All That Glitters Ch. 56

"You know my answer to that, Raymond," the Asoc answered from the Dewfall. "If we fail in this attack, that will add credence to Unaayel's bid for the title of Asoc."

Raymond knew the Asoc was right, however, the strategists of the Grazia Fleet were just too good. He was looking for something, anything, when he saw several Torge Class clumping together.

"Looks like they are getting ready to make another torpedo run on us," Raymond commented to the Battle Bridge, highlighting the two groups of Torges. "Send two Assault Groups against each of those Torge Groups. I want to break that up before they start firing on us."

The Assault groups quickly coordinated with each other and jumped behind the two enemy groups. There were ten Torge Class per group and they quickly decimated them before jumping out as torpedoes from other Torges targeted the Blue Force Assault Groups.

"Sweet," Noor commented as she witnessed the destruction of both groups with no loses for their own forces. "We need to do that a few more times."

Raymond was watching carefully. The independent Valour Class were doing more damage than the Assault Groups but they were only targeting Torge Class. They had, however, taken down more than seventy of them. With his recent attack against the two small groups, they now had taken out over ninety of the Torges but they still needed to make headway against the ships of the Grazia Fleet.

The Assault Groups were learning new tricks as they attempted to attack their targets. At first, they were not getting any shots in on those vessels and were being pushed away by torpedoes, missiles, and heavy guns. They could not get close enough for the Valour Class to use their guns and only the Whippet Class in the Assault Groups had torpedoes.

One of the groups, a six ship group with two Whippet Class and four Valour Class, decided on a new tactic. Coming up over top of two Handren Class ships and looking down on them, with one Whippet Class dedicated per ship they were assaulting, they let loose a spread of torpedoes at point blank range against the bow of the pair of Grazia ships. The tactic worked and the bows of both enemy ships took heavy damage. That allowed the Valours to move in and do their time honoured trick of taking out the guns, tubes, vanes, and sub-light engines. In swift order, the Assault Groups destroyed the two vessels.

The successful Assault Group passed on the new tactics to the Blue Force ships and things began to slowly turn around. However, the battle was far from over.

As soon as the Asoc's fleet changed its tactics, so too did the Grazia Fleet, teaming up in groups of four ships.

"Shit, they learn fast," Noor commented.

"Yes, they intend to slog it out with us and that will give them the advantage in numbers of ships and torpedoes/missiles," Raymond noted, which put the Asoc's fleet at a distinct disadvantage...

DA Ensch, Unnamed Star System, Twenty Light Years from AsocAR, the Asocan Realm

The Ensch came up slowly on the NS Trim. The Trim had taken several torpedo hits and was holed in multiple places.

"Sir, Comms O, I have Captain Pides of the NS Trim on a Combat Suit radio."

"To me please, Comms O," Murld ordered.

"Capt. Pides, Sostoc Murld. How do you fare, sir?"

"Trim here, we have severe damage to the ship, however, we have only lost half-a-dozen ratings. It could have been a lot worse but the new policy of being in Combat EVA suits or Personal Protective Gear during battle saved a lot of our people.

"Unfortunately, we took hits to three of our four holds and have very few spare parts to make repairs with. Anything that you can send us would be appreciated," Pides called from the Trim.

"Roger that. Are your shuttle bays still serviceable?" Murld asked.

"Alpha and Bravo bays are serviceable. The others have all taken hits. We don't know the extent of the damage as they have depressurized. The Gara-Hinn shield is down completely, including the shields over the two working shuttle bays. We can still cycle the air on those two," Pides appraised Murld.

"Roger, we lost part of our shields as well. I am going to pass you back to my Comms O. Send a list of spare part requirements to him. We'll look to see what we can provide. We also need to help other ships that have been damaged. Best to look at hull integrity until we can get a Fleet Replenishment Ship out here," Murld advised.

"Understood. We aren't going anywhere for a while, not without major repairs," Pides answered. "Thanks for the assist. Trim out."

Murld nodded to the Comms O, who took back the link to the Trim.

"Murld, this is Halta, how is your ship?" Murld heard over the link.

"We are good for now. We have what we need to make repairs, however, we need to think about getting what we can of this fleet to AsocAR as I am sure that the Asoc's fleet is having issues by now," Murld stated.

