Federation Reborn 2: Pirate Rage (65 page)

“Damn,” Captain Post murmured, looking at the cascade of numbers CIC was reporting. They fluctuated wildly. Based on the drive readings, he was confident they were at least a pair of heavy cruiser, but CIC might be right, they might be bigger. That didn't bode well for his little visit.

It meant the enemy had reinforced heavily, far faster than he'd hoped. Far more than he'd hoped as well. It said nasty things about their construction rates, things that needed to be reported back home. His plan to pick at them while picketing the outer star system was now fading fast.

“Sir, Captain Mueller is on the whisker laser.”

“Is she now, I can imagine the subject. Put her through to my number two display, Com,” he ordered. He looked down to his fellow captain and nodded. “Good to see you, Shantell. It looks like we've got a lot more players to our hide and seek game,” he said.

“Yes, sir. They've been reinforced more than we thought, sir.”

“Definitely. They've leveled the playing field. I hate that. I hate fighting fair,” Arnold replied. She snorted softly.

---<>))))

Amadeus scowled at the news. The good news was that it was just the two BCs. That was about all there was of good news at the moment.

“Should we enter stealth, sir?” the ops officer asked, turning to his boss.

“No point. They already know we are here, and if we want to get to them before they jump out or go into stealth themselves, we've got to run flat out. No, one way or another we're committed.”

“Yes, sir,” Commander Offenger replied.

“
Admiral Halsey
is committing a magnum strike, sir,” a Com rating reported.

“They should wait for reinforcements from the fortress or our own fighters to get into strike range. They could stage them from their own carriers,” Garfield replied looking up from his station.

“She's putting the pressure on them, keeping it on. She's also testing the waters for us to see how much they've been patched up, how much they really want to tangle, and if they've gotten a new fighter screen,” the admiral rumbled. “Let her go. She's the commanding officer on the scene at the moment. She knows the risks.”

“Yes, sir. The CAG ordered the strike, sir. Captain Jurgison signed off on it,” Jojo reported. She shot her admiral a questioning look. They both knew what it meant; the CAG had ordered the strike despite the distance and David versus Goliath scenario. The skipper had reluctantly agreed, bowing to the voice of experience, but had reservations.

Amadeus nodded. If he knew Meia, which he did peripherally, he would bet she'd take her double ought buck out in the first wave of fighter launches. She was a lead from the front gal, one he could appreciate. “As it should be. The CAG calls the shots on the fighter wing.”

---<>))))

“Get us clear of this area in case they fired kinetic strikes,” Captain Post ordered. “Division orders, dog leg course Delta one. We'll creep around a bit, see what we can see, but we're keeping our distance.”

“Yes, sir. We're not going to get the time we wanted though,” Lieutenant Kuroma his tactical officer stated.

“I know. We'll get what we can. Force the enemy to adjust course a few times. Keep them guessing then pop out into hyper before they can get into engagement range,” he growled.

“Sir, the CEV has launched her brood at us,” Ensign Hodges warned.

“A bit early. We're pretty far out. Nav, get that course change going. Jink a few times as you do it just to make them double think. I want a random dogleg, random timing as we move in an arch around the jump point.”

“Aye, sir.”

“Guns, if they are so hot and bothered by our presence let's give them something else to think about.”

“A kiss, sir?”

“A KEW kiss. Nice, hot, and spicy the way I like it,” the captain quipped, making a few on the bridge chuckle. “And powerful enough to knock their socks off.”

“The battle cruisers will see it coming, sir. They'll dodge it,” the tactical officer stated flatly.

“Who said anything about hitting the battle cruisers?” Captain Post asked mildly, turning to the other man.

Lieutenant Kuroma blinked then nodded grimly. “Setting up the shot, sir.”

“Good,” the captain said, turning back to view his own screens. He didn't like the look of things CIC was reporting. Not only the squadron of destroyers, but the cruiser, carrier, and battle cruisers. Things didn't look good.

---<>))))

“Sir, we're getting flashes. Reports of mass leaving the ships. They are also jinking,” CIC reported.

“A kinetic strike,” Trajan growled. He checked the course numbers and the plotting and swore. “They aren't shooting at us, sir, it's at the planet.”

“To be expected, the planet can't dodge. Alert the OWPs in orbit to keep watch. Frigate Squadron 1 and 2 will engage. If they get past them, it will be up to the OWPs to finish the job. Make sure they know that. The OWPs won't get much of a shot. They'll have to coordinate it carefully.”

“Aye, sir. Com, let them know they've got unwanted visitors and their locations using the tachyon transceiver.”

“Aye, sir. They won't be able to respond though, sir,” the com rating warned.

“They can fluctuate their drives to do that. Have CIC watch for it and their course changes.”

“Aye, sir.”

“They wanted to distract us,” Amadeus murmured. “Make us play defense.”

“Yes, sir. But you anticipated it,” Trajan stated.

“It's the little things I didn't anticipate that'll bite us in the ass that I'm worried about, Captain,” the admiral growled. Trajan nodded soberly.

---<>))))

“Captain, they didn't take the bait,” CIC reported.

Captain Mueller looked up with a frown. “In what way?” she asked.

“The KEW strike didn't divert the incoming ships, sir. It looks like there is a squadron of frigates closer in the star system. They are moving to intercept.”

“Time involved?” she asked.

“Less than five minutes from when we fired,” CIC reported after a pause.

“Then they were warned by the BCs. They've got tachyon transceivers,” the captain mused. “Damn it,” she muttered.

“Another toy for their toy box. They must have the entire set,” Commander Esenly said.

“Then we'll just have to be careful or they'll break our own,” the captain growled.

