Chapter 8
Author's note: Wicked cool space battle! Enjoy!
"Captain's Log, stardate 59243.5,...wait...I'm starting to wonder if I should modify that as we are 6000 years into the past...after entertaining some generous guests that have offered us a supply of deuterium we have come face-to-face with their enemy the Yuuzhan Vong. It seems that this alien race is 'extragalactic' for them just as we are for them. Only these people do not come in peace. The Yuuzhan Vong come here to conquer. And it seems that we're caught in the middle. I am racking my brain to figure out how to avoid violating the Prime Directive."
"On screen." ordered the captain.
On the main view screen they saw more than twenty giant whale shaped ships with fins and flippers swimming in space along with several dozen smaller biological organic based support Cruisers. But there was also a much larger ship, more than fifty miles wide, shaped like a giant starfish, with eight points instead of five, with them along with more than one thousand starfighters.
"How?" asked Admiral Daala in shock and surprise. "They had no idea we were here."
"How could this have happened?" asked Admiral Ackbar. "Their fleet was headed for Coruscant."
"Coruscant?" asked the captain.
"Our Central system." said Jedi Master Lowbacca. "The entire planet is one big city."
"We have no such world in our galaxy." said Commander Knox.
"That's not the issue." said Admiral Daala. "Our intelligence tells us that this is not on their course."
"Wait." thought the captain out loud. "We encountered a Yuuzhan Vong ship before we got here. We may have brought them here. They must have tracked us here when we went to warp."
"That is neither here nor there." said Admiral Ackbar. "We must return to our ships."
"Very well." said the captain. "Transporter room, lock on to our guests and beam them back to the transporter coordinates from where they came."
After a few moments the transporter Chief replied.
"I'm sorry Captain. But there seems to be some interference. I can't Engage The Transporter."
"Is it due to the laws of physics not working properly in this region of space?" the captain asked.
"No Captain. There seems to be an intense gravity well that is being emitted from the alien vessel."
"Dovin Basals." said Admiral Ackbar. "A form of Yuuzhan Vong biotechnology that can generate miniature black holes. They inhibit faster-than-light travel. Clearly they are also inhibiting your teleportation technology."
"If you cannot teleport us back to our ships, then I need to communicate with our ships." said Admiral Daala. "Open a channel to the Galactic Alliance Fleet."
The captain gave a signal to Lieutenant Barnes, and the channel was opened.
"Galactic Alliance Fleet, this is Admiral Daala. Shields up! Arm all Concussion Missiles and turbolaser batteries! Launch all fighters! I want those Yuuzhan Vong ships destroyed!"
"Due to the federation's prime directive, we cannot get involved." said the captain.
"With all due respect Captain, you are already involved." said Admiral Daala.
"Ensign Featherman, can we go to Warp?"
"No can do captain, the intense gravity well is interfering in warp drive. And I don't think escaping at sub-light is an option."
"I don't suppose there is a diplomatic solution?" asked the captain.
"You don't understand the Yuuzhan Vong, Captian." said Admiral Ackbar. "I am all for a peaceful resolution without any bloodshed, but in their eyes we are religious Heretics against their faith, they believe that is their divine right to destroy us for the betterment of their own honour."
"They sound like Klingons."
"I don't understand?" Said the Wookiee Jedi Master.
"In our home Galaxy, our allies, the Klingon Empire, they are a race of Warriors who it was their culture to conquer. And it was all about honour. It wasn't until their energy production facility that orbited their Homeworld was completely destroyed that they decided to form an alliance with us because it was time to change their ways."
"A fascinating story Captain." said Admiral Daala in frustration. "But this is hardly the time."
The captain paused to think for a moment then he sat down in the captain's chair.
"Ensign Featherman, take us between the Yuuzhan Vong ships and the Galactic Alliance Fleet."
"Captain?" said Ensign Featherman with disbelief and confusion.
"Carry out my orders Mister Featherman."
"Aye sir." acknowledged the Helmsman.
"Captain that would not be wise." said Admiral Ackbar.
But the captain ignored him.
The Olympus flew between the two fleets.
"Red Alert! Shields at maximum." ordered the captain. "Arm phasers. Standby Quantum Torpedoes. Open a channel to the Yuuzhan Vong Fleet."
Lieutenant Barnes presses the button and the channel opened.
"This is Captain Jordan Silverman of the Federation Starship Olympus. Clearly there is some kind of political or territorial dispute between you and the Galactic Alliance. Is there no way that we can come to a peaceful resolution that results in no bloodshed?"
