08-31-2016, 07:31 PM
Eureka!: The trip to Goldstone, best accomplished by diving back into Imperial space to make use of the phase gates, would take three cycles at normal speed, we reached Goddard in five days, losing only one frigate and an older Neptune to engine problems. That was pretty good, of course we laid over at Goddard for three days for repairs but we still saved nearly a week.
After the layover in Goddard, where we got news such as Barbara was now sporting the three tiers of a Kaptain and was the squadron matriarch, we departed back to Corporate Space. For such an important transit area, the area around Goldstone was remarkably undefended. The trip to Kuwait, the last major system to Goldstone, took nearly a cycle from Goddard. As was our normal formation, the 85th was in the Van, and we were the tip of the spear, with only the recon elements of the DESTRON ahead of us. We were wondering about our fortunate trip, when the recon element made the jump into Kuwait.
“Ma’am AISS Hotspur has just jumped.” The Sensors Officette informed me
“Right, ok inform her Ladyship, how long until we jump to Kuwait A?”
“Thirty minutes to jump point to Kuwait A, then a forty minute transit to the jump to Kuwait B, and then onward to Kuwait Prime.” Stated Majourette Debby Walters, the senior navigator.
“Right, very well we will wait for Hotspur to return.”
“Executive on deck!”
“At ease!” shouted Kommandette Wanda Rivera, the executive officette,
“Ms. Parker, anything of note?”
“Aye Ma’am we are waiting for the destroyer Hotspur to return from her recon run of the three jumps to Kuwait Prime.”
“Ok roger that, her Ladyship will be acting as a division regent with the Debutante. Lady Wilma of the Doberman is the other division regent with her ship and the Dowager. Lady Elizabeth will of course lead the squadron, but your old friend Lady Karlie will handle the escorts, this leaves me to run the Pac, so Cynthia, you will be acting Executive as well as BDCO.”
“Aye Ma’am are you going to fight her from the BDC or VNB?”
“Well, the VNB, you handle things from here. Both her ladyships will be on the flag bridge….”
“Jump signature!” Sensors exclaimed
“Where?” I asked, right before the XO.
“Off port, 60mm, getting transponder it is the Hotspur!”
“Roger patch her through, and signal the squadron.”
AISS PACIFICATOR THIS IS AISS HOTSPUR, MESSAGE TO SQUADRON REGENT AS FOLLOWS: KA AND KB JUMP POINTS ARE COLD, KP JUMP POINT IS VERY HOT, NO LESS THAN 20 CAPITAL OR HEAVY SHIPS, ON ROUTE TO TFR, TRANSMISSION TERMINATED
“Right send acknowledgement, and inform both her ladyships, the con is yours Ms Parker.”
“Aye Ma’am I have the con.”
Well we were expecting some resistance but 20 plus capital ships or at least heavy cruisers; this is going to a tough fight. Assaulting a defended jump point is no fun, but it is possible. Her Grace decided that we would do a four-stage attack. First stage would be a jump to KA and KB by the light cruisers and destroyers to secure these two points. The second stage would be massing the big guns and carriers in KB, followed by a strike by all jump capable aerospace to clear the immediate jump point in KP. The third stage would be a massed jump by all of the heavy guns, including the heavy cruisers. The last stage was a flank attack from KA to KP by the recon ships, which the long range recon fighters will be detached for the aerospace sweep, so the bays on the destroyers will carry short leg Raptors or Tempest attack fighters. Likewise the hanger bays of any ship capable of holding an AS fighter would have units transferred from the carriers to them, as none of the thin skinned carriers were going to jump into KP until we have secured the system. They will be left, along with the transports, in KB with minimal escort of one Tyche and two Vulcan frigates.
The 854th BATRON and the 858th BATCRURON became the centerpiece of Strike Flotilla 21. The other elements of the Flotilla were the 781st and 785th BATCRURONS and 782nd CRURON. This formation added four more battle cruisers and eight cruisers, two Neptunes and six Saturns. For a total of one dreadnought and eight battle cruisers plus three Neptunes, and ten Saturns; over half of the capital ships and nearly a third of the cruisers.
The other strike elements were the 20th Flotilla which consisted of the command element (sans carriers), of the flagship the AISS Prosecutor and the AISS Deliberate plus a Neptune and three Saturns; and the 452nd BATCRURON, consisting of two more battle cruisers and two more Saturns.
The last was the 22nd Flotilla, which consisted of the remainder of the 45th ATG, including the AISS Prostitute and four battle cruisers, two Neptunes and eleven Saturns. There was a debate to bunch up the three dreadnoughts but it was decided by her Grace to use each one as an anchor for the battle cruiser formations. Which made sense since each Minerva packed six whirlwinds and each battle cruiser had two of these massive guns. (Later with the humongous Avotkrators and Fleet Xrasers, we got in the practice of grouping Dreadnoughts and Battle Cruisers separately when possible.) Once the formations were established and safely at KB we waited for the signal to jump.
“Craft have jumped!”
“Roger that, ok, prepare ship for jump…” “
Signal from Flotilla Command (ATG 85 TGR on board the AISS Dragoon, instead of the Impervious.) We jump in a five minutes, we have the Van, of the flotilla as well as the all three strike elements.”
