Dawn

[attack_condor]

2406.4

Praxis system
Praxis II shipyard construction facility...

The news reporter was arriving at the site. He wanted to be early enough to get some background material to go with the live interviews from the past few weeks. He also wanted to incorporate the fact about how the empire�s newest construction facility on Praxis IX would be producing the empire�s newest ship, the Bulldog class cruiser. He was going over his notes, while the camera crew was setting up. It was still early, but to get the best shot, you had to get the best spot. The agenda had a short de-commissioning speech (at least he hoped it would be short) to be followed by the implosion of the building. He had seen videos of the technique, and was now going to see one for himself. And the rest of the empire would see it live. Courtesy of Skip Thomas � staff reporter.

He was looking the wrong way. The camera was looking the wrong way as well, getting shots of people just starting to arrive for the day�s events. More people who wanted to get to the site early. They were, in fact, right on time.

The explosion was wrong. That�s what the conclusion of the demolition experts would be. It certainly wasn�t an implosion. The high explosive blast incinerated the building, and everything � and everyone � within a kilometer of the site. There would be no empire-wide video, but there was a huge crater in the ground. And 34 of the empire�s citizens were dead.

Ushphada system
Ushphada asteroid belt III
Onboard the Cue Cappa frigate Chriedeld-er...

Minister Talbot was making progress. At least he thought he was. He was showing his hosts the operation of the Empire�s Harvester mining the rocks for radioactive resources. The minister was apologetic that he couldn�t get the ship closer, but there was a real danger here from the asteroids themselves, as well as the immense bulk of the Harvester. The helmsman of the frigate had skill, however, and they were well clear of the large rocks. Small rocks were abundant, but they posed no threat to the craft.

The minister and his host had retired to an antechamber when the minister was informed that the latest offer of assistance by the empire had been turned down. Politely, but turned down just the same.

His host looked suitably apologetic.

A weird light began to flash inside the frigate. The host looked at the light, and then at the minister. The minister looked back at his host, curious about this latest demonstration.

Ushphada asteroid belt III
Fighter wing Spider Alpha...

Chosen for his intelligence and allegiance, Lieutenant Geoff Klyber was well aware of the threats posed by those outside the empire who would stop at nothing to take what the citizens of Dawn had created. His mission, covert, of course; was to eliminate the traitor to the empire who was now trying to hide in an asteroid field with his new �friends�. Klyber had heard the talk back at the base about how people were thinking that the empire�s position of isolationism was unfair, and wished that contact could be made and the races of the galaxy could live in peace. It was the same nonsense the Chairman had spoke of during his speech. Klyber knew that the technology the empire possessed was formidable � there was quite a bit the public didn�t know about (like the existence of the Spider program, for one) � and in the wrong hands billions of lives, both human and alien, would be lost.

He was going to prevent that. He was actually going to save lives with this mission. His squadron only knew that they were on a checkout flight to certify the Spider for general production. The freighters would be happy to hear their calls for protection would be answered, although they had to acknowledge there was nothing to protect them from.

Until now.

Klyber knew the Cue Cappa frigate was in the belt. He had received his briefing that the frigate � with the traitor � was trying to scan the freighter and learn the secret to asteroid mining. They may have already had the information and on their way back. They had to be stopped. He waited for the right moment.

�Spider seven to Spider one�boss, you there?�

�Seven, this is one, go ahead.�

�Spider One, I�m getting the signature of a Cue Cappa frigate, 250,000km into the field, on a direct vector to the Harvester.�

Klyber smiled.

�One, this is four, I�m getting it as well.�

�Spider One to Spider alpha, all fighters close up. Let�s see what..."

Klyber�s instructions were cut off by an animated voice coming through the speaker.

�Any ship please respond! This is Harvester 400 under attack. Repeat we are under attack by an unknown ship. Armor failing, please assist!�

Klyber turned on the fighter�s command channel. Doing so meant he would speak to the fighters directly, but nobody else.

