"Understood, Switch. I'll pull Fireball's unit back to give you some cover. Maybe they can take a few runs of their own."
"Sounds good," Switch replied. "I'm sure he'd love to take a break from the madness happening out here, even if it means he has to skirt the edge."
She wasn't sure how Fireball would react to the change.
She cut the transmission with Switch and opened another to Fireball. On her screen, she noted his squadron’s position. They were off the stern of the Reliant, trailing a squadron of enemy bogeys around the ship.
"CAG to Fireball, you copy?"
"I copy, Bobcat. There a problem?" He sounded confident and almost cocky, given their present situation. Like he was well within his element amongst the chaos.
"No problem," she replied. "Just have a special mission for you. I'd like you to pull off and head towards the Odyssey. Switch's squadron is about to make a few runs at their guns. I'd like to keep any stray drones from picking them off."
"Did Switch put you up to this? I swear, if he is making a run at the weapons to show me up, I'll…"
"The guns were my order," she interrupted. "Wellard has his hands full with the Mythrar fleet. Figured we could step in and reduce the threat from behind."
"Copy that. One ass-covering coming up." Fireball went silent for a moment before speaking up again. "Thing is, I believe it might be a better idea to hit the satellites instead, considering they seem to be doing more damage than the traitors."
"At least we can move away from the satellites. The traitors are another matter."
"Speaking of another matter. You should call up to your boyfriend and tell him to stop messing with the satellites and do something with the drones. I mean, the signal controlling them has to be coming from somewhere. Surely he's smart enough to create a signal stronger than them."
"It would be a hell of a lot easier if we didn't have to deal with the drones," Tegan admitted. "I'll drop him a line and see what he thinks. In the meantime, get your ass to the Odyssey. CAG, out."
Chapter Forty-Two
New Earth Sector
Bridge, NECS Reliant
Lights flickered on the bridge as the Reliant was buffeted by another round of attacks from the rear. The intense vibrations of battle seemed to penetrate his core. Never before had he been in a fight so fierce. He doubted anyone in existence had.
Usually, space battle consisted of long periods of waiting followed by short stints of action. The endless hours before battle had a unique way of getting to a person. By the time the first shots were fired, most crews were on edge for a burst of activity similar to a single explosion. Over as quickly as it had begun.
Combat like the looming Battle for New Earth tested people in other ways. Namely, their ability to keep their composure against such crippling odds. That battle seemed to change constantly, often at the drop of a hat, forcing Wellard to adapt or die.
An incoming message lit up his console. It wasn't a call, like so many before, just a simple voice recording from the CAG marked only for him. Wellard keyed in the command to open the file and leaned in towards the screen.
"Captain, the drones are getting out of control. Even with our superior abilities, there are too many for us to handle. I suggest pulling Richards from the satellites to work on controlling the drones. Even if he only happens to gain control long enough to crash them into one of the Mythrar ships, it would help. CAG, out."
Wellard stared at the screen in quiet contemplation. Part of what Commander Bradley suggested made sense. At this stage in the battle, gaining control of the middle of the battlefield seemed more important. Especially seeing as how the satellites had limited range. Or, at the least, they could always destroy the satellites, removing them as a threat.
"Richards, how close are you to getting control of the satellites back?"
Richards continued typing on his console as if he didn't hear the question. Wellard walked over to Richards' station and cleared his throat, getting the man's attention.
"Sorry, sir. Whoever took over the satellites installed nasty countermeasures. Every time I have them licked, I get hit with another set. Honestly, I don't think I'm getting them back."
"Then it's settled."
"Settled?" Richards asked, questioningly.
"Yes. It seems our CAG believes you might be able to help her out with her little drone problem. And by little, I mean the massive swarm tearing our ships apart."
"What does she expect me to do about them? At best I can control one at a time. I don't see how that will help her situation."
Wellard leaned in and rested an arm on Richards' shoulder. The engineer seemed startled by the gesture but quickly regained his composure.
"You are looking at the problem the wrong way. Sure, there are thousands of drones out there, but that doesn't mean you need to control them one at a time. One of these ships has to be controlling most of them. Find that signal and clone it."
Richards smacked himself on the forehead, causing Wellard to grin. The man was brilliant, but it was clear his stress levels were peaked. While he'd had to work under pressure many times before, never had the stakes been so high.
Sure, he was used to working under conditions that determined life or death, but never on such a grand scale, a scale where one small mistake could cost the lives of thousands, if not more.
"I'm sorry, sir. I just…"
"No need to apologize. Hack that signal for our pilots, and we'll call it even."
"Sir, if I may?"
"Midshipman?" Wellard asked his sensor officer.
"I've been scanning the main flagship, like you asked, and may have found the signal you are looking for." She pulled up the schematics of the Mythrar flagship on the main viewscreen and highlighted a point about halfway across the top of the ship. "That device is sending out an inordinate amount of data, but taking little in return. I believe that may be the device controlling the drones."
"If it's not, I'd be willing to bet it's responsible for their communications," Richards replied.
"Either way, it makes it a priority target. Either you end up disrupting their control over the drones, or their means of communication," Wellard added. "Midshipman, send the results of your scan to Richards' terminal so he can decipher the signal."
