A Deep Sleep (Valhalla Book 1) (28 page)

“Martin is trying to keep your ship out of the direct line of fire from those cruisers and destroyers. Five minutes Captain. We’ll get them all home.” Athena tried to be as supportive and confident as she could.

“Yes sir. We’re driving as hard as we can. You can count on
Normandy
” Snyder responded.

“I know I can, of that there was never any doubt. Stay in the fight, Captain.”

“To the end sir.”

“Gunboats have serviced all four destroyers. Two destroyed and two dead in space.” Johnson reported a moment later.

“How many gunboats survived? Athena asked, sure she didn’t want the answer.

“Four, sir.” Johnson reported after hesitating for a moment.

Athena closed her eyes for a moment and pushed the loss back. More faces to keep her up at night. She wasn’t sure how commanders like Mondragon could do it, live with the losses suffered under their command.

“Approaching Alpha Slip Gate. Time to insertion, forty-five seconds.” Conway snapped out.

“Break CORE, prep for transit.” Athena commanded. “Armadillos to the rear,
Thunderer
in the van. The gunboats will accelerate ahead, spread and scatter through the gate.”

“Aye sir, transmitting orders.” Daniels responded immediately as usual.

Athena hated to send the gunboats through first, but her heavier ships were more valuable. The math was simple.

“Chinese formation is receding astern.” Johnson reported.

“I have helm control.” Masters reported. “Taking us in.”

On to another system, one more stepping stone to Sol, to home.

Sol System: Earth

Bottom of the Yellow Sea

Qiang waited outside the doors to the Party chamber, his guts roiling with anxiety but his face outwardly calm. He had been abruptly summoned to a meeting with the Party. Abrupt summons did not bode well.
At least
, Qiang thought,
they aren’t likely to be executing me today. They wouldn’t have brought me all the way to the Party bunker to do that.
At least I don’t think they would…

“Grand Admiral Chen Qiang.” The People’s Guard Sergeant had the same haughty superiority that Qiang had come to expect of all those who protected high ranking party officials. Qiang could do nothing to them, they were outside his chain of command and they knew it. They were, however, not combat veterans. They focused on looking sharp, parades, and dealing with the occasional trespassers or disgruntled civilian. They didn’t face the best of the enemy and do battle with him. Their boots were shiny but Qiang had no respect for them as soldiers. He wouldn’t trade a platoon of Chinese Marines for a regiment of these gilded baboons.

Qiang followed him into the Party meeting chamber and was directed to advance to the center. He reached a pool of light and stopped in it. The Party did love their theatrics, each member shrouded in shadows. Qiang liked to think himself above succumbing to such theatrics, but even he had to admit that the technique did lend an additional layer of mystery and convey the god-like power of those seated around that table.

“Grand Admiral Chen Qiang, reported as ordered.” Qiang drew himself up and saluted, holding a nearly perfect parade ground salute.

“Welcome, Grand Admiral.” Minister Zhang spoke first. Qiang regarded that as a good thing. “You have been called here to discuss a sensitive matter.”

“I will break through to the point.” Minister Tong broke in. Qiang tensed immediately. “We dispatched a Marine battalion to Luyten’s Star more than a week ago. This battalion was to relieve security personnel who had lost control of the orbital transfer station to terrorists. These same terrorists have also led the miners into open revolt. They have stopped all production from this key system. With a combined Navy-Marines unit you are ordered to restore control of the station and mining facilities by the most expedient means possible. This includes the use of orbit-to-surface nuclear strikes, so long as no more than fifty percent of the mining capacity is damaged. The miners are to be considered expendable. Do you understand, comrade Admiral?”

Qiang caught his knee jerk protest in his throat and considered his answer.

“Yes, comrade Minister.” Qiang couldn’t think of anything better to say, so he decided to say little.

“We are also sending Internal Security to assist your forces and conduct a follow-up investigation.” Tong continued.

Yes, ‘assist’ meaning watch them for any signs of compassion, also known as treason. An investigation is simply a witch-hunt to suppress the people and execute everyone they can get their hands on.
Qiang thought bitterly.

“Of course, sir.” Was all he could say in response.

“Colonel Yen will lead the detachment.” Tong finished.

