Star Clusters: New Arrivals (13 page)

A few minutes later, the Xargans had formed up in orbit of the planet’s second moon. To Hatos’ great surprise and disappointment, there was no explosion. “What’s going on? Why have you not deployed the bombs?”

“I’m not entirely certain yet. The targeting sensors seem to be detecting phasic interference emanating from the Xargans and encompassing most of the system. This interference would scatter the targeting beam, as if it were protected by a shield. I’m running a diagnostic, but the data appears to be correct. They are jamming our transporters,” the transporter officer concluded.

“Another fine example of Xargan adaptability, no doubt…”

“We are receiving a transmission. It seems to be originating from one of the larger Xargans.”

“Put it through.”

The holoviewer displayed a small, organic chamber in a Xargan ship, with a Petran standing in the middle of it. “Lurvat!” Lanis said; the ship was communicating simultaneously with the Eagle and the Tarhedia, which were also communicating with each other through the latter’s tactical network.

“Yes, Baltor. We meet again,” the Xargan calmly answered. “You didn’t think I was just going to die like that, did you?”

“Well, one can always hope.”

“You may be pleased to hear that I
was
dead for a short while. Physically dead, anyway. My consciousness, however, was preserved and placed in another body. I must admit, I have grown fond of this form.”

“Is there a point to this?” Hatos inquired.

“I wish to negotiate terms of surrender.”

“Wait a second, you’re trying to surrender?” Lanis surprisedly asked.

“No, that would be absurd. I am giving you a chance to surrender.”

“Yeah, that was too good to be true…”

“We want to incorporate your genetic code into our own. Though the process is usually quite painful, I am willing to offer painless integration for all remaining Terrans, Petrans or Tarhedians if you cease all resistance and willingly submit to the process.”

“And here I am, thinking the Borg were just a bit of old science fiction… You just turned yourself into a walking cliché with that offer, Lurvat. Took your whole species with you, too.”

“I take it that’s a ‘no’... Know this: my offer will not be repeated. Once this transmission ends, you will have lost your chance to surrender.”

“I am afraid that offer is not even remotely tempting. We will not be intimidated, and we most certainly do not intend to lose,” Hatos answered.

“So be it,” Lurvat said, ending the transmission. The Xargans headed towards the Tarhedia, activating multiple hyperspace disruptors.

“We’re done…” Lanis muttered.

“All fighters, return to base for repairs and resupply. Plot a course away from the Xargans as soon as the fighters are aboard; we need all the time we can get to prepare.”

“We won’t get a lot of that,” Lanis noted, “at least not with the Tarhedia’s engines.”

“Indeed. We could try to disable their disruptors, though - if successful, such an attack would allow us to escape.”

“Right. What do you want us to do?”

“The Tarhedia can probably destroy all of their interdictors in time, but it is likely that we would lose our primary shields in the process. The fighters’ neutron guns may prove adequate in solving the problem, but someone has to protect them while they make their attack runs.”

“And while the Eagle’s weapons can’t even hope to have the sort of impact your neutron guns would have, they’re more than enough to take out any swarmers that try to go too close. Sounds like a good plan to me.”

Shortly afterwards, the Tarhedia was ready to engage; what Petran forces remained in the system were busy evacuating the colonies, but the Tarhedians hoped it wouldn’t matter. The ship discharged its primary weapon into the Xargan formation, destroying multiple ships and slightly damaging the rest while the plasma beam emitters fired into the fleet. As the Xargans retaliated, the Tarhedian fighters streaked out of the protective ‘shadow’ of their mothership’s shield, heading towards the closest interdictor at full speed with the Ivory Eagle right behind them.

“Looks like the welcoming committee’s coming,” Lanis said, noticing a group of swarmers turning towards them. “Let’s give them some laser fire to think about, shall we?”

“Music to my ears,” Herrun answered as he and Barnes turned their turrets around to face the new targets.

