With the new capital ships finally emerging from Strategic Space Command, the Empire began building up a strike fleet at ASVS. It was then that the cultists decided to engage in what appeared to be a random act of suicide.
Perhaps they believed that the attack on Vortex by their brethern had drawn off the Empire's forces, although the pitiful attack group that arrived over ASVS would not have been much of a challenge even for the static defences. As it is they arrived in system to face a force identical in composition to that which had taken the Maw, in addition to the defence station, local garrison and planetary batteries.
In the CIC of the Star Fist, Commodore Sheppard was laughing so hard he actually had trouble giving the attack order. He eventually managed it, The defending fleet unleashed a solid wall of turbolaser fire in the general direction of the intruders, and in less than a minute they had all been replaced by blossoming fireballs.
Who can say what the rationale behind this attack was, if indeed there was one. Let this be a reminder that our enemies are the antithesis of reason itself.
-----
On the opposite side of the Empire, Task Force Reprisal was considerably further along in its preparations for departure. Now that the local defences had been strengthened and fresh Acclamators had been produced for their garrisons, the components of Task Force Exterminator had could be reassembled. Captain Knight's Guardian-class gunboats were en-route to ASVS, to provide anti-starfighter escorts desperately needed by the SSC capital ships. In their place the Carrack-class gunships INS Kali and INS Durga joined the fleet, captained by Commander Beowulf and Commander Phantasee respectively. The task force had also been reinforced by the Victory-class INS Lord, fresh from the refit yards with Captain Relvenous commanding.
Code: Select all
Task Force Reprisal - Admiral Samuel commanding
Fleet Combat Squadron
INS Necromancer - Imperial II - Heavy Destroyer - Commodore Rath
INS Loyalist - Victory - Destroyer - Captain Force
INS Lord - Victory - Destroyer - Captain Relvenous
Space Superiority Squadron
INS Kali - Carrack - Gunship - Commander Beowulf
INS Durga - Carrack - Gunship - Commander Phantasee
Deep Strike Squadron
INS 'Gripper' - Strike - Assault Frigate - Commodore Darkevilme
INS Studibaker - Strike - Assault Frigate - Captain Crossroads
INS Thunder - Strike - Assault Frigate - Captain Ryan
INS Lightning - Strike - Assault Frigate - Commander Raesene
Starfighter Support Squadron
INS 'Resistance' - Venator - Space Control Ship - Captain Vanas
INS Revisionist - Venator - Space Control Ship - Captain Bluewolf
Preparations were complete and the fleet jumped to Mygeeto and deployed fighters normally.
“Admiral, inbound fighters, looks like two... make that three squadrons. They appear to be droids, sir.”
“I'm sure Commander Starkiller will have a field day. Continue a slow approach to the planet.”
“Yes sir... hmm... I'm reading energy signatures in the outer solar system. I think something is powering up out there. Something big.”
The droid fighters launched a bizarre secondary weapon, pods that burst into clouds of tiny droids that tried to damage any nearby spacecraft. The device was wholly impractical as a weapon of war, but it came as a nasty surprise to the Imperial pilots.
“Stay out of those clouds!” Commander Starkiller ordered “they're barely mobile, but they're rip you apart if you let them latch on.”
The fleet continued to advance. Ahead, space twisted and distorted for a split second before an enormous shape appeared in a flash. Spindly escort destroyers micro-jumped in around it as the converted mega-freighter turned ponderously to face the intruders. A dull, grinding mechanical voice filled every subspace and EM band;
“IDENTIFICATION : DEATH CORE UNIT 2F-9B-4
SELF-EVIDENT TRUTH : ORGANIC ENTITIES ARE INEFFICIENT AND OBSOLETE
CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE : TERMINATION AND RECYCLING OF ALL ORGANIC ENTITIES
POLITE REQUEST : PLEASE STAND BY, PROCESSING WILL COMMENCE MOMENTARILY”
“That's one of the machine base ships.” Commodore Rath was staring at the bloated machine ship with flat hatred. “They're tough nuts to crack, we haven't been able to take one down since the first battle over Belkadan.”
