The Slaver Wars: First Strike (The Slaver Wars Book Four) (12 page)

“The Hocklyns
will know about us now,” she murmured quietly.

Simmons only
nodded in agreement. It had always been a danger that the Hocklyns would send a
ship back before their fleet could be destroyed. “The Hocklyns are nearly in
range of the missile platforms, shall we launch?”

“Standby,”
Captain Krandle ordered. She wanted to use her missiles before the Hocklyns
could destroy them. “Make sure our launch is coordinated with the orbiting
Federation ships.”

A few minutes later,
she gave the order and ten missile platforms hidden amongst the other defensive
satellites belched forth two hundred and forty Klave heavy missiles at the
inbound Hocklyn fleet. The two light cruisers launched a dozen Devastator
missiles tipped with nuclear warheads. It was hoped that these missiles would
blend in with the Klave missiles and strike the Hocklyns a deadly blow.

-

Threat alarms
began sounding in the War Room of the Crimson Oblivion. The Hocklyn command
crew quickly went about assessing the inbound threat and activating their ship’s
defenses.

“Launch our
war wing!” Sangeth spoke as he studied the inbound missiles on the sensor
screen. He knew his defenses would not be able to stop them all. There were
just too many. “All ships are to launch their fighters; they are to target
those satellites.”

“Some of those
satellites are missile platforms,” Rahn hissed in anger. “They launched at extreme
range.”

At that moment,
additional red threat icons began to appear behind the Hocklyn fleet. With
sudden dread, Sangeth knew that he had fallen into a well orchestrated trap.
Those new icons were additional human warships and he was outnumbered as well
as pinned inside the planet’s gravity well! He needed Bisth, but there was no
way to summon him.

-

“Close on the
Hocklyn fleet and stand by to engage,” Admiral Tolsen ordered as the WarHawk’s
sensors cleared. He had already sent a message back to Fleet Command and knew
that additional ships were being rushed to support him.

Tolsen noticed
with worry that at least one of the red threat icons was very large, possibly a
Hocklyn dreadnought. “What are we facing?”

“Sensors show
one Hocklyn dreadnought, two war cruisers, and seven escort cruisers,” the
sensor operator responded.

“Eight minutes
until we reach extreme weapons range,” Colonel Beck reported from his plotting
table. He was studying the holographic image floating above the table showing
the Hocklyn fleet as well as all Federation ships.

“Order the
defensive fleet above Caden’s World to maintain their position. They are tasked
with taking out any missiles or fighters that approach the planet.” Tolsen
didn’t want to risk any nukes striking one of the two mining settlements.

 “Order the Liberty and Independence to launch their bomber strike. I want those energy weapons on the
Hocklyn ships silenced before they can fire,” Tolsen ordered. He had discussed
this strategy with Admiral Adler back on Ceres. “Also, order the destroyers to
fall back to the carriers and given them additional support. Their primary job
in this engagement is to protect those two battle carriers.”

Even as the
destroyers were falling back, the carriers started launching. From the two
battle carriers, 120 Anlon Space Superiority two-man bombers erupted from the
large flight bays. Another 80 Talon fighters flew alongside them to protect the
bombers from Hocklyn fighters.

-

“Knock those
missiles down!” roared War Leader Sangeth. “I don’t want a single one to strike
this ship!”

He looked with
anger at the red threat icons rapidly closing with his fleet. His own
interceptor missiles were launching and the defensive systems coming online.

“Interceptors
launched, defensive systems locking on targets,” First Leader Rahn reported as
missile after missile blasted out of the missile tubes of the Oblivion. “War
wing has launched.”

Defensive
railguns tracked the inbound missiles and began firing nonstop; the rest of the
ships in the Hocklyn formation were doing the same thing. Space instantly
became filled with exploding ordnance and missiles.

Around the
Hocklyn fleet, space was suddenly full of bright explosions as Captain
Krandle’s missile strike slammed home. Hocklyn interceptor missiles and
defensive fire managed to take out 192 of the inbound Klave missiles. The other
missiles and eight of the tactical nukes slammed home against the Hocklyn
shields in bright, fiery explosions. On several ships, the shields failed and
missiles struck the unshielded hulls, blasting jagged rents and causing massive
damage to the interior of the ships.

