HidHop-20

Book 2, Chapter 20 - Gabriel's Trumpets[]

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Spies lurking in the Dark[]

01/15/3052

Emperor Baldric the Sixth landed his Thunderbird D46 upon one of the many platforms jutting out into Gabriel Station’s repair cage. Three Wings of black and green striped Jovian Imperial Defense Force fighters joined him finding a place beside those from other Belter Confederations (identified by garish stripes but also on an off-white body) and COMSTAR Space Command (bone white with a large Delta facing forward).

Eerie light emerged in columns through vacuum sparkling through intruding ice particles that hovered in place. Lights and abstract markings only known to spacers aided navigation through the vast void that had been hollowed out of this icy planetoid. Two Groups, one of Assault Craft and another of Carriers, and Regiment of Espatiers followed shortly behind landing on the ‘floor’ before shipyard tugs pushed the massive plate that protected the entrance to the cage back into its place. Although they couldn’t hear it the impact could be felt through the superstructure that connected the rings and stabilized the icy rock in place. Every surface was lined with cargo containers and dropships suspended in place by cables, all connected by umbilical to the Station’s habitats.

Baldric powered down the engine and opened the cockpit hatch hanging from the ‘monkey bars’ until his boot’s electromagnets found purchase on the deck-plate. Grapple gun and medical pack hung from his pressure suit as he walked toward the airlock with the remainder of his squadmates.

They cycled the airlock and emerged into a large antechamber standing before Precentor Commodore Beresick of the CSC and high-ranking military leaders from the Inner Sphere’s Belter Confederations, their uniforms unique and stenciled to show their home station or planetoid and differently decorated based on which Cluster they originated from.

Espatiers stood in their ceremonial uniforms wielding a bayonetted rifle evoking their ancestors, Swiss Pikemen, the Swiss and other mountain dwellers such as the Nepalese, Bhutanese, Andean, and other mountain tribes that had later former those known as ‘Belters’ of which Jupiter and its many moons formed their homeland. The Jovian Empire remained the largest of the Belt communities that had somewhat self-organized into a pan-Sphere Stellar Coalition.

The Emperor accepted and returned salutes from those assembled. His salt and pepper hair kept short for station hygiene and military service, skin pale like the others from a lack of sunlight, lean muscles beneath his pilot suit from a lifetime of military and political service. “Am I the only Coalition leader that deigned to answer the Primus’ call?”

Commodore Beresick looked around at the others, “Others intended to come but were waylaid en route. President Madras was ambushed by Clan Mongoose and the Khan has forced the Ender Cluster to withdraw their support by holding him for ransom. The others cannot escape their home empires’ borders for lack of jumpships or due to imperial authorities refusing to grant them permission.

COMSTAR has registered complaints with all the Great Houses over this breach of protocol and infringement on the Coalition’s sovereignty and is seeking an expeditious solution.”

“They seek to keep us on a tight leash then and save themselves from embarrassment.”
“That is always a possibility. COMSTAR is nevertheless grateful for the Jovian Empire’s support.”

Baldric and Alain shook hands, “My soldiers and I stand side by side with yours and those of our Coalition partners. The Order has earned our support for its diligent efforts over the centuries. We have sat out enough wars, someone must finally stand for the Inner Sphere, and if the Great Houses are too timid then others must stand in their place.”

“On that the Precentor Martial and I agree, but enough of these matters. Let me show you around the Station and bring you up to speed on what we have been working on.”

“If what I have heard from the Titan Yardships is true then I look forward to seeing it.”

“COMSTAR never lets anything go to waste.”

Above them through hundreds of meters of reinforced rock and ice, large turrets shifted breaking the rime that had settled on their immense guns each barrel of 'Gabriel's Trumpets' was marked by stenciled text showing which of the derelict Warships’ they had belonged to before being fitted into a haphazard but functional battery.

All aimed upward at Eris and her rings, within their command rooms COMSTAR adepts and Coalition gunners tracked Battlemechs walking along the planetoid’s surface, above which constellation of satellites, clusters of fighters, and larger craft prowled through the inky darkness above a fully operation battle station.

The only thing missing was the enemy, but they were there. Far beyond the orbital path of Eris a R-73 ‘Reporter’ probe made a high-speed pass of the system as part of INTELSTAR’s astrological survey of former SLDF installations in REVIVAL’s invasion path. Its internal survey computer reported the anomalies to their listening post around the ‘lost colony’ of Qualip.

Aboard the Battleship SLS Typhon, Steel Viper Khan Natalie Breen nodded in recognition as her INTELSTAR contacts decoded their probe’s messages. "Send an HPG to Sudeten. Tell Fleet Command we will need more ships.”

The Time of Reckoning is at Hand[]

02/29/3052

Precentor Commodore Alain Beresick stood in front of the holo-cylinder displaying a stern looking woman with platinum blonde hair and unnaturally blue eyes. Before him were his subordinate commanders in charge of the station’s defense and the heads of Coalition partner forces.

“This is Grand Admiral Olympia Masters of Clan Steel Viper aboard the Quasar Carrier SLS Pit Viper. She has issued a Trial of Possession for Gabriel Station, demanding it be returned to its ‘rightful inheritors’.” Disdainful laugher erupted from some of the Coalition commanders while rue smiles and rude gestures came to COMSTAR’s.

He clicked forward to show the immense fleet that was presently about 3 days at 1g transit (or 1 AU) away from them. “Bidding three Clans worth of Naval Task Forces, Ghost Bear, Steel Viper, and Star Adder. Along with a Potemkin, the SLS Great Bear, which is serving as a defender for the JumpShips they have left behind at Eris’ L-one.”

Pride Class Destroyer Escort (Under Thrust - Image) — *Pride* Class Destroyer Escort

The three types of large Warship and smaller vessels, the largest appeared, “Conveniently for us these Clans use identical Task Forces. This is a Typhon Battleship; basically, a shrunken McKenna, yet it hasn’t lost much in the shrinkage and is to be considered extremely dangerous and a primary target,” a smaller ship appeared, “Quasar Carriers which according to the Pryde files commonly carry a Cluster or roughly fifty fighters and are equivalent in size to our Dantes.”

