The Ganthoran Gambit (The First Admiral Series) (7 page)

As his father was exploring the site in the Nevada Desert, Billy Caudwell was intently staring at the image on the War Table. The focus of his interest was the disposition of General Avavid Kallet’s Frontier Fleet as it held orbit over the planet of Ganthus.

On the War Table image, Billy had scrutinised and viewed the dispositions of Kallet’s fleet since they had been within scanner range. And, as Billy had originally considered, it was going to be a tough nut to crack. For the first time since he had become First Admiral, Billy Caudwell was in the unusual position of having numerical superiority. With the Imperial Guard Fleet, Billy knew that he would outnumber Kallet by around two to one. That sounded all very well and good in theory, but the quality of the Imperial Guard forces was questionable. It had been several centuries since the Imperial Guard had seen any combat operations, whilst on the other hand, Kallet’s Frontier Fleet troops were hardened and experienced by decades of skirmishing and beating-off raiders on their sector of the Frontier. Constant training and computer simulations were one thing, but actual hard combat experience was an entirely different animal. And, the Ganthoran Imperial Guard was coming up woefully short.

Still, the Imperial Guards were angry and motivated. If the rumour of Kallet’s massacre of one of the Ganthus garrisons was true, then the Guards would have some personal scores to settle. However, what Billy did not need was the Imperial Guard throwing away their lives and vessels in some death-or-glory charge straight into the gun-sights of Kallet’s warships.

No
, Billy Caudwell considered,
what’s required here is a bit of subtlety and cunning
.

He had to carefully marshal and deploy his forces to make best use of his technological and numerical advantages.

Looking at the three-dimensional War Table image, the plan was fairly simple and straightforward. Kallet’s ships were well established and in a strong horse-shoe formation in orbit above Ganthus City. The “Six-Cigar” Carriers were being held in tight formation with a strong escort of cruisers and destroyers. With the planet and the city behind his formation, Kallet knew that the Alliance could not use the “terror weapon”; the Trionic Cannon, which had decimated Grobbeg’s Frontier Fleet. The proximity to Ganthus City also gave Kallet a fall-back position, where he could take whatever forces remained after the battle; should it go against him, and fight it out in the streets of the city. Perhaps, Avavid Kallet was aware that he could not win against a large combined Alliance and Ganthoran Imperial Guard force. But, he knew that all he had to do was survive until the combined Frontier Fleets arrived. Kallet may not have had the advantage of numerical superiority, but he did have time on his side.

Looking at the disposition of his own forces, Billy was now confident that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would surround and crush Kallet’s fleet. The core of Billy’s position was the Star-Destroyer Olympus, two Alliance Fleet Carriers, and the thirty Imperial Guard “Six-Cigar” Carriers. With a strong escort of one hundred Ganthoran cruisers and two Alliance Star-Cruisers, Billy was comfortable in the knowledge that the Carriers were well protected. The Force Shielding of Olympus and the two Fleet Carriers would be more than adequate to protect the Ganthoran Carriers.

In front of the Alliance Carrier forces, Billy had stationed the remaining twelve Star-Cruisers. In the rectangular formation with “Aquarius” to the centre, Billy planned to use the Force Shielding of the Star-Cruisers to absorb any gunfire from the Frontier Fleet weapons.

Meanwhile, behind the twelve Star-Cruisers, Billy had divided the remaining Ganthoran Cruisers and the Destroyers into two formations.

These two groups would become the “Horns”, or the pincers, of his attack, whilst “Aquarius” and the other Star-Cruisers would form the “Chest”.

The intention was very simple. The “Chest” would advance against Kallet’s position and, if possible, draw the Frontier Fleet vessels forward; away from Ganthus. And, As Kallet’s ships were drawn out of position the “Horns” would sweep around the flanks of the enemy advance, encircle them, and isolate them from the planet. With the Frontier Fleet isolated and surrounded, the Ganthoran Imperial Guard could be let loose to finish off the remnants of Kallet’s forces. With that plan in mind, Billy Caudwell ordered the Alliance fleet to advance.