“Right, Ma’am we have a command to jump…”
“Ok Ms. Parker it is your show there, we will control local maneuvering upon entering KP!”
“Aye, stand by to jump on my mark!”
“All systems are green Ma’am…”
“Right signal the squadron to jump in two minutes, stand by shields and life support, we are going in hot.”
“Roger sounding General Quarters.”
GENERAL QUARTERS, GENERAL QUARTERS ALL HANDS MAN YOUR BATTLESTATIONS, SET SHIP TO CONDITION ZEBRA.
“Ma’am all stations manned and ship is set to condition Zebra all decks and frames.”
“Roger, power down secondary systems, power up jump generators, let’s see what the fly girls have left us.”
“Ready set…” Announced the Navigator
“Jump Engines on line….” Came from Maneuver Control
“Right, Signal all ships…let’s go kick some!” This was me
“Aye, Aye, Hail Vira!” The entire BDC staff yelled
“Jump!” Shouted Maneuver Control
Routine jumps are dangerous affairs, mass jumps even more so, but a massed jump into a hot jump point is right up there with ways to commit suicide, unfortunately as of yet no one has figured out a way to take a system without jumping into it. The jump into Kuwait Prime was no picnic, even with the full scale aerospace sweep, and the simultaneous jumps by the recon units, the main body jumped into maelstrom.
Twelve Dolcianis and four Pascals waited just inside their main weaponry range. And although the aerospace was pummeling them, none were seriously damaged by the time the 21st Flotilla jumped in. Luckily we lost no ships to shared translations but, even so, the intensity of beams that slammed into the emerging ships was nearly overwhelming.
“Transit successful, ship is stabilizing….SORO To Hell!”
“What is it Debbie?”
“Er uh….”
“Calm down, what do you see?”
“Ma’am a Pascal 70 MM off our port”
“Right ok that is our target…. KAAABOOM!!! “Shit what was that?”
“Doppelganger just went up, with all hands…”
“Shit, ok how about that Pascal?”
“He’s still there, looks like he has his eyes on the Doormouse.”
“Right, ok well can’t let that bastard bully our little sisters, now, target and fire!”
“Aye, Ma’am signal from the VNB…”
“Right, Yes Ma’am go ahead…”
“That blast knocked out our control systems up here, I am heading down to the BDC, and however until my arrival the ship is yours Parker…”
“Aye Aye, hurry on down, we have lots of playmates.”
“Roger that, Rivera out…”
“Ok, well you heard her, weapons target and fire as she bears..”
“Aye main guns on line sequence fire mark!”
In a sequence fire all six weapons discharge one after each other, this way by the time the last gun has fired, the first is ready, also with a twelve second delay if the preceding beams were enough we can shift fire. At 70 MM, hitting a Pascal was almost automatic.
“4 beams hit, switching target to lead Dolci, bull’s eye!”
“Congrats Amy (Kommandette Amy Walker was the Weapons Officette, and although technically my superior, she took my lead in the Executive’s absence.) The first Pascal was sliced in three pieces, which was enough to disable him, but not totally destroy him. The Dolciani was another story, the both beams struck almost dead center and split the ship into two, which caused a catastrophic loss of integrity as well as cooking off the reactors, that made up for the loss of the Doppelganger.
So far we have lost one battle cruiser, and several ships damaged including two more battle cruisers, the enemy lost four battle cruisers, and two Pascals were out of action, including our victims. The enemy blocking force was further whittled away by aerospace strikes, and concentrated fire from the other two flotillas.
“Targets?”
“We have two Dolcis heading for the Debutante..”
“Right take them in sequence all yours guns….”
“Thank you Bridge, the pleasure is all mine.” With that the massive Whirlwinds fired off again three beams apiece, two struck the first Dolci, the second one took all three amidships, blowing him in half.
“Chalk up two more Dolci’s the big Pac, Dolci killer!”
“Hey the Deb got another, and so Doberman and Dowager are tag teaming the last functional Pascal!”
“TGR signal to all ships, report status, enemy blocking force neutralized!”
“Right very good, signal flag bridge…No Ma’am Kommandette Rivera is not here, this is Kaptain Parker…uh thank you Ma’am I will pass the word.”
“From Lady Elizabeth, well done Pacificator, we have five kills, three Dolci’s and the Pascal scuttled so we get him too.”
“Our last kill?”
“Oh a Theta was engaged by secondary batteries, dumb cruiser playing with the big girls.”
“Hey, a kill is a kill, right Sanderson scan the area, we know there are more gomers lurking…”
“Roger that we got them they are just outside LRAM range…. Executive on Deck!”
Well with Kommandette Rivera taking over the con, I was relegated to my proper secondary role, but we had fun mopping up the system, the Corp cans were toast once we got out of knife fighting range and they fell prey to our aerospace and missile barrages. Overall our casualties were heavy but not overly so for making a contested jump. We lost three hundred Aerocrew luckily the Raptor forces were only marginally involved. The Doppelganger was lost, as feared, with all hands, she was hit by several quasar torpedoes that impacted right after our arrival. The Doubtful and Duster were both seriously damaged, two Neptunes were knocked out, saving other cap ships, and four Saturns were lost, again taking torp hits that were aimed at the larger ships. Remarkably the recon flankers were untouched and so was the rear element. Her Grace decided to take Kuwait, and seize its orbital shipyards as well as ground installations, which for some unknown reason only took one NGAIL Cohort to secure.
