The Cazov - Chapter 1 Chapter 1.25 Chapter 1.50 Chapter 1.50 Interlude Chapter 1.75 Chapter 1.75 Interlude If there was an area of space that best resembled an untended strip of grass in the back of a rural gas-n-go station then the Cazova system was in the middle of it. Being untended, there was one spot in this strip that attracted odds and ends that, despite the intention of the owner to find a use or throw away, just ended up to become part of the local flavor. The Cazova system was a binary, composed of an orange sun that was slightly more energetic than its brethren and a miserly white dwarf that kept its own company. Around the orange sun was what one could call a tepid Venus-like planet. Instead of melting lead the atmosphere settled on a temperature fit for ordinary paper to catch fire and burn. There was an underachieving gas giant with two moons and an asteroid belt where a planet should’ve been. Cazova Prime, the second planet of the system, was a super-terrestoid with a Mars-sized moon. What it lacked in planetary bodies Cazova made up in mineral wealth, each moon and asteroid a treasure house for an industrial civilization. Cazova itself was very rich, and it wouldn’t take much effort to extract the naturally-provided bounty.      That life arose on Cazova amid the concentration of heavy metals was proof of its resiliency. For intelligent life it was like finding two identical snowflakes in a blizzard. Even so, there were a relative handful of such heavy gravity races with equally high levels of heavy metals in their body chemistries. It was only the Cazov that such a combination resulted in a unique mental character. It was later learned by other races that the Cazov had a subconscious telepathic link. However, this link didn’t produce a group consciousness, the sharing of memories and knowledge. Nor was it an empathic bond, enabling one to know and experience the feelings and emotions of another. It could be liken to a decrepit radio, only working in fits and starts and only then screeching static. Over time this subconscious ‘mental noise’, subtly shaping the individual Cazov psyche, made for erratic and random behavior that was considered normal.      While astronomy and the physical sciences needed for rudimentary space travel were perfected by the Cazov there was no great push to move out into space. While their system had a front-row seat to nebulas and dust clouds, giving sky viewers something pretty to look at, they obscured vast swaths of stars that would’ve been just as impressive if not more so. While knowing there were stars behind all that dust the Cazov considered all of space beyond their own system to be dirty and ‘icky.’ Thus it took an eccentric by Cazovan standards to establish a permanent colony on the homeworld’s moon.      Eventually it came about that the five major nations controlled the planet in all but name. It was decided by referendum that a world government should be formed. After a few decades of political bickering, sabotage, grandstanding and foot dragging a convention was finally decided on. History was made on the fifth day, late at night during a 14 hour marathon session. Codo, a participant, noticed that his lead lick was missing. Across from him in the conference hall was his life-long protagonist Bek. The scoundrel was using the aforementioned lick when his front eyes noticed Codo looking daggers at him. Being a gift received from his paternal grandfather upon passing law school, Codo indicated that he wanted the lick returned. Bek only gave him a look of a resentful child and then swallowed the lead lick. Being a family heirloom and not wanting to lose it Codo got into Bek’s grill and told him to take an ipecac. Ratcheting up the tension, Bek said he wouldn’t and let nature take its course, only then would Codo get his lick back. What followed was a massive fight that eventually involved everyone in the hall. It resulted in five deaths and practically everyone else comatose, but only Codo was left standing on his three legs.      It was at this time in Cazov entertainment history that reality shows were all the rage. One such show dealt with random urban brawling. The citizens believed, and were further encouraged by an all-too-eager media, that the winner of the fight at the world government convention would decide what the new government would be like. An ambitious politician if there ever was one, still stained with blood and holding his gore-covered lead lick, Codo announced to the world that the convention was a success. The government was to be a dictatorship, he said passionately, and, as the first Dictate, he would lead with purpose and benevolence. No-one doubted his word as there were no other witnesses to dispute his claim. Of course, after being installed as Dictate, Codo insured those comatose participants remained so for the rest of their lives.      Space exploration and exploitation was at the top of Codo’s agenda. With reactionless drive technology recently perfected the asteroid belt and the gas giant’s two moons were colonized. It was only after a prolonged study of the gravitational interaction between the suns and system bodies that the existence of warp points was inferred. The Atomic Space Authority had a squadron of survey ships tasked to confirm this inference, and after a year it was found that the system had just one known warp point. With much fanfare the survey squadron made transit and found itself in a system that was on the far side of the Magenta Nebula, the same nebula that covers the night sky of Cazova. The new system had a single yellow primary with five planets and an asteroid belt. Following five months of work three additional warp points were located, and while the individual planets and moons were poor in resources the asteroids were quite rich in minerals.      Faced with three possible routes of advance the ASA and Dictate Codo couldn’t decide on which one to explore first. To reach a decision Codo used an Orb of Prophecy, shaking the nearly spherical object and reading the face of the multi-faceted cube that happened to come up against the flat transparent viewport. Seeing the result as ‘question unclear – ask again later’ Codo took it to mean to recall the squadron and turn the ASA into a military force that would act against any alien force when surveying was authorized again.       Captain Dingus, commanding the survey squadron, left a marker on a uranium-rich asteroid. It was coated in a lacquer so it would preserve the surface. That the lacquer itself was very dark and made the marker hard to see visually didn’t occur to Dingus at all. Additionally, the script that proclaimed ownership of the system, both in Cazovan and a mathematical symbol code, was written with dark ultraviolet ink and in characters that were 1/32” high. Dingus thought surely any intelligent race that found the marker would marvel at the creativeness used to construct it. Instead, as Dingus and everyone else would learn twenty years later, all that the marker did was to test the incredulity and patience of those that found it. Unlike Cazova, the homeworld of the Gander had a great spectacle of stars to view every night. While they did have multiple governments in search of common ground, the Gander reached a solution without resorting to violence. A confederation was formed, with each lunar and asteroid colony becoming an independent nation and having representation in the confederation congress. Nuclear-powered craft quickly gave way to reactionless drives, going hand-in-hand with the recently discovered warp point phenomena. In short order three systems were found one after another having a habitable world each.      After consolidating these new finds and updating the Confederated Space Navy the Gander resumed exploring. It wasn’t long before they encountered the Ahlon, a heavy-gravity race noted for its bureaucratic nature. First contact was protracted and almost tedious due to the various departments of the Ahlon government made sure they were involved or had their opinion heard. Eventually a trade treaty was signed, much to the relief to the Gander as they had grew tired of waiting, and both sides settled down to figure what to do with the extra income. They decided to do further research and development. Having accidently shown the existence of the armed pinnace when a training flight came too close to an Ahlon freighter the CSN elected to develop a new small armed craft. Called a gunboat, this new craft had double the external load of an armed pinnace but had only inherent point defense and no gun. It was slightly faster with 20% more life support, and was equipped with fighter-styled long range scanners. Since this initial gunboat class could only be carried on external racks a massive set of refits and new construction was called for.      The Ahlon figured they needed an interim technology that could handle the armed pinnace until they could develop their own version. To this end they had a stripped-down assault shuttle built around a primitive datalink system and a rail gun capable of firing tungsten pellets a c-fractional speeds. Creating a new bureau among the Ahlon to oversee all aspects of the interceptor (aka AFSC) was ripe with infighting usually found within other races political parties. In the end it took the intervention of a retired top bureaucrat to head the new department to satisfy the powers that be. Over the next few years the relationship between the Confederation and the Bureau improved to point where a mutual defense military treaty was signed. It wasn’t all that long when that treaty was invoked.      The Gander home system had just one warp point, and it lead to a system eventually called Signpost. Having just two additional warp points and with only a very rich asteroid belt considered worthy of exploiting the Gander gave colonization of Signpost a low priority. Thus when the fateful day came there were just three asteroid colonies and nine outposts out of a possible 24 and 72. Signpost did serve as a training area for the CSN, and it was one of the several roaming squadrons that first detected the alien drive signature. It turned out to be a squadron of 6 ships, making a beeline for the warp point that lead to the chain of systems containing three Gander-settled worlds. That fact alone told the system governor that, at the very least, the aliens had in the past or more recently under stealth surveyed Signpost. He sent the CSN system commander with three ships to intercept and to start first contact protocols.      The aliens had a body shaped like beer kegs with a trilateral symmetry of three legs and three arms with three digit hands. Adorned with one mouth, signifying the alien’s front, there were also four equally spaced eyes and ears at the top of the body. As this was first contact for both sides involved it was remarkable that communication was established after one month of effort. This only served to clearly elucidate the Cazov convoluted thought process.      Heading the Cazovan side of the contact was Admiral Dingus. As one of the most senior officers of the ASA he had been relegated to plantside assignments ever since conducting the first survey of Signpost twenty years earlier. Dingus challenged the Dictate to a best two out of three rock-paper-scissors contest with the condition that if he lost then he would retire. A smart man, Dingus didn’t gloat that he had the fingers on his back hand crossed for good luck. For the new set of surveys Dingus requested and got two squadrons of warships to provide escort. However, he held them back relatively near the warp point and at stand-by conditions. For all intents and purposes they were like rocks, dead to the world until called forward.      Sitting expectantly on the bridge of his flotilla flagship, Dingus had two of his eyes looking forward to give the bronze-colored Gander a harsh glare. He talked at brisk pace and didn’t care to wait for the translation program to keep up. “I’m getting tired of repeating obvious facts, Commodore Jingabubon. The marker that I left on the asteroid in question is, under Cazovan law, a legitimate legal artifact and constitutes proof that this system is property of the Dictate. You admitted to finding it when your navy did its survey. Having stayed and populated some of the asteroids constitutes squatting. Your nation has one week to acknowledge the Dictate’s property and evacuate your populations from the system.”      Like all Gander, Commodore Jingabubon was a bald and mostly hairless biped, having only thick dark eyebrowns to contrast with the bronze color of the skin. Looking at Dingus, he had to wonder when the puppeteer would tire and let the ensemble fall to the floor. “Admiral, possession is nine-tenths of Gander law. Though we found your marker easily enough, for it being on an asteroid rich with uranium, it isn’t enough to claim said asteroid, let alone the whole system, for your Dictate. We have populated several of the asteroids in Signpost and consider the system an integral part of the Confederation. Impress this upon your Dictate should he decide to engage in un-neighborly behavior.”      Dingus took a taste of his handy lead lick and scoffed theatrically. “Very well, you pusillanimous turd. You will get your answer soon enough.” He pointed to the viewer so as to convey the impression that he was in the same room, just inches away from Jingabubon’s face (in which case Dingus had to point up to compensate). “However, let it be known that when this matter turns to the Dictate’s favor I will be compensated by your government for lost revenue as a result of your illegal mining of my asteroid. Have a day, bronze boy!”      The connection closed so abruptly that Jingabubon had no time to reply. Nor did he care to hail Dingus again so soon. He turned to his first contact advisor, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Manasubon. “When it turns in their favor? Compensation for lost revenue? Are those heavy metals short-circuiting their cognitive functions? I just amazed they’ve been able to exist long enough to make fire.”      “Yes, it’s a wonder,” Manasubon agreed. “Now that they resorted to insults I fear they will up the ante and engage in war. They’re stubborn to fault, to say the least. It’s a shame we haven’t found their warp point yet.”      Jingabubon rubbed his bald head. “They had to plant some comm buoys, and it’s clear they’ve been using tight-beam communications. Our squadrons haven’t found those buoys yet or if they’ve moved in additional ships in the interim. That could mean the warp point is quite far out from the primary, and that means a considerable amount of territory to scout. As there are no Cazov buoys or ships within range of our home warp point I believe Fleet Command will send in reinforcements as a matter of prudence.”      “I hope it’s just bluster on their part, Commodore. That Dingus could’ve just as well licked that asteroid instead of leaving a barely legible marker behind to claim ownership.” Dictate Codo died twelve years ago when he went through with his ‘don’t make me go back there’ threat with his children while personally driving the state limousine. In accordance to Codo’s will, his replacement was Mondo, his loyal Dictatum. He had his share of quirks like all Cazov, including arguing with inanimate objects. It was with one of these objects, an old-fashion garbage disposal, that Mondo lost his right hand. He had it replaced with three linoleum knives so he would always be ready if wood paneling was in the offering.      “That Dingus!” Mondo exclaimed to no-one in particular, pacing the office, his safety-gloved knives twitching. “He tricked me. I shouldn’t have agreed to that coin flip deciding which hand to use for rock-paper-scissors. He had to choose rock! Then he made that one-week ultimatum all on his own! Nimbus would’ve followed orders!”       Dictatum Smelnus, waiting in a corner, decided this was the best time to intervene. “Mondo, given the fact that these Gander have proven to be intractable, perhaps its best to start the war now. Any more talking will only give them more time to prepare.”      Mondo scratched the scar underneath his lower lip with his left hand. Said scar came about when he scratched an itch with a knife finger of his right hand. “War, eh? Why the hell not? They had enough time to acknowledge our legitimate claim. Have the ASA go to full mobilization. Tell Dingus to initiate hostilities immediately.”      “Immediately, Dictate?” Smelnus sounded incredulous. “Should Dingus be allowed to fall back to Cazov first?”      Mondo removed the safety glove from his right hand and shoved this tri-bladed appendage up into the air, the linoleum reflecting menacing in the light. “And reveal the location of the warp point early? Ridiculous! If he’s so righteous about his asteroid then he can damn well shed the enemy’s blood to protect it! The Dictate has spoken!”      Smelnus bowed. “All shall bask in the benevolence that is the Dictate.” “Explain why your ships have closed to three light-seconds range,” Jingabubon demanded. With his right hand behind his back, the Commodore signaled the ship’s captain and weapons officer to expect combat. Gunboat and armed pinnace crews on the three CSN ships, having been hustled to their embarkation stations when the Cazov ships made their unexpected move, now got aboard their fleet little craft. They hoped nothing more would come of it.      “Done so as to reduce transmission time, Commodore,” Dingus clarified. “Your government moves fast as it took three days to reach a decision. I trust you have good news this time.”     Jingabubon looked askance at Dingus’ image. He was certain that the squat little alien was sincere in his words. “If by that you mean you’ll respect the territorial integrity of the Confederation then yes, it is good news. Our congress and prime minister are in agreement. You have one standard week to withdrawal all of your ships through your entry warp point. All further communication will be conducted with courier drones once a month. Failure to do so will constitute an act of war. An answer is required presently.”      Dingus crushed the cup of coffee he was holding in his left hand, changing the pain into hate as he pointed the afflicted limb into the video pickup. An air of manic conviction filled Dingus’ voice. “You larcenous, perverted worm! There was still a chance! Had your Confederation agreed to my… the Dictate’s legitimate claim, then there would be no war! I’ll have you know that the Dictate agrees with your assertion that possession is nine-tenths of the law. Once my navy controls this system we’ll only need nine-tenths of it. The other 10% will be for your graves! Die in righteous fire, bronze boy!”      Both sides were at general quarters with Dingus’ ships firing first. The limited extended range armament the six Graph survey ships (they were carrying CAMs and EDMs on their external racks) couldn’t cope with the superior point defense of their Skirmisher cruiser target. In reply the two Skirmishers took out 38% of the shields on Dingus’ ship. The aggrieved admiral sneered as the trio of CSN ships turned away to keep the range open. As for the sight of 24 small craft appearing on his plot he looked to the squadron’s tactical officer. “What are those things?”      “I believe they are externally-mounted small craft, possibly pinnaces, Admiral,” said the lieutenant. “The energy signatures of 18 of them are slightly stronger than regular pinnaces, so I suspect they’re a new type.”      Dingus made a dismissive wave of the hand. “Attempting to cover their retreat by ramming us with pinnaces, eh? They are nothing to me. Deal with them as you see appropriate.”      “Yes, Admiral.”      The ships exchanged an additional volley before the gunboats and pinnaces closed the distance, actually ending up in the blind spots of their intended targets. Lacking multiplex tracking, the six Graphs fired on these unusual craft as individuals, using CAMs and sprint-mode missiles. One ‘pinnace’ was knocked out, but then the Cazov were treated to the coordinated fire of three gunboats. Shield and armor failed on the selected Graph, and it belched air as the bulkheads for the cargo hold, boat bay and an engine room were breached, contents wrecked and lives taken. Still locked into the firing plan made by the lieutenant the other five ships could only use their offensive weapons and not make use of point defense. Nine gunboats were shot down, but the other nine and the six Apins from the Flight Group, combined with the Skirmishers’ fire, broke the back of four Graphs and removed the passive defenses on a fifth.      The gunboats and pinnaces broke away as the Skirmishers came about and closed on the Graphs. Dingus, out of contact with the rest of his ships, could only watch on an erratic display as the Gander cleaned his clocks. Firing sprint-mode missiles, a Graph finally scored a trio of hits, knocking out half the shields on an enemy ship. The fifth Graph was wrecked in reply. A final chance to inflict more damage was granted as the Skirmishers unloaded their broadside in the sixth Graph. Two more hits were scored, but failed to knock out the Gander’s shields totally. A glitch prevented the sixth ship from firing before the Skirmishers did, and it was utterly atomized when the Graph’s magazine and its load of antimatter missiles was crushed by a collapsing bulkhead.      Jingabubon ordered SAR teams to pick up those gunboat crews that survived ejecting from their stricken craft. He did request that the Cazov surrender, provided they destroy their point defense and eject all of their warheads in return for safe conduct back to their entry point. Dingus flatly refused, his ships destructing as if on cue. Only a few of the Cazov life pods that were launched beforehand were picked up as there wasn’t much in the way to sustain a heavy gravity and pressure race aboard the cruisers. No courier drones were launched, denying the Gander a chance to find the entry point at this juncture. Sensor data on the Cazov warheads was forwarded back to the homeworld. Had the CSN such technology then the battle would’ve been concluded much faster.      As for the other two Cazov squadrons in the Signpost system, each composed of six Gunship destroyers, they became active. Using the data provided by a scanner buoy planted along with them, they went after nearby Gander sensor contacts. In each case the contact turned out to be three Skirmishers. The cruisers opened fired and launched their gunboats close in as it became clear the destroyers weren’t armed with long range weapons. On their external racks the Gunships had EDMs, and despite their help the first DD lost its shields and one-third of its armor.      