"It can't be," he uttered much more loudly than he'd intended. But it was true. How the man had survived his time in captivity, he'd never know. He'd been assured the real Jason Bremerton would be framed for the murder. He'd also been promised he wouldn't survive his time in a cell. Clearly, this wasn't the case, and it had been revealed at the most inopportune time possible.
So he did the only thing he knew to do in the situation. He ran.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
New Earth Sector
Bridge, NECS Reliant
"Wilson, have crews focus our fire on the Odyssey. Prioritize their weapons systems and thrusters. Anything to keep them from being a threat." Wellard turned to watch the damage reports that were flooding his screen. In a few scant moments, the Odyssey had done more damage to the Reliant than the mass of derelict Mythrar vessels combined. Part of that had to do with their positioning, as until now, there had been little reason to keep the modulators active on the port side.
A few taps confirmed that issue had been corrected within moments of the Odyssey's opening volley.
The sounds of distant explosions echoed across the bridge from numerous impacts. Klaxons blared, warning the crew of the imminent threat of catastrophic damage.
Wellard's comm lit up. Quickly, he turned to his terminal and opened the connection. "Wellard here."
"Captain, I'm not sure what's going on up there, but we can't take much more damage to our starboard side. We've already lost two laser batteries on that side of the ship and a third of our auxiliary thrusters. Not only that, we have a laser beam getting precariously close to our engine core. I don't need to remind you what happens when that thing goes."
"No, Vaughn, you don't." Wellard turned to address Ensign Price. "Ensign, flip the ship around. Aim our nose at the Odyssey and move at full thrust."
"A game of chicken?" Vaughn questioned over the comm.
"He moves, or we do. Either way, we get the engine core out of their line of fire."
"Understood, sir. Starting the turn now."
The view on the screen shifted as the Reliant made a lumbering turn towards the Odyssey. Already, half of the nearby NEC ships were splitting their fire between the Odyssey and the handful of remaining damaged Mythrar ships. But the Odyssey was a heavy cruiser, built to withstand the punishment of a handful of ships while still being able to dish out plenty of their own. Even as the primary guns focused on the Reliant, the dozens of secondary side weapons had turned their attention on the rest of the NEC fleet.
All across the sector, the view was the same as the NEC fleet struggled to deal with the threat from both sides. For the most part, the derelict vessels were destroyed. The few that remained were being targeted by the satellites, under Richards' supervision. Then a thought occurred to Wellard. While he was interested in keeping the traitorous captains alive, it was more important that the rest of the ship survived.
"Richards, change your target from the remaining ships onto the traitorous NEC vessels."
"Am I aiming to disable or to kill?" Richards asked thoughtfully.
"Kill. We don't have time to determine their allegiance now. We can either test their allegiance while they continue to tear apart the fleet, or we can assume they are compromised and act accordingly."
"Sir." Richards didn't so much as flinch when he entered the command. Wellard was surprised how far the man had come over the past few months. When he first came aboard, Wellard was sure the man would wash out before the end of his first term. But like many of the others, the war had changed him.
The satellites spun in place as they turned to bring the Odyssey and the other traitorous ships into their firing arc. A single beam lanced out from the array and into the starboard portion of the Odyssey. Seconds later it was joined by three more, all targeting the same section of the ship.
The NEC vessels on the starboard side of the Odyssey opened fire, each ship targeting the same section being hit by the satellites' main beams. Dozens of eruptions marred the Odyssey's hull from the combined fire.
Then as suddenly as it started, the beams from the satellites stopped.
"What the hell is going on?" Wellard asked.
"The defensive grid is offline. I'm initiating a hard reset now. They should be…" Richards didn't finish the sentence before the satellites turned again. They held their position for a long moment before firing anew. But unlike before, they weren't focusing on the traitors or the Mythrar fleet. The beams had opened up, firing on the closest NEC ships. The first of which, the Atlanta, exploded a few seconds later in a dazzling blast that seemed to rip the ship in two.
"Richards, get control of the defensive array back now. We won't last long with those working against us."
"I'm trying, sir. It's like someone just installed a level eight encryption protocol over the main server. I can hack the signal, but it will take time."
"We don't have time." As if to punctuate his statement, the lights on the bridge flickered as a beam tore into the Reliant. The vibration of the deck plates intensified as the other three beams hit home. "You have about two minutes to figure it out before we're all dead."
Chapter Thirty-Nine
New Earth Sector
New Earth Station
Bremerton ducked into a nearby conference room as blaster fire streaked down the hallway. Behind him, Jenkins followed, his portable blaster held towards Jason.
Jenkins' agents ducked into the rooms or around corners, using whatever they could for cover as they returned fire on the Marines down the hall. The bodies of two agents lay motionless in the center of the hall, the victims of a few well-placed blaster rounds.
Jason rested his back against the far wall while Jenkins did the same. He panted as he tried to make sense of what was happening. Surely there wasn't anyone left on the station to free him. At least, he would've assumed most of the Marines would've been stationed with a ship in the fleet, and the rest on the planet below. There wasn't much tactical reason to keep a platoon of Marines on the station, which meant someone had left them here on purpose.
