Chapter Two Battle of Astarte
I
When the report, “The Imperial Fleet is approaching quickly,” came, the Alliance 4th Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Pastoll (パストーレ) was taken by absolute shock.
A cl.u.s.ter of artificial lights appeared on the fluorescent screen of flags.h.i.+pLeonidas (レオニダス). Within the blink of an eye, the brightness increased, and the area rapidly expanded. Upon seeing this, everyone felt their heart stopping as they broke out in cold sweat.
“What happened?”
The vice admiral sat up from his command seat and asked himself.
“What is the Imperial Fleet trying to do? What are they thinking?”
Many people felt his question was rather perplexing. Of course the Imperial Fleet was planning to launch an all-out attack on the 4th Fleet. That much was not difficult to see. However, the top level officials in the Alliance Fleet had never considered the possibility that the enemy that had been besieged from three directions would attempt such a bold attack!
According to their original a.s.sumption, the besieged Imperial Fleet, upon facing the great number of enemies, would concentrate on defense by forming a tight formation to minimize the front line. Then, the Alliance Fleet would arrive simultaneously from three directions, encircle the Imperial Fleet, concentrate their powers, and slowly and precisely chip away the enemy’s defense.
A-hundred-and-fifty-five years ago, the same scenario occurred during the “Annihilation Battle of Dagon.” Both victorious generals leaped to fame because of the war and they were still celebrated even today. However, this time, the enemy did not fall into the Alliance Fleet’s trap.
“What the heck? The enemy commander doesn’t even understand strategy! How can he even fight like that?”
The vice admiral inadvertently let out this idiotic nonsense. He stood up from his command seat and wiped the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand. The interior of the s.h.i.+p was climate controlled at 16.5 Celsius, so it should not have been warm enough for him to sweat …
“What should we do? Commander?”
The sound of the general staff officer (GSO)’s request seemed restless too. The tone violently affected every nerve within the vice admiral! Were you not the same group of general staff officers that sang the tune of indubitable success regarding the three-directional-besiegement-plan? Now that defeat is upon us, you should naturally accept the responsibility and come up with a countermeasure! How dare you ask me, “What should we do?”! However, this was not the time for anger.
The Imperial Fleet had 20,000 s.h.i.+ps while the Alliance 4th Fleet had only 12,000 s.h.i.+ps. The situation was entirely different from the previous plan. The whole situation was chaos! Originally, the Alliance Fleet planned on surrounding the 20,000 enemy s.h.i.+ps with 40,000 s.h.i.+ps from three fleets. Now, with the sudden change in situation, the vulnerable 4th Fleet must single handedly face an enemy nearly double their size!
“Emergency communication to 2nd and 6th Fleet: The 4th Fleet is at s.p.a.ce coordinate α 7.4, β 3.9, γ -0.6. Enemy contact! Request swift reinforcement!”
The vice admiral barked. Flags.h.i.+p Leonidas’ chief radio officer Lieutenant Commander Nann responded, but his movement and expression were filled with despair. The Imperial Fleet emitted interference waves and they were greedily eroding the Alliance Fleet’s communications circuits. Reinhard sent out tens of thousands of communication interference devices, and they were currently maximizing their effects in s.p.a.ce.
“Dispatch liaison boats. Two to the 2nd Fleet and two to the 6th Fleet!”
The vice admiral screamed at the top of his lungs, and the flash that radiated from the screen abruptly whitened his face. The enemy had started to attack, and hundreds of neutron beam cannons were fired at the same time. The energy that emanated expanded, and the accompanying light fiercely intruded the s.p.a.cemen’ eyelids.
Rainbow-like sparks burst all over the Alliance Fleet. The enemy beams. .h.i.t the energy-neutralizing-magnetic-field-s.h.i.+elds, and sparks occurred when that happened. Fine energy particles collided at high speed, causing the mutual eclipse phenomenon.
The vice admiral forcefully waved his hands and yelled:
“Vanguard units attack! All s.h.i.+ps, prepare for all-out war!”
It stands to reason that the enemy would not be able to receive Vice Admiral Pastoll’s orders, but on the Imperial Fleet Flags.h.i.+p Brünhild’s bridge, Reinhard’s icy blue eyes s.h.i.+ned a flicker of mockery as he muttered to himself:
“Incompetent! They reacted too slowly!”
“Launch combat crafts! Prepare for close-quarters-combat!”
The person that gave this order was Rear Admiral Fahrenheit. The excitement of war coupled with the confidence from taking the lead caused vigor to pour out of his words. Even if this became a “blonde boy” achievement, it would not matter. He only cared about victory in that instant!
The single-seat battle crafts with X-shaped wings, “Walküre (ワルキューレ),” shot out of the enormous mother s.h.i.+ps one by one. Because the mother s.h.i.+ps were traveling in s.p.a.ce at an extreme high speed, the battle crafts needed only to ride the inertia at the moment of departure to achieve speeds faster than the mother s.h.i.+ps; no runways or ejection devices were necessary. The Walküre model was compact. While the firepower was limited, the maneuverability was strong, so it was most suited for close-quarters-combats.
