Sacrifice:The Shenkar War (52 page)

             
“
How many ships are at full capacity?” asked Krailsha

             
“
All but three battlecruisers and four cruisers are at fighting capacity. Those ships are running at one-third power, and most of their weapon systems are down. They should be repaired within the day once they have docked with the command base.”

             
“
Belay that order. I want all ships to form up in front, screening the command base against enemy fire. Have the damaged ships out in front. They are to position themselves into the path of any enemy torpedo that is targeting this command base. When all ships are formed up, then we move out . . . including this command base. Fire control, I want all weapons to target the defense platforms. When in range, open fire with everything we have. I want those platforms blown out of my sight.”

EDF
George Washington

              Fleet Admiral Saunders studied the report he had been given on the status of the defense fleet. In addition to the losses they had suffered, an additional battlecruiser, the EDF
Yamamoto
, was out of commission. While the
Reagan
had managed to rescue her from destruction, she had suffered extensive damage. They were forced to pull her back to the shipyards where dockworkers immediately went to work at repairing her. In addition to the
Yamamoto
, the
Atlantis
and
Sydney
, two heavy cruisers, also were pulled back and were under repair. Saunders was hoping that with a little luck the shipyards would soon have them repaired and returned to duty. There were also three medium cruisers and two destroyers that were dead in space and were currently in the process of being towed to the docks, but Saunders felt there would be no chance they would return before the Shenkar renewed their assault.

             
In the meantime, it was now becoming a waiting game. Saunders was close to his fifteenth year in the service: fourteen years in the Navy, with the past six months in training for space combat. After the world had been devastated by the bird flu, he had risen to the ranking of Fleet Admiral in the Earth Defense Force. A few of the countries had argued against his appointment, as this was a combined world effort. But countries like the UK and Japan had argued the opposition down, and he was appointed. He had always wondered if he would lead a warship into combat. Now he was leading not just a warship but an entire fleet against an enemy assault force from space. How he hated this waiting game, but at the same time, he wanted them to hold off long enough to get reinforcements here to back his fleet. His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of his second-in-command.

             
“
Sir, the Shenkar are on the move. It appears they aren’t going to wait to renew their assault. They are coming now, and it seems they are bringing their command base with them.”

             
Pulling his personal display to him, Saunders studied the holographic map. From the looks of it, the entire Shenkar fleet was screening the command base, but he didn’t think they would be able to stop everything they fired at him. Keying his comm channel, he spoke.
              “
Platform control, target all torpedoes on that command base and fire!”

             
Seconds later, forty-four torpedoes launched from the tubes and sped off toward the oncoming Shenkar command base. Immediately, enemy fire began to return at the incoming threats. Explosions began registering on the display, but even with the heavy Shenkar fire, many torpedoes were still closing.

             
Suddenly, one of the forward Shenkar battlecruisers moved into the path of four torpedoes. Explosions registered across the bow of the battlecruiser before the battlecruiser exploded. The resulting explosion destroyed four more torpedoes that passed close by. Almost immediately, a second battlecruiser moved into the path of three torpedoes, destroying the battlecruiser and all three torpedoes. The few torpedoes that did penetrate the Shenkar defenses exploded against the command base’s shields but failed to do any real damage.

             
“
Sir, no damage to the command base but two battlecruisers destroyed.”

             
“
How long until the platforms will be ready for another salvo?”

             
“
Two minutes, sir.”

             
“
All ships, fire at will!” commanded Saunders over the fleet net.

             
All Earth ships opened up with everything they had, and once again, the fierce battle resumed.

             
“
Sir, the Shenkar fleet and the command base just launched torpedoes numbering in excess of one hundred!”

             
“
Fire all energy cannons targeting any incoming torpedoes.”

             
“
Sir, none of the torpedoes are targeted on us . . . they seem to be split up between the two defense platforms.”

             
“
Damn it! Target as many of those torpedoes as we can and fire. If we lose the platforms, we lose this battle.”

             
Immediately, all weapons of the Earth Defense Force turned toward the Shenkar torpedoes and energy began to lance out. Soon the energy began to connect, and explosions lit up against the starry background. However, it didn’t take long before it was apparent they were just not intercepting enough of the torpedoes. Explosions began to bloom all over the shields, and seconds later, the shields failed. Great chunks of metal were ripped away from resulting explosions. Impact after impact followed, and almost in unison, both orbital defense platforms exploded. For all the strategies Saunders had been given, none had included a command base.

             
Now with both defense platforms destroyed, the Shenkar renewed their attack against the Earth fleet, and soon they began to suffer heavy damage. Watching the reports as they came in, Saunders knew if they remained where they were, they would lose the entire fleet and there would be no way Earth would survive. His only choice was to pull back and hope the Shenkar followed, pulling the forces he could deal with away from that command base.

