The Sunfire – Prologue

The distant star of Beta Hydri was barely visible.  Only an occasional flicker of light penetrated the depths of space this far out on the very edge of the star system.  It was just another pinprick of light, lost among the other millions of stars that illuminated this spiral arm of the galaxy.  Deep in the depths of interstellar space, the solar wind, that exotic mixture of charged particles emitted by the star, was pitifully weak.  Apart from the odd dust particle, the sole remnants of the mighty dust cloud that millennia before had formed this System, nothing stirred.

Suddenly, as if a breath of wind had picked up, those few dust particles went spinning away as the high-energy particles of a forming wormhole began to leak into space from that higher-dimension where distance and time had little meaning.  Where once had been quiet and solitude, a swirling maelstrom of energy and matter now started to form, tiny at first but growing rapidly, until it was a gaping void, large enough for the massive starship to easily slip through.

With its large forward particle cannons, heavy rail guns, pulse cannons, missile batteries and heavy armour, nobody would mistake the warship for anything else.  The Sunfire was the newest and most powerful heavy cruiser in the short history of the Confederation Navy.  Only constructed because the hull had already been completed before the collapse of the once great Empire and the cost of scrapping the whole project was more expensive than the cost of finishing the ship.

*****

The door to the bridge slid quietly open once the ship had completed the transition into normal space.  Dressed in the immaculate white uniform of the now disbanded Imperial Navy, Commander Jonathan Radec observed the scene on the bridge with distant grey eyes.  It had been many years since he had last stepped foot onto the bridge of such a warship.  Observing the officers diligently going about their duties, whilst monitoring the bridge consoles with quiet professionalism.  It once again brought home the stark differences between him and the crew.  For in sharp contrast to Jon in the white of the Imperial Navy, the crew were dressed in the dark black and red uniforms of the new Confederation Navy.

The Imperial Navy had been disbanded some years earlier, the first official act of the newly formed Confederation Senate, and why would they not have?  The mighty Empire that had lasted over five generations had been brought to its knees by the actions of one rogue Imperial Fleet officer.  The newly formed Senate had no intention of letting history repeat itself, so had ordered the fleet disbanded and in its place the new Confederation Navy was formed.

Looking at these young men and women attending to their stations, the first generation of Confederation officers, Jon had his own doubts.  However, what the crew lacked in experience, they made up for in spirit.  Having worked with this crew for almost six months, having talked with them, eaten with them and fought with them, Jon did not doubt their courage.

“Attention on the bridge,” one of the junior officers called out, having finally noticed his presence.  The rest of the crew immediately turned to face him, straightening their posture, awaiting his orders.  Jon’s position within the chain-of-command on the ship was vague.  Not being part of the Confederation Navy he held no rank and was officially attached to the Sunfire only as an observer.   Nevertheless, for the young men and women on board, the vast majority who had only recently graduated from the navy academy, they looked upon the Commander with something akin to awe and worship.

The Commander’s reputation preceded him.  The youngest Commander ever in the history of the Imperial Navy and one of only a handful to have been awarded the prestigious Aurelius Star Cluster.  Not to mention his previous role as Commander of the Praetorian Guard, personal aide to the Emperor and his only daughter, Sofia Aurelius.  Jon tore his thoughts away from that trail of thought, as the pain of Sofia’s recent parting still deeply upset the Commander.

“At ease,” Jon responded, observing as the crew relaxed their posture and once again turned back to their consoles.  From his position Jon could easily observe that the bridge crew had not relaxed completely knowing that the gaze of the infamous Commander Radec still lingered on them.

“What’s our position?” Jon directed the question at Captain Stephen Ferguson, the Commanding Officer of the Sunfire.

“Following your suggestion we’ve exited faster-than-light on the outskirts of the Beta Hydri System, just within the Heliopause.  All sensors are on passive.  We are not detecting any energy signatures coming from within the System.  However, if there is anybody out there it’s unlikely that they will have detected our arrival.”  The Captain concluded his brief summary by offering his chair to the Commander.

