| Jovian APAworks | Volume 1, Number 6 | May, 2001 |
Activity around the Defense Force Ship Osaka and her battle group was ablaze as Auxiliary Fighting Ships replenished the much-needed stores to this hungry contingent of warships of the Venusian Maritime Defense Force. Advanced fleet defense fighters and mecha zipped in and around the battle group, ever weary of intruders. Ship’s defense force mecha stood ready for battle next to the gun mounts and missile batteries of the ships they assigned to protect. "Line Handlers" for this UnRep evolution controlled Type 87 M-Pods, bringing supplies from the aux ships to the warships.
Battleship Battle Group 41 had been on maneuvers near the belt since early April. BBBG 41 had been using the asteroids for gunshoots to improve the training of their gun teams. As far as new shipmates were concerned this was just a normal part of fleet life but the veterans knew that a battle group did not go on maneuvers shooting up asteroids and expending five months worth of tax payers money for no reason.
Tai Sa John Ichiro Thompson was one such veteran who knew that something big was planned for this battle group. Long ago he had learned the hard way to listen to his gut feeling and right now they were telling him to be prepared for bad news. His Executive Officer, Chu Sa Mei Lin Li or Melissa, to her shipmates, had the same feeling, combat veterans developed a sixth sense about things, or was it a seventh sense he wondered.
He wondered how the Sho Sho was doing. Sho Sho’s commanded battle groups but at present Rear Admiral Toshiko Matsumoto had fallen ill and was currently in sickbay until Doctor "Doc" Noriko Kishimoto could help the Rear Admiral recover. Until that time, command of the Osaka battle group fell to Captain Thompson. Command of his ship had been granted to Commander Li, in whose leadership capability he had absolute trust. At least his lady, the Osaka, was being taken care of by another lady.
John looked out of the observation windows at the 50,000 ton DFS Sunrise, AGFS-141. She was one of the new AFS-99 Tazokare or Twilight class modular Auxiliary Fighting Ships. Conceptualized in the mid 2180s as a ship that could be quickly adapted to any support function required by fleet. The new support platform system was finally deployed in the 3rd quarter of 2205. Within the short five years they have been deployed they have radically changed the thinking of all naval commands around the system toward how an auxiliary fleet should function. Within 42 hours a modular vessel could be adapted to any of the five different function required to support any deployed Venusian task force or battle group. Theoretically, it would only require five AFS to support any MDF battle group. By international military standards, the MDF auxiliary navy was the best in the system and was either admired or envied by all.
BBBG-41 currently had three modular AFS deployed with them, one general stores ship (AGFS), an ordinance ship (AOFS), and finally a fuel ship carrying the groups ship and craft reaction mass (ARFS). That’s one big ship Captain Thompson thought to himself as he watched her "steam" alongside the 42,000ton Osaka. I wonder what her Tai Sa is thinking right now? John knew Captain Michiko Nishimura, a canine enthusiast like himself, family person, and career fleet. His introspection was relating everything in the third person for some reason. Maybe it was because he needed some rest. I’ve only been up what? Looking at his watch. 47 hours. Ok maybe he did need some sleep.
Osaka’s communications deck was darkened and bathed in the red light of the watch lamps. Watches tended to become a repetitive routine and this was no exception but everyone had to keep alert or the direst of consequences could result for shipmates and possibly the entire battle group.
Communications Technician, Petty Officer 4th class Kenji Iwami wondered how something as interesting as communications, could have been so fascinating during school but had become so monotonous in fleet. A battleship was supposed to be exciting right, fleet was supposed to be where it was at? CT4 Iwami sat back and rubbed his eyes. Have to stay awake. His yawning didn’t help, he decided to get some green tea. That’ll help. This was navy tea, he smirked at the thought with some pride and dread. Some wondered if it was really tea at all, Kenji smiled and turned to pick up his teacup, all the while yawning again. Blast it, why can’t something exciting happen for once. Kenji’s MK 87 Mod 3 communications station suddenly blared an EFM and Kenji turned to his immediate superior. Be weary what you ask for grandchild. His Grandfather’s wisdom suddenly came to mind. "Lieutenant, Emergency Flash Message, origin Defense fleet Command Authority." Calmly CT4 Iwami and the Officer Of the Watch, Lieutenent Kenji McLauren went through the proper procedures for receiving the EFM. Kengi checked its priority, Alpha priority, check, content is next. The OOW confirmed the origin. Petty Officer Iwami's eyes widened at the content within the EFM he and the OOW were staring at. He removed the message from the printer and placed it in the proper "command eyes only" envelope and sealed it. Next it was time to inform the bridge. "Sir the EFM has been sealed in the coomand only package, permission to inform ship's command.
