Bonaparte's Last Charge

“Dreadnoughts ahead, Captain.”

Captain Frederic Bonaparte nodded to the helmsman. “Good work. Inform the rest of the fleet.”

As he strode across the bridge of his battleship The Ixion, Bonaparte looked over the scans coming in from the frigates and corvettes that provided his escort. They were passing through hostile territory where dispatched scout ships had scanned a small coalition of planets. That coalition had attacked Bonaparte's home planet once before, however, and part of his desire to establish diplomatic ties with one of the most powerful guilds in the sector was to be able to exact revenge.       
"Not yet, though. No, we're not ready yet,” he muttered to himself. Revenge had been his motivation through the Academy. He had to be the best so he could one day captain a ship and lead a fleet against the men who had descended upon his planet with no provocation and rained destruction down on his home and his life.

Mother. Father. I will avenge you. I swear it. But not today. I'm sorry. Pain and fury welled up in his chest but Bonaparte had spent the last fifteen years learning how to control his emotions. He allowed them to rise up and infect his mentality before taking a deep breath and pushing them to the back of his mind. Pain and anger were fuel for his motivation but he had never let emotions control him.

“Ensign, contact the corvettes Rabca and Tigress and order them to move into a flanking position on those dreadnoughts. Tell them to scan the targets but not to engage even if fired upon.”
“Yes, sir.”

With one ear on the burst transmission to his escort vessels, Bonaparte turned his mind to the task in front of him. He was the representative from his home planet on his way to a meeting with a powerful system lord, Kryston. If the meeting went well, his planet would be accepted under the system lord's dominion and protection.

With that protection, I'll be able to strike back at my parents' murderers. Justice will be done.
“Sir, Rabca and Tigress have reached flanking position and have commenced scanning of the enemy fleet. Normal scan so far.”
“Keep me updated ensign. I want to know the moment anything changes. I don't care if someone sneezes on those things, the moment something is different.”
“Understood, sir.”
“Send the scans to my chair. I'll review them as they come in.”

A small series of beeps indicated the scans were ready to be viewed as Bonaparte ceased his pacing and returned to his chair. The scans from Rabca and Tigress showed five dreadnoughts in prime condition with a sizable fighter escort. He smiled when he noticed that the technology level was barely enough to produce dreadnoughts and the fighters were considerably outdated compared to his own, but even so, the dreadnoughts posed a significant threat.

Bonaparte considered the enemy fleet for another moment, his eyes glazing over the specs that scrolled down his screen. Dreadnoughts were powerful ships but slow and he had studied very few space battles between skilled opponents where dreadnoughts were used as anything but mobile base defenses.

“Ensign, have the Rabca and Tigress extend their sweep. I want to know if there are any planetary bodies out there. Even if it's just space debris, I want it scanned and cataloged. Five dreadnoughts are not just sitting out in empty space.”

As he waited for the new scan data to come in, he considered the possibility of a hidden base somewhere in the vicinity. It would certainly explain the fleet he was looking at, and it would provide a very good forward position for an assault against his home. The possibility troubled him.

“You were right, Sir. Rabca picked up on a small asteroid field surrounding a smaller yellow star in the Alpha-Delta 597 quadrant. Both asteroids have been terraformed. Rabca is conducting further scans while Tigress continues scanning the enemy fleet.”

 
Bonaparte said nothing. Two bases within a few parsecs of his home. How had no one seen them before? How had his scouts missed this?

“Have the Rabca scan for orbital shipyards. We need to know if this is where they are producing those dreadnoughts.”
“Report just came in, Sir. Scans show two shipyards orbiting one of the larger asteroids in the field. Seems we've stumbled upon a major production center here, Captain.”
“It would seem so,” Bonaparte said, almost to himself. “Contact the commander of the Fleet Carrier Troy and connect it through my quarters,” he barked.
“Right away, sir,” came the reply, but Bonaparte was already striding off the bridge. Upon entering his quarters, he opened the holo feed and waited for the connection to go through. He didn't have to wait long before the screen resolved into the gruff face of Captain Sian Rafferty.

“Captain Rafferty.”
“Captain Bonaparte.” Rafferty always said that with a smile, aware of the historical significance of Bonaparte's name, but today the smile was tinged with worry. “Your orders?”
“I want you to hold position here and harry those dreadnoughts and their fighter escort.”

Rafferty shook his head, his smile transforming into a grimace. “Thought you might say that, sir, but what good is the Troy going to have against five dreadnoughts? Even Ixion wouldn't dent the armor on those things.”
“I understand that perfectly well, Captain. I am also aware that our fighters are technologically superior in both weapons and armor. What I want you to do is keep them here. I don't want those dreadnoughts getting the bright idea that this little diplomatic fleet leaves us vulnerable. We don't have the defenses back home to deal with those dreadnoughts unless we can convince Kryston we're worthy of his protection.”

Rafferty watched Bonaparte closely, his dark eyes piercing the distance between their ships until it felt like they were standing only a foot apart. Bonaparte kept still under the intense scrutiny, not fidgeting, and met Rafferty stare for stare.

“You sure this is wise, sir? You're putting my entire crew and the crew of four hundred fighters at risk if they decide to bite back.”
“I'm aware of the risks, Captain. Would you prefer to see those dreadnoughts over the skies of Luana?” Luana was Rafferty's home city and one of the most beautiful on the planet. Bonaparte hated to threaten Rafferty like that, but he needed to have someone he trusted keep an eye on the area.

