The Forgotten Empire: War for the Empire by Raymond Weil (children's ebooks online TXT) 📗

the light cruisers to make a major difference. Not when faced with an attack numbering in the thousands. Taking a deep breath, he knew it was time to put more pressure on the Humans. Time for Admiral Norlan to pay for his mistakes in the Tantula System.

-

Morag Admiral Norlan had his orders. He was to take the surviving vessels of his reserve fleet and destroy the planet’s largest shipyard, which was destroying the forward section of Fleet Admiral Colane’s fleet. Its powerful particle beam cannons had already destroyed most of Colane’s battleships. Norlan had a little over 2,047 surviving warships from his battle in the Hagen Star Cluster. He had also lost some ships in the current battle.

Stand by to begin our attack, he sent, as he leaned back in his command chair. This was a chance to prove himself, after his defeat in the Tantula System.

Fleet is ready, reported First Officer Kenold.

Norlan nodded. Advance the fleet. We will attack in an open-ended cone formation. That would allow him to partially englobe the shipyard and bring more weapons to bear.

-

Rear Admiral Collison saw part of the Morag formation break apart, as over two thousand warships headed for the shipyard. “Contact Rear Admiral Krest and tell her to move her fleet to help cover the shipyard the Morag are headed for.”

Collison hated doing this, but, if he didn’t, the shipyard had no chance of surviving. He also knew that Rear Admiral Krest did not have enough ships to adequately protect the shipyard, yet, with her fleet there, it would allow the shipyard to keep firing for a little bit longer. And, right now, they needed its heavy weapons.

-

Rear Admiral Krest saw what the Morag were doing. “Stand by to get underway,” she ordered. “We will take up a position just behind and above the shipyard. That way we won’t get in the way of its weapons fire.” Krest knew, if she hoped to survive, she needed that shipyard to last as long as possible with its heavy weapons. She currently had twenty-two dreadnoughts and ninety-eight battlecruisers, thanks to the extra ships Admiral Cleemorl had sent with her.

-

Colonel Long saw a large segment of the Morag fleet break away from one of the main formations and head directly toward her shipyard. “Guess we made them mad.”

Major Kurtley nodded in agreement. “Guess we destroyed too many of their battleships.”

“Colonel, Rear Admiral Krest has been ordered to bring her fleet to help defend the shipyard,” reported the communications officer.

Long saw that, indeed, the rear admiral had already headed toward the shipyard. “That will help, but I don’t know if it will be enough.” She was glad she had gotten most of her crew off already.

-

Fleet Admiral Marloo gazed at one of the main viewscreens, showing the planet’s biggest shipyard. Already its energy screen was covered in weapons fire.

“Can we save it?” asked Colonel Hillstrum.

“I don’t know,” replied Admiral Marloo, as he watched the developing battle. Rear Admiral Krest’s ships were nearly in position. “It’s being attacked by over two thousand Morag warships. I don’t know if anything would survive that.”

Marloo had a heavy frown on his face. Since the battle began, they had already lost nearly 12 percent of the defensive grid and two ODPs. The sky above the planet was constantly full of bright flashes, indicating explosions or the destruction of elements of the grid. Already seventeen missiles had been intercepted that had made it through the grid, and that would only get worse.

Leaning back in his command chair, Marloo turned his attention to the viewscreen, showing a closeup of the shipyard.

-

Rear Admiral Krest quickly maneuvered her fleet into its position just behind and above the shipyard. That would keep them out of the shipyard’s weapons fire, while allowing her fleet to fire all of its weapons.

“Contact in forty seconds,” reported Major Every.

Krest nodded. She would not allow this shipyard to be destroyed, if she could help it.

-

Derrick closely watched what was going on at the shipyard. He knew Rear Admiral Krest didn’t have enough ships to stop the Morag attack. She would need some help. Without hesitation, he contacted Rear Admiral Carrie. “I need you to prepare an attack on the Morag fleet heading toward the shipyard. What can you give me?”

“I still have 7,057 interceptors combat ready. Some of those are out on raids.”

Derrick had a plan, a risky one, but it might just work. “I want four thousand of your interceptors armed and ready to attack. They will follow four hundred of my battlecruisers. We’ll use the battlecruisers to clear the way to the Morag fleet attacking the shipyard. This will be a point-blank attack. We need to destroy as much of that fleet as possible. I’ve scanned the attacking fleet, and none of the Morag light cruisers are in the force.”

“I’ll make the arrangements,” replied Carrie. “We’ll be ready in ten minutes.”

Derrick nodded. “So will we. I need to start organizing the battlecruiser force.” He just needed to decide who would command it. He knew this might be a suicide mission.

-

Rear Admiral Krest had pulled her flagship, the Tetrex, away from the developing battle. She had put another captain of one of her dreadnoughts in charge of the fleet. She had volunteered to lead the attack of the four hundred battlecruisers and four thousand attack interceptors. She knew the chance of survival was not high.

Krest waited impatiently, as the battlecruisers and the squadrons formed up just below the defense grid. When it was time, she gave the order, and the entire force accelerated and headed toward the Morag fleet attacking the shipyard. Already the shipyard had been hit several times, and its energy shield was weakening, glowing brighter and brighter as more Morag weapons hit.

-

Colonel Long shouted orders, trying to keep her command