"Entering tac boat now," Jack said. "As soon as that boarding ramp is closed, you kick up the drive."
"Copy that, Jack."
Jack touched down on the boarding ramp. He gently nudged Riya further up and then reached out to the control panel to close it. He felt the tac boat lurch as Sam kicked up the drive.
Moving to the flight deck, Jack removed his helmet and dropped it on the deck next to the co-pilot seat, settling down at the flight console alongside Sam.
"Skalidion fighter, Jack," Sam said, pointing quickly at the holostage.
He saw the single Skalidion fighter closing in on their position. Behind the fighter came the other Skalidion craft that would chew up the remains of the tac boat once the fighter had dealt with them.
"We are going to power directly away from this planet," Jack said, setting a course. "And then we are going to dive straight back in, with full power to the drive. The gravity slingshot will throw us back toward the nebula. If we get it just right, we shouldn't have to make another course correction until we enter the nebula."
"We going to have to get pretty low to get enough of a slingshot," Sam said.
"We are going to have to be practically scraping the ground," Jack said. "If you don't mind, Sam, I'll take the controls."
Taking off his helmet, Sam turned to Jack and laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. "If anyone can do it, you can. She's all yours."
He waited until he was practically outside the rogue planet’s gravity field before he spun the boat on a dime. The Skalidion fighter was closing in fast. Jack kicked up the main drive and powered directly toward the incoming fighter.
"Standing by fire control," Sam said. "Just say the word and I’ll pour kinetic hail into the face of that Skalidion."
"Hold your fire," Jack said. "The speeds we are going at will catch up with that kinetic hail and we’ll shred ourselves." Jack held his breath for a moment as he raced past the Skalidion’s green fire. With the drive at full power and the rogue planet pulling it into its gravity field, the tac boat reached terrific speed. The deck plates began to vibrate as the boat encountered the thinnest of atmospheres that clung to the rogue planet.
The surface was virtually flat, a dead world, smoothed by cosmic rays and interstellar dust and gas. But Jack was going to maneuver over that surface just mere meters above it. A boulder could end this trip pretty quickly. Jack held his nerve. It was the only way to escape.
The boat raced over the surface of the black planet, pulled in by gravity and whipping around the planet until it was facing the correct heading, straight home. At the precise moment, Jack activated the main drive for a fraction of a second and kicked the tac boat out of the planet’s gravity, racing away with its slingshot momentum and full drive power behind it.
Slumping back in the chair, Jack felt a trickle of sweat run down his forehead. He took a breath, the first he had taken in what felt like an hour. Sam laid a hand on his shoulder and patted him gently. It was a job well done, and they were going home.
Jack checked the passive scanners and presented all the data on the holostage. The Skalidion swarm was moving in on the nebula.
Jack was never going to get there before the Skalidion, before the attack.
13
Phisrid watched her advancing swarm through the eyes of her observer drones. The nebula between her territory and the Devex systems held a prize too easy to ignore. The observer drones detected the signal of starships, but not the familiar Devex signal. This was something new, and Phisrid liked new. Everything was simply matter, so she would have it all.
Beyond the nebula, Phisrid's observers detected a Devex fleet. Dozens of warships, hundreds of raiders, millions of tons of matter, just waiting for her builders to consume. All would be laid down on her nest asteroid, all would provide brood chambers for her new generation of fighters. Her swarm had grown faster than her mother’s ever had, faster than any Skalidion Swarm Queen she had ever heard of. Phisrid was ruthless. Phisrid was aggressive. But what set her apart from all others, she was cunning.
Phisrid sent the pheromones through her swarm. All drones, all fighters, all builders, all observers, every individual drone would be drawn to her now. The fleet in the nebula would be dispatched quickly enough. Soon she would attack the Devex fleet beyond the nebula, deep in their own territory. She would destroy them soon. As ruthless and aggressive as she was, as any Skalidion Swarm Queen was, she knew the value of patience. Even though waiting made her angry, she knew that it would ultimately lead to the destruction of her enemies.
