Bred for war - 2. The Khår H’∂∂ari's last flight

Ç’HkïJaråan Patrol Khår H’∂∂ari on Disputed Space on the outter rim of the Cho’PAk II System

Present day

The Ç’HkïJaråan patrol Khår H’∂∂ari veered off on its aft in an attempt at an evasive maneuver as the Athruvian Battle Cruiser Ian E lanh fired its powerful shockwave disruptors, but it was unable to avoid the impact. The moment the disruptor hit, the whole structure trembled. It wasn’t shocking that it did, because even though the Khår H’∂∂ari was a rather massive ship, the Athruvians’ shockwave technology was state of the art. It was no secret that Athruvian technology had outran that of the Ç’HkïJaråans within the past decade.

The Khår H’∂∂ari had been built mostly of varanium, the most resistant of Ç’HkïJaråan metal alloys, which gave its hull its main green-bluish color surface. It was a ship of an extraordinary organic old-school design: its body was metallic and insect-like, its shape resembling that of a Utopian cricket; the legs of the ship, however, were folded and would only engage during landing or on-planet missions.

Its bridge was located bow, and it had a set of windshields which also resembled cricket’s eyes. The main thrusters were well hidden in the underside of the ship’s stern. Three sides of the patrol –the top among them- showed the emblem of the Ç’HkïJaråan Government: the half red moon crossed by a Xh’åaT’mhe, the ritual Ç’HkïJåaran sword. Built for both space navigation and on-planet missions, the Khår H’∂∂ari was the last of the type-h’mär patrols that had once roamed Ç’HakJar.

The Athruvian Battle Cruiser, on the other hand, seemed rather simple in its design: a Y-shaped vessel of the most advanced Athruvian warships. There were no perceptible windows on it, though it was not surprising, for Athruvians considered those a hinder. It was light at all sights, though its flanks were surrounded by cannon slits all over. It had been armed with three shockwave disruptor banks, twenty ADS cannons, thirtyfive ERW cannons and two torpedo launching bays. As all other Athruvian vessels, the body of the cruiser was all painted in purple, which was considered the flag color of the Athruvian Empire.

The Ian E lanh veered again to face the Khår H’∂∂ari and fired its shockwave disruptors once again.

G’Halo Rhag, Captain of the Khår Haddar, grabbed his command chair with all of his strength as the whole ship trembled under the fire of the Athruvian Battle Cruiser, struggling to keep himself steady.

He was tired and it was visible. It wasn’t his age, for he was about to celebrate his fifty second Bo’HJ’naRåk[i], but this war against the Athruvian Empire had definitely taken its toll on him. His temples had been covered by grayish hair and he surely did not recall when that had happened. Now he was just looking forward to retiring the following year.

M’hbarhak, his Bhat’Ha -second in command-, faced G’Halo Rhag and the commanding officer nodded. Immediately, M’hbarhak turned to the console behind them, and asked the young ensign through the noise on the triangular bridge:

“Ensign, report!”

Ma’oHlin, the long haired female junior officer stationed at the Tactical console, turned to both G’Halo Rhag and M’hbarhak, and reported:

“We’ve sustained a direct hit to the main shield generator, Commander … engines are at 40 percent and dropping rapidly.”

‘We won’t make it’ G’Halo Rhag thought as he listened to the report. But he could not afford to have such thoughts, his mind had to be in the here and now. His ship was being battered by an Athruvian cruiser and he could not –would not- let any negative thoughts make him hesitate; not when there was so much at stake.

So he sat upright and turned to Tactical. The bridge of his ship was flooded with deafening noises. He could hear the unending bleeps and chirps of the consoles processing information and generating stats. There were also the beeps of the consoles being tapped by his officers. And in the background he could also hear a slight hiss, as if air or steam was escaping from somewhere.

He looked at Ma’oHllin and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Ensign, arm the ADS cannons at full intensity and fire when ready!”

“Yes, Sir.” Ma’oHlin responded from her station.

She turned back to her console and keyed a couple of commands. She gestured in annoyance and keyed the commands once again. After three attempts she turned and reported.

“ADS cannons are offline, sir!”

The Captain of the Khår H’∂∂ari slammed a fist on one of the arms of his command chair, so hard the metal bit against his hand. His jaws tensed, but he looked back at Ensign Ma’oHlin and shouted once again.

“Power up the tritium antimatter torpedoes!”

Ma’oHllin tapped two command buttons, her console chirping as she did so, before she turned back to the commanding officer.

