From SC Creator: A loving adaptation of Star Trek in the Shattered Citadel Universe. A story written by Samuel Kingma-Lord. A great read with LOTS of Trekkie references. I am happy he's decided to share this story with all of us. Enjoy. Fan Fiction, not canon to the SC universe. 01242012.
SCFF: Dead in the Water
BY: Samuel Kingma-Lord
Orbit of Jupiter, [Sol], October 2077: - C’mon boys we’ve got them on the run! - shouted Captain Henry Emerson of the Imperial-class battleship USS Remembrance. For the last 45 minutes the Allies were pummeling into oblivion the remaining ships of the combined CFR-Chinese fleet. –Destroy them all and we can finally go home! He said gleefully as he watched orange puffs on the horizon. Suddenly, one of the radar operators bolted from his seat screaming – I’m spotting numerous contacts coming out of hyperspeed! Heading: 006 mark 315. They are right behind us! Everyone’s mood on the bridge went from absolute glee to sheer terror. –But that’s impossible! Emerson shouted not believing his ears. No sooner had he uttered those words that a massive jolt threw him to the floor. He came to his feet completely dazed –Damage report! Give me a damage report! His second in command punched a command on his console –Engines are offline sir! There are minor breeches on deck 9 and 14 through 17. Repair crews are on their way. Weapons systems are still online but our guidance thrusters are completely shot. We can’t maneuver sir. Emerson slammed his own console, nearly breaking it. –Sir, incoming communication! It’s from the CFR flagship Red Moscow. Smiling to himself he walked over to the communication screen, -Patch him through. The screen came to life and a tall Russian admiral came into view. –Admiral Leonov we meet again! Surrender your ships and maybe I’ll let you live. Leonov chuckled to himself on hearing this. With heavily accented English he remarked –Me, surrender to you? It is you who should be surrendering to me. Your ship is, what do you Americans say, dead in the water? While my ship is still wholly intact. If you leave now it is I who will let you live. – I will never surrender to you damn commie filth! Screamed Emerson, spittle coming out of his mouth. – Suit yourself then. Leonov turned to his second in command and uttered an order in Russian. For a few tense seconds nothing happened then, out of nowhere a shock of incredible magnitude shook the entire ship. One by one the crewmen on the bridge started to lift from their seats. –They have neutralised our gravity net, sir! On the screen, Leonov was visibly amused at this turn of events. –Dasvidanya comrade we shall meet again! At this the screen went dark and through the main porthole the bridge crew saw the CFR and Chinese ships vanish into hyperspeed. Emerson cursed himself then looking at his second –How’s the fleet, son? As the status from the other ships came his mood darkened – Not good sir. We lost almost 60 fighters. The ships USS Horizon, Acheron, Cronus, Illustrious, Pearson, Bellerophon and Oberth have been destroyed with all hands. The captain put his head in his hands and sat in his chair as the report continued -… most of the other ships are in bad shape. The USS Quebec City is heavily damaged and is listing. It may need to be evacuated. The ships USS India, Churchill, Kearsarge and Ericsson are damaged but can still fight. He then hesitated. I can’t detect any sign of life from the USS Nostromo. The captain jolted from his seat –Hank! No! Take… take us alongside the Nostromo now! With minimal thrust power the Remembrance lumbered towards the Nostromo. As it came into view the ship seemed to have lost all steering power and so was tumbling erratically. As it turned, the bridge, or what was left of it came into view. It had been completely gutted. A few bodies floated inside it but the captain knew that most of the others would be out in the vacuum of space. Regaining his composure, the captain went back to his chair- Helmsman take the fleet on a course for Mars. We’re going home. The second in command swerved his chair towards the captain- We are not going to pursue? Emerson shook his head- Pursuing them with the ships we have will only lead to more death. Mark my words though he will be back and I will have my revenge! The Remembrance was the first ship to enter hyperspeed followed closely by the others. Once again the battlefield was silent only now it was littered with debris from dozen of ships.
The Pentagon, Office of the Imperial Navy, Earth, Sol, August 2082: He had been called late at night for an important meeting with the chief of fleet operations admiral Louis Dugalle. Emerson didn’t know what to think about it. For the last five years he had been pressing the president and the navy to launch a full scale operation against former admiral Leonov and his men who by now had resorted to lawless piracy. They had been preying on the recovering commercial shipping lanes between Earth and the Colonial Alliance (CA). Despite the tensions between Earth and the colonies, the CA had assured the USEA (United States Earth Authority) that they were dealing with the problem. However, recent intelligence reports suggested that parts of the Colonial establishment was aiding and abetting these pirates who are a real thorn in the side of the USEA. - Come in, come in! Exclaimed admiral Dugalle as Emerson entered his office. After saluting, the captain took a seat in front of Dugalle’s mahogany desk. –Care for a drink? Emerson nodded and Dugalle got up towards a cupboard at the end of his office. He came back with two shot glasses and a bottle of 40-year old brandy. After pouring the drink, Dugalle gave the bottle to Emerson after noticing his curiosity. Emerson’s eyes widened when he saw the brandy’s age. -A 2030 vintage?! It’s almost as rare as clean water in the wild! Taking his own glass he lifted his hand in a toast. -To the men still on patrol. He turned to Dugalle -To absent friends, aye. Both men gulped down their brandy. Emerson’s faced reddened as the liquid burned a path to his stomach. - I haven’t taken much alcohol since Hank died five years ago on the Nostromo. He balled his fist. Dugalle smiled to himself. - You know why you are here? Emerson raised his head, satisfied – Leonov! Dugalle got off his chair and turned on a holographic model of the Solar System. With a pointer Dugalle gestured to the gas giant Jupiter. –For the last few months, we’ve been monitoring pirate raids and attacks on commercial shipping between the USEA and the Colonial Alliance. In the last three months alone, Leonov and his bands have stolen more than 55 million imperial credits worth of cargo, weapons, luxury goods, foodstuff, water you name it. He even dabbles in world war 3 souvenirs smuggling. Emerson finished his glass and looked at the figures with attentive eyes. – What does he do with them? Surely he doesn’t keep them for himself. Dugalle turned his head- He sells them anywhere he can. The black market, criminal gangs, smugglers