The Void War (Empire Rising Book 1) (9 page)

Becket’s voice pierced through James doubts and the silence on the bridge, “Sir, the recon drone should have just fired its maneuvering jets. If the destroyer detected anything we should see a response any time now.”

Just as she stopped speaking, the destroyer began to change its course again. Rolling, it brought its main high-energy radar projector to bear on the area of space the second recon drone was in and began a wide-angle sweep of space.

Everyone on the bridge let out a cheer of relief as the last radar beam swept past
Drake
. After only a brief scan of space the destroyer altered course again, reverting to its original vector.

Sub Lieutenant O’Rourke looked over to his commander with wonder in his eyes, “Sir I can’t believe that worked. You made them think they had a sensor glitch rather than
Drake
on their scopes.”

“Thank you Lieutenant, but that isn’t a trick I’d recommend trying again. That’s as close to being detected and destroyed as I think any of us are ever going to experience. Any closer and it would have been a reality.” James replied in an attempt to take the wonder out of O’Rourke’s eyes.

In fact he already felt guilty. Gupta had just come within a hair’s breadth of being proved right. It might impress a Sub Lieutenant but James knew that none of his instructors at the academy would be using his tactic as a training exercise in the future. Certainly, the pool of sweat running down his back and legs and gathering in his boots was telling him he didn’t want to go through anything like that again!

*

Over the next hour
Drake
continued on her ballistic trajectory in towards the habitable planet. As they approached the point where they would be closest to the planet James brought up the optical feed. At this distance James was looking into the past at the Chinese ships but he still wanted to be able to see what they were up to as O‘Rourke gave a run down on what the passives told him.

“Sir, it’s confirmed. There are five freighters and a medium cruiser. The medium cruiser appears to be one of the older Ning Hai class of ships. She is making sweeps with her low-intensity radar but we’re well within the safe distance for our radar absorption. Three of the freighters appear to be fleet resupply vessels but the other two are different. I think they are civilian construction craft. I have fed the readings from the station they are putting together into the computer. It is currently trying to figure out what they are building based on known Chinese designs.”

Ten minutes later as
Drake
rounded the planet and headed back into open space O’Rourke brought up the computer’s results. It projected that the finished station would mass approximately one hundred thousand tones; roughly the size of a battlecruiser. James surmised the two construction ships had not been able to bring all the materials that would be needed, so the Chinese would be expecting reinforcements. As to its function, the computer believed that it would serve a dual purpose as both a resupply station and a limited repair yard. The last piece of information was the estimated time of completion. Provided the Chinese got all the materials they needed, the station would be completed in two months but it would be able to provide limited functionality in just three more weeks.

“Sir, the sensors picked up a couple of anomalies in close proximity to the station. I have had the computer enhancing the images we took of that area.” As she spoke Sub Lieutenant Becket pointed to one of the secondary holo-displays.

What it projected was unmistakably a missile defense platform. Used by all the major space powers, they were nothing more than a cluster of single fire rail guns loaded with a standard anti-ship missile. The rail guns could accelerate the missiles to a set velocity before the missile’s engines took over. They were used widely because they didn’t require all the manpower and outlay of resources that came with building and maintaining a proper defense station. Yet they were limited because once used there would be no second salvo.

“Well,” James addressed to the bridge at large, “clearly the Chinese think they are here to stay. I want a review of all the data we collected, let’s make sure we didn’t miss anything else. And double check the optical take of the space around the station, make sure there aren’t any more missile defense platforms.”

As the bridge crew went to work, James felt that he could finally relax. They were through the worst of it.  The third destroyer would be nowhere near
Drake
as she passed through the area of space it was patrolling. If he wanted James could even fire up the main engines and alter course away from the destroyer and head straight out of the system. Of course he would prefer not to let the Chinese know he had even been here. Once
Drake
picked up the recon drones from V31 and V48 he fully intended to take Gupta’s advice and head straight back to the Admiralty and let them deal with all this mess. This run into the system had been a close thing. Even if the next few hours would be a lot safer, James knew the tension in his shoulders wouldn’t completely leave him. He had had enough of being a hero. He had much more important things to live for. It was time to head home and let those who were paid better make the big decisions. With a quiet sigh he settled himself and prepared to wait out the rest of the journey towards the safety of the system’s mass shadow.

