Ironically I have the dominant power stance in the areas I need too, and even if I designed my newer ships at that poitn and time I would still not have stood a chance against enemies like the Manti's because they took several leaps in weapons tech. Fortunately for me the Manti's are rather peaceful at the moment and are at war with some other Groups that I havn't met yet, so they'll be busy for a few years
Oh and the way my empire is set up I always have shipyards at the frontier worlds so I can get newly constructed warships to the front swiftly.
Thanks for the advice though, depending on how my game shapes up I may take it
Anywhoo here is the next chapter.
2416.5
The Dark at the end of the Tunnel
“Captain Yu Lin is here to see you Admiral.” The marine sentry at the Admiral’s door said crisply.
Babcock looked up from his report and smiled to himself, he had been looking forward to passing on this little bit of information to Yu for two weeks but because
Lenin had been out intercepting Phong raiders he had had to keep it under his hat.
The door opened with the usual metal squeak revealing Captain (senior grade) Yu Lin Pe, she was wearing her dress uniform and carried her hat under her left arm, Babcock had always been amazed how graceful the young woman could look, even on the rare occasions he had seen her wearing the “mess dress” uniform that she had, with it’s three point hat, coat tails and gawdy orders and epilates, today however she in the traditional red tunic and white troUsers of the Naval officer corps duty uniform/dress uniform her jet black hair wrapped tight into a pony tail that came down just past her neckline.
“Admiral.” She said with a smile as she saluted her superior, they had become rather good friends while on station out in the frontiers, assigned to the conquest of the xeno Phong, and on several occasions he had even invited her to play whist with himself, the flag captain and Commodore Sterns, and though it was “untraditional” to smile while saluting a superior Babcock simply returned the salute and smiled back.
“Captain Yu Lin Pe, it is my duty to inform you of a new assignment.” Babcock’s voice had become formal and serious but his ever present grin made Yu more curious then worried, Tyson Babcock had a terrible “poker face” which is partly why she had always found it so easy to beat him at whist, only when he was very angry or in the midst of battle did his face truly become expressionless.
“Really Sir? May I ask what it is?” Her tone was equally as formal as she placed her black cap on the Admiral’s desk and saw in the seat he indicated with a wave.
“Well Captain, I have been informed that Rear Admiral William J. Ross of the 3rd fleet, uh I believe you know him?” Babcock’s grin grew slightly as he folded his hands, Yu nodded curiously and he leaned back to continue “Well anyway he has requested reinforcements for the 3rd fleet after their recent casualties, I have decided to grant his request that at least one heavy capital ship be deployed to him, and I have chosen
HMS Lenin for that mission, that is if you think her captain will agree.” Babcock’s grin turned into a full smile as the young woman simply nodded wordlessly, her mouth hanging open slightly as she sat in shock. She had been hoping to see Ross again when she first learned that the 1st fleet was headed to the Phong front, but due to the developments on the front the 1st and 3rd fleets did not join up as planned and instead the 3rd fleet was dispatched to blockade the warp point leading to another Phong system while the 1st assaulted Mestra.
“Well Ms Yu it has been a pleasure and an Honor serving with you, you are truly your father’s daughter. I know he’d be proud of you.” Babcock stood up and shook the young woman’s hand gently, his face beamed with joy and Lin felt herself start to smile as well. Then Babcock lowered his tone “I’m proud of you too Lin, and I hate to see you go, but I’m sure you’ll be happy with your new assignment, I know you’ve wanted to serve with Ross again, that’s why I sent you instead of
Rosevelt.” the Admiral released Yu’s hand with care as he saw the shock on her face wearing off.
“Thank you sir, it’s been more then an honor serving with you and the first fleet.” Yu thought her voice sounded hollow but Admiral Babcock nodded politely at her.
“Well Lin, your assignment awaits, from here it will take you about a month to reach Ross’ command, after
Lenin is refueled and re-supplied so I suppose you’d best be going.” Babcock lost all the formality in his tone and replaced it with a more fatherly tone. Yu smiled reassuringly Tyson smiled at her and led her to the door. “Good luck Lin, I hope we can serve together again some day.”
“I do too sir.” Lin said as she slipped through the door saluted the marine sentry who had braced to attention, and then she was gone…
:Three Days Later:
Location: Mestra Warp Point/ Fornax Side
“Admiral, closing to warp point in 3 minutes, gravity field generators aligning now, internal gravity shutting down.” Flag Captain Houston looked over at Babcock with a tense expression. This jump point had not been scouted due to the constant Phong raids into Fornax and going into the unknown made the entire crew tense.
