The Lost Colony (Lost Starship Series Book 4) (29 page)

Soon, sensors counted an amazing
fifty-four
star cruisers.

Along with everyone else, Fletcher watched the enemy vessels gather. A growing certainty had taken hold in him. Every New Men assault this campaign had begun with a trick. He knew that. Now, he had to muster the courage to act upon his knowledge. But it was so hard. If he was wrong about this…the stakes meant defeat could bring total victory to the remorseless New Men.

Fletcher warred with his heart. He wavered, almost decided and then flinched from committing himself. Sweat beaded under his collar. His palms felt moist and his breaths became harder to take.

Suddenly, as he suppressed a groan, Fletcher pounded the arm of his command chair. “We’re heading for them,” he said. “Pass the message to the other ships.”

The captain of
Antietam
turned around. “Begging your pardon, Admiral,” she said.

“I don’t want to hear it,” Fletcher snapped. He took a long breath, the first one like this for a while. “Get that order out
now
,” he told communications. “I also want a courier ship leaving for Bishop. Tell the third admiral to hurry here. We finally have our fight. I want to hit the New Men while I have a chance.”

The bridge crew stared at him.

“Now!” Fletcher said, pounding the arm of his chair again.

In a subdued manner, the flagship’s bridge crew went about their tasks.

Soon, Star Watch’s battleships, carriers, cruisers and masses of destroyers and escort vessels began accelerating toward the half-a-billion kilometer distant Laumer-Point and the largest enemy fleet to date.

“I’m counting sixty-two star cruisers,” the sensor officer said. “And I think more are still coming through.”

“Good,” Fletcher said.

The captain of
Antietam
had become pale. “Admiral, sixty-two star cruisers? We didn’t think they had that many. Now, we’re going to face them all by ourselves?”

Fletcher stared at her. Why was this so difficult to say? He knew the truth. With an effort of will, he forced out the words: “Those aren’t real star cruisers, Captain. You’re viewing decoy ships.”

Several of the crew glanced at each other.

“Uh…how do you know that, sir?” the captain asked.

“Because I know the New Men’s methods,” Fletcher said. “So do you. We’ve discussed it often enough.”

“But sir, isn’t that the point. No one can outwit them. The New Men are always three steps ahead of us.”

“Not this time,” Fletcher said.

“How can you be so certain, sir?”

Fletcher eyed the captain, a good commander, willing to take reasonable risks. But this didn’t seem reasonable to her. Star Watch had a few more capital ships in the Hades System than the number of star cruisers. By the calculations of battle as previously fought, they didn’t stand a chance against sixty-two star cruisers.

“I want maximum acceleration,” Fletcher said.

“Admiral,” the captain said. “I don’t mean any disrespect by this, but I think you should call a commander’s meeting. The others are going to balk at this.”

“The sixty-two star cruisers have begun accelerating away from the Laumer-Point,” sensors said.

“What is their direction?” Fletcher asked.

Sensors found it difficult to speak. “They’re…they’re on an intercept course for us, sir, heading straight for our fleet.”

-32-

Fletcher had the meeting, as there’d likely be a munity if he didn’t. After the fleet had accelerated at the star cruisers for a time, they paused as shuttles ferried the many commanders to the
Antietam
. Soon, Fletcher stood outside the hatch. He thrust his shoulders back and strode into the conference chamber.

It was crammed with commanders and their chief executives. For many it was standing room only as they stood shoulder to shoulder against the walls. Ventilation worked overtime as a sour smell of sweat hung in the air.

Fletcher knew the smell. People were scared, afraid that tomorrow they would die under a hail of fusion beams. He didn’t blame them. A knot of fear twisted in his own belly. He simply chose to ignore it, as he knew he could not trust it.

Fletcher walked to the front of the long table. Anxious faces peered up at him. A few looked angry. Clearly, no one understood why the fleet raced at an incredible number of star cruisers, the most dangerous warships in the galaxy. They all believed they should wait for Bishop and the Chin Confederation warships.

“Good day gentlemen, gentlewomen,” Fletcher said with a nod. “I’m glad you could join me for this historic occasion.”

He scanned the throng. They were his men and women. The Lord High Admiral had trusted him to lead them in order to save the Commonwealth, to save regular humanity when one came right down to it. Today, he had to win them to his plan. He had already decided on the best means for doing that.

