NationStates Jolt Archive

Two Gamma-class long range cruisers dropped from the longest hyperspace jump ever attempted to date by Imperial New Havenic starships... a whopping 15 light years from home. A short distance away, a blue marble of a planet with a bright ring system shone brightly against the black background of space.

"Hyperspace drive test successful, we have reached our intended destination," the Chief Petty Officer in charge of helm control reported.

"Excellent," Captain Walter Reynolds commented. "Begin scans of the system. Check for the usual stuff... raw materials, planetary habitability, star stability and the like."

"Aye, sir."

"Conn, sensors," the intercom buzzed on the bridge. "Detecting massive quantities of Hermium in the ring system of a nearby planet. Habitability Index rating for the planet registers Ia."

"Thats pretty damn good," Captain Reynolds remarked as a paper report printed out from his Captain's chair. "Just like home. With all the Hermium present around the planet, I'm surprised the entire planet hasn't jumped out of the system. Set course to put us in an orbit just inside the ring system. Signal the Novus Yaston to follow."

"Aye, sir."

The cruisers Southwatch and Novus Yaston finally approached the outer edges of the planet's rings after three days of traveling on their VASIMR engines. As they approached, more and more of the planet's night side was visible, showing bright lights denoting cities and transit routes. After multiple briefings and analyses, it became apparent that they were within hours of performing the first ever "First Contact" in the history of New Haven.

"Conn, sensors!" the intercom buzzed as the Southwatch eased up close to the planet's belt. "Detecting multiple vessels in various orbits and trajectories! They are of unknown class and configuration!"

"Well, that narrows it down to a civilization on similar technological standing to us," Captain Reynolds said aloud to no one in particular. "Transmit our first contact message on all available radio and microwave frequencies."

"Aye, sir."

Within a matter of seconds, a series of audio messages containing the Imperial National Anthem and a message from Imperator James Newman greeting his alien counterpart amongst other things, was transmitted toward the alien vessels. Only time would tell on if they would receive a response or not.

"And in other news, the Sunnyvale Wasps beat the Johnsonville Brauts with a final score of seven to three..." said the news report on the small transistor radio. Several members of the crew of the Jannarii battleship Falka was gathered around the radio in the mess hall, having just got off duty. The ship had just returned from dropping off troops and supplies on the new colony on the planet Mathilde, the second planet from the system's star.

The Wasps will be heading to Andersonville to take on the Jets next week. In the southern confer-" continued the radio until the signal was lost and replaced with static. A few seconds later a loud computer generated signal, much like that of a 56k modem dialing onto the internets, replaced the news report.

On the bridge, the communications officer was throwing a fit.

"We're being jammed by a powerful signal on all frequencies!" he raged.

"Can you get a source for the signal?" asked Captain Cable.

"Looks like it's coming from two o'clock high. Somebody get a video feed up." replied the comms officer. The sensors operator hit a few switches and trained one of the outside cameras towards the source of the signal.

"I've got two unidentified warships. They're not ours and don't look Belkan." said the sensors operator as he zoomed in.

They could be pirates or Belkan separatists operating out of the Rathak belt. Set course for intercept." ordered the captain.

The Jannarii battleship turned towards the alien vessels, her engines flaring in anger as the ship accelerated.

"Conn, sensors. Looks like we got someone's attention," the intercom blared. "One of the vessels we were tracking has now plotted an intercept course. Tactical, is your sensors display operational?"

"Sensors, Tactical speaking," Lieutenant Commander Atkinson responded. "I see the incoming vessel. My scopes show it to be a large one too, perhaps a battleship. This could be bad."

"Have some faith in our newfound neighbors, gentlemen," Captain Reynolds said casually. "Of course, not too much faith." Reynolds hit the 'all hands' button on the intercom system on his chair. "This is Captain Reynolds... General Quarters! Man your battle stations!" Atkinson hit the General Quarters alert button on his console, initiating a klaxon that lasted for a full minute. Within seconds, airtight doors started closing aboard the ship and the guns became unlocked from their storage positions, but did not start tracking the approaching battleship. "Now we see how this holds out. Continue attempting to hail that ship on all frequencies. Signal Novus Yaston to go to battle stations as well and to stand by."