An even smaller ship was blown up and the trio of each that accompanied the heavier ships was separated to show they travel at optimal weapons distance to one another providing heavy coverage. “These are the Pride class Destroyers. ROM believes them to be highly capable, but they are smaller than our Dantes and without as much throw weight. They do possess many potential nuclear warheads on their missiles though and did use them against the Dragoons so are not to be dismissed. As destroyers they are designed to eliminate large swarms of smaller craft and missiles.

ROM has also stated that with the crippling of the Nova Fox’s Task Force over Atocongo by the Dragoons that Grand Admiral Masters’ Fleet represents most of the Clans’ Warship potential. Only the Hell’s Horses’ Task Force remains unaccounted for but are likely undergoing repairs and maintenance in the Chainelaines or at some deep space yard the Clans have set up.

Potemkin (Old - Underway) — *Potemkin* Class Troop Cruiser (Transport Warship)

They have many other ships, but those are doing heavy logistical support for their front-line Galaxies and are thus too valuable to risk in open combat. The fact that the Ghost Bears have brought a Potemkin into this system and thus harm’s way then deployed its escorts shows they are concerned that CSC Ships might break out and confront their support fleet over the Occupation Zone and thus seize the initiative, as was our original plan.

That plan has changed.

Nevertheless, by deploying against us they have removed Precentor Martial Brett’s concerns regarding COMGuards Jumpships and Armored Freighters being attacked by hostile warships.

Admiral Zwick and I know the capabilities of the Dante’s quite well having engaged in live fire exercises, as you all remember.” A bout of sly chuckles was on the lips of some of the more experienced officers remembering the Battle of Ariel around Neptune and the resulting mildly embarrassing aftermath for Beresick’s sister and Zwick’s wife Melissa.

Gabriel station, the ovoid planetoid, that contained a large shipyard within reinforcing ‘rib’ habitats appeared in the holocylinder. “Our battleplan is thus simple but involves intricate coordination between many forces and a lot of deconfliction which I will be responsible for. There’s a lot of metal on station it just needs to be put to optimal use.”

A dozen Dantes had begun to coalesce into a joint Armada from across Eris’ rings joined by escort carriers and assault ships of every configuration. Centered and slightly behind this armada loomed CS Word of Blake, a white whale of a Warship massing a good portion of a hostile Task Force by itself. “Zwick’s fleet will confront the enemy far away using their short range but high-powered guns. They will be aided by the Word of Blake’s guns and fighters.”

Emperor Baldric interrupted, “Alain, where did COMSTAR find the pilots for the almost three hundred fighters onboard that ship?
Even the Pleiades Cluster couldn’t marshal that many in its prime to deploy abroad.
The three Wings I have brought are all that my Empire can muster in such a short time and most of the others were only able to contribute a Group.”

“I understand that The Word of Blake has long been a peculiarity to the Jovian Empire Baldric. However, I don’t typically ask questions of senior leadership and didn’t expect The Word of Blake could even jump nevertheless make it to Odessa.

Perhaps Gregory knows or he too is wise enough to consider it not worth the risk.
Regardless, according to The Master that is how many fighters he has onboard.
Although he can only readily deploy two hundred and sixteen.”

The Belters gasped at the number. Their people had long staffed Delta Branch’s hangers and fighters. Such a large concentration of Fighter power outside their contribution was difficult to grasp and cut deep at their pride of service.
“That still nearly as large as the Capellan Confederation’s entire Aerospace Corps.”
“All on one ship.”
“There’s no way.”

“I suppose if you doubt him, you will soon learn the truth.” Their view shifted toward the ‘Maw,’ the heavily armored entrance to the Shipyard and their Aerospace marshaling area, “our fighters shall fight theirs and any assault dropships deployed against the Fleet. We are mostly operating in an intercept capacity and will assign Areas to Groups.”

Ringing the ‘Maw’ were a highlighted series of Castle Brian bunkers codenamed ‘Trumpets’ armed with repurposed SLDF and RWR Cruiser and Frigate guns arranged in Triple Turrets (3x NAC/10, 2x NAC/25+NAC/20, etc…). “The Trumpets will protect the station’s primary approach from enemy dropships and maybe a few unlucky fighters but are mostly a short-ranged system. Without the hammer of Zwick’s Fleet, the Typhons will obliterate them in short order and they remain vulnerable to missile attack.”

Loosely orbiting the planetoid and staggered in clusters toward the approach were a series of cylindrical satellites equipped with heavy laser weapons, “Thus we have deployed an Excalibur Laser Defense Grid to intercept any missiles or fighters the Trumpets might have difficulty engaging.

Additionally, we expect Grand Admiral Masters will send assault forces onto the surface based on the composition of her dropship armada. Clan Ghost Bear according to the Pryde files has extensive asteroid mining operations in their Homeworlds. They likely have experience with breaching and entering facilities such as ours, if not they are at least determined to break in.

They must attempt to disable the guns to clear a path for a larger force that might subsequently breach Gabriel Station through its external access points.
Nothing short of dedicated HNPPC bombardment for long periods can cut through the Shipyard Plug or burrow into the rock and ice that protects the Station itself.
If for some reason we fail to disable or destroy the Clans’ fleet Gabriel Station can withstand an extended siege until additional aid can arrive from Terra or elsewhere.

"Any questions?”"

No hands were raised, all eyes were on the light speed delayed feed of the approaching Armada, Grand Admiral Masters’ stern battle-hardened face, and the digital clock ticking down to their arrival around Eris.

“Very well.
A detailed report of your mission will be drawn up by command and distributed so that you can inform your subordinates.

Any questions or thing that I can aid you with feel free to ask. Rest up and ensure your units are ready for tomorrow.”

“Aye, Commodore Beresick.”