�Harvester 400 this is Spider One. Standby, sir, we are 200,000km away and closing on you. Say again your status, over.�

Spider pushed the PLAY button.

�Spider who?? Spider whoever, we are under attack and armor is down to 64%. We have no weapons. We are a mining ship and under attack. Please assist!�

Klyber finished the charade.

�Standby Harvester, we�re on the way. Hold on buddy.�

...onboard Harvester 400...

The captain of the freighter was unaccustomed to having company in �his� asteroid belt. The Cue Cappa frigate was bad enough, but to show up and hail the freighter less than one week after a misstep caused the big ship to have a too close encounter with one of the rocks that surrounded them. Now his ship was getting some weird readings almost 200,000km out, towards where the frigate was heading�

...onboard Spider One...

Klyber had ten fighters in his wing. They formed up and pushed their throttles as far forward as they would go. They had the frigate, in range, and nervous chatter filled the speakers.

Klyber formed the ten fighters in a wedge, and headed toward the frigate. The frigate had turned to meet the threat, and was headed right toward them. The ship and the fighters closed on each other at a rate of 30km per second. The fighters had smaller versions of the anti-proton beams that the ships carried. In eight seconds, they would be put to the test.

...onboard the frigate Chriedeld-er...

The minister was sure there was some kind of mistake. He was looking at the display for the frigate and watching the very small dots close on his ship. He pondered that thought for a moment, �his ship�. His host broke through his thoughts.

�They are your fighters, Minister. They attack us. You talk and they attack!�

The minister could feel it all spinning out of control.

�Let me contact them! Let me tell them...� His host cut him off.

�The time for talk is over.� He nodded to the soldier who was escorting them.

The minister fell dead to the floor with a strange wound at the base of his skull.

...onboard Spider one...

The fighters and frigate closed on each other. The fighters held formation. The frigate had the longer range, and fired two of it�s cannons at the first fighter that entered inside of that range.

�Spider two, taking fire. Evading.�

Klyber shivered as he was getting his wish. He was defending the empire.

�Spider One to Spider alpha � now, while he is reloading! Attack!�

Spider two banked hard right and tried to evade the two cannon shots. The remaining nine fighters charged the frigate.

�One, this is two, I�ve been hit. Weapons gone, engines at half power.�

Klyber felt a twinge of fear, but pressed on.

�Spider three taking fire.�

Klyber jerked at that. �So fast?�

�Spider three, I�ve been hit, but my armor�s holding��

Klyber finally was in range and fired. His beam hit the frigate and started burning it�s armor.

�Spider four, taking fire��

Klyber was now caught up in the action. The frigate began to turn away from the fighters.

�Spider alpha, come left heading 203. Stay in front of it, that�s where the weapons are!�

�Spider four, he missed me. Firing.�

�Spider five, firing.�

�Spider One! Boss he�s fired his main weapons at you! Get out of there!�

�Spider four, hit, armor is holding.�

Klyber saw the weapons fire and cut his thrusters in an attempt to let the shot slide by. It didn�t work, and Lieutenant Geoff Klyber became the first combat casualty of the empire, without the empire even knowing it.

The rest of the battle went similarly wrong, as the frigate proved to be a more capable opponent than was thought. But with the last of the fighters destroyed, the frigate�s victory was short-lived. Herself battered and her armor gone, she was unable to avoid the asteroids long enough to escape back to her own space.

The battle in Ushphada asteroid belt III was over, and everyone was a loser.

Usphada III research complex...

With the failure of the Spider program, all data and records were subsequently erased. The cover story fed to the media was that Minister Talbot had lost his life, along with the lives of the Cue Cappa frigate, to mercenary fighters who tried to pirate the ship. This matched up with the report from the Harvester 400 in the belt.

The explosion at Praxis II was deemed an accident, and the intelligence director, who so casually toyed with the lives of others, slipped back into the shadows, to bide his time.