The gunboats went in, and as the Skirmishers were still just out of range the DDs fired on them, knocking out six. For the 12 survivors they fired their first volley of close-attack missiles, crippling three Gunships and removing the passive defenses on the fourth. Instead of running the gunboats, known as Scorpions in Gander terminology, stayed so as to fire their second volley of missiles. Allowing the range to drop to 2 LS the Skirmishers enabled the three Gunships with intact engines to engage. They fired huge sprint-mode missiles armed with antimatter, resulting in the selected cruiser losing all shields and armor integrity. Return fire and faster calculations resulted in just one Gunship remaining. Like the other squadron this cripple was allowed to retreat, for the Cazov captains, both young and relatively inexperienced, elected to save their ships for another day. Because of this they showed their entry point. It was closed on the Signpost side, explaining why the Gander hadn’t found it during their initial survey years earlier.      Faced with a new warhead and a rapid-fire heavy sprint mode missile launcher the Gander accelerated their R&D with priority given to the creation of burst-mode antimatter generators. As for the asteroid outposts and colonies in Signpost the decision was made to evacuate all of them, leaving the small freight handling and transfer station over the asteroid that Dingus made so much fuss over. The Ahlon were called upon to fulfill their part of the defense treaty. In a month’s time the CSN would be in position to probe the far side of Signpost’s fourth warp point. Dictate Mondo was both mad and happy with the results of the first battle of Signpost, soon to be referred to by both sides as the System of Conflict. Mondo had expected at least one enemy ship to be destroyed, not that 23 bagged gunboats and two cruisers with armor damage counted for something. He hated the way the Confederation in general, and Jingabubon in particular, got up into Dingus’ grill with their smug assertion of law and ownership. Transmitting up to the very end to the comm buoys (thankfully unnoticed for so long), Mondo saw how Dingus defied the enemy and went down with his ship. Dingus’ death wasn’t in vain, for he did discover some aspects of the enemy, especially those externally-mounted small craft and pinnaces armed with external ordnance. Scientists informed Mondo that being so big made such craft easier to hit with all kinds of weapons. Fighters would be especially effective against them. Such information was even now being woven into ASA attack plans. In a month, no more than five weeks, the Cazov were going to take their first step into becoming the supreme power of the universe. Chapter 1.25 The Confederation Space Navy placed its cordon around the warp point leading to Cazov space. Clouds of mines and shoals of buoy weapons covered the insubstantial flaw in space with a task force standing by. They were not alone. Nine ships of the Ahlon Space Navy Bureau, originally slated to conduct exercises in Signpost with the CSN two months ago, had assumed station with their Gander allies. CSN Admiral Chancubu was in virtual conference with his sub-commanders, including Assistant Admiral Collate. A typical Ahlon, a heavy gravity race and rather big at 4 meters long, 2 meters tall and atop eight short thick legs, Collate was distinguished with a double fold of skin under his nominal chin, indicating his advance age. Like it was a beard, Collate stroked those folds with his left hand. “I thank you, Chancubu, for including a portion of my force to participate in this probe. The Bureau finds the lack of information on the foe abhorrent to an orderly universe.”      “I’m surprised your Fleet Bureau gave permission for your participation so quickly,” Chancubu said. “I thought they would have you wait until reinforcements arrived.”      Collate gave his race’s version of smile. Given that an Ahlon’s ‘head’ was at the front of the body, and not on a neck, it looked like a face affixed to a log of clay. “We may be a procedural race, admiral, but we’ve been known to act quickly if required. A task group will be sent forward once the pen and paper pit bosses are given their due.”      “We will have a better grasp on the enemy by then, Admiral Collate. Our probe is set to enter the warp point in one hour. If conditions are favorable on the far side we will send in more ships. Otherwise we will hold here until further reinforced.” Chancubu looked at the holograms before him, inviting questions. One sub-commander asked if the armed pinnaces from the task force would be sent in a mass wave. Based on the failure of solitary pinnace probes to return, Chancubu declined to commit the 130-plus Arrows. If Cazov resistance turned out to be comparatively light then Fleet Command would look unkindly for what would’ve been an unnecessary expenditure of life and material. Still, it was a gamble to commit several waves of heavy ships just to see what was on the other side but it had to be done. Knowing was preferable to not knowing. The hour came and the first wave of ships, three minesweepers and three battlecruisers, marched through the warp point. Following procedure, the ships released gunboats from their hull cradles on the far side. What they found were multiple shells of defensive forts, prowling squadrons of Cazov ships, and flocks of unknown craft slightly smaller than cutters. A Shortbow fired its limited load of external close assault missiles and a full broadside of sprint-mode missiles at one fort, located one LS out. Enough hits were obtained to knock down the shields, scouring armor with liberated nuclear energy. One close-in base became active and fired, 9 of its 10 x-ray laser emitters achieving hits on a Shortbow with 6 CAMs following.      For the 54 Scorpions they waited on the warp point while their systems stabilized from transit. The strange, small craft, also number 54, angled in with 30 firing at the ships. For the damaged Shortbow it was completely atomized by a perfect spread of 12 FRAMs. With datalink temporarily down the Scorpions fired one by one, using point defense to pick off the small craft as best they could. 27 were shot down, mostly from squadrons that had yet to fire. For this the Scorpions lost 18 of their number, and witnessed the complete destruction of the first wave ships. The firepower of the sprint missile destroyers, cruisers, and bases as well as the strange new laser employed by other bases and cruisers was telling. As the first wave ships were unable to launch drones, it fell to a designated Scorpion to return to Signpost.      Wave two was made of three more minesweepers and a trio of Shortbows. As Scorpions were released from launch cradles those that survived from the first wave moved through the minefields, taking their losses, and engaged a cluster of sprint missile forts. They found to their detriment that the active gun forts also had datalink jammers. Facing ever-increasing numbers of active units the attacking Scorpions took down one gun fort for a further loss of 33. Those Cazov small units that expended external close attack missiles opened up on the disorientated second wave with a gun system similar to that used on Arrow armed pinnaces. 12 of the 52 Scorpions on the warp point were shot down this way with 15 more brought down by point defense fire from the forts. The active Cazov ships had moved from their 1 LS orbit, coming within 0.5 LS of the warp point. With the active forts adding to the cauldron of fire the whole second wave was reduced to debris though 23 more fighters were lost along with the damaged laser fort.      The last two Scorpions from the first wave braved the mines and returned to Signpost, passing the third wave which included three Ahlon CAs. A quick review of the data made Admiral Chancubu call off the probe, but not before the fifth wave entered. No ship returned and only three more Scorpions came back. On the Cazov side of the warp point there were no less than 36 type-3 forts (minus the three known forts destroyed) backed up by a thick shell of mines and weapon buoys. Worse, a force of at least 60 warships was detected by the Scorpions, the majority armed with heavy sprint missile launchers. Then there were those armed small craft, less massive than even a cutter and armed with antimatter attack missiles. It was painfully clear that no further offensive probes, much less assaults, could be considered until matching ordnance was produced. A mass wave of Scorpions and Arrows armed with antimatter was beginning to look like the only way to break into the system without prohibitive ship losses. With that in mind Chancubu drew up his report and recommendations. On the Cazov side Admiral Phacetious couldn’t have been more please with the results, even for the overall loss of five forts and 51 fighters. The enemy was now deprived of 6 odd battleships, 21 battlecruisers and 3 heavy cruisers. As for those externally-mounted small craft 195 had been bagged like so many turkeys. Phacetious looked at his assembled staff, speaking from one side of his mouth while the other was chewing an old-fashion pencil. He pointed to one officer. “Staff Chief, what is the consensus?”      A bit irked that his pencil was being consumed by his superior, the officer responded professionally. “Admiral, we believe that, based on the strength of this Gander assault, that a considerable force awaits us on the far side of the warp point. In view of their losses, the likelihood of them conducting another assault in the near future is very low.”      “Excellent! That they haven’t seen our whole force means they’ll believe the cruisers and destroyers formed the bulk of our fleet. All the fighters they saw came for our forts. Now it’s just a matter when to launch our counter-assault.” With his back hand Phacetious retrieved a ten-sided die from a pocket and placed it in his left hand, shaking and rolling it onto the conference table. The neon green die came to stop with the side labeled ‘7’ facing up. “We’ll attack in seven days. I want ten assault plans on my desk in three days. Dismissed.” Once alone Phacetious pulled out a very uncommon item for a Cazovan from his front pocket. It was a lighter, and once it came to life Phacetious couldn’t help but admire it. He held his left hand over the flame and treasured the sensation of heat. “Soon, my pet,” he said like a lover, “soon I’ll feed you the universe.” On the CSN side of the fence the tension was tangible. All nine outposts had been evacuated back to Gander in the past month but only now the first of three asteroid colonies was being processed. Despite the data gather on the Cazovan small attack craft it still wasn’t clear if they were internally or externally launched. Their size seemed to indicate internal launch, recovery and servicing. It was going to take a hard sensor read on a Cazovan unit seen launching these craft to be sure. Several intelligence officers got their wish.      When presented with ten assault plans Phacetious didn’t bother to read them. Instead he rolled the die, getting 0 as the result. That plan called for a mass transit of 60 destroyers and heavy cruisers, and after allowing the warp point to settle down, a process requiring a little over 2 minutes, the second wave composed of minesweepers and assault carriers would follow. Losses from the transit alone would impose operational constraints should the attack succeed, but Phacetious accepted that as the price of war. What saved the Gander from disaster was the placement of their ships. Fully appreciating the power of the Cazov heavy sprint launchers the Shortbows and Skirmishers orbited the warp point at range of 3 LS. Beyond them were the Ballistias, Pikes, and Canopies. A torrent of missiles came from those ships achieving action stations in the first 30 seconds. Back up by Scorpions and Arrows that were quick on the mark the Gander made the 40 ships that survived transit lose five of their number.      The laser armed Cazov ships fired on the Shortbows, despite the distance and transit-addled targeting systems. For the Gunships, with their targets out of reach and firing on the small craft a laughable enterprise at the moment, they unleashed mine clearance charges into an area immediately near the warp point. 33 mine patterns were swatted away like flies. 200 out of 400 one-shot laser buoys were fired, shredding Cazov armor like cheese on a grater.      Two minutes later four BB-hulled carriers, a Dynamite Fishing minesweeper and a Mine Swatter minesweeper transited into Signpost. They found what a hornet’s nest would look like after it was doused in fire and water. Amazingly enough there were ships remaining, mostly cruisers being held together by the slimmest of margins. The selected minefield patch was greatly depleted and the Gander still kept their ships at a distance, their missile salvos coordinated with recently released groups of gunboats and apins. While firing of the last of the laser buoys cleared away the vestige of the first wave this didn’t prevent the four Thunder Snows from launching 120 F1s. These fleet little craft carrying antimatter death homed in on the Shortbows, behind them the third wave of four more Thunder Snows and two Mine Swatter BCs.      Jammers on the Canopy BCEs came into play but this didn’t stop the F1s from firing pairs of FRAMs into Shortbows and Skirmishers alike. Breaking off, the surviving F1s, each down to a gun pack, went back to cover the ships over the warp point. If the Gander cared to send in their small craft to engage the Cazov ships they would have to content with these deadly defenders.      The wave that came in after the Thunder Snows launched fighters was made of five Neutron BBs and a Chain Reaction CAE. Systems stabilized, the Neutrons fired their batteries of x-ray lasers at the Gander battleline. Due to the arrangement of internal systems once the armor of a Gander ship was stripped its weapons soon followed. Each ship denuded of weapons turned about and fled for the home warp point, and while preserved for repair and future use the overall effect was to reduce the allied presence. They dared not close in light of the effectiveness of the large anti-matter armed sprint missiles and the searing beams of x-ray lasers.      A tipping point was reached. Three patches in the minefield were almost denuded, and to finish the job three crippled Containment cruisers slouched into them like patrons shuffling from one happy hour bar to the next. On the heels of one of the expanding debris clouds came two Cloudburst carriers and a Chain Reaction escort cruiser, rushing headlong out of the warp point and into the Signpost system. Following them were nine Gunship destroyers, all ships detuning their engines to put as much distance between themselves and the Gander. For the rest of the Cazov fleet, now bolstered by their reserves and especially the strikefighters from newly-arrived carriers, it moved out to engage the circling Allied fleet.      This was enough for Admiral Chancubu. He ordered the task force to fall back to the inner system, rendezvousing with gunboats sent from the home system along with Longbow cruisers. The three Ballistia SDs and three Ahlon Supervisor BBs, slow as they were, formed a rearguard with the remaining Scorpions and (rearmed) Arrows riding herd. Appreciating the firepower of the massive capital missile trio Admiral Phacetious had his strikes go after them first, ignoring the plea from his operations officer that the faster cruisers be dealt with first as the Ballistias could be handled by the Neutrons. As predicted by the exasperated lower officer, the Gander put up a stiff fight, aided by a Canopy escort cruiser Chancubu kept back with him. While successful, the Cazov flightgroups were shadows of their former selves. Even if reformed and sent against the cruisers a pair of Canopies remained to greet them, and in a jamming environment an Arrow could engage and potentially knock out three fighters. Chancubu managed to flee his wrecked ship in a pinnace, wreathed by the remaining armed small craft, while Ahlon Assistant Admiral Collate perished as the battleship he commanded from went down fighting.      Phacetious drummed his left fingers on the control console before him. Behind his back he flicked his lighter open and closed at a measured rate with his third hand, igniting it like clockwork. The fleet had succeeded in wrestling control of the warp point but at considerable cost. It would take weeks to repair the lightly damaged among his ships and longer to bring the newly commissioned units up to acceptable performance. His own ship, the Atom Box, sustained moderate internal damage. In the interim the remaining Gander mines around the warp point were to be swept and scouts sent to watch the other three warp points. Hearing a noise, Phacetious didn’t bother to turn around, and simply spoke to the officer behind him. “Status of recon flotilla, if you will.”      “The flotilla will reach the second warp point in sixteen hours at maximum sustained speed,” said the operations officer. “We’ve already detected a drive source one light minute from that warp point, and it’s on a most direct route towards warp point three.”      “Excellent. Inform the commanding officer of the recon force to intercept, and to engage only if there’s a reasonable chance of success.” Phacetious wafted the air with his right hand towards his face. “Are there still unaccounted for electrical fires and shorts? Something is burning.”      “That would be you, Sir. You have accidently set yourself aflame.”      “Oh.” The admiral closed and pocketed the lighter in a belt pouch. The sensation of heat was undeniable. “You will kindly assist this officer in extinguishing the flames in the most expeditious manner.”      It took two days before the smell of burning plastic, electronics, and Cazov flesh was fully expunged from the flag plot. Excerpt from Cazov Destroyer Captain, by Fumenous Harna Success! We have won our first offensive battle against the long-shank Gander. The task of the flotilla that included my ship, the Flintlock, was to reconnoiter the system’s second warp point and destroy any and all comm and scanner buoys we happen to come across. Having been denied to fire at the enemy at the warp point, I hope the contact the flotilla is currently intercepting will provide a worthy challenge.      It’s hard to believe that I’m in command of my own ship just eight years after graduating from the Academy. I think it’s due mostly in part for my service as the second officer the Wadding. Early in my first tour the captain and the XO ate some undercooked shellfish that the ship’s chef brought aboard. Bad as that was, the shellfish came for a beach that was labeled as a biohazard zone. Both officers were ill and had to stay quarantined in sick bay for a month. Unwilling to terminate the deployment, the Captain appointed me as his deputy. I had expected to be nothing more than a ‘face man,’ carrying out his orders. That it didn’t turn out that way, and having responded in a cool and professional manner to several unscheduled drills, I gained experience first-hand faster than I would’ve normally. So, when it came time to select commanders for the new construction that came on-line just prior to the war I got a strong endorsement for the Wadding’s captain.      After the work-up and drills my crew was ready, and I owe thanks to the cadre of seasoned non-coms that were assigned to me. Commodore Burlap, commanding the flotilla, had a good reputation as an able leader. Though at times it was hard to understand him speaking for he kept his lead lick in his mouth for hours on end. Rumor has it that Burlap, back when he was a cadet, once swiped the Academy Commandant’s lead lick on a dare. Showing it to some friends, Burlap put it in his mouth when the Commandant rounded the corner and performed a surprise inspection. When questioned, Burlap talked while managing not to swallow the lick. Convinced that there was no other better hiding place than his mouth Burlap kept it in there for the two years, only taking it out while sleeping. It was quite obvious that he developed an unconscious need to keep the lead lick in his mouth. One only had to attend one of Burlap’s meetings to see the oral gymnastics that occur while he talked. It’s a wonder he hasn’t developed a toxic reaction from prolonged exposure as licks were used to keep up one’s lead levels between meals. I guess the higher in rank one gets the more eccentric one is allowed to become.      The scout, being much faster, reached definitive sensor range of the contact well before the flotilla. It was a force of six Gander heavy cruisers with one of them slightly undersized. Creeping closer, the scout provoked a response as three of the cruisers launched 18 of those externally-mounted small craft. Far from being prudent, the scout commander goaded those small craft, slowing slightly so as to let them catch up. Perhaps he was hoping to some glory in dispatching enemy units, obviously ignoring the possibility that such craft could’ve been armed with lasers. With the range down to 1 LS he opened up with his point defense mount and missed. However, instead of lasers the scout was treated to a flurry of stand-off missiles, a weapon that wasn’t a part of our navy’s inventory. The EDM helped somewhat but the scout was totally destroyed. An avoidable loss, but learning about a new enemy weapon now, under these circumstances, was preferable surprise than in a fleet battle.     Burlap had the flotilla stop so that the Gunships’ external racks could be loaded with EDMs from the escort cruiser’s magazine. The Gander obliged by coming to a halt for 30 minutes for some reason, and then resumed their beeline course for the WP 3. Fortunately for us, the scout’s two pinnaces had deployed sensor buoys, permitting us to keep tabs on the formation. Eight hours later we finally make our interception. At 15 LS range our carriers launched their Lightning fighters, 60 in all, and came about, each fighter armed with a gun pack and a nuke-armed close-attack missile and forming up with our Gunships. Three of the six Gander cruisers broke away and approached our destroyers, preceded by no less than 36 small attack craft. With a speed advantage in a head-on attack our Lightnings will only be in the firing envelope of those craft for a brief time. If they should turn away, giving their unexpectedly long-ranged point defense more time to engage, our ships will be unfettered by them and devote our full attention to the three cruisers. Burlap ordered the fighters to full speed, with the planned intercept of the small craft some 2 LS ahead of our ships.      