"I don't know what you're up to, but your friends won't be saving you today." The blaster trembled in Jenkins' hand. He kept the weapon aimed at Jason's chest, though he kept a wary eye on the door.
"They aren't here for me," Jason said, though he wasn't confident they weren't. It was the only logical thing that made sense, unless the Mythrar had gotten a boarding party past the NEC fleet. If that was the case, things outside were much worse than he thought.
"Somehow, I doubt that," Jenkins replied. "I find it funny that we didn't have a problem earlier, but the second we move you, we get attacked."
Jason kept his mouth shut. He realized there wasn't anything he could say that would change Jenkins' mind.
The sound of battle closed in, sounding almost as if one side was retreating. A quick glance out the door confirmed his suspicions as he noticed a boot just past the threshold.
A Marine boot.
Jenkins held the small blaster with both hands as he turned it towards the door. Jason watched the man tremble as he moved into position to take a shot and waited. He wanted to make sure he understood the situation before he made his move. It wouldn't do any good to disarm Jenkins if these Marines weren't on his side.
The boot shifted a few feet as the Marine took another step. It revealed a Marine in his late forties, with peppered hair barely covering his scalp.
Walker.
Jason waited until he was sure Jenkins was no longer watching him before he made his move. Using the wall for leverage, he launched himself at Jenkins. A well-placed shoulder to the gut knocked the blaster free from his hands and sent it skittering along the floor.
Jenkins grunted as the blow took him into the wall. Jason held him there for as long as his legs would allow before Jenkins grabbed Jason's shoulders and tossed him to the side. Jenkins made a move for the gun, but only made it a handful of steps before tripping over Jason's outstretched leg.
Jason pushed himself back to his knees and made a move for the gun himself. He had to keep Jenkins from the weapon at all costs. Not only for Walker's sake but his own. Now that he'd made an aggressive move, he was sure Jenkins' mood towards him would change. He knew if he didn't get Walker's attention, his odds of survival would grow slim.
"Walk!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.
Walker turned in his direction, and for the first time in Jason's life, the man smiled. He genuinely smiled.
Then someone from behind the doorway threw a punch at Walker, the blow catching him square on the jaw. The Marine crumpled into the doorway and collapsed to the floor in a heap, his weapon dropping with him.
A new figure entered the doorway and Jason had to do a double take.
There's no way, he thought. What were the odds that there was someone else in the universe that looked exactly like him? Not only the build and body features but to the way he dropped to a knee.
Not wanting to hesitate, Jason lunged for the portable blaster. He reached the weapon moments before Jenkins could recover.
Blaster in hand, he aimed it at his doppelganger.
Jenkins noticed the weapon, raised his arms in the air slowly, and stood, blocking Jason's view of his clone.
"You don't want to do this," Jenkins pleaded. "We already have more than enough evidence against you. Killing me will only strengthen the claim."
"Move," Jason demanded, but Jenkins didn't flinch. Instead, the agent took a few tentative steps away from Jason. It wasn't much, but it was enough. He jerked the blaster to the side and pulled the trigger. The shot lanced out from the gun, off to Jenkins' side and into his target's chest.
Jenkins held still and waited for Jason to make another move. But having made his shot, Jason was done. He lowered the weapon and allowed it to clatter to the floor. Jenkins stared at the weapon, perplexed. His hesitation lasted only another few seconds before he went for the gun.
"I wouldn't do that."
Jenkins turned to see Walker standing in the doorway with a blaster aimed at his chest.
Chapter Forty
New Earth Sector
Bridge, Flagship Koniva
Captain Miller stared at the screen in disgust. More for the willingness of some of the captains to sell out their own kind than their inability to take control of the battle. It was surprising how quickly some of the senior leaders of the NEC had turned, and with it, had brought humanity within inches of losing the war. A century of running and rebuilding only to be thwarted by their fellow men.
The traitorous captains had the rest of the NEC in a pincer between them and the rest of the Mythrar fleet. Without a place to run, there was little else for humanity to do other than die. And they did that in droves. Every minute that passed led to the destruction of another NEC ship. At first, it was the cruisers and frigates that fell, but before long the first heavy cruiser threatened to join them.
The rest of the battered enemy ships unleashed their devastating array of weaponry on the vessel. The ship listed to starboard as it struggled to expose a less vulnerable part of the ship to the enemy fleet, but it was too little too late. Something on the belly of the heavy cruiser exploded, sending waves of debris cascading through the lines. It was joined by another blast that ripped a hole in the port side. The exposed innards arced lightning and debris before a shimmering blue field erupted in its place, sealing the hole from the void.
But it wasn't enough. The Mythrar fleet continued pounding on the vessel, even as it unleashed hell on them in return. The heavy cruiser took down fourteen of the lesser vessels before it went dark. Even then, the ship continued to fire the rest of its mass transfer weaponry at its enemies until an explosion ripped it apart at its seams. Miller watched the ship as the blast took it, and its crew, into the void.
"Sir, incoming transmission from Emissary Koniva." The communications officer said.
