Chapter 1
Home of Minja
Tyre, Elak I
June 12, 2487, 0450 Local, 0250 UT
Minja pulled his collar up tighter as he stepped out into the predawn cold. Elak I was amid an ice age that had began almost 400 years ago. Even today, children heard stories passed down from parents of a time when Elak I boasted vegetation, with unfrozen rivers and lakes before the ice came. Since the ice age began, most Elakites had chosen to leave the planet, rather than deal with the extreme weather that existed today. Minja’s family wasn’t one of them. They stayed, suffering through the cold, holding on to the homestead that had been obtained by Minja’s great-great-great-grandparents.
Minja looked around noting that the lights of the other dome-shaped houses were off. Most Elakites were either at work in the mines, or sleeping at this hour. Minja normally would have been sleeping until he needed to leave for the mines at 0700. However, there were things that needed to be done.
Minja was an average Elakite. 4’7” tall, with a weight of 190 pounds and long, black unruly hair and a matching black beard. He was 67 years old, midlife for an Elakite. He was married and had two sons, both of which would have to decide whether to remain an Elak or to, like many of those before them, flee the cold and head for a new planet to start life again. Minja was certain that they would choose, as he had, to remain on the planet.
Satisfied that no one was observing him, Minja turned to make his way to the small dome-shaped shed to the rear of the main house. Though dark outside, the reflection of the stars and moon off the snow and ice that covered the surface of Elak I allowed him to easily make his way back. As he walked the nearly half-mile to the shed, the wind picked up, forcing him to readjust his collar again. As he did every time he made this walk, he reflected on the events that led him here.
It all started when a female human stopped on Elak I just eleven days ago. Her tale of how a planet called Batron had attacked the humans on a planet named Kylar II hadn’t interested Minja in the least, however, the money did. Since the ice age began, Elak I relied on shipments from Earth to feed its population, to provide it fuel and building materials. In exchange, Elak I provided them the ore necessary for spaceship construction. It was a fair trade and beneficial for both sides, though it drove the cost of almost everything on Elak up compared to before the ice age. The extra money she was offering would help to support his family and maybe even encourage his sons to remain on planet. So, he took her money.
Three days later, the Batronians came. They occupied the planet with no resistance. The idea of anyone invading this desolate place never occurred to the Elakite rulers. Elak I didn’t have a military, didn’t have weapons, didn’t have anything really. Just a ball of ice in space. But Batron had apparently decided they wanted the one thing left: the mines. So, they took them. They still wanted the Elakites to work them, of course. The Batronians, apparently did not like the cold. And if the surface was cold, the dark mines were even colder. Of course, with Earth now cut off, the Batronians provided what little food was available, strange food with a strange taste, not at all what Elakites were used to. And they provided barely enough food to survive.
Minja arrived at the shed. He looked around once more to be sure no one was observing him. Once sure, he opened the door and stepped in. Lights came on automatically as he entered revealing a cluttered storage space. Minja pulled the door shut to keep people from seeing that he had entered the shed. Not that there was anything unusual about having a shed, almost every house on Elak I had at least one. But, there would be questions as to why he was out this early in the morning, questions best to be avoided. He quickly locked the shed to prevent anyone from entering behind him.
The shed was filled with tools: shovels and picks for removing snow and ice, smaller hand tools for household repairs and even a few larger power tools that he had managed to accumulate throughout his life. Along the back of the circular hut, there were stacks of boxes, piled haphazardly. Well, that was what it was supposed to appear like. Minja went to the stack and lifted a box and then lifted a cover off the box beneath it revealing a small sensor receiver. The actual sensor was in space, sending a tight secure signal to the sensor display here. Minja lowered the panel on the “box” to the right revealing a secure comm unit.
Minja turned the sensor display on, glancing back at the door as he did. He followed the instructions the woman had left him, adjusting the display and waiting. Waiting to see if any Batronian ships passed close enough to the sensor array in space. Waiting, as always was hard and so far, had been fruitless. Not one ship had passed near the sensor array since he had started monitoring it.
Elak was located perfectly for monitoring the Batronian ships. It was only 450 AMU from Batron and 2200 AMU from the Omar system just off the main shipping lane. Therefore, ships from Batron would likely pass in range of the sensor array giving Earth notice of any ships heading toward the Omar system. Of course, Minja wondered why Earth even cared. After all Omar IV had fallen into the hands of the Batronians. What difference did it make what ships were heading there now?
