Unknown Heroes: Chapter 20 (End of Unknown Heroes: The Assassin)

[Warenwolf]

This is the final version of the chapter, the 1.0 version so to say. I corrected few glaring mistakes and added few missing words. I have not attempted to describe realistic space fleet combat as I said I would, since I found out that there was too little I knew about subject to write about it in a believable fashion.


Few words on Unknown Heroes:
This is the last chapter of the first part of Unknown Heroes. The story was made while I wrote it. I made plans about writing something but once I started typing the result ended up being something else. It took one and half year and over 140 thousands of words to write it. In fact, I have spent far fewer hours playing the game than writing this story (and reading other peoples stories)…
I have read enough books to know that end result is not a professional job and cannot be compared with what professional writers make. But I did had fun writing it (sometimes more and sometimes less) and I hope you too enjoyed reading it…

I made a poll when I posted chapter six to see how people liked my story then. I wanted also to find out how did people like my style and the direction story was taking. Now that first part is done, I would really like if people would give me feedback either by voting and perhaps by taking few moments to post a short comment with suggestions and opinions (I would really appreciate those). Look at it as a way to influence where the story would be going.


Future plans (on Unknown Heroes: The Pirate ):
Summer vacations. I am not going to write a word. Around September I may touch the keyboard provided the weather is bad outside.
I intend to write a short “realistic” war story placed in the X-Universe on Olmancketslat’s World (no Rambo types and no space combat) sometimes before going to vacation provided I have fun writing it.





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Links to other chapters:

Chapter 19: Anger of Split
Chapter 18: Soldiers and Pirates
Chapter 17: Shades of Grey
Chapter 16: Pieces of Chessboard
Chapter 15: Machinations
Chapter 14: Sins revealed
Chapter 13: Cargo to die for
Chapter 12: Demons in Paradise
Chapter 11: The Elysium
Chapter 10: The Khaak
Chapter 9: New Player
Chapter 8: The Hunt Begins
Chapter 7: Among the Rogues
Chapter 6: Anger of the Giants
Chapter 5: Awakening of the storm
Chapter 4: Trade run to Hell
Chapter 3: Old connections
Chapter 2: Means for revenge
Chapter 1: First kill



The glossary of Unknown Heroes
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H-Hour








Three bright flashes in Nyana Hideout system’s deep space, away from the praying sensor of the E.Y.E network, preceded the appearance of two fighters and one freighter.
The old freighter ship contrasted the brand new Bayamons that graciously floated next to it. The beat up freighter had been made in some unknown Independent shipyard long before its current crew had been born. Its hull was marked by countless micrometeor scars, with occasional plasma fire marks here and there. One long scratch in the paint, stretching from the cockpit to the rear cargo door, was the last addition to its beat up appearance, a leftover from previous owner’s failed docking maneuver. Only one of the three engines was working and of the remaining two, one was missing and the other had been dead for some jazuras.
“Dark Mistress to Junkyard. Is she holding up?” Otto asked, thinking how aptly the freighter had been named.
“Barely Boss,” man called Crow, ships current captain, answered. Crow, one of the oldest pirates of the Black Gang clan and usually the acting captain of “Cutpurse” Q-ship, had been one of the few pirates that had stuck with Erich and Otto from the very beginning. The old space wolf had sensed that new masters had what it took to be “the big sharks” in the piracy business. His loyalty had been the reason why Erich selected him to lead the prize crew that would crew the Crab once the gigantic ship was captured.
“Thank creator this is one way trip, Dark Mistress. Sensors tell us that we have atmospheric and structural degradation…”
“How long to critical”
“Twenty stazuras. Provided the sensory input is correct, Boss…”
“Yeah…Well, we need her only for few more stazuras and then she won’t be our problem anymore”
“Roger that, Boss”
“We are approaching the divergence point in two mizuras. You know what to do?”
“Yeah, Boss. Wait for twenty mizuras and then set course for Omicron Lyrae gate”
“Excellent. “Dark Mistress over and out,” Otto said closing the channel. He opened the channel to Erich’s Bayamon, “Dark Mistress to New Galaxy. Divergence point 1200 meters ahead.”
“You don’t have to introduce yourself; the computer tells me it is you…” Erich voice could be heard.
“And what if someone hijacks the transmission?”
“Not very likely. Besides nobody can imitate your girly voice”
“Anyway, divergence point is now 850 meters away. I will set up my com-laser for 22 degrees front left”
“Adjusting the whiskers,” Ha’nt replied, giving the relevant commands to the ship.
Otto switched to laser burst communication and started emitting a test signal. Erich moved his ship into position until he got positive signal from Otto’s com-laser.
“Do we hear each other?”
“Yeah, everything good on this end,” Erich confirmed.
Divergence point was a point chosen by Erich and Otto that lay well outside the coverage of Argon’s spy satellite network, the E.Y.E network, where the freighter aptly named Junkyard and the two Bayamons would part. The idea was to hide from any potential observers the fact that the freighter and two fighters were in any way connected. There was also another consideration to the issue; a freighter traveling with Independent designed fighter ships, was bound to be stopped and searched when entering Omicron Lyrae from Nyana’s Hideout gate. And there was too many wanted men in the raiding party for such risk to be taken…

The trip was rather uneventful, just as Erich preferred. Only a handful of Police ships were checking incoming ships in the sector and their hands were full. They were clearly too few for this task and only five percent of the total incoming traffic was being checked.
The two Bayamons entered the Omicron Lyrae system without problems and sat their course to a station short distance from gate. The COMSAT satellite factory was important for Erich plan – it had inertia shuttle line for Omicron Lyrae’s shipyards. Both ships docked with the station and Ha’nt and Ni Lan immediately headed towards the nearest inertial shuttle docking station. Otto lingered in the nearest bar for ten mizuras while Erich left immediately after having bought a sandwich. Being on station was risky – they were all men with NSM bounties on their heads.
The next part of the plan was simple. The Junkyard, that was supposed to enter the sector any moment, would travel to the EXA Inc. ore excavation station, a trip this ship had done countless times last ten jazuras while owned by its previous owner. Its route would take it within five hundred meters from the Crab, the large ship that Erich was watching through his external camera. Ni Lan and Ha’nt would be already on board, having arrived from the shipyard as part of the press, using fake id that security computers would accept, thanks to the fact that Ni Lan had hacked them earlier that wozura.

