For President and Federation.
17 May 2016Jellicoe
Ra was indeed an entirely unremarkable place, off the beaten track and largely ignored by all but a gaggle of miners seeking riches in the rings of the seventh planet, small local corporations and the inevitable pirate clans. And Imperial intelligence. Admiral Craddock’s warning appeared to be confirmed when a Courier registered to the Ra Empire Party shadowed us from close to our jump in point all the way to the Leconte station. After clearing the docking and landing protocols I disembarked to be met by a Petty Officer and taken immediately to see the systems regular navy commanding officer. Vice Admiral Sturdee was a tall, slender man, clean shaven with a scar running from his hairline down his cheek to his jaw spoiling his otherwise vid star looks. He was an excellent officer who had appeared to be destined for the very pinnacle of the service, until after the disaster of Llew the Halsey government had sought to find military scapegoats for political blundering. They failed, but not before Sturdee’s career had been comprehensively wrecked and he found himself shunted off to a dead end post in the middle of nowhere. The fact that after all that he still sought only to do his duty showed the true measure of the man.“Elite ranked pilot, solid service record, fully equipped Corvette. Lately a presidential naval attaché in Cubeo now seconded to the Federal Reclamation Co in Ra. The Vice Admiral summarised my file in his clipped, business-like tones. “So someone has remembered we exist? Good. I take it Craddock gave you the briefing I prepared?”
“He did. My orders are to target the piracy problem and check the spread of Imperial influence in that order.”
“Good, the two are linked. The bulk of the pirate problem is focussed on the three principal mining areas; I have the ships to patrol two of them but no more so I suggest you focus on the third.”
“That’s very much in line with my thinking sir.” I replied.
“Good, I’ll speak plainly. I don’t rate the auxiliary and I don’t like trusting security to you, but I could be wrong and as you’re all I have you will have my full co-operation, don’t make me regret it.” I smiled at his bluntness which he mistook for amusement. “Have I said something funny Rear Admiral?”
“Not at all sir, I just like a straight talker, lets me know where I stand.”
“I assure you Mr Jellicoe I will leave you in no doubt about that whatsoever. Now get to work.”
The Diamondback exploded under sustained laser fire, a brief bloom of colour before debris and ill-gotten cargo scattered across the void. The unfortunate ship and his wingman had thought their luck was well and truly in when they found the unescorted Type 9 with a full hold and weak defences, the Resolutions arrival had changed that and hopelessly outmatched the pirates had tried to flee. Unsuccessfully. We had been patrolling the ring systems for the past week and, along with the other ships of the FRC we were making a difference, now they knew Federation ships were on hand and their distress signals would be answered the miners had returned in numbers and money had begun to flow into Ra again. Confidence in the system authorities was up, Imperial influence was down.
“Message from the Type 9 skipper.” Claude, my first officer announced. “Thanking us for our help, says he’s taken some damage though and can we escort him till he’s clear of the mass lock. His hulls at 42%.”
“That’s fine, tell him we’ll shadow him till he frame shifts and jump in if he has any trouble.” I replied and brought the ship into formation with the miner. We were halfway clear of the belt when Claude broke the silence.
“Incoming battlegroup. Anaconda with two Vipers registered to the Mob of Ra, all with active bounties approaching on intercept course. The miner’s panicking.”
“Our friends must have called in the cavalry before they went pop.” I said with a grim smile, turning the ship to meet the new threat. “Tell the miner to maintain course and frame shift as soon as possible, we’ll cover him. Tactical situation Mr Vikash?
“We’ve got 50% of cannon ammo remaining, 70% for the auto-cannons. Three cell banks left but only two heat sinks, shields at 100%.” Sachin Vikash the tactical officer replied.
“We should be able to handle this then. Usual drill – take down the Vipers first then deal with the big boy. Mr Vikash transfer firing control to my station please.”
“Ship scan detected” the computer announced in her disinterested way.
“They’re hailing us.” Claude said with a smirk. “Demanding we hand over any cargo we have and stand down. Do you have a reply?”
“I’ll reply in one moment.” I grinned, waited until the range closed to just under a klick and opened fire. The first Vipers shields collapsing under the maelstrom of laser pulses and auto-cannon rounds. As soon as the fusillade began the Anaconda and the second Viper broke formation, put out chaff and began to manoeuvre into firing position. The second Viper would soon have us in his sights but his small guns would barely scratch us, the danger was the Anaconda with its powerful guns and heavy ordnance but the big, clumsy ship would take time to work its way into firing position. I was taking a calculated risk that we could destroy the two Vipers before the Anaconda could do us much damage, it should work. Should. Our target was in dire trouble now, his shields gone and his hull at 30% integrity and dropping like a stone.
