The Chantry of Light Month 52

Starbridge Station, Lathandras Orbit, Thedas System

Templar Captain Allistar Ti'lir flicked his fingers changing the holodisplay's projection.  So far his requests for funding had all been approved but the cost of maintaining all the ships active currently had reached 3917 MCr, nearly 50% of the tax income available to the Chanty's Minders of the Faith and they were getting restless.  Hopefully, the reports from the various Circles researching new technologies would provide another economic boost and reduce the impact of the Shield and Pathfinders on the overall budget.  The last report looked promising at any rate.  A few finger swipes sorted the income from the various colony systems and though it was the homeworld that provided the bulk of the income it was largely consumed by the maintenance bill, and so in fact the colonies were funding both research and their own expansion.

Of his four newest battle riders, the Swiftsure CL, two were fully refit and the other two were in the yards getting refit to the new R1 standard.

SWIFTSURE R1 class CL            45 Hull    TL 2
[4] Sx5Ax3H(J)(BbM)(J)(J)(J)L(J)L(J)Kb+M1(J)Kb+LhQ(J)Kb+ [10]
45 RCP  5 MCP       Trg:2        Cost =  549.5/ 82.4
HTK 26   Sx5  Ax3  Lx2  Kbx3

The first refit of the Swiftsure class adds the newly developed targeting computers to the enable it to efficiently split fire from its laser bays and spinal kinetic projectors. 

Currently the Shield has 8 squadrons of carriers and battle riders.  A flick of his fingers and a map of local space showed up, the 1st thru 3rd Squadrons formed the bulk of his force.  Two patrol squadrons (4th and 5th) were deployed in the colonies patrolling between the inhabited planets.  The 6th Squadron was deployed in his security nightmare...Sarnia had a total of 12 areas where Folding space was possible.  The system before it Ottawa had six outgoing Fold points.  Two luckily went to systems with no further outgoing Fold points but the other 3 had a total of 9 outgoing Fold points which added to Sarnia's 12 gave 21 further exploration loci.  The Pathfinders 1st and 3rd Survey Flotillas were busy but it would take them time to determine what there.  At the moment the Chantry was tied together via a network of drones and mail carrying civilian craft.  But the first of the relay stations was now active at the Fold point between home and Ottawa.

RELAY class BS0           10 Hull    TL 2
[1] A(CC)HQs(BbM) [ 0 ]
10 RCP  15 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  153/ 7.7
HTK 5   Ax1 

The Relay base is intended to link systems with a high power communication array for in system comm traffic and a set of reusable short range Fold capable drones to link to another Relay base on the other side of the Fold point it is stationed at.

That Fold point also had 3 Sentry's orbiting it.

The 7th Squadron with its two refit Swiftsures was on station at the homeworld.

Two further Survey Flotillas explored the chain of systems connected to the other two Fold points.  Down one was 4 inhabited system including the one holding Promise, Dale and Blight, Niagra.  That system was approximately 25% as productive as the homeworld due to 2 asteroid belts and Promise's concentrated mineral wealth and near perfect climate and biome.  The other Fold point in the Homeworld lead to Toronto a collection of rock, gas and ice and so far the 3 outgoing Fold points had discovered nothing else...or in one case less than nothing as the passage through the Fade placed the vessels in a starless void, where currently the 4th Pathfinder Flotilla was surveying.

First time Heinrich Müller meet an Pachyderm on a trading outpost, he was taken a bit aback by what he saw. Take an elephant, slim him down and shorten him to about eight feet of shoulder height, with an oversized cranium and a very flexible trunk with prehensile, multiple-split lips, and a coat basically covered in wide brimmed pouches hanging over his back, shoe-ed in soft rubber soled socks calmly sucking a drink from a bucked on the table. Makes you want to sober up or order another drink. But then the translator software kicks in adn you get to chat with the fellow, and he's almost like a regular fellow sharing the bar with you. He's wearing a harness with two slender smart robotic arms extended from the harness, upon command positioning themselves to grasp whatever the trunk pushed into their grippers, allowing for very fine manipulation of objects. Further attached to the harness is a polished metalic insignia, and he wonders why one is showing a large club and a shield, which leads to a nice discussion about where such signs came about. 


On the origin of the people you ask me traveler among the stars? That is lost in tales an legend, like the first groove. But you asked, and thus I will tell you of the tale.

