ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE
STAR BLAZERS---FROM BOREDOM TO UTTER DISBELIEF
Being the first part of THE NEW COMET--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz
(Thanks to Derek A.C. Wakefield for technical assistance lent in the creation of this installment. Also, thanks to Neil Nadelman for assistance rendered in finding out Nishina's proper first name--Freddo)
ACT SIX: AN EXPLOSION OF WAR...
I. SCHAZA AND TURPITZ GLOAT...
Main Operations Room
The Eritz Gatlantis
Saturday, June 8, 2205
0849 Hours: Earth Time
On his flagship, General Turpitz sat watching the video of the rape of Pluto Base that was coming in from Colonel Schaza's flagship.
Schaza was a
middle-aged woman with a very youthful appearance who affected a black and blue
uniform. She was quite proud of her flagship, the Krineda.
The Krineda was the first Cometine ship to be constructed with both a Magna-Flame Gun and the Cometine version of the SMITE system, which was a remnant of their one-time alliance with Desslok and the Gamilons.
"Well, Schaza, how are you doing?"
"Very well, Turpitz," said Schaza with a confident smile. "They're caught; and for once, I caught them by complete surprise. Destroying the Argo is going to be such a lark, yes!"
"Easier than our battle at the Magna Star Cluster, I hope?"
"Easier by far, my dear friend. You see, all these Earthlings require is to be assaulted methodically with the right weapons, and they'll be defeated. If they give a good fight, may I impress them into our forces?"
"That'll depend upon Invidia's orders."
"Yes, and whether we take them alive or not. If they fold that quickly, it may not even happen!"
"Yes, correct," said Turpitz with a smile. "Good. Continue your efforts."
"I shall," said Schaza with a bow. "Eighth squadron, continue the assault! Don't let them breathe for a moment!"
"We shall not, Colonel."
"Wonderful."
II. A RESPONSE...
First Bridge
Space Battleship Argo
Saturday, June 8, 2205
0850 Hours: Earth Time
The Argo continued to take hit after hit from Schaza's attack.
A moment later, Commodore Wildstar sat up at his post and said, "Yamazaki, I'm reading that you have power available for the starting cylinder. Get this ship up!"
"Aye,
sir!" said Yamazaki from the engine room. Then, he yelled, "C'mon,
people! We're under attack! Get those auxiliary engines running!"
"Yessir!" said young Orion as he ran to his post along with others below in the engine room. "C'mon! Move it, Henson!"
"Got it!" she said. "Power to the starting cylinder! Pressure increasing at emergency!"
"One minute to auxiliary engines and keel lift jets!" said Yamazaki as switches were flipped in the engine room. "Cut off dockyard power!"
"Release gantry lock!" said Sandor from another part of the engine room as he plugged in a board hard with his gloved bionic hands; an ordinary human couldn't reach that spot that quickly. "Bando! Get us ready for lift off!"
"Yessir," said Bando from Sandor's post on bridge number one as more missiles hit. "Sir!" he said to Wildstar. "The main engine will be on line in five minutes!"
"Make it faster!" said Wildstar. "We may not have five minutes!"
"Right," said Bando.
"Third wave of missiles approachin'!" said Eager from his post. "Heading, RPX-250!"
"I have power to the main guns, now!" said Domon. "Correct aim to RPX-250, angle, twenty degrees!"
The Argo's main gun turrets suddenly came to life, swiveling to meet the enemy missiles.
"I'm reading an enemy fleet," said Nova. "They're twelve megameters away from Pluto, speed, twenty-one space knots, vector, RPX-245 off the port side!"
"The auxiliary engines
are powering up," said Kitano from the helm. "Port and starboard
boosters balancing well! Rotation rate is at full! Auxiliary circuit is
green!"
"How long until takeoff?" asked Wildstar.
"Thirty seconds," said Kitano.
"Missiles at 15,500 meters!" said Eager.
