Aurora 4x

Fiction => Starfire => Topic started by: procyon on January 10, 2010, 03:28:12 AM

Title: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 10, 2010, 03:28:12 AM
This campaign was something I put together for my wife, oldest son, oldest daughter, and middle son.  It was based on slightly modified Starfire Ultra rules as the oldest boy had just gotten them and wanted to try them out.  It is currently on turn 91.  This is part of the opening of it that was considered to be part of the pre-turn 1 game.  We decided to game out some of the background to get used to the rules.  If folks are interested in reading it I will try to write up the old turns as I get the chance.

As background, it is based on Earth with the pre turn part taking place in the final months of 2202.  Earth is divided into three major power blocks. The Pan European Consortium (my wife) which includes all of Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East is the first.  The second is the United States Space Association and Holdings (my oldest son) which includes all of North America, Brazil, and Japan.  The last major power is the Chinese Socialist Republic (my middle son) comprising most of eastern Aisa and the south Pacific.  A last power of only about half the economic influence of the others is the South Seas Free Space Consortium (my oldest daughter) which includes some of South America, Southern Africa, India, and Australia.

There are colonies on Mercury (Pan Euro), the moon (Pan Euro), Mars (US Space), Ceres (O2m in the AB - China), and small colonies scattered in the asteriod belt for the Pan Euro and US Space.  

The drive in use is the charged particle drive, which is a reaction drive and can only change speed by one per round - and has a safe cruising speed of one.  The weapons available are sprint missiles (only China), 'long range' missiles, and lasers.  The Pan Euro is EL1, the others are all Ind2.  China is SL2 in construction, US Space is SL1 in Electronics and SL2 in Lasers.  Warp points are unknown with science instruments only for planetary survey.  Missiles can be used in a "conventional" sense or nuclear, which will be revealed in the stories.  Conventional use scored normal damage vs the non drive field Cp drive, while nukes score the x3 damage of ultra vs non drive field targets.

Prior to the beginning of the game no colonization beyond the asteriod belt was allowed per the Treaty of L2 in 2153.  All space born weapon use was forbidden withing 15LS of Earth (the Pax Terra), and each major power block was allowed 2 armed ground installation on earth.  No other space borne weapon use was to be allowed within 5LS of any other habitat although space stations were permitted to be armed within that radius for protection of the population against any violations of the treaty.  Civilian smuggling and piracy is not unknown (although it is usually funded by one of the power blocks).

With the beginning of 2203, the Treaty of L2 will lapse and the battle for the outer system will begin.  All the power blocks know that four of Jupiter's moons are colonizable - with Calisto being particularly so as it is outside of the radiation belts (considered a mT).  In Jupiter's orbit, at its lagrange points, are also the Trojan's - a second asteroid belt of thinner composition but valuable none the less.  Everyone is well aware that control of the Jovian orbit is the gateway to the outer system....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: ZimRathbone on January 10, 2010, 05:19:33 PM
Interesting startup - I'd certainly like to see the turn reports
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 12, 2010, 04:19:34 AM
Having a slight problem at the moment.  It logs me off faster than I can type in the info.  Maybe five minutes at best. Not sure how to attach a file or to get around this.  Suggestions???
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: Hawkeye on January 12, 2010, 10:25:36 AM
Well, I usually type longer posts in notepad and copy/paste them into the text window. Not sure this will work for an AAR or story though as there will probably be some editing to do.
Also, if this is due to the line being cut (my router will disconnect me if there is no traffic for 30 seconds, I have a download manager running at the slowest speed setting DLing a file, I uploaded to rapidshare, just to keep the connection (yes I know, I could reconfiger the router, but I am one laaaazy guy :)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: Erik L on January 12, 2010, 12:10:38 PM
This is a test post.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: Erik L on January 12, 2010, 12:12:33 PM
Posted on behalf of Procyon.

   Commodore Brenna Muldoon sat back and reveiwed the duty log and sensor reports.  Patrols in the Pan Euro section of the asteroid belt were generally an exercise in monotony.  Once in a great while a smuggler mining in a restricted section was found.  Nothing more. She turned off her monitor and looked around.   Brenna knew that her presence on the Heavy Escort Tatianna was making it's Captain,  Keely Sereg nervous.  Perhaps an inspection was in order.  She hadn't been out of her chair for six hours now and a little activity might be just what the day needed.
   No sooner had the magnets of her boots snapped onto the floor than the command deck was bathed in red light.  Her monitor sprang to life in a dozen flashing colors.  There was no siren, no loud alarm.  The deck was in vacuum, as always.  But her comm channel repeated in a metalic, sterile voice"... New Contact...New Contact..."
Activating the section of her monitor she took in what the sensor con anounced to the ship.  "Three new contacts.  Chinese Strike Vessel times one, Convoy Escorts time two.  Bearing two four zero degrees at ascencion plus three two degrees at four point five light seconds.  Current speed two three zero zero k - m - h.  Zero delta vee. Course zero zero 5 dergrees at one one dergees ascencion."
   Brenna's comm lit up with a message from the captain's chair.  She knew what it would be even before she openned the channel.  "Commodore Muldoon, they have no business out here, but I have no authority to engage Chinese military vessels without authorization.  That is going to take almost half an hour to get, at best."
   Brenna thought about what it was that had brought her into the combat space service so long ago.  It had been an accident.  She had been paralysed.  Her life would have consisted of being fed through a tube, breathing with a tube, and cleaned by aids and family. And it would have been a short life at best.  The combat space service was the only place to get a full cyborg conversion.  Only her brain and a few remnants of her nervous system remained.  Even those were meshed through with thousands of monomolecular strands. But so was all of the crew.  That was 52 years ago...
   Brenna keyed her comm.  "Intel says that Chinese sensor arrays don't have the range of ours.  I think if they knew we were here they would be doing something.  But I don't want any suprises.  Bring us to battle stations.  Lets coast for another 60 seconds just to make sure they can't see us.  Then engage the drives and bring us around behind them.  We'll see what they want out here."
   Brenna locked herself into her station as Captain Sereg announced battle stations.  She watched as the crew quickly locked themselves into their stations and waited for the green light on her monitor to show.  The drive would not engage until the stations were all locked or the captain overrode the lock. A crew member not locked into their station would become a dangerous projectile when the drive engaged.  A potentially ship killing projectile.
   Brenna tried to prepare for when the drive engaged.  She had never gotten used to it in all her years of service.  She wasn't sure that anyone could.  She could feel the hum of the particle accelerators warming up.  Shortly they would fire streams of hydrogen atoms at nearly the speed of light.  Those streams would converge at 90 dergee angles at a single point.  The same point two dozen small chemical lasers were all focused on.  And then that point would become a fair approximation of hell.
   The 3rd Battle Group was all based around the same basic materials and design.  The Heavy Escort Tatianna boasted heavier plating and baffles to protect her than the Attack Escorts Catherine and Isabelle that accompanied her.  But that was pretty much all that was different.  They were all composed of monomolecular chains formed into composites that all had one thing in common.  They were designed to withstand the fury of a nuclear explosion. But only on one vector.  And just barely. Baffles and shunts could create a small amount of manuverability, but miniscule.  What it could do was shunt a great deal of thrust forward or backward per se, braking or increasing the ships speed in the one vector that could stand the stress.
   The acceleration against the solar wind caused a static charge that was turned into a magnetic field that was used to reduce the felt acceleration of the cyborg bodies to less than one percent of the hulls acceleration.  This was still almost 1000 G's.  No human body could withstand combat acceleration.  Any lose material would become a bullet punching through anything in its path.  Even an atmosphere in the ship would be crushed and compressed to the rear of the compartments.  Even if the hull could withstand the compressed air, it would shatter when the drive cut out and it explosively re-expanded.  No. This was no place for any normal person.
   That same static charge limited the ships maximum speed.  Anything much greater and the dynamic forces and static charge would overload the ships' abilities to withstand it.  Accelerators could be red lined for brief moments to achieve a small amount of extra thrust and speed, but only for a short time.
   The drive engaged.  Brenna's vision greyed as the acceleration started. Even with the monomolecular mesh her brain still was affected by the stress.  Then a blue halo ringed the outside of her vision.  She had been told that it was the effect of the magnetic field used to counter the acceleration.  It interacted with the brains own electronic fields, the two crossing at right angles or some such thing. "Still a nusance." she thought to herself.  Then it stopped as the drive cut out.  Manuvering thrusters fired, changing the ships attitude.  Then the drive engaged again.  Twice more this cycle went on.  Finally the drive cut out and the sensor con announced it had reaquired the contacts, dead ahead.  "Closing at one zero thousand k - m - h.  Distance to contact, four point five light seconds and closing."
   Brenna keyed the comm officer.  "Broadcast to contact this.  Identify vessels and reason for presence in Pan Euro sector.  Do not change heading.  Initiate braking at this time.  Any other action will be considered as hostile."  Repeat back to me all before sending.  The comm officer verified the message and broadcast it.  Brenna thought that ever since the accident she had been living on borrowed time.  Although her three escorts outsized the small convoy escorts, the strike vessel was much larger than any ship she had there.  Perhaps her time was up today. They would know quickly enough.

   Onboard the Chinese Attack Frigate Jiang, Captain Thich Hanh sat bolt upright.  "Give me a bearing on that signal.  Where are they dammit !  All crew, all ships, battle stations.  Prepare ships to engage drives as soon as possible."  Worrying about where they had come from and how they had found them was a problem for later, if they survived.  Captain Hanh knew that they must not find out why they were here, or where they were going.  Even if it meant losing the three ships under his command, and his life.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 13, 2010, 06:26:09 AM
October 17th 2202 (part 2)

   Commodore Brenna Muldoon waited impatiently.  It would take the Chinese ships a few moments to get their crews locked in before they could activate the drives.  But during this time she was beginning to close the distance between them.  In a few moments she would enter the range envelope of her battle group's missile.  Probably the Chinese missiles also.  And with the drives on the Chinese ships down, they would be able to deploy their missiles without worrying about the drive bloom of the engines.  And the crews wouldn't have to be locked down to launch.
   "All ships Battle Group Three.  Sensor Conn establish radar and lidar locks.  Weapons Conn, plot firing solutions for all targets.  Priority of fire to Chinese Convoy Escorts."  It still amazed her how her voice sounded the same after all these years.  Synthesized from a variety of recordings from before her accident, it would always sound the same.  Sterile and emotionless.  Anything but how she felt right now.  If the Chinese turned out to be hostile, she would have to take out the Strike Vessel's Escorts quickly.  If they were gone she might have a chance.  They were smaller, with less protection.  Intel said the Strike Vessels plating and stand-off baffles would soak at least one of her missiles with the primary and secondary safeties released.  Maybe two of them.  And she was sure it packed a lot more firepower than her vessels.
   Suddenly the sensor officer hit the override comm.  "Aspect change on all three contacts.  Nuclear drive bloom times three."
   Brenna cut him off.  'All ships, primary missile safety release.  Target contact designated Escort two.  Deploy now."  It was done.  The Chinese were not going to stop.  They had cleared their drive blooms so they would be able to fire.  It was going to take them a few minutes to come up to combat speeds,  and that would give her battle group an edge.  The question was would it be enough.
   The Tatianna barely shuddered as the single missile deployed from its launcher.  It would drift a second on its manuver thrusters before engaging its drive.  A smaller version of the ships' drive, it was run by batteries instead of a small fusion reactor like the ships' were.  Just enough to get it started.  The static generated against the solar wind would power the lasers and particle accelerators for the rest of the journey.  With no crew it had no need for the magnetic dampening system. It would also take the locomotive sized weapon and drive it to a speed of nearly 50,000 kilometer per second in the space of only 10 seconds.  Almost a quarter of light speed.  As it neared its target it would arm.  With the primary safeties released it would simply use its manuver thrusters to spin, and then would break up as it reached intercept.  Inside the missile were 10,000 metal cylinders, each about 50mm across and half that thick.  They would spread over space due to the spin of the missile and cover an area several kilometers wide.  It was like a giant shotgun.  The hope was that some of those cylinders would make impact with the target.  Mis-timing the intercept by a few thousandths of a second was all it took to miss.
   Brenna heard Captain Keely Sereg on the comm.  "Helm, attitude change.  Bring our bearing about to match the Chinese ships.  Engage drive.  Match speed.  Don't let them close."  Brenna keyed the comm.  "All ships. Change bearings to match Tatianna."  She was glad the captain was covering all the bases.  She might have to keep an eye on her if this actually flared up into a shooting war.
   
   Captain Thich Hanh listened as the sensor officer reported.  The Pan Euro vessels had closed within his sensor envelope, but not his weapons range.  The short range missiles of the escorts and frigate could not reach them.  Neither could the heavy laser mounted on the frigate.  He had begun manuvers to correct that, but the Euro vessels were already at battle speed, and just as manuverable as his ships.  And now the Euro vessels had launched on him.  
   "Indicate as target the Nan King captain."  Thich began to worry.  The Jiang could take some of the pounding those missiles would inflict, but the escorts were little better than trash cans with firepower.  The missiles they carried delivered several times the payload of a Pan Euro missile, but had a much shorter range.  The ships though were little more than a launcher with a drive system and crew.  The one set of stand off baffles would not save them.

   In the darkness of space three missiles completed their final spins and released their payloads.  Thousands of metal disk rocketed through the void.  As did the Chinese Convoy Escort Nan King.  Then one of the disk made contact with the ship.  The velocity of its impact instantly turned the cylinder and the plating it struck into a jet of super heated gas and molten metals.  The violent impact and expansion of the gas shattered plating and pressurized the baffle.  The second disk struck the forward section crushing more high pressure gases into the space.  The hull cracked and the forward maintenance hold was filled with the searing gases and molten fragments.  Then a third disk hit.  Plating ruptured across the ship and the cabin space ruptured.  Flames with the heat of a star scorched controls and crew alike.  The Nan King's drive automatically started an interupt cycle to prevent the ship's destruction, while the onboard computers released a torrent of compressed argon to vent any debris from the ship.  
   Thich listened as the reports came back.  The Nan King was venting and her drive had re-engaged.  Auxillary Weapons Conn was responding and the launcher was undamaged.
   But they would never survive another volley, and it was a long way to close to effective range.  But maybe he could draw them in close enough for the escorts to start the battle. He keyed the comm and issued the orders.

   Brenna listened as the Sensor Officer reported in. "Escort two venting.  Drive bloom still present.  Wait.. Target aspect change.  Strike Vessel vectoring away and accelerating.  Convoy Escorts times two coming about on intercept course and accelerating."  The Chinese commander was hedging his bets.  If they pursued the larger ship, they would be forced to close with the escorts.  The lack of return fire indicated that at the moment they either didn't have the range or the sensor resolution to fight back.  But if they closed that would change.  If they changed course to avoid the escorts the Strike Vessel would accelerate past sensor range and then cut its drives - disengaging and effectively disappearing.  "Continue fire on Escort two.  Course to maintain current range to the Strike Vessel. Prepare lasers on all ships and plot firing solutions."
   
   Captain Thich listened as the reports came back.  The Euro vessels were closing with the escorts.  They were continuing to launch on the crippled Nan King.  She would never survive to fire, but her sacrafice would allow the other escort to make it into range.  Its crew of 34 would perish without ever having fired a weapon. But his frigate wasn't going to be able to shake the Euro Escorts.  They were staying in their weapons range.

   "Convoy Escort Two shows loss of containment.  No drive bloom.  Escort One continues to close. Drive bloom on number one down.  Drive re-engaging.  Detection of new drive accelerating.  Sensors indicate missile inbound."  Brenna tried to brace herself, but it was fruitless.  She was already locked into place.  All she could do was wait.  

   The missile streaked across the depths of space with a speed that exceeded even the Euro missiles.  Over 75.000 kilometers a second.  But it wasn't going to release a hail of metal cylinders.  All the safeties had been removed.  As it approached intercept the particle accelerators released a torrent of hydrogen into the drive.  And the missile disappeared in a blast of light and heat that fueled a sun.  Even as the heat pulse radiated out the nearly plasma hot remains of the missile hurtled forward with the momentum the missile had imparted on them.  The heat pulse could buckle any plating, and the wave of super heated particles could rip apart a ships hull with pathetic ease.  But the timing was off.  The range had been to long and the tremendous speeds left little ability to correct any course errors.    And the Euro ships passed on unharmed by the missile's fury.

   Brenna would have breathed a sigh of releif if she could have.  But the battle wasn't over.  "All ships. All weapons target remaining escort. Primary safety release only.  Lasers full spread."  The Chinese had violated treaty by detonating the drive of the missile inside the asteroid belt, but she didn't want to have to answer for that offense.  Not yet at least.  The drive on the Tatianna stopped to allow the missiles to deploy and the laser optical cavities and output couplers to align.  The lasers engaged the que and fired as the ships coasted.  Not the small beams of a personal laser or manufacturing style, its beam was lensed to be almost a hundred yards across at the target range with full spread.  Powered by the fusion plant and set for a short pulse, it destroyed ships by rapidly heating the surface, flash expanding it and creating shock waves through the hull.  Not burning a hole in it.  Although with proper lensing that could be possible.  Just impractical for targetting a ship moving at combat speeds.  The missiles from the Euro ship struck even as the crippled Chinese Escort vented to try to deal with the debris of the laser impacts.  Only one cylinder struck home.  It was enough as the hull splintered and disappeared as the drive shield lost containment.
   "Now" Brenna thought, "just that big SOB to deal with."

   Captain Thich Hanh watched as the Escort Saigon was destroyed.  The Pan Euro ships were not showing any signs of damage, or of breaking off.  "We won't die running away.  Helm, bring us around and plot an intercept course for the Euro Heavy Escort."  He knew they would never reach them.  "Communication, transmit on narrow beam to Ceres station all information on engagement thus far.  Continue until unable."  They were going to die out here, but maybe those deaths would help save others when the treaty lapsed in only a few months.
   "Redline the drives.  Let see if we can close this gap."


   Chinese Fleet Admiral Hu sat in his office.  The space station had gravity in the ring, and his office was one of those privledged few to be located there.  He went over the information on the monitor again and again.  Three ships lost.  One a frigate.  No enemy losses or recorded damage.  If this had happened in a few months... but he dismissed that thought.  It wouldn't.  
   The other file showed that the base in the asteroid belt had successfully tested a long range deep space missile.  Equal in range to the European missiles used in the engagement.  Chinese sensors may be a little less precise, but we will be able to shoot back now.  The base had scuttled before the Europeans had been able to locate it.  Their would be no evidence.  And the Europeans would not risk a shooting war just before the treaty expired.  It was simply another incident in deep space. What was outside in the construction docks was more imporatant.
   Floating outside in slip two was a ship over twice the size of the Jiang.  With more long range missile tubes than an entire Euro Battle Group.  It had necessitated the Strike Vessels' redesignation to a Frigate.  The Cruiser Mao Tse Tsung would change the balance of power in the war that was to come.  And here at Venus, the Euro and US would have no warning of its existance.


Overview of the battle.
This was a rude suprise for my middle son when his ships were manuvered against and destroyed at ranges he could not respond.  He hoped that his more powerful weapons and larger ship would carry the day.  He immediately began a redesign of the frigates in light of this and replaced the lasers with missile launchers.  
My wife, the euro player, realized more quickly that with the reaction drives it was going to play out like an airplane dogfight.  Position and speed was going to be everything.  She got the advantage and never let go.


Ship designs
EURO
Heavy Escort Tatianna      CT   16HS
[2]A A A A H Mgs La Ra Qa (cpCp) [6/1]  salvos 18

Attack Escorts Catherine , Isabelle   ES   12HS
[2]A Hs Mgs La Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1] salvos 18

CHINESE
Attack Frigate Jiang      FG   22HS
[2]A A A A A A A Hs Qa (Cp) La Mgs Ga Ga Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Convoy Escorts Nan King , Saigon    EX   7HS
[2]A H Qa Ga (Cp) [6/1]
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 13, 2010, 06:28:51 AM
Thanks Hawkeye.  Copy and paste worked like a charm.  
My kids often remind me that I have only evolved a little past chisels and stone blocks....guess they might be right.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: mavikfelna on January 13, 2010, 01:41:57 PM
Nice. I think it's cool your family is all playing together and it looks like a an interesting campaign.

--Mav
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 16, 2010, 06:23:16 AM
December 4th, 2202

   Captain Jack Douglas sat and wondered how long they would keep up the pretense that the three US Space Interceptors were out here in the asteroid belt on a 'customs' patrol.  Everyone knew that after the "Chinese Incident", tensions were running high.  With the end of the L2 treaty in less than a month, hostilities were becoming a very real possibility.  Jack looked over the current event stories that the news services were carrying on his monitor.  Most of the Chinese space fleet had put into their ports for 'annual maintenance'.  More likely drawing full supplies and upgrades for extended combat in the outer system.  The Pan Euro had unveiled a new vessel, the 'Red October'.  It was supposedly as large as a Chinese Strike Vessel and had made its maiden voyage from Mercury to the asteroid belt in record time.  If the press was to be believed, it had gone faster than even his Interceptor, the JFK, could make the trip.  The fact that it met up with Pan Euro Battle Group 3 out here in the belt was just a little sideline.  If he had hair on the back of his neck, Jack was sure it would be tingling now.  He could feel the war looming ahead.
   But for the moment they were simply out here to monitor the traffic passing through the transfer stations in the US Space sector of the belt.  Other than a small lifter moving off into the belt, returning to its mining colony, nothing was on the sensors.  About a half dozen small craft or freighters made stops at each of the three transfer stations per day.  At least to make it look like a customs mission they had split up the three interceptors among the transfer stations. The JFK was in the middle at Transfer Station 2.  "Enjoy the boredom while you can, in a month we might very likely be dead."  The Comm Officer looked up from his station at Jack.  Jack shook his head and the Comm Officer just nodded, then turned around to continue monitoring radio traffic.  Guess it's not a secret to anyone.
   
   On board the 'redesignated' freighter Marie Celeste, Captain 'Dutchman' locked himself into his station.  The rest of his crew were doing the same.  A few thousand kilometers away the 'Mary Reed' would be doing the same thing.   A month ago they had been able to "acquire" a number of heavy lasers for use on combat ships.  Although the Free Spacers didn't officially maintain any military shipyards or construction facilities, there were other ways to get your hands on weapons for those who wanted them and were willing to pay the price. Now it was time to pay off the debt for the weapons.  The dealer who provided them and the facilities to install them had asked for a low price in cash, but had wanted to make sure that the US Space folks would be too busy watching their own backyards to be able to send off any ships in the next few months.  In particular, he wanted Transfer Station 2 to be unable to fulfil its duties of shipping supplies back to the core, or to the outer system, for the forseeable future.  "Bring us in at standard cruise.  Weapons ready, but I don't want any acitve targeting yet."  No sense looking like anything but a pair of freighters until the last second.  The US folks will figure it out as their station begins to break apart around them.

   "Captain Douglas, I'm tracking a pair of inbound freighters.  I've signaled for flight log numbers and vessel registry numbers, but what I'm getting back isn't listed on any of the logs."  The Sensor Officer had turned his chair around to look at the captain.  Their could be no expression on the metal face screens, but his posture gave away a certain uneasiness.  Captain Jack Douglas felt it too.  Everyone was being overly careful, doing everything by the numbers to avoid being blown out of space right now.  This didn't add up.  "Ship, this is Captain Douglas.  All crew to stations.  Lock for acceleration.  Warm up the capacitors of the main laser batteries."  
   "Captain Douglas, I have drive blooms on both freighters.  They are on a direct course for the Transfer Station. Current range of three point five light seconds, directly ahead."  
   Jack watched as the crew hurriedly tried to lock themselves into stations.  It was going to slow.  They had been scattered about the ship attending to dozens of tasks to pass the time.  In a few minutes this could all be over and they would never have pulled away from the station.  Let alone defended her.
   "Captain.  Laser batteries one and two reporting weapons ready."  Jack's monitor sprang to life with energy states and tracking information from the sensors.  Targeting solutions were already being laid in to the system.  "At least we won't go down without a fight."  The US Space Interceptors had the best laser technology hands down of any spacefaring power.  The Japanese had come up with adaptive lensing paired with a very high output medium.  The result was a weapon with over 30% greater range than any other in use.  If the ships coming in had missiles, they would have already fired.  Jack noticed that the light for 'all stations locked' was on even before engineering was able to report it.  "Engage drive, full power.  Fire on target designated contact two as soon as they are in range."

   The Marie Celeste shuddered as the drives shut off and the automatic venting cycle purged any loose debris from the forward holds.  The Dutchman watched as damage reports streamed across his screen.  The forward holds and bulkhead had sustained considerable damage.  "This isn't a warship.  She won't take a pounding like this for long" he thought to himself.  "Weapons, when will we be in range of that damned US ship."  No one had bothered mentioning that the US was garrisoning its transfer stations out here.  He had been forced to abandon guile and try to rush into weapons range before the US warship would be able to react.  That plan was already shot.  Now he needed to silence its weapons before they tore his converted freighter apart.
   "We will reach weapons range in thirthy seconds sir."  replied the midshipman.  

   "Bring us sixty degrees starboard, minus ten ascension."  They've already got a large advantage in velocity,  we cant't let them get in behind us and park there. Sensor Conn anounced urgently "Contacts one and two coming about.  Contact two dead astern. Contact one..." The report was cut off by the sudden drive cut out and purge cycle indicating the ship had been hit.  "Dampers overloaded.  Thermocoulplers and hull sensors show damage to hull plating and to all external baffles."  Weapons announced "Unable to target contact two, solution for contact one now online."  
   "Fire on contact one!"  Jack was cursing his luck.  His ship could outrun these hostiles, but they had already built up speed, and he had only started to accelerate.  He couldn't keep both out of the blindspot caused by his drive bloom.  Now he was unable to concentrate fire on the ship that was already damaged.  At least it had been obliged to keep its distance when it fired from behind them to avoid the heat and radiation pulse from the JFK's drive system.  Jack saw the readouts that contact one was stuttering its drive and venting in response to the JFK's laser fire, but the warning lights flashing across his monitor's screen as contact one returned fire horrified him.  But only for a moment as the cabin rutured and pieces of the hull rocketed through the command section.  His body was one more piece of debris vented by the automatic computer response.

   The Dutchman had to hand it to American ingenuity.  That ship had just taken a pounding that would have destroyed either the Marie Celeste or Mary Reed.  And its drive was still blazing away as it picked up speed.  They were going to have to turn around to finish the US ship off.  Their combined velocity had pulled them out of weapons range.  "Bring us about.  This isn't over.  Get me back in weapons range now."

   Chief Engineer Jack Ryan quickly tried to grasp everything on his monitor.  HE was now in command??  What the hell was happening?  These were supposed to be freighters!  Laser battery one was giving no readings but battery two looked to be functional.  He keyed the monitor prompt for computing a firing solution.  Only one target in range, contact two.  The other had carried to far beyond and was continuing on toward the base.  He keyed the firing prompt as he issued orders for the engineering section to continue full acceleration away from the contacts.

   Dutchman felt the Marie Celeste shudder as the US ship once again tore into her hull with its lasers. "I don't care what the reactor output says!  Get me in range!"  Damage readouts on the monitor showed that the Marie Celeste was being torn apart, but both of the lasers looked to be operational.  "Mary Reed, fry that station."  He knew he didn't need to give that order.  They would be looking for revenge after the raking their ship had taken.  "Time to make those Amercans pay for this!"

   Jack Ryan watched as contact two began to pull up on the JFK, and then felt the ship shake as the pulses of light shuddered her hull, vaporizing bits of its composites and explosively expanding others.  The last laser battery signaled the output coupler was off line.  That was it. The JFK was out of the fight.  But the drive still worked.  Somehow it was holding together.  They might make it out of here.  Checking what sensor readouts he could access Jack Ryan confirmed that most all of the small craft at the station were scattering in a dozen different directions.  At least they had bought enough time to let the crew of Transfer Station 2 escape.  The station itself was not likely to be so lucky.  Jack keyed in for redline acceleration on the drive.  "Lets see if a freighter hull can match this."  'Just please hold together' he thought to himself.

   Admiral Hu read the news reports that the US Transfer Station 2 had been destroyed by unknown terrorists, and that the culprits were going to be hunted to the fullest extent of US abilities and brought to justice.  "Good."  The US vessel JFK had survived, but only barely by the sound of it.  Selling the surplus lasers on the black market from the frigates refit had born unexpectedly good results.  "Very good" he thought to himself.  In a few months the Jovian systems will be securely in Chinese control.


Overview

Where the previous battle had been the pregame warm up for my wife and middle son,  This battle pitted my oldest son (US Space) against my oldest daughter (Free Spacers).   The oldest boy had thought he had an easy victory in store.  He was a little upset that his younger sister managed to beat him with worse ships and crews.  He didn't change his design strategy, but did decide that splitting up his ships was a bad idea.
My oldest girl was pleasantly suprised with her victory.  She had expected to be forced to break off and run away.  (She always sells herself short)

US SHIPS
Interceptor JFK         CT   16HS
[2]A A A H (MNE) Qa Lb Lb (cpCp) [6/1]


FREE SPACER SHIPS
Converted Freighters Marie Celeste , Mary Reed       FT2   16HS   both crews considered poor (shakedown cruise)
[2]H H H A H H La La Qa (Cp) [6/1]
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 19, 2010, 04:33:19 AM
January 2203 (turn 1), part 1

December 29th, 2202,  0800
   Fleet Admiral Hu reviewed the orders he had sent an hour ago.  Events seemed to be conspiring against him.  The Cruiser Mao Tse Tung would not be ready to leave for Jupiter, and the government ministers wanted the ship to remain at Venus for the next few months to shakedown and train the crew.  She was going to be needed out there at Jupiter!  Only a fool would tie her up for months here!
   Admiral Hu looked over the ship roster he had just ordered to begin the movement to Jupiter.  The Attack Frigates Hunan, Anhui, and Hubei would be the main combat ships.  The Convoy Escorts Canton and Jinan would accompany them, spaced out from the main body to alert them to any hostile contacts.  Also going would be the Armed Colony ships Manchuria and Korea.  They carried the same armament as the escorts but lacked their speed.  The science vessel Marco Polo would go to verify the previous moon surveys, and to carry extra munitions in its holds.  The most valuable asset was actually the newest ship, the Zhuang.  It was a smaller version of the shipworks here at Venus mounted into a hull larger than even the frigates.  The hull was more fragile, not having been designed for combat, but it would allow the Chinese to repair damaged ships without having to remove them from the combat zone.  That could be a valuable strategic advantage.
   Perhaps the most valuable thing was going on right now though.  The Euro and US were clamoring and pressuring for a continuance of the Pax Terra.  The Chinese wanted it also, but were not letting anyone else know that yet.  The other powers would hold their fleets in defense of their populations, and especially the earth so long as the danger of all out war remained.  The Chinese fleets would be leaving for Jupiter within the hour.  They should arrive there days before the other powers would even consider releasing their ships.  The Pan Euro ships with their longer engagement range had proved particularly troublesome, and with the Tung left at Venus, this advantage could prove disasterous.  But if our ships can arrive at Jupiter first, we might be able to force a battle at close quarters. And win...

January 2nd, 2203,  0637
   Admiral Jude Kushnir sat back in her station aboard the Heavy Interceptor Anastasia.  She wondered if promoting Commodore Brenna Muldoon to Rear Admiral and giving her command of 3rd Battle Group was the best choice.  She had handled herself well in the engagement against the Chinese a few months ago, and whoever commanded that group was going to end up fighting the Chinese again very soon.  But Brenna, for all her good qualities, had previously been assigned to Training Command Center for the space fleet.  Well educated, capable, and with decades of experience... but little actual command time on a war ship.
   'It will have to do.' she thought to herself.  There isn't enough time to replace her, or anyone else more qualified. 'And I can't leave Earth.'  Even though the various governments had reaffirmed the Pax Terra only hours before its expiration on New Years morning,  everyone Jude knew agreed that the best way to keep the peace was not to leave the space around earth unguarded.  That meant 1st Battle Group would have to stay here.  2nd Battle group was guarding the shipyards at Mercury and couldn't be spared from that location either.  Leaving the belt colonies unguarded after the incident in US Space was distasteful,  but regrettably necessary.  And now there was the complication with the civilian freight lines.  With the end of the L2 treaty and impending hostilities, the civilian freighters were refusing to pass the belt. Worse -they insisted on escorts when moving through the inner system.  Convoying the damned 'civy' freighters and detailing escorts had gutted the roster of spare vessels that should have been going to Jupiter with Brenna.  Three of the five armed exploration vessels were now doing time as convoy escorts, and the two Attack Escorts due to come out of the earth shipyards at the beginning of next month would have to be pushed into that role also.  What a waste.
   The one saving grace of all this might be the accord reached with the US.  With one of their six 'known' Interceptors down for the forseeable future for repairs,and their ability to move supplies beyond the belt crippled by the loss of the transfer station closest to Jupiter, they had reached an agreement.  The US would support the Euro with two of their remaining five operational Interceptors.  They would be attached to 3rd Battle Group under command of Rear Admiral Muldoon.  The US would also support the Euro claim to Jupiter and its moons for a share of the colonizable asteroids in the Trojan belt.  Maybe the Chinese would back down when they were faced with both US and Euro ships at Jupiter...  No, they wouldn't.
   'Brenna needs to come up with a crushing victory, something that will bring the Chinese to the table for a serious treaty negotiation.'  Jude thought.  'Because the only other thing that would force a negotiation is a crushing defeat for us.  Otherwise this whole situation will cripple all of our economies.  Maybe even spell the end of the human race if it spreads out of control.'
   Jude pushed the key to verify the transmission of the orders on her monitor.  Orders sending 3rd Battle Group to enforce the Pan Euro's claim to Jupiter and her moons.  It also authorized the release of all safeties on munitions and any force required to enforce the Pan Euro's claim to the Jovian system.
   She wondered if she would see her old friend Brenna again.

January 3rd, 1735
   Captain Jack Ryan closed the comm link to Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon.  'What am I doing here? All I did is run away from getting killed and they went and made me a hero! Now I've been promoted to captain and given the Interceptor Hamilton as MY ship!  And to make it even more surreal, the big boys at home have ordered me to take orders from from some limey brit and risk my life helping them claim a planet and moons for the Euro!'  Jack turned his chair in its station to look out over the command cabin. Nervous? Scared? Cocky?  It is hard to tell how the crew feels when they all wear metalic bodies and use synthesized voices.  They were all volunteers.  Volunteers without a choice.  A life as a cripple, or a terminal cancer patient, or some other horrible fate.  Who would turn down the opportunity to live for decades more if they could? If their was someone, it hadn't been him he thought.
   OK, down to business.  If I'm going to have to do this, I might as well try to do it right.  Jack keyed the all ship comm link. "We have our orders.  We will be locking stations in thirty minutes and engaging the drive.  We will be accompanying the Pan European 3rd Battle Group on a little trip to Jupiter."  He paused to let the words sink in.  "We will likely meet the Chinese there.  Whether when we get there or sometime after, it doesn't matter.  When we do, you know what will happen.  We have the most advanced lasers in use on any ship.  But we will be in range of the Chinese missiles when we use them.  And the Chinese will be detonating the drives on those missiles."  One more pause.  "Over the next few days we need to make sure every system on this ship gets checked and double checked. We are going to need everything this ship can give us so that we can bring it, and ourselves, home after this is done. This is Captain Ryan, out."
   He wasn't sure if that was the pep talk everyone needed, but it was his first as a Captain.  'Hope I get the chance to make MANY more.' he thought to himself.

January 5th, 0210
   The Dutchman eased back into the command station on the Kestrel.  He had been able to slip the Marie Celste and Mary Reed back into earth space where they couldn't be fired on, and get them landed at South African and Chilean spaceports for repairs.  But even though the US wouldn't be able to destroy the ships, it didn't mean they wouldn't try to send someone after him if he landed dirtside. The Pax Terra didn't cover machine guns or gernades...
   The Kestrel was smaller than the other two ships, and had only one laser mounted on board.  Not that they would need it.  Right now they would blend into the merchant convoys and pick up some cash running 'honest' runs.
    There was no way they would be able to get the Marie and Mary back up in space anytime soon.  That US Interceptor had torn up both of the ships badly.  It was a choice of repairing them or abandoning them.  To much money tied up to abandon them.  But now that they were on the earth there was no way the US Interceptor Franklin would let them back out into open space.  They were to slow to outrun it.  And once outside the Pax boundary of 15 light seconds, the Franklin would use its higher speed and more advanced weaponry to destroy them.
   That is why right now they are having some of their cargo sections converted over to passenger sections.  If this 'war' drags out, all the powers will start looking for armed colonization ships willing to make the runs to the outer moons.  The civilian ships will never do it.  And when they need us, those powers that would right now like to see us destroyed, will be more than happy to hire us to do the dirty and dangerous work of hauling colonists into contested zones.  For a healthy fee of course.
   The Dutchman keyed the comm. "OK, we've got our log and orders.  The Euro lifter will begin loading cargo within the hour...."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 23, 2010, 10:20:40 AM
January 2203, part 2

Battle of Jupiter's Moons

January 8th, 2203  0110

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon looked at the sensor returns as the range to Jupiter grew smaller.  The plot on her display was a maze of criss crossed objects and vectors as the maze of moons around the giant planet crowded the screen with numbers and information.  It looked like nothing so much as a minefield.  If the Chinese were here already, they could be hiding behind any one, or several, of those rocks.  'That gas giants magnetic fields are going to make it all but impossible to identify any vessels without coming in range of a thrown rock.' she thought.  'How in the world did I draw this assignment.  I should be back at the academy examining activities and training plans. If I send everyone in as a group I risk losing most if not all the ships at one time.  If I send in scouts to check the moons and sweep the area, they are almost certainly doomed.'  She looked hard at the monitor as the distance shrank.
   Brenna keyed the channel to the Comm Officer. "Give me all ships."  She waited until the monitor showed green for the link to all the ships in her task force. "In less than thirty minutes we wll enter the outer orbits of Jupiter's moons.  All ships are to come to general quarters at this time.  Exploration Vessel Da Vinci will engage drive and move to a position five light seconds ahead of the Heavy Interceptor Tatianna, on the same heading.   Attack Escorts Isabelle and Catherine assume standard attack formation on the Tatianna.  Armed Exploration Vessel Louis and Rodney, engage drives and take positions at two light seconds bearing sixty degrees and three hundred  degrees respectively from the Tatianna, also on a parallel heading.  The Red October will assume a position one light second behind the Tatianna on the same heading.  US Space Interceptors Hancock and Hamilton,  take positions alongside the Red October at two thousand kilometers bearing ninety and two seventy degrees.   Planetary Survey Vessel Michaelangelo take position at two light second behind the Red October, same bearing.  All missile ships, remove primary and secondary safeties.  Rear Admiral Muldoon, out."
   'We are coming right down the orbital path' thought Brenna.  'Most of the small outer moons are scattered in various orbits away from our approach, but three of the four largest are close to the orbital.  They are the prime real estate here.  The battle is for them.  Calisto and Ganymede are both on this side of Jupiter, each thirty degrees off the orbital on opposite sides.  Io is directly on the orbital on the far side of Jupiter.  Europa is ninety degrees off the orbital on the dark side of Jupiter.  With just a slight bend in course we can make a close sweep of all four, plus get a slight peek at the inner four moons, all in just one pass.  If they are clear, this is where we will arrange our defense.  But they won't be.  Somewhere out here the Chinese are waiting.  I'm almost sure of it.'  And the minutes crawled by.

   On board the Exploration Vessel Da Vinci, Lieutenant Commander Gustav Schimmelpfennig watched as the various readouts about the moons scrolled across the screen.  They had drawn point, a competely unarmed vessel.  He could see the reason, if they were lost it would not affect the combat capabilities much if at all.  They had passed by Calisto and Ganymede without any anomylous readings, and had just received orders to alter course by sixty degrees to port.  The helm made the change without a word.  After Admiral Muldoon's radio command, any repeating of it was just unnecessary.  It was regulation to give the orders himself, but the helmsman knew his commander better than that. The new course brought them directly toward Europa.
   Suddenly the sensor returns blazed in red and orange.
 
      'Chinese Strike Vessel detected.  Location - Surface of Europa. Range 0.75 LS.
      Bearing 02 Asc +03

      ! MISSILE LAUNCH DETECTED !   INBOUND X3

   Gustav barely had time to key the sensor transmit before his ship was torn apart by multiple drive detonations.  Forty five seconds later the debris would become part of Europa as it impacted on the surface with a force rivaling the explosions that had destroyed the ship.

   Brenna's screen sprang to life with the transmissions of the Da Vinci and sensor readings of the missiles that destroyed it.  A second set of readings showed a launch from Ganymede of a single missile targeted at the Armed Explorer Rodney.  The Rodney fared much better.  The missile passed into the hellish exhaust of the Rodney's drive and was consumed before it could detonate.  Brenna was amazed at the almost immediate response of the Rodney's crew as they launched in return, their missile churning up clouds of dust on the moon's surface.  The missile had detonated its drive well above the moon's surface, but the heat pulse and kinetic energy of the molecules that had once been the missile had ravaged the moon.  The Red October had the most advanced (and experimental) sensor array in the fleet.  They showed that the hostile launch had come from a vessel landed on the moon's surface.  A vessel now obscured by the fury of the Rodney's missile detonation.
   The other ships seemed to respond painfully slow as they struggled to gain sensor locks and plot targetting solutions to the contacts that were springing up across her monitor.  The Red October had originally been designed as a large scientific and exploration vessel.  The two missile bays were almost an afterthought.  And her targetting computer seemed to crawl through the computations.  The sensor returns showed a vessel had lifted off the surface of Calisto and swung into an orbit that had taken it behind the moon, hiding it from her ships.  On Ganymede, unbelievably a drive bloom was appearing from out of the dust cloud.  Sensor returns also showed three Chinese Strike Vessels and a single Convoy Escort had lifted off from Europa and were moving to put Jupiter between them and her group. At their current acceleration they would be able to succeed before her lead ships would be able to bring them into range.  Only god knew what other ships were hiding amongst these moons.
   "Fleet, alter course sixty degrees starboard.  Clear your drive paths, I don't want anyone frying our own ships. Then engage drives, full accelleration." She needed to make sure they didn't get to close to the Chinese Vessels. Only the superior range of the Euro's missiles had carried the last engagement.  "Blow that damned ship from Ganymede off my map NOW!"  She couldn't change the way her voice sounded, but she could definetely up the volume.  Almost as she said it launches from the Rodney, Catherine and Isabelle converged on what sensors were reporting as a colony vessel.  'A damned heavily armed one if it is.' she thought as the missile's detonations obsured the ship's sensors momentarily.  Afterward only shattered debris remained. 'Payback for the Da Vinci.'
   She checked ship positions quickly. "Michaelangelo, turn around and get out of here.  Rodney come sixty degrees port."  The Rodney was the extreme right of her formation and she didn't want to put it out of range of the fight, or the rest of the group if they needed to support it. The comm link suddenly showed the Louis had managed to gain a tenuous lock on the Chinese Convoy Escort and had launched.  But it had been at the extreme end of the ship's range and the missile lost tracking before it could make intercept.
   A flashing light showed that the US Space Interceptors Hancock and Hamilton had suddenly broken formation and turned to port.  She realized that they only carried lasers and would not be able to engage the Chinese vessels at this range, but why try if they could be destroyed without danger?  She wanted to open the comm link with the US ships but knew she didn't have time.  She needed to command her own ships and try to win this battle. Comm returns from the Rodney indicated a second Chinese Convoy Escort was moving behind Jupiter on a course to try and intercept the Rodney.  But for the moment the Chinese ship had manuvered behind the small moon Metis and the Rodney was unable to get a sensor lock.  These damned moons could be the death of them.
   "Tatianna group, port sixty degrees to parallel the US ships. Follow Rodney's tracking.  When that Chinese Escort appears, fire.  Armed Explorer Louis, starboard another sixty degrees.  Your walking right into that Chinese Escort."  Moments after the Louis had come about The Chinese Convoy Escort appeared from behind the small moon and launched.  Heartbeats later the Tatianna group fired on the Chinese Escort.  The Louis had put just enough distance behind it that the Chinese missile's guidance was unable to correct for the small inaccuracies in its targetting - a victim of its own breakneck speed and mass.  The plume of superheated particles passed harmlessly out into space.  
   The Tatianna had been refitted following the first Chinese incident, removing her one laser emitter and relacing it with a second missile bay.  Now that extra long range firepower would come into play.  The Heavy Interceptor Tatianna and the Attack Escorts Catherine and Isabelle all launched on the small Chinese vessel.  Brenna watched the four missiles on her display as they moved to intercept.  Then the inevitable sensor disruption as the drives detonated in a long string along the course of their target.  Then the sensors registered a fifth detonation of immense size as the small ship's drive lost containment and consumed the ship. 'Two down, how many left?'
   The Sensor Comm brought Brenna out of her little reverie as he keyed her that the three Chinese Strike Vessels and the single Convoy Escort with them had appeared.  The Chinese group's trajectory and the Red October's move out and around the planet had brought them into view.  Then the Chinese ships disappeared behind the moon Amalthea.  It was considered a minor moon, but with a length of over 120 kilometers it was more than massive enough to hide a group of ships.  The Chinese groups were on a course that would allow them to also use Metis to hide their approach, but the manuvers would cost them speed.  Enough that they shouldn't be able to catch the Euro ships and bring them into range.
    " Tatianna, come about sixty degrees starboard, we need to keep away from those Chinese Ships. Louis, come about onto the same course as the Tatianna. Rodney adjust course to maintain missile range to the Chinese Strike Vessels"  Then keying the comm to her own helm Brenna added, "Bring us about to port, I want to see how well these new targetting arrays work on this ship."  Brenna had received reports that the Red October's sensor array should allow an almost forty percent increase in engagement range. "Bring us up to full combat speed."  She also knew that the systems on the Red October should allow for a greater maximum combat speed than what the rest of her ships would be able to maintain.  Maybe if she could show the Chinese that they had no chance to catch her, and she would be able to engage tham at ranges they wouldn't even be able to track her, they might decide to withdraw.  Maybe.

     Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji considered the situation carefully.  He knew that he had lost the Convoy Escort Canton, and the Armed Colony Ship Korea.  He had also been forced to have the Armed Colony Ship Manchuria disengage when the bulk of the Pan Euro ships passed between it and the rest of the fleet.  The Manchuria had relayed that it had momentary contact with a Pan Euro vessel moving back along the orbital path away from Jupiter, but had been unable to identify it.  He had placed the Mobile Construction ship and the Marco Polo at fifteen light seconds from Jupiter on opposite sides to try and relay comm signals to the various ships, as the moons were making consistent communications difficult.
   He also had some strange sensor returns indicating the larger Euro vessel, assumed to be the Red October, had reached a speed that was unprecedented in any space going vessel. The US Space Interceptors were continuing on a course to intercept his Attack Frigates, and the Pan Euro Armed Exploration Vessel bearing two seven three was on the edge of their missile range.  They would hold fire until they cleared the moon Metis and then fire.  They Euro ships would likely be unprepared for the longer range of the new launchers the Attack Frigates carried.
   "All Frigates, target the Euro Armed Escort bearing two seven three.  Launch when clear of Metis."  The little escort would easily be able to disengage, but the US ships would take time to come about.  Their inertia would carry them into easy range and the new missiles would make it impossible for them to escape.

   Captain Jack Ryan ordered the Hamilton and Hancock forward on an intercept course with the Chinese Strike Vessels.  Only six hours ago a coded broadcast from Command had arrived. Intelligence had confirmed the two vessels that had attacked the Interceptor JFK in the belt had been carrying Chinese lasers. Of the entire crew, many his friends, only six had survived.  Today he would see them avenged. His lasers should be able to tear apart the Chinese vessels from a distance their short range missiles and outdated lasers woud be unable to reach.  
   "Target the lead Strike Vessel.  Radio our intentions to Rear Admiral Muldoon." It was time to light up their world.

   Brenna looked at the various reports on her monitor, and the transmission from Captain Ryan.  "Tatianna group, target the Convoy Escort.  All other vessel target the lead Strike Vessel." She watched the tactical display as the escorts of 3rd Battle Group launched their missiles one after another.  Then she felt the Red October's drive cut out to allow her to deploy missiles from its twin bays. 'This is the first time this ship has launched a weapon in anger' she thought.  Then her display lit up with new contacts.  Three of them.  Each of the Chinese Strike Vessels had launched an as yet uncataloged missile. Targeting seemed to be the Rodney, but at 2.5 LS she should be out of range for any known Chinese ordinance.  But these weren't known.  Even as her sensors confirmed the destruction of the Chinese Convoy Escort, and that the lead Chinese Strike Vessel was stuttering its drive and venting repeatedly to clear debris from the repeated hits of missile blasts and lasers - it also showed the destruction of the Rodney as it registered the drive field losing containment.
   "Tatianna, shift fire to the lead Strike Vessel.  Ryan GET OUT OF THERE NOW."  The Chinese vessels weren't up to full combat speed yet, but it wasn't going to make any difference.  The US ships were way to close.  As were half of the Euro ships.

   Captain Jack Ryan barely had time to react.  The orders to come about and red line the drives had been given, even as the sensors reported a total of nine inbounds.  He had seen that his first pass, along with the Euro missiles, had caused the lead Chinese vessel to shudder and vent repeatedly.  Its drive bloom was significantly reduced indicating that some of the particle accelerators had been damaged. But it was still launching three missiles. And then the sensors cut out as the drives detonated again and again on the Chinese missiles.  He had keyed the monitor to fire the lasers of the Hancock, hoping that hurried fire solutions might find the damaged Chinese ship. But their own red lined drive emissions made a lock on the Chinese ship tenuous at best.  As the sensor returns began to come back up he saw the only thing worse than having died in that awful exchange.  The Hamilton was still with them.  Its drives had cut out to prevent the ship from detonating, but the three scorched setions of its hull were tumbling wildly through space.  Anyone left alive in the ship was doomed.  There could be no rescue in that field of debris with the tumbling sections of hull.
   He had ordered the charge into this.  Now his only hope was to try and get them back out.

   Vice Admiral Rongji considered the unthinkable.  "Comm, radio the Euro vessels.  State that we intend to withdraw and stand down all weapons if they will cease fire." The last minute had been a brutal exchange.  The Attack Frigate Hunan had come apart under the pounding of the Euro missiles, and his own vessel the Anhui had taken damage to its outer plating in the combat.  They had come up to full combat speed and woud likely have been able to destroy the last US Interseptor and Euro Armed Explorer, and even been able to engage one of their Attack Escorts.  But the other Attack Escort, the Heavy Escort, and that last ship that had been launching at him from farther than his sensors coud even track, were beyond his engagement envelope. That had made the decision inevitable.  If they destroyed the last US ship it would have been an exchange of the two long range missiles that his vessels could deploy, against the Euro's ability to deploy six or seven. It would only have served to lose the last two Frigates he had under his command, and to make any negotiations more difficult as the Euro losses mounted.
   And against a ship that could fire farther than his could detect, there would have to be negotiations.


January 26th, 2203

   Admiral Jude Kushnir relaxed aboard the Euro space station. Her ship, The Heavy Escort Anastasia was preparing for the same refit that her sister the Tatianna had undergone.  The last ship of the class, the Rebecca, was docked at the Mercury station for just the same reason.  Eight hours ago the various nations of earth had signed a new treaty. The Treaty of Mare Serenetatis, named for the location it had been signed on the Euro colony on the moon.
   The new treaty reaffirmed most of the limitations of the Treaty of L2, and had given the Pan Euro claim to Jupiter and all her satalites, plus half of the Trojan belt.  China had accepted Saturn and her satelites, while the US claimed Uranus, Neptune, and the last half of the Trojans.  All bodies of the Kuiper belt and scattered disk were to be claimed by the first nation able to place a permanent colony of 50,000.  It would be a long time before anyone had to worry about that though...
   At least the worries of war were over for the moment....



In the late twentieth century a group of astronomers posited that the periodic extinctions of earth's prehistory were the result of a red dwarf star far beyond the scattered disk.  It would orbit Sol, and the elliptic shape of its orbit woud dislodge comets and asteroids from the Oort cloud and scattered disk, sending them careening into the solar system periodically.  Named for the periodic extinctions it would cause, the astronomers dubbed it Nemesis.   Its low emisions, possibly less than 1 percent of Sol, coupled with other factors would make it troublesome to identify.  As the years and decades went by, research for Nemesis was dropped.
   But it existed.

It was a small star even as red dwarfs go, with output barely 0.2% of Sol.  As its fusion reaction and emissions were driven by convection, it never 'flared' to life and cleared the dust of its formation from its galactic neighborhood, making it nearly invisible - and particularly uninteresting.  Its only gas giant was a slow orbiter, with a mean density even lower than Saturn, leaving little oscilation in it's emissions to garner attention.  It's other four planets were even smaller, and very cold. Invisible.
   But it managed to harbor life.

Life had evolved on a moon of a more distant planet.  It had learned to tolerate intense cold, and even to hibernate for the days or weeks that its orbit would pass behind the planet it circled, cutting it off from the faint warmth of its star. It became several types of life, and each in turn became more intelligent.  They worked together and reached a point where they could reach out to the other moons of their planet, and then to the other planets of their system.  And they readily found homes on all of these moons.  Even in the tiny asteroid belt that circled their sun.  And then space began to run out.
   And the various races learned of war.

It was a total war of species against species, with only extermination viewed as victory.  In the end only one of the races survived. And only just.  But they rebuilt, and grew again.  Until space once again grew to small for new growth.
   And then they looked out.

Space held several stars nearby.  Proxima Centauri, Sol, and others.  But these two were the closest.  Both were just short of a light year away.  To far to travel and keep the crew fed, maintained, and alive.
   But they could hibernate.

And so the first colony ships were built.  It would be dozens of lifetimes for them to make the trips.  And the first would go to Proxima Centauri, a red dwarf star like their own.  Eventually the first ships were finished and launched.  For a great time afterward more ships were built and sent to the distant star.
   And then it was time to turn to the bright star Sol.

And the armada of ships was built and launched, with more built and following the first to leave. And this continued until it was time to turn to another star.
   And the crews slept as the ships passed silently through space.

It would take the ships 91 earth years to make their trip of 50,000 AU.  And then the systems began to wake the crews back up.  As the race that inhabited the Sol system battled around its fifth planet, the last of the first wave of colony ships was completing their surveys - and emplacing populations. On the bodies in the cold region of space they would call home.  The star was bright, but their were many, many places that they could live quite easily.
   But they had not forgotten the war that consumed their home system.
   And they brought the warships they had learned to use.
   And they knew that coexistence was futile.....

///////
This first turn was an eye openning experience.  Up to this point my family had played RPG and worked together or their starfire races all tended to cooperate.  This was the first time I had seen them go after each other with such energy.  And it brought a new meaning to the word 'espianage'. Any stray scrap of paper or unattended trash can was fair game.  Eavesdroppping was rampant. It was this way the US player learned of the Chinese involvement in the attack on the JFK. It was a long while before they would begin to trust each other, even in the face of a common enemy.  It definitely slowed their ability to respond to external threats.

For those interested, here are the ships that took part in the battle.
EURO (Admiral Brenna Muldoon - Average)

Science Vessel Red October         FG   22HS
[2]A A A A A A H Qa Mgs Xp (cpCp) Ra Ra Ya Qa (Cp) [7/1]

Heavy Escort Tatianna            CT   16HS
[2]A A A A H Mgs Ra Ra Qa (cpCp) [6/1]

Attack Escorts Catherine , Isabelle      ES   12HS
[2]A Hs Mgs La Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Armed Explorer Rodney , Louis         EX   7HS
[2]A Hs Qa Ra (cp) [4/1]

Exploration Vessel Da Vinci         FT0   7HS
[2]A H Xp H Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Planetary Survey Vessel Michaelangelo      FT0   7HS
[2]A (BbS) Xp H Qa (Cp) [6/1]


US SPACE

Interceptor Hancock , Hamilton         CT   16HS
[2]A A A H (MNE) Qa Lb Lb (cpCp) [6/1]


CHINA (Admiral Zhu Rongji - Average)

Attack Frigate Hunan , Anhui , Hubei      FG   22HS
[2]A A A A A A A Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ga Ga Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Convoy Escort Canton , Jinan         EX   7HS
[2]A H Qa Ga (Cp) [6/1]

Armed Colony Vessel Korea , Manchuria      FT2   16HS
[2]A H H H H H Qv Qv Qv (BbS) Hs Mgs Ga Qa (Cp) [4/1]

Survey Vessel Marco Polo         FT0   7HS
[2]A Hs (BbS) H H Xp Qa (cp) [6/1]

Mobile Construction Ship         FT4   30HS
[2]H H H Qa (Cp) (SYM0) [2/1]
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: Beersatron on January 24, 2010, 02:04:16 PM
Good read, keep it up! :)

I have never played Starfire, is there a handy - and easy to read - site were I can figure out what exactly the ship designs are made up of?
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: Hawkeye on January 24, 2010, 02:43:47 PM
Quote from: "Beersatron"
Good read, keep it up! :)

http://18inchfly.net/starfire/tech/index.html (http://18inchfly.net/starfire/tech/index.html)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 26, 2010, 02:21:42 AM
I don't know of any online sites for the rules.  Pretty sure that SDS would worry about copyright issues if there was.  Wish I could help more.  Anyone have any suggestions out there?
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 26, 2010, 02:23:07 AM
February 2203   part 1

February 2nd
   Admiral Jude Kushnir stood at the viewing plate looking at the progress.  Early this morning the Heavy Escort Tatianna had arrived at the Pan Euro Spaceworks.  She was docked in slip two, beside the Anastasia docked in slip one.  A last minute change in directives had brought the Tatianna in from the belt colonies.  It was planned for all the Heavy Escorts to refit the compartments holding the laser equipment over to long range missile bays. After the Red October's successful demonstration of the new sensor array's combat capabilities, it was decided that the Heavy Escorts should also be equipped with this new sensor package while they were in for refits.  It should significantly increase their combat effectiveness should hostilities flare again.  The Rebecca was undergoing the same upgrades at the Mercury Spaceworks.  The sensor array would end up weakening the outer plating and baffles due to its need to pass through these areas, but it would make little difference if it enabled them to engage targets at a range the enemy would be unable to respond at.  It would take most of the month to complete, but would be worth it.  The Chinese were still licking their wounds and were unlikely to try anything this soon.  
   'It will also give me a chance to talk to Captain Keely Sereg, and get a more personal first hand account of what happened out there.' she thought.  After Action Reports and ships logs were well and fine, but you could never replace the personal view and sense for the battle.


   Captain Jack Ryan looked about the bridge.  It was the first time he had set foot back on the JFK after he had been rescued from the damaged hull.  That had been when he and his five shipmates had managed to limp her back into the Martian Shipyards.  When he had left, he was simply the senior engineering officer.  Now he was going to be her Captain.  Jack didn't recognize any of the names on the ship roster, but there had been a flurry of new faces over the last month.  With the new treaty, perhaps there would be a chance to get to know these new shipmates.  If he got to stay.  Rumor was that he was to remain at Mars and await the rest of the newest US Task Force.  Joining him would be the newest Interceptor, the B. Franklin.  With her would be the two new missile ships of the Raptor class.  They were based on the Euro's Armed Explorer class that had performed well in the support role over the last few months.  They didn't have a lot of combat durability, but were quick to produce and put into action.  In a fleet with no active missile component, something to fill that role was needed.
   Rumor also had it that he would once again be promoted.  'What a farce.' Jack thought.  'They are calling me the hero of The Battle of Jupiter's Moons.  It was a catastrophe for us, and it was my fault for rushing in and not letting the Euro ships with their missiles do what they seem so good at.  Now after riding a wreck into Mars, and then getting another ship destroyed, they might promote me to Rear Admiral and give me a Task Force.'  Jack shook his head.  
   At least the task before him was something he could sink his teeth into.  Taking out a ship for a shakedown cruise, to see if the repairs and new systems were up to snuff.  Fixing the inevitable problems and breaking in the newbies.  Now he just had to do it on a much larger scale.

February 3rd
   Admiral Hu walked through the compartments of the Cruiser Tung for the second time today.  If she was still at Venus, they would have to suffer his attention on a regular basis.  The reports that had come back from the ships returning from Jupiter made it look like the Tung may not have done very well in that engagement.  Her sensors were no better than the Frigates, and would have been just as ineffective.  The short range missiles were powerful, but it was almost impossible to close to effective range for them.  There were already rumors that the Ministers were going to have the short range launchers replaced with the new longer range versions.  What wasn't rumor was what was happening in the work bays of Venus Station.  The first pieces of the hull of another cruiser were being fabricated.  She would eventually join the Tung, but would not be operational for quite a while.  For the time being, they would have to manage with the six Attack Frigates of the fleet.  They were dispersed at the moment, with two each at Earth and Ceres, and the last two split up between patrols around Venus and escorting the survey vessels bound for Saturn.  With no other colonization opportunities, expansion would have to wait for the surveys to be completed.

February 7th
   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon looked over the training schedule for the day.  Scrolling through the listings on her monitor made her feel at home.  Training Command had been her first and only assignment when she had been posted after her training cruises.  Brenna's quarters here on the Cynthia were almost cramped compared to even the Tatianna, let alone the Red October.  But the Red October and Tatianna were both back at Earth, and she had six ships to look after and train.  Two were the newest Attack Escorts, the Boudicca and the Cynthia.  With them were the Armed Explorers Louis, Cornwallis, Cromwell, and Wellington.  They had been formed into the Pan Euro's newest combat formations, the 1st and 2nd Light Battle Groups.  It was her job to get them combat ready in as short a time as possible, just in case.  She had never seen so many ships in one place, even if they were small. She wished it was for a parade, and not such a necessity.
   She was also responsible for reviewing and in a remote way, supervising, the training of the Catherine and Isabelle while they were on patrol at Jupiter.  They were the security element for the three science vessels currently surveying Callisto. Current colonization efforts were aimed at the asteroid belt, but that would change as soon as the surveys were completed and the results compiled.

February 18th  
   Commander Larry Jessup wondered how long they would be out here.  The Outreach and her four 'dingies' had been compiling information on Uranus' moons for the last week.  It had been rather productive.  Several of the moons were showing rich deposits that the US would be able to exploit when colonies were emplaced on these moons.  But it would be in the far future.  That was why the Outreach was alone out here while the Discovery and all the small support vessels were working in the Trojans.  The environment was rich here, but extreme.  Most of the moons only hovered a few dozen degrees Kelvin above absolute zero.  A man could survive down there, but only with a lot of equipment and support.  It had also been interesting to study the planet, the thin rings, and moons.  They were unique in that the planet's poles for rotation were pointed in line with the sun instead of at some close approximation of 90 degrees from it.  At some distant time in the past something had tipped the planet.
   "Sir, I have a new contact.  Wait, three contacts.  Transferring data to your monitor."  The sensor officer was already prepping his position to lock for acceleration.  The monitor screen lit up with information.  How had they gotten so close?  Hold on, they were little things.  Ships' boats or such.  The sensor returns were not identifying the manufacturer, but with the plethora of civilian models that wasn't unusual.  What was very unusual was to see them out here!  They might occasionally make a run from the belt to Jupiter and back it the orbits coincided, but this was way too far for them to make it on their own.  Somewhere there had to be a vessel they were associated with. A vessel that had no commercial reason to be this far out.
   Commander Jessup keyed the all ship comm. "Outreach, lock and prepare for acceleration.  Landers one and two return to your bays.  Landers three and four move to intercept and identify the new contacts.  Sensor Conn download bearings and coordinates for contacts designated one and two.  Communications try to raise the new vessels.  Request immediate identification and reason for being in US controlled space.  Weapons crews, prep the laser for employment, just in case."  
   Jessup hoped in his gut (although he knew he didn't have one) that they weren't Chinese.  He had heard the Euro was doing training patrols.  Maybe they were part of some Euro group.
   "Sir, they aren't responding to any of our signals.  All contacts are engaging drives and maneuvering.  Contact Two is approaching Lander Four.  Contact One is coming about one two zero degrees to our bearing one seven five.  Contact three coming about onto our bearing one two two."  The Sensor Officer’s report cut out as Communications cut in. The comm link crackled with the static of a poor transmission.  "This is Lander Four.  We are trying to hail Contact Two but are getting no response.  We will pass at range of two seven thousand clicks from contact in thirty seconds. Will attempt identification at that time."
   Moments passed and the sensor readings from Lander Four began to fill Commander Jessup's screen.  They didn't make sense.  Drive bloom was of unknown manufacture, hull fit no known design scheme.  The civilian ships often were hard to identify, but there were only a few proven designs for the drives that would work on ships that small, and all the manufactures were registered and cataloged.  Same with ship hulls.  Unless they were a new military prototype. Then it wouldn't be listed anywhere in their records. And military meant trouble.
   "Drive engage, full acceleration.  Bring us about for a bearing to the nearest belt colony.  Euro or US, I don't care which.  Communications begin transmit of all information gained so far on Contacts to Mars Command.  Landers return to Outreach now."  Jessup hoped the base vessel for these boats wasn't to close.  The Outreach was a military design at heart, and capable of the same acceleration and speed as an Interceptor.  They just needed time to reach speed and a clear path.
   "Commander, new contact designated four.  Currently at six light seconds.  Unable to identify at this range.   Drive bloom present.  Um, there's more.  Transferring all contact information from sensors to your screen now."  The Sensor Officer, Lieutenant Commander Yanik, was a veteran of 22 years of service.  He didn't say um.  Not on contact information.  Jessup was getting more concerned.
   The screen showed that the contact was 60 degrees off their stern, but already moving at the maximum speed that the Outreach could achieve.  It would be hard to outrun them, but possible.  Kind of a gamble of who would burn out a particle accelerator or hit a piece of space debris first, but they would run just as much of a chance as the Outreach, if they decided on an extended pursuit.  They had to be using those ships' boats to check for contacts farther out than their sensors could reach.  What was strange were the magnetic readings from the ship.  All ships under combat acceleration projected sizable magnetic readings as they tried to compensate the acceleration's effect on the crew.  These magnetic fields and emissions could often be used to identify a vessel.  But this ship's readings were off the scale.  It would have to be the size of some of the smaller moons they had looked at to need this large a magnetic signature.  And then it would be much more diffuse.  This was so concentrated that it would cloud any attempts to identify the ship. They would have to get closer to get clear radar and lidar readings for a clean ID.
   "Sir, new contact.  Fast.  Probably a missile.  Inbound from Contact Four."  The Sensor Officer cut off any musings that Jessup had over the unknown contacts.  Jessup keyed up the readings.  It was too far.  Contact Four was still over five light seconds from the Outreach.  Even the reports from Jupiter of the Euro's new ship hadn't seen launches at ranges over four and a half light seconds.  Maybe they hadn't tried it at its longest ranges. Yet.
   The Outreach shook as the drive cut out.  Sensor readings showed a drive detonation at an unusually long distance from the ship, and a strange magnetic signature that had directed the superheated particles. The ones that had shredded the outer plating and ruptured the hull of the forward Lander Bay.  Bright red and white letters showed that Landers One and Two had been damaged, jettisoned, bay was venting, drive re-engaging.  Jessup keyed the comm link.  "Communications, send everything we've got and everything on the sensors and ship's log as it is recorded.  Also distress signal on all open frequencies."   Jessup knew the other ship was moving faster than him, and he was already in range.  His laser would never reach a target at this distance with any more effect than that of a flashlight.  "Bring us around.  Let’s see if we can get close enough to at least get an idea of who this ship belongs to before they kill us."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 29, 2010, 01:48:36 AM
February 2203   part 2

February 20th
   Captain Jack Ryan 'felt' the clicking of the magnets on his feet as they snapped onto the deck of the JFK.  He paced anxiously as he awaited the reply from US Space Command and Control in Houston.  He had received the distress call from the Outreach over 30 hours ago.  The first US ship to receive it had been the Outreach's sister ship the Discovery, out surveying the Trojans.  She had repeated the transmissions and boosted the signal as both she and the Outreach had been on sun grazing lines to Earth.  The solar interference was going to give them problems with transmissions.  To make it worse, Mars was actually in direct opposition to Earth, and had to relay any coded messages through links in the belt, slowing response time.  The delays were almost as maddening as the responses.
   His first request, and that of the Discovery, had been to request permission to attempt a rescue.  The Discovery was close, but not really meant for combat.  The JFK was the next closest combat vessel that could intercede.  Jack knew that regs would require a cruise speed that would make the trip to Uranus almost two weeks long.  But Jack knew the JFK, and knew her engines better than anyone.  He had also graduated first in his class at Annapolis in Astrogation.  He had already plotted a course that would get them to Uranus in less than six days without putting the engines over regulation limits on operation.  He had cleared it with Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon (sometimes it helped to know someone), to enter Euro space and use Jupiter to assist in the trip, making a slingshot maneuver using the great planet's gravity to take stress off the engines.
   That request had been turned down flat.  He had resubmitted it citing that the transmission had encountered interference.  The second response was the same as the first.  His last transmission had been a request to allow them to move to the Trojans to assist in guarding the Discovery and her tenders in case they were to be attacked.  The Martian shipyards had extensive defenses and shouldn't actually need the JFK to babysit them.
   The Comm Officer waved to let Jack know that the reply was coming in.  Jack quickly moved to his station and keyed the comm link on his monitor, not even bothering to sit down.  His hopes sank as he read the message.  There would be no rescue attempts.  No ships were to move from current stations.  The Discovery and her group would attempt to stay hidden among the asteroids of the Trojans while surveying.  Other ships were to remain where they were and prepare for possible hostilities. Neither Chinese or Pan Euro warships were to enter US space and any violation was to be considered an act of war.  Any unlogged ship movements were to be intercepted if possible, and reported to Earth if unable.  If attacked, close at max acceleration and transmitt all sensor data to Mars for relay.
   Jack sat heavily into his station.  He had thought that the risk of war had been avoided.  Someone out there still wasn't done.  What did command know that they weren't sharing?

3 hours earlier
   Admiral Bradley Walters shoved the portable monitor screen across the briefing room table and watched as it crashed on the floor.  "All right people.  You are supposedly the best out there. WHAT HAPPENED?!"  Admiral Walters knew that they weren't going to see any emotion on his faceplate, but that should have gotten their attention.  Over half the people in the room were from ground stations and had no cybernetic enhancements at all.  The others were all Space Fleet officers and wore the same cyborg body as he did.  They had been in this small corner of the US Space Station for the last 16 hours and he still didn't know what to make of it.  
   "Who the hell do we think is responsible for this?"  The flat monotone of the voice synthesizer didn't convey the frustration he felt, but it was all he had to work with. Half a dozen defense advisers all proceeded to put in their opinions, but not one had a real - solid - answer.  And there wasn't going to be any response other than waiting until there was an answer.
   "All right, enough with the opinions, they don't seem to be changing or getting any better over time.  What does analysis of the data downloaded from Mars indicate."  It had been the one gamble that the US had taken.  They had sent a troop transport out beyond the Pax line to get the downloads directly from Mars.  With the red planet on the wrong side of the sun, they had been forced to risk the transport's interception or destruction to get the data from Mars. A relay through the belt would risk interception by the other governments of Earth, or of its being compromised at the Transfer Station in the belt that would have to make the relay.  Both possibilities were unacceptable.
   "Sir."  Addressing the Admiral was a new face.  A human looking one.  'Ground lover.' thought Bradley.  "We have only a little information to work with but here are the conclusions we have been able to get from the two and a half minutes of encrypted transmissions we received.  The aggressor seems to have a targeting system beyond that of any currently known US ship.  It could be European.  If it were Chinese it should have seen employment at Jupiter, otherwise it is too new for them to be employing at that great a distance from any of their known production facilities.  They wouldn't have had time to get it out there without having been able to get it to Jupiter also.  And the magnetic emissions of the vessel would have made it difficult for them to employ a new sensor or targeting system without interference issues.  What the magnetic emissions are we don't know yet.  Current theory is looking into the possibilities of a targeting countermeasures system, or it might be part of a new drive acceleration compensator allowing for even greater short term acceleration in regard to the crew."
   "Who the hell are you."  Admiral Bradley began moving toward the new visitor.  This was the first bit of real information they had heard in almost 10 hours. And this visitor didn't look scared of an approaching cyborg.  Brave, foolish, or maybe used to the appearance.  Time to find out which.
   "Sir, Lieutenant Meagan Ryan reporting, sir."  Damn, it was Captain Ryan's daughter.  He had heard she had passed out of Annapolis with almost as good of marks in engineering as her dad.  Apparently she had found a job in the R & D sections. That explains why a cyborg doesn't bother her.
   "Sit down.  What else can you tell me."  Bradley moved close to her as she sat and slipped a small chip into the side of the only other monitor left on the table.  She began to key up the contents onto the screen.
   "Admiral Walters, we don't know for sure who this technology belongs to.  If it is European, we could be looking at the new owners of space.  We don't have anything close to field tests that can match this.  Here are the sensor readings on the missile.  For those of you in the room who can't see or don't know what you are looking at, let me summarize.  This engagement range is just outside the theoretical maximum range of the US Hera Class Deep Space Missile.  The hostile ship's magnetic distortion may make that reading inaccurate.  Or Euro deep space missiles' may have a slight edge on ours.  Here,"  Lieutenant Ryan pointed at the monitor, "is what is most disturbing.  The inbound seems to generate a strong magnetic pulse DURING the drive detonation.  This results in a much greater focus of the charged particles and ionizing radiation than anything we currently employ.  It would result in much greater on target energy delivered.  It would require an increase in current warhead yield of a factor of eight to achieve an equal on target yield."
   Several of the advisors in the room rose or sat back hard.  Several started to speak, but Bradley held up his hand and the room again fell silent. "You said eight times?" Bradley looked down at the Lieutenant.  She was biting her top lip, then nodded.  Bradley looked hard at the screen.  It didn't all make sense to him, but the young woman didn't look like a liar.  There was no way that the US could employ a missile with that warhead size.  Not in any short time frame.  And not against a power that already had a combat effective system.  Chinese short range missiles were rumored to have that level of yield, but payed for it in poor maneuverability.  And it had been shown rather conclusively that those short range missiles were not capable of this sort of long range engagement.
   "Sir, whoever is in control of this ship has a mastery of magnetics that we haven't even begun to consider.  At combat speeds, unless this aggressor was surrounded so that it was unable to gain an engagement range and hold it, all simulations have shown that it could likely destroy the US fleet.  If it's ammunition stores were adequate."
   "Are you referring to a one on one engagement?" piped up one of the other earthbound advisors.
   "No sir. This one ship should be able to engage the assembled fleet. And win." Lieutenant Ryan looked at Admiral Walters with a pale and cold look on her face. "The only simulations that showed any chance against the aggressor were ships in support of the US Ground Defense Grid and Martian Space Station.  The additional range of the ground based sensor stations allow us to use the current Hera missiles to almost their theoretical max range.  The aggressor only employed single launches on the three occasions it fired on the Outreach.  The US Grid can manage tracking on ten missiles simultaneously, while the Martian Station can guide six.  If the aggressor chose to stay in engagement range of those targets an Interceptor may be able to force an engagement on favorable terms.  This all hinges on the fact that the ship can only manage to control single or perhaps double launches.  The Euro Red October was capable of double launches at Jupiter, but is easily large enough to hold a third.  Unless this magnetic system uses up a substantial amount of ship volume.  We don't know.  But we do know that the Red October has been in Earth Space ever since her return from Jupiter."
   "Is it possible that the Pan Euro could build a ship this sophisticated at their Mercury shipyard's?"  Bradley bent close to Lieutenant Ryan, placing his faceplate just inches from her face. He could see the sweat beginning to bead on her forehead.
   "We don't know sir, but I would have to guess based on current information that yes, they could."  She stared back hard into the cold faceplate, refusing to flinch.
   "Order the fleet to hold stations.  We aren't going to abandon the belt now, but make sure the two Interceptors out there aren't together.  Send them coded orders for the captains' only.  If attacked to close at maximum acceleration and transmit on coded channel all sensor data to Mars. Make sure you receive that data Lieutenant Ryan."  As he stood back up and walked away he knew that everyone in the room knew that the belt and Trojan ships were being offered as bait to gain information.  But without that information, they were doomed to lose this war.

February 24th
   Admiral Hu sat in the fleet officer station onboard the Cruiser Tung.  It didn't make sense.  The open distress signal of the US Vessel Outreach had been received by the Attack Frigate Yunnan guarding the science ships at Saturn.  They had only been on station a few days when the message had arrived.  Admiral Hu knew that it wasn't a Chinese attack.  And the lasers sold on the black market were still trapped in Earth space, only safe because of the Pax Treaty.  Were the Euro and US fighting?  Was it a US ruse to lure other ships into a trap?  The later seemed possible as no US ships seemed to be responding to the distress call.  Why would they stay in port if one of their own were in distress?  Even if it were just to analyze the wreckage? Unless it was a trap.  Or they were that scared of the Europeans?
   With the Chinese fleet under strength, it was unavoidable to order the return of the Yunnan to Ceres.  A single Attack Frigate had proven to be ineffective against Euro ships, and even in groups they were hard put to meet them on even terms.  It was unlikely that they would violate the Pax Terra if it was the Euros' who were behind this, but Ceres was a rich piece of real estate, and the Euro was rumored to have a large number of ships in the belt for 'training'.  Under command of the now veteran Admiral Muldoon. That was a dangerous combination.
   Venus was also at risk, but as Admiral Hu looked about the bridge, he thought that the Euro might just regret trying to attack these shipyards.  The Venusian Shipyards were well armed, and with the Mao Tse Tung and Frigate Shangxi, they might be more than even the Euro could handle.  They were safe for the moment.  If the Pan Euro were to strike it would be in the belt, to cut China off from its one off-planet income source and holding. And if the Euro was just trying to exercise rights to all the bodies beyond the belt, they would find no Chinese ships to engage at Saturn.  Not yet.

February 28th
   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon had transmitted to Earth that she had given permission for the Interceptor JFK to transit the Pan Euro's space near Jupiter.  Admiral Jude Kushnir wouldn't have let her, but it was done now.  What was curious was that no one had moved through Euro space. Jude fiddled with the monitor's keys.  It was an old habit she hadn't left behind with the rest of her body.
   The Heavy Escort Tatianna had left two days ago to join the rest of 3rd Battle Group at Jupiter.  With her new sensors she should be able to provide a decisive edge if anyone attacked the ships currently out past the belt.  The Heavy Escort Anastasia was due to be released for space duty in only a few hours.   With the 1st Battle Group, the Red October, and the Pan European Earth Defense Centers together, there was no chance of any realistic attacks on the Euro holdings inside the Pax Terra line.  The Mercury Spaceyards were equally as safe with the release of the Heavy Escort Rebecca to the 2nd Battle Group five hours ago.  Only the belt and Jupiter were vulnerable, but that couldn't be changed.
   Jude stepped off the GTO Lifter into the Loading Bay of the Red October.  An Honor Guard was waiting on her, as was Captain Robert McNeely.  If the Chinese and US were at war again, it would only be a short time before the Euro was pulled into the hostilities.  And this time she wasn't going to sit on the safety of the Euro space station inside the Pax line.  The Red October was a science vessel, but she was also a combat proven vessel.  And she would be Jude's flagship if all this went to hell.



Later... in the space beyond Uranus
   The Dutchman sat locked into his station on the Kestrel.  The message of the Outreach had found him unloading a Euro cargo to one of their colonies in the belt.  He had thought if he could 'rescue' a few of the US crew members, that perhaps the US could be persuaded to let the Mary and Marie exit from Earth space undamaged. His momma hadn't raised a fool though, and he wasn't the type to just rush in.  'Enough folks out there want my hide, and I’m in no rush to give it to them.' he thought.  The Kestrel had passed beyond Uranus and come back towards the planet from the out system side.  And well off the ecliptic.  With her engines shut down, drifting through space like any other rock.  When a contact sprang to life on his screen he had thought he was a goner.  The Kestrel was as fast as any warship he knew and faster than some.  But it still needed time to come up to speed.  And the contact had been too close.  Barely two light seconds.  But it had turned out to be a ship's boat.  But not a US design as far as he could tell. And it didn't seem to know that the Kestrel was there, or at least that it was a ship.  So he had waited.
   Then the other contact had arrived.  The signature was unreal.  And not worth dying for.  It definitely didn't look like IT needed rescued.  The Kestrel had engaged its drives and red lined them.  The contact had activated it's drive also, but had been on a poor vector to pursue and had been unable to close.  It was a few minutes after the contact had dropped off of sensors that The Dutchman had ordered the course change that would hopefully confound any pursuit.  Then he had shut down the drives.  Invisible he hoped.  But still locked into his station.  As were the rest of the crew.  And they would be staying there for at least the next eight hours, maybe twelve.  What his sensors had recorded would probably be worth a lot of money to the right people.  If he lived to sell it...



Also near Uranus.....
   The ship came about and sent the message and data back to the colonies.  They had been seen and the contact had escaped.   Hours later the message to return to the nearest colony had arrived.  Their was no reason to die defending this empty planet. Return to base of operations.  The ship’s commander ordered the scout vessels to return, and then to engage drives for cruise speed and a bearing for their new home.

   The crew on the ship had evolved on a moon with less than one hundredth of a percent of the light earth receives.  But the planet and moon both had strong magnetic fields. It was in the pitch dark and vacuum of their home they evolved to use these magnetic fields to see, and eventually to communicate - manipulating the metallic hydrogen that was part of their metabolism.  They could even use it to manipulate other objects if the fields were right and the range close enough.  With no light, and living in near vacuum. the magnetic fields were everything to survival.  This new race used magnetic fields also, but there were also other emissions.  None had proved harmful, though.  But the first ship had turned and rushed at their ship after it had been damaged.  Perhaps it did carry some form of weapon, and this race understood war.  The drive systems were very similar between the races.  Maybe they had meant to use it to burn or irradiate them and cause damage.  It didn't matter.  They would never get that close.  And they would all perish, as the other races had....



///////////
Overview
I had seen the paranoia of my family during the pre game turns and first turn, and being your average space master, decided to run with it.
We have family game nights once a week, just so that we actually see each other occasionally.  With a family of two parents and six kids - four of which are teenagers, schedules can keep us apart quite a bit. Its not always the same game week to week, but something.
This night I had decreed that family game night would actually have everyone SEPARATE.  My wife was skeptical, but even she wanted to get onto the next turn (she loves it when she is winning).  I justified it by telling them that their were accounting inconsistencies on the first turn reports they had turned in, but nothing earth shaking.  I just wanted to go through turn twos sheets with them to make sure it was all getting done correctly.  No one wanted to have their turn sheets come up for public scrutiny so each happily went off to separate rooms - with instructions to finish up turn 2 and I would get to each of them a couple of times.  - Everyone out there can see where this is going I'm sure.
After correcting the few errors there had been, the oldest boy - who was already regretting focusing on a short range weapon only strategy in an environment where long range weapons could do as much damage at greater range - got to find out that his ship Outreach had made contact.  After each turn with him I went off to another room.  This had him fairly well convinced that another player was running the other side of it (we have a bunch of hex maps and counters from several editions of the game).  When his ship was about finished, he declared he would make an open broadcast distress call, so that everybody would know.  When the other players found out no one was in a hurry to respond.  Only the oldest girl decided to be nosy and sent her little ship Kestrel.
When we closed the turn and the players had done everything they wanted and gotten all the info I decided they had available, they were free to leave their rooms.  Then the fun began.
For days they would gather as a group or in ones and twos to discuss what had happened or what they thought had happened.  They occasionally asked me, and I only told them to go back to any notes they had made, or answered simple game mechanic questions if they had one. After a week they still were not sure what was going on and none of them trusted each other.  I think even if they had revealed their turn sheets, it would have kept going with them accusing each other of creating fake sheets for just such an occasion.  
No one even considered an outside force had arrived.
Kind of a sad social commentary when you come to think of it.  A family failing to work together.
But it sure was a fun start.

The ships involved at Uranus are as follows,

US Exploration Vessel Outreach      ES   12HS
[2]A A (BbS) H (BbS) Xp Lb Qa (Cp) [6/1]  gig x4

Nemotian Patrol Corvette      CT   16HS
[2]S S A A Hs (BbS) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  gig x3

And for those who are curious
-House rule for population growth was 10 turn rule (only growth on turns ending in 0) with slow growth set at 1.5% per 10 turns.
-FT leased earn 3/4 normal income (instead of 1/4 as normal for cruise speed 1).  Just enough to cover maint, but not as good as IU per MC.  But with war shutting down the CFN reliable FT to carry maintenance for ships was necessary.
-Escape/life pods just weren't really believable with the tech explanation. Out in a gig or not at all.  And you couldn't go faster than the gig for launch/recovery. Looked to be hard on the admirals you wanted to save.
-And everyone wanted the civilian structures from the Elite rules for Galactic Starfire included, just so they could pick on each others infrastructure. Or exploit their own when the opportunity arose.
-System generation was thrown out for Sol, with actual distances and orbits used as possible, although I have to admit that my math for predicting planetary position in 2203 leaves a little to be desired, but the major planets should be close to where they are supposed to be.  The moons were gauged off of internet engines for 2010 because I don't have enough accurate data on them all.  And all the dwarf planets are placed as accurately as I could manage with what little data I was able to amass or was available in some cases.  The Trojans are a half density field of 16 LM x2 with no impact on other bodies income and only half the normal pop cap.  For a moon to qualify for colonization it had to pass 500 km diameter or have a real good argument for inclusion.  Ceres counts as an O2 moon in the belt.
-And yes my majors in college were Chemical Engineering and Physics. Not English.
-Player start up was a modified version of NPR generation per the player's request.  They didn't want to all start the same.
-Don't ask about the pop. divisions on earth, it was a little complicated with players PU totaled for planetary PU total, and then the PTU divided up with the thresholds for a population level divided by four, etc, etc.  But the players were ok with it, and it seemed to work most of the time.
-Charged Particle drives aren’t supposed to be able to ‘detune’ for extra speed, but that seemed unrealistic, so we allow red lining of the drives to increase max speed by one with the same effect on targeting and turn mode. Its dangerous as the ships only carry half the number of engine rooms as an I or J equipped ship and burning one out would be close to a death sentence.  Seemed fair to us.

Turn 2
Pan Euro (EL1)   Confederacy      China (Ind 2)  Socialism   
GEV 1135.0MC            GEV 1241.5MC
Red October      FG x1      Cruiser Tung      CL x1
Heavy Escorts      CT x3      Attack Frigates      FG x6
Attack Escorts      ES x8      Convoy Escorts      EX x0
Armed Explorers   EX x4      Armed Colony Ship   FT2 x1

US Space (EL1)    Rep Democracy   Free Space Consortium (Ind 2) Anarchy
GEV 1059.5MC            GEV 215.8MC (not a typo, she wanted a small power that played pirate)
Interceptors      CT x5      Dutchman Class   FT2 x1
Exploration      ES x1      Kestrel Class      FT1 x1

Nemotians (EL2)
GEV 1156.2MC

At this point, with their over 3 to 1 advantage economically, if they would have trusted each other, the interlopers wouldn't have stood a chance.  But more ships were on the way. And like I said at the beginning, we are past turn 90 now.

PS, thanks to those who read all this so far and have said you like it.  Definitely makes it worth the effort. Hope you enjoy the rest as I get to it.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 30, 2010, 07:49:23 AM
March 2203 part 1


March 3rd  0520
   Dust swirled up from the Chilean street as The Dutchman stood in the dark alley.  The world had been a collage of green for the last two hours as he had switched over to the high gain circuit on the visuals.  He had adjusted the magnetics several times but just couldn't find a setting that didn't attract the dust to his faceplate.  He pulled the large hat down low to try and block the wind as his long duster flapped from the gusts.    Full cyborgs were almost unheard of in this part of town, and The Dutchman wanted as little attention as possible.  His left hand loosely held the grip of the MP71K under his coat as he scanned the darkness. The weapon was an antique by now, but the low noise signature of the carbon dioxide pulse laser was too useful to discard for this sort of work.
   A figure moved in the street.  Switching to thermal filter, The Dutchman could see the IR shape of the man as he approached.  Good.  No combat armor or cyborg,  just as he had told them.  He switched back to high gain as the figure drew closer to the alley.
   "Stop where you are, unless you want to die here."  The Dutchman had the uplink from the weapon tied into his visual and watched the targeting cross float on the man's chest.  "Why are you here."  He spoke in plain English, as he had indicated that he would.
   "I have confirmation of the Log Codes and frequencies for the Mary Reed and Marie Celeste.  They are even now enroute off the planet and into space.  Both the US Interceptors are docked at the US Space Station for 'repairs', as we said they would be.  We verified that the first 3 seconds of sensor data you delivered were real.  If you can deliver the rest of what you say you have, I can guarantee that the US Interceptors will remain in dock and your ships will not be followed.  Otherwise..."  the stranger let the sentence trail off.
   The Dutchman dropped a small package on the ground between them.  "The chip with the sensor logs is in the package.  So is eight ounces of complex B.  If my ships report any movement form the station, a signal will detonate that package. Our business here is done.  Go now."
   The man bent and picked up the package as The Dutchman backed into the alley even deeper.  Fifteen minutes later he set foot on the bridge of the Kestrel in orbit over South America.  "Lock stations. We're getting out of here before they figure out how to get that bomb defused."


March 4th  2215   
   Lieutenant Ryan sat in the briefing room with Admiral Bradley Walters and three other defense advisors.  She spoke as she pulled up information on the monitor screens.  "Gentlemen, the data from the sensors has been authenticated, but we can't be sure we are the only ones looking at this.  Our source is not what you would call 'exclusive'.  We have been able to get some more information from this, but not a great deal more than what we already knew. What's sure is that the unknown ship contact remained in the area of Uranus, and appears to have been using its small craft to perform surveys and reconnaissance of the moons there.  We have also been able to identify that the vessel does not seem to be able to accelerate more quickly than our Interceptors, and it maneuverability is not much better either.  The vessel making the recording was able to accelerate away from the contact before it could correct it's course and come up to speed."
   She looked up from the screen at the Admiral as she went on. "What we don't know is anything more about its combat capabilities or if it remained at the planet after the informant had left.  We also don't know who it belongs to for sure, as the magnetic distortion is causing issues we have not yet resolved.  Other sources of information confirmed that the Chinese have both of their Strike Vessels here at Earth docked in their shipworks and undergoing extensive refits.  We don't know what these refits are, or are for.  The Euro Fleet has not changed their deployment visibly, but have been tracked sending a large number of shipments that would seem to be bound for Mercury, although they could be diverting mid trip.  There is no indication that either group is preparing for an offensive inside the belt, while the Discovery and her escorts have reported no activity in the Trojans. That is all I have to brief on in this area."
   "What other information would you have to brief on Lieutenant?" the admiral said as he leaned forward in his chair.
   "Sir, we have been able to reverse engineer some of the data the Hancock gained on the Red October during the Battle of Jupiter's Moons.  Merill-Dupont is projecting that we will be able to deploy for field testing and use a sensor system based on the one employed on the Euro ship.  Initial testing looks very promising.  I have the initial test data transferring to your monitor now for you to review."  Lieutenant Meagan Ryan almost looked pleased with herself.
   "Alright, keep me up to date on any other information that we come up with in these areas.  For the moment you have been transferred to my staff while this situation is resolved.  You will make daily reports on the status of this new system, any new information on the unknown contact we can discern, progress reports on the refits of the JFK and Franklin, and any other tasks that Lieutenant Commander Jacobs details for you. Dismissed."  Admiral Walters looked at her as she rose and left.  When this was done, he might have to see about getting her transferred permanently.  She seemed competent, and was one of the few people he had met that did not seem intimidated addressing a cyborg.

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan wondered how much less sense things could make before he started questioning his sanity.  He had just gotten done checking out the repairs on the JFK, the Franklin had just arrived fresh out of the 'yards from Earth, and now they would both be going back in for another round of refits.  The only operational ships at Mars would be the two new Raptor Class Missile Escorts, small ships with crews as green as spring grass.  'Thank god the Martian Spaceworks can protect themselves, their going to have to for a while.' he thought. 'Well, at least I will be able to concentrate on training up these two new ships, and learning just what the Hera class of missile can do before they install a bay of them on my JFK.'  He went back to checking the various news channels, looking for anything that might tell him where this 'war' was going.  


March 7th  0320
   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon unlocked her station on the Heavy Escort Tatianna.  They had entered a stable orbit around Callisto five minutes ago, and checked out the new sensors in Jupiter's magnetic and radiation belts.  Readouts had been adequate, and a massive improvement over the former sensor suite the ship had mounted.  She still regretted leaving the two new Light Battle Groups in the belt.  She would just have to oversee their training from here.  The brass had decided the risk to Jupiter was just to great, and that she should be redeployed out here.  With no idea what was going on with the US, and the possible disappearance of the Outreach, they didn't want to take any chance that someone was up to no good out here beyond the belt.  The Trojans were an excellent place to hide a Battle Group if they were planning on making an attack on Jupiter.  She pulled up the patrol and general quarters rotation schedule for the 3rd Battle Group and began to make changes now that the Tatianna  had returned.


March 15th  0735
   Commander Rachel Pierce looked over the sensor returns as they came in.  A small mining craft had reported a contact here in the belt. The fact that the area was not yet open for civilian mining and exploration had missed the civilian crews' attention, but a contact in a restricted zone needed to be checked.  Particularly when the zone was only one and a half light minutes from Chinese held Ceres.  The Chinese had occasionally tried to sneak mining vessels into this section of the belt, but with the current situation, she needed to make sure.  She checked status reports on all three of her ships, the Attack Escort Boudicca, and the Armed Exploration Vessels Wellington and Cromwell.  All were currently at general quarters and primary safeties were released.  "Communications,  let the Chinese know we are patrolling this section of the belt.  No sense taking any chances they might overreacting to our presence if we surprise them.  It might get any small mining vessels out of the belt if they know we are here."
   "Commander, new contact, designating as alpha, bearing 057 at ascension minus 15, five point two five light seconds, heading one two zero plus three. Drive bloom detected, accelerating.  Hold, second contact, resembles inbound. Intercept in eighteen seconds."  The sensor officer continued to forward data to Rachel's monitor as she keyed for firing solutions.  The computer returns that the contact was beyond effective range made her heart sink.  "Engineering, full acceleration.  Comm, have the two Explorers..."  She never finished her command as the bright wave of superheated plasma washed across the space that the Attack Escort Boudicca hurtled through.
   Rachel's faceplate optic interface flashed wildly and then stabilized.  She watched as the computer vented the bridge compartment.  A hail of debris was thrown out into space by the torrent of argon.  She could just make out that it included the other 16 crewmembers of the bridge, her monitor, part of her station and her left leg.   Damage readouts on her faceplate had just shown that it was damaged and not responding.  Seeing it fly away gave her a sick feeling.  But her station had somehow survived.  She locked her fingers into the station link and saw a ship status readout begin to fill her view.  It was slow compared to the monitor, and she was forced to key with her left hand (it had always struck her as odd that even in a mechanical body the brain still tried to favor one hand), but she began to get results.  All weapons on the Boudicca were off line or destroyed, the magazine had vented, about the only thing still working were the particle accelerators in the heart of the ship and the drive shield that kept the nuclear bloom from consuming the ship.  A short range comm link still worked and she menu selected courses for her ship and the two Explorer's.  The Cromwell and Wellington were still undamaged, and after accessing their sensor returns, she gave orders to begin closing on the hostile contact. She selected a course away from the new contact and felt the ship lurch as the drive cut out and maneuver thrusters began the attitude change.  Only after did she realize that the sensors from the other ships had indicated another inbound on the Boudicca, one that had missed as she began her maneuver sequence.  The contact was following her as she moved away, and the two Armed Explorers closed with it.  As they reached effective range they launched on the contact, but seemed to have little effect.  She noted that during the exchange a third inbound had attempted intercept on the Boudicca and failed to damage her.  But how long would her luck hold?
   Rachel keyed the over ride from her ship and released the secondary safeties on the missiles onboard the Cromwell and Wellington, even as the Cromwell disintegrated under the impact of the detonation of the hostile contact's missile.  The Wellington managed one more launch before the link to the Boudicca cut out.  Rachel knew that both of the Armed Explorers were gone.  She selected for red line acceleration on the menu for Engineering, and felt her station vibrate ever so slightly as the engines drove the ship even farther from where the contact had last been.  She was almost six and a half light seconds from the contact before red lining the engines.  They should be able to keep out of weapons range now. She keyed the relay to download her log to the closest of the belt colonies.



   The commander watched as sensor returns tracked the damaged enemy ship, then it's drive bloom consumed the vessel as its shielding's integrity failed.  That was the last of them.  They had learned much on this patrol.  The enemy had weapons and could fight.  The first detonations of their missiles had caused two small particles to cross the bow shock of the magnetic field shielding the ship.  The field had been able to easily shoulder the particles aside, as they had picked up a substantial electric charge hurtling through the solar wind.   The last detonation had been much more violent, causing fuses to burn out and half the safeties to activate.  But the field had withstood the impact of charged particles with no real damage to the vessel.  The fuses would be fixed within the hour and the field returned to full strength.  
   The engagement showed that the Patrol Vessels would have to be more careful, as the enemy craft might be able to damage them if given enough opportunity. But the Combat Vessels should have no problem with the small vessels that this race used, and the short range and ineffectual weapons that they employed.  The commander doubted the enemy ships had even realized that they were escorting a mining ship here in the belt.  They would return to their new home now, early, but with a substantial cargo acquired from the asteroids of this sector.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 02, 2010, 01:29:45 AM
March 2203  part 2

March 16th  1000 hours
   The dead silence of the vacuum on the Red October's bridge was all that Admiral Jude Kushnir wanted to hear right now.  She was tired of requests from both Rear Admiral Muldoon and Commander Giovanni Vetra to attempt rescue operations in the belt near Ceres.  If it was the Chinese that were behind this, then they would simply be getting themselves killed, and losing combat vessels that the Pan Euro couldn't afford to be without.  If it wasn't the Chinese, then they would be risking another incident with them by operating so close to one of their colonies.  It would be better if a single science vessel were to analyze the transmissions and any wreckage that could be recovered.
   Jude had learned that the Attack Escort Boudicca had managed a short, very poor quality transmission before it had lost contact.  It's close proximity to Ceres meant there was a substantial chance that the Chinese had heard the broadcast, but it would take them a while to decode it if they had.  Currently the only ones possessing a copy of the transmission were the Belt Transfer Station and colony at Pallas, the ships of 2nd Light Battle Group run by Commander Vetra, and the 3rd Battle Group, which had managed to intercept part of the transmission.  The transmission had been immediately classified and rebroadcast forbidden due to the chance of interception.  The Red October would be in the belt in three days, and her onboard instruments and labs would begin analysis of the transmission at that time.  They might also scan for debris or survivors at that time, depending on the contents of the transmission.
   Until then, all that anyone could do was wait for the results.  Then they would take action.


March 17th  1225 hours
   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon looked over the results of the analysis that Survey Vessel Raphael had performed on the short broadcast they had received from the Boudicca.  She knew she was violating regulations by releasing the transmission to the Raphael, but the scientific instruments she carried onboard would be able to make some sense of what had been broadcast.  The preliminary results were on her monitor now.  And they still didn't make sense.  But it was enough to send a cold chill down what was left of her spine.  One ship had destroyed an entire Light Battle Group.  One hit had taken the Attack Escort Boudicca out of the battle before she even reached engagement range.  And it appeared she was the only ship to survive an impact.  Barely.  The group's missiles didn't seem to have had any real effect on the hostile contact.  The battle had lasted less than four minutes from the first sensor contact to the last transmission of the Boudicca.
   What she was about to do would definitely violate regulations.  She could be court martialed, stripped of all rank, even executed.  She finished typing, and then pressed the transmit button, over riding the Comm Station and directly patching through to the tight beam transmitter on the Heavy Escort Tatianna.  
   It was done.

   1350 hours
   Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Jack Ryan looked at the transcript of the message that had been received at the Martian Shipyard.  It had been transmitted in two sections.  The first had been an unencrypted memo from Pan Euro Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon saying that the second transmission was for Captain (she obviously hadn't heard of his recent undeserved promotion) Jack Ryan's eyes only.  The Sensor Conn had a running bet it was cyborg porno or some such, but Jack didn't think Admiral Muldoon was the type.  It had been sent in the old encryption protocol used between the US and Euro ships during the battle out at Jupiter, but the cipher was still in the JFK's memory banks.
   What was in the second half of the message was nothing he could have ever expected.  He had seen the Euro ships in action.  That three could be destroyed by a single ship was unthinkable.  And what in the hell was this other ship.  And why was it so close to Chinese held Ceres.
   Jack sat on the bridge of the Missile Escort Raptor, and keyed the comm switch.  He took the second transmission, returned it to its original encryption, and then subjected that to the current encryption protocol.  That would take anyone who intercepted it a while to figure out.  Jack had just gotten the note from his daughter yesterday of her reassignment.  To Fleet Headquarters and Admiral Walter's staff.  He added a small personal note, and sent the message forward to his daughter.  Anyone who got it would be less likely to try to decode what looked like a personal message between family.  Jack hoped they wouldn't, at least.


March 19th  0220 hours
   Lieutenant Meagan Ryan loved reading the notes she got from her father, but what was likely a congratulations note on her assignment had fallen on the back burner so to speak.  Her life had become very busy of late.  Very busy.  To busy for an 'I'm happy to hear it' note from dad.
   Now she wished she had opened it earlier.  The happy to hear it part was there, but what had been attached was not a cute little note.  Not at all.  It was obviously a sensor data record of a second contact with the hostile vessel.  And the analysis was horrifying.
   She keyed the comm link on her personal work station through to Admiral Walter's Administrative Assistant.  "This is Lieutenant Ryan.  Get the Admiral in his office in five minutes!  Do you understand me?!"  The babbling on the other end did nothing to impress Meagan.  "GET HIM NOW! THAT'S AN ORDER!"  She keyed off the comm and grabbed her dress uniform jacket.  She would have to leave making the uniform look good for later.  She downloaded the file on her personal chip, and ran from her room towards the Admiral's Office.

   0255 hours
   Admiral Walters looked at the staff that had hastily assembled in the briefing room. Since Lieutenant Ryan had arrived, they had added seven more analysts and two of the defense advisors that were still onboard the station.  If what they were saying was true, this would go a long ways toward explaining why the Pan Euro's Red October had left Earth Space so quickly late on the 15th.  And it made it look like the Chinese had a lot more up their sleeves than anyone could have imagined.  
   "Admiral, I think we have something you need to look at."  Lieutenant Ryan said, pointing at her monitor screen.  The Admiral moved around the table to see what it was she thought was so important.  "Sir, the magnetic signature that we were unsure of.  I think we have begun to figure it out.  The transmission is poor, but the field is unmistakable on this hostile contact the Euro ships engaged. Its the same as the ship that engaged the Outreach.  Now here, where the two small missile ships launched, that's what is interesting.  The field seems to fluctuate some, but returns to its prior emission state in a few moments.  But here, just before the Euro Attack Escort loses contact with the second missile escort, is what looks important.  There is a few seconds of sensor data following that ship's missile detonating its drive.  Right here."  She pointed at the monitor again.
   "Tell me what I'm looking at."  Admiral Walters said flatly, in the monotone only a cyborg could manage.
   "The field seems to have lost almost half of its strength signature.  It might be a defensive system.  Just like the Earth's magnetic field protects it from the charged particles the sun sends out, only this ship seems to have a much more localized and powerful field.  It's like nothing we have, even on the drawing boards."
   Admiral Walters stepped back.  "So you are telling me that this ship has a way to 'stop' a nuclear blast from reaching the vessel?"  Lieutenant Ryan looked squarely at the Admiral.  "That's what it would appear as Sir. But it looks like it might have a limit to the amount of energy it can redirect before it overwhelms the field generating system.  And, theoretically, it should also be transparent to our laser emitters.  Light is magnetically neutral and should pass through the fields with almost no distortion.  You just need to get close enough."
   Admiral Walters moved back around the table and sat down.  "Lieutenant Ryan, where did you say you got this transmission from again?"
   Meagan looked down at the table for a moment, but only a moment.  "It was in a transmission from my father.  He indicated that it had been sent to him from Jupiter, or on that bearing. He didn't say who had sent it to him."
   Admiral Bradley Walters thought. Someone out there was sticking their neck out a long way, and they were probably in as much danger from their own folks as they were from whoever was running these 'unknown' ships.  But they also appeared to be on the same side.  And a small thank you might be in order.
   "Clear the room.  Ryan, you stay."  As the room emptied out, Meagan looked at the cyborg across the table from her with some concern.  She didn't think he was aware that the message had sat in her files for almost two days before she opened it.  Was there something else he could be concerned about?
   "Lieutenant Ryan," the Admiral started, "I want you to send a message back to your father with only the basic findings we have on this field and its vulnerabilities, but no technical data.  I also want you to indicate that this 'hostile' is what destroyed the Outreach.  And that he is to return this information to where ever he received it from.  And indicate that any more data would be welcome.  You are to tell no one of this.  Do I make myself clear?"
   "Crystal, Sir."


March 21st  0800 hours
   The science quarters on the Red October were abuzz with activity.  The data from the transmission was of maddeningly poor quality, and the data on the contact that had apparently destroyed the 1st Light Battle Group was something that made no sense whatsoever.  It was becoming the general consensus that interference had garbled the data gathered on the contact.  But some of it had to be real.  Something had destroyed an entire battle group out here in the belt.  But what was leaving the entire staff on edge was Admiral Jude Kushnir's obsession with finding who was in control of the vessel that had destroyed the ships of 1st Battle Group.  Her insistence on almost hourly updates concerning the progress of the science team was leaving them no time to complete the work that they needed to accomplish for any sort of meaningful analysis.
   That and the fact that the data simply made no sense...

    1645 hours
   Brenna sat at her station reviewing the transmission that had come in a few hours ago.  It left little question as to what the contact data meant, and that the US was most likely well ahead of the Euro in analysis of what this new hostile contact was.  The Outreach must have transmitted more useful data than the Boudicca had, but that only made sense coming from a science vessel.  Regardless, if the Chinese had a vessel like this it would make the Treaty of Serenetatis worthless.  There would be little to stop the Chinese from trying to exert control over the outer system.  She had taken what she could of the message, and passed it on to the Raphael.  Perhaps with the insights in the message from Rear Admiral (congratulations again) Jack Ryan, they would be able to come up with something that would enable the Pan Euro ships of the 3rd Battle Group some hope of combating this new ship.  Now the challenge would be passing on this information to Admiral Kushnir without ending up in a planet side prison awaiting execution.


March 25th 0620 hours
   Admiral Hu reviewed the last exercise between the Cruiser Mao Tse Tung and the Attack Frigate Shangxi.  This would be the last training mission for the two before the Shangxi went in for refits.  The two Frigates at Earth would be done with their refits in the next month.  The remodeling of the bays would allow them to deploy three of the long range Dragon Missiles in each volley.  This would hopefully balance the scales in future encounters between the Chinese Forces and the US and Euro ships that had defeated them in the regions beyond the belt.  Rumors were all that could be found in the weeks following the broadcast from the US ship Outreach.  It seemed the US and Euro were waging a secret war over the outer system.  It looked to be a war of unpublished engagements and unknown victories and losses.  But with proper positioning, the Chinese might be able to secure a better position in the outer system if one were just to wait until the Euro and US had exhausted themselves on one another.

March 29th  2205 hours
   The briefing room was quiet and empty. The advisors had all left a few minutes ago. The news had been mostly good for a change.  It seems the field tests of the new sensor system had been a resounding success.  They were claiming that it would be ready for installation on combat ships at the beginning of April.  Four of the Interceptors were scheduled for refits, to include Jack Ryan's group.  He's probably beginning to wonder when we will let him take his ship out of dock.  At least when he does, it should be the equal of any ship in service. Two more of the Raptor Class Missile Escorts had cleared the yards here at Earth, and would complete the 2nd US Task Force.  Tactically,  the combination of advanced Interceptors - now designated the Mk IIa - with smaller missile support ships would enable them to deal with the new Chinese threat ship.  At least that was what everyone hoped.
   At least the news was mostly good.  There was one bad point.  A message had been received from Pan European Cargo Freighter 017 enroute from Belt Transfer Station Pallas to Jupiter with maintenance supplies.  It was a normal commercial run, logged with all the necessary licenses and flight logs.  It had made a broadcast in the clear to any ship able to assist in range. It had indicated that it was under attack by an unknown vessel.  It had only been able to broadcast for about 30 seconds before it had been cut off.  Sensor logs that it had transmitted were sketchy and unclear, but it appeared the aggressor had been the same class of vessel that had engaged the Outreach and Pan European 1st Light Battle Group.  It was obvious whoever was in control of the vessel - most likely the Chinese - was making it clear that they would tolerate no ships beyond the asteroid belt.  It was probably only a matter of time before they challenged the veteran Euro 3rd Battle Group at Jupiter, and claimed the outer system exclusively.  It would probably be soon after that they would try to exercise the same control over the inner system.  God help them all when that came to pass.
   The problem right now was that the civilian news services had caught the transmission, and the news of 'unrestricted war beyond the belt' was spreading.  The civilian lines were already canceling any shipping beyond the belt, and filing the legal injunctions to require armed escort in the inner system.  This would strap the already thin forces of the US Space services and make any sort of effective resistance to this new problem even more difficult.  At least the Discovery had almost finished its work in the Trojans and would be able to dispatch one of its tenders to carry the maintenance normally carried by the civilian lines.  They just needed to hurry up and get home.


March 31st  1400 hours
   The Dutchman wondered if this would be a good deal or not.  He had just accepted a sizable payment to carry supplies from the Euro belt to Jupiter.  It would definitely help to defer the expenses of maintaining his ships, but it was obviously dangerous territory.  Ships were disappearing, and not all unarmed cargo ships.  The Mary Reed, Marie Celeste, and Kestrel would all be making the run to Jupiter.  Together they were more than a match for most combat ships of the major powers.  But something had changed.  He couldn't put his finger on what it was, but space was changing, and not for the better.  Perhaps the Pan European Confederacy would be willing to divert some funds to having the group remain with the 3rd Battle Group as support.  For the right price.  Assuming they actually made it to Jupiter.  The Dutchman  keyed the comm link to have the crew check all systems again.  For the fifth time...


///////////
Overview

This month saw most of the players waiting for a big attack at the beginning of the month, and when it didn't materialize, they began a bunch of hasty refits.  They had all hedged their bets by issuing the orders for the refits to begin several days into the month, assuming they could cancel them if a war blossomed early on.  The mid month attack on the Euro was run in the same way as the attack on the US the previous month, but now they were beginning to suspect breaking the group up indicated an attack by an anonymous player. They still weren't sure what was going on.
A small amount of discussion between my wife and oldest son began to crystallize into the thought that the Chinese were behind the attacks.  They seemed to be behind in every way, but both knew that everyone had been offered a selection of advantages in the pregame setup to chose from.  No one knew what China had chosen (except the boy running China), and they wondered if he had a different weapon system of some type, other tech system, or maybe had 'discovered' alien technology and was using some alien ship while he researched the systems. Lots of theories, and planning to try to counter the 'Chinese threat'.
The player for the Chinese was happy to let the other players fight it out - he thought - while he tried to play catch up with the other powers.  He had decided his big ship was going to be an expensive target until he got better tech for his fleet, and was willing to wait it out.

The battle between the Nemotian Patrol Corvette and the Pan Euro 1st Light Battle Group was not a planned encounter, but a lucky (unlucky?) roll by the group as it patrolled the belt.  House rules require that a planet have a freighter link to an asteroid belt to get the belt bonus to income, and the Nemotians had dedicated a FT for this.  The 1st LBG rolled a 01 and made an intercept.  The rest is history.

The Patrol Corvette also rolled to see if it could make any commerce raiding and managed to snag a single FT that I declared to be one bound for Jupiter, as it was on the same radian at that time.  Bad month to be the Euro.

Good times for the US though.  The players that had started as Ind 2 had received a random number of RP toward EL1 like any generated NPR.  The very first month (Jan) had seen the US make its roll and get to EL1 right off the bat.  March saw them make a critical success (another 01 in one month) in sensors and got their operational Ya in the first month it had been possible to receive.  Lots of refits, but rapid ship advancement in tech. They also choose to receive double RP for normal cost over the next three months in sensor research. It would chafe my wife no end later to find out that the oldest son had achieved in three months all her pregame advantages.

Next month would see the fated confrontation between the Euro 3rd Battle Group and its Admiral Brenna Muldoon, and the new race.  It did not disappoint.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 05, 2010, 05:28:23 AM
April 2203

April 1st 2203   0315 hours

   Admiral Bradley Walters toured the Interceptor Lincoln less than one hour after her arrival in the Earth Shipworks.  She, along with her sister ship the T. Roosevelt, were the first Interceptors to undergo refits to the new Mk IIa standard.  With the improved sensor suite, Hera Missile bay, and extended magazine they would be the equal of any ship in use, with the possible exception of these unknown (Chinese?) contacts.  The other two Interceptors of Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Jack Ryan would soon be undergoing similar refits at the Martian shipyards.  They already contained the Hera Missile bays, but would benefit from the new sensors and extended magazine space.  The last two Interceptors were performing duties as convoy escorts and patrolling the US portions of the asteroid belt when they were able to.  They would be the last to undergo the refits to the Mk IIa class, starting in early May.  
   For the moment that was all that could be done.  Research into the new magnetic systems would likely take years to complete. This war would have to be fought with the technology being installed on the Interceptors now.  It would have to be enough.


      0630 hours
   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan wondered if the brass back at Earth ever intended to let him command another ship, or if he was just supposed to supervise a constant stream of refits.  These were supposed to make the Interceptors into the new Mk IIa class, but it made little difference if the crew never actually got to fly the damned thing.  If the US was going to win whatever it was that was going on out beyond the belt, they would have to take their ships out of the slips eventually.
At least it was giving him a chance to write to his daughter more often than he had in years.  It was a shame that she was now the one who was to busy to write back.


April 3rd 2203  0600 hours

   Admiral Jude Kushnir signed off on the orders that would direct the Attack Escorts of the 1st and 2nd Battle Groups to report to the shipyards at Earth and Mercury for refits. They would remove the chemical pulse laser onboard, and fit the new sensors in the space provided.  They would also see a generous augmentation of the plating and baffles mounted on the vessels.  The Boudicca's failure under a single strike from this unidentified aggressor had made the shortcomings of the current design all to apparent.  With the new sensors and stronger defenses, they should be better able to engage this new class of vessel.
   The research occurring on the Red October was a less productive matter.  The data transmitted by the Boudicca before she lost contact with the belt colony was only of marginal use.  It was obvious that after this first month of analysis that it would take more accurate and complete sensor readings to try and identify the craft, it's weapons, or it's capabilities.  The Red October was going to remain in the belt for the next month continuing the research on the data it had, but this had more to do with the 2nd Light Battle Group having been reassigned from the belt to convoy duty.  The Red October had become the new patrol ship for the belt colonies.  Jude actually preferred this post to her one on Earth.  She had better communication with the belt colonies and the 3rd Battle Group at Jupiter.  This seemed to be where the worst of this situation was occurring, and it was just where she needed to be to keep some control of it.
   And just maybe the Red October would have better luck if she had to engage one of these craft.  With her better sensors and scientific equipment, she could possibly get the information they needed to identify this new vessel.  Until they knew who was employing this new ship, they had little or nothing they could do.  And doing nothing did not set well with Jude.

April 5th 2203   1320 hours

   The Kestrel undocked from the Euro Heavy Escort Tatianna.  The Dutchman checked to make sure the thrust vectors were correct as the ships separated.  He had tried to discuss with the Admiral out here that arrangements could be made for his ships to linger in Pan Euro space to help should 'problems' arise.  Assuming proper monetary compensation was arranged between their various employers.  She had been uninterested, and truth be told that suited The Dutchman just fine.  Rumors were beginning to spread that an entire Pan Euro Battle Group had fallen off the civilian resupply schedules.  That was more than very unusual.  And ominous.  A war was being fought out here, even if no one was talking about it.  And The Dutchman had no interest in being caught in the middle of it.  A war was a good chance to expand his business, but not at the cost of getting killed.  And folks were dying out here, he was sure of it.  The Dutchman didn't plan to be one of them.  Locking himself in his station he keyed the orders for all three of his ships to engage drives for standard cruise.  In six days they would be back at Earth, and this new cash would provide for some enjoyable shore leave.  There might even be some left for improvements to the old girls.  They might be needing some improvements in the days to come.


April 6th 2203  2245 hours

   Technician Harold Jager finished his calculations on the field strength distortions versus the sensitivity of the new sensor array, and tried to tune his small receiver set to the proper calibrations.  After a few attempts (one ruined by the firing of the maneuver thrusters jostling the equipment at his work station), he was sure he had the proper settings.  The Raphael had been intended as a planetary survey ship, but the instruments were also working quite well on this new field reception application of the current passive sensor array.  The instruments had originally been intended to do a thorough study of Jupiter's magnetic and radiation belts prior to colonization of her moon's.  But it worked well for this new project also.  Probably better than Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon had anticipated.  As he downloaded the settings and data into the Raphael's memory, he wondered if this work might be worth a raise in the near future.  It would definitely help his family back on Earth.  The disruption of the civilian freight lines out here in space was giving the economy back home quite the hit.  A couple extra Euros a month would be wonderful.

April 7th 2203  0110 hours

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon went over the result of Tech Jager's work again.  It was very impressive.  He had managed to take the small amount of data that the Boudicca had transmitted, coupled that with his limited understanding of what was supposed to be the highly classified workings of the new Phoenix Sensor Array, and come up with a method that would be able to discern the magnetic distortion of this new defense system at a range twice that at which it could detect the drive bloom of a ship.  It should be able to detect the magnetic distortions at a range of 15 light seconds.  A warning that early would allow the ship to easily lock stations and accelerate to combat speed before weapon exchange was begun.  They would be prepared for combat, or able to avoid it, whichever they chose.  The only drawback that the Tech had passed on was that the sensors would only be detecting the distortion.  If multiple ships remained close to each other, they would only appear as a single distortion.  They would have to close to conventional sensor ranges to allow the array to distinguish individual ships.
   He had shown that the launch from these ships carried its own distinctive distortion that even the standard sensor arrays aboard the Attack Escorts could use to target counter launches.  The final intercepts would have to rely heavily on the internal guidance systems of the Scorpion missiles, and would have a much lower interception chance.  But even a low interception chance was better than no targetting solution at all.  Brenna knew that they were out here on borrowed time, and that eventually they would have to face this new class of ship.  With this information, she began to see a strategy forming that might give them an edge in the coming engagement.  Assuming that the new defenses truly were vulnerable to their current weapon systems.  


April 19th 2203  0905 hours
(Date  37-17429  time 17468)
The Second Battle of Jupiter's Moons


   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 assessed the sensor readouts of this systems largest planet and its many moons.  Its powerful magnetic fields reached out to him, and he could sense its presence even without the ship's arrays.  Just as he could sense the ship, and all of its crew around him.  He manipulated the metallic hydrogen throughout his body, using the magnetic flux to issue orders to the crew throughout the ship, and activate systems at his station.  There was no need to identify who gave the orders, they would know.  Each crew members' magnetic field was as distinct and individual as they were.  Any communication carried the field signature of the one who created it.
   Moments later he could sense the deployment of the three scout craft from their bays.  Later they passed beyond his ability to sense the small magnetic fields they generated, but he could still sense them through the sensor array of the Patrol Vessel.  And he monitored them as they proceeded toward the great planet.  The planet carried almost half the mass of the entire system that he had come from.  But that would have been many lifetimes ago now.  This giant system with its wealth of planets and moons was their new home.
   One of the other giant planets had been the site of the first contact with the race that inhabited this system.  The indigenous race seemed to be very primitive and of little threat.  But Patrol Vessel 14 had reported that one of the small ships this race used had deployed a weapon that had damaged it's field generators.  So caution had been ordered with all Patrol surveys.  Where this race originated from in this system (the thought that they may come from another system was unimaginable) was still unknown, and surveys would continue until all infestations were identified.  Another Patrol Vessel was even now surveying the giant ringed planet to see if more ships were to be found there.  Patrol Vessel 17 was to assess this planet for infestation of the native race.  That would begin with the scout craft.
   Time crawled by as the craft slowly closed with each of the moons, slowly working their way in toward the giant planet itself.  The slow pace was only compounded by the delay in communication caused by the distance.  The Commander reached his four 'arms' across the various panels in front of him.  Manipulating the fields he gave orders and activated systems to bring them into a slow declining orbit of the planet, just slightly off the equatorial plane.  It would take time to complete the sweep, and the small craft could not gain all the information that command would want.  Only the Patrol Vessel could gather the detailed scans that would identify hidden outposts or colonies.  Patrol Vessel 17 descended inside the outer most moons’ orbits, and began to scan for any signs of this new race.
   Reports returned that as Scout Craft 2 approached the large moon orbiting at about one and a half light seconds, a weapon was deployed against them with a large heat pulse and nominal magnetic signature.  It had failed to damage the craft, and Scout Craft 2 had disengaged from the area with no other weapons reported.  The weapon's launch site was unknown, as the small craft had sensors only able to track items of such low signature out to about one light second.  They had been about two light seconds from the moon when the weapon had detonated, but the trajectory seemed to indicate a planetary launch.  Then Scout Craft 3 reported a similar incident as it approached the large moon at 2.25 light seconds from the planet.  Only this time two launches had been detected.  One had pulsed fairly close to the Scout Craft, but still had failed to damage it.  That Scout Craft had also disengaged from the area of the moon.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 gave orders for the Scout Craft to return to their bays.  They were not combat vessel, and had served their purpose well.  With signs of two separate planetary launches, they may have located the first of the new race's habitats.  He again manipulated the panels and ordered the Patrol Vessel to change to an orbit that would take them in an arc at 6 light seconds from the moon that Scout Craft 3 had detected the two launches from.  That would be the extreme range that the Patrol Vessels sensors should be able to resolve any alien habitats.  In that no indigenous craft had deployed a weapon at a range of over 3 light seconds, six light seconds should be adequate distance to safely conduct the survey.  They were a Patrol Craft after all, and not here to engage in combat activities unless forced or favorable.  In fact, six light seconds was slightly greater than what even Patrol Vessel 17 could deploy a weapon too.  Not the greatest range the weapon was capable of, just what the on board sensors could manage.  Following the scan of that moon, they would alter course to conduct a pass at the same range of the moon with the single launch.  No other moon had displayed this activity, although the four tiny inner moons had never been approached.  At six light seconds they would be able to easily identify any alien ships and either destroy them or accelerate to leave this planetary system safely.  Assessments had shown the alien ships to be clearly identifiable at ranges of over 8 light seconds.  Well beyond any weapon range they should be capable of.
   The commander felt the magnetic fields around his station strengthen as the ship began to accelerate.  The ship's systems easily compensated for the acceleration, making the antiquated restraints that had been used unnecessary.  He closely monitored the sensor returns as they began their approach.  He didn't want to be surprised by any indigenous ships hiding in the magnetic belts of this planet.

      1032 hours

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon felt as tense as an over wound spring.   She had been expecting the new ships to barge right in like the contact had done with the 1st Light Battle Group in the belt near Ceres.  No....  Instead they sent in these little craft scooting all over.  She was glad that she had ordered the Michelangelo, Raphael, and Rembrandt to land on Callisto to perform their surveys.  Hopefully they hadn't been spotted.  For the rest of the ships she wasn't so sure.  Probably not, but no knowing for sure.  The Chinese likely purchased their ships' boats from civilian makers, just like everyone else did.  The sensors on most of them were just enough to get from point A to B, and little more.  Most couldn't recognize another ship at ranges past one half to one light second.  There just wasn't any need.  The Catherine had identified the first of the small boats at 1.5 light seconds, and Brenna had ordered them to launch on the contact immediately.  The launch had little hope of destroying the thing.  Scorpion missiles were not designed to track a target that small, so onboard computers had to handle the intercept.  With the almost 4 second time lag between sensor readings and transmissions to the missile, the precise targeting needed to hit something moving at five thousand kilometers per second was just about impossible.  At least the small ships had gotten the idea and turned tail when shot at.  Two minutes later and the Tatianna was in the same situation, launching on a second craft at just over two light seconds.  That was all the farther the new sensors could identify the small contacts.  She had been hoping to see the magnetic signature of an attacker at 15 light seconds, not a scout at two.  This changed everything.
   She quickly keyed orders to the Attack Escorts Catherine and Isabelle to land on opposite sides of the moon Io, which was the closest sizable body to them.  The large Mobile Shipyard 1 that accompanied them was to pick a point on the surface of Io facing Jupiter itself.  At least a ship would have to pass between the two bodies to spot their support and repair vessel.  She also ordered the ships to shut down all non-essential systems. Maybe they would be able to hide until the contact was close enough to launch on.
   She ordered the Heavy Escort Tatianna to move toward the small moon Amalthea.  She wanted the ship stationed only 200 meters above the surface and motionless in respect to the 120 kilometer long chunk of rock.  At that short distance they should be invisible to even the new sensors on the Tatianna.  All the ships had now moved from their original locations, but were still close enough to get a shot if someone came close enough to see what had launched the missiles.  Kind of like waiting in the deer stand with her dad when she had been little, hoping that something would come close enough to shoot.  Only now the deer would shoot back if they missed.  Maybe more like hunting tigers.  Brenna wondered if they had tigers in China.  What bothered her the most was that the Chinese had used the same tactic, hiding among the moons, and it hadn't worked so well for them.  She wasn't sure it would do any better this time.
   The minutes dragged by.  Then the contact they had been waiting on finally arrived.  She had them designate the contact as Alpha.  Seemed appropriate. Sensor readings showed it was at 15 light seconds and closing.  Slowly.  And moving so as to begin a slow arc around the inner moons.  Searching.  This tiger wasn't going to just come in and get itself shot.  It was hunting too.  And well beyond weapons range.  Perhaps they just needed a little bait.

      1047hours

   Midshipman Roberts wondered how he had gotten picked for this duty.  Sending out a little ship to scout around when you didn't know what was there made sense (if you didn't have to be the one on the scout). Going out to look at something you already knew was there and hostile in a little unarmed boat was suicidal.  What the hell was the Admiral thinking?!  Didn't matter now.  He was already half way to the vessel he was supposed to make a fly-by on.  Not that he could tell.  This French crate was blind as a bat at that range.  Tightbeam laser communication was what guided him toward this death sentence.
   Suddenly warning lights flashed on the monitor.  "!! COLLISION ALERT !!"  He didn't need the Tatianna to tell him what to do now.  That wasn't another ship, it was a launch.  He keyed the attitude thrusters and then the drive.  This crate was small, blind, and slow compared to a combat ship.  But what it was, that the other ships weren't, was maneuverable.  Her low mass gave her a low moment of inertia, and allowed much quicker course corrections.  
   Even the blind crate's sensors registered the heat pulse of the weapon detonating.  But he was still here.  That was proof enough that it had missed.  He continued with the course corrections, trying to damp his current velocity,  turn back toward the Tatianna, and not run in a straight line, giving the folks trying to kill him a chance to do it easily.  But it took time.  And he was still in range.
   "!! COLLISION ALERT !!"  Here came the second one.  Midshipman Roberts tried frantically to work the attitude thrusters and drive to change course and velocity once again.  A second heat pulse and still he was here.  He found himself gong over the Hail Mary as he tried to get the crate pointed back to his ship.  He had lost communication with the Tatianna shortly after the first launch.  The tightbeam would never be able to follow the rapid course corrections, and she would never broadcast in the open and give away her position.  As far as he was concerned he didn't care what they had to say.  He was getting the hell out of here and going somewhere safer. The Tatianna wasn't safe, but at least she could shoot back.
   "!! COLLISION ALERT !!"  Damn, damn, damn!  A THIRD ONE!  Were the Chinese that scared of an old French ship's boat? One that was RUNNING AWAY?!  Keying the controls madly, trying to be unhittable, he waited for the inevitable impact.  They weren't going to miss forever.  Then the sensors registered a third heat pulse.  And he was STILL HERE!  Running the drive to max output, he had come full about.  He prayed that he would at least make it back to land on his ship.
   Ten minutes later he stepped off the little crate and ran to his station and locked himself in.  He had never imagined anyone could be so grateful to be onboard a ship that was about to go into combat.


      1056 hours

   Where the small craft had come from was of great interest to the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17.  It was to small to track at its current projected range, and had proved particularly elusive to the torpedoes that had been launched against it.  But they had been necessary.  It was possible that the small craft was actually a weapon system, designed to track another ship and detonate as it drew close.  But it had fled.  That proved the crew valued their own lives, if it had a crew.  The three torpedoes launched were almost 20 percent of the onboard munitions, but it was not a great concern.  They were not here to engage in combat, simply identify targets.  It was important to locate where it had come from, as that would lead them to any possible populations of the indigenous race.  But it was not worth risking the Patrol Vessel to track.  There were weapon stations located here somewhere, and possibly the small ships this race used.  The Scout Craft would be called on again to follow this contact.  They wouldn't be able to follow it directly, but would approach the last known contact points and bearings.  The Patrol Vessel’s pass by the moon at 2.25 light seconds from the planet was proving it to be a lifeless contact.  If it had hidden bases, then the launch signatures as they fired on the Scout Craft would be traceable by the onboard sensors at this range.  If they did not launch, then one of the Scout Craft would pass low over the surface, or even land to begin a search for any installations.  It was possible that there had only been mobile units here, and they could have disengaged before Patrol Vessel 17 had reached detection range of them, but it would be unimportant.  They were here to locate any populations, not just ships.
   Moments later the three small craft were away and heading in toward the moons of the giant planet.


      1109 hours

   The contact hadn't taken the bait, just shot at it.  It was still drifting out there and might eventually be able to resolve the signature of the Tatianna against the small moon.  The ship's boat had returned and was already secured.  They must not be able to track a boat that small at the current range of 7.25 light seconds, or they would have done something when the little craft had landed.  At least she thought they would.  Maybe they were just waiting to see it there were any other ships before moving in.  If it was the Chinese they were well aware of how easy it could be to hide a number of ships on the moons out here.  And they knew that one ship did not make a Pan Euro Battle Group.
   The Sensor Conn's announcement caught her off guard.  New contacts!  Three of them at one point five light seconds.  Bearing two three eight, ascension plus zero point six.  Course and speed followed but Brenna ignored them.  Damn it ! Those damned little craft. They had approached from behind Europa until they were just on top of the Tatianna.  The other ship had to know they were here.  Why chose the course that was blind to the Tatianna otherwise.
   "Weapons Conn, Iaunch on the closest of the three small contacts, all safeties off.  Engineering, engage drives and Helm plot for a course to put Io between us and contact designated as Alpha."  She hoped this enemy contact didn't know that the other ships were there.  If it would just follow the Tatianna, maybe they would be able to beat this ship.  But she knew it wasn't going to.  Whoever the Chinese Captain was on that ship, he wasn't a fool.  "Captain Sereg, handle communications with the Catherine and Isabelle.  Give them what our sensors can see.  Coordinate with them if it looks like we can get in a decisive launch."
   The sensor returns indicated that the lead small craft following them had been destroyed.  The second was changing course to put Europa between it and the Tatianna.  The last was still bearing down on the Tatianna.  'We are the deer now, and the hounds just flushed us out. Time to run and hide like one.'


      1110 hours

   The Commander assessed the returns as they came in.  The time lag would leave them moments behind what their opponent was doing, but it was unavoidable.  The sensors had detected two launches from one of the small inner moons orbiting this planet.  Then they had confirmed the destruction of Scout Craft 2.  The detonations of these weapons were not as focused as the torpedoes the Patrol Vessel carried, but the wide burst of the detonation worked well enough to destroy the small craft.  The Patrol Vessel was able to track the enemy vessel as it moved from its location, and sensors seemed to indicate it was attempting to place the large moon at 1.5 light seconds from the planet between the Patrol Vessel and itself.  Scout Craft 1 was moving to inspect the moon it had been assigned, but was also putting itself behind the moon to avoid the launches from the enemy ship.  Scout Craft 3 was attempting to do the same with the small moon the enemy ship had been floating beside.  It was almost safe when the fourth launch found its mark.  The enemy ship had already launched eight weapons, which was equal to half the payload of Patrol Vessel 17.  If they were responsible for the earlier launches on the Scout Craft, they may be running low on weapons to deploy.  Perhaps not.  Regardless, they had not attempted to launch at the Patrol Vessel.  
   The enemy ship had been too far out for the sensor returns to confirm if it was one of the known contacts, or a new class altogether.  Not that it was the most important information they could gather.  It was now becoming obvious that this race placed ships near the large outer planets for some reason, but none so far had been inhabited by the race.  Curious.  These ships had to be coming from somewhere.  Was it possible that they lived in the inferno of the inner system of this star?
   The Commander manipulated the fields on the panels again.  He had seen enough to decide that the race here did not possess longer ranged weapons, or they would have used them.  The destruction of an enemy vessel would bring glory to him and his crew, much as the other Patrol Vessels that had engaged the enemy now enjoyed.  But the Commander had no intention of losing his ship.  He ordered the Patrol Vessel's crew to bring the ship about and plot a course around the moon the enemy ship had fled behind. The arc was to be at the extreme range limit of the Patrol Vessel's torpedoes to engage a target.  He then began the wait to see if the scans of this second moon would reveal any of the populations that had to be somewhere in this system.  If that enemy ship ran again, they might be able to destroy it.  Scout Craft 1 was already landing on the moon to begin magnetic readings at surface level to try and find any hidden installations.  
   This race could run and hide for the moment, but its days were numbered now.


   1121 hours

   Brenna hated losing sensor contact with the hostile vessel.  Moving behind Io had blinded them.  Deer that didn't know where the hunter was tended to end up badly.  Brenna noticed a comm request from Captain Keely Sereg and opened the internal link.  "Do you have any good news, I could use some now."  Brenna transmitted as she opened the comm line.
   "Admiral, I have managed to establish a tightbeam link with the Michelangelo on Callisto, and they are running a second link to the Catherine on the far side of Europa.  It seems that Contact Alpha has closed to five point two five light seconds from Europa, and is just on the edge of the Catherine's sensor pick up.  The sensor returns are over twenty one seconds old by the time we receive them, but the ship appears to be holding its course.  We should be able to predict its location in our time by the sensor returns we are getting."
   "Excellent Captain.  If you can keep this going, maybe we won't end up as a collection of space debris."  Brenna studied the returns and plot of Contact Alpha.  It was holding just beyond the maximum range that the Tatianna could target another vessel.  How much did they know about her ship and its capabilities?  Were the Chinese spies as effective as rumors held?  How could they know the engagement range on a new sensor system only months after it had been deployed?  Not even all the Euro ships were informed of its capabilities and limitations.  It didn't matter.  She needed to get closer to that ship.  And she needed to do it when her whole Battle Group was together if possible.
   They hadn't chased a little bit of bait, Perhaps a larger morsel would interest them.
   "Captain Sereg, raise the Mobile Shipyard on the surface below us.  Inform them that they will be lifting off and making a run for it."


   1123 hours

   When the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 sensed the returns coming in he was shocked.  The vessel clearing the space behind the moon they were circling was as large as a Combat Vessel.  Twice the mass of his Patrol Vessel.  The moon appeared to be uninhabited so far.  Why place a vessel this large out here then?  And what weapons did it carry?  The twelve weapons it had launched might be only a small portion of its complement.  It was running away though.  Perhaps the ship realized it would be unable to engage the Patrol Vessel and was trying to accelerate out of range before the Patrol Vessel could respond.   This contact information could be vital. The Commander issued orders to transmit all data gained so far.
   More fields?  Three more?  Three new vessels had appeared, two from behind the moon and a third lifting off the surface.  Two were of a class that Patrol Vessel 14 had first encountered.  The third contact was new and massed as much as the Patrol Vessel.  It had also just launched two weapons toward the Patrol Vessel?  From five light seconds? He ordered the ship to deploy a torpedo as sensors tracked the inbound weapons.  The Patrol Vessel was firing its drive to make intercept for the weapons more difficult, but one refused to lose its lock.  The detonation registered on the panels as several of the field generators activated their safeties or burned out fuses.  Sensor returns indicated the enemy ship that had launched was now venting gases and debris from the impact of the torpedo's wave of plasma.
   Moments later the sensors also registered that the other two ships had launched moments after Patrol Vessel 17 had.  The Commander ordered Patrol Vessel 17 to begin an attitude change and accelerate to take them away from the three contacts. A second detonation blew the last of the field generator fuses, leaving the ship's hull naked against any following blasts.  The Commander relaxed as he registered that none of the four vessels were attempting to pursue.
   The field generators would take hours to bring back online, and until then, they would be vulnerable.  But Patrol Vessel 17 had sustained no permanent damage.  And the data they had gained was possibly much more valuable than any that had been gained to date.  This new race was not as helpless as had been suspected.  They could build ships equal in size to the Combat Vessels, and could engage a target at combat ranges.  They had been unable to damage the Patrol Vessel though, and a Combat Vessel was much more powerful.  This race would still perish.  But it would be more difficult than had been anticipated.
   But there was one last detail to take care of.  A painful one, but necessary.  The Scout Craft contained a single weapon intended to be dropped on enemy populations.  Its core would generate a fusion reaction like the one the ship drive used.  It was very effective against planet bound populations.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 manipulated the field of his panels one last time and remote detonated the device on board Scout Craft 2.


   1220 hours

   Brenna reviewed the sensor logs again.  She had contacted the Red October in the belt, and in another hour would receive confirmation that they would be able to begin tightbeam transmission of the data they had gained. They would also have to await orders of what to do in the aftermath of the battle.  Contact Alpha had fled, but it's magnetic field had actually collapsed after the launches from the Catherine and Isabelle (thank you Tech Jager, without the ability to target the launch signature, the Attack Escorts would have been useless). They had been able to get some accurate sensor data on the vessel they had fought, but it raised more questions than answers.  It didn't look to be Chinese.  Hell, it might not even be human.  But it's one launch had torn through the Tatianna's plating and baffles, shredded the supply sections, the forward magazine, and cracked the hull on the bridge.  Only six of the crew had died, but Captain Sereg was unresponsive and would need better care than could be provided by the ships at Jupiter.  The Mobile Shipyard was currently making emergency repairs to restore the bridge to a minimal level of function again, but the Tatianna would need extensive repairs to reach full combat effectiveness.  The repairs could be done here at Jupiter, but would take time for the limited facilities onboard Mobile Shipyard 1 to complete.  Probably months.  They really needed be redeployed to the inner system.  Everyone was considering the engagement a victory, but it didn't feel like one to Brenna.  If that ship came back they were probably sunk.  It was only a victory in that they survived - but they had, and it was the first time a group of ships had done that.  In the end though, it had taken an entire Pan Euro Battle Group to combat a single vessel.  God help us if there are more....
   She had one more task to take care of.  Someone had given them a tip that had likely saved the lives of her entire Battle Group.  She would repay that favor now.  She keyed the command override of the comm station and again transmitted a coded message to Mars.  She then erased the transmission from the ships log and returned to waiting for the reply from the Red October.


   1445 hours

   Admiral Jude Kushnir reviewed the sensor data and ship logs.  She knew that leaving Brenna out there had been condemning her to face this new class of ship, but she was the most experienced flag officer in the Pan Euro Fleet at the moment, and the 3rd Battle Group was her command.  The news that Captain Sereg had been injured was grave, as a full cyborg could shrug off almost any damage unless it involved the nervous system, the only human components left.  The data they had gained during the battle was invaluable, and now made risking the Euro's most experienced group a winning gamble.  It would be weeks before the full analysis of the data was complete, but it proved the defensive screens could be overwhelmed, and the ships were not invincible.
   It also had some disturbing information, as the ship seemed to follow no known construction pattern.  Brenna did not come out and raise the question of this vessel being non terrestrial in origin, but she definitely walked around the subject several times in her After Action Report.  Jude would wait for the analysis, but it sure didn't look like anything she could imagine the Chinese using.  The weapon system the contact used definitely had only one launcher on the ship that Brenna had fought, but a single impact had almost taken the Heavy Escort out of the fight.  A second impact would have torn the Tatianna apart.  Jude doubted if the Red October would be able to defeat this vessel in a one on one fight.
   For now they would have to be happy with the fact that the 3rd Battle Group was still intact.  The crews and commanders would be the new heroes of the Pan Euro.  If the news was released.  If this new class of ship was an alien, the 3rd Battle Group may become more than the Pan Euro's heroes.  If that was the case, humanity may need something to rally around in the coming months.  Actually defeating one of these ships looked like it would be a bloody hard affair.
   Right now they just needed to get back home.


   2305 hours

   Admiral Bradley looked up at Lieutenant Ryan again as she went over the newest data that had been gained on whatever it was these new ships were.  Whoever was funneling information to Meagan's father deserved a medal, if they didn't get executed for high treason.  The data was amazing, and terrifying.  But without it they would have no hope of combating these ships.  It would also accelerate work on the systems that these ships used.  What these ships were, and where they were coming from, was only becoming more of a mystery.  For the moment, this newest data was the most valuable to date.  It would take weeks to analyze it, but even the initial work was going to make a difference in how the US approached the new ships.  And its policy towards the other powers of Earth.


April 24th 2203  1530 hours

   Admiral Hu reviewed progress updates.  The Attack Frigates Anhui and Hubei were due to finish their refits on the 25th, probably late in the day.  They would be redesignated to Missile Frigates after their release from dock.  They would begin month long training cruises following that, undergoing maneuvers with the Tung in preparation of a return to space beyond the belt.  China would reassert her control of Saturn, but the ships needed to be prepared for the eventual conflict with the Euro or US as they continue to fight for a monopoly on the outer system.  For the moment China had no intention of contesting the Treaty of Serenitatis, but if attacked on Chinese territory, they would do what was necessary to ensure the safety of Chinese holdings beyond the belt.  Even if it meant expelling the other powers.
   To ensure that China would be victorious, progress on the Cruiser Chiang Ki Shek was moving along.  She was due to be operational in July or August, and would be joined by two more Missile Frigates.  The first would be the Shangxi, and the second would be new construction.  The last two operational Attack Frigates would remain in service without the upgrades, serving as convoy escorts.  They would also be useful for ground bombardment with the heavy payload and yield of the shorter ranged missiles.  Hopefully that capability would never be needed.


April 30th 2203  0210 hours

   Commander Jeremy Leffler gave the order to ease the ships of his survey group out of the Trojans, and into clear space.  The survey of the US portion of this asteroid field was complete, and the data transmitted to Earth, but now the hard part would begin.  A coded transmission from Earth had indicated that if the ships of the Discovery Survey Group were approached beyond the asteroid belt, that they were to engage drives and avoid any contact within five light seconds.  Any attack was to be avoided if possible, and met with force if not.  Any data gained on an aggressor was to be transmitted in real time to the nearest colony in tightbeam with full encryption protocols.
   A war had broken out while they were hiding in the rocks of the Trojans, and now they would have to sneak through it to get home alive.


///////////////
Overview
This month again saw everyone parked in their own little rooms while we ran the month.  China (the middle boy) continued to do its own thing trying to catch up to the others and get ready for when he thought he would be able to challenge the others.  The Free Spacers (the oldest girl) planned on hiding from anything that looked like a fight and just try to get extra cash where she could (I reminded her that she had chosen this path).  My wife and oldest boy (the Euro and US respectively) were beginning to believe that something was going on that didn't add up, and could be found in quiet discussions when I wasn't around (amazing how quickly the 9 year old boy and 5 year old girl would rat out their family when I would make cookies - grin).  
They had come up with a nasty surprise for me though.  They had really gotten down and read the sensor rules.  ALL of them.  Even the little footnotes by the charts.  They discovered that a ship could return fire on another ship that had fired on it at -2 to hit if it was within the limits of the WEAPONS range, not just the sensors targeting range (page 300).  That was how she managed to get the Attack Escorts into the fight at Jupiter, and knock down the Patrol Corvette's shields, obliging it to retire from the fight.
They were all beginning to gear up for a war, but my wife and oldest son were beginning to realize this war wasn't going to be a simple affair of fighting each other.  

The ships designs can be found as follows.
Heavy Escort Tatianna      CT   16HS
[2]A A A H Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1]

Attack Escorts Catherine , Isabelle
end of January 2203 part 2

Nemotian Patrol Corvette 17
end of February 2203 part 2

This month also saw Brenna improve to BG +1 (veteran - to our group)

It will be a while before I can write more.  H1N1 has hit its third wave in our area, right on top of the seasonal flu.  I will be spending the next week putting in extra time on the Peds unit helping out with the big influx of patients.  
Take care to all out there and thank you for reading.
Back soon…..
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 08, 2010, 04:22:38 AM
May 2203

May 2nd  1015 hours

   Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Jack Ryan keyed in the order for the JFK to engage drives.  The world became grey with a faint blue halo as the nuclear drive bloom began to push the ship faster.  In a few minutes either the ship would reach full combat speed, or come apart under the stress of the acceleration on the new components and fixtures.  If a single missile was loose in its launch rack, or a baffle had a poor fit or seal where the new sensor array was placed, then the JFK would become so much debris orbiting the sun.  The fact that he would be part of that debris always bothered Jack.
   Three minutes later, the monitor displayed that the JFK had reached maximum combat speed.  Jack keyed in the orders for the sensor and engineering crews to begin diagnostic checks.  They were just out of the docks and the new equipment would need to be checked under full stress.  For the next eight hours they would all be locked in their stations while every system that operated was checked for function and safety.    He felt the ship lurch for a seconds and then resume as it had.  The drive was going through combat cut outs and restarts that would allow deployment of weapons, venting of debris, or attitude thrusters to make course corrections.
   The next few weeks would be full of these exercises, checking out the JFK and Franklin, and making sure they were ready for combat.  Jack wasn't sure he was ready to get back into the fight, but he had no doubt that was where he would end up.  At least he wasn't stuck on the space station orbiting Mars, wondering if he would ever be able to get back on his ship.


May 5th  1300 hours

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon watched the metal cylinder drift out into space through the viewing window.  The sun glinted off the silver Pan Euro emblem on the side.  She could hear Vice Admiral Esme Jurkat saying something in the background, but she wasn't listening anymore.  She was back in the infirmary, listening as Captain Sereg's grown son and 17 year old daughter were told that their mother was never going to wake back up.  The injuries had been too extensive and there was nothing that could be done. She had watched as the son had signed the forms that would allow the doctors to let his mother die.
   The son and daughter were on the podium to accept the medals their mother had been awarded.  The Pan Euro Distinguished Cross was presented, along with the Order of the Star of Romania from her home country.  No pieces of fabric and metal would be able to replace their mother.  How many more funerals would there be?  When would it be her turn?  This war was only starting....


May 6th  0255 hours

   Commander Giovanni Vetra looked out from the small viewing port at his ship, the Attack Escort Cynthia, as workers crawled across her hull.  They had docked at the Mercury Shipyards six hours ago, and already crews were everywhere on the ship.  He knew why they were out there in such numbers, and the haste that was being used to refit his ship.  The two Armed Explorers of this Battle Group had been released as convoy escorts, but the Cynthia was slated for upgrades.  With the rumors of what was happening, he was glad to see his ship in the docks getting her plating reinforced, and an extra blast baffle added.
   But what kept catching his eye was in the slip next to the Cynthia.  He had never seen a hull that large.  They had been informed that they would not be released from the shipyards until that ship was complete.  Then the 2nd Light Battle Group would be assigned to this new ship as escorts.  He didn't know what it was or what she would carry, but she was a whole lot bigger than his Attack Escort.  And it might be nice to have that big of a ship around in the next few months.


   1200 hours

   Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery finished her transmission to Admiral Jude Kushnir and keyed off the comm link.  The 1st Battle Group had arrived in the belt, but was still an hour away from arriving at Pallas Colony.  When they arrived she would leave the Heavy Escort Anastasia and report in to Admiral Kushnir onboard the Red October.  The original orders had only been to report to the Pallas colony and Admiral Kushnir, but she was sure they wouldn't be headed back to Earth anytime soon.  The 3rd Battle Group was there right now, waiting on repairs to the Heavy Escort Tatianna.  And it hadn't looked like that ship would be out of dock anytime soon.
.  The 2nd Battle Group of Vice Admiral Esme Jurkat had also settled into orbit around Earth.  Two Battle Groups was a lot of ships for a weapons free zone.

May 15th  0340 hours

   The Dutchman climbed back into his station and locked it.   The status display showed the Kestrel was ready for acceleration.  They would be unable to utilize the full power of the drive here in Earth's atmosphere, but the short stutter of bursts that it would use to reach orbit still generated enough force to throw the crew around the cabin if they weren't locked in.
   The Chinese surplus laser emitter had been replaced over the last two weeks with a bay filled with the new Devil Class Long Range Missiles that Australia had managed to develop - without the major space powers knowing.  Soon the Marie Celeste and Mary Reed would undergo the same refits.  The surplus lasers would be set aside for use on new vessels that might be built or converted over.  The Queensland Cartel apparently was looking to begin construction of warships to hire out as merchant escorts.  The other space faring groups would be needing their precious ships for the fighting, and would be willing to pay to be able to free up their combat ships from escort duty.
   The South African Corp that held The Dutchman's charter was more interested in arming commercial vessels that would both carry merchant cargos and serve as convoy escorts, whichever was needed - or both at the same time if possible.  The South African Corp held the rights to the lasers, but money was what made the world go round in the free wheeling world of the South Seas Free Space Confederation.  The Dutchman was sure if Queensland wanted to pay the right price, they would be quite welcome to use the old Chinese weapons.
   Just not on his ships.


May 21st  1100 hours

   Minister Po stepped out into the twilight of the evening.  He waited for the transport that would carry him home from the Ministry Building in Beijing.  It had been a long and difficult day. 'Have we made the wise decision.' he wondered to himself.  He doubted it, but it was done.  
   In just over 48 hours the Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, and the Missile Frigates Anhui and Hubei would leave Venus and begin the voyage to Ceres.  At Ceres they would be joined by the Marco Polo Survey Group and the Mobile Construction Ship Zhuang.  At Earth, the Armed Colony Ships Manchuria and Vietnam would load the 18th Independent Powered Armor Brigade and the 6th Cyborg Regiment - along with supplies for extended combat operations.  They would arrive at Ceres a week after the Tung.
   It had been decided that China would begin to assert its control of space beyond the belt.  The Tung, Anhui, and Hubei would accompany the survey group to Saturn, while the two Colony (Troop Transport) Ships would remain at Ceres.  It any armed vessel contested Chinese controlled space outside the belt, the Chinese would use troops to invade the belt colonies of that government.  The Armed Colony Ships, with their powerful short range missiles, would provide heavy support should the troops need bombardments to allow them to complete their missions.  The ministry would have to issue orders to allow the bombardment of any civilian structures, but that could easily occur if hostilities flared.
   He hoped that it wouldn't.  Once the bombs started falling on populations, it would only be a matter of time before they began to fall on Earth.


Date 38-17429  time 23258

   Commander of Combat Vessel 7 assumed his station for the first time.  His four legs readily found their divots and he adjusted the magnetic field to activate his panels.  He could feel the magnetic waves of information wash over him, carrying data on the status of every system on the ship.  They all signaled readiness, as did the crew.  He reached out with his four arms and began to adjust the fields on the panels in front of him.  The particle beams began to accelerate, and field generators spooled up to create the protective bubble that would surround the ship.  In moments they would join the three Patrol Vessels in orbit of this moon.  Then the group would begin the training series laid down generations before.  The same training that had allowed their ancestors to defeat the other races that had fought with them over control of their first home.
   Now they would use this training to fight the new race.  A race that was quickly showing itself to be far more dangerous than had originally been thought.  This race had fought twice against the Patrol Vessels, and had even disabled one ships protective generators.  But they had only faced single Patrol Vessels so far.  Now he would show this new race that they had no hope of surviving.  Combat Vessel 7, along with Patrol Vessels 14, 15, and 16 would become the 1st Combat Group.   And they would destroy the simple ships of this new race.  And then they would destroy the populations of their homes.  
   And for a second time his race would assume their proper place as the dominant one of the system.  For only one could survive.


////////////////
(I got a few hours down time [aka:  standby] on Peds,)
Overview

This month actually had no combat, mostly shifting about of forces and refitting of ships.  I was fairly sure that the Euro and US were preparing for a patrol into the outer system to see if they could find anything that didn't belong to one of the players.  How they were going to go about it was a mystery as yet (the 5 and 9 year old spies that I employed had their limits).  The middle boy (China) had told me he was planning on returning to Saturn in June, and that he was ready for a fight if there was going to be one.  My wife and older son (Euro and US) had tried to talk with him when I wasn’t close enough to hear - likely about what they had going on and knew - but he trusted them like a lion trusts jackals.  
The oldest girl was trying to figure out how to make a buck without seeing her ships trashed.  She knew she couldn't fight the others, but was worried if she helped one - the others would toast her.  The Euro and US saw her as an ineffectual power and didn't even discuss what they were up to with her (probably, I might easily have been wrong about that - I seem to have a talent for being outsmarted by the rest of my family).

By now the Nemotians had pretty much settled in, the first wave of ships was done, and defenses set.  With the failure of Patrols to clear the outer system, it was time to use a combat group to clear away the problems.   I was concerned at this point that if the players didn't get their acts together, this game might be over before turn 15, maybe sooner.  (which after all the work I had put into it, didn't appeal to me)  The players’ ships had proved to be a lot more fragile than I had anticipated.  
But the next couple of turns would begin to see several swings in the tide of events, kind of like an out of control see saw.

The Chinese curse, May you live in interesting times, would definitely have applied to the year 2203.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: cjblack on February 08, 2010, 04:17:02 PM
Very interesting, and I look forward to finding out what happens next.

I think I can clear up the question of why the human ships seem excessively fragile, too.  You are looking at it backwards, actually.  It's not that the ships are too fragile, but rather that the alien weapons are more powerful than they are supposed to be.  Specifically, torpedoes, unlike missiles and kinetics, are not supposed to cause triple damage to unshielded / drive-fieldless targets.

Of course, you can just retroactively houserule this away, and it will have little bearing if the players switch to non-Cp drives.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 09, 2010, 01:18:11 AM
Your very sharp CJ.  That didn't come up for us until turn 21 or 22 (I don't have my notes/records on those turns with me here at the hospital - got stuck here at work d/t the snow storm).  It became a several hour discussion on that subject.  In the end we decided/house-ruled that if a kinetic weapon does damage from plasma striking a target much like a torpedo, and the in game expanation for us was that the torpedo used the same energy source as a missile (detonating the fusion drive) - but simply used the magnetics to focus it, that they would all get the x3 damage bonus.  That, and no one wanted to redo the previous turns.  The +2 to hit vs non drive field and triple damage made the weapon system horribly powerful.
That combo made the higher tech Nemotians feel a lot more dangerous (of course that was because they were). And it made developing shields very important to the players.
Thank you for reading, hope you enjoy the turns to follow  (assuming I ever get away from work).
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: Sotak246 on February 09, 2010, 06:05:02 PM
Please do continue writing when you get the chance, work comes first but, hurry.  I have gotten hooked on your write-up and can't wait for the next installment.

Mark
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 12, 2010, 07:30:27 PM
June 2203

June 1st  0720 hours/US Space Station

   Admiral Bradley Walters dismissed the staff from the briefing room.  He hit his comm link, "Petty Officer Hansen, notify Lieutenant Ryan to meet me in my office in ten minutes."   "Yes, Admiral.  Right away."   Petty Officer Hansen was always so cheerful in the mornings, although the long hours of the past few months had begun to wear on even her youthful enthusiasm.  But she was a damned good organizer.  'Which is good, because I'm not.  And the amount of work coming through here isn't helping matters either.' he thought.  Right now there was one thing to worry about that wasn't work, and time for it was getting short.
   "Good morning Lieutenant Ryan."  Admiral Bradley returned her salute, but didn't offer her a chair.  "You have done an excellent job here, and I appreciate it.  I can't give you any details, but if you have anything important to say to your father, you need to do it soon.  Within the next few hours.  You won't ask any questions why or act as if anything is going on.  Do I make myself clear Lieutenant?"  The Lieutenant's eyes had grown only slightly wider, but she nodded.  "Yes, Admiral.  Very clear, sir."  
   "Then you are dismissed.  That is all until the 1500 briefing."  He returned her salute and watched as she left the office.  She had managed to do his command a number of favors.  It was time to repay that to some small degree.


   1015 hours/Interceptor Mk IIa JFK, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Jack Ryan looked over the orders that the Comm Officer had sent to his monitor.  He had transmitted to Command that the JFK and Franklin had cleared their trials and were fit for duty just 17 hours ago.  It didn't take them long to respond.  As he read through the body of it, he decided that sitting on the Mars Station or putting the JFK and Franklin through a shakedown cruise wasn't so bad.
   "Comm, signal all ships of Task Force One.  All ships are to dock at the Orbital Transfer Station.  Draw fuel, supplies, and maintenance equipment for a four month period.  All ships are to lock stations and be prepped for drive engagement at 1200 hours.  Communications silence other than tightbeam ship to ship within the task force to commence at 1202. Rear Admiral Jack Ryan, out.  Regular encryption protocols."  Jack turned in his station and looked around at the cabin.  'Guess this will be home for a while,' he thought.  'But where the hell are we going.  The course bearings and waypoints take us nowhere.  Just out beyond the belt.  We won't be close to anything.'
   He looked hard at the coordinates again.  'Maybe that is what they want.  If we aren't close to anything, nobody will see us go.'
   'This can't be good.'


June 3rd  1645 hours/Baoji Military Barracks, China

   Senior Colonel Liang checked the status of his brigade on the ship's monitors.  The 18th Independent Powered Armor Brigade would be finished loading onto the Transport Vietnam within 90 minutes.  The operations were ahead of schedule by 22 hours at the moment.  Soon it would be up to the 'borg ship jockeys to keep them on schedule.  He hated that part.  Climbing into the fluid hydrocarbon chambers that they would sleep in.  First they would have to be hooked up to a number of tubes that would feed them, keep them asleep, and take care of other functions that he didn't care to think of until he had to.  What he hated most was having to breathe in the fluid before going to sleep.  It felt wrong.  Without the fluid they would be crushed by the acceleration of the transport, but the Colonel still hated it.  Even with the fluid the ship was limited to only about 10 percent of its normal acceleration.  Any faster and it would kill the entire Brigade.  He doubted the 'borg crew would worry about that if they came under attack though. Their orders probably even specified that the troops were expendable.  The other transport, the Manchuria, would be carrying a cyborg unit.  They would be able to survive the acceleration and still deploy, so his brigade, the powered armor troops, was less valuable.
   His troops would show them what valuable was if they ever made a drop.  Nobody was better.  Even those bodiless bastards in the next ship.  They would see what his troops could do.


June 4th  2050 hours/12 Light Minutes sunward from Vesta 4, Asteroid Belt

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan glared at the monitor.  "Comm, all ships, general quarters.  Prep weapons and drives for combat.  Sensor Conn, give me a firing solution on that big son of a bitch.  Helm, bring us about to bearing one two two at ascension minus one zero."  Jack looked at the sensor returns again.  'Where in the hell did those ships come from and why are they out here in the middle of nowhere.  They haven't changed course yet so maybe they don't know we are here.'  "Sensor Conn, do you have identification of the contacts?"  He knew they didn't for the big one, but maybe the other returns were something they would be able to recognize.
   "Sir, contacts designated as Two and Three read as Chinese Attack Vessels.  Contact One is not currently in memory for the ship."
   Jack studied the returns again.  Whatever Contact One was, it was huge.  Probably massed more than his entire task force.  If China was behind whatever the small ship was that had destroyed so many US and Euro vessels, he sure as hell didn't want to tangle with its big brother.  It was obvious China had at least one ship that was off the logs, and it was something no one else could even approach deploying right now.  The thought that they were behind the combats over the last few months was beginning to look more realistic.
   "Communications, process sensor data for transmission.  Full encryption protocol."   The Chinese ships were passing by, and Task Force One's heading change was taking them away from the contacts. Allowing Task Force One to slip behind them.  "Prepare for tightbeam transmission to Mars in thirty seconds.  Continue to transmit all sensor data on Contacts One through Three until they pass beyond sensor range."  'We aren't supposed to break comm silence, but they are going to want to know about this back at home.'  Jack was sure of that.


June 5th  0830 hours/Heavy Escort Anastasia, Station Keeping near Pallas 2 Colony

   Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery couldn't believe what she was reading.  Admiral Kushnir had personally handed her orders and files an hour and a half ago.  Personally.  That didn't happen.
   Now she saw why.   Everyone had heard rumors of troubles here in the out system areas, but that was to be expected.  Treaty or not, there was bound to be a little jostling for position when it came down to it. Everyone was worried that it would spread, but concern was low back at home on Earth.  If they knew what was in these files, there would be uproar.  Chaos.   Rumor had the 1st Light Battle Group off spying on shipping in Chinese and US space.  Destroyed?  By one ship?!   The 3rd Battle Group fought to a stalemate by a single ship?  The US Outreach presumed destroyed?   This was unreal.  It wasn't jostling.  It wasn't even a war, it was a slaughter.  The entire 3rd Battle Group had only managed to knock down whatever those magnetic fields were, but the sensor returns didn't even show any damage to the enemy ship's hull after multiple intercepts with drive detonations.
   Her orders were to report to Pallas Belt Transfer Station and draw supplies for an extended deployment, and then engage drives and cruise toward Earth.  But that wasn't where they were going.  They would double back through an uninhabited section of the belt and take up station on the leeward side of it.
   Why?  Were they bait?
   It didn't make sense.  She keyed in orders for the ships of 1st Battle Group to move to the Transfer Station and dock for resupply.
   Sense or not, she had her orders.

June 6th  2255 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October,  2 Light Second dark side of Pallas 2

   Admiral Jude Kushnir watched as her monitor displayed the progress of the transmission to the 1st Battle Group and Vice Admiral Avery.  These orders would start a new age in relations between the Pan Euro and US Space Fleets.  Hopefully a good one.  The 1st Battle Group would soon make contact with and join US Task Force One.  Peacefully.  They were to begin a sweep that would take them back to Jupiter, across the US held section of the Trojans, and then out to Uranus and Neptune.  They would be searching for information, but that was only a secondary part of the mission.  The orders had made that very clear.

PAN EURO FIRST BATTLE GROUP TO ENGAGE IN JOINT OPERATIONS WITH US SPACE TASK FORCE ONE.
AUTHORIZATION FOR SECONDARY SAFETY RELEASE.
PAN EURO FIRST BATTLE GROUP TO SEEK / ENGAGE / DESTROY HOSTILE CONTACT NOW DESIGNATED AS ALPHA.
FULL SENSOR TRANSMITS IN REAL TIME.
ALL OTHER PRIORITIES SECONDARY.

Vice Admiral Avery would know that included the survival of 1st Battle Group.

///////////////
(Thanks for the encouragement.  It is much appreciated.)
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 12, 2010, 07:32:42 PM
June 2203   part 2

June 9th  1600 hours/Mercury Shipyards

   Commander Giovanni Vetra watched from the viewing port as the two Mobile Shipyards worked in space near the station.  They were churning out a large number of prefabbed systems and components for the hull that was being finished in the slip beside the Attack Escort Cynthia.  Giovanni wasn't an engineer or specialist in ship construction, but he knew the components that were being stacked up along side the station.  Sensor array sections, plating, particle accelerators, and several missile launchers.  More launchers than his entire 2nd Light Battle Group.  This wasn't a science ship, it was a warship.  A big one.
   There was only one reason to need a ship that big, and it wasn't for parades and photo ops.  The rumors were true.  A war was being fought.  One that needed more firepower than what the current three Battle Groups and his Light Battle Group could muster.  Something which could fight a ship that could destroy a Light Battle Group by itself.
   Giovanni could still remember the transmission of the Attack Escort Boudicca as the 1st Light Battle Group was destroyed.  The helpless feeling as the transmission cut out.  A transmission that had been classified even before he began analysis of it.  What the ship was that had killed his friend, Commander Rachel Pierce, was a secret.  Secret or not, he wanted to see the giant in the slip before him crush it.  
   Their were rumors on the station, and a name.  The name whispered the most was the Queen Elizabeth.


June 12th  0230 hours/ Queensland Corporation Shipworks, Australia

   Chairman Mukata looked over the blueprints, and then at the assembled design team.  "You think this design will be able to compete with current warships in service? Or am I looking at an expensive way to place more debris in orbit?"  The look on the chairman's face was not a happy one, and disdain dripped from the statement.  His lack of faith in the design was obvious.
   "Honorable Chairman, we have high confidence in the components of the sensor system that were 'acquired' from American sources.  The Devil Class missiles have been calibrated to use the targeting data it will supply.  It should be capable of engagement ranges comparable to the best US or European vessels, and greater range than most of the older ships in service."   Several of the design team members nodded in agreement, weak smiles trying to convince the chairman that they had as much faith as what they said.  
   "So what does the test data show?"  The designers' weak smiles evaporated.  The lack of field trials was a glaring omission in the design, and the Chairman wasn't impressed.  Mukata looked over the group assembled around the table.
   "We will have adequate funds available for a prototype to begin construction, here in Queensland, within the next few months.  I will expect successful field trials of the systems, and a multi-role vessel that can be fielded before years end.  Understood, gentlemen?"   Chairman Mukata's expression let everyone know that failure would be a very unhealthy result.
   The designers breathed a sign of relief as the Chairman left the room.


June 18th  1320 hours/ Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, Ceres Colony orbit

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji unlocked his station and keyed the order for all ships to shut down their drives.  The Tung hummed as the banks of particle accelerators powered down.  A short distance away the Missile Frigates Anhui and Hubei followed suit.  A late addition, the Attack Frigate Hunan had been detailed to join the group and would also stand down.   A few light seconds further the three ships of the Marco Polo Survey Group, plus the Mobile Construction Ship Zhuang, had been preparing to begin the journey to Saturn also. Now they would remain at Ceres for however long the Ministers chose.  'If only I had this group when we fought the Euro at Jupiter.'  Zhu mused.   But the time for that may yet come again.
   The Transports Manchuria and Vietnam had arrived four hours before.  Along with the Attack Frigate Jilin, they would have been responsible for defense of the colony here at Ceres. Now the entire Tung Group would be joining them. The two brigades of troops would off load for extensive low G combat training.  If they were called on to assault a US or Euro colony, the training available in the belt would be invaluable.  For ground troops, the low G training at Earth was both limited and expensive.  In the belt it was all there was.
   Zhu wondered to himself if all this was actually just China claiming her sovereign territory.  It would take little to change this 'defensive deployment' into an assault.  After the defeat at Jupiter, and the shameful return, a chance to redeem honor would be welcomed.  A chance to prove to the other powers of the world that China was not so easily dismissed.  But why stop the ships even as they were preparing to leave?
   The return to Saturn was China’s only real chance to expand into the outer system and establish new colonies, but for some reason it was now on hold.  It made no sense to deploy this many ships to the belt in secret, just to let them sit.  Unless the belt had been their destination all along.
   Perhaps the intended expansion had never been planned for Saturn, but here in the belt?


June 23rd  0922 hours/ Heavy Escort Anastasia, 30 Light Seconds sunward from Uranus

   Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery keyed the 'all ships' comm link, "First Battle Group, Lock Stations, General Quarters.  Standard Attack Formation.  One quarter light second interval."  Elizabeth knew that the Attack Escorts Victoria and Mary Queen of Scots would already be prepared for battle.  They had done this before at Jupiter, and several times while sweeping the US portion of the Trojans.  Any location that contact had been made before, or could hide a vessel the size of Contact Alpha.  Uranus was the first site where Contact Alpha had been recorded.  It was of prime interest.
   The US Interceptors were forming up in a tight formation one half light second astern of the Anastasia, far enough back to be safe from the drive blooms of the 1st Battle Group.  Another half light second behind the Interceptors were the US Missile Escorts, small ships with little design difference from the Pan Euro Armed Explorer Class.  The Missile Escorts would only be capable of two thirds the maximum combat speed of the other ships, and were detailed to keep the area directly astern of the attack groups clear.
   The US commander Commodore (Elizabeth hated the term Rear Admiral Lower Half, it sounded ridiculous) Jack Ryan had proved invaluable on the patrol this far.  His understanding of Astrogation was simply astounding.  Elizabeth knew that her Navigator and Helmsman were tired of having their course plots corrected by the US Admiral, but his understanding of trajectories, gravity wells, and engine tolerances were uncanny.  He had probably reduced the travel time to reach Uranus by at least fifty percent.  In the next fifteen minutes the planet would enter the extreme range of her sensors.  Then they would know if this planet's space was also empty.


   0930 hours/Heavy Escort Anastasia

   "Contact detected, bearing zero zero two at ascension minus one point five.  Range to contact unclear, but no less than one four light seconds.  Contact appears to be in station keeping orbit with respect to Uranus, or at a velocity to low to register at this range.  Magnetic signature verifies contact as Alpha."
   Elizabeth looked at the Sensor Officer's report as it scrolled onto her monitor.  They had found their quarry.  Elizabeth had no intention of playing the cat and mouse game that Rear Admiral Muldoon had.  Her ships (and she was assured the US ships also) were state of the art.  A wolf pack.  And it was time to run their quarry down and bring it to bay.  It would not have the chance to slip away this time.
   "Comm open link to all ships.  Engage drives, full combat acceleration, secondary safety release.  Begin plots for firing solutions. Launch as soon as we enter range."  Elizabeth watched the world go gray as the drives shoved the ships forward through space.  The next few minutes would find out what this Contact Alpha could do.


   0933 hours/Patrol Vessel 17

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 rapidly began manipulating the field on the panels of his station.  Half his crew was dormant now, it was going to take precious time to get them to their stations.  The ship would be able to begin acceleration and maneuver, but he could not begin to plot the firing solutions and activate weapon systems at the same time.  He would needs his crew to control all the system.  The contacts were closing terribly fast, and they outnumbered his group by over three to one.  Two to one if you counted Defense Station 3 in orbit above the new colony.  The Station had only finished construction a few weeks before. Its systems were not fully tested, and the crew was still engaged in training.  The Station had field generators half again as powerful as the Patrol Vessels, but it would be unable to maneuver against the enemy vessels.
   Worst was the small colony on the fourth moon of this planet.  They had only recently settled on their new home, and had only the most basic of defenses.  There were 370,000 lives in the newest colony.  All of their fates would be decided in the next few minutes.  It would come down to Base Station 3, and Patrol Vessels 17 and 18 to protect them.  The two colony ships were also still on the moon's surface, and would need to try and leave the combat area without being detected.
   The Commander felt the drives of Patrol Ship 17 and 18 as they engaged, and the ships began to pull away from each other.

   
   0934 hours/ US Interceptor Mk IIa JFK

   "Resolving now, three contacts.  Contacts designated One and Two at seven point seven five light seconds, drive blooms detected.  Contact Three magnetic signature between eight point five and nine point five light seconds. Unable to resolve for drive bloom at this range.  Transferring contact data and vectors to your station Admiral."  
   Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Jack Ryan considered the plot.  Three contacts?  No one had ever seen more than one.  Or even considered trying to fight more than one at a time.  With the Missile Escorts falling behind, the opening volleys would be fought at odds of 5 on 3.  So far no one had successfully engaged this type of contact at odds of less than three to one. 'We won't even have two to one for the first minute or so.'  Jack thought.  This tactic of charging straight in seemed awfully familiar, and it didn't work so well for him at Jupiter.  The plot showed the contacts were pulling apart, on trajectories separated by almost 120 degrees at the moment.  If the US and Euro ships could swing to one side and hold the range open, they may be able to bring the full power of the combined groups to bear on a single contact before the others were able to come about and assist.  Jack keyed in the course adjustments, a quick overview of his plan, and then transmitted to Vice Admiral Avery.
   Five on one sounded a lot better to him.  This fair fight thing sounds good in theory, but in practice you could get hurt doing that.


   0935 hours/Patrol Vessel 17

   The Commander struggled to control the fields on his panels.  The strain of maintaining this level of flux was draining.  The sensor returns drove him to even greater lengths as the crew of Patrol Vessel 17 tried to overcome the limits of the ship that carried them.  The enemy vessels had changed course and turned away from Patrol Vessel 17 and the Defense Station.  Patrol Vessel 18 would be forced to face them nearly alone.  The station would be able to engage targets at the projected ranges, but just barely.
   Sensor returns suddenly showed the eruption of contacts from the enemy vessels as they attacked.  Patrol Vessel 18 was trying to turn away, keep the range open, but the enemy vessels were already at combat speeds.  Patrol Vessel 18 managed to launch before the enemy contacts could intercept her, but it was going to be a lopsided engagement.  The Commander tried futilely to force Patrol Vessel 17 to turn faster than it would ever be able to.  Tried to will it to move faster.
   The Commander could sense as the field around Patrol Vessel 18 collapsed.  The sensors showed she was venting debris.  One of the smaller enemy vessels in the lead group was also venting and losing its position in their formation, but the enemy vessel's drive reengaged and it corrected course.  Patrol Vessel 18's torpedo must have impacted the craft, as the Defense Station's torpedo had obviously lost tracking.
   A single hit wasn't going to save them though.  Patrol Vessel 18 wasn't going to be able to survive another exchange like that.  

   /Heavy Escort Anastasia

   Admiral Avery tried to key commands into the comm system and monitor the situation at the same time. It was maddening, too much information, too much to do, and only so much she could control.  The Attack Escort Victoria was reporting extensive damage, but her missile bay was still operational.  Contact One had lost its magnetic signature, and was even venting!  Contact Two was altering course and would be in position to come around behind the 1st Battle Group in the next few minutes.  The last Contact hadn't even moved?  It was close to the moon Titania, perhaps it was a base?
   She finished keying in the orders to come about 60 degrees to starboard and continue fire on Contact One.  If they could just keep away from Contact Two.  If the US Missile Escorts could tie it up, hold it off for a few more minutes.  But no time to send that message, new inbound contacts flashed on Elizabeth's monitor.  And how the hell was Contact Three engaging them at a range of over six light seconds?  


   0937 hours/US Missile Escort Falcon

   Lieutenant Commander Justin Reynolds keyed in orders for the third launch on Contact Two.  The onboard sensors could barely resolve the contact, and hadn't been able to plot a firing solution until it had launched.  At least the range seemed a bit on the long side for Contact Two also, as its first two launches had mis-timed the intercepts.  Contact One was being reported by the JFK as destroyed, and the main group of US and Euro ships was coming around to make a pass on Contact Three.  
   Justin knew this was the real battle though.  Maneuvering five large combat ships on a stationary contact was one thing.  Fighting this contact with the two smallest and slowest ships of the US Task Force, to keep it from getting behind the main group.  A position that would force the group to break up, so their sensors would be able to target the contact around the group's drive blooms. Then they would be maneuvering to try and avoid each other's drive blooms.  It would leave the main group scattered and vulnerable.  And these ships were too dangerous to take on piecemeal.  Too dangerous to take on with a pair of pip squeaks, also.  But that was he had.  This right here was where the true battle was at.  
   The second salvo from his ship and the Missile Escort Raptor had managed to cause Contact Two's magnetic signature to shift, but not disappear.  Now they were closing on each other.  This third salvo would be within range of the Missile Escorts' onboard sensors to guide.   Contact Two wasn't changing course though.  It wouldn't break off from trying to get behind the Interceptors.  They would have to stop it.  He watched the monitor indicate " MISSILE AWAY " as the sensors picked up the third launch from Contact Two.

   0939 hours/US Interceptor Mk IIa JFK

   Jack wanted to cringe.  The Euro Attack Escort Victoria had been destroyed as they had closed on Contact Three.  Sensors had confirmed it had been a stationary base of some type, and the Interceptors had been able to close to laser range before the contact had blossomed from internal explosions.  Now the Falcon was confirming that the Raptor had been destroyed, and the Falcon was fighting alone against Contact Two.  The Euro ships had detected two more large ships moving away from Uranus, larger than any ship in the US fleet.  Admiral Avery had given orders for a pursuit of these new contacts, Four and Five.  At least Contact Two was accelerating away from the battle, no longer maneuvering against the main group of ships.  Jack keyed in commands for Falcon to break off.  Return to the main body as best it could.  Get the hell away from that monster it was chasing alone.  But it was going to take time for the message to reach them.  Time for them to come about.  Time for them to extend the range beyond Contact Two's ability to fire on them.  Too much time.
   Jack watched as sensor returns tracked a fourth launch from both the Falcon and Contact Two.  The returns were of things that had happened almost half a minute ago.  Ancient history in a space battle.  Pride flooded through him as he saw returns indicating that Contact Two's magnetic field had collapsed.  Then a fifth launch between them.  The Falcon was banking hard, trying to follow Jack's orders it had received perhaps a minute ago now.
   Jack watched as the missiles crossed and time crawled by.  The JFK was fast.  The distance between the JFK and Falcon getting longer.  In moments they would have to rely on transmissions from the Falcon as they went beyond sensor range.  Then Uranus passed between them.
   Agonizing minutes passed.  Contacts Four and Five were drawing closer.  They were moving with barely one third the speed of the US and Euro ships.  They also had none of the magnetic fields surrounding them that the first three contacts had displayed.   And they weren't launching on the group either.  Some uncataloged and huge variety of unarmed freighter perhaps.  Then the orders from Vice Admiral Avery arrived.  The US Interceptors were to close on Contacts Four and Five.  To destroyed them by laser fire if they did not shut down drives and surrender.  She was conserving the missiles.  Leaving his comrades on the Falcon behind.  If they were even still alive.
   Then the two Euro ships came about to port and began to sweep wide of Contacts Four and Five.  Clearing the area behind Uranus.  Making sure that Contact Two wasn't coming up behind them after it had destroyed the tiny Falcon.
   The comm link relay surprised him. The Heavy Escort Anastasia was downloading sensor returns.  Then the Comm Officer broke through on a priority link.  The Falcon was transmitting!  They were still there!  How in the hell?!  Sensor files were showing that a sixth launch from the Falcon had left Contact Two venting and crippled!  Somehow the Falcon had survived seven separate launches from Contact Two! Not only had they kept Contact Two off the main groups tail, they had actually out fought the damned ship.  Talk about David and Goliath.  'Reynolds is definitely going to be getting a promotion and a big medal if I have to kick asses all the way up the chain of command.' Jack thought to himself.  They tried to call me a hero.  Now they've actually got one.
   "Communications, get that data sent out now.  All of it.  The folks back at home are going to want to hear this."
   The ship lurched and hummed as the drives cut out and the laser output coupler lined up Contact Four.  'These two ships will be following Contacts One and Three into oblivion soon enough thought Jack.'


   1000 hours/Patrol Vessel 17

   The Commander all but shook with fury, and the magnetic pulses from the crew made it clear that they shared in the rage.  They had destroyed two of the smaller enemy vessels, but LOST both a Patrol Vessel and Defense Station.  Patrol Vessel 17 wasn't returning with glory.  It was with shame and damage.  The signals from the colony on the planet were making it clear that this race also understood that coexistence was futile.  With the second ship of the Commander's Patrol group gone, there was nothing left but to volunteer his ship to join the Combat Vessel when the time for retribution came.  Patrol Vessel 17 would see this enemy race pay for the lives they were taking.


   1005/Heavy Escort Anastasia

   The transmission to the Red October should be done now.  They should be moving away from here.  Waiting for confirmation of receipt of the transmission and further orders.  The US ships and their actions were holding them up.  Forcing them to continue the data transmissions.  This changed everything.
   Putting an armed base station beside a moon tended to indicate that there was something there to defend.  A pass had picked up unusual energy signatures from the surface.  Active scans showed structures and movement.  Not human structures.  A ship's boat had performed a low pass on the moon and actually drawn fire from small ground based weapons.  The pass had confirmed that what was down on the surface of Titania wasn't human though.  Elizabeth wasn't sure what the hell they were, but they weren't even remotely human.
   There wasn't going to be much studying them.  When the US Interceptors had returned, Commodore Ryan had ordered the two ships two close to 10,000 kilometers above the moon's surface.  Then the laser batteries of the ships had begun raking the surface.  Superheating the crust of the moon. The structures and creatures not instantly vaporized had perished as the heat explosively expanded rocks and ice, hurling them for kilometers across the surface.  Using the missiles the Interceptors carried may have been slightly quicker, but no more effective.
   When Elizabeth had tried to stop Commodore Ryan, questioned what he was doing, the reply had been short and curt.  This race had never attempted to communicate, and every time a contact had been made, this race had attacked.  They had no intention on living peacefully together.  And Commodore Ryan had no intention of negotiating for ownership of what amounted to seized US territory.
   Elizabeth knew she wasn't going to try and intervene.  But she didn't like where this was going.  Even if she agreed with what Commodore Ryan had said.


June 25th   0200 hour/150 meters below the surface of Titania

   The Outpost Commander received the news that the enemy ships were no longer in orbit.  Barely 7000 had survived the bombardment by the alien weapons.  Huddled here in the subsurface shelters, they would await relief from the other colonies.  They would also begin to ration what supplies they had, training soldiers to protect the survivors, and prepare for a possible alien invasion of the outpost.  Many had already stepped forward, hoping for a chance to avenge dead family and loved ones.  The Outpost Commander hoped that it would not come to that.  There would be enough challenges to just surviving, let alone combat against some strange foe.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 15, 2010, 08:59:43 AM
June 2203 part 3

June 26th  0325 hours/ Armed Science Vessel Red October, Pallas 2, Asteroid Belt

   Admiral Jude Kushnir reviewed the transmission from the Heavy Escort Anastasia again.  The techs were busy going over the data, analyzing the wealth of new information that had been gained.  Proof that another life form was behind the attacks was undeniable.  The actions of Rear Admiral Ryan had cost them the opportunity for study of anything other than sensor data and ruins, but she couldn't waste time fretting over that.
   The combined Pan Euro / US Task Force was now deep out system,  They had lost two of their combat vessels, and with them 25 percent of the groups' long range launchers.  The remaining ships were at less than two thirds of their initial load out of missile.  Complicating matters was the indication from the US that if the group was to continue operations, the US Missile Escort Falcon would be off loading its last remaining missiles onto the Interceptors JFK and Franklin.  It would then return to the inner system.  This would reduce the launchers available to the group by almost 40 percent - down to only 5 launch bays - although the US missile load out would improve slightly.
   With no way of knowing what lay farther out in the system or of what may even now be closing in on the ships near Uranus (if anything), there was only one option.  Jude keyed in the orders for the 1st Battle Group to return, and sent them to the comm section for transmission to Vice Admiral Avery, with a copy forwarded to the US Space Station at Earth.
   With the knowledge that the enemy wasn't China, she also keyed in a request to Euro Headquarters that disclosure of available data be made to the Chinese.  The Earth may need all its governments to fight this new foe, and the eruption of a war between them now could be disastrous for them all.


   0650 hours/ US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Lieutenant Meagan Ryan rubbed her eyes and tried to focus on the monitor.  The amount of data that the Interceptor JFK and Franklin had gathered was enormous.  She was amazed her father had managed to get his ships this close to both an alien base station and settlement.  The sensor's ability to scan for data at these short ranges was much greater than what could be obtained at normal combat ranges.  But Admiral Walters had ordered a briefing at 0800 and she needed to get everything she could together that had been analyzed.
   The base had sustained severe damage by the time the Interceptor JFK had closed with it, but the weapon system it used had still been operational, and data on the 'missile' when it was deployed was giving great insight into its capabilities and design.  The JFK had also managed to pick up active emissions that appeared to be part of a sensor and targeting system.  It was based on entirely different principles of operation, and would merit a great deal of study.
   Also scanned was the surface of Titania, and what were definitely alien structures and creatures.  The resolution of the creatures was very poor, as they seemed to be poor heat emitters, somewhat transparent to radar, and the light gain on a moon so far from the sun made enlarging the visible light pictures very grainy.   The dust and debris from the strikes on the planet made things even worse.  What was most important was simply that they were alien.
   But possibly the most important information that had been gained, was what the close range scans DIDN'T show.  Although the alien nature of the base and settlement made the last conclusion uncertain, it seemed impossible for the base, settlement, or two large unarmed vessels to have facilities capable of building or maintaining the two (now) Alpha Class vessels or the base, let alone the two large vessels that had been scanned and destroyed.  Somewhere, there had to be facilities capable of building and maintaining all of them.
   And if a moon incapable of doing that merited two Alpha Class vessel and a defensive base station, Meagan dreaded what would guard the facilities that COULD build them....


June 30th  1500 hours/Mobile Construction Ship Zhuang, Ceres Colony, Asteroid Belt

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji listened as the engineers aboard the Zhuang went over the work list for the coming month.   All combat ships of the Tung Group would be down for one week each over the coming month.  Apparently the design teams back on Earth had come up with a sensor system they felt would be able to compete with the European's.  Each of his ships would have the new equipment installed as quickly as possible.  The hasty nature of the work, and alterations to the ships' layouts bothered Zhu though.
   The Cruiser would see some of her internal magazine space filled with the necessary equipment, and her armor was substantial enough that the arrays would make little difference in her protection.  It should vastly increase her force projection if the sensors work as well as the engineers say it will.
   The Missile Frigates and Attack Frigate are smaller, and internal space is at a premium in their designs.  Work to fit the sensor systems internally would take months per ship out here in the belt.  So a 'compromise' had been made.  The engineers called it a 'field expedient' design.  That would be the nice way to say 'cobbled together'.
   The equipment would be housed in the space allocated to the inner most protective baffle.  Instead of a gap to allow for expansion of superheated gasses and particles, it would be filled with the sensor equipment.  Which meant the sensor array would be in a rather vulnerable position.  The Attack Frigate mounted considerable plating and baffles and only one long range missile bay, so the long range sensors would be fairly safe, and their loss would only slightly decrease its (alas, limited) combat effectiveness.  The Missile Frigates' refits had already necessitated a decrease in the number of baffles to accommodate the two long range missile bays, so the sensors on these ships would be particularly vulnerable.  Loss of these new sensors would severely impact the long range combat designs.
   Not having the sensors at all would leave him at a great disadvantage though.  A vulnerable system was better than none at all.  He signed the work orders.


////////////////////////
Overview
To those who noticed the big typo in June part 1, sorry and it’s fixed. (My wife has already chastised me for posting after work without allowing her to proof read.)
I will also apologies for the large number of typos in the early months.  My lunch breaks & stand by time were when I wrote them, and my workstation only has WordPad - no spell check. I don't plan on going back to fix them any time soon as I would rather keep writing than fixing.
With that done, on to the meat of the month...


China had planned on going to Saturn, but successfully rolled to develop the Ya, and felt it was worth stopping the Tung Group for the refit before they left.  His refit really is a desperate one, as the Zhuang can only work on 4 HS a month - so it had to be a one HS project on each ship.  I OK'd the four projects for one construction complex as they wouldn't exceed capacity, and he would have to put an entire group down for two months (1 for refit, 1 for shakedown), for a really less than ideal fix.  It kind of stretched the rules to let him do all this, and stop mid month, but China had been left on the back burner for a while and I figured he could use a break.

The Free Spacers also managed to develop the Ya in the same month, but were in no position to capitalize on it.  The oldest girl just added it into the warship designs she was looking at and kept saving her cash (so to speak).  She picked up a little extra money providing convoy escort for the Euro that month, so her mom could free up ships.  

The Euro and US (my wife and oldest boy) worked together again this month - sort of.  They were both sure if they went looking for their "Alpha Class" target, they would eventually find it.  They were also sure it wouldn't likely be alone.  Whether it would be with Chinese ships, or alien, it would probably have buddies.  Neither wanted to try and take on a couple of advanced ships alone, so they teamed up.  But not without friction and deceit.  
Each wanted the other to bring a ship with science instruments, in case they ran into something to do with a warp point, or some other situation they would be beneficial in.  The Euro wanted the US to bring the Discovery; the US wanted the Euro to bring the Red October.  Neither wanted to risk their last armed science ship.  So in the end neither did.
The US got a lucky random event (Crack Leader discovered), and the oldest boy asked if he could just move Jack Ryan up to BG +1.  I saw no reason not to, and it furthered the story and his attachment to the character, so I ok'd it.  (I must have been in a really good mood this turn.)
But my wife had the senior admiral, even if only BG +0, and wouldn't give the US the initiative roll (she wanted to be able to roll for advancement if a battle occurred, and didn't want to give the oldest boy the chance to get a BG +2 admiral if he got a lucky advancement roll).  This caused more than a little grumbling, especially when the battle occurred.
The battle saw a bunch of bad rolls from all sides (Patrol CT 17 got one hit out of 8! launches, the base and CT 18 got one each before they were destroyed. At least 7 of the launches had 70% chances of hitting. The Mary QoS was BG +1 and only got one hit in 6 launches)  The only lucky roller was the little EX Falcon - with three hits on CT 17 in 6 launches, most with 20% or less to hit odds.   It then went on and got one last good roll and made its advance to BG +1 (which everyone thought only appropriate).  First time (only time?!) I've ever seen someone do a victory dance because their EX made BG +1.
The oldest boy must have also been the one who did the most research on the sensor tables, as he made sure to get into scan distance of everything he could (the base, colony, FT's).  He passed it off as wanting to use his lasers and save missiles during the fight.  Afterward when mom wasn't around, he brought it up and asked for the info he wanted based on turn notes from the battle.

Notably - Tech data on Plasma Torpedo d/t base launch
Facilities on the planet (PDC, SA, RDS)
General systems on the FT's several times over - he took his time destroying them. Notably SYM

He must have been a little miffed with his mom on the admiral issue, as he shared NONE of this info.  
Both I and my wife were surprised when the oldest boy decided to genocide the colony.  When asked he was very straight and to the point (surprised me actually).  'They never attempted contact, always fired first, and I'm not negotiating for something that's already mine'.

For those curious for the ship designs that took part, here they are...

US Task Force 1 (Admiral Jack Ryan BG +1, Navigator)

Interceptors Mk IIa  JFK , Franklin (BG -1)   CT   16HS
[2]A A A H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (cpCp) [6/1]

Missile Escorts Raptor , Falcon         EX   7HS
[2]A Hs Qa Ra (cp) [4/1]


Pan Euro 1st Battle Group (Admiral Elizabeth Avery BG +0 - commanding)

Heavy Escort Anastasia            CT   16HS
[2]A A A H Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1]

Attack Escort Victoria , Mary QoS (BG +1)
[2]A A A A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]


Nemotian Patrol Group 1

Patrol Corvettes 17 , 18            CT   16HS
[2]S S A A Hs (BbS) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1] gig x3

Defense Base Mk0 #3 (BG -2)         BS0   15HS


Colony Ships 3 , 4            FT4   30HS
[2]A H H A H H Qv (x15) H H H H H H H Qa (Cp) [2/1]

Once again, thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 17, 2010, 06:37:03 PM
July 2203  part 1

July 4th  0900 hours/US Space Station

   'It's unusually quiet' thought Admiral Bradley Walters.   In the absence of a 'formal' war, the observance of the holiday was going on as usual.  All non essential work was cancelled and the crew given a day to rest, or in rare cases a furlough to the surface.  The station was a veritable beacon of radio transmissions as many took the opportunity to contact friends or family.
   'The Joint Task Force won't be much of a beacon.  They haven't been heard from for the last seven days. The communication black out will last for another 24 hours or so, until they pass inside of the belt.  Until then, the only assurance we have that they still exist is the fact that they haven't transmitted any sensor readings of contacts - or distress calls.'  Admiral Walters changed from one display on his monitor to another.  Status reports, progress reports, theories on the data transmitted by the JFK.  It all left more questions, and not comfortable ones.  The chief question among them - 'Is this the last days of the human race?'
   The US combat ship roster was terribly limited.  If you included the ships of Task Force 1, it mustered only six Interceptor Mk IIa's, and five Missile Escorts.  With no way of knowing what the enemy held in reserve, that roster was going to have to expand.  When it did, the cat would be out of the bag.  The folks at home would quickly realize that the rumors were true, and that a war was being fought.  Shortly there after, they would find out who the real enemy was and all hell would break loose.  For the moment, only military ships and personnel knew the truth, and not even all of them.  None of the governments had released the information to the public.
   'No matter how good the lies, this secret is going to be too big.  Yes, it is unusually quiet today."  Admiral Walters thought again as he tried to relax.

Also that day/Combat Vessel 7, Titania, Uranus

   Commander of Combat Vessel 7 monitored the progress of the evacuation.  The colony ship was nearly finished loading the last of the survivors from the moon's surface.  The three Patrol Vessels and their nine scout craft were involved in forming the mobile 'umbrella' covering the rescue.  If any of the enemy combat ships were in the area, or tried to intercede, they would be detected and destroyed.  
   The devastation on the surface of the moon was too precise, and the energy emissions from the ruins ruled out the weapons that this race typically used.  There had been short transmissions from Defense Station 3 before it was destroyed, reports of impacts in the absence of any inbound contacts.  Perhaps this race used some form of energy emitting weapon.  If so, it would seem to be a short ranged weapon, as its use against combat vessels had never been recorded.  It would not matter.  Combat Group 1 would find this race's homes and destroy them.  Just as this race had destroyed the helpless lives on this moon.
   As soon as the survivors were safely off this moon, Combat Group 1 would turn toward the inner planets of this system, and one by one clean any infestation from them.  Soon.....


July 7th  0450 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon wondered how long this assignment would last.  The 3rd Battle Group had been assigned to convoy escort duty.  'Not that I mind.' she thought, 'but this isn't going to last.  The repairs are complete, and soon they will give us another combat posting.'  The 1st Battle Group had 'reappeared' at the Pallas Colony about 3 hours ago.  Rumor had it they were a ship short of what they had left with.  The commercial channels were full of speculation over what was going on, and where the possibly 'missing' ship could be, and what it was up to.  Brenna knew that it wasn't going to return.  She had no firm reports of what had happened, but she knew.  No one who went beyond the belt and turned up ''missing' was ever coming home again.  That would raise the Pan Euro's losses to two Attack Escorts and two Armed Explorers.  Over two hundred crew.  Someone was going to start asking questions.
   She hoped that someone would actually have answers then, and not just guesses.
   "Admiral, we have Cargo Liners 012 and 137 on the sensor track.  Time till departure for Mercury, 3 minutes."
   "Thank you Petty Officer.  Helm, plot escort course and upload to my station."  Brenna turned back to monitoring the civilian channels, looking for something she wasn't sure of, but was sure she would know when she found it.


July 8th 1620 hours/Interceptor Mk IIa JFK, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Jack Ryan could almost feel his metallic and composite body relax as his ship settled into orbit.  He had been on edge ever since leaving, and had never worked so hard trying to plot the best and fastest course back to this red ball of dust and rock.  It had felt like hounds had been on his heels the whole way.  Mars Station packed more firepower than his whole Task Force, and with it near he felt safe.  For the first time in nearly a month, safe.
   Unlocking his station, he gave the order for the crew to stand down.  Soon they would dock with Mars Station, and begin resupply.  The crew would be hoping to get off the ship, but that wouldn't happen for days.  A great deal of debriefing, and many meetings, would have to take place before the crew would be allowed to step foot off the ship.  Most of the crew by now had heard that a new race had been discovered, and that wasn't something command would want talked about willy-nilly.  If at all.
   But he was home, after a fashion, and that was enough for now.  He decided as soon as he could, he'd write a note to his daughter to let her know that he was alive.  No business, just a chance to let her know he was still here, and looking forward to hearing from her.


   2240 hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, Ceres orbit

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji checked progress reports.  The Missile Frigate Anhui had just finished with the installation of the new sensor system.  The function checks looked good.  The increase in range and sensitivity was impressive.  More than double the capabilities of the other ships in the group.  The only problem was the interface to the weapons station.  Calibrating the new returns for targeting solutions was slow and imprecise.  That would hopefully change as the crew grew more accustomed to the new system.
   The Missile Frigate Hubei was currently beginning the installation process for the new system.  It should go more quickly, as the work crews now had a better feel for what they needed to get done.   Next would be the Attack Frigate Hunan.  The last to undergo the 'upgrade' would be the Tung.  It had been decided that the Cruiser would be last, as it would be the most capable at defending itself should the US or Euro attack, even without the new system.  The smaller ships would have more to gain from the new system.  They were also more expendable should the new system prove to be less successful than projected.
   For the moment, it looked to be a valuable addition, and should prove to be a rude surprise for the US and Euro should they decide to challenge Chinese sovereignty.


July 11th 0210 hour/Heavy Interceptor Anastasia, Mercury Shipyards

   Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery had been briefed on the ship currently under construction at the Mercury Shipyards, but actually seeing the Pan Euro's newest combat vessel was a stirring sight.  She was fully twice the size of the Anastasia, and packed twice as many launch bays.  She should help tip the balance of power in future engagements against the Alpha Class ships this new race used.  Word had it that the Queen Elizabeth would clear the slip by the end of July, and that the 1st Battle Group would join her during the shakedown and training cruise.  It was a shame she hadn't been ready a few months earlier.  Perhaps the Victoria would still be here.
   More stirring was a quiet rumor that Liz would be transferring her flag to the Queen Elizabeth when she started operations.  To be the first Admiral to command her would be a great honor.  There were rumors that Rear Admiral Muldoon, or perhaps Admiral Kushnir would claim her as their flagship.  Liz was sure that Brenna was to junior of an officer to be placed on the Q.E.   Admiral Kushnir might transfer to the Q.E., but Liz doubted it.  The Red October was going to be the fastest ship in service for some time, and it allowed her to respond to situations more quickly than this ship would.  The Red October was also more flexible in deployment as a science vessel.  This ship was going to be a pure combat vessel.   Vice Admiral Esme Jurkat of 2nd Battle Group was the only other serving combat ship flag officer, and she had yet to receive a combat assignment.
   No, the Q.E. was going to be Liz's ship.

   0315 hours/Attack Escort Cynthia, Mercury Shipyards

   Commander Giovanni Vetra looked over the order again.  The Cynthia was to be assigned to the 1st Battle Group.  That could mean only one thing.  The Attack Escort Victoria was gone.  Whatever had destroyed the Boudicca had claimed the Victoria also.  Maybe the Anastasia and Mary Queen of Scots had been able to make it pay in blood for that victory.  He hoped so.
   Regardless, he was no longer commander of the 2nd Light Battle Group.  It was being disbanded.  The two Armed Escorts, the Louis and Cornwallis, would be performing convoy escort duties for the next few days as they made their way out to the Pallas Colony.  They would join the Red October and be the combat portion of a new science and survey group.  A rather heavily armed one.
   He didn't want command though.  He wanted to see whoever had murdered the 1st Light Battle Group brought low.  Whoever had killed his Rachel was going to pay for that.  He didn't want to die.  But if that's what it took to stop the killing...


