The
Enemy of my Enemy
2001 short story by Paul Squire Thirty-seven years after Episode IV – A New Hope
I’d come to the Setnin Sector as a boy, my family fleeing
the almost constant wars that troubled the Republic. It was ironic that Setnin, cajoled into
joining the New Republic, was now at war after decades of peace. As I entered my middle life, another
‘empire’ threatened everything I held dear, and I had the very same concerns
for my family as my parents had once felt for my siblings and I years before. The Prime Lord’s war had been brutal and long drawn
out. I was ashamed to say that his
forces lack of speed in conquering my adoptive sector had more to do with the
logistics of supplying their small invasion force across their newly taken
territory than with any fight the Setnin Defence Force had mustered. As for the New Republic, now re-branded into the Galactic
Federation of Free Alliances, a name that makes me sick… I won’t speak of
them. Even now, years after, the
bitterness of their betrayal of their brothers in Setnin is still too sharp. Five or so years into the war I’d been assigned to the
staff of the renowned Mando Kerreet.
Mando had worked hard to be the voice of the non-affiliates on the
Setnin Council, and even before I became his archivist I’d come to respect
the man. As the Ki-Ki threat had
loomed he had been working hard behind the scenes of the paranoid world of
Setnin politics to secure the safety of the non-affiliates he represented,
and it was as a result of securing several mercenary contracts that I’d been
brought on board. “Mercenaries are
just businessmen, Serrano,” he’d tell me. “They just tend to talk less and do more.” “Nothing like
politicians then?” would be my standard reply, and he’d snort in a half
offended, half agreeing way. His usually jovial mood had all but evaporated by the
time we arrived on Histai. “We’re losing this war,” he confided
in me the day after we’d booked ourselves into one of the larger staterooms
in the capital’s Red Star Hotel. I
knew he was right. After a further two
years of war almost half of the non-affiliated worlds within the Setnin
Sector had been lost. Some, like
Glovatie had allied themselves with the Ki-Ki Empire, whilst others had been
trampled underfoot by the unstoppable Ki-Ki legions. “Histai will be different,” he told me,
his voice earnest. “It has to be. If
we lose Histai then that’s it.” I remember disagreeing with
him, but he was adamant. “Serrano,” he explained slowly. “It all
comes down to politics in the end.
We’re on our own. The Galactic
Alliance can’t help us, the Setnin Council don’t want to. Our only friends now are the mercenaries we
pay to defend us, and their friendship does not come cheap.” “Histai isn’t the only rich system in the
alliance.” I said, but Mando gave me that politely condescending smile of
his. “It’s not just the money.” He’d
explained. “It’s the resources. The only major shipyards available to us
are here, in this system. If we lose
these we can’t refit our own forces or our mercenary contingent. The nearest friendly port is outside the
sector.” “Commodore?” I asked, referring to the
colossal shipyards, dry docks, and orbital factories spread throughout that
industrious system. “The Setnin Council wouldn’t allow it –
even now, with the Ki-Ki threatening to devour them too. Besides, Ocern Gabe would want to keep
Commodore’s shipyards working solely for the S.D.F. They’re going to need every ship they can
lay their hands on. Our needs don’t
even come into it.” “And can we do it? Can we hold Histai?” I’d asked. Mando’s only
reply was that smile of his. I remember those days on
Histai as being amongst the darkest in my long life. In our third week I received a
call from the head of the local administration. Mando had been in council with his
peers. The local government had
deferred to Mando’s authority, and he’d been
chairing the Histai Council of War, with his colleague Kro Shush and the
Noscage representative, Hens. Two mercenary groups had units
on station in the system, and had been training up the Histai Garrison,
bolstering the defence force with their own units. Mando was keen to see what progress had
been made and had taken a system tour with the leader of the Durge’s Devils,
a formidable woman called Glorn Josch. That Minister Iklone brought the message to the Red Star
hotel himself was enough to piqué my curiosity. “This,” he told
me flanked by four burly soldiers of the 1st Histai Guards, “has
come from one of our friends. I shall say nothing of it, except that
Kerreet will need to see this the moment he returns.” After he’d left I instructed Heena to ‘stay sharp.’ The
look on her beautiful blue Twi’lek face could be quite disarming, and she
almost always took great exception when I suggested she was anything but
sharp. As much as her brash nature
irritated me, she was very, very good at her job, and Mando had chosen well
when he’d enlisted her as his bodyguard. Whilst Heena busied herself with checking her electronics
and bobby traps, I locked myself away in one of the small rooms in the suite
that I’d claimed for my office, and examined the disc. Though primarily a clerk, I’ve always been particularly
proud of my computer and droid skills.