The hum and roar of the auxiliary engines resounded throughout the Argo's hull as, not far away, two Scorpion fighters flew in to strafe the battleship's starboard side.
"Pulse lasers, open fire!" ordered Lt. Haruo Nishina.
The pulse laser emplacements on the starboard side came to life, blasting apart the enemy fighters before they could come close enough to do any real damage.
"Ten seconds to activation of the auxiliary engines and keel jets," said Kitano. "Five...four...three..."
"Missiles at ten kilometers!" snapped Nova.
"Main guns locked on target!" said Domon.
"Liftoff ready!"
"Argo, take off!" snapped Wildstar. "Lift us up from the dock! Correct bearing of main guns!"
Finally, at 0855, the Argo began to clear the dock with a loud roar...even with the attack under way, she was lifting off five minutes ahead of the schedule that had been planned earlier that day. Personnel on the base who weren't occupied at firefighting, damage control, or evacuation of the dead and injured began to clap their hands and cheer as the huge, sleeping giant finally awoke to avenge the outrage being perpetrated by the Cometines.
"Bearing corrected!" said Domon.
"Clearing the dock and hovering!" said Kitano as sweat ran into his eyes.
"Missiles on
target!" said Nishina. "Guns powering up!"
"Give it to them," said Wildstar with a smile. "FIRE!"
"Acknowledged," said Domon. "Main guns, fire!"
The Argo's main guns finally spoke, sending blue energy upwards and outwards to meet and intercept the missiles. They got the missiles at two kilometers' range. The whole bridge crew cheered when the enemy missiles were turned to balls of gas in Pluto's thin atmosphere.
"They've fired another wave!" said Nova. "Heading, the same. Distance, fifty kilometers!"
"Turn about ninety degrees port, and give us some altitude," said Wildstar.
"Ninety degrees
port," said Kitano. The Argo turned, even though she was barely a
kilometer off the ground.
"What?" said Schaza aboard the Krineda as she balanced her drink. "You're lying, Hara!"
"No, ma'am," said one of her squadron leaders. "We've just lost Mikla's and Shenda's Scorpions, and they're dealing with our missiles. The Star Force is beginning a sortie!"
"You told me the Argo was done for!"
"They have more lives than I expected!"
"Well, gather your planes and bring them down, Hara! I'm sure you can still do it! I'll have the battleships back you up."
"Understood, ma'am..."
"Sandor?" asked Wildstar as the Argo slowly gained more altitude; she was now at 1500 meters. "How's the main engine doing?"
Yamazaki arrived back on the bridge a moment later and took his post. "We're gaining pressure in the starting cylinder. Eighty seconds to ignition." Yamazaki then tapped his microphone. "Sandor, how is it going down there?"
"We're about to start the flywheel now," he said. "Speed's coming up," he said as the whine of the flywheel began to build. "400...500...600...800..."
"Fourth wave of missiles, distance, twenty kilometers," said Nova.
"I've got them on target," said Domon.
"Assuming control of main engine start," said Kitano. "eighteen hundred, twenty-two hundred, twenty-four hundred..."
"Wave motion supercharger on-line," said Yamazaki.
"Altitude, now two thousand meters," said Kitano. "Twenty-nine hundred RPM's, three thousand...nominal..."
"Energy level, one hundred ten...one hundred twenty percent," snapped Yamazaki.
"Connect wave motion engine!" said Kitano.
The engine finally lit off as the wings opened. The Argo may have been smoking, and she may have been battered, but she was gaining altitude, gaining sped, and, most important, she was fighting back.
"Missiles locked on!" said Domon. He looked back to Wildstar for permission to fire. Derek just smiled and nodded.
The Argo fired again. One blast. Two blasts, and then, a full broadside. Then, a second broadside.
The sky of Pluto was clear of enemy missiles a moment later as the Argo gained more altitude.
"I'm getting comm systems back on-line," said Homer. "We're receiving a message."