July 17th 0735 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, near Pallas 2

   Admiral Jude Kushnir tried to calm her racing mind.  Her fingers were nervously and aimlessly tapping at the keys.  Her old habit was displaying itself with a vengeance.  The last few hours had been a blur of activity.  Now she had to think, and clearly.  Her next few choices would affect many more lives than those aboard her ship.  Too many lives had already been lost this day.  More were going to be.  But a mistake now....
   The Red October had been hit.  The plating and baffles had kept the impact from breeching the hull, but only by the smallest of margins.  She could still fight, but the next blast would rip through her.  Definitely cripple her.  Possibly destroy her.  By herself she was no match for what was chasing her.  In her current condition, she wouldn't last two minutes.  The only thing keeping her alive was her speed now.  For all of their power, the ships chasing her were no faster than a standard Pan Euro combat vessel.  The little scout craft they used had no chance of keeping up.  They had been left far behind.  It was only the largest of the ships now, all slicing through the asteroid field.  Darting by ship killing rocks and debris fields.  Risking death to escape, or catch their prey.
   Two hours ago a transmission had been picked up by the Red October.  A Chinese Civilian Heavy Lift Cargo Vessel was enroute to the Pallas Colony Distribution Depot for a routine pick up of ore.  The Chinese still honored the trade agreements of the Treaty of Serenitatis, and the arrival of a trade ship occurred regularly.  Ceres was only a few light minutes away from Pallas at the moment.  The freighter had reported contact with a small ships' boat and was requesting verification of ownership.
   Jude remembered authorizing the transmission to the Chinese ship.  Telling them to accelerate to their best speed and try to outrun the small craft.  Then losing the freighter's signal minutes later.  She wasn't sure if the ship had even had time to receive her transmission.
   She had ordered the three small science ships and the Mobile Shipyard to engage drives and make best speed for Earth.  The Chinese ship had been less than a light minutes from Pallas 2, and the danger was too great to risk the ships needlessly.  'They could always be ordered to return to the belt' she had told herself.  If only she had known.  But no, she wouldn't have done anything differently, even if she had known what was coming.
   The Red October, Louis, and Cornwallis had positioned themselves close to the surface of Pallas, trying to hide their presence.  She had sent orders for the colony to shut down all non-essential systems. Cut all broadcasts.  'Turn out the lights' as it were.  But the Distribution Depot wasn't going anywhere.  Even with all systems off line, it still floated in a slow orbit of the giant rock.  And it was obviously not a natural object.
   It had been twenty two minutes later when the single small craft had appeared on her sensors.  It was going to pass within 70,000 km of Pallas 2.  It would easily see the station floating in space near the great asteroid.  Then it would notice the colony there.  A colony of one million souls.  It could not be allowed that close.
   The Red October had launched on the small ship, but it was nimble.  The asteroids had clouded sensor returns, fooled terminal guidance systems.  Four separate missiles had detonated near the craft, but only the last made intercept.  The small craft had been over a light second from the colony, but it had over 30 seconds to broadcast what was happening.  It had only been a matter of time before the larger ship that carried it would arrive.  But the Red October and two Armed Explorers could handle an Alpha Class ship and protect the colony.  She had been sure of it.
   What had arrived wasn't one Alpha Class, it had been three.  The other ship with them didn't even have a designation yet.  It massed more than the Red October.  It was nearly equal in size to the ship Jude knew was being built at Mercury.  The Red October had detected the magnetic signature of the ships at just less than 8 light seconds.  The asteroids made detection even at that short range difficult.  They had come in slowly, circling the area where the small craft had been fired on.  They were just over 4 light seconds out when the small craft had come pouring at them.
   Ten of the small ships had made a bee line for the colony's location.  The group must have been able to detect the Depot station at that range, and had sent the small ships in to see what it was.  They were close enough for the Red October to see the four large ships on her scanners, but to far for the systems to plot targeting solutions through the rocks.
   When the small ships had closed to one light second, the entire group had opened fire and engaged drives.  Jude had no illusion of her chances, and had ordered her group to accelerate away from the enemy ships.  She had hoped to draw them away from the colony.  It had worked, to a degree.  The three Alpha Class had launched only once on the Distribution Depot as they passed it.  That had been enough to destroy it utterly.  The large ship was easily big enough to mount several launchers, but it only made single launches at her group.  The large ship and three smaller Alpha Class vessels had launched five salvos on her group.  Both the Louis and the Cornwallis had come apart after single intercepts by the enemy's missiles.  Even the Red October had taken a single impact as she came up to speed.  The return fire of her group had managed to collapse the field around one of the Alpha Class ships, but Jude couldn't stay within range to pit her two missiles against the launchers of these four alien ships.  She could only run.  But the ships had followed her, and not stayed to attack the colony.
   The cries for help, and distress calls, had come as a horrible shock.  The small craft that were left behind had begun deploying small munitions on the colony.  The bombs didn't have to be big to pack a nuclear payload.  The sealed habitats of the colony were terribly fragile in the face of such an attack.  The Red October had been able to detect 18 separate detonations across the surface before the range grew too far.  The few transmissions as the Red October had pulled away made it clear that at least 90 percent of the population had been killed.  Ninety percent of one million people.  The rest were doomed.
   The Red October was a good ship with a good crew, but she was damaged.  Her drives would likely give out long before her pursuers.  She would hit a rock, of burn out a particle accelerator.  The drive shield may give out if it was damaged too much in the attack.  She would need to do whatever she could in the next few minutes.  It would all be over after that.  The speed she was going made a clean transmission on a tightbeam impossible in this asteroid field.  The colony had broadcast on broadband waves though.  In less than an hour the Earth would hear the cries of the dying colony.  Know that a million people had died.  The secret was out now.  It was obvious that mankind would have to face this truth or perish.  She keyed the link to the communications officer.
   "Radio in the clear, no encryption.  Tell the Chinese at Ceres colony they are going to have visitors in the next few minutes.  If they have any warships there, to get them to battle stations now.  Then transmit everything we've got on these damned ships.  Tell them I'm going to lead them right to them.   And let them know to blow the bastards to hell."
   Ceres colony held nearly 3 million Chinese nationals by the last estimates the Pan Euro had.  They were also less than 3 light minutes away from Pallas now. These alien ships were going to find them soon enough.  Maybe if the Chinese knew they were coming, they might have a chance.  If she could lead the aliens into some ambush. She hoped the Chinese had something there to defend that colony.  She didn't want to be the one responsible for what would happen otherwise....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 24, 2010, 01:56:38 AM
July 2203 part 2

July 17th  0740hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, Ceres Colony orbit

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji looked at the transmission that had just been translated and forwarded to his station.  A large number of transmissions had been intercepted, all originating from the area of the Pan Euro Colony on Pallas 2.  Some disaster was befalling the inhabitants of the colony.  Zhu couldn't understand any of the languages, but the fear was obvious.  Initial translations tended to indicate the colony was under attack.  That would bode poorly for the future.  If the US was willing to attack civilians in the belt, it would only be a matter of time until it spilled over onto Earth.  The loss of contact with Chinese registered Heavy Lift Freighter 02 in the area of Pallas Colony tended to indicate the US wasn't too worried about whether the Chinese became involved.
   "Admiral, you need to see this."  The Communications Officer, Xiao, seemed insistent.  He seldom spoke to the Admiral directly, using the proper channel of directing information to the Captain, and allowing the Captain to choose what was pertinent for a Flag Officer's review.  Zhu nodded to the Comm Officer, and then looked at the monitor as a new message translation was displayed.

   TRANSCRIPT AS FOLLOWS:
   THIS IS PAN EUROPEAN ARMED SCIENCE VESSEL RED OCTOBER ESF015
   ATTN COMMANDER CHINESE SPACE FORCES VICINITY OF CERES COLONY
   THIS VESSEL CURRENTLY AT 2.873 LM FROM CERES AT 238.6 DEGREE    
   +.03 DEGREE REFERENCE SOL
   CURRENT COURSE 55.2 DEGREE -.03 DEGREE REF SOL
   CURRENT VELOCITY 14966 KM/S REF CERES
   INTEND ENTER CHINESE SPACE
   PURSUED BY HOSTILE ALIEN VESSEL TIMES FOUR
   VESSELS RESPONSIBLE FOR DESTRUCTION PALLAS 2 COLONY
   ENGAGE AND DESTROY HOSTILE VESSELS
   DATA TRANSMISSION ON VESSELS TO FOLLOW

   "Xiao, it this translated correctly?  What do you mean 'alien'?  Do they mean 'foreign'?  Helm, plot their course and send it to my station."  Zhu looked at the Captain, who was busy sorting through a number of other translations on his own monitor.  If the Euro was leading US ships into Chinese space, they would be destroyed along with the ones pursuing them. Whatever was going on, it didn't make much sense.
   The plot of the Euro ship and its course appeared on Zhu's monitor.  'Damn, they will pass within 10 light seconds of the colony itself, and they will be here in less than an hour.  We will have to intercept them before they get that close.'  Zhu turned and locked his station.  "Comm, signal all ships to battle stations."
    Zhu watched the bridge as the moments passed.  The ships signaled all stations locked.  "Captain, order the Attack Frigates and the Armed Colony Ships to make intercept. Drive detonations authorized."  Zhu quickly sent the Euro ship's course plot and the intercept point he wanted to Captain Qin.  There would be time to worry about the details of the intercept shortly.  Right now he wanted the Sensor Officer's input on the data that was streaming in to the comm station, and then to his monitor. Zhu keyed the link to the sensor station and began the download of the data that was coming in.  "Sensor Conn, what do you make of these logs."
   "Admiral, I'm not overly familiar with the European data string, but the sensor returns seem similar to the new systems on the Missile Frigates.  I can identify some US and Euro ships on this first file, along with what has to be the planet Uranus and its moons. These other contacts, and what looks like some type of colony on a moon....  Admiral, I don't know what to make of them. Other than the fact that they are willing to shoot at both the US and Euro ships.  We could tune our sensors to look for this magnetic distortion, but I don't know what they are.  These files will take months to analyze, Admiral."  The Sensor Officer left the channel open, but silent.
   Zhu looked hard at the various translated transmissions on his monitor.  If these Euro transmissions were to be believed, these ships weren't human.  The Euro Admiral didn't say what they were, where they came from, or how they knew about them.  The files and transmissions could be fabricated, but it seemed unlikely.
   It didn't feel like a Euro ruse.  Why give away an attack by silencing a freighter early?  Why create all the false transmissions and warn your enemy of an approach?  Why not simply attack us when we were unprepared?  Perhaps they hoped to draw the ships away from the colony?  It didn't add up. Unless this European Admiral might be telling the truth.
   Zhu didn't like it, but this would have to take place within sight of Ceres itself.  They couldn't leave the colony unguarded.  They didn't have to be obvious though, and they didn't have to send all their ships.  The two Attack Frigates were quite capable of moving out to the point where the Euro ship indicated it would pass.  The two Armed Colony ships could join them.  Hiding in the debris fields near Ceres, they would be invisible until a hostile ship was within range of the powerful short ranged missiles that all four ships carried.  
   Zhu wished he had more time.  He'd had days to prepare for the battle at Jupiter.  Now he only had a few minutes to get his ships positioned and ready.  What happened in the next hour here at Ceres would likely decide the shape of the war to come for the Chinese people.

   0802 hours/Combat Vessel 7,Asteroid Belt

   The Commander of Combat Vessel 7 tracked the sensor returns of the 'fleeing ship'.  It was obvious from the initial readings that it could outrun the Combat Group if it chose to.  It had been tracked at a speed the group could not match.  Yet it still stayed just inside of sensor range.  It was obviously leading them somewhere.  That somewhere would have a number of this race's combat ships waiting.  That would be sure.  There was no other reason for this course of action.  
   The entire Combat Group could not be risked in this pursuit.   They would compensate for this ship's actions.   The Commander adjusted the fields of his station's panel.  Patrol Vessel 14 maintained its position in respect to the alien ship, while the rest of the group began to drop back.  Patrol Vessel 14's protective field generators had failed in the initial contact with the alien race. This race had tried to protect their colony, and failed.  The small scout craft had deployed the bombs that had proved so capable in the past.  Leaving the small craft behind had been regrettable, but they could return to pick them up later.  The small craft could survive for an extended time on their own.  
   Patrol Vessel 14 would be able to restore part of the protective field's function shortly, but for the moment it was the most expendable vessel of the group.  All the crews knew this was a battle group, and that they might be called upon to die for their race.  And that this was what had to be done.  He hoped they wouldn't have to make that sacrifice though.
   Combat Vessel 7 and the two other Patrol Vessels reached a point six light seconds behind the fleeing ship.  They were far enough back now that the enemy ship could no longer be tracked on Combat Vessel 7's sensors.  These asteroids created too much interference.  But Patrol Vessel 14 was able to keep track of the enemy, and transmit the data to the rest of the group.  Patrol Vessel 14 would also transmit when they made contact with additional enemy vessels.  It would then return to the group (hopefully), and together they would destroy this race's ships once again.


   0835 hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, vicinity of Ceres

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji issued the order for the Missile Frigates Anhui and Hubei to stand down from Battle Stations.  The Tung would stay at general quarters for the next seven hours.  It would be longer if he could, but even a cyborgs' human components could tire if kept active for too long.  The human brain still needed to rest and sleep.  Sleep wouldn't come easy for some time though.  The 'alien' ships had been gone for fifteen minutes now, but the memories would haunt him for the rest of his life, Zhu thought.  In only two minutes, he had lost four ships.  Nearly twenty five percent of the Chinese Fleet was now fragments scattering through the asteroid belt.
   Zhu replayed the sensor record from the Jilin again.  It had broadcast right up to its last moments.  Initially the Pan Euro Red October had rushed past the two hidden Attack Frigates and Armed Colony Ships.  Then the second contact had appeared, rushing after the Euro vessel.  It had been obscured in some magnetic interference, but that hadn't stopped the rush of the Chinese short range missiles.  The Euro vessel had come about, probably to launch on the alien (he was sure it couldn't be human now) ship, but too late.  The six high speed missiles from the Chinese group had ripped the vessel apart.  Unbelievably, the ship had managed to launch a missile of it own, but the weapon had lost tracking shortly after the destruction of its mother ship.  
   The Jilin's sensors could not pick up the other vessels that the Euro ship had indicated were chasing it.   The Euro vessel continued a constant stream of transmissions, just as it had done during its entire trip to Ceres.  It was broadcasting the enemy's position, and had begun to try and move towards them.  It was here Zhu remembered keying in the orders for the group of four ships to accelerate at maximum rate towards the enemy ships' reported location.  The Tung and the two Missile Frigates had remained in an orbit of Ceres nearly brushing the surface.  
   Less than a minute later the three remaining alien ships had appeared on the Jilin's sensors.  Two were the size of the Euro's Heavy Escorts, the last somewhat bigger than the Attack Frigates.  Not as large as the Tung, but larger than anything the US or Euro claimed to be flying.  A first launch from the ships had destroyed the Armed Colony Ship Manchuria with only a single intercept!  The Attack Frigate Hunan had been crippled, with its long range missile bay and half of its particle accelerators down.  The return fire of the long range missile from the Jilin and two from the Euro ship had managed to cause one of the smaller ships to lose its strange magnetic signature.  The Euro ship had also accelerated to the speed that its government had bragged about, moving faster than anything Zhu knew about in the Chinese forces.  The next sixty seconds were a blur even on the Jilin's sensors.  The Hunan and Colony Ship Vietnam had broken up before they ever got in range to launch on the alien ships.  The Jilin and Red October had launched on the vessel that had lost its magnetic fields, and the strange ship had even cut out its engines and vented in response to the damage the missile detonations had caused.  But the exchange had left the Jilin crippled.  Its plating and baffles had been shredded before an inbound contact had even been identified.  How??!  A laser could damage a ship without a sensor contact, and at close range could even begin to rival the damage the long range missiles could cause with all safeties off.  But the Attack Frigates had been designed to withstand a near space detonation of the short range missiles.  It should have shrugged off a laser and continued to fight.  SEVERAL lasers.  The Jilin had been breached like its plating had been tissue paper.  The follow up missiles had gutted it.  Her captain had tried to bring the crippled ship about.  The Euro ship had continued to pour missiles back at the alien ships as it accelerated out of the area.  The Jilin had lost contact moments later.  That has been the last reported contact with the alien ships.
   'We destroyed one of their smaller vessels when we surprised it.  The others were outnumbered five to three, and destroyed every ship we had without losing a single ship more.  If they come back, I don't know if even the Tung, Anhui, and Hubei will be able to stop them from destroying the three million people on the colony here on Ceres.'
   Zhu keyed in for the tightbeam transmission to Venus of all the data he had gained.  And hoped the three alien ships didn't come back.
   But he knew, sometime, they would.


   1020 hours/Combat Vessel 7, dark side of the Asteroid Belt

   The Commander wondered if he had acted rashly.  Had it been a mistake to pursue the enemy ship?  Should they have broken off and continued looking for this race's homes.  No.  The ship he had followed would only have followed him.  Broadcast his position.  The ambush would still have occurred.  Perhaps with worse results.  Although that might be difficult to imagine.
   Patrol Vessel 14 had been destroyed rapidly by this race's weapons.  Patrol Vessel 16 had sustained so much damage that it would have never been able to survive the return trip.  There had been no other choice but to transfer the surviving crew and scuttle it.  With the loss of two ships, half of the group's scout craft had no landing bays.  The crews of six of the small craft had been transferred and the small ships destroyed.  His Combat Group had managed to destroy six enemy ships, but had lost two in the process.  It sounded like a victory, but if this race outnumbered them by more than three to one, then this was no victory.  The broadcast had already been made.  The elders would have to decide the next step.  It was time for Combat Vessel 7 and Patrol Vessel 15 to return home.


   1025 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October

   Admiral Jude Kushnir unlocked her station.  The two Alpha Class contacts and the 'Delta Class' contact had fallen behind over an hour ago.  The drive was showing the wear of the last few hours.  A slow cruise back to Earth might be all the overheated particle accelerators could handle without failing.  She knew her nerves couldn't handle much more.  She also knew that she would have a great deal to explain when she got back to Earth.  The open and unencrypted transmissions.  The loss of Pallas 2 colony.  The destruction of the Armed Explorers Louis and Cornwallis.  Not to mention two Chinese Strike Vessels and Colony Ships.  The intentional violation of Chinese space.
   No.  Jude was in no hurry to get home.


July 25th  2000 hours/Ceres Colony

   Jeng didn't like people.  He knew they didn't like him either.  He didn't care, so long as they left him alone.  When he had been on Earth, they had called him names.  Some of the other kids had even tried to hurt him.  The kids had called him retard, or weirdo.  The adults had said he was slow, or different - but not in a nice way.  The doctors had used big words he didn't understand.  He was sure that it all meant the same thing.
   He knew his mom loved him.  He wasn't quite sure what that was, but it meant that she hugged him and yelled at him.  It didn't make sense, but it was supposed to be a good thing.  That was why she said she had moved them to this new home.  He hadn't liked coming here, but she said maybe they wouldn't be mean to him so much.  They still weren't nice here either.
   But there was a good thing here.  His mom said they made more money.  He wasn't sure what that meant, but it did seem to mean he got more things to play with.  He liked the things, and helped her find ones he liked.  On Earth he only had little things to look in the sky, and they didn't work good.  Here he had much better thing to look at the sky.  Some could even see things he couldn't.  He liked his things.  And his mom let him spend all the time he wanted to with them.
   A few days ago, his things had picked up strange things in the sky.  He had seen ships come and go, even on Earth.  But these were different.  And someone had been talking a lot on a radio.  It didn't make sense at first.  The words were funny.  He always had problems with words.  There had been numbers too.  He liked numbers.  He liked them as much as he liked looking at the sky.
   The numbers had been different.  But a pretty kind of different.  He had stayed up for days trying to figure out the pretty numbers. His mom had told him to sleep, but he couldn't.  Not until he knew how the numbers were pretty.
   Then he found it.  The pretty bubble the numbers made.  The pretty bubble his things could see around the strange new ships.  The ships that had come and gone so quickly.
   He had been so excited.  He even showed his mom.  She had always tried to act like she liked the things he saw and found.  He didn't think she really did, but she said she did - so he showed her.  She didn't act like she liked it this time.  She acted scared.  Real scared.  Like he felt when the other kids hurt him.  She had looked, but she was scared.
   The next day, funny men that weren't men had come and talked to his mom.  They had said funny things.  They had even looked at the things he had found.  Then they had talked to him.  He didn't understand much, but they had said they would come back with more numbers.
   He really liked the numbers and looking at the sky.  He hoped they would come back with more numbers soon.


July 28th  0430 hours/US Space Station

   Lieutenant Meagan Ryan looked over the data again.  She wondered if anyone else had noticed the tiny anomalies on the data transmitted by the Pan Euro Red October while it had been in Chinese Space.  It was obvious the Pan European Admiral was trying to assist the Chinese by broadcasting the readings her ship was taking, as the Red October most likely mounted far more sophisticated systems than what the Chinese ships carried.  It hadn't helped the Chinese much.  They had lost every ship that had engaged these alien aggressors.  Everyone now knew of the destruction of Pallas 2 Colony, and that it wasn't anything human that was responsible.  In all the uproar and meetings to cope with the public outcry and concern, analysis of the data had taken a back seat.  At this point in time though, Meagan had a few moments to herself.  She also had a 0600 briefing for Admiral Walters.  She needed to know what was in that data stream the Red October had sent.
   At first it had looked like a normal engagement.  Further analysis seemed to show damage to both of the Chinese Strike Vessels prior to the alien missiles making intercept.  It might have been a beam weapon.  If it was, the power output made even the advanced US Laser Output Couplers and Capacitors look puny.  Three to six times the on target energy at ranges the US lasers couldn't reach.  It seemed unreal, but so did everything about this new race.  Then as Meagan had run the magnetic analysis, a few blips had shown up.  They were very weak, almost sensor ghosts.  The asteroids made analysis very difficult.  Many of the asteroid debris fields in the area also had radioactive decay signatures that clouded any returns.  But two had occurred just before the Strike Vessels had suffered impacts with no intercepts.
   Meagan then began to sort the data for any of these 'sensor ghosts'.  She weeded out a number of false readings, and managed to come up with three more of the anomalies.  All near the Red October as she disengaged from the alien ships.  Resolving the sensor returns had been a chore.  The 'blip' finally resolved into a tiny magnetic signature attached to an object not more than 5 cm across, 45 cm long, and weighing a few kilos at most.  Awfully small to resolve, even without the asteroid field to interfere.  What had made it almost invisible hadn't been its size though.  It was the fact that it had passed the ship at 98.7 percent of the speed of light.
   The next to last one had passed within 10m of the Red October.  They never knew how close they had come to being destroyed.
   Admiral Walters would be interested in this.  Not happy, but interested.  This war only seemed to get worse.



/////////////////////////////
Overview

Sorry it took a bit.  Someone must have had a real big party about 9 months ago because we have been swamped with babies.  Glad I wasn't there.

This month came as a rude shock for the Euro and China (my wife and middle boy).
For the Euro
The destruction of the two little ships was no big deal.  Almost losing her flag ship and senior admiral shook her a little.  Losing 2% of her income with the destruction of the colony definitely hurt. At the rate she had been colonizing the belt, it would take her 20 turns to recoup.  She decided (and told me) that this wasn't going to be a 'nice' game.  'Dirty' was the word I think was used.  There really didn't seem to be a good point to the month for the Euro.
For China
The loss of his last colony ships and the two attack frigates hurt.  That, along with paying for the CFN FT lost was going to take a lot of time and resources to rebuild.  The middle boy also realized he was probably the only Ind 2 player left, with the smallest fleet (other than his oldest sister), and little hope of making up ground.  His ships he had hoped to leave in the belt where their short sensor range might not be such a disadvantage had been trashed.
His one silver lining was a lucky roll on an attempt at a random breakthrough.  He paid for just one, and actually got it.  All the players have to keep a list of no less than six areas they would like a breakthrough to occur, and I randomly roll which one they get.  He just happened to get shields out of all 'wish list'.  What he didn't have was going to be the excess of cash to research a technology higher in level than he was - along with rebuild his crippled fleet.  Tough decision.  He surprised me with the solution he came up with for month 8 (August).
For the US and FSC
The oldest boy and girl got a free ride for the month, and after hearing what happened to their mom and brother were glad of it.  Both had small fleets and couldn't afford the losses that China and the Euro had soaked.  

The Nemotians Combat (Destroyer) Vessel mounted a single plasma launcher, and a single kinetic weapon.  I know that you are supposed to have a drive field to use a K type weapon, but that is to penetrate another drive field protected ship.  When nobody uses that tech, well....   A race that is good with magnetics and cryo super conductors OUGHT to have been able to create a particle accelerator/mass driver that would work, and work well.  The players didn't like the fact that it filled in the bad guys gaps in weapon coverage.  They had figured out that the Plasma Torpedoes were weak up close or at the end of their range.  The K weapon compliments that gap quite well with an almost double the chance to hit at close and long ranges.  The damage was pretty hard to shrug off also.  The players were maybe a little miffed.
But anything gotten easy is taken for granted, and a dear victory is well savored.

For those curious about the ships, the Chinese Attack Frigates Hunan and Jilin and Armed Colony Ships Manchuria and Vietnam are identical to those used at the First Battle of Jupiter's Moons.  The Red October and Armed Escorts Louis and Cornwallis are identical to earlier ships listed of that class.  As are the Patrol Vessels #14,15,16.  The new one is the Combat Destroyer.

Combat (Destroyer) Vessel 7      Class:  DD      30HS
[2]S S S A A H Qa (BbS) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  gig x3

And for those who were thinking it, my family also thought after the first shock of a K weapon that it wouldn't be that bad.  They would simply maneuver around its limited ability to target another vessel.  It was the middle boy (China) who pointed out - since he was already looking at the big ships in the near future in his fleet - that any ship from explorer to heavy cruiser would have the same speed and turn radius with the engines they were using.  A heavy cruiser dog fighting with the corvettes didn't appeal so much anymore when the big ship could maneuver just as well as the little one.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 28, 2010, 02:44:34 AM
August 2203

August 1st 0430 hours/New Delhi, India
   Chairman Mukata stood and addressed the board. "Gentlemen, we are faced with a choice that is unprecedented. We have conducted 'business' with Chinese interests on several occasions, but never of this magnitude. The Chinese Government has discreetly passed to us data that would indicate they have discovered how the aliens are able to erect the magnetic barriers around their ships. They only need facilities to create operational prototypes."
   Mukata looked at the passive faces of the assembled group. None flinched in the least at what had been said, but none would. Dealing in life and death was what these people did on a daily basis. Board member Tehk raised the question that was on everyone’s' mind. "What are the arrangements of this? What will it entail?" What he meant was 'what was in it for the corporation and him, and what were the risks'.
   "Gentlemen, they need more 'capable' facilities than they have available to them at the moment. They have the capital, but lack adequate research facilities to develop a system in an acceptable time frame. In return for our assistance, they will allow us full rights to deploy the system on any of our ships. They will also provided monetary assistance to start the project totaling the equivalent of two hundred and fifty million, in US dollars. We will be provided all of the data they have at the moment. The requirement is that none of this data be provided to other governments outside the FSC. We will also not deploy a ship with the system before the Chinese have done so. If we accept and fail to meet our obligations, well, the Chinese deployment of a Strike Vessel in orbit should clarify that."
   Tehk again questioned him. "A quarter of a billion US seems lacking. A system like this could take billions to develop. Are we sure that this is worth the investment we will have to put into it? It would put our deployment of any new vessels from Queensland or South Africa on hold indefinitely."
   Mukata turned to face Tehk. "The investment could be more substantial, but the rewards of a successful system are great. It would place us in a position to demand greater recognition from the US and Pan European power blocks. It would also give us a powerful ally in the future if we continue to support Chinese interests. Developing and deploying ships without these systems will be fruitless when the Chinese, or other powers, manage to develop this system. We lack the quantity of close sensor data the other powers possess. Without assistance we will be left far behind in the current arms race. With this arrangement we stand to profit greatly both materially and politically. If we can deploy ships with this system before the US and Pan Euro, they will find hiring our vessels to protect their interests a necessary situation. Not pursuing this is unthinkable. Shall we move forward on this?"
   A low murmur finally turned into a quiet but general approval by all of the board members present. Tehk stood. "It is decided. Mukata, make the necessary arrangements."
   Mukata nodded and pressed a key on his console. "Get me the South African Cartel. They need to get their man Dutchman to Earth now."


August 2nd 0800 hours/Chinese Space Station, Venus orbit
   Admiral Hu reviewed the progress reports. The Cruiser Shek was undergoing the same sensor refit the Tung had, while all the Missile Frigates were undergoing work to place the sensors in a more protected location inside the hull. The battle near Ceres had shown that the sensors would be quickly destroyed in the current location on the Frigates. The innermost baffles were compromised by single impacts of the alien weapon system. Losing the sensors that quickly would be devastating. They had to be moved.
The aliens had lost one ship, and another was damaged. If the Euro transmissions were accurate, they had lost two other combat ships in June. If they had any depth of reserves, they would likely have deployed them already. This was possibly the best opportunity for taking the ships out of service, while the aliens were reorganizing. It was worth the risk.
   The fact that the Cruiser Mao Tse Tung and the Attack Frigate Yunnan were the only operational ships was the terrible consequence of this rapid upgrade. The aliens couldn't come back now. If they did, this war would be over for the Chinese.


August 4th 0205 hours/Patrol Vessel 17
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 assessed the sensor returns. The repairs of his vessel were complete, and for some time they would verify that the systems were functioning properly. It would take time, but they had more than adequate time. The race that inhabited this system had never been seen this far from their sun.  It was strange to consider a race that could live in the inferno so close to a star.
   For now they had joined three other Patrol Vessels, and two Combat Vessels. This was the beginning of the next Combat Group that would destroy the native race's homes and ships. Nearby, at the station in orbit of the largest moon of the nearby planet, was the vessel that would complete the Combat Group. It was one of the Assault Vessels that had accompanied the colony ships on the long trip through space. The Assault Vessel was massive compared to the simple Patrol and Combat Vessels. The native race had managed to destroy two of the last Combat Group's Patrol Vessels. They would stand no chance against the power of an Assault Vessel.
   The Commander looked forward to again finding the native race. They would pay for the many lives they had destroyed. This group would see to that.


0600 hours/Pan European Space Station, Earth orbit
   Admiral Jude Kushnir walked through the Red October. Repairs of the plating and baffles were progressing, but not scheduled to be done until late in the month. The repairs would probably be done long before Jude's boards of inquiry were done with her. They had allowed her to continue serving as the Senior Pan European Space Fleet Officer.  She knew it was because the turmoil of relieving her at the same time as they were dealing with the uproar from the public concerning the destruction of Pallas 2 Colony would be too much. For the moment she was the only officer they could hold up as having faced the aliens - openly. Even if it wasn't a victory. They were going to have enough problems explaining that all the 'missing' ships were gone. She had exercised her authority, and it had stirred a small amount of controversy.  None of the civilian groups had attempted to challenge it though.  She had given the order that all engagements, unless the contact was confirmed as human, were to be engaged with all safeties released.  No sense wasting time or missiles anymore.
   The Queen Elizabeth had arrived in Earth orbit two days ago, along with 1st Battle Group. They were flying the flag to help the folks at home feel safe. The ground based silos were probably better protection, but the ships were far more visible. Vice Admiral Avery was flying the flag on the Q.E. for now. Jude knew she was in to much hot water to take command of the Q.E. while the Red October was down for repairs. That was ok with Jude for the moment. The Q.E. was destined for combat, and Jude had seen enough of that for the moment.


August 6th 1615 hours/Kestrel, approaching Earth orbit
   The Dutchman wondered what could be going on. He had been involved in a number of unusual situations over time, but this was unreal. NO ONE who wasn't a Chinese combat vessel docked at the Chinese Space Station. The Chinese Transfer Station would accept civilian ships and cargos, but the Space Station was a military structure. The Chinese Strike Vessel shadowing the Kestrel at only 1000 meters proved that. 'The pay for this had better be incredible' he thought as he approached the station.
   The Dutchman had received orders to report to the Chinese Space Station and pick up a 'cargo'. He was then to descend to the Queensland facility and deliver the 'cargo'. Any vessel attempting to intercept him was to be avoided. If The Dutchman was unable to avoid being boarded, the 'cargo' was to be destroyed by any means necessary. Including scuttling the Kestrel. He had been warned that if he didn't, the Chinese would take care of that detail for him. It shouldn't come to that. The Kestrel was as fast as any ship in service, with the possible exception of the Red October if the Euro hype was to be believed. But the Red October was in for repairs.
   Hopefully this would be a routine pick up. They seemed to be having a large number of dealings with the Chinese of late. The Mary Reed and Marie Celeste were headed for Ceres to act as troop transports and convoy escorts for the Chinese. The Dutchman wasn't sure if he liked the idea of siding with the Chinese. They were an awfully big brother to have watching over your shoulder.
   And The Dutchman didn't like anybody watching him.


August 12th 0830 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit
   Admiral Bradley Walters watched as the members of his staff assembled for the morning briefing. They would each come with some new concern or development, but little of it could be dealt with from the station. Civilian issues were the problem now. Lots of them. At least they had loosened up the purse strings on the budget for the military.
   They were still only frameworks, but in the two slips outside were what would become a pair of Interceptor Mk IIa's. The slip at Mars was likewise occupied. And after these three were completed, another three were to begin construction. The work would be rushed, but the plan was to double the number of Interceptors in service by the beginning of next year. It was a rather optimistic timeline, but any new ships would help. The sad truth was that they were horribly outclassed by the alien ships, but they were the best the US had in service right now. The best they might have for some time to come.
   Although many alien systems and weapons had been identified, progress in research was painfully slow. Developments that were likely to have any impact on the war were possibly years away. Lobbying for increased research funding was rampant, but throwing money at this was of little help. Facilities, personnel, and just plain luck was what were needed, and the US was painfully short on all three.
   At least US Task Force One was back up to full strength. The completion of the Missile Escort Owl had filled out the roster. The ship would be going through its shakedown cruise, but was combat capable in a pinch. Hopefully they would share the luck the Falcon had enjoyed.
   Admiral Walters settled back for another long day. Hopefully it would be uneventful.


August 17th 2120 hours/Heavy Escort Rebecca, near Pallas 2
   Vice Admiral Esme Jurkat looked at the visuals of the ruins of the Pallas Colony. Whatever these aliens were, they were thorough. And heartless. To destroy so many unarmed civilians. To destroy warships was one thing. To kill a million colonists was another. She had orders to scan the ruins, transmit the data to Earth for study. It was pointless. There was nothing to study. Scorched rock and structures. Shattered debris floating in a cloud around the asteroid, a million tiny moons circling, colliding. No grave stones. No memorials or statues. Just destruction.
   She had heard the transmissions from the colony. The transmissions from the Red October. She knew that the ships the alien race used were more dangerous than anything she had in her group. And that the 2nd Battle Group's new post in the belt put her where the aliens would show up first. Her crews were well trained, her ships in top condition. The question was, would that be enough to stop the aliens when they came back?
   She had a bad feeling she would find out. Sooner than she would like. But enough or not, scared or not, Esme knew she wouldn't run. She wouldn't leave another colony behind. Not to face this fate.  
   Not while she lived.

//////////////////////////////////////////
Overview
This month gave most folks a chance to rest.
The big events were between China and the FSC (middle boy and oldest girl).  China decided that getting the R&D on shields (SL 1) was going to be pricey as he was Ind2.  It was also going to take longer.  He didn't want to go to his mom or older brother (Euro or US) as they would only gain a larger edge on him.  If he was going to be competitive with the other big powers, he decided he couldn't give this one away.  His older sister wasn't a threat, but after talking to her he found out she was EL 1, and would be better able to do the research.  So he offered to pay most of the verification costs of the new tech for her (she couldn't have put together the money for months), and enter into a defensive military treaty (per se), so they could assist each other with the development.  She was small in size, so the percentage of total income cost for the research was only a tiny part of his resources.  His research had to deal with his larger resources (higher cost by percentage), and the doubled cost of being an EL behind.  He would simply funnel her the cash. It was win-win for them.
China also took a big gamble putting in all but two ships in for refits.  That gamble would be tested in September.

The US and Euro were trying to figure out how they could make a sortie/attack into the outer system.  They knew that they weren't going to win waiting on the other race to attack them, but neither could come up with a way to free up the ships to do anything.  Both wanted to keep their colonies protected, and refused to be the one to leave any unguarded.  The US started to build up ships for an offensive, but the oldest boy knew that his little Interceptors and Missile Escorts were going to have a rough time of it against the alien ships. He wanted mom to commit her destroyer (the QE) and he would support it, but she didn't want to risk losing it right away (or maybe at all).

As for the Nemotians, I had decided they were going to step up the level of combat power coming into the system, but they were going to need a month to unmothball one of their bigger ships so it could relieve one of them currently guarding the colony 'worlds'.

September would see a large number of plans collide.  A lot of cards were played that folks had hoped to keep held for a while.

A note on July and the destruction of Pallas 2 colony.  Some folks have noticed that a bunch of gigs did in a settlement.  The rules don't allow it, but it has been a house rule for so long that it never occurred to me to be a 'house rule'. Bombs are 1 MC for 10 and each occupies 2 csp.  Shuttles and Assault Shuttles can drop them (as can big ships), and Gunboats/Fighters can carry them on external points.  Gigs have had a cargo capacity of 5 csp in our other games, and we always allowed the slow little buggers the ability to carry a pair of the bombs.  Makes them a little more useful, and harder to ignore.  Otherwise the only use they serve is to move admirals from ship to ship generally.  This was how Pallas 2 died.  The ten gigs of the Nemotians dropped the bombs that killed the colony.  Didn't surprise any of the players, but did draw some questions from folks out there.  Hope that answers the questions.  Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy.  September will take a bit to put together - maybe three parts.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 02, 2010, 07:05:53 AM
September 2203

September 1st  0820 hours/Patrol Vessel 17

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 sensed the drive engage and felt the acceleration of the ship. Combat Group 2 was complete now.  Six Patrol Vessels, two Combat Vessels, and Assault Vessel 2.  They would spend time now cruising through space towards their destination.  They were bound for the inner system.
   First they would pass by the planet where first contact with the new race had been made, and where the small colony had been destroyed by the enemy race.  They would then proceed to bend their course off of its gravity and continue on to the great gas giant of this system.  The race had been detected and fought here.  The Commander remembered the battle he had fought amongst the moons of that planet and the small scout craft that had been destroyed.  It had been his first time facing the new race.  It had been a draw, with Patrol Vessel 17 withdrawing without permanent damage, and the native race had held the planet and its moons.  His second contact had been less successful, and remembering the death of the colony at the hands of this strange race still caused him to emanate waves of hatred that the crew could sense.  But they had been there also.  Many among the crew shared his anger.
   The great planet would bend their course again until they would pass through this system's debris belt near where the latest conflict with the new race had been fought. Two more Patrol Vessels had been lost in that engagement.  The Combat Group would search to see if the native race had holdings in that area before moving on.  The next stop would be the closest planet at that time.  It was the third one in distance from the star in this system.  They would then pass the fourth and second most distant as they bent the Group's course around the star.  They would make a pass by the innermost planet before turning back out system.  They had ample supplies, but would not be able to linger indefinitely in the inner system.  After the sweep of the inner planets, they would have to return.
   The Commander hoped they would find the home or homes of this race.  He would enjoy seeing them destroyed.


September 3rd  1600 hours/Beijing, China

   Minister Po toured the research facility.  The day had been nothing but tours, well into the night.  He hoped that it was nearly finished.  The progress on the industrial expansion was admirable, and necessary in light of the alien threat.  The progress on the research into the alien field technology was less inspiring.  The facilities were simply too limited to do much of what was required, without going through large, and expensive, modifications to accommodate the necessary systems.  Personnel were also difficult to find with the required skills and background.  Po was sure that most countries would find themselves at a loss to come up with experts in the fields of the alien's technology, so China was no worse off than any other government in that respect.
   Tomorrow would see a sub orbital flight in a cargo lifter.  Po knew that the lifter was 'scheduled' to drop off parts and pick up equipment at the Queensland Corporation Center.  Actually it was to allow him to tour the facility that the FSC was using to research this same technology.  Hopefully they were having greater success than what the facilities in Beijing were showing.  Regardless, it would be a long time, and many visits, before this system would be fully developed.
   When it was, it would change the face of space warfare for all the governments of the Earth.


September 6th  0020 hours/Kestrel, Ceres Colony Distribution Station

   The Dutchman monitored the progress of the docking between the Kestrel and the Mary Reed.  The Kestrel was to drop off supplies for the Mary Reed and Marie Celeste, but she would also allow The Dutchman a chance to transfer to the ships that would be staying here in Chinese Space.  Not that he liked the idea of staying here under the Chinese Government's nose, but the Cartel had given him no choice.  The pay wasn't bad for a babysitting job either.  So long as the aliens didn't show up.  Of course if they did, it looked like even they might be in for some problems of their own.
   The Dutchman had never seen a ship as large as the one on the display now.  It was obviously Chinese in design, but it dwarfed even the large Euro Q.E. in Earth orbit.  It was just huge.  The two Strike Vessels with it made the group only more formidable.  All three of the FSC's armed ships together would have no chance in a battle against that monstrous ship.
   Yes, babysitting with that monster nearby to crush any alien problems sounded like easy money.


September 11th  2345 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Titania orbit, Uranus

   The Commander tried to control his rage at sensing the ruins on the moon below, but it was almost impossible.  He could feel his crew struggling also.  The other ships nearby radiated the magnetic waves of their crews.  Hate, anger, disgust.  The race that had caused this would be made to pay.  
   Sensor returns indicated none of the enemy's vessels were near this planet.  A sweep by the scout craft failed to find any in the space nearby.  The Combat Group engaged their drives and set course for the giant planet closer to the inner system.  The native race had been found there also, but not lately.  They were slowly being forced into the inner system, and likely closer to their home.  Soon the Combat Group would find that home.  Then this race would cease to exist.


September 18th  1205 hours/Science Vessel Discovery, Mars Transfer Station

   Captain Jeremy Leffler looked over the itinerary of the Discovery for the rest of the month.  They had just finished escorting a civilian colony ship to Mars, and were now drawing supplies at the Mars Transfer Station.  The US Task Force 1 was conducting training at the moment, and their maneuvers caused constant sensor returns to pop up on Jeremy's monitor.  He simply keyed them off as they showed up.  He didn't want to override the inputs, for fear that the aliens actually showed up.  It wasn't likely, and the Space Station, Ground Monitoring Stations, and ships of Task Force 1 would all be aware of alien movements.  They would notify the Discovery, but Jeremy wasn't interested in overriding those returns yet.
   The Discovery was still assigned to Convoy Escort duty, although it was obvious now after reviewing the data and reports that they would have little chance in combat against an alien ship.  At best they would slow down an alien pursuit of the freighters they were to accompany.  It was going to be a large group this time.  Four civilian cargo carriers and a single passenger liner with 50,000 colonists bound for the Euro portion of the belt.  All the ships were US registered, but would take business from anyone willing to pay the fee.  Regardless, for the next several days the Discovery would accompany them.  It would be a slow trip as the passenger liner was limited to less than three percent of the Discovery's standard acceleration.  They would take time to come up to speed.  They would also be very vulnerable if the aliens were to attack.
   It seemed so strange for a Science Vessel to be a convoy escort, but times were hard.  Jeremy settled back into his station and waited for the resupply to be completed.


September 23rd  0005 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, dark side of the Asteroid Belt

   The Combat Group was now only 15 light seconds from the main belt of rocks and ice that drifted through this system between the largest planet and inner rocky planets.  The Commander of Assault Vessel 2 had ordered the group to decelerate until they matched the orbital speed of the majority of the debris nearby.  The native race seemed to make homes amongst the rocks and ice.  The immense amount of debris would make finding the enemy more difficult.  It was also ideal for the native race to set ambushes in, as had been seen in the attack on Combat Group 1.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 ordered his three scout craft to launch.  The Commander could sense the other Patrol and Combat Vessels doing the same.  The 24 small craft formed up in a tight formation and set off toward the debris.  Orders came from the Assault Vessel for Patrol Vessels 6 and 9 to follow and support the scout craft.  The Commander could sense the two ships engage their drives and follow the scout group.  He monitored the group through Patrol Vessel 17's sensors as they reached the debris field and began to fan out.
   They were going to move through the debris toward where the ambush of Combat Group 1 had occurred.  If the enemy maintained a staging area for combat vessels in this area, it was to be located.  The Combat Group would then destroy it, and any ships or habitats this race had here.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could sense the waves of anticipation and fear ripple through the ship.  The ship and its crew had fought this race before.  They knew as well as any that this race could be dangerous.  It had to be exterminated.  And that it would not perish without a fight.


   0455 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, dark side of the Asteroid Belt, 8 light minutes from Ceres

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon kept a close eye on the sensor returns.  The three cargo liners she was guarding had no tightbeam communication system, and the only way to keep track of them was to monitor them closely.  Messages were passed by ship's boat only.  Broadcasts would alert alien ships to the group's presence. Brenna had been assigned convoy escort duty for months now, but the regulations gave her a great deal of leeway in how she conducted her operations.  In fact, there was very little spelled out in black and white about how to conduct escort ops.  She had spent most of her time over the last two months plotting routes along the asteroid belt, and developing communication protocols for the various Battle Groups to study and employ.  Brenna knew it would be hard to give up all the years she had spent as a trainer, or maybe impossible.  She enjoyed teaching too much.  She knew the civilians hated her for putting them behind schedule, but they had no choice.
   She plotted courses so a group would navigate the belt until they approached their destination.  They would then move out of the belt and bee line for wherever they were going.  During the trip, the freighters would always remain inside the belt to better disguise their sensor returns, while the 3rd Battle Group would operate several light seconds outside of the debris fields.  This allowed the Battle Group to best use their sensor suites, and made them the easiest sensor targets.  Alien ships would hopefully spot the Battle Group, and fail to see the freighters.  The 3rd Battle Group would move off or engage the alien ships, while the civilian vessels would slip away in the asteroid fields. So far they had never had to test it, but it was the best plan she had managed to devise.
   "Admiral, we have a new contact.  Bearing two four one degrees, minus 6 degrees ascension.  Distance to contact eight point two five light seconds.  Sensor returns confirm contact as US Science Vessel.  Course plots transferring to your monitor."  The Sensor Officer was already locking his station.  The rest of the bridge crew began to follow suit.  
   "Helm, bring us to a stop with relation to the contact.  Comm, attempt tightbeam comm link with target."  Brenna knew that the US had a convoy due to pass through the area, and it was possible they were using this ship as an escort.  It might be on other business or enroute out system.  The Pan Euro and US were enjoying good political relations at the moment, but that didn't mean US ships could come and go as they pleased.  It was in Euro Space and would need to account for itself.
   Brenna waited as time passed.  It was only a minute before the comm link lit up on her monitor.

   THIS IS US SCIENCE VESSEL DISCOVERY, CAPTAIN J LEFFLER.
   CURRENTLY ESCORTING CIVILIAN CONVOY REGISTER NO.  12647.
   DESTINATION HYGIEA COLONY.
   CONVOY BEARINGS TO FOLLOW.
   REQUEST PERMISSION TO ENTER PAN EUROPEAN SPACE.

   Brenna nodded to herself.  It was the US convoy.  They must also be using the belt to hide their civilian ships and employing other ships as sensor bait. Brenna keyed in a response granting the US ship permission to proceed.  They were still quite a ways from their destination, and would likely have to leave the belt when they reached the section under Chinese control around Ceres.  Checking the convoy position and manifest as it came through she noted a passenger ship with a full load of colonists.  All bound for Pan Euro Hygiea Colony.  She keyed in a second note for transmission.

   GOOD LUCK.


   0725 hours/Science Vessel Discovery, Asteroid Belt, 6.75 light minutes from Ceres

   Captain Jeremy Leffler felt that he was finally over the shock of meeting the Pan Euro 3rd Battle Group.  It had been a rude surprise when the transmission had come in.  It definitely showed that the Discovery's sensor suite was aged compared to the newest generation.  Jeremy knew that the Mk IIa's had upgraded their sensor equipment months ago.  He hoped it was as good as the Euro's.  It had convinced him to change his tactics in escorting.  Sitting out in the open didn't seem so good if everyone could see you, but you couldn't see them.  After rechecking the reports on engagements with the alien Alpha Class ships, Jeremy realized that they were firing on each other at ranges his sensor suite couldn't even resolve a ship at.
   Since then he had closed the gap with the freighters.  If fired on, he would just have to charge the enemy ships while the civilian ships ran for it.  Not much of a strategy, but all he would be able to manage.  The entire group's best hope was to avoid detection in the first place.
   His thoughts were cut short.  A red light flashed on his monitor.  Contact. He accessed the sensor data even as the Sensor Officer reported.
   "Captain, single contact designating as One at one point seven light seconds. Bearing two two seven plus one zero.  Course upload to your station sir.  Appears to be some form of small ship's boat or lifter."
   Jeremy looked at the returns.  The little boat was moving toward them.   It wasn't reacting to their presence, and wouldn't catch them at its current speed.  He remembered the aliens used small craft in several of the encounters to date.  Might just be a Euro miner out prospecting.  Maybe not.
   "Captain, second contact designating as Two.  Bearing three three zero plus nine.  Parallel course and velocity to Contact One."  Jeremy watched as the Sensor Officer looked back at him from his station.  This wasn't a mining sortie.
   "Lock stations.  Comm, broadcast to the convoy to continue on current course at best acceleration.  Open broadcast our position and contact data.  Request assistance.  Helm, engage drive when all stations clear.  Bring us sixty degrees port.  Weapons crew, get me a firing solution on Contact One."  The Discovery didn't have the latest sensors, but the laser battery on board was state of the art.  Whether it could target something that small effectively was anyone’s guess.  He hoped it could.
   His monitor registered the stations locked and then the drive engaged.  The grey blue haze set in as the ship tore forward, then vanished as the drive dropped so maneuver thrusters could correct.  Jeremy saw the prompt on his screen that a solution had been plotted.  He keyed the command to fire.


   0727 hours/Patrol Vessel 6, Asteroid Belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 6 ordered all scout craft to come about.  Three of the small ships had lost contact already.  None had reported any enemy contact at all.  Whatever was destroying the scouts was giving their sensors no time to see an inbound, and was too far or too small to register.  Patrol Vessel 6 had been assigned 12 of the craft.  Losing three was unpleasant, but not unexpected.  The little things had many uses, but in a war were expendable.  Much quicker to build, and using far less resources than any other space going ship, they would be used to locate the enemy.
   The Commander altered the field on his station's panel and felt the drive engage.  The ship's sensors still weren't registering any contacts, but the scouts had been five light seconds ahead.  Sensor readings at that distance were clouded by so many false contacts that they were meaningless.  
   No.  A ship drive was being tracked.  The false contacts were making a constant sensor lock impossible, but the intermittent readings were enough to plot a course and speed.  Whatever it was, it was accelerating.  It had passed beyond the line of scouts, and would pass between Patrol Vessel 6 and 9 soon.  It was already moving to fast to intercept, and the poor sensor quality made a targeting solution impossible.  The weapon would wander off on one of the false returns.  Following the enemy ship seemed unwise.  The enemy race had used this ploy to position an ambush already.  
   If the group continued on its current course, the enemy vessel may have broadcast Patrol Vessel 6's course.  An ambush could be waiting if they followed the enemy ship.  Or continued on.  Patrol Vessels 6 and 9 would have to alter course, but would not follow the contact.  A report was transmitted to the Assault Vessel, but would take some time to reach it.  A reply would take even longer.


   0730 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna,  9.25 light minutes from Ceres

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon quickly read through the transmission from the Discovery.  She quickly plotted the course the alien scouts had been on.  They were far astern.  She keyed orders for the ship's boat to launch. It would carry orders for the freighters to engage drives in ten minutes. They would accelerate to 4500 kilometers per second for the next two hours. They were to move to maximum acceleration if they encountered any contacts.  
   "Helm, plot a course to intercept the Discovery.  Comm, let the Attack Escorts know that we need to spread out.  Interval of 8 light seconds.  That US ship will be hard enough to spot.  We will be able to sweep more area if we don't park one on top of the other.  Lets see if we can find her."
   Adding the US ship to her group would help.  Her monitor showed that the destroyed alien ships would have eventually crossed with Ceres.  The little ships couldn't be out here alone.  Whatever was with them might still stumble across the Chinese colony.  And who knew what was with them.
   "Lock stations.  All ships to general quarters."  Then, thinking of the destruction of the Pallas Colony, "Comm, tightbeam to Hygiea Colony.  Let them know we may need the 2nd Battle Group.  Then let the Chinese know we are coming."  
   'We don't need them shooting at us also', Brenna thought.  'I have a bad feeling we are going to be shot at enough today.'


   0735 hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, Ceres Colony orbit

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji locked his station.  The US and Euro transmissions had just been translated.  It could be anywhere from two hours to twelve hours before ships reached Chinese Space.  There simply wasn't enough information to be sure.  Keeping the crews on alert that long would be terribly fatiguing.  He would wait for at least two hours before he ordered general quarters.  After that, the wait would begin.  The Missile Frigates were still testing their sensor equipment and training with it.  Prepared or not, they would have to use it.  
   "Comm, translate for the two FSC vessels here.  Let them know we may have need of their weapons before this day is out."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 04, 2010, 05:21:03 AM
September 2203  part 2  (The Battle of Ceres)

September 23rd  0749 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters reviewed the transcripts of the messages the Discovery had transmitted.  There was nothing he could do.  People would be clamoring for some sort of action, but the closest help was the Task Force here at Earth.  Moving them was not an option.  The next closest was Jack Ryan's group at Mars, but at best speed they would still take over 8 hours to reach the area the Discovery was now in.  They would likely burn out the engines of at least one of the ships on the trip if they tried it.  No, the Discovery was on her own.  He keyed into his monitor for the crew list and convoy number, just in case.
   The display showed a passenger liner with 50,000 on board.  Admiral Walters keyed the intercom.
   "I need the Euro Space Station on a comm link.  Attention Admiral Kushnir."


   0807 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir reviewed the transmissions and messages she had on her monitor.  The US was asking for assistance in rescuing a passenger liner by supporting the US Science Vessel Discovery out in the belt.  Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon had made a transmission to Hygiea Colony that she was moving toward where the Discovery was already.  Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery was stationed at Hygiea and requesting guidance on deployment of the 2nd Battle Group - were they to remain at the colony, or assist 3rd Battle Group.
   Too much was happening, and Jude knew at this distance any decision she made would reach its recipients based on a situation over 45 minutes old.  She keyed in orders for Elizabeth to use her best discretion in the disposition of 2nd Battle Group.  As for 3rd Battle Group, there wouldn't be any stopping Brenna now.  She would already be wherever she was going by the time any message reached her.


   0809 hours/Science Vessel Discovery, 8.5 light minutes from Ceres

   Captain Jeremy Leffler was actually relieved to have been 'surprised' by the Pan Euro 3rd Battle Group.  The transmission from Rear Admiral Muldoon had left him a little less excited though.  She had ordered him to join her group.  Could she actually do that?  Not that he had much choice.  Jeremy knew he was in Pan Euro space, and the 3rd Battle Group could destroy his ship from farther out than he could even detect them.
   The Discovery was now just off the flank of the Attack Escort Catherine.  The course they were on, and the speed they were going,  would take them right back into the small craft he had just escaped from.


   0815 hours/Assault Vessel 2, dark side of the Asteroid Belt

   The Commander of Assault Vessel 2 transmitted the orders for Patrol Vessels 6 and 9 to return to their original course.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 6 was correct that this would likely place them in harms way.  It was obvious that the enemy valued this area of the debris fields, and regularly placed combat vessels here.  That meant somewhere they would likely find more fleet elements or a base.  In that event, the Patrol Vessels were to withdraw, and attempt to lure a pursuit.  Combat Group 2 would destroy any ships following the Patrol Vessels, and then move to destroy any stationary elements.  
   But first they needed the enemy's ships to reveal themselves.


   1410 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, 3.23 light minutes from Ceres

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon checked the sensor returns on her monitor.  It was definite that at least one alien ship was almost dead ahead.  The magnetic field glared out through even the asteroid field's distortion.  It also appeared that they were unaware of the 3rd Battle Group following them.  They were making no attempt to change either their heading or speed.
   Brenna keyed in the orders for maximum combat acceleration.  She wanted to come in as close to dead astern of the contacts as she could.  
   She just hoped there weren't to many of them.  


   1418 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, 3.21 light minutes from Ceres

   Brenna unlocked her station and stood on the deck.  She had ordered emergency repairs on all vessels.  She had authorized the tightbeam transmission to Hygiea Colony and 2nd Battle Group of the situation, and that all ships except the Isabelle were standing down from General Quarters for the next hour.  They had gotten the jump on two of the alien Alpha Class vessels, but they hadn't gone down without a fight.
   The alien ships had been separated by almost 2 light seconds when the 3rd Battle Group had reached a range that the sensors could distinguish individual contacts.  Both of the alien ships had started to come about, but the first salvos from the 3rd Battle Group had left the nearest contact without its protective fields, and venting damage.  The Discovery had bore straight in and actually fired before the 3rd Battle Group's missiles had made intercept.  The fact that the alien ship started venting almost immediately had made Brenna take notice.  Whatever the fields were, they didn't do much to stop a laser.
   The aliens didn't seem to like that though, and the first launch had savaged the US ship.  It had managed to fire twice more as it limped away, but it wasn't fit for combat at the moment.  The 3rd had finished off the first contact, and then turned on the second Alpha Class.  It had started to turn away even before the first Alpha had been destroyed.  What followed had then turned into a long-range duel.
   The Alpha had lost its protective fields over the first minute of the exchange, but Brenna had ordered the Catherine to drop back after the second launch from the alien ship had ripped through her hull and left her crippled.  The next two minutes had seen a number of exchanges, with the Alpha failing to make any successful intercepts while it had slowly been pounded by the launches of the Tatianna and Isabelle.  At the end the alien ship had been coasting through the asteroid field, its drive having failed.  Even so, its last launch had managed to tear into the Tatianna even as the Alpha was destroyed.  
   'Two of the alien ships have been destroyed, but my Battle Group is pretty much out of the fight.  Over half of our payload of missiles are gone, and three of the four ships are badly in need of repairs.' Brenna moved to see if she could help with any of the repairs.  
   She hoped this was all that the aliens had in the area.

   
   1428 hours/Assault Vessel 2, dark side of the Asteroid Belt

   The Commander of Assault Vessel 2 ordered the Combat Group to begin moving toward the area where the engagement with Patrol Vessels 6 and 9 had occurred.  They would have to be presumed destroyed.  The last transmissions had indicated that they were engaged with four enemy vessels, and had damaged at least two of them.  That was the last they had broadcast.
   The scout craft had scattered.  Reports were that they had not detected the enemy craft at all.  If the enemy had been aware of them, they would surely have begun hunting them down.  The scouts could still be useful to identify further targets.  He adjusted the fields at his station to relay the message to the scout craft to continue their sweep.  
   The enemy had to be nearby.  If only they could be pinned down and engaged.


   1705 hours/Mary Reed, Ceres orbit

   Contact warnings flashed on his monitor.  Multiple contacts!  The Dutchman wheeled his station about to lock it, and keyed the sensor returns through to his display.  They were close, and small.  Three of them, no four.  They would be on top of the colony before the ship would be able to lock stations.
   "Get me firing solutions, NOW!"  The stations didn't have to be locked to fire the laser battery.  He could feel the ship hum as the capacitors charged.  The sensors tracked several of the Chinese fast missiles as they tried to intercept the small, nimble targets.  The Mary Reed's laser discharged, but the small craft kept coming.
   Damn it.  The computers weren't programmed to engage targets like this.  Twice more The Dutchman watched as the capacitors discharged, with no effect.  The missiles of the huge Chinese ship were only a little more effective, destroying one of the small ships as they streaked by.
   The Dutchman thought about ordering a pursuit.  The small ships would never be able to outrun the Mary Reed and Marie Celeste.  It was too late though.  The location would have been broadcast.  For all he knew, the Mary and Marie would be following the alien ships into an ambush.
   No, all he could do was wait.  And let the weapon crews know that if they didn't work on the targeting program fast, they would wish the enemy had killed them before this was over.


   1729 hours/Ceres Colony,  Huangdi Habitat

   Colonel Liang gave the order. "Fire!"  The surface of the asteroid lit up as every trooper in the 18th Powered Armor Brigade fired into the darkness above.  With the low surface gravity, even small arms would have escape velocity.  The tungsten and bismuth projectiles would have little effect, but enough might bring down one of the alien ships.  For the last two minutes the Tung, Anhui, and Hubei had let lose with everything they had.  Flashing stars appeared and died in fractions of a heartbeat.  The FSC ships were up there also.  Whether they were having any luck was anybody's guess.
   "Sir, we have fifteen tangos inbound. Orders?"
   Colonel Liang keyed the comm open.  "MLOW's track and fire on any targets."  The small missiles would deploy hundreds of small charges that would track and detonate as any ship came near.  The large ships were fairly safe from the small EFP's, but small craft could be destroyed by the one kilo chunks of copper moving at several kilometers per second.  They were meant to engage enemy armor, but could be used to try and destroy the  small ships if they committed to bombing runs.
   The sky was criss-crossed by hundreds, then thousands of small trails.  Bomblets flashed as small craft flashed across the sky. The bright flashes as ship-launched missiles detonated over the surface caused the Colonel to flinch.  'Damn they are cutting it close.'  The darkening of the lights in the habitat behind him was proof the civilians weren't hardened against the EMP.  
   The ground was ripped away from him as his screen blacked out.  The left side of his armor felt painfully hot and vertigo swept over him as his armor bounced along the icy surface.
   He stopped hard against a solid surface and used his chin to operate the filters on his helmet.  The HUD showed a few small leaks, but he had several minutes before they would become an issue.  He pulled the tape patches from his right leg and started fixing what leaks he could see.  
   As he looked up, he could see the habitat wasn't blacked out anymore.  The glow of orange and blue balls of fire lit the wreckage that had held 100,000 people only moments ago.


   1731 hours/Heavy Escort Rebecca, near Hygiea Colony, Asteroid Belt

   Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery switch off the all ships comm link.  The orders were given.  Now she would have to hope she had done the right thing.  The broadcasts from Ceres Colony in Chinese space were horrifying.  Nearly a third of the habitats were destroyed.  Others damaged badly.  None of the Chinese ships had been damaged, but they had expended almost half of their on hand ordinance in defense of the civilians.  
   Elizabeth knew that it wasn't her responsibility to guard the Chinese colonists, but they were people.  Just like the ones that had been on Pallas.  And she wasn't going to let them die if she could help it.  She locked her station as the ship prepared for acceleration.
   She hoped Brenna would understand.  Damaged or not, she had ordered the 3rd Battle Group to make best speed for the Chinese Colony.  They would help however they could.  For as long as they could.
   If they could.

   1737 hours/Patrol Vessel 17,  Asteroid Belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could feel the thrill and anticipation of the crew.  Another victory.  Costly, but a victory.  Eighteen of the 21 scout craft had perished in the attack, but the enemy home had been heavily bombed.  It was now time to finish the job.
   Transmissions had indicated the enemy had five combat ships near the colony, and that one massed close to that of the Assault Vessel.  That had to be an exaggeration born of the excitement of battle, or clouded sensor returns.
   Regardless, the Combat Group had changed course.  Hunting crippled enemy ships could wait.  They had a better target now.


September 2203  part 3

September 23rd  2045 hours/Heavy Escort Rebecca, Near Ceres Colony

   Vice Admiral Esme Jurkat reviewed the latest transmission she had received.  For once it was good news.  The Queen Elizabeth was enroute with Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery onboard.  They were still two and a half hours out, but at least help was coming.  Hopefully they would be here in time.
   The Pan Euro 2nd and 3rd Battle Groups had been forced by the Chinese to deploy at 1 light second from the Colony.  It had nothing to do with tactical position; the Chinese simply did not want them close enough to get detailed scans of the huge ship that was circling close to Ceres.  It was enormous.  Easily three times the size of her Heavy Escort.  Larger than the Q.E. even.  Where they had come up with the designs to construct a ship that large - that was stable under acceleration - was a mystery.  A mystery they didn't want to share.
   The 3rd Battle Group looked to be in sore condition.  After docking and redistributing missiles from the 2nd Battle Group, the Pan Euro’s ships only carried enough for a dozen launches each.  The Tatianna's magazine space had been damage and she would be carrying only enough for ten launches.  At least both of her bays were functioning.  But the crews of the 3rd Battle Group were close to exhaustion.  They needed rest.
   They had the US Science Vessel Discovery in tow, but she was a wreck.  Her laser battery still worked, but not much else.  It would take little to make her come apart.  The FSC had two ships here, and they claimed to mount a single long range missile bay and one laser emitter each.  That would help, but they claimed to only have five missiles onboard each of the ships.  Not much, but if they could get close the lasers didn't need ammunition.
   Worst was the Chinese declaration that their ships had only enough for six salvos each.  If this turned into a long range duel, that meant the Pan Euro ships were the ones who would stay behind to cover the colony while the other ships withdrew with empty magazines.  Not that she intended to leave Esme thought, but any fire would be concentrated on her ships as the others withdrew.
   From what Brenna had passed on, after reviewing the engagement records, and listening to the Chinese accounts, it sounded like a large number of alien ships were present.  If the Discovery had destroyed three small craft, and the Chinese claimed to have destroyed 18 of 21 small craft, that didn't look good for the future.  Brenna said that the Alpha Class looked to carry three of the little ships, and that would indicate at least eight were present.  The 3rd Battle Group had destroyed only two.  That would leave six left.  And it didn't seem likely they would send eight Alpha's without sending a few of the bigger Delta's with them.  If they showed up, it would be a bloody fight.
   Even from one light second away, Esme could tell from the sensor returns that it had been a horrible fight already.  Clouds of debris and wreckage still floated near the colony.  Fires burned out of control on the surface of Ceres.  Only three of the small habitats appeared to have power at the moment.  The Chinese had one ship that resembled the Pan Euro's Mobile Shipyards in orbit, assisting in the efforts to restore power on the surface.  Helping to repair damaged habitats.  Saving the countless workers and families trapped here.
   No, leaving wouldn't be an option.  The aliens would return.  And she would do whatever it took to stop them.


   2350 hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, close orbit of Ceres Colony

   Admiral Zhu Rongji keyed in for transmission of the orders releasing the two FSC vessels to accompany the US ship.  They all carried lasers, and would do a better job supporting one another than the FSC ships could do supporting the Chinese group with their single launcher each.  Their light construction also put them in danger trying to orbit in the debris floating near Ceres.  The Europeans had posted the US laser ship with the undamaged Battle Group, while the damaged Battle Group had formed up on the newest arrival.  The Euro called it the Queen Elizabeth.  Each group was cruising in a circle at one light second from the colony, and on opposite sides.  They would be easier to pick up on sensors, but no one here was hiding anymore.
   Repairs on the surface of the colony were progressing, but they would need more time.  Much more time.  The inventory of missiles was low, with only six salvos on any of the Chinese vessels.  Worse was the state of the high speed missiles.  There were only nine left.  Three per bay on the Tung.  The Tung, Anhui, and Hubei could launch from ten separate long range bays, but the two Missile Frigates were still training with the new sensor equipment.  Launches would be at less than full effectiveness.  They would try to save the high speed missiles for close defense of the colony from the little bombers, but may have to divert long range ordinance to that role if the colony was attacked with a large number of the small craft.  If the long range missiles were also running low, it would be up to the emplaced defenses of the colony (which were almost nonexistent) and the two brigades of troops on the surface.  The soldiers had survived almost completely intact, protected by their combat systems and the fact they had emplaced at a fair distance from the habitats.  The hope had been that if the soldiers were targeted, the habitats would suffer only minor damage.  It seemed the aliens were uninterested in attacking planet bound military targets.
   Hopefully the Euro and (small) US support would keep that from becoming a problem.  Zhu wondered if he should broach the subject of trying to improve Chinese and Euro relations following this (if he survived).  The Euro had deployed over half of their known fleet here to protect Chinese civilians, and left their own belt colonies at risk in the process.  Perhaps a less tense peace could be achieved.  Assuming there was anyone left when this was all done.


September 24th  0210 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Asteroid Belt

   The waiting was horrible.  The Commander of Assault Vessel 2 had stopped the Group just over one light minute from the target.  He wanted the local enemy support vessels to have time to arrive.  At first it had made no sense.  Destroy them quickly before they could prepare.  The Assault Commander wanted to draw out the defenders.  This could not be the only holding of the native race.  They would have to draw from their reserves for the defense of this colony.  Leaving less to face later.  Better to face the reserves a little at a time, than to quickly destroy each habitat, and give the native race a chance to concentrate their reserves in a final defense.  It also forced the defenders to tire their crews maintaining an extended defense - if they tired.  It made sense, but did not make the waiting any easier.
   The fields on the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17's station changed.  The order had come.  They would make the final approach.  Soon they would destroy their enemies home and ships.


   0404 hours/Heavy Escort Rebecca, 1 light second from Ceres.

   Contact warning lights flashed on Esme’s console.  A magnetic signature detected at over 7 light seconds.  The sensors were unable to resolve individual ships, but the aliens had returned.  And these weren't the small ships.
   They were moving quickly, perhaps 9000 kilometers per second.  Exact speeds were difficult to determine with the interference of the dust and debris of the belt.  Tightbeam transmissions were already away, but the Chinese and 3rd Battle Group would become aware of the alien contacts within the next 30 seconds or so regardless.
   Return transmissions indicated that Vice Admiral Avery wanted the 2nd Battle Group to decelerate and wait for the rest of the Euro ships to reach them.  That was going to take time.  Making the orbit at one light second from the colony would take the Q.E. and 3rd Battle Group nearly three minutes to reach the 2nd Battle Group.  The aliens would reach weapons range of the colony and its defenses in less than two.  The civilians would be butchered, and the Chinese forced to fight unsupported while the Q.E. and two Euro Battle Groups got in position.  If it was only a few alien ships, maybe the Chinese could hold.
   Less than a minute after first sensor contact, Esme had her answer.  The alien ships had resolved.  Four Alphas, two of the Deltas, and one big ship that would rival the Chinese vessel orbiting the colony.  The Chinese must have picked that up also.  They were moving away from Ceres.  The Chinese would be trying to intercept the alien ships before they could reach the colony.  But they would be alone, outnumbered, and out classed.  Their crews had been on alert for too long.  They would never be able to effectively respond to the alien ships.  They would be destroyed, and with them any chance of stopping these damned aliens.
   Elizabeth technically was senior, but today it wasn't going to be her decision.  Esme knew her ships were in position, her crews the most rested, and they were going to need the big Chinese ships, the Q.E, and the experienced 3rd Battle Group to have any chance at all of stopping the alien ships. What they didn't have right now was the time to draw up an effective battle line so they could coordinate and concentrate their fire.  And do that at a distance from the colony.  The 2nd Battle Group could buy them that time.  The 2nd could also draw the alien's fire, allowing the Chinese ships and Avery's command a chance to target the alien ships and launch before the aliens could return fire.  Esme keyed in the orders for the 2nd Battle Group to accelerate towards the enemy formation.  She couldn't order the US and FSC ships to follow, but hoped they would.
   The next minute crawled by as the 2nd Battle Group and the alien ships closed.  The FSC and US ships were still in formation with the 2nd Battle Group.  They had to know they wouldn't survive, but she was glad of the help.  A third order from Vice Admiral Avery came onto Esme's monitor.  The first two had been to hold position.  She glanced at the latest.  Good hunting and she hoped to see her at Esme's court martial.  Esme wished she could have smiled at the humor of it.  Elizabeth had to know she wouldn't be going home.
   Esme's monitor lit up with damage indicators as the Rebecca lurched.  What in the hell?  Where were the inbound indicators?  There.  They were just appearing.  What had hit them?  The Rebecca's missile bays and sensors were still online.  She keyed in for a firing solution on the nearest Alpha.  They didn't have the firepower to take out one of the big bastards, but they could kill or cripple her escorts.  And the big ships were firing, giving the Chinese and Elizabeth's ships the targeting data they would need.
   Esme watched as the alien inbounds, eight of them, raced toward her group, detonated one after another.  And the Rebecca was still here.  Maybe god was going to be on their side this day.     Esme watched as the four missiles of the 2nd Battle Group and the two FSC missiles tracked the Alpha she had chosen. Sensor returns showed the targeted Alpha lose its magnetic signature.  Vent.  Hot damn, the drive never came back up. The alien was coasting now, an easy target.  What really held Esme's attention after that were the contacts she was tracking even now.  Chinese and Euro missiles.  Eighteen of them!  Fifteen seconds later the big alien bastard lost its magnetic field, and was even venting!  Yes!  They might just be able to beat these aliens yet.
   Esme's sensors never picked up the two chunks of metallic hydrogen moving at nearly the speed of light that turned her ship into one more nuclear detonation in space.
   The rest of 2nd Battle Group and the Marie Celeste followed her into oblivion thirty seconds later.


   0408 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, near enemy colony

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 strained to monitor the events unfolding around his ship and direct his crew at the same time.  Several enemy ships had charged their formation and crippled, then destroyed as they passed, Patrol Vessel 10.  Four of the six enemy ships had been destroyed for the loss of one Patrol Vessel, but now the remaining two were behind the formation.  The Combat and Assault Vessels could not target their mass drivers anywhere but in the direction the ship was moving.  Worse, the two enemy ships that had moved behind the formation were using some form of weapon that could pierce the magnetic shielding and damage the ships directly.  The damage was not catastrophic, but it tore into the ships nonetheless.  One attack had even pierced through the plating and baffles to cripple one of Combat Vessel 5's particle accelerators.  It would be able to continue at its current speed, but full combat acceleration would now be impossible.
   Most distressing was the damage that the Assault Vessel was absorbing.  The enemy weapons had ripped through her shielding and baffles, tearing into the hull and internal systems.  The enemy had brought out their own version of an Assault Vessel and Combat Vessel that were pouring destruction upon Assault Vessel 2.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 targeted one of the two small ships behind the formation and watched as the torpedo found its target.  The enemy ship disappeared as some fusion plant lost containment and consumed the vessel.  Moments after that the Commander shuddered in recognition of the Assault Vessel disappeared as an enemy weapon detonated too close to its hull.  The leader of the Combat Group was gone.  It would now be up to the Commander of Combat Vessel 5 to take control.
   But even now the enemy Assault Vessel was bearing down on the two Combat Vessels.


   0409 hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, 2.75 light seconds from Ceres

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji knew he only had one choice.  The enemy 'Delta Class' (as the Europeans called them) had closed to within weapons range of the colony.  He had to give them a target they COULDN'T ignore.  The Tung, Anhui, and Hubei had bore full down upon the two largest of the alien ships.  The three smaller escorts had broken off.
   Two hits tore into the Tung as they closed.  Plating and baffles were torn away.  Forward crew work spaces were breached.  But the Tung had been designed to weather far worse.  At only half of a light second from one of the Deltas, Zhu ordered the ships to launch everything they had.  Ten long range missiles followed the three high speed short ranged weapons as they streaked through space to intercept the alien Delta.  Heartbeats later the first intercepts were made.  The high speed missiles had shattered the magnetic fields and torn into the Delta's hull.  The following detonations left the ship a wildly tumbling hulk, drifting uncontrolled through space. 
   It came with a price.  The remaining alien escorts had launched on the Tung and two of the three missile had made intercept at this close range.  Zhu could feel the ship slammed by the hammers of the alien weapons.  Damage lights flashed across Zhu's screen.  All the short ranged launch bays were out of commission, along with two of the four long range bays.  The sensor arrays were shredded and the ship was flying almost blind.  Two thirds of the particle accelerators were damaged or had overheated.  They could still maneuver, and even launch using second hand readings from the Missile Frigates and the missiles onboard guidance system.
   But for all intents, the Tung was out of the fight.  The Anhui and Hubei were still out there, and undamaged.  The launches from the Euro ships and the lone FSC ship had further damaged the last of the alien Deltas.  The three Alphas were disengaging as rapidly as they could.
   Zhu keyed in the orders to bring the Tung around.  Get her out of range of the enemy Alphas.  Get the big girl home.


   0415 hours/Mary Reed, 3.5 light seconds from Ceres

   The Dutchman was amazed he was still alive.  They Mary Reed had managed to come through it all untouched.  This was good.  A single hit had torn the Marie Celeste in half.
   Status displays showed the Mary Reed had only a single Scorpion Missile left on board.  The laser capacitors were using the heat sinks to maintain operating temperatures, but were far from overheating.  Only two of the alien Alpha Class ships had managed to disengage.  No one was ordering a pursuit.  The Dutchman knew he wasn't going to go on one anyway.
   Hopefully the aliens didn't have any more ships nearby.  The Chinese Cruiser was HEAVILY damaged (Just how did it take such a pounding?  At least four enemy hits, each powerful enough to DESTROY the Mary Reed), one of the Frigates had been damaged finishing off one of the Alphas, the US ship was gone, the Euro had lost the ENTIRE 2nd Battle Group, and the Queen Elizabeth had been hit dueling with the last of the enemy Delta Class ships.  The Euro 3rd Battle Group had started the whole thing damaged.  Of all the ships present, only the Mary Reed, Chinese Frigate Hubei, and Pan Euro Attack Escort Isabelle were undamaged.  Not much to put up a defense with if the aliens came back.
   That was assuming they could make a defense.  The Chinese had to be almost out of missiles, and the Euro wasn't much better off.  The Dutchman didn't figure his single missile was going to make any real difference.
   If the aliens did come back with more ships, it was over.  If they didn't, they were all heroes.


   0457 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 18.75 light seconds from Ceres

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 sat as still as death.  The battle had been a horrible loss.  Assault Vessel 2, Combat Vessels 5 and 7, and Patrol Vessels 10, and 11 had been destroyed.  Patrol Vessels 6 and 9 had been destroyed in an earlier engagement.  Only Patrol Vessels 15 and 17 had managed to disengage.  But the stress on the drives during the final escape had been too much for Patrol Vessel 15's particle accelerators.  They had burned up the superconductors.  It had finally coasted to a stop here.
   The crews were finishing transferring the remaining torpedoes and supplies of Patrol Vessel 15 to Patrol Vessel 17.  The crew of 15 would then transfer onboard when that was finished.  A torpedo would be left to remotely arm and detonate after the two ships had undocked and separated a safe distance.
   Patrol Vessel 17 would be the ONLY vessel to return from Combat Group 2.  It would be the responsibility of the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 to relay to the elders the events that had unfolded.  The catastrophe.
   This would be no short war of extermination.  This would be a war fought for survival.
   A survival the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 no longer assumed was certain.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 11, 2010, 12:21:32 AM
September 2203 part 4

September 27th  1420 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, 1 light second orbit of Ceres

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon wished she could get sick.  Or cry.  Or something other than sit in the small cabin she had to herself on the Tatianna.  But she couldn't.  Her body wasn't designed to do anything like that.  Anything to help her let out how she felt.  The decades she had spent as a cyborg hadn't helped her to cope, just to shut herself off from anything but her work.  She couldn't do that anymore.  This war was just pushing its way in.
   Her private room had a monitor.  It said she was to receive an award for her actions in the belt and here at Ceres in defense of the Chinese colonists.  That she would be among the guests of honor at several functions.  Rumor even had it that she would be up for promotion again.
   The only reason she was up for promotion was that Esme was gone.  Along with the 196 crew members of the 2nd Battle Group.  She had lost 16 crew in the earlier engagement.  She would be a guest at those ceremonies also.  The medals.  The funerals.  The families left behind.  All those who would cry.  Could cry for those that were gone.
   She shut off her monitor and laid her head down on her desk.  The Chinese relief group had arrived.  The Euro ships would be leaving for Earth in two hours.
   'I can't feel my head on the desk.  Why do I have to feel anything else?' Brenna wondered.


September 29th  1600 hours/Pan Euro Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir just looked at the orders she had received.  They had just transferred her to the Queen Elizabeth.  The Q.E. hadn't been back from the belt for over an hour and they had transferred her.  She was sure that Vice Admiral Avery would be taking command from the Red October now.  Elizabeth would lead the 1st Battle Group back to the belt soon.
   Jude knew that the 'honor' of being transferred to the Q.E. had more to do with the fact that the ship would be in for repairs for the next month or so.  A pleasant excuse to keep her here at Earth while the hearings continued.  The hearings seemed to be dragging out forever.  Talking about the same things day after day.  As if it was going to somehow change if they kept talking about it.
   This wasn't the time to spend day after day talking.  The Pan Euro had just lost a WHOLE Battle Group!  The aliens had taken a hit too by the sounds of it, but this was no time to sit around talking about something that couldn't be changed.  No one was going to win this war sitting around waiting for the aliens to come back and attack again.  Eventually someone was going to have to find out where they were coming from and take the fight to them.  And the Red October would be the ship to do it.  The aliens hadn't shown a ship faster, and nobody on Earth seemed to have a better sensor array or scientific suite available on a war ship.  Somebody needed to get out there and find them before they came back.
   Elizabeth, Brenna, and the Chinese had stopped them this time.  They might not be so lucky the next time.
   There was going to be a next time unless someone stopped the aliens.

   2000 hours/Commander's Boat, Venus orbit

   Admiral Hu looked out the viewing port of the small ship's boat at the Tung.  She was a wreck.  The Mobile Construction Ship Zhuang had managed to get one of the two damage launch bays for the long range missiles working, one of the short range bays, some rudimentary sensors, and enough life support to get a cyborg crew home.  Not much else.  Even those systems were going to need a major overhaul.  Estimates were that it would take at least 3 months to get her back in service.  'Three months.' Hu thought.  'Do we have that much time?'
   The Anhui had suffered much less severe damage.  The Frigate's heavy plating and numerous baffles had spared her from serious damage.  The hull had been breached, but the internal damage had been light.  She would need a few weeks for repairs but would be out of the slip before the end of October.  The Hubei would take up duties escorting convoys for the moment.  Her crew had seen enough combat over the last year.  A few lazy cruises and down time would do them good.  Hopefully they would get more rest than the US convoy escort had.
   The Cruiser Chiang Ki Shek and Missile Frigates Henan and Shangxi would be on station now at Ceres, overseeing repairs.  Reports were indicating that although the damage was severe, it could have been worse.  Dead were estimated at just over one million.  But the defense of the colony, and hard work from the crews of the Zhuang and many ground support workers had kept the other two million alive.  
   Folks were going to have to look at the bright side in this war, because the dark side didn't bear much scrutiny.


September 30th  0630 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters watched as the staff filed into the briefing room.  Most looked tired.  Those that didn't looked like cyborgs.  They were tired too, they just wouldn't look it.  The last few days had been long and busy.
   Debates over recommendations to the Defense Department on ship construction seemed endless.  The first of the new Interceptor Mk IIa's would be coming into service in the next few days.  That was good news.  Plans had been to build more until the close of the year.  That was getting debated heavily.  Some groups and staff wanted plans for a newer faster Interceptor, a Mk III.  Something that could better dictate the tactical situation or disengage if needed.  But they would be expensive and some sacrifices would have to be made for the extra engine power.  Others wanted a new class altogether.  A larger ship to better deal with the alien Deltas and the big SOB they had rolled out for this latest attack.  Intel was designating the new ship as a Beta Foxtrot.  Rumor said the code name came from some Intel officer saying it was a 'Big F***ing' ship, and the initials had stuck.  Nice to know that some idiot in Intel still had a sense of humor during a disaster.
   The last group wanted to replace one of the Interceptors slated for construction with a new Science Vessel.  The destruction of the Discovery had cost the US its last operational Science Vessel.  That hurt.  Problem was, the Discovery Class was severely under gunned and outdated for combat against the aliens.  And every ship right now was a combat ship, like it or not.
   The Discovery had gotten close enough to one of the Deltas to get information on the mystery weapon system that Lieutenant Meagan Ryan had first identified.  The Discovery had closed to barely 70,000 kilometers after the Delta had lost its magnetic shielding, and got a load of data on what was obviously a very powerful and sophisticated mass driver.  It had cost Captain Leffler his life, but the information was priceless.  Analysis was already identifying many of the weapon's capabilities, and more importantly - limitations.  Lieutenant Ryan would be giving the brief on that today.
   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan's source of information seemed to have dried up of late, but there was already so much data to sift through that it would take months.  If the source was still alive, perhaps they would make contact in the next few months.
   What none of the staffers knew, and had just been passed to Admiral Walters this morning, was that the Euro and US had just signed an agreement to begin joint research into the alien's protective system.  How long it would take no one knew.  Without it though, the aliens had an almost unbeatable advantage.  Unless someone could come up with the secret of how they did it, there was only one way this war was going to end.  And it wouldn't be in humanity's favor.


/////////////////////////////////////////
Overview

This was a horribly busy and stressful month for all the players.  Nobody got out without a fight.  Only China didn't lose a vessel, but having the Tung down for three months was almost as bad.

China finally did make its roll to reach EL1, so the middle boy was looking forward to better income in October, and the chance to make real progress in research on shields.  But he was sweating bullets during the defense of the Ceres Colony.  He had horrible luck trying to shoot down the alien's gigs, and nearly lost the Tung in the final battle.  One more hit and she would have gone down.  If I had known that during the battle, I would definitely have pressed the attack one more round.  His luck during the last battle was good though, and he had string after string of rolls that put almost all of his missiles on target, even with the two Frigates effectively Poor grade due to the prior month's refits.

Momma (the Pan Euro) had quite the roller coaster for the month.  She was so excited by her early battle that took out two alien Alphas without her losing a single ship. She spent two days with a smile on her face talking to any of the kids about it that would listen.
Her smile went away when she helped the Chinese and ended up losing the entire 2nd Battle Group in two rounds of combat.  After that the Q.E. and 3rd stayed back at long range and poured in missiles.  She didn't want to get so close she couldn't get out.  She also knew that the Tatianna and Catherine would be out with single hits.  When the aliens did start to close, she put the Q.E. into their effective sensor range and kept the 3rd back.  I decided the extra +2 to hit was worth not shooting at cripples ( a 5 vs. a 3 on to hits).  The Q. E. picked up some armor damage, and the 3rd survived.  Still no smile though.
   Failing her roll for a focus breakthrough on shields didn't help.

The US (oldest boy) spent his first encounter scared, but managed to take out three of the alien gigs in three rounds with the little Discovery. He didn't have sensor range to spot the two alien CT's, and managed to zip right out between them and got away.  He got brave with the later battles and paid the price with the Discovery taking one hit in the battle helping the 3rd against the two CT's, and then lost her when he made a run on a Delta.  He did manage to help cripple a CT with a long range shot, and then got two in on a Delta - with the second being a close shot that he had skip armor for internal damage - and took out the only forward engine.  Every other system up front would have had no impact on the battle.  I was actually kind of glad when the pesky (and lucky) little ship finally bought the farm.  The boy was sure proud of his contribution, and tried as often as possible to inflate his impact on the battles.
   He finally succeeded on his last science research project (Y SL1), which opened up his SA, and was looking forward to trying for the breakthrough on shields the next month.  He made an agreement with the Euro that whoever got the breakthrough first, would share it with the other.

The oldest girl was perhaps a little overconfident, and was in shock when the Marie was taken out in a single hit.  She fought out the rest of the battle, but tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. She also had a string of really bad rolls.  She is quiet by nature, but after the battle disappeared for a long time, and then came back to mom and her older brother looking for advice on a small but more durable warship she could build, especially when the shields became available.  She had ideas, but wanted input from folks who had done more fighting with the aliens.

As for the Nemotians, they had a rough month.  I really hadn't anticipated the players being as successful as they were.  They had really worked it out during the last battle at Ceres (I think it was mostly the oldest boy who is the math whiz) that if they started with all but a few little ships beyond sensor combat range, and only shot with the little ones up front, the big ones in back were safe from return fire until they had ALSO shot.  The player ships outnumbered the Nemotian ships, and the little group up front had just enough ships to force the Nemotians to fire all of their ships (as the sides alternated) without being able to target the large ships in back that had never shot.  When all the Nemotian ships had fired, then the Tung group, QE and 3rd BG cut loose.  That long range fire at -2 crippled the Nemotian CL before it could ever fire on any of the larger human ships.
The 2nd BG, Discovery, and two Mary's got tore up drawing the entire Nemotian group's fire, but crippling the CL (dang the Chinese' lucky rolls) and a CT in the first round really cinched how the battle was going to go.  It also made me decide that if all the players got together for a battle and came up with a plan, I was really going to have to be on my game or I would lose.  Bad.

That CT 17 was the only survivor was a really bad roll.  I had red lined (aka detuned) the three surviving CT's to get the extra one speed to disengage.  The CT's had split up and I was fairly sure all the players were hurting bad enough they wouldn't want to chase, just in case I had anything left in hiding in the belt. (I am unfortunately known to my group for my tendency to bait and drag my opponents if I can)  The players managed to blow out one CT's engine before it got away, so that left me with two.  I then rolled poorly and burned out one of the last CT's engines.  Sadly, with CP drives, the little ship only had one engine room.  Emergency repairs won't fix a burn out, and the repair ship I had brought along to help emergency repairs between battles wasn't going to park for a month by Ceres to do repairs and hope no one noticed.  So CT 15 was scuttled after offloading everything I could.  I took nine ships in system and lost eight.  I was really kind of ashamed of myself for a while after this battle and swore to be more careful and cunning the next time.

Thanks for reading, and for those curious - here are the ships that took part in the battles for September.

US Ship Roster (Captain Jeremy Leffler BG)

US Exploration Vessel Discovery            ES   12HS
[2]A A (BbS) H (BbS) Xp Lb Qa (Cp) [6/1]  gig x4


Pan Euro Ship Roster (Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery BG - on board QE)

(Destroyer) Queen Elizabeth (BG -1)         DD   30HS
[2]A A A A A A A Hs Qa Mgs (Cp) (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (Cp) [6/1] gig x1

2nd Battle Group (Vice Admiral Esme Jurkat BG - on Bec)
Heavy Escort Rebecca               CT   16HS
[2]A A A H Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1] gig x1

Attack Escort Sheeba , Sorcha            ES   12HS
[2]A A A A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

3rd Battle Group (Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon BG +1 - on Tati)
Heavy Escort Tatianna               CT   16HS
[2]A A A H Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1] gig x1

Attack Escort Catherine (BG +1) , Isabelle (BG +1)   ES   12HS
[2]A A A A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]


FSC Ship Roster (The Dutchman BG +1 - on M. Reed)

Converted Freighters Marie Celeste , Mary Reed       FT2   16HS   
[2]A Qv Qv Qv H H La Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1] gig x1


Chinese Ship Roster (Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji BG - commander at Ceres battle - on Tung)

Cruiser Mao Tse Tung                CL   45HS
[2]A A A A A A A A A A H Qa Qa Mgs Ya Ga Ga Ga (cpCp) (Cp) Ra Ra Qa Ra Ra (CpCp) [6/1]
gig x1

Missile Frigate Hubei (BG -2*) , Anhui (BG -2*)      FG   22HS
[2]A A A A Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1] gig x1
*Adjusted for shakedown period following refit.

Plus 6 Qv of troops and 60 PU on Ceres (treat as O2m)


Nemotian Ship Roster (Commander Assault Vessel 2 BG)

Assault (Light Cruiser) Vessel 2            CL   45HS
[2]S S S S A A A H Qa Qa (cpCp) (M1) Mg Mg Mg Mg Kb+ Kb+ (Cp) Qa Pta Ya (CpCp) Pta [6/1] gig x1

Combat (Destroyer) Vessel 5 , 7            DD   30HS
[2]S S S A A H Qa (BbS) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  gig x3

Nemotian Patrol Corvette 6 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 15 , 17      CT   16HS
[2]S S A A Hs (BbS) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  gig x3

(Engagements with CT 6 and 9 detached vs. 3rd BG or Discovery were conducted with no flagship penalty of -1 to Initiative)

Post Script

I've thought about putting it on its own fiction forum so I could put in a comments thread without the clutter in the story.  I could also see if a comments thread could be added to the open forum.  Either way is fine with me.  Preferences anyone?

As for the hits on the Tung, the ship layout is above.  Two Kb hits, two Pta hits (we still did Pta having x3 on no drive field).  She was running with only the last two Ra's and last engine room.  Emergency repairs got one Qa working or she would never have made it back to earth.  If I had only known.

As for the family working together, it was split into two sides.  China-FSC and Euro-US, with snide comments from China that they planned to genocide anyone to close to Venus (or other spots), and the US-Euro always making sure they kept full battle groups at Earth to nuke the chinese if they sneezed wrong.  The oldest girl was looking often with the Kestral for a convoy that she could hit without getting caught, but she is a wary little thing and was worried that the US-Euro could take her out of the game with the groups they kept at earth if she stepped to far out of line.  Such a loving and trusting little family we are.
The only thing they agreed on was that trashing dad's aliens was a good thing.  That and working together allowed them to get a good look at each others ships and what they could do.

As for Patrol Vessel 17, yep, they have led a charmed life to this point.  Except for advancement rolls, which had been bad.  This month was the first time they finally advanced - to a whopping BG +1 (Veteran in our parlance)

The Discovery was a stout little boat.  And she went down fighting - hard. She pretty much doomed the DD that she took out the engine on.  As I said above, the oldest boy sang her praises for a long time.  Still will if you bring the battle up.  Has even named another ship in a second campaign for her.  That boat has been just as charmed.  51 turns so far, and it is also an ES.  In an EL8 game now with DN running around.

As for ammo, yes - all LRW except K have ten loads on-board at the launcher.  K is unlimited.  The Chinese and FSC ended up so low starting the last battle because they fired A LOT at the little gigs.  The middle boy had heard about Pallas, and he didn't want that to happen at all.  Every gig that didn't make it home wasn't coming back for a second strike.  So they shot them coming in, and going out. The Mary's actually made a short pursuit to use their La's one extra time.   The battle with the combat group left them all running on empty.

So glad you enjoy.  Will try to start/post Oct before the weekend.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 16, 2010, 02:31:58 AM
October 2203

October 1st  0050 hours/Ceres Colony, Asteroid Belt

   Major Hsieh had his orders.  They were unusual, but nothing he couldn't handle.  The Senior Colonel had given him direct orders to locate a fifteen-year-old boy and his mom, then take them into custody.  No questions, no bargaining.  The fact that deadly force was authorized to protect the two was a strange point, but the 6.5mm Pulse Rifles would be able to handle anything that might become an issue.  He had also been authorized to requisition or seize any equipment necessary to conduct the operation.  It had crossed his mind to ask why, but he had thought better of it.  Easier just to do his job.  Safer also.
   The lifter touched down near the habitat where the two lived.  Or had lived.  Close detonations from both alien and Chinese nukes had left the habitat without power, and damage was evident in several areas.  It looked better than the other two habitats in sight.  Both of them were blackened and twisted masses of metal and rock.  Hopefully they hadn't been killed in the attack.  That would make this mission rather difficult to complete.
   Major Hsieh checked in with the Administrator for the habitat, and found that the woman was one of the mining workers, and had been active lately in rescue efforts for trapped colonists.  She was currently supposed to be off shift and in her apartment.  Major Hsieh and his four team members brushed past the man and moved toward where the two subjects were supposed to be.
   Damage in the colony was light, but as they climbed the stairways to the upper levels (the lifts were still down, or considered unsafe), the damage became more prominent, with evidence of repairs and other measures taken to keep the habitat intact and sealed.  Major Hsieh located the apartment and knocked on the entrance.  There was no answer, but that wasn't unusual for this time of day.  He directed two of the troopers to breach the doorway.  In their powered armor, it took only seconds to turn the entryway into scrap.  As soon as they were in, the four troopers with Major Hsieh fanned out through the house, and returned with a rather irate middle-aged woman, and a very sleepy and slightly belligerent boy.  Hsieh motioned for them to take the two outside.  Moments later the two civilians were loaded onto the waiting lifter and were bound for the FSC freighter Mary Reed.
   Why, Hsieh had no idea.  But it was done.


October 3rd  0400 hours/Interceptor Mk IIa JFK, 6 light seconds from Mars

   Rear Admiral (not lower half now) Jack Ryan worked on the progress report for Admiral Walters.  The new Interceptor, the Eisenhower, had cleared the slip two days ago, and was undergoing her shakedown cruise.  It wasn't going so well.  Someone back home wasn't paying a whole lot of attention to what they were supposed to be doing.  'Maybe more than one.' thought Jack as he looked at his new rank on the top corner of his console.  The Eisenhower’s crew was giving it their best.  Some were even volunteers who hadn't been crippled or terminal when given full cyborg conversions.  The war drive at home was actually picking up some public support.  Folks liked heroes, and the last few months had produced a few off them.  'All they had to do was die in some useful way.' thought Jack.  'Hope I never get the chance.'
   The Eisenhower had a number of glitches with faulty hardware in the sensor arrays.  Granted it was new equipment, but someone had decided to try and save a buck and changed the production slightly.  Damned ship could hardly find its way back to dock, let alone target something moving a couple thousand km per second.  What was worse, the slip was already busy fabricating the basic parts of the hull for a new Interceptor.  They couldn't even get the Eisenhower in to try and overhaul or replace the defective parts.  The Euro had stepped up and offered the use of their Mobile Shipyards - huge ships with heavy equipment for working on space going vessels.  They were twice the size of the JFK.  Problem was, the Euro had only two of them.  One was at Earth, taking care of the newest Interceptor there.  The other was coming in from the belt to escort the other Interceptor from earth back to the belt while it worked on the ship enroute.  
   Here at Mars, they were going to do their best with what they had.  Jack was actually kind of proud of himself.  He and a few of the engineers from the other ships and Mars Station had gotten together and cobbled up a set of bypasses that allowed the standard civilian navigation arrays on the Eisenhower to feed to the Targeting Computer.  Wasn't much, but the crew could train on a ship that could find her way from point A to point B, and could even target other ships at short ranges.  Wouldn't do for combat, but the crew wasn't ready for that yet anyway.
   Jack finished up the progress report and transmitted it to the Comm Station to be logged and sent.  Then he pulled up the letter from Meagan again, and tried to figure out what he should write to her.  She had been happy with her current assignment, until now.  It seems her boyfriend/fiancée had decided that she might not be coming home anytime soon, and had sent her a Dear John letter.  They had been together for 4 years and she was taking it pretty hard.  Meagan even wrote that she had put in for transfer.  It had of course been denied.  As had her request for leave.
   He wanted to tell her it would be all right.  But how.
   Jack flipped up a second screen and started to fill out deployment and training logs, and requests.  Jack was sure he could oversee the training of the Eisenhower from a distance.  He hadn't taken a few days off for a while.  Might be nice to see a planet that wasn't red for a change.
   Might be easier to forget finding the right words, and just be there.


October 4th  1420 hours/Pan Euro Space Station, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon looked out the viewing port at the blue and white planet below her.  It looked so peaceful.  It was nice to have a chance to relax.  The meeting with Admiral Kushnir had went well.  Jude had wanted a personal briefing on what had happened out in the belt.  It hadn't been an order, or even scheduled.  Just a chance to talk about the events of the last few months.  That had started at about 09, and had just turned into a long talk about the years they had served.  Brenna could remember when a Lieutenant J Kushnir had gotten her first space side post, and had submitted her Commander's training plans on a civilian shipping site.  Brenna had helped her to straighten out the issues after the fact.  That had been almost 40 years ago.  Admiral Kushnir had come a long way after that first mistake.  From a green Lieutenant on the Isabelle to commanding all of the Pan Euro's space combat assets.
   It sounded like they were going to let Jude get back to command again.  The Q.E. was supposed to clear dock in the next two weeks, and Jude was supposed to be taking her out.  The Tatianna would be done about the same time.  Then the Catherine would start her repairs, and hopefully be done by the end of the month.
   Then in November, they would set back out for the belt.
   Brenna had asked Jude if there was any chance she would be able to transfer back to TRADOC.  Brenna hadn't said it, but she wasn't sure she could keep doing this indefinitely.  Or maybe just much longer.  Circumstances had just pushed her into it.
   Admiral Kushnir had told Brenna that transfer wouldn't be possible.  Brenna would be getting promoted before the end of October, and hailed as a living hero of the Pan Euro.  She would also have to take part in the ceremonies for the 2nd Battle Group and Vice Admiral Esme Jurkat.  After that they would set out for the belt.  And after that...  well Jude wasn't saying much.  Which meant it wouldn't be good.
   Brenna came back to the present.  It was nice to watch the clouds drift below.

   1845 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, Earth orbit

   The Dutchman wondered what this whole trip was about.  NO one paid for the transit of a space vessel from the belt to Earth for just two passengers.  Let alone an armed freighter.  The Mary could carry nearly 15,000 colonists.  Carrying two was a waste.  Usually.
   The Chinese Cargo Lifter would be docking in 2 minutes.  After that The Dutchman would get paid.  Then leave, quickly.  A Chinese Strike Vessel was less than 200 meters away, on station to escort the Lifter down.  The Dutchman didn't want to hang around to see if they started shooting.  This was a bad situation, and he wasn't going to stick around any longer than he had to.

October 5th  0730 hours/Beijing Research Facility, China, Earth

   Jeng still felt mad.  He didn't want to be here.  He couldn't see the sky, and his things were not here.  He didn't get to see his mom, and he didn't like having to sleep on the big ship in the icky tank.  At least they had lots of pretty numbers to look at.  They had gotten very close to the pretty bubbles, and had new numbers.  The other people here couldn't understand the numbers,  but Jeng thought maybe he could.  They didn't make a pretty picture yet, but they looked like they could.  It would just take time.  When he was done he would go and see his mom.  His tummy felt funny and she always helped him feel better.
   The numbers were more fun now.  Time to make the pretty picture.


October 8th  1210 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Lieutenant Meagan Ryan was mad.  Really mad.  The dumb bastard who had tried to cut costs on the new sensor production had cost the US way too much to fix.  It was cutting into the research funds that she needed.  The morning briefing had been tied up with just trying to figure out how to get around this production problem and fix it before the next three Interceptors cleared the yards.  Her presentation had gotten cut short, and then Admiral Walters raked her over the coals for the lack of progress!  Now when she needed to get back to work, some idiot was here to interrupt.  Without a doubt some staffer from the briefing come to pick at what little information she had to give.  Meagan keyed the release to open the door to her office.
   She focused on her monitor, trying to let whoever it was know that she was busy.  Maybe that would get them to leave, or at least cut this short.  She doubted it, but was in too bad a mood to be polite.
   Whoever it was, they were awfully quiet and patient.  After several minutes of tapping at the monitor, she'd had enough.  Putting on her best 'If this isn't good your going to regret it' face, she turned and stood to face whoever had interrupted her.  It was a cyborg.  Unusual, but not that unusual here on the station.  'Oh s**t, he's an Admiral' she thought as she saw the rank.  She glanced at the name on the uniform out of habit, as all the cyborgs looked pretty much the same.  And she stared.
   "Daddy?"
   Maybe she had time for lunch after all.  Maybe a long one.


October 12th  2145 hours/Beijing Research Facility, China, Earth

   Jeng was tired.  Very tired.  And his tummy felt bad again.  It had been better for a few days.  But now it was bad again.  The doctors had come bunches of times.  Jeng didn't like the doctors, and they had given him shots.  They had even stuck needles in him and left them with bags of water attached.  He pulled the needles out when they weren't looking.
   The funny men that weren't men came all the time.  They liked his numbers.  He still couldn't make the pretty picture fit all together, but they liked what pictures he could make.  They didn't understand.  Jeng was sure of that.
   The funny men said his mom was sick like him, and that was why she wasn't coming to see him.  They had let him talk to her on a big picture screen.  Mom looked pale, and had dark eyes.  But she still smiled and said she loved him.  Jeng still wasn't sure what that was, but as soon as he made the pretty picture he would go see her.  But the picture was so hard.  And he felt so very tired.


October 17th  0815 hour/Attack Escort Cynthia, Asteroid Belt

   Captain Giovanni Vetra looked at the monitor.  They were on a routine patrol.  The Anastasia was in the lead, and the Red October was following several light seconds behind.  Everything was just routine, except the place.  And the way Giovanni's thoughts wouldn't stay on what they were supposed to.
   This was where the battle had taken place.  A few light minutes from Ceres.  So many people had died around this place.  But right here was the last known transmission of the Boudicca.  It had been months now, but Giovanni could hear the transmissions clear as day.  Clear as the day his Rachel had died.  Right here.
   The Q.E. hadn't come out, but that didn't matter.  If the aliens showed up, the 1st Battle Group would fight.  Whatever it took to make them pay for what they had done.  Someday they would be back.  Now the Cynthia was in the belt.  It was her turn to hurt them.  Let them come.

October 24th  0335 hours/Beijing Research Facility, China, Earth

   Jeng was glad it was done.  He was too tired to work anymore.  But the pretty picture was done.  And the funny men had said such nice things.  But his tummy felt bad.  So did his head.  Dizzy a lot.  
   The pretty picture had been so hard, because it wasn't a pretty bubble.  It was lots of them.  One after another.  Each would grow out behind the other, then start over. Many layers of bubbles inside bubbles.  All moving.  It was so pretty.
   They had let him come to see his mom.  She was sleeping now.  He had touched her arm, and pushed it, but the men said she was too tired.  He was tired too.  He just wanted to lay down.  They had let him.  Mom would help him feel better when he woke up.  She always did.  Jeng was so tired.  He could sleep here....


October 25th  0600 hour/Beijing, China, Earth

   Minister Po listened to the report from the Research Facility.  The boy was dead, but the work had gotten done before he had expired.  He had seemed driven they said to complete the work.  Had managed to stay alive past the projections of his radiation poisoning for days, in spite of the infection complicating his condition.
   The researchers said it would only take a few more months to build an operational field generator, now that they knew the principle of how the fields were produced.  The harmonics were what was disrupting the sensor returns so much. Multiple dynamic fields had been the answer.  Each expanding before starting over they said.
   No matter.  What was important was that they would be able to begin production within the next few months.  This put them well ahead of even the FSC Queensland Facility.  Perhaps the Queensland Facility would have to suffer an 'unfortunate' setback in their research.  Perhaps one that would stop their ability to perform research for the foreseeable future.  That would have to be addressed at the next meeting of the ministry.
   The boy, what was his name again, had done something that might have just saved the human race.  It was a shame that no one would know who he was.  No one could even know that he existed outside of the Research Facility.  Not for a long time.  Maybe someday his contribution would be known.  Perhaps not.


//////////////////////////////////
Overview
Sorry it is a little short, I could have done a lot more with this month.  But we are running low on wood at the house and momma likes to stay warm.

This month was fairly quiet.  None of the players were in a hurry to risk losing any more ships, and the Nemotians were going to need time to unmothball enough to be able to afford to make an attack.  

Highlights (or lowlights for the US) of the month included a bad random event for the US.  Seems karma had caught up with them from their earlier gain in regards to Jack Ryan.  This month they had a production issue causing problems.  I skipped part of the random determination, and decided that the sensor array would be the only system without a long track record and that the newest ships would be the victims.  The Euro stepped up and offered the Mobile Shipyards without even asking for the US to pay for the maintenance on the ships the US was borrowing.  How nice of mom.

For China the big event was a first roll success on the shield research.  (I was about ready to confiscate his dice.)  One down, and one to go.  He was doing his best to hide the fact from his big sister, and everyone else for that matter.  He even asked for how many RDS facilities the FSC had, and if it would be possible to perform hostile espionage on the site, or if a lifter with a bomb on board would be able to shut down/destroy the facility.  So much for the siblings working together nicely.

As this was the tenth month, they all were busy working out if any leaders advanced grade,or disappeared (we always do the 10% chance of losing a leader every ten months), and figuring up their population growth.  
For the Euro, earth's governor (government) went to BG +1, and both Brenna and Jude went to Elite.  She was very tickled.  Since Brenna is a trainer, she could get to work in earnest.
For China, the earth government went to BG +1 also (two healthy jumps in income over two months, he was also happy).  His leaders didn't go anywhere though.  I decided to leave his dice alone.
The US had no luck on the governor roll, but Jack Ryan also made it to Elite.  Promotion to Rear Admiral followed immediately. That kind of helped to make up for the faulty ships.
The FSC had no luck what so ever.  And with the middle boy (China) looking to take her out, she could really have used some luck.

I'll post an addendum for October with an overview of the various powers financial status starting the next ten turns, and a fleet list.  Anything else you would want to see let me know and I'll see what I can do.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 16, 2010, 02:32:44 AM
Empire states beginning turn 11

Pan Euro  (EL 1)
Holdings - Mercury, Earth, Luna, Colonies on +/- 4LM of Main Belt
GEV  1235.4 MC
Treasury from turn 10  124.4 MC

SS w/ SY x2 at Mercury
SS w/ SY x2 at Earth
PDC x2 on Earth

Pan Euro Senior Admiral/Jude Kushnir (BG +2)

1st Battle Group (Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery BG)
H. E. Anastasia (BG)
A. E. Mary Queen of Scots (BG +1)
A. E. Cynthia (BG) [Cpt Giovanni Vetra]
A. E. Suzette (BG -2/shakedown)

3rd Battle Group (Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon BG +2/Trainer)
H. E. Tatianna (BG +1) [Cpt Stephan Vasilakos]
A. E. Catherine (BG +1)
A. E. Isabelle (BG +1)
A. E. Elise (BG -2/shakedown)

Independantly Assigned Vessels
Destroyer Queen Elizabeth (BG)
Armed Science Vessel Red October (BG +1) [Cpt Robert McNeely]
Mobile Shipyard 1
Mobile Shipyard 2
Survey Vessels Michaelangelo, Raphael, Rembrandt


China  (EL1)
Holding - Earth, Ceres
GEV  1409.1 MC
Treasury from turn 10  171.7 MC

SS w/ SY x2 at Venus
SS w/ SY x2 at Earth
PDC x2 on Earth

Chinese Senior Admiral/Admiral Hu (BG +1/Decisive)

Tung Group (currently Admiral Hu)
Cruiser Mao Tse Tung (BG)
Missile Frigate Anhui (BG)
Missile Frigate Hubei (BG +1)
Mobile Construction Vessel Gaoshan

Shek Group (Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji BG +1)
Cruiser Chiang Kai Shek (BG -1)
Missile Frigate Shangxi (BG)
Missile Frigate Henan (BG)
Mobile Construction Vessel Zhuang

Independantly Assigned Vessels
Attack Frigate Yunnan (BG)
Survey Vessels Marco Polo Class x2


United States  (EL1)
Holdings - Earth, Mars, Colonies on +/- 4LM of Main Belt
GEV  1129.5 Mc
Treasury from turn 10  51.4 MC

SS w/ SY x1 at Mars
SS w/ SY x2 at Earth
PDC x2 on Earth


US Senior Admiral/Admiral Bradley Walters (BG +1)

Task Force 1 (Rear Admiral Jack Ryan BG +1/Navigator)
Interceptor Mk IIa JFK (BG)
Interceptor Mk IIa B. Franklin (BG)
Interceptor Mk IIa D. Eisenhower (BG)
Missile Escort Falcon (BG +1)
Missile Escort Owl (BG -1)


Task Force 2 (Rear Admiral Matthew Thomas BG)
Interceptor Mk IIa S. Grant (BG -1)
Interceptor Mk IIa A. Lincoln (BG)
Interceptor Mk IIa T. Roosevelt (BG)
Missile Escort Hawk (BG)
Missile Escort Eagle (BG -1)

Task Force 3 (Rear Admiral Joshua Campbell BG)
Interceptor Mk IIa T. Jefferson (BG)
Interceptor Mk IIa J. Hancock (BG +1)
Interceptor Mk IIa J. Adams (BG -1)
Missile Escort Vulture (BG)
Missile Escort Condor(BG -1)

Independantly Assigned Vessels
Survey Tender 01 , 02


South Seas Free Space Consortium (FSC)
Holding - Earth, small undeclared Main Belt Colony
GEV  266.9 MC
Treasury from turn 10  8.8 MC

Ground Based Industry equal to SY x1

Senior Space 'Officer'/ 'The Dutchman' BG +1

Vessels
Converted Freighter Mary Reed (BG +1)
Fast Freighter/Armed Kestrel (BG)

Nemotian Consolidate
Holdings - Eris/Dysnomia, Orcus, Sedna, Triton(Neptune)
GEV  1266.4 MC
Treasury from turn 10  12763.6 MC

SS w/SY x1, Base Station Model 1 x3 at Eris
SS w/SY x1, Base Station Model 0, Base Station Model 1 at Orcus
SS w/SY x1, Base Station Model 0, Base Station Model 1 at Triton
Base Station Model 1 at Sedna

Fleet One - Eris
Assault Vessel 1
Combat Vessel 1
Patrol Vessels 1 , 2 , 3
Mobile Repair Ship 1 , 2

Fleet Two - Triton
Assault Vessel 5
Combat Vessel 2
Patrol Vessels 4, 5, 12*
Mobile Repair Ship 3, 4

Fleet Three - Orcus
Assault Vessel 3*
Combat Vessel 3
Patrol Vessels 7 , 8
Mobile Repair Ship 5

Patrol/Escort Group 1
Patrol Vessels 13 , 17 (BG +1)

Combat Group 3 (incomplete)
Assault Vessel 4*
Assault Vessel 6*
Combat Vessel 4*
Combat Vessel 6*

*all ships BG -2/shakedown

Mobile Repair Ships 6 - 10 / in mothballs
Survey Vessels 1 - 5

///////////////////////
To those who caught the typo in October with the extra zero on the Reed's passenger cap, oops.  My wife also chastised me for posting without her assistance in proofreading.  She only proofreads the story though, so errors here are purely mine.

I also didn't list the various ground troops, supplies, and locations.

Due to impending spring break and an influx of free time for my kids, November 2203 part 1 may not show up for a week or so.  The group is currnetly getting ready for a big offensive and are spending more time running mock combats - testing ships designs/groups to try and work out the assault/campaign.  They tend to ho through at least three times as much effort testing/planning as they do running the battle.  Can't blame them.  They tend to do a good job.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 19, 2010, 05:09:43 AM
November 2203  part 1

November 2nd  0315 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Triton orbit, Neptune

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 was disgusted with how the Elders had viewed his continued survival.  They treated it as if the ship had returned this many times only due to cowardice.  That they had survived where others had died was shameful.  The sensor and ship logs clearly showed that they had been anything but cowards.  They had engaged the enemy on no less than three occasions.  They had destroyed two enemy ships and damaged two others.  They had even taken damage from enemy fire. How could that be viewed as cowardice?  Only Patrol Vessel 14 had destroyed more of the native race's ships than Patrol Vessel 17, and they had died following an enemy vessel through the debris fields near what was now known to be an enemy home.  Perhaps dead heroes were all that the Elders wanted.
   The assignment that they were on now was a punishment.  Perhaps a suicide mission.  They were to accompany Patrol Vessel 13 to the enemy home in the debris field and release the scout craft on board.  The scouts were to attempt to destroy more of the enemy on the small planet in the debris fields.  The Patrol Vessels were then to return to the fleet base for their next assignment.  Assuming they weren't found by the natives and destroyed.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 was senior, and would command the mission.  But this mission would not go how the Elders had ordered.  The Commander had needed every bit of control not to betray what his plans were to the Elders.  They would have easily sensed the intentions of a lesser Commander.  Time had hardened him, taught control in the face of fear and death.  The Elders would find out what Patrol Vessel 17 was capable of.  That, or Patrol Vessel 17 would not return.
   The Commander altered the fields around him.  The crew responded and the ship began to pull away from the moon that had become one of their race's new homes.  Soon they would show the Elders that they were no cowards.

November 5th  1030 hours/Queen Elizabeth, 18 light seconds from Earth

   Admiral Jude Kushnir locked her station and began to key in orders.  She was surprised how good it felt to be on board a ship.  Not to long ago she had wondered if she would ever be allowed to command again.  For the moment, it was only training.  Not the nerve rattling flight through the asteroid belt that had been her last experience on a vessel in space.  Just the check out cruises for the 3rd Battle Group and the Q.E. after their repairs.  That, and following the new training protocols.
   Brenna had been busy during her stay on the Euro Space Station.  Relaxing for her involved doing what she enjoyed, which was working on training and teaching.  She had put together a new training and doctrine outline in three weeks, all based on existing protocols updated with her (sizable) experience dealing with deep space combat.  Although Brenna was the most junior of the space side admirals, she was undoubtedly the most experienced.  Also one of the most successful.  'To her credit', Jude thought, 'she has never lost a ship from her Battle Group.  Whether fighting the Chinese, or aliens, she has acquitted herself well.'
   Brenna had insisted on her new training protocols being passed on to the US, so as to help coordinate activities between the two powers in joint operations.  Jude had required several endorsements to get that request ok'ed, but it had finally passed. Brenna didn't know it, but with the beginning of the new year, the US and Pan Euro were to begin joint operations in an attempt to locate the alien's base of operations and transition to the offensive.  Better coordination between the two groups might save many lives.  Brenna had no way of knowing about the plans, as only Jude, the Defense Council, Ministry of Defense, and Lord High Admiral were aware them.  Jude wondered how the UK had managed to hold onto its position controlling any 'navy', and the Chain of Command.
   That control was also reflected in the name of the Q.E., and the newest ship under construction at the Mercury Shipworks.  The Queen Mary was already beginning to take shape, and would likely be ready for service early in the next year.  'Together with the US push to increase its force of Interceptors, we might just have a chance to make a successful offense in the near future.' thought Jude.  'If things will just keep going our way.'


November 6th  2235 hours/Interceptor Mk IIa JFK, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan began to upload the new training protocols into the JFK's memory.  The Euro Rear Admiral Muldoon was good, and it came through in her training plans.  Jack felt himself fairly accomplished at training his Task Force, but he had to admit that Muldoon knew a whole lot more about training than he did.  Tactically that was.  Getting from point A to B in the best time had been omitted from her training regimen though.  Getting to where you needed to be, in time to be useful was another part of that, but Jack had a good handle on how to do that without the Euro Admiral's help.
   The visit with Meagan had been too short, but had been so good for the both of them.  Meagan seemed to be doing better with her situation, and appeared to be a rising star amongst Admiral Walter's staff.  The fiancé problem was still a problem, but looked to be getting smaller as the days passed.  She was still young and - god willing if they were all still alive when this was done - would have plenty of time to find someone new.  Jack had even heard that she would be up for promotion soon, and was in line for a decoration for her work in analyzing the alien technology.  She had grown up too fast.  Jack wished he had been able to spend more time with her while she was little.
   Jack felt refreshed after the break from the routine at Mars.  Things seemed clearer.  Easier.  Better.  Seeing home and his daughter had given him new strength.  It also reminded him how important all this was.  It was easy to despair of the routine.  Get too focused on the danger.  The seemingly impending doom that hung over them.  To forget what it was that you were fighting for, and how much more important that was.  Jack had decided to request that his group be rotated to Earth for a short while after the Interceptor being built here at Mars was clear of the dock.  It would do his crew a world of good.  Especially since his daughter had passed on to him they were the most likely group for the next deployment out system against the aliens.
   Going out system could only end up one way, with ships trading death across the long dark spaces.  Seeing his daughter's smile had convinced him that it was better that happen for him, in the depths of space, than anywhere near Earth and his little girl.


November 7th  1405 hours/New Delhi, India

   Chairman Mukata reviewed on his console the progress reports from the Queensland Facility.  They had made great strides with the information the Chinese had provided them.  The Chinese had been terribly silent about their own progress.  That could be due to a number of situations, or simply their distrust of the FSC.  Regardless, steps would be taken to create back up copies of any results and discoveries made.  The project was too vital for it to suffer any setbacks.  Many of the separate cartels had diverted funding to assist the project.  The Chinese were too large of a power to openly contest, but quiet measures would be adequate to safeguard the information.  Sometime within the next year the FSC should be able to field the first working prototypes of this new technology.  Then they would be in a better position to negotiate with the Chinese.  A more lasting and profitable relationship might be reached.
   The board had directed Mukata to again visit the facility in Australia and ensure that the reports were accurate, and the staff 'inspired' to perform at their best levels.  While he was there, he would ensure that they were no longer the only repository for the information they were gathering.  It was a security risk to duplicate the information, but one well worth the dangers.  Loss of this project would be disastrous.  The board would not have to be made aware of this.  Only if the original data was compromised would the copy ever reach the light of day.  For now, it was the Chairman's concern.  And this was his decision.


November 9th  1950 hours/Beijing, China

   Bao moved along the darkened street.  His cell had been activated, and it was time.  For years he had posed as a simple maintenance worker here in Beijing.  His entire cell had spent many years forming lives here. That would all have to be left behind soon.
   The handler had made contact, given the orders.  Now they would have to plan, and then act.  This was going to be far more difficult than Bao had ever imagined.  Gathering information on people and events had been easy enough.  Penetrating into a Chinese Military Facility was not.  The risks were great.  The reward was an end to the charades.  A chance to live a real life in a free country, with enough money to never need to work a low and menial job again.  The years of training would finally be put to the test, pay for all the suffering he had endured.  If they lived.
   The beginnings of the plan had been laid.  Tonight Bao would begin shadowing one of the lab assistants for the Facility.  Learn his routines.  His weaknesses.  Find out how they could use that to get access to what they needed.  Tonight they would start a course that would decide all of their fates.


November 11th  2320 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Asteroid Belt, 12 light minutes from Ceres

   The Commander monitored the scout craft as they moved away from the Patrol Vessels.  Followed them until they disappeared even from the extended range he could sense through the ship.  It would take time for them to reach the enemy colony.  Time for them to make their attack.  Die there most likely.  The native race would be gaining skill in destroying the small ships with every encounter.  Six of them would pose little problem.  Perhaps the small ships would actually be able to inflict some damage.  Most likely not.
   The Elders had ordered this, letting it be known that they wanted the enemy to concentrate on this colony.  Keep his ships there.  Limit the native race's ability to maneuver and react.  It would take time for a new Combat Group to be formed and readied.  The enemy could not be allowed to use that time to attack.  They would be given reason to stay with their colony.
   And the crews of six scout craft would perish to do that.  Perhaps they intended for the crews of the Patrol Vessels to join them.  To die here in this floating mass of rocks.  Dueling with the enemy ships that would comb through the area looking for the vessels that had deployed the scout craft.
   It wasn't going to happen that way.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had studied the engagements with the enemy.  Tracked their movements.  Tactics.  And the Commander had come to a conclusion.  The enemy vessels were difficult to track, and had been able to intercept Patrol and other vessels with alarming accuracy.  Perhaps the native race had learned to track the magnetic signature of the Patrol and Combat Vessels.  If this was true, it would make operating the protective fields unwise.  Operations would be much more dangerous with the fields down.  But if the alternative was giving the enemy the ability to track the Patrol Vessels while the enemy remained invisible, the fields would have to be turned off.  At least until the battle was joined.  The theory would have to be tested though.
   Orders had directed the Patrol Vessels to remain at a 'safe' distance from the scout craft, monitor their progress, and transmit the results to the Fleet Base.  That would have to be changed slightly.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 changed the fields on his station and the crew responded.  The protective fields shut down.  Then the two Patrol Vessels began to move.  If the Commander was right, the enemy would suffer for it.  If the Commander was wrong, well, the Elders would get what they wanted.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 20, 2010, 06:36:42 AM
November 2203  part 2

November 13  0010 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Ceres orbit

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji brought up the sensor readings on his console.  Contact at two and a half light seconds.  Unable to identify.  Closing.  They had to be small craft.  Anything larger would have been picked up long ago.  Zhu keyed open the comm link and gave the order for all ships to battle stations.  The bridge crew of the Shek was already locked into stations, as they had been on watch for the last two hours.  Systems ready lights began to flash across Zhu's screen as the ship came on line.  The Missile Frigates were slower, and still seemed to be struggling to get all their systems on line and crew locked down.
   Zhu's screen flashed again.  The contact had resolved into six separate ships.  All were the small alien bombers that had attacked Ceres barely two months ago.  At least it wasn't twenty or so like that time.  Zhu watched as the weapon crew's targeting solutions registered on his screen.  They were ready for them this time.  Then his screen flashed again.  New contacts.  Two.  At just over 5 light seconds.  The magnetic signatures had just appeared.  Those weren't the little ships.  They were too far to resolve, but they were out there, and they were big.
   Realization suddenly came to Zhu.  The aliens had discovered that they were being tracked by their magnetic signature.  It would have only been a matter of time before they discovered it, but so soon?!  Damn.  The aliens had him in the same position that they had been in two months ago.  Zhu knew that if he fired on the small craft, the larger ships would target his launch signatures and have missiles inbound on the Shek before he could respond.  Assuming the Shek's long range missiles would even be able to target the alien ships at so great a distance in the asteroid belt.  Five light seconds was their limit even in clear space.  They would never hold a target lock for that long in the debris.  He hoped the aliens would have the same problem.  He would have to fire on the bombers.  Six was still enough to kill hundreds of thousands, if not millions of colonists on the surface of Ceres.  The damned aliens knew they had him over a barrel.  Why turn on the magnetic shields now, before they had launched, other than to rub it in!
   He didn't have to give away the whole situation though.  Zhu keyed in for a tightbeam link to the Henan and Shangxi, and then ordered them to maneuver for the far side of Ceres.  That would keep them safe while they brought their systems online, and keep them hidden from the aliens in case the big ships could be lured in.  They wouldn't be able to fire on the small craft that were closing from a position on the far side of Ceres, but it didn't look like they were going to be ready anyway.
   Zhu watched as the small craft closed.  Three hundred thousand kilometers.  Two hundred thousand.  One hundred and fifty.  There was no sense in firing early.  It would only give the aliens more of a chance to target the Shek before the little ships got into effective range.  At one hundred thousand kilometer Zhu keyed the order to fire.  All seven bays released their missiles and seven drive blooms flared to life.  The Shek's drive blazed also - hopefully they would have a harder time tracking the ship if she didn't hold still at this range.   Missiles detonated around the small craft as sensor alarms flashed that two inbounds were closing.  Zhu watched in satisfaction as four of the alien bombers lost their drive blooms or were consumed by them.  Four out of the six, and there would still be time for one more launch before the little bastards reached the colony.  The satisfaction disappeared as he realized that the two inbounds had lost tracking on the Shek, but he had lingered too long by the giant asteroid.  The two alien missiles slammed into the surface of Ceres even as the Shek pulled away.  Tense moments passed as Zhu waited for the fireballs to dissipate.  Both had detonated on uninhabited portions of the surface.  He keyed over to progress on the next launch in time to see the reports as seven more missiles left their bays.  The Shek's crew had only been on board for a few months, but they would make any commander proud.  Sensors indicated two more inbounds, but the Shek was clear of Ceres now, and nothing could be done about them for the moment.  Zhu watched as the Chinese missiles followed the small craft as they approached Ceres.  Detonations clouded the returns for a few heartbeats.   One of the small craft had broken apart, and the other was tumbling wildly.  Yes, both were down.  Oh no.  Zhu watched as the tumbling craft bore straight in on Ceres.  He knew what was going to happen even as the infantry's weapons fired at the damaged craft.  The detonation as it slammed into Ceres was bright even at over 100 thousand kilometers away.  And this one had been headed right into the main concentration of habitats.
   Zhu reflexively tried to brace himself, even though he was locked into his station.  The two inbounds closed, and then passed.  Zhu checked the weapon crew’s status and wanted to curse as they seemed unable to get the systems to plot a solution on the almost invisible launch signatures.  It was just too far.  But not for the aliens.  A third set of inbounds sprang to life on Zhu's monitor.  Eventually the aliens were going to get lucky.
   Zhu ordered the Shek to come about 130 degrees onto heading 010 at minus 0.5 ascension.  The drives cut in and out as the big ship struggled to come about.  The bridge became a kaleidoscope of colors as the grey and blue flashed over and over.  The third pair or inbounds lost tracking as the ship turned onto its new heading and the drives blazed.  But the sensors were already registering a fourth pair.  This couldn't go on forever.  If the aliens didn't hit her, the big girl would come apart under the stress of combat maneuvering.  The new heading would bring her on a course away from the aliens though.  They would have to follow and perhaps come into range of the Missile Frigates, or break off.  Colors flashed again as Zhu ordered the Shek to bring her bow down hard.  The fourth pair of alien missiles passed over the Shek, tracking some sensor ghost.
   Zhu watched the monitors as the alien contacts moved to follow his ship, and then changed course.  Over the next two minutes the aliens accelerated out and away from the Shek, and then disappeared as the magnetic fields dropped.  The aliens were now as invisible in the belt as any other ship.  As Zhu brought the Shek around and rejoined the Shangxi and Henan, he knew this was only the beginning.  The aliens had tested them.  And he had failed.  The next time the aliens returned, it wouldn't just be a pair of ships, and just two missiles at a time.  It wouldn't be just six little bombers.  It would be dozens.  And the Chinese ships would have the choice.  Die defending the colony, and have the colonists follow them into oblivion.  Or abandon the colonists to the bombers, and try to engage the alien ships.
   There wasn't really any choice.  But Zhu didn't want to be the one to have to make it.


   0025 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, vicinity of Ceres

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 felt some satisfaction.  There was disappointment also, but satisfaction none the less.  They had engaged the enemy again, and it appeared that one of the small craft may have completed its mission.  It also appeared that two of the torpedoes had managed to strike the colony out of pure luck.  Damage to the enemy was impossible to determine at this distance, but that could not be helped.
   The fact that the single enemy vessel had managed to evade eight of the torpedoes was frustrating.  The Commander had been tempted to pursue the fleeing ship, but had decided the risk of ambush was too great.  What he had wanted to accomplish had been done.  The native race seemed to have difficulty tracking the Patrol Vessels if the magnetic fields were down.  They could be fired on at ranges that they seemed unwilling or unable to respond.  This would be a great advantage.  The next assault on the enemy colony here would destroy it.  Of that the Commander was sure.  Now all that was left was to test the new tactics in open space.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could feel his crew's approval as he ordered them to change course.  They were heading in toward the blazing star.  Perhaps more of the enemy's homes and ships could be found.


November 14th  2050 hours/Beijing Research Facility, China

   Bao moved down the stairway.  His maintenance job gave him access to many areas.  None inside the main research sections, but many that were connected.  He stopped inside the stairwell at one of the electrical junction boxes.  The one supplying power to the security checkpoint into the main research bays.  Bao pulled the small charges and detonators out of his pocket and affixed them to the power cables.  He then set the timer and tucked it away neatly in the recess behind the fixtures.  Stripping off his maintenance uniform, he pulled the laboratory assistant's clothes out of his tool pouch.  Changing quickly and putting the identity badge on, he headed back up the stairs.
   He had to be the one to do this.  The other three members of his cell were all enhanced with cybernetic implants.  They would have set off the alarms long ago.  It had to be someone purely human.  No extra metal or synthetics.  Nothing to set off the X rays or scanners.  Nothing to help him against the cyborg security guards and automated defenses except surprise and skill.  Man against metal.
   Bao stepped out of the stairwell and into the hallway leading to the research wing.  Sliding the ID through the lock, he watched the light change from red to green.  One hurdle down.  Moving forward into the checkpoint he watched the two cyborg guards as they watched him.  That wasn't right.  Only one was ever on guard.  They had been talking.  Perhaps one had lingered after his shift.  This would make things much more difficult.
   The lights went out as the charges cut the power.  Red lights flickered to life as Bao sprang toward the nearest guard.  Bao pulled the backing off of a metal disk and stuck it to the guard’s chest.  The powerful EMP pulse was silent, but shorted out the cyborg's circuits immediately.  The other was moving quickly though, and Bao didn't have another pulse grenade.  Bao backed away from the desk as the cyborg shoved it towards him.  The desk crashed into the wall as the borg struggled to keep his balance.  They were strong, but still only weighed a couple hundred kilos.  The desk had been heavy too.  Bao lunged forward and slipped under the cyborg's arm.  Bao whipped off his jacket and wrapped it around the borg's head.  Blinded for a moment the guard swung wildly.  Bao slammed a chair into its legs and knocked the guard to the floor.  Shoving him across the floor while trying to keep the jacket in place, Bao reached the entryway.  Pulling the manual lever for the doors, Bao watched as the powerful hydraulic pistons slammed the blast doors shut.  The cyborg's legs were crushed and pinned.  Bao ran across the room and out the far door.  Down the hall were the main labs, and his goal.


   2215 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon listened to the report of an overdue passenger liner.  It had been Pan Euro No.  0127s, returning from the belt to Mercury Colony.  It had been carrying 35,000 passengers.  And it was over 10 hours late.  Too late.  Brenna knew down deep that those people were gone.  And that the aliens were back.  There had been no warning.  Nothing.  And it would have been less than twelve light minutes from Mercury when it last checked in.  That meant the aliens were at least that close to Mercury.  To the one million plus colonists living there.  And the Pan Euro's only shipyards away from Terra herself.  Yards that were unguarded right now.   And over eight hours away even if the 3rd Battle Group were to push their engines to their limit.
   But they wouldn't be leaving Earth behind unguarded.  No way would they leave billions unguarded for the sake of a million or so.  No, Mercury Station was on her own.
   Brenna wished she could just for once cry.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 21, 2010, 05:29:38 AM
November 2203 part 3

November 16th  0224 hours/Pan Euro Space Station, Mercury orbit

   Commander 'Jimmy' Hirsch staggered away from the console as the station shook from the impact.  'Damn it! This isn't a warship!  We aren't made for this!'  Sweat poured from his forehead and stung his eyes as he grabbed for the chair at his station and began to key in new commands.  He wished he had time to strap the harness on, but there wasn't going to be any spare time.
   The planet side colony had given them barely a minute of warning that there were contacts approaching before the first launches had come.  The station didn't have the new Phoenix Sensor Array.  Hell, they were getting half of their targeting data through an uplink from the colony.  The station had six launch bays, but could only bring half of them to bear on a target at a time.  When the target was farther out than the station's outdated sensors could see, that just made the whole situation worse.  The fact that the six Military Modules affixed to the core were a whole lot more fragile than any of the warships was just icing on the cake. 'We're not just a sitting duck, we're a sitting eggshell.' he thought.
   But Jimmy had proved the station wasn't just a sitting duck.  He knew that they were only there due to good luck and desperate management of the few systems the station had available.  The civilians on board were clutching anything they could as the ride had been violent.  That the first impact the station had taken was on the third launch from the alien ships was due to the wild gyrations the station had managed.  Even now the station was rotating hard on its axis to bring the damaged module away from the alien ships.  Anyone in the outer ring was in for a 3 G ride for the next thirty seconds or so.  Nothing compared to the warships, but still rough on the flesh and blood crew of the shipyards and modules.
   Jimmy also knew he was running out of tricks.  As the first salvo had closed the station had jettisoned every spare bin or piece of metal that could be thrown out of an airlock.  The cloud of 'chaff' had managed to buy them time as the first missiles had detonated some distance out.  Jimmy had managed to get the station maneuvered just enough to put them between the inbounds and the sun on the second alien salvo.  The missiles lost tracking with the huge energy signature of Sol only a few light minutes away.  The third alien salvo had been launched as the alien ships' courses took them to the far side of Mercury.  Jimmy had managed to get the station far enough that one of the inbound missiles had been caught by Mercury's gravity well and had been bent off course.  The other had managed to leave Module 3 venting air into space as the breaches in the hull spewed out atmosphere and crew.  The status bar on the screen showed the missile bay in Module 3 was still capable of remote launch, and the laser capacitors were still online, but Jimmy wanted that Module away from the fight.  'One more good hit there and this whole thing might come apart.'
   The station had managed three return salvos, and one of the alien Alphas had lost its protective magnetic field.  That they hadn't just shut it off wasn't certain, but the ship was moving away from the planet regardless.  The other Alpha was more relentless.  The colony on Mercury was reporting that it was accelerating to move around the planet and clear its field of fire on the station.  
   Jimmy only had one trick left, and less than a minute to play it if the colony's sensor returns were correct.  He keyed the comm link to the station core open.  "Lieutenant Commander Schafer.  Channel three now."  Seconds passed as Jimmy waited.  Then came the answer. "Yes Commander."  The cyborg's voice was always so flat it was almost unnerving.  "Schafer, grab deck crew four and get the Mary undocked and into this fight.  NOW !"  Jimmy knew his voice carried more than a little emotion at the moment, but unless something changed in the next few minutes, the station and everyone on it would be gone.  Deck crew four was the EVA crew, cyborgs one and all.  They would be able to survive the acceleration of a warship.  Most were military, or at least had a very good idea how the systems on board the Queen Mary would work.  Whether or not 27 cyborgs could run a half finished warship meant to hold a crew of 156 was the question of the day.  "Uh, yes Commander." was the only answer as the link closed.
   Praying wasn't Jimmy's style, but it was all he could do for the next few seconds that might make any difference.


   0226 hours/Queen Mary, near Mercury

   Lieutenant Commander Rolf Schafer locked the captain's station and keyed the monitor over to combat settings.  The last and only assignment he had on a combat ship had been as the Sensor Officer on the Attack Escort Catherine years ago.  That had only been for six months.  Before and since he had been in Engineering and Construction.  He had only done the combat post to help his chances at promotion.   A few other cyborgs were locking themselves into stations on the bridge.  Too few.  Barely enough to control the few systems that were coming online.  
   The status bar showed only a few of the particle accelerators were functional.  The ship would barely be able to manage one third of the acceleration she should be capable of.  Far less than what the alien ship was doing right now.  A ship that was already up to combat speed.  The Mary would never be able to outmaneuver it.  Three of the four launch bays had come on line.  The fourth was still in the process of fitting the internal linkage.  At least the new Phoenix Array was on line.  Sensor data, WAY MORE sensor data than what Rolf was used to seeing, was flooding the monitor screen.  Whoa.
   Rolf saw that the ship was registering locked stations for everyone he knew was on board.  He keyed the over ride and then the emergency undocking prompts.  The ship shuddered as mountings were blown free and the ship began to drift.  'The helmsman must have some experience' Rolf thought as plots began to file along the side of his screen.  Keying in for a course, he felt and sensed the ship's drive engage as the world went grey, then the blue halo formed. 'I wonder how many on board have only heard about this.'
   Those thoughts vanished as the Mary cleared Mercury.  Warnings flashed for a contact, then inbound.  Rolf worked the keys as fast as he could.  He knew how to plot a targeting solution, and the three missile bays were reporting ready status for launch.  It wasn't fast enough.  The Mary heaved as the drive cut out and the alien warhead slammed the ship with a wave of superheated particles.  Damage indicators sprang to life.  Most of the forward hull had been savaged.  The Mary didn't even have the most rudimentary of plating in place yet.  The thin plasma wave had fried wiring and struts.  At least the forward compartments had been the least finished.  Rolf finished the solution and launched.  It was hurried.  Poor.  The missiles were away, but lost tracking after only a short distance.  The alien ship was too fast.  Too quick to react.  This wasn't going to work.  Even with the Mary's three launchers to the Alpha's one, they were going to lose.  Then the sensors registered a fluctuation on the Alpha.
   Yes.  The station was clearing the planet also.  Between the three missiles of the Mary and the three of the station the Alpha was struggling to thread a clear path through the blasts.  Rolf keyed into the sensor link to start on new firing solutions, but found the Alpha had moved out too far.  They couldn't lock the missiles on at that range.  The alien ship was just to fast, and the sensor link was to slow with such a limited crew.  Inbound sensors flashed.  Rolf felt the ship pitch and strain as the drive cut in and out.  The helmsman was doing his best with what little thrust the Mary had to make her a hard target, and still get her in range of the elusive enemy ship.


   0230 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, near Mercury

   The Commander strained to hold onto his station as the ship's drive cut in and out.  Even with the stations' magnetic assistance, the Commander could feel the crew straining to keep at their stations.  The appearance of the enemy Combat Vessel had changed everything.  Torpedo after torpedo sped in toward the enemy ship as the enemy weapons raced toward Patrol Vessel 17.  At this range keeping the weapon's lock was difficult to begin with; the hard maneuvers of combat were making it impossible.  The defense field generators had all burned out, the plating was damaged, the cargo section compromised, and the last of the ship's torpedoes was ready for launch.  The Commander had ordered Patrol Vessel 13 to fall back when its field generators had gone down. She still had torpedoes on board, but was too far out to be of any assistance.   This battle was going to be over as soon as the last torpedo was away.
   The Commander sensed as the torpedo left its bay and began to bring Patrol Vessel 17 about.   The enemy Combat Vessel had proved a difficult target, and the Commander had decided to have the last torpedo track the larger of the two platforms orbiting the fiery planet.  He felt satisfaction as the last torpedo slipped past the Combat Vessel and detonated near the platform.  The sensors showed more debris and gases venting from the structure.  It was far from destroyed, but the damage would have to be extensive.
   As the ship accelerated away from the inferno of heat that this system's star was, the Commander wondered what the Elders would think now. He had failed to obey the intent of their orders, but had gained so much of value.  He was sure they wouldn't like it anymore than the request he would be sending - that a Mobile Repair Vessel be sent in system with supplies to effect repairs at the giant gas planet.  It would be just as quick as the trip out to the fleet base.  
   They had managed to damage the enemy colony in the debris fields while engaging an enemy Assault Vessel, destroyed a lone enemy ship, located a second enemy colony, damaged an enemy Combat Vessel and orbital platform, and discovered why the native race had so easily been able to ambush the previous Combat Groups.  Let them try to call us cowards now.


November 17th  0605 hour/Beijing, China

   Bao tried to rest, relax.  It was just impossible.  They were hunted men now.  What they had taken...
   Bao only knew a little about the ships in space.  About the aliens.  But what he could understand of the data he had stolen - of the equipment he had seen - was terrifying.  The Chinese would stop at nothing to get this back.  It was too valuable.  And now it was in Bao's hands.
   Two of the cell members had died helping Bao escape from the Research area.  The last was wounded.  Dying.  He had maybe a day left.  Maybe two.  But he was in a lot of pain.  And there was no place they could go to for help.  If they were going to do anything, it would have to be soon.  The handler had made contact again.  They were to try and get out on a lifter from Tianjin, in 18 hours.
   Bao hoped it worked.  They had to get out.  If this didn't get out of China, the world would change.  It was going to change anyway.  But if only China had this, then the whole world would be China's.
   And Bao had hated China his whole life.
   Eighteen more hours.....


   0800 hours/Queen Elizabeth, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir looked over the reports.  It was bad.  Even so, it could have been much worse.  The Mercury Station had two of its Military Modules damaged, and the Queen Mary would be months behind schedule on her deployment.  But they were both still there, and the colony on Mercury had been unharmed. The construction facilities at Mercury Station were also unharmed.  A small pile of recommendations for awards were waiting for her to review.  A lot of them would actually deserve them.
   Alien ships in the inner system were the real problem.  Patrolling the belt was one thing.  Guarding everything was going to be impossible.  The offensive was going to have to be moved forward.  If they just waited, they were going to be picked apart.  Right now the aliens had almost no reason to tie down assets guarding their homes - where ever those were.  That was going to have to change.  Soon.
   A lot of people were likely to die when they found one of those homes.  A lot of ships wouldn't come back from an offensive against the aliens.  But it was the only game in town right now.  That, or die waiting.
   Jude wasn't interested in waiting.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 22, 2010, 02:34:06 AM
November 2203 part 4

November 18th  0800 hours/near Rizhao, China

   Bao tried to calm his breathing.  He was tired and his legs hurt.  Things were not on schedule. At least he was on the way to the pick up point.  In the next few hours he should be able to get out of China.
   The last two hours had been busy.  The last member of his cell had died giving Bao a chance to escape.  While Bao had used the maser to take out the electric substation to the airport (and the only local radar station), his friend had driven up to the front of the airport at Tianjin.  The Astrolite-1-5 in the trunk should have taken the front off of the terminal.  The fire had sent plumes of smoke up into the sky.  Bao had then used the maser to take out several of the fence mounted cameras, and then cut part of the fencing and wires on the perimeter.  He had then climbed back on his scooter and left.  The police and military should spend hours going through every plane and vehicle near the airport.
   Bao was now near Rizhao.  He was to meet a contact on the coast.  But he was late already.  A roadblock had forced him to abandon the scooter, and he was now on foot.  Bao crept through the underbrush as he neared the beach.  He held the maser low, trying to keep it hidden.  It was definitely not a precision weapon and its range was only about 50 meters, but the microwaves were very damaging to electronics and flesh.  Cyborgs would ground out the beam with a great deal of sparks, but nothing else.  He hoped there were no cyborgs.
   Bao saw the boat on the shore, and two figures crouched beside it.  He flashed the small laser sight on the maser across the rocks on the beach in front of the pair, as he had been instructed to do by the handler.  Two flashes from a small flashlight let him know that he was to approach the boat.  Clutching the satchel with the data cards inside it, he moved forward.  Soon he would be away from China.

   0830 hours/Beijing, China

   Minister Po sagged against his desk.  He would be sacked, or killed.  Regardless, his life was over as he knew it.  The Research Facility had been breached, and although they could find nothing that had been taken, they would have to assume the project had been compromised.  Thankfully the two prototypes had been undamaged.  Only hours before the break in, they had managed to conduct the first small scale test of a field generator.  It had been a resounding success.  A full sized generator had been constructed, and was now being disassembled for shipment on five separate cargo freighters bound for Venus.  It could not wait.  They could not chance that it would be intercepted before construction and installation of the units began.  In only a little over a month, the Tung group would have the first generators fitted and operational.  Assuming nothing else went wrong.
   Po looked up at the monitor.  Steps were being taken to contain the leak.  To try and prevent any further damage to the project.  Perhaps they could catch the thieves.  Perhaps not.  Several were already dead, another had died sabotaging a costal radar suite.  The Attack Frigate Yunnan had moved into orbit over the area to provide sensor coverage.  But the lookdown capability was limited by ghosts and clutter caused by ground interference.  Maybe all of the spies were dead.  Po didn't think so.
   He laid his head down on his desk.  The next few days would be long.  If he survived them.


November 21st 1750 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon watched her monitor screen.  The external pickup was showing her a view of the two latest Attack Escorts to be built.  Both were still docked at the Pan Euro Station, but word was they would be released for trials in the next few days.  She looked hard at them.  Even now the names had been stenciled on.  The Rachel Pierce and the Keely Sereg.  They were the first to bear names of commanders who had died fighting the aliens.  They had originally been intended to be convoy escorts, and not belong to any particular Battle Group.  It didn't look like that was the plan anymore.  Their was no 'official' word on what the deployment plans were for the pair, but rumor said they would be going out past the belt to try and locate the alien's bases and colonies.
   Brenna was fairly sure that they wouldn't be going alone.  Whether they accompanied the 1st or 3rd Battle Group was anybody's guess.  Brenna was fairly sure that she would be the one to have the chance to see space out beyond the belt once again.  But if she didn't, it wouldn't bother her.
   It looked like the US was getting ready also, with two of the latest Interceptors under construction at the US Space Station.  If she was the one who was making the schedule, the group wouldn't be hanging around much longer.  They would get to celebrate Christmas out in space, far from any home.
   Brenna looked at the ships.  She wondered if Keely's kids would get to send her ship off.


November 24th  0755 hours/USS Tacoma, Sea of Japan

   Captain Russel Goehring looked over the reports from the Communication Officer.  The transmission had come through, and encryption had verified the content and sender.  "Bring the ELF cable in.  We're heading home."  The sub commander knew this was not the safest place for a US sub, and with the package delivered, it was time to get back to the States.  It would take a week or so, but they couldn't risk surfacing with the information that they had just received.  It would wait till they were in port.


November 30th  2335 hour/Queensland Corporation Airstrips, Australia

   Bao stepped off the small plane onto the landing strip.  He had finished his mission.  In a few more weeks he would be able to take a flight to the United States and start a new life.  He had risked his life, and spent weeks hiding and running.  They had managed to get the data transmitted to a waiting contact only a few days ago.  The two men who had accompanied him the whole time had looked Chinese, but were actually US Seal Team members.  One was even a pilot.  They had managed to 'acquire' a small plane and had flown it to the FSC in Australia.  Although the FSC was on friendly terms with China, they had no extradition.  In a short time it wouldn't matter.  It was raining lightly, but the breeze and rain felt good.  He felt clean, and for the first time, free.
   At that moment the Queensland Research Facility disappeared in a nuclear fireball.


///////////////////////////////////
Yes, you read right.  That was the shocker for month 11.  Just when it looked like the Earth (and the players) really were getting to where they had a good chance against the aliens, it fell apart.

We have some old house rules for espionage that we made up years ago for a 3rd Ed. game, and have just kept them.  You can pay a paltry 1MC(each) to keep an espionage cell in place on anyone you had a trade agreement or better with.  For this game they could have one on any or all the other players.  They all had some in place.  For another amount, you could activate them to try and accomplish certain tasks.  The harder the task, the bigger the minus to the roll.  I keep a chart that gives results for the rolls, and I (or whoever was the SM) made the rolls secretly.  In this case, the US activated a cell in China.  This was actually a case of real world espionage carrying over into the game.  Let me explain...

The middle boy (China) had a favorite chair that he likes to sit in and do his turns in.  It has its back to the wall, and a small light beside it.  He kept his turn sheets with him most all the time, even taking them to school (paranoid huh, apparently with good reason).  The only thing behind the chair is a steep stairway to the boys' bedrooms upstairs.  The nine year old always goes up to get his pajamas around 8 pm or so.  The oldest boy (US) bribed the nine year old and slipped him a small digital camera one day (or so I'm told).  The nine year old managed to take a few pics of the middle boy working on his sheet for turn 11.  The oldest boy then blew up the pics on his computer and managed to make out that China was in the middle of researching shields.  Knowing that China had made the breakthrough, he decided to activate his cell and try to get any info he could before the middle boy got too far ahead.  (Back to the saying that for $100 anyone can be James Bond anymore.)  Now we get back to the espionage sheet.

The roll for the cell indicated that it was destroyed, but succeeded in getting one piece of information on the targeted area.  The lowest level of info would be the breakthrough, so that is what the US got.  The roll also gave China the information that they had been compromised, the area that had been breached, but not who had done it.  The middle boy decided that his sneaky older sister was the only one who would know that he even had shield technology, and must have been after tech data or copy info to speed up her research.  Well then (he figured - I think) she must be close, and maybe even got a working copy.  He decided he needed to stop her from finishing it, and slow up her ability to field it as she was the only other one with the breakthrough (this is all conjecture on my part - maybe he was just mad at his sis and decided to nuke her only RDS because he could).

Regardless, you can see where this is going and will lead.  The next few months will be difficult times for humanity.  I actually wondered at times if they were going to be able to survive each other, let alone the aliens.

As for the combats, the Nemotian ships had the worst rolls I have had for a long time.  Granted I needed ones against the Chinese to hit the Shek, so eight misses wasn't a big surprise.  Against the base, they needed a three to hit.  They launched 15 torpedoes and only managed 3 hits.  Not the best of luck.  The Euro station and ship usually needed 2's or ones to hit the patrol ships and managed 5 hits in the same amount of time.  Kind of disappointing.

China also had a roll to see if they succeeded on their second shield research project as the middle boy had accelerated the RDS as much as he could.  He had a whole 10% chance.  I made him use my dice.  He rolled a 01.  I gave up - no fighting good luck.  He now had shields, and took a focus breakthrough to double the RP's at normal cost for the next 3 turns on getting shields to regenerate every hour project.    -China was on a roll.

For those curious, here are the stats for the active ships this month.

Chinese Ships
Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek (BG -1)
as Mao Tse Tung (Sept 2203 pt 4)

Missile Frigates Shangxi , Henan
as Missile Frigates (Sept 2203 pt 4)


Nemotioan Ships
Patrol Corvettes 13 , 17 (BG +1)
as Patrol Corvette (Sept 2203 pt 4)


Pan Euro Ships
Destroyer Queen Mary (BG -3/incomplete)   DD   30HS
[2} o o o o o o o o o o o Qa o Ra Ya Ra Ra (Cp) [2/1]
each o is an empty hull space taking 1/4 pt of damage each.  
each system has a 3.3% chance times the # of days into the month of working the first time used.

Mercury Space Station
Core         SS   82HS

Military Modules 1-6 (BG -1)   SS   12HS


and for those who like to blow up human ships
Pan Euro Pass FT 0127s   FT1   12HS
[2]A (BbS) Qv Qv Qv Qv H Qv Qv Qv Qa (Cp) [4]/gtos x1

Thanks for reading, and please don't think my family is as dysfunctional as it sounds.
We really do love each other (most days).
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 26, 2010, 04:14:49 AM
December 2203

November 30th  2337 hours/Queen Elizabeth, 1 light second from Earth

   Admiral Jude Kushnir stared at her monitor as she slammed her station into its locked position.  It just wasn't possible.  The sensor flash had been so brief, but it was sure.  The Chinese Strike Vessel had launched one of their short range - high speed missiles.  The detonation had been over Australia.  It couldn't be a mistake as sensors and ground sites were tracking Chinese aircraft moving in strength towards both Australia and India.  It was war.
   It felt as if the world was crawling by.  The systems on the Q.E. were taking too long to come on line.  They had been looking out from the Earth, not back at it.  The Rachel Pierce and Keely Sereg were blowing their mounting struts to the Pan Euro Space Station.  Crews that had been on board for only hours were now struggling to come to battle stations.  The US was no better off as the two Interceptors there were just now freeing themselves of the US Station.  The Pan Euro 3rd Battle Group and US Task Force 2 were both at Earth, and the Chinese had only a single Strike Vessel.  That could only mean they intended to use the ground based weapons to engage the Euro and US ships.  And that she would have to give the order to launch missiles in return, to rain death on the Earth.
   Jude checked the status reports, and saw that the Chinese Strike Vessel was closing down against the atmosphere over Australia.  They were going to use the planet as a shield.  It would block missiles from one direction, and misses from the other could easily destroy the population below it.  Damn.  Now she saw why they weren't coming out to attack the US and Euro ships.
   A transmission was appearing on her monitor.  It was a broadband transmission from the Chinese.  Well, if they weren't going to start the shooting from ship to ship, and the 3rd Battle Group wasn't all at Battle Stations, she might as well read whatever excuse they had for dooming the human race.

   TO THE UNITED STATE AND PAN EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS
   WE ARE EXERCISING OUR RIGHT UNDER THE TREATY OF SERENITATIS
   SECTION 3A.127.001C OF PAX TERRA
   REGARDING RENEGADE NATIONS AND VIOLATIONS OF NATIONAL SOVREIGNTY
   THE SSFSC HAD VIOLATED CHINESE TERRITORY AND PROPERTIES
   THE SSFSC HAS ENGAGED IN TERRORIST ACTS UPON CHINESE SOIL
   WE EXERCISE OUR RIGHT UNDER SECTION 3A.127.001C TO DEFENSE OF STATE
   WE WILL ENGAGE IN CONTINUED EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF CHINA
   NO ENGAGEMENTS OF US OR PAN EURO FORCES WILL BE PURSUED
   WE SHALL INTERDICT ALL SSFSC SHIPPING WITHIN THE PAX LIMIT AS PROVIDED
   BY SECTION 3A.127.016A,B,C,D,E,F,G,S
   ANY ATTEMPT TO INTERVENE SHALL BE VIEWED AS AN ACT OF WAR UNDER
   SECTION 3A.122.003.D

   The Chinese were claiming that the FSC was a terrorist nation?  Jude sat and looked at the monitor for a long time.  The Chinese weren't launching, and the US ships weren't either.
   Jude hated politics, but it looked like this was about to become just that.


December 2nd  0315 hours/Chinese Space Station, Venus orbit

   Admiral Hu scoured the reports coming through.  Sleep was going to be in short supply for some time to come.  The invasion of the FSC was just starting, but the six divisions had gotten a foothold in both Australia and India.  South America and Africa were being ignored for the moment due to the risk of accidental acts against the US or Euro.  It was good enough to keep their ships tied up at Earth right now.  Especially with only two Chinese ships not tied down for refits.  And one, the Attack Frigate Yunnan at Earth, was woefully obsolete now.
   The only other ship not in for repairs or refits was the Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek.  Facilities to start refits on her away from Earth just weren't available.  So she was now a convoy escort.  But there were actual convoys to escort now.  Before, patrol vessels simply moved through the areas of freighter traffic, ready to respond to distress calls as the shipping lines maintained their regular schedules.  Not now.  There would only be four main ship movements this month, and all would be accompanied by the Shek.  The chance of the armed FSC ships engaging a convoy with her along would be remote.  And disastrous for the FSC.
   At Ceres were the two Missile Frigates Shangxi and Henan, and both were off in the belt some distance from the colony undergoing refits by the two Mobile Construction Ships.  Both would have the new magnetic field generators installed before the month's end.
   The Anhui and Hubei were both undergoing refits here at Venus, with the last part of the Tung's repairs having been modified to make allowances for, and the installation of, the new field generators.  At the end of the month only the Shek and Yunnan would remain to be upgraded.
   If all would simply go according to plan, at the beginning of the next month China would be the preeminent space power.  Perhaps the next year would see her rightfully controlling the world.
   Then the human race could finally come together to crush the aliens.


December 3rd 1030 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked over the information from the morning's briefing.  The US and Euro were using the ships here at Earth to set up a blockade at the 15 light second line set by the Pax Treaty.  No Chinese warships would be let in past the line.  This was due to the Chinese use of a drive detonation inside the Pax line.  The order also forbid the passage of civilian lines owned by Chinese interests, but Bradley was unsure if any of his ships would fire on an unarmed civilian vessel.
   The use of a blockade was covered under the Treaty of Serenetatis, and the sections were fairly broad on their use, but Bradley wasn't sure the Chinese didn't have the legal right to dispute it.  The Chinese were protesting its use already, but hadn't tried to force the issue.  They would eventually have to, as they didn't have the off world ability to support their war fleet without the Earth based industry.  It all depended on how much of a supply base the Chinese had stored off world.
   The two FSC 'warships' (if you could call them that), were parked about 3 light seconds from Earth, with the planet between them and the Yunnan.  Neither side was moving against the other, yet.  The FSC ships had managed to sneak in before the blockade had started.  
   It had been decided, and announced, that any engagement between ships of the two powers inside the Pax line would be tolerated if no drive detonations were to occur, and no launches threatened impact with the Earth.  The US and Euro would not intervene.  But no new warships would be allowed inside the Pax line.  To enforce the 'peace', the Pan Euro Queen Elizabeth was even now on station at 5 light seconds from the Yunnan.  She should be able to take out any of the combatant's ships here at Earth if they chose to violate the limits the US and Euro had set.  Once again Bradley wasn't certain that this whole arrangement would stand up in an international court, but for the moment it was what they had to work with.
   What would threaten the peace was the 'humanitarian support' the US and Euro were sending to Australia and India.  To prevent 'unnecessary civilian casualties', the US was mobilizing the 2nd Armored Division for transport to Australia, while the Euro was mobilizing the German 13th Mechanized Infantry to send to India.  Both were ostensibly there to 'oversee' the conduct of the two combatants, but it was no secret that they would likely enter combat to support the FSC interests.  
   Whether the combat on the ground would spread to space was anyone's guess at this point.


December 4th 0230 hours/Rhienmein Airbase, Germany

   Feldwebel Tanja Frank moved up the ramp onto the waiting transport.  The new Panzersturm Powered Armor was far more comfortable than the earlier models, but that still wasn't saying much.  She locked her PzGw 93 into its mount beside her, and then locked the suit into the attachments on the side of the lifter. 'Two hundred years ago I would have gotten a cotton strap with two hooks to sit in, now they don't even give you the cotton strap.' she mused.
   Tanja wondered if the rest of the division was as scared as she was.  She had new armor, powerful weapons, and wasn't supposed to get involved in the fighting.  The problem was intel showed that the Chinese had the first two, and probably wouldn't pay any attention to the last point.  Their armor wasn't supposed to be as good, but Tanja was fairly sure an old bomb would kill you just as dead as a new one.
   Tanja closed her eyes as she felt the transport shake and lift off.  In two hours they would be landing outside of New Delhi.  Five days ago she had celebrated her 24th birthday.  She really wanted to make it to 25.  She was sure the 8 other soldiers in her squad wanted to make it to their next birthday also.  She was the 'old lady' of the squad, and they were depending on her.
   'If they only knew that I don't have a clue what to do right now.' she thought.


December 9th 1755 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 23 light seconds from Jupiter

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 moved through the ship.  The Mobile Repair Vessel had arrived with more torpedoes, and had commenced repairs on the damage his ship had taken.  Watching the workers as they began to strip away burned and damaged plates and struts was always interesting.  More interesting was feeling the waves come from them as they communicated with each other.  It was nearly impossible to do anything without giving away how one felt or thought.  These workers didn't seem to be concerned if anyone knew.
   The Elders had accused the Commander and crew of Patrol Vessel 17 with cowardice, but that was not what the Commander felt from the workers.  It was more like reverence. Proud that they were aboard the vessel.  Fixing her damage.  Preparing the ship to go forth and destroy more of the hated aliens who inhabited this system.
   The Commander moved on to check out the progress of loading the new torpedoes on board. The crew could feel his pride as he moved among them.  Whether Patrol Vessel 17 survived this war or not, his people knew that he had served and fought with honor.


December 10th 0020 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home One (Eris)

   The Elders reviewed the situation again.  A new fleet of Colony Vessels was even now colonizing New Home Five.  It would be finished soon, and then the creation of the factories and construction facilities could commence to allow them to begin active support of this 'war'.
   The struggle to eradicate the native species had proved more troublesome than expected.  The elders had been forced to activate more ships than was supportable by the current populations.  The elders of True Home had seen fit to equip the colony fleet with a great wealth of supplies, but the current situation was consuming those reserves at an alarming rate.  It was possible those reserves could be exhausted if the native species was not destroyed in the near future.
   To effect that, the new Combat Group 3 was nearing completion.  The three new Patrol Vessels that were now being finished would help to strengthen the group.  The Combat Group would then move towards the inner system, assimilate the two Patrol Vessels there, and begin the destruction of the two known alien colonies.  Hopefully the two ships of the newest class that had been constructed would help to achieve that goal.  Quickly.
   If not, then preparation of defenses to prevent the Elder's extermination would have to be strengthened.  If not destroyed, it would only be a matter of time before the native race again looked for Homes to attack.


December 11th 0600 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Lieutenant Meagan Ryan tried to get the last of her data together for the morning presentation.  The development work on the magnetic field generators was progressing, but the data left no doubt that the Chinese were far ahead in the race to field the system.  They would likely be able to field it before the US could.  The essential data for the development had been passed to the Pan Euro, but they would be months behind the US in fielding the system.  If the Chinese managed to install a completed field generator on their huge 'Cruiser' class of ship, the Earth would have a warship capable of fighting the largest alien ships seen so far - on their own terms.  Of course, the US and Euro would have nothing to compete with them other than sheer numbers.
   'If that ever happened, the aliens won't have to worry about killing us all off,' Meagan thought.  'There won't be anybody left.'
   Humans fighting each other had begun though.  Planet side that was.  For the moment.  That would be the big subject for the morning, not the progress on the field generators.  
   The 2AD had been positioned near the Queensland blast crater, to assist in humanitarian efforts there.  The 25 megaton blast had caused a lot of damage to the facility and the surrounding countryside.  Word was that half of the Queensland Corporation Facilities had been destroyed, and the rest damaged badly (it was a very widely scattered complex).  US intel wasn't buying it.  Satellites showed a lot of activity for a destroyed complex.  Odds were that it was more than just a civilian manufacturing plant.
   Regardless, a LOT of people had died.  Estimates were close to 100,000.  Many more were injured or homeless.  The 2nd had set up its TOC there, to better assist in support efforts.  Problem was, it seems the Chinese were also convinced it was more than a civilian work center, and were pretty determined to make sure that it had been destroyed.  When the lead Chinese elements had arrived on the 10th of December, it hadn't taken long for the shooting to start.
   The first reports Meagan had 'overheard' were promising.  The Chinese had grown accustomed to over running the outdated military surplus the Australian Reserve units were using.  Some of the equipment was over 100 years old.  The Ausie's had been fighting hard, but had been losing badly.  The hover and tracked tanks of the 2nd Armored had high energy chemical lasers for main weapons, capable of engaging small craft in LEO.  The Chinese Power Armor Infantry with their support helicopters had taken substantial losses.
   The bad news had been that satellites and images from the Q.E. showed the first Chinese Battalion that had been beaten back was just the tip of the sword.  The 2nd was outnumbered by 3 to 2 in manpower and equipment. Eventually they were going to have to give ground.


December 14th  0540 hours/Near Nepal border, Himalayas, India

   Feldwebel Tanja Frank could hear her heart pounding in her ears.  The filters blocked out enough of the light and sound that the pounding in her ears was drowning out everything else.  Her squad was holding the flank for her company.  She didn't think she was going to be alive to do that much longer.  The three 25mm 'Rollover' missiles for her shoulder mounted launcher were gone, the 100 rounds for her 18mm PzGw 93 had been used trying to counter the Chinese vehicles that had pushed her company's position over the last two hours.  Two of the damned things were burning out there covering the whole area with thick smoke.   She still had the 9mm LE/S Auto rifle mounted in the right forearm of her suit.  But the 9mm AP/HE rounds would be useless against the Chinese armor.  The 18mm API/T rounds hadn't been all that effective. The Chinese vehicles mounted lasers, and they weren't going to run out of ammo any time soon.  But the only hand held lasers out there were still not powerful enough to deal with power armored infantry, let alone a vehicle.  So ammo was still an issue.
   Tanja looked around at her squad.  Four were left alive.  The others had horrible thing happen to them.  Things even powered armor wasn't going to save you from.  Tanja's heart pounded even louder.  She looked back up to where the Chinese positions were on the hillside above her.  She could see the Chinese powered armor venting gouts of hot gas, trying to cool off their circuits and cloud the thermal returns for any Pan Euro weapons targeting them.  It wouldn't be long before they came back and attacked again.
   Warning lights flashed on Tanja's HUD.  Suddenly the ground fountained into the air in dozens of places.  Chinese MLOW's were detonating overhead.  They had been launched over the field or had been loitering for a while now.  Didn't matter.  The bomblets were detonating.  Targeting anything moving/hot/cold/whatever with EFPs that came rocketing down out of the sky.  
   Stars whirled around Tanja as magnesium flares flashed and burned, trying to confuse the airborne bomblets.  Angry fireflies zooming through the thick black smoke.  It took a moment for Tanja to realize that she was the one who had activated them.
   Chinese infantry was moving.  Their suits weren't quite as good as the German's.  They vented heat regularly.  They could only make a jump of about half the distance that Tanja did.  And there were many of them.  Tanja could see over a hundred coming towards her position.  A quick look showed that it nearly was just her position.  Two more of her squad were gone.  At least the last two weren't running.  Tanja could feel the tears burning her eyes, but she wasn't leaving them.  It wasn't courage, she just couldn't leave them.  Not now.
   The world disappeared in a white blaze, then the filters cut in as the world went black.  She could feel herself slammed about.  Then it was still again.  She could taste blood in her mouth.  The HUD was just barely visible.  A faint grey puzzle of lines.  She wondered if this was what it felt like to die.  She could feel herself being tossed around, but it didn't hurt anymore....


   0600 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, 15 light seconds from Earth

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon checked her monitor again.  How much longer would this go on?  It was insane.  Fifteen minutes ago an FSC lifter had passed through Pan Euro airspace and dropped a 2 megaton weapon in the Himalayas.  The Chinese Attack Vessel wasn't doing anything yet, and neither was the US or Pan Euro.  The FSC had dropped it over their own territory to attack the Chinese troops there.  Chinese ground assets had shot the lifter down.  The damage to Chinese troops scattered in the mountains wouldn't be decisive, and the damage to civilians was going to be much worse than anything the Chinese were likely to be doing at the moment.  What was happening to the world?
   The contact light on her monitor caught Brenna's attention.  At least the ships were all at battle stations.  Returns were indicating it was 13 civilian passenger and cargo freighters, and one of the big mothers that the Chinese had.  It wasn't the one that Brenna had seen at Ceres.  That one would still be sporting battle damage.  It hadn't been long enough for a ship that big to be back in service, could it?
   This one wasn't damaged, and it was 28 light seconds from Earth.  She wasn't moving at combat speed, but she wasn't just cruising either.  The Comm station had already sent the message that contacts had been spotted, now it was up to the Chinese.  Would they actually try to run that big ship through the blockade.
   The 3rd Battle Group and US Task Force 2 had over a dozen ships at Earth.  The Chinese Captain had to know he couldn't win.  'Of course that won't do us any good.  We'll be dead before anybody gets organized.' thought Brenna.
   Comm relay updates told Brenna the rest of the 3rd was leaving its posts and forming up with the Q.E., just in case.  Not Brenna.  She was going to stay.  If they were going to play chicken, she wasn't going to run.  She could feel herself relax as the big warship came to a stop.  They didn't want to fight either.
   But the civilian ships were still coming.  Brenna knew she wasn't going to fire on them.  But the FSC ships were still near Earth.  That might be another matter.  And then that big ship might move to assist.  It wasn't quite time to relax yet.


   0645 hours/Mary Reed, 2.5 light seconds from Earth

   The Dutchman was sure they had bitten off more than they could chew, but it was too late now.  The Kestrel and Mary Reed had moved to intercept the Chinese convoy as best they could.  The Chinese ground based installations covered an almost 240 degree arc of the sky.  That only left a small cone on the far side to maneuver in.  But it was enough to get in range of the convoy with the long range missiles the Mary and Kestrel carried.  The Chinese would know that after the various incidents at Ceres.
   The Dutchman hadn't really planned to fire on the civilian ships, but he would have if the Chinese Frigate hadn't come out from behind the planet.  The Chinese Vessel had obliged though.  For the first three minutes it had been a long range duel of the two missiles the Mary and Kestrel could fire against the single one the Chinese ship could launch (thank goodness it hadn't turned out to be one of their long range Missile Frigates!).  Even without drive detonations, the Kestrel had been overwhelmed.  She had her nose to the Chinese vessel to begin the fight, and the first disk that had struck her had devastated her forward cargo section.  The bulkhead had held, but the second impact thirty seconds later had shredded that.  Then the Mary and Kestrel had been forced to turn to avoid the Chinese ground installations, along with the short ranged missiles the Chinese ship was sure to mount.  The next two launches from the Chinese ship managed to shatter the Kestrel's drive shield and the Kestrel had disappeared as the nuclear drive bloom consumed her.
   The Chinese Frigate was working her way around behind the Mary Reed.  She was faster, and The Dutchman wasn't going to be able to keep the Chinese ship out of his blind spot forever.  She would manage to get dead astern of him within the next minute and a half.  The Mary Reed was bigger and more heavily built than the Kestrel, but The Dutchman had no illusions about what would happen if he let the Chinese ship get behind him.
   The Chinese Frigate was bigger than the Mary and much more heavily built.  But she was hurt.  The missiles from the Mary and Kestrel had scored several hits, and the Mary's laser had managed to paint her with twice.  The Chinese ship wasn't firing with its long range missile bay anymore, so that at least had to have been damaged.   The twin launch signatures as it deployed a pair of the short range missiles answered the question about what else she might have on board.
   The Mary Reed heaved about as the drive cut in and out.  Damage reports showed that one of the cargo bays and two of the empty passenger bays were open to space.  The Dutchman keyed in the override and the Mary launched another missile as the drive was off.  The laser battery discharged as the Mary drifted, and the Chinese ship vented as more of her plating was shattered and blasted away.  The Chinese Captain wasn't a fool though, and kept rolling the ship.  Bringing new plates and baffles in line.  The missile from the Mary released its hail of metal disks and again the Chinese ship stuttered her drives.  Yes.  They were coming back on, but the Chinese Frigate's bloom was much weaker now.  One of the metal disks must have struck the ship near a particle accelerator and damaged it.  Maybe the Mary had a chance yet.
   The Dutchman felt the Mary heave again as more Chinese metal slammed into his ship.  The laser battery was still online, as was the launch bay (with only three missiles left), and the main particle accelerators.  The drive shield must be intact he thought as the drive fired again and the Mary sped away from the crippled Chinese ship.
   Entering the override for the drives to red line, The Dutchman checked the targeting plots.  Firing solutions had been plotted again, and The Dutchman keyed the firing prompts.  The Chinese ship was beginning to fall behind.  If they could just get beyond the effective range of the short ranged missiles.  The drive cut out on the Chinese ship again as the laser tore into her, but the missile had been unable to get a lock when the Mary's drive bloom had red lined and masked the Chinese Frigate's signature.  The Chinese ship answered with only a single missile, and it had lost tracking shortly after launch.
   The Dutchman watched as the Chinese Frigate stretched out the distance and disappeared behind the moon.  She was disengaging.  'So is the Mary Reed' decided The Dutchman.  We could fire on her again as she clears the moon, but the odds of a successful intercept at this range are low.  And it probably wouldn't finish off that ship anyway.  The Dutchman had seen how tough the Chinese Frigates were up close at Ceres.
   They Chinese had fought hard today.  The Mary had also.  The Kestrel was gone, but they hadn't been schoolgirls.  They knew the danger.  The US and Euro ships had sat this one out, as had the big Chinese Cruiser out there.  The Dutchman was fairly sure if that Cruiser had wanted to, it could have finished off the Mary and maybe even gotten away.  That Chinese Captain had showed restraint.  As the Chinese Frigate cleared the moon and firing solutions sprang up on The Dutchman's monitor, he decided that might be just what this whole situation needed.  If folks didn't show a little restraint right now, the human race wouldn't need the aliens to finish them off.
   The Dutchman keyed for the crew to unlock stations and begin emergency repairs.  Maybe they could still save the Mary Reed before she came apart.


December 24th  2210 hours/Beijing, China

   Minister Po looked over the reports.  The battles in Australia and India were going poorly.  They could be salvaged, but would cost a great deal and only escalate the possibility of a nuclear exchange here at Earth.  They had lost over twenty percent of their manpower and much more in equipment.  
   The refits were progressing well.  The Tung was the last due to be finished, and she would be ready for trials in the next few days.  The Shek had arrived at Venus and would begin the upgrades as soon as the Tung cleared the slip.  There was no longer a need to keep the US and Euro ships tied up here at Earth.  Nor was there anything to be gained from continuing the ground offensive.  It would only draw away resources better used.
   It was likely the US and Euro had the basic information on the new field generators by now.  The US at least had been right on top of the Queensland facility for weeks now.  They would be too late in developing the technology to make any difference though.
   Minister Po knew he was on thin ice politically, but none of the other ministers were interested in continuing this ground war either.  With the other governments' preparing for their 'Christmas' holiday tomorrow, perhaps a cease fire followed with the complete withdrawal of Chinese troops to Chinese soil, would find them at a weak moment.  He hoped it did.  It was his only hope to regain credibility, and any power in the ministry.


//////////////////////////
Overview
I could have written more on the month storywise, but after looking at the last few multi part months, I decided that perhaps folks might like to see one month finished in one post for a change.  Otherwise, my wife has caught one typo after the fact from November that I will try to find and fix.  She also pointed out that her SS was only BG -1, and that the rules said that was what SS were and I had denied her an advancement roll for the SS because of that.  I do seem to remember her being rather ticked off after that month.

For the US, they got away with it as far as the spying went.  Didn't really help out his sis much when the chips fell on her, other than the small support in Qv for the FSC.  His fleets were about ready for what he thought he would need to go out system, so he stopped his construction and began to consider bigger ship designs.

For China, the middle boy pretty much got what he wanted also.  He figured he had the whole thing wrapped up, other than the aliens that was.  Didn't quite work out how he hoped, but that is a future post.

For the FSC, she was really struggling, and her battle against the Chinese FG almost cost her the only admiral she had.  In the end The Dutchman managed to advance a grade to Elite, and got the Courageous skill as a bonus.  She still wasn't real happy.  Don't give up on her yet.

For the Euro, she was the only one not up to anything sneaky, and seemed to still get the short end of the stick every time she turned around.  It was she who managed to keep the whole thing from turning into a nuclear nightmare for the earth.  Detente had become her forte.

I don't have the ship plans with me tonight at work, as the kids have swiped them to look over for a bit.  I will add them in as an edit in a few days.  Sorry.

Again, thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 01, 2010, 12:32:50 AM
January 2204

January 2nd  0830 hours/Pan Euro Space Station, Earth Orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir looked over the morning's status reports, and reviewed the previous day's briefings.  The war with the aliens had been horrible enough, now the battles here at Earth were taking a toll on the Pan European economy.  The enormous sums being spent on development of the magnetic protective shields, the cost of the mission to scout for/engage the aliens in the outer system (due to leave within the hour), lingering costs of the deployment of the 13th Mechanized Infantry from Germany, the burden on the civilian sector imposed by the convoying of civilian freighters, the loss of the Pallas Colony, all piled on top of the cost of constructing and maintaining the current fleet levels had combined to send the economy into the beginnings of a bad recession.  Not crippling yet, but if it continued steps would have to be taken to compensate for it.
   Jude sat in her old office on the Space Station and wondered if it was going to be worth the effort to spruce it up.  She was stuck here for the next month, as Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery was taking over the Q.E. for the mission beyond the belt.  Jude should have been on the Queen Mary by now, but the aliens' arrival at Mercury had put that behind schedule by almost a month.  For the moment she would have to make do with her office on the station.
   Jude rechecked the status reports on the fleet.  The only ship taking part in the deployment today was the Q.E.   She would be accompanying the US Task Force 2 from Earth out to the belt.  The US was also sending along one of their Survey Tenders to carry the extra supplies the mission would require for its extended deployment.  The Tender's two small Survey Craft would also come in useful for scouting ahead as the group neared areas the aliens might be located.  The Q.E. and TF-2 would move toward the belt where they would meet with the Pan Euro's 1st Battle Group.  Those were the status reports that interested Jude.  The 1st BG was still drawing extra supplies for the mission.  Supplies still enroute to the belt on civilian cargo liners.  They would arrive only hours before the 1st BG was due to leave the belt.
   The US TF-3 would be responsible for security of both the US and Pan Euro portions of the belt following the departure of the 1st BG.  That was a big risk.  The US and Pan Euro colonies were separated by fairly large distances, and the ability to respond to any crisis would likely take some time.  The presence of the US TF-1 at Mars helped to some degree, as Mars and the Pan Euro's belt colonies were currently in fairly close relation.  But it would still take time to get from Mars to the belt.  That was if the US would even release TF-1 from Mars.
   It couldn't be helped.  The mission to find the aliens was the priority.  Without it, winning was simply impossible.


   1420 hours/Venus Station, Venus orbit

   Admiral Hu signed the orders releasing the Cruiser Mao Tse Tung and the Missile Frigates Anhui and Hubei to accompany the civilian convoy to Earth.  The ships were not to activate the new magnetic systems unless fired upon.  From Earth they would accompany a second group of ships to Ceres where they would again resume their post guarding the colony.  The Missile Frigates Shangxi and Henan would then accompany the convoy's return to Earth, and then back to Venus.
   The Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek was beginning her refits to mount the new protective systems, along with an overhaul of her short ranged missile bays to convert them over to the long range missiles.  It was not an extensive plan, but would still take two months to complete.  The Tung was to remain a mixed platform for both short and long range missiles, while the Shek would become a long range platform only.  Although the new protective systems should allow the Tung to close with the alien ships, it was felt that if the engagement was to turn against the Cruisers, that keeping the Shek in a position from which she could disengage would be preferred over losing both of China's heavy ships.
   Repairs of the Yunnan at Earth were progressing slowly, as the damage she had incurred with the two FSC ships had turned out to be extensive.  Installation of the new protective system was also to occur along with the repairs, but was moving slowly due to the need for secrecy.
   Secrecy was a major concern for China, but even within the tight controls of the military some quiet rumors were circulating.  Rumors that the Venus Station would soon begin construction of a third Cruiser to join the first two, and of another Frigate also.  But most interesting were the rumors that Chinese designers were putting together the plans for an even larger class of ship.  That China would build more Cruisers and Frigates was likely.  They were a proven design.  But there was no official word on an even larger ship.  If that was even possible.


January 5th  2050 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters rested in his office.  The day had been long, and the meetings tedious.  Little new was on the table to work with.  Status of the deployment of Task Force 2.  The (limited) progress of the work on the alien magnetic protective fields.  Convoy and resupply updates.  Training updates.  Nothing to raise one's spirits.
   Most concerning was the massive surge in colonists to Mars.  Large bond sales and transfers of assets to civilian interests were funding a large push to increase colonization of the US's largest off world holding.  The number of colonists had increased by 500 percent over the normal rate of immigration to the red planet.  This could help the economy in the long term, but with the deployment of Task Force 2 for the next two months, the ability of the US to defend the rapidly growing colony was in question.  The population on Mars was well over 6 million and climbing.  At least a quarter of a million new colonists were due to arrive in January alone.  If the aliens were to attack there, the results could be devastating.
   It also served to tie down Task Force 1 at the planet.  Leaving the colony and shipyards unguarded was unthinkable.
   The fact that the Pan Euro ship Red October was responsible for the safety of the colonists moving from Earth to Mars left the Admiral more than a little uneasy.  The Euro was already stretched thin financially and militarily.  Would they actually risk the loss of a ship to save US colonist.  Bradley doubted it.


January 6th  0020 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home One (Eris)

   The Elders' greeted the news uneasily.  The communication arrays had been silent for too long.  It was confirmed that no more colonization ships would arrive.  Any ships left would have answered the broadcasts by turning on the support systems and returning signals to the New Homes.  The New Homes were now on their own.
   The colonies had received a fleet equal to the one that had been used to conquer the Home System, enough colonists to emplace five substantial New Homes, and supplies to allow them to establish themselves without drawing unduly on the New Homes' infrastructure.  It had been assumed that this would be enough.
   That assumption had not entertained the thought of a system as vast as the one the colonization fleet had found themselves in.  Let alone the possibility that it could hold a race capable of such resistance.  An Assault Vessel had been lost.  That had never happened in the conquest of the Home System.  Only five of the great ships were left, and two were even now heading towards the inner parts of this new system.  That left two of the newest colonies without the power of an Assault Vessel to protect them.
   The newest Home had finished the emplacement of the population and was well on its way to constructing the factories and industry that would allow it to assume its share of the burden this conflict with the native race was creating.  The colony ships that had brought them were even now scattered out to the various New Homes to be scrapped and salvaged for parts and materials to use in new construction.
   If Combat Group 3 failed in its mission to subdue the native race and exterminate them, it was likely those parts would be needed in the near future.


   1330 hours/Attack Escort Cynthia, Asteroid Belt

   Captain Giovanni Vetra double checked the progress on loading the cargo section.  Any loose materials would destroy the ship when the drive engaged.  And there was a lot of cargo.  Usually the Cynthia only carried enough for current operations, and perhaps an extra week.  They would constantly resupply from civilian ships or at the colonies.  Less in the hold meant less to go wrong.
   This time they were packing in enough to keep the Cynthia going for the next two months solid.  Where they were going there wouldn't be any civilian ships, let alone a friendly colony.  The only thing that might be living out there would be the aliens, and they wouldn't be friendly.  The US Survey Tender was carrying extra supplies in case a ship was damaged and lost the contents of its hold, or if the group was delayed in returning from the outer planets.  Of course if the Survey Tender was destroyed, pickings might get a little thin before they got home.
   The roster of ships setting out on this little excursion was impressive.  More than the Pan Euro and US had gathered together in one place before.  Twelve combat ships in total.  Giovanni had been very satisfied to see that the Queen Elizabeth was also to make the journey.  He had hoped to see the Q.E. crush the aliens ever since he had seen her in the Mercury Shipworks.  This would be that chance.  Between the Pan Euro 1st Battle Group and US Task Force 2 they would be able to face down any alien attack group that had yet been seen.  The one that had attacked the Chinese colony at Ceres would be tough, but Giovanni was sure that they would be able to take it out.  Even without the heavy Chinese ships to support the attack.
   The Pan Euro's Mobile Shipyard 2 had also arrived to make the journey.  It would be able to ensure that whatever ships were damaged would be able to make it back to Earth, if there was any way possible to get that done.  Regardless of how powerful this combined group was, the Earth couldn't afford to lose any more ships than they had to.  Not until the aliens were gone.
   Satisfied that the cargo was secure, Giovanni made his way back towards the bridge.  It would take a bit to double check the astrogation for the upcoming days.  Clearing the asteroid fields was the most dangerous section for the moment.  The time consumed as the group made its way to Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and finally Saturn on the way back would give ample opportunity to check over those sections of the course plot.  For now just getting out of the belt was the important part.  Giovanni wanted to see the alien ships die.  Crashing into a big floating rock wasn't part of that plan.


January 9th  0900 hours/Mary Reed, South African Shipyards

   The Dutchman checked on the progress of the repairs.  The Mary Reed had been handled roughly, and getting her landed in South Africa wasn't one of his fonder memories.  But the ship had held together, and was slowly beginning to look more like her old self.
   She needed to.  She was the FSC's last armed vessel.  Until money was freed up, there weren't going to be any others built.  It had been enough of a battle with the 'company' heads just to get the Mary repaired.  They had even talked of scrapping her to help pay for bills the battles in Australia and India had made.  The Dutchman had promised to scuttle her in the repair hanger before he let that happen.  The possibility of another nuclear detonation at the only remaining FSC construction facility had stopped that talk right quick.
   With the Mary Reed down for repairs, and the Kestrel and Marie Celeste gone, FSC civilian lines had come to an almost complete halt.  The only ships moving were the few that had been able to get into the convoys the Euro Red October was escorting.  Even with the cease fire and withdrawal of Chinese troops, nobody wanted to trust that the Chinese wouldn't shoot a lone FSC cargo ship in deep space.  For the moment the FSC, rich and poor alike, were going to have to live on a shoe string budget.
   The Dutchman didn't mind.  There was little that a cyborg actually needed.  And when he did need something, well, most folks weren't going to argue with a cyborg.  Not if they wanted to live.


January 10th  1055 hours/Queen Elizabeth, 12 light minutes from Jupiter

   Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery looked over the data displayed on her monitor.  The scout from the US Survey Tender had returned.  It had scanned the space around Jupiter and returned with no findings that hadn't already been cataloged.  Empty moons and space, with a few floating pieces of debris from earlier battles fought around the giant planet.  No alien presence detected in space or on the surface of any moon.  A short scan of the surface of the gas giant itself had even been conducted to ensure that the aliens didn't try to build installations in that god awful environment.
   It had all been negative.  That was good.  That meant the aliens had to come farther to attack the belt or inner planets than the short trip from Jupiter.  The next stop was considerably farther out.  It had also been the sight of an alien contact.  And a battle.  Elizabeth wasn't going to forget June 23rd and the battle that had taken place at Uranus.  She and the 1st Battle Group had won that time.
   She wondered if her luck would hold out if it happened again.


January 12th  0945 hours/Wiesbaden, Germany

   Feldwebel Tanja Frank couldn't remember much.  It was all a blur.  She was somewhere white, with lots of rustling, beeping, and talking.  She could remember a few faces, but no names.  No idea where she was, other than maybe a hospital.
   Her mom had just been here.  That she could remember.  Maybe.  It might have been a dream.  And she wasn't sure everything she saw was real.  Real or not, she was glad to see her mom.
   She hurt all over.  Not just a little.  Tanja was fairly sure that they - whoever 'they' were - gave her medicine for the pain that made things fuzzy.  It sometimes made her feel sick.  She hadn't felt really sick for a while now.  That was nice.
   She tried to sit up and found out she couldn't.  It felt like something was holding her down.  She tried to feel what was holding her and couldn't find anything.  Her hand was so numb it was hard to tell what she was feeling.  She held her hand up and tried to focus on it.  Tried to make the fuzziness go away.
   Tanja saw that she still had her powered armor on.  Why would they leave that on?  Was it stuck?  Burned on?  She looked closer to see if she could tell why it was still on and saw that it wasn't her old armor.  It was a grey-black in color and much less bulky.  She suddenly felt cold as she realized it wasn't armor she was wearing.
   Her mom had told her she would be alright; they had been able to save her.  That she was just glad her little girl was still alive.
   She grabbed the small metal trapeze above her and watched as the metal crushed and twisted in her hand.  
   She stared at the hand.  She wasn't really her mom's little girl anymore.


January 19th  2105 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 23 light seconds from Jupiter

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could feel the approaching contacts through his ship's sensors.  It was a large group.  The Combat Group that they had been ordered to meet.  Patrol Vessel 17 was repaired now, and going through the proscribed trials to ensure that all the systems worked.  The ships of the Combat Group would stop here for some time yet to allow the newest ships time to finish their trials also.  Then they would be ready to destroy the habitats of the native race.
   The Combat Group would finish trials, and then meet the Mining Vessel that would come in to this system's debris field to gather materials.  They would resupply from the Mining Vessel and then proceed with the attack.  Soon all would be ready.
   Something was different about this Combat Group the Commander noted.  The Commander knew the Assault Vessels, Combat Vessels, and Patrol Vessels he could sense through his ship.  Two of the ships were not any of these.  Or any other ship he had sensed.  They were something new, perhaps made purely to deal with this new race.
   Perhaps this attack would be more successful.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 hoped so.  It had been long since they had defeated the native race.


January 21st  0110 hours/Interceptor Mk IIa S. Grant, 12 light minutes from Uranus

   Rear Admiral Matthew Thomas locked his station on the bridge.  Lander Seven had returned with data showing no further alien presence at Uranus.  The ruins were still there, but no activity was noted anywhere that the Lander had gone.  Granted with the little ship's short sensor range the aliens could have slipped around her indefinitely, with just about any ship they might have at Uranus.  But they couldn't hide the moons.
   Task Force 2 wasn't out to hunt down alien ships.  They would have to deal with the alien ships eventually, but the main goal was to find alien colonies.  These damned things had to be coming from somewhere.  Where was the question.
   Vice Admiral Avery of the Pan Euro was in command, but Matt knew what the next order was going to be.  He didn't see the point in waiting.  He keyed in the order for all ships in US TF-2 to prep for acceleration.  She would want to start the trip to Neptune as soon as she could.  The group had limited supplies, and it was going to be a long trip even if they didn't run into anything.  If the group did find the aliens, it was going to take a bit longer to get home.
   Assuming that they did.


January 26th  0630 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Lieutenant Commander Meagan Ryan made one last check of her uniform, and then started down the corridor for the morning briefing.  She had been promoted, but still had the same lousy quarters.  On the station she was still on the bottom end of the rank structure.  She had never seen so much brass in one place as she did on the station.
   She was actually looking forward to the briefing.  She had good news.  The techs on the ground had made significant progress on the protective field generators.  The techs had started nicknaming them 'shields'.  Apparently old sci-fi movies had something like the alien's system that they called 'shields'.  The name reminded Meagan of ancient warriors.  Whatever.
   Word from TF-2 was that they were finding nothing.  It wasn't making Admiral Walters very happy.  It was hard to tell how a cyborg felt, but she had learned to read her father over the years.  Admiral Walters was different, but she was fairly sure she could tell when he wasn't pleased with how things were going.  This was one of those times.
   It now looked like they would be able to field the new 'shields' in the next two or three months.  That would give the politicians on the ground time to put together the funds and resources to begin the refits that all the Interceptors would eventually have to undergo.
   Meagan also knew that if the US was this close, it was likely the Chinese would field the system soon, if they hadn't already.  She hoped they were as strapped for cash as the US was, and that the defense of Ceres was keeping them tied down.  If they had gotten those big ships overhauled, the US shield project was going to be too little too late.


January 30st 2235 hours/Combat Vessel 2, 22 light seconds from Neptune

   The Commander of Combat Vessel 2 felt the ship hum as the mass driver warmed up.  The native race was learning from their time fighting.  They had sent a small craft ahead to scout for an enemy presence.  The small ship didn't seem to have much sensor range, as the Combat Vessel was only a little over 2 light seconds behind it, and the tiny scout was making no attempts to evade.
   It would have to be destroyed, as it was headed directly toward the Fleet Base at New Home Three.  It could not be allowed to reach the New Home.  The enemy would realize that the area was defended, but would not know what was waiting for them.  Or how valuable the area was.
   The Commander of Combat Vessel 2 felt the immense magnetic 'flash' as the mass driver engaged.  He could not sense the projectile.  It moved to fast for the sensors to track as it moved away from the ship.  It would give the enemy scout no time to signal it had been attacked.  The only indication of its presence was the detonation that the sensors picked up. The enemy craft disappeared in a nuclear detonation caused by the impact.
   It would only be a matter of time before the native race came to see what had happened to their small scout.


January 31st  0315 hours/Queen Elizabeth, 12 light minutes from Neptune

   Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery could almost feel the crew’s tension.  The US ship's boat should have reported in over an hour ago.  They had not reported any drive problems, or radio issues.   If the radio transmitter was down, they would not be able to broadcast, but that was unlikely.
   The group would wait for the next 24 hours to see if the scout returned, but if it did not it could only mean one thing.  Elizabeth had fought the aliens near Uranus as they had tried to defend a small colony there.  She had seen how hard they fought to protect their civilian populations.  The destruction that the US had rained upon that colony would only strengthen that resolve.  Most likely their defenses also.
   Her thoughts drifted back to September, and the battle that had been fought near Ceres.  How Esme and the entire 2nd Battle Group had sacrificed themselves.  US and FSC ships had joined them in giving the rest of the Euro and Chinese ships a chance to win.  Died to protect those who couldn't protect themselves.
   The aliens had also seen the price of defeat.  She was sure they would be capable of the same sacrifice.



///////////////////////////////////
Overview

Sorry for the wait, this last week holds a pair of birthdays for my family and that takes up one's time.  Pleasantly though.  I enjoy being spoiled.

The ship designs for the battle in December are as follows:

Chinese Ships
Attack Frigate Yunnan         FG   22HS
[2]A A A A A A A Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ga Ga Qa (Cp) [6/1]

FSC Ships
Converted Freighter Mary Reed (BG +1)   FT2   16HS
[2]A Qv Qv Qv H H La Ra Qa (Cp) [4/1]

Converted Fast Freighter Kestrel      FT1   12HS
[2]H H H A H H Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

If anyone is interested in battling it out between the Shek/Yunnan/PDC's and the combined Euro/US/FSC group, let me know and I may post those on the comment thread if someone asks. The group tried it once way after the fact, but it ended up turning into a nuke fest of the planet.  Good thing it never happened, huh.

 
This month was the quiet before the storm.
 
The Pan Euro (my wife) continued on her string of bad luck and got an economic recession on the random events rolls.  It cost her 2% of her income, and would continue for some time before it resolved itself.  She still managed to make the necessary expenditures for the 1st BG to travel out system, but she had to sell IU just to make ends meet for the month.  She was looking hard at February - what she could cut out of the budget.  Her end of month roll for December had moved her up to EL2, but it really didn't seem to make much difference with all the prepaid maintenance, recession cost, and convoy costs.  The game wasn't leaving her with a happy face very often.

The FSC was even worse off.  The invasion had shut down her income for a month and left the oldest girl with only her treasury to work off of for the most part.  She even stopped EL Research for January just to make the repairs on the Mary Reed.  THAT was a tough decision.  I am pretty sure she was talking to her mom looking for a loan.  Too bad the Euro was also hurting for MC's.  This made two months lost on shield research for her.  This was the darkest days of the FSC.

The US was holding its own financially and fleet-wise.  They were the smallest of the three powers, but the oldest boy was thrilled when he made one of the rolls for getting shields done.  He knew his younger brother likely had finished, but was hoping he could get finished before China decided it was safe to attack the other players.  He was also making monthly rolls for EL increase, and decided to ramp up colonization to capitalize on any EL increase.  He knew sinking money into Mars was a risk if the aliens showed up, but the returns were worth it to him.  He didn't get to EL2 this month though.

The middle boy (China) was just letting his ships get over the shakedown period before he started his move.  I'm pretty sure he was planning to make a grab for power, but I never did get to find out for sure.  He was definitely in position to do it.  February just got in the way.

The next month (Feb 2204) is the one to watch.  It’s plain to see that the pieces are set.  The boxers have run the first few rounds feeling things out.  Bloodying each other’s noses.  Now the battle would begin in earnest.  Most of the turns up to now were done in a few days.  Never much more than a week.  Even the big battle for Ceres hadn't gone much longer than that.  Turn 14 took over a month.  A month of long faces, quiet conversations amongst the players, and back room deals and compromises.  This month will not be done in one post, or two.  I'm not sure how many it will take, but I plan to try and take my time and do it well.  Hope you enjoy reading it as much as the players struggled with playing it.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 03, 2010, 02:08:08 AM
February 2204  part 1/Prelude

February 1st  0210 hours/Attack Escort Cynthia, 12 light minutes from Neptune

   Captain Giovanni Vetra looked over the sensor returns.  The scout was now overdue.  There had been no word from the crew since departure.  The US crew of Lander 7 had been punctual to a fault in the last two scouting missions.  They were gone.  Giovanni just knew it.
   It would be only a short time before Vice Admiral Avery ordered the group to prep for acceleration.  Only this time they wouldn't set course towards the next planet to be scouted.  They would move toward Neptune.  And whatever had destroyed the US Lander.
   Giovanni looked over the sensor contacts again.  The returns of the ships in the combined US and Pan Euro group dotted the screen.  Small names displayed beside the icons.  His eyes kept straying back to one.  The Rachel Pierce.  She had joined the 1st Battle Group a few days after Christmas.  
   Memories of Rachel haunted him every time he saw her name.  Memories of a time when they had been school mates.  And then more.  Plans that had fallen away after the accident that had left him a 'borg.
   She had volunteered to join the Pan Euro military.  Went through the training to become an officer and then volunteered for space duty.  Giovanni could remember the many times he had tried to talk her out of it.  She had always been stubborn like that.  And she had always been there for him, whatever the cost.
   They had stayed close.  Often served together.  When they hadn't been posted together, they had always stayed in touch.  Took leave together.  Rachel had even been his XO for three years before she got her own command.  Giovanni had never imagined a world without her.
   Listening to her last transmissions had torn away more of him than the accident ever could have.
   Somewhere ahead were alien ships.  Somewhere was the ship that had taken away his Rachel.  If he had to destroy every last alien ship to make sure, he was going to send that ship to hell.


   0715 hours/Queen Mary, Pan Euro Space Station, Mercury orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir sat in her station.  The ship was due to clear the slip within the hour, and she wanted to be on board when it did.  Jude knew she could have waited for the Queen Mary at Earth, but the temptation to take the Q.M. out for her first run was just too much.  Now it would also help to keep her from dwelling on things she couldn't change.
   The transmission from Vice Admiral Avery had been received only minutes ago.  There had been no contact with the US scout.  They were moving towards Neptune to ascertain what had prevented the Lander from returning.  That message was four hours old when Jude saw it.  It would still be another 20 hours before Elizabeth would reach the planet.  It would then take another four hours for the transmissions of what happened to reach the inner system.   The only reason the US Lander wouldn't have returned would be the aliens.  There would be a battle.  And that battle would likely be long over before Jude heard that it had begun.
   Twenty four hours to worry about something she couldn't affect.  Something she couldn't change.  But something that could change everything.
   Jude tapped the arm of her chair.  Twenty four hours.


