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The Hokum - Chapter 3
After a long wait the attack was a success, and the ensuing chaos enabled the primary attack teams to slip away. One was made up of a Comensal family of four, and shrouded in camouflage cloaks they made for the fields and eventual safety of the woods. Still giddy with excitement the young son of the family, nicknamed Butter, recalled the chain of events that led to this moment. The four-arm abominations were still befouling the surface of Crimson Expanse. After the general planetary uprising the city of Brookwater became a vicious battleground. Then word came from Governor Banjun, ordering the civilians to take to the countryside to conduct a guerilla-style campaign. Butter’s family was one of several that were given the mission to observe and follow specific Hokum Imperium Space Army units, in this case a mobile field hospital unit. After weeks of meticulous observation and intelligence provided by Banjun’s staff an attack was planned on the field hospital to coincide with a broad, sustained attack on ISA positions. Located in a broad field the hospital was thought to be well-defended. With no trees and hills in the immediate area air-defense units could knock down inbound artillery and mortar rounds. The usual active and passive sensors were deployed along the perimeter along with actual security teams in the compound itself. The tall whip ferns were cut down along with a 100 meter strip outside the perimeter. What the ISA failed to appreciate was that their sensors on this particular night, both laser and sonic, pitched fits due to debris being blown in the wind and high explosives from other Comensal teams setting up irregular harmonics in the ground. Equipped with military-grade camouflage cloaks three families, including Butters’, slipped through the perimeter. Butter moved in concert with the wind gusts, staying low to the ground like morning fog. He would’ve been happy just to carry grenades or even fire syrup bombs, but he had an actual military rifle. Having seen his son score several spectacular hits with a pipe rifle over the past weeks the father rewarded Butter with a weapon that fitted his skill. The boy was doubly honored in that he would be the first to enter the main target of the camp raid – the operating ward. The sister opened the way, firing a one-shot 70mm rocket that took out a panel of the huge field tent. Butter dove in, rifle drawn from underneath his cloak. A single shot to the head took down a dazed four-arm, one dressed in a green surgical smock. Turning left and moving further into the tent the boy picked off eight more four-arms, six of them patients prone on operating tables. As for the mother she entered the tent and went right, firing a 45mm grenade launcher down the tent’s length. All six grenades had napalm loads, and despite their limited size they splattered the fiery goo over everything. Both father and sister stayed outside to guard the breach, nailing anyone that dared to approach. The other family teams had fired on their targets, shooting rockets just above the ground and defeating the defenses. Sharp, distinct cracks of gauss rifles mixed with the audible booms of pipe rifles filled the air along with the sound of the injured and dying. The attack ended just as quickly as it started, with the battleground now being covered in inky black clouds gushed from shot and tossed grenades. A sharp yell from the father outside the tent had Butter fire the last round from his rifle before leaving, loading a fresh clip under the cover of his cloak as he moved. The mother tossed a final grenade at a knot of fire-trapped doctors and patients, killing them. Now united, the family moved at a run, the inky clouds and thumper grenades fouling the already sub-optimal lasers and sonic sensors alike. At no point did the perimeter teams made contact. Out in the field dominated by 1.5 meter tall whip ferns the family’s cloaks made them practically invisible. Again the wind helped out, blowing in the direction of their retreat. Through the cloak’s vision panel Butter could see the lightning of a developing thunderstorm in the distance ahead of him. Another thunderstorm was brewing behind him two dozen miles away over Brookwater. He wondered how many four-arm aboms would suffer and die in the rain this night as a result of the loss of so many doctors. Not enough to suit him; that was for sure. In a spate of lightning flashes he saw something familiar in the air flying over him. They appeared to be helicopter seed pods, each one as long as his hand with the seed as big as the end of his thumb. The trees they came from were native to this region, examples of which were just ahead of them in the forest. It was also that time of the year for the seeds to be falling from the trees. Butter only realized a moment later that the wind wasn’t strong enough to have blown helicopter seeds from the trees on the far side of the four-arm camp, and that the wind would have to be blowing in the opposite direction for seeds from the trees ahead of him to reach… One of the helicopter seeds landed just a pace behind Butter and exploded. It was enough to upset his balance and make him fall down. He felt his cloak being impacted by several small pieces of shrapnel. Smarting from pain when he landed atop the rifle Butter perceived a burning smell as he assumed a crouching stance. Then he heard a set of what sounded like small firecrackers going off right behind him. Being a good boy Butter followed the instructions from his parents and continued towards the trees. The distant lightning was becoming more intense and Butter heard muted thunder mixed with more firecracker sounds. Just twenty seconds away from relative safety an immense line of fire sprung up from where the whip ferns transitioned to slender oaks. He hesitated, believing he saw a blob of distorted light ahead of him, a sign of a malfunctioning cloak. A sharp snap split the night air; the blob was hit by something and it fell towards the fire. Butter didn’t have time to react to what appeared to be the death of a family member. A slew of helicopter seeds landed around him at the same time, either exploding on the ground or from impacting part of a fern. More shrapnel hit him, this time he felt their heat as if they were actually burning away the cloak. He resumed running, making for a trees again despite the fires. He gripped the rifle harder, like it was a good luck totem, when more small firecracker sounds were immediate followed by sharp, hot pains in his chest, arms and legs. He bit his lip hard so that fresh pain overrode all other signals of distress. Somehow he heard two more sharp snaps as he drew closer to the fires, picking his path to the woods that was achingly close yet so far. Then the small firecracker sounds came back. It didn’t matter to Butter that the sounds seemed to surround him for he felt as if his body was being blown apart. He stayed on his feet, staggering as he made along a barely accessible path between the burning ferns and trees. Each footfall was a torment, blood oozing out of the wounds to the rhythm of a belabored heart. His will was strong for one so young yet it was too much, and he fell unconscious to the ground just as a four-arm mortar round exploded above his head. He died happy nonetheless for the rifle was still firmly gripped in his hand to the bitter end. The father would’ve been proud. The agent responsible for Butter and his family’s demise was a Mongoose tactical armored vehicle named Loaded Vice by its crew. Despite the fact that the whole of Crimson Expanse’s population was fighting they couldn’t be everywhere at once. Because of this Loaded Vice and its three other platoon mates were sent ahead separately and at night to the field designated for the mobile hospital. Camouflaged with fake panels and towing mowing equipment the four wheeled tanks appeared to be engineering vehicles. They were there in case the Comensal threw in an assault that included hidden, civilian-armed vehicles called technicals. Instead they’ve witnessed a massacre of fellow soldiers and friends. Loaded Vice’s commander, one 2nd-Class Sergeant Furdex, regarded the field of ferns from the safety of his cupola. He wanted to open the hatch for a personal look but the demonstrated ability of Comensal cammo cloaks, especially the military version, would’ve made that unwise. The only reason why this particular set of infiltrators was detected was that the cloaks, while good with lasers and visible light, still had problems with heat. A cammo cloak moving in front of a fire source may bend and pass through the light but blocked much of the infrared output one would expect from a hot fire caused by hyper napalm. Furdex was glad to see that the new anti-personnel bomblets performed as advertised. Conceived and manufactured from materials on-hand from one of the troopships the bomblet, aside from the initial small explosive charge, was made entirely from reactive materials. Depending on the resulting fragments such material would burn and explode upwards to three times. Best of all it didn’t require air, so it could go off underwater just as well as at the top of mountains. Furdex could already see how the troops were going to call the helicopter seed bomblets as the ‘gift that keeps on giving.’ The lightning was becoming more frequent and intense as the storms over Brookwater were now moving towards the mobile hospital. It was in direct competition with the lightning produced by the storm beyond the woods. Furdex’s fascination of the display was interrupted by 1st-Class Vara Licus, the vehicle’s comm and sensors operator. “Sarge, the ‘puter has pegged two more targets out there, moving to get around the fires.” Furdex spoke into his helmet mic. “Vara Spuran,” he said to Loaded Vice’s gunner, “fire of the remaining bomblet deployment rockets. The munitions boys will want more samples to evaluate their new toy.” “Yes, Sergeant,” said Spuran as he adjusted fire control and told the driver, Pendex, to move a little bit to the left so that the hull-mounted rocket tubes were within arc. Spuran also got the 30mm rail gun ready. Once the helicopter seed bomblets did their job by destroying patches of cammo cloak Spuran would have enough of target to fire the gun in single shot mode. He was able to do that three times earlier. The fourth he decided to use a 50mm mortar round as the fires were too close to an accurate gun shot. Before firing he reminded himself to update Loaded Vice’s scoreboard of kills. Region General Ronon, commander of the ISA Expeditionary Corps, was visiting the headquarters company of the 9th Brigade located near Vista Platte when he heard the news. Five field hospitals, including the one located near Brookwater, were attacked within a ten-minute period. Novillero (Major) Phes, an intelligence officer on Ronon’s staff, gave out the numbers. “27 doctors, 39 medical technicians, and 81 soldiers are dead,” he said, breath visible in the cold air outside the command bunker. “72 are wounded. It’s expected that the majority of the wounded won’t make it through the night.” Ronan exhaled like a broken steam pipe. “Five gods! Those boneheads are killing us by centimeters. If we pull away more troops to guard the field hospitals it’ll mean that much fewer available for operations. That’ll give them more freedom of movement, not that they have that in abundance to begin with.” “There is another consequence, General,” Phes added. “If we use shuttles and cutters to evacuate the wounded to orbiting ships that opens up the possibility of SAM attacks. We have found caches of such weapons as well as individual examples on Comensal dead.” Ronan nodded, the breath from his nostrils might as well have come from a bull. “That would explain why the Comensal army units we fought when we first arrived were so sparse in anti-air weapons. Novillero, do you anticipate they’ll go after medical vehicles next?” “That would be the next logical target, General, but I doubt it. We’ll simply move the wounded in unmarked vehicles, forcing them to attack entire vehicle convoys. With our drone coverage and area suppression tactics they’ll lose more strike teams than gain in kills. No, they’re likely to continue to go after high-density targets that offer high yields with minimal loss.” “Loss.” Ronan’s spitted the word, the breath freezing into an icy bolt of hate. “Do we have a count on bonehead losses, Novillero?” “32 confirmed dead, General. It’s a certainty that entire family units were used in the attacks.” Ronan brought his back pair of arms forward, the hands in fists to match the ones from his front pair of arms. “We’ll just have to ratchet up the use of kinetic bombardment. I’m going to order the authorization to call a kinetic strike at the platoon level. I rather let my men employ overkill than be sniped by a boy toting a pipe rifle.” Four transits out of the Hokum Imperium system of Whel was the system designated Com-9. It was an Asteroid Axis frontier system conquered earlier in the war. Two of its three warp points were closed, and for this reason it was made a ‘gatekeeper’ system. Any alien ship that happened to enter Com-9 via the third warp point, or indeed another closed warp point, wouldn’t be able to advance unless shown the way. The Axis decided not to explore the third warp point or leave a chain of sensor and comm buoys until such time all systems two transits out of Com-1, now named by the Hokum as Doorstop, were surveyed. After getting an all-clear from a pinnace and a Fast Walker scout ship a Hokum squadron of four Opportunity survey frigates entered Com-9’s third warp point. What they found was a white dwarf/red dwarf binary and that their entry point was closed on that side. Summoning the other two scout ships and keeping the third at the warp point the survey squadron began its meticulous hunt for warp points. What the Hokum didn’t know at this point that it was an Axis system they’ve just entered. It was called Nonstop for there was nothing worth warranting a stay. The red dwarf had a rockball, a somewhat undersized gas giant and a nitrogen/ammonia excuse of a planet. With no asteroids and only three moons absent of mineral bounty Nonstop was judged not worthy of colonization. For the Axis it was just part of a route used by freighters that transshipped cargo between two far more interesting and useful systems. Four days into the survey one of the scouts detected an alien drive field. Moving at the same speed as the contact the scout approached on an intercept course. At a distance of 12 light-minutes the scout determined the contact comprised nine drive signatures – all Axis. Being out of range of the warp point even for tight-beam communication the scout went in closer at maximum speed for a definite read on hull types. It wanted to make the most of its single courier drone. What the scout found was a military