“Commencing attack run,” Zeshaira said - she had transferred from the Eagle’s transporter controls to leading the fighter squadron, as the former position had become useless. “Maintain formation - we must not split up, as the Eagle can only protect one group at a time.”

The spearhead-shaped formation fluctuated as the individual fighters dodged enemy weapons fire, but the plan worked as the fighters created a visible hole in the target ship. Everyone turned away and prepared for another attack run as the Tarhedia destroyed two more ships.

After a few minutes, the last hyperspace disruptor was destroyed; the Tarhedian fighters raced back to the ship, which jumped to hyperspace as quickly as it could. The Petrans soon followed suit.

Chapter 9

Inferno

A large swarm of Xargans was ripped out of hyperspace on the far side of Aphis’ orbit around its namesake star, slowly moving towards the planet. Concentrated in a geosynchronous orbit above the Aphian mining colony, the local militia and what forces the US could spare lay in wait. Though they were not at all confident in their ability to hold the Xargans at bay, they knew the importance of the colony - and of each fuel shipment that got through the blockade.

“Alright, everyone listen up - I don’t know how well you’ve all been briefed,” Jackson started talking through the fleet’s tactical network (or ‘tacnet’, as it’s frequently called), “so I’m going to give you a briefing of my own. The Xargans are here for the mining colony and its fuel. Our task is to protect the colony as long as possible, ensuring the constant flow of aphium transports from here to a secure location. To that end, we’ll be splitting up into three groups - Alpha, Beta and Gamma. Group Alpha, consisting of our heaviest and most powerful ships, such as the Orion, will protect the colony. Alpha’s primary objectives include the fuel extractors and loading docks; secondary targets are the fuel processing plants and housing complexes. Beta group’s maneuverability and firepower make it ideal for intercepting any hostiles that try to go around us and catch the transports outside the system. It goes without saying that any Xargans with hyperspace disruptors are not only priority targets, but simply
must not
be allowed to get through our defenses. If even a single one gets through, it might hit some of the transports - even if it doesn’t, the maneuvering required to avoid contact will cause delays that we can’t afford.”

“What about Gamma?” one of the militia captains asked.

“I was getting there. Gamma’s task is to protect the hyperspace disruptor station; without it, the Xargans will easily send interdictors past our lines and catch every transport we send. Any more questions?” There was no response. “Assume your positions.”

The fleet split up, each group moving into its position as the Xargans moved in. Soon, the first group of swarmers started attacking group Alpha. “All units, fire at will!” Jackson ordered. As Alpha’s fighter formations dispersed into a dogfight, more swarmers moved in, followed closely by the rest of the Xargans.

A few of the swarmers headed towards the hyperspace disruptor, moving past the defending forces to attack the station itself. “Disruptor is under attack, shields are holding.”

Group Gamma’s flagship, the Altair, launched several seeker missiles in response. “Altair here - the situation’s under control. This is just the beginning…” the ship’s captain said as the missiles pursued the agile swarmers along the station’s hull. Some of the missiles, unfortunately, were unable to keep up with their targets, slamming into the shielded station instead.

“Altair, you’re doing more damage than the Xargans!”

“Beta group reporting; multiple Xargans detected heading out of the system. Moving to intercept.”

“They’re trying to send swarmers past us - hostiles are entering the atmosphere!” the Orion’s tactical officer reported.

“Route fighter squadrons Bravo and Charlie to intercept! Watch for enemy drop pods - they might try to hit the colony from the ground,” Jackson ordered. “Transfer power from jump capacitors one and two to shields, capacitors three and four to weapons.”

“What about units five and six?”

“We’ll need five when this goes downhill, and if that one goes down, we’ll need six as a backup. Concentrate forward fire on that target,” he added, indicating the first Xargan ship to enter weapons range; the smallish creature - the Xargan equivalent of a corvette - was ripped to shreds.

“Beta here, targets destroyed. Heading back to the planet.”

“Altair moving to intercept incoming Xargans.”

