The Terpla’ns – Chapter 5

Chapter 5.25
 Chapter 5.50
 Chapter 5.75


It was an unusually cool and windy day in the Fruit Ball region on Hamthen Prime. Rear Admiral Tulcus Jki, commander of the carrier groups of Task Force 21, found it necessary to turn on the thermal lining of her uniform. Stepping out of the cutter she then went uphill, finding Interim Executive Skuu waiting at the top. They had only met once before, when Jki gave Skuu a tour of the dreadnought Captain Avma some twenty months earlier. Having made a brief visit to Hamthen after securing the Dotz system, Jki had just left a meeting with senior commanders of TF 21 when she received an invitation from Mr. Skuu. Like everyone else Jki found Skuu had visibly aged from the rigors of a resistance battle against the Axis occupiers. His legs moved with the same energy as before, however, and offered his hand with the same enthusiasm. “Ah, I’m glad to see that you’re none the worse for wear. I only found out recently that you were injured in a previous attempt to enter the system.”
     Jki took the offered hand and shook it. “My insides still remind me on occasion of the violence that incurred those wounds. I’m glad that I was able to still participate in the liberation effort.”
     “Good, good. Now that the enemy for the most part has been expunged from Democracy territory I trust that the first assault on a pre-war Axis system will be conducted shortly.”
     “We’ve gotten our supplemental assault force in-system, Mr. Skuu. Our fighter losses have been made good by shuttling the squadrons stationed in Hagelkorn to our carriers in Dotz. Once all our forces are in position we’ll attack.”
     Skuu blinked his eyes. “Yes, about that, friend Jki. I’ve also learned that it was Marines from your old command, the Avma that recovered important information from an assault corvette. Thanks to that, we now have a primary objective for this first foray into Axis space.”
     “Yes. Five transits from Hamthen is an Axis colony world, population of 400,000.” Jki looked around, noting that much of the grass was brown and curled despite the rich and moist soil. “It’s described as a pleasant world, and I wonder how Comensal civilians will react to occupation from our troops.”
     Turning on his four legs, Skuu saw what Jki saw, and more. “I have grave doubts on the success of any occupation in the short run. From analysis of Comensal literature and personal notes their xenophobia goes beyond political indoctrination. I venture to say that, after contemplating captured history texts, the civil war that led to the creation of the Asteroid Axis can be described as one side that eliminated the other for not being xenophobic enough. Perhaps it has always been a Comensal trait from the start and they see it as a natural process, much like breathing and walking.”
     Jki made a hard blink. “That remains to be seen, Mr. Skuu. Having described themselves as constantly on the offensive perhaps the first occupation of an Axis world would shatter their sense of superiority. 60,000 E’sani troops would be incentive enough to appreciate the value of peaceful co-existence.”
     “That would be nice, my friend, as it would’ve been nice for them to be peaceful to begin with,” Skuu said harshly. “Your troops will have a hard time of it, restraining themselves and not being provoked by a xenophobic people. On the flipside, Axis troops couldn’t get enough notches on their guns and belts to satisfy themselves. That’s why I’ve asked you to come here before you head back to your ship.” He pointed to an object a kilometer away. “You see that?”
     Having dismissed the object as a boulder Jki looked carefully this time. Looking like an inverted bowl, the object didn’t look natural at all. “It’s one of those tripod tanks I’ve read about. The hull appears dull, and the legs are missing.”
     Skuu squinted with both sets of eyelids, adding a rock-hard layer of emphasis to his words. “It was chasing after a group of volunteers, and was lured into a kill zone. Rocket teams took out the legs where they connected to the hull. Being immobilized, the tripod was no longer a threat, but that wasn’t enough. Four teams were killed in the process of taking out the top-mounted particle gun, leaving the back quadrant uncovered for the three underside particle guns and the microwave emitter couldn’t be brought to bear.
     “Still, the tripod tank crew fired upon anyone that happened into the weapon arcs, using the last of their black smoke to keep the rocket crews at bay. As you’ve noticed,” Skuu waved his hand over the desolated scene, “that accounts for the withered grass. Then, using the blind spot, the volunteers flung canister after canister of hyper napalm onto the tank. Over five days that went on, the fire kept fed on a regular basis.” Skuu waited a moment, rubbing his tired eyes. “While the powerplant of the tank could’ve kept running for weeks the components of its life-support system broke down. So it came to the point where the crew elected to flee rather than die from heat and suffocation inside their tank. It didn’t work, for the heat was such that as soon as they opened hatches the air from inside the tank combusted upon contact with the outside. I’m told that the sight was… surreal. Those that weren’t immediately incinerated were shot down as they staggered away in burning clothes.
     “I’ve shown you this, Jki, just as I’m going to show your army commanders, so that you’ll know what you’ll be facing on Axis worlds. They came here as exterminators, and I fear that is what we’re going to have to do in the end, if they’re unredeemable.”
     With her eyesight, Jki easily saw the blackened husks on the tripod tank’s hull and on the ground nearby. It was enough to make her shutter to think of the same thing happening to army troops on a daily basis on an Axis colony world, let alone one with billions. “Perhaps you right, friend. However, it must be said that even as your race fought for its life you made sure your children were safe before engaging the enemy. Deep down, I doubt the Axis is as fanatical as their own texts make them out to be. Having whole families attack as a unit, with no regard to the future, is the highest form of selfishness. What is the point of fighting if you take down the very ones you love in the process?”
“I don’t have an answer,” Skuu admitted. “I pray that your E’sani friends pay as little a price as possible to find out.”




The 3rd Company of the 141st Regiment, Commonwealth Space Army, was relieved by reinforcement and was sent to a rear area to rest and reconstitute. Of the initial 100,000 troops involved in the liberation of Hamthen 6,000 were killed and 5,000 more injured. Having been located in a region recently cleared of Axis troops the 3rd Company made their camp next to the ruins of a Hamthen town. To their surprise they found the town’s inhabitants had returned and were in the process of making it habitable again.
     For the 2nd Platoon of the 3rd Company there were only two deaths and four wounded. For an E’sani being wounded was a mere inconvenience for they healed rather quickly if the wounds weren’t too severe. Because of that one Corporal Pepen-su was promoted to the position of platoon sergeant even though his left arm was in a cast. After working the men to make the site something that approached habitability Pepen-su reported to the platoon leader, Lt. Casfe-de.
     Also having spent the day organizing the camp Casfe-de was as dirty and sweaty as everyone else. He responded to Pepen-su’s off-hand salute by offering him a seat and a cup of cool water. “You and the others will be happy to know that the field sanitation company will be finished with the showers and latrines by nightfall. The high-gravity tent will be active once the dedicated power generator arrives tomorrow.”
     “The guys will like that, Sir,” said Pepen-su, brushing his trimmed whiskers with his free hand. “Moving and fighting in less than normal gravity is great, but after a while the muscles lose their tone. A half-hour workout at high gravity will keep us in fighting trim.”
     “Doc tells me you’ll be able to take that cast off in three days,” Casfe-de said in cautious tone. “No such injury had to occur if you followed orders. Had you done so, then Cpl. Shun-yi would still be alive, not having to come after you on your… excursion.”
    Pepen-su downed the cup of water in one gulp. “Sir, had I waited for reinforcement it would’ve been too late. I acted in the best interest of the platoon by taking out that enemy position when I saw it.”
     Casfe-de narrowed his black eyes. “By doing so, Sergeant,” he emphasized Pepen-su’s new rank, “you acted in equal measure of bravery and foolhardiness. Killing twelve of the enemy single-handedly, in close-quarters combat, is commendable. However, your squad mate Shun-yi, obviously thinking very highly your friendship, threw himself on a grenade tossed by a dying Axis trooper so as to spare your life.” Instead of a cup of water Casfe-de downed a whole pitcher, ice and all, in a prolonged swig. He had to do it so as to cool this throat and prevent it from uttering the heated words he wanted to say. “The enemy position was already tagged by a recon drone. The platoon was ordered to pull out so that a kinetic strike could be conducted. However, you must’ve ignored the messages, even when Shun-yi told you directly. Oh yes, Sergeant, his helmet recorder was still intact despite all those grenade fragments. So, instead of a single kinetic projectile we had to pay the infinitely higher price of a unique, irreplaceable life.”
     Seeing only a stone face looking back at him Casfe-de continued. “You’ll be getting a distinguished action award tonight at dinner from the company C.O. I had wanted to reprimand you, Pepen-su, but I figure that being a platoon sergeant, laden with the responsibilities that go with the job, will make you acknowledge that battles aren’t won by lone-wolf efforts.”
     Right then and there Pepen-su had wanted to say the real reason he disobeyed orders. Had he done so, it would likely mean his removal from the platoon and quite possibly from the war for good. Such an outcome was unthinkable, for he wanted to stay until the end, especially after having seen what the Axis done to the Hamthen and what they would do to everyone else if they had the chance. So, calming his tongue, he looked at his commanding officer evenly. “I’ll proclaim it for all to hear tonight that without Shin-yi’s sacrifice I wouldn’t be getting the award in the first place, Sir. There’ll be no more lone-wolf efforts from me and from anyone else in the platoon for that matter.”
     “Good that we’re on the same page,” Casfe-de replied. “You and the men have the rest of the afternoon off. The dinner will be held at the exercise square at 1900. Dismissed.”
     Pepen-su, after informing the platoon, went to see the Company supply sergeant. Never one to do things in half-measures, he spent a month’s pay to buy a case of genuine E’sani beer that managed to survive a whole year in storage on Hagelkorn and had, somehow, arrived with the Company on Hamthen. Pepen-su did this so as to give proper acknowledge of Shun-yi’s sacrifice. For the next few hours he thought of what the Lt said and how best to master his feelings before they mastered him.




The Metalstorm system, previously owned by the Nu’Chut AIs and now part of the Asteroid Axis, was dull and dim. It was a close binary of two red dwarf suns, each component containing two rockball worlds and a gas giant with attendant moons. Upon the defeat of the AIs a few years earlier the sole unexplored warp point in the system was fortified with mines and buoys, watched over by a pair of automated weapon control bases.
     With resumption of warp point exploration it was found that Metalstorm connected to the Hamthen system of Dotz. Stocks of prefabricated base components were immediately brought forward and assembled in a flurry of activity to guard the Axis side of the warp point. Thinking of the long term, the AFC requested supporting populations to be settled on Metalstorm’s planets and moons. Eight outposts were established normally while two colonies, one in each component, were crash-emplaced. Followed with an investment in industrial capability the system was able to maintain the 12 type-5 and 2 type-2 bases without outside support. Indeed, there was enough capability leftover to build minimal spaceports on both colonies, support a small space station over the third moon of Metalstorm A-3 and send processed ore back to the Axis sector capitol. The previous mine and buoy defenses were upgraded over the last year, now totaling 900 patterns and 600 laser buoys, evenly placed one-quarter of a light-second from the Dotz warp point.
     Had the war progressed more in the favor of the AFC the bases would’ve eventually been dismantled and moved where needed. There had been talk of doing that work in the near future, but until Hagelkorn and Pileus were secured the defense plan would stay in effect. For the colonists, upon hearing the defeat of the fleet in Hamthen, they wished their defenses were doubled. It was to their credit that they managed to build 60 primary-armed buoys, placed in a shell one-half of a light second from the warp point, in the three weeks after the Allies reclaimed Hamthen space. In hindsight it would’ve been better had their resources been sent to the next system in line rather than attempting to shore up a dam that was already collapsing.
     The first Allied assault wave was composed of four battleships, a dreadnought, and 92 (out of 108 transiting) armed pinnaces. Acting on captured information, the ships faced southwest while the Apins used their speed to enter and then exit the northern portion of the minefield, losing only ten of their number. Facing this first wave were 6 beam-armed type-5 bases, located one light-second from the warp point in two groups of three, one north and one south. The three missile bases, two fighter and one defense base were together as a group four light-seconds out, north of the first group of beam bases. Seven light-seconds south were two small automated weapon control bases. Of the 34 fighter squadrons 8 were on the CAP, orbiting the warp point half a light second out. Moving to point-blank range and desperately arming their weapons those Axis pilots had to watch as the Allied ships opened fire.
     First to fire was the dreadnought, belching close assault missiles at its base target followed by two standard force beams. Thanks to antimatter warheads those CAMs that did hit took down 76% of the base’s shields. Quick action by the weapon crews allowed the base to fire back, taking out the dreadnought's light shielding and two-thirds of its thick armor. Whatever Faustian deal the Axis made paid off in the form of four of their beam bases, two missile and one fighter base (crash-launching 11 squadrons) becoming active as well as five of the eight CAP squadrons. Followed by 98 laser buoys only one Allied BB and 76 Apins were left to greet the second wave, five Hazen DNs and a BC.
     Of the BBs in the first wave two were minesweepers while the other two were assault carriers. That lone BB was the latter, and while launching five squadrons at the southern bases it activated a datalink jammer, forcing the Axis to destroy it first so as to restore their links. No other bases became active, and thanks to the Apins, fighters, and energy beams the three northern beam bases were destroyed with the three southern ones only retaining a fraction of their armament. Expending 200 laser buoys the Axis destroyed the second wave ships in their entirety.
     Wave three was six UWL DN-hulled minesweepers. Greeting them were the 11 squadrons crashed launched one minute earlier. The 26 Allied fighters, having expended FRAMs, went to engage the Axis fighters utilizing their external laser packs. As for the Apins, 53 of 71 which still had ordnance, they went after the northern bases but took care to remain outside capital point defense range while lining up for their attack run. Six Axis fighters were shot down, but that left 66 and with 200 more buoys fired two of the six sweepers were destroyed with the other four sustaining heavy internal damage.
     The fourth wave consisted of Crajen-crewed Tamaya CAs modified as anti-fighter escorts. Just as the Apins reached point-blank range of the northern bases the second fighter base, finally getting its act together, crash-launched its squadrons. Having considered this possibility, the Apin commanders simply used their point defense and internal guns to swat down as many fighters as possible while taking out the bases, starting with the fighter platforms. But after seeing what happened to the beam bases six of the squadrons fired half of their close attack missiles in proximity mode against the Apins. Combined with point defense fire none of the 53 Apins involved survived, but one fighter base lost 40% of its internal systems. The remaining 18 knocked out 11 laser buoys, thus when the last 89 fired they were spread across ten ships. For the cruisers they lost at most 70% of their armor while one DN was felled with the other three badly damaged. In pursuit of the retreating squadrons the 26 Allied fighters brought down six more.
     Wave five had four of the massive Engineer minesweepers with two Jajer variants to keep them company. The three DN sweepers transited back to Dotz before they became cheap kills for the missile bases. Finally dying at the hands of the cruisers, the last beam base fired its remaining hetlaser, scouring armor off the most damaged Tamaya in the process. The missile bases fired on an Engineer as well as the defense and the undamaged fighter base. With its thick point defense barrier and EDMs the massive ship only lost its shields and 4% o its armor. After being ravaged by the Tamayas’ point defense and the 18 Apins, the thin belt of 60 primary beam buoys was reduced to 27, the remainder being fired so at least some damaged was scored. A handful of engine room components were shut down and some point defense instillations rendered useless, but it didn’t matter much in the end. Breaking off from the retreating strike the 26 Allied fighters then went for the fresh one heading for the warp point, taking care to keep out of point blank range. Five more Axis planes were lazed into oblivion.
     Six Hazen First Colonel BCs made up the sixth wave. Of the 66 Axis fighters crashed-launched one minute earlier 52 reach point-blank range only to find the jammers on the Engineers had spun up to full power. Using whatever point defense could be spared the Allies blunted the Axis strike, though the targeted Engineer lost all of its armor and everything forward of its first engine room. Just 19 fighters pulled away, running to the one fighter base that still had intact defenses, followed by the laser fighters and the Apins. One Axis missile base became the focus of the shipboard weapons of the Engineers and Jajers, ultimate losing the shields and 21% of its armor. The Tamayas continued to pick at the damaged fighter base, making it clear that any attempt to land and rearm fighters would be futile.
     The seventh wave was the same as the sixth, comprising of capital primary beam armed BCs. Fully recovered, the sixth wave BCs opened up on a missile base, lancing ten launchers for their efforts. Still suffering, the Engineer lost three engines. It would be 90 more seconds before it could transit out to safety. As for the pursuit it was over, the 19 Axis fighters having been shot down halfway to their base, though that left 102 of which 84 had landed on the intact base to rearm.
     Just two DNs and a BC arrived in the eighth and final wave. The Axis’ Faustian deal was still in effect as the missile bases fired on the wounded Engineer a fraction of second before one base was hit by the primaries of the seventh wave. It took the defense base to finish off the Allied ship, but now instead of 58 capital launchers the Axis was down to 27.
     The Allied fighters fell back to the warp point while the Apins stayed outside of the minefield. A Tamaya became the new target, losing the rest of its passive defenses to missiles and incurring light internal damage from force beams. Firing again the sixth wave BCs took out more launchers. To prevent further damage the Tamaya transited back to Dotz, leaving the ever-weaker missiles bases to switch to another cruiser.
     Five rearmed squadrons launched from the intact fighter base, allowing the remaining three to land. Switching gears, two datagroup of First Colonels fired their primaries at it, hoping to disable launch bays. Finally showing their hand, the third wave ships opened up on the defense base, reducing the shielding by 29%. The selected missile base belched debris and finally exploded from force beam hits.
     With nine more squadrons armed and launched the Axis attack wave moved on the warp point. Shifting targets, the other six First Colonels fired on the missile and defense base. The second Tamaya, damaged like the first, transited out. Despite the datalink jamming and knowing the inevitable outcome the Axis pilots were going for the cheap kills before performing suicide runs. They kept coming even as the two eighth wave DNs launched 14 squadrons, each F1 fighter loaded with three gun packs. A third Tamaya was singled out and destroyed, followed by a fourth that lost 90% of it armor, but no Axis fighter was left at the warp point. One Apin crew earned the distinction of shooting down six Axis fighters this day.
     Primaries kept to the task of lancing out weapons from the actively attacking bases. It stayed that way for two minutes, during which fifteen Oknibs and nine Second Colonels entered and another Tamaya transited when its armor was breached by capital force beam fire, when the last 18 Axis fighters roared from their launch bays and made a beeline for the ships. Their demise marked the end of active Axis resistance for there was no base that could reach the Allied force.
     Firing BAM-Rc rounds for three minutes the Oknibs cleared a path through the minefield. Now the Second Colonels advanced on the northern bases and fired their capital energy beams, rendering the four remaining type-5s as shorted-out hulks. The least damaged fighter base self-destructed as it detonated a missile warhead in a magazine. Hazen marines boarded the rest for the outside chance of capturing a database. The two automated weapon control bases were boarded as well, but nothing was found.
     With the rest of Task Force 21 making transit Admiral Ayrth, the commanding officer, took stock of the losses. Sixteen ships and 7,200 personnel didn’t even measure up to the casualties of the Hamthen assault, but he still thought the losses could’ve been lower. It was in the midst of this self-examination and brooding that a message came through from General Mevtos, commander of the Hazen contingent. Seeing the starkly uniformed, four-armed centaur smiling was something Ayrth wasn’t expecting.
     Mevtos, having worked with Terpla’ns for years in combined fleet exercises, could read their body expressions. “As these assaults go, commander,” said the Hazen with authority, “I wouldn’t have been surprised if all six beam bases achieved action stations at the same time. We knew what they had in the way of bases, and it was good fortune there were no mobile forces. Had we waited for the arrival of three more Buccaneer pinnace tenders it would’ve given the Axis that much more time to reinforce.”
     “That is true, General,” Ayrth admitted. “Fate dealt us a harsh hand, and gave the Axis a portion of luck as well. We had the opportunity to reduce pinnace losses, had they stayed by the warp point and took out buoys before they fired.” This was the first battle in which Hazen-crewed armed pinnaces took part, and a loss rate of 83% was particularly harsh.
     “It was a calculated risk, friend,” Mevtos offered. “Had all the Axis fighters launched earlier then the pinnaces would’ve stayed by the warp point to lend their support. It was the roll of the die that the second fighter base launched its foul brood just as the pinnaces reached it. By shooting at them the Axis reduced their overall damage potential against our ships. So in the cruel math of war their loss meant that one less ship was destroyed.”
     Ayrth blinked his inner set of eyelids. “If we must work cruel math, Mevtos, then we’ll make it work against the enemy. It’s clear that armed pinnaces in large numbers are particularly useful in warp point assaults. Eventually the scientists will come up with a way to make warp-capable automated weapons.”
     “I hope so as well.” Mevtos’ lower pair of hands rested on the handles of his service gauss pistols. “My marines will be garrisoning the spaceports of the two lunar colonies in this system. The outposts are too small to warrant occupation troops. We’ll keep them in line until relieved by the Valhallans.”
     “Those colonists will be shocked by your troops’ mere presence, or attempt to kill them at every opportunity,” Ayrth said in dark humor. “There is no grey area as far as the Axis is concerned.”