“Yes comrade Minister.” Qiang said, mentally becoming even more concerned. He had almost choked at the name. Colonel Yen Jun was known, and feared, across all of China. He was the number one commander for routing out dissent against the party from within the military. He was the scourge of young commanders, destroying many young careers.

“Do you have any questions for us, Admiral?” Chairman Liu spoke for the first time.

Yes, comrade chairman, are you fucking insane?
Qiang thought.

“What is the deadline for my operation? I understand there is a need for urgency, but I would like to avoid wasting any more military assets than necessary, with the shortages I am already facing.” Qiang said, hoping his tone was diplomatic and didn’t reveal his utter disdain for those giving the orders.

“A logical question.” Liu said, apparently convinced by his tone. “Minister Wade has indicated that current stocks of the relevant ores and minerals from Luyten’s will last another month. Since it will take at least two weeks for the first restarted shipment, any more than three weeks until resumption of shipments would be considered unacceptable.”

“Of course, comrade Chairman.” Qiang shifted a fraction. “That is, however, a very tight timetable. I must move swiftly to ensure success. What of replacement workers?”

“They will be sent in two weeks to restart production.” Minister Wade said. Qiang was disturbed by how easily these men condemned all of those miners currently on Luyten’s to their fate.
These are the men who are supposed to be safeguarding the People, not condemning them by the thousands!

“”If there is nothing else, I think we have taken enough of the Grand Admiral’s time.” Liu looked around for a moment. “Very well. Dismissed.”

Qiang turned to leave, still railing in his head against the Party.

“Do not fail us.” Tong’s cold voice chased him out of the chambers. The voice followed him all the way back to his office.

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“Lieutenant, please set up a meeting with logistics so that I may discuss expected expenditures in the Luyten’s campaign.” Qiang instructed his young assistant. Qiang had just finished a video conference with several theater commanders who had given updates on their progress and status. The meeting had not been pleasant, with bad news on nearly every front. The border with Russian-controlled space, DX Cancri, was seeing increased probing attacks by American gunboats. The Russians still claimed to have Lalande 21185 secured, but Qiang had his doubts. There were just too many lose American assets to believe that fully. In addition, the EU and Australians had been probing Luyten’s over the last few weeks. Qiang had been assured that no communication between the rebel forces on the planet and the EU or Aussie forces had occurred, but Qiang couldn’t know for sure. There were no guarantees in war.

The only moderately pleasant news was that the Indian fleet was not probing and had ceased their efforts to retake Epsilon Eridani. The plan to choke off their industry and prevent resupply seemed to be working. Of course, Qiang was now focused on more than just preventing the Indians from advancing.

He looked back at the dossiers digitally displayed on his desk. Admiral Sun Jie, commander of the fleet dispatched from Procyon to Luyten’s. Graduate of the PRC Command Academy with Honors. Forward command of corvettes during the First Space War. Two awards for bravery under fire and injured both times. The most interesting thing, however, was the reprimand in his file. He had been quietly reprimanded for losing half his command covering a civilian evacuation. His orders had been to pull back, but he had disobeyed. The civilians had hailed him a hero, so naturally he couldn’t be publically punished. He’d actually been presented a medal. Following the war he’d attended the Shanghai War College and then been promoted to flag rank. During this war he had commanded several groups, including defeating an Australian incursion into Luyten’s. After that his task force had moved to Proycon and been reinforced.

The second was that of Major Zhu Yong, PRC Marines. Numerous citations for valor, wounded four times. He’d fought on several worlds, sometimes victorious, sometimes not. He was known to be aggressive but never rash. He genuinely cared for his men and was known to spend time among them to see how they were doing. Internal Security had marked him as one to be watched for undue allegiance to his men. He only had that information because it had been passed to him by Chu, through his own contacts within internal security. The risks involved there made him shiver slightly. It made Qiang wonder why he had been selected to be sent to Proycon to retake Luyten’s. Perhaps it was assumed that the presence of Colonel Yen was thought to be enough to keep him on point. Qiang was less than convinced. He needed the help of these men to prevent the massacre that he feared was approaching.

GJ-48: Bravo Slip Gate

DSF-1: USS
Tripoli

“Emergence.” Masters announced. DSF-1 burst from the slip gate, the crew of each ship tense and paranoid. On this mission, as successful as it had been, little had come easily. Much to their surprise, no PRC task force waited to blast them to dust.

“Eagles three and six making contact, reporting on contacts in system.” Even Daniels sounded surprised.

