Embers of Rebellion, page 26
“I still think she should stay where it’s safe,” he said, nonetheless.
Jackson smiled. “That’s easy for you to say. She won’t blame you.” He shook his head. “No, I can’t interfere. As you already reminded me, we’re fighting for all of our freedom. If her numbers put her at the top, give her the opportunity. She has to make her own decisions.”
Caleb bit his lip as his own words came back against him. “Alright,” he forced himself to say. “I’ll see you when this is over then.”
“Look after her,” Jackson said as Caleb turned to leave.
If I can, Caleb couldn’t help thinking.
Chapter 23
Ajax, Paracel System, 1st September 4747 AD, (eleven days later).
Eleven days after leaving Newport, Ajax jumped out of hyperspace and slipped into the Paracel system. Everyone waited nervously as the light cruiser’s passive sensors peered into the system.
What should have been a nine-day journey had been extended by two days. First, one of the colliers that was supposed to be on call, ready to aid Ajax, had been found to be a third empty of fuel. Then, during the two refueling stops the ships had to make, the colliers had gotten lost. All three ships were supposed to jump out of hyperspace at the same moment and at the same coordinates. Both times, only one of the colliers had jumped out with Ajax. After refueling from the available collier, Ajax then had to go searching for the other before continuing on their journey.
With the extra delays, the chances of additional Republic warships reaching the system had increased considerably. Frustration and concern filled the bridge as everyone waited to see if they had been too late.
“Here’s the fort,” Ajax’s sensor officer said as a bright contact appeared on the holo display in orbit around the Paracel colony. “No sign of any warships yet. We are starting to detect trace elements consistent with freighters though.”
Over the next three minutes, fifteen different ships were detected and cataloged. Four were moving from Paracel toward different points along the system’s mass shadow, heading for the closest locations where they could jump into hyperspace and continue to their destinations. The rest were in orbit around the colony. The three FRC freighters were quickly identified and marked as blue. They were still in orbit near the fort.
“Still no sign of any warships,” Ajax’s sensor officer repeated. “I think that’s all the ships we’re going to pick up on this side of the planet.”
“Focus on the gamma radiation band. Show everything we’re detecting,” Aubrey requested.
A moment later, the display changed to show a host of lines depicting the different waves of gamma radiation being released by various sources in Paracel’s orbit.
“Look at these ones here,” Aubrey said as he highlighted thin bands coming from near the center of the planet. “They’re very weak, but we can compensate for the wavelength shift if we know the makeup of the matter they pass through… just like this.”
Aubrey’s hands danced over his control panel. A moment later, Ajax’s computer identified several contacts on the far side of the planet. One flashed red—it was the Republic destroyer.
“Impressive,” Caleb said. “That’s a neat trick.”
“Not something you find in the regulations!” Aubrey said with a grin. “Take note, everyone. Any ship with their reactors over sixty percent can usually be detected in this way.”
Caleb did. It was a simple use of Ajax’s passive sensors, yet it was something he had never been taught and, therefore, had never thought of. How much else do we need to relearn? he asked himself.
“So,” Aubrey said after a couple of seconds. “Our freighters are here, and we have a friend trying to hide from us on the far side of the planet. How should we proceed, then? Any suggestions?”
Aside from training all of Ajax’s new crew, Caleb had spent much of his time during the journey from Newport thinking about just this. Though he glanced around the bridge to give any other officers a chance to speak before he did. Most were looking at their consoles or their feet, however. Amelia flashed Caleb a small smile when their eyes met, but then she looked down too. No one wants to speak when there are two former Republic Navy officers here, Caleb guessed. He understood, but in the long run, that was not going to be helpful for anyone.
“The problem is the fort,” Caleb said, breaking the silence. “We can take them firing on us, but not on the freighters. So, we need to give them a target to focus on. But if they see us coming from a distance, they’ll have too much time to call in the destroyer that’s trying to hide.”
Aubrey nodded. “So, you want to sneak in and surprise them.”
