TFS Navajo: The Terran Fleet Command Saga – Book 3 (2 page)

On the display screen, Yagani looked to his right for confirmation that the command and control systems aboard the
Baldev
had successfully synchronized with those of the
Hadeon
. In addition to the location of the secondary rally point, Captain Yagani and the crew of the
Baldev
now had access to virtually every event that had taken place aboard all of the task force’s ships over the past several days. Though, in theory, this rendered their current conversation somewhat redundant, there was still no substitute for a face to face briefing from a competent, on-scene commander. Returning his attention to Takkar, Yagani simply nodded in reply.

“Very good, sir. Commodore Sarafi also ordered that our detachment of two
Shopak
-class cruisers and two
Keturah
-class BD cruisers would be assigned to guard the original rally point and direct additional ships to the secondary location as they arrived.”

“
Guard
it? I am not sure I understand your meaning. In situations such as this, data transfer is typically handled by deploying a simple comm buoy. As I am sure you are aware, their data streams are encrypted, and they do not transmit at all until they receive an interrogation signal from a friendly ship. That, coupled with their small size, yields a highly secure means of transferring critical data — particularly something as simple as a routine change of orders. In fact, information such as the coordinates of an alternate rally point is precisely what the system was designed to handle. Sarafi must have had something else in mind when he elected to leave four of his ships alone at this location. He provided no additional information?”

“No sir, he did not. He also sent his executive officer, Commander Woorin Miah, to take command of the detachment.”

“I know of Commander Miah. He is a Damaran, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

Captain Yagani furrowed his brow and gazed deeply into the younger officer’s eyes. “Well, Captain Takkar, this story grows more puzzling and disconcerting by the moment. Where, pray tell, is Commander Miah now?”

“Regretfully, I was forced to relieve him of command and confine him to quarters.”

“Hah! I doubt very much you regret it, although you may yet live long enough to do so, young Captain,” Yagani laughed. “He is a fool, as you have obviously discovered for yourself. Let me see if I can guess the remainder of your story. The Human warship arrived and requested a meeting under a flag of truce. Miah ostensibly agreed, then manufactured some sort of excuse for opening fire after attempting to lure the enemy vessel into optimum weapons range.”

“All correct, sir. His excuse for doing so, however, is one you probably would not expect. The Humans claimed to have Admiral Rugali Naftur aboard. Commander Miah accused the Humans of lying, then opened fire shortly thereafter — an unprovoked and cowardly violation of the rules of war.”

“I see,” Yagani said evenly. “Based on the state of the
Babayev
, I surmise that the ensuing battle did not go well.”

“No, sir. The Human ship has highly effective shielding of a type that we have not encountered previously. In addition, their ships appear to be capable of rapid, consecutive hyperspace transitions … as do their missiles.”

“Their
missiles
? Are you certain of this, Captain?”

“I am. We detected a salvo of twenty-four missiles launched from their fighters at an initial range and velocity that should have rendered them easy targets for the
Hadeon
and
Keturah’s
battlespace defense systems. Just before the fire control AIs plotted solutions and opened fire, all twenty-four missiles transitioned to hyperspace. As best we can tell, they reemerged into normal space
inside
the
Babayev’s
aft shields, completely destroying her propulsion section. Even before the missile strikes, the Human destroyer had already caused a great deal of damage with kinetic energy weapons fire.”

“So I am to understand that the Terrans appear to be much farther along in their integration of Pelaran technology than our intelligence apparatus has led us to believe,” Yagani said, stating the question as a fact.

“Yes, sir, to say the least. I have read everything I can get my hands on regarding the Pelaran cultivation program, but I have never seen any references to the capabilities I have witnessed firsthand today.”

“Humph,” Yagani grunted. “Yet another triumph of Damaran intelligence gathering. I wish I could say that I am surprised. How many more Resistance vessels are we expecting?”

“Two more
Baldev
-class battleships, the
Zhelov
and the
Serapion
. As far as I know, the two of them are still traveling together. Based on the most recent data I have seen regarding their estimated position, I believe we can look for them to arrive shortly.”

“Excellent. Once they do, Captain Takkar, I hope you agree that we will enjoy an overwhelming advantage … in spite of the surprising capabilities the Humans seem to have acquired. We will capture or destroy their warship as well as their fighters and then proceed to the new rally point for the attack on Terra.”

“What I have not yet told you, Captain Yagani, is that during the aftermath of the battle, I was able to confirm that Rugali Naftur actually
is
onboard the
Theseus
… as is Ambassador Nenir Turlaka. Sir, if I may be so bold, I recommend that you speak with him yourself. You can do so privately, if you wish. He spoke highly of you after the
Baldev
arrived, and surely you know him to be an honorable man with the best interests of Graca foremost in his heart.”

