Chapter 52: Power Match: Part One
Reviewers:
Liljimmyurine: Oh, I see. Most blanks are inducted into the ranks of the assassins though. I thought I made it clear that the titan was a hologram. Also it says in the 40k rulebook that an alpha class psyker can snap a battle titan in two with a mere flick of the wrist. Good idea on Sanginius. I have the trilogy too, and I heard him say "the battle station is heavily shielded."
Angelus288: Thanks. People are saying I'm going too many galaxies so I might not get to Halo. Sorry.
Lennox: I know, the Emperor will find a way to appease Picard. The Terran Empire might ally with the Imperium to conquer their enemies, then if they attack the Imperium, the Imperium will have the perfect reason to invade. The Rebels will be in this chapter a small bit, more of them later.
Marine Brother Shran: Thanks. I hope you like my ground battle in this chapter. If there is a plot twist it won't happen until the conflict with the Shadow Imperium. Or we could just say Keren got angry because she thought Picard was insulting her dad. Actually Picard was just very nervous. You have to assume he read reports on the Imperium's battles with the Imperials, and having fifteen hundred ships staring down at you is enough to make even Picard nervous. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression. I didn't know if the Emperor's Hands were classified as Sith or not. Sorry for the confusion. At the end of the Year of Hell episodes we clearly see Annorex with a time scanner, so he must at least have the knowledge of how to build a weapon ship even if he didn't build one. Et Imperator!
Oblivionknight7: They are coming soon.
Anghammarad: Thank you.
Grayangle: The Emperor is using fear to weaken the Empire. He doesn't want to be feared. He never directly threatened the aliens. Also, the Empire destroyed Alderaan, a civilian planet. THAT is true evil. At least the Emperor targeted a military target. The Imperium is only ruthless when it needs to be. The Empire did more than its fair share of evil deeds. The weapon was created by Eldar loyal to Farseer Silvanas, and the Emperor is only using it to demoralize the Empire, thus making it easier to conquer with fewer casualties on both sides.
Darth: They're coming. They'll be involved at the end of this chapter.
It had been just over a week since the Imperium attack on Kestrel. Already, many systems in the outer regions of the Empire were panicking, believing they would be the next target for the Final Judgment. This had been the Imperium's goal, to allow the Empire to expend part of its forces against a threat that would never come. Picard had been most upset about the Imperium's apparently casual destruction of an entire world. The Emperor had explained that the destruction of one world, and the mass confusion and panic it would likely cause, would make it far easier to conquer the Empire with fewer losses on both sides. The Chronoton Cannon would only be used from now on as a ship to ship weapon. Already smaller versions of the weapon were being built into newly constructed battleships.
For now though, it was time to begin the main invasion of the Galactic Empire. Deep cover agents had quietly been spreading chaos on many outer Imperial planets. Some, ones with Rebel sympathizers, were actually assisting the Imperium agents in small ways. The Emperor had been attempting to get into contact with the Rebellion. They had been fighting the Empire for years and knew its weak points. So far it was proving difficult. The Rebels were very cautious about meetings with people they didn't know, but a small contact had been set up. Now though, the first Imperial systems would need to be conquered, to send a message that the Imperium intended to stay. However the systems in question would be taken with as little damage as possible. They would be used to show that the Imperium did not intend complete destruction. The first targets had been selected. Seven outlying systems, one of which was the sector capital.
The Dren System was the capital system of this Imperial sector. Governor Brogan had been having difficulty keeping order among the worlds under his control. The threat of this new super ship was spreading fear throughout the entire Empire. Emperor Palpatine had used this to dramatically increase the Imperial military budget. There were even rumors of a Death Star being built to combat the enemy's planet killing flagship. As it was, his world was being reinforced by the Imperial army and navy. As the sector capital his world was of great importance. Over three hundred ships defended his world, most of them Star Destroyers. Over ten thousand Imperial army troops, walkers and vehicles crowded the streets. As the Governor watched the army divisions move trough the streets and establish barricades and strong points, he wondered just who this new enemy was.