The sensor display came online and Minja began studying the display. There, of course, was nothing to see. But, as he promised the woman from Earth, he would watch. For an Elakite, a promise was a promise, even more so when you were being paid. Still, while sitting here watching nothing, one’s mind tended to wonder. And the thing that crossed his mind most often was what happened when the Batronians took over Elak I. The Elakites could not put up any resistance so when the Batronians showed up with their weapons, they had already won. Many Elakites, Minja included, accepted the fact that Batron now ruled over them. It really didn’t change anything. After all, he would still work in the mines, still had his hut and still had his wife and kids to take care of. He even questioned whether he should be helping the humans. But, then it happened. For no reason really. Just an arrogant Batronian officer who was somehow offended by an elderly Elakite. Shot her dead right on the spot. And with that, helping the Earthling was helping Elak which Minja would have done even without the money.
A beep sounded from the display, startling Minja. The display had never made a sound before. He saw the image of ships moving on the display, four of them. He pulled out the instructions the human women had left. He pressed several buttons, and the dots representing the ships began to display additional information. He copied down the information. Finally, something to report.
He moved to the comm unit, again following the written instructions. He typed his message quickly and pressed the transmit button. The comm unit display a “Message Sent” response. He moved back to the display and watched as the ships made their way across the display and eventually out of the range of the sensor display. They were following the shipping route which would take them to Omar IV.
After the ships left the display, Minja read the message he had sent.
120624870338U
From: Hawkeye 3
To: Commander, Fourth Fleet Intelligence
Subj: Ship Movement Report
1. Four Batronian ships were detected moving from Batron toward Omar on heading 143 by 217, speed 13 AMU.
2. The ships were identified as three cargo ships and a destroyer.
As he finished reading it for the second time, it occurred to Minja for the first time, what would happen to him if the Batronians intercepted the message and somehow traced it back to him. Not only would he suffer, he was sure, but probably his whole family as well. He knew the Batronians would not hesitate to kill them all, just as they had done the elderly lady.
Checking the time, Minja packed up the gear in the fake boxes and covered them with real boxes containing miscellaneous parts. After packing up, he rechecked the area several times making sure that he left no clue as the activities he was involved in. Then, he made his way to the door, pulling his collar up went out into the cold morning.
ESS Lovell (SS-20)
Batronian Occupied Space Near Omar System
June 16, 2487, 0728 UT
ESS Lovell was one of two stealth ships that Admiral Morris had assigned to patrol the Batronian side of space from Omar IV. Since Omar IV fell, just ten days ago, Batron had occupied almost every system from Batron to Omar. And that placed Lovell behind enemy lines. But, with the attack on Kylar II and the fall of Omar IV, most humans, including the officers and crew of Lovell were ready to start making the Batronians pay for their actions. So far, during the short war there hadn’t been any opportunities, to the frustration of the men and women onboard.
Captain Ivan Mirsky was a veteran from the War at Masic Point, and as such understood the need for patience. Of course, there were no stealth ships during that war and patience on a stealth ship was even more demanding than on other ships. First, stealth ships by nature were predators. They laid in wait ready to jump on their prey as it passed. Secondly, stealth ships were weakly armored which prevented them from simply charging in. Stealth meant stealth and that meant remaining hidden and waiting.
A Third Class Communications Specialist walked onto the bridge and approached the Captain. “Sir, I have a message for you,” the young man said.
“Thank you,” the Captain said taking the message. He looked over the message and was pleasantly surprised.
160624870325U
From: Fourth Fleet Intelligence
To: Commanding Officer, ESS Lovell (SS-20)
Subj: Enemy ship movement
1. Four Batronian ships are enroute to Omar IV and will be
passing your patrol area. The ships consist of three cargo
ships escorted by a destroyer.
2. The ships should arrive in your patrol area approximately
0900 today.
3. The cargo ships should not be permitted to reach the
Omar system.
“Master Chief, put the ship in stealth mode,” the 5’7” Captain ordered as he crossed the bridge to the sensor station. Nothing on the sensors yet. At least he knew that the Sensor Technicians hadn’t missed anything.
“Place the ship in stealth mode, aye, sir,” the Master Chief replied.