Another fact learned in combat was that the large Gander craft had some reach on our fighters, knocking out four at a range of 1.25 light seconds with enhanced point defense systems. We still had the numbers, and in the ensuing circling dogfight our Lightnings were decisive. 26 of the craft were splatted like so many lead-flavored ice cream cones on the sidewalk, though it came at the cost of 27 of our fighters pantomiming cheap party snaps. Four more fighters were claimed as the last of the small craft were finished, speeding back to the carriers to rearm and reorganize. My pulse raced as the flotilla entered enemy missile range with one of our sister ships, the Bolt Action, being singled out and attacked by two volleys of missiles. With shields collapsed the Bolt Action was forced to use it two EDMs on the second volley, only distracting one missile while two more inflicted armor damage. Coming about, the enemy kept its distance from our ships, reducing the closure rate to a crawl.      In two minutes the Bolt Action was out of the fight and trailing behind the formation. Shifting targets, the Gander pummeled another Gunship. Instead of letting this one go our foe decided to finish it off, splitting their fire between it and the Primer. Finally, after five minutes of closure, our flotilla reached extreme range and we learn another morsel of knowledge. Gander ECM is slightly better than ours, preventing our heavy attack missiles from achieving a fire control solution at maximum range. Then, finally, at 2.25 LS our large sprint missiles connected on the first cruiser, smashing shields and armor partitions. Closer, the Primer was transformed into a wreck along with a Gander cruiser. Fire control was quicker off the mark at 1.5 LS, breaking down the armor of the second cruiser and stripping it of weapons. My own ship was pummeled by the last cruiser, losing one-third of its armor to sprint mode missiles in one volley while it sent the second to the Primer, finishing it off.      Gauging the situation, Burlap decided to finish off the two crippled Gander ships and ordered the carriers to dispatch their cutters to collect an intelligence sample of Gander life pods as well as recover pods from our two destroyed ships. As for the planned fighter strike against the other three Gander cruisers Burlap cancelled it. This, in my opinion, was a wise conservation of our current fighter strength. If the other cruisers had offensive weapons they would’ve participated in combat, suggesting that they were auxiliaries. Perhaps they were minelayers or military-hulled repair ships, given their obvious speed.      To conserve antimatter ordnance, expensive as it was, Burlap only permitted the use of standard nuclear-tipped sprint missiles. As anticipated the Gander trio didn’t fire when our six Gunships entered 5 LS range. Gradually we closed the distance until, at 3 LS, two cruisers launched 18 shuttles with another dispensing 6 of those armed pinnaces. Not at us, but on a course that would take them to a spot in this system’s asteroid belt. Being faster, there was no way for us to catch up as the distance was short enough that the shuttle engines wouldn’t burn out in the interim.      It was an anti-climax for the cruisers were indeed unarmed. From the way two of them came apart one could safely say they were personnel transports.* Great plumes of liberated atmosphere spilled out of their hulls, proving that a significant amount of interior volume was used to accommodate large numbers of personnel. The smaller cruiser splintered and broke in a more conventional manner. We only picked up two Gander life pods, leaving the rest to their fate, and joined the carriers. Once again the flotilla made for warp point 2, but this time at normal cruising speed to preserve our abused engines.      We guarded the warp point for two months without incident before being relieved, returning to Cazov for repair and replenishment. I took the time to visit my home and do some activities with the family, for I did not know if I would ever have the opportunity again. *The two Trooper class transports were carrying the inhabitants of an outpost in the Chimera system, the only Confederation population in the Western Chain. When confronted by Burlap’s flotilla the civilians were loaded onto the assault shuttles and sent towards the remaining colony in Sign Post’s asteroid belt. From there they were transferred to pinnaces and taken to Gander Prime. Chapter 1.50 It was well into the fourth month of the war. Aboard the battlecruiser Reactor Control one can find Admiral Phacetious in the combat information center. Long since recovered from his accidental immolation, Phacetious was afflicted with a new condition. As far as the doctors could determine the Admiral had hysterical blindness, brought on when he stared into a mirror a little bit too long. Convinced that the problem would take care of itself, the doctors allowed him to remain on duty, much to the consternation of his staff. Not only did Phacetious speak louder to compensate, he also asked questions and opinions of those within earshot, and what ears indeed.       Entering the CIC, the operations officer braced himself for the Admiral’s verbal spear. “You!” Phacetious said like a self-righteous prosecutor. He even pointed in the officer’s general direction. “The one who is moving now. Answer! What is the report from warp point two?”       “No signs of determined enemy activity, Admiral,” said Ops. “The survey ships and scouts sent into the system on the far side haven’t encountered any enemy units or population centers.”       Another officer, gritting his teeth, tried to walk as quietly as possible to another console but was betrayed by a squeak from his shoes. “You!” Phacetious announced. “The one who is moving now. Respond! What is the report from warp point three?”       “A task force belonging to the ally of the enemy has appeared, Admiral,” said the officer. “It’s moving at the cruising speed of a battleship, and will reach the Gander asteroid colony in nineteen hours.”       An overeager junior member of the Admiral’s staff did everything short of expelling intestinal demons to attract attention. Guiding by the noise, Phacetious pointed his finger. “You! The one who is moving now. Don’t answer!” Instead, he directed his attention to another officer. “Look at me, you! The one who is moving now. Respond! What is the composition of the task force?”       Like the others, this officer tried not to attract attention. It was his grumbling gut that gave him away. “Thankfully, there was none of those large, externally-docked small craft or armed pinnaces to oppose a close-in scan, Sir. The task force is composed of three ships measurably more massive than a battleship, nine battleships, six heavy cruisers, twelve destroyers, twelve frigates, six corvettes and two scouts.”       “Hmm.” intoned Phacetious. “Ops, what is the disposition of our forces?”       Given the way the Admiral said those words it took a great deal of effort on Ops part not to be witty by replying ‘they’re moody, irritable, and restless.’ “We’re the only one force in range that can engage this task force before it falls in the effective protective envelope of those small craft based on the Gander asteroid, Sir. At maximum speed we can reach them in two hours. Contingent on the armament of the enemy ships we can significantly reduce their number before withdrawing to a munitions transport.”       “Are there any enemy formations capable of intercepting us in the intervening time?”       “None, Admiral.”       “Excellent! Increase speed to maximum and engage an intercept course.” Phacetious rubbed two of his hands together in glee. “No more skulking and sparing. It’s been long pass that the enemy experienced pain.” The appearance of the Ahlon task force in Signpost was as much for supporting the Gander as it was a function of the ASBN bureaucracy. With pre-war refits still ongoing at a slow pace it took some devious creative thinking to ‘game the system’ of the Refit Implementation Board. According to RIF regulations a ship receiving more than 30% internal damage would get current refits along with repairs. With several high-ranking officers working in concert it was reasoned that sending a large force forward will result in having the balance of them damaged enough to warrant the small ASBN support group in Signpost to conduct refits. The Cazov were more than willing to oblige.       Phacetious’ force (comprised of nine Reactor BCs, six Containment CAs, nine Gunship DDs, and a pair of Cloudburst CVs with attending Chain Reaction escort) had only 67% of the tonnage of the Ahlon force. Moreover, having never encountered this amount of new Ahlon ship classes Phacetious wouldn’t know of their armament up to the time of engagement. This didn’t bother the accident-prone officer as half the missiles in his BCs’ magazines were armed with antimatter warheads, and thus was entirely confident of handing the big aliens their figurative heads.       When the time arrived and range had dropped there was no missile engagement at the 10 LS mark. The Ahlon, as this alien race called themselves from captured Gander records, kept to a deliberate speed of 0.033c and stayed true to a course towards the asteroid colony. Settling into a parallel course, the Cazov BCs crept closer with the rest of the ships staying 11 LS ahead of the Ahlon force, wary of any last-minute surprises. At 7.5 LS range Phacetious gave the order to fire, salvos alternating between antimatter and nuclear, with the three dreadnoughts as the first targets. The Bureaus were armed with capital launchers, true, but their throw weight was one-half of that of just one Cazov squadron. Overall they were outgunned in the missile engagement by six to one. Factoring in ECM it was even worse, and in the first seven exchanges one Bureau sustained significant internal damage with two engine rooms and all three launchers gone while a Reactor lost one-third of its shields.       “This is taking too long,” Phacetious said, drumming his fingers on the tactical plot. Still blind, he nevertheless turned to where his Ops Officer was standing. “They’re deficient in long-range missiles. Bring us with a range that will allow a nominal fire control solution of 70%.”       “Sir, if we do that, well will lose our ECM advantage for a full minute. If they’re holding back…”       “We’re the ones holding back, Ops! No more dawdling. We will make a more effective bombardment on the enemy. Adjust our range.”       “As you order, Sir.”       Speed was increased, but instead of a gradual closure it was a dramatic one. The first damaged Bureau was finished off in the minute it took for the Reactors to come within 5.5 LS of the Ahlon. A last moment course change on the part of the Ahlon admiral, Carbon, had the broadsides of those BCs in the bow arc of the two remaining Bureaus. Of the six spinal lasers that lanced out at the Reactor Control two connected, searing armor and a pair of ordnance-loaded external racks. “Hit my ship, will you?” Phacetious spat out. Literally in this case, as a glob of saliva hit Ops clear on the face. “Those fancy long-range lasers won’t prevail against out missiles. Finish them!”       Ops knew his admiral and acted accordingly. Working on the correct assumption that the Ahlon formation would speed up Ops had the Cazov task group do the same, keeping the range fixed. This, however, allowed the two Bureaus to fire their spinal lasers repeatedly, resulting in the Reactor Control losing 40% of its armor. Holding to the alternating salvos of antimatter and nuclear warheads one DN was destroyed with the last, with two engine rooms gone, falling behind the rest of the formation.       Eventually the task group’s 60 Lightning fighters would have to be used. To ensure the maximum survivability of those fighters Ops sough to destroy or cripple as many ships as possible. It wasn’t until the last two full salvos that attention was given to BB that brazenly ‘pinged’ one Reactor despite not firing a single weapon. With an engine room smashed that BB started to fall behind the others, and Ops made a verbal summary for Phacetious. “Aside from the armor damage we sustained our force is intact, Admiral. The enemy is down to nine BBs, one CA, twelve DDs, and three FGs. All other ships have been destroyed or crippled, and those cripples are falling back onto the remaining big ship. That will make it easier to find and finish them once we take care of the rest.”       “Excellent!” Phacetious beamed. “Our Gunships and Lightnings will lead the way with the Containments providing support. As for the Reactors, we will proceed to the munitions transport and restock our magazines.”        Ops rolled his eyes, thankful the Admiral didn’t see him do it. “Sir, eight of our Reactors still have two partial salvos left, and our own ship has five complete and two partial salvos. I suggest we finish off that slowed battleship, at the very least, and provide some support to the Lightnings by tying up enemy point defense mounts at the opportune time.”       The Admiral made a dismissive wave of the hand, hitting the CIC technician next to him in the eye. “I’m bored with this area of space, but we will empty our magazines to finish that one battleship and cruiser. I leave the rest to our other ships so that they may gain some battle experience.”        “As you order, Sir.”       As expected, the battleship died but the cruiser, having restored two-thirds of its shields in the interim, handled the reduced salvos from the Reactor Control expertly and only took very light internal damage past previously ruined armor. The nine Reactors finally pulled away from the Ahlon and made course for a small freighter six light-minutes distant. Informing Ops that he was not to be disturbed, Phacetious retired to the ship’s ward room to listen to some ‘light metal catastrophic opera’ music to relax.       Launching their Lightning fighters, the two carriers and escort kept station 11 LS away from the Ahlon task force while the DDs and CAs wheeled about. Likewise the Ahlon changed course, making it into a stern chase. Phacetious’ second in command, Bolus, on the cruiser Cleanser, elected not to detune engines to speed up the closure rate. Having been an engineer earlier in his naval career, Bolus had an appreciation on just how tedious it was in readjusting detuned engines. Soon enough the enemy will be within x-ray laser range, quickly followed by heavy sprint missiles and then the fighters. Like his superior, Bolus felt that no surprise on the Ahlon’s part would save them now.       Actually, Admiral Carbon had three surprises. The first of which was his Appointee DDs. Carbon served as an engineer early in his naval career as well. He found an effective way to reduce wear and tear on engines was to mandate the cruising speed for all warships to match that of a battleship. The trip to Signpost saw a significant savings in maintenance cycles for all ships involved, more so for the Appointees. Each one of them kept an engine room off-line, even during the bombardment. That changed just as the Cazov ships reached 6 LS range. Carbon sent the order, and those 12 ships enabled all engines and changed course. At full speed the Appointees turned about, the trailing Cazov just 5 LS away and in arc of 12 spinal lasers. Even with an ECM advantage five of those long-range beams connected, vaporizing armor and both EDMs from one Gunship.       As for the other Ahlon ships they changed course, finally bringing the capital launchers on the six Committee battleships into play. The lazed Gunship lost its shields and the rest of its armor, the contents of its cargo hold spilling into space. Carbon’s second surprise jolted Bolus from his comfortable view, ordering all ships to detune engines to close the range on the BBs even more. Not for the last time Carbon wished his DDs had the new advanced maneuvering, their spinal weapons out of arc for the next exchange, and while they were safe from the Gunship’s sprint missile batteries it was not the case for the Containments’ x-ray lasers. Even with targeting penalties associated with detuned engines the cruisers reduced one Appointee to half-speed, but one Containment had the failsafes on its detonation chamber activated, requiring five minutes to reset for action.       For the first Gunship it faced another volley of missiles, and another disadvantage of detuned engines came forward. ECM was negligible, and with the reduced range a 70% fire control solution was possible. That destroyer staggered from being in the center of so many nuclear fireballs, and it fell behind its brothers. Closer in another Gunship was deprived of two engine rooms from the accurate Committee volleys. In revenge the Cazov CAs fired and almost dispatched the first Appointee, though another Containment suffered a detonation chamber reset, requiring 3.5 minutes to clear.       Deliberate maneuvers on Carbon’s part brought the Gunships to within 3.25 LS and the Containments 4 LS. Despite detuning Bolus had his CAs fire the Committees instead of the Appointees, blotting 30% of the armor from one of the missile-spewing warship. Back in action, the Appointees stripped some armor and all the EDMs off of two DDs, making it easy to destroy one with capital missiles and cripple another thanks to standard missile fire from the two Supervisor BBs, the CA and three FGs.       Bolus had his CAs stop detuning, happy to see his Gunships and Lightnings get even closer to their goal. That the Ahlon had two of their BBs and four lighter units come about only meant they could be killed faster. His mind told him this while his heart threatened to seize up like an old engine when 144 fighter-sized contacts erupted like so many dandelion seeds from six of the eight BBs. The maneuvers and closure ensured that these Ahlon fighters were at point blank range with his Lightnings, and it was only damn lead-lick luck that every fighter had one regular close-attack missile to be used in proximity mode while leaving the other two, armed with antimatter, to be used on ships. 35 Ahlon fighters were consumed in hungry, demented suns with only 13 Lightnings left to carry on the attack. Tactical officers on the Cazov ships noted the three-unit firing method of the Ahlon ‘fighters’ as well as their more substantial mass compare to their own, but such information could be puzzled out after the battle.       The CAs, now really smarting from the temporary loss of firepower from two of their number, finished two Clerk frigates while the Appointees capped the knees of a CA in reply. Primary beams from the Supervisors did the same for a Gunship, and missiles from the Committees saw the finish of another. Despite detuning, the Gunships did remove most of the passive defenses of one Supervisor.       The damaged CA was treated to the spinal lasers of the BBs, ending up a weaponless warrior in an increasingly lethal battlefield. Bolus gave the orders for his five remaining combat-effective DDs to stop detuning, their devastating sprint missile fire mutilated one Supervisor with the assist from two CAs. The lion’s share of passive defenses on the other BB was mauled with the last FG becoming a loose collection of debris. Point defense picked up where the now-trailing Ahlon fighters left off, popping six more like soap bubbles in a pine needle forest. Capital missiles splintered one Gunship from a range of 1 LS. Now much more aggressive, the Appointees took care of another CA, leaving just two with active weapons. It was now more and more certain in Bolus’ mind that the other two won’t get the chance to fire again after all was said and done.       Again cursing the relative sluggishness of his BBs, Carbon could only watch as the four Gunships got within a quarter of a light-second of his Committees and let loose. The Containments joined in, ignoring the last Supervisor and the Secretary. Even the few Lightnings managed to get their licks in. Two of the hybrid carrier-missile ships were wrecked, but not before they collared some more fighters, leaving just four of the original sixty to run back to the carriers. Closer in, the Ahlon DDs got only four hits out of eleven on a CA, removing just the armor. It took the fire of the Supervisor and Secretary to inflict heavy damage on a Gunship, wiping away the armor and two engine rooms.       Leaving its now slower brethren the other three Gunships were right on top of the Committees with the four Containments 1.25 LS away. Despite the firepower involved just enough of the Cazov weapons missed the next Committee in line; it wasn’t destroyed as expected. Making up for the recent poor showing six of the Appointees made the unarmored CA weaponless with the fourth Gunship slowed even further. It would’ve been a goner had the BB been able to get its lasers in arc. Giving the location of the Cazov units in relation to the Committees, however, that wasn’t going to be problem in a moment. Concentrated fire on the third previously hit Gunship by five Appointees 2 LS away left just two of those obnoxious ships with offensive weapons.       One of the two CAs that had to reset its containment chamber was back in action. Despite the range of 1 LS two of its beams missed and the chamber failed again, making Bolus actually chew his lead lick in frustration. The fourth DD was finished and the third even more so, and the fourth Committee had only moderate damage to its innards. For the second Gunship two primary beams from the Supervisor took out a like number of engines. The fourth CA was weaponless, and it would be half a minute before the fifth CA had its detonation chamber ready. Events were reaching a climax. Carbon, rarely given to histrionics, decided that his crews needed to hear some inspirational words. “Press hard, men,” he said with righteous vigor on the common task force frequency, “you’re making three copies in the pages of history!”       