Talosian Chronicles 5: Raptor Squadron (19 page)

"
Acadia
to
Ithica
, please tell me you guys made it?" the team heard over their comms.

"
Acadia
, this is
Ithica
team. It's really good to hear from you. We have two wounded and we're in a dead ship," one of the team members replied.

"Is Major Rathbone wounded?" Cathy asked.

"No ma'am. Major Rathbone remained with the ship to keep the Imperial troops occupied so we could escape." He paused. "Ma'am, he ordered us to go and forced us out of the ship at gun point!"

"I understand, Officer, we're locked onto you and will be there shortly. Keep your stealth systems on, this place is crawling with Imps," Cathy replied sadly.  "Is Circe with you?"

"Yes Ma'am, I'm sure she would have stayed as well, but Rat had her core removed before we knew he was staying," the Officer replied. "Major, we never would have made it to the ship if he hadn't drawn them in."

"We're just outside now, get ready to jump clear of that mess," Cathy replied.

"Major, the imperial fleets are redeploying. I'm having difficulty predicting their destinations, but they are all heading back toward Alliance space." Gouyen reported.

"They're not returning to Grimaria to help repair the damage we did?" Jana asked. "That's odd."

"Raptor
Acadia
has retrieved team
Ithica
. Major Rathbone is not among them. His teammates report he remained with the Raptor to ensure the Imperial troops remained focused on the Raptor while the rest of the team escaped." Gouyen reported. "Sister Circe is with the team."

Jana closed her eyes at the news of the death of her friend. "Rat, you stupid…" she shook her head. "Are they heading for the rendezvous?"

Gouyen nodded. "Yes, Sister Circe is still reinitializing and doesn't know about the Major yet."

"She and Rat were pretty close. She might need help with it when she regains awareness," Jana suggested.

Again, Gouyen nodded. "We are aware of it and are ready to help as we can." She was talking about herself and the other Raptor AI. "We fear she will wish to purge herself. She still may after we return to base."

Jana nodded. "That would be her choice of course, but I hope she doesn't; after this nightmare is over, she'll be one of our more experienced AI. We're going to need all of you more than ever. I'm sure the rest of us would be willing to help her in any way we can as well. All of you are part of our family, and family help each other."

Gouyen smiled softly. "Thank you, Jana."

Jana nodded. "Anytime, my friend. Now, please keep an eye on those Imperial ships and let us know what they're up to as soon as you figure it out." She paused. "I'm starting to wonder just how good their hyperspace tracking technology actually is."

"How do you mean?" the AI asked.

"They knew our exact position when we jumped for the gates. I'll grant they could have figured it out because we made sure they saw us jump, but based on the set-up they had before the gates blew, they knew our
exact
positions," Jana explained. "After the gates blew, they started after us before the distortion cleared, even though they could have detected our exit, it still seems like they reacted pretty damn fast."

"I think I see what you mean. Would it not be safe to assume they have tracking at least as good as our own?" Gouyen asked.

"That has always been the assumption, but let me ask you this; if our positions were reversed, how quickly could you have gotten our positions in both circumstances?" Jana asked. "Remember that the Imperials don't use AI."

Gouyen looked thoughtful for a moment. "Performing the math manually would take hours. A logic based computer would still take about twenty minutes. Predicting an incoming hyperspace event takes into account certain assumptions of variables that a normal computer would have difficulties with. That being said, using our current technology, it would have taken roughly a minute to a minute and a half to predict both events.

"Factoring in the amount of distortion created by the detonation of the gates, and the effect it would have on our tracking sensors, target detection would not have been possible until the distortion wake declined to force seven or lower. We only knew of Imperial movements because of the real space sensors we dropped."

"So they should have lost track of us because of all the distortion from the explosion, right?" Jana asked.

Gouyen nodded. "We have to assume they have more advanced tracking technology than is currently available to us. Even in hyperspace, a Raptor's signature output has been reduced to that of a much smaller ship. On our current sensors, a raptor would register as a ship the size of a centurion without IFF transponder recognition."