*

Still tense James almost jumped when alarms began to go off all over the bridge as
Drake
approached the edge of the system’s mass shadow. He wasn’t the only one, everyone on the bridge looked startled.

“Sir, we’re picking up intense gravimetric anomalies ahead. There are a number of ships dropping out of shift space right on the shift limit. Correction. I now make at least thirty ships exciting shift space. They’re about ten light minutes from where we planned to make our jump out.”

“Understood,” James called out. Sensors train everything we have on this fleet as we go by. Navigation, we’re going to have to cruise out to at least one more light hour from the shift limit before we jump. Start to recalculate our jump if you please.”

He didn’t want to take the risk that their jump out would be detected by this fleet or another ship that might jump in after it. “Sensors, is there anything you can tell me about this fleet yet?” James queried.

He had no concern for their safety.
Drake
was well outside the range at which their radar absorption would be overloaded yet close enough for their passive sensors to get a good read on the Chinese ships as they radiated electromagnetic and heat energy into space.

“Well sir, they clearly have no desire to hide,” O’Rourke began as he reviewed the current sensor feed. “The entire fleet has just begun a high acceleration burn. We are getting a clear read on forty-one ships. The computer has classed them as eleven cruisers, including a battlecruiser, twenty smaller combat ships along with eight more freighters. There are also two other ships producing signatures the computer doesn’t recognize. They produced the largest gravimetrical anomaly I have ever seen coming out of shift space. I’m going to tentatively designate one as the new Chinese battleship we have been hearing all about, the other I’m not sure what it is.”

That pricked James’s interest. The Americans and the French had both begun to construct a new class of ship. Larger than a battlecruiser it was also significantly slower. Yet it traded speed for firepower and the Americans boasted one of their battleships could go up against any two battlecruisers and come away without a scratch. James had put that boast down to American bravado yet the stats were impressive all the same.

Their design and production had come after years of pushing by American and French top naval advisors for a larger class of ship capable of taking on a Russian Behemoth. In the last interstellar war, the Russian Space Federation had tried to invade New France and take it for themselves. A joint armada of British, American and German ships had pushed the Russian offensive back but not without loss. The Russians had never been able to source their own valstronium and no one else had wanted to sell them any. As a result they had been forced to build all their spaceships out of nano-carbon alloys. This gave their ships a slower maximum speed and less acceleration than their main rivals. In an effort to reduce these disadvantages the Russians had fully committed to their design philosophy.

To the amazement of all their rivals, they had secretly constructed a number of what became known as the Behemoth class spaceship in their colonial worlds. Mounting over thirty missiles on each broadside the Behemoths sought to overcome the disadvantage of their weaker armor, with very powerful offensive capabilities. The armada’s ships were able to fly rings around a Behemoth but if they wanted to actually get in close to attack one they had faced a withering amount of fire.

In response to the defeat at New France, the Russian fleet in orbit around Earth had attacked their British and American counterparts. They had been quickly beaten but not before they had attacked many of the orbital instillations of the other space faring powers. Two stray missiles had entered Earth’s atmosphere. One had burnt up on re-entry but the second had impacted in the Philippine Sea. The resulting tidal wave had killed thousands of people in the Philippines and Indonesia. As a result, the UN Interplanetary Committee had banned the Russians from building or basing anything larger than a frigate in the Sol system and every other space faring power had quickly signed up to the Sol Demilitarization Act that banned armed conflict in the Sol system. The Committee had also demanded that the Russians pay reparations for the damage done to the Sol system.