Crow maneuvered Junkyard into the course that would take him near the Crab. It was usually an easy and straightforward maneuver that any kid that had played sim games could undertake – if it had not been for the fact that this old tubs thrusters worked unevenly and erratically. Finally, on the right course he slumped down on his chair, tired from the work. Soon the Police would notice his course and send a patrol to check out why he was traveling so near the other ship. They would detect that his thrusters and engines were not working properly.
Crow was sure that scan would go as expected. What worried him as he nervously watched the ship’s status display was the fact that he would not need to simulate the damaged hardware and deteriorating atmosphere.

The bioscan test did not sound any alarms and bored security guard did not bother to check their id cards. He simply issued them env-suits and informed them that guiding tour for the press would start in fifteen mizuras on deck four.
Ha’nt and Ni Lan traveled causally through the ship, looking around, acting their roles as best as they could. Here and there, they would meet another newsman that interviewed members of the crew or took pictures of the ship.
Ni Lan found to his relief that security was rather lax. The crew avoided them, obviously tired of interviews. He easily found his way to the corridor that wasn’t covered by security cameras. Ha’nt came after him few moments later.
“You found it?”
“Yes, behind this panel is the terminal I need”
“What are you waiting for!? Pick up the speed!”

“This is Junkyard, ID AP-HF-172SD-653FR to everyone that could hear us. We have critical engine failure. Plasma containment is failing. We need assistance. I repeat we need assistance!”
“This is Argon Police OL-APL-12 to Junkyard. Can you perform emergency ejection of your engine?”
“Yes, but we got life-support linked to that engine! The atmosphere is filling with carbon dioxide even as we speak. Without recycling we’ll be dead in few mizuras!”
“Just dump the engine or you’ll all die now!”
“This is captain of Boron vessel “Happy Worker” to Argon in great need. We will immediately assist you!”
Crow smiled. He was waiting for this response. Everything was going according to the plan.
The freighter dumped its engine and within moments red flash indicated that plasma containment field was gone. Sezura later and freighter crew would have died horribly, being cocked alive.
“Thanks Borons. But please hurry!”
With great professionalism, the two of the Crab ship’s escorts approached the freighter and initiated the tracking beam. Moving with fastest possible speed the two ships started dragging the wounded freighter into the huge ship’s docking area.
“Hold out the brave Argons. Hold out,” Boron captain was urging the freighter crew. His tentacles were shaking from the worry for poor humans.

“Package on the way,” Otto informed Erich. He looked at the clock. It was 11.44, local time.






COMSAT Living Quarters, Station OLCOM B
11.45 OLT

The COMSAT subdirector for Omicron Lyrae’s COMSAT network was very absorbed in the latest developments in the newest TH soap opera, when a loud sound announced important incoming message.
“What now,” she asked herself, irritated at this disturbance. She lifted her PDA. It was from engineering section. What did they want now, she wondered. Couldn’t they do anything on their own?
“Subdirector Milica,” she answered.
“Sorry to interrupt you Subdirector, but we got information that entire COMSAT grid is gone both to the Core and New Territories. Only Circle Of Labour satellites are working”
“Some computer must have crashed on our end or something…”
“I checked. We sent message drone to NHCOM A,” the engineer said. NHCOM A was COMSAT control station in Nyana Hideout system.
“They said both main and secondary network were hit by Khaak. Only mobile transmitter stations are online but they are afraid of sending the ships out. I have sent message drone to TCCOM too, but something tells me we are going to get same response from them too…”



CRAB “Happy Worker”
11.51 OLT

Security guard, third class Po Sana was proudly wearing his brand new uniform. This was his first day on the job and what job it was! Guarding the newest Royal design, Shala class station mover, first of its kind. Entire family was proud of him. Po straightened himself out, attempted to look stern and started his round, looking for enemies of the Queen.
An unusual scene attracted his attention. A young Boron was leaning on the wall. On his env-suit a press card was attached. He cast the quick glance on the guard and then looked away. Beside him, a Split was standing and it was obvious that two of them knew each other. Since Split and Boron races were not exactly on best terms, Po wondered how two of them became friends.
He intended to go over and initiate conversation to find out. Just as he started walking over, Split shot him a threatening glance, baring his teeth.
Po hurriedly changed direction. Mother always told him not to go where his presence was not desired. If he sees the Boron on his own, Po would politely enquire him about his friendship with Split.