convoy. Three DN-hulled prefab transports and three DN mobile shipyards, easy to identify due to their bulky construction, were enroute to the Battlement system. Accompanying them were a CA-hulled mobile shipyard, a previously unknown CL class, and a CA transport containing the crews of the type-5 bases carried in the hulls of the prefab transports. Together the four mobile yards could reassemble the prefab parts of one type-5 base in a month with some capacity to start on a second base. The DN shipyards had long-range sensors and were able to track the incoming scout but only when the drivefield frequency was determined were courier drones fired off. In any event the convoy was on its own as help wouldn’t arrive on time. On the possibility that the survey would find itself in an Axis system a detachment of warships was detailed to accompany them. Sitting on the Com-9 side the warp point the detachment was comprised of three Pests and three Taggers, converted Axis DDs and FGs respectively, two of the new Greyhound CVEs, and a Legion and Podium pinnace carriers. The heavy metal was provided by three Broadside BCAs. Being part of the initial batch of six there were those in the Admiralty that wanted all of them for Lord Admiral Janus’ expeditionary fleet. However it was the opinion of the decision makers that if the opportunity to capture Axis ships presented itself the Broadsides could offer the decisive edge. Acting on her orders the commander of the 1st Survey Escort Detachment, Admiral Calixto, moved her ships into the system tentatively named Com-23 and proceeded at cruising speed towards the Axis convoy. There was nothing the Axis commander could do other than to press forward at full dreadnought speed. He was past the point of no return for his entry point, and his exit point was just four days away ahead of him. He watched the fresh contact grow from a single blip to thirteen, identified as Hokum from the drive field frequencies alone. Then, at range of two light-minutes one of the ships broke away at a speed of .05c with the others increasing to .10c. Fresh contacts also appeared, fighters or pinnaces, but the exact number won’t be known until they were a mere 10 light-seconds away. Calixto was confident that the Axis formation had at least six capital force beams. Those would prove most troublesome for the Pests and Taggers if the big ships continued to move at full speed. Capturing and converting the Axis ships, especially the DN hulls, would help the war effort. So she decided to cripple them as much as practical so the needle beam-armed ships could close on them that much faster. As for the Axis commander he had no intention on scattering his formation as together they would be a tougher nut to crack. He did change course and immediately implemented a zig-zag pattern just as sensors confirmed the number of fighters (24) and pinnaces (24). It was at this point the Greyhounds and the Podium slowed down to cruising speed. Calixto opened up with (pardon the pun) a broadside of 14 SBM-Lts from the Broadsides. Two hits were scored on a DN prefab transport. She released the Spear fighters and Garrocha armed pinnaces to move at their full speeds. The fire on the first DN was kept until it belched air from its armor-wrecked flank, prompting Calixto to shift attention to the second DN. Once the range dropped to 7.75 LS the SBM-Lts that were fired were placed in loiter mode, for each Broadside had a plasma gun for every capital launcher on board. Since those weapons wouldn’t come into play unless at very close range their fire-control circuits were put to better use. One-quarter of a LS closer the second DN got a volley not only composed of SBM-Lts but CM-AMs as well. Antimatter crushed half the shields and two-thirds of the armor was scoured away. A second loiter-assisted volley was set when the Spears were within 1 LS of the convoy. Only the use of the second DN’s EDMs prevented the shields from collapsing entirely. Point defense easily took care of the six SBM-Lts. Five Spears were shot down but the laser packs they carried punished the armor of the third DN prefab transport. Closer in at 0.25 LS they lost 8 more, forcing the survivors to fire their FRAMs immediately. The personnel transport was hit, losing three engine rooms and subsequently fell out of formation. As for the CA mobile yard it lost its passive defenses and part of an engine room, making it no faster than a DN. Having done their duty the Spears broke away and headed for the Greyhounds. Noting the intensity of point defense fire from the CL the only conclusion Calixto could reach was that it was an anti-fighter escort. It fired its point defense, making it vulnerable at the moment. Calixto fired an immediate volley of CM-AMs at the ship. Only two CMs were decoyed by the Barrier’s sole EDM, letting the other eight hit. Now it was moving no faster than the personnel transport, so it was forced to keep it company. Being slower now, the CA(T) found its capital force beam was in range of the advancing Hokum ships. It selected one of the Pests and fired, missing by a narrow margin. Fire was now fixed on the DN mobile yards as they were the only ones likely to have CM loads on their external racks. Calixto had the SBM-Lts on the Broadsides’ external racks fired in loiter mode. While one DN(SY) suffered from stand-off fire the damaged Barrier made its parting shot at the incoming Garrochas. Just one was nailed while the other 23 used their laser packs to reduce the ship to a crawling wreck. Also selecting a Pest the DN(SY)s fired their external CMs, scoring two hits past point defense and EDMs. Before the CA(T) could fire again or raise some shielding the Pests attacked. Even though they couldn’t be used in precision mode the needle beams burned out another engine room, slowing the cruiser-hulled ship even more. Again the CA(T) missed, due to combination of ECM and crew inexperience. The pitiful Barrier was within precision mode range, however, and the Taggers lanced the last engine room, keeping the crew from scuttling their ship. The cruiser-hulled mobile yard fired for the third and last time, missing the shield-down Pest. With its own shields still down the cruiser was subjected to precision needle fire, losing its capital force beam and both point defense systems. Two of the Broadsides and two Taggers launched their small craft to conduct boarding actions. In the distance the Greyhounds and Podium went to full speed, their marine contingents preparing as well. The Garrochas came within the point defense envelope of the seven remaining ships in the convoy. Four were splashed and possibly more would’ve had not the Broadsides occupied the point defense of one of the DN mobile yards. It was here that Calixto released the Pests and Taggers, letting them go to full speed and detuning their engines. With the Garrochas only 0.5 LS away the Axis convoy commander didn’t fall for the bait. He had his force beams on the DNs lock on the pinnaces as they were closer and a bit easier to hit. Five more were immolated at the cost of having the needle ships left alone. With 14 remaining the Garrochas divided themselves, putting two each behind each Axis ship at point blank range and in the blind spots. Knowing what was coming, the Axis ships went to maximum engine modulation to assist their ECM efforts. The CA mobile yard turned at the last moment, bringing its point defense into play and took down two more pinnaces. It didn’t matter in the end for the lethal little craft performed their purpose. All seven ships lost two engine rooms from FRAMs or nuke-armed CMs from the Broadsides. The force beams on the DNs succeeded in bringing down the restored shields of their targeted Pest as well as some armor. Again with their poor shooting it was clear the crews weren’t fully accustomed to their weapons. Twelve Garrochas broke away, their services no longer needed. The Axis engine modulation helped the needle ships to close the gap, and they abandoned their engine detuning as they had achieved precision mode range. Order of the day was to lance out force beams and point defense, allowing the shuttles and cutters to approach unmolested. First to become toothless was the CA mobile yard. Axis force beams in this round found the marked Pest, taking out three engine rooms. The needle ships matched their wounded brethren’s speed, closing the range to 2 LS. While the result was never in doubt it was still a close call for the besieged Pest. It was down to its final engine room when at last the force beams were silenced. Fortunately it had launched its marine-filled cutter beforehand, sending it towards the CA mobile yard. The Broadsides were now firing independently, knocking down shields so that boarding actions could commence. Tractor beams were lanced out of habit, for using them in pressure mode against a shuttle was just a form of Axis gallows humor. The Hokum marines cleared out eight of the nine ships, taking only sixteen prisoners. Once they realized they had a personnel transport on their hands, one that was more than two-thirds full, there was only one option. All life support, crew and passenger berthing, and engines were taken out with needle beams. No-one wanted to conduct close-quarter combat on ship filled with thousands of Comensal. At least the disposal of the bodies a few weeks later was done in a vacuum. It was evident even in the boarding combat that the Axis crews on the DN hulls were green, indicating they hadn’t the time to receive a proper shakedown. Unfortunately that didn’t apply to their data technicians, each ship database wiped clean and in some instances physically destroyed. For the loss of half of her Spear and Garrocha strength and the damaged Pest (which had managed to restore partial life support and an engine room) Calixto gained valuable additions for her Navy, especially the mobile yards. She had the Pest head back to Com-9 to be repaired by the sole repair ship in the 1st SED. Capturing the prizes was one thing, keeping them long enough to convert them to Hokum use was another. Calixto ordered the Oxgoad tug, the FT8 support ship and the FT7 mobile yard waiting in Com-9 to come into Com-23. The FT8 and FT7 would head for a patch of space that was thought to be far enough away from the white dwarf that would preclude all but the most of manic searches. First priority was given to the DN mobile yards, the Oxgoad towing them one at a time to move them faster. Once all of those yards were converted and manned they could rapidly convert and repair the other six ships. Provided they weren’t found in the interim, of course. Calixto did made note of the apparent use of improved point defense by the Axis and passed that information back home as well as to Lord Admiral Janus in Crimson Expanse and two fleet segments in the Laser Burn system. In the meantime she directed her small force back to Com-9 and assumed its waiting stance by the warp point. A steady train of cargo pinnaces from Whel would ensure the1st SED remained in supply. During the trip back Calixto contemplated the ramifications of this battle. For the Axis to have their territorial integrity compromised in a system they considered safe, routing a convoy without fighter support through it, would result in a mad shuffle of assets. She wondered what kind of overactive response they would mount, and if she’ll get enough reinforcement to meet the inevitable counterattack. Hopefully the survey ships will find Com-23’s other warp points relatively soon, for Calixto really wanted to complicate the Axis’ predicament even further. The Hokum - Chapter 3.25 The Science Development Bureau on Elotoshani Prime was the scene of a celebration. Normally reserved AFC officers and ratings indulged themselves with copious drink and food. It was well-deserved as the antimatter project achieved success. Even now the technical details in constructing antimatter containment fields for missile warheads and burst generators were being sent via chains of comm buoys and courier drones throughout the Axis. One major advantage enjoyed by the allied abomination races was about to negated. Prime Commander Konset, while certainly proud of the achievement, couldn’t claim pride of authorship like he did for the spinal force beam, a project he greenlighted. He did appreciate the fact that all the work on antimatter was done on the homeworld, away from any possible snooping by the Elotoshani. Konset’s boney brow furled at the thought that the short aboms provided some assistance in the armed pinnace and escort shuttle programs, both of which were very nearly done with flight testing. He took a sip of wine that came from the first vintage grown on Eloto by Comensal colonists. He found it sweet despite his bitter thoughts. Just because those midget brainiacs happened to use flights of shuttles in suicide runs in defense of their system years ago doesn’t make them experts in designing them, he confided to himself. We’re giving the Eloto aboms too much information about this war, even if it’s third or fourth hand. They’re getting ideas. After this war we should purge them once and for all, and not in measured lots like we’re doing to the Lauset A familiar voice came from behind Konset, and it belonged to his superior, System Admiral Joncan. “Konset,” he said, voice slightly drooping, “would you agree the war is about to irrevocably shift in our favor, leading to glorious overarching victory?” Konset turned to find Joncan clearly in a state of intoxication. There was the unbuttoned collar, the fine hair between the boney plates near his mouth matted with bits of food, breath reeking of hard liquor instead of wine, and a stain on his uniform tunic that would rate a whole month of lavatory sanitation duty at the academy. “My Konsetty,” the senior officer said in a stronger drunk voice, “your escort shuttle program… why’d greenlight it when the armed pinnacey is better?” Before Konset could subtly admonish his superior for his behavior Joncan imposed himself. “I know, Konsetty. You want revenge on those Eloto abomys. That ship you were on during that last battley with the Eloto. It got thrashed within a centimeter of its life by ramming shuttle bastards, wasn’t it?” In a very inappropriate gesture Joncan put a finger to Konset’s lips. “So when that suped-up suupher shuttle proposal got to your desk you couldn’t say no. Shuttles armed with anty-mather rockets with which to blast big ships before ramming them, eh?” He then laughed in a startling matter for no-one in the Bureau on Eloto could ever recall him laughing before. Swiping an open bottle from a startled sub-lieutenant Joncan sat down on a plush chair in the lounge opposite of four more junior officers. “You known,” he said to them before they could get up and walk way, “I’m very oldth. Old to be a great-grandfather. Eighty-five, give or take. I was sixteen and a green sub-lieutenant during the Furbag War. Oh, make that the