"Unknown vessel, please respond... This is the Imperial Cruiser Southwatch. We greet you as friends and wish to open diplomatic ties..."

As the Jannarii battleship closed in on the two Havenic cruisers, the crew on the bridge were finally able to get a good look at the foreign ships.

"What the fuck are those ugly pieces of shit?" asked the captain.

"They look like something that an autistic kid that doodles in class all day would come up with." said the sensors officer.

"Sir, the signal is back. It appears to be plain audio this time." reported the comms officer.

"Play it." ordered Captain Cable.

Ihghufh jaccam, bmayca nacbuht... Drec ec dra Esbaneym Lniecan Cuidrfydlr. Fa knaad oui yc vneahtc yht fecr du ubah tebmusydel deac...

"What the fuck is this shit? Are these guys making fun of us? Sound general quarters." said the captain, his irritation clearly showing.

Klaxons sounded throughout the ship and the atmosphere was quickly beginning to be vacuumed into storage tanks in the center of the ship. The crew scrambled to get their space suits on as the lights dimmed and were replaced by red emergency lights.

On the bridge, the Captain also slipped his suit on and locked the helmet as the thick blast shields slid over the bridge's windows.

"Send the order to lock onto both ships and fire at their bridges in thirty seconds. Everyone get to the CIC." ordered the captain as he made his exit from the bridge and down to the CIC deep within the ship.

"Sir, we are being actively tracked! Sensors detect their guns now aiming at us!" Tactical called out.

"Clear the bridge!" Reynolds called out as the bridge crew scrambled out as the bridge crew scrambled down the hatch down to the control center in the hull. "As soon as we get to Command, target their weapons and fire everything we got! Prepare hyperspace module for immediate withdraw if this gets too bad!"

The bridge lay quiet as the Control Center came to life. Within seconds, orders had been received by the gun crews to begin active tracking of enemy ships, opening fire as soon as the locks had been achieved. 32 railguns opened fire from both ships, each aimed at the battleship (some even at the bridge) at the same time the megaparticle cannons fired. The megaparticle cannons completely jettisoned the bridges from the hulls of both cruisers in the opening volley. At the same time, 384 anti-capital ship missiles launched from the missile tubes of the cruisers toward the Jannarii battleship.

"What happened?!" Captain Reynolds called out. "Damage report!"

"Bridge section has been completely severed in the opening volley! Our topmost forward facing turrets are gone! We have severe damage to our hull and we are leaking fuel!"

"How can that be?! Those turrets can withstand our heaviest firepower!"

"Sir, a message from the Novus Yaston!" Atkinson called out as a burst of steam blew out from a pipe along the right wall. "She is signaling that she has lost main power and is switching to backups! Her bridge section is gone and her bridge crew was killed!"

"Goddamn Captain Holt! That asshole never took combat training seriously!" Reynolds thought for a moment before coming to a grim conclusion: They were no match for this enemy. "Plot a hyperspace solution for the Haven System! Get us out of here!"

"Aye sir!" Within seconds, the Southwatch FTL'd clear. When the Novus Yaston attempted the same, she was unable to do so due to the loss of main power... she could attempt to defend herself with the damage she had sustained to her hull, but she was a sitting duck regardless. Her surviving senior officer, Lieutenant Commander George Upham, gave the order to abandon ship. Given the damage the ship had already sustained, it was likely she would break apart anyway, so no effort was given to set scuttling charges or detonate her stores.

The volley of projectiles from the railguns ripped into the battleship's guns, the armor designed with larger, lower velocity projectiles in mind rather than small darts at extreme velocities. The darts kept going through, breaching the super-compact Minovsky reactors built into the turrets themselves. Each of the ship's main guns on the center line had been reduced to a burning, destroyed hulk that spewed flame and smoke into space. The two turrets on the side of the hull facing the Havenic cruisers were also destroyed, though the damage was much worse. The projectiles passed through them and into the interior of the ship, destroying other systems as well.