Miller stared at the girl with mock disgust. Not because she had announced the message, but that Koniva would contact her instead. Hadn't he done enough over the last fifteen years to prove his loyalty to the bastard?
To tell the truth, it wasn't so much loyalty as it was forced servitude for crimes committed against the collective so many years ago. Crimes he would commit a thousand times over if he were given one more chance to see the ones he loved.
He hoped beyond anything that they were still alive. Part of him even wished they were out there in the fray, putting up the good fight. Deep down, he knew that's how his wife wanted to go. But his son…
He pushed the thought to the side to focus on taking the call. The reaction brought a wave of anger with it as it always did when Koniva flexed his authority over the ship. One day, I'll see that you die, even if it means I die with you.
He pushed the button on his terminal, enabling the call. The enormous four-legged alien stood before him on the screen, his blue skin seeming to ripple like a mountain stream in the spring.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Emissary?" Miller bent over at the waist in a deep bow.
"That heavy cruiser the fleet just destroyed, the Davenport, created a rift in the NEC lines. I want you to send the rest of the fleet in that rift to crush them." Koniva spoke the words in disgust, sounding as if he'd had enough of humanity's games.
Miller pursed his lips but remained bowed at the hip. He didn't want to give the alien any more information than he needed, especially seeing as how he knew the name of the ship that had just been destroyed and Miller hadn't. "I thought our task was to bring humanity into the collective?"
"I only wish to bring those willing into the fold. It is clear those humans don't wish to join us, so they must die."
Miller slowly rose, though he took care to keep his eyes from meeting Koniva's gaze. Even through the screen, they seemed to be able to pierce his soul, and his soul held secrets. Secrets he intended on keeping from the Mythrar as long as he could. "As you wish. Should I send the flagships in, as well?"
Koniva stared upward as if considering the question. Miller wondered what there was to question. If they sent in the flagships, what chance humanity had at survival was practically reduced to zero. As it was, it would take a miracle for any of them to escape alive.
"No. They are to remain at the back in case our friends have any surprises up their sleeves. As it is, I doubt our presence is necessary."
If our presence isn't necessary, then why the hell are we here? He kept the thought to himself.
"Understood. I'll pass the orders to the fleet myself." Miller bent again, this time not dropping as low.
Koniva grinned. "Good. I look forward to hearing your report."
The line remained silent for a minute. Miller stayed in his position for a while longer so as to not display any weakness to Koniva. He nearly winced when he saw Koniva's image still plastered on the screen, but his lack of reaction had cost him the one thing he didn't want to lose.
"Your thoughts of your son are misplaced. He is already dead." Then the connection ended in an instant, leaving Miller alone with his thoughts.
Not alone.
Surrounded by a dozen other people like him. Each a slave to something that didn't deserve to live. And if what Koniva said was true, Miller didn't need to live. Perhaps that was all the motivation it would take to see the alien killed for good. Other ships had killed their emissary before and lived to tell the tale. At least until Miller and Koniva had hunted them down.
But if Koniva died, there was a chance this assault would die with him. Unless his sources were wrong, the other flagships weren't commanded by a Mythrar. One was controlled by another human, a woman Miller hadn't seen before, only heard of. The other… Rumors said it was commanded by yet another alien species. One the rest of humanity still didn't know existed.
Chapter Forty-One
New Earth Sector
Flight Deck CIC, NECS Reliant
"New incoming targets at zero mark ten," Tegan said to her fighters through the comm. "The remaining d
rones from the damaged portion of the Mythrar fleet remain the priority. Fly close to the Reliant in case we have to make a sudden move. CAG, out."
She watched the new set of blips with an impending sense of dread. Somehow it felt like she was watching the end happen before her eyes. Behind the enormous wave of fighters, their home ships loomed, each lumbering towards the NEC fleet. Without the aid of the station or the defensive satellites, the NEC didn't stand much of a chance.
But humanity wasn't about to go down without a fight. Nearly half of her pilots had already died, succumbing to the chaos of the battle. Most of the rest of the fleet was faring the same. Even though better than half of the Mythrar fleet was damaged from the start, their superior numbers more than made up for it. It was a bloodbath, and with every passing second, it only got worse.
Her command console only intensified her concern as every one of her squadrons was in shambles. Most of them were down at least one fighter, with most operating with two. She'd tried to integrate the handful of single pilots into the other squads with mixed success.
Throughout all of this, Switch's squad happened to be one of the few squadrons running at full strength. It wasn't much of a surprise. Out of all her squadron commanders, Switch drilled his squad the most. There wasn't a shift where they weren't in the simulators for better than half the day. His persistence and insistence on drilling his team was paying off when they needed it the most.
Tegan pressed a button, opening a channel to Switch's fighter. "Switch, this is the CAG. I'm uploading a series of targets for your squadron to hit. Mostly weapons embankments on a few of the rebel ships to buy the rest of the fleet more time."
"Copy that, Commander. We'll be that way in two shakes. But, man to man, I have to say I don't like exposing our rear to the drones."
Defiant (The Mythrar War Book 4) Page 12