"Permission is granted to inform the ship’s command." Lieutenant McLaruen nodded to Petty Officer Iwami.
Turning to the Internal Communications System, Kenji called the bridge. "Bridge, comms, EFM traffic."
"Comms, Bridge, confirm EFM origin." Commander Li replied into the ICS. So the day has come finally.
Kenji and Lieutenant McLaruen confirmed the origin of the EFM. CT4 Iwami proceeded to the bridge hatch and approached Commander Li. Saluting her, Iwami delivered the message and as per security procedure he remained with the Commander as the message was delivered to the Captain.
Mei Lin Li walked over to Captain Thompson. "Sir I have the EFM."
"Is the message authentic?" Captain Thompson asked. Where will fate lead us now. A rhetorical question because fate was going to take them somewhere regardless if they wanted to go or not. Such was the way of a warrior.
"I have confirmed that the message is authentic sir." She replied.
Kenji repeated the same information to the Captain. "The message is authentic sir."
John nodded at the two of them. "Very well." He took the package and opened it. Reading over it his expression remained calm and matter of fact. So, this was the reason for training near the belt. He read the message aloud to his two shipmates before him.
"BBBG 41, MDF Command Authority -- Set DefCon 3, UnRep immediately and deploy to patrol quadrant 108 -- Rendezvous with TF-5 and await further orders -- Command Authority out." He looked at both of them. "Well at least we finally have orders. Petty Officer Iwami, inform comm deck, secure stations." CT4 Iwami saluted and acknowledged the Captain’s order. Captain Thompson returned his salute and Kenji quickly ran back to the comm deck with his orders. "Mei inform all battle group Captains to set DefCon 3 and that as soon as Underway Replenishment is completed. Then go to general quarters, and alert the battle group."
"Aye Aye sir." Mei Lin contacted the Comm Deck to relayed the Captains orders to the battle group. Within 67 minutes the entire battle group was completely supplied. Commander Li received the word that the UnRep evolution for the entire group was complete. She turned to the OOD. "Officer Of the Deck sound general quarters, set condition 1." The OOD acknowledged the XO and immediately the word was passed down.
The Venusian Bank Corporate headquarters conference boardroom was both spacious and elegant by Venusian standards. Toshihiko Okiura smiled to himself as the many directors inquired as to exactly how he was going to gain rights to the newly discovered mineral rich deposits within nomad territory especially since reconnaissance had revealed both a sizable CEGA and Jovian military forces already in the area.
Toshihiko bowed in total respect to his masters. They bowed slightly and listened to his explanation. "Respected directors I have set in motion the key to gaining mineral rights from both CEGA and Jupiter. I have sent civilian exploration teams. Surely the mighty nations of CEGA and Jupiter would never fire upon civilians." So trusted was Toshihiko that the directors simply accepted that their most trusted servant had things well in hand. So easily manipulated oh so trusting leaders.
"General Quarters, general quarters, all hands man your general quarters stations. Set condition 1. This is not a drill, this is not drill. General quarters, general quarters, all hands man your general quarters stations. Set condition 1. Say again this is not a drill, this is not a drill." The warship came alive as sailors and marines stopped what they were doing and immediately reported to their GQ stations. Five minutes later the twenty-five ships of the battle group deployed for the rendezvous point.