Meetings with Loyal Disciples of Blake[]

03/02/30522

Emperor Baldric the Sixth’s Thunderbird ‘floated’ alongside the Dante Frigate CS Revelation, Flagship of COMSTAR Space Command. He breathed deep in his helmet and steadied his nerves mediating on the growing number of large contacts his fighter’s sensors were picking up. His biosigns showed a marked improvement on his side console remembering the presence of is Coalition partners and COMSTAR’s majestic ‘Great White Fleet’ that stood resolutely against these alien invaders.

Behind them the CS Word of Blake, an immense white whale of warship that massed almost as much as one of the three Clan Task Forces arrayed against them opened its hanger bays. Strange fighters ushered forth from its hold, his Warbook failed to place them, but one of them flew within visual range before it accelerated toward the ever-growing Clan Armada. An Armada which had also begun deploying its strike and interceptor craft extending the blob on his RADAR display. Its frame resembled something that he recognized from OP:CHIEFTAN, Kerensky’s liberation of Terra from Amaris that was one of their communities’ darkest hours. “A Voidseeker? Newly manufactured and enhanced.” Another slightly larger one rocketed away from his fighter, marked as special hazard for the Alamo nuclear bomb it carried on its underbelly. “Two types?”

Baldric’s blood chilled, the CASPAR system of which the original Voidseeker Robotic Fighters were a part was the most formidable defense network in history. It was legendary mostly for Amaris’ forces turning it against the SLDF when they enacted their coup. Defeating it required an incredible sacrifice of brave soldiers.

Something felt wrong about it, the pride, honor, and noble sacrifice of his human soldiers might pass from this world supplanted by the cold heartless logic of robotics. Even Belters couldn’t compete with robotic fighter craft and their potentially larger kin. The Clans even as bizarre and twisted as their culture had become were still human. They had issued a challenge to Admiral Zwick and expected it be honored and for the best ‘man’ win. With drones and actual robots battles would become soulless meat grinders given over to whomever could mass a large force. There was no room for that left in the Inner Sphere, not after what it had experienced.

“Do the Precentors know?” His biosigns peaked slightly, it would be disregarded as pre-battle jitters. The radio chatter had picked up as the enemy came closer, orders issued and given throughout the Chain of Command. Battle was fast approaching, and Baldric’s mind was filled with data concerning his vessel and its partners.

Space fighter combat was all about scarcity, but Belters knew that well. Fuel, ammunition, external ordnance, his own endurance, and those under his command. Everything needed to be taken into consideration in split second and he had no room left for distraction. It had been decades since his last combat experience, against the Canopians during the Andurien Succession Crisis.

He hadn’t lost a step, his left hand typed commands and answered queries from supporting forces. In his right hand the stick shifted downward ‘beneath’ the central line of Dantes and toward CS Limbo. Each frigate had begun separating from one another ‘opening’ the formation so they could turn and present their broadside cannons to their foes while maintaining strong sensor and EWAR synchronicity against the enemy.

A mission clock appeared on his HUD, COMSTAR loved their clocks more than any organization he had ever engaged with. Everything was choreographed to the minute, from the Voidseekers launching forward to draw fire from Clan fighter and escorts and attack the destroyers in ‘Top Cover’ (SLS Audacity and Avarice of Clan Steel Viper plus Melancholy, Envy, and Anticipation of Clan Star Adder) to the go signal Coalition fighters were given to push forward and seek out targets ahead of the Warships which would cover their rear and engage in a cataclysmic test of arms.

Baldric engaged his throttle and rocketed forward separating from the incoming wedge of white Warships. With magnification he saw the Clan Armada enact a similar maneuver with their destroyers launching outward from the central battlegroup to create a ‘compressed’ volume of space within their broadsides giving the smaller ships the ability to fire directly at enemy thrusters and sensors when they turned broadside to present their main armament to their larger ships.

He opened the Battle-Group Command screen and checked the position of all the contacts forwarded to it by the CS Revelation. His mind focused on one ship, SLS Arrogance, a Pride Destroyer of Clan Steel Viper which was taking up a forward position on his plane. It had burned faster than the others (SLS Mirth, Malice, and Mourning of Clan Ghost Bear) and was on course to isolate itself from the overlapping aerospace coverage of its companions.

Before him the COMSTAR Fleet completed their intricate ballet to now present their broadsides to the Typhons who had done the same. Thermal blooms appeared on the Clan Battleships as energy gathered across the almost 60 Heavy Naval PPCs and other guns that were aimed at COMSTAR’s Fleet. Each one capable of obliterating a lighter Fast Attack Dropship like the Avenger in a single hit. Space between the Warships suddenly become very empty, as everything that was fighting in it got out of the way of what was to come.

The Word of Blake lurched forward putting itself at risk to give the shorter ranged guns of the less armored Dantes time to close with their heavier adversaries. Each of its own guns readied themselves to fire at hostiles in every direction.

“All Coalition Forces break off from the main battlegroup.” He designated SLS Arrogance as the principal target for his Belters, “Time to teach these Clanners some humility.”

Each callsign of the Stellar Coalition broke right lining up against a gauntlet of Aerospace Interceptors, Fast Assault Dropships, Nuclear Missiles, and a Destroyers’ own guns.

Putting the untested Crew to the Test[]

Two days ago, the mood among the civilian castes was anything but joyful as Supply Merchant G-III Tertia completed her shift counting through every one of the emergency lockers located from frame 8 to 14. She floated through the corridor toward the women’s barracks before anchoring herself to her rack before paging through emergency procedures. Pride Destroyer SLS Mirth of the Ursus Battlegroup’s were, like most of the younger Clan Warship crews, untested in combat. There had been no enemy fleet for the Clans to prepare against for the last twenty years and training around Hellgate could only go so far with such an unpopular berth.

There was much mummering within the barracks as Tertia was not the only one looking over emergency procedures. Several questions were asked by the rack mates above and below her as well as their neighbors across the way. Gunnery Crews and Espatiers had practiced and prepared but little attention was paid to the civilian castes by the Warriors. Instead, Technicians who were Wolf War veterans were the ones to teach them while transiting the Exodus Road. No one slept due to the anticipation of what lay ahead although all ate heartily of the last meal before they came in range of the enemy fleet gathering around the former ‘Ruins of Gabriel’ which had proven to be anything but.

