Galactic Empire Wars 2: Emergence (23 page)

“Crap.”
Michael exhaled and then drew in a sharp breath. “Shift our fire to the mother
ships and the assault ships, at least our weapons can penetrate their screens,
unless they’ve been massively upgraded.”

“Shifting
fire,” Lieutenant Edmondson responded.

On the main
screen, a Kleese assault ship appeared. Instantly, several particle beams
struck the ship’s shield, penetrating it and striking the hull. The top section
of the ship exploded and debris started drifting away. Then an antimatter
missile detonated in a bright blast and when the explosion cleared, the Kleese
assault ship was gone.

“Weapons are
still effective against the assault ships,” Makita confirmed in a relieved
voice. “But what do we do about their warships?”

“I don’t
know,” Kirby replied his brow creased in a worried frown. “But we had better
figure something out soon or this battle will be over.”

-

Space between
the two fleets was lit with exploding ordnance as well as flashes of energy
beams. The Kleese were firing pulse fusion beams and energy weapons nonstop,
mixed in with occasional sublight antimatter missiles. The Human ships were
responding in kind, the only difference being the bright blue particle beams
that continuously flicked out, striking Kleese ships.

An antimatter
missile slammed into the bow of the light cruiser Dresden, destroying all bow
weapons and opening up numerous compartments to space. The valiant cruiser
turned broadside and opened fire with her remaining weapons. Pulse fusion beams
and energy beams struck the energy shield of the Kleese mother ship that had launched
the devastating missile. Several pulse fusion beams penetrated the weakening
shield, which was under heavy attack from several assault ships as well as
another light cruiser. Debris was blasted away from the hull as explosions
marched across the mother ship’s armor. Then a number of powerful particle
beams smashed into the hull, cutting deep inside and setting off several
powerful explosions. Two antimatter missiles flashed through the weakened
screen and twin massive fireballs obliterated the Kleese ship, leaving nothing
but glowing debris behind.

The Dresden turned toward another target when a pair of missiles from a Kleese warship struck
the stern of the light cruiser. Two massive explosions tore the ship apart,
vaporizing armor and crew alike. When the fireballs dissipated, the ship was
gone.

-

“Light cruiser
Dresden is down,” Lieutenant Fullerton spoke in an anxious voice. “We’ve lost
six more assault ships and the battlecruiser Agamemnon is heavily damaged.”

“Order the
Agamemnon to fall back to Centerpoint,” Kirby ordered in an attempt to save the
cruiser and its crew. “Have light cruisers Haskins and Bunker Hill cover her
withdrawal. Designate the six Kleese warships as Bugs One through Six. I want
all battlecruisers to concentrate their fire on Bug One. Pound it with
antimatter missiles and particle beam fire. Those shields have to come down!”

-

The Kleese
Overlord was pleased. As he had expected, the shields of his warships were
impervious to the Human's particle beam weapons. While the Humans were managing
to destroy some of his assault ships and had even managed to take out an
exploration ship, his warships would be the end of them.

“All warships
are to focus their fire on the larger Human ships,” he ordered in a commanding
voice. “Once they are destroyed, the rest of the Human ships will be easy
prey.”

“As you
command,” Darlu responded as he passed on the order to the other Kleese in the Command Center. There were no conscripts on the Kleese warship; the Dark Oblivion had a
crew of five hundred and twenty Kleese.

Weapons fire
reached out from the Kleese ships, striking the battlecruisers Vanguard and
Trident. The Vanguard’s shield weakened in several areas and enemy weapons fire
blasted away at the ship’s armor. Several pulse fusion turrets were blown apart
and a ragged rent was torn into the hull. Internal explosions blew out a major
section of the ship’s armor, opening up numerous compartments to the cold
vacuum of space. A well-placed Kleese antimatter missile detonated in the rent
and the battlecruiser ceased to be as its thousands of tons were converted into
shattered debris and glowing gases.

The Trident
was struggling as the chief engineer desperately diverted all available power
to the energy shield, effectively shutting down most of the ship’s weapons
systems. The shield was under heavy attack and it was all he could do to keep
it from failing. He had even diverted power from life support in a last ditch
effort to save the battlecruiser.