The pheromone signal echoed back through her swarm. All her drones, her children, were rushing to her now. Her swarm was massive and now concentrated on the nest asteroid, just as her mind was concentrated on the destruction of those who would stand before her. All would be consumed, and nothing would prevent her from growing to become the greatest swarm queen ever. Her nation on the edge of the Skalidion Empire would soon eclipse the greatest nations of the empire. It may come to pass that they would consider her a threat to their dominance, but swarm queens sometimes became empresses, the center of the empire that all Skalidion ultimately belonged to. For now, she had a single battle. Soon, there would be war.
With all drones located and racing in, converging on her nest asteroid, she issued her final orders, subtle variations in the formation that she knew would lead to victory. Some fighters became the main attack force, with others in reserve. Her attack fighters concentrated into a massive teardrop swarm that raced toward the nebula. She was sending in death. She was as certain of victory as she had ever been.
Admiral Henson leaned on the holostage in the center of the command deck of the Scepter. The surveillance drones on the Skalidion side of the nebula detected the Skalidion fighter swarm. They were on a direct heading for the nebula and the fleet hidden within. Henson had no doubt they had been discovered.
Moving away from the holostage, Henson turned and looked up to Group Captain Tanaka sitting in her command chair.
“Have the Devex responded?”
“Nothing since we sent Major Forge’s recon report,” Tanka said. She looked down at the admiral.
Henson nodded, a single stiff jerk of the head. "Send orders, battle stations throughout the fleet. Tactical command is yours now, Group Captain," Henson said.
"Thank you, Admiral," Tanaka said. She tapped her command panel on her chair’s armrest and sent the orders to the fleet. The nest was the target.
“The Devex,” Tanaka said suddenly, her voice lifting in hope.
Henson looked back to the holostage.
"Devex fleet is moving into position above the fleet," Tanaka said. "Just entering sensor range now, Admiral."
"Let's hope we can trust them," Henson said, leaning heavily against the holostage.
The large command deck holostage showed the entire fleet deep within the nebula. The Scepter was in the vanguard, facing the approaching swarm. The Scepter was flanked by her destroyers: Aquarius, Canis, and Scorpio, powerful warships all. Between the carrier and her destroyer-class ships, every available tac boat and Blade had been deployed. On the outer edge of the formation were all other support ships: the swift and powerful weapons platforms, the frigates, and the corvettes.
All ships were ready to engage the swarm, and behind the fleet stood the huge civilian transport ships, each as big as a city, each holding thousands upon thousands of innocent lives all desperate to find a new home somewhere in the far reaches of space. Trapped between warring empires, the Skalidions and the Devex, they were in a battle for their lives.
14
Jack watched the holostage as he raced behind the Skalidion swarm on the edge of the nebula. He was undetected. The fleet clearly was not. The enemy was heading directly for the Scepter at the center of the formation.
His surveillance mission had been successful, even if he had been taken out by Beretta on behalf of Fleet Intelligence. The information that the Skalidion nest was the center of power for the S
kalidion swarm had still been delivered to the fleet. If they proceeded as Jack would have, they would wait for an opportunity to attack the nest. The fighter swarm was a threat, no doubt, but it was the nest that had to be destroyed. But first, the fighter swarm would have to be endured.
"Where are the kravin’ Devex," Sam said, looking at the holostage.
"I can hear them, just about," Riya said. She stepped up behind the flight deck chairs, leaning one arm behind each. She looked between Sam and Jack at the holostage. "They are entering the nebula on the Devex side, maneuvering into position above the fleet. I think they are conforming to the orders given by the fleet to create a defensive formation."
Sam looked at Jack. "I sent the information about the nest asteroid. Captain Pretorius told me they were formulating a plan. It looks like they are just sitting and waiting."
