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.
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...
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
"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
"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
"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
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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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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