"Roger that. We have a list of all ships that can still fight and can jump. How long will it take you to make your repairs?" Halta came back.

"My ChEng has said it will take a little over forty-five minutes to be ready to go back into action. However, our port side is hold. We won't be able to take any hits there," Murld explained.

"Got it. We currently have fourteen of the eighteen ships that returned able to jump with us. The remainder of those and all of the original ships that were left in this system are too damaged to join us. We are taking a list of parts requirements from them and will advise Sector Fifty-Nine to send out a Fleet Tender to assist. Let us know when you are ready to jump," Halta instructed.

"Roger. My Engineer's Mate has just indicated a minimum of forty-five minutes to repair the Jump-grid. We are in the process of repairing the hull and replacing the Gara-Hinn generators on the port side, to you," Murld told the Piscium.

"Got it. We are setting a jump time of one hour and fifteen minutes from now. All ships that cannot jump at that time will remain here. We have some ships that cannot jump but can still fight. We are setting them to secure the remainder of the enemy fleet in the interim. Piscium out."

"Right people, if we want to be in that fight we need to fix this ship by that time. Let's get too it!" Murld called out, getting a chorus of 'Aye, sir! back from the bridge crew.

The crew worked furiously to repair the damage and move torpedoes/missiles to the ready racks. One hour later, the fleet was ready to jump.

The Wanderer, In Orbit of AsocAR

"Noor, this is Raymond. Our fleet can't keep taking hits like this. We now have six damaged ships out of the twenty heavies we brought in. On top of that, our Assault Groups are taking damage as well," Raymond stated over the Tac Link.

"Raymond, we need you to work your magic for us. We can't fail in this assault. I need to get down on that planet and go after Unaayel myself," the Asoc's voice came over the link.

"Asoc, we have to crack their line to be able to send you down to the planet. They understand this and are pushing us out away from the planet. They have the upper hand at this time," Raymond returned.

"Multiple FTL events at our original entry point!" Science called out on the Dewfall. "They're ours! It's the other fleet."

The Tac Link Swiftly began to show the names of the other ships, there were sixteen additional ships including the Ensch and the Piscium.

"Dewfall, this is the Piscium, Sostoc Halta Mutt Kern speaking, we have brought you reinforcements including eight heavies, three of which have sustained some damage, eight Whippet Class Escorts, two Assault Groups on the Ensch and four Assault Groups on the Piscium. We are down on torpedoes and missiles but can give you four broadsides of 280s and 150s. We are sending you the list of individual ship's war shot now."

"Halta, this is the Asoc. You have made up for your past transgressions. I need to get down to the planet. Make a lane for me!" the Asoc ordered.

Raymond noted the available munitions on the other ships and began to make plans.

"Piscium, we designate you Fleet Bravo, we will continue to fix the Grazia Fleet in place while we send you to do some damage against them. Be advised that the Grazia Fleet is teaming up in groups of four now. It will be difficult of our Assault Groups to engage them directly. I suggest that you jump and engage them with torps/missiles from close in, then jump out before they can return fire. You should be able to see the engine signatures we have. Make sure that your munitions have those in their memory.

"Watch out for the remaining Torge Class, there are still eighty-five of them out there and we do not know the status of their torps/missiles," Raymond advised.

"Understood," Halta returned. The Piscium opened her shuttle bays and released the four Assault Groups into the melee. She also let loose the four independent Valour Class she had been assigned into the mix, sending them after the Torges.

The Ensch also released her two Assault Groups and her two remaining independent Valour Class, the other two having sustained damage and were no longer able to fight.

The SSP Piscium remained out of the fray while the six heavies and the eight escorts moved in and fired a volley of torpedoes/missiles at the enemy who suddenly had to react to the presence of another fleet.

The six Assault Groups jumped to the far side of the enemy fleet and began to launch volleys of six 150cm torpedoes/missiles at groups of four enemy ships, then jumped out to a relative safe place. The war shot all had the enemy fleet's engine signatures in their memories and they homed in on anything matching that description to devasting results.

Within fifteen minutes of their arrival, the combined fleets began to inflict serious damage on the enemy.

