Sacrifice:The Shenkar War (29 page)

             
“Perhaps they did not know of Sheeata?” commented Trikreca.

             
“I have thought of this, but it cannot be. They wield Meshtrell technology, so they must have knowledge of us,” said Shizta.

             
“So by your reports, they only have one battlecruiser left? Well, in that case, we will bring the Third Fleet into the system and find and crush these creatures,” said Trikreca.

             
Trikreca indicated for Shizta to follow, then turned and walked from the hangar. Shizta fell in beside the Overlord, walking to the bridge in silence. Reaching the bridge, the Overlord did not stop but continued on into a small room off the bridge. The room contained a small desk with a hard chair behind it. No chairs sat in front, forcing visitors to stand before the desk. A large holograph table sat to one side. Trikreca walked to the table and activated the holographic system. System 238 appeared up out of the table.

             
“Show me where you encountered the enemy,” Trikreca said as he indicated the holographic display.

             
“We were just moving past the outer gas giant toward this asteroid belt where the signal was transmitting from,” explained Shizta as he traced a finger through the system to the asteroid field. “Upon reaching a point just beyond the gas giant, four battlecruisers folded in behind us. The four cut off any possible retreat, while three more emerged from the asteroid field. The enemy immediately began launching their fighters and closed the distance. Enemy fighter count doubled our own, so our own pilots were hard-pressed. I knew immediately it was a trap, so I ordered our fighters to run defense so the
Krazzeen
could withdraw. While it has never happened before that I know of, I know when I am outgunned. I knew I must save the pride of the Shenkar Federation. Scores of our pilots died with honor, and we were almost able to break free.

             
“We destroyed the four battlecruisers to our rear, but in that time, the other three managed to close the distance and engage us point-blank. With our engines and shields failing, I knew I must return to tell of what happened. The only consolation was that when the
Krazzeen
blew, it took two of the three remaining battlecruisers that were left with it along with most of the remaining enemy fighters. I estimate the remaining battlecruiser can only field about three hundred fighters.”

             
“I have in my fleet two battlecruisers, seven Shizrec class cruisers, ten Kelgen-class destroyers, and I can field roughly one thousand fighters. I have thirty Drelai gunships, but they wouldn’t be of much use unless they have a base nearby to assault.”

             
“It is possible there is a base on one of the nearby planets, but that is still unknown to me. Either way, what you have will be more than sufficient to crush the remaining battlecruiser. When would you like to proceed? Time is of the essence, and in my opinion, we should attack immediately, but it is your fleet.”

Trikreca studied the holographic table for several long moments before he made his choice aloud.
“I would prefer to speak with Supreme Commander Krailsha before I commence with any military action. But you are right: time is of the essence. We attack within the hour. I want you to take command of the Battlecruiser
Dricon
. You will circle around behind the gas giant and come up from beneath the asteroid field. This will cut off their escape route.”

             
“How do you know this would be their route of escape? There are two other avenues they can exit through.”

             
“The gravity well of this planet here prevents them from escaping.” He indicated a planet opposite the point in which the
Krazzeen
was destroyed. “We assume they have pulse drives, since the battlecruiser is of Meshtrell technology, right? Well, then, they won’t be able to engage them until they are past due to stress on the engine, and at that point, we would have caught them. And they will not be taking this path either”--he indicated a path that led up from the asteroid field--“as there is nothing in this direction. We surveyed this system and found it to be full of dangerous nebulas that wreak havoc upon any ship’s electrical systems. The only logical path will take them on the route I indicated earlier. Any questions?”

             
“No, I will depart for the
Dricon
immediately,” said Shizta, then saluted and exited the small room.

EDF
Sacrifice
, Command Bridge

              “Get me the Admiral immediately! And scramble all our pilots!” commanded Captain Caqel.

A
n alarm blared throughout the ship, signaling a red alert. The thunder of feet running to their fighters reverberated throughout the passageways. Studying the view screen, Caqel watched the incoming Shenkar fleet moving into the system, heading straight toward the hiding spot of the
Sacrifice
. After a few minutes, Admiral Kelvin entered the bridge.

             
“Status report!” he commanded of Captain Caqel.

             
“Incoming Shenkar warships: one battlecruiser, three Shizrec class cruisers, six Kelgen-class destroyers, and about five hundred light fighters. They are on a path matching that the
Krazzeen
took. They are headed straight for us and will be here in about fifteen--”

             
“Sir, new contacts in sector three three four. Analogs show them to be Shenkar warships. Types are one battlecruiser, four Shizrec cruisers, four Kelgen destroyers, and five hundred light fighters,” said a young officer.

             
“Damn it!” shouted the Admiral, then gripped the railing in front of him with his head down.

             
“Sir?” said Captain Caqel.

             
“Halt the launching of fighters--how many have already launched?”

             
“Twenty-one squadrons, sir,” Caqel said after calling for the halt, then studying the readout.