Lauset and their Dark Storm Nebby Empire.” He chugged the bottle down, the young officers transfixed by fascination and repugnance. “Honestly, after being in practically every battley in that war I should be a prime admiral now, if not First Leader. I did my bit against these Elotoy squats and those walking AI appliances.” With a messy stare he leaned toward his involuntary audience. “Did you know I actually fought a Lauset hand-to-hand? Wanna see the scar the furbag left?” Behind the admiral Konset only shook his head disapprovingly. Two subordinates took discreet pictures and filmed the disgraceful display of intoxication. Konset had heard through the grapevine that Joncan had blown a few promotional prospects in his long career due to his rare drinking binges. Thus it explained why he was just a system admiral at such an advanced age. Truthfully it was a bit more of an embarrassment that Joncan’s superior was the granddaughter of one his fellow officers back in the Lauset War. The prime commander could only guess Joncan received bad news. Whether it was about being denied a squadron command or a commendation made no matter. That’s it, yuck it up you encrusted old fart, Konset thought. You’ll be encouraged to retire or be sent to a dead-end posting with such a large acronym it’ll give you a brain embolism. The situation in the Axis system of Abyssal-018 had stabilized. With the Expeditionary Fleet guarding the warp point leading to the Tire Iron system and the Laser Burn system shortly to be invested by two segments from the Home Fleet it was time to continue the war by another route. Lord Admiral Janus, commander of the EF, regarded her options like an ancient banker using all four hands to gauge the weight of a payment. Waiting for definitive probes for two of Laser Burn’s warp points could take weeks, especially if the Axis had fixed defenses waiting. No doubt Circuit Run had them, being menaced directly by the Commonwealth from Borehole. As for Binary Code, a binary system with yellow and red sun components and opposite of Laser Burn, the Axis would’ve mined the warp point as a matter of course if only to frustrate survey efforts. One stipulation of the co-belligerent agreement between the Imperium and Commonwealth was that whoever entered a particular Axis system first can claim it as their own. Thus the Blood Pride system and its Axis colony were claimed by the Commonwealth, along with Ampere and BRB-1. With Com-23 and its warp links a complete imponderable at the moment there was only one option left. Fallowed Field, a system of three habitable worlds and a populated asteroid belt, was raided by Imperium forces earlier and had its space infrastructure destroyed. Janus elected to send a portion of her pending reinforcements to the Fallowed Field system. Breaking back in via Solid State, the ships would move as fast as practical and take care of whatever defenses guarded the FF/Tire Iron warp point. Once in Tire Iron the force would move on the defenses of the Tire Iron/Abyssal-018 warp point. Thus cleared, the Expeditionary Fleet could move in and establish itself at the Tire Iron/Bedrock warp point. On the whole Janus admitted to her staff that there were some unknowns that couldn’t be quantified. It had been four months since the 1st Reconnaissance Strike Force paid Fallowed Field a visit, but that was when the Axis assumed the Imperium didn’t know about the closed warp point in Solid State. They very well could be a task group guarding the FF side of the warp point along with mines and buoys. However, if the Axis was truly in a position to do something about the occupation of Crimson Expanse it would’ve made much more of an effort. The fact alone that they didn’t even mount a serious counterattack, much less a reconnaissance in force, from FF down the warp chain to Doorstop told Janus they were either very occupied with the Commonwealth at Borehole or that FF was left to its fate. The staff found the idea of leaving a populated, albeit under 50,000, system with three habitable worlds to fend for itself while only two warp links away from a major fleet base a bit hard to believe. Janus reminded them that Crimson Expanse, with 36 times the population and actual mineral riches, was only three transits out from Bedrock and yet only two half-hearted attempts were made by the AFC to reclaim the system. She believed, as well as Comensal expert Professor Alba, the civilians on those worlds were resigned to their fate to be either destroyed from orbit or conduct a guerrilla campaign such as that on Crimson Expanse, or indeed on any world were the Commonwealth and Imperium had landed troops. Faith in the resiliency of the race and of the AFC in particular was total. In their view, killing an enemy soldier on a planet was no different from blowing them up in space. So it was that the Fourth Segment of the Expeditionary Fleet was created on the fly from reinforcements in the Cain system. Segment Admiral Kasen, originally tasked to assume command of the Second Segment (EF) in place of ailing Segment Admiral Morse, took the new orders to heart and set out with his allotted force. There were very few problems in arranging the command structure and logistics of this formation for Kasen had drilled the new ships in Whel for a full month beforehand. The staff was up to speed and they stayed with Kasen as the remainder of the reinforcements went on to Abyssal-018. Along with the required supports ships and minelayers the Fourth Segment trekked through Red Wire and onto Solid State. The first pinnace to probe the warp point leading to FF was the only one needed. It came back safely and reported its findings. A thin shell of 180 buoys filled the immediate area around the warp point. On opposite bearings at a range of 0.5 LS sat two bases, type-3s and of a class not seen before. Three assault shuttles orbited the warp point at a distance of 0.25 LS at a speed of 0.05c. As always the pinnace wasn’t able to determine the existence, let along the number, of mine patterns and of any other unit outside a range of 5 LS. Kasen came to the same conclusion that Janus did. Had the Axis been able or willing to hold onto Fallowed Field then the defenses would’ve been more substantial, especially after a four-month reprieve. Deciding against a mass pinnace assault Kasen elected to send in his sole Indomitable, all three Imposer battleships and both Rodeo Clown minesweepers in the first wave. Three days later that wave went in. The Indomitable, armed with antimatter CAMs on its racks, opened up on one of the bases. Shields collapsed and one-third of the armor was blown away. Of the three needle beam hits, though fired in general mode due to transit addled tactical scanners, they were negated by the base’s overload dampeners. Retribution was swift. A base became active, hitting the Indomitable with six CAMs. Of the 18 plasma packets on-target only one was slapped down. The following swipe by a HET laser only passed through the Indomitable’s debris cloud. With the Imposers adding their part one base was severely damaged and another had its shields removed. The active base launched three assault shuttles to join the two on patrol. BAM-Rc rounds on the Rodeo Clowns’ racks took out two patterns of mines. The second wave was composed of just six Garrocha armed pinnaces. With shields down it could be seen that the active base had 18 plasma guns in the process of recharging and a solitary HET laser, and it used that laser to rake the flank of an Imposer. It also had two improved defense systems with which it used against the Garrochas, taking down a pair. The Imposer trio, freed from transit effects, obliterated the active base with massed force beam fire and pulled the teeth on the remaining base. All five assault shuttles were shot down by a minesweeper with the other only able to take out one buoy. The minefields were discovered to be particularly light at just 300 patterns. Tactical sensors also revealed the existence of a solitary CA-hull ship 10 LS out, most likely the automated weapons control ship. It was a supposition proven true when 90 buoys immolated themselves to produce their one-shot lasers. All five ships on the warp point lost 80 to 100% of their armor with one Rodeo Clown receiving significant internal damage. The third wave was made of three Barrel Man minesweepers and three Garrochas. Quicker on the controls the Axis ship fired the remaining 89 buoys, wrecking both Rodeo Clowns and the armor on the Imposers and Barrel Men. The rest of the Segment made transit now that the buoy menace was gone. Firing mine-clearance rounds from external racks and internal launchers a lane was blown clear. With carriers following close behind a strike of six squadrons of Spears chased the Axis ship. Carrying twelve stand-off missiles each, the squadrons forced the ship to expend all of its EDMs and even then half the armor was lost. Six fresh squadrons took to the chase but carried full loads of missiles and were further slowed to keep pace with the released Pests and Taggers. This didn’t last long. Timed like a choreographed dance the Spears moved ahead at the appointed time and smothered the Axis Command Detonator. Imperium needle-armed ships got within decisive range for only light damage to a Tagger. Engines lanced and toothless the ship was eventually towed to the warp point. It would have to wait its turn to get converted as the initial assault ships had priorities in repairs. A single Type 2 DD kept the ship company, lancing any engine repairs made by the dying crew for all life support equipment was taken out as well. Three Fast Walker scouts were sent to investigate Fallowed Field’s inhabited worlds. For both FF A-2 and A-3 there were just spaceports, built on the same spots of the ones destroyed four months earlier. B-2 was much further along. In orbit of that world were four DN mobile shipyards and two CA-hulled ones. Two of the DN yards were building bases of the same mass and dimensions as those at the warp point. The rest were working on a space station, currently just under the same tonnage of four battleships. Kasen elected to leave B-2 alone for the time being. Securing the Tire Iron/Abyssal-018 warp point had priority. Other than running into a pair of cargo shuttles (which were duly shot down by the CAP) from FF A-3 the Segment moved on to the warp point leading to Tire Iron. The Fast Walker sent ahead to investigate found a sole Command Detonator sitting atop the warp point. Keeping the rest of the Segment out of definitive scanner range Kasen sent in just three Interiors and six Garrochas. It took only a one-minute bombardment of CM-Lts to coax the ship to leave. Once the Garrochas cleared out the 120 laser buoys the Interiors fired their full load of BAM-Rc ammo into a section of the 240-pattern strong minefield. Then, as the rest of the Segment approached the first Garrocha transited into Tire Iron. It found a mere 60 laser buoys in its immediate scan but was surprised to find the CD slumming just a quarter of a light-second away. In this instance the Garrocha command pilot made a gutsy move. Fully loaded with antimatter close attack missiles he decided to attack the Axis ship. Surviving the run into the mines the pinnace got right into the ship’s blind spot and let loose, smashing shields and armor to achieve interior hits on a cargo hold and shuttle bay. The CD crew was completely surprised and was denied the opportunity to fire back, watching with cursing eyes as the Garrocha survived the mines again and transited back to Fallowed Field. However much they wanted to stay they knew that just three similarly-loaded Garrochas would finish them. So, as the CD turned about and fled with detuned engines towards the Bedrock warp point the crew enabled all 90 buoys and set the 120 patterns of mines to maximum attack parameters. Not that any of it mattered, but the crew was under orders to run rather than waiting for the inevitable. In due course the way was cleared into Tire Iron. Cruising at 0.05c the Fourth Segment reached the Tire Iron/Abyssal-018 warp point in twelve hours. In that time the scouts found and tracked a trio of Command Detonators moving at flank speed on a course that took it away from the Segment. Also tracked was a pair of Axis civilian hulled freighters heading directly for the Bedrock warp point but within interception range. Kasen sent the Pests and Taggers and six Garrochas to capture them. With no sign of an escort or even offensive weapons the freighters, an FT9 and FT4, waited until the Hokum units were just shy of needle beam range when they released their surprise. 95 assault shuttles came out of the freighters’ flanks like angry bees, all intent on ramming the ships. They recognized the hulls as those that use to belong to their navy, the very sight of them clad in the colors of the enemy made the blood boil. Quick on the uptake the Hokum squadron commander had his ships turn 120° and move away. Even so the ships and Garrochas were slightly slower than the assault shuttles, but the only way those shuttles could harm the ships was to ram them. With the shuttles being big targets for defensive fire and armed with the long-reaching needle beams the Pests and Taggers were going to take out as many of those potential immolators as possible. Five shuttles were shot down when the range dropped to 1.25 LS at which time the improved point defense opened up. A bit closer and regular point defense kicked in, including those on the Garrochas. At 0.5 LS the Axis assault shuttles had the range on the Garrochas and opened up with their inherent point defense. With their numbers all six were shot down. Still moving and maneuvering like angry bees the shuttles caught up with the ships, having lost 36 up to that point. Being realistic about their chances the remaining shuttles went to ram just one Pest. Of the five shuttles that stuck to the Pest three survived the point defense barrage and rammed, knocking down 75% of the Pest’s shields. Five more were brought down by the other ships as the shuttles shot past their target. Maneuvering like greased pigs the Hokum ships took advantage of the shuttles’ heading and made them play catch-up, placing them just outside of point-blank range. Only five more shuttles went up in fireballs, and despite some more twists and turns the craft fell upon the Pest again. Just one of four connected to target, bringing down the shields. This mutual dance between ramming attempts and single-sided exchanges continued until the last shuttle was shot down eight minutes into the battle. Coming about, the Hokum squadron resumed the pursuit of the Axis shuttle carriers. With no offensive weapons in the offering aside from a pair of CMs on external racks the two Axis ships were lanced and boarded. Despite operating with a reduced crew thanks to all the embarked shuttles the FT9 databanks were clear as well as that of the FT4. An Oxgoad tug