Free Stand Into Danger: Empire Rising Book 0 by D. J. Holmes Page B

from the thermonuclear explosions and the resultant wave of intense electromagnetic radiation washed over the Russian missiles. Some exploded out right while many others shot off at angles away from the British fleet as their seeker heads were fried by the radiation. In the blink of an eye four hundred and eighty missiles were reduced to less than three hundred.
     
    Seconds later the missiles that remained were greeted by a hail of point defense fire. Only ten of the three hundred made it through to attack their targets and another light cruiser, two destroyers and three frigates dropped out of the coalition fleet, either destroyed or crippled.
     
    After the last missile exploded among the British fleet Villeneuve gave his final prearranged order. Somerville could imagine the look on the Admiral’s face as he gave the order, “Close the Enemy Further.”
     
    Again the ships of the coalition forces followed the flagship’s lead as she turned her nose towards the Russian ships and fully engaged her engines.
     
    Now Villeneuve had shown his cards. The Russian Behemoths had sacrificed heavy plasma cannons for more missile tubes. In theory it made sense. With the amount of missiles they carried who would have thought anything would survive under their withering fire long enough to get into plasma range?
     
    Yet Villeneuve’s plan of luring the Russians to chase him towards New France had done exactly that. By using the planet’s gravity to swing back on a direct course for the Russian fleet he had left them with nowhere to go. The better acceleration of the valstronium armored ships meant the Russians couldn’t out run them and with both fleets now heading for each other there wasn’t time for the Russians to fire another salvo before they got into plasma cannon range.
     
    When Somerville was satisfied his ship was in formation he turned his attention to the Russian fleet. “Sensors,” he called over to Lieutenant Jensen, “how did the Russians cope with our second broadside?” With all the commotion he hadn’t been able to watch the second salvo of missiles smash into the Russians.
     
    “We got seven more Russian light cruisers sir, and at least six destroyers by my count.”
     
    Somerville only nodded. Even lightly armed the Russian Behemoths still had more heavy plasma cannons than their light cruisers, but only a few. The initial twenty Russian light cruisers had, therefore, carried the majority of the Russian fleet’s heavy plasma cannons. They had now been severely reduced.
     
    Looking at the plot, Somerville picked out another light cruiser. “There, the fourth cruiser in their fleet. Target it with our forward plasma cannon. Then target the other two at the closest Behemoth. Fire as soon as we come into range.”
     
    Achilles was armed with three twin heavy plasma cannon turrets. Firing large bolts of super-heated plasma they had a greater range than their smaller point defense brothers.  The super-heated plasma proved to be devastatingly effective at shredding another ship, whether it had valstronium armor or not. Usually if ships closed to engage each other with plasma cannons it would end in mutually assured destruction. In a fleet engagement though, if one had an advantage in heavy plasma cannons, then they could cripple their opponents quickly.
     
    Realizing his fleet was in dire trouble, the Russian commander ordered his fleet to go to maximum acceleration. With both fleets now heading straight for each other, he was trying to limit the time they would stay in plasma cannon range. In response, Villeneuve ordered his fleet to halt their acceleration and fire their reverse thrusters. You aren’t getting away that easily, Somerville thought.
     
    Suddenly the time had come and Somerville shouted, “Fire.”
     
    The plasma bolts travelled at close to the speed of light and so there were less than a couple of seconds for Achilles’ sensors to register the energy flash from the Russian ships