Chroniech! (28 page)

17 - The Battle of Shaular

Departure day! For nearly three weeks, the Hess had been working furiously to finish the modifications to the Komodo Dragon. The last bulkhead had been welded back in place days ago and the final preparations were being made. The transport had arrived and tons of extra supplies were being transferred to the Dragon. Most of the post installation checks had been completed and things were finally beginning to wrap up.

The Chroniech had been strangely quiet — no new attacks within twenty-five light years of the Hess had been reported. There was a very good reason for this. Suspecting an attack, the Hess had sent out several probes to search the surrounding space and, after days, one of them had located a large Chroniech fleet gathering just over two light years away. Even though the probe had been cloaked it had amazingly been detected and destroyed. Prior to its destruction, it had managed to identify at least one planetary assault platform and picked up indications of nearly a hundred other ships.

Stricklen was on the bridge as the ship was preparing for its long journey. Some of his fears had been put aside by recent developments. The Tholtaran government had accepted the Hess proposal and their ships were back at work protecting the Alliance. Several Alliance ships had already been outfitted with the Hess transceivers and the high-speed communications network was working perfectly. And, more importantly, Alliance ships were starting to be equipped with the advanced weaponry of the Kyrra.

"Fusion reactor three is lit and stable," engineering reported. "Commencing startup of reactor six."

"Acknowledged," Stricklen replied. "What is the status of the drive system?"

"Zero-power alignments are almost complete. Zero-emission standby alignments will begin immediately thereafter. The drive should be available for low power operation in about three hours."

Amazing, Ken thought. It would have taken a small team of Alliance engineers all day to do what the Hess will accomplish in a few short hours.

"Bridge - CIC," a voice announced over the com. "Multiple drive-wakes detected. Distance 0.81 light years; speed 3.7 Kc; approach vector 136 by 28 galactic. Wake signature is Chroniech."

Stricklen felt a surge of adrenaline course through his body as he listened to the report. "Composition and ETA," he queried.

"At least 138 ships. Three planetary assault platforms, seventeen dreadnoughts, and 118 lesser support craft. ETA, three hours twenty minutes assuming standard Chroniech gravimetrically forced deceleration."

"Good Lord!" Stricklen exclaimed. The Chroniech usually used only one of the massive planetary assault platforms when they attacked a fortified planet. Two were rarely seen together and only during the assault of a particularly heavily defended world. The fact that three were being brought to bear against the Hess was proof that the Chroniech considered them a formidable foe. Planetary assault platforms were very much like Tholtaran juggernauts in both size and function.

Stricklen reached out and activated the ship's address system. After the attention tone had sounded he spoke to the crew. "This is the captain. Sensors have picked up a large Chroniech attack force heading this way. In the event the Hess is unable to protect us, I want this ship ready to lift in two hours. Don't worry about putting things where they belong, just get all the supplies aboard. If you can do something faster, even if it's not quite perfect, then do it. The second we are able, this ship lifts. I know you can do it — let's move!"

The already hectic activity throughout the ship became even more so. Supplies and stores were put wherever they would fit to be sorted and correctly stored later. The Hess told the engineer that it would accept a marginal preflight alignment of the drive system which could be fine tuned during the final alignment steps. The risks, it explained, would be minimal.

Stricklen received word that Sorbith had ordered the General Patton to prepare to return to Almaranus at max speed. "I'll be leaving in a few minutes myself," Sorbith said in the same communication. "I want to wish you and your crew luck on your journey. Tell Falnath she had better live up to her promise to return — the Alliance can't afford to lose a great mind like hers. We'll keep in touch via the Hess as long as possible. Sorbith out."

Sorbith was unable to go with them because his ship was not fast enough and was too big to fit inside the Dragon's hanger bay. If he was out of contact with his ship for too long, his cybernetics would automatically power down as a safety precaution. Falnath had demanded that she be allowed to go, sighting the fact that she was the best qualified person in the entire Alliance to understand Kyrra technology. Stricklen had feared she would go as far as to stow away on his ship if he had not officially granted her permission to go.

