Warrior One - Fleet Action Pt. 04

Copyright © 2015 - 2019 - This is an original work by Zeb Carter and is protected under copyright by U.S. copyright law. It is only submitted at Literotica.Com and any submission to any other site has not been authorized by the Author. This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Author's Note: Just a note to those who care or are looking for sex in a Sci-Fi setting. There is no sex in this story as told. No tentacle sex or normal human sex. Sorry, that's the way these things go. Have fun. This is one of the short parts, only 12,000 or so words long.

Chapter 80

Ezra sat in the Captain's chair of Warrior One, contemplating the blips on one of the screens at his console. His Fleet was short three ships, but they had been replaced by three others. The Mauthe Doog, the Wulver, and the Ceasg were with Fleet Cook. Tór had been transferred to his command, along with Sé and Crón. Fleet One was probably the most powerful Fleet in the Galaxy, a dreadnought, and three command battleships.

Ezra smiled at that thought, then reflected on his past. He had come a long way from the backwoods of Kentucky. A long way from the wilderness that was now North America. And it had been a struggle fraught with missteps and setbacks. Back in the woods, he had been a loner. Most people in NA were, after the class wars. The war had been long and grueling and fought two decades before Ezra had been born, but the prejudices were still there. Making life difficult for everyone. Never being able to truly trust anyone.

Was it just three days ago that he volunteered the might of the Federation to help the K'lar? And did Admiral Cook actually go along with him? And Fleet Admiral Fitzgerald, showing up at the last moment to put his seal of approval to the operation. Then the Fleet Admiral announcing his flag transfer to Warrior Three. Ezra was sure Bridget really loved that. Then there was Admiral Sárán Conlan in the Fleet Three Battleship. Four Admirals from the FOP and one very High Admiral of the K'lar.

Rumors had four other admirals wanting to get in on the action, but Fleet Admiral Fitzgerald had put a stop to that. The planning had been completed by the time Admiral Fitzgerald had arrived, but Admiral Cook took him through the plan. The next day saw one hundred and sixty ships around Aldebaran V. Each fleet had a course to follow to get to Rigel. Once there, all fleets would linger and wipe the Gar ships from space. Fleet Three and three other K'lar Fleets were being held in reserve close to the action.

At the last minute, a ground contingent had been added. The Nuadu and her sister ship, the Irél, would arrive alongside the Fleet. The Marines from both ships would land on Rigel V and VI, attacking ground installation that couldn't safely be destroyed from space. A K'lar contingent was added to each ship. Each Earth platoon would have two K'lar soldiers assigned to them. This was shaping up to be the battle of the century. The millennium.

Supply ships from Capella and Aldebaran would be joining only hours after the Fleets arrived. They would stay one AU out to resupply all ships, even the command battleships when needed. There were currently four massive supply ships in the Fleet inventory. Ezra could only shake his head in wonder at the scope and breadth of the action to come.

Admiral Cook was in his chair just behind Captain Kelly's. He too was contemplating the coming action. A plan so vast, it took three Admirals and four Captains to put the polish on it in the end. He was glad to have replacement ships for the two he lost. He was also glad he could give Ezra the Tór in exchange. And the Tór's sister ships, the Sé and the Crón, his Fleet would be formidable, to say the least. The admirals who usually commanded those vessels had been called back to Earth as had Admiral Sárán Conlan of Fleet Three. Admiral Fitzgerald had discussed it with him and he had agreed, two admirals in a fleet were one too many. All three command ships were now Ezra's to command.

Milford watched the screens at his station as the ships plied their way through hyperspace. His command android Shaffer had once described it for him. A tunnel in very dense clouds, with lightning flashing among them, sometimes striking the ships, but leaving no damage or mark behind. The striking color shifts and undertones and hues flashing across the surface of the clouds. Shaffer told Milford that there were frequencies there that would cause great damage to a human brain. Milford shivered at that thought.

Ten days until they arrived. Watch and watch until they did. Sensors sweeping the void, looking for enemy ships. Crews on high alert. Fatigue a major factor in this operation. So close, cold sleep all but useless, yet far enough that the grueling schedule would wreak havoc on the crews. Halfway to Rigel, shifts were cut in half. The only stations needing to be manned were sensors, communications, weapons, and helm. Everyone else got the rest they would need. The watchstanders were relieved by others who could do their job in a pinch.