In the beginning the people lived near the first creek, its waters sweet and its banks lined with growing green all year long. The spirits blessed the people with a quick wit, long life and tales to tell at night. Our trunks were prehensile and able to grasp fruits growing on the trees and pluck sweet grasses and life was good.
And there among the people lived a bull named Bru-Haht, he was not the largest and strongest of bulls, but he was observant and made discoveries. He found a straight branch lying on the shore of the first creek, stripped of twigs and bark by the waters, and grasped it, swinging it around playfully.
And there on the banks of the first creek grew the first JOkarus, trees of sweet shots and sweeter fruit, but the people had picked all the low growing fruits and the largest bulls uprooted the trees to get at the high branches, leaving the trees to wither and die on the ground, yielding no more sweet jokaro fruits.
And thus Bruh-Haht swung his stick in paly and pondered, and then walked to a still standing tree and used his brach to reach high and shake the fruits from the high branches, and they were sweet and full of seeds.
And as he ate the fruits, the spirits blessed Bruh-Haht with inspiration, and he had seen seeds germinate before. WHat if he took the seeds, who were hard and not sweet toeat anyway, and scattered them across soft soil? would eh not have sweet shots and and growing trees then?
And so he did, and watched over his patches of seeds and sweet shots and only plucked those growing too close to each other, and waited, chasing away animals and other people with his branch, as it gave him power to harm without meeting the tusks of larger bulls.
And the spirits smiled on him, as then the jokara blossomed all year and yielded fruit every day.
And as he over the years hand many jokara trees growing under his watch, he had many wives flocking to him and children aplenty. Children who ate the sweet fruits and thus had time to play and make discoveries instead of foraging all the time growing up. And thus the first groove was planted, and grew, and the people thrived on the shores of the first creek and Bruh.Haht is remembered by the people in legend forevermore as the first Guardian of the Groove.

And the years went by and Bruh-Haht passed away and is honored forevermore, untill one day the great bull wandered by and shock the earth with his step and trampled the first source and the first creek fell dry and watered the groove no more and the people hungered, thirsted and thus were scattered over the plains carrying seeds with them and where they found water, planted jokara and watched over them. And as the jokara away from the first groove no longer bore fruit all year, the people learned to plant other fruit and grasses to tide them over untill summer, when the sweet fruits blessed them again.

But away from the first groove, life was harsher, and other creatures hunted the people. There was the leopard, who lurked in trees and dropped down on calves and tore out their throat, and hid back in the branches again. But the people had learned use branches to shake fruits from trees, and shaking sleeping jaguars from trees was easy for the powerful bulls, and thus the jaguars were trampled.
Then there were the fierce lions, gathering in prides and as large as young-lings, with sharp claws and powerful jaws, and they hunted younglings and hid in the veldt. But the bulls gathered and worked together and charged the lions den and trampled the lions untill they hunted the people no more.
Most terrefying though were the willy plains apes, who like the people used sticks and sharp stones and discovered teh secrets of fire. They were not the fastest, or strongest, but they were clever and nimble, dancing around the people and inflicting small wounds, untill like a horde of ants to a large beetle they overwhelmed a bull with their numbers. But the people were stronger, and where a bull stepped, a plains ape was crushed. Thus the people and the apes fought over the plains. Then the apes learned how to throw sticks, and bound sharpened stones to the tips, hiding in cliffs and atop mountains only to come down to hunt the people. And Ashrat-Tam the first shield bearer pondered what to do, and took the felxible shots of a water watcher tree, adn wove them together into a shield, and this was able to block thrown sticks. And the bulls came together and found that now they were able to ward off the thrown sticks, but they then had to charge down the plains apes and trample them, as they couldn't yield a shield and a club at the same time. And the apes them often would plant their sharp spears in  he ground and te charging bull would impale himself. Then Ashrat-Tam spoke to Rhondat, the first warrior. "You are far stronger than me. Let me carry the shield and guard you, and you take your greatest club and smite the foe." And with a third bull, Harath the second shield bearer, they flanked Rhondat and guarded his sides and they went forth, Rhindat flailing the foe and driving them before him, until the plains held no more apes, and the people thrived and ate sweet fruit and stole the fire from the abandoned places of the apes and life was good.
It is said that back then the people were larger and stronger, but now we are smarter and more agile, our trunks able to perform feats the great warriors could only have dreamed off. And we were blessed by the spirits with ideas and the telling of tales and the people multiplied.