A task element was sent to escort the Hazen troopship towards the third moon of the gas giant Metalstorm A-3. It was during this voyage that an anomaly was discovered in the composition of the Axis warp point defenses. There should’ve been 204 fighters assigned to the defenses, yet only 186 were shot down. As the reasoning went, for being the entry into Hamthen space the defenses would’ve been kept at full strength at all times. It all became clear as a Sloop scout investigated the small space station over the targeted colony. Slightly larger than the station that was over Pyrocumulus, the added bulk was shown to be hanger space for three squadrons of fighters. This caught the task element by surprise for all eight squadrons were loaded with stand-off missiles. Only the impatience of the station commander allowed the task element to turn about and move away at speed while the fighters were rearmed with laser packs. It was near thing for the troopship was slightly slower than the destroyers that composed the task element. Just out of capital point defense range the rearmed Allied fighters engaged their Axis counterparts at 0.5 LS. Like large clay pigeons the Axis fighters were felled by a shower of laser fire. The squadrons turned to get their loads of stand-off missiles.
     Given the current distance between the warp point and A-3 it was most likely the 18 Axis fighters came from the bases. An unloaded prototype fighter moving at full speed could reach A-3, a mere 4 light-minutes away. If constructed upon hearing the news of the fall of Hamthen, the added hangers would’ve became available perhaps as short as a day before the assault, and the fighters missed the battle by mere hours. This was just an exercise for the intelligence types as the Allied pilots were set on destroying the station. Staying outside of point defense range, the squadrons salvoed their missiles, succeeding in taking down the shields, 30% of the armor and forcing the launch of the station’s EDMs.
     By the time the squadrons were reloaded and returned the shields were restored, but only to prolong the inevitable. Leaving the station half-destroyed the squadrons were passed by three assault shuttles, loaded with Hazen army troops in armored vac-suits. Before they could force an entry the station self-destructed. The troops instead landed on the moon to secure the minimal spaceport, taking only a handful of casualties.
     The only Axis mobile units in the system was a DN-sized mobile shipyard (very likely the one that constructed the space station additions) and a frigate-sized freighter, both fleeing at best speed towards the warp point that lead to the Silvershoe system. Both were dispatched by a destroyer squadron. What couldn’t be destroyed readily were the comm buoys and drones that spread the word of the Allied incursion into Axis space. Follow-on task groups went about to invest Metalstorm and Silvershoe, leaving TF 21 to carry on to the Citadel system.
     Citadel Prime, the prime target for Task Force 21, was bracing itself for an attack as best it could. Truth be told, the bases that composed Metalstorm’s defenses were drawn from the stock of prefabricated parts kept in orbit of Citadel Prime. At this moment only automated weapons and a trio of small bases guarded the Citadel/Silvershoe warp point, and in orbit of Citadel Prime there were just two fighter bases and a space station. The two shipyards modules had been busy for the last two months, assembling a defense base from the last of the prefabricated parts and building a new section to the station. Depending on the AFC to keep to the offensive, those responsible for the defense of Citadel thought they had time. Even if the Allies had waited three more weeks there was no way Citadel could’ve been defended with adequate force.
     Governor Genpan, responsible for 400,508 Comensal civilians on Citadel Prime, wasn’t one to curse her superiors as well as her enemies upon receiving bad news. She served in the army, commanding a division in the Lauset conquest and then a corps for the fighting on Elotoshani Prime. Having attained the third highest position in the Axis Army she retired at the end of the war against the Nu’Chut AIs so as to become the governor of Citadel. The news of the fleet’s defeat in Hamthen and the terse reply she got from the AFC headquarters in the sector made clear that Genpan was on her own for the time being.
     Whatever criticisms she had about the higher leadership, especially First Leader Grandous, she kept to herself. Like the now-deceased Terson she thought it was the height of foolishness to be engaged in another war while the current one was still far from completion. The new enemy was invading the outer marches on the other side of the Nu’Chut sector. Fleet reinforcement, originally slated for Crimson Expanse, was being re-routed and sent towards Hamthen space to counter the much larger Allied threat. Yet this reinforcement was diverted in such a way that it would avoid Citadel altogether and take too much time in Genpan’s opinion.
     The Governor smirked internally. She had the suspicion that First Leader Grandous was depending on her ground warfare experience to counter any enemy attempt at occupation. Of course, that was only possible if the Allies didn’t bombard the planet into oblivion. Having read captured records, including historical texts that for a Comensal would’ve considered rancid, Genpan was prepared to bet her salary that the Allies will land troops in an effort to ‘pacify’ the population. Not through genocide, forced labor or imprisonment but by the virtue of living in peaceful co-existence, by being friendly and patient.
     Genpan planned to test Allied patience up to and beyond the breaking point. Resistance will be offered first by the sole Army brigade and then by civilian volunteer battalions. Then, after a period of false peace, the enemy will be subjected to an unrelenting rain of attacks for every quarter. If they stick to their pathetic principles, the Allies will suffer extreme casualties. To stay even, let alone survive, they would have to fight back with great violence. They would learn that each Comensal was considered a bullet, fired from the gun that is the will of the people to defeat the enemy completely. So long as one family remained after the last enemy solider watered the ground with his blood it would be considered a victory for the Axis.
     With her wealth of experience in the field Genpan had devised plans of action to be taken in case of invasion since becoming governor. She spent the rest of the day selecting one, modifying it in accordance to available time, materials, and weapons. Before retiring to bed, she looked at her old army uniform like a newly minted officer would at graduation, with complete satisfaction. Soon enough, from a position of command, she’ll be wearing that uniform again.


 

Upon receiving news of Task Force 21 entering the Citadel system three CSA divisions on Hamthen, designated the 1st Expeditionary Corps, began the process of loading up on their transports. Like everyone else involved, the men of the 2nd Platoon, 3rd Company of the 141st Regiment wished they had another week. While the defenses of Metalstorm extracted their toll of blood from the Fleet the losses in Citadel were minimal. Some believed that this was some sort of deliberate trap to entice the Allies to advance into unknown territory just to be cut off and destroyed. They couldn’t fathom a foe, after performing atrocities on a grand scale, would leave one of its own worlds open to possible retaliation.
     Such thoughts didn’t occur to the 2nd Platoon until later. They remembered the dinner thrown for the company by the townsfolk the day before leaving. Despite their imposing physical presence E’sani were mild tempered and could even be described as ‘teddy bears’ when among those they liked. They played innocuous games like ring toss, finding the Hamthen adults to be particularly adept at it, and then learning that their talent arose from throwing grenades and rocks at Axis troops. As for the children they wanted to see how much a E’sani could lift over his head or the number of push ups they could do with increasing amounts of weight on their backs.
     Sgt. Pepen-su was enjoying the last spoonful of mackerel casserole when a Hamthen child came up to him, her four legs moving impulsively, orange eyes wide as she handed a flower to him. He took it, naturally, smelling it before putting it in an open shirt pocket. “Thank you, little girl. Why did you give me such a lovely gift?” His Hamthena was unaccented, for E’sani have very flexible vocal cords in addition to their immense strength.
     “To thank you for fighting those nasty Boneheads, Sergeant,” she said with enthusiasm that seemed universal for all children. “That was the first flower I picked since the Boneheads arrived.”
      Pepen-su patted the pocketed flower. “I will treasure it and keep it to remind me of your generosity.”
      “Did you kill many Boneheads,” said the girl with an innocence usually associated with far less macabre questions.
      “What’s your name?”
     “Svaa Keltro,” she replied.
     “Well, Keltro,” Pepen-su said while having to look down at the girl even while sitting in a chair, “I have killed my share of Axis troops, that’s true. I even got a medal when I killed twelve single-handed, literally. It wasn’t fun, in fact it was scary.”
     Keltro blinked in astonishment. It was a stretch to consider a being that was over twice her height and almost nine times her weight to be scared of anything. “Why was that?”
     Pepen-su mulled over the words he wanted to say, trying to answer Keltro’s question as well as to justify his own feelings. “Charging in alone, with no-one to help, against a bunch of Boneheads hiding in a building that was dark and claustrophobic for someone my size… it was scary.”
     “But aren’t E’sani also brave?”
     “Yes, Keltro, but someone told me that bravery doesn’t have to be the same as foolhardiness. If you do something foolish to prove your bravery then you are foolish.” Pepen-su smiled. “So I guess that makes me a lucky fool for coming out alive.”
     “Fighting Boneheads doesn’t make anyone foolish.” Keltro tugged on the E’sani’s sleeve. “Can you write to me when you fight the Boneheads on another planet? I want to have something to share with my friends when our school is rebuilt.”
     Producing an electronic card from another pocket, Pepen-su handed it to the girl. “My mailing information is on this card. You write to me first, and I will write you back as often as I can. My word.”
     “Thank you, Sergeant.” Keltro skipped away happily that only a four-legged walking pole could do. Pepen-su wondered if Comensal children would be similarly innocent. If not, then it was going to be a matter of bravery to police and patrol an Axis world on a daily basis, knowing that everyone, including children, would try their best to kill the occupiers.