Team 7 had received reports from the steel jack "Journeyman" about pirate mecha activity along trade route 3. It had been three hours since they had via their fast attack ship Tsunami, FAS-221. Team 7’s five FA-3A Peregrine Falcon fighter attack mecha had fanned out over the last search zone of the patrol. It was odd that their advanced systems had detected nothing of the pirates so far. GSF9 equipment was state of the art and about 10 years ahead of anything anyone would have with the exception of other special ops units. Pirates usually had out of date equipment that was 10 years old and they never had the money for anything modern let alone advanced.
The last search zone consisted of several slow orbiting asteroids marked with tall spires and broken craters. It was dark for the most part except for the faint light of the sun, which was the biggest star in the night sky tonight. Everyone was about 500 meters apart from each other. Jason kept an eye on Candace as this was officially her first mecha op with the team. In the tradition of all drivers through the ages, she nicknamed her Peregrine Falcon, Emerald. They had been teaching her to become a Peregrine driver for about six months now. Amazingly she had shown a natural aptitude for operating the agile mecha. Candace asked Jason not to worry and that she would be all right. He told her if any action started that he would come to protect her. He was proud of her and knew that she was excited about finally being out in the real thing.
Ya she was excited, Candace was finally driving a combat mecha and not just any mecha but a state of the art, advanced combat, high mobility platform. How many kids got to do what she was doing. At least it got her away from things for a while. She smiled to herself as she checked her sensors again and keyed in additional filters to silence more noise that would eventually deafen the sensor system. Debris was considered noise and there was a lot of it in space. Ok that’s better let’s see what you can show me Emerald. "What’s this? Guys I think I have something bearing 30, heading unknown, distance 120 meters." Oops forgot to say my mecha callsign, Ghost 5.
"Ghost 5 that’s an affirmative. Ghost 3 is 340 meters west of your location. I’ll flank in to your port side. Let’s see what this puppy is." Orion pushed the throttle to his Peregrine to three quarter power to rendezvous with Candace. Everyone else gave an affirmative over the tac-net.
"Ghost 5, Nearing 70 meters. I should see something by now, dang, moving in closer to the target." Jupiter maneuvered Emerald over the lip of a six-mile wide crater that some high-speed asteroid had created when it smashed into this hunk of rock long ago. Emerald looked like a gigantic hiker as it stepped over the lip of the crater. Since all perspective was lost in space, to the casual observer, Emerald would have appeared to be a space walker that was very far away.
Jason listened in and began to maneuver back toward her, just in case. "Jupiter, Lion, Just be careful Candace."
"Lion, Affirmative." She smiled because she liked how he was always looking out for her. I’d better be careful; he only calls me by my first name when he’s nervous.
The mecha hiding within the mineral outcroppings was not one of Team seven’s. It’s non-reflective; abyss black hue camouflaged it from visual detection. Its driver watched Emerald walking slowly forward, holding its three barreled 25mm M50A1 rotary cannon in it’s armored hands. The warrior noted an under slung weapon, it looked like some sort of rocket or grenade launcher. In a close quarters battle, that weapon would be useless. They continued to track her with their weaponry.
Out of the corner of her eye she caught the movement of something colored red. Huh, what was that? As Candace thought about it, Emerald seemed to react to her very thoughts bringing its M50A1 rifle to its armored shoulder and immediately crouched to lower its profile. Candace visually searched the terrain for any sign of what she had seen. "Ghost 5, I have possible contact, no visual. Need assistance." All that sim training is kicking in now. Candace tracked the area looking for any signs of the contact she was sure she had seen. There.
"Team 7 move to Jupiter’s location immediately. Ghost 5 we are reroute now." Hang on sweetie, we’re coming. The rest of the team acknowledged the order and headed out as fast as their Peregrine’s would take them.
Candace keyed a broadband radio transmission and hailed the unknown. "This is the Lady Liberty defense force, identify yourself immediately." Oh shoot I’m nervous, where the heck are you guys? Suddenly Emerald’s combat sensors screamed that they had just been painted. First rule: Stay calm, stay calm. "Your actions are hostile and defensive action will be taken against you if you do not stand down immediately. Do you understand?" 23mm tracers came flying at Emerald and Candace at hypersonic velocity. Guess you don’t understand, you’re dead. Suddenly Candace’s nervousness was replaced by anger and clarity of thought. She knew exactly what she had to do. 75 projectiles exploded around Emerald sending debris everywhere, obscuring any visual Candace might have had. No! I can’t see. "I’ve lost visual, trying to re-aquire."
