The Gathering Storm Read online

  The Gathering Storm

  The Federation Reborn 4

  Chris Hechtl

  Copyright © 2017 by Chris Hechtl

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book and or portions thereof in any form.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and locations are fictional. Some may be parodies. Some characters are with permission. Any resemblance of some characters and places to others are strictly in the mind of the reader. Grin.

  Cover art by Chris Hechtl 2017. All rights reserved. The models are owned by their respective creators and used under the usage license. Some models were made by Chris Hechtl; others were purchased on Daz3d.com or Renderosity.com.

  Proofread and copy edited by: Wayne Gaskin, Tim Brown, Mike Kotcher, Tom Stoecklein, Derek Hirohata, Carlos d'Empaire, Jory Gray

  Professionally copy edited by Rea Myers.

  Formatted by Goodlifeguide.com

  Book List:

  The Founding of the Federation Series:

  First Steps

  To Touch the Stars

  The First A.I. War

  Stepping Stones

  Cornerstone: Tales of the Founding of the Federation 2

  Desperate Defense: Book 1 of the First Terran Interstellar War

  Waking the Sleeping Giant: Book 2 of the First Terran Interstellar War

  The Wandering Engineer Series:

  New Dawn

  Fools Gold

  Destiny's Choice

  Ghost Station

  Plague Planet

  Pirate's Bane

  Ghosts from the Past

  13 Degrees of Separation

  Jethro Goes to War Series:

  Jethro Goes to War

  First to Fight

  No Place Like Home

  Recruiting Drive

  Gods of War

  The Federation Reborn Series:

  Battlelines

  Pirate Rage

  Retribution

  Tales of the Federation Reborn

  The Gathering Storm

  Semper Fidelis (Working title, forthcoming)

  Horatio Logan Chronicles:

  Enemy of my Enemy

  Court-Martial

  Shelby Logan Chronicles:

  Convoy

  Independent Anthologies and Short Stories:

  Multiverse 1

  Multiverse 2

  The Bootstrap Series:

  Bootstrap Colony

  Second Chances

  Other Series:

  Princess Rescue Inc

  Afraid of the Dark

  Table of Contents

  Introduction

  ACT I

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  ACT II

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  ACT III

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Author's Afterward

  Cast

  Appendix

  Recommended Reading Order

  Sneak Peek

  Introduction

  The United Federation of Sapient Star Systems was founded by several species and became a beacon of civilization for four centuries. Most of the Milky Way Galaxy had been explored in that short time period. One hundred and twenty-one sapient species counted themselves as full-time members. The federation not only facilitated the advancement of technology but also the evolution of its member species. It was a golden age for sentient life in the galaxy. That was, until they made the mistake of expanding their exploration from the Milky Way to the nearest galaxy.

  The wormhole gate that was meant to open new worlds to federation explorers quickly became a portal to hell. Xenophobic aliens poured through the gateway, invading federation space and laying waste to everything they found.

  Seven centuries after the war wound down, a stasis pod was found in the outskirts of the Senka star system by a tramp tender running from pirates. Within the pod was a long-lost federation admiral, Fleet Admiral John Henry Irons.

  Admiral Irons and his internal A.I. helped the mostly-female crew escape the pirates and then rebuilt the ship during their journey. The admiral dealt with his time shock by setting a goal of restoring the federation and reigniting the light of civilization in the galaxy once more.

  But, forces were at work to stop him. The pirates were far more than the simple scourge they had first appeared to be. Horath, their homeworld, declared itself an empire under the leadership of Emperor Pyotr Ramichov and launched a brutal offensive to take control of the sector, and eventually, the galaxy. The empire had started on a path of xenophobia and initiated acts of genocide against the populations it conquered.

  With the help of some new friends in Pyrax, Irons salvaged a federation warship, Firefly, and along with other long-forgotten ships, he was able to use them to fend off the initial pirate invasion. Irons and his newly-reformed Federation Navy was on their way to rebuild the federation, only for him to be driven out of the system into exile by Pyrax’s cutthroat politics.

  Irons had several harrowing adventures along the way before jumping into an empty star system and right into the hands of the pirates. Unaware of who they had captured, Irons was able to lead a successful mutiny and not only captured the ship along with the other ships in the star system, but also used them to defeat the enemy task force staging in the neighboring star system for an invasion of Pyrax.

  Once the battle was over, Irons took stock and led his battered forces with the newly-captured ships to Antigua. There he founded a new capital of the federation. Once he had a shipyard and the beginnings of ansible communications underway, he took a side trip to a secret research facility he had used to create the nova bomb and where he had been given his rebuilt body and A.I.

