by Ryk Brown
“Breaking orbit,” Josh replied as he entered the commands into the ship’s auto-flight system and activated them.
The image of Casbon, filling the bottom third of the Aurora’s semi-spherical main view, began to drop away slowly as the ship accelerated out of orbit.
“Turning to course,” Josh reported, executing the change in heading.
“Course and speed in ten seconds,” Loki added.
“Raise shields and ready all weapons,” Nathan instructed.
“Shields coming up,” Jessica replied. “All weapons charged and ready.”
“Point defenses only,” Nathan reminded her. “We’re not trying to pick a fight.”
“I’ll try and control myself, sir,” Jessica joked.
“On course and speed,” Loki reported.
“XO is in combat,” Naralena added.
“Jump us to Ahka,” Nathan ordered.
“Jumping in three……two……one……jumping,” Loki announced.
The jump flash washed over the bridge, clearing a second later. The planet Ahka appeared in the center of the screen, hanging full and round, and growing in size with each passing second.
“Jump complete,” Loki reported. “Two minutes to orbital insertion at current speed.”
“Start deceleration to orbital velocity, and put us on a course for a standard equatorial orbit,” Nathan instructed. “Keep us on the high-side, Mister Sheehan, just in case.”
“Aye, sir,” Loki acknowledged. “Time to insertion will now be seven minutes.”
“Threat board is clear,” Jessica announced.
“Scanning the surface of Ahka,” Kaylah reported from the sensor station. “Picking up two launches.”
“Missiles?” Nathan wondered.
“Negative, sir,” Kaylah replied. “Looks like a pair of raiders.”
“Are they stupid?” Jessica wondered aloud. “We could take those things out with a single shot each.”
“Probably just for show,” Nathan decided. “They don’t want to appear too passive.”
“Two more launches,” Kaylah reported. “More raiders.”
“I’m tracking all four with the forward cannons,” Jessica announced.
“Stand down your cannons,” Nathan instructed. “Our shields can take a few hits, and we need to avoid appearing aggressive.”
“With one cannon?” Jessica questioned. When she got no response, she disabled the forward cannon’s tracking lock, as ordered. “All weapons are charged, and safe…no targeting locks.”
“Very well.”
“Four more launches,” Kaylah reported.
“That’s eight,” Jessica warned.
“Apparently, they’ve been busy rebuilding their little fleet,” Josh commented.
Nathan glanced at the planet on the view screen, noticing it was already twice the size it was when they first arrived. “Time to orbit?”
“Six minutes,” Loki replied.
“Multiple jumps,” Kaylah alerted, her tone more urgent. “Four flashes, two pairs to port quarter, two to starboard quarter. They’re targeting us.”
“They’re firing,” Jessica added.
The forward shields lit up, flashing an opaque, pale amber as four blasts impacted them.
“Attacking ships are turning away and jumping,” Kaylah reported.
“What the hell was that?” Nathan wondered, as the ship rocked gently from the weapons impacts on their forward shields.
“I’m guessing some kind of particle beam weapon,” Kaylah replied. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Can it get through our shields?” Nathan asked.
“Theoretically, no, but…”
“But what?”
“It packs a hell of a wallop,” Jessica added. “Just four hits and our forward shields are already down twenty percent.”
“Multiple simultaneous hits on the same shield section seem to increase the rate of shield drain exponentially,” Kaylah explained.
“Like I said, a hell of a wallop,” Jessica repeated.
“Four more just jumped in directly ahead, above and below our course,” Kaylah added.
Four more amber blasts struck their forward shields, rocking the ship and causing the shields to flash brightly.
“New targets are turning and jumping,” Kaylah continued, “just like the previous targets.”
“I guess that answers the question of whether or not they’re stupid,” Nathan decided.
“Their shields still suck,” Jessica insisted. “I can take them out if needed.”
“Comms, hail the Ahka, all channels and frequencies. Tell them we come in peace, but will defend ourselves if they continue to attack.”
“Aye, sir,” Naralena replied.
“Four minutes to orbital insertion,” Loki warned, the planet nearly filling the forward section of the view screen.
“Any sign of surface-to-orbit weapons?” Nathan asked his sensor officer.
“Negative,” Kaylah replied.
“Jess, can you take out their drives without completely destroying their ships?” Nathan asked, as Naralena began hailing the Ahka.
“I can, but I cannot guarantee that their crappy little ships will hold together,” Jessica replied.
“Even at minimum cannon power?”
“The Ahka are using a forced-stream injection drive,” Kaylah reported. “Not the most stable propulsion system.”
“If they come at us head-on, I can’t target their drives,” Jessica warned.
“I’m getting a reply, Captain,” Naralena reported. “Putting it on speaker.”
“Unidentified intruder!” the heavily accented voice began, “You have violated Ahka space! Surrender or die!”
“Fat chance,” Jessica mumbled.
“Hot mic,” Nathan ordered.
“Patched in,” Naralena replied.