there are even unconfirmed reports suggesting that he sells those stolen goods to colonies of the CA or even with some of their core worlds like Jupiter. By now Emerson was totally immersed in the meeting. – If this was to be true it would mean that we could finally incorporate those treacherous bastards in line with Earth Authority! Dugalle chuckled loudly. – True but we are at peace with them… for now. Our main target is stopping Leonov’s criminal activities by any means necessary. That means even working with them. He spoke that last word with venom in his tone. He hadn’t forgotten their treachery during the war. He looked towards Emerson. –But let’s get straight to the point and get you on your way. The president wants you to intercept Leonov and capture him. Alive or dead it doesn’t matter. I know you hoped you would go with your old battleship, the Remembrance was it? No matter. You are to be given a new command and a new ship. You will be given the new Siegfried-class battleship ISS Iron Sun. Emerson leaned back on his chair and sighed. - Where has Leonov last been sighted? Dugalle looked back at the map. - His area of operations comprises mostly the area between the asteroid belt all the way to Pluto. His raids have even gone as far as Mars in our Solar System and halfway to Proxima Centauri but that’s pretty rare most of the time. According to our reports and our spies, we think that his principal base of operation is near or in the Proxima Centauri system. Dugalle stood up and gave his hand. Emerson got up and shook it firmly. - Are you coming with me? Dugalle sighed - No I won’t but I’ll be monitoring your campaign from aboard the communication cruiser USS Doppler. Emerson turned to Dugalle chuckling. -That old bucket of bolts is still in operation? Dugalle looked somewhat surprised at the question. – What do you mean? Emerson leaned on the desk. -The Doppler was already in operation before the Long War. I think she was commissioned in like 2048-2049 or something at the height of the space exploration program. She was actually the second interplanetary communication vessel ever built. The first one was the USS Fessenden. He took another sip of brandy. How many ships will I have? Dugalle look at his computer. – You will have about 50 ships including 5 fighter carriers, battleships, cruisers, frigates, a few corvettes and of course several hospital ships. Don’t worry though they will all be serviced by well-trained crews and veteran captains. Dugalle then thrusted his hand again. - You really did your homework. I didn’t know the Doppler was that old. As Emerson left his office he slightly turned his head. – Thank you old friend. Dugalle gave him a slight nod. As Emerson left the Pentagon he looked up to the brightening sky. –Leonov I’m coming for you. You better be ready for me you bastard.
SCFF: Dead in the Water
BY: Samuel Kingma-Lord
Orbit of Jupiter, [Sol], October 2077: - C’mon boys we’ve got them on the run! - shouted Captain Henry Emerson of the Imperial-class battleship USS Remembrance. For the last 45 minutes the Allies were pummeling into oblivion the remaining ships of the combined CFR-Chinese fleet. –Destroy them all and we can finally go home! He said gleefully as he watched orange puffs on the horizon. Suddenly, one of the radar operators bolted from his seat screaming – I’m spotting numerous contacts coming out of hyperspeed! Heading: 006 mark 315. They are right behind us! Everyone’s mood on the bridge went from absolute glee to sheer terror. –But that’s impossible! Emerson shouted not believing his ears. No sooner had he uttered those words that a massive jolt threw him to the floor. He came to his feet completely dazed –Damage report! Give me a damage report! His second in command punched a command on his console –Engines are offline sir! There are minor breeches on deck 9 and 14 through 17. Repair crews are on their way. Weapons systems are still online but our guidance thrusters are completely shot. We can’t maneuver sir. Emerson slammed his own console, nearly breaking it. –Sir, incoming communication! It’s from the CFR flagship Red Moscow. Smiling to himself he walked over to the communication screen, -Patch him through. The screen came to life and a tall Russian admiral came into view. –Admiral Leonov we meet again! Surrender your ships and maybe I’ll let you live. Leonov chuckled to himself on hearing this. With heavily accented English he remarked –Me, surrender to you? It is you who should be surrendering to me. Your ship is, what do you Americans say, dead in the water? While my ship is still wholly intact. If you leave now it is I who will let you live. – I will never surrender to you damn commie filth! Screamed Emerson, spittle coming out of his mouth. – Suit yourself then. Leonov turned to his second in command and uttered an order in Russian. For a few tense seconds nothing happened then, out of nowhere a shock of incredible magnitude shook the entire ship. One by one the crewmen on the bridge started to lift from their seats. –They have neutralised our gravity net, sir! On the screen, Leonov was visibly amused at this turn of events. –Dasvidanya comrade we shall meet again! At this the screen went dark and through the main porthole the bridge crew saw the CFR and Chinese ships vanish into hyperspeed. Emerson cursed himself then looking at his second –How’s the fleet, son? As the status from the other ships came his mood darkened – Not good sir. We lost almost 60 fighters. The ships USS Horizon, Acheron, Cronus, Illustrious, Pearson, Bellerophon and Oberth have been destroyed with all hands. The captain put his head in his hands and sat in his chair as the report continued -… most of the other ships are in bad shape. The USS Quebec City is heavily damaged and is listing. It may need to be evacuated. The ships USS India, Churchill, Kearsarge and Ericsson are damaged but can still fight. He then hesitated. I can’t detect any sign of life from the USS Nostromo. The captain jolted from his seat –Hank! No! Take… take us alongside the Nostromo now! With minimal thrust power the Remembrance lumbered towards the Nostromo. As it came into view the ship seemed to have lost all steering power and so was tumbling erratically. As it turned, the bridge, or what was left of it came into view. It had been completely gutted. A few bodies floated inside it but the captain knew that most of the others would be out in the vacuum of space. Regaining his composure, the captain went back to his chair- Helmsman take the fleet on a course for Mars. We’re going home. The second in command swerved his chair towards the captain- We are not going to pursue? Emerson shook his head- Pursuing them with the ships we have will only lead to more death. Mark my words though he will be back and I will have my revenge! The Remembrance was the first ship to enter hyperspeed followed closely by the others. Once again the battlefield was silent only now it was littered with debris from dozen of ships.
