Read Birthright: Battle for the Confederation- Turmoil for Free Online

captain's chair.
    "I can be
confident, as long as I don't get complacent," Vol replied.
    They both watched
the displays as the battle unfolded.  The Priman ships, teardrop shaped and
smooth with the occasional bump or blister where weapons were located and
sporting almost a mirrored finish, expertly formed up by group.  The northern
group aligned themselves in a nose-to-tail line perpendicular to the ships
rising to meet them from Carline's surface, presenting their broadside guns and
therefore greatest number of weapons batteries toward the oncoming enemy.  It
was a classic naval maneuver called 'crossing the T'.  The inbound ships were
pointing their noses at the Priman vessels, which restricted the number of guns
they could bear on the enemy.  The Primans, on the other hand, could bring many
forward and aft weapons, as well as all the broadside batteries, to fire on the
Carline defenders.
    The southern group
had already accelerated towards the moon, line astern as ordered.  Their drives
burned brightly as they accelerated as fast as they could, forming up to make a
run down the port flank of the oncoming vessels.
    The results were
predictable.  The ships from the surface were decimated and one by one fell out
of formation in flames, falling back to the planet's surface while shedding
parts and escape pods.  Only two managed to make it into orbit, and they only
scored a handful of hits on the Priman cruisers before they became silently
expanding balls of oxygen, drive plasma, and hot gases.  Captain Vol ordered
the northern five ships to join the southern force as they dueled with the two
dozen enemy ships that had come from the moon.
    "Communications,"
Captain Vol snapped, "find me the source of the Governor's
transmission."
    The tech only spent
a few seconds tweaking the data from his terminal before announcing he'd found
it.  A blinking light appeared on the surface of the overhead-view map to mark
the position.
    "Excellent,"
said Vol.  He turned his head to Representative Ravine.  "Would you care
to do the honors?"
    Ravine tried to keep
her composure at the suggestion as she gave a regal nod to the captain.  All
that power and destruction at her command?  It was exhilarating. 
"Weapons," she began, proud of herself for maintaining a steady
voice, "bombard that position.  Take it at least fifty feet below street
level and then scan for underground structures we may have missed."
    The weapons tech
complied and Ravine saw bright streaks of laser fire ripping from the front of
her ship to the surface.  The video feed was soon filled with blossoming
explosions at ground level, and soon so much dirt and debris was kicked up that
the video feed was useless.  The weapons tech shifted to a composite image
combining thermal, LIDAR, and triangulation-based imaging to provide an almost real-life
image for the displays.  It showed the impacts, but not the debris that
obscured the naked eye.  The building that had once occupied that location was
no more, and after only a minute or so bombardment ceased.
    "People of
Carline," Ravine said into the audio pickups again.  "Your message
was received and you have seen our response.  We'll call you shortly to resume
our talks after we finish off your patchwork navy."
    She was happy with
her effort; confident but not gloating.  She looked at Captain Vol, seated in
his chair and exuding a commanding presence.  "You're free to move however
you like, Captain," she offered.
    "Thank you,
Representative," he replied.  He addressed the communications officer
again.  "It's time to commit the reserves.  Have the Torment leave us and
assume formation with the rest of our units.  We'll stay here and cover the
planet's surface on this side by ourselves."
    The battle was
woefully one-sided.  The experienced Priman ships slashed across the loose
formation of enemy defenders, culling their numbers on every pass.  Their
advantage in sensor and detection technology, something the