OSUMA
Walking down the Naval Headquarter corridors was not a daunting as it once had been. He was now Home Fleet commander, and military advisor to the Imperial Council. He had not received a promotion, which was disappointing. However even senior officers were wary of his new found power.
Osuma smirked as people shifted left and right into offices, mostly to avoid him. This smirk did not last long. Osuma rounded a corner and no more than 5 feet away was his brother Yuki. Yuki was communicating on a commportal to the shipyard. The Holographic display showed various sparks and men moving in the background welding plates, making adjustments. Yuki’s Frigate was in for a well-deserved overhaul.
Osuma knew he could not avoid Yuki, as Yuki had spotted him out of the corner of his eye. Osuma marched forward to get this over with. He had not seen his brother for quite a while. He was in the spectator stand at court, viewing the Court Martial of Yuka Hirayama. Hirayama was thrown out of the fleet, Osuma wished he had been executed. Yuki and Sung were absolved of any responsibility and applauded for their rescue efforts in retrieving 97 survivors.
As usual his brother came out clean and looking like a hero even though the taskforce he was attached too was incompetent.
Osuma nodded to his brother who just finished his call. “Osuma, how are you” Yuki responded in a cordial fashion moving his hand forward to shake it. Osuma reluctantly reciprocated “Well, and you brother” Osuma muscles tightened in his face, he knew he had been avoiding Yuki even though he known he had been planet side for a while.
Yuki smiled “You should see mother, she has been asking about you. She said you haven’t seen her in 6 months.”
Osuma quickly searched for a reasonable excuse but came up with the standard claim most people who avoid there family say, not very imaginative. “I will, I been busy with the running of the Home Fleet and advisor to the Imperial council, there has not been much time.”
Yuki was very gracious to let it drop, just adding “Please try if you can, she misses you.” Osuma nodded a reconciliatory gesture.
An awkward silence then filled the void, fortunately the air was filled the buzzing of their emergency communication devices that are implanted into all fleet officers. The buzz was felt and heard just behind the ear. Both quickly checked there communication devices and a message appeared.
“All Captains and Group officers report to Headquarters Command and Control or a secure communication terminal FLEET ACTION in PROGRESS!”
Both Osuma and Yuki quickly looked at each other with concern. Another alien encountered no doubt but where and who. Osuma was first to speak “Let’s go” and ran down the corridor Yuki very much on his tail.
The buzz in control centre was loud with people moving all about the place. Junior officers were arranging communication devices, contacting various agency to prepare for what was about to come. It was a mad house, and Osuma and Yuki could only look on for now. Sen entered the room, Osuma had more to do with Sen lately, but could never shake the feeling she compared him to his brother.
She only said one word and people start to be quiet and more productive unlike the group of chimpanzees on day release, they were just replicating. “QUIET”
Noticing Osuma and Yuki she nodded and smiled, however Osuma assumed the smile was more for Yuki benefit. They had served together so there is always that little extra special bond.
She turned to a junior officer. “Do we have the transmission feed?”
“Yes, it coming through now” the junior officer replied a little too excitedly.
Osuma knew what they were watching had already happened. This was a portal into the past, not the present. They could not interact with what they would watch. The reason being for ships to communicate in real time they either needed to be in the same system or physically attached to the jump gate to create a wormhole for real-time communication.
A communication drone had obvious been released. The communication drone is deployed near the fleet relaying the encrypted communication. The reason for the drone is if a ship is destroyed, the data is still sent and received at Fleet Headquarters. It also gives a good external view of the situation.
Audio now started to enter the feed.
Osuma could now make out the ships, this was Taskforce Takecare. The taskforce consisted of the FFL Madura, FF Madras and the FF Kanpur. The taskforce based on telemetry information was near the jump point at Kochi– Kure. According to military doctrine, the system the taskforce resides is always stated first. This jump point was about four systems away from New Osaka and had some promising planets that could be explored and mined.
Daisa Takecare voice filled the audio channel.
“Fleet, this is Taskforce Takecare, we had entered the Kure system however we encounter alien craft on entry. We attempted communications; however they refused to respond to our hails.”
The alien ships closed and fired there missiles at us. The taskforce retreated back into the Kochi system and is holding the jump point.”