General Quarters klaxons blared, and Commander Varshik Lemmons’ voice followed it calling all hands to battle. Warriors might have the guns but Tertia, along with a group of Laborers and Technicians equipped with Space Suits of varying strength took shelter in Damage Control Locker 4 (of 8), responsible for Amidships damage control.

Her breathing was rapid and the O2 meter showed it clearly. Duane, Damage Control Technician Grade-VI, looked toward her his face clear on the other side of the machined wire visor that protected his helmet. “You have to calm down, Te. Or you are going to pass out and become Bart’s problem. I hear it is not the first time he has given you mouth to mouth.”

MedTech Grade-IV Bartraz sat across form visible MedTech markings along with the high-viz stripes that along with their name and ‘SLS Mirth’ had been applied to their white mostly light duty space suits. He and some of the others laughed. “It is a lot harder in a suit ‘uane.”

Tertia chuckled as well as they all listened at rapt attention of updates from Shipboard Operations within the CIC Citadel and Damage Control Command within the Engineering Citadel. There were nearly 400 crew aboard their ship and each one of them was at duty stations, most of them waiting for something to go wrong. A display screen and light map of their compartments glowed near Duane, lights flashed as the Mirth aggressively maneuvered into position between the Typhon Ursus Major and Quasar Ursus Minor. She felt her suit pushing into the belts that held her and everyone else in position as the ship accelerated in strange ways to bring its guns into battery while evading incoming fire.

The display showed the incredible triple broadside of the Typhon battleships that fired toward an immense white ship that had lurched forward of the dozen other COMSTAR Frigates. Due to the flash and particle radiation the screen fuzzed but restarted showing the immense vessel had survived a hellish bombardment from the core element of their task force.

Not only that but it returned fire, hitting four of the six Pride destroyers it targeted. Unable to withstand that much firepower the Mirth’s sisters were forced to flip and present fresh armor. This would degrade their own accuracy, worsening the already deep trouble they found themselves in. Everyone’s guns were saturated with so many targets to service and despite the englobement of COMSTAR’s Fleet no one had fired upon the Frigates that were lining themselves up in a tight mutually defensive formation.

‘Missile Alert’ flashed on the display as a quartet of ‘Strix’ Nuclear Missiles wove through the battlespace from the CS The Word of Blake. They entered ISD Zone 1, incredibly close to the Pride itself before they were detected amongst the clutter. Mirth’s missile shield had been compromised by enemy fighters and assault dropships which occupied the Warship’s principal firepower. Pride Destroyer’s role was to ‘Destroy’ those types of targets, but no one had anticipated such a swarm of hostiles being possible. Instead, the gunships that provided advanced Missile Defense and Sensing were forced to go evasive under the persistent threat of nearly 600 hostile fighters.

Interceptor missiles, Screens, and Flechettes fired by point defense Anti-Missile guns were launched to stop the attack. They were mostly successful, but one missile made it through. No sooner had Commander Lemmons said over the intercom, “Brace for impact” then it arrived.

A White Shark missile with a 50 Kiloton (Clan reporting name ‘Strix,’ IS ‘Santa Ana’) Nuclear Warhead detonated at close range. The explosion immediately flashed tons of armor away and driving the Pride into an uncontrolled spin as its armor vaporized and cooled. Its structure shook under the incredibly assault which along with the sudden acceleration threw ‘Number 4 Crew’ against their restraints.

Tertia woke to her helmet whistling and head hurting more than her leave after Hellgate Naval Academy. Duane’s console was bright red, and the display had shattered creating a strange prismatic effect as its fine shrapnel floated in the room. She reached for the release and found it jammed.

Bartraz floated toward her, “Hold on te. I need to check your eyes,” lifting the external face shield to point a penlight at her eyes, “Blue and beautiful as usual. No sign of damage.” She reached down and slapped a patch from her front pocket over the damaged portion of her helmet. The whistling stopped although it would require so much paper to replace that portion. “You say the nicest things. How about next time we couple I be the free floater?” “You hit your head pretty hard and are talking crazy, but you will be fine.”

He reached into the toolbox secured beneath her legs to remove the belt slicer on the outside. “I will cut you free,” he looked over to her rack mate, “Alice has a neck injury. I locked her down, but we cannot move her to MedBay while fighting. I need to keep her under observation and hope the Commander doesn’t do any sudden and intense maneuvers.” Bartraz handed her the toolbox, “Everyone else is outside helping Duane and the Techs.”

She cycled the door and looked back toward Alice and Bart who had secured himself once more. Tertia attached the toolbox’s clips to her suit’s harness and another to the ceiling rails climbing them like a jungle gym as she passed through compartments toward the stern. Sharp ferro-aluminum shards shaken loose from the impact floated in the corridor, scary but mostly unable to damage pipes and wires behind grates.

Her eyes couldn’t believe what she saw as she approached the damage site, A twenty meter diameter hole had been excavated into the armor completely obliterating the quad Medium NPPC turret and its crew which had once been at this location. Hargel, coolant water, and fuel oozed from the rupture site but there was no chance even the Clans’ miracle material could span this gap.

Outside the stars shifted as the ship moved to position less damaged areas away from the main attack. Hostile fighters cleared their position flipping on their long axis to take a parting shot that forced them to take cover before its velocity carried it far away from them. For once Tertia was happy that she hadn’t had another drink of water several hours ago even if it would be captured in the absorbent layers below. Her breathing hastened once more as she attached herself to the safety grid that the Techs had set up which would keep them close if the ship’s acceleration would throw them out. She looked out toward where the enemy fighter redirected itself and reduced its overpass velocity. “Duane, how fast can we patch this and get back inside?”

He passed her the LGB-58R “Engineer’s Paint Gun” in his hand along with the reservoir of gas and fluid. Once she accepted it, he removed a folding metal backed polymer patch that wouldn’t withstand damage but could keep pressure and people inside. “A lot faster if you glued more and talked less.”

