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THE FALL OF UPPER LEEDS - Dieter Schprokets - 03-08-2009
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[color=#FFFF33]THE FALL OF UPPER LEEDS
Admiral Sulu was commanding the largest Kusari invasion force ever assembled, performing a military operation that was bold, audacious, and spectacularily risky. The Destroyer Mogami was to spearhead the first wave, commanded by Sahuro Sakai.
The fate of the Kusari and Bretonian Empires would be decided in the next several hours.
He looked ahead at the jump gate from Tau 31 to the Leeds system, and entered the stolen security codes.
The gate opened.
One other nail in the Bretonian coffin, he thought.
He gave the order for all ships to jump.
"Seikouri; Success, Warriors! Tonight we drink in Leeds!"
He gave a cautionary warning:
"Remember, bypass the Derby. She is not our goal. She will be fodder for the Nagsaki and her advance guard."
The Admiral was smiling. This attack had been a long time coming.
Much would be decided, now.
----------------------------
The duty officer on the Derby was convinced his eyes were deceiving him. Or he was having a nightmare.
A massive Kusari Fleet had just appeared in front of the jumpgate from Leeds to Tau 31.
He came to his senses quickly. "Battle Stations!"
Several Kusari escorts were damaged by withering fire from the Derby, but the Kusari Fleet sped past the Derby, at cruise speed. The significance of that was not lost on the duty officer.
"They don't want us." At least not yet.. "Raise Admiral Keidan at Leeds! They are heading to Stokes Mining Station!"
The Kusari Fleet disappeared, making a beeline to Stokes.
The duty officer of the Derby faced a quandary. Assist in defending Stokes? Or defend the Jump Gate from Kusari reinforcements?
He elected to stay. And would face a court martial for this decision, eventually. The worst decision he could make. Except for any other options.
One child's hindsight was worth any Admiral's foresight. But crystal balls, and Bretonian luck, were in short supply that day.
-----------------------------
Admiral Drake Keiden read the transcripts from the Derby in disbelief. The Kusari order of battle was stunning. This attack represented a committment, and a level of audacity on the enemy's part, that could scarcely be believed. He barked orders at his Comms officer.
"The Repulse and Redoubt are on station in Leeds system, correct?" The Comms Officer nodded.
"Then get them to Stokes now! As well as every available fighter, bomber and gunboat in the system. We make a stand there now!"
"And give the Fleet Admiral a full report! He is on the Haida, at Southampton."
His eyes were wide. Today the outcome of the war would be decided. He had no doubt.
---------------------------------
Admiral Mark McKenna was on the bridge of the Redoubt near Stokes, and his ship was ready.
"We'll save fuel today lads! They are coming to our house!"
He laughed, a little too freely, but not a soul on the bridge so much as cracked a smile. There was no reassuring the crew. Everyone could see on the main radar screen just how much the Kusari were about to throw at them. It did not look good.
The Kusari fleet came into view. Some of the Farmers Alliance, and the Gaians, allied with the Kusari, were making disparaging remarks about the Queen. The Kusari regular forces, on the other hand, were doing no such thing. Honour till the end. A small mercy, that.
The Kusari fleet came into range. The Admiral heard the order given by Admiral Kaiden, who had just arrived.
"All units engage! For the Queen! Priority should be given to the Mogami."
A bloody nasty furball then commenced. Pilots on both sides were being shot down, tracked in by friend or enemy, or killed, faster than could be reckoned.
Lieutenant Blake Owen went down, then one of the Gaians, and so on, till wreckage, pods and corpses littered the space around the station.
A Kusari Marine transport went down under a Supernova, as it tried to dock with the station, but others took its place, and soon the sound of a battle raging on the station could be heard on the Groundtac Comms.
The battle was tipping in the Kusari's favour, though they were paying dearly in blood. Admiral McKenna conferred with Admiral Keidan, and the Fleet Admiral.
"Sirs, I think we need the Derby to fall back here and assist us. She could tip the scales."
Both Flag Officers agreed. Admiral Nelles transmitted orders to the Derby to fall back, and advised he was approaching Leeds from New London, in the Haida.
The Derby's immediate presence would have indeed made a critical difference.
But that was not to be. Bretonian bad fortune was again readily available.
-------------------------------
John Miyagi in the destroyer Goju Ryu, and Vice Admiral (Chujo) Chijin in his destroyer jumped to Leeds, Chijin leading the second wave.