“Data coming onto the board now.” Johnson reported. “Contacts in system, hostile and friendly.” Now it was Johnson’s turn to sound surprised. “Six PRC corvettes, three million kilometers below the system elliptic, almost directly below the system primary. Constant bearing, increasing range, opening up very slowly. Four PRC destroyers and three corvettes, mirrored above the elliptic, constant bearing, very slowly decreasing range.”

“And friendlies?” Athena prompted anxiously. It’d be good to see a friendly face, so to speak.

“Yes sir.” Johnson said eagerly. “One light cruiser and four destroyers at a full stop in front of the Alpha Slip Gate. Four gunboats in the elliptic on the far side of the primary. Four more in a mutually supporting position between the Alpha Slip Gate and the first gunboat squadron.”

“They are maintaining a corridor between us and the Alpha Slip Gate.” Heath noted quickly.

“Admiral Mondragon.” Athena surmised. “He’s kept the light on.”

“How considerate.” Daniels remarked with humor.

“Let’s head on in. Think you can follow that corridor home?” Athena asked Masters.

“I just might be able to handle that, sir.” Masters said, his voice sounding more relaxed and less stressed than it had just minutes before.

“Very good then, take us home.” Athena said, leaning back into her command chair. She knew she shouldn’t let her guard down, not until they reached a space dock, but they’d been strung out for so long, it was hard not to relax, at least a little. Besides, her ships were still at general quarters and now they had other American ships in the same system as they were in. This was the safest they’d been in weeks.

“Flash traffic!” Daniels almost jumped, the tension level ratcheting up again after the last several minutes of relative calm. “It’s from the USS
Fletcher, Spruance
-class light cruiser at the Alpha Slip Gate.”

“My comm.” Athena ordered. She snapped her helmet closed and focused on the internal screen.

“Rear Admiral Harper, this is Captain Paul Ray, USS
Fletcher
. Welcome to GJ-48.” Captain Ray’s face looked both relieved and tired. “We’re holding the door. Admiral Mondragon was quite insistent that we hold…at all costs. I can’t say I disagree with him, not after being briefed on your mission, but I’d appreciate it if you’d make best speed, sir. I’ve lost over half my command here in the last two days. If the Chinese maintain their typical attack pattern there should be more inbound from deep out of system. They seem to have hidden an inexhaustible supply of corvettes and destroyers out there. We’re all pulling back to the other side of the Slip Gate. We’ve formed a strong line there and the diplomatic types assure us that the treaty is iron-clad in Sol…again.” His sarcasm wasn’t lost on Athena. She flipped her visor back up and turned to the expectant face of Daniels.

“Send reply; Message received, coming in smartly.” Athena instructed. “Ensign Conway, set least time course for the fleet to the Alpha Slip Gate. I’d like to push as hard as is practicable.”

“Aye sir.” Conway replied. “Driving as hard as possible.”

“Message sent, sir.” Daniels followed.

“Johnson, what is our inventory of recon drones?”

“Sir.” Johnson consulted her computer and came back with a frown. “We have five recon drones, that’s fleet wide Admiral.”

“Put them in the tubes and be prepared for a snap launch.” Athena turned to CIC at large. “We will make a max fleet speed run and deccel at the last possible moment to obtain max safe transit speed. We’ll finish decelerating once back in Sol.
Normandy
can’t use her linear FTL and I don’t plan on leaving her behind, so we’ll have to do this the slow way. I intend to launch our remaining drones, all actively pinging and ensure that the route to the slip gate is fully sanitized before we make our high-speed run home. If anyone has any other ideas, now would be a good time.” Athena saw none and so they all got to work.

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Several hours later, their drones having scouted the path all the way to the sensor coverage of the waiting
Fletcher
, DSF-1 pushed their engines to the max and sprinted for the Alpha Slip Gate and Sol.

Sol System: Earth

Chinese Military Logistics, Hong Kong

For the third time, Qiang stepped into the unassuming conference room Chu preferred for their secret meetings. Chu had promised him that he had more contacts for Qiang to meet. Qiang had told him he needed to ensure the failure of the Luyten’s mission and Chu had assured him he had just the man for the job. Qiang was anxious to meet him.

“Grand Admiral, it is good to see you again.” Chu said, sweeping into the room and closing the door behind him.