Star Crusader: Legends of Orion

By Michael G. Thomas

It is a dark time for the Alliance, with their forces scattered before the advancing legions of the unstoppable Star Empire. Further disastrous news arrives that General Makos and his loyal Byotai warriors have been utterly routed in battle, leaving the Alliance no option but to fall back to Helios.

Nate returns home with Battlefleet Victorious, only to find the entire Alliance fleet gathered to give battle. Admiral Churchill has assembled many squadrons of cruisers, destroyers and battleships for the inevitable arrival of their undefeated foe. Princeps Tahkeome and his grand fleet is just days away, and soon he will arrive at Helios, the gateway to the Alliance and beyond.

There will be no rest for Nate and his friends, and they are hastily mobilised for battle. Heroes of the past and present reunite, bringing cadres of warriors and mercenaries from a dozen worlds to stand up to the invasion. Nate will face a battle unlike any he has seen before as the combined might of three great powers join battle in a fight that will change the galaxy forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Swordworks Books
• Release date: Feb 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781911092674

Michael G. Thomas

Michael G. Thomas, is a writer, martial artist and military historian. He has written books on European martial arts and military history as well as Zombie Survival books and fiction. He is the co-founder of the prestigious Academy of Historical Fencing that teaches traditional armed and unarmed European martial arts. His specialist subject areas are teaching the use of the medieval two handed longsword and the German long knife in both the UK and other parts of Europe.He academic background is as varied as his writing with degrees in Computing, Classical Studies and Machine Learning. In recent years he has undertaken substantial research in the fields of machine learning and artificial intelligence as well as Ancient Greek and Byzantine military history.Michael is currently completing his Champions of the Apocalypse Series and Star Crusades science fiction series.

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STAR CRUSADER

LEGENDS OF ORION

By Michael G. Thomas

Part of the STAR CRUSADES universe

First Edition

Copyright © 2017 Michael G. Thomas

Published by Swordworks Books

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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CHAPTER ONE

Byotai Imperial Battleship ‘Hellstorm’

Martos II, Tenth Quadrant

January 19th 2473

The second battle of Martos II was a foregone conclusion, but the rugged, and now partially lame General Makos would not yield. He was a proud warrior and leader of the remaining members of his ancient race. They still fought for the remnants of their Empire, even after dozens of bloody failures. Just one tenth of their territory remained, and as long as his flagship remained functional, he intended to resist the massive invasion of the Tenth, and final quadrant.

General Makos was a Byotai, a humanoid race with reptilian traits, living long and productive lives. Their sturdy bodies explained much of their success in exploration, trading, and mining in the most dangerous parts of the galaxy. Now they were close to becoming a displaced people, with no home to call their own. They’d beaten off so many attacks that defending the region should have been easy, but not this time. The Star Empire was new and dynamic. People of many races and colonies raced to join the meritocracy, a place where the ambitious could succeed with nothing more than their skills. The ships loyal to the Star Empire were there in force, and Makos knew he was in serious trouble.

Nothing has changed, he roared, filling the bridge with his voice, Bring us around fifteen degrees, and concentrate fire on the lead cruiser squadron. Drive them back and break their centre! Move our heavies to the front. They have the armour, they can take it.

There was no dissent, and one by one they carried out their orders. The nearby Byotai attack cruisers, often known as Dragonflies by the Humans, due to their long membrane solar arrays, moved to join in with the counterattack. They were sleek and elegant, while retaining the armour and firepower associated with the Byotai. Almost all the newer, prettier ships were destroyed or in enemy hands, leaving him with the remnants of the Navy. Behind them came a long line of Schola Class cruisers. They were the precursors to his own ship, though his carried thicker armour, bigger engines, substantially more crew, and advanced weaponry rarely seen outside Byotai battleships. But that didn’t worry Makos.

These old ships are our heritage. Slow, tough, and uncompromising.