The last two Gunships fired their parting volleys, finishing the fourth Committee, and in turn were explosively pressed by the Appointees. On the Cleanser, Bolus’ command ship, the admiral made his own battlefield epitaph. “I regret nothing,” he said, all further words lost as the records drone auto-launched and fled at maximum speed towards the Cazovan warp point. The fifth CA fired for the last time before it and the Cleanser were skewered by spinal lasers at point-blank range. Carbon sent a signal to all crippled Cazov units, ordering them to stand down and prepare to be boarded. To a one, those ships self-destructed; some of the fireballs were much more spectacular than others due to stores of antimatter warheads. All Ahlon cripples converged on one spot with one having to be tractored by the Secretary with shuttles sweeping the area for life pods. Only 61 of the remaining Ahlon AFSC could be recovered as not enough shuttle bays could be repaired in time before their life support ran out. As one those cripples resumed their interrupted journey to the Gander asteroid for Carbon gave different orders for the 11 destroyers. The interception plot might as well been depicting chromium wolves chasing after a pack of cobalt deer as far as Phacetious was concerned. He had his cruisers detune their engines just as Bolus’ ship was destroyed, but the Ahlon destroyers, the ones with the spinal lasers, simply detuned theirs as well and were slowly gaining. It was now impossible to reload from the munitions transport, the only bright spot being that the two carriers and their escort would reach friendly forces well before those DDs could come about and pursue them. This was only possible for Phacetious had all nine Reactors break off on independent courses.       It was all timed down to second, Phacetious entering the CIC just as the trailing Appointee stopped detuning at a range of 5 LS. ECM hardly mattered for slowing down to make the most use of it would only allow the DD to close in that much quicker. If a ship had feelings, then the Reactor Control would’ve been experiencing hunger bangs from its empty magazines. After the first laser hit on already assailed armor the Admiral pointed a psychic guided finger at his Ops officer. “I doubt very much the enemy will waste time after destroying us to track down cutters when they have so many cripples to shepherd. I want you and the rest of the staff to leave now. You’ll be able to rendezvous with the scout before too long.”       “Sir, regulations state that priority is to be given to evacuate senior fleet officers first,” said Ops.       “My mind is made up. I played with fire and it burned me. It is up to the invisible hand of Fate to either save or dispense with me.”       “As you command, Admiral.” Ops had to say that for the record. Privately he thought the old fart should’ve kept the fighters and ships back, waiting until the BCs had finished rearming before finishing off the Ahlon with a minimum of effort. Now the Admiral was engaged in legend building by staying behind to ‘atone’ for his failure. Not if I have anything to say on the matter, mused Ops as he snapped three pairs of hands in sequence. The staff filed out of the room, shaking Phacetious’ hand as they passed him. Ops was the last to go, giving the Admiral he served with for the last two years an extra-firm squeeze. After reading my report the Dictate will demote you posthumously to a first-term space cadet instead of giving you a medal.       Like rain pelting a sand castle the spinal laser eventually got into the innards of the BC, each wrecked engine further slowing it down and speed up its demise. It ended when the laser severed the primary keel links, the whole ship dissembling into its major components in an ever-expending cloud of debris. Sparing not one moment to pick up life pods, the destroyer was vectored by the scout to the corvette-sized cargo ship, dispatching it rather quickly thanks to its holds filled with antimatter ordnance, and then returned to the procession of cripples. For the next three months the Ahlon support group was kept busy making good on damage and conducting the necessary refits. Back on Cazova Prime one can find Dictate Mondo in his office, reading the report prepared by Phacetious’ Ops officer. The ever-attending Dictatum Smelnus was standing to Mondo’s left, out of harm’s way if his superior should swing his linoleum knife-armed right hand in exclamation. He wasn’t disappointed. “I give Phace credit for doing the amount of damage he dealt the enemy, as well as finding out about that new class of small armed craft and the Ahlon’s possession of capital missiles, not to mention the range of that spinal laser. It was greater than what was observed at the warp point battle.”   “But it came at the expense of task group, most of which was destroyed,” countered Smelnus. “Had he been patient and waited for the reloading then far fewer ship casualties would’ve resulted.”       “Ha!” Mondo barked. “Better to have learned of the Ahlon gadgets now than later in a more important battle! Plus Phace showed great courage, staying behind on his doomed flagship. For rendering valuable service in the course of his naval career I shall award him the Platinum Planet, as well as a posthumous promotion to fleet admiral.”       “A suitable award to be sure, Mondo. He did, after all, oversee the victory that enabled our forces to move into Signpost. However, the other admirals may object about the promotion.”       “Ash dump! Phace deserves a nice capstone to 40 years of service. I will bestow the same honor to any admiral that dies in righteous service for the Cazov people!” Mondo brought his fake right hand down so hard that the trio of linoleum knives that served as fingers embedded themselves in the desktop. “Fuddleducks! That’s the third time this week it happened!” Chapter 1.50 Interlude /Excerpt from Cazov Destroyer Captain, by Fumenous Harna/ Events in Signpost are coming into our favor. The Flintlock returned to the fray with the rest of the flotilla in the war’s eighth month. During my ship’s absence a series of battles occurred in the system, a majority centered on what became to be called the Dingus asteroid. Most were inconclusive, but now the powers that be finally decided to place mines and weapon buoys at the Ahlon warp point to halt further reinforcement from that fellow heavy gravity race, and backing up those defenses was a mobile force. Should the Gander, or Longshanks as they were being referred to by the Dictate himself, try to break the siege then they’ll be in for a surprise.      The Strategy Board must’ve placed their lead licks down long enough to come up with a comprehensive plan of attrition. With their warp point blocked the Ahlon forces in Signpost would have to call upon their Gander allies for support. This will be a drain on resources in the long term unless the Ahlon warp point is cleared. To solve this, a portion of the Gander forces would have to leave their holding position over the Dingus asteroid, thus dividing their strength.      Our strength would be divided too, but overall were we stronger. New carriers have finished shakedown cruises and were deployed. It was in the ninth month that it all came together. Movement of the various forces involved was so arranged that action against one would help the other two. The minelayer force made straight for the Ahlon warp point, the main force in a holding position one light-hour from the asteroid, and the blocker force, the one the Flintlock was part of, covering the most direct route between the asteroid and the Gander warp point. The blocker force was to intercept any ships, especially armed pinnaces and gunboats, sent to replenish the Gander stock in Signpost.      Initially the Gander did nothing, but after two weeks of having their flocks of courier drones destroyed at the Ahlon warp point they acted. Like we were able to do with our own, the Gander warp point had a covering force that prevented us from laying siege to it. Our sensor net detected a force of Longshank ships advancing on the asteroid, accompanied by a force of apins and gunboats sent from the far side, obviously from their home system defenses. The two scouts sent forward to get a clear read were destroyed by long-range missile fire, and only then because they had two datagroups of SBM-AM armed BCs.       I admit that I was anxious seeing the force coming against us, comprised of ten BCs, eleven CAs with 60 armed pinnaces and 30 gunboats accompanying them. Until they’re much closer we wouldn’t know if the ships had their normal complement of small craft or were small craft carriers, resulting in 106 more apins and a like number of gunboats. Our force, 9 BC(R), 6 CA, 12 DD, 4 CV, 4 CVS and 4 CAE with 192 Lightnings should be enough. However, now that the enemy had demonstrated they possessed antimatter warheads even a pair of apins or gunboats could take out a destroyer.      We closed the gap rapidly as the Longshanks, having puzzled out force with gunboats (which the force commander elected not to destroy so as to preserve our fighters for the main battle), decided that they could take us and moved at maximum as well. At SBM range scanners showed one BC and two CAs coming about after launching their broods of small craft. The other Longshank ships released their externally-docked gunboats, giving them a total of 160 gunboats and 82 armed pinnaces. On our part each of our Lightnings were armed with a laser pack and an antimatter short range attack missile. So armed, our fighters had a speed advantage over the gunboats as well as enable them to engage quicker with the laser packs. Our force commander, Felonius, elected to keep our fighters close so as to make the Longshank small craft come to us, and consequently into jamming range of the three Chain Reactions kept in our force. Our carriers and remaining CAE had pulled out of range as well so as to preserve them.      At 9 LS range the first volleys of SBMs were exchanged. Given the known capabilities of the Longshanks’ point defense it would’ve been wiser for Felonius to wait for CM range, but he fired anyway. Coupled with the ECM edge the enemy still enjoyed our volleys scored no hits while two SBMs, armed with antimatter, hit one Reactor, reducing shields by 57%. A quick order from the flagship slowed our formation to half of our speed to augment our ECM with some engine modulation. The Gander weren’t so quick, and at 6.75 LS we were in our preferred range. Thanks to the addition they scored no hits this time while we landed one on a Longbow.      This didn’t last as Felonius sought to keep the range fixed above 5 LS so that the suspected Shortbows and Skirmishers wouldn’t be able to use their standard missiles. Keeping the speed at max returned the ECM advantage back to the Longshanks. At 5.75 LS the third volley went out, with two hits on the first Reactor, collapsing the rest of the shields and scorching some armor. The volley fired from the datagroup containing the flagship was very accurate, achieving 14 lock-ons out of 17 missiles fired, though thanks to point defense none hit. Our research types have been working to address this problem but have admitted it would take an overall technical breakthrough to achieve a solution.      A bit resentful that he outgunned the enemy in long range missiles by 50%, therefore should be getting more hits, Felonius allowed the release of external missile ordnance. With the enemy now following us like so much carbon carp poop, turning every so often to keep the ships in arc and making the trailing small craft play the game of slow catch-up, our Reactor datagroups fired. Fixed on the same ship, our volleys brought down the shields while more accurate return fire busted the armor of the first Reactor and half-wrecked an engine room. With clear intent the Longshanks kept at it, with their fifth volleys reducing the tagged ships to a ruin, polished off by their standard-missile CAs a minute later.      Our efforts were rewarded. With those large external racks for those gunboats the Longshanks had that much fewer for EDMs, and a brace of missiles that could’ve been diverted had instead rendered much hurt on the first Longbow, clearly making it weaponless. We know because it broke formation and turned for the warp point, detuning engines. A pity that we couldn’t follow through and destroy it like they did to our Reactor, but such is war. Felonius now elected to use a new weapon, a missile with a bomb-pumped lasing chamber in lieu of a regular nuke warhead, with which to smite armor and wreck external racks. EDMs don’t work on this new weapon as the lasing detonation occurs outside their engagement parameters, but due to that distance they’re slightly less accurate. Three hits were observed, and the laser volley was followed up by an antimatter one. An EDM was fired by the Longshanks when two missiles failed to be swatted down by point defense. It wasn’t enough and both hit, reducing shields by nearly half.      So it was, as the gunboats and apins continued to close, we traded antimatter death and an occasional laser warhead volley with the Gander. We lost four Reactors to the Ganders’ three weaponless Longbows. While it does have an advantage in this tactical situation of beating a quick retreat a Longbow could be rendered weaponless more quickly than a Reactor, which could fire one or even two more salvos before being silenced for good. It was in the ninth minute of battle that Felonius set into motion the next part of his plan. The cruisers, escort cruisers, and our destroyers made a turn independent of the Reactors, getting the trailing small craft into the arc of fire of our weapons. We couldn’t hit the apins yet, but it was different for the gunboats. With energy signatures so bright for their size we were able to lock onto them with our heavy launchers at a range of 2 LS. My Flintlock bagged a gunboat in a nuclear fireball with the other eleven Gunships getting ten more. 14 were claimed by the Containment cruisers with the trio of escort cruisers tagging 4.      The effect on the enemy was like shaking a boron bee hive. The gunboats surged ahead of the apins, leaving them 0.25 LS behind while at 1.5 LS range, just outside of the escorts’ jammers, they fired long-range fighter-sized missiles. Instead of seeking the outright destruction of just one destroyer, these Longshanks spread their fire just enough to make five shield-down Gunships fire their EDMs lest they lose them to no effect. A clever move, for once the engagement is within 5 LS those five ships will be targeted by the standard missile-armed Longshank cruisers. With no EDMs the first volleys of missiles will become that more effective. 41 more gunboats were shot down, improving the odds for our fighters.      By maneuver the Longshanks gunboats kept after us, and at 1 LS range their datanets were jammed. It was here our Lightning fighters, held in position over our destroyers, turn and moved at the precise moment that allowed their laser packs to range on the gunboats while the Longshank apins, now 0.5 LS behind their larger brethren, were out of range for their point defense to engage. Only 8 Lightnings were shot down, and at such a decisive range for our ships (sans Reactors) we shot down the remaining 110 gunboats. That still left the apins, 82 in number, and they won’t be so easy to kill with shipboard weapons. Right now the Longshank commander had to be contemplating his survival in the next several minutes.      I noticed a change in the Longbows’ engagement; the Gander ships were firing SBMs instead of CMs now. I guess they expected more of a preamble at extended range. Our pressing movement changed that, leaving our five Reactors (one by itself and two datagroups of two ships each) in a better position as the great bulk of their magazines will still filled with antimatter-armed CMs. Our fighters maneuvered and looped to get the range on the apins, now 1.25 LS from our ships. Laser packs combined with point defense brought down 57 apins for the loss of only 7 Lightnings. Despite these devastating losses the remaining apins continued to close, their remaining number blotted out for the total cost of 19 fighters. On the subject of the continued missile duel our command ship, Reactor Hill, had its passive defenses breached and lost an engine room. At best it could fire two or even three more volleys before succumbing to the Gander CAs.      At the time it struck me as a great waste of assets on part of the enemy. All they had to do was to stay on the defensive and take their lumps from our Reactors until the ammo ran out. Conversely, they could’ve taken out all the Gunships before sending in their small craft. They had tried such a tactic before and it worked well enough. In of itself such a move would result in a large number of gunboats surviving and an increase in our own Lightning losses. Indeed, now that the Longshanks demonstrated they possessed antimatter technology it was a safe assumption their CAs had AM-armed standard missiles. Being smaller and less well protected our bombardment would’ve removed them from the battle and allow our Gunships to sprint to the enemy and dealt death to their remaining cruisers. Felonius kept to his plan, intent on reducing the Longshank BCs so they won’t play a major factor further in the battle. As for Felonius himself he was forced to abandon ship as the engine damaged Reactor Hill, as predicted, was brought down by swarms of standard nuke-armed missiles.      Long range missiles exhausted, both sides sent their remaining BCRs away. Bumpkis, Felonius’ second in command, chose this time to bring our CAs and DDs about to force an engagement. The Longshanks clearly anticipated this, and now they lead us on a chase, range had only dropped to 5.75 LS. They also detuned their engines, gaining only a slight amount of distance before Bumpkis followed suit. With our Gunships also detuning it will take 7.5 minutes to get into effective firing range while the Lightnings would get the range for their laser packs in 5. The only way the Containments could engage was if the Longshanks allowed it.      3.5 minutes into the chase, with our Gunships 4.25 LS from the cruisers and the Lightnings 2.5, the enemy stopped detuning. The reason for this, as they could’ve easily engaged us earlier, was reveled in stark detail. The Longshank cruisers belched volleys of a new missile that could lock up on small, elusive targets such as fighters. Of the 148 missiles fired 59 managed a lock-on, reducing our fighter force by roughly a third. By the time those launchers recycled the range was down to 1 LS, permitting the Lightnings to fire their lasers though as individuals due to datalink jamming. A paltry nine hits were scored while those new missiles and point defense (fired from the two cruisers with the datalink jammers) took 71 more fighters.      With bleak prospects to look forward to our pilots nevertheless sought to complete their mission. Now only 0.25 LS out they fired their FRAMs as well as lasers, crippling one CA. Return fire was made up of sprint-mode standard missiles and point defense from the escort cruisers. Of 192 fighters that started in the battle only 5 remained, dropping their packs for maximum unencumbered speed as they made for the carriers. Now it’ll be up to us to finish what our heroic Lightning pilots started.      Range was now 2.25 LS, and predictably the Longshanks fired on a Gunship that used its EDMs against the gunboat missiles. Strangely, but fortunately, they were standard nukes with just one Gunship reduced to its intact magazine while another sustained just seven hits. Bumpkis gave the order for our DDs to stop detuning, range now a clean 2 LS and our heavy launchers cleared to fire. One CA all but splintered from our heavy sprint missiles with a BC taking punishing blow to its shields. We lost one ship, the Slowmatch, and to prolong our combat potential Bumpkis had us match speed and keep station with the Longshanks. This gave our ECM generation the same as that of the enemy, so with either standard or sprint mode they’ll be missing more.      Confronted with this change in affairs the Longshanks switched to sprint mode for their advanced launchers, firing antimatter armed missiles. While this confirmed the first use of such armament, important information for the rest of the fleet in Signpost, it wasn’t such a good thing in this instance. We lost two more destroyers with the Gander denied the armament of one CA. As for our Containments they were now at 4.5 LS out. Engine no longer detuning they opened up with external missiles and x-ray lasers. A CA with stoved shields gained fresh wounds while the previously hit BC had its armor chewed away.      My own ship, the Flintlock, was grievously damaged yet was not immediately finished off. Our enemy, now within range of the Containments, had to ration its fire. Those Gunships still able to move above a certain speed were destroyed. So when my own ship was hit I ordered the last intact engine to shut down. At the time it was greatest gamble I’ve ever made, and it paid off. With three engineless brother ships for company we watched as the battle continued without us. Laser fire broke the armor and wrecked the armament of a BC. Thanks to the range the ship easily evaded further damage by detuning its engines and pulling away. Our three escort cruisers haven’t engaged yet, as their light missile salvos would’ve been swatted down easily. The Longshank CAEs detuned also, as they had nothing to contribute to this fight.      The lead Containment became a missile magnet, forced to use its pair of EDMs to sway the relatively heavy volley coming from a CA/BC pair. A solo BC and two individual CAs pitched in, hellish fireballs breaking over the cruiser’s drive field like rotten thorium tomatoes. An engine room was lost, reducing our firepower as it fell back, but as compensation Bumpkis sent it after a Gander CA that was only making half of its top speed.      In-between listing to damage control reports and casualty updates I heard an interesting snippet over the battlenet. The Longshanks were now firing nuke-armed missiles. Whether they had ran out of antimatter warheads or were conserving them made little difference at the moment. What mattered now was that our cruisers wouldn’t be losing their passive defenses as fast and could stay in the fight longer. Then again, on very rare occasions, the agent of death can come from another direction. The second Containment the Longshanks focused on had just lost its shields when it fired its lasers. A detonation chamber containment failure occurred, obliterating the cruiser even as all four projectors achieved hits on a Longshank CA, destroying the last of its weapons. It was a spectacular side-show, and as much as I wanted to believe in miracles I knew that no-one on that ship survived such a violent event.      Two minutes later another Containment suffered a chamber event, but this time just the chamber and the four projectors were irradiated. We were down to just three cruisers involved in the chase, and the enemy likewise had just three missile units left. All they could do was bring down the shield on another cruiser when, like their weaponless brethren, detuned and pulled away. They clearly had exhausted their anti-ship ammo, meaning they still had some volleys of that new anti-fighter missile in their magazines.      