Chapter 53
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TIME:
7 DAYS LATER
(4 MONTHS AND 10 DAYS AFTER RETURNING)
LOCATION:
BETA CHARON
FAR ORBIT ABOVE HEL
OUTER PLANETARY SYSTEM
ASTRO DAWN
It was finally time, the Onyx Revenants have conducted emergency repairs and we detected them entering FTL. Upon hearing that from YAGA I was forced to leave Midnight Nostalgia and meet them in orbit above Hel.
Thanks to the Astro Dawns capabilities we had arrived ahead of them so I passed the time planning what to do in the coming battle. I ended up having to wait for an hour for them. It was utterly draining but I could only blame them for using those archaic class II FTL drives.
The moment we detected them leaving FTL I sent a communications request to the largest ship in this group, the Renegade's Regret.
They quickly accepted the request and I was met with a flat 2D video of a large command room. People could be seen sitting hunched over screens, but those people weren't the ones I cared for. I quickly found the commodore sitting on his command chair head turned to his side talking to a person I quickly recognized as Vice-commodore Kaylia.
"Commodore Larsen, it's surprising to see you here. I expected the Renegade's Regret wouldn't be partaking in this battle?"
The Commodore turned from his second in command to look at me. I could faintly make out his stern, stony expression despite the video's poor quality.
"Greetings Governess Runethari, I hope you don't find my presence here disconcerting, the supplies you have given us has allowed us to bring this cruiser back to the bare minimum for combat readiness. Though it will still likely lag behind your precursor corvette in abilities unfortunately."
I frown at his flowery language but slowly shake my head, truthfully I was hoping this cruiser would be in the battle, it would make disabling the light cruiser in orbit far easier.
I force a genial smile and reply, "No don't worry I am relieved to know that a cruiser will be joining us. But we're getting off topic, I'll forward our plans for the battle above the world I have named Limbo. If you would be so kind I'd like to request that any of these fanatics you capture be handed over to me, I will of course return the favor with supplies."
I see Larsen squint at my request but after having a whispered conversation with Kaylia he reluctantly nods his head.
"That is agreeable but I want to conduct interrogations before we hand them over." My eye twitches at his demand but I'm forced to agree as there's no good reason to decline and it even saves me time. "That is... fine, just make sure to not get too excited while interrogating them."
He agrees to be careful and asks that I give him an hour to look over the data and plans we submitted before we either enter FTL to Limbo or change the plan.
"Be quick about it, I'd rather be rid of these lunatics before they decide to make problems elsewhere." With that I hang up the call and decide to look over the forces arrayed against us one last time.
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TIME:
3 HOURS LATER
LOCATION:
BETA CHARON
EDGE OF LIMBO'S GRAVITY WELL
ASTRO DAWN
We exit FTL carefully trying to avoid the usual boom that comes with exiting FTL. I checked the simulated map and the orbit we were currently drifting in.
With a swift input of a command a pair of panels slowly slid open. Upon getting the notification that everything was ready, I cycled the cameras watching carefully, as the launch system for the Astro Dawn's antiship missiles. They rose vertically before turning, aiming a total of 12 two and a half meter wide missiles toward the planet of Limbo.
"Have the missiles received their target data?" I ask. I was stuck staring at the missile pod. Each missile it housed stored a microfusion warhead each having a payload of 100 tons of TNT. These missiles were impossible to replace at the moment as they each were able to guide themselves to their target and housed a narrow minded AI dedicated to munition swatters.
"Yes, how many do you wish to launch, I would advise using at most six missiles Lilith," Mom replied. I looked across at the image of the light cruiser and its destroyer escort. Furrowing my eyebrows I took a deep breath to calm my excited heart, "Cold launch Bruiser 1A to 3A and Bruiser 1B to 3B, only have them light their thrusters when they are almost at their targets. I want them to be a surprise."
Not a moment later with a puff of compressed gases three missiles each coming from two missile pods glide out of their housing, swiftly heading towards the expected location of the fleet orbiting Limbo. By the time they ignited their thrusters the fleet battle would likely already be underway.
"Keep an eye on them for me. Would you please Mom, how long until they are expected to engage thrusters?"
"They will likely engage thrusters in T- 22 hours. The battle above Limbo is estimated to begin in 18 hours plus or minus 1 hour depending on how well the class II thrusters perform."
I take a deep breath. We arrived early about two hours before the main fleet so we could set the stage for a quick victory. Now we would silently approach where the battle is expected if the Onyx Revenants follow the plan. We would be silent the entire time to avoid detection, now time to see if my alliance will be worth the trouble...
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TIME:
18 HOURS LATER
LOCATION:
BETA CHARON
HIGH ORBIT ABOVE LIMBO
ASTRO DAWN
"The Onyx Revenants have entered effective weapons range and the cruiser has opened with their heavy laser cannons. Expected damage is minimal. The prince's plasma shields are expected to hold out for half a day before likely malfunctioning."