There was then an oddly distorted image that appeared on The View screen. The face of the alien Commander was decrepit and scarred. There were many different tattoos. He was humanoid except a little bit taller and no hair. And far more muscular.
"It was our divine right to take this galaxy when we first arrived here!" said the Yuuzhan Vong Warlord in anger. "It was bad enough to even try and fight us with these technological ships! But the blasphemy and heresy that you bring upon us when you infect our people with the cybernetic virus!"
"I don't know what you're talking about." said Captain Silverman. "Me and my crew are not of the Galactic Alliance Fleet. We are peaceful explorers who are new to this region of space."
"Silence!" said the Yuuzhan Vong Warlord. "For the technological infection and Scourge that you have brought upon us, which is no doubt some sort of diabolical scheme on your part, you all will be destroyed! End transmission!"
The View screen then cut out.
The captain turned to the Betazoid Chief of Security.
"What's he talking about Lieutenant Barnes?"
Lieutenant Barnes frowned with confusion.
"You know what Captain, I'm actually not quite sure?"
"What do you mean?"
"Even with my extra-sensitive telepathy right now, I wasn't able to see any images or hear any words inside his mind. I was only able to get a vague sense of his feelings. He seemed angry at us in a tonne of accusation. As though they are blaming us for something that they think we've done against them."
"As I just said, they think we are religious Heretics against their faith." said Admiral Ackbar. "That is the crime that they think we're guilty of."
"With all due respect Admiral, I think it was something else. I would need to get him here and I would need to interrogate him more directly."
"Good luck." said Admiral Daala. "You'd never get information out of a Yuuzhan Vong. They are resistant to torture and their wills are too strong to be broken."
The battle began.
Massive squadrons of Tie Fighters, Tie Interceptors, Tie Bombers, Tie Droids, and Tie Defenders, X-wings, Y-wings, B-wings, and A-wings all then engaged the Yuuzhan Vong ships; No longer each other against each other, but the collective might of both the Empire and the Rebel Alliance fighting side by side in a common goal. The Yuuzhan Vong starfighters also counterattacked.
As Yuuzhan Vong starfighters came in range the Olympus's shields they were hit by weapons fire.
"All right." said the captain. "We can claim self-defense now. Return fire!"
The Battle was fierce! Both fleets beat the hell out of each other. Yuuzhan Vong battleships clashed with Mon Calamari Cruisers and Star Destroyers. Squadrons of X-wings and Tie fighters clashed with massive swarms of Yuuzhan Vong starfighters.
All while the Worldship gave constant support to its Fleet and ultimately gave them all the advantage. The Galactic Alliance task force was doomed. For the Yuuzhan Vong the battle was already won, though the Galactic Alliance would fight it out.
"Captain," said Lieutenant Barnes, "you're not going to believe this. They're shooting at us with giant blobs of molten lava."
The ship shook with the impact against their Shields.
"Damage report."
"Heavy damage to the shields captain. The shields are modulated to absorb high-yield plasma energy and particle weapons. They're not designed for the intense heat and impact of molten rock."
"Re-modulate shield frequency. See if you can adapt them to withstand extreme heat and solid impact better. Lock phasers and fire at will."
"May the Force be with us!" said Lowbacca in a serious tone of worry over the ship's universal translator.
The captain was eager to ask what this mysterious 'force' was. Maybe it was some kind of philosophy of good luck. But he had no time to ask at present.
The Galactic Alliance Fleet called for reinforcements, but it would take hours for help to arrive.
Captain Silverman watched on the view-screen as the ship turned 40 degrees to the left to adjust their heading. Swarms of x-wings, Tie fighters, and Yuuzhan Vong starfighters flew past in every direction all around them. Also the Olympus was no longer alone. A small Mon Calamari support Cruiser, an Imperial Victory-Class Star Destroyer, and several squadrons of B-wings and Tie Interceptors flew in formation on the Olympus's flanks.
The phasers fired in short quick bursts with pinpoint accuracy at the Yuuzhan Vong starfighters, each shot vaporized its target.
Multiple blobs of molten lava struck their Shields left and right and the ship shook.
One small Yuuzhan Vong support Cruiser was directly ahead.
"Target that ship. Quantum torpedoes, full volley." ordered the captain.
"Ready sir." said Lieutenant Barnes.
"Fire!" ordered the captain.
The view-screen then showed six bright blue glowing projectiles fly forward from under the view-screen's vantage point and struck the Yuuzhan Vong support cruiser mid-ship and the vessel was vaporized in an explosion of a powerful deadly matter-antimatter reaction.
"Impressive." said Admiral Daala. "I could use someone like you in my fleet."
