War's Reward (Free Fleet Book 6) Read online

  “Earth’s terrain is too rugged and different for us to do the same thing that Salchar has done on Chaleel,” Foshunti said, seeing a knowing light in Bok Soo’s eyes.

  “No, we’ll have to fight on the ground without HAPA’s and powered armor, the most the fleet can do this time is support us,” Bok Soo said.

  “It looks like we have a plan,” Foshunti said remembering Heija only too well. They had both fought in that new hell. Most of their ships did. Scars still covered Talhalla’s hull, lasers and blackened areas marked with the Kalu’s anger.

  He knew that a battle with the Kalu in powered armor and HAPA’s was a hellish experience. With Earth only having basic Kevlar and high-powered machine-guns that might get through the Kalu’s armor. It felt like it was an impossible battle.

  “We’re going to need reinforcements to save Earth,” Foshunti said, his voice low so that no one but Bok Soo could hear him.

  “More than Salchar can give us,” Bok Soo agreed, his voice also low.

  “What about Mars?” Foshunti asked.

  “Mars, Nancy and Hachiro aren’t going to be free anytime soon,” Bok Soo said while looking in the distance, seeing something that only he could see. “No, our hope, our survival depends on other planets being willing to support Earth.” Bok Soo sighed and looked to Foshunti.

  “Until they can, we will hold the line and hope,” Bok Soo said.

  “Hold the line, that makes it sound so much easier,” Foshunti said.

  “Doesn’t it.” Both of them turning their gaze to the two Kalu fleets within Sol. Three timers were winding down; one was tracking when Whorst’s ships would come into contact with the Kalu fleet headed towards Mars.

  The other timer kept track of when the Kalu would reach Earth and when Foshunti’s squadron would.

  Two hours until the Kalu see how War-station’s upgrades work, Foshunti thought, humor was the last thing on his mind.

  ***

  Shrift looked over the consoles that surrounded him and the three other members of the Engineering control room. War-station was so big that it needed a control room secondary from the Bridge and had four sub-stations to make sure other systems were running properly.

  Shrift had repaired all of the damage War-station had suffered and got to installing the various weapon systems he’d stored in the stations massive holds.

  With their small stop at Mars they’d off loaded the mass of fighters and bombers the factory built into War-station. Mars had tons of fighter pilots, but only a few of them ever went up to Hachiro to train with the real fighters at any given time. War Station solved that problem with ease.

  “How are we looking on the Laser Cannon containment shells?” Shrift asked, touching the new silver gleam that replaced a portion of his carapace. In War-station’s last battle one of the laser cannons, one he had been working on, was struck with a laser when the shields fell. The heating had backfired into the cooling panels, they’d exploded under the heat and pressure meaning Shrift spent five days in the medbay getting patched up and working on his data pad to get the station back into shape.

  He’d also tweaked the design on the laser cannons to make sure their heating systems didn’t explode.

  Whorst’s fleet numbered forty-seven ships. Half of them were from Patrol forces, a third from Salchar’s fleet and the remainder were hastily commissioned ships from Nancy’s yards.

  Well calling it a fleet in this ‘formation’ might be a stretch, Shrift thought with a glimmer of humor. All of the ships had docked to War-station along areas where the station didn’t have many or any guns. They would be the stations guns, and secondary shields. As they were on the station’s surface, the planetary shield generators had been tweaked to cover them.

  That had to be one of the most annoying tweaks I’ve had to do, all within a day no less! Shrift was starting to feel like an old Kuruvian before his time.

  Thankfully his father was in-system on Talhalla and had been able to give a few pointers. Silly had found out and added in his two cents with LaRe, and someone had told Uncle Eddie as well. In the end it meant that that planetary shield generators were not only covering all of the ships attached to War-Station’s hull. They were synced up and with a good ten percent boost in strength.