"Decipher the signal?" Richards questioned. "I thought I was going to hack into their system."
"I doubt that's even possible. From what we know about Mythrar technology, it far exceeds our own." Wellard strode across the bridge, stopping when he reached his station. "I can tell you that signal holds the key to figuring them out. How they work, act, feel, and why we are next."
"Understood. I'll get on it at once."
Wellard nodded and took a seat in his chair. He had an ideal plan of attack, but it wasn't one he could handle on his own. Destroying the beacon on the flagship wouldn't be as simple as sending his remaining contingent of fighters to knock it off the ship. Not only did they have their hands full with the drones, but it was also unlikely they would even get close enough to try. Even if they could, there was still the matter of the flagship's near-impenetrable armor. In the Battle of Entropa, the combined forces of the Xandar and NEC hit the flagship with everything they had and barely made a dent. A nuclear torpedo managed to open a small hole, but it had taken a suicidal run by the Endeavor to take the ship down for good.
Repeating the Endeavor's run would prove problematic, considering fleet still hadn't integrated the Xandar's Alcubierre drive onto any other ships. That meant they'd have to find another way to damage the flagship.
"Midshipman McRee, open a channel to Admiral Parks."
The view from the bridge appeared on the main viewscreen. The scene was like something from an action movie, with the members of the crew working to bring things under control.
A handful of small fires burned on the edges of the screen, each threatening to engulf the bridge if left unchecked. The scorch-marked holes in the wall were a grim reminder that nob
ody was safe, admirals least of all. War didn't discriminate. It was just as happy taking the life of an innocent as much as any other.
"Wellard, I can't say I was expecting your call."
Wellard pursed his lips and studied the screen. It was clear Parks wasn't upset to hear from him, just that he had other, more important things to attend to. Considering the condition of the bridge, Wellard was inclined to agree.
"Forgive me, Admiral, but I have some information to relay. Given your present circumstances, I'll make it short. My team has found a device on the main flagship that is transferring large amounts of information into space. We believe the signal coming from the device is responsible for controlling a rather large portion of the drones, or at the least, responsible for their communications."
"That's all well and good, Vincent, but our hands are full at the moment. Unless we can draw the flagships in, there isn't much we can do."
It was an interesting thought, though he believed they stood little chance on making that happen. It had taken the appearance of the NEC fleet to pull the flagship into battle back in Entropa. He was willing to bet it would take something as critical happening here to do the same.
"That's why I'm calling. I'm requesting permission to lead a group of ships to destroy the device. The Reliant and a contingent of smaller ships should suffice. Just enough to give us some punch."
"I've read your reports from Entropa. If what you said in those reports is true, you don't have enough firepower to damage the ship, let alone destroy that device."
"That's not entirely true," Wellard retorted. "In that report, I mentioned how impervious the flagships seemed to be, but I also mentioned that they could be damaged. I believe we can send a volley of nukes into the device to destroy it. Once it is down, one of my engineers will attempt to take control of the drones."
Admiral Parks stared at the screen in quiet contemplation as the chaos played out behind him. Thanks to the massive wave of drones in the sector, Wellard wasn't sure where Parks' ship was located, but it was clear it was in the heat of battle.
"Fine. Take the Detroit, Illinois, Navajo, Des Moines, and the Obama. We can't afford to spare any more."
Wellard smiled and gave a thoughtful nod. "Thank you, sir."
"One thing," Parks said before Wellard could cut the connection. "I want to make it clear that if your mission fails, you are on your own. We can't afford to send a single ship to help you if things go sour."
"Understood, sir."
"Good. I'll have my XO send a message to your team. They should be ready for your command in a few minutes. Try your best to bring them back alive. Parks, out."
Wellard spun his chair around to face Ensign Price. "Plot us a safe course to the flagship. Try to avoid taking us through as much of the Mythrar fleet as possible."
Seconds later, she sent a preliminary route to his terminal. "That's the safest we'll get. We must deal with at least two light cruisers before we can engage the ship. Three if the reports from the Johnson are true."
Wellard didn't acknowledge Price's last statement, though he knew it to be true. This was the part of the battle he knew had been coming. Without the help of the Marines to keep control of the ship, it was just a matter of time until the Mythrar deployed their pods. They were already running out of time to enact their plan, but if that was the case, it might have already been too late. In either case, they had nothing to lose by trying. Either die while trying to save humanity or die to a Klypton raiding team intent on taking the ship.
"Sir, your entourage all report ready to move."
Wellard turned to Price and nodded. "Take us in."
Chapter Forty-Three
New Earth Sector
New Earth Station
Walker's finger twitched on the trigger as he aimed his weapon on a second Bremerton, his mind struggling to grasp the ramifications of the scenario. The sight made him wonder about Bremerton's true leanings. The only other person with multiple doubles he knew was Vice President Landry, a man who had proven himself as an enemy of humanity many times over.
However, unlike Landry, Bremerton had proven himself a valuable asset against the Mythrar threat. He'd put his life on the line multiple times to give humanity a fighting chance. That was the only reason Walker hadn't pulled the trigger. For everything the kid had done, he deserved a chance to explain himself.