The Alliance Fleet also had their single-seat battle crafts that were comparable to the Walküres, and those were called “Spartanian (スパルタニアン).”
The fusion reactors exploded one after another, and the lasing energy turbulence generated tsunamis that shook the battles.h.i.+ps in the two fleets. The Walküres swoop between the energy beams as if they were angel-of-deaths equipped with pairs of silver wings! The Alliance Spartanians’ combat capability were not any less favorable when compared to the Walküres, but the enemy stroke preemptively, so they were sniped by enemy crafts upon leaving their mother s.h.i.+ps. All pilots along with their Spartanians were beamed to pieces!
… An hour after the battle elapsed, under the fierce attack of the Imperial Fahrenheit Fleet, the 4th Fleet’s vanguard unit was nearly completely disintegrated.
Out of the 2800 vessels, less than twenty-percent partic.i.p.ated in combat. Some vessels were damaged by explosions and could not continue to fight, and some s.h.i.+ps sustained only mild damages, but the pilots within were dead. All of them floated aimlessly in the void. The Alliance situation was extremely tragic, and most agreed that frontline collapse was only a matter of time!
Battles.h.i.+p Nestor (ネストル) only received partial damage on a portion of its bottom, but when the neutron bomb that shot into the s.h.i.+p exploded, it set off a murderous particle turbulent that ruthlessly swept through the s.h.i.+p. Within the blink of an eye, the gigantic s.h.i.+p became the tomb of 660 s.p.a.cemen.
The crewless Nestor still continued to follow the pilot’s last direction, charging on an invisible track, and pa.s.sing by the tip of its ally s.h.i.+p Lamnos (レムノス). At that moment, the front cannons on an enemy s.h.i.+p locked in on Lamnos, and artillery sh.e.l.ls launched towards it. Nestor was. .h.i.t by photon cannons within close range and quietly exploded. The energy from the exploding atomic fusion reactor broke through the neutralizing magnetic field, and hit the hull of Lamnos directly. Unfortunately, Lamnos immediately stepped into its fate of destruction.
White flashes broke out one after another, and subsequently disappeared without a trace. The crew of Lamnos were allowed to destroy their ally s.h.i.+ps, and were given death as a reward.
“What the h.e.l.l is going on?”
Vice Admiral Pastoll shouted.
At nearly the same moment, Rear Admiral Fahrenheit could be heard grumbling, “What are they doing?”
Both of them were watching the screens on their respective flags.h.i.+ps. The former’s voice was filled with despair and anxiety, and the latter was full of calm and mockery.
II
When the Alliance 2nd and 6th Fleets were notified of the dire situation, everyone was in a panic, but they did not modify their original battle plan, and still continued forward at the previous speed.
Second Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Paetta (パエッタ) sat in the command seat of flags.h.i.+p Patroclus (パトロクロス) with a silent frown. The subordinates could sense the nervousness of the commander, and the air on the bridge seemed to be electrified.
Among them, the vice admiral noticed that one person still appeared to be calm. After hesitating for a moment, the vice admiral called out to him.
“Commodore Yang!”
“Yes?”
“What is your opinion regarding this situation?”
When Yang stood up from his desk, he took off his beret and ran his fingers lightly through his black hair.
“The enemy plans to defeat each of our fleets individually. First, they will of course take care of the 4th Fleet that is the fewest in numbers. From among the dispersed Alliance fleets, he can choose which enemy to face, and he is exercising that right.”
“…Will the 4th Fleet be able to hold out?”
“The two fleets will face each other head-on. In that instance, the opponent that is greater in number has the upper hand. Not to mention, the side that initiated the engagement also has a first strike advantage.”
Yang both looked and sounded detached. Vice Admiral Paetta saw that, and vexingly opened and closed his fist as if to shake it off.
“Then we need to rush to the battlefield to rescue the 4th Fleet. Hopefully it will be possible to attack the Imperial Fleet from the rear and turn the situation to our advantage in one fell swoop.”
“That will probably be futile.”
Yang still sounded detached. Vice Admiral Paetta nearly did not pay attention to him. The vice admiral who was looking at the screen turned to face the young GSO.
“What do you mean?”
“When we get there, the battle would have been over. The enemy would have left, and before the 2nd Fleet and the 6th Fleet could unite, one of our side flanks would have been attacked. Therefore, we could be nearly certain that the 6th Fleet with fewer numbers of s.h.i.+ps would become the enemy’s next target. I feel our fleet must start before the enemy is able to and control the overall situation to avoid falling into the enemy’s trap. If we do that, then we do not need to keep speculating what the enemy is thinking.”
“So, in your opinion, what should we do?”
“We just need to change the order of things. Rather than wait to join up with the 6th Fleet on the battlefield, we should join up with the 6th Fleet as soon as possible, and designate that s.p.a.ce-zone as the new battlefield. The two fleets add up to a total of 28,000 vessels. This way, we will have over fifty percent chance of victory when we face the enemy.”
“… That means, you are saying that we should abandon the 4th Fleet?”
