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    Star Crusader: Fall of Hyperion
    Star Crusader: Fall of Hyperion
    Star Crusader: Fall of Hyperion
    Ebook308 pages2 hours

    Star Crusader: Fall of Hyperion

    By Michael G. Thomas

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    Nate now leads his own flight of F26s in Knighthawk Squadron. Little does he know that his first mission will be so deadly few are expected to return alive.

    The Terran Union is triumphant, with most of the human worlds of the old Alliance now under its grasp. Only two worlds remain, with Prometheus in ruins, and protected by the remnants of the Alliance Navy, and Hyperion caught in the middle of a brutal invasion by Union forces. The defenders fight on bravely, knowing they have no way of escape under the command of the legendary warrior General Gun.

    Nate and his elite Knighthawks join the rescue mission, but their objective is not to pluck the survivors to safety on Hyperion. Instead they join a small but elite band of pilots and soldiers to conduct a raid so incredible it will become the stuff of legend. A mission that could turn the course of the conflict and give the Alliance a fighting chance.

    As the remnant of the old Alliance prepares to give battle one last time, the brave and loyal warriors on Hyperion dig in and await the inevitable onslaught. Will the Alliance emerge triumphant, or will die in the burning jungles of Hyperion?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSwordworks Books
    Release dateFeb 7, 2021
    ISBN9781005436728
    Star Crusader: Fall of Hyperion
    Author

    Michael G. Thomas

    Michael G. Thomas, is a writer, martial artist and military historian. He has written books on European martial arts and military history as well as Zombie Survival books and fiction. He is the co-founder of the prestigious Academy of Historical Fencing that teaches traditional armed and unarmed European martial arts. His specialist subject areas are teaching the use of the medieval two handed longsword and the German long knife in both the UK and other parts of Europe.He academic background is as varied as his writing with degrees in Computing, Classical Studies and Machine Learning. In recent years he has undertaken substantial research in the fields of machine learning and artificial intelligence as well as Ancient Greek and Byzantine military history.Michael is currently completing his Champions of the Apocalypse Series and Star Crusades science fiction series.

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      Book preview

      Star Crusader - Michael G. Thomas

      STAR CRUSADER

      FALL OF HYPERION

      By Michael G. Thomas

      Part of the STAR CRUSADES universe

      Copyright ©2021 Swordworks Books

      The official Star Crusades website:

      StarCrusader.com

      All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

      MY NEWSLETTER

      If you’d like to receive my latest news, special offers and free books then please sign up for my newsletter. It’s a great way of keeping up to date with my latest projects, as well as getting samples and free books throughout the year. Click on the link and join up today. You can also visit my official website and Facebook page, links below:

      My official website:

      www.starcrusader.com

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      www.facebook.com/starcrusader

      The last decades of the 25th Century saw a war of ideals across the Alliance.

      A Brief History of the Alliance

      PROLOGUE

      TUS Heavy Cruiser ‘Justice’, Approaching Rift to Hyperion

      1st December 2476

      Captain Kohler looked to the Rift with fascination from her command chair. The bizarre celestial phenomenon was the very definition of chaos as it crackled and flashed. From there it looked like a distant moon, but to anybody closer it was scene of incredible destructive forces. When not being used it would be barely visible to the eye, but if activated it would flicker and flash with barely contained power.

      We’re ready to go through, said the ship’s helmsman.

      Captain Kohler said nothing for a few seconds and focussed on the Rift itself.

      Good. Wait a moment.

      The crew looked on in silence as though they expected a fleet of rebel ships to leap out to attack them at any moment. As Captain Kohler turned her head, the light caught the deep marks along her face. Cuts and scars from a lifetime of war had transformed her body. Like so many other officers, she had fought at the Black Rift, and had been one of the few officers left alive when her ship was boarded. The self-inflicted gunshot wound to her face remained where she’d tried to end her life. Her failure had left her with unending pain, a pain she had used to motivate herself ever since. In any other career she might have been scorned, but not here aboard TUS Justice. If anything, her crew were in awe of her like never before.