  “We’re coming in range of the Kalu, keep eyes on those gun capacitors as well as their coolants. Make sure people keep out the damned way. If a fighter is damaged, switch it out with a new one. We don’t have time to repair them right now.” Shrift said, his people knew their tasks, but it reassured them to hear it again.

  In the anxiety and fear of battle, their minds might forget for a period, hopefully they’d remember shortly.

  “We’ve all done this before, now get your brains on straight,” Shrift said, wrapping up his speech.

  “Shrift this is Whorst, how are we looking down there?” Whorst said over the Engineering command center’s speakers.

  “Looking good on all systems commander,” Shrift said.

  “Good, then I think we’re going to put those laser cannons to the test,” Whorst warned.

  “Very well commander,” Shrift said.

  “Let me know if you need anything to keep the ship running. I’ll let you get to it,” Whorst added.

  “Will do sir,” Shrift said, cutting the channel. Nerves came from him. His manipulators started bobbing around. He took a breath quelling his jitters. He had a station to look after! Even with all the weight of responsibility on him, there was a part of him that was excited, his people were ready for this. He was ready for this and they were in the best possible situation.

  This was the shit that made him get up in the morning, seeing an engineering crew working together and a machine doing what it was supposed to.

  It was called War-station for shit’s sake, it wasn’t going to help you plant flowers, that’s for sure.

  His manipulators calmed down as every laser cannon on War-station and every ship attached to it, fired.

  Reports started cascading reading results from the cannons.

  Shrift looked for breakage, weakness or anywhere the cannons weren’t matching up.

  Nothing broken, seems Murphy doesn’t want to meddle around with our station just yet.

  ***

  Whorst looked up from his conversation with Shrift.

  “Frankeuw, all laser batteries are cleared to fire on the Kalu,” Whorst said.

  “Yes commander.” Frankeuw started talking to his gunners and the other tactical commanders across the fleet.

  Seconds later laser cannons ejected their deadly but invisible light.

  “Arfo, inform Salchar that we have engaged the Kalu. Also tell the HCD’s to concentrate on the Kalu heading for Earth,” Whorst said.

  “Why are we pushing the HCD’s off?” Werv asked.

  “Mars, Hachiro and Nancy actually have the firepower to fend of the Kalu. They also have Commandos. Earth doesn’t and the HCD’s would be of more use there,” Whorst said.

  “I know you’re human, but it’s not exactly our fault Earth doesn’t have those things,” Werv said. It was his position to play devil’s advocate and question Whorst’s play if there might be a better one.

  “Yes I know and it’s not just my human side which is affecting me. The Free Fleet stands for protecting the innocent. There a number of people on Earth that are innocent of the crimes that were brought against the Free Fleet. Around Mars, the majority of people took an oath to protect those innocents. We have firepower and Commandos that know Mars, Hachiro and Nancy. Any Kalu that gets in there is going to have a bad damn time,” Whorst asserted.

  “Yes, but if we finish off the Kalu faster out here, then we will be fighting around Mars less and we can head to Earth and aid in their defense,” Werv pressed.

  “You raise a valid point, but Monk,” Whorst said.

  “Huh?” Werv said, confused.

  “We pulled off a few thousand from Parnmal, there are a hell of a lot more of them. Once these HCD’s
are free here I’m going to order them to Parnmal. Monk and the rest of his Commandos are just waiting to be put to use, supporting Earth, Chaleel and then AIH,” Whorst said.

  “Why does Earth get first dibs?” Werv asked, some of the anger at Earth’s attack on the Free Fleet coming to the surface. Whorst felt the anger too, but he tried to push it down to stay objective.

  “Because they have no defensive force capable of fighting the Kalu effectively,” Whorst said.

  “They have all those militaries and people in uniform though!” Werv said in a mocking voice.

  Whorst gave him a level look.

  “Sorry commander, I lost a good number of my close friends when they decided to stab us in the back,” Werv said.

  “I did too,” Whorst said, his voice soft, sharing in his memories of those lost. He knew all too many people that had died here. His appointment as Commander of Free Fleet forces in Sol was all too recent for him not to remember.

