Chapter 39

The Drakh Fought the Light, and the Light Won


On board USS Wildstar NCC-1971

April 5, 2271

9am

"So you've spotted the Drakh fleet, you say," Mollari said.

"Yep. They are one jump away from Centauri Prime, and they are sending what looks like every ship they've got.," replied Captain Ashcroft.

Emperor Mollari nodded his head, and continued studying the tactical display. "Do you know if they have one of those planet killers with them?"

"Not for sure, but we're planning on dealing with it should it show up. The Yamato has its wave motion gun, and it's capable of damaging it or destroying it. It took out the planet destroyer that the Drakh sent to Minbar, and, from the readings that Earthforce took of it, it looks to have been enhanced from the one they sent to take out Earth years ago. So I am optimistic about dealing with it.," Ashcroft said as he joined the emperor at the tactical display.

"Well, I've instructed my fleet to protect Yamato at all costs. I've read the reports about the ship. Remarkable! Can it really destroy a planet killer?"

"Yes. I've witnessed it myself. They have the ability to harness tachyon energy in a way to produce not only their propulsion, but also to use that energy in a massive weapon, one that makes what any of the Excalibur-class ships can produce seem timid, and that's saying something!"

Ashcroft's comm badge signaled him, and he tapped it to respond. It was his tactical officer, Lt. Comm. Montgomery.

"Sir, we've picked up jump points forming. Scanners detect scores of Drakh ships, and they have a planet killer."

Ashcroft nodded. "Understood. Be there in a sec."

Ashcroft and Mollari left the office and came onto the bridge. Ashcroft sat down in the captain's chair, while the emperor sat beside him at another station.

"Status, Lt. Comm. Have the Whitestars begun their attacks yet?"

"Yes, Captain. Whitestars have begun to outflank the main heart of the fleet, but the planet killer is on another attack vector to the planet."

Mollari spoke up, "Where's the Yamato?"

"They're on their way, along with the Hercules and Yamato II, as well as the other Centauri ships. They'll form a wedge to help Yamato get as close to it as they can to use its wave motion gun to take out the planet killer."

Ashcroft sighed and said, "That is if they can. We've been too lucky so far. Let's hope for those folks down there we can be lucky again!"

On board EDS Yamato

9:30am

Captain Derek Wildstar was watching as the surrounding Centauri ships took fire from the Drakh vessels. Other Whitestars were assisting as they came in from longer distances. The two Federation ships were taking out the ships that did break through the Centauri line, which were not many. That allowed Yamato to power up her wave motion gun and target the massive planet killer.

Orion called to the bridge from the engine room, "Captain, power levels at one hundred percent! Gun ready to fire at your command!"

General Rhys slid the goggles over his eyes, never minding what the strap was doing to his upturned coif. He whispered, "Great Maker, let Wildstar be on target!"

Wildstar took aim and began the countdown, "10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...Fire!"

The front of the ship glowed as the brilliant white light began to form, then it shot out right at the planet killer, hitting the outer structure and slicing through it. The energy stampeded its way into the heart of the machine, melting the reactor core and setting off a chain reaction.
The planet killer exploded and sent fragments flying away from the center of the blast. Yamato II and Hercules extended their shields over Yamato to protect it. The Centauri ships cleared out earlier and were already assisting in demolishing the rest of the Drakh fleet.

Then, suddenly, Yamato was hit in the bow by a massive blast!

"Report," Wildstar yelled out! Lt. Eager scanned the radar readouts quickly and soon found out what had given the great ship a boot to the proverbial bum. "Sir, it's the Comet Empire Dreadnaught! And we're getting a signal!"

The signal came through loud and clear, and the image showed a woman with the coldest look that Wildstar had ever seen. Her laugh was full of mocking and evil, and she spat out, "Foolish people! The planet killer was a diversion! Now, see the might of the Comet Empire as we use our planetary bombardment cannon to destroy Centauri Prime!"

On board USS Wildstar

9:45am

"Great Maker, no," said Emperor Mollari, who watched as the massive dreadnaught turned towards the planet. Below it, a cannon roughly half the size of the ship began to deploy.

Ashcroft called to his helm, "Set intercept course! Full impulse! Squeeze ever bit of speed you can!"

Montgomery shook her head, saying, "We won't get there in time, sir! They're powering up the cannon! Its output will be similar to that of Yamato's wave motion gun!"

"Do it anyway! Prepare to fire a full spread of quantum torpedoes at the junction where the cannon receives its energy from the ship!"

"Aye sir," said Montgomery.

"Where's it aiming at," said Mollari to no one in particular.

Litinova looked at her screen and her face went blank. "The center point of the blast will be at the capital. There's nothing we can...wait,
we've picked up something in front of the ship!"

Ashcroft looked at the screen astonished, then commanded, "Magnify!"

The image was enhanced, and it showed the entire Gamilon fleet, with Deslok's flagship at the front.

Invidia came on again, "So Deslok, we meet again! It will be an even greater pleasure to destroy you along with that ship!"

Deslok smiled as he stood in front of the triggering device of the Deslok cannon, "Don't count me out yet, you miserable bitch! I have a little surprise for you!" He pulled the trigger and his ship released a massive amount of energy towards the cannon.

"FIRE," yelled Invidia, and the planetary bombardment cannon powered up, but the beam from the Deslok cannon struck first and went up the gun barrel!"

"NO! This can't be," screamed Invidia as the combined energy began to consume the ship.

Montgomery called out, "Sir, we'd better move! That ship's reactor's going critical and it's about to blow!"

"Set course 180, helm! Full impulse," cried out Ashcroft as the dreadnaught went up, being totally destroyed. The end of the Comet Empire had come at last!