He wished he had a few more like them. His fleet was old, with most warships classed as pre-Narau Treaty in design. After the terrible war took place hundreds of years ago, the five powers had elected to work together, each providing ships to the combined Narau Navy. The days of slow, lumbering craft were over, with all sides electing for cheaper, fast vessels that could operate away from home for longer periods. Armour and protection was lost for more comfortable quarters and supplies. But not Hellstorm. She was a true ship-of-the-line, perhaps one of just a few that would survive this war.

Makos turned his thoughts back to the battle. Attacking the enemy was far from ideal, but by attacking now, he would be able to strike before the enemy’s 3rd Division was in place. On one side of the vast battle moved the ships of the Star Empire. The new and aggressive entity that had risen from the rotten core of the old Byotai Empire; on the other, the renegade General Makos, hero of the Byotai resistance, with his band of volunteer captains. The fleets were well matched in numbers, a mixture of military and modified civilian ships, and all were there for the duration of the fight. No matter who won today, both sides would suffer for the victory. Captain Elin, his second-in-command, and his most trusted comrade, lifted her hand to her face and looked alarmed.

General. An emergency message from Captain Krammer of Furiosa.

The one-eyed Byotai soldier, and now Makos’ right-hand man had been a lowly midshipman in the Navy. After months of combat she’d worked her way up to captain, before losing her entire ship fighting to help Makos. Now the two were inseparable. She never gave up hope, and even though there was no chance of success, she remained upbeat. Makos stared at her, a faint glimmer of hope dancing about his eyes.

What does she want?

Elin licked her lips, a sure sign she had news he didn’t want to hear.

Captain Krammer says the enemy’s newly arrived 4th Division has them engaged at the Serpentis Rift. She has driven Furiosa into their fleet and is engaging their vanguard of three cruisers. Her escorts are close and are holding, but she estimates that in the next hour the entire 4th Division will be in position.

Elin looked up at him.

Another eighteen ships, plus the vanguard? When they arrive, she will have to withdraw, or lose Furiosa and her entire unit. Her division is already outnumbered two to one.

Makos snorted.

Pathetic odds. I’ve already sent her another four Cohorts and my last mark II Cohort cruiser. Tell me, Captain Elin, when are we not fighting against odds two to one?

He hesitated; he needed to be more positive, even though he knew the battle was almost certainly hopeless. A part of him wondered if continuing to fight was even a viable solution anymore.

Is the domination of the entire region by the Star Empire a foregone conclusion? If so, is there much point in continuing the war and losing thousands more lives.

Another enemy ship turned back as missiles slammed into its hull. A bombardment from a Byotai battleship hit its stern, setting off a series of massive explosions.

Excellent.

Cheers rang out on the deck, and he regarded his officers and crew. He knew he could not turn his back on them, not now. They’d sacrificed so much during this conflict, and still they fought. Even if they lost the battle, the planets of the Tenth Quadrant were now all under Byotai control.

Pass on my regards to Captain Krammer. It is imperative she keeps on fighting! Furiosa can take it. She will stay until I give the order to change position. Our sole chance now is that our will proves to be greater than theirs.

Yes, General.

The old General paced the deck of his flagship, slightly dragging one leg behind him as he moved. The dim light hid his features from most of the crew, though none had time to waste looking at him. The colossal heavy cruiser known as Hellstorm was one of an old and very common class of ship in the Byotai arsenal. Originally considered the Byotai equivalent of a heavy cruiser, she was now classed as closer to a light battleship due to newer vessels being smaller, faster, and manned by far less crew. The post-Narau Navy might be faster and more advanced, but there was a lot to be said for these old vessels. Though far from modern, the ship was no slouch when it came to combat. Second only to the venerable Legion Class, she was a holdover from a much earlier time, when thickness of armour and firepower were the key components of warship building. Running down the spine of her dorsal structure a large raised tunnel shielded the barrels of two gigantic fusion plasma railguns. She looked like a mangled corkscrew, bristling with guns, the literal epitome of all Byotai virtues. Tough, slow, and uncompromising.

