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Chapter 8: Ripple

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On route to the Windsor System Audacious detected multiple Ripples in Hyperspace, and upon analysis and triangulation Audacious calculated the probable source of the Hyperspace Ripples.

Whenever an Inter-Dimensional Wormhole commonly known as a Jump Point is created it generates Ripples in Hyperspace. The Hyperspace Ripples or waves are readily detectable and can be triangulated back to their source. Hyperspace Ripples propagating at the speed of light can be used as a navigation method in areas without Hyperspace Relay stations to give correct position relative to normal space.

What Audacious had detected was the tell-tell signs of activity some 247 LightYears from the Windsor System. The now AFS Audacious StarGarrison could not simply ignore the activity near the Windsor System.

Therefore they plotted a route to the source of the Hyperspace Ripples; this despite the fact that it would essentially double the distance travelled to reach the Windsor System. Navi and the others simply could not risk getting down to work while the prospect of an unknown loomed over their heads. By all previous records this region of space called the Agrissa sector should be relatively free of interstellar activity and the analysis offered by Audacious indicated that the source of the Hyperspace Ripples may be the source of the FSA that occupied Agrissa.

Navi for his part wanted to avoid any further confrontations or dealings with the FSA, but now he was part of the Avalon Federation, and he would to some extent have to go along with the wishes of the majority.

Navi faced 2 potentially crucial problems; 1) If it is fact the FSA and the Have slaves the former slaves aboard Audacious would demand their liberation, and 2) the FSA likely already have an inclination that his previous threats were a hollow bluff and would put-up a fight this time and that would mean that a fight would be unavoidable.

Navi didn’t want to use the Audacious for warfare; the whole idea of a space based Civilization is that you avoid fights by running. Therefore Navi’s every instinct was to avoid the whole area and find another region with Oriculcum to harvest.

However Navi had made promises and taken oaths; the new Avalon Federation would rise and fall on whether he keeps his word of honour. And so having already made his decision Navi decided to hold fast to his honour.

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As expected there was in fact a human settlement in the target location, but what the probes were reporting was a far more sophisticated situation than Navi had predicted. The uncovered population numbered over 7 million; including 2.8 million Slaves. War was now unavoidable; it was unlikely that those who had grown comfortable with an existence where they benefited from the exploitation of others would readily give that up. Navi understood that the humans who readily oppressed and consistently humiliated other humans could never be considered reasonable.

The other leaders of the Avalon Federation were equally incensed by the enslavement of humans by other humans; and by slavery in general. Consequently the call for military action to liberate the Slaves grew loud enough to be deafening.

To undertake the liberation of the slaves would mean contending with the 7 Frigates and 22 Corvettes frequenting what had been learned to be the Fretoa FSA system.

Whether the FSA had detected the approach of AFS Audacious was now inconsequential, but whether the Audacious could take on an FSA fleet was still indeterminate. The analysis conducted by Audacious indicated that depending on the attack pattern chosen Audacious could emerge from a combat encounter unscathed. Thus Navi set about discussing with the Avalon leaders the best course of action; based on the simulations conducted by Audacious.

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Ultimately a consensus was reached, and a long range attack was chosen.

The reason the Leaders of the Avalon Federation chose the Ranged attack was that it gave the best possibility for the FSA military to run from the fight.

Even though the adopted plan held the prospect of retaliation against the slaves the High Council of the Avalon Federation had to be cautious in this situation, and minimizing the risks to Audacious is paramount. The resolution was to save as many as possible without risking destruction.

By conducting a ranged attack it was believed that once the FSA comes under attack from Audacious’s massive ElectroLasers they are likely to reconsider their military prospects. And also a ranged engagement raises the prospect of witling down the enemy numbers to a manageable size by the time Range makes Beam impacts near instantaneous.

That they would fight is not in question; they had already resolved themselves for that eventuality. However it’s human nature to try and minimize the risk of harm to one’s self.

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Normally Audacious would jump into normal space close to the sun, but this time the jump was made a fair distance from the local Star.