It didn’t take too long to discover that the friends Iklone had been talking about were from the Galactic
Alliance. Though this was a surprise
to me, the data they’d sent left me sitting in my office stunned. The double-tap of a com-unit being switched on and then
off refocused my mind. I was startled
to see that it was mine, but it still took my sometimes-dim mind a few
precious seconds to realise what it meant.
Without thinking I ejected the disc from my computer and pocketed it
in the top pocket of my waistcoat as I hurried to the main hall of our suite. One of our droids had welcomed in a Galactic Alliance
officer. Though Histai was an independent world, via an agreement
with the Setnin Council, it had been duped into having a Galactic Alliance
ship on permanent station. Ditrinium
was mined here and used in starship construction. That the Galactic Alliance chose to protect
it’s investment in the mineral though they’d so far failed to protect the
Setnin Sector made them less than popular on Histai – or elsewhere within
Setnin for that matter. I’d caught the naval officer halfway through a heated
conversation with Heena. The officer,
a female of a species I wasn’t familiar with, turned out to be a Commander
Gynar, Captain of the warship Eternal
Vigilance, recently assigned to the system to replace the Admiral Bothoa. “I couldn’t give a fetid Rorak’s arse who you are,” I heard Heena say in her usual
polite manner. “You have no authority here, and less credibility. Now,
assuming you’d like to prevent any ugliness, you’ll take your—“ “Authority?” Though Commander Gynar spoke
quietly, she had a way of projecting that seemed to cut straight through
you. I assumed at the time that this
was what you’d expect from a captain of the Galactic Alliance navy. Gynar was the first warship captain I’d
met. Years on, I now realise that it
was just her very strong personality. “I have the full authority of
Coruscant. Information has been taken
from the Galactic Alliance, and that information has been traced here. I shall see that it is returned. Now, stand aside.” I felt the disc in my top pocket burn. It was only my imagination, but I’ve never
been one who can hide their guilt behind a solemn mask. Mando had often told me it was the only
thing stopping me from going into politics. Heena on the other hand was a brazen as you like. Only a complete personality transplant
would have stood her any chance of a life on the Chamber floor. She stood there, wrapped up in her
form-hiding cloak, dwarfed by Gynar and the half-dozen Galactic Alliance
Naval Troopers that accompanied her. I couldn’t help but admire her, and having seen her in
action twice before, couldn’t help but feel sorry for those from the Galactic
Alliance. They had no idea. But then my world exploded in a storm of bellowing flame
and lethal splinters as the room I’d been working in moments before was
obliterated. I’m sure that if it wasn’t for Heena’s
lightening fast reactions I’d have lost more than my upper left arm that day. To this day I don’t know whether it was the Republic or
Ki-Ki agents that had bombed our suite.
I wouldn’t have put it past either – but I am sure that whoever
carried out the attack was intent on destroying the disc I had absentmindedly
placed in my pocket. Mando visited me as soon as he heard, and came with two
Durges Devil’s as escorts. I was still
having the artificial limb attached when he walked in on the surgery. The surgical droid was complementing my
species on their physiology and how much easier it was to graft my new limb
than it would have been if I had been a member of the more numerous human
population of Histai. Mando made some
derogatory comment about me and graft which I choose not to remember, but I
could also see the concern hidden behind his smile. I told him that such transparent displays
of emotions wouldn’t do for a leading politician, and he gave me that same
annoying smile of his. “Josch has
loaned me some of her men,” he said, nodding to the two Devil’s taking up
position outside my room’s door. “It wasn’t me
they were after,” I said, and nodded towards a chair where my jacket and
waistcoat had been placed. A curious gleam appeared in Mando’s
eyes as he looked at me. He waited
until the droid had finished its work and left us alone before retrieving the
disc. His raised eyebrows asked his unspoken question. “A present from
your friends in the Galactic Alliance,” I told him, and then asked him one
simple question in return. “How ready are the system’s defences?” “Why?” “Because Histai
has been targeted by the Agrosiion Legion.
There’s a Ki-Ki invasion force on its way.” Space travel has never really bothered me, but I
certainly won’t volunteer for a ride in a dropship again. I’ve seen warships, fighters, troop
transports and suchlike on the Holovids, but even
living in the middle of a sector war, up until that day I’d never really seen
any of these kinds of things up close - except once. When my family and I left the Core Worlds it was during a
battle between forces of the Empire and the Republic. I was old enough to remember, and young enough
not to be scared. A Mon Calamarian
cruiser had stood up against a Star Destroyer. There were spectacular flashes around these
two behemoths that I later realised were exploding ships, but the battle was
so far away that I couldn’t make out any detail. By the time my stay in the Histai System
was through I’d have experienced the full horror of starship combat. But I get ahead of myself. I’d never seen a dropship up close, but that is what
transported us up and away from Histai to the system’s command ship, and it
was the most uncomfortable ride of my life.