AF Navy carrier “Resolution”
11.53 OLT

Wolfgang Lüth analytical mind worked through the reports as fast as a computer, dissecting it to their most important parts.
“Well, Group Captain?” Rear Admiral Narazawa asked.
“This is the first stage of an attack. I think main attack on system will happen within one to two stazuras”
“Hmm… I agree with you. Ok, people listen up. We will go to status Red.”
The ship’s A.I picked up the order immediately and it was relayed to the rest of the battle group. Battle alarms were sounding throughout the carrier.
“Group Captain Wolfgang?”
“Yes, Sir?”
“You are allowed to initiate “Conscript” plan.”
“Yes, Sir”

Just as Otto and Erich were ready to move their ships into positions near the Crab, both ships received transmission. It was transmitted on all frequencies.
“This is Rear Admiral Narazawa. By the rights given to me by Rostul Agreement, I invoke the obligatory defense act”
What does this mean, Otto asked himself. Obligatory defense act was initiated only during Xenon invasions. The local commander could enlist any ship, regardless of the allegiance into local defense forces. Yet, Omicron Lyrae was too far from Xenon border to be threatened by Xenon raider fleets, so invoking obligatory defense act was bit odd. The next sentence explained answered his question.
“A Khaak invasion is imminent. All ships are to report to positions that would be transmitted to your individual ships”
Already the coordinates had arrived, Otto noted.
“Every ship attempting to avoid his duty will be shot upon and destroyed.”
It seems that discussing the legality of invoking the obligatory defense act was out of the question, Otto thought. The message started to play again.
Otto opened the channel to Erich, “I knew that this went too smoothly!”
“What coordinates did you get?”
“340, 4444, 23. Appears to be that destroyer”
“Same here”
“Alright stick with me and this may go well”
“That’s reassuring…”





Weapon platform Spider 12
12.12 OLT

Scott Johansen almost jumped from his chair when two flashes, no further than 1500 meters, signaled the arrival of two Khaak clusters.
“They are big,” one of his men commented silently.
“Time to fire this baby up,” Scott said, trying to hide his fear.
The weapon platform was basically a metal container with twin B-PAC turret on the top and a missile launcher system on the bottom with 32 missiles in its magazine. Its strength was in the surrounding missile batteries and laser towers. All of the emplacements were linked to the weapon platform’s command and control computer via long cables, hence the name “Spider”. The platform looked like spider sitting on huge web. Cables were there in case enemy employed communication jamming. Nothing could interfere with signals inside them, short of being cut by laser or missile fire.
“They are splitting.”
“Laser towers, layer firing. Hold back the missiles,” Scott ordered. Khaak ships attacked the weapon platform with fury, but laser towers reduced their number quickly. Enemy fighters pressed on but within one mizura, they were all destroyed.
“Huh…That went easy Boss”
“As I expected,” Scott answered, relaxing a bit. Other did not need to know that he had been about to wet himself. This was going to be piece of cake, Scott reassured himself.
Then the sensors picked up two more clusters.



AF Navy “Resolution” Task Group
12.17 OLT

“Sir, we got reports from Spiders all over the sector. They are being hard pressed by Khaak assaults. Should we send reinforcements?”
“Negative,” Wolfgang answered, analyzing the latest development. Khaak were not mindless enemy as the news services and politicians presented them to be.
He looked at the tactical representation of the sector. Light blue spheres represented a weapon platform or a concentration of laser and missile batteries. Once engaged in battle their color turned dark blue. Wolfgang looked at these dark blue spheres. All of them were positioned at the positions farthest away from the sector’s industrial cluster. Khaak fighter attacks were meant to draw the fighter squadrons away from the sector’s center, he thought. Probably from the very place where the main attack would take the place, Wolfgang speculated. He reached for the communication consol and opened a direct link to the Rear Admiral.


“This is AF Navy light destroyer “Orilicon” to assembled fighters. You are now known as Militia Squadron 201. Your task would be to provide close area protection to this destroyer.”
“Torpedo catchers,” Otto commented to Erich. Around two of them, eight other ships, all of them civilian, gathered closer, seeking each other’s protection. Two more Navy Nova fighters joined them.
“What do you mean?”
“When Khaak and Navy capitals slug it out, we’ll be catching the missiles for our side”
“That bad?”
“That bad,” Otto confirmed.
The ten fighters were all different designs and forms. They obviously came from every walk of life. What all shared was desire to be somewhere else. However, everyone knew by now that it was stupid to try to run away. Teladi that tried that had been promptly blasted to pieces by the Orilicon’s guns. So reluctantly but without any delay, they obeyed the Orilicon’s captain and position themselves at designated positions.
The destroyer continued transmitting instructions, “If any of you get low on ammo or missiles head for the Milk Cows.”
Milk Cows were freighters pressed into service by the Navy. Surrounded by laser and missile systems, just as a Spider weapon platform, they were loaded with missiles and MD ammunition. Fighters were supposed to resupply at Milk Cows once their ammo run out. Under cover of laser towers and missile batteries, the fighter would lower shields for moment and supplies would then be beamed onboard the ship. The concept of Milk Cows allowed Rear Admiral Narazawa to place his precious carrier out of the harms way. It also expanded the time fighters were in space, thereby increasing the battle group’s fighting strength.
“And remember – if any of you have to eject, head afterwards for the Milk Cows. We do not have enough light fighters to run rescue missions. Now I will give you coordinates of the position the individual fighters will move to…”




Weapon platform Spider 12
12.28 OLT

Scott Johansen was coughing, trying to get out the smoke out of his lungs. The fire was quickly extinguished but the smoke lingered on, giving him burning sensation in his lungs. The weapon platform had been hit hard. Her top shield generator was gone and so where all the installations attached to the platform. The missile launcher was empty and twin B-Pac was now a blob of molten metal.
They had destroyed 34 Khaak fighters so far but Scott had to wonder what would happen next. There was no way for them to resist much longer.
“Jump event detected. 1356 meters at four o’clock, 23 degrees down. What do we do now, Scott?”
Scott looked at the screen. At first he couldn’t see anything. The sensors told him that fourteen enemy fighters were out there but with his eyes he couldn’t see anything. Then sun’s ray reflected on the hull of one Khaak fighter and he saw the group of Khaak fighters boring on his position.
“Now we die,” Scott Johansen silently said.


