Assault!
22nd July 2082
07:42.
Bridge, FH Bittern. GJ 1123.Conway reflected on the run to the Geejay home planet. It had been anticlimactic so far. The crew were tired, manning defence stations throughout the voyage to the Geejay home world, one step down from action stations. The crew could only snatch brief catnaps interspersed with missile warnings which thankfully had so far all been false alarms. The new Type 45 cruisers had had the only excitement, launching missiles at various Geejay warships.
Conway ruminated once more on the impenetrable Geejay psyche. What had they been doing in the past eleven years? They certainly did not appear to have built up their navy much, apart from the fast attack craft and the Wrath class which didn’t actually appear to do anything. Certainly not a deep space capability the like of which the new cruisers gave the Earth Gov. They didn’t even appear to have replaced the losses suffered in LHS 292. But now the Fleet had come within range of the Geejay home planet defences which Bittern would do its bit in reducing. The Bittern rocked slightly as its antiquated inertial compensators tried and failed to compensate for the main battery launch, disturbing Conway’s musings. Akhtar had ordered the first strike against the four Adamas Labytrinthus orbitals which were of unknown capabilities and could harbour anti-ship missiles. Conway watched her display as the missiles streaked away from the Fleet.
16:21.
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.Akhtar watched the holotank as it displayed the first attack on the orbital defences. A wave of six hundred and ninety-six Stonebow missiles had been launched at the four Adamas Labytrinthus orbital forts by the Fleet. Now Akhtar watched as the missile wave withered under anti-missile missile fire put up by the orbital defence stations. It was galling to get this far but then not be able to get to the planet itself. It appeared Akhtar needn’t have worried about anti-ship missiles mounted in the orbital fort if the volume of AMM fire was anything to go by. The closest Stonebow to the planet was over four million kays from the Geejay orbitals when it was destroyed.
Akhtar looked up and in a tired voice announced “Stacey order the Fleet to move away from the planet, point zeta, two hundred and fifty million kays from the planet, I don’t want any new construction getting a free shot under that sort of anti-missile umbrella.”
“Aye aye Marshal” was came the subdued reply.
23rd July 2082.
09:00.
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.Akhtar and his staff were in the planning room off the flag bridge on CC403 Sparrowhawk. Lieutenant Stacey Berkson (Operations) was just summing up the results of simulations run overnight by the alterday staff. “It looks like we just don’t have enough missiles in the Fleet to overwhelm the missile bases; they were intercepting nearly two hundred missiles every five seconds. The laser bases are a known quantity but would be sufficient to take care of any leakers that may get through. So we need to increase the alpha strike or find another way to take out the Geejay planetary defences.”
Akhtar broke in “and what if we take the fleet into laser range?”
“There is no guarantee there would be any fleet to reach laser range. We based their AMM reserves on what we recovered from the Sivans, they had nearly two hundred thousand AMMs on their home world when we finally captured it. If we approach laser range of the bases at a fleet speed of 4,600 kps, we would have to endure approximately 85,000 of the Geejay anti-missile missiles. We have about 38,000 Scorpion interceptors in the Fleet.”
“Delbert, can we get any more missiles?”
Lieutenant Delbert Kitten (Logistics) replied “I have requested that the missiles equipping three patrol squadrons and any held by planetary defence centres be released to us, I received approval for the former early this morning, they released not only the missiles but the ships as well, but they will take two or three days to reach us. I have yet to hear about the latter. As for any other missiles, Naval Ordnance has set up production lines for the Geejay Condor missiles on Earth and Sivan, but it will take months before there are enough to make a meaningful attack with. Apart from a handful of Scorpion interceptors there are no more missiles anywhere in Earth Gov space!”
11:23.
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.“Status change, new sensor contacts designated Bogie 8. six vessels, two Alacritous Mission class of 7900 tons, two Garuda class of 7900 tons and two Brilliant Carapace class of 7850 tons, unknown capabilities, inbound, 2674 million kays on a bearing of 64
o”
“What’s out that way Stacey? That is the second force approaching from that direction.”
“The only thing we can see out there are the wrecks of our deep space survey vessels”
“OK, Luigi launch all attack shuttles, Stacey alert Battle Groups Sparrowhawk and Merlin, fire plan beta.”
“Aye sir, Attack Flight 2 has stood down, they’re out of missiles, this is the last strike Attack Flight 4 can make and the Kittyhawk flights can only make further attacks once ordnance has been redistributed Marshal.”
“Thank you Luigi.” Avenues were closing whichever way Akhtar looked.
1
2:22.
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.“Status change, new sensor contacts designated Bogie 9, five vessels, Shrike class, 7900 tons, unknown capabilities, inbound, 2683 million kays on a bearing of 59
o.”
