The ships coming through were unlike anything I’d seen
before. But then, I hadn’t seen a lot of the ship types that were used outside
the Empire or Confederation. But it was pretty clear that the locals were
familiar with the ships by the way they reacted.
Focusing on the General for the time being, I asked, “I
assume those are the Demons you’ve alluded to, General?”
Akagi nodded slowly. “Yes. For the last hundred years,
they’ve been fighting us, usually sending groups every ten years to attack,
raiding the planet for men to steal. We don’t know why. They’ve never responded
to our communications. We’ve never seen under their armor.”
“But you’ve been able to at least fight them off most of the
time, correct?”
“Yes, though not without losses, and sometimes they do
manage to land. It was after the conflict twenty-five years ago that the
protective custody of males was introduced. If we have them all in centralized
locations, it is easier to defend them.”
Fukuya broke in at that moment, “Why haven’t our watchers
reported to us about the Demons coming through the Demon Gate yet, General?”
I rescued the General by saying, “Because the light of the
gate hasn’t reached them yet. The Black Star Fleet, however, laid several
probes by the gate to monitor it, and because we have limited FTL comms, this
is a Real-Time view of the gate.”
The Premier blinked, “FTL communications? I knew that there
were people working on FTL drives when the Ponce
de Leon left, but the idea of FTL communication systems was pure science
fiction.”
I nodded. “As I said, we have made some improvements since
you left Earth. The benefits of trade and war, rather than isolation.” I turned
to look at Raven. “Raven, analysis?”
“Detecting twenty-three ships of unknown design. Designate
six as possible corvettes, another seven as possible frigates, five possible
cruisers, one possible dreadnought. Other four targets are probable freighters
or landing craft for troops. Formation is a standard raider formation.”
“If the design is unknown, why do you have probable types?”
“Ship designs are not in any databases Black Star has access
to. However, there is a 34% match to pre-FTL Imperial fleet designs from a
cosmetic standpoint. Probability of these being successor designs progressing
along a different design track is almost 67%.”
“So they are no match for the Fleet?”
“Unclear, but unlikely, unless they have made significant
improvements over the base designs, which are almost a hundred years old.
However, they may have made design improvements in other ways.”
“Intercept chances?”
“Complete destruction of enemy forces before they reach the
planet: 78.6 percent. Inflicting enough damage that the enemy decides to
retreat through the gate: 89.9 percent. Enough of the enemy surviving to make
landfall: 12.01 percent.”
Looking back to the General, I asked, “My ships are
currently stationed between the planet and these Demons. Would you like a
product demonstration of what Black Star has to offer you?”
Akagi’s grin turned feral. “Nothing would please me more,
Mollen-san.”
(BSN Shinokage,
orbiting Nuevo Edo)
“The local commanders
would like to see an example of what we are capable of, Captain. While they are
perfectly fine with wiping every last one of the ships from the sky, I would
like to have prisoners that we can extract intel from, since I am negotiating
with the locals on getting Black Star to take care of their ‘demon’ problem.”
Captain Inatumal nodded once. “Understood, Master. Orders
for the fleet?”
“Raven tells me that
these ships are likely advancements on pre-FTL designs. So far their
acceleration curve corroborates that, but do not count on them not having some
kind of nasty surprises. First Group is to use FTL capability to get behind the
enemy and cut off their escape. Third group will advance, along with the Thunderfury, to engage the enemy directly.”
“Vicious Return is to hold her fighters in reserve, in case
the enemy receives reinforcements from the gate. The Smerti and Nightforge will hang back and cover the planet in case any ships make it past
Third Group. The Smerti will launch
Thunderbolts and Dragons to support the attack. Green Giants are to remain with
the carrier as combat air patrol, with Grey Phantoms ready to scramble if
needed.”
“Shinokage will have overall tactical command.
Strategic orders are to destroy or capture all enemy ships. No one escapes to
warn their people about us. You are not to take any undue risk to the fleet in
order to attempt to disable the ships or take them intact. If they look like
they can hurt the fleet, you are authorized to dispose of them all, with
prejudice. Priorities for capture, if convenient, are the freighters and the
dreadnought.”
The Captain frowned. “I understand the dreadnought, but the
freighters, Master?”
“They’ve been raiding
the planet, and stealing parts of the population, Captain. The commander of the
dreadnought and the captains of those freighters probably have the best idea of
where those captives go, and what happens to them.”
“Understood, Master. It will be done.”
“One more thing,
Captain. All boarding operations on the captured ships are to be done according
to full contamination protocols. Assume all types: chemical, viral,
radioactive, nanite. We know nothing about these people other than the fact
they are humanoid in shape and 2.5 meters in height. They apparently never take
off their armor where the natives can see, so assume greatest possible
environmental dangers.”
“Finally, once any
ships have been secured, interrogations are to be done by females, if possible.
We don’t know why these Demons want human males, but no dangling steak in front
of lions until we know what they can do. Understood, Captain?”
“Understood, Master. We will see it done.”
“I know you will,
Captain. Wipe them out. Mollen, out.”
Captain Inatumal turned to her bridge crew. “You heard the
Master. Send out orders to the fleet. Deploy Third Group to cover the planet
and advance on the unknowns. First Group will follow the Shinokage. Helm, I want a least-time in-system FTL course that gets
First Group between the Gateway and these bastards, without us having to ram
our way through them. Curve us around, if you can. Comms, give me a line to the
fleet.”
She paused, and waited for the communications officer to
give her an affirmative signal, before speaking to the Black Star Fleet. “This
is Captain Inatumal of the Shinokage.