“This is a historic occasion,” Fletcher said, “as the New Men have finally made a mistake.”

Officers blinked at him, some of their fear turning into confusion.

“You’re the best Star Watch has,” Fletcher said. “I know, because the Lord High Admiral handpicked you for the assignment. We’re to drive the golden-skinned invaders out of ‘C’ Quadrant. Until this moment, the enemy has retreated from us out of fear, burning some planets and no doubt taking the people off others. Well, we’re going to find out why in the next day or so.”

“Admiral,” said Commodore Harold, commander of a task force of the newest battleships. “I don’t understand your thinking, sir. We’re accelerating toward sixty-two star cruisers. We’ll be fighting the New Men at a numerical parity. Since they have vastly superior equipment, they will decimate us.”

“That’s just it,” Fletcher said. “They aren’t sixty-two star cruisers. They’re using decoys today, trying to bluff us.”

“That isn’t what the sensor readings are saying, sir.”

“You’re exactly right, Commodore,” Fletcher said. “I…” The admiral smiled. He scanned those in the room. Could he trust these people?

If I can’t, I’d better step down from command
.

“I’ll let you in on a secret,” Fletcher said. “I do not
know
one hundred percent if these are decoy ships or not. But everything I’ve seen and studied about the New Men leads me to this conclusion.”

“Do you care to tell us your reasoning, sir?” Harold asked.

“I would be delighted,” Fletcher said. “The truth is I can’t do this unless you’re all on board with me. We’re a band of brothers facing the worst enemy the universe has thrown at us.”

Fletcher inhaled, nodding. “I faced the New Men at Caria 323. There, the enemy suckered me. I lost many good ships because of it. I learned then that New Men are masters of deception. They used decoy forces to draw me out of a fortified position. Today, I believe they are attempting to get us to use the Laumer-Point, to flee there.”

“But—”

“I’ve asked myself a question,” Fletcher said. “If the New Men appear in strength like this, isn’t my only logical choice to cut and run?”

“That’s exactly what I think,” Harold said.

“And I did, too, at first. Then I realized the New Men would know that about us. That meant the enemy was trying to herd us in a particular direction. They would do so in order to spring a trap on the fleet. To escape the trap, I should do the exact opposite of what they’re trying to get me to do. Realizing that, it dawned on me that the sixty-two star cruisers are decoys, or most of them must be.”

Many present appeared thoughtful.

“I think I understand, sir,” Harold said. “But what if the New Men have accounted for it? Maybe they believe you’ll think they’re bluffing. In that way, they can cause us to race toward our destruction.”

Fletcher shook his head. “Every move of theirs this campaign has begun with a ruse.”

“You said they miscalculated.”

“I did,” Fletcher said. “I suspect that a few real star cruisers are hidden among the decoys. They need a few to fire some fusion beams to make everything seem legitimate. I wish to annihilate those vessels. The New Men can’t afford any losses, and that’s what we’re going to give them. This time, we’re going to whittle their numbers down.”

“This is a gamble, sir.”

“I’ve told you my reasoning,” Fletcher said. “Remember, the New Men aren’t gods. They’re just good. We can outmaneuver them sometimes. But if we’re going to head against sixty-two decoys or so, I need my people understanding why we’re doing it.”

The admiral nodded at them before saying, “Now. Let me hear what you think.”

No one spoke in the sudden silence.

Finally, Commodore Harold cleared his throat. “I like your reasoning, sir. They’re trying to frighten us. They want us to run. That means we should do the opposite. Yes. Let’s attack.”

“Right,” a woman said. “I agree.”

Others said likewise.

“Does anyone disagree?” Fletcher said.

No one did verbally.

“Excellent,” Fletcher said, beaming at his people. Now he knew he could trust them. “Then, let’s get back to our ships and continue to accelerate.”

***

Thirty-six hours brought many changes to the equation.

The majority of the sixty-two star cruisers continued to bear down on the Star Watch fleet. Two star cruisers had veered away at a sharp angle, accelerating hard for a different Laumer-Point.

The admiral had ordered a change of heading for the entire fleet. They chased the two star cruisers, trying to bring them in range of the battleships’ heaviest, longest-ranged beams.

