asteroids…certainly no stars. Then all at once
everything made perfect sense. How do you ambush a squadron in deep space?
You wait for them to come to you. The navigational computer confirmed that at
current heading the squadron would pass within ten kilometres of the asteroid
belt – in astronomical terms barely a hairs width. Jon knew with absolute
certainty that would be where the ambush was waiting. The Praetorian’s were
trapped, with a fighter-ambush ahead and a hostile fleet behind. They had run
out of options.
Chapter Two
Five Years Previously
The “Imperial Star” – Flagship of the Imperial Navy,
Epsilon Indi System
On the bridge of the Imperial Star Commodore Harkov
tapped his fingers impatiently against the armrest of the captain’s chair. The
owner of such chair was hovering impatiently just behind, but for much
different reasons….
“What is taking them so long?” Harkov demanded aloud
impatiently.
“I assume you informing them of Emperor Aurelius death has
thrown them into a certain level of confusion,” Captain Pendleton responded
with more than a hint of his irritation showing. The Commodore had appeared
only moments before and summarily demanded his seat. The nerve of the man!
Pendleton thought to himself. Obviously the Commodore had no concept of bridge
etiquette; or he just did not care!
“Sirs!” The ships tactical officer called out, “they are
moving again!”
“Finally!” Harkov exclaimed.
Finally! Pendleton thought. I can have my seat
back!
*****
Faced with such poor options either to continue forward –
into an ambush or to reverse course back towards a now hostile fleet, Jon
elected for the latter, on the assumption that if nothing else it would take
the fleet by surprise.
The element of surprise is a formidable advantage in
combat!
The voice of Jon’s flight instructor came to mind as he
rolled the shuttle back around on a reverse course – back towards the fleet - and
accelerated rapidly! The remaining ships of the 58 th Squadron,
caught by surprise by the abrupt manoeuvre took a few moments to reorientate themselves
before accelerating once again into escort formation around the shuttle.
“Combat Formation! Arm Weapons!” Jon ordered over the
squadron’s encrypted tactical channel as he continued to accelerate, far beyond
the possible speed of a standard shuttle, still pointing directly towards the now
oncoming fleet.
“What’s going on, Commander?” Elsie demanded to know. “Why
are we returning to the fleet?”
“It’s an ambush, Elsie!” Jon explained. “The fighter
complement from the fleet is waiting for us at the edge of the asteroid belt!”
Elsie’s expression just tightened on hearing the news, it
was a testament to their faith in their Commanding Officer that none questioned
his explanation. Their CO had saved their lives more than once with his
insight and none were going to question him now. “But how to get through the
fleet?” Elsie queried. “We will be cut to pieces by their guns.”
Jon glanced at the navigation computer, which indeed
confirmed that the route to the next nearest FTL point would take them directly
through the fleet. Jon dared not risk a more indirect route, as he knew that
at any moment they would lose the element of surprise and the fighters behind would
be recalled.
“Arm your missiles!” he ordered.
*****
“Sirs!” The ships tactical officer called out once again,
“They have changed course!”
“What?” Harkov demanded, darting to his feet and moving
towards the tactical officer. “How, why? What is their new course?” he
demanded spitting out the questions in rapid fire.
The officer checked the ships sensors once again before
replying in a confused tone. “They have reversed course…they are on an
intercept course with the fleet.”
The Commodore was confused for a moment before relaxing.
“So…Radec decided to
everything made perfect sense. How do you ambush a squadron in deep space?
You wait for them to come to you. The navigational computer confirmed that at
current heading the squadron would pass within ten kilometres of the asteroid
belt – in astronomical terms barely a hairs width. Jon knew with absolute
certainty that would be where the ambush was waiting. The Praetorian’s were
trapped, with a fighter-ambush ahead and a hostile fleet behind. They had run
out of options.
Chapter Two
Five Years Previously
The “Imperial Star” – Flagship of the Imperial Navy,
Epsilon Indi System
On the bridge of the Imperial Star Commodore Harkov
tapped his fingers impatiently against the armrest of the captain’s chair. The
owner of such chair was hovering impatiently just behind, but for much
different reasons….
“What is taking them so long?” Harkov demanded aloud
impatiently.
“I assume you informing them of Emperor Aurelius death has
thrown them into a certain level of confusion,” Captain Pendleton responded
with more than a hint of his irritation showing. The Commodore had appeared
only moments before and summarily demanded his seat. The nerve of the man!
Pendleton thought to himself. Obviously the Commodore had no concept of bridge
etiquette; or he just did not care!
“Sirs!” The ships tactical officer called out, “they are
moving again!”
“Finally!” Harkov exclaimed.
Finally! Pendleton thought. I can have my seat
back!
*****
Faced with such poor options either to continue forward –
into an ambush or to reverse course back towards a now hostile fleet, Jon
elected for the latter, on the assumption that if nothing else it would take
the fleet by surprise.
The element of surprise is a formidable advantage in
combat!
The voice of Jon’s flight instructor came to mind as he
rolled the shuttle back around on a reverse course – back towards the fleet - and
accelerated rapidly! The remaining ships of the 58 th Squadron,
caught by surprise by the abrupt manoeuvre took a few moments to reorientate themselves
before accelerating once again into escort formation around the shuttle.
“Combat Formation! Arm Weapons!” Jon ordered over the
squadron’s encrypted tactical channel as he continued to accelerate, far beyond
the possible speed of a standard shuttle, still pointing directly towards the now
oncoming fleet.
“What’s going on, Commander?” Elsie demanded to know. “Why
are we returning to the fleet?”
“It’s an ambush, Elsie!” Jon explained. “The fighter
complement from the fleet is waiting for us at the edge of the asteroid belt!”
Elsie’s expression just tightened on hearing the news, it
was a testament to their faith in their Commanding Officer that none questioned
his explanation. Their CO had saved their lives more than once with his
insight and none were going to question him now. “But how to get through the
fleet?” Elsie queried. “We will be cut to pieces by their guns.”
Jon glanced at the navigation computer, which indeed
confirmed that the route to the next nearest FTL point would take them directly
through the fleet. Jon dared not risk a more indirect route, as he knew that
at any moment they would lose the element of surprise and the fighters behind would
be recalled.
“Arm your missiles!” he ordered.
*****
“Sirs!” The ships tactical officer called out once again,
“They have changed course!”
“What?” Harkov demanded, darting to his feet and moving
towards the tactical officer. “How, why? What is their new course?” he
demanded spitting out the questions in rapid fire.
The officer checked the ships sensors once again before
replying in a confused tone. “They have reversed course…they are on an
intercept course with the fleet.”
The Commodore was confused for a moment before relaxing.
“So…Radec decided to
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