Dawn

[attack_condor]

2409.8

Pantrissa system
Pantrissa VIII...

The storage facilities on the planet were state of the art. Minerals needed for the empire were stored here and distributed through a network of both in-system and warp capable ships. The need for the resources would normally be supplied by production facilities, but, in times of high demand the storage facilities would distribute what was necessary.

Today, however, the ship approaching the landing pad wasn’t here to take resources away. They were actually bringing a load of minerals. Minerals that were mined in Pantrissa’s own number three asteroid belt and harvested by the mining ship there. The pilot of the shuttle docked and delivered his load to the transfer bin. It was weighed and scanned for any debris. A sample of the material was analyzed. It read as 93 percent pure, with only trace contaminants – well above the eighty-five per cent minimum required by Empire law.

The pilot accepted his credits, and tipped the loading crew the customary two percent. He declined an offer for a night’s stay, saying the Harvester in the asteroid field was keeping him busy, which was very true. So he wished them well, and took off. The loading crew understood – the storage facility was well below capacity, and stocks needed to be replenished.

The pilot achieved orbit and headed back to the Harvester. Absent-mindedly, he fingered the small religious symbol, and it began to glow. He spoke.

"Delivery complete."

Back on the planet, the newly-deposited minerals were taken to storage facility number three, and added to the stockpile there. Once the door was sealed, a vacuum pump removed the air from the storage bin to help prevent the minerals from degrading.

One of the contaminants in the new shipment was a substance that coated a small piece of the shipment. The material was normally inert. “Normally” in this instance meant in the presence of atmosphere or light. Inside the now sealed facility, there was neither.

The substance began to convert the mineral it was coated on into more of itself, which in turn coated more of the mineral it was in contact with, which in turn made more of the substance.

The net result of this chain reaction was that the entire facility was now storing a load of the new substance. With no more minerals to feed its growth, the process was terminated. Fully eleven percent of the Empire’s mineral stocks were converted to the useless substance. When the facility operators reported the problem, all mineral shipments were halted, further putting delays on construction projects everywhere...

Nekkar III
Corporate Headquarters...

Rita Edwards concluded her briefing. The disaster at Pantrissa VIII was repeated at the organic storage facility on Pantrissa VI - contaminated food - and the radioactive storage facility on Pantrissa II - contaminated isotopes. Edwards had the space tracks of all warp capable shuttles and there was definitely traffic from Sheliak to Pantrissa, under the flag of Cheththod, who was the only ally of the Dawn empire. As a result, warp point access was now restricted to military ships only. Traders and merchants protested, but the decision was made. Without firing a shot, the Norak and their religious believers of the Empire were winning a very different kind of war...

[attack_condor]

2409.9

Zezzis system
Zezzis X

The ground combat was vicious. It was classic “strength versus numbers”, as 23 medium troops of the Dawn backed up with 15 fighters attacked the almost 100 militia troops protecting the research facilities. The fighters were the deciding factor, staying in formation and sniping away at the edges of the militia, turning and running to a new spot away from their fire and picking off those on the edge. The militia troops were actually winning the battle in the streets, but they had no answer for the fighters.

Zezzis X was now a Dawn colony. Twenty-five research facilities and over 3.5 billion lives just changed hands from the Sergetti to the Dawn. With that many colonists, rioting ensued. The small transport Polk brought more troops in to quell the rioters. It would take time, but the riots would – hopefully – settle down.

Pantrissa system
Pantrissa II

The security was impressive.

Late – thought Edwards – but impressive.

She was here as the head of the intelligence directorate. Such a simple thing, security. ‘Take nothing for granted. Trust no one.’

The saboteur didn’t make it away from this planet, like his counterparts did at Pantrissa VI and VIII. He was in a prison cell. He was naked, and sitting on the floor. There were no windows, no features, no anything. Four walls of nothing. The light that was in the room was from a single recessed light bulb.

Like most, the man would try to demonstrate his faith and hold out as long as possible and not break under questioning.

But there was no questioning.

There was nothing.

Minute.

After minute.

After minute.

The minutes turned to hours.

Nothing.

No questioning. No one to hold out against.

Except himself.

It started innocently enough. A small movement with the foot. Then, a bit later, a shift in position.

‘Just to get the cramp out’ was the rationalization.

