I didn’t want answers from you, I’d have your tongue taken from you. Take her eyes instead,” he said, turning to the two guards that had brought Emilie from her cell. “I’m sick of her looking at me.” He then gestured at the holo image, “Take one last look at it, Admiral. It will be the last thing you see. The fleet that will destroy your homeworld and enslave your people.”

Emilie did look, and though she was still filled with rage, it was quickly drowned out by fresh panic. She knew Tanaka-lan didn’t make empty threats. As a guard grabbed her and extended a single claw from his hand, she started to scream and thrash about. Two more hands grabbed her head and held her perfectly still. Then the razor sharp claw quickly pierced one of her eyes and then the other. White hot agony shot deep into Emilie’s head as she kept screaming until she passed out from the pain. Slumped over, blood streaming down her cheeks, she was dragged, limp, back to her cell as Tanaka-lan watched with pleasure.

When she woke up hours later to the new darkness that was now her life, Emilie felt the despair Tanaka-lan wanted to overwhelm her with, attempting to do just that. With every ounce of strength she could muster, she summoned memories of her husband and son to her mind. They were why she still resisted. She refused to do or say anything that would allow Tanaka-lan to hurt them. Yet, as she remembered the image of his fleet, her despair renewed its assault on her resolve. Whether she gave in to Tanaka-lan’s torture or not, how could her friends ever hope to hold back such a force? Emilie could find no answer. Yet they will, she told herself all the same. They have to!

The End.

I hope you have enjoyed this continuation of the Empire Rising Series and are looking forward to the next instalment where the Second Karacknid War will heat up to engulf all of Humanity!

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