Akhtar turned and looked into the holotank which dominated the flag bridge. “Thank you Stacey, hand off the contacts to Battle Group Merlin, fire plan beta when in range. There must be more out there than a few wrecks surely?”
24th July 2082
05:31.
Attack Flights 6 & 8. GJ 1123.“Attack leader to all Kittyhawks. Attack Six target is Brilliant Carapace 001, Attack Eight’s target is Brilliant Carapace 002, range is 358 million kays, Lock your target and launch. Course for home is 246
o, delta V is 13,366 kps until impact then max delta V. Execute! Eriksson out.”
06:30.
Flag Bridge, CC451 Marauder.“Status change, Bogie 8 has split, two Alacritous Mission class and two Garuda class continuing on course. Two Brilliant Carapace class have stopped, relative to the Fleet, now designated Bogie 10.”
Commodore Rutan barely looked up at this new development.
07:17.
Attack Flights 6 & 8. GJ 1123.Fifty-six Snark Mk III missiles exploded as one. Not one missed. But both Brilliant Carapaces sailed out of the thermonuclear maelstrom without so much as a pressure leak.
07:55.
Attack Flight 4. GJ 1123.The three Warhawks of Attack Flight Four were heading for their release point when Warhawk 006 suddenly exploded in a twenty-two kiloton detonation as a Sunder anti-ship missile found it. “Attack leader to Warhawk Four, abort attack run, evasive manoeuvres, return to carrier.” Before the order could be carried out Warhawk 004 disappeared in a second thermonuclear explosion. Lieutenant Toby Sykes threw his shuttle into a series of violent evasive manoeuvres in an effort to avoid the fate of his wingmen. Twenty minutes later he and his crew were still alive and heading for their carrier, but Attack Flight Four was a spent force.
25th July 2082
01:40.
Flag Bridge, CC451 Marauder.Battle Group Merlin engaged Bogie 8. It was left to Lieutenant Joel Morton (Intelligence) on alterday watch duty to note the fact for the Marshal’s perusal at change-over in the morning.
02:58.
Flag Bridge, CC451 Marauder.“Status change, Bogie 8 stationary relative to Fleet, assumed to be firing missiles Commodore.”
Irritably Rutan acknowledged Martine’s warning. “Alexandra issue the relevant missile warning to the Fleet, get the timings from Lieutenant Lebrun.” Rutan returned to glowering at the holotank.
03:02.
Flag Bridge, CC451 Marauder.Battle Group Merlin engaged Bogie 9 at the extreme range of 854 million kays (range of Snark Mk III 862 million kays). After this action Lieutenant Blair Corona (Logistics, alterday staff) noted the Type 45 cruisers were down to 63% missile stocks or just six salvos.
04:03.
Flag Bridge, CC451 Marauder.“Status change, Bogie 8 has split, two Alacritous Mission class still stationary relative to Fleet. Two Garuda class, now designated Bogie 11, on intercept course for Patrol Squadrons 1 and 3. Missiles maintaining lock. Bogies 9 and 10 also on intercept course for Patrol Squadrons 1 and 3.”
Rutan head snapped up at this sudden announcement. The two Patrol Squadrons represented two thirds of the available missile reserves throughout Earth Gov space, but their anti-missile defences were regarded as inadequate, primarily a pair of gauss cannon. These vessels were intended to patrol a jump point and not expected to stand off a missile strike. She was still smarting from the dressing down she got for wasting so many Snark missiles. “Blair, have Battle Groups Sparrowhawk and Merlin finished transferring missiles?”
“Aye Commodore”
“Martine, signal Battle Group Merlin to proceed to the Patrol Squadrons position with all possible speed and provide them with missile defence until they are under the Fleet’s umbrella. Further request Battle Group Merlin to engage Bogie 10 at their earliest convenience. Direct Patrol Squadrons 1 and 3 to turn away from the Geejay vessels, heading to point Epsilon until Battle Group Merlin is in company, then to resume course for the Fleet.”
Lieutenant Lebrun passed on the orders for Battle Group Merlin to rendezvous with the two Patrol Squadrons to bolster their weak anti-missile defences and for the two Patrol Squadrons to turn away.
05:28.
GJ 1123. Deep Space.One Hundred and thirty-six Snark missiles charged down upon Bogie 11, launched when Bogie 11 was part of Bogie 8. The two Garuda class frigates received scant warning, their last ditch point defence accounted for but one missile. Of the other missiles, a hundred and three eight-kiloton detonations marked their passing and that of the two frigates as the focussed plasma lances cut deep into their internal structure. Thirty-two missiles were left forlorn, looking for a target.
05:34.
GJ 1123. Deep Space.Bogie 8 (two Alacritous Mission class frigates) fared no better failing to halt a single missile in their headlong rush to immolate themselves on the hull of the two Geejay warships. Only ninety-six brief stars speckled the dark as they perished in their thermonuclear incineration. Two more ships were left bleeding air and debris, life pods ejected from the stricken vessels. Yet more Snark Mk III missiles were left looking for a target.
