The Chronicles of Benjamin Jaminson: Empires At War (Book 5 Part Two)

by Thomas Wright

  “No, you won’t. I tried. He ran like jackrabbit.”

  “Did he give you that Saturday line?”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard it all before. Zuri is tagging along and she showered too.”

  “She just moved up on my list.”

  The walk to the bridge, minus the chat with Lorelei, was quiet. This ship needed, no, she deserved, a crew. It was far too noble a warship to have so few to look after her. So many empty rooms. Lorelei began talking as soon as I entered the bridge. Nedra and Shawna were working at their stations.

  “So, what are we doing?” Lorelei asked. “Got no idea what kind of cluster will be waiting for us, do we?”

  “The reason we are here is to find Taz, if she is still alive and on the planet Idaline. Go straight there, avoiding any engagements with enemy ships. If we find her, we get her to safety. Simple.”

  “Please, don’t make me laugh. You better sit down.”

  “I’m fine. Rip a hole and let’s get on with it.” The Idaline system appeared before us. In the distance, light flashed and danced across space between multiple dots. Some flared then went out. Lorelei and Nedra watched as their screens began populating and identifying the ships.

  “There are over forty live transponders around Idaline and one behind Tormaline,” Nedra reported.

  “Simple, my ass. Look at this!” Lorelei yelled. “That’s the Akelorians behind Tormaline.”

  “I’m standing right here. No need to yell.” I put my hand on her shoulder. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen so many ships in one place ready to battle it out.”

  “Captain, I’m going to send the data to the Warhammer, the Black Scythe and the Privateers,” Shawna said.

  “Good. Tell them to hold their positions and wait for orders when they arrive. Ok, Captain, give me the long and short of us making it through that to Idaline,” I asked.

  “Um, I vote for long,” Shawna squeaked.

  “I’m with Shawna on that,” Lorelei deadpanned. “Nedra, don’t even. Your mate is eight feet tall. Enough said.”

  “Damn, I think we all need some R and R. You two are worse than Snake.”

  “We could skirt the rear of the Cjittan formation and go around Tormaline. Come in from the other side. But the shortest distance is a straight line through the Cjittan and Khalnalax navies.”

  “And the most dangerous. We’ve been sitting here thirty seconds and the Cjittan haven’t even contacted us. It could be we have no friends and forty-plus enemies. Taz isn’t in charge anymore.”

  “Or they are just too busy to worry about us right now. Nedra, what do you think?” Lorelei asked.

  “If Benjamin chooses the most expedient course, which I’m sure he will, we race through at the highest possible speed, shields at max. Cut the drives halfway and hope thrusters and atmo will slow us down enough to land.”

  “Nedra doesn’t know me as well as she thinks. Set course for Tormaline.”

  “Really?” Lorelei asked.

  I looked at her like she was a few cards short. “No. Kick it in the ass and let’s see them try to stop us.”

  She laughed. “Everyone, listen up. This is your captain. Our fearless leader has decided on a suicide run. For the record, we tried to talk him out of it. You have one minute to buckle in.”

  “Liar,” I said. Lorelei just laughed. “Anyway, it was Nedra’s idea.” The bridge doors slid open and Mira ran in and sat down.

  “Benjamin, we aren’t stupid,” Lorelei said. “I’ve been around you too long. You knew our options with one look at my screen, probably made up your mind then.”

  “I wanted to include you all, wanted you to scrutinize my decision if you had concerns.”

  “Really?”

  “No. My way or the deep dark frozen way. You know that.”

  “Yeah, we’re good. You better get a grip on Zuri.”

  I gave Lorelei’s shoulder a gentle squeeze and sat in the empty captain’s seat. Sliding my hand under Zuri’s helmet, I grabbed the edge of her armor at the base of her neck. She gave me a look but didn’t growl.

  “Here we go.”