A Mon Calamari Cruiser flew in close to a Yuuzhan Vong Warship and unleashed a barrage of turbolaser fire. The turbolaser fire scraped across the Yuuzhan Vong ship's hull. The Yuuzhan Vong ship fired a rapid fire volley of lava cannons, dealing heavy damage.
A massive squadron of Yuuzhan Vong starfighters swarmed the Mon Calamari Cruiser, overwhelming it. It's Shields were depleted in less than a minute. Then it's hull was torn apart by hundreds of blasts of lava. The hull breaches vented the atmosphere, ruptured fuel tanks, and melted away circuitry. Then their main reactor breached from damage and the ship was blasted apart in a thousand pieces.
Two Imperial Star Destroyers and one Mon Calamari Cruiser converged on two Yuuzhan Vong warships. The Yuuzhan Vong ships and starfighters fired lava. The two Star Destroyers and Mon Calamari Cruiser fired turbolaser batteries and Y-wings and Tie Fighters unleashed a massive volley of laser cannons and proton torpedoes.
After ten minutes of battle, dozens of starfighters on both sides were destroyed, one Yuuzhan Vong warship was destroyed, and all three Galactic Alliance ships.
One Republic pilot was in the cockpit of his Y-wing fighter. The Y-wing starfighter's make and model was heavily armored and heavily shielded, and a good thing too, because they couldn't dodge and evade to save their own lives. He was flying in formation with ten other Y-wings and B-wings along with a squadron of Tie Bombers and Tie Defenders. They carried a large payload of high yield explosives and proton torpedoes.
"Blue group, this is blue leader. Stay in formation." said the pilot.
He was a Jedi Knight himself, recently left the old rebel base on the forth moon of Yavin after years of training with Luke Skywalker to now serve the Republic. He reached out with the Force and willed them to succeed in their mission. Protect the Capital Ships and destroy the Yuuzhan Vong Warships.
"May the Force be with us." he whispered silently to himself.
They fired a volley of laser cannon fire at at a group of Yuuzhan Vong starfighters and the Yuuzhan Vong starfighters were destroyed.
They swerved this way and that as they flew within weapons range of a Yuuzhan Vong Warship. A blob of molten lava flew at them. They tried to evade with their limited ability and several of the fighters were blown away.
"Attack pattern Beta four-one." the pilot ordered silently mourning the loss of his comrades while focusing on the task at hand.
The squadron swerved around in a figure-eight pattern dodging some lava and then closed to firing range.
"We're within range. Target locked. Fire Missiles."
The Squadron Unleashed a massive volley of rocket-propelled high-yield explosives that struck the Yuuzhan Vong ship in a wide swath. The Yuuzhan Vong ship's hull was breached while then a few additional rockets after that punched through the ship's inner hull and the ship was destroyed.
The Colossal sized 'Super-Class Star Destroyer' flew in close and bombarded the Hull of one of the Yuuzhan Vong Cruisers with turbolaser fire. More than a hundred Tie fighters Offered support to The Super Star Destroyer . The ship Was Antiquated, manned by little more than a skeleton crew, though still a formidable Dreadnought. Decommissioned when The Empire signed a treaty with the new Republic, but pulled out of mothballs when the threat of the Yuuzhan Vong was seen as bad as it was.
After being overwhelmed by weapons fire the Yuuzhan Vong ship was destroyed by the Super Star Destroyer.
The Yuuzhan Vong realizing the threat of the Super Star Destroyers against them and they immediately took some desperate action. One of the warships made a collision course for the Super Star Destroyer. The Super Star Destroyers being as big as they are, having virtually zero maneuverability in a dog fight between two Capital ships it was a sitting duck. A stationary target, and the Yuuzhan Vong ship crashed right through a spot near the forward middle area.
By mere luck, the point of impact was not a vital area. And The Super Star Destroyer was still intact. But other ships continued massive bombardment of lava on its Hull.
The battle raged on for another 30 minutes. The Yuuzhan Yong fleet was winning. The galactic Alliance Fleet was losing.
Aboard the bridge of the Olympus the ship shook as their shields were hit by a additional Blobs of lava.
The forward phaser Cannon fired at one of the warships and the warship took damage.
"We can't take much more of this captain." said Lieutenant Barnes.
"It's the dovin basals. They are neutralizing our weapons and our Shields." said Lieutenant Glandor.
"I don't suppose there's any way to neutralize them?" asked Commander Knox.
"We need to disable the World Ship." said Admiral Daala. "Just the problem is it's not that easy. The world ship is virtually Invincible even if it was alone and every ship we had here hit it with all of our Firepower."