  “Yes sir,” Werv said understanding blooming on his face.

  “On the ground they have guns that can crack the Kalu armor but they’re heavy machine guns and rifles. Their overhead will get shredded and only their highest power artillery will make a dent. They need Commandos, whether they think it or not,” Whorst said, the last part coming out heated. He tried to stay objective and some days it was hard.

  He looked up from their conversation. The laser cannons first rounds had hit some time ago, successive hits were changing the Kalu landscape.

  The Kalu’s weaker lasers were firing back onto War-station’s shields. they’d lost three percent overall. Under Shrift’s suggestions and Dallaho’s firm backing, they had installed secondary and tertiary shield generators, as soon as one failed, another would take up the load. It meant that War-station needed more power-plants and fuel storage. Thankfully they had plenty of room and other engineers had been more than happy to give a hand.

  War Station was one hell of a nut to crack.

  “So why Earth before Chaleel or AIH though, they’re both better allies and they have innocents,” Werv asked, his emotions seemed to be in check.

  “Cause the Kalu fucked up when they dropped on AIH and Salchar is basking Chaleel in enough laser fire and Rail gun rounds to make the planet look like abstract art. AIH will take longer to secure, but the Avarians will clear their planet quickly enough. Salchar is almost done clearing Chaleel of Kalu. I don’t expect him to take more than half a day,” Whorst said.

  “I didn’t know the Avarians had killed so many of the Kalu,” Werv said.

  “They haven’t yet, but you didn’t see Ursht’s plans for Asul city. The Kalu aren’t going to know what hit them.” Whorst shook his head.

  “What’s the plan?” Werv asked.

  “Take a race of natural hunters, teach them how to make spaceship classed weapons systems and tell them to make a defensive position,” Whorst said, finding Ursht’s plans and passing them over to Werv.

  “Fuck.” Werv almost never swore, but it made complete sense with the document in front of him.

  Whorst simply smiled as his cannons bellowed.

  War Station was actually braking as they fired at the Kalu.

  The good part hasn’t even begun, he thought, his eyes darkening in hunger.

  “Peck, how long until we match the Kalu’s speed, I’d rather like to see how they like being the ones chased down,” Whorst said.

  “Three hours,” Peck replied.

  They’d hit the Kalu the entire time they were decelerating, passing through them for a distance before coming up right back up behind them.

  If Dallaho and Shrift’s numbers were off, then War-station was going to get a lot more than just their shields going down.

  Whorst had confidence in them, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous.

  “Very well. Wing Commander Flek, whenever you are ready you may begin flushing fighters. Make sure you and Frankeuw coordinate for the mines we’re leaving behind us,” Whorst said, looking to them both to make sure his message got across.

  Quick nods as they talked into their devices and passed orders was all he needed to return his glance to the main screen.

  Now there was nothing to do but watch.

  It was odd, here he was going up against some ten thousand Kalu and it felt almost anti-climactic. They had strong shields that were easily bleeding off the Kalu’s shots, and their weaponry slapped them down like balloons on an air-rifle range.

  The Kalu were spreading out and flushing their fighters. The hits were only going to increase in intensity and they wouldn’t give War-station the time it needed to regenerate them. Thus the second and third layers of shields.

  Whorst was just waiting for something to go wrong. It sounded bad, but he had learned to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

  Devastahli appeared on the dais.

  “Commander, I have been talking to the AI’s of the fleet, when we pass through the Kalu we ask that we might be allowed to join the fight. We will not last more than eighty seconds, but well we should be able to deal out some damage.” Devastahli’s rolling voice sounded like the deep growling of a hunting Kalu, his eyes sparking at the idea.

  “Talk with Frankeuw, if he agrees then I do too,” Whorst said, making sure that Devastahli understood Whorsts’ trust in him.