Chapter 5.25

While Task Force 21 had invested the Citadel system there were still three warp points in Silvershoe and Metalstorm to be investigated. Captured data gave the names of the systems on the far side but nothing else, but at least one name was appropriate. Abyssal-019 was the name given by the Axis for a starless region one transit out from Metalstorm. Rear Admiral Bapha, commanding the 1st Survey Force, was surprised that there wasn’t even a minefield to slow his progress. A pair of Sloop scouts and four pinnaces swept the immediate area, finding a sole Axis scanner buoy nine light-seconds from the warp point. Once that was destroyed the rest of the survey force made transit.
     With no sun to serve as a focal point Bapha had his ships move out at cruising speed of 0.033c in a spiral pattern. It was going to take a little over six weeks for the warp point survey to be complete. Factoring in the supplies carried the 1st Survey Force could conduct four such surveys before returning to Allied-control space.
     A newly-minted admiral, Bapha was just a flag captain eight months earlier. His last ship command, two years previous, was the battlecruiser Gymen, a posting that was much sought after for the prestige it bestowed. Like its larger brother the dreadnought Captain Avma, the Gymen was a veteran of the UWL and Hokum wars. Bapha wanted the Gymen as his command ship, but TF 21 wouldn’t release her so he had to settle for the Carris, a Jajer-class battlecruiser. One of the longest-serving ships of its class, the Carris had more of punch for its missile launchers thanks to antimatter warheads.
     While the survey effort was Bapha’s first responsibility he was also tasked to engage enemy forces that could be dealt by his ships. As it happened the opportunity presented itself five days into the mission. He sent a Sloop to investigate a contact that suddenly appeared well within the Carris’ forward long range sensor envelope. Moving at cruising speed of a cruiser, the contact appeared to be heading towards Bapha’s entry point while a second contact broke away and made for the survey force at a little over 0.13c. The Sloop confirmed it was an Axis scout in passing, closing on the main contact while Bapha ordered a course change to intercept, increasing speed to full.
     Before the Axis scout could close two squadrons of F1 fighters (called Sharks in the CSF) were launched. Armed with just two stand-off missiles each, the Sharks had the speed to overtake the scout. News of this new fighter and its speed had made the rounds of the Axis fleet as the scout turned about and detuned its engines. While this allowed the scout to survive by simply keeping ahead of is pursuers it failed to get definite information on the survey force. All that could be reported was the presence of 56 distinct drive field signatures.
     The Sloop had it easier. Four Axis squadrons attempted to intercept, but being a design generation behind and fully loaded they couldn’t block the ship from closing in. Detuning to sprint past them, the Sloop slowed and scanned the Axis formation for a full minute before turning about and moving away to a holding position a light-minute away.
     Whoever was in command of the Axis force decided that discretion was the better part of valor. Bapha watched as seventeen confirmed CA hulls and one DD turned about and moved away at full speed, eventually reaching their entry point and disappearing. He had a shrewd idea on the composition of the enemy force, noting that had they any appreciable number of carriers they would’ve attempted at least one strike, given the arrogant pride that is the Axis Fleet Command. It took one hour to cover the three light-minutes that separated the 1st Survey Force from the warp point. Sending in six normal pinnaces immediately, three came back to confirm Bapha’s suspicions.
     The Axis force was composed of minelayers, and in the one hour given to them they had sown the far side of the warp point with 600 buoys and possibly a like number of minefield patterns. Within range of the pinnaces’ scanners were three escort cruisers, and it was one of these that bagged three pinnaces. It was easy money that one or more automated weapon control ships were keeping watch within definitive scanner range of the warp point.
     Bapha crunched the numbers quickly. Assuming maximum deployment speed the now-empty minelayers had an almost fifty-minute lead over his ships. Only his escort carriers had the reasonable chance of catching them, but the defenses would have to be dealt with first. Reaching for the one weapon he could expend readily at the time, Bapha ordered all 36 of his armed pinnaces to assault the warp point.
     With no grav surge data the 30 Apins that survived the mass transit exited the warp point on random vectors. None were destroyed initially upon entry of the minefields with only one being lost when they reached the far side. The three Interceptor CAs, still at battle stations, were crawling as they were generating maximum ECM. 14 Apins had moved and maneuvered into the blind spots of the Interceptors at a range of 0.25 LS with the rest easily in reach of their weapons. Eight Apins were shot down for destroying 78% of the armor of one Interceptor with transit-addled lasers.
     Trying a new tactic the Interceptor captains took their ships to full speed and moved into their own minefields, circling the warp point like banking race car drivers. Hoping to ground down the trailing Apins through attrition, one captain had the supreme misfortune of being attacked by his own mines due to a fluke misreading of IFF codes. As for the surviving two they fumed as the Apins ignored them and moved away, obviously looking for the Command Detonators (CD).
     Lurking seven light-seconds in the direction arbitrarily labeled southwest of the warp point the CD captains informed their two defenders to pursue the Apins while they closed the range. It was a plan to catch them in-between two fires. Had they acted earlier it might have worked. As it was the maneuvers weren’t enough for the Interceptors were 0.25 LS out of range. Eight Apins did fall to the force beams, point defense and CAMs of the CDs, but all three ships were reduced to one-sixth speed and lacked any means to attack afterwards.
     The two Interceptors were again flustered when the Apins refused to engage them. No doubt they wished the last 13 would fall to their guns, but could only watch as the armed small craft sped away. Just as the two ships turned about a single Sloop scout and two regular pinnaces made transit. In a moment the Sloop was destroyed by the two hundred laser buoys left active by the CDs. Racing back to the warp point, the Interceptors saw another Sloop make transit. Surviving the sprint mode missile barrage offered by the duo, the Sloop, having not been vaporized by buoys, transited out with the two pinnaces following promptly.
     Turning about for a third time the duo headed away from the warp point. They were proven correct for doing as three Jajer battlecruisers and three Losyn light cruisers made transit thirty seconds later. Just two missiles fired by the transit addled Terpla’n ships hit one Interceptor, but with antimatter warheads involved it lost 28% of its shields.
     Six more ships entered as the Jajers and Losyns got their bearings and fired normally. This would be their last chance for in another thirty seconds the Interceptors would’ve been out of firing range. Together they made the Interceptor that lost most of its armor earlier a burning wreck.
     Two Couts entered and launched their brood of prototype strikefighters, prompting the last Interceptor to flee. A few minutes later at a range of one light-second the ship turned to bring its point defense to bear, knocking out two fighters. One whole squadron fired back, ten of its twelve stand-off missiles achieving hits with no interference. Closer in another fighter was the price for knocking down the remaining shielding and 14% of the armor. In the final moment three more fighters became onrushing debris clouds while the Interceptor turned into a loose collection of parts.
     With the four crippled Axis ships having scuttled themselves in the interim Bapha brought in the rest of his missile-armed units. Firing mine-clearance rounds from their missile launchers it took eight minutes to clear a path for the eight Couts and four Provems. Their targets, 11 CAs (two of which were known to be light carriers) and one DD were now just over three light-minutes away, moving at maximum military speed. With their slight speed advantage it would take six hours for the carrier component of the survey force to get within striking distance of the enemy.
     So it came about the Terpla’n carriers reached their launch point, almost 18 light minutes from the warp point. Six Axis squadrons faced off against 15, but seven of those were prototype. Great as Allied fighter production had been, there were priorities on who got first generation models. Being at the bottom of the supply chain, only one-third of the Couts received the new model at the time of the Hamthen offensive. It was Bapha’s good luck that he got four of those carriers with updated strikegroups. Four F1 squadrons were armed in equal measure of laser and gun packs, giving them an edge on movement while four others were armed with FRAMs and laser packs. The first exchange occurred 1.5 LS from the ships. Painfully green, the Axis pilots failed to maneuver properly and were outside point-blank range for their guns. Shooting was atrocious, bagging only three fighters, a pathetic figures compared to their loss of two-thirds of their numbers.
     At one light-second range the ships turned to port, all of them opening up with point defense. Before dying the last of the Axis fighters bagged two Terpla’n counterparts, and the ships claimed three. Being slightly faster the four laser-and-gun squadrons broke off and approached the Axis formation on a different vector. Predictably the enemy, when forced to maneuver to bring their weapons to bear, focused on the fighters that didn’t fight back in their own defense. Those had to be the ones with antimatter ordnance, and they were willing to take the sting of lasers in the interim.
     The shipboard lasers on the Axis carriers knocked down two fighters whereas their and the DDE’s point defense failed to hit anything at 0.5 LS range. Four more fell to the minelayers. Long-range laser hits stripped some armor off the DDE and six minelayers as well as their external ordnance of CAMs.
     Maneuvering to advantage, the four F1 squadrons, having been ¼ LS behind the F0s, ended up in the blind spot of the Axis ships. The laser-and-gun squadrons did the same, but at point blank range, leaving the F0s to take the brunt of last-ditch defensive fire from the enemy. Of the 42 F0 Sharks that started the battle only 10 survived to return to the carriers. As for the enemy they suffered, for in using their point defense to engage Sharks they left themselves open to the external missiles of the carriers and their escorts. At 6 LS range the four datalink groups opened up with capital missiles armed with antimatter warheads. Only two minelayers retained full speed, the rest having sustained light to heavy internal damage.
     Breaking formation, Axis ships went as fast as they could in different directions. In this way at least some of their point defense could engage the enemy instead of none had they stayed together, letting the Sharks congregate in their blind spots. Three minelayers were destroyed with 7 F1 Sharks shot down. It continued like this, protracted since the Sharks had to use their laser packs and the carriers unable to contribute since having expended their external missiles.
     In all 12 of the 48 F1 Sharks were shot down. Only one badly broken minelayer was left, obviously having failed to scuttle when its brethren had done so to avoid capture. With standard nuke close-attack missiles Sharks attacked the ship carefully until its shields were down, allowing the cutters from the Couts to attach themselves to the hull to disgorge boarding parties. No useful data was recovered from the ship’s database, and Bapha elected to keep the ship as a prize rather than destroying it outright.
     After sweeping the area for two days for pilots that might have survived ejecting Bapha ordered his forces back into Abyssal-019, leaving his one remaining operational Sloop to investigate while his survey ships went back to finish their warp point survey. The sole repair ship set upon making repairs to the badly damaged Sloop and prepping fighters and Apins from spare stock. For losing 44 fighters (nearly half his fighter strength), 23 out of 36 Apins, one Sloop and 251 personnel Bapha had destroyed 9 minelayers, 3 automated weapon control ships, three escort cruisers, two light carriers, an escort destroyer, 600 laser buoys, 103 mine patterns and 36 fighters. Such a victory was only possible thanks in most part to the armed pinnaces; otherwise it would’ve required a substantial effort to nullify the laser buoys.
     Tending to his own defense Bapha had his side of the Abyssal-019 warp point invested with mines and buoys from his two minelayers and the control ship. Soon enough a proper task group will come and assume control of the defenses, leaving Bapha free to move on. Pondering the relative rapidity of the Axis minelayer group he reasoned there had to have been a nodal system some links away from Abyssal-019. The next time the Axis appears he was certain it won’t be a flotilla of minelayers.


On the Axis side there was also a newly-promoted officer. Commander Konset, a logistic and material specialist, was made a Prime Commander and moved to the Science Development Bureau of the AFC. His job was to review the requests made by scientists for research projects and weigh them against the resources they needed. An outspoken officer as far back as the Elotoshani War, only a week went by when Konset had his first explosion.
     He went to see his immediate superior, System Admiral Joncan. There wasn’t a room soundproofed enough to handle Konset’s lungs. “What a misplaced sense of priority! We knew of this technology for over five years and failed to develop it, despite the demonstrated superiority!” It looked as if the fine bone plates covering Konset’s face would pop off at any moment, being stretched and stressed so.
     “There was no need to do so at the time, Konset,” Joncan replied, the exact opposite of Konset’s attempt to beat the air into submission. “The Nu’Chut AIs were all but defeated, and our leaders were already thinking of the post-war period. Refitting and expanding the fleet, building new fortifications to cover the gains made in the war, and colonization of conquered worlds took priority over researching technology that was hardly used by the enemy. In one battle, the last one, to be precise.”
     Konset then gave truth to the rumor that he had a second pair of lungs somewhere in his body. Some would say they were located in his head. “Sir, that’s no excuse for when we did go to war against the walking squids nineteen months ago! We could’ve crashed-developed the new fighter and had it deployed in numbers well before their counter-attack! Twice damned, we could’ve had those fighters available when we encountered that four-armed abomination race! Same thing goes with that stand-off fighter missile! We had detailed scans of the Nu’chut weapons, Sir, and they’ve been in secured storage for five years! What had my predecessors been doing, sitting around and waiting to collect their pensions? I feel someone should be put up on charges and shot!”
     “Lower your voice, Konset,” Joncan intoned, “or I will charge you for inflicting grievous harm on an officer’s health, namely his ears.” He waited while Konset composed himself. “That’s better. Aside from your temper, you have a good service record and a refined sense of priority, Prime Commander Konset. Since you’re still new here I will let this one outburst go, so the next time you need to vent I suggest you do it in private or better yet in front of a mirror if you need an audience. Lets you think we’re not doing our job I will tell you of accomplishments we made recently. In fact, you’ll know this information even before the First Leader, so feel privileged.
     “Firstly, we successfully reversed-engineered the improved armor as used by the four-armed abominations. This will increase passive armor defense by 50%, or allow the freeing of internal space for additional systems. Also developed from observed data was the point defense system with the refined anti-fighter targeting package. Even the external laser pack will be ready for mass-production. At this time, Konset, do you have any recommendations of which projects should receive emergency development funding?”
     Konset was waiting for this, and he replied in a voice that was just below a shout. “Yes, System Admiral. Most important of all is the development of our own antimatter technology. To be able to project twice as much firepower from our missile ships and fighters is well worth the immense expenses involved. Of course, the new fighter is another major priority followed by the datalink jammer, laser missile warheads, stand-off fighter missiles and the armed pinnace. Other projects such as the spinal force beam, the long range missile, capital fire control and the ‘escort shuttle’ can receive normal development funding.”
     Joncan made a toothless smile. “Konset, formalize your recommendations and submit them to me. I’ll send them along with my message to the First Leader. I’m sure he will approve of your assessment of our needs.” He turned his chair so that its back faced Konset. “You may go.”
     Saluting, the Prime Commander left the office feeling the stares of curious co-workers burning the back of his head. Suppressing the urge to turn around and tell them to mind their own business he went down one floor of the building to reach his office. On the way he stopped at a bay window and looked outside. It was raining, as was typical for this region of the planet. Konset’s new assignment entailed relocating to Elotoshan Prime, third planet of the Elotoshan system. Along with an occupation army there was a scientific enclave and 50,000 Comensal civilians on the planet. As abominations went the Elotoshani were as ugly as they come and, in Konset’s opinion, should’ve been wiped out years ago. As a junior officer on a battlecruiser he participated in the assault on the Eloto home system. Having made it through the warp point battle his ship was subjected to suicide attacks from cutters and shuttles, causing extensive damage and killing 60% of the crew, including most of Konset’s friends. Only the race’s scientific acumen gave them a temporary reprieve from genocide. But when all that could be learned from the Eloto was achieved Konset was all too happy to volunteer for the extermination battalions.
     Two weeks after this meeting the first batch of AFC ships underwent an armor refit in virtually every shipyard in the Asteroid Axis.


Despite having only 5,000 troops and a like number of civilian volunteers the fighting on Citadel Prime lasted two months. Governor Genpan, commanding from her ingeniously concealed command bunker, sent orders only periodically so as to retain her location’s secrecy. She trusted her troops to keep fighting until they were physically unable to do so, which is to say to the death in most instances. Random minefields and other battlefield traps had slowed the massive alien troops known as E’sani. The few armored vehicles available to Genpan were hidden with such skill that enemy troops passed by them without knowing, only to have them erupt and conduct costly surprise attacks.
     As far as anyone was concerned the Governor was dead, having been killed early in the fight at the spaceport. It helped matters that the enemy used their kinetic bombardment system, obliterating contradictory evidence and having to take the words of prisoners at face value. Her lieutenant governor, Samden, had acted out his part and surrendered the colony to the enemy. Genpan was equally pleased on how the population was fulfilling their role in acquiescing to the orders of the occupiers.
     She knew her peoples’ blood was burning underneath their façade of acceptance. It was important that the enemy let down their guard as much as possible, letting themselves into positions where they can’t pull themselves out readily, before the plan could be enacted. A romantic of ancient battles, Genpan wanted to start the all-out resistance campaign with a devastating act of violence, one that would put the enemy on the defensive for good. More importantly, she wanted to see how far they could be pushed before they surrendered their ideals on the altar of expediency. In her heart, she hoped they would never get to that point, taking enormous casualties instead, right up to point when the Fleet returned. The fact that the enemy hadn’t simply bombarded the planet to begin with, even after knowing Comensal history, was a deadly sign of hesitancy that was going to cost them dearly in the end.
     Genpan intended to be at the end once all was said and done. The command bunker only had 20 people in it and had enough supplies for three years. If things turn out as she expected then in three months time, perhaps sooner, the blood of the enemy will cover the streets like rain.