Dealing with Arrogance[]

The Coalition Task Force moved in a close pyramidal formation overlapping the jamming pods and anti-missile systems of each ship with one another. Fighter and Interceptors were forward, Gunships and Bombers lagged slightly behind, followed by a flotilla of Assault Dropships. Baldric monitored his sensors from the lead position of the bombers.

SLS Arrogance had established its own sphere of control rather than participate in the englobement of COMSTAR Space Command’s Fleet. Wisely that had saved it from the combined CSC Fleet’s guns and fighters including those deployed by CS The Word of Blake which had along with the nose and stern guns of the Dantes already severely damaged 5 of the 8 Destroyers they were targeting. The immense ship was however suffering under a hellish bombardment from the Typhon Battleships each of whom could have easily destroyed one of the lighter Dantes.

Baldric the Sixth’s sensors detected that the Arrogance’s escorting ships and fighters were being recalled from their taskings. They were beginning to approach Arrogance’s effective missile range. Viper gunships and dropships reconfiguring themselves to present a barrier to incoming hostiles just its outside capital weapon range. Clocks upon clocks, Baldric checked the watch on his suit, then a dozen different gauges on his console. “Ten Minutes to Target. All Callsigns open formation. Accelerate Two for Two.
Spread that shield thin then punch through.”

Tomahawk Light Aerospace Fighter

Rapier Aerospace Fighter (In Combat - IWM version) — *Rapier* Heavy Aerospace Fighter

He locked in the burn as Tomahawk and Hammerhead fighters in front of him did the same while opening the formation. His mixed bomber Group of Rapiers and Thunderbirds spread out slightly to give themselves a better chance of evading incoming fire. Although his fighter was unaffected it registered that the gunships and dropships were directionally jamming hostiles throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. Despite the electronic fog enshrouding them the enemy was attempting to cut through it. Their own Comms lost some fidelity and the BattleNet saw a momentary disruption before the Achilles’ command ship which resembled a shrunken version of the much larger Pride Destroyer meshed it together again.

“Gunships, break up that formation with Caltrops.”

Achilles Class DropShip (Underthrust) — *Achilles* Class Assault DropShip

Behind and Above him Small Gunships flipped over releasing clouds of spherical bomblets (Space Mines, designation ‘Caltrop’ for the little thrusters on them) toward the escorting dropships. The cloud spread out to form an offensive field of explosives as their formations began to close at high relative velocity to one another.
He watched the timer count down as Interceptor missiles lanced forth from Imaoka Missile Ships and the Arrogance. They slipped through the incoming minefield but were eliminated as clouds of bullets streamed forth from the Gunships. Debris from the missile clattered off the armored canopy of his Thunderbird cockpit capsule.

Viper fighters were forming up behind them from the main battlespace, lining up for a rear attack on his formation. He double-checked the integrity and sensors of his trio of Sideslip ASMs because things were about to get jerky. “Assault Ships to the Tilt. Take out those incoming fighters before they are firing down our engine cones.”

Behind him the assault dropships vectored their thrusters to flip and burn separating from the formation to engage the Vipers. Clocks upon Clocks, the Vipers weren’t going to blink and maintained the mesh despite the incoming mines. More Interceptor missiles came toward them but were jammed and chewed up by the Gunships. “Six minutes to intercept.
All ships go Evasive, our Target is the Warship. Wait for the first sorties’ Excites before firing. We are only going to get one shot at this at full power.

Fighter Groups split to cloud commands and aim for aft thrusters. Bombers and Gunships follow me. We are going for a gut shot.”

Coalition mines detonated across the Viper escorts’ prows. Their fighters and gunships ‘drunk walked’ or executed other advanced evasive maneuvers meant to ruin enemy firing solutions. A few lucky hits landed but there were to many Fighters, piloted by excellent pilots, moving too quickly, to engage them all. The Vipers had taken the worse of the exchange from the Caltrops which shattered some of the ship’s thick armor plate but failed to damage anything critical.

Baldric whispered to himself, “That is why we take two squads per assault ship, minimum.”

Beyond them Baldric’s knuckles were white on the stick and his eyes were glued to the different color ‘Integrated Space Defense’ shells. He kept an eye on the scope monitoring the movements of his squad mates. Even in an open formation they were moving fast and needed to make big adjustments to avoid incoming fire. This Pride Destroyer was meant to obliterate masses of small targets and it might even have worked if COMSTAR hadn’t brought so many well-armed friends.

The full sensor power of the Arrogance temporarily scrambled their comms and interfered with the lower powered sensor suites of the fighters. Its frontal array aimed toward them firing forth more missiles and deadly lances of energy. A Hammerhead fighter disappeared as a quartet of lasers cut straight through it, bisected portions grotesquely peeled away from each other before falling into the void.

A Killer Whale missile’s terminal phase passed right over his wing before punching into one of the EO-78 Gunships behind him despite the AMS’ guns and its own evasive maneuvers. Baldric spared himself a moment to look behind and see the glowing spot on its armor plate. “Good thing it wasn’t nuclear.”

SLS Arrogance grew larger in his viewscreen, as did the threat, a flight of Manta Ray missiles streaked into one of the bombers turning it into confetti that bounced off the Arrogance’s fuselage. A whole squadron of fighters disappeared, spreading the fighters out in a cloud had just given the Warship more targets, Baldric lamented the tactical error.

Their Gunships tuned the complete energy of their active probes and EWAR suites onto a narrow cone illuminating the Warship so that missiles could be fired into it. Even the advanced EWAR suite onboard was unable to suppress two Squadrons of Gunships lighting them up.

“All callsigns halt evasive maneuvers, form up for a strike run. Missiles hot.”