Yagani simply stared at Takkar for what seemed like a long time before glancing down at his desk — a look of fatigue mixed with sadness clouding his normally proud features. “Their presence aboard the Human vessel is unfortunate, Yuli, but I am afraid that having a conversation with Admiral Naftur at this point would change nothing. I do believe that Naftur is an honorable man, but he and his kind are nothing more than remnants of a bygone era that will never return. Graca cannot stand alone against the Humans and their Pelaran masters. Our very survival depends upon all of the Collective’s worlds uniting against their systematic form of aggression. Bringing about that alignment is the reason for the Resistance movement, as you know very well, and the reason we find ourselves here today.”

“Please reconsider, sir,” Takkar urged. “Admiral Naftur has spent time with the Humans and does not believe them to be our enemy. Like us, they recognize the threat posed by the Pelarans. Perhaps this could provide us with an unprecedented opportunity to ally ourselves with a world already in possession of a significant amount of their technology.”

“Unfortunately, the pattern is always the same, Captain Takkar,” Yagani said with a weary sigh. “While the Humans may not see us as their enemy today, they are clearly in the process of being offered membership in the Pelaran Alliance. The Guardian spacecraft always boast that there has never been a world that has declined such an invitation. Why do you think that is? The Pelaran’s technology … their influence … their
power
… act upon a world like the most addictive of drugs. Make no mistake, the Humans are not simply in
possession
of Pelaran technology. The entire fabric of their civilization is interwoven with it at this point. Indeed, their world has become all but inseparable from it. And even if they were willing and able to cast all of the trappings of that technology aside, do you believe the Pelarans would simply leave them in peace?”

“I suppose not. But could we not provide the Humans with an alternative via membership in the Sajeth Collective?”

“While that does sound like a reasonable approach, the Pelarans would never allow such an alliance. No, Yuli, our only hope in instances such as this is to find a means of intervening in the cultivation process — destroying their Guardian spacecraft once we are able to do so or, as a last resort, eliminating their proxy civilizations. The Pelarans do not appear to be fond of undertaking large-scale military operations on their own, so perhaps over time we will succeed in convincing them that this section of the galaxy is unsuitable for their cultivation program.”

Takkar appeared to be preparing to mount another argument in favor of Admiral Naftur and the Humans, but Yagani held up his hand to signal that their conversation had come to an end. “For better or worse, Captain Takkar, you and I have cast our lot with the Resistance. It is a profoundly unsatisfactory situation in which we find ourselves, to be sure. After being forced into making such a decision, I believe it is perfectly natural for us to question our own motives — to wonder if we have done the right thing — but at this stage, I believe we have little choice in the matter. We must follow the path set before us and hope for the best.”

Chapter 2

TFS Navajo, Earth-Sun Lagrange Point 2

(Combat Information Center - 1.5x10
6
km from Earth)

“He intends to attack,” Captain Ogima Davis said flatly. After shepherding the
Navajo
along with the carrier
Jutland
and three
Ingenuity
-class frigates to an assembly point at Lagrange point 2, Davis had joined Admiral Kevin Patterson in the flagship’s CIC. There was little else to be accomplished on the bridge at the moment, and over the past several days, it had become increasingly evident that the long-anticipated confrontation with the Resistance task force would most likely not occur within the Sol system at all. “Captain Yagani is just waiting for their rescue and/or salvage operations aboard Charlie 1 to conclude. Then he’ll get all of his shuttlecraft back under cover and let fly. The only question in my mind is whether Naftur is right about his providing some sort of warning before doing so.”

“Well, aren’t you a ray of sunshine this morning?” Patterson replied without shifting his gaze from the holographic table in the center of the room. “I can’t say I disagree with you, but he doesn’t seem to be in too big of a hurry for a commander preparing to execute an attack. Other than keeping his shields and weapons online, it doesn’t appear that he has done anything to prepare the remaining three cruisers for further action. Charlie 2 and 3 haven’t moved a muscle since the
Baldev
arrived, and Charlie 4 is still moving steadily downrange.”

“Like she wants us to think that she’s out of the fight?”

Patterson furrowed his brow as he looked up at his flag captain. “Maybe,” he replied. “Here’s what bothers me, Captain. If Yagani thinks he has an overwhelming tactical advantage — and he almost certainly does, given the size of his ship and the fact that he still has three undamaged cruisers at his disposal — why wouldn’t he just officially end the parley and demand Prescott’s surrender?”

“That may still happen, sir, but I think we can take the presence of Naftur aboard the
Theseus
off the table as a decisive factor at this point. Commander Takkar was clearly impressed, perhaps even to the point of switching sides, but quite a bit of time has passed since we last heard anything from him. I’m afraid that may be an indication that Captain Yagani aboard the
Baldev
was less enthusiastic. Otherwise, I feel certain we would have heard from one or the other of them by now.”

