TCS Behemoth
| TCS Behemoth | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type | Behemoth-Class Dreadnought |
| Manufacturer | |
| Introduction | 2669 |
| Primary user | Terran Confederation |
The TCS Behemoth was a Behemoth-Class Dreadnought operated by the Terran Confederation in 2669. It was the first ship of its class, and was designated as a planet killer.
Background
The TCS Behemoth is the end result of the Behemoth Project, a top secret Terran military project that was initiated approximately ten years prior to 2669. The project was led by Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn during the ongoing Terran-Kilrathi War, with the sole purpose of destroying the Kilrathi homeworld of Kilrah. It was hoped that by destroying their homeworld, the Kilrathi would lose all means by which to wage war on humanity, effectively securing victory for the Confederation.
Design
The Behemoth took the form of a super dreadnought, and by the time of its completion was one of the largest vessels in the Confederation's arsenal. The vessel was designed as a large series of superconducting energy amplification conduits, focusing 500,000,000 gigawatts against a single point of impact on any target. The target at the end of that point, be it a warship, space station, or even a planet, would be instantly destroyed.
Service
thumb|300px|right|The TCS Behemoth fires on Loki VI; the Victory provides close escort. The TCS Behemoth was still in its finishing stages of production when the Confederation found itself on the brink of defeat after the disastrous Battle of Earth in 2668. The Kilrathi Empire had renewed its fearsome armada and was encroaching Terran territories all across the frontier. With the constant defeats felt during the course of 2669, it became clear that Earth would fall by year's end if immediate action was not taken. Thus, the Behemoth was forced to enter service earlier than anticipated. Unfortunately, this rapid activation meant that proper defensive systems, such as keel mounts and laser turrets had yet to be installed. The vessel also suffered some shield malfunctions that left several key areas on the ship particularly vulnerable to attack. Finally, the laser had not been properly tested, forcing Confed to test it on the frontlines.
Admiral Tolwyn assigned the TCS Victory and her task force with the task of escorting the Behemoth during its testing run against the Kilrathi. This was the reason why he had a pilot as illustrious as Colonel Christopher Blair assigned to such a vessel. Tolwyn himself arrived on the Victory to take command of the operation. On 2669.245, the Victory and her fleet rendezvoused with the TCS Behemoth in the Torgo System, where they were ambushed by the Kilrathi. After driving off the assault and refueling the mammoth warship, the Victory escorted the Behemoth to her testing site in the Loki System, where she was to destroy a Kilrathi outpost on Loki VI. The planet orbited a quasar, which periodically disabled all means of communication, making it an ideal site for a covert test. After pilots from the TCS Victory successfully fended off multiple Kilrathi patrols, the Behemoth fired on Loki VI, completely destroying the planet. With confirmation of the vessel's operational status, Admiral Tolwyn ordered an immediate strike on Kilrah.
Unfortunately, the attack was not to be. Kilrathi Colonel Ralgha nar Hhallas, once a loyal pilot of the Terran Confederation, was prompted to betray his Terran comrades when his personality overlay was removed by Crown Prince Thrakhath nar Kiranka. He leaked the weak points of the Behemoth to Thrakhath, allowing the Crown Prince to launch a massive attack on the vessel. Colonel Blair and his wingmen fought desperately to save the vessel, but the Behemoth was eventually destroyed after a concentrated attack by Kilrathi bombers, resulting in a massive defeat for the Terran Confederation.
The loss of the Behemoth would have signaled the destruction of humanity had Brigadier General James Taggart not introduced the Temblor Bomb that would eventually see Kilrah's destruction. After the War ended in a Terran victory, production of the Behemoth was discontinued.