      Once we start, we cannot go back.

      She knew what waited for them on the other side of the Rift. The Jötnar had originally been foot soldiers for the enemy, and she’d never fully trusted them. They answered to individuals such as the infamous Spartan, rather for ideals or for humanity. While many of those on the ship were merely there as professional officers, she was here for much more personal reasons. She relished the chance to take the fight to one of her most hated enemies. Captain Kohler looked to the men and women around her, some old, some young, but all totally loyal to Earth, Terra Nova, and the Union.

      Today we do what we have to do. The stain of the Biomechs and the Jötnar, their cruelly constructed artificial lifeforms must be purged from our worlds before they can turn on us. They will not go meekly. And so, it will be bloody work, but it is necessary for the safety and the future of our people.

      She then nodded directly ahead.

      Helm…take us in.

      The ship shuddered gently as its main engines pushed the vessel forward. The pulsing whirlpool moved closer, and while most of the others were busily working their controls and systems, the Captain looked directly ahead. She exhaled as they passed through and out the other side.

      We’re through.

      Good. Lay in a course for high orbit over the planet. Take us in slowly. I want to watch the rest of the fleet’s arrival.

      Yes, Captain.

      Captain Kohler turned to her left and smiled as another heavy cruiser burst through the Rift, and at its flanks, a pair of venerable Liberty Class destroyers. They were followed by a formation of four destroyers plus several smaller craft. Each bore the new colours and brightly lit blue detailing now standard throughout the Union.

      There they are.

      The cruisers were quite different to the designs used in the past, with flat hulls much like that of the larger Dreadnoughts, all but one of which had defected with the Alliance rebels. A pointed prow extended out to the front with a thick ram fitted where weapons might normally be installed, the upper superstructure wider and lower, and barely pushing out over the rest of the ship’s armour. Two pairs of heavy railgun turrets were fitted along the flanks in recessed bays, with two more closer to the bow, and a pair fitted at the stern. A pair of small landing pads behind the frontal turrets led inside to the ship’s hangars, where a squadron of drones waited. There was no ringed nacelle as used on other capital ships, marking it out as a vessel with no IS drive, and therefore utterly dependent on the use of the Spacebridges for travel.

      Tactical. Report.

      The young officer turned in his chair to look back at the Captain.

      Very little civilian traffic in the area. One medical frigate and two transports are still in position to deal with the wounded.

      Good. Whoever thought a single company of soldiers could secure Hyperion should be shot. Those that dwell on the surface are cunning and powerful warriors.

      She then smiled to herself and let out a laugh.

      But then we all know what happened to those fools, do we not?

      Many of them had seen the footage of the brief firefights on the surface before they’d been overwhelmed. The rest had escaped with their tails tucked firmly between their legs. She looked back at the Rift and lifted her Secpad that was now integrated into the ship’s systems.

      General, the area is secure. You may come through.

      It took almost three full minutes before the antiquated military transports started to move through the Rift. They were far from aesthetically pleasing to look at, with their designs being function over form in every aspect. These were the very same vessels that decades earlier had landed Confederate Army ground forces into combat against the Biomech hordes on Prime, Kerberos, and beyond. They were conventionally powered heavy transports that had been armoured to withstand the rigours of deep-space travel and combat. They were armed with defensive weaponry and each the size of the heavy cruiser, their most important feature they were designed to move entire brigades of soldiers and their equipment into combat.

      Look at them, said Captain Kohler as she nodded to herself, It is as though the last fifty years never happened.

      She closed her eyes and thought back to the days of old, when humanity had known only itself; before the Spacebridges, before contact with the myriad of races, and most important of all, before the coming of the dreaded Biomechs and their leagues of unholy creatures. Yes, humanity had fought among themselves, but that was their prerogative. It was one thing to die for each other or a particular cause, but something very different when outsiders were involved. She took in a breath, and then groaned as her damaged lungs sent pangs of pain through her body. She winced and then finally opened her eyes. There before her was the projection of a broken man, General Rudolf Armen. The man was the senior soldier in the Union. He had been a young soldier in the Confederate Army and fought the Biomechs many times. His damaged spine and missing eye did little to discourage him from what needed to be done.