“Excite.” (Anti-Ship Electronic Warfare Missile)
“Sideslip.” (Anti-Ship Missile)
“Fox One.” (Artemis LRMs)
“Rifle.” (Thunderbolts)
“Fox Three.” (Anti-Air Arrows)

Coalition missiles streaked outward toward the target; the one kiloton nuclear warhead of the Sideslips detonated near the Warship creating an Explosively Formed Penetrator that punched deep into the vulnerable flanks of the Warship and into critical systems. ASEW Magnums channeled the blast of a similar warhead differently, generating a direction EMP that overloaded the multitude of sensors lining the hull. Another squadron of Fighters disappeared under the withering firepower of the Arrogance’s weapons.

Baldric’s lasers and missiles joined those of the other Coalition forces firing at the Warship as well as kinetic “Iron,” and Nuclear “Jericho” bombs hurled into the ship. Its return fire was poorly aimed, embarrassingly so. Despite being at close range the Arrogance’s tracking systems were scrambled by the EMP and needed to reboot so their gunners were operating on inferior backup sights.

The Belters enjoyed a moment of jubilation as they saw the combined effort of their assault on the Destroyer. It was their one shot though, calls for assistance came in from their assault dropships now caught between the Arrogance, its escorts, and Viper fighters.

“All callsigns disengage from the Arrogance. Stay evasive, burn for our boys.”

His thrusters burned parallel to the Warship as it rebooted its weapons and sensors before launching a salvo of missiles that were easily handled by their AMS and ECM. The Imperial Jovian Defense Force logo loomed large on his Heavy Fighter, now freed from the shackles of his Anti-Ship burden.

“We showed them well enough for now.”

Admiral Beresick watched the screens as Zwick’s Fleet did exceptionally well compared to their predictions thanks to the timely arrival of The Word of Blake which almost doubled their fighter count. “Admiral, we have an approaching attack force hiding among the ring.”

A Fleet of Missile Ships and Combat Transports separated from the ring debris that they had concealed themselves within. “As anticipated.” He moved his hands in the holo-chamber which were interpreted by the computer which gave commands to the EXCALIBUR Laser Defense Grid. It began to reconfigure itself interposing the lasers between the attackers, Gabriel, and its Trumpets. Meanwhile, Gabriels Trumpets came alive following the tracking data sent to it by a constellation of other sensors.

“I want all Espatier and XCT Corps on standby to repel Elemental Assault. Colonel Vedric you are in command, but I shall be the Conductor.”

Colonel Dustin Vedric of PESA (Pleaides Équipes de Sécurité Aérospatiales) donned the helmet of his dun colored Marine Combat Suit covering scars and a cybernetic eye he earned fighting pirates in the Badlands during the most recent Purge of Pirate’s Haven in 3030. He looked over the almost two Regiments of PESA, (dark red and white) B(roccli) ESA, and (gold and green) T(rznadel) ESA Espatiers under his command that were waiting in the assembly area. “You heard the Admiral.”

The others readied their own laser rifles, particle beams, rockets, and grenades of various makes, models, and powers. They formed up behind the Colonel and marched onward to their individual positions.

“I’ve never killed a Giant before,” He readied the Mauser 1200 which felt light with a combat exoskeleton assisting him, “They should be easy targets.”

Unleashing an Ancient Fury[]

EXCALIBUR Laser Satellites vaporized missiles out of the Battlespace but the lightly armored grid was dismantled by the weapons of the Clan Task Force’s transports. Gabriel’s Trumpets skewed toward them before a trio of great and silent concussions erupted from the turrets. Even dampened by powerful hydraulic rams the pressure wave shattered ice and sent dust or other particles flying away from the bunker as the resurrected guns of SLS Rhodan fired once more in anger disintegrating the lead Sassanid spherical dropship.

All of Gabriel’s Trumpets had originated from the ships of Task Force Leonidas, victims of the suicidal assault against Terra’s Caspar SDS ordered by Aleksandr Kerensky, the Clan’s Great Father, himself. Guns from SLS Hammerstrike, Europa, Chieftain, and Gettysburg fired as well. Each one just as devastating to its target as the Rhodan. Clan assault ships broke off and went evasive clearly having underestimated the Trumpets and their crews drawn from Castle Dieron, COMSTAR’s stronghold within the Draconis Combine and blueprint for Gabriel’s defenses.

Phoenix equipped Killer Whales were launched in retaliation by Huntsman Arsenal Ships (Cargomaster PWS) from their trio of AR-10 launch tubes. The freighter’s massive, automated cargo bays were turned into instruments of destruction with the full range of the Clan’s Nuclear Arsenal or any other missile in inventory and deep magazines.

A 500-kiloton warhead impacted the Brian Bunker but did not silence the guns as they rose once more to fire across the red-hot slag that fell from the bunker as its Warship grade armor melted from the heat of the explosion. Few of the Huntsmans missiles could get past the defenses that remained. Entire salvos of the cataclysmically powerful but limited missiles and the combined efforts of Aerospace Bombers and Transport’s guns were required to silence Rhodan and open a hole in Gabriel Station’s defenses.

Colonel Vedric felt the tremor as the first Phoenix Warhead detonated on Rhodan’s bunker ordering his men into the breach. The ESAs and XCT Troops arrived from their assembly zones carried along by the Shipyard’s cableway and rails. Each Trumpet bunker had a large shaft uniting the tunnels above that joined them together and formed the foundation of the ‘Maw’ with the ring habitats that formed Gabriel’s ‘ribs’ protecting and servicing the Shipyard within.

Ammunition, fuel, spare parts, and vehicles had all been delivered and stockpiled into the ‘Ribs’ from across the Inner Sphere. All meant to supply Precentor Martial Photon Brett-Marik’s COMGUARDs in their campaign against the Clans. Losing Gabriel Station could mean losing the war or at least the initiative as the Clans would acquire these supplies, a shipyard, and a redoubt that not even the CSC could breach. The Combined Forces couldn’t allow that to happen and if the fight transitioned into CQB within the habitats corridors it would be even more difficult to mass forces against the invaders.

