USS Cherry Barb, conflicted zone of the asteroid belt

Commander James Frazer Captain of the USS ship Cherry Barb looked over the radar being displayed on the screen in front of him and the disconcerting amount of red it showed directly around the blip that represented his own ship. The green of the closest friendlies was on the extreme end of the terminal, clumped together in three separate groups leaving him and his own ship not only completely surrounded and outnumbered, but also alone.

“We’re exactly where we are meant to be Pounds.” Commander Frazer said referring to 2nd in command by his old nickname.

“Completely surrounded, cut off, and about to ruin a lot of peoples day.” Responded Bernard Bannon or Pounds as his few friends would call him.

“Weapons, status?” Commander Frazer asked Duncan Marshal the weapons officer.

“All tubes have been prepped with nuclear missiles, The Slinger is loaded with nuclear mines, the rail gun capacitors are fully charged and loaded with nuclear rounds Sir.” The young officer responded immediately. “We have a clean lock on the Chinese Flag Ship the Zeng He, as well as clear shots at one other dreadnought.”

“Communications.”

“We have clean narrow band laser transmissions to the Cruisers Philadelphia, Las Vegas and New York, they are relaying all targeting data we send them straight to the Rushmore. When the battle gets started, I may not be able to keep those sight lines clear Sir.” Alyx Green, the ships communications officer said

“Helm?”

“The Grav Engines are currently running quiet, but we can get up to full burn with our main engines in 3 seconds flat, maneuvering thrusters are on standby. I can dance us around half this fleet with them not seeing so much as a vapour trail Sir. I’ll give Lieutenant Green all the line of sight she’ll need.” The helm officer, an African American man named Nate Brown responded without a trace of doubt in his voice.

“Well done everyone. Lieutenant Green get me ship wide.”

At the commanders order her fingers danced over her keyboard for a moment before she responded, “You have ship wide Sir.”

The Commander picked up the transmitter, which was in the shape of a very old-fashioned telephone he cleared his throat. “Ladies and Gentlemen of the Cherry Barb, we are currently sitting less than 20,000 Kilometers off the stern of the Chinese Flag ship as she and her fleet move towards an American mining outpost. We are surrounded by an enemy fleet tens of thousands of miles from any friendly units. This is it, the moment we have planned for, prepared for and trained for. We are ready. The rest of the fleet call themselves the Sword and Shield of America. Well we are not; we are the knife that slips between an enemy’s ribs. And as soon as this fleet crosses into American Territory it will be war. Remember your training, do your duty, and we will be victorious today.” With that Commander Frazer hung up the receiver.

“Was that seriously the best you could come up with?” Bannon whispered to Frazer.

With a look at his old friend the Commander looked back at the display being projected above the bridge. “Lieutenant Green make sure that the Rushmore is aware that this squadron here is too far away from its Frigate support.” Commander Fraser said indicating a small group of Cruisers that had strayed too far from its frigate escort ships. Although every military ship in space had point defence guns, cruisers were still valuable enough that they were assigned several smaller frigates dedicated to help cover them from both missile and drone attacks. This group had allowed themselves to get overzealous and strayed too far from their escorts.

As Lieutenant Green relayed the Commanders words the entire ship waited with bated breath as the Chinese fleet moved inexorably towards its American counter part.

“T-Minus 2 minutes and 30 seconds until Chinese Ships enter American space.” The Sensor operator said, his voice being projected across the ship.

“Sir, Admiral Jacobs is transmitting a message in the clear.” Lieutenant Green said.

“Put it on the loudspeaker.” Said Commander Frazer.

There was a moment of silence and then distortion before the Admirals voice rang over the ship. “This is a message to the Chinese fleet, you are approaching American held space. Crossing into our territory will be considered an act of war, and we will defend ourselves and this territory by any means necessary. Turn back this is your only warning.”

As the message finished the crew could only listen to the crackle of the radio on the dead line.

“Any response from the Chinese fleet?” Commander Frazer asked.

“I am detecting a power spike in the Chinese fleet. Looks like they are charging their weapons. Sir the turrets on the Zeng He just rotated and have orientated towards Admiral Jacobs fleet. The rest of the fleet’s turrets are doing the same. Looks like a final weapons check.”