      Captain Kohler. It is good to serve alongside you once more. The Union cannot stand while such infamy lives within. Either these mutant beasts will surrender and be removed from this place. Or they will never leave here again alive.

      Yes, General. I have orbital scans of the landing grounds you requested. My ships will be on standby should you require fire support and intervention.

      Good. We have our orders from President Narek himself to bring this situation under control. We have transports of robotic foot soldiers arriving within the hour. They will not be sent into battle until I authorise their use.

      Of course, General. We should be able to resolve this without their intervention. I’m surprised President Narek isn’t here to see his project come to fruition.

      He has bigger fish to deal with.

      Of course. The rebels.

      Quite. While Rivers and his underlings remain, the Union will be in danger. But that is a battle for another day. For now…now Hyperion will bleed, and in doing so, the Union will prosper. By the time this is over, Hyperion will be nothing but a burnt husk, and a graveyard to those that dare to resist.

      * * *

      Hyperion, Jötnar Sanctuary

      General Gun moved quickly along the landing strip as engines howled furiously. The small spaceport was completely surrounded by huge trees, perhaps the largest in the entire Union. The large landing strips and pads were now covered in obstructions, with one blocked by a shattered civilian transport ship that had been torched several days before. Long columns of smoke rose from the spaceport and up into the now heavily polluted sky of Hyperion.

      The day of betrayal has finally come.

      Directly before him were six Lightning fighters. Each bore the markings of the new Union, though their pilots were dressed in old Alliance PDS naval suits. Gun reached the first craft and reached across to the pilot. Standing at almost three metres in height, the monstrous warrior had no need of a ladder to reach the pilot. The man saluted smartly.

      General. You need to get to cover.

      I will, Captain.

      He then reached forward with a metal container.

      You must make contact with the General on Prometheus. Pass him this. It is a matter of life and death.

      Yes, General. Is there anything you want me to tell him?

      It’s all in there, Captain. Everything I have learnt over the last six months. Remember, you cannot let a soul touch this, only him. There are a handful of officers onboard Alliance ships I truly trust. Find Relentless or any of the remaining captains of the Interstellar Assault Brigade. They will take you to him.

      Gun looked up as he spotted more shapes moving over the planet.

      General Rivers is the only man off this world I now trust.

      He then smiled. There is another. But he has been missing for far too long.

      Spartan?

      Gun nodded.

      Maybe it is best he isn’t here, said the Captain, Spartan would likely launch a crusade against Terra Nova tomorrow and leave half the galaxy in flames.

      Gun laughed loudly at that and thumped the side of the fighter. He then looked up to the sky and shook his head.

      Ridgebacks. Heavy landing craft. We beat the first wave two weeks ago. This one will not be so easy. More than two hundred soldiers inside each of them.

      He shook his head and sighed.

      Killing them brings me no joy, Captain. Many are our brothers and sisters that fought beside us in the war. Now we are forced against each other, against our will.

      If it brought you joy, I wouldn’t be on your side. It’s why we joined you in the first place. Good luck.

      And to you, Captain Holtz. We will be here when you return. There will always be a welcome for you in the jungles of Hyperion.

      The canopy closed, and Gun watched as the squadron rose from the burning spaceport, and then accelerated away at treetop height. Once they had vanished from sight he lowered his gaze to those around him. Most were Jötnar like him, the great troll-like warriors constructed by the Biomechs to serve in brutal warzones. Once though dumb and brutish, they had become as much part of the Alliance as any other. And now they were the targets of this new, xenophobic regime.

      My brothers and sisters. We beat off the first wave with ease, but that victory guaranteed us only that they would return, and in greater numbers.