“You’re the Captain now Steve, that’s your place on the bridge,” Jon replied, shaking his head.  “I am just here to observe and occasionally advise.”

“So what do you advise that we do now?” Ferguson asked with a smirk, once again taking his seat.

The Sunfire and crew had spent the past six months in this sector trying to track down a group of separatist rebels.  Not the usual work for a Confederation Navy heavy cruiser and most certainly not requiring the presence of an ex-Imperial Navy Commander.  However, rumours emanating from this sector were alarming enough for Navy Intelligence to requisition the ship and crew to this area.  Admiral Sterling, one of the few Imperial Navy Admirals that had survived the Senate purge, had personally requested Jon’s presence on the ship.  Navy Intelligence had tentatively identified that this particular group of rebels had been busy devising a new weapon system, one perhaps dangerous enough to threaten entire star systems.  Tracking down the source of these rumours for the past several months had finally brought the ship, and crew, to this remote isolated System.

Staring straight ahead, observing the screen from the bridge, Jon knew that the view was only an illusion.  The Sunfire was a state-of-the-art warship and the bridge was located many hundreds of meters within the heart of the ship. However what they saw was reassuring and reminded the crew of the vastness of space that they had covered.

“If we take the Sunfire deeper into the system it will most likely alert the rebels, assuming that our intelligence is correct and that they have made this System the base of their operations,” Jon reasoned aloud.  “The last thing we want to do is to scare them off, otherwise we will need to start the search from scratch.  Hence I suggest that I take the Eternal Light and scout ahead.  The ‘Light is far smaller and would therefore be harder to detect.  Even if the shuttle is detected it’s no warship and I could bluff my way out of any situation, another privateer trying to avoid paying duty.”

“It could be risky Commander,” Ferguson refuted.  “If the rebels don’t buy it then we will be too far away to offer any assistance.”

“It’s worth the risk.  While I have enjoyed your hospitality, I don’t think any of us would be looking forward to a further six months tour of duty in this sector hunting them down again.”

Pausing before replying, Ferguson cast his gaze around at the young officers on the bridge.  While they were all far too professional to comment, he knew that none of them wanted to extend this tour of duty any longer than necessary.  Many of them had families back on Eden Prime that they were eager to get back to.  Therefore, with a strong sense of foreboding, Ferguson nodded, agreeing with the plan.  “We will continue on this heading on low power, it’s unlikely the rebels have sensors that could detect such low energy emissions, this way we will be a little closer if you require our assistance.”

Neither man needed to mention what type of help the ship could offer if called upon.  The Sunfire was the finest vessel within the Confederation Fleet and could comfortably face off against any other craft, with the exception of the Imperial Star—that mighty flagship of the old Imperial Navy, but nothing had been seen or heard of that ship in over two years.

“Very well,” Jon replied.  “Wait for my signal.”  With that he pivoted around and left the bridge, the doors once again quietly sliding closed behind him.

The tension on the bridge dropped noticeably following the departure of the Commander, the combined release of breath being almost audible.

“I have just one word, Yum-eee,” said Janet Ryan, the ship’s Executive Officer, her eyes still lingering on the now closed doors where the Commander had just departed.  “Captain, how about putting in a request to the Admiral that the Confederation Navy revert back to the white Imperial Navy uniform.  The Commander is a walking sin, wrapped in that uniform.  What I would give to unwrap it!”

“Down XO,” Ferguson replied, his lips upturned in a smile.  “Anyway I hear that the Commander, uniform and every other part of him is totally owned by Princess Aurelius.”

“Damn, what I would give to swap places with her,” Janet murmured, licking her lips.  “The Eternal Light has just departed the flight deck,” she added, turning her attention back to the job at hand.

“Thanks XO, please notify me if we receive any further communications from the shuttle, also let’s keep a close eye on the passive sensors.  I want to know immediately if we detect anything, or anyone.”  Ferguson’s eyes tracked the departing shuttle on the view screen, until it had completely disappeared from sight.

