Tipping Point in the Alliance War (3 page)

“We
are 30 seconds away from real-space,” announces Lieutenant Mullah, the ship’s
Navigation Officer.

“The
Courageous is in Battle Stations alert status, with the ship’s Computer
Controlled Defenses set for automatic response,” announces Lieutenant
Mutreno
, the Tactical Officer.

Captain
Niles is cool on the outside, but at a heightened sense of alertness on the
inside.  The
Capernic
System might be crawling
with enemy ships.  He had picked the warp exit point to be outside of the
system’s gravity-well, so it will be possible to make a quick warp ‘hop’ out of
the area, if necessary. 

“We
are in real-space at the programmed coordinates,” announces Lieutenant Mullah.

“Ship’s
stealth system engaged.  No threats identified by ship’s sensors. 
Beginning active scans for cloaked ship’s gravity-wells, and
unnatural objects.
  The probe-array has been deployed,” announces
Lieutenant
Mutreno
.  ………………….. Active scans show
no threats, within
a 700,000
klick
spherical vicinity.”

(Science
Officer
Basisht
has made some modifications to the
Gravity Detection System on the Courageous, and has taken Tactical Officer
Mutreno’s
suggestion, about designing a sensor array using
multiple probes.  This new system can detect the gravity-well of a single
warship.)

“Lieutenant
Mutreno
, cancel the Battle Stations alert; announce
an alert status of Level 4; and launch sub-light-speed sensor probes, to the
coordinates of the
Capernic
System battle-space. 
Lieutenant Mullah, plot a real-space course for the ship to the coordinates of
the battle.  Also, keep a plot to a piece of empty-space ready, in case we
have to jump out quickly.”

“Probes
launched, sir.”

…………. 
“Courses plotted, sir.”

“Lieutenant
Mullah, launch the reconnaissance probe, to the planet
Egdffe
”
says Captain Niles.

“Wait!”
interjects Lieutenant
Mutreno
.  “I looked at
Egdffe
through the telescope, sir.  There is nothing
there but a ball of dirt encased in a cloud of dust.”  Lieutenant
Mutreno
puts the images of
Egdffe
on the main view-screen.  There is just dirt and some water, with no
vegetation and no cities.

“Cancel
the reconnaissance probe, Lieutenant Mullah.  The Confederation Fleet has
eradicated all life - that was what we needed to know,” comments the
Captain.  “Thank you, Lieutenant
Mutreno
.”

***

The
sub-light sensor probes arrive at the target coordinates, and begin to scan for
radiation, ships, and life.  The probes can communicate with the
Courageous, via a laser link, since the Courageous is only 500,000 klicks away
and the line-of-sight is clear.  The probe samples radiation levels and
identifies hot-pockets, which are unsafe for the Courageous.  As expected,
there are no signs of life.

The
gravity-well readings of the battle-space trouble Captain Niles. There is so
much debris from the battle that the gravity-well data is inconclusive. 
He will need to bring the ship closer to the battle-space in order to use the
new and improved Gravity Detection System, developed by their Science
Officer.  It’s time to approach the danger zone and the Captain is almost
certain that they are headed into danger. 

The Captain implements his
plan:

-
  
Tactical, “Bring the ship to Battle Stations alert level.  Remain in
stealth configuration.  Launch a reconnaissance probe array, to precede us
by 100,000 klicks.

-
  
Navigation,
plot
a real-space course for us, which
places us near the battle-space but outside of the debris’ gravity-well. 

-
  Helm,
prepare to execute on my command.”

-
  
Tactical, have the full sensor-array engaged and
verify
that the ship’s defense systems are set, to respond automatically.  As
soon as we arrive, I want a ‘sensor probe array’ to be launched in a pattern
which is symmetrical and moving outward from the ship, at 100 klicks per
second.

Instruct
the ship’s computer to look for ground-well anomalies.  If the computer
detects a ground-well anomaly, automatically fire laser canons at that
spot.  If a ship is
decloked
, fire at will with
every available weapon.” 

(If
there is a stealth vessel, in a cloaked condition, the ship will be de-cloaked
when hit by the laser canon blast.)

-
  
“Helm, if there are more
that
two gravity-wells
detected, immediately engage the warp drive to the empty-space coordinates.

-
  
Navigation, plot coordinates to six additional empty-space locations. 
Forward
those coordinates
to the Helm, for use in case
we need to keep warping out, due to adverse conditions.”

After
the noise of blaring klaxons announcing the Battle Stations alert have ceased;
and after the crew is in place; and after Navigation, and Helm report Ready
conditions; Captain Niles says “Engage” to the Helm Officer.

 Now,
the adventure will become more interesting and the ship’s crew will stop
whining, about the continuous training and the endless security drills.

***

Capernic
System Battle-space

“We
are in real-space at the programmed coordinates” announces Lieutenant
Ung
, who is at the Helm.

“Probe
Array launched and sensor array Active” announces Tactical. …… ……… …….. “3 gravity-well
anomalies identified - Laser canons locked and firing. 
3
enemy vessels
decloked
, sir.
  
Incoming! 
Missiles and lasers from multiple ships.”

“Warp
drive engaged to the first empty-space coordinates,” announces the Helm. 
“Warp exit in 2 minutes”. 

(The
Helm Officer had engaged the warp drive the instant that Tactical reported “3
gravity-well anomalies”.  The announcement, of the action, had to wait for
a break in the conversation.  Courageous was in warp and was gone, by the
time the enemy missiles got to her position.  Laser canon fire had reached
the Courageous at the speed of light, but the shields were set on Automatic and
deflected the energy.)

“Program
for a warp jump to the second empty-space coordinates, but do not engage until
I give the command,” orders the Captain.