Then the realization that the cramp may have been a test from his goddess and he failed.

Panic. Unworthy. Failure.

Then the resolve for a few more minutes.

But still nothing.

No one.

He prays, but he is alone.

Religious fervor wanes in the face of no opposition. In the face of nothing, what is there to be angry against?

Nothing.

Then the taunting. "Just try and break me…just try it!! I’ll tell you nothing!! Nothing, do you hear me!! Nothing!!!”

But he is alone.

Minutes pass and he realizes he had failed.

He will tell them nothing. He told them. He gave in. He told them nothing, and they have nothing. They have nothing because he told them nothing. He told it to them!

They have nothing.

They have what he promised they would have.

He fails again.

He is unworthy.

He breaks down and begins to scream. For anybody. For somebody.

Rita Edwards was impressed with the security. In less than three hours, the prisoner broke and was babbling to no one.

She thanked the doctors and the guards, and was escorted to her ship. She had to be back at headquarters next month. Timing was crucial. The Norak ambassador had requested a meeting with the Chairman and she would be there.

Lacerta system
...onboard CDS Beagle...

Captain Cabrerra was returning to Sheliak. He had identified a Norak planet that would be the target of a strike. There would be some concern as to how the Cheththod would react to a strike in their system, but that would be secondary. He would be back there next month to lead the attack.

With nothing...

[attack_condor]

2410.0

Lapzooli system
...onboard CDS Lugosi...

The stealth ship didn’t find the home world of the Abbidon, but it did find something just as revealing. She had taken up orbit over Lapzooli V. The planet had a spaceport, a supply depot, and two organic farm facilities. That, however was on the surface. The real interesting action was going on all around her. In orbit.

A Drushocka frigate was being re-supplied. Cue Cappa ships were re-supplying at this point as well. And the latest customer was a Norak fleet of twenty-three frigates, also headed to Lapzooli V for supplies.

Pantrissa system
Pantrissa V shipyard...

The need for the minelayers was gone. Dawn had ships to patrol the warp points. Jaguar was the first of minelayers to be converted to a new type of military freighter. Cargo bays were re-dimensioned. New equipment was brought on board, and men and women began training on the new technology.

Zezzis system
Zezzis IX...

The troops had been bunkered for almost two months. The reinforcements were finally here. With any luck, the planet would be taken and they could go home, until the next mission.

Sheliak system
...onboard CDS Beagle...

Captain Cabrerra would be late. There would be no attack this month. He sent the signal. The operation against the Norak would be delayed...

Nekkar III
Corporate headquarters..

The meeting between the Chairman and the ambassador from Norak took place. The interpreter was a religious zealot who believed ardently in the goddess and was also a Terran. It was short. The Dawn was expelling the ambassador. The Norak were charged with theft of Dawn plans and materials. They had one month to repatriate all documents and pay for the destroyed supplies. If they did not, they would be in a state of war with the Empire of Dawn. The meeting was over.

[attack_condor]

2410.1

Zezzis system
Zezzis X...

While still angry, the population realized that rioting and destroying their own facilities was going to do very little to change the situation. Propaganda material developed at the UPC helped, but this was a planet of research. Twenty-five facilities were dedicated to the discovery of new technologies. Dawn scientists arrived and toured the planet. They began to discuss how to improve the facilities, processes and techniques to get more from the effort expended in those discoveries. As reason and logic started to replace the emotional response of being “conquered”, plans were made to improve the Sergetti facilities – starting now.

Meanwhile, the ground combat at Zezzis XI continued as more fighters were delivered. The last Sergetti planet in the system, Zezzis XII was invaded by 36 troops. The facilities on the planet were a mixture of organic facilities and research facilities. The Dawn was getting impatient. The time to end the Zezzis operation was now.

Mentocka system
Mentocka VII...

With the capture of Mentocka VI the ships in the system were re-supplied. Mentocka VII was only one month from completing her own supply depot, then supplies would be abundant. There was a Cue Cappa fleet of eight destroyers and a freighter bearing down on Mentocka VII, however, as the other occupants of the system tried to disrupt the Dawn. Bulldog and Northampton moved into orbit to protect the colony, which had a Hercules V and two Hercules VI weapon platforms to assist the ships.

