Here is the first snippet of The Star Engine, coming July 12, 2024. Be sure to preorder from Amazon. https://amzn.to/3V9blRc

Prologue

October 22, 2410

Golgotha

Unclaimed Space

Admiral Collae opened his dark eyes and activated the door to his quarters.  The communications rating outside the door froze, one hand still raised to rap on the hatch.  “Yes?” Admiral Collae asked.

To the rating’s credit, she straightened and reported sharply, “Sir, we’re picking up a group of unidentified vessels approaching from outside the system’s plane.”  Approaching off the axis of a star system’s plane of rotation was a standard tactic for those attempting to escape notice.

He didn’t rise from his chair, not yet.  If these ships were within weapon’s range, his ships would have already been going to battle-stations.  He had time, and it wouldn’t do for his people to think he was nervous.  “Any matches for ship classes?”

“No, sir, though they are similar to the emissions signatures of the reported alien craft that we encountered at Kapteyn’s Star,” Her response was crisp and professional, her voice level.  Admiral Collae approved, especially since he knew that this rating had lost her older brother at that engagement.  Dispassionate and intelligent, I will have to ensure she continues her advancement.

“Very well,” Admiral Collae said.  “Inform the Captain that I will be on the bridge in a moment.”

She snapped out a crisp salute and Admiral Collae toggled the switch to close his hatch.  He looked over at his guest, “So it begins.”

Spencer Penwaithe gave him a nod, his expression sour, “It was bound to happen sooner or later.  Marius wasted too much time with his idiot daughter.  You can hold, I assume?”

“Of course,” Admiral Collae stood.  He moved a chess piece into place.

Spencer gave a snort of amusement and took it.  “That’s check… and mate, I believe.”

“Indeed,” Admiral Collae nodded, his expression stony.  Spencer Penwaithe always won their games, but chess never had been Admiral Collae’s game, anyway.  “If you’ll excuse, me, sir?”

“Yes, of course,” Spencer rose as well.  The tall black man adjusted his suit jacket and tie, “Do let me know when this unpleasantness is over.  I’ll be in my quarters.”  The career manipulator seemed dismissive of the battle.  Then again, Spencer Penwaithe’s fights had always been ones fought in the shadows, where as often as not he’d eliminated his foes with daggers to the back while proclaiming his friendship to them.  All well and good, Admiral Collae thought to himself, but not much use in a space battle.  He was glad that his superior would not be joining him on the bridge.

It would have been awkward if he had to order him removed.  Admiral Collae didn’t need an amateur joggling his elbow.

***

“Ship count is seventeen, sir,” Captain Thompson reported as Admiral Collae stepped onto the bridge.  “They’re coming in emission silent, systems in standby mode.  We might not have picked them up without the facility’s sensors.”

“Yes, of course,” Admiral Collae took a seat in his command chair.  He listened to the rest of the briefing with half an ear as he contemplated the geometry of the approaching battle.  The standard question in this circumstance was to see if the enemy would come into weapons range with their systems still on standby mode.  If they would, then in theory they would be easy prey.

Admiral Collae didn’t bother with that approach.  It would be one thing if this were some pirate scum.  It was quite something else when he knew he faced an enemy that had not faced a significant defeat in over a million years.  This was nothing more than a skirmish to them, at this scale, and Admiral Collae would have to be a fool to let them get within range.

“Orders to Carrier Force Harpy, launch all fighters,” Admiral Collae growled.  “All Screen Force Bravo elements, fall back and link up with our main force.  Screen Force Alpha, move to our rear quarter.”  He paused as he considered the alignment of vessels.  “Force Manticore, withdraw to Point Golf Three.”  Force Manticore were three huge freighter vessels in orbit over the Star Engine.  Sending them to Point Golf Three put them below the facility, opposite the approach of the enemy force.

“Order Commodore Caras to Point Zulu One and Captain Vestillius to Point Zulu Two,” Admiral Collae said after a moment.  That put the renegade Centauri Confederation ships and Marius Giovanni’s forces out of the main axis of the fight, but he didn’t entirely trust them anyway.

“Yes, sir,” Captain Thompson replied.  As the orders went out, Admiral Collae ran a hand down his craggy features.  Now, he thought, let us see how intelligent a foe we face.

***