The captain turns to science officer.
"Lieutenant Glandor, full sensor data on that."
The science officer pressed a few buttons and then received some data.
"Confirmed captain. The outer Hull of the worldship is incredibly dense. Even a full volley of torpedoes on a single spot will barely put a dent in it."
The captain thought about that and then he had an idea.
"But it would put a dent in it?" the captain confirmed.
The science officer paused with a look of confusion for a moment, as did everyone else in the room.
"Yes." Lieutenant Glandor reassured.
"Where we then put another dent on the dent?" asked the captain. "And then put another dent on the dent. And then another dent on the dent. And then another dent on that dent. Eventually the damage adds up."
"With all due respect Captain, what good is a dent on a Yuuzhan Vong worldship?" asked Admiral Daala.
"Oh, I don't plan to dent the world ship. I plan to destroy it." with a devious maniacal smile.
"Okay, I'm sorry Captain, I'm confused." said Admiral Daala, clearly taking all of this out of context.
"We keep shooting at the world ship with our weapons." said the captain. "But it's outer hull is too strong. We're wasting our time, we're wasting our ammunition. But? Lieutenant Glandor, what is the density of the Yuuzhan Vong worldship on the inside?"
The science officer checked the data.
"Well Captain, according to sensors, the walls, ceiling, and floors of the inner rooms and corridors are composed of a significantly soft tissue."
"Soft enough for a torpedo to rip through at high-velocity without detonating?"
Again the science officer rechecked his data .
"Yes." he confirmed.
"I know how to do it." said the captain with dawning comprehension on his face. "Destroy the worldship."
"How?" Admiral Daala asked again.
"Imagine a boulder with a stick of dynamite attached to it."
"What is a stick of dynamite?" asked Admiral Daala.
"A crude but powerful blasting agent." said the captain. "Detonate the stick of dynamite and what happens to the boulder?"
Everyone there paused for a few moments where then Counsellor Giselle spoke up.
"You might blast a few fragments off of the surface of the boulder, but 99% of the overall total of the boulder would still be intact."
"Correct doctor Giselle." said the captain. "But, let's say that you took that same boulder and that same stick of dynamite and you then took a Diamond Drill and you borrowed a hole to the centre of the boulder, then detonated the stick of dynamite after you shoved it down the hole."
"The rock would split in half". answered Admiral Daala.
"Correct." said the captain. "We need to breach the world ship's outer hull. Not a big breach. Just big enough to fire our weapons through".
"Like the exhaust port on the Death Star during the Battle of Yavin." said Admiral Daala.
"The dovin basals are absorbing and neutralizing our weapons." said Lieutenant Glandor.
"Is there any way to disable the dovin basals?" asked the captain.
The science officer began tapping at panels quickly while looking over calculations.
"I got it. The dovin basals are generating miniature black holes. I may be able to generate a 'sub-space anti-gravity pulse' through the 'Main Deflector Dish'. This anti-gravity pulse has never been attempted before, but the theory is solid on paper and I see no reason why it wouldn't work. What this anti-gravity pulse would do is it would disabled high intensity gravity. Not powerful enough to neutralize a natural a black hole, no, but it should be more than enough to neutralize any miniature artificially generated black holes within the blast radius."
Lowbacca, Admiral Ackbar, and Admiral Daala looked at each other with looks of dawning comprehension.
"Brilliant Lieutenant Glendora." said the captain with admiration. "How long until we can do that?"
"I will need only 3 minutes to recalibrate the main deflector."
"Make it so."
"Captain, no doubt once the dovin basals are disabled by the anti-gravity pulse, the Yuuzhan Vong will realize what is going on and will attempt to fix the problem. There's no saying how long it will take." said Commander Knox. "It may not take much time at all. Our window of opportunity is going to be very small."
"Agreed." said the captain. "Meaning there can be no hesitation and we need to make every second count. Commander Nog do you read me?"
"I read you sir." said the Ferengi chief engineer over the comm.
"I need more power to the shields."
"Working on it captain."
"Transfer power from non-critical systems." the captain ordered.
"We shall need a coordinated attack." said Admiral Daala.
"Agreed." said Admiral Ackbar. "Open a channel to the fleet."
"Channel open Admiral." said Lieutenant Barnes.
"Attention all ships, this is Admiral Ackbar aboard the Starship Olympus, we have a plan to destroy the world ship. But it's going to require a coordinated attack within the next minute. Concentrate all fire on the following coordinates."
He then nodded to Lieutenant Barnes who then began sending out the transmission of the exact spot for everyone to fire on.
"Stand by for my command to fire."