"From
who?" said Wildstar as Sandor ran up onto the bridge. "Good going,
Sandor!" he said.
"We're not out of the woods yet," said Sandor. "Bando, take charge of damage control efforts near the upper flight decks; the fires are pretty bad there."
"Aye, sir," he said as he and Sandor exchanged places.
"Captain, the message is from the skipper of the patrol cruiser Indus. Transfer to main screen?"
Wildstar nodded. A moment later, a middle-aged commander came on the screen. "Commodore Wildstar, I'm Captain Reedman. Since my squadron flagship has just been hit, request permission to take off and serve as one of your escorts."
"You don't have any orders, Reedman."
"I'll worry about consequences later," he said. "Five of us have seen what's going on and we'd like to offer backup. We'd be pleased to serve under your command, sir."
"All right. Gather your ships and follow us. I'll designate you the First Special Ops Escort Squadron for now."
"Thank you, sir. We just can't sit around twiddling our thumbs."
"Got you there," said Wildstar with a smile as Reedman switched off.
"I'm picking up enemy planes," said Nova. "Distance, two thousand meters and gaining. They're off the port and starboard bow."
"Hardy?" said Wildstar. "Can we launch the Tigers?"
"It'll be a few minutes; we're still putting out fires in the upper and lower fighter bays."
"Understood. Nishina, ready pulse lasers at port and starboard."
"Ready," said Nishina a moment later as the Argo reached the edge of space.
"Pulse lasers, open fire!"
The pulse lasers on
both sides of the ship opened up just as Hara's squadron roared in for a
strafing run. One, two, three, four Scorpions were blown apart.
Then, a moment later, heavy fire from the distance sprayed into the rest of the squadron with deadly effect.
"Derek, the Indus is on our stern, along with two destroyers," said Nova. "Two more Earth ships are approaching in the distance; both are frigates."
"Reedman, take position a kilometer below our keel and offer fire support. Destroyers, draw in at port and starboard," said Wildstar. "Frigates, take up escort positions at both flanks. Scan for and lock onto the main fleet..."
At that, Wildstar's small fleet took positions in Pluto's orbit.
"The enemy fleet is at twenty-two megameters," said Nova. "They're slowing down...I wonder why."
"I wish I knew what they were up to myself," said Wildstar.
"What has happened to your surprise attack, Schaza?" demanded General Turpitz.
"It looks look we are meeting opposition," said Schaza from the bridge of the Krineda. "But, it will be easy. I have forty ships. They have five. I was about to SMITE in several battleships, and..."
"Your systems aren't tested at that much power," said Turpitz. "Request denied."
"Denied?"
"Use your SMITE systems and warp in five destroyers and two missile cruisers. They are to be expendable and are meant to cover your starboard flank. Then, get your ship out of there and withdraw to the edge of their star system. Your escorts are expendable. YOU are not, given the presence of your working dual SMITE/Magna Flame Gun systems. Your ship is the sole prototype!"
"Withdraw? I can finish them. One blast of the improved Magna-Flame gun in my ship, and..."
"Not now you cannot. You have succeeded in devastating their base. You have failed to neutralize the Argo. That one ship is too dangerous for even your force to take on alone. We will have to deal with them later. Obey my orders!"
"Yessir," hissed Schaza in rage.
III. A SUDDEN RETREAT
Space Battleship Argo
Saturday, June 8, 2205
0934 Hours: Earth Time
"We're at eleven megameters' range to the enemy fleet," said Nova from her post.
"I estimate we'll have them within range of our guns in forty-five seconds," said Kitano. The Argo and her small fleet had left Pluto behind and were again in open space.
"Captain, the destroyers Hamburg and Birmingham are signaling that they've got missiles locked on target," said Homer.
"Good. Have them back us up right when we open fire," said Wildstar. "Are the frigates in position, too?"
Homer nodded. "The skippers of the Saladin and Gates say they're ready. Captain Tyson sounds like she's ready to go now."
