Fourth Battle of Venus


 * Seen in: “The Price of Courage”
 * Previous: Battle of Antarctica
 * Next: Battle of The Moon
 * War: Neosapien War
 * Year: 2120
 * Location: Venus
 * Tactical victory: Exofleet, Pirate Clans
 * Strategic victory: Exofleet, Pirate Clans
 * Objective
 * Exofleet: defend Venus
 * Pirate Clans: defend Venus
 * Neosapien Commonwealth: capture Venus
 * Factions
 * Exofleet
 * Pirate Clans
 * Neosapien Commonwealth
 * Commanding officer
 * Exofleet: Winfield, J.T. Marsh
 * Pirate Clans: Jonas Simbacca
 * Neosapien Commonwealth: Shiva
 * Units
 * Exofleet: Resolute II, Exofrigates, Able Squad, E-frames
 * Pirate Clans:
 * Neosapien Commonwealth: Earth Fleet, Mars Fleet, Venus Fleet, E-frames
 * Casualties
 * Exofleet: Exofrigates, E-frames
 * Pirate Clans:
 * Neosapien Commonwealth: Earth Fleet, Mars Fleet, Venus Fleet, E-frames

History
Shiva was taken to Phaeton City to meet with Phaeton. There Phaeton gave him command of the entire Neosapien navy. The losses taken against Exofleet and the Pirate Clans had depleted the Neosapien Commonwealth's naval reserves. Shiva was to attack Venus in a desperate attempt to force Exofleet on the defensive. Phaeton was confident that given more time he could rebuild the military and go on the offensive.

Shiva pointed out that the navy lacked the numbers to attack and Exofleet would be able to intercept them before he could get into strike range. However, Phaeton had planned for that, a gigantic solar flare would temporarily blind every sensor system between Earth and Venus. That would give Shiva the element of surprise. When Shiva stated that defeat would destroy their space borne defense lines, Phaeton replied: "All war is a gamble. Everything is chance".

At Venus Algernon had taken the Resolute II's engines offline for an overhaul that would require 6 days to complete. During this time Exofleet would be vulnerable without the Exocarrier. Winfield informed Marsh that he was taking the majority of the fleet on a decoy run near Earth. When asked about the option of the decoy run failing, he replied: "It's a calculated risk J.T. War is always a gamble".

The Neosapien fleet was detected, but the long range meant that the bridge crew identified it as a patrol. Winfield ordered that the decoy run continue, hoping to deceive the Neosapiens. Shiva refused to fall for the decoy run and contined with the attack on Venus. However, Thrax was sent in a Neosapien Scout Ship to track Exofleet's movements.

The solar flare occured and the Neosapien fleet flew towards Venus at flank speed. On the Resolute II Simbacca and Marsh were informed of a sensor contact. Marsh instantly realized that the decoy run had failed. Marsh ordered all the E-frames on Venus to return to the Resolute II and that the Neosapiens were only 1 hour away. Algernon reported that engines were not operational and suggest towing the Resolute II. Marsh replied that the Resolute II would be the primary target. Leaving it stationary would allow them to identify the attack's focus point. Then the E-frame squads would know where to attack the flanks and break the Neosapien's fleets cohesion. Simbacca endorsed the plan and placed Marsh in command of the counterattack.

The Neosapien's were suffering repeated sensor failures because of the solar flare, but Shiva was not concerned since they were closing to visual range. As the Neosapien fleet closed in using a sphere formation, Marsh commenced a hit and run attack on the flagship. Although Shiva lost several ships and the flagship suffered damage, the formation remained intact. Neosapien E-frames were launched for a counterattack and Marsh was informed that the Exofrigates had taken positions. He then ordered a retreat.

Numerous Exofleet ships engaged the Neosapien fleet and many were destroyed. At close range Exofleet launched dozens of Fusion Torpedoes. Shiva realized that he had been lured into a trap and broke formation, but several ships were destroyed. Once the formation had broken, Marsh ordered another E-frame assault on the flagship. This time the flagship suffered severe damage. Shiva ordered the sphere to reform, but the flagship lost weapons and engines.

Realizing the flagship was finished, he ordered all E-frames to be deployed and attack the Resolute II. Marsh, seeing Shiva's tactic, ordered the E-frame squads to defend the Resolute II. Onboard, Simbacca told Algernon that they could only suffer the attack as the Resolute II took damage. Eventually Exofleet inflicted too many casualities and shattered the Neosapien lines. Deprived of the flagship, the capital ships, and most of their E-frames; the Neosapiens retreated. None of the surviving ships were seen at the Battle of The Moon.

Shiva was shot down by Marsh and crashed on Venus. Saying "It is... finished", he was captured, but soon died from his wounds.