Exodus: Empires at War: Book 06 - The Day of Battle Read online

  Exodus: Empires at War

  Book 6

  The Day of Battle

  by

  Doug Dandridge

  “We’re picking up the Cacas,” said the Sensory Officer, looking back at the Commodore.

  “Right into the bag,” said the Tactical Officer, smiling.

  We can only hope, thought Commodore Mei Lei, looking at the holo that showed the icons of a number of enemy ships, in hyper VII and decelerating down to translation speed. The only other icons in hyper were those of the convoy that was the bait, traveling in hyper V and right on target.

  I wish we could stop with this sniping shit and just take them on, thought the former scout ship commander, who had only recently earned a squadron command. But that way led to defeat. And even sniping wasn’t always the safest thing to do against this enemy. Several groups had been badly mauled trying to take on what should have been surprised and outgunned Ca’cadasan task forces. And one had completely disappeared.

  “Shit,” she said quietly, watching as more icons appeared on the holo, until the force that appeared was over the threshold of what she was supposed to commit to. “Get me Captain von Rittersdorf,” she said, looking over at her Com Officer.

  Almost instantly the face of Maurice von Rittersdorf appeared on the holo, the bridge of the hyper VII destroyer James Komorov behind him. “What do you want me to do?” asked the young Duke over the wormhole com.

  “What do you want to do?” asked Mei, not really sure what she wanted to do in this situation. Doctrine called for her to refrain from engagement. Doctrine called for any ships that could get away to do so. All of the escort ships, besides von Rittersdorf’s, were hyper VI vessels with terrific acceleration curves. They could easily leave the slower merchant ships behind and get away, building up enough velocity that they would be out of the sensor range of the enemy before they got through with the merchies. James Komorov was the only hyper VII ship in the escort, and the only reason she was there was her ability to communicate with the Commodore’s flagship through her own wormhole com.

  “I hate leaving the commercial vessels behind,” said the young man, who had earned his Duchy through his heroic actions in helping to rescue the Emperor, just like the Commodore.

  I know how you feel, she thought, shaking her head. The commercial vessels were actually auxiliary warships, fitted out with the best armaments and protective fields that could be provided, and crewed by Fleet personnel. The only things they didn’t have was military class armor, or the acceleration of a warship.

  Mei looked over the holo again, seeing what appeared to be the end of the enemy concentration, based on the time that had passed since the last had appeared. Her force was still outnumbered, and outgunned, if it came to a fair stand up fight. Which I have no intention of getting into.

  “OK,” she said, looking into the eyes of the young lion on the holo. “Keep them heading our way. Here’s what we’ll do.” And she outlined the strategy that she hoped would give her a victory.

  Dedication

  This novel is dedicated to Astronaut Michael Fincke, who truly travels beyond. You are an inspiration to all of us, sir. May you continue to voyage in the physical, as I voyage in the imagination.

  Contact me at [email protected]

  Follow my Blog at http://dougdandridge.com

  Follow me at @BrotherofCats

  Copyright © 2014 Doug Dandridge

  All rights reserved.

  Please respect the hard work of this author. If you found this book for free on a pirate site, please visit Amazon and buy a copy of your own. I feel that I charge a reasonable price for this work.

  For more information on the Exodus Universe, visit http://dougdandridge.net for maps, sketches and other details of this work.

  Acknowledgements: I would like to thank all of my fans, especially those who sent emails or commented on blogs about how much they enjoyed the first four books of this series. Your kind words gave me the impetus to continue through the not so kind words left in some reviews. And special thanks to Ruth de Jauregui, who helped with the covers on all of the Exodus series. Her changes improved all of the covers.

  Books by Doug Dandridge

  Doug Dandridge’s Author Page at Amazon

  Science Fiction

  The Exodus Series

  Exodus: Empires at War: Book 1

  Exodus: Empires at War: Book 2

  Exodus: Empires at War: Book 3: The Rising Storm.

  Exodus: Empires at War: Book 4: the Long Fall.