Field General Jingu-wa, commander of the 1st Expeditionary Corps, Commonwealth Space Army, regarded the Axis city with a mix of satisfaction and concern. Other than the spaceport the damage to civilian infrastructure was minimal, as were civilian casualties. For the most part, those civilians that did die in the invasion, roughly 3,200, had participated as auxiliaries to Axis Army units. Only 114 out of an estimated 5,000 Axis Army troops were captured, the rest having fought to the death rather than surrender. As for the 1st EC the losses were 900 dead and twice that wounded, thanks in no small part to kinetic strike satellites.
     Expecting a much more fanatical resistance, Jingu-wa was happy the casualties for his corps were not higher. That was also his source of concern, and reading the intelligence reports only reinforced that nagging feeling of his. For one, the civilian combat auxiliaries, almost to a one, were either seniors or downright elderly. A self-proclaimed, hot-blooded race as the Comensal would indeed have a will of iron that prevented far younger and more able members of the community from actively participating in combat. Recently acquired population data proved that at most there were only 4,800 civilians that could be labeled as seniors. All the rest were young, the adults averaging at the age of 34 with married couples having at least three children.
     Citadel was a colony world, and it made sense that the vast number of its population would be young pioneer types. The seniors may have taken upon themselves to sacrifice themselves so as to protect the future of the colony. Jingu-wa couldn’t reconcile this with the philosophy of the Comensal race: genocide of other races and supreme sacrifice to bring about racial victory. He fully expected his troops to be under continuous attack by suicidal civilians. If anything the troops were meet with the indifference one would give to a mail carrier or a street repair crew.
     Jingu-wa didn’t like it. Either the Comensal were genuinely shocked by their defeat at the hands of the E’sani or they were being diabolically duplicitous. The sooner he knew the answer the better for the sake of the 1st EC.



Camp Tango, located to the northwest of Stone Hearth, main city of Citadel Prime, was the base of operations for the 141st Regiment. The 2nd Platoon of the 3rd Company returned from field operations to find the engineers had finished the prefab structures to take the place of the tents previously used. The rest of the afternoon was spent transferring gear to the new structures and packing the tents, followed by a special dinner shuttled in from the orbiting troopships. Being big and strong E’sani were also known for their appetites. Instead of spiced-up rations the Regiment got cooked meat and vegetables to celebrate their new digs. Enough gravy was served with the meat to fill a child’s wading pool.
     As platoon sergeant Pepen-su made sure the troops were turned in properly and spent the evening with the lieutenant writing reports. He entered his quarters late, and despite wanting to fall asleep he made himself keep a promise. With a writing tablet he wrote a brief letter first to his parents, then penned a more verbose one to his younger brother, describing combat and heroics on Citadel in lurid details often found in exploitive melodrama. The last letter was for Svaa Keltro, a child he met during the liberation of Hamthen.

“Hello, Svaa. Glad to hear your town’s school is holding classes again, despite missing a roof. Nevertheless, you should study hard. You’re going to inherit a rebuilt world and it’s going to need bright, intelligent girls like you to help run it.
     Yes, there are pink trees here on Citadel, but the leaves are circular instead of elongated. The sky is darker blue than that of Hamthen, and it makes the distant white sun less bright otherwise. It’s drier than I like it, and we have to drink more water due to the heat. The two small moons orbit the planet very close, the light they reflect makes the night feel like a pale copy of the day. All sorts of critters and bugs come out at night. Good thing we E’sani have such thick skin otherwise we would’ve gone crazy from bug bites.
     I can’t say much about fighting the bonehead troops except that they fought with tenacity right until the end. The civilians hardly fought at all and were real quite. The children were as moon-eyed as a bonehead could get when they watch us patrol the streets and at the checkpoints. Perhaps they’re afraid we’ll eat’em, but there’s not enough gravy to cover their bad taste. Ha ha ha.
     I’m attaching photos to this letter that you can show to your parents and classmates. Next time I might be allowed to send actual videos. There are some big birds here and photos don’t do them justice.”

Pepen-su Karas”

After appending the photo files Pepen-su sent the electronic letter to the camp’s mail server. The platoon was only going to be in camp for three days before going out on an extended patrol to find Axis Army holdouts, which in his opinion was a big waste of time. Any Axis solider worth his boney butt has already died or ran away in abject fear. He and the lieutenant knew it was nothing more than a ‘make-work’ job while the brass figures out what the size of the occupation force is going to end up being. As far as he was concerned since the regiment was among the first to set boots on the ground on Hamthen and on Citadel it had earned the right to be rotated home.
     He snorted and scratched the abbreviated whiskers on his snout. If it turned out that despite all their bluster and boasting that Comensal civilians were passive then the regiment was going to see a few more combats and occupations after all was said and done. That meant no rotation back to E’sani worlds for rest and refit, but to Hamthen or even here on Citadel once the facilities were brought up to speed.
     Having gotten his shirt and boots off Pepen-su figured that was enough and immediately went to sleep on the foam mattress. He actually looked forward to do laundry the next day, as it was as far as one could get from patrolling streets filled with too-quite enemy civilians and equally quite children. Only later did he recall that the look the children gave him was that of a hateful stare instead of shy indifference.


The orbital space of Citadel Prime was alive with mobile yards and machine shops, assembling CSF bases to cover the second and third warp points of the system. Already hefty minefields and energy buoy parks were on guard to blunt any intrusion the Axis cared to make. On one of the mobile yards the newly promoted Flag Admiral Ayrth was meeting his Staff Intelligence Officer, Captain Yos.
     “My teams have completed their investigation of Citadel, Admiral,” Yos stated, “to determine the veracity of Axis records. It has been confirmed that this planet was once occupied… no, make that developed, by sentient constructs on the behalf of a race called the Nu’Chut. This race had died out some decades earlier due to some yet undisclosed reason, for there was no mention in the Axis records we recovered.”
     Having read some of the records himself Ayrth had questions. “So it’s true that a sentient machine race prepared multiple habitable zones on this planet for long-dead masters? Their priorities must be hard-wired to carry through with such an effort that they themselves couldn’t benefit from.”
     Yos blinked. “Indeed, Sir. There are no less than seventeen sites on Citadel that have been initially developed for Nu’Chut habitation. Roads, power and water stations, plumbing, underground conduits for power and data, and even parks. All of them are in use by the Axis with city of Stone Hearth being the largest at 32,000. The AIs, as the Axis called them, were noted for their tactical flexibility and initial technical supremacy. Vulnerable to radiation, the AIs on Citadel were subjected to a light bombardment by neutron warheads. For the Axis all they had to do was simple decontamination and sweeping up parts of burnt-out robots.
     Axis astronavigational data had been wiped from the colony computer, and their governmental database has been wiped clean, though it was clear that the actual datacores were physically removed and replaced. Interrogations of the few Army prisoners and of civilians have not been productive, other than blithely stating the Axis mantra, of course.”
     Ayrth rolled his eyes. “'Supremacy of the race and destruction of all others'. They must say that in front of the mirror each morning. Any further discoveries about Axis military development in this system?”
     “I can say firmly that this system wasn’t used as a staging ground for Axis forces sent into Hamthen space, Admiral. The space station that was in orbit here was too small to serve as the main focus of supply, extensive repair and refitting, not to mention major construction. As for the Army, there was no evidence of major encampments at any of the seventeen population centers. The brigade that was assigned to the planet was based on the outskirts of Stone Hearth. Additionally, had they planned to use Citadel to facilitate invasion groups then they would’ve developed the required support infrastructure. Their Hamthen invasion force had to have been staged from another system.”
     Ayrth thought for a moment, closing his inner set of eyelids. “Given that more than two months have pass without so much as a peep from the AFC we have to assume they’ll still reeling from the blow we dealt them at Hamthen. Or they’re playing coy. But it’s hard to imagine a race as militant as the Axis not fully mobilized even after 21 months of war. So, where are their reinforcements?”
     “The question of the century, Admiral.” Yos twitched his eyes, the Terpla’n equivalent of a shrug. “If they are being coy, biding their time, they could be preparing to mount multiple counter-attacks to reclaim their territory. Or they’re so committed to another project, like exploiting a new warp link into our territory that they can’t reply immediately.”
     “Now that is an unpleasant thought, Yos. However, they’re not going to enjoy of the luxury of time for much longer. As you know, the First Field Fleet released two of its task forces once word was received that Hamthen was successfully assaulted. In practical terms, that means six task groups with which to picket warp points or conduct localized offensives. The first one reached Metalstorm last week and Silvershoe received its two just three days ago. As for the other three, one will be in orbit here in another five days and the other two will reach their warp points in six and eight days respectively.”
     Yos consulted the datapad he was holding. “The survey elements we sent to warp points 2 and 3 will have completed their surveys by now. If I was the enemy I would’ve already attacked by now.”


In the system known to the Axis as Brass Latch, one warp link from Citadel, Survey Element 212 had completed its search for additional warp points. As for the system itself Brass Latch wasn’t much to look at, being a distant red star/red dwarf binary with uninteresting asteroid belts and bare rockball worlds and moons. No planetary survey was conducted for such a task was reserved for second-tier survey vessels. The warp point to Citadel was 213 light-minutes ‘southwest’ of the red primary with the other two, located practically right next to each other, were 166 and 162 light-minutes respective ‘northwest’ of the primary on the same bearing.
     SE 212 was a Bulani unit, composed of three Professor survey cruisers, two Sloop scouts, a Chaq pinnace tender, a Chaq-b and Privateer armed pinnace tenders. With sensor and comm buoys already set the next step was to probe the second warp point and start the next survey. A regular pinnace slipped in, took a quick read, and returned. Next a Professor was sent in, science instruments recording the subtleties of the warp point’s gravity eddies, long range scanners questing through the void for any signs of ships. Ninety seconds later it came back, not to inform them that all was clear but that an Axis fleet of over 300 ships was a scant 20 light-seconds out and bearing down on the warp point.
     The Bulani commander, Gekkas, weighed his options. Even if he ran now there was no chance his ships could outrun a fighter strike even with engine detuning. He couldn’t even reach the third warp point in time, and that still wouldn’t eliminate a pursuit had there been time anyway. SE 212 didn’t have the supplies for a prolonged flight, for being so close to Citadel they didn’t have their own replenishment ships like the 1st Survey Force.
     So Gekkas resolved to make an impromptu stand at the warp point and destroy as many Axis ships that made transit as possible. He had his two Sloop scouts take station ten light-seconds from the warp point to observe the battle and to flee at the right moment. For the rest he stationed them one light-second from the warp point, pinnaces and armed pinnaces as well. He wondered just how aggressive his Axis opposite number was going to be.
     Very aggressive, as it turned out. Twelve minutes after the Professor returned the first Axis assault wave erupted into Brass Latch. Three fighter-carrying Soar dreadnoughts, two battleships, and a battlecruiser came on the same bearing and their weapons were in arc of the survey element. The Apins dived in, ready to deliver their payloads of death. Despite being at combat stations it was a Soar that fired first, scoring four hits with CAMs on Gekkas’ ship, collapsing the shields. Firing back, the trio of Professors scored 23 CAM hits out of 24 and 45 out of 54 antimatter sprint-mode standard missiles. Past the fireballs and plumes of escaping atmosphere the Soar retained an intact boatbay and a still working engine room. The CAMs from the pinnace tenders and the 18 FRAM-armed Apins made the other two Soars match the first one. One BB lost 83% of its shielding. Gekkas’ ship was hit by another Soar, the BBs and the BC, reduced to three launchers and one engine room.
     The pinnace tenders moved away from the warp point at full speed with their now-expended broods following. Three regular DNs and three BCs emerged, and the first wave BBs and the BC, finding no minefield or energy buoys opposing them, went after the Professors. Gekkas gave the order, dividing his fire so that the nearly-dead Soars were finished off and pounding on the shield-addled BB. Severely damaged, the BB was still in datalink with its partners, tearing into a second Professor. Transit-affected fire finished that ship as well as breaching the defenses of the third Professor.
     Wave three was the same as two, but it didn’t matter. The third Professor finished the target BB and was in turn blotted out from space. With its last engine destroyed it was clear the enemy planned to board the first Professor. The magazines were still intact, and before they could be lanced by primary beams Gekkas ordered the ship to self-destruct. There were no life pods for the Bulani, indeed any Allied crew, wouldn’t want to be captured by the Axis in this circumstance.
     The two Sloops were chased away by a pair of corvettes, each armed with a single capital missile launcher and tactical scanners. By doing this the Sloops were unable to ascertain the classes of ships that continued to transit the warp point. Meanwhile the Apins reached their tenders and began the process of rearming. With them were the six regular pinnaces from the Professors. After arming the Apins took off and assumed station over the ships while the pinnaces landed and took on the majority of the tender crews. They took off with the nine pinnaces from the Chaq class tender just as long range scanners detected 48 destroyers entering definitive identification range. With the Apins acting as escort the fifteen pinnaces would reach the Citadel warp point before experiencing engine burnout.
     Turning about, the tenders closed on the Axis destroyers, intent on ramming. 42 of the destroyers turned out Sprinters, their HET lasers finding the range at 2.75 LS, devastating the Chaq-b tender. With its laser the Privateer scored a hit on a Sprinter. The DDs then turned to keep the range open, blasting the tenders into debris clouds, especially the Privateer and Chaq-b since they still had antimatter ordnance in their magazines. Not in the mood for captures, the Sprinters destroyed the Chaq. Though they could’ve gone after the pinnaces with fighters, the Axis commander decided that the loss of three Soars (with 72 embarked fighters), one BB, and light armor damage to one DD was enough for one day. Regardless, Yos’s question had been answered. The Axis Fleet was back in force.


Chapter 5.50

Star Force 3, First Advance Fleet, moved as fast as its dreadnoughts and battleships would allow. Star Admiral Consen, having made a name for himself in the Nu’Chut War, was determined to crush Task Force 21 and expel the Allies from Comensal space. The brief battle to enter the system of Brass Latch only served to whet Consen’s appetite for battle.
     In the Elotoshani War, in which the last battle saw hordes of cutters and shuttles conducting suicide attacks Consen, commander of the army transport task group, came up with an idea. He advocated the development of an armed small craft as a defense against future enemies that might use the same tactic. With the opinion of the fleet behind him Consen’s proposal was accepted and researched. It proved a useful endeavor when the Nu’Chut AIs were encountered; the anti-fighter small craft formed a defense against the AI’s fighters until the Axis developed their own.
     It didn’t concern Consen all that much that the Allies had those potent warheads of theirs and more advanced fighters. His fleet, fresh from the Lauset Sector, was the largest so far deployed by the AFC: 36 dreadnoughts, 11 battleships, 39 battlecruisers, 30 heavy and 36 light cruisers, 42 destroyers and 36 frigates. For carriers he had 24 plus escort with 576 embarked fighters. As for the assault element Consen had five Soars and four Falcon Crests accompany his fleet, giving him 216 more fighters. 120 Grenadiers and 48 Dispersions, along with twelve minesweepers and a convoy carrying 40,000 soldiers, were trailing the fleet as they could only go as fast as the corvettes’ commercial engines would allow.
     If the enemy fleet sorties into Brass Latch the prime targets were going to be the capital missile platforms. Even at the cost of losing every fighter it would still be worth it in Consen’s mind. His fleet train had enough crated fighters to replace his strikegroup losses twice over. With those damned antimatter armed ships gone it was going to be a more favorable environment for his ships. It was imperative that control over the Brass Latch/Citadel warp point was achieved by the time the assault corvettes arrived. Liberating Citadel would earn much favor from the First Leader.