“Aye
aye sir,” responds Helm - with the obligatory response.  

(The
response is obligatory, because their military training has taught the sailors
to verbally affirm that they have received the message.  That affirmation
will make everyone, in the chain of command, more ‘sure’ of their position, and
will reduce the possibility of ‘unheard’ orders.)

***

Empty
Space 1

“We
are in real-space,” announces Lieutenant Mullah, “at the programmed
coordinates.”

“Enemy
ship emerging!” announces Tactical. 
“Weapons firing!
 
…….More enemy ships emerging, sir.”

“Engage
warp drive to empty-space 2,” orders the Captain. ….. “Do we have any idea how
many gravity-well anomalies were detected by the probes, before we made the
first jump?”

“Warp
drive engaged,” announces Helm.

“Aye
sir,” Tactical answers.  “The computer identified a total of 6
gravity-well anomalies at the battle-space coordinates.”

“OK,”
says the Captain.  “That probably means that the Confederation only left 6
vessels for this ambush.  Six to one is a pretty uneven fight for
us.  First Officer
Znnu
, when we exit warp, look
back to the spot we just left and see if there is a vessel on fire.  Also,
take the task of directing the ship’s defensive systems and allow Tactical to
concentrate on the offensive targeting.”

“Aye
sir.”

“The
Confederation has technology, which enables them to follow a ship in
warp-space.  That’s how they managed to destroy the entire fleet.” the
Captain muses aloud. 

“Officer
Znnu
.  Load a faster-than-light probe, with a
record of the
Capernic
Systems battle-space data,
along with the information about the new warp-space technology, and launch it
for Alliance Navy Headquarters as soon as we come out of warp.”

“Aye
sir.”

“Tactical,
we want to engage the first enemy ship that follows us,” says Captain
Niles.  “Open fire as soon as the first target begins to emerge. 
Target all available weapons at the engineering section of the enemy ship and
fire them continuously.”

“Aye
sir.”

…………..
“Warp exit in 9 seconds,” announces the Helm.

***

Empty Space 2

“We
are in real-space, at the desired coordinates,” announces the Helm.

“I see
fire, at our previous location,” reports the First Officer.

“Enemy
ship emerging!” proclaims Tactical. 
“Weapons firing.”

“Hold
this position, Helm“, orders the Captain.   “But, be ready to warp
out on my command.  Tactical, continue firing at the current target, until
the next vessel begins to emerge from warp, and then target the new vessel.”

“Aye
sir,” responds Tactical. “Firing ……………. 
Emerging
vessel.
 
Switching targets.
……..
Weapons firing.
  ………... More ships emerging.” 

“Incoming!”
exclaims the First Officer.  And the Courageous begins to lurch, from the
impact of the enemies’ rail guns. 

“Warp,
Helm” orders the Captain.

“Warp
drive engaged to empty space 3,” reports the Helm.  Courageous is still
staggering, as she enters the peace of warp-space.

Captain
Niles continues his instructions:  “First Officer, when we emerge, feed me
updates on any damage to enemy vessels at the previous battle locations.” 

“Logistics,
give me damage control updates.  Give me Engineering and Weapons first.”

“Engineering
reports nominal conditions.  Weapons reports 1 rail gun and 2 laser canons
offline, on upper side. 
Damage to the port side
shields.
  Shields on the port side are down to 70 percent.  We
have a hull breach on Deck 5, Section 8.  Air locks sealed
automatically.  Emergency crews responding,” reports the Logistics
Officer.

……..
……… ……. “Warp exit in 45 seconds,” announces the Helm.

“OK,”
says the Captain.  “We know the drill.  We come out of warp, and fire
at the first ship that begins to materialize.  Just keep doing it until we
run out of enemies.”

***

Empty Space 3

“’Real-space,
sir,” reports the Helm.  “
at
the programmed
coordinates.”

“I see
fire at both of our previous locations,” announces the First Officer.

“Good
news.” says the Captain.  “But the remaining ships are not following as
quickly.  They must be learning from their experiences.” 

“Helm,
they may be planning something, so we may need to move faster.  Prepare
for warp and keep your finger on the warp switch.  And if we are in a
firefight, try to turn the port side away from the enemy, until we can get
those shields repaired.”

“Aye
sir.”

The Captain
continues the battle dialog:  “Tactical, you may only get one quick
shot.  Fire at will and make it count.”

“Aye
sir.
  Ships materializing!  Four ships emerging -
trying to surround us.” exclaims Tactical!

“Warp,
Helm!” the Captain says emphatically. 

……………  
“We made it out, Captain,” declares the Helm Officer.  “But just
barely.  The gravity-well was approaching critical.  We almost
couldn’t warp out. 
…………….…. 6 minutes until
real-space.”

“We can
continue this process as long as we need to,” states Captain Niles.  “We
get a free shot at one enemy vessel each time, before we enter warp.  They
can’t fire weapons and their shields aren’t UP, until they have completely
emerged into real-space.  Even with their new technology, which enables
them to follow us in warp, we still have the advantage.  

Navigation,
in your spare time, feed the Helm some more empty-space coordinates and make
sure that you don’t become predictable.”

“Aye
sir,” Navigation answers.

“Sir,
damage report:  The Damage Control Team reports at least 9 personnel were
lost to open space, during the hull breach.  In addition, there are
approximately 30 injured – some seriously. 
Weapons
Systems reports one rail gun and one laser canon out on the port side.
 
Engineering reports no damage but says that we need to take longer warp jumps,
because the warp drive is overheating.  They recommend jumps at least 15
minutes in duration.  Or alternatively, spend more time at the real-space
position,” says the Logistics Officer.