The Pentagon, Office of the Imperial Navy, Earth, Sol, August 2082: He had been called late at night for an important meeting with the chief of fleet operations admiral Louis Dugalle. Emerson didn’t know what to think about it. For the last five years he had been pressing the president and the navy to launch a full scale operation against former admiral Leonov and his men who by now had resorted to lawless piracy. They had been preying on the recovering commercial shipping lanes between Earth and the Colonial Alliance (CA). Despite the tensions between Earth and the colonies, the CA had assured the USEA (United States Earth Authority) that they were dealing with the problem. However, recent intelligence reports suggested that parts of the Colonial establishment was aiding and abetting these pirates who are a real thorn in the side of the USEA. - Come in, come in! Exclaimed admiral Dugalle as Emerson entered his office. After saluting, the captain took a seat in front of Dugalle’s mahogany desk. –Care for a drink? Emerson nodded and Dugalle got up towards a cupboard at the end of his office. He came back with two shot glasses and a bottle of 40-year old brandy. After pouring the drink, Dugalle gave the bottle to Emerson after noticing his curiosity. Emerson’s eyes widened when he saw the brandy’s age. -A 2030 vintage?! It’s almost as rare as clean water in the wild! Taking his own glass he lifted his hand in a toast. -To the men still on patrol. He turned to Dugalle -To absent friends, aye. Both men gulped down their brandy. Emerson’s faced reddened as the liquid burned a path to his stomach. - I haven’t taken much alcohol since Hank died five years ago on the Nostromo. He balled his fist. Dugalle smiled to himself. - You know why you are here? Emerson raised his head, satisfied – Leonov! Dugalle got off his chair and turned on a holographic model of the Solar System. With a pointer Dugalle gestured to the gas giant Jupiter. –For the last few months, we’ve been monitoring pirate raids and attacks on commercial shipping between the USEA and the Colonial Alliance. In the last three months alone, Leonov and his bands have stolen more than 55 million imperial credits worth of cargo, weapons, luxury goods, foodstuff, water you name it. He even dabbles in world war 3 souvenirs smuggling. Emerson finished his glass and looked at the figures with attentive eyes. – What does he do with them? Surely he doesn’t keep them for himself. Dugalle turned his head- He sells them anywhere he can. The black market, criminal gangs, smugglers there are even unconfirmed reports suggesting that he sells those stolen goods to colonies of the CA or even with some of their core worlds like Jupiter. By now Emerson was totally immersed in the meeting. – If this was to be true it would mean that we could finally incorporate those treacherous bastards in line with Earth Authority! Dugalle chuckled loudly. – True but we are at peace with them… for now. Our main target is stopping Leonov’s criminal activities by any means necessary. That means even working with them. He spoke that last word with venom in his tone. He hadn’t forgotten their treachery during the war. He looked towards Emerson. –But let’s get straight to the point and get you on your way. The president wants you to intercept Leonov and capture him. Alive or dead it doesn’t matter. I know you hoped you would go with your old battleship, the Remembrance was it? No matter. You are to be given a new command and a new ship. You will be given the new Siegfried-class battleship ISS Iron Sun. Emerson leaned back on his chair and sighed. - Where has Leonov last been sighted? Dugalle looked back at the map. - His area of operations comprises mostly the area between the asteroid belt all the way to Pluto. His raids have even gone as far as Mars in our Solar System and halfway to Proxima Centauri but that’s pretty rare most of the time. According to our reports and our spies, we think that his principal base of operation is near or in the Proxima Centauri system. Dugalle stood up and gave his hand. Emerson got up and shook it firmly. - Are you coming with me? Dugalle sighed - No I won’t but I’ll be monitoring your campaign from aboard the communication cruiser USS Doppler. Emerson turned to Dugalle chuckling. -That old bucket of bolts is still in operation? Dugalle looked somewhat surprised at the question. – What do you mean? Emerson leaned on the desk. -The Doppler was already in operation before the Long War. I think she was commissioned in like 2048-2049 or something at the height of the space exploration program. She was actually the second interplanetary communication vessel ever built. The first one was the USS Fessenden. He took another sip of brandy. How many ships will I have? Dugalle look at his computer. – You will have about 50 ships including 5 fighter carriers, battleships, cruisers, frigates, a few corvettes and of course several hospital ships. Don’t worry though they will all be serviced by well-trained crews and veteran captains. Dugalle then thrusted his hand again. - You really did your homework. I didn’t know the Doppler was that old. As Emerson left his office he slightly turned his head. – Thank you old friend. Dugalle gave him a slight nod. As Emerson left the Pentagon he looked up to the brightening sky. –Leonov I’m coming for you. You better be ready for me you bastard.
Main launch pad, Utopia Planitia shipyards, Mars, Sol, September 2082: Today was the day, Emerson thought, that Leonov’s pirate career was going to end. After a final briefing, he was presented to the group captains that were going to accompany on this important mission. It was Dugalle himself who presented each one to him: -This is Captain Yang from the ISS Fearless, Emerson shook his hand, -This is Captain Juul from the ISS Gallant, -This is Captain Sevchenko from the ISS Essex, -This is Captain François from the ISS Columbia and this is Captain Jarvis from the ISS Bushnell. After shaking hands with all of them, Emerson took a step back to contemplate the assembled commanders. – Captains, you’ve all had your briefings so I’ll make this short. Our mission is to take parts of the fleet and apprehend or kill the notorious pirate Sergei Leonov. That is all. Good luck to all of you. He threw a salute and the assembled captains did likewise. Elated, he followed his fellow captains to the shuttle that will take them to their respective ships in Mars orbit.
Half-way between the asteroid field and Jupiter, November 2082: - Emerson was seated on the plush leather seat on the Iron Sun’s bridge. A combat drill had just ended and he realised that Dugalle had been right, this crew was well-trained. As he watched the vastness of space from the bridge’s main porthole, his comms officer broke his reverie. –Captain sir, we are picking up a distress call from a bulk freighter. They say they have been attacked by pirates. Licking his lips, Emerson got up from his seat and turned. - Where did the message come from? The officer looked at her console. –They are located about 20 million miles from Neptune. –Helmsman, set a course heading: 346 mark 925. On my mark… mark! One by one, the Imperial ships slid into hyperspeed.