She also reorganized and consolidated forces into three Task Groups. Since all three of the Battle cruiser losses, including the two cripples were from the 78th ATG, it was decided to strip down that unit to the bare minimum and cross level the damaged assets to it, thus the only undamaged battle cruiser from the 78th the AISS Dependable was tasked to the 85th. Likewise the depleted aerospace was reorganized, leaving the defensive units of the two Carriers from the 78th but taking away all of the strike assets. The 78th had one Neptune, two Saturns and two Tyches remaining as well. This left the remaining two elements the 85, 45th and command group with all three Minervas, nine Dianna class battle cruisers, six carriers with about 75% of the aerospace assets, three Neptune Escort Cruisers, fifteen Saturn class light cruisers, eighteen destroyers and all seven of the remaining frigates and the eight picket corvettes.
Everything was roughly divided equally in two, ATG 85 had one Minerva (the Pacificator) and five Dianna’s: the Dragoon, the Debutante, Doberman, Dowager, and Dependable, three carriers including the Big Illy and Impervious, the last one was the Inverness. Only one Neptune, our constant companion the Gremlin, and eight Saturns, nine destroyers, three Hermes, the rest Tyches, three frigates and four of the corvettes. ATG 45 plus the command group had the other two dreadnoughts, four battle cruisers, three carriers, two escort cruisers, seven light cruisers, nine destroyers (same mix as ours), four frigates and four corvettes. We were the Van again, while they took up the trail and also escorted the transports and their precious cargo of ground troops. The next stop is Goldstone.
“Jump signature detected…it’s the Hotspur.”
“Roger that open a channel.”
AISS HOTSPUR TO AISS PACIFICATOR SALUTION REPORT FOLLOWS: 12 CAP SHIPS AND 20 SMALLER VESSELS DISPERSED PATROL THROUGHOUT SYSTEM, BELIEVED TO BE GOLDSTONE GARRISON FORCES ONLY, 2135 LOCAL, UNWARE AND MINIMAL READINESS, 4 CAP SHIPS IN CLUSTER, REST IN PAIRS WITH SMALL CLUSTERS OF LESSER VESSELS. ESTIMATED ONE TASK FORCE OR FLOTILLA. HOTSPUR OUT.
“Did you hear that, we got them cold, relay commo to flag and to Impervious….” “Aye Ma’am….”
“How far is the 41st?”
“They have not yet made the transit to this system.”
BDC THIS IS FLAGPLOT IS THAT SALUTION REPORT VERIFIED?
“No Ma’am but it came from the Hotspur, they have been accurate so far.”
RIGHT WAS SHE DETECTED..”
“No Ma’am clean egress no detection….. “
ROGER THAT, BDC STAND BY
The issue at hand was if the SALUTION report was accurate we have caught the Goldstone garrison off guard, now we could wait for the 45th and make a deliberate attack, but this might give them time for reinforcements through the Gibraltar wormhole as well as concentrate their forces, or we could go as a task force, or even as lead squadron go and take the fight to them. Each option has its own risks, but since Arch Wannaxae Catherine is from a similar mold as her sister, Princess Nicole, indecision and procrastination is not tolerated when decisive action could mean a quick and easy victory. Now Lady Elizabeth had to decide if she would take the squadron by itself, being out numbered almost three to one in total strength, or follow the lead of the TGR.
BDC THIS IS FLAG, TGR HAS AUTHORIZED AN ATTACK, PREPARE SHIP FOR JUMP…ALL UNITS OF THE BATRON AND BATCRURONS PEPARE TO JUMP IN SEQUENCE AFTER PACIFICATOR DIVISION, EIGHT SECOND INTERVALS….PACIFICATOR YOU AND GREMLIN WILL DO A SIMULTANIOUS JUMP, FOLLOWED BY DEBUTANTE….DOBERMAN FOLLOWS WITH DOWAGER IN SIMULTANIOUS JUMP. DEPENDABLE FOLLOWS WITH CRUISERS….HOTSPUR JUMPS FIRST PAC GROUP WAIT TEN MINUTES FOR FIGHTER IF HOTSPUR RETURNS ABORT JUMP, TGR OUT.
Well unlike the assault of Kuwait Prime, we are not leading off with aerospace, a sure sign of an attack, but rather the lone Hotspur will do a quick recon, and either we will see it, which means an abort, or one of its fighters which will be the go ahead signal. In the meantime 1st watch was relieved so we could get a breather. I decided to head to the wardroom for some coffee.
“A word Parker…”
“Yes Ma’am,” I replied to Kommandette Rivera.
“You did damn good the other day…”
“Thank you Ma’am…”
“uh I was not finished, but anyway when this cruise is up, I will recommend you for your own command or posting as executive if you want to remain in the big gals…”
“Uh thank you very much, I have little time in anything smaller than a cruiser…”
“Right, ok we can look into executive of a Saturn or Neptune then, let’s go and tap this goldmine.”
“Right on Ma’am, the big Pac will do her duty!”
“Jump Signature sighted!”
“Roger, where at?”
“12 degrees off port, it is small, ah it is an Enforcer getting message now…”
“Patch it through..”