“The closer we are, the better our chances of being able to destroy the fort if it comes to a fight—and they’ll know that too,” Caleb said. “I was thinking we could drop a drone here with a pre-recorded message. Have it transmit a demand for the freighters to be released. Then, while the fort’s officers are focused on responding to the possibility that we’re out at the mass shadow, we actually show up right in their backyard.”
“And then we get the freighters out in the confusion,” Aubrey finished. “I like it. Comms, prepare a drone.”
Ten minutes later, the drone was launched, and Ajax began moving into the system at one-fifth maximum thrust. For four hours, she crept forward with most of her systems powered down. With only a few freighters moving about, there was little chance they would be accidentally detected. As they approached the planet, the risk increased, but with the fort’s weapons and most of its sensors focused on the three FRC freighters, even they would be hard-pressed to spot the slowly moving light cruiser.
“Still no sign of that destroyer coming around the planet,” Caleb commented. “It must be burning a lot of fuel staying where it is.”
“It’s waiting for those freighters to make a run for it, or for someone foolish enough to come and try rescuing them,” Aubrey guessed.
That was a worrying thought for Caleb. “Then either they know we have armed freighters, or they’re expecting Ajax to come for them.”
“That’s what I’ve been thinking,” Aubrey said. “I like the first option far better than the second.”
Caleb grunted. His father’s spies hadn’t detected any other Republic ships anywhere near the Paracel system. But they were late to the system. And Paracel wasn’t too far from the Meridian Way. It was possible some ships had slipped south through the jump gates undetected.
“What do you want to do?” Caleb asked, turning his command chair to face Aubrey.
“We continue on,” Aubrey said. “We came here looking for a fight, so we need to see if they’re willing to give us one.”
Caleb nodded confidently, though he couldn’t help glancing at Amelia in concern.
“They should be getting our first transmission now,” Ajax’s comm officer reported.
The message was a simple one. In it, Aubrey demanded the immediate release of the freighters and warned the fort’s commander that any failure to comply would be construed as an act of war.
Of course, almost nothing happened. The fort launched some recon drones toward the transmission’s origin point, and presumably, they replied—though Ajax wasn’t in a position to intercept the response. Apart from that, neither the fort nor the FRC freighters moved.
“Everyone ready?” Aubrey asked ten minutes after the transmission should have been received by the fort.
Heads nodded, and several “Aye, Captain” responses filled the bridge.
“Navigation, take us out of stealth,” Aubrey commanded authoritatively. “Begin evasive maneuvers. Tactical, light up the fort.”
Suddenly, Ajax came alive just twenty light-seconds from Paracel. As her four reactors and engines surged to full power, they released copious amounts of electromagnetic energy into space—easily detected by the fort. To emphasize the point, Amelia trained the light cruiser’s active sensors on the fort and immediately got a perfect lock.
“Comms, open a channel,” Aubrey requested seconds later. He continued when Ajax’s comm officer nodded to him. “Republic fort, this is the FRC cruiser Ajax. We have six railguns lined up on your rear. By refusing to release our freighters, you are committing an act of war. If you open fire on them—or us—we will return fire and destroy you.”
“The fort is moving!” Ajax’s sensor officer reported, a hint of concern creeping into his voice. “They’re turning toward us.”
“Signal the freighters. Tell them to break orbit as soon as they can,” Aubrey responded. “Tactical, remember—hold fire unless we are fired upon.”
“Understood, Captain,” Amelia said, sounding far more confident than Caleb felt.
As soon as the fort turned its single four-inch railgun toward Ajax, the three freighters made a break for it. Caleb’s body tensed, waiting for the energy spike that would signal the fort had fired. Seconds, then minutes, ticked by agonizingly slowly. But nothing happened.
“I think we caught them with their pants down,” Aubrey said, cracking a grin. “They were counting on being able to call in that destroyer and face us together.”