All ships in Fleet One were now decelerating hard. Fuel wasn't a question now. They were now one AU out of the system. Ezra kept scanning the sensors, watching the ships of the Gar as they moved in the system ahead. Then Fleet Cook appeared on Ezra's screens one hundred and eighty degrees from his fleet. The Gar were now between them.

"Sensors, they've noticed us, sir. Ships maneuvering to intercept. Oops, they have noticed Fleet Cook. Half their ships maneuvering to intercept Fleet Cook."

"Mister Kinsella, how long until those ships are in range?"

"Ten minutes until they are in torpedo range. Fifteen minutes for plasma cannon, sir."

"Very good, fire when in range. Comms, give me all ships."

"Comms, all ships."

"All ships, fire when in range."

"All ships answering, 'Aye', sir."

"Thank you, Candle."

On his sensor screen, Teague Kinsella, watched the blips as they came into range. He had already targeted the ships and set the program to fire torpedoes. Just a simple press of a button... now!

"Weapons, torpedoes away, sir."

"Thank you, Mister Kinsella."

Teague continued to watch his screens. Five minutes later he passed the word to the plasma cannons to open fire.

"Weapons, plasma cannon firing."

"Thank you, Mister Kinsella."

Teague smiled. Of all the bridge crew, except for Commander Nolan, he was the only other one the Capt... er... Admiral called by name. Now, he just had to keep his eyes on the Gar ships as they went dark or disappeared into hyperspace and reallocate the torpedoes to other ships. He also had to keep an ear out for the plasma gunners, just in case any problems arose.

Ezra, smiled to himself as he watched Mister Kinsella preen. Then he turned his eye to the screen on his console reflecting the sensors. He watched as the First K'lar Fleet popped out of hyperspace to the west of the system, braking hard. It looked as if they were short about half their ships. He watched as Gar ships turned to intercept them.

Fleet one was now entering the system and Warrior One was being buffeted by fire from the Gar. The three Command Battleships broke off from the fleet and headed toward Rigel VI, the least populated planet. Halfway between the two planets, they would set up for resupply. The Nuadu was following to offload its Marines on Rigel VI.

Pech was in the process of launching its fighters. Half would cover the Marine landing on Rigel VI the other half would cover the Marine landing on Rigel V. The K'lar would be covering the Irél as it broke away from Fleet One to drop its Marines on Rigel V. Most of the Gar ships in-system were either dark or no longer there.

To Ezra, the invasion was going too well. Something was wrong.

"Sensors, Missile up from the surface of Rigel VI."

"How many?" Ezra called out.

"Too many, sensor are having a hard time separating the blips."

"Hard to Port, up ten degrees. Plasma cannon to clear those missiles."

"Helm, aye."

"Weapons, aye."

"Impact in three minutes," Lieutenant Dwyer said.

"Understood," Ezra replied. The hit would be a big one.

"Sir, approximately five hundred missiles are headed toward us," Candle said softly.

"Thanks, Candle. Estimates on how many will make it through?"

"Over half."

"Brace for impact," Ezra shouted.

The ship shook, dust moats floated down from the overhead. Lights flickered, then went out, then came back on. And still, the ship continued to shake violently.

"Damage reports," Ezra called out.

Chapter 81

"Missiles, hundreds of Missiles."

"Where?" Admiral Cook shouted.

"Sorry, sir. Sensors, approximately five hundred missiles have just left the planet atmosphere on their way to Warrior One."

"Understood." Captain Kelly said.

"Sorry sir," Admiral Cook said looking a little sheepish.

"No problem sir," Donal said smiling.

"Sensors, new tracks from Rigel V, missiles... tracking."

"Well?" Donal almost yelled.

"They are headed for us, sir."

"Helm turn the ship to port to face the incoming missile. All batteries fire as they come into range."

"All destroyers, evade," Admiral Cook said softly into his all comm mic.

"All destroyers answering, sir." Shaffer Steel said, from just behind the Admiral's chair.

"Thank you, Shaffer."

"Sensors, impact in one minute."

"Thank you."

The ship shook, then bucked violently. Several crew members were thrown from their couches. The lights flickered but stayed lit. Then there was a violent shudder from afore ships.

"Damage reports," Donal called out.