Their primary mission was to disable and/or distract the Derby in advance of the Nagasaki's arrival, and facilitate the capture of Glasgow Outpost.
Their secondary mission was to support the attack on Stokes, if they survived the primary mission.
The Goju Ryu pounded the Derby with Inferno and Mortar Fire, but the Derby was beating the tar out of the two destroyers.
Still, they had succeeded in keeping the Dunkirk's guns off the the Kusari Marine transports that were now nearing Glasgow.
Chijin gave the command to Miyagi to disengage from the Derby and support the Glasgow attack. The station's shields had to be taken down, or the men in the transports would soon be meat chunks floating in space. This was readily accomplished. Meanwhile the Derby licked its wounds. By the time it was ready to deal with the transports, they had docked with the other side of Glasgow Station. Soon, Glasgow Station was filled with Kusari Marines. The defenders were fighting tooth and nail, with what weapons they had, and were resorting to hand to hand combat, head butts and all, but they were badly outnumbered and outgunned. The Derby turned its full attention to the Kusari Destroyers now. But its engines were damaged, and it could not maneuver to face them down properly. It also could no longer cruise. This was to become significant as well.
The BAF Dunkirk HMS Thames arrived at the site of the battle for Glasgow, and immediately engaged Chujo Chijin's Destroyer. His vessel and the Goju Ryu then turned their full attention to the hapless Dunkirk, whose shields and armour were torn asunder rapidly by the destroyers' weapons. Too rapidly. Something did not make sense here. Miyagi's brow furrowed, and he hailed Chijin.
"Sensei, this is too easy. Something is not right."
The Dunkirk was rapidly brought to its knees, hull being sheared off in large chunks by the two Kusari capital chips. Chijin frowned and said softly, "Those weapons, I haven't seen the Bretonians use those in years, they are..." His voice trailed off, and his eyes widened in horror as he realised what was happening.
"Cease Fire! The foolish Bretonians have sent a training vessel!"
But it was too late. The Thames was disintegrating. Some lifepods escaped, but too few. The hearts of the Kusari sank as they watched hundreds of Bretonian cadets die in their massive firey grave.
No one would ever know why the Captain of the Thames chose to sacrifice his young, inexperienced crew, in an underarmoured, undergunned warship. His reasons died with him.
-------------------------------
Vice Admiral Chijin received a transmission from Admiral Sulu, who advised the two destroyers of a target of opportunity which simply could not be passed up.
"The Transports have docked with Glasgow station, and its fall is imminent. The Derby is no longer a factor there, and is largely immobile. The Nagasaki can finish it when she arrives."
"Your Destroyers are to immediately move to intercept the Haida, Fleet Admiral Nelles commanding. We have intercepted enemy transmissions, and he is enroute from the New London Jump Gate to support the BAF Fleet at Stokes."
"Take him! Seikouri! Success!"
The Goju Ryu fired up its cruise engines and headed immediately to Stokes, and beyond, to head off the Haida. Chijin was not far behind, having had to deal with some Bretonian escorts threatening the Glasgow operation.
-----------------------------------
The Haida entered the trade lane from Planet Leeds to Stokes. The Fleet Admiral was wringing his hands. The Fleet at Stokes needed the Haida, and if possible, the Derby as well. The Repulse and Redoubt were going to have to withdraw soon if they were not relieved with other capital ship support.
"Trade Lane Disrupted"
What the...
The Goju Ryu appeared on scanners and charged the Haida, guns blazing.
"Battle Stations!", yelled Nelles. We do NOT have time for this...
"Lets make short work of this one, then help our boys at Stokes!" Indeed that was possible, since the Derby had done considerable damage to the Kusari Destroyer.
The Haida answered the KNF's attack pass with one of her own, doing substantial harm. The advantage was with the Haida. She could beat this impetuous young Commander, then save the day at Stokes.
Nelles' enthusiasm was short lived. His enthusiasm dampened with the arrival of the Kusari Destroyer commanded by Vice Admiral Chijin, still relatively unharmed compared to the Goju Ryu.
Both these ships were here for him.
The Haida gunnery officer muttered, "Haida is done for." Nelles just looked at him.
"Young man, that's why we build them."
The Fleet Admiral sat in his command chair, grabbing the armrests with a grip of steel. He stared at his two adversaries on the viewscreen.
"Charge Infernos, bring her around, and wait for the word!"
You will not take a Fleet Admiral without a fight, you Kusari bastards.