The Imperial invasion fleet for the Dren system was only minutes away from its target. Reinforcements from the Imperium had come through. The army consisted of twelve Imperial Guard regiments, three Skitari legions, two Titan legions, and three Blood Angel companies led by the Primarch Sanginius. He would spearhead the assault. Once the system was taken the Imperium would entrench itself. If the Imperials deployed enough of their fleet the Imperium could possibly strike at several of their major shipbuilding systems and production facilities. The Emperor had sent a shuttle from his flagship containing the Apex Twins and their students. They would deal with any powerful psykers if they showed.
"Sir, we are approaching our entry point into real space," one of Admiral Stren's officers reported. The Admiral's flagship, the Avenging Fury, was one of the first Shining Light class vessels constructed. The same basic design as the emperor's flagship, it was thirty kilometers long and carried over four hundred Imperium class weapons, including a scaled down version of the Chronoton Cannon. It was not powerful enough to annialate a planet, but was instead designed for defeating enemy space vessels. The entire ship was an arrowhead shape typical of the newest generation of Imperium warships. The invasion fleet numbered one hundred fifteen warships and seventeen troop transports. The plan was to blast through the enemy warships, unload the troops as quickly as possible, then turn around and finish off the remaining warships. With Federation warp technology the Imperium ships could jump around the Imperials with near impunity.
"Very well. When we come out of transwarp instruct all warships to clear a path for the transports. Have our fighters engage enemy Ties. Bombers are to perform attack runs on the lighter enemy ships if they manage to break through our formation. Once the transports are in position leave two squadrons of Cobras to defend them and neutralize planetary defense batteries. We'll hit the enemy fleet from two directions."
"Yes Admiral, relaying orders now. Transiting to normal space, now." The Imperium fleet emerged as close to the planet as possible, within the Imperials defense lines. Because transwarp was unaffected by a planet's gravity, the Imperium armada could emerge closer than an Empire ship could. Immediately the Imperium ships opened fire on the stunned Star Destroyers. They had been expecting the enemy to emerge into real space much further out. Ten were taken out instantly, many exploding form the massive damage.
On board the Black Rider, the Imperial flagship, Commodore Shaffer remained calm. He was a tall man, with blue eyes and a keen mind. He knew that if he allowed the situation to become chaotic the battle would be over.
"Order all ships to close ranks and concentrate their fire. The enemy's shielding is heavier than ours, but we outnumber them so let's take advantage of it. Have our fighters stay close to our ships and protect us from bomber attacks. When our guns get one of the enemy vessels shields down have our fighters and members try and disable it. Now move!" He barked. His crew was well trained and had already recovered from the enemy's sudden arrival. He watched as his remaining ships formed into a forward sweeping wall formation. They would surround the enemy and pick them off one at a time. When his ships opened fire they used a ratio of ten ships to each Imperium vessel. The weight of fire proved too much for several ships. Void shields sparked and collapsed. Armor blackened and tore apart. Sheets of weapons fire washed over Imperium ships. Ten Dictators, fifteen Cobras and an Emperor were taken out and more took damage. Damaged ships moved into the center of the Imperium formation. The Avenging Fury took several damaging hits to her portside gunnery decks, losing a good deal of her firepower on that side.
Admiral Stren treated a gash to his forearm, taken from shrapnel as the bridge had suffered a near direct hit. As it was most of the bridge was still intact apart from a handful of damaged and destroyed stations. Medics were already tending to the injured.
"Damage report!" He demanded.
"Sixteen ships have been destroyed, including the Justice, twenty seven report damage. We've suffered damage to our port gunnery decks. Fifty-eight percent of our broadside batteries are gone and engineering reports damage to two of the plasma reactors. The enemy is concentrating their fire on one ship at a time."
"So, they learn quickly. Have all remaining ships return fire, concentrating on clearing our path for the jump to the planet. According to our data their ships are unable to engage their Hyperdrive within a planet's gravity well so our ships will have an advantage. Once the troopships are in position do another mircojump to put us as close as possible to the enemy's rear quarter. Let's see how they enjoy being ambushed."
The Star Destroyer fleet, still only lightly damaged, received the first Imperium response to their opening move. Lance Batteries and Nova cannons blasted Star Destroyers apart. Photon torpedoes and disruptors assisted Imperium Blazes and Furies in fending off attacks by Tie Defenders. Recent developments had doubled the effectiveness of the Ties armor, making them far more resilient, but the Imperium had an answer to that.