      He looked up to the smoke trails as the wave of LCM12 Ridgeback Landing Craft entered the planet’s thick atmosphere.

      Pass the words to every pack on Hyperion. If an outsider lands bearing weapons, they are to be shot on sight.

      That drew a gasp from one of the few Humans on the planet. Gun looked to the woman, a Marine Corps sergeant that was part of spaceport’s garrison.

      Problem, Sergeant Vasser?

      A month ago, yeah. But not anymore. The Union is out of control. If they come into our house, armed and looking for trouble, we’ll show them what trouble is.

      Gun gave her a nod.

      Good. Now…we need to be ready. Union soldiers will be here within the hour.

      A warning klaxon sounded a few seconds later.

      War has come to Hyperion, said Gun, We will make them regret it.

      High above their position Captain Holtz led the formation of fighters over the jungle canopy. They increased speed and broke the sound barrier in seconds. Long tendrils of fire pushed out behind them as they reached their maximum speed before angling upwards and towards the upper atmosphere.

      Good luck, Captain. Gun watched the smoke trails, You have a difficult journey ahead. As do we all.

      CHAPTER ONE

      Alliance Armoured Assault Ship 'ANS Relentless', Prometheus

      8 days later

      Nate leant back in his chair and closed his eyes. He was sure he could feel the energy from the electrical storms encircling the fiery planet. Although he was safely ensconced inside the ship, an unsettling tension still ran throughout his body. In the past he’d know who the good guys were, and who he needed to protect them from. But everything had changed, and he was waiting aboard a ship that was protecting an enclave of rebels within the heart of the old Alliance. It was so much to take in, especially when he thought back to his friends, and those he’d lost, or who had turned against him.

      Action stations. This is not a drill.

      Nate heard the words, but they were same ones he’d heard over and over in his mind. There was always a series of battles and struggles, some worse in his mind than could ever occur in reality.

      Nate, we’re on, let’s go! Billy ran past and nearly dragged his friends to the floor, We have incoming fighters!

      Nate leapt up to his feet and had to hold onto him to stop himself from falling.

      Wait! What’s happening?

      He looked around and gasped. He was just a metre away from the ladder leading up to the cockpit of the small Lightning fighter.

      You’re serious?

      He looked around the front launch bay of the ship, and it was obvious this was no drill. The deck crew were all but gone, and Billy was already climbing the ladder into his own fighter. Normally, they piloted the embarked F26s, but they were probably amongst the most experienced Lightning pilots in the rebel fleet right now, and it was their turn to take this particular watch. Since the violence over Terra Nova, they’d been forced to operate on a reduced crew, and that meant the sharing of duties to keep the vessel functioning correctly.

      Yes, it’s for real. Wake up and get inside, now!

      Nate shook his head to try and wake himself and climbed to the top of the ladder. He then slid in, and his training instantly kicked in. He was running through the truncated checklist in a matter of seconds, all while the fighter sealed up, and the deck crew moved the ladder away.

      We’ve got a flight of incoming fighters. Lightnings, and heading right for Relentless.

      Nate could hardly believe what he was hearing. He looked into Billy’s eyes, while hearing the unending warning siren as the men and women of the assault carrier rushed to their stations.

      Torpedo run?

      Adrenalin coursed through Nate’s body and snapped him out of his slumber as effectively as a slap to the face. He was already wearing his lightweight PDS naval gear, with only his helmet not fitted and in his hand. He pulled it on as the technicians removed the cooling pipes from the fighter. The fighters were kept in a state of readiness, and that meant they would overheat in minutes if the cables were not connected up to run coolant through the craft in a constant cycle.

      Looks that way. Firehawks are going to be ready in four minutes, but we’re the duty squadron. They need us in the air, now! We have to stop them before it’s too late.

      It they’re torpedo bombers we won’t have that time. How did they even get this close? What about the CAP?

      Billy shrugged.

      Looks like they were on the opposite side of the ship when the fighters arrived.

      Two pairs in a correct search pattern shouldn’t make that possible.