Confident of their invulnerability, the Chroniech ignored all warnings and entered the Hess system. As they approached, the three planetary assault platforms fell into a triangular formation. Doug Scarboro, who was in combat control, signaled for Stricklen's attention. Once the connection had been made he said, "Something isn't right about the Chroniech attack vector. Take a look at your tactical and their projected course."

Stricklen switched one of his screens to a tactical view and looked at the display for a moment. "I agree. If they continue on their present course they will remain out of weapons range. What the hell are they up to?"

"I don't know," Doug replied running his hand through his red hair. "As soon as we figure it out though I'll let you know." The screen darkened as Scarboro ended the link.

An hour and thirty-five minutes before the Chroniech's closest approach, the Hess informed Ken that all alignments had been completed and the Dragon was declared marginally spaceworthy. The final drive system adjustments would have to be done after the ship reached orbit. Stricklen ordered everyone aboard and all non-crew to leave. Ten minutes later the Komodo Dragon was once again on its way back into its natural element. As soon as the ship was in orbit, the Hess began the low-power alignment of the stardrive. Ken put the ship at battle stations and waited.

Painfully, slowly, the minutes crept by. Stricklen paced the floor of the control room, his attention alternating between the tactical display showing the position of the approaching Chroniech fleet and the propulsion system status board. He knew that the drive system must be properly aligned or the Komodo Dragon could tear itself apart when they attempted to use it. Until the alignment was complete, all he could do was wait. It was going to be very close.

"Chroniech are dropping to normal", CIC reported. "Their weapon systems are active."

"We're not going to make it," someone said just loud enough to be heard.

"What are they doing?" Stricklen muttered to no one in particular. The approaching fleet was shown in three-dimensional detail within the large tactical viewer. The various consoles on the bridge were laid out in the shape of a large parabola with the captain's chair located at the apex. This chair was raised slightly higher so the captain could have a clear view of all the consoles. The tactical viewer was placed inside this parabolic arrangement of consoles thus affording each and every bridge officer a view of the tactical situation.

The tactical viewer was a large globe capable of rendering images in full three dimensions. Special colors and codes were used to indicate velocities, distances, types of ships, etc. A trained bridge officer could interpret the various codes and colors at a glance. The computer was also programmed to make visible many of the things that were normally invisible, such as energy beams.

Stricklen was paying very close attention to what was being displayed inside the viewer. Instead of the standard vee-shaped attack formation, the Chroniech were splitting their forces. As he watched, the assault platforms joined themselves together with a network of bluish energy beams. Each of the platforms emitted two beams — one to each of the other assault platforms. The rest of the ships began to drop back and appeared to be entering a holding position.

"Logistics — analysis of the Chroniech formation," Stricklen said.

Before logistics could reply, another voice said, "Bridge, this is engineering. The drive system is aligned. We are FTL capable but you're going to have to take it slow for awhile. The propulsion control computer will not allow you to exceed a one cee per second velocity change and will force you to halt at one hundred cee intervals for a few minutes so the final alignments can be completed."

Stricklen acknowledged the message from engineering. Before he could utter another word, the door to the bridge opened and the marine guard who was supposed to be preventing unauthorized entry was backpedaling into the room. He took about three steps before he completely lost his balance and fell with a loud thump onto the deck. He was quickly followed by an obviously enraged Falnath. She let out a loud hiss toward the marine which seemed to dare him to challenge her. The marine started to reach for his blaster but was stopped short by a command from Stricklen.

"Hold your weapon!" he yelled. "Falnath! You've got five seconds to explain yourself or I will have you put in the brig."

Falnath spoke so fast her vocoder lagged behind. Being a simple translator, it did not impart the urgency that Stricklen knew was in her voice. "You must tell the Hess to override its programming and open fire immediately. The Chroniech formation must be destroyed before they can position themselves in the beam of the pulsar."