"So they can track us in hyperspace, but think we're actually centurions?" Jana asked.

"There is no way to know that for certain. The fact that they can track us even through heavy distortion makes all but one assumption pointless. That assumption is that, in hyperspace, we cannot hide from them," Gouyen replied.

"That is going to make getting out of here very difficult. We're faster than our size would indicate, but we can't outrun their big ships," Jana said thoughtfully.

"I have passed this information on to the other AI. We are working on possible escape scenarios based on this new information," Gouyen reported. "However, most of the Imperial ships are still in hyperspace; they all seem to have different arrival points based on they're profiles. If I had to guess, they are setting up a very large net to trap is us in." She paused. "
Acadia
will arrive at the rendezvous ten minutes after we do. Ten Imperial light cruisers are also in route to that location. We will need to leave immediately if we wish to avoid contact with them."

"Yeah, maybe not," Jana said. "Please begin replicating ten class IV mines. Alter our trajectory slightly so we arrive where you think the cruisers will drop out and we'll deploy them there. Make sure our stealth systems are fully operational as well."

"We're going to fight them?" Gouyen asked.

"Maybe, those cruisers are meant to scare us into jumping. Once we do, they'll know exactly where we are. While we're in normal space, they can't track us. The longer we can stay hidden, the better off we'll be," Jana said.

"
Dynasty
is already on station at the rendezvous. Major Mountbatten said he will get the mines in position for us. However, he recommends the rest of us go ahead and prepare at least five additional mines for deployment as needed," Gouyen replied.

Jana nodded in agreement with that plan. "Sounds even better. That way, the Imps won't suspect we left a surprise for them."

"Yes, but do we take on the enemy that survive the mines, or do we try to escape this trap?" Major Sizani said from the comm. Jana had told Gouyen to allow connection while their ships were traveling together.

Jana shrugged. "I'm of a mind to destroy them. We already know a light cruiser is no match for a raptor. Our mass drivers blow right through the armor on the light cruisers."

"I agree; they have sent this force to prod us into making a mistake. I feel the need to show them the error of that assumption," the stoic African said. "The tiger is most dangerous when it is wounded. The hunter must be very careful in order to avoid becoming the hunted."

Jana nodded. "I think you might be closer to the mark than we know, my friend. They are very definitely hunting us."

Sizani nodded. "Yes, so we must exploit every mistake while avoiding them ourselves. Sending only ten of their smallest ships after us was just such a mistake. However, it will also show them we are not what they believe we are."

Carl Mountbatten joined the conversation. "I disagree Sizani; what we did at Grimaria has already done that. I believe these ships are more of a test to see how badly damaged we are. Once they hit the mines, I believe they will withdraw."

"Perhaps we should continue with our ghost games," Jana replied grinning. "Carl, set the mines for remote detonation after they attach to the ships. We will retreat a small distance to give them something to chase, then detonate them after they are certain we are not near them. If we can continue with the ghost ops, I think we can keep them off-balance and maybe rattle them."

"It is almost certain they cannot detect smaller artifacts in hyperspace," Gouyen said. "They did not detect the probes we launched while in hyperspace or they would have destroyed them before leaving the area. Perhaps we can use that as well."

"I don't know; the probes didn't actually have hyperdrives, just a field generator that was active until it exited hyperspace," Carl replied.

"So you think it's the hyperdrive itself they detect?" Jana asked.

"It does have emissions that are not natural to hyperspace. It stands to reason that is what they're detecting," Carl replied.

"Well, nothing we can do with that at the moment, but it's good to know. We'll have to make sure we put it in our reports," Jana said.

"Major, we will be arriving at the rendezvous point in four minutes," Gouyen reported.

Carl nodded. "We're starting to drop the mines right now. We'll be finished by the time our guests arrive."

