The Turning Tide (The Federation Reborn Book 5) Read online

  The Turning Tide

  The Federation Reborn 5

  Chris Hechtl

  Copyright ©2018 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, 2018. 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, Jory Gray, Derek Hirohata, Ulrich Schlegel, Poon Yee, and Carlos d'Empaire.

  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

  A Piece of the Pi

  The Turning Tide

  Liberty or Death (forthcoming)

  Horatio Logan Chronicles:

  Enemy of my Enemy

  Court-Martial

  Shelby Logan Chronicles:

  Convoy

  Pi:

  In Search of Pi (forthcoming)

  Independent Anthologies and Short Stories:

  Multiverse 1

  Multiverse 2

  Multiverse 3

  The Bootstrap Series:

  Bootstrap Colony

  Second Chances

  Other Series:

  Princess Rescue Inc

  Afraid of the Dark

  Dedication

  I'd like to thank Wayne Gaskin and the other betas for keeping me honest. You really had your work cut out for me this time!

  But I'd really love to thank Elon Musk and the folks at SpaceX. Way to go!

  I'd also like to say goodbye to a furry friend. Baby was a loveable pain in the ass. He will be sorely missed.

  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

  ACT II

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  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

  ACT III

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  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

  Author's Afterward

  Cast

  Appendix

  Reading Order

  Epilogue

  Author's note:

  The following takes place in parallel with Shelby Chronicles 1 Convoy and other books. You will see crossovers from them. Chapter 35 of Convoy will appear in the next book.

  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 communicati
ons 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 and 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.

  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. 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 fleet's small craft tore apart a majority of the remaining Horathian fighter and bomber squadrons to shreds before Admiral De Gaulte escaped.

  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 rearguard. 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. They were chased out of that system by a pair of light cruisers running a bluff.

  Garth saw two cruiser teams sent south to scout for possible Federation forces. These ships later encountered TF3.2 known as the Eastern Front with one barely escaping and the other being destroyed. Princess Ramichov was dispatched to the homeworld to let them know the gravity of the situation with the Federation.

  Admiral Irons decided to promote many of the flag officers as well as frock Shelby Logan to commodore as her mission launched to bring the Federation into the Tau sector. Second Fleet was still shaking down and things were returning to normal when Admiral Irons received word through the ansible that Bek was in a near state of civil war and that Admiral Logan had been arrested. He raced to the rescue.

  Meanwhile, the revised Second Fleet arrived in the B-97 cluster. They worked their way forward but Admiral De Gaulte sent forces to get behind them to prey upon their supply lines. Several Federation ships were lost before the plot was uncovered and forces were dispatched to drive the raiders into a trap in B-95a3.

  The delay had been costly however, allowing the Retribution Fleet to not only be resupplied but also partially repaired and reinforced in the Dead Drop star system.

  The Eastern Front dispatched forces to clear out its flanks while waiting for orders in the B-87R star system. While they impatiently waited, Admiral Irons' forces arrived in Bek after transiting the rapids and forced the capitulation of Admiral Childress and a restoration of the chain of command, not to mention the acquittal of Admiral Logan. Admiral Irons supervised a restructuring of the chain of command there before returning to the Federation, stopping at Nuevo along the way home.

  Reinforcements continued to trickle into Garth and Dead Drop. In a rare coup, Princess Ramichov and the Admiralty managed to win over sending a quarter of their capital ships including an elite carrier force to Dead Drop with the intent of smashing the Federation.

  When the admiral returned to contact with the Federation, he authorized the Eastern Front to move on Garth as well as Second Fleet's attack on Dead Drop. Both forces launched. After successfully transiting the rapids once again, Admiral Irons passed through Federation space, passing on keys and doing interviews as he went.

  When Second Fleet arrived in Dead Drop, they found the Retribution Fleet ready to fight. The forces there had martialed everything they could to fight off the Federation. They were outmatched by the reinforced Second Fleet.

  However, a twist of events brought the reinforcements from Horath in time to not only save the star system but push the Federation forces out of the system. The tables had turned; Second Fleet was horrifyingly outmatched and outgunned. In order to buy time, the Federation fighters tangled with the elite pirate fighters. They took heavy losses, but the bombers managed to destroy two of the enemy's capital ships with antimatter weapons, the first use of such weapons during the war. Second Fleet manage
d to escape the trap with minimum losses.

  Admiral Irons arrived in the capital and began to settle in when word that the tables had turned came through the ansible. Lady Luck's blessings were indeed fickle and finite. But, the tides of war can turn quickly …

  Chapter 1

  Everything came to a screeching halt when the ansible came alive with a report from Second Fleet.

  The Admiralty received the flash warning, summary and then prepared for the download. Sprite received the flash notification and then briefed Admiral Irons, clearing his schedule as she did so.

  Admiral Irons in turn immediately issued orders to Admiral Pashenkov to move everything within range to Second Fleet as quickly as possible.

  Admiral Pashenkov didn't argue. Nor did he allow any argument from Admiral Champion as he issued orders for Sun Tzu, her division mate Sky Titan, and their escorts to expedite their movements to the jump chain to Protodon. It seemed like Second Fleet would be forever poaching First Fleet's capital ships, specifically her largest ship squadron. Bismark and her division mate Quirinus were already in the hands of Admiral White. Now, two of their squadron mates would have to join them to shore up his forces once more.

  Second Division was the only capital ship unit immediately available, having just left dock after a resupply before another round of exercises a day before. Technically they were still months away from deployment. Sun Tzu had started a series of shock trials and was six months away from her IOC certifications, but that no longer mattered. Needs must drive when reality and the enemy struck back. Both ships were going to get a stress test as they raced to Second Fleet's aide. The crews were also going to have fun setting in and dealing with anything that cropped up along the way.