Initially the Russian leaders had made it look like they fully intended to pay the repatriations. However, secretly they had been relocating most of the strategically important Russian population to their colony worlds. Then, once the second installment of their reparations had been due, they had announced they were abandoning Earth for their colonies. It had turned out that their entire government, along with five percent of their population, had been shipped out. Next the Russians offered a lucrative cash incentive for anyone who wanted to relocate to their colonies. This resulted in a mass exodus of the general Russian populace along with not a few volunteers from other countries.

Today there were a handful of shipping companies which owed their formation to independent freighter owners who had made so much profit shipping colonists into Russian space they had been able to start their own companies. Yet within a year, the Russians had closed their borders and there had been no communication with the rest of the Human Sphere for over twenty five years.

At first the other powers had hoped that the Russians would be content to live in peace in their own colonial empire. Yet recent stealth ships sent into the single Russian system that bordered the rest of human space rarely returned. If they came back at all the reports showed a steady buildup of Russian military vessels. The American and French response had been to begin the construction of battleships and China, not to be outdone, had embarked on her own construction program. The RSN however, had opted to continue its focus on battlecruisers. With so many systems to defend, the Admiralty felt that speed and flexibility was still the order of the day. That might just all change if the RSN ever had to go up against the battleship on the main holo-display James was looking at.

Not wishing to dwell on Chinese strengths James focused back on the matter at hand. “Navigation, have you updated our jump calculations?” James questioned.

“Yes sir, we’ll be ready to jump to intercept our drones from V31 and V48 as soon as we finish our deceleration burn.”

“Very good,” James commented. “We’ll watch this fleet for as long as our passive sensors can get good data on them. Once it’s safe we’ll begin deceleration for our jump to shift space. Then we’re heading home people.”

The King or Queen of Britain was the second most powerful person in British politics after the sitting Prime Minister. Their personal wealth alone meant they had considerable clout. The popular support they could control in elections could sway the balance of power in the House of Commons. On top of this, the coalitions they were able to build up in the House of Lords gave the ruling Monarch of Britain significant political influence.

-Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD

10
th
January 2465. HMS
Drake
, the Sol system.

Thirty-eight days later Commander James Somerville, Duke of Beaufort, was once again sat in the command chair of HMS
Drake
. He silently rolled his tongue over his full title. When he had left Earth two years ago it had been in disgrace and ignominy. Then his promotion to commander had been a punishment and banishment all rolled into one. Now he was once again able to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the Sol system, a home he hadn’t been sure he would have seen again for decades.

Sub Lieutenant Fisher had put up the tactical plot on the main holo-display. The Sol system was ablaze with ships. The heaviest traffic was flowing between the mining facilities in the ort cloud on the edge of the system, the numerous gas-mining stations in orbit around Jupiter and humanity’s Homeworld; Earth itself. There was also significant traffic between Earth and Mars. Highlighting just how important Mars still was to the human race despite the now abundance of more habitable planets amongst the stars. Even after James had surveyed all this traffic, there were still more than a hundred other ships making their way to more out of the way destinations in the Sol system. There were well over three hundred government backed or independent colonies and space stations all within the Sol system. Some built by entrepreneurial miners, others by those who wished to escape the governments of Earth. Others were carrying out research experiments too volatile to be conducted anywhere near a habitable planet.

Earth was still the center of the growing Human Sphere, the name that had been given to the ever-expanding area of space inhabited by the different space powers. Cultural norms, fashion styles and social trends were all still formed on Earth and then quickly flowed out to the various colony worlds. As the son of a key nobleman, James had grown up with his finger on Earth’s social heartbeat. Along with his friends, he had spent his late teen years frolicking in the joys of wealth, nobility and power.