06:55.
GJ 1123. Deep Space.As Battle Group Merlin launched missiles to engage Bogie 9 (two Brilliant Carapace class frigates) the first Snarks reached Bogie 9. A rolling wave of detonations lit up space about the five Shrike class frigates as the waves of missiles broke over them. Spectrographs observed gases escaping from riven hulls. Magazine detonations and power supply secondary explosions lit up the thermonuclear conflagration that enveloped the vessels like miniature supernovae. When sensors cleared another five wrecks littered the system while one hundred and forty eight missiles were left looking for a fresh target.
08:00.
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.Akhtar entered the flag bridge to a vastly altered situation. All but two of the alien mobile units had been destroyed and Battle Group Merlin was a hundred million kays away from the Fleet. He sighed wishing that Lester Colleran was his deputy on alterday watch, he was much more objective and nothing like as cautious as Rutan. But seniority had won out. Akhtar could see no way that Battle Group Merlin could reach the Patrol Squadrons before the Geejay missiles did, however there was no point in countermanding the orders this late in the day.
09:56.
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.“Marshal, Bogie 10 is stationary relative to the two Patrol squadrons, but closing on the fleet. Bogie 10 is due to be intercepted in twenty-two minutes forty-three seconds.”
Liam broke in “Analysis now suggests Geejay missiles are all command control guidance only.”
“Thank you Stacey, Liam. Meinhard please advise the Patrol Squadrons that they may have incoming should we fail to take out that pair of frigates. Let me know when the Bogies are destroyed or the Patrol Squadrons come under missile attack.”
10:18.
GJ 1123. Deep Space.The two Brilliant Carapace frigates which constituted Bogie 10 appeared oblivious to the impending doom rushing upon them. Their armour scoured off in the previous attack, a mere forty-four missiles were required to seal their fate. The cloud of eight-kiloton explosions was suddenly dwarfed as a two hundred and fifteen kiloton magazine explosion spelt the end of one of the frigates. Once more there was no point defence fire and the Snark Mk III missiles maintained their perfect hit rate against all but the Geejay fast attack craft.
14:58.
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.“Battle Group Merlin is in company with Patrol Squadrons 1 and 3 and on course to join the Fleet Marshal.”
Thank you Stacey.” Was Akhtar’s only reply as he contemplated the problem of the orbital defences around the Geejay home world.
“Lieutenant Kitten entered the flag bridge looking very please with himself. “Marshal! I have good news! Naval Ordnance have stripped all planetary defence bases bare, they are sending us nearly five hundred additional Stonebows sir.”
Akhtar looked up a false smile painted on his face “that’s excellent Dilbert, When are they due?”
“Just over twelve days sir.”
“Good, good, we can delay the assault that long.” But inside Akhtar felt crushed under the weight of expectation being piled on him. If he couldn’t break these damnable orbital defences he now felt he would be failing not just the Navy but the entire human race.
29th July 2082.
05:43
Flag Bridge, CC451 Marauder.Lieutenant Lebrun logged the arrival of the final Patrol Squadron dedicated to the assault.
1st August 2082
16:42.
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.“Marshal, Major General Benjamin Read has joined the Fleet with the first five divisions of the occupation force.”
“Thank you Meinhard, send a greeting to General Read and invite him over for dinner this evening!” Answered Akhtar with an enthusiasm he didn’t really feel. The problem of the orbital forts made him despondent.
“Aye, aye Marshal.”
7th August 2082
09:00.
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.Akhtar and his staff were in the planning room off the flag bridge on CC403 Sparrowhawk for the morning briefing. Lieutenant Liam Bostrom (Intelligence) was holding forth. “We have a digest of the intelligence gathered from the Geejay prisoners rescued from their life pods, all of course from their hand comps. They got quite a lot of survey data for a few of new systems, HO Lirae, Giclas 9-38, NN3737 and Gliese 433” Liam said, nodding to Lieutenant Alice Rondelet (Survey). “It appears their survey ships got further than we thought. There was also a schematic of a Titan class coloniser, not a class we have seen. In addition tech specs on enhanced radiation warheads and superdense armour were also obtained, but the pièce de résistance was full schematics on the Sunder anti-ship missile. Neither the Condor nor the Sunder has any form of on-board guidance ability. Thus we are fairly convinced that the Luhu missile will not have any terminal guidance either. So kill their launch platforms and you kill their missiles, which is pretty much what we assumed was happening anyway especially after the last action. But it’s nice to confirm this.”
“Thank you Liam, now Stacey what about the operation to reduce the Geejay orbital forts?”
“We have analysed all the data available to us. It looks as though the Geejay interceptor is on a par with our Scorpion Mk I, but may have an increased range as demonstrated in the jump point assault and appears to be coupled with a much better sensor as revealed by our first probing attack.