The co-pilot was still happily telling me of all the engagements (in
full and bloody detail) he and the ship had been in as I emptied the contents
of my stomach for a third time, but when I saw that view out the cockpit
window all feelings of queasiness disappeared. The dropship was part of a contingent of small craft from
the Iron Claw’s warship Thunderer,
and it was towards this frigate that we were headed. I’d never been so close to a capital ship,
and I don’t have the words to describe the majesty, the aura, of these
magnificent vessels. All too soon we were aboard, and hurried along to an
emergency meeting by guards in khaki coloured combat armour. There
were over a dozen beings at the meeting, and I recognised only a few. All were sat at a long very spartan looking
table, and I couldn’t help but think that it was a very unimposing table for
what would be a most important meeting.
Only slowly did it occur to me that we’d been led to the ship’s
galley, where the officer’s dined. Apparently space aboard the warship was at
a premium, and staterooms were seen as an unnecessary luxury. Perhaps warships were only majestic when
viewed from the outside? Apart from Mando and myself (Heena had been escorted to
the non-com’s mess), I only recognised General Juyip of the Histai militia,
Minister of Security Brodden, and a rather striking looking women in a dark
red uniform. The stylised Devil icon
on her breast pocket led me to believe she was Glorn Josch – correctly so as it turned out. “I have been informed from a most reliable
source that Histai is the next target in the Ki-Ki push,” stated Mando in his
most brusque manner once everyone was settled. “How reliable?” questioned a small man dressed
in non-descript greys and browns, who Mando informed me later was a
high-ranking agent in the Histai secret service. “Reliable enough to believe them when they
use the word Grogola.” That caused a stir. “And you are
certain of this?” “How can we be certain of anything,”
replied Mando. “The Ki-Ki fleet is
pre-eminent. They can strike with
impunity anywhere they choose, and at any time. But let us all be very clear about
this. Whether it’s
next week or next month, Histai and its shipyards will be attacked. Of that fact you can be certain.” “And given the
prestige, General Grogola would be the most likely candidate,” agreed the
Histai agent. “Then we work
from your worst case scenario,” said Glorn Josch.
“We plan according to your source’s information. Which is…?” Mando actually smiled before he related his information,
and it wasn’t at all reassuring. “We’d be facing
the Agrosiion Legion; twenty warships, including four cruisers and forty
fighter squadrons. Plus twenty
thousand troops and armour.” There was a very telling silence in the galley, and then
Minister Brodden turned to a man in a black and red-piped uniform, which I
recognised as being that worn by mercenaries of the Iron Claw’s. “Captain, what
is the combined strength of our defence force?” “Six warships,
two weapons platforms, sixteen fighter squadrons, and 150,000 soldiers
garrisoned across the system.” There was another silence. “And your
assessment?” prompted the minister. “Given the
disparate strengths of the two forces, my assessment would be ‘grim’.” “By the stars,”
exclaimed General Juyip. “We have
150,000 men to their 20,000! How can you describe those odds as ‘grim’?” “That’s 150,000
men on the ground, General,” replied Glorn Josch.
“It might as well be just one hundred and fifty for all the good it
will do you. If Grogola gains
space superiority and makes orbit your footsloggers won’t stand a
chance. He’ll pound them from orbit
and take them apart at his leisure. We
win or lose this fight in space.” “And this is a
fight you say we cannot win? We can’t just fallback and let Grogola march in
uncontested!” started Brodden. “Don’t
misunderstand me, sir,” replied the Iron Claw Captain. “We can sow mines, attempt to lead their
craft through them, attack his troop ships so he has too few troops to hold
the system. But be under no illusions,
our frigates are outnumbered three to one.
He will have cruisers in his line of battle, enough to take our
frigates apart by themselves. He’ll
have nearly 500 fighters and bombers to our 200.” “Plus,” added
Josch, her voice cold and emotionless, “the Agrosiion Legion are
veterans. They’re well trained, very
experienced, and have yet to be bested.” “What of the Eternal Vigilance?” asked another. “The Galactic
Alliance cruiser?” snorted Mando. “At best, they’ll ensure that the
Republic’s Rules of Engagement are followed.
At worst, they’ll go to lightspeed at the first sign of trouble.” He gave me a quick look, and his eyes fell
on my prosthetic arm. “No, the
Galactic Alliance can’t be trusted or relied upon.” “Gentlebeings”
he continued, “we don’t have much time.