Overall, we accomplished our mission and prevented Gander reinforcements from reaching the Dingus Asteroid. The enemy lost 160 gunboats and 82 armed pinnaces and 3 cruisers, one of which was dispatched by our laser-armed CVs of all things as it couldn’t keep up with the others. Four Longbow BCs, one Shortbow BC, and four Skirmishers received sufficient internal damage that left them weaponless with all other cruisers having exhausted their ammo. A shame that we couldn’t inflict more damage on those ships as they could now return home and get patched up.      Speaking of patches, it was all that was holding Flintlock together as we waited for a trio of tugs. We lost 187 fighters, 5 Reactors, 1 Containment due to a DeC failure, and 8 Gunships. One Containment will have to return to Cazova to have its DeC and emitters replaced with another getting repaired here in Signpost. Four Gunships will have to undergo extensive repairs at the service flotilla next to the Signpost/Cazova warp point. Our observation about the anti-fighter missile was sent to the main fleet in time. In the battle for the asteroid Admiral Urkal had his Reactors concentrate on the Gander Shortbows and Skirmishers before sending in the fighters. It came at a cost for the fleet but we won, and this time a dedicated squadron of Gunships chased down retreating weaponless Gander ships. The asteroid was occupied, and in a ceremony a new, grandiose marker was dedicated to Dingus, reaffirming our lawful claim to said asteroid and by extension the whole system. It will be a few months before we’re strong enough to consider an assault on the Gander home system. For myself I resolve to contribute everything for a quick, successful conclusion to this campaign, if only to get home in time to see my eldest son graduate from primary school. Chapter 1.75 Admiral Amusasu, CSN, commander of the mobile forces guarding the Gander/Signpost warp point, was waiting as his staff intelligence officer decoded the latest message. Every day at noon for the past month the Cazov have been sending a single courier drone through, carrying messages that called on the Gander to surrender or else ‘suffer the consequences.’ One out of five messages were given by Cazov Dictate Mondo himself, and with his pompous delivery at odds with the translated, composed voice such messages were very popular with the crews. Today promised to be no different.      Also waiting was Assistant Admiral Paperclip, commanding ASNB ships that were marooned in Gander after the Cazov took over Signpost four months ago. She appeared on a side monitor at Amusasu’s console, located in the Blue Ocean’s CIC. “It is almost time,” said the Ahlon with a thick accent. She mastered the prime Gander language so as not to resort to a translation program. “I hope it’s another crude cartoon like the one last week.”      “As much as I hate to admit it,” said Amusasu, smiling despite himself, “but that hand puppet skit five days ago was done with consummate skill. At least he’ll have a job as a puppeteer once the war is over.”      Paperclip’s eyes blinked with heavy lids. “Yes, the war. I surmise we’ll be back on the offensive once your navy has enough ships equipped with the command datalink system.”      “And a sizeable reserve of the new generation of armed pinnaces as well.” Amusasu ended with an admission. Personally, he didn’t like the piecemeal refit of the fleet with the new datalink system and the associated point defense. It would’ve been better and faster to refit whole command datagroups instead of one or two ships at a time, spread out over all classes. New construction will take up the slack, but not soon enough in Amusasu’s opinion. The development of new technologies, especially the aforementioned ones, took a huge bite out of the Confederation budget. It was fortunate that the outer colonies were able to send in one final convoy before the loss of Signpost. Only now was the development of a new heavy missile launcher started, eventually to complement the new standard missile that came into service a month earlier.      The intelligence officer signaled readiness, sparing the admiral from going further down the same foot-trampled memory. The main screen in the CIC was filled with static, quickly calmed into the seal of the Cazovian Dictate. It took only a moment for the enemy government leader to make his appearance, the stubby tripod smiling from mouth and all four eyes. “Hello, peoples. For the past month I have tried to impress upon you the futility of continued resistance and the benefits of becoming part of the Dictate. For today representatives from your respective nations will say in their own words how wonderful it is to be a citizen of the Dictate.”      “This should be fun and disturbing,” said Paperclip from the side monitor, “perhaps more so than when he played monster in the sand pit.”      Amusasu grunted. “He’s pluming new depths with each appearance, this Dictate Mondo.”      The black backdrop behind the Dictate was lit up, revealing a chamber with a large circular window. Inside were two Gandans in service-issued short sleeve shirts and pants. From the cut and style of those clothes it was clear they were captured early in the war. Both were sitting behind a well-furnished dining table, and the room itself looked well-equipped for their needs. From what he could gather Amusasu reasoned the two were in an environmental chamber with atmosphere, pressure and gravity set for Gander normal. The Dictate asked several questions of the pair, and in turn got short, enthusiastic replies. It was enough to make one wonder if the pair was brainwashed, drugged, or threatened to give the answers their captors wanted.      “As you can see,” said the Dictate, gesturing to the chamber, “our Gander guests are enjoying our hospitality, having taking a tour of our world and met with its citizens. They’re enjoying a rich meal, a bounty from the farmlands of Cazova.” To underscore his point the two prisoners raised their hands and made unenthusiastic waves to the video pick-up.      Looking closer, the Admiral saw that something was amiss. Instead of a healthy bronze hue the men’s skin was a sickly yellow color. Eyebrows, the only hair on a Gander, were gone. Together it was clear sign of poisoning. Those stupid tripods had been feeding the prisoners Cazov food alright, he thought to himself, laced with the normal trace amounts of heavy metals that Cazovians need to have!      The point of view of the video moved off the chamber and onto a table next to it. Sitting behind this was an Ahlon officer, another P.O.W. Like the Cazov the Ahlon could tolerate high pressure and gravity. As for temperature the Ahlon preferred their definition of cool, which meant the officer in this video was feeling uncomfortable judging by the sweat on his face. “Our Ahlon friends,” the Dictate announced happily, “due to their similar nature were able to enjoy such things as hikes in our forests, swims in our oceans, and tours of our cities. Our friend here has developed a fondness for our fruits and vegetables.”      Like before the Dictate and prisoner exchanged questions and answers. Then the Ahlon said something that the translation software didn’t catch, looking strained from the effort. “As you have heard,” said the top Cazovian, “he expressed his delight of the hospitality extended to him. Join us, Gander and Ahlon citizens. The future has never been brighter!” With that the message ended, leaving Amusasu rubbing the top of his head.      “I can run the video again and get a translation of what the Ahlon said just then,” spoke the intelligence officer over the link. “Odd that it didn’t pick it up the first time.”      “No need,” said Paperclip. “The officer spoke in a dialect of the common language used on the northern continent. He said ‘my spleen.’ That plus his sanguinary looks tells me that he’s suffering from heavy metal poisoning.”      “Just like those two in that environmental chamber…” Amusasu’s observation was interrupted by the intelligence officer.      “Admiral, secondary computer analysis has shown two distinct anomalies in the video. It’s on your primary repeater screen.”      It only took a moment to see and another to come up with the appropriate level of surprise and disgust. “Am I seeing this right? Are those actual wires attached to the prisoners’ arms?”      “That is correct, Sir. The Cazov could’ve easily edited them out and done other digital tricks. As for their faces they superimposed CG constructs to make it appear they were talking. From this evidence they didn’t care that their efforts to manipulate the video would be discovered, Sir.”      On Amusasu’s side monitor Paperclip did her race’s equivalent of shrug. “Should we be surprised after all this time? This Dictate Mondo isn’t pressing down to make three copies.” From the flag deck of the BC Repulsive one would find Admiral Nimbus contemplating a plan of battle. After four months of irregular pinnace probes one finally made it back. No enemy ships were seen with the pinnace’s 5 LS-range scanners; it was a totally different matter for the fixed defenses. 28 type-3 bases, in four groups of five and two groups of four, were 1.5 LS from the warp point. At 4.5 LS sat 15 bases that were 40% more massive, arranged in two groups of six and one group of three. At an even 5 LS were five more of these larger bases, all in one group. Nimbus arbitrarily labeled that location as north. The number of mine patterns remained unknown. For weapon buoys a mere 300 were arranged in a shell 0.25 LS around the warp point.      The true menace of the defenses came in the form of gunboats and armed pinnaces: 285 of the former and 70 of the latter. As this formed the combat area patrol the total of those deadly little craft in close vicinity was, at least, four times that number if the Gander followed the same operational doctrine. Having over 1100 gunboats, undoubtedly armed with anti-matter ordnance, on hand would alleviate the need for close-in defense with ships. Against such a number even a mass transit of assault carriers would fail as just nine gunboats would be enough to take one out, and that’s not even factoring in the fire of those bases that became active in the first opening moments.      This was the problem Nimbus faced. Due to construction priorities leading up to this attack all of his carriers had replenished their flightgroups from the homeworld warp point bases, the strength of their fighters on hand was only a mere 10% of the available hanger bays. For two months the defenses will be short-handed in case the Gander decided to come out and counterattack. What Nimbus, in his opinion, needed for this attack was armed pinnaces. Priorities said otherwise, and armed pinnaces were slated to be developed after the war unless the top lead-licks in charge had a change in heart. Something of a salve was arranged, for on the Dingus asteroid a new spaceport was constructed from prefabricated parts. Based on that spaceport were 200 regular pinnaces. Their role in the attack was to disperse the Gander’s fire. Given the relatively lower number of weapon buoys on hand it was in the best interest of the Gander to preserve those weapons against ships rather to see them shot down like clay platinum pigeons. Sending in a mass transit of ships would seem the way to go, but given the number of gunboats, armed pinnaces, and the bases the losses would be prohibitive. If the bases were gone, however…      Nimbus shifted his eyes to a cluster of fifteen icons in the holotank. Each icon represented a Bonnie Crabappleseed transport, their holds filled with 4000 examples of a new weapon system that will facilitate a victory for the Dictate. Over the course of nine months the stock of these warp-capable missile pods was built up, waiting for a battle that warranted their use. Now thanks to previously captured data and the recent pinnace probe the casualties for the Navy will be reduced by an order of magnitude. “Ops,” the admiral finally said, “inform the transports to commence deployment based on the modified assault plan. All ships will come to general quarters and fall into their assigned positions in the transit queue. Pinnaces are to transit once the pods being to move.”      “As you command, Admiral.” It was ten minutes before the evening meal aboard the Gander ships, gunboats, and armed pinnaces. For the few Ahlon ships present the crews already had their meals for their clocks were still set to the Bureau of Measures and Standards Universal Mean Time instead of local Gander time. This meant that over twelve thousand CSN personnel went to battle stations hungry as the Cazov pinnaces made transit. Of the 200 small craft 32 interpenetrated and exploded with the rest holding station on the warp point. Scorpion gunboats, orbiting the warp point at a distance of 0.5 LS, seeing that no ships had followed the Cazov craft elected to stay in their holding pattern for the moment and use their point defense to engage. Losing 2% of their number from their own mines for what appeared to be a simple spoiling attack would just be giving the enemy free kills. This didn’t apply to the Arrow armed pinnaces. They were of a new generation with improved scanners, and thus were able to avoid the mines and engage the Cazov pinnaces at point-blank range.      Just as the Arrows, indeed all allied craft, were racing to activate weapons came the surprise. For a brief instant 2,400 fresh contacts appeared on the warp point. After interpenetration loss and crossing the single layer of mines 1,836 remained, reducing one patch of the minefield from 150 patterns to just under 110, the contacts now 1 LS away from the northern BS3s. With Scorpions and Arrows already committed to swatting what clearly now were ordinary pinnaces on the warp point the defenders engaged the huge swarm of small contacts with those bases that became active, firing AFHAWKs. 99 were brought down, the violence of their deaths confirming that they were armed with antimatter ordnance. As for the Cazov pinnaces only 37 remained, and even with transit-addled point defense they brought down 14 of the 70 Arrows.      The strange objects continued to move as the first wave of Cazov ships emerged. They came in pairs, ten battleships and two heavy cruisers with no interpenetration loss. Now with ships to target the orbiting Scorpions took the plunge and traversed a section of the minefield, losing 6 of their number in the process. Returning to Cazov side of the warp point was one pinnace, leaving its 36 brethren behind. As for the bases that were active they sent their crash-launched Scorpions and Arrows towards the pinnace-sized objects, trying their best to get within their engagement envelope. It should’ve helped matters that the objects subdivided into four groups, with one heading for the Arrow bases and the other three moving so that they either on top or right next to the north, southeast and southwest BS3s when a Scorpion squadron fired on a battleship, breaking shields and two-thirds of its armor integrity. The ship’s return fire was comprised of just 16 anti-mine sprint missiles, take out two patterns of mines, but that was a sideshow to what happened next.      With fire control circuit stabilized 1,737 warp capable missile pods locked onto and fired their load of antimatter-armed and bomb-pumped SBMs at bases and gunboats alike. Each base was the focus of between 28 to 32 pods while the remainder concentrated the gunboats around the warp point. 112 Scorpions were shot down, their deaths marked by fireballs as their antimatter short range attack missiles exploded. It was a different matter for the bases. Nimbus erred on the side of ‘a bigger hammer is a better hammer’ and allocated what he hoped would be enough pods for the job. In this he succeeded for not one base survived. Only those that scrambled to action stations half a minute before were able to crash-launch their gunboats and armed pinnaces. That action alone spared 300 gunboats and 20 armed pinnaces, but it also cost 210 of the former and 44 of the latter. Shocked as they were in witnessing the obliteration of their bases the defenders continued to press their attack. All twelve ships and the remaining pinnaces were destroyed, though a further 58 minefields patterns were knocked out by a virtual hailstorm of mine-clearance missiles.       For the third wave it was 24 battlecruisers with 6 interpenetrating. Still, with such a large number of Scorpions on hand, this wave was destroyed completely. 102 of the gunboats, having fired their full load of eight FRAMs each, left the warp point through that portion of the minefield depleted by pods and by two waves of sprint launcher-armed ships. Only ten patterns remained in that particular patch, and two of the retiring Scorpions were claimed in passing.      In this brief battle that lasted under two minutes the allied fleet remained in orbit of the warp point at a range of 8 LS. With no ships surviving long enough to launch drones and a pinnace that couldn’t see past the bases lead Admiral Amusasu to believe the Cazov were still ignorant of his remaining strength. In this new environment the loss of the bases would call for the ships to be placed within weapons range of the warp point. Amusasu wasn’t about to do that, having seen what the missile pods had done. He had those Scorpions crashed-launched from the bases, 300 in all, to circle the warp point just beyond the mines. That just left 49 of the original 285 CAP on the warp point itself, still armed with FRAMs while those that came from the bases had the nuclear variety. The 100 Scorpions with empty racks headed for the freighter-hulled tenders that were moving to a spot 11 LS out to get reloaded. 56 of the 70 armed pinnaces on the CAP survived, and along with 20 that were crash launched held station on the warp point. Amusasu waited as all of his ships achieved action stations, but held the launched gunboats and apins. Unlike the bases those small craft carried by the fleet had antimatter ordnance. 362 Scorpions and 134 Arrows still formed a potent reaction force and he intended to keep it that way.       That still left the matter of the minefield. Barely ten patterns remained in one patch and it had to be rectified. Only three Zen Garden automated weapon control ships were on hand, sitting 9 LS out, and Amusasu sent one of them forward to redistribute the 760 patterns. The admiral thought that the Cazov, after losing 10 BBs, 24 BCs, 2 CAs and 199 pinnaces, would think twice in sending in another attack in the near future. Those demented tripods had to know that there would be plenty of gunboats on hand to take on another mass transit and that enough would be active to take out the battleship-hulled assault carriers before they could launch. Besides, if they were serious in securing a victory then the rest of their fleet should’ve transited after those warp-capable missile pods…      No sooner had Amusasu thought about pods that a fresh eruption of the infernal weapons appeared. It was five minutes after the first pod wave made its appearance, and there were two distinct groups, each 600 strong. One headed arbitrary north, finishing off the mine patch in the process, and the other group headed south, totals of 461 and 459 respectively. The 300 gunboats outside the mines divided into two formations, each pursuing one group of pods. So occupied they weren’t on hand when the Cazov made another mass transit. 12 battleships, 32 heavy cruisers and 48 destroyers, what remained from the interpenetration loss, faced 76 Arrows. As for the 46 Scorpions on the warp point they met the same fate as the 300 for the pods were programmed to engage any gunboats within a range of 3 LS. So for the gunboats atop the northern pods, orbiting the warp point at a range of 1.5 LS, they were engaged by the southern ones and vice-versa.      Despite this serious setback in firepower the Gander still had a formidable punch. The Arrow pinnaces were of a new generation, able to carry six FRAMs instead of four, and armed with a fighter-grade laser, and were able to datalink in groups of three. Seven minesweeping battleships were erased from the continuum with an eight damaged, finished off by SBM fire from the Gander ships and a ninth losing its shields and some armor. On the Cazov part the massive use of sprint missiles at point blank range, despite transit-addled fire control solutions, against the Arrows netted 65, leaving just 11 to fall back to their distant tenders. That just left the 300 advanced weapon buoys, half equipped with force beams with the other half with energy beams. Amusasu gave the order for all the buoys to fire. The one Zen Garden tender at the warp point, with shields and drivefield down, was going to be destroyed in any event by the Cazov. With that said 85 ships were beset by beams with the destroyers getting the worst of it due to their light shielding.      Amusasu thought fast. Currently the fleet was due southwest of the warp point and was orientated towards it. Seeing all those Cazov ships told him that his enemy was firmly committed to the battle, and destroying them could mean dealing a mortal blow that they couldn’t recover from. From that premise Amusasu ordered his ships to close on the warp point at top speed. The Scorpions will be atop the warp point in two minutes and the Arrows in two-and-a-half. In under a minute his standard missiles ships will be in firing range and his capital units will be able to use the more effective capital missiles. So it all depends on how many fighters the Cazov were willing to shovel into what promised to be a space battle version of an industrial blast furnace.      An answer was forthcoming. With the Cazov fleet orientating itself not only to present a unified broadside to the approaching allies but also lining up on their exit vector six new ships emerged. Four were the battleship hulled assault carriers, identified by their lower drive field signatures, and two fleet carriers. Considering the distance and fire control solutions involved it was natural for the allies to fire on a fleet carrier, an easier kill. The only three-ship Ballistia datagroup, now at 7.25 LS distance, obtained 17 lock-ons out of the 42 captial missiles fired. Transit addled point defense took out half, and the three EDMs deployed ensured that only one missile reached its target. Eventually, though, the carrier was brought down. From its destruction it was clear it carried no antimatter ordnance in its magazines or hanger bays. The second fleet carrier was attacked by the remaining capital missile units and those battlecruisers with spinal force beams, only taking out shields and half the armor. Meanwhile the rest of the Cazov fleet kept busy by firing mine clearance charges into the southern mine patch and picking off recharging weapon buoys. The Zen Garden in the minefield restored its drivefield in record time and placed a full 1.75 LS between it and the enemy. It wasn’t enough for the eight Laser Sweep DDs finished what the two force and one energy beam hits from the buoys started.      