"Ensign Featherman." said the captain. "Take us to within weapons range of the coordinates the firing coordinates. Full impulse."
The Galactic Alliance Capital ships and starfighters received the transmission of the plan to destroy the world ship and everyone got excited. They received the transmission indicating the coordinates that they were to concentrate all of their weapons on.
On the world ship, the specific spot was actually a relative 'soft spot'. It was a thin patch of the outer hull that was over a junction of part of the ship's nervous system between artificially manufactured biological organs for converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and water purification. If any part of the ship was to be breached by heavy weapons fire that would be it.
Not all ships were within weapons range, but those ships that were were ready and standing by. With the dovin basals still active, it made little point to fire before that.
The victory-class Star Destroyer and the Mon Calamari Cruiser and the Squadron of starfighters that were covering the Olympus's flanks flew in formation as the Olympus reached weapons range of the targeted coordinates.
"Mister Nog, I need more power to the Shields and weapons." Ordered the captain in frustration.
"We are maxed out with every last megawatt of power we have on the ship." said the Ferengi engineer, trying to convince the captain that he could not work miracles just because the captain needed one.
"Can't you squeeze a little more juice out of the Warp core and power generators?" asked the captain.
The Ferengi engineer thought about it for a moment. And then he had a look of worry on his face as though he was coming to a decision that you didn't want to make.
"Okay Captain, I could disable the safeties and amp up the intensity of the matter-antimatter reaction, but I would not recommend it captain."
"Not recommend it, meaning that it is an unnecessary safety precaution that you don't want to abandon?"
The Ferengi engineer sighed with reluctant resignation.
"Yes." he said with a sigh.
"Do it! Computer, shut down life-support, and transfer the extra power to shields and weapons." ordered the captain.
The computer then gave a reprimanding sound.
"Warning! That procedure is not recommended." said the computer in a robotic feminine voice.
"Override. Authorization, Silverman Alpha 2219."
"Success Captain." said Commander Nog. "I have successfully doubled the energy output of the matter-antimatter reaction."
"Excellent Mr. Nog. Lieutenant Barnes when the dovin basals go down I need you to fire all phasers, both arrays and forward Cannon, maximum power and maintain continuous stained beams for as long as possible. And I need a double volley of photon torpedoes set for maximum yield standing by, and set all torpedoes to detonate simultaneously."
"Understood captain."
"Captain, the subspace Anti-gravity pulse is ready." said the benzite science officer.
"Activate main deflector." the captain ordered.
With an energy build-up on the the Olympus's main deflector dish, it lit up with a burst of light and a semi invisible pulsewave expanded out in all directions.
When the Yuuzhan Vong's dovin basals were disabled, the dovin basals are part of their propulsion system and their ships began to fly all over the place and were very disoriented.
"All Ships! said Admiral Ackbar. "Fire!"
More than a hundred Y-wings, X-wings, B-wings, and A-wings as well as Tie fighters unleashed a massive volley of laser cannon fire and proton torpedoes at the targeted coordinates on the surface of the worldship.
All capital ships in range unleashed concussion missiles and turbolaser fire on the targeted coordinates.
"Fire phasers." the captain ordered.
The view screen then showed seven different phaser beams shoot at the targeted coordinates and they all maintained continuous sustained beams."
The coordinates that were indicated for the weapons to be targeted what about 50 meters wide, but not every ship hit the target precisely. But none the less the area of concentrated weapons fire of a hard husk like tissue stronger than the toughest Metals begin to vaporize under the continuous barrage of phasers, turbolaser fire, proton torpedoes, and concussion missiles.
That slowly chipped away at the one spot.
The hole got deeper and deeper as all the ships kept firing their weapons at that one spot. Until finally…the outer hull was breached and the inner hull began to vent its atmosphere into space.
"Ceasefire." the captain ordered.
All Ships in the area stopped firing.
The wookie Jedi Master and the two Admirals then looked at the captain as this was his ridiculous idea that wasn't going to work.
"Photon Torpedoes are ready sir." said Lieutenant Barnes. Maximum yield, double volley."
"Is the comm still on? can the fleet still hear us?"
"Yes sir."
"All Ships get clear!" the captain ordered. "Lieutenant Barnes...fire!"
Lieutenant Barnes pressed the button.
In quick succession all torpedo tubes released 12 Photon torpedoes. The bright red glowing projectile antimatter Warheads circled around and then flew together in close formation. They entered the breach on the Yuuzhan Vong Worldship's hull and at high-velocity ripped through the soft tissue of the inner hull penetrating more than six miles until all 12 Photon Torpedoes all detonated simultaneously.
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