-------------------------------
Lieutenant Catharine Brock was heavily engaged at Stokes, in Captain Mainwaring's wing, when she saw a Catamaran breaking off from the combat and making its way to Planet Leeds. She was immediately hailed by Commodore Mainwaring.
"Cath, the Haida is being engaged by two Kusari Destroyers between here and Leeds. If that Cat makes it there.."
He didn't have to finish the sentence. The Haida, and the Fleet Admiral, would be done for.
She fired up her engines and dropped a hail of fire on the Cat. It had to turn to face her. She had given it no other options, and at the very least, was already buying the Haida time to fall back to Leeds.
The first pass resulted in the elimination of her shields, and her opponent's as well. The second pass, the same.
She came around to try to land a razor on the Kusari, and ended up face to face with a nuclear mine, with her shields down.
He last thought was to wonder, "Is this how dad bought it?"
A fraction of a second later, Lieutenant Catharine Brock was dead.
But she had kept the Catamaran away from the Haida for 30 crucial seconds. That made all the difference.
-----------------------------------
On board the Haida, things were grim indeed. Shields were critical and systems failures were being reported all over the ship. Nelles and his crew were trying to nurse the wounded beast back to Leeds and the safety of the support vessels there, but time was running out. The two Kusari destroyers were pounding the Haida into submission.
The Comms Officer received a transmission, then looked at Nelles as if he did not know what to say. He was ashen.
Nelles looked like he was going to deck the man. "What?!?" His frustration was immense.
The Comms Officer spoke quietly. "Sir, Glasgow Station has all but fallen. At Stokes, the Fleet is nearing the breaking point, and the station defenders are also almost overrun with Kusari Marines."
He saved the best for last. He almost choked on the words.
"The Nagasaki itself is at the Tau 31 Jump Gate. It is laying waste to the defenses there. The duty officer on the Derby reports he has no choice but to fall back to Planet Leeds."
Nelles fell silent, for only a second, then he directed the gunners on another pass against the Goju Ryu. When he had a moment, he turned back to the Comms Officer.
"Son, immediately broadcast the following: 'To all Armed Forces units in system. Fall back and rally at Planet Leeds.'"
The Comms Officer nodded, then sent out the message. Shortly after that, a massive explosion rocked the Haida, and the lights flickered, then went out.
Emergency lighting came on, then artificial gravity failed. Crewmembers belted themselves into their seats.
The Comms Officer piped up again. Today it appeared to be his job to relay awful news to the Fleet Admiral.
"Sir, that explosion used to be our reactor. I am reasonably sure that everyone in Engineering is dead."
Nelles put his face in his hands. A scotch would be nice right now...
The previously pessimistic gunner then spoke up.
"Sir, we are drifting into the planet." He was right. "We'll make it back to Leeds all right. In a million pieces."
Nelles glared at the gunner, who obviously was not interested in the career implications of what he was saying. Couldn't blame him for that, under the circumstances.
Nelles spoke in a moderate but firm tone, giving his last command aboard the Haida.
"All Hands, Abandon Ship."
----------------------------
At Stokes, Commodore McKenna, and Admiral Keidan received the withdrawal order with, truth be told, no small measure of relief. Withdrawal now meant that the Repulse and Redoubt and much of the Wing would survive to fight another day. To continue fighting would likely mean the destruction of the remains of the Leeds fleet. And the loss of the war.
Fighters and bombers, especially the Privateers under Stuart, covered the retreat of the capital ships. When the fleet, piecemeal, began to approach Leeds, with the Derby not far behind, the two Kusari destoyers pounding the Haida now faced numerous enemies, and left the Haida to continue to drift to its doom.
-----------------------------
On board the Haida, the Fleet Admiral and his crew floated through the corridors. They were not out of the woods yet. They had to reach the escape pods. The ones nearest the bridge were out of commission, and they had to go down two levels to find other ones.
A shudder shook the ship as a bulwark failed. Then an explosion, behind the bridge party, wracked the corridor. A shard from the inner hull, the size of a kitchen sink, hurtled down the corrider like a cannonball. It took the head clean off a technician.
Then it neatly (or as much as such a thing can be neat) severed the Fleet Admiral's left arm.
"Hmm. My arm's off.", said the Fleet Admiral, in shock, spewing blood all over his horrified entourage, as he spun around and around in Zero-G from the impact of the shard.
He then lost conciousness, and was blissfully unaware of the rest of their harrowing escape.