The Cazov commander on the scene, Carbuncle, now saw what the allies had in the way of ships. For the Gander it was 7 SDR, 10 BCR, 4 BCFs, 10 BCW, 5 BCE, 16 CAW, 6 CAR, and 3 CAE. The pinnace tenders had moved out of definitive identification range, but by drive strength alone it was clear there were 2 FT10, 3 FT8, 4 BC and 3 CA hulls. For the Ahlon force it was comprised of 2 DN, 1 BBR, 2 BB, 3 CA, 3 FG, 3 FGE and 4 CT. Had there been any AFSCs present they would’ve been with the horde of gunboats and apins barreling ahead of the ships. It wasn’t as big a force as expected, and with four more BBVs and two CVs entering as two of the former and one of latter returned to Signpost the allies will be fixated on destroying them. 150 Lightning fighters were launched from the first set of carriers, and by the time the gunboats arrived at the warp point at least 240 more would be on hand to meet them, but only after getting one more wave of pods shoved in their faces.      Now at 5 LS range the Gander ships with advanced gun/missile launchers were able to contribute to the bombardment. Both newcomer CVs were destroyed, but the joke was on Gander as the hanger bays on the doomed ships were empty, unlike the two that preceded them. Only one Thunder Snow BBV received considerable damage to its armor before launching its Lightning fighters and transited out with three others, leaving two from the second wave waiting for their turn to get out. Again, with no ships within range the Cazov fleet busied itself in firing more mine clearance charges and clearing out the southern mine patch and shooting down more weapon buoys. Carbuncle noted that four of the Gander CAs fired in perfect sync with one another. He tagged that datagroup for his fleet to attack first.      The battlespace was entering the decisive stage. Save for the slow Ballistias the allied capital missile units were now orbiting 4.5 LS from the warp point, the ideal range for their weapons while accepting the fact they were just in range for Cazov x-ray lasers. Most of the other ships were at 3.5 LS distant with the Scorpions at an even 2 LS and the Arrows 0.75 LS behind them. Four more BBVs followed by two CAEs made transit while four BBVs returned to Signpost. However the new ships weren’t alone as 400 pods came right after the last escort cruiser. 60 interpen and exploded, the rest running through the cleared northern mine patch. No one in the allied fleet knew what targets those pods were meant for, but Amusasu had a feeling in his gut that his gunboats were in for a third bashing. This was confirmed with the laser-armed Cazov ships opened up on the Scorpions instead of the ships. 23 of the small craft exploded like hyperactive corn kernels, meaning just one gunboat would be facing the loads of two pods instead of one. A third minefield patch was cleared and more recharging buoys bagged liked clay pigeons. In return the allies destroyed two BBVs and almost claimed a third, a primary beam from an Ahlon BB hitting a point defense mount instead of a fighter hanger bay just meters away.      Five Neutron BBs and a Chain Reaction CAE emerged from the warp point on a vector that had them facing the now empty southern mine patch. 330 Lightning fighters, employing erratic maneuvering, were on hand to greet the 339 Scorpions now atop the warp point. Gander datalinks were jammed from the two CAEs of the previous wave. They’ll have to attack as individuals until those two ships were destroyed, and only one did, firing FRAMs at one and using its point defense at a fighter when the pods fired. 124 were destroyed by the bomb-pumped lasers carried on those missile-spewing pods, and of the survivors 102 of them didn’t have to use their point defense, making them the priority targets of the Lightnings. Yet only 19 fighters were shot down with the balance of the Scorpions erased from the continuum. In return 19 Gunship destroyers were blasted. At 2 LS range and enemy ECM negated the Gander showed the effectiveness of the SM2 missile in sprint mode. Along with supporting fire from the capital missile units one Neutron, the third Chain Reaction, a Dynamite Fishing minesweeper, and nine Saturation cruisers were pummeled into expanding debris clouds. Yet even with ECM and distance working against them the advanced gun launchers and x-ray lasers of the Atomic Space Authority returned the hurt with interest. All five Gander BCEs were either combat ineffective or destroyed. The same can be said for six CAs and one CAE. Even 20 apins were shot down by long-range capital point defense fire.      Just four more Neutrons transited in with one heavily damaged Dynamite Fishing and a Saturation transiting out. All other Cazov ships proceeded at the snail-pace speed of 0.016c and enable as much erratic maneuvering and ECM as possible. The allies did the same but moved twice as fast, making a 60 degree turn to arbitrary starboard to orbit the warp point at 1.5 LS distance. Here the SM2 enjoyed a slight advantage over the gun missiles fired by the Cazov, plus the notable edge in ECM was still with the Confederation ships. The four Pike BCs moved independently, heading straight for the Cazov to keep their spinal force beams in play. Knowing they were doomed, the crews of the 114 Arrow pinnaces pressed on with the knowledge that with no jammers to hinder them their torrents of FRAMs would help their fleet that much more.      Between the marching spheres of detonations among the ships and streaks left by small craft in their death throws one had to be psychic to avoid colliding with shockwaves of angry, liberated energy. In the past 30 seconds Amusasu saw that five Cazov BBs, two BB minesweepers, nine CAs and ten DDs had been tallied to the scoreboard. As for the enemy he could boast the disarmament, crippling or destruction of two BCWs and six CAWs. With the retention of 293 fighters of a new generation the battle was effectively over as they alone could destroy his close-in combat ships as well as the yet-untouched Ahlon ships. He gave the orders for the distant tenders to stop arming the recovered gunboats and apins, having them launch and send back their charges to the homeworld. As the freighter-hull tenders had no way to outrun any enemy ship he had their crews set demolition charges and evacuate to their shuttles. The military hulled tenders detuned and sped off. Hopefully this new enemy fighter type didn’t have enhanced life support to match its improved carrying capacity. What remained for the defenders was to destroy as many enemy ships as possible before being torn apart by the fighters in turn.      The four Pike battlecruisers, moving independently, were now at point blank range off the Cazov’s arbitrary starboard bow. Instead of attacking these ships Carbuncle ordered that the three jammer-equipped enemy cruisers, now within range for their devilish devices to wreak havoc on his fighters datalinks and ships alike, to be destroyed. That was done though it came at the cost of three BBs, two CA and four DDs. For the allies it was far worse. All ten BCWs, nine CAWs and most of the non-Rc equipped Ahlon were destroyed or severely damaged by 288 Lightning fighters. Those that still have FRAMs went after the capital missile units while the others used their internal gun mounts to finish off the remaining recharging weapon buoys.      From his perspective in the Blue Ocean’s CIC Amusasu was reminded of a firework display gone horribly wrong, except here it was his fleet dying instead of unsuspecting observers. He keyed the fleet frequency and spoke in an unhurried manner of a man ordering at a fine restaurant. “To the crews of the fleet, I commend your steadfastness in the face of an implacable enemy. Continue to resist. Those ships that have no weapons or ran out of ammunition are directed to ram. Every enemy ship we destroy here is one less available for the enemy to use against the colony worlds and the Ahlon home system. The Five Gods bless those that persevere in the face of indomitable odds. Amusasu out.”      The Cazov ships stayed 0.5 LS out from the warp point, turning 60 degrees in place to relative starboard. As for the quartet of Pikes they moved past and began a series of turns, starting a circle that wouldn’t be complete for a full minute. With spinal force beams out of arc the quartet shot at the only targets they could get to – the gun-armed fighters poaching the weapon buoys, getting seven for their trouble. For this one Pike was destroyed and another hopelessly crippled by x-ray laser and gun missile rounds alike, but had they stayed with the Cazov ships it was certain all four would be dead. As it was two Skirmisher cruisers, sans weapons, conducted successful ramming attacks, taking out a pair of Gunship destroyers. Three more DDs were killed or overkilled by the distant capital missile ships and those few Ahlon units with weapons helped in the eliminated of three CAs.      With 90 Lightnings armed with one FRAM each and 30 with 3 lasers (one internal) and a regular short range attack missile each there was no way they could decisively defeat 7 SDRs, 10 BCRs, 6 CARs, 2 Ahlon DNs and a BBR. Instead they crippled one SD, two BCRs, 2 CARs, and a DN. This reduced the datagroups from three ships to two ships each. The sole BBR still had all of its launchers but was reduced to one-fifth speed. Near the warp point only two Ahlon FGEs and a FG(Fc) remained with weapons. They witnessed as a few more Cazov ships were obliterated, leaving just two CAs and eight DDs. As the enemy had been sending a steady stream of courier drones (whether regular or the omega kind) none of allies kidded themselves that the battle was nearly over.      As if replying to dark suppositions four Thunder Snow assault carriers emerged from the warp point. On the far side they had picked up orbiting armed squadrons and returned to the battle a minute faster than normally expected. Out of habit the distant missile ships opened up on the carriers instead of finishing off the warships. One Thunder Snow was destroyed as internal explosions reached the hanger bays and detonated antimatter ordnance. One had lost its shields and some armor, but that meant 15 fresh squadrons were forthcoming. With the Ahlon ships at the warp point taken care of the Gunship DDs fired on cripples that posed a threat for ramming attacks. Two BCRs were rendered weaponless as the five squadrons of laser-armed F2s sliced into them, fully exploiting the Gander design philosophy of having all offensive weapons grouped together.      One Thunder Snow transited out after launching fighters with six new ships, Reactor battlecruisers, including the Repulsive, arriving. Following new orders from Admirals Amusasu and Paperclip the capital missile units fired on another carrier. Destroying it could only help the defenders of the Confederation colonies beyond Signpost. However the two carriers were datalinked, and with EDMs deployed the ship only lost 20% of its armor once the shields were gone. Another Gander BCR lost its weapons due to laser fire from the fighters, and the Ahlon BBR was rendered into a cloud of debris. The assembly of cripples still dutifully closing on the warp point were picked off by the Cazov ships like they were clay pigeons.      Both remaining Thunder Snows exited and no further ships entered. The Reactors speed away from the warp point at 0.033c, employing ECM and engine modulation as it cleared the now-empty northern mine patch. The Gunship and Laser Sweep DDs went to full speed, closing on the two crippled BCRs that were approaching for ramming attempts as ordered by Amusasu. One was wracked by antimatter fireballs with the other stabbed by lasers with both losing all motive power and becoming tenuously held together wrecks. One Reactor became the focus of all missile fire, losing all passive defenses and two engine rooms after all was said and done.      After staying just out of range of the allies’ capital point defense during the missile exchange the fifteen fresh squadrons tore into the formation. Once they passed through only two of the huge Ballistia SDs and one Ahlon Bureau DN remained. Lasers from 22 F2 fighters (8 having been shot down in the intervening minute) wrecked armor on the two big ships and wiped away their EDMS. Not that it would matter much in the end. Three Gunships and three Laser Sweeps achieved their goal of being right on top of the last trio of armed allied ships. Only the Bureau had a shot since its two capital primaries had recharged, and since its missiles couldn’t engage them it fired at a Reactor that was just comprised of two intact magazines and a crew quarters module. The ship blew up spectacularly as the magazines were still filled with antimatter ordnance. Both of the Bureau’s primaries skewered an engine room on a Gunship, though it only meant the inconvenience of a one-week job with a repair slip. One Ballistia was wrecked with the Bureau losing 83% of its armor. A second Reactor, having been pecked by the BCRs and CARs, was crippled when 6 capital missiles evaded point defense and EDMs alike. Unlike its squadronmate it survived, for once the DDs and CAs did their job there were no allied ships in the immediate area that could oppose them.      Admiral Nimbus, aboard the Repulsive, called upon the Gander and Ahlon crews to surrender. A minute later every allied ship within 10 LS of the warp point that could self-destruct did. What was left of the Cazov fleet committed to the operation entered the system, mostly BCRs, CVs, CVSs and those assault BBVs that survived. Nimbus sent a fighter strike against the retiring BC and CA pinnace/gunboat tenders and the remaining two automated weapon control ships. They all surrendered rather than being immolated. In a gesture of magnanimity, Nimbus directed them to pick up allied life pods, and escorted said ships with his fleet one light minute short of Gander Prime. A solitary space station was in orbit, and after the tenders landed on the planet Nimbus had a fighter strike, 480 strong, sent in to destroy it. Only 130 Scorpions and 41 Arrows rose up from planet-side spaceports to oppose them, though they stayed within the point defense envelope of the station. Half of the Lightnings carried stand-off missiles on their hardpoints, forcing the Scorpion crews to use their point defense to protect their craft instead of engaging offensively. Even so only 11 were shot down and the station only bagged 5 fighters.      The station, while large, was only armed as an afterthought. It had 42 capital launchers, a pair of spinal force beams, a smattering of point defense and armor that would fit three Ballistia SDs easily. While those Lightnings armed with FRAMs pounced on the station, and the rest engaging the Gander small craft, the Reactors entered the missile envelope of the station. Volley of antimatter SBMs, soon followed by CMs, finished what the Lightnings started. Only then did Nimbus made his broadcast, ordering on the behalf of the Dictate that the Gander surrender. It took only five minutes for a reply in the negative. This suited Nimbus just fine. Having already brought an invasion force it would’ve been a waste to send the majority of it home. As for the commander of the troops, one General ‘Tinhorn’ Dhethstroh, he was in complete agreement. He wanted to show the Dictate that expenditures for the Army were a good investment, and was eager to see them operate in the field.      Despite operating in what was for them a hostile (planetary) environment the divisions of the Atomic Army conducted a thorough campaign that lasted five months. On the Gandans’ part they avoid pitched battles as much as possible so as to spare the cities. Instead they lured enemy formations into rough terrain and conducted ambushes. From their perspective they were doing their part in tying down enemy resources and manpower that could’ve been used elsewhere. Eventually it was the use of tac nukes by the Atomic Army, authority of which to use them was down to company level, that lead to the Gandan surrender. After the formal surrender ceremony General Dhethstroh held a victory parade at the space port outside the Gander capital city. Atmospheric attack craft, lift tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, mobile artillery, and formations of troops marched across the tarmac in front of a captive audience of government officials, military personnel, and a smattering of civilians picked up at random from the city. The climax of this display of might was the airdrop of an entire brigade of soldiers from the Khobhra Division. It was an impressive sight as the brigade, in their blue and silver environmental suits, landed and formed a combat formation in under 90 seconds. For the audience they didn’t know that the drop was short of 100 soldiers until later.      One Cazov assault shuttle pilot, distracted by his own flatulence, accidentally hit the ‘commence drop’ button while over the capital city. 100 soldiers tumbled out of the craft, their variable parachutes deploying translucent canopies in the clear sky. As there were thousands of cameras trained on them from the citizenry below it was possible to determine the fate of all the suited tripods with utmost certainty. Five landed in zoo enclosures and were promptly killed by the wildlife therein. Three came to grief on the collection dishes of microwave energy towers. When recovered they weren’t so much pulled but poured out of their suits. Two fell into industrial-strength wood chippers, another in front of an express train, and quite a few got impaled on fences, aerials, and the like. Three landed in an archery range and got first-hand looks of Gander hunting arrows, though the points they couldn’t see initially because they were ensconced in their bowels.      Of the 100 recorded deaths of these Khobhra Division soldiers there were two that had the highest ratings in an underground video that was distributed during the Cazov occupation. One soldier landed on a highway and promptly became part of an impromptu game of vehicular ‘kick the can.’ Before occupation forces intervened the body made two complete laps of the highway that circled the capital city. Only the high walls along the highway prevented the body from flying off into someone’s back yard. Speaking of back yards, one soldier that did land in one was confronted by a female Gandan child. Already jittery and confused, the soldier backed away as the child approached. In her hand was a throw pillow she brought for her father. With a relative filming from the roof of the shuttle flyby now focused on the scene, and before the parents could intervene, the child poked the soldier with the pillow. Heart failure ensued and was followed by death, given the assistance of said child as she opened the visor (not knowing of Cazov physiology) of the ‘funny man’ so that he could breath better. Meanwhile, back on Cazova Prime, there was a celebration in Dictate Mondo’s palace. The medical staff was on hand, for Mondo reached the uncoordinated portion of his inebriation rather early. With the glove off his right hand, Mondo gave healthy slaps to the back to everyone that ventured too close. A recipient of a slap knew intimately how sharp Mondo kept the linoleum knives he used in lieu of the hand he use to have. The smart ones wore thick leather jackets as a precaution. Dictatum Smelnus always had one on, and was glad for it when the Cazov leader landed a hearty blow to the back. “Well, Smelly, where are we at in the war with those turds-with-legs Ahlon?”      Smelnus fought the urge to tell his Dictate that it was his breath that was smelly. It would’ve been counter-productive, and those knives would’ve been used someplace where there was no thick leather to hinder them. “Wonderfully, my Dictate. Thanks to the information we found on that first Gander colony world there is only one system between conquered Gander territory and the Ahlon. It’s only the supply of pods that’s proving to be the limiting factor.”      “Limiting factor? Balderdash! Those bureaucratic busybodies aren’t anywhere near strong enough to stop us.” Mondo took a swig from the bottle of plutonic plumwine he had in his hand. Smelnus used this opportunity to wipe some of the spittle from his face that flew from Mondo’s mouth. “Even with armed pinnaces and doesn’t-matter warheads…”      “Antimatter, actually,” said a naive naval officer nearby. He was a stand-in for the liaison that was recovering from wounds accidentally inflicted when delivering the news of the Gander surrender to Mondo. The doctors were confident that the left rear eye could be replaced with a cloned one. “Calling them doesn’t-matter isn’t proper terminology.”     Mondo fixed his attention on the officer. “Terminology, eh? Well, you’re not the boss here! Smelnus! Take this note. From now on, in official correspondence and terminology antimatter warheads will be referred to as doesn’t-matter warheads. And as for Mr. Butt-in-ski here, he’s to be assigned to an assault minesweeper for the duration of the war. He’ll get there just in time for the first attack on Ahlon territory. As for his duty aboard that ship, it’ll be that of morale and recreation officer.” Drunk, angry eyes bore into the now-sweating officer. “Now, what do you say?”      The officer got on his knees with his front two arms planted on the carpet. “Oh thank you, the most beneficent Mondo! There’s no end to your generosity!”     Mondo pointed at two of his guards. “You and you. Take this officer to the spaceport immediately. He is to board the next available pinnace headed for the fleet stationed in the last conquered Gander system. A marine escort will travel with him to ensure he arrives at his new ship safely. Now go!”      The crowded room parted as the two guards lifted the officer off the floor and took him out of the palace like he was a shoplifter caught by mall security. Mondo took another swig of wine from the bottle and belched. “Now that’s done,” he said, his voice finally showing signs of inebriation, “who’s first to have their photo taken with the Most Beneficent Cazovian Dictate?”      