Even as he looked at the projection of Earth on one of the secondary displays, he conceded that a little part of him was eagerly awaiting the chance to re-join his peers. Yet he had to admit that the last two years of command had changed him. In fact, if he was honest, a little bit of distance had made him realize that even from his time in the RSN Lunar academy things had begun to change. Parties, clothes, gossip and image had still been a big part of his life but a love and respect for the navy and its traditions had also begun to seep into his psyche. His years as a Lieutenant and now as a Commander had only served to strengthen his growing identity as a real naval officer. Not just the show he had been putting on to obey his father.

Keying the ship wide COM he addressed his crew. “Attention everyone. Before we enter orbit around Earth I wanted to pass on my congratulations to you all. It has been a pleasure to be your Commander over the last two years. Your excellence has never been in doubt but your actions and efficiency in the Void served to confirm what I already knew. What’s more I’m glad to report that we have officially made the quickest journey from Cambridge to Earth, we’ll be going into the Admiralty’s record books!”

He paused to let the crew enjoy the moment before going on, “I’m afraid I have one more request of you. It’s one you’re not going to like. We can’t let the Chinese know that we’ve found out about the Void – at least until the Admiralty decides to let them know. To that end, I’m going to have to postpone any leave until I get permission from higher up. For appearance’s sake we’ll be carrying out a complete systems check before any of you can take some shore leave.”

James felt as if he could hear the crew’s groans through the ship’s nano-carbon bulkheads. Yet he knew they would take it in their stride. Everyone knew the Void would be a game changer. It was essential they not mess up at this stage. They had already succeeded in their first goal, a swift return to Earth.

After briefly stopping to pick up the recon drones from V31 and V48 James had red lined
Drake’s
shift drive and impulse engines. He had received angry threats from the system commanders in Cambridge, Britannia and Cook but he had faked collision damage to his COMS array. As
Drake
passed through each system on full military power, she had been broadcasting a repeating message informing the system pickets and admirals that she had suffered a collision with an asteroid and was on her way home to Earth for repairs. James wasn’t sure anyone had bought it but
Drake
had been going too fast for any of the system pickets to intercept as she skirted the edge of each system.

“Communications, open up a link to
Vulcan
,” James requested. As well as the RSN’s main shipyard
Vulcan
also served as its headquarters. “Contact them on a civilian channel, this isn’t a military matter. Put me in contact with the First Space Lord.”

Admiral of the Red Jonathan Hugh Somerville was James’ uncle and the First Space Lord of the Admiralty. As such, he was in overall command of the operational functions of the RSN fleet. No doubt the family connection was another barb that constantly pricked Gupta’s barely checked resentment over James’ promotion.

As Sub Lieutenant Graham opened the channel James recorded the message he wished to send. “Uncle, it will be good to see you tomorrow at Jack’s birthday party. I presume now that I have made it home in time I’ll be getting an invite? Oh and could you let me know if His Highness is going to be attending. I am very much looking forward to rekindling our acquaintance.”

After replaying the message to ensure he had convincingly portrayed his warmth for the King, James sent the message over the channel Graham had opened for him.

“Commander, should I send a situation report to
Vulcan
through a military channel?” Graham asked after his personal message had been sent.

“No need Lieutenant my message will suffice.”

“Sir,” Gupta began. “You may be the first Space Lord’s nephew but I hardly think a personal message to him will suffice. Protocol calls for us to send a situation report before we approach Earth.”

Looking at his Second Lieutenant James explained himself, “my cousin’s birthday isn’t tomorrow. It was yesterday. We were best of friends growing up. My uncle will know that I would never get his birthday wrong. And besides, do you remember our discussion in the Void of my little problem?” James asked.

As Gupta nodded her head he continued, “Well the King was the one who personally requested my assignment to a survey ship. Hell will freeze over before either of us will be warmly embracing. My uncle will get the message.”

Gupta’s face broke out into a confused stare but she quickly got it under control. The King was behind Somerville’s banishment? She was beginning to realize that she had severely misjudged James’ posting to
Drake
. Yet if the King wanted rid of James he must have done something awful. Gupta was aware of the disgrace James’ father had brought onto his family and the nobility in general. But that certainly hadn’t affected the First Space Lord’s career so how could it be the reason behind James’ banishment?