  “Thank you Commander,” Devastahli said, actually bending his head slightly. Another hologram of him was already next to Frankeuw and speaking to him when the one on the dais disappeared.

  Whorst’s attention went back to the main screen, it was twenty minutes until they crossed the Kalu’s formation.

  The fighters were moving out from their carriers and War-station’s hangars, but waiting inside War station’s shields.

  His glance moved to the Kalu. Some of the laser cannon’s shots went wide, but the majority struck with angry violence.

  Ships cartwheeled away, others were ripped apart, more exploded, illuminating the dark of space. It was like a gun against a knife, the gun had range and power but in close, that’s the real test, will the knife win, or the gun? Tension racked up inside Whorst as the time wound down.

  “Fighters are moving out,” Flek announced.

  Whorst cleared his throat and nodded, not trusting his own voice for a moment.

  “Peck, how are we for wormhole generation?” Whorst asked.

  “We’re good to go,” Peck reported.

  “Very well, let’s see if we can’t make the Kalu have a really bad day.

  ***

  Tonight I'm gonna have myself a real good time I feel alive and the world it's turning inside out Yeah! I'm floating around in ecstasy So don't stop me now don't stop me 'Cause I'm having a good time having a good time.

  The music started as Wing Commander Tyler Smith applied power to his jumper’s engines.

  He’d been a pilot of the United States Air Force at one time. It felt like a lifetime ago. Now he was the most senior member of the multiple jumper fighter craft that’s been harassing Kalu ships for the last year.

  “Commander, is that really what I think it is?” A Wing Commander that hadn’t flown with Smith before asked.

  “If your thinking Don’t stop my now by Queen then you may be correct,” Smith said, relaying the music through his headset. He did it so much he had a pre-set control for it.

  Wormhole projectors were revealed from their armored hatches.

  “Alright ladies and gents, it looks like the heavies will be giving us a nice umbrella for all the incoming rain. I say that we make good use of it. Jumpers, let’s spin the hell out of her, wing commanders check coordinates and let’s get this damn show on the road!” Smith said.

  They had already pre-set their jumps, it took him a few moments to okay them. A massive wormhole, the kind that allowed War-station to pass from system to system appeared right in front of the Kalu. Anything that passed into the wormhole didn't reappear on the other side, neither did laser fire.

  Meanwhi
le the fighters and bombers pressed onward to close with the Kalu. Jumpers made their wormholes, draining their capacitors and dashing through the event horizon.

  He was on the other side of the event horizon, and damn close to a Star Destroyer. He fired his rail gun, dropped a missile and hammered his acceleration away from the Kalu ship.

  He whooped as his missile slammed into the side of the star-destroyer, sending a silent thank-you to Felix and his minions who’d made their missiles smart enough to realize when they were too close to star-burst into their multiple warheads and instead act like a single bomb. The Kalu Star Destroyer bulged out as if something was trying to burrow through it. The hull gave up and a cloud of expanding ship parts and Kalu resided where the Star Destroyer had been.

  Smith already had another target, his eyes had lingered on the star destroyer for maybe a half-second.

  Jumpers weren’t meant for atmosphere, they didn’t have wings and their maneuvering jets were too weak, but in space. In space they danced on a pin.

  Smith spun and turned, changing his trajectory, a Star Warrior had him. He let rip with a burst of rail gun, stitching up his target as he gained, dodging to the sides, spinning as he did so and moving in three dimensions. It was as if he was born in space not on Earth.

  He spun backwards, using his engines to break and throw another trajectory in. He spun around again, his racks open and his missile ready. He fired the missile.

  “What’s that, two ships in three seconds?” Someone asked.

  “Eyes on the prize ladies, gents, and creatures!” Smith said.

  An alert showed the wormhole had stopped, a good number of the Kalu had been able to swerve around the Wormhole, but a number hadn’t.

  As the wormhole dropped, bombers started releasing their payloads, multi-warhead missiles dotted the map rushing to meet the Kalu’s ships.