Gray Panthers: Dixie (38 page)

Dixie attack fleet, in Libra space

4 December 2128

Admiral Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard watched his long-range sensor operator’s display screen. Libra had only a dozen warships picketed around the planet. It was time for revenge.

The admiral sent the captured battleship and cargo ship off to gain control of the asteroid. The remainder of his thirty ships would commence their attack.

“All ships, this is Admiral Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard. Begin your attack. Squadrons one and two, attack all ships. Squadron three, begin bombardment of the planet.” The admiral left the bridge and headed for the ship’s combat center, where he could monitor the battle better and provide guidance more easily.

The Libra realized they were under attack as three of their destroyers exploded. Five enemy destroyers passed by the dead ships, heading for a pair of heavy cruisers. The Libra cruisers fired their lasers back in defense. Two of the enemy destroyers took serious hits and continued straight on their course toward the planet, out of control. The three surviving enemy destroyers concentrated their combined fire on the second heavy cruiser, which stopped dead. The remaining heavy cruiser left the three destroyers behind in time to see five Dixie cruisers ahead open fire at the same time. The Libra cruiser disappeared in a massive explosion. Four Libra cruisers with three destroyers charged toward the five Dixie cruisers as they jumped away.

Seven Dixie destroyers that were to bombard the planet instead turned as a team and charged at the formation of Libra cruisers and destroyers head-on. Unnoticed by the Libra, a squadron of five other cruisers used the distraction to attack from the port side in conjunction with five cruisers attacking from the starboard side.

Two Dixie destroyers dropped out of the head-on charge, damaged. The two groups attacking from the sides continued to close in on their targets, the combined fire of the ten Dixie cruisers destroying the four Libra cruisers and a destroyer. The two remaining Libra destroyers jumped from the trap.

The admiral stared at the screens, watching as all of the Libra ships were eliminated except for the two destroyers that retreated from the battle. A look at the chronometer showed that a mere twelve minutes had passed since the initial attack.

The crew on the captured Libra battleship watched carefully as the navigator tried to wedge the ship into the side of Asteroid ZA213678. The asteroid was easily ten times the size of the ancient battleship. Ten minutes later, the captured Libra super cargo ship was behind them.

Both ships slowly increased their speed with no results as the asteroid stayed on its original course.

“Dammit! Give it everything we can. There are men and women dying out there as we try this,” the lead technician ordered.

“We have to be careful with these old monsters. They have matter-antimatter engines,” the engineer advised, wishing he were safe back on Dixie.

“Thanks for the history lesson. Now, increase the power slowly until I say stop.”

Admiral Toutant-Beauregard ordered the fleet to bombard all cities and targets they could find. He was beginning to relax when the sensor officer shouted out a new report.

“Inbound from one hundred fifty-five degrees forty targets. Size and shape identify them as Libra destroyers.”

The inbound unit was passing by the asteroid when it observed the ships nestled into the side of the asteroid. “Fourth squadron, destroy the enemy on the asteroid, then rejoin the main attack.” The Libra commander had worried about the asteroid earlier and was only too happy now to take care of the problem.

The destroyers attacked through the field in two columns, allowing two destroyers at a time to fire on the ships. The first pair of destroyers noticed that there was no return fire and pressed their attack right up to the ships, planning to turn away at the last moment, when the matter-antimatter engine on the battleship exploded. The ship was vaporized, as were the two destroyers. The two nearest destroyers also sustained damage as they tried to maneuver in the asteroid field. None of the surviving destroyers noted the asteroid’s slight change in course as they joined the attack on the Dixie fleet.

Admiral Toutant-Beauregard tried to motivate the fleet as a section of destroyers targeted the two disabled destroyers, wiping them out almost instantly. “We have the enemy outclassed. We gave them one bloody nose, now let’s do it again.”

“Oh, goddamn! Sir, we have twenty-four cruisers inbound from ninety degrees. ETA, four minutes.” The sensor officer reported.

As the admiral studied the monitor, he looked like he was ready to cry.

The Fire Warrior admiral watched the battle between the Dixians and the Libra with fascination. “Looks like they are trying to eliminate each other. We will see who emerges as the winner and then finish off the champion,” he roared.