We have three options. Option one, launch a multi-wave missile attack in which we launch all the Stonebows we have and hope enough get through. Option two, take the Fleet in and hope it gets within laser range, by no means guaranteed even if it launches every missile it possesses at the same time. Option three; wait for a supply of Condor missiles to reach us from Earth.
The most effective and safest option is the third, but that will take six months or more. The most hazardous and direct option is the second, but the Fleet could be lost. Analysts are divided over the first option; results are guesstimates from totally ineffective to 25% chance of destroying some of the missile bases. The Geejays demonstrated the ability to kill nearly seven hundred missiles without one getting within four million kays of the planet. However, we have an improved alpha strike and lose nothing if this option fails except several thousand obsolete missiles.”
“And if the Geejays build a new fleet Stacey?”
“Then we are in a bind Marshal.”
“What are the numbers if I take all but Sparrowhawk and Merlin in?”
“As I noted at an earlier meeting the fleet would have to endure something in the region of 85,000 one-kiloton warheads, we have approximately 38,000 Scorpions of various marques, but Battle Groups Sparrowhawk and Merlin would have to keep approximately seven thousand. The Scorpions would have a base average interception, in percentage terms, of a little better than 53%, leaving a little under 65,500 missiles still to be dealt with. Estimating the efficiency of lasers and gauss cannon is difficult but I would be surprised if it’s better than 50%, leaving a possible 32,500 missiles to hit our ships.”
Faced with this Akhtar looked thoughtfully concerned. He could lose all the obsolete frigates and no one would be overly concerned, but if he lost the cruisers for no gain he would be very unpopular in all the wrong places. Six months was too long to wait for the new missiles.
He made his decision “I will go with a missile strike and see if we can overwhelm them, then we still have other options. Delbert send in a requisition for six hundred and thirty-two Condor missiles.”
"Aye aye Marshal.”
8th Aug 2082
10:43.
GJ 1123. Deep Space.The Munitions carrier Priddy’s Hard reached the Fleet with the remaining stocks of Stonebows in the Earth Gov sphere. Battle Groups hurried to distribute the ordnance throughout the Fleet.
12:45.
Bridge, FH Bittern.Conway felt the inertial compensators strain as the last salvo left Bittern’s launchers. Six thousand and ninety-six missiles were on their way to test the Geejay defences. She shook her head at the fire plan. It was a shot in the dark. Akhtar had committed all the Fleet except Battle Groups Merlin and Sparrowhawk (which were to provide space superiority cover). There was everything from B class frigates to Type 42 class cruisers all with differing reload rates so after the first salvo there would be no nice time on target salvos. Akhtar was using over six thousand missiles, hoping to overwhelm the missile defences, hoping one wave will buy time for the next to reach its target. But Conway reckoned there wasn’t a snowball’s in hell chance as they were spread out in waves twenty-five to thirty seconds apart. Conway calculated the Geejays interception probability as over 100%, ignoring such niceties such as crew quality.
14:09.
GJ 1123-A II.The first missile interceptions occurred 4.9 million kays from the planet when ninety-nine Stonebows died. Losses of missiles continued, rarely less than a hundred missiles were accounted for every five seconds. The first missile wave of twelve hundred and ninety-six missiles perished just over 1.3 million kays from the orbital forts, closer than expected. But it had taken just 2 minutes thirty-five seconds to dispose of it. The second wave of only six hundred and ninety-six died forty-three seconds later and just over half-a-million kays out. The waves of missiles lapped ever closer to the orbital forts, until the first sixteen hits were scored at 14:12:33, then at 14:12:53 the first real success was scored and one of the anti-missile missile forts exploded raining debris onto the planet below while two other anti-missile missile forts were streaming atmosphere through their bent and buckled armour as several dozen Stonebows made it through the curtain of defences.
14:13:23.
GJ 1123-A II.Another wave broke over the forts; another twenty-four missiles impacted one of the AMM forts. Interceptions had dropped to fifty or sixty per five seconds. Even so point defence fire took down hundreds of missiles and it was thirty seconds before any more hits on the missile forts were scored. The missile waves were now ragged, spread by ten or fifteen seconds, rarely coinciding. But that no longer mattered.
14:16:53.
GJ 1123-A II.Seventy-two Stonebow missiles made it past all defence fire to hit the three remaining missile forts. A new constellation appeared briefly in the night sky of the Geejay home world. More meteors carved bright paths to the planets surface.
Bridge, FH Bittern.Conway stared at her display open-mouthed, two more of the orbital missile forts had exploded, and there were still several waves inbound, although these were smaller waves. What had seemed like a pointless task however was proving more successful that could ever have been hoped for. An obsolete missile designed for the previous war was proving to be the downfall of the Geejay home world defences.