What we do have is knowledge of the battleground, and the
determination to defend our homes. We
also have veterans of our own.” He nodded towards the two mercenaries
present. “The odds may seem high, but we’re Setnin, and playing the odds is
in our blood. We’ll show Grogola and
his legions what it means to face a real
Setnin army” The next few days were very busy. Mando had me meeting with Glorn Josch and
Raj Gillet, the Iron Claws captain, and I watched and made notes as they
planned and re-planned the system’s defence. Mine
fields were sown, choice targets within the shipyards were designated as
bait, and additional defences set-up to form a killing field. The fighter pilots were given specific
tasks, and the system was alive with the swarming of snub fighters as they
practised and practised. Work
redoubled on the completion of ships in dry-dock, and the refitting of
transports as fire ships, programmed to ram enemy warships and cause as much
destruction as possible. All
the hard work helped keep the defender’s minds focused on the job at hand,
but a sense of despair slowly started to seep back in. Despite Mando’s rousing speeches,
and his constant visits to the Iron Claws, Durge’s Devils and the Histai
Defence Force, the enormity of the odds Histai was facing was being realised. However, Mando remained optimistic, and managed to
prevent the Histai government from issuing an evacuation notice. When I asked him why, he just told me to be
patient. I’d known him long enough to
know that he had something planned, and my suspicions were confirmed when Heena
told me that Sevrina Maris had been sent on an errand. Sevrina was a long in the tooth smuggler
that had somehow fallen into the role of personal pilot for Mando just before
I’d joined his team. Both her and her
ship, the Octron Disk, had
left the Histai System, destination unknown. Two days later two events boosted the morale of everyone
in the system, and I was lucky enough to witness them both firsthand. Early that morning I was on the bridge of the Thunderer when hyperspace
footprints were detected. Everyone’s
nerves were on edge; the common assumption being that the Ki-Ki invasion
force had finally arrived. However,
the reality was much happier. A Trac-Tran Transit Company convoy had arrived in
system. Eight of the fastest bulk
transports I’d seen, and something far grander. Guarding these most important ships were three Iron Claw
escorts, two frigates, and the pride of the Iron Claw fleet, the Star
Destroyer Champion of Hellion. To say I was speechless when seeing the Thunderer for the first time does
little credit to that splendid warship.
What insult do I then do Hellion? The Star Destroyer dwarfed everything near her. Her engines alone were equal in size to the
entire length of the Thunderer
and her sister ships. She was a
monster, the like of which I’d seen only once before, and though decades old,
she seemed magnificent to me. The second event seemed inconsequential at first. A couple of hours after the arrival of the Hellion, a Stock Heavy Freighter
jumped in system. Identifying herself
as the Berone Sunrise, she
headed directly for the Hellion. At her helm was the owner of the Trac-Tran
Transit Company, Jan Lomona, and as cargo she had but one passenger. The short journey by shuttle from the Thunderer to the main docking bay
on the Hellion was
impressive. A corvette could have
easily fitted inside with room to spare.
What I saw was row after row of fighters, gunboats, and some stocky
craft that I presumed to be large dropships. We were greeted by a small detachment of Iron Claw
troopers, dressed as on the Thunderer
in khaki coloured armour, and armed with vicious looking blasters. There were three men in the black and
red-piped uniform worn by their officers, one of which was warmly greeted by
Mando. “Ryath Centaur,”
he said, shaking the mercenary’s hand. “What a pleasant surprise.” Though I’d worked with the command staff of the Iron
Claws, this was the first time I’d met their leader. My first impressions were ‘white haired and
stiff backed’ but by far his two most striking features were the scar he bore
down the left side of his face and his chillingly cold ice-blue eyes. The dossier I had on him was full of
inconsistencies, but I knew that scar was a memento of a run-in with the
fearsome Janos Executions years before. Mando then introduced Heena and I,
and though Centaur nodded courteously to us both, I detected a trace of
distain. Later I asked Heena whether
she’d felt it, but she curtly told me I was being over sensitive. However, Centaur was an ex-Imperial, and
their xenophobia is well documented.
Whether my imagination of not, I noted a distinct lack of non-humans
within the ranks of the Iron Claws, except for one species. More so amongst his ground troops, there
were a number of tall strongly built winged bipeds. They were quite fearsome to behold. Some warships do have grand staterooms, and the Hellion was one of them. We attended another council of war, but unlike the first,
there were only a handful of beings present. Centaur, Captain Gillet, and Glorn Josch made
up the mercenary contingent; General Juyip represented Histai; and
Mando spoke for the alliance of non-affiliated planets. I took notes. There were two other guests. Jan Lomona and the man he’d brought across
half the war-torn sector, the Setnin Council leader, Ocern Gabe. The meeting started well.