The vice admiral’s tone was blatantly accusatory. He felt what Yang said was extremely cold blooded.
“Even if we go, it will be too late anyway.”
Whether Yang knew what the vice admiral was thinking or not, his tone did not change.
“But we cannot disregard the safety of our allies!”
The vice admiral said, and Yang shrugged lightly.
“In that case, all three of our fleets will one by one fall victim to the enemy, and become enemy bait.”
“That may not be the case. The 4th Fleet will not go down easy! If they can just hang in there…”
“Like I said before, that is impossible, but...”
“Commodore Yang, reality is not based on your calculations. The enemy commander is Count Lohengramm. He is young and inexperienced. On the other hand, Vice Admiral Pastoll is a battle-hardened veteran.”
“Sir, while he is inexperienced, his strategic concept is…”
“Enough, Commodore.”
The vice admiral bitterly interrupted him. Yang did not attempt to give him favorable answer, and the vice admiral was already displeased with this young GSO.
The vice admiral gestured at Yang for him to sit down, and turned to face the screen.
III
Four hours after the battle elapsed, the Alliance 4th Fleet was, for all practical purposes, defeated. They had neither a full battle formation, nor a unified command system. Some groups were truncated here and there, and some vessels were completely isolated. Each vessel could only muster its final resistance alone.
The flags.h.i.+p Leonidas was turned into a giant piece of sc.r.a.p metal that was floating towards the void. There was no life within the s.h.i.+p.
The interior of the bridge was. .h.i.t by a concentrated dose of enemy fire. Instantly the sh.e.l.l formed a large crack, and due to the internal external pressure difference, Commander Vice Admiral Pastoll’s remains were sucked into the vacuum. Where would his body float to? What shape would it become? … No one knew.
Looking back at the Imperial Fleet, Reinhard was just informed of his present stage victory. Merkatz made the report to him via the communications screen.
“Organized resistance has ended. Next we will sweep the field for survivors…”
“There is no need.”
“Huh?”
Merkatz’s tiny eyes appeared even smaller.
“Only one third of our battle is complete. Enemies who already lost their combat capacity cannot even attempt to rival us, so let the remnants go! There are two more enemy fleets remaining, so we need to preserve our combat abilities for the next battle. Before I issue the next order, you should readjust your formations!”
“Understood, Your Excellency.”
Merkatz nodded heavily, and then disappeared behind the communications screen.
Reinhard looked over to the red-haired senior adjutant.
“His att.i.tude seemed to have changed a bit”
“Yes, he did not have a choice.”
Kircheis thought this first battle played out beautifully. Reinhard’s strategic concept paid off. The admirals had to admit it, and the s.p.a.cemen flourished. The enemy’s posture of victory had been broken.
“Should we attack the left or the right fleet next? Kircheis?”
“It is possible to go around to the enemy’s rear corner whichever side we pick. What do you think?”
“Hmm…”
“The 6th Fleet to the right has fewer s.h.i.+ps.”
“You are right.”
A knowing smile emerged at the corner of the young blond commander’s mouth.
“Maybe the enemy will be able to guess our strategy. That is a bit worrisome…”
Reinhard shook his head.
“There is no need to worry. Even if they realized it, they would not be able to continue using their original coordinated attack method. If I am the enemy commander, I might attempt to regroup as soon as possible; because, after regrouping, they will have an advantage over our fleet in terms of numbers. Therefore, if they have not taken actions to regroup, then that means the enemy have not realized our intentions, then that is very beneficial for us. We will start by launching detour attacks on the right flank of the enemy’s 6th Fleet! How many hours before we rush there from here?”
“Less than four hours.”
“Fantastic! You already calculated it.”
Reinhard started laughing again. His smile looked like that of a young boy. However, the smile disappeared very quickly, because he sensed that people’s attentions were drifting his way. Reinhard guarded his smiles from everyone except for Kircheis.
“Help me convey this order to the whole fleet. Change direction to travel clockwise and continue forward. Start the attack from the enemy 6th Fleet’s port quarter.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kircheis responded, and then looked at his blond boss as if he had something to say. Reinhard raised his eyebrows in disbelief and eyed Kircheis.
“Do you disagree?”
“No, that is not it. Since we have plenty of time now, I believe we should use this time to allow the s.p.a.cemen to take breaks…”
“Ah, yes. I did not notice.”
Reinhard therefore ordered the s.p.a.cemen to take turns resting for one-and-a-half hours each, and to take their meals and use the tank beds during this time.
The tank beds were lightweight plastic sealed tanks filled with approximately thirty centimeters of concentrated salt water. The water temperature was kept at thirty-two degree Celsius. When people lay inside, they were completely sealed off from exterior color, light, heat, or sound, and they were kept quiet and comfortable. Supposedly lying in there for an hour could restore peoples’ physical and mental fatigue with the same effectiveness as eight hours of deep sleep. To restore the amount of strength and energy s.p.a.cemen spent in battles within a short amount of time, this was no doubt the best method.