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.Akhtar studied the holotank, he watched as the Geejay defences came apart. As the three Geejay orbital forts rained wreckage onto the planet below he knew he had won, nothing the Geejays had could stop him now. The back of the Geejay defences had been broken.
14:13:58.
GJ 1123-A II.Another new constellation of stars came briefly into existence above GJ 11213-A II; one hundred and eight Stonebows robbed of their target began to hunt for something else to destroy and now targeted two of the Boreum Planum laser bases. The armour on one failed completely and it added to the carnage on the planetary surface below, the other was leaking atmosphere by the time sensors cleared. The Geejay defences were failing and tottering. Missile interceptions by the remaining AMM fort had fallen to under twenty every five seconds. Over the next minute more Stonebows penetrated the Geejay defences, gouging armour from orbital bases with spears of thermonuclear fire.
14:14:58.
GJ 1123-A II.Sixty-eight Stonebows achieved planetary orbit. Four eight-kiloton explosions marked the end of the last of the AMM bases. In addition another Borum Planum laser fort shattered under the seemingly relentless onslaught.
14:15:18.
GJ 1123-A II.Only the four missile bases had been targeted so all the Stonebow missiles were on their own internal target acquisition. While the laser forts caused great destruction amongst the missiles looking for something new to kill there were just too many to stop completely.
14:15:43.
GJ 1123-A II.Two more bases fell burning out of orbit, streaking into the atmosphere, large chunks of molten armour turned into meteors bright enough to light up the daylight sky of the planet below. The remaining laser forts were little more than porous wrecks, air leaked from great gashes in their hulls. As point defence fire began to slacken, more missiles survived to select an ever diminishing number of targets.
14:16:03.
GJ 1123-A II.Three of the four surviving laser bases came apart at the seams as over two hundred missiles homed in on their weak thermal sources. Focused tri-Cobalt plasma lances cut deep into their inner compartments, structural integrity weaken beyond endurance the forts broke up to add to the devastation, joining the storm of debris falling onto the planet.
14:16:23
GJ 1123-A II and Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.Twelve eight-kiloton detonations marked the end of the last orbital laser fort. Akhtar looked up from the holotank He had committed over six thousand missiles to the attack, but didn’t for a minute think he would achieve such an overwhelming result. He could see large chunks of the orbital bases crash onto the planet below, creating dust shrouded craters or worse, tsunamis from ocean impacts. As the last orbital fort died there were still over six hundred missiles seeking targets.
Akhtar slowly looked across the flag bridge at Lieutenant Storch “Send my compliments to General Read and inform him he may begin landing operations at his pleasure. Stacey signal Battle Groups Marauder, Corsair, Cobra, Copperhead, Europe, Pacific and Viper to occupy the high orbits around GJ 1123-A II. Release the three Patrol Squadrons to return to Earth to rearm. Delbert cancel that requisition for Condor missiles we no longer need them, also enquire what missile stocks the Fleet has left. I will join Commodore Colleran on the Corsair until the planet is secured.”
“Aye aye Marshal” came the jubilant replies, but there were a few quite sighs and groans. Akhtar’s staff knew they would be expected to transfer with him and Battle Group Corsair had its own flag officer. It would be a tight fit in the Corsair’s flag accommodation!
Thirty minutes later Lieutenant Kitten came back with the figures, “Marshal. The Fleet missile stocks are one thousand four hundred and ninety-two Snark Mk IIIs, nine Stonebows,mostly Mk Is and approximately thirty-eight thousand Scorpion interceptors of various marks sir.”
Akhar thought out loud “well we can’t use the Snarks just in case, and the nine Stonebows won’t be enough, so that leaves the Scorpions, we appear to have enough of them.”
“Pardon Marshal?”
“Nothing, nothing.”
Lieutenant Bostrom broke in, “Marshal, lasers will do, the atmosphere is only 0.66 atmospheres sir.”
Akhtar looked embarrassed. “Oh, of course, thank you Liam.”
A shoal of hundreds of hungry missiles hunted for prey around the planet. But the orbital shipyards were the only thing left in orbit of the Geejay home world, and they were stone cold, not a thermal source evident anywhere.
19:16
Observation Port, CC452 Corsair.As the Corsair slid into orbit around GJ 1123-A II Akhtar looked out of the small observation port and down on the now dust shrouded world which had caused the Earth Gov so much trouble and 37 million colonists their lives. He could see the ship’s shields spark as they encountered debris from the fallen orbital forts.
9th August 2082
Planning Room, Flag Accommodation, CC452 Corsair.The planning room was crowded; two flag officers’ staffs were jammed into it. The discussion was the recent assault on the Geejay orbital defences.
“What I don’t understand is why the missile strike succeeded?” queried Commodore Colleran.
“If I may Marshal? I think I can answer that.” Interjected Lieutenant Bostrom
“Go ahead Liam” murmured Akhtar.