Khaak pressed their attack relentlessly, attacking weapon platform after weapon platform, disabling one defense point after another. The Khaak fighter loses were great. Space between defense points was dotted with hidden missile batteries that staid passive until the moment they could wreck greatest damage. Cluster after cluster was destroyed right after jumping in by missile batteries that would disgorge a storm of missiles. Laser towers outranged Khaak beam weapons and managed to achieve four to one kill ratio, far less than that of missile batteries but enough for Khaak to loose substantial number of fighters in what was just an opening phase of the battle.
Seeing that humans could not be baited into the trap, the Hive initiated the second phase of the battle.



AF Navy “Resolution” Task Group
12.43 OLT

“Here we go,” Otto shouted into his mic as the four Khaak destroyers and number of clusters jumped in. Nearest of the destroyers was only 6 km away from “Orilicon” and Militia Squadron 201 was ordered to form a defense screen.
The destroyer opened fire on the Khaak ship with its photon pulse cannons. One unlucky pilot, having not paid enough attention to the warnings that all fighters should stay away from the firing fields of photon cannons, was hit by two pulses and his fighter disintegrated.
Clusters split up and swarm of Khaak fighters advanced on the “Orilikon”.



“Gentlemen, I have just received word from Argon Prime. Parts of the Jump Fleet will soon join us. The chief of Navy Intel himself will take care of planetary orbital defense,” Rear Admiral Narazawa said in the opening of the message that being sent to every ship in his task group.
Many were relieved to hear this – Rear Admiral had been unrelenting in his choice to defend only the orbital industrial cluster, especially the shipyards. Everybody knew what such order meant for millions of civilians on the planet…
“This battle is the key battle of the war – if we loose it we may as well retreat all the way to Argon Prime. I will not give you hearty and pointless speeches of heroism and duty. All of you are experienced soldiers and know well what we are facing and every one of you is chosen for your position because you have what it takes. I will only say this – fight well gentlemen and we will all have a great story to tell to our grandchildren”
Rear admiral closed the channel and leaned back, watching the tactical representation of the unfolding battle.
His duty was over for the moment. He had deployed the forces and made the battle plans as best as he could. Now that battle had began it was down to individual commander and there was little Narazawa could do except to sit and watch.


“Your eight high!” Otto warned over the com Erich, “Turn left and bring him in”
Erich turned sharply and the Khaak Scout followed after him – right into Otto’s targeting reticle. Otto’s targeting computer announced a lock and Otto squeezed the trigger. A burst of accelerated particles brought down the shields of the Scout and moments later Otto was flying through pieces of a destroyed Khaak light fighter.
There was no time to reflect on his victory. Two Scout ships turned on him, raking his Bayamon with Kyon beams, bringing his shields down to forty percent. He shot two Silkworm missiles, destroying one Scout immediately and forcing the other to disengage. He had no time to take advantage of this because a heavy Khaak fighter, simply designated as Fighter class by Intel, was on Otto’s tail forcing Otto’s shields to dangerously low levels.
Otto glanced at the sensors, desperately looking for Erich. No help from there… Erich had his hands full tangling with another Fighter. Otto switched his rear autocannon to auto mode. Two long burst could be heard and Fighter broke of pursuit, rolling around his axes without control. At the very same moment, the targeting computer informed Otto that the Silkworm had destroyed remaining Scout.
Erich finally outmaneuvered the Khaak ship and soon his target too was destroyed.
Otto signaled to Erich that he intended to resupply at a Milk Cow. Erich acknowledged and gave him cover all the way in.
The Milk Cow duty was preformed by a Demeter freighter, surrounded by missile batteries and laser towers.
Otto approached the freighter hailing it, “I am in need of more juice”
“Heh, I would expect it, you gave lot of thrashing to those Khaaks. What do you got?” the voice on the other end asked.
“20/40 and 40/80 tubes. And I need some respite for my shields to recharge”
“I got ten Silkworms I can give you and ten Mosquito missiles. I don’t know what Khaak are using but their missiles are hurting bad. I suggest you take me up on my offer for Mosquitoes. You’ll need them for anti-missile duty…”
“You convinced me, I will take whatever you have to give.”
“Smart boy. Lower the shields”
Otto turned his shield projectors off and soon the internal sensors detected several new objects in his cargo hold. Otto turned in his chair, opened the door for the cargo hold and saw two boxes with missiles. He opened the hatch for the missile magazines and started to load missiles in appropriate magazines. He let the shields stay off. It would let the capacitors to recharge faster. Otto hoped that no Khaak ship would get through Milk Cow’s defenses.
Some time later, finished with loading the missiles, he turned the shields on. They showed 56 percent. Good enough, Otto thought as he cleared space for another fighter.

Wolfgang used his fighters sparingly and only defensively, fully aware of the limitations of untrained pilots that formed the bulk of his fighter force. The task of suppressing the Khaak cluster fell to the corvettes. Their captains pressed their ship in daring assaults against Khaak fighter swarms, dodging Khaak destroyers. Consequences of the Khaak’s failed attempt to lure AF Navy out from sector’s center began to show themselves as it became apparent that most of the Khaak fighter force had been spent on the assaulting Spider weapon platforms.
The few available corvettes had almost free reign as Khaak destroyers were distracted by two old destroyers that had been assigned to Omicron Lyrae at the last moment. The old Titans used superior range of their photon pulse cannons to bait Khaak destroyers into traps formed by freighters disguised as wreckage. These freighters had their hull opened and various number of torpedo tubes installed. Torpedo launch mechanisms were remotely controlled and no crew served aboard these makeshift torpedo batteries. The plan was to lure destroyers near enough those torpedo batteries until there was too late for the Khaak destroyers. One by one started falling behind as the torpedoes inflicted crippling damages. The ranges were too short for effective point defenses and time after time torpedoes reached their targets.
But soon those torpedoes were spent and makeshift torpedo batteries were destroyed by Khaak that caught on what was happening. Now the two destroyers had to duel with Khaak larger destroyer force the traditional way.