The red mecha was an older F-23D Pathfinder. It circled around to her port side to flank her, that visual noise would only last a few more seconds. 'Everyone move in now, let’s frag this Skull Crusher."
Emerald told Candace that this hostile had friends about ten of them. "Just great!" She growled over the tac-net. "Multiple hostiles, I am engaged with ten, say again engaged with 10. Where are you guys?" Candace acquired a blue F-23D that had come out from behind a rock, it’s M20 23mm cannon coming up to engage Emerald.
Jason kept his calm, getting upset now would not help Candace. "Stryfe how far are from Ghost 5?"
Orion had gone to full military power when the hostile had first fired on Candace. "10 seconds." Orion acquired three of the hostiles before he crested the top of the crater. "Ghost 3 engaging now." Two seconds before his Peregrine’s M50A1 cleared the crater top, Orion pulled the trigger, sending 6000 rounds per minute at his first target. 200 rounds of 25mm APFSDS and HEAT blasted through the crater and into an older M82A5 Lynx quadruped mecha. White hot phosphorous sparks angrily engulfed the armored turret of the four legged mecha as over 150 rounds of armor piercing ammunition blasted through its armor, striking vital internal components. The direct hits shook the M82 giving it the appearance of going through violent convulsions. Several 25mm projectiles came in contact with the Lynx’s 150mm main gun ammunition and exploded in a lethal force of mutual destruction. The ensuing explosion blew the turret and sent it and one leg flying off of the main body and away from the rock. Hyper velocity fragmentation impacted everywhere, some of which hit and knocked the red Pathfinder's 23mm battle rifle out of its hands. The burning remains of the Lynx rotated away from the rock into space.
Emerald acquired the blue Pathfinder, its HUD signaling her to fire. Candace pulled the trigger and her 25mm cannon wound up, rotating the three barrels to 6000rpm. The Pathfinder’s driver showed their inexperience by trying to put their arms in front of their mecha in a futile attempt offer additional protection from the incoming hail of death. Candace witnessed the Pathfinder come apart like a rag doll thrown to rabid dogs.
Four white contrails abruptly flew onto the field striking an older D57-100 Explorer. Mach 25, super heated gas jets from the 75mm HEAT warheads exploded against the D57s armor and instantly ate through it. Pieces of the armor and equipment flew of off of the hull of the mecha then black acrid smoke flowed out of the dead machine as it slowly fell forward. That can only be Knightshift. Orion knew how much his friend loved his high explosives and would use them any chance he got. Three down and seven left to go.
Rad arrived just in time see six of the enemy mecha launch off of the rock. "Ghost 4, hostiles are valkyrie, hostiles are valkyrie. Ghost 4 is engaging." The enemy was now flying to either engage or disengage from the battle by flying away.
"Ghost 3 is engaging." Orion energized his Peregrine’s thrusters and shot skyward and joined on Rad’s wing. "Alright Conman, I’ve got your wing, let’s get some."
"Affirmative Ghost 3." Rad replied and the two of them blasted into battle.
Lion had been the furthest away from her and now he kicked himself for having done something so stupid when he had promised that he would protect her.
20 seconds out.
Candace smiled when she saw Kyle’s Peregrine waving at her from on top the crater. Her relief was quickly turned to terror when without warning a massive explosion enveloped the FA-3A and sent it hurtling off of the crater. Then Emerald was violently thrown down to the crater floor. The impact nearly knocked her out but Emerald had stabilized itself with its maneuvering thrusters. Candace blinked her eyes twice and looked around to see where fire had come from. The red Pathfinder.
15 seconds out.
