Season 3 Episode 01: The Battle Spreads
The Earth Space Force continues to fight back after stumbling into an Eridani invasion force at the Goultaran wormhole.
Eridani Rapid Interdiction Force, on station at Wormhole #35.
“Sir, we’ve been sitting here too long,” said Tactical Officer Gran Fistel.
“We can’t leave, Lieutenant,” said Admiral Filibak. “We have orders to await instructions from Home Fleet.”
“Yes, Sir, I know,” said Fistel. “But by now, that courier ship that escaped us through the wormhole has informed the human missile cruisers of our presence here. We need to move somewhere else and then shut down our hyperdrives so that their missiles can’t find us.”
Admiral Filibak did the math in his head. The invasion fleet at Goultara had provided his staff with performance data on the humans’ dual-stage hypermissiles, and he knew his ships couldn’t withstand such a concentrated barrage without severe damage. That’s why he’d designed his attack plan to hit those cruisers first and to avoid their broadsides, but when his fleet arrived, the cruisers had already left.
“I suppose that’s prudent,” said the Admiral. “Lieutenant Streefer, tell the fleet…”
“Sir,” Fistel interrupted. “Missiles are through the wormhole.”
The Admiral looked at his screen and saw the small hyperdrive signatures of the missiles appearing at the mouth of the wormhole and moving rapidly through the navigational hazard zone under thrusters.
“All ships, open fire on those targets! Activate point defenses! Shut off your hyperdrives and…”
As he spoke, some missiles had already cleared the hazard zone in front of the wormhole and disappeared before reappearing again…far too close! The sky erupted as his fleet’s point defenses opened fire on them, but many leaked through.
The floor beneath his feet shook as missiles detonated against his ship’s shields.
****
ESF Raymond – Earth Space Force Heavy Cruiser, in combat between the Goultaran wormhole and Goultara.
Commodore Griswald saw twenty or so ships suddenly appear at the mouth of the wormhole.
“Sir, that fresh fleet is Eridani, and we have a message from their flagship demanding our surrender.”
“Put him on my console. Order the destroyer and frigate screen to hyper-jump between the fleet and those new Eridani ships. Dump targeting data for those newcomers to the destroyers Hayden, Schwartz, and Welsh.”
“Admiral, get your fleet off my flank!” barked Griswald as soon as the confident-looking Eridani Admiral appeared on his viewscreen.
“Commodore Griswald, your cruiser is on fire. You are in no position to make demands. Surrender immediately so we can help you with your casualties. Please, we can save lives!”
“You’re late to this battle, Admiral,” replied Griswald. “Half your invasion fleet has already given up and disengaged to lick their wounds. Admiral Stonid has just informed me that Goultaran reinforcements will arrive soon. I made an agreement with the commander of your carrier and allowed it to leave the area just now through the wormhole. Remove your ships from my flank, or I’ll leave the Goultarans to deal with the remnants of your failed invasion, and I’ll open fire on you.”
“Griswald, what are you even doing here?”
“What are you doing here, Admiral Fregerish?” Griswald said, finally recognizing him. “I never wanted to fight with you folks. We like the Eridani. This catastrophe was caused by your bad timing. You knew that before you brought your home fleet through the wormhole into this losing battle. If you’ve come to evacuate your invasion force, go ahead. I’ll let them leave just like I did your fighter carrier. If you’ve come to join the fight, that’s fine too; I enjoy a good brawl. Either way, you really need to get off my flank. This is your final warning.”
Griswald saw the Admiral scowl the same way his lover, the strong and beautiful Eridani Ambassador back at Worm Station, did whenever she decided to be a pain in his neck.
“Sir, they’ve opened fire. Our picket destroyers are engaging them.”
“Cover them with our point defenses. Order the Hayden, Schwartz, and Welsh into the wormhole to pass the targeting data for those newcomers to the Saratoga at Wormhole #112.
****
ESF Saratoga, standing by at wormhole #112.
Captain Forsyth saw the heavily damaged destroyer Welsh arrive through the wormhole and start transmitting targeting data. He read the summary.
“Attention fleet,” he said over his open line to the other three missile cruisers. “It looks like the Eridanis’ Wormhole Defense Fleet we were targeting is no longer at their home wormhole. They jumped through the wormhole to Goultara, and Commodore Griswald has ordered a missile strike on them.”
“Targeting data received,” said Tactical.
“Fire missiles, then roll your ships to prepare for our final barrage. Communications, send the destroyer Welsh the damage report from our attack against Wormhole #34, then order Welsh back into the wormhole to take their casualties to Feleg 3.”
****
Stansteshia Defense Station, at the Eridani Home Wormhole
“Sir,” said an aide. “Our Interdiction Force that we sent to attack the human missile cruisers reports that they’ve been hit by a missile barrage through the wormhole and sustained heavy damage and casualties. Enough that Admiral Filibak no longer thinks he can engage the human missile cruisers successfully, even if he knew where to find them.”
“Well, if they stay where they are, the humans might hit them again,” said Admiral Stengrass. “Order them into the wormhole, but don’t send them here. Send them to…”
“Boort Station,” Admiral Kriffard interrupted.
“Good idea. Send them to our shipyard at Boort Station. It’s still under construction, but they have a full medical unit there. Send a courier ahead to tell the station to have their response teams standing by to receive Filibak’s casualties.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Kriffard,” said Admiral Stengrass. “Get to a courier ship and go through the wormhole to Ambassador Britil at the Earth Space Force station. I want you and her to start negotiating an end to this. I can’t believe that the human Admiral…I think his name is Pace…I don’t think he meant for the situation to get this far out of hand.”