“The handhelds recovered from recent POWs who survived the attack on the orbital forts provided us with some interesting intelligence Commodore; this included full specs on their Bahaina anti-missile missile. It’s slightly faster than our Scorpion Mk I at 108,000 kps, has a range of 106.92 million kays and a one-kiloton warhead, but a manoeuvre rating of only 16 compared to the latest marque of Scorpion’s 49. Thus its base probability of intercepting a Stonebow is only 48% compared to the Scorpion’s 119-128%. So we over estimated the logic of the Geejays because they are so far ahead of us in other techs like propulsion. They appear to put great store in a very long range, but it really compromised their ability to intercept our missiles.”
“Thank you Liam, it would have helped to know that before I ordered the attack” noted Akhtar.
A chorus of chuckles ran round the room.
10th August 2082
01:48
Flag Bridge, CC451 Marauder.Alarms blared throughout the Fleet. On the Marauder’s flag bridge Commodore Rutan was paralysed with shock at her console.
“Commodore, thirteen frigate-sized vessels have broken away from the orbital ‘Yards, what do you want me to do?”
All Rutan could think of was she wouldn’t take responsibility for this debacle, “Wake the Marshal and sound Fleet action stations!”
Flag Officer’s Quarters, CC452 Corsair.Akhtar’s comm chimed urgently, although it could hardly be heard above the clamour of the ships klaxon turning out the crew to action stations. Akhtar sat on the edge of his bunk struggling into his pressure suit under the illumination of the emergency lighting. He activated his comm set while muting the alarm. “Akhtar here”
“Lieutenant Steele, alterday watch, duty comms sir. Commodore Rutan sends her regards. Thirteen frigate-sized vessels are accelerating away from the ‘Yards sir.”
“I see, any ID”
“Acceleration profile matches that of the Stellar Wrath class, as does mass.”
“any incoming?”
“No Marshal.”
“Active sensors?”
“No Marshal.”
“Then I suggest they are Stellar Wrath class, and the fleet can stand down. That class has shown no inclination to hurt us and I doubt they will now.”
“Aye, aye Marshal.”
A minute later the klaxons aboard the Corsair ceased into blessed silence and Akhtar could resume his interrupted sleep, dreaming of ways to promote Colleran.
11th August 2082.
17:08
Flag Bridge, CC452 Corsair.“Marshal, signal from General Read, landings and preparations for the attack completed, he will begin his assault at dawn of the planetary day cycle which is in 30 minutes, after you have eliminated all Geejay troop concentrations.”
“Thank you Meinhard, Stacey transmit the orders for operation Agni to Battle Groups Copperhead, Viper, Whirlwind, Marauder and Corsair. Start time is 17:10 GMT”
“Aye, aye sir.”
Cyclones of superheated air rushed out of the columns of superheated air created by sixty-two laser strikes every five seconds, mostly X-ray, burning into Geejay troop concentrations and bases. Thermal blooming and turbulence reduced but could not stop the dreadful beams. The bombardment continued for two minutes five seconds. The very ground became molten, liquid rock spraying out of ground zero impact sites. Lightning storms played around the beam strikes as the ionised air sought to discharge itself. Fire storms raged across whole regions of the planet, significant quantities of dust were lofted high up into the stratosphere. Dawn was abruptly transitioned back to night as the early sunrise was blotted out by the dust cloud. The temperature began to drop catastrophically. The glowing craters outposts of warmth that were rapidly fading.
17:38.
GJ 1123-A II.The Earth Gov troops moved out of their landing zones, into a dark forbidding landscape that stank of ozone, lightning still flickered in the dust filled sky. The only opposition were shell shocked civilians. The entire military infrastructure had been vaporised. Unfortunately it was intimately interconnected with the civilian infrastructure and large portions of that had been vaporised along with the military. There was no organised resistance but there was still an insurmountable problem!
Aftermath
15th August 2082
03:06
Flag Bridge, CC451 Marauder.“Status change” rang the now unfamiliar call across the Marauder’s flag bridge.
“Yes, Martine” inquired Rutan sharply.
“Two large vessels leaving the ‘Yard Commodore. Thirty-one thousand one hundred and fifty tons, velocity 4815 kps, no active sensors, no incoming, profile fits Tikhonravov class Commodore.”
“Acknowledged Martine. Alexandra stand the Fleet down, tentative ID is that it is not a warship.”
“Aye aye Commodore, they are now designated Bogie 14.”
