Omicron Lost, Sector 4G Ichton Station
Jason was walking around in the lab looking at all the chemical compounds and regencies. He lifted a small glass full of a green, water like, substance and was gently shaking it. He waited for a reaction with curiosity.
"Please don't touch that." Doctor Lindemann said.
"Be careful around here Jason. Please put it back down and keep your hands away from anything dangerous."
"Well if you want doctor."
Jason set the glass back down. Giving it a gently push so it was wobbling around for a bit. By the look on his face Lindemann nearly got a heart attack right then and there.
"So you've got something for me?"
"We had a breakthrough with project Hercules. At least I belive we had. I did lack the time to test my new results yet but if everything works out as planned we should be able to produce a prototype soon."
The doctor was typing some weird and abstract algorithms into his computer and suddenly a 3D view of an Osiris appeared at the lab desk.
"Right here you see." Lindemann pointed at the rear part of the reactor.
"I was able to focus the emitters and concentrate energy on them. But as usual the beam collapsed after a few seconds because of the lack of energy. On my second try with that configuration something unexpected happened. The test reactor had a small leak and some deuterium plasma left the core and found its way towards the emitters. Now you see that even though the actual beam did not work like it should, it was focusing the plasma and kind of threw it towards the target."
"Well that's not uncommon. Rheinland is using this for their heavy plasma weapons since some hundred years already."
"Not like that. We used deuterium while they use Mox to produce plasma. And what I wanted to show was that."
Lindemann tipped some other algorithm and the 3D view changed to show the forward part with the Hercules mk 1 cannons.
"If my calculations are correct, and with enough plasma, we should be able to have a focused beam of superheated plasma instead of a single shot like Rheinland weapons. "
The program executed the algorithms now and like Lindemann described the plasma was moving along the axis of the beam and burning the target to dust.
"Well that is it." Lindemann closed the 3D view and turned to face Jason.
"And where are all these new data's now?"
"Secured on this disk. And on the main computer of course."
Lindemann was waving a small silver disk, not much bigger than a CD, in his left hand.
"Well I guess it's best if I take the disk to Minor with the next shuttle."
The doctor handed the small silver disk to Jason and just a moment later the station was shaken.
"What the hell was that? Something wrong with our reactor?"
"I doubt that doctor. It was more like a torpedo hit on the outer hull."
Alarm sounds were starting. Lindemann quickly closed all programs in the lab and prepared for the evacuation protocols. Meanwhile Jason was going for the comm station near the door.
"Commodore Taris to Ichton Control. What is going on out there?"
"Sir! We have multiple enemy contacts appearing on scanners. They came out of nowhere. We got some hits on the hangar bay already and our long range communication is offline. The Psamtik and our defense fleet is engaging the enemy ships at this moment. It appears that the nomads found us."
"Understood. Initiate evacuation protocol zeta 2. Prepare everything to leave this station and then set the self destruction to 3 minutes."
"Understood Sir."
"Doctor I need you to delete any data from the main computer. And also destroy all prototypes we can not get into the transports.We better not let them get anything out of here."
Jason shouted as he ran towards the lift.
Omicron Lost, Sector 4G
The Psamtik was shaken as the starboard hull was hit by another volley of nomad torpedoes.
However the fighter's ,who fired them, were quickly vaporized by the battleships flak turrets.
The hangar deck was a mess. Engineers tried to get the last squadron of Nepthys fighters up and running, pilots were running around trying to get into their ship as fast as possible. In all that chaos Jack Severan, followed by 2 marines, walked right up to a shuttle that had just landed moments ago. He stopped next to the small exit and saluted, the 2 marines followed his example.
Jason climbed out of the airlock and with a quick smile returned the salute to Jack.
"Asking permission to enter your ship."
"Granted Commodore, welcome back home."
There was no time for a warm welcome. The 2 men quickly made their way out of the hangar deck and towards the staircase, leading to the lift's.
"How is the Situation?"
"Messy. At least. We have nearly everything that can fly out there already. The last squad is taking off as we speak. The Arikomo and our bombers are trying to hold the line near the jump hole."
Jason wasted no time and took 2 stairs at once, hurrying into the right lift.
"Heard anything from the Command?"
"Forces from Minor are on the way but they will need at least 15 minutes until they arrive on scene."
With a swoosh the lift stopped and it's door opened. Jason was nearly running down the hallways leading to the bridge.