"Homer, tell Lieutenant Commander Ember Tyson to hold off on the Saladin's missiles until we're ready to fire ourselves."
"Who taught her frigates ops?" asked Eager.
"Dash," said Wildstar.
"Boy, it figures," said Eager. "Guess all these ladies are tryin' to prove themselves in their commands."
Nova cleared her throat loudly. "Eager..."
"Yes?"
"Long story. I'll explain later, Chris. Suffice it to say I wasn't happy on the Danube. Derek, the enemy is going to be in firing range in ten seconds!"
"Heading and course unchanged," said Domon.
"Open all guns!" said Wildstar. "Target, the enemy fleet!"
"The planes are arriving back on the carriers, Lady," said a staff officer to Schaza aboard the Krineda.
"Not bad," she said. "Have our missile ships turn and take position with the destroyers. Have them begin firing before we warp out. Their mission is to distract the enemy and then to follow us if they survive."
"And if they don't survive, ma'am?"
"Well, Arishna Herself will see them home to the next life," grinned Schaza. "Her Name be praised. I'll get to smear these insects one day."
"Schaza," said Turpitz on the main screen as he suddenly appeared. "You're not out of there yet?"
"We are baiting the enemy," said Schaza. "Why is it so important I get out of here?"
"Invidia wants your talents elsewhere. I just received word that our scout ships found someone in the Small Magellenic Cloud. Someone we're about to worst with his own weapon."
"Who?" said Schaza.
"Desslok himself," said Turpitz with an evil grin. "Where he is concerned, the Princess can be quite changeable..."
"Incoming fire!" said the Krineda's sensor operator. "The Star Force and its little pathetic fleet are shooting at us!"
"Sir, one shot," said Schaza. "Hard about. One shot would do it!"
"You don't have time to track them or aim your Magna-Flame weapon, fool! Have your escorts return fire, and then leave!" snapped Turpitz.
Schaza snarled, and then looked out her bridge windows and gasped as the Argo's first barrage blew apart a huge double-deck carrier; the Naskanya, to be exact. "They can do that? You told me that ship is nothing but scrap metal!"
"I recommend you have those escorts cover you from that missile barrage and ready your helmsman to warp," sang Turpitz.
"Missiles approaching the fleet!" barked the sensor operator in a high voice.
"Damn those Earth escorts!" said Schaza. "All right! Destroyers Jada and Virda, open up in your quadrants! Cruisers, ready missiles! Lieutenant Dirga, calculate a warp to the edge of this miserable star system!"
"Aye, ma'am!"
A moment later, the Cometine destroyers opened fire, blasting away some of the missiles. However, two destroyers could only stop the missiles from hitting the rest of the fleet by literally turning to take the hits themselves.
Then, the Jada wheeled about its two destroyed mates, followed by the Virda and one other destroyer, as they took formation around the anti-matter missile ships.
"Short warp!" ordered Colonel Gada, the skipper of the Cometine missile cruiser Edalga. "Get us back in Pluto orbit! Then, we'll harry them from behind and distract them so the others can get away."
"Then?" asked his XO.
"Then we stand our ground...or flee like madmen! I'm not sure which yet."
Gada's squadron warped a minute later; with their disappearance causing Nova to squeak. "What? Derek, five of their ships just ran like the dickens!"
"Where? What?"
"They did a quick warp, I think. The energy surge was almost suicidal. I wonder where they're going?"
"Nova, think. What would you do in that situation? What would I do? Hard about, Kitano! Full 180 degrees! Domon, open all guns at RPX-182!"
"Why?"
"Hunch. Do it!"
"Okay. All guns, change trajectory to RPX-182!"
"Deflection angle, change," said Nishina. "C'mon, you guys, get those things turned!"
Don't come up my ass like that, thought Wildstar irritably as the Argo turned. "And, Nova, watch the rest of those guys. Something stinks about this..."
"Warp completed!" said Gada's helmsman on the Edalga as the ship slammed back into normal space.
