Exodus: Empires at War: Book 7: Counter Strike Read online

  Exodus:

  Empires at War:

  Book 7

  Counter Strike

  by

  Doug Dandridge

  “Missile impact in three minutes,” called out the voice of the Tactical Officer of the Manila. Klaxons were going off all over the ship, including the control room where the Emperor stood.

  The tactical plot showed the incoming missiles, spread out in formations that would distribute their attack over several minutes. Not the best of formations for an attack, but they had the advantage of having closed before detection, making counter missile engagement short and indecisive. The plot also showed all of Manila’s escorts moving at best emergency speed to get between the missiles and the heavy cruiser. A moment later all of the escort ships for the carriers started to move away from their charges, frantically trying to join the other light cruisers and destroyers in the screen. And leaving their hyper VII fleet carriers unprotected, except for their own defensive fire.

  “We need to get you out of here, your Majesty,” said Senior Agent Catherine Mays, the head of his protection detail, putting an armored hand on Sean’s shoulder. “Please. We have to move.”

  Sean looked at her for a moment, wanting to protest, to demand that he be allowed to stay at his post. But my post is nothing in this battle. Everything has run fine without me. Sean nodded and let her lead him away, the other men and women of the detail forming up around them in the corridor. There were some Marines in the corridor as well, looking all directions to ward off any threat to their Emperor. The corridor was otherwise empty, everyone else on the ship at their battle stations.

  “We need to hurry, your Majesty,” said the woman, keeping him moving until they got to the sealed hatch near his quarters. At least it had been sealed, up until this moment. Now it was wide open, as was the hatch inside the three meters of open space. And inside of that was his special ejection capsule, with three acceleration couches waiting.

  “In you go, Sir,” said the woman. “And hurry.”

  “Missile impact in two minutes,” called out the voice over the intercom.

  Sean patted the woman on the arm. “Thank you, Catherine. And get your people to their own pods.”

  Sean walked into the capsule and fell into one of the couches, letting it strap his suit in. Two of the Marines, a Sergeant and a Corporal, followed him in and fell into their couches, slapping their particle beam rifles into the racks provided. The hatch sealed closed, leaving Sean and the two Marines alone.

  Kind of silly sending a pair of Marines to guard me, he thought, linking into the ship through the pod’s interface. If we get picked up by an enemy, there isn’t a whole lot they can do, except die beside me. He slapped the pistol holstered by his side, imagining using it if he was picked up by the Cacas, making them kill him so he didn’t become some kind of hostage.

  The missiles were on the way in, on final approach. Every escort was jamming for all it was worth, doing all they could to mask the heavy cruiser. The Manila herself was oriented to put him into space on a path that would hopefully avoid all the debris if multiple ships were shattered.

  Twenty light cruisers and fifty destroyers, most of them specialized anti-missile ships, were firing for all they were worth at the incoming missiles. Forty of those ships were interposed between the enemy weapons and the flagship, while the other thirty were further to spinward. They were still targeted by the enemy missiles, but most of the counter fire was directed toward the missiles that could end up targeting the flag. Only the weapons they couldn’t bring to bear for the protection of Manila were firing in their own defense. Even the carriers were firing everything they had at the missiles coming at the flag squadron, ignoring their own defense.

  Sean took a moment to look around the pod, which was much more advanced than the standard model, with three meters of armor and its own electromag field. When he had been told about it, he had insisted that in the future all pods be improved, if not to this standard, then at least enough to significantly improve the chances of his spacers. Then his attention was again taken elsewhere.

  Dedication

  This novel is dedicated to Larry Southard, a true fan and friend who had helped me immeasurably. You got your wish, Larry. A death of cosmic proportions.

  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

  Exodus: Empires at War: Book 6: The Day of Battle

  The Deep Dark Well Series

  The Deep Dark Well

  To Well and Back

  Deeper and Darker

  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 Fiance’ 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.

  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 Esmeralda 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.r />
  Archduke Percival Marconi: Leader of the Lords’ Opposition Party.

  Capital Police Lieutenant Ishuhi Rykio: former Naval Commando.

  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.

  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.

  Captain Mary Innocent: Sean’s Intelligence Officer.

  Captain Javier Montoya: Captain, Augustine I.

  John Jacobs: Sean’s Steward.

  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, Augustine I.

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

  Captain Vincent Oldenburg: commander of the King Edward II.

  Captain Hyori Gae: Admiral Kelvin’s Flag Captain.

  Captain Lauren Hoyt: commander, Hyper VII BB Genghis Kahn.

  Petty Officer First Satrusalya: Naval Commando.

  Captain Svetlana Komorov: Wing Commander, Inertialess fighter wing.

  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.

  Major General Samuel Baggett: Division/Corps Commander,

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

  Brigadier General Dagni Thorwaldsdottir: Assistant Division Commander.

  Lieutenant Jay Cummings: Platoon Commander: Main Battle Tanks.

  Colonel General Mich Satapatra: Ground force commander, Massadara.

  Lt. General Jonah Nowitski: Commander XXXXI Heavy Corps.

  Major General Lanbardran: Phlistaran commander of the One Ninety-fifth Heavy Infantry Division.

  Sergeant First Class SanJames: Ranger Platoon Sergeant.

  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.

  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.

  Dr. Larry Southard: Mathematician and Astrophysicist, expert on Supernovas.

  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 (Yea
r 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 imperial throne was killed after the colony had surrendered, the Emperor ordered 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 were built, each capable of moving fifty thousand humans in cryostasis, along with all the knowledge of the human species. One ship is known to have gotten away through subspace, a dimension through which the more advanced hyperspace faring Ca’cadasans are not prepared to follow. Four generations of crew navigated 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.