"So we are on our own here." He managed to say before entering.
Jason got to his position next to the holo table in the midsection of the bridge. Meanwhile Jack was making his way back down to gather damage reports from all station's.
The commodore was not pleased by the sight. At least 4 nomad fighter wings, accompanied by 3 Cruisers had made their way into Lost and his hastily assembled defense line was barely holding them off.
Just as he was in the middle of his thoughts another bomber wing approached the Psamtik and fired a volley of its torpedo's.
Again the ship was shaken and the commodore hit the ground.
Jason got back on his feet, fiercely concentrated on the holotable in the middle of the bridge.
"Tell captain Izuma to focus on the bomber squad at starboard, 3 klicks away!"
A young communication officer turned around and looked up to the commodore.
"Sir captain Izuma has been killed."
"Damn it! Who is leading Gamma wing now?"
"Lieutenant Sira sir!"
"Give the order to her and refocus our flak fire to 49 degree upper half!"
Space around Ichton station was a mess.
Fighter's tried to chase nomad ships all over. Rhino, Grizzly and Dromedary freighters tried to evacuate the installation. The Psamtik itself was sitting between Ichton and the attacking nomad force, trying to safeguard the evac.
The ship had taken quite some hits already.
Decks 12 and 13 were completely decompressed and some flak turrets were damaged or inoperational, but still the Psamtik stood its ground.
Gamma wing did not manage to keep up with the nomad bombers and another volley of torpedoes hit the Osiris.
"We're getting shoot to clump out here! "
Jack Severan shouted in his usual, cold and strict voice as he entered the bridge.
"I fear we don't get to see another ship out here so fast my friend. We've to re-arrange defense to gain more time for the evacuation transports. How is it looking down there?"
The commodore had a concerned look on his face. Well knowing that his ship couldn't handle much more hits.
"We've lost 12 to fires and 24 to decompression on the lower decks. The chief is not sure if the reactor can hold out much longer."
Jason signaled his communication officer to open a channel to the station.
"Attention Ichton station, continue your evacuation we'll buy you as much time as we can."
"Acknowledged Psamtik. We are nearly done over here if you can gain us like 10 minutes we will be in the clear."
The transmission from the station was barely loud enough to understand it.
"Roger, Godspeed Ichton station."
Jason again gave a signal and the channel was closed.
Jack stepped up next to him and gripped his shoulder firmly.
"You know we won't make it out of here without any help." He said with a low voice so only Jason was able to hear it.
"Yes I do. Still we have to hold out here for as long as we can."
The two returned their focus to the battle in front of them.
The single reseph cruiser was under fire from 2 nomad cruiser's. Its hull had been severely damaged already.
"This is the Arikomo to Psamtik command. We won't make it. Multiple fire's all over the ship, the bridge has been hit and our reactor is dying off."
Moments later the escape pods launched, but only a few made it out of the combat zone.
"From what I can tell they have a clear path to attack us now."
"Indeed but I guess they need some time to setup another attack force with those cruisers. If they break through they will be able to make it to Ichton without anything in their way."
"Any idea how to stop them?"
"You won't like it Jack."
The three nomad cruisers had grouped together in front of the Psamtik. The 2 smaller ones shielded the bigger against bomber attacks, meanwhile they either prepared their cruise drive or cloak.
At least 3 fighter squadrons where buzzing around them shooting down all long range torpedoes and missiles coming their way.
"We've to catch them first. Right out of the cold. We need to cruise right into the middle and drop everything we have on them. Maybe it will buy enough time."
"We will be a sitting duck right next to their gun's and bomber's."
"Yeah but if we hit them first, they won't have much to throw at us."
"Risky. Then again we could only take a few more hits until we are out of the game anyway."
The argument was cut as the nomad fighters made another assault towards the Psamtik and its weakened squadrons.
A few minutes after that a female voice was heared over the speakers on the bridge.
"Gamma 4 to Psamtik control. They're breaking through our battle line! We don't know how long we can hold them!"
"Damn it. Full speed forward!"
"Commodore Taris to Gamma leader. Hold the line! Reinforcements are on their way."
"Psamtik control to all remaining escorts. Spearhead our assault against the 3 nomad cruisers! Helm and machine room prepare everything for ramming speed once the way is clear! All forward batteries remove security fuses and protocols! Get ready for rapid fire ! "
No one dared to refuse or question those orders. It was too late for that anyway. With a humbling sound the large engine of the ship sprang to life, and the Psamtik hushed forward like a giant spear, directly at the center of the cruiser formation.