   1940 hours/Interceptor Mk IIa J. Hancock, dark side of asteroid belt near Ceres

   Rear Admiral Joshua Campbell wondered how badly Admiral Walters was going to chew him out.  He should have checked the convoy flight plans.  It was too late now.  At least he could run the dark side of the belt to try and make it look like he wasn't overlapping security coverage unnecessarily.
   Right now the Pan Euro Armed Science Vessel Red October was just a few light minutes away, escorting a convoy through the belt.  Josh had been rather embarrassed to have 'caught and intercepted' the 'contact' out here in the belt.  He now regretted the hasty transmissions to Earth about finding an 'unknown' contact.
   A new light on Josh's monitor caught his attention.  The Sensor Conn had caught a new contact almost dead ahead.  The Red October would have had to wander quite a bit off course to be out here.  Perhaps the shepherd had lost one of her sheep, and it was a freighter that had strayed off course.  Could be a Chinese ship - they were close to Ceres after all.  Josh keyed in for all ships to lock stations, but decided he didn't need to send off a message to Earth just yet. They had time to get a better ID.
   "Sir, we have an active drive bloom.  Two.  No, three blooms.  Contact is now three contacts.  Contacts One and Two now showing magnetic field deployment."  Josh listened as the Sensor Officer rattled off more data on the contacts, but he wasn't listening.  This wasn't a lost freighter.  And he needed to send that message now.


   1947 hours/Missile Frigate Anhui, asteroid belt near Ceres

   Captain Chen Ming keyed in orders for the helm to bring the ship hard about.  The contacts had come from nowhere.  The Frigates were supposed to have waited in the belt near Ceres, while the Tung had remained near the colony.  If the aliens had returned in force, the Tung would have fallen back and drawn the aliens into an ambush by the Missile Frigates.  But the Tung hadn't made first contact, and it was the ambushers who had been surprised.
   Worse, Chen knew that assuming the contacts had been aliens traveling with their protective fields down was a mistake.  Moments after the Frigates' protective fields had been raised the contacts had begun open radio broadcasts.  The encryption was undecipherable, but it was undoubtedly Euro or US transmissions.  To make bad into horrible -  the resupply vessel had just arrived when the contacts had showed up.  It was now running with the Frigates to avoid the pursuing ships.
   The contacts were too far back in the asteroid field to identify who they were, or even how many there were accurately.  They were persistent though.  For the last 10 minutes they had chased the Frigates.  Even turning off the magnetic generators hadn't thrown them off the trail.  Luckily the civilian freighter was a fast model and had been able to keep up.  Admiral Zhu would have ordered it destroyed if the small ship had been too slow.  Admiral Zhu had given a new order though.  One that was forcing the Anhui and Hubei to change course drastically.
   They were to break out of the belt on the dark side and make a run for deep space.  They were to see how far this US or Euro patrol would pursue them.  Hope that the group would worry about an ambush in deep space, or that they were leaving their colonies unprotected.  Much like Ceres and the Tung would be now.  Every moment took the Frigates farther and farther away.
   Captain Chen hoped there weren't any real aliens close by.  It was complicated enough at the moment.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 10, 2010, 01:31:33 AM
February 2204 part 2  /Of Stars and Shattered Ships

February 2nd  0332 hours/Queen Elizabeth, 8 light seconds from Neptune

   Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery scoured the sensor returns for any hint of activity.  The readings had shown a large energy signature on Triton, one commensurate with a sizable settlement.  Triton and Proteus both lay on the far side of Neptune for the moment, as the Pan Euro and US groups approached from the opposite side of the planet.  No drive blooms or artificial magnetic signatures were anywhere to be seen, but Elizabeth wasn't ready to believe that the aliens would leave a colony unguarded.  They were here somewhere.  Where was the question.
   Elizabeth keyed in orders for the Q.E.'s ships' boat to be launched.  The aliens had used small craft to flush out hiding ships before, and it worked.  'No reason not to learn from your enemies.' she mused as the sensor returns began to track the small craft on its way towards the planet.
   Elizabeth relayed orders to the comm for the ships of the combined US and Pan Euro group to take up an orbit around the planet at 5 light seconds distance.  Although only cruising at one third of max combat speed, it only took seconds for the new course to bring Triton and its large energy signature back into view.  But still no movement or ships.  Wait.  New returns were coming back.  Elizabeth watched the sensor updates on her monitor as objects orbiting Triton were identified.  The distance was still too great to clearly track what they were, or even how many there were.  But there were objects there.
   Elizabeth had begun to court the idea that perhaps they had caught the aliens with their guard down when her monitor blossomed with flashing lights.  The sensors had recorded a detonation at one and a half light seconds from Neptune, and the ship's boat was gone.  Launches were being detected from just outside the atmosphere of Neptune, and multiple drive blooms and magnetic field deployments were being detected from near Triton.  So much for surprise.  Elizabeth keyed in orders for the group to increase the orbital course out to 6 light seconds, and watched as sensor returns showed three alien weapons detonating well behind the Q.E.
   Sensor returns showed that two of the ships near Triton were Alphas, and that a Delta and Foxtrot class were parked just above the atmosphere of Neptune itself.  The big ships were holding their position, but the Alphas were coming about on an intercept course.  The 1st Battle Group was in the lead, and would enter weapons range of the Alphas within the next 60 seconds.  The two US Missile Escorts were in formation alongside the Q.E., while the US Interceptors were the trailing element.  Distance between the groups was just short of one light second, to avoid the drive blooms of the leading ships from damaging the ones behind.
   The two big alien ships were out of range, but there were five other drive blooms that didn't show the normal magnetic signature of the alien combat ships.  Two had appeared near the Delta, and the other three were moving along with the Alphas.  None had been cataloged before, and the two closest alien vessels weren't firing - even though they were in range.  That wasn't stopping the US Interceptors from launching on the closest alien ships though.  The sensors picked up the drive detonations of the US missiles, and then the detonation an alien ship.  A large detonation.  It was obvious that the 'unarmed' ships were simply flying bombs.
   The Q.E. and the 1st BG had reached 6 light seconds from Neptune,  but the US Interceptors were still lingering at just over 5 light seconds as they continued to launch missiles on the closest 'unarmed' contact.  The alien Delta and Foxtrot were launching on the Interceptors as they lit up their drives and began to pull away from the planet.  The two Alphas were slowing down as the three ships with them continued on towards 1st BG.    It was clear now to Elizabeth.  The aliens were going to use these 'flying bombs' as cannon fodder, to draw the US and Pan Euro fire while the alien combat ships engaged her group.  Long range launches were already beginning to detonate near the US group.
   Elizabeth made a decision.  She keyed in commands for all fire to be directed at the enemy combat vessels.  The unarmed ships were to be evaded but not fired upon at this time.  She noticed the blue-grey haze disappear as the drive cut out on the Q.E. while the missile bays opened and launched.  As soon as the bays closed the drive flared to life.  Elizabeth's monitor showed that 2000 kilometers away the US Missile Escort Eagle had broken apart under the impact of several alien weapon detonations.  If they didn't start taking out the alien warships, the rest of the group wasn't going to end up any better.   Elizabeth watched as the sensors tracked the missiles of the Q.E. and 1st BG as they closed on one of the Alphas and then detonated one after another along the ships course, trying to pinpoint where in space the ship would be as the waves of superheated gases rocketed out from the missile detonations.  She noted with satisfaction that the ship had lost its drive, and was now coasting, and then wanted to curse as the sensors picked up another launch from the damaged ship.
   The US Interceptors were launching on the Foxtrot, but the big ship's protective fields were shrugging off the detonations as it accelerated towards the Q.E.  The Q.E. lurched as the engines cut out.  Lights flashed before Elizabeth and a storm of clouds ripped by her.  As the scene cleared she could see that most of the forward part of the bridge section was gone, and the aft section was a mass of twisted metal.  Only two of the seventeen bridge crew were still at their stations, and one of them couldn't still be alive.  Damn.  How could it get worse?  Elizabeth tried to get her monitor to turn back on, but discovered most of the keypad was missing, along with the lower half of her right arm.  She plugged the auxiliary port on her left hand into the link on her station and hoped the connection was still up.  Lights flooded her sight as the link booted up.  Thank god for small favors.
   As status prompts filled her vision she wondered if ignorance would have been better. Two thirds of the particle accelerators were off line or destroyed, and all four of the launch bays were either destroyed or damaged.  The magazines had vented the last of the missiles into space to allow the drive to reengage.  The comm system was down, as was most of the sensor array. Looking over the damage lists she wondered how in the hell the ship was even still there.  The drive shield had managed to survive, and the ship was moving.  With only her forefinger to control the cursor and prompts, she quickly plotted a course and locked it in.  The drive cut out and maneuver thrusters fired as the ship changed course.  Then blue grey again as the drive fired.  She could see the stars through the gaping hole in the forward section.  The countless points of light were beautiful.  Elizabeth realized that she had been in space for decades now, and had never actually stopped to look at the stars in all that time.
   From the little sensor data she could get, Elizabeth could see that the US Interceptors were closing on the Delta and Foxtrot, but the big ships had been coming about to bear down on the US group.  The US data analysts had shown that those ships packed a powerful mass driver, but that it could only be deployed on the heading the ships' were moving on.  They couldn't be allowed to bring those weapons to bear on the little US ships.  They needed another target, a big important target.  Something that could buy the Interceptors a chance to close, and bring the lasers that would pass through the alien magnetic fields unhindered a chance to fire.  As the Delta and Foxtrot again changed course to face the Q.E. Elizabeth knew it was going to work.  She would never be able to see the incoming death, as it moved to fast for the sensors to track.  The sensors were tracking a number of inbound missiles from the two big ships, and then she realized that three more inbounds were appearing from near Triton.  It appeared that three of the five structures still orbiting the moon were armed.  At least they were firing on the Q.E.  The other Pan Euro and US ships might still have some chance.  Elizabeth felt pride as she noted that the 1st BG had finished off the damaged Alpha, and that the second Alpha was only moments away from joining the first.  Then sadness as she realized the Anastasia was gone.  Her flagship for the last 6 years, and the crew that had worked and trained so hard, were gone.
   The hole in the hull lit up as if a dozen camera bulbs had gone off in rapid succession.  One had been particularly bright.  Then the sensors cleared.
   NO!  WHY!  The little US Missile Escort had cut between the inbounds and the Q.E.  The Hawk had been ripped apart in a storm of fire that would have shredded even the great Chinese ships.  She had died protecting a ship that was supposed to have died protecting her.
   Elizabeth watched, knowing the aliens would have realized that the Q.E. wasn't launching anymore, wasn't a threat.  But they weren't turning.  It was too late for the aliens.  The US ships were already banking hard around the big vessels, giving them no chance to bring the big weapons to bear. One of the alien flying bombs detonated as the Interceptor J. Davis passed, but other than a momentary interruption of the drive bloom, the Davis seemed undamaged.  Then it was the Foxtrot's turn to stutter its drive.  Over and over.  Elizabeth noted with satisfaction that the big ship's protective field was gone, and the ship was slowing and trying to disengage.  The Davis had disappeared as missiles from the bases around Triton tore the ship apart, but the three remaining US ships weren't breaking off.  Her group was being torn apart, but in moments the only alien ship left would be the Delta.
   

   0341 hours/Interceptor MkIIa S. Grant, near Neptune

   Rear Admiral Matthew Thomas had only a moment to note that the Euro flagship was gone.  He was too busy.  He had spent the last few minutes trying to assume command of the battle that was raging.  The Grant now had to both act as flagship and still fight the damned aliens.  The Foxtrot was taking a pounding, and still launching.  But only one missile instead of two, and her heading made it impossible to target the US group with the mass drivers she carried.  Assuming they even still worked.  But the bases close to Triton were pouring in missiles.
   Matt felt the ship stutter as the Grant launched another missile and discharged the laser capacitors.  Sensors recorded the drive interruptions and venting from the Foxtrot as the US ships fired again and again.  The alien ship finally came apart as its drive shield shattered and the drive bloom vaporized the ship.  The T. Roosevelt was also gone though, a victim of its own drive bloom and the alien missiles from the moon.
   Matt programmed in course changes to bring the Interceptors about again, and waited for firing solutions on the Delta to be completed.  The Euro Attack Escorts were turned away from the planet, running before the alien suicide ships.  They were still launching at the Delta, but the rapidly increasing range was ruining their chances of crippling the last alien ship.
   Sensor returns showed that the Lincoln had gotten the firing solution first, as the Delta was venting damage. Her protective field was still up, but the lasers didn't care as the pulse shattered plating and hull.  The Delta vented again as the Grant's laser found her target also.  As Euro missiles detonated around the alien ship, the magnetic signature also disappeared.
   'It's almost over for the Delta now, just a few more minutes', thought Matt.
   The Interceptors Lincoln and Grant disappeared as the next wave of alien missiles detonated around them.


   0343 hours/Attack Escort Cynthia, 7.5 light seconds from Neptune

   Captain Giovanni Vetra watched as three alien ships pursued the remnants of 1st Battle Group while the Delta launched over and over.  The Anastasia had been destroyed in the first few minutes fighting the Alphas, and the Suzette had just been torn apart by attacks from the Delta.  The Q.E. and all the US ships were gone.  It was just the Attack Escorts Cynthia, Mary Queen of Scots, and the Rachel Pierce.  They couldn't win now.  Between the Delta and the three orbital weapons platforms near Triton there was just no chance.  Giovanni seethed inside as he knew all they could do now was disengage and hope to escape alive.
   The damned flying bombs behind the 1st BG were still closing.  They must have their drives running way past what the ships were designed for he hoped.  The Mary QoS. changed course again and the Cynthia followed suit.  Giovanni knew the course changes would only buy them a little more time.  They couldn't outrun the aliens and still launch on the Delta effectively.  Giovanni keyed in orders to the helm and waited.
   The Rachel and Mary pulled ahead slightly as the Cynthia reduced output on the particle accelerators.  If the Cynthia could draw the flying bombs off slightly, it would give the Rachel and Mary a chance to engage the Delta effectively.  The Cynthia suddenly lurched as damage icons sprang to life across Giovanni's monitor.  The hull was breached and the cargo section was venting, but the launch bay was still up.  The three little ships were still closing so it had to be that damned high speed mass driver the Delta's carried.  Giovanni watched the sensor returns as the Cynthia launched another missile at the Delta, and the alien ships closed.
   The sensor returns blacked out as one alien ship after another detonated around the Cynthia.  When only the small backup sensors came on line Giovanni knew that the long range array was gone.  Reports showed that the missile bay was damaged also.  One of the alien suicide ships was still there, but drifting.  Its drive must have burned out as it made the attack run. The Delta was slowing down from the damage the Attack Escorts' missiles had caused, but she was still coming.  Still launching.
   The Cynthia's drive and helm were still undamaged, and Giovanni changed course once again.  The Cynthia was beyond the orbital bases' range - they had stopped launching on the 1st BG several minutes ago, and with no suicide ships pursuing her, there was only one thing left the Cynthia could do.  Giovanni keyed in a course to bring the Cynthia around.  Take the ship right back at the Delta.  Let them know they weren't the only ones willing to destroy their own ship to take out the enemy.  Force the aliens to fire on the only ship that couldn't fire on them.  
   The Delta disappeared as the Mary and Rachel's missiles found their target, but the last alien missile was still bearing down on the Cynthia.  Giovanni waited as the moments passed.  His Rachel was gone, but at least the ship that carried her name would live on to avenge her.

   0345 hours/ Space near Neptune

   The wreckage of two battle groups drifted as a pair of ships moved away from the planet Neptune.  Four missiles slipped silently through the debris and dispatched the last drifting ship of the race that lived on the moon there.  Amidst the shattered ships lay the shattered hopes of two races - hopes that this war could be won quickly and decisively.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 11, 2010, 04:37:52 AM
February 2204  part 3/ Interlude

February 2nd 0910 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon leaned her head against the monitor screen.  She knew that the bridge crew could see her, but that seemed like such a small concern now.  The message from the Attack Escort Mary Queen of Scots had arrived only a short while ago.  The encryption had taken time to decode, but Brenna had already known what it would be.  The only reason that the Mary QoS would be sending the message was that no one else was left to.  That hadn't turned out to be entirely true, as the Rachel Pierce had also survived, but it didn't really matter.  The 3rd Battle Group was the last Battle Group of the Pan Euro now.  Along with the Queen Mary and Red October, they were all that was left of what had been Earth's premier combat force.  With Vice Admirals Avery and Jurkat gone, Brenna was now second in command of the Pan Euro Space Combat Arm.  Or what was left of it.
   Not that it mattered.  The writing was on the wall for the Pan Euro.  There were no other Battle Groups to take the fight to the aliens.  Even now that an alien colony had been located, there was nothing left that could be spared for an attack.  Not when the largest combined group of US and Pan Euro ships had been unsuccessful and nearly destroyed.  The US still had two Task Forces, but how could one succeed where twice as many ships had failed.  All that could be done now was to protect what was left.  Counter the inevitable alien attacks.  But it could only prolong the end.  
   For the first time Brenna could see the end of her very long life.  And along with it, the rest of the human race.


   1235 hours/US Space Station

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked over every detail of the report from the Survey Tender.  The US Task Force was gone, but so were all of the mobile alien assets at Neptune.  It would take nearly half a year to try and replace the loss of Task Force 2, and even longer to train the crews.  The remaining US Task Forces were spread thin to try and defend against the alien menace.  But the aliens had lost more than just a handful of ships over the past few months also.  They had to be getting drawn thin.  That was the only reason Admiral Walters was even considering this.
   An hour ago Lieutenant Commander Meagan Ryan had come into his office with a coded transmission from her father.  She had looked pale, unsettled, and very concerned.  More concerned than what the loss of Task Force 2 should have meant to a young woman.  Enough that he had looked at the transmission as soon as Meagan had left.
   In the transmission Rear Admiral Jack Ryan had laid out a plan.  A daring and horrible plan.  The risk was great.  Almost too great.  Jack had laid out the course plots to take Task Force 1 from Mars to Neptune in barely 10 days.  Jack had set a new standard at the Academy with his Astrogation Course marks, but even so it would push the ships to their limit.  But they might be able to get to Neptune before the aliens were able to reinforce it.  The data showed only three stationary bases near the moon Triton.  With the two remaining Pan Euro Attack Escorts, Task Force 1 might be able to clear the last of Triton's defenses.  Do what had to be done to shut down the alien's ability to wage this war.
   The Pan Euro was down to its last Battle Group, but they were the best.  They were the ones who would stand between the Earth and any alien attackers.  Task Force 3 would have to guard the belt, while Mars Station would be on its own.  If the aliens were to attack, it would be a poor defense at best.  Unless the Chinese intervened, neither the US or Euro would have the resources to turn an attack back.  And the Chinese weren't likely to help.
   Admiral Walters typed out the orders, and hoped Meagan would forgive him for sending her father to what was most likely his death.


   2015 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 18 light minutes from Mars

   Captain Robert McNeely stared at the orders on the monitor.  What in the world was going on?  The orders were directly from Admiral Jude Kushnir, so there was no questioning them.  It still didn't make sense.
   The Red October was to reroute the current convoy and proceed to a location in the belt.  A location that was simply in the middle of nowhere.  The Red October was then to wait for further orders.  No, it still didn't make sense.  Redirecting a convoy was nothing new.  Sending them to the middle of nowhere to park was.  Something was up.  Hopefully it wouldn't take to long to make sense.
   Robert plotted the course on his monitor and transferred it to the helm.  Sense or not, they were going.


February 3rd  0540 hours/Queen Mary, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir received the confirmation on her monitor.  The Red October had met US Task Force 1 in the belt.  The US Missile Escorts were to assume convoy protection duties.  The Red October would go with the US Interceptors.  It only made sense.  The Missile Escorts were woefully under engined to make the trip in the time planned.  They had also proved very vulnerable to the enemy's weapons.  The Red October would carry as much firepower as the two Missile Escorts combined, could move much more quickly, and would be more durable in combat.
   It was also the last Pan Euro ship available to perform escort duties.  The Pan Euro would have to depend on the US for its convoys' protection for the foreseeable future.  However long that might be.


   1650 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 23 light seconds from Jupiter

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 waited as the last of the ships finished loading supplies from the mining vessel.  Soon they would begin the offensive against the native race's homes.  Word had been received of the attack at New Home 3, and that they had succeeded in protecting the colony, but at great cost.  A second Assault Vessel had been destroyed by the enemy.  That such a thing could happen was just unthinkable.  
   It made this offensive all the more important.  The native race had to be kept from attacking New Home 3 before more ships could be moved to protect it.  This race had to be destroyed before it was able to attack any more settlements.
   And Combat Group 3 would have to do it.  Because there simply weren't enough ships left to continue the attack if they didn't.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 12, 2010, 01:55:07 AM
February 2204  part 4

February 5th  1745 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, Near Hygiea Colony, Asteroid Belt

   The Dutchman got up from his station to check on the crew.  They should be busy with the trials on the repaired systems, but a little 'face' time always seemed to hurry things up.  Now that The Dutchman could afford a little more time away from the bridge, he could look after some of the smaller chores on the ship.
   Several hours ago they had managed to link up with a Pan Euro and US convoy bound for Hygiea, along with the two US Missile Escorts guarding it.  With the three ships traveling together, a simple eight hour rotation on general quarters could be maintained.  That allowed for much better rest, and more thorough maintenance of the ships.  It was always difficult gauging the reactions of another cyborg, but even the US ships had seemed relieved to have another armed ship around.
   Commerce was moving slowly, but at least it had not shut down yet.  The aliens had yet to target civilian ships consistently. A few had disappeared, but not so many that shipping had shut down for fear of leaving port.  That could all change, but for the moment convoy escort was not the hazardous duty it could be.
   Of course, after losing the last few engagements, the aliens might decide attacking unarmed vessels was more attractive.


February 8th 0605 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 4 light seconds from Mercury

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 watched the sensor returns as the small craft bombed the enemy colony.  The small craft would not have enough weapons to completely destroy the habitats, but the damage would be severe.  Hopefully enough to draw the fleet of the native race to this location.
   The Commander of Assault Vessel 4 had ordered Patrol Vessels 12, 13, and 17 to conduct the raid on this enemy colony.  They were to engage and attempt to destroy any defenses, while the small craft deployed their weapons on the colony itself.  The bulk of Combat Group 3 was still near the debris fields.  The hope had been to lure more of the native race's combat vessels to this location, and then conduct the attack on the other enemy colony in the debris field.  That may not work as well as had been hoped.
   The last attack at this colony had faced both a stationary defensive platform, and a Combat Vessel of the enemy.  This attack had found no mobile assets located here.  The only defense of the colony had been the stationary platform.  That platform had been destroyed by five launches from each of the Patrol Vessels.  The unarmed platform had required another six torpedoes to destroy.  Although it had been as large as the armed platform, it had proved much more fragile.  The small craft would destroy much of the population on this colony.  If the enemy had felt this colony unimportant enough to require mobile combat vessels to protect before, they were unlikely to commit them to protecting it when it was nearly destroyed.
   Regardless, the next attack would still be against the enemy colony in the debris fields.  It wouldn't happen now, but soon.  Hopefully before the enemy could reinforce the defenses.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 doubted they would weaken them to protect the ruins here.


   0612 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon could still hear the broadcasts.  They hadn't needed to be decoded.  Civilians begging for help didn't encode their transmissions.  The whole Earth would have heard the cries for help as the aliens had attacked.
   The latest transmissions indicated that the aliens had moved away from Mercury now.  But the damage was already immense.  The Pan Euro Space Station and Shipyards at Mercury had been destroyed, along with the Transfer Station that the civilian ships used.  Most of the habitats had been destroyed.  The others were damaged, without power in many cases.  Dying.  And there would be no help.  No rescue mission.  A few civilian passenger liners might attempt to pick up some of the population that had survived, but no organized effort would be made.  With US Task Force 1 and the Red October headed to the out system, there was no one to spare.
   Brenna wondered how long it would be until it was the Earth's turn.  Would she be able to do a better job protecting the Earth than the Mars Station had been able to do?
   Brenna looked over the training plans she had been revising.  Was there anything she was missing?  Was there something that would better combat the aliens?  She had always coped by burying herself in her work.  Perhaps this time, she could make that work for her.  And maybe even the rest of humanity.


February 9th  0025 hours/Missile Escort Falcon, near Mercury

   Commander Justin Reynolds watched the sensor returns.  If anything showed up, they would fight.  'It might not be much of a fight' thought Justin, 'but we are going to fight regardless.  Sometimes you just have to draw that hard line'.
   The Missile Escort Owl was on the far side of Mercury to make sure that if the Alphas came back, they would be seen.  At least Justin hoped they would be seen.  The Missile Escorts had never been outfitted with the more capable sensor arrays, and they lacked quite a bit on detection range compared to the Interceptors.  The sensors couldn't even pick up the alien magnetic signature any better than the returns from the alien ships' hulls.  'Its all we have to work with, so it will have to work.'
   On the planet was the FSC Mary Reed.  The damned loon of a captain on that ship had transmitted to the Falcon that he intended to try and rescue whatever colonists he could, as soon as he could -whether the US ships came along or not. Well, it had sounded like a good idea at the time.  Still did really.  It just felt a whole lot more dangerous now that they were actually doing it.  The folks on the planet below didn't even belong to either the US or FSC.  They were just scared, hurt, and desperate.  'Yep, can't think of any place else I need to be right now.  Sure hope Admiral Walters sees it that way.'
   Justin's monitor lit up with signals confirming that the Mary Reed had finished loading.  Fifteen thousand passengers that weren't going to die here.  Not today. At this rate it would only take twenty five more trips.  Justin hoped Admiral Walters didn't start pestering him for convoy reports anytime soon.


   0715 hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, 3 light seconds from Ceres

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji keyed in the authorization and transmitted the orders.  Admiral Hu may protest, or even sack him.  But it would have to wait.  Some things were too important right now to worry about what might be a problem later.  
   The Chinese had intercepted the Euro transmissions.  The aliens had returned and attacked the Pan Euro colony on Mercury.  Devastated it by the sounds of the messages.  That was some distance from Ceres, but still important.
   What concerned him was that the aliens had yet to attack the inner system without attacking Ceres.  It concerned him enough to send the orders diverting the Shangxi and Henan from their convoy escort duties, and transfer them to the Tung Group at Ceres.  Hopefully four Missile Frigates and the Tung would be enough to face down any alien attack.
   If it wasn't, this war was over.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 18, 2010, 10:43:26 AM
February 2204  part 5/ The Destruction of Ceres


February 10th  0100 hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, 4 light seconds from Ceres

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji moved to lock his station.  His monitor had lit up with comm uplinks from Ceres.  The colony was showing a single magnetic signature on the far side of Ceres at over 8 lights seconds.  The other sensor report couldn't be right.  Couldn't.  The Tung was too far away to resolve the contacts.  Zhu keyed the prompt for all ships to lock stations and prepare for acceleration.  The combat ships were to come about toward Ceres, while the Zhuang was to move farther out into the belt and try to disengage.  If the reports from Ceres were correct, then it would make no difference what any of them did.
   As the Tung drew closer to Ceres, the truth became horribly obvious.  The launches from the ground troops and defenses left hundreds of sensor tracks on Zhu's monitor, as did the five detonations from what had to be small alien craft being destroyed.  Next were the detonations of nuclear bombs the small ships were releasing.  Several, then dozens.  In less than a minute over one hundred detonations had rippled across the surface of Ceres.  There would be no survivors this time.  No valiant defense.  Only debris and burned wreckage.  Launches from the alien combat ships were destroying the Transfer Station in orbit of Ceres, along with two civilian cargo ships that were just now firing up their drives to try and escape.
   The alien combat ships were close enough that if the Chinese ships were to fire on the small craft, the aliens would be able to target the launch signatures.  But at this range they would find it difficult or impossible to lock onto the ships' drive or hull signatures.  There were just too many false contacts.  The aliens were not hiding their magnetic fields this time though.  It was as if they were daring anyone to attack.  How many ships would it take to launch that many small craft?  Zhu wasn't sure, but if they weren't going to rush his group, he would follow the aliens until they did.  Perhaps something could be learned of the alien fleet and its plans.  Something that could help to avenge the millions who had just died.
   

   0335 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 32 light seconds from Ceres, Asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 wondered if the Commander of Combat Group 3 was either very brave, or just reckless.  It was obvious that combat ships of the native race were following the forward detachment as they returned to the reserve element.  Many of the small craft had already landed on the vessels of the forward detachment, but most were still waiting to return to the pair of Hive Vessels in the reserve group.  Each Hive Vessel carried eighteen of the small craft.  Of the sixty small craft that had attacked the enemy settlement, only five had failed to return.  It had been a resounding success.  The first test of the new ships had showed that they were effective.  Now it was time to find another target.  To continue destroying this race until there was nothing left.
   But the ships that were shadowing the group concerned the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17.  This enemy had shown it was capable of gathering its strength for a battle, and could launch vicious ambushes here in the debris fields of this system.  They were not to be underestimated.  But the Commander of Assault Vessel 4 had decided that chasing the native vessels would only allow them to choose the location and timing of the next battle.  The enemy ships were as fast and maneuverable as any ship in the Combat Group, and they were out of range.  Chasing them would not bring them in range, and would only stress engines for no gain.  If the native race attacked, they were to be engaged and destroyed, but there would be no more pursuits.  Any battles would be fought where the Combat Group chose to move.
   This sounded good, but the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 still worried.  If they were following the group and not hiding, it was because they thought that they could fight, and possibly win.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had seen this 'backward' race destroy too many ships not to take them seriously.
   For the moment there was nothing that could be done but wait, and prepare for the next target.


   2120 hours/Interceptor MkIIa J. Hancock, 10 light minutes from Ceres, Asteroid belt

   Rear Admiral Joshua Campbell read the transmission on his screen twice.  It would be nearly twenty minutes before the message would reach Earth, and another half hour for any response to return this distance.  With the Earth on the far side of the sun, it would simply take too long.  The decision would have to be made now.  Could the Chinese be trusted or not.  If this was a ruse, then US Task Force 3 would be leaving the belt colonies undefended.  If it was true, then the threat was too great to ignore.  Joshua didn't want to make this decision, but it had to be made now.  And there was no one else who could make it.
   The Chinese had broadcast about 15 minutes ago that they were following a group of alien ships which had destroyed Ceres. Destroyed?  A few garbled messages had been received, and it had been unusually silent.  But they could still be experiencing issues with damage on that colony, or simply cutting down emissions to make it harder for the aliens to relocate the big asteroid.  Regardless, the Chinese were now broadcasting that the alien ships had cleared the debris field and were headed in system.  The course was on a bearing that could either take them to Mars, Venus, or both.  Mars was the closest though.  With US Task Force 2 gone, it was nearly undefended.  The Mars Station was armed, but the Pan Euro Station at Mercury had also been armed - and destroyed.  Mars also had over 6 million colonist.
   There wasn't really any choice.  Joshua began to put together the message for Admiral Walters back at Earth.  Joshua hoped his only choice wasn't the wrong one.


   2200 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters read the situation reports for a second time.  It couldn't get much worse.  It was far too late to have his office crammed with staff, but it was.  They weren't making it easier to evaluate the situation.  Not that much could be done.  Just analysis and planning for the moment.
   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan was currently 30 hours out from Neptune, and the alien colony on Triton.  With luck it hadn't been reinforced and he would be able to deal with the stationary defenses.  An attack would incur losses though, and if the aliens had reinforced, Task Force 2 could be destroyed.
   Now Rear Admiral Joshua Campbell had reported that he was moving Task Force 3 out of the belt to engage a possible alien contact that the Chinese were tracking.  A contact that could be headed towards Mars.  An unconfirmed, but if real very dangerous alien contact.
   No one had any information on the current disposition of the Chinese fleet, or the status of the colony on Ceres.  What was slowly being analyzed didn't look good though.  Relays from the Pan Euro Hygeia Colony had picked up fragments of broadcasts from Ceres that had indicated the colony was under attack, but nothing since then.  Civilians under attack were a noisy bunch, and unless the communication arrays had been knocked out, it was just too quiet out there.  Unlike in peace time, no news was seldom good news during a war.
   If the aliens had a fleet that could destroy the colony on Ceres in only a few minutes, then Mars was in real danger.  And so was Task Force 3.  It didn't matter if it was aliens that destroyed Task Force 3, or the Chinese if this was some terrible ploy.  With Task Force 3 gone, the US would have no real combat forces left inside the belt.  That would change everything.
   It would be better to have as much firepower as possible to combat a sizeable alien fleet, and the Mars Space Station carried as many long range missile bays as an entire US Task Force, and more laser batteries.  It would be a valuable addition to any combat situation.  Could they permit an alien fleet that had the ability to destroy a colony of over 2 million in minutes that close to Mars?  That was the question that would need answered.
   If the Chinese were being honest, the aliens could reach Mars in 9 hours.  Task Force 3 could intercept in just under 8.  The transmission delay meant there were only six hours left to decide what to do, and where to do it.  The room quieted as Admiral Walters stood.  "I need someone to contact the Chinese Admiral out there, and find out if he knows what the hell they are following.  And then I need to know if there is ANY ship that can get there and verify if this is really happening.  And it needs to be done in the next two hours.  Does everyone understand that?"  
   The room emptied slightly as several bodies left.  Admiral Walters sat back down.  The training updates showed that Task Force 3 was one of the best groups, US or Euro, out there, but Josh was new to command.  He was sharp, but was that going to be enough?  
   In chess, the winner is the one to make the next to the last mistake.  The US couldn't afford a mistake now.

   2335 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Venus

   Admiral Hu locked the Flag Officer's station on the cruiser and approved the request for acceleration.  It was unfortunate and would put the Shek's refit behind schedule, but the alien ships were too close to remain at Venus.  The Shek was nowhere near combat ready, but was still capable of cruising.  They would simply have to finish the refit at Earth Station in the empty slip there.     Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji had been in constant communication with both the Venus Station and the US ships near Mars.  It would appear that the US group was going to assist the Chinese ships in an attack on the alien group, but the Euro group was not moving from Earth orbit.  The large Euro ship there would be of great assistance in the battle, but they seemed unwilling to leave their current positions.  The smaller US ships would have to do.
   The last hour had made the alien's course more definite, and the probability that they were moving toward Mars was over 90 percent. The US commander wanted to intercept the aliens several light minutes from Mars, which was understandable.  Dealing with the mass of small craft and the larger ships at the same time would be almost impossible.  Current estimates had the Tung Group and US Task Force meeting at 0540, with the engagement to occur no later than 0600.  Any alien course alterations might change that schedule, but only by a few hours.
   The problem was the size of the alien group.  The Tung had been unable to close sufficiently to resolve the individual ships without risking an engagement.  But if the reports of 60 small craft had been accurate the alien armada would be of immense size, unless they had deployed a new 'carrier' class of vessel.  The planned engagement might not be able to stop the aliens, even with the new protective fields on the Chinese ships.  If that was the case there were less than 24 hours at standard cruise between Mars and Venus.  The Shek could not be left in a vulnerable position, so it would be moved to Earth.  If the Tung Group was able to withdraw from an unfavorable engagement successfully, they would move to support the Venus Station defense.  The US would have to manage the defense of Mars on their own.
   The world turned grey and blue as the Shek's drive engaged.


February 11th  0315 hours/Interceptor JFK, 13.5 light minutes from Neptune

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan waited impatiently.  Every hour lost was another hour the aliens could improve the defenses of Triton.  Stopping Task Force 2 at this time would do nothing to affect the events elsewhere.  Jack wondered what could have inspired such an order.
   The message had come in only minutes ago, and gave no reason for the halt.  It was only a few light minutes distance to reach the rendezvous with the surviving Survey Tender and two Pan Euro Attack Escorts.  Jack could see no reason to delay the meeting, and the combined group would be better able to defend itself than they would be separate.  It was unlikely the Euro Red October would stop simply because the US group had received orders to do so.  Jack ordered the message from Earth logged and to send a request for retransmission of the orders for US Task Force 2, to confirm what they had just received.  It would take over 4 hours for the request to reach Earth, and another 4 for the retransmit to reach the JFK.  More than enough time to reach the waiting ships, and cover over one third of the remaining distance to Neptune.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 21, 2010, 05:42:00 AM
February 2204  part 6/ A Clash of Arms

February 11th  0505 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon sat at her station.  The whole crew was awake, even though they were not scheduled for 'At Stations'.  Brenna figured everyone who could was listening right now.  The engagement wasn't scheduled to take place for about an hour, and it would take another 22 minutes after that for it to reach Earth.  But the world was listening - at least those who could translate the encoding.  The US and Pan Euro forces would listen to the broadcasts from Task Force 3, while the Chinese would most likely be listening to the transmissions from their ships.  
   With the attack on Mercury and destruction of the shipyards there, and the apparent destruction of Ceres, this alien group seemed to be either powerful or lucky.  No one seemed to know its exact composition.  It was a deadly enigma that was now bound for Mars.  If the alien fleet wasn't stopped it would only be a matter of time before they reached Earth.
   Brenna looked around the bridge.  The crew was clustered in threes and fours.  Talking.  Waiting.  All thinking the same thing.  Was this battle going to come to Earth?  Brenna got up from her station and walked to the group at the Comm Station.  They must have felt the magnets in her feet snapping to the decks as she approached, as they all came to attention.  With a wave and quick "As you were" she settled in among them.  For the moment she was just one more person waiting to see what card fate dealt.  And she didn't feel like waiting alone.


   0555 hours/Interceptor MkIIa J. Hancock, 3.25 light minutes from Mars

   Rear Admiral Joshua Campbell looked over his sensor returns.  The Chinese ships were now settled into formation with Task Force 3.  The large Chinese ship was the center of the formation, with four Strike Vessels around it.  Task Force 3 had separated into two groups and taken up position on the flanks of the Chinese formation.  The aliens group had separated into two sensor returns.  The forward return had resolved into a number of ships.  A disturbing number of ships.  Two Foxtrots, two Deltas, and four Alphas were approaching at just over 2000 kilometers per second.  The second return was distant, only the magnetic signature was visible.  But the presence of more ships than what was already in front of them was at best ominous.  Realistically, it was disastrous.  Joshua had studied the engagement records, and if there was anything more than support ships in the second group, this engagement was likely doomed.  But other than the battle at Uranus, no one had ever recorded the presence of support ships with the combat ships.
   The combined US and Chinese group was passing in front of the alien group.  Several hundred years ago this would have been the ideal location. 'Crossing the T' as they called it.  Limiting the opponent to only his forward batteries while your own ships could fire full broadsides.  Now with launch bays that could deploy weapons in a nearly 360 degree arc, it was no better than any other position. The range was too great for any of the missiles to lock on, but the aliens had started accelerating.  The range would shrink now until that was no longer the case.   The Chinese vessels were beginning to accelerate, and had changed course.  Joshua keyed in for the helm to follow suit when the new course plots lit up on his monitor.  'I hope I can do as well as this crew does,' thought Josh as he keyed in to accept the new course.
   The blue halo disappeared for a second as the drive shut down and the maneuver thrusters fired.  Then the grey and blue halo reappeared as the drive kicked in.  The new course had turned them almost directly away from the aliens.  They could just track the alien contacts past the nuclear inferno of their own drive blooms.  Targeting solutions were beginning to fill Josh's monitor, but the aliens were still over a minute away from being in range at the current velocities and rates of acceleration. 'In one minute the fates of nearly six million people will be decided,' Josh thought.  'Most likely not for the better.'
   Joshua's monitor lit up with new magnetic readings.  "What the hell."  The Sensor Officer caught himself before he could say more.  Joshua checked the readouts. The contacts were to close. 'How did they get so close without us knowing?'  As he checked the bearings and signatures it became clear.  The Chinese ships were the ones that had deployed the magnetic fields.  The implication of that in the long term was almost as ominous as the alien fleet bearing down on Mars.  But for the moment it meant that six million people might have a chance of being alive tomorrow.  
   "INBOUND CONTACTS"  
   "FIRING SOLUTION PLOTTED"
   "MISSILE LAUNCH"
   Joshua watched his monitor as the crew brought the Hancock into the fight.  They were one hell of a crew.


   0558 hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, 3.12 light minutes from Mars

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji felt the Tung shudder as the drive cut out, then flared back to life.  Damage readouts showed that the magnetic protective field generators had gone off line, and the outer plating was damaged, but the hull hadn't been breached.  The Tung had passed through four detonations with only minor hull damage.  Four impacts had nearly destroyed her in the engagement against the aliens at Ceres.  The new fields were proving their value.  But they weren't invulnerable.  The lead alien cruiser was showing that.  The first volley of missiles had collapsed the field surrounding the alien ship and caused it to shut down its drives and vent in response to the damage.  When the drive had come back online the bloom had lost almost two thirds of its thermal signature.  The alien ship was losing speed.
   The Tung lurched again as another alien inbound detonated to close.  Damage reports lit up Zhu's console.  An auxiliary missile storage and the external sensor array had been damaged.  The internal system was still up, but fire control would be degraded.  One of the short range launch bays had also taken damage, but at this range those missiles were all but worthless.  The four long range bays and all particle accelerators for the drive were still online.  'Five impacts and we are still in this fight.'
   The sensor readings showed a large detonation nearly 4.5 light seconds away as the lead alien cruiser lost containment on the drive or some internal reactor.  One of the mid sized ships had also lost its magnetic field and its drive never restarted after shutting down.  'The aliens won't find this quite as easy as they had hoped.'
   Zhu watched as the third volleys crossed in space between the fleets.  The aliens had changed their targeting.  As one of the smaller US ships and then one of their Interceptors broke apart under the detonation of alien weapons, Zhu wondered if the US ships would break off and disengage.  But as the moments ticked by the US ships were actually coming about and racing toward the alien group.  Brave, if perhaps foolish, mused Zhu.
   Returns showed another of the alien ships had been unable to restart its drive after several intercepts.  It was one of the smaller alien ships, but it was one less to deal with now.  The aliens were suffering in this exchange.  As Zhu watched he realized that both of the coasting alien ships were launching.  'Their weapon bays must be hardened to survive for this long.'
   The Tung lurched again as the next wave of alien missile detonated.   As the drive restarted warnings flashed on Zhu's screen that nearly two thirds of the Tung's particle accelerators were off line - she was slowing.  Readouts showed that all of the short range launch bays were off line and one of the four long range bays was damaged.  'We've taken six hits and survived, but we can't do this much longer' he thought.  We aren't going to be able to get away either.  The sensors were showing that one more of the US Interceptors had exploded as its drive shield failed.  They also showed that another of the small alien ships had been damaged enough it had failed to restart its drive.  For a moment three alien ships were coasting through space, until a US missile destroyed one of the smaller contacts. 'Just two floating targets now.'
   Zhu transmitted the orders for the Missile Frigates to maintain their current speed as the Tung fell out of formation.
   A moment later a two kilo chunk of metallic hydrogen struck the Tung's drive shield and the ship disappeared in an enormous flare.


   0600 hours/Interceptor MkIIa J. Hancock 3 light minutes from Mars

   Joshua was amazed at the crews of the US ships.  Amazed and proud.  They were taking it to the alien ships, without the magnetic shielding the heavy Chinese ships had.  Josh watched the sensor track as the missile from the Hancock intercepted and destroyed one of the drifting Alphas, and then saw that the laser battery had actually forced the alien Foxtrot to stutter its drives to vent away shattered plating as the beam shattered the ship's outer skin.  The Adams had also managed to scorch the large ship, even as one of the missiles from a nearby Delta had ripped into the Adams hull.  The targeting computers had never been designed to plot multiple target solutions simultaneously.  Somehow the crew was managing to get more out the Hancock than had ever been intended.
   The Hancock staggered as the drive cut out and then restarted.  'Where did that come from?'  Then Josh saw it.  The rear alien contact had closed and two more Alphas were launching on the US ships.  The Interceptors had gotten around the big alien vessels so that they would be unable to use the mass drivers they carried, but the two Alphas in the rear had closed and begun to launch.  Two other ships were with the Alphas.  Smaller, and not cataloged.  Not launching.  Joshua saw that the Sensor Conn had already logged the contacts and transmitted initial readings towards Mars.
   Then the sensors showed that the Adams had been hit by a second launch from an Alpha and been destroyed.  The Alpha was breaking away from the Foxtrot and trying to move behind the Hancock.  It was too late to do anything about that now.  Firing solutions were already locked in on the Foxtrot.  The ship lurched slightly as the drive cut out to allow missile deployment and the laser output coupler to line up on the big alien ship.

   0601 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 2.97 light minutes from Mars

   The Commander or Patrol Vessel 17 strained at the fields on his station.  The crew was doing all they could to bring the ship in line but it was too late.  The Commander could feel through the sensors as Assault Vessel 6 was damaged by the enemy weapons.  One detonated against the magnetic fields, while the other seemed to be able to pass right through them and shattered more of the ships hull.  A torpedo left the launch bay of Patrol Vessel 17 moments later and the Commander noted with satisfaction as the weapon shattered the enemy ship's hull, destroying it.
   Three of the unshielded enemy ships had been hit or destroyed by Patrol Vessel 17's torpedoes in this engagement.  The Commander would congratulate the crew later, if they survived.  The large enemy ships had deployed protective magnetic fields also.  How could they have managed to come up with them so quickly?  It was simply unthinkable that they could copy and adapt so rapidly.  The enemy Assault Vessel had been destroyed, but the other four smaller enemy ships still had protective fields up.
   The last of the unshielded enemy ships had been destroyed, it was only the four shielded vessels left.  But every launch from them was 12 weapons, and they had stayed distant enough that the Assault Vessels and Combat Vessels had been unable to employ their mass drivers.  Only five torpedoes were being launched for every 12 of the enemy's weapons.  The Commander followed the torpedo from Patrol Vessel 17 as it raced across the gap between the two fleets, and sensed the native ship lose the protective field as the torpedo intercepted the ship.  As the next torpedo deployed, the Commander tensed as the Assault Vessel was struck by one enemy weapon after another.  The protective field collapsed under the onslaught, and the ship vented again and again as it tried to clear the debris and damage from its hull.  The Commander's hopes fell as the great ship's drive never re-engaged.  It hadn't been destroyed, but the next wave of 12 weapons was already inbound.  It would never survive another intercept.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 noted the message from the Commander of Combat Vessel 6 as the larger ship passed overall Command of the Combat Group to him.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 hated to do it, but the group would never be able to reach the nearby planet without being destroyed.  The Hive Vessels were still intact, and the Combat Group would find another way to destroy the native race.  There was nothing to be gained here anymore.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 ordered the surviving elements of Combat Group 3 to reverse course and disengage from the enemy.
   As Patrol Vessel 17 changed course, the Commander noted that the enemy ships were not changing course to pursue.  The one that had lost its protective fields was showing signs that it had been damaged.  Perhaps the last torpedo from Patrol Vessel 17 had also found its target.  The Commander decided that later the records would have to be analyzed for that little bit of information.
   It had been a horrible day for Combat Group 3.  It had lost both Assault Vessels, one of the two Combat Vessels, and three of the six Patrol Vessels.  But it still had both Hive Vessels, and one enemy colony had been destroyed while another was in ruins.  The enemy now knew how to create the protective fields, but did not seem to have them on all of their ships.  The Combat Group would have to strike again before the native race could correct that situation.   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 vowed to himself that the two bombed colonies would not be the only losses to the enemy's homes that Combat Group 3 would inflict before they returned to base.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 22, 2010, 05:32:30 AM
February 2204 part 7

February 11th  1345 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October

   Captain Robert McNeely looked at the message from the US Rear Admiral again.  It wasn't an order.  Not at all.  It had just been a message to inform the Pan Euro ships of what had happened, and what was going to happen.

   ATTN:  REAR ADMIRAL J RYAN / UNITED STATES TASK FORCE 2
   FOLLOWING DESTRUCTION OF US TASK FORCE 3, US TASK FORCE 2
   AND ALL OTHER US ASSETS ARE ORDERED TO RETURN BY MOST
   DIRECT ROUTE WITHOUT DELAY TO MARS FOR COLONY DEFENSE.  
   AKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF MESSAGE.
   FORWARD TO PAN EURO ELEMENTS R OCTOBER, R PIERCE,
   MARY QoS.
   ADMIRAL W BRADLEY

   Bob was sure the message had likely been abbreviated for transmission to the Pan Euro ships, but it wouldn't make any difference.  Without the US ships there was nothing the Red October and two Attack Escorts could do against the alien defenses near Triton.  The US Survey Tender and all of the supplies would also be returning to Mars so remaining was pointless.  The group was now less than one days travel from Neptune, but it would make no difference.  The alien colony was as safe as if the ships had never made the journey at all.
   "Comm, request course plots for return to Mars from US Interceptor Hancock.  Looks like we are going home again."


   2215 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked over the reports.  One of them kept drawing his attention, but for once he didn't know exactly what to do about it.  Doing nothing for the moment seemed to be the best plan.  The two Missile Escorts of Task Force 2 hadn't gone beyond the belt, but they had now turned up conducting humanitarian operations in support of the surviving population on Mercury.  Pan European population.  The fact that the FSC Mary Reed was with them only complicated matters more.
   In fact they had successfully transported 15000 stranded colonists out of the wreckage and were currently returning for more.  Those Missile Escorts should be at Mars providing additional defensive firepower to the colony there.  But the public acknowledgement of the effort to save the Pan Euro colonists was gathering a great deal of publicity and public support.  The fact that the only off world US shipyards were at Mars seems to have escaped the publics' notice.
   The Missile Escorts had proved to be terribly vulnerable to the alien weapons, and perhaps their contribution to the defense of Mars was much less than the contribution to the morale of the people on Earth.  The Pan Euro was already sinking into a recession, and morale was sinking just as quickly.  The loss of two out of three US Task Forces wasn't likely to help morale on the home front.  Perhaps the little ships should be allowed to continue their 'humanitarian' mission for the moment.  Staving off the hopelessness he saw in his staff daily would be more valuable than two more ships at Mars.  
   Bradley shut down his monitor and decided that it was late enough to get some rest.  Tomorrow would bring more pressing problems than the whereabouts of a pair of Missile Escorts.  'Why shouldn't it, every other day this month has.' he thought to himself as he left the office.


February 13th  1750 hours/Missile Escort Falcon, 2 light minutes from Mercury

   Commander Justin Reynolds checked his monitor again.  Four hours ago they had been in orbit of Mercury.  The FSC Freighter Mary Reed had managed to fit another 15000 refugees from the stricken planet in her hold.  This was the third time the ships had managed the journey.  Now it would be their last.
   The radio traffic had been brief, only a few minutes, but there had been no doubt of what had happened.  The aliens had returned to Mercury.  If there were any survivors, they were unable to send any sort of signal.  But there wouldn't be survivors.  Not this time.
   It was also obvious that the aliens hadn't been driven off.  Hurt, but not beaten.  And now nearby.  Only four hours ago the Falcon had been at Mercury.  Four hours that separated the alien ships from the rag tag US/FSC group.
   Justin checked the sensors again.  The refugees on the Mary Reed had only narrowly escaped death just now.  Justin hoped their luck would hold out just a little longer.  Maybe they would all make it home.


February 14th  0800 hours/Queen Mary, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir looked out the viewing port at the giant Chinese ship in the dock of the station in orbit below.  Right now the Chinese ship was nearly helpless, with the bulk of her plating removed and many of her internal systems scattered about in orbit beside the slip.  In a month though, that ship would likely be more powerful than the entire Pan Euro Fleet.  Perhaps the combined Euro/US Fleets.  The possession of the magnetic fields by Chinese ships changed the balance of power in a significant way.  Possibly world changing.
   'If we were to strike now, we could destroy the ship before it was operational.  But that could easily doom the human race as the Chinese possession of protective field technology was what most likely saved the Earth only a few days ago from the aliens.' Jude thought.
   'We need everything we can get against the aliens.  The failure of Pan Euro and US ships to inflict any damage on the alien colony at Triton shows that the current designs are inadequate.  The Chinese ships could easily have fought to a different conclusion out at Neptune.  The Earth will need those ships in the months to come.  The Pan Euro and US Fleets are spent, and won't be able to carry the fight to the aliens for months.  We don't have months.  We might not have weeks.'
   Jude remembered the last brief transmissions from Mercury.  'Perhaps we don't have long at all.'


February 16th  1205 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 pondered the display of the inner portion of this system.  The destruction of the survivors on the innermost planet had been satisfying, but not of any great value.  The enemy colony had already been in ruins, and was left unguarded.  The native race was obviously placing their assets to guard the most valuable colonies.  And the planet Combat Group 3 had failed to reach had displayed the most formidable defenses of any planet so far.  Defenses that indicated it was a worthwhile target.
   But to continue rapid attacks would only exhaust the crew and leave the native race wary and always on alert.  The debris fields seemed an appropriate place to rest and perform routine maintenance on the ships.  Soon enough they would turn toward the fourth planet of this system, and this time they would reach it.  But for now, rest.

February 20th  0245 hours/Interceptor MkIIa J. Hancock, 24 light minutes from Mars

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan looked over the screen.  It showed that less than 24 hours now remained before the group would reach Mars.  No more human colonies had been attacked, and perhaps the aliens had left the inner system to resupply or regroup.  Regardless, they were returning to Mars, Fleet Base for Task Force 2.  It had been home for some time now and Jack was actually looking forward to getting off the Hancock.  Perhaps he would be able to manage another visit to his daughter.  If not at least hearing from her would help.  Knowing that she was alive and safe made the days a little easier.
   Just another day left and they would be home.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 23, 2010, 05:28:51 AM
February 2204  part 8 / Whatever the cost

February 22nd  1410 hours/Interceptor MkIIa JFK, 1light second from Mars

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan pushed off from the sensor console hard and flew toward his station.  In micro G it was faster to push, or in this case hurl yourself to your station.  The Sensor Officer had reported intermittent faint contacts, and Jack had gone to make sure the array wasn't shorting or damaged and creating sensor ghosts.  When the mass of small craft had appeared, along with magnetic contacts farther out, Jack knew it wasn't ghosts.  And it wasn't good.
   Jack locked himself into his station as the crew sprang to life throughout the bridge.  The Sensor Officer had already broadcast for lock stations/battle stations.  Jack's monitor flashed to life as he finished locking himself down.  It always seemed unusual to get ready for a fight by making anything but the smallest finger movements impossible.  A power-armored trooper or cyborg soldier would have greater overall strength, but nothing matched the power/hydraulics/composites applied to Space Model Cyborg's fingers.  They were designed to maintain control of the ship's systems even under stresses or 1000 G's.  A power-armored trooper may be able to pick up the front end of a tank, but Jack knew his fingers would be able to dig divots into its armor.
   Jack took in the sensor returns.  They were coming in at over 4000 kilometers per second.  This always seemed to be the aliens' initial engagement velocity.  The Interceptors could easily reach them long before the alien ships got to Mars, but they would be unsupported by the Mars Station's weapons at that point.  Of course if they stayed closer to Mars, they would have to give up accelerating - and the aliens would be in range to launch on the colony.  Except the aliens had never seemed to directly attack a colony.  Jack plotted a course and quickly transmitted it to the rest of the Interceptors, and then used the Mars Station to relay the course to the Pan Euro ships parked on the far side of Mars.  The Red October and the two Pan Euro Attack Escorts had stayed at Mars while Task Force 2 waited for the little Missile Escorts to come home.  As much as he loved the crews of his own Missile Escorts, Jack was glad to have the larger Euro ships right now.  Especially with what the sensors were showing.
   The sensor returns had resolved.  'The forward group is composed of.... oh mother of god 48 small craft.'  The more distant return was one Delta and three Alphas.  'That second group we have a chance against.  How are we ever going to hit that many small targets and still shoot at the big ships?!!'  Jack thought.  The JFK was already coming about and looping away from the alien ships.  Jack hoped they thought that his group was retreating.  He doubted it.  By looping away and then back he could come up to combat speed and still not pull away from the Mars Station.  With that many alien ships, they would need all of the station's launch bays and laser batteries.
   As the Interceptors pulled out and away from Mars, the sensors picked up the Euro ships mirroring them.  The two groups would meet by the planet just as the aliens drew in range - if all went according to plan.  The sensors picked up a pair of contacts lifting off from the surface of Mars.  The Survey Tender and Pan Euro Mobile Repair Ship were both using the planet to shield them from the aliens as they began to accelerate away. 'Why didn't I think of that' Jack wondered.
   The JFK was coming around toward the planet now.  The laser batteries on the Station were already firing on the small craft as they reached 2 light seconds from the planet.  A pair of small detonations as the alien craft passed through the invisible pulses were the only warning the aliens would have had that the station was firing. Moments after the detonations, the small craft began accelerating.  Readings of nearly 7000 kilometers a second began to appear.  Jack decided the small ships were either far more advanced than anything the US possessed or were pushing their drives to the limit.  
   The Pan Euro ships had pulled slightly ahead of the US Interceptors Jack noticed as he saw launch indicators spring up on his display around the Red October.  The Mary Queen of Scots and Rachel Pierce were also launching.  Then the alien launch signatures began to light up Jack's monitor.  The US ships were still out of range, but their laser batteries could easily begin firing on the approaching small craft.  The JFK stuttered her drives as the laser couplers aligned and discharged, as did the rest of the Interceptors, but only one alien ship broke up.  Then another as the station discharged its batteries.  'Its not going to be enough.  We aren't destroying them fast enough.'  The sensor returns showed that the small ships would reach Mars in a little over one minute.  Far to quickly.
   Jack checked the sensor returns as the alien weapons approached.  It was now obvious they were homing in on the Pan Euro ships.  The four detonations were followed by the Red October shutting down her drives and venting damaged plating, but her drive restarted moments later and a second launch left the Euro ship's two bays.
   The next few moments became a blur of action.  Firing solutions lit up the monitor as the enemy vessels came in range of the JFK's missiles. Detonations lit up around the alien Delta as Pan Euro and US missiles strained to make intercept, and the large alien ship's protective field failed. Then it began to slow as its drive bloom lost strength.  An outer module on the Mars station blew apart without warning and began to spin away out of orbit.  No warning whatsoever - damned alien mass drivers.  Small alien bombers shattered as lasers found their targets.  The Red October began to vent again as alien missiles detonated along her path.  When the big Euro ship restarted its drive it had also lost much of its strength.
   Jack tried to sort through the information splashing across his monitor, appearing and scrolling away.  Changing. Flashing.  It was almost impossible.  But the crew kept on fighting, each doing their jobs as Jack watched.  The Red October was coming hard about, probably trying to put Mars between her and the aliens.  She was still launching from both of her missile bays, but must be damaged badly to try and withdraw now.  The Pan Euro Attack Escorts were both falling into formation with the Interceptors though.  And then the Franklin disappeared as an alien missile detonated far too close for any ship to survive, and the Eisenhower began stuttering her drive and venting to clear damage she had sustained.  But the alien and US ships had been rushing together.  An alien alpha began to vent as the Truman passed by and discharged its laser.  Another vented as the JFK's laser shattered the outer plating from its hull.  Sensors also showed that Mars was launching everything it had from the surface defense batteries as the alien bombers descended toward the planet.
   Then the detonations began to ripple across the surface of Mars. Points of light and swirls of dust.  The Mars Station was firing on the small craft with everything it had.  There were only 20 or so small craft left but they continued to bank across the surface - hunting for habitats to destroy.  Then Jack's attention was drawn away from the planet as the sensor returns recorded the destruction of the alien Delta as its drive shield failed.
   The Alphas were beginning a high-speed bank to disengage and Jack seized the chance to try and assist the planet.  The Eisenhower broke into thousands of pieces as an alien missile managed to find the US ship.  The JFK's laser tore into the alpha it had already damaged as the aliens pulled away.
   The next few minutes were spent firing on the small craft as the alien ships accelerated away and disengaged.  The small alien bombers tried to scatter, but to no avail.  Lasers and missiles found them one after another as they tried to pull away from the planet.  Jack knew that they would have hunted them down, even without the desperate calls of the civilians below - crying out for help as their life support and homes failed from the damage the aliens had done.
   Jack looked at the status reports as they updated on his monitor.  Only two of the Interceptors had been destroyed.  The Red October was damaged, but still operational.  The colonies had been savagely attacked, but it looked as if over two thirds of the habitats had survived undamaged.  But the destruction of the Eisenhower and Franklin was half of the US Interceptors at the moment.  And the aliens would be back.  They would know they hadn't finished the job, and they would return.
   Jack unlocked his station and thought for a moment.  'Is there any hope for my little girl?'  He looked at the visual pick up and watched smoke drifting across the surface of the red planet below.  'Is this all that we have waiting for us.'

February 24th  0400 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Lieutenant Commander Meagan Ryan tried to relax.  For the last two nights she couldn't sleep.  To many nightmares. She know her dad was alive.  The aliens hadn't killed him.  But it didn't happen that way in her dreams.
   She looked over the reports on her console.  She was getting a little bleary eyed, but really didn't want to lie back down.  It was just easier to try and get ready for the morning briefing for the Admiral.  He had been in a terrible mood.  At least she had some good news.  The techs on the ground finally had a successful test of a full-scale magnetic field generator.  Granted everyone in orbit would have been able to see it on their sensors, but at least it had been successful.  It would be better if there were more ships to fit them onto when production started, but at least the ships they had left should be able to deploy the system in the coming weeks.
   The test had also been very informative.  It had generated a wealth of data on the system and on magnetic fields in general.  Meagan had been working on some of the corollaries herself for the last few hours.  It seemed the alien ships had slight variations in their magnetic signatures that were almost like fingerprints.  You could track an individual ship by the perturbations of its field.  It wouldn't be useful in combat as it took to long, and was impossible at longer ranges, but could possibly identify something useful on the alien's deployment.
   The data on every engagement was available to Meagan on her databases, and the crunching of the data would be done soon.  As the results began to list out, Meagan began to feel a cold chill creep through her.  Her nightmares weren't going to get any better.  Not now.
   She hadn't woken up the Admiral in months, but she keyed open the comm to his office.  He needed to see this.

   0445 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked at the data.  "Your sure this is accurate."  The pale girl with dark circles wearing into her face just nodded back at him.  She hadn't even gotten into her full uniform.  She thought this was real.    That meant there was every chance that it was.
   She had been to trying to analyze alien ship signatures, and see if she could find out something about alien ship dispositions and deployments.  She had only a small amount of success in that.  But she had managed to find something else.  Something very disturbing.
   The article of interest was a return designated contact two, as it had been the second recorded contact of the aliens made.  The first had been the fleeting sensor data gained by the Outreach.  This 'Contact Two' kept turning up.  Over.  And over.  It had been at almost every engagement that had been recorded.  
   It had been part of those responsible for the initial attack on Mercury and in the later destruction of the station and colony there.  It had been at Uranus and destroyed ships there.  It had been at Jupiter, and in the belt, and at Mars.  Engagement records showed it had destroyed 7 US and Euro ships and damaged at least four others.  No other alien ship even came close to that total.  This was the alien's Red Baron.  And as long as it was out there, well... they couldn't let that happen.
   "The Chinese aren't exactly on friendly terms, but they might want to know about this.  If this alien ship has destroyed 7 of ours, they have probably lost some to it also."  Bradley looked up and saw Meagan nod in agreement.
   "This ship needs to be destroyed.  Whatever the cost."
   Bradley couldn't have believed that the girl in front of him could have turned whiter.  He was wrong.
   He knew what she was thinking, and what that cost would be.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 27, 2010, 12:17:18 AM
February 2204 part 9/And the pieces move into place

February 27th  0255 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon stood and looked up at the stars.  A vast gulf of them all around her.  She looked aft and could see the engineering crews doing their regular checks on the hull and drive shield.  Walking along the smooth skin of 'Anna and calibrating the sensor array pick-ups.  It was a privilege of rank to be able to come out here on the hull.  So long as you stayed on the dark side of the hull or the backside of a planet it was no different than the hard vacuum of the cabin.  But inside 'Anna, the walls could begin to feel like a prison.  It already felt as if her soul was locked in the body she now wore, with no way out.  Out here she felt less trapped.
   The devastation on Mars was just beginning to be grasped.  Over two million died in the attacks.  More would die in the days to come.  It never seemed to end.  Pallas.  Mercury.  Ceres.  And now Mars.  "How will it end?"  She looked at the millions of lights surrounding her.  "Will this be the site of our last stand?  The end of the long years I've seen?"
   "I love to look at this.  How many times do I have left?"
   She looked at the great gulf below her, falling away to the blue green planet below.
   "Are we worth saving?"


   0800 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Earth orbit

   Admiral Hu sat and looked at the console.  The Shek was nearly ready.  Only a few hours left and she would clear the dock.  And he would go with her.  Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji was gone, and there were no other Fleet Officers to take command.  The Cruiser would be his.
   The US had sent data that had indicated one of the alien ships was beginning to become the main threat.  Chinese analysts had looked over the data but were unable to correlate it with the combat records.  The belt had made it almost impossible to get clear readings of the ships or of which one launched what weapon.  They may have lost ships to this alien vessel, but there was no way to tell.  But it was a small ship, no threat to the Chinese group.
   What was important was the data the Pan Euro had sent.  The source was unclear, but the data was crystal clear.  An alien colony had been identified on Triton near Neptune.  The US and Euro had failed to destroy it, and lost several ships in the attempt.  Their losses weren't important.  The target was.  The aliens would find this Cruiser much more difficult to stop than the fragile ships of the other nations.  
   The scientist had come up with a way to bleed off the feed back from impacts with the protective fields into a magnetic loop capacitor.  The fields would no longer burn out the generator and need repaired at a shipyard.  They would be reset within an hour or two by simply replacing the capacitors when they burned out.  Much like a fuse burning out and being replaced.
   'Revenge is a dish best served cold it is said, and they have picked a very cold home.'


February 28th  0415 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 checked on the status of the transmission to the elders.  The attack on the enemy colony had inflicted damage on the habitats there, but had failed to destroy it.  The last Combat Vessel had been destroyed.   Patrol Vessels 19 and 12 had sustained damage to the outer plating.  And only one of the scout craft had managed to find its way home to the hive ships.
   Repairs were being made to the damaged vessels, and new scout craft would have to be sent.  The four Patrol Vessels would remain here in the debris belt of this system while preparations were made for the next attack on the enemy home.  The Commander intended to stay here and continue attacks on the native race.  Patrol Vessels 17 and 13 would be able to make harassing attacks to keep the enemy tied down here by their homes, and unable to attack New Home 3.
   All of their race would know of the feats this Combat Group had attained.  And of the destruction Patrol Vessel 17 had unleashed upon this enemy.  But now he was no longer just the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17.  He would be the Commander of all Vessels that would come to the inner part of this system.  And the Commander intended to see this enemy race destroyed.


///////////////////////////////
Overview part 1
Yes, I am going to need more than one part to take a good look at what happened in this month, but here it goes.

First the tale of the tape.  It was a bad month for humanity.  
Really bad for the Euro.  
Horrible for the US.  
The FSC already has it so bad it was hard to get worse.

Worst news first.
The US started the month with 12 Interceptor MkIIa's and 6 Missile Escorts in three battle groups.
The US finished the month with 2 Interceptors, and 2 Missile Escorts.
The Mars Station also lost one of its Military Modules.
That was 80 percent of the US fleet in combat HS's.  Ouch.
Add to that the loss of two admirals.  
They also managed to lose 43 PU on Mars in the attack at the end of the month.
Double Ouch.
You don't really want to know what someone's mood was like that month.

The Pan Euro started with 2 Queen Class Destroyers, 2 Heavy Escorts, 8 Attack Escorts, and the Red October.
They finished it with 1 Destroyer, 1 Heavy Escort, 6 Attack Escorts, and the Red October badly damaged.
They also lost the Mercury Space Station, with its six military modules and 2 shipyards.
This amounted to over 50 percent of their combat HS's and half of their construction capability.
They also lost an admiral.  And 22.3 PU on Mercury.
Her mood wasn't much better.  Wonder why?....

China lost one Cruiser.  Less than 20 percent of their combat HS's.
The loss of the admiral hurt more.  It forced him to put his only other one into danger.
The loss of 41.5 PU at Ceres was the worst.
China was now the most powerful military for Earth.  
They had nearly as many combat HS as the Euro and US put together.

The FSC didn't lose anything, which was good as they only had one ship left.
With their only population on Earth, if they had lost any this would have likely been the game's last month.


The good news for Earth, although they didn't know it...
This month destroyed just over 60 percent of the Nemotian's mobile combat HS's.

Murphy's combat law says that when both sides think they are about to lose, they are both right.
This was that month.

The other interesting part concerns Patrol Vessel 17.  
This is a danger of paper and pencil games with the dice out for everyone to see.  
The early attack moved Patrol Vessel 17 up to elite.  When the Patrol ships only have one shot, and no datalink, it is pretty easy to figure out which one is hitting on numbers it ' shouldn't ' at a given range.  When it started racking up the kills they decided that they were going to hunt it down.  I heard it muttered often that they needed to take that ship out.

They also mentioned to the middle boy (China) that if he wanted payback for Ceres, that Neptune was the place to go.

The next post will go over the battles and economics to a degree.  If you've got a question, just drop it on the comments.  This was a complicated month.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 27, 2010, 12:19:25 AM
February 2204 part 10

//////////////////////////////
Overview part 2

For the economics

Pan Euro
   The recession was still in effect for the Euro, so she decided to mothball her survey ships to try and offset the costs.  She also sank a fair portion of her income into IU's to try and make up the continuing shortfall.  She continued with a trickle of colonization out to the belt, but began to regret it as the turn went on as she was sure they were just going to become targets as time went on. The Euro progressed to just needing one success left for her shield research before she had the system, and the promise from the US to provide a tech copy was going to help that in March.
   The big hit for her, although it would take time to be felt, was the loss of the shipyards at Mercury.  This would put a crimp on her ability to both refit existing ships while building new ships to replace losses.  The Euro's two Mobile Repair ships with the SYM's would actually become a vital piece of her construction assets for the year or so to come. The time it would take to build a new shipyard - and the shipyard that would become unavailable during that time while it worked on the construction, just couldn't be spared under the circumstances.  She could have used ground construction, but the cost during her current finacial straights was just untenable.

US
   The US economically had an ok sort of month.  They piled all the money they could into developing shields, and made their last roll this month easily.  They also quietly started working on the breakthru for datalink - but wasn't so lucky with his roll.  He also managed to miss his roll for EL2 which miffed him somewhat.
   He continued a small investment in IU's, and shut down colonization to Mars.  Whether it was a good guess at the next target or just dumb luck, he quit investing in that right before it got hit.  The damage to Mars was substantial, and coming right as he was looking for the PU increase due to a jump in EL hurt even worse.  Each PU lost was lost growth when he made his roll.
   The damage to the SS at Mars did not damage the core, so he retained all three of his SY, which was good.  He had a LOT of rebuilding to do after this month.  But he was also planning on introducing a new model of Interceptor, so it hurt to lose so many ships but did free up the maintenance for new construction.  He grumbled a lot, but was planning just as much.

China
   This month saw the complete transformation of China from the whipping boy of the other powers at the beginning of the game to the most powerful of the players bar none.  The loss of Ceres hurt, but he had been anticipating it and pouring money into IU at a rate greater than the Euro and US combined.  The loss of Ceres hurt, but the IU bought in February offset nearly one third of the loss.  He also managed to get the success on S regenerating every hour roll this month, after mildly accelerating the research over the last few months.
   Possibly the most game altering event was his rapid and extensive refits over the last two month.  China's FG's now packed as many shields as a Nemotion Assault Vessel (Light Cruiser), and the Tung and Shek would pack almost twice that number.  The Shek's conversion to a pure long range weapon platform put as many R's on it as an entire US Task Force.  His greatest weakness was his limited strategic flexiblity.  He had immense power concentrated in just a few ships (a habit he keeps to this day). He has a big hammer to hit with, but can only drag it to one place at a time.  He understood that he probably had enough ships to pound Triton to rubble, but would have to leave everything unguarded at home if he did.
   He was beginning understand (and discuss with the SM) that he would need the other players to guard his assets while he went of and fought the war.  And that they would have to trust each other for that to happen.

South Seas Free Space Consortium (FSC)
   The oldest girl pretty much had to sit back and hope for the best this month.  Her only ship wasn't fit for the combat going on, and she wasn't in a position to risk it.  So she used it to try and garner a little good will from the other players by taking on the missions they didn't have the assets to cover.  Even if it was a slight risk.  Her mission to Mercury (with US support) managed to rescue 0.9 PTU's for the Euro.  Not a lot, but with the Euro already hurting for cash, it was appreciated. With the FSC supplying the FT support, and loaning her mom (the Euro) the cash for CFN H shortfall, all the Euro had to come up with was the emplacement cost to drop the rescued PTU's into her AB colonies.
   The oldest girl was able to use this to gain a claim to the AB for emplacement of her own colonies (which she had already started - she just failed to mention that),  and emplaced another of her own PTU's to the AB and emplaced a few more IU's on Earth. She also managed to scrape together the funds to begin her last research project on shields. Her growth was slow at this point  compared to the other player, but it was the turning point for the FSC.  Over the coming year, she would find her niche in this game.

Nemotians
   Economically the Nemotians were continuing to grow.  Their war effort took a pounding this month at the hands of the players, but they were a long ways from beaten.  The survival of Triton not only allowed them to keep the income for another month, but allowed the growth off of it as the Nemotions grow by 2% every 5 turns.  To give a little idea of how the Nemotians work, I combined several attributes of both the Ice Life and a Hive Mind with the Colonization random event.  They grow fairly quickly and can ship PTU in much less Qv and H. They can only colonize O1 moons as benign - to me the enviromental difference between Triton and Neptune are WAY to vast for anything to consider both environments as benign.  They also research slowly, although not as slowly as a true hive mind.  I decided that would be unbalanced due to the severely limited PU caps on their worlds set by Ice Life - they get precious few SA and RDS.  Slow it more and there would be no point to even trying to research. I also allowed them some individuality (as per the story) and gave the ships grades as opposed to straight average for all of them.  If would have been too easy for the player to figure out just what they were facing if I didn't mix things up a little.  I wanted them to work for the victrory, as what is gained easily is oft taken for granted.  The players don't spend much time discussing the 'gimme's' of the game, but the hard fought battles that were nearly lost seem to inspire discussion years later.
   What was hurting the Nemotians  was their dwindling saving.  With limited PU available, and maxed out IU (I allowed them to place IU on any pop over 60 as they maxed at 180 for the moment), and FT's actually losing you money with the math we used for our systems, the Nemotians earned over 20% of their income (early on it was over 35 to 40%) from interest on Treasury.  That treasury was dwindling and with it their sustainable income.  They still maintained a treasury of over 11000 MC, but with only 3 SY for building warships and no investment opportunities, it wasn't hard to see that the writing was on the wall for the Nemotians.  Unless the players made some big mistakes.

On a side note, Patrol Vessel 17's move to Elite began to change the players tactics in the coming months.  They realized that the little ships packed just as much firepower as the DD's at long range (both carried only a single Pt), and that some of those little ships were surviving long enough to get better at using that weapon.  They didn't like that idea much.


And now for the ship lists for the battles....

First Battle of Neptune

US Task Force 2
Admiral:  Rear Admiral Matthew Thomas / LG +0

Interceptor MkIIa A. Lincoln (BG+1) , T. Roosevelt , S. Grant (BG-1) , J. Davis (BG-1)
Class: CT      16HS
[2] A A A H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (cpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Missile Escort Hawk , Eagle
Class:  EX      7HS
[2] A Hs Qa Ra (cp) [4/1]
(by now simply called trash cans with firepower)

Survey Tender 1
Class:  FT0      5HS
[2] H (Bsa) H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Pan Euro 1st Battle Group
Admiral:  Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery / LG +0

Queen Elizabeth (BG+1)
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] A A A A A A A Hs Qa Mgs (Cp) (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Heavy Escort Anastasia (BG+1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] A A A Hs Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1] cg x1

Attack Escorts Cynthia , Suzette (BG-1) , Mary Queen of Scots (BG+1), Rachel Pierce
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] A A A A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Nemotian Defense Fleet 2
Admiral:  LG +0

Assault Vessel 5
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S A A A H Qa Qa (cpCp) (M1) Mg Mg Mg Mg Kb+ Kb+ (Cp) Qa Pta Ya (CpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x1

Combat Vessel 2
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S A A H Qa (Bsa) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Patrol Vessels 4 , 5
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Defense Base Mk I  (x1)
Class:  BS1      30HS

Note: Kb's are turret mounted on a BS1 so 360 degree fire.

Defense Base Mk 0  (x2)
Class:  BS0      15HS


New Home 3 Shipyards (BG-1)
Class:  SS      82HS


New Home 3 Support Station (BG-2/CFN Terminal)
Class:  SS

(for those who like shooting civilian assets)

Mobile Repair Ships 3 ( 9 , 10 in mothballs in Triton orbit)
[2] H Qa (Cp) (Cp) (Cp) (SYM2) [6/1]
PT x2 on board for detonation

Support Vessels (BG-2)  (x2)
Class:  FT 2      16HS
[2] A (Bsa) H H H A H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [4/1]
PT x2 on board for detonation

Small Support Vessel (BG-2)  (x2)
Class:  FT1      12HS
[2] A H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]
PT x2 on board for detonation

Reduce Combat Vessel and Assault Vessel magazines by the 10 PT on the FT's.
Nemotians may automatically "ram" (see below) to defend populations.

Nepture will fill the hex it is in.
Proteus is an O1m at 2tH from Neptune.
Triton is an O1m at 5tH from Neptune with 180PU, 90 IU, RDS x1.
Triton has planetary fallout shelters for 36PU (you can't nuke 'em).
(Players didn't know about fallout shelters yet)

We had long discussions on ramming in this game, and settled it thus.
In the absence of drive field, not possible for ships of ANY sort to ram one another.
(Players definitely scared of kamakazie attacks.  At the speeds used, if you could ram another ship with yours, direct hits with a missile should be easy.  A direct hit with an X megaton missile would destroy any ship.)  Ramming of planets/pops possible.
Use of large explosion rules allowed, with increased damage for warhead in force for the detonation but FRN.  Ie,  2 PT's would have 2 pts x2 for Lg Exp. damage normally, x3 for our no field mod for 12 damage.  A successful ram roll would inflict all 12 points, a miss would inflict 1/10th (FRN not FRU) for 1 pt
Dumb bombs were ruled to do 1 pt on planet strikes due to precision, not as a ship to ship damage level.  They could do 1 pt base damage - not tripled - on a successful ram.  You'd need a bunch if you missed.
You could load more PT's on the suicide ships if you wanted. The Assault and Combat Vessels carry a BUNCH.
The players still wanted to be able to load ships with missiles from the PDC's and "ram" to defend Earth, but that was about the extent of it.

The aftermath was the loss of all US and Euro ships other than the Rachel Pierce and Mary QoS.
Both advanced with the R. Pierce to BG+1 and the Mary QoS to BG+2.
Triton lost all mobile assets except the mothballed ships, and none of the orbital defenses were touched.  No damage to the moon.

(I will confess to having lost the original ship lists, but know which ships were there by that month's deployment orders.  I am fairly sure of all the ship grades from the fleet rosters that month, but that wasn't recorded on the turn notes.  Sorry.)


The Second Battle of Mercury

Pan Euro Ship List

Mercury Space Station
Class:  SS      162HS

Mercury Station Military Modules 1-6 (BG-1)
Class:  SS      12HS


Mercury Transfer Station (BG-2/CFN Holding)
Class:  SS


Nemotian Combat Group 3 Detachment

Nemotian Patrol Vessels 12 , 13 , 17 (BG+1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3
cg carry bombs x2 each

Mercury has 22.3PTU.
The complete destruction of all population on Mercury is a tactical defeat for the Nemotians as this was an attempt to draw defenses from Ceres. (They wouldn't know these folks don't really like each other.  A race fighting itself, that is just plum silly.....)


The Destruction of Ceres

Chinese Ship List
Admiral: Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji / LG+1

Cruiser Mao Tse Tung
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S S S S A A A H Qa Qa Mgs Ya Ga Ga Ga (cpCp) (Cp) Ra Ra Qa Ra Ra (CpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Missile Frigates Anhui , Hubei (BG+1) , Shangxi , Henan
Class:  FG      22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Ceres Transfer Station (BG-2/CFN Holding)
Class:  SS


Chinese Light Cargo Freighter (BG-2/CFN Holding)
Class:  FT1      12HS
[2] A H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Mobile Construction Ship Zhuang
Class:  FT4      30HS
[2] H A H Qa (Cp) (SYM1) [6/1] cg x1

Ceres has 41.5PU, and 6Qv of troops with 3H.

Nemotian Combat Group 3

Assault Vessels 4 , 6
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S A A A H Qa Qa (cpCp) (M1) Mg Mg Mg Mg Kb+ Kb+ (Cp) Qa Pta Ya (CpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x1

Combat Vessels 4 , 6
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S A A H Qa (Bsa) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Patrol Vessels 19 (BG-1) , 20 (BG-1) , 21 (BG-1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Hive Vessel 1 (BG-1) , 2(BG-1) - not actually present at battle, hiding in belt 240 tH away.
Class:  ESf      12HS
[2]  (Bsa) x9 H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x18 - these did go to Ceres.

All cg carry bombs x2 each

AB rules for reduced sensors in force.

Notes.  Historically speaking, this battle never happened.  The Chinese simply left the colony to its fate.  But it could have if you want to give it a shot.  You could put bombs in the FT's if you make your roll for the CFN to help (the GaM's would do nicely).  The gtos's speed of one would make it an easy target for big ships but a bomb or two in it wouldn't hurt.  At least it could draw fire.
Trying to save the colony from the swarm of 51 gigs is pretty much hopeless though.
And China wanted some help facing down this group.  What they did is trail the Nemotian Group to keep track of it so they couldn't just show up at Earth or Venus unannounced.
The Zhuang was sent off toward Venus.


The Clash of Arms / Defense of the Inner System

Chinese Ship List
Admiral:  Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji / LG+1

Cruiser Mao Tse Tung
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S S S S A A A H Qa Qa Mgs Ya Ga Ga Ga (cpCp) (Cp) Ra Ra Qa Ra Ra (CpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Missile Frigates Anhui , Hubei (BG+1) , Shangxi , Henan
Class:  FG      22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1


US Task Force 3
Admiral:  Rear Admiral Joshua Campbell / LG-1

Interceptor MkIIa J. Hancock (BG+1) , J. Adams , T. Jefferson (BG+1) , G. Washington
Class: CT      16HS
[2] A A A H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (cpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Missile Escort Vulture (BG+1) , Condor
Class:  EX      7HS
[2] A Hs Qa Ra (cp) [4/1]
(by now simply called trash cans with firepower)

Nemotian Combat Group 3

Assault Vessels 4 , 6
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S A A A H Qa Qa (cpCp) (M1) Mg Mg Mg Mg Kb+ Kb+ (Cp) Qa Pta Ya (CpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x1

Combat Vessels 4 , 6
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S A A H Qa (Bsa) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Patrol Vessels 12 , 13 , 17 (BG+1) ,19 (BG-1) , 20 (BG-1) , 21 (BG-1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Hive Vessel 1 (BG-1) , 2(BG-1)
Class:  ESf      12HS
[2]  (Bsa) x9 H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x18

This happens in deep space, no terrain.  
The Hive Vessels 1 and 2, plus Patrol Vessels 12 and 13 start 16 hexes behind the lead group.
No gigs had been launched.  None were used to attempt "ramming" with bombs on board as that wasn't Nemotian SOP/Tactical Doctrine.  They were to be held for planetary bambardments. The Nemotians actually have about 5 gigs less, as they were destroyed by the PU/Qv on Ceres.  Exact number and which ships were short are unavailable.

Notes.  This battle was fought to a draw, with both sides withdrawing to preserve their remaining ships.  The US Task Force and Tung were destroyed.  Every FG made its advancement roll.  They retreated to Venus to protect the shipyards there and to allow better rolls on the emergency repair of the S's since they would not regenerate at this time.

The Nemotians used this opportunity to lose the constant surveilance of their group so they could attempt a more favorable attack on Mars.  This was the first engagement that the players really noticed PV 17.  Due more to lucky rolls, PV destroyed 2 ships outright, assisted in the destruction of the Tung, and finished or a crippled Interceptor.  After the battle all of the surviving PV's succeeded on their advancement rolls (you need one week of downtime as I read it, so they just hung out in the AB).  The surviving destroyer didn't go up and stayed average.

Although if the Nemotians had won this engagement, the next battle would have looked very different.  In the interlude PV 17 and 12 returned to Mercury to finish its destruction.  They were the only ships present, so I see no point in typing it out as a battle.

The Battle for Mars

Pan Euro Ship List
Admiral:  None.  Senior Captain Robert McNeely of the Red October

Armed Science Vessel Red October (BG+1)
Class:  FG      22HS
[2] A A A A A A H Qa Mgs Xp (cpCp) Ra Ra Ya Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Attack Escorts Mary Queen of Scots (BG+2), Rachel Pierce (BG+1)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] A A A A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Mobile Shipyard
Class:  FT4      30HS
[2] H H H Qa (Cp) (SYM1) [6/1] cg x1


US Ship List
Admiral:  Rear Admiral Jack Ryan / LG+2 - Navigator

Interceptor MkIIa JFK , B. Franklin , H. Truman , D. Eisenhower (BG-1)
Class: CT      16HS
[2] A A A H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (cpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Survey Tender 1
Class:  FT0      5HS
[2] H (Bsa) H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Mars Space Station (BG-1)
Class:  SS      82HS

Mars Station Military Modules 1-6 (BG-1)
Class:  SS      12HS


Mars Transfer Station (BG-2/CFN Holding)
Class:  SS


Mars has 139.0PU.

Nemotian Combat Group 3

Combat Vessels 4
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S A A H Qa (Bsa) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Patrol Vessels 12 (BG+1), 13 (BG+1), 17 (BG+2)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Hive Vessel 1 (BG-1) , 2(BG-1)
Class:  ESf      12HS
[2]  (Bsa) x9 H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x18

cg carry bombs x2 each

Notes.  The story says 48 gigs, it was really 47.  Oh well.  This is a nasty fight that both sides claimed to have won afterward.  The Nemotians lost the DD and most of their gigs (only one survived).  The US lost two Interceptors and 43PU, plus one destroyed Military Module.  The Red October was hit twice and hid behind Mars - where she shot at the gigs as they attacked.
Neither side was decisively defeated, as the Nemotians withdrew as soon as the gigs started bombing.  
After the battle the JFK finally made it to BG+1.  The rest either didn't or couldn't (already rolled for the month) advance.
This battle singled out PV17.  The DD took out the Mil Mod on the SS, and hit the R. October. I think PV 12 hit an Interceptor.  PV17 put the other hit on the October, finished off the Interceptor, and took out the other MkIIa by itself.  Several were on rolls that 'shouldn't' have hit.
And so began the story of the 'alien ace' that the players claimed was BG+3 or better to start the game.  Little did they know that they helped create it by targeting the big ships.

For some what if scenarios, you could always take the Euro/US group from the last battle (without the SS's) and have them try to crack the defenses of Triton in the battle that got called off. (Would have left the Mars SS alone against the surviving parts of Combat Group 3.)
Another that almost happened was the FSC Mary Reed and US Missile Escorts Falcon and Owl. They could have fought PV 12 and 17 at Mercury.  Both the US ships are BG+1 and the design is covered above.  The PV12 and 17 would be the same as the last battle.  The Mary Reed would be...

Converted Frieghter Mary Reed
Class: FT2      16HS
[2] A Qv Qv Qv H H La Ra Qa (Cp) [4/1]  cg x1

Reallistically, if I were the human player, I would hide on the backside of Mercury and try to force them to close to point blank range for the engagement.  At least the lack of sensors wouldn't make any difference.  It would be better to hope the alien ships would just go away after they kill the PU.

In that this post if fairly immense to stick in the middle of a story, if folks post a fair amount in the comments that they would rather see this stuff moved to the Starfire Scenarios section, I would be willing to do that (so as to not clutter the story to much).  Otherwise I would rather post it where anyone can get to it without having to log in if they choose not to (or aren't registered yet).

Thanks again for reading...
March won't be near so big....(sigh)....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 30, 2010, 10:34:27 PM
March 2204  part 1

March 2nd  0845 hours/US Space Station, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan looked over the status reports on the JFK.  The refits were just starting.  Sections of the outer plating were being removed to provide access to place the conduction circuits that would allow the magnetic field generators to form a protective field around the JFK.  The project engineer talked as if it would only take a little over a week.  Jack thought that was a conservative estimate, looking at the progress reports coming back.  Even if it took two weeks, both of the surviving Interceptors would be able to make the conversion from MkIIa to MkIIb by the end of the month.  Then the trials of the new system would begin.  Assuming that the aliens didn't return while they were docked and down for the upgrades.
   It appeared that there was no plan to refit the Missile Escorts.  Apparently their hull was too small to allow effective emplacement of the field generators.  It was believed that the weak field the small ships would generate would simply collapse, and that the ship would still be destroyed, or so badly damaged that it would be combat ineffective  They would simply have to continue service with the current fragile design.
   Jack switched the console in Engineering from the status of the JFK to the repairs on the station itself.  The crews were finishing up cutting away the remains of Defense Module 2.  There were no plans to replace the destroyed section at the moment.  Perhaps when enough Interceptors had been replaced the station would be repaired and upgraded.  At the moment there simply wasn't enough construction capacity for the project.  That was assuming the US was able to get the upper hand on the aliens for a change.  The way it looked, the days of humanity might be numbered.
   With the JFK down for a bit, perhaps this would be another good chance to go visit Meagan. Her letters made it obvious she was worried and not sleeping so well.


March 3rd  1420 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Earth orbit

   Admiral Hu stepped off of the Captain's shuttle and onto the hard deck of the landing bay.  The tour of the new construction was complete, and now the Shek could begin trials to ensure the new systems were functioning at full capacity.  The new Cruiser, the Ho Chi Minh, would be operational later in the year.  Its design was based on the refitted Shek, and it was intended as a purely long range weapon platform.  The small ship that was beginning to take shape in the slip beside the Minh was almost its polar opposite.  The Matsu was based on a hull much smaller than the Frigates, and it was intended as an assault vessel designed purely for close range work. Only one was under construction for the moment, but three more were planned for the coming months.  They were intended to close with the stationary defenses of an alien settlement and destroy them.  They would also be useful for bombarding alien colonies due to the large drive detonation of the short ranged missiles.  The small ships would mount field generators nearly equal in strength to a frigate.  The fact that the design cost about 40 percent of a Missile Frigate and required much less support made it an attractive design for a ship that would likely sustain substantial losses.
   Admiral Hu had pushed for an immediate offensive against the alien colony the US and Euro data showed to exist at Triton.  Something was needed to disrupt alien operations before they could renew their offensive here in the inner system.  The ministry had not seen it that way.  The loss of the Tung had shaken them, and they seemed unwilling to risk the Shek with the Minh only just beginning to take shape.
   At least the presence of the Shek and the four Missile Frigates here in the inner system had allowed the Yunnan to assume convoy escort duties without weakening the defense of Chinese assets.  Its short range armament actually suited it well for the assault role in reducing alien fixed defenses, but the Missile Frigates had been deemed to valuable to risk on convoy escort duties.  The Yunnan was also undergoing trials and would not be able to engage alien vessels at full effectiveness until the crew had gained more familiarity with its systems, but the magnetic field generators it now mounted should help protect it in the event of alien contact.  So far convoy escort had been an uneventful duty.  The aliens seemed to have no interest in destroying civilian shipping.
   The difficult task for the coming months would be to 'mend the fences' with the other powers.  The US and Euro would be needed to help secure Chinese assets in the coming months, without attacking them.  They would have presented only a small diplomatic challenge, but the FSC could become a problem due to its increasingly friendly relations with those governments.  The invasion of FSC soil and detonation of a missile over a research facility would leave lingering animosity that would be difficult to overcome.  The US and Euro intervention in the ground war had prevented a rapid resolution to the situation.  They would likely continue to intervene if force was used to secure FSC cooperation.  China should be able to resolve that problem with force also, but the damage to Chinese assets and Earth's defenses would leave the planet open to alien attack.
   Time would provide another chance for China to assert its dominance.  But not now.


March 5th  0930 hours/Queen Mary, Earth orbit

   Captain Robert McNeely walked into the quarters and saluted.  Admiral Kushnir returned the salute and motioned for him to be seated.  He looked at Admiral Kushnir's quarters as he sat and noted they weren't any larger than his on the Red October.  The Queen Mary was intended as a front line combat vessel and the layout reflected that.  The Flag Officer's quarters couldn't be too large or it would cut excessively into the space needed for other systems.
   "Admiral Kushnir, repairs on the Red October have begun, and are projected to be finished late in the month or early in April.  The damage was rather extensive, but both launch bays and the Phoenix Array are functional and could support any defensive action here at Earth if needed.  Much of the research equipment was destroyed or lost, and the particle accelerator banks will need extensive work to get online.  I have submitted requests to have the crews of the decommissioned survey ships reassigned to the Red October to avoid the delay of waiting for replacement personnel to be trained and assigned."  Robert sat and waited for the inevitable questions.  Admiral Kushnir always liked to quiz any commanders to try and assess what hadn't made it in to the AAR's.
   "Captain McNeely, what was your assessment of the alien ships' capabilities at the 'Battle of Mars', as it has been designated.  In particular I would like you to address the alien level of proficiency in ship to ship combat at this engagement."  Admiral Kushnir had the same featureless black faceplate as every other cyborg, but Robert was sure he could feel eyes behind it boring into him.  She was after something and Robert wasn't sure he really wanted to address it.
   "Ma'am, our crews' level or training and performance is unparalleled.  I'm sure you are aware it has allowed us to face these alien ships from a technological disadvantage and still be able to manage favorable engagements."  Robert wanted to shift nervously, but resisted the urge.  "I have not been involved in the number of engagements that some other officers and crews have seen, but it would be my opinion that the alien training or doctrine has improved since our initial encounters.  In particular some of the smaller vessels have become more proficient in ship to ship combat."  It was said.  Robert didn't like it, but it was what many of the crew members had been thinking ever since the engagement.
   Admiral Kushnir leaned forward in her chair.  "Captain, how effective do you believe the new alien 'doctrine' or 'training' to be?  How great of an impact do you feel it will have in future engagements?"
   Robert paused.  How do you answer that?  There were just too many variable in combat.  Too much luck.  But Admiral Kushnir cut through his thoughts with a simple "Captain."  Robert decided to step out on a limb and take a guess.  "Ma'am, I think that the crews of the alien vessels were probably combat veterans.  They understood how to maneuver, and how we maneuver.  They seemed to be able to predict our positions and plot appropriate targeting solutions.  I think that they will rapidly be able to engage our vessels on even footing to make successful engagements difficult in the future.  We field smaller ships with weaker defenses, and they will be able to gain a distinct advantage."  Robert knew the only advantage the Pan Euro had was their high level of training, but they were losing their well trained crews.  With that advantage gone, the chances of winning this war were slipping away.
   "Thank you, Captain.  That will be all."


   1110 hours/Missile Escort Falcon, 27 light seconds from Earth

   Commander Justin Reynolds looked over the translation of the incoming message.  Three days ago the Pan Euro Attack Escorts Rachel Pierce and Mary Queen of Scots had joined the Falcon, Owl, and the FSC Mary Reed in protecting the convoys of civilian ships, but this new message was unexpected.  Justin had been excited to add the Euro ships with their long range sensor arrays.  The advanced warning they would provide of alien contacts was invaluable.  This message could provide another valuable addition.  But the problems it could cause might not be worth it.
   Captain Ng of the Chinese Strike Vessel Yunnan (he identified it as an "Attack Frigate") had requested permission to accompany the convoy and to assist in its defense in the event of hostilities.  It was no secret the Yunnan had just come out of the slip at Earth only a few days ago, and likely had the new Chinese protective fields that were like the defenses of the alien ships.  Justin had heard that the US Interceptors were being refitted with a similar system, but it was just rumor at this time.
   The Chinese ship carried significant armament, and the protective fields would make it difficult for even the alien ships to destroy.  But this ship had fought with the Mary Reed only a few months ago, and Justin wasn't too sure how well this would work.
   But the aliens had begun to use their Alphas more aggressively of late, and the close calls at Uranus and Mercury had left him with the feeling that his luck could be running out any day now. The reports were that four of the small alien ships had survived the engagement at Mars and were likely still in the area.  Another ship that could fight the alien Alphas on their own terms was just too good to pass up.
   "Comm, send a message granting the Chinese ship permission to join the convoy.  And let the Captain of the Mary Reed know he has company."


March 6th  1950 hours/Elders Chambers, New Home 3

   The Elders of New Home 3 reviewed the status of the defenses.  Two Combat Vessels had arrived to assist in protecting the settlement, and construction had begun on two defense installations on the surface of the moon.  Prior doctrine had forbidden the construction of defenses based on the New Homes to avoid drawing fire onto the settlements themselves.  But the space based construction facilities were completely committed to replacing losses to the mobile combat assets, and only the planet based construction assets were available to assist in building the defense.  The current situation had proved too hazardous not to use every asset available to strengthen the defense of the colony.  The race native to this system would return and attack New Home 3 again, and more mobile assets would not be available for some time to come.  A great deal of time.  A time might come when the New Homes would be responsible for their own defense.
   One more Patrol Vessel had been detached and was well on its way to joining the surviving ships of Combat Group 3.  That group had now been redesignated Patrol Group 3, and was responsible for scouting the inner parts of this system and identifying any new enemy targets. It was also to attack enemy ships as the opportunity presented itself.  This native race needed to be given every reason to keep its combat assets tied down defending their settlements.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 02, 2010, 06:43:07 AM
March 2204 part 2/...show me a hero, and I shall write you a tragedy...(Fitzgerald)

March 11th 1245 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, near asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 waited for the ship to react.  The enemy vessel was simply moving in a straight line in front of Patrol Vessel 17, at a distance of 7.5 light seconds.  It was making no attempt to either evade or attack.  The Commander paused.  Over time, several of the enemy vessels had been destroyed without ever firing on the Patrol Vessels.  Perhaps this vessel was like the Support Vessels that brought supplies to the Combat Groups.  Unarmed and with poor sensors.  If this was true then it would be easy to destroy, but would eventually lead them to a settlement of a group of enemy ships.  Either find would be valuable.
   The Patrol Vessels had been combined into a Patrol Group.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had decided that the undamaged Patrol Vessels would divide into two groups to scout for enemy settlements and ships.  New targets for the next attack.  This ship would be easy prey, but could be much more useful for the moment.  
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 adjusted the fields of his station.  Patrol Vessel 17 would follow this enemy support ship.  Patrol Vessel 13 would accompany them.  And perhaps it would lead them to a new target.


March 14th  0830 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters listened as the various members of his staff briefed him on their areas of responsibility.  It was a little different from yesterday.  Lieutenant Commander Meagan Ryan seemed to be in better spirits, if only a little.  The work was definitely taking a toll on the young woman.  Her father Rear Admiral Ryan had arrived on the 13th, and was even seated in the room to give his update on the work at the Mars Station.  Jack seemed awfully interested in the information on the new ship being built here at Earth.  The first of the MkIII's was beginning construction, and would be done late next month.  It was being rushed through due to the need for replacement of the recent losses.  Perhaps Jack and his crew, with their experience, would be a good choice to take out the new ship.  If anyone could find the bugs in her and get them fixed, it would be Jack.
   Meagan would be up next with her information on any progress with the magnetic field generators.  They worked, but were going to need overhauled every time the ship got hit.  That was still better than having to replace the ship, but would still be troublesome.  As the charged particles from a detonation washed past the fields, it generated an electrical charge that would burn out the generators.  Work was being done to try and stop the feedback, or to draw it off, but so far it had proved difficult.  The magnetic field itself was carrying the charge, and trying to keep that charge from damaging the equipment was going to be the trick.
   Perhaps it was time to let the young lady take some leave.  She had been here on the station non stop for quite a while now.  She had even asked for a short leave not long ago.  Bradley decided that would be one of the things that got done today.


March 16th  2250 hours/Attack Escort Mary Queen of Scots, 16 light minutes from Mars

   Commander Ian McTavish locked his station.  Two Alphas had just appeared at slightly over 7 light seconds.  Closing.  A new contact flashed on the screen, but Ian had been expecting it.  The Chinese Strike Vessels at Mars had displayed magnetic signatures like the aliens.  Now this one had also.
   The civilian ships in the convoy had been grouped close together to try and reduce the distance that the escorts would have to cover.  The two little US ships and the FSC ship were up front, while the Chinese vessel and the two Attack Escorts were covering the back half of the group.  All told six armed vessels to protect thirteen unarmed freighters.  But even one Alpha could be dangerous, and there were two.  The US Commander Reynolds was officially in command of the group, but Ian didn't need to be told what to do.  Fight as if your life depended on it, because it did.
   The Mary QoS showed all stations locked and Ian keyed in for combat acceleration.  The group would try to stay together, but being a sitting duck just wasn't going to be part of the plan.


   2252 hours/Missile Escort Falcon, 16 light minutes from Mars

   Commander Justin Reynolds had received the message from the Pan Euro Attack Escorts of the two alien Alphas.  Those long range sensors were such a blessing.  They wouldn't have had time to get to battle stations without the Euro ships. The Falcon's sensors lit up with launch signatures as the two Alphas fired on the convoy.  A firing solution flashed on Justin's screen and disappeared as the ship's drive stuttered and a missile deployed.  Sensors showed all the convoy escorts were launching on the two alien contacts.
   Justin keyed in for the Comm Officer to transmit orders to hold formation.  The Euro ships were sliding forward along the convoy.  They were obviously trying to improve the range for their missiles, but the convoy couldn't afford to be left uncovered.  Justin waited as the alien weapons closed.  Detonations clouded the Falcon's rudimentary sensors for a few moments and then cleared.  It wasn't clear, but one of the alien Alphas seemed to have lost its magnetic field.  Then the sensors picked up the wreckage of the Owl tumbling through space, drifting out away from the convoy.  Damn, the aliens seemed to have learned the small missile escorts were vulnerable to their weapons.
   The Alphas were closing fast, and the lead one had just reached clear sensor range for the Falcon when the next missile finished prep for deployment.  The other Alpha had lost its protective field, but this one was the clear shot.  Justin keyed the firing solution for the second contact and watched the sensor returns on the launch as it sped away.  Sensors showed that the Euro ships were targeting the damaged Alpha, while the Falcon and Mary Reed were targeting the undamaged one.  The Chinese missile seemed to have lost guidance early on and wasn't headed anywhere useful.  As the alien missiles detonated the sensor reports clouded again.  The massive electromagnetic pulse always seemed to overwhelm the arrays.
   As sensors came back on line Justin could see that the exchange had definitely gone against the aliens.  None of the ships in or around the convoy seemed to have been hit, while the lead Alpha was just coasting through space with its drive bloom gone.  The Alpha the Falcon and Mary Reed had targeted had lost its protective field also.  The aliens were taking a pounding !
   The drifting Alpha had moved into range of the Falcon’s sensors and Justin keyed in the firing solution for the crippled vessel.  The other ships had launched on the active Alpha, but Justin knew that if the drifting Alpha hadn't come apart, it would probably still be able to fire.  Sure enough a new contact lit up from the coasting Alpha as it managed another launch.  Justin watched as the missile from the Falcon found its target and the Alpha was destroyed.  The second Alpha stuttered its drive and vented as missiles detonated along its path.  Then it too was drifting without a drive bloom.  Yes !  Only one left to go.


   2253 hours/Attack Escort Mary Queen of Scots, 16 light minutes from Mars

   Commander Ian McTavish watched as the sensors recorded the destruction of the last Alpha.  The laser on the Mary Reed tore the vessel apart as the hull shattered from the sudden expansion caused by the laser's heat.  Both of the Alphas had been destroyed, and the convoy was safe.  But Ian hated this part.  After the battle were the messages sent to let folks back at home know that another ship and its crew had died bravely against the aliens.  It should have been the US Commander's job, but that wouldn't be the case.  The Falcon had been hit by the last launch from the second stricken Alpha.   Ian knew that the loss of the Falcon was going to be a shock for the US, and the Euro.  He had been there last June when the little ship and her crew had managed to fight an alien Alpha to a standstill.  Now not only had the little David faced down Goliath, it had rescued many stranded Pan Euro colonists from Mercury before the aliens had destroyed the colony.  No one back at Earth was going to want to hear that the Falcon and her crew weren't coming home.  
   And Ian didn't want to have to be the one sending the message.  Two of his grandkids had come home from that colony on Mercury.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 03, 2010, 05:09:25 AM
March 2204 part 3

March 18th  0035 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek,  Venus orbit

   Admiral Hu keyed in for the Venus Station's sensor logs to be transmitted to the Shek.  The Shek and the Missile Frigates Shangxi and Henan were detecting no alien presence near the station, and the station itself was reporting no contact prior to the Shek's arrival.  Hu decided the aliens most likely had not come to Venus yet, or they would have attacked.  The aliens had rather quickly attacked, and then destroyed the Pan Euro station at Mercury.   The attack reported by the Yunnan was far to close to Venus for comfort though.  This deployment was necessary.
   The Earth was guarded by a Pan Euro Battle Group, and the Anhui and Hubei.  Add that to the many ground based defenses and the Earth would be able to withstand any alien attack force that had been encountered to date.  Venus was far less well defended, and vital to Chinese interests.  If it was only the remnants of the prior alien group which had attacked, the Shek and two Missile Frigates would be able to easily deal with them.  If it was another group like the one that had descended on Ceres, Venus would have to be abandoned.
   For the moment, deploying the Shek to Venus was both prudent and useful, in that Venus was far closer to Neptune at this time than Earth was.  It would cut nearly two days off the travel time to the out system - should the ministry chose to launch an offensive within the next month or so.  Would the ministry be willing to risk the Shek before the Minh was completed?  That was uncertain.


March 22nd  2255 hours/Queensland Research Facility, Australia

   Chairman Mukata looked over the data on his monitor.  The greatest part of it didn't make sense.  But what did was very intriguing.  It would require some outlay of capital, but could place the FSC in a position to deal with the other governments of Earth from a more favorable stance.  And it would definitely assist against the aliens if it panned out.
   A technician that had emigrated from the Pan Euro after his ship was decommissioned had been pivotal to the project.  A man by the name of Jager.  Regardless, his skill with sensor arrays was remarkable.  He had been able to interface an array with a fire control system in a way that had often been thought of as impossible.  The implications were enormous.  But it would still take time and money to try and create a useful system from the data.  Money would simply have to be diverted in the coming months.  The work on magnetic field generators was progressing rapidly, and should be completed within the next month or two.  At that time all available resources would be put into this project.
   Right now Mukata needed to talk to this Jager.  To ensure that his loyalties remained with the FSC.  And that no one else possessed this data.


March 25th  1750 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 30 light seconds from Earth

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 didn't believe what he was sensing.  The energy signature and flux from the nearby planet was immense.  This third planet from the star was simply unreal.  To have such a large energy signature, this race must be packed onto the face of this planet.  Packed in one upon another in a seething mass.  Like some infestation gone far out of control.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could feel revulsion well up inside.
   If the energy signature was correct, this planet's population would have to be thousands of times greater than any Home.  The New Homes were only on moons a fraction of this planet's size, but the number of creatures that would have to be involved was unthinkable.  Disgusting.  How could they stand to live in such a way?  There was no way a race like this could ever have been tolerated.  Such vermin were only fit to be exterminated.
   There was no sense in attacking such a nest of the enemy with only two Patrol Vessels.  But if the enemy understood that their true home had been discovered, perhaps they would move more of their ships to this area.  They would become less able to deploy ships to attack New Home 3.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 adjusted the fields around him, and then sensed the torpedoes launched from Patrol Vessel 17 and 13.  Moments later the small ship they had followed for days disappeared in the detonations.
   The race native to this planet would be able to sense that.  And they would know that they had been found.


   1758 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, 5 light seconds from Earth

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon stared at her monitor.  She could see the information sprawled across it, but could only think of one thing.  'They have found Earth at last.  It will only be a matter of time now.  They will attack here also.  And people will die.'   The attack had occurred too far out for any of the sensors at Earth to record the alien ships, only the detonation of the civilian freighter and the magnetic signature of the alien ship or ships.  The aliens had turned on their protective fields for a few minutes, and then shut them off.  Possibly they were afraid of unseen defenses.  Brenna was sure they just wanted to let everyone know that they were there.
   In the next few minutes the civilian news services would have the story, and it would spread to every corner of the world.  The recession already had people on edge.  This could result in much more.  Riots, hysteria.  The aliens would be able to do a great deal of damage without ever having to directly attack the Earth itself.
   But they would attack.  Sooner or later.  And people on Earth would die.  And the panic then could destroy what mankind had taken thousands of years to build.  The alien attack would have to be stopped cold.  It could never reach the Earth.  Stopped with what they had available now, because it may come before anything else would arrive or be built.
   But how?  Brenna stared at her monitor with a new resolve. Scrolling through lists and databases, she started to put together a plan.


March 26th  0610 hour/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan watch as his daughter worked at her desk.  It was as if she was possessed.  She had been up for over 20 hours, and had barely eaten.  She had only eaten a little since the attack on the convoy.  She was to have gone on leave the morning of the 17th, but had stayed to work.  Jack had stayed to try and help her, but her work was nothing that he was used to.  It was worrying.  If she didn't try to rest, she would work herself sick. Perhaps even worse than just sick.
   Suddenly she was standing and pointing at the screen.  "There.  There it is."  She was white and unsteady.  Jack moved over to try and keep her from falling.  Then he sat her back down.  Meagan just kept pointing.
   "What is it honey?  What is wrong?"  Jack knew his voice sounded flat.  It always would.  But it had never bothered Meagan.  She had always seemed to hear the emotion that wasn't there.
   "Its the ship I told you of.  It was here.  At Earth.  I need to tell Admiral Walters."  Meagan tried to get up but Jack simply held her down.
   "No, you won't.  You are going to rest.  I can tell him.  You are going to pack some clothes, and none of them uniforms.  That is an order."  Jack waited until she relaxed to let go.  She nodded weakly.  "But first go lay down.  I'll be back in an hour or so."  He waited until she nodded to leave.


      0625 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters cleared the briefing room as Rear Admiral Ryan waited.  It was unusual for Lieutenant Commander Ryan to be late.  Let alone have her father here instead.  Bradley had intended for her to be on leave now, but she had insisted on staying after the convoy attack.  Her ability to discern a pattern in the alien fields was uncanny, and her input valuable.  Otherwise he wouldn't have let her stay.  Perhaps that had been the wrong decision.
   When the room was clear Rear Admiral Ryan spoke.  "Admiral.  Meagan, I'm sorry, Lieutenant Commander Ryan believes she has identified the vessel that made the attack here at Earth as the Alpha of interest.  The 'alien ace' as rumor has it.  I believe her, but I have ordered her to stay in her quarters and rest pending leave, with your permission of course."  Bradley wasn't sure whether Rear Admiral Ryan was asking him or telling him about the leave, but it didn't really matter.  The only way that girl wouldn't have come to tell him herself was if she couldn't get up and move.
   "Sit down Jack.  Lets talk."  He waited while Rear Admiral Ryan sat at the table.  Cyborgs really didn't need to sit all that much, but it did give Bradley the height advantage, and might make Jack a little less agitated.  "If she said it was the Alpha, it was the Alpha.  Currently, its code-named the 'Baron'.  And it is dangerous.  The freighter will make the eighth ship we can confirm that it has destroyed.  And it would seem to not only have started intercepting commerce, it has found Earth."
   Bradley moved around the table to where Jack was seated.  "Jack, I know you are concerned about your daughter.  And she is going to get some rest.  I guarantee it."  He waited for the words to sink in and hoped Jack was feeling a little more relaxed.  Able to focus on things more objectively.  He was going to need to.
   "Jack, you're not going to be spending any of that time with her.  That ship out there in the slip will be done soon enough.  Then she will be headed for Mars, and you are going to be on her.  When you get there you are to transfer your crew to the new ship and spend whatever time you need shaking her down.  Learn just what is wrong, how to fix it, and how to use her as well as possible.  She is the cutting edge, the best weapon we have in the arsenal right now.  Her name is the 'Yari', and you are going to use her to kill the Baron and whatever son of a bitch is commanding her."
   Bradley leaned over and keyed the intercom.  "Cancel the briefing for this morning.  I have another project on the table right now."
   "Ok Jack, lets figure out how you are going to do this."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 04, 2010, 02:16:53 AM
March 2204 part 4

//////////////////////////////////////
Overview
Sorry that I couldn't get this on the end of part 3.  It has been a very busy weekend.  We've got more sick babies than well right now. :(


Patrol Vessel 17 managed to snag one of the few unconvoyed ships for the month.  I decided to follow it instead of destroy it.  Random rolls then had it travelling from the AB to earth.  Yippee.  It was destroyed when PV 17 could detect the PU on earth at 120 tH's.  If you feel like shooting it, it was the same as a Std Lift FT above.  For those scratching their heads at the unusual FT sizes in the convoy, we agreed at the beginning of the game to downsize all CFN ships by one due to the fact that not everyone could build FT4's to start (seemed silly for the CFN to be building bigger ships than the player it belonged to), and the generally small CFN (due to the Cp engines) they had to work with.

That's all for March.  Hope to get April out by the weekend.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 11, 2010, 12:27:41 AM
April 2204 part 1

April 1st  0320 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, Earth orbit

   The Dutchman unlocked his station and left the bridge.  He was past due for some rest, and this seemed the perfect time.  The Chinese were now posting two of their frigates to convoy escort duty, while the Pan Euro was pulling all of their ships in for refits and upgrades.  The US just didn't have any ships left to run escort with.  For the Mary Reed to stay out by herself with a pair of Chinese frigates was foolish.  This might be April's Fools day to some, but not for The Dutchman.  The FSC civilian ships had moved out of the convoys, and should be relatively safe from Chinese predation at least.  The aliens were another story.
   And for some reason, the cartels wanted the Mary Reed on hand to keep watch on the airspace over the FSC research sites.  Sounded a whole lot safer than waiting for the aliens to show up and attack a convoy you were guarding.  Why had the aliens started that?  This war was only getting worse.


April 2nd  0800 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan looked out at the vessel docked in the slip.  Sections of the hull were being dismantled while nearby components were being prepped for installation.  "This really lets you know how desperate we are." thought Jack.  
   He wondered how long it would take for the refits to be finished.  They had said at Admiral Walters' morning briefing it would only take two weeks.  That was less than half the time it took to build an Interceptor.  Much less than half.  But had it really come to the point the US needed to arm one of the government passenger transports to perform convoy escort duties?   It would free the US from depending on the Chinese for convoy escorts, and when you're down to your last two ships you definitely need more.  But refitting a freighter?
   Jack turned and left the room.  It was past time to check in on Meagan.  He had forced her to go and get a check up before she went on leave, and it had turned out to be a good idea.  She had managed to acquire a bleeding ulcer.  That explained her poor color and worse appetite rather well.  Instead of leave she was laid up in sick bay, but she needed it.  The last few days she actually had color in her cheeks.  She was to be released soon and sent on her planet side leave.  "Perhaps I could join her," Jack thought.  "It has been years since I walked on something other than a deck."


   1200 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 seethed.  The orders were clear, but cowardly and foolish.  The Patrol Vessels were to cease all offensive operations until additional support arrived.  Further losses were deemed unacceptable.
   Unacceptable?!  Allowing the enemy a chance to regroup and prepare an attack on New Home 3 was unacceptable!  To sit back and allow them to do this while there were still combat ready ships that could strike the enemy was unacceptable!  How could they justify such a course of action?
   There were only 9 scout craft, and a handful of bombs for them, but they could be used to conduct an attack on the enemy settlement on the third planet of this system.  They could quickly move to attack and then disengage.  It would do little damage, but entailed little risk.  It would help to tie down enemy ships, making New Home 3 safer.
   In the end, the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 knew it was not his decision to make.  The group would wait.


April 5th  1430 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon wondered if the aliens would attack while the refits were underway.  Even the Mobile Shipyards were busy assisting in the overhauls of the ships.  Every ship, every single Pan Euro combat vessel was scheduled to be refitted this month.  First up were the Red October, Rachel Pierce, and Mary Queen of Scots.  Not only were they the first to be refitted with the new 'shield' technology as the US called it, they were to be redesignated as the 3rd Light Battle Group.  
   The Tatianna was the next to have her hull torn apart for installation of the new system.  The Tatianna had needed to wait for the second Mobile Shipyard to arrive before her upgrades could begin.  This new system would change how the battles against the aliens would be fought, and Brenna had tried to account for a system that she didn't have any experience with.  Her training schedules and regimen for the upcoming month should give them an idea of how the system would impact the Pan Euro ships' operations, but the impact on combat was impossible to gauge.
   The Queen Elizabeth class had always been able to withstand a few hits from the aliens, but the smaller ships were seldom able to withstand more than one or two impacts.  The new shields were supposed to allow the Heavy and Attack Escorts to withstand the first few impacts with no real loss of combat efficiency.  It could allow for successful withdrawal of ships from combat, without undue danger to the other ships of a battle group.  It could also allow the US ships to utilize their laser batteries without it essentially being a suicide mission.
   It would likely change how the aliens approached an engagement also.  That would be the most difficult thing to anticipate and compensate for.
   But training was going to be vital.  With the number of new Pan Euro and US ships that were going to be coming out of the yards in the next few months, training would make the difference in whether those ships survived or not.  And ultimately, the survival of all humanity.


April 8th  0445 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Venus orbit

   Admiral Hu reviewed the progress reports on the new cruiser.  The Ho Chi Minh was on schedule, and would be ready for deployment in just over 3 months.  At that point the Shek would likely be on her way to Neptune.  Along with the bulk of the Chinese Fleet.
   The first of the Close Assault Escorts was complete and undergoing trials here at Venus.  Two more were under construction at Earth, while a third was being built at the Venus Station.  When trials of all the Close Assault ships were finished, it would be time to move toward the out system and Neptune.
   But for the moment it was trials and training for the new ships.  The first, the Matsu, would hopefully prove a capable design, as the Taiwan, Penghu, and Kinmen were already under construction.  They had primarily been designed for rapid assembly and ease of maintenance.  Hopefully they would also prove capable in combat.  The sensors and short range missiles were basic and rugged, but had fared poorly against the Pan Euro and US ships in the Battle for Jupiter.  Hopefully with the new magnetic protective field generators they would prove more successful against the aliens.
   The Yunnan had returned to Earth, and would eventually lead the Close Assault Escorts in the move to reduce the fixed defenses around Triton.  The Anhui and Hubei had been assigned to convoy escort duty to ensure that a ship with more advanced sensors was available.  They would also be able to deal with alien 'Alpha' class vessels unsupported by the US and Euro.  The US had withdrawn from convoy escort duties with the loss of its two small missile ships, while the Euro had simply withdrawn for 'refits'.  It was possible the other powers now had the protective field technology available for installation, but it would matter little.  The US and Euro fleets had been reduced to almost token sizes by the aliens.  They would provide no real opposition when the time came to assert Chinese dominion over the Earth.
   But first the other powers would have to believe that supporting China was in their best interests.  The attack on Triton would take all of the Chinese fleet elements, and the US and Euro would be responsible for security here in the inner system.  
   Then the aliens would pay for the lives and ships they had destroyed.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 11, 2010, 12:30:19 AM
April 2204 part 2 / A Gathering Storm

April 11th  2215 hours/Queensland Research Facility, Australia

   Chairman Mukata continued his tour of the research facility, but he had already seen what he had come for.  The work on the protective fields, shields as the US termed them, was progressing nicely.  Within the next month or two the system would be ready for deployment.  The Mary Reed would be the first trial of the new system, to verify that it was compatible with current designs.  After that a second ship might be commissioned for use by the FSC.  But that might be deemed too great a drain on current resources.  It would be addressed at the next meeting of the board.  For the moment it appeared that the US and Pan Euro would be willing to defend the FSC's assets in the event of hostilities.  The rest of the tour would simply be to ensure that the repairs to the facility were complete and satisfactory.  Signs of the damage could be seen outside, but not in the workspaces.  The damage outside had been left to camouflage some of the work done here, and to try and discourage a repeat strike by the Chinese on the complex.  Much of the work had been transferred to the South African research center, but much would still have to be handled here in Queensland.
   The new project had looked intriguing, but whether such a farfetched system would be possible, or cost effective, had yet to be seen.  If the long term implications of the current work panned out, it could have a major impact.  The technician in charge of the system integration, this Jager, seemed to be completely loyal to the FSC, and rather disgruntled with the Euro after having been discharged from duty following his ship's decommissioning.  He was now teamed with the drive design teams to see if a more appropriate platform could be designed for the new hardware.  Current models were completely unsuitable for conversion to this technology, and a new design would be needed for it to be effective.  That was assuming a drive shield of the proper size and capabilities could be designed.  "If it was even possible" had been the design team leader’s way of saying it.
   In two days he would have to present all of his findings here to the board at the meeting in Port Elizabeth.  They would decide the fate of this new project then.  In an unusual move it had been decided to have The Dutchman attend the meeting, to give his input on the new project.  Whether he felt it would be worthwhile.  'For what it is worth, I think that I will support this endeavor.  It would seem to be the one area we may be able to gain an advantage over the other world powers, at this moment', Mukata decided.


April 12  0200 hours/Fulda Gap, Germany

   Feldwebel Tanja Frank moved across the rocky ground quickly.  Far more rapidly than she could have managed in her old powered armor.  This new body was fast, and strong.  It didn't tire.  And it wasn't hers.  She still hated it.
   Crouching in a depression on the rocky slope, she paused while her squad secured the area.  It was only training, but everyone took it so much more seriously now.  Everyone felt like it was only a matter of time before they were fighting again.  Whether against the Chinese or the aliens, on Earth or some other body, it wouldn't matter.  The dying would become close and brutal once again.  The sterile battles across the long dark of space would end with the bitter and close battles fought face to face.  Wars weren't won by owning space, nobody lived there.  You had to own the ground.  Hold it.  And a ship in orbit could only do so much.
   Tanya checked her power and heat output readings habitually.  The PT and OT following her discharge from the hospital had given her that habit.  If either got to far out of limits, she would die as quickly as a normal person running out of air.  It took a lot to overload or overwork a cyborg body, but it could be done.  Particularly if your weapon put a heavy load on the power or cooling circuits.
   The HUD showed that the area was secure.  The squad was moving again.  Upslope to the next objective for the days training.  Tanya got up and began to move with the group.  She was still alive, while the rest of her old company had died there in India.  She wondered if she was the lucky one, or not.


April 15th  0620 hours/Pan Euro Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushner watched as the Queen Mary was locked into the slip at the station.  Soon the outer hull would be opened up in several places to allow the installation of the new magnetic field generators.  The ships were being overhauled as quickly as possible.  The goal was to have all of the Pan Euro combat ships done by the end of April, or early May.  It looked like they might be able to make that deadline, but Jude hoped the speed wouldn't leave any of the ships with fatal flaws in the work.  It took only a loose fitting in one place to destroy a ship when the drive engaged.  A small strand of wire coming free as the rest of the ship accelerated at over 1000 G's would be able to tear a ship apart if it struck the right supports or systems.  A generator or hull plate coming loose would easily rip the ship apart.
   Early May would see the first new production for the Pan Euro.  Two new Attack Escorts and a new Heavy Escort would begin construction.  They would form the 4th Light Battle Group and hopefully be ready for deployments in June or July. They would be able to take over convoy escort duty and allow the Pan Euro to avoid the dependence on outside powers for guarding the commerce between the belt and Earth.  They would also free up the Red October to assist the newest US Interceptor in hunting down the alien ships moving through the inner system, and hunting down the alien ship the US had codenamed the 'Baron'.


April 21st  1740 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home 1(Eris)

   The Elders were uneasy.  Great changes were being made to combat this new race.  Soon the first three of the new Attack Vessels would join the three completed Patrol Vessels.  They would accompany the Support Vessels carrying the new scout craft to the waiting Hive Vessels in the inner parts of this system.  Then a new, more cautious offensive could be undertaken.  With the enemy's true home, and true size known, attempts could be made to try and defeat this ominous foe.  The need to design new vessels to combat this race had proved that the original designs were not as formidable as had been thought.
   The ground based defenses were being strengthened, to help them withstand enemy fire.  With the native race now displaying that they were able to deploy protective fields on their ships, the danger of enemy attacks reaching the populations of the New Homes was increased dramatically.  The ground based defenses would need to be substantial to provide the necessary protection that the decreasing mobile assets had once provided.
   The orbital defenses of New Home 4 were also being disassembled for transport and reassembly at New Home 5.  New Home 5 was of far greater importance, and in a much more vulnerable position.  The ground based defenses there were not adequate protection.  Many of the elders disagreed on this point, and their fields still betrayed their agitation, but it had been decided.
   This conflict had become too prolonged.  Steps would now have to be taken to create an offensive and defensive structure that could be supported solely by the resources of the New Homes.  The time when the supplies and materials that had been sent with the colony ships would be exhausted was quickly approaching.  Soon this war would have to be fought with much more limited resources.
   The unease of the Elders would not soon be resolved.  This enemy was proving far too durable.


April 24th  2010 hours/Beijing, China

   Minister Po relaxed at his desk.  His position was once again secure.  The peace with the US and Euro was allowing the Chinese to strengthen their military uncontested by the other Earth nations.  The supremacy of China would only be a matter of time now.
   The massive growth of industry to support the wartime economy was rapidly being emplaced, and morale within China and its holdings was high.  They had shown that their fleets were now the supreme power in space.  Even the large alien fleet had been turned back.  The alien armada had destroyed all of the flimsy US ships, but destroyed only one of the five Chinese ships present.  The loss of the Tung hurt, but as a martyr it was generating great resolve in the people.
   'The massive bond fund I started will be able to cover half of the construction cost for the new cruiser.  Having framed it as a ship to avenge the lost cruiser has gotten a large public subscription to the project,' mused Po.  'With the public supplying half of the construction fees, the investment in this cruiser will be less than the cost of a new frigate.'
   Po leaned back.  It was only a matter of time...


April 27th  1530 hour/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked over the morning's reports.  The progress on the protective fields was slowing to almost a halt.  With Lieutenant Commander Ryan gone, the whole project seemed to have lost its momentum.  She wouldn't be available for the next two months, so that could be a problem.  The fields themselves seemed to work well on the Interceptors, but would require overhauls each time the fields encountered any major influx of charged particles.  Devising a way to prevent this, or make it an easily reversed problem, was at a standstill.  Still, Bradley reminded himself, having the shields was a vast improvement in the ships' ability to engage the aliens.
   The newest Interceptor, the MkIII Yari was on her way to Mars with Rear Admiral Ryan on board.  She would join the two MkIIb's at Mars for her shakedown cruise.  With the Euro committing to assist with their Red October in the coming months, this 'Baron' should find surviving quite a bit more difficult.  Two more of the MkIIb's were even now under construction in the yards and would be ready late in May.  With four operational MkIIb's, the MkIII, and the armed freighter Vigilance taking over convoy escort duties, the US might again be able to claim that we have a credible war fleet in space.
   'Perhaps we will be able to defeat these aliens after all.  Assuming we don't end up killing each other in the process.'  Bradley looked over the reports of the Chinese construction over the last two months.  Three craft the size of Euro Attack Escorts, and a big ship well on its way to completion.  And that was just what we can see here at Earth.  Who knows what they have built out at Venus?  The aliens may not be the worst of our problems in the end.


////////////////////////////////////////
Overview

This month was fairly quiet, but everyone was still trying to rebuild/refit.  But the momentum for an offense was building, especially with China.  It wasn't going to take long before the groups came back out swinging.  

For the Euro,
The recession was still siphoning off money from the economy.  Continued colonization into the belt, and investment in IU were offsetting it a little, but it was still making itself felt.  The Euro's research projects were slowly moving along, but nothing was anywhere close to producing useful results for months.  The refit of every ship to using S's was quite the juggling act for the month, with every available asset being brought to bear.  In the end she managed it, but just barely.  It was a massive drain on her assets though, as paying the new class cost on every ship amounted to most of what she made.  She normally liked to carry a treasury balance of about 60-100MC to cover repair costs, etc, that would crop up.  This month left her scrapping the armor she was stripping off the ships just to have single digits in her treasury at the end of the month.
The fact that all of her ships would be Poor grade the next month was worrying her quite a little bit also.

For China,
The middle boy was on a roll.  He was plowing as much into IU as the other were into their fleets.  He was still building ships at the same time though.  He could see the economic boom's end was in sight, as he only had 10 IU left before he had maxed out the Earth.  He was going to need a place to colonize in the near future if he was going to keep his economy expanding, and with Ceres glassed (we use the reduced PU limit if a site is nuked), he was low on options.  Saturn was waiting, the question was if he would be brave enough to stick his neck out and try to settle there.  He knew if he waited too long, the other players were going to catch up.
The random events roll in March for the public subscription paying for half of the new CL (did I get that in the write up???) was still in the works, and I am pretty sure that refund was what he was waiting on to try and prototype a CA.  He didn't want to strap his economy trying to come up with the cost of a prototype hull and new class cost all at once, and the refund would turn the trick by boosting his income for the month.
Dice just seem to love this kid.

For the US,
The oldest boy was doing his best to put a shattered power back together.  He was looking forward to getting EL2 in May to boost his income and build rate.  He even decided that converting a FT was the fastest way to put another combat ship on the line.  With 2 shields, a Ya and an Ra, it would be able to take two hits, and was as effective at range as the Interceptor MkIIa's.  At least it was something, and would be able to free up his real combat ships.
He managed a trickle of investment in IU and colonization this month, but was frustrated by a lack of success on his roll to get the shields to regenerate in an hour.  He had poured a bunch of money there, accelerating it as much as he could.  No luck.  But he was making progress, Mars was still there, and he had all of his SY's.  Could have been worse.

For the FSC,
The oldest girl's luck was starting to turn around, as she made her roll for EL2.  It would make her new research project go even more quickly, if not any cheaper.  She continued her trickle of colonization to the belt, doubled her investment in IU (worse return, but less chance it would get nuked by aliens), and started investing in her new project slowly.  She didn't want to dive in and then not have any money to work with when she got there.  She decided 25 turns was a while, and she would try to build and research together.  Unfortunately she didn't make her roll on S's, so she would have to continue with that expense for the time being.
She could see light at the end of the tunnel now, but it was a long way off, and she wasn't sure if she would make it to the end.

The Nemotians,
The bad guys were definitely working hard to keep an even footing this month.  I decided to pull in PV17 and its group.  They were just getting too thin on ships to keep pushing it.  With reinforcements on the way, there was no sense in risking the ships unsupported.  I decided the Nemotians would also move the bases around Home 4 to Home 5.  Home 5 had three times the income, and was closer to the inner system.  It made little sense to put more protection around the smaller colony.  The downside was that neither was going to get any use from the bases while they were disassembled, shipped, and reassembled.  The risks we take in war......
The gigs were done, the bombs purchased, and the six new ships were finished at the end of the month.  May would see them head on in to join the fight.  The trend toward smaller ships was a little disturbing so early, but it was necessary with the Nemotian's treasury dwindling.  It fell another 1100 this month, and was just going to keep getting smaller.  I had increased the Nemotian's income to its max this month, without population growth.  Growth wouldn't happen again till month 20 (this was 16).  They were going to have to be able to get by on what they had for the time being.  They were rolling for EL3 now, and that would help.
I decided deepen the defenses of the PDC's, and doubled their size this month.  They were cheap to maintain, and almost certain to see use in the coming months.  They might as well be ready for it.

As always, thank you for reading.

Oh, as a warning.  I will be gone with the middle boy on a school trip for the last week of this month and the first week and a half of May.  There won't be any posts during that time, so don't think I've quit.  I'm just going to be a little busy.  A two week trip with over one hundred eighth graders will keep me plenty busy.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 15, 2010, 01:42:06 AM
May 2204 part 1

May 2nd  0715 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home 1 (Eris)

   The elders took note of the new developments.  The elders of New Home 4 had successfully plead their case and convinced the counsel to allow the largest of the orbital defense platforms to remain at New Home 4, while the two smaller platforms would continue to be disassembled for transport to New Home 5.  The elders had also inspected the new surface based defense installations.  The level of protection afforded by the new ground bases was such that another wave of construction had begun.  Plans were to ensure that New Homes 1, 2, 3, and 5 would each have 6 of the ground bases to protect the colonies.  This level of protection, in concert with the orbital defenses, should allow all of the mobile assets to be freed for use against the native race.
   The message had been decoded that the Hive Vessels had received the shipment of scout craft and bombs, and that the group was again at full strength and ready to renew offensive operations.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had requested authorization to begin immediate operations against the enemy near the third and fourth planets.  The elders had deemed this unwise, and had transmitted that all ships were to await the arrival of the three Patrol Vessels and three Attack Vessels, and complete the initial training of the new ships.  After the initial training was completed the group would resume limited offensive operations as directed by the elders.
   Progress was again being made in the war effort, but the enemy was being afforded a rather extended break from attacks.  Hopefully the native race would not be able to capitalize on it to make an attack on New Home 3.  The defenses were still not adequately prepared.  With the enemy having deployed magnetic protective fields of their own, an attack now could be devastating.


May 3rd  1200 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 20 light seconds from Earth

   Captain Robert McNeely checked over the flight log for the convoy.  He was now in command of the Pan Euro 3rd Light Battle Group, and was in charge of convoy security for the combined civilian shipping of the Euro and US.  But his Light Battle Group had the firepower of the older Battle Groups, and with the addition of the US 'shields', would be far more powerful.  If his crew could just get used to the damned new fangled system.
   The new magnetic system caused no end of false contacts for the Phoenix Array, and the few missile tests had shown that the launches were often 'bent' as the missile passed through the field.  The crew was desperately trying to calibrate the systems so they would all work with the fields up, and still be able to plot accurate firing solutions for targets that actually existed.  Admiral Muldoon had worked out a number of training operations to try and calibrate the systems, and it looked like it would only take a few weeks to get the work done.  So long as the aliens left them alone for the next month, that would be ok.  Of course, the alien's plans might not be so accomodating.
   The convoy did have one 'ace in the hole' as the Americans put it.  The US Q Ship Vigilance was parked in the middle of the convoy.  It looked like another freighter on the sensor returns, but hidden inside the hull was the US equivalent of the Phoenix Array, a long-range missile bay, and a powerful enough 'shield' generator to stop one of the alien weapons cold.  Of course the second intercept by an alien missile would send the fragile hull into a thousand pieces, but it would be a nasty surprise for an alien ship not expecting a fourth armed vessel with the convoy.
   Of course the US ship was having the same problem with their sensors and launches that the rest of the Pan Euro group was having, due to the new 'shields'.


   1530 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan knew that no voice could carry through the hard vacuum of the ship, but he could still hear the grumbling of the crew.  Two crews to be exact.  The crew that had come on the Yari was now being transferred off onto the older JFK, while the JFK's crew had to leave their old and familiar 'girl' for the new and unfamiliar 'gimmick'.  The JFK's crew had learned that if they upped the volume on their voice modulators, that the sound would carry through their feet into the deck and to anyone close by.  The composites deadened the noise after a few feet, but it allowed somewhat private grumbling that wouldn't get put on the comm log.  The newbies of the Yari had figured it out fairly quick after the usual round of hazing by the 'vets'.
   The sensors kept logging contacts close to the Yari, but Jack just kept deleting them from his display.  It was the Mars Station as the work crews began installing field generators on the military modules of the station.  When complete, they should allow the Mars Station to be nearly as powerful as a Task Force of Interceptors.  Of course, the only Task Force was awfully light on ships at the moment.  The crews had even taken to calling it a Task Farce.  'Gallows humor at its best' Jack decided.
   Jack locked his station and opened the All Ships comm link.  "OK folks, lock stations.  We're taking these ladies out to put them through their paces.  To those of you new this, learn from the old hands.  For the old hands with a new dance partner, lets see what she can do.  She's supposed to be the best.  Let's see if that’s true."  Jack keyed in a course and waited for the 'All Stations Locked' prompt to appear.  A few moments later (but still to long as far as Jack was concerned) it appeared on the monitor.
   The world went blue grey as the drive engaged.


May 6th  0700 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Venus orbit

   Admiral Hu approved the orders and requests on his monitor, and then checked the status reports.  It appeared he was going to be at Venus longer than he had anticipated, but transferring onto the station would be no more comfortable than the spartan comforts of a warship.  The station was busy with multiple crews fitting magnetic field generators onto it to provide a greater degree of protection.  When the fleet moved out, the station would be on its own.  Of course, the fleet wasn't going anywhere until the upgrades to the station's defenses were done.  The Ministry had said so, therefore it was so.  Regardless, the station was nothing but activity and noise.  No rest.
   The fleet had gathered at Venus in anticipation of the deployment to Neptune, but now the Yunnan and all four of the Close Assault Ships had been posted to convoy escort duty.  The Ministry had decided it would give the new crews a reason to learn their jobs well.  As if the impending conflict at Neptune wasn't incentive enough.  Perhaps the Ministry didn't trust the US and Euro with Chinese civilian ships and cargos as much as they made public. The FSC would be little danger, their only ship was on the ground at Earth.
   What wasn't common knowledge was the deployment of two other ships.  The two scientific vessels had been dispatched back to Saturn.  They would arrive in about a week.  If the planet had no signs of alien occupation, they were to begin the surveying of the surface of Titan in preparation for colonization.  It would take a great deal of time for Ceres to become habitable, and disputing the US and Euro claims in the belt would be unwise at this time.  But wise courses of action were hard to find, and eventually the belt would have to be disputed.
   Not now though.  For now we sit and wait.


May 9th  2235 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan walked into the shuttle bay and climbed into the little 'dingy'.  Jack hated the little ships with a passion, but docking with the station during the construction was just about impossible.  At least it was for a good reason, or at least good news.  The two newest MkIIb's were already complete, with the one at Mars ready for trials and the second due to arrive from Earth in a few days.  To have five ships in one place would finally make the Task Farce into a Task Force again.
   The newest ship, the Andrew Jackson, would come out of dock in the next hour or two.  Jack was on his way to meet the new Captain, James Gauld.  He had a good reputation in the fleet, and had been the Commander of one of the Survey Tenders for two years.  This would be his first combat post, and Jack wanted to meet the man before they began training.  Jamie had apparently questioned the wisdom of using a Pan Euro Admiral's training doctrine, but so far the Euro's Rear Admiral Muldoon had been the nearest thing to a godsend that Jack had seen in this war.  Without her assistance in training, it wouldn't be a question of how many more ships they might have lost.  Jack knew it was a question of whether there would be a human race or not.  Most likely not.
   Jack was also fairly sure that she had something to do with the leaked information from the Euro, but that wasn't ever going to see the light of day.  The senior Euro Admiral had nearly lost her job disclosing information to the Chinese in an open, and necessary, manner.  Muldoon probably wouldn't fair so well.
   Jack watched the sensor plot as the little ship moved toward the station.  With only four seats, even the senior officers were nearly in the driver's seat.  The sensors showed what Jack had heard rumors of.  The colonization of Mars was continuing.  Even after the devastation of the alien attack, people were still settling here.  Most had been 'encouraged' by the government, but many were still hoping for a better life.  Or perhaps a little more money for the family at home.  Jack wondered how Meagan was doing.  She hadn't written for a few days.  She was out of sickbay now, maybe she was having fun somewhere.  'Lord knows she needs it.'
   The little ship touched down in the bay on the space station.  'Time to get the new Captain on board,' thought Jack as he stepped onto the deck.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 19, 2010, 01:01:41 AM
May 2204 part 2

May 14th  0250 hours/Survey Vessel Marco Polo, 2 light minutes from Saturn

   Captain Jingtsu waited for the transmission from the two small landers.  The small craft should have reached the outer moons of Saturn by now, and would begin low powered broadcasts.  The Marco Polo would be able to monitor the transmissions, but the power would be to low for anyone inside the belt to pick up unless they were specifically looking for it.  Even then, it would resemble some low power static disturbance, most likely a large electrical storm on Saturn or perhaps Titan.  But it would be powerful enough to alert any alien vessels near the planet of the two ships' presence.  Assuming the aliens even monitored for radio transmissions.  None had ever been intercepted from the alien ships, and it was theorized that they used a different method for communication.  Regardless, the small craft would continue to search the area for any sign of the aliens.  When the search was done, the two survey ships would move to Titan, join the landers, and begin what they had come here for.  To find a new colony site for the Chinese to settle.
   Jingtsu's monitor indicated that the transmissions had been picked up by the comm station.  Now they would see if the aliens had settled around the great ringed planet.


May 15th  1310 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, Asteroid belt

   Captain Robert McNeely watched the sensor readings.  Only a light second away four Pan Euro Colony Ships were settled in orbit around an asteroid named Victoria.  It had been identified as a low priority for colonization due to the surface and orbital characteristics it possessed.  It was hoped that would make it a low priority for the aliens to check.  Robert didn't think the aliens would care.
   The four ground to orbit shuttles, or GTOS's, were busy trying to land and emplace equipment for the construction of habitats.  The colony ships held 125,000 people who would try to make a life on this barren rock.  In normal times, they would make large salaries for risking their lives in such a harsh and unforgiving environment.  In the best of times people died in the belt.  Now it was truly a gamble.  The economic times were hard on Earth, but was it worth this?
   The Rachel Pierce, Mary Queen of Scots, and the US Vigilance were all parked with the rest of the convoy less than a light minute away.  The colony was to be a secret for the moment.  The US and Pan Euro were on good terms, but money could still convince many people to share secrets.  China was still not a trusted partner, and the less they could find out, the better.


May 19th  0925 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could sense the new arrivals.  The three new Patrol Vessels and the three new Attack Vessels had arrived.  The Attack Vessels were smaller than a Patrol Vessel and lacked the bay to carry scout craft. They also carried six less torpedoes than a Patrol Vessel.  They did carry the same torpedo launch bay and field generators.  They were designed purely to engage enemy ships.  Nothing else.
   The new ships were engaged in the initial training that all vessels underwent to prepare for service.  They would finish in less than two orbits of New Home 3 around its planet.  For the moment the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 would wait. The new ships would finish preparing for combat, then they would see it.  With nine combat ships, and 54 scout craft/bombers, the native race would find that its time to rest was over.
   The time to die would begin again.


May 24th  1600 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, South Africa, Earth

   The Dutchman looked about the bridge as he unlocked his station.  It would be different when he returned.  The word was that the refits would be extensive.  Rumor also said that the work on the field generators the aliens used had been completed.  The Mary Reed would not only be outfitted with the new defensive system, it would also receive new sensor systems to allow engagements at much greater ranges.
   The Mary Reed would be able to face the alien ships on even terms.  But it was only one ship, and the aliens were seldom found alone.  The FSC would need the US and Euro until more ships could be completed.  But more ships were unlikely.
   Rumor also had it that the initial tests of the new drive shield had been a success.  The new class of ships was coming closer and closer to becoming a reality.  It would take time before the first prototype hull was completed, but when it was, the Mary Reed would become obsolete.
   But that could be years away, and the aliens were here now.  For now, the Mary Reed would have to fight for the FSC alone.


May 26th  0800 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked over the information from the morning briefing.  The trials of the MkIII were almost complete.  Its performance had been remarkable.  The ship had managed to record speeds of over 18,600 kilometers a second for a short duration.  It could sustain speeds over 16,000 kilometers a second for combat.  Thanks to Pan Euro Rear Admiral Muldoon's assistance, the crews were quickly approaching their former levels of combat efficiency with the new fields in place.  Her training plan for the crews to calibrate the necessary systems had worked well.  By June all of the Interceptors would be combat ready.  Even the Vigilance was reporting increased success in operations with the shield employed.
   The Mars Station was finished with installing the field generators on the military modules.  Rear Admiral Muldoon had even come up with a way for the various modules on a station to use the field generators to protect other areas of the station.  It was less a technical issue, and more of a way for the modules to position themselves to allow the overlapped fields to protect areas they had not been designed for.  The aliens wouldn't have to simply defeat the shields of one module; they would have to defeat the shields of the entire station to damage it.
   Possibly the most important development had been the completion of the feedback loop conduction link, allowing the field generators to bleed off the feedback of a weapon impact without destroying the field generator itself.  It would take an hour for the conduction loop to be discharged and the field to be re-established, but it would be possible without a return to a shipyard for repairs.  The Interceptors would be capable of extended operations away from the inner system.  The Interceptors and Vigilance would all be refitted at the end of the month, and it would only require a few hours per ship.  A copy of the system would then be sent to the Pan Euro, allowing them to deploy the system on their vessels in the near future.  Bradley wasn't sure that Meagan hadn't been involved to some degree, but she was still on leave and could spend her time as she saw fit.  So long as her father didn't find out.
   The war was beginning to turn around.  Of course that assumed the aliens weren't coming up with any surprises of their own.  The small bombers were problem enough.  Anything else could be disastrous.


May 27th  0915 hours/Queen Mary, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir walked back to her cabin.  Training was only beginning for the day, but Muldoon would handle it.  Jude wanted to get a closer look at the new Attack Escorts.  To that end she needed to get her official dress 'uniform'.  It was only a few items that were attached to the standard cyborg body, but it would allow everyone to know what and who she was.  Most of the workers on the Pan European Space Station were not cyborgs, or even military.  To them, all of the space models looked pretty much the same.
   Jude didn't intend to tour the newest Heavy Escort, the Esme Jurkat, as she was being built mostly on the ground, with the components shipped up to orbit and assembled piecemeal.  The Esme would still need a few more weeks to be ready for her first trials.  The two Attack Escorts were actually ready for their trials, but would wait for Jude's tour before they were released from the station.  These ships were notable - they were the first ships named for men in decades.  The first she would visit was the G. Vetra.  That ship was named for the Captain who had steered his ship back towards Triton and an alien Delta, buying the only survivors of that attack time to escape.  The second ship was even more unusual.  Not only was it named for a man, but one that wasn't part of the Pan Euro or its history.  But he was a hero of the Pan Euro none the less.  The Justin Reynolds had been named to honor the US Captain who not only had taken his small ship against a much larger alien vessel at Uranus, but who had risked his ship and his life to rescue Pan Euro citizens on Mercury.  In the end he had given his life to protect a civilian convoy that contained ships not only belonging to the US and Pan Euro, but the FSC and China also.  'Such selfless acts may be the only hope humanity has' thought Jude.
   Jude reached her cabin and went in.  It was only a few hours of her time, but the civilian news crews would be in attendance.  Jude knew she would need to look her best.  The economy was beginning to pick up, and hopefully morale would follow.  This ceremony would help to both cement relations between the US and Pan Euro, and to give hope to all of those on Earth and in the colonies.  The aliens had killed millions, found Earth, and just seemed to keep coming.  'Unless the tide of the war changes, hope is all we have right now.'


May 30th  1750 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po listened to the reports.  Most were good news.  The upgrades to the Venus Station were complete, and the magnetic field generators in place.  The newest Cruiser, the Minh, would be out of the yard in early July.  She would start trials immediately after that.  The economic infrastructure to support the current war effort was completed.  No alien presence had been found at Saturn, and the survey of Titan had begun.  Much progress had been made on many fronts, and would soon bear fruit.
   The questionable news wasn't bad, but the results were still in question.  Before the end of the day, the Admiral Hu and the entire Chinese Fleet would leave Venus Station bound for Neptune.  The aliens had been given time to strengthen the defenses there.  Whether the Chinese Fleet would be able to crack those defenses was still in doubt.  Hopes were high, but nothing was sure.
   Construction would also begin on a new class of ship.  A ship even larger than the Tung class of cruisers.  If it proved possible to construct a ship of the size planned, it could again change the face of combat in deep space.  The heaviest alien ships would pale in comparison to the new class.  That was if the cost of it did not bankrupt the Chinese Empire.  The time it would take to build the ship would also occupy Chinese construction assets for a great amount of time. If replacement ships were needed following the offensive at Neptune, the construction of the new ship could delay them.
   Much would depend on Admiral Hu and the battle at Neptune.  Very much.


///////////////////////////////////////
Overview

This month saw the players trying to get their 'navies' ready for the next month.  The Nemotians were in the same boat.  Once again, the next month would see the fighters come out swinging, with less than predictable results, but that is another part of the story.  I won't be able to fit June into one or two posts, but I will try to get it done before I leave with the middle boy (china) on his school trip for a week and a half.

For the Euro,
The high point for the Euro was that she rolled a one and the recession adjustment ended.  She no longer lost 2% a month of her income.  She immediately re-convoyed her FT's, which took up most of the 'increase'.  She continued her trickle of colonization to the belt, and built a few more IU.  She also built a pair of Attack Escorts, and started a new Heavy Escort.  Slowly she was working toward building up her fleet.  She was looking at adding in larger ships as soon of the 4th LBG was finished, but wasn't sure what she wanted to do.
In research, the Euro continued to work toward S regeneration, and got an early success on Electronics SL2.  Nothing that was going to make a difference in the short term, but it helped to improve her mood as she tried to rebuild.  The oldest boy's (US) decision to send a copy for S regeneration helped.
Perhaps most importantly, she got her ships through shakedown before any combat surfaced.

 For China,
China built the last IU he could fit on Earth this month, and was really wanting to find somewhere to expand.  He started the survey of Triton for two reasons.  He was planning on hitting the other great planets on the way to Neptune, but the orbit of Saturn left it well off the beaten path.  He wanted to try and find if the aliens were  colonizing/based at any of the moons there, and sending the survey ships would allow him to check Saturn without slowing/detouring/splitting up the combat group.  He also reasoned that if the aliens weren't there, his upcoming move on Neptune would keep them from poking around over that direction too much.  Made sense.
He also refitted the Venus SS with shields on the military modules to make it a better protected if the aliens showed up.  He was willing to lose the SS by the sounds of it, but wanted to take some of the aliens with it.

For the US,
The US got a pair of new Interceptors out of the yard, got a success on S's regenerating, got shields on the Mars SS, and the EL increase on his income.  Things were looking much better.  A long ways from good, but at least he had on operational Task Force, a more powerful base, and didn't have to repair his shields after combat.
He continued to build more IU, and put a few more PTU on Mars.  He still had the lowest income of the big three, but was catching up.
His big goal was to find PV 17.  He didn't know the name of it, but he knew it was out there and wanted it gone.

For the FSC,
The oldest girl got a slight boost in income with her EL increase, and managed to succeed on all her research rolls (all two of them).  She got shields, and could now start on her last SL for her pet project.
She put a few more IU on Earth, and moved another PTU to the belt.  She was slowly growing, but was still way behind the other powers.
She wrote out how she wanted the Mary Reed to be refitted, and tried to figure out how she was going to make it happen without shutting down her research for a month.  In the end she decided that she needed a ship with combat sensors and shields more than another month of research at her normal rate.

For the Nemotians,
The new ships had made it to the belt, and just needed to shakedown.  The bigger colonies were building another pair of PDC's on each, but the roll for EL3 bombed.  The roll for shuttles also didn't work out.  The Nemotians were ready for the next offensive, but the momentum just didn't seem to be there.  I didn't want to wait any longer for the next attack, but I had doubts it was going to turn out well.  Of course, sitting around wasn't going to win anything either.

Overall, May was just a month for everyone to brace for June.  June doesn't have quite as many turn notes as Feb did (11 instead of 14), but with the limited resources on hand, I would say it strained the players even more than Feb......

As always, thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 22, 2010, 05:32:53 AM
June 2204 part 1

June 1st  0630 hours/Queen Mary,  15 light seconds from Earth

   Admiral Jude Kushnir wondered if this was the right decision.  It was a risk, but would increase the security of the convoys.  It would also allow Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon's plan to be tested.  It just seemed wrong to be the senior admiral of the Pan Euro and be assigned to convoy escort duty, even if she was the best officer for the job.
   Brenna was needed at Earth.  She was easily the most experienced admiral in the Pan Euro, and was needed for the training of the two newest Attack Escorts.  The new Heavy Escort Esme would also be coming into service in the next week or so, and would need Brenna to get started in the right direction.  Leaving the Earth's defense to the most experienced admiral made sense.  Giving her the equivalent of two Light Battle Groups, one of which had just come out of the yard, was more than a bit risky.  The surface launch sites would add more firepower than two full Battle Groups, so Brenna should be able to face down any alien attack.  Nonetheless, reassigning the most experienced ships away from the Earth just felt wrong.  If the aliens were close enough for the surface launch sites to come into play, the aliens were too close to the Earth.
   If this redeployment worked, the aliens should have a hard time getting to Earth.  If it didn't work, well, the aliens would find the Earth a much easier target than it had been 24 hours ago.  Jude looked at her monitor and studied the sensor returns.  They just needed to find the aliens, or hope the aliens found them.


June 2nd  1420 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, dark side of the Asteroid Belt

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan rechecked the course plot.  It was as good as he could come up with.  It would still take nearly two weeks to reach the orbit of Neptune, but no more than that.  They should still be able to reach position well before the Chinese could.  A civilian convoy had intercepted the Chinese ships as they approached the belt, and the projected course for the Chinese group would take until the end of the month to reach Neptune.
   The Red October and two Pan Euro Attack Escorts had met the Yari a short distance from Mars almost 24 hours ago, and outlined a joint mission plan that had been given the go ahead by both Admiral Kushnir and Admiral Walters.  It was risky, and would move assets away from areas that were already poorly defended.  But it was the best game in town at the moment.  Although technically a Pan Euro operation - due to the plan having been devised by Rear Admiral Muldoon and the Pan Euro supplying most of the ships - Captain Robert McNeely of the Red October had turned over command of the group to Jack.  Jack had read enough reports to know that Captain McNeely had seen his share of combat, and that the Pan Euro 3rd Light Battle Group was his command.  Handing over the command of his Battle Group was more than just a courtesy of rank.  Jack intended to make good on the respect he had just been paid.
   'If this works' thought Jack, 'we could finally get the initiative in this war.'


June 4th  0515 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, 7 light seconds from Jupiter

   Admiral Hu openned up the external view from the Shek and panned until he found the nearby planet.  It had been almost two decades since he had seen the great planet.  Hu had been on the first Chinese outsystem probe, and had been the commander of the first small Chinese vessel that had ventured beyond the belt.  That journey had started his career.  It seemed fitting that the next time he saw the great planet it might be the end of his career.
   All the ships were ready for the upcoming battle.  Systems had been checked and rechecked.  The arrays had been calibrated over and over.  The crews knew their jobs.  They were all aware that the aliens crews were just as good.  
   The current course would bring them to Neptune on the 27th.  On that day the fate of the Chinese Empire, and likely all of the Earth would be decided.  History would record the fleet as the heroes of the Earth, and that he had been the man in command of them all.  It would have too.  If the aliens won this battle, there wouldn't be any future for the human race.

June 6th  0200 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna,  3 light seconds from Earth

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon watched her monitor as the ships manuevered.  The ships of the 4th Light Battle Group were struggling.  The Heavy Escort Esme, and the Attack Escorts G. Vetra and J. Reynolds tried to match the turns of the Tatianna, Isabelle and Catherine as they banked on opposites sides of the Earth.  The newest ships were trying to keep the planet between the groups and avoid the weapon lock of the more experienced ships.  They would have been destroyed several times over in the last hour.  Drills when the new crews were accustomed to resting made it even harder for them.  This was easy compared to real combat.  They needed to learn.  The billions of lives on the planet floating between the groups depended on them learning their jobs.  Quickly.
   Brenna had a new training plan for the day.  One that even the old hands didn't know about.  One that would push the crews and their ships to the limit.  "All ships, cease current operations.  New course plots will download from my station.  Prep ships for full combat acceleration."  Brenna waited as the 4th Light Battle Group finally started to move on the new course.  It was time to see if the new training would work.  It had taken months to get Admiral Kushnir to sign off on the training, and only the advent of the new shields had make it possible.  With luck, none of the ships would be damaged, or burn their drives out.
   The distance from Earth began to grow.  The Pax line grew closer, and then the ships were beyond it.  Time to download the new block of instruction.  Brenna keyed the transmitt prompt for the tightbeam link, and waited for the crews to process what they were about to do.
   The plan was simple, but would take practice to execute.  It would give the new ships a chance to practice with their weapon locks and firing drills.  It would give the old hands a chance to try and learn to survive.  The Tatianna, Isabelle, and Catherine would take turns being the target.  They would be the first to see if the new drive protocols would be able to defeat an active lock on.
   Brenna openned the channel from the Tatianna to the Esme.  "Captain McWilliams, your are to attempt to mirror our course at a range of three light seconds.  Your ship is to aquire sensor lock, plot a firing solution on the Tatianna,  release primary safeties, and launch a single missile.  Do you understand?"  Brenna waited.
   "Admiral, am I to understand correctly.  You want the Esme to fire on the Tatianna?"  
   "That is correct.  Primary safety release only. We will begin in 45 seconds.  Admiral Muldoon, out."  Brenna closed the channel.  "Helm, a new manuveur protocol is downloading to your station.  As soon as the Esme aquires a weapons lock, implement the new protocol.  Engineering, you will need to be on your toes.  Were going to push the drive.  Don't let the particle accelerators burn out."
   Brenna waited and watched the monitor.  The Esme began to follow the Tatianna as the drives engaged.  The world was a solid blue grey as the Tatianna accelerated to full combat speed.  The Esme began to fall back, but managed to hold on at just over 3.5 light seconds.  Then the sensor conn detected the  lock on and launch from the Esme.  The world turned into a kaliedescope of colors as the drives stuttered, the maneuver jets fired, and the monitor lit up as the particle accelerators were redlined.  
   'I hope like hell this works...'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 26, 2010, 04:48:46 AM
June 2204 part 2

June 7th  1920 hours/Patrol Vessel 12, near Asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 12 waited at the Command Station.  The magnetic field fluxed only slightly as the crew guided the ship just inside of this system's debris field.  The Commander had opted not to travel inside the debris field, to improve the sensor range.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had directed that Patrol Vessels 12 and 23 were to find and destroy any enemy support vessels they could locate.  They were to engage enemy combat ships without protective fields, and evade any that had them.  But finding enemy ships was difficult enough.  In the debris field, it was almost impossible.  The goal was to destroy enemy ships, not just hunt them.
   The field of the Command Station wavered.  The sensors were picking up vessels of the native race.   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 12 altered the field at his station.  The protective field around Patrol Vessel 12 sprang to life, and then so did the field of Patrol Vessel 23 moments later.  The ships altered course toward the enemy vessels as the crews prepared for combat.


   1920 hours/Queen Mary, 12 light minutes from Hygea Colony

   Admiral Jude Kushnir locked her station.  "Alphas times two.  Bearing three zero three.  Ascension minus one three.  Speed two three three zero kilometer per second and accelerating.  On course bearing one eight one degrees zero ascension per respect to Sol. Range eight point two seven light seconds.  Changing aspect."  Jude watched her monitor as the contacts displayed on it.  They were coming about on a course for the convoy, and accelerating.  They didn't have any real speed advantage yet, but that could change quickly.
   "All ships, locks stations, battle stations."  She knew she didn't need to give the order.  All of the crews would already be well on their way to battle stations.  Jude saw several intercept courses plotted on her monitor.  She checked the sensor record and quickly keyed in for the most direct intercept that could be managed. "Helm, plot a course for the convoy to disengage and transmit."  The sensor return clouded as the 'shield'  generators engaged.  Sensor returns then recorded the shields on the Attack Escorts Keely Sereg and Elise engaging, along with the US Vigilance.  'We will find out just how well these systems are going to work', Jude decided.
   The sensor returns showed the two Alphas beginning to turn away from the convoy.  'Don't like to fight on equal terms, do they.'  The trailing Alpha was drawing in range and firing solutions flashed across Jude's monitor.  
   "Two new contacts, inbounds."
   They grey haze cleared for a moment.  Maneuver thrusters fired.  "Missiles away."
   Jude watched the sensor returns as the alien weapons closed.  In a few moments it was clear that the Queen Mary was the target. "I hope like hell the US got these shields right," Jude said to no one in particular. And then the sensor returns clouded as the Queen Mary passed through the wash of superheated particles.  The ship didn't even budge as it passed through the waves of plasma.  "Field generators down to twenty five percent capacity."  Jude heard the update from Engineering on the comm, but still checked her monitor.  Sure enough, the Queen Mary had just been hit twice, and not a scratch on the hull.  
   The monitors were also showing that the trailing Alpha had lost its protective field in the exchange, and had vented to clear damage.  "OK people.  This fight is far from over.  Get that second launch online NOW!"  In the absence of any emotion in the voice synthesizer, volume was just going to have to do.
   The sensors were showing another pair of alien inbounds.  Just as Jude was about to let the crew know that they needed to get their act together, her monitor flashed with firing solutions and then the ship stuttered its drive as the four missile bays deployed.  Seconds later the Queen Mary heaved and stuttered its drive again, this time in response to alien detonations.  Jude checked her monitor.  Only one of the alien missiles had made intercept, but it had managed to force the shield generators off line, and had torn through the outer plating and baffles.  But the defenses had held.  No inner compartments had been breached.  'Ok Brenna, lets see if your tactics will work.'  "Helm, bring us hard about, one eight zero degrees.  Comm, signal the Elise, Sereg, and Vigilance to continue pursuit."  Jude waited through the flashes of grey and blue, then back to normal vision, and back to the grey haze once again.  The plan was that a damaged ship would turn away from combat to extend the range.  If the aliens tried to continue firing on the damaged ship, they would be firing at the extreme end of what appeared to be their effective range.  As that was occurring the other 'friendly' ships would close and fire with much greater accuracy on the aliens.  The aliens would either have to allow the damaged ship to disengage, or face an engagement with unfavorable intercept ratios.  Now they would test that theory.
   

   1922 hours/Patrol Vessel 12, near the Asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 12 watched as the enemy Combat Vessel began to disengage.  The other three enemy ships that were continuing the pursuit were no larger than Attack Vessels or Patrol Vessels.  The Combat Vessel carried over half of the firepower of the enemy ships.  Its protective field had collapsed, but to continue remaining in range of the Combat Vessel could be devastating.  The Commander decided that engaging the three remaining enemy ships, as the Patrol Vessels attempted to disengage was the better course of action.
   The enemy support ships had been guarded by four escorts, all of which had deployed protective fields.  The enemy had only deployed one ship with protective fields to guard the last group of support ships, and they had never placed protective fields on ships as small as Attack Vessels before.  This would bode poorly for future battles if the native race now equipped all of their fighting vessels with protective fields.  But that was a concern for another time.  Right now they had to survive this engagement.  They were still being pursued by three enemy ships just under five light seconds away, and Patrol Vessel 23 had been badly damaged.  The torpedo bay had been damaged but could still launch, and worst of all its command section had been destroyed and Patrol Vessel 23's Commander killed.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 12 could feel through the sensors as the enemy vessels launched their three weapons, even as the two Patrol Vessels deployed their torpedoes.  The inbound weapons finally closed the gap and the Commander could sense as the first detonation left Patrol Vessel 23 drifting, with its drive unable to reengage.  Before the stricken Patrol Vessel could launch another torpedo, a second enemy weapon intercepted the ship.  The detonation was far too close for anything to survive.  It was one on three now, and all of the pursuing ships still had protective fields in place.
   Even as the next torpedo deployed, the Commander decided that this engagement could not be won.  The three inbound enemy weapons detonated along the path of Patrol Vessel 12 and collapsed the protective fields. The Commander altered the field at his station ordering the crew to engage the drives at the maximum possible output.  The Patrol Vessel would only be able to maintain that level of acceleration for a short period, but perhaps they would extend the distance beyond the native race's maximum range.  The flare from the drive would make targeting almost impossible, but it was about survival now.  Not winning.


   1923 hours/Attack Escort Keely Sereg, 11.787 light minutes from Hygea Colony

   Commander Brittany Bortz watched the sensor returns.  The Alpha's drive bloom had greatly increased its thermal signature, and the ship was beginning to accelerate away.  It would take less than a minute to pass beyond maximum weapons range.  Another three missiles had already been launched from the two Pan Euro ships and the US Q ship, and would make intercept in the next few seconds.  The US Vigilance was already beginning to fall behind, it wouldn't be able to make even one more launch.  It was just the Elise and Keely Sereg now.  The sensors were showing the last Alpha was venting to clear damage.  At least one of the missiles had found its target.
   The order came through on the tight beam link.
   
   PER ADMIRAL J KUSHNIR

   ATTN COMMANDER BORTZ

   REDLINE DRIVES.  ENGAGE AND DESTROY ALIEN ALPHA.

   That was it then.  Brittany keyed in for Engineering to redline the particle accelerators.  The EM bleed from the drive bloom would make firing solutions more of a guess than a given, but orders were orders.  Brittany watched as the monitors confirmed that the Keely Sereg was no longer losing range on the Alpha, and that the missile bay was still able to deploy without too much loss of speed for the ship.  The Alpha was launching missiles also, but seemed to be blinded by its own drive bloom as badly as the Pan Euro ships.
   Brittany watched as the salvos crossed in space.  One after another.  Four launches. Five launches.  Six launches.  At 1927 hours with twelve out of the 18 missiles deployed, the Elise reported that an alien weapon had forced their shield generators to 30 percent.  The ship was undamaged but a second intercept would rip into the Attack Escort, if not destroy it.  Moments later the comm section picked up a transmission from Commander Dana Breiholz on the Elise.

   ELISE BREAKING PURSUIT PER ORDER ADMIRAL J KUSHNIR

   GOOD HUNTING

   It was just the Keely Sereg and the Alpha now.  Six missiles were left on board.  Correction, five now with another out bound.  And particle accelerators ready to overheat at any moment.  The Alpha's shields were down, but it was far from destroyed.  The alien ships seemed far more durable than their size would indicate.
   "Alpha has lost drive bloom.  No restart."  Finally, the alien ship was now just a coasting target.  Lights flashed on Brittany's monitor.  She felt as cold as ice.  The Sereg had just lost cooling on the superconductors for the particle accelerators.  The drive was down.  Both the Sereg and the Alpha were drifting ships.  Easy targets with no redlined drive bloom to cloud the sensor returns.  For the next few moments it was going to be a race to see which ship could rain death on the other fastest.  And that was assuming the last five missiles would be enough to destroy the Alpha.
   The sensors showed that the Elise was coming about.  It was too quick for the Queen Mary to have rescinded the earlier orders; Dana was doing this on her own.  But it would take her minutes to come about and close the gap with the drifting ships.  And this was going to be over in seconds.


   1929 hours/Attack Escort Elise, 11.80 light minutes from Hygea Colony

   Commander Dana Breiholz watched the sensor returns.  The Alpha and the Sereg were both drifting, and both deploying missiles as quickly as they could.  The Sereg's shields were holding, but it was only a matter of time.  Dana never imagined that she would have ordered her ship to redline its drives to catch a coasting ship, but here they were.  Weapon Conn was plotting that it would be less than 60 seconds until they reached maximum launch range.  'Come on Keely, hold out one more minute.'
   The sensors recorded secondary explosions from the Alpha, but the ship was still there.  It was hard and fast doctrine to fire on the alien ships until there was nothing left.  They seemed to be able to deploy missiles until the entire ship was torn apart.  The Sereg was launching again, and then the sensors recorded something strange.  No warning lights.  No indicators.  The Alpha hadn't launched.  Time slipped by, and still no more weapons from the stricken alien ship.  Was it dead?  Had the last of the crew been killed by the internal explosions, but the ship survived?  To capture an alien ship, what a prize!
   Warning lights flashed on Dana's monitor.  Her hopes sunk as she looked for another inbound.  None.  It was worse.  The Elise had just blown containment on the particle stream of banks two through four.  They weren't going anywhere.  Now there were three ships drifting along together.  
   At least the Alpha wasn't shooting anymore.  
   Of course, Dana thought, they will be calling for someone who can.


   1929hours/Patrol Vessel 12, near the Asteroid belt

   Second Engineer of Patrol Vessel 12 crawled away from the damaged station.  The hardened inner launch bay still had power.  The Second Engineer could sense that 21 of the crew were still alive in the bay.  Of the 317 crew originally aboard, they were all that was left.  He knew what had to be done.  They all knew.  There were no more torpedoes to launch.  Three of the crew were already attempting to transmit the current situation to any ship in range.  The Second Engineer was waiting to take care of the last task.
   The scuttling charges were nearby, but the Engineer Station was no longer responding.  He would have to be closer to activate the system, and destroy the ship.  With the drive down and no acceleration, there was no longer any danger in leaving a station.  Just manipulating the magnetic fields so that you didn't float away from the deck.
   The Second Engineer waited until he could sense that the others had done all they could to transmit what was known.  It was time.  He touched the device in two places and began to alter the fields.  It would take a moment, and then the system would detonate with a force that would vaporize the Patrol Vessel.  He finished the task, and waited.
   And could feel a new fear spread through the crew.  The charge had failed...


   1932 hours/Queen Mary, 11.82 light minutes from Hygea Colony

   Jude stared at the monitor.  'What in the hell have we gotten ourselves into,' she thought.  'We've got two Attack Escorts just coasting, and an Alpha just sitting there with them.  By now that Alpha has let every alien ship out there know that the Sereg and Elise are sitting targets.  It will take days to fix the drives on the two Attack Escorts, but we can't afford to abandon those ships.  We are going to have to stay and fight whatever comes.'
   Jude wished she could take a big breath.  Rub her temples.  Something other than lie locked at her station, tapping her fingers.
   'The Elise has drifted to only one half of a light second from the Alpha.  Her sensor array is picking up energy readings from the ship.  It probably still has some crew on board.  We can't afford to lose anyone on any of the ships in a boarding action, with the battle that is sure to come.  We can't board, but somebody is going to have to come out here and do just that.  We CAN'T leave.'
   'I'd thought the biggest battle I might have to fight in the next few weeks would be for Earth.  But it’s now, and here in the middle of nowhere.  Over what might be the biggest prize of this whole war.  But how in the hell are we going to board and take the vessel?  And then how do we keep the aliens from destroying it while the damned thing just sits there.'
   'Good lord Brenna, did you ever see this one coming....??'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 08, 2010, 01:58:14 AM
June 2204  part 3

June 7th  2035 hours/Rhein Mein AFB, Germany, Earth

   Feldwebel Tanya Frank ran across the tarmac.  Her squad was only meters behind her as they raced to the waiting ship.  'What in the hell has happened that they need us right now,' she wondered as they reached the huge vessel.  It was many times bigger than the largest cruise ship she had ever seen.  It could carry 50,000 troops and their supplies, or ten times that many colonists.  Right now it was going to carry her and the entire cyborg brigade.  Her squad formed up on her as she came to a stop.
   The rest of the platoon and company began to fill in the formation as space model cyborgs began to issue loading orders.  Human ground crews were loading equipment Tanya had only familiarized herself with.  The cargo holds were being loaded with supplies for micro-g ops. 'I've probably had about three days of micro-g training, and none of it in this body,' Tanya thought.
   Orders flashed on Tanya's HUD.  'Time to load.  They say that full acceleration in a 'borg body is something you just have to experience to understand.  Guess I'm about to get my chance.  I just wish they would tell me where we are about to go.  Wherever it is, they want to get there in a hurry.'


   2050 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters sat at his desk.  He knew that if he had a human face and someone walked in right now, they would run for the door as soon as they got a look at him.  Mad was an emotion he had passed half an hour ago.
   The civilian government had vetoed every attempt to transfer combat ships to support the crippled Euro group.  They had forbidden the use of ground troops to attempt boarding of the Alpha floating helpless out by the belt.  It had taken a monumental effort to get them to allow a Survey Tender to go as a troop lander.  The Pan Euro Troopship, actually just a quickly prepared civilian Colony Ship, had no bay to load and land the troops it was now carrying onto shuttles.  Since the survey craft the Survey Tender carried were too small to effectively move troops, a civilian GTOS had been transferred to the Tender's bay.  The GTOS was a tight fit in the Tender's bay, but could carry a full company of cyborg troops.  It wouldn't be comfortable, but it could get the Euro troops to the Alpha without having to dock the Troopship.  Losing a GTOS and a company of troops was better than a whole Troopship with a Brigade onboard it the Alpha managed to self destruct during the operations.
   Possibly the most important battle that would be fought in this war and the only contributions the US could make were an armed freighter and a taxi service.  It was a good thing the office was empty.


   2120 hours/Queen Mary,  11.76 light minutes from Hygea Colony

   Admiral Jude Kushnir sat locked in her station.  Information streamed across the screen in front of her.  It all said the same thing.  This battle was about to be fought by cripples or ships and troops completely unprepared or unfit for what was about to happen.
   Seven ships were about to leave Earth.  Jude wished there were more, but she was leaving Brenna with the equivalent of a Light Battle Group to defend the Earth.  That wouldn't be enough to face down much of an alien force.  Brenna would have to depend on the ground based defenses to fight the battle.  If the aliens showed up with a swarm of their small ships, it would be devastating.
   The Heavy Escort Esme Jurkat had only been in service for hours now.  She and the two Attack Escorts of the 4th Light Battle Group would be the combat element of the seven ships.  The crews had barely been onboard long enough to fly the ships.  Now they would have to fight for their lives against alien ships with months or perhaps years of combat experience.  
   Both of the Pan Euro's Mobile Repair Ships were in the group.  They would try desperately to get the drives of the Elise and Keely Sereg online, but it would take at least a week to get the work done.  During that time they would simply be targets, with no 'shields' to protect them.  They represented nearly one third of the Pan Euro's space borne construction capability.  Losing them would be unthinkable.
   The Troopship was just as much of a target as the Repair Ships.  It would have to rely on the US Survey Tender to ferry the Cyborg Brigade of the 13th Mechanized Division to the Alpha.  The troops had almost no micro-g training, and no idea of what they were fighting.  The losses they would take were impossible to predict.  Jude was sure it wouldn't be a cake walk.
   Seven ships, all with little training or no weapons.  Troops that would fight an enemy they were completely unprepared for.  Jude looked at her monitor.  The aliens would come with more ships.  The only question was how many and how long.


   2305 hours/Patrol Vessel 17,  36 light minutes from the location of Patrol Vessel 12

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 considered the situation.  The faint transmissions from Patrol Vessel 12 made it clear that it was unable to self destruct, and was accompanied by four enemy vessels.  Two of the enemy vessels appeared to be drifting with Patrol Vessel 12, unable to maneuver in anything but the most rudimentary ways.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had ordered Patrol Vessels 13 and 24 to rejoin the main group of ships.  They would meet in the debris fields and move from there to the next target.  The real question was what that would be.
   The native race would be rushing ships to the location of the stricken Patrol Vessel and their two crippled ships.  This would present an unusual opportunity to attack the enemy's colonies while their defenses were weakened.  The problem would be with the losses the Patrol and Attack Vessels might sustain.
   The group would eventually have to destroy or rescue the crippled Patrol Vessel.  The two stationary enemy ships were also a tempting target.  The support ships that would arrive to assist the drifting enemy vessels would also be easy targets. But if the Patrol Group lost too many ships attacking a colony, they might be unable to address the situation with Patrol Vessel 12 adequately.  It would take time for the group to gather, and Patrol Vessel 12 was still transmitting.  As the situation progressed, the Commander would have to make a decision.


June 8th 0350 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 4 light seconds from Uranus

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan rechecked the course plot as the drive shut down on the Yari.  Maneuver thrusters fired as the Yari came about onto its new course.  In just over 100 hours they would reach their destination of Neptune's orbit.  The sweep past Uranus had been uneventful.  No alien contact.  No evidence of new habitats on any of the moons.  The aliens seemed to have given up on this planet, which was all right with Jack.
   The grey haze settled back in as the main drive engaged.  The Yari would accelerate to over 4500 kilometers per second before the drive would scale back its output.  They would then cruise at that speed for the next four days.  The Chinese ships should be well behind them at this point.  Soon the US and Euro ships would begin the mission that would hopefully allow the Chinese to hit a much weaker target at Triton.
   That was if everything worked out.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 11, 2010, 11:10:01 PM
June 2204 part 4

June 8th  1540 hours/Patrol Vessel 12

   The Second Engineer of Patrol Vessel 12 could find some satisfaction with what they had accomplished.  They had found and rescued another 12 of the crew.  They now numbered 33.  The crew had also sealed off several of the areas around the launch bay and had restored life support functions to those areas.  They would be able to survive for nearly five orbits of New Home 3 around its planet.  They had rudimentary sensor arrays erected, and had prepared the magnetic field generators for use.  The fields were not up at the moment.  They would wait for a more appropriate time.
   The crew had also recovered some of the personal weapons stored in lockers on the ship.  The crew had rigged several devices to defend areas and built other improvised weapons that could be used should the native race try to board Patrol Vessel 12.
   A communication array had also been improvised, and contact with Patrol Vessel 17 had been established.  The limited information the sensors were gathering was being transmitted to the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had ordered the ship to continue transmissions and resist any enemy boarders with all available means.  The crew of Patrol Vessel 12 was willing to fight to the end.
   The one nagging problem was that no attempt had been able to repair or activate the self destruct systems on Patrol Vessel 12.  The vessel and its crew were doomed to wait, surrounded by enemy ships, until they were either rescued or destroyed.


June 9th  0020 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, in the debris field 34 light minutes from Patrol Vessel 12

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 considered the situation.  The ships of the Patrol Group had gathered in the debris field of this system.  The four Patrol Vessels and three Attack Vessels should be enough to drive the enemy ships from the area of Patrol Vessel 12, allowing the Mobile Repair Vessel to effect repairs on Patrol Vessel 12's drive.  They would also be able to load torpedoes into the still functioning launch bay and return Patrol Vessel 12 to some semblance of combat capability.  With the reduced number of ships capable of fighting the native race, losing even one was painful.
   But having the native race capture Patrol Vessel 12 would be even more painful.  Perhaps intolerable.  If Patrol Vessel 12 could not be rescued, it would have to be destroyed.  The Council of Elders was allowing the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 to use his discretion in determining how to resolve the problem.
   The Hive Vessels would be nearly useless in supporting an attack on the native vessels near Patrol Vessel 12.  Using them to attack a colony could draw ships away from Patrol Vessel 12, but supporting the Hive Vessels would also deplete the Patrol Group.
   For long moments the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 pondered the situation.  At last he began to alter the field at his station and issue commands.  The two Hive Vessels activated their drives and began to move away from the main group.  The four Patrol Vessels launched their entire complement of scout craft to accompany the Hive Vessels.  It would take them time to reach their target, and the mission would likely destroy all of the scout craft in the end.  But they would hurt the native race, and might draw the enemy's attention from Patrol Vessel 12.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 altered the field at his station again and felt the Patrol and Attack Vessels engage their drives and begin the move to either save or destroy Patrol Vessel 12.


   0310 hours/Queen Mary, 11.73 light minutes from Hygeia Colony

   Admiral Jude Kushnir looked over the status updates.  Her monitor flashed with constant changes.  The 4th Light Battle Group had arrived in record time for such new crews.  Even more amazing was the fact that none had damaged the particle accelerators or drive shields of their ships.  The ships of the 4th LBG were currently docked with the Queen Mary, Elise, and K. Sereg to offload missiles and supplies.  The convoy escorts had expended most of their ordinance in the running battle with the crippled Alpha drifting nearby.
   The Pan Euro Troopship was docked with the US Vigilance, off loading both the troops of the German 13th Mech Infantry and their supplies. Survey Tender 1 was also docked with the Vigilance unloading missiles rumored to have been purloined from the ground based defenses of the US.  Jude wondered if that was wise, but also wished she had thought to request extra ordinance from ground based stores.  The GTOS in the Survey Tender's bay would be added to the one carried by the Vigilance and used to land troops on the alien vessel.  With luck the Alpha would be uninhabited or undefended, but the sensor readings seemed to indicate something was active inside the hull.
   The Mobile Repair Ships 1 and 2 would not arrive for another two days.  Estimates said it would take at least 6 days to repair the drives of the Elise and Sereg sufficiently for them to make way and return to Earth.  That was 8 days for the aliens to show up.  The 4th LBG with only days of training, the Queen Mary with its outer plating and baffles burned away, and a converted US freighter would have to hold back the worst the aliens could dish up for over a week.
   "God help us, how are we going to make this work?"


June 10th  0800 hours/GTOS-74, 11.72 light minutes from Hygeia Colony

   Feldwebel Tanya Frank wondered how anyone could get used to this constant kaleidoscope of colors.  The drive of the GTOS shut on and off, over and over again.  Briefings had shown that the Alpha was in a slow roll on 2 axis, but fairly stable on the third, so that the landing would be fairly easy.  'If this is easy, find someone else for the hard ones,' Tanya thought as the shuttle pitched over and over.
   "Twenty seconds till drop.  Prep for M-CAST."  Tanya heard the announcement from the shuttle crew.  There would be no touch down on the alien vessel.  They would be launched at the hull from over 100 meters away.  With luck the troops would land together.  Realistically, they assumed that 5 to 10 percent wouldn't make landing or would fail to lock to the hull, and the rest would be scattered across an alien ship nearly half a kilometer long and as thick as a twelve story building was tall.
   "Squad, unlock from stations, lock weapons and thrust packs.  Prepare for drop.  Form up on my mark."  Tanya looked at her squad as they readied themselves.  She never could tell how anyone felt.  They all looked the same.  Maybe a slight female or male build to comfort the brain riding inside, but that was it.  Her squad was the support squad for the platoon, and carried heavier crew served weapons.  Tanya didn't.  One of the privileges of rank.
   The two lower hatches of the bay opened.  Great gaping holes into blackness.  As Tanya moved forward two platoons lined up beside the abyss.  Her platoon on one side and the Headquarters Platoon on the far side of the bay.  Red lights flashed on her display and a flat voice sounded in her head. "Drop." Tanya stepped into darkness and keyed the thruster.
   Tanya felt the thruster slam her down.  No funny colors but the world seemed to rocket by with no station holding you in place.  A great grey black shape leapt into view as her thrusters fired to brake the drop.  Four anchor cables fired as Tanya slammed into the hull.  Three ripped free as she bounced away, and then slammed back down as the fourth held.  Tanya bounced again and again.  'Damn hull isn't magnetic at all,' Tanya thought as retracted the cable and came to a stop.  She looked around and felt horror and relief in the same moment.  Beside her gaped a hole nearly thirty meters across gouged completely through the hull.  A few meters farther and she would have missed the ship.
   Tanya looked at the hull.  The grey black material was blistered and buckled.  Shredded in areas.  "Teach your asses to mess with us." Tanya said to no one in particular.  Tanya pulled out the M27A in her left hand and fired a series of 'bolts' into the hull of the ship.  A few bounced away or tore clear through, but most stuck.  They looked like long nails with a flange to stop them from over penetrating.  They had small loops at the end to hook cables to, and would allow the magnets in cyborgs hands and feet to 'grip' on them.  Tanya put up the 'bolt gun' and pulled out her 18mm PzGw 94.  It was much like her old model 93, but was a gyroc and designed for micro-g combat.  It also cut her ammo load in half as the rounds were much bulkier.  Tanya's shoulder launcher for the three 25mm 'Rollover' missiles had slight modifications for space use, but was nearly the same.  She also carried the LE/SR 9mm rifle for close work.  It was also a gyroc with limited ammo capacity, but when your main weapon only carried 50 rounds it was definitely comforting to have.  It also carried a three round 30mm under barrel grenade launcher.  You had to be secured to fire the grenades as they weren't recoilless, but they packed a punch.
   Tanya checked her HUD to see how the assault was progressing.  She could see a few troops near her, but not many.  She stopped as she tried to take in the numbers.  Less than 40 percent had made landing.  Most were near her location.  It seemed the ship had been able to vent just as the troops had dropped, blasting most away into space.  The two GTOS were busy trying to pick up whoever they could, but it was hopeless.
   Her HUD showed that of the six troops around her, she was senior.  "Ok all of you, form up on my position.  Ten meter spacing.  I want half covering the outer hull and the others this damned hole in the ship."  She heard the troops respond but wasn't paying attention.  She was busy checking the HUD for whoever was the senior member of the company left.  Of the 38 left on the hull, one was the same rank as Tanya.  The rest were junior.  All of the senior NCO's and Officers were gone. She wanted to take a deep breath, but knew she couldn't.  Orders from the Battalion Commander on the US Vigilance scrolled on her HUD.

ATTN FELDWEBEL T FRANK

SECURE AREA OF SECTORS 57A - F , 58F , 59E , 60C - E

PREP AREA FOR MOVEMENT INTO HULL

SECURE FOR SECONDARY GTOS DROP

   Tanya brought up the display of the Alpha.  The area she needed to secure was the edge of the gaping chasm in the hull.  'Guess this is now the front door.'  It would take half an hour to get everyone in position.  Maybe a little longer if the aliens had any more surprises.  It would take about twenty minutes for the GTOS to load and prep for the next drop after they finished rescue ops.  Suddenly her HUD fuzzed over.  She changed over to direct pick up for the visual but still found the display suffered from some static.
   "What is going on?" Tanya heard from the soldier nearest her.
   "I don't know, but keep your eyes open.  We aren't alone on this hulk."


   0812 hours/Queen Mary, 11.72 light minutes from Hygeia Colony

   "What are you trying to tell me?"  Jude looked at the transmission from the Vigilance.  She wasn't fond of dealing with ground troops, and this wasn't helping.  "I know the magnetic fields just came up on the Alpha.  So does every ship within fifteen light seconds of this point.  What is the problem?"
   "Admiral, I don't know if we can land anymore troops on the ship with those fields up.  It’s hard enough trying to get the landers in synch with the Alpha's rotation as it is.  The magnetic fields will play havoc with our instruments.  Not to mention possibly shoving the lander back out into space.  The fields might even tear apart a ship as small as a lander.  If the fields don't tear the lander apart, they will definitely throw anyone we try to drop onto the hull back into space.  What I'm trying to say Admiral is I don't think we can risk another drop."
   Jude looked at the monitor and thrummed her fingers on the armrest of her station.  The reports made it obvious that most of the first drop hadn't made it onto the hull.  What had landed probably wouldn't be able to seize the ship.  They would need more troops on the 'ground' as it were.
   "You say we can't drop.  The first drop didn't seem to work to well anyway. Take both landers and prep for docking.  We will fire on the Alpha to collapse the magnetic fields and hope we don't blow the thing apart.  We will lose the troops on the hull when we do, but that might be the only way."
   Jude was sure the face on the other end wouldn't be happy right now, but it was just a blank faceplate.  "You have your orders.  The Queen Mary will launch in 15 minutes." Jude cut the link and locked her station.  "Weapons Conn, full safety release.  Prepare to fire on the Alpha. Launch from bays one and two."


   0821 hours/Outer hull of damaged Alpha

   Tanya looked at the transmission on her HUD.  'No way.  They wouldn't.  This can't be right.'

ATTN FELDWEBEL T FRANK

MOVE TO INTERIOR OF HULL AND SECURE

MAGNETIC FIELD ON ALPHA ENGAGED

PAN EURO QUEEN MARY TO LAUNCH ON ALPHA AT 0827 HOURS

SEEK POSITIONS WITH PROTECTION FROM DRIVE DETONATION OVER HULL

MAY GOD BE WITH YOU

   'Oh ****, that's in six minutes!  What did I ever do to deserve being nuked twice?!'  "People, load up.  We are moving into the hull.  This real estate is about to get hot."  Tanya looked over the edge of the twelve story drop and began firing bolts into anything she could hit.  "Come on people, we need to move."  Tanya looked over to see the 12 troops she had gathered around her begin to pepper the inner decks with bolts, just as she had done.
   "Team A, move forward."  Tanya looked up to see the other adhoc platoons that had formed moving forward.  She looked down to see that Team A was settling into the ruins of the Alpha's outer baffles.  Tanya stepped over the edge and grasped a bolt. "Team B forward.  Team A cover.  Bounding over watch."  Tanya settled in with Team A to watch Team B's progress.  The HUD showed that all of the groups were moving into the hull.  Several of the teams were switching on auxiliary lights.  The hull was very cold even for a hulk in space.  Thermal returns were little more than a blue black mass.  It made it easy to maintain operating temps though, which was a problem in space with no atmosphere to vent excess heat.
   Suddenly the hull erupted in geysers of blue and white gas.  Soldiers were flung out into space.  Others held to bolts for dear life, just as Tanya did.  In moments it was over.  Seven members of her squad had been ripped from the ship.  Tanya could see warning lights on her HUD warning that her suit was dangerously cold.  Some of the servos were reporting failures.
   Then Tanya saw something she would never forget.  Something half crawled, half floated from a gap in the hull.  Something that looked like a horrible mix of a lobsters body, dozens of long insect like legs, tentacle like projections from wherever a leg met the body, and all of it covered with ridges resembling fish scales.  But there was no head.  Nothing that resembled one at least.  And hovering around it were a half dozen 'things' that seemed to follow it without being attached in any way.  One of the 'things' had already turned toward one of her squad and then rocketed at the soldier.  It struck with an explosion that ripped apart the cyborg and the deck he was hanging onto.
   Less than a heartbeat later the last two members of Team B fired on the monster, but both of their weapons simply detonated in their hands.  Parts of the cyborgs were ripped away as weapons left brittle by the near absolute zero gas shattered.  Tanya threw her bolt gun at the creature and saw the weapon slam into the side of it.  The creature drifted a few meters before it stopped and reoriented itself.  Tanya wondered how it was able to do that with no thrusters, no attachments. She pushed herself back into the gap of the outer baffle as a 'thing' pointed toward her.
   The world went white again as two missiles from the Queen Mary detonated less than a kilometer from the hull.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 13, 2010, 04:51:49 AM
June 2204  part 5

June 11th 0235 hours/Scout Craft 103, 10.5 light seconds from the fourth planet

   The pilot of Scout Craft 103 began preparations for the final approach.  The crew of eight were arming the weapons in the bay, and making the last checks on the drive.  The small ship began to accelerate towards the planet ahead.
   Shortly the native race would become aware of their presence, but it would take much longer for the small arrays on the Scout Craft to pick up any enemy vessels.  It would not matter, as they were not here to deal with the enemy ships.  The sensors on the Scout Craft were more than capable of detecting and tracking the planet.  As they began the attack runs, the sensors would be able to detect and lock onto the native race's habitats.
   With luck some on the Scout Craft would return home.  All the crews knew that it was a rare occurrence for that to happen.


   0239 hours/Interceptor MkIIb Andrew Jackson, 0.5 light seconds from Mars

   Captain James Gauld locked his station as the message came in from the Mars Colony.  The ground based sensor array had detected an unknown contact at 8 light seconds from the planet and closing.  No magnetic signature had been detected, but at that range only small vessels would be unidentifiable.  It could be a lost small craft, but it was unlikely.
   New orders flashed onto James' monitor.  They were from Captain Mitchell Vass of the Franklin.  All four of the Interceptors were to lock stations and begin acceleration toward the new contact.  If the contact was a group of alien small craft, it was likely they had other battle line ships in support of them.  James checked the course plot.  It took them around Mars in a slow loop and then out to the new contact.  If Alphas or Deltas were out there, at least the Task Force wouldn't be too far from the Mars Station and its five Military Modules.


   0242 hours/Scout Craft 103, 4.25 light seconds from the fourth planet

   The Pilot of Scout Craft 103 felt the destruction of Scout craft 134.  No enemy vessels had yet been detected, nor any inbound weapon, but they often fired on the scout craft from beyond the range of their sensors using the invisible weapon that so easily penetrated the magnetic protective fields.
   There they are.  As always this race closes to continue firing on small craft.  Four enemy Patrol Vessels moving faster than Scout Craft 103 would ever be able to achieve.  It was still too far from the planet for maximum drive output.  Too many of the Scout Craft would be destroyed by their own drives before they could reach the target.
   The Pilot began evasive maneuvers to reduce the enemy's ability to target the small craft. There was nothing else that could be done but continue on and hope to reach the target.


   0244 hours/Interceptor MkIIb A. Jackson, 2.25 light seconds from Mars

   James knew they would never be able to stop so many small targets before they reached the planet.  It was like trying to swat at a cloud of gnats.  But every gnat that they could kill was thousands of lives that would be spared in the next few minutes.
   The laser capacitors charged and discharged over and over.  The drive stuttered to allow the output coupler to align on a target and the launch bay to deploy another missile.  One alien bomber after another perished in the inferno of light and flame.  Forty eight had originally been detected approaching Mars, and the last two minutes had seen eleven of them destroyed.  Seconds ago the Jackson's array had detected the first launches from the Mars Station.  It was only able to bring three of the Military Modules to bear, but that almost doubled the firepower targeted on the alien craft.
   The sensors had also detected that the small ships were now showing an increased thermal bloom and had begun accelerating again.  It would be less than two minutes before they would reach position to begin an attack on the Mars Colony.  Two minutes to destroy 37 bombers.
   James had only heard stories or seen edited news footage of colonies that had been bombed by the aliens.  He was sure that was about to change.


   0246 hours/Scout Craft 103, 15000 kilometers from Mars

   The Pilot of Scout Craft 103 began the deceleration routine to enter the atmosphere.  The group was coming in too fast, but the orbital defenses and enemy Patrol Vessels were taking a terrible toll on the group. The Pilot fired braking thrusters and locked the sensor returns into the course plot.  The rest of the crew had readied both of the weapons for deployment.
   The pilot could feel nearly a dozen and a half Scout Craft destroyed by the enemy's weapons or torn apart by the thin atmosphere of the planet.  At 2000 kilometers per second even a wisp of gas could rip a craft apart.
   The first weapon deployed as the sensors completed the launch solution.  Moments later the second weapon deployed.  The enemy defenses on the planet were firing now, tearing apart even more craft as the space based defenses continued their onslaught.
   The Pilot checked the sensor update.  Only twelve of the Scout Craft had deployed their first weapon, and only four had survived to deploy their second.
   The Pilot of Scout Craft 103 knew there was no hope of escape.  The rest of the crew could sense what was happening as he changed course, but made no attempt to intervene.  The other surviving Scout Craft had already followed suit.


   0249 hours/Interceptor MkIIb A. Jackson, 0.5 light seconds from Mars

   The sensor returns and visuals piled up on the screen at James' station.  Great clouds of dust and smoke covered chunks of the red planet's surface.  Sixteen bombs had found their targets, vaporizing or shattering habitats.
   Most disturbing had been the last moments of the four bombers that had not been destroyed.  They had all changed course toward the planet.  No attempt to escape.  They had all slammed into the atmosphere above the colony.  None had reached the surface, but several tons of material breaking apart against even the thin atmosphere of Mars had been just as effective as any bomb.  James had read of the suicide ships that had blown themselves apart to protect the alien colony on Triton.  This was different.  Dying to protect your own was one thing.  Suicide to kill an enemy was another.
   The calls for help were beginning to fill the channels.  Cries, screams, and sometimes worse.  James didn't wait for any order.  He keyed in the commands for the ship's boat to be prepped for deployment.  It was to assist in rescuing and relocating survivors in any way possible.
   James keyed the override and shut down the drive bloom, then unlocked his station.  He got up and began to move across the bridge.  There was too much that needed done now.  Watching the horror unfold below would wait.  It would be there for a long time.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 15, 2010, 04:09:59 AM
June 2204  part 6

June 12th  0315 hours/Attack Escort Keely Sereg, 11.71 light minutes from Hygeia Colony

   Commander Brittany Bortz moved through the Engineering section to check on the progress.  The two Mobile Repair Ships had arrived and begun work on the two stalled out Attack Escorts.  It looked like they might finally be able to get the Sereg and Elise back in the fight.
   Brittany pulled up the status of particle accelerator banks one through four.  She was almost glad no one could see a frown on her face.  The work was going at a snail’s pace.  The Mobile Repair Ships weren't one of the orbital shipyards.  The facilities and equipment they carried was limited by the small amount of space that could be managed in a mobile hull under acceleration.  The Repair ships would never be able to match the acceleration of an Attack Escort, but over 4000 kilometers a second was a lot to ask of construction and fabrication equipment.  Let alone the hull that had to hold them securely.
   For the moment they were going to be docked together, for a long time.  Until the Sereg could get under way, she was going to have to protect the Repair Ship.  Unfortunately, the rest of the group had used the Sereg and Elise as floating missile stores.  The Sereg was down to only seven missiles in the launch bay.  That would last about three minutes in a real fight.  It was enough to destroy an Alpha, but nothing more.
   Brittany headed back for the bridge.  The aliens had attacked Mars only hours ago.  They had used another mass of small bombers, but not a single warship.  It wasn't hard to figure out what they were saving their heavy hitters for.
   'It won't be long until it is our turn,' she thought.  'And we're a sitting duck.'


   0850 hours/Launch Bay of Patrol Vessel 12

   The Second Engineer of Patrol Vessel 12 checked the status of the life support systems.  The drive detonations near the hull had collapsed the magnetic fields again and killed three of the crew.  Life support had nearly failed, but was still holding.  The protective field could be erected again, but it was too late now.  The enemy had managed several landings in the time the fields were down.  The Patrol Vessel was crawling with the enemy.  There was no real hope of killing them all, only of slowing them as they secured the ship.
   The traps and weapons the crew used had claimed many of the creatures native to this system, if that is what you could call them.  The enemy seemed to be nothing more than machines.  Robots of some kind designed to resemble some strange form of life.  And like a machine they killed without remorse.  They massed more than four times what any crew member did and were incredibly strong, but they were too large to move down the corridors and access ways easily.  Many were destroyed for every compartment they seized.
   In the end it would not matter.  There were only 13 of the crew left, and not enough weapons left to arm even that many.  The crew would not be able to hold out longer than one more rotation of New Home 3 around its planet.  They would all be dead long before the life support ran out.
   The Second Engineer manipulated the field around him and moved down the corridor from the launch bay.  Three more of the crew followed him.  It was time to destroy more of the machines.