“So you think he’s just waiting to finish up the evacuation of Charlie 1 then?”

“At best, yes. Otherwise, I’d say he’s purposely dragging his feet … almost as if he’s waiting for something.”

Patterson stared back at the holo table. Even with all of the technology he had at his disposal, the prospect of managing two simultaneous combat operations was a daunting one. The destroyer strike package he had dispatched to the secondary Resistance rally point at Location Crossbow would be prepared to execute their attack momentarily, yet he was unwilling issue their “go order” until he had established real-time comm at their location. Once that happened, a number of additional options would open up, including the opportunity to reinforce the
Theseus
and her fighter escorts back at Location Dagger, if necessary.

Patterson knew all too well, however, that such opportunities always came with an associated cost. Reinforcing Prescott at Location Dagger, for example, might quickly lead to TFC’s first significant military victory. Unfortunately, that same action might well result in his ceding the opportunity to decisively engage the bulk of the Resistance forces at Location Crossbow prior to their attack on Earth. Such an opportunity might not present itself again, and he could not afford to waste it — even if it meant sacrificing Prescott’s forces at Dagger.

Dammit
, he thought sourly. “Ensign Fletcher!” he called in the general direction of the closest Communications console.

“Yes, Admiral,” came the immediate but uncharacteristically grave reply.

“Signal the CAGs aboard the
Philippine Sea
and the
Ushant
. I want an additional forty-eight F-373s on the way out to reinforce Captain Prescott’s
Theseus
at Location Dagger as quickly as possible … and I want them on-scene in no more than thirty minutes. Let them know that it doesn’t matter if one carrier needs to send more than the other. You can also answer for me that, yes, I am well aware that this will probably leave both carriers with very few operational
Reapers
aboard once we take maintenance issues into account. The
Jutland
has already sent twenty-four of hers, so they shouldn’t be in any worse shape than she is. This is urgent, Katy, so transmit it as an Emergency OPORD.”

“Four eight
Reapers
to Location Dagger within one five minutes, aye, sir,” Fletcher replied.

“Any guesses as to how much time we have?” Patterson asked, turning his attention back to Captain Davis.

“If I’m reading the situation correctly, I’d say not much.”

TFS Karna, Location Crossbow

(In hyperspace - 5.93x10
11
km from Location Dagger)

As they awaited their orders to attack, the bridge view screens aboard all seventeen
Theseus
-class destroyers comprising the alpha strike group displayed the abyssal black void associated with remaining stationary in hyperspace. Otherwise, there was no visual indication that they had successfully traversed the roughly thirty-one trillion kilometers between Earth and Location Crossbow within a period of time so small as to be imperceptible to their crews. This was, in fact, the location to which a single F-373
Reaper
designated as “Gamble 22” had followed the particle trails left by a total of twenty-six Resistance task force ships. And, since no departing hyperspace transitions had been detected, confidence was high that the enemy vessels would still be in the immediate vicinity.

Unfortunately, Gamble 22 had expended its payload of communications beacons at Locations Dagger and Willow, so Admiral Patterson’s first order of business for the strike group was establishing real-time communications with the rest of the fleet. Accordingly, less than two minutes after her arrival, the outer doors of the
Karna’s
inboard starboard plasma torpedo tube retracted. What followed was an extremely low-energy rendition of the same sequence executed during the launch of a plasma torpedo. The comm beacon itself was encased on one side in a device that was similar in many ways to the sabots once used to position kinetic energy rounds in the barrels of railguns and traditional artillery pieces. As voltage was applied to the rails lining the inner walls of the torpedo tube, a Lorentz force slowly accelerated the sabot down the rails towards the vacuum of space. Upon reaching the end of the rails, rather than being discarded like a traditional sabot, the enclosure simply stopped, thus allowing the comm beacon to gently exit the torpedo tube.

Within thirty seconds of release, the device had stabilized itself and begun the process of exchanging data with the
Karna
as well as the other TFC ships in the immediate vicinity. Synchronization with the NRD network would subsequently occur just five minutes later, once again expanding the range of Fleet’s situational awareness. In an unprecedented feat of combat communications, Admiral Kevin Patterson would now have the capability of both assessing and responding to multiple threats in multiple locations separated by vast, interstellar distances. With a total of only eighteen destroyers and a smattering of fighters capable of crossing such distances quickly enough to go on the offensive, the stage was set for the ultimate test of Humanity’s understanding of the principles of war.