The destroyer “Orilikon” brushed of easily the attacks by the remains of the Khaak cluster that had managed to slip by 201’s screen. The conscripts did their duty just as dedicated as the professional fighter pilots did – unsurprisingly since once the battle had began everyone was fighting for their lives and gave their best to keep themselves alive.
But lack in experience in group combat had to be paid in blood. The 201. Militia Squadron was now down to four ships, Erich, Otto and two Navy Novas.
The Khaak destroyer was now in range of the “Orilikon” and two of them unleashed all they got on each other.
“To all fighters: Disengage and prepare for missile escort duty!”
“What does this mean?” Erich asked Otto over the com.
“They are going to use their torpedoes and we got to protect them from Khaak fighters. Remember to stay away from the blast cone!”
“Received and understood.”
Three torpedoes, along with a score of decoys, were fired by “Orilikon” and four fighters began escorting the slowly accelerating torpedoes. At same time the destroyer provided them with covering fire trying to keep the Khaak destroyer’s attention on “Orilikon”.
Several Scouts turned to engage the four torpedoes and two Nova fighters moved to intercept. The fights were brief as Khaak attacked in disorganized fashion, with wide spaces between each attack wave. The Nova fighters, obviously piloted by experienced pilots, exploited this to defeat each Khaak wave in detail.
Twelve sezuras after the launch, the torpedoes left the arming distance and their engines gave full thrust.
“This is it, lets turn back to the destroyer,” Otto instructed Erich. The two of the turned away as the torpedoes continued their flight, accelerating faster and faster. The decoys were leading the way and finally Khaak destroyer reacted, firing at decoys. But the distance was simply to short for any credible point defense effort by the Khaak ship. Few torpedoes that had been hit, were only decoys. The first torpedo impacted and Khaak destroyer’s shields were drained by a powerful EMP discharge. The next two torpedoes, arriving sezuras later, were a more traditional variant. They bore deep in the destroyer before exploding. The Khaak destroyer disintegrated into thousand pieces, taking a newly arrived cluster with it into oblivion.



CRAB “Happy Worker”
13.13 OLT

“You said you knew what you were doing!” Ha’nt accused Ni Lan. He looked furiously at the Boron.
“It appears that they are not out there!” Ni Lan defended himself. He was supposed to disable the shields of the huge Crab ship in manner that nobody aboard was supposed to notice. He had bypassed the security systems on the ship bridge and whoever was working on Tactical would only see full shield strength on his status displays. In reality the shields were dropping rapidly in strength and Ni Lan expected them to be almost zero now.
The lowering of shield strength was to be the signal for Erich and Otto to start their feint attack on the ship. The Crab’s escorts would engage and two Bayamons would flee, but not before one of them had fired a missile on the Crab. The missile was harmless – but Boron captain would not think so once his sensors told him about plasma engine’s containment failure and the consequent plasma leak aboard his ship. The standard procedure was for the captain to evacuate his ship, a crucial requirement for the next stage in Erich’s plan.
Frustrated and angry at Boron, Ha’nt marched to the window and peeked out, trying to see if the two Bayamons were there. He was sure that Ni Lan had failed with his task, something that would not surprise the Split, and he expected to see two Bayamons waiting outside.
“Turn the shields on, turn the shields on!” he screamed instead.
Ni Lan obeyed and scurried over to the window to see what had upset the Split. His tentacles became white from the fear. The space outside was full of Khaak ships. The alarms had not sounded because Ni Lan had reprogrammed them to give containment failure warning once sensors detected collision with any object, like that of a small missile with its warhead removed. Of course it meant that any other alarm system had been disabled.

The Boron captain desperately tried to get his men to battle stations but system did not respond. The Khaak ship outside started to fly in direction of the Crab but most of the men were oblivious to what happened outside. Finally, an officer came up with idea to use the commercial announcement system to warn the crew. Ten mizuras after the Khaak ships had been observed, battle stations were manned and Crab started to give support fire to its overwhelmed escorts.


“Orilikon” destroyer
13.15 OLT

Erich spent his last missile on the Khaak fighter that Otto could not shake off. Now it was down to particle accelerator cannons. Milk Cows were all destroyed and there was no chance for resupply.
Two Scouts moved on his six and his rear firing autocannon saved him again, firing short bursts on the two targets. The Scouts never managed to hit the Bayamon before they were destroyed by the powerful 25 mm projectiles. Still Erich looked with worry on the ammunition count display for the autocannon. Down to fifteen projectiles, enough for one and half bursts. Perhaps enough for one more Scout class ship. If he was lucky…
He looked at the tactical display. One of the Novas had bought it when a cluster jumped in right behind it. Its wingman attached himself to Erich and Otto. The three ships kept themselves together, flying defensive circles. Inadequate force at the very start, the remaining fighters had no chance of providing fighter protection for the “Orilikon”.
The destroyer had lost its armament on the port side, effectively reducing its fire field by 180 degrees. If it came under attack from both sides it will be gone and with it defensive covering fire that had kept Erich and Otto alive so far.
Erich had no time to reflect over the precarious situation. One more cluster had jumped in 200 meters away and all of three ships poured all they had on it before Khaak ships detached from each other. Many Scout ships died on the spot but enough remained to give the three ships hell. Erich and Otto moved among them. They knew that this would disorient Khaak fighters.
“Hel….” was the last thing Nova fighter ever said over the com before Khaak Fighter ship destroyed it. Nova had been on Erich’s six and he knew that he was the next target. Two bursts came from his autocannon and the number fifteen changed to zero. Erich had no more rear cover. He turned his ship 180 vertical but Fighter ship followed without problems. Still autocannon had done some damage – Khaak ship’s thrusters worked unevenly. Erich took advantage of it, turning 90 degrees left and then performing another 180 degrees turn. As he predicted Khaak fighter’s thrusters couldn’t take the strain and he had him in his sights. The targeting computer announced a lock and Erich held in trigger whole time until Khaak fighter died.
Flying through the wreckage of the Khaak fighter, Erich checked his shields and cursed. During his fight with Fighter, smaller Scouts had kept on taking potshots on his Bayamon. The shields were down to eighteen percent.