What  became of the apes you ask? They were driven to places the people did not go. The coast of the gerat salty seas, where they lived on mussels and fish and learned to ride the waves on rafts of wood, and sailed towards the islands in the sea, were the people could not follow in those times. There they build kingdoms and sailed the waves, to raid and trade with the daring, untill the sea rose adn drowned them.
Other fleed into the high mountains and the icy north north, slaying the gerat bears and wearing their pelt, becomming more carnivorous and stronger and fierce, master of fire and metall, only travelling forth to trade with the people for hard wood and fruits and feathers. So great was their mastery of fire it is said that they melted the great ice, uncovering vast swaths of land untill the melt filled the seas and drowned the isles of their sea-born kin.
But most terrible was the place of soft stone, where the apes learned to dig and ground out great mazes of tight caves, denying the bulls place to reach them. Ever delving deeper and deeper, untill their skin grew pale and their eyes grew huge and glowed in the dark like a cats. Creeping forth at night and laying herds in their sleep, they became a terror of the dark places, goblins of the night. They dug untill they found the black stone, burning it untill the smoke casta  pall over the land and the trees grew sickly under their domain, untill they smelted ore in the ehat of their kilns and forged cruels weapons of iron to bring war over the people.  Thus the age of strife and heroes was born, and the deeds were many and the innovations of the people without count, building the foundations of our civilizations as we strove to dig them trodlodytes out of their fastness, digging faster than their multitude.
We learned the way of metals from the polar apes, who kept the peace and abhorred their delving kin who turned even upon them. We learned how to form armies and build walls and fortresses and catapults, how write down our thoughts adn spread ideas, how to govern and organize.
The tales to be toled are many, too many to tell you now.
And if not for the people spreading all over the world and gathering its riches, we may not have prevailed over the place of soft stone. Only with alchemy and gun powder the people finally managed to overcome the mazes of stone and poisons and fires wich guarded the fell place, and trample down the troglodytes.
By that time we had cities and states and cast our gaze to the stars... but how we reached them is another story, and is more ancient history than legend.

(Inspired by having elephants use tools, be a little smaller and the stone age cavern cities on turkey. Hmmm... allmost souds like a setting oen could expound more upon there.. even ore-starfire. The pachyderms are not rigellians, they were not traumatized into genocidal mania by their experience, as thy in the end aranged themselves at elast with a part of the humanoinds wich they share their world with, but it gives a legend and soem colour to their background for future storytelling. ).
(Further edited to mention the manipulator helpers which cover a blatant weakness of the racial physology.)

Pachidermal Patrimony Power Play

Hello everyone, it's been a while, and thus Paul and I got twitchy about doing some more starfire after the last campaign bogged down in the usual 'things got to big to be easely resolved' around turn 269.. wich admitedly is far longer than a norma campaign runs.
At least the big bad had allmost reached TL 12 and resolving double-blind without several rooms and tables you could elave alone for a month or three... well.
Anyway, we decided to try a new things.
We kept the 10 turn growth intervall with reduced overall population growth, havled reseach and build rate as that had worked out beautyfully.

But... some database edit later, we had adopted the Alkeda Dawn tech tree from SM#2, and put AD flags on all aliance tech and debuted a new campaign while I visited Paul for easter holi8days. So now, three days in our empires reached TL2 and the campaign reached turn 40.

So far a few things have been learned. Survey was a slow start for both of us, and survey luck was very, very different for erach of us. Paul found 17 warp point in two systems, and is bogged down  suveying around them, leaving his othe two warp chains terra incognito, while I'm now pushing five systems out in very linear arangements.

Cost ways, AD saves on magazines and TL2 only hs 4 systems, but on the otehr hand the jump carriers are eating maintenancem being by far the most expensive ship type.

RNG gifted me with an elephant as racial picture, snd so I ran with it. Sure peopele will need a thick skin for heavy puns if I keep running with the theme. *grins*.


Anyway, CLs are beinmg prototyped, and Mx and CC are stillbeing developped, so no TL2 designs yet.