“Second Viper coming into firing positi..” Vikash began.
“Under attack.” The computer announced in a voice exhibiting as much alarm as a weather forecaster. The Vipers shots registered on my control console and the outer ring of the shield display lightened fractionally.
“Shields at 95%.” Vikash reported, and maybe it was that slight distraction or maybe the pilot of the stricken Viper pulling of and inspired or desperate move, but he was gone from my sights and looping away faster than my thrusters could track. For such a big ship the Corvette is very manoeuvrable, but compared to the tiny Viper it was like a whale trying to out turn a goldfish and seconds later it added its fire to its wing mates.
“Shields at 85%.” Vikash announced. It would take a long time for two Vipers to do us any real harm, but my whole plan rested on knocking them out before the Anaconda had too much time on target, and that plan had just been blown apart.
“Flight assist off.” Declared the computer serenely as I tried to compensate for the Resolutions lack of turning speed with my own skill, to no avail though as the nimble Vipers easily skipped away from our guns.
“It’s times like this I wish I’d fitted some turrets.” I said to no one in particular. “Power to engines, I’m going to boost. Let’s see if we can extend the range.”
“Flight assist on.” Said the computer as if in answer. I boosted the engines hoping I could increase our distance and allow us to turn our guns back on the enemy. I hit the boost a moment after the whole ship shook and the unmistakable sound of a plasma accelerator strike rang through the bridge. The Anaconda was now in the fight.
“Shields at 70%.” Vikash said as we powered away, we had lost any advantage of surprise and would now have to slug it out head to head with three ships, hopefully our superior firepower, shields and armour would see us through, surely something had to go our way. Our speed shot up but one of the Vipers had seen what we planned and had matched our move, the other was too slow and I was able to flip us over bringing him plum into the Resolutions gun sights. I hit him with everything I had obliterating his shields and biting deep into his hull but all the time taking heavy fire from all three ships.
“Shields at 20%. Cell bank charging.” Vikash said anxiously.
“Heat sink deployed.” Chirped the computer, apparently without a care in the world. The Viper was frantically trying to escape but I held on, the hail of fire never slackening. We were taking a lot of hitsbut we had to even the odds.
“Target destroyed.” The computer pointed out the blindingly obvious. I was tempted to target the Anaconda next but the other Viper was already badly damaged and a single good volley would finish it, I boosted away again, switching flight assist off to flip as we sped off.
“Shields at 20%. Cell bank charging. One more left but that’s our last heat sink.” We were still taking a lot of fire from the Anaconda but I had the Viper, a full burst tore apart what was left of his hull.
“Target destroyed.” Confirmed the ever happy computer.
“Shields at 70%.” Said Vikash.
“Last one. Claude how’s that miner doing?” I asked as I rolled to engage the remaining foe and deployed the last of our chaff.
“Thirty seconds and he’ll clear the mass lock Skipper.”
“good, now let’s finish this.” The Anaconda is a good ship, one that has given sterling service in an untold number of navies for over two centuries, but it is outclassed by the cutting edge technology of the brand new Corvette. I pivoted onto his tail and disgorged everything our lasers and auto-cannons could throw at him. The pilot was good, twisting and rolling his big ship in and out of the asteroids as our two behemoths gracefully weaved the dance of death. Our ship had more firepower and was far more manoeuvrable, but our shields had taken a pounding and we couldn’t go toe to toe with him. I clung on grimly to his tail, his turreted lasers were hurting us but our heavier guns were hurting him more.
“Shields at 20%, do you want me to charge them?” Vikash asked, we had one more cell bank left but without the heat sink the vast surge of power would damage the ship.
“Not yet, if we drop below 10% punch it. His shields are nearly gone and I can throw the cannons in any second."
“Targets shields offline.” The computer told me as if it were no more important than my tea being ready. I targeted his power plant and loosed a volley from our twin Class 4’s, the massive cannon that were devastating against unshielded hulls. The pilot panicked and tried to run, there was no way he would escape the mass lock before we blew him across the void but he boosted for all he was worth, we matched him all the time pounding him with the mighty cannons until finally the tell-tale small explosions began to grow inside the pirate cruisers hull, getting steadily bigger until the great ships guts blew out leaving its wreckage strewn across space. I sat back in my chair and breathed out, that had been much harder than I had expected. I flicked on the ship-wide intercom and spoke to the crew.
“Well done everyone, now let’s give that miner an escot back to Leconte, I think we’ve all earned a drink.”