was dispatched to tow the ships to the Abyssal-018 warp point. When the Fourth Segment reached the Tire Iron/Abyssal warp point they found no ships waiting for them. Instead they found just a shell of 900 mine patterns and 57 buoys. It was figured that the trio of Command Detonators had in the allowed time filled their cargo holds with weapon buoys. Kasen reasoned that the Axis needed the services of the CDs and even the FT9 and FT4 more than allowing to lose all of them in a brave but futile contest. Once the buoys were cleared the last of the mine clearance rounds were fired. A brace of courier drones were fired into Abyssal-018 and a reply came in the form of the Expeditionary Fleet. With the rest of the mines cleared the FE made for the Bedrock warp point to lay siege to it. Kasen took the Fourth Segment back into Fallowed Field to take care of the construction over FF B-2. The mobile yards had disappeared, leaving the space station and two incomplete type-3 bases in orbit. Activity was indicated for the station’s construction slips were still busy adding more structure, and the usual hails for surrender met the same boilerplate response of defiance. A missile bombardment rained destruction on the bases, taking them out of the picture. As for station it saw a combined attack from ships and Spears and Garrochas armed with stand-off missiles. Weeks afterwards the populace below was treated to a rain of debris, large and small, fall and burn up (mostly) in the atmosphere. A regular missile smashed the spaceport on B-2’s surface, ending the battle. Kasen took stock of the situation. He decided to leave a trio of Interiors, a pair of Imperial Waves, a Deflector 2 and five Fast Walker scouts to keep the trio of planets and as of yet unknown number of asteroid habitats under surveillance. Any attempts by the populations to reestablish a presence in space were to be crushed. The mobile yards, if found, were to be destroyed instead of being captured. As the rest of the Fourth Segment went back into Tire Iron to join up with the Expeditionary Fleet the spaceports on FF A-2 and A-3 were destroyed for the second time. With the distinct exception of troops the Imperium had effective control of another populated Asteroid Axis system. Technically, Prime Commander Konset shouldn’t be in possession of the report he had in his hands so soon. That he did suggested a secret supporter somewhere that shared his opinions. While the loss of Tire Iron and Fallowed Field were anticipated it was the deployment of the first examples of the Falconer and Flour Basket small craft carrier classes that drew Konset’s ire. Even when stocked to the gills with assault shuttles it would be painfully clear to the enemy that these ships were designed with armed pinnaces in mind. It was his opinion that such ships should’ve been held back until they were equipped with flightgroups of armed pinnaces and escort shuttles. Konset felt a twinge in his head. System Admiral Joncan had been reassigned to a new post after his drunken misbehavior was reported to the colonial governor on Elotoshani Prime. Rumor had it that Joncan was going to the Virus House system to assume command of the marine contingent of the lunar colony. It was widely held in the AFC that being posted to Virus House was considered a punishment and no-one went there of their own volition. Such a fate for Joncan was more than appropriate in Konset’s eye, especially after some more information came his way. Made temporary head of the Science Development Bureau on Eloto while Joncan’s replacement was coming Konset gained access to files he didn’t had clearance to before. What he read confirmed deeply held suspicions. The armed pinnace and escort shuttle programs had their share of stumbles, but when one did occur it was under the watch of an Eloto development team. Going through other reports he found similar such instances of missteps where Elotos were involved, but in only the small craft programs did the ugly little beings had direct input in hardware/software integration. Konset made it a point to get to his new superior’s ear and make him see the light and dispense with Eloto ‘assistance’ once and for all. In the meantime there wasn’t much for Konset to do as the projects assigned to the SDB branch on Eloto were about to come to an end. With the light workload he decided to indulge in three-day weekends and improve his golf game. After all the work he put in Konset felt entitled. One hour after his Segment joined the Expeditionary Fleet at the Tire Iron/Bedrock warp point Admiral Kasen was invited aboard Lord Admiral Janus’ flagship the Watch Tower. Escorted to the admiral’s day cabin, Kasen found Janus sitting at a small, ornate table instead of her desk. There was a pitcher of iced tea set to one side of the table with two tall glasses. Having already reported formally via commlink Kasen knew this was going to be an informal meeting. Janus looked up from the file reader she had in her front pair of hands. “Take a seat, Kasen. Tea?” “Please.” The junior admiral sat at the table that was most likely made two centuries ago and cost a significant amount of discretionary income. He took the offered glass and took a small draw of the plum flavored beverage. Janus made a smile. “You’ve done well, Kasen. For whatever reason the Axis didn’t decide to press us on multiple fronts when they had plenty of opportunity. Nor did they fortify the warp points involved to a level that required a major effort from us to break. However, there is one point of contention that others will call into question: your decision to use the assault ships instead of a mass pinnace attack. I like to hear your reasoning so that future armchair strategists have something to gas about after dinner.” Kasen took the cue and spoke his mind. “I very well could have sent in all of my Garrochas and be down with it, admiral. However I had to consider two possibilities regarding the type-3 bases involved. One was that they were as we found them, comprised as plasma gun platforms, and the other as pure anti-fighter platforms. Losses from a mass Garrocha transit would’ve been eight units and going into and exiting the mines would’ve claimed another six or seven. That’s not even counting whatever defensive fire those bases cared to use. The certain loss of 14 Garrochas would still occur even if I followed it up with assault ships. I wanted to preserve the pinnaces for future use against a more substantial enemy force.” “We’ll need those pinnaces in even greater numbers now, Kasen,” Janus commented. “In the circumstance that confronted you the decision you made was as good as could be expected. The fact that the Axis had deployed a new class of base in Fallowed Field means such bases will be even more prevalent in Bedrock. I would rather lose one assault dreadnought now and revise my plans than lose a dozen later from ignorance.” “Has the Emperor given his consent to conduct a mass transit attack with ships for the Bedrock operation?” Kasen asked forthrightly. Janus placed her back pair of hands flat on the table, a show of seriousness. “As of now he hasn’t, Kasen. Pinnace probes conducted prior to your arrival haven’t been successful. It may require sending in a blind probe of Garrochas. To make it a worthy sacrifice on our part at least 240 will be required.” “240. For that number you can buy four dreadnoughts and almost crew one of them, admiral,” Kasen said. “We’re costing the Imperium blood and treasure whichever way you cut it.” “Agreed. I…” Janus was cut short by an angry buzzing that came from her desk. She got up and regarded the pop-up display critically. “Well, Kasen, it appears our option selections have been reduced. A Commonwealth pinnace emerged from the Circuit Run warp point in Laser Burn and contacted the observing Fast Walker. That means the CSF is now in Circuit Run and has direct access to the populated Axis systems of Forger’s Gate and Bedrock. Now it’s a matter of wondering which direction and how strongly the Axis is going to counterattack.” Chapter 3.50 Company B, 31st Tactical Armor Regiment was back in its old stomping grounds near Blood Valor, capital of the Asteroid Axis world of Crimson Expanse. Comensal colonists have been attempting to get back into the increasingly devastated city in recent weeks. Intelligence reasoned it was for retrieving hidden caches of ammunition for pipe rifles and grenade launchers. The crew of the armored vehicle Loaded Vice believed ammo was involved, but insofar that the colonists were tempting ISA units to come in after them. When the ISA failed to oblige the colonists crept out and conducted hit-and-run raids. What Loaded Vice and the rest of Company B were involved in was a massive defoliation effort. A five-kilometer perimeter around Blood Valor was being created, burned and flatten to deny the Comensal cover, camouflage cloaks or not. 2nd-Class Sergeant Furdex, commander of Loaded Vice, looked over the disposition of the rest of 3rd platoon as it performed its sweep, moving at a purposeful 50 kph. Piton (Lt) Corsun in Hard Boiled was 50 meters to the left, turret slewed to port towards the city. 2nd-Class Sergeant Hurclus in Double Dipper was ahead and to the right 50 meters, leaving Road Toad 3 50 meters to the rear. The vehicle and crew were recent arrivals to Crimson Expanse, having been on-planet for three weeks. After familiarization and practice that brought the crew up to speed from their months of travel this was Road Toad 3’s first combat patrol. Furdex flipped on a comm link to speak to 2nd-Class Sergeant Beitrix in Road Toad 3. “LV to RT3. You still haven’t told us the story behind the name of your vehicle. The number 3 usually implies there was a 2 and a 1.” “RT3 to LV,” replied Beitrix, her voice still strong with the accent of the homeworld capital city, “I don’t think this is an appropriate use of the tactical comm net.” “If you’re shy, RT3, we’ll start with ours,” said Piton Corsun, breaking into the conversation. “I was a system patrol officer in Paxum before I volunteered for army service. My crew considers me to be hard boiled for rounding up drunken suited miners and apprehending criminals in zero gravity. So they named the vehicle after my assumed character.” “We’re chow hounds in Double Dipper,” Hurclus admitted from said vehicle. “We got the name after we got caught going to the hospital mess right after the evening mess.” Furdex tried to sound as blasé as possible. “Smoking, gambling, carousing and nocturnal amorous adventures during vehicle training. Hence, Loaded Vice.” “Well, if you must know,” Beitrix sounded hesitant. “Go on,” Furdex jested. “Give.” After a pregnant silence Beitrix spoke. “During training on Hokum my crew was part of the aggressor force. Our company leader was an ass, always sending those platoons with the highest weekly demerits or lowest testing scores out in the vanguard against the veteran defense force. We kept getting mobility and vehicular kills scored on us. Twice we got ‘killed’ by simulated rock falls, crushed like toads on the road. On the transport my crew decided the call the Mongoose assigned to us Road Toad 3 in memory of those two notable kills.” “Sounds like you had Novillero Nerva as your chief instructor,” pined Furdex. “He always was…” A hideous whine filled the ears of all four Mongoose commanders. It was a proximity alert and it was more of a courtesy as computers and automated defenses sprung into action. However, it was a fraction of a second too late. A solitary missile had been fired a mere 200 meters away from starboard, its target RT3. Travel just centimeters above the ground the missile didn’t fly as so much as plow a path, hitting RT3 on the right center wheel with enough force to flip it on its side. Peering into his scope Furdex saw the source of the missile. It was standing now, a Comensal adult holding a missile tube. With hood down he could see the face, the impression he got was that it was male. The face also looked emaciated, appearing all the more like bone chips glued together hastily. His camouflage cloak he wore smoldered on the side where the missile tube rested. In that brief moment Furdex knew the bonehead had been out in the field of burnt ferns for days, taking the heat and downpours lying on his belly, waiting for this one opportunity to use his missile. Knowing he was being looked at the Comensal began to laugh, pointing at the overturned RT3 with pride of accomplishment found in children wanting their parents to see their work. Furdex didn’t need to order his gunner Spuran to take out the wretched fool as he had fired at that instant. A single 30mm rail gun round at full power didn’t leave much of a body to inspect, though inspecting it for tidbits of information would be conducted as a matter of course. Of immediate concern was the crew of RT3. “Piton, I think we all got whiplash,” Beitrix said over the radio link in what seemed like a lifetime later. “Get the wrecker and the meat wagon here. I’ll have my insurance data ready when they arrive.” “Wow, you do have a sense of humor, Sergeant Beitrix. Don’t get out until we secure the area, RT3,” Piton Corsun ordered. “It won’t do if snipers are waiting as well. I rather settle on a squashed road toad than lose another crew any day.” The system of Nonstop, known to Hokum as Com-23, was part of what use to be the Elotoshani Academy. While a Hokum survey squadron continued its task of pinning down two inferred warp points in Nonstop a response was formulated. The Axis had a thriving colony in Bandstand (a former Eloto world), two transits from Nonstop’s first warp point, and another in Battlement (also formerly an Eloto possession), three transits from the second warp point. Battlement was occupied with is defense in regards to the CSF in Kerama Retto and Bandstand was assisting by providing prefabricated bases. A month earlier an AFC military convoy moving through Nonstop was attacked and captured by part of the escort guarding the Hokum survey squadron. Bandstand, which was also building warships for the Axis fleet, was directed by the Eloto Sector command to form a response force and secure the system. Locating the new, third warp point was the other priority. System Admiral Wertay, in charge of drilling crews sent to man Bandstand’s new construction, was tapped to lead the newly coined Nonstop Security Force. While he had a selection of ships to call upon Wertay acted prudently. Dreadnoughts, especially a trio of National Reaches, would be a formidable asset but their speed would be a handicap. Besides, the demands at multiple fronts preclude the addition of such heavy metal. Instead he went with three new Firebow missile battlecruisers backed up with three refitted Stalwart cruisers. As for carriers Wertay couldn’t touch any of the new fleet and light carriers, leaving him to take four of the first six Warrior Will small carriers, recently built in Bandstand’s shipyards. In regards to the twelve squadrons embarked on the Wills they were all of the improved kind, just like the ones used by the abomination races. With six Sprinter destroyers and a pair of Aerosol destroyer escorts to fill out the formation Wertay set out for Nonstop. He wanted minelayers to accompany him but none of the new class would be ready for another month. What he did had were eighteen scouts of various classes, and with their higher cruising speed he sent them ahead to ferret out the Imperium scum. Especially those fleet little scouts. Perhaps more fulfilling was to find the remains of the convoy the Aboms attacked in Nonstop. Since the Hokum aboms shown a penchant in converting Axis hulls for their use it was proper to find those ships if they were being worked on in Nonstop and either recapture them or destroy them. Meanwhile the vigilance of ISN units in Fallowed Field continued. There were no signs of the populations on FFs three inhabited worlds building fresh spaceports. However this didn’t mean they were idle. In all likelihood they were placing their excess production capacity into storage sites or manufacturing hand weapons by the gross. The ISA was still committed on Crimson Expanse, and until that resilient populace was decisively subdued not one Hokum foot was to be placed on FF soil. The mystery of the missing Axis mobile yards was partially solved. Tasked to find them the five Fast Walker scouts took independent search patterns. One of these conducted a meticulous search of the asteroid belt of FF’s second stellar component. It was easy and quick enough to determine population centers, the mining posts and colonies, in the belt. This didn’t rule out the possibility of a ship hiding on the surface or within a crevasse on a particular asteroid. Well into the second month Fast Walker-078 went back to reinvestigate asteroid colony FF-B-X02. At 840 km in diameter X02 (more properly labeled as a dwarf planet instead of an asteroid) was more than able to handle the colony’s 4,000 inhabitants. 