Fleet Rooster:
10*DD, 3*FG, 54*ES, 6*EX, 10*CVEm 4*BS1, 2*SS and various noncompabatnts

CVE CON DOIN class CVE            30 Hull    TL 1
[2] Sx5HJc1Qs@x9QsJc1 [3]
30 RCP  20 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  461/ 69.2
HTK 19   Sx5 
(one size fits all CVE)
   
DDC TOMAS class DD            30 Hull    TL 1
[4] Sx4Ax4HQs(J)(J)(J)Kb(J)(CIC)QsKb(J) [10]
30 RCP  20 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  360/ 54
HTK 19   Sx4  Ax4  Kbx2 
(Fleet command vessel)

DD MILAMBER class DD            30 Hull    TL 1
[4] Sx3Ax4HQs(J)(J)Kb(J)Kb(J)QsKb(J) [10]
30 RCP  20 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  336/ 50.4
HTK 18   Sx3  Ax4  Kbx3
(Main battle line)

FG NAKOR class FG            20 Hull    TL 1
[3] SSAAH(J)(J)Kb(J)QsKb(J) [12]
20 RCP  5 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  208/ 31.2
HTK 12   Sx2  Ax2  Kbx2 
(auxiliary combatant)

ESX CALIN class ES            10 Hull    TL 1
[3] HX(J)L(J)Qs(J) [15]
10 RCP  15 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  161/ 24.2
HTK 7   Lx1 
(survey vessel, and highly mobile Idew-L in a pinch) 

ESX-SH ASHEN SHUGAR class ES            10 Hull    TL 1
[3] H(J)(BbM)X(BbM)(J)Qs(J) [15]
10 RCP  15 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  161/ 24.2
HTK 8   
(habitable world survey vessel, 3 per exploration fleet))

WP PROBE DRAKEN KORIN class EX            7 Hull    TL 1
[2] AAHXQsJc1 [4]
7 RCP  18 MCP       Trg:1        Cost =  87/ 13.1
HTK 6   Ax2 
(survey command is so happy with this ship class....)

I had  CT class planned, but discovering that FG are kusta s fast with tactical engines nixed the class so far. I guess I'll go with a L-armed frigate to compliment the line-up instead).

It has been a month since the Axis lost control of the Bedrock system for the second time. Unable to flee further into Axis space, the task force that guarded the Bedrock/Tire Iron warp point had entered the Brickyard system, albeit taking severe punishment from an antimatter minefield on the Bedrock side, laid by the Allies by a fast minelayer group. The task group was now reduced to 12 fleet and 6 light carriers, 1 DN, 6 BBs 3 BCs, 6 BCEs and 3 CLEs. The DN and BBs all had armor reduced to negligible levels with the BCs now docked to an equally sized space station over Brickyard A-2, the only lunar colony in the system, each waiting their turn for repairs as they were nearly destroyed. Only emergency repairs allowed them to reach the station at all, and they dared not land on the lunar spaceport lest they tempt Fate and be bestowed with more misfortune. The CLEs all had their armor rendered useless as well, and what internal damage they sustained was tended by emergency shipboard repairs.

In all the task force had 89 squadrons of F1 Hatchets and 12 Stiletto escort shuttles. The DN, BBs, and CLEs orbited at 1 LS distance. Keeping them company was a CAP composed of 22 Hatchet squadrons and 3 Stiletto shuttles. The carriers and BCEs stayed at 6 LS distance with external ordnance racks fitted with capital missiles armed with1st generation lasing warheads. No mines and weapon buoys were on hand, and none could be manufactured because of the repair work being done to one of the Hero BCs. The only other Axis force in the system, a trio of BCs carrying armed pinnaces and escort shuttles, along with quartet of scouts, were still engaged in hunting down CSF auxiliaries that were hiding in the outer reaches of the system.

The crews were grim. Supplies had already run out for the bigger ships, and the A-2 colony couldn’t begin to maintain much more than what was in the system prior to the task force’s arrival. While they contemplated a slow, inexorable march of system breakdowns and power failures, in the minds of the crews they knew that wasn’t going to be their fate. The enemy had no firm idea of what was in Brickyard after their many absent months. For all they knew a huge cache of supplies was on hand, perhaps enough for years and even for the construction of miniscule freighters and use them to breach the minefield in Bedrock, raiding the system and disrupting abom operations.

Such ruminations were cut short as the CSF made its attack. 400 Whale armed pinnaces made transit in a single wave, losing 64 of their number from interpenetrations. The rest swarmed the close-in ships, dividing into two groups so that one could cover the blind spot of the other. Each pinnace carried four laser packs on their external racks. Despite being transit-addled the pinnaces tore into the ships and Hatchet fighters alike. Of the 22 Hatchet squadrons 12 got their weapons active, bagging 65 Whales while two active battleships nailed 8 more. In turn the remaining Whales destroyed all the close-in ships and swatted away 52 Hatchets, resulting in all 22 squadrons losing at least 2 fighters each while 8 of those losing 3.