“Admiral, the Dixians are my allies. I am going to support them and attack the Libra. Be sure you know what you are going to tell the council when I die fighting like a warrior while you sit back and watch. Dan Daniels out.”

“Grub, start picking targets for the Abby Artillery,” Dan ordered. “No! Launch the artillery instead and let them do what they were made for. Now let’s go get dirty.”

The Fire Warrior admiral watched as the human, in one ship, charged into the fight. He decided to give the order. “Attack all Libra ships. Help the Dixians if you can. Now kill, kill, kill!”

Grub notified Dan that the Fire Warriors were attacking. Dan decided to take a chance. “Dixie fleet, this is Daniels, from Earth. I have brought my allies, the Fire Warriors, to assist you. Regroup behind our ships as we attack, then rejoin the battle while we still have the numbers to beat the Libra.”

Admiral Toutant-Beauregard heard the message and recognized Daniels’s voice. He felt like his prayers had been answered. “All ships retire toward the Fire Warrior fleet to regroup. We will then sweep through the Libra with our Fire Warrior allies.”

In a moment the entire Dixie fleet had disappeared then reappeared behind the Libra ships. The more aggressive captains attacked immediately, joining the Fire Warrior formation.

The two sides came at each other nose-to-nose, firing lasers and missiles. The heavily armored and stronger-armed cruisers of the mixed fleet easily tore into the Libra fleet of destroyers.

In the first pass, a pair of Fire Warriors along with a pair of Dixie ships carved their way through the enemy destroyers. Eight thin-skinned, lightly armored Libra destroyers were left dead or damaged, and their escape pods were activated. Other ships noted the success, forming on each other and combining their firepower.

Red Erickson saw four destroyers heading for the planet’s atmosphere and followed them in the Bia. “Damn! Looks like those four don’t want to play anymore!”

The four destroyers maintained a formation similar to a block. As Red closed in from above and behind, he realized he couldn’t get all weapons to bear properly.

“Pilot, invert the ship one hundred eighty degrees, nose up thirty degrees. Increase speed to close. Port and starboard gunners, fire ’em up!” The ship’s heavy concentration of beamers, in conjunction with phalanx batteries and railguns, began to peel off parts of the destroyers. One of the destroyers exploded in a fireball. The remaining three fled in different directions as the Bia closed in on its second target.

The Bia again concentrated all fire on the targeted ship. Escape pods popped from all areas of the ship and it went into a steep dive. The Bia watched as the destroyer hit the ground. A mushroom cloud rose as a marker for the crashed ship.

“Good job! Let’s go get back in the main game. Pilot, right the ship and head for space.” Red and the crew were caught up in a flush of enthusiasm from their victory and wanted more payback.

Dan was concentrating on a Libra destroyer that was pummeling a disabled Fire Warrior cruiser when Grub interrupted.

“Sir, recommend withdrawing all ships immediately. There is going to be a collision between Asteroid ZA213678 and the planet. There will be no Libra race after impact except for those off-world. Debris from the impact could cause damage to ships.”

“Attention all Fire Warrior and Dixie ships,” Dan radioed. “Withdraw from the planet immediately. An inbound asteroid is going to do our job for us. All ships look for our survivors before retiring.”

The ships ceased fighting as they realized the magnitude of the coming collision. The fleets began rescue operations while monitoring their enemies.

The Libra ships began to attack the asteroid in the hope of diverting its course. Admiral Toutant-Beauregard watched the futile efforts and decided not to waste an opportunity.

“All ships, fire on the enemy. We can’t allow them to divert the asteroid.” The Dixie ships reluctantly followed orders. When the Fire Warriors saw the one-sided fight, they joined in.

In a matter of minutes, the Libra fleet was decimated. A few damaged ships limped off as the asteroid began to enter the planet’s atmosphere. The remaining Fire Warriors and Dixians pulled back to watch the ensuing apocalypse.

The asteroid struck at the planet’s equator with the force of a one-million-megaton explosion. Everything within two hundred miles of the epicenter was wiped flat. Survivors farther out watched as dirt and debris clouds filled the atmosphere. The sun was blotted out and it became hard to breathe. The concentration of debris in the atmosphere continued to grow as it began to snow without letup.