   0912 hours/Interior of damaged Alpha, 11.71 light minutes from Hygeia Colony

   Feldwebel Tanya Frank crawled through the small passage.  The aliens were much small than humans, with corridors barely three feet in diameter.  The aliens tended to favor hexagonal construction, which made the corridors feel more like a tube than a hall.  It was much like fighting in an enormous maze of tunnels than the inside of a ship.
   The rest of the squad was spread out through the 'tunnel' as they moved through the ship. Compartments were widely dispersed with a great deal of the hull devoted to simply supporting the rest of the ship against the drive's acceleration.  Tanya was fairly sure that the Pan Euro's ships probably incorporated a lot of supports also, but it seemed like such a waste of space.  This must be the cost of riding a nuclear explosion to get from place to place.
   "Keep your spacing and your eyes open people. The techs say that the launch bay should be no more than 70 meters ahead.  They aren't likely to give up the one area the techs think is fairly intact without a fight."  Tanya knew that the rest of the squad knew all this, but it helped to calm her nerves to talk.  The aliens had an unnerving way of attacking without ever being there.  The aliens seemed to be able to manipulate objects at a distance from their bodies.  Even a cyborg wasn't immune to this manipulation if they got too close.  It seemed limited to a few meters, but allowed them to activate weapons and booby traps without even having to be in the area it was located.
   Tanya's HUD caught movement.  A small cylinder had come through a small hole in the tunnel thirty meters ahead.  Tanya had seen enough of them to know what was about to happen.  A blinding flash threw Tanya against the wall as the cylinder rocketed into the lead squad member and detonated.  Tanya held onto the 'bolt' in her hand as the explosion subsided.  She quickly stuck her foot on a bolt and aimed her PzGw 94 at the walls of the tunnel.  She fired over and over through the walls.  One of the aliens was somewhere nearby.  It would be luck if the squad managed to kill it, but they had to try.  It was the only thing they could do.  The second trooper in line had fired a 'Rollover' missile off his shoulder at the tunnel where the weapon had appeared.  Then the second and third.  More explosions rocked the tunnel and Tanya was almost shaken loose from her position.
   Thirty seconds later and the tunnel was quiet.  No more attacks from the aliens, no gas trying to vent them from the ship.  "Ok, let’s move up.  You don't want to be the last ones that make it to the party."
   Red letters flashed across Tanya's HUD.  

   SECURE AREAS.

   4TH CO ON OUTER HULL PREPARE FOR EVAC

   ALIEN MAGNETIC SIGNATURES DETECTED

   ALIEN WARSHIPS INBOUND

   "Ma'am, what are we supposed to do now?"  Tanya looked at the troop who had opened up the comm link.
   "Hope the space jockeys hold 'em.  I don't think the aliens plan of leaving this crate for us to take home."  Tanya braced herself on a pair of bolts.  'Surviving two nukes is a bit much to ask of a grunt's luck.  I doubt I'm going to get lucky a third time.'


   0918 hours/Queen Mary, 11.71 light minutes from Hygeia Colony

   "Magnetic signature contact bearing two three eight degrees ascension plus six.  Range approximately fifteen light seconds.  Course zero seven five at zero ascension.  Approximate speed seven zero zero zero kilometers per second. Accelerating."  The Sensor Officer was already locking his station.
   Admiral Jude Kushnir locked her station and keyed the 'All Ships' link.  "All ships lock stations, battle stations, Battle Group Four attack formation.  Survey Tender One, withdraw from area course zero six zero ascension minus three.  Mobile Repair One and Two blow docking link and follow Tender One.  Vigilance ninety degrees my port and hold station.  Helm, give me a direct intercept for the contact and get us moving."
   Jude pulled up the sensor return on her monitor, and then the course plot as the helm updated it.  The world turned grey as the drive engaged and the Queen Mary began to move.  It would take three minutes for the Queen Mary to close the range enough to resolve the contact.  Until then, they would just have to hope it wasn't anything bigger than a couple of Alphas.  Anything more than that and they wouldn't be able to stop them from reaching the crippled Alpha or the two stalled out Attack Escorts.
   "Helm, upload the protocols from Rear Admiral Muldoon.  Transmit to all ships.  Prepare to execute on my command."  Jude sat as the range closed.  'I hope this works as well out here as it did for you in training Brenna.'
   Time seemed to crawl by.  Jude knew her fingers were rattling away at the armrest, but couldn't stop them.  Too much was riding on this.  It had to work.
   "Contacts resolved, Alpha times four, unknown contact times three.  Logging new contact, designating as Echo One, Two, and Three.  Range eight light seconds and closing.  Closing at one four zero six zero kilometers per second.  Weapons range in four zero seconds."  The Sensor Officer continued with a stream of information but Jude was concentrating on the Weapons Conn as the plot for firing solutions began to stream across her monitor.  Jude rechecked the sensor data on the new contact.  They appeared to be of nearly the same mass as an Attack Escort.  That would make them smaller than the Alphas.  'I hope they crack easier than the Alphas,' Jude thought as she keyed in for a firing solution on Echo Two.
   Jude quickly keyed in a new course that would bring them between the Sereg and the alien ships.  The Sereg was off by itself.  If the aliens followed the Queen Mary they would increase the range between them and the crippled Alpha.  If they didn't they would give Jude a chance to get in behind them and catch them between the missiles of the Elise and the mobile groups.
   "New contacts, inbounds time seven.  Target is the Queen Mary."  Those words from the Sensor Officer caught Jude's attention.  Jude keyed the comm link again.  "Helm, execute maneuver protocols."  Jude knew this was going to be a two edged sword even if it worked.  The maneuver protocol Brenna had worked out would trade speed for angular acceleration, much like the old aircraft of centuries past would dodge and weave but also bleed off speed.  The ship would trade speed for angular acceleration, using deflection of the drive bloom and even skewing the hull against the solar wind to create erratic and rapid aspect changes.  But even with the drive running wide open the ship would still slow from lost thrust and drag.  But at long range it might just be enough to defeat the alien's ability to make intercept.  Hopefully it would take them time to learn to copy it.
   The Queen Mary stuttered its drive momentarily as the launch bays deployed.  She was the first to break range and her missiles would lead the volley in.  The world slammed back to grey and blue as the drive re-engaged.  The inbounds continued to close as the launch bay began to prep the next four missiles.  The sensors clouded as one detonation after another filled space with waves of plasma.  Moments later the sensors cleared.  Only one of the alien weapons had made intercept.  The magnetic field generators had been reduced to half of their normal output, but were still online.  Jude then watched as the missiles homed in on Echo Two.  The return lost resolution as the Queen Mary's missiles detonated along Echo Two's path.  And then the sensors were able to resolve the ship, but now it was three separate pieces tumbling through space.
   "Yes. Weapon Conn all ships, target priority Echo contacts until destroyed."  Jude watched as the remaining missiles from the other ships tried to reorient on the remaining Echoes.  The five drive detonations from the other ships' missile didn't even manage to drop the protective field on a single contact.  'I know you haven't done this much, but we have to do better.' Jude thought to herself.
   "Contacts changing aspect, coming about onto course zero zero two ascension minus two.  No change in velocity. Inbounds times six detected, target Queen Mary."  The Sensor Conn was staying on top of the alien movements, in spite of the rapid aspect changes the Queen Mary was making were now playing havoc with the Phoenix Array's readings.  Jude keyed the comm link again.  "All ships target Echo Three."  We just need to tear them apart one at a time.  The first volley turned them.  Now we need to shake their confidence even more.  The drive stuttered again as the Queen Mary deployed four more missiles.
   

   0922 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 8 light seconds from Patrol Vessel 12

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 altered the field at his station bringing the group about on a new course.  The unusual movements of the enemy vessels were making targeting a nightmare.  Two volleys had failed to drop the protective field on the enemy Combat Vessel.  In the mean time Attack Vessels One and Three had been destroyed.  Attack Vessel Two was at half power on its protective fields.  It would take little more to destroy it.  The Patrol Group had lost almost 30 percent of its firepower for no discernable gain.  This battle wasn't over, but how many more ships could they lose.
   The Patrol Group came on line at just over five light seconds from the enemy line.  The Combat Vessel had dropped back, indicating that its protective fields were weakening.  To pursue it would be foolish though.  It would bring them into easy range of the smaller enemy ships while leaving the Combat Vessel still on the edge of range.
   The strange enemy maneuvers had cost them speed though, and that would give the Patrol Ships an edge.  The torpedoes of the Patrol Vessels seemed to have a slight edge in range on the native race's weapons.  As the third volley of torpedoes left the Patrol Group, no return launches were detected.  'Now we need to keep this range,' thought the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17.
   The Commander felt disappointment wash through the crew as the third salvo failed to drop the protective fields on any of the enemy ships.  The maneuvers of the native race were working, but it would only be a matter of time until they were reduced to nearly stationary targets.
   A sudden course change and reverse carried the enemy ships away from the Patrol Group as the Commander tried to maintain the tenuous range where the native race was unable to engage.  The enemy Combat Vessel had rejoined the smaller enemy ships and was again accelerating.  The erratic maneuvers had ceased as the native vessels attempted to regain speed.  The Commander altered course to bring the slower ships into range and sensed the launch of all five torpedoes.  It was obvious that at least one made intercept with the enemy Combat Vessel, but the protective field did not collapse.
   With disgust, the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 turned the Patrol Group away to disengage.  It would be impossible for the slower enemy ships to regain weapons range.  The Patrol Group had lost two of its Attack Escorts, in addition to the two lost Patrol Vessels that had started the whole situation.  The Commander began to compose and transmit the message to the Elders that the mission had failed, and that additional support would be needed to resolve the situation.


   0927 hours/Queen Mary, 2 light seconds from crippled Alpha

   Jude tried to relax as the remaining alien ships disengaged.  None of the Pan Euro or US ships had been damaged; although the Queen Mary's shields were close to collapse.  It would take hours to bring them all back online.  What had convinced the aliens to disengage baffled Jude.  The Pan Euro ships hadn't been able to manage a launch on the alien ships for the last four and a half minutes.  The aliens might have been able to keep up the battle of maneuver versus speed for hours, targeting one launch after another that the Pan Euro ships would never be able to reply to.  Perhaps the aliens were low on missiles.  Perhaps they had been called away.  If the Chinese ships had been detected on the way to Neptune, that would be possible.
   Regardless, for the moment, the group was safe.  They had destroyed two alien ships without any losses.  It couldn't get any better.
   "Comm, transmit to Earth, attention Heavy Escort Tatianna and Rear Admiral Muldoon.  Tell her the maneuvers worked, and that I owe her a night on the town.  As you were.  Address that message to Vice Admiral Muldoon."  Jude unlocked her station and stood on the deck.  She had spent enough time locked in that bench.  She wanted to see her cabin again.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 16, 2010, 02:40:41 AM
June 2204 part 7

June 12th  2210 hours/Elders Chambers, New Home 1 (Eris)

   The Elders were not in agreement, but a decision had to be made.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had sent the message that Patrol Vessel 12 was still in the enemy's possession, and that it would require more assets than were available to resolve the situation satisfactorily.  Two Attack Vessels had been lost attempting to recover or destroy Patrol Vessel 12.  Those losses reduced the Patrol Group's strength to only five vessels.
   The nearest ships to Patrol Vessel 12 were two Combat Vessels, and it was believed that they would be adequate to resolve the situation.  Most of the Elders agreed, but others believed the time it would take for them to reach the location of Patrol Vessel 12 was too great.  The native race would have already seized and moved the vessel before the Combat Vessels could arrive.  Others felt that the two Combat Vessels were much more valuable for the defense of the colony they were stationed at.   The Combat Vessels were currently stationed at New Home 3, and this was the colony that the native race had already attacked.  New Home 3 would be the most likely target should the native race attack again.  The fleets stationed at the other New Homes were too far to reach Patrol Vessel 12 in a timely manner.
   The Supreme Elder had not exercised his authority in Council since they had arrived in the New System.  The Council had debated and reached consensus in all other matters, and the Supreme Elder had not been required.  This matter was not being resolved, and the issue was not one that could wait indefinitely.
   The Supreme Elder altered his field to indicate that he was going to address the Council.  The assembled Elders representing the New Homes of this system quieted.  The Supreme Elder wasted no time with formalities, or with pleasantries to soothe to others gathered in the Chamber.
   "No further Vessels shall be sent to the inner parts of this system to resolve the issue of Patrol Vessel 12.  Patrol Vessel 12 will be declared lost to the native race.  Efforts will be directed towards combating the native race and strengthening the defenses of the colonies."
   The assembled Elders' fields betrayed either gratitude or reluctance with the Supreme Elder's decree, but none dared question it.  The Council moved on to other matters as the Supreme Elder returned to quietly monitoring the progress of the Council.


June 14th  1025 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 38 light minutes from Neptune

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan looked at the sensor returns.  Two alien vessels had been detected over five minutes ago.  Both were of a design first recorded at Neptune.  The vessels there had been suicide ships that simply detonated themselves as they approached human vessels.  It was believed they were most likely an unarmed commerce ship of some sort, but that had never been proven.  The last five minutes had convinced Jack that for once the Intel jokers had gotten something right.
   The two alien ships, code named Romeos, had not reacted to the presence of the Yari or the three Pan Euro ships.  For five minutes they had trailed the vessels at 8 light seconds.  The Romeos' current course was almost a direct line for Neptune.  It would take them over three days at their current speed to reach the planet.
   "Helm, maintain course and speed with Romeo One and Two.  Alert me to any course or aspect change in the contacts.  Comm, transmit to Captain Robert McNeely that we will follow the contacts to ascertain their destination.  Order the two Attack Escorts to fall back to a position fifteen light seconds behind the Yari and Red October and maintain that interval."  Jack listened as the crew acknowledged the orders, but was lost in his own thoughts.
   'We've made it past the first hurdle.  Now we just have to hope the rest of the plan works.'


June 15th  0800 hours/Interceptor MkIIb A. Jackson, 0.5 light seconds from Mars

   Captain James Gauld settled back into his station.  He had never thought that he would feel such relief on a warship.  Compared to assisting with rescue efforts on the ground, the spartan interior and hard vacuum of the Jackson seemed comforting and restful.
   After James first trip ground side to assist in rescue efforts, he had decided that all of the crew, regardless of rank, would be assigned a rotation to the surface.  The crew needed to see the cost of failing to stop the aliens.  They needed to know this wasn't just readouts and news broadcasts.  This was real people.  Men, women, even children who were dead or dying.  They needed to see the dead, the crippled, the orphans and widows.  The crew needed to understand that the training wasn't just an interruption of their day, or just something to get through so they could get back to their work.
   Cyborgs didn't actually tire from work, other than mentally.  They also didn't have to worry about people guessing how they felt from the look on their faces.  You didn't have to worry about looking scared, or crying.  But you could see the change in the crew as they came back from the rescue ops.  The way they sat quietly at their stations, or found a quiet corner to just sit and do nothing in.  What they were seeing and doing on the surface was changing the man or woman inside the shell.
   That new person wouldn't see training, or fighting, the same way again.  It wasn't about getting through all of this alive.  It was about ANYONE getting through this alive.


June 17th  1445 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 20 light seconds from Neptune

   Captain Robert McNeely sat locked at his station.  The Red October and the US Yari were playing a dangerous game.  No one knew just what ships would be defending the alien colony at Triton.  No one knew where they were stationed in respect to that colony, or what their patrol patterns would look like.  Or how they would react to what was about to happen.

   ATTN RED OCTOBER

   ACCELERATE TO 14000 KM/S

   ENGAGE AND DESTROY ROMEO 2

   Robert looked at the order on his monitor.  He knew it was coming, now would be the moment of truth.  He keyed in the command prompt for combat acceleration and to prepare for launch.
   Minutes crawled by as the Red October and Yari came up to speed.  The distance to the Romeos began to close.  As the ships reached 4.5 light seconds from the Romeos, the alien ships began to increase their thermal signature and accelerate.  It was too late for them at that point; the Red October had reached combat speed and entered into range.  The drive stuttered as the first two missiles deployed. Four seconds later the sensors recorded the Yari launching another pair of missile targeted at Romeo One.  Time crawled as the missiles crossed the intervening space, and then destroyed their targets.  Both Romeos disappeared in the missiles' drive detonations.
   Five magnetic signatures sprang to life near Triton.  They were only 7.5 light seconds away.  Robert keyed in the commands to bring the Red October about and decelerate slightly.  'We've let them know we're here.  Now we'll see just what they are going to do about it.'
   Minutes filed by as the Red October maintained its distance from the magnetic contacts.  None of the alien magnetic signatures had begun to move from their location.  'It would seem they have either increased the orbital defenses, or any ships they have are unwilling to leave the vicinity of the planet.'  "Comm, send the current sensor readings to Earth Station.  Helm, prepare to receive course plot from the Yari.  Upon receipt, implement course."
   Robert watched the monitor.  The aliens were either getting more cautious, or were running short of mobile units.  It would only be a few more minutes until loiter time was up and Rear Admiral Ryan would send the new course.  If the aliens weren't going to come out to play, it was time to find some new playmates.
   "Captain McNeely, course received from the US Interceptor Yari.  Loading course and preparing to engage drive."  The Helmsman had already uploaded the course to Robert's monitor.  The course would take them in long slow circles around Neptune looking for more shipping to intercept.  If they didn't find anything, it would give them a front row seat for when the Chinese Fleet arrived.
   'If we are still here, we may have to offer to lend the Chinese a hand.  I know that the crews of the Mary QoS. and Rachel Pierce would like a chance to repay the aliens for the last time they came out here. For that matter, there aren't many ships left in the Pan Euro fleet that don't have a score to settle with the aliens.  Including this one.'  Robert looked at the projected course plot for the Chinese.  'Seven more days until the Chinese arrive.  For once, I think I'm looking forward to seeing a Chinese ship.'


June 18th  2350 hours/Queen Mary,  11.70 light minutes from Hygiea Colony

   Admiral Jude Kushnir felt relieved as the display showed that the Attack Escort Elise had successfully fired its drive system.  The Sereg had gotten her drive online nearly six hours ago.  Now both of the Attack Escorts were operational, if not perhaps 100 percent reliable yet.  It would take time, and a more thorough overhaul, to ensure the ships were completely combat ready.
   The troops on board the crippled Alpha had secured most of the ship, with only what was believed to be the weapon launch bay still in alien 'hands'.  Several bodies of the aliens had been recovered for study, although the alien body's composition made study very difficult.  They seemed to live in a temperature range only a few dozen degrees Kelvin.  Simply storing the damned things without evaporating them from ambient heat was a problem.
   The troops were gathering a great deal of information on the ship also.  Much of it was designed for much colder temperatures, but a great deal of it was capable of surviving much more heat.  It was hoped that the ship would be completely secured in the next few days.  Then it would be up to the crews of the two Mobile Repair Ships to simply disassemble the whole thing for shipment.  Then it could be reconstructed at Earth and studied.
   If the aliens would just leave them alone for the next few days....
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 22, 2010, 03:04:17 AM
June 2204 June part 8

June 20th  0525 hour/Launch bay of Patrol Vessel 12

   The Second Engineer of Patrol Vessel 12 waited.  These would be the last moments of his life.  There were only two other members of the crew left.  They were each waiting by the two access hatches that the machines were within meters of.  Both hatches had secondary bulkheads a few meters from the main access to the bay.  Both of the crew members were prepared to activate the 'bombs' affixed to the bulkheads as soon as the machines broke though.  The machines no longer blew up the hatches, having found that most would hold pressurized gas that would vent over them.  The machines seemed to be designed for much hotter environments, and reacted poorly to a gas at an appropriate temperature.  It often left them damaged or destroyed.  Regardless, they now drilled through hatches and controlled the venting of the compartment before they entered.  In this case they would be blown apart as soon as they started drilling.
   After the bombs had been detonated, the Second Engineer would activate the over ride to all the hatches his station could control and would vent the ship one last time.  It would vent the crew and many of the machines into space.  The Second Engineer knew he could do this at any time, and did not have to wait for the bombs.  The machines killed by bombs could be killed by venting, but the Second Engineer could not waste the crew's efforts to build the defenses that now stood.  He would wait for the machines to try and breach the bay before he vented the ship.

   0715 hours/Interior of damaged Alpha, 11.70 light minutes from Hygiea Colony

   Feldwebel Tanya Frank felt the ship heave.  The hum of the hull vibrated right through the bolt she was holding.  Messages flashed across her HUD, and she tried to read them before they were overwritten.  It seemed that one of the platoons had managed to reach the launch bay and was beginning breaching procedures when all contact with them was lost.  That wasn't unusual.  The fact that ships nearby were reporting huge portions of the Alpha had just vented, including the launch bay, was unusual.
   Tanya had been slightly miffed when her squad had been assigned to cutting through various bulkheads, tunnels, and panels in an attempt to reach the bay from a much more heavily damaged section of the ship.  The brass wanted a third route into the bay in case the first two access points proved too heavily defended.  Tanya was sure the aliens didn't have that many defenders left, or they would be using them to fight.  Tanya had seen this assignment as a waste of time, and hated the grunt work it entailed.
   Now it looked like the only soldiers left alive on the ship were all located in the more heavily damaged sections, which the aliens had been unable to vent.
   As it stood, at least as far as Tanya could tell, her squad was the only one left in position to assault the launch bay.  It would take them over 6 hours to reach it at their current pace.
   'I sure as hell hope we have better luck than the rest of the... well everybody...'


   1510 hours/Queen Mary, 11.70 light minutes from Hygiea Colony

   Admiral Jude Kushnir looked over the reports coming in from the cyborg troops.  It appeared the Alpha was now secured.  No further aliens were found in the launch bay when the troops finally got to it.  The danger would be if some had escaped to other parts of the ship and could still operate systems from those locations.  To order the Mobile Shipyards forward to begin disassembly of the alien ship would be costly if the aliens could damage the Shipyard and its crew.
   "Order the troops to begin a thorough search of all available spaces, Mobile Shipyard One is to dock with the Alpha and begin disassembly procedures."
   It was dangerous to risk the construction ships.  It was also dangerous waiting for the aliens to return.  The first problem could damage one ship.  The second problem could destroy all of the ships.  Jude didn't want to sit here any longer than necessary.


June 23rd  1650 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, 12 light minutes from Neptune

   "Admiral Hu, we have transmissions that we believe are from a US vessel in our vicinity. All ships lock stations."
   Admiral Hu watched the Captain.  He seemed unfazed to receive a transmission from a human ship so far out in the system.  'Good.  He will need that calm when we finally get to Neptune.'
   "Communications, copy of translation to my station."  Admiral Hu watched as the translation scrolled onto his monitor.
   
   FROM REAR ADMIRAL J RYAN

   TO ADMIRAL OF CHINESE FLEET

   REQUEST PERMISSION TO JOIN FLEET FOR ACTION AT TRITON IF THAT
   IS INTENTION

   CURRENT GROUP AS FOLLOWS
   US INTERCEPTOR TIMES ONE
   SCIENCE VESSEL TIMES ONE
   PAN EURO ATTACK VESSEL TIMES TWO

   WILL AWAIT RETURN TRANSMISSION

   Admiral Hu thought for a moment.  The US Admiral seemed to know the Chinese group was coming, and about where to find them.  It would also appear that he had been out here for some time.  The US officer would likely have information of alien activity near, if not necessarily at, Triton.  Three extra combat vessels with long range capability, even if they were small, would be of some value.
   "Helm, find a point on our course 6 light minutes from Neptune and relay that to communications.  Communications, transmit to US ship contact point provided by helm.  Indicate to approach with magnetic field down.  Employment of magnetic field will be considered hostile act."  Admiral Hu watched as his orders were carried out.
   'That will give us almost twelve hours to find out what this American knows, and if his ships will be of any use.  Perhaps I shall have to learn English so that I can speak with these American and Euro Captains.'
   Admiral Hu thought for a moment. 'No, more likely they will need to learn Chinese.'


   2200 hours/Queen Mary, 11.70 light minutes from Hygiea Colony

   "WHAT.  This can't be right.  You will NEED to work FASTER."  Admiral Jude Kushnir wished she could actually yell and get red in the face.  Simply raising the volume on the voice output seemed inadequate.  The cyborg faceplate on the monitor seemed unfazed by Jude's 'yelling'.
   "Admiral, that is the best estimate I can give you.  If we were back at Earth, it would still take over a month."  Captain Hall of the Mobile Shipyard seemed very mechanical and matter of fact.
   "I want to see the projected timeline and progress report immediately.  Dismissed." Jude turned off the connection with disgust.  Three months??!  There is no way I can park half of the Pan Euro's combat forces here for the next three months!  Captain Hall had said that to remove only what they felt were functioning parts of the alien technology would take over a month.  And that was only a small fraction of the ship.  The Alpha likely held a treasure of information in the damaged hull, if they had the time to get it all out.
   Jude settled into the chair in her cabin.  This 'bit of good luck' was turning into a nightmare.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 25, 2010, 10:35:45 PM
June 2204/ part 9

June 24th  2020 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 25 light seconds from Neptune

   Captain Robert McNeely gave the order for the Pan Euro ships to raise their 'shields'.  The Chinese Admiral Hu had given the order to raise the protective fields.  This didn't feel right.  It was definitely not a Pan Euro operation. There was no attempt at subtlety.  No clever use of stratagem.  Robert had transmitted the new maneuver protocol to the Chinese, and they had flatly refused it for this operation.  Raising the shields at this range from the planet would give the aliens ample time to have ALL of their defenses online.  The aliens would be ready and waiting with everything they had.
   Robert had decided that the Chinese had only two goals.  First was to show the aliens that nothing they could do would be able to stop the Chinese war machine.  The second was retribution.  The Chinese Admiral intended to simply move forward and destroy anything that opposed him.  And when the opposition had been crushed, the genocide would begin.


   2028 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 18 light seconds from Triton

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan keyed in the orders for the Yari to begin accelerating.  The Chinese group had begun the move to reach combat speeds.  The Yari would easily be able to match the much larger Chinese ships.  No contacts had yet appeared on the sensor returns, but Jack knew they were out there.  In the next few minutes the aliens would come to battle stations and the dying would begin.  Space would be lit by explosions and burning wreckage.  With luck the Yari wouldn't be one of those burning wrecks.
   Jack knew that Meagan would be back on the US Space Station by now.  She would have heard the briefings for Admiral Walters.  She would know where he was, and what was about to happen.  Jack keyed the over ride of the comm system and sent the short message he had written for Meagan over the last few hours.  That he missed her, was proud of her, and that everything would be alright.  He knew that at least two of the three weren't lies.


   2031 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, 14 light seconds from Triton

   Admiral Hu watched the sensor returns on the monitor.  Magnetic signatures were appearing around Triton.  It was impossible to distinguish one from another at this range, only that they were there.  In two minutes they would be close enough to begin identifying what defenses awaited them.
   Hu checked fleet status next.  The Missile Frigates Anhui, Hubei, Hennan, and Shangxi were in good formation around the Shek.  They had all seen combat before.  The crews were ready for what was about to happen.  These five ships had fought the aliens to a standstill near Mars before.
   The Attack Frigate Yunnan would lead in the Close Assault Escorts Matsu, Taiwan, Penghu, and Kinmen.  The Yunnan was a good ship, with a strong captain.  He would not falter.  The smaller ships in formation with him had only been in service months, and much would be asked of them.  They would be tasked with closing upon Triton, then intercepting and destroying enemy forces as they came out from Triton.  Reducing the defenses at close range when they reached the moon, and most likely dying as they did this.  Hu was not sure that the ships' crews would be capable of this level of service, but if they drew fire from the Cruiser and four Frigates, that would be enough.
   The plan was for the Assault Group to close on Triton, while the ships capable of long range engagements orbited the moon at 4.5 light seconds.  The Assault Group would close and draw fire, while the heavier ships began the bombardment.  The US and Euro ships would also orbit at 4.5 light seconds, although the entire foreign group would only be able to launch as many missiles as the Shek could alone.  Their contribution would still account for 25 percent of the long range launch bays available, and that was worth the presence of the little ships.
   Any ship losing its magnetic protective field would fall back from the engagement.  If the initial attack failed to reduce all of the defenses, surviving ships would regroup, restore the protective fields, and then make a second assault.  If this also failed, then the possibility of retreat might be considered.


   2033 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 8 light seconds from Triton

   "Five magnetic contacts, bearing three five seven, ascension minus one.  Delta Class times two identified, designating One and Two, accelerating.  Third drive bloom detected.  Sierra Class, also accelerating, designating Three.  Three stationary platforms with magnetic signature, designating Four, Five, and Six.  Two additional stationary platforms, designating Seven and Eight."
   The Sensor Officer continued reading off information but Robert was busy pulling up data on the Sierra Class.  The only known contact had been at Triton, and it appeared to be an unarmed vessel that had detonated close to the US Task Force during the previous expedition to this moon.  The Chinese Admiral had declared that mobile alien assets would be the priority targets, to be followed by orbital defense platforms, but Robert intended to ignore the Sierra if anything was still shooting at them.
   Robert checked the course plot and saw that it was just over two minutes until they reached the 4.5 light second barrier to the moon.  At that point the Red October would execute a hard turn.  As the main drive shut down to allow the ship to maneuver, the two launch bays would deploy the first salvo.  The Rachel Peirce and Mary Queen of Scots would hold close formation and launch then also.  The US Interceptor was 2000 kilometers directly below the Red October to avoid the wash from the drive blooms as the three Pan Euro ships turned.  The US ship would also make the turn and launch, but on Admiral Ryan's command, not his.
   The Chinese ships were 0.75 light seconds away, at an equal distance from Triton as the Red October.  Part of the Chinese group would turn and launch at 4.5 light seconds, while a second group would close with the alien defenses at Triton.
   Robert's attention was suddenly pulled back to the Sensor Officer's report. "New contacts.  Eleven, no thirteen inbound. Eight launches from surface of Triton. Targeting plot in progress.  Target appears to be the Chinese vessel Shek."  Robert stopped and checked the sensor readings.  From the surface of Triton?  There had been no surface launches during the last engagement!
   Targeting solutions began to appear on Robert's monitor.  The two Deltas had entered range.  The sensors showed that the Shek and two other Chinese ships had already launched on the Deltas.  Roberts selected for Delta One and keyed in for launch.  The ship lurched only slightly as the drive cut out and the missiles deployed.


   2036 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, 5.75 light seconds from Triton

   Admiral Hu coldly reviewed the sensor returns.  The two alien combat ships had been torn apart by the swarm of missiles that had converged upon them.  The Shek had also suffered in this first exchange, but not nearly as much.  The protective field was down and the plating had been damaged in several areas, but had held.  The inner hull was still intact.  Regardless, another salvo like the first from the aliens would likely destroy the ship.  Admiral Hu keyed in the orders for the Shek to come about and disengage from the battle.
   The Shek's drive shut off and on as the maneuver thrusters brought the ship's course about hard to starboard.  "Communications, direct the Missile Frigates and US Officer to shift fire to the orbital defenses."  There was little data on the remaining alien ship, but it lacked any protective fields.  The short ranged missiles of the Yunnan and Assault Escorts would tear the last alien ship apart.
   

   2036 hours/Attack Frigate Yunnan, 3.5 light seconds from Triton

   Captain Ng saw the readings on the protective field drop suddenly.  Half of the generators were off line.  The sensors had caught the slight magnetic pulse of the largest base as it had fired the mass driver the aliens used.  The projectile was too fast for the sensors to see, but the Chinese had learned to detect the pulse as the weapon fired.  It made little difference.
   "Launch all bays now."  Ng knew that more of the projectiles could appear at any time, and that several of the eleven inbound alien missiles were bearing down on the Yunnan.  The drive stuttered for a moment as the two short range missile bays and the single long range bay deployed their weapons.  Moments later the last alien ship, a mere half light second away, disappeared as the short range missiles detonated.  Debris of the alien ship cluttered the sensor returns as the Yunnan passed by the wreckage.
   Four seconds later the Yunnan disappeared as four more alien warhead detonated along the ship's path.


   2037 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 4.5 light seconds from Triton

   Jack watched as the small Chinese ships pushed on toward Triton as fire erupted around them.  Two of the three orbital bases were now burning and tumbling.  The last was still firing, but missiles continued to pour in from the Chinese and Pan Euro ships.  It would only be seconds before it was also destroyed.  There were two other structures orbiting Triton, but neither had protective fields or had launched any weapons.
   "I want targeting solutions on the ground launchers NOW!" The ground installations were now the main threat.  The four launch sites were each firing a pair of the alien weapons every thirty seconds or so.  They would tear apart the small ships rushing toward the moon if they weren't silenced.
   "Chinese Escort Two had been destroyed.  Escort One has lost protective field and is venting.  Orbital Platform Six has broken apart, falling from orbit.  Inbound times eight from surface.  Targeting Chinese Escorts. “The Sensor Officer was having a hard time keeping up with the volume of data piling up.  "Weapons away."  Jack felt the ship shudder as the twin bays deployed.  He checked the magazine status to see that eighteen missiles remained.  In less than five minutes the Yari would empty her launch bays.
   Jack checked the sensor updates to see that several of the Chinese missiles were now targeting the surface sites.  They appeared to be focusing on the target that Jack had designated for the Yari.  'They may not be ours, but those crews are good.'
   "Chinese Escorts firing on surface sites.  Detonations on surface, unable to resolve target data.  New launches from surface.  All sites still active."  Jack listened as the Lieutenant Commander Bill Dunn continued to rattle off data.  He seemed to only be limited by the speed of the voice synthesizer as he continually spouted information.  Jack flipped up a visual feed to be greeted with the site of the dark moon flashing as Chinese missiles slammed into the surface.
   "New targeting from surface inbounds.  Inbound times four targeted on Red October."  Bill's voice pulled Jack's attention back from the visual to the sensor feed.  He felt the ship lurch again as the bays deployed another pair of missiles and then the drive slammed the world back into the grey blue haze of combat acceleration.  Jack watched as the Red October broke from formation and began the evasive maneuver protocol, but the alien missiles seemed unaffected.
   "Red October shields down, venting, thermal signature at half prior emission level, decelerating.  Chinese Escort One destroyed, Escort Three shields down.  All surface sites still active, eight launches detected."


   2039 hours/Red October, 5.5 light seconds from Triton

   Robert tried to dig the fingers of his left hand into the arm rest of his station.  The left arm brackets had broken free and each aspect change of the ship slammed his arm back and forth across his station.  Cyborgs were strong, but hundreds of G's were more than they would ever be able to withstand.  It would only take a little more before the flailing limb either destroyed his body or his station. And then it suddenly slammed back across the side of the station and stayed.
   The world was still grey blue so the drive was still up.  Robert plugged his right finger into the access port for the uplink to his HUD.  Data began to light up the inside of his face plate.  "smeg."
   "Yes sir. smeg it is."  The voice of midshipman Gretta Deeter made Robert suddenly realized he had spoken out loud.  Looking past the lights seemingly floating in front of him, he could see that the helmsman was still at her station.  Looking farther he could see that she seemed to be the only one.  The rest of the bridge crew looked to be dead, or to have been vented.  "Get us the hell out of here Gretta."  Robert seldom used first names, but this wasn't the time for formality.
   "Already on it sir.  The last of the particle accelerators are red lined.  We still have a few folks talking in Engineering on the comm link, but that seems to be it."  Gretta sounded calm, but so would any cyborg.
   "Gretta, I can't get any sensor data at my station.  Can you?"  Robert could tell from the heading that Gretta had brought the Red October onto a heading away from Triton, but that was it.
   "I've got a minimal feed Captain, but some data is coming in. The Chinese ships are breaking off.  The Yari, Mary and Rachel are hanging behind us.  Oh crap.  It looks like we've got more inbounds.  I can't tell, but I bet several are targeted on us."
   Robert thought for just a moment, and then spoke.  "Gretta, if this girl has got it in her, implement the evasive protocol.  We can't take another hit."  Robert knew that the violent maneuvers would likely kill him, but there was no other choice.
   "Sir, this ship barely manages a straight line right now.  It’s been an honor to serve on her, and with you."  Robert thought he could almost hear some emotion, even through the synthesizer.
   "The honor has been mine Gretta."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 28, 2010, 07:39:58 PM
June 2204 part 10

June 24th  2320 hours/Emergency Elders Chambers, New Home 3 (Triton)

   The Elders of New Home 3 took stock of the situation.  The loss of life was difficult to gauge, but would be extensive.  The native race had not specifically targeted any of the centers of population or industry, but the sheer number of weapons they had detonated over the surface ensured that they had destroyed several cities.
   The population of the planet had finished evacuations into the deep subsurface shelters.  There were only enough to hold 20 percent of the original population of New Home 3, but they were incredibly secure.  The depth of the underground shelters made them nearly impervious to attack.  It would require a weapon capable of shattering the moon to destroy them.
   The rest of the population was still in the process of dispersing from the cities and workspaces.  When they were spread across the surface it would be much more difficult to target and destroy what was left of the families which the underground shelters had been unable to hold.  The production centers would still be easy targets, but they could be rebuilt if the surface was still capable of supporting life when the attack was finished.
   That was assuming that there was anyone left alive.


June 25th 0430 hours/Elders Chambers, New Home 1(Eris)

   The Elders were in an uproar.  The Supreme Elder assessed the situation, attempting to disregard the wild magnetic flux of the other elders in the chamber.
   The space based defenses of New Home 3 had been destroyed by the enemy, and two of the four surface installations had been targeted, but all of the surface defenses were still operational.  The two unarmed space stations above New Home 3 were still undamaged, which meant the native race may be running low on weapons.  The population was taking emergency precautions against further attacks.
   The surface installations had proven a two edged sword, as they had apparently driven the enemy ships back from the planet, but had drawn some fire onto New Home 3 and its populations.  Those killed in the attack were estimated at one million.  Almost two million more had evacuated to the underground shelters.  That left six million still on the surface and vulnerable to attack.
   The ships of the native race had lost nearly one third of their number, but had only withdrawn a short distance from the moon.  The surface installations were still able to track the enemy’s magnetic signature, but not the exact number of ships or their activity.  They were likely to be redistributing ordinance, restoring the protective fields of their ships, and making repairs.  Possibly reloading the ships magazines if they had additional ordinance placed on support ships.  It was likely the native race would attack again soon.
   The Supreme Elder decided this was not a situation that would allow the assembled Elders to squabble over an appropriate action.  The Elders would want retribution, or relief of New Home 3, but none would be willing to sacrifice the defenses of their colony to do so.  Fights would likely erupt over what the appropriate response was, and who should support it.  This delay would be intolerable.  Right or wrong, a decision would have to be made now.
   The Supreme Elder moved to the center of the chamber.  Various elders moved from his path, making the required gestures to recognize the Supreme Elder's dominance.  Most of the elders were too self involved to notice.  The Supreme Elder focused his will and created the flux that would bring the chamber to order.  Only a few could manage to control the extensive fields required of an Elder.  Only one in a system (it was believed) would evolve to wield the power that signified a Supreme Elder, and the great power that his or her fields could attain.
   The Supreme Elder waited as the Elders quieted before he addressed the group.  The Supreme Elder's decision was simple.  ALL ships would be brought to the vicinity of New Home 3 where they would assemble for an attack on the enemy forces there.  Such support ships as could be spared would load torpedoes from the surface or orbital defenses of the unassailed New Homes and then join the assembled warships for suicide attacks upon the enemy.  The enemy forces would be driven from New Home 3 or destroyed.
   The Supreme Elder could feel the tension in the chamber.  This course would either save New Home 3 or doom the entire race.  Most feared that if the various Home Defense Fleets were destroyed, that it would leave their colony open to attack.
   They did not seem to understand that if the assembled fleets could not destroy this enemy now, the New Homes were already doomed.


   0835 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, debris field 12 light minutes from Patrol Vessel 12

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 knew that this message left no room for interpretation.  The Patrol Group would leave now.  They would likely be the first vessels to arrive near New Home 3, but would wait for the Defense Fleets of the other New Homes before they would attack the enemy ships.
   The Commander knew this was right, but wondered if it was wise.  If the Patrol Group was to leave the inner parts of this system, not only would Patrol Vessel 12 be left to the enemy, but it would free the native race to use ships it now had tasked to protect the inner system for attacks in the outer system.  To destroy the enemy warships was important, but the native race could build more.  Destroy their populations and you crippled that ability.
   And this plan depended on the enemy vessels to still be at New Home 3.  If New Home 3 was destroyed before they could arrive, all of the race's ships would be far from where they were needed.  Particularly if the enemy had enough warships to manage an attack on another New Home while its defenses were weakened.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 altered the field at his station.  Patrol Vessel 17 began the long voyage to New Home 3.  The Commander wondered if he would ever return to the inner system again.


   (Earlier) 0410 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Lieutenant Commander Meagan Ryan sat in her cabin.  An emergency meeting for Admiral Walters had just adjourned.  Meagan had been able to identify the magnetic signature of the 'Baron' at the attack on the forces under Admiral Kushnir's command near the stricken Alpha.  It had managed to escape.  The enemy tactics were changing, exploiting slight advantages of their technology.  That wasn't what was on Meagan's mind now.
   Reports had been received that the initial Chinese attack on Triton had been driven back after inflicting substantial damage to the aliens.  A follow up attack was planned, but unlikely to destroy the alien surface defenses until the ships could be resupplied with additional missiles.  Even the big Chinese ships didn't carry enough ordinances to reduce the alien defenses.   More missiles were leaving now for the Yari and Euro ships, but they would take weeks to reach them.
   It had been originally intended for the Yari and Euro ships to attack alien 'commerce' in an attempt to draw defenses away from Triton, and hopefully draw the 'Baron' to the out system where it would be less of a threat. It was hoped that the Red October and Yari might be able to find and destroy the 'Baron', but considered unlikely as the outer system was such a large area of space.  That had now changed.
   It was considered likely that the 'Baron' would be enroute to Triton to support alien efforts to relieve their colony.  With projections showing that destruction of the alien colony could not be accomplished with the resources currently available at Triton, it was likely that the 'Baron' would be able to arrive before the battle was resolved.  Admiral Walters considered this an opportunity.
   A message had just been sent to the Yari and her crew.

   ATTN REAR ADMIRAL JACK RYAN

   IN EVENT OF ENGAGMENT OF ALIEN MOBILE FORCES:

   PRIORITY GIVEN TO IDENTIFICATION OF ALPHA CODE NAMED BARON

   PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO ENGAGMENT AND DESTRUCTION OF
   BARON

   ALL OTHER PRIORITIES SECONDARY UPON IDENTIFICATION

      The Baron would be there long before any US supply ships.  The most dangerous ship the alien race had was headed straight for her father.  He was supposed to find it.  Fight it.  With more than half of his missiles already gone.  Without the Red October's help.  Alone.
   Meagan stared at the message.  Then she pulled up the note her father had sent her hours before.  The words blurred as her eyes filled with tears.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 02, 2010, 12:40:22 AM
June 2204  part 11

June 26th 1200 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, 9.5 light seconds from Triton

   Admiral Hu moved to his station and keyed on his view screen.  The darkness of space and flickering of stars was interrupted by a single dark grey sphere.  It would be almost invisible, except for the dark red splotches across its surface where fires burned or the rocks still shown from the heat of nuclear detonations.  Occasional small bright flashes marked the secondary explosions that still occurred.  Admiral Hu switched from the external view to fleet status reports.
   The Shek would stand the next 8 hours at General Quarters while the Frigates Anhui and Hubei stood down. Hu would be able to review all of the Frigates' activities over the last 16 hours as the Shek started its rotation.  It would give the lie of normal operations to this deployment.  This was no human colony that they orbited now.  And the ships they waited on were not routine or scheduled movements.
   The status reports showed that the Frigates and Shek had half of their normal load out of missiles on board.  This may be a problem, as many more missiles had been expended upon the surface defenses than had been anticipated.  Actually, there had been no anticipation of ground defenses.  During a second attack on the moon 24 hours ago, nearly fifty missiles had been expended to destroy two of the surface installations.  The other two were still undamaged.  Worse, during the first attack the Penghu had gotten close sensor readings of the surface before it was destroyed by alien fire, showing what looked to be entrances to extensive underground shelters.  It was possible that simple bombardment of the surface would be unable to destroy the alien presence on Triton.  Ground troops might be required to clear the planet.
   The Penghu had also identified that one of the unarmed orbital structures had been some form of shipyard.  Two ships somewhat larger than a Frigate had been docked to it.  During the second attack the US and Euro ships had destroyed the shipyard and the two vessels docked to it.
   Those findings, and Hu's recommendations, had been transmitted to the Chinese Ministry.  They would decide the appropriate response, and whether the information would be forwarded to the US and Pan Euro governments.  Hu saw no reason for China to bear the full weight of a ground offensive against an alien settlement, but combined operations after the Queensland Incident might prove problematic.
   The good news had been the update from the Ministry that the Cruiser Ho Chi Minh was complete, and would soon begin its shakedown operations while cruising to Triton.  Accompanying it would be several cargo ships carrying additional missiles, routine supplies for the Chinese ships, and possibly ground troops.  It was unlikely they would arrive before the aliens counterattacked, but the Shek Group could fall back from the planet to join with the Minh if the alien counterattack proved too large.  It was likely that the US and Pan Euro would also send ships and supplies, making the reinforcements even more formidable.
   For now they would wait.  And for once, it was the alien's turn to watch as their colony was destroyed.


June 27th 1430 hours/Queen Mary, 11.70 light seconds from Hygeia Colony

   Admiral Jude Kushnir looked over the orders from Earth again.  It would stretch the Pan Euro's Forces thin.  Perhaps too thin, but there was no other choice.  The battle for the crippled Alpha drifting nearby was important.  The battle that was occurring near Triton was vital.  The aliens had committed large groups of ships to attack the inner system.  They would likely commit everything they had to the battle for Triton.
   The reports from US Rear Admiral Jack Ryan indicated that the alien settlement on Triton was too extensive to destroy with the assets on hand.  The Chinese had lost one of their Attack Vessels, plus four more ships in the same size range as Pan Euro Attack Escorts.  Word was that the Red October had survived the attack, but only just.  Her comm system could no longer reach the inner system, and the US report had showed the ship would likely be down for months if she could even be repaired.
   The Chinese had confirmed that extensive underground shelters existed, and that it would require surface landings to secure the moon.  They had also indicated that they would be moving their newly completed cruiser, supplies, and ground troops to Triton.  The Chinese had indicated that Pan Euro and US ships were welcome to accompany the group.  The next few hours would see that happen.
   The Pan Euro Troopship had finished loading the bulk of the 13th Mech Inf at Earth, and was now headed to finish loading the remaining cyborgs troops of that division.  The US Vigilance would return to Earth and load an armored brigade, while negotiations were underway between the US and FSC to have the Mary Reed carry a second armored brigade.  The US would also send a cargo carrier to hold the supplies and equipment of both the US and Pan Euro troops, plus Survey Tender One with its lifter to help drop troops on Triton.  The 4th Light Battle Group would also go to support the 3rd LBG already at Triton.  A Mobile Shipyard to effect repairs on the Red October, and a civilian cargo liner carrying supplies and ordinance for both LBG's would also be going.
   And if this wasn't enough, Jude didn't have a clue what they would do about it.  There was nothing left to be spared.


   1520 hours/Mary Reed, Ft Hood TX, Earth

   The Dutchman watched the monitor as loading progressed.  The ship was just barely done with her refits and she was off again.  This time with a load of US soldiers bound for Neptune.  And a whole lot of trouble.
   The new sensor array and 'shields' seemed to be working.  They had better be.  The Dutchman was sure the odds of getting to Triton without running into the aliens were slim to none.  The Mary Reed would be more capable in combat, but rumor was the aliens were getting better too.  That was bad because the aliens started off damned good.
   The monitor showed that loading was complete.  The Dutchman keyed in for the crew to lock stations.  They wouldn't actually need to; as the Mary Reed would be limited in her acceleration by the US soldiers she was carrying.  Combat acceleration would kill all of them.
   Of course, so would parking like a sitting duck when the aliens showed up.


   1900 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 9.5 light seconds from Triton

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan checked the updates from the US Space Station.  It looked like help was on the way.  That was good because Jack was sure they would need it.
   Jack had to admit that he was impressed with the Chinese so far.  He had watched five Chinese warships fly right into the midst of the alien defenses and proceed to bombard both orbital and surface installations, with no question, and no hope of survival.  The other five Chinese ships had shown a standard of training and skill as high as any US or Euro vessel, and they were bigger than any US or Euro group.  Much bigger.
   The Chinese repair ship had also proved to be of high quality.  The Chinese ship had docked with the Red October and repaired not only her life support system, but gotten her advanced sensor array and both missile bays back online.  They had also managed to get her magnetic field generators back up to half their normal output.  The Red October had needed to load new missiles from the Rachel Pierce and Mary Queen of Scots, and the repairs were more jury rigged than permanent, but she could fight.  So much for the Chinese being a backward and outdated power.
     It even sounded like the Chinese were sending another one of their big ships out here.  What it would take to support such a large battle group at this distance from Earth boggled Jack.  The supplies they would consume had to be enormous.  And the number of launch bays the Chinese would have when the new ship arrived would be more than the entire US and Euro battle fleets combined.
   The Chinese were a good ally.  Hopefully they would stay that way.


June 29th  2200 hours/Beijing, China

   Minister Po sat at his desk and relaxed.  The alien defenses at Triton had been smashed.  What was left now could be destroyed at the Chinese fleet's leisure.  With the Minh bound for Neptune, along with a number of smaller US, Euro, and FSC ships, the aliens stood no chance in retaking the colony.  Any alien relief force would be destroyed.  Then the hunt for any remaining alien colonies could begin.
   The Chinese Ministry looked on the coming ground combat as an opportunity to gain an insight into the alien make up and technology base.  It would be costly in the short term, but very helpful in the long run.  The fact that the Euro and US would have some chance to gain from this was regrettable, but their ground forces had shown themselves to be very capable.
   The best news was that the schematics for the new class of ship had been completed and were even now being taken to the Venus Station.  She would not be constructed at Earth, as allowing the other powers to gain sensor data on her construction was unthinkable.  She would mass twice what the largest Euro combat vessel did, and carry twice as many launch bays.  The new ship would be named for the cruiser lost in action near Mars, but she would be known as the 'Heavy Cruiser' Mao Tse Tung.
   She would guarantee Chinese dominance in space.  And on Earth.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 03, 2010, 05:10:40 AM
June 2204 part 12

///////////////////////////////////
Overview

OK, where to start.....
This month saw a lot happen inside the game.
It saw even more happen outside the game.
I guess I usually start with the economic overview first, so here it goes...

For the Pan Euro,
This was a month of good and bad luck.  Without rehashing what is in the story, she just seemed to find herself in serious trouble, and then got back out of it.  Economics wise she was solidly back in second place, with about 94% of China's income. Militarily she was second also, but a LOT farther back. Research was plodding along, and she continued slow but steady colonization and IU investment.  A new destroyer, the Queen Victoria, was started, and she could claim one full BG and two LBG's.  The Red October was going to be in bad shape for a minimum of 5 months regardless how she worked it, but she got lucky on her emergency repair rolls and it was still pretty useful at the month's end.  She had also captured a Nemontian PV (which is a story all its own), and was the first to get some info on the aliens.  All in all a good month for the Euro.
Her one sore point was that she failed to get her roll for S's to regenerate in one hour.  She would still have to put in for repairs to get them back up.

For China,
China was stalled economically.  No where to colonize, and no space left for IU.  He had an edge on the Euro, but knew that was going to start slipping as she continued with her growth.  The survey of Saturn's moons had begun, but he didn't know what he was going to get, and wouldn't find out for about 4 more months if all went well.  Truth be known he hadn't planned on taking Triton completely out as he figured he could draw more alien ships leaving it as bait, and would also ensure the safety of his survey if the aliens were busy elsewhere.  He just hoped his newest CL would get to Triton in time. Pretty strong tactics for a kid.
He had also had me look over the next ship he planned to start building in July, to make sure there were no mistakes in the cost/systems/etc.  It would be the game's first CA, and looking at his design I was pretty sure the Nemotians would be toast when it hit the board.  As would every other ship currently in the game if they came up against it.

For the US,
The US still took a pretty good hit this month with the loss of 20 PU on Mars.  He started this month at only 82.5% of China's income, and the loss on Mars was just making it worse.  He started building another MkIII (the Naginata) and continued colonizing Mars and emplacing IU, but he knew he was a long way back in the field.  The problem that he was running into was the limit of what Mars could hold without cleaning up the radiation caused by the Nemotian's attacks.  The AB was still there though.
He had planned to start building a pair of MkIIb's in July, but was getting rather attached to his little Q Ship the Vigilance.  It was doing a multitude of roles to include warship, troop transport, and landing platform.  He was even looking at adding an X and turning it into a truly multi-role ship.
Choices, choices....

For the FSC,
The oldest girl's group kind of sat back quietly this month.  Not much she could do with her one and only ship down for refits.  At the end of the month she did work out a deal with the US to ferry troops for them, as the only other ship the US had that could serve that role was the Vigilance.  She felt fairly safe doing this and leaving her population unguarded, as it looked like China was going to be too busy to try and take her over for the coming months.  The US and Euro were looking to buddy up with her against the growing might of China.  She continued her research, and hoped she could get the project on S's regenerating done so she could get her RDS started on her pet project.  She had to give up on IU placement this month, but did manage a trickle of colonization to the AB.  Her income was only 20% of China's.  She spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to come up with extra income.

For the Nemotians,
This was probably the best month the players had so far against the Nemotians.  The only ships they lost to action were five Chinese ships - one that was outdated, and four purpose built to be destroyed.  China wasn't really feeling the pain on that one.  The Euro tried over and over to lose ships, but always managed to squeak by.
For the Nemotians it was a horrible month.  They started it ready for a new offensive.  They ended it having lost two ES's, two CT's, two DD's, a BS1, two BS0's, a SY, three FT4/SYM, two PDC's, two FT1's, and had one of their two most valuable colonies blockaded after it lost 14.2 PU and IU.  But it wasn't a total write off (close though).  They did manage to make their roll for EL3 which would help their now shaken economics for the next month. And they made their roll to develop the st, which would have a major impact on planetary bombardments in the months to come.  The Hive ships would become some of the most hunted vessels out there.  Right after Patrol Vessel 17/'The Baron'.

Rule Mongering,
OK, lets start on some of the rule bending this month.  Part of it has already been covered in the comments thread so that section will just be a rehash/copy of that.  The taking of PV12 will be another story though.

This was the month the oldest boy brought to my attention that Plasma Torpedoes don't do x3 dmg vs no drive field.  He was pretty proud of himself.  I wasn't.  A loooooonnnng (and sometimes heated) discussion involving all of the players ensued.  A lot of options got tossed around including restarting the game. No one wanted that (especially China).  The possibility of a new weapon system was approached, but looked rather daunting to me. It was also considered to have the PT's go to the standard rules in July, but that would really put a kink in the story (and to me looked like it would make the Nemotians push overs).  In the end, the concensus came down to this:

1.  We would allow PT weapons to keep triple damage in this game vs no drive field - for the Nemotians only. Should they ever meet another PT using race, it would use standard rules.
As a concession to the players, Pta's from this race would be suseptible to EM.  If the Nem. were to develop Pg's or Ptb's, they would follow normal rules for EM and damage.  I liked that for the Ptb as it would make them longer ranged/more accurate/good counter to the EM, but lose dmg in the trade off.  Sounded like what the Nemotian research path would look like.  It would make the players look at what a ship was armed with as how they would approach it.

2.  EM would be allowed for use by CP engines with specific rules as follows:
     a.  A ship would have to accelerate by one from its current speed.  If currently at max speed it would require detuning (which we had already house ruled was ok for CP and added 1 to max speed) to perform the EM so it was best done by a ship at one below max.
     b. EM could only be used by CP ships with a TM of 2 or less.  When using EM, the ship would still lose MP equal to its TM.  Max EM for a CP ship would be -1.  If subtracting the TM from the ship's speed would result in a speed of 0, EM could not be used. This ment that any ship using EM would slow down every turn, and would have to eventually resume normal movement to regain speed.

As an example, if your ship was at speed 4 last turn with a TM of 2, this turn it would add one for accelerating, and then subtract two for EM for a net speed of 3. When this ship reached a speed of 1, it would be unable to use EM the next turn as the net speed would be 0.  It was really a two edged sword against the Nemotians, as they had a one hex range advantage with their weapons.  It made you harder to hit, but after a few rounds guaranteed that the bad guys would find that 'sweet spot' and could fire on you without return fire.  It made the development of the Rb imperative so the players could always maintain fire while they manuevered.

As a last concession to the players, I agreed to not let the Nemotians use EM until month 20.  Seemed only fair, they had taken extra dmg for the last 17 turns.  Two turns exclusive use of EM wasn't too much to ask.

Our previous games had only one minor race that used PT, and my inexperience with PT's, and the Ultra rules, kind of got us into a bit of a bind on this one.  We house ruled it away because the players were fairly proud of what they had accomplished, and didn't want to start over (well, the oldest girl may have, but she didn't push the subject.  Her little project she was working on had her fairly excited

As for the taking of PV12, that was pretty much a spur of the moment thing that turned out to really get interesting and exciting.

It started with PV12 getting hammered down to only having the Pta left, and then I didn't check where I was at on ammo in the running battle with the Elise/Sereg and managed to run out of torpedoes. I decided it would scuttle as it had a really good roll. Then the silly ship failed its roll to scuttle.  So I figured the crew would die off when their life support ran out.  Then they made their roll for emergency repairs on the Qa. But not one other system.  So here I was with a ship that wasn't going anywhere. On top of that, the Euro had detuned two of its Attack Escorts in the battle, and then managed to blow rolls for both of them. Now two Euro ships were stuck by PV12 with burned out engines.

They say that the true test of intelligence isn't what you know, its what you do when you don't know.  This was one of those time.

It looked like an opportunity for fun.  I could have just ruled the US/Euro couldn't take the ship and made them destroy it, but that seemed to easy, and the stakes looked pretty high with the Elise/Sereg waiting to be nuked.  So I decided to make it higher.  Ultra has no boarding rules, and we don't own Crusade to borrow that set, so I used what we did have.  We agreed to steal the SFB's boarding party rules with some adjustments.

Turns would take one day each.

A ship could have one boarding party for each HS still active.  This gave PV12 nine with its Pta (6), restored Qa (1), and two S's (2).

Using boarding parties from a ship's crew to attack another would shut down HS equal to the parties employed. (The US/Euro wanted none of that.)

Qv could be turned into boarding parties on a 1 Qv to 10 boarding parties ratio.  I figured the Qv was really a lot bigger than that, but had no experience in ship to ship combat, how the ship worked, etc. so the Qv would be less efffective, take bigger losses, etc.

I ruled that Qv would still need half an H to support them, just like in a planetary assault, and that the H would cover the whole month.

We ruled gigs were too small to move troops effectively.  GTOS could move boarding parties like shuttles did in SFB's, only two boarding parties per trip.

Shields could block movement, but were easy enough to knock back down.  They just used up the good guys missiles they wanted to save for the defense.

When boarding parties were gone, successes took over Qa (control spaces) on the ship.  When all Qa were captured, the ship was captured. The story uses the launch bay, but I figured for the story one system was as good as another.

At this point the battle for PV12/defense of the Elise&Sereg really took off for the US and Euro.  It proved rather entertaining for all involved.  The possibility of future boarding actions had me a little concerned, but I didn't figure it would happen all that often.

 That should be enough for the first pass.  The next post will be the write up of the battles for the month and the ships (and other things) involved.

You will need to bear with me on the next several months in the game.  They will be fairly long.  This became one of the most pivotal and involved times in the game.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 05, 2010, 01:52:12 AM
June 2204 part 13

///////////////////////////////////////
Overview part 2

For the curious, here are the ship rosters for the battles this month.

Attack on Convoy 058

Detachment - Nemotian Patrol Group

Patrol Vessels 12 (BG+1), 23 (BG-1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3


Convoy Escort Group
Admiral: Jude Kushnir (LG+2)

Pan Euro Forces
Queen Mary (BG)
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S S A A A Hs Qa Mgs (Cp) (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Attack Escorts Elise (BG+1) , Keely Sereg (BG)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

US Forces
Q Ship Vigilance (BG-1)
Class:  FT2      16HS
[2] S S Qv Qv Qv Ya Ra H H H (Bsa) Qa (Cp) [4/1] gtos x1

This was the battle that started the ball rolling in the inner system.  
The Patrol Vessels never even got close to the convoy.  The escorts can just pick them up from too far away.  If you want to try and break through to the freighters, you could just swipe the convoy from March 2204.  It would be pretty close, and would do the job. (What this means is I've managed to lose the ship list for the FT's, but know the convoys were pretty consistent from group to group.)
In the game, I had intended to just run the PV's in to their max range, fire a few shots, and break off after causing some damage.  I oopsed and got the PV's one hex too close and got hammered.  I tried to run PV 12 at redline (detuned) to see if I could shake off the pursuit, or at least run them out of missiles.  Well, I ran out first.  Got smashed up in the exchange - down to just the Pta - but my wife managed to blow her rolls for engine burnout on both of the Attack Escorts.  The Queen Mary lost her armor, but otherwise was fine.  What the Euro was short on were missiles.  They shot away over half of the total amount they carried.


Bombing of Mars Colony

Scout Craft Detachment - Nemotian Patrol Group

48 cg's with two dumb bombs each


US Task Force One

Interceptor MkIIb B Franklin (BG) , JFK (BG) , A Jackson (BG-1) , Z Taylor (BG-1)
Class: CT      16HS
[2] S S S H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (cpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Mars Space Station
Class:  SS      162HS

Mercury Station Military Modules 1- 4 , 6 (BG-1)
Class:  SS      12HS


Mars has 106.7 PU at this time.

This battle is less about the ships, and more about how quickly you can shoot down the little gig's.  Swatting all of them before they reach the planet is just about impossible.  The loss for the US was 20 PU when all was said and done.
The oldest boy also tended to try and figure out when he could get just as good of odds on the ASV table without shooting missiles, so that he could conserve them in case he was attacked afterward by the main alien group.  He was always expecting the big alien ships to show up in support, or to attack shortly after when the Interceptors would be low on ordinance.  He got lucky on that one.  I had hoped to draw off reinforcements headed for PV12 and try to get my wife's ships (Euro) to head for Mars instead.  
Things just never seemed to work out for me this month.


Battle for PV12

Nemotian Patrol Group

Patrol Vessels 12 (BG)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S X X X X Qa X X X X Pta [0/0]

Patrol Vessels 13 (BG+1), 17 (BG+2) , 24 (BG-1) , 25 (BG-1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Attack Vessels 1(BG-1), 2 (BG-1) , 3 (BG-1)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S H Ya Qa (Cp) Pta [6/1]  


Allied Security Group
Admiral: Jude Kushnir (LG+2)

Convoy Escort Group

Pan Euro Forces
Queen Mary (BG)
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S S X X X Hs Qa Mgs (Cp) (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Attack Escorts Elise (BG+1) , Keely Sereg (BG)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (X) [6/1]

US Forces
Q Ship Vigilance (BG-1)
Class:  FT2      16HS
[2] S S Qv Qv Qv Ya Ra H H H (Bsa) Qa (Cp) [4/1] gtos x1

Pan Euro 4th Light Battle Group

Heavy Escort Esme Jurkat (BG-2)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S S Hs Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1] cg x1

Attack Escorts J Reynolds (BG-2) , G Vetra (BG-2)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Support Group

Survey Tender 1
Class:  FT0      5HS
[2] H (Bsa) H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  gtos x1

Mobile Shipyards 1 , 2
Class: FT4      30HS
[2] H H H Qa (Cp) (SYM2) [2/1]

The Pan Euro ships start a little short on missiles.  The 4th LBG had 10 salvos on each ship, the QM had 11 salvos, while the Elise and Sereg had 7 each.  The Vigilance had a full load out as Tender 1 carried missiles from the US Earth PDC's in its extra hold.  The Elise has drifted to 3 hexes (at 4 o'clock) from PV 12, while the Sereg is 19 hexes back from PV 12 dead astern of it.
As far as the battle went, I thought starting out that the Nemotians had a fair chance at either chasing off/damaging the Euro/US group, destroying PV 12 if they wouldn't run, and maybe even a chance to hit the support vessels (the Euro Mobile Shipyards are slow and should have been easy targets).  The 4th LBG was just out of the yards and in no shape for a fight, while the best ships were either damaged or immobile.  Should have been an easy time for the aliens.  And then, once again, things just didn't seem to work out for me.
This was the first battle that EM was used.  At first I tried to close and get in range of either PV12 or the support ships.  The first salvo from the QM at 19 hexes out landed all four missiles on one of the AV's and took it out. The Jurkat and Vigilance teamed up to knock down the shields on another AV.  My launch was a lot less spectacular.  The next round the Jurkat took out the S down AV while the QM about took down the S's on the last AV.  Still no love from the Nemotian launches.  I decided to try and use my speed advantage to park at 21 hexes and rain in torpedoes.  Problem was, with the Euro's bonus to initiative, I could never win.  With them constantly moving last, they were able to keep me stuck just past max range most of the time.  When I could get in, my hit ratio was horrible.   I was pretty sure I was going to run out of torpedoes, and be pretty useless if another opportunity presented itself.   Down 2 AV's, the last about S's down, over a third of my torpedoes gone, and two hits for one dmg on the QM to show for it - I decided to break off and concede the whole affair.
At this point, with my luck, I was really beginning to dread the next battle at Neptune.

Attack on Cargo Movement 1277

Nemotian Convoy

Small Support Vessel (BG-2)  (x2)
Class:  FT1      12HS
[2] A H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]


Allied 'Ryan' Group
Admiral Jack Ryan (LG+2 / Navigator)

Interceptor MkIII Yari (BG+1)
Class: CTf      16HS
[2] S S S Hs Mgs Qa Ya (Cp) Ra Ra (Cp) [7/1]  cg x1

Armed Science Vessel Red October (BG+1)
Class:  FGf      22HS
[2] S S S S A A H Qa Mgs Xp (cpCp) Ra Ra Ya Qa (Cp) [7/1]  cg x1

This battle (if you call it that) took place close to Neptune, about 30 hexes out or so as I remember.  They wanted to see if they could draw out any defenses from the planet.  If the response was big, they would accelerate to speed 7 and try to get the defenders to burn out engines chasing them.  If it was smaller, they would lure them toward the Mary QoS and Rachel Pierce waiting at 20 LS out.  If nothing happened, they would just try to find other shipping to shoot up or follow.
If you wanted an alternate battle, you could have the two Combat Vessels at Triton attempt to go after the Yari and Red October.  It would be a pretty tough battle when you add in the two waiting Attack Escorts.  All it turned into for us was a chance to cost the Nemotians a few ships (payment to the CFN for replacement), and see how many missiles the US/Euro would be short for the battle at Triton later in the month.
For the short time the Nemotian DD's lasted at the actual battle of Neptune, I think this would actually have been the better use of those ships.  They would likely have accomplished more than the single launch each made against the Chinese.  If someone runs it out, let me know if they actually have any luck with it.  Remember that the Allied Group can use EM but not the Nemotians.  Just swipe the stats for the Nem DD's and Euro Attack Escorts from this next battle.


Second Battle of Neptune

Nemotian Defense Fleet 2

Combat Vessel 1 (BG) , 3 (BG)
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S A A H Qa (Bsa) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Defense Base Mk I  (x1) (BG)
Class:  BS1      30HS

Note: Kb's are turret mounted on a BS1 so 360 degree fire.

Defense Base Mk 0  (x2) (BG)
Class:  BS0      15HS


Planetary Defense Installation (x4) (BG)
Class:  PDC      28HS

No triple damage modifier for PDC's hit with nukes.
Remember PDC's only have 60 degree blindspots for the Pta's.
If facing 1 is directly toward Neptune, they are on facings 2,3,5,6. (Triton is TL'ed)
Two of the PDC's have empty HS for the left most 2 armor, on facings 2 and 5.

New Home 3 Shipyards (BG-1)
Class:  SS      82HS


New Home 3 Support Station (BG-2/CFN Terminal)
Class:  SS

(for those who like shooting civilian assets)

Mobile Repair Ships 2 ( 9 , 10 docked at shipyard for reactivation)
[2] H Qa (Cp) (Cp) (Cp) (SYM2) [6/1]
PT x12 on board #2 for detonation

Neptune will fill the hex it is in.
Proteus is an O1m at 2tH from Neptune.
Triton is an O1m at 5tH from Neptune with 180PU, 90 IU, RDS x1.
Triton has planetary fallout shelters for 36PU (you can't nuke 'em).
(Players didn't know about fallout shelters at start of battle.)


Chinese Shek Group
Admiral:  Hu (LG+1 / Decisive)

Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek (BG)
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S S S S A A A A Qa Qa Mgs H (cpCp) Ra Ra (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (CpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Missile Frigates Anhui (BG+1) , Hubei (BG+2) , Shangxi (BG+1) , Henan (BG+1)
Class:  FG      22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Attack Frigates Yunnan (BG+1)
Class:  FG      22HS
[2] S S S S A A A Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Qa Ga Ga (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Close Assault Escorts Matsu (BG-1) , Taiwan (BG-1) , Kinmen (BG-1) , Penghu (BG-1)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S S A A A H Qa Ga (Cp) [6/1]  


Allied 'Ryan' Group
Admiral Jack Ryan (LG+2 / Navigator)

Interceptor MkIII Yari (BG+1)
Class: CTf      16HS
[2] S S S Hs Mgs Qa Ya (Cp) Ra Ra (Cp) [7/1]  cg x1

Armed Science Vessel Red October (BG+1)
Class:  FGf      22HS
[2] S S S S A A H Qa Mgs Xp (cpCp) Ra Ra Ya Qa (Cp) [7/1]  cg x1

Attack Escorts Mary Queen of Scots (BG+2), Rachel Pierce (BG+1)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

This battle sets up the events for the next few months.  Neither the US/Euro, or the Chinese wanted the Triton Colony destroyed out right. Then they found out when the Yunnan/Assault Escorts ran right up to Triton that they weren't going to take it out anyway.  They also discovered that the PDC's were going to be hard nuts to crack, and the players were going to use up a lot of missiles getting it done.  The PDC's could also ignore the EM from the ships.
The battle saw the loss of the Yunnan and Assault Escorts, and the Red October getting hammered.
And yes, once again, the Nemotians got hammered at this battle also.  The CV's were taken out the first round they came in range.  The bases lasted less than two full rounds.  The PDC's held out pretty well, but that had more to do with the players wanting to conserve missiles to engage the ships that would come to relieve the colony.  The Nemotians lost 14.2 PU and IU, two PDC's, two DD's, all three bases, the three Mobile Shipyards and the SS/SY.  This just wasn't my month.

This last battle also set the stage for the Third Battle of Neptune and the ground war there.
The next few months brought a few events and turns that no one had really looked for....

And a show down everyone had been waiting for.

Again, thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 09, 2010, 06:18:15 PM
July 2204 part 1

July 1st 1715 hours/Pan European Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir sat in the briefing room by herself.  The 'afternoon' briefing had been informative, and depressing.  'If all of the data shows that we are finally winning, why do I feel like we are losing?' She thought to herself.
   She looked out the viewing port in the briefing room.  From here she could see the Queen Mary settled into a slip.  Workers dotted the ship's hull, cutting away the damaged plating in preparation for repairs.  The ship would be down for a week or so to have the plating and baffles replaced, and then the Elise and Sereg would take their turns in the yard.  The repairs the two Attack Escorts had received from the Mobile Shipyards were holding up well, but the ships needed a good inspection here at the yards, if nothing else.
   Brenna was now 'baby sitting' the captured alien ship and the Mobile Shipyard that was busy trying to disassemble the thing.  'Three months is a long time out there.  Especially when the aliens know exactly where you are.  If they show up with the strength they challenged us with earlier, she will never be able to hold.  She could get her ships out of there, but the Mobile Shipyard is too slow.'  Jude looked out the viewing port for a long while.  'But I don't think Brenna will run.'
   Jude looked out at the Queen Mary again.  'The video feeds from Ian on the Mary QoS makes the QM look shiny and new.  The Red October looks like a survivor from a banger race or demo contest.  They aren't even sure that she will make the trip home.  Captain McNeely doesn't sound like he is much better off than the ship.  The report is that he had his left arm removed.'  Jude sat and thought some more.
   'We don't have a ship on line bigger than a Heavy Escort, and only two of those. The US has a single Task Force, and can't move it.  We have been reduced to deploying Light Battle Groups as we have nothing else we can spare.'  She looked out to the slip beside the Queen Mary to see the meshwork of supports and systems in the slip beside her.  'And the Queen Victoria is still months away from being finished.  The Lady Di is just a pipe dream.'
   Jude noticed her fingers thrumming away on the armrest of her chair.  Here on the station it actually made noise.  Jude forced herself to stop and turned her chair back to the table, then laid her head down until she heard the 'click' as it touched the surface.  'We're winning, but it will only take one mistake, one battle to go against us.  And then it will be over.'


July 2nd 0020 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 3 light seconds from Jupiter

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 waited.  The magnetic signature of the nearby planet, along with its many moons would make it difficult for the native race to find his ships.  The orders were to return to New Home 3, but the Support Vessel that brought the Patrol Group's routine supplies was due to arrive shortly.  The Commander had transmitted orders for the Support Vessel to divert from it scheduled resupply point in the debris field to here at the giant planet.  The debris field was simply too close to the enemy at this point, and waiting for it to cross the distance to the debris field would slow them even more.  The giant planet would still allow the ships of the Patrol Group to dock with the Support Vessel while being hidden from enemy ships.
   And then they would be able to resume the trip to New Home 3, and the enemy ships waiting there.


July 2nd 0210 hours/Heavy Escort Esme Jurkat, 3 light minutes from Jupiter

   Captain Michael McWilliams reviewed the status reports and ship logs for the 4th LBG, Mobile Shipyard 1, and the Troop Transport.  The movement was going smoothly.  The Troop Transport was the most difficult ship to manage from an astrogation stand point.  The brigades of powered armor troops on board made ‘standard’ drive acceleration impossible.  With the ship limited to sustained acceleration of 2 or 3 G’s, and maximum acceleration of less than 30 G’s, she was a slow and ungainly duck.  She could go faster, but it would doom all the troops onboard.  Normal human bodies just weren’t meant to ride a nuclear fireball.
   His ships had performed well in their first engagement with the aliens.  None had been damaged, and the sensor logs showed that several of the launches from the 4th LBG had intercepted the Echo's they had targeted.  Now they would have a month to practice what they had learned.  Then they would likely face combat again near Neptune.  But if not then, eventually.
   Captain McWilliams then changed the monitor display to show the current sensor returns.  Every time it left him with a sense of wonder.  This was a large group of ships.  Six of them were combat vessels, and one was enormous.  The Chinese 'Cruiser' dwarfed the rest of the convoy.  It supposedly carried as many launch bays as all of the other combat ships put together.  'This is truly a multinational fleet.  Every Earth power with the ability to move in space is represented here.  The Pan European, the US, the FSC, and even China.  Not just warships either.  Troop Transports, landers, supply ships, repair ships, tenders.  Thirteen ships in all.  And we even have two more ships due to join the group soon.'
   Mike flipped the display over to show the projected course plot.  It had changed slightly.  The US had detached one of the Interceptors from Mars with a cargo carrier.  It held extra equipment and supplies for the ground troops, along with additional missiles 'raided' from the Mars Space Station.  They were to rendezvous with the main group in the next few hours.  It would stress the US ships' engines to try and catch the convoy, so a waypoint had been designated for the ships to meet.  The main body of the convoy would stop at Jupiter while the US ships caught up.  The group would then continue on toward Neptune, and whatever awaited them there.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 13, 2010, 06:47:15 AM
July 2204 part 2

July 2nd  0845 hours/Heavy Interceptor Esme Jurkat, 1 LM orbit at Jupiter

   Captain Michael McWilliams double checked the course plot.  The convoy was cruising at a leisurely pace of 775 kilometers per second.  At one light minute from Jupiter this left the ships pulling a constant 1.8 G's in angular acceleration.  The troop transports would be able to maintain the life support for the human occupants, while the cyborg crews could move about the ships with ease.  Most were on work details or simply enjoying the novelty of being able to walk around the ship without magnetic assistance.
   Mike was checking the status of the preparations for launch of the ship's boat.  With Jupiter so close, it had been decided that a quick sweep of the space around the giant planet was in order.  The US ships would not arrive for almost 24 hours, and it would only take the little boat two hours to reach Jupiter, another hour to sweep the moons, and then the two hour return trip.  The sweep would be done long before the US ships were even in sensor range.
   A new contact was logged as the FSC Mary Reed launched its ship's boat.  The small craft was going to move along the convoy's course plot about 15 light seconds ahead of the main group.  It would then maintain that interval to ensure the civilian ships didn't blunder into any unexpected surprises.  The little boats had limited sensor suites, but they were much harder to detect than a full sized vessel.  They also didn't weaken the defenses of the convoy by drawing off combat vessels.
   There was no lurch as the Esme's small boat launched from its bay.  The ship was already well within the craft's tolerance for launch stress.  The contact was logged as it separated from the Heavy Escort and moved away to start its sweep.


   0905 hours/E.J. Ship Boat, 7.5 light seconds from Jupiter

   Midshipman Mary Reeves watched the sensor returns and adjusted the thrusters as the ship's boat approached Callisto.  They were to perform sensor sweeps of the moons and Jupiter's upper atmosphere.  They couldn't pass by every rock that was in orbit of the big planet, just the largest ones, plus any of the smaller rocks that happened to intersect their course.
   Mary brought the boat into a rough orbit of Callisto, at 50,000 km from the surface.  It had been some time since any alien contact had been made at Jupiter, but routine sweeps were made to ensure that the aliens did not attempt to establish any permanent installations.  Jupiter was too close to the inner system to allow the aliens a foothold there.  It was also close enough to the inner system that Mary was sure the aliens wouldn't want to create any permanent installations.  She watched as the sensor array began a surface scan of the moon.
   And then she stared.  The sensors had registered the drive bloom of another small craft lifting off the surface of Callisto.  An alien craft.  Mary quickly altered course and tried to break away from the alien craft, but could only manage to open the gap to 0.75 light seconds.   Mary tried to break contact, but the alien ship refused to be shaken.
   Mary checked her monitor.  The RSO had already begun a transmission to the Esme.  The alien ship was too small to have come from Neptune by itself.  A larger ship had to be nearby.  A warship.  And it would be moving to destroy them.  It would take the message a minute to reach the Esme.  It would take the Esme 20 minutes to reach Jupiter at best speed.  But it wouldn't leave the convoy for just a ship's boat.
   Mary quickly keyed in a small message to her children.  She had become a cyborg five years ago after a long bout with cancer.  Her ex had divorced her even before the cancer had forced her to make the choice to give up her body.  But the children had never deserted her.  They still visited 'mom' whenever they could.  And Mary didn't want the only message they got to be the dry notification the military would send them.
   She piggybacked the message to her kids on the transmission to the Esme for rebroadcast to Earth.  She then turned back to the sensor returns.  She had managed to get an extra five years with her kids.  If this was how it ended, at least she had that.


   0910 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Orbit of Europa, Jupiter

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 altered the field at his station.  The four scout craft the Support Vessel had brought were deployed to sweep the space near the great planet and take positions on several of the moons to monitor for the approach of enemy vessels.  The resupply operations were nearly complete.  Only Patrol Vessel 25 was docked with the Support Vessel and loading missiles into its launch bay.  Now one scout had reported contact with a small craft of the enemy near the outer most large moon.  The scout craft was now following the interloper.
   The Commander issued the orders for the Support Vessel and two Hive Vessels to move away from the giant planet.  The Support Vessel would proceed 15 light seconds ahead of the Hive Vessels to scout the path and draw fire if the native race had ships on that vector.  Two of the remaining scout craft would follow the enemy contact at a range of 3 light seconds.  The Attack Vessel was to follow the new contact at a range of 5 light seconds.  The Patrol Vessels would then follow at 6 light seconds behind the Attack Vessel.  The last scout craft would follow 10 light seconds behind the Patrol Vessels to prevent the enemy race from slipping behind the group.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 was sure that the enemy scout would not lead them to any unarmed vessels.  The native race would even now be moving them to safety.  But it was likely that any vessels the native race had sent this far from the inner system were bound for New Home 3.   It would be easier to fight the warships here than to allow the enemy to gather and concentrate his strength.  Any enemy ship stopped here would be one less they would have to face there.
   An ambush lay ahead.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 intended to make the native race lose more than what they had planned.


   0915 hours/Cruiser Ho Chi Minh, 1 LM from Jupiter

   Captain Meng locked his station and checked the translation of the Pan Euro transmission.  The Pan Euro Captain had reported that his small scout ship had made contact with an enemy bomber near the moon Callisto.  The contact had been made nearly ten minutes ago, and the bomber seemed to be content to simply follow the Pan Euro boat.  That was curious.  The aliens had to have warships nearby to support the small bomber.  Why had they not used them to destroy the small Euro boat?
   Regardless, the Pan Euro Captain had announced his intention to move the Pan Euro warships to a location along the boat's flight path and either destroy the bomber if no warships were following it, or to engage any alien vessels that might be trailing the boat.  He had requested the aid of the Minh in the event that the alien presence was significant.  That would leave only the US and FSC ships to guard the convoy.
   Captain Meng changed his display to the current sensor returns.  The magnetic protective field could create ghost contacts on the returns, but for the moment the space around the convoy seemed clear.  An opportunity to engage and destroy alien vessels stationed near the inner system would help to insure the safety of Chinese holdings and shipping while the fleet was engaged at Neptune.
   "Comm, request from the Euro Captain sensor feeds from the scout and projected course plots.  Indicate that we will accompany their 'Battle Group' to intercept the bomber and any possible alien warships.  Also indicate that we will coordinate tactically with the Euro ships, but will not assume a subordinate position in the engagement.  Tactical command of the Minh will remain with me."  Captain Meng waited as the message was sent, and for the few minutes it took the Euro Captain to reply.  By the time the sensor feed and course plot was translated, the Minh was locked and ready for combat acceleration.


   1033 hours/Heavy Escort Esme Jurkat, 31 light seconds from Jupiter

   Captain 'Mike' watched the sensor returns.  The ship's boat and alien small craft were closing.  They had entered sensor range 30 seconds ago, but at a range of 6 light seconds they both still merged into one contact on the sensor returns.  The craft would likely be invisible at that range if Midshipman Reeves hadn't turn on the small boat's beacon.  The intense radio signal was echoing off the small vessel tailing her ship.  The radar signature was diffuse but traceable.  
   For the moment, there were no other contacts.  That could change quickly though.  The ships were positioned two light seconds away from the course the two small craft would take.  All of the crews were at general quarters, with the ships' protective fields and drives off.  They would appear as no more than a small grouping of rocks.  Three quarters of a light second away the Chinese ship sat dead in space, another slightly larger rock.  With luck any alien warships following behind the small craft would be unaware of the Pan Euro and Chinese ships' presence until they launched.  With luck they would be able to destroy most if not all of the alien ships that would arrive.
   Mike was fairly sure that wouldn't happen though.  The aliens were far too good.  Mike hoped to catch the aliens in a trap.  He would be satisfied if he didn't get caught in one himself.
   A warning flashed on Mike's screen as he heard the Sensor Officer call out.  "New Contact.  Small craft.  Possibly more than one.  Range at five point seven five light seconds.  Heading, bearing, speed identical to EJ ship boat."  Mike considered the situation.  One or two more small craft were no great threat.  They were to small to carry any real weapons capable of harming a warship, and their speed was to slow to catch one even if they could.  Perhaps the warships that carried the small alien ships were unwilling to risk themselves chasing a little boat.
   A new warning flashed on the screen.  Mike looked down even as he heard the Sensor Officer.  "New contact.  Range eight point zero light seconds.  Speed two three zero zero kilometers per second.  No acceleration.  Drive thermal signature low.  No magnetic signature.  Bearing zero three zero ascension minus four point five.  Heading one four six ascension minus zero point three.  Contact identified as Echo.  Designating as One."
   "All ships Battle Stations.  Weapon Conn, I want a firing solution on Echo One.  Feed to my station.  Comm, tightbeam to the Chinese ship.  Let them know we are tracking a single contact and the bearing for it.  Prepare to broadcast launch commands to the Reynolds and Vetra."  Mike tried to relax.  This wasn't the first time the 4th LBG had been in combat.  But it was his first time as the Commander.
   Mike watched as the EJ's boat and the alien craft following it resolved, and then as the next two small craft following them resolved on the sensors.  Slowly the Echo was drawing nearer.  It took six minutes for the Echo to draw in range, and then it continued to draw even closer.  It seemed to be in no hurry.  Simply following the little ships as they moved along.  No protective field.  No attempts to maneuver. No...
   "New contacts.  Range eight point two five light seconds.  Alpha times four.  Speed, bearing, heading as Echo One.  No magnetic signature.  Low thermal.  No acceleration. Designating as Alpha One, Two, Three, Four."
   Mike could feel the cold creeping down his spine.  The Alphas wouldn't be in range anytime soon.  And the Echo would likely discover that the 'rocks' were actually ships when it passed close enough.  This would be no easy ambush.  The small Echo was the alien's bait.  The 4th would either have to fire on it and give themselves away, or be discovered if they simply sat and did nothing.  And then the Alphas would start the real battle.
   It would be four on four if and when the Echo was destroyed.  Mike hoped they would have the advantage then.  The Chinese ship was much larger than an Alpha.  That should count for something.
   Of course if the 'Baron' as the US had codenamed him was one of those Alphas, that advantage might not be enough.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 17, 2010, 02:17:10 AM
July 2204 part 3

July 2nd  1035 hours/Cruiser Ho Chi Minh, 31.75 light seconds from Jupiter

   Captain Meng watched the sensor readout as the small alien warship drew to a range of three light seconds.  The second group of alien ships was also visible on the sensor returns now.  At a range of over 6 light seconds they would be unable to intervene in what was about to happen.  In the next few moments the lead alien ship would be able to identify the Pan Euro Group and the Minh.  Meng had no intention of letting it discover anything other than its own doom.
   "Protective field to full power, all bays launch."  Meng watched as the crew carried out the orders.  The sensor returns clouded momentarily as the magnetic field generators came online.  The crew had not yet completely calibrated the sensor array for the magnetic flux from the generators.  Then the ship shuddered slightly as the six bays deployed their missiles.
   "All particle accelerators to maximum output, engage drive, combat acceleration."  The world changed color as the Minh lurched forward.  The Pan Euro group had also launched missiles on the small alien ship.  'The ship will already be gone by the time their missiles can reach it.'  Meng watched the sensor returns as the missiles closed.  The alien ship must have detected the launch, as it was beginning to maneuver.  And then it raised its protective fields.
   "WHAT IS GOING ON?"  Meng looked at the sensors as the bridge crew also tried to sort out what had just happened.  The small alien ship had just seemed to 'jump' nearly 12,000 kilometers from where it had been.
   The Sensor Officer was the first to respond. "Captain, the magnetic flux of our generators seems to have created a.... sensor echo of the alien ship.  When it employed its magnetic field, we were able to fix its location."  The hesitations in his response gave away the emotion his voice synthesizer did not.
   "Weapons Conn, update data on target."  Meng looked over towards the three crew manning the weapon consoles.  "Captain, the missiles will be unable to correct for the relocation.  Current velocity is too great for the maneuver thrusters to compensate."  Meng could only watch as the six missiles from the Minh streaked harmlessly away into space.


   1036 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 25.25 light seconds from Jupiter

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 sensed the enemy ships as they erected their protective fields.  There were four, and one was an Assault Vessel.  This would bode poorly.  The Assault Vessel seemed to be having a problem with its initial targeting, as all of its weapons had missed.  The three smaller enemy vessels had managed to collapse the Attack Vessel's protective field, but nothing else.  The Assault Vessel had corrected for whatever had went wrong by the second launch as the Attack Vessel disappeared in the detonations of the enemy weapons.  
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 altered the field at his station and increased the output to the drive.  Patrol Vessel 17 and the rest of the Patrol Group began to close on the enemy ships.  Orders were sent for the two scout craft that had been near the Attack Vessel to close with the nearest enemy ships.  They would not be able to harm them, but the enemy would not know this.  The scouts might be able to draw fire or force the enemy to maneuver around them.
   The enemy ships were close enough to engage, and Patrol Vessel 17 shut off its drive just long enough to deploy a torpedo from the launch bay.  The Assault Vessel was to far away to target, but the enemy Patrol Vessel was easily within range.  Four torpedoes sped toward it as enemy weapons closed on the Patrol Group.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could feel the protective field collapse on his ship as the enemy weapons detonated.  He could sense that none of the enemy ships had lost their protective fields.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 altered the course of his vessel to disengage from the combat.  This battle was not starting well.  They could not afford to lose any more ships.


   1037 hours/Heavy Escort Esme Jurkat, 31.25 light seconds from Jupiter

   Captain 'Mike' McWilliams checked the status of the magnetic field generators.  Two thirds of the bank had burned out from the first alien salvo.  One of the Alphas had lost its protective field and broken off, but the other three were still in range.  The Minh was too far to launch yet, but was coming around to close the gap.  Two small alien craft were closing rapidly with the 4th LBG.  Mike wondered it they carried nukes inside.  The aliens had used suicide attacks before.
   "Helm, bring us sixty degrees starboard.  Weapons Conn, firing solution and launch on Alpha Three."  Mike could feel the drive shut down several times as the ship came about onto its new course and the two missile bays deployed their weapons.  The sensors were also showing three more inbound contacts.  'Probably targeted on the Esme.  The shields won't take another hit like that first one.'
   Mike watched the sensor returns as the weapons crossed in space.  The Chinese had launched three missiles on the alien bombers closing on the 4th LBG.  Both of the bombers disappeared in the sensor haze from the detonations.  Seconds later both were tumbling through space.  'Looks like the Chinese figured out how to shoot.'  The Esme's missiles, along with those of the Vetra and Reynolds closed on Alpha Three and detonations again clouded the sensor returns.  The sensors had almost cleared when the alien missiles detonated.
   Suddenly the blue-grey haze was gone, replaced with rushing white clouds as the bridge vented.  Mike could feel his station shaking with the violence of the argon blasting through the bridge to clear any debris.  As the cloud disappeared, Mike looked at his monitor to check the sensor returns and damage reports, but it was only a black mass in front of him.  Looking about he could see that the bridge had been breached in two areas, each several square meters in size.  The return of the grey haze told him the drive had survived.
   'I wonder if anything else works', Mike wondered.  He plugged his fingers into the port on the arm of his station and saw lights begin to blaze across his faceplate.  The sensor array had survived, as had both of the launch bays.  The drive was still functioning normally.  'We are still in this fight.  We just can't let that happen again.'  Checking the returns on the Alphas, Mike saw that a second was disengaging with its magnetic field down.  The Chinese ship was slowing and coming about to join the 4th LBG's formation.  'That should chase off those last two.'
   The Attack Escorts had come about more quickly than the Esme, and both had moved beyond their maximum engagement range.  One of the Alphas seemed to have overshot the battle and was nearly 6 light seconds away.  That left only one Alpha in range of the Esme, and the Esme in range of it.  "Firing solution and launch on Alpha Four."  Mike tried to remain calm as he saw another inbound contact appear.  It had to be targeted on the Esme.  Another hit would rip the crippled ship apart.
   Suddenly the sensors clouded over and all readings were lost, then came back a few seconds later.  "What is the problem?"  Mike hoped that someone was still alive at the Sensor Conn to respond.  
   "Captain, the Reynolds had to pass through the drive wash of the Chinese ship to hold formation.  The Reynolds still has her shields up, but the spray as the magnetic field passed through the charged particle stream was too great for the array to compensate.  Inbound still tracking, sir."  Lieutenant Kathleen Wells voice reminded him that there were still more pressing problems.
   

   1039 hours/Attack Escort Giovanni Vetra, 32.75 light seconds from Jupiter

   "Reduce drive output twenty percent.  Firing solution on the first Alpha to break range."  Commander Cameron Watson watched the tactical display.  'The Esme got lucky and slid past the last alien missile.  If those Alphas want another shot at her, they will have to come into range of us first.'
   The two Alphas were currently 6 light seconds from the Vetra.  Alpha One had managed to overshoot the battle, and Alpha Four had closed formation with it.  But they had been moving when the battle started, and that speed advantage would let them close while the 4th LBG was still coming up to full combat speeds.  Maneuvering around the large Chinese ship as it had joined the formation had cost them more speed.  It would only be a minute before the Alphas could close to firing range again.
   "Sir, Alpha Four in range. Missile away"  Cameron could feel the ship lurch only slightly as the missile deployed. Two inbound missiles had also appeared on the sensors.  "Inbound times two.  Targeted on Jurkat."  Cameron listened as the Sensor Officer recited off more information, but it was obvious that the aliens were set on destroying the damaged Heavy Escort.  The Vetra would never be able to destroy both of the Alphas before one of them got lucky.
   "Comm, let the Reynolds and the Chinese ship know that I intend to come about.  Helm, plot a course change to bring us directly back at the Alphas and then transfer it to Comm."  'If we can't get them to back off, we're going to have to chase them off.'  Cameron felt the Vetra's drive stutter as the maneuver jets fired.  The tactical display showed the Reynolds and the Chinese ship were also coming about.  A few seconds later the Alphas mirrored the movement.  'Ok Mike, now get your ass out of here.'
   The Vetra shut down its drive again as another missile launched.  Two inbound missiles also showed up.  'Shoot at someone who's not a cripple and see how well it works for you.'  Cameron waited as the alien missiles closed.  The sensors clouded as the detonations spewed clouds of plasma through space.  The shield generators pushed the waves of super heated particles aside, but payed for it as one third of the generators burned out.
   "They are riding the edge of their range.  It is going to take them a few seconds for their sensors to pick up our course changes at this distance, and then a few more to react.  Helm, bring us about again,  bearing one one seven.  Redline the reactors.  They shouldn't be able to hold range if we do this right."
   Cameron waited, and then felt the ship heave as the Helm tried to bring the ship about with the drive wide open.  The sensors blurred as the EM bleed from the drive washed past the drive shield.  Targeting would be impossible, and the Alphas were nearly invisible.  After thirty seconds the Vetra had come about, and it looked as if the Reynolds and Minh had followed.  "Give us another thirty seconds of redline and reduce output to max combat acceleration."  Cameron waited as the clock counted down and the drive finally reduced its output.  The sensors cleared to show the Alphas had fallen back to 6 light seconds behind the group.  Speeds had equalized between the groups.
   "Good work Helm." Cameron regarded the tactical display.  'You won't be able to catch us now, so let’s see how long you are interested in playing chase.'
   Ten minutes later the last two Alphas broke off.


   1058 hours/Heavy Escort Esme Jurkat, 65 light seconds from Jupiter

   Midshipman Mary Reeves brought the ship's boat into the landing bay.  The Esme looked bad.  The plating and baffles had been torn away in several places, and hull breaches were obvious in at least three.  In the bay were at least three crews preparing for external work.  As Mary climbed out of the pilot's station, she wondered if maybe she hadn't been better off in the little boat.
   As she walked away from the boat, Chief Engineer Mulins approached Mary.  "Glad to see you made it back Midshipman Reeves.  Your on Work Crew Two.  We will move out onto the hull after we dock with the Mobile Shipyard.  With luck we can have her back on line in a few hours.  If not, we'll probably be headed home."
   Mary remembered what the hull had looked like on her landing approach.  She doubted that a few hours would be enough.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 20, 2010, 02:55:55 AM
July 2204 part 4

July 2nd  1330 hours/Pan Euro Space Station

   Admiral Jude Kushnir dismissed the staff from the briefing room.  There were no decisions to be made.  This was just another problem that would have to be allowed for and endured.  The lead ship of the 4th Light Battle Group would be turning back before the journey to Neptune had barely gotten started.
   The 4th had taken quite a bit of abuse at Jupiter.  Both of the Attack Escorts, the J. Reynolds and the G. Vetra, had taken damage to their magnetic field generators.  Both would be continuing on to Neptune with over 30 percent of their generators off line.  The remaining generators would be able to withstand another intercept by an alien missile, but that would likely be all they would handle.  The Esme was much worse off.
   None of the Heavy Escort's generators had been repairable without a complete overhaul.  Her cargo hold and her supplies for the trip out system were destroyed.  Her auxiliary storage of missiles had also been damaged.  Worst was the support systems.  Cyborgs needed little to survive the harsh environment of a deep space warship, but what they did need was vital.  The ship's hull built up an enormous static charge as it operated the drive, and a smaller amount as it moved through the solar wind.  The grounding circuits had been destroyed in the exchange.  The ship could continue to move, but doing so would put the crew in greater and greater danger.  The circuitry in a cyborg was heavily shielded, but it was not invulnerable.  It was only a matter of time before the static charge would reach levels that would destroy the ship's systems and interfere with the crews' circuits, killing them.
   The US had cleared the Esme to dock at their space station at Mars for repairs.  It would be right on the edge of what the ship could do without killing the crew.  That was if everything went right.
   The Esme had off loaded most of her missiles onto the Attack Escorts, and several more into the Troop Transport's cargo bays.  Some of her crew had also moved over to the Troop Transport, to help fill in for the missing crew on the Red October when they arrived at Neptune.  The remaining 27 crewmembers, along with Captain McWilliams, would take the crippled Esme to Mars.
   Jude looked at the clock/calendar on her monitor.  It hadn't even been a year since Esme had given her life, along with all of 2nd Battle Group at Ceres.  
   It seemed like a lifetime....


July 3rd  0430 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, 1 LM from Jupiter

   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank walked down the corridor to the cyborg troop bay.  It seemed odd to be on a US ship, but it made sense.  The Vigilance was a combat vessel.  She would be unable to maneuver if she held a cargo of US Power Armor or Armored Cav Troops.  The soldiers would be killed by combat acceleration.  So the Pan Euro Cyborg Brigade had been transferred over to the US ship.  The US troops were now sleeping onboard the Pan Euro Troopship.  Would they be in for a surprise when they woke up.
   Tanya sat down at her station.  More and more of her brigade were filing back into the bay.  It would be only an hour or two before they got the order to lock stations again.  Then the group would continue on towards Neptune, and the alien colony on Triton.
   Tanya looked down at her feet.  No, they weren't her feet.  Her feet were long gone, with just about everything else that had been Tanya.  'They took everything.  And left me locked in this cage.  I was so glad when we finally got off that alien ship.  I wanted to go home.  I want to go home.'
   Tanya thought about what her mom would be doing now.  Just waking up for the day.  Getting breakfast started.  'I miss eating.  Smelling the food cooking.'
   'I really want to see mom again.  I can't feel it when she hugs me, or kisses me good-bye, but I can still see her.  Hear her voice.  I miss her.'  Tanya slammed her hand against the bulkhead.  She could feel the slight vibration in her station, but the vacuum of the bay was silent as death.


   0500 hours/Queensland Research Facility, Australia

   Chairman Mukata walked through the labs.  The board had made it very clear at the last meeting that the lack of progress on duplicating the US device allowing the magnetic field generators to avoid burning out under a static load was UNACCEPTABLE.  The drain in resources, personnel, and space was preventing progress on the other project the research facility 'should' be working on.  And that was why the chairman was here.  To ensure the technicians and researchers understood that failure to devise a suitable copy for use on Free Space Vessels would be very 'unhealthy'.
   That this 'oversight' was jeopardizing the last Free Space warship was being impressed upon the workers here vigorously.  They needed to understand that if the system was not fielded quickly, and that the Mary Reed was lost, they would become the crew of the next warship.  Whether they had any predisposing health conditions that would require 'conversion' or not.
   Of course, the fact that the board had indicated that the chairman would likely be the new ship's captain was inspiration of its own.


   0727 hours/Heavy Escort Esme Jurkat, 4 LM from Mars

   Captain 'Mike' McWilliams felt the Esme lurch, and then the grey haze disappeared.  Warnings flashed across his monitor.  Engineering was reporting that the drive shield had suffered a failure.  It was a miracle that the ship hadn't simply exploded or vaporized.  The drive had been running wide open at the time.
   Mike read through the reports as they came in, and it became obvious that the drive shield must have suffered some structural weakening during the battle near Jupiter.  It had simply failed under the load the drive bloom had imposed trying to return to Mars.
   It also became obvious that although the failsafe had kept the ship from exploding, it hadn't saved the ship.  The burst of ionizing radiation had doomed the ship.  The static charge on the hull had already been sizable.  It was now fatal, or soon would be.  If anyone was going to survive, they had to leave now.
   "Comm, patch me through to the landing bay."  Mike waited as the comm relay was made and then picked up.  
   'Midshipman Reeves should be in the bay if she isn't dead.  Her last trip in the boat was nearly a suicide mission.  I guess she deserves a spot on what is about to become the life boat.'


   0731 hours/EJ Ship's Boat, 4 LM from Mars

   Midshipman Mary Reeves switched the monitor return over to visual.  The blackened crack in the drive shield was all too visible as she made a pass by the Esme. 'How we didn't end up in hell is beyond me', Mary thought.
   Mary brought the small craft away from the drifting warship and then engaged the drive.  The visual pickup became a blur and then the Esme disappeared into a small dot in the distance.  She checked the systems on the boat again.  'This crate had quite the ride around Jupiter.  It would be a shame for the lifeboat to breakdown too.'  The boat was built for a crew of two to four.  Right now it was holding eight.  It had stations to carry that many, but it was still a strain on the little dingy.  Everything looked ok.
   A small flare of light flashed in the distance, and Mary shut off the visual.  'Only eight of us are going home.  How will I ever tell my kids about this?'
   'At least I'll get the chance.'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 24, 2010, 01:18:02 AM
July 2204 part 5

July 3rd  1400 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   "Admiral, the Pan Euro boat has docked at the Mars Station.  Reports indicate that broadcasts from the Pan Euro Heavy Escort Esme Jurkat were accurate.  The ship suffered a drive shield failure and was scuttled following the separation of the ship's boat.  We are debriefing the eight survivors now, and coordinating with the Pan Euro for their transfer to a civilian liner for transport back to Earth."  Commander Rachel VerSteegh looked at the blank faceplate of Admiral Walters, and then continued.  "We also have decrypted the transmission from the Interceptor Zachary Taylor.  Captain Randall Brown indicates they have joined the Vigilance and Survey Tender One at Jupiter, and have begun acceleration for Neptune."  Rachel stepped back from the large display screen and faced the Admiral at parade rest, waiting for the inevitable questions.
   "That will be all Commander.  Lieutenant Commander Ryan, do we have the initial analysis from the engagement at Jupiter."  Admiral Bradley Walters turned toward where Meagan was seated.
   Meagan stood and turned to look at the Admiral.  "Sir, we've only had the sensor log from the Pan Euro for a short time, and their system returns are not identical to ours.  Based on what little data we have gathered though, I would say that the 'Baron' was present at the engagement, but was the first of the Alphas to be targeted.  It would appear the 'Baron' disengaged early in the engagement.  The other ships appear to be the same group which attacked near the crippled Alpha on June Twelfth, but that is not confirmed.  Group composition was the same as the group that disengaged on that date."  Meagan looked down at her monitor for a moment, and then looked back at the Admiral.  "We won't be able to confirm any of this for some time.  We were awaiting detailed transmission of the Jurkat's sensor records, but will now have to wait for the transmission from one of the Pan Euro Attack Escorts bound out system.  Time lag in transmission and the degradation of the signal will slow any confirmation."
   "I will want an update on identification of the alien ships as soon as possible.  If the 'Baron' is headed out system, we need to know that."  Admiral Walters motioned for Meagan to sit.  "We are going to assume for the moment that the 'Baron' is still operating inside the belt until we know otherwise.  For the moment, we are going to let the Pan Euro ships handle convoy security.  I want the Naginata to begin her training cruise here at Earth as soon as she clears the dock."  That will only leave three Interceptors at Mars he thought, but the folks on Earth haven't seen a US ship keeping them safe for a while now.  "I want updates on the progress of the two Interceptors under construction here at Earth in the morning, along with updates on our research projects and all out system deployments. Dismissed."
   As the staff began to leave, Admiral Walters stood. "Lieutenant Commander Ryan, stand fast for a moment."  After the rest of the staff had left, Admiral Walters turned toward Meagan.  "Any word from your father on his take about Chinese intentions at Triton?"
   "Nothing that we haven't already heard.  The Chinese group seems content to simply circle Neptune at eight light seconds or so.  They seem to be ignoring the US and Euro ships stationed there.  He assumes, like we do, that they will resume the offensive when the convoy reaches Neptune, but they seem content to blockade the moon for the moment.  They don't even use their ships' boats to sweep nearby space for any movements."  Meagan shrugged her shoulders and waited.
   "Thank you.  I'll see you in the morning."  Admiral Walters sat and watched as Meagan left the briefing room. 'I'm sure she wants to know if that was the 'Baron' as much as I do.  But as much as we need the 'Baron' to move out system, I'm sure she hates to see that ship get any closer to her father.'


July 4th  0630 hours/Attack Escort Elise, Earth orbit

   Commander Dana Breiholz settled back into her station and locked it.  The yard workers had finished up the last touches on the Elise, and it was time to take her out of the slip.  Shortly the Sereg would take her turn in the yard, and after her the Queen Mary would dock for repairs.  This portion of the 3rd Battle Group had taken its licks out by the belt, but everyone had come home.
   "Helm, take us out of the slip and bring us alongside the Queen Mary at one half light second from Earth."  Dana watched her monitor as the course plot appeared, and then felt the gentle push as the maneuver thrusters brought the ship away from the station.  A moment later and the world turned grey as the drive fired.  In less than a minute the Elise was settled into formation 2000 kilometers from the Queen Mary.
   Dana brought up the sensor returns on her monitor, and then switched over to the visual feed.  Toggling the feed toward Earth, she brought first the US and then the Chinese Space Stations into focus.  Both had their shipyards at full capacity.  The initial work on a pair of Interceptors was obvious at the US Station, while the Chinese were busy assembling a pair of Attack Vessels.  Dana swiveled back to the Pan Euro Station and watched as the Sereg slid into its berth and docked.  The second slip was also busy, building the one new ship the Euro was working on.  'At least she dwarfs the other vessels, even if there is just one of her,' Dana thought as she looked at what would become the Queen Victoria.  Rumor had it that the Victoria would be coming out of the yard early in August. 'With the Esme gone, we need her.'
   Dana turned off the video and brought up the status reports as the crew went through their system checks.  'Time to get this lady ready to fight.  Rumor is that anything alien will be heading toward Neptune, but I'm not buying it.  And I intend to be ready.'


July 7th  2015 hours/Survey Vessel Marco Polo, orbit of Titan, Saturn

   Captain Jingtsu checked the surface sample reports from the landers.  'Very promising.  Titan may hold more resources than we had anticipated for its low density.'  Jingtsu flipped through the various reports on the survey's progress and was pleased.  It would be another 40 or 50 days until the survey was complete, but the survey was over half finished with no sign of any alien presence.
   Jingtsu rechecked the sensor returns again.  It had become a habit.  Think of the aliens, check the sensors.  With the Marco Polo hugging the moon's atmosphere, the ship should be almost invisible.  They would hopefully be aware of an alien presence long before the aliens were aware that the survey group was here.  That would give the small unarmed ships a chance to run from the aliens and hopefully stay out of weapon range.
   Jingtsu returned to the surface mapping of the moon.  'Finding an optimal location for a colony will be difficult with the amount of surface activity.  But with Ceres uninhabitable, we need to find somewhere.'


July 11th  1020 hours/South African Shipyard, Earth

   Chairman Mukata looked over the assembled board members.  Moods were hard to discern in such a group.  Most were still human, but their faces were as expressionless as any cyborg faceplate.  The economic review was improving.  Open colonization in the belt, plus a massive investment in industrial infrastructure was paying off.  The FSC was still small change compared to the cash the big powers could throw around, but the last eighteen months had seen an increase in 'usable' revenue of nearly 36 percent.  There was talk of more 'aggressive taxation and utilization' of assets, but for the moment those plans were only that - plans.
   The US had managed to funnel a substantial amount of capital through South American interests, and that would help.  It was the 'payment' for the assistance of the Mary Reed in transporting US troops out system.  The additional funding would help to offset the expenditures that the current research projects required.  Projects that were producing far less in results than what had been hoped for.
   The project to duplicate the US equipment for upgrades to the current Magnetic Field Generator design was hitting a snag.  Tooling for production was just not available and would take some time to emplace.  When the 'tools to make the tools' were finally complete, the necessary testing would begin.  Until then there was little that could be done.
   The other major research project, headed by the Euro Tech Jager, was still in the 'theoretical' stage.  Some of the work was finding compatible hardware, but the science behind what they were trying to accomplish just didn't exist yet.  At least not for what they were hoping to accomplish.  It would take time.  A lot of time.  The Euro Tech had indicated that the board needed to think in 'years, not months.'  Of course, he didn't have to sell that idea to the board.
   Chairman Mukata returned to listening to the presentation, and wondered what 'errand' the board would require of him next.


July 12th  0240 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po reviewed the information.  The meeting had been about current Defense issues, but was mostly concerned with new construction.  Progress on the two new Missile Frigates had been the sidelight.  They would be ready near the end of August, and two more would begin construction at that time if sufficient funding was available.  Ensuring that sufficient funding was available had been assigned to Po.  It was a rather dubious and trying honor.  Failure would not be greeted well.
   Of great interest was the construction occurring at Venus.  The new ship would take a year to reach service and so far only the most basic of progress had been made.  But it still inspired great interest.   Projected strength of the magnetic field would be such that it should be nearly invulnerable to anything but a concerted effort from the largest groups the aliens had so far displayed.  
   A lesson had also been taken from the aliens, with half of the launch bays being placed in a hardened position within the hull.  With luck they would remain operational for as long as the ship held together.
   Of course, all this depended on actually completing the ship.  Hopefully the aliens would oblige and stay far away from the inner system.


July 19th  1755 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home 1 (Eris)

   The Elders filed into the chamber to learn of the new developments.  Two new projects had been started, and one completed.  They all looked to increase the effectiveness of the war fleet.  It was unusual for the race to need new technology, as it was considered that no other race would be able to challenge them.  The conflicts in the Home System had proven that.  Or so it had been thought.
   The Elders waited as the first of the new technologies was presented to the assembled Elders.  It was based on the current scout craft, but was much larger and more capable.  It would be capable of speeds that would enable it to keep pace with the Patrol, Combat, and Assault Vessels.  It would also be able to carry a much larger payload than the current scout craft.  When used to attack enemy colonies, it would be able to carry up to 50 bombs.  This was much more than would ever be needed, but it could also carry a single torpedo in the craft's cargo section.  The torpedo would allow it to be used as a weapon against enemy vessels, albeit in a suicide roll.  That would be regrettable, but possibly necessary in light of the current situation.
   The second development was an extension of the current design of the race's warships.  It had been devised that the hull had sufficient integrity to mount structures close to the hull that would allow mounting of an additional torpedo outside the vessels.  It would only be possible on the Combat and Assault Vessels, as the Patrol Vessel lacked the necessary structural integrity.  The external mount would be able to release from the vessel with or without an internal launch, and would increase the vessel's ability to engage enemy ships decisively.
   The last development was an extension of the mass driver in use on the Combat and Assault Vessels.  It had always been used as a weapon to engage enemy vessels, but was limited by the size of the installation - forcing the Combat or Assault Vessels into a particular orientation with the target.  New developments were underway that would miniaturize the system and allow its use on a high speed mounting with a high volume of fire.  It would be too small to use against another warship, but it was hoped that testing would show that the enemy's weapons could be engaged and destroyed by the near light speed projectiles of the new system.  Hitting a target moving at a significant fraction of light speed would be difficult, but it was hoped that the high rate of fire, coupled with the low maneuverability of weapons moving so fast would allow for successful engagement of such a small target.
   None of the systems alone could hope to change the current events that were unfolding, and the last two would not be ready for use until some time had passed.  But together it was hoped that these developments would allow for a rapid reversal of the current trend in the engagements with the native race.
   It was the first hopeful news presented to the council for some time.


July 22nd  0900 hours/Pan Euro Space Station, Earth orbit

   Vice Admiral Brenna Muldoon sat in the chair that Admiral Jude Kushnir motioned to.  "I promised you a night on the town to go with that promotion, but for now you will have to settle for the rank."  Jude paused and picked up a piece of paper off the desk, and then passed it to Brenna.  "You won't be the only one getting promoted at the ceremony this afternoon, although you will be the only one actually here on the station.  Captain Robert McNeely will get moved up to Commodore.  Captain McWilliams was supposed to be here, but unfortunately his promotion is going to be posthumous.  We are going to have to come up with a new Commodore for the 4th Light Battle Group, but that isn't what I asked you here for."
   Brenna sat the program for the evening ceremonies back on the desk.  "I didn't figure you had me report in for a 'congratulations' meeting.  Not that I had any plans for this morning."  Brenna ran her hand across the leather armrest on the chair, and wondered if it still had that new leather smell.  It didn't look like it was very old.
   "No, you’re right."  Jude tapped her monitor in a few places and then turned it to face Brenna.  "I've got work for you.  Ever since the First Battle of Jupiter's Moons, we haven't exactly led the way in scientific development.  The Chinese and US have not only caught up in sensor and missile technology, but passed us in the use of the new magnetic field generators.  The only advantage we still hold has been in training doctrine."  
   Jude leaned forward and put her elbows on the desk.  "That looks like it might change.  A group of corporate weapon researchers on the ground have come up with a new missile design they hope to implement.  In light of the new situation it was deemed production of the old Scorpion Missiles, with their large payload of small kinetic kill projectiles, was wasteful.  The large mass of the payload was never getting used as it was intended.  Every launch was full safety release, and with every warship mounting some version of the US shields, a primary safety only release is unlikely."  Jude pointed to the monitor screen.  "They think they can build a new missile.  It would be the first new development in over forty years.  They will do away with the old payload, and replace it with a much lighter and solid one piece nose section.  Normally that would result in a loss of on target energy due to the loss of mass, but they think they have managed to duplicate the alien's magnetic focusing device.  This will allow the same on target energy with a lighter missile."  Jude stood up and walked around the desk, then tapped the screen again as Brenna leaned in closer.
   "The new missile is projected to have an extended engagement envelope, due to both greater speed and maneuverability.  They are hoping for successful intercepts at a range of six light seconds.  The new missiles are also expected to require less onboard space for the same missile capacity.  What that will amount to when it is time for refits will have to be seen, but that isn't what you are here for.  I need a new engagement doctrine for this weapon.  For the first time since First Jupiter, we may have the range advantage again."  Jude knelt down beside Brenna.  "This is what I called you here for."
   Brenna turned to look at Jude.  "You want me to design a doctrine around a weapon system that isn't even in field testing yet? And work it around ship designs we can't even project?  In my immense spare time I suppose."  Brenna turned back to look at the monitor.
   "Bloody hell Brenna, it’s not like I have anyone else with your tactical experience, particularly with a background in Training Command."  Jude stood up and returned to the chair behind her desk.  Sitting back down, she leaned forward on the desk again.  "The corporate boys down on the planet say it will take some time, but the politicians have assured me that this project will get all of the funding it needs to put these into production as soon as possible."
   Brenna stood up and looked down at Jude, and then at the monitor again. "Guess I don't have a choice do I?  I'm getting to old for all of this."
   "You look as good as you did the day you came out of the academy.  Maybe better."
   Brenna looked back at Jude.  "You always were the sweet talker.  Make sure I get the updates on these new missiles."
   "You know you will." Jude said as she stood to escort Brenna to the hatch.

July 27th  1705 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, 10 light seconds from Neptune

   The Dutchman sat at his station.  He didn't see any reason to get up.  Most of the crew was moving about the ship, but it would be only a short time before the Chinese signaled that they would resume the bombardment of Triton.  Their supply ships were already docked and off loading missiles.  Prepping the ships for the coming assault.  An assault the Mary Reed would have to take part in.
   She and the Vigilance were the only troop carriers with magnetic field generators.  They would have to put the first wave on the ground.  Right in the midst of the Chinese bombardment.  The Dutchman had spent his life trying to avoid getting into situations like this.  People who made their money fighting for a living tended to end up dead.  This looked like an excellent opportunity to do just that.
   The 'plan' looked good, but it was a military operation, and military operations never went according to plan.
   A year ago he had commanded three ships for the Free Spacers.  Now the Mary Reed was the last one left.  And he was going to fly her right between the aliens and the Chinese.  'It probably isn't so much a question of "if we will get blown apart", as much as it is a question of "which side is going to do it". Maybe my mom did raise a fool.'
   The Dutchman unlocked his station and got up.  Maybe it was a good day to walk the bridge one last time.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 26, 2010, 06:16:52 AM
July 2204 part 6

July 28  0005 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, 8 light seconds from Triton

   The Dutchman watched the clock count down.  At ten minutes past midnight the attack would commence.  The warships had assembled at 10 light seconds from the moon, and would begin their attack run from that point.  That would allow them sufficient time to reach combat speed before they closed to weapons range.  Chinese analysis of the enemy weapons seemed to indicate that closing to just under three light seconds from the moon would actually favor their Dragon missiles.  Records indicated that the intercept rate at that range was better for their missiles than it was for the alien weapons.  It might help, but they were committed at that range.  There would be no falling back, just two sides pouring fire into one another until one of them was gone.
   The Mary Reed and US Vigilance were parked at 8 light seconds.  The lower maximum speed the two ships could manage meant they would be left behind if they were to start with the main group.  They would close on the planet from this distance.  Even then they would still be passed by the warships as they closed on Triton.  'Which is fine with me, let them draw the fire for a while.  We are going to draw enough once we begin our landing runs.'
   The only ship that would accompany the Mary Reed and Vigilance was the US Interceptor Zachary Taylor.  It would provide close support at the landing site with its onboard laser battery.  From testing, everyone knew that the magnetic 'shields' wouldn't work on a planet or moon's surface.  Since the aliens designed the damned things, it was a sure bet they knew that to.  So as soon as anyone landed to dismount troops, you could bet the aliens would hit them as hard as they could.  The US Interceptor's laser could provide closer support than any nuke.  'I wish they hadn't pulled the Mary's laser battery on the last round of refits.  It would do us a lot more good when we get down to the surface.'
   The landing area is the Kraken Catena.  It’s a long straight chain of craters left by some piece of debris that broke up just before it slammed into Triton.  The hope was that the crater walls would provide the troops and ships with some cover during the landings.  'Doubt that will work, but at least it gives everyone else a clear area NOT to shoot at.  Of course if the Chinese decide to drop a nuke on us while our shields are down, I guess it would make a good sighting mark also.'
   The clock on The Dutchman's display began to flash.  "OK 'mates, time to visit the neighbors. Take us in."


   0010 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, 8 light seconds from Triton

   The world turned grey with a blue halo for Commander Scott Moreland as the Vigilance's drive engaged.  'I wonder what else they could find for this old crate to do next.  Good lord, we've seen more action than most of the US Interceptors at the moment.  Maybe they figure it’s no great loss if some old freighter gets blown to hell.'
   The tactical display showed the main group was closing on the moon, and quickly closing the gap with the Vigilance.  Scott double checked the course plot to make sure he was well clear of the large Chinese ships' approach vector.  He was sure the Chinese weren't going to worry if the Vigilance got torn apart by one of their drive blooms. Thirty seconds later the large group passed and immediately warning lights flashed on the console.  'Inbounds, but only four.  It doesn't look like they are aiming at us yet.  Good lord look at that.'  The display was suddenly filled by new contacts as the Chinese ships began their bombardment.  Twenty four Chinese missiles were launched over the space of a few seconds.  The Euro and US ships added their two cents, but it was a trickle compared to the Chinese torrent.
   The next two and a half minutes were a blur of inbound and outbound missiles swimming between the moon and the ships.  They seemed to be targeting the large Chinese cruisers, which was fine.  They could take the most pounding.  And then the launches stopped.  The alien surface sites were no longer firing.  The Chinese had launched several missiles into the boiling mass of fire and dust that had been the launch sites even after the aliens stopped, but even they had broken off.  If the alien sites began firing again, the battle would start anew, but the warships were trying to conserve their missiles for the alien counterattack everyone expected.  The sensor returns showed that one of the Chinese cruisers had managed to lose its shields, but had not broken off.
   Scott listened as the Sensor Officer recited distances to the surface, watched the kaleidoscope of colors as the ship's drive cut in and out as the Helm tried to brake and bring the ship in for a landing.
   "Thirty seconds to landing."
   "Weapon Conn, launch."  Scott felt the drive cut out again as the ship deployed the Hera missile, and watched as it streaked toward the landing site.  He hadn't OK'd it with anyone, but there wasn't much they could do about it now.  Seconds later the primary safety sent the missile into its deployment spin and thousands of small metal and composite disks streaked toward the landing zone at over 20,000 kilometers per second.  Thousands of fireballs erupted across the landing zone as the disks vaporized on impact.  Scott switched to the visual feed as the ship closed with the moon.  The red-brown tholins and frozen methane formed large clouds that obscured the surface in a blanket of dust and vapor. 'At least when our shields go down, they will have a harder time seeing us.  And the troops when they get off.'
   For long seconds as the Vigilance descended toward the red cloud Scott could see the ship's shadow as the drive of the Interceptor Taylor fired above them.  A lifetime ago, when he had been in school, he had loved poetry, but the verse that sprang to mind left him no comfort.

   "But where the ship's huge shadow lay,
   The charmed waters burned alway
   A still and awful red."

   Scott looked down at his cyborg body locked in the station.  'Is this... are we, the "Nightmare Life in Death"?'

   "Shields down.  Landing in five seconds."
   'I sure hope there is something solid to land on underneath us.'  Scott thought as the ship disappeared into the cloud.


   0015 hours/Surface of Triton

   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank unlocked her station and grabbed her weapon.  "MOVE, MOVE, MOVE."  She could hear herself and dozens of others yelling at their squads as the landing lights flashed.  Seconds later the bay doors began to open.  
   Two enormous detonations ripped through the hull plates and threw cyborgs, or parts of them, around the bay.  In the low G of Triton the bodies became more shrapnel as they bounced within the bay.  Dozens of smaller holes were ripped through the hull as some weapon fired on the ship.  Tanya watched as three of her squad were ripped apart before they could even clear their stations.  "GOD DAMN IT MOVE!"
   Tanya pulled one of her squad, Hauptgefreiter Schwartz, and all but threw him toward the bay doors.  Tanya then kicked off from some piece of debris (or maybe another trooper she thought) and followed him out of the bay.
   The small maneuver thrusters on her pack fired, pushing her back to the surface.  The huge cloud of dust made it nearly impossible to see, and fighting on the crippled Alpha had taught her that thermal pickups were nearly useless on the aliens.  Tanya checked the transponders on her HUD and picked out the 5 surviving members of her squad.  "ON ME. MOVE OUT."  Somewhere behind her the heavy weapon squads should be deploying the MLOW's and Lancer Missile Packs.  'If they're still alive.'
   Running had been impossible on the alien ship, and was awkward as hell now.  Each step threw you forward and up, while small nitrogen jets fired and drove you back down to the surface.  The small 'Movement Packs' were supposed to be good for a day, but at the rate it was firing she doubted it would last an hour.  The two lead troops were firing their weapons as they advanced, the 18mm Gyrocs filled with nearly 200 flechettes per round.  With Tanya's squad assigned to clear the nearest ridge (if it was even there), and the aliens nearly invisible, the hail of metal slivers was supposed to help clear the way.
   Tanya's HUD picked up the small metal cylinder a fraction of a second before it slammed into the squad.  The two lead troops were hurled to the sides as Tanya felt herself thrown back.  The maneuver pack slammed her back down, and she could feel the ice of the moon's surface crunching beneath her as she skidded along.  Pushing herself back up, she armed the Rollover missile launcher on her shoulder, and then set it to fire back down the route the alien cylinder had come in on.  The Rollover missile disappeared into the dust cloud as soon as it was launched.
   Tanya stood again and rechecked the transponder.  One of the five squad members was gone, and another was badly hurt.  There was no time for rescues now, they needed to get out of the area and secure the landing zone.  The rest of the 13th Mech Infantry and the two Chinese Divisions weren't going to land until the area was secure.  She started moving again, and was glad to see the others who could follow her.  A small red light on the side of her HUD flashed that her right knee had been damaged to some degree during the blast, but it was still working.  For now.
   The dust suddenly thinned and swirled away, and Tanya saw something that just didn't seem real.  Dozens of aliens. Hundreds.  They swooped or glided along, floating a meter or two above the surface of the moon like fish swimming in a pool.  Darting, swirling.  Explosions flashed among them.  Some seemed to be moving towards Tanya's position.  Most were moving away.  Tanya brought up her rifle and began firing at the closest.  Missiles flashed beside her as other soldiers fired Rollovers at the mass.  A large thermal signature flashed on her display as some alien weapon fired from the ridge line 1900 meters out.  Tanya fired the last two of her Rollovers at the signature and turned back to firing at the creatures in front of her.  A small group of aliens flashed in front of her as they cleared the dust cloud.  She watched as her HUD traced the tracks of the 18mm rounds that tore them apart.  Most of them had been much smaller than the ones she had seen on the crippled Alpha.
   'You've killed enough of our babies,' Tanya thought.  'Now it is your turn to cry if you can.'


July 30th  0600 hours/US Interceptor MkIII Yari, 6 light seconds from Triton

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan keyed up the display on his monitor.  It was the Yari's scheduled time for watch.  For the next eight hours the entire crew would be locked in their stations.  It had become a routine now.  Everyone knew it was coming, and the grumbling had long since quieted.  Now the only noise was the quiet conversations of the crew trying to entertain themselves, whatever music they had managed to sneak into the onboard computers, or whatever game they chose to pass the time.
   The landings had been completed.  The sixteen thousand troops were on the ground.  Most of them.  Eight hundred had been killed before they ever got off the Vigilance or Mary Reed.  Both ships had been hit hard by ground weapon fire.  The Mary Reed had taken the worst of it, as the surprise launch from the Vigilance had helped clear her LZ.  There were rumors that the Taylor had also favored the Vigilance's landing zone, targeting the alien structures around it first.  That would have to be left for the spooks back home to worry about and analyze.  Personally, Jack didn't believe it.  The Vigilance was a US Vessel, but it was landing Euro troops.  The Mary Reed was FSC, but had been landing US troops.  Captain Brown would have done the best he could to protect both ships.
   The ground combat was vicious to say the least.  Losses were going to be high clearing this moon.  The Taylor was doing all it could to support the troops from orbit, but there was a limit to what a fusion powered laser battery could accomplish from 500 kilometers above the fighting.  Even on the lowest settings the capacitor dumped enough energy to make the moons crust buckle for one hundred meters around the target.
   Jack checked the sensor returns.  Nothing.  The aliens seemed to be in no hurry to relieve the colony on the moon.  If they reclaimed space around it, the troops would be doomed.  But if they didn't show up here, just where were they.
   And what were they up to?


   1820 hours/Assault Vessel 1, 36 light minutes from New Home 3 (Triton)

   The Combat Group had assembled.  It included two Assault Vessels and eight Patrol Vessels.  The Hive Vessels were still enroute to the construction centers where they would pick up the new bombers.  A support ship was loading additional bombers from New Home 4.  These additional bombers had been intended as a reserve for any that were destroyed in operations.  The Commander of Fleets had decreed that they would be placed in the bays of the Patrol Vessels.  Keeping them aboard a ship they could not be rapidly deployed from was wasteful.  
   The Commander of Fleets monitored the transmissions from New Home 3.  The reports indicated that the native race had destroyed the last of the surface based defenses and landed troops.  The enemy had expended a great number of weapons on the surface, and the destruction was enormous.  They also maintained a substantial fleet near New Home 3.  There were at least 25 vessels, and 15 had shown themselves to be armed in the last attack.  Two were Assault Vessels, five were larger than a Patrol Vessel, and four others were the size of Patrol Vessels.  The final attack on the surface installations had recorded over 30 launchers in the enemy fleet.
   The Commander of Fleets had not been at the Elders' Chambers when the Supreme Elder had made his decision.  The Commander of Fleets was also an Elder, but remained with the 1st Assault Vessel.  This was where he would spend his life.  If the Commander of Fleets had been at the Chamber, he would have had no choice but to fulfill the order that had been given.  That was why a Commander of Fleets never attended.
   The possibility of defeating the native race at New Home 3 did not exist.  The Combat Group did not possess enough weapons or ships.  To expend what capability there was wastefully would doom all of the New Homes.  With foreseeable developments that could influence the course of this war, expending the Patrol and Assault Vessels was inexcusable.
   But something would need to be done.  The number of ships available to the native race had to be limited.  The projected population that existed on the third planet in this system would be able to support a massive fleet, but much of it would now have to be at New Home 3.  The native race was technologically inferior, but had shown itself to be very adaptable, and even more dangerous.  However it had occured, they were familiar with war.  They would not have left the inner parts of the system unguarded just to strike at New Home 3.
   It was equally likely that they were unaware of the location of the other New Homes.  If they were aware of those locations, they would simply have destroyed everything they could at New Home 3, and then proceeded to the next target.  Placing their ships around the planet and landing troops indicated that this was the main focus of the native race's offensive.  This lack of knowledge, were it true, would provide the New Homes some time.  And opportunities.
   The enemy had no knowledge of the improved bomber that had been designed.  They had not yet seen it, or employed a craft resembling it.  In fact, they had yet to employ small craft in any type of offensive role.  They had used them to scout on a number of occasions, but that was all.  The new bomber would provide this Combat Group an advantage that the other Groups had not enjoyed.
   The Commander of Fleets altered the field at his Command Station.  A review of the capabilities of this new bomber would be required.  And then action would be taken.  The Commander of Fleets had slept for a great time now, but he had been awakened for a purpose.  He alone of all those who had come to this new system had been alive during the Time of War.  He had seen many battles.  And he knew what was required to exterminate a foe.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 28, 2010, 12:55:41 AM
July 2204 part 7

/////////////////////////////////////////////
Overview

Well, this month had a lot of little things going on that just kind of turned into a big busy month for those of us who played it.  Nothing 'earth shattering', but busy.
For the tale of the tape as it were...

For the Euro,
With the Esme losing her Q at the battle and failing emergency repairs, then blowing her roll trying to get to Mars before her 12 hours were up, the battle at Jupiter went from looking like another loss for the Nemotians to a loss for the Euro.  And then her only two SYM were either at Neptune or tearing apart PV12.  She didn't want the aliens to get hold of the Esme so she scuttled it before the crew was gone.  That hurt.
She also put in the repairs on the Queen Mary, Elise and Sereg, so they would be at poor quality for the rest of this month and all of August.  She didn't repair the Red October for fear the aliens would show up and she needed her to be able to fight at something other than poor.
Economically, she was continuing with her slow AB colonization and a larger than usual investment in IU.  Not going anywhere fast, but slow and steady.  For her, the big excitement of the month was rolling an 11 on her SL2 project on R's.  The breakthrough immediately went to the knot on SL3 and she was very happy that she could go straight to work on getting SL3 and then the Rb's done.  She had been drooling over having the range advantage for a change.  She figured it would only be a few more months until she got EL3, and then she could work on the Da's.  She really hoped that if she could get both of them finished before they beat the aliens, that she would stand a fair chance against the Chinese if things went sour.  But she did manage to fail her roll for the S's regenerating after an hour.
Overall, with the Queen Vic about to come out of the yard, research looking good, and her troops on the ground at Triton, my wife felt she had a pretty good month.

For China,
The middle boy was just itching to get Titan surveyed so he could start colonizing again.  He knew that with IU full and nowhere to go, he was losing ground to the other players every month.  He also got a little embarrassed when his new cruiser started the fight at Jupiter by missing with all six missile at a range of 12.  Not the best showing for the boy who usually had the magic touch with dice.
The battle at the end of the month finished off the last PDCs on Triton, but also left the Minh down 3 armor.  Now both the Shek and Minh were damaged.  He didn't want to fix them though because he was worried that the aliens would show up, and then his big ships would be Poor crews while they shook down. Since his shields could regenerate, he just decided to wait it out.
Otherwise he paid the (for this game) huge amount to start work on his first CA  with a total cost (with prototype and new class) cost of 1253.8MC. That is more than the GEV for the US for this turn, and almost equal to the Euro's.  China's GEV was1441.6, so it was a large percent of his.  He also managed to start a pair of FG's.  He had been saving up for a while and the payoff from the public subscription made for a big turn for China economically.
In the research arena, this was his first month to try and roll for EL2, but he didn't make it.  His other projects were just starting so that was his only roll.
The Minh did spark a small debate between the middle boy and myself.  It made its roll to advance grade following the battle at Jupiter.  This moved it up to green for the rest of the month.  He was of the opinion that it should go up one more grade at the end of the month for having completed its shakedown.  I wasn't so sure.  After some rule searching that seemed less than helpful, I decided to let the Minh advance to Average at the beginning of August.  It seemed only fair that if he made the advacement roll, he should have something to show for it.  I just made a mental note to apply that same rule to any other ship that ended up in the same situation.

For the US,
This month he continued with his colonization to Mars, and a fair investment in IU.  He also forked over some MC to the FSC to ship his troops out to Neptune.  The middle girl was unusually generous and decided not to charge him for the return trip or damages incurred, which was her usual deal.  She was also rather brave and agreed to land the troops.  Both she and the US paid for it when the expendable attack for Triton managed to do enough damage to cause 2 points, which I distributed as 1 point to each ship.  So the Vigilance lost its forward Qv, and so did the Mary Reed.
He shifted his newest MkIII to Earth to help cover there, as half the Euro 3rd BG was out at PV12/convoy escort, and the other half was in for repairs or shaking down from them.  Not that another poor quality ship helped much, but it was the most the US had been able to do for a while.  He also pulled one MkIIb from Mars to send out to Triton for ground fire.  The damage to PU from the laser - without having to burn up missiles - looked pretty good to the other players.  I know I overheard several conversations about special 'ground support' ships.  The fact that the expendable ordinance attack is based on PU on a particular facing hadn't escaped the boy, and since his Vigilance was going to land, something that could wipe out several PU on that facing without burning up missiles appealed to him.
He also decided to launch one missile without having it as a nuke - in the normal antishipping role where it didn't score x3 dmg.  I ruled that it would just act like a beam and gave it 1/20th damage vs the PU.  He thought that was ok, if a little weak, but ran it through as it was a neat little RP'ing thing.  I let him subtract 0.1 of the Qv loss from the Euro for the neat little idea.
He also started a pair of MkIII's at Earth, to continue rebuilding his fleet.  I think at this point he was hoping for a pair of four ship groups with MkIIb's x2 and MkIII's x2.  One for out system and one for inside the belt.  This is just my guess, but I think that was the plan.
He also gave up on the focus breakthrough and switched to a pair of SL projects at his SA.  Tired of throwing away money and resources for no result.

For all three of the above powers, concerning the landing....
I gave them the choice to not run a month of ground combat in July since they didn't land until it was almost done, and just roll it into the next month.  Or they could take the full losses for just 3 days of combat, call it a vicious landing action, and let August be month 2.  They all opted for July to be the first month, take the hit on lost Qv and H, and keep going.  They wanted to start getting a handle on just what EL, etc the aliens were and this was the easiest way to do it.
They also decided not to just nuke everything right away, and see how it went.  Glassing the planet was always and option, but hard to reverse if you decided it was a mistake.  The modifier for the month was a huge negative number at -124, and only a really good pair of  d100 rolls by my wife kept it from becoming a disaster.  Still was pretty hard on the players though. The 'big three' landed 28Qv at Triton. The Euro lost 1Qv on the landing and 0.5 to combat.  The US lost 1QV on the landing and 0.4 to combat.  China lost 0.9Qv to combat as they landed after the expendable ordinance had been used.
They all agreed they needed more troops, and fewer aliens on the surface.

For the FSC,
This month saw a small investment in colonization, her biggest ever investment in IU, and slight influx of MC from the US.  Even with all of her work, she was still only 25% or so of the US in GEV.  But she was trying.
Her research still seemed stalled, but she took that in stride.  She was hopeful that things would start turning around.  She had snuck her ship through the fighting with no major damage, had the US/Euro owing her some favors, and was hopeful for her research.  She was also wheeling and dealing with China as the middle boy had just discovered he had more of an H requirement at Triton than he realized, and had no more FT's to cover it (he had managed to forget it was a month out, and BACK). The FSC had a spare FT0 that might be available for a price...
She wasn't going anywhere fast, but at least she was moving forward instead of back.
All of her big plans were long term, and she was beginning to make progress.
She had even come up with a few FT designs that would earn her money instead of lose it, so she had a back up for when her colonization and IU ran out.
(I'm sure that the middle boy - China - would have done anything to learn there was a FT design that would make some MC instead of just losing it.)

For the Nemotians,
This first month at EL3 saw several projects started.  First and foremost were XOa and verifying the breakthough on D.  I really wanted the Da, it would have a big impact.  I didn't plan on rushing out with the XOa as the players would just get it sooner.
Economically, the EL growth offset the lost income from the problems at Triton.  The Nemotians pumped up the IU on worlds with newly enlarged population caps.  They also began churning out st in preparation for the next turn.  They also began another 6 PDC's to try and secure the last three large colonies.  With the last of the mobile assets needed to go fight the war, the PDC's were going to be needed to carry the weight.
The loss of the Attack Vessel hurt, as I was hoping to use it as a convoy escort when it reached the outsystem area.  That was going to be a problem.
Now for the matter of the Commander of Fleets.  
The Nemotians had one BG +1 Admiral, whom I had left on Assault Vessel 1, parked at New Home 1.  Other groups had run on the senior Captain's grade (at -1 per our house rules.  We feel a Capt. running his ship and the battle should be inferior to a dedicated Admiral.).  Also up to this time I had played a little loosely with the Nemotian's ships and groups.  The player's all had a couple of years experience, but were still willing most of the time to play it by ear.  They don't spend all of their time analyzing ranges and counting hexes during the battle.  Takes too long and takes the fun out of it. They will do it if they feel it is important or they have a lot of free time, but otherwise just aren't that interested.
I had played in groups when I was younger where that would have been Empire suicide.  I decided the Commander of Fleets was going to be that end of my experience.  My younger brother once said 'If your fighting fair, you just don't want to win bad enough.'  I decided that was the motto for the Commander of Fleets.
This next month became a rude surprise for the players.
I never cheated, or used information the Nemotians didn't have.  But in any engagement he was in, I made no allowance for ignorance.

And now for the two battles of the month

Third Jupiter

Chinese Forces

Cruiser Ho Chi Minh (BG-2)
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S S S S A A A A Qa Qa Mgs H (cpCp) Ra Ra (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (CpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Pan Euro 4th Light Battle Group

Heavy Escort Esme Jurkat (BG-1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S S Hs Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1] cg x1

Attack Escorts J Reynolds (BG-1) , G Vetra (BG-1)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Nemotian Patrol Group

Patrol Vessels 13 (BG+1), 17 (BG+2) , 24 (BG) , 25 (BG)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x1

Attack Vessel 2 (BG)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S H Ya Qa (Cp) Pta [6/1]  

The Chinese and Euro ships start with shields down and parked.  The Nemotian ships have to follow the route of the Euro gig and can't accelerate until they become aware of the other groups.  You could definitely vary the orientation of the ships and the course of the Euro gig.  The players settled on a position 8 hexes to the side of the gig's path.  You could also vary the formation of the Nemotian ships and their positions relative to each other.  For us it became a battle for position after the opening shots.


Final Assault on Triton

Chinese Forces
Admiral Hu (LG+1 / Decisive)

Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek (BG)
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S S S S x x x A Qa Qa Mgs H (cpCp) Ra Ra (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (CpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Cruiser Ho Chi Minh (BG-1)
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S S S S A A A A Qa Qa Mgs H (cpCp) Ra Ra (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (CpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Missile Frigates Anhui (BG+1) , Hubei (BG+2) , Shangxi (BG+1) , Henan (BG+1)
Class:  FG      22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1


Pan Euro 3th Light Battle Group
Admiral Robert McNeely (LG-1)

Armed Science Vessel Red October (BG)
Class:  FGf      22HS
[2] S S x x x x x x x x (x Cp) Ra Ra Ya Qa (Cp) [7/1]  cg x1

Attack Escorts Mary Queen of Scots (BG+2), Rachel Pierce (BG+1)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Pan Euro 4th Light Battle Group

Attack Escorts J Reynolds (BG) , G Vetra (BG)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]


US Forces
Admiral Jack Ryan (LG+2 / Navigator)

Interceptor MkIII Yari (BG+1)
Class: CTf      16HS
[2] S S S Hs Mgs Qa Ya (Cp) Ra Ra (Cp) [7/1]  cg x1

Interceptor MkIIb Z Taylor (BG-1)
Class: CT      16HS
[2] S S S H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

US Forces
Q Ship Vigilance (BG)
Class:  FT2      16HS
[2] S S Qv Qv Qv Ya Ra H H H (Bsa) Qa (Cp) [4/1] gtos x1, cg x1, Qv x3


FSC Forces

Converted Freighter Mary Reed (BG+1)
Class:  FT2      16HS
[2] S S S S Qv Qv Qv H H Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1, Qv x3


Nemotian New Home 3 Defense

Planetary Defense Installation (x2) (BG)
Class:  PDC      28HS


Planetary Fallout Shelters for 36PU (you can't nuke 'em)

184 PU / 75.8 IU

If facing 1 of Triton is toward Neptune, the PDC's are located on facings 5 and 6.
You can get the layout of the moons from June and advance them the required distance if you are worried about it.  With only one player mobile, it makes little difference.

There are a host of support ships, supply ships, and troop ships not listed.  If you want to see what they were, let me know and I can run them off.
This battle was less of a battle and more of an exercise in seeing how little damage you can take.  It would have been easy for the players to have just glassed the surface and then landed the troops.  The Mary Reed and Vigilance would have fared much better, along with the Qv, but the players wanted to try and drag it out and goad the Nemotians into attacking the planet.  They were also interested in trying out the ground combat rules, pillaging, opening communications (my wife mostly on this one), capturing the research facilities on the planet (China and the US were both scheming to be the one to get it, and it sounded like China was willing to risk ground combat with the other players to get it), capturing tech data and other info, etc, etc, etc....
Overall, they looked at the moon as a prize. If it could be pacified, they had already figured out they would likely make a LOT more from a captured/slave/subject moon than any colony of theirs would ever amount to.  With the limited incomes in this game, and slow colonization rate from the tiny CFN, GFFP on an icy moon with 9 times the pop you can put on it, plus a better REI for the 'natives', was just stupid.  They wanted the cash they could see on the moon below, and were willing to risk a number of problems to get it.  Who would claim it... well, that was still up for debate among the players.

Landing forces for the various powers added up to
Pan Euro  10Qv @ EL2
US 6Qv @ EL2
China 12Qv @ EL1

The losses they took during the combat and landing is covered above.
Losses for the Nemotians were pretty bad.
Between the PDC bombardment, orbital bombardment from the MkIIb Taylor's Lb x100 shots, and a demonstration strike of 10 nukes followed by ground combat, the Nemotian losses were 55.0 PU and 38.6 IU.
The Nemotians rolled a 97 on the HEL race reaction to invasion, so losses on all sides in Qv and H were doubled.  It was going to be a bloody conflict. Go figure.

Brace yourself for August.  Its not pretty.
Again, thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 30, 2010, 09:55:08 AM
August 2204 part 1

August 1st  0520 hours/Ground To Orbit Shuttle (GTOS) 03, 5000 km above Triton

   Ensign Don Treeman struggled with the controls of the shuttle.  'Damned thing is older than I am and they send it into a combat zone!'  The lifters were originally civilian boats, but their ability to carry large loads to and from one of the cargo liners or troopships made them valuable in military operations like this.  Putting the big ships in a combat zone was unthinkable.
   The lifters were becoming the lifeblood of the troops on the ground.  The hostile environment of Triton was forcing the troops to burn through supplies at a voracious rate, and combat with the aliens was using just as much cargo space for ordinance.  Coming back up from the surface the lifter would be full of wounded and dead.  Just like it was now.
   The lifter lurched again as the drive cut in and out.  Ground fire had been heavy and the automatic safeties continued to shut down the drive as the sensors detected excessive stress, or heat, or radiation, or whatever it was this time.  Then the drive would restart as the systems reset or corrected for whatever was wrong.
   It was only a few more seconds and they would begin landing procedures on Survey Tender 1.  The Tender was docked with the Pan Euro Troopship and the US Cargo Transport.  When they landed the crew would off load the wounded for transfer to the Euro vessel, and then reload the lander with supplies bound for the moon's surface.  Braking thrusters fired as the three ships loomed into view.
   Don adjusted the course to bring the lander into the bay on the Tender, and locked the settings into the NavCom.  He watched the bay doors open as the lifter switched to autopilot for final approach.
   Don never saw the warning light as the auto safety shut down the braking thrusters, and the lifter slammed into the bay at 400 kilometers an hour.


   1215 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 48 light minutes from Neptune

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could sense the four 'extra' Patrol Vessels accompanying the Patrol Group.  The Patrol Group had been reduced from 4 ships to three as Patrol Vessel 24 had been reassigned to convoy escort duty.  The presence of enemy warships near New Home 3 threatened several of the major transport lines.  A Colony Vessel of the Far Traveller Class would be moving nearly 390,000 colonists from New Home 4 to New Home 2.  New Home 4 was in a vulnerable position now, and New Home 2 possessed much greater defenses, so the transfer was deemed necessary.
   Two of the vessels in the Patrol Group had a great deal of experience dealing with the warships of the native race.  Patrol Vessels 17 and 13 had been involved in a number of battles.  The last ship in the Patrol Group was Patrol Vessel 25.  It had only seen a few actions against the native race, but had aquitted itself well.  Its crew worked and fought as one.
   The four extra Patrol Vessels were Patrol Vessels 1 and 2 of New Home 1 Defense Group, plus Patrol Vessels 7 and 8 of New Home 2 Defense Group.  All were well trained ships, but none had faced the enemy in battle.  Soon that would change.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 altered the field at his station and issued orders to all the Patrol Vessels.  Vessels 1 and 2 were to split off and proceed to one target, while 7 and 8 were to split off and proceed to another.  The ships of the Patrol Group had their own mission to complete.
   And then if they survived, there would be one more mission to complete.


August 2nd  0050 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, 12 light minutes from Neptune

   The Dutchman checked the status reports from the Mary Reed, and then began to check through the logs for the rest of the ships in the convoy bound for Earth.  It was not the first time he had been in command of more than one ship, but it was the first time he had commanded this many.  Let alone ships of different nations.  It seemed an unnatural and daunting task.  To be responsible for the last warship of the FSC was a heavy duty.  To be responsible for the ships of so many nations was nothing he had ever considered.
   The Dutchman looked over the log.  The Pan Euro Red October was the largest ship, and would have been in command.  It had suffered crippling damage at Triton though, and even her newly promoted commander had refused control of the group.  The only other warship was the US Vigilance, but her captain was less experienced and had readily ceded command to the Dutchman.  There were also three troopships, two Chinese and one Euro, along with a US Cargo liner and the damaged Survey Tender.  All told, eight ships.  Three of them warships.  One of the warships larger than any ship the FSC had ever fielded.
   But all of the warships were damaged to some degree, as was the Survey Tender.  It was a rather rag tag band, with more issues than the Dutchman cared to worry about.  But the board had made it clear that this operation would improve relations with the other powers, and that it would be conducted successfully. Nothing less would be tolerated.
   The Dutchman returned to checking the status reports of the convoy, and the sensor logs.  They were still a long way from home.


August 3rd  0800 hours/Pan Euro Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir sat back in her chair.  The 0600 briefing was done, and the staff had filed out.  A flurry of orders would be written and transmitted this day.  In the end, it would make little difference.  It didn't matter what basket you put them in, or what you called them, you would only have so many eggs until you got more.  Hopefully what had transpired this morning would help the Pan Euro use its 'eggs' to the fullest.
   The last two hours had been the fulfillment of several days of meetings.  The new Order of Battle had been decided upon.  The Queen Mary was to take the place of the Tatianna as the flagship of the 3rd Battle Group, with Jude in command. The 3rd BG would be responsible for the defense of Earth.  The Heavy Escort Tatianna, which had long been Brenna's Flagship, was to be detached from the 3rd BG.  Two new Attack Escorts that were already under construction would join the Heavy Escort at the beginning of September to form the new 4th Light Battle Group.  Its Commodore was still to be appointed, but rumor was that Captain Stephan Vasilikos of the Tatianna, who had acted as Brenna's Chief of Staff for some time now, was the man in line for the job.  For the moment, the Tati was to take up a position to guard Mobile Shipyard 2 as it continued to disassemble the alien Alpha.
   The Queen Victoria had just cleared the slip 24 hours ago, and was preparing to make its way to Neptune, with Rear (no Jude corrected herself, Vice) Admiral Brenna Muldoon in command.  When the Queen Vic arrived at Neptune, she would then add in the four Attack Escorts from the former 3rd and 4th LBG's to form the 4th Battle Group.  This would give the Pan Euro two Battle Groups, each consisting of a Royalty Class Ship of the Line, and four Attack Escorts.  Each Battle Group would be commanded by a senior admiral.  Next month would see the Heavy Escort Tatianna become the lead ship of the 4th LBG, with the Red October eventually being joined by a pair of Attack Escorts (whenever we can actually clear the yard space and funding to make them) to reform the 3rd LBG.  Commodore McNeely would command that group, assuming of course his safe return from outsystem.
   'Of course', Jude thought, 'one bad turn of events and this could all go out the airlock. Not much I can do about that from here.  Time to get back to the QM and make sure that doesn't happen on my watch.'


August 4th 2025 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po listened as the presenter from the Space Naval Forces gave his update on the construction at Venus.  Minister Po could feel the warm glow of satisfaction as the speaker continued.  'They had planned to disgrace me in front of the ministery, but it has backfired on them.'
   The controlling faction within the Ministry had appointed Po to raise the funding for a pair of new Frigates before the two under construction at Earth were completed.  They had expected him to fail.  Po had exceeded that demand.  Funds for a new CRUISER had been aquired, and the frigates were still nearly a month away from completion.  The new Cruiser was already under construction at Venus, in the slip beside the Heavy Cruiser that had been started last month.  It will be done in half the time the Heavy Cruiser will require, and will give the Chinese three deployable groups to work with.  Each group will be composed of a Cruiser and two Missile Frigates, and would boast 12 launch bays in each group.  Two groups were already at Neptune.  This third one will be complete in just over 4 months.  With these three groups, and the Heavy Cruiser in the lead, no other power, human or alien, will be able to stand before the Chinese Empire.
   And with this latest 'acheivement', Minister Po's faction was beginning to gain power.  'It will only be a matter of time before we decide policy.  Then we shall see who is disgraced.'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 11, 2010, 12:21:48 PM
August 2204 part 2

August 6th 0630 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters watched as the various staff members filed into the briefing room.  The 0630 briefings had become habit for most, but some still looked half asleep as they prepared for their presentations.  This day would see more work done than most, but much of it was 'on paper.'
   Today part of the staff would be putting together the documents and orders to reorganize the US ships into three small task forces instead of a single task force and a collection of individual ships.  Task Force 1 would be composed of the three MkIIb Interceptors stationed at Mars.  This group would simply continue that mission until further notice.
   The two MkIII's that had just cleared the yards here at Earth, the Sai and Kama, would join the Naginata at Earth and form Task Force 2.  They would be responsible for security here at Earth while they were shaking down and preparing for operations.  After a few months they would likely be reassigned to another duty, as putting the highest mobility ships in a stationary defense would be a waste.  For the moment it was a fair assignment for ships with crews that had barely enough time onboard to find their way from bow to stern.
   The last Task Force, number 3, was more a recognition that it was pointless to assign the Yari and Taylor to any other group.  They were several light hours away from the inner system, and would be on their own for some time to come.  They were assigned to supporting the operations at Neptune however Rear Admiral Ryan saw fit.
   For the moment Jack seemed to be interested in taking the Yari out to making wide sweeps around Neptune.  Accompanied by the two Euro Attack Escorts, Jack had taken to moving up to 36 light minutes from Neptune in an attempt to intercept alien shipping.  It was unlikely anything other than a warship would come close to Neptune, but Jack was still out there searching.
   The only other business for the day would be the final approval to begin construction of another Q ship here at Earth.  It was more of a formality, as the politicians had already put their stamp of approval on the project, but an official recognition and request from the military would be required to cross the last of the T's.  After that official construction would begin.  Unofficially, prefabbed parts had already been shipped to the yard for staging.  The crews were just waiting for the 'go ahead' to begin fitting sections together.
   What was bothering Bradley, and the question no one at this meeting could answer was what were the aliens up to?  Where had 'The Baron' disappeared to?  The aliens should have had more than enough time to arrive at Neptune and attack or harass the ships there.  If they were at Neptune, where had they gone and what were they up to.
   Bradley knew that if 'The Baron' and the rest of the alien ships hadn't shown up at Triton, it was because the aliens felt they had something more important to accomplish.  But what was more important than relieving a colony under attack?  And what would it mean for the US, and Earth?


   0840 hours/Elder's Chambers, New Home 1 (Eris)

   The Elders reviewed the information presented.  The last of the surface defense installations would be completed soon.  Two new Attack Vessels had begun construction.  These things were good, but they alone would not win this war.  Other more important matters were the focus of the counsel.
   The two Hive Vessels had finished loading the new bombers. They and the two Assault Vessels had begun their movements.   With this group was a single Mobile Repair Vessel and four Light Support Vessels.  They had their own special assignments that had been decreed by the Commander of Fleets.  It had shocked the counsel that the Commander of Fleets had defied the Supreme Elder and had taken control of several Support Vessels not assigned to the Combat Group, but the Supreme Elder had not acted upon this, and his silence was considered approval by most.  The Commander of Fleets had slept for many generations now, and his understanding of war came from a time when the survival of the race had also been in question.  His commands in this time were given great weight.  Apparently even by the Supreme Elder.
   And so the reports of the horrible slaughter on New Home 3, and the calls for help from all of those living and dying there, were unanswered.  New Home 3 would survive or perish on its own, alone against the race of machines that inhabited this system.  Reports were coming in that some of the machines housed 'things' that might be creatures as opposed to artificial constructs, but this was only rumor from the confused combat zones of New Home 3.  Until further proof was presented, the only hard evidence was that the enemy was nothing more than machines.
   Of course, even if they weren't machines, it would not change what must be done.


August 7th  1115 hours/Queen Victoria, dark side of asteroid belt

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon checked the status report from the ship's boat.  The previous convoy had encountered alien warships near Jupiter.  That convoy had been fortunate enough to have a Chinese Cruiser, a Light Battle Group, and two armed supply ships available.  Even with all of that, the Esme had been seriously damaged and then lost.  This convoy was guarded by the Queen 'Vic' as the convoy had dubbed her, and that was it.  The fact that the crew had logged less time at their stations than Brenna had spent locked in one was not a reassuring situation.
   And of all the ships, the QV was the only one with a ship's boat.  The crew had been forced to take shifts in the small craft as it crept ahead of the convoy, looking for aliens.  Two days at a time they would spend locked in their stations on the little boat.  Most of the crew had barely logged any flight time before this.  Now they were racking up the hours in the small boat at a grueling pace.  Not that they were much worse off than the crew on the QV.
   Brenna knew she was being merciless on the new crew, with incessant drills and snap inspections at any and all hours.  Day after day.  But they were headed toward an alien colony, through space that the aliens prowled constantly.  Seldom did a ship slip past the belt without making alien contact, and alien contact always meant one thing.
   With half a dozen unarmed ships carrying supplies the ground troops at Triton would die without, the crew of the Queen Victoria couldn't afford the luxury of a more leisurely training schedule.  Too many lives depended on her to be able to fight.  And fight well.


   2210 hours/Beijing, China

   Minister Po picked at the food on the tray beside him.  It was a disappointing turn of events.  The troops on Triton were consuming supplies at a much faster rate than anticipated, and would run out before they could be resupplied by Chinese ships.  It also appeared that they would need reinforcements to completely secure the moon.  The two Chinese Troopships would arrive back at Earth close to the end of the month.  They would begin loading the next wave of troops and their supplies for the combat on Triton.  The cost to mobilize the two additional divisions that would be shipped was going to come out of the funding Po had raised to build the next two Frigates.  The two currently in production would be finished before the end of the month, and Po had hoped to be able to gather the funds to begin construction of two more when the yard space became available.  This troop buildup was going to cut into that funding.
   It was also obvious that the troops would need additional supplies just to continue combat at the current intensity level.  Unfortunately they would need these additional supplies before the troopships would be able to return to Triton.  Worse, no Chinese ships were available to deliver the supplies.  The only vessel available to transport the supplies was a small FSC cargo freighter.  The fact that the Chinese Military was about to find itself dependant on the FSC to maintain its ground troops was 'distasteful.'  The amount the FSC was charging for the use of their freighter was far worse than just 'distasteful.'  It was much closer to 'disgusting'.  The cost of shipping a barely adequate amount of supplies was now far out of proportion to their cost.  But there was nowhere else to go, and no other ships available.  The US and Euro were being pushed to the limit supplying their own ground troops.  They had no space left to carry supplies for the Chinese divisions at Triton.
      The Ministry had decided that the 'additional funding' required to pay for the use of the FSC freighter was to be taken from the monies that Po had accumulated for the next two Frigates.  This caused an even greater shortfall in Po's projected funding.  Looking at the numbers, Po was sure that he would be lucky to have enough cash available to begin construction of a single Frigate at the beginning of next month.  Maybe not even that.
   With the war grinding on, and victory seeming to be a nearly unattainable goal, the future was looking grim.  Po's faction may be able to gain in power within the Ministry, but it would be for naught if they controlled a bankrupt and exhausted empire.   
   'At least the US and Euro can't be any better off.'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 13, 2010, 02:32:30 AM
August 2204 part 3

August 10th  0200 hours/Alternate Elders' Chambers, New Home 3 (Triton)

   The Elders reviewed the reports as they came in.  The underground shelters were still secure, and ten lightly armed divisions had been raised in addition to the 36 divisions of militia that had responded to the initial attack.  The enemy troops had been contained in several of their landing zones, but others had managed to break out or use lifters to move across the surface.  Losses were extreme.  The initial landings had laid waste to several of the habitats on the surface, and civilian casualties were high.  They would easily reach into the millions by this point.  The machines made no distinction between combatants and noncombatants.  Many 'civilians' had joined in attacks against the invaders, but it was suicide.  
   Combat against the machines was nearly impossible with their ships holding the high orbitals.  Any organized attack was met with destruction from both the ground troops and weapon fire from orbit.  Whatever weapon the enemy possessed that could pass through the magnetic protective field of the ships could also wreak horrible amounts of damage on the ground.  Any concentration of troops was targeted and destroyed.  The only way to engage the enemy was to get close enough to their positions that they could no longer use the tremendous power of the orbital weapons.  Troops had been dispersed, and plans laid out.  Several of the enemy concentrations were moving into the habitats and industrial centers on the surface.  These areas would help conceal movements and troop concentrations. This would be combined with attacks from the systems of tunnels connecting these areas to the underground shelters.   And in the habitats and factories, the enemy would find death.


August 12th  1945 hours/US Interceptor MkIIb Z. Taylor, orbit of Triton

   Captain Randall Brown checked the status reports on the laser capacitor and output coupler.  It was being employed well outside its normal operational limits.  It had been designed for short engagements between ships, not extended use as a ground support weapon.  Usually it was quite capable of a dozen discharges over the course of a few minutes.  It would then be down for maintenance and checks for weeks, if not months.  This was what it had been designed for.
   Current usage was nearly ten discharges per day, with no let up for maintenance other than the down time between discharges.  A few hours to check the system and then a new support request would come in from the ground.  US, Euro, and even Chinese commanders were requesting support from the laser.  Once or twice a day the Euro would fire a Scorpion Missile with the primary safety released to provide ground support, allowing the Engineering crew of the Taylor a chance to work on the laser when support requests came in too rapidly.  Two days ago elements of the 2nd Armored had entered an alien construction center, and had met heavy resistance.  The Chinese divisions had also entered a pair of alien 'cities' on the surface, and had been met with relentless attacks as they moved from one 'building' to the next.  Their less advanced power armor design was also proving difficult to support, and poorly suited to combat on the moon's surface.  Elements from the Euro division had moved to support them, but coordination between the two forces was poor at best.
   Current usage would put the capacitor at over 400 discharges in five weeks time.  That was over twenty times more discharges than had ever been attempted in the same span of time by any other ship.  Randall checked the status reports again.  This wasn't a record he wanted to set.  Assuming the capacitor and output systems didn't just burn out.


August 15th  1210 hours/Construction Facility 12, Surface of Triton

   Soldier Chen Hyang looked out over the 'ground' below.  In the perpetual night of Triton, the world was a grey and white enhanced display on the HUD.   Strangely shaped buildings rose from the jagged icy ground.  They reminded him more of massive crayfish mounds he had seen as a boy lining the stream near his house.  There were over two hundred of the mounds in this factory complex, and the aliens still held most of them.  The fact that this complex was situated inside an alien 'city' with nearly five thousand structures just made it worse.  Fighting in the small corridors, and from building to building, was deadly.  Dozens of the aliens might die for every Chinese soldier they killed, but they kept coming.  The fact that they could seem to fly over the surface or from building to building made it impossible to consider any area 'secured'.  They could move so much faster than any power armor soldier over the surface made reacting to an attack all but impossible.
   The laser from the US ship had been requested eight times in the last 24 hours to stem the surge of alien 'troops' that had attacked Chinese positions in the city.  The laser could shatter buildings and the surface itself, for an area over one hundred meters across.  Dozens of the alien structures would be flattened, stopping attacks and clearing lanes of fire.  But the rubble left behind often gave cover to the next wave of alien attackers, and the frigid temperature of the moon's surface played havoc with tracking and weapon systems.  Many soldiers died when their weapons or armor failed.
   And when one died, others would follow.  The limited number of troops was forcing the companies to deploy over large areas.  To place more than one soldier in a position would leave unacceptable holes in the perimeter.  But if a position was lost, others would rapidly fall as the aliens exploited the hole in the defenses.  It was then a request would go out for support from the US ship.  The aliens moved too quickly for the reserves to plug holes in the perimeter.
   Chen rechecked the mounts of the Model 63 at his position.  The weapon had been produced over a century ago, but had actually proved rather successful against the aliens.  It had been intended as an anti vehicle or 'aircraft' weapon, but the antiquated magnetic proximity fuses on the 37mm rounds had proved very good at anti personnel work against the aliens.  The aliens seemed to trigger the magnetic fuses quite regularly, and the large amount of copper fragments seemed to tear them apart nicely.  Its biggest drawbacks were that it had limited recoil compensation, requiring it to be fixed or bolted down.  Otherwise it would become a huge missile after the first shot.  Its other drawback was the five round magazines it loaded from.  The springs lost a lot of tension in the cold, causing frequent misfeeds.  Any loose magazines tended to fly around if not secured when the weapon fired.  All this, and simply that five shots wasn't much when a horde was bearing down on you.
   Chen's radio crackled to life as reports of movement came in.  First one, then dozens of calls.  The aliens were making contact across a wide front of the perimeter.  And then Chen heard the position to his right call in, and could see the bright flashes of explosions in the darkness.  Chen could feel the sweat running down his forehead, and feel his heart pounding.
   "Movement, section seven." Chen could hear himself say, but the radio was a mass of calls and screams now.  At least a dozen aliens were moving in the jagged ice formations in front of Chen.  Another alien shot from one building to another.  Chen triggered the 63 and emptied the five rounds at the 'flying' alien.  It was like five silent flashbulbs flaring in front of him.  The alien crashed into the side of the building and then drifted to the ground.  But this one was different.  They all were.  They were wearing some form of suit.  Instead of a mass of spindly legs and tentacles, it was a long angular box with dozens of projections and fixtures.  And then the world started to come apart.
   The walls shattered and lights flashed as the aliens fired on his position. Chen abandoned the old cannon and hurled himself down the small tunnel of the building he was in.  It twisted and turned, forked, then came out on what appeared to be the 'roof' of the building he was in.  An alien was already there, and he could see a projection turning towards him on the thing's suit.  Chen grabbed for his rifle, but knew he was going to be too late.  The roof exploded in light and Chen could feel himself falling.  Chunks of the building's icy material fell about him.   Chen began to move, and saw warning lights flash across his HUD.  The main power relay was down.  The armor that was supposed to protect him had just become his prison.  Chen could see two alien suits fly above his position, and then another pair began to move towards him.  He tried to key the radio and let someone know what was happening, but it was silent.  This was his third combat, and now his last.
   Several dark forms moved at the edge of Chen's vision, and then more explosions followed.  It was too soon for reinforcements, these would have to be more aliens.  Chen felt something jar him through his armor, saw that something had landed on him.  A dark grey black form, with projections like wings from its back.  It looked like a woman, a dark angel with a sword of flame and light in one hand that it swung about.  Chen saw the woman reach down and grab the shoulder plate on his armor, and felt pain as she pulled him from the rubble.  But the woman had no face, only a blank, black hole where one should be.  And then the world went black as Chen watched the angel of death take him.


   1222 hours/Sector 38, Surface of Triton

   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank held onto the motionless Chinese Power Armor as she tried to move back through the rubble that had once been an alien building.  Dozens of alien 'soldiers' moved through the jagged landscape.   She slung the PzGw 94 back against her side and locked the last of her Rollover Missiles onto an alien suit.  She didn't even watch as she fired the missile, concentrating on getting her LE/SR out and off safe.  The rest of her squad was already beginning to fall back.  Tanya’s squad had been nearby and had moved to reinforce the Chinese line, but there were just too many aliens.  And this time they weren't just creatures with weapons, they were alien combat suits.  Flechettes shattered on the suits like straw.  The Rollovers tore them apart, but you had to pick your targets, not just shoot at concentrations of them.  Hopefully the 9mm AP/HE rounds in the LE/SR would fare better.
   Tanya fired a burst at an alien moving between buildings 60 meters away.  The 9mm rounds punched through the suit, but it took nearly a dozen hits before the thing stopped moving.  Tanya fired her thrusters and kicked off backwards.  The surface exploded behind her as alien weapons detonated where she had been.  From 20 meters above the surface Tanya knew she was an inviting target, but she needed to see what the aliens were doing and a bird’s eye view would be fastest.  Tanya fired a short burst from her rifle as she keyed her thrusters and rocketed back toward the ground.  Lines traced across Tanya's HUD as it tracked the alien weapons flashing by her.
   "Headquarters, this is Oberfeldwebel Frank.  We are falling back from Grid zero two six seven three eight of sector three eight.  Heavy alien contact. Seventy alien combat suits within one hundred meters of our position.  Request fire support."  Tanya crouched in the rubble for a moment and adjusted her grip on the Chinese armor.  Looking up she could see nearly a dozen alien shapes sailing from the top of one building to another.  She fired off a long burst at the group and then kicked off for a new position.
   "Frank.  US Taylor is currently engaged and we can't fire a Scorpion into Chinese positions.  Will deploy Lancers times six.  Mark targets with Q seven designators. Fall back to alternate fire base Tigress.  Headquarters out."  Tanya thought for a moment about the reply, and what she thought of it.  But only for a moment before another alien shape loomed in front of her.  Gyroc rounds stitched the alien suit even as she kicked off again.  Then she found herself cartwheeling as multiple explosions ripped the ground apart.
   As her thrusters damped the spin and forced her back to the surface she held still for a moment. 'Fall back?  We can hardly move! Where did all these alien suits come from, and why didn't somebody see them coming?'
   Tanya checked her HUD and saw that the rest of her squad was falling back.  At least she hadn't lost anyone yet.  But they had only been fighting for a few minutes.  She pulled out her PzGw 94 again, dumped the current belt and locked in the small clip of designator rounds.  Kicking off again she began to fire at every building close to her.  As she crashed back to the ground she looked at the faceplate on the Chinese armor. 'No sense dragging this around if it’s dead.'  Looking in she could see the face of a young Asian man.  The face was bruised, but he still looked alive.  'I wonder if you were shooting at me a year ago?' Tanya thought.  Pulling out the LE/SR again, she prepared to move.
   Tanya opened the link to her squad.  "OK, everyone on me.  This area is going to get hot."
   Tanya heard her comm link open.  "Frau Frank, it’s already hot and we're already leaving.  You and your souvenir need to catch up."

   1235 hour/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, orbit of Triton

   Admiral Hu pulled up the display for the surface tactical situation.  Red patches for alien activity were everywhere.  The main Chinese supply dump on the surface was only 3 kilometers from a heavy alien advance near one of the surface 'cities'.  But it was happening on a planet wide scale.  The US and Pan Euro ships were firing in support of positions on the far side of the moon, but the Chinese were the ones over the surface here.  They were responsible for ground support.  Prior to this, they had simply shifted and let the US ship provide ground support.  That wouldn't work now.
   A box blinked to life in the corner of his display.  Hu tapped the keys and the box expanded.

   FROM GENERAL FENG

   ATTN  ADMIRAL HU

   REQUEST ORBITAL SUPPORT OF SECTOR 38
   LOSS OF SUPPLY CENTER WILL SEVERELY IMPEDE GROUND OPERATIONS.
   IF LASER SUPPORT UNAVAILABLE, CODE THREE THREE SIX AUTHORIZATION.


   Admiral Hu looked at the request.  Three three six.  Admiral Hu checked the enemy advance rate.  They would reach the supplies in less than twenty minutes at their current rate of advance.  Possibly sooner.  They might have support weapons in range of the dump even now.  If they know it is there, it might only be moments before they shelled the area.
   Admiral Hu tapped the display in several locations, and then sent it to the weapon tables.  "Weapon Conn, launch on designated coordinates.  Full safety release."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 17, 2010, 02:19:17 AM
August 2204 part 4

August 17th  1420 hours/Johannesburg, South Africa

   Chairman Mukata looked out from the platform as the troops paraded past.  They were dressed in dull black power armor copied from an older Pan Euro Model, acquired at the same time as the design for the Scorpion Missile.  But they carried weapons purchased from the vast US armaments industry.  The rifles were nearly new, as the FSC kept no stock of weapons intended for low G combat.  The FSC only had rights to off world territories for the last few months, so they had never actually been considered necessary. Now troops would be carrying the new weapons with almost no chance to train with them, and go straight into combat with alien forces.
   Chairman Mukata thought about the last board meeting and remembered how the assembled board members had decided that support of the ground combat on Triton would not only allow the FSC a chance for a closer look at some alien technology, but would build good will between the FSC and the other powers.   To that end, this brigade had been mobilized and supplies raised or purchased.  Upon the return of the Mary Reed, these troops would begin the month long journey to a nearly lightless ball of ice, whose only value right now was in the alien population on it.
   Mukata wondered as he watched the rows of troops pass if any of them would ever return to the earth.


August 21st  1645 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, Mars orbit

   "OK crew, here is what you've been waiting for.  Unlock stations, Weapon and Shield crews stand down.  We're back."
   Commander Scott Moreland unlocked his station as the Vigilance docked at the Mars Station.  The Vigilance, the US Supply Ship, and Survey Tender One had left the convoy as they passed the belt and had altered course for Mars.  The red planet looked as good as home right now.   This would be the first time in weeks the crew would be able to move about on the ship for any extended period of time.  With the three Interceptor MkII's of Task Force 1 nearby, plus the five Defense Modules of the Mars Station, the endless days of remaining locked at stations was now no longer necessary.
   On the far side of the station Survey Tender One was finishing docking maneuvers.  Both she and the Vigilance would need repairs, but they would have to wait until the work going on in the slip was completed.  The hull of a new MkIIb Interceptor was taking shape in the slip, and getting it finished would take precedence over repairing the damaged Q ship or Survey Tender.   The 'three Interceptor Task Force' was becoming a little light on firepower for current standards.
   Scott looked at the cramped bridge, and decided that a trip to the surface might be in order.  'This jury rigged old tub has brought us through a lot, but it’s time for a break.'


August 22nd  0305 hours/Survey Vessel Marco Polo, dark side of the asteroid belt

   Captain Jingtsu continued working with the survey data from Titan.  It had actually proven to be a far more valuable location than had initially been assumed.  The environment was hostile, and constructing colonies would be difficult and dangerous.  But the moon and the rings of Saturn had shown to be rich in many of the compounds used in the composites required for ship and drive construction.  What made it even more valuable was the ease with which extraction was found to occur.  Most deposits were locked in icy substrates that were easily broken up and mined, and then the ore required little heat to drive off the volatile ices.  The minerals in question would be far more readily acquired than on Ceres.  The rock and metal composition of most asteroids made refining ores as difficult as it was on Earth, and less profitable.
   The data suddenly disappeared from Jingtsu's screen.  Collision alerts flashed onto the screen in their place.  Jingtsu keyed open the warning to find that two small objects were rapidly closing on the Marco Polo.  Missiles.  Alien missiles.  
   "Lock Stations.  Engage drive.  Change course sixty degrees starboard, down five degrees."  Jingtsu looked at his monitor as he locked his station.  They would never have enough time.  Less than ten seconds until intercept, and this was no combat ship.  Jingtsu gripped the ends of the armrests and waited for the inevitable.  The sensors clouded over as the alien weapons detonated.  And then they cleared.  The Marco Polo was still there, but her sister ship had just become dozens of tumbling fragments.  The two alien ships had also appeared on the sensor returns, racing straight toward the Marco Polo.
   "Helm, get us moving.  Comm, broadcast to Earth our current location, situation, and any sensor data you can get.  We aren't going to live through this, but at least we may be able to save someone else."  Jingtsu watched the monitor as another alarm box flashed in the corner, and another pair of alien weapons appeared.


   0430 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po read the transcript of the last transmissions from the Survey Vessel Marco Polo.  They had been attacked by two of the smaller alien warships near the asteroid belt and apparently destroyed.  The survey group had completed its work at Saturn and had transmitted the data to Earth 40 hours ago, so the mission was a success even if the ships had been lost.
   This proved that the aliens had not abandoned the inner system when Triton was attacked.  It also meant that Venus was in greater danger than had been anticipated.  Earth was protected by a number of ground based launch centers and the ships of the Euro and US.  Venus Station had its internal launchers, and the newly added magnetic protection system.   It was also in the process of constructing a new Cruiser, and the first ever Heavy Cruiser.  These two construction projects represented a major investment for the Chinese.  One that could not be risked.  The two Missile Frigates under construction at Earth would be finished in the next 48 hours.  That schedule would have to be expedited, and the ships immediately moved to Venus to begin their training there.  Even poorly trained crews would still be able to double the number of launch bays available for the defense of Venus.  No one in the Ministry had any question of what needed to be done in this regard.
   The actual issue at hand was the matter of the transmission from the Marco Polo.  The ship had maintained protocols and transmitted the message in code.  The other nations of Earth would have received the message and know from what direction it had originated, but would not know its contents or the reason it had been made.  They would have also received the other transmissions the Marco Polo had made as it transmitted the survey results from Titan.  The other powers would likely just consider that this was continued information from a Chinese survey group, as Saturn was the only significant body from the direction the transmissions had originated.  No known colonies in the belt were currently even close to this direction from Earth. The other space powers would eventually be able to triangulate that the last transmission had occurred near the belt, but it would be unlikely that they would assign the transmission a high priority and investigate the location.  
   Unless the other nations had encountered the aliens recently, they would also likely believe that alien combat vessels were not currently active in the inner system.  Projections of the alien's location at the time of the attack and the time it would take for them to reach Venus would still leave the Frigates enough time to take up positions guarding the station there.  If the other nations were alerted to the presence of the aliens immediately, and then saw the only two Chinese Frigates inside the belt suddenly depart Earth for Venus, they could become suspicious of what activity was occurring there.  'Why rush newly completed ships to guard a remote station instead of the home planet?' would be their question.  The other powers could not be allowed to gain information on the construction there or even given reason to suspect its existence.
   The debate was still going on in the Ministry, but to Po the answer was obvious.  The contents of this transmission would remain unknown to the other nations of Earth.  The departure of the Frigates would appear to be simple training and redeployment, and the US and Euro would remain ignorant of the alien presence in the belt.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on September 04, 2010, 01:08:02 AM
August 2204 part 5

August 23rd  1950 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 38 light minutes sunward from Neptune

   "Contacts times four. Range eight light seconds.  Tango Class times one.  Romeo Class times three.  Bearing zero two two ascension minus five.  Heading zero seven three ascension zero point five.  Speed two one zero zero kilometers per second."
   "All ships lock stations, battle stations.  Sensor Conn, clear nearby space, verify no other contacts.  Helm, bring us onto a course directly behind the new contacts, and maintain range of eight light seconds.  Comm, tightbeam to the Attack Escorts, hold formation.  Engineering, get the ship's boat prepped for launch when we come onto the new heading.  Boat to take up station ten light seconds behind the Yari.  I don't want anyone sneaking up on us."  Rear Admiral Jack Ryan pulled up the sensor returns just to double check that no other alien vessels were nearby.  Tango and Romeo Class Vessels had never been armed in previous engagements but that didn't mean these weren't, or that they were unescorted.
   As the Yari settled into its new heading and the sensor returns confirmed there were no other alien ships nearby, Jack began to let himself believe that perhaps they had actually found an unguarded convoy.  It also didn't seem that the convoy was aware of their presence.  Seven minutes later as the ship's boat took up station trailing the Yari, Jack ordered the crew to stand down from battle stations.
   'Ok, these ships didn't come from Triton, and they definitely aren't going there.  So where did they come from, and where in the hell are they going?'  Jack pulled up the display of known bodies in the solar system and began a plot using the alien ships' current course.  The back azimuth on the ships didn't seem to lead anywhere in particular.  That meant these ships were likely making course changes instead of straight line headings.  That would make this difficult.  At the very least they were detouring around the battle near Triton.  At worst they would be making course changes frequently to confuse anyone following them and make plotting the alien shipping routes impossible.  The current course would take the four alien vessels far from the sun, and could lead to half a dozen different bodies in the Kuiper Belt.  With the aliens living on frozen moons, those small bodies in deep space might just make a cozy home for them.  The only way to find out where they were going was to follow them.
   "Comm, get a tightbeam link to the Taylor.  Transmit current sensor data and my intention to shadow the contacts until we find out where they are going."  Jack knew that getting a tighbeam to the Taylor at this range would be difficult, perhaps impossible.  But he couldn't afford to use a broadband transmission.  It could alert the alien vessels to the Yari's presence.  The only other option was to send one of the Attack Escorts with the message back to Triton.  They could always destroy the small group of ships.  The Tango was the size of a Pan Euro Mobile Shipyard, and the Romeo Class was the same size as the US Cargo Freighters.  Losing four ships would hurt the aliens.  Finding out where they were going was much more valuable, but it was going to take a while.
   "Let’s settle in folks, this could be a long ride."


August 24th  0320 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, six light seconds from Earth

   The Dutchman finally allowed himself to relax as the convoy came into range of the Earth's surface based launch facilities.  Three US Interceptors had just passed the convoy heading away from Earth to ensure that the convoy had not been followed.  A Pan Euro Battle Group was taking station around the convoy to escort it the last few minutes of its journey.  'We're home.'
   Sensor returns suddenly posted two new contacts.  The Dutchman displayed the sensor data to see that two Chinese Frigates had just left the Chinese Space Station and were beginning to maneuver.  'They wouldn't try anything now.  They have ships in this convoy too.'  For a moment the Dutchman wondered if the Chinese intended to escort their Troop Transports back to Earth, but the two Frigates took up a course moving away from the collection of ships.  Their course didn't seem to be going anywhere in particular.  'Perhaps they are just setting off for training.  Or maybe Triton.'
   The Dutchman noticed that the amount of radio traffic from the Chinese was up a great deal.  More than usual for the launch of a pair of Frigates.  But these weren't exactly 'normal' times.  US and Euro radio traffic were up also.  The Chinese tended to keep their activities and intentions to themselves.  So long as they weren't firing on the Mary Reed, the Dutchman decided that a little extra radio buzz wasn't going to bother him.  
   The Dutchman keyed in a course that would take the Mary Reed into orbit, and then a landing in South Africa.  'The old girl needs a little attention, and we all need a little rest.  Maybe some fun too.'  
   "All hands prepare for landing."


   1105 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, ten light seconds from Mars

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could feel the tension in the crew.  They were one of three Patrol Vessels about to engage the defenses near the fourth planet of this system.  This colony of the native race had been attacked several times, and had always been protected by enemy warships.  It also possessed an orbital defense station.  A direct attack on the planet would be almost suicidal with only three Patrol Vessels.
   The other two pairs of Patrol Vessels were moving into position elsewhere in the inner system.  One of the groups had already encountered enemy ships near the debris field and had destroyed them.  It was possible the enemy ships had gotten a warning signal out, and that was a problem.  What was supposed to be a surprise attack may now be expected.  Now the attacks would begin early to prevent the enemy from preparing its defenses.
   The scout craft from all the Patrol Vessels had arrived only a short time ago, and the attack would begin now.  The small craft would lead the way, with Patrol Vessels 13, 17, and 25 following just over two light seconds behind them.  It was unlikely the seven scouts would ever reach the planet to use the bombs they carried, but they were intended to draw fire from the Patrol Vessels, not destroy the population.  In that, they should be successful.  For once the goal was not to destroy the population on the planet, but to destroy the enemy's warships.  The hope was to draw the warships out and engage them from beyond the range of the orbital defenses.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 altered the field at his station and felt the ship begin to accelerate.  The course changed slightly to allow the ship to maintain its distance from the scouts, as it began to edge around them to gain a better sensor reading of the planet.  Moments later the orbital defense station became visible as magnetic protective fields surrounded it.  Even more reason not to approach the planet.  But no ships.  Was the planet unprotected?
   New magnetic fields sprang to life.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could sense them.  Four new fields had just cleared themselves from behind the planet.  The range was too great for targeting, but the signatures of three ships indicated that they were models that mounted the weapons which could bypass a magnetic field.  The last ship was of the same mass, but past engagements had shown it to be slower and carrying only a single launch bay.  It was already nearly a light second behind the other three warships.  It would be a secondary target.  The mission was to engage and destroy main line enemy warships without losses to the Patrol Group.  And that was what the Commander intended to do.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 noted that the enemy warships already had a slight speed advantage on the Patrol Group.  The sensors on the orbital platform or planet must have given them more warning than had been anticipated.  It would matter little in the engagement unless the enemy ships attempted to pursue the Patrol Group.  It was unlikely they would leave the colony though.  The defenses of the planet had never offered to pursue retreating vessels in the past.  Machines would be unlikely to change their doctrine.
   The range closed and targeting data began to fill the fields at the Commander's station.  The Commander could feel the first torpedo launch from Patrol Vessel 17's bay, and the other two torpedoes as they left Patrol Vessels 13 and 25.  Enemy weapons began their race towards the Patrol Group.  Sensor readings detected that two of the scout craft had broken apart.  The enemy ships were apparently using the invisible weapons to target the small craft.  All data gathered so far indicated that whatever the weapon was, it was not capable of any great range.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 ordered the group to begin to come about.  There was no sense closing with the enemy ships and allowing them to target the Patrol Vessels with those weapon systems.
   The enemy weapons detonated along the path of Patrol Vessel 17, but the magnetic field held.  It had been reduced to half its previous strength, but was still operating.   The Commander could sense that one of the enemy vessels had lost its magnetic field, and had shut down its drive to clear damage.  It would now be much easier to destroy.


   1108 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, two light seconds from Mars

   Commander Scott Moreland verified the launch order and felt the drive of the Vigilance stutter for a moment as the launch bay deployed.  Then the world turned grey again as the drive engaged.  Moments later the world turned into the kaleidoscope of colors as the evasive maneuver protocol was implemented.  The Franklin had lost its shields, and its bridge had been damaged.  Captain Mitchell Vass had just transmitted the order to implement the new maneuver protocol before they had been hit.  The Franklin wasn't out of the fight though.  Scott could see on the returns that she had managed a second missile launch, and thermal readings indicated she was discharging the laser capacitors again.  With the Vigilance in range it would be four missiles to the aliens three.  The Interceptors had closed to just one half of a light second from the bombers, and their lasers should start taking a heavy toll on the little ships.  The Vigilance was still five light seconds from the three Alphas, and with the alien ships turning away it was unlikely they would be in the fight for long.  The Alphas were faster, and the maneuver protocol would slow the Vigilance even more.
   The alien weapons closed rapidly on the Interceptor group.  Detonations clouded the sensor returns, but a large thermal pulse showed that the Franklin had lost containment of its drive bloom.  As the wave of plasma cleared enough for the sensors to resolve the Interceptors, only two were left.  The sensors were also showing that one of the Alphas had lost its shields, but its drive had never shut down, a clear indication that the ship had escaped any damage.  The missile from the Vigilance had been almost two light seconds behind the launches from the Interceptors, and frustration welled up inside of Scott as it became obvious the missile would never be able to make intercept.
   Then Scott saw that the Alphas were coming about on to a new course that put them in an orbit around Mars at just under seven light seconds.  They weren't running away.  Perhaps the Vigilance would get another shot.


   1109 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 6.75 light seconds from Mars

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 considered the situation.  Patrol Vessel 17 had lost its protective field and the enemy warships had begun that frustrating maneuver that made successful intercepts difficult.  It hadn't saved the damaged warship, but it would make destruction of the remaining warships more difficult.  Worse, the main enemy warships were turning around and following the scouts instead of trying to close with the Patrol Vessels.  The scouts had increased their drive output to dangerous levels, but they still wouldn't be able to outrun the enemy warships.  If the native race's vessels continued to head back toward the planet, they would again come under the protection of the orbital platform.
   Keeping Patrol Vessel 17 in range of the enemy was dangerous, but the current tactical situation would give the Patrol Group a limited amount of time to engage their targets.  An extra torpedo could make all the difference.  Patrol Vessel 17 would remain in the battle until damaged or the targets had passed beyond range.


   1109 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, 2.5 light seconds from Mars

   Scott watched as the alien missiles closed on the Interceptors, and then relaxed as both the Jackson and JFK came out of the detonations with their shields still up.  He could also see that the missiles from the Interceptors had failed to find their target also, and the unshielded Alpha's drive bloom continued to blaze.  The small bombers were stretching the range with the Interceptors as the larger ships overshot the little craft and had to come about.  Two of the seven had been destroyed in the first moments of the battle, but not a single one had been destroyed since.  The Interceptors had never been designed to engage multiple targets simultaneously.
   Scott watched as the lone missile from the Vigilance sped toward the distant Alphas.  They were still on the edge of the Vigilance's maximum engagement range.  The sensor returns distorted for a moment as the EMP from the missile and mass of charged particles obscured the unshielded Alpha, but a moment later the alien ship appeared stuttering its drive and venting.
   Scott could hear the crew cheer as the crippled Alpha turned away from the battle.  But he could also see that the Interceptors' course had carried them beyond the range of the Alphas, and that the Vigilance would be the only ship left within five light seconds of the alien ships.  The next launch would be coming for them.


   1110 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 7.75 light seconds from Mars

    The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 checked the ship's status.  The outer plating had been damaged in several locations and the inner hull had been breached in one.  The only damage so far had been to the storage section of the Patrol Vessel.  They would have to draw extra supplies from the Support Vessel after the battle as everything on board had been vented, and would need the Mobile Repair Ship to make temporary repairs, but otherwise the Patrol Vessel was still fully functional.  It would take time for the magnetic field generators to come back on line, but after that the vessel would again be combat worthy.  The Commander of Fleets would be displeased, but the destruction of an enemy warship would help to deflect that anger.  
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 was not pleased with the remaining ships of the group.  They had targeted and launched on the slower of the enemy warships, but had begun to come about to reengage the two main enemy warships.  This was the primary goal of the mission, but the three launches from the orbital platform showed that they had strayed too close to the planet.  Another of the scout craft had been destroyed, and Patrol Vessel 13 was reporting that half of its protective field generators were off line.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 ordered Vessels 13 and 25 to disengage.  Little more could be accomplished here without loss of a serious nature.
   One of the enemy warships had been destroyed, and the only damage to the Patrol Group was minor.  This mission would be a success, and the Patrol Group would claim another enemy vessel destroyed.


   1330 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked at the staff as they assembled for the briefing.  Every last one of them was still busy trying to put together what they would be presenting.   Although the battle had occurred two hours ago, the current time lag for communications was over 15 minutes.  The delay was making it difficult to assess the situation.  Initial reports showed that it could have been worse.  No alien bombers or weapons had hit the colonies on Mars.  But it could have been a lot better.  Task Force 1 had not only lost an Interceptor, it had lost the Task Force Commander in Captain Mitchell Vass.  He would have been promoted to Rear Admiral in just a few more days.  'He still will be.' Bradley thought to himself.  'But it’s going to be posthumous.'
   Bradley had one other matter that he wanted to address first.  He stood and addressed the staff.  "Lieutenant Commander Ryan, I want your analysis on the engagement.  I don't care if you have everything laid out or not, I want to know what you know.  The rest of you can carry on with your preparations."  Bradley turned to the young woman who just stared back at him.  She looked at the monitor in front of her blankly, and then stood up.
   "Yes Admiral.  Uh, I haven't gone over everything yet, so this is all going to be subject to change.  The initial analysis looks like 'The Baron' was present at the engagement and managed two of the three missile intercepts that destroyed the Franklin.  One of the other Alphas seems to have been with 'The Baron' for nearly a year now, it seems to show up regularly when 'The Baron' engages.  It hasn't accounted for nearly as many ships destroyed, but has managed several.  I've coded him as 'The Squire' for the moment.  Damage estimates from the intercept made on 'The Baron' are impossible to make.  The range was too great and the sensor contact to brief before the ship disengaged.   The drive bloom was at the normal combat levels for an Alpha when it disengaged, and all indications are that the alien launch bays are hardened, so they are likely to be intact also.  It can probably still fight.  The other ships never lost their shields.  All told, the enemy group is probably still active and combat capable."  Meagan shifted uneasily as she stood.  Bradley was sure that having 'The Baron' several light hours from her father was a relief to the girl, but still having him in the inner system was not.
   Next on the agenda would be finding out if the MkIII's of Task Force 2 were up to hunting this group, but Bradley already knew they weren't.  It was just too soon.  The Pan Euro Red October was too badly damaged, and the Yari was too far away.  Every ship that could catch the bastard and keep him from getting away was not going to be available or capable. 'The Baron' was still out there, and for the moment there was no one to stop him.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on September 05, 2010, 03:26:25 AM
August 2204 part 6

August 24th 1545 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, 11.82 light minutes from Hygiea Colony

   Captain Stephan Vasilikos knew this was a terrible gamble, but he had spent his life as a maverick.  Years ago that way of life had cost him his body and almost his life.  That hadn't changed who he was though, only the rules and what he was capable of.   A lone Heavy Escort against a pair of Alphas was not a fair fight, and the odds were against him.  Was it pride that had put him here?  Overconfidence?  Or just a need to show that he could run this ship as well as Vice Admiral Brenna Muldoon had?  It really didn't matter now.  The only thing that would matter was what happened in the next few minutes.
   The hours that had led up to this moment were going to test whether or not he would remain in command of the Heavy Escort if they survived, but what was done was done.  Over three hours ago he had learned of the alien attack at Mars from decoded US transmissions.  It would take half an hour for a request for orders to make the round trip to Earth and back, and longer for it to be processed.  If aliens were active in the area, waiting a few hours for a response could be too long.
   The Mobile Shipyards represented a major portion of the Pan Euro's space based construction capabilities now.  It was no longer a handy repair ship; it was needed to keep the Pan Euro Station's shipyards open for new construction.  With only two slips at the station, the two Mobile Shipyards were now high value assets.  Much too valuable to risk.  So Stephan had given the order for Mobile Shipyard Two to cease operations on the alien hull and proceed toward Earth.  Little was left on the alien ship other than structural supports and framework.  The engineers had assured Stephan that all active systems had been removed from the drifting hulk.
   Stephan had radioed ahead that the Tatianna and Mobile Shipyard Two were abandoning the alien hull and proceeding toward Earth.  An hour after that transmission the reply from Earth was received.  'Return to alien hull and resume operations.'  With the alien wreck a possible target for the aliens, and the Mobile Shipyard having a maximum sustainable speed only one third that of a Heavy Escort, there would be no way to protect the construction ship in a combat situation.  It wouldn't be able to run, and without a magnetic protection system and using a civilian designed hull it would be impossible to protect.  
   That was the first time this day that Stephan had violated his orders.  He gave the order for the Mobile Shipyard to shut down its drive and drift toward Earth.  With the drive deactivated and most active systems off, the Shipyard would be almost invisible.  Just another drifting 'rock' in space.
   For his second act of insubordination Stephan had returned the Tatianna to the alien hull, and taken up a position a few light seconds from it, instead of remaining with the Mobile Shipyard.  He had shut down the Tatianna's drive and active sensors in an effort to disappear into space.  The alien hull had drifted quite a distance over the last few months and Stephan had hoped it would take the aliens a while to find the wreck if they came looking for it.  If nothing was there the aliens might go looking for another target. That could lead to the Mobile Shipyard that the Tatianna couldn't save.  Stephan wanted to make sure any nosy aliens found something that would convince them not to look any further.
   They had shown up all too quickly.
   Two Alphas were even now moving through the area.  They were going slowly, and were separated by three light seconds.  The alien ships were trying not to draw attention to themselves as they searched for the wreck.  At a range of eight light seconds, they were barely visible to the Phoenix Array.  They had reduced their drive emissions, and if it wasn't for the fact that they were moving at several thousand kilometers per second they would be invisible.  The two Alphas bow shock and friction through the solar wind was creating enough of a thermal anomaly to track. Not enough to target, yet.
   Stephan considered his options.  He could try to outrun the two ships, but they already had a sizable speed advantage.  They were coming in on the starboard forequarter and it would take time to bring the Tatianna around.  Time that would give the aliens a chance to move into range.  In a long range duel, the Tatianna stood little chance.  Even if the Tatianna got away, the aliens would just keep hunting.  Running wouldn't win this battle. The question was how to even the odds.
   Stephan looked hard at the tactical display.  There was one small hope.  Very small, but better than none.  The Alphas were doing their best to avoid detection.  They had their magnetic fields down.  With the separation between the alien ships the closest would enter range a minute or so before the second would.  In a straight up fight, that wouldn't be enough of an advantage.  But if the Tatianna allowed them to close a little more....held her fire until the second ship was just out of range.  Maybe the Scorpion Missiles would be able to make intercept before the closest Alpha could deploy its protective system.  And then maybe the Tat could get off a second launch before the alien ships could reach battle stations and lock in a firing solution.  It was a lot of maybes.  
   'Maybe is the best I've got right now.'
   "Weapons Conn, firing solution on Alpha One.  Helm, plot a course that will slow the closing speed between us and Alpha Two.  Comm, prepare broadband message of our current location, sensor data, and everything else you can fit in as soon as this fight starts.  Engineering, I'm going to need those Magnetic Field Generators on line the moment we launch.  Everybody else needs to pray they don't see us first."  
   Stephan watched the plot as the Alphas closed.  Timing would be everything.  They needed Alpha One to get as close as possible to increase the chance of a successful intercept and minimize the aliens chance to respond.  They needed Alpha Two to be at least a minute or so away from maximum engagement range once the fight started.  Guessing how the aliens would react and how far the Tat could get from the second contact would make or break this plan.  If they could hold Alpha Two beyond her engagement range for a full minute after the first launch, it would let the Tat get six birds away.  Hopefully that would be more than enough to take the first Alpha out of the fight.  Then it would just be Tatianna and Alpha Two.  Not a sure thing, but a hell of a lot better than two to one.
   "LAUNCH."  Alpha One had just reached four light seconds while Two was just under six.  The world turned grey blue and the drive bloom slammed the ship forward and then stuttered as maneuver thrusters fired to try and bring the Heavy Escort about on a new course.  The sensor readings became a wash of static as the drive bloom eclipsed the targets and the magnetic field surrounded the ship.  Seconds later the haze of static cleared just as the two missiles detonated.
   Stephan heard the Sensor Officer even as he confirmed the second launch. "YES. Alpha One venting.  No return launch detected.  Missiles Three and Four away. Wait.  Magnetic Field detected on Alpha One and Alpha Two, but still no launch."  'Ok,' Stephan thought, 'she's hit but she isn't out of this yet.  We just need time to finish her off.'  Stephan watched the next two missiles as they closed on Alpha One.
   "Launch detected from Alpha One. Tracking inbound.  Time to intercept sixteen seconds."  Stephan had seen the sensors record a new contact, but hearing the Sensor Officer made it even more frustrating.  'Damn it.  How did they get to battle stations so quickly?'  The two Scorpion Missiles detonated as they reached the target's path but even through the distortion the magnetic field of Alpha One was visible.  Alpha Two was still at five and a half light seconds and closing, but had not fired yet.  Stephan decided that they would have to ignore Alpha Two for the moment. "Weapon Conn, continue firing solutions on Alpha One until destroyed."
   "Captain, inbound seems to have lost tracking."
   "Let's hope our luck holds out.  How long until our third launch?"  Stephan knew he could just key up the weapon status displays, but the crew knew what they were doing.  Looking over their shoulders wasn't going to speed them up any more than the impending death a few light seconds away would.  The grey haze disappeared for a second as the Weapon Conn announced "Missiles Five and Six away."  Stephan looked over at the three forms locked into their stations at the Weapon Conn.  All but motionless, with screens flashing and changing on monitors as they struggled to get new birds online and update firing solutions, or plot back ups in case a target change was required.  The grey haze reappeared as the drive engaged again.
   "Alpha Two at five light seconds.  Launch detected from Two.  Launch detected from One.  Inbound times two.  Time to intercept is twelve seconds and twenty two seconds."  The Sensor Officer's voice brought Stephan back from watching the weapon crew.  He switched his monitor over to a tactical display and checked the speeds of his ship and the Alphas.  He had enough speed to begin using Vice Admiral Muldoon's evasion protocol, but it would only last for a minute before the ship lost too much speed.  They needed to keep Alpha Two at the longest range they could, for as long as possible.  Brenna was no gambler, but what she was included thorough, meticulous, and smart.  He had seen the analysis before.  Stephan knew at longer ranges the well trained Pan Euro crews had much better intercept rates than the alien weapon systems.  He needed to keep that advantage.  As the distance closed, the alien weapons quickly became more effective.
   The tactical display changed.  Missiles Five and Six had made intercept and Alpha One's color changed.  'No magnetic field.  We've got you now.'  The first of the alien inbounds disappeared from his display, replaced by an expanding red circle.  Boxes flashed on Stephan's display but he ignored them.  Engineering was already relaying the information.  "Captain, field generators one through four down.  Field at one third strength."
   The Sensor Officer chimed in.  "Inbound from Alpha Two has lost tracking.  Alpha One coming about, she's turning away from us.  Alpha Two still closing."  The world changed color and the weapon crew cut in.  "Missiles Seven and Eight away."  Stephan switched back to the sensor returns and saw the indicators as the two Alphas launched again.  'I wish our ships could take a pounding like those damned alien ships do.'  Stephan watched as the fourth launch streaked toward the damaged Alpha.  Seconds later the returns clouded and then cleared.  The Sensor Officer only repeated what Stephan saw, "Alpha One venting.  Drive restart not detected.  Inbound from Alpha One has lost tracking.  Inbound from Alpha Two has lost tracking.  Both detonating.  Aspect change on Alpha Two.  She's altering course, now two seven one.  Trying to come in behind us."
   "Helm, sixty degrees port.  Weapon Conn, target is still Alpha One."  Stephan and the crew had all seen enough combat to know that a drifting Alpha was almost always still dangerous.  Until the ship came completely apart, it was still in the fight.  However the aliens built their ships, they made sure they fought till the death.
   "Missiles Nine and Ten online.  Away."
   'Come on, get there before they launch.' Stephan thought, but it wasn't to be as another pair of inbounds appeared on the display.  "Helm, implement Evasion Protocol."  Speed was no longer the controlling factor with Alpha One drifting.  They needed to survive long enough to start targeting the second Alpha.  The bridge became a constantly shifting play of colors as the drive cut in and out.
   Stephan concentrated through the bewildering haze and watched as the Tat's missiles found their mark, and then saw the expanding mass of contacts as Alpha One broke apart into dozens of separate fragments.  Moments later the missile from Alpha One stopped maneuvering and detonated over a light second from the Tatianna.  Checking the second inbound, he could see that it had overcorrected and would never be able to make a successful intercept.
   "Captain, aspect change on Alpha Two.  They're breaking off sir."
   Stephan clenched his fingers above the keypads on his armrests.  They'd done it.  "Helm, wait until Sensor Conn clears that Alpha Two has disengaged beyond sensor range and then take us at best speed back to Mobile Shipyard Two.  We're getting out of here.  Comm, send message to Command with my intention to return to Earth orbit for repair of Magnetic Field Generators."  He couldn't see the Flag Command Station behind him, but he wanted to look back.  'I wonder what Vice Admiral Muldoon would think of all this?'
   'At least after my court martial, they will still have to give me a medal.'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on September 25, 2010, 05:01:19 AM
August 2204 part 7

August 25th  0750 hours/Assault Vessel 1, dark side of asteroid belt

   The Commander of Fleets considered the data gained by the Patrol Vessels.  The attack on the native forces stationed at the fourth planet of this system had shown it to be guarded by a small combat group and its orbital station.  One of the enemy vessels had been destroyed, with only a single Patrol Craft being lightly damaged.  But Patrol Vessels 7 and 8 had found the wreck of Patrol Vessel 12 to still be guarded, and had lost Patrol Vessel 7 in combat.  Patrol Vessels 1 and 2 had intercepted a pair of non-combat craft and destroyed them, and had then moved in system to take a first look at the second planet.  They had found it to guarded by an orbital station and two of what were now being termed Heavy Patrol Vessels.  They had also ascertained that the station was currently constructing a pair of vessels, but that the planet appeared to be uninhabited.   They had broken off without pursuit, and reported in.
   The Patrol Vessels had been ordered to regroup with the Assault and Hive Vessels here in the debris field.  For the moment no further engagements would be pursued while the data was being analyzed.  The second and fourth planets presented inviting targets.  Neither was guarded heavily enough to defeat the Combat Group.  Neither would be the ideal target for attack.
   The destruction of the mobile assets in both locations could not be assured.  If the second or fourth planet were attacked, the warships would likely retreat to the third planet.  This would only serve to concentrate the enemy's combat assets.  The destruction of the population on the fourth planet would also be valuable, but in light of the projected population of the third planet, it would have little effect on the native race.  The construction assets at both the second and fourth planets were also valuable, but were still likely to be only a fraction of that available to the third planet.
   No, in the end there could be only one primary target.  It would have to be the third planet.  The destruction of the forces at the second and fourth planets could be achieved after any engagement at the third planet.  Allowing the native race to further concentrate their combat assets around the third world would only make a successful attack even less likely.
   Accurate assessments of what defenses were available to the third planet were not available.  Any attempts to gather information on the third planet would most certainly prompt the native race to further reinforce what would have to be considerable defenses.  No.  Once again in the end, there would be no recon of the target.  No warning could be given.  No reason to reinforce.  Only reasons to deploy assets away from the true target.
   When all of the Commanders had returned and the data had been analyzed, decisions would be made and plans created.  But the true decision had never been in question.  There could be only one target.