Admiral Tyson frowned as the gravity inside the ship shut down, his stomach lurched every time he was in zero g and that hated bit plus the jump shock experienced by a human upon exiting a warp point made FTL travel pure hell on him as he watched the younger men and women around him on the bridge go about their jobs as if nothing had changed he felt more then a little envious of them. Tyson grabbed his stomach for a second before forcing himself to listen to the bridge crew’s voices to keep his mind of the situation.
“Time to jump ten seconds, helm reduce speed ¼.”
“One quarter speed aye.”
“GFG fields aligned, grav sails have hooked warp point outer edge.”
“Confirmed helm, grav sails hooked, GFG engaging prepare for transition to warp in three..
Two…..one……jump.”
The ship flopped around Tyson and his stomach jumped into his throat, the golden “wheels” spinning around the ships of the 1st fleet were considered beautiful by most of the crews in the fleet but to him they were always just worse reminders of the warp’s effect on his gut. Half an hour after the entry into warp the 1st fleet jumped back into normal space in the Mestra system.
The first flashes went unnoticed as the crews recovered from jump shock, but as the sensors came back on-line and the crew regained their senses horror and shock was on every face.
“Sir
Rossevelt has been badly damaged, incoming fire on the fleet, we’ve taken several hits, I’m reading eight ships and 32 satellites on scan sir!” The tactical officer was nearly panicked as the hundreds of shells from the enemy blockade slashed into the midst of the fleet impacting on the shields of every ship in the fleet except the troop ship which was fortunately sheltered in the midst of the heavily defended warships.
“Sir the
Rossevelt she’s……oh Lord!” The tactical officer’s sentence was cut off as the brilliant blue fireball expanded on screen where once an Icaran heavy cruiser had been, debris from the destroyed warship slammed into several other ships causing massive damage.
The Icaran discipline won out over their panic and shock and their retribution was devastating, all eight Phong warships were destroyed in the Icarans’ first counter volley, many satellites exploded as well as the Phase Poloron beams burned through them.
Unfortunately enough satellites remained to wreak havoc among the already damaged warships of the fleet, a cruiser was completely crippled as shells tore into her exposed hull, worse however came when a massed volley locked onto the
Redoubtable herself and opened fire.
“Sir incoming, contact in…..” Explosions tore across the hull of the flagship tearing massive gashes and holes into her, more shells exploded inside the hull sending mangled bodies and wreckage into the void as vacuum sucked them out.
The bridge was torn open as an enemy round missed it by a fraction of a meter, several of the bridge crew died instant bloody deaths, others were blown into space and still more writhed on the deck bleeding and screaming….or worse gagging for air if their skin suits were torn open by shrapnel.
Admiral Babcock tabbed his com panel and in a shadowy whisper of a voice ordered all hands to abandon ship, just as the next volley of shells tore the once proud warship apart.
“Admiral Babcock, sir, please wake up sir.” a gentle female voice brought Tyson to the beginnings of consciousness, “Good sir, now open your eyes.” that voice didn’t sound familiar to the battered Admiral and fear of what must have happened wrenched his guts.
“Where am I?” he croaked as a strong pair of hands helped him to sit up slightly, he began to open his eyes but found them swollen and he quickly brought his undamaged right hand to his eyes to inspect the damage.
“Your on board
Divinity sir, I’m sorry to say that
Redoubtable was destroyed with most of her crew, a bridge officer carried you to the escape pod before the ship exploded.”
“Who are you, and how bad off are we?” He heard the choke of emotions in his own voice but he didn’t really care at the moment, he just wanted to know how many other good men and women had died.
“Sir I’m Doctor Hutto, as to how bad off the fleet is, well sir three cruisers have been crippled with heavy casualties on one of them, I don’t know the names yet sorry sir, but I know that my own sickbay has been inundated with wounded from all over the fleet, the
Eclipse lost her entire medical bay and it’s staff along with 45 patients so we’re very crowded. Um Commodore Sterns said the fleet isn’t going anywhere for some time sir and has ordered all the badly damaged ships into the center of our formation.” she paused and Tyson heard her sigh deeply.
“As you know
Rossevelt and
Redoubtable were both destroyed, the former was lost with all hands I’m afraid. Total fleet casualties are estimated to be over 5,000 dead and 8,000 wounded. I’ll get you more information later, but for now sir I order you to get some rest.” Doctor Hutto left without another word, Tyson felt oddly grateful that she left as the tears began to flow in his swollen eyes. So man of his people had died, his flagship had been destroyed and his fleet totally neutralized, and it was his fault.
The main question that lingered in his mind was where to go from here.
Re: A new Game story (From the begining)
As always, great stories 
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