Chapter 44

The 452^nd Heavy Fighter Squadron based mostly out of the 5^th Fleet raced in towards their designated target in the alien command fleet, even if no one was really sure that was what they were. Commander Sigis studied the readings he was getting, including the massive energy spike that indicated an anti-matter power plant driving the beam guidance generator.

“Where do we hit?” Pilot Ranvert asked. “That thing is shlecking huge!”

“Smaller than a battlesphere,” Pilot Creel giggled. “Though that’s not saying a lot with what it’s toting,” she finished.

“Launch all missiles at zone 32,” Sigis ordered. “According to the AI there’s a chance we’ll hit something vital. Follow it up with a strafing run.”

“Yes, sir!” came a chorus of replies as the Squadron altered course, beginning the Imperial weave, a manoeuvre that reduced the chances of an enemy hitting them.

Despite a massive amount of ordinary firepower being directed at them, the complex and advanced technology built into the Heavy Fighters enabled them to avoid casualties on their attack run and loose a torrent of fire at their designated target. There followed a series of massive explosions, strong enough to actually move the ship out of its stable position, causing power fluctuations along its whole length. The 452^nd then strafed along the length of the ship causing several minor explosions before the squadron turned away at high speed to collect new ordnance from the accompanying Fleet Tenders.

“A good strike,” Clessik commented to the bridge. “AI, analysis, if you please.”

“Indications from sensor sweeps suggest the ship’s anti-matter beam is disabled, though damage to the ship as a whole is minor,” the AI replied.

“Contact the Gershonians and Melanoqi, give them the data and request they loose their Heavy Fighters, if you please, Comms.”

“Messages sent and acknowledged, sir,” the Comm Officer replied.

“Good. Now, all ships prepare to take fire from the next alien salvo.”

“At last,” Navarch Tissimla commented when she received the message from Admiral Clessik.

“He’s playing it safe, Navarch,” her Flag Captain, Ploiarch Refuni, replied with a slight smile as Tissimla had been chafing a little from not getting to fight anyone. During the various strikes against the aliens the Dynasta Fleet had been held in reserve.

“Is my impatience showing that much?” she asked Refuni with a chuckle.

“Just a tad, Navarch.”

“Well, Untiriol’s Regialis Fleet have had the bragging rights so far. It would be nice to get battle laurels for the Dynasta Fleet before it becomes an issue with the crew.”

“They sadly have the experience.”

“True, and I don’t begrudge them the position they took. Just glad it’s our turn, as horrific as it may get,” Tissimla nodded. “Take us in behind the Heavy Fighters.”

“By your command, Navarch.”

“Melanoqi are moving up to support their Heavy Fighters!” Gollant announced.

“Too keen, but may the gods smile upon them,” Clessik nodded.

“Gershonians too, plus the 7^th, 12^th, 13^th and 25^th Imperial Fleets.”

“One wonders who is in charge of this battle?” Clessik chuckled ruefully. “Are the 26^th guarding the Medical and the Assault Carriers?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, now they’ve speeded up the plan; let us do our part.”

“Fleet will advance on the enemy command fleet after the next salvo!” Gollant ordered, hearing a few cheers from the bridge crew.

‘The prey are advancing on all fronts,’ a senior intelligence warned the Masters.

‘Open fire with the anti-matter cannon and teach them a lesson!’ one of the masters commanded.

‘As you wish.’

‘Are our Reelc ships still holding this prey?’ another Master asked.

‘For now,’ the senior intelligence replied. ‘However, their resolve is crumbling in the face of mounting casualties.’

‘Disturbing. We made the Reelc our loyal creatures and now we casually destroy them in the hopes that we may destroy this prey,’ the Master stated to the group.

‘Your point being?’ another Master asked indifferently.

‘That this is not the way to reward loyal service.’

‘Yet we must survive! We can always create new Reelc.’

‘Yes, there is always that.’

“Peak power spike reached in alien command vessels!’ the AI warned.

“Fleet to brace themselves!” Gollant roared out an order.

Almost a thousand anti-matter beams lanced out from the command vessels of the aliens. A fair few totally missed and the vast majority struck their own ships. However, two hundred and seventy-two Imperial ships were taken out as well, gutting 6^th Fleet, though, fortunately, not the Flagship.