"Open fire with
secondary missiles!" snapped Gada.
Both ships did so, followed by barrages from what was left of the Cometine destroyers.
"Incoming fire!" said Tyson's radar officer on the frigate Saladin.
"Shit!" snapped Ember. "Gunnery, get our aft guns on those idiots!"
The Saladin turned hard, with her stern guns opening up on the enemy missiles. She got some of them. Others hit the Saladin, causing some rather nasty fires. Others hit the other ships.
And, some even got through to the Argo herself.
"Secondary turret number two damaged!" said Bando's voice from below on a speaker.
"Crew bloc section five hit!" yelled someone in panic. "And I was just trying to get out to assist in fire control in the messhall...YAARRRGGHHH!"
"No," muttered Yamazaki. "Poor Radford!"
"Get those fires extinguished!" said Sandor over his comm link.
"No time to think now," said Nishina angrily. "Captain, forward turrets set."
"FIRE!" said Wildstar. "Get those guys!"
A moment later, the Argo fired back at the enemy fleet. The destroyers went up like balls of flame, but the missile ships fired yet more missiles at the Argo and her fleet. And, it was at that moment that Schaza grinned and executed her warp.
"The enemy fleet has warped out!" said Nova.
"Not bad," said Sandor. "Bando reports the fires are being brought under control, Wildstar...but we still have damage to contend with."
"Okay, Sandor. Nova, what was their heading?" asked Wildstar.
"A straight course towards Proxima Centauri!" said Nova. "The energy level was 5600 kilojoules, I think they can go a half-lightyear on that."
"Calculate a warp to .5 towards Proxima," replied Wildstar. "Nishina! Have Turret One maintain fire with regular weapons, but have turret two ready wave motion cartridges. I have no time for these jackasses! Homer, order Reedman and Tyson to get their people ready to warp out with us."
Wildstar smiled as his orders were acknowledged. A moment later, as the Argo took more enemy fire, Nishina sent a quick instant message reading, "Ready_bud!" to Domon. Domon smiled and gave a thumbs-up and said, "Open Turret Number Two, and open wide, you green idiots!"
"Do it," said Wildstar.
The Argo
opened fire with her wave motion cartridges a moment later, followed up by her
escorts with their guns and torpedoes. A nasty trail of ordnance and energy
flew right towards the Edalga and her mates point-blank.
"can we warp?" asked Gada as he saw the barrage coming.
"I'm not sure we can..."
"Well, then, ready main anti-matter missiles! We can finish them and Pluto with one hit if we fire in enough...."
They couldn't and they didn't. Gada's words were cut off as his ship blew to bits around him in a proximity-fused wave-energy gift from the Star Force. He only screamed as his body melted in the second blue blast that hit a moment later.
Then, there was nothing but a nice ball of gas, and five Earth space warships turning about hard to face Proxima Centauri.
"Wildstar," said Homer. "General Stone is calling. He wants a...."
"Cut him the
hell off," said Derek with a grin. "Kitano, warp!"
"All hands, secure for warp! Ten seconds! Nine...eight...seven..." Kitano counted down to zero, and then snapped, "WARP!"
The Argo faded into hyperspace first in a scintillating blast of rushing light, followed by her escorts a moment later.
She was blasting clear out of the solar system...heading towards Proxima Centauri at full speed.
Her self-appointed mission...find the enemy fleet again before it could do any more damage to Earth's interests.
IV. UNEXPECTED VISITORS
One Lightyear Beyond the Solar System
Space Battleship Arizona
Saturday, June 8, 2205
1009 Hours: Earth Time
"What's the point of our being out here again?" asked Lieutenant Commander Paul Rosstowski aboard the Arizona.
"Easy; they
sent us out here because they're wondering if there's anything lurking out
here," said Captain Mark Venture from his seat at the space battleship's
command chair.
"So, we're out here looking for something that may not arrive," said Holly Venture from the ship's helm.