078 stealthily launched a small observation satellite and several impact seismic probes that gave compressive coverage of X02. Moving on, 078 made it appear it was investigating nearby mining outposts, all the while listening to the infrequent burst transmissions from the observation satellite. Three weeks past as enough data was gathered to form an opinion. Normal and expected seismic activity from the colony was determined. What was found unusual was a series of rhythmic machinery movements at irregular intervals that couldn’t be accounted by natural forces or even by mining from the colonists. Subtle moves by the stealthy satellite placed it over the center of seismic anomaly. Forgoing active sensors the satellite made its discovery by infrared and neutrino detection. It appeared one of the CA-hulled mobile yards, in the reprieve reluctantly granted by the 4th Segment, had reached this colony and gingerly maneuvered in a crevasse. The commander of 078 believed the ship was being dismantled by the colonists in a bid to develop a shipyard hidden below the surface of X02. Of course this couldn’t be allowed, but outright bombardment was forbidden. So a plan was devised and implemented by the observation force commander. Fast Walker 091 was recalled from its search of FF-B-3’s moons and sent to investigate FF-B-1’s desolate, broiling airless surface. The most direct route would take 091 next to X02. One light-minute, to be precise. At the appropriate moment 091 changed course and detuned engines for 13 minutes. Two minutes after that and with deft maneuvering on the part of 091’s helmsman brought the 6,000 ton ship a scant 30 meters over the crevasse. A full platoon of 60 marines in powered armor jumped, their descent controlled by flight packs. Thirty meters into the crevasse they fired vacuum-enable recoilless grenade launchers, their explosive loads destroying the rock tarp camouflage below them, permitting the marines to get a good look at the ship. The colonists had indeed been dismantling the ship in order to retrieve the machines and jigs of the shipyard section. Surprised workers that gawked were killed where they stood while the more alert ones ran for cover. While two squads took covering positions among the ledges and hand-holds of the crevasse the third landed on top of the ship. Charged with destroying it this squad carried a 10kt nuclear charge. Fitted with a thermal plate the nuke was flash-fused to the hull, making it next to impossible to remove. To seal the deal the timer was set for five minutes. Only two marines were hit by their hastily responding Axis counterparts. Self-sealing body gloves underneath the armor kept the suits from losing air but the wounds were a different matter. With X02’s very low gravity the marines had to ascend at a careful rate until they cleared the crevasse at which they increased speed and moved downrange at a height of 100 meters. The nuke went off as planned and caused a significant groundquake on X02. Seismic sensors indicated that there were even cave-ins in portions of the colony proper. The Hokum commander considered such a risk but he accepted it as a possible consequence. Given what has happened in the war so far in regards to Comensal resistance it was better to have them sustained some casualties than allow them to construct something that would endanger Hokum lives. Now there were only one medium-sized and four large mobile yards left unaccounted for in Fallowed Field. In the Laser Burn system the 3rd and 4th Segments of the Home Fleet had arrived at last. Now called the Frontier Fleet the combined ships missed their chance to probe the Laser Burn/Circuit Run warp point by three weeks. CSF forces had entered Circuit Run in the interim and made contact with the scout watching the aforementioned warp point. It was a fortunate thing that the CSF sent in pinnace first and squawked a coded signal when it saw the ISN scout and automated weapons control ships on scanners. The follow-up Sloop scout confirmed for the ISN that the CSF was in possession of the Circuit Run system. Denied advancement through that route the Frontier Fleet turned to the Laser Burn/Binary Code warp point. A light buoy presence greeted the probing pinnace. With sensors stabilized the craft also detected three Axis Hatchet fighters orbiting at a distance of 0.5 LS. No other fighters or ships were evident on the pinnace’s scanners so it came about and transited back to Laser Burn. In the face of such light opposition Lord Admiral Jocelin, commander of the Frontier Fleet, sent in his Garrochas in a normal transit pattern. The Hatchet trio obviously didn’t see the first pinnace and were taken by surprise by the influx of enemy craft. Only when six more Garrochas arrived did the Hatchets vector in for the attack. Armed with proximity-fused close attack missiles the trio took out a like number of pinnaces before turning into fireballs themselves. Two minutes into the battle there were 21 Garrochas on the warp point. 39 out of 120 laser buoys were blotted out when more defenders appeared. Nine Hatchet fighters preceded three undersized corvettes. With their slow speed the Axis corvettes couldn’t have escaped under any circumstances so they elected to close on the warp point and take out some pinnaces in the process. Fully loaded, it took the Hatchets a minute to reach the Garrochas now numbering 32 as one went back to Laser Burn to inform Jocelin. Firing more close attack missiles the Hatchets claimed five Garrochas and was in turn claimed by guns and point defense lasers. It took just another minute to finish the last of the weapon buoys. Six more Garrochas had entered and what followed them were three Lancers, Axis cruisers converted to Hokum use. Still committed to the destruction of more enemies the corvettes continued to close. Lacking shields, it was easy for the Lancers to see the corvettes’ interior systems. Needle beams burned out engine rooms, point defense, and magazines. What surprised the Lancer crews was that these small ships had hanger bays and thus were the source of the miniscule Hatchet CAP. The rest of the Frontier Fleet poured into Binary Code, firing mine clearance charges and sending boarding parties onto the corvettes. Fast Walker scouts were dispatched in a radial spiral pattern. It was quickly determined there was just one Command Detonator, running at full speed towards the Geode warp point. Three Tagger frigates, twelve Garrochas and two regular pinnaces filled with marines went after fleeing ship. Mindful that CDs had an inherent capital force beam the Taggers and pinnaces stayed at 6 LS distance and allowed the Garrochas to move in. Then, unexpectedly, at 2 LS distance the Garrochas witnessed the CD coming about and launching a squadron of fighters. From the energy emissions these Hatchets were akin to the first generation type used by the ISN. Running now would just allow the fighters to overhaul them in turn and be shot down, so the Garrochas accepted the challenged and barreled in. Armed with CAMs on its racks the CD shot down three Garrochas with the squadron bagging another three. Since they were going to capture the ship the Hokum had their armed pinnaces carry regular close attack missiles and laser packs. Firing independently did have its advantage, permitting the Garrochas to use their inherent guns and point defense to pick off fighters while external ordnance took care of the CD. Reduced to a crawling wreck, the Axis ship was then set upon by the Taggers, firing needle beams in precision mode and launching a trio of anti-drive missiles. With engines gone, point defense stripped and magazine lanced the CD was boarded and captured. No prisoners were taken and the computer was found wiped clean. In viewing the reports of boarding actions in Com-23 it was clear the first thing an Axis crew facing immanent boarding did was to destroy computer records. Jocelin hoped to get some relatively recent information on the Geode system from the ship’s computers. While the astrogation data from Crimson Expanse gave all the pertinent information on systems up to four transits out it was over five years out of date. The Redline system, connected to Binary Code, was a white dwarf/red giant distant binary with no planets and no other warp points. The other system linked to BC was Geode, a red star system with five planets. According to the old info the two moons of the central gas giant had outposts placed on them to exploit the mineral wealth found on them. By now it was certain they would’ve grown to colony size. Frontier Fleet reached the Geode warp point and began to probe. The first pinnace in found fixed defenses that were doubled that of the Binary Code/Laser Burn warp point. Orbiting in the minefields were twelve assault shuttles. One noticed the pinnace and fired a shot, but missed. Waiting for the defenders to stand down Jocelin decided on a repeat of the BC assault. He let two days pass before sending in the Garrochas. Transit-addled, the first six only managed to take out one assault shuttle while two of their number was claimed. Six more followed, and against them the eleven remaining shuttles moved to point-blank range with eight having armed point defense. Six of them claimed a Garrocha, leaving four to be joined by six more in the next wave. Multiple weapons had allowed the pinnaces to reduce the shuttles to seven and then again down to two. When the fourth wave came all the shuttles were gone along with 10 Garrochas. As the fifth wave entered 36 more assault shuttles were detected inbound, putting their ETA on the warp point in one minute. 32 Garrochas were there to greet them. For all their bravado the shuttle crews only got two pinnaces at the cost of total annihilation. Again, when the buoys were cleared the fleet made transit and started to clear a lane in the minefields. Long range scanners showed a single type-3 base 6 LS out and two undersized type-2 bases 10 LS out. CMs and SBMs pounded the bases into so much scrap as Jocelin decide they weren’t the expenditure of lives just to find more sets of ruined Axis databanks. Fast Walker 088 quickly confirmed the two outposts on Geode-3’s moons had indeed increased to colony size in the past five years. Both had roughly 8,000 inhabitants each, based on energy emissions, and also the addition of a small space station orbiting Geode-3-B. That station, roughly 50% more tonnage than a battleship, was obviously building something in its construction slip. It also had two squadrons of fighters and promptly launched them against 088. With their speed it became clear they were 1st generation types with partial loads. 088 had to detuned engines until it was 4.5 light minutes clear of the moon at which point the fighters turned about. Theoretically, Jocelin knew he could use the marine complements of his ships to occupy Geode-3-A and B. He decided against it as depriving the two colonies access to space was the same as garrisoning troops. However he still needed astrogation data, and with that in mind he came up with a plan to board and capture the space station. It was suitably daring and fraught with risks that appealed to the marines asked to volunteer for the mission. A single Tagger frigate bore down on the station and was accompanied by twelve Garrochas and a like number of regular pinnaces. Holding back until definitive numbers were known the station commander launched his fighters to engage. Each fighter was equipped with a gun pack and a pair of close attack missiles, giving the two squadrons a slight speed advantage over the Hokum force. In response instead of barreling in the pinnaces and Tagger made a clockwise ring formation 0.75 LS in diameter and engaged maximum ECM. After a moment of consideration the two Hatchet squadrons also employed ECM and approached the ring in such a way that the Tagger was on the far side. They were in range of the needle beam at this phase, but it missed as well as the point defense on the nearest four pinnaces. There was no question in aborting the attack. With much more substantial life support the pinnaces, not to say the least the Tagger, could wait until the fighters had to return to the station to recharge. It was a process that would leave the station defenseless for at least three minutes. So the Hatchets moved in and divided by squadrons with one facing clockwise and the other counter-clockwise. Due to ECM generated by erratic maneuvering the Hatchets were unable to engage the Tagger in the first exchange of fire. Three Garrochas and two pinnaces were shot down for the price of four Hatchets. This ring of fire eventually burned itself out two minutes later. All Hatchets were shot down for 10 Garrochas and 2 pinnaces. With timing the last two Garrochas were in the station’s defense envelope very briefly, but were met by the station’s two assigned pinnaces. It was too late as it required only the three FRAMs on one Garrocha