Centaur was brought up to speed with the plans Gillet and Josch had
made, and he nodded his agreement with their work. I noted that Jan Lomona seemed particularly
interested in the use of decoys amongst the shipyards orbiting Histai and he
shared a knowing look with Councillor Gabe. It wasn’t until some years later that I learnt that Ocern
Gabe was using the Ditrinium mined from Histai for use in his own crucial
warship construction plans, instead of stockpiling it for the Galactic
Alliance. It seems you can never trust
your allies in politics. There was a little frostiness towards Lomona’s questions
from Josch. Apparently the two had
crossed swords some years before, and there was little trust between the two. “It may not be
my place to say it,” commented Josch in her very measured tone, “but we’re
talking about the defence of the key
system in the non-affiliated alliance in front of a known smuggler and the
one politician in the sector who could have backed the alliance against the
Ki-Ki, but chose to cut us loose instead.
Is it just me, or are we being a little too open here?” “Ocern’s
smuggling days are long behind him,” replied Lomona calmly, deliberately
mistaking Josch’s comments about him. “But if we’re dragging up the past, then
there’s the irony of a pirate defending cargo haulers, or ex-Imperials –“ “I take your
point,” interrupted Gabe, replying to Josch and cutting across the tall
A-desandian. “But politics isn’t so nearly black and
white as you may think.” “Maybe it should
be,” Josch retorted. “Principles
should be backed up by action. You
stand for something, when push comes to shove you prove it by deed. Otherwise all your words are just
rhetoric.” Her fierce eyes bore into Ocern Gabe’s, and I was
surprised to see him look away. It
struck me then how much weight that man’s responsibilities burdened him
with. Until that day I’d often thought
how much better I could have managed events if I’d been the Setnin Council
leader. Now I’m just thankful that
I’ve never been in such a position. “Perhaps you’re
right,” began Gabe. “No, I know you
are. The Setnin Sector has always been
a strong sector, an independent sector, able to stand on its own two feet. But now,” he said, looking straight at
Mando, “our enemies have divided and almost conquered us.” “I take it that
your Galactic Alliance still refuses to defend you then?” asked Mando dryly,
but I could see his mind spinning away behind his eyes. We all knew that the Galactic Alliances
representative for the Setnin Sector didn’t just drop in unannounced to
exchange pleasantries. “The S.D.F has
been badly mauled, as you all know,” Gabe said straightforwardly. He struck me as an unusual politician, and
was certainly more direct than most, and in many ways not unlike Mando. Maybe that’s why the two men had never felt
quite comfortable with each other.
“But whilst the Ki-Ki forces have been concentrating on your
non-affiliated worlds, we’ve been restocking and rearming.” “I’m glad the
butchery has been of use to you,” retorted Mando dryly, but Gabe waved him
down. “We have new
warships, new fighters. Our
construction yards are more productive now than they’ve ever been, but you
have something that we lack.” “Experience,”
said Mando slowly, and then he nodded to himself. “You want us to join
forces.” I’m not sure whether it was the look in Mando Kerreet’s eyes, or the tone of his voice, but at that
very moment I knew what he was about to say to Ocern Gabe’s offer of
reconciliation. If he’d been able to
finish his sentence then the history of Setnin could have been very
different, but then General Grogola and his Agrosiion Legion chose that
moment to strike. Klaxon alarms warbled through the Hellion, and Centaur was immediately on his feet. “Jan, see to the
–“ “Councillor, got
it. Clear skies, Rai” finished Lomona
for him, and ushered Ocern Gabe away. “You two know
where you need to be,” Centaur instructed Gillet and Josch, and they bother
nodded and left to join their ships. Finally, the mercenary turned towards General Juyip. “Sir,” he said
formally, “I suggest you ready your ground troops. I’d be grateful if you’d also see to the
safety of Councillor Kerreet and his staff.” “Certainly,”
began the General, but Mando cut him off. “I’d prefer to
stay aboard,” he said simply, and at that moment I had to agree with
him. I certainly felt safer aboard a
Star Destroyer than vulnerable down on the surface of Histai. Mando’s reasons
for staying couldn’t have been more different. “Understand
Councillor, this matter is going to get very bloody. I offer you no protection, and ample
opportunity to die if you stay,” stated Centaur almost nonchalantly. There was a disarming and very hungry look
in his eyes. “I understand
perfectly,” was all that Mando said. A Star Destroyer’s so big it has its own centre of
gravity. Standing on the vast bridge
with Mando and Heena, we all felt the heave of the mighty warship as it
turned away from Histai and moved to engage the enemy fleet. There was so much noise around me it was a wonder that
anyone could concentrate on their tasks, but acknowledgments from the pits
indicated that helm, weapons, shields, and flight bays all stood ready. The bridge officer strode proudly to where
Centaur stood gazing out at the stars, saluted, and relayed the readiness of