AISS PACIFICATOR THIS IS FORELOCK 2, REVISED SALUTION FOLLOWS: 8 CAP SHIPS, FOUR PASSED THROUGH WORMHOLE, 20 SMALLER VESSELS, DISPERSED PATROL THROUGHOUT SYSTEM, BELIEVED TO BE GOLDSTONE GARRISON FORCES ONLY, 2155 LOCAL, UNWARE AND MINIMAL READINESS, 2 CLUSTERS WITH 3 CAP SHIPS IN CLUSTER, ONE PAIR WITH SMALL CLUSTERS OF LESSER VESSELS. ESTIMATED ONE LIGHT TASK FORCE OR FLOTILLA. FORELOCK 2 OUT.
“Damn, we have them, ok patch to flag, prepare ship for jump, set condition Zebra.”
NOW HERE THIS NOW HERE THIS GENERAL QUARTERS, GENERAL QUARTERS, ALL HANDS MAN BATTLESTATIONS, AND SET SHIP TO CONDITION ZEBRA.
“Ma’am all stations manned and ready, Ms. Rivera is on the VNB”
“Roger transfer maneuver control to VNB, we jump in 5 minutes.”
“Aye, signal from Flag, squadron will jump on our lead, signal from Gremlin she is standing by.”
“Ma’am Kaptain Walker reports her ready 5 birds are secured for jump and all fighters are secured and manned for rapid deployment once stabilized.”
“Very good, have her coordinate with FLAGAEROOPS.”
“Three Minutes to Jump!”
“Weapons confirms primary batteries are charged up, disconnecting capacitors from main engines for jump.”
“Roger that, patch me to VNB.”
“Ma’am we are secure here, all systems are ready for jump.”
ROGER BDC WE HAVE IT FROM HERE
“1 minute to jump…..45, 30, 15, 10, 9 Jump Engines powering up, 5, 4, 3, Engaging…….”
The Pacificator and Gremlin jumped into Goldstone system; even from our distance we could see the massive form of the Gibraltar Wormhole.
“Ship is stabilized, sensors and shields online….”
“Bingo two Dolci’s 400 megameters 18 degrees from Starboard.”
“Roger that, inform weapons…..”
WE GOT THEM BDC, IN RANGE WITH GUNS IN 20 MINUTES, MISSLE RANGE IN 10, WE WILL BE IN THEIR WEAPON RANGE IN 18 MINUTES, SENSOR RANGE IN 8.
“Roger that, Weaps, recommendations?”
PARKER, THIS IS RIVERA, WE GOT IT HERE IN VNB, KEEP A LOOK OUT FOR REST OF SQUADRON
“Aye Ma’am…..”
“Ma’am Newton 12 O’clock he looks like he is attacking!”
“right, secondary batteries engage….”
“Torpedoes!”
“Where!”
“From the Newton, he blew his wad, 12 of the blighters….”
“Right, VNB we have 12 Torpedoes in bound!”
UNDERSTOOD WE HAVE IT, WEAPS ENGAGE POINT DEFENSES, GREMLIN CAN YOU ENGAGE? NEGATIVE PACIFICATOR WE ARE OUT OF POSITION, LAUNCHING RAPTORS… “
“Vacc suits people, move, we are going to get hit!”
“Are you sure Ma’am,…”
“Yes damn it, suit up!”
“Weaps reports three leakers, by the way they smoked the Newton….”
“Very well…..” KAWAAMM!
“Damage Report!”
“Deck A was hit hard, one missed, one passed through the jump sail but failed to detonate.”
BDC THIS *** B *** HIT ****LOST LOCAL****TO YOU****
“What was, that?”
“Not sure Ma’am we think it might be the VNB. We have no contact with them”
“Right Lewtenette Winters restore Maneuver control to BDC.”
FLAG TO BDC WHAT HAPPENED?
“We took a torp, in A deck, damage unknown but comms with VNB are out, we are restoring maneuver control to BDC…wait one…Status on DC team?”
“Ma’am DC team 2 reports hull breach on A deck frame 14. Looks like the access hatch to the VNB has been compromised, 20 confirmed dead, 40 wounded, most minor, eighteen missing including VNB staff.”
“Right uh Ma’am we got preliminaries from DC 78 casualties, including KIA, MIA, and WIA.”
ROGER STATUS OF SHIP
“We can still fight, speaking of which we have two Dolci’s.”
ROGER BDC TAKE THEM FLAG OUT.
Spinning in my chair towards them, I addressed the BDC staff, “Ok folks we have those two Dolci’s let’s show them who’s boss!”
“Aye Ma’am”, replied the weapons division coordinator, “primary beams targeted lead ship, secondary batteries on the second fellow.”
BRAAP! The ship shuddered as the main cannons fired and on the view screen we saw the image of the first corporate battle cruiser flare to a brilliant white then fade out.
“Direct hit all beams!”
“Very good now for the second turkey….”
“Ma’am he is pulling out heading for the wormhole nexus…”
“Damn, we got to take that turkey now….” KABOOM!
“What happened?”
“Last Dolci was engaged by the bombers that just jumped in from Illustrious, this system is clear.”
“Roger that inform Damage control to begin a formal search and recovery operation on A deck, all hands stand down to condition Bambi.”