to bring down the shields. Both Axis pinnaces were shot down by the same Garrocha, but the station claimed the attackers. As for the ten regular pinnaces they charged even before the Tagger could lance all the station’s point defense. One disintegrated in a hail of rail gun rounds at point-blank range before the last defense instillation was silenced. With the station’s ordnance magazine rendered useless there wasn’t enough time to ensure self-destruct as 560 Hokum marines (including 20 from the Tagger) boarded the station and proceeded to the control spaces and power production facilities. Some lower-level officers argued that the use of Garrochas was a waste since fighters would’ve been better. At this point in the campaign Jocelin wanted to keep his fighter strength intact as much as possible. He also didn’t want to give the Axis any more information than he could help it. In time, pinnaces could be replaced via the chain of small stations and ships between Geode and Whel. It was Jocelin’s conviction that had fighters been used then the Axis would’ve destructed the station once it launched its fighters. By using Garrochas he fed their desire to extract as much death from the enemy as possible. In fact the Axis even welcomed the prospect of being boarded so as to kill more abominations in the name of the people. For the overall loss of 376 marines and pinnace flight crews Jocelin got the information he needed. Astrogation data up to three warp links from Geode was discovered in the station’s backup datacore. It was current for a change and showed a total of nine systems three transits out of Geode’s second and third warp points. There was an inhabited system two transits out via the second warp point called Iron Sky. It was a former Nu’Chut AI world that now boasted 320,000 Axis colonists. Two transits out of Geode’s third warp point was the Smelter system, boasting two very rich asteroid belts. Only in the last two years had the Axis began establishing asteroid outposts to exploit the mineral resources, no doubt in a bid to expand their wartime economic base. With no recorded defenses along the way Jocelin sent a trio of Interiors to investigate Smelter and destroy whatever space assets happened to be in the system. The minelayers and bulk freighters were called forward to Geode’s second warp point and began placement of the fixed defenses. Jocelin decided to keep the station over Geode-3-B and covert it for Hokum use. In the shipbuilding slip was a type-3 base that was 66% complete. Having no use for it Jocelin had it scheduled for dismantling for scrap once the yard was converted. The spaceports on 3-A and 3- B were destroyed by force beam fire as they were located rather close to the main population centers. In his report to Fleet HQ Jocelin noted that since the Axis had deployed 1st generation fighters on mine warfare ships and in systems such as Geode then it was a given they’ve upgraded the fighter wings in other systems and fleets. Now it was a matter of time of seeing antimatter employed by the Axis. Back in Nonstop the six scout squadrons sent forward by System Admiral Wertay had arrived. Deployed in an expanding spiral pattern the squadrons were able to detect any scanner buoys along their course and destroy them. One of them found Fast Walker 035 instead. That little ship ventured to within 10 LS to get a good read on the trio it discovered. Two were of the escort-sized variety with the third being a corvette. It was this ship armed with a capital launcher that fired on 035 with a SBM and scored a hit. 035 lost its cargo hold and long range scanners, rendering it scout role useless. Only by detuning engines did 035 keep ahead of the Purser corvette. Unable to go back to Com-09 and thus reveal the warp point 035 headed for secondary component of Nonstop in a bid to mislead the Axis scouts. At the appropriate time 035 did fire its courier drone at high speed towards the Com-09 warp point. It didn’t go all the way for once it came within direct transmission range of a comm buoy the drone self-destructed, thus preserving the warp point’s anonymity. 035 lost an engine room from the stress placed on it and fell to the Purser’s missiles. Rather than face a prolonged death in a life pod the crew of 035 went down with their ship. For a month Admiral Calixto and her 1st Survey Escort Detachment have been holding station at the Com-09/Nonstop warp point. The lost fighters for the Greyhounds had been replaced by an Imperial Wave dispatched from Whel. Both the Expeditionary and Frontier fleets had priority in receiving Garrochas, meaning for every three sent on to Cain one was sent to Com-09. Calixto was reinforced by three Interiors and one of the new Imperial Echelon carriers escorted by two Type-2 DDs. The report from 035 wasn’t enough for Calixto to act on, but when sensor buoys in Nonstop sent reports on three distinctive Axis scout squadrons via the comm network she changed her mind. The 1st SED entered Nonstop and moved a full light-hour from the warp point in the direction of the mobile yard tasked to convert and repair previously captured Axis ships, using the sensor net to keep tabs on detected Axis scouts. Once in place Calixto had her ships power down and wait, sending word to the survey squadron to proceed to her location. The four Opportunities had no weapons and were only half as fast as the Axis scouts looking for them. If followed by enemy scouts then the survey ships would shut down engines amid the 1st SED and make it appear they disappeared through a warp point. Should the scouts be close enough then the Imperial Echelon would restart engines, making it appear that it came out of a warp point, and launch an appropriate number of fighter squadrons. It wasn’t Calixto’s exact intention to act like a spider in a web, but to make the Axis believe it had found Nonstop’s third warp point. Whatever reaction force the AFC cared to send she wanted it fight it here so as to protect the survey ships as well as the mobile yard. Of course if the Axis scouts groups just had to be within definitive scanner range of the ‘warp point’ she could accommodate their unspoken desire for immolation several times. It was only a matter of patience and time. Chapter 3.75 After the expenditure of 16 pinnaces, 12 of them Garrochas, Lord Admiral Janus could justify her dread concerning the Bedrock system. Ever since obtaining a database on Crimson Expanse the Axis defenses guarding the Bedrock/Tire warp point was a subject of serious contention for Janus’ staff. Despite have several captured Axis ships in battles leading up to Tire Iron the databases were extremely limited. Now Janus knew that Bedrock’s defenses were much tougher than previously believed. In her day cabin Janus took a sip of strong coffee while reviewing the pinnace’s findings. To begin with there were 24 type-3 bases sitting in equal-distant groups of four, 0.5 LS from the warp point. Behind them at 1 LS were 8 type-5 bases arranged in three equally-spaced groups. Further out at 3 LS were two type-3 bases, one place at arbitrary north and the other south. Finally, at 4.75 LS and arranged in groups of three were 18 type-5 bases. The CAP was 21 squadrons strong, and all were 1st generation models. Patrolling with them were 24 assault shuttles. Weapon buoys around the warp point measured 1,200. Mine patterns were assumed to be very heavy also. Strangely, there were no Axis ships, but it could be just the case they were beyond the pinnace’s 5 LS scanner range. Janus secretly credited the Five Gods for insuring the pinnace got back, unseen and unengaged by the defenders. Especially considering that the Bedrock side of the warp point was closed, thus allowing mine patterns to be placed directly atop of it. Given the tonnage involved, especially the 21 CAP squadrons and the implied numbers in reserve, Janus wasn’t sure that 240 Garrochas would suffice. It was looking like 300 would be required. From what was experienced in Fallowed Field those close-in type-3s had be armed with plasma guns, each capable of obliterating an Indomitable in one volley. The Garrochas will have to take them out along with the beam-armed type-5s. That’ll still leave the problem of those 1,200 weapon buoys. Perhaps, she thought, that the captured Axis assault corvettes could be moved up on the conversion queue and use them to absorb the buoy’s fire. Add some Turtles to the mix and, if the Emperor will allow, perform a mass transit with them followed by a regular transit of assault carriers… An alarm klaxon broke Janus from her thinking. The trip to the Watch Tower’s CIC took only 20 seconds via intraship car and when she got there her chief of staff, Admiral Cirro, brought her up to speed. “It’s an Axis mass transit, Admiral,” he said without taking his eyes off the main holoimager. “28 frigates, 82 corvettes, 10 escorts, and 72 explorers. So far no other ships, or armed pinnaces for that matter.” Janus looked at the holoimager as well. The warp point was surrounded by 900 patterns of mines and 900 IDEWs. Prowling just outside the minefields was the CAP, composed of 6 squadrons of F0 and 19 squadrons of F1 Spear fighters. Orbiting at a distance of 1.5 LS, just outside plasma gun range, were 60 Type-2 DDs and 24 of the new Type-A defense frigates. Barreling in, the Spear squadrons that managed to activate fire control went after the Grenadier 2 corvettes, destroying fifteen of them. Armed with EDMs on their external racks the DDs and FGs sought to immobilize the corvettes on the warp point. Backing them up were 3 CLs, 36 CAs and 36 BCs at 2 LS range. Only 13 more G2s were destroyed along with one Dispersion escort, and five more G2s and another Dispersion were severely crippled. Of the five buoy controllers just one Empresario acted fast enough to order 100 IDEW-Fs to fire. What the buoys hit brought down shields except for the frigates. Just the crippled Dispersion was finished off. Externally-mounted mine clearance rounds from the Axis ships took out 29 patterns. At maximum ECM 151 ships entered the targeted mine patch. However, thanks to their orientation the Empresario set 100 of those patterns to maximum attack parameters. Two moderately damaged G2s were brought to a halt, engines destroyed. The eight remaining Dispersions had stayed, turned about and returned to Bedrock, taking their tactical scanner info with them. The Hokum DDs and FGs had adjusted their distance from the Axis ships so that plasma guns were still out of range. Even the cutters launched from the Critical Mass explorers fell short of the close-range defenders. For the new Grenadier 3s this wasn’t a problem as they were armed with HET lasers. Two DDs were destroyed, and the Grenadiers fired their plasma guns at IDEWs in their midst. Retaliation by needle beams took out the G3’s lasers. Janus had the CAP squadrons stand to, saving their loads, and allowed two active Empesarios to fire 200 IDEW-Es. Despite destroying as many explorers as possible there were still 74 Axis ships capable of movement. Only 20 explorers made it past, previously untouched but now wracked by mine detonations and spewing debris. All other Axis ships were destroyed or had been rendered immobilized by energy hits. The cutters, 72 of them, augured into a Type-2. Six of them kept up with the ship’s maneuvering and five got past point-defense, only doing very light armor damage. Undeterred, the 66 survivors came about for another go. This time 10 latched on and broke past the defenses, the DD losing half of its engines. Again, there were no follow-up waves. Janus kept the CAP squadrons on the warp point and allowed the crashed-launched squadrons to engage the cutters. Even with 24 squadrons to help (the larger warships were just out range) 13 cutters survived to make a final attack. The stricken Type-2 fought back, getting three before two other immolated themselves, causing further internal damage. Of the last eight cutters they were shot down in a gratuitous display of overkill. Cirro consulted a side monitor. “We have 7 undersized frigates, 7 full-sized and 7 undersized corvettes, 1 full-sized and 16 undersized explorers that are engineless and in the process of being deprived of their weapons. Captain Nyx’s tugs will collect the ships and take them to the Tire Iron/Abyssal-018 warp point.” “What’s the estimate of the initial enemy force?” Janus asked. “Hmmm.” Cirro had a CIC tech compile and display the data. “Based on explosion intensity and transit grouping there were at least 36 frigates, 100 corvettes, 24 escorts and 100 explorers. Excluding the eight escorts that transited out their total personnel losses are over 21,000.” Janus shook her head. “Gods! That’s enough to crew thirteen dreadnoughts or 3,500 armed pinnaces. Just what did the Axis hope to achieve with this attack? They know that we won’t put ships within plasma gun range of a warp point.” “I have no clear answer for that, admiral,” Cirro admitted. “It’s a big puzzle as to why we haven’t seen their examples of armed pinnaces yet. We certainly have shown how useful they are time and again. Still, they shown they could adjust to our defensive stance. That new laser-armed assault frigate, to be particular.” “Yes, there is that, Cirro.” Janus rubbed her chin. “Send the damaged Type-2 back with Captain Nyx and assign three to provide needle beam support. After all the trouble the Axis went through to get them here I don’t want to see our captured ships repair an engine and blow themselves up.” “Very good, Admiral. With 38 hulls to go through we’re bound to find an intact computer to interrogate.” According to the calendar it was spring in the northern hemisphere of Elotoshani Prime. In the Brightsdale region winter hadn’t quite relinquished its grip. The city of Conservatory was being treated to a sky with various shades of grey and burdened by cold wind and equally cold rain. Nisecu Lake had to fight the elements as he approached the professor’s house, a 300-year-old abode that only well off retired academicians could afford. He nearly lost his umbrella while closing it and in any event the rain slipped past his slicker and gotten the top of his sweater wet. Thankfully the professor remembered to leave the key under the deck planking this time. Wiping his four feet on the mat inside Nisecu then took off his slicker as well as the sweater as the house was rather warm. Heh, trust the old man to keep the power company in business, he thought. Because it was business Nisecu didn’t find the professor in his study but upstairs in the attic, his ‘man cave.’ With a special knock on the wall the ceiling-mounted ladder came down on its own. Nisecu went up and raised the stairs behind him. Regardless of weather or season the attic always smelt like a library. It looked like a back room of a library also, with neat shelves full of book readers and actual hardback tomes. The master desk was lousy with loose print and filmsy magazines. He found the professor working on a printed crossword puzzle. When he needed a dictionary to look up a word he used his back pair of arms, keeping his front pair free for writing and finger-drumming. “Was it especially cold?” said the professor, sparing only one of his four stalked eyes on Nisecu. “No more than expected,” Nisecu replied, finding his chair was free of papers this time. The professor consulted a dictionary, and then wrote on the crossword. “So, has it been confirmed? The Adjutant Research Associates?” Nisecu blinked. “The boneskins took both teams into custody early this morning,” he said with both mouths. “Their families as well. This has been the first time Axis-employed researchers have been arrested since the first year of the occupation.” “That long, eh?” The professor spoke from this left mouth as his right one was chewing a pencil. “I wonder if the status-quo would’ve held if Admiral Joncan was still in charge. You think this Konset character got his new superior to see what he’s seen?” “Absolutely, Professor. Joncan’s replacement is a patriot. I fear that the house cleaning is far from done. So does the Committee. They’ve authorized you to implement your part of Operation Untwine immediately.” After writing a puzzle answer the professor sat back in his chair and retrieved an old-fashion rolodex. “They’re doing that with full knowledge of what’s going to happen next. Does this mean that the boneskin’s war against the allied aliens is going bad enough?” “The Committee believes so, Professor. Our sabotage of the two small craft programs caused the desired amount of harm to the AFC. Apply that to the overall Axis R&D program and the allied aliens will retain their technological edge.” “Hopefully the aliens will advance far and fast enough to rescue this world from total extermination.” The Professor selected a card from the rolodex and made a voicecall from the number written on it. He spoke with the person on the other line for just fifteen seconds, long enough to give the code phrase. “It’s done,” he said with both mouths. “I shall burn this rolodex as a precaution, as it is the only evidence with my involvement with the Committee. However, that may be not enough. After all, I was a senior academician at the time of conquest. They’ll probably act on their paranoid instincts and round up all us paper pushers up for their forced labor gangs.” Nisecu got up, making the hand-fashioned wooden chair squeak as it moved back. “You’re anything but a paper pusher, Professor.” “I’m retired and it’s been decades since you were my student, Nisecu, so call me Salsecu. If you would be so kind, before you leave, as to start up the fireplace downstairs? My arthritis is acting up and I can’t grip the starter rod.” He chuckled. “It’s from shuffling papers my whole adult life, you know.” “I’ll be glad to help, Salsecu.” System Admiral Wertay, commander of the Nonstop Security Force, couldn’t help but think he was walking into a trap. Five of the six scout squadrons sent into Nonstop had been destroyed with four of those due to determining the fate of the first one. In each case two ships appeared out of nowhere, a warp point as far as Wertay was concerned, and launched six squadrons of fighters. Attempts to close on the apparent source of the ships ended in destruction of the scouts involved. In close order the NSF approached the common center where the five scout squadrons met their demise. Anxious eyes didn’t belong to the Axis scanner crews alone. Calixto and her 1st Survey Escort Detachment were waiting and watching. They couldn’t know exactly what the 18 ships were until they were well within range to detect motionless ships with engines down. Making the biggest gamble in her career (not to mention life) to date she had her ships power up engines in sequence when the Axis flotilla was 30 light-seconds out. First to ‘emerge’ were the carriers, two Greyhounds and an Imperial Echelon. Following were the Broadside and Interior trios. Two Type-2 and three Pests preceded three Taggers. Last to ‘arrive’ were a Podium and a Legion pinnace carrier. Upon detection Wertay ordered his ships to full (cruiser) speed and launched his twelve squadrons of F1 Hatchets. Still lacking antimatter warheads those Hatchets were fully loaded with short-attack missiles. The aboms were moving at half his speed, launching fighters and small craft only when 12 LS out. Peeling away were four ships, obviously the carriers and a pinnace tender. At maximum definition range the fighter contact blossomed in ten squadrons and the small craft into eight, most likely armed pinnaces. Wertay’s carriers and their escorts had pulled away just a moment earlier as well. The first SBM volleys were exchanged: 17 Axis missiles to the Hokum 14 and 6 respectively. Both sides scored three hits. Finding her foe in possession of laser warheads Calixto reduced speed to half and increased ECM by 100%. Even with improved multiplex the Axis missile cruisers were going to find the Broadsides, built on CV hulls, a bit harder to hit. Range was down to 8.75 LS. Wertay gritted his teeth as his fire-control solutions went down to 20%. Only one missile from his Firebows was on target and it was shot down. He ordered a likewise increase in ECM, but this brought his speed to .033c to Calixto’s 0.05c. Closer at 7.5 LS the Broadsides fired SBMs in loiter mode with the Interiors still keeping at the first Firebow. Though within CM range the Interiors fired antimatter armed SBMs instead as they had a 30% FCS. Like the Firebows had a 30% solution on a Broadside, scoring two laser hits and receiving none in return. Also more maneuverable as well as (slightly) faster the Hokum force only allowed the range to drop to 7.25 LS. Thanks to loiter mode the Broadsides fired 14 CM and 14 SBM – all armed with antimatter plus two rack-mounted SBM-Lts for good measure. All eight missiles that achieved lock were shot down but the Axis did no better. Meanwhile the respective squadrons were closing on each other. The Spears carried pairs of FRAMs and a laser pack and thus had some reach on their purely-armed close attack missile Hatchets. At 0.5 LS the Spears opened up and nailed seven Hatchets from five squadrons. The only way the Hatchets could retaliate was to drop a missile and increase speed but the Spears could do the same, so both strike forces passed each other without further incident. With both sides continuing their ECM pissing match Calixto allowed the range to drop to 7 LS. The Firebows now fired CM-Lts while the Broadsides launched SBMs in loiter mode. Five missiles made it, reducing the targeted Broadside’s armor to fifty percent. The Interiors each fired one SBM in loiter mode while launching CM-AMs at the first Firebow. Of the two missiles one hit, taking 27% of the shields. Until such time Wertay decided to go to full speed Calixto controlled the engagement range and did so again, reducing the range to 6.5 LS. Two CM-AMs hit, reducing the first Firebow’s shield down to 20%. Another SBM-Lt also hit, removing one of the ship’s two EDMs. Three CM-Lts reduced the Broadside’s armor by another 17%. The range stayed at 6.5 LS but the Hatchets were now at 1.75 LS from the Hokum ships. While the Broadsides and Interiors fired CMs the DDs and FGs opened up with their needle beams. A single Hatchet was felled. For the Spears they were 2 LS from the Axis ships. Deploying its remaining EDM the first Firebow couldn’t deflect three more CM-AM hits, resulting in complete loss of shields and armor. Changing tack, the Firebows launched regular CMs and obtained a single hit. Calixto ordered a change in course and had her ships to go to .1c, resulting in a 50% loss of ECM. Wertay did the same, painfully aware that the Spears would carry FRAMs. At 9 LS range both sides did exchange SBMs. Only Wertay scored a hit. At 1 LS range the Hatchets faced increased defensive fire, including from the eight Garrochas flying in the Hokum formation. Four Axis fighters disappeared in fireballs as their fusion bottles were ruptured by point defense missile impacts. The Spears were 1.5 LS out from the Axis formation. All six hetlasers on the Sprinters missed. Now the ships of both sides were 12 LS apart. At 0.5 LS range the Hatchet formation took the blistering defense barrage stoically, especially when the Broadsides revealed their loiter mode secret in the form of plasma guns. 14 Hatchets fell in exchange for a mere 4 Spears. Laser packs on the Spears stripped half of armor on the second and third Firebows. Since the Hatchets were going to be on top of them presently Calixto cut back on speed and reinforced ECM. Individual datagroups changed heading at the last moment, allowing for one group to engage Hatchets in the blindspots of others. Even with eight Garrochas helping the devastated Hatchet squadrons destroyed two Broadsides. Half a light second from their targets the Spears lost 12 of their number. Their lasers raked the sides of the CAs and DDs, all losing at least half of their external ordnance. Unarmed, the Hatchets moved at full speed back to their ships. Calixto, aboard the last Broadside, ordered all ships to come about and move at full speed. They fired whatever weapons were in range at the retreating Hatchets, reducing their number to 23. Meanwhile Wertay copied Calixto’s maneuver to make the Spear’s point-blank targeting more difficult. It wasn’t enough for all three Firebows were turned into one-engine wrecks. One Sprinter was destroyed with another almost dead and a third denuded of five engine rooms. Commanding from a Stalwart Wertay had seen enough and wasn’t about to let pride precede his fall. His ships came about and moved at full speed towards their entry warp point. Instead of leaving the Spears stayed, firing their laser packs like matadors into the now panicking Sprinters. When the sixth Axis destroyer lost three engine rooms the 16 remaining Spears broke off and headed for the Greyhound carriers. Wertay watched as the ships he was forced to leave behind were overtaken by the aboms, stripped of shields, lanced with needle beams, and boarded. One Sprinter was so badly off that it was destroyed out of hand. As for the last Sprinter it was dispatched by a flight of eight laser-pack armed Garrochas but it claimed two of its attackers. He knew his remaining ships were safe for the time being. Only the aboms Pests, Taggers, fighters and armed pinnaces could catch up but to do so would mean there loss, especially when his own 23 Hatchets would be used for the defense, not to mention the defenses of the carriers and their escorts. So, as he listened to the live feeds of shipboard combat die out one by one Wertay sent a flash message back to Bandstand for emergency reinforcement. For Calixto she counted herself fortunate that the Axis didn’t possess antimatter yet. For losing two cruisers and 73% of her fighters she gained three captured Axis battlecruisers of a new type and three destroyers. An intact database was found by a marine boarding party on the lead Axis ship. She, too, sent a message for reinforcements to be dispatched quickly as possible. The Oxgoad tug was called from its holding position with the sequestered mobile yard and tasked to pull the six fresh captures to a spot near the ‘third warp point.’ Any Axis scout would be compelled to investigate and would find the Greyhounds with their fighter broods waiting. With the Second Battle for Nonstop over it was a race to see who got their strength back first. The betting pools were busy right up to moment battlestations were called again. It had been a quite three weeks since the Axis probe assault on Tire Iron. On the Watch Tower Janus was with her staff in the CIC waiting for the first pinnace probe of Bedrock since the attack to return. They had just finished a meeting in which a dispatch from Hokum Prime was discussed. Several technical projects had just been completed or will soon be ready for shipboard use. A new stand-off fighter missile that would allow Spears and Garrochas to conduct meaningful long-range attacks without coming into even capital point defense range was even now being carried by the gross to Tire Iron. An improved Spear that carried the same external load of an F1 but with an internal weapon had completed flight testing and would be entering production next month. New shield generators that offered a 50% increase in protection over that of the previous type for the same tonnage plus two significantly improved types of point defense mounts were anticipated to be ready in three months if not sooner. Janus decided to forgo further refits of Type-2s with multiplex aside from the four already in transit to Crimson Expanse until the new shields and point defense became available. The pinnace came back one minute later and transmitted its findings to the Watch Tower. Captain Benevix, Janus’ chief intelligence officer, had the duty and privilege of seeing the data first. Being a studious, thoughtful man his outburst was unexpected and startling. “Gods favor! There’s practically nothing left over there!” “Show me,” Janus said firmly. The main holoimager blossomed green with pertinent data. Had a pinnace not successfully returned three weeks ago then there wouldn’t have been a baseline comparison. If seen for the first time, then it would’ve appeared the warp point was only just now being fortified. The 1,200 weapon buoys were still there, but only one type-3 base 3 LS ‘south’ of the warp point remained. No CAP and none of the big type-5 bases were to be seen. While the rest of the staff was digesting the ramifications of this development an anomaly caught the Lord Admiral’s eye. It was a patch of undistinguished identity codes 1.5 LS south of the sole base. She pointed at it with both right-sided hands. “What is that, Benevix?” “Clarifying, Admiral.” Benevix worked on a terminal with the intensity of an ancient reporter beating a story out of an equally ancient manual typewriter. “Confirmed. What you’re seeing is 14 fighter squadrons launching stand-off missiles against the base. Base on the energy signatures confidence is 85% that the fighters are Commonwealth in origin.” “Five Gods, they must’ve broken in via Circuit Run,” Cirro, the head of Janus’ staff, said. “That would explain why there were no regular warships within the pinnace’s scanner range the first time around. They were all at the Circuit Run warp point, and trusted that the defenses here would hold.” “Then why send in that probe assault?” questioned Marius, chief of logistics. “The CE database showed that the Brickyard warp point was only 8 light-minutes away. All those corvettes, frigates and explorers could’ve stayed on their side of the warp point as long as possible before retreating. They’d had ample warning if a CFS task group was approaching.” “Perhaps they could’ve done that,” Janus said, all four hands out and up to still further comment. “That they didn’t show us three things. One is that