On the Admiral's screen, he watched as his destroyers evaded and destroyed missiles targeted at them. The tough, agile little ships could accelerate like a fighter but had the hitting power to fend off even the toughest of missiles or torpedoes.

"Damage reports, hull breach on deck thirteen, section fifty-four. Also, starboard sponson has a great big hole in it. We've lost torpedo launch capability in that sponson."

"Anything else?" Donal asked.

"Several hurt crew. Three dead on deck thirteen. Medical teams responding."

"Thank you, Cian."

"Sir," Commander Cian Bardon responded.

"All ships regroup. Nóe, Lonán, Fáelán, Rónán, and Ó Cathaláin, break off and head down to the planet and help cover the Marine landing. Then hit as many of the enemy emplacements as you can without civilian casualties. Captain Tracy, you are in command."

"All ships responding," Shaffer said softly.

"Thank you, Shaffer."

Milford watched as the ships left formation and headed toward the planet.

"Donal, are we still able to fight?" Milford asked his Captain.

"Yes, sir. We are down three tubes is all. They just missed the fuel tanks on that side. If they had hit them, I don't think we would be here talking."

"Probably not. How many Gar ships still in-system?"

"Sensors, how many Gar ships are still maneuvering?" Donal called out.

"Fifty-seven, most of those are around Rigel VI and Warrior One. It looks like they are having a tough time of it. They seem to be ignoring the Command Battleships."

"Altan, Éidin make way to help Warrior One and Fleet One," Milford said, hoping that wasn't exposing him and Fleet Cook to a Gar attack.

Flipping through the views available to him he settled on one displaying the battle around Rigel VI. Warrior was fighting well, as were the rest of the Fleet One craft.

"Sensors, fifteen Gar craft have just dropped out of hyperspace, twenty minutes out."

Well, it looked like Fleet Cook was in the shit now.

"Sensors, where are the K'lar?" Milford called out.

"Sensors, half their fleet have just engaged the fifteen Gar ships."

Ten against fifteen. "Thank you."

The battle in space had been raging for almost two hours. Admiral Cook could only sit back and watch, while he commanded his ship's deployment. He now had only six destroyers, the Nóe and the Mauthe Doog fighting in his sector of space. Fleet One was now augmented with two of his battlecruisers. The three Command Battleships were in orbit between Rigel V and Rigel VI waiting to resupply the Fleets. Blips were coming and going around the three huge ships.

"Weapons, torpedoes almost depleted, we still have plenty of missiles."

"Thank you weapons," Donal Kelly said. "Helm, make course to intercept the Command Battleships."

"Helm, aye." The ship started to turn.

"Sensors, twenty Gar ships, rounding the moon around Rigel III."

"Navigation will we have time to rearm and return?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, make best speed."

"Aye, aye sir."

"Sensors, fifty Gar ships just dropped out of hyperspace around Rigel VI, one hour until contact with Fleet One."

"Very well. Helm continue on course."

"Aye, aye sir," helm answered.

"How long until we reach the supply ships?" Donal asked.

"Ten minutes."

"Time back to Rigel V?"

"Thirty minutes."

"Very well."

Chapter 82

M'lat was angry. Why the High Admiral had held half the fleet back, while their human allies fought in glorious battle was beyond him. Then fifteen enemy craft were in front of them and they were engaged in battle. Enemy ships started to lose the ability to fight as M'lat's plasma weapons burned holes in the enemy ships hulls. You could see the explosions within the vessels as the beams penetrated their shields.

Looking at his tactical screens, M'lat watched as the human ships moved to support others and resupply from the three huge ships between the orbits of the two planets. As the K'lar depended more on their plasma weapons than missiles, they wouldn't have to resupply. And their fuel requirements were so different from the humans, they could almost cross the galaxy without stopping to refuel.

"Helm, come to heading 219 degrees. Weapons fire at will."

Neither subordinate answered, they just did their job. The ship responding was acknowledgment enough. Then M'lat's sensor screen lit up with fifty blips of enemy ships at the sixth planet. He also watched as human and K'lar troops landed on the fifth planet. Twenty thousand human troops, heavily armed, along with over five hundred K'lar troops to calm the K'lar on the ground and maybe get them into the fight to free themselves.

General Hanlon was the first to step out of a dropship onto Rigel VI. Then his counterpart, the K'lar officer assigned his command group as liaison officer for the K'lar troops working with them. General Hanlon looked up and watched the dropships cloud the sky. Five touched down with his. Others were touching down at strategic spots all over the planet. Word was there were only a handful of Gar troops holding this planet.