The ship’s Tactical Officer interrupted Ferguson’s thoughts.  “Captain, what do you think the Commander is going to do if he discovers the rebels?”

“Considering the Commander’s reputation?”

“Yes sir, some of the rumours that I have heard—”

Ferguson nodded his head in understanding.  He had heard several of these himself.  “Intelligence seems fairly certain that the rebels have established their base of operations in this System, hence if they are here it seems fairly likely that the Commander will find them, and then—” Ferguson thought for a moment, grinning, before continuing, “The Commander is an honourable officer and hence I expect that he would at least ask for their surrender first.”

“And if they refuse?”  The Tactical Officer inquired.

“Then I expect that the Commander will probably board the rebel facility, kill most of their troops, forcing the remaining crew to surrender.  He will restrain these, locate the weapon, neutralise it, then return to the Sunfire to inform us that the mission is complete and we can all go home,” he replied with a straight face.

Listening into the conversation sniggers of laughter could be heard from the other officers throughout the bridge.  Many nodded their head in agreement, it was exactly the sort of thing that their enigmatic Commander would do.

*****

It was some hours later and the Sunfire was still progressing slowly deeper into the System when the Sensors Operator called out, “Energy spike detected!”

Ferguson hurried over to his side, peering over his shoulder at the sensor readouts.  “What have you got?” He asked, unable to make neither head nor tail from the readings.

“Energy spike Captain, I would stake my life that it was not there a minute ago.  Approximately one-hundred and twenty kilometres ahead, a few degrees to starboard.”

“What do you think it is?”

“Best guess?”  Ferguson nodded.  “I think it’s another ship doing the same as us Captain.  Either running cold, passive sensors only, or running under minimal power.  This energy surge looks like a reactor spike caused by a main engine start.”

“Can you track them?”

“Sure Captain, now that their power levels are above our detection threshold.”

“XO, sound general quarters.  Bring our weapon systems on-line.”

“What happens if it’s a civilian ship?”  The XO inquired reasonably.  With the noise of the general quarters alert resounding throughout the ship.

“This far out here?  Running silent?  What would they be doing, sightseeing?  Best-case scenario is the same as the Commander’s cover story, they are either privateers trying to avoid customs, or pirates.  However, this could be the ship that Navy Intelligence alerted us to.  Either way I’ll offer them a chance to surrender, just in case.  Hail the ship.”

“Channel open, Captain,” the XO confirmed.

“Unidentified ship, this is Captain Ferguson of the Confederation Navy heavy cruiser Sunfire.  I am ordering you to power-down your ship’s engines and prepare for boarding and inspection.  Please respond.”

After a few moments, the XO shook her head.  No response.

“Captain I am detecting a main engine start.  The ship is starting to pull away from us and based on the energy signature, I am estimating a destroyer or light cruiser class vessel,” the Operations Officer called out across the bridge.

“Flank speed,” Ferguson ordered the helm.  “Bring us within weapon range of that ship.  Communications, can you contact the Commander?”

“Negative sir, the shuttle seems to be on the dark side of one of the inner planets, we cannot bounce a signal to him.”

“Very well,” Ferguson muttered determinedly.  “We do this ourselves.  Tactical, let me know when we are within range of our weapons.  Communications, let’s try one final warning.”

At the nod from the young woman at communications, Ferguson tried one last time.  “Unidentified ship, this is your last warning.  Power down your engines and prepare to be boarded, otherwise I will authorise lethal force.”

However, before he could get any acknowledgement, another urgent call rang out across the bridge from the Operations Officer.  “Launch!  I have multiple missile launches from the enemy contact.  Tracking.  Time to impact thirty seconds.”

“Tactical?” Ferguson called out.

“I’ve got them, no worries.  Weapons are on-line, tracking, tracking, weapons free, weapons free.”  The Tactical Officer called out, passing ultimate fire control over to the ship’s computer.