In smaller units that were not equipped with enclosed sleep compartments, the s.p.a.cemen would sometimes be given drugs to keep them awake and alert. However, these drugs were not only harmful to the body, but they also had adverse effects on the military organization. Once the s.p.a.cemen had drug poisoning, they lose their value as human resources. Still, in the harshest situations, this method was still used.
Meanwhile, the work of healing wounded s.p.a.cemen also begun. It was already well known that towards the end of AD 20th century, electrons were discovered to be able to reactivate human cells. This greatly enhanced the bodies’ natural healing abilities. This technology was further combined with the advancing robotic technology. Today, any life that made it alive into the hands of a military doctor had a ninety-percent survival rate. Of course, it was still not possible to completely eliminate “death”…
At this moment, the Imperial s.p.a.ce Fleet s.p.a.cemen felt momentary peace. Within each s.h.i.+p’s cafeteria, people were rambunctious and rowdy. Although drinking was against the rules, the s.p.a.cemen were already drunk and high from the battle and the victory. The s.p.a.cemen were unable to contain themselves. That feeling tasted better than any food or wine. “Our young commander is pretty d.a.m.n capable!” The s.p.a.cemen had a commotion. “He is prettier than a doll! I cannot believe that he is a great military genius! He might be the best one since Admiral Wood…”
Who were they fighting for? Why did they fight? Why were they and the strangers killing each other? …Many of these questions were long forgotten by the s.p.a.cemen. They were simply ecstatic to be alive and to have won. However, in a few short hours, how many more of these survivors would be added to the new list of deaths?
IV
“s.h.i.+ps are discovered at the 0430 direction! Cannot be identified!”
When the rearguard destroyer’s report was received, the Alliance 6th Fleet commander, Vice Admiral Moore (ムーア), and his general staff officers were in the middle of their meal.
With his steak knives inserted into his wheat protein cutlet, the vice admiral angrily glared at the liaison officer who came from the bridge. The liaison officer was frightened by the glare. Everyone knew that Vice Admiral Moore was a bold and unrefined man.
“You said 4:30-o’clock direction?”
The vice admiral’s voice and his beady eyes were well matched.
“Yes… yes! It is at the 4:30-o’clock direction! We have yet to determine if they are allies or enemies.”
“Oh? Which 4:30-o’clock direction? Morning or afternoon?”
Vice Admiral Moore’s tone of voice was extremely impatient, but he still put down his knife and fork and walked out of the officer’s dining hall. When he saw the scene of panic among his general staff officers, his broad shoulders trembled with anger!
“What are you panicking about? The enemy cannot appear at the 0430 direction, because the enemy is in the direction we are traveling towards!”
The vice admiral shouted.
“We are heading at full speed to the battle field, and the 2nd Fleet is definitely taking the same actions. This way, our fleets will be able to sandwich the enemy fleet from the left and right side, and the victory will be within our grasp. No! We should say victory will be inevitable! Regardless of numbers or formation…”
“But, Sir…”
One of the general staff officers interrupted the vice admiral’s impa.s.sioned speech, and that man was Lieutenant Commander Lapp (ラップ).
“What?”
“I believe that the enemy is going to move the battle field…”
“And leave the 4th Fleet?”
“Although this may be hard to believe, I believe the 4th Fleet has already been defeated.”
The vice admiral frowned with his overly thick eyebrows.
“How dare you think such unpleasant thoughts! Lieutenant Commander, do you need to rinse out your mouth with soap?”
Red faced, the lieutenant commander tucked his handkerchief away.
At this point, the two of them arrived on the bridge together. Suddenly, due to errors that resulted during the gravity control system’s correctional process, they stumbled and nearly fell. This was because the control system could not change directions quickly enough. Obviously, the energy detection device already detected that energy sources with detrimental effects to the hull were nearby the outer sh.e.l.l.
“Enemy attack on starboard quarter!”
Multiple startled cries sounded throughout the 6th Fleet’s communications circuit, but they were quickly replaced by cacophony.
The officers were all petrified! The communications circuit was full of chaos. The enemy was right in front of them! The facts were becoming proofs for the earlier spirited argument.
“Do not panic!”
Vice Admiral Moore shouted. Half of that was an attempt to calm himself down. He regretted taking the situation so lightly, and his thick cheeks feebly sagged down.
The rear fleet guard was not equipped with the newest, most advanced s.h.i.+ps, so when the enemy launched a surprise attack from the rear, and it was not able to defend.
The Imperial Fleet is behind us! … Does that mean the 4th Fleet has been defeated? …Or was the intent of the Imperial Fleet to ambush with a large fleet?
“Engage! Open cannon gates!”
Due to the confusion and not being able to a.n.a.lyze the situation, the vice admiral issued this minimum order.
The Imperial Fleet commanded by seasoned Admiral Merkatz formed an orderly attack formation. From the starboard quarter of the Alliance 6th Fleet, they launched their attack. Neutron beam cannons fired brilliant flashes of death that shattered the feeble magnetic fields of the decrepit Alliance rearguard s.h.i.+ps and pierced through the hulls.
