The Ashes of Worlds - Kevin J. Anderson [144]
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99
General Conrad Brindle
As frantic emergency calls came from the lunar EDF base, the battleships patrolling Earth orbit rallied, while others launched from the Palace District spaceport.
From the bridge of his new flagship, the Goliath, General Conrad Brindle watched the ships move into position and prepare for a rapid response. “The Moon is under attack by the Ildiran Solar Navy,” he shouted into the comm, as if nothing else needed to be said. “I want our response fleet to launch pronto! Battle stations, emergency checklists — finish all the details en route. The Moon is under attack!”
It defied belief! He was glad to be in the middle of an EDF operation he could support, for a change. He was an EDF soldier to the very core, and alien invaders could not be allowed to strike human territory with impunity. He also recalled six Mantas from the fringes of the solar system, but it would take hours just for the signal to reach them.
After only ten minutes, all of his ships signaled that they were ready to depart, and he immediately gave the order to launch. Now that the black robots had placed so many EDF ships back into service, Conrad had a significant force. Even though every one of those vessels had passed the most thorough inspections, he was glad to be aboard a Juggernaut that had been repaired by humans.
Conrad still hadn’t quite grasped the fact that he was in command of the Earth Defense Forces. He and Natalie had retired, then during the hydrogue war they were both recalled to active duty as training officers, and now he found himself in the big chair. He followed orders, he did his duty . . . and his duty was to defend Earth — in spite of itself, if necessary.
“Power up weapons. All gunners to your stations. Make no mistake, we are going into battle.” His stomach felt leaden as he formulated his attack plan. He was still running the numbers of how many enemy ships he was due to face. From the initial reports, the Solar Navy had brought more than a thousand warliners. Even his partially restored EDF couldn’t possibly fight against that. Yet he would if he had to. He did not intend to let the Ildirans get away. For the honor of the Earth Defense Forces, he had to stop them.
By the time his ships had powered up, moved out in formation, and traversed the quarter million miles to the Moon, however, the Solar Navy had accomplished its mission. Adar Zan’nh had struck the lunar EDF base, seized all Ildiran captives, and scrambled away. Most of the Solar Navy raiders had already escaped.
As the Goliath and his clustered battleships closed the distance, Conrad watched the ornate warliners race off into space. Too late. He had never seen such a major operation move so quickly!
“Solar Navy, you are ordered to surrender!” Conrad’s words sounded hollow as he spoke them. Adar Zan’nh had no reason to listen to him. He turned to his gunners. “Fire at will. My intent is to disable, not destroy.”
“Looks like the Ildirans have no stomach for fighting, sir,” said his navigator.
Conrad nodded without replying. The Adar already had what he’d come for. Considering the enormity of the Ildiran force, a part of him was glad the whole Solar Navy did not intend to engage in a full-fledged battle. It would have been a bloodbath.
The Ildirans had not taken the time to retrieve the Mage-Imperator’s hijacked warliner, which was still in orbit over the Moon. Conrad saw that its systems were coming on, and an EDF pilot — a mere lieutenant left on duty with the engineering and inspection crew — announced that he intended to use it in the fight. He powered up its engines and accelerated to begin the pursuit.
Over the emergency comm system, Commandant Tilton bellowed for help from the EDF. He sounded like a bleating sheep.
The Adar’s last few warliners had arced around the dark side of the Moon in a tight orbit and now emerged from below