“Miss Duncan (the DBDCO) you have the con, 1st watch stand down.”
“Aye Ma’am 1st watch you are relieved, 2nd watch has assumed control.”
After the layover in Goddard, where we got news such as Barbara was now sporting the three tiers of a Kaptain and was the squadron matriarch, we departed back to Corporate Space. For such an important transit area, the area around Goldstone was remarkably undefended. The trip to Kuwait, the last major system to Goldstone, took nearly a cycle from Goddard. As was our normal formation, the 85th was in the Van, and we were the tip of the spear, with only the recon elements of the DESTRON ahead of us. We were wondering about our fortunate trip, when the recon element made the jump into Kuwait.
“Ma’am AISS Hotspur has just jumped.” The Sensors Officette informed me
“Right, ok inform her Ladyship, how long until we jump to Kuwait A?”
“Thirty minutes to jump point to Kuwait A, then a forty minute transit to the jump to Kuwait B, and then onward to Kuwait Prime.” Stated Majourette Debby Walters, the senior navigator.
“Right, very well we will wait for Hotspur to return.”
“Executive on deck!”
“At ease!” shouted Kommandette Wanda Rivera, the executive officette,
“Ms. Parker, anything of note?”
“Aye Ma’am we are waiting for the destroyer Hotspur to return from her recon run of the three jumps to Kuwait Prime.”
“Ok roger that, her Ladyship will be acting as a division regent with the Debutante. Lady Wilma of the Doberman is the other division regent with her ship and the Dowager. Lady Elizabeth will of course lead the squadron, but your old friend Lady Karlie will handle the escorts, this leaves me to run the Pac, so Cynthia, you will be acting Executive as well as BDCO.”
“Aye Ma’am are you going to fight her from the BDC or VNB?”
“Well, the VNB, you handle things from here. Both her ladyships will be on the flag bridge….”
“Jump signature!” Sensors exclaimed
“Where?” I asked, right before the XO.
“Off port, 60mm, getting transponder it is the Hotspur!”
“Roger patch her through, and signal the squadron.”
AISS PACIFICATOR THIS IS AISS HOTSPUR, MESSAGE TO SQUADRON REGENT AS FOLLOWS: KA AND KB JUMP POINTS ARE COLD, KP JUMP POINT IS VERY HOT, NO LESS THAN 20 CAPITAL OR HEAVY SHIPS, ON ROUTE TO TFR, TRANSMISSION TERMINATED
“Right send acknowledgement, and inform both her ladyships, the con is yours Ms Parker.”
“Aye Ma’am I have the con.”
Well we were expecting some resistance but 20 plus capital ships or at least heavy cruisers; this is going to a tough fight. Assaulting a defended jump point is no fun, but it is possible. Her Grace decided that we would do a four-stage attack. First stage would be a jump to KA and KB by the light cruisers and destroyers to secure these two points. The second stage would be massing the big guns and carriers in KB, followed by a strike by all jump capable aerospace to clear the immediate jump point in KP. The third stage would be a massed jump by all of the heavy guns, including the heavy cruisers. The last stage was a flank attack from KA to KP by the recon ships, which the long range recon fighters will be detached for the aerospace sweep, so the bays on the destroyers will carry short leg Raptors or Tempest attack fighters. Likewise the hanger bays of any ship capable of holding an AS fighter would have units transferred from the carriers to them, as none of the thin skinned carriers were going to jump into KP until we have secured the system. They will be left, along with the transports, in KB with minimal escort of one Tyche and two Vulcan frigates.
The 854th BATRON and the 858th BATCRURON became the centerpiece of Strike Flotilla 21. The other elements of the Flotilla were the 781st and 785th BATCRURONS and 782nd CRURON. This formation added four more battle cruisers and eight cruisers, two Neptunes and six Saturns. For a total of one dreadnought and eight battle cruisers plus three Neptunes, and ten Saturns; over half of the capital ships and nearly a third of the cruisers.
The other strike elements were the 20th Flotilla which consisted of the command element (sans carriers), of the flagship the AISS Prosecutor and the AISS Deliberate plus a Neptune and three Saturns; and the 452nd BATCRURON, consisting of two more battle cruisers and two more Saturns.
The last was the 22nd Flotilla, which consisted of the remainder of the 45th ATG, including the AISS Prostitute and four battle cruisers, two Neptunes and eleven Saturns. There was a debate to bunch up the three dreadnoughts but it was decided by her Grace to use each one as an anchor for the battle cruiser formations. Which made sense since each Minerva packed six whirlwinds and each battle cruiser had two of these massive guns. (Later with the humongous Avotkrators and Fleet Xrasers, we got in the practice of grouping Dreadnoughts and Battle Cruisers separately when possible.) Once the formations were established and safely at KB we waited for the signal to jump.
“Craft have jumped!”
“Roger that, ok, prepare ship for jump…” “
Signal from Flotilla Command (ATG 85 TGR on board the AISS Dragoon, instead of the Impervious.) We jump in a five minutes, we have the Van, of the flotilla as well as the all three strike elements.”
“Right, Ma’am we have a command to jump…”
“Ok Ms. Parker it is your show there, we will control local maneuvering upon entering KP!”
“Aye, stand by to jump on my mark!”