Through the screen, Merkatz watched the dazzling fireb.a.l.l.s flas.h.i.+ng and fading in the abyss. Over the last forty years, he had gotten used to this sight, but now, he still felt unprecedentedly emotional. In the eyes of Merkatz, Reinhard was no longer just a “blond doll.” This first victory was not a fluke. Instead, they were the result of accurate insights and judgments that allowed bold ideas to be carried out. While being besieged from three sides, he came up with a strategy to defeat the enemies individually before the enemies were able to envelope them!
He would not have thought of this strategy, and neither would his older colleagues. This would only be possible for young people who were not caught by convention.
Perhaps, the era for my generation of veterans is gone. – This thought suddenly came to mind. Meanwhile, the battle became increasingly more brutal.
The Imperial Fleet penetrated the Alliance formation with a spindle formation, and gained the upper hand in both artillery and combat. The whole fleet was unstoppable. They held steadfastly to their first strike advantage. Although the Alliance Fleet was determined to fight to the death, their commander could not rise above the confusion, so their determination alone was not able to better their situation.
“All s.h.i.+ps! Turn around!”
Vice Admiral Moore stood on the platform in the middle of the bridge and shouted. He finally made up his mind! Before that point, he only knew how to shout profusely.
“Sir! Turning around will only make the situation more chaotic! We should go clockwise full speed ahead so we could reach behind the enemy!”
Lieutenant Commander Lapp’s suggestion seemed to have hit the vice admiral’s burly body, and then bounced back.
“Before we even get behind the enemy, more than half of our s.p.a.cemen would be dead! Turn around and attack!”
“But…”
“Shut up!”
Vice Admiral Moore roared as his body trembled in rage. The lieutenant commander stopped talking as he came to the understanding that his superior lacked a cool head.
The 6th Fleet’s flags.h.i.+p Pergamonn (ペルガモン) started to turn its giant body around. Soon, various wars.h.i.+ps followed suit. However, it was not an easy task to turn s.h.i.+ps around in the middle of a melee. The experienced Merkatz saw the opportunity and seized it.
The Imperial Fleet cannon beams swept through like a meteor shower. The neutralizing magnetic fields all ruptured from overload. The Alliance Fleet vessels were almost all destroyed.
The angry energy waves of the previous battle field once again emerged on the new battle field. Vice Admiral Moore and Lieutenant Commander Lapp simultaneously felt as if only the lonely Alliance Fleet s.h.i.+ps were tumbling among the raging tsunamis.
“A lot of small vessels are rapidly approaching our s.h.i.+p!”
The operator screamed. One of the screens displayed a large number ofWalküres. In a few seconds, the majority of the screens were also occupied by flocks of Walküres. They arrived swiftly as if they were flaunting, and then they launched light beam attacks from extremely close range.
“Begin melee attack! Launch the Spartanians!”
The order was given too late. The Spartanians left the mother s.h.i.+ps only to find Walküres camping for them! The cruel light beams uniformly shot out. The Alliance battle crafts had only the option to be destroyed, and then burst into fireb.a.l.l.s scattering in all directions!
“Commander! Look!”
The operator said as he pointed to one of the screens. The numerous light cl.u.s.ters signaled the imminent arrival of the Imperial Fleet. The shadows of the enemy vessels interlaced throughout. The bridge was filled with suffocating pressure. Pergamonn was under siege!
“Optical signals are being transmitted!”
The operator muttered the report to the superiors.
“Decode it!”
Due to Vice Admiral Moore’s silence, Lieutenant Commander Lapp was forced to speak. His voice also sounded deep and hoa.r.s.e.
“Decoding……your s.h.i.+p has been completely surrounded. There is nowhere to escape from. Surrender quickly! You will be granted clemency……”
After the message was decoded, countless pairs of eyes and endless silence landed on Vice Admiral Moore’s enormous body. They were waiting for the commander’s decision.
“Surrender……?”
The vice admiral mumbled, and his expression abruptly changed.
“No! I can be incompetent but I will never be a coward!”
Twenty seconds later, flas.h.i.+ng white lights surrounded them.
V
The anxiety was at its boiling point.
The bridge of the Alliance 2nd Fleet Flags.h.i.+p Patroclus was dominated by an invisible thundercloud. When would the intense electrical discharge attack? Level one combat readiness orders were given, and all personnel were suited in s.p.a.ce suits, but that anxiety still seeped through their s.p.a.ce suits, sending chills down their spines.
“It looks like the 4th Fleet and the 6th Fleet were completely annihilated.”
“We are isolated! Now, there are more enemies than there are we!”
“I need intel! What is happening? What is the current situation?”
Even though discussions were prohibited, they felt they had to discuss it, or the anxiety would be unbearable. This situation was not planned. Were they not supposed to besiege the Imperial Fleet that had less than half of their numbers from three sides, and return while singing the song of victory…?
“Enemy vessels approaching!”
Suddenly, the operator’s voice rumbled throughout the bridge via the microphone.
“The direction is at 0100 to 0200……” Yang said under his breath.
Just as he finished, the report continued.
“Orientation 0120, angle 11°, rapidly approaching!”