"Phoenix Leader to Phoenix Squadron, form up and engage," Squadron Leader Mark Phoenix ordered. The Imperium, having heard of the Imperial 181st Imperial fighter group, had formed their own star squadron. Comprised of the very best pilots in the Imperial navy, these twelve exceptional men and women had been selected to spearhead the Imperium offensive. The Phoenix squadron had been supplied with the most advanced fighters possible. Advanced shielding, experimental bio-armor, and enhanced pulse weapons and micro torpedoes made the member of Phoenix Squadron nearly unbeatable. Now they would get their first taste of real battle.
The Imperial fighter wave was proceeding according to plan. Whenever a ship lost shields the Defenders would set upon it and target key systems. Enemy flak batteries had been deadly, but the Imperials knew they were winning. Suddenly three Defenders were replaced by fireballs.
"What was that!" The flight leader reported.
"I'm not sure. Sensors aren't picking anything up near us," his wingman reported before he too was taken out. This time though the remaining fighters got a look at their attackers. Jet black, sleek, the enemy fighters seemed as if they had been born in space. Their angles and curves made them perfect for quick slash attacks. They moved too fast for the Imperial pilots to get a decent look. All they saw were black shapes resembling X-wings but with only two foils and a larger chassis. "Sir, my sensors can't get a reading on these things."
"All fighters, open fire. Try and box them in."
"They're too fast," a pilot reported. He was right. The enemy was moving at least twice as fast as the Defenders. What few shots connected with the enemy fighters was absorbed by their shields.
Phoenix Three banked his fighter around, getting on the six of a Defender and opening up with his pulse cannons. The Tie's shields failed after a second and he fired a pair of micro torpedoes that blew the tighter apart. "All right. These new fighters rule!" He said as he blew another fighter apart with his guns. The enemy fighters were beginning to thin out. He came around and headed for a Carrack cruiser coming up on a damaged Dictator.
"All Phoenix members, target that Carrack," Phoenix Leader ordered. The twelve Phoenix fighters came together and made a run on the Imperial cruiser. They unloaded torpedoes into its engines and strafed the bridge. Return fire was sporadic as power systems failed. Fire began burning as atmosphere vented into space. With its target drifting the Dictator finished the job, obliterating the Dictator in a golden cloud of fire.
"Admiral, the enemy is closing it, trying to surround us," one of Stren's offices reported. The Imperial fleet, ignoring their losses, had continued to surround his fleet. More and more ships were dying with each passing second.
"Very well, fire the Chronoton Cannon. Widest dispersion setting. Clear us a path," Stren ordered.
"Yes sir, firing." The Avenging Fury spat out a silver beam from its prow which expanded into a wave that dissolved over twenty Star Destroyers. "We have an opening."
"Engage sub-warp."
The Imperium fleet seemed to surge forward and vanish, only to appear a moment later in orbit of the planet. The planetary batteries were taken out quickly, most before they fired their second volley. The transports began launching their landing barges. Fighters engaged the planetary defense squadrons.
Once he saw the transports were away, Stren gave the order to jump again, this time passing through or around the enemy fleet and bringing the Imperium armada into the Imperials rear quarter. Now the real fun could begin. The bright blue glows of Imperial engines looked like targets on a firing range.
Meanwhile, on a solitary in the outer rim, two men in robes sat at a dirty table in a dirty bar, sipping drinks at a back table. The light was low. Their chairs faced them at the door. They were Imperium agents sent to meet with the Rebels. Two figures glided over to them.
"A fine night is only an illusion," one of the standing men said.
"For what can night do but conceal hidden dangers," one of the Imperium people responded. The men removed their hoods and the Rebel agents sat down. "We have a proposal for you."
"What kind of proposal?" One of the Rebels asked. He had sandy blond hair and his eyes constantly searched the room for possible threats.
"One which could help free your galaxy from the Empire."
How was that? I decided to split this chapter. The next one will have the ground battle. Did I do a good job on the space battle? What do you think of Phoenix Squadron? I hope you enjoy my Psyker battle in the next chapter. Well, see ya then, and don't forget to review!
ENTILZA