The Alienbutt Saga, Book 1. War of the Coffee Bean. Part 37.

Killashandra sat at the weapons console picking targets with deadly accuracy, while she was a promising pilot, Grommit had decided to place a more experienced pilot at the ship’s controls, not wanting to risk losing one of her commanders to inexperience. This didn’t bother Killashandra as she felt the need to be blowing things up. Alienbutt had told her what had happened to her friends from the Ladies’ Darts Team. She still struggled to believe that her childhood friends were gone, but she was determined that the Federation would pay, and blowing things up seemed to help release the rage that had been threatening to overwhelm her. In the strange pilot Ponnfarr, who had been Kali’s lead fighter pilot before she was injured, she had someone who was totally fearless when put in a battle situation, but he seemed more than a little crazy. He had started laughing as the Fo’c’sle had started their first attack run and had become more maniacal as the battle progressed; even now she could hear him giggling to himself. Despite his odd behaviour he flew the ship with great skill and seemed totally aware of everything going on around them. Time and again he would close in on an enemy ship and every time he would give Killashandra the perfect shot at the cruiser’s weak spot. Their frigate flew between the massive battle cruisers with her squadron following, explosions ripping apart ships all around them as torpedoes found their targets. The smaller forward laser cannons helped clear away the robot fighters that were now around in large numbers trying to stop their enemies. In the confusion of the battle, pilots had to be aware of danger coming from any angle as ships dived from above or rose from below, trying to destroy the enemy in a massive free-for-all. The battle cruisers that were so effective when their targets were at a distance were proving ineffective at such close quarters and their pilots’ lack of real battle experience now became a death sentence for their crews.

Cyborgpirate piloted his ship with a concentration heightened by a cold psychotic rage that always descended when he engaged in battle. Any thought of organising the combat was impossible. He knew you just had to keep moving and shooting and pray that today wasn’t your day. Following his ship was his wingman of many years, Elxa Rowce, as they flew along under a battle cruiser, it began to list drastically. Cyborgpirate put his ship into a dive as the cruiser dipped further, but was unable to prevent his ship colliding, causing a hole to be ripped down his hull and smashing the left wing of his frigate. Out of control, the Fo’c’sle commander spun away and down through the battle. Elxa had no time to watch Cyborgpirate's fate as he too tried to take action to avoid the crippled cruiser as it dropped into his flight path. Unable to do anything else he gave a curse a second before his ship hit the cruiser and exploded. Two other Fo’c’sle frigates sped after Cyborgpirate’s crippled ship as it fell through the battle, trying to provide cover for their commander from any robot fighter that would see the damaged ship as an easy target to attack, hoping that their commander was still alive and they could keep him that way.

Alienbutt flew through the battlefield, still taking sips from a bottle of whiskey as he manoeuvred around burning hulks to find ever more targets. He was aware that very soon they would run out of torpedoes and be left with just their forward cannons. The battle formation of the Federation was starting to break apart as already some of their ships were starting to run. Ahead of him, he saw a number of battle cruisers begin to form up into a fighting wedge, moving forward with purpose to engage the Ick dreadnoughts. Any wrecks in their path were blasted out of the way. Ordering his squadron to rally on him he set off towards the threat. Only seventeen ships of his squadron answered the call, but all quickly formed up behind him as they started an attack run to hit the battle cruisers from behind. They only had the one run at the ships, but their torpedoes found their mark and the fighting wedge fell apart, before the remaining ships were targeted by the Ick dreadnoughts that had also responded to the threat of the organised group.

Snoodgrass stood watching the battle unfold; he knew that the Federation fleet was ready to bolt. If he had reserves, this would be the moment he would send them in. Then a fleet jumped out of light speed, high above the main battle. Snoodgrass stared at the holo-screen in panic at the new arrivals; the battle wasn't won yet. But then he grinned as he recognised the ships as they took up formation beyond the edge of the battle.
“Snoodgrass you old dog, I’m hurt you didn’t invite me, but I brought my lads and lasses to gatecrash your little battle anyway, as I’m sure our missing invite was an oversight on your part,” boomed Duke Ramboe’s voice over the radio.
Snoodgrass shook his head and chuckled. “I’m sure I sent you an invitation Duke, but feel free to join in,” replied Snoodgrass, grinning in spite of himself, knowing now the battle was won.
The bounty hunter fleet began to move, dropping like a bolt of lightning onto the centre of the Federation fleet where the enemy command ship was. Duke Ramboe’s ship was at the forefront of the attack and he ordered all ships to fire on the Federation command vessel, and within moments it disappeared in a giant explosion. All Federation resistance crumbled with the loss of the Federation Admiral and the battle quickly became a rout. The battle cruisers started to retreat and left the slower troop ships, support vessels and other damaged ships to their own fate, which had become very short and ended in large explosions, as the Ick were in no mood for giving quarter after what had happened to the populations of the planets that had been overrun by the invaders.

Grommit flew clear of the battlefield, climbing high above the burning wrecks that floated lifeless. Behind her followed the remains of her squadron. Their losses had been heavy, but not as bad as expected. Two miles above the last of the wrecks, she levelled off and finally looked down over the scene of the battle. Never had she seen such carnage. Below her thousands of ships burnt, and still the Ick forces swept through the area finding and finishing off damaged Federation ships. The Federation armada had numbered thousands of ships; at least two-thirds of which were now reduced to burning scrap metal. The battle had been short but fierce. Snoodgrass's little surprises had made the difference. The shock at the destruction of the front ranks of their fleet where most of the more experienced captains had been was too much for them to recover from in such a short period of time.
The Ick were inventors of gadgets that excelled in going bang. She couldn't understand why they didn't rule space, but were content to stay within their own empire's border. This stance was now seeing them face a war of extinction. She had no illusions that they had won anything more than a battle, and that the Federation would come back stronger once they had nursed their wounds. Now was the time they should be counter-attacking but they just didn't have the forces, even with the arrival of the bounty hunters under the leadership of the legendary Duke Ramboe. They would have to dig in and build up their defences, and await the next move against them, unless they got more help.

To be continued.

Thanks for reading, all images are mine.