What it also did, though, was rip a huge hole in the centre of the alien formation through which the 4^th and 5^th Fleets poured, along with masses of Heavy Fighters from all Fleets. The aliens themselves seemed stunned and made no immediate moves to seal the breach in their formation and hence came under sustained fire from the Hegemony fleets as they widened the breach to permit the other allies to race towards it in the hopes of getting to the command fleet as well.

“I think they shot themselves in the foot,” Clessik commented as his bridge, along with the AIs, tried to regain control of his scattered Fleet in the confusion caused by losing so many ships.

“Orders sir?” Gollant asked.

“Redesignate our units into an ad hoc command structure, then resume the attack. Any damaged or crippled vessels are to make their way to the Medical Carrier support Fleets.”

“Yes, sir. Sending orders now.”

“Medical teams, you are to assist with casualty retrieval and treatment on the damaged ships. Expect a lot of radiation burns.” The harsh tones of the AI warned us.

“On our way,” Flinn replied as we hurried to our designated landing craft.

It was a chaotic appearing situation, with several ships limping out of the combat zone, often towing a crippled vessel. The AIs guided us in, along with the medical shuttles of the Medical Carriers. This enabled us to aid and assist the ships’ Healers or the Meditechs on the smaller Fleet ships.

Our designated ship was the Cruiser Domain which looked partially melted and was still venting atmosphere, as well as appearing to be on fire in parts. Fortunately, there was an accessible hatch to dock with and we piled onto the ship, along with our Meditechs, to begin triage.

There were injured crewmen everywhere, mostly being given comfort by a few mobile crewmen. There was no sign of the ship’s Meditech and no sign of any anaesthesia or painkillers having been used, so that’s where our Meditechs began, as Flinn, Torun and I began using our wands to stabilise the wounded.

Indeed, stabilisation was all we could aim for. There were far too many injured that we could effectively cure with the facilities we had on hand. Most were given a tailored nanite package to repair the burns coupled with a tailored viral package to repair the wound at cellular level and remove damaged cells to keep their bodies working.

“Terrible, terrible weapon,” I muttered as we moved from one patient to another.

“True,” Flinn replied with a sigh. “It’s not being helped by many parts of the ship being irradiated as well.”

“Ummm. the Engineers are cutting the outer areas away at the moment,” Torun added.

“I’m just thankful for my armour. It’s blocking all the really deadly stuff, though we’ll all need treatment when we’re finished here,” I remarked.

“You’ll still have to detour through ‘De-con’ first,” Flinn reminded us.

“Hope they don’t scrap my armour. Could be a bit of a bugger getting a new set out here,” I chuckled wryly.

“True, the Artificer’s shop we have is a standard, but not an advanced one.”

“One bridge at a time,” Torun chimed in. “This one’s stable, on to the next.”

“Talking of the Bridge, way’s clear now. Kiria, you head up there and see if you can get the senior Officers up and about and back in control. Torun, you head for Engineering to assist there.”

“On it,” we both replied before heading out.

I did a few checks on any crew I passed, though most were now in armour and, at worst, stable enough to assist with radioactive material removal and clean-down. The Bridge itself was in the heavily armoured centre of the ship, yet still showed signs of both heat and radiation damage. All there were in armour and after introducing myself, I began scanning and treating.

“You’ll all need a visit to a Medical Carrier for full recovery,” I informed Captain Romos. “However, you’re in no danger of dying, just hair loss as I’ve treated the damage to your internals.”

“Thank you, Healer Kiria,” he acknowledged. “We appreciate your efforts.”

“Thank you, sir. We’ll try to save as many of your crew as we can,” I replied with a salute.

“Again, thank you.”

I left the Bridge with the Command Staff now fully able to concentrate on their jobs without throwing up. I headed to where the AI told me I was needed next, checking all on the way to see if anything was needed, all the while thanking the gods that this wasn’t a Superdreadnought with a crew of nearly a thousand.

“AI, I take it your core was protected?” I asked.

“Yes, Kiria,” it replied in a pleasant tone as used by Fleet. “I was far better protected than the crew for the most part.”