August 26th  1525 hours/Eindhoven University, Netherlands

   Henk Leering PhD stared at the paper he had been working on.  He began to gather the others scattered about the room.  He had always enjoyed working on paper instead of a computer.  It wasn't easier or faster, just more comfortable.  Grappling with a problem physically always seemed better than simply tapping at buttons.  You also had much less to worry about from others hacking into your work and pirating it for their own.  If they had to gather dozens of papers and figure out how they applied to one another, it would take them time.  It would also be obvious they had taken them, or at least disturbed them.  Everything had its place it Henk's organized disaster of an office.
   Henk spread the papers out in front of him.  He looked from one to the next.  Grabbing a pencil from the cup on his desk he began to write on the margins of several of the sheets.  Opening a drawer he pulled out more paper and began to put together the equations.  This would take more than just simple math.  Henk turned on his computer and began to pull up data from research that had been published, and some that was proprietary to the corporations associated with the University.
   Henk jotted more notes.  And then a few formulas.  Then more notes.  And back to the computer.  Hours passed.  A quick call, and food was delivered to the office.  When the janitor stopped by, Henk dismissed him for the night.  Then Henk locked the door.
   Henk was sweating and shaky when he finished the first of the derivatives.  It would take formal testing, but it looked sound on paper.  Much of the work had already been done in other research.  The results had all pointed to a conclusion that had escaped the researchers as they tallied and published their results.  They had data, but no one had put it together.  No one had looked at it quite the right way.  It was all fairly recent, and based on the work from the alien magnetic systems.  Perhaps no one else had just had the time to put it all together.
   Henk sat back.  His hands trembled as he picked up his phone and dialed.  A thick English accent answered on the other end.
   "Henk, what in the bloody hell are you doing calling at this hour? Do you have any clue what time it is?"
   "Thomas, is there anyone else in the room with you?"
   "My wife, who seems particularly annoyed."
   "Leave her.  Get to a computer.  I'm going to send you something.  I know you have access to the military encryption protocols in your work.  Use them." Henk tapped on the keys of his computer, crunching and encrypting the formulas and data as he spoke.
    "My god man, what is it?" Thomas said.
   "I've finally got it.  Math to describe a massless spin two particle.  We already had it, just looking at it wrong.  It has negative temporal inertia.  That's why we couldn't find it."
   "The graviton.  Stupendous.  Send me the data and I will get to it first thing in the morning."
   "No, you need to look at it now.  That's not all.  It passes through branes to conserve spin, so it doesn't have to renormalize in standard space time.  On a standard manifold, it could locally violate conservation of momentum and spin by displacing them into separate branes."
   "Wonderful, but what is the blasted hurry?"  Henk could hear that Thomas was definitely becoming agitated.
   "The alien magnetic generators could be used to GENERATE them."
   Henk heard the phone on the other end hit the floor.
   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on October 16, 2010, 03:13:35 AM
August 2204 part 8


August 30th  0040 hours/Assault Vessel 1, 20 light seconds from the third planet

   The Commander of Fleets rested at his station.  The Commander understood this could be the last time he might do so, and tried to savor the time.  In the next few moments the operation would begin, and lives would be lost.  Many knew they would die.  Some would have to.  Their deaths would save countless others, and do untold damage to the enemy.
   The Commander of Fleets altered the field at his station, and orders were transmitted across the cold vacuum to the assembled ships.  Drives flared to life and vessels moved in the darkness.  The time of death had begun.


   0051 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, 12000 km above the lunar surface

   Captain Stephan Vasilikos absently tapped the icon on his monitor.  Message traffic had been heavy for the last week following the alien attacks at Mars and near the damaged Alpha.  With Mobile Shipyard 2 and the Armed Science Vessel Red October docked only a few kilometers from the Tat, there was a good chance it was actually just an accidental message intercept meant for the Mobile Shipyard. 
   Stephan sat up hard in his station as the message displayed on the screen.  The US Western Zone Defense Command was tracking six small craft currently at 9 light seconds from Earth and moving on a direct intercept course at 4200 kilometers per second.  Stephan began punching keys and tapping at the screen double checking all civilian flight schedules, but he knew in his gut it wasn't a mislogged flight.  Not six small craft in formation at that speed.
   Stephan pulled up the sensor returns.  From the Tat's position near Luna, they would be one light second closer to the new contact than any surface installation.  Sure enough, the six small craft had just appeared on the returns.  The Sensor Officer was already beginning to call out the contact information as Stephan tapped the 'Lock Stations' icon.
   "Transmission from the Queen Mary.  Level Two Encryption.  It's Admiral Kushnir. Forwarding to your station Captain."  The Communication Officer was trying to tap on his screen even as he began to lock down his station.
   Stephan read the transmission from Admiral Kushnir and tried to think through what it was she wanted.  All ships were to hold stations.  No drive activity and magnetic fields off line.  Lock stations and Battle stations.  Why. 
   Slowly it started to make sense.  It was only small craft at the moment.  They were there to draw a response.  Lighting up the drives or magnetic fields would only make the ships around Earth more visible.   The small craft were on course to sweep past the moon and Earth.  They would pass right by the Tatianna and Red October.  They could be destroyed without ever giving away the locations of any ground defenses.
   "Weapon Conn, begin plotting firing solutions on the small craft.  Sensor Conn, log contacts as Bombers One through Six.  We're going to wait till the turkeys get a little closer before we start shooting."


   0055 hours/Queen Mary, orbit at 0.5 light seconds from Earth

   Admiral Jude Kushnir sat impatiently at her station, fingers tapping out an aimless rhythm on the end of the armrest.  In the next 60 seconds the alien craft would enter range of the Red October and Tatianna.  Jude was sure those two ships would be able to destroy the small handful of alien scouts, but the waiting was more than unpleasant.  The small boats meant that other alien ships were in the area.  The question was where and what. 
   "New contact.  Magnetic field detected bearing one one seven ascension minus two.  Exact range and speed unknown."  The Sensor Officer's voice hit Jude like a hammer.  Tapping on the keys she shifted the vector of the sensor returns on her screen.  'Damn it.  Well, I guess I was wondering where they were at.  Now what are they up to?'
   Jude keyed open the link to the Comm Officer.  "Priority Transmission.  Battle Group Three, prepare shield generators for operation.  Attack Escorts Kathleen and Scarlet, blow docking points and engage drives for Luna, shields down until further orders.  Inform Admiral Bradley and Rear Admiral Overturf of contact.  Transmit sensor returns to Chinese Space Station."  Jude was sure the US Admirals were already aware of the new contacts, but it never hurt to make sure.  Letting the Chinese know was only a formality, but if this whole thing went south then the support of their ground installations could be important.  She also wanted the newest Attack Escorts to join up with the Tatianna and Red October.  The crews on the Kathleen and Scarlet could definitely benefit from the oversight of the two more experienced ships.  They also mounted the first of the Pan Euro's copies of the US system allowing the shield generators to damp the feedback of a weapon intercept and not burn out the generator.
   'Now we have to wait and see if this is just prodding or not.'


   0056 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters held on to the arms of his chair.  Most of the staffers in the briefing room were trying desperately not to be thrown across the room by the station's violent maneuvers.  The US station was not meant for combat maneuvering, but it was doing its best to crowd the western limit of the US controlled zone.  They would need to actually enter Chinese controlled space to put Earth between them and the new contacts, but that might have to happen.
   "Update on sensor data.  Anyone."  Bradley waited as one of the staffers struggled to operate the monitors.
   "We are currently tracking twenty four small craft on a bearing one hundred and eighty degrees from the initial six contacts.  We have verification of their speed.  It actually is fourteen thousand kilometers per second.  Current range is eight light seconds.  Two minutes and forty seconds until they reach Earth orbit.  Class unknown. More distant magnetic contact still not resolved.  Wait, we have confirmation of initial launches from Pan Euro Red October and Tatianna from lunar orbit.  They are targeting the first six alien contacts."
   Bradley shook his head.  "Meagan, any idea what these things are?"
   "Not a clue sir.  We don't have anything that small capable of surviving that level of acceleration.  Logging as much as we can.  It looks like they plan on letting us have an up close and personal look at it though.  Let's hope they haven't figured out how to fit a shield generator on those things."
   Bradley looked at Meagan.  Leave it to her to find a way to make the horrible even worse.
   "Admiral, we have twelve new contacts.  Two Foxtrot, six Alpha, and four contacts as yet unclassed.  Approximately the same mass and cross section as an Echo.  Might be a variant.  Same bearing and heading as the new high speed small craft, trailing them by three light seconds."
   "OK people, put the planet between us and the new contacts.  This isn't some probe.  Let the Chinese know were going to be parking above their territory.  Tell the Pan Euro Admiral Kushnir that she has overall tactical command."  Bradley held onto his chair as the station began another round of hard accelerations.  People and equipment began to slide and bounce about the briefing room.  'Looks like its going to be a contest as to who tears this station apart first.  The aliens, the Chinese, or us.'


   0057 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, approaching lunar orbit

   "Missile away."
   The Dutchman heard the Weapons Tech announce the launch, but that wasn't the focus of his attention at the moment.  He had gotten the Mary Reed off the planet and moving toward the six small bombers just in time to fall in behind the two Euro Attack Escorts that had blown their docking collars and fired up their drives.  The two Euro ships were struggling to get into formation, and avoiding the wash from their drive blooms was nearly impossible.  The Helmsman had been able to keep the two Euro ships from scorching the Mary Reed so far, but they weren't out of the woods yet.
   "Bring the nose up, ascension plus five.  Six degrees starboard.  Keep me updated on the newest contacts."  The Dutchman had Mary pointed away from the new mass of warships, but he knew that the aliens would be much faster than they were if it came down to a chase.  He needed to close with the two larger Pan Euro ships pulling away from the moon.  The Mary Reed couldn't take much of a pounding in the first place, and she was already damaged.  The fact that the aliens tended to target the largest ships in a group hadn't escaped him, and the Red October made the Mary Reed look pretty small.  Even the Euro Heavy Escort packed twice as many launchers as the Mary Reed.  It could take awhile before they decided to target the Mary with those ships nearby.
   "One alien bomber destroyed.  Firing solution online for second launch.  Missile away."
   "No further launches without authorization."  The Dutchman looked at the sensor returns.  With two dozen impossibly fast bombers inbound on the far side of the Earth, and a dozen warship behind them, every missile might count.  The Mary only carried ten to begin with and two of them had just been launched at small bombers.  Granted the little buggers could cause untold damage if they got to the Earth and dropped their payload, but the Euro ships had much larger magazines.  They could afford to engage the evasive little targets.  The one extra missile of the Mary Reed struggling to intercept a bomber wasn't going to win this battle.
   But using the eight left on the thirty six alien ships coming from the other direction might.


   0057 hours/Interceptor MkIII Naginata,  passing lunar orbit

   Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Brandon Overturf watched the tactical display.  The Pan Euro 3rd Battle Group had come full about and was finally on a vector to intercept the incoming alien warships.  The Pan Euro ships were still coming up to speed and were over a light second behind Task Force 2, but Brandon intended to give them a chance to catch up.  Taking three US Interceptors nose to nose with a dozen alien warships without support wasn't in his plan.  Especially when two of them had been in service less than a month.  Barely a week really.
   "Helm, bring us onto course zero six zero ascension zero.  Prepare to implement evasion protocol on my command."
   Brandon watched the display.  The new class of small craft was moving impossibly fast, and there would be a very small window of time that they could be intercepted.  The MkIII's didn't carry the laser battery that a MkII did, which had proven so much more effective against the tiny targets.  With these bombers coming in so fast, Brandon doubted that the Hera Missiles would be effective at all.  But if they weren't going to be much use, there was no point in pressing home the attack.  By breaking off on a tangent, he could hold the range open between Task Force 2 and the incoming alien warships.  That would give the Euro Battle Group time to come online.  If they could time it so the surface sites would be able to launch at the same time as the US and Euro ships, the first salvos that intercepted the aliens might have enough punch to convince them to break off the attack.
   'Unless the folks on the ground decide to target those fast little suckers first.  If they do, we are on our own.  Ship to ship, the odds aren't in our favor.'
   The bombers were only three and a half light seconds away, the alien warships just over six.  With the combined closing speeds, less than thirty seconds remained until the warships entered weapons range.  "Helm, implement maneuver protocol."


   0057 hours/Queen Mary, 1.5 light seconds from Earth

   Jude studied the sensor returns.  It was an enormous mass of contacts.  The 3rd Battle Group had launched eight missiles, and the US Task Force had sent six towards the aliens.  The aliens had answered with ten inbounds.  The smallest four alien contacts hadn't launched and had increased their thermal signature and speed.  Whether they carried a new shorter ranged weapon system, or were just a new type of suicide ship was yet to be seen.  The only comforting thing was the thirty outbound missiles from Earth that were targeting the alien warships.  It looks like every launcher on Earth had cut loose as soon as the aliens had entered range.  The ground installations were ignoring the small craft for the moment, but that wouldn't last.  In another minute the little alien ships would reach the Earth, and the surface sites would have to do what they had been designed for - to protect the population of the planet.  And the 3rd would have to do what it was designed to do.  Keep hostile ships from ever getting close enough to become a threat.  At least the first launch from the planet would help to even the odds.
   Jude felt the Queen Mary lurch slightly and felt the drive cut out for a moment.
   "Shield generators off line.  Hull intact, no structural damage reported."  The words from Engineering were a small comfort to Jude.  It was well known that the alien Foxtrots carried a pair of mass drivers.  It had simply been a question of when the nearly invisible weapons would arrive.  The Magnetic Field Generators had been able to protect the ship, but now the hull was naked to the blasts from the alien weapons closing in.
   Jude checked the display.  Time till the alien inbounds made intercept - 13 seconds.   "Weapons Conn, time until next launch is online."
   "Admiral, next launch ready in twenty two."
   Jude watched the display.  The 3rd Battle Group was just getting up to speed after coming about to intercept the aliens.  Implementing the evasion protocol now would leave the group too slow for the coming battle.  They needed to accelerate or the aliens would be able to exploit their range advantage.  Being hard to hit wouldn't win the battle if you couldn't shoot back.  The QM was going to have to weather this the hard way, pitting plating, baffles and struts against raw plasma.
   'Come on girl, we can do this.'

 
   0058 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 2 light seconds from Earth

   Commodore Robert McNeely looked at the message.  Now what.
   "Helm, bring us about.  New heading of one two five.  Continue acceleration.  Sensor, I want an update on the position of the Kathleen, Scarlet, and Mary Reed.  Comm, order Third Battle Group to implement evasion protocol."
   It just didn't seem real.  The Queen Mary was gone, destroyed in the opening salvo.  Admiral Kushnir was gone.  And now he was in command.  With the fate of billions at stake.
   The Sensor Officer's voice caught his attention.  "Kathleen and Scarlet closing from astern.  Mary Reed closing but on a wider arc. Last launch making intercept with alien bombers.  No remaining alien drive blooms detected from targets.  Looks like the last five are gone.  Update from Azores Ground Array.  One alien Foxtrot destroyed, second Foxtrot shields down with drive field interrupt.  Hold.  Sixteen of the twenty four fast alien bomber contacts breaking formation.  It appears eight are moving to intercept the Third Battle Group and eight moving to follow US Task Force Two."
   'Great, one problem down and another shows up.'  Robert tried to look for a solution.  There wasn't one for the remaining Attack Escorts of the Third.  The speed of the small craft combined with the Third slowing down from implementing the maneuver protocol meant there was no way to avoid the little alien ships.  Whatever the aliens were hoping to do, they were going to get their chance.  But the aliens would have to take US Task Force 2 from astern, and Robert knew from experience what those US MkIII's could do if they decided to pour on the speed.
   "Comm, message for the commander of US Task Force Two (what was his name again?).  Cease evasive protocol.  Full acceleration.  Attempt to maintain range from alien warships."  Robert knew this would make them easier targets for the alien weapons, but at least if the US ships could hold the range open, they could make it hard for the alien missiles to make intercept regardless.  The US ships could take a couple of intercepts at long range and survive.  But what those little boats could do was anybody's guess.  In this case it was better the devil you know than the one you don't.
   Robert watched as the seconds slipped by.  The US group began to pick up speed and suddenly the small alien craft chasing them broke off and turned back onto their original course toward Earth.  'At least something is going according to plan, not that the folks on Earth are going to appreciate it.'
   "Commodore, Commander Brittany Bortz requesting authorization to target inbound alien small craft."
   The Comm Officer took Robert by surprise.  It hadn't occurred to him to shift fire.  Robert looked at the display.  The aliens must know full well that the small Pan Euro Attack Escorts only carried a single launch bay.  There were twice as many of the small ships as missiles the Third would be able to launch.  No, whatever the aliens were hoping to do was going to happen.  If the new ships carried some weapon, the shields of the Attack Escorts should be able to hold for awhile.  If they were just bait, then the missiles of the Third would be better used to target the remaining Foxtrot.
   "Tell Brittany to continue firing on the Foxtrot until it is destroyed."  Let's hope they are just a red herring.

   0058 hours/Attack Escort Keely Sereg, 2.5 light seconds from Earth

   "Incoming alien bombers on intercept course.  Six seconds."  Commander Brittany Bortz gripped the ends of the armrests.  It was a futile gesture with the rest of her body locked in its station, but she couldn't help it.  She did it every time alien weapons tried to make intercept.  Only this time it was alien ships.  Little ones, but any collision at the speeds a combat warship moved at would be catastrophic.  The chance of the ships actually colliding was so miniscule as to be nearly impossible, but that didn't make it any easier.
   "Detonations detected."  The Sensor Officer's words only confirmed what Brittany was looking at.  Both of the alien boats bearing down on the Sereg had exploded and the wave of superheated particles was expanding in front of the ship.  But not fast enough as the Sereg passed by the wave of plasma before it had reached the ship's course.  She checked her display and was relieved to see the other three Attack Escorts of Third Battle Group appearing from their clouds of particles with their magnetic fields still up.
   The Comm Officer opened the link to Brittany.  "Commander, the Elise and Isabelle each report damage to their shield generators but are ready for launch."
   Brittany looked at the sensor returns again.  "Looks like the aliens have shifted their fire towards the US Group.  Let them know we are still here."
   "Aye, Commander."  The crew at the Weapon Conn finalized the launch codes and the ship stuttered its drive for a heartbeat as the launch bay deployed another missile. 'It may be seven on seven now and you've got the big bastard on your side, but we're not out of this yet.'  Brittany watched as three of the alien Alphas launched late and the inbounds began tracking on the 3rd Battle Group.
   "Guess they noticed we're still here folks."


   0059 hours/Interceptor MkIII Naginata, 2.75 light seconds from Earth

   Brandon watched the tactical display.  Task Force 2 was doing its best to hold the range open between them and the alien warships.  Dropping the evasion protocol had allowed them to shake the small alien craft.  But the alien warships had begun targeting them as soon as they had begun their straight line run away from the small craft.  The Naginata had several of her shield generators off line, but a few were still holding the field up around the ship.
   "Evasion protocol NOW!"  Brandon watched the markers for the five inbound alien missiles as they closed.  No sense making this any easier for them.  The world turned into a kaleidoscope of colors and Brandon could feel the Naginata pitch as the drive cut in and out.  The drive cut out for a moment longer than usual as a pair of missiles left the ship, but then the engines were immediately back to slamming the ship in what seemed to be every direction at once.
   Brandon felt the shock through his body, like a hammer blow.  The bridge was a huge rushing white cloud that cleared as fast as it came.  Flashing red boxes lit his display.  Shields down.  Damage to several electrical systems and a number of the missiles in the bay had gone off line.  Whether damaged or vented by the argon didn't matter. Outer hull breached in three areas.  Looking up Brandon could see several of the stations around the bridge had lost power.  But the world began shifting colors again as the drive restarted and the evasion protocol kicked in.  "Can we still launch."
   The Weapon Crews' monitors flickered through several screens.  "Sensors and launch bay are still online.  Targeting computers still up and running.  We can still launch."
   The Sensor Officer broke in.  "US missiles reaching intercept with alien vessels.  Foxtrot stuttering drive.  Venting.  Drive restart detected.  Thermal emission reduced.  She's losing speed Admiral. Seven seconds until Euro missiles make intercept."
   Brandon watched the display.  'OK now, she's crippled up.  Just finish her off.'
   The Naginata disappeared as a chunk of metallic hydrogen slammed into its drive shield.


   0059 hours/Attack Craft 1, 1 light second from the third planet

   The Commander of Attack Craft 1 could feel the magnetic field of the planet in front of him.  He would not even need the sensors to know that it was there.  But the sensors were telling him much more than just that.  They were tracking the many enemy weapons rising from the surface to destroy his squadron.  They may manage to destroy a few of the Attack Craft, but they should find them much more difficult to target and destroy than the old scout craft.  In doing so the surface defenses were giving away their positions.  The Attack Craft's sensors were also much more sophisticated than those of the old scout craft.  They quickly identified the locations and the information was transmitted to the Combat Group.
   The pilot of the Attack Craft began to make rapid course adjustments.  The enemy weapons were detonating now, spreading death through space.  Moments later it was over.  Only four of the sixteen Attack Craft had been destroyed.  The twelve that were left would continue the mission.  The payload in the bay would find its target.  The planet grew closer and the Commander knew that the smaller weapons of the native race would be preparing to defend the surface when the Attack Craft entered the atmosphere, but they would not get the chance.  The pilot adjusted the field at his station and the Attack Craft wheeled slightly, breaking on a slight tangent to the planet racing toward them.  The massive energy signatures of the population below were inviting, but they were not the targets.


   0100 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Lieutenant Commander Meagan Ryan struggled with the erratic maneuvers of the Space Station as she tried to collate the data coming in from the engagement.  As if the three superpowers' Space Stations weren't enough to crowd orbit as they tried to keep the planet between themselves and the alien warships, the six enormous civilian commercial stations were also trying to accomplish the same thing.  Add to that the dozens of civilian lifters and boats trying to evacuate all non essential personnel and you had nothing but barely managed chaos.
   "I can't tell if the small contacts we have been tracking are actually crewed, or if they are unmanned drones.  They seem to have some weapon payload but whether it is integral if is capable of being dropped from orbit isn't clear.  They seem to have very sophisticated programming if they are drones.  The time lag between them and the larger alien vessels would make the level of control we have seen nearly impossible.  The transmission delay would make trying to intercept another ship impossible.  They weren't very successful, but the fact that some of them appear to have completed intercept with the Euro ships indicates some autonomous guidance."
   Meagan could see that Admiral Walters was barely listening to her as he tried to direct some of the staff and get the rest moving toward the airlocks for evacuation to the surface.  He had even told her to leave her station, but she had told him she only needed a few more moments to download some of the data.  That was almost two minutes ago, though it seemed like forever.
   "Admiral, I've got confirmation.  Alpha contact four is a match!  It's 'The Baron.' "  Meagan struggled to hold on as the station shifted again.  "I'm transmitting the data to any units in the area.  Maybe one of them can get a clean launch on him.
   Meagan paused.  "The small craft just altered course.  What are they doing?  Oh no."  Meagan looked at Admiral Walters for just a heartbeat and then out the viewing port.  Outside drifting a few kilometers away was the partially constructed hull of the newest Q Ship.  And then it disappeared in a bright actinic flash.
   "GET OUT OF HERE!"  Meagan could hear Admiral Walters yelling at her as the station suddenly shifted violently.  Meagan could feel herself slam against something and the world went dark.
   The last thing she could hear as she passed out was the rushing of air venting into space.


   0100 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna,  1.25 light seconds from Earth

   Stephan switched his monitor over to the visual feed.  He needed to see what the sensor readings really meant.  The sight that greeted him made the numbers all too real.  Every space station in Earth orbit was spewing forth flames and debris.  Several of the small alien ships had been intercepted by the last flurry of missiles, but not enough.  The shipyards and slips were burning, and the civilian stations that supported their operations were devastated.
   The Sensor Officer's voice couldn't even break his focus on the screen.  But Stephan heard the words with horrible clarity, and he realized this attack hadn't been about the Earth's people.  It had been about destroying its capability to fight this war.  With the shipyards in flames, the production of new ships would slow to a trickle, and it might take years to rebuild the construction capability that had been lost.  Even repairing and maintaining what ships they had would be difficult.  And then the Sensor Officer said something that caught Stephan's attention.
   "Repeat that last." Stephan ordered as he switched away from the visual feed and tried to pull up the sensor returns again.
   "Contacts designated as Echo One and Three altering course. Now two two one ascension minus zero point eight.  Course plot shows probable interception course with ships of Third Battle Group.  Now contact Echo Four altering to same course."
   Stephan watched as the four 'Echos' changed course directly in line with 3rd BG.  They had come barreling in even as the main body of alien warships had begun to turn around and put distance between themselves and the Earth.  They were most likely not Echos, as none had launched at any time during the battle, and had mostly been ignored for that very fact.  Stephan now saw that had been a mistake.  The aliens were quite willing to use suicide tactics to win a battle, and this was one of them.  The little ships had packed a sizable payload when they detonated.  These ships were as large as an Attack Escort, and likely carried much more.  They were also protected by magnetic fields and would not be easily destroyed.  Third BG would have to engage them but with precious little time to come up with firing solutions.  With four inbound ships and only enough time for a single launch, they would never be able to stop them all.  They might destroy one if they all concentrated their launches on a single target, but that would be the only way.
   "Weapon Conn, firing solution on Echo One NOW!"  Stephan saw an incoming message prompt on the side of his display and glance for only a moment.  It was from Commodore McNeely.  Stephan knew what it had to say, Robert could see this as well as he could.  Even with the launches from the Tatianna, Red October, and two Attack Escorts pulling into formation with them, they could never hope to destroy all of the alien ships bearing down on the 3rd.
   It made perfect sense.  The main group of warships was pulling out of range of the surface based launch sites, and with most of the space borne launchers tied up firing on these kamikazes, the aliens would be able to make good their escape.  The only ships able to fire on the aliens were the two remaining US Interceptors.  It would be two ships against seven, and one of the seven massed three times what an Interceptor did.  The US ships would be lucky to survive.
   As Stephan watched the Pan Euro missiles steak toward the alien 'Echos', he had the sickening feeling that humanity had lost this battle.  Every ship that would be destroyed in the next few minutes would be nearly impossible to replace.  And the aliens had lost only a single warship.  The rest of the small alien ships had come with the intention of being destroyed.  The aliens already considered them expendable.
   The missiles from the 3rd made intercept long before the Tat's missiles could cross the three light seconds separating the groups.  The 3rd concentrated its launches and managed to leave one of the three 'Echos' with no shields and no drive bloom.  With no ability to maneuver it would be easy enough to avoid, but that still left three others.  When the detonations of the missiles from the ships gathered with the Tatianna cleared, the coasting alien ship had been destroyed, and another had lost its protective field, stuttered its drive and vented, but was still plowing on toward the Attack Escorts of the 3rd.  Stephan wanted to close his eyes, to not have to look.  But that was something a cyborg would never be able to do.  Unless damaged, the visual feed was constant.  He would have to watch.
   

   0100 hours/Attack Escort Elise,  4.5 light seconds from Earth

   Commander Dana Breiholz watched the sensor returns as the alien ships closed with the 3rd Battle Group.  The launch from the four Attack Escorts had crippled one of the four incoming ships, while the launches from the Red October, Tatianna, and Mary Reed had finished off the cripple and knocked the shields down on another.  The missiles from the two newest Attack Escorts had straggled in, but failed to make intercept.  'The Elise already has over half of her shield generators off line from that alien kamikaze.  That little ship packed quite a wallop.  The ships rushing us right now are as big as this Attack Escort.  And I'm sure they are full to the brim of warheads.'
   Dana watched as one of the alien ships began to angle its course toward the Elise.  'Just great.  Pick on the cripple.'  As the alien ships drew close, the sensor returns began to lose resolution as the Elise entered the expanding cloud of charged ions left from the detonations aimed at the incoming ships.  Suddenly the sensors were awash in wave after wave of magnetic pulses and thin waves of plasma.  Elise waited for the damage reports to come in, but as the seconds passed and the sensors cleared....nothing.
   Then the sensors registered the tumbling wreckage of the remaining alien vessels falling astern of the Elise.
   "OK.  Not that I'm complaining, but anyone have an idea what just happened."  Dana looked at the bridge crew and was answered with stunned silence.
   Then the Comm Officer spoke.  "Commander, incoming transmission from the Red October.  I think they've got your answer.  They say that the aliens were destroyed by a launch from Earth.  The launch signature was masked by the detonations near the space stations in orbit and the missiles weren't caught on sensors until they began their attack runs."
   "Hot damn, I'm glad our boys on the ground saw this one coming."  Dana decided that she would actually have to lay off the 'land lubber' jokes for awhile.
   "They weren't our Commander.  They were Chinese."


   0101 hours/Interceptor MkIII Kama, 5.25 light seconds from Earth

   Commander Jason Collins III read the message from the US Space Station, then checked the sensor returns.  'OK, so that is 'The Baron.'  What do they think I can do about it?'  Jason looked at the display.  There were only two US Interceptors left in range of the alien warships after the aliens had turned around and begun to pull away from the Earth.  The alien formation had broken up slightly with the hard banking maneuver, and 'The Baron' had set himself up so that if the US group tried to get him in range, then EVERY alien ship would be able to fire on them.
   'Nope, this is dangerous enough right where I am.  Just to get shots at the Foxtrot we have to face off against half of the alien armada.  If we can get that big sucker crippled up bad enough we might have a chance to destroy it.'  Jason looked up to the bridge crew.  "Continue firing solutions on Foxtrot Two.  Helm, keep us right at the edge of range with them, don't let them slip away."
   Jason felt the ship shudder for a second as the drive cut out and another pair of missiles deployed.   Sensors confirmed another launch from the Sai.  'Four more outbound.  And here come the five inbounds.'  The sensors clouded and cut out as the detonations overwhelmed the array.
   "Commander, sensor report that the Sai has lost it protective field and is venting to clear debris."
   "Commander, transmission from the Sai.  They've sustained damage to the missile storage bays and bridge."
   "Commander, missiles seven and eight have lost tracking.  Twenty six seconds until next launch."
   Jason tried to take it all in as he watched the display.  Everyone had something to say, all at once, and sorting it out was frustrating.  "Comm, order the Sai to break off.  Continue with current course and target."  Jason watched as the Sai changed course and accelerated out of range of the alien warships.  'Now it’s just us.  Two missiles against five.'
   'Missiles away."
   "Inbounds times five.  Time to intercept seventeen seconds."
   "Incoming transmission from the Pan Euro Red October.  Commodore Robert McNeely orders US Interceptor to disengage."
   "Missiles nine and ten have lost tracking."
   "Detonations detected."
   The world shifted colors as the engines cut out, and then restarted.
   "Shield generator banks one through four and nine through twelve off line."
   Jason had heard enough.  "Helm, bring us about to course two seven zero.  Max combat speed."
   They had tried.  With only three weeks aboard ship, the Kama had stood toe to toe with an alien task force for five minutes.  Dying in the sixth minute would accomplish nothing.


   0104 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed,  2.5 light seconds from Earth

   The Dutchman tried to relax as the alien warships moved away, but it was futile.  A single look at the space stations around earth took that away.  The Earth depended on the ability of the major powers to produce warships for the meat grinder that this war had become.  That time was over.  With most of the orbital shipyards either destroyed outright or burning, everyone would be forced to convert ground industry over to the construction of warships.  Something the FSC was already familiar with.
   Worse was the choice that would be facing the leaders of the US and China.  Each still had off world shipyards, but they were vulnerable compared to what had been at Earth.  Those installations would be easy targets.  The US and China would either have to transfer more assets to protect those shipyards, or wait for them to be destroyed.  Every ship that went to protect those stations was one less that would be protecting the Earth, or supporting the conflict going on at Neptune.
   There weren't all that many ships guarding Earth right now and most of them, the Mary Reed included, were damaged to one degree or another.  With the orbital shipyards either damaged or destroyed, it would take time just to get them repaired.  Even longer to start on anything new.  Until twenty minutes ago, the Dutchman had begun to think that Humanity was winning this war.
   As he watched the space stations burn, he wasn't so sure.


   1635 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 7.2 light minutes from the third planet

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 decided that the battle had gone well enough.  The victory was not decisive.  The orbital stations of the native race, and likely with them most of their construction assets, had been damaged or destroyed.  The enemy would be far less willing to expend its ships in combat now.  That could give the New Homes a chance to rebuild the fleet and emplace substantial defenses.  This was good.
   The Combat Group had lost a Patrol Vessel and an Assault Vessel, with the remaining Assault Vessel badly damaged but repairable.  Patrol Vessel 17 had also sustained some minor damage, but it could be easily repaired by the Mobile Repair Vessel in the coming weeks.  The loss of the 13 Scout Craft and 24 Attack Craft was expensive, but planned.  The crews would become heroes to the New Homes, haven given their lives to destroy the enemy. 
   The native race had lost a Combat Vessel, two Patrol Vessels, two unarmed vessels, and had many other vessels damaged.  The enemy had not been crushed in space, but that had never been the plan.
   The most grievous loss had been taken early in the battle.  The initial waves of enemy weapons had destroyed Assault Vessel 1, and with it the Commander of Fleets.  He had died accomplishing the operation he had envisioned, and would also be enshrined among the Elders of Legend.  Transmitting the message of his death had been given to the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17.  It may have been the duty of the Combat Group Commander to report the death of the Commander of Fleets, but the Commander of Assault Vessel 2 had deferred to the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 was known throughout the New Homes, and it had only seemed fitting that one hero should carry news of the loss of another.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had also announced that the Combat Group intended to complete the operational plan of the Commander of Fleets.  The Combat Group now only awaited the confirmation of the message and instructions on what was to happen following the last phase of the operational plan.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could feel the transmission from the Elders of New Home 1, but it would take time for the message to be decoded.  He could feel the unease, and then pride of the crew as the message was finally understood.  It was simple, and left a great deal of discretion as to what would be done following the completion of the current operations.  The leeway had been granted in one statement that made the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 feel as if a great weight was crushing him.
   "The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 is to assume the position as Commander of Fleets."

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on October 27, 2010, 01:18:57 AM
August 2204 part 9


August 30th  1730 hours/Queen Victoria,  2 light seconds from Triton

   Vice Admiral Brenna Muldoon could feel an icy chill in her spine.  Transmissions from Earth to Triton were less than routine due to the time lag involved.  A priority transmission on the Pan Euro Executive Council's channel was ominous.  The Queen Victoria had just reached Triton two days ago without enemy contact.  Congratulations from Jude might have been expected.  This wasn't.  Brenna slowly reached up and touched the prompt to decode the encryption.  As the message spilled upon the screen, Brenna could feel herself start to shake.  Cyborgs don't react to stress normally.  There are no adrenal glands to flood the body with adrenaline for a fight or flight reflex.  But shock can create a reaction all of its own.

   FROM PAN EUROPEAN WAR DEPARTMENT / SECURITY COUNCIL

   FOR 4TH BATTLE GROUP
   ATTN B MULDOON, VICE ADMIRAL

   NOTIFICATION OF PROMOTION R MCNEELY, CMDR TO REAR ADMIRAL
   NOTIFICATION OF ASSIGNMENT R MCNEELY, REAR ADMIRAL
      COMMAND, 3RD BATTLE GROUP
   NOTIFICATION OF ASSIGNMENT R OCTOBER AS FLAGSHIP
      3RD BATTLE GROUP
   NOTIFICATION OF DESIGNATION AS 4TH LIGHT BATTLE GROUP
      H ESCORT TATIANNA
      A ESCORT KATHLEEN
      A ESCORT SCARLET
   NOTIFICATION OF PROMOTION S VASILIKOS, CPT TO CMDR
   NOTIFICATION OF ASSIGNMENT S VASILIKOS, CMDR
      COMMAND 4TH LIGHT BATTLE GROUP

   NOTIFICATION OF DESTRUCTION OF Q MARY
   NOTIFICATION OF DEATH OF J KUSHNIR, ADMIRAL

   ORDERS AS FOLLOWS:

   EXTRACT 13TH MECH INF FROM SURFACE OF TRITON AS POSSIBLE
   AUTHORIZATION FOR SURFACE BOMBARDMENT
   COORDINATION WITH US AND CHINESE ELEMENTS AUTHORIZED
   4TH BG TO RETURN TO EARTH IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING

   B MULDOON, VICE ADMIRAL PROMOTED TO ADMIRAL
   B MULDOON, ADMIRAL TO ASSUME POSITION
      COMMANDER  PAN EURO SPACE FORCES
   EFFECTIVE DATE IS RECEIPT OF TRANSMISSION

   NOTHING FOLLOWS


   1820 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, 0.5 light seconds from Triton

   Admiral Hu looked at the reports from the Ministry and knew he had no choice.  Not that the Ministry had given him any.  The Shek and Minh Groups would both be returning to the inner system.  What had to be done in regard to Triton was regrettable at best.  Criminal in reality, but necessary.
   The available ships would be unable to withdraw the ground forces from Triton.  It was simply impossible.  So they would remain on the moon.  The Chinese and Pan Euro would wait until the troops had withdrawn sufficiently from all known alien settlements, and then a nuclear bombardment of the surface would begin.  When that was completed all of the supplies that had recently arrived would be landed on the planet.  The troops would then be left behind.
   It was confirmed that the aliens had extensive underground shelters that would be able to survive the bombardment, and it was possible that millions of the creatures would survive.  The troops would simply have to continue to fight.  And die.  With luck some of the troops would survive until they could be relieved and evacuated from the surface.
   Admiral Hu knew that would never happen.  The troops left behind would never see their homes or families again.  This ball of rock and ice would be their graves.  The only markers for them would be the scars left on the surface by the bombardment.
   In the days ahead the troops on the surface, Chinese, US, and Euro, would have to fight as brothers in arms against a common foe.  They would have to live and die for each other with no concern for nation or country, only a common home. 
   Hu wondered if the governments of Earth would even find such unity.


   2050 hours/Interceptor MkIIb Zachary Taylor, orbit of Triton

   Captain Randall Brown looked at the transmissions from the Chinese and Pan Euro Admirals.  Everyone was pulling out.  Everyone but the soldiers on the ground.  They had nowhere to go, and no one to take them.  They were desperately moving away from any alien concentrations before the Chinese and Euro ships began nuking the surface.  After that they would receive the last supply drop they would likely ever get.  After that...
   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan had already been notified that the two Pan Euro Attack Escorts would be breaking off the pursuit of the three alien ships he was in contact with.  He had been given authorization to order the destruction of the ships if he desired.  His reply that he intended to continue to track the vessels had come in 10 minutes ago.  He had indicated that the Yari should have sufficient speed to evade any pursuit, and that knowledge of any other alien colonies was worth the risk.
   Jack had made it abundantly clear that he had no intention of leaving now that he had come out here.  Not with work to be done, and people depending on him.  Randy knew he could do no less.  The troops had come to depend on the support of the Taylor over the last month.  They would need her help even more in the months ahead.
   "Comm, transmit that the Taylor will remain on station until further notice."  Randy leaned back and waited as the confirmations came in.
   "Ok, we need to get this girl ready.  Weapon and Engineering crews.  I want the laser systems recalibrated and tuned in the next hour.  I'm guessing the aliens won't be making any offenses while our friends nuke the surface.  After they realize that we are the only ship left up here, our services should be in high demand."


August 31st  0125 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 20 light seconds from the second planet

   The new Commander of Fleets (although he still considered himself the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17) rested at the old familiar station he had served in.  It had been his prerogative to take the Command Station aboard Assault Vessel 2, but it had not suited him.  At least for the moment.  Assault Vessel 2 was badly damaged.  Although the Mobile Repair Vessel had been able to restore the damaged particle accelerators to function and had restored full life support capability, much of the vessel was still in need of repair.  With both of the mass drivers destroyed the Assault Vessel was little more than a large and fragile target.
   The Commander of Fleets had issued orders for the Assault Vessel to transfer half of its remaining torpedoes to the Patrol Vessels, and then escort the Hive Vessels and Support Vessels back to New Home 5.  There it would undergo repairs while the Hive Vessels would await shipment of replacement Attack Craft.  The Commander of Fleets had no intention of leaving before the operation was complete, and had chosen to reside on the ship he was most familiar with.
   Now it was time to complete the final step of the operation.  The hulls of two vessels under construction had been detected during a previous pass of the second planet.  They had been guarded by two of the enemy's Heavy Patrol Vessels.  It had been considered unwise to attack at that time.  Now with six Patrol Vessels to engage the defenses, it was no longer unwise, it was necessary.  The native race could not be allowed to put any further warships into service.  The New Homes needed time to rebuild the fleet, and allowing the enemy to strengthen his would defeat that goal.
   The Commander of Fleets altered the field at his station and sensed as the magnetic protective field formed around Patrol Vessel 17.  In moments the defenders would be aware of the Patrol Group's presence.  It would do them no good.


   0134 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 6 light seconds from the second planet

   The Commander of Fleets could feel the tension beginning to release from the crew.  The last few moments had been a terrible ordeal.  The native race had fought fiercely to defend their orbital construction platform.  It had also been protected by its own magnetic field and weapons.  The loss of Patrol Vessels 1 and 25 would be mourned.  With their destruction it would be even more difficult to continue the war against these machines.  At least their loss had not been in vain.  The enemy had paid dearly.
   The Commander replayed the sensor record to try and decide if mistakes had been made, or opportunities missed.  The opening parts of the battle had been fought well.  The two defending Heavy Patrol Vessels had simply interposed themselves between the Patrol Group and the orbital platform.  It had been obvious they had positioned themselves so that their onboard weapons and the orbital platform's weapons would be able to engage at the same time.  The initial salvo of six weapons from the ships and three from the platform had surprised no one.  The Heavy Patrol Vessels had entered range first and had been engaged by the Patrol Group in turn.
   The first of the Heavy Patrol Vessels had been destroyed moments before Patrol Vessel 1 broke apart.  The second Heavy Patrol Vessel had been destroyed rapidly there after.  The orbital station had moved to place the planet between itself and the oncoming Patrol Group, but not before its protective field had been struck by at least one torpedo.  The orbital platform's use of the planet as a shield had been anticipated.  The native race had used this defense before.  The Patrol Group had altered course and speed then passed within a few thousand kilometers of the second planet, with Patrol Vessels 2 and 7 to one side and 13, 17, and 25 spaced around the other.  The orbital platform had been left no room to maneuver.  It had been understood at this close range that the torpedoes of the Patrol Group would have little time to maneuver, and that had been accepted.  What had not been anticipated were the many launch bays containing the native race's heavy and high speed torpedoes.  Patrol Vessel 25 had been devastated almost before it was able to launch, and Patrol Vessel 17 had its protective field ripped away by a single close range intercept.
   But the pass had succeeded in its goal.  The orbital platform had received many intercepts and been damaged.  Both of the enemy ships under construction had been destroyed.  The construction assets of the platform had survived undamaged, but it had proven impossible to decisively engage them.  Moments after the pass the orbital station had once again maneuvered so that the planet was again interposed between the Patrol Group and its target.  The only way to re-engage it would require the Patrol Group to once again come in range of the high speed and devastating torpedoes of the enemy.  That was simply not an option.
   Luckily another target had presented itself.  A ship moving at only one third of the Patrol Group's speed had been detected moving away at five light seconds from the planet.  It was the size of a Combat Vessel, but appeared to be unarmed.  A closer pass showed it to be a mobile construction platform.  It had been engaged and destroyed.
   Even with the loss of Patrol Vessels 1 and 25, coupled with the survival of the construction capability of the orbital platform, the Commander decided that this engagement had been a success.  The native race had lost two Heavy Patrol Vessels, two more vessels under construction, and a Mobile Repair Vessel.  Five ships destroyed for the loss of two.
   Yes, it would be a victory.


   0310 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po sat within his office.  He knew this would not go well for his group of supporters.  The projects that had brought the group to power were now nothing more than scattered wreckage.  The loss of the two newest Missile Frigates and a Mobile Construction Ship only intensified the loss.  With one of the orbital slips here at Earth destroyed, and the other damaged and barely managing to keep life support on line, the ability to begin new construction projects was VERY limited.
   The Ministry had immediately ordered that all of the warships near Neptune would have to be transferred to Venus to protect the only surviving construction facilities, and the troops were to be abandoned to their fate.  No new construction would be undertaken until the warships were in place to protect the station.  In that Po's party had based its agenda around massive military construction in space to guarantee Chinese dominance; this was viewed in many circles as proof of their inability to direct the current government.  Po knew he only had one chance to try and salvage the situation for his supporters.
   If he failed, he wouldn't likely live to see the results.
   Po and his advisors had devised a plan that would give the Chinese Empire some ability to make good on the current situation, as terrible as it was.  The Mobile Construction Vessel Zhuang would begin repairs to the Venus Station to replace the two destroyed Defense Modules.  This would take months, but would not create a great drain on resources and would allow the slips at Venus to operate freely.
   Reports had shown that some of the materials intended for the construction of the Cruiser and Heavy Cruiser at Venus were either undamaged or recoverable.  This would help to begin the construction of new ships.  In that no combat vessels were to be stationed at Earth under current directives, the protection of the orbital station here would be difficult, if not impossible.  The attack at Venus and the repeated attacks on the US station at Mars had shown these platforms with their magnetic protective shields were very resilient to alien attack.  In light of this, Po was going to recommend that the station at Earth was to be scrapped for all available materials and this used to support further construction of ships to combat the alien menace.  The combined resources of the scrapped station and salvaged vessels would allow China to maintain its dominance in space.
   This all depended on the aliens not destroying the Venus Station before Admiral Hu was able to return.


   0700 hours/New  Delhi, India

   Chairman Mukata knew he had the boardmembers’ attention.  The risk was substantial, but the opportunity fleeting and valuable beyond measure.
   The FSC Cargo Freighter would arrive at Earth near the end of September.  By then the Mary Reed would have completed repairs and be ready for service.  The FSC had already raised two battalions of troops for combat on a moon that everyone else seemed to have abandoned,  along with over three divisions of troops and equipment on the surface.
   Chairman Mukata had proposed to the board that this would be the FSC's chance.  The major powers would be busy trying to defend the inner system, and had already abandoned the souls on Triton to their fate.  This would be the chance for the FSC to step in.  By using the carrying capacity of the Mary Reed and Cargo Freighter, they could become the saviors of the troops on Triton.  Video of the FSC and her soldiers valiantly supporting the troops on Triton single handedly would generate untold support from the families of those with loved ones trapped on the planet.  The return trips could carry troops wounded or no longer able to fight for lack of supplies. They might even be able to fit in maintenance and repair equipment for the US ships rumored to have stayed behind.
   The public relations coup would be enormous.
   The possibility that they would have first chance at any recovered alien technology would be a sizable bonus.  Especially any data on the new fast 'bomber/drone' the aliens had employed.  Scans had been acquired as the craft passed Earth, but any additional information could be invaluable to future developments.
   Chairman Mukata watched his screen as the votes from the assembled boardmembers were entered and tallied.  And then it was done.
   In one month the first of the FSC's troops would leave Earth for Triton, with as many supplies as they could pack into the ships. And for the first time the FSC would come to the forefront of this war, as all three of the major powers would depend on her for the support of their troops and ships in enemy space.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on November 04, 2010, 09:44:18 PM
August 2204 part 10


August 31st  0850 hours/Surface of Triton

   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank stood near the US EV MkII Tank.  The other members of her squad were spread out through the ice formations nearby.  The only motion was the slow small oscillations of the sensor dish on the top of the US tank. For five kilometers the same formation was repeated over and over.  A thin defensive circle that would have to hold for the next few hours.  At several areas across the face of the moon other soldiers were doing the same thing.  The lifters were still moving supplies down from orbit and would be for a few hours more.  Return trips were ferrying a precious few troops off the surface for a trip home.  Of over four thousand Pan Euro 13th Mech Inf troops on the surface, less than a hundred would have the opportunity to take the trip home.  And although everyone knew that staying on the moon was a death sentence, not one member of the division had volunteered.  It had fallen on the senior officers to choose who would go home.  Tanya knew that since she was standing on the perimeter, it wasn't her or her squad that had been chosen.
   That suited her well enough.
   She had fought the aliens for a month now, and had no intention of giving up yet.  Slowly they were gaining ground on the aliens.  Pushing them back from their cities and industry.  Forcing them onto the open surface of the moon or into their underground shelters.  But never had the creatures offered to surrender.  They fought to the very last, or tried to flee if there was anywhere to go.  But even when surrounded and trapped, they never dropped their weapons or stopped trying to kill or escape.  This was a fight to the death.
   'Better here in the midst of their homes than in ours.'
   There were rumors the aliens had actually attacked Earth, but no one up the chain was confirming or denying them.  The nuclear fireballs that had lit the surface of the moon pretty much answered that question.  The real question was if there was a 'home' to go back to.  'There has to be' Tanya told herself.  'The aliens have hit the US settlement on Mars over and over, and they haven't destroyed it yet.  Mercury, Ceres, Pallas, those small colonies might be gone, but if Mars survived, there is no way the aliens could have taken out Earth.'  Tanya looked over the barren icy landscape.
   'Not mom.'


   1230 hours/New Delhi, India

   Chairman Mukata sat in the empty boardroom and looked over the status updates.  Tooling had finally been completed to produce the system the US had developed.  The magnetic field generators could now be reset after the power surge generated by the flux of a nuclear detonation nearby.  It would take time, but would no longer require the systems to be overhauled here at Earth.  The Mary Reed would be refitted with the new systems within the next few days.  Any future warships would also benefit from this, but it might be some time before a second warship could be built.
   Progress on the other research projects was frustratingly slow.  Granted any new developments take time, but the aliens did not appear interested in giving humanity any rest.  The initial designs for several new ships were on the boards, but it would take time for the projects they were based around to be finalized.  Until then the ships were just guesses at what would actually be needed.  One was as large as the Pan Euro Royalty Class warships, but it could be decades before the FSC was capable of funding such a project.
   With the approval of the troop movement and support missions to Neptune, the Mary Reed alone might be inadequate to support that mission.  A second armed vessel might be necessary for support of this upcoming operation.  With the scheduled departure of the ground support mission in one month, any ship built to assist would have to be finished and ready for service in that time frame.  The Mary Reed was too large and expensive to construct another ship in her class in one months time.
   The Kestrel had been a smaller and faster design, and with slight updates to the design, might be a serviceable vessel with the capability to support the operation at Neptune in several ways.
   Mukata began to compose a memo for the Queensland Facility.  A project cost study would need to be undertaken.


   1815 hours/US Space Station Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked through the lifter's viewing port at the damaged section of the station.  The alien kamikazes had inflicted an enormous amount of damage.  The station's command section and staff quarters had almost totally been destroyed, while workers in Slip One were still trying to control fires in most all of the construction and living areas.  Slip Two had escaped any serious damage.  The crews were still checking most of the equipment and running diagnostics on all of the systems, but it appeared that it would be able to resume operations within the next twenty four hours.  The loss of the Q Ship in orbit was regrettable, but much of the material for its construction was still on the surface awaiting shipment to orbit, or scattered about in orbit awaiting reclamation.  Construction of another Q Ship could begin within the next few days.  With Slip Two still operational and the Mars Station Shipyard still undamaged, the US should be capable of meeting its operational projections.  A new MkIIb would come out of the yard at Mars in the next few days.
   The damage to the US infrastructure was just another hurdle to be dealt with.  The war had handed the US many setbacks, but they were not defeated.  Not yet.  The damage to equipment was the least of Bradley's worries at the moment though.  The damage to morale could be far worse.  Earth had been attacked.  The aliens had been damaged but not destroyed, and most would perceive the Battle at Earth as a loss for humanity.  They could be right.  The public morale and support would have to be addressed in the days ahead.  For the moment, Bradley was focused on one other morale issue.
   Several memorandums had been drafted for transmission to the ships in the outer reaches of the solar system.  Bradley had cancelled all of them, and forbidden any but routine traffic to the ships stationed there.  They would likely learn some details from the Euro and Chinese ships stationed there, but that could not be helped.  Captain Brown had been instructed not to forward any information gained from foreign ships to the Yari without his authorization.
   Bradley settled back into the seat of the boat.  Jack was busy chasing down a convoy of alien supply ships.  They had to be headed somewhere, and that somewhere would be the next target.  Finding another alien convoy in the depths of the outer system might take years.  Jack had to find out where they were going, and he knew it.  He wasn't going to let go of those alien ships until he had completed his mission, or was destroyed.
   Bradley didn't need a monitor to see the letter he had composed.  It was burned into him.  Haunted him.  A memo wouldn't do for this.  No cold message sent to inform the recipient of events or circumstances.  A message Jack would have to see, but not now.  Not until he had finished his mission.
   These aliens and their weapons could destroy a man.
   But they weren't the only things.
   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on November 13, 2010, 05:38:19 AM
August 2204 part 11

///////////////////////////////////////////
Overview

This month left just about everyone unhappy with the results.  Amazingly, the wife and kids took most of it pretty well.  Or maybe they were just used to things going wrong by this point.  No one got too bent until China lost the ships under construction at Venus.  That represented over 1700 MC lost.  Needless to say, the middle boy wasn't happy, but couldn't even complain to the other players because he didn't want to 'fess up to what he had been up to.
Overall I considered the month a victory for the Nemotians.  The players had been crippled in their ability to churn out more ships, as the production facilities would end up with a much higher percentage of their capacity tied up in repairs than they had been.   The Euro in particular was hurting with only a single functioning full size shipyard left.  China with two and a mobile shipyard had the highest capacity, but it was in a very vulnerable position.  He had the biggest hammer in the game to swing around, but he had a pretty powerful reason to keep it tied down to one little spot.  The US had a pair of shipyards left, but was so low on ships they were struggling just to replace losses.  The Nemotians still had one CL left, and a pair of ES finished at the end of the month - leaving them in better shape than I had anticipated.  I had expected to lose both of the CL in the attack on Earth.
In the end, I knew it was just prolonging the inevitable.  I had cost the players money, but couldn't do anything decisive about the imbalance in incomes.  The players still had over a three to one advantage.  They had lost more ships, and much of their construction capacity, but they still had almost a three to one advantage in this area also at the end of the month.  And most telling - just like the Japanese at Pearl Harbor - the real power of the players 'navies' hadn't been touched.  The Pan Euro still could field enough ships in its Battle Groups to fight the Nemotians to a standstill and probably win a protracted campaign, while the Chinese Shek and Minh Groups could slam through anything in deep space and cut off any colony it could find.
I had bought the Nemotians several extra months and caught the players off guard.  But it wasn't going to change the writing on the wall.  What it did was take what would have been a fairly short conflict and allow it to drag on for quite a while to come.
On to the tale of the tape.....

For China,

OK, no way around it, this month was the worst China had been hurt.  Of the two shipyards in the SS at Earth, one was destroyed and the other damaged.  It would take months just to repair the damaged one, and little to destroy it.  Repairing both would take almost a year.  Add the loss of one of their two mobile shipyards and that represented half of their production capability.  Losing the two newest frigates and two defense modules on the Venus Station pretty much put it over the top for the middle boy.  Along with the two survey vessels early in the month.
He was the one who declared that Triton would be glassed, whether it killed all of the aliens or not.  Then he was leaving.  The other players had been planning to continue their shipments and the ground war, but decided without China’s big ships to secure the area, they just couldn't risk it.  Nobody had ships to transport troops at Triton at the time so the troops just got left behind.  The middle boy had decided and voiced the opinion (which was correct) that the Nemotians hadn't attacked at Triton because they couldn't beat the ships there, especially his cruiser groups.  So he figured if the Cruisers moved to Venus while the SS was upgraded in its defenses, that it would be safe.  That was a pretty good assumption, but it cost the players the chance to finish off what they had started at Triton.
To make things worse he failed his roll to advance to EL2, and his other two research projects weren't even close to making rolls yet.  His month 20 rolls did see his governor on Earth advance to BG+1, and Admiral Hu also made his roll. He could also console himself with his growth in population on Earth, the chance to add a few IU, and the opportunity to begin colonizing the moons of Saturn. 
That and the fact that even after a pounding, he was easily the most powerful player at that point.

For the Pan Euro,

This month really saw a low point for the Euro.  It ended with only one shipyard left working, every ship bigger than a CT destroyed, damaged, or still shaking down.  Add in the loss of Jude and my wife was far from happy.  Then the middle boy left her no choice but to pick up her general off the surface of Triton and leave her troops behind.  This month left her hopes for beginning construction of the first non-Chinese CL in the dust.  Just getting things repaired would take everything the Euro had for some time to come.
She was still in good shape militarily (for this game), with a DD, a FG, a CT, and 10 ES.  What she lacked in sheer firepower she made up for in high crew grades and flexibility in deployments.  With two mobile shipyards and a dedicated supply ship, she could put ships anywhere and support them at length.  She just had to be careful because replacing losses would be a slow process for her now.
She did manage one stroke of good luck that got two birds with one throw of the dice.  She not only got a success on her roll for getting shields to regenerate every hour, but she got a random breakthrough on top of it.  The roll down the list just happened to get her a breakthrough on commercial ion engines (Ic).  The Euro would be the first to get started on drive field research.  This was a big break for her.  She didn't realize it at first but it had implications beyond a ship drive.  It would reduce the size of her missiles by a factor of three.  She would be able to carry three times as many in a magazine - which was handy - and three times as many on her XO's when she got them.  Couple this with research on the Rb's with their longer range and smaller launcher size and you have a DECISIVE advantage.  After a few weeks and a few mock combats, she discovered that an Rb armed DD with 24 missiles in its 1/2 HS magazine could stomp what she felt was a fair approximation of a Chinese Cruiser quite easily.  That helped to cheer her up quite a bit.
This development would take time to come to fruition, but would redefine the balance of power.
The month 20 rolls also saw Brenna advance to BG+3 (or heroic in our parlance), and the Euro governor went to BG+2 (elite), just in time to begin a new era for the Pan Euro. 

For the US,

This was a sad month for an already beleaguered player.  The loss of two more ships, another under construction, and a shipyard was an enormous setback.  Tack on the loss of his latest Admiral before he even got to roll for advancement on month 20 and it hurt worse.  Add in no chance for success on any research with a failed roll for a random breakthrough and there was little cheerful for the US.  They got the population growth, but knew they were the smallest of the big powers and would benefit from it the least.  He did have the foresight to build the IU his growth would allow before hand so he could get that income the first month it was available. 
Even with his three task forces reduced to two ships each (ouch), he did have one of the most vital opportunities at the time.  He was trailing the Nemotian FT's and knew if he could just avoid detection, he would eventually find another colony or something of equal value.  Somehow amidst the endless complaints of how the game was just unfair and things were always going against him, he managed two of the most heroic things of the month.  Continuing the surveillance of the alien FT's, and the support of the ground troops at Triton - essentially alone.  He knew if the aliens showed up, he was a goner, but if he retreated they were left blind and dumb.
At least as consolation the US made its roll and the US Governor (President ??) made it to BG+1 and gave the US a much needed income boost, while B. Walters made it to BG+2.  He also gained a new BG admiral, and decided to use it to make J Gauld into the next admiral.

For the FSC,
With little to lose that wouldn't just take the oldest girl out of the game, she managed to sneak by another month with nothing bad happening.  She made her roll to get shields regenerating, and continued her trickle of colonization and IU construction.  The MC's from China for shipping supplies to the troops on Triton earned her quite a bit (it amounted to 5% of her gross income for the month). Her governor also went to BG+1 giving her a boost in income.  He also got the special ability as a grower, but that was little help when you have the smallest population to grow in the first place.
What would become a defining moment for the FSC, and a new niche she began to try and look at to exploit, was assuming responsibility for the troops on Triton.  Her month 20 rolls saw her general go from BG+1 to BG+2/Efficient.  What she lacked in space combat ability for the moment, she would begin to make up for in ground combat capability.  At the risk of giving a slight spoiler, the other players would find themselves more and more dependant on her for reducing the alien colonies as the campaign progresses.  This month saw the oldest girl begin to find her place in this campaign and prove that you don't have to be the biggest power to be important.
The next 20 months will see the FSC transform from a small sideline the other players ignored, into a lynch pin they were unable to win the war without.

For the Nemotians,
They scored a large victory, and got two of their governors up to BG+1, giving them some extra income and breathing room.  Could they win, no.  Could they make it a long and hard fight?  You bet.  They also got a new BG+1 admiral, which I used to 'promote' the commander of PV17 to commander of fleets without having to lose PV17's grade.  OK, sometimes its good to be the SM and exercise a little rules fiat.  I didn't break any, just used it to add flavor.
This helped to offset a terrible bout of '...oh gosh how stupid am I...' when I realized that the Nemotians had been pouring cash into XO research and that with CP drives giving their Pt's a size of !! 9MSP's !! that I would have to build a BC just to be able to mount ONE Pt on XOa's.  OOOPS.  Well, I guess I've made worse mistakes.
The interesting news was that PV17 made it to BG+3 this month, and became the first Heroic ship of the game.  PV13 stepped up and became BG+2.  Only AV2 failed to make BG+1, and that only because of the damage it sustained.  With two new Attack Vessels they would be able to more effectively patrol the outsystem area and free up PV24 from escort duties.
Success on Da would be months away, but I hoped to get it into the field before the tide turned completely against the Nemotians in open space.  The glassing of Triton had been expected, but it still hurt.  The last six PDC's were finished this month giving every colony with a population over 180 PU a PDC on each facing.  This and the bases orbiting the New Homes made it suicide for anything but a large force to attack.  The PDC's were only going to get bigger, and I was sure the players would wince badly the next time they tried to attack a colony.
Even with all this, I was sure the Nemotians days were numbered.  But I was also sure the players wouldn't find an easy or cheap path to victory.

Next post will sum up the ground combat results and give the low down on the battles.
The following will give the turn 20 summary of incomes and holding.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on November 16, 2010, 04:51:27 AM
August 2204 part 12

Overview part 2

This month had several encounters, some of which barely qualify as 'battles'.  I'll try to get most of them in.

August 22nd / The Alarm

Nemotian Forces

Patrol Vessel  1 (BG) , 2 (BG)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1] / cg x1, st x1

Chinese Vessels

Survey Vessel Marco Polo (BG) , Xu Fu (BG)   FT0 / 7HS
[2] A Hs (Bsa) H H Xp Qa (cp) [4/1] / cg x2

This wasn't much of a battle, but it was actually important.  The trick was getting lucky enough for the survey vessels to live long enough to transmit a warning.  If they hadn't, the Chinese Frigates would have been at Earth instead of Venus, and China's SS there might have suffered a great deal more.  Of course, they might have made some difference in the Battle of Earth if they had been available, but it is doubtful.
As for the setting, we used the commerce raiding rules for getting off a message when attacked.  The Patrol Vessels were skimmimg the dark side of the asteroid belt trying to avoid detection or make escape possible while they were moving to make a fly by of Venus.  The Survey Vessels were in open space returning from Saturn.  If you play through the month, and don't get the message to Earth on this one, you could alter the later scenarios to leave the Chinese FG's at Earth and see what happens.
It occured to the middle boy that he could have launched the gigs to try and ensure a message gets sent (they were in range of the Venus SS comm range), and try to see if he could get the Nemotians to use up more torpedoes, but he didn't during the actual battle.


August 24th / Battle at Mars (4th or 5th ?? we had quit counting at this point)

Nemotian Forces

Patrol Vessel  17 (BG+2) , 13 (BG+1) , 25 (BG+1)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1] / cg x1, st x1
4 additional cg

US Task Force 1

Interceptor MkIIb A Jackson (BG-1) , B Franklin (BG) , JFK (BG)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (cpCp) [6/1] cg x1

US Support Group

US Q Ship Vigilance (BG)   FT2 / 16HS
[2] S S X Qv Qv Ya Ra H H H (Bsa) Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1 , gtos x1

US Survey Tender 1 (BG)   FT0 / 5 HS
[2] H X H Qa (Cp) [6/1]

US Mars Space Station (BG-1)   SS / 82HS
{0] H Qa (SY2 o o o o o o o o o o) [0}

US Mars Station Defense Modules 1 - 5 (BG-1)   SS / 12HS
{0] S S H Qa Lb Ra [0}

The object of this battle was for the Nemotians to try and destroy as many mobile warships as possible without destroying the SS.  In fact, coming in range of the SS was something to avoid.  The Nemotians needed to give the US a reason to continue guarding the planet but thin out the mobile assets that could be moved out system.  If the SS was destroyed, the ships might move to Earth and have to be fought there also.
There is also another MkIIb Interceptor docked to the SS but unprotected by the S's (per the rules - doesn't make sense to me but it wasn't worth fighting over if it favored me).  At this point the hull would be finished but only the engine room finished.  It could be a valuable target, but the Nemotians didn't know about it on the way in and avoiding fire from the SS was part of the orders, so I decided to leave it alone.  The extra gigs are from the other Patrol Vessels.  They were there to give the impression that this was the main offensive for the month and that the Nemotians were hurting bad.  They were never intended to reach the planet, just to draw fire and give a false impression.
The damage to the Vigilance is lingering damage from the landing at Triton, while the damage to the Survey Tender was the result of a bad random event roll for the US (he never could seem to get an even break early in the game) resulting in a small craft accident destroying the small craft and its bay.  This one just looked like the most likely to have suffered an accident.  And yes, the SS is still down one defense module.  It just wasn't as large of a priority as ship building.


August 24th / Dance with the Devil


Nemotian Forces

Patrol Vessel  7 (BG) , 8 (BG)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1] /  st x1

Pan Euro Forces

Heavy Escort Tatianna  (BG+2)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S H Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1] cg x1

The PV's start separated by 20tH at speed 1 with shields down.  The Tatianna starts 2 tH's off the course of PV 8 with shields down at speed 0.

This battle got its name from my wife shortly after it started.  I was forced to move along slowly as those were the op orders I'd written trying to avoid detection while searching for the lost PV12.  When the battle started it was a constant 'dance' for the Tat' trying to keep just one of the PV's in range for as long as possible, without it slipping away.  Then moving to good range while staying out of the Pta's 'sweet spot' in its range bracket and trying to hold the second PV at as long a range as possible.  She managed to pull it off fairly well and got lucky with a string of rolls, always seeming to get at least one of her missiles to hit.  My rolls weren't so good, but she did a good job of leaving me a pretty poor chance of getting a hit in.
She had only been hit once when PV 8 bit the dust.  Having lost one more ship than I had intended to, I decided to break off and not risk crippling damage to PV8 before the real reason for the group being in system came to pass.


August 25th / Fly By

Nemotian Forces

Patrol Vessel  1 (BG) , 2 (BG)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1] /  st x1


Chinese Forces

Missile Frigates Sichuan (BG-2) , Gansu (BG-2)   FG / 22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Venus Space Station (BG-1)   SS / 162HS
{0] H Qa (SY1 o o o o o o o o o o) (SY1 o o o o o o o o o o ) [0}

Venus Station Defense Modules 1 - 6 (BG-1)   SS / 11HS
{0] S S H Qa Ga Ra [0}

Mobile Construction Ship (BG)   FT4 / 30HS
[2] H A H Qa (Cp) (SYM1 o o o) [2/1] cg x1

Also at the SS are the partial hulls of one CL, and one CA.

This wasn't so much a battle as an attempt to avoid one.  The PV's were to make a high speed pass and try to get within combat sensor range without getting damaged.   The Frigates only made one launch at the PV's, and so did the SS.  Nothing made any hits and he didn't try a second launch when the PV's turned around and disengaged.  The goal was to just get a look at what was there.  Two CT's against a pair of FG's (even if they were poor crews) and a SS just looked like a losing proposition.  The orders were to look and avoid losses.  If you want to try and fight it out, be my guest.


August 30th / Battle of Earth

Nemotian Forces

Assault Vessel 1 (BG) , 2 (BG)   CL / 45HS
[2] S S S S A A A H Qa Qa (cpCp) (M1) Mg Mg Mg Mg Kb+ Kb+ (Cp) Qa Pta Ya (CpCp) Pta [6/1] cg x3  salvos - 14 (AV1) / 13 (AV2)

Patrol Vessel  1 (BG) , 2 (BG) , 7 (BG) , 13 (BG+1) , 17 (BG+2), 25 (BG+1)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1] /  st x1  salvos 14 each
all st carry PtaM x1 and bombs x6
PV 17 has its armor destroyed and the Hs operating under emergency repairs

Hive Vessel 1 (BG) , 2 (BG)   ESf / 12HS
[2] (Bsa) x9 H Qa (Cp) [6/1] st x9
all st carry PtaM x1 and bombs x6

Light Support Vessel 4 (BG) , 5 (BG) , 9 (BG) , 11 (BG)   FT1/12HS
[2] S H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]
all carry PtaM x7

Mobile Repair Vessel (BG)    FT4 / 30HS
[2] H Qa (Cp) (Cp) (Cp) (SYM o o o) [6/1]  cg x1


Earth Forces

US Task Force 2

Interceptor MkIII Naginata (BG-1) , Sai (BG-2) , Kama (BG-2)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S Hs Mgs Qa Ya (Cp) Ra Ra (Cp) [7/1] cg x1

US Earth Command

Western Zone Defense Bunker (BG)   PDC / 36HS
Eastern Zone Defense Bunker (BG)   PDC / 36HS
{0] A A A A A A A A A A Mg Mg Lb Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra [0}

US Earth Station Shipyards (BG-1)      SS / 162HS
{0] H Qa (SY2 o o o o o o o o o o) (SY2 o o o o o o o o o o ) [0}

Partial Hull of FT2 in orbit (as Int MkII hull at Mars)

FSC Support Group

Converted Freighter Mary Reed (BG-2)   FT2 / 16HS
[2] S S S S X Qv Qv H H Ya Ra Qa (Cp) cg x1
(BG-2 for repairs)

Hidden Missile Silo (BG) x2


Chinese Earth Defense

Surface Defense Site One (BG)   PDC / 32HS
Surface Defense Site Two (BG)    PDC / 32HS
{0] A A A A A A A A A A Mg Mg Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra [0}

Chinese Earth Space Station (BG-1)      SS / 162HS
{0] H Qa (SY1 o o o o o o o o o o) (SY1 o o o o o o o o o o ) [0}


Pan Euro 3rd Battle Group

Queen Mary (BG-2)   DD / 30HS
[2] S S S S A A A Hs Qa Mgs (Cp) (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Attack Escort Isabelle (BG+1) , Catherine (BG+1) , Elise (BG-2) , K Sereg (BG-2)   ES / 12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Pan Euro 3rd Light Battle Group

Armed Science Vessel Red October (BG)   FG / 22HS
[2] X X S S X X X X X X ( X Cp) Ra Ra Ya Qa (Cp) [7/1] cg x1

Heavy Escort Tatianna  (BG+2)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S H Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1] cg x1

Attack Escort Kathleen (BG-2) , Scarlett (BG-2)   ES / 12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Mobile Shipyard 2 (BG)      FT4 / 30HS
[2] H H H Qa (Cp) (SYM2 o o o) [2/1] cg x1

Pan Euro Ground Defense
Ukraine Defense Center (BG)   PDC / 32HS
Azores Defense Center (BG)   PDC / 32HS
{0] A A A A A A A A A A Mg Mg Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra [0}

Ok, this battle was a massive engagement for this campaign.  To avoid making this a very long section, just read over the battle in the text (sorry).  The AV's launched their gigs and had them circle around the planet to try and draw the defenders out in the wrong direction.  The Hive Vessels and Repair Vessel never got any closer than 120 tH to Earth, they are just included for completeness.
The Support Vessels were in with the main body of ships but continued on toward Earth when the rest broke off in an attempt to draw fire.  If they had ACTUALLY rammed, they would have done 6pts (x3), or 2pt on a miss (6pt x3 / 10 FRU).  The shuttles do 2pts (x3) in a ram, or 1pt on a miss (2pt x3 / 10 FRU).  The goal was to hit the SS and any other vessels under construction.  Second priority was to take out mobile units.  Nothing was actually targetted on the ground, but the st carried bombs just in case the opportunity had presented itself.
The Earth also has six large civilian SS in orbit, which I won't detail but would type up if someone was really interested.  They could have survived several shuttles ramming them quite handily.  I couldn't tell which was which as they were all grouped on the back of Earth when the st made it to Earth so they had no MP to get sensor data.  I wanted most to ram, not get shot down, so I spread out the st and put one or two on each.  In the end the US and Euro lost a SY, while China lost one and had the second damaged by a miss.
Admiral B Walters (LG+1) was on the US SS. Admiral J Kushnir (LG+2) was on the QM, R Admiral B Overturf (LG-1) was on the Naginata, Commodore R McNeely (LG) was on the R October, while the Commander of Fleets (LG+1) was on AV1.
Several of the Pan Euro ships were reduced in grade, as was the M Reed due to repairs or refits this month, which didn't help the defenders one bit.  The R October is in bad shape, with the itilicized systems operating on emergency repairs.  A lot of ships were low in grade as they were still shaking down.  


August 31 / Battle of Venus

Nemotian Forces

Patrol Vessel  1 (BG) , 2 (BG) , 7 (BG) , 13 (BG+1) , 17 (BG+2), 25 (BG+1)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1] /   salvos 10 (PV17) , all others 9 each
PV 17 has its armor destroyed and the Hs operating under emergency repairs

Chinese Forces

Missile Frigates Sichuan (BG-2) , Gansu (BG-2)   FG / 22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Venus Space Station (BG-1)   SS / 162HS
{0] H Qa (SY1 o o o o o o o o o o) (SY1 o o o o o o o o o o ) [0}

Venus Station Defense Modules 1 - 6 (BG-1)   SS / 11HS
{0] S S H Qa Ga Ra [0}

Mobile Construction Ship (BG)   FT4 / 30HS
[2] H A H Qa (Cp) (SYM1 o o o) [2/1] cg x1

Also at the SS are the partial hulls of one CL, and one CA.

This one is for all the marbles.  After the attack on Earth the middle boy knew this was about taking out ships and SY's.  He did his best to get in one SS launch and then hid it behind Venus.  The FG's died quickly, but tore up a PV on the way in.  He knew that if the SS hid behind the planet that I would have to enter the same hex to force the fight.  At that range the Ga on the SS come into their own.  The point blank exchange tore up the damaged PV and one other in a single round.  It was obvious that the Patrol Group would disintegrate even if I did win.  The Nemotians couldn't afford to lose the bulk of their fleet, so I settled for taking out the ships under construction.  If the CA and CL here had ever been completed, the game would have been over.  After a few days to analyze the scans of the ships under construction, I'm sure the Nem. would have realized that also.


Here is the quick and dirty update for the ground war on Triton.

Losses for the Pan Euro of 0.4 QV, US of 0.2 QV, and China of 0.5 Qv.  Not too horrible, but when you don't have much to start with it becomes significant. Losses for the Nemotians are academic.  They used MC to raise a number of Qv (50) and H, which were nuked or lased early in the month.  The players figured out pretty quickly the extra 10 PU on the assault chart was going to hurt them, and that 50 Qv would soak all of the damage they would do without affecting the base population of the moon.  Nuking the Nemotian Qv took out a number of the PU and IU on the moon.  What didn't die then disappeared at the end of the month.  What damage the players Qv did just lessened the number of nukes the players had to drop.
It was decided between myself and the players that the glassing of Triton came so extremely late in the month that the modifier for the nukes would be applied to September.  It was just a matter of a few hours.  The players could have easily waited until it had been Sept, but why bother.  So the modifier for the last nukes to the assault table roll would be carried over. With their precarious supply situation, they would need the bonus.  But the modifier for income, etc, would apply to the first of the month. (Ok, I had a weak moment.) The players did make it very clear that they would AVOID any damage to the RDS on the planet.  They were still hoping to capture it.
The Nemotians still had 36 PU in shelters on the moon, and would grow by 0.7PU at the start of the month.  The players would have 23.1 Qv on the planet combined (mix of EL1 and 2), but not enough H to supply all of them.  The Euro and US would have adequate supplies for September, but the Chinese had actually come up 0.1 H short of full supplies for August and would have nothing for September unless the Euro and US gave it to them. Even then the Euro and US would only be able to supply half of the Qv the Chinese had on the moon.  That issue was still up for debate at the beginning of the next turn.
With the mod to the Nemotian's income for the players' Qv on the planet, the Nemotians would actually have just enough PU to generate a whole 8.3 MC.  How that was going to be spent (Qv and H) was fairly obvious.  With such a small population and only 18.0 IU left after the bombing, it wasn't like they were going to start any major construction.
The big question was if the players would be able to get any H to the moon before the start of the next month.  If the troops ran out of supplies, it would be over for them.

PS, I had to change the format for the boxes of the TM and SPD of the PDC and SS as the site seems to recognize what I put in normally as the notation for a bullet. 
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on November 26, 2010, 12:43:24 AM
Empire states beginning turn 21

Pan Euro  (EL 2)
Holdings - Earth, Luna, Colonies on +/- 5LM of Main Belt
GEV  1448.2 MC
Treasury from turn 20  124.9 MC

SS w/ SY x2 at Earth (one damaged)
PDC x2 on Earth

Pan Euro Senior Admiral/Brenna Muldoon (BG+3/Trainer)

3rd Battle Group (Rear Admiral Robert McNeely BG)
A.S.V. Red October (BG)
A. E. Catherine (BG +1)
A. E. Isabelle (BG +2)
A. E. Elise (BG +2)
A. E. Keely Sereg (BG)
Mobile Shipyard 2

4th Battle Group (Admiral Brenna Muldoon BG+3/Trainer)
Destroyer Queen Victoria (BG-1)
A. E. Mary Queen of Scots (BG +1)
A.E. Rachel Pierce (BG+1)
A.E. Giovanni Vetra (BG)
A.E. Justin Reynolds (BG)
Mobile Shipyard 1

3rd Light Battle Group (Commodore Stephan Vasilakos BG)
H. E. Tatianna (BG +2)
A.E. Kathleen (BG)
A.E. Scarlett (BG)

Independantly Assigned Vessels
Pan Euro Troop Support Ship
Pan Euro Troop Transport
Survey Vessels Michaelangelo, Raphael, Rembrandt - mothballs


China  (EL1)
Holdings - Earth
GEV  1577.2 MC
Treasury from turn 20  36.6 MC

SS w/ SY x2 at Venus
PDC x2 on Earth

Chinese Senior Admiral/Admiral Hu (BG +2/Decisive)

Shek Group (currently Admiral Hu)
Cruiser Chiang Kai Shek (BG)
Missile Frigate Anhui (BG +1)
Missile Frigate Hubei (BG +2)
Mobile Construction Vessel Zhuang

Minh Group (Vice Admiral Y Ming BG -1)
Cruiser Ho Chi Minh (BG)
Missile Frigate Shangxi (BG +1)
Missile Frigate Henan (BG +1)

Independantly Assigned Vessels
Troop Lander 1
Troop Lander 2


United States  (EL2)
Holdings - Earth, Mars, Colonies on +/- 4LM of Main Belt
GEV  1253.7 Mc
Treasury from turn 10  112.6 MC

SS w/ SY x1 at Mars
SS w/ SY x2 at Earth (one damaged)
PDC x2 on Earth

US Senior Admiral/Admiral Bradley Walters (BG +2)

Task Force 1 (Rear Admiral James Gauld BG)
Interceptor Mk IIb JFK (BG)
Interceptor Mk IIb J Madison (BG -2/shakedown)
Interceptor Mk IIb A Jackson (BG -1)

Task Force 2 (none assigned at beginning of month 21)
Interceptor Mk III Sai (BG / BG-2 shakedown)
Interceptor Mk III Kama (BG)

Task Force 3 (Rear Admiral Jack Ryan BG +2/Navigator)
Interceptor Mk III Yari (BG +1)
Interceptor Mk IIb Z Taylor (BG)

Independantly Assigned Vessels
Q Ship Vigilance (BG)
Troop Support Ship 1 , 2
Survey Tender 01 , 02


South Seas Free Space Consortium (FSC)
Holding - Earth, small Main Belt Colony
GEV  314.4 MC
Treasury from turn 20  29.2 MC

Ground Based Industry equal to SY x2

Senior Space 'Officer'/ 'The Dutchman' BG +2/Courageous

Vessels
Converted Freighter Mary Reed (BG +1)

Hidden Missile Silo x2


Nemotian Consolidate
Holdings - Eris/Dysnomia - NH 1, Orcus - NH 2, Sedna NH -4, Triton(Neptune) - NH 3,  Pluto/Charon - NH 5
GEV  1304.7 MC
Treasury from turn 20  3381.9 MC

SS w/SY x1, Base Station Model 1 x3, PDC x6 at Eris
SS w/SY x1, Base Station Model 0 x2, Base Station Model 1, PDC x6 at Orcus
Base Station Model 0 x2, Base Station Model 1 at Sedna
PDC x6  at Pluto

Patrol Group
Squadron 1
Patrol Vessels 2 (BG +1) , 7 (BG +1)
Squadron 2
Patrol Vessels 13 (BG +2) , 17 (BG +3)
Mobile Repair Ship 4

Combat Group
Assault Vessel 3 (BG)
Hive Vessel 1 (BG) , 2 (BG)

Escort Group
Patrol Vessel 24 (BG)
Attack Vessels 4 (BG -2) , 5 (BG -2)

Mobile Repair Ships 6 - 8 / in mothballs
Survey Vessels 1 - 5 / in mothballs

/////////////////////////////
Once again I am skipping over the ground troop deployments.  If you are interested let me know and I will try to find time to add them in.

It doesn't take a long comparison to the turn 11 update to see that the players have grown some economically, while their fleets have maintained fairly constant level with improving crew grades.  They don't have lots of ships, but what they have are good.
On the other side of the coin, the Nemotian Fleets have pretty much evaporated into a few well trained ships.  Gone are the large fleets of the turn 11 post.  The treasury is dwindled to 1/4th what it had been.  The only thing increasing is the number of stationary defenses.  The game looks on paper as if it is about to grind down into the slow reduction of the Nemotian New Homes as their ability to project force disappears.
The Nemotians will be hampered even more by an initiative the Pan Euro will take in turn 21 (September 2204).  It gets pretty tough for the bad guys in the coming months.

Thanks again for reading.  Hope you have enjoyed the story so far.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on December 10, 2010, 06:47:56 AM
September 2204  part 1

September 1st  0645 hours/South African Shipyard, Earth

   The Dutchman walked carefully on the scaffolding along the hull of the Mary Reed.  The workers were doing a good job patching the myriad holes in the outer hull left from the landing on Triton.  The aliens had shot the old girl up pretty good, but the foremen were saying repairs would be finished late on the third.  'They are in an awful hurry to get us back out again.'
   The Dutchman turned around and looked out at the assembled machinery and supplies scattered through the yard.  'As soon as we clear the docks they will start work on another ship.  They say it will be a modified version of the Kestrel.  I wonder how modified.'
   He turned and continued down the scaffolding.  'In three days we will head back out system with a brigade of troops and as many supplies for them as we can hold.  Only this time we'll be on our own.  No Euro, US, or Chinese ships to protect us.'  The Dutchman began climbing down the steps and looked out at the materials for the new ship and thought about the Kestrel and Marie Celeste. 
   'Our luck can't hold out forever.'


   0820 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, docked to Pan Euro Space Station, Earth

   Rear Admiral Robert McNeely looked at the orders on the monitor again.  'First promotion I haven't wanted.' he thought.  'And command of the 3rd Battle Group.  Of course half of my command is either undergoing repairs or conducting them.'  Robert looked at the visual display on the monitor and could see the Red October from the cameras on the station, along with the Isabelle docked to Mobile Shipyard Two nearby.  'The station looks as bad as we do.'
   Robert looked up at the crew standing around the bridge.  It was unusual to see them unlocked from their stations.  Life had become a ritual of waiting locked in an acceleration 'couch' for the next alien contact.  Another cyborg 'walked' onto the bridge, adjusting its footing as it moved down what would be a wall to Robert.  'Leave it to Stephan to make an entrance.'
   "Welcome aboard Commodore Vasilikos.  Congratulations on the promotion and command."  Robert had been notified of Stephan's promotion and assignment to command the 3rd Light Battle Group, and had invited him to join him on the station for the upcoming briefings.
   "Thank you, Bob.  Amazing what they do to punish you if you disobey orders."  Stephan unlocked his boots from the wall and pushed off.  His boots snapped onto the deck and he walked toward Robert.
   "Yes.  If you had gotten your ship nearly blown apart you could have made admiral like me."  Robert hated how everything came out in monotone, but he knew Stephan would be able to appreciate the sarcasm.
   "Hey, god knows I tried.  Some folks just don't have the talent."  Stephan leaned on the monitor in front of Robert.  "So why the invite.  The chow here isn't any better than on my ship."
   "Briefing.  We need to go over the operations and intel from Command.  With Admiral Kushnir gone and Admiral Muldoon three weeks out, we're in charge of ops here in the inner system."  Robert got up from his station and motioned Stephan toward the hatch.  "Starts in twenty minutes."
   "Leave it to you Bob to find the one thing less fun than chow."


   1400 hours/Beijing, China

   Li Xue walked up the boarding ramp.  She tried to look calm as she approached the entry to the lifter.  She had trained for the last six months on the equipment she would be expected to use, but had never actually left the Earth.  Xue stepped into the cabin of the lifter and saw the others strapped into couches in tight racks like sardines.  Her knees began to feel like rubber and she closed her eyes for a moment, then walked down the narrow isle to where a human robot was directing her.  Somewhere inside the black metal body was bits and pieces of a person, but you couldn't tell from looking.
   Xue climbed into her couch and felt cold, hard hands strap her in.  She closed her eyes again and took slow deep breaths.  That was what they told you to do.  Not to panic, just breathe.  She could hear the last few of the passengers as they climbed into their couches and were strapped in.  Her stomach started to growl, and she remembered that it had been nearly a day since she had eaten.  She breathed deeper and tried to ignore it.
   Xue felt a warm hand hold hers, and felt tubing being hooked up to the small IV site in her hand.  Her hand tingled and burned for a moment as she heard a soft voice tell her to relax and she was going to be alright.  Xue felt like she was already floating, and they hadn't even left the ground yet.  She knew in a moment she would fall asleep, but when she woke up she wouldn't be on Earth.  Or even in the lifter.  She was going to sleep for the next few weeks on a big ship, and when she woke up she would be on Titan.  Along with tens of thousands of other colonists.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on December 17, 2010, 06:36:12 AM
September 2204  part 2

September 2nd 0200 hours/Sector 52:04, Surface of Triton

   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank crouched behind the jagged crystalline feature she had chosen as cover.  Her squad was spaced out across the bleak landscape beside her.  She looked back to see the US 'tank' pop up above the small crest it was sheltering behind.  Tanya's HUD glowed with the IR signature of the laser cannon as it silently fired.  A moment later it was again below the crest of the icy 'sand' dune.  Geysers of sand rocketed up in plumes as alien return fire struck the position.
   "Why do they bother Tanya?  They're only heating the dust."  Tanya heard Heinz, the leader of Team B, talking to her.  She looked over her jagged cover to the alien complex nearly a kilometer away.  The entire area was shrouded in clouds of dust and ice particles thrown up and suspended in the low gravity.  The aliens had learned that the clouds of dust rendered the US lasers much less effective, and made targeting for the Pan Euro Rollover and Lancer Missiles nearly impossible.  It didn't seem to bother the alien mass drivers though. 
   "Who knows why the Americans do anything. At least they don't waste any of our ammo doing it." Tanya answered. She settled back behind her cover and checked the time.  'Half an hour to go.  Then we get another chance to die.  Of course with the supplies we have left, dying is pretty much a certainty.  Just a question of when and how.' 
   Tanya called up the scans from the US ship Taylor of the complex.  The Intel folks back on Earth seemed to think this particular collection of mud and ice piles was important.  Some sort of production, command, or research facility that made it more important than every other pile of ice that had been flattened by the nuclear bombardment of the surface.  Of the hundreds of complexes that had dotted the surface of Triton, this was the last one standing.
   The aliens seemed to realize that little fact also.  They had retreated into the underground shelters everywhere but here.  They had fortified the area, and garrisoned it with every 'battle suit' and support weapon they seemed to have.  The first probes yesterday had even discovered a few new ways the aliens had come up with to kill you.  The most colorful was the gouts of plasma they seemed to channel down magnetic field lines.  It was short ranged, but looked like it could cut through a spaceship hull.  Power armor and cyborgs didn't stand a chance.
   So in half an hour with what supplies they had left, and for however long they had before they died from the hellish environment, the troops on Triton were to try and take the alien complex and transmit any information that could be gained back to Earth.  Intact if possible.  Please and thank you.  First abandoned, and now sent on a suicide mission.
   Tanya checked her '93, and reseated the magazine. Twenty seven minutes left.
   'Guess I don't have anything better to do.'


September 3rd 1105 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home 1 (Eris)

   The Elders reviewed the information that had been gathered recently.  The attack on the enemy holdings in the inner system had went well, with substantial losses incurred - but lower than projected.  Repairs were already under way on the Assault Vessel and Patrol Vessel 17.  When the Assault Vessel returned to New Home 5 it would undergo extensive refits.  The magnetic field generators would be strengthened, while the mass drivers would be removed to make room for additional torpedo launch bays.  The torpedoes had proven to be more useful in engaging the enemy warships, if less accurate on the whole.
   Due to the durability of the enemy orbital installations, the orbital shipyards of New Home 1 would begin construction of modules to allow the station to be protected by multiple magnetic field generators.  This would allow it to withstand raids by the native race, and prevent it from suffering the same fate as the orbital installations of the enemy home planet.
   The fleet of ships used to survey the possible colonization sites in this system were also in the process of being scrapped for the materials in them.  They would be unnecessary for a great deal of time, perhaps generations.  The systems of the vessels could be put to better use constructing warships.
   The last order of business was the identification and attack of the research center on New Home 3.  The enemy had spared it from destruction and now seemed intent upon its capture.  Steps might have to be taken to ensure its destruction if it was likely that it would fall.
   What had once been anticipated as a rapid elimination of the native race had become a grinding and protracted struggle.  One with no sure and lasting signs of victory.


September 4th 0445 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, Mars orbit

   Commander Scott Moreland watched the visual feed as the newest Interceptor MkIIb, the James Madison, undocked from the Mars station and fired it maneuver thrusters.  Seconds drifted by as the large ship turned and drifted away.  Then the feed dimmed as the dampers kicked in and the Madison engaged its drive for the first time. 
   "OK ladies and gents, lets take this old can in and get the dents taken out of her.  Helm, plot the course for docking with Mars Station."  It was finally time for the Vigilance to get repaired from the landings on Triton.  Survey Vessel One would be next, as soon as the Vigilance was finished.
   "Aye, Captain."
   Scott heard the helmsman.  It was now almost a joke that he was only a commander.  The Vigilance had been in as many engagements as most US vessels, and more than some.  The commander of the Madison was a Captain, but had never even seen combat.  It had always been common usage to call the commander of a vessel captain, regardless of his rank.  But on this ship it held special meaning.
   Scott flipped his display over to the sensor returns and saw something else that held special meaning.  As the Madison moved away from Mars and joined the other ships of Task Force 1, three other icons lit up the screen.  Holding formation about one light second behind the US ships was the Pan Euro 3rd Light Battle Group. 'Let the aliens come back now for a little tussle.' Scott thought.
   Word was that not only had Pan Euro Admiral Muldoon transferred the 3rd Light BG to Mars, but she had authorized the sale of Pan Euro Heavy Supply 02 to the FSC for no more than what it would cost to unmothball Heavy Supply 03. Everyone knew that although the FSC had committed to supporting the troops on Triton, they didn't have the ships to actually do it.  The admiral everyone now called 'Battling Brenna' had given them the lift capacity to actually try.
   Of course the rumor mill was also wondering if she was flexing her new muscles, or trying to get fired from her new post.  It was no secret, even in the US, that she had made most of the civilian government very upset.

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on December 19, 2010, 08:52:04 PM
September 2204 part 3

September 5th  0330/University of Cambridge, England

   Henk Leering studied the monitor screen as the readouts began to scroll across it.  His eyes burned as he strained to look over the data, and he tried to rub it away. It only succeeded in making everything blurry.  He heard footsteps behind him and slowly swiveled his chair around.
   "I brought you some more coffee.  Your habit of staying up till all hours and drinking this rubbish will be the death of my marriage."  Thomas O'Connell sat the cup of dark black liquid on the counter beside Henk, and then sat on the stool beside him.  "Any progress with the modifications to the alien field generator?"
   Henk leaned back in his chair and stretched. Then he picked up the cup and held it to his nose and breathed deeply.  "You do a horrible job of making coffee Thomas."  Henk blew across the top of the cup and took a short sip.  "Not that I care."  Henk sat the cup back down and turned the monitor to face Thomas.  "The readings are difficult to analyze.  I think we are making progress.  We have been able to verify the gravitomagnetic precession induced in a secondary body, but correlating the field to calculate the frame dragging on the base and secondary branes has been a nightmare.  It’s definitely happening, but doing it in a useful way...."  Henk reached for the coffee again.
   Thomas looked at the screen, and then reached up to scroll through the data.  Long minutes passed.  Finally Thomas leaned back from the counter.  "Henk, you've got more done than anyone would have guessed.  Hell, no one even thought of this before you.  Keep working.  If anyone can get this bloody thing to work, it's you."
   Henk took another sip of the coffee and grimaced.  "Thomas, your pep talks are as bad as your coffee."
   Thomas looked at him.  "Henk, do you really think you can get these things to move a ship without needing a nuclear blast to push it along at a useful speed?"
   "Yes.  And you'll even be able to ride on the damned thing without needing to get turned into a machine to do it.  Unless the emissions from the generator turn out to be lethal."  Henk took one last sip of the coffee and turned the monitor back to face him.


September 7th 0645 hours/Cruiser Chiang Ki Shek, 144 light minutes from Sol

   Admiral Hu reviewed the repair progress reports.  The baffles of the Minh had been damaged for months now.  With the return trip to the inner system taking a month to complete, it was a perfect opportunity for the Zhuang's crew to utilize their ship's facilities and equipment.  It would take three weeks to complete the repairs if work went at the current pace, but that would still see everything finished several days before they arrived at Venus Station.  The Shek was also in need of repairs to its outer baffles, but it would have to wait until work on the Minh was finished.
   Reports also indicated that work was underway at the Venus Station dismantling the remains of the damaged defense modules.  The two damaged sections were to be cut away and replaced with two new modules.  The new additions would essentially be the same as the previous sections, but the missile bays were to be replaced with laser capacitors and batteries.  It was hoped the lasers would provided a better defense against the high speed bombers that had attacked Earth, while still providing adequate short range protection against the alien warships.  The new doctrine for Venus Station was to avoid any long range engagements unless forced, and to rely on short ranged weaponry to engage alien ships should they move close enough to prevent the station from using the planet as a shield.  If alien ships remained several light seconds from the planet and spread out enough to prevent the station from using Venus as protection, they would be easily engaged piecemeal by the defending cruisers and frigates.
   The first colonists were also on their way to Titan.  The Troop Transports that would have been loaded with additional soldiers and supplies for the combat on Triton were now being pressed into use as colony ships.  With the destruction of every Manchuria Class Armed Colony ship, the Troop Transports were the only ships capable of moving non-cyborg personnel.  They would be on their own though.  No defenses could be spared for the convoy or new colony.
   Admiral Hu turned off the monitor and tried to relax.  It was still a long trip home.


September 10th  2206 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 32 light seconds from Sedna

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan waited as the Sensor Conn completed their sweep.  The group of alien ships had made their last course alteration ten hours ago and then begun a straight line run toward the dwarf planet Sedna.  Jack had ordered the Yari to break off and complete a sweep of space near the planetoid, in hopes of picking up the alien convoy again.  The possibility that an alien warship might be hiding behind the huge ball of ice and rock, or an alien sensor post was hidden on the surface, was to great to risk following the alien ships any closer to the overgrown asteroid.  The Yari was more than fast enough to reacquire contact with the alien ships if they did not stop at Sedna, but so far the sensor returns had been clean.
   "Sir, no contacts.  We are too far to get accurate scans of the surface of Sedna to confirm any alien structures there. Orders sir?"
   Jack listened to the Sensor Officer's report, and thought for a few moments. "Helm, take us away from Sedna to a range of one light minute, then plot a course for the return trip to Neptune.  Forward course plot to my station when finished.  Do not engage drives for Neptune until I have reviewed the course.  Comm, when we reach one light minute from Sedna I want a tight beam transmission to the Taylor with our current position and all sensor data on the alien ships for the last twelve hours.  Have the Taylor confirm receipt on broadband transmission per standard encryption protocols.  Inform me as soon as you have confirmation."  Jack tapped several keys as he checked first one screen, and then another. 'We are just too short on supplies to hang around, and I can't risk tipping off the aliens that we know anything about Sedna.  If they have a colony here, we need our attack to be a complete surprise.'
   Jack quickly typed out a short note to Meagan and tagged it onto the transmission queue.  When the Taylor got the transmission, they would forward the note along with everything else.  'It's been weeks since I've let her know I'm alive.  She has to be worried sick by now.  She will probably hear about our transmission and know from it that we are still out here, but a note from dad should do a lot for frayed nerves.'
   Jack tapped on the keys to confirm the transmission.


September 12th  1950 hours/New Delhi, India

   Chairman Mukata slumped in the chair.  The meeting had been grueling, and the board members less than cooperative.  It had been necessary to convert several of the Consortium's 'industrial assets' into capital.  Sale of corporate property was not a new thing, but doing it for less than a specified profit margin was.  The pressing nature of the new operation to support the surface combat at Neptune had left Mukata no choice but to sell for less than the established margin.  Without the capital, the FSC would be unable to support both the combat operation and ongoing research at the same time, let alone purchase a Pan Euro cargo ship at a ridiculously low price.  Mukata knew just what the answer would be if the board was given a choice between delaying the current endeavors or selling assets.
   But there had been no time to consult the board before the decision had to be made. 'They are going to make sure I understand that I don't have the authority to do this on a regular basis.  I definitely do not like these marathon meetings and the endless questions.'
   'It’s done though.  By the end of this month our space fleet will have doubled in its number of ships, both combat and commercial.  And with some luck, the Queensland research group will begin to show some results soon.' 

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on December 31, 2010, 01:44:20 AM
September 2204 part 4

September 13th  0855 hours/Sector 52:04, Surface of Triton

   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank dropped the magazine from her PzGw 94 and pulled another from her harness.  She looked up as she seated it in the weapon.  The NMI had turned her display into a mass of white lines so she disabled it.  She spotted the two US soldiers setting up their heavy lasers on the 'balcony' above, along with one of her squad members.  The US troops were to be the anti armor team for her squad.  The US M174 Laser was bulky, and the backpack sized power supply even more so, but it was one of the few weapons capable of tearing holes in the alien armored suits that didn't use precious ammo.  Hauptgefreiter Ludwig Schimmelpfennig was with them to add a little punch to the group.  Only one member of any squad was allowed to carry Rollover's to conserve the precious missiles, and Ludwig seemed to have a talent for picking out the alien suits and bringing them down.
   Tanya checked the HUD for her squad's status.  She was already short two troops and couldn't afford to lose anyone else.  She scrolled down through the list to the extra soldiers assigned to her.  The fact that she had picked up a second squad when their Feldwebel had fallen was only making it more difficult to keep everything organized.  Add a pair of US troops, and the need to coordinate with a nearby Chinese platoon and Tanya knew that if she had any hair, it would have been pulled out by now.  Tanya shut off the strings of text, poked her head and weapon up above the twisted piece of machinery she was squatting behind, and fired a dozen flechette rounds across the open area.  Settling back down she waited for the inevitable return fire.  Chunks of ice and metal spun through the 'air' near her as pieces of her cover were ripped away.  Dust and ice billowed as a nearby detonation churned up clouds of it.  On the IR display Tanya could see the US soldiers targeting the suits firing on Tanya's position, the laser leaving glowing streaks as it sliced through the dust in the air.  The lip of the balcony disappeared as some alien support weapon ripped most of it away.  The trail from a pair of Rollover's told Tanya that Ludwig was still alive, but the US equipment ricocheting off the ceiling told her that the laser team hadn't been as lucky.  As even more of the balcony disappeared in an explosion of fragments and debris she doubted even Ludwig was alive.  Two of her squad tried to hop up and then use their maneuver packs to come down near an exit from the section of the building they were in, but only one made it.  The other trooper was left cart wheeling several meters off the floor as he was hit by several alien weapons.
   Tanya rose up and finished emptying her '94.  "FALL BACK.  FALL BACK."  She watched as several soldiers were cut down trying to leave their positions.  She had seen over a dozen alien suits plus dozens of unarmored aliens moving toward them.  The whole 'room' was a mass of bullet and weapon impacts occasionally obscured by clouds of dust as explosions ripped through the area.  "HQ GET THE TAYLOR ONLINE.  REQUEST FOR ORBITAL SUPPORT THIS LOCATION."
   The world suddenly spun out of control and Tanya felt her maneuver pack firing wildly.  She came to a stop near a wall and looked back to see that her cover had turned into another cloud of dust and debris.  An alien suit came floating through the dust and turned toward her.  Tanya watched as the front of it was suddenly torn into a dozen fragments.  Tanya had only enough time to see the Chinese 37mm Gun crew that had saved her before they also disappeared in a cloud of dust and debris.  Tanya tried to flatten out as much as she could and began to pull herself along the floor.  As she reached a blast hole in the wall she crawled through, pulled out her 9mm LE/SR and turned to look back the way she had come.  Four aliens were rapidly floating towards pieces of cover.  Tanya fired short bursts at each of them and watched as each alien in turn was sent spinning in the low g.  Then something exploded near her hole and clouds of dust blocked even her IR and UV returns.  Tanya looked about her for a moment and then pushed off toward the nearest bit of cover.
   "HQ to Oberfeldwebel Frank.  Support request granted.  Time to fire mission 30 seconds.  HQ out."  Tanya crouched down as low as she could and waited.  If she hadn't gotten far enough away, it wouldn't matter what she did.  An alien weapon sailed out of the hole she had just crawled through and detonated, churning up more dust.  And then the wall it had come through disappeared in a million fragments, along with the rest of the building as the US ship destroyed it.


September 16th  1500 hours/US Interceptor MkIII Naginata, 2 light seconds from Earth

   Commander Jason Collins III absently checked the sensor returns.  The surface based installations would be able to detect any alien ships long before the Naginata could, but it was a good habit to get into.  Dwelling on the sensor returns was not something Jason enjoyed though.  Most of the ships defending Earth were actually under repairs.  The only other US Interceptor, the Sai, was docked to the US Space Station.  The Sai had been damaged so badly that the crew had been forced to leave the ship.  The life support systems had been so badly compromised that even a cyborg would find the environment of the ship hostile.
   The Pan Euro had a Battle Group stationed at Earth, but the only ship larger than an Attack Escort was a floating wreck being repaired at the nearly ruined Pan Euro Space Station.  Of the four Pan Euro Attack Escorts, one was in terrible shape and being repaired while the other three rotated time at general quarters so that only one Attack Escort was combat ready at any given time.  The deployment of the Pan Euro 3rd Light Battle Group to Mars helped protect the last intact US Space Station and Shipyard there, but it definitely left Earth a little light on mobile defenders.  Mars now had more combat ships protecting it than Earth did.
   Jason checked the date.  It was still a week away from the arrival of the Pan Euro 4th Battle Group.  'With a Pan Euro Royalty Class warship, the 4th BG is real power and protection.  The 4th BG carries nearly as many launchers as the US has surface launch sites.  Until then we'll have to rely on those surface defenses.  Four small ships just won't scare the aliens very much.  Not if they show up with the number of ships they brought last time.'
   Jason cleared his monitor and brought up the duty log.  'Three hours till it’s our turn.  I wonder if the civilian channels have anything interesting on today.'  Jason brought up a broadcast listing and began to scroll down the list.


September 18th  1720 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home 1 (Eris)

   Reports of activities and progress were presented one after another to the Elders.  The flux in the personnal fields of the Elders was disconcerting to those who brought data for them.  The news brought a mix of conflicted emotions on the part of the assembed Elders. 
   The defense of New Home 3 was slowly being crushed by the enemy ground forces but the research facilities had been almost completely destroyed in the fighting.  No action would be needed to ensure the native race gained nothing from that facility.  Only one enemy ship remained in orbit of New Home 3.  It was possible that the other ships were still waiting just beyond sensor range, but a patrol to ensure this might be required.  The fields betrayed that several of the Elders beleived that if New Home 3 could be successfully relieved, the population might be evacuated to New Homes 2 and 4.
   Funding for the project to mount weapons on the external hull of the Combat and Assault Vessels had been stopped as it had proven impossible to implement at the current time.  Torpedoes were simply too large of a structure to support under the immense acceleration of a warship in combat.  This discuvery had come to embarass several of the Elders who had supported the project's additional funding.  The resources had been reallocated to the project to miniaturize the current mass driver designs.  This project was proving more promising and the first functional prototypes should be available for testing in the near future.  Deployment of the system would give current designs a much greater advantage in an engagement, and surface deployment would allow the New Homes to protect themselves from enemy bombardments.
   The largest expenditure under review was a new construction project at New Home 5.  A new orbital construction platform was being assembled there, to replace the lost capacity of the facility destroyed at New Home 3.  It would not be functional for quite some time, but was considered necessary.  With current fleet levels unacceptably low, construction of new vessels was a priority as were the facilities to build them.
   The Elders continued to review and plan.  The war would need constant attention to be won.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 04, 2011, 12:22:20 AM
September 2204  part 5

September 21st  2015 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po looked out the window at the rain.  It had rained for several hours.  Not that the weather had slowed down the number of meetings, conference calls, and messages.  Everyone had questions, suggestions, or orders.  What no one had was a good answer or extra funds.  Not that Po intended to give out any of those either.
   Po turned around and picked up the papers from his desk.  Most sensitive information was still stored on paper, as the computerized networks were to easily compromised.  The first packet covered the activities at the Venus Station.  Work would be finished by month's end on the two new defensive modules there.  The effort to salvage the wreckage of the two cruisers that had been under construction when they were destroyed by the aliens was also progressing nicely.  The ships hadn't even finished having the hull frameworks finished so much of the equipment and electronics were still intact or awaiting shipment to the station.  Projections showed that materials to construct another cruiser in the Minh class would be available and the cost would be minimal.
   The other packet went over the details of the scrap and salvage operations on the station here at Earth.  It represented half of China's space based construction capability.  Many of the ministers had fought fiercely to spare it, and have it repaired.  Po knew that he had created a number of enemies when he had finally managed to get the confirmation to disassemble the mammoth structure.  It was a great loss, but it would provide the raw materials to begin construction of new war and support ships.  Few cared to see the ray of hope in the disaster this situation was.
   The last booklet was a report based on transmissions from Triton.  The troops there were reaching critical levels on many supplies.  The power armor troops in particular were less able to withstand the environment of the distant moon.  They would begin dying in considerable numbers soon.  The FSC supplies might help, but there was simply no way the two ships that had been recorded leaving Earth could carry enough supplies, even if everything on them was directed toward the Chinese troops.
   Po saw the screen on his desk flashing.  'Someone else, with more bad news or criticism.'  Po turned his chair back around to face the rain.


September 24th  0005 hours/Queen Victoria, sunside of the asteroid belt

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon watched as the sensor returns confirmed the transmission she had just received.  The Chinese ships were breaking off from the rest of the convoy.  Their course would carry them toward Venus.  It was common knowledge the Chinese had an installation in orbit of the planet.  It was conjectured that they may have a small site on the surface, but it had never been confirmed.  Most 'experts' considered it unlikely.  Of course most of those experts would have considered an alien race arriving in the solar system and engaging in a war with the human race unlikely also.  'They have something worth guarding there.  Don't know what, but it can't seem to guard itself.'
   Brenna looked over the course plot.  It would still be several days before they reached Earth, and alien interception of the convoy was possible.  'The Vic's crew is still a bunch of new grads from the academies, but the rest of the battle group has been through the wringer a couple of times.  We should be alright even if we encounter anything out here.  What we can't beat, we can still run from.  In a few days we'll be home, and shortly after that the 3rd Battle Group should be finished with repairs.  Then we won't have to worry about running anymore.' 
   Brenna pulled up the latest training schedules for both battle groups.  Devising tactics and training regimens for a new weapon system is hard enough.  Doing it for one that isn't even in service yet is harder still.  But they would start soon.  Groups would pull away from Earth to go on 'Patrol' or 'Escort' duty.  And when they were safely away from Earth the new protocols would be tested, revised, and finally revised again when the operational system was deployed.  Whether the system could even be installed in the current ship design was yet to be seen.  It may need a whole new class or classes of ship.  Regardless, Brenna had to have some framework ready when the new missiles came into service.
   As hard as working on the training was, it was still easier that the work waiting for her at Earth.  The ceremony for her promotion and the change of command ceremonies.  Then the memorial ceremonies for Jude.  Jude.  Probably the last person who even began to understand her.  For decades they had enjoyed each others company or shared fears and doubts.  When one would falter, the other would be there.  They had always had an arrangement in the service.  Brenna would get the crews ready to fight, and Jude would lead them through it.
   But now Jude was gone.  Brenna would have to carry the burdens they had shared.  And she would have to do it in situations where failure meant more than just a black mark on your record.  It might make the difference between whether there was anyone left to keep records or not.  There would be no more chances to make mistakes.  No time to cry for lost friends, and the loneliness that waited.


September 30th  1900 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, surface of Triton

   The Dutchman looked over the status reports.  'That was a lot easier than last time.'  There were no reports of damage incurred during the landing, either from the aliens or just the environment of the moon.  The troops were off loading without any resistance from the aliens.  The cargo ship was reporting the same thing.  No damage.  No alien contact.  'We might make it back to Earth without needing something fixed or repaired for once.'
   Suddenly the monitor began to fill with messages.  The soldiers were filing report after report.  'Are the aliens just concentrating on the troops?'  The Dutchman began to check the reports. One after another they said the same thing.  First a few, and then into the dozens.  And still the reports kept arriving.  The Dutchman sat locked at his station and switched over to the external visual feed.  And then he could see it for himself.
   The Mary Reed had touched down less than a kilometer from the main Chinese base camp.  All indications were that they would be lowest on supplies, so it had been decided to off load in their cantonments first.  It appeared that wouldn't be necessary here.  There was row after row of bubble tents set up for the power armor soldiers to use.  For them to sleep in, dine in, and train in.  Now to die in.  Large sections of the bubble tents were now flat, the atmosphere converted to a thin layer of snow over the corpses of the soldiers that had died inside of them.  Not just a few.  Hundreds of tents.  Thousands of soldiers.  More than what the FSC had brought.  Perhaps twice what had come on the Mary Reed.
   The Dutchman shut off the feed.  They had come to help fight one war, and found two.  They had planned for the battle against the aliens.  The other would be against Triton itself.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 08, 2011, 03:01:34 AM
September 2204  part 6

////////////////////////////////////////
Overview

This month was a welcome break for all sides from the combat of the last few months.  The players spent the month waiting for and dreading another attack, but the Nemotians were just in no shape to even try another offensive.
As there were a few events that didn't make it into the story for the month, we will get straight to the tale of the tape.

For the Pan Euro,
This month saw my wife pull her last full strength combat group back into the inner system.  She also decided that although she was in bad shape, she was the best off of the 'non-Chinese' players.  The US Mars Station represented the last undamaged and well protected SY so she shipped a LBG to help protect Mars.  She suspected that if the Chinese were pulling back from Triton and scrapping the SS at Earth, that their holdings at Venus were intact but in danger.  She then decided that the next target would likely be Mars (again) now that Earth's SY's were in a shambles.  With the US barely able to scrape together a task force of three ships she decided a LBG would go a long ways to help protect Mars' SY.
She also decided that if the FSC was going to try and handle the ground combat at Triton they would need some help.  She knew that the oldest girl had only a pittance to work with and almost no ships to her name.  The Euro still had one FT mothballed in orbit that had escaped attack so she offered to sell the one in service to the FSC for the cost to unmothball the other.  I don't think she realized that what she sold them actually had more cargo capacity that all of the FSC ships at that point put together.  Without it the FSC initiative was pretty much doomed.
Economically - she only repaired ships to keep down costs and poured everything she could into IU and colonization of the AB.  She started her research on Ica and pumped up her research on missiles.  She was hoping to be in good enough economic shape for the refits and construction she envisioned occurring in the next few months. She was beginning to worry that the aliens were no longer the main threat.  She couldn't out muscle the Chinese so she would need to out tech them - just as she had done at the beginning of the game.

For China,
This month was the first in a long time to see the middle boy spending MC on colonization (maybe since the game started come to think of it).  His largest expense was building the two new SS defense modules at Venus, but this was more than covered by scrapping the SS at Earth and salvaging the two ships at Venus.  (Why you can salvage a partially built ship that gets destroyed, and not a finished one that get destroyed is beyond me, but the oldest boy was pushing for this rule [M1.04.1] as it would help him also.)  He finished the month with over 1500MC in his treasury, so it was obvious what his plan was.
I was fairly sure he had decided that if he pulled his ships off the line, the US and Euro would be forced to deploy their assets to cover the inner system.  They would spend their time and resources trying to repair damage and maintain their current fleets.  While they were busy with the aliens he was going to use his large combat force to lock down Venus.  He would then begin, once again, to construct his monster.  Once it was finished he would crush the aliens and then the other players.

For the US,
The oldest boy followed much the same plan as the Euro.  He mostly repaired ships that were damaged and poured everything he could afford into colonization and IU.  I think he could also see that if the current war with the aliens ended, the status quo would end.  He was also the small dog of the group with almost no ability to defend himself from the Chinese and limited ability to support the Euro.  He would need more income and ships to redress the balance.
But he still had his eye on defeating the aliens - along with strengthening his fleet - so when he salvaged the Q ship at Earth he used what he got to start another one.  He wanted to be able to deploy several of them to support landings on any other alien world.  He had decided that it would be impossible to catch up to the Euro and China using IU growth and colonization.  The best way to even things out was to capture an alien population and gain that income in tribute.
And so began the plot to hit the alien colony he had found, by HIMSELF....

 For the FSC,
This month saw the FSC stretch itself to the financial limit.  Between research, repairs, some colonization, building a new ship, and then having to come up with the MC to buy the bargain Euro FT, the oldest girl had to scramble and scrape to come up with the required cash.  In the end she made it - but only by cutbacks on some things she would like to have spent more on.
She took over the die rolls for the ground combat this month even though she was only on the moon for the last few days.  She got some incredible rolls for the assault phase but ended up destroying the research complex when she tried to make the roll to capture it.  Actual combat losses for the players were next to nothing.  Losses from lack of supplies killed over fifty times what combat did.
Her research projects were getting close to completion though so she was hoping to wrap up the combat on Triton quickly.

For the Nemotians,
Although building up the fleet was THE big priority, I had decided that the current crop of ships was not adequate in the prevailing combat environment.  Battles had gone from the players' ships being pushovers to them going toe to toe with bigger ships and winning.  After a good hard look at the Nemotian ships I decided that they were badly in need of upgrading.
First and foremost they lacked adequate defense.  Euro DD's and Chinese FG's packed as much shielding as Nemotian CL's, while Chinese CL's had almost double the shields.  The players CT's and ES carried the same or heavier shielding as the alien DD's.  The Nemotian CT's had the lightest shields of any design.  With shields being THE big defense of the game, depth in this area was obviously far more important than it had been in any previous game I had participated in.  Increasing the number of shields on the designs was first on the list.
Second was getting point defense on line.  Even the pitiful Da would be a huge advantage.  In our more standard Ultra game, the players have pretty much decided that two HS of armor tended to stop more damage than the Da did.  In this game with no one having datalink yet and one or two hits in a volley being the norm, a Da could cut the number of hits in half. The first chance for success would come in month 22, so I hoped it wouldn't take long.
The last issue on redesign was the kinetic weapons.  I decided that the small range advantage of the Pt system was ruined by current use of K's.  The K needed to get closer and the current designs forward mount forced you to close continually with your target, giving the R's an advantage.  It also cut the DD and CL's firepower in half if you choose to break off combat.  If the K's were swapped out for Pt's then the range issue and withdrawal ability would be solved. I hoped these three changed would increase the Nemotians staying power.
I decided to shield the SS's as the players' designs had proved (surprisingly) durable.  I didn't arm them as the modules don't link, have poor grade, and were in nearly all ways inferior to the PDC based defenses I had installed on all the larger New Homes.  But the ability to endure fire long enough to force an attacker to loiter in range of the PDC's - allowing them to take a toll on an attacker - was important.  If the SS's proved difficult to damage it would discourage raids to take them out.
The biggest concern was the rapid down spiral of the Nemotian treasury.  The war would soon be limited to only what their income could support.  With an income only 50MC's a month more than the US, and 150 to 200MC less than the Euro or China, I had no illusions of what that would entail.  Even more than in the case of the Euro vs. China, I needed to be able to out tech and out fight my opponents in the coming months.

A note on the ground combat is in order.  The battle was nearly a success for the players, with victory being a little over 20 points away.  The combat losses were only 0.1Qv for the players.  Losses were much higher than that though.  The Euro and US had enough supplies for all of their troops for the month.  The Chinese had only a small amount plus whatever the Euro and US decided to send them.  To their credit my wife and oldest boy sent every last spare H they had to the Chinese, holding nothing back for next month.  The Chinese put it all into combat with none reserved for troop maintenance for the Qv that wasn't supplied.  With unsupplied troops in an extreme environment, well you can figure out where this is going.  The loss to aliens of 0.1Qv (which the Euro decided to absorb saying she was taking the lead in most of the combat) was dwarfed by the loss of 5.4 Qv for the unsupplied Chinese battalions.  Death due to lack of supply now rivaled death due to combat.  The middle boy stated that nothing less than victory was going to save the players at Triton anyway and holding something back just to lose made no sense.


As a sad side note this game has currently stalled out just past turn 100 due to the oldest boy moving out (-at age 20 he was due).  None of the younger kids are ready to take over such a convoluted game and division of the US holdings into the other powers has proven problematic.  But seeing that it has taken me over a year to get to month 21 in the story there should be at least another four years of work for me to get through (probably longer as it gets more complicated).  Hopefully we can resolve the current issue of the US(USN) in that time.
Of course the oldest girl (who graduates high school this year) and the middle boy (graduating in three more years) may create more issues to deal with.  Perhaps as the younger kids grow this campaign will get reborn in a new form much as our New Empires campaign has.   Time will tell.......

Again, thanks for reading.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 14, 2011, 04:17:19 PM
October 2204 part 1

October 1st  0300 hours/Elder's Chambers, New Home 1 (Eris)

   The Elders began to leave the Chamber.  It was time to rest.  Much had been decided, but not without much debate.  First had been a review of the progress in the work on the last Assault Vessel.  Repairs had been completed and work had started fitting additional magnetic field generators into the hull.  Interior plating had been removed to allow for the installation.  This concerned some due to the presence of a weapon used by ships of the native race that could penetrate the magnetic fields, but it had been decided that strengthening the fields was more important.  Next work would begin on removing the mass drivers and fitting additional torpedo bays into the vessel.  This had also created much discussion as the mass drivers had shown better intercept rates on the enemy ships and were able to create nearly limitless numbers of projectiles from the fuel carried on the Assault Vessel.  But they would be replaced.
   The most difficult decision had been made concerning the survivors on New Home Three.  A sortie would be made to the planet to determine if the native race was still present in force.  It would place more vessels in peril at a time when no vessels could afford to be lost.  But the survivors could not afford to be abandoned either.  With the balance in the war shifting every last member of the race could spell the difference between victory and extinction.
   It had also been decided that if ships were to approach New Home Three the native race would reinforce that area after the sortie.  There would only be one true chance to evacuate the planet and it would be when the sortie was made.  If the planet was guarded there would be no evacuation but if it wasn't this would likely be the only chance.  To that end six of the Colony Vessels that had brought the race to the New Homes had been assigned to accompany the sortie.  They would load and carry as many survivors as was possible.
   It would take time to prepare for this.  There were many details to look after and many transmissions to be made.  But the first step had been taken.


October 2nd  2015 hours/Beijing, China

   Minister Po relaxed in his home.  Events were again beginning to go according to plan.  The setbacks were large but not insurmountable.  The disassembly and salvage operations were nearly complete and the combat groups had returned to Venus.  It was time to begin the preparations for the next move.  The Zhuang would begin repairs to the Shek while Venus Station would begin construction of two new Missile Frigates.   They could be completed much more quickly than a cruiser should the aliens be planning a second strike at Venus.  Untrained frigates had fared poorly against alien warships, but when supported by two cruiser groups and the Venus Station they should fare well enough.
   The loss of the units under construction at Venus had nearly ruined Po, but as soon as the newest frigates cleared the slips a new heavy cruiser would be started.  With the Shek and Minh Groups standing guard in addition to the Venus Station's own defenses, this ship would be completed.
   Minister Po leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.  'Then we will destroy all our enemies, alien or human.'


   2230 hours/Mary Reed, orbit of Triton

   The Dutchman sat and checked the updates from South Africa and Australia.  Preparations for the second support convoy to Triton were nearly complete.  The newest FSC 'warship', the Krait, had been completed a few days ago.  It had been based on highly modified designs of the Kestrel.  Smaller and faster than the Mary Reed, she now included the latest technology.  Her cargo and passenger capacity was only a fraction of the Mary Reed but in combat she should be just as dangerous.  At least that is how it looked on the drawing board.  Real life always seemed to have its own ideas of how things would work out.
   That small cargo capacity was going to be a problem though.  The Mary Reed and FSC Heavy Cargo Lifter 1(formerly Pan Euro he thought) had barely been able to carry half of the ordinance the troops had consumed in prior months of combat.  Up to this point ground combat had actually been favoring the US/Euro/Chinese troops.  But they had been adequately supplied and given orbital support by the US Interceptor Taylor.  The ground troops would have barely half the supplies available and with the battle moving underground would have no support from the orbital laser.  That wasn't good.   Next month would only see the Krait and a much smaller cargo ship arrive.  They would bring less than half what this mission had provided.  Next month could be a disaster.  At least no one was going to starve or freeze this month.  FSC Major General 'Ricky' Billings had taken command.  A veteran of the battle to defend the New Queensland Complex from the Chinese, he had ensured that supplies would be distributed to everyone left on the surface of Triton.  No exceptions.  Of course next month that might not be possible.
   "Sir, loading complete.  The last of the Chinese troops are aboard."
   "Good. Helm, plot a course for home and engage drive as soon as the board is green. Acceleration at 10G's and hold."  Pulling one of the Chinese Brigades off the surface should help with the supply situation.  They don't have enough bullets for them this month, and it will be one less brigade to support next month.  Of course with Chinese troops on board we will be limited to what we can do in combat.  Standard acceleration would crush them.
   'It also doesn't hurt to rub China's nose in the fact that we rescued their troops either.' he thought.

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 18, 2011, 03:00:37 AM
October 2204  part 2

October 5th 0930 hours/US Space Station, Earth

   Admiral Bradley Walters felt the magnetic snap of his boot locking onto the work scaffold as he stepped off of the small lifter.  The lifter was filled with materials for the workers on the station to continue their repairs with, but space had been made for an admiral. 
   Bradley walked along the platform and looked at the wreckage of Slip One.  The slip had taken the brunt of the blast, but had protected the second shipyard by simply being in the way.   Bradley could see where the metal and composites had been burned or shattered by the wash of superheated particles.  It was hard to imagine a wisp of gas no denser than the air on Mars being able to cause this sort of damage.  But make that gas out of protons and electrons heated to nearly one million degrees, and then slam it into an object at over twenty percent of light speed and the damage was substantial.  A single proton would bury itself inside of a structure.  It would transfer its kinetic energy to heat as friction slowed it, and then rapidly heat the atoms around it.  In fractions of a second the transfer of heat and expansion it caused would turn into a shock wave shattering the materials around it.  Where the particle had lodged the heat transferred would be too great for the atomic structures to withstand and materials would break down.  Composites would fuse or oxidize while metals would lose temper and alloys char. 
   The magnetic pulse and radiation had burned up most of the electronics in the slipway.  It had also taken out the command staff areas of the station.  Most of the staff areas had been located in the outer rings to provide gravity for the personnel stationed there, but that had put them in a vulnerable position.  The electrical surge had traveled through the outer ring and destroyed nearly all of the living quarters for the military staff.  For the first time in nearly one hundred years, the Space Command and Control section was now located on the planet.  Plans were in the works to update the electronics and defenses of the station, but repairs would have to be made first.
   Bradley looked at the workers around him.  Equipment was being moved and mounted.  Sections of damage were being cut away.  New materials were being used to start frameworks for later construction and repairs.  Nearly all of the equipment of Slip Two was now moved out onto the hull of the station to assist in the repairs.  It placed the equipment and workers in a vulnerable position but there was no other option.  The US needed both of the slips operational.
   The inspection was only part of the reason Bradley had come to the station.  He looked out to the form in Slip Two and waited.  Lights flashed as mounting bolts were blown.  Streaks of white sprouted from the dark form and it began to move.  Drifting and spinning at the same time. Slowly at first and then faster.  It cleared the Earth's shadow and the object shined.  A long white structure of struts and cylinders with a great circular mirror at the end.  She was the Steadfast, the second of the US Q Ships to enter service.  It became smaller as it drifted away and was joined by two other faint dots in the dark sky.  And then the three dots became streaks of light, shooting stars in the darkness.
   For the coming months the US would have to place even greater reliance on the Q Ships.  With the equipment at Earth Station needed for repairs or upgrades, it would be many months before another ship could be started.  The US needed more ships than what the single slip at Mars could produce.  Ground based industry here at Earth would have to take up the slack but the Interceptor designs were not compatible with ground based launch.  Shipping the materials to orbit and assembling them there was terribly expensive.  The Q Ships were designed from freighters though and were made for landings on the Earth's surface.  Two more of the freighters the Q ships were based on lay in storage on the surface, set back for the day when the current ships in service had worn out.  Those two could quickly and cheaply be refitted and launched in the coming months.  They were a poor substitute for the Interceptors on paper, but in service had proven very capable.  For the next few months a fair percentage of the US Fleet would consist of converted civilian freighters.
   The Steadfast's first voyage would see her bound for Mars with two FSC companion ships.  At Mars the three would be joined by the Vigilance.  The four ships, laden with supplies, would then begin the nearly month long trip out system to Neptune.  Bradley knew those supplies were vital to the men and women trapped on the frigid moon far from home, but that wasn't what had inspired him to watch it leave.  On the Steadfast was one other small bit of cargo.  A bit meant for Rear Admiral Ryan.  A message that would crush one person as the supplies would save countless others.


October 7th  1500 hours/Queen Victoria, Earth orbit

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon stood beside the podium absently listening to the speaker address the gathered crowd of reporters.  Soon it would be her turn to make a statement.  As the ceremony and conference had been called for her promotion and assignment to the post of Commander, Pan European Space Forces, she would be expected to make a speech full of thank yous, condolences, and assurances that she would see the Pan Euro protected from any threat.  No matter how she actually felt it would all come out in the dull hollow monotone of her voice synthesizer.  To be honest, she had actually recorded it earlier and intended to simply replay it now.  She was not required to take questions at this ceremony and didn't intend to.
   Brenna's thoughts were to busy with the details of the command she had assumed.  That the Red October had been cleared for service that morning.  That Commodore McNeely would take the Red October and the rest of 3rd Battle Group out to the belt on convoy escort and patrol duties.  The reports on the newest missile research and work on what could be a revolutionary ship drive system if the scientists can actually make it work.  Trying to make plans on how to integrate these things into the tactical plans and ops based on projections that were likely just wild guesses.  The piles of daily administration and minutia that impeded any work that actually needed done.
   And the fact that all of it, even this ceremony, reminded her of all the old friends she had lost.  Esme, 'Liz, and now Jude.  All the friends she had spent so much time with.  Decades with.  Friends who had taught her. Helped her.  Looked after and protected her.  She had thought she was alone before - cut off from the rest of humanity by the body she was trapped in and the service she had lost herself in.  But now she knew that was a lie.  Now the world would turn to her and depend on her, for help and protection.  For hope.
   Now.  When she was truly, crushingly, alone.


October 10th  0215 hours/University of Cambridge, England

   Henk spun a pen around his finger over and over as he sipped on his coffee.  Waiting.
   "Will you please stop that." 
   "Something wrong, Thomas?"  A small smile was beginning to creep into Henk's carefully practiced blank expression.
   "You know quite well what is wrong.  Put the pen down.  I can't concentrate with you doing that."  Thomas picked up his cup of tea and glared at Henk.
   "Ya.  I don't want to start a food fight with hot beverages."  Henk sat the pen on the desktop.  "But why do you need to concentrate.  You asked me to take a look at this.  Not the other way around."
   "Yes, yes.  Fine.  What do you think?  Will it actually work?"  Thomas took a long sip of the tea and set it down near the pen.
   "Well, I can't see a reason why it wouldn't.  I am almost ashamed I didn't think of it myself.  You should be able to use this to modify the generated field and reorient the output of the multiple field lines on a single axis over quite a distance.  Get the harmonics right and you could move things around a couple thousand kilometers from your generator.  Doubt it would work near a planet with a substantial inherent magnetic field of its own.  You wouldn't be able to keep the fields aligned.  A version of this is probably how the aliens manage to manipulate objects without touching them."  Henk swiveled his chair to face Thomas.  "Who came up with this?"
   "Damned if I know.   Best as we can tell it came from some group of Chinese university students, but that could just be a cover story.  Two thirds of the world won't be able to check and see if they are, while the last third will be looking for folks that aren't there.  When China discover the folks behind this aren't in China, they aren't likely to share that fact with the rest of the world.  Pretty good cover story if you think of it."  Thomas picked up the pen and pointed to the screen both men had been looking at for the last two hours.  "See this.  Whoever it is either has access to classified data on the alien field generators, hacked their way into a database and stole it, or managed to figure the bloody things out for themselves.  Then they managed to take it a step farther."
   Henk chuckled.  "I don't know Thomas.  Sounds like a drunken frat prank from a bunch of college grad students to me.  They make this priceless discovery that could make them rich, but it is based on stolen data that would get them killed or jailed forever if they told anyone.  So what do they do?"  Henk started to chuckle and could see the grin forming on Thomas' face also.
   "Yes Henk.  They spammed the whole world with it." 


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 25, 2011, 03:30:21 AM
October 2204  part 3

October 13th  2245 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 8 light seconds from Triton

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan felt the slight jostling as the Yari docked with the other half of Task Force 3, the Interceptor Mk IIb Taylor.  The helm announced "Docking complete.  Hard seal confirmed."  The crew began unlocking their stations to move about the bridge.  Jack could here Captain Wilson on the comm link.  "OK folks; let’s make this happen as fast as we can.  The Taylor has a job and we're keeping her from it."
     Jack knew that the troops on the ground depended on the Taylor for support, but the Yari was desperately in need of the supplies stored on Captain Brown's ship.  The surveillance of the alien convoy had taken a considerable amount of time and this had put an unhealthy amount of wear on the Yari.  Interceptors were immensely strong.  They had to be in order to survive the drive bloom that moved the ship.  Even with the design focus on structural integrity the drive's acceleration placed incredible stress on nearly every system on the ship, and routine maintenance was necessary to replace components before they failed.  The linkage in the forward section of the missile storage areas was beginning to show unacceptable amounts of wear, and nearly one third of the magnetic field generators were close to being taken out of service.     The last supply drop at Triton had left the Yari's stores in Captain Brown's ship.  It would take time to off load the material into the Yari's hold and during that time both ships would be vulnerable.  If the ships stayed in orbit of Triton while they were docked it would be visible to any sensor arrays that the aliens may still have operating on the moon.  Jack had ordered the ships to move out to eight light seconds - over the protests of Captain Brown. The number of support requests from the surface had dwindled now that most of the fighting had moved into the underground shelters of the aliens.  They should be able to cope for the next hour.
   From this distance the aliens would find it difficult to identify what the Interceptors were doing, but they would know the ships had not left.  The Interceptors could identify any alien ships moving near the moon and would have adequate time to respond, thereby avoiding danger to the Interceptors.  The greatest danger was to the ground troops.  If alien ships arrived they could launch multiple times on the soldiers and their supply depots before the Interceptors would be able to intervene.  Of course if the Interceptors were destroyed while they were docked, the aliens would be able to complete many more launches.
   "Sir, Engineering reports that it will be twenty five minutes until the materials are on board and secured."
   Jack looked over the reports on the shields.  "Comm, relay orders to Captain Brown to resume station at Triton following separation.  Captain Wilson, we will not lock stations following separation.  Prep the crew for full diagnostics of all systems.  All preventative maintenance and service checklists to be completed."  Several of the crew paused in their work as he spoke.  Jack knew the crew was looking forward to getting some free time away from their stations, but this wouldn't exactly be what they had been hoping for.
   "Folks, we're a long ways from home and we're not in the good part of town.  Get this girl ready to fight, then you can rest."


October 15th  0300 hours/Surface of Titan

   Li Xue took off the weighted belt and hung it on the rack by the door.  She rubbed at the muscles on her lower back trying to ease the constant ache.  Wearing 15 kilos of lead all day to try and reduce the amount of 'bouncing' wasn't something she enjoyed.  Li walked slowly to her bunk and sat down.  Hers was the bottom bed on a stack four high.  'At least I got lucky there.'  She looked around the room at the rest of the beds and women.  She shared this bay with 31 other women, and likely would until she returned to Earth.
   Li looked at the far wall of the bay.  Her bay was set along the outer wall of the habitat, and the interlocking grey-black hexagons stretched from floor to ceiling.  She wondered how many of them she had helped make.  All day long she had worked in the plant producing the six sided 'panes' that were fitted together to form the outsides of the habitats.  They were made from a type of 'fiberglass' made from the abundant hydrocarbons on the moon.  She decided having her bed far from the wall was also a good thing.  The four inch thick panes kept out the noxious atmosphere, but the cold still crept through.  'A cold draft on my sore back is just what I need.  Then the cramps could go from uncomfortable to unbearable.'
   "Are you alright?"  It was Mae Ling.  She was younger than Li, but they worked together in the fabrication section and had become friends.  'Quite a bit younger to be honest.' Li thought.  'A lot more coordinated too.  How does she gets in and out of that bed four meters off the floor so easily?'  Li looked up to see the bright face of Mae looking over the edge of the top bunk.  'I'm old enough to be her mother.'  Li thought.  Suddenly Mae pulled herself over the edge of the bed and made the slow motion fall to the floor.  'It's like watching a movie, only I'm in it.'
   "It just my back.  Sore again.  Those panels don't feel like they weigh much but they are so awkward."  Li could see Mae nodding, but she had seen Mae move the two meter sections around like it was nothing.
   "Lay down." Mae said.  "On your stomach silly.  How can I rub your back if you’re looking at me?"
   Li rolled over and wondered how Mae could always be so cheerful.  Then Mae was wrapping her legs around the bed frame for leverage and massaging the muscles of her back.
   "I got to go outside today, Li."  Mae said.  "It dark, cloudy, and smoggy.  I was hoping to see the rings of Saturn, but you can't see anything in the sky.  It looks like a parking lot at midnight out there.  With rocks on it.  Except the stream was fun.  It is kind of like syrup, and if you stick the foot of your suit in the stream it starts to boil."
   Li perked up at the last part.  "Really?"  Then she put her head back down.  Her back was finally beginning to unknot.
   "Yes, but I was really hoping to see the rings.  Is your back feeling better?"
   "Very much.  Thank you.  Is there something I can do for you?" Li said.
   "Hey, it's your turn to rub my back tomorrow.  Wearing those belts is murder."  Mae stood and launched herself up to the top bunk.  "Eight more hours and its back to work.  See you then."
   "Good night, Mae."  Li lay in her bed and wondered if Mae's back actually hurt.  'Maybe this place is hard on even the young kids.'  Li closed her eyes and went to sleep.



Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 29, 2011, 03:10:37 AM
October 2204  part 4

October 17th  0740 hours/ASV Red October, asteroid belt 8 light minutes from Hygiea Colony

   "Sir, we have sensor contact with Pan Euro Standard Cargo number zero eight six.  They report that the drive shield is intact but the particle accelerators suffered damage when the coolant system failed.  They report twelve crew on board.  They do not have a ship's boat or lifter, only docking equipment."
   Rear Admiral Robert McNeely listened to the Communications Officer absently.  He was watching the sensor returns on his monitor.  Something had happened in the belt and they were here to find out what.  About twelve hours ago Convoy #041011 had lost two ships in a matter of seconds.  A third had suffered drive damage as it had fled.  Luckily the other twelve made it safely away from the area and had been diverted to Mars.  'I'm sure it had to be alien warships, but why let twelve ships get away and leave the cripple unmolested?  Unless it is bait.'  
   "Prep the Ship Boat for deployment.  We will transfer the crew of 086 to the Red October."  Robert knew it was going to take two trips for them to transfer the freighter's crew, and that docking would be faster.  He simply didn't want to risk tying down the Red October in a dock if alien warships were near.
   "Sensor Conn, locate the nearest wreckage from the destroyed ships.  Helm, as soon as the survivors are on board move us close enough to get a good scan of the debris.  Comm, get a download of the sensor logs from Standard Cargo 086.  Transfer all of our sensor data on any wreckage and 086's sensor log to the scientific crew for analysis.  Notify all ships we will be maintaining general quarters until further notice."  The convoy had indicated in its distress broadcasts that they had lost two ships to unknown causes and that their sensors had shown no alien ships present.  Perhaps the instruments on board the Red October would be able to determine what had happened.  Pirates were not unknown, but there was no sense in blowing up a ship before you looted it.  No, this was the aliens.  But where were they?


   0830 hours/Patrol Vessel 17,  12 light minutes beyond the debris field

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 (the Commander of Fleets to everyone that isn't on this ship the Commander thought) issued the order for the Patrol Group to adjust their velocity and maintain this position outside the debris fields, then shut down their drives and magnetic protective fields.  'They seldom come looking for us beyond the debris fields.  With our drives and fields down, we should be safe.'
   The Commander replayed the ship's log and sensor returns from the recent engagement.  The Patrol Group had managed to disengage rapidly and avoid sustaining any losses, but the Commander wanted to know if there was any way to avoid an encounter at such close quarters in the future.  The last Support Vessel had only brought four Scout Craft.  That made it impossible to emplace an effective screen around the Patrol Group.
   The Commander rechecked the sensor logs, but the first enemy contact only became visible at less than four light seconds.  Moments later it and a second contact had entered weapons range.  To its credit the Patrol Group had been able to react quickly and destroy both contacts.  Initial sensor readings had shown that both ships were likely the native race's version of Support Vessels, but during the last few contacts with enemy Support Groups they had been guarded by enemy warships.  Avoiding those warships had been a priority, so the Patrol Group had engaged drives for combat acceleration and disengaged before any enemy vessels were able to close into weapon range.
   The Commander closed the logs.  For the moment it appeared the only action that could be taken was to relocate the group outside of the debris fields.  There were other important tasks to attend to.  The Mobile Repair Vessel had finished the modifications to Patrol Vessel 17.  Most of the internal baffles and plating had been removed to make room for additional magnetic field generators.  The number of field generators on Patrol Vessel 17 had now been doubled.  Some of the Elder's had argued that removing the plating would leave the Vessels vulnerable to the enemy weapon that seemed to be able to bypass the protective fields.  The Commander could still remember the forceful transmission he had sent to the Assembly of Elders.  In it he had admitted that this weakness would be present, but that if the Elders were to review ALL available sensor logs that NO Vessel had been destroyed in combat by that weapon system.  Several ships had sustained damage, but all had been destroyed by drive detonations of enemy torpedoes.  For that fact any measure that could reduce damage from enemy torpedoes should be taken.
   Patrol Vessel 17 and Assault Vessel 2 were now the first examples of this initiative.  The unfortunate side effect was the necessary recalibration of nearly all the instruments on board Patrol Vessel 17.  The additional magnetic flux would continue to interfere with sensor, weapon, and drive operation until all of the calibrations were complete.  Risking an engagement with a Patrol Vessel in such a state was not an option.  The Elders would most likely disagree with that assessment.  They would want to see as many enemy vessels destroyed as possible.  They would not consider that losing more Patrol Vessels just to destroy a few enemy support vessels was foolish.  With fleet levels so low, every Vessel was valuable and not to be risked needlessly.
   The Commander checked the progress on the recalibration.  Much still needed to be done.


October 20th  2100 hours/Queensland Research Facility, Earth

   Chairman Mukata walked down the hallway.  He hated having to deal with cyborgs, but the board had decided this Jager fellow needed to be reminded that it was costing a considerable amount to continue funding his work.  Work that had so far shown no usable results.  The continued diversion of resources and assets from more 'profitable' endeavors would require some results quickly.  With the financial strain of the deployment and support to Neptune that the FSC had undertaken, funding for 'frivolous' projects would not be tolerated.
   He would also be reminded that his status as an immigrant to the FSC could be revoked.  The penalty for a nonresident trespassing on secure FSC property was very severe.  He also needed to understand the fact that members of his immediate and extended family could also suffer as they were 'detained and questioned' concerning any possible 'breach of security'.
   The problem was that unlike a person it was nearly impossible to see whether these 'reminders' were having any effect.  A shiny black polycarbonate composite faceplate showed no emotion.  Most models also had neural filters in place to reduce any signals to the cyborg body that could be due to emotional or adverse stimuli.  This was necessary to avoid unwanted reactions to the acceleration they would undergo on ships with a nuclear drive and improved performance under combat conditions.  
   It also made the damned things nearly unreadable from a human point of view.
   "Identify."
   Mukata stood at the entrance to Bay 3. The flat voice addressing him was just as emotionless as the one he would have to deal with.  Mukata turned to face the small lens and said "Chairman."  The door slid open as the voice and face recognition software verified his identity.  Mukata stepped into the bay and was greeted by the view of an enormous structure with dozens of workers perched on it.  Just as many workers were scattered about the floor attending to other tasks and equipment.  Three sets of robotic production equipment were cutting and joining materials, fabricating parts for whatever this thing was.  Mukata finally spotted the black form of Jager standing near a portable monitor looking over some sort of data.  Mukata slowly picked his way through the equipment until he reached the cyborg.  At least the workers had the decency to move quickly out of a board member’s way.
   "Jager, we need to speak."  Mukata waited as the cyborg finished whatever he was typing into the computer and then turned.  "I need to know how far you are from completing your work."  Mukata gestured to the large structure beside them.  He watched as Jager turned to look at the structure, then back to him.
   "That isn't the system.  We haven't completed the design work on that yet.  This is simply the frame and bay for it."
   Mukata looked at the blank faceplate and saw his own reflection and could see that his face was betraying much more emotion than Jager ever could.  It wasn't a happy emotion right now either.  "This is WHAT!  You haven't even begun work fabricating the systems yet?  What have you been spending all of your funding on?!  If we find any accounting discrepancies...do you understand what the consequence will be!"  Apparently the workers nearby did as they tried to put distance between themselves and the Chairman.
   "Chairman, you need to understand this isn't like designing a new radio and installing it in your limo.  First we have to get an idea what it is that we are going to make, then we have to design something that will hold it while withstanding the stress of several thousand G's.  Then we have to figure out how to get the two together so they will not only withstand that stress, but still be able to function during it.  This is just the first small step."  Jager stood as still as stone while Mukata listened to the flat monotone of his voice.   Mukata took a deep breath to try and gain some control.  'The board will want this cyborg destroyed, and me along with him.'  Mukata thought.
   "This project is going to cost too much in its current form, and it would seem your progress is inadequate.  I can assure you the board will not allow you to remain in control of this project.  This lack of progress will have dire consequences for you and your family.  Do you understand?"  'It will also have rather poor consequences for me, assuming they let me live.'  Mukata looked at the cyborg.  It might as well have been a statue for all he could tell.
   "Chairman, the board can replace me if they chose, but I don't believe that will reduce the project's cost or speed its completion.  I would expect it to do the opposite actually.  We are nearly finished with the design stage of the system and hope to begin fabrication of a prototype by the end of next month.  When that occurs we will be able to release a number of our developers, their staff, and equipment for other projects.  This should reduce our current expenditures by twenty to twenty five percent."
   The cyborg was still standing like a statue.  Mukata was trying to put on his best poker face.  Jager needed to be motivated to speed the completion of this project.  But at the same time even twenty percent of his budget would be able to pay for the entire operation at Neptune, with some left over to spare.  Mukata put on his hard, cold, you could be dead by next month look.  "You can cut cost by no less than twenty percent by the end of next month? And show a completed prototype design?"
   The cyborg just stood there.  "This is an entirely new field.  I can't guarantee results.  My best projections would give a completed design schematic, not prototype, and completion of the design teams work by end of next month.  We would start prototype work at that point if this frame is complete.  Either projects completion, either the frame or the schematic, will reduce cost by no less than twenty percent."
   Mukata looked at the black figure in front of him.  "I can guarantee what will happen if there are no results or cost reductions by the end of next month.  I want a full report on all current projects and research along with an accounting of all expenditures for the board's review before I leave."  Mukata turned and began to make his way out of the bay.  He was not sure if this Jager understood the seriousness of the situation, but the promise of a twenty percent reduction would keep them both alive for one more month.


October 26th  2250 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po tried to maintain a calm facade.  This was not his embarrassment.  Others had been instrumental in the landings and combat on Triton.  His faction had stressed simple destruction of the aliens, or any enemies of the Chinese Empire, through space borne assets.  Not getting bogged down in ground actions.
   The problem was that this was an embarrassment for the Chinese Empire, and he would have to share in it.
   It had been announced that a full brigade of Chinese soldiers would return to Earth on board FSC ships.  Actually, on just one FSC ship.  Having another power bring home her troops was bad enough for China.  That it was the smallest of the space faring powers made it worse.  Today had been an outrage.
   The FSC ship, commanded by a known pirate called 'The Dutchman', had landed not in China to the heroes welcome that was prepared.  He had landed near the Queensland Complex.  The world watched the countless video feeds as ragged Chinese troops filed off the ship, help and aided by the FSC personnel.  In the background were the remnants of the wreckage left from China's nuclear strike on that site.  Interviews of the soldiers had been broadcast.  Interviews detailing the lack of supplies and mass deaths of Chinese soldiers left on Triton.  Making public the decision to only support combat effective units at the expense of all other personnel.
   The worst was the video of soldiers requesting asylum in the FSC, and pledging to join THEIR military in support of those who had rescued them.  Po was sure that any who had spoken out against China would need that asylum.  Of course their families here in China might not fare as well.
   Debate was raging on the floor amongst the Ministers.  'What is the appropriate response?  Should there be any retaliation for this outrage?'  On and on.  Po knew it was only those individuals venting their outrage and fury.  In the end nothing would be done.  Those troops who wanted to come home would come home.  Parades would still be held, and celebrations in their honor.  Those who did not...well, there had never been any expectation of anyone coming home.  It had been ensured that anyone who could be a security risk had been evacuated from the moon before the last Chinese ship had departed.  Those left were an embarrassment, but not a liability.



Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 01, 2011, 04:29:19 AM
October 2204  part 5

October 27th  1415 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, orbit of Triton

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan sat locked at his station.  It was the Yari's turn at general quarters, which meant a lot of time spent locked in your station.  On the far side of Triton the Taylor was just standing down.  They had watched from the sky of Triton, but no requests for ground support had been made.  The combat was purely underground now, and definitely one sided from reports that came through.  Only a small fraction of the aliens were armed now, with many small underground enclaves wiped out with no loss of human life.  There were even reports of unarmed aliens attempting to fight power armor or cyborg troops.  Twenty kilo creatures, even if they could 'push' you from a few meters away, stood no chance against power armor.  Most reports of this seemed to occur when immature specimens were present.  'Even this race fights to protect their young.' Jack thought.  'Of course if any creature didn't, it wouldn't survive very long.'
   A small box popped up on Jack's monitor.  He keyed it open.  It was simply a message from Captain Brown indicating that they were going to begin running diagnostics on most of their equipment.  With the Vigilance and Steadfast due to arrive in the next 24 hours, he wanted to be ready.
   Jack closed the message and wondered if it had been relayed by the ground station on Triton or if the Taylor's boat had sent it.  With the Taylor on the far side of Triton, they were cut off from each other.  With surface combat nearing an end, Captain Brown had requested that the ground troops place a communications relay team on a particular site.  The standard station of the Taylor would become a position above Triton directly in line with Neptune.  The Yari would take up the exact opposite position.  Since Triton was tide locked to Neptune, a surface site that put Neptune just on the moon's horizon would be able to see both ships and relay messages.  The ground troops had been only too happy to finally grant a request from the Taylor.
   The problem was when the Taylor closed down to the surface for a fire mission.  At that point it would lose line of sight on the ground station.  To remedy that a ship's boat had been stationed one quarter of a light second from Triton.  It could relay messages quite easily in that situation.  It had actually made the ground site unnecessary as the extra half second delay using the boat was actually rather prompt considering most space comm traffic lags.  But the ground site was still in use, and good back up.
   A red warning prompt flashed on Jack's monitor.  He could hear the Sensor Officer calling out new contacts even as he opened the alert message.  "New contacts times three.  Alpha times one.  Echo times two.  Range of seven point five light seconds.  Speed is four six seven zero clicks per seconds.  No delta v.  Bearing zero three two, ascension zero point two.  Course zero six one, ascension minus two.  Magnetic signature now present."
   Jack checked the tactical plot to see that the aliens were closing directly on Triton.  The Yari was far enough from Triton they would be easy to see.  Of course if the aliens didn't have communications with the surface, the Taylor might come as a bit of a surprise.   Jack could hear Captain Wilson calling out orders to get the drive on line and begin acceleration toward the alien ships.  The Yari would need to come up to speed, but had to turn rather quickly.  If they got too close this fight would be over quickly.  First priority was that the Taylor needed to know.  With Triton in the way they were blind to what was happening.  "Comm, alert the Taylor to these contacts.  Order them to hold position until they have battle stations."
   "New contacts times six.  All contacts classed as Tango.  No magnetic field.  Same bearing and course as initial contacts. Trailing Alpha by one light second."  Jack quickly pulled up what data they had on the Tango class while the world turned into a grey haze as the drive engaged.  Tangos had only been noted in two prior engagements and were the large slow moving ships he had destroyed in the closing parts of the battle at Uranus.  They were apparently unarmed but had been used here at Neptune as suicide ships.  Their slow acceleration and low top speed had made them ineffective at that battle.  'Of course, if they simply aim for Triton and our troops, they will be plenty fast enough.  But we need to worry about the ships that can shoot right now.  It's three on one and they've got the speed advantage. For all we know that's the 'Baron' out there.'
   Jack could hear Captain Wilson continuing to give orders.  "Helm, bring the ship to full combat acceleration.  Bring course to zero niner zero.  Weapon Conn, begin plot for firing solutions."  At least Wilson wasn't going to let the aliens get too close.  Everyone knew that the US intercept rates were better only at the very long and very short ends of combat range.  The trick was not letting them get past the end of the Hera Missile's effective range but inside the alien’s engagement envelope.  Getting shot at when you couldn't shoot back was a good way to die.
   Jack cut in on the comm link.  "Weapon Conn, priority of fire to Echo One.  They've all got just one launch bay, let’s take the easy kills first.  Helm, try to hold range at five light seconds."  Jack watched the sensor returns as the alien ships altered course slightly.  'We are just too slow; they are going to be able to dictate a lot of this engagement.'
   The Sensor Conn cut in again.  "Alpha and Echoes changing aspect and thermal signature.  Coming about on heading zero zero three.  Accelerating.  Range five point two light seconds and matching course to us.  New contacts times three, inbounds.  Time to intercept nineteen seconds."
   Jack looked at the sensor readings.  They were too slow.  They could implement the evasive maneuver protocol, but it would slow the Yari down even more.  They might shake a few intercepts but would never be able to return fire.  The Yari would just have to weather this storm as she came up to speed.  Jack watched as the inbounds closed.  Suddenly the sensor returns cut out as the weapons detonated along the Yari's course.  Warning boxes flashed on Jack's monitor as shield generators went off line.  Two thirds of them.  But the shields had held and nothing had reached the hull.  'We can't take much more of that.'


   1418 hours/Patrol Vessel 24, 5.25 light seconds from Triton

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 monitored the sensor returns.  Through them he could feel that the enemy Patrol Vessel was trying to disengage, but it would be impossible.  This ship was no stranger to combat.  Patrol Vessel 24 had fought the native race twice already and served alongside the current Commander of Fleets.  The enemy vessel would not escape in time.  The second Patrol Vessel hiding behind New Home 3 was a coward.  If it chose to hide, they would be able to destroy both of these enemy vessels in detail.  Together the enemy ships might have had a chance for at least one to escape, but now the second enemy ship was in range and had not even started accelerating.  It would never be able to escape.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 felt the drive stop and then a second torpedo leave the ship.  Moments later torpedoes left from both Attack Vessels 3 and 4.  Neither of those vessels had seen combat before this, but were performing well.  Although they were smaller and carried fewer torpedoes, they could still launch as quickly as a Patrol Vessel and their magnetic protective fields were just as strong.  The Commander sensed the torpedoes detonate one after another, and then could feel that the enemy vessel had lost its protective field.  'Good.'  It would die soon enough.
   The Commander sensed that the firing solutions for the third launch were beginning to cancel themselves out.  The enemy Patrol Vessel had turned again.  It was banking behind the great planet that New Home 3 orbited.  This enemy commander was no fool either.  His comrade may be a coward but his ship was vulnerable with its fields down.  The planet would be able to protect him while giving him more time to come up to speed.  The planet would prevent any successful launches for a short time, but the enemy ship would clear it soon. 
   The problem was that if the enemy Patrol Vessel used the planet's gravity, he could turn back toward Patrol Vessel 24 and bring the group into range. Patrol Vessel 24 could stop accelerating to prevent this, but if the group did and the enemy ship had turned away while continuing to accelerate, he would be able to successfully disengage.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 ordered the ships to continue accelerating.  The enemy vessel was vulnerable.  Its commander would try to disengage.  If he did not, he would be quickly destroyed now that his protective field was disabled.  And then the last enemy ship would be destroyed.


   1419 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 0.5 light seconds from Neptune

   Jack looked at the pre-plot of the firing solutions.  The ship's boat at Triton was still forwarding sensor data from the troops on the ground.  The aliens would have to guess what he was about to do, but he knew where they were.
   "Clearing Neptune.  Sensor lock on Echo One. Missiles away."  Jack watched as the sensors picked up the outbound missiles, and then moments later the inbounds from the alien ships.  'We are still too slow to try and shake those birds.  We need to come up to speed.'  Jack thought.  "Helm, continue full acceleration. Bring us to course one two zero and get us away from those inbounds.  Our only defense is going to be distance for the moment."
   The Comm Officer cut through.  "Taylor is reporting battle stations."
   Jack quickly punched the Comm over ride.  "Randy you hold position till those ships clear Triton.  Then give 'em everything you've got.  They will turn to follow us and it'll bring 'em right to you.  Don't screw this up."
   Jack watched as his missiles followed Echo One and then clouded the sensors as their drives overloaded and turned them into clouds of plasma and radiation.     "Echo One, shield down."  Jack wanted to grin as the Sensor Officer confirmed what he was seeing on his monitor.  Then Jack turned his attention to the three inbounds quickly closing on the Yari.  'With all of our shields off line, we really could use some luck right now.'


   1420 hours/Interceptor MkIIb Z Taylor, orbit of Triton

   "OK people.  You know what the plan is. You can do this.  NO ONE is better than you.  You've conducted more fire missions with this ship than every crew in the history of the US put together.  MAKE THIS HAPPEN."  Captain Randall Brown knew that gripping the ends of the armrests wasn't going to help, but he hoped his pep talk could.  They were about to try something they knew could be done.  They had seen the records of what Leffler and the Discovery had done at Ceres and this crew had put more time in on a laser battery than anyone.  They just needed to get this right.
   "Contacts times three clearing Triton.  Range at zero point five light seconds.  Closing.  Sensor lock." 
   "Firing solutions coming on line." 
   "Drive engaged."
   The crew was spouting off the information as it came up.  Getting everything ready.  It was now or never.
   "Helm, get us as close to Echo Two as you can.  Lock Hera firing solution on Echo One and launch.  Hold on laser battery.  Five meter colmination, emergency dump on the capacitor. I want the shortest pulse you can get. Wait for Echo Two to launch. Target launch signature." Randy watched as his screen filled with data.  Changed colors as the drive cut in and out for the missile launch, then back in.  Reports of launches from the Alpha and Echo One.  And then the launch from Echo Two.
   Randy felt the drive cut out, allowing the output couplers to align for the laser battery.  Waited for the capacitor to release its energy and send a bolt of light speeding through the vacuum of space.
   'We've put fire on over a thousand targets in less than three months. Now we just need to hit a bullet with a faster bullet.'

   
   1420 hours

   Attack Vessel Three had restarted its drive after launching the torpedo.  The Attack Vessels had been made to carry the same magnetic defenses and weapons as a Patrol Vessel, but in a smaller and cheaper package.  This required some compromises.  One had been that although the internal launch bay was still hardened, it was much more vulnerable than on a Patrol Vessel.  Attack Vessels also had minimal external plating and baffles.  The bay was still protected from the hull battering wash of particles and heat generated by a drive detonation.  It was also safe from the rapid heating of the enemy's energy weapon that painted a ship with a beam which rivaled the surface of a star, then shattered away sections from the surface of the hull as they violently expanded. 
   But it was never designed to stop a smaller beam.  One that carried the same energy and put it on an area only ten meters across.  A brief pulse that coursed down only thirty meters of the Attack Vessel's hull, generating heat that rivaled the core of a star.
   All of it focused on the small magnetic signature left by the torpedo's launch.
   The crew never had time to react as a light brighter than any star pierced the Attack Vessel and turned the launch bay into so much melted composites and super heated gas.


   1421 hours/Patrol Vessel 24, 0.75 light seconds from Triton toward Neptune

    The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 struggled to control both his station and the battle around him.  'How could the second enemy Patrol Vessel cause so much damage.  The first launch from the second enemy ship had crippled Attack Vessel 4 and left it nearly blind, and Attack Vessel 3 had reported that its launch bay had been destroyed.  How?!  A second launch had destroyed Attack Vessel 4.  Now Attack Vessel 3 was trying to disengage while the second enemy Patrol Vessel was coming around behind Patrol Vessel 24.  The first enemy vessel was moving at a speed that Patrol Vessel 24 could not match and would soon be out of range.  Abruptly the drive of Patrol Vessel 24 shut down and the ship began to vent.  They had been hit with whatever invisible weapon the enemy used.  Plating had been shattered along one side of Patrol Vessel 24.  It was now two on one against him.  How had the battle changed so quickly?
   The Commander looked hard at the situation.  The second enemy Patrol Vessel was trying to get behind his ship, but it was to slow.  It did not have the speed to dictate the tactical situation.  The first enemy Patrol Vessel was bereft of protective fields and damaged.  It apparently had suffered no drive damage but couldn't withstand many more intercepts.  'It will be reluctant to engage Patrol Vessel 24 while our magnetic fields are intact.'  This situation was less dire than it might seem.  But the second enemy Patrol Vessel still had its magnetic fields and had shown itself to be a dangerous opponent.  If Patrol Vessel 24 turned to face the second enemy vessel it could be caught between two enemy ships with only its single launch bay.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 altered the field at his station and a message sped away across the void.  The native race was not the only ones capable of surprises. 'Now we will see who is caught in the middle.'


   1422 hours/Interceptor MkIIb Z Taylor, 1 light second from Triton along moons orbital path

   "Captain, shields at thirty percent strength.  Third launch coming on line."  Randy listened to the reports as the crew struggled to get the ship up to speed and behind the Alpha.  If they could hang onto the fleeing ship they just might take it down.
   Red boxes flashed on his screen.  Even before he could open the prompts the Sensor Conn was on the comm link. "Change in contacts Tango Two and Five.  Increase in thermal signature.  Speed now seven one five zero kilometers per second.  Accelerating.  Magnetic field detected on both Tangos.  Redesignating as Bravo One and Two.  Magnetic pulse detected."
   "Damn, those ships have mass drivers." 'At least they missed us.  Otherwise we'd have been hit by now.'  Randy looked at the sensor returns.  The two 'Bravos' were closing on not only the Taylor, but Triton.  'If we disengage they are going to hammer our troops.  We need to keep them busy, but this isn't going to be easy.'  Randy keyed open the comm link.  "Helm, bring us around to course two two three.  Continue full acceleration.  Weapon Conn, change launch priority to Bravo One."
   "Captain, aspect change on the Yari.  She's coming about and implementing the evasion protocol.  She's going to re-engage the Alpha."
   Randy checked the sensor returns.  Sure enough the Yari was coming about.  'Lord knows we need the Alpha off our back, but you’re going to get yourself killed Jack.'  Randy quickly typed a small note to Rear Admiral Ryan for transmission.
   
      ATTN REAR ADM RYAN

      FIRST ROUNDS ON ME WHEN WE GET BACK HOME
      GOOD HUNTING


   1423 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 8.75 light seconds from Triton

   "Come around and fight damn it."  Jack stared at the sensor returns and tried to will the Alpha to change course.  The few moments stuttering the drive and changing aspect had cost the Yari speed.  He had hoped to avoid the next launch from the Alpha.  Instead the alien had continued changing course and turning back toward the Taylor.  The Yari needed time to come back up to speed and get the Alpha in range.
   Randy was giving the aliens hell though.  The two armed alien freighters had managed to batter down the Taylor's shields and even caused her to vent.  But the Taylor had hammered Tango Two.  Several times.  Now they were locked in a twisting battle.  The Taylor was faster and pouring fire into the lead Tango, and at the same time maneuvering to avoid letting the second Tango line up a shot.  'But he's a sitting duck for that Alpha.'
   Seconds ticked by and then the first Tango disappeared as its drive shield failed.  Jack watched as the Taylor maneuvered to bring the second armed Tango in line for attack.  He watched as Randy's ship began to rapidly change aspect and decelerate.  Employing the maneuver protocol to avoid the launch from the Alpha.  But it was too little, too late.  The Taylor and her crew disappeared in the drive detonation of the alien missile.
   The Alpha was beginning to come around toward the Yari again.  Its shields were still up, as were those on the second armed Tango.  'If I give the order, this crew will take us in against those ships.  Even with us damaged and outnumbered.  But we can't win.  God help the soldiers on that moon.'
   "Helm, bring us about to heading zero niner niner.  Full combat speed.  Comm, broadcast for the Vigilance and Steadfast.  Let them know what happened here and our position.  We're going to need their help to save anyone left alive when we get back."
   'And we will be back.'


   1431 hours/Armed Colony Vessel 7, 1 light second from New Home 3

   The Commander of Colony Vessel 7 waited as the ships formed up.  The Patrol Vessel had suffered minor damage to its exterior plating but that was all.  Attack Vessel 3 had lost its launch bay, but was otherwise operational.  All four of the unarmed Colony Vessels had escaped harm.  Armed Colony Vessel 1 had been destroyed but his ship, Armed Colony Vessel 7, had survived undamaged.  Now was time for it to fulfill its purpose. 
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 had issued orders to Colony Vessel 7.  The Commander altered the field at his station and reached his perception out through the sensors of his vessel.  Sensed the signatures of the enemy troops on New Home 3's surface.  Their supplies and heavy weapons.  Then felt the pulse as the mass driver launched the packet of metallic hydrogen at the surface.
   Then felt satisfaction as he sensed the detonation on the surface, and the enemy died.


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 15, 2011, 02:34:20 AM
October 2204  part 6

October 27th  1810 hours/Patrol Vessel 24, 4 light seconds from New Home 3

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 waited impatiently at his station.  Most of the enemy troops and their supplies had been destroyed.  A number had sheltered underground and that was regrettable.  With the loss of Armed Colony Vessel 1, there was no longer enough capacity to evacuate the entire population remaining on New Home 3.  A million and a half survivors could be loaded, but that would still leave nearly a quarter of a million that would be unable to make the trip.  With enemy troops still on the surface of New Home 3, there was little hope for those left behind.  There would be no more rescues.
   No further contact had been made with warships of the native race, but it was only a matter of time until they returned.  One enemy Patrol Vessel had escaped destruction and would carry news of the attack.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 had orders only to clear the space around New Home 3 long enough to complete landing and loading the Evacuation Group.  The mass drivers of the Armed Colony Vessels were to destroy what enemy troops they could target and then the group was to depart. 
   The Commander knew he had disobeyed those orders by committing the Armed Colony Vessels to combat against an enemy Patrol Vessel, and that the loss of Armed Colony Vessel 1 was going to be a serious blemish on his record.  He was also sure that it had been necessary for the Evacuation Group to clear the space around New Home 3.  One and a half million lives saved would be more important than a single Armed Colony Vessel lost.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 felt the field at his station alter as the message announcing that the last of the Colony Vessels had completed loading passengers was received.  The Commander altered the field at his station to send a message of his own to the group.
   It was time to leave.

October 28th  1930 hours/7 light minutes from Triton

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan looked over status reports on his monitor.  They had managed to rendezvous with the convoy bound for Triton, but the next step was not so clear.  The convoy included three armed ships, the US Q Ships Vigilance and Steadfast, and the FSC Armed Freighter Krait.  Four on two was good odds but deceptive in this case.  The Steadfast and Krait were only weeks out of dock and the crews were unprepared for combat.  The Vigilance was a veteran of several battles but was still in the process of recalibrating and checking systems after the recent repairs at Mars Station.  The Yari was in even worse shape.  The shields had been restored to function, but portions of the missile storage bays had been damaged, along with most of the electronics on the bridge.  Many of the systems on the bridge were now operational, but it would take little to knock them off line.  It would only take a little more for the ship to come apart.
   'Regardless, we have to go back.  The aliens may have reinforced but it seems unlikely.  If they had any more assets nearby, they would have committed them to the attack.  If there are any troops left alive on the ground, the longer we wait the more of them will die.'  The thought of the ground troops made Jack remember Randy.  Captain Brown has spent the last few months doing everything he could to keep those troops alive.  It now included dying to protect them.
   'We need to hurry back.'
   For the moment the Yari wasn't going anywhere.  She was docked to the Steadfast.  The supplies they had loaded only days ago had ended up vented during the battle.  The crew was in the process of loading on the bare minimum required to keep the Yari operational, but it was still going to take time.  As soon as that was complete, the group would begin the move to Triton.  'What we're going to do when we get there, well, I've got six more hours to figure that out.
   Jack looked up to see a cyborg standing at attention in front of his station.  It was a vaguely female form holding a small metallic tablet. 'Must be from the Steadfast.  No one on this ship would bring me a report.' Jack looked again and noticed no name or rank was displayed on his HUD.  'Strange.  Looks like this one is put together from odds and ends of several different models.  Hell, looks like it might even be from several manufacturing sites.  Not all of them US by the look of it.'
   Jack paused for a moment to think.  No name or rank, and the model is indistinct.  'Is she a spook?'  Jack had heard of cyborg spies before, but always dismissed the whole thing as rumor control.  Scuttlebutt was that they were cobbled together to make them fit in about anywhere, particularly with civilian models.  They were supposed to be dropped on other nations colonies.  They could survive in most any environment, and conduct surveillance on otherwise unreachable locations.  They had no intrinsic identity, and using onboard programs could copy another 'borgs ID software settings and blend into a foreign population.  'But why in the hell send a spook out here.  There isn't anyone out here other than aliens to look at, and they are underground.  It won't be easy to get a look at them.'
   Jack suddenly realized that Triton wasn't the only possible site this spook would want to go.  'They know about our little trip to Sedna back home.'  Jack could feel himself slump into his station.  'My ship is shot to hell, and they are going to expect me to get this girl on the ground at Sedna so she can begin surveillance on any aliens there.'  Jack sat back up at his station.  'This isn't going to work if that is the plan, and whoever ordered this insane little mission is about to be disappointed.'
   Jack stood up and held out his hand.  "Alright whoever the hell you are.  Give me the damned orders and report in."  The cyborg in front of him handed the tablet over and Jack began to key in a code to unlock whatever message it held.
   Jack sat down heavily in his station and the tablet drifted absently across the bridge as the crew fell silent.  Jack felt as if he had been hit by lightning as the cyborg had reported in.
   "It me daddy.  Lieutenant Commander Megan Ryan, reporting."


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 21, 2011, 03:10:21 AM
October 2204  part 7

October 29th  0610 hours/Elders' Chamber, New Home 1 (Eris)

   The Elders assembled to review the latest developments.  First among them were the transmissions from Patrol Vessel 24 that one and a half million survivors had been rescued from the surface of New Home 3.  The destruction of one Armed Colony Vessel had left the group unable to completely evacuate the survivors, resulting in several hundred thousand being left behind.  The pain of leaving that many behind to their inevitable doom would weigh heavily on all those involved.  But so many had been rescued that would also have died, that this operation would be declared a great victory and those involved in the rescue would be remembered in tales for generations to come.
   Also of great interest was the news on the small mass driver system.  It had finally been completed and initial tests had shown promise.  The development team had been able to demonstrate successful interception of surface launched torpedoes from New Home 1 by the new rapid-fire mass driver.  Initial tests had shown about a 20 percent interception rate, but this was expected to improve as crews gained familiarity with the system and the software of the system was refined.  Projections indicated that when properly deployed the pattern density it could project should be capable of nearly a 50 percent interception rate on the torpedoes of the native race.  It was even feasible that a single installation would be capable of deploying several patterns of the 0.2-gram projectiles with sufficient densities that intercepting multiple inbound torpedoes in an incoming salvo would be possible.
   The elders took little time in confirming the installation of the new defensive system on all available Patrol Vessels and the remaining Assault Vessel.  If possible two of the new defensive systems would be installed on the large ship, but even a single installation would vastly improve its ability to engage the native race.
   It had been a long time since the Assembly of Elders had heard so much good news in a single meeting. 


   1925 hours/GTOS 23, orbit of Triton

   Lieutenant Commander Megan Ryan wanted to get sick or close her eyes, but she couldn't do either one.  The inside of the lander seemed to spin and roll out of control as the drive fired and cut out.  'It's just a routine landing on the surface.'  Megan tried to tell herself that over and over again.  It made no difference.
   She was still adapting to this new body.  She had passed the initial testing and training, but was far from finished.  'I haven't adjusted to all of this yet.  I should have waited.'  Her head started to hurt from the vast overload of her senses and she finally keyed off the visual feed.  It didn't stop the vertigo but at least eased the pain somewhat.
   'Did I make a mistake?  Is it to soon?'  Just thinking made her head throb more.  'It normally takes four months to complete the testing and classes, undergo everything it takes to adjust to 'the change'.  But I need to do this.  If I didn't, Admiral Walters wouldn't have ok'ed it.'
   The headache began to fade as she heard the comm system announce they were landing.  Turning the visual feed back on the grey haze had disappeared and she started to feel better.  A slight jostling let her know the ship had touched down.  Megan unlocked her station and moved toward her equipment.  It was time to test her theory.  She had studied the alien ship's magnetic fields longer than anyone she knew.  But this was definitely uncharted territory.


October 30th  1255 hours/Sector 20:25, 4500 meters below the surface of Triton
   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank held her hand up and signaled the squad to halt.  Not that they were going to go anywhere if she stopped.  The tunnel they were in was a tube just a little over a meter and a half wide.  But ahead the tunnel widened as it intersected with another tube.  This was always the sign that another 'shelter' was ahead crawling with aliens.  Perhaps hundreds of them.  Tanya raised her 18mm and fired down the tunnel ahead.  The tunnel filled with dust as chunks of the walls tore away.  It would be impossible for the alien 'suits' to operate down here so the flechettes would do just fine.  The aliens were difficult to see on thermal readings, and using lights just seemed to be good way to get yourself killed.  So every chance you got you cleared the tunnel ahead.
   This operation was different though.  Not your usual search and destroy.  They were babysitting some US 'borg that was obviously a spook.  Wouldn't show up on anyone’s display as anything but an outline.  No code number, name, rank, anything.  Just a shape.  Which meant they had to be careful as the automatic weapon safeties wouldn't prevent you from shooting it.
   Tanya moved into the tunnel and stood up.  She moved forward and signaled for the squad to advance.  What they were looking for was ahead.  They really needed more troops if they were going to crack a nest of the aliens.  But once again, that wasn't the plan.  'What the hell is the plan though.  Might be nice if they told us.'
   Tanya looked at the US 'borg and tried to figure out what the thing was wearing/carrying.  It looked a little like a generator, an antenna array, and a keyboard.  Nothing like any weapon she had ever seen.  The US lasers sometimes looked a little strange, but they at least resembled a rifle.  Not this though.
   Tanya stopped and dropped to one knee.  Her HUD was showing movement ahead.  Dozens of aliens. Most of them were smaller. Immature. But the bigger ones were moving forward.  Tanya had seen it before.  The grown aliens would try to close and ''push' you into walls or each other. Some could even mess with the electronics on a cyborg if they got close enough.  But these were too far away.  They would never get the chance.  Tanya raised her weapon.
   "Hold your fire."  It was that damned US spook.  She hadn't spoken in German, but the translators had handled it.  The aliens kept closing.   In seconds they would be to close.  'We don't have this sort of time, and we aren't dying this way.'   Tanya aimed at the closest alien, and then stopped.
   She lowered the weapon and looked.  They had all stopped and were hesitating.  Then as one the aliens settled to the floor of the tube with their longer tentacles tucked underneath them.  "What the hell just happened?"  Tanya risked a look back at the US 'borg.
   
   1226 hours/Brood Mother 218, 4500 meters below the surface of Triton

   The Brood Mother was not sure if she had done the right thing, but they would surely have died anyway.  All of them, including the young.  She was prepared to die, but didn't want to.  No one wanted to.  But all the machines could do was kill.  And they were good at it.
   But what had just happened had shocked her.  It had never happened before.  There was no emotion to it.  No soul.  It was definitely a machine.
   And it had said only one thing over and over.
   "Stop.  Live."
   "Stop.  Live." 
   "Stop.  Live  ....."

   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 03, 2011, 12:45:55 AM
October 2204  part 8

/////////////////////////////////////
Overview

This month saw a large amount of activity from everyone, just no huge battles.  Most folks had taken too much of a beating to keep up the previous levels of combat, but preparations for the next round of battles was underway.
Focus shifted to new construction and refits, or ground ops on New Home 3/Triton.  Research was still a focus but only bore fruit in a few places.  The only battle was a see-saw affair that I had thought was going to be entirely one-sided.

For the Pan Euro,
This month was mostly about staying out of trouble while she finished up repairs on the Red October, shook down the crews on the Attack Escorts she had repaired last month, and tried to get farther on her research projects that she hoped would change the balance of power.  She continued to colonized in the belt and invest in IU, but this month was spent by my wife hoping nothing would happen to her.

For China,
With his ships gathered at Venus, it was time to restart his grand project.  But as he looked at it he decided that a few more ships he could quickly put into service was more important than tying down half of his construction assets in a project that would take a year to complete.
He continued his colonization of Titan so he was pleased to see his income actually growing again, abet slowly.  He also managed a success on his roll for his research in Q to SL1,   Not a game shaking event but it still improved his mood.  
His random event roll turned up a breakthrough that would be shared with all races in contact with the world it occurred at.  I decided that tractors would be a boon to the players without giving them a huge advantage and that no one would be to upset if everyone got it but one person was successful in implementing it first.

For the US,
This month the US was the only player to see ship to ship combat.  It was a frustrating combat for both sides as the balance swung back and forth, but the loss truly frustrated the oldest boy.  He was torn between trying to cripple up or destroy more alien ships or save his admiral.  In the end he decided that the loss of Jack Ryan would be far worse than letting the aliens win an engagement.
He continued to pump his income into colonization and IU to try and even the current imbalance in resources, but he was already looking at what it would take to capture an alien pop unassisted.  His focus on production of Q Ships was more of a drive towards this than a desperate attempt to rebuild his combat forces.
He also had a random event for the month that I had been struggling with.  It had turned up an act of heroism that would give his ships a +2 on advancement rolls that month.  I had been trying to come up with some FT rescue or such to justify it, but the heroic stand of the Taylor at Triton fit the bill.  The lucky shot narrow beaming the Lb on the Taylor and taking out an Attack Vessels Pta was a real battle changer in itself.  The 'dance of death' with the Armed Colony ships put the icing on the cake and the legend of Capt Randall Brown was born - who destroyed two alien ships and crippled two others with an outdated US design to save the ground troops he had helped for so long.
It helped the Sai and Yari make it to Elite, the Vigilance and JFK to Vet, and a roll by the Steadfast got her from Poor to Average in one month (technically still against the rules, but if combat could get a ship there in one month for us, the Taylor's sacrifice felt like it merited the same consideration).  

For the FSC,
This month saw the oldest girl take over the battle on Triton's surface.  What looked to be a cake walk turned terrifying for her as she watched the troops destroyed and her helpless to intervene.  Discussions on using the underground shelters to save some ended up with the ruling that one Qv of troops could shelter in each unoccupied PTU capacity of shelter.  In this way she saved some.  The arrival quickly thereafter of the supply ships kept her from ending up with no H to support her troops.
A lucky roll put her over the top and she managed to succeed on the assault phase and next month would enter the consolidation phase.  Her luckiest roll was on trying to open communications.  She managed another good roll (the dice favored her this month) and she got partial communication.  In that she would need full communications to enter the peace phase, she was quite pleased.
She didn't realize her older brother was possibly even MORE pleased.

For the Nemotians,
The big gamble for the month was the rescue at New Home 3.  The loss of one Colony Vessel prevented the complete evacuation, but getting 30 of the 35.2 PU off that world was still a huge victory.  The loss of one Attack Vessel and a converted FT was acceptable in light of the increased income the victory represented.  The loss of a US Interceptor (the player with the most interest in continuing the fight out system) made it an even better trade.
The success of the Armed Colony Vessels did make me look at the possibility of reactivating the last five of the Colony Vessels as a quick boost to Nemotian fleet strength.  They had proved rather durable.
The success on the Da was a big bonus, but would require another round of refits for the Nemotians.  The return to combat (and slowing the players) would be delayed, but I hoped the addition of the Da would make a large difference.

I will edit in the ship statistics for the battle tomorrow night.  I just realized as I was spell checking this at work that I hadn’t included them.  Oops.

This was pretty much it for month 22.  Thanks again for reading.


Ok, here is the battle I forgot to post.


Releif of New Home 3

US Task Force 3
Admiral Jack Ryan (LG+2 / Navigator)

Interceptor MkIII Yari (BG+1)
Class: CTf      16HS
[2] S S S Hs Mgs Qa Ya (Cp) Ra Ra (Cp) [7/1]  cg x1

Interceptor MkIIb Z Taylor (BG)
Class: CT      16HS
[2] S S S H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1


Nemotian Patrol Group

Patrol Vessel  24 (BG)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x1

Attack Vessels 3 (BG) , 4 (BG)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] S S H Ya Qa (Cp) Pta [6/1] 

Armed Colony Vessels  1 (BG-2) , 7 (BG-2)
Class:  FT4      30HS
[2] S H H A H H Qv (x15) Kb+ (Cp) Qa (Cp) [4/1]  cg x1

Colony Vessels  2 (BG) , 3 (BG) , 6 (BG) , 10 (BG)
Class:  FT4      30HS
[2] A H H A H H Qv (x15) H (x7) Qa (Cp) [2/1]  cg x1

This battle started with the Taylor hiding behind Triton and the Yari about 2 hexes away.  The Nemotians started at the outside of sensor range with the Armed Colony / Colony Vessels in a group about 12 hexes behind Patrol Vessel 24 and all of the Nemotian ships shields down.
The opening parts of the battle went about as I expected, and I wasn't too worried about the Taylor hiding behind the moon.  I had expected to maybe lose the hold and sensor on the undamaged Attack Vessel, or for the Lb to speed the destruction of the damaged Attack Vessel.  The lucky roll on the narrow beam taking out the Pta was a rude surprise.
In the end the Taylor's twisting battle with the Armed Colony Vessels left it open for the long range attacks of PV 24.  And so ended the little ship that had cost the Nemotians so many ground troops and PTU on Triton.  But it did manage to destroy one Attack Vessel, leave a second unable to fight, and destroyed a third armed vessel in a single engagement.
Not bad for an average grade crew on the oldest boy's second line ship design.

But as the saying goes "Show me a hero and I shall write you a tragedy...."

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 09, 2011, 05:38:29 AM
November 2204  part 1

November 4th  0800 hours/Queen Victoria, Earth orbit

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon tapped aimlessly at her keypad.  She had come to enjoy the quiet time after the morning briefings.  She could spend time in her quarters on the 'Vic' alone.  No pressure.  No decisions.  Just a chance to rest.
   Other than ship reassignments there was little new.  The Red October had been cleared for duty and was spending her time with the US Interceptors near Earth.  They two US ships couldn't even keep up a decent general quarters rotation by themselves.  Their speed was a waste in a stationary assignment here in Earth orbit, so it just seemed natural to pair the high speed US ships with the Red October and assign them to near Earth patrols.  Their high maximum speeds would allow them to engage or break off as the situation warranted.  With three ships in the group they could efficiently rotate eight hour general quarters shifts without over taxing the crews.
   The four Attack Escorts of 3rd Battle Group had been folded into the 4th BG for the moment.  Between the Queen Vic and eight Attack Escorts the 4th BG should have as good a chance as any against alien incursions.  The Chinese warships were still absent, but their civilian lines seemed to be running at a normal pace.  Having the extra firepower of the Chinese ships would be handy if the aliens showed up, but the tension their presence created made it a mixed blessing at best.
   Brenna looked over the progress reports from the Pan Euro Space Station.  The ground crews and equipment that had been shipped up were starting on the task of repairing the damage to the station.  It would take many months, but with the Earth Station representing the only space borne construction assets left to the Euro, the station would have to be repaired.  The slipway that was still operational was beginning work on another Royalty Class Destroyer.  When it was completed she would become the lead ship for the 3rd BG.  The new ship was projected to enter service sometime in early 2205.  Until then the 3rd and 4th BG's would operate as a single group.
   Brenna turned off her monitor and leaned back.  For twenty more minutes she could relax and think about whatever she wanted to.  After that the pressures of command would return.  She would have to resume her station on the bridge and deal with the thousand and one issues that would need her attention today.
   But that was twenty minutes away.


November 7th  1215 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home 1

   The Supreme Elder waited quietly near the edge of the chamber.  The Elders had assembled to review recent events.  They would discuss and debate what needed to occur to improve the situation in respect with the native race.  The war was not going well.  The native race had suffered setbacks, but so had the New Homes.  Efforts were underway to strengthen the New Homes' position.  The refugees of New Home 3 were already being settled onto New Home 4.  Additional industrial and manufacturing assets were already being constructed on New Home 4.
   The Assault Vessel was being refitted with a pair of the new torpedo defense systems, while Patrol Vessels would receive one.  It would take a few months to implement all of the refits, but they would be completed as rapidly as existing assets would allow.  Armed Colony Vessel 2 was also undergoing refits to add more magnetic field generators and a defense installation as well.  Two more of the Colony Vessels were being reactivated and refitted to strengthen current fleet levels.  These things were all well and necessary.  They would all improve the current situation.  And they would occupy the Elders for the duration of this gathering.  But they would not solve one fundamental problem.  A problem that if not addressed would spell the doom of the New Homes.
   No Combat Group had yet to engage the enemy's Assault Vessels and defeat them without being destroyed in the process.  It was clear the enemy had at least two Assault Vessels left, accompanied by several of their Heavy Patrol Vessels.  The fact the native race's ships were superior was a subject that the Elders avoided.  The thought that another race could be superior was taboo.  Unthinkable, let alone open for discussion.  But the fact remained.  The enemy Combat Groups were superior and current designs and tactics would not be able to defeat them.  And it would take an Elder who could not be questioned or reproached to address this.
   The Supreme Elder quietly monitored the gathering, and struggled with the question that would decide their fate.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 15, 2011, 05:36:48 AM
November 2204 part 2

November 12th  0710 hours/Washington DC, Earth

   "Members of the Defense Committee, at this point I will open the floor to questions."  Admiral Bradley Walters turned from the presentation screen and looked over the two dozen people in the room.  'Being stuck on Earth is bad enough.  Having to be at these peoples' beck and call while I'm here makes it even worse.  At least when I was on the space station they were willing to tele-conference most of the time.'
   A woman spoke up.  "Admiral, you say that we have only two Interceptors here at Earth while the Euro maintains a fleet of ten ships near the planet?  And that the Euro has as many ships at Mars as we do?  And that the ships here at Earth aren't even close to the planet most of the time?  Isn't this inherently dangerous?  Why do we not have more of our fleet deployed here at Earth?"
   Bradley knew these questions were coming, and they were not the important part of what had been presented.  There was always someone who felt they had a better idea of where the fleet needed to be, and it was always wherever they were.  "Honorable member or the Committee, I will answer this in two parts, although I feel it was already addressed in the briefing.  The relations between the Euro and ourselves are very stable and the presence of their ships is a sign of their commitment to our joint operations to destroy this alien menace.  The fact that they field more ships than us is simply the consequence of war.  We have lost a number of ships defending the inner system and in offensive actions out system. Euro losses have also been substantial, but they have fewer off world populations and assets to defend at this point."  Bradley hoped he didn't have to tell her the Euro didn't have to guard Mercury now that its colony and shipyards were gone, but that the US had kept Mars and its shipyards reasonably well protected.   And that had cost the US, dearly in one case.  "We have two new ships coming into service.  As I mentioned earlier they are the Defiant and Resolute.  They will start their maiden voyage to Neptune soon.  When they reach Triton they will be joined by the Vigilance and Steadfast, plus the Interceptor Yari.  They will land supplies on Triton and then extract all of the US troops from that location.  The five ships will then return to Earth.  At that point the Earth will have seven combat vessels stationed here."
   'But I don't have to tell you that they won't always stay here to guard your precious little selves.'
   "For the second part, the two Interceptors here at Earth are stationed farther out to improve our sensor range.  Ground based sensor arrays can see significantly farther than the ship mounted sets, but if the aliens chose to approach the planet with their protective fields turned off, we still can't see them beyond nine light seconds.  As the alien weapons have a range of over five light seconds, this only gives Earth based defenses less than two minutes warning before the aliens will reach a range where they can fire on ground targets.  Two minutes after that and their high speed bombers would be in the atmosphere."  Bradley waited as what he had said sank in.  Looking around the room, he could see that several of the members were shifting uncomfortably in their chairs.  Others were more composed, if slightly paler.  Most had probably never realized that four minutes was all that separated them from oblivion.  "With the two Interceptors patrolling at fourteen light seconds, we hope to increase our warning time by nearly two more minutes.  The high speed of the Interceptors will allow them to return to Earth rapidly in the event of alien contact."
    The Committee Chairperson, Harland Meyers cut in.  "We have confidence in your current deployments and operations.  I want to hear more of the data involved in Lieutenant Commander Ryan's work."
   Bradley turned to face the chair.  This had been the real heart of the morning's briefing, but it was also the part that he had the least understanding of.  This committee didn't want to know that.  In fact, he was sure they wanted to feel the exact opposite.  'That I am in control of this and it will be key in our victory over the aliens.  Hell, Megan's out on a limb here trying to figure this out and I can't make heads or tails of her work.'
   "Lieutenant Commander Ryan seems to have figured out how the aliens communicate, although actual two way communication has proven difficult.  Several linguistic specialists accompanied her to Triton, along with several electronics experts.  They are all currently pooling their talents to come up with a reliable method of communicating with this species."  Bradley paused.  He wasn't sure that 'species' was the correct word as it almost implied a common origin with the life of Earth, which the aliens seemed to lack completely.  "They are also in regular contact with specialists here on Earth who assist them.  It is hoped that at some time we will be able to communicate with them fluently, but it is unclear if that is even possible.  As Lieutenant Commander Ryan put it, 'We are still just imitating bird calls and hoping we get the right one.' "
   Bradley could feel the auto stabilizers activate to maintain his posture as he prepared to address the next subject.  He wasn't very comfortable with it, but it had been necessary.  "Our data on this is also available to the other nations of Earth.  With the FSC in command of the operations at Triton, and the Euro and Chinese troops providing the bulk of the combat forces there, they also have need of this information.  The Euro has given us strong reassurances that any information this data allows them to ascertain from the salvaged portions of the Alpha they were able to salvage will be shared with the US government freely.  It is hoped that either the surviving alien population of Triton or the systems of the damaged Alpha will give us more information on the location of any other colonies they may have in the Solar System, or beyond it."  Bradley remembered the briefings where they had focused on where the aliens had come from and how widespread they might be in the galaxy at large.  Thinking about it had been hard enough.  Actually coming face to face with the fact that this could be just the tip of an immense galactic presence was enough to give anyone a cold chill.
   "Is there a projected time frame for this operation, Admiral?"
   He had to know the answer, but it had to be asked all the same.  "No Honorable Chairperson.  This particular operation has no precedent to guide it.  We haven't even managed to establish fluent communications with another form of life here on Earth.  We have no way of knowing if this project is even possible.  That Lieutenant Commander Ryan managed to discern how they communicated at all is nothing short of a miracle.  We may never be able to understand them more than we can a sparrow."  'This is a form of life based on chemicals our best scientists are still trying to figure out, and who seem to communicate and even perceive in ways we can't even sense.' Bradley thought.  'We're damned lucky we got this far.'
   He knew that wasn't what they wanted to hear.  They were hoping for one miracle after another.  The fact that humanity had come face to face with an advanced alien race and managed to survive this long was a miracle.  Learning how some of their technology operated and how they communicated was nothing short of another.  Hoping for more than that was probably a pipe dream.
   "Thank you Admiral Walters.  That will be all for now."


November 15th  2210 hours/Beijing, China

   Minister Po pulled the piece of paper across the desk and looked at it one more time.  He had left it for last, intentionally avoiding it.  He had hoped that time would give him another option.  Another answer.  But there was none.
   Paper was never a good thing for those involved.  It meant the subject was considered too sensitive for electronic storage.  It would be used and then destroyed, with no trail for anyone to reclaim afterwards.
   The students who had published the research concerning applications of the alien technology had been identified.  Not detained yet, that would be too obvious.  They had managed to penetrate the government’s electronic security measures.  Done it without being discovered.  And then they had used the data to come up with their own findings and designs.  Technically, they were incredible.  Politically they were inept.  And that would kill them.
   China could not allow this to endure.  They were a danger.  They could be valuable, but allowing them to live would expose China to the danger that others might discover what they had done.  They may also engage in the same activity in the future, with far more damaging consequences.  They would have to die.  Die in ways that appeared to have nothing to do with the government.
   An accident for one, infection for another.  The third would suffer health problems.  None of them would survive.  What a waste.  So much talent.
   Funds were already being allocated for the development of the designs the group had come up with.  This technology could be very useful, and to allow the other powers to get ahead on ‘research’ that had originated here would be damaging for the morale of the people.  Morale had already dropped related to the FSC’s return of Chinese troops to Earth, and the publicity they had created for the occasion.  China would suffer no more doubt of it government and the decisions it made.  They must know that they were destined to rule, and that no one else was fit to do so.
   Po signed the paper.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 23, 2011, 01:38:18 AM
November 2204 part 3

November 19th  1640 hours/Queensland Research Facility, Australia

   Chairman Mukata sat in the small office.  The monitor in front of him had long ago shut down from disuse, and his tea was cold.  None of this concerned him.  The presentation had finished two hours before, but he intended to sit there as long as it took to decide what needed to be done.  And it was obvious that things needed to be done.
   The presentation had been all he had hoped for and more.  The frame and designs were complete, and a prototype was even under construction.  A timeframe for completion and initial testing had not been available, but most estimates expected to see production of the first units to begin within six months.  All this was very good news.  It had complications though.
   Projected costs to put the new system into production would strain the FSC.  The FSC had never been able to maintain over three armed vessels in its fleet prior to this, and two were in service currently.  To put this system into service would require even greater costs as no current design would be able to properly utilize it.  But it would need to go into production.  Funding would have to be made available.  How that would be done was the question.
   Mukata stared at the monitor.  It was a question he would have to answer before he returned to present this information to the boardmembers.  And he would not leave this office until he had that answer.


November 21st  1700 hours/Surface of Titan

   Li Xue could feel her heart pounding as her chest heaved, trying to get more air.  'How did I ever let Mae talk me into this?' she wondered.  Grabbing her towel from the bench she wiped the sweat from her face and sat down heavily.  Looking up through the large glass pane she could see Mae suddenly vault from the floor to a wall and then brace herself on the ceiling as she hammered a vicious backhand that sent the small ball hurtling toward the far wall.
   Li settled back against the wall.  It was cold and made her back cramp a little, but still felt good.  'What was I thinking? Racketball has always looked a little like an organized way to get yourself hurt.  In this low gravity with every wall and ceiling in play, it looks more like organized suicide.  And somehow Mae still makes it look easy.'
   Li looked at her arms and legs.  They were showing more of their old tone again.  The workouts were helping.  Then she looked at the young man sitting beside her.  'I know the pills I take in the morning are to help me keep from losing bone and muscle mass on this moon, but he definitely is getting way more than a maintenance dose.'  The man beside her was covered in thick muscles, and she was sure he was physically powerful even without his military suit on.  He wasn't watching his friend or Mae play out their match.  He was just staring.  Li looked at the young man.
   'He's not on this moon.  He's still on another one.  When they shipped the soldiers that came back from Triton here, they were just trying to aviod any incidents that the other nations' media could exploit.  But they didn't do them any favors.'  Li elbowed the young man and he startled slightly.  "Looks like your friend just lost another round to Mae."
   The young man looked down at the court.  Li looked down also to see Mae smiling and talking to the young man's friend.  Another soldier.  'The little flirt.  Well, while your young.'  Li heard the young man beside her talk.  "Your friend is pretty good.  For a girl."  Li turned back to see the young man looking down at the pair with the slightest hint of a smile.  But this hint disappeared quickly.  'What happened to you?'  Li thought as she looked at him.
   "Unless you are a whole lot better than your friend, your about to lose to a woman."  Li elbowed him harder as she stood up and picked up her racket.  She wasn't sure she could really back up her words, but she was going to give it her best shot.  She started to walk for the stairway down to the court.
   "That's what you think."  Li looked at the glass and could see the young man standing up and following her.  Watching her walk.
   'He's on this moon now.' she thought.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 02, 2011, 11:41:20 PM
November 2204 part 4

November 26th  1850 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, dark side of asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 waited impatiently as the testing of the new system progressed.  Both Patrol Vessels 13 and 17 had been refitted with the new defensive system and initial testing was underway.  Both vessels had moved to the edge of the debris field and were in the process of calibrating the mass drivers with the onboard fire controls.  Initial tests had been frustrating with the system.  The mounting had proven to be capable or rapid adjustment which was good, but precision had been lacking.  Harmonics with the ships inherent magnetic field produced excessive dispersion of the projectiles.  Recent adjustments to the systems' cyclic rate were improving the mass drivers' ability to concentrate fire.  Adequate saturation of an engagement zone was now possible and impacts on stationary targets had been achieved.  This in itself was progress.
   Now integrating the Patrol Vessels' sensor arrays with the mass drivers' targeting system was underway.  The system had been designed with substantial integral tracking and fire control equipment to allow it to engage targets without taxing the ship's fire control equipment, but it would still need to be tied in adequately so that it would coordinate its fire with the Patrol Vessels' drives.  If it were to attempt to engage a target while the drive was active it would destroy the system.  It could possibly destroy the entire vessel if the mounting was to fail.  Unfortunately, the systems' inherent fire control had never been designed for this and it was proving difficult to achieve.  Manual control of the system's operation was still necessary to ensure proper employment.  The crew had assured the Commander that the system would be fully integrated, but a time frame had yet to be established.  Until then no further operations could be conducted against the native race.
   Most frustrating was that the adjustments to the operating system were affecting the whole vessel.  Fire control of the torpedoes, drive manipulation, and a host of other systems were currently degraded due to the necessity of integrating the defensive system with the rest of those on the Patrol Vessels.  The Patrol Group would be almost helpless in combat in its current state.  This was unacceptable.
   Time to calibrate these systems was not a luxury they could afford.  The native race had been dealt a severe blow but would recover if given time.  If this war was to be won, the native race could not be afforded these opportunities.  Victories would not only need to be achieved, but built upon.
   One success had been achieved unlooked for.  The maneuvers that the native race had devised to thwart and evade the torpedoes had been analyzed.  It was not possible to improve the current torpedoes to be able to overcome this obstacle, but future weapons should be able to do so.  More importantly, programs had been devised that would allow the warships to employ this maneuver.  With both a defensive system and the evasive maneuvers, the native race would find it much more difficult to make successful intercepts.
   Hopefully, they would find it impossible. 