“Target those
missile platforms and destroy them,” Sangeth ordered, trying to keep his anger
under control as missiles ravaged his fleet. “Once we have launched, turn the
fleet to face the incoming human ships. Order the war wing to break off their
attack on the satellites and attack the human fighters instead.”

The Hocklyns fired
off a barrage of missiles at the defensive satellites and missile platforms as
their fleet began to turn. It was still immersed in explosions from exploding
missiles. The war wing swept by as it raced to engage the inbound human
fighters and bombers.

War Leader
Sangeth felt the Oblivion shudder as two nuclear-tipped missiles hit the
shields. Fortunately, the shields held, and there was minimal damage to the
ship.

“Report!” he
roared, knowing his fleet had been hurt. He had not expected such a massive
missile barrage from the satellites.

“The cruiser Thunder
has lost her shields and is reporting heavy damage, several other ships are
reporting lighter damage but are still fully combat capable. There has been no
damage to the war cruisers.”

It was at that
moment that a brilliant flash covered the main viewscreen, attracting Sangeth’s
attention. “What was that?”

“The Thunder
activated her self-destructs,” explained Rahn, stone-faced. “They died with
honor.”

“As it should
be,” Sangeth replied, his eyes focusing on the sensor screens and the tactical
situation. “Engage the humans!” His fleet was still inside the planet’s gravity
well. The only way to safety was through the human fleet. While he was willing
to die in battle to bring honor to his family, his orders were to preserve his
fleet and return, But he just didn’t know if that was going to be possible.
“All ships are to stay in fleet formation. We will try to blow throw them and
get outside the planet’s gravity well, then jump back to War Leader Bisth’s
fleet.”

“Honor is
before us,” First Leader Rahn spoke as he moved to carry out the orders.

“Honor is
before us,” agreed War Leader Sangeth, wishing he had his other ships.

The Crimson
Oblivion accelerated toward the inbound human ships. All of its weapon’s ports
were open and targeting systems were active. The two war cruisers took up positions
on each side to add their heavy firepower to the flagship as the remaining escort
cruisers moved into screening positions. Their orders were simple, blast their
way through and jump out. Damaged ships would be left behind to self-destruct.

Behind them,
explosive flashes began going off where the human defensive satellites waited.
The Hocklyn missile barrage had slammed home, eliminating some of the
satellites, particularly the ones the original missile strike had come from.

-

Captain
Krandle watched with anguish as most of her missile platforms vanished from the
sensor screens. She had hoped to save a few of the remaining missiles to hit
the Hocklyns if they came any nearer to the planet and now that option was
gone. Not only that, but over a dozen of the defensive laser satellites had
also been destroyed.

“They hurt
us,” Lieutenant Simmons spoke as he watched the screens.

“Yes, but the
Fleet is here now. Admiral Tolsen will finish off these Hocklyns,” Krandle
replied confidently, her eyes were glued to the sensor screen, which showed the
friendly green icons of inbound Federation warships.

-

Admiral Tolsen
watched tensely as his fleet’s fighters and the Hocklyn fighters made contact. Above
the plotting table, he could see ship icons and missile trails depicted on the
holographic display. Occasionally a missile would strike its target and an icon
would vanish.

In space, the
fighters were in a fierce dogfight. The Hocklyn ships had launched sixty-eight
fighters against the eighty human ones. They swirled in a lethal dance of
death. Missiles and cannon fire filled space as the two groups tried to kill each
other. Fighters exploded in deadly balls of orange-red fire as their heavily
shielded fuel tanks detonated from the impact of the deadly ordnance.

While the
fighter battle raged, the Anlon bombers continued their attack run. Each one carried
two small missiles to be used against the target as well as two larger Shrike
missiles tipped with tactical nukes.

“Target range
in thirty seconds,” the strike leader spoke to the attacking squadrons. “Begin
evasive maneuvers and good luck. Once you have released your missiles, get back
to the barn.”

