Free Galactic Empire Wars: Insurrection (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 5) by Raymond L. Weil Page A

the vessel was turned into a glowing sun.
    Several more battlecruisers
quickly met the same fate as the Bashan cylinder reached point blank range and
then continued penetrating the Kleese formation. Six more escort vessels
exploded as they rammed Kleese vessels. In each case, the ships from both sides
were destroyed in fiery explosions of released energy.
    The Kleese
suddenly found it difficult to fire upon the Bashan vessels without endangering
their own ships. For a brief moment, the Kleese weapons fire faltered.
    -
    “What are they
doing?” demanded Minor Overlord Gareth as he saw another Zaltule battlecruiser
die as it was rammed by a Bashan support vessel.
    Harmock
studied the tactical display for a few seconds and then responded. “They’re trying
to blast their way through our formation. Order all ships to intensify their
weapons fire!”
    “Our own ships
are in the way,” Gareth replied as he saw two more Zaltule battlecruisers
explode in flashes of brilliant light.
    “Fire anyway!”
Harmock ordered in a cold and uncaring voice. “I want the Bashan fleet
destroyed before it escapes.”
    “Escapes?”
Gareth said, shifting his attention to the Supreme Military Overlord.
    “Yes,” Harmock
responded. “That’s why they’re in that formation. It forced us to slow down to
enter combat, and now they’re blasting their way through our battle line. I
strongly suspect, in a very short time, they will be entering Fold Space.”
    “All weapons
are firing,” reported Salten. “Launching sublight antimatter missiles.”
    -
    Admiral Hiath
flinched as he saw the battlecruiser Greshen die on one of the
viewscreens. He had known the ship’s commander since their early days in the
fleet training school.
    “We’ve lost
six more support vessels and two battlecruisers, including the Greshen ,”
reported Second Officer Mileth.
    Hiath nodded
grimly. “How long until we clear the Kleese fleet?”
    “The last
vessel will be through in forty seconds,” the sensor operator answered.
    “Evacuation
fleet is moving away from Bashan and is preparing to enter Fold Space,” Mileth
reported with evident relief in his voice.
    Hiath felt the
ship shake violently and several alarms began sounding. He looked questionably
at Mileth.
    “Minor damage
to the outer hull at hull section forty-two. Energy shield is holding at 90
percent. A Kleese energy beam penetrated the shield.”
    “All ships are
clear of the Kleese fleet formation,” added the sensor operator.
    Hiath nodded
and took a deep breath. “All ships, full acceleration! Once we’re out of combat
range, we’ll enter Fold Space and rendezvous with the evacuation fleet.”
    “And then?”
asked Mileth as he watched the tactical screen.
    “We’ll go to Alliance space and then, if we can, on to the Humans’ system. We will need their aid if we
ever hope to free Bashan from the Kleese.”
    It didn’t take
long for the Bashan ships to escape the clutches of the Kleese weapons. Once
they were clear, they made the jump into Fold Space. For now, their war was
over, but their fight to free their world was just beginning.
    -
    Supreme
Military Overlord Harmock watched in anger as the Bashan fleet escaped into Fold
Space. “More ships we’ll have to hunt down and destroy in the future.”
    “They are
doubtlessly headed for Alliance space,” Minor Overlord Gareth said. “We will
destroy them there.”
    “Yes, it’s
nearing time to deal with the Alliance and the Humans. Set a course for Bashan. We’ll destroy their defense grid but leave the orbiting stations intact. This
system is rich in heavy metals and once they’re refined they will be of use to
the empire.”
    -
    Chancellor
Odis sat alone in his office waiting for the Kleese to put in an appearance. He
had been informed the Kleese fleet had gone into orbit around Bashan after
using antimatter missiles to clear the space above the planet of its defense
grid. Odis let out a deep sigh; there was already panic in