The second wave came in, comprised of five Avami and one Bedrock class assault carriers. The active Hatchets peeled away and were atop the warp point. Those squadrons still trying to bring their weapons online were only able to move at half speed, ending up half a light-second out. The Whales followed, and with fully stabilized systems they tore into the Hatchets as the fighters in turn went after the fifth Avami. That ship was destroyed, and the Bedrock lost its shields and one-third of its armor. As for those Axis carriers and BCEs that became active, they fired their external missiles at the Bedrock, their lasing warheads doing more damage.

In turn all the close-in Hatchets were destroyed. Those atop the warp point were either finished by laser packs and internal guns while those a little further out had been swatted by point defense fire. The three escort shuttles were also dispatched, never getting the chance to fire their weapons. 46 Shark squadrons launched from the remaining second wave carriers as they transited out as the third wave emerged, five Salyfs and another Bedrock. There have been no launches from the Axis carriers yet. 40 more Shark squadrons launched as the fourth and wave entered, comprised of six Bowman BCEs.

The Axis ships turned about, retreating at full speed as the 86 Shark squadrons formed together and pursued, followed by the Bowmen.  402 Hatchet fighters and 8 escort shuttles were launched five minutes later and held station over the carriers, patiently waiting for the abom fighters to close to within jamming range of the BCEs. Then, just outside the reach of ship-mounted point defense and jammers, the Sharks fired their external missiles. Each squadron carried 18 missiles equipped with lasing warheads. Given the range and inherent lower accuracy only a relatively few missiles from each squadron scored lasing hits. However, hits piled up. The BCEs, already having lost their armor a month earlier, were the first targets, reduced to crawling wrecks only able to make one-third maximum speed. It took 48 squadrons to accomplish the task but was worthwhile to remove the cruisers from the equation. As for the other 38 Shark squadrons they concentrated on the light carriers, starting with the ones observed to have launched 3 squadrons instead of 2. Four light carriers were crippled, and the now lighten Sharks went to the Bowmen.

On his part the Axis commander sent his Hatchets and escort shuttles back to the warp point, intent on destroying the Bowmen and as many Sharks as possible. Leaving the six BCEs and four CVLs to follow as best they could, the remaining carriers continued to the A-2 colony. A half hour later the other shoe dropped. 24 destroyers, an equal mix of Falogrens and Okados, closed on the crippled cruisers and light carriers, along with an equal number of Quagaar corvettes and escorts. Drawn from a support group they were tasked to cover, the 24 Quagaar ships were determined to extract a measure of vengeance on the Axis for the destructive bombardment of the Uan homeworld a few years earlier. The Falogrens concentrated on the BCEs first, firing capital missiles equipped with second-generation lasing heads and capital force beams, keeping the range just outside of the BCEs weapons. Once that was the done the four CVLs were beset by the Quagaar and eliminated. With engines detuned and provided guidance by scouts the allied ships went after the remaining carriers. Unarmed and with expended racks the remaining carriers separated as to grant the A-2 defenders that much more time. It took the better part of a day for all the fleeing carriers to be run down and destroyed.

The Hatchet strike reached the six Bowmen, now covered by the 86 Shark squadrons and all comprised of gun armed F2 models. Four exchanges of AFHAWKs whittled down the Hatchets while closer in point defense took care of the escort shuttles. With intact jammers in play the resulting fighter furball only saw the destruction of two Bowmen and the crippling of a third, along with the loss of 31 Sharks.

As for the A-2 colony it was handled by a Quagaar task element, comprised of three Ruby and three Pearl cruisers. The three Axis BCs at the colony, despite only having half of their interior systems up due to emergency repairs and still denuded of armor, moved at half-speed towards the Quagaar ships as soon as they entered capital missile range, escorted by 12 Hatchet fighters. The Rubies fired their spinal lasers and capital missiles armed with 2nd generation lasing warheads while the Pearls used their spinal lasers and launched fighters, equipped for dogfighting with only ECM pods as their external ordnance. Along with their own externally launched missiles the Quagaar ships easily crushed the Axis ships while only losing four fighters. The small space station was dispatched, and marine units landed on the moon and secure the colonial spaceport. Once completed the task element struck out for the outer system, heading for the first of 24 designated areas to find if any of the support ships that retreated into Brickyard over a year earlier still existed.