‘Deep and Tall’ defensive works were built up across the circumference and depth of the tunnel. Internal BattleNet reports from surface sensors revealed the strength of the Assault Force. Hull Defense Tanks, occasionally used by Warships to provide additional protection from Aerospace Fighters were also primary combatants for moon engagements. They supported hundreds of Ghost Bear Elementals, smaller Star Adder Armored Infantry, and Steel Viper Espatiers equipped similarly to the ESAs.

Two Rail Shunts towing a flatbed from the Shipyard had been reinforced with Palisade portable barriers and mounted with the heaviest and most power/crew intensive of the support weapons. Beside the track Espatiers used gunpowder bolt guns to drive pitons and bolts to secure more barriers throughout the volume as well as spooling out parallel cables carried by the shunts that would hasten and arrest their movement in microgravity to ‘lower’ positions and cover. The surface gun turrets, carrying the same weapons as COMSTAR's Common Weapons Carrier, and dense rubble of the shattered bunker ‘above’ gave them time to prepare an elaborate defense in depth until all that remained was the wait.

Preparring Storm the Castle[]

Star Captain Hank Cannon of the 148th Special Orbital Assault Group of Clan Star Adder stood spinward from the ruins of Rhodan bunker. It was now a slagheap of Warship grade armor that while silenced could not be accessed with the regular weapons at his disposal. The Luxor class Cruiser SLS Rhodan, had served with distinction in the Great Father’s fleet and its crew had given their lives to save those of his ancestors. Instead of creating a monument to their heroism, COMSTAR had committed a great heresy by forcing the Clans to construct its second tomb.

His Cluster stood before a smaller access port, a thick metal door large enough to allow a battlemech entry and protect from stray impacts. They only needed enough space to fit the Ghost Bear Elementals. Hachiman tanks would be little help within tunnels and instead kept the space around them clear of fighters, as was their usual role. Galaxy Commander Eric Vong loomed over the shoulder of his Echo Force Recon Armor within the Ghost Bear’s Space Adapted Elemental Suit (SAES). “How much longer is this going to take, Star Captain?”

Hank stood over the open access port of an Arrow IV missile that had been delivered along with a small crew of Technicians in PA(L) vacuum suits via Omnifighter from the Huntsman Arsenal Ship SLS Valley of Kings. His hands and tools moved across the conical device at its front unscrewing components and detaching power cables. “There is no standard protocol for using a Dauntless Warhead as a breaching charge and we have depleted our inventory of Strix Missiles fighting enemy Warships, Galaxy Commander.”

“Will it work?”
The Star Captain shrugged although it was less visible from beneath his armor. “It is all that we have unless you want to burn out your lasers and waste time trying to cut through it. Using an Athos or larger warhead would collapse the tunnel according to Sanjiv and the other Armaments Scientists.”

Behind him, the Technicians completed the gain apparatus’ assembly. Nuclear shaped charges and pumped lasers were still a manner of research among the Armaments Division. This bespoke creation had been pulled from the Scientist’s bench and should direct the half-kiloton warhead’s energy to generate a short lived but intense laser capable of cutting through even a Typhon’s plating, if static and hours of preparation were conducted.

Star Captain Cannon and Chief Scientist Sanjiv were in constant communication as his Technicians assembled the device. As a Warrior with some technical training Hank pulled the Warhead out of the missile and placed it into the cradle after arming it in ‘directional’ mode. “Star Captain, have the preparations been completed?”

He looked over to the Chief Technician across from the device which had been screwed in a precisely measured twelve meters from the door. “Aye, Chief.”

“Excellent, I look forward to a report detailing its efficacy.”
“If I live through its detonation and our storming of the station, I will write it.”
“My calculations are impeccable.”
“Reality sometimes disagrees with even the most precise calculations, Scientist.”
There was a short pause, “You and Galaxy Commander Vong have control. Get to a safe position then light it up.”

The few Assault Force members brave enough to be in proximity to an open nuclear weapon withdrew to the safety of a canyon trailing behind a cable and detonator. Command codes were input and the ground shook beneath them sending a rain of icy stones down onto their helmets. Hank was first on location and saw the large round hole cut into it by millisecond pulses of coherent X-rays. Radiation was within norms. The metal was still red hot slowly losing energy via blackbody emissions. Eric stood just beside him looking down at the hole which he could only enter at a crawl in his armor. “This entryway is to small. Tell that scientist his calculations were incorrect.”

“Sanjiv said it was large enough for an Elemental to enter, Galaxy Commander, he did not say they could do so standing.
Of course, I could go in first and open the door for you.”

Eric Vong paused and peered deep into the smaller Warrior’s visor then flexed his knees, as the Galaxy Commander he was supposed to be lead the fight. “I will allow it.”

Facing the Board of Inquiry[]

Hot Springs, Clan Occupation Zone
04/17/3052

Seven Stars, a casino that was a former member of the Malthus Gaming Unlimited group (Malthus’ name had been scratched out from all the public plaques and removed from the Merchant paperwork), rose regally from the rise overlooking the small town of the same name. It had hosted many events over its nearly fifty years of existence, but this was unlike any before and not just because there were black-clad soft-shell Elementals patroling its corridors, as well as tanks plus a mobile HPG parked outside. Banners bearing the Clan’s blood red Daggerstar cut down from the ceiling pointing toward the brightly colored carpet and darkened slot machines. Staff tended to their strange guests, who had requested slightly more seafood than was usual for such a gathering, under the careful management of Merchants and well-dressed men with calloused knuckles and designer labels.

The doors to Paradise Stage were protected by velvet rope, the ornate, crossed pikes and Gauss SMGs of Espatiers and hard-shell Elementals from the Ebon Keshik.

A Stout Bailiff stood before the arena seated audience, “All rise for Kael Pershaw, Loremaster of the Clans.”

All rose as Kael Pershaw worked his way across the stage on his cane, the same stage that had hosted Cabarets, showgirls, and intimate concerts with aged Pop Stars with some staying power. The stage lighting was dimmed but all who looked upon saw a shadow of a man beneath all the machinery meant to keep him alive despite it constantly trying to kill itself due to his genetic condition. He took his place behind the bench then slammed a gavel it down and signaling that all should return sitting except the Inquisitors that were arrayed before him facing the crowd.
“I call this Board of Inquiry to order.
All shall remember that this investigation is not meant to assign blame but find the truth then learn from it.
The ilKhan has summoned me from Harris Station for this purpose and I shall fulfill his orders. Inquisitors you have the floor.”