------------------------------
The escape pods cleared the Haida just as she began to enter the atmosphere of planet Leeds. Capital ships (or any others for that matter) are simply not supposed to enter a planet's atmosphere out of control, at Mach 27.
The Haida, along with about a quarter of her crew, who had survived the battle, but had not reached the pods in time, simply blew apart. The surviving crew watched in horror from their pods as the Haida was destroyed.
The gunner quietly mouthed the words, "That's why we build them..."
-----------------------------
State Funeral for Lieutenant Brock, Planet New London, two weeks later.
The death of Catharine Brock held significance for those assembled. Many of them knew her father, Captain Isaac Brock, who had also died in a Templar, while fighting Corsairs.
He had had no other children. She was the end of the line. The war had erased that family from genetic posterity, forever.
Nobody who spoke at the funeral could bring themselves to say anything like that, of course. The speeches were long on talk about sacrifice and honour. But nobody was moved by those words. Sacrifice and honour were actually quite common in Bretonia these days. Other families had also been utterly erased. Far too many.
There was, in a few speeches, mention of the tragic loss of the training Dunkirk HMS-Thames. Most, however, did not mention it, out of common sense. Dealing with one tragedy at a time was a much more sensible policy.
Fleet Admiral Percy Nelles rose, the last speaker. His unneeded left sleeve was pinned to his dress overcoat. He still had scars on his face from the battle, and he staggered to the Podium. A fifty five year old man does not lose an arm and recover fully in a fortnight. But he was here to make a speech, and he would be rather be damned than not make it.
The crowd's murmuring slowly ceased, and then Nelles began.
"Do you know why we call our battleships 'Dunkirks'?", he asked the crowd.
Most of the crowd looked on in puzzlement, but some who had some knowledge of ancient history smiled grimly.
"Dunkirk", began Nelles, "was a battle, if one could call it that, during World War Two, which happened in 1940 AD, on old Earth."
Nelles smiled sardonically, then carried one.
"The British, our ancestors, called it a 'Miracle'. That it was, in a sense, since the main body of the British Army present on the European mainland was successfully evacuated to the British Isles."
"But in another sense, it was an unmitigated disaster. The best of the British Army's equipment lay in ruins on the beaches of Dunkirk. Thousands of soldiers did not escape, and were captured. A bold and enterprising and audacious enemy had caught Britain with her pants down. It was said that after the evacuation, had the Germans been able to land so much as a battalion on British beaches, they could have had the whole island, such was the extent of material and manpower loss."
Percy paused, and gave a grimace, likely from pain.
"Only the most dense persons here today do not see the parallels between the current situation and that one, so many years ago, but I'll spell it out for you, in case too many of you spent your History classes gazing out the window."
"Ultimately, World War Two was won by Britain, her Commonwealth, and her allies. In spite of the losses, defeats, and setbacks along the way."
"Bretonians, ladies and gentlemen, are made of iron. And the unfortunate events of a fortnight ago will in the long run be remembered as only a temporary setback on the pathway to victory."
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the lesson of the past is simple."
He paused for effect.
"Bretonia Prevails!" he shouted the words as loud as his wounded body would permit. It was enough.
Bretonia Prevails. The words were repeated by the crowd like a mantra.
And a mantra it would become in the dark days ahead.
-------------------------------
A lone Chimaera, sneaking through the jumpholes of Bretonia, found its way to the New London system. It dropped a small beacon, then turned around, and took the same circuitous way home.
The beacon transmitted one message, repeated at regular intervals:
"The Kusari Naval Forces, the Kusari Nation, and the Emperor himself, express regret at the destruction of the training vessel HMS-Thames, and the subsequent tragic loss of life of the cadets serving on her."
"It is hoped that it can come as some small consolation that those who were lost on the Thames died as bravely as any warriors have ever done."
The beacon continued its simple mission for some time, until it was tracked in by a passing patrol, and silenced.
The gesture would, unfortunately, have little effect on mitigating the rage now seething in all of Bretonia.
THE FALL OF UPPER LEEDS - Dieter Schprokets - 06-20-2009
Bump.
Because BAF has new members, and this is a bloody good movie.
If I do say so myself. And I do. I say so.
THE FALL OF UPPER LEEDS - Malaclypse 666 - 06-20-2009
Hai!
It is indeed, worthy opponents.
Chijin, Chujo (Vice Admiral)
Kusari Naval Forces
(Retired)