Meanwhile Admiral Jki executed the assault into Gravel Pit ahead of schedule. Armed pinnaces, equipped with scanner packs, had made infrequent probes and ferreted out the defenses. A shell of 600 mine patterns surrounded the Gravel Pit side of the warp point, along with a CAP of 15 Hatchet squadrons, all of them F0s, and 3 escort shuttles. At 10 light-second range were 4 Type-4 bases and were identified as the same kind used in Metalstorm, being kept company by two undersized Type-2 bases. Each Type-4 had 15 squadrons of Hatchets and nothing in the way of defenses, both passive and active. Wishing to avoid excessive fighter losses at this juncture, Jki devised an assault that would play into the preconceived notions of the Axis defenders.

As much surprised as relieved that the assault was happening the Axis warp point defenders threw themselves at the first assault wave, comprised of five superdreadnoughts. While all fifteen squadrons moved and engaged at point blank range only seven managed to get their weapons online in the first exchange. The first ship was a Gravity Well, a warp point probe ship with exceptional heavy shielding and armor. It took all seven squadrons to breach the passive defenses for some relatively minor internal damage. For their part the five SDs fired mine clearance rounds from their external racks, rendering 17 patterns useless as their internal circuitry were fried by multiple nuclear detonations. Transit-addled point defense removed the three escort shuttles that had remained in the firing arc of the fifth SD. Just one base crash-launched its remaining 11 squadrons of Hatchets in this initial round.

As the first wave continued their maneuvering to achieve their exit vector back to Bedrock just three ships arrived for the second wave, all Oknib capital missile dreadnaughts. As for the last three superdreadnoughts of the first wave they were Monitors, a Humarsh design. With stabilized fire control they locked onto a base that had yet to launch its remaining fighters and let loose with a volley of 24 SBMs, all with 2nd generation lasing warheads. EDMs were of no use against such missiles, and the bases had no active defenses. 9 missiles achieved a lock-on and worked as design. Just enough damage was done so that a Hatchet armed with FRAMs was still in its bay when it collapsed, the resulting explosion utterly erasing the base from existence. All the remaining CAP Hatchets, 48, were in the blind spots of the Gravity Wells but not the of Monitors. Point-blank fire from plasma guns and point defense bagged three complete squadrons. The transit-addled Oknibs fired external mine clearance rounds and point defense, bagging 7 more mine patterns and 4 more Hatchets. Even with jamming the first Gravity Well was destroyed with the second losing over half its shielding. To their credit the other two Axis bases crashed-launched their remaining squadrons, 23 in all, and no doubt were highly motivated after seeing one of their own go up like a packet of petrol-soaked matches.

Just 14 Hatchets with ordnance remained on the warp point as the third wave emerged, again comprised of three Oknibs. Just one Hatchet fired its FRAMs before it and the other 13 were brought down by plasma and point defense fire. Together, the Monitors and the first three Oknibs crippled a fighter base. There was no fourth wave, and the remaining Gravity Well transited out. The cripple second base was taken out by the Monitors while the six Oknibs fired on the third, also crippling it.

By the time the first 11 crash-launched squadrons were within 2 light-seconds of the warp point the Monitors transited out along with one Oknib. It took the fire of one Oknib to finish off the third base while the remaining four wrecked the last one so thoroughly that no intact hanger bay was left. Thus, with tears of frustration in their eyes the pilots of the 11 squadrons missed their chance for vengeance as the five dreadnaughts transited back to Bedrock. Based on the results Jki waited two hours before sending in a solitary Whale armed pinnace to scout the environs. Apparently, some emergency repairs were done as only two Hatchets orbited the warp point. Acting on instinct the Whale crew shot down both with internal gun and external laser pack before transiting out. The wait for the last base was minuscule for just two minutes later a trio of capital missile battlecruisers and a like number of heavy cruisers built for minesweeper transited in. After dispatching the last of the bases and firing mine clearance charges to the point where the CAs could finish off the selected patch in one go, a task force of the Combined Fleet moved into Gravel Pit, heading for the Bulwark warp point. A ship was detached to search for life pods from the destroyed Gravity Well, though given the vengeful state of the Axis pilots it was highly unlikely any pod would be found. Another task force went to the four lunar colonies of the first gas giant to secure them before heading to the Abyssal 017 system.

On the way to the Bulwark warp point a flight of six escort shuttles and an assault shuttle was detected and intercepted by a task element comprised of two escort carriers and an escort destroyer. Warned by the sensor chain, the small craft poured on the coal, but the ships simply detuned their engines to keep the range and launched their F2 fighters. They had a speed advantage over the small craft, even with a full load. The small craft were carrying the pilots of the abandoned Hatchet fighters, intent on rendezvousing with a small craft carrier based on a destroyer hull sent from the Bulwark side of the warp point. Not one shuttle made it, though two Shark fighters were shot down.