             
“
This is Fleet Admiral Saunders. All ships, pull back to sector eight two. Admiral Gergi, take the
Reagan
and cover the retreat of the
Apollo--
she is heavily damaged.”

             
Saunders sat back in his chair as switched off his comm set. Slowly, the fleet withdrew from battle, energy cannons firing as fast as they could. Fleet comm frequencies constantly chattered as ships called for cover or ships called in warnings to other ships. Slowly, the entire fleet withdrew to sector eight two on the other side of Earth. To Saunders’s dismay, the Shenkar fleet didn’t follow as the assault fleet stopped.

Shenkar Command Base

              “
Supreme Commander, the Earth fleet has stopped just on the other side of the planet. Shall I order the fleet to follow?” asked the Shenkar comm officer.

             
“
No, halt all forces here. The Earth forces have the protection of two more of those defense platforms.”

             
Turning to another of the Shenkar bridge crew, he spoke.
“
Have you located the position of the control stations for the remaining defense platforms?” he commanded.

             
“
Yes, Supreme Commander, location has been identified on the northeastern section of the continent known to these humans as the United States of America. From the information we salvaged from the humans’ battlecruiser, we believe it to be the same location as the training grounds for those Templar Knights.”

             
“
Excellent. Have Commander Critz bring the transports forward. Inform him I will be leading the assault on the human’s base personally.               Have all fighters move forward to engage the humans, as they will most certainly move to engage us. Have all warships begin long-range cover fire upon the Earth fleet. Then have my shuttle prepared. Commander Kruyt, you have the bridge.”

             
“
Yes, Supreme Commander!”

             
Krailsha turned and left the command deck. He was almost to his personal shuttle when his comm unit chimed.

             
“
Supreme Commander, we have new contacts inbound. Image recognition shows it to be the
Tryliene
. We have tried to establish contact, but it appears their communication array is damaged as well as the life support systems. A baseline transmission has come, though, requesting immediate docking and repairs.”

             
“
Who requested the docking? Was it First Scientist Scryen?”

             
“
No, sir, no name was given. It was a small burst transmission with no voice. The
Tryliene
seems to be running on limited power, so it might not have been able to send a longer transmission. Sir, I must also inform you, there seems to be a destroyer-sized ship close in tow of the
Tryliene
. We are unable to establish a contact with it, but the Shenkar recognition transmitter seems to be intact and is showing it to be the Destroyer
Grytica
. . . she was reported destroyed, sir.”

             
Krailsha thought this over for a few seconds as he entered his private docking bay.

             
“
If the
Grytica
makes any hostiles moves, destroy her. As for the
Tryliene
, have her dock immediately and have Scyren detained. He has a lot to answer for.”

             
Krailsha boarded his shuttle and had his pilot take off. As his pilot flew to their destination, Krailsha looked out the view port at the site of the
Tryliene
. She was just beginning her docking maneuvers as she entered through the massive base doors. Just aft of the
Tryliene
was the
Grytica
. Looking more closely at the distant, ship Krailsha immediately noticed something was wrong. The entire ship seemed to be in pieces; he could see stars beyond. Suddenly, with grim recognition, he knew what he was seeing.

             
“
Get us on that transport now!” command Krailsha.

             
The pilot increased the shuttle to full throttle and took the shuttle fast through the transport’s hangar doors. The shuttle set down hard in what would be called a controlled crash that sent Krailsha to the shuttle’s deck. Not wasting any time, he jumped up and exited the shuttle before the shuttle’s hatch was completely down. Knocking two Shenkar warriors aside, Krailsha ran to the transport’s bridge. Upon entering, he quickly grabbed a comm set from the transport’s current Commander.

             
“
Get me the command base immediately!” commanded Krailsha.

             
The connection was established immediately, and Krailsha didn’t wait for his Commander to speak.

             
“
Commander Kruyt, cease the docking of the
Tryliene
! Destroy her and that mass of fighters you mistook as a destroyer that is in tow!”

EDF
George Washington

              “
Sir! The Shenkar fleet is on the move again. It appears they are bringing forth their ground-assaulting transports.”

             
“
Damn it, will we ever get a lucky break?!” shouted Saunders.

             
Looking at the holographic display, he saw that he would need to make a decision and make one soon. If those transports made it to ground, then the Shenkar could overrun what the planet had in terms of military defense. The question now was whether to hold back the fleet and hope the land-based military could hold out or to bring the fleet out of the cover from the defense platforms and try and destroy as many of those ships as possible. He didn’t even have to think twice about it. Those transports had to be destroyed, even if it meant the loss of the defense fleet.

             
“
Attention, fleet, this is Fleet Admiral Saunders. We have enemy troop transports inbound toward Earth. If these transports make ground, they will inflict heavy civilian casualties. We must stop them. All Earth defense forces, forward!”

             
Leaning back in his command chair, Saunders began to pray for a miracle.