the ship. The whole scene was very
surreal, and it had more of the old Imperial propaganda-vids
about it than reality. I still couldn’t help puffing out my chest just standing
there though. Orders were relayed to the other ships of the squadron,
and a holo-display tracked our progress at the back
of the bridge. It would seem that the enemy fleet was two hours away from
Histai orbit, and it seemed strange that we’d have to wait so long before
we’d find the range against the enemy. I was surprised how slowly the time
passed. After a while Mando started to ask Centaur questions
regarding the strategies he was going to employ. I was not reassured by his answers. “The minefields
are spread across here,” indicated Centaur on his holo-display. As you can see, the enemy fleet has jumped
in here. Even if they choose to attack
the targets Gillet and Josch hoped they would we have two disadvantages.” “I can see they
barely scrape the edge of the minefield,” commented Mando, “but what’s the second?” “By offering
targets within the shipyards and orbital factories, we invite the enemy in
amongst these facilities.” “But doesn’t
that box them in?” replied Mando “It will
restrict their manoeuvrability and offset their superior numbers somewhat,
yes. It also restricts our vision,
allows them to get a greater percentage of troops on the ground, and they’ll
have a great time blowing up the orbital docks.” I could see Mando grinding his teeth. “You mean this
plan of ours is worthless?” “Don’t underestimate your generals,” smiled
Centaur, and he patted Mando on the shoulder.
“You need to trust your experts.
Given what they had to play with, Josch’s
and Gillet’s plan is bold and desperate, and
exactly what I’d have done in their place.” “And your
criticism of it?” countered Mando. “If you want to
grind your enemy down, Councillor, you use your best anvil before selecting
your hammer.” As soon as I heard these words my blood ran cold. I was only vaguely aware of Centaur’s next
words. “And a Star
Destroyer makes for an excellent anvil.” A ship of the line, such as a cruiser, has four combat
zones. There’s the long engagement
zone at extreme range, where only the luckiest shots hit the enemy. Then there’s the kill zone, where the big
guns of a cruiser are more accurate, whilst frigates and fighters still don’t
have the range to return fire. After
that there’s the secondary zone, where a cruiser’s escorts set up a wall of
fire to destroy any incoming gunboats or fighters. Finally, up close and ugly, there’s the
primary zone, where snub fighters turn the tables on the giants and target a
warship’s vulnerable spots whilst avoiding its heavier fire arcs. Traditional tactics call for a super-cruiser like the Hellion to have a screen of escorts
and fighters to defend it whilst it pounds enemy cruisers down. It would seem that the Iron Claws don’t
bother with traditional tactics. The whole ship shook as missiles and lasers exploded
against its heavy shields and meters thick hull armour. Alarms wailed and warning lights
flashed. I distinctly remember one
voice cutting through the clamour saying ‘Bombers at green five, twenty.
Flight seven to intercept.’
I thought my life was ending. We’d interposed the minefield between us and the Ki-Ki
fleet, offering a tempting target whilst our eight frigates had remained
close to the orbital docks and the weapon platforms. Centaur had hoped that his actions would look more like
brash heroics than cleverly planned tactics, and that’s certainly how some of
the history books remember it. Though
it is Mando more than the Iron Claws that is remembered for that bravery,
which is of course exactly how Mando wanted it. Grogola had split his force. Fully two cruisers, and six frigates bore
down on the Hellion, and
countless fighters sped towards us. Centaur calmly informed us that the enemy no doubt
planned to out manoeuvre and cripple us before providing a second wave of
attack against the Histai defenders.
No doubt taking the opportunity to outflank them and destroy them in
short order. In response, Centaur had only launched two flights of
fighters, and these buzzed close to the Star Destroyer, jealously guarding
her from the rapidly approaching enemy. Three waves of enemy fighters had been allowed into Hellion’s primary zone before
Centaur finally ordered the minefield active. By
that time Grogola was committed, and a deadly swath was cut through his
fighter screen. The forward view
screens flashed with colourful explosions as scores of fighters were destroyed;
I’d never seen death look so beautiful. The Ki-Ki cruisers and frigates fared better, but their
firepower was now directed towards silencing the mines as quickly as possible
instead of wearing down the shields of the Hellion. I heard the order ‘Concentrate
all firepower on the nearest frigate’ and remembered asking Heena why
Centaur wasn’t trying to disable the cruisers instead. I half expected one of her curt answers,
but she just looked at me, shock and worry etched across her face as another
explosion somewhere within the Star Destroyer shook the decking beneath our
feet. “I wouldn’t
worry too much about those cruisers, sirs,” one of the deck officers
whispered behind me. “The boss has
something special planned for them.”