Fortunately, the CIC was intact and so were the point defense guns and missile tubes.

"Damage report!" ordered the captain from the CIC.

"Main guns destroyed. Fires burning wildly in the vicinity of both fore and aft turret groups. It seems the reactors went with the guns. Several steam lines and power conduits were also taken out. We seem to have gotten extremely lucky. The projectiles just barely missed the forward missile magazines. If they had been hit we'd have lost the entire bow." reported the damage control officer.

"We have incoming missiles! Looks like several hundred!" announced the sensors operator.

"Launch our air defense missiles and activate the point defense batteries!" barked the captain.

Outside, missiles shot from the VLS tubes and forward tubes by the hundreds, each one on a course for one of the Havenic missiles. Hundreds of Havenic missiles were destroyed. Those that were not were engaged by the point defense pulse laser batteries. Many more missiles went down. Unfortunately, several made it past and slammed into the ship amidships. Almost immediately, the starboard VLS cell, containing several hundred missiles itself, detonated in a cascade of burning rocket fuel and exploding warheads. The entire ship shook as many of the hull's interior compartments were exposed to both open space and fire at the same time.

"Report!" shouted Captain Cable as the CIC recovered from the explosion. Smoke filled the airless room as several consoles and monitors burned, their electronics breaking during the shock, short circuiting, and overheating.

"Sensors are showing that the entire starboard side of the ship is on fire with the exception of the areas forward of the forward guns. The starboard VLS went off when we were hit. No departments on the starboard side are reporting in. I'm assuming mass casualties." replied the damage control officer.

"And the enemy ships?" asked the captain.

"One is heavily damaged. My readings show that it's probably lost power. The other one appears to be nothing more than a small cloud of debris. I can't find it anywhere on the sensors." reported the sensors operator.

"The CIC is a mess. Everyone get back up to the bridge so the damage control teams can take care of the fires."

Once on the bridge, Captain Cable could finally see the extent of the damage to the ship. The entire starboard side of the ship was ripped open and burning, and all of his main guns save the two turrets on the port side were destroyed. Half of his vertical missile launchers had exploded and the violent detonation took many of the point defense lasers offline with them. Fortunately, main power hadn't been lost and the preemptive evacuation of the ship's atmosphere prevented the fires from spreading. Once damage control arrived they would be able to quickly extinguish the burning metal and rocket fuel and the recovery of the bodies could begin.

"We got them alright. Take us in close on the port side and have a boarding party assembled. We're taking this one intact." ordered the captain.

The Southwatch emerged from hyperspace in orbit around New Haven, in the FTL zone designated for approach to Imperial Shipyard Alpha-012.

"Southwatch to Alpha-012, we have a priority one emergency... requesting drydock access for immediate repair," Lieutenant Junior-grade David Howe radioed. He had been put in charge of the CinC as Officer of the Watch while the Captain, Executive Officer and Tactical Officer helped assess and contain the damage to the ship.

The news was grim: The ship had sustained massive damage to her hull from the megaparticle beam attacks. Her topmost turrets were completely obliterated, taking their gunners and loaders with them (the loss not only visible from cameras on the outside of the hull, but as well as the fact that analog pressure sensors indicated a complete vacuum on the other side... without space suits, there was no way to survive in such an environment).

The computers that assisted in hyperspace transit calculations had almost been destroyed in the onslaught. A hit just five feet more to the left on the upper hull would have crippled the computers and left them as stranded as the Novus Yaston.

The frame of the Southwatch had sustained crippling buckling from the pounding it had received. Her top half was severely damaged in the exchange and it would take months of repairs to get her back in service. It was far more likely she would be broken up and analyzed instead for information on this new menace.

As soon as the catwalk extended out to the Southwatch in drydock, Vice Admiral Frederick Newman (nephew of Imperator Newman) walked out to meet Captain Reynolds, who was disembarking his ship. "By the Gods Walt, what in the Imperator's name happened to your ship?"