“All systems are green Ma’am…”
“Right signal the squadron to jump in two minutes, stand by shields and life support, we are going in hot.”
“Roger sounding General Quarters.”
GENERAL QUARTERS, GENERAL QUARTERS ALL HANDS MAN YOUR BATTLESTATIONS, SET SHIP TO CONDITION ZEBRA.
“Ma’am all stations manned and ship is set to condition Zebra all decks and frames.”
“Roger, power down secondary systems, power up jump generators, let’s see what the fly girls have left us.”
“Ready set…” Announced the Navigator
“Jump Engines on line….” Came from Maneuver Control
“Right, Signal all ships…let’s go kick some!” This was me
“Aye, Aye, Hail Vira!” The entire BDC staff yelled
“Jump!” Shouted Maneuver Control
Routine jumps are dangerous affairs, mass jumps even more so, but a massed jump into a hot jump point is right up there with ways to commit suicide, unfortunately as of yet no one has figured out a way to take a system without jumping into it. The jump into Kuwait Prime was no picnic, even with the full scale aerospace sweep, and the simultaneous jumps by the recon units, the main body jumped into maelstrom.
Twelve Dolcianis and four Pascals waited just inside their main weaponry range. And although the aerospace was pummeling them, none were seriously damaged by the time the 21st Flotilla jumped in. Luckily we lost no ships to shared translations but, even so, the intensity of beams that slammed into the emerging ships was nearly overwhelming.
“Transit successful, ship is stabilizing….SORO To Hell!”
“What is it Debbie?”
“Er uh….”
“Calm down, what do you see?”
“Ma’am a Pascal 70 MM off our port”
“Right ok that is our target…. KAAABOOM!!! “Shit what was that?”
“Doppelganger just went up, with all hands…”
“Shit, ok how about that Pascal?”
“He’s still there, looks like he has his eyes on the Doormouse.”
“Right, ok well can’t let that bastard bully our little sisters, now, target and fire!”
“Aye, Ma’am signal from the VNB…”
“Right, Yes Ma’am go ahead…”
“That blast knocked out our control systems up here, I am heading down to the BDC, and however until my arrival the ship is yours Parker…”
“Aye Aye, hurry on down, we have lots of playmates.”
“Roger that, Rivera out…”
“Ok, well you heard her, weapons target and fire as she bears..”
“Aye main guns on line sequence fire mark!”
In a sequence fire all six weapons discharge one after each other, this way by the time the last gun has fired, the first is ready, also with a twelve second delay if the preceding beams were enough we can shift fire. At 70 MM, hitting a Pascal was almost automatic.
“4 beams hit, switching target to lead Dolci, bull’s eye!”
“Congrats Amy (Kommandette Amy Walker was the Weapons Officette, and although technically my superior, she took my lead in the Executive’s absence.) The first Pascal was sliced in three pieces, which was enough to disable him, but not totally destroy him. The Dolciani was another story, the both beams struck almost dead center and split the ship into two, which caused a catastrophic loss of integrity as well as cooking off the reactors, that made up for the loss of the Doppelganger.
So far we have lost one battle cruiser, and several ships damaged including two more battle cruisers, the enemy lost four battle cruisers, and two Pascals were out of action, including our victims. The enemy blocking force was further whittled away by aerospace strikes, and concentrated fire from the other two flotillas.
“Targets?”
“We have two Dolcis heading for the Debutante..”
“Right take them in sequence all yours guns….”
“Thank you Bridge, the pleasure is all mine.” With that the massive Whirlwinds fired off again three beams apiece, two struck the first Dolci, the second one took all three amidships, blowing him in half.
“Chalk up two more Dolci’s the big Pac, Dolci killer!”
“Hey the Deb got another, and so Doberman and Dowager are tag teaming the last functional Pascal!”
“TGR signal to all ships, report status, enemy blocking force neutralized!”
“Right very good, signal flag bridge…No Ma’am Kommandette Rivera is not here, this is Kaptain Parker…uh thank you Ma’am I will pass the word.”
“From Lady Elizabeth, well done Pacificator, we have five kills, three Dolci’s and the Pascal scuttled so we get him too.”
“Our last kill?”
“Oh a Theta was engaged by secondary batteries, dumb cruiser playing with the big girls.”
“Hey, a kill is a kill, right Sanderson scan the area, we know there are more gomers lurking…”
“Roger that we got them they are just outside LRAM range…. Executive on Deck!”
Well with Kommandette Rivera taking over the con, I was relegated to my proper secondary role, but we had fun mopping up the system, the Corp cans were toast once we got out of knife fighting range and they fell prey to our aerospace and missile barrages. Overall our casualties were heavy but not overly so for making a contested jump. We lost three hundred Aerocrew luckily the Raptor forces were only marginally involved. The Doppelganger was lost, as feared, with all hands, she was hit by several quasar torpedoes that impacted right after our arrival. The Doubtful and Duster were both seriously damaged, two Neptunes were knocked out, saving other cap ships, and four Saturns were lost, again taking torp hits that were aimed at the larger ships. Remarkably the recon flankers were untouched and so was the rear element. Her Grace decided to take Kuwait, and seize its orbital shipyards as well as ground installations, which for some unknown reason only took one NGAIL Cohort to secure.