Flag Admiral Ayrth returned to his command ship, the Captain Narkas, as soon as word came of the Axis advance into Brass Latch. He boarded a Spice Clipper that happened to be in orbit over Citadel, and it took a day at full speed to cover the 95 light-minutes from the planet to the Citadel/Brass Latch warp point. While en route Ayrth issued orders so that when he arrived Task Force 21 began the process of transiting into Brass Latch. The only ships left behind were those best suited for defense and the automated weapon control ships.
     He brought along the assault carriers so as to maximize his striking power. The lower top speed of the Avami SD(V)s was no handicap as the Axis would only be moving as fast as their dreadnoughts. Destruction of Axis capital ships was the prime goal of TF 21, especially if the assault element was devastated. To that end Ayrth dispatched two carrier task elements and three wings of armed pinnace tenders on a separate course that would take them to Brass Latch’s other two warp points. With the enemy’s supply of undersized assault corvettes gone it was unlikely they would mount an immediate assault on Citadel.
     The timing was incredibly precise; just as the last frigate made transit the Axis fleet was only twenty light-seconds out and closing. Admiral Jki, commanding the carrier groups, launched her strikewings on a course that would take place them on the Axis’ port side just as the fleets entered 10 light-second range. The Allied carriers returned to Citadel save for Jki’s Junshu and two other CVs. She also had the carrier escorts stay so that their jammers and improved point defense could defend the task force. Captain Reas, commanding the strikewings, had to remain in Brass Latch so as to monitor their progress as well as issue new orders as the battle unfolded.
     For his part Consen felt mortified as he witnessed the launch of 1188 Allied fighters, a number that was 50% larger than this own. Even when 180 of those abomination fighters stayed behind to guard the fleet that still left over 1000 to threaten his own. He briefly considered having his fighters stay with his ships, but that would surrender the initiative to the enemy. He went ahead with his original plan only because he knew further reinforcements were coming in four weeks. Point-blank defensive fire will have to suffice.
     The abominations deployed a new weapon, an extended range missile with a laser-producing warhead. It was exactly the same kind of weapon used by the four-armed race on the other side of the Nu’chut sector. With concentrated fire the Allies fixated on one DN, a National Reach, until its armor gave way. It was a sign of Ayrth’s intuition and Consen’s single-mindedness that the range between the fleets was kept to 10 LS for the second volley of laser-warhead SBMs. This time it was a Prestige that lost its armor, belching air like mechanically-induced hiccups. Another National Reach got the leftovers, its armor protection halved by several exceptionally accurate volleys.
     Ayrth slowed his fleet, letting the Axis close the range by 1 LS. In doing so this brought the Axis fighters to within 6.5 LS of his ships, but Jki’s fighters had closed to 4 LS. Two more Axis dreadnoughts had their armor savaged by laser warheads. Speeding back up, TF 21 maneuvered to keep SF 3 out of its blind spot for the fourth volley, forcing Consen to follow like an obedient pet. Two minutes into combat 13% of the Axis DNs had lost their armor and were streaming atmosphere.
     Slowing again, TF 21 reduced the range to 8 LS. Now the Axis fighters were 4 LS away, and the maneuvers of SF 3 allowed the Allied strikegroups to close to 2.25 LS. With the fifth volley away Ayrth had TF 21 sped up to 0.05c. Consen knew it was wishful thinking on his part that the enemy’s long-range missile displayed two of the three characteristics as exemplified by the four-armed race’s own missile. It was clear the missiles had the third for some of the ships had their missiles loitering, including those that hadn’t fired since the engagement began. On the flipside his DNs finally had the range and opened up with their internal capital launchers. Consen noted that the Allied fighters closed to 1.5 LS range. SF 3 turned to port to bring 218 HET lasers to bear. 23 fighters, clearly armed with antimatter ordnance, were picked off while one Allied missile DN lost it shields from concentrated fire. Even some armor was scrubbed off.
     Still moving at 0.05c, TF 21 opened up with missile volleys usually seen 2 LS closer in. The Axis DNs still used their point defense to defend themselves, but the rest used theirs as well as force beams and HET lasers against the Allied fighters, now at 0.75 LS range. 151 fighters were either lazed, punched like empty soda cans by force beams, or knocked out by proximity point defense missiles. By doing this they left themselves open to unopposed SBM-Lts volleys. Nine BCs and BB lost most or all of their armor. HET lasers at 1.5 LS failed to knock out one Axis fighter but the 30 squadrons assigned to defense moved behind and took out 108 of the 792-strong strike. The one Oknib continued to be hit, armor breached and with two engine rooms down for the count.
     Like filings to a magnet the Allied fighters attached themselves to their Axis prey. Living up to their Shark moniker they tore great chunks of metal from dreadnoughts to heavy cruisers. It pained Jki and Reas to see nearly 43 squadrons brought down in the most intensive action to date, but their sacrifice allowed for the destruction or severely crippling all 36 Axis dreadnoughts. Two BB were gone with another with heavy damage, along with 27 BCs and 7 CAs. Just one Oknib was lost. What was left were 426 Axis fighters, despite the fact that 258 were shot down at 0.5 LS range by defending fighters and shipboard weapons alike.
     In a move that surprised Ayrth the remnants of the Axis fleet turned around and proceeded to flee. The DDs and FGs went to full speed, leaving the slightly slower cruisers behind. Only 9 BBs and the cripples remained, and they made for the warp point. Had they remained together they could’ve still inflicted significant damage on TF 21’s combat ships, but it appeared whoever was in command of the Axis fleet had decided not to throw more good money after bad. Ayrth was just thankful his enemy didn’t stay on the defensive with his fighters. Had he done so, then the battle would’ve been hotly contested indeed.
     Jamming ECM spun up to full power, knocking Axis fighter datalinks into disarray. Despite the full weight of Allied defenses upon them the fighters, before their extinction, took down three Disam BCs and broke the shields of an Oknib. Now on a course that would take them to their fleeing carriers, the Axis cruisers detuned their engines and followed their DD and FGs. It was here that the Axis launched every courier drone they had, set to maximum speed and heading for the Citadel warp point. Ayrth ordered the task force to change course and charge the eight oncoming BBs and their collection of lesser crippled ships. He didn’t know what the enemy was planning but he had no intention of letting any of those drones get through.
     On her initiative Jki sent a drone of her own, calling in the rest of her carriers so as to recover her depleted strikeforce. The BBs opened up just under 4 LS range, targeting the shieldless Oknib. Everything forward of her first engine room was wrecked and that’s all that could be said about it. The Captain Avma down to the Tzelan frigate Y-25 worked on the National Powers, pounding them with force beams, lanced by lasers and primaries, and engulfed by antimatter fireballs. Ayrth ordered a cease-fire and sent a surrender demand to the 35 crippled, weaponless ships still advancing on his task force. 31 responded immediately by blowing up, leaving four that for some reason or other were unable to effect their suicide.
     After dispatching shuttles to board the four ships Ayrth next spoke to Jki. “Once again we savaged an Axis force for relatively little blood on our side, Jki. Congratulations. However, I’m not about to let the rest of their force go free. As they went above their cruising speed for a whole day some of their ships will suffer engine room casualties and drop out of formation. Those will be handled by our destroyers. Your task is to whittle away at their escorts until you feel the time is right to move in with the main attack against the carriers.”
     Jki’s eyes looked a little tense on the repeater monitor Ayrth was using. “Aye, Sir. Even though we lost 36% of our fighter strength committed to this battle my squadron commanders have asked, to a one, when we’ll be going after them. But I must say whoever’s in command over there had developed some good sense, unfortunately.”
     “Yes. It would’ve been preferable had they kept to their usual bull-headed attitude. Now that they’re running our stock of SBMs will run out long before they run out of ships.” Ayrth blinked, looking at another repeater screen. “The destroyers will be engaging the five Soar assault carriers soon. Your carrier groups are to move once all our fighters have been recovered.”
     “Aye, Admiral.” Jki turned off the viewer and called in her staff. Along with Reas they came up with an engagement plan. While doing this she wondered if the Axis had finally reached the top of the learning curve. Whoever was in command of the Axis fleet failed to fully appreciate the circumstances he found himself in. Like Ayrth, Jki knew that had the Axis fighters been used defensively then the outcome would’ve been far bloodier. Captured data had shown that so far the admirals that faced them were veterans of command rank in previous wars. Eventually, enough enemy ‘young blood’ officers would reach fleet command by attrition alone. When combined with technology copied from the Allies those command officers would turn out to be formidable indeed.




Consen didn’t survive his first and only encounter with a Terpla’n-lead fleet. His carrier group commander, System Admiral Hovwen, was his only senior subordinate to escape the one-sided debacle. Far more knowledgeable on carrier tactics she wanted to hold back the fighters, but was overruled by Consen. Now it was matter of watching on just how many more fighters the abominations were willing to lose in order to take out her remaining ships.
     Being slower, the five Soars were left behind. Against them were 42 destroyers. Vainly, the Soars turned about to bring the fight to the Allies, but the destroyers being 40% faster kept the range open while the Okados, Falogrens and Lieutenants blasted away with capital force beams, capital and standard missiles. Only after the quintet bled atmosphere and suffered engine damage did the destroyers moved in for the kill. Two destroyers were lost and third damaged but compared to the Axis loss of five carriers it was a bargain.
     For all their hard-charging the previous day SF 3 started to suffer some engine burn-outs. Four FGs and a DD lost an engine room but were able to keep a speed of 0.1c. A Hailfire BC, a Warrior Spirit CVL and a National Will CL were not so fortunate. While Jki’s fighter strike passed them by the destroyers repeated their performance, and unlike the Soars this second battle was quicker since the trio had fewer passive defenses.
     Armed with stand-off missiles the 72 F0 and 686 F1 Sharks first engaged the Axis frigates at a range of 1.5 LS. Their goal wasn’t to destroy them outright but to slow them down significantly so that the Allied destroyers could finish them off at their leisure. 16 F1s were shot down by long-range laser fire but a like number of frigates were crippled. On the second missile attack the rest of the frigates were hobbled for the loss of 14 more Sharks.
     The Sprinter DDs were tougher customers. Only eight were damaged enough to fall out of formation but at a cost of 12 Sharks. As the fighters retired Hovwen came to a decision, one she later admitted she should’ve made earlier. She had the deck crews of the carriers along with herself transferred to 33 of the remaining Sprinters via shuttles and had them move at full speed, slowly but surely outpacing the trailing Allied carriers. They would eventually be out of the reach of the fighters, assuming that they cared to come after them when they had the rest of SF 3 to contend with.
     Jki wondered why it took so long for whoever was in command of the Axis force to have the destroyers run separately. Had they been thinking from the start, the frigates would’ve been spared as well. That suggested someone inexperienced, and from what she knew of Axis commanders headlong retreat was something they thought happened to others. Given their losses to date the Axis might soon be calling up newly promoted admirals that would think more creatively and be less tied down by tradition.
     Still, the removal of 33 destroyers did help in the decision to conduct a major point-blank attack on the Axis fleet now with her 119 squadrons. The flight crews were becoming fatigued and she was anxious to destroy the carriers become some unforeseen circumstance takes the opportunity away from her.
     As before the goal was to cripple, not to outright destroy. Primary targets were, of course, the carriers, followed by the surviving battlecruisers. As many CLs as possible were to be crippled as well. To increase fighter survivability Reas only had the F1s armed with two FRAMs each. So loaded the fighters would only be in the defensive envelope for only 90 seconds instead of 120. As for the 72 F0 Sharks Reas loaded them with stand-off missiles, having them close to 1 LS range when the F1s reached attack positions.
     Predictably, the Axis ships opened up with all available weapons when the F1 Sharks closed to 0.75 LS. A total of 95 were lost before they achieved position, made possible when the Axis ships engaged additional engine modulation and slowed to 0.05c. Accuracy for the short-range attack and stand-off missiles alike was reduced by 20%. That didn’t really matter when 93 anti-matter armed squadrons were involved. All 23 regular carriers, 11 BCs, 16 CL and 6 DDE lost at least two engine rooms. Only one BC and two CLs were destroyed completely. All this came at the cost of 167 more F1s, leaving Jki with just 392, or just under one-third of the overall number that was at the start of the battle. Scuttling charges were set on the 56 crippled ships, the crews staying on board rather than delay the others in their flight. It was inevitable that some of the charges failed. Two CVs and a CVL were boarded by Terpla’n marines from the pursuing destroyers. While unopposed it was found that the databanks on the three ships were erased.

Then it was quite for the next twelve hours. Pilots rested up, squadrons reorganized and the destroyers had their missile magazines refilled by a pair of Spice Clipper freighters. Jki and Reas decided to conduct the same attack as before since speed proved to be the best defense against Axis defensive fire. Despite their high losses the pilots were still driven to see every Axis ship within their reach destroyed. Each ship gone meant one less guarding the far side of the Brass Latch warp point. Some even made bets on who would be transferred to the assault carriers to conduct the next attack, wanting to claim the 33 Sprinters that slipped away. To a one, the pilots had participated in the battle that broke the Axis force guarding Hamthen over three months ago. After seeing first-hand footage of what the boney-skinned bastards had done to the people of Hamthen there was no thought given of avoiding combat. There was no slacking, no fidgeting, and especially no hangover that would stop a pilot from volunteering on a strike. Even when so reduced in number the pilots knew their losses were nothing compared to the hundreds of millions already killed in the war. Finishing the cruisers would end the war that much quicker.
     The sixth strike of the day was launched. Watching them approach were 4 Falcon Crest CVs, 23 CAs, 6 CAEs, 18 CLs and one DD. Main targets were the CAEs and CLs, followed by the CAs. Two Sharks were lazed at 1.5 LS and 35 more were felled at 0.75 LS in a forest of blooming nuclear fireballs and clouds of super accelerated dense metallic pellets. With drivefields acting like demented insubstantial contortionists the Axis ships patiently waited for their doom. Banking and twisting like the predators they’re named after the Sharks attacked, leaving only two intact CAs behind them as well as 62 more comrades. One again preferring self-immolation rather than being targets for destroyers the Axis crews blew themselves up. Only three CLs and two CAs failed to detonate but the crews simply opened their hatches to space, killing themselves by asphyxiation.
     As for the two CAs and the four Falcon Crests they kept going, only waiting until the destroyers caught up to them. They turned and rushed their more numerous tormentors, falling to a blizzard of externally fired missiles and beams alike. It was in this way that the 2nd Battle of Brass Latch ended with yet another Axis fleet utterly smashed. Admiral Ayrth had TF 21 brought forward to cover the entry point used by SF 3. The enemy assault element had escaped along with the 33 Sprinter DDs. Keeping watch over the second warp point were the carrier element and pinnace tenders Ayrth send ahead to kill the corvettes. They had missed their chance to engage by a mere ten minutes. Minelayers were called forwards to establish the fixed defenses for both warp points.
     Squadrons were reorganized once again, the empty carriers sent back to Citadel Prime and wait while machine shops uncrated and prepped new fighters. As for the shower of Axis drones Ayrth learned that of the hundreds fired only four broke past, heading on a general course of Citadel Prime. He sent a message to Field General Jingu-wa, informing him of the situation and of his suspicion that the drones carried a coded message for Comensal resistance cells to begin activity. It seemed logical, for had they won the Axis would want to trap the occupation army so it couldn’t be evacuated in meaningful numbers and exterminate it. Such as was gathered from captured Axis Army documents found on Hamthen.
     It was Ayrth’s intention to conduct his own warp assault as soon as possible. The dedicated battleships and cruisers were on the way, and thankfully they included six fully-loaded Buccaneer Apin carriers. With 120 Grenadiers and 33 Sprinters most certainly guarding their side of the warp point he need as much throwaway firepower he could get. Destroying those ships would dissuade any follow-up from overt adventurism. Before he could devise plans to that end Ayrth had to write his eulogy for the fallen pilots and crews in the fleet memorial service. He kept it short and to the point, adding the reminder that battles like Brass Latch would be highly unlikely in the future. It will come to a point where the enemy would recover their wits and strike back far more intelligently. Perhaps the next battle would tell.