“Ma'am, command from
Massachusetts
. We're to fire another broadside of KEW strikes. Target the planet, the refinery, and the orbital works they've got.” There was a pause then the rating cleared her throat. “This just in, also the orbital fortress at the jump point.”

“Spreading the love. But it's going to drain our KEW strikes dry. We'll have one more shot after this,” she said nodding to the tactical officer. “Guns make it so.”

“It'll take a moment to work out the shot, ma’am,” Commander Esenly said.

“Get it down before
Massachusetts
fires or I'll have someone's ass on toast.”

“Working on it,” the tactical officer said, not looking up to answer the barb.

The captain eyed her for a moment, nodded once in grudging respect, then went back to staring at the plot.

---<>))))

“Sir, we're going to be waiting a long time for long-range scans of the star system. But we have picked up a second force across the star system. They are sitting near the Kathy's World jump point,” CIC reported.

He scanned the updated report pensively. Well, the good news was that they had several ships over there, what amounted to another squadron of tin cans, and most likely another carrier. He had to be glad that they weren't on his jump point but had to ask the obvious question of why. And why they hadn't immediately moved out with the battle cruiser force in an attempt to pin him down. No commander would leave forces behind without a reason. “Almost as if they were expecting company from that direction too it seems,” Captain Post murmured. “Interesting,” he drawled. “Not very informative though since we don't know when they may arrive or in what strength.”

“You're thinking the remains of Fourth Fleet, sir?” Lieutenant Kuroma asked.

The captain nodded once. “I am. Com, update
Nevada
. Make sure they know what's going on. We're going to play for time here. Keep the dance going for as long as possible.”

“Aye, sir. Sir, with all due respect … what if they follow us when we do jump? They've got battle cruisers as well. They could try to overhaul when we do retreat,” the tactical officer warned.

“Something we'll have to keep in mind I suppose. For the moment, we're going to keep them busy. That's why I'm keeping that last KEW strike in reserve.”

“Yes, sir. Another distraction to let us get some lead time to get away?” the tactical officer asked.

The captain eyed him. “Something like that I suppose,” he said coldly. The junior officer saw his set face and then nodded.

---<>))))

“Admiral, the Tangos have fired a second scattershot. Targets are just about all orbital industry as well as the planet,” CIC reported.

“They are trying to get us to divert our forces and to get us to peel off some of the tin cans or fighters to block the incoming strikes,” Garfield growled.

“Well, it's not going to work. Not in the way they want at any rate,” Commander Offenger growled. “Sir, recommend we have the platforms jink. Even a couple kilometers in any direction will get them out of the line of fire since it's unguided.”

“Good call, Kyle. Make it so,” the admiral nodded. “Alert Frigate Squadron 2 to engage the targets headed to the planet. Frigate Squadron one is to remain on target.”

“Two is our last reserve, sir. We've got gunships in system, but they are on the platforms unmanned,” Garfield warned.

“If it comes to it, we can use them as guided missiles. Send them out to intercept a KEW strike,” the admiral said. The ops officer blinked as the Neocat looked up in surprise then gave a Cheshire grin.

“I hope it doesn't come to that, but we'll tuck it away in reserve,” the admiral stated. “Tactical, work with the computer geeks to set it up if necessary.”

“Yes, sir,” the cat said, smile disappearing as he went to work.

“I so want to hit back,” Offenger growled.

“You and me both,” Amadeus said, eying the ships as they began to maneuver. “They are keeping out of our range though. We've got the speed. I'm not splitting my forces up to pin them down, however; it might be what they want.”

“I was going to say use the destroyers as an anvil and the battle cruisers as a hammer. But I see your point, sir,” Offenger stated.

The admiral nodded, eyes still on the plot. “They are maneuvering too much for us to hit them with our own KEW strikes. We can't anticipate. It's up to the fighters,” he growled.

“Damn it,” Garfield muttered.

“My sentiments exactly,” Amadeus said in answering disgust.

---<>))))

Commander Meia realized the enemy was using their superior speed to run from the tardy CEV and swore. She realized instantly that they were on their own; the enemy had opened the range and intended to keep it that way. They were playing cat and mouse, but the mice had very sharp teeth and rather thick skins.

She set her dumb A.I. to run the numbers but already knew the answer. Even with the two refueling shuttles coming in behind them they only enough fuel for one pass before they had to return to the barn. There was no way the two shuttles could fuel the entire wing.

And that still left the question of any damage or expended ordinance too. No, the barn was about it. She could keep a cap flight out to keep an eye on the enemy while the wing rearmed but nothing else.

“We've got to make it count, folks,” she ordered. “First squadron will go in to draw their fire. Make sure your telemetry is linked to your squadron commander as well as the bombers. Bombers make short work of the data, you've got longer legs than we do, but you'll be toast if we have to pull out and they launch fighters.”

She got a chorus of confirmations then nodded.

“Then let's do this people,” she growled, setting herself for the battle to come.

---<>))))

“Fighters coming in. It looks like a squadron each of
Cutlass
and
Cobra
class fighters, sir. A squadron of
Mitchell
class bombers are in a delta formation behind them.”

“Let's see if we can get them to split their targeting. Tuck
Massachusetts
in tight, helm. I want the wounded flanks to practically kiss to keep them away from the enemy.”

“Aye, sir. I'll let
Massachusetts
pucker up,” the helm rating quipped.

“You do that but don't get too fresh or she won't be the only one to nudge or slap you,” the captain growled. There was a soft chuckle from the room. He was aware this wasn't the time for levity but also knew something had to be done to cut the tension and get them sorted out mentally. “Okay people, we've planned for this. Make it happen. Defense plan Lima. We'll hold the fighters until they commit their bombers.”