“Tritium antimatter torpedoes powered-up and ready to fire at your command, sir.”

“Fire four torpedoes in three-kat intervals. NOW!” G’Halo Rhag ordered. He moved forward on his seat, grabbing both arms of the chair with such strength that his muscles showed underneath his shirt.

“Commencing maneuver, sir.” Ma’oHllin reported, completely focused on the bleeps of the Tactical Console “Firing antimatter torpedo sequence … now! Antimatter Torpedo number 1 … launched!”

1, 2, 3 kat.

“Torpedo number two … launched!”

Captain G’Halo Rhag moved in his command chair, as if something was wrong with it.

4, 5, 6 kat.

“Torpedo number three … launched!

Commander M’hbarhak looked at his commanding officer and back at the Athruvian vessel through the windshield of the Ç’HkïJaråan Patrol, the three green metallic torpedoes moving towards the Ahtruvian cruiser.

7, 8, 9 kat.

“Torpedo number four … launched!” Ma’oHllin reported, “Torpedoes detonation sequence has engaged. Simultaneous detonation in 3, 2, 1 …”

A green-bluish light erupted as the antimatter torpedoes detonated on different sections of the Ian E lahn’s hull, even when its Captain had attempted an evasive maneuver. Because the torpedoes had been programmed each with a different trajectory and were to detonate simultaneously, there would have been no way for the Athruvian vessel to evade all of them.

“Damage to the battle cruiser?” the Captain asked Tactical standing from his chair.

“They have sustained minor damage, Captain,” Ma’oHlin reported with her sight still focused on her console “Their shields are down twenty percent.”

The Bhat’Ha knew they had to talk to the Engine Room if they were to survive this offensive; it was imperative that he knew from the Engineering Chief Officer what it would cost to bring their shields up and about as of that moment.

“Ensign,” Commander M’hbarhak talked to Za’Hngk, the rather young male Ensign stationed at the Operations console “Put me through to the Engine Room. Now!”

“Yes, Commander.”

The console at Tactical chirped and Ensign Za’Hnkgk turned over his stool to face Commander M’hbarhak.

“Voicelink is now active, Commander.”

“Chief Th’Ymør Nh’ä, this is Commander M’hbarhak …”

“Yes, Commander,” the raspy voice of the Chief Engineer came through the voicelink “Go ahead.”

“What’s the status of the shield generator?” the Bhat’Ha asked, obvious urgency in his voice.

“The main shield generator matrix burned up with the last disruptor blast, Commander.” the Engineer responded immediately through the voicelink “Fortunately, our Main Deflector is still operational.”

“Can you repair the shield generator matrix, Chief?”

“I’m attempting to patch it up so that we can draw energy from the auxiliary systems as we speak.”

“We’re going to need it up and running now, Chief.”

“Yes, Commander. I’m on it.”

“Keep me apraised. M’hbarhak out.”

As Commander M’hbarhak talked to the Engine Room, the Captain ordered a new set of antimatter torpedoes armed and launched in a four-torpedo sequence once again. Before the new sequence was launched, a new blast from the Athruvian Cruiser’s shockwave disruptors made the bridge of the Khår H’∂∂ari lose stability. A couple of Ç’HkïJaråan officers fell from their places and two more were able to hold steady at their consoles.

“Inertial dampers are offline, Captain.” yelled Ensign Za’Hnkg standing at the Ops console as the Khår H’∂∂ari spun around itself, “I’m bypassing to bring them back online.”

“Shields at critical, Captain,” Ensign Ma’oHlin said over the noise of the bridge “We won’t stand another disruptor blast.”

Ma’oHllin checked the stats on her tactical console. Torpedoes were in position and ready to detonate.

“Antimatter torpedo sequence engaged. Detonation in 3, 2, 1 …”

As the torpedoes moved towards the Ian E lahn, an alarm went off and Ensign Za’Hngk reported to Captain G’Halo Rhag, tapping his console with an unnatural speed.

“We have a hull breach on the aft wing, Captain. Initiating safety protocols.”

“Acknowledged.” Captain G’Halo Rhag responded from the command chair.

The detonation of the four antimatter torpedoes took place and the Ian E lahn shuddered in space, a piece of its aft hull blowing into a pile of debris.

“Engaging aft force field,” said Ensign Za’Hngk “Force field in place and holding.”

‘This is it’ G’Halo Rhag thought ‘The Khår H’∂∂ari has given all she can give’. The minute he’d been dreading had arrived, he damn well knew that his ship was about to sink and that all of its crew would sink with it.