Unlike the officer, the others knew the drill. For those without thick leather jackets they hoped that the slaps to the back would be few and far between. Chapter 1.75 Interlude /Excerpt from Cazov Destroyer Captain, by Fumenous Harna/ It’s been a month since the conquest of the last Gander system, and our fleet has since moved on to the system that was on the doorstep of the bureaucratic Ahlon nation. Our relatively fast advance was mainly due in part to the use of warp-capable missile pods, though it came at the cost of the necessary massed pinnace probes to obtain the targeting data. Today was no different as my ship, the Flintlock, held station with the rest of the fleet as 100 pinnaces entered the warp point that lead to the Ledger system. Captured data showed that only colonies and outposts populated the system’s various moons and asteroids. The only planet in the rock zone was a hostile environment unfit for both Cazov and Ahlon habitation, though it held promise as it could be subjected to prolong, intense planetary engineering.       I wished the lead-lickers in charge had pushed for the development of the armed pinnace. Had they done so after seeing the obvious advantages it conferred for the Gander we wouldn’t be conducting costly mass probes, mainly in the loss of personnel, but actual raids. To support this probe a line of six troop transports had to be set up between Signpost and here, covering four systems. With the orders given to the pinnace crews I expect that only the service of one troopship would be needed afterwards. One pinnace came back one minute later, followed by another 30 seconds later, and finally 11 more returned 30 seconds after that. It would’ve been 13 but two interpenetrated and exploded violently. For losing 87% of the probe force from interpenetration and combat we learned what waited on the far side.       As a commanding officer I had permission to access to the data transmitted by the pinnaces. Again, there was no way to determine the number of mine patterns, though the buoys were an even 300. Keeping those buoys company was the combat area patrol of 27 armed pinnaces and 24 Needle anti-fighter craft. Despite being out-gunned our pinnaces did quite well, shooting down all of the former and half of the latter. There was a surprise in that the violent death of the Ahlon armed pinnaces was much greater than normal. Further analysis showed that said craft were carrying FRAMs, and that could only mean that the enemy ships and bases were equipped with antimatter ordnance as well.       No ships were detected within the pinnaces’ scanners. Instead there were 6 BS1 forts 2 LS out with 3 more 1.25 LS beyond them. At 2 LS range were 8 BS2 forts. 2.5 LS beyond them were 6 forts, each as massive as a battleship, and two more of those cruiser-sized ones. Our pinnaces witnessed the crash-launch of armed pinnaces and anti-fighter craft from four of those BS2s, and those anti-fighter craft were able to engage our pinnaces before they returned, explaining part of the losses we sustained. Unusual, all the bases were on the same heading, instead of being divided into equidistant groups.       It was clear what Admiral Felonius was going to do next, and when he got the data from the second pinnace he didn’t wait. A small wave of missile pods, 400 in all, was programmed and deployed in one minute from the Bonnie Crabappleseeds. Another minute after that the pods were through the warp point. We wouldn’t know the results for seven days, for it was at that time our assault would go in. Felonius, like most admirals, based that decision by rolling a decagon and using the resulting number. In the meantime the Lightning pilots conducted practice attack runs on our ships and mock dogfights with shuttles and the handful of pinnaces standing in for the armed Ahlon variety.       The day came, and the first wave was made of four Thunder Snows, one Neutron and Containment. Of the two Thunder Snows expected to return one minute later only one did, accompanied by those courier drones not shot down by the Ahlon CAP. The first carrier was wrecked and most certainly won’t return. However, like its partner the squadrons it carried had only standard close attack missiles, explaining why said carrier wasn’t destroyed when the first hanger bay was collapsed. In his planning Felonius took into account on how the enemy always concentrated their fire on the first pair of carriers. Thus the enemy had to continue on that first carrier one instead of switching to the second. As for the second pair of Thunder Snows their squadrons were armed with FRAMs. Now it was to the first five squadrons of F2g Lightnings to break the CAP and freshly launched Needle anti-fighter craft.       The second Thunder Snow transmitted its targeting scanner data. Like the other captains I gave my full attention to one of my repeater plots as the breakdown of the Ahlon forces was produced. At a distance of 8 LS, orbiting the warp point at 0.033c in an arbitrary counter-clockwise manner at the east-northeast orientation, were 8 DN, 9 BB, 6 CA, 9 DDLs, 4 DDE, 8 FG, 3 FGE and 12 CT. Keeping that fleet company in a discreet formation were 2 BC, 2 CA, 1 FT8 and 3 FT4. These were likely the anti-fighter craft/armed pinnace tenders. At a distance of 9 LS, spread equidistantly, were four suspected automated weapon control ships; a good thing that none of them apparently became active, for if three of them did then the first wave would’ve been destroyed. Missile fire from the BS4s proved that their warheads had antimatter as well. Losses were going to be heavier and faster as well.       Our missile pod bombardment a week earlier was partially successful. Only one BS1 out of the nine survived, along with five out of ten BS2s. The first wave Containment fired its lasers at a BS2 confirmed to be one that launched Needles. Multiple plumes of escaping atmosphere proved that the base sustained armor damage in the bombardment. I hoped that the Needles assigned to that base were still in its bays instead of being part of the CAP. The six undersized BS4s were still there, and it was anyone’s guess on how much damage was done to them. For the CAP it was made of 21 Needles and 20 armed pinnaces with two of the latter having been shot down by CAMs from the first wave Neutron. Weapon buoys remained at 300, and the mine field was 600 patterns strong, minus 6 plus change from the passage of the pods and two more from mine clearance charges fired by the carriers.       A warning buzzer reminded me that the Flintlock and five sister ships, the fifth wave, will be transiting into Ledger in 90 seconds. As the third wave proceeded into the warp point ships from the first and second waves came back. Three Thunder Snows with heavy armor damage marched past our ships, proving that the Ahlon had fired at least 200 of their 300 laser buoys. The Neutron from the first wave stumbled and staggered, armor gone and large sections of her innards exposed to vacuum. Fresh transmissions told the loss of one CA and a BBV along with the anticipated loss of another BBV.       Enemy losses so far were low. Three of the BS2s were gone, their spinal lasers no longer a threat to our cripples. 12 of the 21 CAP Needles were shot down, along with 6 more that were crash-launched from the BS4s. Of the armed pinnaces on the CAP just seven remained, braving the minefields as they went northeast to their tenders. Only three Lightnings were lost, and no crash-launches were detected from the Ahlon fleet. This meant that either the walking logs were slow on the uptake or opting to hold their small craft until they could all be launched en-mass.       Wave four went in, six cruisers strong, and only one BBV returned. The Ahlon had fired their remaining 100 buoys to finish what the BS4s started. One CA, one BBV, and one BB were gone with another BBV about to die. The 5 BS2s that sat 2 LS out were gone, and another, sitting with the BS4s and now obviously with heavily damaged armor, was lazed at long range by the approaching first wave fighters. One laser hit a shuttle bay containing an armed pinnace equipped with FRAMs, causing the whole base to go up in a fireball. The other BS2 crash-launched its armed pinnaces, but those were brought down by massed long-range fighter lasers as well. The sole BS1 was brought down by the second wave fighters, only one of which was shot down. Six Lightnings from the first wave were bagged by the pitifully few Needles and point defense of the BS4s. There was still no sign of additional Needles and armed pinnaces, lending further credence that the Ahlon were holding them back for one big strike.       As the fifth wave, the one that included the Flintlock, entered the warp point one by one I was surprised to see the remaining second wave BBV emerge. It scarcely had life support and an engine to its name, and if wasn’t for the fact that all BBVs enter warp assaults with no antimatter ordnance in its magazine then it would’ve joined the other two carriers. A primary beam had hit said magazine, and had it struck an already damaged engine room it would’ve been sitting on the far side. Such thoughts left me as the Flintlock made transit, waves of nausea and disorientation covered me for a moment that might as well been a decade.       Once on the far side we saw what the fighters did. All the Ahlon bases were gone, and the two waves of fighters had combined en-route to the Ahlon fleet. Meanwhile the mine clearance work was excellent. Along with our six Gunships and three Saturations the selected mine patch was down to 21 patterns. Now in weapons range, the capital-missile armed Ahlon DNs and BBs opened up on the first Dynamite Fishing minesweeper. Antimatter warheads (I’m not going to call them doesn’t-matter warheads, despite the Dictate’s proclamation) crushed shields and made short work of armor already sieved by laser buoys. Due to a lack of time to come about on an exit vector the captain of the first DF, having sustained heavy internal damage, ordered his command into the rapidly depleting patch so as to hasten its clearance. This was an agreeable sacrifice as the enemy would’ve finished it off with long-range fire at any rate. As it turned out it was an important move as the DF’s long-range sensors picked up a secondary minefield, one that circled the warp point at 0.5 LS distance. The particular patch in front of the DF was 47 patterns strong, showing that it was there when our missile pods (one group went NE and the other NW) transited last week. Had there been no secondary shell then our bombardment would’ve done more damage if not eliminated more BS2s.       A portion of the enemy fleet, all of them dedicated Needle and armed pinnace tenders, launched their flight groups and turned away while the rest moved towards us, reaching 6.25 LS with 9 DDLs at an even 6 LS when they opened up again. This time it was the second Dynamite Fishing instead of the sixth wave ships, composed entirely of Reactor missile cruisers. Once the antimatter fireballs died down it was clear to see the DF was as bad off as the first one. And, like before, the captain of this ship decided on a valiant death by his own hand instead of one inflicted by the enemy. While the second DF died in the outer minefield the captain of the third DF decided that discretion was the better part of valor, orientating his ship so that it had a chance of transiting out should the need arise.       Our 167 Lightnings were held back, just outside of point defense range of the Ahlon, and tempted the 33 Needles, 43 Apins and 3 regular pinnaces to come out after them. No such luck as the small craft stuck to the capital ships like iron filings to a magnet. Save for the DDLs, which made a circular course so as to keep the same range, the Ahlon fleet slowed to 0.016c and employed maximum EM & ECM. This despite the fact that our ever-reinforcing fleet was still determined to blast a lane through the second tier of mines. Like the slavish adherents to procedure they showed themselves to be the Ahlon fired on the third Dynamite Fishing. Capital missiles were followed by spinal lasers from Bureaus, Supervisors and Appointees, yet the ship stubbornly held on, and it transited out as the eighth wave came in.       Felonius, having arrived in the sixth wave on his BC flagship Despicable, ordered all ships except the newcomers to advance into the first cleared mine patch in preparation for the impending break-out. Our speed was a mere 0.016c with EM and ECM at full available power. The Ahlon increased speed to 0.033c, putting them 5.25 LS from the bulk of our fleet. Our fighters went in, ready to reduce capital ships into ruined hulks when the second surprise made its presence known. From a pair of heavy cruisers came intense jamming fit to break the datalinks of our fighters. To restore them the pair had to be destroyed, but not before the enemy had put up an anti-fighter barrage fit for a barrier range storm. 89 of our Lightnings were shot down by beam, point defense, proximity-mode sprint missiles and small craft armament after all was said and done. One Reactor lost all of its passive defenses and its cargo hold. For all that we were able to neutralize the two offending cruisers and significantly damaged two Bureaus. A poor trade, but our gallant pilots had shot down nine Needles and all but three of the armed pinnaces. To preserve what was left of his current flightgroups Felonius ordered our pilots to drop whatever remained of their external ordnance and to place as much distance between themselves and the Ahlon.       The ninth wave contained six more Gunships, but we weren’t going to wait for them. Our mine clearing efforts was rewarded as a path was blasted through the second shell, freeing us to move out and maneuver. With the Reactors going their own course the rest of us went at full battleship speed towards the oncoming Ahlon, antimatter or not. Whoever was in charge on the other side had the same idea, sending all but his capital missile units forward at 0.083c. Primary beam fire from the Bureaus and the Supervisors was concentrated on our Reactors with the intent on knocking out engine rooms. Fire from both the Bureaus and Committees and sniping from the rest of their fleet destroyed one Reactor and reduced the drive strength of another. One lucky BC managed to knock out or deflected all the missiles fired at it due to superior point defense and EDMs. The one Neutron in the battle was destroyed, no thanks to the previously sustained laser buoy damage. We only accomplished in further wrecking two Bureaus and scrubbing the armor off a Supervisor. Seeing how many light units the Ahlon had once we get in range…       Just a quarter of a light second out came another surprise from those walking logs! They held back two more ships equipped with jammers. Had they been smart then their Supervisors would’ve been carrying them, but they were on a DDE and FGE. The sole Mine Swatter involved in the assault fired at both, using half of its load of antimatter sprint missiles in the process. Both small ships were crushed, and in turn the Mine Swatter was bludgeoned by a hail of counter-fire. We were practically at point-blank range and the losses on both sides proved it. A Neutron, four Containments, the Mine Swatter, three Gunships, two Laser Sweeps, and a Reactor were consigned to fiery death while we only managed a Supervisor, three frigates, and one corvette. Heavy damage had been inflicted on another Bureau, a Supervisor, a Secretary, and a DDLs. Two escort destroyers broke off from the Ahlon formation and changed course, going full speed to catch up to the receding BC-hulled pinnace tenders.       Our reinforcement continues, and as our original force moved on the crawling missile ships the regular Ahlon force came about and followed, only 0.5 LS from us and the ninth wave Gunships. Due to maneuvers on our as well as the enemy’s part we weren’t subjected to spinal lasers in this exchange. Some would chalk it up to doctrine, but I prefer to think it was the wave of pods that came with the eleventh wave Gunships, prompting them to move the way they did. 300 strong, the pods were ordered by Felonius just after he entered the system less than three minutes earlier. They were tasked with two-thirds for the BBs and the remainder for DDs. Before the Ahlon relieved that they had jammers (expensive to reverse engineer in retrospect) these pods would’ve hurried their demise. Now we had dispatch the noisome frigates and corvettes with their advanced launchers and capital force beams before they offer another surprise.       In the meantime our fire took care of two Secretaries and a Supervisor. Further harm was visited on three Bureaus, one of which had only one-fifth of its drive field strength. The whole seventh wave was gone, now that the other four Laser Sweeps were pecked to death. Keeping them company were two Gunships of the ninth wave. The Bureaus and Committees kept to their crawl, their resulting electronic defense fit to give our fire control some trouble. A price was paid as this placed six Gunships at 0.25 LS range, including my Flintlock. We bashed in the passive defenses of a DN, letting the Reactors to finish it off. All other enemy ships were right behind us. Fire from the tenth wave Neutrons and Containments put down a DN and denuded a BB of most of its armament. One Neutron did suffer a radiation incident for one its detonation chambers and associated x-ray projectors. Once again my ship was hit in battle, just two miserable old-style lasers from the FGEs. I can’t blame them for that, seeing how their much more equipped brethren had destroyed all our Gunships around the capital missile units save mine. The Ahlon, instead of finishing us off at that point, shifted their remaining fire on a Neutron, bringing down its shields with antimatter standard missile fire.       With all of our laser and gun-missile armed ships maintaining a general course of arbitrary north-east the enemy would be allowed to close the range. Once through the open passage in the minefield the 255 pods went due north for 1 LS and then turned north-east. Moving another 0.5 LS the pods then conducted a serpentine course, the enemy well within the 2 LS designated envelope for their missiles. Perhaps already resigned to their fate the Ahlon crews didn’t bother to engage extensive engine modulation but instead chose to close on the Neutrons for one final exchange. Even the Bureaus came about to bring their spinal lasers into play, and just as well since the Neutrons and Containments were now only 0.75 LS from the missile ships. Of the 8 DDs in range five were destroyed outright, and only 2 out of 7 BBs went to pieces amid their pyres of antimatter fireballs. More pods should’ve been used to compensate for the ECM employed by the BBs for while all lost their shields only four sustained armor damage. This was enough for the Containments as they polished off the last Supervisor.       I do have to say, though, that the Ahlon have been consistent throughout this battle. The capital primary beams on their Bureaus have been plugging away at our Reactors, damaging engine rooms. This didn’t matter in the short term as the Reactors have been crawling along just like their capital-missile armed opposites, generating ECM fit enough to degrade fire control solutions. Along with what the pods killed we got two more CAs, 1 DDLs, 1 FG(Fc), and 2 CTs. One of our Neutrons was wasted, and with the destruction of the Matchstick only my Flintlock was what remained from the fifth wave.       Like water going down a drain all of our ships still in the fight, except the Reactors, were spiraling in towards the Bureaus and Committees. Blister broadsides of sprint missiles and x-ray lasers reduced what was once a formidable formation into a paltry pair of Bureaus and two Filework escort frigates. Even at this point the two big ships kept inching in the direction of the warp point, spinal lasers reaching to malevolently tickle the hides of our Reactors while missiles sought to encase them in globes of hellish antimatter fury. It was their last volley.       16 Ahlon ships, all crippled, either barely mobile or engineless, were all that was left in the immediate area when the seventeenth wave entered. On a common frequency Felonius called on the Ahlon to surrender. To a one all dropped their shields and killed their drives with four of them self-destructing immediately thereafter. The others were boarded, finding two with intact databases. While that was done six Laser Sweeps, accompanied by 20 fresh squadrons of Lightning fighters, went off to purse the retreating pinnace tenders. First to be encountered were the three FT4s and the FT8. Only two of the small ships surrendered (with one self-destructing and the other with lobotomized databanks), making the Laser Sweeps oblige the others by destroying them. Not one fighter was lost, nor was any external ordnance expended by them.       For the military-hulled tenders they were to be destroyed to the ship. With detuned engines on both sides it took 55 minutes for the DDs to enter extreme range for their HET lasers. Throttling back to 0.116c the ships fired on a DDE for one minute. Only then did the Ahlon ships stop detuning and turned to port, clearing their blindspots so as to fire their external ordnance. Even with two pitiful volleys the cruisers got two capital missile hits on a Laser Sweep. The 10 armed pinnaces, 3 regular pinnaces and 24 Needles that escaped earlier leapt from the shuttles bays of the two BC-hull tenders, barreling in at the DDs at full speed. Grossly outnumbered, this clearly was an act of desperation meant to damage us as much as possible. With only two-thirds of an external load carried each Lightning was faster than the Needles, ending up within 0.25 LS of them and 0.5 LS of the pinnaces. In the ensuing barrage of guns, lasers, and point defense 18 Needles and 6 armed pinnaces were shot down for the loss of 4 Lightnings.       Not about to evade the incoming armed pinnaces the six destroyers kept after the tenders, trusting the fighters to take care of therm. Only one got to fire, damaging the previously hit destroyer. Two engine rooms were knocked out once the damage got past the passive defenses. With all small craft blotted from space and sustaining no further fighter losses our destroyers kept closing with the fighters surging ahead. Sustained laser fire pelted the Ahlon tenders, stripping armor as well as externally mounted EDMs. Once at 3 LS range the exchange was no longer one-sided as the tenders fired their standard lasers, but ours still outnumbered theirs and did more damage. The Ahlon DDE was hit repeatedly and began to lag behind. When the fighters got close enough for the tenders to fire on them with capital point defense they still engaged the destroyer they hit earlier, scouring off more armor.       