Furiosa. She can hold, but for how long?

Makos regarded the image of the famous ship, and wondered if it might have been better to transfer his flag there. The battleship was in theory the best and most dependable ship in the fleet, and if nothing else, she was a lot bigger than the already massive, half kilometre-long Hellstorm. But she’d been with him from the start, and to move to another ship felt like abandoning a valued friend. Furiosa had so much more to offer, but there was more to life than just what happened to be better. Then again, if Hellstorm fell, Furiosa was the logical replacement. He licked his lips and visualised the last moments of his ship. He watched her, in the middle of the enemy fleet, wreathed in fire, and he was okay with that.

Now…put us in front of our main line and present our main guns to the enemy. Push us ahead, I want to draw their fire. It will take a lot to stop Hellstorm.

He then nodded once.

Target the three central enemy vessels and activate the plasma batteries.

Just mentioning the main guns sent a chill through his body. The plasma batteries were unreliable back when they installed them. Hundreds of years later they were as likely to destroy the ship as they were to fire. Although for all their problems, when they worked they were the most powerful weapons ever used by the Byotai. He’d never come across a ship that could survive against a concentrated volley.

Convey the targets to the fleet. It’s time to stop damaging their ships, and time to see them burn. I want a full battle line concentration of fire at this point.

Yes, General.

More shots tore into the distant ships, with both sides sustaining heavy damage. The enemy should have broken off by now, but for some reason they were staying. In the past, he’d been able to defeat larger forces by merely giving the enemy a bloody nose. They were big and brash, but casualties always scared them off. Not this time. As he scanned the enemy line, he focussed his attention on the large division of dark coloured ships to the rear.

There he is.

His hated foe, the half-blooded Tahkeome. The self-appointed leader of the Star Empire had managed to hurl an impressive number of ships at him, and with such poise and skill it had proven almost impossible to resist. The man had come from nowhere, hiding away for decades as he worked his way to the top of the Anicinàbe Clan hierarchy. Then in one swift move he’d decapitated his own regime, and moved on to Makos’ own people.

This is all on you, Tahkeome.

General Makos had a well-founded belief in the ability of his captains, and had assumed that one more violent assault would throw the enemy back in confusion. Now he needed a new plan, a way to get around the great power and sway Princeps Tahkeome held over his disparate forces. As the minutes ticked by, Makos had no choice but to acknowledge he’d lost this battle. He continued pacing; barking out his orders with such conviction that every one of his men must have felt victory was within their grasp. Elin and a handful of the more senior officers knew better. Hellstorm was a mighty ship, but even a heavily armoured cruiser could be brought low by sheer weight of numbers.

Target acquired, guns locked on, said Elin.

Good. Now…fire, and do not stop.

The battery of six heavy mass drivers opened fire, sending out yet more of the heavy slugs. The powerful weapons left streams of gas behind, like flames gushing out of an ancient sailing ship’s cannon. Then came the combined firepower from more than thirty pulse cannons. The smaller weapons trailed pulses of light as tracer units flickered behind them. The effect was almost beautiful when combined with the impacts on the enemy ships.

Plasma batteries at full power. Firing now.

The entire warship vibrated as the colossal energy coils emptied their capacitors for the pair of shots. The energy expended was massive, and some of the interior lights dimmed as the ship lost almost all of its power. Pulses of energy burst from the muzzles, each barrel unleashing a volley of energised shots. In a matter of five seconds they were spent, and the muzzles glowed white hot.

Perfect, Makos muttered under his breath.

He watched through the reinforced windows on the bridge, nodding calmly as the majority of shots crashed into the bow of a Cohort cruiser, and then on to hit a converted transport. The advanced Cohort warship could do little against such savagery and tore apart from the bombardment. The long, elegant membrane wings ripped apart, followed by the curved vertical stabilisers that vanished under the heavy fire. What was once a work of beauty and elegance was now another ruined hulk. The transport fared even worse, exploding in a great display of fire and molten metal.