CRAB “Happy Worker”
13.13 OLT

The fight was intense and Crab escorts dwindled quickly in numbers. Still it appeared that defense forces had everything under control. And then containment field failure alarm sounded.
Ni Lan and Ha’nt exchanged glances.
“There is no plasma containment field failure, is it?” Split asked.
“I don’t know”
“Could it be system failure?”
“No, it seems fine from this consol. But it seems it has been triggered by collision alarm at deck 3, sector 14A”
It was a part of the ship that was on opposite part of the engine room. Ni Lan used the consol to connect to an external camera in that sector. At first he saw nothing and then a object caught his attention. It was looking like a space football ball and it was attached to the Crab’s hull. The metal around the object looked burned as if it had been sprayed with acid. Ni Lan turned into coms used by the ship’s security.
“What do you hear?” Ha’nt asked.
“Captain is ordering evacuation as expected… Everyone is heading towards the docks… Wait…”
Borons tentacles turned white again.
“What is it?” Ha’nt asked.
“There is one report of Khaak aboard. I didn’t hear all before transmission was cut off…”
“So that thing was…”
“A boarding vehicle…”



“Orilikon” destroyer
13.15 OLT

The moment destroyer’s shield failed, Orilikon’s captain was killed in the explosion of the forward missile storage. A Khaak missile had found its way there. Series of explosions followed. The destroyer started first venting atmosphere in lower decks. Then rapidly, like fire in the bone dry forests of Old Phyla planet where temperatures reached 80 Celsius during summer time, the devastation spread from level to level as more and more Khaak missiles were getting through point defenses.
Men were sucked out through breaches in the hull while others suffocated when life support systems stopped working. Despite the certain death, the gunnery crews kept firing to the bitter end. Of destroyer’s 352 men large crew, only 76 men survived.
Erich and Otto were left alone in the tidal wave of Khaak fighters.

“Time to leave Dodge,” Erich said over the com to Otto. His shields were gone and not coming back. Both shield projectors were fried from the last Kyon beam hit.
“I agree,” Otto agreed. He too had lost one shield projector and his upper left particle accelerator cannon had melted down as result from a prolonged combat. That had as result ignited the fuel for thrusters and he had to dump it. As result, rolling was no longer possible for him, although horizontal movement still worked.
“But where to, Erich?”
Erich looked at the sensors, following the nearest group of Khaak ships to see if they are heading in the direction of the two Bayamons. Luckily the group was engaged by one corvette, giving Erich and Otto breathing time. For now.
“I say we head to the Trading Station and try to dock there. We need emergency repairs anyway.”



CRAB “Happy Worker”
13.23 OLT

Finally, Ha’nt said to himself. The body in front of him was of one of the human guards assigned to the security force of the Boron ship. One man’s death meant perhaps one Split’s fortune. For ten mizuras, he and Ni Lan had skulked around the ship in search for weapons, avoiding any area from where sounds were heard. Split bent and pried away the lasrifle from dead man’s hands. He took a laspistol from the dead man’s holster and gave it to Ni Lan. Ni Lan had to use all of his tentacles to hold the weapon stead – it was a human weapon, never meant to be used by a Boron. He furthered studied the dead man. The human had been undoubtedly killed by Khaak, unless Boron aboard this ship suddenly had decided to hack their human ally to death.
“He never managed to fire a shot,” Split commented checking the ammunition count number.
Something moved in the corner of Split’s eyes. He turned quickly, lasrifle pointing. But there was nothing he could see. Perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him. Nevertheless his grip around the lasrifle tightened.
“I got feeling we are watched,” Ni Lan said. Ha’nt thought so too but he kept his mouth shut. Better not to upset the cowardly Boron. He needed every help he could get. They continued moving slowly towards the docks. Ha’nt pointed weapon wherever his eyes were turned, as he had seen Erich do.
In the freighter that Boron captain was so kind to tow into Crab’s docks, was a group of Black Gang members. They had weapons but had strict instructions not to leave the ship until Ni Lan or Ha’nt picked them up. Now, Ni Lan’s and Ha’nt’s plan was to link up with them and then try to reclaim the ship from Khaak.