  Exodus: Empires at War: Book 5: Ranger

  The Deep Dark Well Series

  The Deep Dark Well

  To Well and Back

  Deeper and Darker (coming Summer 2014)

  Others

  The Shadows of the Multiverse

  Diamonds in the Sand

  The Scorpion

  Afterlife

  We Are Death, Come for You

  Fantasy

  The Refuge Series

  Refuge: The Arrival: Book 1

  Refuge: The Arrival: Book 2

  Refuge: Book 3: The Legions

  Doppelganger: A Novel of Refuge

  Others

  The Hunger

  Daemon

  Aura

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  Cast of Characters

  The Capital

  Emperor Sean Ogden Lee Romanov: Born Year 971 (29 years old). Fifth child and the third son of the late Emperor Augustine Romanov.

  Doctor Jennifer Conway: Physician and Consort of Emperor Sean.

  Grand High Admiral Sondra McCullom: Chief of Naval Operations.

  Field Marshal Betty Parker: Commandant of the Imperial Marine Corps

  Grand Marshal Mishori Yamakuri: Army Chief of Staff.

  Jakobe McGregor: Director Imperial Investigation Bureau.

  Countess Judy Decker. Sergeant of Arms of the Lords

  Count Hector Romanov Sutter. Third Cousin to the Emperor

  Prime Minister Countess Haruko Kawasaki.

  Lord Garis: Minister of State.

  Lord T’lisha: Phlistaran Minister of Security.

  Lord Halbrook: Minister of the Exchequer.

  Laura Goolsby: Speaker of Commons.

  Mohamed Ishner: Chief of Scholars.

  Ekaterina Sergiov: Chief of Imperial Intelligence Agency.

  Samantha Ogden Lee. Sean’s cousin and Regent.

  Countess Zhee: Member of the Lords’ Opposition Party.

  Count Cornwell: Member of Lord’s Opposition Party.

  H’rressitor: Gryphon Minister of Commerce and Industry.

  Baron Emile von Hausser Schmidt: Leader of the House of Lords.

  Archduke Percival Marconi: Leader of the Lords’ Opposition Party.

  The Fleet

  Commodore Duchess Mei Lei: Hyper VII battle cruiser squadron commander.

  Captain the Duke Maurice von Rittersdorf: Squadron Commander hyper VII destroyer squadron.

  Ensign Lasardo: Rittersdorf’s tactical officer.

  Commodore Bryce Suttler: Commander HIMS Seastag (Stealth Attack 421).

  Lieutenant SG Walter Ngovic. Tactical, HIMS Seastag.

  Commander Chris Browne: Captain, Stealth Attack HMIS Dolphin.

  Grand Fleet Admiral Duke Taelis Mgonda: Admiral in command of Hyper VII battle force.

  Grand Fleet Admiral Gabriel Len Lenkowski: Commander: Battle Fleet.

  Vice Admiral Mara Montgomery. Commander, Hyper VII Scout Force, Battle Fleet.

  Admiral Chuntao Chan: Director of Fleet R & D.


  Commodore Natasha Romanov: Commander of NTR Light Cruiser Orleans.

  Captain Stella English: Commander light cruiser HIMS Lancanshire.

  Chief Petty Officer First Jana Gorbachev: Former Prisoner of the Ca’cadasans.

  Rear Admiral Adrijana Miroslav: Commander, Congreeve System.

  Captain Mary Innocent: Sean’s Intelligence Officer.

  Captain Javier Montoya: Captain, Augustine I.

  John Jacobs: Sean’s Steward.

  Admiral Peter Chrone: Head of a weapon’s development program, assigned to the Donut.

  Fleet Admiral Benjamin O’Hara: Naval Commander of the Donut.

  Commodore Natasha Sung: Commanding Officer, exploration mission to the far side of Ca’cadasan Space.

  Commander Marc Dawson: Engineering Officer, Congreeve System.

  Rear Admiral Kelso: Sean’s Flag Captain and Chief of Staff.

  The Donut

  Doctor Lucille Yu, PhD: Assistant Chief Scientist and Engineer of the Donut Project. Born Year 928 (72 years old).

  Jimmy Chung: IIA Agent in Charge, Donut.

  Imperial Army

  Cornelius Walborski: Cadet Lieutenant and two time holder of the Imperial Medal of Heroism.

  Brigadier General Samuel Baggett: Brigade Commander,

  Brigadier General Walther Jodel, The Preacher: Army Ranger Brigade Commander.