It was aiming the biggest gun Candace had ever seen right at her. The Pathfinder driver hailed her. "I’m going to kill you Skull Crusher.' He pulled the trigger only to be greeted by an empty click. "What?!" His voice was filled with rage and hatred, which instantly froze Candace in place. "Fine I’ll just have to kill you the old fashion way." The Pathfinder dropped the particle cannon and drew two older PL2 plasma lances from its left and right legs. Now the red Pathfinder slowly walked toward Emerald.
10 seconds.
Kyle shook his head clear. Good night, what happened? Then he remembered. Jupiter! Standing up was painful and seem to take forever but he finally was able to get to one knee. All he saw was a red Pathfinder with plasma lances approaching a now battle damaged and immobile Emerald. "Lion get over here now. Jupiter is immobile, hostile 50 meters from her position." Kyle shakily aimed his M50 cannon. I have to try to get him without hitting Candace. He pulled the trigger and sent a short burst of fire at the red mecha but missed sending rock and dust into space. Blast! He fired again and missed once more. "Lion I can’t hit it, red Pathfinder is 30 meters."
"I’m on it!." Lion slid his Peregrine down the side of the crater and put his rifle on the hostile. 20 meters. He watched as Candace’s mecha raised her M50 at the now deadly close Pathfinder. Yes sweetie, engage now. His FA-3A’s feet hit an outcropping of rock and stopped him cold. "150 meters, engaging." Lion pulled the trigger only to hear that his primary weapon had malfunctioned. "NO!" Lion saw Kyle fired again and missed. "I’m engaging close quarters." Jason pulled out his Type 25 plasma lance and charged the red pathfinder that was now only 15 meters from Candace.
"Lion my gun won’t work! Please help me!" Candace was too frozen to go for Emeralds plasma lance.
God we need a miracle now. Lion prayed as hard as he had ever prayed in his entire life. I can’t lose her.
10 meters from her the Pathfinder driver decided to finalize her death. "You need a miracle now." The Pathfinder raised the brilliant glowing plasma lances to strike down into the cockpit of the Peregrine. Candace closed her eyes, she knew that any joy that ever came into her life would be taken away from her and maybe this was how her life was supposed to end. At least she had been able to enjoy being with the friends she had made within Team 7, she hoped they’d be alright. Peace would soon come to her in a few seconds.
She opened her eyes after a few seconds of nothing. Had the pirate decided to spare her life? Was this the peace that she had been wishing for, for so long? Or had a miracle happened? Slowly she opened her green eyes; droplet spheres of sweat were floating around her in Emeralds cockpit. The red pirate pathfinder was just standing there not moving. Candace looked closer and saw that there were two small holes in the mecha, one in the sensor suite or head and the other dead center into the cockpit. She heard voices, and frowned then blinked. My friends. I’ll never leave any of you. You’re my family now. Emerald’s tac-com blared. "Jupiter acknowledge! Are you alright? Confirm condition please." That was Rad. "Candace, sweetie, answer us please. Let’s blow the hatch guys." She smiled at the sound of Jason’s voice. She replied back. "If anyone of you scratches Emerald, I’ll personally kick your butts all the way back to LL."
Everyone laughed with relief. "I’m alright, thanks for getting that pirate. By the way who shot him?"
It was Kyle. "We didn’t stop it. They did." Candace brought Emerald to a standing position and looked at where Rad was pointing and everyone was looking. Off in the distance, toward the direction that the pirates had ambushed her walked a lone black mecha. As it neared the team it’s silhouette revealed itself to also be an FA-3A Peregrine Falcon class mecha. In its arms was a simple looking weapon but in reality was one of the most lethal sniper rifles ever developed for armored warfare, a 57mm M880. The black mecha stopped and bowed to Team 7.
"Konbanwa, my name is Zillah and I’ve finally found Team 7."
Editors Note: This multi-chapter piece by Lion Wolf. You can follow the story from the beginning here.
| Jovian APAworks | Volume 1, Number 6 | May, 2001 |
Jovian Chronicles is © 2001, Dream Pod 9, Inc. All rights reserved. Jovian APAworks is not affiliated with Dream Pod 9 in any way. Submitted material remains the property of the creator.