Still, she thought it would look strange if
Drake
didn’t send any situation report upon their return to Earth. That might draw attention in and of itself.

“Hanson,” Gupta called out. “Bring up the navigational data on the shift passage to the Void.” As the view of the main holo-display shifted Gupta considered it for a moment. “I want you to create a new navigational file on the passage. Make it look like the passage is a dead end after the minor passage we labeled X37.”

She turned around to look at her Commander who was staring at her searchingly. “Sir, if we don’t send a situation report we’ll look suspicious, especially to any Chinese spies. If we send all our survey data bar the Void no one will want to take a second look.”

“I take your point Gupta,” James began, “but we’ll be sending a deliberately falsified report to the Admiralty, are you ok with that?”

When Gupta nodded James smiled. His uncle would most probably be mad at him anyway so what was one more log on the fire?

“Very well, Graham, make it so.”

*

Even before
Drake
had docked with
Vulcan
James found himself summoned to the First Space Lord’s office. Clearly his uncle had guessed he carried some sensitive information.  His request to bring
Drake
into an isolated section of
Vulcan
had been permitted.

Now he was standing outside his uncle’s office awaiting permission to enter. As the doors whooshed open, James walked in noting the various paintings his uncle had hung around his office. They all depicted some form of naval vessel in the midst of battle. There were ancient wooden ships from the days of Nelson, battleships from World War II and then three modern spaceships. James knew that each was one his uncle had commanded. The last was a medium cruiser, small by today’s standards. In the painting it was swooping in on a Russian Behemoth, firing missiles and plasma bolts at the Behemoth’s engines.

His uncle did not stand to greet him. Instead he waved James into a seat opposite him before giving his nephew a cold stare.

“I hope you have a very good reason for all the inconsistencies in the report you sent to
Vulcan
. Your personal message made me go over your report with a fine tooth comb as
Drake
decelerated into orbit. According to your survey logs you are missing three days from your collision through to your arrival at Earth. I also had my flag Lieutenant have a look over your ship as she was docking. There is no sign of any collision damage.”

“You are quite right of course,” James said as he handed over the datapad he had brought with him, trying to look calm and composed. “Here is our real survey report. I felt that given the circumstances secrecy was the best approach.”

“You did?” Somerville asked with more than a hint of sarcasm. He had always thought there was a glimmer of potential in James but he feared he had too much of his father in him. After the incident with the royal family he had decided James’ future in the RSN would go no further than command of a survey ship.

After eying the datapad Somerville instead looked back at his nephew, “you give me an overview of what I’m going to find in here.”

After clearing his throat he proceeded with the report he had been practicing all the way from the Void. “Well sir.
Drake
was surveying a shift passage that lead away from Cambridge when we discovered a pocket of space devoid of any dark matter. After a brief survey of the border of the pocket we concluded that it was indeed a dark matter bubble.”

Inwardly James smiled, he could see his uncle had already slightly shifted forward in his seat. After clearing his throat again he went on. “The dark matter bubble is approximately twelve light years in diameter and contains fifty-six systems. Our astronomical data from Earth identified five of the systems as having planets in the goldilocks range so we proceeded to survey them before coming back to Earth with the news. Four turned out to be able to sustain human life. Two of them fall within our own borders, the other two are in open space. Out of all the systems only eight actually fall within Chinese space. More important is the system we designated V2. It is one of the systems with a habitable planet in our space. Our survey found significant amounts of valstronium ore on the planet and one of the system’s gas giants has the highest concentration of He3 discovered outside of the Utah system. Our initial projections indicate that if we can develop this one planet alone it will be able to fund our expansion program for the next half century.”

Before going on James again paused to take in his uncle’s reaction. If anything he looked sterner than when James had begun. Clearly he was trying to control his feelings.