November 29th  0630 hours/US Interceptor MkIII Yari, orbit of Triton

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan stared at the monitor in front of him.  The visual feed of Triton would just be a dark circle against the background of stars, but the optical systems of the Yari gave a clear view of the moon.  Visible were the marks of combat across the surface.  Dark patches where lasers had scorched the surface.  Blackened scars where missile drive detonations had evaporated the volatile ices and charred the substrate.  Hundreds of scars.  No, thousands.
   The second convoy had completed its work.  Supplies had been landed on the surface and the last of the US 2nd Armored Division was now on board the Q Ships and ready for transport home.  The remaining Pan Euro, FSC, and Chinese troops would continue to consolidate the gains that had been made.  Combat on the surface had almost ceased with only sporadic resistance from the aliens.  Megan's work seemed to have stopped the alien resistance.  There was even talk of open communication with the creatures.
   And for that reason, she would stay behind.
   The ships wouldn't though.  They would leave in half an hour.
   The Q Ships would relieve the Pan Euro 3rd Light Battle Group at Mars when they returned.  The Euro ships were helping US Task Force 1 to guard Mars Station and her valuable shipyards.  With most of the Euro and US space based construction facilities in ruins the few left were invaluable.  So security for Triton would be reduced while the convoy moved back to the inner system.  Triton would have no ships defending her until mid way through January.  The shipyards were the priority.  They would have to be guarded.
   Not Megan.
   And if the aliens returned, again, she would die.
   Jack turned off the visual feed.  Displayed on the monitor was a resignation.  His resignation.  It would let him go down to the surface with his little girl.  She had already gone through too much alone.  He had spent too much time away from her.  And if she was to die out here, he would rather spend what time they had left together.
   It wouldn't work.  Jack knew it.  They would never accept his resignation.  If he traveled down to the surface a message would be sent to have him retrieved.  Security Teams would 'escort' him back to the ship.  Drag him home.  All he would do is cause his little girl more pain.  Cost the convoy time.  Put more lives at risk.
   Jack tapped on the armrest and watched the resignation disappear.  There was only one thing left to do before the convoy left.  Jack keyed the override for the comm system and patched through to the ground relay station.  Moments later the screen picked up another visual feed.
   "Hi daddy, I wondered when you'd call."
   "Hi Megan, I just needed to tell you good bye for now and that I love you."
   Jack, for the first time, was glad that a cyborg's faceplate couldn't show tears.
   
   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 22, 2011, 04:13:22 AM
November 2204 part 5

////////////////////////////////////////////
Overview

This month saw a great deal of work done on paper, but no real action.  Everyone was doing their best to avoid conflict while they prepared their fleets.  Other than necessary movements, the players even cut back on patrols to look for the Nemotians.  Guarding of infrastructure, construction, research, and saving for the next batch of ships was the main activity of the players this month.
But for all of their mutual support earlier in the game, only the Euro did not spend this turn worrying about the other players.

For the Pan Euro,
This month started with a great deal of hand wringing and doubts.  The damaged SS shipyard at Earth needed repaired.  If she used the other SY on the station, it would tie up all of her space based construction assets.  The cost of new ships would be increased by 50% for the next 6 months if she did this.  If she used ground assets to repair the station, she would be able to continue some warship construction at normal costs, but the station's repairs would cost an extra 50% - which she would have to come up with all at once.  With her research on SL3 & R and colonization/IU eating up huge amounts of her income, she would have to make a choice.
In the end, she backed off the investment in IU and paid the cost to use ground industry for the SS repairs.  She decided that she would face more expenses with increased warship costs over 6 months that she would for the repairs.  To make good on that, she started a new DD just to take advantage of the cost savings.
She ended up with a real stroke of luck though, and happened to make a first month success on her EL research roll.  She was quite tickled that the jump to EL3 would increase her income significantly for December and open the chance to research D - which the players had asked about incessantly as we debated the threat response research rules of Ultra.  The fact that her only SA was tied down already and not available to undertake verifying the breakthrough for D bothered her a bit when she realized it.

For China,
This month was all about spending his accumulated savings.  With two light cruisers, 6 frigates, and the SS defense modules guarding Venus, work on a new heavy cruiser was begun.  He also piled money into research on Ta.  He had read that Cp tractors could pull 100HS for each engine, and understood that meant even a small ship could tow a huge (for our game anyway) BS or AF.  Those big defenses would be far cheaper to maintain than a mobile fleet and the extra weapon range would give him an advantage.  He knew his assets on Earth were vulnerable, but doubted the other players would try anything.  He also began colonization at a rate 50% higher than any other player at the time to try and make up for lost ground.  When Titan had turned out to be an mT*, he had decided that it would become a priority for him.  He shipped some Qv to help protect against alien small craft, but understood that it would do little good.  Until the CA was done though, Titan would still be the second priority.
He also managed to finally get his roll for EL2, which would take his already substantial income and give it a boost.  It would also allow another round of IU construction on Earth.
China was looking like it could become the dominant power if something didn't happen to shift the balance.  Tech-wise he was behind.  His ability to project force was still unmatched though.

For the US,
The US spent the month continuing its investment in IU and colonization.  He was able to get his fleet of Q ships up to 4 this month, giving his dwindling fleet some flexibility.  He was worried that the US was about to become nothing more than the Euro's lackey if nothing changed.  With an income only 80% of the Euro's, and his entire fleet of warships amounting to little more than an understrength Euro battle group, he felt he was occupying a position that was becoming more and more like the FSC.  With Euro ships at both Earth and Mars, he could make no move that wasn't monitored.
So began the plan to relieve the Euro ships at Mars and assume a position somewhat like China.  He would guard his off world assets and relegate the defense of Earth to the Euro, secure in the fact that as allies the Euro would protect him, not attack.  He would then be able to build up troops and ships for an invasion of Sedna without the other players monitoring the whole situation.

For the FSC,
This month saw more quiet plans advanced.  She managed several successes on research, and started a hidden PDC with some armor and a leftover laser.  If discovered, she intended to explain it as a defense against alien bombers, which it was.  With no missiles it did not violate the Pax Terra treaty so there was little the other players could complain about.  The limited range of the laser made it little threat to the other players’ warships.  But the PDC and her two hidden missile silos would help to blunt any ground invasion by another player.  She knew China would like to make good on its initial attempt to take her out, and was fairly sure that either the US or Euro would be willing to try the same thing to level the playing field with China by adding her populations to theirs.
The real reason behind it was that she had no off world construction sites.  She couldn't build anything that the other players weren't going to scan from the very first moment she began construction, and she had no intention of giving away the research she had poured so many resources into.  So the 'Defensive' installation was actually the beginning of an underground construction facility.  She hoped to have it finished before construction of her new class of ship entered service.

For the Nemotians,
I spent most of this turn trying to consolidate what holdings the aliens had, upgrading their ships, putting more ships into service that would be effective against the players designs, while somehow balancing the cost against the Nemotian's dwindling resources.  This turn only spent 400MC more than they made, which was much closer to a balanced budget than most of the preceding turns.  It also got most of the fleet refitted.  This would still mean that the Nemotians would not be ready for an offensive until February of 2205.  This was going to give the players a lot of time to make up for the losses they had taken in the last attacks.  Most would actually be stronger.  The Nemotians really needed something to set the players back on their heels or the war would be over before the start of 2206.
My biggest problem was what I talked about in Nov part 1.  I had yet to face China's cruisers and win.  Any attack would eventually have to face them.  They might be tied down to Venus for a while, but they would eventually return to the fight.  And the Nemotians needed a way to face them.  With the two Chinese Cruiser Groups throwing 12 to 15 missiles in a volley while the entire Nemotian fleet could only scrape together 9 Pta's, the balance of power in an engagement was not on my side.
December would see the plan I came up with set into motion.  My answer to the Chinese Cruiser Groups.

 Thanks again for reading.

*Ok, somehow this little bit got missed by me earlier in the story.  To set the stage…

All of the players knew the habitability of the various planets/moons in the solar system at the start of the game.  This way they wouldn’t have to guess which dwarf planet/moon was colonizable or not.  It also gave them a hint as to what it was.  We said it was from prior, cursory surveys of the solar system.

Titan was on the list, and was known to be ‘Desolate’.

So all the players assumed it was an O2 moon.  No big deal.  Only Callisto was listed as Hostile – giving a big tip off that it was an mT and setting the stage for the battles over the Jovian orbit.

They didn’t know that I had decided that Titan was also an mT, but would require Desolate colonization costs.  It would still have the mT population limit.  Which could make it VERY valuable as it was also going to get the ‘ringed planet’ bonus I found in the random system tables, making the moon very rich for its REI.  Callisto was only normal REI.

So yes, when the players thought they were giving China the shaft as Titan was the only colonizable body at Saturn, they didn’t realize that they had given away one of the jewels of the system.

As this info is only on the system sheet and not the turn notes, I managed to miss it and forget to write about it in the story.  Oops.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 15, 2011, 06:01:19 AM
December 2204  part 1

December 2nd  0850 hours/Queensland Complex, Australia

   Chairman Mukata waited as the Board members seated themselves.  Most had never been this close to one of the active centers of the FSC, content to remain in the shadows.  Anonymous.  Safe.  The draw to see what was occurring was great though.  This project would place them in peril in many ways.  Ways that living in the shadows would not save them from.
   This meeting would reveal many of the details of the operations occurring here.  The work on finalizing the prototype that would place them in a position of power among the nations of Earth.  That work was nearly complete.  What would place them all in danger had only just started.
   Mukata looked out across the open fields nearby.  The scars of the nuclear strike still lingered.  What was truly important was buried beneath those fields.  A dozen meters below the surface was the beginnings of an underground hanger.  In it the first prototype of a new class of vessel would be constructed.  There it could be hidden from the prying eyes of the other powers.  The other nations would take time to find the hidden hanger, but they would in time.  But its contents would remain a secret and that would place them all in danger.  China was near and had already displayed a willingness to use force to acquire what it wanted, or to prevent others from gaining what it feared.  The US and Euro were on more amicable terms, but would still react poorly to such developments.  Although unlikely to attempt open conflict, they would be far more likely to begin covert operations to penetrate the complex.
   And while the US and Euro would likely be willing to simply disrupt the FSC commercial interests through extensive trade tariffs and customs delays, it was possible that China might attempt to seize or destroy the FSC's warships.  To protect them, orders had been sent assigning the Mary Reed and Krait to assist in convoy escort duties.  The Chinese would be unlikely to attack the FSC's ships if there was risk to the US and Euro.  China could ill afford to lose ships fighting the US and Euro if the aliens returned.
   As the last Board member sat, Mukata stood and began his presentation.


December 5th  2210 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home 1 (Eris)

   The Elders reviewed the latest actions of the new Commander of Fleets.  The Commander's decisions could not be reversed in military matters, but the review of actions was necessary to coordinate all of the assets available to the New Homes.  It was obvious to anyone that the Commander of Fleets was engaged in the formation of a new Combat Group.  With changes in the Patrol Vessels' and Assault Vessel's designs, they should be more effective against the native race.  But there was only a single Assault Vessel remaining, and only five of the Patrol Vessels.  It was equally obvious that more effective or not, these few ships would be inadequate to defeat the native race.
   The conversion of two additional Colony Vessels was now underway to increase the current number in service from three to five.  This would add to the Combat Group's capabilities, but they were limited designs.  The hulls were more fragile than the warships, and their sensors unable to resolve targets to the full range of the weapon system.  The Armed Colony Vessels also lacked the speed of the Patrol and Assault Vessels.  They did carry enough field generators to withstand several interceptions by the enemy torpedoes and they were quick to put into service, but this would not completely compensate for their shortcomings.  Regardless, the resources had been allocated.
   What concerned the Assembly most was that the orbital construction complexes had been assigned by the new Commander of Fleets to construct a pair of new Combat Vessels.  The old design had been changed and this would cost additional resources, as the shipyards would be reset to construct the new design.  The drain on the New Homes would be substantial by the time the two vessels were completed.  And if this were not enough, as soon as the Combat Vessels were completed the complexes would begin construction of enough high-speed bombers to fill both Hive Vessels once again. This would occupy the complexes for a great deal of time.  
   But with an Assault Vessel, two Combat Vessels, five Patrol Vessels, five Armed Colony Vessels, and the two Hive Vessels with full complements onboard, this Combat Group would represent the largest collection of warships ever sent against an enemy.  When fully trained and ready they would represent an enormous threat.  They were also an irreplaceable resource if they were to be lost.


December 6th  2230 hours/Beijing, China

   Minister Po relaxed in his office.  Plans were beginning to again fall into place.  The fleet assembled at Venus was second to none, and the ships under construction there would give it an even greater advantage.  The treasury was sufficient to not only cover the costs of operating the new fleet, but of increasing its size and replacing losses.  This was mostly due to the Ministry's work at improving the education and output of the average worker, combined with modernization of the industry.
   The outpost on Titan was also beginning to create enough resources to offset the cost of moving even larger groups of colonists.  Enough to warrant that the Missile Frigate under construction at Venus would be assigned to guard the new outpost when it was cleared for service.  It was only a matter of time before China would be able to deal with this alien menace, and then with the other nations of Earth.
   The only weak link was the limited construction assets available.  With only two space based shipyards at Venus and the one Mobile Construction ship Zhuang, China could find itself badly crippled if it were to lose any of these.  The station at Venus was well protected by its defense modules and the fleet stationed there.  The Zhuang was much more vulnerable.  Limitations of its design made it impossible to mount even the most rudimentary magnetic field generators, while its drive limited it to only one third of the top speed the Frigates could achieve.  This made the Zhuang far too vulnerable to leave in an area the aliens might attack.
   It had been decided to move the Zhuang to a location near Titan.  It would be able to assist in the construction of defenses for the new colony while remaining out of harms way.  The aliens had never been detected near Saturn and would have no reason to believe that there was any population near it.  It was as safe as anyplace the Zhuang could be located.
   China would need time to fulfill its plans, but nothing else.  Now it was only a matter of time.  
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 16, 2011, 03:03:37 AM
December 2204  part 2

December 8th  0730 hours/Queen Victoria, Earth orbit

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon keyed the prompt that sent the orders to the Communications Station for transmission.  With the return of the US Q Ships due to occur in the next three days, the 3rd Light Battle Group would be transferred back to patrolling the asteroid belt.  'Then when the Queen Jane Grey clears the slip at the end of the month, the Red October will leave Earth to join the 3rd LBG in the belt.'  Brenna looked for a moment at the roster for the 3rd LBG.  Listed in the ship roster was the Heavy Escort Tatianna.  'She was my flagship over a year and a half ago.  The flagship of the 3rd Battle Group.  It’s good to know she is still here.  Back then the 3rd BG was the Tat, Catherine, and Isabelle.  They are all still here.  But now together my old command would only make a Light Battle Group.'
   Brenna pulled up the progress reports she had received on the research into the new drive and missile systems.  She had ordered that the two programs were to share data to see if the new drive would be able to improve the performance of the new missile.  It would increase the possibility of security leaks, but anything that could give the Pan Euro a chance to field a weapon system superior to the alien's was a priority.  Reports indicated that the research on the drive was showing promising results, and might be able to show a working prototype within the next two months.  Series of magnetic generators had proven capable of controlled graviton emission, but calibrating the generators to make a controllable drive was still underway.  Its most serious drawback was the size of the system.  The smallest linkage that appeared to be able to fulfill the function as a warship drive required four times as much space and mass as a nuclear drive would require.  It would only cost half as much though, due to the lower stress tolerances it would be required to withstand.
   Brenna closed out the reports and pulled up the last item she would have to cover in the morning meeting with the civilian leadership.  It was plans for a new class of warship.  Code named the Lady Di, she was the Pan Euro's answer to the Chinese Cruisers.  The designs were not finalized as the ship would not be constructed until the new missiles were in service.  She was planned to employ as many launch bays as the Chinese Cruisers with superior range and accuracy, but it was unlikely she would see service for some time.  It was hoped she could begin construction within the next few months, but the missile research was going much more slowly than projected.  It was now considered unlikely that the Lady Di would enter service until late in 2206.  Assuming the Pan Euro was still in the war at that point.
   Brenna turned off the monitor and tried to relax.  It was still thirty minutes until the briefing.


December 9th  0015 hours/Andvari Crater, Surface of Triton

   Lieutenant Commander Meagan Ryan finished the last revision of the magnetic modulation protocols that the linguistic teams had given her.  Backpack size magnetic generators had been devised that allowed the Xeno teams to communicate with the aliens.  True communication was still problematic, but the newest upgrades would allow most of the teams to be able to not only broadcast information and commands, but to interpret the responses from the aliens. Miscommunications were still common as many concepts seemed to be completely incomprehensible between the aliens and a human.  The aliens had no concept of color, as they apparently lacked any ability to sense visible light other than as low powered magnetic phenomena.  Humans seemed to have no ability to comprehend what the linguists labeled as 'magnetic texture' that the aliens used to differentiate various segregations of objects and individuals. The aliens seemed to be completely unable to differentiate between one speaker and another as they claimed there was no difference between them when they 'spoke'.  Lying was also completely 'alien' to the aliens, although they were beginning to face the concept.  They seemed to be unable to transmit any signal that was not the 'truth' without attaching a 'texture' that would make a falsehood obvious.  The lack of texture to the Xeno teams' transmissions obviously frustrated the aliens as they could not 'feel' if what was being transmitted was real or not.
   Many concepts were shared though to some degree, even if the importance of the concept may vary wildly.  Family was a concept both races seemed to share, although the alien concept of family seemed to be much more diverse than any that humanity had.  Leadership was also a common concept, with the aliens having leaders that directed activities.
   The Xeno teams had managed to accomplish what the soldiers had been unable to.  They had finally convinced the aliens to cease the resistance to the occupation.  Cooperation was still not evident, but conflict had stopped.  The aliens seemed to be returning to some form of their 'normal lifestyle'.  The surviving alien population numbered nearly three hundred thousand and had begun to repair the damage that had occurred during the fighting.  They didn't seem to be interested in producing anything that didn't pertain to rebuilding their homes though.  Useful exploitation of the population might never be possible.
   Meagan transmitted the new communication protocols to the various Xeno teams, along with the command staffs of the various military units.  The relay station on the surface would attempt to make a transmission to the inner system, but the protocol was extensive and the transmitter for the small surface station had difficulty maintaining extended contact at the long distances involved.  They would have to continue trying until the full protocol was transmitted though.  Humanity needed to know this.  The ability to decode the alien transmissions depended on it, along with any data stored on the systems the Euro recovered from the alien Alpha.
   Most important to Meagan was one fact that was related to her research.  When it was done, she would go home.


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 25, 2011, 12:02:02 AM
December 2204  part 3

December 11th 1330 hours/Mars Station, Mars orbit

   Commander Scott Moreland sat on the chair in the hallway.  The civilian dining facility was beyond the doors, but the noise let everyone know that they were rearranging it.  In half an hour he was to report there for his promotion ceremony to Captain, and then be given command of the four Q Ships.  He had already received his orders but the brass wanted to 'pin it on' themselves.  'Good PR' and such.  Scott was also sure his crew would be using this absence to be preparing their own 'ceremony' for him when he returned.
   'Sure to be a better time than sitting here.'
   Scott pulled one of the civilian display pads from its slot in the wall.  The power cable trailed along lazily in the low gravity.  'We aren't in the hub, but not in the outer ring either.  I suppose the gravity here is about what it is on the surface of Mars, so the workers don't have to adjust when they go down to the planet.'  Scott tapped on the pad and pulled up the civilian news reports.  First on the list was the return of the two battalions from the 2nd AD that had come back to Mars on the Q ships.  'Knew that already.'  Skipping past that he saw the battalions were being folded into a new division, which was being raised on Mars.  'The First Martian Light Mechanized Division.  Didn't know about that.  Looks to be mostly power armor and light vehicles.'  Scott thought for a moment.  'All the easier for us to move and land I suppose, but where.  We just pulled our troops off of Triton.'
   Scott felt the chair begin to buzz on the floor.  It continued for several seconds and then stopped.  'Rebuilding Defense Module Five is way overdue, but whatever they are doing is shaking the whole damn station.  Why didn't they build it as a separate entity and then have just one operation to connect it, instead of shaking everything up every few minutes?'
   A light flashed at the edge of Scott's vision.  It was a prompt on his HUD.  They were ready for him to report in for the promotion ceremony.  Scott let go of the pad and watched the power cord slowly reel it back into the wall.  'Time to get this over with.'


December 13th  0215 hours/Near Food Preparation Area, Shelter 17 of New Home 3

   Brood Mother 218 moved with her young toward the food preparation area.  There was some damage still evident from the fighting that had occurred here, but workers were busy clearing most of it away.  The Elder had decreed that no one was to conduct any attacks on the machines, and that any commands given by them were to be followed.  Repairs to the shelters were to take first priority and that contact with the enemy was to be limited, as much as was possible.  Only activities required to maintain the lives of the colony, and repairs to the needed living space were to be conducted.  Nothing else.
   Brood Mother could sense as she approached the feeding area that seven of the machines were present.  They always seemed to be here, or any other place that they might find a crowd.  One of them had the strange apparatus that allowed it to speak.  The machines were becoming more refined in their ability to communicate.  They had progressed from only a few commands at first to nearly being able to state anything they wanted.  But it was definitely a machine.  No emotion.  Every machine that spoke sounded the same.  Felt the same.  Was the same.  Soulless.  They lacked the power of an Elder, but were to be obeyed nonetheless.
   She shooed her young away from the nearest of the machines.  They would keep as much space as possible between it and them.  One of the machines had pushed her away when she had moved close to it.  Her side still hurt where the intense heat of its appendage had burned her.  How could the creatures exist and function at such temperatures?
   The Brood Mother had spent a great deal of time around the machines.  Her young needed to move to areas that the machines lingered in.  She had listened to the machine's commands often.  She had tried to respond to them when they spoke, but if the machines understood they only ignored her.  She knew that her field was weak compared to an Elder, or even the field the machines produced to command.  Her's was only strong enough to command her young.  But she was also used to listening to them.  To the slight fields they had.  To their whispers.  Without being able to sense the tiny fields, she could not provide for them or answer their questions.
   She could also sense tiny fields in the machines.  All of them.  Even the ones that carried the thing that allowed them to give commands.  She had paid a great deal of attention to the fields.  They were very alien, but for some time now she had wondered if that was how they communicated.  She had listened to the whispers that the machines made even as they generated the field to give commands.  Perhaps they could speak with nearly the force of an Elder, but only hear whispers.  It seemed strange, but so did everything about these machines.
   Brood Mother 218 moved to the far part of the room, as far from the machines as possible.  "Stay here.  Do not follow me,” she told her young.  And then she began to move back across the room.  She would have to get close to hear the whispers and she did not want one of her young to get hurt or killed if they got too close to a machine.


   0220 hours/2700 meters below Sector 52.07 of Triton's surface

   Soldier Chen Hyang stood near what seemed to be the 'kitchen' of the alien mess hall.  The aliens seemed to file through here regularly to consume what looked like a mix of ice and rock.  'Yum.  I suppose my rations aren't exactly fine dining either, though.'  Chen wondered how long it would be until he heard from his family again.  He had received one message from them a week ago, but personal correspondence was low priority and the limited capacity of the receivers meant that 'mail' from home was a rare thing.  'At least everyone at home is fine.  So many families of those who defected to the FSC aren't.'
   Chen looked at the rest of his squad.  They were one of the few groups of power armored Chinese troops left on Triton.  Most had perished when the Chinese had cut off all supplies to the power armor battalions.  Only the cyborg troops had received the supplies they would need to survive.  'If we hadn't been in a Euro hospital, we would be dead too.  There aren't enough of us left to form a company now.  Just three sections attached to Chinese cyborg battalions to assist with security.'
   Chen watched as the US squad members messed with the 'Alien Communication Array'.  The FSC General said that they were working on smaller versions.  The current one was about the size of his mother's stove, and could get you stuck in a lot of the alien tunnels.  But the aliens had stopped fighting shortly after it was introduced. They even responded to the commands it gave most of the time.  Most, but not all.  There seemed to be some holes in its ability to 'talk' to the little crawly, floaty things.  And you never had any idea of what the aliens were saying.  That was another upgrade the higher ups said they were working on.
   Chen watched as one of the middle sized specimen moved toward him.  It had left behind a crowd of small aliens in one corner, which was unusual.  The little ones seemed to never be more than a meter or two from their 'handler.'  Chen slid his hand onto the grip of the US made M34 Laser Rifle and turned off the safety.  Ammo for Chinese weapons was in short supply, and the power slugs the US weapon used had been left behind when their troops pulled out.  It wasn't much use against an alien suit but would tear apart the unarmored ones quite well.  The aliens could slam you around without ever having to touch you if they got close enough.  'It's been seven days since the last two soldiers died, and there's a fair chance that was an accident, not an attack.  But I'm not taking any chances.'
   The creature stopped a few meters from Chen and simply hung there about half a meter above the floor.  "Hey Chen, I think you've got a new friend."  Chen's gaze never shifted from the alien in front of him as he answered.
   "Hey, just because you didn't get blown up in battle with the aliens, doesn't mean I won't blast you."  Chen could here the chuckles from the rest of the squad, but everyone was watching the alien floating in front of him now.
   Static began to crackle on Chen's audio, accompanied by a high-pitched whine.  "Check the ACA.  I'm picking up static again.  Have you got the broadcast setting off?"  Chen hoped the US soldier could understand him and would fix the malfunction.  It wouldn't be the first time the communication rig had created interference for the radios.
   The whine was beginning to give him a headache.  It was almost to high of a pitch to hear but was becoming so loud that it hurt.  And suddenly the whine had meaning.  Not words, but meaning nonetheless.  Emotions also. All entwined with the high-pitched whine and buzz.  Chen could 'feel' it coming from the alien in front of him. Could feel it branch out to the other aliens in the room.  But most of all the 'whine' wanted to know if he understood.  
   Then it was gone.  No whine.  No headache.  Just the crackle of the radio and chatter of other soldiers.  Chen leveled the laser at the alien and spoke to the US soldier once again.  "Use the ACA to tell this alien not to move.  Then tell her that I hear her."  Chen wasn't sure how he knew this alien was a 'she', he just did.
   The US soldier replied in broken Chinese that he wasn't sure how to tell the aliens "hear", but he would do his best.  He definitely knew how to tell her to hold still.


    0223 hours/Near Food Preparation Area, Shelter 17 of New Home 3

   Brood Mother 218 could feel the whispers of the creature in front of her even before the command to hold still washed through the room.  She knew that in some way it had heard her.  It was such a strange form of life, not the machine she had been told of.  It was male, and not old.  She had felt fear and confusion among the whispers, but not a single other life.  It was utterly alone.  There was no connection to the other whispers in the room at all.  The whispers it made couldn't be how it communicated with its brothers and sisters.  It had understood her though.  Brood Mother 218 reached out to the other mothers and workers in the room and tried to let them know what she had done and what she had found.



Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 26, 2011, 12:44:51 AM
December 2204  part 4

December 13th  1810 hours/US Interceptor MkIII Yari, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan walked through the docking hatch into the waiting lifter.  'It feels weird not reporting to Admiral Walters on the station.  Riding a lifter down to the surface is not what I would call a change for the better.'  Jack looked out the small viewing port of the lifter to see that a number of GTORs and GTOSs were already docked to the Yari.  Workers were scrambling across the hull to begin the initial repairs.  'We took a beating out at Triton.  It's going to take them a while to pound the dents back out.'
   Jack's thoughts wandered back to the distant moon.  He hadn't been able to protect the Taylor or the troops from the aliens when he had been there.  Now his daughter was on that moon with no one to watch over her.  She was supposed to come home as soon as her work was complete.  The very first supply ship that arrived after that would bring her home.  Jack had checked the flight plans and movement orders though.  There were no supply runs scheduled for Triton for the next month.  That would mean it would take at least two months before the first ship would arrive to bring her home.  Two months for the aliens to show up.
   Jack sat down in one of the forward passenger stations on the lifter.  There weren't many on this lifter, perhaps a dozen, as it hadn't been designed as a passenger craft.  The seats were hard plastic with a simple harness.  Jack strapped himself in as two members of the lifter's crew finished the dock release sequence.  They wore simple EVA suits and their chatter almost irritated Jack.  The work repairing the US Space Station was placing a high demand on the available orbital lift capacity.  Many of the older liquid fueled lifters were being pressed back into service to meet the need.  Just like this one.
   Jack watched as the two men strapped themselves in at the far end of the row from Jack.  'Just as well.  I'm not in the mood for chit-chat.'  Jack saw the warning light go on in the cabin and felt the lifter begin to move.  It would take several hours for the ship to come down from orbit and land.  God only knew how long the briefing for Admiral Walters and all the ground lovers would take.


December 19th  0415 hours/Habitat Two, Surface of Titan

   Li Xue snapped the forearm back onto the 6.5mm Type 72 Pulse Rifle, function checked the weapon, and then placed it on the table in front of her. She risked a quick glance at Mae and saw that she was still struggling to get the bolt carrier assembly back into the receiver.  Li tried to stifle a small smile.  'At least there is one thing I can do better than Mae.'
   "DO YOU THINK YOUR FINISHED WORM !"  The scream of the drill instructor made Li jump.  She stared back into the red faced mountain of a man in front of her and stuttered for a moment.  "WHAT WAS THAT WORM, I CAN'T HEAR YOU !"
   "YES SIR."  Li tried her best to sound sure of herself, but it sounded weak in her ears.
   "Pick up your weapon WORM !  INSPECTION, ARMS."  Li grabbed the weapon off the table, snapped it quickly to port arms, opened the bolt, checked the ejection ports, and then back to port arms with the bolt open.  The instructor grabbed the weapon from her and stepped back as he looked at it.  He function checked the weapon and then heaved the 6 kilogram rifle back to her.  Even in the low gravity the weapon slammed into her chest as she caught it.  She didn't fall, but did have to shift one foot back to keep her balance.
   "I DIDN'T TELL YOU TO MOVE WORM !  STAND AT ATTENTION !"
   Li stared straight ahead as the instructor moved off to torment someone else.  All she could think off was 'How do I let Mae keep talking me into these things?'  The colony ministers had announced that they would be raising and training a new power armor division on Titan.  'Mae wanted to find a way to impress and spend more time with her soldier boy.  So here we are in a section of the habitat designated as a barracks with three hundred other women.  And my back hurts just as badly as it did at the factory.'
   Li heard the instructor shouting orders again instead of insults.  "WEAPONS IN THE RACKS.  FORMATION IN BAY SEVEN IN TWO MINUTES.  FALL OUT."  Li turned and rushed to put her weapon back in the rack at the rear of the classroom.  Bay Two was two hundred meters down the main hallway.  It was where the power armor suits were stored.  They had spent three hours a day for the last two weeks in that bay learning how the suits worked.  Today they were to be fitted for one.  Li was only a step behind Mae when they reached the doorway out of the classroom.
   "Come on lady.  Last one to the bay really is a worm!"  Mae was actually smiling as she ran out the door in front of Li.  Li could feel the weight belt digging into her back with each step as she tried to keep up with Mae.  Li struggled to keep up but managed to stay right behind her.
   "And why are you smiling young lady?"  Li struggled to talk as her breathing came in gasps as she ran.
   "Jeng is going to be one of the cadre helping to fit us for the suits.  Guess whose line I'm going to be in?"
   Li started to chuckle but almost choked as she tried to breathe at the same time.  She lost a few steps on Mae as she caught her breath.  'Leave it to her to find a way in the middle of hundreds of women to get her boyfriend's hands on her.'


December 25th  0800 hours/Queen Jane Grey, Earth orbit

   "Quite the little Christmas present, isn't it.  To go from commanding a battle proven ship and crew down to a bunch or guppies.  I'm sure 'Battling Brenna' feels nothing but love for you, Rear Admiral McNeely."
   "Welcome aboard Ensign Deeter.  And she must be just as fond of you to have you put on board as your first assignment out of OCS."
   "Sorry to disappoint you admiral, but I requested this assignment.  Must not be as bright as you thought I was."
   Robert was glad to see her again.  He had personally recommended Midshipman Gretta Deeter for officer training after the action at Triton, along with a few awards.  She had somehow managed to get a half damaged helm station to turn around a mostly damaged ship.  Without her, the Red October would have been destroyed at Triton back in June.  Now she would be part of his staff here on the newest Royalty Class Destroyer, the Queen Jane Grey.
   "Let's hope our new girl lasts longer than her namesake.  Nine days won't even give me time to break in my station."  Gretta looked over her station and monitor on the flag section of the bridge.
   Robert settled into the Admiral's Station and locked it.  The monitor flashed to life in front of him.  "If you don't get in your station and lock it Ensign Deeter, we won't even leave dock in the next nine days.  Admiral Muldoon's waiting.  We begin training maneuvers against the 3rd Battle Group in fifteen minutes."
   Robert watched as Gretta sat in her station and locked it.  "We won't even last nine days against her.  Well, it was fun while it lasted."


December 30th  2200 hours/Washington DC, Earth

   Admiral Bradley Walters sat in his quarters and scrolled through the data.  A Pan Euro military courier had delivered the data chip to him six hours ago.  The data had apparently been considered too sensitive to transmit.  After reviewing it, Bradley agreed.
   Data on the operation of the alien systems from the damaged Alpha had been completed late in October and forwarded to the US for study.  The function of the life support system had shown them the tolerances the aliens could withstand.  The salvaged magnetic field generators had proven to be of a vastly different design than either the US's or the Euro's, but seemed no more powerful or effective.  And the launch system for the alien missiles had been studied, but would not be pursued.  The alien system would give better range, but was much larger than what the current Hera Missile required.  Refits would be expensive and time consuming for only a slight gain in combat effectiveness.  But the information in what appeared to be the alien data storage systems had been a mystery.  Until now that Meagan had unlocked the puzzle of the alien's language - if it could be called that.
   The data was old now.  It had given the size of the group the Alpha had been stationed with when it had been crippled, but that was unlikely to be accurate anymore.  It had also indicated that the group lingered in or near the inner system, particularly by the belt.  This was also valuable but unlikely to help.  The records showed that the commander of the group the Alpha had belonged to was unpredictable in his deployments and would be nearly impossible to track down with the data that was available.  He was also 'The Baron'.  Records on the ship showed that the Alpha had been the one of the alien ships responsible for the destruction of the colony on Mercury and had been involved in the destruction of US Task Force 3 and the attack on Mars in February before it had been damaged and captured in June.  Again this was interesting information, but of little value at the moment.
   Of value was that the Alpha had been activated sometime in October of 2203 at a location the aliens seemed to refer to as New Home 2.  Navigational data showed that this New Home 2 was actually the dwarf planet Orcus.  This was truly valuable data.  Initial reports seemed to indicate that Triton was known as New Home 3 to the aliens.  With Rear Admiral Ryan's discovery that there was likely another alien colony on Sedna it was possible that the location of the missing New Home 1 was actually not a mystery.  There was still one mystery held in the data though.
   Prior to the activation of the ship in October, there was only a small amount of navigational data preceding that date.  Perhaps a few days at most.  It was currently undecipherable as to its location, but that was not the disturbing part.  It was the alien designation in the data storage system and the scans that it held.
   It was the fact that the first data recorded a planet known as Home 7, in a system that was obviously not Sol.  And that around Home 7 had been a fleet of ships that dwarfed anything that had been seen so far.
   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 27, 2011, 12:48:05 AM
December 2204  part 5

/////////////////////////////////////////////
Overview

This month could easily have grown to three of four times its current size if I was simply writing a story instead of chronicling a game.  Just the communication between human and Nemotian could fill its own book.  There were also a number of events that ended up under the radar for the story that I will touch on here.  A lot went on, but the opening months of 2205 will likely be monsters.  Months with over a dozens parts after editing are definitely in the future.


For China,

China enjoyed another increase in his income, jumping up about 110MCs.  He also began to reinvest in IU on Earth to continue the trend.  Put this with his colonization of Titan at a rate 50% greater than any other power and the middle boy was making it plain he intended to hold onto his economic lead.  His biggest worry was for his CA under construction.  Even with the faster build rate EL2 brought, it still wouldn't clear the docks until Sep of 2205.  That was a long time to tie his fleet down.  He also got a research success for Y at SL1, which he didn't get very excited about as I remember.  My biggest question that he wasn't sharing on at this point was his sudden troop build up at Titan.  He had no knowledge of any other alien settlement that I was aware of.  So why the extra troops, along with stationing both his troop transports and the mobile construction ship near Saturn?
It just felt like he was up to something....

For the Pan Euro,

With the increase in EL came an increase in build rate, so her newest destroyer the Queen Jane Grey was done at the end of December instead of early January, completing her second full Battle Group.  This meant that it would be finished shaking down by Feb. and green instead of poor.  This tiny detail will become huge later.
She, like China, enjoyed a fair increase in her income, with a jump of about 130MC over the previous month.  She also managed a success on Y SL2.  But worrying about the breakthrough for Yc was way back on the burner, behind verifying the breakthrough to D and getting XO's.  She failed her roll for R SL3 and Ica though.  A lucky training roll moved the Queen Vic up to Veteran this month also.  With full communications being completed at the end of Nov in the game (not in the story), she was able to finally get the data rolls from Section U on her captured Alpha.  She didn't get the hull home, but she had stripped everything else so I gave her all the rolls with just a -10.  This in turn gave her the location of another New Home.
She was quite pleased with this month for a change.

For the US,

The US kept up the trend of research success with no tangible results by completing R at SL1.  He also decided to start work on the Ta.  It had occurred to him that stationary defenses would be a good idea with his limited fleet of ships.  With only CT as his largest ship, and only FG prototyped, any ships that could compete would take a loooonnng time to build through the prototype stage.  With only two SY available - one of which would be tied down until mid 2205, building a DD or bigger would be a project that would not be completed until 2206.  That was to long he decided.  But you don't have to prototype an AF (at least we don't), and he could start work on a BIG one soon if he could just get it to Mars or Earth.

For the FSC,

The oldest girl was the only player with no research successes.  The fact she only had one project that she had just started that month pretty much made sure she wouldn't though.  She continued her slow growth in the belt, and with IU.  Her big project was building the underground hanger that would be the site where her newest ship would be built.  She was getting so antsy about it.  Luckily for her, none of the players made a roll to find the complex this month.  She was looking forward to Jan, as it would be a growth month for her due to our ruling on the grower governor on Earth - and she would get the income from Triton due to her good roll completing the consolidation phase.

For the Nemotians,

This month saw the last of the refits on the existing ships and two more colony vessels turning them into the armed variant.  I also started two new Combat Vessels/destroyers of the new design.  I was sure this would likely be the last offensive the Nemotians would ever be able to mount, and I wanted to make the best of it.  Timing would be everything.
With the treasury dwindling, two of the New Home sites known to the players, full communication available for them to loot populations and captured ships, and the Euro and FSC close to implementing several ship designs that would radically tip the balance of power - the writing was on the wall.  My job at this point was to make the closing chapters of this something the players would remember.  I struggled with what I could do to really strain the players with what I had left.

I could never have foreseen at this point what the opening months of 2205 would bring.


There were no battles for this month, once again, other than the ground combat on Triton that completed the consolidation phase.  Earth had captured its first of the New Homes.  Two more were on the chopping block.  But this time the huge Chinese fleet was tied down, and the US/Euro had no intention of asking their help.  Instead of a united front they had shown for the last year, they were each ready to try and stand on their own.

Anyone remember a famous saying about a house divided.......
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 11, 2011, 10:25:39 AM
January 2205  part 1

January 1st  0630 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, asteroid belt

   Commodore Stephan Vasilikos stepped off of the ship's boat into the bay of the Red October.  Even as his feet snapped onto the deck he heard the XO call the honor guard to attention.  "Thanks all, as you were."  Stephan had never put much store in protocol, just results.  It had gotten him in trouble often enough, but wouldn't now.  Stephan walked right by the group and to the hatchway leading to the bridge.
   Minutes later Stephan entered the bridge.  Before anyone could even call the group to attention he snapped off "At ease, as you were."  He walked over to the flag station and looked at it.  Stephan turned to the Communications Station.  "Give me the intercomm and all ships now."  Stephan waited until the display on his HUD showed that the comm link was active.
   "Third Light, this is your Commodore.  For the benefit of the folks who just joined this little party on big Red, we are going to get some things straight.  This ship was the command of several admirals.  Kushnir, Muldoon, McNeely.  They all commanded from this ship.  Each one of them fought the aliens from this ship.  And that, ladies and gents, isn't going to change now.  A lot of folks think of the big Royalty Class ships and the Chinese war fleet when they think of the war with the aliens.  We know better.  Big Red has fought the aliens almost everywhere they can be fought.  With the US at Mars, the Chinese at Ceres, deep out system at Uranus and Neptune.  In the death trap of the belt at Pallas.  Even within sight of our home Earth.  The only battle she missed out on was at Jupiter.  But sitting in space right here with us is the Tati.  And she was there.  The ships here are the real face of this war."
   "Our job out here is to protect the colonies in the belt.  We have a problem.  The Euro has six separate colony sites.  The US has four.  Even the South Seas has one.  None of them are even remotely close to each other most of the time.  We can't baby sit all of them.  The best way I can see to keep them safe is to give the aliens something a lot easier to find.  That, ladies and gents, is going to be the Third Light."
   Stephan paused for a moment to let what he had said settle in.  "The fact that this ship is going to fight isn't going to change.  But there are a few other traditions that this ship has.  No matter where she has fought.  No matter who sat on this bridge.  No matter what she faced.  First, at the end of the day, she has NEVER left the field to the aliens.  And lastly, she ALWAYS comes home.  And we aren't going to let this change either.  Commodore Vasilikos, out."
   Stephan sat in the flag station and ran his hand across the keys and controls on the armrest, then looked about the bridge.  'Jude sat here on you. Then Brenna.  Last was Bob.  And you brought them all home.  They were all good boys and girls, and you brought them home safely.'  Stephan tapped on the keys and sent the commands to lock stations and activate the magnetic shields.
   'So what will you do with a rebel old Red?  Let's find out shall we?'


   1820 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home 1 (Eris)

   The Supreme Elder moved among the gathered Elders.  Waves of concern and fear washed through the assembled group.  The bulk of the mobile assets had left the New Homes for the inner parts of the system.  The last mobile assets, and those under construction, would leave shortly.  The New Homes would be responsible for their own defense.  There would be no warships to help in the defense.  None to rescue a world or moon when it came under attack.
   To help with the New Homes' defense, the ground based defense stations were now having the rapid fire mass drivers installed.  This would allow them to intercept and destroy the torpedoes of the native race.  With no drive shield or magnetic protective field, the ground bases would have a much easier time calibrating the systems.  With luck this would allow the New Homes to destroy up to half of the torpedoes targeted on them.   But this would still allow half to reach the surface.  This was much of what was causing such great concern.
   The worst fear was evident from the Elders of New Home 4.  They had no ground bases.  And with the transfer of their two smaller orbital defense stations to New Home 5, they had only a single orbital base to defend the population there.  Nothing else.  They also lacked the industry to begin construction of any extensive ground based systems.  If time permitted, a Mobile Repair Vessel would be moved to New Home 4 to begin construction of basic defense structures.  This would not happen for some time though.
   The Supreme Elder understood the fear, but by moving among them he made it understood that this was the right course of action.  The approval of the Supreme Elder would ensure that the New Homes supported the actions being taken.  They would be called upon to commit much of their resources and supplies to support this move and the combat that would occur.
   The Supreme Elder concealed within the powerful fields he projected the small concern he felt.  The concern that if this offensive failed the New Homes had no chance of defeating the native race.


January 2nd  0200 hours/New Delhi, India

   Chairman Mukata stood behind the podium as he addressed the board members.  "Two hours ago the order was given to increase the rate of construction on the underground hangar in Queensland.  This hangar will hold the new ship that had been planned, safe from the prying eyes of the other powers.  But the construction will now become obvious.  In hours the rest of the world will know it is there.  When they analyze the scans, they will be able to identify the large laser array housed there.  An array that obviously violates the limits of the Pax Treaty."
   "The FSC will be able to plead that the main intent of the Pax Treaty is to limit the use of nuclear weapons near Earth.  We will also claim that the laser is only meant to safeguard the FSC and Earth from alien bombers.  It is unable to target any land based targets and is therefore of no threat to the rest of the world's populations."
   Chairman Mukata was cut off as one of the members of the South African cartel rose from his seat.  "They will also know that it is quite capable of targeting ships within a few light seconds of Earth.  And that the laser will pass right through the protective fields that the warships rely on so heavily.  Will it be possible to dismantle the array to avoid this situation?"
   Mukata looked out at the assembled board.  "I consider it unwise to disassemble the array.  The other powers will request to inspect the site.  We will of course refuse.  Without the array there is no reason for the other powers not to destroy the site.  Need I remind the board of the Chinese strike little over a year ago?  It would take little for them to dispatch a ship to Earth to destroy the construction.  They could even use a land based launcher.  And I believe once again the US and Euro will not intervene to stop such a move if we have refused them access."
   "What if the other powers choose to launch on the site from beyond the range of the laser to engage an orbital target?  The laser would serve no use in this situation."  The South African seemed in no hurry to be brushed aside.
   "In the event of a launch on the site, it has been hardened to withstand several drive detonations without damage to the underground structure.  I believe the US and Euro will be unwilling to incur the loss of civilian lives that would occur if they attempted to reduce the complex.  I also do not believe they will attempt a ground invasion to gain access to the site."
   The South African man leaned on the table as he addressed Mukata again.  "And what of the Chinese?  As you have already pointed out, they have shown a willingness to use nuclear weapons.  The loss of FSC civilians is unlikely to bother a government that was willing to abandon its own troops to the aliens."  A murmur of approval began to spread.
   Mukata stepped around the podium.  "Unknown to the other nations of Earth the FSC has constructed two silos.  Both silos are capable of launching a single Devil Class missile.  In the event of a Chinese strike the missiles will be targeted on Chinese cities.  Troops are also prepared to launch invasions of Chinese Imperial soil from points in both Australia and India.  In the event of a Chinese first strike, we are within the rights described by the Pax Treaty to defend the FSC with such measures.  This should give us adequate time to complete the project."
   The room quieted and the South African man paled slightly.  "You propose to start a war with China?"
   "Would you prefer we abandon the project?"  Mukata stared at the man in front of him.
   An older woman of the Chilean cartel rose from her seat and held a small monitor screen in front of her.  "We have confirmation that the Pan Euro ship Queen Victoria is transmitting from orbit on a priority channel and beginning active radar and lidar scans of the Queensland Complex.  They have found the site."


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 13, 2011, 08:31:04 AM
January 2205 part 2

January 3rd  0415 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, 16 light minutes from Hygeia colony

   The Dutchman watched the sensor returns.  Travel in the belt was always a dangerous thing.  It had once just been the danger of a stray rock escaping the sensors and tearing through a ship.  That in its time had been bad enough.  With the arrival of the aliens it had become very hazardous.  Even the rocks you could see might be hiding an alien warship.  But the aliens had shown little interest in attacking civilian shipping.  An occasional freighter may go missing, but that had been the extent of it.  
   'Now we have to worry about even the human ships.  The US, China, and even the Pan Euro have filed official protests at the construction going on in Australia.'  The Dutchman saw that the belt colony was only an hour out.  He keyed open the ship's intercom.  
   "Ok people.  The rest of the world hasn't announced that they are going to interdict FSC shipping, but they aren't going to let us know until after they show up.  In a few minutes we will arrive at Hektor colony.   Once there we are going to land and ride this out.  If the US or Euro show up, they won't risk firing on the ships due to the chance of civilian casualties.  They should be happy enough to keep us parked there.  If the Chinese show up and start shooting, the civilian ships will surrender and submit to boarding while we run for it.  Hopefully it doesn't come to that."
   The Dutchman turned off the intercom.  Fourteen civilian cargo and passenger ships flying various flags, two cargo ships flying under the FSC colors, plus the Mary Reed and Krait.  Eighteen ships that represented the entire FSC fleet, civilian or 'government'.  With the fleet parked here in the belt the FSC would struggle to keep its budget.  Trade with the belt colonies brought in a larger portion of the FSC's income and resources. The cartels are going to have to squeeze every last penny they can out of the various FSC member nations on Earth.
   'I doubt any human ships will actually start shooting at us.  Even China would rather seize the ships if they had the chance.  Even as scrap they would be worth a small fortune.  If the aliens show up though.'  The Dutchman felt a sudden chill as he thought of it.  The aliens would be more than happy to attack a population.  The ships would be a bonus.  'Eighteen ships and three quarters of a million colonists on this outpost in the belt.  We definitely have all our eggs in one basket.  For the aliens this would be hitting the jackpot.  Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have the US or Euro put up a blockade here after all.'


January 4th 0030 hours/Queen Jane Grey, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Robert McNeely scanned through the civilian news broadcasts.  News of the FSC construction in Australia and the laser array there had been leaked to the commercial networks six hours ago by an unknown source in the US.  It had spread like wildfire since then.  Public reaction in the Pan Euro seemed to swing between outrage and panic.  None of the networks were calling for prudence and restraint though.
   "So, just what are we supposed to do if they start firing?"  Robert heard Ensign Deeter's question but waited a moment to answer.  "In the event that you were in command, what would you order Ensign?"  There was no point in looking for a reaction.  She was locked in her station the same as he was.  The only movement might be her fingers on the control pads of the armrests.
   It was quiet for a long time, and then Gretta answered.  "The plating and baffles on the Queen Jane are fairly substantial.  We could probably take a couple of direct hits and still not suffer any hull breaches.  We would have plenty of time to target the laser array and destroy it."
   "True.  We have better protection than the Attack Escorts, which is why I have them stationed two light seconds away while we are only five thousand kilometers above the surface.  You need to consider he civilian casualties you would inflict.  You could easily kill hundreds of thousands.  The media would react rather poorly to that.  No matter what you feel or think, it will look bad if we killed thousands while only suffering some damaged plating."  Robert stopped long enough to watch a video feed of a politician calling for the FSC to submit to inspections of the site and immediate dismantling of the weapon.  'We sent that message almost two days ago.  Guess what the reply was?'
   "Ensign Deeter, this ship is pointed so that if we engage the drive it will be able to cross the horizon for that weapon in a matter of seconds.  No matter how maneuverable the output coupler is on that laser array, it can't shoot through the Earth.  If the FSC decides to damage some of our plating it could be construed as an act of war, but it is more of a political incident.  I would rather leave it for the politicians to decide the appropriate response.  If we launch, that is definitely an act of war.  Do you want your name going down in the history books that way?"
   "You've spent to much time talking to Admiral Muldoon.  So what does she want us to do if the US or China make an attack on the site?"  Robert couldn't hear any disdain in the Ensign's voice, but he knew it was there anyway.
   "Muldoon's orders are explicit.  We are to protect Pan Euro properties and interests. We are also to keep out of the shooting if at all possible."


   0630 hours/Washington DC, Earth

   "So you intend to do nothing?!  Explain yourself Admiral Walters.  If I'm not impressed your replacement will be giving the next briefing tomorrow morning."
   Admiral Bradley Walters could see the look on Adam Richards face.  'Secretary of Defense or not, your being stupid.' he thought.  Bradley turned to face the balding politician at the head of the table.
   "Honorable Secretary, it is my opinion that the South Seas Free Space Consortium has no intention of starting a war.  We have nearly constant surveillance of the site and most FSC locations.  There have been several divisions of ground troops mobilized but none have loaded for transport.  They have two known armed vessels with perhaps a few more disguised as civilian freighters.  They would be completely incapable of penetrating the defenses of either Earth or Mars.  They could attempt an attack in the belt, but to what end.  If they were to inflict any civilian casualties it would only open the doors for the US to bombard their troops and the Australian site."
   Secretary Richards looked at Bradley long and hard.  "So you think in the absence of war the appropriate action is nothing?"
   "I believe that this is a political situation and that political pressure should be used to resolve it.  We have limited combat resources.  All of the space based assets are needed to combat the aliens.  As the FSC media has pointed out, we have laser arrays in both our Eastern and Western Defense Centers in excess of what we are allowed by the Pax Treaty limitations.  And that they were successfully employed in defense of Earth in the last alien attack."
   Secretary Richards looked puzzled.  "Do I understand you correctly?  Are you saying we should support the construction of ground based laser arrays?"
   "I believe that if the US proposes amendments to the Pax Treaty relaxing the restrictions on the deployment of laser arrays that it could be of benefit to both the US and the Earth as a whole.  Also, if the laser array is no longer a treaty violation there is no reason for anyone to start a war.  That would include the Euro, AND the Chinese."  Bradley waited for that statement to sink in.  'Fool or no, he isn't looking to start a war either.'
   "I see.  And what of the FSC's underground construction activities?"
   "They don't violate any treaty or international law.  I'm not sure what they are up to.  It could simply be an attempt to protect their construction assets after seeing what the last alien attack did to our orbital shipyards.  It is easily big enough to house a Raptor Class Missile Escort at this point.  It may be something else entirely.  For the moment it doesn't seem to be a threat.  If that changes, you could always change policy at that time."
   Secretary Richards paused for a while, obviously in thought.  "I will take your recommendations under consideration for the moment.  I will expect another briefing at zero six hundred tomorrow.  That will be all Admiral."  
   Bradley walked out lost in his own thoughts.  'It isn't the FSC that I'm worried about.  Even with all of the media hype and furor from us and the Euro.  It's the ominous silence from the Chinese.'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 15, 2011, 01:08:25 AM
January 2205  part 3

January 6th  1500 hours/Training Range 3, Surface of Titan

   Li Xue felt the lander begin to pitch and rattle as it entered the atmosphere.  Even with her suit locking into the brackets on the side of the lander it was a rough ride.  They had spent the last week with weapon drills in the morning and drops and landings in the afternoons.  Evening was spent cleaning the equipment.
   "I hope it isn't raining this time.  That sticky crap always coats my optics."
   "Mae, you certainly have a bright, cheery outlook today."  Li looked over at the form beside her.  "You realize that suit makes your butt look fat."
   "Jeng likes it.  You seem to be staring at my backside a lot lately Li.  Is there something I should know about?"  Mae put a hand on one of the twin drums mounted on the back of her hips, just below the maneuver pack.  Li had decided some time back that although the new suits were a vast improvement over the Mantis Suits she had trained with, the new suits definitely didn't look very flattering.
   Li looked over Mae's suit.  It was a standard Salamander Combat Suit.  Li had heard that it was based off of captured Euro suits, and from lessons learned at Triton.  The old 6.5mm pulse rifle had proved inadequate against both power armor and the alien battle suits. It had also been dropped or lost on too many occasions.  It was now mounted on the outside of the right arm as a back-up weapon.  The new main combat weapon was the Type 4.  It was a 14.5mm semi-bullpup design, with an enclosed dual belt feed.  One belt contained solid tungsten rounds designed to penetrate both power armor, alien suits, and light vehicles.  The second belt contained HE-I rounds with a prefragmented copper body wrapped around a small explosive/incendiary charge.  The Type 4 also mounted a 30mm under barrel grenade launcher that was supposedly an exact copy of those used by the Euro.  The weapon was synchronized with the maneuver pack for micro-g operation and fired in four round bursts.  'Mae calls the thing the dentist.  Swears it tries to pull her teeth every time she fires it.'
   On the left shoulder was mounted a highly modified Type 63.  It was now known as the Type 67.  It had changed from an antiquated support weapon to a suit portable system.  It still fired the 37mm APHE rounds that had been so effective on Triton, but now fired from a four round cassette loaded into the weapon.  Gone were the spring loaded magazines prone to failure in the extreme cold.  The Type 67 rode on a gyro stabilized mount attached to the suit and could track and engage targets through the suits HUD.  It could also be removed from the mount for situations which required it. 
   "Why did they ever stick those drums right on the suit's butt?"
   "Quiet Li, get ready.  We are close to drop."  Mae was powering up the maneuver pack and locking her weapon into its drop mount.
   Li began to lock her weapon into its drop mount.  She didn't carry a Type 4.  She still wore the standard Salamander Combat Suit, but had been designated as the support weapon member of her squad.  She carried a Type 15.  It was a 23mm tapered bore with a barrel over two meters long.  It fired round with fins up to 37mm wide that were swaged down to 23mm as it passed down the bore.  Much like water passing through the nozzle of a garden hose, the tapered barrel increased the velocity of the round.  The AP round was capable of penetrating light armored vehicles and obstacles.  It was also synchronized with the maneuver pack, but only fired single shots from six round cassettes.  Where the Type 4 came with two one hundred round belts, Li only carried 6 of the cassettes.  She had to make her shots count.
   "TOUCH DOWN IN FIVE, FOUR, READY, SET, GOOOO!"
   Li heard the shuttle commander screaming as the lander heaved.  Braking thrusters fired and skids crashed into the surface outside.  Side ports and ramps flew open as troops began to rush out.  Li snapped her brackets open and pulled her weapon from its drop mount.  She exited the lander two meters behind Mae into a thick cloud of brown methane fog and blowing ethane sleet.  A hail of water ice pebbles scoured the outside of her suit as Mae activated her jump jets.  A heartbeat later and Li fired hers trying to both follow Mae and still keep her spacing.  Through the grime on her optics and fog she could see her company fanning out.  She watched Mae begin her descent and fired her maneuver pack to follow her.  A heartbeat later she crashed into a thick puddle of methane syrup and sent sheets of is splashing.  She could barely make out Mae crouching just a few meters away.  Li pulled the covers off of her Type 15's optics as she activated the chin switch in her helmet.  A moment later half of her HUD was a crystal clear display from the sights on her weapon.
   "Ok people.  Hold your positions for a minute.  We will need to get fixes on you so we can evaluate the drop.  Next time we will practice deployment from the troopship."
   Li heard the battalion commander on her radio.  They had practiced drops and landing from shuttles dozens of times, but only twice from the troopships.  Landing the habitat sized vessels on the surface was an ordeal in itself.  The thrusters tended to melt the surface wherever they came down.  Getting onto one was messy.  Getting off was downright dangerous.  It was easy to end up in several feet of rapidly freezing liquid. 
   Li looked up to see Mae kneeling down in front of her. Mae leaned forward and touched helmets with LI.  Li turned off her radio.  "Mae, you’re going to get us both in trouble.  You’re out of position and I'm too close."
   Li heard the buzz of Mae's voice as it carried between the touching helmets.  "Li, I'm sorry for getting you into this."
   "Why.  I agreed to join.  You didn't force me, and this isn't any worse than factory work.  Factory work hasn't much of a future.  At least with this I could get promoted and have a retirement.  Now finding a boy like you did, well..."  Li was concerned.  Mae wasn't normally the apologetic type, and Li wasn't sorry she had joined.  She was actually enjoying parts of it.
   "I was talking to Jeng, Li.  He said the only time they practiced assaults like this, especially from the troopships, was right before they shipped out to fight the aliens.  Jeng said he thinks we are getting ready to go into combat."  Mae was talking slowly.  Thinking about what she was saying.  Even muffled by the helmets Li could hear the worry in Mae's voice.  Li had always seen Mae as fearless, but began to realize perhaps it wasn't that she had seen, just youth.  'Mae is still in her teens.  She just found a boyfriend.  She never thought about dying.'
   "Mae, I'm not a kid.  I knew we were at war with the aliens when I agreed to do this."  Li stopped for a moment and thought.  "Mae, we're going to be alright.  I'll look out for you, and you for me.  Just like we have been." 
   Li stood up and waited for Mae.  As Li turned on her radio she could hear the call for all troops to return to the landing area.  Mae stood up and walked beside her slowly.  No race or taunts this time.  Li reached out and took the hand of Mae's suit.  Mae didn't pull away as they walked back, hidden in the thick fog.


January 9th  1240 hours/University of Cambridge, England

   Henk Leering scrambled from his seat trying to brush the hot coffee out of his pants.  Thomas O'Connell couldn't understand most of the German the man was yelling, but had a fair idea what it meant and that there was no way the coffee could actually be or do the things he was calling it.. 
   "Henk!  Sit down for a moment !"  Thomas grabbed Henk's shirt sleeve and tried to restrain his flailing.  It took a few moments before Henk settled down enough to look at Thomas.
   "We did it ! Look at the readings.  The calibrations must be off slightly to have caused the oscillations we experienced, but it worked !"  Thomas pointed at the readouts scrolling across the monitors as Henk finally began to understand.
   His burned legs forgotten, Henk rushed to the terminals and began to scroll back through the data.  "Here.  Right here.  We adjust the amplitude and frequency like this..."  Henk began to type on the keyboard and then began moving fields on the monitor.  Moments later he turned to look at Thomas again.  "Thomas, I think we may be on to something.  We definitely generated gravitons, but far more than we had anticipated.  And we only had the system at a fraction of the power that it was designed to operate at."
   Thomas came closer to the terminal and looked at Henk's figures.  "You're right.  That little oscillation is going to look like a small earthquake to the rest of the world.  And we were at only two percent of full power on a single generator bank.  We could make this a great deal smaller, increase the power to the generator, and create a very powerful field.  It could create an engine much more powerful than the nuclear drives with a fraction of the size."
   Henk sat down at the terminal and looked at the data.  "I'm not so sure.  We will need more tests, but if the data we have is accurate..."  Data plots began to scroll across the monitor.  Power versus output projections.  Amplitude and frequency.  Henk pointed to the graphs that began to form on another nearby monitor.  "See this.  As the graviton generator decreases in size, we need to decrease the amplitude with a corresponding increase in the frequency.  It will generate a great deal of emissions, but..."  Suddenly the graph shot off the top of the scale. 
   Henk pointed to a part of the graph.  "It looks like the best return for the power supplied is in this range.  It will require almost four times the mass in generators to create the same acceleration as a bank of particle accelerators on a standard nuclear drive.  And it looks to be rather size sensitive.  To large of an array or two small of a power supply and you get destructive oscillations due to the frequency modulation of the system.  To small, and it requires a great deal of power with a geometric increase in emissions resulting in this."  Henk pointed at the end of the scale that had went off the top of the monitor.
   Thomas looked at the projections.  "Would that...." 
   Henk picked up his broken coffee cup.  "Yes, I think so."
   "The military will be pleased to hear this."
   "Um, Thomas?"  Henk looked a little sheepish.
   "What is it?"
   "How shall we explain this?  I mean, does England generally have earthquakes?"


January 12th  0900 hours/Interceptor MkIIb JFK, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral (Lower Half) James Gauld looked at the visual feed on his monitor. The framework in the slip at Mars Station was nearly complete.  Soon they would begin installing the internal components and fitting the outer skin.  It was going to become Mars Defense Base 1 when completed.   Only slightly smaller that an Interceptor, it would be armed and shielded identically to a MkIIb.  'It will just be a lot cheaper to take care of with no drive.  If it doesn't spend all its time riding a nuclear plume it shouldn't need quite so much upkeep.'
   'They put the thing under my command, but it sounds like they plan on building enough of the things to require their own admiral eventually.  For being the most junior admiral, I seem to have acquired the largest command.'  Jamie went over the list of ships in his head.  First was his own Task Force 1 with three Interceptor MkIIb's, the JFK, the J Madison, and the A Jackson.  Next were the four ships in the Q Ship Group.  They included the Steadfast, Vigilance, Resolute, and Defiant.  Last, although only under his direction in the case of attack on Mars were the six Defense Modules of the Mars Station.  All told his group included 13 launch bays and 9 laser arrays. 
   'Hopefully that will be enough if the aliens come back.   After Earth, we are the biggest target out here.  Four and a half million colonists, a shipyard, an orbital transfer station, plus nine ships if you include Survey Tenders 1 and 2.'  Jamie shut down the visual feed and pulled up the training plan for the day.  'Of course the best reason I can see to be building those bases isn't helping to protect Mars.  It’s freeing us up to move out system again.  With a new division training on the surface and the four Q Ships quite capable of transporting it, it can only be a matter of time before ships begin moving out system again.  After what the Taylor did at Triton, I doubt they will leave the MkIIb's at Mars a second time.'

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 17, 2011, 03:29:45 AM
January 2205  part 4

January 16th  2200 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po sat after addressing the Ministry.  His fortunes had swung back and forth several times in the last two years.  Once again fate had smiled on him and presented an opportunity.  The FSC had defied the Treaty of Pax Terra, and now the Pan Euro and US were to busy quibbling over what to do.
   The Pan Euro had positioned one fleet over the site of the infraction, while the other waited on the opposite side of the planet over the Atlantic Ocean.  The US had left its ships nearly ten light seconds from the planet.  Neither country had moved any of its troops to mobilization sites, although the US conducted daily low orbit fly-overs of FSC territory.  The Pan Euro and US appeared willing to sit this one out.
   China, and Minister Po, were not so ambivalent.  By the end of the month two new Light Power Armor Divisions would be ready on Titan.  Two troopships were already stationed to transport the troops, while a third was being finished using ground industry here at Earth.  Yesterday, a seventh Missile Frigate had been completed at Venus.  While the crew was still unprepared for combat, they could take the place of a much more experienced crew in the defense of the Venus Station.  The more capable Frigate would accompany the three troopships.
   The target would not be the Queensland facility or construction site.  The area was much too heavily guarded and the FSC had troops prepared here at Earth.  Officially they were replacements for the soldiers stationed on Triton, but could easily be shifted to the defense of the FSC here on Earth.  The Pan Euro and US had also shown a willingness to intervene in affairs here on Earth.  Here the danger was too high to risk an invasion of FSC soil and assets.
   But the Treaty of Mare Serenetatis gave some leeway in these matters. It allowed for hostilities to be conducted away from Earth under certain circumstances, and technically the FSC had no claim to place outposts in the asteroid belt.  The US and Euro had ceded portions of the belt, but China had never signed that.  Technically, they were under no obligation to recognize the FSC colony there.  And Po doubted the Pan Euro and US would be willing to risk troops or ships for a small chunk of rock in the belt.
   To that end Po had presented a proposal to the Ministry that steps be taken to seize the FSC outpost.  The two divisions from Titan could be loaded with the other nations of Earth unaware.  The transfer of the Missile Frigate from Venus to escort the loaded troopships would also be invisible.  The Pan Euro, US, and even the FSC would be unaware of the attack until after it had already happened.  The FSC warships would be no match for a Missile Frigate, while the Pan Euro and US would not risk a war with China.  They may attempt a blockade, but would not want to risk their ships.  Adequate supplies would be landed with the troops from Titan to ensure that the colony could be brought under control without needing resupply.
   China would once again have a presence in the belt, would be able to increase the number of resources available to it, and could use any data captured from the FSC outpost to evaluate the possibility of further moves against the FSC.
   When the Heavy Cruiser at Venus Station was finished, the rest of the nations of Earth and the aliens could be dealt with
   Yes, fortune had provided another opportunity.  'I will not miss this opportunity,' Po thought to himself contentedly.
 

January 17th  0830 hours/Queen Victoria, Earth orbit

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon reviewed the morning briefing’s information.  Foremost was the data on the new drive system.  It appeared that it would be very versatile, if perhaps not the ideal warship drive.  It would be capable of use in a variety of platforms, from ships to ship's boats.  Even missiles.  The last hurdle was actual production of it.  Any attempt to construct the drive at Earth would be observed by the other powers.  Until the drive had been fully tested it would need to remain secret.  The only way to accomplish this would slow production and testing.
   A Mobile Shipyard would be needed to perform the first construction.  The only available location that could be used would be Mercury.  It was still considered Pan Euro Confederacy space by treaty, but no commercial traffic used the area now.  Much like Chinese Venus, it would be a location that could be used for construction without any outside interference.  With several locations on the surface that would be nearly invisible from orbit, the Mobile Shipyard would be able to land on the surface and conduct its work without danger of observation.  Even the aliens would have to park in orbit for some time to find the Mobile Shipyard.
   The largest problem had been the issue of what ships would be detailed to protect the location from prying eyes or alien attack, or if any would be sent at all.  Much discussion among military staffers and civilian governors of the Confederacy had argued over what and why of deploying ships to Mercury.  It had been decided that the 3rd Battle Group would be transferred from Earth to Mercury.  This would leave only the 4th BG and US Task Force 2 to guard Earth, but the large number of ground defense sites would help to cover for the loss.  The flagship of the 3rd, the Queen Jane Grey, was still in the early stages of training but Rear Admiral Moreland had proven very capable in prior engagements with the aliens.
   The next big issue of the morning had been the situation with the FSC.  The new construction and the discovery of a laser array in Australia was still 'front page news.'  The US was pushing for an amendment to the Pax Treaty allowing for increased installation of laser arrays on Earth.  With the US a leader in laser technology, this was expected.  The Pan Euro was resisting the move to amend the Treaty, but only to try and gain concessions from the US and FSC on several other political matters.  The fact that the Chinese had yet to issue any statement was the most concerning issue.  It had weighed heavily in the arguments against moving the 3rd BG from Earth.  For the moment the only military measure that was being taken was the deployment of the 3rd LBG in the belt to a position 7 light seconds from the FSC colony on Hektor.  From that range it was nearly invisible but would be able to monitor events at the colony.  They would be able to quickly isolate or blockade the colony if the situation on Earth deteriorated.
   The last two major issues for the morning were connected to a degree.  The first was the inactivity of the shipyard on the Earth Station.  The station's facilities had not been used to repair the damage from the alien attack in order to free them for warship construction.  Now they were idle.  Funding was the issue.  Funding that was now being consumed at a voracious rate by research teams.  Development of the new drive system, development of the new missile system, and integration of the two programs was proving to be expensive.  But they were not the main culprits in this.  It was a new development.  The new drive had opened the possibility of missiles small enough to be used in the counter-missile role.  The standard nuclear drive, with the need for extensive shielding and particle accelerator banks, was to large to mount any substantial number of missiles devoted to the anti-missile role.  The new drive would change that.  Small missiles capable of intercepting inbounds could now be pursued, and most likely would be small enough to allow a large number to be carried on a ship.  They would be very short range and likely lack the ability to damage a full sized warship, but would still be vastly useful if they could intercept both alien and human missiles.  This new project had required enough funding to make the construction of warships impossible for the moment.
   But with the new research likely to bear fruit in the near future any new ship built would simply be sent in for refits as soon as they had been completed.  So a small delay in construction was going to be tolerated for the moment.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 25, 2011, 03:42:55 AM
January 2205  part 5

January 20th  2100 hours/Food Preparation Area, Shelter 17 of New Home 3

   Brood Mother 218 worried.  Her young were in danger.  So many of the machines were coming to the Food Preparation Area now.  So were many other young.  When the Elders discovered that she had communicated with the aliens, other brood mothers and workers had been commanded to attempt the same thing.  Only the brood mothers had shown any ability to reach the strange creatures, and only about half of those that tried were successful.  But now many young were so close to the machines, and groups of young were hard to control.  If your attention was focused on one of the aliens it was possible for your young to stray.  Even brief contact with one of the wandering furnaces could kill a young one.
   There were many aliens here now, but Brood Mother 218 had chosen to communicate with only the one she had contacted first.  Each alien was so different.  There was no connection between any of them that she could feel.  She knew they communicated with each other.  She could sense it in the one that called itself 'Chen', but there was no connection.  Such a hollow form of communication these aliens had.  Learning to communicate with another creature would be difficult.  Starting over each time. 
   'No, I will only communicate with my alien, this Chen.'
   Brood Mother 218 sensed that her alien had arrived.  She felt it through the other brood mothers near him.  'I will wait.  This 'Chen' always seemed to wait patiently.  He seems to find it difficult to recognize me until I get close to him.  Sometime he will learn.'
   Brood Mother 218 commanded her young, 'stay in this corner.'  When she was sure they would not stray, she began to move slowly toward 'Chen'.  'I have to be very close.  The aliens' fields are so weak.'

   2103 hour/2700 meters below Sector 52.07 of Triton's surface

   Soldier Chen Hyang watched the aliens.  They came here to eat if that is what you could call it.  They seemed to be a little like both an animal and a plant.  The mass of tendrils or tentacles around the base of each 'arm' absorbed the ice and minerals they called food, kind of like roots in the ground - only faster.
   Chen stiffened as 'his' alien approached.  'There she is.  They all look so much alike.  I used to be able to pick her out by the little ones around her.  Now there are piles of the little things floating all over.  It's like trying to feed chickens at home.  Darned things always get underfoot.'
   Chen tried to prepare himself.  'I took the painkillers, but she always gives me a headache.'  As the alien drew within two meters Chen thought over and over again, 'Hello, hello, hello, hello...'  Suddenly the headache started. 'I hope this is worth it.  Over twenty times now and all I get are a headache and a sketchy jumble of thoughts or memories that make no sense.'
 
   Brood Mother 218 felt 'her' alien.  'Such a confusing mess, just like the smallest of the young.  Emotion, sensation, and meaning all mixed together.  No organization and so faint.'  As she reached into the mass she could feel pain.  'I hurt Chen when I touch him.  I can feel it, but he does not pull away.  So brave, or maybe so lonely.'
   "You have come again.  Why?  This hurts you.  I can feel it."
   Brood Mother 218 strained.  'I can feel so much.  None of it makes sense.  So much turmoil for one creature.'  "You must focus.  I can not understand.  Please let me help.  Will you?"
   Brood Mother 218 waited.  "All I feel is confusion and pain.  Fear.  It is worse every time.  I must try to help or we will accomplish nothing."

   Chen felt his knees buckling.  Pain seared through his head.  Spread down his spine.  Reached out through his body.  He felt his heart pounding in his ears.  Racing.  'I can't breathe, can't breathe...'  The world swam in a hundred colors swirling wildly.  All the colors were a voice, but not a voice.  Each a meaning.  Each a life.  Each growing distant.  More distant.  'It’s dark.  I can't breathe.  So tired...'

   Brood Mother 218 felt the alien collapse in front of her as the remainder of the brood mothers and young left the room.  'Only my young remain.  Only we are in danger.'
   "It is quieter now Chen.  Yes?"  Brood Mother 218 reached into the young male and felt no pain.  She felt little of anything.  "It is quiet.  Why have you come?"

   Chen could feel a bright light.  It coursed through him.  Calm.  'Am I dead?'  And the light answered. 
   "No young one.  But your body would not let you be many.  You are too much yourself.  I suppose you have learned this, always being alone.  I did not think this would be so difficult for you.  I have realized that to become two will be easier, instead of becoming many." 
   Chen tried to relax, but couldn't find any stress.  Nothing to relax.  "Is this how we will talk?  Is this how all of you talk?"  The light flooded with meaning again.
   "No, this is how I shall be with you.  Until you can learn to be many.  If you can learn to be many.  Why are you here?" 
   Chen tried to organize his thoughts.  Panicked.  "These aren't all my thoughts.  These are yours also !  I'm not you !  You can't control me !"  Again the light flowed with meaning, as if washing over and through him.
   "Young male.  I will never be you.  I am mother.  You are soldier.  Each is one.  But together.  Why have you come?"
   Chen focused.  "I can't stop the fear.  And I am here to talk to you."  Meaning swirled.  His thoughts and her thoughts together like pools of water pouring into a glass.  Mixing.
   "You do not need to stop the fear, but you do not need it.  And I am here. What would you know of me?"   
   
 
January 21st  0330 hours/Andvari Crater, Surface of Triton

   Lieutenant Commander Megan Ryan stared at Major General 'Ricky' Billings. 'A month ago my work was done and I was waiting for a transport home.  Now it has started all over again.  And this guy is definitely not Admiral Walters.  Reminds me more of a twentieth century gangster with an Australian accent.'
   "So your transmitters had been monitoring the alien communications all along?  When had you planned on sharing this with the rest of the command staffs?"
   Megan looked at the short, mustached man.  Tanned.  Face lined from years in the sun.  Hard and emotionless as any cyborg she had seen.  Always in a suit of Pan Euro surplus Power Armor with half a dozen security personnel around him.  'The most I have ever seen of you is your head.'
   "General, we have every intention of sharing the data we gain from the aliens here.  It was still in the initial stages of analysis."  'That is quite the little whooper of a lie.  For the first time, I am glad I don't have a face for him to read.  Playing cards with him would be a nightmare.'   Megan thought back on the messages from Earth.  That any data gained from the aliens was to be classified and encrypted with special protocols.  Safeguards were in place to wipe any portion if an unauthorized attempt to retrieve it occurred.  'Only I and two members of my team have access to that data.  We have learned a great deal monitoring their communication.  When the aliens didn't realize we were listening, they were less likely to censure their communications you idiot.'
   "What data do you have on the new development in communication?"
   Megan thought for a moment.  "Not much more than what you have.  So far the aliens have contacted thirty-seven individuals.  None are cyborgs.  They seem to prefer, or find it easier, to communicate with unaugmented humans.  I believe that the magnetic acceleration compensation systems that allow the cyborgs to endure high gee travel on the ships is interfering with the aliens’ attempts to communicate with them."
   "Everyone in contact with the aliens seems to be in contact with a female.  One third of those in contact with them are women, while the rest are men.  This is roughly the ratio of men to women in our security groups.  The magnetic resonance of the aliens appears to interfere with the human body's normal electrical conduction.  Pain is the universal symptom of this.  Others include muscle spasms, short-term memory loss, unconsciousness, and cardiac arrhythmias.  Two individuals have been hospitalized after contact with the aliens.  Repeated contact seems to increase the incidence and severity of complications."
   General Billings raised his hand.  "So repeated communication, without your equipment, is going to kill the people in contact with the aliens?"
   "That is not certain General.  No one has died from contact with the aliens, but no one has been in contact with them for over a month.  The first recorded contact was by a Chen Hyang who is a member of the Chinese security detachment to Sector Fifty Two.  He has made contact with an alien female twenty three times.  The last time was only a few hours ago.  He is currently hospitalized though.  His last contact left him unconscious and involved prolonged and repeated bouts of tachycardia.  The doctors say he will recover, but will need rest."
   'Chen is the odd ball of this.' thought Megan.  He is the only one to be in contact with a single alien female.  Every other person in contact has dealt with several aliens, is one of several individuals in contact with the same alien, or some combination of the two.  He and the female he is communicating with seem to have formed some sort of bond.  He also has been in contact with her over five times as often as any other person on this moon.  Somehow, he and this female are the keys to what is happening here.  They have made every breakthrough.  The rest have just repeated what these two have done.'
   "Has any additional information been gathered by this direct contact with the aliens?"  Megan noted that for once General Billings was showing some signs of interest.  And concern.
   "None so far General.  All of those in contact with the aliens have nothing of interest to report so far.  Just a sense of contact and random feelings or experiences.  No actual information."  Megan watched him.  'He already knows that.  What is he after?'
   "Lieutenant Commander Ryan, Is there any chance that the aliens would be able to gain access to memories or information that our soldiers have?"
   'There it is.' thought Megan.  'He considers this a security risk.'  "General, we do not know what access the aliens have.  None of those in contact with the aliens believed that they divulged any sensitive data.  We have no way to confirm this though."
   Megan watched General Billings.  His face was nearly blank, but some subtle emotion played across it.  His eyes came back up toward Megan.
   "Lieutenant Commander.  You will continue with this 'communication experiment.'  I will be kept informed of all developments.  Reports of any progress and events will be turned in to my staff daily.  Major Rusty Jamison will be assigned to your staff as my personal liaison.  You will include him in all studies and provide him access to all data.  You will select ten individuals to continue direct contact with the aliens.  They will be assigned to you.  You are to ensure they have no access to any classified information.  All the other individuals currently attempting to communicate directly with the aliens will be assigned to surface posts.  None are to be within ten kilometers of any aliens.  Do you have any questions?"
   Megan looked at the General.  "Sir, I will have to confirm Major Jamison's assignment with my superiors before I can grant him access codes to any of our material.  This will likely take at least fifteen to twenty hours, considering the transmission delay and time to process the request."  'That doesn't include the time they will want me to take editing or deleting files.  If they even approve it.  Your government and mine aren't exactly seeing eye to eye at the moment.'
   General Billings stood.  "You will speed this along.  It will be in all of our best interests.  None of us need any incidents... out here so far from home." 



   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 29, 2011, 03:01:38 AM
January 2205  part 6

January 26th  0800 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked at the construction crews.  The US was beginning to get back on its feet, but it had a long way to go.  The Yari was ready for service again, a new defense base station would be in orbit of Mars within the week, and the damaged slip on the Earth station was about half finished with repairs.  'We need to be ready.  With only three Interceptors in a Task Force we are already fighting at a disadvantage.'
   'And now we have to be twice as good.  With the Euro 3rd Battle Group headed to the belt for 'training', the US now fields almost half of the space borne launch bays at Earth instead of just a quarter.  If the aliens attack now we will have to depend on the ground defenses of Earth.  That means we have to let them get close.'  Bradley looked at the blue white ball of the Earth.  'Close enough people down there are going to die.'
   Bradley moved back to the lifter docked on the surface of the station.  'Of course, it may get even leaner.'  Bradley remembered the orders he had transmitted to Rear Admiral Jack Ryan a few hours ago.  'With the exception of the Pan Euro Red October, Task Force 2 is the fastest group of ships in existence.  Hunters.  And if the 'Baron' and the 'Squire' show up again, that is what they are going to do.  He never seems to leave the inner system.  And when he shows up again, we are going to make sure it is the last time.'   


 January 30th  0415 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, dark side of asteroid belt

   The last tests of the rapid cycle mass driver had been more than successful.  Most ships had shown the ability to intercept inbound torpedoes in rapid succession, with nearly forty percent of the weapons it had been targeted on destroyed, even during combat maneuvering.  Adequate target saturation could be achieved in barely one percent of the recorded launch cycle of the native race.  Optimal saturation could be achieved in three percent.  It would even be capable of protecting ships that did not mount the system if they were to move in close formation with one that did mount the defensive system.  Combined with the new evasive modulation of the drive, the enemy would find its ability to fight severely hampered.
   The last of the combat elements that would participate in the upcoming attacks were now moving toward the inner system.  Others had already arrived.  It was now time to begin the opening phases of the operation.  The Commander of Fleets altered the field at his station and issued the orders to the assembled ships.
   The time to die would begin again.  This time it would be the native race that bled.   


January 31st  2030 hours/Johannesburg, South Africa

   Chairman Mukata sat in the finely decorated dining hall.  It was a large and beautiful establishment.  Dozens of patrons were gathered for the evening dinner show.  'At least half of the people here are security.' Mukata thought. 'With even more stationed outside.'  
   "The US and Euro seem content to sit this situation out.  Let it be resolved peacefully.  Politically.  I don't believe the Chinese will be quite so civilized."  Mukata looked at the woman speaking, Board Member Maria Rodan of the Chilean Cartel.  She had asked him to meet her here.  It was a safe location, nearly fifty kilometers from the construction complex and deep enough underground to resist most attacks.  Much of the cartels' business was conducted in places like this.  Elegant, but secure.
   "I believe you are correct.  Their silence is a calculated move, not indifference.  They simply have not acted yet.  We have also been unable to discern their intentions.  The lack of activity here at Earth is concerning."  Mukata picked up the bottle of wine and filled both glasses at the table.  He was not familiar with the vintage, but was sure that Ms. Rodan would not bring a cheap table wine to such a meeting.
   "Do you believe that they will use their fleet to achieve whatever goal it is they are pursuing?"  Maria reached out and took the glass, then held it to her nose for a moment before taking a sip.
   "The Chinese warships have been absent for some time now.  Much longer than this situation.  We do not know the whereabouts of the Chinese fleet and the merchant convoys have not given any clear picture of their deployment.  If the Chinese do use their fleet there will be little we can do.  The Euro and US will not intervene and we do not have the ability to defeat them.  But using their fleet would require redeploying them from whatever location they are currently at."  Mukata looked at the older woman.  Her hair was long and had turned grey many years ago while her skin was tanned and bore the lines her years as a board member had left her.  She had survived decades in a post that many only held for years.  She had accomplished this by appearing unassuming.  Non-threatening.  But she was cunning, and dangerous.  This meeting had a reason, and it was not just to drink wine and chat about the world.
   Three Power Armored soldiers suddenly entered the room and quickly crossed toward the table.  Mukata could see that they were members of the security detail that should have remained outside.  As they reached the table the soldiers came to attention.  The one in the center stepped forward.  "Honorable Chairman and Boardmember.  I have been directed to bring this to you and then escort you to a more secure facility."  The heavily armored man pulled a small vid tablet from his side and placed it on the table.  Chairman Mukata reached out and took the tablet.
   Mukata keyed in his pass code and text began to fill the screen.  As he read the message he spoke to Maria.  "Ms Rodan, it would appear that the Chinese are no longer our main concern.  The 'Dutchman' has reported contact with a Pan Euro Group near our outpost on Hektor.  Missile launches from the Pan Euro ships were detected fifty two minutes ago.  Communication with the commander of the Pan Euro ships, a Commodore Vasilikos, would indicate that they fired upon a lone alien bomber moving through the belt.  The Mary Reed's ship boat has confirmed the presence of alien wreckage.  We have also intercepted a civilian distress call from the Pan Euro outpost on Victoria just minutes ago.  An alien bomber has attacked there and the dead number in the tens of thousands."  Mukata looked up at Maria.  "We will need to continue this conversation elsewhere."


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 05, 2011, 02:29:26 AM
January 2205  part 7

//////////////////////////////////////
Overview

Once again, this month should probably have been one or two parts longer.  A lot is going on 'off-screen' now that will come into play in the next two months.  I will do my best to sum it up in the 'tale of the tape' now.


For the Pan Euro

The big events for the month were the successes in research on Ica, a critical success on R SL3 that she used to accelerate the next three months on Rb, and verifying the breakthrough on D.  She also pushed her colonization up 50% (to three PTU a month) to the AB while keeping investment in IU up at her prior level (10 per month).  The high cost of raising her colonization along with the breakthrough left her with nothing for ship construction.  She decided that getting D started was more important than one more month building ships.
She was trying to figure out if she should attempt to come up with the MCs to build another RDS.  With only two she was limited in what she could work on.  She wanted to get Rb, Da, XOa, and MS.  Working on only two projects at a time, this wasn't going to happen very quickly.
She also redeployed the 3rd BG and a mobile shipyard to Mercury to start construction of her first Ica engined ship.  It was going to take a while to finish with the SYM's slow build rate, but she definitely did not want it to happen on Earth where everyone would be able to scan it. She knew she could also start making missiles that would only take the normal 1MSP instead of 3, but again opted out to avoid the other players realizing what she had.  
The next two months would play havoc with these plans.

For the US

This was just another ok month for the US.  He continued his colonization of the belt, and built the last IU he could on Earth until his population grew again.  With his growth beginning to slow, he was beginning to worry about his ability to compete with the Euro and Chinese.  He was pretty sure an alliance with his sister (FSC) was the only way to help even the odds a little - so he decided to support her violation of the Pax Terra Treaty.  He put in a lot of time trying to talk his mom (Euro) and China (younger brother) into it.
He also began to shift his building priorities slightly.  He became the first player to build a base stations (a BS0 at Mars), and took surplus armor left over from refits and strengthened the defenses of his PDCs on Earth.  With the smallest space fleet of the big three, and limited ability to expand it, he decided that protecting what he had was the safest bet.  Cheaper too, since his income growth was slowing down.
He also managed a success on Y SL1.  Not Earth shaking, but helped to improve the mood for the month.

For China

It was pretty obvious he was gearing up for a brawl with his sister again.  He had a small invasion force just waiting.  Three troop transports, about 20Qv, and a FG at Titan.  Not enough to do anything at Earth, but enough to contest her holdings in the belt.  It could technically violate the Treaty of Mare Serenetatis, but he was hoping it would be over so quickly that there would be nothing for the US and Euro to do.  Otherwise he would have likely backed down until he got his CA at Venus completed.  With only three of nine months construction done, he didn't want to do anything to risk it. At this point the bare hull was barely three quarters complete.  He knew that with his fleet tied down at Venus he had little ability to oppose the Euro or US.
He also continued his colonization of Titan and investment in IU.  He knew he had the lead economically, and wanted to not only keep it but to increase it.  He was also sure that he had a slight edge in combat ship HS, but wanted to finish the CA to cinch that also.

For the FSC

She took a big gamble and shifted her construction in the FSC from hidden to standard.  She knew this would let the other players know what she was doing, but wanted a construction area done in the next few months.  Otherwise it was going to take 6 months to build an underground hanger big enough to hold an ES.  She wanted to be able to start construction of ships before then.
She also wanted to increase her income to the point that she could afford a few more warships.  She was continuing her colonization of the belt (barely 0.5 PTU) and investment in IU (1 per month), but was looking forward to month 30.  She hoped that she would finish EL3 by that time, along with her growth.  That would give her some more cash to work with.

For the Nemotians

I took a big risk and burned up most of the Nemotian's treasury this month.  I saved back enough to support what they had plus continue with a small trickle of new ships, but they were now no more powerful economically than any of the players.  In fact they actually trailed the Euro and China in income from February on.  This would be their last great push to win.
They had a fair fleet to work with.  They had comparable HSs to any of the players and a tech advantage once again.  What they didn't have was enough to take on all the players at once, so it wasn't going to be easy. It also wouldn't be fully gathered until the end of Feb, so I had to pace what I was going to attempt.  I decided to make that part of my plan.  I also decided to try something I was sure the players were definitely not expecting.  It put a whole new twist on what occurred.
For the next two months I exploited every advantage and used every dirty trick I could - ruthlessly.  There were several accusations of 'cheating' on my part by my wife and kids, but the players always like to pull out that word when things don't go well for them.  I didn't cheat, but I made no allowance for ignorance on the players’ part either.

There wasn't any real combat for this month.  If you want to roll to see if 3rd LBG can shoot down a single gig go ahead.  Same with the 20PU on Victoria Colony trying to shoot down the single gig that bombed them.  The 3rd had good luck and got theirs in one pass.  Victoria could hit the bomber at all and lost 2PU.  That was it for combat.  The Euro was the only one to roll dice in combat for the month.


You will have to bear with me for the next few months.  They will take some time to type up.  Feb has as many turn notes as the largest of the preceding months, and March is the largest of the game by a wide margin.  It pushed the players to the edge, and perhaps beyond in a few cases.   The big question is whether to cover the whole thing briefly and sum it up in the overview (probably 10 to 12 parts for Feb, 16 to 18 for March if I had to guess), or cover it in great depth and try to cover everything that happened.  I don't know how long it will get if I do that.  I am sure that Feb alone could push 18 to 20 parts if I cover all of the personalities involved.  March I have no way to guess.  I will have to add characters just to get through the month as it is.  A real and proper telling would probably be over 30 parts if I did it justice.  It was 8 real world weeks of teeth grinding, nail biting, plotting, dealing, and desperation for both the players and I.

Any feedback on this would be appreciated, as my wife seems ambivalent.  I would like to move on with the story and not spend several months writing up Feb and Mar.  Part of me would also really like to tell the stories.  Sooo much happened.  

And of course either way, I hope you will enjoy it as much as they hated it.
 
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 11, 2011, 08:23:33 AM
February 2205  part 1

February 1st  0010 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 4 light seconds from Hektor

   Commodore Stephan Vasilikos keyed the comm relay over ride.  'They didn't court martial me last time.  We'll see what Brenna thinks of this.'
   Three hours ago the distress calls from Victoria Colony had come in.  Victoria was almost in opposition at the moment to 3rd Light Battle Group.  A few degrees more and the sun would have blocked the transmission.  Stephan had sent a request for orders to see if the 3rd LBG would move to protect the civilians and assist in rescue operations at Victoria.  The reply had stated that they would remain with the FSC colony at Hektor.  But as the hours had past none of the Pan Euro Groups were moving to assist.  'It's possible the orders were tight beamed to Victoria's relief force, but I should have received notification.  The politicians on Earth are going to leave the people on Victoria to their fate.'
   "Comm, get me in contact with the ranking FSC officer out here.  Tight beam laser comm only."
   Stephan heard the Sensor Officer call out.  "Drive bloom detected on Tatianna, Scarlet, and Kathleen."
   "I see that.  Helm, hold position.  Communications, I'm still waiting on the FSC officer."  Stephan looked at the sensor returns on his monitor.  The three icons for the rest of the 3rd LBG showed active drive emissions.  It would take them six days to reach Victoria.  Hopefully there would still be someone left to rescue.  'At least with three of them they can manage a decent general quarters rotation.'
   The Communications Officer called out.  "Commodore, I have a response from the FSC Freighter Mary Reed.  The header identifies the Captain of that ship as 'The Dutchman.'  Forwarding to your station."  Stephan looked at the message.  'The Mary Reed is as much a freighter as we are, and the Dutchman is no Captain.  Hopefully he has at least one more armed ship in that gaggle.  I hate pulling twelve hour rotations.'
   "Comm, transmit that the ASV Red October will remain on station at Hektor to continue with assistance in the defense against alien craft.  We will need to coordinate a mutually supportive general quarters rotation.  We will fill whatever time block is needed to provide adequate coverage."
   Stephan watched the icons for the rest of 3rd LBG as they moved away.  'Those ships have orders to maintain communication silence until they receive orders to the contrary or make enemy contact.  As far as the rest of the fleet knows they are still here parked with me.  The aliens probed both Victoria and this location within hours of each other.  They can't be everywhere.  Odds are they have their bombers scouting from various locations and it will take them time to coordinate enough ships for an attack.  If the main group of alien warships is close to Victoria it won't make any difference.  If they are close to us, the Tat, Scarlett, and Kathleen may make it in time.  One way or another I'm sure we will find out.'  Stephan watched as messages scrolled across his monitor from the Dutchman.
   'Of course I'm pretty sure I would rather deal with the aliens than with Brenna when she finds out.'


   0230 hours/Hardened fallout shelter, New Delhi, India

   Chairman Mukata stretched out in the padded chair and tried to relax.  The emergency meeting of the board members had gone smoothly.  It had been conducted remotely from the various shelters that the board had retreated to, but this had not impaired the meeting to any great degree.  Decisions had been made and orders issued.  Now all that could be done was to wait.
   "The Pan Euro vessel Red October has remained near Hektor.  Do you think that they intend to assist in the defense or simply monitor the situation?"  Board member Maria Rodan had picked another chair in the meeting room to sit in as she idly swirled the rose colored wine in her glass.  "I know they destroyed the alien bomber but I doubt it was for our benefit.  They simply did not want it to discover their ships.  But the fact that they were willing to do this knowing that we would become aware of their presence clouds this issue."  Maria took a short sip from the glass and sat it on the table in front of her.
   "This Commodore Vasilikos is not unknown to us.  He is a capable officer but has a history of insubordination.  His orders may not dictate his actions.  His sympathies to the FSC are unknown, but I do not believe he will risk the destruction of his ship without good reason.  The fact that he has moved the bulk of his command away from danger supports this."  Mukata sat up slightly to face Maria.  "I believe the order to move the civilian liners from Hektor is the appropriate action.  They will be vulnerable to Chinese interdiction, but if dispersed within the civilian convoys of the US and Pan Euro, should be reasonably safe."
   "I also believe that moving the civilian liners away from a point of known alien contact was necessary.  We may need to consider landing them here on Earth if the alien presence becomes extensive.  The Pax Treaty should prevent the Chinese from open acts of aggression.  We may also need to consider other steps to deter Chinese action against our assets."  Maria slowly moved the wine glass across the table until it spilled into a keypad and monitor and then broke as it rolled onto the table.  The screen flickered and then went black.  "Perhaps if they were to experience some internal disruption they would become too distracted and unwilling to pursue actions against us."
   Mukata sat up slowly and leaned his elbows on the table.  This had been her reason for the dinner, and why she had lingered after the meeting.  "And I was beginning to think you enjoyed my company."  Mukata smirked slightly.  "You have reason to believe that such an issue could arise?"  Mukata could see the faintest twinkle of mischief behind Maria's eyes.
   "Perhaps.  There is a group we have made contact with inside the Chinese borders.  They are well educated and resourceful.  After several members of their group were killed by the Chinese government they now have reason to assist us.  We have sheltered several members of this group.  Compensation for their continued safety and possible sanctuary from the Chinese could persuade some to act for us."  Maria picked up the stem of the broken wine glass and used the sharp end to gouge a shallow furrow in the table's finish.  "Even a tool that has been broken still has its uses."
   Mukata sat for a moment and thought.  "We will need to schedule another meeting of the board.  Would twenty four hours be an appropriate time for you?"
   Maria dropped the broken stem on the table.  "Twenty four hours.  That would be fine, thank you."  Maria rose from the chair and moved toward the exit from the meeting room.  The four armed guards who had waited a respectful distance joined her as she left.
   Mukata stood up from his chair and crossed to where Maria had been.  He picked up the shard of the wine glass Maria had used to scar the table and looked at it.
   'Let us hope we are not also cut by this tool.'


   0645 hours/Assault Vessel, dark side of the asteroid belt

   The Commander of Fleets moved to the Command Station of the Assault Vessel.  With what needed to be done, he could no longer remain on his old Patrol Vessel.  The Patrol Vessels would soon be placed in great danger.  Too much danger to risk the Commander of Fleets.  Even when that Commander considered himself the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17.  The Patrol Vessels would also be dispersed and isolated.  Sent great distances to accomplish their missions.  It would be difficult to Command from one.  No, the Commander of Fleets would have to remain in a central location that would allow him to coordinate the actions of the various Strike Groups.
   The Commander of Fleets placed his four 'legs' in the divots at the Command Station and felt the field spring to life around him.  He altered the field and issued orders to the assembled Commanders.  He could sense through his station as the ships began to move into their Strike Groups.  It would only take a few minutes and they would be ready.
   Attack Vessel 3 had accompanied the five Light Support Vessels that had joined the group.  They carried the supplies and additional scout craft that would be needed for the preliminary operations in their cargo holds.  The Combat Vessels and Hive Vessels would not be available for some time to come, but the native race had already been given too much time to recover from the last attack.  They could be left undisturbed no longer.  A New Home had fallen.  It would only be a matter of time before the enemy found another.  They could not be given that opportunity.
   The Commander of Fleets could sense that the Strike Groups had assembled.  He again altered the field at his station and issued their movement orders.  Only the Assault Vessel would be held in reserve.  All of the others would have to be risked.  Even the Attack Vessel.  It had been assigned to the group that would move to the location where the scout craft had lost contact.
   For now the Strike Groups had a mission that required them to appear as small raiding groups.  There would be no large coordinated attacks.  The native race would be made to think that the New Homes ability to wage war had been crippled.  That there were no large groups of vessels that could oppose them.  That it was safe to disperse their fleets to chase smaller threats.  And a reason to leave those small groups of ships where they could be destroyed piecemeal.
   That reason would involve something that had never been done before.  It had never occurred in the war for the Home System.  But it would occur now, and it would ensure that the enemy would move his assets to locations that would allow the Assault and Combat Vessels to destroy them when the time came.
   The closest target was the enemy colony that had been located in the debris field.  The first contact would be made there.


   0830 hours/Habitat Two, Surface of Titan

   Li Xue sat down beside Mae on the bunk in the empty bay.  The day's schedule was still on the small video pad in Mae's hand.  Unit lists and assignments.  Li knew exactly where Mae had scrolled to.  'It's the same place I stopped.'  Li looked at the pad in Mae's hand.  It trembled a little as she held it.  Then the pad fell slowly from her hand and drifted lazily toward the floor.
   "You can't go."
   "Mae, I have to.  You saw the orders."
   "Why?"  Li could hear a slight tremble and crack in Mae's voice as the young woman turned in the bunk to face her.  Li couldn't bring herself to face Mae.  Not yet.
   "I guess they need an old lady to keep the kids like you out of trouble."
   "You're not old."  Li could feel Mae begin to lean against her.  Then she could feel the tears on her shoulder, and the slow heaves as Mae began to silently cry.
   Li turned and put her arms around her.  "I'll be back before you know it."
   Li closed her eyes and held the young woman, and began to feel tears running down her cheeks also.  'An hour ago I was called into the Battalion Commander's Office and told I had been reassigned from the Training Companies to the 23rd Independent Power Armor Regiment.  Thirty minutes later I was notified that we would be loading onto the troop transport in six hours.  I don't think it is for training.'
   Li felt Mae raise her head.  Li wiped the tears from Mae's eyes first, and then from her own.  "Jeng will look after you.  I'm sure you will have all sorts of fun to tell me about."
   "Li, I was talking to Jeng.  He said..."  Mae couldn't finish as sobs choked her words, and she leaned against Li again.  
   "I talked to Jeng also.  I know.  But I'm still going to see you again."  Li held Mae tightly as her cries no longer were silent.  
   'I know what Jeng told you.  It was the same thing he told me.  That over eighty percent of the troops that landed on that moon by Neptune never came back.'


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 12, 2011, 04:21:43 AM
February 2205  part 2

February 1st 2300 hours/Interceptor MkIIb JFK, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Jamie Gauld unlocked his station.  "Comm, transmit for Task Force 1 to stand down.  Stationary Defense Group to assume General Quarters."  Jamie watched as several members of the crew unlocked their stations and began to move around the bridge.  Some had work that needed attended.  Others just felt the need to move after eight hours locked in a station.
   "Mars Station and Defense Station One report in.  General Quarters.  All systems on line.  All crew to stations."
   Jamie nodded to the Comm Officer and then looked at his monitor.  The magnetic protective field had been activated on both of the orbital stations.  'This is the first time that Defense Station One has gone to general quarters.  I wonder how the crew is dealing with it.  Less than half of them are cyborgs.  With no drive they don't have to be.  Any colonist with training can crew the stations.  They don't have to worry about being locked in.  And I won't disrupt their operations by holding an inspection either.'
   "Comm, notify Defense Base One that I intend to conduct an inspection in twenty minutes.    Engineering, prep ship's boat for launch in five minutes."  Jamie heard the chorus of 'Aye, Admiral' several times as the crew completed their tasks.  After a moments thought, Jamie opened up the ship intercom.
   "All hands this is Rear Admiral Gauld.  I will be transferring to Defense Station One for an inspection and training drill.  Upon order, the JFK will lock stations and come to battle stations.  Defense Base One will conduct primary safety launches with the JFK as the target.  You will implement the evasive protocols to avoid their launches.  You will also institute counter battery primary safety launches to test the station's defenses and damage control teams. Training to commence in one hour.  That is all."
   Jamie was sure he could feel the groans of the crew as they listened.  'After eight hours locked in their stations, they will go right back into them.  The station will like me even less when I'm done with them.'


February 2nd  0615 hours/Queen Jane Grey, Mercury orbit

   Ensign Gretta Deeters sat at her station.  She had only fifteen minutes before Rear Admiral McNeely would expect his briefing.  She had been assigned to keep the Admiral updated on construction and assignments in the Pan Euro Groups.  The construction of a new Heavy Escort at the Earth Station was easy enough to keep tabs on.  This new ship that the Mobile Shipyard had begun construction on was maddening though.  The designs and work seemed to make no sense.  'The Admiral said that it was not going to follow established construction principles, but it looks more like a space station than a ship.  Granted with only twenty four hours of work it isn't going to look like much yet. But why go all the way to Mercury to assemble it.'
   Gretta looked over the notes from the Engineers on the project.  'They say that the hull will take nearly one month to complete, with system installation taking another month.  After that will follow a one month trial period outside the belt.  With an entire Battle Group watching.'  Gretta tapped at her monitor and saved her notes.  Gretta tapped at her monitor again and brought up the civilian broadcasts on Victoria Colony.  The damage had been extensive, but it had only been a single alien bomber.  Most of the colony was still intact and power had been restored to all of the intact habitats.  Video files showed the civilian authorities organizing the population for the evacuation of the colony.  Lifters had been prepped and large portions of the population had moved to staging areas near the Transfer Station.  As soon as the evacuation ships arrived they would begin loading.
   Gretta tapped another part of her screen and pulled up the deployment and assignment updates she had for the morning briefing.  Not a single ship of any Pan Euro Battle Group had been assigned to oversee the evacuation.  The only government owned passenger ship was still at Earth.  It only had the ability to move about five percent of the colonists on Victoria.  'Perhaps the US is going to handle security.  I've heard they still have several ships stationed at Mars.  Mars is very close to Victoria now.  They could have ships there in about twelve hours.  Perhaps we have coordinated with them for convoy and colony protection.'
   'The evacuation would be a massive operation though.  It would take nearly two thirds of the Pan Euro civilian assets to accomplish.  Perhaps the US and FSC are also assisting.  They have to be.'  Gretta closed out the deployment notes and looked again at the civilian news broadcasts.  She looked at pictures of the twisted wreckage of the two domes that had been the targets of the alien bomber. 'They just have to be.'


February 3rd  2020 hours/Armed Colony Vessel 2, 5 light seconds from enemy colony

   The Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 2 could feel through the sensors as the two scout craft approached the enemy settlement.  The two small vessels would not be able to destroy all of the population, but that was not their task.  They would drop the bombs they carried and then return to land on the Patrol Vessel and Armed Colony Vessel.  Reports of ground fire began to come back as the scout craft started their attack runs.  Dangerous to the scout craft but nothing large enough to reach the rest of the group.  The Commander could sense as one after another the four bombs detonated among the enemy population.  'They will pay for what they have done to New Home 3.'  The Commander could feel his thoughts echoed in the fields of the crew.  'They too want revenge.'
   The Commander felt the signal return from the scout craft.  'They have finished their attack and are returning.'  The Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 2 altered the field at his station and gave the order for his ship to move forward slowly.  He also ordered the crew to prepare the mass driver on the ship.  He could feel the hum and growing field as it prepared to fire.
   The crew signaled that the mass driver was ready and the scout craft was safely on board.  'It is time to commence the rest of the operation.'  The Commander felt the flash as the mass driver launched its payload at the enemy colony and his ship drew closer to its target.


   2025hours/Near Garabay Dome, Victoria Colony

   Victor Arellano struggled to move in the clumsy vacc suit.  'This thing was designed for mining, not surface work.'  Victor looked up at the Transfer station half a kilometer ahead of him.  The first of the lifters was already leaving the surface.  'Those things can only hold two and a half thousand people.  Last time I checked there were a million people on this rock.'
   Victor turned down the volume on his suit radio as he slowly moved along the surface.  The screams and distress calls were deafening.  Looking around Victor could see dozens, maybe hundreds, of people in the light skin suits that all of the colonist wore.  'If you seal the hood and gloves, you've got about five minutes of oxygen.  Cold as hell out here on the surface, but it will take longer to freeze than they have air.'  Victor looked back at the Transfer Station.  'Half a kilometer across the surface with no maneuver pack, and only five minutes to make it.'  Victor managed a lumbering bound over the two meter tall rock in front of him, and then keyed the jets to push him back to the surface.  'Maybe this old mining suit isn't so bad.'
   The hood on Victor's suit suddenly darkened.  'What is going on?'  Victor turned down the filter only to have it darken again.  'This suit has to be older than me.  What a time for it to go on the fritz.'  Victor turned the filter back down and the hood cleared.  Victor stood still and looked ahead.
   The Transfer Station was burning in several areas with wreckage and rubble careening through the sky.  The lifters were gone.  But that wasn't what was holding his attention.  It was the enormous ship that was slowly descending toward the wreckage.  Victor turned and climbed back over the rock he had just cleared, and then watched as the ship descended.
   Pieces of rock and metal ricocheted off the hull as the ship settled to only one hundred meters above the wreckage.  Thrusters fired throwing even more debris across the surface.  Victor crouched down as a large beam glanced off of the rock he was behind.  'What is going on?'  Victor turned his radio back up and turned on the transmitter.  As he looked back over the rock at the ship he saw more debris glancing off the hull.  Then more and more.  'Those aren't rocks.'  As several of them came closer to the surface he could see the projections on the 'rocks'.  Then he could see the small detonations.  The white and red bursts as suits were torn apart.  And pieces of the people that had been inside those suits as they drifted in the low gravity.
   "Anyone who can hear me get away from the Transfer Station.  The aliens are all over.  There have to be hundreds, maybe thousands of them.  They have landed.'  Victor looked up to see an alien suit float twenty meters above him.  "HELP US!"
   For an instant Victor could see the gout of plasma that washed across the surface where he and a few dozen other people had been huddled.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 13, 2011, 05:03:51 AM
February 2205 part 3

February 3rd  2110 hours/Beijing, China

   He could hear the flies buzzing behind him.  The body was beginning to smell, but he would be done long before anyone noticed.  'I'm nearly done.  They will know by now that something is happening, but won't have enough time to stop me.'
   He looked back at the body behind him.  A young man.  An assistant at the Ministry of Defense.  A man with an access code that would allow him to utilize the lower functions of the computers there.  'Not what I needed for this work, but his code cut days off the time it would have taken to crack the database.  I'm sorry you had to die, but they killed my brother.  This was the only way.'
   He watched the screens in front of him.  Task bars and counters marked the progress.  'The woman said she would be able to get my sister and parents out of China.  To Europe and the Pan Euro.  Beyond China's ability to find and hurt them.  'The Ministers are going to be too busy now.  They will regret what they did.  We did what we did to help everyone.  That data and discovery belonged to everyone.  So they killed him.  The authorities said it was a plane accident, but my brother was afraid to fly.  He would never have flown on a plane, let alone died in a crash.  All I had to do to save the rest of my family was this.  They are going to kill me just like my brother, but they won't get the rest of my family.  Not now.'
   The screen to his left started blinking.  Flashing with blue letters.  He turned and quickly began tapping on the screen.  Dragging windows and starting other routines.  'Almost done.  Just a few more seconds.'
   The wall beside the door exploded in a dozen different pieces as the breaching charge tore a hole through it.  He grabbed the piece of white PVC off of the table beside him as a Power Armored soldier struggled to tear out the rebar rods that had remained after the charge had detonated.  He pointed the two plastic tubes at the figure and pressed the flashlight switch connected to the battery.  The two 18mm AP Euro Gyroc rounds hissed out of the makeshift derringer and then the room was filled with the detonation of their propellant charges.  The Power Armored body fell back from the hole in the wall.
   He grabbed his face and screamed as the soldier fell.  The gyroc's exhaust had seared his arms and face while shattering his eardrums.  He turned and looked at the monitor in front of him as a Pulse Rifle was shoved through the hole in the wall and sprayed the room.  The seventy round clip was empty before the weapon was withdrawn.
   Two Power Armor soldiers pushed through the wreckage of the wall and entered the room.  A dead man in his twenties slumped over a table covered with computer equipment.  Another body lay in the corner, obviously long dead.  Moving in front of the monitors the lead soldier could see,

   DOWNLOAD COMPLETE.
   ENTER VERIFICATION PASSWORD.

   The cursor flashed a few times before the room disappeared in an inferno as 4 liters of Astrolite detonated in the heating vent.
 

   2250 hours/Pan Euro Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon looked at the data on the monitor in front of her as she listened to the staff giving the briefing.
   "The few sensor returns from Victoria Colony indicate that only three warships and two small bombers participated in the attack.  It appears to be an Alpha, what is now known as a Tango Two, and a Sierra Class.  Four more bombs were dropped on the colony, while the Tango Two has fired its mass driver nearly a dozens times.  The first strikes took out the Transfer Station and the colony's lifters.  The following strikes cleared its landing area. For the last few hours it has directed fire on any organized resistance to the alien ground forces."  The young man, Commander Blake, took a few moments as he changed screens for his display.
   "Reports are that nearly half a million colonists are still alive, but the alien forces on the surface are systematically attacking the remaining domes.  Their initial attack consists of breaching a dome and venting as much of the atmosphere as possible.  They then begin to clear the domes of any survivors.  Reports are that the Victoria Reserve Infantry has been able to mobilize, but that the older 4.8mm SAR6's have proven ineffective against the alien suits."
   Brenna held up a hand and looked toward Commander Blake.  "How long do we think they will be able to hold out?"
   The Commander hesitated for a moment, and then turned to face the Admiral.  "Admiral Muldoon, at the current rate of alien advance, and with orbital support from the Tango Two, they will have cleared the asteroid by the end of the week."
   "Commander, why haven't they simply destroyed the population and moved on?  Is there any data to support a conclusion as to why the aliens are attempting a ground action at Victoria?"  Brenna watched the man standing in front of the assembled officers turn slightly paler.
   "Admiral, we have anecdotal reports of aliens capturing isolated colonists.  We have also received reports of the aliens attempting to remove or interface with data systems in the domes they have seized.  We have no way to verify this at present.  Possible theories include that they may be capable of interrogating prisoners and extracting information from our computer systems.  The success of our communication attempts on Triton may have been duplicated by the aliens."
   "So it is possible that they are trying to gain access to the location of all the belt colonies, and to our codes and data sets?"  Brenna watched the already pale man get a few shades lighter.
   "Yes Admiral.  We believe that is their most likely reason for their current course of action."
   "Thank you Commander Blake, that will be all.  How long until Third Light Battle Group can reach Victoria?"  Brenna looked around the table at the assembled staff.
   A man seated near Commander Blake spoke up.  "The Red October will reach Earth in just over fourteen hours.  The rest of Third Light Battle Group will reach Victoria in just under twelve hours."
   Brenna turned back to the monitor.  "Notify the US and FSC of our current situation and our conclusions for the alien's current actions.  Victoria has navigation data for every colony in the belt, not just ours.  They are going to need to know."


February 4th  0235 hours/Q Ship Vigilance, Mars Surface near Olympia Colony

   Captain Scott Moreland stood at the top of the loading ramp and watched as the 1st Battalion of the Martian Light Power Armor Division began loading equipment onto the Vigilance.  It was projected to take three hours to finish loading the soldiers and getting them prepared for travel.  Cyborg Infantry would go much more quickly, but there were only a few platoons of cyborg soldiers scattered through the Division.
   "Sir, the Steadfast has begun loading at Ground Station Two, while the Defiant and Resolute have docked at the Mars Station and will begin transferring soldiers and equipment ferried up to them by the lifters in the next ten minutes." Scott turned to look at the Ensign from Engineering and nodded.  "Thank you."
   Scott activated his internal radio and tuned it to the Vigilance's internal repeaters.  "Helm, how long until the Euro Third Light makes its closest approach to Mars?"  Scott waited a few moments for the reply to be sorted out of the vast message traffic carried by the radio repeaters.  "Captain, Third Light will pass at zero point eight two light minutes from Mars in three hours twenty two minutes by our last update."
   Scott watched as the troops tried to get organized on the tarmac outside.  'Three hours is probably the soonest they can load.  These folks have spent no time training on processing through a space port.'  He broadcast to the repeater again.  "Comm, broadcast to the Pan Euro Third Light.  Let them know we will probably be running behind their schedule.  If they would like us to accompany them, they will need to divert towards Mars.  Otherwise we will follow at best speed.  Make sure the reply is forwarded to me.  Courtesy copy of the message to Admiral Walters and Pan Euro Admiral Muldoon."
   Scott waited for the Comm to acknowledge the orders.  'It would be safer for us all if we traveled together.  With a few hours before they get here the Pan Euro Command may order them to divert regardless.'  Scott turned back toward the soldiers outside.  'They may not have practice loading, but they will survive it.  They haven't practiced any combat landings either.  God help them when the time comes.'


   1120 hours/Missile Frigate Angtung, 7 light seconds from Hektor

   Captain Zedong Tan checked the sensor returns.  The FSC target colony was ahead.  No ships were visible at this range but that meant little.  In the asteroid fields resolving a target among the many drifting rocks was nearly impossible until the ships were within five light seconds or less.  Closer if they had their drive off.  Small craft were nearly impossible to resolve beyond a light second or so.  'Which is why the Angtung's boat is now moving forward.  Not us.'
   It would take a few more minutes before the boat would reach sensor range of the colony.  "Weapon Conn, confirm Missile Bays One through Three ready for launch."  Hektor was at the far end of range for the Dragon Missiles, but if the FSC defenders chose to fire on the small craft scouting the area the Angtung would be able to target the launch signature.  
   "Captain, we have a message from Boat Fourteen.  They indicate that they have sensor returns on a pair of ships near the colony.  They also indicate that the colony is directing them to immediately identify themselves and shut down their drive in preparation for boarding."
   Zedong looked at the plotted sensor returns for the two FSC ships.  They were both close to the colony itself.  If the colony had any weapons the ships could be sheltering under that defense.  The Angtung would easily be in range of surface based missiles.
   "Order Boat Fourteen to return to the Angtung.  Communication Officer, when the boat reaches three light seconds from the colony broadcast the message from the Ministry."  Zedong watched the sensor returns as the small boat returned toward the Angtung.  'Nothing.  The FSC ships have no intention of leaving the safety of the colony.  One more reason for us to suspect static defenses.'


   1124 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, orbit of Hektor

   The Dutchman looked at the translation of the message the Chinese had just transmitted.  'Whatever ship broadcast this has to be just beyond sensor range.  That probably isn't going to last long.'  "Helm, prepare to engage drive."
   The Dutchman looked back to the Chinese message.  It was simple.  It was also a declaration of war.  They were again claiming the FSC was a renegade nation.  'From the rumors we might just be this time.  Not that I have a clue what we have done.  The Chinese broadcast this on an open frequency.  No code.  They want everyone to know.  Hoping the other powers will sit this one out.'
   "Sir, we have magnetic field detection bearing two four four ascension minus five point two.  Range to target no less than six light seconds.  Unable to identify at this range."  The Dutchman saw the sensor data displaying on his monitor.
   "Helm, activate drive.  Use pre-plotted course.  Engineering, I want the field generators online.  Weapon Conn, begin plot for firing solutions as soon as target comes in range."  The Dutchman watched as the drive engaged and the world turned blue grey.  "They are already accelerating and the Mary is no speed demon.  This is going to come to a fight."
   "Sir, Chinese Missile Frigate resolved at five light seconds.  Single vessel.  Bearing two three nine ascension minus two.  Closing at three nine thousand kilometers per second.  Delta Vee of one three zero kilometers per second squared."  The Dutchman listened to the Sensor Officer.  His monitor showed that the returns were not accurate enough for a firing solution at this range.  Interference from the belt would make a successful intercept impossible.  'Of course at the speed they are closing, we only have a minute or two before that will change.'
   "Sir, aspect change on Chinese Frigate.  She has changed course. Now three three zero.  Continuing to accelerate.  They appear to be disengaging."  The Dutchman deleted the weapon data from his screen and focused on the sensor returns.  'Sure enough.  They are breaking off.  Why show up, scout the area, broadcast that message, buzz the colony, and then run away?  Even with only a single Frigate they had us outgunned.  We could have put up a fight, but probably couldn't have won.  So why bother?'
   The Dutchman watched as the Chinese vessel broke off contact.  'I suppose I shouldn't worry about why.  Just being alive should be enough for the moment.'


   1145 hours/Venus Station, Venus

   Admiral Hu looked at the ship log of the Angtung.  'Why did this happen?  In fifteen minutes when the meeting begins someone had better have some answers, and a way to fix this quickly.'
   Hu played through the log again.  The Angtung engaged its drive and magnetic fields as it closed on the FSC colony.  Then, thirty seconds later, generator banks five through eight had went off line.  No recorded inbounds.  No other contacts.  The spooks were analyzing it to make sure that the FSC hadn't managed to duplicate the alien mass drivers, but it looked unlikely.  The large magnetic pulse of the mass driver was absent.  Sixty seconds after that, generator banks one to four had also went off line.  Again no inbound contacts.
   'Less than two minutes in and half of the Angtung's magnetic field generators were down.  At that rate they would have been defenseless in the next two minutes.  What is worse, a few minutes after that the field generators on the Venus Station started going down.  Engineering has been fighting a running battle rebooting the operating systems and restarting them.  But it only last for minutes before they are back down.  At least half of the generators are off line at a given time.'
   'The Euro is already fighting the aliens in the belt.  We only have limited information but it is likely that the aliens won't stop there.  Fighting the war against the FSC that we just declared will be difficult enough.  But if someone can't come up with a way to fix this, I don't know if we will be able to protect this station if the aliens return.'
      
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 16, 2011, 03:30:40 AM
February 2205  part 4

February 4th  1745 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po sat in the chamber and listened to the debate.  The recent turn of events had been unexpected.  The source of the problem had been identified.  The 'hacker' that had been killed less than twenty four hours ago had managed to penetrate the security of the Defense Mainframe.  Whatever virus he inserted into the system had been carried to the ships in the normal communications and updates.  It apparently attacked the code that regulated the operation of the magnetic field generators causing the systems to shut down.
   The remains of the computers the hacker used had been recovered, but the damage to them was very extensive.  The technicians in charge of the software that regulated the field generators had assured the Ministry that the virus could be countered and deleted from the system with what they were recovering.  They had also indicated that it would take at least a month and a great deal of funding.
   The Ministry had unanimously agreed to fund whatever it took to restore the field generators to full working order.  With the alien attack on the Pan Euro colony combined with the Declaration of War on the FSC, the Chinese Fleet was far too vulnerable if it was unable to reliably employ the magnetic defense systems.
   Minister Po stood and moved to the podium.  His time to address the Ministers had come.  As the leading member of the most powerful faction, it was time for him to address the assembly.
   "We have decided to fund whatever it takes to clear the virus from our systems.  This was a simple matter.  The next issue is not so clear.  We have proof that this hacker received support from the criminals of the South Seas Confederation, but we do not know if they were aware of what he was attempting or if he accomplished it.  Even if they are, it is not known whether the other powers are aware of the situation concerning our field generators.  "
   "Our declaration of war against the FSC should preclude the Pan Euro and US from acting against us, but if they understand our weakness they may act regardless.  We must resolve this situation rapidly before the Euro and US can intervene.  The Euro is currently occupied with the alien attack on its colony, while our operatives in the US have confirmed that the US Fleet at Mars has mobilized in support of the Euro group moving to relieve the Pan Euro outpost.  Unfortunately the Pan Euro ship Red October has joined the US Task Force at Earth.  These four ships represent the fastest warships in known space.  With a Pan Euro Battle Group still at Earth, we must assume they intend to use this fleet of high speed ships against us.  They will easily be able to interdict our shipping while avoiding our warfleet."
   "Our operatives have been able to confirm that no Pan Euro or US ships are currently stationed near the FSC colony in the belt.  Venus Station is currently located on the same side of the Sun as Hektor, and nearly opposite Earth.  I propose that we detach two Frigates from the fleet gathered at Venus.  They will be able to rendevous with the Frigate Angtung and the two troopships, assert control of space near the FSC colony, and then return to Venus Station in less than twenty four hours.  Much closer to twenty hours by most estimates.  The FSC had only two ships stationed at Hektor.  Even with reduced field generator reliability, three Frigates should easily be able to control the situation and destroy any defenses."
   "Any other option allows the other powers to reinforce the defenses of the FSC colony, or to exploit our weakness regarding our field generators.  This war must be concluded rapidly."
   Po stepped away from the podium.  There were three other speakers scheduled to address the assembled Ministers but none would attempt to counter what he had said.  That had been assured by the security personnel who had stationed themselves at the residences of the speakers' families - purely for security measures.  The next twenty four hours should see the landings on Hektor completed.


February 5th  0400 hours/Andvari Crater, Surface of Triton

   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank crouched in the tunnel.  Hauptgefreiter Ludwig Schimmelpfennig was stationed with her.  'A year ago I was trying to kill Chinese soldiers.  Now I'm trying to protect them.'
   One hundred meters behind her were elements of the Chinese battalion.  They were still acting as security elements for the captured alien population, but it had become far more complicated than that.  With the declaration of war between the FSC and China the situation on Triton had become tense.  No one had started shooting yet but it had come close several times already.
   The Chinese troops had been given advanced warning by their government and had already moved away from most FSC troop concentrations.  They had also petitioned the Pan Euro and remaining US forces for amnesty.  With the bulk of the Chinese troops garrisoning the underground shelters while the FSC garrisoned the surface supply sites it had been easy enough to keep the two groups separated.  The Chinese had agreed to surrender all of their nearly non-existent heavy support weapons and agreed that they would not initiate hostilities in exchange for the protection of the Pan Euro Brigade.
   'What we have now is an uneasy truce.  We outnumber the FSC by over two to one, but the FSC has managed to seize all of the supply dumps on the planet.  Without those supplies our protection will mean nothing.  The Chinese Power Armor soldiers trapped down here in the tunnels will die without supplies.  We will have a hard enough time fighting without those supplies.  We barely have enough ordinance stored underground for three days of heavy combat.'
   'Hopefully it won't come to that.  The only thing keeping this whole situation from falling apart is the fact that the FSC doesn't want to start a war with the Euro or spoil the political support they have from the US.'


February 6th  0047 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, 8 light seconds from Victoria Colony

   Captain Scott Moreland watched the sensor returns.  Reports from Victoria Colony had indicated that the Tango Two had moved away from the colony over six hours ago.  Whether they were hiding in the belt or had left was unknown.  'Either way we aren't going anywhere.'
   "Captain, message from Pan Euro Captain Natasha Piotyr of the Heavy Escort Tatianna indicating they have identified landing sites for Ground-to-Orbit-Shuttles 22 and 29."
   Scott looked at the sensor returns.  'The 3rd is going to run this show.  It's their colony and their call.' 
   "Engineering, report on the Power Armor Battalion and GTOS."
   "All companies report in as ready for deployment.  GTOS 22 is ready for launch."
   Scott checked the monitor for the sensor returns again.  'With the troops moving around and ready for drop, we are a sitting duck.  If we try to accelerate we will kill all of them.  The only way to keep them from tearing the ship apart when the drive engages will be to vent them all.'  Scott looked at the landing sites.  The troops on GTOS 22 would be landing three klicks from the habitat that was their objective.  GTOS 29 from the Steadfast would ferry down First and Second Companies of 3rd Brigade.  They were all veterans of the combat on Triton and they were coming in nearly on top of Garabay Dome and the ruins of the Transfer Station.  Third Brigade was supposed to hit the alien command hub there like a sledgehammer.  But a problem had cropped up.
   "Weapon Conn, status of orbital support for GTOS landing?"
   "Captain Piotyr has still forbidden primary safety release strikes into the landing zones."  The Weapon Officer turned in his station.  "They still project civilian casualties would exceed alien losses by ten to one."
   "Dammit, our troops are being marched in front of a firing squad.  Those orbital shuttles weren't designed as combat landers."  Scott pulled up the scans of the surface landing sites.  Both landers would be coming down with clear lines of fire for the aliens.  With the aliens sheltering in the habitats it was nearly impossible to target them.  'On Triton we could shoot at anything.  That isn't going to work here.'
   "Engineering, lock the GTOS down.  Get the troops in their landing brackets.  Were putting this thing down.  If we draw the heavy stuff, we might buy GTOS 29 a free ride onto Garabay Dome.  Comm, let Natasha know what we are doing.  Helm, arm the maneuver thrusters.  Prep for combat landing.  You've done this before, we're doing it again.  When the board is green, take us down."
   Scott locked his station and watched the monitor.  It felt like an eternity until the board lit up with indicators that the troops and lander had been locked in.  "Fire thrusters."
   Scott watched as the sensors recorded the descent.  Much slower than any nuclear drive, but closing on a rock at almost 2000 kilometers an hour was still a ride.  As the surface drew nearer the shield generators shut down.  'They can't work that close to the surface.  It's either shut them down, or burn them out.'  Moments after the shields went off line fire began to reach up from the alien positions.  'Here it comes.  Much smaller than the alien missiles, but a couple thousand support weapons all pointing at us is going to hurt.'
   Argon blasted through the bridge.  Then again, and again.  "Captain, damage to forward compartments.  Multiple hull breaches recorded.  Landing in fifteen seconds.  Firing braking thrusters."
   Scott listened to the crew and watched his monitor.  Scott heard the Helm call "Landing."  He could feel the impacts shaking the ship as his monitor tracked the troops disembarking.  The progress seemed to crawl by.  Finally Engineering called in.  "BAYS CLEAR, BAYS CLEAR.  THRUSTERS FIRING."
   Scott watched as the asteroid slowly drew away from the Vigilance.  He switched to a visual feed and saw the surface below him swirling with light.  Detonations.  Waves of plasma and flame.  Tracer rounds and lasers lighting up the dust cloud from the landing.  A thousand forms of death rolling across the surface.
   "Shields on line.  Drive shield clear of Victoria.  Engaging drive."  The world went grey as the Vigilance rocketed away from the surface.  Suddenly the drive cut out and the bridge vented again.  Scott looked at the monitor even as he called out.  "Engineering. Report."
   Moments passed as the drive restarted and the Vigilance again began to pull away from the colony.  "Captain.  We had a failure in the forward troop hold.  A strut failed and we sustained structural damage to Bays One and Two."  Scott checked his monitor.  The damage was extensive, but not fatal.  The Vigilance would be able to put in for repairs.  'Assuming we live to get back home.'
   "Comm, any reports from the troops on the ground".
   "Captain, reports aren't conclusive.  Garabay landing was successful if costly.  GTOS 29 took some damage, but survived the landing.  First Company of Third Brigade is securing its landing zone under fire.  Reports from 1st Brigade are confused.  Scans from the Pan Euro Attack Escort Kathleen are showing substantial casualties.  We lost a lot on the way in and during landing.  Ground fire has also been concentrated.  The Kathleen is estimating losses to First Brigade at sixty five percent."
   Scott looked at the reports beginning to stream across his monitor.  'My god.  Two thirds of 1st Brigade is gone.  Third has only started landing, and they are getting hammered.  We were only supposed to put two brigades down.  The other two were supposed to be headed for Triton with a Pan Euro supply ship.  This isn't going to work.  The fighting is here.  The kids on Triton are just going to have to behave themselves.'
   "Comm, get me Commander Lewis of the Resolute.  We will be docking in five minutes.  Second Brigade needs to prep for landing.  We will be using GTOS 22 in addition to the lander on Resolute.  Forward the message along with the current situation to Admiral Bradley with a request for further orders.  We will hold the Defiant at Victoria pending orders."
   Scott began scrolling through the data on the landing as it came in.  'The Resolute and Defiant were already supposed to be heading toward Neptune.  I hope the folks out there can wait a little longer.'


   0505 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, orbit of Hektor Colony

   The Dutchman watched the sensor returns.  'Last time the Chinese decided that they didn't like being outnumbered.  So they come back with three Frigates.'  The Dutchman watched as the ships closed from five light seconds out.  'We aren't sticking around.  The only thing we are going to do is die if we try and stop that group.  We have two launch bays total.  Those three ships pack three bays each.  Two launches will turn the Mary Reed and Krait into so much drifting wreckage.  Two launches from us won't even drop the magnetic field on one frigate.'
   "Helm, course two seven zero.  Full acceleration.  Comm, notify the governor on Hektor that he has visitors."
   Minutes crawled by as the Dutchman waited to see if the Chinese ships would pursue, but the three frigates slowed down as they approached Hektor.  A few minutes later the Chinese ships dropped off the sensor returns.   "Helm, change course to one eight zero at minus two ascension.  Continue on one eight zero for thirty minutes.  Then plot a course for Earth.  Make sure we don't come any closer than twelve light minutes to Venus.  Comm, let the board know what happened and our current course of action."
   The Dutchman switched his screen over to monitor the civilian broadcasts from Hektor.  'They chased us off.  Now what are they going to do?'


   0521 hours/Troopship One, Hektor Colony oribt

   Li Xue woke up lying on her stomach, naked, coughing horribly and dripping with some thin oily liquid.  She turned and looked at the noise beside her.  She saw a black, vaguely female cyborg pulling another naked young woman out of a honeycomb shaped container of fluid in the floor.  The cyborg put the young woman on the floor and pulled the tube out of her throat and then her catherter and the IV in her arm.  The woman turned on her side and began coughing up the clear fluid onto the hard grey deck.  The cyborg stepped on a glowing area of the floor and the tubes retracted into the fluid and a hatch slid closed over it. 
   'Oh my, that just happened to me.'
   Li felt a hand on her shoulder and stared up to see another young woman looking down at her.  Her hair was dripping with the same fluid she seemed to be covered with.  "Come on soldier.  This deck only stays pressurized for an hour at most.  After that they vent this all into space."  Li nodded at her and struggled to her feet.
   "My legs feel like pieces of wood."  Li found herself leaning against the wall to stay upright, then looked at the woman watching her.
   "This was only a week.  Try the month long trip out to Neptune."  The woman turned and started to walk away.  Li looked and saw four other women also moving in the same direction.  She pushed off from the wall and stumbled after the women.  "You were at Neptune?"
   The tallest woman, the one who had spoken to her, stopped and turned back.  "Yes.  A few of us were.  What is your locker number soldier?"  Li thought for a moment as she tried to catch up.  "One two four."
   "Your in my squad then.  My name is Ling Song and I'm your squad leader.  Come on."  The tall woman turned and continued moving.  Li followed the group down the curving hallway about thirty meters to a hatchway.  As Li went throught she began to recognize things.  'This is where I stored my gear.  This is Arms Locker Two of Bay One.'  She moved toward her locker and put her hand on the black locking pad.  The hatch dropped quickly into the floor.  She found the small towel and tried to wipe off the oily fluid as best she could.  'I wondered why they kept a towel in here.'  She pulled out the slick elastic body suit and pulled it on.  She looked at herself as she stood on the deck, and then at the young women as they also got dried, dressed, and into their armor.  'I don't look so bad anymore.  Until you look at all these twenty year old girls.' 
   Li turned her back to the locker and stepped into the lower legs and feet of her Salamander Armor.  As she leaned back into the suit she could feel the foam expand and surround her legs.  'The blast cushioning works.  Now to get the rest of it on.'  Li wiggled as she slid her arms into the suit and then unlocked them from the brackets.  She pulled the front thigh covers out of the wall recesses next and locked them on.  Then she pulled up the breastplate and fitted it on.  Each time the foam expanded and filled every available space.  Li stepped out of the locker and pulled out her helmet.  She pulled it on over her head and locked it in place.  This time the foam only covered the back of her head and sides of her face.  Her nose, eyes, mouth, and ears were the only things not padded.
   Li checked the arm and leg servos, then used her chin to open the HUD menu and scrolled through the operation checklist.  'Everything checks out.'
   "Second Platoon, First Company.  Report to Weapon Locker and Lifter Bay."
   Li filed out with the rest of the women.  The Weapon Locker was a large open bay.  The entire battalion stored its weapons here and dozens of soldiers were already in lines drawing their equipment.  Li followed her squad to a line on the far side of the bay.
   Li heard a voice on her radio.  "One Two Four. Soldier Li Xue.  Wrong line.  Support Weapon Type Fifteen is Line Seven."  Li looked around and spotted the line she was supposed to be in.  She quickly moved to the end of the short line.  Two cyborgs moved down the line pulling racks of weapons behind them.  One cyborg locked Li's Pulse Rifle to her arm while the other snapped ammo cassettes to her armor before giving Li her Type 15.  Lights flashed on the inside of her helmet with lines and arrows directing her to the Lifter Bay.  She followed the directions out of the Weapon Locker, down a long ladder, and then onto the deck of the Lifter Bay.
   The Lifter Bay she was familiar with.  'I've done this dozens of times with Mae.'  The thought of Mae made Li pause for a moment.  'I already know where to go, and what bracket I'm assigned.  Mae is fine.  I need to worry about me.'  She climbed into the Lifter and took her postion.  Other soldiers were filing in and filling the Lifter quickly.
   As Li waited she began to feel nervous.  'Just breathe deeply.  Breathe.'  Li closed her eyes, but her stomach only got worse.  'I feel sick.  I suppose it's good that I haven't eaten for a while.'  Li's radio crackled to life.
   "This is your Battalion Commander.  We are currently in orbit of the asteroid Hektor.  We are also at war with the FSC.  Below on the asteroid is an FSC outpost of over one half million.  The Twenty Third Powered Armor Regiment will land and secure the space port and cargo handling facilities for the colony.  Ground fire and resistance is expected to be light, but Reserve Units will have been mobilized.  You are authorized to use any force necessary to eliminate FSC ground forces.  The Frigates Angtung, Quinha, and Sichuan will prep the landing zones.  Landings will begin in five minutes.  This is your Battalion Commander, out."
   Li felt cold.  The landing brackets were holding the suit still, but she could feel herself trembling in the foam inside the suit.  'This is a human colony, not alien.  I don't want to kill anyone.'  Li looked with her eyes from side to side at the other suits.  'How many of you wanted this?'
   "Lifter prepped for launch.  Launch in three, two, one..."  Li felt the jostle as the lifter cleared the troopship, then the steady acceleration as it began descent.  "Landing in two minutes."  Li heard the voices in her helmet as the lifter crew performed their jobs.  Just like the dozens of times she had done it in training.  'I know where to go.  I know the mark I am supposed to hit and hold after landing.  I just have to do my job.'  The lifter began to shake and Li could hear thumps and pings through the bracket and suit.  "We are taking ground fire.  Landing in fifteen seconds."
   The landing jarred Li, even with the foam padding.  "EVERYONE OUT ! NOW ! NOW ! NOW !" Li unlocked the brackets as the sides of the lifter folded down forty five degrees.  She hit her jump thrusters and rocketed up into the darkness,  then keyed the braking thrusters and aimed herself toward her mark.  Orders screamed over her radio as dust flew up and rock crunched as she landed.  Dust began to kick up around her and lines crossed her HUD as the Near Miss Indicator traced bullet paths.  She followed the NMI back to a small tower visible as the low light filter turned on.  She could see a figure in a vacc suit with some rifle firing.  Li held up her Type 15 and used her chin switch to activate the weapon optics.  The figure appeared on half of her screen and grew as the magnification increased.  'Li, pull the trigger.  Pull it.'  She kept telling herself but the weapon wasn't going off, and the figure kept firing.   "I'M HIT ! I'M HIT !"  Li could hear a young woman screaming and looked about.  A suit twenty meters away had fallen and was rolling in the dust.  The foam had sealed the hole but whoever was inside was hurt.  Dust kicked up around Li again as the NMI traced more paths across the HUD.  Li saw the tower suddenly lit up with tracers as other soldiers opened fire.  She watched as the vacc suit vented and the figure was torn apart by several bursts.
   Li looked around and saw that she was on the flat concrete of the space port landing pad.  The concrete was cratered in dozens of places.  'Something big hit this place.'  She heard voices on her radio and finally picked out a familiar one.  "Soldier One Two Four.  On me.  This is your Squad Leader.  We are to advance on the transfer facility.  Confirm."
   "This is One Two Four.  Confirm."  Li looked out and saw the members of her squad beginning to move out.  Li moved over to the figure lying in the dust.  Li rolled the armor onto its back and the limbs fell limp around it.  She looked into the faceplate and could faintly see a young woman.  Her face was blue-white and her eyes were open and glassy.  Li felt pressure on the shoulder of her armor and looked up.  The HUD identified it as 'SQUAD LEADER'.  Li heard her radio again.
   "She's dead.  We need to move, soldier."

   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 17, 2011, 02:24:16 AM
February 2205 part 5

February 6th  0820 hours/Washington DC, Earth

   Admiral Bradley Walters sat at the table in the briefing room.  The meeting had started twenty minutes before, but was only now getting to anything important.  Secretary of Defense Adam Richards and Congressional Defense Committee Chairperson Harland Meyers were both seated near the head of the table quietly discussing something while General 'KJ' Foxx presented the latest intelligence and updates from the First Martian Division on the Pan Euro Victoria Colony.
   "The alien combat units have improved since the battles on Triton.  The majority of alien assets are still comprised of 'Gremlin' Battle Suits.  The suits are crewed by a single alien.  The suit has been constructed of an unknown yet resilient composite with stand off baffles covering eighty percent of the suit.  The armament has been upgraded since Triton.  It was formerly armed with two dozen twenty millimeter shaped charge explosive cylinders or rockets on external mounts.  This load out had limited its ability in an extended combat situation.  The 'Gremlins' recovered on Victoria have featured these cylinders plus a single ventrally mounted gauss 'machine gun' firing one point seven millimeter spheroid projectiles at velocities capable of penetrating Power Armor.  The standard issue LAR 7 of the Martian troops with its fifty-five millimeter aperture has limited capability to disable the alien suit in most engagements.  The SLAR 8 and M174 HLMG have proven capable of destroying the 'Gremlin' at most ranges less than two hundred meters.  The forty-millimeter gyroc grenades have also proven very effective at destroying this alien weapon system.  The small size of this suit and nearly non-existent thermal signature has made finding them difficult for our troops."
   "The second most common suit is code named the Goblin.  It is slightly larger and crewed by two of the aliens.  It has nearly the same cross section as the current issue Shiloh Power Armor System.  It carries the same armament as the 'Gremlin' but significantly better protection for its crew.  The LAR 7 has proven completely incapable of destroying the 'Goblin' without extended and concentrated fire.  The SLAR 8 has shown some ability to disable the suits while the M174 has become the preferred weapon for engaging these elements of the alien forces."  
   "The largest alien suit, the 'Ogre' is crewed by six of the aliens.  It is composed of the same composites but with heavier construction and dual baffles over the forward sections and single baffles over the rest.  The M174 and gyroc grenades have been successfully employed against this suit, but the McClellan Assault Vehicle has proven very capable of destroying the 'Ogre' at extended ranges.  The 'Ogre' carries a dorsally mounted two point one millimeter gauss machine gun capable of engaging lighter armored vehicles.  It also carries two dozen larger thirty-six millimeter rockets capable of defeating the protection of any US vehicle on Victoria.  It is equipped with a close range defensive system.  Both front corners mount an eight-barreled apparatus.  Four barrels contain sixty small penetrators each which when employed are capable of saturating an area up to thirty meters in the front sixty degrees of the 'Ogre'.  The other four barrels each contain an unknown compound that is rapidly converted to plasma and ejected.  This plasma discharge is guided by magnetic fields and is capable of defeating any US vehicle on Victoria.  The plasma is also capable of destroying the external wall of the Pan Euro domes and is the main breaching method employed.  It also mounts a ventral one point seven millimeter gauss machine gun for use against lighter targets."
   "These units comprise over ninety five percent of the alien forces on Victoria, with the 'Gremlin' comprising seventy five percent of this number.  The Pan Euro Victoria Reserve has assumed a support role for the US Martian Division.  Armed primarily with aging four point eight millimeter SAR6's, they have proven completely unable to engage the alien units.  They have very limited supplies of heavier support weapons.  The Reserve has been assigned to providing personnel and equipment for security and evacuation missions."
   Bradley watched Secretary Richards look up and hold up a hand.  General Foxx paused in his presentation.  "Yes Honorable Secretary."  Richards leaned back in his chair and gestured toward the projection showing the alien battle suits.  "It would appear that our M174 and McClellan are pivotal assets in this engagement.  How well supplied are our troops with these weapon systems?"
   General Foxx tapped on a monitor near him and the display changed to the TO&E of the Martian Division.  "The Martian Division is designated as a Light Power Armor Infantry Division, not as an Armored Division like the Second Armored was on Triton.  They have two M174 HLMGs per company in a Support Weapon Section.  The Division has a single armored battalion, with two companies of McClellan Assault Vehicles, consisting of four vehicles each, one company of Stewart Light Assault Vehicles with six vehicles and two support companies.  One of the McClellan companies is currently at half strength.  The Stewart Company was destroyed in the initial landings."
   Bradley watched as the expression on Secretary Richards darkened.  Chairman Meyers took up the slack.  "How effective have our troops been in destroying this alien menace and preventing civilian casualties?"
   General Foxx changed the display again to an overview of Victoria Colony with columns and lists flanking it.  Colors began to spring to life across the map.  "This is a display of the current situation on Victoria that was shown earlier in the briefing."  Bradley was impressed that the man was able to keep the contempt from his face.  The fact that the two men for whom this meeting was being held had ignored it for the first half hour was lost on no one.  "It shows that lines have stagnated.  We have been unable to dislodge the aliens from their currents bases of operation but have been able to prevent the destruction of further domes.  It is believed that nearly fifty to seventy thousand civilians are still trapped inside the alien held zone, and that almost twice that number still need evacuation from areas considered active combat zones.  Hampering this has been the lack of personnel for the operations, and inability to gain superiority over the alien units, and lack of space to house refugees in the remaining undamaged domes."
   "Civilian casualties were high during initial operations but have fallen off.  We still have been unable to prevent alien attacks on civilian groups, particularly those in occupied areas.  The civilian news services estimates that civilian casualties will exceed two thousand per day.  We believe this figure is accurate.  It is likely to remain stable for the next few weeks."
   Chairman Meyers sat back slowly.  "My god.  Two thousand civilian casualties per day.  What of losses for the US troops?"
   "Losses for US troops in the initial landings were one thousand two hundred and seventy three lives in six hours.  Losses have fallen significantly for the last hour but are projected to be nearly one hundred lives per day of combat.  This figure is still tentative."
   "The public isn't going to stomach this for long.  What is the timeline for the Pan Euro to land troops and take over the operation?"  Chairman Meyers was showing more than mild concern on his face now.  Bradley could see that Secretary Richards was busy tapping at a pad he was holding.
   General Foxx turned to face Chairman Meyers.  "We currently have no information on Pan Euro mobilization.  I can't give any estimate at this time."
   "Thank you General Foxx.  Admiral Walters, will you proceed with your portion of the briefing."  Secretary Richards put down his pad and turned in his chair to look at Bradley.  Bradley rose from his seat and moved to the front of the room as General Foxx cleared his displays and returned to his seat.
   "Gentlemen, at this time we have the Q Ships Steadfast and Resolute on station at Victoria.  The Pan Euro Third Light Battle Group consisting of the Heavy Escort Tatianna and Attack Escorts Kathleen and Scarlet are also located in orbit of the colony.  Two hours ago these ships intercepted two of the smaller alien bombers and destroyed them prior to the start of their attack runs.  There has been no other contact with space-based units.  The alien bombers have an unknown range but were likely launched at a considerable distance from the colony.  The Q Ship Defiant and Pan Euro Heavy Cargo Three are enroute to Triton with a single battalion of the Martian Division on board the Defiant.  They also carry adequate supplies for the US and Euro troops on Triton in the event that hostilities should erupt.  They will arrive at Triton on or about the Second of March.  The Q Ship Vigilance is currently enroute to Earth for repairs of damage it sustained during the landings.  It also carries nearly five thousand civilian refugees that will require processing upon its return.  Task Force One is still on station at Mars to maintain security for the Mars Station and its construction assets.  Task Force Two has been joined by Pan Euro Armed Science Vessel Red October.  They are currently awaiting confirmed contact with alien warships at which time they will move to intercept and engage them.  It is believed that these four ships will be able to decisively engage the alien assets currently operating in the inner system.  Priority of engagement has been given to any confirmed contact with the Alpha codenamed as 'The Baron'."
   Secretary Richards sat up.  "Admiral Walters, will the Steadfast and Resolute be capable of withdrawing the three brigades of troops currently on Victoria if necessary?"
   Bradley turned to face Richards.  "Honorable Secretary, the troop bays of the Steadfast and Resolute will be able to carry eighty five percent of the soldiers on Victoria.  The remaining troops will be loading onto the Landers and will remain in the launch bays for the return trip to Earth.  It is not an ideal situation, but we will be able to transport all of our assets given sufficient time.  It will likely take several hours to load the troops and this could invite attack by alien warships.  Alien ground forces are also likely mount an offensive against any landings.  Losses will likely be heavy and damage to the Steadfast and Resolute is almost certain.  I would not recommend a landing under the current circumstances."
   "Do you believe that the Pan Euro ships at Victoria will be adequate for security at that location?  Wouldn't it be prudent to move the Steadfast and Resolute to Mars or Earth if they are not going to be capable of safely withdrawing our troops?"  Chairman Meyers was making sure to get his two cents in, while trying to appear concerned about his constituents.
   "With US Task Force Two at Earth along with a Pan Euro Battle Group, the Q Ships would provide little additional support.  They could be relocated to Mars to assist in the defense, but with the continued alien bomber attacks on the colony are likely to provide more support at that location."
   "What do you make of the transmissions from the FSC colony at Hektor, Admiral?"  Richards had again sat forward, showing obvious interest in this subject.
   "We have received the transmissions that three Chinese Attack Vessels have entered FSC space and that troop landings have occurred.  We have heard of primary safety launches on the spaceport and cargo handling facilities but are unable to confirm this.  It appears that the Chinese are pursuing their war with the FSC in the belt and not at Earth.  We have no assets in that area and do not currently have plans to deploy any as our presence could be construed as an act of war.  Task Force Two has been considered as a contingency force to interdict Chinese forces should hostilities spill into US held space.  The Pan Euro has not indicated that the Red October will support such a move at this time."  
   "Thank you Admiral, that will be all for now."


    2230  hours/Hardened fallout shelter, New Delhi, India

   Chairman Mukata sat down heavily into the large padded chair in his quarters.  This day’s meeting had been an extended one with many accusations and threats.  "Your people in China seem to have been discovered Maria.  The board is likely to seek action against you."  
   Maria followed Mukata into the room and took off her jacket.  She carefully placed it across the back of another chair and then leaned against it.  "They must have been successful for the Chinese to act so violently.  But we have been unable to discover what the cell accomplished.  It appears to have been carried out by a rogue member of the group.  He was brilliant, but very reckless yet secretive.  If only we knew what he attempted or accomplished.  The board's decision in this is simply ignorant.  We will be taking an angry bear and provoking it.  They are likely to create a situation where the fight ends up here on Earth."
   Mukata looked up at the Chilean woman.  She looked tired.  Her normal porcelain face was strained and shined with perspiration.  "At least they did not direct the launch of the silo missiles at Chinese targets in retaliation for the Chinese launches on Hektor."
   Maria walked around the chair and sat down, then rested her head against the back of the chair and closed her eyes.  "They may as well have.  Directing the Dutchman to take the Mary Reed and Krait and attempt to interdict and confiscate Chinese civilian lines.  For every missile we launch the Chinese will answer with dozens.  If the Dutchman should intercept and destroy a Chinese passenger ship we will likely see nukes used on us here at Earth."
   "I do not think the Chinese will violate the Pax Treaty so lightly.  At least not as long as the Pan Euro and US are maintaining warships in orbit.  Mukata got out of his chair and crossed to the teak counter by the wall.  "May I get you a cup of tea?"
   "Yes please, and some wine also if you would."  Maria opened her eyes and looked up at the dark wood ceiling of the room.  "Any word on how many dead on Hektor?"
   Mukata poured the two cups of tea, and looked for a glass in the cabinets above the counter.  "We hear that nearly twenty five thousand died in the launches, and perhaps another thousand since the landing.  Accurate reports are difficult to come by."
   Maria closed her eyes again.  "I have ordered many deaths over the years.  But this..."
   Mukata brought the cups and wine glass and sat them on the small table between his and Maria's chairs.  "Here, perhaps this will calm your nerves."
   "Thank you."  Maria sat up and took a long sip from the wine, then sat the glass back down on the table and rested her head back against the chair again.
   Mukata watched as the tension on her face relaxed.  Then as her breathing slowed, and finally stopped.  Mukata pressed the button on the arm of his chair to signal the guards to come in.  "Good bye, Maria."


February 7th  0900 hours/Missile Frigate Angtung, 1.5 light seconds from Hektor

   Captain Zedong Tan monitored the sensor returns and the reports from the ground troops as he watched the crew rush to their stations.  'It's just us.  The Frigates Quinha and Sichuan already returned to Venus so only the Angtung is left.  And they caught us out of stations trying to catch up on maintenance.'  Maneuver thrusters were bringing the ship about, but with the crew not yet locked in, it would be impossible to engage the drive.  
   "Captain, lead alien bomber entering low orbit, second bomber still at one half light second from Hektor.  We record ordinance launch from first bomber.  Surface detonation.  The first bomber has lost its drive bloom and is beginning to drift.  First bomber breaking up from ground fire."  Zedong listened as he watched progress on the crew reaching their stations.  'There, the stations all show green.'  "Helm, engage drive.  Move to intercept second alien bomber.  Weapon Conn, get me all bays online and firing solutions on that boat."  The world turned grey as the drive engaged.
   "Captain, aspect change on Bomber Two.  New heading of zero six three.  They are turning away from the colony.  Increased thermal signature.  They are accelerating.  Current velocity of three thousand kilometers per second and increasing."  Zedong looked at the sensor returns.  'We need to get closer.  Those little ships are hard enough to target.  Here in the belt it is twice as hard.  It already has a fair speed advantage but it can't outrun us.'  "Weapon Conn, fire when we reach one light second from target.  Helm, time until we reach one light second range?"
   "Captain, at current acceleration we should make one light second to target in three minutes fifteen seconds."
   Zedong looked at the sensor returns.  "Helm, close to one light second from target and hold.  Sensor Conn, I want to know if anything else shows up.  Three minutes is going to take us a distance from Hektor."  As the moments crawled by Zedong watched the small boat draw slightly away.  For a minute it even disappeared from the sensor returns as it passed through a small cluster of debris near the colony.  Then the small alien ship reappeared on the same course as the Angtung closed on it.  With the colony five light seconds behind them he finally heard the Weapon Conn reporting in.  "Range to target of one light second.  Solutions on line."
   "Launch all bays."  Zedong watched as the icons for the outbound missiles separated from the Angtung and closed on the bomber.  The returns clouded as the detonations spewed charged particles through the belt.  Seconds later the alien ship reappeared continuing on its original course while maneuvering to avoid further launches.
   "Weapon Conn, get me a second launch on line.  Fire when solution plotted."  Zedong heard the crew respond to the orders as he watched the sensor returns on his monitor.  'We are already six light seconds from Hektor and getting farther every second.  If something shows up there it is too far for us to even know.'
   "Second launch on line.  Missiles away."  Zedong watched as the missiles again closed on the small alien ship and detonated.  And once again the nimble alien craft pulled away from the expanding clouds of plasma.
   "Get me a third launch on line.  Flatten that bird or you will all find yourself helping the ground troops."  Zedong watched as the crew got the third launch on line and the missiles sped away.  This time the small alien ship didn't appear from the detonations.
   "Captain, magnetic fields detected bearing zero seven seven ascension minus two point six.  No drive bloom.  Range to contacts four point five light seconds.  Contacts as Alpha times one, Tango Two times one.  Echo times one. Sierra times one.  Inbound detected from Alpha.  Magnetic pulse from Tango, mass driver launch."  The Sensor Officer's voice gripped his attention as Zedong stared at the flashing red icons on his display.
   "Helm, bring us about to heading one three zero.  Full combat acceleration.  Engineering, get the field generators on line and keep them that way.  Weapon Conn, can we target contacts?"
   "Captain, firing solutions on launch signatures compiling.  Time to launch twenty seven seconds."
   Zedong watched as the inbound closed.  'We won't get the field up in time.  At least if the mass driver was going to hit us we would already have felt it.'  The sensor returns clouded as the alien missile disappeared into a wave of plasma.  A wave that was obviously too far away to do any real damage to the Angtung.  'At least this mass of rocks is giving the aliens problems too.'
   "Missiles on line.  Target captain?"
   "Field generators on line.  All banks report full function."
   Zedong looked at the returns.  "Target Echo until destroyed.  Helm, hold course with full acceleration."
   The drive cut out as the missiles launched, then restarted.  "Captain, new contacts.  Inbound times two.  Mass driver launch detected.  Alien Alpha, Echo and Tango Two showing active drive bloom.  Accelerating."
   "Helm, continue full acceleration.  Weapon Conn, get me the next launch on line."  Zedong watched as the missiles crossed in space.  'The mass driver missed again.  Let's hope we get as lucky with the alien inbounds.'  Zedong watched as the Angtung's missiles detonated in space, and the Echo emerged from the sensor disruption with its magnetic field up.  'The range is just too far and this crew has never launched on a hostile target before.  If our shields go down we are history.  We have to hold on long enough to disengage.'
   Detonations clouded the returns on Zedong's monitor.  "Captain, all field generators on line."  'They missed again.  But it isn't going to last forever.'  "Helm, time until we reach six light seconds from contacts?"
   "Captain, six light seconds in seventy two seconds."  Zedong watched as more inbound icons appeared on his monitor, but no pulse from the Tango.  'Perhaps we are out of range for the Tango.'
   "How long until my next launch?"  Zedong looked at the Weapon Conn to see the four cyborgs locked in their stations.
   "Launch in three, two..."  The drive cut out again and the world changed color for a few moments until the drive restarted.  "Missiles away, Captain."
   Zedong's returns clouded again as the inbounds detonated along the Angtung's path, but again they failed to find their target.  It was only seconds before the next pair of inbounds appeared though.  "Captain, sensor returns are inadequate for further launches."  Zedong clenched his fingers as he listened to the Weapon Officer's report and watched the alien inbounds close.
   "Captain, Engineering reports Field Generator Banks One through Four off line."
   'Damn it.  We need to get out of here.'  Zedong's sensor returns clouded again as the alien inbounds detonated.  Lights flashed on his monitor.  'Another quarter of our generators just went off line.'
   "Captain, no further inbounds detected from contacts.  Aspect change on Tango Two.  It is turning back toward Hektor.  Alpha and Echo continuing pursuit."
   Zedong watched as the distance increased and the alien ships fell back to nearly seven light seconds.   'They won't be able to track us if we drop our fields at this range.  "Engineering, take remaining field generators off line.  Helm, change course to one eight zero.  Comm, tightbeam transmission to Hektor, Earth, and Venus.  Notify them of current situation and course of the Angtung.  Request for orders."
   'Command isn't going to be happy.  The soldiers will be less so.'


  
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 18, 2011, 02:07:24 AM
February 2205  part 6

February 7th  1027 hours/Surface of Hektor

   Li Xue crouched in her position.  Squad Leader Ling Song was thirty meters away with one other member of the squad.  'I can't stop shaking.  This can't be happening.  We just secured the Spaceport.  I am supposed to be on the perimeter security detail.  Now the port is a crater and this place is crawling with alien suits.'  Li looked around at the damaged walls of the habitat she was now in.  'At least I'm alive.  It sounds like half of us aren't anymore.'
   Li heard her radio crackle to life.  "Second Squad.  Movement in your sector at grid three three one four.  Move to engage.  Confirm."  It was the Platoon Leader.  Li heard Ling reply.  "Confirm, moving to engage.  One Two Two take point.   Bounding overwatch.  Team B first move.  Twenty meter spacing.  Move out."  Li suddenly felt sick.  She was in Team B.  They would be the first to move out while Team A provided cover fire.  Perhaps the first to make contact.
   Li keyed up the grid display on her HUD and looked at where they would be going.  It was a section of damaged habitat less than one hundred meters from their current location.  With no orbital support exact data on what lay between them and where they were going wasn't available.  'I hate surprises.'  Li stood up and could feel her legs trembling.  Li watched as One Two Two, who was a young woman called Li-Li, began to move toward the rubble of a wall that opened into the corridor leading to their destination.  She disappeared over the rubble and crouched for a moment before signaling for the rest of the team to move forward.  The other two members of Li's team rose and moved forward.  'I'm farthest from the wall.  I need to hurry.'  Li struggled as the maneuver thrusters on her pack pushed her along as she skipped across the floor.  'This place is even harder to move on than Titan was.'  Li watched as Li-Li moved down the hall and the other two members of her team reached the rubble and crossed it.
   "Move out One Two Four."  Li could hear Ling hurrying her.  The woman seemed to be unfeeling.  The rest of the squad had nicknamed her the 'Ice Queen.'  Supposedly for her time on Triton, but everyone knew better.  Li reached the rubble and began to cross it.
   Li saw the two women in front of her suddenly disappear as a pair of rockets slammed into them.  Li threw herself into the rubble as the hallway filled with dust.  She could feel the rubble shaking under her like it was piled on top of a vibrating chunk of machinery.  'Oh my god they are shooting the rubble.  They know I'm here.'  Li could hear Ling yelling at her to stay down.  "Where are they?! WHERE ARE THEY?!!!"  Li could hear herself screaming into the radio as pieces of the rubble began to fly away.  Suddenly she felt her nose slam into her faceplate as the rubble shook from a detonation.  Tears blurred her vision and she rolled down onto the floor trying to get as flat as she could.
   "FALL BACK ! FALL BACK !"  Li could hear Ling yelling at the rest of the squad.  
   "I ... CAN'T ... MOOOVE !!!"  Li's breaths came in gasps as she tried to scream and cry at the same time.  Her NMI lit up with white streaks as an alien suit tumbled through the opening above her and shells tore into it or detonated on it.  "STOP IT !!!  I'M STILL ... HERE !!! "
   Li fired the maneuver pack and felt herself scraping along the floor as another two alien suits came through the opening.  Rockets broke free from the forms as some type of gun swiveled about underneath them.  Trails lit up her NMI while dust and rubble exploded across the room.  Li triggered her Type 15 over and over while screaming and could see one of the suits suddenly explode, then the second.  Red letters flashed on her HUD that her weapon was empty.  Li tried to grasp another cassette of ammo but lost it as her trembling arms couldn't hold on to it.  A fourth suit floated through the dust shrouded opening as she watched.  It turned toward her and she watched its gun swivel toward her.  Li's breath caught in her throat as the strength seemed to drain out of her.  And then the suit disappeared in another explosion.
   "GET UP LI !  NOW !  DO YOU HEAR ME SOLDIER !  MOVE !"  Li struggled to get up as Ling screamed at her.  She turned over and fired the maneuver pack as she pushed off the wall she had run into.  She could see Ling firing burst after burst as Li tried to angle herself for the other exit from the room.  As she reached the hallway and turned she found that Ling was right behind her, still firing.  Li struggled to load her weapon and finally got a second cassette out and locked in place.  She looked up to see Ling firing through the walls of the habitat toward where the aliens had appeared from.  Li began firing with her and watched the 23mm rounds punch holes in the wall the size of her head.  Then she grabbed another cassette and did it again.
   "CEASE FIRE !  CEASE FIRE !"  Li emptied the last rounds out of her Type 15 and stopped.  "Reload soldier.  That weapon isn't any good empty.  And don't forget your shoulder mounted gun and backup on your arm."  Li grabbed her fifth cassette and locked it into her weapon.  'Only one left, only one left...' Li thought to herself.  She looked around as she tried to catch her breath.  The room and the hallway she was in looked empty, except for floating dust, rocks, and wreckage.  As her breathing slowed she counted four aliens suits plus parts of several others floating about.
   "Where is ... the rest ... of the squad?"  Li tried to control her voice, but her pounding heart and gasps wouldn't let her.
   "We are the squad.  Follow me. We are falling back on Third Squad.  The aliens will hit this again soon."
   Li tried for a few moments to stop crying as they moved down the hall, and then gave up.
   'I'm so sorry Mae.  I don't think I will see you again.'


February 8th  0610 hours/Habitat Two, Titan

   Mae Ling looked up from her breakfast tray as alarms sounded in the mess hall.  Moments later two men rushed in.  ''Everyone to your company areas!  NOW !"
   Mae pulled herself out of her seat and kicked off hard from the table.  As she arced up she grabbed one of the ceiling brackets and then threw herself toward the double doors leading out.  She landed almost two steps in front of the next closest soldier, grabbed the bar between the doorways and twisted herself so that her momentum carried her down the hall.  'I am so glad now that my mother forced me to take all those years of tumbling and gymnastics.'
   Mae entered her bay in time to feel the ground shake underneath of her.  "What in the hell was that?"  A few other women had made it into the bay and grabbed at whatever they could to steady themselves.  The ground shook a second time and Mae grabbed a bed rack as she watched another rack topple to the floor.  More women poured into the room.  Overhead speakers blared.  "All companies to your armories.  All companies, suits on and formation outside."
   'Where outside?' Mae thought as the ground shook again.  Mae pushed off from the bed rack toward the door, but was thrown into the floor as another rack fell on her.  Racks were crashing everywhere and Mae could see that the amber alert lights had turned on.  'The habitat is breached.'  Mae pulled the hood of her suit over her head then pulled the gloves on her sleeves over her hands and sealed them all.  She could see the brown fog rolling along the floor and feel the first chill of the outside atmosphere wash over her.  'I need to get out of here now.'
   Mae struggled out from under the bed rack and over the others in her way.  She vaulted up and over the women in front of her and pulled herself through the doorway by the top of the frame.  In the hallway she pushed off from the wall and began the one hundred meter run to Bay Seven.  She could hear the muffled screams of others behind her who had not gotten their suits on as air colder than any found on Earth froze whatever tissue it could touch.  The choking cries of some told Mae that not all the frozen tissue was on the outside, as hapless souls inhaled the super cold atmosphere - freezing lung tissue as they struggled to breathe.  Mae rushed through the doors into Bay Seven seconds before the automatic safeties slammed them closed.  Mae could hear pounding on the outside of the doors as she made her way to the nearest suit.
   "Let me."  Mae looked up to see that one of the instructors had made it to the bay.  He pressed his hand against the lock near the suit.  Lights flashed on as systems activated and safeties turned off.  "Thanks."
   The instructor grabbed her arm.  "You're going to need to take a deep breath, hold it, and move quickly.  The air in here is warmer than that hallway but the temp is still nearly forty below zero.  You’re going to start getting frostbite as soon as you open the hood of your skin suit.  When you're done meet me at the Weapon Locker."  Mae looked at him and nodded, then turned her back to the Power Armor suit and took a deep breath.
   As she ripped off the gloves and hood the air felt like thousands of tiny pins and knives stabbing at her skin.  She ripped the seams on the body of the suit and pulled it off quickly. 'Oh my god this is cold.' Mae jammed her feet into the suit and felt the padding expand to fit her legs and start to warm.  She pushed numb hands and fingers into the arms and could feel the padding expand and warm.  "My eyes.  Dammit my eyes!"  Mae could hear herself yell and blew out hard to keep from taking in the frigid air as she reached for the frontal thigh plates.  She snapped them on and reached down for the breastplate.  She pulled it up and the frigid inner surface knocked what was left of the air in her lungs out as she snapped it into place.  Her lungs ached and burned as she reached above her and grabbed the helmet.  The ground shook again and she fell.  'I'm not dying this way!' Mae pulled the helmet on and locked it onto the suit.  Warm air flowed around her face and Mae inhaled as deeply as her lungs would let her.
   Mae looked around the Bay to see that five other soldiers had made it and were struggling to get on their armor.  Mae rushed to the nearest, a young man fumbling to put on the breastplate.  Mae pulled it from his grasp and then locked it in place.  She then grabbed the helmet and pulled it over his head and locked it.  She didn't wait for a thank you before she moved to the next.  In less than a minute all five were suited up.  Some more frost burned than others, but all alive.
   Mae led the group as they moved through the hatchway into the Weapon Locker.  She could see the instructor lining up racks of Type 4's and the drums that went with them.  He had also brought out a case used to carry extra cassettes of 37mm rounds for the Type 67's and another case holding 30mm grenades.  He looked back at Mae and the others.  "Get these on.  We are out of here in sixty seconds!  Don't be late!"  Another tremor shook the ground and Mae ran for the racks.
   It took a moment to lock on the drums and snap extra cassettes of 37mm rounds onto her suit.  She loaded the under barrel grenade launcher and then headed for the air lock out of the armory.  The last of the group straggled after her as she joined the instructor.  Mae could hear the instructor as she looked around.  "This is Instructor Lao Yat-Sen.  I am at grid seven five four six nine two with five effectives.  Requesting orders."
   Mae heard the instructor as he spoke, but wasn't listening anymore.  She had started to look around and saw that the habitat was in ruins.  Great holes had been ripped though the dome and fires burned inside.  Bodies and pieces of bodies had been strewn across the surface along with chunks of debris and wreckage by the explosions that had torn the habitat apart.  Mae had started to look at all of it, but had stopped.  Not ten meters from where she stood was a frozen body.  The skin was blue even in the dim light of Titan.  The skin was covered with frost and dust.  Even through all that Mae could recognize the body.  Tears began to roll silently down her cheeks as she stared at the body of the young man who had proposed to her only a few hours ago.  


   0840 hours/Missile Frigate Angtung, One light minute from Hektor Colony

   Captain Zedong Tan looked at the reports as they scrolled across his monitor.  The troops on the ground at Hektor were being devastated by strikes from the alien mass driver.  Those left were struggling to hold out caught between the aliens and the colonists.  The Regimental Commander had died in the opening bombardment.  The colonists were also being slaughtered, unable to adequately combat the Chinese troops let alone the engines of death the aliens had placed on that rock.  With alien ships providing support every human being on that rock was doomed.  They would be lucky to survive a few days.
   Now reports had come in from Titan.  The aliens had bombed the habitats there.  The aliens didn't even need to directly target the habitats.  The mass driver created shock waves in Titan's atmosphere that shattered the domes and killed unprotected colonists on the surface.  Landings had taken place and the survivors on the ground were now fighting for their lives.  With only the Training Regiment left, many of them dead according to the latest data, the aliens would find little difficulty slaughtering what was left of the inhabitants.
   Zedong typed in the over ride to the comm station of the Angtung.  'I have lived long enough.  If this costs my life then so be it.  It will not be the only one sacrificed in these next few days.'  He typed a message on his screen and then keyed in for an open transmission.  'For once we have to set aside these petty politics, or we will all die.'  


   0857 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po heard the door crash open to his office.  He grabbed for the pistol in his desk as two soldiers barged into the room.  Neither was brandishing a weapon so Po paused for a moment.
   "Minister, you need to read this and accompany us to an emergency assembly of the Ministry."  The man looked deadly serious as he held a piece of paper toward Po.  Po took the paper and rose from his chair to follow the men.  As he moved down the hallway his blood ran cold as he read the message.

   ATTN FSC FORCES
   ATTN ANY EARTH FORCES VICINITY OF HEKTOR

   FROM CAPTAIN ZEDONG TAN
   MISSILE FRIGATE ANGTUNG, CHINESE IMPERIAL SPACE COMMAND
   
   ORDERS TO ALL CHINESE GROUND FORCES ON HEKTOR
   CEASE FIRE IN EFFECT WITH FSC EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
   23RD POWERED ARMOR REGIMENT TO SUPPORT FSC OPERATIONS AGAINST ALIEN FORCES

   MISSILE FRIGATE ANGTUNG MOVING TO SUPPORT OF FSC COLONY HEKTOR
   REQUEST SUPPORT FROM ANY FSC, PAN EURO, OR US FORCES ABLE TO ASSIST      
   NOTHING FOLLOWS.

   Po crumpled the paper as he began to jog after the soldiers.


   0930 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, 12 light minutes from Hektor

    The Dutchman sat at his station and stared at the messages displayed on his screen.  'The board has forbidden us to respond to this message from the Chinese Frigate and its Captain.  Suspicion that it is a ploy to lure us into a trap.'  The Dutchman cleared all of the messages off his monitor and stared at the blank screen.  'I had to abandon that colony and the people there.  Leave them to the Chinese troops.  And now the reports are that the Chinese Captain has been forced to do the same thing, only now it won’t be an occupation.  It will be a slaugher.  There are even messages that the Chinese have a colony at Saturn that has come under attack.'
   The Dutchman brought up navigational plots.  'A lot of people are dying, and I can't do anything to help sitting here.  The board would even have me intercept shipping that could be needed to fight the aliens.'  
   "All crew lock stations.  Helm, plot a course for Hektor.  Comm, broadcast to the Chinese Frigate Angtung that we will be moving to support an offensive against the aliens at Hektor.  We may not be able to defeat the aliens, but I'm going to try.  Courtesy copy of message to the board."
   The Dutchman sat and thought as the drive engaged.   'The board is going to have a long walk to come out here to collect my hide.  Assuming we survive.'


   1200 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 7 light seconds from Earth

   "Can we verify the authenticity of these messages?"  Commodore Stephan Vasilikos turned in his station to look at the Communication Officer.  
   "Admiral, we have no way to verify this message traffic.  They were all broadcast on open frequencies with no encryption protocols.  The last messages requested positions for tightbeam transmissions.  It would appear that both the Chinese Frigate and FSC Mary Reed supplied coordinates and times that could be used for the ships to maintain contact.  We can also verify that the positions broadcast coincide with plotted positions for triangulation of the broadcasts.  Who or what is actually sending them is unknown.  But why would anyone go to the trouble of creating these false message logs?"
   "I have no idea.  One thing is for sure though.  The aliens have landed in at least two locations in the belt.  Transmissions would indicate that they have also conducted landings on a Chinese site at Saturn."  Stephan sat and thought for a moment.  "Comm, get me a link to US Rear Admiral Jack Ryan.  Patch it through to audio at my station.  Isolate from repeater traffic."
   "Yes, Commodore."
   Stephan waited for a few long moments until he heard the audio pickup at his station activate.  Stephan keyed open the link.  "Rear Admiral Ryan, this is Commodore Stephan Vasilikos.  Are you there?"
   "This is Rear Admiral Ryan.  Is this an open or closed link?"
   "Closed on this end.  Just I can hear you.  Is that acceptable?"  Stephan waited a few moments for a reply.
   "Both ends are closed now.  I suppose you have something you need to discuss that required this?"
   Stephan thought for a moment about what he wanted to say.  He had heard enough to know that Rear Admiral Ryan was willing to take risks and bend rules.  But only occasionally.  He had gained several promotions in less than a year.  He hadn't spent decades as an Admiral and gotten stuck in tradition and protocol.  The question was if he would agree to this.  "You have been monitoring the transmissions from Hektor."  It was less a question than a statement.
   The comm link crackled back to life.  "We have monitored transmissions."
   Stephan thought a moment.  That answer left Admiral Ryan's cards pretty close to his chest.  He wasn't giving away anything one way or another.  "We both know that your US troops are fighting to protect our colony on Victoria, and both our governments have ships there to give those soldiers a chance.  It sounds like the Chinese troops have stopped their offensive and are now fighting to save South Seas colonists, and both the South Seas and China plan to try and take back the orbitals to give the folks on the ground a chance.  Would you agree?"
   The comm sat silent for a moment before coming to life again.  "If the transmissions we have gotten are accurate that appears to be the situation."
   Stephan sat for a moment.  The US admiral wasn't giving anything away.  Perhaps he was concerned that the transmission wasn't closed.  'I'm just going to have to say something to convince him that this is just us chatting.'
   "At the moment it sounds like the Chinese have troops fighting the aliens on Titan.  It also sounds like they are getting the smeg kicked out of them on the ground and from orbit.  It has occurred to me that we have nearly thirty ground based launchers here at Earth, and an entire Pan Euro Battle Group parked in orbit.  Now to me it seems we have a lot of firepower here at Earth, with no one to fight.  With your Task Force and the Red October we have the four fastest and most dangerous ships known to man.  I hear that we also have an admiral who could get us to Saturn faster than any other man alive.  We also have a commodore whom we can blame this whole thing on and everyone would believe that it was his fault."  Stephan waited only a moment for what he had said to sink in.  "I think this group could do a lot of people a favor if we just moved it a little, say to Saturn.  We could chase off the bad guys and give the troops on the ground a fighting chance.  My question is, are you game for this and how fast can you get us there?"
   Stephan waited.  'If that doesn't convince him that this is a closed channel nothing will.  Now we have to see if he agrees or turns me in to Brenna.  I'm already in enough hot water with that prune as it is.'
   The line was quiet for almost a minute.  Then finally the connection crackled back to life.
   "We can be ready in three minutes.  Assuming your aging crate can keep up, time to Titan is twenty hours and thirty seven minutes."  
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 28, 2011, 06:09:18 PM
February 2205  part 7

February 9th  0930/Surface of Hektor

   Team Leader Li Xue cycled through the filters on her optics. Low light, UV, IR, and thermal. 'Nothing.  With luck we will be gone before the aliens hit this place.  Battalion has a report of movement, so they want us to check the area.'  Li looked at the four other members of her team.  'I hope we don't meet anything.  We don't have a prayer against the aliens.  At least since the alien warships left an hour ago we can move around in groups bigger than a platoon.'
   Li held her hand out and signaled her team to hold their positions.   Li moved to the nearest member of her team, a young man named Marcus.  'Four of them and only one I can even talk to.'  Li knelt beside Marcus.  'The FSC armored vacc suits aren't going to help them much but at least it has a good maneuver pack.  And this surplus Euro 4.8 mm SAR 5 will be lucky to stop even the little alien suits.  At least he still has a full load of ammo.'
   "Marcus, check the rest of the team.  Make sure the suits and weapons are ready.  Headquarters says one of the movement sensors in Corridor Two dash Seven has been tripped.  I will need one team member to go with me and recon the corridor. We will move out in three minutes.  Confirm."
   "Yes, Team Leader."  Li watched as Marcus began to move from one team member to the next.  'He doesn't know protocol, but at least he can talk to these FSC reserves.  Let them know what we will be doing.  Reassure them.'  Li keyed off the transmitter and started taking deep breaths.  'I need to stay calm.  We need to check the corridor ahead.  It leads to the airlock that the company is evacuating civilians from.  We need two hours to finish the evacuation.  The movement was probably just settling rubble.  This place is a wreck.  We are going to be fine.'
   "One Two Four.  Status."  Li heard Squad Leader Ling Song checking on her.  'The Ice Queen calls.'  Li turned on the transmitter.  "Squad Leader, completing equipment check.  Move to beacon in two minutes.  Confirm."
   "Confirm.  Sitrep on arrival.  Out."
   Li looked at her team.  Three of the four carried surplus Euro SAR 5's, while the last carried a 6.9mm SSR 4.  The 6.9mm support rifle could penetrate the lighter alien suits and the team's position was built around it and Li's weapons.  'I can't take the SSR, or they will have no chance if anything shows up.  They won't have any heavy weapons when I go regardless of who I take.'  Li looked around at the rubble in the bay.  'A bunch of old furnishings, some of the ceiling, and one support beam that failed and left a hole to the floor below us.  This room also has two exits, one of which we are covering.'
   Li saw Marcus moving back towards her.  'It's time.'  "Marcus, you're coming with me.  Tell Number Four that he is in charge and to stay near the SSR team.  I will be leaving an automated support weapon forward of this position.  They are not to advance or it will fire on them.  Confirm."  Li watched as Marcus nodded then heard the gibberish as he spoke to the team.  Li took one more deep breath and closed her eyes.  'I can do this.  We will be fine.'  Li stood up and moved slowly across the bay, going from one piece of cover to another.  A pile of furniture in one place.  Rubble from the ceiling in another.  Marcus would cover her movements, and then she would as he caught up.  Small spurts of white gave away their positions as their maneuver packs fired.  Li cycled through the filters again as she scanned the area.   
   Li reached a pile of ceiling materials just short of the hole in the floor.  She used her chin switch to turn on the main HUD menu and waited for the voice recognition system to cycle on.  "Set Type Sixty Seven.  Movement sensor targeting.  Auto target select.  Auto target fire.  Sixty degree cone.  Detach Type Sixty Seven.  Remote operation in sixty seconds."  Li heard a click as the small cannon on her shoulder unlocked from the suit.  She pulled it off her suit and extended the three legs on the Type 67.  'From here it will cover most of the bay and the hole in the floor.  That should give the team a little more punch.'  Li backed away from the meter long weapon system and watched as it began to pan back and forth.
   Li looked at Marcus crouched a few meters away.  'He isn't doing me much good with that pop gun of his.  I might as well be alone.'  Li took a deep breath and moved beside Marcus.  "Marcus, put away your weapon."  She watched as the young man looked back at her with confusion on his face, and then slowly put the old Euro assault rifle in its mount on the side of his maneuver pack.  Li unlocked the mounts on the 6.5mm pulse rifle mounted on her arm and held it out toward Marcus.  "This will do a lot better than that old gun of yours.  It has standard optical sights on the sighting rail."  Marcus took the pulse rifle and looked it over, then nodded.  Li looked back towards the exit into the corridor they needed to check.  'We are going to be alright.  I just have to remember that I only have six cassettes.'
   Li got up and crossed the rest of the bay to the small hallway that lead to Corridor 2-7.  She activated the optics on her Type 15 and held the weapon out into the hall.  She panned it back and forth.  Up and down.  "Clear.  Move up Marcus."  Li waited as he moved to the door and crouched again.  "I need you to move down the hallway twenty meters."  Li gestured in the direction she wanted him to go.  "At the end of the hall is a hatchway to Corridor Two dash Seven.  Do not open it.  Wait for me there.  Confirm."
   "Yes Team Leader."  Li watched as Marcus got up and moved slowly down the hall.  He used his left hand to hold the railing while covering the hall in front of him with the rifle.  'Smart boy.  As long as he uses the railing his maneuver pack won't fire constantly to keep him on the floor.'  Li saw Marcus stop and crouch in the hall and aim the pulse rifle into a doorway.  "Marcus, report."
   "Team Leader.  I saw movement."  Marcus had both hands on the rifle now and occasional jets from his pack fired to hold him steady.
   "Hold your position, I'm moving forward."  Li tried to steady her nerves but could feel her heart beginning to pound again.  Li moved down the hall and then past Marcus to the door.  Li used her weapon to look past the door.  'Just living quarters.  Furniture and clothes scattered about.  Two more doors.  They probably just lead to other rooms, but not an exit.'   "Marcus, move up and clear the rooms."  Li waited as the young man slipped past her in the hallway and through the door into the room.  Li shifter her weapon to cover the hatch into the corridor they had come to check out.  Suddenly Li could here Marcus spurting gibberish again.  "Marcus, report."
   "Team Leader, I have two survivors in here.  Man and a woman.  Standard vacc suits.  No weapons.  They say they only have a few hours of oxygen left."
   Li breathed out hard.  'Survivors.  At least it wasn't aliens.  These two are what probably set off the movement sensor.'  Li felt several small vibrations and heard her radio fill with voices yelling.  Then she heard Ling.  "One Two Four.  We have contact in Corridor Two dash Six.  Falling back.  You need to fall back to the evac site.  Confirm."  Li felt cold and sick.  "Confirm.  Falling back."  Li pulled up the schematics of the dome on her HUD and looked at them.  "Marcus, Corridor Two dash Six is hot.  Get the rest of the team up here.  I will deactivate the cannon.  Have them pick it up and bring it forward."  Li stared at the map.  Corridor 2-6 was the team's route back to the evac site.  They were cut off now with two refugees in tow.  The only clear path to the evac site was through Corridor 2-7.  'I hope these two were what set off the movement sensor.'    Li switched off the Type 67 and waited.
   It took a few minutes for the rest of the team to move forward.  Two were carrying the Type 67 while the SSR gunner covered them.  'At least in the low gravity they can move the Type 67 around.'  Li took the weapon and reattached it to her suit.  'Four more shots if I need them.'  "Marcus, Number Four in the lead.  SSR gunner next.  Then Number Three.  You and I will cover the rear.  Civilians in the middle.  We need to move fast.  Pass this on to the team.  Confirm."
   Li waited as Marcus spoke to the rest of the group.  As the team moved into its new order, Li listened to the radio traffic.  It sounded as if the Battalion was struggling.  Two of the largest alien suits were spearheading the attack and were tearing through walls and positions.  Li looked back at her team and checked their order. "Move out."
   Number Four, a man that Marcus called Jacob moved through the hatch and into Corridor 2-7.  After a few moments Li saw him motion for the group to move forward as he moved away from the hatch.  In less than a minute the team and the two survivors had moved into the corridor and were moving quickly toward the evac point.  The radio was filled with voices.  Most of it was the gibberish that the FSC colonists spoke, but enough was Chinese for Li to get a good idea what was happening.  'The whole perimeter is collapsing.  The fact that our battalion is now three companies of FSC reserves with a few Power Armor soldiers scattered through them, and only a single Power Armor Platoon acting as the heavy weapons element for the battalion doesn’t help.  And it sounds like the Power Armor platoon has been torn apart and scattered.  The Headquarters Company is the only thing left between the two big alien suits and the civilian collection point.'
   Li checked the dome layout on her HUD as they moved down the corridor.  'Corridor 2-6 and 2-7 run parallel most of their length.  The last access hatch between them is one hundred meters ahead.  Past that is the lock to the surface outside.'  Li used her maneuver pack to jump past the team and stop the group.  "Marcus, this corridor looks clear.  You and the rest of the team take the civilians outside. You and the team will need to stay close to the dome's base.  The aliens have firing points on the upper dome, but the curve should give you cover at the base.  Move to the evac point.  I will be taking the next hatchway.  I will meet you at the evac point."  Li watched as Marcus looked at her, and then listened as he relayed the orders to the rest of the team.  Moments later the team began to move down the corridor.  All except Marcus.
   "Soldier, I gave you an order."  Li looked at the FSC soldier.  'He's nearly a foot shorter than me in this Salamander Suit.  He probably will tower over me out of it though.'  Then Marcus turned to face her.
   "Yes Team Leader.  You will need someone to cover your back.  Your suit can't see behind it any better than I can."
   "We will discuss your insubordination later.  If you refuse to move with the team, you are going to have to follow me.  I can't have you disappearing into the civilians to escape punishment.  You South Seas types all look the same to me."  Li was sure she could see the small smile on Marcus' face.  'The other three members of the team are white as snow, as is most of this dome.  They all came from Australia to hear of it.  Marcus is brown as toast and from India.  Says he learned a few Chinese dialects from relatives in Tibet.'
   Li moved to the hatchway and continued to check the schematics on her HUD.  'The aliens have moved fast, but pushing past the perimeter and then the power armor troops has cost them time.  We have moved down the hall unopposed.  Marcus and I could get ahead of them if we move through the maintenance section ahead. It has two exits into Corridor 2-6.'  Li moved quickly down the hallway to the access hatch for the maintenance section and opened it.  Moving into the cluttered rooms Li moved past equipment and supplies.  The frequent firing of her maneuver pack scattered small objects off of shelves and set them to drifting about the rooms.  As Li opened the third door she was greeted by the site of literally hundreds of objects drifting and crashing about in a room.  A room with a gaping hole out into the main corridor.  Li had a moment to see three canisters in the mass of floating debris begin to turn toward the door as she slammed it closed, and then Li was flying back as the door and parts of the composite wall exploded.  Even as her pack stopped her Li fired two 37mm rounds into the mass of drifting material.  Two more detonations stirred the debris even more.  Li looked over to see Marcus moving behind some large piece of machinery and covering where the door had once been with the pulse rifle.  Li moved behind a large generator and watched the opening also.  Bottles, boxes and papers drifted into the room.  Li could feel her heart pounding and sweat beginning to roll down her face.  Her arms and legs felt weak.
   "They must already be past this area.  We need to get through that room and into the corridor."  Li could barely believe what she was staying.  'I just want to hide here.  The corridor must be crawling with aliens.'  Her heart pounded in her ears as she stood up and moved toward the opening.  She heard the clicks and thumps as debris bounced off of her armor, and each made her flinch.  As she reached the opening she thrust her Type 15 forward and swept it across the room.  She could see the opening into the corridor and two small alien suits in the corridor.  Li triggered her Type 15 and saw the first small suit go spinning out of view as the 23mm shell slammed into it.  A heartbeat later and the second small suit suffered the same fate.  Li then leaned forward and fired a single 37mm round into the corridor and watched it detonate.  As she leaned back she could feel her breath coming in ragged gasps and it felt as if her heart would pound its way out of her chest.  It was then she saw Marcus fire his maneuver pack and rush past her.
   Li moved around the corner and found Marcus at the hole leading into the corridor firing burst after burst from the pulse rifle.  A detonation in the corridor knocked Marcus cart wheeling back into the room.  A second canister came through the opening and detonated but Li felt her maneuver pack steady her as more debris crashed into her.  Li fired her maneuver pack and drove through to the opening into the corridor.    She spotted another pair of alien suits and fired her last 37mm shell at one.  The detonation tore apart one and sent the other careening off the wall and ceiling.  A single shot from her Type 15 finished it off.  Li ejected the cassette and locked a new one in place.  Li looked back to see Marcus struggling past the flying debris to reach the opening.
   Li could feel her whole body trembling as Marcus reached her.  Marcus leaned out into the corridor and then back quickly.  "I saw half a dozen or so smaller suits and a really big bastard coming this way."  Marcus' words were punctuated by a detonation in the hallway and followed by dozens of holes appearing in the wall. 
   "FALL BACK !"  Li grabbed Marcus' suit and fired her jump thrusters.  A moment later they were out of the room and into the adjacent one.  Li's NMI traced hundreds of lines as alien weapon fire poured into the room they had been in moments before.  The crash into a wall lit up her HUD with half a dozen red warning messages.  Li pushed Marcus toward the machinery he had been hiding behind earlier as she pushed off toward the generator.  A flurry of detonations told her that the aliens were closing.   Li looked over to Marcus.  'We need to hold their attention for a few minutes.'
   Li's NMI lit up again as alien machine guns tore through walls.  Dozens of holes sprouted in the wall beside her as Li shifted around the generator.  Li fired through the wall again and again with her Type 15.  Li saw a small suit tumble into the room as burst after burst from the pulse rifle ripped apart its outer hull.  Li punched the tumbling suit away as the wall in front of her suddenly burst into thousands of glowing shards.  Li grabbed the generator and was tossed about like a rag doll as chunks of the wall smashed into her. Li’s maneuver pack fired over and over trying to steady her.  She looked up to see the huge alien suit hovering in the corridor only meters from her.  She threw herself behind the generator, swung her Type 15 around it and fired the last rounds into the large alien suit.  The huge suit wheeled about wildly in the hall and crashed into the far side of the corridor.  Li struggled to load another cassette into her weapon as she watched Marcus throw the pulse rifle aside and pulled out the SAR 5 and began firing.  As the cassette snapped in place Li pushed the weapon around the generator again to see Marcus firing on the last of the alien creatures crawling out of the damaged suit.
   Li sat down beside the generator and felt her breath come in ragged gasps.  Her left thigh began to burn and she looked down to see a small hole in the armor plate.  She began to cough and could taste blood.  Li scrolled through the menu and found her suit had been holed in both the right thigh and right upper torso.  'I guess the damned things didn't miss.  At least the holes sealed.'  Li struggled to take a deep breath and began coughing again.  "Marcus, I'm hit.  You need to move on to the evac site.  I will try and hold them."  Li began to cough again but found she was actually beginning to feel calmer.  'At least there is no reason to be scared anymore.'
   "I'm not going anywhere either Team Leader."  Li looked up to see Marcus attempting to put patches on one of four leaks sprouting air from his suit.  Li began to pull herself over to him, but coughing stopped her as she moved forward.  Li watched helplessly as Marcus began to move more slowly and then went limp in the micro gravity.  His maneuver pack still fired intermittently when it tried to keep him from drifting as floating debris bounced off of his armored vacc suit.
   Li triggered the distress beacon in her suit and then keyed on the radio transmitter.  "Squad Leader Ling Song.  This is Soldier One Two Four.  Engaged and destroyed one heavy alien suit and several smaller suits in Maintenance Section of Corridor Two dash Six.  Casualties are myself and one FSC soldier.  Unable to proceed.  Confirm."
   The radio was still a mix of voices as Li waited.  'Maybe she didn't make it.  At least headquarters will be able to sort it out of the radio log later.  They will know.'  Li saw movement in the corridor and struggled to swing her Type 15 around but a coughing fit left her curled up.  As she stopped coughing Li looked out and saw another Chinese Salamander Suit standing over her.  The form bent down and looked in Li's faceplate as it picked her up off the floor.  Li could dimly make out the face as her radio picked up the transmission.
   "I hadn't expected to meet you here.  I suppose you won't be up for a rematch on that racquetball game right now, will you."



1240/Washington DC, Earth

   Admiral Bradley Walters sat outside the briefing room.  An afternoon meeting had been called to address the newest developments.  The easiest to address would be the situation on Victoria Colony.  The combat situation had stabilized with heavy casualties being taken by all sides.  More supplies would be needed before the end of March but current resources were adequate for at least two more weeks of combat.  The situation in space around the colony was unchanged with no additional alien contacts to report.  'For once General Foxx will have the easy end of this.  I'm going to be the one put through the wringer.'
   Bradley began to list out items on his HUD as he waited.  'First on the agenda will be reports on the civilian communication from the FSC outpost on Hektor, and those communications we have intercepted from the FSC ships there.  Once again the aliens have abandoned the location of an attack within twenty four hours of contact.  Two FSC ships and a Chinese Strike Vessel are parked at the colony but once again can do little without inflicting substantial civilian casualties.  The situation on the ground sounds dire but we have no way to confirm that.  We also have no plans to support it at the moment.'
   'The big issues for the meeting will all revolve around the Chinese outpost at Saturn and the alien attack there.  We have suspected for months that they had a colony on Titan but now it is confirmed.  Transmissions make it clear that alien ships are in orbit around Titan and that the Chinese troops and colonists there are taking a beating.  That in and of itself is only a small problem.  The fact that Jack has taken off with Task Force 2 and the Pan Euro warship Red October is a little more difficult.  Jack's orders were to interdict alien warships in the inner system and asteroid belt.  I might have even been able to justify Jupiter if there was a reason to suspect aliens were there, but Saturn is one hell of a long ways out to take a little trip to try and catch alien warships before they disappear again.'
   'Worst will be the debate that will drag General Foxx back into this.  The Defiant is currently less than three days out from Saturn, but getting farther with every hour.  It sounds like the Chinese troops on Titan won't be able to hold out even if we do clear the orbitals.  The Defiant's brigade could go a long way to stabilizing the ground combat there.  That would either leave the supplies for Triton stranded here in the inner system or we would have to send them on unescorted.  Either choice is a losing gamble.  Something and someone is going to be left hanging out in the wind as it were.'
   "The President is going to have to make the call on this one.  Putting our troops on sovereign Chinese soil isn't something this meeting is going to decide.  Richards and Meyers aren't going to take this in front of the big man without wringing every last bit of data that they can.  All I can do is give them what I know and answer their questions.  Then I'm going to make plans for whatever decisions they make.'
   'Of course if Jack can actually catch the aliens before they leave Titan, this could all change rather quickly.'


February 10th  0215 hours/Surface of Titan

   Mae shivered slightly as she watched the barren landscape.  Dark and broken jumbles of icy rock casting shadows on an already dark landscape.  'Heated or not, the cold here always seem to creep through the joints of this suit.  It doesn't help that I feel half starved.'  Mae could feel her stomach growling.  'Last time I ate was the few bites of breakfast before the attack started.'  Mae looked out over the landscape again.
   'At least I'm alive.'
   Mae looked at the other soldiers gathered around her.  'Seventeen of us in power armor in this platoon.  Plus forty two more from the Civilian Defense Units.  They wear standard EVA suits and carry 7.6mm submachine guns.  They were meant to put down civilian uprisings without being able to threaten the power armor units.  They will be useless in combat with the aliens.’
   ‘Now it's our turn to take the perimeter watch again.  Four hours in the cold and dark.  Then another eight hours to try and clean our gear and get a few hours sleep before our next turn.'  Mae looked at the approaching suit.  'Here comes Platoon Leader Lao Yat-Sen.  It must be time.'  Mae's radio crackled to life.
   "Second Platoon.  The situation has changed little in the last eight hours.  The aliens are still in orbit of Titan.  For the Salamander Suits, you will need to spread out over the sixteen kilometers of perimeter.  That means you will each have a sector nearly a kilometer wide to cover.  Defense Unit soldiers will man the twelve rovers and perform recon sweeps up to ten kilometers from this location.  Supplies are still low.  Ammo drums will be at half load.  Two rounds for the Type Sixty Sevens and two grenades per Salamander Suit.  Rovers will carry only a single round for the Type Sixty Three.  We have recovered a number of pulse rifles and each rover will be issued one with a single load of ammunition.  Headquarters is promising some food before your next rotation out, but no word on what or how much."
   Mae heard several quiet groans as the news came out, and knew her voice was one of them.
   "The rest of this was only for the Platoon Leaders and above, but you might as well know what is going on.  Regimental Command shows that out of the three thousand soldiers and eight hundred instructors and cadre in the Training Regiment, barely eight hundred of us are left.  This is the only location with a group of soldiers larger than a platoon.  Most groups are little more than squads or teams struggling to hold on.  Any larger groups are taken out from orbit.  Civilian casualties are well over a quarter of a million.  We don't have anyone coming to save us.  Whatever happens here, it is up to us." 
   Mae didn't think she could have felt worse than she had before the briefing, but as Mae listened she could feel the pit in her stomach sink even lower.  'We are going to die here.  Just like the soldiers on Triton.' 
   "The aliens haven't found this location yet.  When they do, we will be in for one hell of a fight.  The underground bunkers will provide us some protection, but you can bet that they will use their orbital assets.  If they decide to try and take this place intact, the fight will come to us.  I don't know what the aliens will do, but plan on a fight.  Now get out there. First Platoon needs its four hours of sleep."
   Mae took a deep breath and tried to resolve herself to four hours of cold and loneliness.  She looked at the entrance to the underground bunker and wished she could go back in.  Even if there was no food, at least it was warm and had a cot to sleep on.  Mae turned around to climb her way out of the canyon they were in.  Mae looked up and saw why they were here.  Why the aliens were sure to come.  Why they would all die here, one way or another.
   Nestled in the jagged walls of the canyon and shrouded in the perpetual fog and darkness of Titan, over fourteen hundred meters long, was the form of the Mobile Construction Ship Zhuang.