2 hours later: The Iron Sun was the first ship on the scene. A large freighter was slowly spinning on itself while a smaller one was standing near it. – Open a channel. This is the ISS Iron Sun, do you require assistance? A weak voice was heard on the bridge. - Hello there, this is the cargo ship Serenity. We need some help. - What happened here? The voice was very weak from all the interference. - We received a distress call from the SS Constellation, a bulk freighter. They say they have been boarded and robbed by pirates. When they had taken what they wanted they tried to destroy their ship. They succeeded only in riddling it with holes and destroying their engine block. They have suffered casualties, their life support is down to 25%, their gravity net is shot to shit and we are not able to re-establish communication with them. We’ve tried to get inside their ship to help them but their emergency hatch is not responding. The captain leaned back in his chair staring at the huge ship. He turned to his second in command. - Send the hospital ships Sudden Restoration and Courageous Heart as well as the cruisers Morning Star and Valley Forge for protection. About an hour later the remaining survivors of the Constellation were aboard the Iron Sun. Emerson left the bridge to meet the Constellation’s captain. Shivering and angry she told her story - We were carrying about 200,000 metric tons of iron ore as well as 30,000 gallons of water on a route from Ganymede to Uranus then back to Mars for the ore and Earth for the water. They came out of nowhere. Those bastards stole all of the ore and about half of the water from our holds! Then they tried to kill us all. She dropped her gaze to the floor. When her head came back up, her face was streaked with tears. Seeing Emerson’s many awards she lighted up a bit - Captain, I fought for many years in the Long War. I was only an ordinary soldier. I saw and did things that were… inhumane to say the least. I was in the Stellar Navy when the war ended. I took this job to get away from all those things. Now only the solitude and the emptiness of space are keeping me sane. I’ve had my share of living on the ground. Now those damn pirates are destroying what sanity remains of my life. These past four years I’ve spent making runs across the solar system have been the best years I’ve had in a very long time. A medic brought her a glass of water that she downed rapidly. Still angry, she asked Emerson – Do you have any idea how much cargo like that costs? The captain nodded his head. - The iron ore alone was worth almost 28 million credits. The water was about 22 million. In all, my cargo was worth a good 50 million credits! Now, all I have is half of the water. Emerson quickly calculated the cost in his head. –That stills nets you 11 million credits. Isn’t that a lot? She turned her head. –Maybe for mister everybody but with all the damage that my ship has endured and a strained economy it will take about three to four times that! A new engine block alone goes for about 9 to 10 million for a ship like mine. I don’t know what to do anymore! Emerson looked at the assembled crewmen of the Constellation and sighed. – I’ll tell you what I will do. I will contact Earth command and inform them of your situation. I’m sure we can find a way to repair your ship for a minimum cost. Maybe even a brand new ship. The Constellation’s captain jumped from her seat – Thank you sir! While she walking towards her crew Emerson called her out- What ship were you on at the end of the war? She turned and replied- I was on the blockade runner San Jacinto. A very good ship. She smiled and resumed walking. As he watched her leave, Emerson called the bridge – Patch me through to the Serenity. – This is Serenity. – This is Captain Emerson; I want you to take the survivors from the Constellation to Jupiter’s Far Point station. Can you do that for me? – Yes, sir. They will be cramped but I will bring them there. I’ve also taken the luxury of bringing on board what remained of her cargo. I’ll make sure she gets paid for it when we arrive.
3 hours later: -The Serenity has taken the survivors to Far Point station like you ordered sir. – Good. Have you destroyed the Constellation’s wreck? We would not want it to become a hazard for other ships. – It’s destroyed like you ordered. – Good. Now let’s go back to hunting Leonov. Set a course to the Umbrian system. Hyperspeed on my mark… mark!
Onboard the Iron Sun: A soft chime was heard in the captain’s quarters. He put down his book, got up from his leather chair and answered. –Enter. The door slid open and a young lieutenant entered the room and saluted. – What do you have for me lieutenant? The young man gave the captain a sealed document. – We’ve concluded radar sweeps of the Umbrian system sir. No trace of Leonov or his pirates. We did find a small cache of weapons and stolen merchandise on the third moon but it appears to have been abandoned for some time. Emerson put the document on his table. –Will that be all? –Yes, sir. While he was leaving, his eyes fell on the book the captain was reading. –May I ask what you are reading sir? The captain stood up and answered: - It’s my uncle’s memoirs of during the war. Gentleman pirate: My life as a freebooter onboard the Swordfish in the Indian Ocean. Grandiose title, is it not? Have you read it before? The young crewman blushed. –I’ve wanted to read that book for a long time sir. Padding the young man in the back Emerson continued.- I’ll tell you what. You find Leonov for me and I’ll let you read it. It’s a deal? – Yes sir! Thank you sir. I won’t let you down. As the door slid shut Emerson quietly said – I’m sure you won’t.
3 weeks later: The radar operator got up from his seat to get his 20th cup of coffee. – We’ve been in space for almost a month now and no signs of pirates. I’m starting to get sick of this lack of action. An older radar operator chuckled loudly – You’re new here, aren’t you? Well, when the action starts you will regret those words, son. I wish it had been this quiet during the last war. Another crewman brought a plate with hard cookies. – Newbie come here. You see those two weevils on the plate. If you had to choose, which one would you take? The newer operator studied them for a few seconds and replied - I would take the right one because it is longer and larger than the other. All at once the radar room erupted with boisterous laughter. The young operator looked around, totally confused. – Newbie, don’t you know that in the service, one must always choose the lesser of two weevils! As everyone was laughing hard, a contact alarm broke their good time. – What the hell… Get me the bridge! Bridge, we have 3 correction 4 unidentified targets moving towards us at high speed!
The Iron Sun’s bridge: The contacts have been confirmed by the Bozeman and the Sydney. Recommend powering up laser batteries. Emerson nodded. – Powering up laser batteries. Fire on my command. Let them come closer.
Radar station: No, no something’s wrong here. They don’t have the signature of pirate crafts. They are way too big to be pirates. At that moment a panicked voice was heard in the communication room – Cease fire! This is the Indian ship Viraat! Cease fire immediately! At the same moment, the room lurched from the violent recoil of the laser batteries. – Tell the bridge to stop firing! They’re allies!
