Saepheron (Ship)

The Saepheron was an Invictor-Class warship of the Imperial Navy. Its long service history has seen it deployed across several regions of space and participation in numerous engagements. The latest of major note was during the Imperial-Kharadonese War. It was during this later war that the Saepheron earned its initial fame in the Carpathia Sector. During the Battle of the Fora Drift where the Saepheron destroyed eight enemy vessels, crippled two, and through a daring boarding operation captured an escort carrier.

Dimensions and General Information
 * Length: 6,007 meters
 * Width: 497 meters at widest
 * Propulsion: 8x Heratio-XIX Ion Drives, 4x Heratio-IV/D Ion Heavy thrusters
 * FTL Capable: Yes. Imperial Slipspace Drive: Marathon-II Class Slipspace Drive
 * Energy Plant: Basila-Class Seradite Core
 * Armor: 25 meters of reinforced Tri-Stradium Plate and Adamantium reinforced super structure.
 * Armaments: 4x prow mounted Torpedo tubes with 12x Issus-II/C torpedoes. 36x M-Class railgun, 12x Dual-Linked M-2 Plasma Cannons, and 4x SXII-Class Heavy Lances comprising main starboard and portside batteries. 1x under prow mounted Shortlance cannon. 14x Missile pods located along the ships hull. Numerous point defense weapons and CWIS and 2x aft boarding pod launchers. A small drop hangar on the bottom of the ship with a 4-8 shuttes or transports.
 * FLAK Screen equipped
 * Crew: 3,140

Early Service
The Saepheron was part of one of the last production runs for the ''Invictor-Class. ''As the class had been deemed obsolete by new Imperial designs developed during the early 8th century. However, it was kept in production until such a time as the newer designs could be in sufficient numbers. Its hull was laid down in the vast geo-stationary dockyards and orbital shipyards of Aestana I during the Autumn of 886, Imperial Calendar. Launched during the Spring of 889 of the Imperial Calendar and initially attached to the Aestan Sector Reserve Fleet.

The Saepheron's time with the Reserve Fleet was rather uneventful. Spending nearly ten years on routine patrols or in high orbit over worlds far from any potentially dangerous zone of space.

However, in 898 it received word that it would be participating in the conquest of the Southward Reaches in the Astral Proviciales Extremis. As such it immediately made for the rendezvous location in the Icaron System. Icaron being a strategically important world to the Emperian Empire and near the frontier of Imperial space. Yet, the Saepheron would arrive just after the initial Imperial offensives had commenced into the territories belonging to the Zkarith Empire. An Empire of fourteen star systems within the Southward Reaches and the primary foe to be faced by the Empire in its expansion there. The ship therefore was attached to the 44th Mobile Reserve Fleet and stationed in the newly conquered system of SR/Z-02. Later known as the Calbrant System by 899. The Conquest of the Southward Reaches however would be a long lasting affair spread over what would be considered three Sectors in size. As with the Zkarith Empire there was also a number of smaller interstellar dominions resisting Imperial rule. Some of which belonged to the Bizantarian Interstellar Confederacy. A Confederacy of a number of semi-autonomous interstellar nations throughout the regions within the Astral Provinciales Extremis and Temporal. Ultimately leading to the far larger and primary conflict known as the Great Bizantarian Wars (901-916; 919-922; 922-923; 988-1021) which would encompass four separate phases spread over more than a hundred years.

The first engagement the Saepheron would participate in would be during the Folgerantis Campaign against the Zkarith Empire. The Zkarith, a race of sapient insectoids resembling a cross between a bee and a horse deployed nine vessels. Six corvettes, one frigate, and two light cruisers of the Zkarith Navy engaged the 44th Mobile Reserve Fleet of nineteen Imperial ships at extreme range (eight or more light minutes) over Folgerantis Quintus. The fourth planet in the system orbiting the second sun, Folgerantis Proxima, and devoid of all life with little to no resources on its surface. Yet, it would bear witness to a twelve hour duel between the two formations at their maximum engagement ranges. Fought during the 2nd of Njael to the 3rd. The Zkarith suffered four damaged ships which managed to transit out of the system safely; The Imperials suffered five damaged ships needing repairs and a crippled destroyer which was guided safely out of the system by an Imperial cruiser. The Saepheron's ship logs listed it having scored two direct hits on enemy ships during the fight. The 44th could not pursue as developments else ware in the system were unfolding rapidly. In the solar morning hours of Njael 3rd a transmission was received from Admiral Oren of the 222nd Imperial Mobile Fleet, forty-two vessels and a component of the 2nd Imperial Southward Fleet, that Zkarith reinforcements had entered the system 2.5 AU away from the primary areas of void operations in the system near the habitable planet of Folgerantis A-Sextus. Orbiting the system's other sun of Folgerantis Alpha.