   0315 hours/US Q Ship Defiant, 30 light minutes from Saturn

   Commander Aaron Steele checked the navigational plots from the Helm.  "Helm, projected time until Task Force Two reaches Saturn?"
   "Task Force Two will reach Saturn approximately zero eight thirty, Captain."
   Aaron looked at the plots again.  The Defiant and the Pan Euro Cargo Ship would not arrive at Saturn for another 60 hours.  Even at best speed it would take nearly fifteen.  'We aren't going to be any help to them in this fight.  Assuming the aliens haven't disappeared again before Rear Admiral Ryan gets there.  The troops on the ground will just have to hold out a little longer.  If we could only send them a message that help was coming.'
   "Communications, do we have any situation reports from the Chinese on the ground combat?"  Aaron had seen what had happened to the Vigilance at Victoria, and heard stories of the landings at Triton.  In both of those cases several ships and landers had made coordinated landings.  When the Defiant reached Saturn she would be alone.  The aliens would be able to concentrate everything they had on one target.
   "No word from the Chinese government.  What we can pick up and translate from the civilian channels is not much help.  We can make assumptions about habitats the aliens are attacking or have secured, but with no data on the colony there it is just names.  We have no idea where these locations are on the surface of Titan. 
   Aaron looked at the few scans the US had of Titan.  They were very dated.  At least fifty years old.  'I am going to try and land a brigade against concentrated enemy resistance.  I have no idea of the enemy disposition and only limited geographical data.  And to top it all off we have to do it in an atmosphere as thick as pea soup.  The lifter crews will be trying to land in pitch black darkness, in the fog, with no idea where they are going.  We will be lucky to get a single soldier onto the surface alive.'
   "Do we even have any confirmation that the Chinese have authorized a landing yet?"
   "No Captain.  Nothing yet from Command."
   'Wonderful.  We are going to get most of us killed, and this ship torn to ribbons, just to start another war with the most powerful space faring nation on Earth.'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 01, 2011, 04:43:35 PM
February 2205 part 8

February 10th  0830 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, 40 light seconds from Saturn

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan opened the tight beam comm link to the Pan Euro warship Red October and the rest of US Task Force 2.  "We are approaching Titan with Saturn itself masking our approach.  With luck this will hide our presence as we close.  Don't expect it.  Whatever these aliens are, they are not fools.   We have no idea what is at Saturn.  Reports from other landings would indicate they only have two or three warships, but with the moons and rings of Saturn they could easily hide twice that many.  Fight as if we were outnumbered and this was the Earth you were trying to liberate.  Hold nothing back.  Or next time this might be the Earth.  All ships to Battle Stations and shields up when we reach 15 light seconds from Saturn.  Good hunting."
   Jack turned off the comm link and watched the sensor returns as they closed on the large ringed planet.  'They could have anything hidden here.  The entire US Fleet could hide in those rings alone.  If I was ever going to conduct an ambush, this would be the place.  If it is, we need to make the broadcast to the Defiant.  No sense them walking into it also.'
   

   0836 hours/Patrol Vessel 24, orbit of Titan

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 sensed the transmission of the Light Support Vessel hiding within the rings of the large planet.  Four ships were approaching from the far side of the large planet.  All four were moving faster than any ship in the Strike Group.  They were here far sooner than had been anticipated.  The Strike Group was to have left before the native race could arrive.
   'We cannot escape.  Armed Colony Vessel 8 could not outrun any of the standard enemy warships, but not even the Patrol Vessel can outrun these.  They have three Patrol Vessels and one Heavy Patrol Vessel.  This Strike Group is not to use the defensive systems and maneuvers until given orders by the Commander of Fleets, but we will die for nothing if we do not.  We will only throw away our lives.'
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 altered the field at his station.  Orders sped through the ship and across the vacuum of space.


   0837 hours/ASV Red October, 5 light seconds from Saturn

   "New contact.  Romeo Class times one.  Designating as Romeo One.  Range four point seven light seconds bearing one two two ascension minus two.  Velocity two thousand kilometers per second with delta vee of one three zero kilometers per second.  Heading of two eight zero degrees."
   Commodore Stephan Vasilikos heard the Sensor Officer as the contact information appeared on his screen.   'They don't have an unarmed freighter out here by itself, and it has definitely seen us.'
   "Weapon Conn, firing solution and launch on Romeo One.  Helm, hold course and speed."
   Moments later the drive cut out long enough for two Scorpion Missiles to separate from the ship.  The world turned blue grey again as the drive re-engaged and the Red October rocketed on toward Saturn.
   The Sensor Officer cut in again.  "A new contact times two.  Designating as Alpha One and Tango Two A."
   The Sensor Officer continued to call out information as Stephan pulled up the data on his monitor.  'Now the fight starts.'


   0838 hours/Armed Colony Vessel 8, 0.75 light seconds from Titan

   The Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 8 could sense the four enemy ships.  They were beginning to turn.  The Heavy Patrol Vessel and lead Patrol Vessel would pass behind the large ringed planet before the mass driver could be brought to bear.  The trailing two enemy Patrol Vessels would not find safety behind the large planet though.  A message from the Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 designated the closest of the enemy ships as the target while the Patrol Vessel launched a torpedo toward it.
   'The enemy ships will be skimming the rings of the large planet when our weapon reaches them.  It will do them little good.  The debris may fool the sensor on the torpedo, but not the mass driver.  A ship moving that fast can only maneuver so much.  It will not be enough.' 
   The Commander felt the fields build as the long and heavy cylinders began to spin.  One hollow cylinder inside of the other.  Each nearly as long as the ship, and each with a magnetic coil spiraling in opposite directions.  Each enormously heavy and slowly building speed as they reached velocities of thousands of revolutions per second.  Then a packet of charged metallic hydrogen would be fired into the center of the cylinders by a smaller mass driver.  The packet would be thrown forward by the cylinders' revolutions and carefully synchronized changes in polarity of the coils.  The packet would pick up a small portion of the momentum from the two enormous cylinders, but it would be enough to drive the small packet to nearly the speed of light.  And then that packet would cross the vacuum of space to find its target.
   The Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 8 felt the flash as the packet of metallic hydrogen was ejected from the ship.  It was obvious already that the torpedo of Patrol Vessel 24 had lost its lock amidst all the debris of the great rings.  Moments later the Commander could feel the sensors pick up the four inbound torpedoes from the two enemy ships.  The Commander altered the field at his station and activated the small rapid cycle mass driver.  'Now our second mass driver shall prove its worth.'


   Interceptor MkIII Sai, 0.5 light seconds from Saturn

   "Magnetic Field Generator Banks One through Eight off line.  Banks Nine through Twelve still operational."
   Captain Todd Allison heard the reports from Engineering as he watched the sensor returns.  'It must have been the mass driver.  We had no contact info.'  Then his attention was drawn by reports from the Sensor Conn.
   "Captain, new magnetic signature from the Tango.  Low powered and high frequency.  Intermittent signature.  Captain, Missile Two has just lost drive bloom.  It seems to have broken up."
   Todd pulled up the sensor returns.  'What luck.  We have had a few reports of missile failures in the last two years and we get one on the first launch.'
   "Track the magnetic anomaly.  Transmit to comm station for relay to the Yari."
   "Captain, aspect change on Tango Two.  Multiple aspect and velocity changes.  They seem to have a version of the evasive maneuver protocol."
   Todd looked at the data as it scrolled across his monitor.  'smeg, what else can go wrong.'


   
   0839 hours/Armed Colony Vessel 8, 2.5 light seconds from Saturn

   The Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 8 struggled to stay at his station.  The new evasive maneuvers were throwing the ship violently in dozens of directions.  Ten inbound torpedoes had already been targeted on the ship and four more were closing.  Every time the drive shut down to allow the Armed Colony Vessel to reorient the small mass driver would hurl another pattern filled with hundreds of tiny metallic hydrogen spheres.  Pattern after pattern would converge on the inbound torpedoes.  Two inbounds had been torn apart by the new small mass driver while others had lost their lock or failed to make intercept.  The remaining inbounds had managed to overload the magnetic field generators and the baffles, tearing into the empty troop compartments of the Armed Colony Vessel.
   'The first target has disengaged but still has its magnetic protective field up.  The second enemy Patrol Vessel has also been engaged but is showing no signs of damage.  It has now moved too far for us to target and we will have to engage the third enemy Patrol Vessel.'
   The Commander felt the flash of the huge mass driver and then could feel through the sensors as first one, and then a second inbound torpedo broke up as the enemy weapons crashed into the mass of projectiles thrown into their paths.  Then a third enemy torpedo that had been targeted on Patrol Vessel 24 broke apart.  'We may not survive this, but the enemy will use all of the weapons that they have to destroy us.  They will be helpless when this is done.'
   The Commander sensed as the remaining enemy torpedo detonated and the wash of heat and particles forced Armed Colony Vessel 8 to shut off its drive and vent.  The field at his station told him that his ship had suffered badly.  The small mass driver had been destroyed and the large one had lost alignment and would be unable to function.  Then he sensed the torpedo from Patrol Vessel 24 collapse the magnetic field around the second enemy Patrol Vessel, causing it to vent damaged sections of its hull into space.
   'At least our drive shield has survived.  The enemy will not know how bad our damage is.'  The Commander altered the field at his station to ensured that the Armed Colony Vessel 8 would continue on at its best speed toward the enemy warships.
   'We can give Patrol Vessel 24 a little more time.'


   Interceptor MkIII Kama, 3.25 light seconds from Saturn

   Commander Jason Collins III pulled up data on his HUD.  'Half of the bridge systems are down, to include my monitor.  At least the direct connection is still up.  It looks like the targeting array and launch bays are still online.'
   "Helm, come about, course two one zero, full combat speed.  Weapon Conn, get the next launch online and away."  Jason checked the sensor returns and saw another missile break up as it approached the Alpha.  'Damn it.  Eighteen missiles away and six have broken up.  It has to be something the aliens are doing.  And now we have another inbound tracking us.'
   "Range is too great for another launch, Captain."  Jason knew that the weapon crew was right.  There was nothing to do but hope the inbound missile lost tracking as it crossed the five light seconds between the ships.  "Captain, Tango is breaking up.  Intercepts from the Yari and Red October tore her apart."
   Jason heard no one celebrating.  Everyone knew that in seconds it could be their turn. 
   The Kama shook as the drive cut out and blasts of argon filled the ship, gushing into space from the breaches in the hull or vent shafts designed to clear debris.  Red damage indicators flashed on Jason's HUD.  Engineering reports flooded the Kama's intercom.   "Captain, Particle Accelerators Two and Four off line.  Targeting array damaged.  Failure on linkage in Bay One. It looks like the missiles in Bay One have vented."  The reports continued to come in.  Jason heard the Helmsman report that the ship was decelerating.
   'We aren't going to be able to break off.  This is going to be it.' 
   "Captain, the Sai is altering course and falling into formation with us.  We have a sensor feed from the Sai.  It looks like the Alpha is turning toward the Red October and Yari.  The current launch from the Alpha isn't tracking the Kama.  The Alpha is turning away from us."
   Jason tried to relax, but couldn't.  One thought kept running through his head.  'The aliens have already pushed two of our ships out of this fight, and the only ship we have destroyed is a souped up freighter.  The Yari and Red October are going to face the real warship now.'


   0840 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari,  4.5 light seconds from Saturn

   "Whoever that son of a bitch is, he is good.  Helm, bring us to course zero three one and maintain range to the target.  Weapon Conn, get me a targeting solution on the Alpha as soon as it clears Saturn."  Jack looked at the sensor returns.  The Alpha had managed one launch on the Yari before it had turned.  The only missile from the Yari that had maintained its lock as the alien ship made a run toward Saturn had broken up nearly a light second away from its target.  The missiles from the Red October had then lost tracking as the Alpha slipped behind Saturn.
   "Sensor Conn, have you reacquired the target?"  Saturn was big and the Alpha had been angling away when it disappeared behind the planet.  If the Alpha changed course it could be running with the planet between them.  Trying to stretch the range while the Yari circled.
   "No contact Admiral.  Hold, Alpha on bearing three five seven.  Aspect change.  Alpha passing behind Rhea.  We have lost contact again."
   "Damn him.  Helm, course zero four five.  Sensor Conn, lock him up as soon as he clears that moon."  Jack waited until the Alpha reappeared.  'Sure enough, he's coming about.'
   "Helm full about, hold range at five light seconds to contact.  Weapon Conn, lock firing solutions and launch."  The world changed from blue grey to normal as the drive shut down and allowed the maneuver thrusters to bring the ship about, then the world turned back to grey as they restarted.  Jack watched the sensor returns as the Red October mirrored the Yari.  'Commodore Vasilikos may be insubordinate and unconventional, but he knows how to fight.  So does this alien.'
   The drive shut down again and two more missiles to deployed from their bays.  Jack watched as sensor returns confirmed that the Red October had also launched another pair of missiles.  The sensors also showed that the Alpha had launched a single missile in return while the the data on the Alpha began to shift rapidly.  'They finally figured out Brenna's maneuver protocol.  It was only a matter of time.  I hate being the one to find out though.'  Jack watched as one missile after another lost its lock and swerved off course.  Then, as the last missile began its attack run from a quarter of a light second out, it also broke up.  'Damn it.  Get the next launch online.  Some of these missiles have to get through.  Helm, begin evasive maneuver protocol.  At least we can make it harder for them."


   0844 hours/Patrol Vessel 24  6.25 light seconds from Saturn

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 held tightly to his station as the ship pitched and weaved.  Again and again the rapid fire mass driver hurled clouds of projectiles at the incoming torpedoes.  Again and again the enemy weapons failed to maintain a lock on the Patrol Vessel or were destroyed.  But not all of them.  'That last group managed to sneak one more past the defenses and collapsed the protective field.  Our ship can't continue the evasive maneuvers much longer.  We are slowing down too much.  With only two torpedoes left this fight will be over soon.'
   The Commander felt the drive stop for a moment allowing a torpedo to launch and for the small mass driver to hurl another pattern into space.  As the drive restarted the ship again twisted and turned violently.  With each change in direction or speed the drive would cut out and the small mass driver would fire again.  One after another the four enemy weapons broke up as they began their attack runs.  'We will survive a short while longer.   With the protective field down the mass driver is our only hope.  We would have been destroyed by now if not for the new system.'  The Commander observed through the ship's sensors as the torpedo detonated.  The enemy Patrol Vessel lost its protective field and began to vent.  Then its drive restarted.  'At least we have damaged another enemy ship.  If our last torpedo can find its mark, perhaps we will destroy at least one of the enemy ships.' 
   Surprise washed over the Commander of Patrol Vessel 24, both his own and the crew's.  'The enemy ships are turning away.  Disengaging.  We must have caused more damage than we suspected or perhaps they are also low on torpedoes.'  The Commander altered the field at his station and Patrol Vessel 24 began to turn away and accelerate.
   'We must notify the Commander of Fleets that the enemy is aware of our new defensive measures, along with their effectiveness in this engagement.'


   1045 hours/Washington DC, Earth

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked at the men and women gathered in the room.  Another 'Emergency Meeting' of the Defense Cabinet and various congressional heads had been called.  'For once, we really need this one.  What's worse is that we need Lieutenant Commander Ryan back here to analyze this data, not parked on a moon at the fringe of the Solar System.  As soon as the drop is completed on Titan we need to get someone out there to fetch her home.'
   A voice brought Bradley back from his thoughts.  "Admiral Walters, we have seen your briefing on the engagement.  You stated that the aliens lost one warship and one unarmed vessel.  You also stated that the last warship was able to disengage.  With the speed advantage of the ships in Task Force Two, why was the last alien ship allowed to escape?"  Secretary of Defense Adam Richards wore a particularly disapproving scowl as he spoke.
   "Honorable Secretary, as I covered earlier the Interceptor Kama had sustained considerable damage and was no longer combat effective.  The Sai had suffered damage to her shield generators that would take time to repair and was ordered by Rear Admiral Ryan to escort the Kama as it moved away from the engagement.  The Yari was also damaged and had only eight missiles left of its original twenty eight when it disengaged.  Rear Admiral Ryan has indicated that he did not feel he could win the engagement and had only the minimum ordinance left to assure the safe return of his Task Force."  Bradley looked at Secretary Richards.  'He's not done yet.  He wants a scapegoat for this.'
   "Admiral, was not the Red October still available to assist the Sai in continued attacks on the alien warship?"  Bradley watched Secretary Richards as he leaned forward on the table accusingly.  Almost threateningly.
   "Honorable Secretary, I need not remind you that we do not command the Pan European Confederation Armed Science Vessel Red October, which was withdrawing.  Two warships acting in concert had been unable to defeat the alien warship.  It is unlikely the Interceptor Sai would have been able to succeed alone, and it was the only ship of Task Force Two with functioning shields.  Risking the Yari or Kama while damaged would have been foolish."  Bradley turned away from the table to face Secretary Richards squarely.  'If he wants Jack's head or my head, he's going to have to do better than that.'
   Now it was Congressional Defense Committee Chairperson Harland Meyers turn to look for someone to blame.  "You stated that of the thirty Hera Missiles used during the battle, nine of them broke up or failed prior to their attack runs.  Has the increased production of wartime caused a drop in the quality of the missiles being used?"
   Bradley turned to face the table again, intentionally avoiding the Congressman.  "The Red October also launched twenty missiles during the engagement and six of them also suffered failures during the last three hundred thousand kilometers of their approaches.  The Pan Euro has not suffered this level of malfunctions or structural failures in any previous engagement we have sensor records of.  It is unlikely that both the Euro and we suffered the same manufacturing issues during the same engagement.  We believe that it is some new alien defense against our weapons.  What it is at this time is unknown."  This last part bothered Bradley.  'We need Megan to look at this.  There was a new magnetic reading during the battle.  Whether it has anything to do with our loss of missiles is unknown, but she and her team would have the best shot at figuring it out.'
   The room was quiet for a few moments before Secretary Richards spoke again.  "You also indicated that they have managed to duplicate the Pan Euro Maneuver Protocol.  With both the maneuver protocol and a new defense system, what does this bode for future engagements?"  Bradley turned back to face Richards.  'The man is a politician and a snake, but he knows combat.  He spent enough time as an instructor at the academy before he got this appointment.  He knows what could be important.'
   "We need to analyze it further but the initial assessments are not good.  Not only do they have their own version of the maneuver protocol along with a system capable of interdicting our missiles, but initial analysis has also shown that it took nearly twice the number of successful intercepts to collapse the shields of the alien Alpha as compared to previous engagements.  It is possible that this was not a standard Alpha, but we must assume that it now is.  The armed Tango also demonstrated the defensive system and much more powerful shields than during the previous engagement at Triton.  The aliens are obviously improving their warships in response to the current combat environment."  Bradley paused to let what he had said sink in.  Several members of the cabinet were talking in hushed tones.  Others were studying the data on the display.  'This war is shifting again.  We started behind the aliens in technology.  It shifted so that we had near parity technologically with more ships that we could deploy.  Now it is shifting again.  We appear to have a numerical advantage, but we need it just to hold our own.  At least the aliens have settled for raiding.  Perhaps their new emphasis on ground combat is an indication that they no longer have the resources to field larger groups of ships.'
   Secretary Richards spoke again.  "We will schedule another meeting for tomorrow morning to hear the results of the analysis.  For the moment, what is the current disposition of our forces near Titan and what plans do we have for them over the next twenty four to forty eight hours."
   Bradley was glad he didn't have to worry about his expression.  It wouldn't be good.  "Rear Admiral Ryan has transferred his flag to the Interceptor Sai.  At this time it should have returned all of its shield generators to operation.  The Kama is currently docked with the Sai and is transferring her crew, ordinance, and supplies.  Damage to the ship is extensive and it will need to be scuttled following the completion of the transfers.  The Yari has also suffered damage to many systems and will attempt to make a rendezvous with the Pan Euro Third Battle Group in the belt.  There it will dock with Pan Euro Mobile Shipyard Two in the hope that repairs can be affected that will prevent the need to scuttle the Yari also.  The Pan Euro has indicated that the Red October will remain on station with the Sai at Titan until the Defiant can arrive to land troops, at which time the Red October and the Pan Euro cargo ship will rejoin the Pan Euro Third Light Battle Group at Victoria in the belt.  Plans for the Defiant and Sai following the landings are not yet set."
   Secretary Richards began to turn pale.  It was Congressman Meyers who found his voice first.  "You are saying that not only are the alien ships more dangerous, but that Task Force Two will lose the Kama in the next few hours.  And that the Yari may suffer the same fate, and regardless will be down for repairs for some time to come.  That Task Force Two will be reduced to just one Interceptor?"
   "That is correct."
   Secretary Richards stood and gathered his things.  Then he looked toward Bradley.  "Admiral, you will need to issue orders for the Steadfast and Resolute to return to Mars.  Their deployment at Victoria is no longer tenable."


     1156 hours/Queen Victoria, Earth orbit

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon looked over the data that had arrived a few hours ago from Commodore Vasilikos and the Red October.  The engagement had been successful in clearing the space around the Chinese colony on Titan, but it had cost the US an Interceptor, left another badly damaged, and the entire group was now short on ordinance.
   'Stephan has always had a knack for putting his ships in the wrong place, for the wrong reasons, and coming away from it with victories that we desperately needed.  This battle didn't win much in the way of destroyed alien ships or vital real estate.  It was far more important.'
   Brenna pulled up data on the Alpha and Tango Two that had engaged the Red October and US Task Force 2.  'He just showed us what the alien ships are now capable of, before we blundered into a battle that could have destroyed our fleets.'  Brenna pulled up the sensor data and analysis on the alien ships.  'Stephan also put the Red October right where she needed to be.  The US ships there had combat arrays, but the Red October is a science vessel.  The data she was able to get was astonishing.  We have been attempting to create an anti-missile system since the beginning of hostilities.  The big question was if it was possible.  The aliens have managed to develop it first, but now we have that data.  With the projections for the newer and smaller classes of missiles coupled with small laser batteries and the data we have from this battle, we should be able to field an anti-missile system in the next few months.  With a new drive, new missiles, and an anti-missile system we should be able to construct ships more capable than ever projected before.  Even the Chinese Cruisers will become obsolete.'
   Brenna looked at the data from the alien ships on her monitor, and then at the Pan Euro fleet deployment lists.  'We just need to survive long enough.'


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 13, 2011, 02:50:30 PM
February 2205 part 9

February 10th 1300 hours/Assault Vessel, dark side of asteroid belt

   The Commander of Fleets considered the situation as he reviewed the sensor records of Patrol Vessel 24.  Patrol Vessel 24 had survived the engagement due to the use of the new defensive systems, but had compromised the entire operation by revealing their existence.  It was possible the native race might alter its fleet deployments after analysis of the engagement, making the current plan impossible to carry out.
   The native race had succeeded in destroying Armed Colony Vessel 8 and a Light Support Vessel, but it had expended a great number of torpedoes to accomplish it.  Unless the native race carried significantly larger numbers of torpedoes on board their warships, the ships involved in the engagement would be seriously depleted.  Two of the native ships had also been damaged.  No reports had been received that the native race had reinforced the soldiers on the moon near the ringed planet, and it was likely the warships would remain at the moon at least until they had done this.   The native race had been willing to station ships near the threatened populations, but that may have changed in light of recent events.
   The possibility that the enemy will withdraw its ships to more central and concentrated groups would need to be checked.  It would require a small acceleration of the current plan, but knowledge concerning the disposition of the enemy's forces was vital to the plan.  The Commander of Fleets altered the field at his station and issued orders.  The four surviving Strike Groups would condense down to two, with Patrol Vessel 24 joining the Assault Vessel to transfer additional torpedoes to the small ship.  It would cost lives to gain the knowledge that was needed, but there was no other option.


February 11th  0035 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, Earth orbit

   Captain Scott Moreland stood on the outside of the hull watching the work crews.  It was nearly pitch black, floating in the Earth's shadow.  Three Ground to Orbit Shuttles were docked to the hull while a pair of liquid fueled craft were floating nearby.  The old rockets carried a dozen banks of flood lights each that were bathing the forward section of the Vigilance’s hull with light.  She would be another star shining faintly in the sky to anyone on the surface.  'I wonder if any of the 2nd Marine is looking at us.'
   "Work is progressing well on the outer hull.  Most of the damaged outer plating has been replaced and the rest will only take a few more hours.  The internal damage is going to take longer, but we should have your ship back in service early on the thirteenth."
   Scott nodded as the civilian engineer spoke, but his thoughts were elsewhere.  "Thank you, that will be all."  The engineer began to walk along the hull as Scott looked at the lights dotting the surface of the Earth below.  He followed the shape until he found the thin projection that would be Florida.  'It sounds like you boys have two more days.  What will you do?  Party it up?  Spend time with your family?  Trying to cram in last minute training?'
   Scott thought back on the last six hours.  Admiral Walters had actually come up from the surface on a lifter.  He had brought news that two other ships of his group, the Resolute and Steadfast, were on their way back to Mars.  They would assist in the defense of the colony there until reassigned.  The Defiant was due to land on Titan to drop its single Brigade there, and then join the other ships at Mars.
   That had been the 'good' news.  'He told me that we had the most experience in combat drops.  Two whole drops for the Vigilance and we are the experts.'  Scott stared at the thin patch of lights stretching out into the darkness of the Atlantic.  'As soon as our repairs are completed we are to land at the Space Center in Florida, where we will begin loading elements of the 2nd Marine Division.  Specifically the 2nd Marine Assault Battalion, the 2nd Marine Combat Engineering Battalion, and the 2nd Marine Recon Battalion.  Cyborgs one and all.  Then we will have the distinction of making our third combat landing.  At least these fellas are good at what they do.  What happened to the Martian Light on Victoria was a nightmare.  Still is by the sound of it.'
   A flashing light on his HUD interrupted Scott's thought.  'Incoming message for me.  I so love being popular.'  Scott keyed open the message and began to read.  'This wasn't for me.  It was for anybody that could hear it.'

   FROM COMMANDER JASON COLLINS III
   US INTERCEPTOR YARI

   FAILURE OF SEVERAL ELECTIRCAL SYSTEMS, TO INCLUDE
   MAGNETIC FIELD GENERATORS
   TARGETTING ARRAYS
   PARTICLE ACCELERATOR BANK FOUR
   MAGNETIC COMENSATION SYSTEM
   HULL GROUNDING SYSTEMS AND DISCHARGE RELAYS
   
   I HAVE ASSUMED COMMAND FOLLOWING DEATH OF CPT SMITH

   SHIP UNABLE TO ACTIVATE DRIVE.
   HULL ION LEVELS IN CRITICAL RANGE AND INCREASING.
   HAVE ORDERED YARI SCUTTLED AT 021105-0042
   CREW HAS REFUSED DEPLOYMENT OF SHIP BOAT
   
   RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AWARDS AS FOLLOWS.

   Scott shut off the message and turned to face the vast darkness of the sky.  He pulled up the coordinates of where the Yari would be and waited for the brief flicker of light that would mark the passing of more heroes that would never see home again.


   1350 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, Victoria Colony orbit

   Captain Natasha Piotyr scrambled across the bridge.  "Where in the hell did they come from?"
   "Captain, still unable to resolve contact.  Bearing of approximately two eight zero.  Range of three light seconds.  Most likely a small craft of some type."
   Natasha listened to the sensor officer as she climbed into her station.  "All ships Lock Stations.  Battle Stations.  Everyone on Earth knows this is a combat zone so that isn't commercial shipping.  Prep bays for launch."
   Natasha watched the monitor turn on as she locked her station.  She quickly brought up the sensor returns.  'Still too weak of a signal to tell what we are looking at.  It could be the little bombers that the Alphas carry, or it might be the fast bastards that hit Earth.'  "All ships, magnetic field generators on line.  Engage drives when all stations locked.  Course one eight zero, then bring us onto an orbital course of Victoria at one half light second."
   Natasha waited as the crew finally came to battle stations and the drive engaged.  The world turned grey blue as the Tatianna moved away from the colony.     "Captain, the Scarlett and Kathleen have engaged drives and are moving into formation."
   Natasha looked at the returns again.  'The contact doesn't seem to be very fast.  Hopefully it is the little bombers, and not many.'  "Helm, take us to seven thousand kilometers per second and hold."  Natasha checked the plots.  'At one half light second, we should complete an orbit of the colony every minute.  If they're bombers we will be able to hammer them when they line up their attack runs.'
   "Captain, contacts identified as alien light bombers times four.  Speed of six four zero zero kilometers per second.  Range of one point two five light seconds.  Target lock achieved."  Natasha cut off the Sensor Officer.  "Weapon Conn, launch as soon as you have a solution."
   For a heartbeat the drive shut down and Natasha felt the slight jostle as two Scorpion Missiles deployed from their bays.  A moment later the drive restarted and the world again turned grey.  
   "Missiles away.  Tracking launches from the Kathleen and Scarlett."  
   Natasha watched the sensor returns as the outbound missiles moved toward the alien bombers.  The returns clouded as four separate detonations threw clouds of super heated particles into the vacuum of space.  Seconds later the four alien bombers reappeared, still bearing down on the colony.
   "Get the next launch online.  How long until the bombers reach Victoria?"  Natasha waited as she watched the icons crawl across her screen.
   "Alien bombers will begin attack runs in ninety seconds.  Next launch on line in seventeen seconds."
   Time crawled by as Natasha waited for the next launch, and then as the missiles again made their way towards the alien bombers.  "Get the third launch ready.  If anything makes it through this I want them destroyed before they can reach the colony."  Natasha watched as the returns clouded again and wished she could hold her breath as she waited.  
   "Captain, three of the contacts have lost drive bloom.  Two have broken up.  One active target remains."
   'Yes.  One left.  We just have to get it.'  "Take that bird out of my sky."  Natasha felt the drive cut out again as the next pair of missiles deployed.  'The missiles will reach the target just before it can start its attack run.  We just need some luck.'
   Natasha watched the returns cloud again as the missiles detonated along the small alien ship's path.  Four separate spheres of death expanded along the bomber's course.  Natasha watched as the target reappeared as a collection of wreckage tumbling past the colony.
   "Good shooting people.  Let the Kathleen and Scarlett know that we will stay at General Quarters for the next thirty minutes, and then to resume the previous watch rotation.  Forward a copy of the sensor and ship logs to command at Earth."


   2200 hours/Queen Victoria, Earth orbit

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon looked at the logs from the Heavy Escort Tatianna.  'They took out the bombers, but we are starting to run low on ordinance.  The two separate groups of alien bombers have used up almost thirty percent of the missiles at Victoria.  The Red October only has eight missiles left.  The Third Light Battle Group won't have enough left to face down a group of ships like the one engaged at Titan.'
   Brenna pulled up the status reports and deployment schedules from the last briefing.  'I've got Pan Euro Cargo Three and the Troopship loading the 80th Ukraine Powered Armor Division.  They will still have plenty of space left in the cargo sections on Cargo Three.'  Brenna keyed open the intercom.
   "Comm, send a message to the Captain of Cargo Three.  Tell him after completing loading of 80th Ukraine to move into orbit and hold station over the western Atlantic.  They will be loading Scorpion Missiles from stocks in the Azores that will be transferred up by lifter.  Forward this to ground command and make sure the orders get published to make this happen.  Then get a tightbeam link to Mercury.  Let Rear Admiral McNeely know that the Attack Escorts Elise and Keely Sereg will be moving to Earth to accompany Cargo Three and Troopship One to Victoria."  Brenna listened as the Communication Officer acknowledged her and then she turned off the link.
   'Those supplies should arrive by the 15th, which will be about the same time the Red October makes it back from Saturn.  Hopefully the aliens don't show up before then.'  Brenna pulled up the broadcasts from the FSC ship Mary Reed.  'It looks like they are having the same problem.  A group of bombers hit them also.  No damage to the colony but the FSC ships are running low on missiles.  Probably the Chinese ship also.  The Chinese might resupply their ship, but the FSC doesn't have much in the way of reserve stocks.'
   Brenna looked through the reports again.  'If the aliens have more ships than we think...  If the ships run dry we will lose them.  If we pull enough missiles from Earth to compensate we will cripple the ground based defenses.  We can't afford to lose either one.  We could be in real trouble.'

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 15, 2011, 09:00:16 AM
February 2205 part 10

February 12th  0410 hours/Surface of Titan

   Mae Ling crouched down behind the outcropping and looked at the rest of the squad.  'Crap.  Only eight Civil Defense Unit soldiers and me.'  She watched as two of the reservists struggled to move the Type 63 and its ammo box.  'At least they have six of the Type 72 Pulse Rifles and the old 37mm Type 63.  Those damn submachine guns were worthless.'
   Mae's radio crackled to life.  "This is CD Team Six.  We are taking heavy enemy fire.  Falling back.  I say again, we are taking heavy enemy fire.  Falling back."
   'So much for our reinforcements.'  A deafening noise echoed through the broken terrain.  "It's just us.  We have to find a way to take that thing out."
   Mae risked a quick look over the top of the rocks.  One hundred and fifty meters away were three of the light alien suits.  Two thousand meters beyond that was the beginning of an enormous dust cloud that stretched nearly a kilometer.  Mae settled back down and looked toward the far end of the dust cloud.  'The underground bunker ends there in a construction site.  A bunch of pilings and equipment that scuttlebutt says would have ended up as a Dragon Missile site.  It will be the easy entrance into the underground tunnels.  If the aliens get in there this will all go to hell.'
   Mae turned back to the eight Civil Defense troops.  "We have three suits at one hundred and fifty meters.  From here you should be fairly safe.  The machine guns they use are dangerous up close, but they die off pretty quick in this dense atmosphere.  The rockets will still blow you apart so don't get stupid.  Past that is the damned mass driver.  We need to tie down the suits on this flank and draw their attention.  When they move the support weapon to target this position it will be vulnerable.  I will take it out then.  Confirm."
   "Confirm Squad Leader." 
   Mae leaned against the rocks and tried to relax.  'They found us twelve hours ago.  Swept aside the pickets like nothing.  The US ship in orbit says they have enough suits to make two US Battalions closing on us.  We have two platoons of Power Armor at this complex and an over strength reserve company.  The company of aliens right here attacking the construction site doesn’t have any of the heavy suits, but this damned mass driver is tearing our positions apart.'
   As Mae looked up she saw the squad had moved into their firing positions.  The Type 63 was secured on its mount and only had to be raised above its cover to fire.  Three women and five men about to engage over one hundred alien suits with only their obsolete weapons and heavy vacc suits. 'At least we will die fighting.'
   "Ok, Team A, let them know we are here.  Pulse rifle fire only.  We don't want them to know we have anything heavier yet.  After you fire displace to the secondary positions."  Mae watched as four of the reservists readied their weapons.  The Team Leader counted down and as one they moved above the cover and began to fire.  The Type 72 was an older weapon, but had a large seventy two round magazine and a rotary action that fired through the three barrels horribly fast.  It was capable of eighteen hundred rounds per minute, but was normally fired as nine round bursts.  The 6.5mm rounds were copper jackets around tungsten cores.  Newer materials were available, but it had adequate penetration to defeat the small alien suits.  It just took several good hits to kill the creature inside of it.
   "Cease fire!  Cease fire!  Displace!"  Mae heard the Team Leader as he yelled at his group and they began to move.  A red light flashed on Mae's faceplate and she looked up.  Two dozen trails streaked across her HUD as alien missiles began to arc across Titan's dark sky.  "Get under cover NOW!"  Mae screamed into her radio as she huddled under the rock outcropping.
   Mae watched as Team A tried to get under any piece of cover they could find.  Seconds later the rocks and dust were churned into dozens of fountains as the alien weapons detonated above the position and the penetrators they carried came rocketing down into anything that moved.  Two of the team made it behind rocky formations of ice that were shattered into dozens of pieces as the alien penetrators drove into them.  Mae saw the other two members as the penetrators tore through the vacc suits.  The fountains of dust and ice hurled the two people meters up from the surface.  'Vacc suits don't vent here.  They just keep out the frigid air.'   Mae watched the two bodies drift down as the dust swirled.  She saw as one of the two struggled to move as it fell, and heard his strangled cries as the freezing air of Titan invaded his suit.  Mae closed her eyes but could only see Jeng's frozen face as she did.
   "Second Squad Leader, you have a dozen suits moving on your position.  Several more are moving to flank it.  Confirm."  Mae heard Platoon Leader Lao Yat-Sen on her radio as she opened her eyes and moved out from under the large ice formation.  "Confirm Platoon Leader.  Preparing to engage."  Mae turned on her weapon optics and put her Type 4 just above the outcrop.  'Her come a dozen of them, weaving around like a swarm of gnats.'
   "Team B, engage in three, two, NOW !"  Mae didn't turn to see the rest of her squad, but could feel the concussion as the Type 63 emptied its clip.  Mae used her HUD to pick three targets and emptied her 30mm grenade launcher at the approaching suits.  'The little grenades don't pack much punch, but in this atmosphere the fins on the back will let them home in just fine.'  A sudden shockwave stung Mae and dust clouded the whole area.  More detonations ripped up rock and dust.  "FALL BACK! FALL BACK!  SECONDARY POSITIONS!  NOW! NOW! NOW!"  Mae hoped that some of her squad would survive but there were so many aliens, and in a minute the mass driver would tear anyone left in this position apart.
   'It's now or never.'  Mae crouched and gripped her Type 4, then fired the jump jets.  In a fraction of a second Mae was clear of the dust and could see the alien suits crossing the open space below her.  Four had survived and were pouring rockets onto the rest of her squad.  Mae keyed her maneuver thrusters just enough and aimed herself toward the trailing alien suit.  'The little suckers don't have a gun on the top and don't seem to launch vertically well.  Sucks to be you now.'  Mae saw the warning flash on her HUD that she was closing on the surface too rapidly and fired her jump jets a heartbeat before she would have hit the alien suit.  She watched as the alien suit was blasted into the rocky surface and broke up as she rocketed on past.  Mae fired the maneuver pack and tried to weave but found herself cart wheeling as an alien rocket detonated near her.  Her left shoulder flared with pain as she crashed into an icy formation and skittered on past churning up dust as she went.  Mae fired her maneuver pack again and shot into a jagged gully as several alien weapons detonated around her.  'I need to get over this ridge.  The mass driver should be just ahead.'
   Mae skipped down the gully and suddenly saw four of the small alien suits and two middle sized ones come over the ridge in front of her.  She could see rockets detach from the alien suits as she keyed the 37mm on her shoulder to auto-targeting and fired her jump jets again.  Excessive heat warnings flashed on her display as she flew up out of the gully and began firing her Type 4 at the suits.  One after another suits spun away or exploded as rockets arced about trying to catch Mae.  Mae felt a sudden pain in her side as the last suit trained its gun on her before it also exploded. Mae used her maneuver pack to bring herself down into a hollow on the ridge.  Mae knelt down and blinked hard to focus her eyes.  'The damn recoil will cripple you up without the aliens help.  Looks like the last one holed the suit above my hip but the seal held up.' Mae stood up but the pain in her side flared badly as she did.  'I have to be close.  I can still do this.  I have to.'  Mae keyed the fans on her suit to vent the heat from the jets and maneuver pack, locked her last cassette of 37mm rounds into her shoulder gun, and then fired the jump jets again. 
   Mae cleared the crest of the ridge and saw the large support weapon below her as it fired.  The bow shock of the round it launched churned up a cloud of dust on the kilometer long path between it and her squad's position as the sound of the weapon firing came right through her suit to deafen her.  Chunks of rock and ice the size of cars hurtled up into the air where the projectile hit.  "ENOUGH !"  Mae fired her last four 37mm rounds into the mass driver and watched detonations tear into it.  She fired burst after burst from the Type 4 into the nearby alien suits until her HUD lit up with 'Empty Weapon' warnings.  Mae kicked off and drifted back into the hollow behind her and slid down it until she came to a stop.  She dropped the Type 4 beside her and began to feel pain spreading from several areas.  Warnings on her HUD indicated her suit had been holed in over a dozen areas.  The jump jets were off line and the maneuver pack was damaged.  The 37mm gun had also taken a hit and wasn't responding.  The rest of the holes were in the body of the suit.  None were leaking atmosphere, but it wouldn't matter.
   "Squad Leader, Second Squad, report."  Mae heard the Platoon Leader, but it sounded like he was miles away.  She keyed on the radio.
   "This is Second Squad Leader.  Mass driver is down.  Destroyed several suits.  At least a dozen smaller suits remain near the mass driver.  Out of ammo and suit is damaged.  Confirm."  Mae's voice sounded like it was buzzing even in her own ears, but the buzzing didn't stop as she waited for the reply.  She gagged and her mouth filled with blood as the radio crackled to life.  She swallowed hard and tried to make out the reply.  "... extraction possible..." was all Mae could understand.
   Mae tried to breathe deeply but her breath caught as pain sliced through her stomach.  She closed her eyes and took a shallow breath.  "Platoon Leader, tell Li I love her.  Confirm."  Mae didn't listen for the reply as the world slipped away.


   0830 hours/Washington DC, Earth

   Admiral Bradley Walters moved to the front of the briefing room.  'Yesterday was bad.  Breaking the news of the loss of the Yari, and that Task Force 2 was down to only the Sai.  That the Sai was going to be reassigned to Task Force 1 following the landings on Titan.  At least today isn't all bad news.'
   Bradley turned to face the table.  "Gentlemen, as General Foxx has informed you the Pan Euro Confederation has mobilized the 80th Ukraine and has announced that they intend to make landings on Victoria Colony to reinforce the units of the Martian Light Division there.  They will be moving two additional Attack Escorts to the area to provide security so the movement of the Resolute and Steadfast to Mars will not adversely affect the security of the operation there."
   Secretary of Defense Adam Richards held up a hand to cut him off.  "Admiral Walters, is it true that the aliens have attempted to bomb the troops at Victoria colony again?"
   Bradley turned to face the Secretary.  "Four alien bombers were intercepted at Victoria Colony just before fourteen hundred hours yesterday.  The target of the bombers is unknown and all four were destroyed by elements of the Pan Euro Third Light Battle Group stationed there."
   Secretary Richards looked hard at Bradley as he spoke again.  "Is it possible that the alien Alpha from Saturn could be involved in this attack?"
   Bradley stood still and waited a moment as he thought 'You know quite well they couldn't have.'  "With Saturn currently located nearly ninety eight light minutes from Victoria, it is unlikely to have been able to participate in that attack."
   "So a second group of alien ships will have to be operating near Victoria.  Why do you believe they continue in these bomber attacks?"  Secretary Richards sat back and wore a slightly concerned look on his face as he waited for a reply.
   'You aren't sure what the aliens are up to either, and are hoping I can clear it up for you.'  "Honorable Secretary, it is possible they are continuing to try and support whatever initiative they have on the ground.  If the Pan Euro is right and they are attempting to gain code sets and navigational data, the bombers may be there to relay any data they have gained and are unable to transmit from the surface of Victoria.  They may be checking on the deployment of our forces to identify weak areas.  It is unknown what this second group is and what they would be attempting to accomplish."
   Chairperson Harland Meyers was the next to chime in.  "And what of the landings of the Martian Light on the Chinese colony at Saturn?  Do we have any confirmation from the Chinese government that they will allow these landings?"
   "The Defiant is less than thirty six hours from Titan.  It will land the last Brigade of the Martian Light Division on its arrival.  The Vigilance is projected to complete its repairs in the next twenty hours at which time it will load elements of the Second Marine Division.  The four Q Ships will regroup at Mars and move toward Saturn together to provide security for the landings.  The Chinese have indicated that they will not oppose the landing so long as no Chinese installations are targeted."  Bradley waited for the inevitable questions.
   Secretary Richards cut in.  "Do you intend to leave the Q Ships at Titan following the landings?"
   "No Honorable Secretary.  We have transmitted to the Chinese that neither we nor the Euro intend to provide orbital support of the colony on Titan following the landing of the Second Marine.  We have indicated that the Chinese will need to have orbital support available at the time of the second landing or we will be withdrawing our troops at that time, and that no second landing will take place."  Bradley watched Secretary Richards.  'He is weighing all this back and forth.  Where is he going to go with it?'
   "Very well.  Continue with your current course of action.  I want a group to try and analyze this second alien group and what its intentions might be for tomorrow mornings briefing.  I would also like a plan on how you intend to locate and identify or destroy it.  That will be all."  Bradley watched as Secretary Richards began to tap at the pad in his lap.
   'Twenty four hours for me to come up with answers to the impossible.  Hope you aren't too disappointed.'
   

   1000 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing China

   Minister Po walked through the doors and into the hallway.  Two of his assistants followed at a respectful distance as Po talked to Minister Khoh.  Minister Khoh was the leader of the next most powerful faction in the ministry and had a great deal of control over the ground assets of the Chinese Empire.  The next few days would require his cooperation.
   "The troopships are stationed in Chinese space at three light seconds from the Earth.  The ground based laser battery should be unable to reach the troopships at this distance, but could fire on the lifters moving troops.  They have not attempted to fire on any of the civilian cargo ships, but this would be a blatant violation of the Pax Treaty and would invite retribution from not only us but the US and Euro as well.  Firing on ships obviously carrying soldiers would be a different situation.  It is unclear whether the US or Euro would intervene if the FSC was to attempt such a move."  Po walked slowly.  Both men were exhausted as the meetings had been nearly endless since the beginning of the month.  There had been little time to sleep, and eating had often occurred during the meetings - in spite of the long held customs against such activities.  Po wanted to make sure that Khoh was concentrating on what he was saying, not on simply catching his breath and looking to reach his office to sleep.
   "The Sixteenth Power Armor Division and Seventh Armored Division are both mobilized and on standby, but these are the only active divisions at the moment.  If both were to be moved to the troopships and transferred off world we would have no combat ready divisions to counter an FSC attack.  We would be forced to rely on our reserve formations for the initial combat.  We have most of the reserve elements on alert, but they lack the combat power of the professional units.  We would be faced with using the ground based Dragon Missiles to counter an attack."  Minister Khoh made his lack of commitment for the off world deployment very obvious in both his tone and choice of words.  'It will take more to convince him.  The loss of Titan will not weaken his power base as much as it will impact mine, and failure of the invasion on Hektor will only serve to prove that my party's beliefs are incorrect.  There will need to be something to convince him that his interests will be better served by supporting the current course of action.'
   "Perhaps we can make this more attractive to the FSC.  We can indicate that China will land the Sixteenth Power Armor Division on Hektor in support of the FSC colony there in exchange for the guarantee that the FSC will not attempt to interdict the troop movements.  We will also offer that we will revoke the current declaration of war and support the single laser installation in Australia as recognition of the FSCs emergence as a true world power, in exchange for one of the FSCs claimed colony sites in the belt as reparation for damages incurred by the Chinese Empire.  In this way not only can your supporters claim to have decisively ended a war with the FSC with reparations received, but you will also be able to claim that your supporters were instrumental in the defeat of the alien infestation in the belt and in the liberation of Titan.  The Seventh Armored should be more than a match for the alien forces that have landed there.  If the FSC should fail to maintain its end of the bargain, you will have nearly two divisions on Hektor to seize it and claim a victory for China.  You will have also had adequate time to mobilize more of the professional units for use here on Earth if it were necessary.  I will see to it that adequate space based warships are available to support these landings if you agree to them."  Po stopped in the hallway and faced Khoh.  "Would this be acceptable to you?"
   Minister Khoh stopped and thought for a moment.  He did not turn to face Po, and the look on his face was as unchanging as a statue.  Long minutes passed as the men stood in the dim hallway.
   "I will see to it that the Divisions are prepared for transport - as soon as we have verification of Chinese warships stationed at Titan.  Thank you."  Minister Khoh never turned to face Po and moved down the hall toward his office.  Po stood in the hallway and watched as he left.  When Khoh had disappeared into his office, Po moved to his own and stepped into it.
   Po turned to one of his assistants.  "I will compose orders for Captain Zedong Tan.  I will need them transmitted to both the Frigate Angtung and to Admiral Hu as soon as I have them completed.  We shall test this Captain's loyalty to his people."


   1030 hours/Missile Frigate Angtung, Hektor orbit

   Captain Zedong Tan sat in his station and looked at the orders he had received.  The Ministry had seen fit to finally address him since his broadcast.  'I had expected them to recall the Angtung to Earth or Venus.  Somewhere that they would take me into custody pending my execution.  Somewhere that was not in danger, and I could ignore the summons in good conscience.  Not this.'  Zedong looked at the transmission again.


   TO CAPTAIN ZEDONG TAN, MISSILE FRIGATE ANGTUNG
   FROM MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, IMPERIAL CHINESE SPACE FORCE COMMAND

   ORDERS FOR MISSILE FRIGATE ANGTUNG TO PROCEED TO TITAN
   MISSILE FRIGATE ANGTUNG TO PROVIDE SECURITY FOR TROOPSHIPS TWO , THREE
   MISSILE FRIGATE ANGTUNG TO PROVIDE SUPPORT OF LANDINGS
   SEVENTH ARMORED DIVISION TO LAND ON TITAN
   LANDINGS TO OCCUR FOLLOWING ARRIVAL OF MISSILE FRIGATE ANGTUNG
   MISSILE FRIGATE ANGTUNG TO REMAIN ON STATION AT TITAN
   
   NOTHING FOLLOWS

   This wasn't an order to go someplace safe and turn himself in.  It was an order to go and provide assistance to his own people who were dying.  FSC colonists were dying here, but the FSC had two warships to support them.  The colonist on Titan would have nothing when the Euro and US withdrew their ships.  The US had promised to land a brigade on Titan to support the colony, but they would still be horribly outnumbered.  An armored division could make the difference between life and death for tens of thousands of people.  Perhaps hundreds of thousands.
   'And Hektor is close to Saturn now.  We are the only ship that could make it there before the US landings and the departure of the US and Euro warships.  Without us they will be outnumbered, and blind.'
   "Comm, tightbeam transmission to the FSC Mary Reed and the 'Dutchman.'  Let them know we will be leaving in the next fifteen minutes.  Give them my apologies and best wishes for success.  Forward copy of message to Admiral Hu on Venus Station and to Command on Earth.  All crew to lock stations.  Engineering, get the particle accelerators on line.  Helm, plot course for Titan."



Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 19, 2011, 12:49:53 AM
February 2205 part 11

February 13th  0200 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, USN Space Center, Florida

   "Touch down, Captain."
   Captain Scott Moreland unlocked his station and stood up.  "Unlock stations.  Prep ramps and bays for loading."  Scott walked across the bridge and looked at the Engineering display.  'The repairs seem to be holding well.  We will need time to calibrate the drive for the new mass distribution, but we were never a race car to begin with.'
   Scott watched as the crew began to unlock stations and move about the bridge.  'We don't get much time out of stations anymore.  Let alone any time off of this ship.  Our orders are to load three battalions of the 2nd Marine Division.  After that we will head for Mars, and then Saturn.'  Scott walked back to his station and tapped on the monitor screen, then pulled up the system display.  'Mars just happens to be in the opposite direction from Saturn right now.  We will lose three days time moving there.  Apparently we are supposed to be giving the Chinese time to get support assets to Saturn before we land.'  Scott looked back at the crew on the bridge.  'Our orders are to load three battalions, and it doesn't look like we are in a hurry to get anywhere.'
   Scott turned to the Communications Officer.  "Let Ground Control know we need a full set of diagnostics on this ship.  I want them to go over it and make sure everything is ready for another landing.  We won't begin loading of the troops until the diagnostics are complete."  Scott then keyed open the ship intercom.  "All hands, this is your Captain.  We will be allowing Ground Control do a full check of the ship.  We will not begin loading operations until this is complete.  All hands are now on pass for the next twenty four hours.  Engineering will coordinate the use of the ship's lifter to move crew within USN airspace.  All hands are to report in by zero two hundred tomorrow morning.  This is your Captain.  Out."
   Scott listened to the chatter on the repeaters.  'There are a lot of happy voices out there.  The Second Marine got a few days to see their families before they go off to face death.  This crew deserves the same.'  Scott thought about the landings on Victoria, and the nine crew members who had died or been vented during the landings.
   'God knows they deserve it.'


   0930 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po sat in his office and looked at Minister Khoh.  "The FSC has agreed to allow loading of the troopships and the landing of the 16th Power Armor Division on Hektor.  We will need to act quickly to prevent a reversal of this policy.  We will also conduct troopship loading with lifters to avoid the possibility that this is a ruse and the FSC attempts to fire on the operation.  The troopships are far too valuable to risk in such circumstances."
   Minister Khoh looked over the papers Po had given him.  His face was dark as a storm cloud.  "The 16th Division is currently under strength, with only half the personnel and heavy equipment that the 23rd had when it landed.  It was intended to operate against the reserve formations of the FSC."
   "The reports to the Ministry indicate that the 23rd had stabilized the situation on Hektor.  The addition of the 16th should allow them to begin offensive operations to clear the alien forces."  Po watched Minister Khoh.  It was obvious the other man was not enthused with the operation.
   "They will provide substantial reinforcements, but there are no Chinese orbital assets to support the position."  Minister Khoh turned the page of the report he was holding.  "It does not appear that there are any intentions to move Chinese warships to Hektor either."
   Po shifted uncomfortably.  "The FSC has two warships on station at Hektor.  They should provide adequate support.  And the Angtung has begun moving toward Titan.  It will be there long before the 7th Armored arrives."
   Minister Khoh never looked up from the papers he held.  "The FSC warships are only converted freighters.  They lack true combat power should the aliens return."
   Po leaned forward onto his desk.  "Venus is still close to Hektor.  If it was deemed necessary by the Ministry ships could be deployed from there to Hektor within twenty four hours."  Po watched to see if the dark mask of Khoh's face changed in the least.
   'Nothing.'
   Po settled back into his chair.  'There will be no pleasing this man.'  Po watched silently as Minister Khoh read the report.  Pages turned slowly as the minutes slid by.  Finally Minister Khoh stood and placed the papers on Po's desk.
   "I will issue the deployment orders for the troops.  I will expect daily reports in the Ministry."  Minister Khoh turned and left the office.


   2200 hours/Interceptor MkIII Sai, Titan orbit, Saturn

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan watched the sensor returns on his screen as the Defiant moved into orbit of Titan.  "Captain, do we have any information from the Chinese on drop zones?"
   "No, Admiral.  The Chinese units seem to be disorganized.  We have been unable to positively identify any commander, and we have no clarification from the Chinese Embassy on Earth.  The only location with confirmed Chinese troop strengths in excess of a platoon is a very remote location just under a hundred kilometers from the nearest habitats we have currently identified.  The terrain is very rough and landing sites are limited in this area."  Jack listened as Captain Todd Allison spoke.  'Todd has been following the situation on the ground more closely while I have tried to manage a decent watch rotation with only two ships.  He will have the best idea, even if it is just a guess.'
   "Where would you put the troops if it was up to you, Captain?  Make it good, this is where we are going to try and land Commander Steele's ship."  Jack waited as Todd thought.  Todd had proven he had what it took to command in combat.  He had survived the battle with the alien Task Force at Earth, and the one here at Titan.  He was going to look over the options and try not to make a mistake.
   "Admiral, with all due consideration, I would put it down in the remote area.  We have two landing sites available there.  I would pick the more distant of the two.  The aliens have the equivalent of several battalions in combat there with the last organized group of defenders.  Whatever is there we could try to build on.  The brigade on the Defiant is purely infantry.  Each Battalion has a single Support Weapon Company but they have no heavy vehicles or weapons.  The Marine units due in the next week will help with that, but for the moment they will need all the help they can get.  The Infantry will have the best chance of holding out for the next week in that broken terrain.  Even the aliens will have problems moving support weapons in there."
   Jack watched as information and scans began to fill his monitor.  Todd had put together a fair amount of data on both the location and the troops the Defiant was carrying.  'Todd is right.  The Chinese troops here are dug in hard.  They are losing, but they aren't running.'  Then Jack saw it.  The scans clearly showed the signs of a ground based installation and construction.  'The Chinese have a base here.  One they think is important enough to dig in and fight for.'
   "There is one thing you didn't mention Todd.  You think there is a reason the troops there aren't leaving and the aliens seem so intent on taking it."  Jack looked at the returns as he waited.
   "That too sir.  If the aliens want a look at that complex, chances are we do too."
   "Ok, Todd.  Send Aaron what you've got and tell him to prep for landing."
   

February 14th  0400 hours/Attack Escort Elise, Earth orbit

   Commander Dana Breiholz studied the sensor returns.  'This place is just full of activity.  For two years this has been a war fought between ships in space.  Now it is as much a battle on the ground as it is in space.  The Chinese have three troopships getting soldiers ferried to them, the US has one of their Q Ships on the ground loading up, and we are here to escort the Pan Euro troops and supplies.'  Dana turned off the returns.
   "Communications, report to Admiral Muldoon that we are ready.  Helm, plot a course for Victoria.  Engineering, ready the ship to engage drive.  Ten G acceleration to match the troopship."  'This trip is going to take a while.  The Troopship can't fire up its drive to full power or it will kill the soldiers.  So we will get a slow start.  It is going to be our job to keep any alien ships away.  The only way the Troopship can maneuver is to vent the whole 80th Ukraine into space.  Folks at home won't be happy if that happens.'
   Dana waited as the crew set about their tasks.  A blinking box on her screen attracted Dana's attention.
   "Captain, we have a transmission from Captain Moreland of the US Q Ship Vigilance.  Forwarding to your monitor."
   "Thank you comm."  Dana opened the message.

   FROM CPT S MORELAND
   US Q SHIP VIGILANCE

   FOR PAN EURO ATTACK ESCORTS ELISE , K SEREG

   US Q SHIP VIGILANCE WILL FINISH LOADING NLT 0520 GMT
   WILL PROCEED FROM THIS LOCATION TO MARS

   IF PAN EURO MOVEMENTS ALLOW , VIGILANCE WILL ASSIST IN CONVOY DEFENSE
   CYBORG UNITS ON VIGILANCE , FULL DRIVE CAPABILITY

   Dana looked at the message.   Moments later her radio crackled to life.
   "Dana, this is Brittany.  You got the message from the Vigilance?"
   "Yes Brit.  I got it too.  Mars isn't far off course right now and another ship couldn't hurt if the aliens showed up.  I think we should do some sightseeing.  What about you?"
   Dana waited for the few moments it took the message to cross the space between the Elise and Keely Sereg.  "I've always liked company Dana.  It’s been a long time since I saw Mars.  I think we can wait an hour.  You want to tell Admiral Muldoon or shall I?"
   "I'll tell her.  I have a funny feeling that she was behind this anyway."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 20, 2011, 11:20:50 AM
February 2205 part 12

February 16th  0315 hours/Missile Frigate Angtung

   "New contacts times three.  Bearing two seven zero, range of seven point five light seconds.  Contacts in orbit of Titan at one half light second.  Contacts identified as Pan Euro Frigate times one, US Interceptor times one, US Heavy Freighter times one.  Possible Armed Heavy Freighter on contact three."
   Captain Zedong Tan listened as the Sensor Officer called out the contact data.  'This would be the security for the US landing.  We have already received transmissions from the Zhuang that the US landed near its location, but has not announced its discovery.  They risked their ships and lives to save my people, and it sounds as if they may have lost ships in clearing the aliens from the orbitals.'
   "Comm, open broadcast to the contacts.  Identify the ship as Missile Frigate Angtung of the Chinese Imperial Fleet.  Indicate that we will assist or assume security operations.  Also my personal thanks for clearing the area of the alien warships."  Zedong waited as the Communication Officer composed and transmitted the message.
   "Sir, we have a reply from the US Interceptor.  Translating and forwarding to your station."
   Zedong watched as the message appeared on his monitor.

   FROM R ADM J RYAN USN
   INTERCEPTOR SAI

   ACKNOWLEDGE ARRIVAL OF CHINESE VESSEL ANGTUNG
   REQUEST FORMAL PERMISSION TO REMAIN ON STATION
   PENDING ARRIVAL OF US SHIPS TIMES THREE FOR FURTHER LANDINGS

   YOUR PEOPLE ARE WELCOME

   Zedong looked at the transmission for a moment.  "Comm, send formal permission for US and Euro ships to remain on station.  Request permission of US Admiral to assume formation with US and Euro ships.  Helm, set a course for the orbit of Titan.  Maintain formation with US Interceptor at five thousand kilometers if permission granted."
   Zedong watched the sensor returns as the Angtung closed with Titan, and listened as the Comm Officer announced that the US Admiral had given permission for the Angtung to assume formation with the other ships orbiting the Chinese colony.
   Zedong typed a short message at his station, and then bypassed the comm station and transmitted directly on tight beam to the US Interceptor.

   IT IS GOOD TO STAND AS BROTHERS IN ARMS
   MAY WE NEVER HAVE TO FACE EACH OTHER ACROSS THE LONG DARK AGAIN


   0900 hours/Surface of Hektor

   Li Xue nibbled at the last few bites of the protein bar.  'I guess this stuff is better than starving, but not by much.'  She took a deep breath and felt the tube in her side pull slightly.  'The doctor said he would take that thing out today if the X rays were good.  I hope he does.'
   Li heard the door open and looked up.  It was the tall red headed FSC nurse.  'She is always smiling and babbling on and on, and I don't have the faintest clue what she is saying.'  Li watched the woman come over to the bed and remove the wrappers and tubes that had held 'breakfast'.  Then she checked the IV in LI's arm and pulled a small bag out of a pocket on her suit and attached it to a secondary set of tubing, then began pushing buttons on the IV pump.  'Oh goody, more medicine.  At least this one doesn't make me sleepy.  Oh crud.  She wants to check the tube in my side.'  Li held up her right arm and tried to smile as the red headed woman babbled and poked around the tube and the container it was attached to.  'That wasn't so bad.'  Li relaxed as she watched the woman move over to the next bed.  Li looked around the room.  There were three other women in the room.  One was missing a leg above the knee, one was missing an arm and her leg below the knee, while the last was missing both her legs above the knees and had most of her face covered in a bandage.  'I'm the lucky one.'
   Li looked up as she heard the door open again.  Two young men were coming in with a stretcher.  They spoke to the woman with her face in a bandage, moved her onto the stretcher and strapped her down, then took her out of the room.  Li startled as she looked up and found a woman standing right beside her.
   "Relax soldier.  I just came to check on you."
   Li covered her mouth for a moment and then took another deep breath.  "Platoon Leader.  I didn't see you come in."
   Ling Song sat on the bed beside Li.  "The Doc says your lung should be healed well enough to take out that tube.  Just a few more days and you should be ok."  Ling gestured to the two men who were coming into the room with another stretcher.  "They are heading for the troopship.  The Sixteenth Power Armor Division just landed.  The troopship is going to be taking the wounded back to Earth.  The dead too."  Ling and Li both watched as the two FSC men spoke to the woman in the bed and then placed her on a stretcher before carrying her out.  Ling put her hand on Li's shoulder.  "You are good and healthy.  No trip home for you.  When you're up and about you will join back up with our unit.  You're armor is fixed back up.  There are plenty of spare parts floating around right now.  We have been holding our own against the aliens.  With another fresh division here we should be able to finish them off."
   Li looked at Ling.  She looked tired and her face was pale.  "Thank you for coming to visit me.  I haven't seen anyone I could talk to since I woke up here, other than the doctor.  Any word on what is happening on Titan?"  Li tried to keep her face calm.  She had heard that the aliens had landed there, but no one knew what was happening before she was wounded.  "The doctor has ignored me when I have asked him."
   Li saw Ling look at the floor, and then back to her.  "No official word.  Rumor has it they have been hit really hard though.  Worse than us.  I overheard a civilian news broadcast that said the US had landed another brigade there, but they were still badly outnumbered and had landed too far from any habitats to help much.  Do you have family back there?"
   Li looked down at her hands in her lap, and tried to keep them steady.  "No just a friend.  We joined up together."
   Ling took her hand off Li's shoulder.  "If she is half the soldier you are, I'm sure she is fine.  I will be back to check on you tomorrow."
   Li nodded and tried to smile.  She watched as Ling left the room.  Li watched as the last woman was carried from the room and she was left alone.  Li laid back in the bed and velcroed the torso strap across her so she wouldn't float up as she turned on her side.  Li remembered the last time she and Mae had been together.  'Mae helped me get my gear ready to load.  She looked so sad.  I miss her.'
   Li closed her eyes but could still see Mae.  'Please, let her be alright.'


February 17th  1710 hours/Washington, DC

   Admiral Bradley Walters sat in the briefing room.  The meeting had just started.  General 'KJ' Foxx was still going over the ground actions.
   "The Pan Euro had completed landings four hours ago.  The Eightieth Ukraine Powered Armor Division has deployed."  A new projection appeared on the wall screen depicting the TO&E of the Pan Euro division.  "As you can see it consists of the First and Second Power Armor Brigades, along with the 1st Lancer Battery.  The Lancer Battery consists of eight mobile launch platforms that will be able to provide fire missions nearly anywhere on the surface of Victoria.  Early tomorrow the Second Brigade of the Eightieth will begin an offensive on the alien command hub near Garabay Dome.  As you know all prior attempts to dislodge the aliens from the dome and space port have failed, but the aliens have taken heavy losses maintaining that position.  Elements of the Martian First Brigade will support this attack, along with the three remaining McClellan Assault Vehicles.  It is expected that with both the Armored Company and the Lancer Battery in support that we should be able to capture this key alien position."
   Secretary of Defense Adam Richards held up his hand and stopped the General's presentation.  "It appears that the situation on Victoria has improved significantly.  I am concerned about the situation on Titan.  What information do we have concerning the landings there?"
   General Foxx tapped at the console in front of him and new displays appeared on the wall.  "The time lag concerning transmissions from Saturn makes this information several hours old, but it is considered accurate.  The Fourth Brigade of the Martian Light Division made landing on Titan with little resistance and few losses, but substantial alien forces were located near the landing site and this has hampered the Fourth Brigade.  They are currently engaged with elements of the alien forces that have near parity with the brigade, and the Sai has been able to track alien reinforcements moving to engage them.  The brigade has been unable to link up with the Chinese forces located nearby, and this has also hampered operations.  They are sustaining substantial losses holding their position.  It is questionable that they will be able to maintain combat effectiveness until the arrival of the three cyborg battalions of the Second Marine Division."
   Secretary Richards leaned forward with more than slight concern on his face.  "Are you saying we might lose the Fourth Brigade before the Second Marine arrives?"
   General Foxx shifted uncomfortably.  "We have monitored the Chinese troop movements here at Earth, and have assurances that the Chinese intend to land an Armored Division on Titan within the week.  The aliens should be forced to redeploy to face this new threat. lightening the pressure on the Fourth Brigade.  This should allow the Fourth to maintain a cohesive unit structure until the arrival of the reinforcements from the Second Marine."
   This time Congressional Chairperson Harland Meyers spoke up.  "So we are depending on a Chinese landing we have no way to confirm will occur?"
   "We are not depending on it.  The consequences of it not occurring could be severe though.  Other options could be employed, but may complicate the situation."  Bradley watched as General Foxx looked toward him.
   Secretary Richards spoke this time.  "You would be talking about primary safety launches from the Sai and Defiant to support the Fourth Brigade.  Am I correct?"
   "That would be an option."
   "Thank you General.  It appears we need to hear what Admiral Walters has to say."  Secretary Richards motioned for General Foxx to take his seat.
   Bradley got up and moved toward the head of the table.  Secretary Richards didn't wait for him to clear the display before asking the first question.
   "We heard this morning that the Chinese Warship Angtung arrived at Titan this morning, and that the Sai, Defiant, and Euro vessel Red October are also on station there.  You also briefed that the FSC has confirmed that the Chinese troopships have left Hektor.  How long until the Second Marine arrives at Titan, and what is the projected arrival time of the Chinese troops?"
   Bradley cleared the display, but left it blank as he turned to face Secretary Richards.  "The Vigilance will arrive at Titan on or about the twenty second of this month.  The Chinese troopships would need four days to move from Hektor to Titan assuming a normal cruising speed.  They could begin landings on the twentieth."
   Chairman Meyers cut in.  "If we were to conduct primary safety launches to protect our troops. What do you feel will happen?  Will the Chinese warship allow this to occur if necessary?"  Bradley looked at Meyers and could see that much of the color had drained from his face.  'The thought of telling your constituents that we lost an entire brigade doesn't look to agree with you.'
   "We have not addressed this subject with the Chinese Captain.  I feel it could unnecessarily complicate the situation if the Chinese landing proceeds as expected.  We may never need to conduct the launches, and indicating that we are willing to can only create friction in an already delicate situation."  Bradley saw Secretary Richards positioning himself for the next question and turned to face him.
   "What would be the consequences of a primary safety launch on the surface?  All of them."  Secretary Richards was leaning forward intently.  'He is waiting to see if I have any grasp of the political situation.  At least the situation as he sees it.'  Bradley tapped the console and a display of the surface of Titan appeared.
   "This area in red is the position occupied currently by the Fourth Brigade of the Martian Light.  These areas..."  Bradley moved to the wall screen and gestured to several structures visible on the surface, "...are Chinese positions.  These two are habitats, and this one in particular is an underground complex.  The areas the aliens are concentrated in are here.  The Fourth is isolated from the Chinese populations, but the alien command and support structures are located near the habitats.  To effectively target the aliens we will inflict damage on the Chinese structures.  The Chinese government has indicated before that this will be unacceptable.  Chinese civilian casualties are impossible to project at this point with the limited data we have on hand, but could be substantial."
   Secretary Richards held up his hand again.  "And what of the Chinese warship?"
   "We have no way to tell.  We have minimal records of this Captain.  We believe he has acted independently of the Chinese Government in recent events, but has acted to protect civilians aggressively.  If the lives of Chinese nationals were threatened he may act to protect them.  Chinese Strike Vessels have excellent combat records.  It is possible that the Sai and Defiant could engage the Chinese warship successfully, but it is likely that one or both warships would sustain extensive damage even if they prevailed.  The Pan Euro has given no indication that they would support the Sai and Defiant if hostilities broke out at Titan."
   "What are you saying?  Do you believe the Chinese Captain would be willing to start a war if we attempt to protect our troops?"  Chairperson Meyers was becoming pale and sweat was visible on his face.
   "Honorable Secretary and Chairperson, I would not recommend the primary safety launch at this time.  We have lost two Interceptors in the last week to action with alien warships.  We only have four Interceptors left, and four Q Ships.  An engagement could cost us twenty five percent of our current fleet and complicate the situation we currently are in.  Any incident could embroil us in a second war."
   "Thank you Admiral.  I think we have enough to consider for this evening.  The next briefing will be at six AM."  Secretary Richards rose from his chair and moved to the exit, leaving a still pale Chairperson Meyers sitting at the table.


   1950 hours/Armed Colony Vessel 3, asteroid belt 12 light minutes from Hektor

   The Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 3 could feel the tension of the crew.  Two new contacts had been detected moving through the debris fields.  Neither contact had attempted to raise a protective field.  Each was no larger than the Attack Vessel, but they could alert the native race to the presence of the Strike Group.  The two ships were drawing closer as the moments passed.  It would only be a matter of time until they would detect the Strike Group.
   The Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 3 sensed the transmissions from the Commander of Patrol Vessel 13.  'Orders to engage the drives, magnetic fields, and to engage the two contacts.  We will need to destroy them quickly.'  The Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 3 issued the orders and felt the magnetic field expand around the ship.  He could also feel the mass driver as it prepared to fire.  'The enemy vessels are increasing their drive emissions.  They know we are here.'
   The Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 3 could feel the pulse as the mass driver launched its packet of metallic hydrogen toward the target, and then a second flash as the other Armed Colony Vessel fired.  Moments later the two Patrol Vessels and the Attack Vessel launched torpedoes.  The Commander could feel the targets begin manuevering to avoid the launches, but it was too late.  In seconds both ships had been reduced to wreckage drifting through the rocks that filled this part of the system.
   The Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 3 waited for the transmission from Patrol Vessel 13.  The Strike Group would have to move.  It was possible that the enemy vessels had alerted the native race.  The Strike Group could not afford to engage enemy warships at this time.  The Commander sensed something he had not anticipated.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 13 had ordered all scout craft to launch and attack the nearby enemy colony.
   It took moments, but the Commander of Armed Colony Vessel 3 understood.  If the enemy colony was to be attacked, the native race might not redeploy ships from that location to hunt the Strike Group.  The nearest enemy vessels would be at the colony.  If they were given reason not to follow it could take the native race a great deal of time to bring ships to this location.  Then a second order followed.  The Strike Group would follow the scout craft.  If the enemy had moved its warships from the nearby colony and the scout craft found it undefended, then the Strike Group would again attack the colony.  The remaining troops would be landed.
   The native race would learn the price of abandoning its outposts.

   
   2230 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, china

   Minister Po could feel the sweat on his forehead as he stood at the podium.  Po looked out and could see the strained look on Minister Khoh's face.  'Strain and hatred.  He has heard.'
   "Assembled Ministers, I have received news that the last two scheduled transmissions of Troopships Two and Three have failed to arrive.  Attempts to contact the ships have also failed.  We must assume that both have been lost, along with the Seventh Armored Division they carried."
   The chorus of voices was not unexpected.  Po held up his hands to quiet the Assembly.  "We still have other options available.  Orders have been given for Troopship One to return to Hektor and pick up the Sixteenth Power Armor Division for transport to Titan.  They will lack the combat power of the Seventh Armored but should be able to stabilize the situation until additional troops can be mobilized.  It will take over five days to move the Sixteenth to Titan, but the additional troops that the US has indicated they will land on Titan should allow the colony to continue its fight against the alien infestation."
   Po watched as Minister Khoh rose from his seat.  "And what if the US troops are unsuccessful?  What if the Sixteenth is unable to stabilize the situation?  We will not only have lost Titan, but we will have insufficient troops to oppose FSC intentions in the belt.  If the FSC or other governments here on Earth were to act against us we have no professional troops mobilized to resist an invasion."
   Po tried to appear calm, but knew he was sweating profusely.  "We may have to be prepared for the loss of the colony on Titan.  We may be wise to move the Sixteenth to Earth to protect our interests.  This would violate the agreement with the FSC, but we have no assurances that the FSC will honor the agreement regardless.  This situation will need to be addressed now."
   Po listened as the assembled Ministers began to squabble, and knew that the meeting would not be concluded quickly.  He also knew that once again his faction would lose much of its power.  'China has certainly found itself cursed with 'interesting times'.'


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 24, 2011, 09:02:09 AM
February 2205  part 13

February 18th  1820 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, Hektor orbit

   "Weapon Conn, firing solution on alien bombers.  Launch when solution complete."
   The Dutchman looked at the sensor returns and watched as the four alien bombers moved closer to the colony on Hektor.  The Dutchman checked the progress on the firing solutions. 'Those little craft are hard to lock up out here.  The debris thrown out here from the combat on Hektor is only making it more difficult.'
   "Comm, update on the Krait's status."  The Dutchman saw the sensor lock stabilize and the firing solution compile.  Moments later the Mary Reed shuddered slightly as a single Devil Class Missile launched and engaged its drive.
   "Captain, the Krait reports she is still coming to stations.  The captain says they will reach Battle Stations in sixty seconds."
   'Damn it, the alien ships will nearly reach the colony before they get into the fight.  Only two ships on watch leaves us in horrible shape here.  When a crew is not on watch they end up scattered through their ship catching up on maintenance.'
   The Sensor Officer's voice caught the Dutchman's attention.  "Missile detonation.  Targets required.  Two bombers show active drive bloom.  One bomber tumbling, no drive signature.  Scattered contacts on tangent to detonation.  Appears to be remains of last bomber."  The Dutchman checked the sensor returns.  'That bomber must have been right on top of the missile when it detonated.  Two with one stone, now we just have to get the last pair.'
   The Sensor Officer cut in again.  "Contact velocity change.  Deceleration.  Range of zero point seven five light seconds.  Current velocity of four thousand kilometers per second and decreasing."
   "They are braking for their attack run.  Time until next launch."  The Dutchman looked toward the weapon station and the crew there.  He heard the Weapon Control Officer respond.  "Next launch in four, three, two, away."  The Mary Reed shuddered again as another missile released from its bay and the nuclear drive on it flared to life.  The Dutchman looked at the sensor readings and saw the missile moving toward the alien bombers alone.  The missile detonation clouded the returns for a few moments but the Dutchman already knew it had detonated short of the alien ships' course.
   "Comm, let the Krait know they need to get to stations NOW.  Weapon Conn, get the next launch online.  Sensor Conn, time until the bombers begin attack runs."
   The Sensor Officer was the first to answer.  "Aspect change on contacts.  Continuing to decelerate.  Beginning initial orientation for attack runs.  Projected weapon deployment in forty five seconds.  Sensors showing launch from the Krait."
   "Third launch online and away."
   'It's about time.  It is getting close.  We might get a fourth launch online, we might not.'  The Dutchman watched as the two detonations clouded the returns and then as the contacts reappeared.  "Hell yes.  One more down.  Get a fourth launch online and away."
   "Already working on it."  The Weapon Control Officer had the solutions compiling on the monitors in front of him while the other crew at the station were completing the prep on the missile.
   The Sensor Officer cut in again.  "Aspect change on remaining contact.  Beginning attack run on colony.  Projected weapon deployment in fifteen seconds.  Range to bomber of forty thousand kilometers."
   'This is going to be close.  If the missile loses tracking it could hit the colony.  Even if it doesn't, it will be uncomfortably close.'  The Dutchman watched as the missile appeared on the monitor and began moving toward the target.  It lasted for only a second as the nuclear drive covered the distance and then the returns clouded.  The bridge seemed quiet as the grave while the ship waited for the sensor report.
   "Target destroyed.  A few pieces of debris have struck Hektor but none are near any habitat or troop concentrations.  Hold, new contact.  Magnetic field deployment detected on bearing two five zero.  Unable to resolve but apparent range to contact of eight light seconds."
   The Dutchman concentrated on the new contacts, the elation of destroying the bombers quickly forgotten.  'Those aren't little bombers.  It takes something a lot larger to carry a field generator.  And we only have six missiles left on board.'  
   "Helm, engage drive.  Move to orbit of Hektor at half a light second.  Full combat acceleration.  Comm, relay to the Krait to maintain formation with the Mary Reed then hail those vessels and find out who they are.  Weapon Conn, get the next missile prepped for launch just in case."  The Dutchman watched the sensor returns as the drive engaged and the world turned grey.  'There are a lot of ships moving around right now and we are pretty close to the course most ships would take to Saturn.  Maybe they just detected the detonations and are coming to see if they can assist.'
   "No response from contacts.  Continuing open transmission."
   The Sensor Officer was the next voice on the intercom.  "Still unable to resolve contact identity.  Contact velocity no less than eight thousand kilometers per second.  Closing on colony."
   The Dutchman looked at the data as it began to display on the monitor in front of him.  'Human or not, if it was friendly then it would have answered by now.  If it is alien those bombers just told them how many of us are parked here.  We don't have a clue what they are, and that is a problem.'
   "Helm, bring us to course one one zero degrees.  Put the colony between us and the contact.  Comm, I want a tightbeam link to the ground station on the colony.  Get a direct link to the colony sensor array.  Feed to the Sensor Conn and my station."  The Dutchman watched as the range began to grow between the colony and the Mary Reed.  'The colony will be able to tell us what came to visit.  Then we can make a decision.'
   One minute crawled by, and then another.  Three minutes after leaving orbit of Hektor the Sensor Officer keyed open the intercom.  "Colony array has ID of contacts.  Armed Tango times two at four point five light seconds bearing two four six from the colony.  Velocity of nine four zero zero kilometers per second.  Third contact now.  Echo times one.  Same bearing and velocity.  All contacts closing on colony."
   The Comm Officer overrode the intercom.  "Dutchman, we have a priority broadcast from the Sixteenth Division.  They are reporting strikes on troop concentrations near Domes Three and Eight."
   The Dutchman sat and looked at the monitor.  'Those Tangos are twice the size of the Mary, and nearly three times as big as the Krait.  Even if we could outmaneuver them, the Echo would still be trying to tear us to pieces.  And the Mary's launch bay is almost half empty.  Odds are those ships can't pick us out from the rocks in the belt at this range.  So long as we leave the field generators off we should be fine.'
   "Helm, maintain current course.  Comm, let the colony know that we aren't going to be around to help.  Then send a message to the board that the aliens have returned to Hektor."


   1842 hours/Surface of Hektor

   Li Xue pulled off the velcro straps holding her in bed and then pulled out her IV.  Patterns of water drops drifted through the air as the line twisted back and forth.  Li aimed herself toward the door and pushed off from the bed.  Li grabbed the doorway as the room shook.  Li heard several people squeal as the vibrations scattered objects about the room behind her.  'Whatever that was, it was closer than the last one.'  Li looked down the hallway and saw several nurses moving.  Some pulling themselves along the rail on the wall, others are drifting rapidly from one point to the next.  Li could see the nurses' station down the hall and knew it had an exit from the ward.  Li pulled herself quickly down the rail until she reached the desk.
   "Where is my unit?!"  Li looked about at the room at the nurses moving about.  Some looked at her but none stopped or answered.  "WHERE IS MY UNIT?!"  Li yelled at no one in particular.  
   A young man appeared from the hallway.  "You are Chinese soldier?"  Li looked at him.  The Chinese was broken and badly accented, but at least Li could understand it.
   "Yes!  Now where is the rest of my unit?!"  Li watched as the man pushed off and drifted to the counter beside her.
   The man pulled himself to a stop on the rail and shrugged.  "Woman bring clothes.  Not clothes."  Li watched as the man looked confused and then pointed back down the hallway leading from the nurses' station.  "Come."  Li followed the man as he pushed off from the rail back toward the hallway.  Li grabbed the rail in the hall and pulled herself down it behind the man.  He stopped at the room across from the one Li had been in.  The man opened the door and pointed inside the room.  Li pulled herself to the doorway and saw a portable Salamander Suit Pack in the room.  "My suit !"  Li grabbed the young man's arm and quickly kissed his cheek.  Li looked just long enough to see him blush as she smiled at him and then she pushed off toward the case.
   Li grabbed the outside of the case and punched in her suit number.  Lights flashed on the front of the case as it expanded and unfolded.  'There it is, good as new.'  Li pulled the elastic skin tight suit out of the side pocket and pulled the legs on.  The hospital gown got in the way and Li reached around and tried to undo the ties.  Pain suddenly flared in her side and Li found herself doubled up clutching at the site where the chest tube had once been.  Li felt hands pulling the ties loose and found the young man floating beside her undoing the gown.  Li could feel herself blush and all she could think was 'It has been a long time since any man has taken my clothes off.'  Li tried not to look at the young man as she pushed her arms into the sleeves of the suit and pulled it up over her.  Li found she had drifted away from the rack and had nothing in reach.  She looked back at the young man to see he was easily as red as she was.  Li pointed back to the case and reached for it.  "Help me.  I can't reach."  She watched the young man grab her arm and pull her back.  'I wish he would quit blushing.  Then maybe I could.'  Li grabbed the case and put her feet into the suit and felt the blast padding expand.  The room shook again as she leaned back into the suit.  Li looked at the young man again and saw that the pink had disappeared from his face, replaced by the pale mask of fear and concern.  'Now I wish he was blushing.'  In less than a minute Li had the rest of the suit on and the function checks complete.  'Now, what in the hell is going on.'  Li turned on the radio and was assaulted by voices.  Dozens, if not hundreds.  Li keyed in for the suit to screen out all transmissions not from the 23rd Regiment.  Li felt the suit shake and the maneuver pack fire as the transmissions died off to only a few voices.  Li could feel her stomach sink to her toes as she listened.  'Oh my god, the aliens are back.  They are shelling the colony again.  It sounds like they might be making another landing.'
   Li looked up and saw that the amber lights had come on in the room and that the door had sealed.  'Oh no.  The dome has been breached.'  Li used the maneuver pack to reach the door, careful not to fire the jets toward the young man still holding onto the case.  The door refused to open when Li pushed the button and words flashed near it.  The room shook again and the lights went out.  Li turned on the suit's lights and looked back into the room.  She could see the young man struggling to get his hood pulled over his head.  'Oh no, the room has lost its seal.'  Li moved to help the young man and sealed the hood onto his suit, then watched as he struggled with his gloves.  Li could see his eyes rolling back and his movements becoming less coordinated.  'He is suffocating.  There isn't enough air pressure in the suit.  Li reached down and pressed the release on the small air cylinder on the young man's side and saw the hood balloon up as oxygen filled the suit. Then the hood began to shrink again.  Li looked down and saw the air leaking out around the cuff on one of the suit's sleeves.  'One of his gloves isn't on.'  Li looked at the young man's suit but the glove wasn't attached near the sleeve.  Li quickly looked around the room and saw the glove drifting.  Li used her maneuver pack to reach the glove as she held the young man's arm.  She grabbed the glove and pulled it over the man's hand and sealed it.  She looked up and could see that the hood had shrunk down a great deal.  His eyes were glassy and unfocused; his face had turned nearly purple.  'What can I do?'  Li watched as he gasped several times and arched his body as he tried to find air to breathe.  The arches became less coordinated.  Became slow convulsions.  Then nothing.  Tears rolled down Li's face as she let go of the body and watched it drift away.
   'I owe you my life, and I don't even know your name.'


   2010 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po looked at the papers on his desk.  'The Ministers will meet in twenty minutes.  We will have to face this new setback.'  Po looked up as one of the office assistants poked his head through the door.
   "Minister Po, Minister Khoh is here to see you."  The door was pushed open and Po watched as Minister Khoh shoved his way past the startled clerk.
   "You know what has happened?!"  Khoh stared at Po with barely contained anger.
   "I have heard that the aliens have retaken the orbitals at Hektor, and have made strikes on the ground units.  There have also been reports of another landing of alien troops."  Po watched as Khoh stood shaking in front of his desk.
   "The Sixteenth has been nearly destroyed!  Their supply dumps are gone!  My people indicate that another alien division has landed and is even now crushing whatever units resist them!  We are losing both Titan AND Hektor!  What are you going to DO?!"  Khoh had stepped forward with each statement.  He was nearly to the desk.  Po reached into the open drawer and laid his hand on the pistol there.
   "We will address this in the Assembly.  Whatever decisions are made I will support.  It may be possible that ships can be diverted to support the remaining troops."
   "WHAT TROOPS?!"  Po could see that Khoh was rapidly losing control of himself.  Po pulled the pistol from the drawer and leveled it at Khoh.
   "This will be addressed.  We may need extreme measures to control this situation."  Po watched as the color drained from Khoh's face as he stared at the pistol.  "You need to leave now."
   Po watched as Khoh slowly backed away from the desk, and then left the room.  Po pushed the button for the intercom.  "I will need addtional guards stationed in my office.  I will also need several guards to accompany me inside the Ministry.  Thank you."  Po put the pistol away and leaned back in his chair.  'This is a dangerous situation and we must resolve it quickly.  For my own safety if nothing else."


   2330 hours/Washington DC

   Admiral Bradley Walters stood as the door opened.  "Thank you for coming.  I realize this is unconventional, but a new situation needs to be addressed and I am unable to respond until after the politicians are briefed in the morning.  I am concerned that may be too late.  Please, take a seat."
   Bradley watched as Pan Euro Admiral Brenna Muldoon approached the desk, and then sat in one of the black leather chairs.  Her 'uniform' was nearly unadorned.  It was obviously a Pan Euro naval suit, but with no decorations she appeared to be no one special.  'Until you look at the rank.'  
   "You have heard the transmissions from Hektor, Admiral Muldoon?"  Bradley watched the Pan Euro Admiral as she sat across from him.
   "We have, Admiral Walters.  It would appear that the FSC colony is in jeopardy of falling to the aliens."
   "We have heard the same thing.  I am also in a position to have information of the situation at Titan.  The US has landed ground troops there, and we have more moving toward that location.  We have assurances from the Chinese that they will also be landing their own units, but the current situation at Titan is dire.  It is possible that Titan could also fall to the aliens.  We have additional units moving to secure the orbitals of Titan and to prevent additional alien troop landings.  These situations are what I need to address with you."  Bradley leaned forward and turned a monitor screen on his desk around so that Admiral Muldoon could also see it, then tapped at several areas on the screen.
   "This is a system display.  These are the active USN units.  As you can see we have been stretched thin.  I do not believe that my government will authorize additional units to secure the orbitals of the Chinese colony at Saturn.  They may not even leave the units we have at Titan following our second troop landing.  The Chinese have a single Strike Vessel at Titan.  If additional Chinese warships arrive to support the landing of the Chinese troops we may not need to keep ships there.  If it would be possible for the Red October to remain on station at Titan with the US ships for the duration of our deployment would be an immense help."  Bradley waited as Admiral Muldoon looked at the display.
   "The current deployment orders are for the Red October to rejoin the Third Light Battle Group at Victoria following your landings.  Currently we have moved two additional Attack Escorts to Victoria, as I am sure you are aware, to assist the Third Light Battle Group until the Red October's return."  Bradley waited as the Pan Euro Admiral paused.  "It would be possible to reassign the Red October to Titan until US forces move from that position.  I do not see that as an issue that would require this meeting.  It could easily be handled through normal channels.  The Red October would not have move from Titan for several days regardless."
   Bradley leaned back in his chair.  "This is true.  That issue is not the problem which concerns me the most.  We have confirmation from the FSC that the aliens moved three warships to Hektor.  A pair of Tango Twos and an Echo.  The FSC has indicated that it will not commit its only two warships to this area unsupported.  If your analyst's conclusions are correct and the aliens are attempting to gain data on our colony locations from these invasion sites, then the fall of Hektor could impact both of our governments.  The US doesn't have enough warships to intervene at Hektor, let alone guard all of our colonies.  I find it difficult to believe that the Pan Euro could afford to station ships at each of its belt colonies either."  Bradley paused for a moment, to allow what he had said to sink in.
   "I do have assurances from the FSC that they have ground troops available for a landing on Hektor.  They indicate that the Mary Reed could transport and land those troops if the space near Hektor was secure.  The US also has two additional Marine Brigades mobilized and ready to deploy, but we do not have ships available to move those assets.  The Q Ships will take too long to land troops at Titan, return and load the marines, and then land at Hektor before the colony is lost.  Word from the Martian Light at Victoria indicates that the situation there has turned against the aliens following the landing of the Eightieth Ukraine.  I do not know the current deployment of your troopship and the rest of the Battle Group that left Earth late last month, but they may be the only thing between us and a disaster at Hektor."  Bradley sat quietly.  'Now it is all up to her.  She knows where her ships are and if they can even help.'
   Bradley waited quietly as the Pan Euro Admiral leaned forward and looked at the system display.  A few minutes passed in silence.  "The Pan Euro Troopship would be available for loading of the US troops in the next thirty six hours.  You will need to get a message to your contacts in the FSC.  If they will support an attack, I will be able to move the remaining ships of the Third Battle Group to Hektor in support of them."
   "Do you have a time frame that they might be available for an attack?"
   The Pan Euro Admiral rose from her chair.  "I will need to send orders but they should reach Hektor in three days.  I will forward the rendezvous location for the FSC ships."  Bradley watched as she turned and left the room.
   'If the aliens seize even one colony we could lose this war.  Muldoon knows that.  Victoria is nearly secure.  With luck we will be able to reverse the situation on Hektor.  God help us if the Chinese don't hurry up and get their troops to Titan.'

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 25, 2011, 04:34:41 PM
February 2205  part 14

February 18th  2345 hours/Surface of Titan, 3 klicks from Chinese construction site

   "Figures they would pick us for this assignment.  We are such people persons.  Everyone likes us."
   "Can it Fuentes.  Cover your sector.  It’s almost time to move."
   "Yes Sergeant Evans."
   'He may be a little prick, but for once I agree with him.'  Staff Sergeant Carl Evans watched as First Squad of 3rd Platoon, Company A moved along the slope just below the top of the ridge.  'We have to be on someone's list to have drawn this assignment.  The perimeter is barely holding, but it is.  So we get elected to try and push down this ridgeline to make contact with whatever Chinese troops are left alive near the construction site.  At least that is what the Intel folks are calling it.  Could be some fat Chinese diplomat's idea of an outdoor patio for all they know.  Doubt they will have anything on the grill for us.'
   The radio in Carl's Shiloh Power Armor suit blared.  "Sergeant Evans.  First Squad and Third Squad are in position.  Are you ready to move?"  Carl looked down the ridge to see that First Squad had settled in amongst the rocks as he turned down the radio’s volume.  "Affirmative Lieutenant.  Moving sir.  Ok, Second Squad, move up.  Fuentes, you take point.  I'm sure whoever you meet will love to see your smiling face."  Carl waited for the comments he knew were coming, but stopped when he saw First Squad Leader Staff Sergeant Duncan signal for the group to hold position.  Carl waved the group to stop as he knelt in a small washout in the side of the ridge.  "What have you got Billy Boy?  Talk to me."
   "Carl, contact with alien suits, nearly a dozen scattered about five hundred meters south of our position.  They aren't moving.  Looks like they might be dead."
   Carl looked in the direction 'Billy Boy' Duncan had said.  'Sure as hell.  Looks like someone played kick the can with an alien squad.  We haven't got anybody around here so it must be the Chinese troop’s handiwork.  Hopefully it isn't too much farther until we reach their lines.  So long as they don't blow the hell out of us too.'
   "I see 'em Billy Boy.  They're down.  We are moving up but keep an eye out."  Carl motioned for Second Squad to move forward and watched as Fuentes began to pick his way among the rocks and draws.  'Guess that shut him up.  The LT should have heard that.  Guess it isn't important enough for him to chime in.’ Carl picked his way along the outcroppings and gullies.  As Second Squad passed First Squad's position he could see that the seven troops there were focused on watching.  No chatter.  Nothing.  'Hopefully the only alien suits around are down already.'
   Carl checked the squad's spacing.  "Myers, drop back some.  I don't want the SLAR taken out first thing.  Keep to the middle of the wedge."  Carl saw Fuentes suddenly signal for the squad to stop.  "Fuentes, what have you got?"
   "Sergeant Evans.  I have six alien suits ahead.  Two goblins, four gremlins.  They look like hell.  I think they are down Sergeant."
   Carl moved forward until he was a few meters behind Fuentes.  Fuentes motioned down into the gully toward the next ridgeline.  'Sure enough.  Six more toasted alien suits.  There was definitely a battle here.  Hopefully the good guys won.'  Carl scanned the ridgeline and a red contact warning flashed on his HUD.  Carl increased the magnification on the highlighted area.
   "Third Platoon, hold.  Contact ahead, two hundred meters.  Got a flashing light on my HUD.  Can't make out what, it is just lighting up the sides of a small depression."  Carl waited for the LT.  It only took a moment.
   "Sergeant Evans, three men forward to check it out.  Never heard of a flashing anything on an alien suit.  See what we've got and report.  Out."
   Carl took a deep breath.  'Just my luck.'  "Roger LT.  Wilco.  Ok, Fuentes and Brown, on me.  Sightseeing opportunity.  Don't fire without positive ID.  The rest of you hold position and prep for cover fire if we need it."  This time Fuentes wasn't going to be quiet.  "Thanks Sergeant Evans.  I always wanted to make friendly with the natives.  If they keep livestock maybe even you could get lucky."
   "Can it Fuentes.  You got point still."
   Carl watched as Fuentes moved down the slope slowly.  As he reached the bottom of the ridge Carl saw the cloud of dust and ice as Fuentes fired his jump jets.  In only a few seconds he had crossed the gully and landed on the far slope.  Carl watched as Fuentes swept the area and then signaled it was clear.  Carl hit his jump jets and then the braking thrusters until he had landed no more than twenty meters from Fuentes.
   "Fuentes, take position on this ridge top.  See if we have company on the far side.  No jets and stay low.  I’ll watch the bend in the gully.  Our platoon can't see down there.  Brown, check the contact."  Carl watched as Private First Class Phil Brown started moving toward the small flashing light.  'I hope like hell this is just a movement sensor, and not some booby trap.'
   Carl saw Brown move to the edge of the shallow depression and stop.  “Sarge, you need to take a look at this.”
   Carl moved slowly up the slope, making sure to let Fuentes have a good lead on the way to the top.  'Ok, let’s see what we've got.'  As Carl moved over the lip of the shallow ditch the flashing light was in he could see the form of a Chinese Power Armor suit.  A weapon was a few meters away in the gravel.  As Carl moved closer he could see several areas that were damaged on the suit.  'Whoever this was, they took one hell of a beating.'  Carl looked at the six destroyed alien suits nearby and heard Brown speak up.  'It looks like he took those suits with him.'
   "LT, this is Evans.  I've got one damaged Chinese suit over here.  Looks shot to hell.  Nothing else.  No alien contacts."
   "Ok Sergeant Evans.  Mark the area for later.  We will pass on the location to the Chinese.  They might want to police up the body, and the suit for parts."
   "Roger sir.  Evans out."
   Carl's radio crackled back to life.  It was Fuentes.  "Sergeant.  I've got more destroyed alien suits on this side of the ridge.  Probably another eight or so.  Also one damaged support weapon.  Looks like one of their heavy mass drivers.  Whoever that body is, they must have thought they were John Wayne or something.  I can also see some structures two klicks to the southeast.  Looks like it might be the edge of the Chinese complex."
   Carl looked down at the Chinese suit.  'At least fourteen alien suits.  A support weapon.  And I'll bet you had a hand in the destroyed suits we saw earlier.  Somebody ought to know your story.  I don't know if the Chinese give out medals or not, but someone ought to send your folks one.'  Carl turned and saw Brown standing in the gully.  "Brown, you get souvenir duty.  Pick up this suit.  If we are this close to the Chinese lines we might as well take it in.  Maybe they won't blow us up if they see one of their suits." 


February 19th  0330 hours/Queen Jane Grey, Mercury orbit

   Ensign Gretta Deeter looked over at Commodore Robert McNeely before she locked her station.  "I guess the important movements for this morning's briefing will be us.  And for the construction issues, the big news will be that one of them has been put on hold.  Does this mean I can be excused from the zero six thirty meeting and just sleep in?"
   Gretta didn't expect any laughter.  She would have been pleased with just about anything.  Almost anything.
   "Ensign Deeter.  Since you are so far ahead of the rest of the staff, I will need you to get me all the information you can on the FSC colony on Hektor, the troops and combat there, and all recorded alien ships and actions.  I will also want a full report of the current capabilities of the alien ships encountered at Saturn.  The ones waiting for us may be just as dangerous."
   Gretta stared at her monitor.  'I should learn not to open my big mouth.'
   Commodore Robert McNeely looked at the orders on his monitor, and then at the system display beside them.  A green blinking dot marked the location the three ships of the 3rd Battle Group were to move to.  Hopefully to meet the FSC warship.  'If they don't show up, we will probably still go in to clear the space there.  In the belt.  It sounds like the aliens may have some new tricks.  The belt will just make it even harder for us.'
   "Helm, forwarding coordinates to your station.  Plot a course for those coordinates and engage drive.  Standard cruise.  Comm, message to the Isabelle and Catherine.  Hold formation on the Jane Grey and maintain current general quarters rotation.  Forward message to Mobile Shipyard Two.  Cease construction on hull and place project in stable orbit of Mercury.  Mobile Shipyard Two is then to move at standard cruise to a location three light minutes from Mercury and shut down drive.  Comm silence follows until otherwise directed or alien contact.  Acknowledge orders per protocol."
   Robert looked around the bridge.  'We made it longer than nine days, so we did better than Lady Jane.  We've been in service for forty days now.  It sounds like we get a chance to see our first combat before we make it to forty seven.'


   0615 hours/Assault Vessel, dark side of asteroid belt

   The Commander of Fleets settled into his station.  The data needed careful evaluation.  The four Strike Groups had merged into two larger groups. Two enemy support ships moving toward the enemy colony on the moon of the ringed planet had been destroyed.  Another landing had taken place on the second enemy colony.  Warships of the native race had destroyed four scout craft there but had evaded the Strike Group following them.  The enemy had also landed additional forces on all of its colonies that were under attack.
   The Combat Vessels and Hive Vessels would need additional time to arrive, along with the supplies, bombers, and troops they carried.  The combat at the moon and in the debris field could be enough to convince the native race that this was not simple raiding.  They could easily redeploy their forces if they felt a strong attack was inevitable.  The disposition of the enemy forces was crucial.  They must continue to feel it necessary and beneficial to guard their colonies.  To keep their forces separated into smaller groups.
   The remaining scout craft would have to be launched to determine if the native race had moved its ships from the first colony that had been attacked.  If they still remained, there was a chance that the enemy had not discerned the true intention of the operation.  The native race had encountered only three Patrol Vessels and one Attack Vessel.  The rest had been Support Vessels or Armed Colony Vessels.  Perhaps they still felt this was just a gathering of ships to conduct landings in the inner system, and not an actual Combat Group that was assembling.
   If the native race had concentrated its assets, then nothing could be done to change that.  The operation would have to continue as it had been planned until it was obvious it would no longer work.  The Commander of Fleets issued the orders for the last scout craft to attack the first landing site and for the Assault Vessel to begin moving toward the approaching Combat Vessels.
   'If the enemy still has warships at the first landing site, this operation will work and the Strike Group at the second landing site will need to withdraw.  If not, then the Strike Groups will need to move to finish the combat on the enemy colonies.'
   The Commander of Fleets could feel the Assault Vessel's drive engage as his orders were executed.


   1230 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, orbit of Venus

   Admiral Hu looked at the orders he had received from the Ministry of Defense.  'This is what it has come to.'
   Admiral Hu looked at the orders he had composed displayed on his monitor.  'May my ancestors forgive me and my family redeem me for what I must do.'  He tapped the screen and transmitted the orders to the two ships nearby.


   FROM ADMIRAL HU
   CRUISER CHIANG KIA SHEK
   CHINESE IMPERIAL FLEET COMMANDER

   MISSILE FRIGATES QUINHA , SICHUAN TO MOVE TO TITAN
   ENGAGE DRIVES TO ARRIVE NLT 0400-02/23/2205
   COMM SILENCE UNTIL ARRIVE SATURN

   UPON ARRIVAL SATURN:

   CAPTAIN ZEDONG TAN OF ANGTUNG TO BE RELIEVED

   US/PAN EURO WARSHIPS MUST WITHDRAW TROOPS NLT 1200-02/23/2205
   US/PAN EURO WARSHIPS MUST WITHDRAW NLT 1300-02/23/2205

   IF US/PAN EURO WARSHIPS WITHDRAW:
   MOBILE CONSTRUCTION SHIP ZHUANG TO WITHDRAW FROM TITAN
   AUTHORIZATION FOR DRIVE DETONATION LAUNCHES ON ALIEN GROUND FORCES
   AUTHORIZATION FOR TARGETING OF CIVILIAN/MILITARY STRUCTURES AS NECESSARY

   IF US/PAN EURO WARSHIPS FAIL TO WITHDRAW:
   AUTHORIZATION FOR DRIVE DETONATION LAUNCHES ON US/PAN EURO SHIPS

   UPON DESTRUCTION OR SURRENDER OF US/PAN EURO:
   MOBILE CONSTRUCTION SHIP ZHUANG TO WITHDRAW FROM TITAN
   AUTHORIZATION FOR DRIVE DETONATION LAUNCHES ON ALIEN GROUND FORCES
   AUTHORIZATION FOR TARGETING OF CIVILIAN STRUCTURES AS NECESSARY

   NOTHING FOLLOWS   

   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on September 03, 2011, 01:00:47 AM
February 2205 part 15

February 20th  0110 hours/Hardened Fallout Shelter, New Delhi

   The room was quiet as Chairman Mukata idly stirred the ice in his glass and looked at the reports on his monitor.
   'We have ordered the Dutchman to return and load the 3rd Chilean Power Armor Brigade.  This will allow the Mary Reed to approach without crossing Chinese controlled space.  The Chinese could still target the ship but would have to launch weapons through the US or Euro controlled zones.  With tensions high it is unlikely that the Chinese will risk such a move.  The question is will the Dutchman return?  If he chooses to remain at large the FSC has no ships to deal with him, and no way to move troops into the combat zone on Hektor.  For the moment.'
   Mukata tapped at the screen and watched as another report appeared.  'The progress on the underground complex at Queensland is slow, but the hanger should be ready in time for the new ship's construction.'  Mukata scrolled down through the data.  'The hanger itself should be finished by the beginning of April, in time to start construction of the new warships.  The project engineer, this cyborg Jager, has promised that the first vessel will be completed in May and fully operational in June, assuming the hanger is ready on time.'
   Mukata turned off the monitor and leaned back in his chair.  'If Jager's promises are true the first of these Hornet Class warships will make the Mary Reed and Krait obsolete.'  Mukata took a long sip of the cold tea.  'Along with nearly every other ship in service.  The Chinese will regret declaring war.'


February 21st  0610 hours/Washington, DC

   Admiral Bradley Walters watched the briefing start.  General 'KJ' Foxx had been late and was busy pulling up displays as he spoke.
   "These charts show the timelines for the loading of the First and Second Brigades of the Second Marine Division.  The Pan Euro Troopship has touched down in the emergency landing zone near Camp LeJuene.  This will allow the soldiers to load without requiring transport to the Space Center, speeding the process by several hours.'
   Congressional Chairperson Harland Meyers stopped the general.  "Isn't the emergency loading zone located close to both commercial maritime lanes and the civilian housing near the base?"
   "The landing should not present a major disruption.  The two brigades should be able to load within eight hours.  The Pan Euro Troopship is scheduled to leave Earth no later than three PM Eastern Standard Time.  We have cleared the shipping lanes to allow the Euro Troopship to lift off without the drive endangering any surface vessels.  The civilian housing is safe and the noise should present a tolerable disruption.'
   "Have the studies of possible landing sites for the three cyborg battalions of the Second Marine been completed?"  Secretary of Defense Adam Richards looked annoyed with both the meeting's delay and the Congressman's question.
   General Foxx pulled up another display, this one showing the surface of Titan.  "The Fourth Brigade of the Martian Light Division has been able to link up with the Chinese elements located in the underground complex on Titan, but the brigade is still heavily engaged with alien units.  The Fourth has been forced to fall back to consolidate its position and contact with the Chinese may be lost if pressure on the unit continues to increase.  This location,"  General Foxx gestured toward the display, "represents what we believe is the best location for landing.  The Vigilance will perform its landing here.  This will allow the unit to secure the area near the underground complex near the combat zone.  It is hoped that the underground complex will provide a base of operations for the unit.  This landing zone will be re-evaluated following the Chinese landings to ensure it remains suitable."
   Congressman Meyers sat forward abruptly.  "Are you saying that the Chinese troops have not landed?!"
   General Foxx turned and looked at Congressman Meyers.  "There is a considerable time lag in communications with our forces at Titan, but as of zero four hundred this morning there had been no reports of Chinese Troopships or landings."
   "Have we heard anything from the Chinese?!  They were supposed to land yesterday!"  Bradley could see that Congressman Meyers was growing pale, and strain showed on his face.  Secretary Richards also wore a concerned look, if somewhat more controlled.
   "We have no messages from the Chinese.  I believe that the issue would be addressed though the embassies and not by military channels, so any notice from the Chinese should have come through civilian channels first."  Bradley could see General Foxx look at the two politicians with vaguely concealed disdain.  'Meyer's panic is clouding his ability to focus.'
   Secretary Richards held his hand up.  "You are correct and we will pursue this issue through the appropriate channels.  That will be all for the moment.  Admiral Walters, we would like your report now."
   General Foxx cleared the displays of Hektor and the landing zones for the other two brigades of the Second Marine Division, obviously irritated at being dismissed before having completed his briefing.  Bradley brought up his displays as the General reached his seat.
   "The newest developments are the announcements by the Pan Euro.  First is that the Third Light Battle Group has intercepted and destroyed four alien bombers near Victoria.  None of the bombers were able to begin their attack runs or cause any damage to the colony or the units stationed there.  The Second is the declaration that the Third Battle Group has begun movement toward Hektor to clear the aliens from the space near the FSC colony.  This second move had been anticipated, as the Pan Euro Troopship is unarmed and would be unable to conduct landings unsupported."
   Secretary Richards nodded, and then spoke.  "Do you believe that the Pan Euro Battle Group can clear the space near Hektor?"
   Bradley stood for a moment and thought.  "We know the Third is short two of its Attack Escorts which are currently on station near Victoria Colony.  This would leave it with only six missile bays.  Task Force Two and the Pan Euro ship Red October had eight missile bays at the battle near Titan.  If the aliens actually have a pair of Tango Twos along with an Echo the battle could be difficult.  Particularly in the belt.  The Pan Euro ships have an excellent record.  If the FSC warships move to support this engagement I believe that the Euro group should be able to clear the space near Hektor.  Assuming the aliens remain near the colony and do not have additional ships nearby."
   "Do you think the aliens will withdraw following the landing again?"  Congressman Meyers was beginning to regain his composure and color.
   "It is possible.  This is the first time the aliens have landed twice at a colony site and the alien's actions are difficult to predict.  We do not know."  Bradley waited for the next question.  Secretary Richards once again cut off the Congressman.
   "Has there been any sensor contact with the Chinese troopships near Titan, or communication broadcasts that have been intercepted?"
   "We have no reports of new contacts near Titan. We have also received no comm signals that we could attribute to the Chinese ships."
   "Thank you Admiral, that will be all.  The next meeting will be at six PM."
   

   1745 hours/Surface of Hektor

   Li Xue looked at the hallway in front of her.  'This place is a wreck.'  Li moved over a ceiling beam that had fallen and looked through the gaping hole into the level above her.  "It's clear Platoon Leader."
   "Just LIng now.  Our platoon is four soldiers."  Li turned and watched as Platoon Leader Ling Song and the other two members of the 'platoon' moved around the wreckage in the hall.  "Li, move up through the hole and clear the bay.  Kei follow her through.  Confirm."
   "Confirm."  Li looked at Kei as she reached the area below the hole.  Li took a deep breath.  'I can do this.'  "On three, two, GO!"  Li fired her maneuver pack and shot up through the hole into the bay above.  Li saw the black of space and countless tiny points of light through a gaping open area in the side of the dome.  Li swept her half of the bay but saw nothing threatening.  "Clear. Moving to secure."
   Li grabbed a bent beam and pushed off toward the wreckage of the dome's outer wall.  She grabbed at the twisted metal of the structural reinforcements and pulled herself into the wreckage of the outer wall.  'If I fire the maneuver pack out here they will see me for sure.  Right now I could be a drifting piece of debris.'  Li held still and watched her HUD.  'A lot of those points of light aren't stars.  There is a lot of rubble around this colony, thrown into orbit by the alien mass drivers.  Rocks, wreckage, and bodies.  Or parts of bodies.'  A red dot suddenly appeared on Li's HUD, followed by three more.  'And hiding in the debris are a few aliens, keeping watch.'
   "Ling, I've got four active alien suits at two hundred meters above the surface.  Closest suit at twelve hundred meters.  Confirm."
   "Confirm.  Moving up."
   Li looked out at the surface and the three other domes visible from her vantage point.  The surface was bathed in faint light from the sun, but the filters made it bright as midday on Earth.  'This is hopeless.  Fourteen domes.  Every last one of them has been damaged by at least one hit from an orbital mass driver.  Add in a couple dozen hits from the alien support weapons they use to breach holes for attacks.  There were over seven hundred thousand colonists when I landed.  Nearly three quarters of a million.  Now less than one hundred thousand remain.  Maybe sixty or seventy thousand colonists huddled in the few scattered areas that have pressure.  We have four thousand two hundred in this dome.  All of them depending on us.'
   Li saw Ling as she drifted beside her and crouched down amidst the twisted metal.  "Those little suits are awfully small targets at that range."  Li watched as the small alien suits drifted and moved within the debris scattered through the black sky.
   "They just want us to fire on them.  At this range you have no chance of hitting them.  They will maneuver long before the shell reaches them.  They want us to give away our positions by trying."
   Li listened to Ling and nodded.  'Yah, why waste rounds on them when we have plenty of targets right here in the dome."  Li thought of the two small skirmishes she had fought earlier that day, back when their 'platoon' had been seven soldiers.  'We are a mixed group of about three hundred and fifty Chinese soldiers in this dome, with about four hundred FSC reservists.  Our newest Battalion Commander figures there are about two thousand alien suits in this dome.'  Li looked back at the alien suits drifting in the black sky.  'It isn't a question of winning or not.  Just how we lose, and how long we can hold out while we do.  At least a civilian tech managed to get a feed from one of the sensor arrays, and it looks like the alien ships have moved off again.'
   Ling's voice grabbed Li's attention.  "Ok, it’s time to do what we came out here for.  Command wants us to keep the aliens chasing skirmishers through the wreckage of this dome instead of hunting for the few intact areas and the colonists.  We let the aliens know we are here, hold for twenty seconds, and then fall back.  Confirm."  Ling's voice sounded flat, emotionless, and tired to Li.
   "Confirm Platoon Leader."
   "Just LIng, please."  Li looked over and saw Ling staring out into the darkness.  "Li, take the nearest one.  It is only eight hundred meters now.  You might actually hit one this time."
   Li smiled slightly as she switched over to the weapon optics and aimed her Type 15 at the nearest alien suit.  'When I shoot we will have twenty seconds of the aliens trying to blow this section of the dome apart with whatever they can target on us, followed by a mad retreat through the wreckage of this dome, all the time hoping not to run into a mass of alien suits.  Assuming we live through the first twenty seconds.  Three of the ten 'platoons' out on duty today have already been wiped out.  Three others were left with only one or two members alive.  Maybe this is our last time also.'  Li swung her weapon sight out in front of the alien suit and tried to guess where it would be when the 23mm round reached it.
   'I hope Mae's safe.'
   Li fired her weapon.  


February 22nd  0315 hours/Q Ship Vigilance, orbit of Titan

   Captain Scott Moreland looked at the transmission from the Sai.  'It looks like the armchair warriors back on Earth have figured everything out.  We are supposed to land this ship in the most broken terrain on this moon, right beside the Chinese complex, and in the middle of the alien positions.  Doubt they asked the Chinese if they approve of our choice.  I know that I don't.'  
   "Captain, all battalions report in as ready."
   "Thank you Chief Engineer.  Prepare the ship for landing in five minutes.  Comm, get me a link to the Chinese Frigate Angtung."  Scott keyed open the ship's intercom.  "All hands, lock stations.  Combat landing in five minutes."
   Scott waited for his monitor to show that all stations were locked.  "Comm, do you have that link?"
   "Link established.  Translators coming online."
   "Comm, transmit our intention to land and location of intended landing.  Request permission for landing."
   Scott saw the confirmation on his monitor that all stations were locked as the Comm Officer spoke.  "Captain, Chinese Captain Zedong Tan grants permission to conduct landings.  Requests alternate landing zone."
   Scott looked at the display of the troop deployments and sensor scans of the surface.  'We have done our fair share of landings into a combat zone.  How about we try something different.'  "Comm, transmit request to land within area currently occupied by the Martian Light."
   Scott waited for the reply to come back through and for the translation programs to finish.
   "Captain, permission granted to land within area occupied by the Fourth Brigade."
     "Helm, plot a course for the landing area previously used by the Defiant when they touched down.  Comm, let the Fourth know we will be putting their reinforcements and additional supplies inside their lines.  Helm, take us down in sixty seconds."
   Scott watched as the timer counted down on his monitor.  'Maybe this time we won't end up shot full of holes with half of the troops we deploy dead before this ship makes orbit again.'  Scott felt the ship begin its decent as the thrusters fired.
   'Maybe.'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on September 05, 2011, 12:22:56 PM
February 2205  part 16

February 22nd  0940 hours/Queen Jane Grey, edge of asteroid belt

   "New contact.  Bearing one seven three.  Range seven point five light seconds.  Velocity of one seven zero zero kilometers per second.  Decelerating.  Identified as Troopship One."
   Commodore Robert McNeely listened as the Sensor Officer called out the new contact.  'They are behind schedule.  The Troopship was due here at zero nine hundred.'  Robert waited for a moment as he watched the sensor returns.  "Comm, tightbeam to Troopship One.  Direct Troopship One to continue on current course and at current speed for the next hour.  Tightbeam to Third Battle Group, lock stations.  All ships general quarters, prep particle accelerators and magnetic field generators.  Sensor Conn, I want to know about any new contacts."
   Robert saw Ensign Gretta Deeter look at him for a moment as she locked her station.  "Why did I give those orders, Ensign?"  Robert waited as Gretta sat locked at her station.  Finally she replied.
   "We are waiting to see if any ships were following the Troopship."
   "Correct Ensign.  The Troopship has been travelling unescorted.  The navigational sensors on that ship would not be able to identify a combat vessel following it.  From this location on the edge of the belt, with our drive off and shields down, we will be able to see any vessel following the Troopship before they can detect us.  At least I hope no one has sensors that much more sensitive than the Phoenix Array."
   Robert locked his station even as the Comm Officer broke into his conversation.  "Commodore.  New message from the Queen Victoria and Admiral Muldoon.  Forwarding to your station as directed by message coding."  Robert watched while the transmission slowly displayed on his monitor as the decryption programs deciphered the message.
   "It would appear the FSC has announced its intention to assist in this operation.  The FSC Embassy has indicated that two FSC vessels will arrive at this location with one brigade of soldiers at eleven hundred tomorrow.  Admiral Muldoon has directed us to wait for the FSC ships to arrive before we begin landings on Hektor.  Comm, confirm receipt of message and intention to await FSC ships until eleven hundred tomorrow."  Robert cleared the message from his monitor and pulled up the sensor returns again.  "For the moment though, we have more pressing concerns."


   1230 hours/Surface of Hektor

   Li Xue stretched as she drifted in the hallway.  She watched the wall as she settled slowly toward the floor, and then closed her eyes.  'I can just pretend I'm drifting on the lake at home, just like when I was a young girl.'
   "Sure, a few bites to eat and she gets lazy on us."
   "Do you have a better idea, or are you just jealous Ling?"  Li waited for the reply, but instead heard the sound of hands on the handrail.  Li opened her eyes and looked to see who was pulling themselves down the hall.  She quickly recognized the face.  "Kwang, what are you doing here?"
   Li saw the man stop and look back at her, surprise obvious on his face.  "Not looking for you.  Although we do seem to keep meeting don't we?"  Li watched him smile at her.  "I'm looking for my new Platoon Leader.  Her name is Ling Song.  I hear they call her the Ice Queen.  Do you know where I can find her?"
   Li tried not to smile as she looked first at Ling, and then back to Kwang.  Li watched the smile disappear from the man's face.
   "I'm Platoon Leader Ling Song.  This has to be a mistake.  Where are your orders?"  Li watched Kwang dig in the elastic skinsuit that all of the Power Armor soldiers wore.  'God his skinsuit needs cleaned.'  Li looked down at herself and suddenly felt self-conscious.  'Oh my.  Mine is almost as bad.'  Li saw Kwang pull out a piece of paper and hold it out toward Ling.  Then Li saw Ling pull herself down the rail toward Kwang and take the paper.
   "We always separate combat troops.  Why are you assigned to my platoon?"  Ling looked cold and tired as she quizzed the man drifting in the hallway.
   "I don't know Platoon Leader.  I just got this and was told to report to you."  Li decided from the sheepish and confused look on the man's face that he was probably telling the truth.
   "Well, your timing is good.  We are off for the next two hours before we go back out.  Get something to eat and some rest.  After that it will be more 'interesting'.  Li and Kei, wait here while I check with Battalion just what is going on.  Confirm."
   "Confirm."  Li watched as Ling pushed off from her rail and drifted down the hall.  Kwang watched her until she disappeared around a corner before he turned back to Li.  "Guess she doesn't approve and I didn't make much of an impression."
   Li shook her head.  "No, you didn't.  Hopefully you are better at getting on her good side than you were at racquetball."
   Li saw Kwang smile.  "I was good enough to beat you.  Had to haul you back here after you got yourself shot up too.  Doesn't look like you are any better at being a soldier than you were at racquetball."
   Li shrugged as she finally settled to the floor and heard Kei speak up.  "So what brings you to us?  Here to give racquetball lessons?"  Li watched as the smile left Kwang's face again, and the vacant look she had seen on Titan settled onto his face again.  "Needed a new unit.  That's all."  Li watched as Kwang looked down the hall absently.  "I need to get some food before we go."  Li watched as the man pulled himself mechanically back along the rail.
   "You know him Li?  Seems a little young for you."  Li looked back at Kei and saw the young woman smiling mischievously at her.
   Li looked toward where Kwang had gone.  "We met on Titan, before I became a soldier.  His buddy was my friend Mae's boyfriend."  Li could feel tears trying to well up in her eyes as she thought about Mae.
   "Why do you think they assigned him with us?  Do you think it is a mistake?"
   Li closed her eyes again.  "They always keep us separated to avoid, well, any problems.  I guess they think we won't live long enough to be a problem anymore."   


   1800 hours/Washington DC

   Admiral Bradley Walters watched as General 'KJ' Foxx prepared for the evening briefing.  'Twice a day briefings have become the norm anymore.  Not that these politicians solve more problems this way.  They just get to find out how their plans didn't work out more frequently.'
   "This display shows the current situation on Victoria.  The alien command hub at Garabay Dome has fallen, and the Eightieth Ukraine has begun securing the dome and the ruins of the Transfer Station.  Elements of the Martian Light are now clearing the three domes near Garabay.  The alien units have been left in scattered and unsupported groups.  It is believed that most of the civilians on Victoria will be evacuated from alien controled areas by the end of the month."
   Congressional Chairperson Harland Meyers looked at the display, and then spoke.  "Do we have a time frame for withdrawing our troops?"
   "Currently there is no time frame for withdrawing from Victoria.  When the Q Ships return to the inner system we will be able to look at preparations for a withdrawal and turning over all operations to the Eightieth.  Early in March would be the soonest the troops could be withdrawn for resupply and redeployment."
   Congressman Meyers nodded as General Foxx changed the display and then continued.  "The First and Second Brigades of the Second Marine Division are currently located six light minutes from Hektor with the Pan Euro Third Battle Group, waiting on the FSC ships and troops.  They are projected to make landings early on the twenty fourth.  Studies are underway to identify landing sites, but the situation there is chaotic and coordination with the Chinese has been non-existent.  The Pan Euro has indicated that the warships of the Third Battle Group would be willing to scan the surface to identify the situation and possible landing sites."
   Secretary of Defense Adam Richards motioned for General Foxx to stop.  "This is all good, but enough with the good news.  What is the situation on Titan?"
   General Foxx changed the display again, to a section of the surface of Titan.  "The situation on Titan is still tenuous.  The Recon Battalion and Assault Battalion have been thrown into the line to give the Engineers enough time to construct new perimeter fortifications.  This should allow the unit to hold out for a few weeks, giving us time to mobilize additional reinforcements."
   Secretary Richards looked at the display for a few moments.  "What is the possibility of transferring one of the Second Marine Brigades from the Pan Euro Troopship to one of the Q Ships and transporting it to Titan?"
   Bradley watched as General Foxx paused, and then turned to face Secretary Richards.  "I would have to check with Admiral Walters and we would have to coordinate with the Pan Euro, but the transfer would be possible.  This would complicate the situation on Hektor."
   "How 'complicated' would it become?"  Congressman Meyers sat forward with some interest on his face.  General Foxx paused, and a concerned look appeared on his face.
   Secretary Richards sat forward and folded his hands on the table.  "What are the current projections for the combat on Hektor, General Foxx?"
   General Foxx brought up another display.  "The situation is grave.  The colony has sustained severe losses.  From what we understand the two Chinese units have lost nearly all combat effectiveness and the local reserve units have disintegrated.  The aliens have the equivalent of two divisions on the surface.  Even with both brigades of the Marine Second Division the aliens will have nearly two to one superiority in numbers.  The projections indicate that the civilian population will be killed or controlled before the end of the month.  We simply won't have enough troops to prevent it.  The combat troops will be able to continue fighting but the aliens will control most of the surface and habitats.  The troops will be forced to fight holding actions just to survive."
   By the time General Foxx had finished Congressman Meyers jaw was hanging slack and Secretary Richards had sat back in his chair with a deeply concerned look on his face.  General Foxx turned back to the display and took a deep breath.  "We do not know that all of this information is completely accurate, but there is little possibility of salvaging the situation of Hektor.  The civilian portions of the colony will fall by the end of the month."
   "Is...is there anything...something..."  Congressman Meyers stuttered as he struggled to grasp the situation.
   Secretary Richards slowly stood from his seat.  "Will the aliens be able to secure facilities that would allow them to identify the rest of the belt colonies?"
   "I don't know Honorable Secretary.  We cannot rule out that possibility.  They will control most of the surface and habitats."
   Bradley watched as Secretary Richards turned to face him.  "How many colonists could the Q Ship group evacuate from the surface?"
   "Most of the survivors, but not all.  We don't have accurate numbers to be sure of that.  We wouldn't be able to evac any of the Chinese troops if we do."  Bradley could feel the chill that was beginning to fall over the room as everyone began to understand what was being discussed.
   "Admiral Walters, you will need to divert the Q Ships toward Hektor.  We will coordinate with the Euro to see if the Troopship can be moved to Titan, where it can hopefully do some good."  Secretary Richards turned to face Congressman Meyers.  "We will need to meet with the President this evening to discuss the situation and what will need to be done.  Then the FSC and Chinese Embassies will need to be contacted."
   The two politicians left and the meeting began to break up.  Bradley sat in his seat looking at General Foxx, who stood staring at the display of Hektor. 'I know what he is thinking.  Two hundred and sixty years ago the US was the first to use nuclear weapons on a human population.  We did it twice.  And we are about to do it again.' 

   
February 23rd  0355 hours/Missile Frigate Angtung

   Captain Zedong Tan sat at his station and read the transmissions.  'They have ordered the Executive Officer to relieve me from my command.  They have also broadcast for the US to withdraw their troops from the surface of Titan in the next eight hours.'  Zedong looked at the XO who was also reading the messages displayed on his monitor.
   'I don't have long.  The US has no ships anywhere near Titan to withdraw those troops, and I have no illusions about what will happen to them if they remain.'  Zedong brought up the scans of the surface.  'They might have one chance.'  Zedong quickly typed in a message to the Commander of the US soldiers on the surface and then accessed the communications array.
   "You need to step away from your station.  Bridge Security will escort you to the landing bay for transfer to the Sichuan."  Zedong looked up to see the XO and two security members standing by his station.  Zedong looked at the message he had typed on his monitor.  'There are thousands of US soldiers risking their lives to save my people.  I am going to die whatever I do.'  Zedong tapped the screen and saw the message transmit.  'Let it be saving someone.'
   Zedong looked back in time to see the Pulse Rifle fire.


   0530 hours/Surface of Titan

   Staff Sergeant Carl Evans hunkered down in his position as the ground shook from more detonations.
   "Whatever crap the Engineers built this out of, it is one tough mother."
   Carl looked over at Private Fuentes.  "I told them not to spray as much of the construction foam on your side Fuentes, so you had better shut up and start shooting before the aliens knock a hole in it for you."  Carl rose up and fired his LAR7 through the cloud of dust the detonations of the alien weapons had churned up.  'Can hardly see a thing and the dust makes the weapon nearly useless.  A small alien suit suddenly appeared in the dust spraying fire from its gauss machine gun.  Carl saw pieces of the suit shatter or steam as he fired pulse after pulse from the LAR.  The alien suit spun about and then disappeared in a large explosion.
   "Way to go Sarge, now I can't see a damn thing."
   "Shut and shoot!  That's an order!"  Carl cycled through the filters looking for one that would let him see through the dust.  The thermal let him make out some ground formations and the path his and Fuentes' laser pulses cut into the dust, but the alien suits were nearly invisible on thermal.  'At least the construction foam the Engineers built this position out of seems to blind whatever the aliens use for targeting.'
   Carl saw tracers flash in front of his position and rocks were thrown into the air.  Two more bursts of tracers followed quickly behind.  'That's Chinese fire.  They have the left flank, right beside our position.'
   "Looks like the aliens found our flank.  Corporal Myers, shift fire to FPL."
   Carl looked over and saw Myers shift the SLAR to the left and begin firing, aiming the weapon up and then down trying to create a wall of death that any alien advancing past would run into.  Carl saw Fuentes shift in his position trying to help cover the area Myers was no longer watching.  Another detonation shook the position.
   "They may have found the flank Sarge, but they haven't forgotten about us!"
   "Then show 'em how much you appreciate it!"  Carl saw another two small alien suits flash in front of his position.  Carl fired at the trailing unit and saw a gush of steam as the laser vaporized some of its plating, but the alien suit was moving too fast and shot on past.  Two more detonations left cracks in the barrier near Carl.
   Carl ducked back and looked behind him.  "COMING OVER !"  Carl saw the two alien suits appear and fly past, then fired the under barrel grenade launcher.  The grenade homed in on the trailing suit and turned it into hundreds of pieces of debris.  More tracers tore through the air and sent the lead alien suit spinning a moment after it had launched the last rockets off its hull.  Detonations sent geysers of dust up from over the rise behind Carl's position.
   'We can't keep them all out.  There just aren't enough of us.  Command ordered that we move into the Chinese construction area and pass through the Chinese lines, but we are getting torn apart during this move.  If it wasn't for the Cyborg Assault Battalion holding the old perimeter, and these positions the engineers made, we would all be dead.  The Chinese are providing what support they can, but they can't put much more than a platoon on line at a time.'
   "OGRE ! ONE O'CLOCK !"  Carl heard Fuentes screaming in the radio.
   "DISPLACE !  FALL BACK TO SECONDARY POSITION !"  Carl fired his jump jets and used the maneuver pack to spin his Shiloh Armor as he did so.  Even as he fired the braking thrusters and aimed himself toward the ground, Carl saw their position torn apart by a gout of blue-white hot plasma. Carl fired his last grenade at the large alien suit as it came through the flame and saw the 40mm round detonate.  The alien suit shifted violently and then began firing both of its machine guns as several rockets launched.  Carl dropped into the gully he had aimed for.  'Without our ships in orbit, we have no idea what is coming at us!'
   Carl heard rapid detonations and risked a look over the edge of gully.  The Ogre was falling back with white smoke rolling out of it as a Chinese Power Armor suit emptied its shoulder mounted cannon into the monster.  Carl aimed and fired at the large suit as it disappeared into the dust.  "Get ready, the aliens will be coming through that hole any second!"
   Carl's display filters cut out for a second and then came back on line.  The brown haze had gone from midnight dark to brightly lit.  The entire area glowed with an indistinct light. 
   "What in the hell is going on Sarge?!"  Carl heard Fuentes but couldn't answer, transfixed by the sight on his thermal filter in front of him.
   Two Chinese habitats had marked the edge of the Fourth Brigade's 'northern' perimeter.  They had always been visible on thermal as the plumes of heat from them rose through the frigid atmosphere of Titan. 
   Those plumes had now been replaced by mushroom clouds.
   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on September 18, 2011, 02:25:50 AM
February 2205 part 17

February 23rd 0910 hours/Washington DC

   Admiral Bradley Walters moved to his seat.  'The talk with the President must have run late last night for them to have postponed the meeting this morning.  The Intel folks are already having a good old time with the comm traffic right now.  It is no secret what was decided.  The rest of the world is already talking about it.  The fact that the Chinese have already done this to their own colony may help our folks with the PR, but the public world wide is going nuts.'
   Bradley watched as General Foxx brought up another display.  "This display shows the current positions of the Fourth Brigade of the Martian Light and the three Battalions of the Second Marine.  The passage of lines has been completed.   The new perimeter around the Chinese complex has been secured."  General Foxx enlarged sections of the display. "With the Chinese announcement that we may no longer occupy the space near Saturn, current scans of the surface are unavailable. We do have confirmation from our troops that these locations," General Foxx highlighted four areas, "were subject to nuclear detonations. Each is both a habitat and a known or suspected alien troop or supply concentration. Seismic sensors with the Engineers have also detected what could be three other detonations, but this can not be confirmed at the moment."
   General Foxx turned from the display to the group assembled in the room. "What can be confirmed is that it seems to have worked. Alien forces on the surface of Titan seem to have been severely impacted. Attacks on the US perimeter have nearly stopped. Those contacts which have occurred have been probes, not attacks in strength. The 2nd Marine Recon Battalion has begun patrols and sweeps up to one hundred klicks from the perimeter and have met only light resistance. With the current combat intensity the troops on Titan should be able to hold out indefinitely."
   Secretary of Defense Adam Richards sat forward and looked at the display. "Has there been any further communication from the Chinese warships located at Titan, or from the Chinese forces there?"
   General Foxx turned to face Secretary Richards.  "None since the first contradictory transmissions.  The first transmission declaring that we needed to remove out troops from the moon, and the second that we were to redeploy to the complex area.  The Chinese personnel and soldiers at the complex have provided assistance to our troops, but have declared some areas off limits for our personnel.  There have been no further demands that we evacuate the moon.  In fact attempts to contact the Chinese ships have been unsuccessful."
   Congressional Chairperson Harland Meyers cut in.  "Has there been any indication as to the number of civilian casualties the Chinese strikes caused?"
     "We have no information on the collateral damage from the strikes.  The reported locations would indicate that casualties could have been substantial, but the Chinese may have been able to evacuate those areas or perhaps they had already been secured by the aliens and few civilians were present.  We have no way to know at this time."  General Foxx switched the display off.  "Unless there are further questions that concludes my portion of this briefing."
   "Thank you General.  Admiral Walters, will you begin?"  Secretary Richards sat tapping at the pad he always seemed to carry with him as he spoke.
   Bradley moved to the front of the room, but left the display blank.  'I wonder how long it will take him to notice that I don't have any displays up for him.'
   "First is the current disposition of our ships.  The four Q Ships have acknowledged their new orders and have changed course.  They will rendezvous with the two FSC ships at zero two hundred on the twenty fourth.  The group will then proceed to Hektor to begin the evacuation.  We have received transmissions from the FSC ship Mary Reed that the colonists have been notified and are beginning preparations for the evacuation.  The FSC ship has also notified us that they intend to deploy their troops to secure the landing zones, and then will assist in the evacuation."
   Secretary Richards looked up.  "They have made no statement on the intended action at Hektor?"
   A young woman held up her hand from the far side of the table.  "Sir, we received notice fifteen minutes ago of a statement from the FSC embassy.  They have formally protested the use of drive detonations over the troop concentrations and habitats on Hektor.  They intend to demand reparations for any damage that may be caused should we pursue this course of action."
   Congressman Meyers turned towards the woman.  "No mention of war in the statement?"
   "None sir."
   Secretary Richards began tapping at the pad again.  "Thank you.  Please continue Admiral Walters."
   Admiral Walters looked at the two politicians and was glad there was no expression on his face for them to see.  "I have issued orders for the Sai to divert from its current course and join the Pan Euro Third Battle Group.  This will provide additional security for our troops on the Pan Euro Troopship should the situation with the Chinese at Titan become a problem.  It will also allow us to get current scans of the surface situation and accurate assessments of the Chinese strikes.  I have contacted Admiral Muldoon of the Pan Euro concerning possible support from the Red October, but the Pan Euro Admiral declined to change the current orders of the Red October.  The Red October will proceed toward Victoria."
   "Do you believe the Chinese will permit the landing of additional US troops on Titan?"
   Bradley looked at Congressman Meyers.  'Surprising to hear you ask that.'  "I have no idea if the Chinese will oppose additional landings.  With the information from General Foxx, it appears additional troops may be unnecessary."
   "Thank you, that will be enough for now.  We will see you all again at six PM."  Secretary Richards finished tapping on the small pad, stood, and left the room.
   Bradley watched as the room emptied until just he and General Foxx remained.  Bradley watched as the General approached him.
   "You weren't finished.  They just hear what they want.  I remember what you briefed about withdrawing the troops from Victoria if it became necessary.  Do you think you can get ten times that many civilians off of Hektor?"  General Foxx tapped at the display controls and brought up the last scans of Hektor.  "There are twice as many alien troops on the ground there as what you would have faced on Victoria."
   Bradley stared at the display.  "The troops will be a problem, but at least we know about them.  If the colonists can get processed for the evac, our landers could pull them out in a couple of hours.  We will lose some of the landers though.  The real problem is what we don't know.  It is going to take time to get this done and the alien troops are going to see it.  If they have more ships nearby...."  Bradley looked at the display again.  "We will have four ships there, and the FSC will have two.  But not one of them was originally designed as a warship.  Two of the alien ships took out most of Task Force Two, and those were the best ships we have."
   Bradley could see General Foxx nodding as he looked at the display.


   1250 hours/Surface of Hektor

   Li Xue rubbed at her temples and tried to massage away the headache.  'This just never ends.  We don't even get any rest when we aren't out fighting.'  Li looked up at the three women standing in line waiting on her.  Li tried to smile but it made the headache worse.
   "Sit here.  This will take a moment."  The woman just stared at her.  'None of them understand me.' Li pointed at the chair.
   Li could see the young woman was shivering as she pulled herself into the chair.  Li strapped on the velcro restraints to keep her from drifting and then wrapped the rubber strap around the woman's arm.  Li could feel her shaking as she took the woman's arm and rubbed one of the alcohol soaked cotton balls on her wrist.  Li pulled another IV needle from the dispenser beside her and slid it into a vein and then taped it down.  Li hooked it to one of the bags of fluid floating in the rack, tied the rubber strap around it to force the fluid through the line, and then undid the straps.  Li handed the woman the bag and pointed toward the next station where Kei and a nurse were drawing up and administering meds.
   'At least they are asleep by the time they get to the next room.  Kwang told me what he had to do in there.  They take them and cut all the clothes away, stuff them in body bags, and pack them into one of the lift containers to chill them for transport.  They don't have much air in the bag, but chilled it should last them long enough to get to Earth.  The container is pressurized, but even one hole from an alien weapon and everyone packed in it will die.'
   Li looked at the next colonist, a young man doing his best to look brave.  Li pointed at the chair.
   'We have to get as many as we can ready in the next twenty four hours so they can be pulled off this rock.  We, on the other hand, will get to stay a little longer and enjoy the fireworks when the US nukes the surface.'  Li strapped him into the chair, took the man's arm and snapped a rubber strap around it. She looked up at him for a moment and saw him flinch from her gaze.  'I must look frightful right now.  Would you look so brave if you knew what I know.'
   Li prepped his arm and stuck the needle in.  'I asked Ling what would happen when we reached the capacity limit of the US and FSC ships and stopped getting colonists prepped for transport.  Ling just shook her head and said they would all be prepped.  Those that can't be evac'd will just be placed in spare containers.  Then I asked her how in the hell we were supposed to get those containers out of the habitats before the missiles fell.'
   Li hooked up the IV to a bag of fluid, undid the velcro and pointed back toward Kei.  She watched the man pull himself down the rail toward the next station.  'Ling said we weren't going to move you if you couldn't be evac'd.'


   1800 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 18 light minutes from Hektor

   Commodore Stephan Vasilikos looked at the course plot on his monitor.  'It will take us five days to reach Victoria at present speed.  From what we have picked up the US ships will arrive to evac the colonists from Hektor in about fourteen hours.'  Stephan tapped at the keys on his armrest and watched as new lines and numbers appeared on his monitor.  'This says it will only take us eighteen hours to reach Hektor.  If we bump the drive output just a little...'  Stephan tapped at the keys again and the numbers changed.  '...it looks like a little side trip will only put us behind schedule by seven hours, plus whatever time it takes to pull the colonists off that colony.'
   Stephan pulled up the sensor returns.  'The Sai is long gone, and the returns are clear.  No one to tattle on us if we make a little side trip.  Brenna's probably going to sack me fairly soon so I should get these sightseeing trips in while I have the chance.  Victoria should be safe for the few extra hours we will take getting there.  It may be quite a while till I get the chance to come out here again.  Assuming Brenna doesn't just have me barred from space flight completely.'
   Stephan tapped at the keys and transferred the new navigation data.  "Helm, implement new course plots."  Stephan opened the intercom.  "All hands, lock stations for course adjustments, then stand down.  We will go to General Quarters in eight hours so get anything you need done finished before then."
   Stephan turned off the intercom and locked his station.  'Let's hope we don't meet anything out here.  With only eight missiles left on board we aren't up for much of a fight.'


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on September 19, 2011, 04:02:34 AM
February 2205  part 18

February 24th  0215 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, 4 light minutes from Hektor

   "Incoming transmission.  Forwarding to your station."
   The Dutchman looked at the message as it displayed on his monitor.  'We are a few minutes late, but at least the US ships are here.  Without them there would be no evacuation.  I don't like the idea of them nuking the domes on Hektor, but if the aliens can actually get into our computer networks...' 
   "Communications, let them know we will engage drives for Hektor in five minutes.  Ask if they would be willing to coordinate general quarters rotations.  Also inform them that we carry power armor troops and our current acceleration limits.  Let them know we will begin landings in ten hours.  They may begin evacuation operations after we have completed troop deployment.  Also forward the confirmation from the acting governor of Hektor that the civilian population will be ready for evac in seven hours.  We anticipate evac to take between two and four hours depending on landing conditions and alien troop resistance."
   The Dutchman waited as the message crossed the void between the ships.  'I'm sure they have intercepted the transmissions from Hektor, but it never hurts to make sure.  Comm here in the belt can be inconsistent at times.'
   "Dutchman, new contact.  Bearing two two three, range four light seconds. Velocity of three two seven five kilometers per second.  Aspect change on contact.  Coming about on intercept course.  Magnetic field deployment detected on contact.  Magnetic field deployed on two of the US Q Ships."
   "BATTLE STATIONS.  Get me firing solutions on line.  Engineering, magnetic fields on line.  Prep the particle accelerators and prepare to vent cargo and passenger sections."  The Dutchman pulled up the sensor returns as he gave orders.  'Four light seconds.  Too close.  We will never be able to come up to speed.  We will have to vent the troops if this comes to a fight.'
   "New transmission.  Coming in on tightbeam laser.  Contact identifies itself as Pan Euro Vessel Red October.  Requesting permission to accompany evacuation convoy."
   The Dutchman paused as he listened to the Comm Officer.  "Sensor Conn, can you confirm contact identity?"
   The bridge was silent for long moments until the Sensor Officer spoke.  "Lidar return confirms contact identity.  Pan Euro Science Vessel Red October.  Magnetic fields have dropped on the US ships."
   The Dutchman sat for a moment.  'There was no word from the Pan Euro that this ship would be assisting the evacuation.  This is the second time in a month that ship has shown up out of nowhere.  Last time it wasn't such a good omen.  Let us hope our luck has changed.'  "Communications, grant the Pan Euro ship permission to enter FSC space near Hektor.  Tell them to knock before showing up next time."


   0400 hours/Interceptor Mk III, 24 light minutes from Saturn

   'Now what?  We get there and enjoy the view?'
   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan looked at the message on the display.  'The Chinese Embassy sent another message indicating that the space near Saturn was closed and that no further landings would be permitted. Nothing else.  It looks like the State Department is trying to resolve how we will resupply our troops or withdraw them from the surface, but the Chinese aren't being particularly helpful.  This is not going to help the situation on Triton or Hektor.  Even Earth for that matter.'
   Jack pulled up the plots of space near Saturn.  'We are supposed to keep at least one light minute out.'  Jack began to sort through the plot of Saturn's moons and their current positions.  'Phoebe is a little inside that line, but is large enough to hide this group if we need to.  We will just have to snuggle up close to it.  Might not be a bad idea to see if the Euro wants to land that Troopship on it.  The rest of the rocks any farther out are just too small.'  Jack tapped at the controls on his armrest and began a course plot that would bring them to Saturn with Phoebe between the group and Titan.  'If they are patrolling the space near Saturn we could be in some hot water.  Hopefully the Chinese are just parked near Titan.  Our last trip out here involved enough fighting; I am in no hurry to get into another shooting match.'  Jack finished the calculations and sent them to the Helm and Comm stations.  "Helm, implement new course plot.  Comm, transmit the new course to Command on Earth and to the Pan Euro Third Battle Group.  Forward a copy of the Chinese ultimatum to the Third also.  They might not be so excited about getting this close to Saturn.  Forward any replies to my station."
   'The Chinese are up to something.  What the hell is it?'


   0830 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po looked at the reports from the Captain of the Sichuan.  "Captain Zedong Tan's death will only solve one small problem.  His transmission ordering the US troops to move closer to the underground complex has made it impossible for the Zhuang to lift off unobserved.  The US appears to be ignorant of its existence there.  The question before us is whether to order the ship to depart from Titan and allow the US to learn of its presence.  The US has maintained close relations with the FSC up to this point and could easily pass on this information to warships of our enemy."  Po paused as the assembled Ministers mumbled. 
   "We are still at war.  No peace has been signed with the FSC.  The cease fire on Hektor is only that, a localized cease fire.  The FSC colony at Hektor is still close to Saturn and FSC warships may yet lurk near that area.  They would easily be able to intercept this valuable asset if it were to leave Saturn at this time.  But if the US carries through with its bombardment of the FSC colony the relations between those powers may become much more strained.  I would counsel patience.  We should wait to see the results of the US actions, and then make our decisions."
   Minister Khoh stood.  "This is of little importance.  The Zhuang is safe where it is.  The US troops would not dare to attack it, and any FSC ship approaching Titan would be destroyed by the three missile ships stationed there.  There is no intention to move those ships that has been put before the Ministry.  We will not move the Zhuang, either.  We must address the issue of our soldiers on the FSC colony."  Khoh slammed his fist on the desk he stood behind.  "The US intends to evacuate the entire civilian population on the colony.  They have announced that they intend to bombard the surface to exterminate the alien presence there.  We need to issue an immediate statement that any attacks directed on our troops on Hektor will be answered with the extermination of the US troops on our colony at Saturn.  We also need to issue orders for our troops in the Twenty Third and Sixteenth to withdraw from any alien or colonist positions to ensure that the US can not claim an 'inadvertent attack'.  The FSC will simply have to secure its own populations and landing areas.  And if the US relents of its intentions, our troops will be trapped on that rock with a vastly superior alien force!"
   Po looked at Minister Khoh and tried to control himself.  "You speak out of turn.  We must move carefully not to create another enemy in this war.  Or here in this assembly."
   Po turned back to face the assembled minister to find most already talking, and the assembly quickly disintegrating into arguments and shouting matches between the various factions.  Po shook his head.  'This is deteriorating far too quickly.  We must resolve this or it will undo us.'


   1120 hours/Assault Vessel, 30 light minutes from Saturn

   The Commander of Fleets felt the approaching ships.  'The Combat Vessels and Hive Vessels have arrived.  It is time to begin the next phase of this operation.'  The Commander of Fleets altered the field at his station.  Moments later the drive engaged and the large ship moved into formation with the two Combat Vessels and the group turned to change its course.
   'The Strike Groups are in position and only await the orders to attack.  Soon this group will reach the great ringed planet, and this race will fear us again."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on September 20, 2011, 04:26:21 AM
February 2205 part 19

February 24th  1145 hours/Surface of Titan

   Li Xue tried to steady her breathing.  'We aren't going to fall back this time.  No running when they start returning fire.'  Li focused on the dome schematics on her HUD.  'We will have to take and hold the upper landing pad to give the US shuttle someplace to land.  Then we will have to hold it.  Ling said she heard from the Company Commander that our troopship was due to arrive in forty hours, and that most of the other units had already withdrawn from the domes.'
   Li looked at the FSC reservists with her.  She could see them through the faceplates of their helmets.  Young men and women. Faces slick with sweat.  Streaked with dust and grime.  Pale with fear.  'They could have been packed for evac.  They choose to stay.  Knew that if we didn't have enough suits to take and hold the landing pad that no one was going home.  They will probably die in the next few minutes.  Even if they don't, their armored EVA suits won't be able to clear the blast zones of the US missiles.'  Li felt her power armor shake slightly from a detonation somewhere nearby and focused on her HUD again.  'That was one of the alien's big suits taking out a wall again.  There has to be one of them close.  Maybe more than one.'
   Li's radio crackled to life.  It was Ling.  "We move in thirty seconds.  Confirm."  Li keyed her radio on.  "Confirm Platoon Leader."  Li heard Kei and Kwang both reply as she looked at the schematics one last time, then turned them off.  Then she heard Kwang on the radio again.  "Up for one more game of racquetball after we get off this rock?"
   "Sure."  Li took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she switched on the weapon optics of her Type 15 and watched the timer on her HUD count down.
   For a heartbeat Li could see Kwang following her in the glass of the racquetball court.  See Mae and Jeng down on the court smiling.
   'When this is all over the four of us will get together for a rematch.'
   Li's counter flashed 'ZERO' and the breaching charge blew the hatch below the pad.


   1202 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, 50,000 kilometers from Hektor

   Captain Scott Moreland watched the sensor returns as the FSC ship descended toward the surface of Hektor.  Clouds of debris swirled around the huge asteroid.  Then like a rock hitting the surface of a pond the debris splashed away from the shields of the Mary Reed and out into space.  Seconds later the shields shut down as the ship closed with the surface.
   'And now the pond will strike back.'  Scott watched the sensors try to track the enormous hail of ordinance as the alien ground units threw everything they could at the FSC ship while it descended.  Scott switched to the external visual feed and panned the camera.  Even without the light enhancing filters the Mary Reed was visible.  Blue-white lances of flames shot out from the maneuver thrusters and orange flames crawled across its surface as enemy weapons detonated against the ship.
   "Captain, report from the ground site.  Dome Seven, Transfer Pad Three secured.  Ready for landing."  Scott looked up from the monitor as the Comm Officer spoke.
   "Launch GTOS."
   Scott switched his monitor back to the sensor returns.  'The aliens are going to hear what is going on.  For the next few hours we will be sitting ducks.' 
   "Engineering, shields on line.  Comm, transmit to all Q Ships.  Shields online.  All ships to general quarters."  No sense hiding.  They know we are here.  If they show up, we need to be ready.


   1205 hours/GTOS 22, Surface of Hektor

   "Vigilance, this is GTOS 22.  We have touch down.  Again, GTOS 22, touch down.  Beginning loading operations."
   Ensign Tom Hudson looked out the viewing port in front of him.  The black sky was criss-crossed with tracers and the streaks of missiles.  A flash lit up the side of the dome and the Ground to Orbit Shuttle shook slightly.  "Jesus Ed.  What the hell are we doing?"
   Tom looked over at the co-pilot, Midshipman Ed Fairchild, who was unlocking his station and getting up.  "I don't know about you but I'm going to try and take a better look."  Tom watched as Ed pushed off and drifted up to the viewing port.
   Tom turned on the external camera and saw over a dozen heavy EVA suits amid the wreckage of the dome near the pad.  Scattered among them were several large Chinese Power Armor Suits.  Fire sprouted from weapons and tracers streaked out.  Tom saw they were near the loading ramp and that the first of the evac containers was being brought out on the bed of a large 'crawler'.  Tom saw one of the EVA suits sent spinning as something detonated in the wreckage.  Seconds later the suit was torn apart as hundreds of small impacts from alien weapons shredded it.  Two more EVA suits began to vent as they were also hit.  Seconds later one of the power armor suits crumpled into the wreckage, the soldier inside obviously wounded or dead.  Then the lander shook as the feed from the external camera cut out.
   "smeg, I think we got hit."  Tom saw Ed looking back at him.
   Tom unlocked his station and grabbed the SMLR-8 at the rear of the cockpit.
   "Stay here Ed.  We need somebody in here that can fly this crate, but those folks outside need a hand." 


   1215 hours/Patrol Vessel 13, 6 light minutes from Hektor

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 13 went through the transmissions from the ground units on the enemy colony.  'The native race is obviously attempting to evacuate the last of their population from the surface.'  The Commander thought for a moment.  'If they are successful in removing the last of their populations, they will have no reason to place warships near the colony.  It will take them some time to complete the evacuation, but far less than what the Commander of Fleets has directed for us to wait.'
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 13 altered the field at his station and issued orders to the Strike Group, then sent transmissions to both the Commander of Fleets and the other Strike Group.  'It is not yet time, but there is no choice.  If the operation is to achieve its objectives we will need to act.'  The Commander issued the orders to engage the drive of Patrol Vessel 13 for maximum combat acceleration and could feel through the sensors as the other vessels of the Strike Group engaged their drives. 
   'Whatever awaits us, the time has arrived for action.'

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on October 04, 2011, 03:16:02 AM
February 2205 part 20

February 24th  1217 hours/Surface of Hektor

   Ensign Tom Hudson looked back and saw the crawler pull out of the bay on GTOS 22.  The outside of the crawler had several holes in it, and one of the windows was splattered with residue from blood.  Tom turned back just in time to see an alien Gremlin suit explode in front of him as a burst of tracer fire slammed into it.  Tom checked the heat level on the SMLR-8 and swung up on another small suit that had appeared from the wreckage of the dome below him.  He watched as parts of the alien suit's exterior shattered away as his laser painted it again and again.  Two rockets broke free from the outside of the suit only to detonate on the surface of the dome a short distance from the Gremlin as the alien suit broke apart.
   "That was the last of the pods Ed. The crawler is clear.  Get the hell out of here."
   Tom heard his co-pilot Midshipman Ed Fairchild on the radio moments later.  "You need to get your ass on this boat now Tom.  If you think I'm ferrying two thousand busy body colonists off this rock and leaving you behind, you are sorely mistaken.  I'm pretty sure you owe me money and this is one lousy way to get out of it."
   "You can pick me up on the next run.  If I don't stay put there won't be a pad left to land on.  I say again, Pod Eight is on board and the crawler is clear.  Get the ramp up and get out of here NOW !  THAT'S AN ORDER !"
   The radio was silent for several moments.  "You be waiting with bells on when I get back.  You hear me Tom."
   "I'm not going anywhere Ed.  Now get out of here."
   Tom turned just long enough to see the thrusters’ fire and GTOS 22 rocket away from the surface.  As he turned back he could see two of the huge alien suits coming out of the wreckage below him and then unleash a torrent of rockets toward the lander as their gauss machine guns sprayed death across the wreckage.


   1219 hours/Surface of Hektor

   Li Xue felt her left arm go numb even as she emptied the cassette of 23mm rounds into the huge alien suit.  The alien monster shuddered as some internal explosion shook it, and then disappeared as another explosion tore it apart.  Li watched as half of the rockets veered wildly while the rest from the second suit arced up toward the departing US lifter and then detonated against its hull.  The lifter shuddered but continued on.  Li crouched down as she ejected the empty cassette and tried to pull another from the bracket on her suit.
   'This isn't good.'  Li looked at her left arm and tried to will it to bend farther.  Tried to get the fingers to do what she wanted.  'Firing this cannon with one hand is hard enough.  Loading it with only one hand is almost impossible.'
   Li felt a slight jostle and looked around to see that a cyborg had moved behind her and had pulled one of the cassettes from her suit's mounts.  She watched as the cyborg struggled to get the ammunition into the Type 15, and then saw the red indicator on her HUD turn green as the cassette snapped in place.   Li looked for the other large alien suit but it had disappeared back into the wreckage of the dome below the pad.
   "Not so brave with all your rockets gone."
   "Hey Li, looks like you have a new friend.  Are you alright?"  Li heard Kwang's voice on her radio, the Chinese a stark contrast to the constant gibberish of the FSC soldiers.
   "My left arm is hit.  Can't move it too well, but at least it is numb."  Li struggled to move her arm again and suddenly pain shot through her shoulder.  'Most of the time that is.'
   "Position report." Li heard Platoon Leader Ling Song this time.
   "Position One secure."  Li tried to sound more confident than she felt.  'I've got twelve rounds left for my Type 15, two rounds for my shoulder mount, and a full load for the 6.5mm Pulse Rifle.  One more good push from the aliens and my position is history.  Even with this cyborg's help.'
   "Oh no."  Li heard Kwang on the radio and looked up.  In the distance she could see that another lifter had taken off from a nearby dome.  Gas vented from over a dozen places as rockets detonated across the surface of its hull.  The lifter began to rotate in a flat spin, then lost control and plummeted back to the surface.  Rock and dust geysered thousands of meters into the black sky as the large ship disintegrated.
   Li heard Kei on the radio.  "How many colonists are in a load for a lifter?"
   "Two thousand." 
   Li could hear herself speak, but it sounded like another person. 
   Unemotional. 
   Controlled. 
   One that had nothing in common with the terror she felt inside.


   1221 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, one half light second from Hektor

   Commodore Stephan Vasilikos watched the sensor returns as first one, and then a second US lifter was destroyed shortly after lift off.  He could feel a growing dread as he watched the two surviving lifters land onto their ships, and then minutes later as those two US Q Ships began to maneuver for landings on the surface.  Stephan watched as the ships plunged through the alien ground fire to make combat landings near the evac sites.
   'This is bad.  Those ships took horrible damage in the combat landings when they unloaded soldiers in a matter of minutes.  This is going to take hours.  And with colonists on board those ships they won't be able to lift off and make combat acceleration without venting all their passengers.  They will be sitting ducks.  Trapped on the surface.  No shields and nowhere to hide.'
   Stephan looked at the sensor returns on his monitor.  'The only ships left that can engage drives and have their shields up are the tiny FSC ship, two US Q Ships, and the Red October.  And Red only has eight missiles left in her magazines.'
   'If the aliens ever needed a reason to show up, they have got one now.'


   1245 hours/Washington, DC

   Admiral Bradley Walters sat in his padded seat.  The entire staff of the meeting was silent as death.  'Everyone’s' attention is riveted on the sound of the transmissions from Hektor.  All of them twenty eight minutes old.'
   Bradley listened as the report came in of the loss of two GTOS lifters.  Then Captain Moreland's orders for the Vigilance and Steadfast to land and continue evac operations from the surface.  More orders for the remaining two Q Ships to maintain an orbit at one half light second from Hektor along with the Pan Euro and FSC ships.
   The silence in the room was broken by Secretary of Defense Adam Richards.  "The evac by shuttle was projected to take eighty minutes.  How long will a surface evacuation take?"
   Bradley could hear a few hushed voices and the sound of keyboards rapidly tapping.  Then a hesitant voice.
   "If they can hold the evac zones, it will take approximately six hours to load the Vigilance and Steadfast.  Then it will take six more hours to load the remaining two Q Ships."
   The room was quiet for several minutes as the sound of the transmissions droned on in the dull monotone of the cyborg crews.  Reports of damage from ground fire.  Damage control crews responding.  Security details moving to secure the loading bays.
   "Admiral Walters, can those Q Ships hold out on the surface for six hours?"  The tremor in Secretary Richards voice stood out in stark contrast to the voices of the cyborgs.
   Bradley sat for a moment and considered the question.  "To be honest Honorable Secretary, I just don't know.  They weren't designed for this, and we have too little data to know."
   Several more minutes of silence followed as the reports continued to pour in from the distant ships.
   "Admiral Walters, we will have to consider the possibility that the evacuation will not be possible.  We may need to consider other alternatives."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on October 05, 2011, 04:12:07 AM
February 2205 part 21

February 24th  1257 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 4 light minutes from Victoria Colony

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could feel the crew's apprehension as Patrol Vessel 13's transmission reached the ship.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 13 had ordered his Strike Group to move on the enemy.  The colony that Patrol Vessel 13 was stationed near had begun an evacuation.  Warships of the native race had landed on the surface and the population had begun loading into the vessels.
   The logic of the order was obvious.  If the native race evacuated the colony, there would no longer be any reason to station warships at that location.  The attack would have to be made before the enemy could complete its evacuation, if possible.  And so the Commander of Patrol Vessel 13 had issued the orders that defied those given by the Commander of Fleets.  It was the only hope to achieve the goal of the operation.
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 felt the crew's fears and misgivings growing.  'I am new to this position, if not the ship.  I have served on this ship since our arrival in this system.  But the crew does not know what to expect of me.  What my decisions will be.  How I will react to the situations as they arise.  If I will prove as capable as the one who is now Commander of Fleets.'
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 looked at the options before him.  The goal of the opening portions of the operation had been to force the native race to overextend itself and expend a great deal of its ordinance dealing with annoyances.  It depended on the enemy always believing that what was happening was no more than raids, not an attack in force.  That had been compromised by what had happened near the great ringed planet.  A Strike Group had been forced into combat.  Had been forced to demonstrate the new systems, maneuvers, and designs.  The native race had been given a chance to strengthen their positions in response to this new information.  Or to withdraw their forces to consolidate their strength.
   'The native race has not withdrawn from the nearby colony.  Every attempt to send scout craft to the colony has resulted in their destruction.  The enemy has landed additional forces on the colony and our troops are being pressed hard.  No, the enemy is still at this colony.  They may have stationed substantial forces there to guard it.  There is no way for us to know exactly what they have there as every scout craft in this Strike Group has been lost attempting to gain exactly that information.'
   'If we withdraw, we will fail to destroy the enemy ships that are stationed there and will grant them the chance to withdraw to a stronger position.  If we attack, we risk destruction against an unknown foe.  Either action could spell the doom of this operation.  And in the end, be the doom of us all.'
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 changed the field at his station and felt the crew respond.  The Commander could feel as the drive engaged and the rest of the Strike Group moved into formation.  Moved toward the nearby enemy colony.  Sensed as transmissions sped across the void of space to announce that they were also moving to attack.
   'If what waits at the enemy colony can destroy us now, it will surely be able to do so later.  But if we can destroy them, the chance may not come again.'

   
   1305 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, surface of Hektor

   Captain Scott Moreland tried to keep up with the enormous amount of data appearing on his monitor.  'How in the hell are we going to pull this off.'
   "Captain, Engineering reports boarders in forward section destroyed.  We have additional reports of alien suits attempting to move support weapons to attack the drive shield."
   Scott heard the Communications Officer and wanted to curse.  "Comm, raise the Senior Engineer, whoever the hell that is right now.  Move the Aft Damage Control Team to Exterior Hatches Seventeen through Twenty.  They need to make sure the aliens don't get the drive shield or we will be sitting ducks here.  Then try and raise any troops nearby to see if there is anyone left who can assist."
   "Yes sir."  Scott watched as the Comm Officer began tapping madly at the screens in front of him.  'Poor bastard has to do the job of three right now.  Just like the rest of us.'  Scott looked around at the bridge.  ‘Helm, Comm, Weapon Conn, all of them stripped down to skeleton crews.  Everyone who can be spared right now is fighting or fixing.  Trying to keep this crate in one piece, or fighting the aliens trying to tear it apart.  Using weapons that for the last ten years I have looked at as ornamental.'  Scott felt a slight shifting of the ship and more prompts appeared across his monitor.  Before he could touch one the Comm Officer cut in.
   "Captain, priority message from Earth Command for you.  From Admiral Walters.  Forwarding to your station."
   Scott saw the new blue box appear and he opened it.  'Any good news would be appreciated now.'

   FROM USN COMMAND, EARTH
   ADMIRAL B WALTERS, COMMANDING

   ATTN S MORELAND, CPT

   IN EVENT EVACUATION FSC COLONISTS NOT POSSIBLE
   IN EVENT OF ENGAGEMENT BY ALIEN WARSHIPS

   ORDER TO VENT ALL CARGO
   ORDER FOR DRIVE DETONATION LAUNCHES ON ALL SURFACE HABITATS
   ALL OTHER PRIORITIES SECONDARY TO SURFACE HABITAT DESTRUCTION
   CONFIRM RECEIPT OF ORDERS BY STANDARD PROTOCOLS

   Scott looked at the message.  'God, how has it come to this.'
   Scott keyed open the ship intercom.  "Launch bay, GTOS Twenty Two, respond."
   Moments passed until the intercom carried the response.  "Aye, GTOS Twenty Two, Midshipman Fairchild here.  Make this good.  We just finished off three of the damned little suits trying to bypass the Bay doors.  And there could be more around here somewhere."
   Scott opened the intercom link again.  "Midshipman Fairchild, this is Captain Moreland.  Prep the lifter for launch.  Full load of colonist pods.  Is that clear?"
   A long silence ensued.  "Aye Captain."
   Scott looked back to the Comm Officer.  "Comm, transmit to the Steadfast.  Have them load their GTOS with colonists for launch.  Then transmit on open frequency that two GTOS will be moving on bearing two seven zero from Hektor with passengers.  Request assistance from any ship capable of responding."
   Scott didn't wait for the answer.  'Before I kill every soul on this rock, I will damn well save every one of them I can.'
   

   1313 hours/GTOS 22, bay of Q Ship Vigilance

   Midshipman Ed Fairchild moved along the side of GTOS 22 going over the preflight checklist displayed on his HUD.  The lifter rocked slightly as the last pod began loading into the cargo bay.
   "Why in the hell do I even bother?  Twenty Two has already failed half of the checklist.  There isn't going to be time to fix anything and the Captain isn't going to have a change of heart.  Whatever shape this crate is in, it will fly or crash in the next few minutes.'  Ed shut off the checklist and moved to the front of the GTOS.
   Ed climbed up the lifter and opened the hatch to the cockpit.  'At least the stations are still intact.'  Ed began turning on the systems at his station and prepping the ship for low G launch.  'We will parade this cripple in front of its firing squad nice and slow.  Wouldn't want the aliens wasting their ammo on a hard target would we.'
   Ed saw a green light flash on the console, indicating that the cargo section had been secured.  'Only a few minutes left.'  Ed turned on the radio and punched in a frequency.
   "Tom, if you are still alive out there, Twenty Two lifts off in ten minutes.  You said you would catch the next ride and this is your last chance.  I could definitely use your help right now."  Ed turned off the radio.


   1318 hours/Surface of Hektor

   Li Xue knelt behind the rocks piled near the loading ramp of the US ship.  'It’s a miracle any of the pods full of colonists survived this.'
   Li fired a burst from the Pulse Rifle on her arm and watched the tracers arc toward a pair of small alien suits a few hundred meters away.  She watched as several ricocheted away from the suits.  Two rockets peeled off of one suit as it fired its gauss machine gun.  Li watched as the rockets slammed into the cargo area of a large mining hauler.  The detonations blew out the rear hatches of the cargo section and rocks began to drift out as the mining vehicle continued to move on with the 'Pod Crawler' moving along beside it.
   Li fired three more bursts at the alien suits as tracers from other FSC soldiers joined hers.  She watched as one of the suits spun and drifted away while the second rapidly moved behind another rock formation.  Seconds later three more small alien suits appeared to fire on the convoy.
   Li ducked down and looked back at the pod filled with colonists.  'It doesn't look damaged.  Green lights are still on.'  Li looked back along the trail toward the nearby dome.  'Maybe these will make it.'  Li counted the pods and crawlers littering the trail where alien weapons had taken them out.  For every Pod Crawler at least a dozen other vehicles had been destroyed.  'Anything that can move and give the pods cover has been used.  Now the wrecks are isolated pockets of cover.  A few FSC soldiers at each one trying to keep this trail open.'
   Li stood again and saw that one of the alien suits had moved to only one hundred meters from the crawler.  She emptied the Pulse Rifle into it before firing her jump jets.  As she drifted toward the US ship she saw the rocks she had been hiding behind scattered as several rockets detonated among them.  Li fired the braking thrusters and landed at the foot of the ramp.  She ejected the clip from the Pulse Rifle and waited for the auto loader to snap the last magazine into place.  Li tried to raise her left arm for the hundredth time to find it was still useless.  Li took a deep breath only to be reminded how badly her side hurt.  'I'm the last Power Armor here, but I can't do this much longer.'
   Li knelt down and looked back along the trail.  Scattered among the destroyed vehicles were the dead.  'At least those that weren't blasted into orbit of this rock.'
   Li saw a Chinese Suit near the wreckage of another mining vehicle.  Her HUD still displayed 'PLATOON LEADER' as she looked at it.  It marked where Ling Song had died trying to hold off two squads of the alien suits.  Suits that had cut her down and then continued firing their machine guns into her long after she was dead.
   Li closed her eyes and wondered what had happened to Kwang.  Kwang and Kei had lost contact with the group during the move from the pad.  They had ended up cut off by alien forces.  Li could hear Kei as she had fought.  Her yells.  Then her screams.  Finally the choking, gasping cries as she had died.  Cries she had heard over and over again as the FSC soldiers had given their lives trying to protect their own.  But Kwang had never transmitted.  Whether by choice or malfunction, he had died in silence.
   Li opened her eyes and saw the green prompt that the Pulse Rifle was loaded.  'This is it.  I pitched the Type 15 and 67 long ago.  I've got nothing else to fight with.'  Li tried to stand but her aching legs refused.  'Nothing else at all.'  Li saw movement and noticed the US cyborg moving beside the Pod Crawler as it approached the bottom of the loading ramp.  Saw that the cyborg’s left hand had been shot away.  The right leg moved with a hitch and was damaged.  That the torso had two small holes in it.  'After all that and he is still firing that puny laser at anything that moves.'
   Li saw the cyborg swing its laser, then saw the squad of alien suits rushing toward the loading ramp.  Dust churned up as rockets exploded and weapon muzzle blasts stirred the fine powder.  Li fired burst after burst as alien suits tried to reach the opening into the ship or fired on the vehicles.  Li saw the red light flash on her HUD that the Pulse Rifle was empty.  Li leaned back against the ramp support and closed her eyes.  "I tried my best Mae.  I tried."
   Li felt her suit as it bounced off the ramp a few times and waited for the pain or the hiss as her suit lost its seal.  And waited.  Li heard snapping noises and opened her eyes.  Li looked up at the US cyborg as it dragged her along the deck inside the ship, too tired to care why, and passed out.    

   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on November 16, 2011, 03:16:14 PM
February 2205 part 22

February 24th  1520 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 5 light seconds from Hektor

   Commodore Stephan Vasilikos checked the drive output reports against the drive status updates from the US Q Ships Vigilance and Steadfast.  The two US ships had finished loading over an hour ago and had lifted off from Hektor Colony shortly thereafter.  Captain Scott Moreland of the Vigilance was pushing the drive relentlessly.  'Moreland has exceeded the safe thrust limits set for the civilian lines by nearly a factor of ten for most of this trip.  The colonists are going to feel like hell when they wake up, assuming they survive.  Pulling that many G's when they are just packed into shipping containers, not all of them will.'
   Stephan saw the prompt appear for the next update from Hektor.  He opened it and watched as the data appeared on his monitor.  'The last two Q Ships have secured their LZs and begun loading operations, but just barely.  With almost all of the Chinese troops having withdrawn to safe distances from the blast zones, it is down to a handful of reservists protecting the US ships.'
   Stephan checked the reports from the FSC ship.  'The Mary Reed looks to have half an hour left to finish loading.  That will help.  The Power Armor Battalion securing its landing area will be able to move in support of the US ships when the Mary Reed lifts off.'
   Stephan closed out the status updates and checked the sensor returns and drive outputs again.  'This ship was built to achieve, maintain, and withstand a speed of sixteen thousand kilometers per second.  The drive was never designed to run at the low outputs of a civilian liner, unlike the US Q Ships that originally were civilian freighters.  The Helmsman and Engineering have to perform a constant balancing act to not overshoot these US ships.'
   A red box suddenly appeared on Stephan's screen as he heard the Comm Officer call out.
   "Broadband transmission from US Q Ship Resolute. Priority channel and open coding.  Report of new contacts.  Three alien ships.  An Echo and a pair of Tango Twos.  Range to Victoria of four light seconds on bearing zero zero two.  Velocity of nine thousand kilometers per second on course one two zero."
   The Comm Officer had barely finished when Stephan cut in.  "Helm, drive to full combat acceleration.  Bring us about to course three zero zero, level ascension.  Battle Stations.  Engineering, prep magnetic field generators but do not go online until my command.  Comm, transmit to Captain Moreland that we will be breaking formation."
   Stephan watched the sensor returns as the drive blooms for the Vigilance and Steadfast grew.  'If I thought Moreland was pushing his passengers before, they are in for a ride now.'  A magnetic signature appeared near Hektor.  "That will be the Krait.  The Q Ships and Mary Reed won't have had time to lift off yet," Stephan said to no one in particular. 
   'They will need to vent their 'cargo' first.' 


   1520 hours/US Q Ship Resolute, surface of Hektor

     Commander Baxter Lewis looked at the flashing red prompt on the screen in front of him as he locked his station.  He used the armrest controls to guide the cursor over the box flashing "<VENT CARGO SECTIONS>".  'This is Engineering's job, but I can't ask anyone else to do this.  Forgive me for what I have to do.'  Baxter tapped the key and felt the Resolute shudder as gouts of argon designed to clear battle damage blasted the tumbling containers loaded with human beings out into space or across the surface of Hektor.  "Engineering, how many were loaded?"
   "Thirteen containers.  Three thousand two hundred and fifty souls."
   "Get us off this rock.  Engage bloom when the drive shield is clear.  Shields to full ASAP.  Battle Stations.  Get me a firing solution on that Echo.  We have to keep the aliens busy here."  Baxter didn't finish the idea that he was thinking.  'If they get past us, the Vigilance and Steadfast will have to do the same thing.  And they are each carrying fifteen thousand colonists in their holds.'
   "Captain, sensors show the Defiant has cleared her holds and is lifting off.  The FSC Mary Reed has not cleared her holds and shows no drive activity."
   Baxter heard the Sensor Officer and checked the readings.  'Why is the Mary Reed just sitting there?  They will be harder to find sitting on the surface with their drives off, but the alien troops have to be transmitting its location.  The aliens won't even need to be close to blow the ship apart if it is just parked there.'  Baxter thought for a moment as the helm announced that the drive shield was clear and then engaged the drive.  'Unless he won't do it.  The Mary Reed is nearly full.  They will have almost fifteen thousand passengers now, and those are their people.  And we can't nuke the habitats with that ship parked in the middle of them.'
   Baxter's attention was grabbed as the Weapon Conn called out.  "Target lock and firing solution online."
   "LAUNCH !"
   "Captain, launch detected from Echo.  Inbound.  Initial readings give target as Defiant.  Magnetic pulse detected from Tangos."  Baxter saw the flashing prompt on his screen even as Engineering announced "Shield generators off line.  Hull intact."  Seconds later the Sensor Officer called out "Defiant has lost shields.  Apparent mass driver hit.  No venting or drive interruption detected.  Launch detected from FSC ships Mary Reed and Krait."
   "Get the next launch online."  Baxter could feel irritation growing inside him as he watched the missiles cross in space.  'We are too slow for the Defiant or us to use the evasion protocol.'  The sensors clouded as the alien missile detonated.  Moments later the scattered wreckage of the Defiant appeared.
   "Captain, sensor returns show shield failure on the Echo.  Aspect change.  Echo attempting to disengage."
   Baxter looked at the returns.  "Send that ship to hell." 
   New flashing icons appeared on his monitor and Baxter felt his strength draining from him even as the Sensor Officer called out what he could already see.
   "New contacts.  Alpha times two.  Magnetic field deployment detected.  Inbounds times two.  Target is the Resolute."

   Fifteen seconds later a detonation shattered the Resolute's drive shield and the ship disappeared as its drive bloom consumed the ship.


   1521 hours/US Q Ship Vigilance, 5.5 light seconds from Hektor

   "Captain, we have a sensor feed from FSC Krait."
   "Forward to my station."  Captain Scott Moreland watched as the sensor feed showed first the destruction of the Defiant followed by the appearance of two Alphas, and then the destruction of the Resolute.  Moments later the second missile from the Alphas turned the location where the Mary Reed had been into a mass of expanding contacts as wreckage and rubble blasted away from the surface of the asteroid.  Two more detonations gouged huge craters into the surface as the sensors showed another pair of magnetic pulses from the Tangos as they fired their mass drivers.
   'At least we won't have to fire on the habitats.  Not after that.'
   "Captain, incoming transmission from the Steadfast.  Patching through to your station."
   Static filled the comm channel then cleared as the signal came through.
   "Scott, if you give the order we will vent our holds and turn this crate around.  Launch bay and shields are prepped.  What do you want to do skipper?"
   Scott tried to think for a moment.  'The Krait is back there fighting four on one while the Red October is running at them.  I don't know about the captain on the Krait, but Commodore Vasilikos knows he can't take out two Alphas and two Tangos with only eight missiles.  All he's doing is giving them a target and keeping them busy.  Buying us some time.'
   "No Coop.  We can't win this fight.  If there is going to be anything good come from this, it will have to be us and our cargoes."
   The line was silent for a few moments.  "It's your call Scott, but I can't say I wanted to vent this cargo."
   "Don't get ahead of yourself.  If those Alphas get too close, we may have to."


   1522 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 4.5 light seconds from Hektor

   Stephan watched the sensor feed and status reports from the Krait.  'I don't know who that Captain is, but I like his style.  Charging those Alphas like he was ready to ram, just to make them break wide.  That move alone bought the Q Ships a few more minutes.'  Stephan looked at the Red October's sensor returns.  The Krait, Alphas, and Tangos were just vague magnetic readings as the asteroid field interfered with the returns, but the detonations as the Tangos shelled Hektor were brutally obvious.
   'At least if those Tangos are busy bouncing the rubble, they aren't targeting the Krait.'
   "Echo signature lost.  Beyond sensor range.  Krait magnetic signature lost.  Sensor feed still online."
    Stephan watched as the feed from the Krait shifted wildly.  'They are trying to use the maneuver protocol to shake this next pair of inbounds from the Alphas.'  The sensor feed cut out as the alien weapons closed.
   Stephan checked the last plot of the Q Ships and then plotted their projected locations.
   'The Alphas are still closing on the location of those Q Ships.  We need another ninety seconds to reach full speed.  If the data we got from that captured Alpha is still accurate then they can't see the Q Ships yet, but it won't take long if they don’t change course.'
   "Sensor Conn, forwarding plot to your station.  Let me know when those Alphas close to five light seconds of that point.  Weapon Conn, do we have a firing solution yet?" 
   Stephan waited a few moments for the reply.  "Commodore, we have lock on the last launch signature from the Alphas and a solid lock on the Tangos."
   "Bay One and Two, target Alpha One.  Engineering, ready field generators."  'All we can do is wait now.'
   "Alphas at five light seconds from plot Commodore."
   "Weapon Conn, lock in firing solution and launch.  Engineering, get those field generators online NOW !"  The grey haze cleared for a moment as the drive shut down allowing the pair of Scorpion Missiles to deploy, and then reappeared as the drive engaged.  Seconds later two inbound indicators appeared from the Alphas.  'We got their attention, now we just need to live long enough to draw them off.  If we survive that would be great also.  I would hate to deprive Brenna the chance to kill me herself.'
   "Get the next launch online.  We don't have many missiles but I plan to use them." 
   Stephan heard the Sensor Officer as he called out the contact updates.  "Missile Two off target.  Tracking lost.  Missile One closing on Alpha One.  Time to intercept seven seconds.  Five seconds.  Missile One lost drive bloom.  Appears to have broken up.  Inbounds closing.  Time to intercept eight seconds."
   "Second launch online."  The drive cut out again then restarted.  "Missiles Three and Four away."
   The sensor returns on Stephan's monitor clouded over and red data flashed.  'We just lost half the field generators in this first exchange.  At this rate we won't even survive to get all our birds away, let alone do any damage to those Alphas.  The fact they just shot down our bird shows they are the newer models.'  Stephan keyed open the intercom to Engineering.  "Prep the particle accelerators for red line.  This is going to be over fast."  Stephan ignored the outbound indicators as he watched the two inbound missiles close.  One hundred thousand kilometers.  Seventy five thousand.  Forty thousand.  The sensors clouded again as more red flashed on Stephan's monitor.  'That finished off the field generators.  Time to go.'
   "Engineering, red line the drive.  Hold output levels until further notice.  Weapon Conn, hold further launches."
   Stephan watched while the returns on the Alphas clouded as the drive bloom's bleed around the drive shield began to blind the sensors.  'If this doesn't work, we won't even get to see the missiles that kill us.'  Stephan turned off the sensor returns as he watched the timer slowly count the seconds.  As it turned 15:25:00 he keyed open the intercom again.  "Drive to full combat output.  Helm, change course to two seven zero.  Sensor Conn, get me an update on those Alphas."
   It seemed like an eternity until the Sensor Officer called out.  "Alphas at five point seven light seconds bearing zero eight three, ascension minus two.  Aspect change.  They are breaking off and turning back toward Hektor."
   Stephan forced himself not to pull up or look at the sensor returns.  "Sensor Conn, range from Alphas to prior plot?"
   "Commodore, Alphas range at twelve light seconds from plot and increasing."
   Stephan relaxed his grip on the armrests and looked around the bridge.  "Comm, open transmission.  Let the folks back home know what happened here.  Tightbeam of sensor log to Admiral Muldoon.  Helm, plot a course for Victoria.  They may need us."


   1606 hours/Washington DC.

   Admiral Bradley Walters moved quickly into the briefing room and towards his chair.  He could already see that Secretary Richards was in his seat firing questions anxiously at the staff that was assembling.  Coming in through the front entry to the room was Congressman Meyers, his face red and slick with sweat from running.  Bradley heard Secretary Richards yell as he turned toward the admiral.
   "What the hell is going on out there?!"
   Bradley moved toward the front of the room to the naval staff that had already arrived.  He pushed aside a young Commander and sat behind the terminal he had been using.  Snapping back the cover plate on his left index finger Bradley plugged it into a port on the computer.  Data and prompts flooded his HUD, and he began selecting through the menus.
   "I said, WHAT IN THE SAM HELL IS GOING ON, Admiral?!!"
   Bradley looked over at Secretary Richards as Congressman Meyers piled into the chair beside him, still panting for air.  "Secretary, we are picking up coded transmissions from the Vigilance and Captain Moreland, but it is heavily encrypted.  Civilian channels from Hektor were filled with chatter but abruptly went dead."
   "Admiral, we are just picking up an open transmission from the Pan Euro Science Vessel Red October.  It is broadcast in the clear."
   Bradley looked at the young man he had just pushed aside and nodded, then used his internal menu to select for open broadcasts on any priority channel.  As data began to stream across his view he turned back to Secretary Richards.
   "Commodore Vasilikos of the Red October is transmitting in the clear from near Hektor.  The transmissions indicate that the aliens have returned.  Alien forces include two Alphas, an Echo, and a pair of Tango Twos.  No bombers were present.  The FSC ship Mary Reed was destroyed before liftoff.  The Q Ships Resolute and Defiant were destroyed shortly after liftoff.  The FSC vessel Krait was destroyed in an engagement with the two Alphas.  The Red October had its shield generators knocked off line diverting the Alphas from the remaining Q Ships, but sustained no structural damage.  They hope to have shields online by twenty hundred but have only two missiles left on board."
   Congressman Meyers interrupted.  "What were the alien losses?!"
   Bradley searched the data for a moment.  "The Echo had its shields knocked off line but no evidence of venting in response to hull damage.  No other alien losses."
   Bradley watched as the already winded Congressman clutched the edge of the table as if someone had just knocked the last of the air from him.  Secretary Richards turned pale, but took a deep breath and looked hard at Bradley.  "What of the civilian habitats?"
   Bradley knew what he wanted.  "Secretary, it would appear the alien bombardment of the Mary Reed on the surface, and continued attacks by the Tango Twos on the remaining troop concentrations destroyed any civilians or infrastructure that might have been left."
   Secretary Richards exhaled slightly, and then looked again at Bradley with a more puzzled look.  "What was the Red October doing there?  She wasn't supposed to be anywhere close to Hektor at the moment.  And where does Commodore Vasilikos indicate that he is going now?"
   Bradley checked the data again.  "The transmission gives no reason for the Red October's presence, but indicates that sensor records and ship logs are being sent on encrypted channels.  Perhaps they would hold that answer.  The transmissions indicate that he is currently moving towards Victoria Colony, which is where he was supposed to be going according to the last Pan Euro updates."
   Bradley saw in the edge of his display as the young Commander moved to the front of the table again, but this time his face was pale as death.  "Gentlemen.  We have a priority transmission from Pan Euro Admiral Muldoon.  It indicates that the Third Light Battle Group has encountered alien warships in force at Victoria.  No details, but she has indicated that she has given orders diverting all surviving Pan Euro assets assigned in the belt to Mars.  We also have reports from the Eastern Sensor Arrays that the Pan Euro's newest Heavy Escort has blown its docking clamps to the Pan Euro Space Station and that the Pan Euro Fourth Battle Group is showing active drive blooms.  We also have transmissions from the Third Brigade of the Martian Light on Victoria that they are receiving heavy bombardment from orbit."
   Bradley turned from Secretary Richards to the young man.  "You need to send orders to Captain Moreland.  He is to divert course to Mars at best possible speed given his cargo.  Contact Admiral Muldoon and see if it is possible to coordinate escort for the Vigilance and Steadfast with the Red October, or any other Pan Euro warships."  Bradley turned back to the two politicians seated across from him. 
   "You need to contact the FSC embassy and indicate their colonists are headed for Mars.  You may also need to contact the Chinese.  This isn't a group of raids to gather intelligence.  This is the opening to a concerted attack."
   
   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on November 18, 2011, 06:35:25 PM
February 2205 part 23

February 24th  1527 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, 0.5 light seconds from Victoria

   Captain Natasha Piotyr locked her station as she called out orders.  "Comm, all ships, lock stations, battle stations.  New course on heading three zero seven.  Drives to full.  Shield generators online.  Full sensor transmits to Earth."  Natasha knew that the Attack Escorts Elise and Keely Sereg were not officially hers to command, but she was sure that neither Commander Breiholz nor Commander Bortz would question her orders.
   'The new course will take us away from the three Alphas and two Tango Twos.  We need the time to get our ships up to combat velocity.  With the Tangos already at over nine thousand kilometers per second and the Alphas at fourteen thousand, we don't stand a chance unless we give our drives a chance to catch up.'
   "Captain, multiple aspect changes on Tangos, apparent use of a maneuver protocol.  Tangos slowing as they approach Victoria.  Magnetic pulse detected."
   Natasha saw on her monitor as the sensors recorded the detonations of the alien weapons impacting among the habitats on Victoria Colony.  Multiple prompts appeared as numerous distress broadcasts began to come through on the comm channels.  Natasha closed out all of the comm updates and switched to the tactical display.  A red circle suddenly appeared around the red icon of the leading Tango and she heard the Weapon Conn call out, "Target lock on Tango One and Two.  Firing solutions coming online."
   Natasha knew that not all of the ships in her group had come to battle stations, but waiting for them wouldn't save anyone.  "All ships, launch on Tango One."  Natasha watched the display as contact indicators for outbound missiles appeared from the Tatianna, Elise, and Scarlett.  'At least we got four bays operational in the first minute.'  Natasha watched as three new contacts appeared from the Alphas, as they targeted the launch signatures from the Pan Euro ships.
   "Captain, two missiles have lost lock on Tango One.  Remaining missiles have broken up on final attack runs.  Inbound missiles have lost tracking."
   Natasha's monitor flashed with numerous prompts as she rapped her knuckles hard against the armrest controls.  She cleared off the clutter and focused on the display.  'How are we supposed to fight them if we can't even get a missile close?!  The alien missiles missed but that won't last forever.’
   The display showed that the five Pan Euro ships had reached combat velocity, while the Tangos were continuing to slow and employ the alien version of the maneuver protocol as they fired on the colony. 
   "Captain, second launch from Alphas.  Range to Alphas of four light seconds and holding.  Inbound intercept in twenty seconds."
   Natasha watched as the display showed the Tangos closing with the colony while three inbound missiles from the Alphas closed on her group.  'No matter how much damage the Tangos do to the colony, if we don't engage the Alphas we are dead.'  "Weapon Conn, all ships, new target.  Firing solutions on Alpha One.  Launch."  Natasha felt the drive cut out as the two bays on the Tatianna deployed their missiles, and then restarted. 
   Natasha’s display disappeared as the bridge went dark and was filled with clouds of argon.  A heartbeat later the cloud was gone, vented into space.  Her monitor was dark, as was the bridge lights.  A few monitors flickered back to life giving a dim light to the compartment.  Natasha plugged her finger into the direct feed port at her station and saw her HUD fill with data.  Red damage warnings filled the display.  'All of the magnetic field generators are off line, but the sensor array, drive, and both launch bays are still online.'  Natasha patched her station through to the radio repeaters on the bridge and found they still worked.  "Weapon Conn, time until next launch?"  Natasha grew more nervous as the seconds crept by silently, until she finally heard a response.  "Captain, next launch ready in fifteen seconds.  Compiling solution on Alpha One."  Natasha didn't recognize the voice, but someone was still alive at the Weapon Conn station.  "Launch when solution complete."
   Natasha pulled up the sensor display and clenched her fingers as she saw that Alpha One still displayed an active magnetic field.  'Doctrine says the Tatianna should attempt to break off while the other ships turn into the Alphas, but we need every missile we can get on that target if we hope to get any through.  The Tatianna will still be in range regardless, as we can't outrun the alien ships.  Doctrine will just make the Attack Escorts an easier target if they turn into the Alphas.'  The grey haze of acceleration disappeared for a moment as Natasha heard some call out, "Missiles Three and Four away."
   'At least we got the next launch away,' she thought as she watched the three inbound indicators close on the Tatianna.  The sensor display on her HUD turned grey again as the drive restarted and slammed the ship forward, then clouded as the alien weapons detonated.   Moments later the sensors cleared and the display showed the six outbound missiles from her Pan Euro group closing on Alpha One.  Only this time the display showed the indicator that Alpha One’s magnetic protective field was down and that Alpha One was initiating an aspect change as it began to turn away from the battle.  'Can't shoot them all down every time, can you?  Your turn is coming.'
   Natasha checked the status of the Tangos.  They were only fifteen thousand kilometers from Victoria, had slowed to only a few kilometers per second, and were still firing their mass drivers into the habitats and troop concentrations on the asteroid.  Still not a threat.  'If we let Alpha One break off, it is five on two with our six launch bays against their two.  But we haven't even dinged the fields on Alphas Two and Three, while Alpha One has shown no signs of venting to clear damage.  If we are going to do any real damage we can't let it slip away, but that will put us nose to nose with the last two Alphas.'  Natasha hesitated for a moment, and then made her decision as she opened the 'All Ships' comm link.
   "All Attack Escorts, change course to maintain range on Alpha One.  Primary target is Alpha One."  Natasha changed over to the internal repeaters.  "Helm, maintain current course and speed."  Natasha watched the sensor returns as Alpha One grew more and more distant.  "Helm, turn to hold Alpha One within five light seconds.  Don't let that ship slip out of range."  The drive cut out several times as the Tatianna began to come about and deployed two more missiles.  Natasha watched as the outbound missiles closed on the fleeing Alpha.  First one veered off, and then the second lost tracking.  But three of the four missiles from the Attack Escorts maintained lock.  Two of the three missiles broke up on approach but the last pushed through and detonated, clouding the returns on Alpha One.
   "Captain, Alpha One venting.  Drive restart detected.  Alpha One continuing to disengage."
   'These new Alphas aren't invulnerable.'


   1531 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 3 light seconds from enemy colony

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 tried to keep up with the vast amount of information carried by the changes in the field at his station.  'The magnetic protective field is down and the rapid cycle mass driver is off line.  The enemy Patrol Vessel has been destroyed and Patrol Vessels 7 and 24 are closing rapidly with the enemy Attack Vessels.  All the vessels are rapidly changing aspects to shake torpedo locks.  All of them except this ship.  We need to be a target the enemy can't refuse.  Draw them a little farther along.'
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 reached his perception out through the sensors and could feel as Armed Colony Vessels 3 and 7 came about on a new heading and restarted their drives.  'In a few moments the ships of the native race will draw in range of the Armed Colony Vessels’ mass drivers.  Then it will be a battle of four on four.'  The Commander sensed as the four torpedoes of the native race passed through the formation of Patrol Vessels 7 and 24.  The rapid fire mass driver of Patrol Vessel 24 destroyed one while another enemy torpedo lost tracking in the trail of high energy particles from the two Patrol Vessels’ drive blooms.  Even as the last two enemy torpedoes closed on Patrol Vessel 17, the Commander could sense the torpedoes from PV24 and 7 closing with an Attack Vessel of the native race and detonating, collapsing its protective field and causing it to vent.  A moment later the magnetic pulses of the Armed Colony Vessels washed over the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 as the two packets of metallic hydrogen raced past.


   1532 hours/Attack Escort Elise, 4.5 light seconds from Victoria

   "Captain, Tangos coming about.  Magnetic pulse detected."
   Commander Dana Breiholz's monitor displaying the sensor returns clouded from the wash of ions and radiation as the Attack Escort Keely Sereg disappeared in an enormous explosion only two thousand kilometers away.
   'Oh Brittany, not you.'
   "Captain, Tangos showing active drive blooms at four light seconds.  Accelerating and closing.  Alpha One confirmed destroyed.  Alphas Two and Three continue with rapid aspect changes at range of two point five light seconds."
   Dana clenched her hands.  'I don't want this command.  I want my friend back.'  Dana forced herself to look at the display in front of her.  "All ships come about to course two seven five.  Cease evasion protocol.  Drives to full combat velocity.  Target Alpha Two."  The kaleidoscope of colors from the evasion protocol slowed to the steady flicker between the grey-blue haze of acceleration and the normal view of the bridge as the Attack Escort Elise stuttered its drive to allow the maneuver thrusters to bring the ship onto a new course.  Dana watched the sensors recording the appearance of two more alien missiles closing on the Attack Escorts as they launched their own missiles in return.  The seconds seemed to crawl by as her ship came about and the alien weapons closed.
   Dana's monitor showed the alien weapons detonating around the Attack Escort Scarlett, knocking the ships magnetic fields off line and forcing its drive to shut down as it vented damage from the hull.  Dana stared anxiously at the returns until the ship's drive bloom reappeared.  She shifted her focus to the outbound missiles and saw that only two of the three were still tracking Alpha Two, and then one of the missiles broke up.  'Damn it.'  The last missile detonated along Alpha Two's course but the ship emerged with its magnetic field still up.  Dana's gaze was suddenly drawn to the flashing returns as the sensors recorded the Scarlett breaking into dozens of pieces.
   "Engineering, drives to red line.  Weapon Conn, continue launches on Alpha Two.  I don't care how poor the solutions are.  Give those Alphas something to deal with and get us the hell away from those Tangos."  Red prompts appeared on her monitor as Dana heard Engineering announce, "Field Generator Banks One through Eight off line."
'This isn't working.  Guess I will be seeing you soon Brit.'  Dana watched as the sensor returns cleared for a heartbeat as the drive cut out, allowing the launch bay to deploy another missile. Dana grabbed the armrests of her station as the display recorded a contact rushing by on the port side only kilometers away.
   The Elise shook violently and the bridge filled with white clouds of argon.  As the argon cleared Dana could see the red flashing indicators on her monitor that the magnetic field generators were down and that damage indicators along the port side had lit up.  The world shifted to grey-blue again as the drive restarted and the ship plowed forward again.
   'Cargo and missile storage on the port side are breeched, but at least the drive and launch bay are still online.  The Phoenix Array seems to be functioning but with the drive redlined it isn't doing us much good.'  Dana checked the sensor returns and then turned them off in disgust.  "Weapon Conn, status on the next launch."
   "Captain, next launch in twenty two seconds." 
   'Maybe we will even live that long.'  Dana watched as the seconds ticked by, expecting each one to be the last.  She listened as the crew reported another missile away.  As they reported the drive restart.  As they reported increased radiation readings from alien missile detonations.  But no damage reports.  Dana tried to relax as the seconds continued to tick by.
   "Engineering, reduce drive to standard output, standby to increase to redline.  Helm, change course thirty degrees starboard.  Sensor Conn, get me a clear fix on the Alphas."  Dana waited as the drive emissions reduced and the Elise came about slightly to clear the blindspot created by the drive shield.
   "Captain, Alphas and Tangos have broken off.  They are moving toward Victoria.  Range to Alphas of six point five light seconds."
   "Comm, transmit full sensor record and status to Earth.  Request for additional orders.  Let them know that the aliens hold the space around Victoria." 
Dana could only watch as her monitor filled with the distress calls from the civilians and military units on Victoria.


   1536 hours/Patrol Vessel 24, 2 light seconds from enemy colony

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 24 began the transmission to the Commander of Fleets.  His former command, Patrol Vessel 17 had been destroyed.  Patrol Vessel 7 had exhausted its supply of torpedoes while Patrol Vessel 24 had only a single torpedo remaining.  Armed Colony Vessel 3 was parked near the enemy colony while Armed Colony Vessel 7 had landed to resupply the troops there and provide reinforcements from the division it carried.  Three of the five enemy warships had been destroyed with a fourth damaged before it disengaged.'
   'We have won this battle, but only by the thinnest of margins.  If the native race returns that will change quickly.'


   1603 hours/Queen Victoria, Earth orbit

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon looked at the collection of messages and orders she had prepared for transmission.  First were the orders directing the Attack Escorts Elise and Kathleen to Mars, along with the Red October.  There was also the order directing the crew of the Heavy Escort E. Avery to report to stations and proceed to Mars.  The four ships would then be designated as the Third Light Battle Group.  Accompanying the Heavy Escort Avery would be Mobile Shipyard One.  It would continue the work installing the final banks of magnetic field generators onto the newest Heavy Escort.  'It would be faster if the work could be completed here, but we can't wait.'
   The next set of orders were essentially orders to herself, directing the Fourth Battle Group to move from Earth to Mars as escort for the scheduled civilian shipment of Scorpions Missiles and other required supplies normally delivered to the Third Light Battle Group.  'The composition of the Third LBG hasn't changed, just the ships that are in it.  They need those supplies.  If that civilian liner were to be lost those ships would be crippled even more severely than they are now.  A full Battle Group to protect a single civilian freighter may be a bit much, but we can't take the risk.'
   Brenna sent the orders to the Comm Station for transmission to the required ships, with copies to all the interested parties ground and space side.  Then she brought up the next item, a message to Rear Admiral James Gauld of US Task Force 1.  It was a request to allow the Third LBG to assist in the defense of Mars, under his direction.  It also requested the assistance of the US Spaceworks in assisting with emergency repairs of the Attack Escort Elise when it arrived at Mars.
   The last message was to Rear Admiral Robert McNeely authorizing him to violate the Chinese exclusion of ships within one light minute of Saturn if it became necessary to assist the Chinese in defense of their colony on Titan.  Doing so would be at his discretion, but preparations should be made for such an event.
   Brenna sent the two messages to the Comm Station for transmission as she leaned back in the chair in her quarters.  'The paperwork is done.  That is the easy part.  The hard part will be finding a solution to this mess.'  Brenna tapped at the monitor and brought up the reports and records from the engagements at Titan, Hektor, and Victoria.  'In the next few hours or days I need to come up with a way to deal with the new alien defenses.  The records show that less than half of our missiles are achieving intercept courses now that the aliens have begun employing their new maneuver protocol.  Worse, only half of those that maintain a lock survive to reach their target, the rest being destroyed by the new alien close range defensive system.  Coupled with the stronger magnetic protective fields of the alien ships, the Captains in the field are finding it impossible to engage the enemy successfully.  The Pan Euro, US and FSC have lost nine combat ships to destroy a single Tango Two and one Alpha.'
   Brenna pulled up the roster of active Pan Euro ships, and the list of known US ships.  'With what we have left, I don't know that we can take out the ships we have faced so far.'  Brenna shut off her monitor and watched the screen go black.
   'And I doubt what we have seen is all that they have available for this attack.'