Once the four remaining raptors met up, they all headed in the direction of the closest Alliance outpost at maximum sub-light speed but under full stealth. The Teams figured that the Empire knew they were not flying centurions, because they had gotten close enough to get a visual scan of the Ithica before it was destroyed.

As predicted, the Imperial light cruisers arrived at the rendezvous shortly after the
Acadia
arrived. However, the raptors had already left the area. After they dropped out, the Imperial ships spread out, searching for their prey, and flew right into the mines left for them. Of course, they didn't know it; the mines simply attached themselves to the hulls of four of the ships but did not detonate.

"Major, we've finished analyzing the movements of the Imperial fleets. We have a good idea of where they are, and what they might be up too," Gouyen reported to her commander.

"Oh? What did you get figured out?" Jana replied.

It was late in the evening, Jana and her team had finished supper and had been sitting in the common area trying to relax.

Gouyen darkened the room to better display a hologram. "The enemy has deployed in three 'shells' between us and Alliance space. We know they can track us while in hyperspace, and we believe this is a large, elaborate trap. The light cruisers behind us are deployed to push us into it."

"If that's the case, can't we just fly around it?" Officer Redfeather asked. "We can jump once we're past the edge, so they can't catch us."

Gouyen replied by highlighting the distance scale of the 'shells'. "Travelling at sub-light speed, it would take us five point three-nine-nine years to get past the edge of the trap. At present, we can see only two options realistically remain to us," Gouyen replied.

"The first and most obvious option, is to go through this, and try to survive the gauntlet the Empire has set up for us. By attacking their forces rather than trying to fly past them, we could break through and arrive at Gamma-Hydra Four. We estimate that with the stops for fighting and repairs we can make the trip in six months.

"We believe the enemy expects us to try and fly past their small ships and try to fight past their larger ones. We have calculated a ten percent chance that would be successful; but only two raptors would survive.

"If we do not fly past any imperial units, use our stealth and 'ghost' tactics, as Jana called them, the odds of success increase to forty-six percent for two raptors to survive; twenty-four percent for three, and seven percent for all four. The odds are one hundred percent that more than three of our ships will be damaged heavily."

The other raptor commanders had been included in the report, and their images were displayed on the large screen on the forward bulkhead.

"Those are not very good odds. There has got to be a better way out of this," Cathy replied. "We've already lost too much on this mission."

"There is an old saying among the old mariners of Earth," Alfred, the
Gothem
AI said. "A stern chase is a long one. If we can force the Imperial fleets into a position where they have to chase us, and provided we can get enough of a head start, we can increase the odds of our survival up to sixty percent."

"What did you have in mind, Alfred?" Jana asked.

"We go on the offensive, Major," Alfred replied. "We attack them."

"Wait; didn't you just say we had only a ten percent chance of surviving that?" Carl asked.

"Yes, if we attacked the ships in the gauntlet before us," Gouyen replied.

AI Circe took over the briefing. "We turn around destroy the light cruisers behind us, and jump to Grimaria. There, we finish what we started and destroy as much as we can." The hologram changed to show the entire sector. "Once we hit Grimaria, the Empire will have to recall the fleets to stop us. We will have to do as much damage as we can, as quickly as we can, in order to pull at least the majority of the ships back. From their current positions, it will take six hours for the closest units to reach Grimaria. Depending on the size of that force, we can either stick around and destroy them, or we leave.

"If we depart Grimaria, we jump for the Imperial base at Omicron-four-rho. This will make the Empire believe we are not planning on leaving them just yet, and they will be forced to commit assets to our destruction. We believe the fleet at the new base will jump out to intercept us. One thing we have in our favor over the Imperial ships is that they have to drop out of hyperspace to alter course - we do not. The more ships we can add to the chase, the slower they will become. We head for Imperial held planets and destroy or damage as much of the military stationed there as we can before we move on. Eventually, we will pass beyond their scanning range and we'll be able to go home. At this time, we believe that range to be thirty light years."