At Mentocka VI, Cardiff, North Weald and Plymouth were joined by sixty-seven fighters to protect the planet and support ships there. The warp point to Ushphada via Tilikanthua was protected by Vancouver, Northampton and Shelly. Shelly had retrieved and re-deployed the Tripwire IV at the warp point. With a level three anti-proton cannon that had a range of 100km, shields and its own regenerator it was a welcome addition to the defense of the point.

The Cue Cappa fleet kept on course and attacked Mentocka VII. Commander O’Rourke ordered Portsmouth to loop around the right side of the formation, while Bulldog looped around the left. She was giving the enemy a direct and unopposed path to the planet. While Portsmouth nimbly darted in and out of range of the enemy, she had to remember that Bulldog was far less agile, so the turns would be less. She was able to get in behind the enemy fleet, charging for the planet in an arrowhead formation. At 100km from the enemy, Bulldog opened fire on the last destroyer in the formation and burned 50% of her armor away. On the other side of the formation, Portsmouth fired at 90km from her target, and reduced its armor to 65%.

Two of the destroyers fired on Bulldog, including her target, but they never deviated from their course to the planet. Bulldog was able to fire again, and destroyed her target’s armor. The destroyer had its port side ripped open, and lost a point defense cannon as well as its ordinance stores. One of its engines was also damaged. Bulldog took the two enemy hits on her shields, which dropped to 92%.

Portsmouth fired again, but two of her beams missed, and the target lost only a bit more armor. The enemy was not approximately 200km from the planet. The operators on the weapon platforms targeted the lead destroyer.

Bulldog took two more hits, and her shields dropped to 88%. She fired, and the enemy destroyer lost five of its six engines. It could still fire, though.

Portsmouth scored with two hits, and her target had only 28% of its armor left. She was paralleling her target’s course, and out of range of return fire. On Bulldog, Commander O'Rourke ordered a hard turn to port. This would slow the ship and allow the second destroyer that was firing on her to take itself out of range and also allow Bulldog to follow the destroyers into the planet. She took one last shot from her target before her own fire ended its struggles.

Portsmouth fired and scored three hits, removing the destroyer’s armor and slicing into one of the engines. The target’s speed slowed to 11km/sec. More fire from Portsmouth destroyed another engine and a weapon, as she was able to pull ahead of the target and attack its front. The destroyer was down to 9km/sec. Portsmouth fired a third time, and the destroyer lost its second weapon, and began to retreat at 7km/sec. Portsmouth targeted a new destroyer.

By now the five remaining destroyers were within range of the planet. The lead destroyer took ten anti-proton beams and lost all of its armor as well as its weapons. The weapon platforms targeted the next destroyer…

Caught between withering fire from the planet that was effectively disabling their ships with every shot, and a pair of ships on their rear, the destroyers were finished. In less than a minute, the Cue Cappa lost their fleet. One shot hit a weapon platform, and repair was already underway...

[attack_condor]

2410.3

Nekkar III
Corporate Headquarters

The deadline had come and gone for the Norak to recompense the Empire for stolen technology and damages. Nothing happened, of course, No one had really expected the Norak to take the threat seriously.

Rita Edwards had succeeded in finally getting her department to adopt new methods and use more of the technology available to assist with defending against foreign espionage operations. The research department was also modernizing, and the facilities began the process of re-inventing themselves. The end results were simple. More research. Better intelligence.

The Chairman had just announced that the war in the Zezzis system had officially concluded. The last Sergetti colony had fallen, and the Sergetti empire was all but eliminated. Traders made mention of a few holdouts but without a planet or access to resources, they wouldn’t be much more than just that. The inhabitants of Zezzis XII weren’t too keen on the idea, and were rioting. This wasn’t unexpected, however and ground troops had moved to protect the facilities while the newest members of the Dawn empire adjusted to their new lives.

The design of ships larger than the Bulldog class cruiser was now available. Battleships were now available for construction. The preliminary plan for them would be planetary assault, with an eye to defeating the weapon platforms defending enemy colonies. Ordinance-based weapons such as missiles and torpedoes could play a key role in the new ships.

Also available – and with a potentially larger effect on the empire – was a large freighter class. Restructuring the fleet’s support ships led to the downsizing of general transport vessels (currently identified as the President class), but the Harvester class of mining ships was now upgraded to this large freighter class. They would be able to carry six remote mining robots each. They would be slow and take a long time (and cost) to build, but their potential for production would be enormous. With their development, the plan to use satellites as remote miners was scrapped.