  ****

  Lorelei pushed the slider, slowly increasing their speed. No need to put any undue strain on the drives. Genius was in engineering monitoring all the Claymore’s systems. All she needed to do was pilot and navigate. She queried the computer for the max speed she could attain and still make a safe landing on the planet, then added ten percent to it in her head. If all the ships were stationary and caution ruled, they would move through them using thrusters, taking their time. The Benjamin Jamison dictionary of the human language consisted of less than a hundred words. Caution was not one of them. Instead they opted for a roller coaster ride at an insane speed. Insane was definitely listed in the dictionary. It was one of the longer words. Most had only three or four letters.

  The course was plotted and Lorelei rested her hand on the controls to make subtle adjustments because the ships between them and the planet were moving, not sitting still. She heard Benjamin behind her asking Mira about the Akelorians and if she knew why they were parked behind Tormaline and not helping the Cjittan and earning some points. She had a hard time accepting Mira, as did the rest of the crew. She was an assassin and turned up when they didn’t expect it, but in all the time they’d known her, she hadn’t followed through on her mission to kill Benjamin.

  She had pirates backing her play and lost. After giving her freedom, now she shows up again with the Akelorians in a warship but claims it was just to get back to Benjamin, driven by her ingrained compulsion. Someone should have just shot her a year and a half ago. She looked so much like Andrea. Maybe that’s why Benjamin didn’t go Reaper on her ass and end her.

  The Claymore hit its intended max speed before it entered the battle zone. Lorelei cut drive power and hoped nothing blocked their path. Inertia would carry them. “Captain, a message from the Cjittan. Should I respond?” Shawna asked.

  “Report directly to the sender who we are but do not engage in any conversation,” Lorelei ordered. “Right now, it’s in our best interest if I don’t talk to anyone.”

  “Shawna, you know she has never been good at multitasking,” Benjamin teased.

  “You shut up. Mira, make sure he doesn’t speak until we’re safely on the ground.”

  “How would you like me to do that, Captain?” Mira asked.

  “I have a few ideas,” Shawna interjected.

  “It’s good to see all of you can be so lighthearted in the face of possible death,” Nedra said.

  “Nedra, in times like this it’s ok to think about anything other than dying,” Benjamin said. “Back in the day, at times, thousands of pilots, soldiers and marines would be crammed into a battle cruiser. We went where they sent us and the result was a new invisible line that could be drawn in space. Before that could happen, though, on the ship men and women dealt with the reality of it as best they could, buckled into a spot on the wall. Some prayed, others joked with their friends and laughed, while some looked at pictures of their families or a wife, husband or lover.”

  “The Allond military would not allow that,” Nedra said.

  “Then it’s good we aren’t in the Allond military.”

  “All right everyone shut it, we have incoming. I gotta concentrate and try to keep us from being a victim of friendly fire.”

  “Lorelei, if the Cjittan fire on us it isn’t going to be friendly. They know who we are by now. Shawna, what did you tell them?”

  “Told them we work directly for Queen Tazleaha so don’t try to order us around.”

  “Maybe a little more tact should have been employed, but who am I to judge,” Benjamin said.

  “Captain, their weapons are fully charged,” Nedra said.

  “I don’t think they can penetrate our shields and won’t have the time to fire more than twice at our current speed.”

  “Nedra,” Benjamin said. “While we are supposed to be their ally, don’t let the bastards hurt my
ship. If they are aiming weapons at us, you don’t need any other reason to discourage them with prejudice.”

  “They’ve fired,” Nedra replied. Lorelei felt the ship shudder slightly a second later. “It’s a corvette, one of the aged ships Allond sold Cjittan.”

  “A light cruiser is on an intercept course. We’ll be in the range of its weapons,” Lorelei said. “But, I’m more worried about the Khalnalax heavy near Idaline. Our course is going to bring us a little too close.”

  “One thing at a time, Lorelei. Worry when we get there.” She knew he was right.

  “Captain, it’s increasing its speed,” Nedra said. “Locking weapons on it.”

  “I see it. We’re staying on course. Genius, heads up I’m going to bump the drives but only for a few seconds.”

  “Copy, Captain. Gimme a second to make some adjustments,” Genius responded. “Nedra, when she bumps the drives, fire the lasers. I need to bleed the excess power and recharging the weapons would be easiest way.”

  “Fire at what?”

  “You don’t have to fire at anything. Open space is fine.”