In the War Room aboard Aquarius, there was a great deal of tension. The heavily illuminated War Table stood out from the darkness and gloom of the rest of the Command Centre. The buzz of communications traffic broke through the almost oppressive anxiety of the silence. At the War Table, Billy Caudwell stood silent and calm as the three-dimensional images, fed by tens of thousands of sensors and intelligence gathering sources were constantly updated. The Alliance fleet was moving forward. The Force-Shielded Star-Cruisers led the way, with the two pincers tucked neatly in behind. And, from the image displayed in front of him, Billy could see that the Frontier Fleet warships were moving from the rear of the formation, towards the front, to receive the expected Alliance attack.

“Navigation, keep course and speed steady,” Billy instructed calmly.

“Aye, sir,” a deep, masculine voice boomed from the darkness.

The Alliance ships were creeping slowly forward, like an ancient warrior crouched behind his shield, wary of the enemy making the first move. The Frontier Fleet seemed to be moving more ships into their firing line. To Billy Caudwell, it was apparent that he would have to launch an attack on this static Ganthoran position. From the positioning of the Frontier Fleet ships, it appeared unlikely that they would attack, and that Billy would have to take the battle to them.

“Coming into pulsar-cannon range now, sir,” the WATO announced.

“Very well,” Billy said, “commence firing at will.”

“Yes, sir,” the WATO replied.

A few seconds later, the deep rumbling THUD of the first salvo from the ten high-yield pulsar-cannon aboard Aquarius announced that the gunners had opened fire.

On the War Table image, the other eleven Star-Cruisers had also opened fire, sending a total of one-hundred-and-twenty white-hot pulsar-cannon bolts streaking downrange to find targets amongst Kallet’s ships.

And, in the space of a single breath, the pulsar-bolts struck home on their targets. With a line of Frontier Fleet ships facing them, not one of the pulsar-bolts missed. Over forty of the smaller Destroyers were blown to oblivion in the first salvo. The direct strike from a high-yield pulsar-bolt was something that the small vessels just simply could not survive. With many Destroyers struck by more than one bolt, their devastation was guaranteed. Of the forty Cruisers in Kallet’s line, twelve were destroyed in the first salvo. Some, struck by second and third pulsar-bolts, lurched and shuddered under the devastating impacts before exploding in deep orange and red fireballs. The smaller and more vulnerable Destroyers stationed close beside them were vapourised in the inferno of destruction. Those Destroyers more distant, were caught in the massive storm of metal and debris; causing untold deaths, damage, and destruction. The Destroyer Captains caught in the whirlwind of debris had little chance of avoiding their doom.

Another five Cruisers, sustaining one hit or a glancing blow from a pulsar-bolt, were seriously damaged, with two of them immobilised.

Like punch-drunk boxers, the Cruisers reeled at their stations as the pulsar-bolts slammed into their hulls, showering the surrounding Destroyers with debris and metal fragments from their ruptured super-structures. Once again, the unfortunate accompanying Destroyers were struck by an uncontrollable avalanche of destruction. Many dodged and weaved to avoid the flying fragments of Cruiser hulls, but all too many were not agile, speedy, or nimble enough to escape the tidal wave of devastation.

And, in an extremely lucky moment, one pulsar-bolt made its way through the entire Frontier Fleet horse-shoe position eventually striking one of the “Six-Cigar” Carriers. The fortunate Alliance shot struck one of the cigar-tube Landing Bays on the Carrier, and smashed into the super-structure, sending debris and flame spewing out into space. With the Frontier Fleet Carriers packed so closely together, the debris and flame from the hit Carrier blasted across the short divide to bombard one of the other Carriers. The damage to the second Carrier was no more than to dent the hull and scratch the paintwork. However, it did convince Kallet and the captains of the other Carriers that they should, perhaps, consider moving away from such close proximity to one another.

On the War Table image, Billy saw that most of the Frontier Fleet’s battle-line move forward to meet the Alliance’s advances.