Both targets destroyed, General.

Makos felt both triumph and sadness at the death of the ship. The Cohort was the epitome of the new Byotai fleet. Ninety percent of the hull was identical to the older generation Cohort Class, but extended, with greater living space, more advanced engines, and the great, sweeping wings to collect energy from the solar winds. Light, fast, and powerful, and now almost vanished from this world. A decade ago they were the most commonly seen Byotai ship, with even civilian ships copying their elegant, insectoid styling. Now most were in Star Empire hands, or wrecks scuttled by their loyalist crews.

Recharge the guns. I want them ready to fire as quickly as possible.

They regarded him with unease. The plasma weaponry was dangerous to use, and without time to cool down, the risk would continue to increase. Several Palatini Heavy Cruisers had been lost with all hands due to this one problem.

General? Elin asked, The plasma generators are running at maximum, and the railgun launchers are primed and ready. Are you…

Yes. I am sure. Do I have any choice? Charge them up and tell me the second they’re ready.

He looked back at the broken Cohort ship. Light reflected off the broken solar wings, and for a second he felt a pang of guilt. His ship seemed such a brute compared to such beauty. Then a volley of shells slammed into Hellstorm’s upper hull, and he grinned to himself.

Still, I would take Hellstorm over a dozen Cohorts. She is the last of an old breed, and can take these hits.

He snarled defiance as the battle raged. Modern ships hid their battle bridges deep inside the armoured hulls, but not old battleships like this one. The bridge was towards the rear and gave the commander a prime view of the battle. Lances of light marked the trajectories of the gunfire as mass drivers and automatic cannon hurled devastating projectiles across thousands of kilometres of space. Long, circling trails of smoke and dust showed where heavy missiles and torpedoes ducked and twirled on their way to their targets. There was an almost majestic quality about the magnificent panorama, yet Makos could still foresee the coming disaster.

Where are my reinforcements? Kratha promised me aid.

Elin lifted her chin and inhaled cooler air. They’d already had this conversation, so she chose to ignore it, and focused on the battle. The young Prince might have inherited leadership of the Byotai, but he lacked planets, colonies, and ships. In many ways, Makos had more to offer the Byotai right now.

General, Furiosa and her escorts are here, along with more ships than we could have imagined. Maybe we should fall back to Karnak and establish a...

General Makos looked doubtful.

Why bother? We will lose more ships in a retreat, and then we’re left with fewer again to fight another battle. No, the battle must be decided here, today. Either we will control the field, or we will concede. I will not waste another day in this sector.

His oversized nostrils flared, as he turned his attention to the two divisions of enemy ships finishing to deploy in front of him for yet another general assault upon his fleet. Hellstorm punished them as they turned about, but it was too little and too late. He spotted the third massed formation moving slowly around to flank him on the left. Hellstorm continued firing, but the enemy appeared to ignore their losses and continued their vast envelopment.

General, two of their cruisers have broken through our forward screen. Our entire front is pinned and heavily engaged. They’re coming right at us.

Plasma batteries?

Elin frowned.

Negative, we need at least another ten minutes. We’re venting from the generators. They’re not built to take this kind of…

Makos lifted a hand.

Fine. Put us between them both.

Elin appeared stunned at the order.

Between them?

Yes. I want every single turret retasked to close-range volleys. We’ll do this the old-fashioned Human way. The way Anderson told me they used to do it.

Elin wasn’t entirely sure what he meant, but she didn’t argue. In seconds the order reverberated throughout the hull, and to the two thousand or more crew still on board. Unlike every other ship in the fleet, Hellstorm carried a blistering array of small gun turrets. They were nominally designed for point defence against gunships and corvettes, a role now taken over by smaller escort ships. Makos had seen old history reports from the Humans, however, and he knew that unlike the Star Empire ships, his warship had the armour and the firepower to handle this.