“Turn off the
damn lights!” he yelled. “I want every bit of available power going to the
shield!” He could hear a higher pitched noise coming from the straining fusion
reactor as he coaxed every erg of energy possible from it. It was a sound he
had never heard before.

-

“Battlecruiser
Vanguard is down, light cruisers Acadia, Bremen, and Dover are down,”
Lieutenant Fullerton spoke her voice filled with grief. They were losing a lot
of people in the battle.

“Battlecruiser
Trident is under heavy attack and in danger of their energy shield failing,”
Major Makita reported. On one of the viewscreens, the Trident appeared, its
shield aglow with heavy weapons fire from several Kleese warships. If something
wasn’t done quickly, the ship would be destroyed.

“All
battlecruisers are targeting Bug One,” Major Makita reported as the Armageddon
shook as more weapons fire impacted the ship’s energy shield.

“Fire our bow
heavy railguns also,” Michael ordered. He wanted to hit the Kleese warship with
everything they had. That shield had to be knocked down or this battle was
lost.

On the primary
screen, Bug One was being displayed. The Kleese warship was being struck by
dozens of particle beams and railgun rounds. Twenty-megaton antimatter missiles
began detonating against its energy screen in rapid succession. The firing grew
more intense until the entire shield was aglow with energy, and then several
railgun rounds flashed through a weakened section, slamming into the warship’s
hull. A major portion was blasted away into space, opening up the ship’s
interior. A pulse fusion beam struck and then several more blue particle beams.
The ship’s shield seemed to falter and then, all at once, it failed. The Kleese
warship vanished as over a dozen antimatter missiles detonated against its
heavily armored hull. For a moment, the ship looked like a star gone nova.

“We got one!”
Major Makita cried jubilantly as the red icon representing the Kleese ship
vanished from the tactical screen.

-

But the Kleese
were also intent on annihilating the Human ships. Assault ships from both sides
were in a deadly duel. The Human ships had better shields and were equipped
with particle beam weapons, but the Kleese assault ships were also heavily
armed with pulse fusion beams and antimatter missiles. For every Human ship
that was destroyed, three Kleese ships were annihilated in return. The light
cruisers were also making a huge difference in the battle against the assault
ships. However, the Kleese mother ships were pouring their deadly fire into the
Human light cruisers and assault ships, which was evening up the odds. In
bright explosions, assault ships were being blasted apart, and occasionally a
light cruiser would die a violent death.

-

Michael
studied the primary tactical screen with deep concern etched onto his face. The
Human fleet was losing, though the light cruisers and the assault ships were
preventing the Kleese from breaking through to Luna City and Centerpoint
Station.

“Focus our
attack on Bug Two,” he ordered grimly, knowing he had no other option.

If the fleet
could hammer the Kleese enough, and in particular take out several more of
their warships, perhaps Centerpoint and Luna City could use their offensive
weapons to finish off the Kleese fleet. It was a long shot, but at the moment
it was the only thing he could come up with.

Michael was suddenly
flung forward against the restraining straps in his command chair. Several
people screamed and the lights flickered, went out, and then came back on. He
could smell something burning in the air. He looked up at the viewscreens and
saw they weren’t functioning.

“We were hit
by two antimatter missiles,” Major Makita explained breathlessly as he spoke to
the ship’s chief engineer over the com system. “Our primary reactor was knocked
out of the power loop but should be back online shortly. The energy shield is
at twenty percent; I’ve pulled the Armageddon back and ordered two of our light
cruisers to cover us while we get the power back up.” Even as he spoke, the
viewscreens and tactical screen blinked back to life.

“Battlecruiser
Titan is down, light cruisers Vixen, Sydney, Chicago, and Harris are down.
We’ve lost sixteen more assault ships,” reported Lieutenant Fullerton, feeling
distressed at the growing losses. She knew on some of those ships she had
friends that were dying.

“We can’t keep
losing ships like this,” Major Makita groaned as the ship shook violently once
again.

On the damage
control console, red lights flared into being. Many more turned amber.