Scribes sat to the side behind their stenography machines as the Inquisitors, the Clan’s equivalent of a Judge Advocate General though working for the bloodhouses, introduced themselves. “I summon our first witness, Star Captain Hank Cannon, of the One Hundred Forty-Eighth Special Orbital Assault Group ‘SOAG’ of Clan Star Adder.”

Hank Cannon stood up and walked to the stand as a holoprojector came alive displaying Gabriel Station above Eris in the Odessa System. His body still showed burns but most of them were covered by his dress uniform. “Star Captain, you are the only bloodnamed, and highest-ranking officer to have survived from the Gabriel Assault Force, are you not?”
“I am, Inquisitor Kamau. I was eighth in command of the unit.”
“We have all read your report but want to hear from you what happened during that mission.”
“It was a slaughter; our Mechs were destroyed by Hammerstrike and Europa’s guns, our first in command to Rhodan’s, and we were sent into combat without proper recon, intelligence, and resupply.”

“It is difficult to discern what lies beneath a moon’s surface, Star Captain, there was no way we could have expected or anticipated what lie beneath the surface. Is that understood?”
"Aff, the loss of almost all of Grand Admiral Masters battlegroup and her suicide was not expected either.
Even if the COMSTAR fleet was severely damaged, they are right next to the place that shall repair them.

The whole operation was flawed from the start. We severely underestimated COMSTAR’s resolve, as Hell Horses can attest to, as they still have not managed to dislodge Precentor-Martial Photon Brett-Marik's Crusaders from Pandora.”

An Inquisitor from the Hell's Horses snapped up, “Are you calling the Khans and ilKhan Showers fools or our Touman weak?”

Hank looked down slightly, “No, Inquisitor, but we are struggling here. I am a simple Warrior. I follow the orders of my senior officers, but this is not the war we had anticipated nor trained for. The enemy is as prepared as we anticipated but COMSTAR's refusal to abide by our authority has hampered our progress. Now with the FedSuns and Draconis Combine at a peace conference it could be only a matter of time until we cannot make any progress.”

Inquisitor Kamau, “What happened in those tunnels, Star Captain?”

“The enemy had trapped them and prepared their defenses while we utilized an experimental device to cut open an exterior door. This process took two hours all while the Fleets were fighting and our Hachiman HDTs kept space clear of hostiles.”

A mockup of the device was brought forward courtesy of one Sanjiv’s Technicians and placed between the Inquisitor’s seating area and Kael Pershaw. “It is a nuclear pumped laser which needed to be utilized as we had exhausted our supply of Strix Anti-Ship missiles and had no mech-grade lasers to cut through the door.”

He took a drink from the small bottle of water on the podium, “After entering the facility I asked Galaxy Commander Vong, then in command, if it was wise to progress without topping off our life support and thruster fuel.”

“Why did you not ask this beforehand?”
“I was preoccupied assembling the apparatus which required removing a Dauntless Warhead from its missile and lost track of time.”
“A potentially lethal error for a SOAG trooper.”
“That is why I suggested we resupply and check in with HQ before proceeding, but Vong ordered the Assault Group through and right into the first trap.
The enemy had deployed directional anti-personnel mines arrayed in such a way that it created a cone of shrapnel and ball bearings that severely injured many of our lighter equipped personnel who needed to be evacuated as all injuries in microgravity are critical. Casualties and their tenders reduced our assault force’s size.”

“What did you do next?”
“My unit was equipped with mine-clearing devices and improved sensors so we were put on point and disabled several other similar traps before they could be triggered during our march through the tunnels.”

“How long was this march?”
“Three kilometers, underground, in the darkness, within twenty-three-meter diameter tunnels which had parallel vertical rails laid into them.”

“There are no rails in the original plans. Quiaff?”
“Aff, COMSTAR must have added them while constructing the bunkers as they were still in perfect condition.”

“What happened next?”
“We located a depression that led to one of the tunnels that connects Gabriel Station with the outer ring.”
The display illuminated the tunnels which were located half-way between each of the Monolithic Gun Towers.
“Vong ordered us ‘down’ into the tunnel and that is where we encountered the enemy and their prepared defense. Hostiles shone bright lights and heat emitters at us which blinded us.

The enemy engaged us at range with heavy laser and PPC systems along with Armored Infantry equipped with SRMs from two trains that had been shifted into our way. Closer in we came under fire by mini-rockets and smaller infantry support weapons. The ESAs hid behind the lights and beneath these shields presenting an incredibly difficult target to hit.”

A crescent shaped shield, deformed by damage, and still possessing the Kukri sheathed within its folds was added to the table. It bore the Heraldry of the T-ESA, a Belter Confederation within Magistracy of Canopus space. Alongside it was a gyro-slug rifle, heavy revolver, and bayonet pulled from the harness of a dead man. An etching on the back was presented in photo 'Ḕ tā̀n ḕ epì tâs' (Come back with your shield, or on it).

“Surely even our Elementals could overcome such a formidable infantry defense by themselves Quiaff?”

“If they were by themselves perhaps but the Trinary or more of Armored Infantry were constantly rearmed. It was like facing an SRM Carrier at close range and as more of our troops deployed and the enemy gave way, they…”

Star Captain Cannon paused for a moment. His mind flashing back to the moment he saw a quad barreled SPAAG, meant to shred Aerospace fighters, rise above the train body while in close combat with a hostile Espatier. Flashes of light illuminated the floating forms of dead men. “Two Pazuzus from the Jovian Empire deployed from a flatbed on the opposite side of the train...
They fired into our ranks cutting down dozens of men with Flak and Flechette shells.
Starting with those in the back.”

He bowed his head slightly, "We never stood a chance."