She also reorganized and consolidated forces into three Task Groups. Since all three of the Battle cruiser losses, including the two cripples were from the 78th ATG, it was decided to strip down that unit to the bare minimum and cross level the damaged assets to it, thus the only undamaged battle cruiser from the 78th the AISS Dependable was tasked to the 85th. Likewise the depleted aerospace was reorganized, leaving the defensive units of the two Carriers from the 78th but taking away all of the strike assets. The 78th had one Neptune, two Saturns and two Tyches remaining as well. This left the remaining two elements the 85, 45th and command group with all three Minervas, nine Dianna class battle cruisers, six carriers with about 75% of the aerospace assets, three Neptune Escort Cruisers, fifteen Saturn class light cruisers, eighteen destroyers and all seven of the remaining frigates and the eight picket corvettes.
Everything was roughly divided equally in two, ATG 85 had one Minerva (the Pacificator) and five Dianna’s: the Dragoon, the Debutante, Doberman, Dowager, and Dependable, three carriers including the Big Illy and Impervious, the last one was the Inverness. Only one Neptune, our constant companion the Gremlin, and eight Saturns, nine destroyers, three Hermes, the rest Tyches, three frigates and four of the corvettes. ATG 45 plus the command group had the other two dreadnoughts, four battle cruisers, three carriers, two escort cruisers, seven light cruisers, nine destroyers (same mix as ours), four frigates and four corvettes. We were the Van again, while they took up the trail and also escorted the transports and their precious cargo of ground troops. The next stop is Goldstone.
“Jump signature detected…it’s the Hotspur.”
“Roger that open a channel.”
AISS HOTSPUR TO AISS PACIFICATOR SALUTION REPORT FOLLOWS: 12 CAP SHIPS AND 20 SMALLER VESSELS DISPERSED PATROL THROUGHOUT SYSTEM, BELIEVED TO BE GOLDSTONE GARRISON FORCES ONLY, 2135 LOCAL, UNWARE AND MINIMAL READINESS, 4 CAP SHIPS IN CLUSTER, REST IN PAIRS WITH SMALL CLUSTERS OF LESSER VESSELS. ESTIMATED ONE TASK FORCE OR FLOTILLA. HOTSPUR OUT.
“Did you hear that, we got them cold, relay commo to flag and to Impervious….” “Aye Ma’am….”
“How far is the 41st?”
“They have not yet made the transit to this system.”
BDC THIS IS FLAGPLOT IS THAT SALUTION REPORT VERIFIED?
“No Ma’am but it came from the Hotspur, they have been accurate so far.”
RIGHT WAS SHE DETECTED..”
“No Ma’am clean egress no detection….. “
ROGER THAT, BDC STAND BY
The issue at hand was if the SALUTION report was accurate we have caught the Goldstone garrison off guard, now we could wait for the 45th and make a deliberate attack, but this might give them time for reinforcements through the Gibraltar wormhole as well as concentrate their forces, or we could go as a task force, or even as lead squadron go and take the fight to them. Each option has its own risks, but since Arch Wannaxae Catherine is from a similar mold as her sister, Princess Nicole, indecision and procrastination is not tolerated when decisive action could mean a quick and easy victory. Now Lady Elizabeth had to decide if she would take the squadron by itself, being out numbered almost three to one in total strength, or follow the lead of the TGR.
BDC THIS IS FLAG, TGR HAS AUTHORIZED AN ATTACK, PREPARE SHIP FOR JUMP…ALL UNITS OF THE BATRON AND BATCRURONS PEPARE TO JUMP IN SEQUENCE AFTER PACIFICATOR DIVISION, EIGHT SECOND INTERVALS….PACIFICATOR YOU AND GREMLIN WILL DO A SIMULTANIOUS JUMP, FOLLOWED BY DEBUTANTE….DOBERMAN FOLLOWS WITH DOWAGER IN SIMULTANIOUS JUMP. DEPENDABLE FOLLOWS WITH CRUISERS….HOTSPUR JUMPS FIRST PAC GROUP WAIT TEN MINUTES FOR FIGHTER IF HOTSPUR RETURNS ABORT JUMP, TGR OUT.
Well unlike the assault of Kuwait Prime, we are not leading off with aerospace, a sure sign of an attack, but rather the lone Hotspur will do a quick recon, and either we will see it, which means an abort, or one of its fighters which will be the go ahead signal. In the meantime 1st watch was relieved so we could get a breather. I decided to head to the wardroom for some coffee.
“A word Parker…”
“Yes Ma’am,” I replied to Kommandette Rivera.
“You did damn good the other day…”
“Thank you Ma’am…”
“uh I was not finished, but anyway when this cruise is up, I will recommend you for your own command or posting as executive if you want to remain in the big gals…”
“Uh thank you very much, I have little time in anything smaller than a cruiser…”
“Right, ok we can look into executive of a Saturn or Neptune then, let’s go and tap this goldmine.”
“Right on Ma’am, the big Pac will do her duty!”
“Jump Signature sighted!”
“Roger, where at?”
“12 degrees off port, it is small, ah it is an Enforcer getting message now…”
“Patch it through..”