5 minutes later: - This is the ISS Iron Sun from the United States Earth Authority. Identify yourself! After a minute of silence a loud Indian voice filled the bridge: - This is captain Sanjay of the Indian Navy Task Force 17 commanding from the I N S carrier Viraat. I am with 3 other cruisers. The I N S Mysore, Delhi and Rajput. We were part of a military convoy that got attacked by pirates. But these were unusual because they weren’t using your typical fast attack craft. No, these had multiple cruisers, destroyers and even a fighter carrier! There were 20 other ships escorting the convoy, now only the four of us remain. We are relatively undamaged but the Delhi still has fluctuations in its fusion engines and can only manage half-speed even after a week. Emerson and his first officer traded glances and probably thought the same thing: - Captain Sanjay, you were attacked by the infamous pirate Leonov. How are your ships faring? – Except for the Delhi’s engine fluctuations, my ship and the others are mostly intact. Laser turrets are in the green. What we need though are KH-35 fusion torpedoes. We are out. My carrier has 50 starfighters but only 37 are operational. The others need spare parts and new engines. Can you help us? Emerson stood up and walked toward the bridge’s porthole: I’ll send you the torpedoes you need and the spare parts for your fighters. What do you say if I asked you to join me in eliminating Leonov once and for all. Captain Sanjay replied with eagerness – with pleasure, sir.
Officer’s mess, on board the Iron Sun, January 3rd 2083: As Emerson was supping his cup of tea the interphone blared: - Captain Emerson is needed in the communication room. He sighed heavily and got on his way. 5 minutes later: - What have you got for me operator. The young man tilted his head - Sir, over the last few hours I’ve been detecting phantom dots and pieces of conversation. The problem is it’s not long enough to make any coherence. - Do you know if it’s from any particular star system? Asked the captain. - Yes, sir. It’s coming from the Ariel system. The captain’s second in command went on the intercom: - Helmsman set a course for the Ariel system at once!
A few hours later on the bridge: Do you have anything on long-range scanners? - Sir, I’m getting something. It’s coming from the seventh planet in the system. The crewmen then put it on screen. At first what they saw was just a grey blob but as the resolution got better they saw that the blob was actually a collection of space docks and living quarters orbiting around the blue green planet. Numerous ships were going to and from the planet. – Something is not right. There is no mention of any settlement whatsoever in this system. Whoever they are, they haven’t been here long. I wonder who… Before he could finish his sentence something violently rocked the ship. - Damage report! A female crew member looked at her console. With a puzzled look she turned to the captain: - Shields are holding. All decks are in the green. There is no damage sir. Before Emerson could say anything a loud female voice was heard on the bridge: - This is the FPRS Legacy, you are violating the territory of the Free People’s Republic. Identify yourself! Emerson got up from his seat – On screen! - The screen is offline, sir. - Damn. This is Captain Henry Emerson of the United States Earth Authority, commanding from the ISS Iron Sun. To whom am I speaking? As soon as the words left his lips, a huge battleship materialised out of nothing. On its side was a symbol Emerson had never seen before: it was the Earth resting on an open palm with a rising bright red phoenix in the background. - You are talking to the Free Republic Home Guard commander Ellen. What are you doing here? You are not welcome here! - I am here on behalf of the Earth president De-Tierra. He has ordered me to hunt down the pirate Leonov. If he is in your territory you are to deliver him to me. For a few tense seconds nothing happened. - We know who you serve. De-Tierra is nothing more than an insane dictator. One day soon we will take him down from power. We have some powerful friends to back us up. - And who may that be? Ellen chuckled and said the one thing Emerson feared. - The Colonial Alliance of course. - Then we have nothing more to discuss. We will leave this system… for now. - That’s what I thought. At that moment dozen of heavy cruisers materialised around Emerson’s ships. - Helmsman take us out of this system. Now! As Emerson’s ships left the system, he turned to his communication officer - Get me Admiral Dugalle ASAP. As Emerson’s ships left the system, a tall, a dark figure got up behind commander Ellen. Putting a hand on her shoulder, the figure spoke with a Russian accent: - You must have made a good impression on him. I didn’t think that Emerson would leave so easily. She turned her head. - I would do anything for our cause comrade captain. The figure smiled. - I knew the stealth generators given to us by those Colonial Alliance officers would make quite an impression on those earthling fools.
Khitomer space station, USEA- Colonial Alliance border, 5 days later: Outside Dugalle’s office the representative of the Colonial Alliance was clearly nervous, fidgeting on his chair. He seemed pretty relieved when the secretary asked him to follow her into the admiral’s office. Dugalle was the first to speak. – Let’s skip with the pleasantries. Mr. ambassador, what is this I hear about the Colonial Alliance selling stealth generators to a notorious pirate who now controls a sizeable rogue organisation? I thought it was the policy of your own government to deal with any form of organisation that would represent a clear and direct threat to the sovereignty of the USEA? How do you explain this? The ambassador straightened his posture and replied – You are correct about the policy of the Colonial Alliance. Unfortunately, because of the virtual cold war with Earth, many elements within my government are stepping up with their demands of directly attacking Earth and toppling Di-Tierra. You should see the fierce debates and disputes in the Colonial Senate and the various Planetary Assemblies. One side is for attack the other for appeasement and negotiation with the USEA. Have you heard of Dalyr IV? The question on that issue has sparked a three weeks long civil war with hundreds dead, thousands wounded, the entire planet under martial law. That entire system is on the verge of open rebellion against the Colonial Alliance. Furthermore, there are also some sections of the Colonial army as well as our Committee for State Security that have been smuggling weapons and material to anti-Earth groups. – In that case you must convince your administration in investigating these claims and bring those men to justice. Dugalle drummed his fingers on the desk to emphasise his point. The ambassador sighted – It will be very hard then. The Senate may be divided but the greater majority of Colonial senators would give their support to any number of groups opposing Di-Tierra. From the briefing I had before coming here, it appears that the group your captain has found is known as the United Front for the Liberation of Earth or as we call them the UFLE. They are known to be well armed and equipped. Also, the vast majority of its members are Hegemony veterans of the Great War. Not only that, they also recruit heavily among pirate gangs and criminal elements. In the long run, I fear that this organisation will represent a clear threat to the national security of both the USEA and the Colonial Alliance. – So why aren’t you doing anything about it? Dugalle asked, clearly annoyed. – My hands are tied admiral. I’ve already spoke about this with the president. He is willing to turn a blind eye to anything that would destabilize the Di-Tierra regime. I’ve even heard rumours that he even gave this Leonov letters of marque that allows him to raid USEA ships. Dugalle got up from his seat – You know that such a thing could lead to war between our people. That would be… unwise. Tell your president that the USEA is going to take any and all measures necessary to eliminate Leonov. Going to the door, the Colonial representative turned around – I sincerely hope it will not come to war. After he left, Dugalle closed his eyes – I hope that too.