  While there, he woke the sleepers that remained and tripped a Xeno virus. He was also declared president pro temp by the last president of the federation in a message that transcended time itself.

  He returned from the facility with the group of sleepers, including two additional flag officers. Admiral White, a Neochimp, became their battle fleet commander an
d took the fight to the enemy in Protodon while Admiral Subert took over Pyrax and set up shop there. Between the two shipyards, the federation began to build the ships and weapons needed to crush the Horathian pirate threat once and for all.

  But, the Horathians weren't sitting idle. They had begun expanding their empire, and when word of the admiral and his reborn federation was picked up by forces en route to Protodon, they moved in with the intent to destroy the upstarts and crush the seed of free civilization once more.

  With grievous losses, Admiral White's Second Fleet fought them off and forced the remaining Horathian warships to retreat.

  As the battle for Protodon raged, Admiral Irons ordered Firefly to go to Epsilon Triangula to find out what was going on there. She was ambushed by a pirate task force led by Admiral von Berk, who then retreated when fresh federation reinforcements started to flow into the star system. The federation fleet did its best to stop them, but the enemy used captured and brainwashed victims to pilot their ships to get around the blockades.

  Word spread by courier vessel to the Horathian capital. A force was dispatched under Admiral De Gaulte, one of the Horathian’s battle fleet leading strategists. He, alongside his OPS officer, Commander Catherine Ramichov, and also the eldest princess of the realm, marshaled a fleet to oppose the federation.

  Admiral White's reinforced Second Fleet moved in to block Admiral von Berk, but before they could engage, the battle cruisers they'd fought earlier reappeared in the star system. The battle cruisers fought a delaying action, allowing Admiral von Berk to escape.

  However, Admiral White received additional reinforcements and went after them. Admiral Von Berk took his captured slaves and personnel and escaped just before Second Fleet arrived with blood in their eyes. Trapped in the cul-de-sac system, the remaining Horathians were torn apart in a bloody battle the likes of which they were ill-prepared for.

  Admiral White fell back on the neighboring empty system of B95a3 and found additional reinforcements waiting for him there. He began the march towards Dead Drop and the inevitable clash with the Horathian Empire, unaware that Admiral De Gaulte had launched his much larger and more powerful offensive force known as the Retribution Fleet.

  The Retribution Fleet chased out a Federation prowler. But, in their zeal to warn Admiral White and Second Fleet, the crew of the prowler pushed their small ship too hard, causing engineering issues. They were forced to reduce speed and the Retribution Fleet caught up with them. They managed to get a warning off in B-97a but were then hunted down and destroyed.

  Admiral White saw the danger and turned his fleet to flee. A running battle ensued with Second Fleet taking damage but chewing up the enemy's small craft in return. Second Fleet managed to escape but were embittered by further losses in hyperspace.

  Admiral De Gaulte paused momentarily to replenish and repair his fleet before he gave chase.

  Meanwhile, Admiral Von Berk managed to get his abductees to Dead Drop. From there he changed ships to a faster liner where they managed to make the rest of the journey to the empire's home star system.

  Word of the battle got to Protodon by courier and raced through the ansible network. Panic ensued briefly as reinforcements were rushed to buttress up the tattered Second Fleet as it straggled out of hyperspace in the B-95a3 star system. After careful consideration and some repairs, Admiral White did a reassessment of the situation and ordered his force to fall back on Protodon and the defenses there. The Retribution Fleet entered the system some time later, largely uncontested.

  In Protodon, Admiral White was gratified to see fresh reinforcements arrive commanded by a recently frocked Commodore Dwight Harris, enough to ensure the defense of the star system and possible defeat of the opposing fleet. On his communicating with the Federation High Command, he received an updated promotions list including the promotion of Captain Vargess to commodore and making Harris’ permanent. He laid a trap, but when Admiral De Gaulte arrived, the opposing admiral sensed something was wrong and failed to fall for it. Instead, a long-range clash between the opposing two fleets’ small craft tore apart a majority of the remaining Horathian fighter and bomber squadrons to shreds before Admiral De Gaulte escaped.

  However, the retreat was a ruse, designed to draw Second Fleet out of position. Under pressure from the newly-minted senate as well as a jittery public, Admiral Irons bowed to caution. An order was issued from the Federation capital to stop Second Fleet from giving chase.

  Admiral De Gaulte sent a cruiser to scout Protodon some few days later, showing his hand. When the cruiser returned to him in hyperspace, he realized the ploy had been blown and retreated in proper.

  Admiral White sensed his opponent's retreat and gave chase despite his initial orders. His ships were faster than the Horathians in hyperspace. They managed to lay a trap of their own in the empty star system.