The point defence guns, which covered the bow of the powerful cruiser, orientated themselves towards the direction of the incoming missiles.  As soon as the missiles came within range, the guns opened fire.  Targeting the nearest missile first, then the next and the next.  Within the space of a couple of seconds the incoming missiles were reduced to fragments as they were all torn asunder by the crushing gunfire.

“Captain,” the Operations Officer called out, after the bridge officers released a sigh of relief that their training and equipment had paid-off and that the incoming missiles were no longer a threat.  “I am detecting another energy spike, this one is massive.  The enemy ship is powering up their FTL engines to escape.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Ferguson disagreed.  Furious that the unknown ship had fired upon them.  “XO are we in weapons range yet?”

“Bow particle beam cannons are just within maximum firing range,” the XO confirmed.

“Then target their engines.  Do not destroy the ship, but I don’t want them escaping.  We need that ship in one piece and the crew to interrogate.”

“Firing now,” the XO confirmed, as one of the massive particle beam cannons on the very front of the ship orientated towards the escaping ship.  As the ship came within range, a beam of light, brighter than any sun, shot out from the Sunfire, striking the stern of the enemy ship.  While too distant to actually penetrate the hull, the beam vaporised the power transfer conduits and engines of the fleeing ship.  The engines immediately shut down and, with the ship adrift, the Sunfire started to close rapidly on the now immobilised ship.

“Direct hit,” the XO called out.  ”Target is no longer accelerating and their reactor is powering down, looks like we immobilised them.”

“Good job people.” The Captain congratulated his crew.  “Let’s get a boarding party ready.  I want them heavily armed just in case.”

However, Ferguson’s next words were cut off as the ship pitched hard to port, the crew desperately holding onto anything within reach to avoid being thrown clear across the bridge.

“Report!”  Ferguson shouted.

“Weapons fire from the enemy contact, sir.  Looks like a couple of dorsal mounted rail-guns.  Minor damage reported, mostly to our bow point defence guns.  Looks like the enemy guns cannot penetrate our thick bow armour.”

“Take out those guns,” Ferguson hissed, furious with himself.  He had got so caught up in the excitement of disabling the enemy vessel, he had not considered that they might still be a threat to his ship and crew.

“Direct hit.  Enemy gun emplacements have been destroyed Captain.”

“Very well, bring us in closer and prepare a boarding party.”

Those were the last words that Captain Stephen Ferguson, Commanding Officer of the Sunfire ever uttered.

History has demonstrated, over and over again that many of the greatest human tragedies were not the result of a single fatal mistake.  Instead such disasters were the result of several small, unfortunate events happening in sequence.

The terrible fate that befell the Sunfire and her crew was no different.  The first mistake in the tragic sequence of events that followed was the failure of the ship’s crew to reduce speed after disabling the enemy vessel.  This resulted in the ship being far too close to the enemy vessel.  In such ship-to-ship combat, distance is essential to give crews time to react to events.  Hence the crew of the Sunfire had no such time to act when the enemy weapon was finally deployed.

The sole missile was ejected from the aft missile battery of the enemy ship and immediately went to full speed.  Launched from such a short distance, it could hardly fail to miss.  The ships sensors detected the launch almost instantaneously and with the Sunfire’s point defence systems still on automatic the computer immediately targeted the missile with the bow guns.  However, many of these were still inactive, damaged by the earlier gunfire from the enemy ship, the next step in the unfortunate sequence of events that had already doomed the ship and crew.

The few active defence guns within range targeted the enemy missile, fired, but missed.  The closest shell passing within inches of the missile and its deadly payload.  Had this been any ordinary missile the remaining guns would have had time to destroy it, or the heavy bow armour of the massive warship would have mostly contained the blast.  Unfortunately, this was no ordinary missile, and it detonated a few hundred meters from the bow of the Sunfire.

Upon detonating the thermonuclear reaction immediately started and began emitting high-energy neutrons on an exponential scale.  The theory of neutron bombs had been well understood since their invention in the mid-twentieth century.  Unlike normal fission weapons, the explosive energy from a neutron bomb was miniscule, instead its deadly effect was the result of the enormous radiation it released—deadly to any living organism.  Such were the horrific effects of these weapons that every nuclear non-proliferation treaty signed ever since had banned them.