The agent in the room stood in front of the handcuffed Bremerton and held his hands in the air. "He's a prisoner under my control."
Walker studied the man as his eyes darted from Walker's blaster down to the discarded weapon on the floor. He didn't believe the agent intended on retrieving the blaster, but it was clear that he didn't like being in his predicament. "Back away from the weapon and put your back against the wall. We killed ten of your friends out in the hallway, and I have no issue adding you to the number."
The agent glanced down at the blaster one more time before backing away and against the wall. "I'm Special Agent Jenkins with the Secret Service. This man is wanted in connection to the murder of President Celia Alvarez."
Walker glanced down at the handcuffed Bremerton, then back at Jenkins. "That doesn't sound like the man I know, but given the present circumstances, I have to question it myself. Tell me, son, what do you say about these charges?"
"I don't know what to think," Bremerton replied. "At least, I knew what to think before I saw him." He motioned to the body lying on the floor. "Now I'm not so sure."
"Not so sure?" Walker questioned. "You either did it, or you didn't. Which was it?"
Bremerton's eyes widened, then his head shot up to meet Walker's gaze. "I was on leave with my wife. We were unplugged. No comm, screens, anything. The first I heard about her murder was from him." He motioned over at Jenkins.
"President Celia Alvarez was in her office, correct?"
Jenkins nodded.
"Her office here on the station?" Walker continued. Jenkins gave him another nod. "Then why would you think someone down on the planet on NEC-sanctioned shore leave, would be responsible for her murder?"
"Evidence," Jenkins replied matter-of-factly. "We have video surveillance and DNA evidence proving his guilt."
"His guilt?" Walker motioned towards Bremerton with his blaster. "Or someone that looks like him."
"His," Jenkins confirmed. "There isn't a shred of doubt in my mind that he did it. It is practically impossible for two people to share the same DNA."
Walker's lips curled into a frown. "As you can imagine, I've seen some crazy things the last few months. The return of the Mythrar, a new alien species, and most disturbing, multiple people who not only look alike, they share the same ambitions and goals. What if I told you I put a bullet in Vice President Landry's brain and was there when Captain Wellard of the NECS Endeavor did it again a few weeks later? This is the length our enemy will go to to ensure our demise."
"I don't believe you," Jenkins protested. "I know what I saw, and it was him." He pointed over to Bremerton, still seated on the floor.
"Then perhaps you'd care to explain this." Walker stepped out of the way of the corpse and made his way towards Bremerton. Other than a handful of cuts and bruises, the kid looked like he was in decent shape. The problem was that Walker couldn't be sure it was Bremerton and not some dirty clone.
"What the…?" Jenkins' eyes darted between the corpse and Jason's battered form before he dropped to his knees. "How is this possible? Cloning has been banned for centuries."
"Just because it was banned, doesn't mean it's impossible, or that it isn’t still done." Walker held out a hand and waited for Jenkins to relinquish his keys. When he did, he wasted no time freeing Bremerton from his restraints. "Though I do have to admit it raises a few questions." He regarded Bremerton skeptically.
"It does." Jason rubbed his wrists. "I thought this all was a setup, then I saw him. Unfortunately, it gives us more questions than answers."
Jenkins stared at the body. Walker watched as the man worked the
questions over in his mind. As much as he wanted to give him the time, they had something they needed to do.
"This changes nothing." Jenkins turned to face Jason. "You are still to be tried for the murder of President Alvarez, but I admit this raises a few questions."
"If you don't mind me asking, where were you planning on taking him?" Walker motioned towards Jason.
"To the planet. We got the command to evacuate the station a few minutes ago."
"Guess that explains why he was so intent on leading us back to the shuttle bay," Talbot said as he entered the room. "He wanted to get us all into one spot so we could make a right mess of the place, though I'd put Walker's paycheck on him wanting to survive the encounter."
"Looks like some of your men may have been in on this," Walker said. "It wasn't the shuttle bay, but the result was the same."
Jenkins regarded Jason. "It would explain why they were more…persuasive than usual."
"Don't take this personally, but now isn't the time to talk. This pile of shit talked us out of heading to the CIC to assist Admiral Flannigan. My guess is that something is going on there."
"Admiral Flannigan is no longer in control. President Landry assumed control of the station a few hours ago." Jenkins seemed to study the Marines' faces as if searching for the truth.
"And you didn't find that odd?" Bremerton noted. "How many times has one of our elected officials taken control of a military asset in wartime?"
Jenkins glared at Bremerton sheepishly. "None."
"So that's where we need to go." Walker pressed a button on his uniform, opening a comm. "Form up outside the door. You will receive orders shortly. Walker, out."
Jenkins stood there for a moment in contemplation before turning his gaze to Walker. "He is still wanted for the president's murder."
"And I will face those charges," Jason assured. "But now isn't the time for that. Now is the time for action, otherwise you won't get your chance to prosecute me. Believe me, the Mythrar don't care if we kill each other."
Defiant (The Mythrar War Book 4) Page 13