“Ahka, this is the Karuzari Alliance ship Aurora,” Nathan called. “We wish to make peaceful contact with your leaders…to discuss possible trade relations. We have no hostile intent, but we will defend ourselves with deadly force, if you continue to attack this ship.”
“Two targets just jumped in to starboard,” Kaylah warned.
The ship rocked again as two more particle beams struck their starboard shields.
“Two more to port, crossing under,” Kaylah added, as the ship rocked again.
“I repeat,” Nathan continued, looking at the planet which now filled the entire view screen. “We only wish to speak to your leaders, but we will defend ourselves.”
“Three minutes to orbital insertion,” Loki updated.
Four jump flashes suddenly appeared in the middle of the main view screen, revealing four raiders coming straight for them. A second after appearing, they opened fire, sending two rounds of particle beam fire from each ship into their forward shields, rocking the ship even more violently than before.
“Forward shields are down to forty percent,” Jessica warned. “Two more passes like that and they’ll be down completely.”
“If you continue to attack us, we will destroy your ships, and you’ll end up having to talk with us anyway,” Nathan said over comms. “You may as well reply and save your ships.”
“Four coming at us from our ventral side,” Kaylah announced. A second later, the ship rocked violently. “Those were even more powerful than before!”
“Great,” Jessica grumbled. “They were holding back.”
“Well, I’ve had about enough of this crap,” Nathan decided. “Take out the drives of the next attackers.”
“And if they come at us head-on?” Jessica asked.
“Shoot to kill,” Nathan replied without hesitation.
“You got it,” Jessica replied, quickly programming their weapons.
&
nbsp; “Two targets to port,” Kaylah reported. “They’re firing!”
“So are we,” Jessica followed. “Two direct hits!”
“Heavy damage, targets are adrift,” Kaylah reported.
“Two minutes to orbital insertion,” Loki warned.
“Cleared to enter orbit,” Nathan replied. “Am I still patched in?” he asked Naralena.
“Aye, sir,” she replied.
“Two more targets above us!” Kaylah warned.
The ship rocked as four more blasts struck their dorsal shields.
“Shouldn’t have fired that second round,” Jessica mumbled as she opened fire.
“Both targets are disabled,” Kaylah reported. “Also, adrift.”
“That’s four!” Nathan called over comms. “Don’t make us kill your people.”
“They’ll come at us head-on, with their weapons at full power,” Jessica warned. “They have no other choice.”
“They have another choice,” Nathan corrected. “The question is whether or not they’re smart enough to choose it.”
“One minute to orbital insertion,” Loki reported.
“Beginning turn to equatorial orbit,” Josh reported, as he initiated a slow turn to starboard.
“Veer forward cannons to port at the same rate as our turn,” Nathan instructed.
“Aye, sir,” Jessica replied, instructing select weapons to hold their current bearing while the ship turned.
Four jump flashes filled the screen, slightly to port and a little above their line of flight.
“Four targets…”
“Firing!” Jessica announced, before Kaylah could finish her report.
Streams of red-orange plasma streaked from the Aurora’s dorsal forward plasma turrets, striking two of the four targets and blowing them apart before they could fire. The other two ships managed to get off a single shot each before the Aurora’s cannons fired again, blowing them apart.
The ship rocked violently as the last two particle beams slammed into their weakened forward shields.
“All four targets destroyed,” Jessica reported with obvious satisfaction.
“Four targets destroyed, four adrift,” Kaylah reported.
“Threat board is clear,” Jessica added. “Forward shields are down to five percent,” she added. “Those last two shots were at full power.”
“It appears the Ahka are a more of a threat than we gave them credit for,” Nathan admitted.
“Entering orbit,” Josh reported.
“Any more launches?” Nathan asked Kaylah.
“Negative, sir,” she replied, “and still no signs of surface-to-orbit weapons. All I’m picking up are a few anti-aircraft emplacements near what looks to be the center of their only city.”
“Any idea how many people are down there?” Nathan wondered.
“Looks like no more than a few hundred thousand,” Kaylah replied. “I can get an exact count if you’d like, but it will take at least one full orbit to get a truly accurate count.”
“Don’t bother,” Nathan decided.
“Captain, I’m getting a message from the Ahka,” Naralena reported.
“Transmission is coming from the center of the city,” Kaylah added.
“Let me guess,” Nathan began, “They wish to speak with us?”
“That is correct.”
“I guess that answers whether or not they’re stupid,” Jessica decided.
“I want a Reaper and a squad of Ghatazhak ready to depart immediately,” Nathan instructed. “And tell flight to scramble four Eagles to provide us with air cover, just in case.”
“Aye, sir,” Naralena acknowledged.
“Stand down to condition one, and call the XO to the bridge,” Nathan added, rising from his seat and heading toward the exit. “Mister Sheehan, you have the conn until the XO arrives.”
“Aye, sir,” Loki replied.
“You’re with me, Jess,” Nathan said as he passed the tactical console.
“I’ve got your six, sir,” she replied, following him toward the exit as another officer stepped up to assume her station.
* * *
“Coming out of the layer now,” Lieutenant Haddix announced as Reaper Six broke out of the clouds over Ahka’s main city.
