Exercise
© 2024 by Walter Reimer

Thumbnail art by  rabbi-tom

Endgame



Varan smiled as the attacking force made its way through hyperspace. Two of her thirteen ships had been logged as destroyed, so she dispersed the remaining cruisers into five two-ship groups, with her own ship moving alone. The group, still in hyperspace, pierced the system’s heliopause simultaneously and Varan gestured to the Communications Officer. “Send to all ships: Outphase on my mark. Prepare to attack on my order.”

“The force acknowledges, Ma’am,” Communications said.

“Thank you.” Varan leaned forward in her seat, studying the tactical display carefully as the defending ships moved to intercept the attackers. “Outphase,” and as the ships reappeared in normal space the vir grinned like a jorhim.

“Attack pattern Meredidh-1, execute.”


***


Standard Imperial doctrine called for ships of equal or near-equal strength not to fight alone, but to wait until they outnumbered their adversary. Admiral k’Jan watched the small two-ship groups moving further into the system, aware that Captain g’Raf had so far disregarded accepted doctrine.

“What are they doing?” the Terzhin’s Captain asked as the eleven ships outphased simultaneously at six different points within the j’Shavar System, with the force flagship Bōank moving into an attack position alone.

“Signal all ships to attack,” k’Jan said, and her own cruisers moved forward to engage. “Each ship will – what?”

As soon as the defenders had come into extreme weapons range the attacking ships suddenly scattered, each one phasing in and out of hyperspace on entirely random courses and firing whenever they outphased close enough to a target. The computers dutifully began calculating damage as the defending ships fired back. Several began pursuing the attacking cruisers, while other ships assigned to defend the base and dockyards moved forward to trade blows with attacking ships that approached the base.

Damage figures were increasing, with two attacking ships reporting themselves destroyed. The Bōank had destroyed one defending cruiser, but reported severe damage and took a course that looped around the red dwarf star’s south polar region.

The Terzhin’s Communications Officer turned in his seat. “Captain, incoming message from the Bōank.”

Admiral k’Jan and the Terzhin’s captain exchanged glances. “On main display,” the kam said.

Varan appeared on the display, seated casually and smiling, and k’Jan suddenly bristled at the sight of the vir. She was wearing the dark blue trousers and gray jacket of the Terran Navy, with the rank of captain on the jacket’s epaulets. “Admiral,” she said pleasantly.

“You are out of uniform, Captain,” she said. “You are taking this exercise too far.”

“My apologies, Admiral. It was just an image filter,” and her tail gestured. The offending uniform vanished, showing that she was wearing the Imperial Fleet’s standard jumpsuit.

K’Jan glanced at the tactical plot. The attacking force was disengaging and moving out of the system. “What is your message, Captain?”

Varan sat up in her seat. Her smile fled. “Admiral, I demand your surrender along with your force and j’Shavar Base.”

K’Jan gave her an amused look. “You have lost thirty percent of your force, Captain g’Raf, and the remainder are retreating. I still hold the base. While your tactics have been unorthodox – and exemplary, you are still not close to achieving victory.”

“I thank you, Admiral, but the tactics were a joint effort on the part of all of the captains and crews,” Varan said modestly. Her own ship was moving away from the star’s south pole, on an evasive course as more and more defenders attempted to box her in. “However, I ask you to study any sensor readings you may have from the south polar region of the j’Shavar-kīj.” She sat back. “Communications.”

“Ma’am?”

Varan’s lips skinned back from her teeth and she spoke a single word in Terran Basic. “Wolf.”

K’Jan darted a glance at the cruiser’s Sensor Officer, who looked concerned. “Sensors show a small warp-capable shuttle over the star’s south pole.”

“Bōank is continuing to evade, Ma’am. Other attacking ships are continuing to retreat,” the Weaponeer said.

K’Jan bared her fingerclaws and swung back to face Varan. “Your ship is still too close.”

“Yes, Admiral. A fair trade, my three ships for the destruction of the entire system, the base, and your force.” Varan’s tail snaked around her ankles. “Again, I demand your surrender, Admiral. I have given the preparatory command Wolf; one more word is required to send the shuttle into hyperspace straight into the star.”

“Do we have any ships within range?” k’Jan asked.

The captain of her flagship gestured negatively. “Nothing that can get there quickly enough.”

K’Jan swallowed. “Send to all ships: The exercise is over. We surrender,” she said, almost growling the word. “Gartabin g’Raf, I look forward to your reports and an explanation of your tactics.”

Varan g’Raf saluted. “Yes, Ma’am.” She sat back as a few members of the command crew cheered and exchanged grins. “Communications, send to all ships: Well done, and thank you.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”