The Ruling:
2400.6: The Hunter had returned to the Icara system and entered real time voice communication range. The Imperial high command quickly answered the code one secured transmission from the Hunter.
"Commander my lord Byron this is Captain Charles Palmer of the INSS Hunter, I have encountered a hostile alien race and were attacked, I recommend we recall the Snipe and bring the spaceyards at Sparta on-line as soon as possible." Palmer was a little uncomfortable as he spoke into the headset he was wearing.
"Captain, do you have any idea what this race is capable of? Or where they are?" Lord Byron sounded stiff as he spoke in a monotone voice as if he had just received a daily report.
"My Lord I beleive they are a serious threat to the Empire and I recommend we not act until we have more information and...." His voice was cut off as Lord Byron snapped an order at an officer in his headquarters.
"Captain report to base immedietly and do NOT speak of this to anyone until you are in my headquarters under the security act of 2205." Just as Palmer was about to respond the comn channel went dead as he was cut off by Lord Byron.
"Alright helm take us to space dock and secure stations." Palmer snapped as he left the bridge to read a report in his office.
Meanwhile the Imperial high command launched a messenger drone to the Last known location of the INSS Snipe to order it's recall as soon as possible.
Meanwhile a second colony ship had set down on the world of Athens and the mining and spaceyard colony began constructing it's spaceyard.
2400.7: The high command staff had assembled to discuss this threat, as had the lords and Emperor that would make the final decision.
"We should and will muster both the Hunter and the Snipe and deploy on a survey mission in the alien star system and gather what information we can if you permit your majesty." Lord Byron said as he stood up and spoke up over the Minister of transportation and colonization who suggested that the two warships that made up the Icaran navy should only be used to defend Imperial space and to explore other star systems.
"Enough my lords! Commander my Lord Byron I am afraid that I must agree with Minister Tyrel, we should order the Hunter and Snipe to explore the space around us and will regularly ensure that those aliens do not leave their star system to invade our space." Minister of Justice Myrok said as he gingerly flicked a peice of dirt from under his fingernail.
The debates went much like this for many hours as ministers and Admirals argued over the orders, until finally the point had finally been reached, the Emperor decided to agree with the civilian ministers and ordered that until the fleet was stronger this threat would have to wait.
The War Anew
2401.2: Almost a year had passed since the first alien race had been encountered by the newly promoted Fleet Captain Palmer and the Imperial navy had grown to number 15 warships and several space stations, the empire had colonized eight worlds and mots of which had built spaceyards to increase the fleet's numbers.
The threat had not left that alien system and no other aliens had been encountered since that point in time. With a stronger fleet, the Emperor relented and allowed Captain Palmer to command the Imperial First fleet of five warships into the alien system to explore it in more detail.
The first fleet which consisted of the Frigates: Enterprise, Pheonix, Wraith, Tormentor and Sabre had been ordered to strike against the enemy if they still proved to be a threat. Captain Palmer during his first command of a squadron sized element. Aboard his Flagship the Frigate INSS Enterprise the first frigate built by the Empire. Palmer watched as the other four frigates approached the warp point beside his own then with a bright flash and a jerk at the stomach that had become familiar to him and Palmer knew that his squadron was on the other side of the warp point and thus he was in enemy space.
"Captain I detect 4 enemy frigates and a larger alien ship, they are coming towards us at maximum speed and will intercept in approximately four hours." The familiar voice of Reed said almost cheerfully as he analyzed the data in front of him.
"Thank you mister Reed, order the other four ships to assume battle formation. Get me captain Richards of the Pheonix and tell him to take up a position slightly away from that of the rest of the squadron, I want his ship to flank the enemy if possible." Palmer gripped the arm rest of his seat tightly as his fleet approached the enemy squadron which was in equal numbers to his own, yet posessed a ship unknown to his people.
As the battlefleets came together four imperial frigates formed a wall and the Pheonix under captain Richards took up a position further away from the rest of the fleet. The enemy frigates all had the typical DU cannons but the larger ship had six low yeald anti-proton cannons which capabilities were still unknown to the Imperial fleet.
"Sir they are hailing us this time" the comns officer said as she went about translating the alien language.
"Their weapons are still fully powered and they are still at battle speed Captain." reported Reed in a nearly repremanding voice as he added his report to that of the younger comn officer.
"Ensign Polasky what do they have to say?" Palmer said as he held up his hand in a clear sign that he understood Reed's report.
As the comns officer translated and then patched the message through a chill went through all hands on the bridge as the raspy alien voice hissed over the speakers "We are a war squadron of the Borbabra States, surrender your fleet to us or we will destroy all of you....you have five seconds to reply."
With a grimmace on his face Palmer gave the orders to his captains and led his squadron into battle.
The battle began as the Enterprise and the other three ships in the wall fired their fusion missiles towards the enemy ships. As the missile trails rent the space behind them the alien fleet closed in as they tried to get within their own weapons range.
The first two missiles from Enterprise slammed into the hull of an enemy frigates and another two missiles from the Sabre finished her off in a golden explosion that rent space like a nova.
The other four missiles from the other two frigates finished off yet another one of the enemy frigates and another star was born. But the remaining two enemy ships had managed to close the range and the larger alien ship opened fire on the Sabre with it's AP cannons. As the purple beams lit space and burned deep into the hull of the imperial frigate knocking out four of her five engines and killing 20 of her 150 man crew as her hull breached. Yet miraculiously she heald together and the Pheonix which had been ordered to flank the enemy managed to fire off a salvo of fusion missiles into the enemy destroyer knocking out two of her AP cannons and two of her engines.
"Captain Stark of the Sabre reports that his ship is no longer in fighting condition sir, he reports that with your leave he wishes to withdraw his ship from the battle." Polasky sounded upset as the casualty reports came in but her Imperial discipline won out over the fear that struck all of the crew as they heard that the Sabre was nearly crippled and at the mercy of the enemy.
"Very well tell him to fall back, get Captain Riley of the Wraith to bring her ship into position to cover the withdrawal."
Riley barely managed to fire her missiles with those of the Tormentor and Enterprise in time to knock out the enemy frigate that had closed within weapons range of the burning Sabre and would have destroyed the crippled ship. Soon the Enterprise and the two frigates not covering the Sabre opened fire again and their missiles finished off the larger Borbara starship.
Although casualties were minimal Palmer still felt a pang of distress knowing that 20 of his spacers had died this day, and that these were most likely only the first losses of a potentially long war. More importantly his fleet was forced to withdraw from the alien star system because with only four remaining ships he would be unable to fight with any guarantee of success, the war had just begun and the Imperial fleet would soon return in force enough to strike against this brutal enemy.
Meanwhile two frigates named Venture and Hornet met another alien race in the Cephedri system, the only question remaining for them was whether they had met more enemies or whether they had met new friends......more to come.
OOC: The reason I skipped a long period of time is because those few months mainly consisted of colonization programs and exploration missions with the two ships I had and would have made rather dull story. The next chapter probobly won't come until Thursday because I've been buisy but if I can make it before that I will.
[ January 21, 2004, 08:01: Message edited by: Starhawk ]
Rise of Icara
Linear Mode