5 miles underground base, Ariel VII: Commander Ellen punched a key code on the reinforced steel door to Leonov’s command center. When she entered the room, she was surprised at the near total darkness of it. When she moved to open the lights, she heard a familiar voice. – Keep the lights closed. I prefer to concentrate in the dark. You can learn much from silence. What have you got for me commander? – I won’t be long comrade captain. I came to tell you that our agents’ provocateurs have accomplished their mission with brilliance. The Dalyr system is in an uproar. Some talk about outright rebellion while others talk about separation. The Colonial Alliance political establishment is in effect paralysed. Our… your plan is going well. Leonov raised his hand- Thank you for your report comrade commander. Now I would like to be alone please. Looking disappointed, commander Ellen closed the door and left. – Well that changes a lot of things.
Three days later, Khitomer space station, USEA- Colonial Alliance border: The colonial representative was furious. The Kama system, one of the Colonial Alliances most important military production systems, was on the verge of open rebellion. System-wide riots and armed clashes had already claimed hundreds if not thousands of lives. And now, every report seemed to point at the same suspect: the USEA. He stormed into Dugalle’s office, ignoring the warnings of his secretary. – What is the meaning of all this?! How dare you?! – I don’t know what you are talking about. – Don’t try that crap with me! You bloody well know what I’m talking about! We caught your agents on our security feeds before they destroyed our installations. You know that this could lead to war? Dugalle hid his extreme annoyance beneath a seamless veneer of calm. - I assure you ambassador that I will do the utmost to get down to the bottom of this… development.
Ariel VII: Leonov was going to his flagship, the Zarya, when Ellen intercepted him. – What are you doing comrade captain? Your plan for a worker’s revolution in the Colonial Alliance are finally coming to fruition. We need you here. Leonov turned to meet her. I need to do this. Emerson is out there. He’s maybe the only one who can stop us. – But he hates you. He will kill you if he gets the chance. – My dear, I have to do this. It’s been too long. As Leonov’s new flagship rose through the air, Ellen felt saddened. – Too long since what?
February 4th 2083, Outskirts of the Ariel system, radar station of the Iron Sun: Get me Captain Emerson. I think we have found Leonov’s fleet.
Onboard the Iron Sun: Emerson emerged on the bridge clearly excited. – How many ships does he have? His second in command responded almost immediately. – He has about 45 ships at the moment with a handful who are just achieving orbital insertion. – Put the fleet on full combat alert; get the pilots to their crafts. Power up laser batteries and torpedo launchers. Fire on my command only.
Half-way between the asteroid field and Jupiter, November 2082: - Emerson was seated on the plush leather seat on the Iron Sun’s bridge. A combat drill had just ended and he realised that Dugalle had been right, this crew was well-trained. As he watched the vastness of space from the bridge’s main porthole, his comms officer broke his reverie. –Captain sir, we are picking up a distress call from a bulk freighter. They say they have been attacked by pirates. Licking his lips, Emerson got up from his seat and turned. - Where did the message come from? The officer looked at her console. –They are located about 20 million miles from Neptune. –Helmsman, set a course heading: 346 mark 925. On my mark… mark! One by one, the Imperial ships slid into hyperspeed.
2 hours later: The Iron Sun was the first ship on the scene. A large freighter was slowly spinning on itself while a smaller one was standing near it. – Open a channel. This is the ISS Iron Sun, do you require assistance? A weak voice was heard on the bridge. - Hello there, this is the cargo ship Serenity. We need some help. - What happened here? The voice was very weak from all the interference. - We received a distress call from the SS Constellation, a bulk freighter. They say they have been boarded and robbed by pirates. When they had taken what they wanted they tried to destroy their ship. They succeeded only in riddling it with holes and destroying their engine block. They have suffered casualties, their life support is down to 25%, their gravity net is shot to shit and we are not able to re-establish communication with them. We’ve tried to get inside their ship to help them but their emergency hatch is not responding. The captain leaned back in his chair staring at the huge ship. He turned to his second in command. - Send the hospital ships Sudden Restoration and Courageous Heart as well as the cruisers Morning Star and Valley Forge for protection. About an hour later the remaining survivors of the Constellation were aboard the Iron Sun. Emerson left the bridge to meet the Constellation’s captain. Shivering and angry she told her story - We were carrying about 200,000 metric tons of iron ore as well as 30,000 gallons of water on a route from Ganymede to Uranus then back to Mars for the ore and Earth for the water. They came out of nowhere. Those bastards stole all of the ore and about half of the water from our holds! Then they tried to kill us all. She dropped her gaze to the floor. When her head came back up, her face was streaked with tears. Seeing Emerson’s many awards she lighted up a bit - Captain, I fought for many years in the Long War. I was only an ordinary soldier. I saw and did things that were… inhumane to say the least. I was in the Stellar Navy when the war ended. I took this job to get away from all those things. Now only the solitude and the emptiness of space are keeping me sane. I’ve had my share of living on the ground. Now those damn pirates are destroying what sanity remains of my life. These past four years I’ve spent making runs across the solar system have been the best years I’ve had in a very long time. A medic brought her a glass of water that she downed rapidly. Still angry, she asked Emerson – Do you have any idea how much cargo like that costs? The captain nodded his head. - The iron ore alone was worth almost 28 million credits. The water was about 22 million. In all, my cargo was worth a good 50 million credits! Now, all I have is half of the water. Emerson quickly calculated the cost in his head. –That stills nets you 11 million credits. Isn’t that a lot? She turned her head. –Maybe for mister everybody but with all the damage that my ship has endured and a strained economy it will take about three to four times that! A new engine block alone goes for about 9 to 10 million for a ship like mine. I don’t know what to do anymore! Emerson looked at the assembled crewmen of the Constellation and sighed. – I’ll tell you what I will do. I will contact Earth command and inform them of your situation. I’m sure we can find a way to repair your ship for a minimum cost. Maybe even a brand new ship. The Constellation’s captain jumped from her seat – Thank you sir! While she walking towards her crew Emerson called her out- What ship were you on at the end of the war? She turned and replied- I was on the blockade runner San Jacinto. A very good ship. She smiled and resumed walking. As he watched her leave, Emerson called the bridge – Patch me through to the Serenity. – This is Serenity. – This is Captain Emerson; I want you to take the survivors from the Constellation to Jupiter’s Far Point station. Can you do that for me? – Yes, sir. They will be cramped but I will bring them there. I’ve also taken the luxury of bringing on board what remained of her cargo. I’ll make sure she gets paid for it when we arrive.