Now with a task group to defend the warp point in Abyssal-019 the 1st Survey Force conducted its next survey. Admiral Bapha knew not to expect much from this new system, being just a red giant with no planets. He named it BRB-01 (short for Big Red Ball) for the record since its Comensal designation was unknown. There was at least one other warp point in the system since the Axis minelayer group that was destroyed three weeks ago had to come from somewhere else.
     A comm net was set up in BRB-01 right from the start, buoys deployed in a radiating pattern from the entry point by six pinnaces. Hardly the first week went by when a report came in from the Sloop Bapha initially sent into BRB-01. A sensor contact was picked up by the scout. Dutifully following, the Sloop had closed in to find it was a solitary CA-hull ship, and by its emissions and appearance it was a military freighter. It wasn’t heading for the Abyssal-019 warp point but for another one. Having no long-range scanners the ship made transit without knowing it was being followed.
     While grateful the enemy had shown him two warp points Bapha wondered what the ship was doing in BRB-01 in the first place. It was moving at full tactical speed and without escort, meaning it was carrying supplies important enough to warrant a potentially dangerous trip in a system likely occupied by Allied forces. More telling, the Axis was willing to let anyone who happened to be watching to know where two additional warp points were located. He dispatched his Chaq tender to investigate the warp points with its regular pinnaces.
     Bapha sent a message to the task group and requested they send two of their Sloop scouts. It was very likely one or both of the warp points lead to systems that had ships and/or population centers. If it turned out that the Axis was indeed under some intense pressure, possibility related to their misadventure in Brass Latch, it was desirable that the pressure be turned up. So he waited, letting the Professors conduct their methodical work while the restored flightgroups of his carriers and armed pinnace tenders engaged in exercises. He knew they’ll be back in the fight soon enough.


On Citadel Prime Governor Genpan read the decoded text of the message broadcasted by the drones of SF 3 that managed to break into the system. She was pleased to learn that the AFC was planning a series of fleet actions that would cumulate in the liberation of Citadel. The Axis Army Command recommended that a general insurrection should start in six weeks time. A serendipitous suggestion in Genpan’s opinion since that was the date she fixed for her ‘populous uprising.’
     The colonists were still playing their part with the crushing weight of acquiescence upon them. On her orders there were the occasional ‘blow-ups’ with the occupying authority. Disagreements between business owners and customers, civilians and police officers, labor and the government were weekly occurrences. This made the enemy troops to become more involved, more visible to the colonists. Genpan wanted to have this become the routine, and in time this will breed complacency, fueled by the overall acceptance by the colonists. When the time came the enemy wouldn’t be confined to several well-defended strong points but spread out in numerous locations. Thus, when the uprising starts whole squads and platoons of enemy soldiers would be isolated and cut down like so many animals in a trap.
     Still operating from her command bunker Genpan and her staff hadn’t seen sunlight in over two months. She missed breathing untreated air and her garden of flowers and native vegetables. When she thought about her home a smoldering ember in her heart briefly flared up. The enemy commanding general, Jingu-wa, had made it his residence. Descriptions of what he had done to made the house more acceptable for E’sani sensibilities filled her with dark thoughts. As governor she participated in the construction, right down to the wiring. In her opinion it would’ve been a mercy had the house been burned to the ground instead. When the day came the AFC regained control of Citadel and the enemy army laid dead Genpan resolved not only to restore her house but to make it bigger and grander. It would be her personal monument, one she hoped to paint the exterior with the blood of Jingu-wa.


The second warp point in Brass Latch lead to the Tinsmith system. The now-deceased Star Admiral Consen had the Tinsmith side of the warp point fortified with the usual blanket of mines and buoys. Personnel transports, originally tasked to follow SF 3 and pick up life pod survivors in the aftermath of victory, now held the carrier flightdeck crews that System Admiral Hovwen brought with her. The transports, including the troopships slated for the recovery of Citadel Prime along with twelve minesweepers and 48 Dispersions, made best speed to another warp point.
     33 Sprinters and 120 Grenadier assault corvettes orbited 1 LS distant from the warp point like spring-loaded panthers, crawling at 0.017c. 8 LS out waited the two Command Detonators that held sway over the buoys and mine patterns. They had expected the usual probe by pinnaces, but failed to take into account that the assault force was scanned by a Sloop before retreating back into Tinsmith. Admiral Ayrth and his staff considered the options that the Axis commander faced. The possibility of the minesweepers being used to shoot down fighters was considered, but their loss here in Tinsmith would deny their future use in Citadel. So that would just leave the Grenadiers and the Sprinters.
     Not ready to further reduce his depleted fighter wings Ayrth ordered a blind mass-transit of 216 Hazen-crewed Apins. Exiting on random vectors, 30 of the Apins interpenetrated and exploded and a further 20 were claimed in the minefields. The survivors rendezvous at a point where they were mostly out of range of the defenders’ fire; just four were destroyed by lasers. Transit-addled guns and point defense in turn brought down 30 laser buoys.
     15 destroyers and 39 corvettes moved at full speed with ECM fully spun up. They moved so that the Grenadiers were on the forward port side and the Sprinters directly behind their still inactive brethren. The Apins closed and attacked, each carrying four FRAMs. Taking the defensive fire like it was unavoidable downpour the Hazen crews proceeded to destroy or cripple 18 destroyers. No Grenadiers were lost, being very tough for their size. That being said, 56 retained just a plasma gun apiece with 25 more being relieved of their burden of armor and life support. 39 Apins were destroyed before they could fire, and only six had partial loads left. Two crews had the distinction of shooting down dual plasma packets that were inbound toward their respective pinnaces.
     Turning, the Apins moved and stayed outside the minefields but their internal weapons picked up a buoy park and opened fire. Staying on their tail were the 15 active destroyers. Going a bit too fast, the DDs sailed into the Apin’s midst, allowing those with FRAMs left to use them. One DD was plastered, barely having motive power or life support for its surviving crew but 14 Apins were taken down. However, 86 laser buoys were swatted like so many clay pigeons.
      Set on wrecking another buoy park the Apins moved on with the DDs in tow. 68 CTs, plasma guns recharged, were set on assisting when six Quagaar-crewed Luttfomi minesweepers made transit. Attention diverted, the Axis ships fired on the sweepers. HET lasers, plasma bolts and 100 laser buoys destroyed the six big ships. Three of the DDs were rendered impotent by the force beams and CAMs of the Luttfomis, and after the depredations of the Apins only 300 buoys were left.
     Five Spectrum battleships followed by 40 Magnet escorts (8 interpenetrating), also crewed by Quagaars, took the place of the Luttfomis. CAMs and batteries of standard lasers wiped out two Sprinters. CAMs and plasma packets of the Magnets took down 25 of the immobile but still-armed Grenadiers. The Apins claimed 88 more buoys. The second Command Detonator became active, however, and with the first one 200 buoys flared in violent death. The one Spectrum already targeted by the Sprinters had its armor breached, but the rest were only moderately harmed. Only two Magnets still had some armor with the rest with varying degrees of internal damage. Just 12 buoys remained, prompting the Command Detonators to flee, but not after setting the minefields to their maximum attack parameters.
     The most damaged Spectrum, having already turned partway, finished its maneuver and transited out of Tinsmith. Coming in were five Hazen Headmaster DNs. Capital energy beams and CAMs made 5 DDs into shorted-out hulks to be boarded at leisure. To maximize kills the four remaining Spectrums fired their lasers on local controls and despite the degradation in fire control they swatted 24 of the immobile CTs; one managed to get ten. As for the Apins, they swatted the last 12 buoys and moved away, unable to contribute further in the battle. A forest of rearmed plasma guns fired back the Allied force, losing four Spectrums and three Headmasters.
     Six Hazen Second Colonels filed into Tinsmith. Saving their CAMs, each BC fired at a Grenadier; five of them shorted out from energy beam hits. Now recovered from transit effects, the two remaining DNs made four Sprinters useless despite the massive amount of ECM they employed. After assisting the big fish the Magnets took on the Grenadiers, blasting at those that hadn’t been fully immobilized by the Apin FRAMs. Just one DD and 50 CTs remained to carry on the fight.
     Allied ships kept pour in. Five Cqux DNs witnessed the death spasms of the Axis defenders. 18 more CTs were hulked for the cost of both remaining Headmasters being placed on death’s door. With their plasma guns recharging all the Grenadier crews could do was to wait and see if they’ll live long enough to fire one more time. None did, and it was the transit wave of six Tamayas that saw the last active corvette exploding from a shower of antimatter sprint missiles. Those crippled destroyers that were still moving were dispatched a minute later, leaving only 10 DD and 35 CTs floating around the warp point with the occasion arc of residual electricity playing across their hulls.
     While additional ships poured in and began the process of blasting open a path in the minefields several squadrons were launched to dispatch the fleeing Command Detonators. Marine boarding teams conducted their search on the Axis hulks, fighting the odd survivor and taking very few prisoners, mainly officers. Sloops spread out across Tinsmith, questing for a sensor contact but found none. The Axis transports had given them the slip, but the anonymity of Tinsmith’s other warp points would soon be lifted.


In his day cabin aboard his command ship Flag Admiral Ayrth read a printed extract from a private report from his Staff Intelligence Officer, Captain Yos.

“While the increase in the number of Apins greatly assisted in the recent assault the value of the enemy Grenadier corvettes on the defense cannot be ignored. Given the priority of their protection scheme, even when struck by four FRAMs, a Grenadier retains the use of a plasma gun. That a large number of motionless yet still armed enemy ships contributed to the downfall of two assault waves is something we must factor into future assaults. When the Axis develops composite armor the Grenadiers will only get tougher to kill. A change to Apin ordnance, or having two Apins firing partial loads each at one corvette to ensure a complete kill, is advisable.
      Our Hazen allies’ energy beams have proven most effective in disabling enemy ships, especially the corvettes. The range the enemy chose to engage with their active ships helped immensely, but highlighted a weakness in our hardware. Had our ships’ multiplex tracking matched the number of capital energy beams employed then many more corvettes would’ve been rendered harmless. This also applies to the Quagaar battleships as they could’ve downed more of the motionless corvettes. I recommend Hazen and Quagaar capital ships be refitted with upgraded multiplex as soon as practical.
     In my opinion the AFC, after receiving another major defeat at our hands, will stand on the defensive until such time it has at least fielded its own antimatter ordnance. We should conduct aggressive reconnaissance of Axis warp points, utilizing auxiliary minesweeper squadrons, carrier task elements and Apin wings. Any attempt the AFC may make in placing impromptu warp point defenses, like they tried to do in Abyssal-019, should be prevented. Destruction of enemy scouts and light forces is another area that needs to be addressed with much vigor.”

Ayrth put the report aside. What he read reinforced his inclination to conduct aggressive reconnaissance of Axis systems. What was holding him back until now was the lack of warp point information. The databases on Citadel Prime had no astrogation information, and it took weeks-long survey work to find the two warp points in Brass Latch and the other in Chrome. But now he had another source of information.
     Commander Hassan, a Bulani on Yos’ staff, entered Ayrth’s cabin after being introduced by the marine sentry. He wore a shipsuit that made allowance for his tail, and only his light green colored head was uncovered. His large red eyes lit up with the same familiarity one would have upon seeing a favorite instructor after a few years. Bulani were noted for their friendliness and they had to make an effort to act appropriately in formal occasions. In this instance he saluted instead of reaching out for a handshake.
     Ayrth had the commander take a seat. From the looks of him, with tail twitching, Hassan was eager to make his report so Ayrth allowed him to proceed. “Admiral, I’m happy to report success in our investigations of the Axis ships we boarded earlier in the week. The database of the heavy cruiser Steadfast was intact. Three transits out from Brass Latch is the Axis system of Borehole. There are two inhabited planets orbiting a white sun. The third planet out, Borehole Prime, has an axle tilt of 42°. Because of that the environment is harsh, yet it is very rich in mineral resources and has been heavily industrialized. Its population is 320,000. As for the fourth planet, Meadow, it has an axle tilt of 14° and a very mild environment. Poor in mineral wealth, Meadow has 140,000 colonists. A large space station is over Borehole Prime and a smaller one is over Meadow. Warp point defenses for Borehole are substantial for a system its size.”
     Ayrth blinked his eyes. “Commander, care to elaborate on what you mean by substantial defenses?”
     Tail still twitching Hassan gladly answered. “As of two weeks ago there are 15 type-5 and 6 type-2 bases guarding the Borehole/Gilded Wire warp point. With their placement 9 of the type-5s are the beam-armed variety. As for the other six it’s believed they’re the usual mix of defense and fighter platforms. Interestingly enough, those six are five light-seconds from the warp point, putting them out of the reach of capital primary beams until a portion of the minefield is breached. By inference of the Steadfast’s sensor logs there are at least 900 patterns of mines in one ring and 780 buoys in two rings. The outer ring of 180 buoys is likely primary-armed.”
     “Interesting, Commander.” As an instructor many years ago in the fleet academy Ayrth made use of a look that caused midshipmen to question their assertions in exercise debriefings. He used that same look on Hassan, wondering on a lark if he would react to it. If anything it made the Bulani feel privileged to receive this much attention. “My operations staff will be coming up with a plan for the next offensive based on this data. Barring any new developments from scouting and surveying in Chrome, Brass Latch and Gilded Wire it’s likely they’ll recommend taking Borehole. Commander, on what grounds do you advocate the seizure of that system?”
     “With only two warp points to cover and given the resources at its disposal, Admiral,” Hassan said energetically, “Borehole can assemble a formidable defensive wall behind which the Axis can assemble a new fleet. The space station over Borehole Prime is three times as massive as the one the use to be over Citadel, and that implies it has that many more shipyard modules. Left alone even for six months Borehole will become a far more costly proposition to assault. Isolating the system will take an indeterminable amount of time, wholly dependent on discovering the layout of systems that lead up to Borehole. Therefore, taking that system now while the Axis is struggling to come up with another fleet to counter us will help us in the long run.”
     Ayrth blinked his inner set of eyelids, showing acknowledgment. “You could build a very sturdy house on the grounds you described, Commander Hassan. I’m sure your sentiments will be echoed by my staff.” His eyes fixed on a wall clock for a moment. “I imagine you’ll be busy for the next few days inspecting the computer cores of all those hulked ships in Gilded Wire. Hopefully you’ll find some more useful information.”
     “Yes Admiral. There’s bound to be at least one datacore that wasn’t fried by energy beam discharges. Nothing can elude a Bulani hunter forever.”
     After Hassan was dismissed Ayrth poured himself a cup of tea and ruminated over the replenishment schedule for Task Force 21. In two weeks, at a minimum, the tide of Commonwealth advance will again spill over into another Comensal-populated system. He had no idea that in six weeks time the war both in space and on the ground was going to heat up dramatically.