AISS PACIFICATOR THIS IS FORELOCK 2, REVISED SALUTION FOLLOWS: 8 CAP SHIPS, FOUR PASSED THROUGH WORMHOLE, 20 SMALLER VESSELS, DISPERSED PATROL THROUGHOUT SYSTEM, BELIEVED TO BE GOLDSTONE GARRISON FORCES ONLY, 2155 LOCAL, UNWARE AND MINIMAL READINESS, 2 CLUSTERS WITH 3 CAP SHIPS IN CLUSTER, ONE PAIR WITH SMALL CLUSTERS OF LESSER VESSELS. ESTIMATED ONE LIGHT TASK FORCE OR FLOTILLA. FORELOCK 2 OUT.
“Damn, we have them, ok patch to flag, prepare ship for jump, set condition Zebra.”
NOW HERE THIS NOW HERE THIS GENERAL QUARTERS, GENERAL QUARTERS, ALL HANDS MAN BATTLESTATIONS, AND SET SHIP TO CONDITION ZEBRA.
“Ma’am all stations manned and ready, Ms. Rivera is on the VNB”
“Roger transfer maneuver control to VNB, we jump in 5 minutes.”
“Aye, signal from Flag, squadron will jump on our lead, signal from Gremlin she is standing by.”
“Ma’am Kaptain Walker reports her ready 5 birds are secured for jump and all fighters are secured and manned for rapid deployment once stabilized.”
“Very good, have her coordinate with FLAGAEROOPS.”
“Three Minutes to Jump!”
“Weapons confirms primary batteries are charged up, disconnecting capacitors from main engines for jump.”
“Roger that, patch me to VNB.”
“Ma’am we are secure here, all systems are ready for jump.”
ROGER BDC WE HAVE IT FROM HERE
“1 minute to jump…..45, 30, 15, 10, 9 Jump Engines powering up, 5, 4, 3, Engaging…….”
The Pacificator and Gremlin jumped into Goldstone system; even from our distance we could see the massive form of the Gibraltar Wormhole.
“Ship is stabilized, sensors and shields online….”
“Bingo two Dolci’s 400 megameters 18 degrees from Starboard.”
“Roger that, inform weapons…..”
WE GOT THEM BDC, IN RANGE WITH GUNS IN 20 MINUTES, MISSLE RANGE IN 10, WE WILL BE IN THEIR WEAPON RANGE IN 18 MINUTES, SENSOR RANGE IN 8.
“Roger that, Weaps, recommendations?”
PARKER, THIS IS RIVERA, WE GOT IT HERE IN VNB, KEEP A LOOK OUT FOR REST OF SQUADRON
“Aye Ma’am…..”
“Ma’am Newton 12 O’clock he looks like he is attacking!”
“right, secondary batteries engage….”
“Torpedoes!”
“Where!”
“From the Newton, he blew his wad, 12 of the blighters….”
“Right, VNB we have 12 Torpedoes in bound!”
UNDERSTOOD WE HAVE IT, WEAPS ENGAGE POINT DEFENSES, GREMLIN CAN YOU ENGAGE? NEGATIVE PACIFICATOR WE ARE OUT OF POSITION, LAUNCHING RAPTORS… “
“Vacc suits people, move, we are going to get hit!”
“Are you sure Ma’am,…”
“Yes damn it, suit up!”
“Weaps reports three leakers, by the way they smoked the Newton….”
“Very well…..” KAWAAMM!
“Damage Report!”
“Deck A was hit hard, one missed, one passed through the jump sail but failed to detonate.”
BDC THIS *** B *** HIT ****LOST LOCAL****TO YOU****
“What was, that?”
“Not sure Ma’am we think it might be the VNB. We have no contact with them”
“Right Lewtenette Winters restore Maneuver control to BDC.”
FLAG TO BDC WHAT HAPPENED?
“We took a torp, in A deck, damage unknown but comms with VNB are out, we are restoring maneuver control to BDC…wait one…Status on DC team?”
“Ma’am DC team 2 reports hull breach on A deck frame 14. Looks like the access hatch to the VNB has been compromised, 20 confirmed dead, 40 wounded, most minor, eighteen missing including VNB staff.”
“Right uh Ma’am we got preliminaries from DC 78 casualties, including KIA, MIA, and WIA.”
ROGER STATUS OF SHIP
“We can still fight, speaking of which we have two Dolci’s.”
ROGER BDC TAKE THEM FLAG OUT.
Spinning in my chair towards them, I addressed the BDC staff, “Ok folks we have those two Dolci’s let’s show them who’s boss!”
“Aye Ma’am”, replied the weapons division coordinator, “primary beams targeted lead ship, secondary batteries on the second fellow.”
BRAAP! The ship shuddered as the main cannons fired and on the view screen we saw the image of the first corporate battle cruiser flare to a brilliant white then fade out.
“Direct hit all beams!”
“Very good now for the second turkey….”
“Ma’am he is pulling out heading for the wormhole nexus…”
“Damn, we got to take that turkey now….” KABOOM!
“What happened?”
“Last Dolci was engaged by the bombers that just jumped in from Illustrious, this system is clear.”
“Roger that inform Damage control to begin a formal search and recovery operation on A deck, all hands stand down to condition Bambi.”
“Miss Duncan (the DBDCO) you have the con, 1st watch stand down.”
“Aye Ma’am 1st watch you are relieved, 2nd watch has assumed control.”