  Colonel Dagni Thorwaldsdottir: Brigade Assistant Commander.

  Lieutenant Jay Cummings: Platoon Commander: Main Battle Tanks.

  Ca’cadasans

  Great Admiral Miierrowanasa M’tinisasitow: Ca’cadasan conquest fleet commander. Born 2843 AD (1,418 years old).

  High Admiral Kellissaran Jarkastarin: Third Cousin to the Emperor and rival of the Great Admiral.

  Elysium

  Archduke Horatio Alexanderopolis: His Imperial Majesty’s Ambassador to the Court of the Elysium Empire. Born Year 821 (179 years old).

  High Lord Grarakakak, Brakakak: High Lord of Elysium Empire.

  Others

  Sonia Rupert: IIA Agent, former member of Imperial Protection Detail.

  Father Matias Josue: Reformed Catholic Priest on Congreeve.

  Citizen Prestor Johnson: Trillionaire and developer of Congreeve System.

  Devera Walborski: Warrant Officer Medic and the wife of Cornelius.

  Rebecca Walborski: Sean and Devera’s adopted daughter.

  President Julia Graham: Elected Leader of the New Terran Republic.

  Timeline

  2151 AD: Hiro Yamamoto discovers subspace portal generator. Opens subspace dimension to transport of human colonists.

  2160 AD: Alpha Centauri B4 colony established.

  2173 AD: Tau Ceti III colony established.

  2208 AD: Humanity has spread to eight inhabitable systems within 20 light years of Sol.

  2250 AD: 12 million humans living outside of the solar system.

  2254 AD: First contact with Ca’cadasans on Epsilon Iridani V. Human colony destroyed without warning or trace. Incoming ship discovers colony destroyed and runs back to human space with news.

  2256 AD: Human colony at Altair V attacked and destroyed.

  2257 AD: United Solar System Fleet established to fight alien threat.

  2260 AD: Battle of Tau Ceti, humans meet Ca’cadasans with a five to one advantage in mass and are handily defeated.

  2261 AD: Construction started on the six Exodus ships to allow some of humanity to make it to safety outside of human space.

  2264 AD: Ca’cadasans, having destroyed all of humanity’s colonies, attack the solar system in force. Five completed Exodus ships attempt to leave the system under heavy escort. Two are destroyed before they can make it into subspace. Two enter subspace with pursuit, while Exodus III makes a clean breakaway into subspace.

  2264 - 3260 AD: The Long Voyage. With several fueling stops and explorations, Exodus III travels along the galactic rim and toward the core, traversing 9,760 light years from Sol.

  3261 AD: Supersystem discovered, along with remains of ancient civilization that had once owned it. First human colony founded on Jewel. Year 1 of New Human Empire.

  3268 AD (Year 8): Humans make contact with traveling merchant ship from Elysium Empire. Discover thriving civilizations that sprung from the ancient civilization that used to inhabit the Supersystem.

  3361 AD (Year 100): Population 2,000,000+. Establishment of the Fleet.

  3460 AD (Year 199): Beginning of Terraforming projects around super system.

  3573 to 3579 AD (Year 312 to 318): First Gardasian War, human victory.

  3589 to 3592 AD (Year 328 to 331): Second Gardasian War, human victory, Gardasian race absorbed into human empire.

  3619 to 3621 AD (Year 358 to 361): First Markanan War, human victory.

  3669 to 3676 AD (Year 408 to 415): Second Markanan War, human victory, Markanans absorbed into human empire.

  3696 to 3698 AD (Year 435 to 437): Kiniman War, Kiniman race absorbed into the human empire.

  3724 to 3733 AD (Year 463 to 472): First Crakastan War, human victory.

  3744 to 3762 AD (Year 483 to 501): First Lasharan War, human victory.

  3772 to 3784 AD (Year 511 to 523): Second Lasharan War, human victory.

  3797 to 3801 AD (Year 536 to 540): First Margravi War, human victory.

  3803 to 3808 AD (Year 542 to 547): War of Revolt, Imperial Victory, 150 million humans leave Empire to found Republic of Mankind.

  3809 to 3814 AD (Year 548 to 553): Civil War, Constance the Great triumphs over Cassius the Terrible (II).