  Halfway across the star system Admiral De Gaulte saw Second Fleet arrive in his wake. His ship sensors confirmed the actual size of the enemy fleet for the first time, justifying his retreat. But, in their rush across the star system to what safety laid in the next jump point, his sensor techs discovered a mine field awaiting them.

  Pinned between the minefield and the oncoming enemy force, Admiral De Gaulte had no choice but to maneuver and cut through the minefield. His maneuver took him into the arms of Second Fleet, which shredded and tore at his fleet. Second Fleet was damaged in return fire.

  Prince Adam Ramichov was killed when his ship was destroyed. His younger brother Mason Ramichov was trapped in the dreadnought Star Mauler when she was crippled and forced to play rear guard. The titanic ship turned and ripped and tore at the Federation wolves like an angry bear with nothing left to lose. She devastated Second Fleet before she was destroyed.

  The Retribution Fleet managed to flee to B-97a while news of the battle was sent to Protodon.

  The tables have turned once more. But, since Lady Luck's blessings are fleeting and fickle, they can turn again just as easily …

  Act I

  Dark clouds

  Chapter 1

  B-95a3 Second Fleet

  Rear Admiral Amadeus White felt like he was drowning in paperwork as he signed off on the last missive. “I swear, some bureaucrat paper pusher needs to go out an airlock—preferably without a suit. They created all this damn paperwork as punishment for being in a battle,” the Neochimp grumbled.

  He couldn't blame them in some ways. Just about every ship in the fleet was damaged to one degree or another. Most of his capital ships were down to fifty percent. All of the paperwork, not only for the battle but also the logistics and repairs after the fact, were flowing through his office and staff. Throw on the processing of data, enemy hardware, dealing with their own damaged and destroyed hardware, personnel, requests for new personnel and resources, and the paperwork situation overwhelmed Yeoman Berkowitz.

  Eleven weeks had passed since the battle of B-95a3. He had dispatched two light cruisers to check the Sword of Retribution Fleet's retreat. The captains had orders to act like they were scouting in prep of an imminent invasion by his force in hopes of driving Admiral De Gaulte further back.

  He didn't like having the man turtle, but every star system the man gave up without a fight was one less they had to deal with. It would lengthen his supply lines and shorten the enemy's, and the enemy would have a lot of fixed defenses and industry to rely on, not to mention the repair yard, but so be it.

  The fleet train and reinforcements from Protodon had arrived a short time ago. With them was a special transport carrying an ansible core and platform.

  For weeks, they had been dealing with the SAR and POWs. Shipments of POWs had begun to be moved to Protodon on ships returning for one reason or another. That had opened up another can of worms. Second Fleet had only so many Marines and ship police in their crew compliments. Each draft sent back had to have a minimum number of guards per shift. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a ship that had gotten mixed up in a mutiny or hostage situ
ation. Many of the prisoners were dangerous. They were all trained military personnel, and some were near psychotic even before they went through the trauma of capture. He'd heard and read some of the reports. A few of the prisoners had nothing to lose.

  If he could, he would ship them back in stasis. Unfortunately, they didn't have enough pods to go around. Most were filled with the wounded too injured to be handled by the swamped sickbays.

  It was bad enough that he and his staff were still trying to put all the paperwork from the battle to bed. Trying and generally failing on some fronts he thought acidly.

  Just about everyone was tired and overworked. Only the engineers could claim to be the worst of the lot. They were working double shifts to try to fix what they could.

  He had sent a courier with the news of the battle. It had returned with news of the supply and fleet train en route. That was fine; the damage to Second Fleet meant he was delayed in chasing them down. He needed to let his people make repairs and get their ships back into fighting trim while also allowing more of their reinforcements to catch up with them to make up for their combat losses.

  Everyone wanted to be in on the attack; he knew it. Yesterday he had managed to send three damaged tin cans, Texas, and a cruiser back to Protodon with the fleet's wounded. Most of the wounded would be traveling back to Protodon in stasis.

  The battle cruiser Maine had been towed to the Protodon jump point with Captain Samuels and Lobsterman complaining the entire way. It would take another six weeks or so before the ship was safe enough to jump to Protodon. Traveling in the low hyperbands, she would take months to get to Antigua to heal. At least the healing process had begun, but it was going to be another long road for the ship.

  SAR and cleanup teams had picked the battle space clean weeks ago. Once the living and dead were dealt with, they had then turned their attention on the carcasses and derelict ships. ONI representatives, like his staff spook Kelly, had insisted they get first crack at everything, which had slowed salvage operations to a crawl. He could understand why they wanted to see and process everything, but it put a crimp on the fleet's efforts to get sorted out and repaired in a timely manner.