             
“Have the ones that have already launched proceed to the asteroid base. We will exit from the field in an attempt to draw away the enemy--make them think we are running. We need to make them believe we are all the enemy that is present.”

             
Slowly, all the fighters already in space turned about and made for the hidden base while the
Sacrifice
exited the asteroid field, its heading set straight on a path for the Shenkar battlecruiser,
Dricon
.

Shenkar Battlecruiser,
Dricon
Bridge

              “Overlord Shizta, enemy contact bearing four four three. Headed straight for us,” said a Shenkar bridge officer.

             
Taking three quick long strides, he closed the distance and looked upon the scanner readout. Indeed, the battlecruiser he had previously encountered was headed straight at them. Smiling to himself, he turned to fire control.

             
“Signal all ships, lock torpedoes and fire!” Shizta commanded.

             
A few seconds later, he heard the familiar thump of launching torpedoes. Looking up on the view screen, he could see twenty torpedoes launch from his small fleet and streak off toward the enemy battlecruiser.

             
“All ships, close distance. Open up all cannons and pulverize anything that survives the torpedo attack.”

EDF
Sacrifice
, Command Bridge

              “Sir, we have incoming torpedoes, twenty in number. ETA two minutes until impact,” said a young officer.

             
“Captain Caqel, are we ready?” asked the Admiral.

             
“Ready, sir,” Caqel reported back.

Admiral Kelvin studied the incoming torpedoes for several long moments. After a minute, he raised his hand into the air as young bridge officer spoke.
“Impact in ten . . . nine . . . eight . . . seven . . . six . . . five . . .”

             
“Now, Captain.”

             
Captain Caqel’s hand came down upon the pad it had been hovering over for the past minute.

Shenkar Battlecruiser
Dricon
, Bridge

              Shizta watched the battlecruiser on the views screen as the torpedoes streaked toward it, an officer counting down.
The fools were not even going to try to evade,
he thought.

             
“Nine . . . eight . . . seven . . . six . . . five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one . . .”

             
But no impact came. The torpedoes continued their path into the dark void of space. No battlecruiser showed on the screen.

             
“Where is my target?” demanded Shizta of fire control.

             
“It appears they engaged a fold system seconds before impact, Overlord.”

             
Growling, Shizta hammered a fist down upon a nearby console.               “They ran like the cowards they are. Get me Overlord Trikreca now.”

Necro Squadron, Hidden Asteroid Base

             
Liam guided his fighter through the opening in the asteroid. The opening was just large enough to allow small craft like fighters and shuttles to enter one at a time. Lights had been placed to guide craft through the tunnel that led into the recently built base. At about thirty meters in, the tunnel angled to the right and continued on for another fifty meters until it opened upon a massive cavern. At the entrance, Liam’s fighter passed through an energy field that allowed ships to pass through but kept the atmosphere in.

             
The cavern had undergone massive construction to become the base it was now. Roughly two hundred fighter-sized niches had been hollowed out, most full at this point. Looking around, Liam spotted the rest of Necro Squadron. He guided his fighter to a spot to the side of where the rest of Necro Squadron had settled in.

             
After cycling down his fighter, Liam opened his canopy and stood. As he stood in his cockpit, he looked about the new base. Maintenance crews hustled about, bringing ladders to fighters, moving equipment, and attaching recharge cables to fighters. Not waiting for a ladder, Liam jumped over the side and dropped to the rock floor. As he straightened up, he saw the rest of his squadron walking toward him.

             
“
What is going on? We launch and then are ordered to hide? Where is the
Sacrifice
?” asked Evan quickly.

             
“
I didn’t catch all of it, but from what I understood, it seems we were severely outnumbered and our escape routes were blocked. I am assuming that Admiral Kelvin let them see the
Sacrifice
fold away to make them believe they made us retreat. Chances are, they don’t know about our hidden base here. We will be able to continue our hit-and-run attacks this way.”

             
“
Hopefully, the
Sacrifice
survived the jump,” commented Tim.

             
“
What do you mean?” asked April.

             
“
The gravity well of the nearby planet and asteroid field should have prevented it. Well, not necessarily prevented it--more made it very dangerous, as it would cause extreme stress on the fold engines,” explained Tim.

             
“
Well, let’s hope they were successful,” said Steve.

             
Everyone was silent for a moment before Liam spoke.
“
Anyone know who is in charge here?”

             
“
A Commander Dunklin,” said Darrin.

             
“
Well, let’s get bunked in and find out what we do next,” said Liam.

             
Liam looked about until he spotted the exit to the hangar and then headed that way. It didn’t take long to find the pilot quarters that had been constructed. Overall, the quarters were rather nice for being so hastily built. The room was only one area with a small bathroom. Although they didn’t have everything they had on the
Sacrifice
, it seemed Admiral Kelvin had planned ahead for this. Supplies for the pilots had been well provisioned.