“Kleese fusion
beam hit the hull. We’ve got several compartments open to space and we’re venting
atmosphere,” reported the damage control officer. “We’re closing off the
damaged areas.”

The ship shook
violently again and even more red lights came on.

“Fold Space Drive is down,” reported Makita, grimly. “The chief engineer says it will take
several hours to repair. Enemy ships seem to be closing on us.”

“They’ve
figured out we’re the flagship,” Michael responded as his eyes narrowed in
concern. “Tell the chief not to worry about the Fold Space Drive as long as he
can keep the sublight drive functioning.”

“Battlecruisers
Vega and Glory are moving in for support,” Lieutenant Fullerton reported as the
two large green icons moved closer to the Armageddon.

“Bug Two is
under heavy attack,” Lieutenant Edmondson shouted from Tactical.

On the
viewscreen, Bug Two was covered in massive explosions. Several particle beams
penetrated its screen, blasting large glowing holes in the hull.

“Bug Two is
pulling back,” Major Makita said as the ship moved away from the attacking
battlecruisers.

“We didn’t get
to finish her off,” Michael said with disappointment showing on his face. He
glanced back at the main tactical screen. If things didn’t change shortly, the
Human fleet would either be destroyed or forced to withdraw back to
Centerpoint.

-

Both fleets
were now heavily engaged with all ships firing weapon after weapon. Space was
full of flashes of particle, fusion, and energy beam weapons as well as the
titanic explosions of antimatter missiles. Assault ships on both sides were
being smashed open as multiple ships pummeled their victims. The Kleese mother
ships were firing determinedly on the light cruisers, attempting to wipe them
out and take them away from the Human fleet equation. The light cruisers were
returning fire, occasionally slipping a particle beam through the mother ships’
energy shields, which would be quickly followed by an antimatter missile.

Two more
Kleese mother ships were blown apart in rapid succession by the light cruisers.
The cruisers were using their combined weapons to pummel the mother ships’ energy
shields, knocking them down and then finishing them off with the sublight
missiles. Multiple twenty-megaton antimatter explosions were not healthy even
for a behemoth like a Kleese mother ship.

Space was
becoming littered with debris from damaged and dying ships. Fires could be seen
burning inside assault ships, and light cruisers had large jagged rents in
their hulls glowing from the heat of raging fires within. Battlecruisers’ hulls
were pockmarked with severe damage. The Kleese fleet was in the same shape,
with every mother ship showing signs of weapons fire. Several were nearly out
of action from the massive damage received from antimatter missile strikes.
Others had major sections of their hulls that had been blown away, revealing
corridors and compartments within.

-

At
Centerpoint, Marken and Generals Mitchell, and Pittman were watching the deadly
battle on the Command Center’s massive screens. On one screen, a heavily
damaged assault ship smashed into a Kleese warship’s energy screen to vanish in
a blinding explosion, causing the entire screen to flicker briefly.

“Did you see
that?” Marken cried his eyes turning to focus on the two generals.

“Yeah,”
replied Pittman, shaking his head sadly. “We just lost another ship.”

“No,”
responded Marken, excitedly. “Did you see how the Kleese warship’s energy
screen reacted to the impact of the assault ship?”

“It
flickered,” answered General Mitchell, not seeing Marken’s point.

“The entire
screen flickered,” responded Marken, trying to be patient. “The impact nearly
caused the screen to overload and go down, that’s why the entire screen
flickered momentarily.”

“I don’t see
what you’re getting at,” spoke General Pittman, looking confused.

“If the battle
continues as it is, Admiral Kirby is going to lose,” Marken explained in a
concerned voice. “The Kleese warships are just too powerful. We’re having
trouble getting past their energy screens.”

“What are you
suggesting?” Mitchell asked his eyes focusing on the Kivean.

“We ram them!”
Marken shouted his eyes wide. “We ram them with our ships.”

Mitchell
looked over at Pittman as he thought over Marken’s suggestion. The idea sounded
crazy, but it just might work. “The assault ships aren’t large enough,” he said
after a moment. “We would have to use a light cruiser or even a battlecruiser.”