“The destroyer is coming,” Caleb pointed out. Ajax’s passive sensors had detected an increase in the gamma radiation passing through Paracel, consistent with a ship increasing its reactor energy levels.
“But it’ll be too late to catch the freighters,” Aubrey said confidently. “They’re making good progress.”
“Sir, should we switch off our targeting sensors?” Amelia asked. “I’ve got a perfect track on the fort, our passives can handle it from here.”
“Not yet,” Caleb responded, knowing what Aubrey would want. “We need to keep their attention focused on us.”
“Right, but we can start to open up the range,” Aubrey said. “If they do decide to open fire, we don’t need to make it too easy. Navigation, start moving us away from Paracel on a course that will allow us to join up with the freighters.”
Another ten minutes passed, and still, nothing happened. Both sides are calling the other’s bluff, Caleb guessed. The fort’s commander wanted Ajax to open fire first so that everyone on Paracel—and then throughout the rest of the Republic—could see the FRC’s aggression. They’re doing what we’re doing.
“Republic destroyer is rounding the planet!” Ajax’s sensor officer reported. “It’s on a heading to rendezvous with the fort.”
“It’s not going for the freighters, then,” Aubrey said, disappointment in his voice.
Caleb felt it too. It was good they were getting the freighters to safety, but they had come to Paracel to accomplish more. As he thought about it, something began to feel off. “Something isn’t making sense,” he said in a low voice, turning to Aubrey. “Clearly, this was all a setup to try and goad us into firing first. But if they expected a fight, why have just the one destroyer? They had to suspect we would send Ajax.”
Aubrey’s eyes narrowed. “You think they have more ships out there?”
Suddenly, it clicked for Caleb. “What would be more effective in ending our secession than an incident where we fired first?”
Aubrey rubbed his jaw. Then his eyes widened. “Taking out Ajax! If we lose her now, Newport and Battenburg will be almost undefended. A division of destroyers could move in and take on either of their forts!”
“So if you wanted to destroy a light cruiser, what other ships would you bring to the party?” Caleb asked next. His hands were already tapping on his console. On a secondary display, he brought up a map of all the known enemy ship locations.
“No other ships are supposed to be able to get here,” Aubrey said slowly. “None that we know about, at least,” he added as he glanced at Caleb. “They can’t have snuck a heavy cruiser here—we’d have heard about that for sure. But maybe a light cruiser. Maybe even another destroyer or two.” Aubrey looked back at the main display showing the system. “But where are they?”
Caleb had already thought that through. “If they were looking for a diplomatic incident from us, they’ve been disappointed. Probably, they don’t want to cause one themselves.”
Aubrey nodded. “They’ll want to fight us out near the system’s mass shadow, away from Paracel, so they can spin the battle their way. No sensors on Paracel will be able to tell exactly what’s happening.”
“But close enough that Paracel’s fort can still join the battle, would be my guess,” Caleb said.
Aubrey reached out toward the main display and highlighted a wide arc of space. “So, somewhere in this area.” He stared at the display for a few seconds and then nodded. “So be it.”
“You want to spring their trap?” Caleb asked in surprise.
Aubrey smiled at Caleb. “We came here to pick a fight. I’m not willing to turn away just yet. At the very least, I want to see just what they’ve managed to sneak into the system. That will inform us as to what other ships they might be able to slip past your father’s scouts.”
Caleb kept his face straight as he nodded. Aubrey knew just as well as he did that it was foolish to fight on a battlefield the enemy had prepared. Yet he was choosing to do so anyway. He’s thinking about the wider political situation, Caleb was sure. That was all fine and well—assuming they survived whatever they were walking into.
“Well, it seems like neither the fort nor the destroyer has any interest in firing upon us just yet,” Aubrey said, raising his voice for all of Ajax’s officers to hear. “So, let’s switch off the active sensors. Navigation, bring us alongside the freighters. Then I want us to match their velocity and go as dark as we can.”
Half an hour later, Ajax joined the freighters as they continued to boost away from Paracel. A shuttle took off from one of the freighters within minutes.