The atmosphere on the bridge of Flags.h.i.+p Patroclus was instantly filled with trepidation, but Yang was seemingly unaware of the tension.
Just as I predicted! After defeating the Alliance 6th Fleet, the Imperial Fleet would travel from the right rear of the 6th Fleet to the front left, drawing a natural curve, pointing the arrow directly at the 2nd Fleet that was all the way in the back. Because the 2nd Fleet was traveling straight forward, therefore, the Imperial Fleet would appear from the direction of one to two o’clock.
“Prepare for war!”
Vice Admiral Paetta ordered. Too slow! – Yang thought.
The orthodox tactic was to prepare for war before the enemy was to attack, but in this situation, this concept just seemed to be a bit pedantic. If they were able to move quickly and attack the enemy from behind, then they could have collaborated with the 6th Fleet, and sandwiched the Imperial Fleet between Scylla and Charybdis.
Once war broke out, it would not end without casualties. However, the more people sacrificed, the less chance there would be at a victory. The significance of the art of war was framed on these two propositions. Basically, success was exchanging for the greatest victory with the minimal amount of sacrifice. The brutal truth then, was war was about how to most effectively slaughter your own kind! Was the commander still not aware of this layer of rationale? – Yang pondered.
However, unnecessary sacrifice still took place. The original scenario should not have evolved to become such an irreparable situation. Yet, the military leaders’ inept operational command abilities drastically worsened the situation. Of course, the merits and demerits would be determined after the fact. The immediate priority now was to prevent the mistakes from expanding or repeating, and to attempt to turn a curse into a blessing.
Even if you regret it and shed tears in kiloliters, those s.p.a.cemen who died in war could not be resurrected. However, at the end, is it not just too pathetic?
“All s.h.i.+ps! Open cannon doors!”
Although the order was given, it was difficult to determine which direction was the front because a retina burning flash obscured the vision of every personnel on the bridge.
Within a split second, Patroclus’s body was blasted up by the exploding energy and was instantly rocking.
Screams and cries accompanied the sounds of falls and clashes. Yang also unavoidably fell to the ground. His back sustained heavy impact and he almost had his breath knocked out of him. He was able to sense the noisy surrounding and the strong airflows even though his protective covering. Yang struggled to adjust his respiratory rhythm while guarding his temporarily blinded eyes with his palms.
Who was responsible for this? The amount of light allowed through the monitoring screens was not even adjusted. If mistakes of this sort were allowed happen, then it would take a miracle to avoid defeat!
“……This is the stern turret! Bridge! Please respond! Requesting instructions!”
“Engine room! This is the engine room! Bridge! Please respond……”
Yang opened his eyes. His vision was filled with emerald-colored smoke.
He sat up and discovered that someone lay nearby. Dark and thick liquid flowed from his mouth to his chest, and all over his body……
“Commander!”
Yang called out and looked at Vice Admiral Paetta’s face. Cautiously, Yang got up on his two legs and stood up.
Parts of the cabin walls cracked open and the cabin pressure was rapidly decreasing.
A few people who neglected to press down on their magnetic boots’ switch were sucked out. Because the automated repair system’s repair guns were able to automatically spray out repair glue, the cracks soon closed up again.
Looking around, Yang saw there was no one left standing on the bridge. He gently lowered Vice Admiral Paetta, and after determining the communication device in his s.p.a.ce suit was functioning properly, he started to give out orders.
“Commander Paetta is wounded. Doctors and medics, please report to the bridge immediately! Operations officers, please immediately evaluate the s.h.i.+p’s status and initiate repairs. Follow up with the reports afterwards. Hurry up! The stern turret does not need to wait for orders before firing! Perform your missions quickly. Engine room, what is your situation?”
“The situation on the bridge is worrisome. The engine room is not damaged.”
“That is great.”
His voice sounded somewhat sarcastic.
“It seems like the bridge can still function normally. Rest a.s.sured and concentrate on your posts!”
He then looked around the bridge again.
“Are there any uninjured officers?”
“I am doing okay! Commodore!”
A person stumbled towards him.
“You are…erm…”
“Staff team Lieutenant Commander Raoul (ラオ少佐)!”
Looking through the s.p.a.ce suit’s helmet, this person had small eyes and a small nose. He appeared to be about the same age as Yang. Except for this person, two pilots and one operator also raised their hands and stood up. That was all.
“There is no one else…”
Yang patted his cheeks covered in the helmet. This meant the 2nd Fleet’s command had been disabled.
The doctor and the medic finally arrived! They scrambled to evaluate Vice Admiral Paetta’s injuries. His chest violently slammed into the command station; his broken ribs pierced through his lungs. They superfluously said, “He had extremely bad luck!” Compared to that, Yang was lucky. That was indisputable.
“Commodore Yang…”
Suffering through unbearable mental and physical pain, Vice Admiral Paetta called out to the young GSO.
“I am giving you the command of the fleet …”
“Me?”
“Out of the remaining officers, you are the highest ranking. Your military talent is also…”
His voice became weak. The vice admiral fainted. The doctor immediately called over the emergency robotic gurney.