Then it came time to fish or cut bait. Our gun-armed fighters slowed slightly so as to allow the laser-armed ones to move ahead. As predicted this required the Ahlon to make a decision, and in doing so they presented their backsides to us in order to bring the squadrons into their field of fire. Laser and point defense fire bagged three Lightnings, and in the process they left themselves open to the stand-off missiles carried by the gun-armed F2s. As all four ships were pegged earlier by HET lasers the unanswered missiles did internal damage that much faster. Unloaded, the gun fighters pulled away while their laser-armed brethren went in for the kill, firing only partial loads of FRAMs to save ammunition. The sole DDE was finished off by the Laser Sweeps, and aside from stoved armor the second ship of that squadron was none the worse for wear.       As for the two other DDEs and four automated weapons control ships they were pursued and destroyed by F2L squadrons, each fighter armed with a FRAM and the newly deployed life support packs. Meanwhile our cripples still in-system received attention from our repair ships and flight groups were reorganized. Felonius sent a detachment of two small carriers with an escort of one CAE and three Gunships, including my Flintlock, to the sole planet in the rock zone. Records indicated that the colony on the planet’s moon was the system’s center of economy and administration. We found the small station, roughly three times the tonnage of a battleship, still orbiting the moon and with no shields detected. The detachment commander sent in marines via cutters. Some of the participating marines came from my ship, drawn for the second wave of boarding. After a four-hour fight the station was ours. When the station commander was asked why he didn’t self-destruct his command he merely said that he had been waiting for authorization from the Extra-System Resource Management Bureau. To do so without permission would’ve been a career-ending move, he said, and being unemployed on Ahlon is the equivalent of serving prison time. Our fleet was held at a distance of 4 LS from the warp point leading to the Ahlon home system. We wanted to be closer, but now that the Ahlon possessed antimatter warheads it wouldn’t be prudent should they decide to mount a serious counterattack. A month later those ships with light damage were available, and I wished we had more on hand. Captured data on what comprised the remaining enemy mobile forces in the home system was absent; not so for the fixed defenses. As of last month they had 720 mine patterns in the primary shell and 720 in the secondary shell. Weapon buoys stood at 480. Fortifications comprised 12 BS1s, 12 BS2s, and 12 undersized BS4s. Against this we only had five Thunder Snows on hand with one more still under repair. Our dedicated minesweeper strength remained low, meaning any mine clearance will have to rely on our Saturations and Gunships. Even our battleship squadrons were lacking. Should Felonius choose to wait another month then all the seriously damage ships will be available as well as two more fresh Thunder Snows and three Neutrons straight from the Cazova Prime. However, he wasn’t going to wait. In fact he held back just long enough to get those reinforcements he felt he needed to win.       First to arrive were two purpose-built pinnace tenders built on battleship-sized freighter hulls. Each carried 39 pinnaces, and combined with the 13 that survived previously we had a probe force of 91. Next were the remaining Bonnie Crabappleseeds. With all 20 present their combined deployment of 800 pods per minute would enable us to send a wave tailored to fit whatever waited on the far side of the warp point. Thirdly, we got a massive influx of missile pods. Practically a whole month’s budget that was slated for ship construction and then some was devoted to pods and their antimatter SBMs. Finally, there was a group of reinforcement that was the most unconventional, radical and yet logical progression of obtaining targeting data for our missile pods. 72 undersized explorer hulled vessels, equipped with tactical scanners and as much armor as possible, trundled to a spot just shy of the warp point. Without preamble the tiny ships and pinnaces moved into the contorted flaw in the fabric of space and disappeared. Felonius had the fleet come to general quarters, ready to exploit any opportunity the explorers happen to find. Assuming they survive the brief time on the other side.       Less than a minute later 32 courier drones came through, followed by a single pinnace and 20 explorers (14 interpenetrated on our side of the warp point). I had the data from the ships scrawled on my main screen, allowing my bridge crew to have a first-hand look. The number of bases was slightly lower than previously known: one fewer BS1, BS2 and BS4. Placement was similar to that of the previous battle, but with 7 of the BS2s now at 1.5 LS from the warp point. Seven of the 120 of the 480 buoys were definitely of the one-shot variety, damaging those explorers not destroyed by activated Ahlon apins and bases. As for the mines the inner shell was comprised of 720 patterns, sans 2 thanks to the BAM-Rs fired from the explorer’s external racks. The outer shell remained unknown, but hopefully it remained at 720 patterns as indicated in the captured data. As for the CAP it was bigger, made up of 42 Needles and 26 armed pinnaces. Despite transit-addled targeting our pinnaces managed to shoot down 4 Ahlon ones in the opening exchange.       Thanks to the tactical scanners on those explorers we now know the strength of the Ahlon fleet guarding the warp point. It was comprised of 5 DN, 10 BB, 3 BC, 5 CA, 18 DD, 27 FG, and 23 CT. Also like before it was orbiting the warp point at a distance of 8 LS at a sedate speed of 0.016c and was arbitrarily west of the warp point. The suspected Needle and armed pinnace tenders (2 CAs, 3 BCs, 2 FT8s and 2 FT4s) were 7 LS out, but on a north-west bearing and tooling at the same speed as the fleet. I suspect the reason why they were closer was to allow the armed pinnaces to reach the warp point that much quicker. Scanners also picked up three DDs spaced equally, each 9 LS from the warp point. There were no detected crash-launches of Needles and armed pinnaces while the explorers were present, indicated that those bases and ships so equipped either didn’t reach action stations or were holding them back, thus conferring a level of anonymity. These Ahlon are learning, though such a countermeasure should’ve occurred to them at least four battles earlier.      Felonius’ operations officer digested the numbers quickly and sent orders to the Bonnie Crabappleseeds. When the rest of the pinnaces came back (just 14, but they did shoot down 16 more Ahlon apins) one minute later 800 pods had been deployed. When 400 more were deployed they were sent on their way, with 990 targeted on the BS4s and 70 each on the suspected automated weapons control ships.       Two minutes later a second pod wave, 1600 strong, made transit. This time the targets were the BS1s (200), BS2s (400), the FGs (540) and CTs (460). Admittedly I believed the odds were poor that any of the warships would be destroyed with the distance parameter set and EM/ECM employed. But that wasn’t the point; for the Ahlon wouldn’t know what that were the target of that particular portion of the wave. Felonius hoped that most if not all of the Needles and Apins would be dragged away from the warp point just far enough for our first two waves to make transit without interference. The enemy would be able to fire a group of BS2s at the first wave, then die along with the BS1s as those pods were ordered to fire just as their fire control circuits have stabilized.       Half a minute later the first wave went in, composed of three Thunder Snows, two Reactors, and the 20 remaining EXs (with varying degrees of damage) and 15 pinnaces. Those small ships were going to help disperse the fire of weapon buoys had the Ahlon tenders armed them all before dying in the previous pod assault. After a suspenseful pause, the second wave (two Thunder Snows, three Saturations and a Chain Reaction) marched in with courier drones from the first wave spilling out. Those drones didn’t matter as the first two Thunder Snows from the first wave came back, transmitting their tactical scanner data. One of them had been the target of a datagroup of three BS2s. This carrier, along with taking its share of hits from 100 force-beam armed weapon buoys, lost all shielding and one-third of its armor. It was a massacre for the EXs. Of the 12 that didn’t interpenetrate only one survived the initial buoy fire. None of the pinnaces perished, and their point defense was going to be need shortly.       The Needles, 171 of them, still followed the pod group heading arbitrary northwest towards the Ahlon fleet. Here was the kicker – that fleet was moving away from the warp point at max battleship speed, save the freighter-hulled small craft tenders which tried to keep up as best they could. I believe it was the intention of the Ahlon admiral to have his Needles, now atop the pods, to keep banging away with their internal guns for as long as possible. They had no idea the pods were set to fire once they were in 5 LS range of their designated targets. So, our fighters that have launched from the first three carriers, 90 in all, will be able to engage the (84) Apins without suffering heavy losses.       The third Thunder Snow from the first wave returned as the third wave went in. 16 of our 90 fighters were shot down while the Ahlon lost five times that in armed pinnaces. One second-wave carrier was destroyed when one of the four surviving apins rammed it. The other was almost gutted by energy beam fire from the weapon buoys, but at least the hanger bays remained untouched and was able launch its brood. It, too, was hit by a ramming apin, and the last two were going to be no threat in a moment. The Ahlon fleet continued to run from the slowly gaining pods. I had to wonder what possessed their admiral to practically concede the warp point rather than take the risk the pods offered. This golden opportunity led Felonius to radically alter his planned transits. Now the fifth wave will be composed of regular and small carriers, and when the Needles do come about they will be outnumbered better than two-to-one.       One Reactor from the first wave returned, its innards burnt out by hits from energy beam buoys. Reports transmitted from that ship’s tactical officer showed the second Thunder Snow from the second wave was immobilized; its remaining engine burned out by overloads caused by the energy beams. Those remaining buoys won’t have the time to recharge as the Lightnings, save one squadron heading out to take care of the sole remaining tender (left there to watch what was coming through the warp point), began to shoot them down like platinum pigeons.       Waves five and now wave six were made up of carriers, with the seventh composed of three Containments and three more Reactors, including Felonius’ flagship. Wave eight, the one my Flintlock was in, was comprised of six Gunship destroyers. As the sixth wave departed a sole pinnace came back and transmitted the results of the pod chase. Despite the heavy predation committed by the Needles enough pods survived to wipe out all 23 Ahlon corvettes from the continuum. As for the 27 frigates only three were destroyed outright, twelve sustained internal damage great enough to reduce drive field strength, seven took at least one hit but not enough to breach the hull (as far as we knew at that point), and five were undamaged with three of those not even expending their EDMs. One thing is for sure: with a hefty reserve of pods on hand we can thin the herd even more, especially the capital units.       Finally my ship made transit with the last of the sixth wave carriers going back into Ledger. All the weapon buoys were gone, shot down by our fighters, and a lane had been cleared in the double ring of mines. A Mine Swatter crawled forward to confirm the absence of a third mine shell. The Lightning squadron sent to pick off the observing automated weapon control ship accomplished its job, and as for the enemy fleet it was heading back to the warp point. Dreadnoughts and battleships were detuning their engines for more speed while those frigates with intact engines did the same, keeping pace with the destroyers. Even some damaged frigates were detuning, proving to this officer that they still had weapons. As for the Needle and pinnace tenders they continued to move away at best speed, most likely towards their home planet. Oddly, the Needles kept to the same spot where our pod wave fired, apparently waiting for frigates and destroyers to catch up. Felonius had the same idea, keeping the 381 Lightnings still on the warp point together. He was going to let the enemy come to him and avoid unnecessary losses for 90% of his fighter strength was present.       Thanks to the enemy’s charge the FGs and DDs came into range of our Reactors a bit earlier than the DNs and BBs. A volley of anti-matter SBMs wrecked one FG at the 10 LS mark and another at 8.25 LS. Closer in at 6.5 LS four FGs were destroyed. I was getting the distinct impression the Ahlon ships were going to ram us, a move anticipated since this was their home system. Still Felonius held back the Ligthnings, waiting up to the last moment where our jamming would break the Needles and well as the ships’ datalinks.       The last ship in the first wave transited back to Ledger along with the three fourth wave Saturations, having expended all their mine-clearance ammunition. Along with the twelfth wave ships a pod wave 400 strong entered with sub-groups targeting the DNs, BB, and CAs. Without waiting for the twelfth wave ships to form up Felonius took the fleet through the cleared path in the mine field with maximum EM/ECM. As for the DNs and BBs they stopped detuning and opened up with their CM salvos at 6.25 LS range. They targeted a Reactor from an earlier wave, its mostly restored shields taking those hits that got through point defense and EDMs. Spinal lasers from the Appointee DDs played along the hull of another Reactor, stripping its externally-mounted EDMs. For us we obliterated one FG, heavily damaged two DDs and broke the passive defenses on another.       Our thirteenth and final wave entered, kept company by 200 missile pods. With the bulk of our fleet now 0.5 LS from the warp point those enemy FGs within weapons range stopped detuning so as to open up on us. Pitiful damage, really. What they done to a pair of Reactors could’ve finished off the stranded Thunder Snow, the skeleton crew on board laboring away to restore shields just because they could. How different the battle would’ve been had the Ahlon stood their ground, and now instead were going to be mashed up like neodymium nuts. The twelfth wave pods fired, cremating the five Ahlon heavy cruisers. Heavy damage was done to the passive defenses of the DNs, as expected, and very light to no damage to the BBs. The pods that came with the last wave will take care of them.       Finally Felonius released the fighters, engaging the Needles mainly to prevent them from being used in ramming attacks. Along with the Ahlon DDs they were just 0.5 LS distant, our pair of jammers did their work without any counter interference from the enemy, so we must’ve hit the right escort ships. A trio of Neutrons, the only ones currently fit for combat in our whole navy, fired on a like number of Appointees. Angry energy ripped them open like a knife into overripe fruit. Our fabulous Lightnings took every single Needle down while only losing 11 of their number from all causes. Our ships, combined with those Lightnings designated to anti-ship work, destroyed all ships within 3 LS of the warp point save one, a crippled Appointee. For all the antimatter volleys fried by the DNs and BBs they hadn’t succeeded in destroying one ship, though a Reactor was one volley away from death. Our missile volleys, taking advantage of the spent EDMs, did their work on the Bureaus, antimatter fireballs chewing into armor and internals. It was clear that some of the DNs and BBs were new classes, having heavier capital missile armament at the expense of no spinal lasers. The three BCs were definitely new, each equipped with four capital force beams. Only a minor footnote as our fighters will finish them.       The last pod wave wasn’t meant to destroy the ten BBs (just 17 pods each), but like the previous one it was meant to force the Ahlon to expend their EDMs. An exception reared its head as three of the BBs had very heavy point defense suites. One didn’t even expend its EDMs, letting those few missiles that got through to hit its shields. Looks like a few more squadrons will have to expend their FRAMs to take care of them. In the background the distant Lightning squadron had worked its way from the debris of the automated weapons control ship to the straggling chain of crippled frigates, starting with the rearmost grouping.       Once again the Ahlon showed they had surprises left. The new BC class had datalink jammers, activating them just as the fighter strike was 1 LS away. It didn’t matter now, not with so many Lightnings about to fall upon them. Only five fighters fell to long-range point defense and laser fire from the minesweeping battleships. For that, and despite the ECM of their targets, our laser-armed fighters took out one BB, joining two DNs finished by our ships, and further harmed a second. A crippled escort frigate, just a scant 1.25 LS out from our fleet, activated its jammer just as the Lightnings were upon the capital ships, giving two Ahlon datagroups a massed volley each before the pesky little runt was put out of its misery. We lost three Reactors that were already badly damaged. With the BCs take out, and datalinks restored, the remaining squadrons quickly vaporized the opposition. What few ships remained in range of our weapons were taken out as well, a clean sweep if there ever was one.       Felonius was of no mind to demand the surrender of the retreating pinnace tenders, so he sent my division of destroyers to take out the freighter-hulled ones while those laser-armed Lightnings still armed with external ordnance were sent against the CA and BC-hulled units. Our Admiral did send a message to the Ahlon homeworld, informing them that he would not interfere with any rescue efforts of life pods around the warp point so long as only shuttles were used. He also gave them the time it would take his fleet to reach the planet to make up their minds if they want to surrender and thereby spare their space station from destruction. Along the way we encountered a train of shuttles, each keeping one light-minute of separation. Clearly the Ahlon wanted to show that they were no threat, and to keep them honest a single corvette scout sat on the warp point, its two embarked pinnaces ready for launch should the shuttles interfere with our SAR operations.       We knew from captured data that Ahlon Prime was a hospitable world, yet photos didn’t do it justice. It had 30% more surface water than Cazova, resulting in much larger, deeper oceans of dark blue. I could easily see how it would become a nice liberty port for our fleet, once the population submits to our rule. In orbit sat what remained of the Ahlon’s mobile forces, all of them auxiliaries of one stripe or another. The space station was two-thirds as massive as the one back home, and keeping it company were three BS4s. When the Ahlon replied that the request for surrender was still ‘in committee’ Felonius simply stated that he would hear their answer in person. To test the defenses he sent in fourteen corvette scouts, prompting the station and BS4s to fire on them at 7.5 LS range. One scout was promptly destroyed, and another damaged. That it wasn’t finished off while in SBM range proved in my mind that the enemy didn’t possess the weapon.       With an abundance of pods still on hand Felonius had the Bonnie Crabappleseeds come within 11 LS of the planet and began deploying a wave fit to destroy that station, the bases, and the ships in one go. Protecting the Bonnies were all of our fighters, each loaded with two FRAMs, and once the pods moved they were covered by the fighters in turn. It took the pods 150 seconds to reach the assigned firing point, ample time for the enemy to transmit their surrender and for use to remote-detonate the pods. Instead our foes pulled another trick from their satchels. From the station came 36 fighters, 12 of them having the energy signatures of prototype fighters with the rest being expensive reversed-engineered copies of our F1s. With them came every pinnace and assault shuttle our foe could muster. Our fighters engaged them short of the pods, space filled with leprous boils of light and frantic radio messages. Eight Lightnings were lost, the price for erasing 36 of their Ahlon opposites, along with 64 assault shuttles and 14 pinnaces.       In what appeared to be a futile bid of resistance but later discovered as simple bureaucratic procedure the auxiliaries charged while the fighters and small craft engaged. All this did was to allow those pods assigned to them to fire earlier, obliterating them and with nothing to show for the effort. As for the station and bases they were simple swamped and erupted in cascades of explosions that reached a crescendo, their hulls utterly disincorporated. Good to his word Felonius, with the backing by an initial force of 8 Army divisions, landed at the spaceport and went to the capital city. Once there no less than the Senior Bureau President greeted him, holding what was the shortest official meeting in the history of the planet, fifteen minutes, and then signed the Articles of Associated Peoples (a document that was transmitted along with the demand for surrender). Felonius had the pen used in the ceremony sent back to Cazova Prime for the Dictate Mondo to have. Later I learned the pen was lost in the ventilation system of the Dictatorial Palace, used as part of a scavenger hunt. Some leaders have no proper respect of historical artifacts.       My Flintlock stayed in the Ahlon system for three months, inspecting resource barges that plied the routes between the asteroid belt and the planet. Then the orders came to return home for rest and refit. New equipment and upgrades were to be applied to my ship. Some welcomed, some arbitrary, but resulted in me having three uninterrupted months with the family. The homeworld space station was upgraded as well, no less than 24 new construction slips were added and each filled with new construction. Exploration along the two warp chains available to us recommenced. If we should end up going to war with a new race we’ll be all the more prepared this time. End 11/16/09 updated 07/27/11

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