His communication was very professional and calm, however you knew the situation was tense.
“Fleet, we have identified four class of vessels. The vessels are named Argonauta, Grecale, Verde Trieste. The vessels are of superior speed, we cannot outrun them so we will hold the jump point if they come through.
Takecare out!.”
Thirty minutes past and the aliens had not entered into the system. Staff in the Headquarter were now sighing relief, but then all of a sudden three ships blinked into the system.
Logged data appeared below the main visuals, which obviously taken from the taskforce sensors.
New Active Sensor Detected! Contact ID: Verde 001, Class ID: Verde, Race ID: Kure Aliens #349, Strength 252, Resolution 1
New Active Sensor Detected! Contact ID: Grecale 001, Class ID: Grecale, Race ID: Kure Aliens #349, Strength 16464, Resolution 98
New Active Sensor Detected! Contact ID: Trieste 001, Class ID: Trieste, Race ID: Kure Aliens #349, Strength 16464, Resolution 98
The Grecale and Trieste were close together however the Verde was on the opposite side of the fleet, a bold plan by the aliens.
Dasia Takecare gave no hesitation in the orders, “Madras and Kanpur target the Verde” The Verde was the lighter of the ships but equal size to the Frigates, around 8000 ton. The first shots fired were from the aliens, impact on the Fleet flagship, perhaps it was due to the higher active sensors, or perhaps they just knew this was the flagship for the group.
The alien fire was determined at strength 9, the strength was determined by the designation of melting certain inches of composite armour plating fortunately the Madura had 25” thick of plating. Strength 9 could only make it way in 20”. Although a number of shots in close proximity would weaken and collapsing the armour and exposing internal systems.
Two large bolts from both frigates missed their targets, the ships manoeuvres in space neither side moving to far away from the gate.
The fire from the aliens and frigates continued as the FFL Madura took a pounding but the frigates were now finding their target as well. When the Frigates 35cm laser hit the alien vessel they registered strength hits between 18 and 32 hits dependant on distance. This made the frigate much more considerable threat to the enemy.
Within two minutes the Verde took it last shot and fell silent, the Frigates quickly changed target. Dasia Takecare command could be heard running in the background of the audio. The audio feed was not from space audio but simulated for human impressions. To humans it felt the battle was taking place in an oxygen rich environment, it help command and control understand the level of engagement.
The enemy were finished yet the two 16,000 ton vessels had been peppering the hull of the Madura The battering completely was now exposing internal components. That when it happened, the Aliens knocked out of one the three engines and destroyed the jump drive.
The Madura broke away from the attack and the Kanpur and Madras continued to press the enemy.
Osuma looked at his brother for the first time to gage his reaction. Osuma noticed there was an above normal level of concern on his face. Someone personal was involved in the battle he could see it on his expression. Fear not for himself but for someone else.
Osuma looked back at the screens, the Grecale being the new target, was absorbing a multitude of hit by the frigates, another two minutes the Grecale broke in half and activity ceased from it.
The alien ship still fought on now outnumbered, however the Kanpur was not looking in great shape and the Madras suffered a few hits, the Madura was out of the fight. The frigates commanders decided to close the distance on the enemy ship. The damage sustained from the enemy was the same however the 35cm tore great chucks out of the enemy. Strength 32 explosions ripped away it hull plating until there was nothing left to fight.
Dasia Takecare after a sometime communicated to fleet.
“Fleet this is Daisa Takecare, I have broken away from the Frigate which will hold the gate, my ship will return to New Osaka the ship is not combat effective and taken substantial casualties and damage. Please send a relief force. Takecare Out!
Sen turned directly to Yuki, with a lot a relief on her face, it was very much an even fight it could of gone either way “Get you ship operational and protect that jump point”
Yuki did not even turn to say goodbye to Osuma, you could see he was mentally already out the door before Sen spoke, “ahhh it must be a girl” Osuma thought.
Sen then turned to Osuma “Make sure the Homefleet is well stocked and well trained. You’re our last line of defence.”
Osuma bowed quickly “Hai!” then spun on his foot and marched out of the operations room, first he would need to inform the Imperial council on the action before fleet, talked it up and turning it into a stunning victory. It was anything but stunning.