“Well I supposed that gives us their answer.”

“90 seconds until Chinese ships cross into American Space.”

“Lieutenant Marshall, you are not to fire until I give the order no matter what, our primary mission is to send targeting data back to the fleet and we can hardly do that if we have been atomized.”

“Yes Sir.”

“60 Seconds until Chinese Ships cross into American Space.”

With every order already given Commander Frazer focused all his attention on the information of the enemy fleet being projected in front of him. He had often wondered what it would be like to go to war and now that he was moments away from the largest war in Human history, he was amazed by how calm he felt. There was no doubt or even nervousness, just the knowledge that he could make a difference in the outcome of this conflict and he would do everything he could to ensure a victory for America.

“45 Seconds until contact.” The sensor operator called out.

As the red mass of ships moved inexorably towards the green ships on the sensor screen, he could feel his palms beginning to sweat despite how calm he felt.

“30 seconds until contact”

“Sir, urgent message from the president being transmitted over secure channels to the entire fleet!” Shouted Lieutenant Green officer “The Fleet is being ordered to stand down.”

“Confirm that, make absolutely certain that this is authentic.”

“25 seconds.”

Lieutenant Green turned to her station and began checking the authenticity of the codes the fleet had been given.

“15 seconds.”

“Sir, I can confirm, this message is from the President and the Joint Chiefs of Staff all of the codes are checking out. We are being ordered to stand down immediately. Nothing from the Rushmore Sir. I am detecting a transmission to the Chinese fleet, it’s encoded, I have no idea what it says.” Lieutenant Green said

“10 seconds until contact” The Sensor operator shouted.

“Sir! Movement from the Chinese Fleet. Their engines are firing, they are reorienting themselves away from the fleet! I repeat they are orientating themselves away from the fleet. Their Engines are firing, they are decelerating. Given their speed and trajectory they will still enter American space before they begin moving away.” Sarah Thompson the sensor operator of the ship yelled.

“Any word from the Rushmore?” Commander Frazer asked.

“Yes sir, patching it through now.”

“… is Admiral Jacobs transmitting from the Rushmore, all American and Allied vessels are to stand down and not engage Chinese forces unless given direct orders. All ships stand down to condition two. I repeat this is Admiral Jacobs transmitting from the Rushmore all American and Allied vessels are to stand down and not engage unless given direct order. All ships are to stand down to condition two.”

“Helm can you plot us a course through or around the Chinese Fleet? I want to maintain stealth and a minimum distance of 10,000 kms from any ships.”

“Through would be tight Sir. The Chinese are decelerating rapidly, and they are maintaining close formations. Around them would be child’s play though.”

“Get it done, we have a perfect record and I don’t want to be spotted now.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Lieutenant Green get me ship wide.” Commander Frazer said picking up the transmitter. When Lieutenant Green nodded at the commander he spoke into the receiver. “Attention crew, we have just received a command from the President and the Joint Chiefs of Staff ordering us to stand down, upon verifying the signal Admiral Jacobs ordered the fleet to stand down as well. The Chinese upon receiving a signal from their own government have turned around and are now accelerating towards Chinese Space. We are now standing down to condition two all nuclear ordinance are to be stowed. That is all.”

With that Commander Frazer put the receiver down and turned to his 2nd in command. “What the hell is happening Pounds?”

“That’s a damn good question. I can’t think of anything that would make the President give that order, and the Chinese? They’ve been waiting for this war for decades.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Sir?” Lieutenant Green said.

“Yes Lieutenant?”

“I have been picking up a huge spike in civilian communications traffic. It has been a little bit difficult making heads or tails of it, but I think I know what is going on.” She said hesitantly. “All the news outlets are reporting the same things, a few hours ago a burst of radiation appeared near Jupiter, telescopes were then oriented to get a good look and, well the news is saying Alien ships were spotted near Jupiter. The President is scheduled to make a speech in an hour.”

Both Commander Frazer and the Lieutenant Commander considered this before Lieutenant Commander Bannon said. “Aliens? Yeah that could interrupt a war.”