“Several enemy dropships seem to be moving towards the planet around you, Alpha - orders?”

“Beta group, you are cleared to engage the dropships, but focus on your primary objective!”

“Understood, moving to intercept.”

“Hostile ships are launching drop pods towards the surface - so far, we’ve managed to intercept all of them,” the Orion’s tactical officer said.

“Good, let’s keep it that way. Frankfurt, Wolf, concentrate your fire on the largest Xargan in the area.”

“Understood,” the captain of the Frankfurt - a battlecruiser similar in size and power to the Orion - said. Both ships turned their weapons towards a large Xargan similar in size to a battleship, dealing moderate damage with their first few volleys.

“Transport one is away!”

“Enemy reinforcements spotted!”

“Beta here - several Xargan groups are heading out, splitting to intercept.”

“Transport two is launching!”

“Delta Squadron, provide cover for the transport until it reaches a safe distance from the planet. Helm, get us closer to the lead Xargan ship, maneuver towards their right side.”

“Sir, at that range we’ll be susceptible to a boarding attack if our shields fail.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant - now do it. Cut engine power to fifty percent, divert the rest to the starboard shields. Fire all possible weapons at the target at all times, concentrate on their weapons and swarmer bays.”

“Delta Squadron, engaging enemy raiders.”

“Disruptor is under attack again, shields down to ninety percent and falling.”

“Altair’s taking damage - this isn’t looking good!”

“Damn it! Frankfurt, see what you can do.”

“Acknowledged, moving towards hyperspace disruptor.”

“Beta One has completed assignment. Betas Two and Three, do you need assistance?”

“Negative, targets are falling apart.”

“Not as much as Gamma, Beta One - help them out first!”

“Copy that.” The first of Beta’s three subgroups altered course to reach the hyperspace disruptor and relieve the Altair.

Meanwhile, the Orion bombarded the first wave’s command ship, damaging weapon after weapon, but taking some damage in the process. “Shields are down to sixty percent!”

“How many hostiles are still out there?”

“The data’s a bit inconclusive, but I’d say around two hundred hostiles of corvette size or bigger, fifty of which are cruisers or bigger, and ten of those are rated as battlecruisers or heavier. Several thousand swarmers, too.”

“Wonderful…”

“Well, for the moment they seem to be content with applying constant pressure rather than going in all at once.”

“If you don’t tell them it’s a mistake, I won’t. How many nukes do we have left?”

“Around a dozen, sir.”

“Move us away from the target ship and turn us around, then fire all weapons - including two nukes - into its center. Let’s try to split this thing in two.”

“Wolf is heading to assist.” The Orion’s barrage alone severely wounded the leading Xargan ship, but with the Wolf’s help, the creature fell apart - some of their weapons hit a smaller craft on the other side as well.

“Transport two is away, transport three is launching.”

“Delta squadron moving to provide cover.”

“Bravo here - we can’t keep all of them busy!”

“Aphis mining colony to Orion: We are being attacked by the Xargans. We can’t safely launch any more transports until you clear them out - they could go past the transports as they exit the shield!”

“Just get them out of the loading docks once they’re full; we’ll have to cover them in groups, but I guess it doesn’t make much of a difference right now. Wolf, divert fighters to assist the colony. Tactical, what target has the most unlaunched swarmers?”

“None, sir. All enemy hangars are empty.”

“Of course. Stupid question. Fire at will.”

“Betas Two and Three merging and moving to assist Gamma.”

“Cancel that, Beta Two - another group is trying to get out.”

“Targets acquired, moving in.”

“Disruptor station shields are down to seventy percent!”

“Altair here - our shields are down to twenty percent! We can’t hold them off much longer!”

“Altair, pull out of there. Recharge your shields behind the planet, then move back into the fight. Wolf, move in to reinforce Gamma.”

“Mining colony shields down to ninety percent and dropping. I hope you’re planning on letting us out of here, Admiral…”

“One thing at a time, Administrator. Delta Squadron, head to protect the colony as soon as possible.”