Then he smiled a cold smile, “assuming we survive that long.” Whilst we were squaring up against half of Grogola’s fleet, Glorn Josch had brought her two frigates
out to engage the 2nd squadron directed towards Histai. It was a brave move as she faced two
cruisers and eight frigates. Taking
the other flank were the six Iron Claw frigates, leaving the weapons
platforms and a handful of fighters as the last line of defence. This second battle started more cautiously than ours,
with the opposing sides more evenly matched. The initial shots traded came from the small
one and two-man fighters than duelled in the no-man’s land between the
squadrons. I heard that Lomona joined in this battle, flying his
Stock Heavy Freighter like a madman and drawing the dogfight towards the Galactic
Alliance warship. Rumour had it that
Ocern Gabe manned the guns, but I doubt Lomona would have allowed the Setnin
leader to have been exposed to that much danger. We’d suffered another twenty minutes of battering from
the swarming fighters as Grogola’s warships knocked
a big enough hole in the minefield. I
have no idea how many fighters he lost that day, but every second brought the
crimson star of another explosion. By
the time he was through the worst of it, the Hellion had scored crippling hits against one frigate, and
left another burning in space. It was
over forty klick’s away, but I could still make out
the flames as it belched burning oxygen and tumbled back into the unforgiving
minefield. Laser shots and concussion
missiles continued to tear into the dying vessel from the nearby mines until
they eventually tore the ship apart. There was over a thousand men onboard that frigate. To think that all their souls had been
snuffed out in just one brief moment was something I find hard to grasp even
now, so many years on. I’d assumed that after such a mauling the Ki-Ki fleet
would turn tail, but Grogola’s legion was worthy of
its reputation, and they bore down on us.
The frigates closed the range to under twenty klicks, brawling range
for warships, and the two cruisers were right behind them. The Hellion
was losing the initiative now. With
the enemy so close they were able to outflank the huge Star Destroyer, with a
frigate manoeuvring into the dead zone behind the warship, and another working
its way underneath, and clear of the formidable broadsides the Hellion could command. Turbolasers pounded our vessel, and I could see the hull
beneath the conning tower being torn apart as shot after shot pulverised us. Centaur was shouting commands, but I couldn’t hear him
above the din and roar of battle. How
his crew managed to concentrate on their tasks was beyond me; I was numb with
terror. Then the star field shifted away, and I felt my gut retch
as Hellion turned tail as
quickly as she could. Finally, it looked like we were breaking off, but it was
too late. With the enemy so close,
there could be no escape. Whilst Josch presented an easy target, the Iron Claw
frigates darted in to engage the Ki-Ki frigates from their flank, and ran
across the jaws of the two cruisers. I
heard that the enemy’s fire was steady and controlled, and they concentrated
on the lead elements of the squadron.
The Warchild was badly
raked from stem to stern, and the Thunderer
took so many hits her starboard broadside was all but toothless. But Josch
and Gillet had worked their magic well, and under escort from a swarm of
interceptors, four pre-programmed fire ships broke through the enemy’s
screen. Two were obliterated under a storm of concentrated
firepower, but battered and mauled, the other two
completed their run and smashed into the lead cruiser. I’m told that the sight was spectacular, and the force of
the explosions physically turned the cruiser, opening up her bow to
space. Even then she continued to fire
volley after volley from her turbolasers as she withdrew from combat. Centaur strode up to me whilst the bridge shook as
another barrage of fire lashed the Hellion. “You might need
these,” he said to both Heena and I, as we stood there wide-eyed staring at him,
and handed us a blaster pistol each.
“This close, there’s every chance the enemy will attempt to board us.” I goggled at him. “Is such a thing
possible?” I asked, shocked at the thought. “Capture a ship
like this?” replied Centaur so calmly I almost forgot we we’re in the battle
of our lives. “Damned straight. I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity.” And
then he winked at me and strode back towards the main bridge pit. A second later a blinding flash made everyone on the
bridge shield there eyes, and on the holomap I saw
the image of another enemy frigate flicker and vanish. It was the strangest thing to experience
that blinding light, but not hear the explosion. Despite the evening of the odds, we still faced two all
but unscathed cruisers and three frigates, and the Hellion had taken a terrible pounding. By now the remaining frigates had circled behind us, and
they pushed their advantage by sending salvo after salvo of withering fire
into our engines. The two cruisers had
manoeuvred themselves for optimum firing, and their broadsides pulverised the
front of the Star Destroyer. As their
guns fully opened up, ours were destroyed one by one. “Third wing
away,” came a voice from one of the bridge pits and
Heena nudged me, directing my attention back to the holomap. Lines of the dropships I’d seen earlier
streaked away from the Hellion,
with fighters buzzing close to them.