3 hours later: -The Serenity has taken the survivors to Far Point station like you ordered sir. – Good. Have you destroyed the Constellation’s wreck? We would not want it to become a hazard for other ships. – It’s destroyed like you ordered. – Good. Now let’s go back to hunting Leonov. Set a course to the Umbrian system. Hyperspeed on my mark… mark!
Onboard the Iron Sun: A soft chime was heard in the captain’s quarters. He put down his book, got up from his leather chair and answered. –Enter. The door slid open and a young lieutenant entered the room and saluted. – What do you have for me lieutenant? The young man gave the captain a sealed document. – We’ve concluded radar sweeps of the Umbrian system sir. No trace of Leonov or his pirates. We did find a small cache of weapons and stolen merchandise on the third moon but it appears to have been abandoned for some time. Emerson put the document on his table. –Will that be all? –Yes, sir. While he was leaving, his eyes fell on the book the captain was reading. –May I ask what you are reading sir? The captain stood up and answered: - It’s my uncle’s memoirs of during the war. Gentleman pirate: My life as a freebooter onboard the Swordfish in the Indian Ocean. Grandiose title, is it not? Have you read it before? The young crewman blushed. –I’ve wanted to read that book for a long time sir. Padding the young man in the back Emerson continued.- I’ll tell you what. You find Leonov for me and I’ll let you read it. It’s a deal? – Yes sir! Thank you sir. I won’t let you down. As the door slid shut Emerson quietly said – I’m sure you won’t.
3 weeks later: The radar operator got up from his seat to get his 20th cup of coffee. – We’ve been in space for almost a month now and no signs of pirates. I’m starting to get sick of this lack of action. An older radar operator chuckled loudly – You’re new here, aren’t you? Well, when the action starts you will regret those words, son. I wish it had been this quiet during the last war. Another crewman brought a plate with hard cookies. – Newbie come here. You see those two weevils on the plate. If you had to choose, which one would you take? The newer operator studied them for a few seconds and replied - I would take the right one because it is longer and larger than the other. All at once the radar room erupted with boisterous laughter. The young operator looked around, totally confused. – Newbie, don’t you know that in the service, one must always choose the lesser of two weevils! As everyone was laughing hard, a contact alarm broke their good time. – What the hell… Get me the bridge! Bridge, we have 3 correction 4 unidentified targets moving towards us at high speed!
The Iron Sun’s bridge: The contacts have been confirmed by the Bozeman and the Sydney. Recommend powering up laser batteries. Emerson nodded. – Powering up laser batteries. Fire on my command. Let them come closer.
Radar station: No, no something’s wrong here. They don’t have the signature of pirate crafts. They are way too big to be pirates. At that moment a panicked voice was heard in the communication room – Cease fire! This is the Indian ship Viraat! Cease fire immediately! At the same moment, the room lurched from the violent recoil of the laser batteries. – Tell the bridge to stop firing! They’re allies!
5 minutes later: - This is the ISS Iron Sun from the United States Earth Authority. Identify yourself! After a minute of silence a loud Indian voice filled the bridge: - This is captain Sanjay of the Indian Navy Task Force 17 commanding from the I N S carrier Viraat. I am with 3 other cruisers. The I N S Mysore, Delhi and Rajput. We were part of a military convoy that got attacked by pirates. But these were unusual because they weren’t using your typical fast attack craft. No, these had multiple cruisers, destroyers and even a fighter carrier! There were 20 other ships escorting the convoy, now only the four of us remain. We are relatively undamaged but the Delhi still has fluctuations in its fusion engines and can only manage half-speed even after a week. Emerson and his first officer traded glances and probably thought the same thing: - Captain Sanjay, you were attacked by the infamous pirate Leonov. How are your ships faring? – Except for the Delhi’s engine fluctuations, my ship and the others are mostly intact. Laser turrets are in the green. What we need though are KH-35 fusion torpedoes. We are out. My carrier has 50 starfighters but only 37 are operational. The others need spare parts and new engines. Can you help us? Emerson stood up and walked toward the bridge’s porthole: I’ll send you the torpedoes you need and the spare parts for your fighters. What do you say if I asked you to join me in eliminating Leonov once and for all. Captain Sanjay replied with eagerness – with pleasure, sir.
Officer’s mess, on board the Iron Sun, January 3rd 2083: As Emerson was supping his cup of tea the interphone blared: - Captain Emerson is needed in the communication room. He sighed heavily and got on his way. 5 minutes later: - What have you got for me operator. The young man tilted his head - Sir, over the last few hours I’ve been detecting phantom dots and pieces of conversation. The problem is it’s not long enough to make any coherence. - Do you know if it’s from any particular star system? Asked the captain. - Yes, sir. It’s coming from the Ariel system. The captain’s second in command went on the intercom: - Helmsman set a course for the Ariel system at once!
A few hours later on the bridge: Do you have anything on long-range scanners? - Sir, I’m getting something. It’s coming from the seventh planet in the system. The crewmen then put it on screen. At first what they saw was just a grey blob but as the resolution got better they saw that the blob was actually a collection of space docks and living quarters orbiting around the blue green planet. Numerous ships were going to and from the planet. – Something is not right. There is no mention of any settlement whatsoever in this system. Whoever they are, they haven’t been here long. I wonder who… Before he could finish his sentence something violently rocked the ship. - Damage report! A female crew member looked at her console. With a puzzled look she turned to the captain: - Shields are holding. All decks are in the green. There is no damage sir. Before Emerson could say anything a loud female voice was heard on the bridge: - This is the FPRS Legacy, you are violating the territory of the Free People’s Republic. Identify yourself! Emerson got up from his seat – On screen! - The screen is offline, sir. - Damn. This is Captain Henry Emerson of the United States Earth Authority, commanding from the ISS Iron Sun. To whom am I speaking? As soon as the words left his lips, a huge battleship materialised out of nothing. On its side was a symbol Emerson had never seen before: it was the Earth resting on an open palm with a rising bright red phoenix in the background. - You are talking to the Free Republic Home Guard commander Ellen. What are you doing here? You are not welcome here! - I am here on behalf of the Earth president De-Tierra. He has ordered me to hunt down the pirate Leonov. If he is in your territory you are to deliver him to me. For a few tense seconds nothing happened. - We know who you serve. De-Tierra is nothing more than an insane dictator. One day soon we will take him down from power. We have some powerful friends to back us up. - And who may that be? Ellen chuckled and said the one thing Emerson feared. - The Colonial Alliance of course. - Then we have nothing more to discuss. We will leave this system… for now. - That’s what I thought. At that moment dozen of heavy cruisers materialised around Emerson’s ships. - Helmsman take us out of this system. Now! As Emerson’s ships left the system, he turned to his communication officer - Get me Admiral Dugalle ASAP. As Emerson’s ships left the system, a tall, a dark figure got up behind commander Ellen. Putting a hand on her shoulder, the figure spoke with a Russian accent: - You must have made a good impression on him. I didn’t think that Emerson would leave so easily. She turned her head. - I would do anything for our cause comrade captain. The figure smiled. - I knew the stealth generators given to us by those Colonial Alliance officers would make quite an impression on those earthling fools.