“Prepare the ship for stealth mode,” the Boatswains Mate of the Watch announced over the intercom. “Secure all nonessential equipment and minimize power usage.”
“Helm, reduce speed to 4 AMU,” Captain Mirsky ordered.
“Reduce speed to 4 AMU, aye, sir,” the Helmsman replied.
Throughout the ship, crewmembers began to power down all unnecessary systems. The stealth system, which made the ship practically invisible to both the eye and to sensors, consumed more power than the ship’s engines could generate. So, while the ship was operating in normal mode, excess power from the engines was stored in large power cells built into the hull of the ship. When, the ship entered stealth mode, the power from these cells supplemented the power the engine provided, allowing the ship to remain in stealth mode for up to two days, depending on how much power was being used by other systems. As the ship prepared to enter stealth mode, lights dimmed and ventilation fans slowed down.
At his station, the Master Chief watched as red lights turned green on the board in front of him. It took a full two minutes for them all to turn green. “Ready to enter stealth mode,” the Master Chief informed the Captain.
“Very well,” Captain Mirsky replied.
“Speed is now 4 AMU, sir,” the helm said.
“Very well. Master Chief, put the ship in stealth mode,” Captain Mirsky ordered.
“Aye, sir,” the Master Chief replied, pressing the button. A light on the display in front of him changed from red to amber and finally green. “Sir, the ship is in stealth mode.”
“Very well,” the Captain replied, studying the sensor display. Captain Mirsky absently stroked his thick black beard as he studied, waiting for any ships to appear on the sensors. While he had served in the War at Masic Point, he had never commanded a ship during combat and he wanted to be sure he didn’t make any errors. After all, the ship’s company of eight officers and 108 enlisted crewmembers were counting on him to lead them.
“Sound General Quarters,” the Captain ordered the Boatswains Mate of the Watch.
“Aye, sir,” the Boatswains Mate replied. He pressed a button on the internal comm unit. “General Quarters! General Quarters! All hands man your battle stations! This is not a drill!” he announced over the ship’s intercom. He then pressed another button sounding the klaxon. Throughout the ship, men and women began moving to their assigned stations, closing doors as they went to minimize any loss of air if the ship took damage. Repair parties began to dress out in their pressurized suits that would protect them in spaces where damage had vented the air into space allowing them to fight fires and patch holes in the hull.
“Weapons officer, load all missile tubes with M-4 missiles,” Captain Mirsky next ordered, running through a checklist in his mind.
“Aye, sir,” the Weapons Officer replied. He passed the order down to the missile rooms where Missile Technicians loaded the six-foot long missiles into the tubes. “Sir, M-4 missiles loaded in tubes one through eight. Ready in all respects.”
“Battle stations manned and ready, sir,” the Officer of the Deck reported minutes later. And the waiting began again. Thirty-eight minutes of waiting to be exact. The Batronian ships appeared on the sensor display, both relieving Captain Mirsky and increasing his stress level. At least Intelligence got it right this time, he thought.
“Helm, come to course 312 by 079,” the Captain ordered plotting a course to move him toward the Batronian ships.
“Come to 312 by 079, aye, sir,” the helmsman replied, fingers dancing on the control pad to carry out the order. Forty-five seconds later, he announced, “Steady course 312 by 079.”
“Very well,” Captain Mirsky replied. The course would take them closer to the three cargo ships and away from the Batronian destroyer. “Target missiles one and two on the first cargo ship and three and four on the second one.”
“Aye, sir,” the Weapons Officer replied. “Missiles targeted. Ready to fire in all respects.” The M-4 missile had a maximum range of 30 AMU, but the Captain wanted to close to 20 AMU before firing to give the missiles the best chance of hitting their targets. Of course, closing the distance also gave the destroyer time to target Lovell, but that was the risk of combat.
“Fire all forward missiles,” Captain Mirsky ordered. One by one, the four missiles were ejected from their tubes. Once clear of the tubes, their engines fired and their computers guided them toward their targets. “Come to 132 by 259.”
“Come to 132 by 259, aye, sir,” the helm answered. Once again fingers flew over the console changing Lovell’s course.
The Batronian cargo ships responded to the inbound missiles, changing course and speed attempting to avoid the missiles. The destroyer increased speed and turned toward Lovell’s position.