  Lorelei was about to agree. “Where is that corvette that fired on us? Give them half and give that light cruiser the other half,” Benjamin said.

  “Hold on a second, Nedra,” Lorelei ordered.

  “You know that cruiser isn’t speeding up so they can wave to us as we sail by. They are getting closer so their weapons are more effective. Target and lock weapons to discourage, unless they don’t decrease their speed.”

  “Then what?” Lorelei snapped. “I don’t like it.”

  “Then I hope our speed increase puts us out of range.”

  “I’m ready, Captain. There is no more time for discussion or all we’ll do is make a big crater in the planet,” Genius said. “You’re already pushing it. Hope we can slow down.”

  She bumped the drives and Nedra fired on the approaching ship. The corvette wouldn’t be hurt. They had moved beyond the effective range for any major damage. The cruiser would be a different story and so would the Claymore. They had been lucky over the years to get by with just some scrapes.

  The computer immediately sounded off alarms requesting a course correction to avert one possible—the planet—and another definite—the cruiser—collision. She entered her security code to override the alarms. “This is not how I expected to die,” she heard Mira tell Benjamin. She was about to turn around and give her an ear full.

  “We aren’t going to die,” Benjamin said. “Lorelei is a great pilot and she likes living too much.” Lorelei smiled. “Knowing there is beer and at least one man besides me she hasn’t slept with will drive her to survive.”

  “You’re such an ass,” Lorelei mumbled. She had to concentrate on what was coming and he had to make jokes. Nedra hit the incoming cruiser in the bow. They watched as its shields lit up and the energy danced along the side of the ship. The second and third strikes did the same, but the fourth found its way through the weakened shield barrier. The Claymore’s lasers were firing at full power and the strike rocked the cruiser but didn’t breach the hull. It was clear they hadn’t expected it and it was too late as the Claymore sped out of range before any retaliation.

  “They should have taken a shot. Too late now,” she said.

  “I think for your sake it’s good they didn’t have time,” Benjamin said. “We are traveling at this unsafe speed to avoid getting blasted into chunks of bloody ice crystals. And what have I told you about scratching my ship?”

  “The others will be in real space soon. What are your orders?”

  “I sure as hell don’t want them doing this. Have them form up and take the safest route to Idaline. We survive the landing, we’ll need time to recon and figure out where to begin our search.”

  “Shawna, transmit that to everyone and have Binda, I mean the admiral, contact us. If they’re not already receiving a distress signal.”

  “Better not be a distress signal.” It was getting loud, everyone trying to talk over the alarms.

  “This was your idea and you’d better not pucker your ass and bite a hole in my captain’s chair when things get hairy,” Lorelei shouted.

  ****

  Excuse me, Benjamin. I do not believe what the captain says is possible.

  It’s not, Deireadh. Some of us have what we call a sense of humor. Remind me to explain it to you when we aren’t about to die.

  I will protect you.

  Let’s hope you don’t have to.

  ****

  “You got awful quiet. Scared?” Lorelei asked. She didn’t want him thinking up any new plans.

  “No. Deireadh thinks you’re mental. He took your last comment seriously.”

  “Now it’s going to get really fun. We have two heavy cruisers, one Cjittan and one Khalnalax, which is guarding the planet. Maybe we should have rethought firing on the Cjittan ships?”

  “Deireadh says, just saying that now after the fact is stupid.”

  “You tell the bag of bugs to say it out loud next time.” She heard him chuckle and knew he was lying.

  “Captain,” Shawna said. “We are being asked by the Cjittan heavy to open a comm. It’s from an Admiral Cushda.”

  “Time to earn your keep, big guy,” Lorelei said. “Pull the bugs over your face and get all dark and scary on them. Open the comm, Shawna, at all our stations.”

  ****

  My screen moved from the side of my seat into a position in front of me. The elderly Cjittan male in a uniform decorated in medals sat silent for a few seconds, appraising me.

  “While we haven’t been formally introduced, I have heard many things about you. Some say you are a great warrior. Others would say murderer. They feel you don’t know your place and should be put down, as any lesser species.”