Chapter 5.75

Bapha regarded the display with a critical eye. The warp point survey of BRB-01 was complete. There were just the three, and two of those were revealed by an Axis military freighter five weeks earlier. Pinnace probes followed by Sloop scouts had shown the systems on the far side of warp points 2 and 3 were uninhabited. With no captured data to lend any clues it was a toss-up on which of the two systems to investigate first.
     The first system had a run-of-the-mill red star with four planets and an asteroid belt. As for the second it was a binary pair of orange suns with similar arrangements. Bapha flipped a mental coin, and decided to send his Professors into the second system, naming it Rain Gauge*. He kept the rest of the survey force at a spot equidistant of BRB-01’s second and third warp points. Except for the minelayers, for he had them retrieve the mines and buoys deployed in Abyssal-019 and had them placed around BRB-01’s third warp point.
     Three weeks later the Professors found a warp point in Rain Gauge. Sending a pinnace to investigate the other side, 120 buoys were found. No ships were evident, and the survey ships sent their other eleven pinnaces to knock out the buoys. Once that was done the Professors made transit. Long-range scanners found 300 patterns of mines and a single undersized type-2 base 8 light seconds away. Having anticipated this, the ships had laser-armed SBMs on their external racks. The small base lost its armor and point defense. It self-destructed a minute after a shuttle left it, heading in-system.
     Several days past before a light minesweeper group arrived, a trio of Valhallan Reliants and a like number of Terpla’n Crams. Once clear the Professors followed the path of the shuttle. They found a habitable planet four light minutes from a red sun, and in orbit of the planet was the same kind of dreadnought-sized space station as found in Pyrocumulus and Cirrocumulus. It was an Axis colony, named Blood Pride, and after the Governor refused to surrender he had the space station blown up rather than have it boarded.
     Bapha sent in a request for a brigade of army troops to occupy the planet. Having an estimated population of 14,000 the colony didn’t rate a full division. Marines from the Professors were landed to secure the minimal spaceport in the interim. Half of the Professors went back to Rain Gauge to finish the survey while the other half started a new one in Blood Pride. Further survey assets arrived in BRB-01, and Bapha had these sent to investigate the system connected to the third warp point. All he asked for the next several weeks was that to be no further surprises. Had he known it, someone else had asked the same thing.

* This was actually the Ampere system.


System Admiral Hovwen looked at the commanding officer of Borehole’s defenses with feigned pity. Being a reservist, Prime Commander Jonpen was old for his rank. What service he did see in the last two wars was in a secondary capacity. The only reason he commanded in Borehole was that the previous commander, a System Admiral, was called to frontline service due to his combat experience. Now that the war had temporary turned sour for the AFC the pressure fell on Jonpen to keep the enemy out of Borehole until the fleet came back to its defense.
     “Honestly, Prime Commander,” Hovwen said in honey voice to take the edge off her words, “there’s nothing more I can do. What’s left of Star Force 3, the support group, can in no stretch of the imagination be considered for warp point defense. General Naltas has consented to the Governor in deploying 30,000 troops on Borehole and the remaining 10,000 on Meadow.”
      With long, fine green strands of hair that grew between the merger points of the boney plates taking on a grayish tint Jonpen looked like a senior professor grading papers. He resented the situation he was in, wishing that he had taken the retirement three years ago. Only his wife’s insistence did he stay in the reserves, mainly for the bonus to retirement pay if he served just five more years. He looked at the officer before him that was 20 years his junior and spoke his mind. “I’m surprised that you’re in front of my desk instead of behind it, Hovwen. As the senior naval officer in the system you are obligated to assume command of the defenses until such time higher headquarters decides otherwise.”
     Hovwen looked humored. “About that, Jonpen. It appears you haven’t checked your messages before this meeting. The AFC HQ in Bedrock had decided to change your interim command into a permanent one. You’re no longer ‘holding the fort’ so to speak.”
     Looking flustered, Jonpen quickly made a scowl. “But that means I’ll be prompted to system admiral and you’ll be under my command. I’ve earned my officer commission way before you did, Hovwen.”
     The carrier admiral smiled. “Not so fast, Sir. Included in the orders from Bedrock was one directing me to return, along with my carrier deck crews and remaining flight personnel, to Bedrock. What’s left of SF 3 is still under my control. The mobile yards will follow as soon as they’re done with their current projects.”
     “You can’t even spare me the deck crews? The fighter additions to Borehole and Meadow’s space stations have just been completed. Your crews can train the new ones until they become proficient.”
     “It won’t warrant a damn, Jonpen.” Hovwen said it in a tone of finality. “While impressive, the fifty-four squadrons each station could deploy will only have one chance to engage before they’re shot down. My crews will best serve on new carriers. I’ll be leaving for Bedrock as soon as the transports and freighters have been loaded.”
     “Loaded with materials needed for the defense of this system, I may add,” Jonpen said pointedly.
     “Materials needed to finish the construction of a dozen major warships, Sir. There will be no more missteps in our drive to liberate those worlds from Abomination occupation, including Borehole. If you bleed the enemy assault force badly enough you might delay them to serve the Fleet’s purpose. If not, then you at least did your duty as an officer.”
     “Liberate Borehole?” Jonpen said incredulously. “You’re saying that the enemy will succeed in gaining entry here?”
     Hovwen smiled. “If you’ve cared to review the assaults in Hamthen, Metalstorm, and Gilded Wire then you know they’ll take heavy casualties to win.” She looked at her watch. “You’re going to get a call from the Governor shortly regarding the scheduling of your promotion ceremony. Have your wife trim your facial hair beforehand. You want to leave a professional image for posterity. Good day, System Admiral Jonpen.”
      Left speechless by Hovwen’s impudence Jonpen couldn’t decide to be happy on his promotion or depressed for the foul card dealt to him by Providence.


The survey element in Chrome was done, finding two warp points. Pinnaces found nothing barring their way on the far side of each one, so Sloops were sent in immediately. One system had a yellow sun while the other had a pair of blue giants. Knowing that blue suns had a much higher propensity for multiple warp points the survey commander elected to survey in that system first, naming it Kerama Retto in honor of his fraternal grandmother. He also called for additional survey elements to exploit Kerama Retto’s warp points as soon as they were found.
     What the survey, indeed, any survey couldn’t find were closed warp points. The only way to find one was to make transit from the open far side, or detecting a ship making transit within range of long range scanners. Upon picking up an enemy drivefield pattern the sole Axis scout in Kerama Retto, drivefield down and quite as a stone, transmitted a tight-beam message to a comm buoy. In turn the buoy fired a courier drone through a warp point right next to it.
     Days past, and what was a by-the-book survey became something more. An Axis task group emerged from a closed warp point. The Allied sensor and comm network wasn’t nearly complete and didn’t pick up the ships until they were well on their way to the entry point. An immediate call for help was issued, and the now stranded trio of survey ships and their replenishment vessel went to the outer reaches of the system. The crews hoped they’ll be able to return to friendly space before their supplies ran out.
     The same thing happened in Connectors, the system that linked up to Silvershoe. Believed to be a dead-end for the lack of warp points the true nature of Connectors was made clear. Another Axis task group appeared via a closed warp point. The sensor net tracked the progress of the ships and sent updates to a Sloop that held station over the Connectors/Silvershoe warp point.
     For one thing the task group was booking, clearly having no dreadnoughts or battleships to slow them down. The Sloop wasn’t able to get a positive ID on the ship classes as a pair of Axis corvettes had sped ahead and fired capital missiles. Based on drive-strength alone it appeared the enemy had 28 BCs, 18 CA, 16 CL, 17 DD, 12 FG and 40 ES.
     In the Output system, linking up to Metalstorm, a somewhat larger task group appeared. Again this was courtesy of a closed warp point. Rushing to the Output/Metalstorm warp point, the Axis force deployed itself in a defensive position and laid mines and buoys. After a short time 4 BC and 8 CA hulled ships (based on their drive strength) moved away and made for their entry point. Watching this was the 2nd Survey Force. Dispatching his escort carriers independently, Rear Admiral Enkas sought to destroy the ships before they could escape.
      When the CVEs were finally in range it came as a surprise to the strikewing commander that the four BCs turned out to be CV hulls. He launched his 16-squadron strike anyway, targeting the carriers but with orders to engage the defending fighters first. His Axis opposite number also launched 16 squadrons, but kept them on the defense. In a point-blank exchange 38 Axis fighters were obliterated by proximity-fused FRAMs while 53 Sharks were felled by nuclear fireballs and rail gun rounds. Partially lightened, the 43 remaining Sharks moved on, out of the reach of the Axis Hatchets but within range of the CV and CAs’ point defense. Six Sharks were felled while the rest moved into position. The Axis ships went to maximum ECM generation and maneuvered so that they could engage those fighters in their partner’s blindspot. The Hatchets caught up and let loose with their guns. For the loss of one heavily armored Falcon Crest and the loss of the passive defenses on another the whole Allied strikeforce was wiped out.
      The three remaining Falcon Crests turned and gave chase to the Allied CVEs and their destroyer escorts, though the damaged CV had to detune its remaining engines to attain the speed of 0.1c. With 58 F0 fighters the Axis just had one opportunity to engage before the CVEs were out of range. As for the Allies they could’ve detuned their engines and be out of range that much quicker but couldn’t. There was no telling how long the 2nd Survey Force would be in Output. Detuning engines would’ve lead to damaged engines and a drain on supplies to conduct repairs. So they waited and watch as the enemy fighters crawled within range.
     Two-and-a-half minutes later only 17 Hatchets pulled away from the CVEs, leaving four of the fragile carriers limping at half-speed. The DDEs followed them for a minute, blasting eight more like clay pigeons. Before the CVs closed in the DDEs sent their cutters to pick up survivors, but only two transfers were completed when the Falcon Crests entered weapons range. With great reluctance the escort captains fired their CAMs at the still-occupied ships, their drivefields down to ensure their destruction. Even though they knew they saved the crews from being tortured to death at the hands of the enemy it didn’t make the job one bit easier.
      As far as the AFC was concerned it was a favorable start to their offensive, despite the events that preceded it, namely the loss of SF 3. With the AFC making assault attempts into Metalstorm, Silvershoe and Chrome it was hoped that the Allies would siphon off ships from TF 21 to counter them. If Metalstorm should revert back to Axis control it would strand the Allied forces, condemning them to a painful death as supplies ran out. Then, and only then, would thoughts about reinvading Hamthen space could be entertained.




Three weeks prior to Axis actions in what became to be known as the Citadel Chain the Allies made their move. Still without mobile forces to back them up the Axis defenders of Borehole wondered if the enemy would continue to oblige them and not attack. Three missiles bases, originally constructed for shipment to Hamthen space, were reassembled and added to the warp point defense. Now with a total of 18 type 5 and 6 type 2 bases, back up by 390 fighters, 900 mines patterns, 600 laser buoys and 180 primary buoys the defenders, lead by newly promoted System Admiral Jonpen, thought they could hold their own against an attack.
     Three massive ships, each almost 30% larger than a dreadnought, emerged from the warp point. What followed were two dreadnoughts and a mass transit of explorers and escorts. Of the 100 Damage Sinks 32 interpenetrated while 28 of the 80 Magnets shared the same fate. 221 Apins emerged and went across a section of the minefield arbitrary labeled northwest. Losses from mines along with interpenetration reached 54. What the Allies faced in the immediate area almost fit the intelligence they gathered. The addition of three bases was something that had to happen within the last two weeks. More of a concern was the placement.
     Of the nine assumed beam bases they were in their groups of three, but placed 1.5 LS out northeast, northwest and south. They were just outside of plasma gun range. It appeared to be an acceptable tradeoff for the bases: their HET lasers would do less damage but they wouldn’t be initially pummeled by plasma. For the imagined fighter bases and the defense platforms they were still 5 LS out, but the addition of three more had them placed north, southeast and southwest. 16 squadrons were on the cap on a 0.5 LS orbit and they turned as one and moved on the invaders, rushing to get their weapons on-line.
     Given the nature of such assaults the attacker got to fire first. An Avami let loose with antimatter CAMs (the only ship in the assault waves to be so equipped) and a HET laser on a southern beam base. Half of its shields were crushed and 9% of its armor vaporized.
     In the rush to action stations only two BS5Bs, one BS5E, a BS5R and three BS2s became active. Eight of the sixteen CAP squadrons managed to fire, yet for all that only one Avami was almost destroyed (along with its 60-strong strikegroup) and another losing only its shields and 17% of its armor. One BS5B lost its shields and the majority of is armor. 17 mine patterns in the NW mine area were eliminated with BAM-Rc rounds along with the help of the passing Apins. Last and not least were the Allied Apins, taking out 30 primary beam and 12 laser buoys with transit-addled weapons. For the Axis, there were just too many Damage Sinks and Magnets. Even if all the laser buoys were fired the Magnets would’ve remained as well as the majority of the Damage Sinks. The defense commander, recently prompted to the position by Jonpen, made new targeting priorities for his bases.
     Perhaps most damning was that none of the fighter bases were able to crash-launch their broods. While the three remaining assault carriers released their 24 squadrons six more ships made transit: 2 Bowman BCE and 4 Cram BB minesweepers. The sole Engineer in the first wave activated its jammer, confounding the datalinks of the 8 remaining CAP squadrons. 20 Allied squadrons went for the NE beam bases while 4 stayed to engage the CAP fighters.
     The Apins (a.k.a. Whales) went to attack the NW beam bases. Lieutenant Senior Grade Davke, commander of the Whale wing based on the tenders Curtys and Bayyar and of the whole Apin strike (due to the death of the original commander in the transit) was fortunate enough to survive the charge through the minefields. He eyed the looming plate-shaped bases like they were paddies of deep-fried mackerel meat, feeling very hungry. Defensive fire brought down three Whales, and two of the beam bases crashed-launched their solitary squadrons.
      “Guns,” Davke barked from the side of his mouth, for on the other he was chewing on some mackerel jerky. “Have our wing shoot internal armament at those fighters. They annoy me.”
      “Aye, aye, Cap’n,” said Guns sardonically. “Don’t need to tell me twice.” As those orders were passed external ordnance, one FRAM and three laser packs per Whale, barked their violence at their enemies. It made Davke proud that his Whales from Curtys and Bayyar brought down all twelve fighters though at the cost of two of his own. The destruction of the three NW bases was complete, leaving 104 Whales still carrying their FRAMs.
      The fighters on the NE bases caused massive internal damage on two and removed 81% of the passive defense on the third. Not wanting to loss a carrier from having a FRAM-loaded fighter being crushed in its hanger bay all the squadrons carried just the regular nuclear-armed variety. Each fighter carried one short-attack missile, a gun and laser pack. Based on the distance of the enemy fighter bases the Allied Sharks had only one minute with which to attack the beam bases and this dictated their armament. It was estimated they would have only one attack run, followed by a strafing of the buoy parks, before the first crashed-launched squadrons from the bases arrived.
     That the Axis fighter bases still didn’t launch caused no end to the commander’s torment. In fact there were no Axis fighters left on the warp point, all having fired their missiles and moved off or shot down. Not enough of the small ships had been eliminated to justify firing the laser buoys yet. Nevertheless there had been some progress as both Allied DN(V)s were perforated by primaries, reducing their speed and increasing their turn mode significantly. The one mobile Avami transited out and was replaced by six Kiosho CAs. Those Allied squadrons that went against the Axis CAP now turned on the intact NE base, tearing it apart.
     Meanwhile the Whales had moved to the southeast, ending up in the primary-armed buoy ring. With nothing else in range they opened up on the buoy parks in front of them and on their port side. However, they were within capital point defense range of the southern beam bases. Davke grumbled when three more Whales were shot down. He swallowed the wad of jerky he was chewing on and tore into a fresh strip. “Hey, Cap’n,” said Sensors, “looks like the Bonies had made up their mind. They just fired their laser and primary buoys.”
     Davke looked at a repeater plot, noting that just 19 Damage Sinks and 36 Magnets remained. The immobile Avami was gone, no surprise, and all the other big ships had varying degrees of armor damage. Some of the small ships, having weathered the lasers, were now immobilized by a lucky primary hit. They were a great way to spread out the damage but in no way would Davke volunteer to man a Damage Sink. If he was to go down, it was to be in something that was shooting back. On another repeater came a warning from one of the Bowman BCEs. Three fighter platforms were confirmed when they crashed-launched their squadrons, totaling 33 in all. Since the missile bases were next after finishing the beam bases Davke wasn’t all that worried. Those Bonies would be handled by friendly fighters, hence their mix of weapons.
     The fourth wave was made up of six Endrili Hellstones, passing six Damage Sinks as they returned to Gilded Wire. With some assist from the Kioshos the Whales only had to expend 10 FRAMs to make the southern BS5Bs toothless. Assault shuttles from the cruisers were launched and made for the wrecks, looking to capture them before they could scuttle. The last BS5V launched its fighters while the first eight CAP squadrons landed, the deck crews doing their best despite their lack of practice.
      Wave five was made up with 6 Luttfomi minesweepers. Going back to Gilded Wire was one Salyf DNV, one Bowman BCE, and four Damage Sinks. Allied fighters moved into point-blank range of the incoming 22-squadron strike from the northern fighter bases. Within the influence of the Engineer’s jamming ECM, the Hatchets were on the receiving end of their name, but the Sharks slipped on their victims’ blood as well. Even when backed up by capital point defense only 90 northern Hatchets out of 132 were shot down. Compared to 38 Sharks speared from a shiver of 139 it was the Axis that considered it a bargain, for that meant 38 less fighters to challenge the orbital works of Borehole Prime. However, the northern Hatchets had to expend half of their short-range attack missiles to do it.
     Wave six had three Terpla DNs, including Ayrth’s flagship, the Captain Narkas, and three Crajen CAs. The eleven inbound Hatchet squadrons from the SE bases and the survivors from the northern bases elected to take on two of the Terplas, which turned out to be the Narkas and the Wesjek. Burdened from transit effects, they coped as best they could. It was the Narkas that was chosen by the three Axis BS5Rs to receive a full volley. With the hits it sustained from close attack missiles it was nothing less of a miracle that the damage stopped just short of the magazines.
     Despite using every available weapon just two fighters remained from the northern strike, and both pilots chose to ram the immobile hulk of the Narkas as their gift to the First Leader. Sensor techs on all the Allied ships watched with dread as the two made their death drive. One failed by a narrow margin, his aim upset by the transiting seventh wave. The second was like a metal shaving to a magnet, hitting the big ship squarely in the middle. More akin to a popsicle sculpture without enough glue the Narkas fell apart in several major sections, its spine broken and the last of its air rushing out like a ruptured boiler.
      Davke only managed a mild profanity, still caught up in participating in the destruction of the missile bases. He made just one change, instructing his Whale crews to totally obliterate the bases. The six beam bases currently being boarded were enough in Davke’s opinion. If the intelligence pukes wanted to grill him for destroying potential informational finds then that was fine by him. Ayrth made a favorable impression on Davke during the latter’s acceptance of a squadron performance award for action in the Altocumulus Chain campaign. Eyeing the situation plot, Davke ordered his Whales to tackle the BS2s. As he saw it, losing Ayrth was like losing a whole fleet. Destroying six inconsequential small bases would saving the lives of Marines, as the losses were high enough already.
     The deck crews on the northern fighter bases were rushing as fast as they could in rearming the CAP squadrons that managed to reach them. Only the sensor and command crews on those bases knew it was doomed effort. Doing their duty was the only thing that kept them going; dying as a professional was better than surrendering to despair. BAM-G rounds from the Hellstones had finished what the previous waves’ BAM-Rcs had started. The targeted lane had just the right number of patterns to match the number of sweepers. Accompany them were six Hazen BCs, energy beams ready to render the northern Axis bases into shorted-out wrecks fit for capture.
     Wave ten entered and was the only one in range of the SE defense base’ capital force beams. All the others, even the remaining EX and ESs, had moved through the lane in the minefield and subsequently out of range for the time being. The Hazen ships scored some hits, and with the remaining squadrons backed up by the Engineer and Luttfomis they prepared for whatever the fighter bases spat out at them.
     Eight squadrons shot out of the two northern fighter bases five-and-a-half minutes into the battle. The defending fighters engaged the oncoming wave at maximum gun pack range, downing 32 both by gun and laser. Followed by the massive point defense batteries of the Engineer, Luttfomis and the BCs only one fighter broke through. It was a symbol of defiance, and just as futile as it was torn apart by concentrated point defense fire.
     As for the northern defense base it was shorted out completely. The fighter bases had not one weapon with which to shoot back, save for 27 fighters, their last. All they could do was follow in their predecessors’ footsteps and end up just as dead. After delivering point-blank energy blasts at the two fighter bases the Hazen BCs then turned on the SE bases. The Allied ships had in the interim kept a steady barrage, knocking down the shields of the remaining defense base. One BC had a third of its armor removed before the noisome base was silenced.
     Rear Admiral Gannus, commanding the assault force from a Luttfomi sweeper, had decided to let Davke take care of the BS2s. With twelve BS5s to scrounge for data it did make sense not to waste more lives on a battle that was already won. It was again a costly one for the pilots involved, only 65 out of 204 Sharks survived to return to friendly hanger bays. 72 of the 221 Whales were gone, and 17 out of 100 Damage Sinks survived, along with 47 out of 80 Magnets. One Avami and two Terplas were gone with just five ships heavily damage. All the ships that were in the first three waves received significant armor damage (especially the smaller ones) and the odd primary beam hit. Combat deaths were expected to be around 12,600. As assaults went it was as low as one could imagine under the circumstances. Axis losses were higher, and with their targeting of the small assault ships they largely ignored the capital units. While having the beam bases out of the reach of plasma guns did prevent the probable destruction of one at the outset it was the Apins and fighters that brought about their rapid destruction. This was worth remembering for the next assault.