The independent Valour Class of Fleet Bravo began to hunt down the Torges, quickly putting a major dent in their numbers. Of the eighty-five Torges still remaining, twenty-two were taken out in the first pass. The remaining Torge Class began to split into two groups. Thirty-three went to the group of ships listed as pale red near the Matrar Station, enemy ships that had been damaged or had moved to the sidelines before the event, while the other thirty-two turned on the incoming Valour Class ships.

The Torges that turned to fight, suddenly found themselves at a major disadvantage against the much more agile and better armed Valour Class. Their Mk-48 equivalent pulse cannon caused damage to the Gara-Hinn shields on the newer Valour II Class ships only with multiple hits, which the Valours were not allowing. More of the Torge Class were leaving the fight and moving off to the fleet of damaged ships or being outright destroyed.

The Asoc's fleet began to take on the ships of the Grazia Fleet, breaking a hole through the middle of the fleet itself.

Noor took immediate action, brining The Dewfall and her escorts through that hole, followed quickly by The Wanderer. After more than six hours of fighting, the Asoc was now headed to the planet.

>Clot<, Asoc Shall, AsocAR

"What do you mean they have broken through? I thought we were winning in orbit?" Unaayel snarled at Tarrest.

"We were until a new fleet of warships arrived," Tarrest patiently explained to her mother. "They hit our fleet from the flank, scattering the fleet and allowing the Asoc to punch through it to toward the planet."

Unaayel began to scream, calling down curses on the head of >Catal.

"We must leave Asoc Shall," Tarrest advised her mother.

"What do you mean, leave?" Unaayel demanded, a shocked look on her face.

"The people of the shall will not support us, mother. We are unsafe here as long as >Catal is here. We must go to our prepared location North of the Lost Shall and meet >Catal and her forces on our own ground," Tarrest stated.

Reluctantly, Unaayel agreed with her daughter, giving her a nod of acceptance. The pair swiftly gathered their supporters and headed to the shuttle port.

NS Dewfall, In Orbit of AsocAR

"We are in orbit, Asoc. We can send you planet side and then hit the enemy from behind. You must get to the ground and deal with Unaayel," Noor told the Asoc.

Just then, the Asoc got a call from one of her people in the >Clot<.

"Unaayel has left the >Clot<, Asoc," Mayan Mutt Herrtt advised the Asoc. "She has left Asoc Shall with thirty large shuttles and four Torge Class as escorts."

"Where is she heading?" the Asoc demanded.

"Unknown, Asoc. She is headed North but we know of no one North of here that would support her," Mayan returned.

"You said there were thirty shuttles? I have a flight of thirty shuttles and four Torge Class headed Northwest of Asoc Shall," the Science O on the Battle Bridge advised the Asoc.

"Northwest? The only thing Northwest of Asoc Shall is Semt Shall, the Lost Shall," one of the Asocans advised all.

"Why would she be going there?" someone else asked.

"Keep track of that flight. Lets see where it goes," Noor ordered. "Call in our Valours, they will have to escort the Asoc down. I want our Combat Shuttles ready to go in five minutes. We go down with a full load of Asocan and Union Marines to aid the Asoc," Noor ordered.

Preparations were quickly made for those who would descend to the surface. There were Valours and shuttles from both ships. From the Wanderer, the list of personnel included Kim, Gillaya, Lt. Ululla Mbibo and her Marine Squad of thirty, several of the nurses and doctors from Liramor-23 that had come with the Wanderer, and Dr. Seito with her husband Sean as her personal escort.

The group from the Dewfall consisted of the Asoc, the Asost, Treäk Mutt Herrtt (the Asoc's personal aide), Fayad and Junelliya (who happened to be on the Dewfall), the independent reporter Cynthia Steward, some of the Asocan ministers in >Catal's government, sixty Asocan Marines, and a handful of Asocans who had not been able to return to their home planets and had tagged along with the Asoc.

On the Dewfall, the Asoc stood on a raised platform to speak to all of them.

"We are about to head to the surface and confront Unaayel, her daughters and those who would support them. These people are treacherous and will not hesitate to kill any one of us.

"If you are not prepared to kill, then do not come with me. I assure you that Unaayel and her forces will not hesitate to kill any one of us. She will give no quarter and if she is victorious, she will likely kill any of us who she captures. Do not join me if you are not prepared for this.

