Chapter 2: The Battle

The combined third and fifth fleet approached CX173, a system with an orange sun and seven planets. The scouts had found out that this system was very important for the Sa’arm. The second planet was a little too hot and dry for human standards but perfect for the Sa’arm. In addition, the planet’s moon had a breathable atmosphere too. The Sa’arm had colonized both the planet and the moon and it seemed that they had not exploited the resources like they did normally. A lot of traffic was going in and out, mainly freighters and messenger ships. There were several hive ships protecting the system. What made the system important to the Confederacy was that the scouts had detected a new ship type here and it seemed that it had been developed here.

The Confederacy scout ship had left the system forty days ago. Headquarters came to the conclusion that this was a good opportunity to hit the Sa’arm badly. Headquarters thought that if the Sa’arm gestalt suffered when there were too few of the lizards, it might have reached a new quality when the population of two planets was in reach of the gestalt communication. Headquarters had quickly joined all available forces and even authorized the use of planet-crackers.

Admiral Chen Xuda was standing on the bridge of his flag-ship. It was the Fu, a Goddess Class Battle Cruiser of the latest generation of ships. He looked over the holographic display of his fleet. They were already in attack formation to beat the Sa’arm quick and hard. Their own scout ships had sent message that there were no bad surprises detectable. The actual scan of all the Sa’arm ships that were currently in the target system allowed them to run a surprise attack.

Admiral Xuda observed his bridge crew. There was a temporary disturbance at the direction finding station. It quickly subsided and Admiral Xuda didn’t get an immediate report. But in a situation shortly before a big battle, the Admiral wanted to be informed about everything, so he asked the Lieutenant who was in charge at the direction finding station.

“Sorry Admiral, one screen showed a planetary object in our rear at the edge of scan distance. Corporal Wong was surprised enough to shout out loud.”

“A planetary object?” the Admiral asked. “Should I be worried about this? I don’t like surprises at my back.”

“Sir, there are no planetary objects in hyper, traveling FTL. It’s simply impossible. The signal vanished after a quarter second. It must have been a reflection or a shadow signal.”

“AI, do you have an explanation for the signal?”

<I have currently no explanation for the false signal. I’m still analyzing.>

“Hmmm,” the Admiral frowned. “I want to be informed if you scan something in our rear again.”

“Yes Sir!” the Lieutenant acknowledged.

The combined third and fifth fleet dropped out of hyperspace one million kilometers above CX173-2. Their goal was to deliver the planet-crackers, wipe out all Sa’arm ships in reach and then retreat. As calculated there was one hive ship with escort ships within firing range. They were wiped out within thirty seconds by a full broadside of the Confederacy fleet. The Sa’arm had no time for a serious answer. But there were five more hive ships orbiting the planet and anothers two orbiting the moon. They all changed direction toward the fleet now.

Admiral Xuda just wanted to give the order to launch the planet-crackers when he heard a shout from the direction finding station.

“Dammit, there it is again! Planetary object, at minimum one-thousand kilometers in diameter! It has just left hyper. Damn, the shockwave is immense. Must be very heavy! Distance two million kilometers, speed 350 kilometers per second. It will pass the second planet in less than 100,000 kilometers!”

“Broadcast command, stay out of the way of that thing,” Admiral Xuda shouted. “DF, is it friend or foe?”

“Sorry Sir, I have no clue!” Corporal Wong answered.

Admiral Xuda thought for a second. “Fire control, launch the planet crackers at our main targets. Launch all long-range scanner drones we have and let them scatter all over the system. We need to know what’s happening here. Broadcast command: Helm, prepare for a quick retreat to hyper.”

“Planet-crackers are on the way ... Hit one confirmed ... Hit two confirmed. Visible signs of the impacts will occur within ten hours.”

“One Hive ship within firing range. The unclassified Object is still 1.8 million kilometers away.”