The Folgerantis A-Sextus campaign had been a stalemate for nearly five days as the 222nd Imperial Mobile Fleet fought a protracted engagement with the Zkarith defending fleet forces of fifty-one vessels. Already the Imperials had lost four ships to the Zkarith's three. For the Zkarith ships were made of a peculiar material that slowly healed after battles. Making protracted engagements less lethal to them. Zkarith reinforcements would force Admiral Oren to break away from the planet and abandon the Imperial Army forces that had been landed in a blitzkrieg operation that saw over six divisions worth of troopers dropped over the course of two hours. As a result Oren ordered the commander of the 44th Mobile Reserve Fleet, Rear Admiral Horne, to make all speed to Folgerantis A-Sextus. At sublight speeds it would take nearly twenty hours for the 44th to arrive. Short range FTL jumps being out of the question due to the presence of a large asteroid belt cutting through the system and being close enough to Folgerantis A-Sextus to prevent safe transit. As such the 44th broke into a race against time towards the 222nd's last known coordinates.

Battle of Folgerantis A-Sextus

The Battle of Folgerantis A-Sextus started at 13:04 solar time on the 6th of Njael, 901 Imperial Calendar. The Grand Cruisers Bukaleon and Saepheron made for a flanking maneuver with a squadron of destroyers and four Frigates. While the Battleships Regulon, Erazmus, and Oppantus Secundus opened up with a massive broadside followed by the assault craft of the combined fleets six carriers. The Zkarith forces all together accounted for over one hundred ships of various classes and sizes with an estimated thousand of strike craft, drones, and other craft taking part in the massive set piece void battle that occurred.

The battleships first broadside and following salvos destroyed six enemy vessels and caused the retreat of three others. The 222nd's cruisers moved to closing speeds under the cover of the Battleships and strike craft. While the 44ths moved in parallel. Ultimately closing to within 900,000 kilometers and engaging in full broadside after a massive torpedo salvo that reduced another five enemy ships to wrecks. The cost of the Imperial maneuvers was two destroyers, two frigates, and a single cruiser lost during the advance to the enemy. When several direct hits ruptured the vessels portside magazines in a chain reaction. The flanking maneuver came into effect as it drew the enemy forces in half and delivered a second punishing torpedo salvo. Six enemy vessels of capital ship class were lost and another vessel of frigate size was crippled and later killed by the plasma cannons of the Saepheron as the flanking vessels closed to within 700,000 kilometers. However, any chance of immediate victory was dashed when a stray ballistic weapon shot from an enemy vessel managed to get through the defenses of Admiral Oren's flagship, The Seiner, a Korona-Class Cruiser and detonate close to the bridge. Mortally wounding the Admiral and the bridges crew. Rear Admiral Horne orchestrated an orderly withdrawal to the far side of Folgerantis A-Sextus. The Zkarith did not pursue. Allowing the Imperials to reform their formation and conduct a counter-stroke. Assault craft harried the Zkarith fleet constantly and at full speed the combined Imperial forces moved in four separate prongs. Forming a broad semi-circle the Imperials orchestrated a massively concentrated, simultaneously, assault that shattered the Zkarith formation. Fragmenting them into several pockets that were systematically destroyed or dealt heavy losses. The Zkarith in the end lost approximately forty-nine ships in this engagement to the Imperials thirteen. Forcing the former into a disorganized withdrawal from the system. Folgarentis A-Sextus was declared captured by Imperial ground forces ten days later.

Fall of Zkarith Prime

The next major engagement the Saepheron participated in was during the invasion of the Zkarith's home system from 15.Zertian.902 to 14.Asvilr.902 Imperial Calendar. It was the largest Imperial operation against the Zkarith Empire to date. Having battled across nine systems and ten worlds the Imperial forces of the 4th Southward Front advanced from the outskirts of the system. Poised to crush the Zkarith homeworld and splinter their Empire into five remaining pockets of resistance. The 44th Imperial Reserve Fleet had been folded into the 222nd Imperial Mobile Fleet with Rear Admiral Horne promoted to Vice Admiral. It would be part of the whole 2nd Imperial Southward Fleet numbering just under four hundred warships and over a thousand support or transport vessels ferrying the 126th Imperial Army Group numbering over three million troops.

The Fall of Zkarith Prime was the final major operation during the course of the Zkarith phase of conflict in the pacification of the Southward Reaches of the Andromeda Galaxy. The Saepheron conducted itself well during the operation and managed to destroy no less than three Zkarith ships in direct duels. The Zkarith defenders in a desperate bid to defend their home world often resorted to suicidal ramming or extremely close range engagements. Numerous officers present would call the entire Zkarith Prime affair as little more than a 'gang knife fight' akin to those found on extremely populated worlds.

Service in the Bizantarian Wars
903: The Kolshack Worlds

In 903 Imperial Calendar the Saepheron and the Bukaleon were attached to the 1st Imperial Southward Fronts under the command of Admiral Vargantis' 57th Imperial Mobile Fleet. Tasked with supporting the 33rd Imperial Army Group's advance through the Kolshack Worlds. The 57th was a heavily reinforced formation of 92 warships and made the initial push at Kolshack VI. Entering the double binary system one astronomical unit away from the planet and entering high orbit over the planet unopposed. The Bizantarian's defending void assets amounted to little more than a flotilla of corvettes and a destroyer that fled rather than face annihilation.