Anger swept over Rafferty's features for a moment before he was able to control them. His eyes still burned with it, though he kept his voice calm. “You don't think they'll take this as an act of aggression, Captain Bonaparte? If we start taking pot shots at them, they might take it upon themselves to remove us completely. And then not only Luana will suffer.” Rafferty wasn't quite able to keep the heat out of his voice at this mention of his home city.
“Then you had best pray that my meeting with Kryston goes well. Those are your orders, Captain. I expect you to carry them out to the best of your abilities.”
“Yes, sir.” Rafferty said, giving a formal salute.

“Rafferty,” Bonaparte continued. Rafferty hesitated from switching off the comm screen. “Be careful. As much as we can't afford to lose Luana, Luana can't afford to lose you either. Keep yourself and your men alive as long as you can. If it looks like they are going to retaliate, get out of there. Try and draw them away from home.”

Rafferty nodded once more before switching off his feed, and Bonaparte sighed. Rafferty was a skilled captain and a good friend. He hated manipulating him like that. The sacrifices we make. Before he could reflect on the matter any further, alarm klaxons sounded throughout the ship. Bonaparte sprinted back to the bridge and shouted, “Report!”
“Sir, the enemy fleet started powering up weapons and shields. Rabca and Tigress have begun to retreat but they won't make it out of there in time.”

“Tell all escort corvettes and frigates to open fire on the dreadnoughts. Draw their fire away from Rabca and the Tigress until they can rejoin the fleet. Then sound a full retreat.”

Bonaparte stood looking out of the forward viewing screen, his eyes intent on the destruction erupting before him. Missiles, plasma charges, and ion blasts lit up the screen as they streaked toward the shielded dreadnoughts that were slowly moving into firing position against the small fleet. Fast moving laser blasts lit up the shields and obscured the targets.
“Come on, something's got to get through. For everything holy, let something get through.” Bonaparte didn't realize the prayer came from his lips. “Increase magnification on the lead ship.”
“Sir, scanners are picking up on a massive fighter force deploying from the dreadnought bays. We're about to have a serious problem.”
“Have all unshielded escort units fall back behind the Ixion. I want missile units to continue firing all banks. Have corvettes and destroyers focus fire on the fighters. And where are the Rabca and Tigress?” Bonaparte shouted. The klaxons blaring throughout his ship were grating on his nerves, but his people had been through enough battles to ignore it. He just hoped they have the chance to see a few more.
“Returning at maximum impulse speed, Captain, but the fighters are gaining on them. They won't reach the safety of the fleet before they're overwhelmed.”

Bonaparte looked back to the view screen. “Shift view to the Rabca and Tigress.” A moment passed as the visualizers realigned and then the two corvettes appeared. They were smaller ships, outfitted for long-range scanning and rapid transport, and they were followed closely by swarms of small fighters.
“Do we have numbers on those fighters, Ensign?” Bonaparte demanded.
“Over two thousand sir. They've reached the Rabca and Tigress.”

Bonaparte looked back, watched as his friends aboard those ships faced certain doom and kept pushing forward. No, I won't see this happen again. I won't let this happen again.
“Increase forward impulse speed, Helmsman, and bring us toward the Rabca. . Ensign, contact Captain Rafferty and tell him to unload every fighter under his command. I want those ships back in with the fleet right now,” he said, a strange calm upon him. He finally knew what he had to do, finally had a motivation beyond himself, to do something great.
“Helmsman, transfer all controls to my chair. I'm issuing an immediate evacuation for all personnel aboard the Ixion”

Every eye on the bridge turned to their captain. Bonaparte remained standing on the bridge, feet apart, hands clasped behind his back. “It has been an honor to fight by your sides. Remember why we fight: to protect those we love, to protect our home, to protect our ideals. Remember that. Remember me.” He paused to survey the crew that had lived by his side for the last several years. “Now get to your escape pods. We still have a mission to complete.”

As one, every member on the bridge stood and saluted. “Sir, yes sir!” erupted from a dozen voices. With that, every member quickly moved to their transport tubes. Bonaparte returned to his chair, his eyes on the screens before him, his fingers flying across the controls as he opened fire on the fighters from laser turrets and launched missiles against the dreadnoughts. His weapons would not penetrate the dreadnought shields, but at the cost of his life, he would save his people.

Mother. Father. I'm sorry I couldn't avenge you. But I have to save who I can. He increased forward impulse speed toward the lead dreadnought. If his weapons couldn't penetrate the shields, then he would have to do it himself.

He opened up one last transmission to Rafferty.
“Captain Rafferty.” Rafferty came onscreen. His eyes were hard. “My fighters are have drawn the enemy away from the Rabca and Tigress. They'll make it back to the fleet.”

Bonaparte nodded. “Sian, get everyone out of here. Take my place at the negotiating table. Get Kryston to agree. That is my final order.” Rafferty watched Bonaparte for another moment. “It has been an honor my friend.”

Bonaparte nodded to his friend for the final time and terminated the transmission. His people would survive. After twenty years of wanting revenge and never being satisfied, Frederic Bonaparte felt contentment. A small smile greeted his lips as the Ixion collided with the dreadnought's shields, lasers and missiles still firing as he and his ship disappeared in space.