“Stand by, decoys. Target missiles five and six on the third cargo ship and missiles seven and eight on the destroyer,” Captain Mirsky said. He watched the sensor display as the destroyer fired three missiles in Lovell’s direction. “Fire all aft missiles. Helm come to 158 by 137,”
“Come to 158 by 137, aye, sir,” the helm replied.
“Launch four decoys,” the Captain ordered as he watched the missiles heading for the ship. “Increase speed to 5 AMU. Reload all missile tubes.”
“Steady course 158 by 137. Increasing to five, sir,” the helmsman said as he made the adjustments.
Captain Mirsky’s eyes were fixed on the sensor display as Lovell’s first volley of missiles approached their targets. One by one the four missiles slammed into their targets. The sensor display showed debris coming from the two cargo ships that had been hit. He split his attention, focusing on both the inbound missiles and Lovell’s second volley. “Launch four additional decoys,” he ordered as he tracked the inbound missiles. “Helm bow thrusters down full, port thrusters full,” he ordered in a calm voice, trying to project confidence for the benefit of those on the bridge. On the display, he saw multiple targets replace the single destroyer as it launched decoys to fool Lovell’s missiles.
Unfortunately for the cargo ships, they didn’t carry decoys and the third cargo ship was struck as it performed a series of radical turns. Again, the sensors picked up signs of debris as the ship slowed.
The three Batronian missiles closed on Lovell. “Come to course 128 by 021. Reduce speed to 2 AMU,” Captain Mirsky ordered, altering course and speed to keep the Batronian ship from calculating where Lovell was. Since the Batronian destroyer couldn’t see Lovell on its sensors, the Batronians would continue to fire missiles in the area hoping to find the stealth ship. As the first three missiles chased the decoys, the destroyer fired four more in a spread focused around the area Lovell had fired the second volley of missiles from and at least two of them were going to be close.
“Forward missiles ready,” the Weapons Officer announced.
Captain Mirsky considered his options. If he fired at the destroyer and missed, the destroyer would have a better fix on his position. The cargo ships had all come to a complete stop and appeared to be breaking up. The objective here was to stop the cargo from being shipped. They had accomplished their mission, so maybe it was time to go. “Come to course 158 by 196, increase speed to 5 AMU.”
“Come to course 158 by 196, increase to 5, aye, sir,” the helm responded. As they made the turn, the Batronian cargo ships came into view. All three were on fire and drifting in space, venting air and cargo into space.
“Release decoys,” Captain Mirsky ordered as two of the four missiles the Batronian destroyer had fired continued to close in on Lovell’s position. The Captain watched as the first missile turned toward one of the decoys, exploding harmlessly behind and to the right of Lovell. The second missile, however, ignored the decoys. “Boatswain, over the intercom, brace for impact!”
The missile didn’t hit Lovell, but was close enough that the shock wave from the explosion rocked the stealth ship. Lighting flickered and Captain Mirsky wondered if the stealth systems were holding or if the shock wave revealed their position to the Batronian. As the rocking ended, the crew sprang into action, fire teams out checking for damage while other crewmembers checked their systems. It only took four minutes, but it was a long four minutes. “No apparent damage,” the Damage Control Assistant reported over the Captain’s comm unit.
“Very well,” Captain Mirsky said as the ship continued to move away from the Batronian. The Batronian destroyer held back, guarding what remained of the three cargo ships. “Officer of the Deck, maintain course and speed. Keep the ship at General Quarters until we are 40 AMU from that destroyer. If the destroyer moves toward us, notify me immediately.” Captain Mirsky left the bridge and headed toward his stateroom to prepare the action report.
Home of Minja
Tyre, Elak I
June 16, 2487, 0504 Local, 0304 UT
Once again, Minja stepped out into the brutal cold wind, and after a quick check to ensure no one was watching, headed out to the shed. He sat up quickly, becoming more proficient with each passing day. He just hoped he wasn’t becoming lax as this work became routine. Yesterday, two Batronian officers had stopped at the house. At first, Minja had been nervous, sure they had somehow found out what he was up to. But, according to the neighbors, they had stopped at all the houses, trying to track down a thief that stole some extra food. It was almost enough to keep him from continuing the operation. But hearing that they had executed the entire family of the thief filled him with more anger toward the occupiers of his world and he vowed to continue to do what he could to help Earth. Still, as he transmitted another message informing Earth that another small group of ships was heading toward Omar IV, he wondered if the information he was sending was even being of any use.