As you know, there is an enemy force incoming on the planet we are currently
orbiting. The Master has declared that these are pirates and raiders, and will
be most put out if they are able to disrupt his negotiations with the locals.
We are going to ensure that this does not happen. Tactical commands are being
passed out to all ships. Our orders are to kill or capture all enemy ships. Not
one of them is allowed to escape the system or harm the planet. Disable them if
convenient, destroy them otherwise. Priorities for capture are the ships being
designated Haulers 1 through 4, and Heavy 1. Extreme prejudice is authorized for
all other ships.”
“Send these sorry excuses for ‘Demons’ back to whatever pit
spawned them, in the Master’s name. Shinokage,
out.”
Finally, she took a breath, and said, “Let’s get to work.
Those pirates aren’t going to kill themselves.”
(Space around Nuevo Edo)
Because of the quirks of lightspeed imagery, the Demons
spotted the two largest ships in orbit of the planet because they occluded
enough of the planet below that, even from a light-hour out, it was clear that
there was something there. As one, the ships turned and began speeding up
towards the planet on an intercept course. They would arrive at the planet nine
hours after their light did, too quickly for those tasty prizes to load people
and get up to speed to escape the system.
If their prey had decided to try and escape rather than
fight, then they would not have the defenses in place to stop them. This time,
they would have complete victory over the lesser beings!
(Meeting Bunker, Abandoned Edocite Quarry, Neuevo Edo)
Premier Fukuya looked at the man who commanded a fleet she
could not have even dreamed existed until she had been hurriedly briefed on her
way to the command bunker earlier that day. He was an enigma, and that bothered
her. Even if he had not proclaimed himself the leader of the fleet above, she
would have guessed it by the way he carried himself, like someone used to
having authority. And the women who were with him, even the woman he had talked
to on the starship above, all clearly regarded him as being the one in charge.
Indeed, with the revelation that slavery had returned to humanity in the time
since her people had left Earth, it seemed likely that he owned a large percentage of the crew of that fleet in orbit, which
spoke of a certain personality type. And yet she didn’t get that kind of read
off him. He certainly hadn’t shown any great arrogance or need for ‘submission’
from those around him, at least not where she could see it. It was possible he
was putting on a false face to put her at ease in the negotiations, but if that
was true than he was the best at it that she had ever seen, and she was in
politics!
No, he was an enigma, and she needed to solve him, before
she could commit her people to anything v than the ‘shore leave’ he had
proposed. She was under no illusions there. That would increase morale greatly,
once the spaceport was built. Access to the spaceport, for those who weren’t a
part of the on site staff, would have to be regulated. Perhaps they could
create a lottery of sorts, to have willing women given a vacation in the
spaceport for the young men to visit? Government workers would be excluded, to
make sure people saw that this was as fair as possible for the commoners, but
perhaps a separate leave system could be worked out with the military side of
things?
She shook her head to clear those thoughts, and watched as
the man directed his ships into battle. She’d seen space battles unfold before,
during the last Demon War, just five years ago, and the waiting was always the
most difficult part. The Demon ships were still about eight hours out, if the ‘FTL
comms’ could be believed, but the man was standing there as though he expected
the battle to commence at any moment. He didn’t look like he was inexperienced
in battle, so…
She gasped as the ships disappeared, all except the two big
ones and the clearly civilian craft that were still in orbit of the planet. A
moment later, they reappeared, in two groups, one in front of the Demons, and
one behind, just as the man had directed them. If this was not some kind of
elaborate trick, then they truly did have FTL capability!
The Demons were also surprised, because it took them a few
moments to notice they were under fire. By then, however, it was already far,
far too late for them. Missiles and energy weapons slammed into the Demon
fleet, shredding the little ships like they were nothing. The ‘bombers’ as the
man called them were the first to draw blood, their missiles simply
obliterating the cruisers and frigates like they were not even there. The
fighters were next, ripping the little corvettes apart like they were tissue
paper. The dreadnought did not last longer for any reason but that the ships
were not trying to destroy it outright, hitting it with those beam weapons
until the shields crumpled, and then switching to what the man called ‘ion
cannons’ to disable the ship. And without her noticing the freighters had been
swiftly disabled as well, their crews never even getting off a shot before
their shields and systems were overwhelmed by the stealth ships.
The man nodded, and pressed a button on his wrist device.
“Mollen to all ships. Thunderfury’s
to board and capture the dreadnought. Assassins to send tactical teams to
capture the freighters. Remember, full Contamination protocols.” Then he turned
to her. “Madame Premier, General Akagi, I am pleased to say that your planet is
safe again, for the time being. We are about to have prisoners for
interrogation, if you would like to have some of your people present to oversee
this, while my assistant works with the individual who has been listening in on
this conversation since the beginning?”
Minister Takahara’s laugh could be heard through the
Premier’s communicator, and she said, “Tactfully
put, Mollen-san. In that case, might I suggest that the Premier remains to negotiate
the trade deal, while I join you and the General to observe the
interrogations.”
The man chuckled, and said, “Sounds perfect.”
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Be sure to read my published works!
Frozen Soul series (Sci-Fi Supervillain story):
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Tales of the Void Traveler https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZ52G37
Rules-Free VRMMO Life (Dark Fantasy GameLit):
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Omnibus 1 - Volumes 1-4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0774T354X
Into the Black (Sci-Fi GameLit):
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Omnibus I - Books 1-4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077X2KR7Y
City of Champions Online (Superhero GameLit):
Issue I - Origin Stories https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075SHXQS1
Lewd Dungeon (Dungeon Core GameLit):
Book 1 - Welcome to the Apocalypse https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BB34DHF
The Kalipshae Affair (A First Contact Short Story): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0739V6R6T
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