Delta Squadron was in the middle of a dogfight with some swarmers - some of which were the Xargan equivalents of a bomber. “Copy that, Orion - we’re almost done here…”

“Transport four is ready to depart. Holding position within colony shield.”

“Transport three is away!”

“Disruptor shields down to fifty percent. Admiral, we need more reinforcements!”

“If I divert more troops from other groups, those groups will fall apart. Do what you can!”

“Shields are down to forty percent. Sir, maybe we should consider retreat.”

“Damn it, I hate it when you’re right… Administrator, it’s time for complete evacuation. Tell us when you’re ready to drop the shield.”

“I understand. We’ll try to use our robots to load the last transport, but I’m instructing all personnel to report to the nearest evac shuttle, fuel transport… whatever they can find. You may have to reserve some hangar space for some of them.”

“At this rate, I don’t think that’ll be a problem. Disruptor control, you have your orders - get out of there. Altair, head to the disruptor to pick up the control crew.”

“Sir, our shields are still just above twenty percent - we won’t last very long in there.”

“As long as they don’t hit your hyperdrive, it doesn’t matter.”

“Delta moving in to relieve Bravo and Charlie.”

“Launch all remaining nukes.”

“Targets, sir?”

“Any enemy interdictors in the area.”

“Yes, sir. Missiles away, directing all other weapons to assist.”

“Are there any interdictors outside our firing range?”

“None, sir - it looks as if though these are the last ones.”

“Great, that means we can kill these and make a run for it. All units, concentrate fire on the Xargan interdictors - if even a single one survives, we might not be capable of escaping.”

“Beta Two has completed its assignment, moving to assist.”

“We’ve loaded most of our population onto the transports. We should have everything ready by the time you destroy the interdictors.”

“Targets one and two destroyed. The remaining two interdictors are moderately injured.”

“Gamma group moving to assist Alpha.”

“Altair here - we can’t get the disruptor crew out! There’s simply too many Xargans here!”

“Disruptor to Altair: Leave us behind. A battlecruiser isn’t worth sacrificing for the six of us. We’ll keep the disruptor running as long as we can, give you a head start.”

“Interdictor three has been destroyed, sir. Shields are down to twenty percent.”

“Route power from weapons. Take us into the atmosphere - we have some picking up to do.”

“We’re loading the last of the colonists onto the final transport.”

“Interdictor four destroyed.”

“All fighters, return to your ships. Everyone alter course to jump to these coordinates - on my mark, the disruptor will shut off for precisely one second to let us through.”

“All ships have acknowledged reception. Aphian colony shield is offline, shuttles are being directed to empty hangar space and transports are assuming formation.”

“Get us out of the atmosphere, just in case.”

“Shields are down to ten percent!”

“Disruptor shields down to twenty percent. Good luck, Admiral.”

“We’ve cleared the atmosphere.”

“Jump!” As Jackson said that, the disruptor briefly powered down; the entire fleet simultaneously jumped into hyperspace, and by the time the disruptor was on again, there was not a single Terran ship left in its range. Within less than thirty seconds, the entire might of the remaining Xargan force overpowered the station’s shields and obliterated it, and that was the end of the Aphian mining colony.

******

“How bad is it?”

“Well,” Barnes answered Lanis’ question, “we don’t know yet. Our operatives in the colony haven’t transmitted any reports since then, but preliminary data suggests that the admiral’s fleet is in for a rough ride. For all we know, they could have been destroyed by now.”

“Actually, Tom,” Lossuh interrupted, appearing on the briefing room’s holoscreen, “they made it out with light casualties. From what I understand, none of their capital ships sustained any hull damage - they evacuated fast enough for that. Casualties are estimated to be around thirty to forty people - mostly fighter pilots.”

“How many transports did they get out?” Lanis asked.

“Five. Your government’s already working on boosting the output of secondary fuel sources, but they’ll have to conserve fuel until everything’s operational.”