The Ascent

Chapter 19

The support and supply ships looked like some sort of ancient space junkyard. Not a single ship was whole. Debris and an occasional flash-frozen crewman floated wherever our crews directed their searchlights. We patched what ships we could salvage and cannibalized those we could not. We searched the ships for survivors and recovered what few supplies were left, though there were plenty of shortages to go around. We scavenged both our own ships and those of our enemies. Repair crews worked round the clock and those who tried to sleep were frequently interrupted by falling pressure alarms, life support failure alarms and false alarms from imagined enemy attacks.

By the start of the morning shifts of the next "day," Shines Like the Sun still had not been heard from and everyone was worried. The fleet commanders decided to form up in battle array and advance in the hope of catching up with Shines Like the Sun's forces. As we prepared to set out, one of Moony's ships came through the transit station behind us. Moony had apparently fled with Most Noble's fleet to the last system we had passed through the day before. As the ship approached, it broadcast a message on all frequencies.

Shines Like the Sun was dead.

* * *

I raced to the C&C as soon as I heard the message from Moony's ship. The other fleet commanders were already logged into the virtual conference room. I could tell from their expressions that it was no idle rumor.

"So it's been confirmed, then?" I asked.

Phil didn't look up from the virtual conference table. Sherman looked at me with a strained expression. "That's what we're discussing now. It seems Most Noble's ship commanders witnessed the event. Shines Like the Sun's ship became separated from his wing commanders and was either captured or killed. We're not sure which. Not that it really matters at this point."

The other commanders looked at each other hopelessly or just stared into space. Somehow, in the very moment of the battle's victory, we had lost the war.

"So what are our options?"

"We could keep fighting," Sherman suggested. "They were completely unable to stop us. We're very nearly at their home world now."

"Surrender is obviously out of the question," Solomon said.

"Perhaps we could negotiate a contract with Righteous Ruler," Ormond suggested. Everyone looked at him in disbelief. "I hear the Moiarchy is having difficulties with the region of The Expanding House. They've nullified their trade agreements with the Indwellers."

"I don't suppose we could just go back to Solarian space," I suggested.

"We don't have any supplies," Phil said. "We can't afford to go on but we can't afford to stay."

The discussion continued with fits and starts for several minutes when a Cack courier ship appeared through the transit station at the far side of the system. It broadcast a Cack news program, then chased the signal across the system at the speed of light.

"Rejoice all you who dwell within," chanted the program host. "The enemy of our great ruler, that most traitorous of brothers, Shines Like the Sun is dead."

"Rejoice! The enemy is dead! Rejoice! Shines Like the Sun is dead!" chanted the background news readers.

As the program host gave the news in a traditional Cack chant, a video displayed digitally enhanced sensor logs of the battle from the Cack's point of view. Once again I saw the two forces arrayed for battle. Shines Like the Sun's forces advanced and Righteous Ruler's formation melted away in a total rout. Righteous Ruler began retreating, surrounded only by his elite core of warships. A hole opened up in Righteous Ruler's defenses and Shines Like the Sun's flagship, The Flower of Dirt plunged forward. The camera view zoomed in on The Flower of Dirt as it launched punishing missiles and energy beam attacks on Righteous Ruler's flagship ripping devastating breaches in the hull.