Theogony 3: Terra Stands Alone (36 page)

“The attack has commenced,” noted Steropes from the science station. “The robot mine clearance vessels just transited into the system.
”

“We’re getting a message from the fleet admiral,” advised the communications officer. “He’s telling us that there is an incursion by the Archons and is asking us to come to flank speed to get there as quickly as possible.”

“We wouldn’t want to keep the good admiral waiting, now, would we?” asked Smetlurge from the captain’s chair. “All ahead flank,” he said to the helmsman. Captain Smetlurge turned back to the communications officer. “Please tell the admiral that we are on our way.”

“The
super dreadnought’s captain confirms that his ship has come to flank speed,” said the communicator.

The admiral looked at the plot and did some mental calculations.
If the Archons attacked as normal, the new super dreadnought would arrive just after battle was joined. Its arrival would be a nice surprise for the Archons, he was sure...if their minefield didn’t kill all of the Archons first.

“Sir, do you want me to send the fighters ahead to attack?” the OSO asked, “or would you rather I hold them back until we’re in range?”

“Hold them back for now,” Captain Sheppard said. “Their biggest advantage will be their surprise. We’ve only got one shot with them; I don’t want to waste it before the fighters are needed.”

“Captain,” Ensign Sommers called. “The attack has begun. The
Holy Word
just entered the system. There are three dreadnoughts and several battleships already firing.”

“That’s not what’s going to
kill it,” said the DSO. “There are still far too many mines that didn’t get cleared by the robot vessels. The
Holy Word
is about to go into the field, and it’s going to get annihilated!”

“Not today,” replied Captain Sheppard. “Not while they’ve got friends here. Tell the
Revenge
to pass on the good news.”

“Yes,
sir
,” said the communications officer. “It would be my pleasure.”

“We just got the word,” announced the communications officer. “The
Vella Gulf
says to shut them down.”

Smetlurge nodded to the Xanth officer seated at the ship’s defender position
. “Turn them off, if you would, please.”

The Xanth bobbed its head and reached forward with a wing claw to turn a dial on its panel, and then its primary digit pushed the button that the Depsip technician had circled in blue an hour earlier. “
It is done,” said the Xanth, continuing to bob its head in obedience.

“And here’s where the ship begins to earn
its name,” said Smetlurge.

* * * * *

“Why aren’t the mines destroying the invaders?” asked the admiral. The ship shuddered as the first super dreadnought through the stargate hit it with another volley of missiles. “That ship will be the end of us! Take it out now!”

“Sir, I’m unable,” replied the defender. “All of the mines just went into maintenance mode for some reason. I won’t be able to bring them back online least an hour.”

“W
ho did that?” screamed the admiral. “What imbecile is responsible for this?”

“I think the order came from the new
super dreadnought,” the defender said.

“Get them on screen!” shouted the admiral. “Now!”

The ship rocked again, harder this time. “Shields down,” the defender called.

The front screen changed to the
captain from the new ship. “You idiot!” the admiral yelled. “You just put the mines in maintenance mode. What the hell were you thinking?”

“I’m sorry, but the person at the
defender position is brand new to the job,” the captain said. “In fact, we’re all pretty new to the job.”

“My attacker says that you are in range,” noted the admiral. “Fire your weapons and help us salvage this battle!”

“You would like us to fire our weapons?” asked the captain. He made a motion off screen, and his appearance transformed into a member of the tasty worm race. “It would be my pleasure.” He looked off screen. “All weapons,
FIRE
!”

“That’s our signal,” said Captain Sheppard
as the
Revenge
launched a full broadside of missiles at the command dreadnought. “Launch the fighters. Fire!”

“Sir, the
super dreadnought that is joining the battle just fired upon the command dreadnought,” said the OSO. “Fighters! Fighters just came out of stealth and are launching at the command dreadnought! It must be the
Vella Gulf
, sir.” He paused, watching the missiles track inbound on the Drakuls’ command dreadnought. “The
Vella Gulf’s
fighters just destroyed the dreadnought’s engines!”

“Good,” said Grand Admiral Michael. “Let’s put another volley of missiles
into them and send them to hell!”

“Admiral!” interrupted the communications officer. “The
super dreadnought that just joined the battle is trying to raise us. The ship says that its captain is Hooolong President Smetlurge, sir.”

“On screen,” replied Grand Admiral Michael.

“Welcome to 54 Piscium,” said the figure on the screen. Grand Admiral Michael couldn’t tell if it was President Smetlurge or not, but it was definitely a Hooolong. “I am Smetlurge onboard the Hooolong’s Revenge. We’ve turned off the minefield for the moment, but it will come back on shortly. I recommend moving the fleet clear of the minefield while you destroy the rest of their ships.”

“This won’t take much longer,” noted Smetlurge as another battleship came apart under the missiles
and lasers of the
Revenge.
He bobbed his head in satisfaction.