"If I was making the plan," Jack said, "I would stay in cover for as long as possible, fight off any attackers, and wait for that nest asteroid to come into attack range of the frigates and corvettes. They are the fastest ships capable of attacking the asteroid. That’s what I would do. That is when the fleet would launch their attack. That's when they would move against the Skalidion."
"It's true," Riya said. "I can hear the Devex. It's not plain language, but I get an understanding from them. They are waiting for the nest. They know that is the main target."
The Skalidion fighter swarm entered the outer edge of the nebula, and its signal was scattered by the dust and gas. The signal on the holostage became indistinct as they raced deeper into the nebula.
Soon, the tac boat followed them. The swirling dust and gas churned up by the fighter swarm further up disrupted the boat’s passive sensors.
"I'll deploy some surveillance drones," Sam said, looking at Jack for confirmation.
"No need, Sam," Jack said. "There's no hiding anymore. Prepare to send a message to the fleet. Inform the admiral we have his daughter."
"Won't that give away our position?" Riya asked.
"I don't think it'll matter," Jack said. He pointed at the holostage and the sudden eruption of weapons fire as the fleet and incoming Skalidion swarm engaged.
The nebula lit up from within as the fleet laser emitters delivered devastating beams, each one vaporizing a Skalidion fighter. The hail cannon batteries on all destroyers and the Scepter delivered withering fire, kinetic hail churning the clouds of dust and gas as the ordnance raced toward the incoming swarm. Combat drones raced under their own power toward the Skalidions, the anti-matter detonations creating voids within the nebula and destroying hundreds of enemy fighters at a time.
But the Skalidion fighters raced on, their darting, jerking flight helping them to evade the heavy fire from the fleet. As hundreds were vaporized, thousands more rushed on. They opened fire with bursts of green fire, each shot through with tortured strands of orange and purple energy and racing through the nebula, burning the dust and gas before it.
The green fire slammed into the forward section of the Scepter. The massive carrier took the damage, the front sections of composite boiling away, and the hull integrity field shimmering over its surface.
As the Skalidions raced toward the Scepter, the corvette and frigate wing on either flank moved forward to envelop the Skalidion fighter swarm on both sides. And then, appearing above the fleet formation, came the first of the Devex warships. Huge, dark slabs of military hardware, previously feared and hated by the fleet, now moved in support as Devex and human fought for their lives.
"Incoming message, Jack," Sam said he sent the message to the small flight console holostage.
The image of Admiral Henson appeared.
"Riya. Riya, is that you? This is your father, answer me."
Riya leaned forward she looked at the holotransmitter.
"Father. It's me."
"I'm taking the Scepter out of the line. Tell whoever is flying that tac boat that you will board the Scepter on the first available landing deck."
Sam looked at Jack. "He can't take the Scepter out of the line. The fleet’s center will collapse."
"Father, I'm okay. We will board the Scepter where you are."
"No," Henson said, his voice falling. "Just get safe. Move to the rear, find a civilian craft. I'll see you later."
Jack selected a heading for the nearest civilian transport. He knew the battle that was raging needed every available ship. It was wrong avoiding the conflict. He knew he could have a positive impact on the fight. No matter how many ships were involved, a good Marine in the right place was always a battle-winning prospect.
"Who is flying that boat?" The admiral said, his image flickering as the intense fire of the battle distorted the communication frequencies.
"Major Jack Forge, sir," Jack said.
"You don't leave a job half-finished, do you, Jack? Get her safe for me, son. I'll see you when this battle is over."
"Copy that, Admiral." Jack cancelled the transmission and set course for the rear of the fleet. He slumped back in his chair.
Sam returned the holostage to show the raging battle. The Devex were raking the Skalidion fighter swarm with their rapid-fire white energy bullets. Streams of millions of the minute points of white energy ripped through the nebula and smashed their way through the Skalidions. The raging torrent of fire from the fleet, and the return fire from the swarm, boiled away the dust and gas in the center of the nebula, creating empty space.