Four days later, at the Gravel Pit/Bulwark warp point, Jki sent in a heavy probe comprised of 5 Singularity dreadnaughts and 60 Damage Sink explorers, the latter as a mass transit. Three of the Singularities came back, but only 24 of the Damage Sinks, sustaining losses from two consecutive mass transits and combat losses. What awaited the task force were three asteroid bases and three type-4 bases, at 1 LS and 6 LS distance respectively. A solitary full-sized type-2 base sat 9 LS out, most likely the automated weapons control base. There were no ships within detection range, and the shell of automated weapons was average at 600 mine patterns and 180 weapon buoys. All the weapon buoys were of the reusable laser type as they didn’t explode when fired, and a paltry 8 squadrons of F0 Hatchets and 5 escort shuttles formed the CAP.

As for Star Admiral Dovsol, commanding the defenses in Bulwark, she was coming to accept the fate Providence provided. Practically all her ships were recalled to Gymnasium, leaving just some scout ships and two squadrons of fleet carriers, though consigned to continue the hunt for the remnant of the abom task force hiding in the outer reaches of the system. There was some success in the preceding months provided by the abom themselves. What had to be support ships, denuded of maintenance materials, were found accompanied by singular escorts. When confronted with an appropriate force the support ships self-destructed, and the escort, always a destroyer, fled with detuned engines. All this did was to prolong its inevitable destruction, but every minute spent in such pursuits gave that much more time for the other abom ships to hide even better.

Dovsol didn’t have a long wait following the CSF probe. A wave of 200 Whale armed pinnaces transited in, followed by 60 Magnets and four assault carriers. Again, despite minefield attrition and fire control degraded by transit the Whales pounced on two of three asteroid forts, destroying them. Those Magnets that survived interpenetration fired their addled plasma guns at the third fort, which happened to have Dovsol on board, causing some shield damage. Those Hatchet CAP squadrons that became active went after the assault carriers. Dovsol’s fort fired on the Magnets, further reducing their numbers. One assault carrier was destroyed.

There was no doubt about the outcome of the battle, but Dovsol was resolute. The second wave was comprised of three dreadnaughts and three more assault carriers. Energy beams from the former licked away the fort’s shielding even as more Magnets fell to the critical number. 120 of the 180 laser buoys fired, all but killing the remaining Magnets. Those Whales that retained their FRAMs went after Dovsol’s fort, smashing what was left of the shields and armor. Further hits dealt considerable internal damage, and combined with further energy beam fire the fort was rendered useless.

With no jammer to support the remaining 26 Hatchet squadrons, and with the three minesweeping dreadnaughts of the third wave equipped with jammers of their own, the 34 Shark squadrons and the remaining Whales dispatched the Hatchets quickly. Dovsol survived the massive electrical discharges that rendered her fort impotent. The self-destruct function failed, and what few monitors remained active in the CIC allowed the admiral to watch as one more ship made transit. A liberal dousing of energy beam fire took down those few shields that were restored, and with twelve assault shuttles launched by the newcomer was all that Dovsol needed to know. She checked her service pistol as she closed the visor to her pressure suit. The fort was going to be boarded and captured. Taking a few aboms down before dying was the last thing she could do for her people.

Two weeks later had the Combined Fleet at the Gravel Pit/Abyssal-017 warp point, waiting only for a final set of reinforcement before proceeding. Just beyond Abyssal-017 was the Gymnasium system, a former possession of the Eletoshani. Based on captured records the population of the system was 100 million, spread across its habitable world and numerous asteroid and lunar outposts and colonies. Industrial potential was inferred to be considerable, as well as any defenses reinforced since the first time Bedrock was conquered.

Admiral Jki sat in the wardroom of her command battleship, the Coral Sea. With her was Captain Lanaq, her staff intelligence officer, and Commander Linus, the ISN liaison officer. Previously, Linus hoped Jki would’ve selected a dreadnaught for her command ship, not just for a more durable ship but as well enhanced amenities. He learned that the biped E’sani were used as Marines only on dreadnaughts and larger hulls as well as fleet carriers. Thus, when it came to sitting arrangements only stools and the crash frame in the CIC were initially available. It was an oversight that was quickly corrected in less than a week. The ship’s chief engineer and quartermaster constructed several chairs for the Hokum officer. After a few months Linus found the one in the wardroom to be his favorite.