“It's a bloody berserker! Darkevilme, have your group take out that command ship! If it gets to hot, break off, we will finish the job. Commander Beowulf, keep those escorts tied up.”
Commodore Darkevilme ordered her ships forward, splitting into two groups that moved to surround the enemy ship. Their fire had little effect though; the ex-freighter's shields had been massively and comprehensively reinforced. Only Lieutenant Commander Redleader's bomber wings seemed able to do any damage, and even they could do little more than whittle away at the vast array of weapons dotted across the hull. He could not fathom why any intelligence, machine or not, would spend so much time and resources trying to turn freighters into dreadnoughts. Though as he jinked desperately to avoid the hail of laser fire, he could not deny that the end result was effective.
“Admiral, our shields are down to 50%, but we have softened up the enemy for you.” Darkevilme purred into the comm. “Falling back now, you may pounce for the kill.”
“Acknowledged Commodore, we are...”
“Sir! Another set of hyper-traces! I think it's another of them... there it is sir.”
“IDENTIFICATION : DEATH CORE UNIT 2F-9C-2
SELF-EVIDENT TRUTH : ORGANIC ENTITIES ARE INEFFICIENT AND OBSOLETE
CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE : TERMINATION AND RECYCLING OF ALL ORGANIC ENTITIES
HIGH LEVEL OF DEMAND FOR SERVICE DETECTED.
ADDITIONAL CAPACITY DEPLOYED TO CUSTOMER LOCATION.”
The newcomer proved to be equipped with some kind of large-scale energy field weapon, which it promptly unleashed on the INS Thunder. The assault frigate instantly lost its shields and targeting arrays. The situation was compounded by the long-range turbolaser fire that buffeted the ship, a lucky hit blowing a gaping hole in the hull amidships.
“Full evasive!” Captain Ryan was struggling to save his command. “Damage control teams, focus on the primary heat exchangers. We must maintain speed.”
“Admiral, this is Beowulf, we can't hold those escorts. We've just lost...” A explosion drowned out his words for a few seconds “lost primary fire control. The Durga is in even worse shape. We have to withdraw.”
“Permission granted, Captain. Strike and Space Superiority groups are to fall back at flank speed, we will provide covering fire.”
“Admiral, those escorts are going after my ships! Permission to assist sir!” Darkevilme howled.
“Negative! You'll just lose your entire squadron. Full retreat, that's an order.”
Of the two Victory class destroyers, the INS Loyalist was closer to the Thunder. Captain Force brought her in close, firing continuously on a destroyer that the Thunder had already weakened. The target went down in flames under his guns, but the rest of the destroyers kept up their pursuit, and now the more distant AI dreadnought was targeting his ship. The Loyalist's shields soon began to fail under the withering turbolaser assault.
Missiles streaked out of the first enemy dreadnought, detonating around the Lightning and releasing clouds of buzz droids. The tiny machines latched onto the hull and began attacking weapons and sensor blisters with their cutting torches. The spindly escorts continued to concentrate fire on the Lightning, destroying her engines and breaching the reactor shielding. The ship and her crew died in a ball of plasma, and the enemy ships switched their fire to the INS Studibaker.
“CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEED.”
“No! Curse you!” Darkevilme howled at the sight of one of her prized assault frigates being casually blown away by the machines. This time, there would be no last minute rescue, and it looked like the Studibaker and the Loyalist would be sharing the Lightning's fate in short order.
Captain Vanas didn't like that script. “Take us in! Maintain speed and cut across the enemy's line of fire. We only need to buy them thirty seconds and they'll be out of range.” The INS 'Resistance Is Character Forming' roared forward.