Sigh
"What's the output you're reading from their cannons? I doubt it's impressive but it would be good information to know..." The Renegade's Regret was an old military warship more fit for patrol work then actual combat but it would do. Humans are a stagnant species technologically, so the class III variant of their weapon is likely not all that dissimilar in raw specs. "Passive sensors put the laser's output at 400 kilowatts continuous with 3 laser emitters. There is a second turret located on the opposite side of the hull. These are likely the only primary turrets as heat sinks are suspected to take up far too much space for a third.
Mom continues talking, "However, I have managed to observe a number of primitive coilguns likely used in a manner of coup de grace once they enter close enough range to be difficult to intercept; the ammunition used is thus far unknown."
I frown at a term I haven't heard, "What do you mean by 'coup de grace?' I infer it's something similar to a killing blow?"
Mother replies instantly, "You'd be correct in your inference. I would go into more depth but a battle is an inappropriate location to discuss ancient human phrases."
"Right, so when are we expected to enter the battle?"
Across from my seat the holotable displayed a map of the space around Limbo and its unnamed moon. We were currently located in the middle of the two warring sides. Our shields were powered down and we coasted through space trying our best to not be spotted. The missiles were far ahead of us still gliding quietly towards the enemy. They'd arrive in a few hours and wreck havoc on the warships.
"Renegade's regret has shifted targets to Destroyer-1, expected damage to be determined. Shield stability fluctuating but close to stable." I nod turning to glance at the enemy fleet's formation, but a moment later a suppressed flash made me snap my head back to the wireframe cruiser.
Ping
The noise makes me snap my head back towards the enemy fleet as the wireframe hologram as it's replaced with our passive optical sensors. The destroyer that was being targeted by the cruiser had undergone a rather severe change in operation. Then my eyes widened as the bottom keel of the ship energetically exploded. The entire keel is torn to pieces then pushed forwards by the explosion to become a navigation hazard.
"What the fuck was that!" I almost shoot to my feet as the orange dot winks from existence as the warship is deemed unable to fight. "Destroyer-1's hydrogen stores were struck by a laser pulse coming from the second primary turret. Power of the laser was estimated to have reached in the terawatt range; though the pulse lasted a fraction of a second so actual was much more tame, likely in around 100 megawatts. The strike overpowered the plasma shields where it then pierced all the way to the fuel stores."
I stare at the destroyer that despite spilling its guts into the void continues to coast forwards thrusters having failed. It will likely be unrecoverable and exit Limbo's gravity well in the following day.
That explosion would turn out to be an outlier as hours passed with both sides beginning to trade lasers. The modified merchant ships continued to stay in the rear as shuttle flights grew increasingly hurried.
We were forced to continue gliding between the two forces. After ages of yawn-inducing waiting it was finally time for the missiles to begin their final approach.
I had my mother send updated targets just before they ignited their thrusters. I could almost imagine the surprise and dread they must be feeling as 6 heat signatures burst to life only 350 kilometers away from their ships. They had 15 seconds before they would be hit.
The space around the light cruiser immediately glowed with lasers attempting to swat away the missiles before they struck. Specialized AI mixed with advanced sensors meant the missile could spot the turrets on the protection systems and adjust their movements. Dodging lasers with maneuvers that would have turned an organic body into the past they flew towards their targets.
The live footage dimmed as Mother preemptively adjusted brightness to save me from being blinded by the explosion.
For a brief instant the light cruiser and its three accompanying destroyers vanished as a new star was born for the briefest instant; their plasma shields proving useless against physical munition.
The light cruiser was struck twice and the destroyers each had one missile. The destroyer's shields flickered and finally collapsed as a 35 meter fireball vaporized part of their hull. Their shields would likely return but it would be a few seconds before back up systems could likely be engaged. The light cruiser was even worse as two missiles had vaporized its plasma shield tower and one of its primary kinetic weapons.
Realizing I only counted 5 flashes I ended up confusedly asking where the sixth missile was.
Without saying a thing a sixth and final flash was seen coming from a random merchant vessel. While silently regretting the waste of a missile I sent a message to the Revenants relaying what our sensors had detected. And not a moment after I decided to have the particle emitters give the final blow to the destroyers.
With a brief pulse of the particle cannons we destroyed the flickering shielding towers. The battle was at that time basically over... or it should have been.
"Lilith we're detecting a group of FTL drives nearing the outside of Limbo's gravity well. Allegiance is unclear but it is likely enemy reinforcements. Should I alert the revenants about the situation?"
"Sigh Go ahead, I wont turn down more slaves and cattle... and just when I thought this would be easy..."