“Admiral,” said Linus, looking up from the datapad he held in his front left hand, “do you expect any skirmisher forces in Abyssal-017? The distance between the two warp points is considerable, a full nine days for a battleship at cruising speed.”

Jki turned her eyes from her own display, blinking twice in rapid succession as she waited the briefest of moments for the translation software to finish. “I’d be disappointed if they didn’t, Commander. The Axis has seen enough instances where we send task elements ahead to reconnoiter for the fleet. Now, due to the fresh infusion of dedicated recon pinnaces, we can have a more extensive sensor web while reducing the hazards for the ships involved.”

Lanaq joined in. “I’m wondering how much in the way the Axis has in fixed defenses in Gymnasium. The warp points in 017 are closed, and from the records we obtained on Bedrock the Eleotoshani and the extinct Nu’Chut AIs never encountered the other in 017. So, from an economic perspective, it would make little sense for the Axis to fortify their end of the warp point in Gymnasium. Until we had captured Bedrock for the first time.”

The admiral gave Lanaq a look that Linus inferred was of stoic wisdom. “There’s little point to ponder on the imponderable until we do our probe, Lanaq. Whatever fortification plan they had would’ve been greatly accelerated after we recaptured Forger’s Gate. Speaking of acceleration, there has been good news from the other fronts. The Data Disk system has been secured, and an assault to the connecting pre-war Axis system will happen within days. Advances from Borehole and Brass Latch will ferret out any Axis formations that retreated into Gilded Wire, Tinsmith, Ohm and Impedance.”

“Sufficient to say, Admiral, those companies manufacturing minefield patterns and weapon buoys will continue to enjoy the ever-increasing demand for their products. It remains to be seen if the Axis formations hiding in those aforementioned systems are willing to die on the vine or conduct a suicidal gesture of defiance.”

“What of Kerama Retto and Battlement?” Linus injected. “With one known closed warp point in Kerama Retto it could be used again by the Axis to stage a definitive campaign to reclaim their Citadel sector.”

“A fact that will divert more resources than expected, Commander,” Jki replied. “There was a second Axis incursion into Kerama Retto. Thankfully, the second closed warp point was rather close to the first one, and the defending task group was able to handle it. The Axis did send a separate formation to engage the anchorage itself, but the defenses dispatched them, though with considerable losses.” Jki paused for a moment, suppressing the twinge of pain she felt in her gut. “As for Battlement, the Royal Valhallan fleet is standing on the defensive until it is reinforced and refitted before investigating that system’s remaining known warp point. How is your Imperial Navy being doing of late?”

“From what I’ve been given by my superiors, Admiral, we’re doing well,” Linus said with what he hoped was measured confidence. “We’ve isolated the Iron Sky system, located deep in former Nu’Chut space. Reinforcement for the fleet in Bandstand has been accelerated, and once your fleets have gained sufficient depth into systems beyond Gymansium the fleet in Tire Iron will be redeployed to whichever avenue of advance requires it the most.”

“That’s good to hear, Commander. I’m sure Admiral Janus will appreciate going back on the offensive.”

Linus consulted the datapad he held in his back right hand, stopping when a tidbit of information caught his eye. “Admiral, what is to become of that senior Axis officer the Hazen marines managed to capture in Bulwark?”

“Dovsol? Yes, she and the other POWs are heading for Hamthem Prime aboard a priority cargo corvette. They’ll be held separately from the other POWs and will be interrogated during the trip.”

Linus made a curt nod. “Given that all Axis planets are still contested on the ground it makes sense to hold prisoners where they can’t be rescued. I trust the Hamthen won’t be prone to displaying their prisoners like exotic animals in a zoo.”

Jki’s eyes blinked in a manner that Linus learned was a sign of assertion. “Despite the degrading behavior that was inflicted upon them the Hamthen will not visit that behavior on their prisoners. Whatever fate awaits those Comensal being held it will be administered impartially through laws, not whims and emotions.”

“Well stated,” said Lanaq. He said this before Linus could reply, knowing the subject of the treatment of Hamthen civilians by the Axis was a sore point for the Admiral. “With the progress we’ve made the engines of this war are turning in our favor.”

Linus discerned the tone in the translation and wisely decided not to pursue the subject further. “Agreed. With multiple breaches into their pre-war space the Axis is decidedly on the backfoot.”