TFS Theseus, Location Dagger

(3.3 light years from Earth)

Under the most strenuous protest the exhausted Admiral Naftur could muster, Doctor Turlaka insisted that he return to the medical bay, where she undoubtedly intended to sedate him in order to prevent his attempting to return to the bridge without her permission. Both Captain Prescott and Commander Reynolds had repeatedly assured him that his brief appearance had already produced the desired effect among the Wek military personnel manning the Resistance ships in the area. In the end, however, it was Jiao Chen who abruptly concluded the discussion with the pointed observation that his dying “due to sheer stubbornness and stupidity” on
Theseus’
bridge would serve no purpose whatsoever.

“Captain,” Lieutenant Dubashi reported from the Communications console, “I have Flash Traffic from the Flag, sir.”

Even before Napoleon Bonaparte’s network of over five hundred semaphore telegraph stations ushered in a new era of “real-time,” long-haul communications in 18th century France, flag officers had long recognized that information, not artillery, was the true king of the battlefield. The problem had always been one of balance. While senior officers located kilometers (or, in this case, light years) away might well be in possession of key pieces of information capable of turning the tide of battle, there was always an opportunity cost associated with putting that information in the hands of an on-scene commander. At best, officers in the field became keenly aware that every one of their decisions were being watched … evaluated … and, quite often, second-guessed.

Unfortunately, history was also replete with cases where senior military and/or political officials had attempted to subvert the chain of command — micromanaging, or even taking direct control of a battle from the comfort of a posh conference room hidden deep within the corridors of power. Admiral Kevin Patterson, by contrast, had spent his professional lifetime studying both the art and science often referred to as C4ISR — Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. Understanding the fine balance required to support his battlefield commanders, the admiral usually chose to simply convey information rather than issuing specific operational orders — thus leaving both the authority and the initiative required for decision making precisely where it belonged.

“Captain’s eyes only?” Prescott asked, looking up from his screen.

“No, sir … TFS
Theseus
general.”

“We probably all need to hear it then. Please send a copy to everyone’s console and forward it to our fighters as well. Then go ahead and read it aloud if you would.”

“Aye, sir,” she replied, rapidly entering the required commands. “The message reads as follows:

Z2123

TOP SECRET - MAGI PRIME

FM: CNO — ABOARD TFC FLAGSHIP, TFS NAVAJO

TO: TFS THESEUS

INFO: SUSPECT IMMINENT ATTACK — ADDITIONAL FIGHTERS EN ROUTE

1. DELAY IN FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH RESISTANCE WARSHIPS MAY INDICATE INTENT TO ATTACK.

2. ENEMY BEHAVIOR SUGGESTS THEY EXPECT REINFORCEMENTS.

3. TWO SQUADRONS OF F-373 FIGHTERS EN ROUTE YOUR POSITION — ETA 30 MINUTES.

4. REDEPLOY FORCES AT YOUR DISCRETION TO IMPROVE TACTICAL SITUATION.

5. IF HOSTILITIES RESUME, DESTROY OR CAPTURE SCS BALDEV, IF POSSIBLE.

6. ALPHA STRIKE PREPARING TO ENGAGE RESISTANCE FORCES AT SECONDARY RALLY POINT (CROSSBOW).

7. NO ADDITIONAL CAPITAL SHIPS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. GODSPEED THESEUS. ADM PATTERSON SENDS.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. And our status, please?”

“All systems in the green, Captain. The ship remains at General Quarters for combat ops and is ready to C-Jump. C-Jump range 100.7 light years and stable. Sublight engines online, we are free to maneuver.”

“Very well. Please acknowledge Admiral Patterson’s message, then get me a comlink with Captain Zhukov and Commander Waffer.”

“Aye, sir.”

“Ensign Fisher?”

“Yes, sir!” the young helmsman responded enthusiastically.

“From now on, if we’re at General Quarters for combat ops, make it a standing order to have an emergency C-Jump plotted and standing by to execute. Let’s go with three zero light seconds for now. At the moment, that seems like it’s far enough to ensure that we are out of immediate danger without wasting power unnecessarily. You also have permission to position the ship as required to ensure we have a clear path for our C-Jump.”

“Aye, sir. Thank you. That was actually going to be my next question, since the
Baldev
is currently blocking our escape trajectory.”

“And I assume that’s intentional. You can’t blame them for trying, of course, but let’s not make things quite that easy for them. Just give us slow rotations about our vertical or lateral axes to keep our path clear. Any questions?”

“No, sir. Repositioning now.”

“Slow and easy, Ensign. They almost certainly know what we’re up to, so we need not make it look like we’re about to do something unexpected. Oh, and one more thing, we tend to make emergency C-Jumps in emergency situations, so, in spite of Fleet’s insistence on proper terminology, I might just say ‘jump.’ Make sense?”