Meanwhile, reports from the Hermes-Hades tramline brought bad news. Three hammerships had sustained grave damage from invisible mines near their wormhole entrance. Fortunately, Third Admiral Bishop had let his hammerships accelerate in a staggered formation. Thus, instead of many of the Windsor League warships taking damage, it was a mere three.

Fletcher sent a communiqué among his ships, telling his officers that those hidden mines had been for the Star Watch ships that would have been in the grip of Jump Lag. They might have lost half the Star Watch fleet if they had fled from the supposed sixty-two star cruisers.

The hours grinded away as the fleet chased the two star cruisers. Ever so slowly, the fastest cruisers gained on the enemy.

“Sir,” the sensor officer said.

Fletcher sat in his command chair. “Go ahead, Major,” he said.

“Look at the ghost fleet, sir.”

Fletcher smiled grimly as the images betrayed themselves. He had been right about decoy forces. Not until this moment, however, did the knot in his gut go away.

Ninety minutes later, the running battle entered its most interesting phase.

Fletcher ordered a massive salvo of missiles. He did not use antimatter missiles, as he wanted to hold onto those for the big one. Instead, several flocks of conventional missiles accelerated at fifty gravities for the two star cruisers. The missiles gained velocity hand-over-fist against the New Men.

“The heavy cruisers are in beam range, sir,” the sensor officer said.

“I’m going to talk to the enemy.” Fletcher told comm.

Soon, Admiral Fletcher called on the New Men to surrender. They did not answer. He kept trying and they kept ignoring him.

“We gave them a chance,” Fletcher said. “Now—we finish them.”

The battle was anticlimactic, as Star Watch vastly outgunned the two lone star cruisers. The missiles zoomed in, and the New Men used auto-defense fire and their famed fusion beams.

It was a steady progression of missile destruction. Finally, though, one of the missiles got close enough to detonate. The thermonuclear pulse must have hurt the enemy’s sensors. Soon, a second and third missile ignited even closer than the first one.

“Hit, sir,” sensors said. “One of the star cruiser’s engines is running too hot.”

Fletcher felt as if he was part of a pack running down rabid wolves. He liked the feeling, and was sure everyone else did as well.

Heavy cruisers pounded the New Men vessels with beams. The enemy shields absorbed that for a time. The shields went through the regular hues, finally reaching black.

“Open channels again,” Fletcher said.

He offered the New Men a last chance to surrender. They did not say a word in reply.

Finally, the first star cruiser went critical, exploding in a nova blast.

Antietam’s
bridge erupted into cheers. Fletcher smiled indulgently. He could actually do it. He could outthink the enemy. It was a wonderful feeling. He would gladly trade three hammerships for two star cruisers. The enemy could not afford such attrition. The Grand Fleet could.

The last star cruiser ejected a pod.

Fletcher noticed that and had the pod marked. “We’ll pick up the occupant later. First, finish the last star cruiser.”

It took eight more minutes. Then, that vessel went nova as well.

Fletcher sat back. He’d done it. He’d destroyed two star cruisers. The New Men would have two less when the fleets finally engaged.

He turned to sensors. “What are the readings concerning the life-pod?”

“There’s a single survivor, sir,” sensors said. “The readings indicate a New Man.”

“Open channels with the pod,” Fletcher said.

“They’re open, sir,” comm said.

“This is Admiral Fletcher hailing the escape pod.”

The main screen wavered and a battered New Man stared at them. He had haughty golden features and a buzz cut of hair.

“Do you surrender?” Fletcher asked.

“I am Fifth Rank Pa Kur,” the New Man said, “and I request asylum with Star Watch.”

“Say again,” Fletcher said, not sure he’d heard right.

“I am a political refugee,” the New Man said, “and I request political asylum with the Commonwealth.”

“That’s a new one,” Fletcher muttered. “Very well,” he told Pa Kur. “We accept your surrender. I will send a shuttle to pick you up.”

“I am not surrendering,” the New Man said. “I repeat, I request asylum.”

“Right,” Fletcher. “We’re picking you up.” He motioned to comm, and she cut the connection.

“What do you make of that, sir?”
Antietam’s
captain asked.

“I’m not sure,” Fletcher said. “I suppose I’ll find out during interrogation.”