"So how is our status?"
"Sir, damage control teams report they got all fires under control, but turrets 12 and 10 are still inoperable, we got all that was able to fly into the air already. We've got everything we have out there sir. We could only throw canisters and containers from the docking bay if things get worse."
"Let's hope we don't have to. Helmsman give me 20 degree up, full throttle forward!"
"Yes sir!"
The Psamtik slightly changed its path, now directly moving towards the large cruiser in the center.
"Gamma 4 to Psamtik control! We did the best we could for you. May the ones we save today remember us forever! All fighters form up with me! We're going for an attack against the cruisers!"
"They are suiciding out there Jason." The cold voice of the XO began to shudder.
"They buy us a chance, a small one at least."
One after another the remaining Order fighters and bombers were either shoot down or rammed into the massive blue warships. Taking some of their turrets and fighter's with them.
The Psamtik was within their range now and the cruisers wasted no time. Blue energy bolts were coming right towards the ship, some missed but the majority hit the already weakened front of the Osiris. Even though taking such heavy fire, the ship did not dare to loose on speed.
An automated voice announced the coming over the bridge speakers.
"Attention! Collision alert! Time remaining until impact: 32 seconds"
"We've come a long way together Jason. You, me and this fine ship. It's sad it end´s this way."
"If we take all 3 cruisers with us it will be a good ending in my eyes."
Severan and a marine stepped up behind the commodore.
"I know you will hate me for that, but please think better of me afterwards."
With that the 2 men grabbed Jason and pulled him into one of the escape pod's. He hit the cold, metal floor and banged his head. It took him some seconds to get back to his feet, more than enough time for Jack to seal the airlock.
"You can not do this to me! Its my ship! I have to go down with it!"
"It was a pleasure to fight alongside you Jason"
Jack slammed his fist onto the red button next to the airlock, releasing the escape pod into the space. Seconds later the engines of the pod sprang to life and Jason was pressed against the airlock as the escape pod made its way towards Ichton station.
In the distance he saw how the Psamtik rammed into the bigger cruiser and unleashed a hellfire upon the other 2.
All 3 nomad ships were severely damaged and only 1 cruiser managed to cloak itself, before the massive Osiris was struck by an explosion.
Its hull cracked open and the forward part of the ship was pushed away, while the engine part was blown to pieces.
Jason faded in and out of consciousness. He heard a voice and knew it was one of the evac transports that got his pod. He managed to get a last look at the remains of the Psamtik.
" Leb wohl stolzes Schiff. Lebt wohl meine Freunde."
He managed to say ,in nearly perfect Rheinlandish, before he faded into darkness.
Omicron Minor, Planet Toledo
Three weeks had passed since the battle in omicron Lost. Jason was getting out of the med bay and making his way towards the bar as 2 heavily armed marines approached him.
"Sir. I have orders to take you to the admiral."
One of the 2 men stepped right up to Jason, blocking him on his way.
"Well, lets go then"
The two escorted him towards the admiral's quarter. At the door the marines stopped and signaled Jason to enter.
With a grim look on his face he pushed a button on the panel to his right and the door swung open.
He entered the thinly illuminated room. Admiral Kelt was sitting on his desk, taking no notice from him.
Instead he looked out of the big window and watched several fighters take off.
"So I'm in trouble now I guess?" Jason asked in a mocking tone.
"You've no idea."
After a few more seconds of silence the admiral turned his chair and faced Jason, by the look on his face he could already tell that it was not going to be a pleasant conversation.
"We've lost 200 men and women from Ichton station, 100 more from the fighter and bomber wings as well as from the Arikomo. Of course that was not enough for you? Wasn't it? No you had to play big hero out there and ram your fucking Osiris right into the middle of a nomad cruiser formation!"
By now the admiral got up and lost control of his voice , shouting so loud that probably half the base could understand it.
After a small pause he sat down again.
"I'm sick of it. Sick of those failures. Sick of my men dying for nothing everyday. Sick of you damn!"
Jason did not move a muscle. He had experience the admiral's rage before and was well aware it was only the tip of it.
"We've lost nearly 5 months of research data out there. How could they even breach your defense line so easily?"
"What defense line?" Jason did not dare to look into the admiral's eyes, instead he focused on a large star map on the right of the window.