"Yes and no," said Aliscea Rosstowski from the ship's radar. On duty, she looked a bit different in a yellow and black Star Force uniform. "You know, I'm getting a weird feeling up my spine..."
"Which is?" asked James Marchand, who was the ship's Engine Officer.
"Radar contact, very close!" said Aliscea. "Range, 400 kilometers...and..."
Venture looked up and looked very startled as a space battleship suddenly came out of warp right before his ship.
"What the...?" said Paul Rosstowski.
"Guess what, it's the Argo," said Aliscea. "Speed, thirty space knots, and...what? She's about to ram us!"
"Helm, yaw thirty degrees!" snapped Mark.
"Helm, yaw thirty," said Holly as she twisted the yoke with all of her strength.
The Arizona tilted downwards, just in time, as, even though the Argo fired her
braking jets, she still roared hard right over the Arizona's
foredeck, passing right in front of gun turret number one, just as she had
almost hit the Andromeda in a near-battle in what seemed to be an age of
the world in the past. Then, she roared off, trying to both slow and come about
in the distance.
"Comm, open a channel to that ship!" snapped Venture.
"What should I send, sir?"
"Derek, what the hell is the big idea? This had better be good, and we're not the damn Andromeda-Mark!" snapped Venture. "Send that. He'll get it...And if he busts me...fine!"
"Yessir," said the comm officer. "Sending."
An answer came a moment later as Wildstar came up on the Arizona's quad main screen. "Venture, turn on your second quad screen and get a look at us! Then, you'll find out what the hell is the big idea! Over!"
"Changing screen," said Aliscea, who was sweating in her uniform. This thing is too tight, she thought. I'm hot, and these boots hurt. I'd rather be in my old dress...or even less than that. This is silly.
"They're damaged," said Marchand. "Looks like they've been in battle."
"Captain Venture," said Lieutenant Miyazaki, who was the ship's communication officer. "General Stone is trying to establish a link with you and the Argo from Headquarters. Should I open the channel?"
"Do it," said Mark.
On the Argo,
Homer said, "Commodore Wildstar, it's Stone again! He's hopping mad!
Should I put him on video?"
"All right," grumbled Wildstar.
Homer turned on Stone at his post, and then he transferred the snarling visage to the main screen.
"Wildstar, what the hell are you doing out there with a fleet one lightyear away from Pluto? Decided to take a pleasure cruise?"
"Not quite, sir," said Wildstar. "Did you hear about what happened at Pluto?"
"Yes! There was a battle there! What are you doing gallivanting around with four other ships, and...?"
"We just won your battle, sir. And these men and women joined me of their own free will to escape the attack and fight for the base. We were pursuing the enemy out here when we ran into the Arizona. Request permission to order Captain Venture to join my task..."
"Permission denied, and return to Earth at once!" barked Stone.
"General," said the Commander irritably as he turned his chair around, holding a printout. "Let him explain himself. This report I have says there was a major battle near Pluto and the Argo led the defense of the base under attack. Wildstar, did you pursue the enemy fleet there?"
"I did, sir. They just warped away from Pluto. Our scans said they were heading in this direction, and..."
"All right, enough," said General Singleton. "Where did you wish to check for the enemy fleet?"
"The Centaurus region, sir. We..."
"Permission granted, and take the Arizona with you, Commodore. I meant for you two to rendezvous soon, at any rate. Good luck, gentlemen, and good hunting."
"Thank you, sir," said Wildstar, who was pleasantly surprised. He saluted and cut off.
"Sir, they have no discipline, either of them," said Stone. "They're nothing but a bunch of freebooters and..."
"Which is why I want them out there at the moment," said Singleton. "You do know that Wildstar can think for himself?"
"Yes, and he does far too much of that for his own good!"
"That's why I want him chasing that fleet, Stone. With his tactics, this raid will surely be ended....at least I hope so."
TO BE CONTINUED....
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