"Why? You don't really think that… "

"There is no time to explain," Falnath interrupted. "Give me an open channel to the Hess and I will explain the situation to it." Without waiting for a reply she started to move toward the communications console.

Coming to a quick decision, Ken motioned for the communications watch to establish the connection. Falnath rushed over to the console and spoke rapidly. The Hess responded in Falnath's native language. The conversation lasted for about a minute and then abruptly ended. Falnath slowly turned toward the captain and said, "We must leave orbit immediately. The Chroniech are about to destroy the Hess and there is nothing that we nor they can do to prevent it."

Stricklen was momentarily stunned into inactivity. The Hess destroyed? How? Then, realizing the source of the information he turned away from Falnath and said, "Helm — get us out of here as fast as possible. Set a coarse to put as much distance between us and the Chroniech. As soon as you can, engage the stardrive and set course for our destination." Turning back toward Falnath he said, "Explain."

Falnath had a dejected look about her. Her tail drooped and her head slowly swayed back and forth. She spoke quietly, the vocoder translating her words but, as before, not her tone. "I have been watching and analyzing the Chroniech's activities and I have determined the purpose of their formation. The Hess has been doing the same and agrees with me as to its potential.”

"The three assault platforms are generating a hyperdimensional matrix field that has been configured and tuned to form a gigantic, highly efficient lens. I believe it is their intent to place this lens within the beam of the pulsar in order to focus and concentrate the beam onto the planet. If they are successful, the Hess believes its defense shield will be penetrated and it will be destroyed. So far the Chroniech have remained outside of the Hess' weapons range."

"They're going to focus the pulsar beam onto the planet? That's preposterous!" Stricklen remarked. "The beam coming from that pulsar consists of more raw power than could be generated by thousands of planetary assault platforms. How the hell can you even think the Chroniech have the ability to control that much energy?"

"I will not waste my time trying to explain to you anything about hyperdimensional theory or how a small force can be used to control a much larger one. You must simply believe me when I tell you that the mathematics predict that what they are attempting is indeed possible."

Falnath did not bother to wait for a reply. She turned and slowly made her way out of the control room. She muttered an apology to the marine as she passed. As the door closed behind her the communications watch said, "There goes our new high speed communications network."

Stricklen jerked himself back to the business at hand. He checked the displays and tactical readouts to verify that the Dragon was making its way out of the system. He then looked at the engineering readouts to make sure the propulsion system was functioning properly. If all went well, the ship would be able to engage the stardrive in a matter of minutes. After all the important items had been checked, Stricklen thought about the communications watch's comment. What he had said made perfect sense.

"Open a channel to the Hess!" he ordered.

Once the connection was established Stricklen said, "You have stated there is a strong possibility that the Chroniech will be able to destroy you. If they succeed, the Alliance will no longer have access to the communications network provided by your probes. Is there anything that can be done to prevent this?"

"The destruction of this unit is highly probable," the emotionless voice responded. "The probes are programmed to render themselves inoperative if approached by an unauthorized ship. The recognition codes for the probes and a procedure for preventing this self-destruction in the future is being uploaded to the Alliance network. The exact location and heading of each probe is also being uploaded. In the event of this unit's destruction the network will remain active and under Alliance control."

"Is there anything we can do to help improve your chance of survival?"

"Negative. The Chroniech have technical knowledge concerning the manipulation of transdimensional space which this unit does not possess. They have obviously been monitoring the activities in this area for some time and they have devised a method by which our defenses can be circumvented. Your highest priority at this point in time is to return the Kyrra to their people."

"Captain," Scarboro said as his face appeared on a screen. "The Chroniech fleet is moving to intercept. I detect at least forty ships breaking formation. Until we get the stardrive aligned, we will not be able to outrun them. Assuming they steer a course that keeps them out of the range of the Hess weapons, they could intercept in as soon as forty minutes."