[Sf] Earth: Final Fight Pt. 1 [T]

I wrote this story after being inspired by a sci-fi book I once read. I had planned on writing it in instalments, but I never got any feedback, and thus felt no need to continue writing the story. Perhaps some day I will decide to continue the plot but that depends on what kind of feedback I get (if ever).

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Earth: Final Fight Pt. 1

Terron Sector; Area 19

Captain Eli J. Hawkins stared at the viewscreen. Slouched in the command chair, he struggled not to panic as he waited for his orders. What had started as a simple patrol run had become a nightmare. His destroyer, The Photon, a moderately powered ship by any standards, had been running the routine patrol of Area 19 of the Terron Sector when the distress call had sounded. The holo-beacon in Area 14 showed a fellow destroyer, The Harp, taking serious damage. By the time The Photon had turned and began the long distance to Area 13, the beacon had cut off. Nervously, the Captain ordered away speed at 115% capacity of the core reactors. When they had reached Area 17, two more distress beacons popped up in Sector 14; The Regulator and The Lancer, two more destroyers on their seperate patrols. Hawkins ordered full speed at 150%. They reached Area 16 and began to pick up the broadcom shortlengths. Nervous ship-to-ship chatter assailed them as the other vessels, likewise picking up the distress calls, centred upon them. Close to the Area 15 border, the beacon of The Lancer winked off; The Regulator showed as making full speed to the Area 15 hub. By now the Command emergency klaxxon was blaring.

The Photon was finally reaching Area 15, the location of the colony plant Terra Secunda. The holoviewer flickered on to find several ships grouping together in the Area 15 hub, and many more further afield, still heading to the Area. The Regulator had docked with the repair and hospital station Medica. The Comms. Ensign called over. "Captain; a Command line incoming - the all-ship encrypted broadcom." The Captain nodded, gesturing to the main viewscreen. The monitor changed from the forecam to the image of a man. The Captain stiffened in his chair. Vice-Admiral Yates appeared stern and impressive in his white, immaculate uniform. "This is the Command Center Descendant to all ships within the Terron Sector. All speed to Area 15 immediately. This is a priority one order. We have VIPs on-planet. I repeat - priority one, people." As Yates was replaced by the forecam once more, Hawkins went white. A priority one VIP meant someone extremely high up. But why here, he mused. Terra Secunda was just a colony planet. It held no strategic value that Hawkins knew of. The Photon continued its journey to the heart of Area 15.

As they came closer, the Comms. Ensign called over once more. "Another encrypted Command line, Sir." Hawkins straightened once more, but relaxed as a lesser officer came on screen. "Captain Hawkins of The Photon? Major Thompson of the Command Center Descendant." Hawkins nodded. "Major, what's the situation?" "I'm to be your personal liaison with the CC Descendant. The Kaelyn have attacked." Hawkins gripped the command chair's armrest until his knuckles went white. Hoarsely, he had to cough twice to clear his throat. "Are - what size force?!" The Major looked at him bluntly. "They have at least three dozen Creed class ships." Hawkins choked, but the Major hadn't finished. "They also have a Graydon capital gunner." The Captain's face drained. "By Christ..." The Major nodded. "We'll need every scrap of God's luck we can get. Your orders are being transmitted now, Captain. Head to these exact co-ordinates and wait for further instruction." The screen winked off. Hawkins slipped back in his command seat, his fist to his mouth. After a moment, he looked around and noticed the officers staring at him. They had, of course, heard the message themselves. They were as scared as he was, but he was the Captain for a reason. "All right, snap out of it. Lieutenant Miller, enter the transmission co-ordinates. Ensign Jones, set us at full speed and get us there. Lieutenant Briggs, perform a weapons check and sound the amber alert. Let's move people; we've got our orders." A chorus of "Aye, Sir", and they were away. Despite his outward calm, Hawkins was terrified. The Kaelyn were...well, no-one knew anything about them, other than that they were alien, and were hunting down Humanity Sector by Sector. There had only been four victories for Mankind, and one of them was due only to the self-destruction of a Pulitzer cruiser; the blast had destroyed the remnants of the Kaelyn forces, leaving only a ragtag bunch of Human survivors.

A bleep on his armrest control pad told him that Briggs had completed the weapons check. The inventory showed a full complement of Tackler missiles, three Senton warheads, all short range ballistae 80mm turrets, and the thirty-two standard destroyer cannon; nick-named 'Punchers', the cannon fired white hot slugs that could punch straight through most ship armor, and were renowned for their 'sweet shot'. The only downside was the warm-up time. Standard battle protocol was to keep them warmed up in quadrants, on-off so the destroyers were continuously combat-ready. “Briggs, start warm-up protocol on the rest of the Punchers. I want them ready ASAP. Mandel, commlink the hangar’s. I want them prepped for offensive launch.” Hawkins studied the ordered co-ordinates himself. On his holo-pad he brought up the current ship positioning of Area 15. By his estimates, the co-ordinates placed him in a loose formation of around twenty three ships, with more incoming from the other Areas. The majority of the ships already in place were destroyers; there were a couple of frigates, and one cruiser. The CC Descendant was there, as was the Medica, but both were far behind the current formation. Hawkins studied the Descendant. He had seen holo-schematics of the capital ship before, of course; the thing was a legend. It had survived three wars against the Outlaw Freeloaders and was still as good as new. Yet he doubted it would enter the combat unless there was no choice. Even then, he believed they would more than likely evac the VIP and flee.

Hawkins returned to the task at hand. His weapon systems were online and running hot. He watched the forecam monitor as the ship was brought into the designated position and waited for his instructions.