Yes, you’re no fool Kallet
, Billy considered as he scrutinised the Frontier Fleet position once more.

The “Six-Cigar” Carriers were starting their slow and ponderous manoeuvres away from the close proximity formation.

This Frontier General learns quickly
, Billy considered.

Kallet could begin to disperse his Carriers, but, in doing so, he would have to commit greater Cruiser and Destroyer resources to protect them. That would mean drawing vessels away from the front line.

“They’re breaking station and moving forward, sir!” a Scanner Officer called from the darkness, confirming what Billy could already see.

Kallet has taken the bait
, Billy thought as he viewed the War Table image, s
urely, Kallet hadn’t fallen for the manoeuvre so easily
, Billy puzzled.
A shrewd and capable leader like Kallet wouldn’t be drawn into throwing his forces at the Force Shielding and pulsar-cannon of the Alliance forces after one volley. Surely, Kallet would stand his ground, and then make his attack when the enemy warships were at a much closer range.

And, yet, as he watched the Frontier Fleet vessels moving forward, something just did not appear to be quite right about the manoeuvre. It looked like the entire centre and right wing of Kallet’s fleet was moving into the attack.

But, what was the left wing doing
, Billy questioned.

A mixed force of Cruisers and Destroyers were holding station on Kallet’s left, and not joining the attack.

Surely, if Kallet was going to risk everything on an attack, then that was precisely what he would do. He would risk everything.

To make such a bold tactical move required all of Kallet’s forces.

Something is not right here
, Billy thought, as he watched over half of Kallet’s surviving Cruisers and Destroyers moving slowly towards the encroaching Alliance formation.

A half-hearted attack was no better than not attacking at all. Kallet was simply throwing these ships and their crews away with such a feeble move.

“They’re within weapons range, so why aren’t they firing?” Billy asked the officers at the War Table.

“Sir! Sir! The Ganthorans are signalling, sir!” An excited Communications Technician began shouting before any of the War Table officers could respond to Billy’s question

“What is it, Comms?” Billy looked puzzled as he turned his attention away from the War Table image.

The War Room was buzzing with consternation. Even the less tactically able amongst the War Room personnel could understand that something untoward was going on. Generals did not split their forces up in the face of superior numbers, and enemies engaged in battle very rarely communicated with each other; except to offer terms or to offer surrender. Something extraordinary was happening, and the War Room was aware of it.

“They...they...? They want...they want to come over to our side, sir!” The astonished technician was met with a stunned silence.

“What!? How many!? Where!?” Billy asked.

“It’s a trick, sir, it’s one of Kallet’s tricks,” one of the Ganthoran Imperial Guard officers at the War Table warned.

“More than likely, General Zandor,” Billy said. “Comms, ask them to signal compliance by changing course towards Rubicos.”

“Sir!” another Scanner Technician interrupted, “the Ganthorans are opening fire on their own ships!”

On the tiny three-dimensional images, Billy could see the unmistakable blurring of the “Screaming Death” being directed from Kallet’s left wing towards the vessels moving away from the centre and right of the Frontier Fleet position.

The War Room buzzed with confusion and expectation. Never before had part of an enemy fleet decided to defect to the Alliance in the early stages of a battle. Racing through the options in his mind, Billy Caudwell knew that the possibility of neutralising part of Kallet’s forces was one that had to be considered and explored. If they complied with his order to make course for Rubicos, then they would be removing themselves from the combat zone.

“Sir!” the Scanner Officer called, “Part of the enemy formation is changing course towards Rubicos!”

“And, they’re firing back at the ships firing at them, sir,” the Scanner Technician called out.

“Very well, WATO, target the vessels shooting at those making for Rubicos,” Billy ordered, still not quite able to believe that this was happening.

“Yes, sir!” came the confident response from the WATO.

On the War Table image, Billy could see roughly two-thirds of the Frontier Fleet vessels veering off in the direction of Rubicos, whilst at the same time, images in both the moving vessel and the ones who remained in the line started to blink out. They really were shooting at, and destroying each other.