With high-pitched shriek, the two Khaak insectoids advanced on them. They had thin bodies with four legs and two “arms” that ended in sharp, twenty centimeter long claws. Insectoids had also leathery wings that were twice the size of the rest of their body.
Both Ni Lan and Ha’nt fired. The two insectoids stopped and then tried to retreat. Soon they were dead. One of the wings caught fire from the laser beam.
“If we had come here later or those two earlier we would have been their lunch,” Ha’nt commented carefully checking if the two Khaak were really dead. The attack had happened soon after they had left the dead human security guard. The two Khaak had been on their way back, perhaps to investigate noises that Ni Lan and Ha’nt were making. Once satisfied that Khaak were really dead, the Split asked Ni Lan, “Can you find out how many of them there is?”
“From the control room in the docks perhaps. I should be able to access surveillance cameras from there”
“Then let us continue towards the dock”
They continued walking slowly towards the docks, listening for every sound and carefully turning corners. The ship seemed quiet and eerie without the usual sounds of its crew. As they advance through the corridors, they found Argon and Boron bodies. Most seemed to have slashing wounds of the type the dead guard had, but few had burns from beam weapons. Blood was flowing through the floor of the corridor, mixing human red with Boron grey on the ship’s green floor.
Just as Ha’nt was turning a corner in a corridor, a yellow beam passed by Ha’nt’s head, missing him by centimeters and leaving a black scorch mark on the floor. Ha’nt jumped back. They heard scuttling towards them and Ha’nt used his weapon to lay suppressing fire using his lasrifle’s burst mode. Soon there were small fires on the organic walls of the corridor ignited by laser beams. Ni Lan took a peek. Three beetle like insects were holding position on the very end of the corridor. None of them was hurt by Ha’nt’s shooting because of the fact that they had somehow climbed the wall. The insectoids focused on Ha’nt’s laser rifle that popped in and out around the corner. Ni Lan aimed carefully and fired. One of the Khaak insectoids was hit and fell to the floor with its six legs thrashing. Immediately Ni Lan had to pull back as two yellow beams were fired on his previous position. Ha’nt took the chance and fired two bursts at the Khaak before pulling back. Two thumps could be heard and Ni Lan took the chance for another peek. The Khaak were dead and he signaled to Ha’nt that opposition had been eliminated.
“Five dead Khaak so far,” Ha’nt commented as they passed the dead insectoids. One of them twitched, startling both of them and prompting Ni Lan to fire several times at twitching Khaak.
“It is dead now,” Ha’nt said stopping Ni Lan before the Boron emptied all the energy of the laspistol.
“It appears that they have different types of Khaak depending on their function,” Ni Lan commented, studying the dead insectoids. Unlike the first variant they encountered these insectoids totally different shape and their weapons seemed fused into them. Or perhaps they just grow new Khaak around the weapon, Ni Lan speculated.
“I noticed Boron, now shut up and keep walking”
The two of them continued their progress, carefully taking peeks around the bends in the corridors. Ensuring that nothing was waiting for them, the Ha’nt would progress quickly while Ni Lan was covering him. Once Ha’nt reached the end of the corridor, Ni Lan would follow. Then entire procedure was repeated.
After a little while, they came to a large open place where they had first checked in upon their arrival to the Crab. And they stopped. In the middle of the room, there was ten Khaak insectoids of the type they first encountered. All of them turned as one towards Ni Lan and Ha’nt.
“I guess peaceful negotiation is out of the question?” Ni Lan asked.
Khaak charged. Few of them used their wings to fly up in the air.
“Retreat into the corridor!” Ha’nt said needlessly. They hightailed back into the corridor and fired at any insectoid that followed. Khaak moved with incredible speed and only the burst fire mode from the lasrifle seemed effective. The Khaak kept coming on, not caring about their dead comrades.
“The weapon is empty!” Ha’nt said. Ni Lan shoot two more Khaak before the warning light at the side of his laspistol blinked, telling him that his weapon too was out of juice.
They both looked at the entrance of the corridor. No more of the Khaak was trying to come in.
“Perhaps we are truly lucky today,” Ha’nt commented. They waited few moments before walking into the hall. Too late did Ni Lan notice that there was only nine dead Khaak on the floor.
The last Khaak attacked Ha’nt as he passed the door. The Khaak had been on the wall, directly over the door. Ha’nt tried to use his empty lasrifle as a club. The Khaak easily brushed away the lasrifle and threw him on the floor. Ni Lan threw his laspistol on the Khaak in a desperate attempt to distract it but he missed.
As the Khaak raised his two claws to tear Ha’nt into pieces, a laser beam streaked over the room and hit the Khaak. Several more followed.
“I thought you two might need some help,” Crow said and smiled.





“We take that one,” Erich said pointing towards the Reiland Industries R2300 sport spaceship. The ship had cramped cockpit for two passengers and no cargo hold. But it could accelerate to a stable speed of 1800 and speed was something Erich and Otto right now needed.
“How do you suppose we’ll brake in?” Otto asked, looking around at the deserted docks. Everyone had fled into armored core of the Trade Station once the Khaak attacked. Even Station Security was gone and nobody was around to react once sensors detected that Erich was armed when he disembarked his Bayamon. At least nobody would try to hinder them breaking in the R2300.
“We use EVA suits,” Erich simply said after few moments of pondering the problem.
“What?” Otto asked, not understanding what his friend had in mind.
Erich walked towards the R2300, jumped on the ship and then kicked the cockpit glass. Under the pressure of cyberborg’s kick, the glass shattered. They had access to the ship…
“I’ll get EVA suits,” Otto simply said.

Ten mizuras later, they were flying towards the Crab ship. The two Bayamons were set on self-destruct. Otto was reluctant to destroy such magnificent ships but his Bayamon was simply to difficult to steer with its damaged thrusters and Erich’s Bayamon was death trap since he had no working shield projectors. The loss of two gate-independent jumpdrives would hurt too. Now their only hope was that Crab was under Black Gang’s control.
It had been agreed that the signal of successful operation would be a changed id-signal broadcast with five sezuras delay instead of usual Boron three sezura delay. But since Reiland Industries had designed their spacecraft to fly near planets and orbital installation so that people see how much Credits one had to waste on fast space ships, the R2300 lacked the standard equipment that any beat up intersystem space ship had. The communication and sensors onboard did not work beyond 500 meters, something Otto was quick to point out was stupid onboard a ship that was faster one and half times than the Paranid super fast recon ships. With such sensors and R2300 speeds, one would notice an asteroid in the moment the ship collided with it. This meant that Otto had to bring R2300 within five hundred meters of the Crab.
“I am getting the signal,” Otto said. He counted delay between id-transmissions before sighing with relief, “The Crab is ours”

Finding no more Khaak aboard, pirates continued with their original plan. The freighter “Junkyard” was a tool to deliver two gate independent jumpdrives that had been raided by Erich, Otto, Ni Lan and Ha’nt from a Terracorp freighter. Without exchanging ship’s original jumpdrives with these, the Crab would not be going anywhere. The Police, Sector Militia and Navy could easy disable jumpdrives just by emitting a signal on a predefined frequency that would render any jumpdrives useless. This was a safety feature installed in all jumpdrives by Terracorp with intent to hinder pirates from utilizing jumpdrive technology. Of course, gateless or properly called gate independent jumpdrives, intended to be only used by Terracorp were only jumpdrives without such safety feature and only jumpdrives that could be used to jump to specific coordinates in space. Hence the necessary switch of jumpdrives. The false plasma containment failure alarm would ensure that ship was empty; effectively leaving it in the hand of pirates that had been hiding in the freighter.