"First Contacts are a bitch," Reynolds replied. "They started actively tracking us as soon as both sides got within weapons range... I had no choice but to fire, and both sides started firing at the same time. Did the Novus Yaston make it back?"

"The status of the Novus Yaston was going to be my next question, but its obvious neither of us know what happened to her," Vice Adm. Newman said. "She'll have to be listed as missing and potentially in enemy hands until we can get back in there."

"Back in there?!" Reynolds exclaimed. "Are you kidding me? Two of our cruisers barely stood a chance against one of their battleships!"

"Two of you lost to a single battleship? Are you kidding?" Vice Admiral Newman stated. "You better pray to the Gods that your data recorders show you causing some kind of damage to that thing before withdrawing or I will personally have you thrown in the stockade."

==========================================

Back aboard the Novus Yaston, the primary fusion powerplant had completely failed and the emergency batteries had been destroyed in the battle. With no power, life support failed and the escape pod external doors would not open. The crew was effectively stranded onboard the dying ship.

Someone lit off a series of Lithium Perchlorate candles, releasing oxygen into the stale air. It was their only life line until either power could be restored or they were boarded and either executed or taken prisoner.

"Sir, I've managed to gather up fifty men that weren't busy with damage control." reported the ranking member of the marine unit stationed on board the Falka. "We're armed and ready to board the enemy ship, sir."

"Very well." said the captain. "We're pulling up along side the ship right now. You and your men are to exit the gun deck airlock on the port side and latch onto the vessel with your magnetic line throwers. If possible I want any survivors arrested and brought on board. I will leave the decision on the plausibility of that option in your hands."

"Aye, sir!" replied the marine.

"You are dismissed. stated the captain.

The marine turned and left the bridge, making his way to where his men were gathered. The fifty odd men were each decked out in special space suits with an armored shell, several hand grenades, pump action shotguns, boarding axes, and pistols. Several also carried line throwers, while others carried medical packs.

"Alright, men. We're going to board the enemy ship and start fucking people up. Just remember, if possible the skipper wants them taken alive. Move out!" shouted the ranking marine over the in-helmet radio. His men replied with a chorus of affirmations.

As a group, the marines made their way through the airlock and across the deck of the ship, their magnetic boots gripping the metal in the zero-g environment. When they had all exited the battleship's interior, men started firing their line throwers at the enemy vessel. Streaking across the fifty yards of void between the two ships, the magnetic clamps slammed into the Novus Yaston's hull and established a firm grip. One by one, the marines hooked tethers to the line, the local end now magnetically attached to the Falka, and began to manually cross over to the Havenic cruiser.

"No doubt about it, our weapons were fairly effective against the enemy battleship," a navy technician said as they reviewed the data recorders recovered from the Southwatch. "Just before the Southwatch entered hyperspace, visual records indicate rounds penetrating the enemy's armor."

"Is there any way we can defend ourselves against the enemy's weapons?" Vice Admiral Newman said as the lights came on in the briefing auditorium.

"We assume the enemy is using charged particle beams... effectively ion cannons, like the ones we have been developing ourselves for future deployment," the technician replied. "We have drawing board plans for energy-based shielding which is effective against projectiles and charged particle beams, but that is still in the development phase. As per your orders and the recommendation of the rest of the Admiralty, we have stepped up plans for mass production and deployment as soon as possible. However, it will still be some time before we are finished."

"Is there anything we can do in the interim to try and combat this problem?" Vice Admiral Newman asked.

"We could charge the hull plating. The electromagnetic force is extremely strong at the atomic level, so we should be able to repel the charged particles with no ill effect to the hull," another technician replied. "Seeing as its their primary armament, we should be able to deal a crushing blow to their ships in the next engagement."

"Excellent. I will rally the Third Fleet," Vice Admiral Newman replied. "Contact all of the Third Fleet ships, let their engineers know what modifications to make."

"Aye, sir."