  3815 AD (Year 554): New Constitution establishes Constitutional Monarchy. (Bill of Freedoms added in Year 607).

  3841 to 3846 AD (Year 585 to 590). Machine Revolt. Human built autonomous robots rebel against humanity. Billions die before revolt stopped, Man in the Loop Law enacted.

  3848 to 3853 AD (Year 587 to 592). Second Crakastan War, human victory.

  3873 to 3876 AD (Year 612 to 615): Third Cracastan War, human victory.

  3892 to 3897 AD (Year 631 to 635): Second Margravi War, human victory, ends with alliance of Margravi and Klashak with human empire.

  3913 to 3936 AD (Year 652 to 673): First Galactic War (against Lashar, Crakasta and Fenri).

  3984 AD (Year 723): Donut Project approved and construction planning begins.

  3984 to 4000 AD (Year 723 to 739): Elysium War, marginal human victory.

  4007 to 4008 AD (Year 746 to 747): War of Man, humanity (Imperium) against humanity (Republic). Political pressures bring an end to short, sharp war.

  4009 to 4114 AD (Year 748 to 853): The Century of Peace. Empire involved in no extra empire or border hostilities.

  4065 AD (Year 804): Dissidents from New Terra Republic found the Grand Duchy of New Moscow.

  4114 to 4131 AD (Year 853 to 870): Second Galactic War, Elysium, Lashar and Fenri against Empire, New Terra and Margrave/Klashak, human victory.

  4167 to 4180 AD (Year 906 to 921): Third Galactic War, humanity's victory.

  4206 to 4216 AD (Year 945 to 955): Klang Consortium attacks New Moscow. Empire of Terra and Republic of New Terra come in on New Moscow’s side.

  4256 AD (Year 985): Donut Generates first working wormhole gate.

  4261 AD (Year 1000): Empire celebrates 1000 years of existence and growth. January 1, 1000 local Galactic calendar.

  March 15th, 4261, Ca’cadasan invasion of Empire begins in earnest with the attack on Sestius and Massadara.

  March 29- April 5th 4261 AD, Sean leads rescue mission to Sestius.

  Maps

  The Story So Far

  In 2254 the human species had spread to eight star systems after the discovery of the Subspace drive, allowing humankind to achieve pseudospeeds of over eleven times the speed of light. That was the year the human species first encountered the long lived Ca’cadasans, three meter tall horned carnivores whose empire had been expanding for thousands of years. That was the year the aliens attacked the Epsilon Iridani V colony. When the heir to their imp
erial throne was killed after the colony had surrendered, the Emperor orders the complete extermination of the human species. After a short, sharp war, humanity had no other option than to try and flee the killer aliens. The six Exodus ships are built, each capable of moving fifty thousand humans in cryostasis, along with all the knowledge of the human species. One ship is known to get away through subspace, a dimension through which the more advanced hyperspace faring Ca’cadasans are not prepared to follow. Four generations of crew navigate the Exodus III over ten thousand light years in a thousand years, reestablishing humanity in a system of eight stars in orbit around a black hole the Supersystem. Once the home of an extinct species that had helped raise most of the intelligent races of the area to technical civilizations, it was also the perfect region for the newcomers. Over the next thousand years the New Terran Empire fights, wins and expands in a number of wars, improving their technology at breakneck speed, becoming the dominant military power of the region. Humanity also improves its genome, becoming stronger, faster and smarter, and seemed destined to rule the Perseus Arm, given time.

  On the thousand year anniversary of the empire, Emperor Augustine I is having prophetic dreams, the gift and curse of his line. He has seen the ancient enemy returning, finding the human species disunited in its three governments, and utterly destroying them. Augustine has fought to expand the military, running into obstructionism from the Lords House of Parliament. It is an uphill battle in the Constitutional Monarchy the Empire has become. Meanwhile, the Donut, a century long engineering project, is nearing completion. The enormous station, built as a ring around a black hole, and using the swirling gravitational energy to generate wormholes, has begun to make the many portals that will be used to eventually link the Empire. And spies have infested the Empire, a race of shape shifters who make most security measures moot, adding sabotage and espionage to the problems facing the Emperor.