He was not afraid to die, for there was no greater honor than dying in battle. What he did regret, though he would’ve never admitted it to any officer, was leading all the young officers to death. To him it was just a reflection of his own failure, his own inability to keep his crew –his family- alive.

‘I’ve failed them’ he thought with a deeply felt sadness ‘They are my crew, they trusted me, and I’ve failed them.’

He felt sorry for the youngsters; all those who would not have the chance to go back home to their families, all the young officers who would never get a medal for valor; the ones who would not know the charms of life. Those who would not be able to know what it was to be married, what it was to have offspring, what it was to become a proud father and a proud grandfather; those who would not have an opportunity at life.

“Ensign Za’Hngk,” he told the Ensign at the ops console, a grave expression on his face “open the voicelink to the ship. I want all hands to receive this message.”

“Yes, Captain.” responded Za’Hngk. He keyed some commands on his console and then turned back to G’Halo Rhag “Voicelink is now open, sir.”

Captain G’Halo Rhag stood up from his command chair on the center of the bridge. He looked at his bridge and at the people on shift. All of the bridge officers turned to look at their commanding officer. It was as if time had stopped when G’Halo Rhag cleared his throat and spoke over the voicelink, for all the crew of the Khar H’∂∂ari to listen.

“All hands, this is Captain G’Halo Rhag. We’ve sustained heavy damage to our shield generator matrix, and Engineering is working on fixing this now. It is imperative that the Athruvian Battle Cruiser Ian E lanh does not make it to Ç’HakJar. Keep at your posts and do your best, as you’ve always have …”

Commander M’hbarhak looked at his commanding officer and knew it was over; with no shields the ship had no chance to make a difference against the Ian E lahn. Silently, he nodded in approval. In his mind he said a prayer; he had always been a very religious man and he knew that upon their deaths, they’d go to Bhar'javr. They would all join the wise ones, for death in battle was the most honorable kind of death in the eyes of the Gods.

“All I have to say at the moment,” the Captain continued “is that you’ve been the finest of crews a Captain could ever ask for, and I’m glad I had the pleasure … and the great honor … of being your Captain… It’s been a privilege serving with you all …”

Captain G’Halo Rhag paused for a moment that seemed an eternity, to gather his thoughts, and continued over the voicelink

“Let’s make these Athruvians regret the day they were born. Captain G’Halo Rhag out."

Commander M’hbarahak stood from his chair on the left side of the Captain’s. He arranged his jacket and took the rank insignia he’d worn on the left side of his jacket’s chest. With a nod, he offered it to his commanding officer, in sign of gratitude, as protocol dictated when one’s admiration for a superior officer demanded it. The Bhat’Ha knew it was the only honor he could do his Captain in the face of death.

“It’s been the greatest of honors serving under your command too, sir.”

G’Halo Rhag nodded and extended his right hand palm up to receive the homage of that who had been his Bhat’Ha for over 10 years. They said nothing else, but the silence between them spoke of a message of utmost respect, and fraternal love.

“Ensign,” Captain G’Halo Rhag turned and talked to the extremely young female sitting at the conn, “lay in a collision course towards the Ian E lahn.”

The young Ensign didn’t even ask. She knew better than to question a superior … and she also knew the time had come. As she keyed the coordinates to a collision course with the enemy vessel, a silent prayer lingered in her lips.

“Course laid in, Captain,” was all she said.

Captain G’Halo Rhag took a seat at his command chair. He grabbed the arms of the seat knowing it would be the last time he did so and he looked around his bridge one more time. Nothing but pride filled him when he turned to the Ensign and said.

“Go.”

The Khår H’∂∂ari moved at standard orbit velocity towards the enemy battle cruiser. The Ian E lanh must’ve realized the enemy vessel was moving towards them in a kamikaze attempt, so it fired its disruptors one last time hitting the Ç’HkïJaråan patrol in the right spot, but it had been a fraction of second too late.

As the Khår H’∂∂ari shook a couple of times and started spinning over its axis, its momentum made its bow hit the Athruvian Battle cruiser on its aft section.

The Ian E lanh attempted an evasive maneuver, but the magnetic shockwave created by the explosion of the Khår H’∂∂ari pulled pieces of its aft section. The crew of the Khår H’∂∂ari, however, were not there anymore to witness the aftermath of their valiant last maneuver. Before the crippled Athruvian Battle Cruiser, there was now only pieces of debris left of what had been the Ç’HkïJaråan Patrol Khår H’∂∂ari.