“We’re flanking you on either side,” Commander Verbeek assured him. “If anything moves, we’ll be on them in a flash.”
“Understood.”
“That must be it,” Ensign Weston declared, pointing ahead at a complex of buildings on the surface.
“One minute!” the lieutenant warned his passengers.
In the Reaper’s aft compartment, Sergeant Shapira fastened his helmet’s chinstrap in place. “Two right, two left, four points,” he instructed his men. “Eyes on your quadrant, heads on a swivel. You see a threat, you kill it.”
“Easy, Sergeant,” Nathan urged.
“Maybe just neutralize it?” Jessica suggested to the sergeant.
“Very well,” the sergeant replied, obviously not happy with the restriction. “Neutralize,” he corrected, “if possible,” he added with a grin.
“Just remember that this is a diplomatic mission, not an invasion,” Nathan said.
“Don’t worry,” Jessica assured him.
Reaper Six descended smoothly into the center of the city, coming to a hover directly above the landing pad at the city’s center. Around the pad, half a dozen armed men, dressed in outfits similar enough to be considered uniforms, awaited their arrival.
The Reaper descended slowly, touching down gently in the center of the pad, its engines spinning down as soon as the ship settled onto its landing gear. Large doors on either side slid open and out of each jumped two Ghatazhak in full, black combat armor. Each man moved quickly to their respective positions at four points around the Reaper, scanning the area for threats as they moved.
“Hommel; weapons loose, toward the guards,” Sergeant Shapira instructed, turning to face the line of six armed Ahka positioned directly in front of the Reaper. He held his assault rifle tight against his shoulder but at a forty-five-degree angle to the ground, ready to raise and fire at the armed men in a split-second. The sergeant scanned the area again, noting that the sidearms being carried by the six Ahka were powered off. “Immediate area is clear,” he reported over his helmet comms.
Jessica stepped out of the port side of the Reaper, taking several steps out and looking around.
Nathan came out next, moving immediately toward the line of Ahka. He walked directly to the middle man, who appeared to have a dissimilar insignia on his collar. “I am Nathan Scott, Captain of the Aurora. This is my chief of security, Lieutenant Commander Nash. We wish to speak with your leaders.”
“I am Fifth Protector Kamadin,” the man replied curtly. “I will bring you to the First Protector, but your armed men will remain here, as will your sidearms.”
“Our sidearms stay with us,” Jessica stated in no uncertain terms.
Two of the Eagles streaked overhead, banking left as they passed. Fifth Protector Kamadin glanced upward. “You have armed troops on our surface, and combat fighters circling overhead, not to mention a warship in orbit. What need have you for sidearms within our city?”
“Our sidearms stay with us, or we leave,” Nathan added.
“Leave then,” the fifth protector suggested. “We have no use for you.”
“Shall we take the four disabled raiders that we rescued with us?” Nathan inquired.
“The raiders you disabled,” the fifth protector replied with a sneer.
“The raiders that attacked our ship without cause,” Nathan argued.
The fifth protector studied Nathan, then Jessica, and finally the four Ghatazhak guarding the Reaper that had delivered them. He then barked orders to his men, causing four of them to separate fro
m the group and fan out around the pad.
Sergeant Shapira watched the four men closely, ready to attack if they attempted anything. “Easy, guys,” he urged calmly over comms.
“Four men will remain, to ensure your soldiers do not stray,” Fifth Protector Kamadin announced. “You will follow us.”
“With our sidearms?” Jessica clarified.
“With your sidearms,” the fifth protector agreed.
Jessica smiled, “Lead the way…Fifth Protector.”
Fifth Protector Kamadin turned around sharply and marched toward the nearest building, his last remaining man waiting for Nathan and Jessica to pass. Once they did so, he fell into the trailing position to keep an eye on their guests as the foursome strode smartly down the path away from the landing pad.
“You are going to maintain comms, right?” Sergeant Shapira inquired over Jessica’s comm-set.
“Damn right,” she replied discreetly.
They followed the fifth protector into the nearest building, making their way through it to the adjoining circular building before finally stepping into an elevator at its center.
Jessica watched the display carefully, noting the number of floors they passed before stopping.
The doors opened, and they were met by four more armed guards, these four appearing more professional and better trained.
Fifth Protector Kamadin turned to face them. “You will remove the energy cells from your weapons, and secure them on your person.”
Jessica was about to argue, but was cut off.
“No one brings a charged weapon into the First Protector’s chamber,” the Fifth Protector stated firmly. “No one. The fact that I am allowing you to retain your power cells on your person is the last concession you shall receive.”
Nathan slowly reached for his sidearm, pressing the eject button at the top of the weapon’s grip, causing the power cell to partially eject from the grip. He then removed the cell, held it up for the Fifth Protector to see, and placed it into the utility pouch on his gunbelt.
Fifth Protector Kamadin turned his attention to Jessica as she begrudgingly did the same. “Thank you,” he finally said, turning to lead them out of the elevator and into the lobby of the first protector’s chambers.