“He has high opinions of you!”
Lieutenant Commander Raoul seemed moved.
“You think so?”
Lieutenant Commander Raoul, who knew nothing of Vice Admiral Paetta and Yang’s difference of opinion, was puzzled by Yang’s response. Yang walked towards the communicator and pressed down on the external communication b.u.t.ton. After all, mechanical devices were more dependable than humans.
“This is a notice to the entire fleet. I am Commodore Yang, the deputy general staff officer to Commander Paetta.”
Yang’s voice pa.s.sed through the nothingness of s.p.a.ce.
“Flags.h.i.+p Patroclus was. .h.i.t by artillery sh.e.l.ls, and Vice Admiral Paetta was seriously wounded. The commander has ordered that I take over the command of the entire fleet in his absence.”
Here, he took a deep breath, and gave the astonished s.p.a.cemen a brief moment to process the news.
“There is no need to worry! If you follow my orders you can be saved. If you want to survive, then do not panic, and follow my instructions. Our current situation is not ideal, but the important thing is to win at the end.”
Oh, listen to the grand speech I gave… Yang gave a wry smile, but he did not reveal his thoughts through his expression. As a commanding officer, even if he felt very discouraged or depressed, he could not express them. He could only hold his head up, pull himself together, and face it all.
“We most certainly will not lose! Before my new orders arrive, each s.h.i.+p should just focus on the enemies in front of you. Over.”
His voice reached the ears of the Imperial s.p.a.ce Fleet. On the bridge of flags.h.i.+p Brünhild, Reinhard’s beautiful eyebrows raised slightly.
“Will not lose, if you follow my orders you can be saved…? To think the rebel army also has an audacious person like this.”
His eyes s.h.i.+ned with the color of northern ice.
“Do you think you can still overturn your disadvantage at this stage? Heh. Fine. Let us go find out how capable he is, Kircheis.”
“Yes.”
“Change the fleet formation. Send out the orders to have the entire fleet move into a spindle formation. Do you understand why?”
“You want to break through the middle?”
“Yes, that is exactly right!”
Kircheis relayed Reinhard’s orders to the entire Imperial Fleet.
When not wearing helmets, Yang often held his beret in his hands while habitually ruffling his black hair. When the strengths of the forces were about equal, the more advantageous offensive tactic would be to attack through the middle or to initiate a semi-encirclement. He speculated that the enemy would likely adopt a more aggressive approach. Apparently his prediction was correct.
“Lieutenant Commander Raoul.”
“Yes, Acting Commander!”
“The enemy is currently utilizing the spindle formation, so they are probably considering breaking through the middle of our formation.”
“Breaking through the middle!”
“After defeating the 4th Fleet and the 6th Fleet, the Imperial Fleet is at the height of their morale. Naturally, this is the tactic they would choose.”
Lieutenant Commander Raoul was at a loss trying to understand Yang’s deduction. Yang, on the other hand, felt the Alliance’s repeated failure was just like Lieutenant Commander Raoul’s current expression, a showcase of the outcome of the Imperial Fleet’s aggressive offensive tactics.
“How do you plan to counter them?”
“I am still trying to come up with a countermeasure.”
“But, how would we contact the other s.h.i.+ps? Electronic communication would get picked up by the enemy, so it is too dangerous! Optical signals are the same, but then using messenger boats is too time-consuming.”
“Do not worry. We can use the complex communications circuit. Order all s.h.i.+ps to turn on the C4 communications circuit in their tactical computers. Just send out this order. This way, even if the news gets picked up by the enemy they would not be able to interpret it right away.”
“So, Acting Commander, did you already consider the entire battle plan and input the information into the computer? …way before the battle started? Are they still useful now?”
“Having a plan is better than not having a plan okay? If you do not have anything else to add then just stop asking questions.”
Yang’s tone was somewhat forceful. Since Ca.s.sandra, Queen of Troy, forecasters who warned of defeat were inevitably frowned upon.
“Hurry up and deliver my orders!
“Yes! Right away, Sir!”
Lieutenant Commander Raoul jogged to the just-supplemented communications department. Having only five people operating the bridge was not enough; therefore, each department within the s.h.i.+p transferred ten people to the bridge to a.s.sist. Because there were not many s.h.i.+p survivors, they were forced to transfer people from these departments that were already low on manpower.
The Imperial Fleet calmly lined up their spindle formation and started to advance. The Alliance Fleet greeted them with artillery fire, but the Imperial Fleet was not deterred. As the distance between the two forces closed, the densely woven beams formed countless lattice lines.
The Imperial Fleet strike force under the command of Rear Admiral Fahrenheit advanced towards the Alliance Fleet unrelentingly.
“The entire enemy fleet is charging at us!”
The operator’s voice was sharp and high pitched.
Yang looked up at the display panel with the 270° wide-angle-detector installed. From the display, it seemed like the enemies were advancing at an accelerated speed; their movements were clean and tidy. In comparison, the Alliance’s movements were sluggish and seemingly lacking in esprit de corps. Yet, the battle appeared to be upon them.
What should we do?
