Orion Federation

Part Ten

Admiral Greer is sitting in his command center reviewing battle damage reports, military production reports and assessments of fleet strengths and readiness. The year is 457, and although we have a workable plan, we are still losing this war. During the last period of peace between us and the Auarhciniala we colonized nearly a dozen worlds, while they concentrated strictly on building up their military force and developing their existing colonies. I can only thank god that we saw fit to do that. Our new colonies in the Meklar sector are flourishing and before long they will be able to start producing new warships to add to our fleet. Without those worlds to make up for our losses now, I believe we would lose the war entirely.

Now that we are taking the offensive once more my hope is that we will be able to reduce the industrial capacity of the gas bags to the point where we can begin keeping up with their military production. If we can achieve that, then we will be well on our way to turning the tide and gaining a bit of retribution. My problem now is how do we continue to build up our own military production when every shipyard we have is dedicated to building war ships? If I can not build new colony ships then we will not be able to effectively increase our industrial base.

Now it is time to begin our advance on the gas bag worlds! Greer then orders 2 armies and a carrier armada out of reserve. He places the two armies in the Algol-A system and the carrier armada in Joseki to boost their defenses. Then the Battle for Algol-A I begins. The gas bag space born defenses are destroyed without a loss on our side and then our two armies land to take the world. This when disaster strikes! The enemies ground defenses repulsed our attack with heavy losses. Angry at this loss Admiral Greer order the colony raised so that the fleet can continue of its course and advance on the next system.

Later that same year word arrives that our colonies of Girtab I and Merkent III are destroyed by enemy bombardment. We are finally advancing, but our losses in colonies continue to exceed theirs.

In 458 Greer pulls three more armies from reserve at Algol-A for our advance on Mu Veloru. However, our enemy now seem to be responding to our new strategy as a large enemy fleet appears over Mu Veloru and attacks Mu Veloru V. We lose this battle and another battle at Merkent and then our colonies of Muveloru V and Merkent I are bombed out of existence.

With the Auarhciniala positioning a battle fleet at Mu Veloru, they now have a battle fleet near our core systems once again. Seeing the danger Admiral Greer orders the defenders of Waage to assault the gas bag colony at Mu Veloru and destroy the enemy fleet located there. It will take two years for our fleet to arrive and relieve our two remaining colonies in this system. The next year, 459, there are two more battles resulting in losses to our side. We then lose the colonies of Mu Veloru II and Jataka I.

Finally in 460 the Defenders of Waage arrive in Mu Veloru and a large battle is fought against the gas bag invaders. Once again, the Defenders score another major victory destroying 10 armadas with 153 ships while losing only 16 of their own ships, sadly including every transport assigned to conquer the colony. With one armada being weakened below 50% fighting strength, Admiral Greer orders the armada disbanded. As soon as the defenders are free of the original battle, they bomb the enemy colony in Mu Veloru and nearly eradicate the entire colony. Happy with the progress the defenders are making, Greer can only shake his head in disgust when he reads a report that our forces suffered a defeat in the Tardig system.

I knew this would be hard when we started down this road. But damn it! Why do they have to be so damn efficient about destroying our frontier?!?! Once we get rolling, payback is going to be HELL!