“We’re being hailed by the shuttle,” Ajax’s comm officer informed the bridge.
A moment later, a smiling face appeared on the main display.
“Rebecca!” Caleb blurted out.
“Lieutenant,” Rebecca said as her smile widened slightly and she gave Caleb a nod. Then she turned to Aubrey. “Captain, permission to come on board? I have important intelligence.”
“Of course, Ms. Guzman!” Aubrey said. “I’ll send an officer to escort you to the bridge immediately.”
Caleb shared a look with Amelia when Rebecca’s face disappeared. She had left Newport just a week after they had returned from Beowulf, but neither of them had known where she had gone. She’s clearly been busy, their glance said to each other.
Just five minutes later, an ensign led Rebecca onto the bridge.
“Captain Aubrey,” she said, giving a sloppy salute. “I have good reason to believe that you’re leading these freighters into a trap.”
Aubrey smiled. “So we figured. Here, sit down and explain what you know.”
Rebecca frowned, then shook herself and moved over to the offered seat. “How do you know?”
Aubrey glanced at Caleb. “A hunch. But why else would they impound our freighters and then let them leave so easily? So, what have you got?”
“I was in a nearby system when the freighters were first impounded,” Rebecca explained. “I got on a ship to Paracel as soon as I heard. I managed to hack into some of the Navy’s comm channels. The commanders of the fort and the destroyer have been doing a lot of talking. They both seem to expect a battle, but not in orbit around Paracel.”
Aubrey nodded. “That’s what we’ve been thinking.”
“I have more,” Rebecca said. “Two ship names were mentioned—Repulse and Swift. I believe they are a light cruiser and a frigate.”
Aubrey turned to Caleb; he was already pulling up holo images of both ships. They appeared above Rebecca’s head, along with text outlining their capabilities. Repulse was one of Ajax’s sister ships, while Swift had just two single two-inch guns.
“With the destroyer and fort attacking us from behind, and these two from our flanks, it would be a fierce fight,” Caleb said.
“You don’t need to worry about the fort,” Rebecca said confidently.
Aubrey chuckled. “What have you done?”
“Once I was in their comms, I was able to slip a virus into the fort’s main computer—it’s not as well protected as that destroyer’s,” Rebecca said as she shared a grin with Aubrey. “If they try to fire, they’re going to find their capacitors can’t hold any charge.”
“Well, that will help us out to be sure,” Aubrey said. His face then turned more serious. “The question is, should we spring this trap or make a run for it while we still can?”
“The destroyer is breaking orbit,” Ajax’s sensor officer reported before anyone could answer Aubrey.
Every head turned to the main display.
“They’re not at full acceleration,” Caleb noted. “But they will soon start to catch us.”
“It’s a bit early if they want to ambush us away from Paracel, isn’t it?” Amelia asked.
“Maybe they just want to shepherd us away from the colony?” Lieutenant Armitage said from his position at Ajax’s reactor console.
“Or they’re more nervous than we thought,” Aubrey guessed. “The further we are from Paracel, the less the fort will be able to help. Maybe they don’t want to fight too far from the colony—just far enough to make sure no one in orbit can get a clear enough sensor reading to know for sure that they fired first.”
“But we will still know,” Amelia said.
“I think they’re assuming none of us are going to survive the encounter,” Caleb pointed out.
“Oh,” Amelia said as her face whitened.
“Lieutenant Hawthorne, where do you think they want to fight now?” Aubrey asked.
Caleb did some quick calculations on his console. Based on the destroyer’s acceleration, he considerably narrowed the wide arc of space he had first shown Aubrey. “Somewhere in here, I’d guess.”
Aubrey nodded. “As I thought. There’s no running now. If Rebecca’s extra ships are out there, once they figure out we’re not with the freighters, they’ll go active with their sensors. They’d be sure to detect us before we could escape… So,” he said, looking around at his officers, “we have a fight on our hands after all.”