=======================================

Aboard the Novus Yaston, the crew could hear the Shanderans on the hull. One man reached for his service pistol, but was met with the hand of the Officer of the Watch and a stern headshake of disapproval. The Shanderans would meet no resistance from the crew... if they wanted to see their friends and family again, this was the only way.

After several minutes, the Jannarii marines had all crossed the void and found their feet securely on the Novus Yaston. Falling into formation, each one pumped their shotgun to chamber a shell and double checked their revolvers to make sure that each cylinder had a round inside.

"Everyone, turn your lights on. We're going in." said the ranking marine. Each of the gathered men responded by reaching up to their helmets and flipping a small switch on the side. As the switches were flipped, a pair of lights on either side of the helmet came on. The bright beams were clearly visible in the smoky, dusty vacuum of the crippled cruiser's hull.

Breaking into five squads, the Jannarii marines entered the ship, their shotguns at the low ready with rounds in the chamber and the safeties off.

Footsteps could be heard reverberating through the metal bulkheads into the still airtight compartments aboard the Novus Yaston. The crew began slipping into their thin plastic 'survival suits', which would only offer an hour or two of protection against the hazards of space. They knew the compartment would have to depressurize in order to be accessed, so everyone grabbed whatever was bolted down to avoid being sucked out into the wrecked sections of the ship.

===================================

"How are modifications to the Prince of Yaston coming along?" Vice Admiral Newman asked.

"Everything is coming along rather well," Chief Engineer Ashton Maxwell replied amidst a corridor cramped with welders and electricians. "We have completed hull charge polarization to 90% of the ship, and we are wrapping up the last 10%. Crews on the hull are installing an initial plate of armor which becomes gaseous upon impact with particle beam weaponry."

"The damage to the Southwatch indicates her bridge was targeted first," Newman replied. "What ideas are floating around with handling that?"

"We contemplated reinforcing the bridges or reducing their overall profiles, but taking into consideration limited shipyard access in light of the Imperator-class mothership construction deadlines, we had to think of another solution that could be implemented in time for battle." Maxwell opened up a nearby bulkhead, exposing a giant rubber sheet blocking the door.

"What the hell is this?" Newman asked as he pushed against the rubber sheet.

"This, Admiral, is our solution," Maxwell noted. "The bridge was intended to be removable to allow for a new bridge to be installed when new technology was available, or to replace it with new weaponry if necessary. We made a call to an inflatable party ride company and had them create inflatable bridges for the ships. The enemy won't know the difference at long range because they are coated in iron paint, which should have the same reflectivity signature on radar. This is the prototype they shipped up to us, the rest should be finished for another few days."

"So how in my father's name are we supposed to look outside?" Newman replied.

"We have set up camera pods on the top, sides and bottom part of the hull," Maxwell replied. "You will be able to access the feeds from the monitors on the bridge."

"Very good. This is the level of work I would expect from a Lieutenant Commander on my flagship," Newman replied as he pulled out the rank insignia of a Lieutenant Commander, removed the original insignia on the Lieutenant and affixed the new insignia to the Chief Engineer's uniform. "Carry on, Lieutenant Commander."

"Yes, sir!"

The Jannarii marines made their way through the hull. Though most of the ship was already void of atmosphere, it was assumed that there would still be a few that had survivors inside. So far, however, all the enemy sailors found so far had been wearing only their uniforms.

Who the fuck are these guys? How could they be so sloppy as to be going around in their dress uniforms during a battle?" asked one marine to nobody in particular.

"They're not Belkans, that's for sure. Not Jannarii either. Maybe they're separatists from before the wars ended." said another.

"Alright, this hatch is closed. Lets bust it open." said their squad leader as he came to the hatch at the end of the passageway.

The men leveled their shotguns at the door, taking up spots along the wall as one of the marines approached the door and used his boarding axe for leverage on the hatch's locking mechanism.

The compartment decompressed violently as the hatch blew back, sending fifteen of the surviving 172 crewmen flying toward the hatch. The force of their impacts against conduits, hatch covers or other crewmen resulted in 22 personnel now being critically injured.