Immediately after Jumping to Normal Space the AFS Audacious opened fire with 11 Forward Heavy ElectroLasers Turrets, 15 of the 40 Heavy ElectroLasers along the length of the cylinder, 725 of the 1,000 Standard Multidirectional ElectroLasers and 250 Lasers near the front of Audacious.

Knowing full well that it would take 9 to 15 seconds for the Beams to actual reach their targets the AFS Audacious maintained continuous fire; only braking fire to allow the necessary cooling of the turrets.

Already Audacious could detect massive responding Turret fire, but fortunately the AFS Audacious had attacked first and with an enormous amount of firepower.

As soon as the Audacious’ ElectroLasers reached the arrayed corvettes took damage and were already withdrawing from the fight because they lacked sufficient shielding to contend with the firepower designed to defeat StarCruisers.

Before long even the Frigates began taking damage and opted to manoeuvre behind moons and away from the line of sight of the clearly superior AFS Audacious.

The AFS Audacious didn’t come out of the initial battle unscathed; massed ElectroLaser Fire managed to briefly penetrate some areas of the shields but thanks to multiple layering of shield systems the damage was limited to minimal damage to the hull; leaving the AFS Audacious able to go a few more rounds with the FSA fleet.

The FSA on the other had essentially been crippled by the AFS Audacious, and they were hardly in any position to get into close range exchange of RailGun ordinates. The commanders of the FSA Ships properly understood that the 4 Frigates and 14 Corvettes participating in the battle could not survive against the AFS Audacious, and they had reached a point where even the reinforcing ships due to arrive in 2 days would not be of any meaningful assistance.

The AFS Audacious would reach the Fretoa FSA planet in just 7 days, but the closer it got the more effective its weapons would get, and the RailGuns would come into optimal range. The FSA commanders could already predict that the AFS Audacious would carry Heavy RailGuns that could overwhelm the planetary defence systems. There was only one viable option for the FSA; they had to somehow negotiate with the AFS Audacious and the Avalon Federation it represents.

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The Leaders of the Avalon Federation where somewhat surprised to receive a Hail from the FSA requesting to negotiate.

Capt-Ellis : " Repeat; this is Captain John Ellis of the Free Systems Alliance. We are Requesting a ceasefire so that we can negotiate a peaceful end to hostilities."

Capt-Barnes : " This is Captain Andrew Barnes of the Avalon Federation. As representative of the High Council of the Avalon Federation I accept the proposed Ceasefire. The Avalon Federation only has 2 terms; 1) the expeditious safe release and relocation onto AFS Audacious of the slaves, and 2) an adequate supply of food, seeds and animals to begin production to feed the slaves while in transit to Terra."

Navi : " This is Captain Navi of the Avalon Federation; also of the High Council of the Avalon Federation. You are no doubt aware of the peaceable result of a similar situation on Agrissa; if you meet our simple terms we can begin recover of the slaves and no further harm will come to your people."

Jono : " This is Councilman Jono of the Avalon Federation; also of the High Council of the Avalon Federation. Make sure to heed our warning Captain; if you break the ceasefire we will not hesitate to use deadly force."

Eloy : " This is Councilwoman Eloy of the Avalon Federation; also of the High Council of the Avalon Federation. Make sure you understand that if your intension is to stall for time while your reinforcing BattleGroups speed to this region we will free the slaves and dispatch any and all who stand in our way."

Capt-Ellis : " We will relay your Demands to the FSA authorities."

Capt-Barnes : " You have 2 Days Captain."

Capt-Ellis : " Understood."

The Communications link is severed.

Navi : " You think they’ll play it straight with us?"

Capt-Barnes : " It doesn’t matter; at this point we have the tactical advantage."

Jono : " By letting us come closer they’re essentially sealing their fate."

Capt-Barnes : " I hope it doesn’t turn into something messy."

Navi : " Let’s have Audacious prepare a rescue Force."

Eloy : " Yeah; if they take to long we need to be ready."

Zen : " Once they agree to our terms we need to have them loaded and ready to go as quickly as possible."

The waiting began.

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