The rest of TF 21 made transit. Along with those sweepers able to make speed the whole formation made for Borehole Prime. The loss of Ayrth did have a noticeable effect on morale. Many wondered if the huge space station waiting for them was filled to the brim with death-seeking pilots very much like the one that claimed the Narkas. Admiral Jki was the most concerned of all, for despite two weeks effort only 240 fighters were prepped from crated storage. Combined with the F0 Sharks based on the escort carriers the task force had 504 fighters. With no wish to send them against an unknown quantity Gannus agreed with Jki to keep the fighters on the defense until Axis fighter strength guarding Borehole Prime was established.
     In no particular rush Gannus, now commanding from the battleship Breakwater, parked TF 21 10 LS from the space station orbiting Borehole Prime. It was a big one, having the mass of 22 dreadnoughts. Sensors and optical observation showed it was building additional station components as well as six more BS5s and 6 BS3s. The disadvantage of being that size was that it couldn’t employ shields. With nuclear-armed SBMs Gannus had his capital missile units rain upon the station. Each hit stripped away armor and external ordnance, forcing the expenditure of EDMs before they were destroyed. When a unit ran out of missiles it simply pulled away and remunitioned from an Asghaln freighter.
     Calculating the rate of armor loss System Admiral Jonpen launched his fighters ninety seconds into the bombardment. 324 F0 Hatchets, their green pilots giddy with pride and resigned to fate, made a direct line for the capital ships. The only concession Gannus made to this development was the move the task force so that it engaged the horde when it was just 0.75 LS out. It could be likened to a fireworks display set in space, a virtual forest of sparks, fireballs, and streamers that marked the demise of 251 death-seeking souls. The remaining 73 conducted a suicide run, homing in on one ship, the one that made the obscene demand for the Comensal settlement to surrender. A ship called the Breakwater.
     Maneuvering and firing madly the battleship claimed it fate-allotted share of suicide attackers. Driven with pure adrenaline in their veins the pilots that survived pressed on and, despite their greenness, made a perfect head-on attack. 42 Hatchets smashed into the Breakwater. The attack failed to completely destroy the ship and those suicide attackers that missed were knocked out by a vengeful trio of Jajer-Ds. While all this was going on the task force was still keeping the missiles raining on the station. It wasn’t until after the station belched air that news of Gannus’ death was announced.
     The most immediate response was the switching to antimatter warheads, hastening the station’s demise. Soon whole sections were blasted off the immense construct, ending in a series of stroboscopic fireballs that caused a shower of station parts to fall across a wide swath on the planet below. Then nothing, the task force waited for orders. On the carrier Junshu the strikewing operations officer, Captain Reas, approached Admiral Jki and said the words needed for the occasion. “Admiral Jki, in accordance to regulations pertaining to the death of commanding officers during offensive operations it is the duty of the next most senior and experienced officer of command rank to assume the duties of their predecessor. In Task Force 21’s chain of command you are currently the only officer that meets those requirements. For the record do you accept the responsibility to command the task force?”
     “I accept the responsibility,” Jki said firmly. Gannus said those exact words before, hours ago, when she contacted him after the warp point battle. Losing Ayrth, a friend and mentor for decades, was a harsh personal blow in a very impersonal bloody war. Ayrth could’ve easily stayed out of the assault, but chose to participate directly. He factored the chance that the enemy would mistake the trio of Terplas in the sixth wave as Oknibs, thereby focusing their missile volleys and fighters on them. He wanted to keep his capital missile DNs intact for the bombardment of Borehole Prime’s space station. It cost him his life, but his plan worked. Save one ship, the task force suffered no casualties during the bombardment.
     Quickly Jki implemented the remainder of the operations plan. The transports, carrying the 2nd Expeditionary Corps (consisting of 60,000 troops), was called from its holding position in Gilded Wire. An Apin wing was left over Borehole Prime, tasked to take out the spaceport and to determine the strength of the defending garrison. Task Force 21 moved on to Meadow, finding that its space station also housed 324 fighters manned by green pilots. This time the F1 Sharks carried only two laser packs, allowing it keep the range open while engaging the Hatchets. Only 11 reached the task force with only one firing before the pitiful remains were brought down by a trio of minesweepers.
     The Battle for Borehole was complete, leaving Jki to her thoughts on what she wanted to say for Aryrth’s eulogy.


Commonwealth President Eyna Huj found some relief in watching the fish in his office aquarium. From tiny Neons to large Angelfish the denizens of the 100 gallon tank went about their existence without a care of what was beyond the glass. After the meeting he had with senators and naval officials earlier in the day Huj envied the fish, for they had no need for politics and diplomacy.
     The report on the assault on Borehole came in, and it rekindled a smoldering flame in the senate. While the use of ships like the Damage Sinks and Magnets to dilute the fire of enemy laser buoys had proven most useful it was the resultant casualties that caused loud grumblings. To be most effective the aforementioned ships had to use mass transits, resulting in 30% losses through interpenetration even before combat began. Coupled with the deliberate fire from Axis bases only 17 out of 100 Damage Sinks survived. Despite the degree of automation employed to reduce casualties the number of deaths on the explorer-sized vessels was over 3400.
     With the CSF clearly on a winning streak the more self-serving senators came to decry the 'wasteful expenditure of precious youth' on mass transit tactics used to secure the victories. They argued that more aggressive exploration would lead to a backdoor in Axis space, exploiting poorly-defended interior systems to attack and thus alleviating the need for direct assaults. Some senators took a different track and advocated the increase use of armed pinnaces in the assault role. Since each Apin 'only' had a crew of six it was far more logical to use them instead of ships in the initial rounds of a warp point assault.
     In polite terms the admirals replied to the senators' newfound military wisdom. In regards to warp point exploration it took the better part of two months of survey to find open warp points in any one system or starless nexus for that matter. If a backdoor into Axis space was found it was going to take months if not a year to properly exploit it for a rushed campaign was worse than no campaign at all. As for Apin use the admirals were considering increasing their numbers, provided that several factors are taken into account first. While they suffered less in mass transits and minefield attrition could be tolerated Apins had to be used in really large numbers if they were expected to handle the first few minutes of a warp assault all on their own. Certainly they could destroy any close-in base at will but when it came to fighters the Apins couldn't stand up to whole wings of them. Even a fully-loaded F0 Axis fighter could run down an Apin, and being a bigger target made them easier to hit. Despite being able to engage three targets at once a battle between similar numbers of fighters and Apins will result in the latter's complete annihilation.
     Therein lays the crux of the senators' unspoken message. The great majority of the casualties in the mass transit attacks were suffered by the CSF, which meant they were Terpla'n casualties. What was unsaid, but clearly heard in-between the lines, was that the other allied nations were not taking their share of the burden in regards to warp point assaults. Huj could see their point. If not later in this war but certainly afterwards there was bound to be some resentment that the vast number of lives lost in mass transit attacks were Terpla'n while the rest of the allies (with the exception of the Hazen) were 'safely in the rear making proud noises' as the senator from Kiosho said in a private dinner.
     There was good news later in the day. It was publicly announced by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs that a newly found warp connection will enable Endrili ships to cut transit time to Hamthen by one-third. That meant the newly constituted Endrili Expeditionary Force would be in combat that much sooner. It was after the press conference, in a private meeting between the Endrili Ambassador Smettz, Huj, and CNO Qal, that the full details of the EEF were revealed.
     Having studied warp point assaults made by the CSF and Axis the Endril Military Service came up with a new type of warship for the mass transit assault role. It was frigate-sized vessel, the Firewalker class, heavily armored to take the attention of laser fire and even the occasional energy beam blast. Instead of being armed with plasma guns a Firewalker had tactical scanners and a pair of tractors beams. Employed en masse along with Damage Sinks flotillas of Firewalkers would enter a minefield patch, take whatever the Axis throws at them, and then use their tractor beams in wide-angle mode to destroy mine patterns by the bushel. The aim of this was to create a clear path in the mines much quicker, allowing subsequent waves of ships to move and use their ECM to maximum benefit. Especially against Axis missile bases, for it wouldn't be long before they deployed antimatter capital missiles of their own.
     The look Huj and Qal made was that of astonishment. To make the tactic work would require scores of Firewalkers and Damage Sinks. Like what happened in Borehole any Axis commander confronted with this tactic would elect to destroy as many of these small ships as possible in order to preserve buoy weapons for use against more important units, like capital ships. Endrili casualties would be very high. When asked about this Ambassador Smettz stated that it was his race's commitment to see an end to the Axis aggression, even at high cost. Just as the Axis made clear its will to rid the universe of 'abominations' it was the will of Bertik, the Endrili God, spoken through Empress Skessen V, his mortal voice, that the Axis be made to pay for its genocidal ways.
     After expressing thanks for this enormous commitment Huj decided to hold a press conference later in the week to announce the composition of the EEF. It would be nice to see those snide senators eat their words with mackerel when confronted with the news straight from Smettz' mouth.
 

The 1st Survey Force had completed its work in Rain Gauge and Blood Pride, finding no more open warp points and just two lunar outposts on Blood Pride's outermost pair of planets. As for the other system linked to BRB-01, Crystal Haze** (named so on a whim by Bapha), there was no sign of Axis ships and buoys. Supplemental survey elements had arrived in the interim and Bapha dispatched them to Crystal Haze. A scanner buoy network was deployed in the system in case Axis ships should happen to return.
     At roughly the same time TF 21 conducted its assault into Borehole a sensor contact appeared fifteen light-minutes from Crystal Haze’s red sun. By good luck the contact came close enough to one buoy to be positively identified by its drivefield frequency. It was the same Axis military freighter that was tracked five weeks earlier in BRB-01. Again it was booking, moving with urgency for some reason.
     With interest peaked Bapha ordered the 1st Survey Force into Crystal Haze. He wanted to capture the ship and plum the depths of its database. Without long-range scanners the ship would be blind until the very last moment, and it would be too late for it to flee. Upon entry Bapha received electrifying news. The sensor buoys picked up new, alien drive field contacts. They were in apparent pursuit of the Axis ship, occasionally boosting speed by detuning engines. Eventually they would be in range, but given that the ship was heading directly for Bapha’s entry point it would be the survey force that would get first crack.
     While devising a capture plan Bapha received the senior sensor tech on the Carris, his flagship. He presented new data on the alien contacts. The aliens had followed the Axis ship’s course very closely and had, in fact, entered definitive scanner range of one buoy. Searching for a match, the sensor tech found that the alien drive field frequencies had been observed before. A little over six years ago, to be precise. That alone was enough to identify them, but the buoy also sent photographic images. With an unmistakable design theme and with yellow and blue coloring Bapha knew the alien’s identity. It appeared that the Asteroid Axis had made the Hokum Imperium their enemy.

** This was actually the Solid State system.

06/19/08
updated 08/01/08


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