06:30
Army HQ, GJ 1123-A II.General Read was frozen; he also had a thumping headache. Army prefabs were good but they hadn’t counted on -38.6
oC. He had a headache for two reasons. One was the whisky he had drunk last night; the other was the reason why he had over indulged last night. How do you govern a population you cannot communicate with! There were possibly thousands of incidents every day, hundreds of civilians killed by nervous troopers who only knew to respond with deadly force. The casualties were not all one-sided but on the whole the Geejay civilians just ignored his soldiers. How could he impose Earth Gov rule if the civilian population were totally uncooperative? He had been totally unable to start humanitarian relief for the Geejays own benefit. He needed more troops. As luck would have it another three divisions were enroute, two would arrive in a little more than twelve days.
23rd August 2082
GJ 1123-A II.Two Geejay mining colonies were located on the third and sixth moons of GJ 1123-CI. The 4th Assault Division enroute to the Geejay home world was directed to subdue them.
7th September 2082
GJ 1123-A II.Sufficient Earth Gov ground forces were finally available to occupy all strategic locations and take effective control of the planet. One hundred and six freighters, one hundred and two colony ships, thirty-five terraformers and two jump gate construction ships entered orbit of GJ1123-A II and were abandoned by their crews.
10th September 2082
06:30
Army HQ, GJ 1123-A II.General Read woke once more to a morning barely different from midnight; he was again cold to the bone with a thumping headache, evidence of overindulgence in strong spirits the previous night. He now commanded what should be sufficient forces to impose his will on the defeated Geejay population. But the civilian population still would not submit to his writ. Incidents were if anything rising. It was proving impossible to govern this now unresisting but totally uncommunicative population. How do you rule a population you have no way of talking too? Your only sanction violence! His men could not even locate the war criminals that started the war so as to arrest them. He had seized what were obviously government buildings along with the sinews of war, the ordnance factories, maintenance facilities, naval academies, fuel refineries and dumps and the shipyards. Then he had moved on to the construction factories, mines, and research complexes and in doing so had gained enormous amounts of data that advanced Earth Gov technical abilities by decades, especially in power, propulsion and fuel efficiency. But as soon as he appropriated an installation the Geejays abandoned it and never returned.
He was thoroughly sick of this posting, his dream of the all conquering hero nothing but ashes. It wasn’t as if the Geejays attacked his soldiers, they just completely ignored them. If an armoured vehicle was in their way they would go round it or if that wasn’t possible just wait for it to move, for days if necessary. They certainly wouldn’t get out of the way if an armoured vehicle was coming up behind them; the Geejays just ignored it as though it did not exist. After the first few incidents it was found that just running over them was not an option. All Geejays appeared to have some degree of augmentation. Some of those augmentations could be lethal even to an armoured vehicle.
There was never any hint of recognition let alone communication. This was passive resistance taken to the extreme. He was at the end of his tether. Couldn’t the Geejays understand they were finished; Earth controlled the star system and the planet, but they just would not submit.
At about 08:00 his adjutant came in “General there are reports the civilian population is on the move. They appear to be heading for the stadium at the centre of each city, and its happening in every city and town across the planet!”
“Are they armed?”
“Not anymore than usual sir, but the movement started at precisely the same time in every population centre, those in outlying areas starting to move first then the rest, it’s very orderly but weird, very weird.”
“Are they still ignoring our soldiers?”
“Yes sir, that hasn’t changed one little bit.”
“OK, put the troops on alert, just in case the Geejays are up to something and keep a watching brief and notify Marshal Akhtar in case we require Fleet support.”
“Yes sir, will do.”
At that the adjutant left leaving Read to ponder just what the Geejays were up to.
12th August 2082
10:30
Flag Bridge, CC453 Sparrowhawk.“Status Change!” broke the industrious silence on the flag bridge of the command cruise Sparrowhawk. The staff had been grateful when they were able to return to their own comfortable quarters, rather than roughing it on the Corsair.
“What have you got Stacy?
“Bogie 3 and Bogie 13 changed heading towards GJ 1123-AII, Marshal.”
“Well we believe they are harmless, so unless they are going to ram us they are still harmless. Have the Fleet stand to, but only fire if they attempt to ram or take any other offensive action.”
“Aye aye Marshal.”
Just over twelve and a half hours later the forty-one Stellar Wrath class ships entered orbit of the Geejay home world without incident. The crews immediately disembarked and the ships joined the ghost fleet orbiting GJ 1123-A II. On reaching the surface the crews went immediately to the nearest stadium, totally ignoring the presence of Terran troops. Marshal Akhtar spent an interesting hour or two inspecting the vessels which had once caused him so much needless concern.
13th August 2082
10:15.
GJ 1123-A II.Almost twenty-four hours later a great noise was heard from all the stadia across the planet at exactly the same time. Then all was quiet, deathly quiet. It was some hours after the commotion that any of the occupying troops thought to intrude upon the alien conclave.
12:45
Army HQ, GJ 1123-A II.The Adjutant entered General Read’s headquarters, interrupting the Read's lunch. “General, reports are coming in that something terrible has happened to the Geejays in the stadia, they are dead!” He announced in a strangled voice.