"Damn Jason! Don't get me even more mad at you!"
"There was no defense line to begin with. All the ships you gave me either had to return to Minor 4 days prior to the attack,or were tasked with other orders instead of staying with me and my ship. "
Kelt's face grew red.
"So its my fault in the end? As usual I assume? You should not waste my time with such nonsense!"
Another pause and the admirals voice had calmed down a bit.
"Jason your out of it. Out of the Game. Your demoted to normal soldier. No rank, no ship to command. You will either service aboard Evora shipyard or on Toledo."
"Whatever. I should not be here. It would've been better if I had died out there with my friends and my men. Instead I'm here, having to listen to you, speaking of it like you could have change the tide of the battle. If you had been there, or would know about what you are talking, you would not be so sure about your decisions anymore."
"Get out of here. Get the hell out before I loose myself and simply kick you out of the next airlock!"
Jason quickly saluted then turned to get out as he was told. He did not care about Kelt's rage on him. He did not care about his demotion. He lost everything he had back there in Lost already. They could not take anything from him anymore.
2 day's later he was transferred to Evora shipyard to work with the deck crew and engineers.
He had trouble sleeping. Always the same nightmare. Every night. He was there, in Lost, his men, his friend's even Severan were there. They blamed him. Him alone for all. For the lost battle, for the lost ships, for their deaths. He could not sleep more than 3 hours. Every night he got up, drenched in sweat, running through his little room for a few minutes until he realized where he was.
So on the 5th night he woke up , but instead of trying to get to sleep again he got up. Dressed and made its way to the bar, to get the only thing that he know would help him get over the past. Alcohol.
820 A.S. Meskhenet station, Omicron Zeta
Christian was eagerly awaiting the shuttle to land. As soon as the Rhino had touched the floor of the hangar bay, he got up and prepared to leave. There was not much that he carried with him, a few fresh clothes, a small picture of his family and some music disk's.
He quickly packed it all together and made his way out of the cargo bay of the Rhino.
As soon as he stepped out of it he was amazed by the view. Meskhenet was a ordinary station like many others but for Christan it was more. It meant a second chance, a new beginning and he was filled with excitement as he made his way over the hangar deck. Order agent's in black uniforms were passing him, not really paying any attention to him. Engineers and deck crew's unloaded the cargo bay of a dromedary.
As his view moved to the right side of the deck, christian stopped. He was amazed by the beauty of the ship over there.
He had seen many fighters already, some were assembled by harvested parts and looked like they were barely holding together, others were manufactured to be the most efficient killing machines, but this one was ,by far, one of the few ships that came closest to what he believed to be the perfect fighter.
He slowly approached the ship, sucking in every detail of it. From the large wings and the back part with the 3 engines, to the front and the cockpit. It looked libertonian in design, yet it was something different.
"Beautiful ain't it?"
"Indeed" One of the deck worker's had stepped up to him.
"Its a nephtys. One of the heaviest fighters in Sirius. A formidable counter to anything that the nomads can throw at us."
"The nomads?"
"Seems your new here. You will learn about them soon son."
The worker gave Christian a light slap on his back then turned and re assumed his work.
Christian began to smile as he heard footsteps next to him. He turned just to see a skinny brunette running towards him.
"Hey, yo stop it!" but it was to late already. The girl had focused on her watch and ran directly into him, sweeping him off his feet. He landed on his back, and she atop him.
"Oh my I'm sorry. My glasses! Where are my glasses?" The women said as she ran her fingers all over Christians chest and face.
"Can you help me please. I'm seeing nothing without my glasses."
"Sure I would like to help you. But could you get off me first?"
"Oh sorry I completely forgot." Slowly the 2 got back on their feet. Christan wiped the dust and dirt from his clothes then turned to look for the glasses.
"I got them."
"Thank you a lot and sorry for well you know. I'm in a hurry, have to report to my instructor in 5 minutes. I'm a new recruit, Lisa Arito."
The young lady stretched out her arm and Christian quickly grabbed her hand to shake it but nearly cried as Lisa squeezed his hand. He was amazed that this women, despite looking so small and fragile, had such strength in her.
"Christian Luther pleased to meet you." He managed to say.
"Well I guess we will meet another time for sure Christian. I have to hurry now."
Lisa waved and shouted as she disappeared in the crowd.
Christian turned, shaking his head in disbelief, but with a smile, then made his way to the recruitment bureau.