While men exchanged the jumpdrives and Ni Lan linked them up, Erich and Otto watched the sector’s tactical display.
“It appears that Navy manages quiet nicely without us,” Erich commented. The battle was finished. With loss of its destroyers and failed attempt to obliterate the planet, Khaak attack lost its momentum. The remaining forces were mopped up by remaining Militia. Jump Fleet had already jumped out.
“Yeah, but we still gave those Navy guys some style…”
He meant to add something else when Crow turned towards Erich, “Master, someone is hailing us”
Erich and Otto looked each other in the eyes. This was unexpected.
Erich opened com to the engineer room, “Ni Lan how far have you come”
“Just some simulations and then we are good to go. I still have to initiate the jump event from here, it will take days for me to link up controls from the bridge to the jumpdrives, especially since certain Split used laspistol to cut through wires in order to get original jumpdrive easier out”
“I see…Ok, initiate jump to the HQ at my command”
Erich nodded at Crow to open a channel to hailing ship.
What came next startled both Otto and Erich, “This is agent Jane Freedman to Erich Campbell”
Otto silently cursed. Crow quickly found the ship that was hailing on the tactical display, a Legion class frigate. It had approached the Crab without anybody noticing.
“Erich Campbell speaking. What can we help you with agent?”
“Surrendering would be a wise first option. This ship can tear “Happy Worker” into pieces easily. After you surrendering, we will do some talking”
“About what?”
“Piracy…Murder…Max Rudel. Assault on Boris Gellar. NSM…Among other things”
“Do you work for McCarthy?”
“I work for Argon Federation and its citizens”
“McCarthy then… Since he seems to be Mr. Federation these days. Helped by NSM money”
“So you don’t like Senator McCarthy?”
“I don’t like the company he keeps”
“So you killed Max Rudel and attempted to kill Boris Gellar?”
Crow signaled to Erich that Ni Lan was ready.
“Agent Freedman, this conversation is over…”
Erich closed the channel just as the jumpdrive activated. Next moment the Crab was in the Hatikvah’s Faith, far away from the Omicron Lyrae system. Everyone was cheering wildly and Black Gang’s station was sending its congratulation. Someone put some music through announcement system. The operation had been the most daring raid anybody had heard about and their own clan had been behind it!
Among all the celebrations Erich was silent, thinking about the short conversation with agent Jane Freedman.





End of “Unknown Heroes: The Assassin”

[Mailo]

Argh, I hate cliffhangers

Nice end of the book though. Exciting battle with believeable twists to the original capture plan.
Actually I felt the battle descriptions were realistic enough, you wrote from the viewpoint of two pilots, no way they would notice much of the overall battle in that furball (do Khaak's have fur? )

[Captain Chris sTc]

Wonderful chapter, but you realy are a git ending it like that. arrrgggh.

[Megbeth]

Nice chapter thoug some one could make a comment on the performance of Erich and Otto during the fight (Admiral Narazawa).
If you really think on writing more then it is not a bad ending for the assassin part.

[Warenwolf]

Nice chapter thoug some one could make a comment on the performance of Erich and Otto during the fight (Admiral Narazawa).
If you really think on writing more then it is not a bad ending for the assassin part.

Yes, I do think on writing more but not right now. I will first focus on rewriting the chapters (only style changes, the plot will remain the same). For instance, because of the lack of the language skill, the tension Ni Lan and Ha'nt felt when they discovered that Khaak is aboard and following fight is not well told. In future addition I may change that part.
When I am done rewriting chapters to "version" 1.2, I will compile all chapters in one pdf file and post it somewhere. Only then will I start writing "The Pirate" part.



@Captain Chris sTc

[collins50]

I do enjoy the story.
Hope you will continue it thanks

[Warenwolf]

I do enjoy the story.
Hope you will continue it thanks

Thanks

I will write more after the summer is over (as mentioned). All this sitting in front of the laptop, typing text, correcting and rereading each chapter to see what I have missed has made me half blind and my skin has gone greyish from the experiance

Therefore I will undertake a expedition to the local beach where I intend to reacquaintence myself with creatures called women.

[collins50]

that mite be relaxing and enjoyable, Have fun
Just rember you have fan waiting

[Megbeth]

Good luck with them, maybe it will encourage you to expand Erich's gang with a woman. Could be exciting.

[KiwiNZ]

Great chapter! Exciting battle and nicely worked into the battle in the game. With a mobile base Erich and Otto have now pretty much removed themselves from the grasp of the Argon secret service and become a force not to be underestimated.

Looking forward to the next part of the story!

[Warenwolf]

Good luck with them, maybe it will encourage you to expand Erich's gang with a woman. Could be exciting.

I toyed with idea of adding a female to the gang but I am not sure if people would liked the idea (there is 10+ characters already in the story). If people wouldn't mind, then sure why not. But do not expect it to be a bimbo dressed in "bullet resistent thong" with boobs that outsize the thrusters of a F-16...