      They came from directly above.

      Nate nodded in surprise.

      Impressive. It’s rare to find that kind of three-dimensional thinking.

      The armoured plated canopy was already down, and lights flickered as he ran his eyes over the numerous systems. Nate knew this fighter like the back of his hand and could find buttons and controls without even having to look for them. Lieutenant Commander Holder spoke to them over the closed channel, and for a second, he paused.

      Knighthawks, we’re on the clock here. Launch in five…four…

      Nate tensed his body as the internal doors opened in sequence; all while the electromagnetic rail launcher shunted him forwards. There was, of course, no need to throw him into space. It was not like he needed the speed to help him rise above the water, but it would send him clear of the ship, and allow the doors to remain open for just a moment. One after the other slid open and then shut behind him, like a series of jaws trying to bite off his fighter’s tail. And then he was in space and freed from the confines of the warship.

      CAP is already inbound, but you’ve got a sixty-second lead. Use everything you’ve got, and watch out for the designated flak corridor.

      Crap!

      Nate realised he’d not checked. A quick glance showed he was already inside the danger zone. He rolled away and spun the fighter clear just as Relentless sent out a warning ID for the gunfire. Since her refit she’d been upgraded with a sophisticated fire control system linked to an impressive array of weapons, including twenty-four Gatling gun turrets positions all around the ship. Unlike carriers of the past, she had the armour and weaponry to hold her own in battle even without her embarked fighters.

      Got it! Nate said as he moved free.

      The alarms stopped their drone, and he was able to concentrate directly ahead. The approaching fighters were too far away to see with the naked eye, but the powerful radar systems on Relentless could pinpoint every object for the thousands of kilometres in all directions. That data fed into his fighter’s system and onto his helmet overlay.

      Okay, they’re moving in seriously fast. You ready?

      Right with you, Billy said as he boosted his engines to maximum.

      Okay, full burn…now!

      As they moved faster and faster away from the safety of the carrier, long streaks of light extended out behind them. There was much more to worry about out here than just the fighters, and he found himself constantly checking his surroundings. The energy storms encircling Prometheus made navigation perilously dangerous, and one wrong move could put him close to an energy bloom. He’d seen what happened under those circumstances and had no interest in seeing it again.

      There’s the CAP. Mark Three Six and coming in hot.

      Nate checked to his left and then nodded.

      Got them. They’re too far back. These bombers must have been waiting until they were far enough away. Clever. If they time this right, they could hit Relentless without us firing a shot. But not today, not now.

      His fingers moved to the weapon controls and flipped the safety from the ordnance panel. As the duty fighters, the pair was fitted for fleet defence duties, and that meant a mixture of Dragon V long-range missiles, and Pulsar short-range high velocity missiles.

      I’ve got lock, said Billy, But there’s just three fighters? That makes no sense. They’ll never get through. Relentless will shred them.

      Nate nodded as the lights flickered and then stabilised. His targeting matrix was now locked onto the squadron coming for them.

      Knighthawk Leader, said Commander Higgins, the ship’s CAG, and the man responsible for coordinating the pilots into battle, We’ve still been unable to make contact. They will be on the edge of our defence zone in thirty seconds. Once it’s breached, they will be considered hostiles.

      Understood, said Nate, We’ll stop them. I recommend launching more fighters and extending the perimeter. There might be more out there.

      Already on the way, Ensign.

      Nate nodded to himself. It made sense that the three heading right for them might be nothing more than a diversion to strip away the defending fighters. And it was critical that the ship was not left unguarded. He looked off to his flank and could see Billy’s fighter right beside him. The long and powerful Dragon V missiles were fitted to hardpoints above and below the stubby wings. They could fire them now and expect hits, but that was the last thing he wanted to do.

      You okay?

      I don’t like this, said Billy, Just fighters against Relentless? Even with the element of surprise, they won’t get through.

      "Maybe. Maybe not. Don’t forget Yorkdale. They brought

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