Singing Senator Patreus' Beard - Part VII
03 May 2018Jellicoe
Deep Space, Coma SystemThe Lakon Type 7 exploded in a brief bloom of brilliant light against the black void then, almost as quickly as if had burst the light and flame died, replaced by an expanding field of debris, wreckage and cargo, supplies for Admiral Patreus's embattled garrison drifting in the black.
"All power to engines." Jellicoe ordered boosting away from the wreck. We not going to pick any of the pods up?" Vik asked, "The resistance could use those stores."
"Not this time," Jellicoe answered, "I want to stay in normal space to avoid Patty's hunter wings while the shields recharge and that means getting well clear of the wreck before the police jump in."
The situation in Coma had changed in the last few days as the ramshackle and overstretched system authority forces were augmented by wings of Patreus' privateers, experienced pilots flying powerful fighting ships all sworn to the senators service. Not civilians yet not a formal part of the regular forces either, they were a paramilitary militia who enforced their employers will and wage the constant shadow war that raged between the galaxy's great and powerful. These 'Sentinal' wings had brought a new dynamic to the campaign in Coma, hunting the Fusiliers and engaging them in a deadly game of cat and mouse even as the Fusiliers stalked their own prey.
"Shields back up to 87%," Vik reported, "But we're being followed." He added in a cautious yet concerned tone.
"Where? Myscope's empty."
"Ghost trace right at the edge of sensor range, just blinks in and out every so often. Small ship, probably a Cobra or D-back running silent."
"What's he up to?" Claure asked, "His guns won't scratch us, he can't engage so why follow?"
"He can guide a wing in," Jellicoe answered, "He'll stay with us till they have one ready so we need to gank him now. Stand by I'm going to flip and burn."
"You won't be able to lock on skipper," Vik warned, "And we'll need to get very close in to eyeball in."
"We don't have to," Jellicoe said, flipping the 'Resolution' stem over stern before boosting toward the feint trace, "Small ship with no shields, with the firepower we've got we won't have to hit him with much before he has to get out. Firing all weapons, full spread." The Corvette's guns erupted, spewing a torrent of heavily modified ordnance across the void towards the hidden target.
"Did we hit?" Claude asked.
"I don't know," Vik replied intently studying his instruments, "I did get enough of a trace to identify it though, Diamondback Explorer pledged to Patreus."
"I've got enough of a trace to know where he is," Jellicoe barked, "If we put enough fire down some of it'll hit him and we need him gone before the cavalry arrive."
"We're taking fire," Vik announced, "Multi-cannons, shields barely registered it."
Jellicoe flipped his ship again, thrusters and engines howling with the strain, before firing again at the feint, fast moving target.
"We've hit him with something." Vik said.
"Damage?"
"I can't tell, but he's coming in for another pass so it can't be serious. If he knows his work that thing'll be armoured to the gunnels." The 'Resolution's' shields flared again as the Diamondback raked it's cannons across her.
Jellicoe flipped and fired again, "This is like trying to kill a wasp with a bloody shotgun!" He snarled.
"New contact jumping in," Vik announced, "Fer de Lance... pledged to Patreus. The first of his support's arrived."
"At least we can fight this one." Jellicoe growled "Lock on, all power to weapons."
"He's coming in on a direct intercept course," Vik reported, "Straight onto our guns"
"Then let's show him the error of his ways." Jellicoe grunted turning all his weapons on the sleek, arrow head shaped ship. The Fer de Lance's shields dropped like a stone, the first and second rings fading out as the tornado of overcharged weaponry hit home hard but the pilot gamely held his course till just under a kilometre out he fired himself, a volley of plasma accelerators and frag cannons making the first noticeable dent in the 'Resolution's' shields before wheeling away and burning hard.
"Power to engines," Jellicoe barked, "His shields are almost gone, I don't want him getting away."
"He's faster than us and boosting hard," Claude replied.
"Three new contacts," Vik called, "It's system police. We can't fight them as well."
Jellicoe boosted again but the Fer de Lance was already out of range, "Alright let's get out of here, we'll make for the planet and try to hide out there for a bit."
The Frame-shift Drive charged, the stars stretching as the 'Resolution' was catapulted into Super-cruise, faster than light travel without entering witch space, the still barely understood void between the void.
"Multiple contacts," Vik called almost imediately, "Cutter... no two Cutter's, Corvette and another FDL, all Patty's men."
"Dropping now, cross everything they didn't spot us."
"Too late," Vik yelled as a shudder ran through the ship announcing an interdiction.
"We're decelerating, I can't fight it," Jellicoe called, "Claude plot a hyperspace jump."
"Where to?"
"Anywhere."
They crashed back into normal space, Jellicoe wrestling with the controls to bring the ship back under control.
"The Cutter's dropped with us," Vik reported, "Two more contacts dropping... Corvette and another Cutter."
"We need time while the FSD cools down," Claude called, "And we can't run, we don't have the speed,"
"Then we attack." Jellicoe growled opening fire, the Cutter's shields flared green, the outer ring dimming slightly but holding firm.
"Prismatics," Vik confirmed, "Incoming fire, all three hostiles have us..." The rest of Vik's words were cut off in a cacophony of simulated noise as the 'Resolution was caught ina deluge of incoming fire, her shields collapsing under the barrage, he felt Vik charge a cell bank which only slowed rather than reversed the crumbling of their defences then punched the jump drive.
"How many did you get?" Phisto asked via holo-coms as the 'Resolution' floated, hidden from all prying eyes in the vast emptiness of normal space.
"Not many." Jellicoe replied, "Couple of transports plus a few coppers. It's getting harder, Patreus' people must be leaving their other systems defenceless to be flooding Coma like this."
"We think that's exactly what they've done, they're too late though, we attack tomorrow."
Malenchenko City, Coma System
Artur Edwards looked uncomfortably at the hologram of the sumptuously dressed Imperial Patron in front of him. He disliked Imperial aristocrats almost as much as Federal bureaucrats, but as the Federation had failed them and Rickard had been found murdered the protection of Denton Patreus was the only hope he and the Malaka Purple State Industries had left, and he was about to tell the Senators personal representative that he was wrong.
"With the utmost respect Patron," Edwards began, "Much as we are grateful for your privateers assistance they are following the wrong strategy." The Patron raised a questioning eyebrow at this, "Your ships are hunting and engaging the Fusiliers in combat but that's not what we need. Our economy is on the floor, industry has all but ground to a halt for lack of materials, we are having to ration fuel and ammunition, food will be next. We need supplies, we need our trade protecting not a load of trigger happy hotshots."
The Patron slowly looked Edwards up and down, a searing contempt written all over his face. "After the mess you people have made of the defence of Coma I don't think you are in any position to advise me on the correct strategy do you? Our ships are following my orders to the letter."
"But Patron..."
"The situation is hopeless Mr Edwards, trying to preserve your regime is a lost cause and we're not wasting our resources on defending it. We are preparing for the liberation of Coma from this pack of bandits and believe me, it won't be you fools we entrust it to next time, You're on your own Mr Edwards."