Jack linked the boat’s active sensors to all active sensors throughout the fleet. The maximum range now extended far beyond the nebula. Jack saw the nest asteroid, still far away. It was the Skalidions’ command center, the center of all their power. It was the only target that mattered.
The moment Jack had detected the massive nest asteroid, the Devex fleet began to move out of formation from their position over the top of the fleet. The drive systems kicked up, and they moved toward the distant nest asteroid.
"They spotted it," Sam said. "The Devex are going straight for it."
Riya Henson nodded.
“Put me through to the flagship, Sam,” Jack said.
"Channel open. You’re through to the group captain."
Tanaka’s image appeared on the holostage in front of Jack. She was clearly busy with the conducting the battle. Jack respected her for taking his call.
"If you have something to say, Major," Tanaka said without looking at him, "then please hurry."
"The Devex must hold position, sir. We can't hold the Skalidion off without them."
"The Devex are not responding to my communications. Move your tac boat into formation, Major. I need every available ship in this fight. Group out."
The image of Tanaka vanished off the flight console holostage. Jack felt frustration well up inside him as he saw the holoimage of the Devex fleet moving further away from their formation.
"They wanted this alliance," Jack said. "And now they are just throwing it away."
“But the nest is the target, right?” Sam said.
“Yes, but the fleet will be torn apart if the Devex move off now,” Jack said.
"We are pretty exposed out here, Jack," Sam said. "I'd be happier if we could form up with that tac boat wing in the fleet. Setting a course now."
"Maybe I can do something. Maybe I can stop them," Riya said, leaning between Jack and Sam. "I still have some connection with the Devex through my exo-armor. The range is limited, but if you get me in close…"
Jack turned in his seat. "You really think you can stop that fleet?"
"We have to try something, Jack.” She shrugged slightly, as best she could in that armor.
Sam reset their heading. "I don't think the admiral is going to be too happy about us taking his daughter into the heart of the Skalidion swarm." He turned and looked at Jack. "But if you give me the order, Jack, we are all set here."
Jack looked at the holoimage of the fleet. The Skalidion fighter swarm was closing in rapidly, still with thousands of individual fighters. They evaded t
he high-energy laser beams lancing out from every ship. Every laser assembly on every frigate and corvette sparked into life and shot through the swarm.
And then, with the Skalidions closing, the fleet deployed its kinetic hail curtain defense. A wall of high-energy hail leaped up in front of the fleet. The swarm slammed into it, hundreds of ships annihilated in a second, their explosions billowing outwards, fiery gas and debris colliding with hail fragments in the defensive curtain to create a sparkling cascade of fire and destruction.
The Skalidion fighters picked their way through the holes in the curtain carved out by the destruction of their fellow fighters, and they closed in on the fleet.
All communication from the flagship came over the boat’s channels automatically as Tanaka sent her fleet-wide order.
"This is group. All ships. All ships. Engage the Skalidion. All Blades. All tac boats. Engage them ship to ship. Stand down defensive measures. Set all laser assemblies to short range. Group out."
Sam, his hand hovering over the flight controls, looked at Jack. Jack looked to Riya. Riya nodded.
"Do it, Sam. Move toward the Devex fleet. I am going to open a channel to group. I hope they don't see it as mutiny."
Jack opened a channel to Group Captain Tanaka, but the communication request was blocked. Jack felt nervous at disobeying his last order from Tanaka, but he had to try something. He glanced at the holoimage of the battle and the Skalidion’s breaking through the battleship lines with several dozen fighters closing in on a civilian craft that was turning to run. It hardly made its turn before the Skalidion green fire vaporized the drive system. The explosion tore forward through the civilian transport in seconds and left a flaming hulk of shattered composite.
"Opening a channel to the Scorpio," Jack said.
Alliance (Jack Forge, Lost Marine Book 5) Page 10