It was then that I realised that these weren’t dropships after
all. They were assault boats and they
were headed right for the enemy cruisers. “Best form of
defence,” nodded Heena besides me, and I frowned at her. “Attack!” “Against those
things?” I exclaimed. “There’s got to
be upwards of three thousand crew aboard those things.” “Maybe, but you
know how many troops a ship like this can hold?” she asked me, and I shook my
head. “About ten thousand.” I don’t know how many troops Centaur actually had aboard
that day, or how many assault boats he had, but I do know that the guns of
the two cruisers fell silent about twenty minutes later, and not a second too
soon. The tables had finally turned for us, but as the three
remaining Ki-Ki frigates made good their escape, pounded until hyperspace by
an angry swarm of fighter/bombers from Hellion’s
hangers, the situation at Histai had worsened. By now
Grogola had realised that he couldn’t take the system, and so he’d switched
to his secondary objective. His
cruiser and remaining escorts pounded away at the orbital docks and the
defenders equally, providing covering fire for the waves of fighters he sent
in amongst the densely packed factories and warehouses floating above Histai. It seemed that despite the heroic efforts of the
defenders, that the Ki-Ki forces would still bring disaster to the
alliance. Until a warning shout from
the sensor’s pit told us of more incoming ships. “Ten warships,
sir,” an operator told Centaur. “At least four cruisers,
and they’ve got Janos transponders!” Mando rushed up to Centaur’s side, gripping the
mercenary’s arm in his excitement. “Is there
another ship there?” he asked hurriedly.
“There’s a stock
light freighter,” confirmed the operator slowly. “Transponders identify her as the Octron Disk.” That look on Mando’s face is
not one I’ll quickly forget. To this
day, I don’t know who he spoke to or how he did it, but somehow he’d managed
to enlist the aid of the Janos warrior, Tannis Rixx. With the arrival of the Janite squadron, the remaining
Ki-Ki forces broke off their attack and made a run for the hyperspace. Dogged as always, Glorn Josch managed to cripple another frigate
before the remaining ships escaped. The
meeting aboard the Hellion
was an altogether happier meeting than the last two I’d attended. Again,
there was a host of beings present, only a handful of which I recognised. Sevrina was there of course, and she had
such a smug grin on her face. It was
also the first time I’d seen her blush as Mando gave her the biggest hug. The
meeting was also memorable for another reason. Ocern
Gabe was once again present, and this time Mando strode up to him and shook
his hand warmly. “Councillor,” began Mando, “I believe you
were talking earlier of an alliance between our two forces? Something about your hardware,
and our experience?” Mando couldn’t
help but grin like an idiot. “Indeed I did, Councillor,” replied Gabe.
“From what I’ve seen today, I’m even more sure that we should stand together,
for both our sake’s” “Then I have but one condition.” “And that is?” asked Gabe. “As we have the experience, I think it only
fitting that the new Setnin Defence Force be commanded by a non-affiliate.” I
remember Ocern Gabe turning towards Ryath Centaur, pause for a second, and
then nod his agreement. “Excellent,” beamed Mando. “In that case let me introduce you to
Tannis Rixx, ex-Janos Executioner, and Commander-in-Chief of our armed
forces.” As
much as I’ll always remember that day as the day we not only survived but won
the Battle of Histai, I’ll also never forget the look on Ocern Gabe’s face. The
Enemy of my Enemy
2001 short story by Paul Squire Thirty-seven
years after Episode IV – A New Hope Histories – A pivotal moment in Setnin history, the formation of a truly unified Setnin Defence
Force. Until now, differing factions had formed an
alliance, but without the assistance of the non-affiliated worlds.
But with the formation of the unified S.D.F, Setnin truly had a
sector-wide army to fight back.
Showing the influence of Ryath Centaur and the Iron Claws, this Paul Squire story also showed Setnin politics at
ground level, and their ability to adapt to new situations without the
shackles of bureaucracy and the Galactic Alliance holding them back.
Cast
of Characters
Mando
Kerreet Ryath
Centaur Tannis
Rixx
Ocern
Gabe Serrano
Heena Hens Kro
Shush Sevrina
Maris General
Juyip
Minister
Iklone Minister
of Security Brodden
Jan Lomona
Raj Gillet
Glorn
Josch Commander
Gynar Grogola
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