Dan watched the planet turn from green and blue to brown and gray. His disgust at the loss of life morphed into overwhelming grief.
What have we done?
he asked himself.

“Sir, I thought you would like to know that even though there are millions of Libra on other worlds, the species must routinely return to their home world to absorb a local radiation in their atmosphere,” Grub informed Dan. “Without the radiation, they are unable to procreate. Their scientists never tried to replicate the radiation, since their religions forbade it. The belief was that they must come home to be complete or perish.”

“Well, that was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Order the Bia to start collecting crews from the Fire Warrior ships. After we have all crews back on our ships, hop to the Hades Wormhole. It’s time we all go home.”

Gray Panthers headquarters, Arizona

10 December 2128

Dan had stayed busy since his return. There would be many loose ends involved in closing down the Gray Panthers. He would honor the commitments he had made to ensure that the Fire Warriors remained the protectors of the League of Planets.

None of his top officers would accept the position to replace Dan. The compromise was to have a mixed board of directors that reported to Hercules.

The officers and enlisted Gray Panthers were given three options. They could quit and have their nanites removed. They could retire with a pension and keep their nanites, on the condition they would return to duty if called. Or, they could work for Gray Panther Industries, keep their nanites, and return to duty if called up.

The operations headquarters were to be transferred to Peary Crater Lunar Base. The organization would not have any portion of its operation under the jurisdiction of any government. It would continue to provide security for the planet and free power for select cities and countries.

Dan received a message that the Grub had returned and had been successful in its last mission. He was ecstatic. With the last mission complete, he could leave as soon as he wrapped up just a few more things. He wasn’t expecting anyone, so the knock on the door caught him by surprise.

“Enter.”

Short Blade poked his head around the door. “Sir, may I have a minute?”

“Come in, Short Blade. What can I do for you?”

Short Blade’s nervousness was obvious. “Sir, I’d like to retire and buy a shuttle.”

“What would you do with a shuttle, Short Blade? And please, call me Dan.”

“Si— Dan, with the war over, there will be rebuilding and increased trade between planets. I thought I would use a shuttle as a small cargo ship.”

“Short Blade, I have several loose ends I want to take care of before I leave. You are one of them. I have a proposition for you.”

“Yes, sir?”

Dan smiled at the slip and continued. “I would like for you to have the prototype medium shuttle we built. It’s three times the size of a regular shuttle and has FTL capability.”

“Why would you want to do this for me, Dan?”

“I imagined you being able to go places humans can’t. See things we wouldn’t. There might also be times when things need to be delivered to places that I can say I have no idea about.”

“You want me to be a spy and a smuggler?”

“I want you to help me keep the peace and protect Earth and the League of Planets. The ship will be yours, free and clear. With the war over, we have a new world ahead of us.”

Gray Panthers: Short Blade
(Coming in May)

The galactic war of conquest by the Libra Alliance has been crushed by the combined efforts of the Gray Panthers of Earth and the fleets of Dixie and the Fire Warriors. In the wake of peace, however, there is turmoil.

The void created by the collapse of the Alliance has led to a major power vacuum. Old enemies are once again at war. Navies without homes have become pirates. The restored League of Planets, now with a strong fleet and army, is contemplating expansion. The Dixians, sick of war, are content to pick up life where it left off, though some members of the government desire more. The Gray Panthers of Earth, safe behind their allies and defenses, have begun to mothball their fleet.

Old and young are looking for new opportunities. One has it harder than most—the Jacka runt, Short Blade. Sold as a child to the Libras by his father, he learned much from the Libras during his indentureship. Later, after enlisting in the Gray Panthers, he quickly rose to chief and then ensign. Mustered out of the Gray Panthers at the war’s end, he can’t go home to his planet, Glory, and a life of discrimination. But, there is nothing for him on Earth.

Spurred on by what he has accomplished so far, Short Blade will do what he has always done. He will succeed. No longer a slave, no longer an officer, Short Blade is his own Jacka, and he will do whatever he must.