As Magnus stepped up to the side of the dropship to pull out his command console from the compartment there, a blaster bolt struck the ship. Turning and drawing his sidearm, Magnus saw a K'lar man struggling with a Gar soldier.

"Get him away from that Gar," Magnus shouted at M'for.

M'for pulled his weapon to his shoulder and fired one bolt to the gut of the Gar. The Gar dropped to the ground. The K'lar who had been holding him ran. Ten seconds later the Gar imploded, leaving just bits and pieces. Turning back to his console, Magnus plotted every contingent of his small army.

M'for was explaining what was going on to the K'lar man that had most likely saved Magnus' life. The K'lar man was nodding as M'for talked. Then smiling he picked up the Gar weapon and ran off toward the nearby town. And so the ground assault began.

General Órlaith Róisín wasn't having it as easy as Magnus Hanlon. Yes, she had double the troops and drop ships, but she had a larger population to deal with on Rigel V. Not only K'lar but at least five garrisons of Gar troops. Even with fighters blasting installations they could, it would be tough going. The Gar had already set up a defensive line ahead of the four platoons accompanying Órlaith. That the line was just outside the large city ahead made it difficult for the fighters to intervene.

Then a bright bolt of plasma shot out of the sky and leveled the defensive line. Looking up, Órlaith spotted a K'lar frigate zoom overhead. Shaking her head she looked over at M'bin the K'lar officer assigned as her liaison officer. He shrugged his shoulder as he put a communication device back in its holster on his hip. Órlaith snorted in disgust.

Looking back down at her consoles screen, she plotted attack paths for her troops. She also saw that several groups of her Marines were engaged in direct battle with Gar troops. These were around three of the garrisons on the planet. The garrisons were away from the cities, so fighter support was pounding them, while ground troops advanced.

From what Órlaith could discern from her console, the Gar hadn't been ready for a ground confrontation. They seemed surprised by the presence of ground troops, yet reacted quickly and viciously. Of course, the FOP knew of their exploding/imploding suits of armor, so almost no casualties were reported from that quarter. Órlaith nodded as she thought this was going to take a long time.

Major Owens sat in his office, watching the space battle on the screens of his console. Joyce Tanner was with him. Then the feed from both ground actions was available. Laff switched over to them. He put one on the main screen and the other on an auxiliary screen.

"Wow, look at those explosions," Joyce whispered as she shuddered at the impacts shown on the screen.

"The Gar don't have artillery, so that must be fighter fire," Laff answered.

Both watched as Marines moved across the landscape, advancing on the enemy. Then a K'lar ship flashed overhead, plasma cannon blazing at the emplacements close to the city. Their fire was accurate. Very accurate. Only Gar installations were hit.

"The K'lar gunners on that ship are very good," Laff said.

"They sure are. Almost like they had fire control operators on the ground."

"They probably do. After all, it is their planet."

Joyce just grunted as she watched another K'lar ship blast a Gar installation with pinpoint accuracy.

"Do you think we will be called to go down?" Joyce asked.

"Do you want to go down there?" Laff asked, laughing.

"Nice answer, sir." The frown on Joyce's face showed Laff how disgusted she was with him.

"Sorry, couldn't help it. I don't know. But you might get the troops ready, just in case."

"Aye, aye sir," Joyce said, leaving Laff's office.

Chapter 83

"Where are all these Gar ships coming from?" Admiral Cook asked.

"Sensors can't tell sir," Donal Kelly replied.

"Let's see, who do I have that can... Wulver. Shaffer, get Captain Ossnat on comm for me."

"Yes, sir. Channel nine sir."

"Rosslea?"

"Sir?"

"Take Ceasg and find where those Gar ships are coming from. Do not engage."

"Yes, sir."

"Admiral Cook, out."

"Wulver, out."

"That doesn't leave us with many ships," Donal said as an aside.

"I know. Shaffer, which CB is the lowest on supplies?"

"That would be the Sé, sir."

"Get them on the line will you?"

"Of course sir. Channel nine."

"Captain Gillan, if you would be so kind and join us here at Rigel V."

"Aye, aye sir. On our way."

"Admiral Cook, out."

"Sé out."

"Help is on its way," Milford said.