Yang sat on the command seat with his legs crossed, but he was not as calm as his body language suggested. As of now, the enemy’s actions had not exceeded the scope of Yang’s predictions. The problem was with his own fleet’s movements. If they could execute the battle plan exactly as he dictated, then all was not lost. However, just one misstep would wipe out their entire fleet, causing the scenario to evolve to the point of no return. Then what would they do?
“Then I will scratch my head and fake it.”
Yang answered himself. He could not predict everything, and he could not take reckless actions. No one could be responsible for a job that exceeded his abilities.
VI
The display panel on the ceiling of the cabin was filled with vibrant, dancing lights. Right now, the wars.h.i.+p Patroclus was positioned within the vortex of the exploding lights.
Photon beams were shooting towards them from up and down, front and back, and left and right.
Patroclus also opened his cannon gates and blew the breath of death and destruction towards the enemy line. For victory, for survival, the ma.s.sive consumption and waste of human and material resources became justified.
“Enemy wars.h.i.+p approaching! Judging by the shape of the s.h.i.+p it appears to be Wallenstein (ワレンシュタイン).”
Wallenstein’s hull was already in disrepair, and they broke through directly against the artillery fires. The half disabled main cannons were attempting to make a frontal attack on Patroclus, but Patroclus’s reacted very rapidly this time.
“Fire all main cannons simultaneously! Target approaching!” Acting gunner Lieutenant Commander Raoul issued the order.
Instantaneously, Patroclus’s front main cannons fired their neutron beams simultaneously, directly hitting the middle of Wallenstein’s hull.
The enormous Imperial battles.h.i.+p quietly vaporized within the second. Through the helmet’s speakers, Yang heard the thundering cheers, followed by astonished gasps. Within the white light of a nuclear fusion explosion, another battles.h.i.+p, Kärnten (ケルンテン), soared through. Yang once again witnessed the Imperial Fleet’s solid lineup and its tremendous esprit de corps.
High esprit de corps is an essential element to obtaining victory. Everyone understood this principle. Yang thought, “Maybe I could witness the moment a great general was born.
‘There are wise generals, and there are brave generals. Generals who could transcend the two distinctions, and make their men have faith in their invincibility, are great generals.’ Yang once read a pa.s.sage like this in the history books. Reinhard von Lohengramm may still be young, but he already could be called a great general. He was a major threat to the Free Planets Alliance, and he stirred the hate and fear within the Galactic Empire’s old social elites.
Yang straightened up his legs as he indulged himself in the intoxicating wave of history.
During that time, the situation on the battlefield was changing rapidly.
Kärnten and Patroclus exchanged cannon fires back and forth, but neither could give the other the fatal blow. Therefore, they gradually pulled apart from the melee.
Yang looked to the strategic computer monitor that displayed the simulated battlefield. Simple graphics ill.u.s.trated the formations of the two fleets.
Once in a while there were small fluctuations intermingling from the opposite direction, but overall one could see that the Imperial Fleet was advancing, and the Alliance Fleet was retreating.
Both sides were repeating the move with increased speed. Each time the Imperial Fleet took a step forward, the Alliance Fleet matched it with a retreating step. Then, the small fluctuations from the opposite direction disappeared. The simulated formation was displayed with more clarity and simplicity. Anyone could see that the Imperial Fleet had victory in their hands, and the Alliance Fleet was doomed to defeat.
“It looks like we won.”
Reinhard softly said to himself. It seemed like his plan for a center break through was a success.
On the other side, Yang also nodded to Lieutenant Commander Raoul.
“It seems like everything is going smoothly.”
He did not say anything that could put anyone at ease.
What worried Yang, however, was whether his own fleet would adhere to his instructions. Yang was confident in his strategy. Considering the current state of the matter, victory was impossible. However, it was not entirely unlikely to remain undefeated. Although, the prerequisite was his fleet must implement this battle plan exactly.
Some of the unit commanders thought highly of themselves, and they were not necessarily willing to follow the command of someone like Yang, who was of the younger generation. When they have other effective battle plans, Yang also must adopt the plans. Their eager performances were not so much a sign of their loyalty, but rather their will to pursuit life; therefore, Yang could not just blanketly reject their ideas.
A confused expression started to surface on Reinhard’s face.
He stood up from his seat and stared at the screen on the cabin ceiling. An uneasy feeling emerged from within him.
His fleet was advancing and Yang’s fleet was retreating. Under the center break through tactic, the Alliance Fleet was retreating from both the left and right sides. The situation displayed on the screen, the simulated formations shown by the tactical computer detector, or the intelligence sent back by the strike force, all declared the same situation.
Reinhard could feel the m.u.f.fled thunders rumbling through his chest. The displeasure of being fooled was eroding his nerves.
His left fist rose to the corner of his mouth and he lightly tapped his teeth with his finger. Then, all of a sudden, he realized the enemy’s intentions.
“s.h.i.+t!”
This m.u.f.fled self-talk was drowned out by the shouts of the operators and was not heard by anyone.
“The enemy fleet has already been cut in half by my fleet! What… what is ha