“What, all of them?” Read exclaimed his face paled visibly.
“Yes sir. Every stadia inspected so far has only dead Geejays in them, none remain alive.”
“You’re sure? All eight-and-a-half billion of them? What did they die of? What about the rest of the cities outside the stadia? Is it biological warfare?”
“We have yet to find a living Geejay anywhere on the planet sir. Autopsies have yet to be performed. There is no evidence of any agent sir.”
General Read took his head in his hands, his lunch forgotten.
On the conquered Geejay colony world of Luyten 143-23 the same act was played out at exactly the same time. The event extended to the crew of the battle cruisers trapped in LHS 292 appeared to have died at exactly that time. Even POWs on Earth and Monument died, as far as anyone could ascertain at exactly the same time. It was as though the Geejays had decided to remove themselves from the Universe and gone about it with a fanatical efficiency.
20th September 2082
Planetary surface, GJ 1123-A II.Commander Laura Conway stood in the middle of the street on what had been the Geejays home planet. A charnel house reek filled her nostrils. Although it was midday it was difficult to pick out the sun in the dust-shrouded sky. Fortunately the streetlights were still burning and in their light she could see the building two blocks down had been devastated by low-orbit laser fire, it had been a communications centre. The ruin was almost picturesque, its gaunt broken walls covered in a blanket of fresh snow.
There was a rumbling noise as a low loader with another pile of frozen bodies passed her. At the end of the street a park was being turned into a mass grave as the authorities tried to cope with eight-and-a-half billion corpses. In a way the freezing conditions helped, preserving the cadavers until they could be dealt with. Conway turned back to the ATV she had borrowed from the local depot. Her heated breathing mask emitted a stream of vapour as her breath rapidly condensed in the freezing atmosphere. She had already heard her crew refer to the planet as Mausoleum; they thought it was a fitting adjunct to Monument. Having stood on two worlds destroyed by war she could only despair at the futility. She was glad her Battle Group was returning to Earth, but sad in that they were heading for the scrap yard. Still shouldn’t be too long before the new frigates came off the production lines.
Conway climbed into the ATV, her bulky environment suit catching on the door momentarily as she slid into the driving seat. Starting up she headed out of the city away from the smoking pyres burning close to the stadium in the city centre and out into the park-like countryside. Headlights picked out frozen pseudo-trees and bushes dotted amidst the landscape of snow covered gently rolling hills. Most of the wildlife in the temperate zone, if there had been much to start with, were finding conditions hard going. But she could see a section of soldiers turned farmers under floodlights dropping forage out the back of an amphibious truck for the pseudo-sheep suffering in the subzero temperature. Two or three six-legged bodies lay stiffly outstretched in the field. Conway had heard from the more adventurous in her crew that they were good eating and the planet was just a big deep freeze for their delectation.
21st September 2082.
Bridge, FH Bittern.Laura Conway entered the familiarity of her bridge for her final cruise in the Bittern, to Earth and the scrap yard. There would be a lot of beached commanders after this show, she wondered if she could get another command?
“Good shore-side Skipper? See the sights?” asked Jones her Weapons officer and also her Exec.
“I guess it was better than Prospect Colony, but not much. I won’t be sorry to leave.”
“Ready when you are Skipper.”
“Comms, transmit sailing orders to the Battle Group, arrowhead formation.”
“Signal sent Sipper”
“Mr Jones, take us out of orbit”
“Aye aye Skipper.”
The Bittern in company with the Battle Group Pacific left orbit of GJ 1123-A II.
22nd September 2082
GJ 1123-A II.Commander Conway did not know how fortunate she was not to prolong her visit to the Geejay home world. The temperature had risen to -38.27
oC, but the prolonged freezing conditions had finally frozen the surface of the oceans increasing the albedo and the temperature plummeted to -68.9
oC, locking the planet into a new ice age.
GJ 1123-C I Moon 6 and Moon 3.On the same day troops moved into occupy the two mining colonies on the moons of the gas giant GJ 1123-C I. They found no living soul. They were automated operations but even the few supervisors were deceased. Initial indications were the operatives died at the same time as the rest of their race.
28th September 2082
Mausoleum, GJ 1123-A IIIn the early hours of the morning 4.9 million cryogenically suspended colonists arrived to take possession of their new deep freeze home. There was adequate arctic accommodation for them but the planetary biosphere would have to be virtually rebuilt. They had an already heavily industrialised planet with 7259 construction factories, 10,212 mines, 732 automines, 1824 ordnance factories, 3043 fuel refineries, 415 maintenance facilities, 302 R&D complexes, 5 deep space tracking station, 23 military academies, 60 ground force training facilities and 61 shipyards, 33 commercial, 28 naval with 151 slips between them. Too be sure much of this largess would be distributed to other colonies, but it would take decades to make much of a dent in this stockpile.