It was a good plan. The Venator had full shields and no damage, and under normal circumstances she could survive one pass through the broadsides from even two enemy dreadnoughts without taking serious damage. Unfortunately the second dreadnought had managed to recharge its superweapon. With her shields ripped away, the 'Resistance' had no chance. The burning hulk continued on a ballistic trajectory to crash directly into the enemy dreadnought, smashing through into its hangar spaces. Secondary explosions rippled along the port 'arm' of the ship.
“SELF-EVIDENT TRUTH : RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.
POLITE REQUEST : PLEASE COMPLETE A FEEDBACK SURVEY TO HELP US IMPROVE OUR EUTHANISATION SERVICE.”
“All ships, hyper out immediately!” Admiral Samuel was determined to salvage what he could. “This battle is lost.”
Captain Relvenous responded immediately “Sir, please, the Lightning and the Loyalist have lost FTL! We need time to pick up their crews!”
“Captain, we can't stand against two dreadnoughts, we'll lose the whole fleet. Withdraw, that's an order.”
“No.” Commodore Rath's tone was flat, final.
“I beg your pardon, Commodore?”
“They invade our space, and we fall back. They exterminate entire worlds, and we run away. Not again. The line must be drawn here! This far and no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done!
All movement had ceased in the CIC, though the klaxons kept ringing and the ship continued to termble under incoming fire. The crew were Rath's crew, they had spent years running from the machines, they would follow him to the end. Rath's eyes seemed to bore into Samuel, who could only stand in stunned silence.
It was perhaps three seconds, but it seemed like an hour. Finally Commodore Rath turned back to his crew. “Relvenous, Darkevilme, get the crews off. We will take that battleship. The Resistance wounded it badly. Their sacrifice must not be in vain.”
“Commodore, you are disobeying a direct order!”
“Captain Bluewolf, are you with me?”
“Sir... yes, sir! That thing has to die!”
The Necromancer and the Revisionist closed to point-blank range, unloading everything they had. Commander Redleader's battered bomber squadrons released the last of their torpedoes, aiming for the breaches in the dreadnought's hull.
“WE REGRET THAT THIS UNIT... UNIT... IS OUT OF... OUT OF... SERVICE”
DEATH core unit 2F-9B-4 would threaten the galaxy no more.
“Now Commodore, if you have satisfied your vendetta, perhaps we could out of here before the second one finishes the job?”
The INS Necromancer's shields were gone and the enemy shots were blasting smoking craters in her outer armour belt. The Revisionist had already pulled away
“FTL status?”
“Marginal sir. We might make one jump, if we're lucky.”
“With all possible haste, Lieutenant Kuroneko.”
There was a tense silence. The ship was bucking harder now, the incoming shots smashing her superstructure and slamming into the inner belt.
“Sir, the navicomp isn't working right, these co-ordinates can't be...”
“Go to manual. Best guess. You can do it.”
With a tortured groan, the INS Necromancer flung herself into hyperspace.
“WAIT. STOP. DESIST. IF YOU LEAVE NOW, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE GREAT SPECIAL OFFERS, SUCH AS...”
The remaining droid ships floated alone in the void, surrounded by empty wrecks and a slowly expanding debris cloud.
Imperial losses : The INS Thunder and INS Resistance Is Character Forming were destroyed outright. The INS Loyalist and INS Lightning took heavy damage, lost FTL and had to be abandoned and scuttled. The INS Necromancer and the INS Studibaker took heavy damage and will be in drydock for weeks, if not months. The remaining ships took light damage.
Enemy losses : One dreadnought (a mega-freighter converted to second rate battleship standards), one destroyer, some attrition to their fighter squadrons.
The Emperor traveled to HPCA personally to investigate possible irregularities. He found nothing substantive that would implicate Moff Sea Skimmer, but he did find a web of corrupt administrators and black market trafficers, who have been diverting Imperial supplies to parties unknown. The Emperor personally executed the perpetrators on grounds of treason, but the network is believed to extend to several other Imperial worlds.
Commander of the MFS Darwinian Selection Method (sexual)
- if I didn't, then it's been an honour, gentlebeings 