Khitomer space station, USEA- Colonial Alliance border, 5 days later: Outside Dugalle’s office the representative of the Colonial Alliance was clearly nervous, fidgeting on his chair. He seemed pretty relieved when the secretary asked him to follow her into the admiral’s office. Dugalle was the first to speak. – Let’s skip with the pleasantries. Mr. ambassador, what is this I hear about the Colonial Alliance selling stealth generators to a notorious pirate who now controls a sizeable rogue organisation? I thought it was the policy of your own government to deal with any form of organisation that would represent a clear and direct threat to the sovereignty of the USEA? How do you explain this? The ambassador straightened his posture and replied – You are correct about the policy of the Colonial Alliance. Unfortunately, because of the virtual cold war with Earth, many elements within my government are stepping up with their demands of directly attacking Earth and toppling Di-Tierra. You should see the fierce debates and disputes in the Colonial Senate and the various Planetary Assemblies. One side is for attack the other for appeasement and negotiation with the USEA. Have you heard of Dalyr IV? The question on that issue has sparked a three weeks long civil war with hundreds dead, thousands wounded, the entire planet under martial law. That entire system is on the verge of open rebellion against the Colonial Alliance. Furthermore, there are also some sections of the Colonial army as well as our Committee for State Security that have been smuggling weapons and material to anti-Earth groups. – In that case you must convince your administration in investigating these claims and bring those men to justice. Dugalle drummed his fingers on the desk to emphasise his point. The ambassador sighted – It will be very hard then. The Senate may be divided but the greater majority of Colonial senators would give their support to any number of groups opposing Di-Tierra. From the briefing I had before coming here, it appears that the group your captain has found is known as the United Front for the Liberation of Earth or as we call them the UFLE. They are known to be well armed and equipped. Also, the vast majority of its members are Hegemony veterans of the Great War. Not only that, they also recruit heavily among pirate gangs and criminal elements. In the long run, I fear that this organisation will represent a clear threat to the national security of both the USEA and the Colonial Alliance. – So why aren’t you doing anything about it? Dugalle asked, clearly annoyed. – My hands are tied admiral. I’ve already spoke about this with the president. He is willing to turn a blind eye to anything that would destabilize the Di-Tierra regime. I’ve even heard rumours that he even gave this Leonov letters of marque that allows him to raid USEA ships. Dugalle got up from his seat – You know that such a thing could lead to war between our people. That would be… unwise. Tell your president that the USEA is going to take any and all measures necessary to eliminate Leonov. Going to the door, the Colonial representative turned around – I sincerely hope it will not come to war. After he left, Dugalle closed his eyes – I hope that too.
5 miles underground base, Ariel VII: Commander Ellen punched a key code on the reinforced steel door to Leonov’s command center. When she entered the room, she was surprised at the near total darkness of it. When she moved to open the lights, she heard a familiar voice. – Keep the lights closed. I prefer to concentrate in the dark. You can learn much from silence. What have you got for me commander? – I won’t be long comrade captain. I came to tell you that our agents’ provocateurs have accomplished their mission with brilliance. The Dalyr system is in an uproar. Some talk about outright rebellion while others talk about separation. The Colonial Alliance political establishment is in effect paralysed. Our… your plan is going well. Leonov raised his hand- Thank you for your report comrade commander. Now I would like to be alone please. Looking disappointed, commander Ellen closed the door and left. – Well that changes a lot of things.
Three days later, Khitomer space station, USEA- Colonial Alliance border: The colonial representative was furious. The Kama system, one of the Colonial Alliances most important military production systems, was on the verge of open rebellion. System-wide riots and armed clashes had already claimed hundreds if not thousands of lives. And now, every report seemed to point at the same suspect: the USEA. He stormed into Dugalle’s office, ignoring the warnings of his secretary. – What is the meaning of all this?! How dare you?! – I don’t know what you are talking about. – Don’t try that crap with me! You bloody well know what I’m talking about! We caught your agents on our security feeds before they destroyed our installations. You know that this could lead to war? Dugalle hid his extreme annoyance beneath a seamless veneer of calm. - I assure you ambassador that I will do the utmost to get down to the bottom of this… development.
Ariel VII: Leonov was going to his flagship, the Zarya, when Ellen intercepted him. – What are you doing comrade captain? Your plan for a worker’s revolution in the Colonial Alliance are finally coming to fruition. We need you here. Leonov turned to meet her. I need to do this. Emerson is out there. He’s maybe the only one who can stop us. – But he hates you. He will kill you if he gets the chance. – My dear, I have to do this. It’s been too long. As Leonov’s new flagship rose through the air, Ellen felt saddened. – Too long since what?
February 4th 2083, Outskirts of the Ariel system, radar station of the Iron Sun: Get me Captain Emerson. I think we have found Leonov’s fleet.
Onboard the Iron Sun: Emerson emerged on the bridge clearly excited. – How many ships does he have? His second in command responded almost immediately. – He has about 45 ships at the moment with a handful who are just achieving orbital insertion. – Put the fleet on full combat alert; get the pilots to their crafts. Power up laser batteries and torpedo launchers. Fire on my command only.
SCFF: Dead in the Water
Mon, 23rd January, 2012
By: Samuel Kingma-Lord
As World War 3 is ending on Earth the last of the Hegemony's Space Fleet makes a last stand.
As World War 3 is ending on Earth the last of the Hegemony's Space Fleet makes a last stand.