As soon as the dust and bodies cleared from the decompression, the crew noticed the boarding party with guns in hand... these weren't their friends, and any hope of being rescued by their own kind vanished like the last traces of oxygen in the compartment. The surviving crew raised their hands and prepared to face either their demise or capture in battle.

After being assaulted by the bodies and debris from the decompression, the Jannarii marines were faced with a room full of strange men in flimsy environmental suits who apparently had given up before even seeing their opponents.

"I think they're surrendering, Lieutenant." said one of the first marines to enter the room, his shotgun sweeping the area in front of him. He was followed in by the rest of the men.

"We're going to need more zip ties." said another. A call was sent out over the in helmet radios to the other squads to meet in the room and help capture the enemy combatants.

"Cover me, I'm going to start securing them." said one of the sergeants.

The sergeant secured his shotgun with its sling and walked over to the nearest Havenic crewmen. After making a few gestures that were obviously not understood, the sergeant resorted to a more universal method of communications and punched the combative in the gut with surprising force. Even more surprisingly, the Havenic crewman doubled over and fell to his knees.

"Hey guys, looks like these faggots have some sort of artificial gravity." said the sergeant. The Jannarii just had now noticed due to the strong magnetic force that normally kept their boots on the floor.

Still gasping for air, the Havenic sailor was laying on the ground when the sergeant pulled some zip ties from a pouch on his belt and secured his hands. With one prisoner secured, the sergeant moved onto the next sailor. Horrified by the brutal treatment of his comrade, the next sailor was too shocked to respond to the hand signals and was also communicated with using more universal methods.

Hopefully the rest would get the message.

The men got the message and moved their hands behind their back. Lieutenant Commander George Upham, upon seeing the violence being inflicted upon the crew, stepped forward.

"Enough! If you are going to abuse anyone who has surrendered, it may as well be me!" The Lieutenant Commander barked out, his hands behind his back, but still angry at the treatment of his fellow shipmates.

============================
(Imperial Citadel - Freeport, Imperial Isle Province)

Imperator James Newman was sitting quietly in his throne, overseeing a meeting of the Imperial Senate. It was the usual boring bullshit as always, with roll calls and proposals for the Senate to look over before passing onto the Imperator (who usually threw it all out anyway). He didn't have to listen to them, but it was better than going to the grand opening of a factory or the dedication of some civilian scrap hauler... better to leave that business to his daughters anyway, seeing as it was their societal duty to act as Imperial diplomats.

An aide walked out of a hidden door behind the Imperator and handed the Imperator a note.


URGENT MESSAGE FROM IMPERIAL FLEET COMMAND
TO IMPERATOR JAMES NEWMAN

HOSTILE VESSELS ENGAGED IN NEARBY STAR SYSTEM. ONE CRUISER LOST AND POTENTIALLY CAPTURED, REMAINING CRUISER BADLY DAMAGED. THIRD FLEET IS MOBILIZING FOR COMBAT.

REQUESTING MOBILIZATION OF REMAINING FLEETS AS WELL AS SPECIAL PERMISSION FOR WARTIME PRODUCTION DECLARATIONS


The Imperator dropped the note after reading it, letting the gears in his head turn about what to do next. Some of the Senators noticed and began to motion for the others to return to their seats and quiet down.

The Imperator rose to his feet. "Representatives of our beloved Imperial subjects, the Imperium of New Haven is now at war! Send word to your industrial centers that they are to step up to wartime production and to the militias to mobilize for the coming storm!"

"But who are we at war against, Imperator Newman?" A senate cried out. Normally, the Imperator would have declared a rebellious province or orbital colony as an enemy... but the Imperator did not initially know how to break the news.

"A hostile civilization has attacked our ships in a nearby system! We have no choice but to meet these aliens with full force... We will hold back and we will never surrender! FOR THE IMPERIUM!"

"ALL HAIL THE IMPERIUM! ALL HAIL IMPERATOR NEWMAN!"