The homeworld of Nekkar III had launched the second Bulldog class cruiser, christened CDS Mastiff. The new cruiser was sent to bolster the protection at the Pantrissa-Sheliak warp point. The space yard immediately began production of the first of the giant Harvesters. Even with the impressive production capability of the yard there, the ship would still take three months to build.

The war was going to take another lull as the empire focuses once again on defensive operations and infrastructure improvements. The Phong space yard at Zezzis VII is now a level three facility. The first space yard on Sirius XI was also now operational. The significance of this yard was that it was built on what was once a domed Terran colony, but now populated entirely by the Phong. Phong, Sergetti, and even Abbidon were now integrating into the Empire. The ability of these lifeforms to breathe non-oxygen atmospheres meant that domes across the empire may well become museum pieces...

[attack_condor]

2410.4

Nekkar III
Corporate Headquarters

There was no combat this month as the Empire began modernizing research facilities to level five and intelligence facilities to level four. Medical lab upgrades to level three and mining facilities to level four continue throughout the empire. Population re-alignment continues, and planets are beginning to be utilized to their full potential. The empire has extended an offer to the Cheththod for migration to Empire colonies, as they are the only known race to breathe hydrogen.

Research continues for UPC and repair technologies; as well as torpedo improvements in preparation for deployment on battleships.

The Cue Cappa officially declared war on the empire. In response, the empire colonized a fourth planet in the Mentocka system. This was the first colony established with a non-Terran population, as Abbidon citizens of the empire from Mentocka VI boarded a colony ship and settled Mentocka IV...

[attack_condor]

2410.5

Nekkar III
Corporate Headquarters

There weren’t any celebrations, but the mood of the colonies was good enough that a celebration wouldn’t be out of order.

The Sergetti sent a message to the Dawn empire. They proposed a meeting on Fezzran VI. It was their last world. They were surrendering.

Finally, the Zezzis chapter could be closed, and the system could transition into a more peaceful role, It would still be considered a front-line system, but it would not be a war zone. In addition to their formal surrender of their government and last world, they also delivered resources, as well as technologies the Dawn had access to but not yet researched – medium light hull level 3, fighters level 3, cargo level 2, supply level 3, projectile weapons level 2 and base construction level 3. The planet itself had two mine facilities which would be upgraded as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there was a small problem.

Fezzran VI was out of reach of the Dawn Empire’s vaunted fleet.

The planet had about fifty fighters, but a warship was desperately needed. The Norak, the Sithrak, the Eee, and the Cue Cappa all had ships within easy striking range of the newest colony of the empire. The frigate Manchester was dispatched immediately but would not get to the planet until a month later. Dunwich and Bowhunter were also deployed, but they were two months away from reaching the colony...

Back in the Nekkar system, the first Harvester 600 was launched and replaced the Harvester 400 in the Nekkar asteroid belt number III. Production from that one belt went from 8700 minerals a month to an astonishing 15,000 per month. The new Harvester class was a success...

Dawn’s modernization program was also in full swing. Over eighty research facilities upgraded to a level five. Thirteen mineral facilities and intelligence facilities upgraded to level four. Ships were also getting the latest upgrades. The empire was getting stronger...

Sabotage was still running rampant throughout the empire. The openness of the society was proving to be just what enemies needed as a way to strike against the empire. The empire was getting ready to strike back...

[attack_condor]

2410.6

Zezzis system
Zezzis VII...

The Phong builders on the planet had been dedicating their talents to refitting existing ships for the empire, as well as upgrading their own facilities for maximum production and support. This month, however, they produced their first ship for the empire. A second Harvester 600 was now in service, and it now mined the first of the Zezzis asteroid systems. When the Phong had been shown this technology they couldn’t believe that asteroids could be mined the same way a planet could. Once shown, however, they caught on easily enough. Their contribution to the fleet of asteroid miners just added another 16,000 minerals a month to the empire’s totals…

...Zezzis XI...