The Bizantarian Navy was a combination of a Confederate Navy made up of various member nations loaned ships. But only centralized in wartime, and member nations still retained their own void and terrestrial assets. The largest military component was that of the Imperium Bizantar or Bizantarian Empire. The Kolshack Worlds belonged directly to the Bizantarian Empire as sparsely populated colony worlds, except for Kolshack I and VII which were highly populated, and as such almost all void based assets were over those two planets. The 33rd Imperial Army Group landed the 44th Seremlan Infantry Regiment which occupied the planet over the course of five solar days. Of course by then the 57th had moved on and on Auctoritas 6th was engaged in a battle mid-way between Kolshack VI and VII against the gathered forces of the Bizantarian's defending system forces amounting to sixty-seven vessels. Admiral Vargantis gave the defending Bizantarians a bloody nose, causing them to lose seventeen ships and damage to several others for no ships lost only six heavily damaged vessels that were taken off the fighting line and sent to Imperial rear areas for refit and repair.

The Kolshack Campaign then escalated with the arrival of Bizantarian Confederate reinforcements in the form of their 16th Confederate Fleet number forty-four ships. Imperial reinforcements were forthcoming however as the Imperial Navy's Taskforce 188 comprising eighteen ships detached from the Adana Sector Fleet arrived around the same time due to accurate intelligence on Bizantarian fleet movements. The Saepheron would form the core of Taskforce Kolshack with several smaller ships and move to harass the 16th Confederate Fleet as it made for Kolshack I. The Imperials arriving merely a few solar hours before and proceeding to wreck the Kolshack orbital dockyards and repair facilities. While also killing a Bizantrian cruiser using torpedoes. This caused an abrupt change in course by the 16th Confederate as their commanding officer, Exarchus Marius Appolius, predicted the Imperials would convene over the planet and move as a single unified force. The Exarchus guess was half true as the Imperials did merge forces over Kolshack I, that being the Saepheron's taskforce and Taskforce 188. Allowing the 33rd Imperial Army Group to drop the 94th Imperial Army onto the planet to begin ground warfare operations. Upon learning this the Exarchus made all speed to Kolshack I in a relief attempt. A relief attempt that would lead to a series of skirmishes over the entire month of Auctoritas and lead to the 16th Confederate absorbing all other Bizantarian naval elements in the system as the 57th Imperial Fleet spread out to fight maneuver warfare.

The Kolshack campaign in space was ended officially on Zeptimir 13th when the 16th Confederate, totally twenty-eight remaining ships, withdrew from the system after fighting a delaying action over Kolshack II as the Bizantarian Interstellar Confederacy evacuated military assets and millions of civilians. Deeming the Kolshack Worlds to be a lost cause for the moment and preferring to conserve its strength for its later offensives in 904 and 905.

904: The Confederacy Attacks

The Bizantarian Interstellar Confederacy in the beginning of 904 had lost over thirty worlds to the Emperian Empire. Its leadership council ordered its military apparatus to conduct a massive counter stroke against the Imperials, primarily targeting the lost worlds of the Cobalt Expanse, occupying sixteen worlds. For this operation, Imperial intelligence estimated that the Confederates had amassed nearly 40% of their entire Naval strength and nearly twenty percent of all ground based assets comprising over ten million troops.

The Saepheron was still attached to the 57th and would see action in the defense of Noricum V as the Confederacy launched a massive invasion of the world in an attempt to recapture it. There the Saepheron suffered extensive damage to its starboard batteries but brought down a Confederate battlecruiser class ship. However it could not be moved to reserve as the 57th was forced to cede the space over Noricum V as Imperial forces were increasingly stretched due to the incessant Confederate offensives. The Saepheron would return with the 57th and 69th Imperial Fleets moving into the system to recapture the planet and relieve the beleaguered Imperial Army forces there. Still damaged and fighting across the Noricum system but also participating in the defense of Rhaetia Primaris and Rhaetia Octanus around the same time until the end of 904 when the ship was moved to dockyards orbiting Kolshack II for repair and refit.

The repair and refit time at Kolshack II, however, would be abruptly short. As the 16th Confederate Fleet exited from FTL over the planet and conducted a lightning quick operation that disabled more than three quarters of the orbital facilities. Destroyed nine ships and damaged over twenty others before breaking for the edges of the system. The Saepheron managed to survive, but took a direct hit to its aft by a confederate torpedo strike, and lost half of its engines. It's captain at the time, Vyzant Janizar, instituted an emergency Slipspace micro-jump. Taking the ship and twelve kilometers of orbital dry docking facilities half way across the system. Exiting the jump near Kolshack XII/E. One of the moons orbiting the gas giant of Kolshack XII. Its Slipspace drive malfunctioning and only able to achieve a fraction of its sublight speed.

What happened next was a months long ordeal as the Saepheron limped through the system. Harassed by confederate forces, but surviving, and eventually linking up with a small squadron of escort ships (several destroyers and frigates) that had been in system and gathered under Grand Captain Markiver. A future officer of the Admiralty who earned his initial commands fighting in the first phases of the Bizantarian wars.