"If at all possible, Unaayel must be taken alive to answer for her crimes in the court of the Beerlen. She is the only one I want alive.

"We go down to the surface, not for me, but to protect the Asocan people from a would be Asoc who has already killed millions and will likely kill many more millions if she becomes the Asoc. Unaayel must be stopped, even at the cost of my own life. That is what I am prepared to give this day."

The Asocans raised their snouts in the air and roared out their approval, then swiftly followed the Asoc into the shuttles and small ships. They were let out of the Dewfall's shuttle bays and dived on the planet, followed by the vessels from The Wanderer.

Planetary Control Headquarters, Asoc Shall, AsocAR

Sostoc, I see at least forty shuttles descending towards the surface," a Sel Gurd (Sub Commander) who manned the sensor grid called out.

"Are they headed for Asoc Shall?" the Sostoc on duty demanded.

"No, Sostoc. They are headed North," the Sel Gurd replied.

"They are likely chasing Unaayel's group then," said another technician.

"Do not engage them. It is likely the Asoc and her group. We must allow them to deal with each other," the Sostoc snapped. She got nods of approval from all around the command center at her command. The Asocans were a warrior race. Challenge was something they understood. If >Catal was to remain Asoc, she needed to defeat Unaayel.

Unaayel's Detention Center, North of The Lost Shall

It had been several days since Guro< and his friend Mattan had arrived in the detention center. They had already verified what others had told them, that the fencing around the detention center was not going to be penetrated easily. They were effectively trapped inside the boundary. That was bad, especially for those who had already been here some time.

"If we do not escape soon, those who have been here since the beginning will soon start dying," Mattan muttered to Guro< under his breath.

"We need to find a method to confuse the robot sentries guarding us," Guro< answered.

"That will only bring the guards out," Mattan replied, giving Guro< his own thoughts on that issue.

"The guards we can deal with, the robots are another issue. We need to figure out their command protocols to allow us to confuse them. Let's speak to the others," Guro< suggested.

They moved back to the center of the swamp area and spoke to the self-appointed leaders of the prisoners there.

"Do any of you know of the incidents of when the robot sentries engaged the prisoners?" Guro< asked.

"They are programmed to shoot anyone who gets closer than two meters to the fence line," an anonymous voice replied. "At five meters, you get a verbal warning. It is the only warning given. Once you get too close to the fence, they simply open fire."

"Do they allow you to retrieve the bodies?" Mattan asked.

"No, the bodies are retrieved by the robots themselves. There is usually a live guard monitoring the retrieval."

"If you are thinking of confusing the robots, forget about it. They are programmed to act autonomously. They will each engage on their own but they require the presence of a guard to breach the fence to retrieve dead prisoners."

"How do they retrieve the prisoners?" Mattan asked.

"They simply climb over the fence. It is more than strong enough to support their weight and that of the body or bodies they retrieve," came the answer.

"Any idea of how complex the robot's programming is?" Guro< demanded.

"Not especially complex, however, it is more than robust enough to cover everything up to multiple prisoners attempting to escape. That has already occurred. Twelve prisoners died that day," the same voice explained.

"We need some kind of distraction for those robots, at least long enough to cover breaching the fence," Mattan mused.

"That will not be easy. We have already attempted several different scenarios, all of which have failed. Like we said, their programing is robust enough to take into account everything up to multiple simultaneous attempts against the fence."

"We are not going to get out of here by sitting on our asses," Guro< groused.

"We are not going to get out of here by being killed either," Sarga Mutt Reta, the unofficial leader of the prisoners, sneered back.

"Listen," Mattan suddenly snapped, looking westward.

"Shuttles. Large ones. Lots of them," someone hissed.

They all listened to the direction of the travel of the shuttles, seeing them above the trees in the dense haze at the last minute. They heard them set down not to far away.

"That is the direction of the shuttle port that supports this detention center," an anonymous voice stated. Guro< moved in that direction until he came to within five meters of the fence line.

"Get back from the fence," a guard growled at the group of prisoners.

"Or what?" someone asked. "Do you think death frightens us? We are already dying in here, why should we be afraid to confront live guards?"

Just then a large group of Asocans and humans in combat gear came out of the forest not far away. They moved swiftly to surround the compound's guard building as several figures entered the concrete edifice.