The Sergetti on the planet were in a much better mood – so much so that most of the ships orbiting the planet could be released for general system duties. CDS Polk had arrived with a load of Terrans from Zezzis I. The Terrans would now breathe the oxygen on Zezzis XI with their Sergetti counterparts, while the Phong on Zezzis I were now able to demolish the domes. Zezzis X and XII, the two large ice worlds with oxygen atmospheres were earmarked for a shipyard each, as their population was already over a billion on each planet. That type of production advantage could not be ignored. The small Phong planet Zezzis VII would eventually use its shipyard for repairs and upgrades only, eschewing production to the larger planets. Once the colonists on Zezzis X and XII were happier in their new role as empire citizens, the transformation from research and farming colonies to construction yards could begin.

Sheliak system
Shelak-Pantrissa warp point...

They really didn’t mean to do it.

The cruiser Mastiff led the frigates Dover, Bristol, and Weymouth as well as the point defense destroyer Longbow into the Sheliak system from the Pantrissa side of the warp point. They knew a Norak destroyer would be guarding the Sheliak side of the point.

They didn’t know the Cheththod would have a pair of destroyers there as well.

As Mastiff materialized in the Sheliak system, the Norak destroyer was firing on the Cheththod. Unfortunately, the inexperienced crew on Mastiff fired on the first target presented to it by the computer systems on board. While the Norak fired on one of the Cheththod destroyer, Mastiff fired on the other. When the mistake was realized, it was too late. The Cheththod targeted by Mastiff was crippled, and the second Cheththod destroyer was trying to disengage from the Norak. Meanwhile, the Norak captain saw all five of the Empire ships materialize, and realized he was seriously outgunned. He broke off and almost made it out of the sector before the frigates caught him. Seeing the Norak being chased down by the frigates, Mastiff’s captain took it upon himself to chase down the second “enemy” and destroy it.

When all was said and done, the Dawn empire would regretfully inform their Cheththod allies that their destroyers were destroyed by a Norak ship that was observed to be firing on them. The fact that the Cheththod were able to destroy their attacker before perishing themselves spoke highly of their ability.

...onboard CDS Mastiff...

The crew didn’t have time for recriminations – they were on their way to the Norak colony of Sheliak II. Standing in their path was another pair of Norak destroyers. They were destroyed as the fleet moved into orbit around their target. The attack was carefully planned, as the planet had seven weapon platforms with level two capital ship missiles whose range was 120km. The anti-photon beams on Mastiff had a range of 110km.

Longbow played her role to perfection, drawing the enemy’s missiles to her skimming along the edge of their firing range, and then pulling away, firing her flak cannons as the missiles closed. She did take three missiles which wiped her shields out and disabled one engine. She was able to get the shields back, but not the engine. Still, she was more careful and didn’t make any more mistakes.

Mastiff and her three frigates were taking advantage of the missiles that were targeting Longbow and closed to fire two beam salvos before retreating outside the missile’s range. Working together in this way, Mastiff, the frigates, and Longbow were able to eventually wipe the weapon platforms out, along with four intelligence facilities. The frigate Weymouth also took a missile hit and also lost a single engine, but the planet itself was dead. The Dawn empire had finally entered the intelligence war - in about as most blunt of a way as is possible...

As the five ships moved back to the warp point to wait for the eventual response, Weymouth distributed her supplies to the four remaining ships and warped back into Pantrissa. Until a repair ship could get to them, she would ferry supplies to the ships on the Sheliak side of the warp point...

Nekkar III
Corporate Headquarters...

The successful strike against a Norak intelligence colony wasn’t without risks. The damaged ships were not really that much of a concern, at least as much as how the Cheththod would respond to the attack on a planet in their system. Ironically, the mistake at the warp point could work out to their advantage. If the Cheththod could be convinced that the Norak were attacking their ships and trying to blame their ally (which was exactly what the Dawn was trying to do, albeit in reverse) then they might be convinced to join their ally in expelling the Norak from Sheliak.

Otherwise, the empire ran the risk of going to war with another empire – something they distinctly wished to avoid...

Drepana system
...onboard CDS Lugosi...

The system belonged to the Cue Cappa. There were space stations, frigates and destroyers almost everywhere. Some were damaged, but the analysis of the data suggested the damage was from refits rather than battle. The stealth ship approached Drepana I and performed a scan. The results were coded and sent as a burst transmission. What the rest of the empire’s planners would find out in the next hour is what Lugosi’s crew already knew.

They had found the home world of the Cue Cappa...