  “Well, they would be right, Admiral. Except for the putting down part. I’ve lost count of how many have tried. You don’t have a lot of time. As you can see, we are in kind of a hurry. You better take your shot now.”

  “What are your intentions? You’ve fired on my fleet.”

  “We have sworn our loyalty to the queen and intend to find out what has happened to her. If she is alive, we plan on getting her away from here. In minutes, five more of our Privateer ships will enter real space. They will assist us and if you say please I might ask them to assist you as well.”

  “You think we need your assistance?” His tone was curt. “We outnumber the Khalnalax almost two to one.”

  “Don’t get bent. How about you assist us and open up on that Khalnalax heavy guarding the planet? It’s interesting how it just sits stationary. I have to think its weapons have some serious range.”

  “Benjamin, there is a Cjittan light cruiser headed in our direction,” Nedra announced, continuing to watch her tactical screen.

  “If you and your light cruiser both open up on the heavy we might squeak by.”

  Admiral Cushda studied him again. “Let me see your face. Then I will give you my decision.”

  “Why?”

  “I have been provided a description and only wish to verify your identity.”

  With a thought, I granted him his wish. His surprise was priceless but it wasn’t my face that provided it. Deireadh provided that. He had questions but refrained except for one observation.

  “Your hair is shorter. But the rest matches.”

  “A small price to pay when destroying six Khalnalax World Eaters, Admiral.” It was just a white lie. We destroyed five and kept one, but he didn’t need to know.

  “We will provide you with fifteen seconds of cover fire, then our light cruiser will be in its attack run and we must follow through with our plan. I will also send you the location of our ground forces. They had started a search for the queen, but a larger force of Khalnalax ground forces have stalled them. Still, they may have information for you.”

  “We’ll take it if they do, thank you. Claymore out.” His word was good. Lasers from both ships raced toward the Khalnalax
heavy.

  “Nedra, keep our shields maxed and don’t fire at them. They know we’re here, but let’s not draw any additional attention our way.”

  “Benjamin, I don’t know if fifteen seconds is long enough to do us much good,” Lorelei commented. She continued to study her screen.

  “It’s what we got. Couple minutes ago, we didn’t even have that,” I answered. “So far so good.” It was a dumb thing to say. Right up there with “I think we made it” or “we’re home free.” The Claymore shuttered violently. Lights flickered, alarms sounded. The Khalnalax heavy cruiser wanted to say hello and don’t think I don’t see you.

  “Shields?” Lorelei yelled.

  “Holding, and recharging,” Nedra answered.

  “Shawna, see if you can shut off those damn alarms,” I added.

  “The alarms sound for a reason, Benjamin. You don’t shut them off just because they annoy you,” Lorelei yelled over her shoulder.

  “You annoy me and I haven’t shut you up permanently. Maybe just turn them down, Shawna, until we can work through them.”

  “The heavy in front of us has turned its attention to the light cruiser,” Nedra reported. “The light has accelerated and is on a collision course for the battleship. Admiral Cushda and his heavy are doing what they can to provide support.”

  “Shawna, don’t worry about the alarms,” Lorelei said. “He is going to have to deal. In two seconds, there will be a few more singing along with those. We’re about to hit atmo and its gonna feel like the cannon that just pounded us, only it will last longer.”

  I pulled Zuri in front of the chair between my legs and leaned forward, holding on to the spikes on her back. True to her word, more alarms sounded, shields overloading, hull temps exceeding safe margins. Angle of descent too great. Death by giant fireball and shrapnel inevitable. No, I was sure Lorelei and the others would get us safely on the ground. She always has.

  ****

  Shawna had been smiling along with everyone else for a few seconds. They got past the enemy and were hurtling at the planet stupid fast. She guessed the Khalnalax were laughing their asses off and waiting for the big boom. That was five seconds ago. Now she watched Lorelei doing everything she could to coax the Claymore’s nose up. The captain’s lips moved just slightly, like whispers, as thoughts sped through her mind but she voiced none of it. No one spoke. Even the boss had stopped complaining, as if the blaring alarms had gone silent. She had no job but hold on and wish for the best.