   2245 hours/Adirondack Defense Command Center, US

   Admiral Bradley Walters watched the assembled staff as they set up the undecorated concrete room as an ad hoc briefing room and command-communications center.  Two young civilian technicians hooked up a pair of monitors on the table Bradley was seated at.  Bradley watched as the screens sprang to life.  The young Commander seated beside him, Victor Jones, immediately began to pull up data and reports.
   "Are we ready Gentlemen?"  Secretary Adam Richards walked in and towards the large table that dominated the front of the room.  Bradley watched as Richards took his seat.
   Bradley stood and faced Secretary Richards.  "Sir, we have begun formal analysis of the sensor and ship logs from the engagement at Hektor, and the initial analysis of the logs forwarded by the Pan Euro.  It will take several more hours before we are able to complete a formal analysis of the data from the engagement at Victoria."  Bradley looked over to General 'KJ' Foxx and saw that he was preparing to speak also.  "The data shows that the Alphas and Tangos operating in the belt are the newer models, with stronger shields and missile interdiction systems.  The Echo appears to be the basic model we have encountered before and should prove vulnerable to our current forces.  The aliens are in two separate groups.  The first appears to be composed of two Alphas, an Echo, and a pair of Tango Twos.  The second was composed of three Alphas and a pair of Tango Twos, but lost one Alpha in the engagement with the Pan Euro Third Light Battle Group.  This gives a total of four Alphas, an Echo, and four Tango Twos active in the inner system.  We must anticipate these groups combining for further operations now that the alien offensive has begun."
   Secretary Richards nodded.  "What is the disposition of our forces currently?"
   "We have given orders for the Vigilance and Steadfast to join Task Force One at Mars, but with the cargo of colonists they will not be able to arrive there until late on March Third.  We have recalled the Sai from Saturn and it will move to escort the two Q Ships and will arrive at Mars with them.  At that time the Sai will be assigned to Task Force One and Rear Admiral Ryan will assume command.  Rear Admiral Gauld will assume command of the stationary defenses.  This includes the six Defense Modules of Mars Station, Defense Station One, and Defense Station Two.  Defense Station Two is not scheduled for operations until the First of March, but is capable of acting in the defense of Mars now."  Bradley saw Commander Jones subtly move his hand toward the monitor in front of him, signaling Bradley that he needed to see whatever was on the display.  "I believe General Foxx has information that needs to be addressed at this time."  Bradley saw 'KJ' look towards his table and nod slightly
   .Secretary Richards turned to face General Foxx and picked up a glass of water on the table.  "General Foxx, do you have information that is pertinent to the current situation?"
   General Foxx stood and moved to the display on the wall beside the large table.  Tapping at small icons on the side of it, he brought up a map of the surface of Victoria.  "We have been attempting to sort through the civilian broadcasts from Victoria, and have been able to identify that these domes," General Foxx began gesturing toward the display as he spoke and one after another domes changed from white to red, "have been destroyed by orbital strikes.  We project that civilian survivors still number approximately one hundred thousand.  Surviving elements of the Martian Light Division and Tenth Ukraine Division are scattered and mostly combat ineffective.  All of their supply and ammo dumps have been destroyed or seized by alien forces.  We have confirmed reports from the surviving elements of the Martian Light that the aliens are securing the remaining domes and capturing both personnel and data storage equipment.  We have gun camera footage of both prisoners and computers being loaded onto a Romeo Class alien vessel that landed on the surface.  Additional footage of alien bombers landing and lifting both prisoners and equipment to orbit has been acquired."  General Foxx turned from the display to face Secretary Richards.  "I have issued orders for the surviving combat units on Victoria to seize what equipment and supplies they can from any source and prepare to conduct guerilla operations as possible.  The battle for Victoria is effectively over without additional landings or support.  We have a platoon still holding one of the surface sensor arrays, but they will likely be forced to abandon the position in the next few hours.  The array currently shows no alien vessels in close orbit of Victoria.  It would appear that all alien vessels that participated in the attack have moved on."
   Bradley stood again and held up a hand.  General Foxx paused and looked toward him with a concerned expression.  Secretary Richards looked at both of them and turned to Bradley.  "You two apparently are working on something together that you haven't been sharing."
   "I issued orders following the attack on Hektor for both the Steadfast and Vigilance to ask for volunteers to pilot launches back to Hektor.  We needed to gain intelligence on the alien’s intentions there.  The data from those launches arrived twenty minutes ago and has finally been decoded.  It shows that there are no alien ships in the area near Hektor.  Close passes to the surface show no alien troops or supplies.  They are not attempting to evaluate the ruins for any intelligence.  This data supports the conclusions from my prior conversation with General Foxx."  Bradley turned back to 'KJ'.
   Secretary Richards leaned forward in his chair.  "And what are these 'conclusions'?" 
   General Foxx moved back to his table and leaned on it, a concerned look on his face.  "Secretary Richards, the data on the landings and reinforcements at Victoria indicate that what was deployed was only a small fraction of the prior landings.  This would indicate that the Tango Two in question may still have most of its division onboard.  If the aliens have pulled the other two divisions off of Hektor for reorganization and resupply, this could indicate that they intend to continue ground operations in the inner system.  Unless the aliens have been able to identify additional belt colony sites, the only populations the aliens have had contact with are at Titan, Mars, and Earth.   The aliens have already landed elements on Titan.  We need to consider the possibility that the next target could be Mars or Earth."

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on November 20, 2011, 03:30:12 AM
February 2205  part 24

February 25th  0015 hours/Queen Jane Grey, 2000 kilometers from Phoebe, Saturn

   Rear Admiral Robert McNeely looked at the sensor returns as the drive emissions of the US Interceptor Sai became more distant.
   "I will start working on the new General Quarters rotation.  Do you have any requirements before I publish it for transmission?"  Robert looked over at Ensign Gretta Deeter as she spoke to him.  'Not unless you can come up with more ships,' was all Robert could think.  'We have reports of two attacks by alien warships in the last eight hours, both of which showed the vast improvements in the alien designs and tactics.  We are down two of our Attack Escorts, have no hope of replacements soon, lost the US ship that represented twenty five percent of our firepower here, and are only a light minute from the site of the only other alien landing.'
   "No Gretta, set the rotation and transmit it to the rest of the ships and a copy to Admiral Muldoon."
   Robert turned back to the monitor at his station.  'The only help we have nearby are the Chinese boats circling Titan.  From the messages sent by both Command and the Chinese, we are as likely to be shot by them as the aliens.  Admiral Muldoon has authorized us to intervene if the aliens attack Titan, but that could be a losing proposition.'
   Robert turned back to Gretta.  "Ensign, do we have any further updates on the status of the US request for reassignment of the marines on the troopship?"
   Robert watched as Gretta tapped at her screen several times.  "No Admiral, we have the last transmission from Admiral Muldoon that the US had requested the troops be redeployed to Earth, but no movement orders for the troopship or escort orders for the Third Battle Group."  
   Robert turned back to his monitor again.  'We might as well be a Light Battle Group at the moment.  The Third Light had six launch bays at the start of the engagement at Victoria, and it did them little good.  One Alpha out of three, and none of the Tango Twos.  All for the loss of the Tatianna, Scarlett, and Sereg, with the Elise damaged.'  Robert pulled up the transmissions they had received.  Several of the broadcasts during the attacks at Hektor and Victoria had been open transmissions.  There was little sensor data included but it might be worth looking at.  "Ensign Deeter, when you are done with that I would like you to look over the transmissions from the engagements at Hektor and Victoria.  See if you can come up with anything that could help us.  Any little chink in the alien defenses."  
'We are going to need something if we hope to come out better than the Third Light Battle.  The aliens hit the first two landing sites.  I am willing to bet our turn is coming.  Soon.'
   Robert saw Gretta turn in her station slightly.  "Yes Admiral."


   0210 hours/Assault Vessel, 24 light minutes from Saturn

   The Commander of Fleets finished with the transmissions and reports from the two Strike Groups.  The attacks had been against his prior orders, but the Commanders of Patrol Vessels 13 and 17 had acted appropriately.  There would be no reprimands.  The outcomes had been good, if not ideal.  The native race has lost four Patrol Vessels and three Attack Vessels with a fourth damaged and venting.  
   'The operation has failed to draw any of the larger enemy ships into an engagement, but that has been anticipated.  The first attack did record the presence of the Heavy Patrol Vessel that has displayed the high output drive, but failed to decisively engage it.  With luck the next two operations will force the native race to commit its larger vessels.  We will need to engage the enemy Assault Vessels before our Combat Group's strength becomes depleted.  The loss of Patrol Vessel 17 has proven that this operation will not go without cost.'  The Commander of Fleets felt a small pang as he considered the loss of his former command, and of the crew he had spent so much time with.
   The Commander of Fleets extended his perception through the sensors and could feel the distant presence of the great ringed planet.  'We might increase the drive output to reach our target sooner, but it would only risk damage to our drive.  If the enemy is going to redeploy their vessels from the colony ahead, they will be able to evade us regardless of how quickly we move.  No, we shall continue at our current velocity.'  The Commander of Fleets altered the field at his station and issued orders to the distant Strike Groups.  'The Strike Groups need to prepare for the next part of this operation.  It will begin sooner than anticipated, but must not be delayed.  The native race has been dealt a blow but they will quickly be able to recover from it.  We must not give them the opportunity.'
   The Commander of Fleets then altered the field again and more orders sped away across the void.  'The third Strike Group will need to begin its operation.  Their waiting is done.'


        0330 hours/GTOS 22, 6 light minutes from Hektor Colony

   Li Xue opened her eyes to find the face of a cyborg only centimeters from the faceplate of her helmet.  Li startled and moved to put her arms out only to scream as pain lanced along her left arm and side.  Tears blurred her vision as Li tried to look about and cradle her left arm, but found both her arms and legs could not move.
   Li's radio crackled to life.  Li looked up at the cyborg.  "Back off and enough with the gibberish!"  Li looked around and could see that she was in a ship of some sort, but nothing looked familiar.  She was also strapped into an acceleration couch.  The cyborg backed off and turned away.  Moments later Li heard a sterile voice on her radio.  'It is all right.  You are safe on board the US Ground to Orbit Shuttle number Twenty Two.  We need to move you to the end of the cargo section.  We will be landing on the US vessel Vigilance in a few minutes."
   Li looked at the cyborg.  'His torso is damaged and part of one arm is gone.'  "Are you the cyborg that grabbed me on Hektor?"
   The cyborg turned back to her and stood motionless for a few moments.  Seconds later the same sterile voice appeared on her radio.  "Yes.  I am Ensign Thomas Hudson of the US Space Forces.  You were on the loading ramp of the Vigilance when I boarded.  You appeared unconscious and would have been killed so I moved you out of the line of fire.  You were not prepared for transport on the Vigilance so I had you placed on this shuttle.  You will remain on this shuttle but will need to be prepared for transport following our landing."  Li watched as the cyborg pushed a button on the couch she was in and the straps retracted into the armrests.
   Li sat up and found herself drifting away from the couch.  She keyed her maneuver pack to put her on the deck beside the cyborg.  She then activated the magnetic soles and hoped they would work on the US ship.  Li breathed out heavily as the boots snapped onto the deck and pain again flared in her arm.  Li looked at the cyborg.  "What do you need me to do, and when will I be able to rejoin my unit?"
   Li watched the cyborg motion for her to follow him as he began to move along the deck.  The same sterile voice sounded in her helmet.  "There are medical personnel at the end of the cargo section.  That area has been pressurized.  You will need to discard your suit so we can prepare you for the higher gee transport on the Vigilance.  You will be sedated and the preparations completed while you are asleep."  
   The ordeal of waking up on Troopship One returned to Li with a shudder.  'I guess if I have to do this, I want to be asleep.'  Li stopped and looked at the cyborg as he walked on.  "You haven't answered when I will rejoin my unit.  Am I a prisoner?"  Tension began to tingle through Li.  'Just breathe Li.  There is nothing I can do right now.  I doubt he rescued me just to kill me now.'
   Li saw the cyborg stop.  Li could feel her heart pounding harder as the moments passed.  Pain began to throb in her arm, keeping time with her heartbeat.  'Did I say the wrong thing?'  Then her radio crackled back to life.
   "You are not a prisoner.  Six hours ago the aliens returned to Hektor Colony.  We were unable to repel them.  The aliens seized the orbitals and began to target any habitats or troop concentrations.  You are the only Chinese soldier on our manifest, and the two US vessels that escaped only loaded pods of colonist."  Li felt her legs beginning to fail as the cyborg turned to face her.  "You are the only known survivor of the Chinese units on Hektor."  


   1445 hours/5000 meters below Andvari Crater, Triton

   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank moved through the tunnel as she returned to her squad.  ‘We have enough supplies to keep this up for a few more weeks.  The last two weeks have been one extended drill.  The standoff with the FSC troops has cost us a fair amount of supplies, but at least it hasn’t turned into a shooting match.’
   “Hold, Frau Frank.  Advance and be recognized.”
   Hauptgefreiter Ludwig Schimmelpfennig stood in the tunnel with his weapon at low port.  Tanya looked at him for a moment and then dropped the supplies onto the floor of the tunnel.  “Ok Ludwig, it’s me.  And I’m ordering you to pick up this mess and store it in our position.”
   “Crap.  Do you have any sense of humour left?”  Ludwig slung his weapon and moved forward.
   “No, they took it out with the rest of me.  And we will be taking yours out soon if you keep this up.”  Tanya walked on down the tunnel and wished she could smirk at the thought of taking Ludwig in for a ‘tune up’.  
   Dust suddenly settled from the ceiling of the tunnel and Tanya stopped as she watched the particles slowly drift in the low gravity.  “Feldwebel Frank, what was that?”  Tanya looked about and pulled her weapon from its mount.  “I don’t know.”
   A red light began to flash on her HUD as a message displayed.  

   ALL PERSONNEL FULL ALERT
   REPORT TO UNITS OR FIGHTING POSITIONS
   ALIEN LANDING IN PROGRESS


Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on December 17, 2011, 10:20:42 AM
February 2205 part 25

February 25th  1505 hours/5000 meters below surface of Triton

   Brood Mother 218 could feel the presence of her alien.  She could feel his fatigue.  A numbness also.  'He takes many medicines to make this bearable.  Contact is so difficult for him, yet he has never shied away.  We have accomplished so little, but still much more than all the others.'
   Brood Mother 218 moved close to her 'Chen' and reached out her perception to him.  'He is so like the young ones.  I have always spoken as a mother to a child with him, but it is almost too much for him to endure.  Perhaps I need to reach out like a child, as the young reach out to one another.  With the faintest of whispers.'
   She felt the confusing mass that was her alien's thoughts.  A swirling mix with only the slightest hint of order.  'He is learning to focus, but is still like the newest of young.'  "Chen, you have come again.  Is this better."

   Chen tried to relax as he watched the 'tentacle' of the alien move closer and closer to his helmet.  'It is just her and her young, with the little ones huddled in the far corner.   She has sent me to the hospital twelve times now.  Each time worse than the last.  The docs have come up with a cocktail of drugs to try and help, but they don't do much.  The pain is worse than ever.  They tell me that I won't be able to do this much longer.  Not that I will get sent home.'  Chen let his thoughts stray from what he was 'supposed' to be thinking.  'I wish I could go home.  Even for a bit.' 
   Chen felt the first twinge of a headache and tried to prepare himself.

   Brood Mother 218 could feel her 'Chen'.  "This is better, yes?  Not the pain of before."  She could feel the wonder and surprise of her 'alien'.  Relief.  Almost joy.  All mixed like a young one receiving a gift.  It was tinged with a wistful feeling.  A longing of something missed.  Brood Mother 218 reached gently into the swirling mix that was her 'Chen' and found the longing.  "You miss your family.  The other young you grew with.  Your mother.  Your home.  You do feel belonging, even without a connection to those around you.  Alone but somehow still together."

   Chen could feel the alien as she moved through his thoughts.  'It has always been like I was swallowed up in pain and light, as if I was being consumed in what she was.  Now it is more like a bad sinus headache and lying in the sun with your eyes closed.  A warm and somewhat painful brightness.'  Chen could feel the memories of his family seem to come alive as she became part of them.  Shared them.  "This is my home.  My family."  He suddenly felt 'new memories'.  Memories of her with her young.  How they grew and lived.  Her pride as her older 'children' had become adults.  Sadness as they left.  And new joy with her current 'children.'

   Brood Mother 218 could feel the wonder of her 'Chen' as he shared in her memories.  "We each have families.  Each have those dear to us.  For all of our differences, we share this.  This feeling of belonging with those close to us."  Brood Mother 218 sensed another presence.  A powerful one.  An Elder.  He reached through her and into 'Chen.'  She tried to resist the Elder.  To shield Chen.  It was useless.  She felt Chen's pain and terror as the Elder forced his way through Chen's thoughts, feels, and emotions.  Like one rummaging through a pile of equipment looking for something lost or useful.  She could feel Chen's body begin to writhe and convulse as the Elder tore into everything that her 'alien' was.  How he was killing her 'Chen' as the Elder looked for something.  Brood Mother 218 reached into the fading life and found the memories they had just shared.  Tried to push away the terror that gripped the young male as he was dying.  To bring the comfort in those thoughts to him.  To help him focus on them.  Then he was gone.
    


   2130 hours/Adirondack Defense Command Center, US

   Admiral Bradley Walters watched as General 'KJ' Foxx moved to the front of the room.  He moved by the large table that dominated that end of the room and the civilians gathered around it. Then the General touched the large wall monitor several times.  Menus and views scrolled by until a display of the surface of Triton appeared.  Bradley heard General Foxx clear his voice a few times before the room quieted.
   Congressional Defense Committee Chairperson Harland Meyers stood from his seat at the large table.  "I hope you have some good news for us General.  I am busy enough without more bad news."
   General Foxx looked at Congressman Meyers, and then at the rest of the assembled staff.  "We have only a small section of seventeen soldiers on Triton lead by Space Forces Lieutenant Commander Megan Ryan.  This gives us limited ability to gather data on the situation on Triton leaving us dependant on updates from the Pan Euro and FSC.  I can report that all of the equipment and data gained by Lieutenant Commander Ryan's team has been moved to the sub-surface tunnels and is currently secure.  The Pan Euro has agreed to provide space and supplies to our team in the Headquarters Company of the Thirteenth Mechanized Infantry."
   Congressman Meyers nodded and sat down.  "Thank you General.  I cannot stress enough how important that data is, and how disastrous it would be should it fall into alien hands."
   Secretary of Defense Adam Richards looked up from the pad he was tapping at.  "General, what is the status of our troop activations?"
   General Foxx touched the display a few times and brought up several lists on the screen.  "Most of our active units have been assembled.  Identification of units for transport to Mars is proceeding at this time.  We have contracted with several civilian lines and now have the lift capacity to move three divisions from Earth to Mars.  More would be possible but the current situation has created a great deal of resistance from the civilian lines.  Several have placed court filings pursuing a ruling that the inner system is now a contested zone and will require government escort before providing transport.   This does not restrict transportation between the Earth and Luna.  The First Power Armor Infantry Division is currently processing for a lift to support the Pan European Lunar Colony.  They are scheduled for lift off tomorrow at zero two hundred."
   General Foxx tapped the display again and a new list appeared.  "The National Guard and Reserve Units have been on alert for several months now.  Most are mobilizing as we speak.  The nine Martian Guard and Reserve Divisions of Fifteenth Corps will be mobilized and operational by the first of March.  With the support of the three active duty divisions from Earth we believe they should be able to resist any ground offensive from the alien forces we have seen so far.  Mobilization of the Earth based units is proceeding more slowly due to the large number of troops involved.  It is projected that all of the units will be operational by mid March.  They will be integrated with the active duty units as they complete processing through the mobilization sites.  The exact organizational charts are still being completed, but it is anticipated that the ground units will be organized into two Army Groups in the CONUS Theater with one additional Army Group OCONUS.  The Air Command will handle all atmospheric operations regardless of location.  The disposition of the naval fleets is still under consideration.  I have been informed that Admiral Heckart will be controlling Naval surface fleets and the Naval Air assets."
   "Thank you General.  Representatives of the Naval and Air Force branches will be here in a few hours to prepare for the morning briefing."  Secretary Richards then turned and looked toward Bradley.  "Do you have any new developments to report at this time?"
   Bradley stood.  "The Red October is now escorting the Q Ships Vigilance and Steadfast, which will meet with the Sai and Rear Admiral Ryan within the next three hours.   The Pan Euro Attack Escorts Elise and Kathleen have arrived at Mars.  The Mars Station is assisting in emergency repairs of the Attack Escort Elise at this time.  The Pan Euro indicates that the Heavy Escort Elizabeth Avery will arrive at Mars no later than zero seven hundred tomorrow, accompanied by a Pan Euro Mobile Shipyard.  Nothing else at this time."
   "Thank you Admiral.  That will be all for now."
   Bradley nodded to the Secretary, and then moved over to the small group of tables where General Foxx was now seated.  Bradley pulled out a chair near the General and sat down.  "KJ, you didn't give any update on the combat at Triton.  I realize we don't actually have a combat element there, but what do we know of the situation?"  Bradley watched as General Foxx looked at him, and then turned a monitor so that both of them could see it.
   "The FSC is currently running the show there.  Major General Billings is the senior officer, and the FSC controls all of the supplies.  They have enough to keep the troops in combat through the end of March, but that is it if we can't get more supplies to them.  Reports seem to indicate that the aliens landed a single division, but separated it into several battalion sized landing groups spaced across the moon.  The FSC has an over strength power armor battalion on Triton while the Chinese survivors have been organized into another light power armor battalion.  The Pan Euro has the most troops, with the remaining elements of the Thirteenth Mech amounting to an over strength brigade.  The aliens outnumber them three to two, but our troops have well established defensive positions.  The aliens also did not employ any orbital strikes, allowing the FSC to move the bulk of the supply dumps below the surface."
   Bradley shifted in his chair at the last statement.  "No orbital strikes?  How many ships did the FSC or Euro report were involved in the landings?"
   General Foxx shrugged.  "I don't know.  They report several landing sites, but they were not simultaneous.  It may have been only a single troopship."
   Bradley thought for a moment. "If there were no orbital attacks on the surface sites, perhaps the aliens don't have any warships left to support the landing.  The aliens may have committed everything they have to this offensive in the inner system. That may make it possible to get support through to Triton.  How long do you project that the troops there can hold out?"
   Bradley watched as General Foxx sat back slowly in his chair.  "Sorry I can't be more help, but I just don't know.  We don't have enough information about the Pan Euro, FSC, or Chinese units on that moon.  If I had to take a guess, they can probably hold out as long as their supplies last.  The troops are in a bad position though.  They have good defensive positions in the tunnels and the alien combat troops will have limited points of contact, but there are still over a quarter of a million alien 'civilians' living in the deeper tunnels.  If the alien civilian population moves to support the attack, our troops are trapped between that anvil and the hammer of the attacking troops."
   Bradley nodded.  "Thank you KJ."  Bradley stood and began walking back to his table.  'It is only going to be a matter of time before Jack hears his little girl is in trouble out there.  I hope to hell he doesn't do anything stupid right now.  We need him more than ever at Mars.' 


February 26th  0650 hours/ Attack Escort Elise, Mars Spaceworks

   Commander Dana Breiholz looked at the prompt on her monitor and then tapped at the keys on her armrest.  "Helm, as soon as the station releases the docking clamps, pull us clear.  Then engage drive on my command to join formation with the Kathleen and Avery.  All crew, lock stations."
   Dana sat quietly at her station.  'Ever since I became a cyborg, I haven't really been able to feel anything other than what the sensors on this body feed to my brain.  But I have never felt this numb before.  Without Brittany here...'
   Dana saw the new prompts appear, and could feel the Elise begin to move.  The green light appeared on her monitor indicating all stations had been locked.  "Helm, engage drive."
   Dana's vision went blue grey as the drive engaged and the Elise moved toward the other two ships of the 'new' 3rd LBG.  'We had five ships at Victoria and were ripped to pieces.  We are now down to three ships, and two aren't even fully operational.  Our hull has been patched up some, but the outer plating and baffles are still torn apart.  At least the shield generators are on line.  The Heavy Escort Avery still needs her banks of shield generators installed.  With her hull naked to the alien weapons, she won't last a minute in combat.  They say that she will have them on line by the tenth of March, but that is a long time for the aliens to show up.'
   Dana pulled up the sensor returns and watched as the Elise pulled into formation with the Kathleen and Avery.  She looked at them, and then at the returns for the US forces displayed on her monitor.  'The US has three Interceptors, two Defense Stations, and the Mars Station with its six combat modules.  All told they have eleven missile launch bays and eleven laser batteries.  We add four more missile bays.  The last transmission from Commodore Vasilikos stated that he would be here by the first of March   That was a lot earlier than Command had indicated, but Command and Stephan have never really seen eye to eye.  So in two more days we will add another Interceptor, two Q Ships, and the Red October.  Six more missile bays.  That will make twenty one missile bays and eleven laser batteries.'
   Dana thought back on the engagement at Victoria.  'We needed five ships to destroy a single Alpha.  Six missile bays to kill one alien ship while we lost three and almost a fourth.  Reports indicate the aliens likely have four Alphas and four Tango Twos in the inner system.  Plus an Echo.  I wonder if twenty one missile bays will be enough.'

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on December 23, 2011, 08:01:27 AM
February 2205 part 26

February 27th  0214 hours/Missile Frigate Angtung, 0.5 light seconds from Titan

   Acting Captain Seo Jihu saw the prompt appear on his monitor.  'It's the Angtung's turn for General Quarters while the Sichuan stands down.'  Jihu tapped at the monitor and opened the ship's intercom.  "All hands, lock stations.  Come to General Quarters."  Jihu closed out the maintenance updates and brought up the tactical display, then locked his station.  'Eight more hours of staring at the monitor.  I should have gotten up and moved around more when I had the chance.  Since we are now in a stationary orbit above the complex on Titan, the tactical display doesn't hardly move anymore.  I suppose I should enjoy it while this lasts.  The Ministry is unlikely to let a native Korean remain in command of a warship.'
   Jihu looked at the maneuver plot that Captain Shen of the Sichuan had come up with.  The smaller moons of Saturn, along with the planet's rings, were to be used in an attempt to draw the aliens in.   The alien troop carriers were armed with a mass driver, as were their larger combat vessels.  The small moons and rings would be used to deny the alien ships the ability to gain solid targeting locks on the Missile Frigates.  'If the aliens wish to keep their mass drivers pointed toward the group, they will be forced to close.  At close ranges the Frigates will be able to put most of their missiles on target, hopefully overwhelming the new defensive system the aliens have devised.  If the aliens turned away to avoid closing with the Frigates, they will turn their mass drivers off target.  The Frigates will then engage the enemy and maneuver to keep the mass drivers from being brought to bear.'
   'The magnetic field generator's software is still infected with whatever virus was transmitted to the ships of the fleet, but a short term solution has been devised by the Ministry.  The virus shuts down the systems by inducing destructive harmonics that force the generators to shut down.  It does not affect the generators while they are off line.  Under the new protocol ships will only keep two full banks of generators online.  The other generators will only be activated in the event of failure in the primary systems.  Two banks will normally prevent damage from an intercept.  Multiple intercepts can easily overwhelm two banks, but the Minstry has chosen to accept that risk.  The fact they aren't the ones being shot at makes it considerably easier for them.'
   A red icon flashed on Jihu's display as the Sensor Officer called out data.  "New magnetic contact bearing three zero zero.  Range to contact uncertain.  No less than fourteen light seconds.  Number of contacts unknown.  Speed of contacts estimated at over ten thousand kilometers per second.  Exact course of contact uncertain, but appears to be closing."
   "All hands, Battle Stations.  Comm, open frequency transmission to contact.  Indicate that this is Chinese controlled space and that if they do not immediately move beyond one light minute of Titan they will be engaged and destroyed.  Engineering, prepare particle accelerators and drive."  Jihu looked at the tactical display.  'Those aren't stray merchant ships.  If they have magnetic fields they are warships.  If they belong to the Euro or US, they know this is a restricted zone and are prepared to fight.  If they are aliens, they are also here to fight.'  Jihu opened the intercom again.  "Weapon Conn, compile firing solution when sensor lock achieved.  Bring all launch bays online and prep missiles for launch.  Fire when solution complete."
   

   0217 hours/Assault Vessel 3, 10.75 light seconds from Titan

   The Commander of Fleets knew that having the three ships approach the enemy colony with their magnetic protective fields up would give any native ships a great deal of time to prepare for combat.  'It is necessary.  The Combat Vessel crews are inexperienced.  The ships cannot be risked needlessly while the crews learn.  They must remain in condition for battle when the time to face the enemy Assault Vessels comes.'
   The Commander of Fleets sensed the three enemy Heavy Patrol Vessels as their magnetic protective fields bloomed around them.  'They are at the very edge of range and moving toward the small moons near the ringed planet.  In all engagements before this our Combat Vessels have only employed a single torpedo launch bay while the Assault Vessels have only employed two.  We will perpetuate this belief.'  The Commander of Fleets altered the field at his station and issued the orders for the Combat Vessels to only launch a single torpedo, while the Assault Vessel would launch two.
   'Now we will see how they react to this threat.  We need to destroy as many of the enemy ships as possible.  If they feel they can engage us decisively we may get them to commit to combat against three larger ships.'


   0218 hours/Missile Frigate Angtung, 2.25 light seconds from Titan

   Jihu watched the tactical display on one side of his monitor while updates filled the other.  'A second group of missiles is inbound while the alien ships remain just beyond range.'  A flashing message appeared in the list of updates.  'The first bank of field generators just malfunctioned and went off line.'
   "Helm, implement the evasion maneuver set.  Engineering, activate the third bank of generators and get the first bank online again."
     Jihu could see the other frigates had also begun using the evasion set as the alien missiles closed.  Sensors identified the target as the Quinha and the display recorded the detonations.  
   The Comm Officer called out "Quinha reports no damage and field generators still online."
   'Even the alien weapons have a difficult time making intercept at these long distances.'  Jihu checked the tactical display and saw that the Mobile Construction Vessel Zhuang was now beginning to alter its course and move toward Iapetus.  'The US troops had to see it lift off, but it could not remain on the surface of Titan.  If we were unable to hold the orbitals it would be destroyed.  If the Zhuang is able to put down on Iapetus the aliens will have to spend a lot of time searching these moons to find it.'
   "Angtung passing behind Dione.  Losing sensor fix on alien warships.  Switching to feed from Titan."  Jihu heard the Sensor Officer calling out the updates as the tactical display froze and then realigned itself as the feed from Titan was displayed.  'The feed is a few seconds old, but still lets us know what the enemy is doing while the aliens have to guess our course.'
   A message flashed on his monitor.  Captain Shen of the Sichuan had changed the course plot.  The Frigates would now turn and skim the rings of Saturn, then use the large planet as a shield while the group accelerated away.  The frigates were also to shut down all magnetic generators to impede the alien targeting locks while they crossed the debris of the rings.  'It looks like Captain Shen doesn't want to engage three larger ships if he can't bring them in range.  Shutting down the generators will also allow Engineering a chance to concentrate on getting the malfunctioning banks of generators back online without risking more malfunctions.  We just have to hope the aliens can't get a lock while our defenses are down.'


   0221 hours/Assault Vessel, 5 light seconds from Titan

   The Commander of Fleets altered the field at his station, ordering the group to change course again as they closed on the large ringed planet.  'These ships are proving far more difficult to engage than I had anticipated.  These Heavy Patrol Vessels seem unwilling to engage us to protect their colony.  Perhaps the loses the native race sustained in the first two attacks have had a large impact on their tactics.'
   The Commander of Fleets waited as the Assault Vessel cleared the ringed planet and then sensed the three enemy ships again.  'These ships did not use the rings to force a close range engagement.  Instead they are nearly five light seconds away and fleeing.  The thermal readings are well beyond the normal range.  They will only remain in range for a few launches.'
   The Commander of Fleets sensed new contacts as each of the enemy ships released three torpedoes.  The Commander altered the field at his station and gave the order for all bays to deploy.  'If we are to destroy even a single enemy vessel, we will need to use every bay we have.'  Moments later four torpedoes separated from the Assault Vessel while two deployed from each Combat Vessel.  The eight torpedoes began to home on the trailing ship of the native race.  'We could use the defensive maneuvers, but it would only slow us and allow the fleeing ships to disengage more rapidly.  We have to trust that the increased strength of the magnetic field will protect these ships.'


   0222 hours/Missile Frigate Angtung, 5.25 light seconds from Titan

   Jihu wanted to curse as the flare of the red lined drive blinded the sensors.  'We can barely tell that the aliens are behind us, let alone target them.'  Red prompts flashed on his monitor as a bank of field generators malfunctioned.  "Engineering, get the field generators back on line."
   The Communications Officer broke in.  "Captain Seo, Quinha announces all field generators off line.  Multiple hull breaches.  One launch bay off line and half of their particle accelerators have burned out."
   Jihu checked the tactical display.  'The Quinha is falling behind.  They will never be able to break off.'  As Jihu watched the Sensor Officer broke in.
   "Aspect change on Quinha.  She is coming about."
   'They are going to draw the alien fire.  They can't escape, but they are about to make sure that we can.'  Jihu watched the tactical display.  The sensor returns were still poor, but even through the interference of the nuclear bloom's bleed around the drive shield the sensors recorded first one, then a second, and finally a third launch from the Quinha before the ship broke up as an alien missile found its target.
   A new prompt appeared on his monitor.  'Captain Shen has ordered the drives reduced to standard combat levels.'  "Helm, full combat acceleration.  Hold current course."  Jihu watched as the returns cleared.  'The three alien ships are still there, but they have changed course.  They are moving toward Titan.'
   The Comm Officer called out, "Captain Seo, incoming transmission from Sichuan.  Putting through to your station."
   Jihu keyed open the comm link and heard the radio crackle to life.  "Captain Seo.  We will set course to hold an orbit of Titan at seven point five light seconds.  Maintain full combat acceleration and formation with the Sichuan."  
   "Yes, Captain Shen.  Confirmed."
   Jihu closed the link.  "Helm, maintain formation with Sichuan."  Jihu watched as new prompts appeared on his monitor.  Distress calls and pleas for help as the alien bombers began to attack the remaining habitats on the surface of the moon he was supposed to guard.


   0235 hours/Assault Vessel, 0.5 light seconds from Titan

   The Commander of Fleets sensed as the scout craft launched from their bays for the third bombing run.  The only active enemy habitats were now located near the underground complex on the surface.  The complex was also where the troops of the native race had concentrated, so these attack runs would be the most dangerous.
   'This attack has proved less successful than I had hoped.  We did destroy one of the enemy Heavy Patrol Vessels, but two still remain and seem determined to shadow this group from beyond our weapon range.  Those Heavy Patrol Vessels will make it nearly impossible for this group to engage the Assault Vessels of the native race favorably without altering the current operations and delaying the current time table.  It may prove necessary to recall the Strike Groups and have them box in the enemy ships.  For some reason they are not maintaining their magnetic protective fields.  That will make an ambush and their destruction much less difficult.'
   The Commander of Fleets sensed the two enemy ships suddenly change aspect and disengage, then move beyond sensor range.  
    Moments later the Commander of Fleets could feel the magnetic fields of the ships reappear.  'Why would they move farther away and then raise their magnetic fields?'  The Commander of Fleets knew the answer even before the sensors told him he was correct.


   0238 hours/Queen Jane Grey, 7.75 light seconds from Titan

   "Rear Admiral McNeely, Titan at eight light seconds.  Hold.  New contacts clearing Titan.  Alien Foxtrot times one, Delta times two, bearing zero niner five at eight point five light seconds.  Velocity of four one zero kilometers per second on course one eight one.  Changing aspect.  Turning to close.  Chinese ships moving into formation at one light second to port.  Holding formation with Queen Jane Grey."
   Robert watched as the two Chinese ships settled into formation with his own ship.  "Ok Gretta, time to see if we just made a huge mistake or not."

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 14, 2012, 01:21:29 AM
February 2205 part 27

February 27th  0239 hours/Queen Jane Grey, 6.5 light seconds from Titan

   Ensign Gretta Deeter wished there was more she could do.  'After so long as the Helmsman for the Red October, I feel useless simply monitoring information for the Admiral.  Everyone seems to have a real job here, except me.'
   "Launch detection.  Tracking four inbound missiles from the Foxtrot.  Two inbound missiles from each Delta.  Total of eight inbounds.  Target is Chinese Assault Vessel Sichuan.  Time to intercept seventeen seconds.  Chinese vessels employing evasive manuever protocol."
   Gretta listened to the Sensor Officer as she watched the new icons appear on her tactical plot.  The blue grey haze that colored the world disappeared as the drive on the Jane Grey shut down and maneuver thrusters brought the drive onto a new bearing while the four launch bays deployed missiles.  More icons sprang to life on the display as missiles separated from the ships of the Third Battle Group and joined the six missiles that had been launched from the two Chinese ships.
   "Helm, implement course corrections as I forward them to your station."  Gretta heard Rear Admiral Robert McNeely.  She could see him out of the edge of her vision.  His fingers were rapidly dancing across the controls on his armrests.  'Even the Admiral has something to do.'  Gretta watched as new course plots appeared on her display.  'Robert is going to take us through the middle of the small moons near Saturn.  What can he hope to accomplish in that mass of rocks and ice?  We will suffer as much sensor interference as the aliens.'
   "Chinese Vessel Sichuan has lost magnetic signature.  Venting.  Drive restart detected.  Hold.  Sichuan has broken up."  Gretta heard the Sensor Officer continue to rattle off more information as she watched the icon for the Chinese ship disappear, replaced by markers for wreckage.  'The ship must have suffered some damage to its drive shield.  When it restarted, it tore the ship apart.'
   Gretta saw that most of the Chinese missiles had lost tracking on the alien Foxtrot.  Only one was continuing on its way to intercept.  She pulled up the sensor returns on her monitor and saw as the high frequency magnetic pulses began to appear from the huge alien ship, and seconds later the Chinese missile became a scattered group of returns as it was torn apart by the new alien defense system.  'Maybe we will have better luck.'  Gretta watched as the six missiles of the Third Battle Group began their final attack runs.  'All of them are still on target.  That Foxtrot is going to have trouble with six missile closing on it at once.'  Gretta watched as the high frequency magnetic pulses reappeared on the sensor returns, and then one after another missiles began to break up.  Both of the missiles from the Attack Escorts broke apart, and then two of the missiles from the Jane Grey.  Two survived to detonate along the Foxtrot's path, but the alien ship came through the sensor distortion with its protective fields still in place.
   The Sensor Officer's flat voice made Gretta feel as cold as ice.
   "New inbound contacts times eight.  Tracking on Third Battle Group."
   Gretta realized Robert was speaking to her and she suddenly tried to concentrate on his voice instead of the Sensor Officer's.  "Gretta, you need to contact the Captain on the remaining Chinese ship.  We can't stand here toe to toe like this.  I have an idea but we are going to need that ship's help."

   0240 hours/Missile Frigat Angtung, 1.2 light seconds from Saturn

   Acting Captain Seo Jihu struggled with the armrest controls as new data and alerts streamed across his monitor.  'We need to get in closer to Saturn.  We need to use the rings to break up the tracking on those alien missiles.'  A new alert flashed on his monitor as the large Pan Euro warship changed course and its drive plume began to spew radiation across the Angtung's course.
   "Helm, thirty degrees to starboard, down ten degrees."  Jihu wanted to curse as the Euro ship cut off his path toward the rings.  'The Euro ships are breaking formation and scattering into the rings and around the moons.  Why?'
   "Captain, incoming message from the Pan Euro flagship.  Forwarding to your station."
   "It had better be an apology of they will be our next target."  Jihu opened the message and began to understand as he read it.  'The Euros are manuevering so that the aliens can't focus more than a single launch at a ship, and the target ship will be manuvering against the launch.  The other ships will use the moons and rings to block intercepts and allow them to regain speed after using the evasive protocols.  The aliens will be forced to slow down from evading one launch after another while we will be able to hold our speeds.  It might work.'
   Jihu looked at the plots in the message.  "Helm, adjust course to put Tethys between us and the alien cruiser.  Full combat acceleration.  Cease evasion."


   0240 hours/Attack Escort Catherine, skimming rings of Saturn

   "Aspect change on Chinese Vessel.  Now on course one two five ascension minus ten.  Accelerating.  Will pass behind Tethys in five seconds.  Aspect change on alien vessels.  Foxtrot employing evasion protocols on course heading two two eight.  Delta One now on course one eight one and accelerating.  Delta Two on course one zero three."
   Commander Sarah Sieren watched as the alien ships broke formation and began to cut off the routes the Battle Group could take that would hide them, but her attention was focused on the eight missiles homing in on the Attack Escort Isabelle.  The returns clouded as one detonation after another blossomed along the small ships path.
   "The Isabelle has broken up."  Sarah felt sick as she watched icons for the wreckage of the ship appear on her screen as the Sensor Conn called out the destruction of the other Attack Escort.  'We are going to die here.  Those ships will give us nowhere to run and  the Jane Grey will catch hell from all sides.  Even she won't last long unless we can manuever against those damned aliens.'
   "Helm, course change.  Bring us to heading three three zero and then maintain heading directly toward the Foxtrot.  Lets see if they are willing to play chicken.  Weapon Conn, hold next launch."
   Sarah watched as the distance began to close between the Catherine and the big alien warship.  'The Jane is coming about and going to pass the Chinese vessel nose to nose.
   "Aspect change on Foxtrot.  Coming about to heading zero three eight." 
   'Yes,  That will put Saturn between the Jane Grey and the Foxtrot.  But both the Deltas will give them nowhere to run unless...'
   "Helm, come about to heading two seven five, implement evasion protocol.  Weapon Conn, time launch as we pass the drive bloom of Delta One."  'Let's see if they can stop a missile coming straight up their tailpipe.'
   The Sensor Conn cut in.  "Captain, inbounds times four from Foxtrot.  Delta One and Two launching on Queen Jane Grey."
   'Here is where we pay for our good deed.  The big ship broke off, but now we are the only ship it can get a lock on.'  The grey haze of acceleration disappeared as the Weapon Conn called out, "Missile away", then was replaced by the kaleidescope of colors that came with the manuever protocol.
   Sarah watched as the four alien missiles closed.  'If Admiral McNeely is going to say thank you, he needs to hurry up.'  She gripped the armrest as the icons merged and detonations clouded the display.  Moments passed and Sarah heard Engineering on the radio repeaters.  "Magnetic field generator banks one through eight off line.  Field strength at thirty five percent."
   Sarah keyed open the intercom and cut off the Engineer.  "Helm, drop evasion protocol.  Full combat acceleration.  Bring us about and put us in Saturn's rings.  We just got lucky, don't expect it to happen again."
   "Captain, missile making final run on Delta One.  No magnetic pulse detected."
   Sarah watched the returns as the missile ran down its target. 
   'You can't shoot straight back through your drive bloom any more than I can.'
   The returns clouded as the missile detonated, followed heartbeats later as missiles from the Jane Grey disappeared into clouds of ions and radiation along the alien ships path.  Sarah wished she could hold her breath as she waited for the sensor returns to clear. 
   "Captain, Delta One has lost magnetic field signature."  Sarah was almost ready to cheer when the Sensor Officer cut in again.  "Jane Grey is magnetic field down."
   'Dammit.'

   0241 hours/Missile Frigate Angtung, 1.25 light seconds from Saturn

   Jihu tried not to clench the armrests as his view of the monitor shifted colors wildly.  He stabbed at one of the controls, clearing an alarm box obstucting part of the display.  "Engineering, get the first bank of generators back on line.  Activate third bank now."  With a bank of shields off line, the Angtung was vulnerable.  The alien missiles could easily tear through the weakened field and disable or destroy the ship.  'And we have missiles closing on us.  At least Saturn is between us and the alien cruiser.'  Suddenly Jihu saw one alien 'delta' - as the Euros called them - turn toward the Euro flagship.  The two ships were closing on each other, both trying to use Tethys as a shield while trying to line up a shot on the other.  Missiles began to sprout from both ships.  But this alien warship had its magnetic fields up, and the Euro warship did not.
   "Helm, bring us about on course two two zero.  Bring us in behind contact three.  Weapons, launch all bays when we cross the bloom.  Engineering, all operational generator banks online."
   The Helmsman was the first to respond.  "Captain, we will intercept the wash from the enemy vessel."
   Jihu's vision cleared as the drive cut out to allow the ship to fire its manuever thrusters.  "Better the drive wash than a point blank broadside from two ships.  We already have one set of inbounds."
   The world slammed back into a blue grey wash of color as the drive restarted.  Seconds crawled by as the alien inbounds closed on the Angtung, racing her to the launch point.  'We aren't going to make it.'  Jihu watched the sensor returns of his monitor cloud as the alien missiles detonated and saw more warning prompts flash.  'Two banks of generators off line from the attack, and one down from the terrorist virus.  But we still have one left.'  As the sensors cleared the drive bloom of the target ship began to dominate the returns.  The drive cut out.
   "All missile bays deployed." 
   Jihu watched as the missiles closed on the retreating alien ship.  Detonations from the Euro missiles clouded the returns, and Jihu cursed quietly as one of his missiles lost it lock amidst the sensor disruption.
   "Contact three has lost magnitic field signature.  Aspect change.  Alien ship coming about.  Magnetic pulse detected."
   'Shields down but they are clearing their drive shield.  Maybe we can use this to our advantage.'  "Helm, course change.  Now one four zero ascension plus four.  Move back toward drive wash of contact three.  Weapons, I want the next launch ready by the time we cross contact three's drive shield."  Jihu watched as one of the two remaining missiles tracking contact three broke up.  'We need something to go right or we are all going to be dead in the next minute.'
   The returns on Jihu's monitor clouded as the last missile detonated.
   "Contact three is venting.  Drive restart and aspect change."
   Jihu clenched the armrest.  "Helm, get me behind that cursed ship, NOW !"
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 14, 2012, 05:49:03 AM
February 2205 part 27 (2)

Feburary 27th  0242 hours/Assault Vessel, 1.5 light seconds from Saturn

   The Commander of Fleets reached his perception out through the sensor arrays towards the enemy ships.  'Only three enemy vessels remain, but the are making it nearly impossible to keep track of their movements.  The enemy Combat Vessel and Heavy Patrol Vessel have both lost their protective magnetic fields, but they have manuevered so that this Assault Vessel has been unable to launch against them and now Combat Vessels 6 and 7 have both lost their protective fields.  The native ships have also pulled in close enough to Combat Vessels 6 and 7 that the torpedoes have limited time to correct for any maneuvers and the new crews have been unable to destroy the enemy ships.'  The Commander of Fleets struggled to suppress his frustration as the two torpedoes from Combat Vessel 7 missed the enemy combat vessel as they twisted amongst the moons near the ringed planet. 
   'Combat Vessel 7 has begun to vent in response to damage.  Its Commander reports that several of the particle accelerators feeding the drive have been damaged.  His ship will no longer be able to disengage from the enemy Combat Vessel and Heavy Patrol Vessel that have trapped it.'  The Commander sensed the torpedoes that had to come from the enemy Heavy Patrol Vessel as they closed from behind Combat Vessel 7.  Frustration welled up within him as another detonation forced Combat Vessel 7 to stop its drive and vent more damage.  As the drive restarted the Commander of Fleets could feel that it had lost more power.
   The Commander of Fleets altered the field at his station and the crew responded, turning the Assault Vessel in toward the ringed planet.  Orders sped across space to Combat Vessel 6 and it also changed course.  'We will see how committed they are to this attack.'


   0242 hours/Attack Escort Catherine,  1.75 light seconds from Saturn

   Commander Sarah Sieren watched as the grey blue haze returned as the drive restarted.
   'We are an awful little fish for this pond.  The Admiral gave us orders to extend and disengage if we can, but we aren't going without saying good bye.'
   Sarah saw that the icons for the Foxtrot and Delta Two had nearly merged.  The large warship had slowed down and was now holding close formation to the crippled alien warship.  Sarah watched the sensor returns as missiles from both the Chinese ship and the Jane Grey closed on the two ships, only to disappear as the alien defensive systems on the Foxtrot destroyed them.
   "Delta One, aspect change.  Employing evasion protocol.  Will clear Saturn and be able to fire on Jane Grey in seven seconds."
   Sarah watched as the Delta moved to attack the two vulnerable ships.  'Those two ships are about to find themselves between a rock and a hard place.  Maybe we need to give Delta One something else to worry about.'  "Weapon Conn, firing solution on Delta One.  Fire when solution completed.  With their shields down they can't afford to ignore us."
   Sarah listened as the crew acknowledged the orders.  She watched icons appear from the enemy warships as missiles began to close on the Jane Grey and Chinese ship.  Missiles crossed in space as ships turned and twisted to aviod the oncoming death.
   "Chinese Vessel venting to clear damage.  Drive restart detected.  Aspect change, coming about.  Jane Grey now venting."
   Sarah watched as the lone missile from the Catherine seemed to crawl across the space toward the alien Delta.  'I hope this does some good.  If not those two ships won't last much longer.'  Sarah watched the sensor returns of the magnetic pulses as the alien defensive system activated.  Seconds crawled by as the missile continued on its attack run, then the returns clouded as it detonated.  She looked away from the monitor as she waited for the Sensor Officer to call out the results. 
   'Please, please, please...'
   "Delta One venting.  Drive restart detected.  Aspect change.  All alien ships on vector to disengage."
   

   0244 hours/Queen Jane Grey, 2.5 light seconds from Saturn

   "Ensign Deeters, damage report."
   Gretta scrolled through the data on the monitor.  "Baffles have been breached in three areas.  Damage to forward cargo storage, auxilary control, missile storage area for bay three and four.  Minor damage reported to engineering space on port side.  All launch bays still online.  Engineering projects first bank of field generators online within one hour. Full power to magnetic field in four hours.  No other reports.  Commander Sieren reports no damage to hull of the Catherine.  Magnetic field reduced to one third of original strength."
   "Thank you Ensign.  Monitor the progress of repairs.  Send orders to Mobile Repair Ship for rendevous point at six light minutes from Saturn to assist in emergency repairs.  Begin analysis of engagement after forwarding copies of all logs and sensor records to Admiral Muldoon and Ground Command."
   "Aye Admiral."  Gretta began pulling up the data to forward to the Comm station.  She then pulled up the format for the orders that would need issued to arrange the meeting with the Repair Ship, so she could begin to fill it out while the various files compiled.  Her attention was broken as a prompt from the Comm Officer appeared on her monitor.  'A little early to be pestering me for transmissions.'
   Gretta openned the intercom.  "Ensign Roberts, I haven't quite compiled the Admiral's outgoing comm traffic.  Give me another five minutes or so."  Gretta heard the Comm Officer reply.  "I have an incoming message from the Chinese Captain.  It is addressed to the Captain but I think the Admiral will want to see it."  Gretta thought for a moment. 'Robert has his hands full as it is.  If this is routine and I bother him, I will regret it sooner than later.'  She keyed open the intercom to the Comm Station.  "Forward the translation to my station.  I will handle it from there."
   Gretta watched as the new prompt appeared.  Tapping at the keys on her armrest the prompt expanded into a block of text.

   FROM ACTING CAPTAIN SEO JIHU
   MISSILE FRIGATE ANGTUNG
   CHINESE IMPERIAL FLEET

   TO CAPTAIN
   PAN EURO WARSHIP QUEEN JANE GREY


   DAMAGE TO MISSILE FRIGATE ANGTUNG INCLUDES
   DAMAGE TO REACTOR SHIELDING.
   UNABLE TO EFFECT REPAIRS.
   RADIATION TO REACH CRITICAL LEVELS IN TWO HOURS.

   REQUEST PERMISSION TO EVACUATE REMAINING CREW
   AS POSSIBLE TO ANY PAN EURO SHIP, TO BE EFFECTED
   BY SHIPS BOAT.

   FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF EVACUATION FRIGATE
   WILL BE SCUTTLED.

   NOTHING FOLLOWS.

   Gretta looked at the message for a long time, then keyed open the comm link to Rear Admiral McNeely.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on February 23, 2012, 05:08:41 AM
February 2205  part 28

February 27th 1420 hour/6500 meters below Andvari Crater, Triton

   Lieutenant Commander Megan Ryan leaned over the display on the table.  A maze of tunnels, shafts, and chambers were laid out in a rainbow of colors.  Blue for Chinese held locations and units, green for areas held by the Pan Euro, tan for the units of the FSC, and shades of red for areas held by alien troops or militia.  'There is an awful lot of red on this map.'
   A new chart appeared beside the display on the table sized monitor.  "As you can see from this data, attacks from the indigenous population have caused few casualties but are forcing the redeployment of units to counter incursions from newly dug tunnels.  Maintaining a cohesive front has been difficult, and our units in contact with the alien combat troops that landed on the surface are being forced to withdraw from several areas to consolidate their remaining personnel and resources."
   Megan listened to the FSC Major as he continued with the briefing.  'At least he invited me.  Lord knows he didn't have to.  The entire US detachment on this moon won't make a platoon and most of them are technicians, not combat troops.
   Megan looked up as she heard her name called.  "Lieutenant Commander Ryan, has your group intercepted any communication from the alien units?"
   Megan looked at the display in front of her, and then at the Major in his Power Armor.  "We have been able to intercept a large number of alien communications, but they are not of the form we have seen to date.  The aliens apparently use some form of encryption in their communication between combat units that has defeated any effort by my team to decipher. The few aliens we have tried to interrogate have also shown a remarkable ability to suppress their normal emissions.  Most of the aliens seem to broadcast ceaselessly to any other alien around them, but can apparently suppress this when under duress.  I am afraid that my team and I will be unable to assist much."
   Megan watched as the Major stood quietly for a while, and then nodded.  "And what is the status of the soldiers in you communication project?  The ones who had been in direct contact with the aliens."
   Megan looked back down to the display.  "All of the project participants were dead within minutes of the assault, apparently killed by massive disruption of their central nervous system's conduction.  With the exception of one.  The Chinese soldier Chen Hyang survived but is currently in a coma.  The monitors that recorded his meeting with the alien he called 'Brood Mother Two One Eight' have shown that this alien apparently disrupted many of the alien signals that would have induced the fatal arrhythmias that killed the other participants.  Whether this was intentional or not is unclear.  We have forwarded requests to Major General Billings that identification and capture of this alien be given the highest priority."
   Megan stepped forward toward the display and placed a hand on it.  "I believe we need to attempt to place cyborg units in these areas that are in contact with alien combat units.  We have monitored unusual emissions from aliens in these five areas."  Megan pointed at the display.  "My team and I are unsure as to what these new emissions are, but they resemble the emissions from the aliens in our communication project.  We feel that it may be an attempt by the aliens to gather information from the soldiers they are in combat with.  As no alien has ever successfully initiated contact with a cyborg, we feel these units will be the most appropriate."
   The Major looked at Megan, and then turned toward his assistant.  "I will need a list of all cyborg units in this area.  Forward this information to Major General Billings."


   1545 hours/4200 meters below Andvari Crater, Triton

   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank looked at the dozen FSC soldiers her team was now assigned to replace.  'I realize we are good.  But how in the hell do you justify pulling a dozen combat soldiers off the line and replacing them with just the four of us.  My platoon is now so strung out we may as well be on different sides of this moon.'
   "Frau Frank.  Where do you want me to set up shop?"
   Tanya looked at Hauptgefreiter Ludwig Schimmelpfennig.  "You've got the only Rollover Missiles in the team.  I need you to take an overwatch.  Pick a perch somewhere up on those structures.  If we get hit heavy, use them to seal up the tunnels into this chamber that are the biggest problems."
   Tanya looked at the pock marks and burned areas in the chamber, then at the dozens of small alien suits.  'It looks like the FSC soldiers here saw some pretty heavy action.  If the aliens are serious they will hit this area with their big units soon.  We need to be ready.'
   "We have four entrances into this chamber.  We own one of them.  The aliens can come down the other three anytime.  We will each take one entrance to cover.  If you identify aliens or alien combat suits, engage and signal the rest of the team.  Ludwig, you will provide suppressive fire if any member needs to displace.  In the event we need to abandon this position we will move to our secondary combat positions.  Are we clear on this?"  Tanya waited a few moments as the rest of the team acknowledged her orders and began to move into position.
   'They don't need much baby sitting from me.  We have been here for months now.  Everyone left is a combat veteran.'
   "Ludwig, keep an eye on my entrance.  I need to emplace the mines."  Tanya put down the crate of DM-1533 Magnetic Detonator Mines and began to unpack them.
   "Go ahead and put out the party favors.  I'm sure the company will appreciate your thoughtful consideration when they come to visit."


   2005 hours/Hardened Fallout Shelter, New Delhi, India

   Chairman Mukata sat in the padded chair and sipped slowly on the hot tea.  He reached out with his free hand and tapped at the monitor on the table beside him.  Status reports on the various projects displayed, followed by updates from the general on Triton.
   Mukata looked up as the door opened.  One of his Power Armor security detail entered the room and moved toward him.  Mukata watched as the seven foot tall surplus Pan Euro suit moved nearly silently across the room.  'It is remarkable that such a large thing can move with so little noise.'  The suit stopped a few feet from Mukata and held a small chip out toward him.  "The array in South Africa received this coded message.   I have been directed to bring it directly to you."
   Mukata nodded and took the small chip, then watched as the soldier quickly exited the room.  After the door had slid closed, Mukata put the chip into the port on the monitor and watched as a keypad displayed.  Mukata typed out his pass code and waited.  In less than a minute the message displayed on the screen.

   TO
   BOARDMEMBERS, FSC

   FROM
   SECURE TRANSMITTER 473
   SECTOR 18, HEKTOR

   NO ALIEN PRESENCE ON SURFACE OF HEKTOR
   NO OTHER KNOWN SURVIVORS
   NO ALIEN SHIPS DETECTED IN CLOSE ORBIT
   SITE SECURE
   WILL AWAIT EXTRACTION

   ORIGINATOR CODE WA9T2ZA

   Mukata tapped at the monitor's keypad and waited.  'Someone survived.  The question is who.'  Seconds later the answer displayed on the screen.

   ORIGINATOR CODE WA9T2ZA
   "DUTCHMAN"


   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 05, 2012, 06:22:54 AM
February 2205  part 29

February 28th  0630 hours/Queen Victoria,  2 light seconds from Earth

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon reviewed the orders.  'Less than four days ago I sent out the order designating what ships were in the Third Light Battle Group.  Now I am dissolving it.'  Brenna looked over the ship roster again.  If I take what is left of the Third Battle Group and the Third Light, we barely have enough to make one Battle Group.  Robert will have the Queen Jane Grey and the Attack Escort Catherine.  Stephan has the Red October, Heavy Escort Avery, and Attack Escorts Elise and Kathleen.   A total of ten missile bays on six ships.  But two of those ships are damaged and the other is still finishing up its initial construction.  For a Battle Group, it is cobbled together at best.'
   "Admiral Muldoon, Admiral Walters is on the line."
   "Thank you, Ensign."  Brenna saw the flashing prompt on her screen and opened the comm line.
   "Admiral Walters.  Thank you for your time.  I needed to address something with you."  Brenna waited for the reply.  'The comm lag is going to make this drag out.'
   "You extended me the courtesy of the last meeting.  The least I could do is make time for your call.  That, and this is keeping me from a meeting I don't want to attend."
   Brenna wondered what it was like stranded on the ground with the politicians, but decided she didn't want to know.  "I have a plan.  It might work to draw the aliens into a battle that would favor us.  But I will need you to adjust your fleet deployments."  Brenna waited for the time lag on the comm link again.  'He asked me to shift ships last time we met.  Let's see if he will return the favor.'
   "Just how much of an adjustment are you asking for?  I will need to run it past the Defense Committee reps, but it shouldn't be a problem."
   Brenna sat for a moment, and tried to think of a better way to say what she needed to have happen, but couldn't.  "Admiral Walters, I need the US to pull all of Task Force One away from Mars.  Just leave the stationary defense and the Q Ships."  Brenna gripped the armrests as she waited for the response.
   "I'm sorry Admiral Muldoon, there seems to be some interference on this comm channel.  I thought I just heard you say that I was to pull the mobile defenses from Mars.  That couldn't be correct."
   Brenna sat back in her station.  "No, that is correct.  I need you to pull back from Mars."
   The line was quiet for a long time.  Finally, it crackled back to life.
   "You are going to need a good reason for me to even pitch that to the politicians.  Even then they likely won't agree.  I assume you have a reason."
   Brenna keyed the comm link from her station and began to transmit the documents she had drawn up.  "I do, Bradley.  It is going to be a gamble, and you are going to have to put up the stakes.  Here is why..."


   1250 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po put down the glass of water and looked at the report, then settled back slowly into his chair and tried to relax.  'They have finished the patch to the software for the field generators.  In a few hours the virus that has plagued our fleet will no longer be a problem.'  Po put down the piece of paper and then looked at the others scattered across his desk.  'If only that were true of our other problems.'
   Po picked up a trio of papers and looked at them.  "These are much more difficult problems now.  We have lost two of our three troop transports along with four divisions of soldiers.  The colony on Titan has been reduced to a collection of Chinese and US soldiers holding a half finished bunker.  And we have lost three of our Frigates.'  Po dropped the papers on his desk and looked up at the ceiling.
   'Add to that the fact we are still technically at war with the FSC, while groups of vastly improved alien ships are now apparently preparing for an attack here in the inner parts of the system.  The reports from Admiral Hu would have us believe that the alien force at Titan included one cruiser, along with two of the alien's heavy frigates.  And Hu thinks that within a month, the aliens will attempt to strike at Earth.'
   Po leaned forward and pressed the button for the intercom to his assistant.  "We will need to convene an emergency meeting of the Ministry.  We will need all Ministers in attendance.  This meeting will be of the utmost priority.  Do you understand?"  Po waited for the assistant to give a hurried and nervous affirmation that he would arrange for the meeting, and then shut off the intercom.
   'The Pax Treaty has stood for a century.  I will need the backing of the Ministry if we are to break it.'


   2250 hours/Surface of Hektor

   The Dutchman watched as the lifter moved slowly through the debris.  'That is a fair job of piloting, trying to pick your way through the rubble swirling around this rock.'  As the lifter settled to the ground the Dutchman motioned for the soldiers with him to move forward.  White jets appeared as maneuver packs fired gouts of gas into the vacuum, and five figures quickly moved across the surface of the asteroid.  Seconds later they had taken positions around the lifter and secured the area.
   "Zone secure.  Ready for evac."
   The Dutchman used the menu on his HUD to control the maneuver pack he wore, and began the move to cross the 200 meters to the lifter.  Seconds later he climbed through the hatch into the craft and settled into a station in the cargo area.  A cyborg moved over to help secure him and then began locking in the members of the security team.
   The Dutchman tried to relax as he watched out the hatch for anything that might be an alien combat suit.  "How long until we reach Earth?"
   The cyborg returned to the Dutchman and rechecked the restraints on his station, then looked at the Dutchman.
   "We aren't going to Earth."
   "What do you mean?  There are no other FSC holdings here in the belt.  Is a civilian ship nearby?"
   The cyborg moved back toward the Pilot's Station and began to lock himself in.  "There is no ship.  We will not be going to Earth."
   The Dutchman began to feel the slightest tingle of fear.  He tried to use the keypad to unlock his station, but found it would not respond.  "You have come a long way just to kill me.  It would have been easier just to leave me here."
   "The board does not want you dead.  It has another assignment for you.  But not at Earth."
   The Dutchman watched as the bay door shut on the lifter and felt the drive push the small craft up through the debris cloud surrounding Hektor.  He began to look around the lifter for any hint of what was going on, or what might be in store for him.  He found a clue as he looked at the Pilot's Station.  The displays were coded.  He couldn't make out the meaning of the displays.
   But it was obvious the markings were Chinese.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on March 18, 2012, 07:38:38 PM
February 2205 part 30

Overview
///////////////////////////////////////

Whew...wondered if we would ever reach this point.

This month was a tough one.  A lot happened on all sides of the fence.  I suppose we will start with the tale of the tape as it were.  As a note before we start, this month saw all but the Chinese becoming team players, trying to preserve any income/combat power they had to survive what they were sure by now was coming.  This was the first month the players spent more time together sharing info, stategies, and whatever else was needed to try and keep things from falling apart.

In March they were going to need that...




For the Pan Euro

   This month played havoc with the Pan Euro's plans.  She ended the month with a GEV of 1666.9 MCs and 562.7 MC in the Treasury, but the loss of Victoria Colony wiped out the previous 9 months of colonization and would set her back some.  The plan to begin building the game's first drive field ship was put on an indefinite hold.  And her hopes to begin rebuilding her fleet so that she would have a fair number of ships to refit to the new launchers when they came on line wasn't looking so good.  She took a hit in the combat this month, but not as bad as it could have been.  She managed to preserve two Battle Groups worth of ships, but one of them was pretty badly beaten up.
   All told she lost 20PU - of which the last few were conquered, one Heavy Escort, three Attack Escorts, and got one Attack Escort and a Destroyer damaged.  She also put a Heavy Escort into service before she had completed construction on it.
   The worst news was the loss of the colony.  In this game we treated each individual 20PU in the AB as a separate colony, not as one large population.  It's loss meant the Nemotians would have a chance to find the location of ALL the AB colonies.  Preventing their destruction/conquest would be impossible.With the Euro still having 94.3PU in the belt, that loss would hurt. 
   The good news for the month concerned the damaged ships - neither had lost over 1/2 the internal systems so they didn't lose grade.  She got the Elise back to the US shipyard at Mars for the bonus on the Emergency repairs and got all of its systems back online.  It and the Kathleen both made the rolls to advance in grade as a bonus.  This was one of the reasons she didn't want to make full repairs - she didn't want to go from Heroic with the Elise back down to Poor for the coming month, and the same for the Queen Jane Grey.  The Cinderella story was the Queen Jane Grey.  Remember me mentioning that she had made it out of the yards early and was Green this month.  Just short of half the missiles she got on target would have missed had she been Poor.  And then when she made her rolls for Emergency Repairs out by Saturn she made it on all three systems - two of them on the exact number she needed as a Green crew.  If she had been Poor the Nemotian Combat Ships (Destroyers) wouldn't have come out of the fight with nearly as much damage and she would likely have been in much worse shape.  Then she made her roll for both the ship to go up to Average grade, and the roll for Rear Admiral McNeely to go up to LG+1 (Veteran for us).  Stephan Vasilikos also advanced to LG+1 giving 3rd BG some depth in its leadership.  Luck saved the day for the Euro this month.  But luck doesn't hold out forever.


For the US

   The US skirted by without losing any of its colonies, which made the oldest boy happy as he was already behind on income.  He ended the month with a GEV of 1336.9 MCs and 896.7 MCs in his treasury and of all the players he would be the only one not to go 'backwards' on this coming into March. 
   He had tried very hard to keep any of the colonies from falling.  Very hard.  Of all the players he had pushed the most of his ready Qv into combat trying to keep the colonies in the fight. He had fought on Chinese and Euro 'soil', and was ready to put some on Hektor(FSC) until it became obvious that the roll for combat would be impossible to make.  Nuking enough of the enemy to shift the balance would wipe out the population.  And when it came down to that, he committed his Q Ships to trying to rescue the oldest girl's PTU so she wouldn't fall even farther behind in the power curve. 
   He took the biggest hit for his efforts though.  He only had a few combat units, and lost a lot of his combat power.  He lost two of his three Interceptors Mk III - one to combat and the other when it couldn't get its Qa back on line.  But they died finding out something the players desparately needed to know - that the aliens now had Da and had beefed up their shields.  Without that information the players may have committed to a combat they couldn't win in much worse circumstances.  The destruction of the Kama and Yari likely saved the players.
   The loss of the two Q Ships also took out much of his combat power.  They might not have been the most powerful of combat ships, but they were what kept many of the operations going.  Their ability to both move supplies (H), troops or colonist (Qv), and support ground landings (Ra and Bsa) made them linch pins in many ways.
   The US had been reduced to one Mk III, three Mk IIb's, a pair of Q Ships, a pair of BS0's, and the 6 Defense Modules of the SS at Mars.  He was sure the next blow of the hammer would land there, and he was moving as quickly as he could to 'circle the wagons.'  The fact that the Pan Euro was moving both of its Battle Groups there showed that she agreed.
   He also was going to be finished with the repairs on the SY on the space station at Earth in March.  I am sure the plan for April was to use ground construction to throw six military modules around it in one month.  With his three SYs and one major off world colony in the balance, I am sure a bunch of nail biting was underway.


For China

   The Chinese, for the most part, still tried to make their own way.  They ended the month with a GEV of 1739.1 MCs and a treasury of 1672.0 MCs.  The loss of Titan was going to hurt, but the lack of any AB colonies made the fall of Victoria less painful.  The only target left for the aliens that he had was Earth, and it would be a tough nut to crack.  What irritated him the most was that he only had 8 IU left he could place on Earth before he hit his limit again.  Then his growth would come to a stop - again allowing the other players to catch up.  Compared to the other players, he had it easy.
   Combat was hard on him, as were the ramdom events.  His string of good luck came to a crashing end in February.  I rolled for 'Bad Software'.  I looked at the sheet for his FGs, and rolled a random system from the list.  It turned up as shields.  So, any time he used the shields, he had a 1 in 10 chance of the system crashing for d10/3 rounds (FRU).  That hurt.  With four shields on the FGs this meant he was rolling 4 dice a turn when he put his shields up.  And his luck was less than stellar.
   Next was his decision that this wasn't a random event, but sabotage from the FSC (who were up to something, but not this).  So it happened that he pulled most of the combat troops from Titan early and landed on Hektor.  I really couldn't have asked him to help out more from the Nemotian's point of view.  He weakened two targets at once (Titan by pulling troops, Hektor by lowering the PU with prepratory strikes).  When he realized what was going on in the month, he back-pedaled on this and threw in his lot with his sister to prevent the aliens from gaining more ground - but it was too late.  He also resisted having the US land on Titan for fear they found his one remaining Construction Ship, but in the end relented as his Troop Transports dwindled.
   He lost three of his seven Missile Frigates (two to alien fire, one lost both Qa and couldn't get them fixed), which hurt.  But they were his newest and lowest grade ships, and he had another that would be completed in late March.  He also lost two of his three Troop Transports which was worse in a way.  I will explain.
   He REALLY didn't want to give up on Titan.  It was not only his sole off world colonization asset, it was an mT.  And even though the Nemotians had cleansed the last of the PU off the moon, they had left behind the Qv and the PDC.  A PDC that at the end of the month now mounted an Ra.  It finally had some teeth.  He wanted to get the Zhuang back on the surface, more troops down to protect the ship and the PDC, and colonists back so that he could hold it long term.  He had the cash to do it and perhaps enough ships to force the issue.  What he lacked was the carry capacity.
   He also lacked one other thing.  He had one good admiral to command his fleet.  He also had one good general to command his Qv on Earth.  He just didn't have any other graded leaders to spare.
   But he knew a player who had both that were just sitting idle....   


For the FSC

   These were hard months for the FSC.  She ended the month with a GEV of 335.5 MCs with a treasury of 6.3 MCs.   And with the loss of Hektor she was going to lose ground.  With a colonization rate of about 0.6 PTU a month into the belt, it was going to take a long time to replace the 13 PTU she had on Hektor.  So next month she would be losing about 4% of her income.  Not good when you are already in the back of the pack.
   To make it worse, as you all well know, she lost her only two combat ships in the attempt to rescue the colonists from her colony.  She was also months away from fielding her next warship.  What she did have left was a couple of FTs, and after some tutoring from her brother - the Dutchman.  But that is a story unto itself....
   Now, what had prompted the issue that caused China to believe that the FSC was again trying to perform espionage on him was that - she was.  But she wasn't responsible for his problem with the shields.  She had activated one of her teams to try to find out the EXACT composition of his armed forces.  She wanted to know what he was doing on Titan, and what was under construction at Venus, and if his fleet was actually there or off elsewhere.  She was sure if his fleet had disappeared - it was for a reason.
   But her roll wasn't so good.  Her attempt failed, and the target would know that she had attempted something - but not what.  So transpired the issues that occured between them.  Oh what tangled webs...
   For a player with no combat ships, and no off world colonies left, the oldest girl would see a lot of action the next month.


For the Nemotians

   For this month, the Nemotians ended it with a GEV of 1363.3 MCs, and 696.7 MCs in their treasury.  This only beat the US by the slimmest of margins.  It was way behind the Euro and China.  With 601.5 MC in warship maintenance and 224.9 in maintenance on the defenses (BS and PDC), the Nemotians were burning up 60% of their income in maintenance.  EL research was still at 5 RP a month, but it was going to have to get cut to keep the offensive going.  I was already looking at just one RP for the coming month.  The first roll for an EL advance was 90 RP away - and I was fairly sure that even at 5 RP per month - the Nemotians were not going to be able to hold out long enough to get to the next EL (another 18 months or more...).  With nearly 200 MC going into EL research, that cash could be vital somewhere else.  I was still pushing MCs into research, as there were still two more projects I would like to get complete before it all came crashing down.
   This month also finished up the SY under construction at New Home 5 (which I did write up a little in my first drafts, but ended up cutting so that I could get posts typed up in my free time at work).  This would give the Nemotians three SYs to build from.  That would be a help, but not for this offensive.
   The month had went fairly well in most respects, except for the final battle.  Facing down the Chinese FGs plus the (understrength) Euro 3rd BG at Saturn was probably a mistake.  I really needed to get rid of the larger enemy ships before they could group together, so I couldn't just turn away.  But taking the two Nemotians DDs in with Poor Crews hurt them badly.  One lost its armor and hold, while the other lost two of its three Cp, both Qa, the H, the Mg, and the Da.  With a Poor crew I was really crossing my fingers that one of the Q would come back online.  I did roll and get one Q back, along with the H and one Cp (fairly lucky really).  But with the Da down, it was badly crippled for combat.  It would also be stuck at Poor for March also.  The other DD made its roll to advance in grade and would end up as Average for March, but the Assault Vessel (CL) failed its roll and stayed at Average.  The Commander of Fleets made his roll though, and the Nemotians would have an Elite admiral for the next month. 
   I knew I still had two big hurdles for the next month.  One would be the continued ground combat.  Resupplying the new troops on Triton wouldn't be difficult I felt, but getting them to Victoria and keeping the players from nuking it clean would be a problem.  There were also other landings I had planned, but we won't go in to that now (no sense giving out to many spoilers...).  The other big hurdle would be crippling up the players enough that the Nemotians could recover from this offensive and gain back some ground.  On month 30 I would get more growth, and in the mean time could build up the defenses.  To buy that time I would need to destroy a majority of the players ships and find a way to hurt them economically.  You will just have to wait for March to see how that went.
   The Nemotians Combat Group still had one CL, two DDs (one badly damaged), four CTs, four armed FT4s, an ES, and several support vessels.  Somewhat heavier than the US, about equal to the Euro, still behind the Chinese, and considerably weaker then the defenses at Earth.  But the US and Euro had circled the wagons.  Any fleet I faced would now have the upper hand.  The battle from here on out would all be uphill.



Ok - this next part will be new so bear with me.  I will now try to go back over a lot of the events from the story and describe them from the game point of view.

January had ended with the bombing of Victoria and Hektor.  My wife (Pan Euro) responded by transferring the bulk of the 3rd LBG to protect it if they could, while leaving the Red October to watch at Hektor.  She was sure it would be sporadic bombing and she just wanted to know what was going on and make sure the aliens didn't accomplish much.

That illusion was shattered when I began the landings on Victoria.  My wife was shocked and a little ticked off.  This was going to take time and money.  She saw it as a delaying action to tie down her fleet while I tried to rebuild.  It wasn't until the population started dwindling that she realized she might LOSE.  And then she realized that the same thing might happen to her as happened to the Nemotians.  THEY would know where her populations were.  She didn't like that.  When I pointed out that it just wouldn't be her populations at risk but ALL of them, she began to sweat.  So did the other players.

It was at this point that the oldest boy sprang into action.  He felt (I think) that Mars was fairly secure.  Mars was close to Victoria and he immediately pulled the troops off of it and shipped them to the Pan Euro.  My wife was slower to respond.  She knew she had time, and I think she still believed that this was going to end up with me nuking the colony and I just wanted her to spend MCs on troops that I would be able to destroy without any risk to myself.  If the oldest boy wanted to spend MCs on the battle, that was fine.  She just wasn't in a hurry to do it.

The Chinese also started the month knowing the fact that the FSC had attempted something within their borders.  China wasn't sure what, or if it had succeeded.  He was ticked.  This time he had his excuse and was ready.  It was earlier than he wanted, but he began landings on Hektor.  I am sure he thought that his ships would easily be able to hold off a few alien bombers.  And then when he attacked and his shields began to fail, he really got ticked.  He was sure this wasn't just the FSC.  'She doesn't have the ships to take me on.'  But all of them together could.  So he was fairly sure that all the players were in on it and he was in trouble. 

I am fairly sure he had decided that with the aliens apparently on the ropes, he had just become the next target.  So he came back with a vengenance and hammered in his landing on Hektor.  He knew that he had the spare MCs (it would take 500) to fix the problem in a month.  He just had to survive that long.

This really threw the situation on Triton into turmoil.  It was 'officially' an FSC holding.  She was getting the tribute and her general was running the show.  She didn't have the most troops, but she did have more than the Chinese.  She didn't know if he had more on the way though.  But my wife (Euro) stepped in an said SHE had the most troops, and if fighting broke out SHE would take the moon.  The oldest girl didn't want to push her - as she was still getting the tribute if she just did nothing.  The middle boy knew he didn't have troops going that way - and didn't want his mom, who was his nearest rival in income and power, to get another holding and even more MCs per month.  So the situation became a tense standoff with the Pan Euro acting as a peace keeping force.  The oldest boy offered to throw troops out there also in case the Chinese had some on the way.  Everyone ok'ed it as it would also help if the aliens landed troops there also.

And then what none of the players wanted to happen, happened.  I had the Nemotians drop more troops on Hektor.  The players had still only seen quickly converted FTs and little ships supporting them so they still weren't quaking in their boots.  But they were beginning to worry that if I won any of these battles I would be able to come up with a BUNCH of targets to bombard in the belt. 

Then Titan got hit with landings also.  At this point even the middle boy came out of his seclusion and got involved with some of the discussions.  He agreed to a cease fire on Hektor.  They would resolve this problem first.  He even agreed to commit his warships to resecurring the space around Hektor.  I think he was willing to work to try and build good will - as he still thought the other players knew he had no shields and were just waiting to take him out.  If his ship and troops could be pivotal in helping the other players they might not be so willing to attack.  I am fairly sure he was trying to buy time. 

He also agreed at this time to letting the US assist his colony on Titan.  With his Qv nearly wiped out in the landing (he had like 0.7 or some such left), no warships close by, and still worried that if he sent ships the other players would hit him while he was split up - he let his older brother help.  I am sure he figured that the oldest boy posed the least threat 'fleet-wise', and had troops nearby.  His MkIII's could reach Saturn very quickly and might just be able to take out the pesky alien troopships.  I am sure it looked like a good plan.

This bit of agreement caught me off guard.  The MkIII's with Admiral Ryan as a Navigator in command could get from Earth to Saturn if they pushed it way faster than I had anticipated.  I had orders for the ships to stay on station after the landing for 24 hours.  He was able to beat that time frame.  With the Red October in tow, I had a nasty choice.  I could let them destroy my ships and not reveal the new systems.  Or I could fight and hope they would think that all I had done so far was refit a few FTs and was still trying to rebuild/refit a real fleet.  I might not have another good chance to take out the fastest ships again - so I fought.  And so the players learned that the new ships were tougher than they had anticipated.  The oldest boy lost one ship in the fighting, and another afterward when he couldn't get the Q fixed.  The last MkIII and the Red October were left with just a few missiles.  Of course, so was Patrol Vessel 24.  I was disappointed that the Red October got close enough to get data on the Da also.  That could hurt in the long run.

I think they just all wanted to believe that one fleet was all I had up my sleeve and the threat was now over or severely lessened.

I bidded my time.  The longer I waited and nothing happened, then more the players would believe nothing else was out there.  Landing Pan Euro troops on Victoria and the US troops on Titan probably made them feel more secure, and wouldn't change much in the long run.  They shifted ships around to try and better protect the populations and combat zones.  I made some token bombing runs to try and keep them thinking that there wasn't much left to pester them and run them down on missiles.  But they didn't try to consolidate their holdings.  They still weren't looking for a big attack.

The players began shifting more troops out to the colonies that were under attack.  They were maiking sure that I wouldn't be able to win with what I had on the ground as it were.  And then one of the groups, the Chinese transports, ended up crossing paths with one of the Nemotian Strike Groups, but they were destroyed before they could get a message off.  In that the FTs couldn't detect the attacking ships, I rolled the first attack without involving the middle boy.  When the ships were destroyed and the roll indicated that they hadn't gotten a message off, I just informed him that regular transmissions from them had stopped.  He had no idea just what had done it.  I hoped he assumed it was the missing Patrol Vessel. 

I was sure that wouldn't hold the players for long though.  Someone, likely the Euro, would come looking and begin to patrol the area.  So I decided to up the ante, and put in another troop landing for the Nemotians on Hektor.  The situation there was the most complicated for the players and would take the most time for them to adjust to.  During this the middle boy did the math and realized that he wouldn't likely resolve the combat on Titan with the current forces he had.  But if he just nuked a few of the alien Qv, he could wrap it up quickly.  The fact that he would lose a few PU didn't both him much.  With the current rate he was colonizing, he would be able to make up the losses in a few months.  He just needed to secure the moon and the space around it.  With this solution firmly in hand, he ordered the rest of the players away from Titan.

That spurred the other players to look at the situation on the other moons.  At that point in time, Victoria was nearly a sure win for the players and my wife was willing to soak the battle stringing out another month.  But they realized Hektor was almost certainly a lost cause.  The oldest boy had troops on the way (on a Euro ship), but it wouldn't be enough.  So he offered to pull the colonists off, then they could nuke the alien Qv and resettle the colonists afterward.  It would have been a good plan. 

But the Nemotian Strike Group was still  loitering nearby.  And I still needed to hit as many of the players ships while they were scattered as I could.  As soon as the US and FSC ships landed and began the evacuation, I had the troops broadcast that fact.  The Strike Group was ordered forward to take out the relief group.  That would make it obvious that this wasn't a raid though.  So I ordered the second Strike Group to hit Victoria.   The ruse of a raid would be over.  The battle for the inner system would be on.

The FSC set the Mary Reed down on Hektor to load, but the US tried to do it with shuttles at first.  When two were shot down on the first pass he decided there were just to many alien Qv (16 at that time) to try it with GTOS.  It would go eight times slower with the ships landed, but losing the landers wasn't going to speed it up.  And he had to pay to replace landers.  Then the Nemotians showed up.  Two of the Q Ships had loaded and moved off, but two were still landed along with the Mary Reed (which was slightly behind as she hadn't gotten a shuttle load on at first to start things off.  When it became obvious it wasn't going to be a few armed FTs, the middle boy stepped in for a second to 'consult' with the oldest girl.  He had troops on the ground that could monitor some transmissions so he was allowed to attend parts of the battle.  He told her not to lift off (???).  At first I thought he was going to tell her to hide and hope the ships would get pushed back, but then she started firing.  So I toasted the Mary Reed along with the Q Ships that tried to lift off.  Her declaring for ramming with the Krait caught me off guard and forced me to turn away from the colony - and saved the other Q Ships by keeping them out of sensor range.  It died shortly thereafter.  The Red October made a target of itself and then ran away before it took any lasting damage.  I figured I had scored a fair victory, if less than stellar.  One admiral and four armed FTs.  Then the kids let me know that I likely hadn't killed the admiral.   

They showed me the rules that landed ships are counted as PDC, and she had written an order at the start of the battle that the Dutchman was now going to be acting as a general.  Ooooh Kay....  So what.   Then they showed me the rules that a leader on a planet when it fell to invaders would escape 80% of the time.  We had house ruled you weren't going to be escaping in life pods on the ships in space - but hadn't ever addressed getting nuked on a planet.  The oldest girl made her roll and the Dutchman survived.  The middle boy still had his Troop Transport about a day out and sent a gig to pick up the stranded admiral.  So began an unlikely alliance.

The battle at Victoria went badly for the Euro.  She lost the Hy Escort and two of the four Attack Escorts.  One of the two that managed to escape was badly damaged.  But she did pick on one of the Patrol Vessels that had good to hit rolls and managed to finally bring down PV 17.  Its charmed life had come to an end.  But a second landing of troops on Victoria cinched that it would fall, and now the players were in no position to contest that.  The Nemotians would conquer a population and get any data that came with it.  It would just take time.  With the Nemotian's hand out for all to see, I saw no reason to delay the next troop landing that would occur at Triton.  I had every intention of taking back what I had lost if I could.

I expected the Chinese and Pan Euro to pull back from Titan, and was surprised when the battle occured.  I already wrote about it in some detail above in the tale of the tape so I won't recover that.  The Nemotians did clean all the PU off the moon, but ran out of bombs (and were too low on torpedoes to risk using them up) before they could destroy the PDC and troops.  So I left them.  They weren't a threat and would continue to siphon off player funds and ships if I left them.  So I did.

That pretty much finished up February.  The players had lost several colonies and stood to lose more if I got data on where they were at.  They had circled the wagons, leaving Venus, Mars, and Earth bristling with missile launchers.  The Euro was slightly dinged up, and the US was short on ships.  But the core of the Chinese fleet was intact and supported by the SS at Venus.  And the US and Euro together at Mars would be a tough nut to crack.

That left one target with no mobile elements and the bulk of the players' economic power just a little bit open, and in the end it was the only target that would actually make any real difference....

The next part will cover the ship designs and battles for the month.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 04, 2012, 01:00:02 PM
February 2205 part 31

Overview - cont.
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Ok, on to typing up the battles for the month.  For those who wanted to see the new Nemotian designs, here they are....

Oh, and I will not be listing every attack by smcft in the month.  They were important if you were to play it through and try to track how many missiles a ship has as the month progresses, but it will eat up a bunch of space and time.  So I will just skip them and show what the vessels had for ordinance in a given battle.

I will also not post unopposed landings, such as the first one on Victoria.  It wasn't so much a battle as a single roll by the population against the bombers followed by a landing.  Not a great deal of table top value.


I will post several of the battles that 'never happened', just in case someone would like to see how it turns out...

So without further ado, on to the battles.


Declaration of War /  FSC vs China / Hektor Colony


FSC Forces
Admiral: Dutchman (LG+2/Courageous) - on Mary Reed
Hektor Colony at center of map (13.0 PU)

Converted Freighter Mary Reed (BG+1)   FT2 / 16HS
[2] S S S S Qv Qv Qv H H Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1
RbM x 10

Armed Freighter Krait (BG)   FT1 / 12HS
[2] S S H Qv H Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1] cg x1
RbM x 10


Chinese Forces
Missile Frigate Angtung (BG-2)    FG / 22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1
RbM x 54

Setup
Mary Reed and Krait at 2tH from Hektor
Angtung at 20tH from Hektor with S down.
Chinese gig to approach colony to scout area for warships before any engagement.
Chinese ship much spend one round making announcement of war prior to any launch, other than self defense.
Map is AB terrain.  Hektor is considered as a moon for terrain purposes.

Special rules.
The Chinese ship will have to roll a single d10 for each shield active in a turn.  On a roll of 10, the shield will go down.  It may be restored after d10/3 (FRU) turns.

Comments.
This battle never happened, but could have been very close.  This is where the Chinese became aware that their shields were compromised - and decided to retire from the field.  I could have had the problems with the shields occur earlier in the month on the space station at Venus, but thought this would be a more 'dramatic' moment.  (My family hates me at moments like this...)


Assault of Hektor / FSC vs China / Hektor Colony


FSC Forces
Admiral: Dutchman (LG+2/Courageous) - on Mary Reed
Hektor Colony at center of map (13.0 PU)

Converted Freighter Mary Reed (BG+1)   FT2 / 16HS
[2] S S S S Qv Qv Qv H H Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1
RbM x 10

Armed Freighter Krait (BG)   FT1 / 12HS
[2] S S H Qv H Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1] cg x1
RbM x 10


Chinese Forces
Missile Frigates Angtung (BG-2) ,  Sichuan (BG-2) , Quinha (BG-1)  FG / 22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1
RbM x 54

Setup
Mary Reed and Krait at 2tH from Hektor
Chinese FGs at 20tH from Hektor with S up.
Map is AB terrain.  Hektor is considered as a moon for terrain purposes.

Special rules.
The Chinese ships will have to roll a single d10 for each shield active in a turn.  On a roll of 10, the shield will go down.  It may be restored after d10/3 (FRU) turns.

Comments.
Again, this battle never happened.  The oldest girl decided that it was unwinnable.  It was.  In both this and the preceeding scenarios, the Chinese have a pair of unarmed transports about 1/3rd LM from the colony awaiting clearance for landings.


Nemotian Assault on Hektor / China vs Nemotians / Hektor Colony

FSC Forces
Hektor Colony at center of map (12.8 PU)


Chinese Forces
Missile Frigate Angtung (BG-2)    FG / 22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1
RbM x 54

Qv x 12 on Hektor


Nemotian Forces

Patrol Vessel  13 (BG+2)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S S Hs Qa Da Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1] /  cg x1 (with 2 bombs)
PtaM x 10

Armed Colony Vessel 3 (BG-1)  FT4 / 30HS
[2] S S S A H H Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Da Kb+ (Cp) Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1 (with 2 bombs)
Qv x 8 on board

Attack Vessel 3 (BG)  ES / 12HS
[2] S S H Ya Qa (Cp) Pta [6/1]
PtaM x 10

Light Support Vessel 14 (BG)  FT1/12HS
[2] A H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]
H x 4 for troops, bombs x16 in hold with maint, cg x 2 in holds

Setup
Chinese FGs at 2tH from Hektor with S down.
Nemotian ships at 30tH from Hektor, S down.
Map is AB terrain.  Hektor is considered as a moon for terrain purposes.
Nemotians must attempt bombing of Hektor prior to any attack.


Special rules.
The Chinese ship will have to roll a single d10 for each shield active in a turn.  On a roll of 10, the shield will go down.  It may be restored after d10/3 (FRU) turns.

Comments.
This was the first battle to happen, sort of.  The middle boy first wanted to shoot down the bombers, then decided that it was unwinnable when he met the rest of the group.  It was less a battle and more an attempt to disengage successfully.  The slower speed of the Armed Transport, and my prior SOP for this that the landing and protection of the transport was more important than engaging enemy vessels allowed him to get his FG away.

This battle was also a nail biter for me, leading up to it at least.  My SOP had the landing as the highest priority if possible, and stated new systems (Da and EM) were not to be used - otherwise the landing was to be aborted.  I wasn't interested in taking out the defense, just in giving the appearance of raiders and drawing in more ships.  After China's landing, the middle boy decided the priority was guarding the construction at Venus and moved two of his FGs back there.  If the middle boy had left all three of his FGs at Hektor, I would likely have had to abort the landing.  Possibly indefinitely.  This month could have went much differently if the players only had a single colony in danger....


Battle for Saturn's Orbitals / US & Euro vs Nemotians / Saturn

Chinese Forces

Titan Colony (9.7 PU)

Mobile Construction Vessel Zhuang (BG)  FT4 / 30HS
[2] H A H Qa (Cp) (SYM1 o o o) [2/1] cg x1
(hidden of surface facing near PDC)

Titan Ground Defense (BG-2)  PDC/6+ HS

RbM x 10


US Forces

Task Force 2
Admiral: R Adm J Ryan (LG+2/Navigator) on Yari

Interceptor MkIII Yari (BG+2) , Sai (BG+2) , Kama (BG+1)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S Hs Mgs Qa Ya (Cp) Ra Ra (Cp) [7/1] cg x1
RbM x 44


Pan Euro Forces
Admiral: Commodore S Vasilikos (LG+0)

Armed Science Vessel Red October (BG+1)   FG / 22HS
[2] S S S S A A H Qa Mgs Xp (cp Cp) Ra Ra Ya Qa (Cp) [7/1] cg x1
RbM x 44


Nemotian Forces

Patrol Vessel  24 (BG)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S S Hs Qa Da Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1] /  cg x1
PtaM x 10

Armed Colony Vessel 8 (BG-1)  FT4 / 30HS
[2] S S S A H H Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Da Kb+ (Cp) Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1

Light Support Vessel 14 (BG)  FT1/12HS
[2] A H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]
bombs x16 in hold with maint , cg x2 in holds

Setup
Saturn in center of map - fills hex.
Rings extend to 3tH.
Tethis at 4tH
Dione at 6tH
Rhea at 7tH
Titan at !7tH for Saturn, radian 7.
Rings are treated as AB terrain.

Nem FT1 in rings of Saturn at 2 tH, radian 3, speed 0.
Other Nemotian ships at 2tH from Titan, speed 2.
US and Euro ships at 30tH from Saturn, radian 1, speed 7.  

Special rules.
The Chinese PDC is still under construction from the Zhuang.  The Ra uses the partially completed construction rules.  We had ruled it was not usuable at this time as it would not be finished until the end of the month.

Comments.
This was the battle I had hoped to avoid - ships I could not evade.  But I hadn't anticipated the players reactions and this battle happened.  Technically you could say that with no admiral the ships shouldn't have violated SOP.  But SOP stated to avoid engagements and that was not going to be possible.  With the SOP out, I decided that it was time to let the cat out of the bag.  The players would get a warning of what the Nemotians were now fielding.

This battle hurt everyone.  I lost one of the Armed FTs and support ships, burned up a lot of PtaM I had hoped to use later, and gave away my new capabilities.  The US lost one ship outright, and the other to the failure of its Qa to come back online.  That was a big hit.  The Euro didn't lose a ship, but the R. Oct was left with only a few missiles.  Her teeth had been pulled for some time to come.


Ambush in the Belt / China vs Nemotians / AB

Chinese Forces

Chinese Troop Transports 2 , 3   FT2 / 16HS
[2] H H Qv Qv H H Qv Qv H H Qv Qv (Bsa) H Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1, gtos x1
Qv x 6 & H x 6 on each transport


Nemotian Forces

Patrol Vessel  13 (BG+2) , 2 (BG+1)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S S Hs Qa Da Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1] /  cg x1
PtaM x 10

Armed Colony Vessel 2 (BG) , 3 (BG-1)  FT4 / 30HS
[2] S S S A H H Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Da Kb+ (Cp) Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1
Qv x 8 on board ACV 2

Attack Vessel 3 (BG)  ES / 12HS
[2] S S H Ya Qa (Cp) Pta [6/1]
PtaM x 10

Light Support Vessel 14 (BG), 15 (BG)  FT1/12HS
[2] A H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]
bombs x18 in hold with maint , cg x 1 in hold
H x 7 on LSV 15

Setup
Nemotian PV 24 at center of map.
Other Nem ships within 2 tH of PV 24.
All Nem ships S down with drives off.
Chinese FTs at 20tH on radian 7, heading toward center of map, speed 1.

Special rules.
Chinese FTs may not change course or speed until they detect inbound weapons or the alien ships.

Comments.
This isn't about winning.  It is about hoping the Nemotians get bad rolls and you can get a message off.  In the game, they didn't survive the first launch and the middle boy only was told that he had lost communication with them.  If they had managed to discover the alien group, who knows what would have happened.  In that this group couldn't be the one attacking Victoria, they would likely have suspected at least two groups this size (which was true) and reacted to the threat.


Second Nemotian Landing on Hektor / FSC vs Nemotians / Hektor

FSC Forces
Admiral: Dutchman (LG+2/Courageous) - on Mary Reed
Hektor Colony at center of map (12.8 PU)

Converted Freighter Mary Reed (BG+1)   FT2 / 16HS
[2] S S S S Qv Qv Qv H H Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1
RbM x 10

Armed Freighter Krait (BG)   FT1 / 12HS
[2] S S H Qv H Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1] cg x1
RbM x 10


Chinese Forces
Qv x 6 on surface of Hektor


Nemotian Forces

Armed Colony Vessel 2 (BG) , 3 (BG-1)  FT4 / 30HS
[2] S S S A H H Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Da Kb+ (Cp) Qa (Cp) [4/1]
Qv x 8 on board ACV 2

Attack Vessel 3 (BG)  ES / 12HS
[2] S S H Ya Qa (Cp) Pta [6/1]
PtaM x 10

cg x 4 (with bomb x2)

Setup.
FSC ships at 2tH from Hektor, speed 2.
Nemotian ships at 30tH from Hektor, radian 4, speed 0, shields down.
Nemotian gigs will make attack run before Nem ships may attack.

Comments.
This was a gamble.  The players may have guessed that I had more ships than I was letting on, but I needed to up the stakes to keep the players pushing to hold their colonies.  The oldest girl left the colony and lets its sensors tell her what was coming.  When she found out, she decided to wait for help.  The players all had a lot riding on the ground battles at this point, so she was sure someone would come.  She was also hoping that the Nem ships would leave shortly after the landing.


Evacuation of Hektor / US, Euro, & FSC vs Nemotians / Hektor

FSC Forces

Admiral: Dutchman (LG+2/Courageous) - on ground as General
Hektor Colony at center of map (0.3 PU)
Qv x 3 on Hektor surface

Converted Freighter Mary Reed (BG+1)   FT2 / 16HS
[2] S S S S Qv Qv Qv H H Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1
RbM x 8

Armed Freighter Krait (BG)   FT1 / 12HS
[2] S S H Qv H Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1] cg x1
RbM x 8


Chinese Forces
Qv x 6 on surface of Hektor


US Forces

US Q Ship Steadfast (BG+1/BG-2 for repairs), Vigilance (BG+1), Defiant (BG-1), Resolute (BG-1)   FT2 / 16HS
[2] S S Qv Qv Qv Ya Ra H H H (Bsa) Qa (Cp) [4/1] cg x1
RbM x 10

GTOS x2


Pan Euro Forces
Admiral: Commodore S Vasilikos (LG+0)

Armed Science Vessel Red October (BG+1)   FG / 22HS
[2] S S S S A A H Qa Mgs Xp (cp Cp) Ra Ra Ya Qa (Cp) [7/1] cg x1
RbM x 8


Nemotian Forces

Qv x16 on Hektor

Patrol Vessel  13 (BG+2) , 2 (BG+1)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S S Hs Qa Da Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]
PtaM x 10

Armed Colony Vessel 2 (BG) , 3 (BG-1)  FT4 / 30HS
[2] S S S A H H Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Da Kb+ (Cp) Qa (Cp) [4/1]

Attack Vessel 3 (BG)  ES / 12HS
[2] S S H Ya Qa (Cp) Pta [6/1]
PtaM x 8

Light Support Vessel 14 (BG), 15 (BG)  FT1/12HS
[2] A H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]
bombs x12 in hold with maint


Setup.
Hektor at center of map.
Defiant, Resolute, and Mary Reed are landed on Hektor.
Krait at 2tH from Hektor, speed 2.
Steadfast, Vigilance, and Red October at 20tH from Hektor on radian 5, speed 1.
GTOS at 54tH from Hektor on radian 5, speed 1.
Nemotian PV at 20tH from Hektor on radian 1, speed 2.
Nemotian ships at 15tH from Hektor on radian 1, speed 4.

Special rules.
US GTOS and Q ships have colonists on board.  Max speed of 1 with no accel or decel only - unless vent cargo.  

Comments.
This one tipped the hand that this wasn't going to be a bit of raiding and pestering with ground combat.  The players struggled mostly to keep me from getting in sensor range of the colonists on the Steadfast and Vigilance.  The players lost quite a few ships.  The Attack Vessel had its shields dropped, that was it.


Sack of Victoria / Euro vs Nemotians / Victoria Colony

Pan Euro Forces
Victoria Colony (15.6PU)
Qv x 10 on Victoria Colony

Heavy Escort Tatianna  (BG+2)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S H Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1] cg x1
RbM x 34

Attack Escort Scarlett (BG+1) , Kathleen (BG) , Elise (BG+2) , K Sereg (BG)   ES / 12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]
RbM x 18


US Forces
Qv x 4 on Victoria Colony


Nemotian Forces
Qv x 8 on Victoria

Patrol Vessel  17 (BG+3) , 7 (BG+1)   CT / 16HS
[2] S S S S Hs Qa Da Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]
PtaM x 10

Armed Colony Vessel 7 (BG) , 4 (BG-1)  FT4 / 30HS
[2] S S S A H H Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Qv Da Kb+ (Cp) Qa (Cp) [4/1]
Qv x 8 on ACV 7

Light Support Vessel 19 (BG), 20 (BG)  FT1/12HS
[2] A H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]
bombs x12 in hold with maint

Setup.
Victorian Colony in center of map.
Pan Euro ships at 2tH from colony, speed 1.
Nemotian ships at 20tH from colony, radian 4, speed 4.

Comments.
This was a hard fought battle.  My wife understood this was about getting one colony fairly intact, and destroying ships now.  She knew that she had to give keeping the colony a try, but couldn't afford to lose her ships doing it.  She got two ships away and finally cost my PV 17.
It cost her the Tatianna thought.  We both lost dear ships on this one.


Sack of Titan / China & Euro vs Nemotians / Saturn

Chinese Forces
Titan Colony (4.7PU)
Mobile Construction Vessel Zhuang (BG) FT4 / 30HS
[2] H A H Qa (Cp) (SYM1 o o o) [2/1] cg x1
(hidden of surface facing near PDC)

Titan Ground Defense (BG-2) PDC/6+ HS

RbM x 10

Chinese Forces
Missile Frigates Angtung (BG-2) , Sichuan (BG-2) , Quinha (BG-1) FG / 22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1] cg x1
RbM x 48


Pan Euro Forces
Rear Admiral R McNeely (BG)

Queen Jane Grey (BG-1)  DD / 30HS
[2] S S S S A A A Hs Qa Mgs (Cp) (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (Cp) [6/1] cg x1
RbM x 64

Attack Escorts Isabelle (BG+2) , Catherine (BG+1)   ES / 12HS
[2] S S S A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) {6/1]
RbM x 34


Nemotian Forces
Commander of Fleets (LG+1)

Qv x2 on surface of Titan

Assault Vessel 3 (BG)   CL / 45HS
[2] S S S S S S A Mgs Hs Qa Qa (cp Cp) Da Mg Da Pta Pta (Cp) Qa Pta Ya (Cp Cp) Pta [6/1] cg x1
PtaM x49

Combat Vessels 6 (BG-2) , 7 (BG-2)   DD / 30HS
[2] S S S S S A A H Qa (Cp) Mg Da Qa (Cp) Pta Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1] cg x1
PtaM x29


US Forces

Qv x 9 on surface of Titan


Setup
Saturn and moons as Battle of Titan's Orbitals above
Chinese FGs at 2tH from Titan, speed1.
Zhuang landed on moon beyond battle but available afterward for repairs if Nemotians disengage.
Nemotians start at 60tH from Saturn on radian 5, speed 6.
Pan Euro starts at 196tH from Saturn on radian 8, speed 0.

Special rules.
Pan Euro units may not move until 3rd turn on battle.

Comments.
This battle didn't turn out like anyone had expected.  The Nemotian destroyers were in much worse shape than I had anticipated (partly due to the players skillful handling of the terrain, partly due to me underestimating how much impact the Poor crew grade would have on the Da), while the Chinese lost all their ships and most of their population.  The Euro managed to only lose one escort and the damage to the Jane Grey was light and all ended up being successfully repaired by emergency repairs.

It is easier to track the Pan Euro ships by simply finding out how many turns it will take them to get on the map and then just waiting until that point.  In reality, the middle boy did not know that he would get any assistance until shortly before the 3rd BG arrived.  She got the civilian broadcasts from Titan, but sent none until she was nearly close enough to be picked up on sensors.


That wraps up February 2205. 

Now for the real chore.  If Feb turned out this long, March is going to take a loooonnnggg time to get through.
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on April 16, 2012, 03:38:43 AM
March 2205 part 1

March 1st  0330 hours/Assault Vessel, 55 light minutes from Sol

   The Commander of Fleets manipulated the fields around him.  The Light Support Vessel would be finished unloading its supplies quickly, and begin the move toward the New Homes again.  New bombers and torpedoes had been loaded into the Assault Vessel and the Combat Vessels.  One of the Strike Groups had already completed its resupply operations while the second would meet the third Light Support Vessel soon.  The Commander of Fleets checked on the status of the repairs to the Combat Vessels.  'Both Combat Vessels have sustained substantial damage, but proper repairs will not be possible until the current offensive is complete.  The damage to Combat Vessel 7 is too great for it to continue in direct combat with the enemy, and it is too valuable to risk its loss.'  The Commander of Fleets reviewed the current fleet roster.  'Even if having Combat Vessel 7 retire from combat will make the looming operation more difficult.  But it could fulfill another role that will assist the offensive.'
   The Commander altered the fields at his station and accessed the data that had been forwarded from the ground forces that were even now trying to consolidate their hold on the enemy colony. Nearly all organized resistance had ceased and the ground forces had seized vast amounts of the native race's equipment.  The Commander then accessed the data that was being forwarded by the combat forces fighting on New Home 3.  There was little hope of liberating the population of New Home 3, but the data that had been amassed there on the enemy was vast.  But the most important data was the knowledge the Commander had never wanted to believe.  'The terrible rumor has proved true.  The native race has found a way to monitor and understand our communication.  But with the data being amassed, they will find that this can now be used against them.  The data from the captured colony will be deciphered.'
   The Commander closed the connection to the data, altered the fields again, and the communications array responded.  The Commander of Fleets began to compose orders for transmission.  'The native race has been dealt a blow.  They know we are a threat.  And they are even now attempting to counter what we have done.  They will be consolidating their strength and protecting their most valuable assets.  They will attempt to stop this offensive and thwart our plans.'
   The Commander changed the field and the orders sped out across the void to the distant ships of the Strike Groups.  'We must strike the enemy where they are not prepared.  They are still too strong for an open confrontation.  We will give them more reasons to fear this group, and we will continue to bleed them.  The time for the kill has not arrived.  But soon enough it will.'
   The Commander of Fleets sensed as the Light Support Vessel broke the docking link and began to pull away from the Assault Vessel.  'Soon.'


   0615 hour/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po picked up the papers on the podium and shuffled them idly.  'The Ministry has been assembled in this chamber for the last fifteen hours.  'The discussions have been heated, to say the least.  Not all agree with the current direction we will take.  Least of all Minister Khoh and his group.'  Po looked out at the desks and chairs arranged through the room.  Only a half dozen Ministers remained.  None of them belonged to Khoh's faction.
   Po looked up as Minister Liu moved from his seat and approached the podium.  Po waited as the older man made his way slowly down the aisle.  'The long hours of these meetings are hard on the old man.  But he has power here, and he supports my faction.  I must do what I can to keep his favor.'  As the old man reached the podium Po reached out a hand to help the old man with the tall step onto the raised area at the center of the room.  "Minister Liu, how may I help you?"
   Minister Liu cleared his throat and took a small sip from the glass he carried with him.  "Minister Po, how long do we believe that the US and Pan Euro ships will remain away from Earth?"
   Po could smell that the glass did not contain water, but focused on the pile of papers.  He thumbed through them, and then pulled one from the stack.  "Given the heading and message traffic we have monitored, it is believed that they are heading toward either Mars or the Pan Euro colony on Victoria.  If it is Mars they will be gone for at least 2 days.  If it is Victoria it may be close to a week.  To that we can add any time they spend at those locations.  Assuming they mean to return."
   Liu reached out and gently took the paper from Po.  Po let him look over the paper for several minutes, trying to conceal his growing impatience.  Finally the old man spoke.  "We will need to hope that they will take a great deal of time to return.  An early return could lead to an escalation of our war with the South Seas nations.  If the Euro or US were to side with them, we could be undone.  This is a blatant violation of our treaties."
   Po took a deep breath and composed himself.  'We have gone over this many times in the last few hours.  What is the old man hoping to discuss that we have not already covered?'  Po looked at the old man.  "Minister Liu, it is necessary.  We must defend ourselves.  That is obvious to all.  The aliens have come to the inner system to wage war.  We must protect ourselves.  But we cannot move the ships stationed at Venus.  They must continue to protect the construction there.  So other steps must be taken.  The other nations will not realize what has occurred until it is far to late.  They will not risk war here on Earth with the alien threat so near and strong."
   Po watched as Liu handed the paper back to him.  The old man took another sip from the glass he carried and then looked Po in the eyes.  "Be that as it may, our enemies have many other eyes that could see what happens.  We cannot forget the occurrences of the past months and years.  Our borders are not as secure as we hope."
   Po knew that had been a quietly skirted issue during the debate that had taken place.  No one had openly wished to point out the number of times that even the highest levels of security had been violated.  The investigations would inevitably lead to the Ministry, even if there was no leak here.  'I am willing to bet that all of the Ministers have no wish to be investigated.  Our very profession here leads one to tread in places and deal in things that should not be uncovered.'  Po thought for a moment.  "Minister Liu, this is true.  But we must spend our time working to prevent those eyes from finding anything, and not simply worrying about them.  Inaction now may cost us everything."
   Po looked back into Liu's eyes and waited.  He could see the old man weighing the alternatives.  Then Liu spoke one last time.  "You shall have my support, as always.  Let us hope that our new path does not lead to our destruction." 
   Po bowed slightly to the old man, who returned the gesture.  Po then watched the old man move toward the exit, followed by most of the Ministers remaining.  Po rested against the podium heavily.  Po looked at the papers, then picked them up.  On top of the pile was the measure that had been drafted and agreed upon.  The one that had caused so much strain and debate.  'This is no less than a declaration of war by the current treaties.  Let us hope the other nations do not take it to that extreme.  The Pax Treaty limits the Chinese Empire to ten ground based launchers capable of deploying missiles with nuclear flare drives.  The same number that the Pan Euro and US possess.  There is no provision to allow the deployment of laser batteries capable of targeting objects beyond orbit at all.  And by the end of this month we will have completed construction of five new sites, each with a single launch platform and a pair of heavy laser batteries.'
   "Aid, please take these papers and dispose of them."  Po didn't even look at the young man that quickly moved to the podium and took the papers away. 


   0645 hours/Adirondack Defense Command Center, US

   "WHAT IN THE HELL DOES SHE WANT !!?"
   Admiral Bradley Walters knew this would be coming.  'It's going to take time to sell the politicians on this plan.  If it is even possible to sell them on it.'  Bradley looked at Congressman Harland Meyers.  His face was red and the man was obviously very upset.  But even Secretary Adam Richards wore a dark look on his face.  'That is not an understanding, inquisitive look.  That is the look that I have almost no chance to get this done.'
   "Congressman Meyers, I believe I was clear in what I stated.  The proposal from Pan European Admiral Brenna Muldoon is that US Task Force One pull away from Mars, to a distance of no less than one light minute.  Preferably to the nearest edge of the asteroid belt.  The Pan Euro Battle Groups will join Task Force One at the location we designate."
   Congressman Meyers got even redder.  "WHY?!"  Meyers stood up from his chair.  "WHAT CAN SHE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH?!!"
   Bradley stared at the Congressman as he stood beside the table.  "If you will sit down I will continue."  Moments passed.  Bradley watched as the Congressman slowly sat down, the color fading slightly.
   "You can talk all you want.  There is no way I will approve leaving millions of colonists and our only space works undefended.  Even if I did there is no way the old man will approve this."  Meyers looked over at Secretary Richards.  "Don't you agree?"
   Secretary Richards sat in silence, the dark look on his face softening slightly.  "Continue with your part of the briefing, Admiral Walters.  But I tend to agree with the Honorable Congressman."
   Bradley moved to the side of the display.  "Admiral Muldoon has proposed that we pull back from Mars with all of our forces, other than the stationary defenses and the Q Ships.  Our Interceptors and the Euro Battle Groups will move to a location where they will hopefully escape alien detection.  Admiral Muldoon believes that Mars will be the next target of the aliens.  I agree with this assessment of the current situation."
   "If they are the next target, why are we pulling back our ships?"  Bradley could see the color creeping back into Congressman Meyers face.
   "The intention is to provide the appearance that we have deployed our ships here, at Earth.  The aliens would have to approach very closely to confirm any deployments here, placing their forces in jeopardy.  This would be the logical location to create a stand.  The alien forces we know of have little chance of defeating our ships and the ground based defenses here at Earth.  But this would leave our other colonies vulnerable.  If the aliens attack Mars and find it poorly defended, they may attempt another landing."
   This time it was Secretary Richards that interrupted.  "They have already seized the Euro belt colony on Victoria and sterilized the FSC colony on Hector.  We want them to attempt the same thing on an even larger population with only token opposition?"
   Bradley turned to face Secretary Richards.  "We need them to think they have the chance.  We need them to commit their forces to an offensive there.  It will take the alien ships time to secure the space around Mars.  The two Defense Stations, Mars Station, and two Q Ships will take time to reduce.  The landings will take even longer.  They will need to commit bombers to clearing landing zones and then place troopships on the surface.  The attack will take hours to complete.  Hours that they will be pinned to a single location.  A location that we will be able to respond to rapidly.  It is Admiral Muldoon's and my belief that we can decisively engage the aliens with the two Pan Euro Battle Groups supported by Task Force One.  A decisive engagement at Mars could end the threat of the alien warships operating in the inner system and prevent an attack on the Earth itself."  Bradley paused and waited.  It was said.  Now they would ask the one question he didn't have an answer for.
   It was Secretary Richards who spoke first.  "And why do you believe that the aliens will not simply destroy the entire population on Mars after they have reduced the defenses?  And then move on to another target?"
   Bradley held up his arms.  "We don't know that.  The aliens have shown a willingness to engage in ground combat up to this time, but they may have achieved their objectives in that regard with the conquest of Victoria.  We can only hope they continue with their current course of action."
   Meyers almost stood again but Secretary Richards put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.  "Put together a list of locations, response times, and projected losses of both a successful operation and of a failure."  Richards turned to General Foxx.  "KJ, you need to put together a defense plan.  If we actually let them land, I need to see a way we can stop the aliens after they do.  We aren't talking about an isolated belt colony gentlemen.  This is the largest off world colony in the solar system."  Richards stood up from the table.  "If we are going to run this past the old man, I want all the ducks in a row.  Even then I don't see this having much chance.  Losing a belt colony or two because the aliens took them is one thing.  Giving them millions of lives to destroy is entirely another."

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 03, 2012, 12:05:54 PM
March 2205 part 2

March 1st 0645 hours/Elder's Chambers, New Home One

   The Supreme Elder could sense as the assembled Elders moved restlessly in the chamber.  Presentations were made and information shared, but it was not what they had come for.  News of the completion of the new construction platform at New Home 5 came and went with little notice.  As were the reports that defensive modules were being built for the construction site in orbit of New Home 2.  Even the news that a new Patrol Vessel and Combat Vessel were being started passed with only the barest minimum of questioning.
   They had all gathered for news from the Commander of Fleets.  The offensive in the inner system against the native race had intensified.  Several battles had been fought, and ships lost by both sides.  News of the new ships and systems effectiveness was mixed.  The small, rapid fire mass drivers had more than proven their worth, as had the additional magnetic generators installed on the warships.  But the newest ships, the two Combat Vessels that had just reached the inner part of the system, had been damaged in an engagement with enemy warships.  One Combat Vessel had been severely damaged and would return to the New Homes for repairs soon.  The Combat Vessel of the native race had also been damaged, but not severely and it had escaped.  Most concerning was that the enemy Assault Vessels were still at large.
   Also of great interest was the capture of the enemy colony in the debris field.  Or at least what was left of the colony.  It had been nearly destroyed in the fighting, but there were still many members of the native race there that could be used to gain information.  Many of the enemy's data systems had also been seized, and would be analyzed to learn more about this foe.
   And most hopeful of all was the landing of new troops upon New Home 3.  It was still unclear if they would be able to remove the enemy presence there, but they might be able to provide a secure landing zone from which evacuations might be possible.  It would have to occur soon though, before the enemy had a chance to move more troops or vessels there.
   The Supreme Elder considered intervening, to bring order to the chamber and to focus those assembled on the tasks before them, and then relented.  It would do little good at the moment.  The necessary tasks were being undertaken, and little the Elders could do at this point would make a great impact upon the outcome of the events that were transpiring.  Many more events would occur though.  Soon.  Events that would require the Elders attention.  Waiting to bring order until that time would suffice.


   0800 hours/Venus Station, Venus

   Admiral Hu sat at his desk and looked at the status reports.  'The technicians on the station have confirmed that all operating systems have been purged of the virus.  No protective field generator has failed in over six hours.'  Hu sat back in his chair and looked at a small packet on his desk.  'But not in time to save the Angtung, Sichuan, and Quinha.'  
   Hu picked up the packed and leafed through it again.  'Three Frigates lost.  No alien vessel was destroyed, but at least it looks like one got torn up.  It definitely confirms the new defenses the Euro and US broadcasts have indicated.'  Hu turned to the sensor transcript transmitted by the Angtung before it was scuttled.  'The aliens can shoot down our missiles, but not every time. However they do it, there has to be a limit.  They do well when the missiles straggle in by ones and twos, but a salvo from one of the cruisers should put them to the test.  If they can stop that, we could be in real trouble.  The Heavy Cruiser in the slip outside is still months away from completion.'
   Hu turned in his chair and looked out the view port in his office.  The tenuous framework of the ship was visible against the dark background of space.  Bright flashes lit the structure as crews moved about with their work lights, or welders fused pieces of the polymer hull together.  The Frigate under construction in the slip beside it was dwarfed by the mammoth framework.  'The cruiser's frame will be complete in only a week if they are able to maintain the schedule.  By the end of the month they will have installed the first of the launch bays.  But she won't be operational for many months yet.  The Frigate will be loading its crew and starting its shakedown in just two weeks.  And then another one will be built in its place.'
   Hu turned around as the door to his office slid open.  A cyborg, a security team leader, stood in the opening.  "Your visitor is here, Admiral."
   "Thank you.  Show my guest in, and you may leave."
   The cyborg nodded and saluted, then disappeared out of the doorway.  Moments later another cyborg appeared.  This one did not wear any insignia or rank, and was a model that Hu was not familiar with.  The parts were far from standard production of any nation Hu knew of.
   "Have a seat.  You are the Dutchman, I presume."


   0920 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 0.5 light seconds from Mars

   Commodore Stephan Vasilikos unlocked his station and listened to the captain.  "All hands, docking with Pan Euro Cargo Four One complete.  Begin transfer of supplies and munitions.  This is the Captain, out."
   Stephan turned on the external visual feed and began to pan the camera.  "With Robert still over a day out, it would seem I am in command of this part of Third Battle Group," he said to no one in particular.  "Why don't we just take a look and see at what my command is up to."
   The first ships to come into focus were Mobile Shipyard One and the newest Heavy Escort, the E Avery.  The open spaces on the hull and workers pulling equipment in and out of them came into view as the magnification increased.  "I heard that my next choice as a flagship still had some work to be done.  And those look to be magnetic coils for the generators stacked on the outside of the hull.  Not a good thing to leave out with company due anytime now."  A few of the bridge crew turned to look at Stephan, and he ignored them.
   Stephan panned the camera again and found the Attack Escort Elise.  The burned patches and damage to the plating and baffles were obvious.  "It looks like one of my ships is still being put together, while this one seems to have been taken apart somewhat."  The view on his monitor suddenly went out of focus, and then a patch a grey replaced the previous view.  "Now what could this be?"
   A prompt flashed on Stephan's monitor as he heard the Captain's voice on the intercom.  "Transmission from the Captain of the Queen Victoria.  He indicates they will dock with the Red October in five minutes.  A message from Admiral Muldoon has orders for Commodore Vasilikos to report to her office on the Queen Victoria in seven minutes."
   Stephan ignored the flashing prompt and shut off the monitor.  "Oh yes, the prune is here also, isn't she."
   Stephan stood and began to move toward the hatchway leading from the bridge.  'I have always wanted to visit Mars.  I doubt the jail on the surface will have much to offer though.'
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 08, 2012, 04:55:37 AM
March 2205 part 3

March 1st 0930 hours/Mars Traffic Control Center One, Mars surface

   Rear Admiral Jamie Gauld looked at the staff moving about.  Young men and women sitting at large monitors or moving between banks of them.  Many of those were busy talking into head sets while tapping at one portion of a screen or another.  Most wore space service uniforms.  None were cyborgs.
   'Most of them seem to be trying to stay busy with anything that has nothing to do with me.  Not that I blame them.  They don't generally have to put up with a cyborg watching them, let alone an admiral.'  Jamie moved over toward a bank of screens displaying the various boats, shuttles, cargo freighters, passenger liners, orbital stations and warships around Mars.  'These people are busy organizing several dozen craft moving at hundreds or thousands of kilometers per second.  Keeping them on schedule for landings and dockings.  Avoiding any accidents while monitoring the various sensor arrays for any new contacts.'  Jamie looked at the contact displayed as Interceptor Mk IIb JFK.
   'Up until two hours ago I was on board that ship.  Until the orders came through relieving me from command of Task Force 1 and giving it to Rear Admiral Ryan.  Now I am in command of just the orbital defenses of Mars.  Defense Stations One and Two, and Mars Station.  Defense Station Three just started construction hours ago, and with luck will be done by the end of the month.'  Jamie looked at the entrance to the room as a dozen men in ground service uniforms entered.  Two colonels and their staff.  'Wonderful.'
   'I also have to coordinate with the ground defense commanders, which is why they transferred me here to the surface at TCC One.'
Jamie pulled up the list of ground units and commanders.  'This is going to be a mess.  Congress authorized activation of all nine reserve divisions on Mars, and is going to have the 2nd Marine Division deploy here from the Euro Troop Transport when it arrives.  That will put a kink in things as the brass back on Earth have designated the 2nd Marine's Major General as senior over higher ranking reserve officers.  At least the 2nd isn't due for a few days.  But there is still one heavy battalion of the Martian Light on the surface, and the arguments between them and the reserve units are heating up.'
   "Admiral?"
   Jamie turned as he heard someone call for him.  Not a flat cyborg voice, but some young man who sounded a little nervous.  Jamie saw a young Ensign standing nearby looking at him.  "Yes.  What do you need?"
   "The Steadfast and Vigilance are requesting clearance for landing, and to offload the FSC refugees.  They are also requesting clearance for separate landing facilities for their two shuttles."  The Ensign stood sheepishly looking at Jamie.
   'They just don't want to clutter their bays with refugees while they are clearing their passenger sections through the hatchways.  Fair enough.'  "Clear the ships for landing as had been planned at Domes Six and Twelve.  Clear the shuttles to land at this spaceport.  Coordinate medical personnel to assist with the shuttles."
   "Aye Admiral."
   Jamie turned to face the two Colonels moving towards him.  "Welcome gentlemen.  Let's move our discussion to my office."


   0942 hours/Mars Central Spaceport, Mars surface

   Li Xue coughed and felt pain flare in her arm. She opened her eyes and strained against the bright light.  'Who in the hell is she?'
   Li looked at the brown haired and fair skinned woman dressed in some uniform as she spouted gibberish at her and acted as if she was saying something important. 
   "I don't have a clue what you are saying.  Can you figure that out?" 
   Li saw the woman startle slightly as a confused look crossed over her face.  Li took the pause to look at herself.  She was lying in a reclining chair of some soft plastic, with a heavy blanket laid over her and a bandage on her left arm.  That was it.  "I am so sick of waking up like this.  They sure didn't mention this when I signed on."  Li moved to try and get up and found that she suddenly felt dizzy.  Settling into the chair she looked back at the woman who was babbling again.  Li turned to look beside her where she could hear other voices.  Rows of chairs were filled with women who looked to have similar problems.  Dozens of women in whatever uniform were scattered among them.  A pair of cyborgs were also moving about, but mostly to women who seemed agitated at the gibberish.  Some were crying, others yelling.  None of it made much sense.
   A different type of gibberish caught her attention and Li looked back.  A cyborg was standing beside her now.  'Guess that woman got tired of me ignoring her.'
   "I don't understand you either."
   The cyborg paused for a few moments.  "Is this correct?"
   The voice was flat, but it was Chinese.  "Yes.  I suppose.  What is going on here?  Am I off the ship, or is this some bay?"
   The cyborg stood for a moment.  'He is waiting for some translation program to figure out what I asked.'
   "You are in the Mars Central Terminal, in Concourse Five.  You need to move down the main hall.  An area has been set up to process you for Dome Six.  You will be transferred there until the FSC can arrange transport for you and the other refugees to Earth."
   Li shook her head.  "I'm Chinese.  Can you get that?  I am part of the Sixteenth Power Armor Regiment.  Not some FSC colonist."  Li watched the cyborg stand looking at her for some time.  Finally it spoke again.
   "You will still need to move down the hall.  You will be provided clothes at the processing center.  Some form of living arrangements will be made for you there."
   Li nodded at the cyborg, and then fought her way up and out of the chair.  'I feel drunk.  I hope it isn't far.'  Li walked slowly down the hall, and watched as several other women did the same.  At the end of the corridor she found several tables lined up with women behind them.  They were all spouting gibberish, but one motioned to Li and handed her a simple skinsuit, a bottle of what looked to be water, and motioned her to a doorway.  Li nodded and shuffled into the room.
   Li looked around.  'Looks like a locker room.'  Li moved to put on the skinsuit.  'This isn't easy with just one good arm.'  Finally Li slipped the thin plastic garment on and looked about.  Several women were sitting in the room with small vid screens.  Li looked around and found the row of slots that stored the screens, and pulled one out.  'Let's see if there is anything worth looking at.  Because I doubt I will be able to understand what they are going to say.'
   Li tapped at the screen, and was surprised when she was able to access a menu that would supply Chinese subtitles on a few of the channels.  'Looks like it is news, or gibberish.  Guess news will have to do.'
   Li sat down on a bench and started reading the words on the bottom of the vid screen.  'Oh look, they are talking about the refugees landing here on Mars.  That would be me.'  Li changed the feed to another channel.  'I had heard that a Euro colony had been invaded.  This channel confirms it.  And it fell too.  Is there any stopping these damn creatures?'
   Li swapped to another channel and started reading again, then realized it was an actual feed from a Chinese civilian broadcast.  'Yes, something I can listen too.'  Li's heart began to ache as she listened.  It was a replay of a taped broadcast of someone on Titan.  'Oh no.  The aliens are bombing Titan.'  The tape abruptly ended and the subtitles reappeared.  Li read as some light skinned woman rattled on, but it all began to blur.  She could just make out the subtitle that said, "All civilian habitats have been confirmed destroyed, with no further contact from any military units on the surface..."


   0950 hours/Mars Central Spaceport, Mars surface

   Ensign Tom Hudson walked around the nose of GTOS 22.  "Geez Ed.  I get out for a few minutes and you tear the old girl up.  I ought to have them pull your license for reckless driving."
   Midshipman Ed Fairchild came from around the rear bay doors of the GTOS.  "Back end doesn't look any better.  But I will say the lifter looks a hell of a lot better than you do."
   Tom looked at the shredded end of his left arm, and then how his right leg wouldn't plant the foot flush on the floor.  "Ok, so I might have had a little problem while I stretched my legs.  It won't be the first time I've needed a new body."  Tom heard the hollow chuckle from Ed.  The recorded laugh that he had heard a thousand times from him.  But it still helped to break some of the tension Tom could feel.  'Looking at this crate, it is a miracle we came back alive.'
   "Let's get out of here.  I'm sure there is something better to do than look at this.  We are going to be spending a lot of time helping the ground crews patch her up anyway.  Either that or parting her out."  Tom looked up as Ed headed toward the exit from the hanger.
   "Sure.  Maybe we can find a bar and get drunk.  Lord knows we need it."  Tom heard the same chuckle from Ed again.
   Tom walked quietly to the entrance to the concourse, and then through the air lock.  As Tom walked into the main terminal, he noticed that the hitch in the gait of his right leg was beginning to squeak now that there was air to carry the sound.  Tom looked at the open area he had entered and saw the rows of women lined up in chairs.  Nurses and corpsmen moved among them, reviving the 'passengers' they had just off loaded.  A few cyborgs moved around, helping to translate for refugees that didn't speak English.  'It has to be hell waking up after the ride we gave them.  But I would still trade whatever life I have left for just one more chance to be flesh and blood again.'  Tom walked beside Ed as they headed down the hallway toward the Refugee Processing Center.  Tom remembered that the last time they had landed here to load the Martian Light Division; this had been the depot for shuttle buses and taxis that took colonists to their domes.  'Now it is lines of tables where they hand them out some clothes and water, then shuffle them off into locker rooms or offices so they can wait on transportation.  But where are they going?'
   A pained cry and then rhythmic banging caught Tom's attention.  Two security guards rushed into one of the offices.
   "Shall we take a look?"  Tom heard Ed talking to him, and had already started walking toward the room.
   "Might as well.  Maybe that is the bar and the fights have started without us." 
   Tom reached the door and saw the two guards struggling with a small framed woman who was yelling, crying, and doing her best to smash a vid screen on any surface she could reach.  The security guards were having a great deal of trouble with the woman, as they were all bouncing off of the walls, and even once reached the ceiling in the low gravity.  Tom pulled up the menu in his HUD and activated the magnetic locks on the soles of his 'feet'.  His right foot screeched as the powerful magnets tried to straighten the damaged ankle joint.  Tom grabbed the group and held onto the woman's leg as she thrashed about.  Tom pulled her up and pinned her with his left arm against his chest.  She screamed and thrashed for a few more seconds as the guards backed away, then sagged with a wail that sounded like a wounded animal.
   Tom turned as another person came towards him.  He saw a young corpsman holding a syringe of some medication.  The woman didn't even flinch as the young man stuck the needle in her shoulder and emptied it.  A few moments later the wailing trailed off and the woman slumped against him.  Tom lowered her to the ground.
"Hell Ed, this is the Chinese girl I drug into the shuttle before we lifted off.  Wonder what is wrong."  Tom looked back to Ed.
   Ed stood for a moment, and then moved closer to the woman.  The corpsman was busy using a stethoscope to listen to her heart and lungs.  Ed picked up the vid screen that had fallen to the floor beside her, and ran his finger across the cracked surfaces.  "If I get my guess, the docs are going to call it post traumatic stress.  If she was on Hector as a soldier, who knows what hell she's been through."
   Tom looked at the woman as she lay on the floor.  Saw her bandaged arm, and old scars on the side of her chest where her skinsuit had been torn by the sharp bits on the end of his left arm.
   "You know Ed, maybe its not living in one of these shells that is so damn miserable.  Maybe it’s just the living."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on May 10, 2012, 07:55:10 PM
March 2205  part 4

March 1st 1020 hours/Hardened Fallout Shelter, New Delhi, India

   Chairman Mukata sat in the heavily cushioned chair and turned on the monitor.  Prompts sprang to life across it.  He ignored them.
   "Open conference.  Board members.  Include all.  Voice verification and pass code authorization."  Mukata waited as the monitor cleared and new prompts appeared.  Finally the prompt began to flash for his pass code.
   "Mukata.  Two seven three alpha alpha three tango."  Mukata watched the screen disappear and fill with dozens of blank, black boxes.
   'It will take time for the rest of the board to log into the meeting.  They always show their control by making me wait for them.  But this gives me time to organize my notes for the meeting.'  Mukata shuffled through the screens on his small vid pad.  'First we will have to address the progress on the project in Queensland.  The fabrication of parts for the project in both South Africa and Chile are complicating the construction, due to issues with shipping them covertly.  The construction should be completed by the end of the month, now that the underground hanger has been finished.  None of the other powers should be able to determine what the new vessel will be without getting someone through the security at that complex.  The largest security risk is that cyborg Jager.  It is impossible to know exactly what that Euro cyborg is capable of without disassembling him.  I don't think that would inspire him to assist us any further though.'
   Mukata moved to the next screen.  'Next will be the orders to bring Heavy Cargo One in for a landing in the South African Shipworks.  The planned refit to a Troopship would be prudent at this time.  With no warships to escort her, she will be safer on the ground.  The aliens will have a more difficult time identifying her, and the Pax should keep her safe from any human enemies.  She will have to skirt the edge of Chinese held space to make the landing, but that cannot be avoided.'
   Mukata pulled up the last screen.  'And we shall save the most volatile of the issues for last.  The assignment currently given to the Dutchman, and what the compensation will be to the corporations.  This will not be well received by all, as many of the board members feel he has become a renegade following the actions surrounding the evacuation and battles near Hektor.  The Chinese have possession of him though, and it is in our best interests to seek a financially beneficial solution.  If it becomes necessary to divest ourselves of him should he prove subversive, an agreement with the Chinese can easily be undone.  This should have suitably harsh consequences for the Dutchman.  And in the meantime any funds from the Chinese could prove useful.'
   The first two boxes sprang to life with images on the monitor.
   "Welcome board members, shall we begin with the preliminaries or wait on the other members?"


   1050 hours/7300 meters below Andvari Crater, Triton

   Oberfeldwebel Tanya Frank crouched in the tunnel as another explosion threw debris in all directions.  'Lord, between the dust and rocks ricocheting off the walls you can't see a damn thing.  Even thermal is blind.  Not the aliens though.'
   "We need to get around that corner.  Anyone with a good idea, let's here it."  Tanya looked at the other two cyborgs barely visible and crouched in the tunnel at ten meter intervals behind her.  She heard Hauptrefreiter Ludwig Shimmelpfennig open the comm link.
   "Well, we could always send one of the FSC brass that ordered this around that corner.  Might not get us in but it will sure make me feel better."
   Tanya wished she could smile to let him know she approved, but even if she could he would never see it through the dust.  Tanya turned back to the corner in front of her.  'Around that corner is part of the machinery that the brass thinks they used to construct the battle suits that popped up among the civilian crawlies.  As heavily defended as it is, they might have gotten something right.  Our first nose around that corner reported six gremlins and a pair of goblin class suits before he was blown apart.  There will be more than that now.  The magnetic commo that the aliens use passes right through the rock, so they call reinforcements fairly quick.  If I need help we either have to put radio repeaters at every corner on the way in, or send a runner which puts me another troop down.'  Tanya flinched slightly as another flash from a detonation lit the tunnel for a heartbeat.
   I suppose a runner it is.  With the brass projecting that at least a brigade worth of suits now organized in the civilian sectors we can't push through with three of us.  In fact, we probably need to follow the runner for a bit.  The aliens are going to push this corner soon and I don't want to be here when that happens.
   "Ludwig, why don't you go back and run your suggestion past the brass at headquarters.  I and the rest of the squad will follow you; just to make sure you don't get lost or end up finding some cute little thing along the way.  Move out."


   1100 hours/Edge of Defense Center Ti, Surface of Titan

   Staff Sergeant Carl Evans looked out across the flat plain in front of him, to the ridgeline a few klicks away.  ‘That is just about where we first came in at.’
   Carl’s NMI painted a thin white line on his display, followed by a detonation.  “Hey Fuentes, did you catch where that came from.  It goes off the side of my display.”
   “Na, too far out.  Indicator can’t catch them that far away.  Somewhere in those hills.”
   Carl looked over at the cloud of dust as it settled around the large foam-crete mound.  “The Engineers laid it on pretty thick to take this many hits.  Who came up with this idea anyway?”  Carl waited.  If anyone was in on the scuttlebutt, it would be Fuentes or Jackson.
   Fuentes chimed in first, as always.  “I think it was some slant started it.  Don’t know whether they are targeting the magnetics, the electrical signature, or the heat.  Hell, doesn’t really matter so long as they are shooting at it instead of us, as far as I care.”
   Carl nodded.  “Whoever decided to put small electric generators out here in these bunkers sure did us a favor.  The aliens seem drawn to them like flies to cow patties.  They just keep tapping at it with their rockets all day long.”
   “Hey Sarge.”  It was Private Jackson.  “Aren’t they going to end up shooting at it with some sort of support weapon eventually?  What then?”
   Carl turned in his position until he could see the set of Shiloh Power Armor to his left, and PVT JACKSON appeared on his HUD.  “Well Jackson, I suppose I should trade positions with you, seeing how mine is a little closer to the generator.”
   “Uh, no thanks Sarge.  I’m sure you’ll be fine.  I like it here.  Might scratch my name in the wall or something.”
   Carl watched as Jackson shifted slightly in his position, obviously somewhat worried.  
   “Ah, come on hombre, you’ll like it.  Sarge got it nice and warm for you.”  Carl could here Fuentes beginning to laugh.  He always laid the accent on thick when Jackson got nervous.  The accent always seemed to make it worse for Jackson.
   “Alright.  Can it you two.  I’ll have you both down here keeping each other company if you can’t behave yourselves.“  Carl turned back to the open ground in front of him.  “Can’t have you to bickering like little kids when company shows up.”


1115 hours/FSC Heavy Cargo One, Earth orbit

Captain ‘Jake’ Hannigann tapped at the screen in front of him.  ‘The main drive is off now that we are in the outer atmosphere.  Nice to not need the station locks anymore.  Now to confirm the landing trajectory that will put us down in South Africa.  Been a few weeks since we saw time ground side.  Will be nice to get out of this crate for a bit.’
   Jake keyed open the link to the intercom.  “Helm, confirm Pad Two One South Africa for landing.  Initiate braking sequence and maneuver thrusters.”
   “Aye Captain.  Pad Two One, South Africa.  Firing thrusters on my mark.”
   Jake felt the ship shudder slightly as the thrusters began to change the angle of descent.  Turbulence began to bounce the ship.  Jake switched over his monitor to the external camera feed as Cargo One crept down through the air.
   ‘There is South America, directly below us.’  Jake panned the camera forward.  ‘And the dirty blue of the South Pacific.  Just a few more minutes and we will get sight of the Australian coastline.’  Jake waited as the minutes slipped by until the brown interruption of the blue expanse appeared, this time much closer than the view of Chile a few minutes before.
   ‘And there is the Indian Ocean.  Pan a little north and we can see India herself, and the belt of mountains that surrounds her.’  Jake spotted several darker patches to the north of the mountains.  ‘Don’t remember those before.  Let’s zoom in a little closer and see what we’ve got.  Probably some new towns springing up.’
   Jake watched as the view shrank and objects grew larger and larger.  Jake began to tap at objects on the screen, and then at prompts on the margin of his monitor.  “Comm, I am uploading data to your station. Full encryption.  Transmit on tightbeam laser to New Delhi.”
   Jake looked at the pictures of seven Dragon Class missiles lined up beside a construction site just north of the Himalayas.  ‘I think this might be a problem someone needs to know about.’

  
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 20, 2012, 02:43:17 AM
March 2205 part 5

March 1st  1830 hours / Adirondack Defense Command Center, US

   Admiral Bradley Walters sat and listened as Secretary of Defense Adam Richards informed the assembled staff that the President had given the 'go ahead' for the withdrawal of the US Task Force from Mars.
   'I'm sure it has to do with the Pan Euro announcement that they would be withdrawing their Battle Groups regardless of the US deployment.  Even Congressman Meyers can figure out that our four Interceptors and two Q Ships aren't going to be able to stop any real alien offensive without the support of the Euro Battle Groups.'
   "And now Admiral Walters, will you brief the staff on the other operation."
   Bradley stood from his seat and moved to the display behind the large table that dominated the front of the room, and waited as Secretary Richards sat down again.  "Gentlemen, we have proposed an operation and Pan European Admiral Muldoon has agreed to both allow it and to support it.  It had originally involved only the Q Ships, but the Euro has agreed to assign both the Pan Euro Troopship at Mars and the Red October to the operation.  This group will move to the vicinity of Victoria Colony in the asteroid belt.  When the group has reached its position a broadcast will be made from here on Earth by both the US and Euro directing all military personnel and civilians on Victoria to move to one of three evacuation zones at a designated time.  At that designated time the Red October will make a pass near the colony to identify any alien warships and hopefully draw them away.  If the area is clear or all alien warships are drawn away from the colony, then the Q Ships and Euro Troopship will land on the colony to evac all personnel they are capable of rescuing.  Following this all four ships will return to Mars."
   Congressman Meyers spoke next.  "How many military and civilian personnel remain on Victoria, and what is the chance that we will actually be able to get any off that rock?"
   Bradley looked at the Congressman.  He could see that the man was in a poor mood.  'He opposed the withdrawal of our ships from Mars, and not getting his way has not put him in a cheery frame of mind.'  "I can't predict the alien deployments.  If they have any ships on station at Victoria the landings will likely have to be cancelled. If they are able to make landings, it will likely take twelve hours to complete loading of passengers.  Whether the aliens will be able to respond in this time frame, and the effect of alien ground forces on the landed ships is impossible to predict.  It is likely that even a successful operation will see the Q Ships damaged to some extent.  As for the number of personnel on Victoria, I would turn this over to General Foxx as he has more detailed data in that area."  Bradley waited until Secretary Richards nodded and motioned for General 'KJ' Foxx to move to the display.
   Bradley moved back to his seat at the pair of tables that were his 'area'.  General Foxx waited until Bradley was seated to begin.  "Gentlemen, the current disposition on Victoria of our military forces, or of the Pan Euro troops, is uncertain.  The last radio transmissions combined with our current projections lead us to believe that there may still be nearly enough personnel remaining of the Martian Light to form a battalion.  Perhaps two.  The Pan Euro Eightieth Ukraine may have up to a pair of brigades still on Victoria.  As for the civilian population, we estimate the survivors at fifty thousand, although this number could be very inaccurate."
   Secretary Richards looked back to Bradley.  "How many personnel will the Q Ships and the Troopship be able to pull off of Victoria?"
   Bradley already had the numbers pulled up on the monitor in front of him.  "The Q Ships should be able to pull out all the surviving members of the Martian Light, and another brigade of the Euro troops without any problem.  The Pan Euro Troopship should be able to transport fifty thousand civilians, although it is considered unlikely that this many will be able to reach the landing site.  All ships will transport any civilians reaching their site, but priority will be given to military units reaching the sites of the Q Ships.  Additional personnel are already onboard the Euro ship to process civilians for transport, but it will still take time to prep them for travel."
   Congressman Meyers cut in.  "Are there any plans to pull our troops off of Titan?  And what of our detachment on Triton?"
   'KJ' replied first.  "The Brigade of the Martian Light and the two Marine Battalions have consolidated with the remaining Chinese troops at the construction complex on Titan.  The alien forces have made several attempts to breach the complex, but so far have been unsuccessful.  Our forces on Titan should have adequate supplies to continue operations until mid month, but will need resupply or extraction by then.  The situation of the group on Triton is impossible to assess at present.  Communication with them is limited.  The FSC, Euro, and Chinese forces on Triton are still active.  We can only hope our detachment there has survived."
   Secretary Richards stood from his chair.  "Admiral Walters, begin the planning for the extraction or resupply of the troops on Titan.  Then identify if an operation to Triton is feasible, or if we will simply have to hope that the situation there stabilizes.  That will be all for now."

1920 hours/Queen Victoria, 3 light minutes from Mars

   Admiral Brenna Muldoon looked at the image on her monitor.  "Rear Admiral McNeely, I've got the status updates from your Battle Group.  You've actually been able to inspect those ships inside and out.  What is your honest assessment of the ships in your group?" 
   Brenna watched the image of the cyborg in her screen.  It moved slightly, tapping at keys on the armrest of the station it was seated in.  "Admiral Muldoon, you already know this isn't going to be good.  The Jane Grey has all of her systems on line, but the outer plating and baffles are torn up badly.  Life support is patched together as are the feeding linkages to the forward missile storage areas.  If we survive a hit with the magnetic fields down the repairs will be vented into space.  The Elise is in much the same shape.  The Heavy Escort Jurkat won't even have the first set of field generators online until the end of the week, with all of them installed and functioning by the twentieth.  Maybe a few days early if everything goes well.  The big issue on the Jurkat is the crew.  They barely have an idea what they are doing at the moment.  The construction crews and constant updates and adjustments to their ship has made any worthwhile training nearly impossible.  In combat she can fight, but will likely serve more as a target than anything else.  The last ship of my group is currently on a trip to Victoria.  We can fight Admiral, but I won't lie and say we are truly ready for it."
   Brenna nodded.  "Do your best Robert.  The Red October should be back in a few days.  That should improve things substantially.  Admiral Muldoon, out."  Brenna cut the transmission and sat for a few moments.  'He is right.  If this comes to a fight in the next few days his Battle Group will be of more use supporting the action or drawing the aliens attention than it will be in a straight forward engagement.  If the aliens hold off for a few days and the Jurkat can get some of its field generators online, that will help.' 
   Brenna tapped at the screen and pulled up a report.  'This is probably the best news we have had for some time.  A group involved in the design of the new missile system has identified that current ship designs could be upgraded to hold the smaller missile on mounts outside the hull.  The size of the current Scorpion Missile makes it impractical to do this, and the necessary supports would require a vessel the size of the Red October or a Royalty Class just to carry a single missile on the outside of the hull.  The new missile design would allow even the Attack Escorts to mount a single weapon in a recess on the outside of its hull.  The Victoria could likely mount four.  That would give a first launch capability twice what is currently possible.  With the aliens fielding a system to interdict our missiles, putting more of them on target is our best bet to get a few through.  Overwhelming the aliens defensive system might even be possible if we can simply get enough missiles on target at once.'  Brenna scrolled through the text of the report.  'It is going to take time though.  All of the current research facilities are occupied in work on the new missile system, or on a system that will be able to interdict the alien missiles.  New construction and purchases of civilian corporations and facilities will allow development of designs that could be fitted onto the current vessels, allowing them to mount the new missiles on the outside of the hull, but research won't even be able to start until the beginning of April.'
   Brenna closed out the report and looked at the ship roster still displayed on her monitor.  'We will have everything we need to beat the aliens ready in the next few months.  We just have to hold out till then.'

2115 hours/Hardened fallout shelter, New Delhi, India

   "The analysis of the images is complete.  There is no doubt that the three sites visible are all military construction sites.  One of the sites appears to be intended to be capable of launching nuclear flare drive weapons.  The presence of Dragon Missiles at that site would seem to confirm this.  How long it will take for the sites to become operational is unknown, but it is expected they will be capable of launch before the end of the month."
   Chairman Mukata looked at the images of the boardmembers on his screen.  Most were as inscrutable as always, but a few showed some hints of concern.  'With new military construction so close to the border of India, and not far from Australia, they should be concerned.'
   One of the images spoke up.  "How long will it take to mobilize our forces for the defense of our holdings in India?"
   Mukata took on a hard look as he gazed at the camera.  "We have stretched our assets to the limit with the construction in Queensland, the refits of Cargo One, and our continuing research goals.  There has already been some liquidation of board assets just to maintain the timelines on these projects.  Without the liquidation of further assets, we will be unable to mobilize any ground troops for the defense.  Notification has been sent out to local reserves and militias, but that has been the extent of our response.  I do not have to tell the board what further liquidation of assets will do to our future operating capital."  Mukata knew that several members of the board had opposed the first round of liquidations to finance the construction in Queensland.  Another round could likely leave the FSC crippled economically for years.
   "Further sale of assets is not possible.  We will need alternatives.  Have any been identified Chairman?"
   Mukata took on a slightly softer expression.  "It is unlikely the Euro or US are aware of the Chinese construction.  The construction would be difficult for the Lunar Colonies to identify, and China has rather aggressively pursued its closure of the airspace over its territories.  The Euro and US would also have voiced serious objections to this blatant violation of the Pax Treaty, and we have heard nothing in the international councils.  I feel that either the US or Euro, possibly both, could be persuaded to channel assets to the FSC in exchange for the images we have.  What the extent of this compensation will be is hard to tell, but any funds could assist in the defense of our holdings here on Earth."
   Several voices answered nearly in unison on the monitor.  All in the affirmative.
   "I shall make the necessary arrangements."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on June 23, 2012, 09:00:48 PM
March 2205 part 6

March 1st  2315 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po sat and listened with a look of mild disinterest on his face.  'It is difficult to maintain this composure when that man's voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me.'  Po tried to concentrate on the papers in front of him, but Minister Khoh was being particularly forceful and loud in his time at the podium.  'Why can he not be satisfied with the new ground construction?  That compromise not only protects us all here on Earth, but increases his prestige.  The other world powers will not declare war over this.  More than likely they are wishing they could do much the same thing to protect themselves.  He wastes his energy.  He knows he lacks enough support to accomplish his goals.  My group still holds the largest power block, if only by the smallest of margins.'
   Po let out a sigh as Khoh finally finished his time before the assembled Minister.  'This is almost done and I will be able to get some rest.  All that is left to speak is Minister Liu, and he nearly always declines.  Even when he does speak it is only a short statement voicing his group's support for another group's stance.'  Po settled back in his chair as the call for Minister Liu was announced.  When there was no reply, Po sat up slightly to see what could be keeping the old man.  'That is strange.  Liu is moving towards the podium.  He has not taken the podium in years.  Perhaps Khoh has irritated Liu enough that even the old man feels the need to state that Khoh’s proposal is unwise and needs to be abandoned.'
   Po watched the old man climb the steps to the podium and then set the drink that never seemed to leave his hand on the edge of it.  The old man then pulled a few papers from his jacket and arranged them in front of him.  Po watched as Liu looked out across the Ministry.
   "Honorable Ministers.  It has been some time since I have spoken before you.  But it has come to my knowledge that an agenda we have supported to this point may not be what we have been lead to believe.  That a group among us has quietly manipulated our policies, or simply ignored them.  That they have been too concerned with their own power, and not our security as a nation.  And now they support violating a treaty that we have all endorsed, which by the language of the treaty can only be construed as an act of war against the other nations of this planet.  All the while refusing to move any of the powerful vessels of our space bound fleet to protect us here on Earth.  I have papers here proving that they not only don't intend to station ships here at Earth, but they have secretly begun negotiations with the South Seas nations to gather support for continued landing off world at Titan.  Landings that are not only foolish, but serve only to increase the power of this group while weakening us here."
   Po felt a cold hatred beginning to form as he listened to the old man.
   "These papers show that we can no longer trust this group, and its leader Po.  We cannot continue on this course of war while leaving ourselves unprotected here on Earth from both the alien menace and the other nations of this planet.  The breaches of security in the last few months have shown that the other nations are as dangerous to this Ministry as any alien menace.  We must move to protect ourselves.  To this end I will place my support, and that of my group's, firmly behind Minister Khoh.  I move that we mobilize with all speed the three Army Groups that Minister Khoh has proposed."
   Po watched as the old man handed the papers to an assistant who began to hand copies out to the assembled Ministers.  Po took the papers he was handed and threw them onto the floor as he stalked out of the room.
   'That old man has played me for a fool and has doomed us all.  What Khoh has proposed would be the largest troop buildup since the Annexation of Eastern Asia in the war of 2157.  The other nations of Earth will no longer see this as an attempt to protect ourselves from the aliens.  There is only one reason to need this many troops on the ground.  And that would be a war, right here, on Earth.'


March 2nd  0045 hours/Combat Vessel 7, 1.5 light minutes from Mars

   The Commander of Combat Vessel 7 extended his perception through his station to monitor the progress of the operation.  'It is difficult to perceive the Scout Craft from here.  The relays to this station were damaged in the combat near the ringed planet and have functioned poorly ever since.  It appears that the other vessels have finished launching the small craft and they are forming up into squadrons.  It is frustrating to be in command of this group when even the Attack Vessel is in better condition than our ship, but I must not let the rest of the crew sense my irritation.  They must have confidence in me and my ability to command.'  The Commander of Combat Vessel 7 pulled his perception from the field at his station and turned his attention to his own crew.
   "Place the ship in formation and proceed on the course the Commander of Fleets has plotted.  Scout Craft to precede the larger vessels by five light seconds.  Magnetic protective fields are to be deactivated until further notice."  The Commander waited as his orders were carried out by the crew.  'I can feel the slight tinge of fear in the crew and their actions.  They know as well as I that this ship is very vulnerable with its protective fields off.  It was badly damaged in the battle and would take little to destroy with its protective field down and rapid fire mass driver off line.  We must trust that the enemy has no hidden defenses on the path we must take.  If there are, we will die moments after they detect us.  The Commander of Fleets sees this operation as vital and the danger to this ship as slight.  We must trust that judgment.  I must let the crew know that I agree with the Commander of Fleets.'  The Commander of Combat Vessel 7 strengthened his own field.  Filled it with confidence in his ship, his crew, and the rest of the vessels and craft gathered together for this next step in the battle with the native race.
   
   0430 hours/Adirondack Defense Command Center, US

   Admiral Bradley Walters watched as a tired looking Secretary Adam Richards rose from the table and moved to the display.  'This must be important for him to call a briefing at this hour.  It is obvious that he has gotten little rest.  Congressman Meyers looks even more pale and concerned than usual, although that has been a common occurrence of late.'
   Secretary Richards stood before the group and tapped at the small pad he carried with him.  Moments later eight separate images filled the display.  Each had highlights and text scrawled across it.  Before Bradley could take it all in Secretary Richards began to speak.
   "Gentlemen, we were contacted some hours ago by what may politely be called representatives of the FSC.  They offered intelligence of what they termed 'vital developments' in exchange for concessions on our part.  The concessions included semi-permanent placement of the refugees from Hektor on Mars, and that the US would fund the necessary facilities to house and support those refugees.  In that this possibility had already been considered it was deemed viable to give the FSC what we had already planned to do, in exchange for whatever data they might possess.  I believe we got a bargain on this one."
   Secretary Richards stepped to the side and tapped at his pad and parts of two images were magnified.  "These were the images they supplied.  They show what appear to be Chinese units constructing military installations north of the Himalayas.  Both installations have equipment that would be used to construct heavy laser batteries capable of engaging targets beyond Earth's atmosphere.  With our support of a similar installation built by the FSC in Australia, it was considered inevitable that the Chinese would begin construction of their own installations.  One of the installations though, shows signs that it will also be capable of launching the Chinese Dragon Nuclear Flare Drive Missile.  This is in violation of the Pax Treaty and could itself be construed as an act of war."
   Secretary Richards began tapping his pad again and new areas on three of the other images were magnified.  "We were not willing to accept this without verification.  Several lifter crews made passes over Chinese air space and were able to recover these images before they were forced to evacuate that air space or be fired upon.  These images confirm the previous ones sent by the FSC, and show that additional sites are also being prepared for military installations.  We can confirm at least five installations with this reconnaissance, with two showing signs of being capable of Dragon Missile launch.  We intended to send official statements to the Chinese protesting this construction as a violation of the Pax Treaty and demanding that all sites be constructed without Dragon Missile launch capability.  Any structures built to support such a launch would need to be dismantled immediately.  That statement was scheduled to be broadcast at zero six thirty today, with a supporting statement issued by both the Pan Euro and FSC."
   Bradley watched as Secretary Richards took a deep breath, and then tapped at the pad again.  The remaining three images had portions of them magnified.  "Ninety minutes ago the Pan Euro also violated Chinese air space when a lifter returning from Luna entered Chinese controlled air space on the return trip to Earth.  These images show no less than three additional ground sites, two capable of Dragon Missile launch.  More disturbing is that they also show massive troop mobilizations in the western and southern holdings of the Chinese provinces.  No less than seven Power Armor or Armored Divisions are mobilizing in each of these two locations, with additional Reserve and Category III formations showing signs or mobilizing also.   With no Chinese Troop Transports in Earth orbit, it is considered unlikely these troops are intended for off world offenses.  The size of the mobilization would make transport off world almost impossible in any case."
   Secretary Richards stepped away from the display and moved to lean on the back of his chair.  He looked directly at Bradley.  "Admiral Walters, do we have any data on the current disposition of the Chinese fleet?"
   Bradley remained seated.  "No Secretary.  The Chinese Fleet, other than the three ships they lost at Titan, have not made any appearance since the last alien offensive.  We have no confirmed contact with their cruisers in months."
   Secretary Richards looked down at the table and shook his head slowly.  "In light of the recent data, the President has directed that we do not broadcast our protest to the Chinese.  General Foxx, you are to issue orders mobilizing II Corps, and placing V and VII Corp on standby.  All Hera launch facilities are to go on round the clock alert.  Admiral Walters, we will need all available military lifters fitted with racks and also placed on round the clock alert.  Each is to be fitted with six of the GBM 171 Orbit to Ground nuclear cruise missiles.  I am afraid that our situation with the Chinese is about to take a turn for the worse."
   Secretary Richards looked up with a hard but weary face.  "You are to prepare a briefing for zero six hundred this morning.  The old man will be coming to this one.  You need to be able to give him the time table, capabilities, and possible outcomes for a pre-emptive strike."

Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on July 07, 2012, 01:22:06 AM
March 2205 part 7

March 2nd  0410 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 9 LM from Mars

   Commodore Stephen Vasilikos tapped at the controls on his armrest and opened the prompt on his monitor.  Static crackled as he waited for the comm link to stabilize.  Then a voice.
   "This is Captain Scott Moreland.  Little early for a pow wow on how we are going to do this, isn't it?"
   Stephen waited a moment to make sure nothing else was following the statement.  'With the US ships a light second away, the comm lag turns conversations into something like a poorly dubbed movie.'
   "No time like the present.  There is something I want to go over before we get to Victoria. You're little rust buckets don't have the firepower to take down even a single Alpha, and are too slow to get out of a fight if you get into one.  If you actually put down on that rock and an alien ship arrives, you won't clear the dust cloud from your drives before you are turned into a bunch of scattered debris in the belt.  Do you disagree with this assessment?"
   Stephen waited for the comm lag to clear.  Moments later the reply came through.
   "Now that you are done singing the praises of my ships, is there some point to this?"
   Stephen chuckled a bit, and then opened the link again.  "Just this.  Your rust buckets are still better than nothing in a fight.  You can definitely help out the rest of the US fleet.  This means we can’t risk losing your ships in a situation like what happened at Hektor.  As the ranking officer of this group and as the representative of the Pan European Confederacy colonist on Victoria, I am hereby restricting your group to come no closer to that colony than thirty light seconds.  Are we clear on this?"
   There was almost no lag before the reply this time.  Scott's voice crackled back through almost immediately.  "Then just how do you propose that we evacuate the US troops still on Victoria.  Or anyone for that matter?"
   Stephen waited for a moment.  "There can still be three landing zones, but we aren't going to land in all of them at once.  You can send in your lifters if you chose to pick up survivors, but I am going to broadcast a revised evacuation schedule when we arrive at Victoria.  The only ship landing will be the Pan Euro Troopship.  It has the extra personnel to take care of civilians or troops.  You don't.  And when our troopship is full, it will move to your rust buckets and transfer the survivors over.  Then our troopship will return to the surface and land at the next evac point.  The Troopship is just fast enough to hold the distance open with an Alpha, and the Red October can give any alien ships a reason to use their version of the evasion protocol to slow them down.  Your Q Ships are just too damn slow.  I can't keep an Alpha from tearing you, and whatever passengers you are carrying, apart.  By the way, none of this is negotiable.  Can we agree on this?"
   The comm link was quiet for almost a minute.
   "You realize that this will extend the time necessary for the evacuation by hours.  Probably a day, actually.  That is a long time for the aliens to do something about it.  But yes, I can comply with this."
   "As long as we are clear.  You aren't to go looking for trouble at Victoria.  There is only room for one loose cannon on this mission, and it isn't your turn."  Stephen keyed off the link.


   0517 hours/Dome One, Mars

   Li Xue sat on the small stool and looked at the food on her tray.  'This tastes the same as what I ate on Hektor.  Maybe this hospital gets it food from the same place as our army units.'  Li chuckled to herself and slid the flimsy tray to the other side of the table.  With her good arm she unfastened the Velcro strap holding her on the stool and sat on the edge of it.  'Go back to bed, or sit at the table.  Choices, choices.'  Li looked at the small vid screen set flush with the center of the table.  'If I want to watch anything, guess I have to sit at the table.'  Li looked at the two small stools and the small round table.  'All the furniture is sitting on a single support that is fused to the floor.  The bed is little more than a raised area in the floor with a mattress.  The pillow and single sheet are even part of the mattress.  Wouldn't want the patient to have anything to hang herself with.'  Li tossed one of the empty plastic tubes that had held 'breakfast' into the air and watched it hit the blank ceiling, and then slowly drift down to the floor.  'I doubt I could even hang myself in this low gravity.'
   Li looked up as the door opened and a young woman in a uniform walked in.  'The one person who came to me and could speak Chinese told me I was a patient at a hospital and not a prisoner.  I can't open that door though.'  The young woman was holding a small cup with several pills in it.  "Oh goody, you brought me happy pills didn't you?"  Li watched as the woman stopped by the table and spouted some gibberish while holding out the cup.  'You don't even understand a word I said.'
   Li shook her head and pushed the woman's hand away.  The woman just held them back out again.  "You are kind of slow, aren't you?  I don't want to feel numb or sleep all day.  Just take the pills away and leave."  Li pushed the woman's hand again and looked down at the table.  She had a moment to see that the screen was blinking yellow with strange symbols on it before the alarm sounded.  Li saw the cup slowly fall and spill across the table as the young woman ran for the door.  Watched as the woman pounded on it and screamed at it.  Li put her head down on the table.
   'I guess I don't need the pills to feel numb.  Just this.'
   Li listened as the woman's yelling turned to shrieks as the room shook and the lights went out.


   0519 hours/Traffic Control Center One, Mars

   Rear Admiral Jamie Gauld held onto the back of the chair as the room shook slightly.  "How many are left?!"
   A man in the chair in front of Jamie was wildly tapping at prompts on the six screens at his station.  A voice called out, "We've lost contact with the Four Twenty Seventh Engineers."  Another voice called out.  "Richard, you've got four bombers in Sector Seven One.  Route Lifters Two Six and Three Eight Five onto course one two two at ascension minus fifteen.  Remaining lifters crossing into space above Domes Eight and Nine."  A woman called out above the din, "Orbital Transfer Station Two on eight G burn.  Clearing GTOS Bays One through Four."
   Jamie looked out across the room.  Dozens of men and women were frantically moving from one station to another, tapping at prompts and talking or yelling into their headsets.  'At least they aren't screaming.  I had expected nothing but chaos here.  I guess this isn't the first time they have done this.'  Then the man in front of Jamie finally spoke.  "Admiral, I've got a link into the returns from Defense Base One.  They are tracking fourteen alien bombers within five zero zero klicks of the surface.  Forwarding feed to triple A units around this Dome and Dome Three.  Trying to patch through to Second Marine."  Jamie tried to look at the returns.  'The first reports were of twenty eight alien bombers closing on Mars.  Mars Station and the two Defense Bases must have taken out half of them, but that still leaves a lot of nukes left over.'
   Another voice cut through the noise.  "We have nine, no, correction, eleven confirmed detonations.  Reports from Domes Eight, Nine, Eleven and Fifteen of damage.  We have lost contact with Domes Two and Seven."  Jamie stood up and turned from the nearby console as amber lights began flashing.  The woman's voice he had heard earlier shouted to be heard.  "Second Marine confirms three alien bombers inbound to this location in eleven seconds."
   Jamie leaned over the console beside him and quickly tapped at the monitor, authorizing the use of all ground based munitions against the alien bombers.  'It's too late to save us, but this may save some of the other domes.'  Jamie grabbed the console to brace himself and activated the magnetic locks in the soles of his feet. 'Doubt it will make much difference.  First time I have ever wished I was locked into a station.'  The man in front of Jamie turned to face him, white as a sheet.  "Admiral, Defense Base One reports magnetic contact at twelve light seconds, and eighteen additional bombers closing at eight light seconds."
   Jamie felt the metal of the console begin to crush under his fingers.  'Here come the alien warships.  God help us, there may be no one left here to save."
   The woman yelled again, this time her voice began to crack.  "Tracking three inbound munitions!"
   The lights in the control room went out.
    
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on August 31, 2012, 05:49:39 PM
March 2205 part 8

March 2nd 0521 hours/Combat Vessel 7, 7.5 light seconds from the fourth planet

   The Commander of Combat Vessel 7 altered the field at his station and the crew responded to his orders.  Magnetic field generators spun their coils and waves of protective force began to envelop the ship.  Sensor arrays came online and data filled the field at the Commander's station, replacing the seconds old feed from the sensor array on Attack Vessel 3.
   'There are not enough crewmembers left onboard to operate all the stations adequately.  They have been at their posts too short of a time and are new to their duties.  But they will have to staff all of the operational systems for a short time, enough crew or not.  The Commander of Fleets gave orders to escort the Hive Vessels for this operation and not to risk the ships.   But if the defenses of the fourth planet are allowed to fire on the second wave unmolested, then the losses may hamper our future operations.  All twenty eight of the Scout Craft in the first wave were destroyed.  The eighteen Attack Craft of the second wave cannot meet that same fate.  We will need to direct the enemy's attention elsewhere as the second wave goes in.'
   The Commander checked the field strength of the magnetic generators.  'All of the generators survived the last battle, and that will help us.  It will be monitoring the Combat Vessel's course and the drive that will test the crew.  We are so close to Armed Colony Vessel 7, now less than two percent of a light second, that even a small miscalculation will find one of these ships in the drive bloom of the other.  We must remain close so that the rapid fire mass driver of the Armed Colony Vessel can protect us.'
   The Commander checked the sensor data to ensure that Attack Vessel 3 and Armed Colony Vessel 3 were in close formation.  The Attack Vessel would need the protection of the rapid fire mass driver on Armed Colony Vessel 3.  'The Attack Vessel has the weakest field generators, and they have often been a favored target of the native race.  Attack Vessel 3 is at even greater risk than the Combat Vessel.'
   The Commander turned his attention to the sensor returns from the planet ahead.  'The first wave of scout craft reported new contacts in orbit of the planet.  Two large and sprawling orbital structures were reported, one of them apparently unarmed.  Those contacts have always been recorded at this planet.  The first wave reported two new orbital structures, both of which were apparently armed and displayed magnetic protective fields.'  The Commander extended his perception through the sensor array and could feel the two new structures.  'Both are the same mass as a Patrol Vessel, with magnetic fields that make clear identification of what they are impossible.  The first wave reported that many scout craft were destroyed as they approached the planet, but there are no sensor reports of warhead detonations.  Not even sensor records of launches by the enemy.  These new orbital platforms must be armed with the emitter this race uses that fails to leave sensor records.  That may be a problem.'  The Commander could only sense the two small orbital structures as he searched the space around the planet.  'The other two massive structures must have moved into orbital positions behind the planet.  That is well.  There will be fewer weapons to oppose the Attack Craft.'
   The Commander of Combat Vessel 7 felt the field alter at his station as the crewmember controlling the Sensor Arrays reported, 'Distance to the enemy planet of six point five light seconds.  The Commander altered his field, ordering all of the ship crews to begin the new maneuver program.  'This will test the new crew.  Coordinating the rapid aspect changes of the Combat Vessel with those of the Armed Colony Vessel.'  The Commander strengthened the field holding him to the divots at his station while the ship began to heave as the drive cut in and out.
   The Commander could sense through the arrays as could the crew, that two inbound torpedoes had been detected.

   0524 hours/Attack Craft 20, 1 light second from the fourth planet

   The Commander of Attack Craft 20 could feel the enemy torpedoes pass the ship and move off towards the distant warships.  'We may have a chance.  None of the Attack Craft have been damaged yet.'
   It was too far, and the sensor array of the craft too limited, for the Commander of Attack Craft 20 to discern how the battle was going for the warships.  But the two orbital stations of the native race were close, and looming ever larger on the sensor array.  As a second pair of torpedoes launched from the enemy structures, the Commander could feel as three torpedoes from the warships detonated around one of the bases.  The Commander strained to feel past the waves of plasma as they cleared, and could sense that the base had lost its protective field.  The Commander could not sense the structure venting damage, but without a drive it had no need to vent debris into space as a warship would.  'Let us hope the damage is crippling.'
   Attack Craft 20 lurched and the drive cut out.  The Commander could feel in the field at his station that plating on the forward section of the ship had been shattered.  The Commander altered the field around him and the drive restarted.  'The native race has decided to fight both these Craft and the warships.  Let us hope they fail at both.' 
   The Commander again altered the field and reduced the output of the drive, then redirected the thrust to slow the Attack Craft as it closed on the fourth planet.  'The atmosphere around the planet is thin, but it will still tear us apart if we enter it too rapidly.'  As the Attack Craft slowed and then began a slight roll to begin entry into the atmosphere, the Commander could sense as three more torpedoes detonated around the orbital bases.  This time debris was evident in the space around the structure that had lost its protective field.    Seconds later the base disappeared in a massive detonation.
   'It would appear the mass drivers of the Armed Colony Vessels have come in range.  The second enemy base should be destroyed in a few moments.'
   The Commander of Attack Craft 20 had only a moment to sense and understand as the damaged forward section failed under the heat and pressure of entry into the atmosphere of the planet and Attack Craft 20 was torn into thousands of pieces.

   0526 hours/Attack Craft 23, 0.5 light seconds from the fourth planet

   Soldier 24-52 rechecked the systems in his Light Combat Suit, and could sense the other soldiers in his team doing the same.  'The Team Leader is prepping for drop.  I can feel the feed from the Attack Craft to his suit.  I need to concentrate on my suit though.  When we drop, any leak in the suit will be fatal.  The air of this planet is thin but will scald on contact.  It will only take a leak a few moments to cook a Soldier' 
   Soldier 24-52 felt his suit shake violently and used the sensors of his suit to extend his perception past the wall of the Attack Craft.  'We are entering the atmosphere of the planet.  It is almost time.'  Soldier 24.52 could feel the tension of the rest of the Soldiers as vividly as his own.  The field around his suit altered and the Team Leader, Soldier 24-50 issued the drop orders.
   Soldier 24-52 could feel the Team Leader's orders as they coursed through the craft.  'We will deploy from the Attack Craft just above the tops of the enemy domes, and use the momentum from the Attack Craft to reach our deployment zone.  The Attack Craft preceding us will drop supplies for the coming battle.  We need to secure the drop zone and then begin moving those supplies into the nearby dome as quickly as possible.'
   Soldier 24-52 waited as the Team Leader began to assign tasks and duties.  Data flooded the fields as suits were tied into the sensor net of the Attack Craft for a last update.  'I have been assigned an enemy vehicle moving near the drop zone and suppressive fire on a damaged area of the dome we are dropping near.  I am also to remain with the supplies outside the dome until the heavy units have breached and cleared an area inside the dome.'  Soldier 24-52 sensed the bay open on the Attack Craft and all of his appendages tensed as fear filled him and the clamp released his suit.  Soldier 24-52 expanded his field as far and hard as he could, trying to both sense his targets and brace himself inside his Light Combat Suit as it rocketed through the thin air above the enemy domes.  Soldier 24-52 felt the faint signature of a moving vehicle below on the ground and triggered two rockets toward it.  The detonations were lost among a dozen other explosions and the cloud of charged particles as the planets dust swirled up and acquired static charges, interfering with the Light Combat Suit's sensors.
   Soldier 24-52 fired the braking thrusters and ended up pressed hard against the front of the suit.  Pain flared in his forward legs as the suit collided roughly with the surface of the planet and then righted itself.  He panicked at the thought of searing gas rushing into the suit and dying as he was boiled and burned alive.  As the seconds passed he forced himself to check the suit's targeting array and find the section of the dome he was assigned to fire on.  Soldier 24-52 altered his field and the rapid magnetic pulses of the gauss weapon coursed through Soldier 24-52.  Magnetic waves passed through him over and over as weapons fired and detonated.  He felt as if his very insides were being stirred and scrambled as massive surges flared and passed while the Heavy Assault Suits used their plasma dischargers to breach the outer wall of an intact section of the nearby dome.
   More moments passed and Soldier 24-52 realized that he could sense none of the enemy near him.  There was no return fire.  No explosions that hadn't been triggered by another member of his unit.  Soldier 24-52 stopped the gauss weapon and waited.  He extended his perception to the area around him, and not just his suit and target area.
   Dozens of pods were scattered about the area.  'Those are the supplies dropped by the other Attack Craft.  They don't all seem to have fared well.  It looks like nearly half of them broke up on impact with the surface.  At least the supplies they carried seem to be intact, if a little dirty.'  Soldier 24-52 felt his Team Leaders field reach out to his own.  If the Team Leader, Soldier 24-50, felt any fear, he masked it well. 
   'Gather supplies with the rest of the team.  We are moving into the dome.  The longer we remain out here, the more likely we are to become a target for the enemy's orbital assets.'
   Soldier 24-52 moved toward the scattered supplies of the nearest pod and used the field of his suit to begin gathering what he could reach.  As the supplies were lifted from the dirt and began to cluster around his suit, Soldier 24-52 remembered his training to not let extra equipment block the rockets or gauss weapon.  He raised the supplies above the suit and felt the Team Leaders field as he passed near him.  The Attack Craft above were transmitting to the Team Leader.  It wasn't meant for Soldier 24-52, but he could still sense it.
   'Soldier 24-50, enemy forces tracked moving toward your location.  Prepare for hostile contact.  Withdraw into enemy dome and hold supply dump.  Enemy formation appears to outnumber your unit by at least ten to one.'

 
   
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on September 22, 2012, 03:21:10 PM
March 2205 part 9

March 2nd  0535 hours/Dome One, Mars

   Ensign Tom Hudson held the fluorescent lantern out in front of him to light the ruined hallway, and carefully crossed a broken light fixture that had fallen.  "Sure, Ed leaves me behind and goes on the dangerous mission to the belt, so I sit here safe and sound to get a 'tune up'.  So who is the one in the middle of a combat zone?"  Tom looked behind him and saw the nurse in her light vaac suit trying to negotiate the same obstacle Tom had just crossed.  She seemed indifferent to his monologue.  'Actually, she looks scared as hell.  Not one of us has a weapon and the word is that the aliens dropped troops near here.  But there are still portions of this medical wing that didn't lose pressure when the nukes hit, and someone needs to get anyone left the hell out of here before the aliens overrun this area.'  Tom turned around and started down the hall again.  "You guessed it lady.  I always seem to be the one left holding the bag."
   "No, I've got the bag of supplies.  You're just here to help move any debris I can't deal with."
   Tom stopped, surprised to hear her speak.  He looked back and saw the nurse hop off the edge of the fixture and drift slowly to the floor.  He watched as she waved the bag she carried at him, and then began to move down the hallway.  'Guess she can talk.  Maybe she just doesn't know how bad this really is.'  Tom turned back and began walking down the hall, checking the door to his left as he went.  "Seal is broken on this one."  Tom pushed the pad to activate the emergency release, but nothing happened.  He reached up to the door frame and gripped the edge.  The heavy polymer sheeting buckled and snapped under his fingers, and the latch broke free from the frame.  "Looks like the new parts are working ok. You did a good job little lady."  Tom let go and pushed the door open.  Inside were three bodies, all in the light skin suits that everyone wore.  They had sealed them, but the only air they had was from a small tank on the suit.  Just enough for 5 minutes or so.  That time had been up a while back.
   "No one here we can help."  Tom closed the door and moved down the hall.  Tom stopped again to look at the hallway.  The fluorescent lantern cast shifting shadows across the pieces of wall or roof that had fallen, or the equipment that had been thrown about as the hall had vented its air.  A faint white shimmer caught his attention.  Tom increased the magnification on his HUD and the small white shimmer grew and came into focus.
   "Ok, we might have a winner here.  I can see a small air leak up ahead around one of the door frames.  With a little luck we might find someone we can help."  Tom pushed aside a piece of wall sheeting that had fallen and moved to the next obstacle.  A structural support had fallen on one of the upper levels, piercing through the floors below until it had lodged in the hallway here on the medical level.  The debris from the hall ceiling, along with the support, had closed off most of the corridor.  Tom waited on the nurse carrying the bag to catch up with him.  "Come on missy.  The folks in that room don't have all day."
   Tom could see the face of the woman as she came up to him.  She was pale, with dark hair matted together with sweat, but the stern look on her face could have melted the blast shield on his lander.  Tom held the lantern towards her.  "Take this; I am going to need both hands."  The woman snatched the lantern from him.  'Suppose I should tell her thanks, but I doubt that will make her happy anyway.'
   Tom looked at the debris near the support, and dug his fingers into part of what appeared to be a mangled piece of ductwork.  Tom activated the magnetic locks on his feet and started backing up.  Tom could hear the screech of the metal as the sound vibrated through his 'body'.  After two steps a portion of the metal tore free and small pieces of it broke loose as the metal snapped.  Tom heard a shriek on his radio and turned around.  The nurse was busy trying to hold one hand over a stream of air gushing from her suit while her other hand was frantically trying to grab a piece of the duct tape strapped to her leg.  Tom dropped the metal fragment and grabbed a piece of tape from the woman's leg, pulled her other hand out of the way, and sealed the leak with the strip of tape.
   "I told you that tape would come in handy.  You can thank me later."
   Tom could hear the woman breathing hard as she tried to calm down and catch her breath.  He looked at the area where the metal had broken free.  Tom reached into the mess and crushed several jagged areas of metal back onto themselves.  After a few moments, he stopped to check his progress.  "I think we can squeeze through here."  Tom climbed into the gap in the wreckage and pushed his way through. 'If I can make it, she can.'
   Tom reached back through the gap and waited until the nurse handed him his lantern, then he moved up to the door with the small air leak.  It only took a few seconds before the woman was through the hole in the debris and had reached Tom.  "Go ahead and set up the entry seal for me.  If there is anything unhealthy on the far side of this door, I've got a better chance of surviving it."
   Tom watched as the woman set the bag on the floor and opened it.  "Yeah, I think it's your turn to have something unpleasant happen to you."  He watched as she dropped a small air cylinder at his feet and then unrolled a section of heavy plastic sheet and began taping it around him and the door.  It took a few minutes for her to finish the seal, but as she completed her work the plastic began to billow up as the small leak filled it.
   Tom picked up the small cylinder and slowly released the valve.  Air began to hiss from it and the plastic sheet became a 'bubble' of air.  Tom hit the emergency release on the door, and again nothing happened.  Tom gripped the frame and watched as the latch broke free and the door popped open as the pressure in the bubble pushed it in.


   0539 hours/Dome One, Mars

   Li Xue swallowed hard to make her ears pop again.  'It helps to make them feel better, but it also makes the leak that much easier to hear.'  Li took a deep breath, and then another.  'They told us that long deep breaths help to keep you calm and get the most from what oxygen there is when the pressure drops.  I wonder if they taught that to these colonists, or if she just forgot.'
   Li listened to the shallow panting of the other woman in the room.  The young woman who had tried to get Li to take the pills she had brought.  "You need to slow your breathing.  You are only making it worse."  Li listened as the woman continued panting.  'Maybe she is just susceptible to low pressures.  I have heard that some people are, but you would think they wouldn't allow them to become colonists.  I can hear her beginning to wheeze, even with her shallow breathing.  Her lungs are already swelling and filling with fluid in response to the low pressure in the room.'  Li reached out across the top of the table until she felt the pills that had spilled there.  'Maybe these will help her calm down.  Or they might just kill her.  We are going to die anyway, so I suppose that isn't such a horrible thing.  At least she will just feel numb and go to sleep, instead of choking to death as her lungs fill up.'
   Li picked up the pills, and lowered herself to the floor.  She took a moment to orient to the noise of the woman panting and wheezing, then began to crawl toward the noise.  'At least with the furniture all molding into the floor, I won't have to worry about any of it having moved.'  Li felt her heart begin to race slightly as she crawled, and her head began to pound and spin.  'There must be less pressure in here than I thought.  We are probably on top of the tallest mountain on Earth right now.  Maybe higher.'  Li pictured herself crawling across a snowy summit as she moved along the cold floor.  Her hand touched something warm and she felt the young woman startle.  The girl's breathing became even more rapid.  "Calm down child.  It will be alright."  Li tried to use a soothing voice, as she pulled herself closer and sat beside the young woman.  She felt along her body until she found hair, then her face.  Li took the pills and held them against the other woman's mouth.  She felt the young woman shake her head a few times.  Li pulled her hand back and waited as the woman began panting again, then poked the pills into the woman's mouth and held it shut.  The girl coughed or gagged for a moment as she tried to push Li away, and then Li heard her swallow.  Li took her hand away and tried to caress the young woman's hair.  "It's alright.  Just a little longer."
   Li felt the young woman put a hand on her, and then felt the girl's head as the young woman pulled herself into Li's lap and rested there.  The sound of her wheezing was getting worse, and more rapid.  Li could feel herself beginning to pant as her chest began to ache.  As Li rested her hand on the girl’s hair, all she could think of was Mae.  "I hope she is still alive.  But if she isn't, I hope she didn't die alone."  Li felt tears begin to roll down her cheek as she thought of Mae.
   Suddenly something slammed into Li's head and the world began to swim.  Her already throbbing headache had become a bright, blinding light and she felt herself fall back onto the floor.  Li could just make out a figure behind the light before it all turned into a mix of swirling colors.


   0540 hours/GTOR 47, Earth orbit near US Spaceworks

   Captain Ron Brook reached forwarded and tapped the navigation computer.  "This thing is probably older than we are.  It ought to know the way home by now."
   "You would think so, but we aren't exactly on the regular route home, are we?"
   Ron looked over at his co-pilot, Lieutenant Lainee Thomas.  "No, I guess you are right Lainee.  The ground-side brass wants another high pass over Chinese airspace to get more pictures of whatever it is they find so interesting.  Check in with the Traffic Control Center on the Spaceworks.  Make sure we are still on course."
   Lainee reached forward and turned the radio to the TCC's frequency.  The radio crackled to life.  Ron watched as Lainee pulled the neck ring of her aging vaac suit down so she could speak directly at the microphone on the control panel.  "TCC Zero Three, this is GTOR Four Seven.  Request trajectory check."
   A few seconds passed and a reply crackled in.  "GTOR Four Seven, this is TCC Zero Three.  We have you at one two zero klicks below plotted altitude.  Velocity within re-entry parameters.  Do you copy?"
   Lainee pulled the ring down again.  "Copy.  Nav Com seems to have an issue.  Will attempt course correction.  Please stand by."
   Lainee let go of the neck ring and looked at Ron.  "Guess they will get their pictures from a little closer than they had expected."
   "Looks that way."  Ron pressed the buttons on the console to activate the external feed and began to align the picture.  Reds lights flashed in the cabin as the rocket shook violently.
   Ron looked up at Lainee.  "What's wrong?  Is the Nav Com that far off?!"
   Lainee reached forward and began to tap at the screen in front of her.  Suddenly the entire bank of screens went black, along with the cockpit.  The red emergency lights flickered to life.  "Ron, what the hell happened?!"  Ron could hear the stress in Lainee's voice as she tapped over and over again at the blank screens in front of her.
   "I don't know, but whatever it is, it sure can't be good.".


   0547 hours/Adirondack Defense Command Center, US

   Admiral Bradley Walters sat in the briefing room, watching the assembled staff as they hurried about.  'The president is on his way here for a briefing in this unfinished concrete room.  If these people are hoping to make it look comfortable and stylish, they are years too late.  With reports that the aliens bombed the colonies on Mars and landed troops there twenty minutes ago, and with the president due to arrive here in the next ten minutes, this seems a little inappropriate.'
   Bradley watched as Commander Victor Jones pulled up the reports from Mars and read them off to Bradley.  "Defense Base Two was destroyed, but Base One and the Martian Spaceworks were undamaged.  The aliens bombed the surface, but this time hit military targets for the most part.  Usually troop concentrations near several domes.  And they landed their troops and supplies with those small, high speed craft they have.  Apparently they can be used as something other than a bomb."
   Bradley leaned forward and pointed at some of the data.  "It doesn't look like they have anywhere close to the number of troops they will need to hold out for long on the surface though.  And again they abandoned a landing site."  Bradley tapped at the Commander's screen and pulled up reports of the Martian troop movements.  "I thought so.  The aliens will have a hard time holding any of their landing zones.  We have far more troops, and we have orbital surveillance of the alien movements.  They may be hoping to bait us into deploying more ships to Mars for them to destroy, but they will end up losing their troops if they don't support them soon.  We may have the chance to hit the aliens when they are vulnerable for a change."
   Bradley saw Commander Jones turn slightly in his chair.  "Do you think that any action against China would be wise at this time?  We have a large number of assets here on the ground that could be used to take out the new sites they are constructing, but without orbital support the losses could be tremendous."
   Bradley shook his head.  "With the chance to hit the aliens, and maybe gain some breathing room for us to rebuild our fleet, I have no intention of recommending that we take any action against China at this time.  Other than harsh language of course.  But a shooting war here?  No."
   Bradley and Victor both looked up as one of Secretary Richards' aides rushed in and pulled the Secretary aside.  The color seemed to drain from his face as the aide spoke.  The man seemed to stumble to the head of the table as the aide left the room.
   "Gentlemen, I have distressing news.  Ground to Orbit Rocket Forty Seven had been scheduled for a high orbit flyby of Chinese space over the Pacific coast.  It had been intended to gain the latest Intel on the situation in that area for this meeting.  Our orbital station was tracking the craft and detected energy pulses consistent with laser batteries discharging from the surface in Korea. GTOR Forty Seven was apparently damaged and lost attitude control.  Its emergency re-entry systems activated and tried to bring the craft back safely to Earth but failed.  Reports indicate that it has crashed in Seattle.  Initial reports indicate that the city may be a total loss and that the death toll may exceed five million."
Title: Re: Nemesis Campaign
Post by: procyon on January 10, 2013, 10:01:52 AM
March 2205 part 10

March 2nd  0555 hours/Mars Traffic Control Center, Mars surface

   Rear Admiral Jamie Gauld looked about the control room.  The once bright room was now lit by several battery powered lanterns.  The staff, once dressed in Space Service uniforms, were now dressed in light EVA suits.  The screens were mostly dark.  Power had been restored to a few, but no more than half a dozen.  A portable radio, heavily shielded against EMP, was now hooked into the communications array and was set to work as a repeater from the Communication Specialist's EVA suit.
   Jamie looked around at the Control Center and the staff.  'We have some ability to follow what is happening and give orders.  But it sure ain't much.'
   Jamie moved over to the Traffic Control plot.  "How is the redeployment of the Seventeenth going?  Have we got lifters to their site yet, Charlie?"
   A young woman, Ensign Charlotte Peterson, turned from the monitor she had been intently tapping at.  "Admiral, I think we have one lifter routed from the Mars Station to their site, but I haven't gotten confirmation that it has landed.  The Control Center's array is down and we are working off a feed I have patched through from Defense Base One.  But the debris from the blasts is making it difficult for them to track movements near ground level."
   "Keep working on it.  If you can track down any assets that can help, put them to work.  Commandeer anything that can move passengers."
   Another voice grabbed Jamie's attention.  "Admiral, the Third Battalion of the Fourth Light Power Armor has made contact.  They indicate they have their company of Stewart Light Assault Vehicles loaded and ready to go.  They could get here with them carrying a company of infantry in thirty minutes."
   Jamie moved away from Ensign Peterson and turned towards the radio.  "Tell whoever's running the Third of the Fourth that they need to move to the spaceport near Dome Fourteen.  There are only two facilities set up to offload the amount of supplies we will need if this drags out, and this one is not open for business.  They need to secure the civilian facilities by Dome Fourteen before the aliens do.  Get the rest of the Fourth on their heels as soon as possible."
   Jamie turned back to the monitors only to see them black out.  "What the hell just happened?"
   "Admiral, we've lost the link to the external array.  All external feeds are down.  Comm is out also."
   Jamie switched his internal radio over to the Security Team's band.  "Sierra Tango Tango Charlie this is Juliette Bravo, Sitrep."
   The radio filled with static for a few moments before a voice broke through.  "Juliette Bravo, this is Tango Charlie.  Heavily engaged in Concourses One through Four.  Ogres times two have breached external walls near Hatches Seven and Eight.  Moving in unknown strength toward Juliette Alpha.  Sending squad for extraction..."  The radio signal suddenly broke off and was replaced by static.
   Jamie switched his radio back to the Control Center's internal frequency.  "Everyone, pack up what you can.  We move in two minutes for Concourse Five.  Comm, see if you can get that portable to raise anyone over in that area.  See if they have any birds on the ground that can still fly, and better yet, someone who can fly them.  We are moving to Mars Station One.  It's the only place we are going to have the eyes to track this situation and keep in contact with all the units."
   Jamie scrolled through the menus on his HUD.  'It's been a long time since I piloted a lifter.  Sure hope we can find one I can fly.'


   0612 hours/Enemy Spaceport, Fourth planet surface

   Soldier 24-52 extended his magnetic field, along with the other light suit and his Team Leader, Soldier 24-50.  'We need to push back all this dust.  The particles are becoming charged and clouding the sensors on my suit.'
   Soldier 24-52 could feel the rapid pulses from his Team Leader's gauss weapon as he sprayed fire through the nearby hatchway and out across the searing landscape beyond it.  Soldier 24-52 could feel that his suit was still far too hot to fire his weapon yet, and tried to vent heat into the lower external rockets.  Moments later he detached them and fired both out into the hellish landscape outside, programming their fields to settle into the dust and activate their movement sensors.
   'Those two bombs will give us some warning if they try to reach this hatchway.  Venting this section of the enemy's home has cooled it for now, but soon it will be just as hot in here as it is outside.'
   Soldier 24-52 could sense as the Team Leader moved away from the hatch and Soldier 24-51 moved to continue the suppressive fire.  'It will be my turn in only a few moments.  The weapon is ready.'  Soldier 24-52 altered the field in his suit and tried to use the targeting sensors to extend his perception through the wall.  'I can feel through the wall for a short distance, but the floating charges make it impossible to lock onto a target from here.'  Soldier 24-52 switched the targeting over to a thermal setting.  'This can't see through the walls, but the enemy suits still shine like flaming demons, even in this inferno.'
   Soldier 24-52 suddenly felt his suit shift violently as a grenade detonated in the hatchway.  He could sense as sections of the external wall were vaporized by some weapon and the two rockets he had placed outside the hatchway detonated, spewing more of the swirling charged dust inside the hatch.
   Soldier 24-52 altered the suit's field and moved away from the hatch then began firing on it with his gauss weapon as he fell back.  Even as he moved his suit behind a craft in the bay and continued to fire underneath of it towards the hatchway, he could feel the pain and fear of Soldier 24-51 as the superheated atmosphere slowly invaded his suit.  He could also feel Team Leader 24-50 sending orders to Soldier 24-51.  Even as Soldier 24-51 was dying, he moved his suit beyond the hatch into the scorching ground filled with the enemy and detonated the remaining rockets on his suit.
   Soldier 24-52 suddenly sensed several of the enemy suits rocket past the hatchway and into the bay.  He shifted behind the cover and detached four of the external rockets and locked them onto the rapidly moving figures.  Soldier 24-52 felt dozens of other rockets closing on the hatchway with his and felt the detonations as they shock the inside of the bay.  'We won't have enough rockets to hold them all off much longer.'
   Soldier 24-52 could feel a new field suddenly filling the room, followed by the field of his Team Leader ordering him to push forward toward the hatchway again.
   The new field became clearer and stronger and meaning filled it.  He tried to supress the fear he felt, trying to keep it from invading the field.
   "This is Attack Craft 22.  Four Heavy Assault Suits and twenty triads to deploy immediately.  Supporting fire requested for landing."
   Soldier 24-52 moved toward the door and fired his gauss weapon into the clouds of dust and the enemy soldiers it hid.


   0620 hours/Mars Central Spaceport, Concourse 5, Mars surface

   Li Xue hung on tightly with both hands.  'I feel like part of a streamer some child is waving in the wind.'
   A sudden ripple in the human chain made Li grab even harder to the woman in front of her, as her left arm became even more numb.  "I know we need to hold on to each other like this so we can keep up with you, but I don't think I can hold on like this much longer."  Li waited to see if there was any response.
   'I didn't figure he could hear me.  This silly suit has no radio.  The only people who can hear me are the ones I'm right up against.  Which would be some woman I don't even know in front of me, and the nurse that is all doped up behind me.'  Li felt a moment of guilt as she remembered forcing the nurse to take the meds that had been intended for her.
   Li looked around at the chain of people she was part of.  'There are about eight of us, and I'm halfway back along the chain.  The cyborg can move quickly because his feet stick to these floors.  But the rest of us just bounce in the low gravity if we try to go fast or change direction in a hurry.  So one of us hangs onto the cyborg and the rest of us just string out behind.'  Li felt her left arm begin to slip and dug in even more tightly with her right.  A muffled squeal of pain and an angry voice echoed in her puffed up skin suit.  All of it gibberish.
   "Oh please shut up.  If I let go, I and everyone behind me are dead.  If you don't like it, complain to the aliens.  They started all this."  Li could feel her left arm slipping more and suddenly reached up with her legs and wrapped them around the woman in front of her.  'Oh my.  She sounds even more upset than before.'  Li leaned forward so the bubble around her head touched the woman's in front of her.  "Just shut up and keep your legs toward the floor.  You stumble and both our butts are going to bounce on this hard floor."
   Li could feel sweat trickling down her face and back as she held on.  She took a few deep breaths but it didn't seem to help.  'The air in this skin suit is getting stale already.  They say it will last five minutes, but I doubt that is if you are holding on for dear life and bouncing around like a rag doll.  Oh no.  Another corner.'
   Li braced herself as the cyborg moved quickly around the corner and the chain swung with him.  Li could feel feet skittering on the floor trying to slow down, and watched as she and the line slowly hit the wall.  'That wasn't so bad.  Maybe that cyborg is taking pity on us.'  Li looked up and saw a cloud of dust suddenly billow into the new hallway they had just entered and the lights dimmed.  "Oh smeg, that isn't good."
   Li could feel the cyborg change from a fast walk to a dead run and felt her left arm pull free.  Another sudden jerk pulled her right arm free also.  Li cinched her legs hard and tried to lock her feet together while her head was folded harshly against her chest as it was pushed forward by the body of the nurse behind her.  She felt the pressure on her neck let up and looked back in time to see the nurse drift free as she lost her grip.  Li grabbed for the nurse with her right hand and just managed to get hold of her arm.  She could feel the nurse's fingers dig into her as she also held on for her life.  Suddenly the nurse was rushing toward her and Li felt herself smashed between the nurse and the woman in front of her.
   "What was that for?"  Li tried to look around and saw that she was only a few meters from a lifter of some sort and that the cyborg had freed himself from the chain and was beginning to move up the side of the lifter.  Li released her grips and tried to orient herself as she fell toward the floor in a slow spin.  As she seemed to crawl toward the floor she could see that a side hatch on the lifter was open.  As she continued her slow spin, she saw flashes light the dim bay.  'Oh no.  Oh no !  Please No !"  Li struggled to get a hand or foot to the floor to push off with as over a dozen alien suits and power armored soldiers fought in one of the entrances to the bay.  Li saw dust spray from the side of the lifter as one of the alien suits fired.
   Li pushed her way toward the open hatch and scrambled inside the lifter.  "I can't see a thing.  Can anyone turn on a light?! Please turn on a light !"  Li found a structure inside the lifter and clung to it.  Tried to pull it between her and the hatch.  Li looked back and forth.  'It's too dark.  I can't see anything !'
   Li watched as the lifter door shut and the compartment was plunged into complete darkness.  Li realized that her chest was burning and her breath was coming in ragged gasps.  'Oh god, I'm going to suffocate in this suit before they know I'm even in here.'  Then she felt herself being pulled away from whatever it was she had hold of, and clung to it harder.  'I can't even catch my breath to scream ! It can’t end like this.’ 
Li's chest began to ache from exertion and her head hurt.  Light flooded her vision and she realized that everything looked very grey.  She could see others in skin suits gathered in the compartment with her, and that someone was up walking around.  She watched as the grey figure reached down to pull the hood of her suit loose and felt cold air on her face.


   0629 hours/GTOS 22, 500 meters above Mars

   Ensign Tom Hudson tried to pull the struggling Chinese woman from the bracket she had wrapped herself around.  'Damn, she has a death grip on this.  She had a good hold on it when she was purple and nearly suffocated.  Now she's really latched on.  I could peel her off, but I'd definitely hurt her doing it.'
   Tom looked over to see that the nurse who'd accompanied him for the better part of the last hour had taken the helmet off of her EVA suit and was helping the other passengers.  'I'm just going to let her take care of the rest.  She can fix the ones that haven't opened up their skin suits yet.  We didn't go through all that work to save their sorry butts just for them to suffocate on my boat.  She isn't going to be able to talk to this little lady though.  At least I doubt that nurse Kelly speaks Chinese.'
   Tom took a moment to count heads in the shuttle's outer hatchway.  'Looks like I've got six in here.  Damn.  We must have lost one somewhere along the line.'  Tom turned back to the woman curled up into a ball around the bracket, then selected the translator menu on his HUD and switched the output to the dialect of Chinese that had worked a few days before.  'Alright, now what do I say?'
   Tom knelt beside the Chinese woman and waited as her breathing slowed down.  As he waited he heard several pings on the outer hull that told him some alien was taking pot shots at his shuttle.  "Lay off, damn it."
   "What?"
   Tom looked back to the woman in front of him and found her looking into his faceplate.  "Not you.  You're safe for now.  Are you hurt?"  She seemed to lose focus for a moment and took a few breaths, then began to slowly move her arms and legs a bit.  Tom watched her speak and waited for the translator to catch up.  'This is like watching a poorly dubbed vid.'
   "I think I'm no worse than I was before you found me.  I can't feel my left arm very well."
   Tom nodded to her.  "I need you to let go of the bracket so we can get you into an inner compartment.  We are heading to the station in orbit.  If this compartment has been holed it will lose pressure before we dock."
   Tom watched as the woman's face grew more focused, and she struggled to unwrap herself from the bracket.  "Good.  Good.  Slowly.  There now."  Tom gently took her arm as she tried to stand in the shuttle while its acceleration shifted which direction was 'down' every few seconds.  "Let's get to the passenger bay.  You should enjoy this ride.  It isn't every day you get to ride a shuttle flown by an admiral."  The woman didn't seem to be paying much attention to what he was saying, just shuffling along beside Tom.
   "You might even have left a souvenir on this crate.  I don't know if they ever unloaded your suit after we landed." Tom felt the woman stop moving and looked at her.  'Hell, she's even paler now than when I opened the room she was trapped in.' Tom watched as the woman slowly began to shake like a leaf and tears started to roll down her face.  Tom waited for a moment and picked her up.  'I used to carry my kids like this.  That seems like another life now.'
   Tom placed her in the acceleration couch as Kelly came up beside him.  "What happened to her?  Is she hurt?"
   Tom pulled the straps across the sobbing woman and snapped the buckles together, then switched the output on his speaker to English.  "I don't think so.  Not physically.  She was one of the Chinese soldiers on Hektor.  I think she's the only one now.  Only god knows what she went through there, or who she lost."
   Tom was surprised to hear an accented voice from a nearby couch, and the hate in it.
   "She should have died with the rest.  They killed my husband when they landed.  She deserves whatever happened to her."