After the
Alliance ships destroyed the Drakul command dreadnought, the cohesive Drakul defense fell apart. Instead of concentrating their fire on high value targets, they began firing at the ships closest to them. With the Drakul fire spread out, most of the Archon ships were able to keep their shields up, and the combined might of the Archon dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts, along with the
Hooolong’s Revenge
, was applied to ship after ship of the Drakul fleet.

It was a slaughter.

“Contact the
Holy Word
, please,” ordered Captain Sheppard.

Within moments, the flowing locks of Grand Admiral Michael appeared on screen. “We could not have won this battle without
thee,” said Michael. “I can’t wait to hear how thou captured a Drakul dreadnought. I will tell thee, the battle would have been substantially different if the minefield hadn’t been turned off. We were down to 3% on our shields when the
Hooolong’s Revenge
fired on the command dreadnought. If any of the mines had hit us, the entire battle might have been lost.”

“It was our pleasure
, and I look forward to discussing it over drinks sometime,” said Captain Sheppard; “now, however, isn’t that time. We need to leave immediately for Earth.”

“If
ye must leave,” replied Grand Admiral Michael, “then leave with my blessing, as ye were instrumental in our victory today.”

“
You are missing the point,” said Captain Sheppard. “We did what you asked of us. Now you need to honor your part of the bargain and come help us.”

“
Aye, we will,” agreed Michael, “but it is a far wiser choice to pursue the Drakuls to their home world and eradicate them first.”

“Perhaps for your society,
and from your viewpoint, it may be,” argued Captain Sheppard, “but in the time that it takes to do so,
our civilization
may be wiped out
. While we were fulfilling our end of the deal, we saw a battle group transit through the next system over. It was either going to Drakon or to Earth. If it was to Earth, it was large enough to defeat the fleet units we have and destroy our planet. Do you want that blood on your hands? Do you want to be known as oath breakers?”

“It would not be breaking our oath if we stopped to attack Drakon on the way to Earth
,” disagreed Michael. “We would just be pursuing the logical course of action, which has the greatest chances for long-term success.”

“Perhaps,”
Captain Sheppard agreed again, “although it could be catastrophic for our society if you did.” He paused, thinking furiously. “I think you’re missing a key strategic point that makes it extremely important to go to Earth. If you go to Earth first, and you destroy any forces that are attacking there, you will have trapped all of the Drakul forces on Drakon. If you go to Drakon first, some of their forces could escape down Earth’s chain of stargates. If they get out that way, you may not find them again until they are strong enough to overwhelm you. Next time, you won’t have us around to help you, either. It makes strategic sense to honor your agreement. We need your help, and we need it
now
.”

* * * * *

It was t
ime to begin the glorious conquest. If Admiral Bullig waited any longer, he risked someone else trying to take over. He was sure that at least one of the captains had orders to kill him if he showed any sign of cowardice. His eyes scanned the bridge and stopped on the one sign of movement, his new executive officer, whose fingers were unconsciously toying with the butt of his laser pistol. He probably had orders from the Overlord to kill Bullig if he refused to lead the assault; it’s certainly what Bullig would have done in the Overlord’s place.

“Are the ships in formation?” he asked.

“Yes,” replied the attacker. “All ships are in formation and show they are ready.”

Bullig
had moved over to the battleship
Spurting Blood
. The battleship was a little smaller, which would let it fit through the stargate with its flanking squadron of cruisers. The battleship had a cruiser on both sides, as well as three more cruisers in formation both ‘above’ and ‘below,’ with the middle ones centered on his ship. Admiral Bullig would go through first, but he was going to surround himself with a screen. He knew that there was a possibility that some of the ships might interpenetrate on emergence, but gave it no further thought; the cruisers were expendable. He figured his life expectancy was measured in minutes on the other side of the stargate with the cruisers surrounding him; without them, his life span would only be measured in seconds. The dreadnought
Destruction of Olympos
was close behind his ship; he hoped that the dreadnought would draw the Terran’s fire as soon as it emerged from the stargate. “
Admiral Bullig to all captains,
” he transmitted. “
Commence the attack! Full speed ahead!
”

“Stargate activation!” called the DSO. “Holy shit! I’ve got six...seven...eight...no,
nine
ships just transited at the same time. Two interpenetrated, but there’s still a battleship and seven cruisers!”

“Terra
to all ships,
” radioed Captain Griffin, “
concentrate fire on the battleship!
Let’s take it out!
” The battle they had been dreading was upon them, and they would have to fight it without outside aid. Captain Griffin didn’t know why the ships had come through in the strange formation, but if they were trying to protect the battleship for some reason, then she wanted that ship
dead
. The first mine flared against the screen of one of the remaining cruisers as missiles began launching from her ship.

“Do you want to commit the bombers?” asked the OSO.

“Not yet,” replied Captain Griffin. “I think we can handle these by ourselves.”

She looked at the tactical plot and saw that
all three battlecruisers were firing at the battleship, as well as some of the automatic missile canisters, but no more Drakul ships had entered the Solar System. This was the long-anticipated attack? After the losses they took at the battle in Ross 154, surely the Drakuls would have known to send more ships than this...