Brickyard, despite the five-year-old data, most likely didn’t have the wherewithal to maintain a meaningful number of those assault ships for a significant amount of time. The system would’ve been isolated due to sole warp point being invested by CSF formations. Another is that they didn’t consider scrapping those ships in Brickyard for materials to support more meaningful defenses, like fighter bases. Lastly, there’s the AFC imperative – attack. Remember Crimson Expanse and Abyssal-018. Those probe attacks served to keep us on the defensive. They died just so one or two ships could report back what they saw. For all we knew, as of three weeks ago, there could’ve been a second assault force, equipped with armed pinnaces and FRAMs, just waiting to act on that costly data. It may have been unmitigated gall on their part to act on a ‘use them or lose them’ mentality, but it succeeded in keeping us in place. They didn’t want the specter of a double break-in to complicate their defensive dispositions.” “At least we were spared a costly assault of our own,” Hasken, commander of the Garrocha wings, bluntly stated. “We owe our co-combatants congratulations.” Janus snapped the fingers of her left-rear hand. “We’ll do just that, Captain Hasken. Benevix, compose a brief report of what happened here in Tire Iron for one of our Garrochas to transmit after transiting back into Bedrock. I’ll also include a request to meet the commanding admirals so as to deliver our congratulations personally.” Benevix looked downright uncomfortable. “Admiral, there’s no protocol established for such a meeting between co-belligerents in an active warzone. Between two fully vetted diplomats, yes, but commanding admirals? That’s not even mentioning all the other races and their militaries that allied themselves with the Terpla’ns. There’s security to be addressed….” “Captain Benevix,” said the Lord Admiral in a fitting imperious tone, “had circumstances been different in a very few points then the whole of the Imperium would’ve been conquered by the Asteroid Axis. We have an opportunity to pay those races, those noble spacers, the respect and honors they deserve and for the far greater casualties they sustained so far in this war.” The other officers, Benevix included, knew they couldn’t debate Janus on what she said for it was all true. None needed to be reminded about the captured Axis Army after-action reports from Hamthen Prime. “Admiral,” said the admonished Benevix, “I’ll write that brief report you want and submit it for your final approval.” “Excellent, Captain.” Janus made a small grin. “We do want to show that we’re active participants in this war.” Four days after establishing contact with CSF Task Force 21 the Watch Tower and two Imperial Wave carriers entered Bedrock. All the weapon buoys on the Bedrock/Tire Iron warp point had been cleared by Garrochas and a lane blown clear in the minefield. Guided by a Sloop scout the trio of Hokum ships took almost 17 hours to reach Bedrock Prime. Their course took them through the asteroid belt and right next to one hefty rock that was 983 km in diameter. An Axis colony was evident as well as the remains of a base. The Sloop captain said that the base was composed almost entirely of fighter bays and that every colony in the belt had one. Approaching the planet Lord Admiral Janus noted that the Commonwealth fleet outnumbered hers in Tire Iron by three to one and it contained a very healthy percentage of dreadnoughts and battleships. This, she corrected herself, was just the regular fleet. No doubt the Bedrock/Circuit Run defenses were as strong as those facing Tire Iron and likely were more so. The assault force required to breach those defenses would’ve been a fleet in its own right. Settling 1,000 km from the Terpla’n flagship the Watch Tower launched its shuttle, carrying Janus and a select group of officers. Benevix was among them. Sitting next to Janus he touched his earbug while pointing to the screen at the front of the passenger cabin. “Shipboard records and current readings give a 95% certainty that the dreadnought we’re heading for participated in the last battle for the Frontier system six years ago during the Short War.” Janus nodded. Back then she was just an admiral commanding six Interior cruisers and under the overall command of Lord Admiral Dornal. Her command ship was almost broken in half by the firepower of one of those Terpla’n behemoths. The general layout and hull color was the same, and there was evidence that it sustained armor damage, giving it a distinguished look suitable for veteran combatants. As the shuttle entered its final approach she doubted that the captain of six years ago was still in command. Still, it would satisfy her curiosity to see the being that commanded this mobile arsenal. The shuttle descended softly on the landing cradle and the bay was sealed and pressurized. An honor guard of E’sani marines appeared and formed up along the ramp leading to the hatch. Two Hokum marines exited first and flanked the hatch. Of the officers the first out was the Watch Tower’s captain, Rocco. A stickler for protocol, Rocco requested and received an abbreviated manual of CSF shipboard regulations. Thus he knew he had to salute the junior Terpla’n officer at the base of the ramp and formally ask permission for the shuttle’s occupants to board the ship. The tied-in ship’s computers translated his words and broadcasted it over the bay’s speakers. He got an unaccented reply via the earbug he wore as well as the speakers. Rocco moved to the side and allowed Janus to lead the party to a reception area at the front of the hatch for the intraship car. To a one the Hokum officers still found the appearance of a Terp to be a bit unreal, like an animatronic movie prop. Not so the E’sani. While both Terp and E’sani were tall E’sani were big. Even the Hokum marines got the impression that the bipedal two-arms could rip apart powered armor with their bare hands. Janus put that though aside as she focused on two Terp officers before her. One wore the black-bordered yellow square that indicated the rank of captain. This Terp was missing two legs, the back pair, which explained why it seemed (he?) was compensating by leaning slightly forward. As for the other officer Janus believed it to be female, judging from the size and shape of the eyes. She had three black-bordered yellow pentagons arranged in a triangle. Below the rank was a badge, and if memory served from the intelligence briefing then it was a set of strikefighter pilot wings. Janus sensed she was in the presence of a great leader despite the radically different bodyform and lack of noticeable visual cues. When Janus stopped the officers behind her did so as well, forming a wedge with Janus at the point. The four-legged officer stepped forward. “Lord Admiral Janus, I’m Captain Dojan, commander of this ship, the Captain Avma. Welcome aboard.” He paused for a moment to allow the translation program to do its work. “Allow me to introduce the commander of Task Force 21 and of all allied forces in the Bedrock system, Flag Admiral Tulcus Jki.” Janus managed to hide her surprise. She knew that name and the story behind it, for Jki was one of the Terpla’n officers that returned rescued Hokum spacers after the last battle in the Short War. But Jki was just a captain six years ago, which meant she rose rather quickly in the ranks thanks, no doubt, to the war with the Axis. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Excellency,” she said, using an ancient Hokum honorific usual applied for another nation’s ambassadors. Jki’s smile was real enough to satisfy Janus’ perception that she was addressing a living being and not a movie prop. “There’s no need for extravagant titles among friends, Admiral. To avoid confusion let’s just call each other by our surnames.” “Yes,” Janus agreed with a smile of her own, “that will speed things up. Let me start with my chief-of-staff…” The Hokum were given an abbreviated tour of the Avma. As part of the tour they were shown the auxiliary control station which served as Jki’s command post. Janus learned that this ship wasn’t equipped with a CIC like the Watch Tower, finding it hard to believe that with numerous heavy ships available Jki would forgo the benefits of a CIC. Shown next were the weapon installations and crew recreational spaces. The visitors couldn’t help but notice a good percentage of the crew had missing limbs or part of limbs. Captain Dojan explained that the crew took a vow not to get replacement limbs until the war was over. Benevix couldn’t discern what was being said by Avma crewmembers as the translation computers only work for those that wore the transceiver medallion. However, the intense intelligence officer was treated to a feast in the Avma’s wardroom. He took particular interest in the paintings and plaques that commemorated the battles the ship was in. Jki noticed this and provided more background; quite aware of the frantic mental note-writing Benevix was engaged in. She decided to temper his enthusiasm with some sober, eye-opening facts. Before the evening recess the Hokum were shown the Avma’s sick bay. Every bed was occupied by a Terpla’n or E’sani spacer. Jki explained that their wounds were the result of suicide attacks conducted by Axis fighters against a troopship. Avma’s doctors were treating the wounded brought over from the Belynda, one of the largest troopships and subsequently the focus of multiple waves of suiciders. Janus could only imagine how many Hokum transports would’ve been destroyed outright in such massed attacks. Some of her officers looked downright uncomfortable, especially when they glimpsed the burn ward. Janus doubted that the Expeditionary Fleet had sustained anywhere near this many burn casualties in the war to date. The Hokum returned the next day for the official declaration of appreciation. It was held in the Avma’s wardroom, and though they believed they were ready, the inclusion of representatives of TF 21’s participating races was a rush of the foreign for the Hokum. At least six of the twelve races were bipedal, providing grounding in the familiar and a stave from potential embarrassment. Following the official event the officers engaged in small talk at which Janus and her officers excelled. They found the Tzelan representative, one Captain Netts and most junior of the allied contingent commanders, a most profoundly philosophical character. Cirro was effectively monopolized by Crajen Admiral Dowel. When he learned that Cirro was a handyman when it came to wood Dowel had to know what kind of tools he used. Back aboard the Watch Tower the officers wrote what they learned and in turn gave the reports to Benevix. He had a joy usually found in child discovering that the candy bag had one last piece at the bottom. On the third and last day the officers broke up into smaller groups. Novillero Maro, IMC, commander of the Expeditionary Fleet’s strike wings went to the CSF carrier Junshu to talk with his Terpla’n counterpart. Like all pilots he spoke the universal language of fighter combat, using his four hands to good effect to add emphasis to his stories of engagements against the Axis foe. A Hokum marine officer, Torero Valdex, representing the Corps and the ISA both, visited the CSA operations officer on the transport Beytris and compared notes on combat tactics of Comensal civilians. Back on the Captain Avma Cirro met with Barsus, Jki’s chief of staff. They discussed disposition of Axis formations and patterns of attacks, particularly on the use of assault corvettes to conduct spoiling attacks. After an exclusive tour of the Avma’s bridge Jki and Janus had a private meeting in Jki’s cabin. Outside waiting were the E’sani marine sentry and his Hokum counterpart. To pass the time the Corporal talked about the ship’s mascot to the very young Vara 2nd Class. When the Vara affirmed that he saw the large tank in Avma’s Marine Country the Corporal decided to ‘embellish’ the details. He described Flip as an ill-tempered two-meter-long, scaly toothy terror that wasn’t afraid of anyone except the Admiral. The Corporal used an opened hand in front of his mouth to pantomime Flip’s vicious ripping dentition. Like a child listening to a campfire story the Vara learned that Flip had to be taken young from the very lagoon it was spawned and shocked so that it had the pretense of being tamed. Layering it on, the Corporal described how the Admiral, who had previously commanded the Captain Avma, feed underperforming ensigns and spacers to Flip as an incentive for others to work better. The reason why the huge tank was in Marine Country was that Flip found E’sani flesh to be unappetizing, but also the foul beast kept the cartilage of his victims buried under the gravel so as to have something to nibble on between meals. When told that Flip was in the Admiral’s cabin the unbelievably gullible Vara asked if it was safe for Janus to be in there. Smiling, the Corporal said that it was all right since Jki sawed off a leg of a spacer that very morning and dispensed bits of it to Flip as num-nums to keep him sated. When the cabin door opened the Vara hoped to get a glimpse of the creature described to him. Instead he found Admiral Janus holding a 32cm-long lungfish in her front pair of arms. But not for long as the creature squirmed and then jumped from her hold, landing in the reflexively-extended hands of the Corporal. He heard via his earbug Admiral Jki calling the cute-looking critter Flip, describing him as an ‘affectionate little cuss.’ Blushing, the Vara knew he had been duped by the Corporal’s tall tale. The massive E’sani grinned and shook the Vara’s hand to express that no hard feelings were intended. Benevix had to satisfy his curiosity and talked to Janus as the shuttle went to the Junshu and Beytris to pick up the other officers. She declined to discuss specifics until all the staff officers were assembled back on the Watch Tower. However, she did indicate that there was going to be an ‘informal improvement’ to the relationship between the CSF and ISN. When ask about what sort of person Jki was Janus did have something to say right then and there. She told Benevix that, like herself, Jki was a grandmother. Much of the meeting was spent talking about families and sharing of pictures that are the wont of grandparents everywhere. More use to the manipulation of numbers and demonstrable facts Benevix found it hard to believe that two fleet-leading admirals would engage as something trivial as sharing family stories. Janus didn’t see it as trivial. In her eye, if a Hokum and Terpla’n admiral could become friends then it would go a long way convincing others that nothing could be gained by holding onto past grievances. With this first step, Janus hoped, the Commonwealth and Imperium would forge a more meaningful relationship other than the waxing and waning creature known as trade. 07/22/09 updated 08/18/09 |