The Alexanderov Federation

#1 - The Grendarl War

By RobertHuntingdon

Chapter Fourteen - The Battle for Rrk'g'kreg III, Part II

"I don't know!" Turley replied. "But somehow they know where those carriers are."

"Scan for Silicoid sensor platforms. Maybe the Grendarl got more than just the one we found a few years ago."

"Scanning... Sir, I found three of them, all in planetary orbit. I don't think we can get ships into range to take them out. Anything that gets close will be in range of their PD weaponry, or their fighters."

Morse spoke up now. "Goodman, I don't think we're going to get all the missiles in time. I'm estimating almost 600 will be left by the time they reach Task Force 77."

"Goodman to Stockert. I need help, I can't take out all these missiles."

Admiral Stockert replied immediately, "Fighter groups on their way."

"Goodman to 57.1 and 77.1, focus on the missiles in the center, let the fighters have those on the edges."

Again a trickle of acknowledgements came in and the task forces shifted their fire. Thousands of missiles were harmlessly detonated in space, but as the missiles got closer, they began to do some damage to the front line of Goodman's command. As the last of the missiles were detonated literally meters from the front of the wall, the damage proved too much for some ships. 50 vessels were destroyed, and the other 75 vessels in the first layer all took significant damage as well. If the next round that came their way was any larger, they would no longer have the firepower to take it all out.

"Stockert to all task forces. Prepare to withdraw, we do not have sufficient missiles to destroy all their fighters and still take out their planetary defenses."

On the bridge of the Sharktooth II, almost every crewman slumped in their chairs. To lose ships, suffer damage, and barely even scratch the enemy? This would be a day that would live long in infamy, and none of them were happy to be there for it. Lewis began crying silently at her station, only the shaking of her shoulders betrayed her.

Goodman and Riley, however, refused to accept defeat. Riley turned to Goodman and said, "Not enough missiles? What about the defensive missiles?"

It took him less than a second to realize what she was suggesting. "Goodman to Stockert. Negative, sir, we do not need to withdraw. We still have a full load of anti-fighter missiles."

"But they aren't attacking, Goodman. They'll shoot them down with their PD weaponry and we'll run out of missiles there too," Stockert replied.

"Not if we fire our main missile racks at the same time, sir."

Dead silence came back over the channel for almost 10 seconds.

"Stockert to all task forces. Abandon retreat preparations. 55 and 75, launch all missiles at the planetary defenses when all have completely reloaded in 30 seconds. 57.1 and 77.1, launch your missiles in 35 seconds, just as the larger capital ship missiles pass through your formation."

Riley smiled at Goodman, and he winked back at her.

40 seconds later, the planetary defenses began firing on the missile wave fast approaching the planet. Again the human's missiles began to detonate by the hundreds. But this time, instead of just a few thousand, over 15,000 missiles were approaching the planet. Would the Grendarl be able to take out all the missiles in time?

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