While the warship’s systems had been shielded against the radiation and electromagnetic pulse of a nuclear explosion, none of this was enough to save the crew of the Sunfire, as within seconds the entire crew had been exposed to radiation levels a thousand times greater than any lethal dose.  Those lucky enough to be nearer the hull and exposed to greater levels died within a heartbeat.  Those further away and somewhat shielded by the ship’s hull took several agonising seconds to die.

In a final act of perhaps divine justice, as the Tactical Officer collapsed against his console, with his last dying breath he triggered the Sunfire’s own missile batteries.  Dozens of missiles sped from their launch tubes, streaking towards the immobilised enemy warship.  While these were only armed with conventional high explosive warheads, they were more than adequate for the task at hand.  Impacting along the length of the enemy ship they tore through the armoured hull.  Compartments explosively decompressed until eventually the missiles penetrated the very heart of the enemy vessel.  As the shielding around the fusion reactor was breached, the core detonated, vaporising the enemy warship, leaving behind only the lifeless Sunfire to continue her final journey alone.

A ghost ship.

*****

Even tens of thousands of kilometres away, the sensors on the Eternal Light easily picked up the sudden burst of high-energy neutrons from the explosion.  Immediately Jon was almost blinded by the sudden explosion of light.  It was only the ship’s quick action to reduce the contrast of the cockpit windows that saved Jon from permanent blindness.  The massive explosion of light was followed quickly by a second, smaller burst.  He had seen enough similar blasts in his life to recognise a reactor core breach.  With a frantic hammering on the controls Jon opened a communication channel to the Sunfire but there was no response, only static.  Reversing course, ignoring subtlety, Jon increased power to the engines to maximum.  Even then the two-hour wait until he arrived at the last known position of the Sunfire was one of the longest waits of his life.  However, by then he was too late.

Even twenty kilometres distant from the ship sensors sounded a radiation warning.  It was far too dangerous to proceed any closer to the warship.  While Jon repeatedly tried to hail the warship without success, the Light’s sensors reported minimal external damage to the ship, except for the deadly levels of radiation.

It would take many years before the ship would be safe to approach.

Closing his eyes in despair, Jon let his head fall back gently against the pilot’s seat.  The soft seat of the shuttle, moulded to the contours of his body, seemed to console him against the terrible loss.

After a few moments of silent grief for the loss of so many people, so many good friends, Jon focused on the controls in front of him and established a connection between the Sunfire’s main computer and the one on the ‘Light.  With a few more deft touches of the controls, Jon brought online the main self-destruct routine for the warship.  Ordinarily such actions would have been completely impossible, as these programmes were highly restricted, only accessible from within the Sunfire and only by the Captain or senior bridge officers.  However, while the Sunfire was a Confederation Navy warship, her heart, and main computer, belonged to the now disbanded Imperial Navy.

Having once been the Praetorian Commander, the right arm of the Emperor, Jon had command codes to all Imperial ships far beyond what many believed even existed.  Fingers hovering over the execute command Jon took a final moment to admire the beautiful ship as she glided through the depths of space, starlight sparkling across her bow.  Like himself, the ship was a throwback to an earlier age, a relic, a survivor from a bygone era.

Angrily Jon cancelled the programme and instead started rapidly transmitting new orders to the ship’s flight computers.  With a short burn of the main engines, the massive ship fell into a stable orbit on the dark side of one of the smaller moons, orbiting the second planet of this System.  Slowly, one-by-one, the lights of the great ship extinguished, until eventually it was just another patch of darkness floating around the small moon—the final tomb and resting place of the brave crew of the Sunfire.

Once Jon could no longer see the ship, he powered up the FTL engine for the Light, turning the prow of the shuttle to point towards a far more distant star—home.  With a final flash of light the Eternal Light disappeared into FTL, leaving no trace of the terrible events that had taken place within this System.

Chapter One