What class are the enemy ships?

Elin snatched a look at the screen.

Anicinàbe Wildfire cruisers, General. One ninety metres, nearly three hundred crew, and one hell of a lot of launch tubes on their bows. They both carry turrets on their flanks.

"And they are coming right at us?

Yes, General, they must know our primary weapons are recharging.

Very well. Helm, turn about hard left, and present our right flank to the approaching ships. Put up a flak corridor on vector six two and hold it steady.

Seconds later the great ship groaned as her engines pushed her hard to the left. Soon the plasma batteries were pointing towards the left side of the Byotai fleet, while the long right flank was now fully exposed.

Incoming warheads.

As expected, said Makos, Knock down as many as you can and brace for impact.

For the next minute the mighty Hellstorm withstood a colossal barrage of rockets and missiles as the two cruisers split apart to avoid the flak corridors.

General, should we adjust the guns? Both ships have moved to avoid their fire.

Negative. We’ll perform a combat turn using vented power from the plasma weapons. Be ready, but wait for my command.

The missiles kept coming, many striking the ship’s thick armour.

General, they are approaching our bow and stern, said Elin, her voice becoming higher in pitch.

Now! Brace, brace, brace!

The ship lurched hard to the right. As well as the manoeuvring thrusters, a great gout of plasma vented from the circular rings running down the sides of the weapon mounts. The ship twisted until she was pointing back towards the enemy fleet, and with the cruisers now on each side of her.

Now…all flank weapons open fire!

A great shudder rang out through the ship as thirty-six turret batteries opened fire at point-blank range. They fired explosive slugs that were normally useless against capital ships. But at a range of less than a kilometre, they hammered into both ships. Armour plating, fuel systems, and entire compartments ripped apart, leaving the two cruisers burning from bow to stern.

Excellent. Now…I want you to…

Before he could say more, yet another of their ships succumbed to the massed gunnery far from the front-line. The large, old, civilian refinery ship had been modified with extra plates of armour and guns salvaged from a ruined frigate. Makos visibly shuddered as he watched the vessel break apart.

These ships are not designed for combat, they cannot take the hits. We need to use our amour to shield our forces.

He surveyed their dispositions, doing his best to look and sound confident. The enemy had sustained losses, but his were equally terrible. He cast everything aside and regarded the numbers, the damage, and where there were areas he could contest.

It would appear the centre of their line is the weakest. Our heavies have created several breaches already. Look, I can see two capital ships falling back.

It was hopeless optimism, and Makos could see she didn’t believe him. Three times the enemy had assaulted his lines, and each time he’d thrown them back. Now his fleet was barely able to function, and still they kept on fighting. Perhaps it was vanity or pride, or simply sheer desperation. He had to fight on, though, and attacking was his sole option; else he’d have to stand his ground and wait until the entire fleet was annihilated. The ship vibrated as something impacted the hull, and Elin pointed to fast moving shapes.

Mahingan fighters. They’re trying to flank any of our ships that break formation. They want us to stay right here, and box us in.

Makos grunted.

Yes. They are wily opponents, are they not? We cannot win this fight by just reacting to every one of their actions. We have to keep them on edge, panic them and scatter their forces. Then can we pick off parts of their fleet one by one.

His eyes surveyed the screen.

How many fighter squadrons do we have left?

Elin visibly shook as she glanced at the relevant information. Their losses were very heavy, that much was obvious, but Makos had never expected to suffer so much and so fast.

We have six squadrons of Hawkmoths, but all have sustained losses and are understrength. There’s not a lot they can do.

Same for us all. Bring them in close to our capital ships. Keep those enemy fighters away from us, I think it’s time for a final push.

Yes, General.

Gunfire blasted back and forth as the two long lines of ships faced off against each other once more. The scene was at once chaotic and beautiful, a