-

War Leader
Sangeth watched the attacking bombers with deep concern. From the records he
had called up, he knew that these were a larger human attack craft that carried
missiles. He couldn’t allow them to get close to his already damaged fleet.
“Target those small craft and destroy them!” he ordered tersely. “I don’t want
any of them to launch their missile payloads!”

“Coming into
attack range now,” First Leader Rahn replied as he passed on the orders.

From the Hocklyn
ships, numerous interceptor missiles blasted forth from their tubes, their
targeting systems actively searching for and locking onto the inbound bombers. Energy
beams also locked on and began firing. The bright blue energy beams struck
first and when one struck a bomber, the craft simply disintegrated. The missile
strike came next and more human bombers vanished in bright fiery explosions as
they failed to outmaneuver the deadly Hocklyn missiles.

-

“Our bombers
are having a bad time,” spoke Colonel Beck, wincing as several more Anlons vanished
from the holographic display.

“But they are
in range now,” Admiral Tolsen responded, trying to put the losses out of his
mind. “See! They’re launching their missiles.”

On the main
sensor screen as well as in the holographic image, over two hundred and twenty
missile icons suddenly appeared rocketing rapidly toward their intended Hocklyn
targets.

-

Major Archer
was third in command of the bomber strike. The two senior officers had both
been killed by Hocklyn missile fire and energy beams. It was extremely hard to
focus with all the death and destruction surrounding them.

“Weapons
released,” he spoke over the com to all of the remaining Anlon bombers in the
squadrons. He took a deep breath. “Let’s get the hell out of here!”

His bomber
swerved to avoid an inbound missile and his copilot launched additional counter
measures. Archer knew they had made some major mistakes and taken some
unnecessary losses on their attack run. Adjustments could be made in strategy
for future battles but for now, he had to survive this one. He looked down at
his sensor screen, seeing the Hocklyns had switched from attacking his bombers
to trying to knock down the inbound missile strike. At least that should help allow
the remaining bombers to get away.

-

War Leader
Sangeth watched with consternation the inbound missiles nearing his ships. The
human bombers had launched them from point blank range. Large numbers were
being intercepted as bright flashes of light erupted near his fleet on the main
viewscreen. Then nuclear fire washed over his ship’s screens as missile after
missile slammed home. Some of the screens wavered, and missiles began to strike
the armored hulls of the Hocklyn ships.

The Crimson
Oblivion shook and her screens wavered as several powerful blasts rattled the
ship. A few red lights appeared on the damage control board, but for the most
part the powerful dreadnought had come through the missile attack relatively
unharmed.

“Escort
cruiser Brantif has lost her FTL drive, it is not repairable,” First Leader
Rahn reported as the damage reports started to come in. “Most of the human
weapons are targeting our weapon systems. The War Cruiser Delpin has lost her
energy cannons, a human nuclear missile took them out. About ten percent of
their missiles are making it through our screens, and they are all targeting
weapon systems or the FTL drives of our ships.”

“Clever
strategy,” spoke Sangeth, grudgingly. “They are trying to cripple us.” These
humans were deadly adversaries, they were worthy of honor. Even as he watched
the sensor screens, he saw that his fleet’s weapons were now in range of the
inbound human fleet. “Lock onto their ships, and fire!”

-

Admiral Tolsen
felt the WarHawk shudder violently as a Hocklyn missile managed to penetrate
the energy screen. Half a dozen red lights sudden glared on the damage control
board.

“We have fires
in sections thirty-two and forty-one,” Colonel Beck reported as he dispatched
damage control teams. “A Hocklyn nuke blasted a hole in our energy screen, and
we took a hit from one of their heavy missiles. We’re lucky it wasn’t a nuke or
the damage would be worse.”

“Hit them with
our power beams,” Tolsen ordered firmly as he watched the developing situation
on the holographic tactical image. “They are trying to blast their way through
our formation and escape.” This was a surprise. From what Tolsen had studied of
the first war, Hocklyn ships normally fought to the death.

Dark violet
beams of energy erupted from the WarHawk, striking one of the war cruisers. Its
screens wavered and then went down. The powerful beams struck the unprotected
armor of the hull, vaporizing it as the beam cut deeply into the ship setting
off secondary explosions. Then the war cruiser’s energy screen stabilized,
stopping the beam.