by T. R. Harris
“Yeah, that’s what she said,” Riyad joked.
Kaylor didn’t get the ribald humor and continued in a more serious vein. “The Klin Colony Ships are twenty miles in diameter,” Kaylor pointed out. “And they are the largest objects ever built in space—until now.”
“And how many nukes do we have onboard—six?” Coop said, answering his own question.
“Relax people,” Adam said. “We don’t have to blow up the whole thing, just enough to put it out of commission. I’m sure something that big and complicated is also very delicate. Half a dozen nukes going off on the surface should do the job.”
“And nuclear devices do have a wider range in space than they do within an atmosphere,” Jym added, wanting in on the conversation.
Adam had brought the Najmah Fayd to a stop relative to the space station and the LP-6 generators. Both the warring parties now sat motionless, staring at each other on contact boards, waiting for something to happen. It was obvious the Nuoreans were content to run out the clock, knowing that if Adam and his team didn’t make this next transit, they’d have to wait another three days.
They wouldn’t survive another three days, not with a broken ship and nowhere to hide.
Adam looked over at Copernicus and Riyad. “You guys ready?”
Riyad snorted. “When is a guy ever ready to hop aboard an open-air flitter with three atom bombs strapped to his back and travel seventeen thousand miles through alien-infested space to reach the largest damn gravity generator he’d ever seen?”
“Well, consider yourself lucky,” Adam said. “You don’t have to run a gauntlet of sixty deadly warships, only to force your way into an alien-invested space station, and hope they let you stay and gain access to their most sensitive data files.”
Riyad considered Adam’s words for a moment. “Yeah, you win. I think I’d rather take my chances in outer space.”
Adam tapped his console. “Well then, let’s get started. The damn generator complex isn’t going to blow itself up.”
********
Contrary to popular belief, there had been some advance planning done before Adam and his crew embarked on their mission. Knowing that they would have to pass back through the midpoint generator before blowing it up, the brains back on Earth came up with what they thought was a brilliant plan. Their theory was about to be put to the test.
Adam and the team assembled in the small launch bay of the Najmah Fayd, where they stood staring at the two small vehicles that resembled over-sized jet-skis more than spaceships. These were PAVs—Personal Assault Vehicles—one-man rocket ships designed to avoid enemy contact and reach a target in space as far a hundred thousand miles away. Riyad and Copernicus each had one, and they would strap in and lean forward, while the tiny speeders zipped through space on a combination of compressed gas and minimal chem drive. The goal was to produce the lowest detection profile possible—both from the small size and minimal exhaust. They could reach speeds of ten thousand miles per hour or more in the vacuum of space, while leaving barely a trace.
Adam actually envied his two friends. He imagined it would be a blast riding one of these things. And he would have been right—if it wasn’t for the presence of the two, eight-foot-long tubular-shaped objects strapped to each side, with a third attached underneath.
These were the SENOs—Specially-Enhanced Nuclear Devices—with each having an effective yield of seventy-five megatons. Riyad would take his nukes to one of the huge generators; Copernicus to the other. Adam had seen a lot of exotic weapons in his day—both Human and alien—yet he was still amazed that such destructive power could be contained in such a small package.
Before setting out on the mission, it was assumed there would be opposition in place trying to stop them. That’s why this approach was chosen. However, it was hoped that huge structures in space, guarded by faster-than-light starships, would also assume any assault on the complex would be grand in scope and execution. The small—almost microscopic by space dimensions—PAVs could pass through any defensive screen. At least that was the plan.
They were about to find out.
********
Riyad and Coop were in specially-designed spacesuits which would integrate with the tiny spaceships, providing extended oxygen supply, along with a whole array of heads-up displays to help carry out the mission. Contrary to Riyad’s earlier pronouncement, he was anxious to hop aboard and get things going.
Jym stepped up to the first PAV, looking small and insignificant next to the vehicle. “I have programmed the guidance systems with the location of all targets. Automation should provide a reliable track to the generators while avoiding the defenses. Once on site, you will take over individual control to place the bomb locations.”
The two Humans climbed aboard their respective machines. Automatically, securing clamps closed on their legs and torsos, while life-support connections were secured. Thrust and guidance controls were placed on a pair of traditional-looking handlebars, which only added to the jet-ski-like resemblance. The men were now lying prone on the vehicles, with all systems green.
The generators were located seventeen thousand miles away, which meant it would take just under two hours to reach them, factoring in deceleration time. To meet the LP-5 transit pulse, Riyad and Copernicus could remain on station for no more than fifteen minutes before having to leave for the space station, five thousand miles from the generator complex. Hopefully by then, Adam, Sherri and the two aliens would have the information they needed—namely the location of the LP-6 transit zone—after which the team would make a timely retreat to the LP-5 TZ for the trip back to Andromeda.
It looked good on paper. Reality could be a whole different animal.
********
All those not leaving for the generator complex exited the launch bay and the chamber was opened to the vacuum of space. Riyad gave a thumbs-up just before gripping the control handle. On tiny jets of air, his PAV moved gingerly out the back of the Najmah Fayd, followed closely by Copernicus. Once a few hundred yards from the ship, each man engaged their engines—and at a pace designed not to kill the Human passengers—each PAV accelerated away at incredible velocity.
The Najmah Fayd disappeared almost instantly on Riyad’s screen. The g-force was noticeable, but tolerable. He looked up, along his flight path, and could see nothing but the glowing ten-degree arc of white light that was the Andromeda Galaxy. There were a few individual stars showing up as single points of light between here and there. Space between galaxies wasn’t completely empty, with a few rogue stars drifting helplessly in the void, having escaped their mother galaxies in some far distant past.
The acceleration continued, adding weight to Riyad’s body, until reaching terminal velocity when weightlessness returned. They couldn’t continue to accelerate all the way to the generator complex; that would require a deadly deceleration at the other end of the journey. Instead, halfway to his destination, he would turn the PAV and begin slowing down.
Just then, he felt a shift in his inertia as the vessel changed course slightly. It changed back a moment later, apparently moving to avoid an unseen target. Riyad looked at the glowing screen in front of his face. The range was set to a much narrower field than a normal threat board, but still it showed two contacts, identified as Nuorean battlecruisers. He moved to within a thousand miles of each before reaching clear space again.
Again, Riyad looked up and round at the vast emptiness of space. He had no sensation of movement; this wasn’t like shredding a lake with radical spins, or feeling the rush of ocean spray on his face like he’d experience on a terrestrial jet-ski. In fact, so far the trip was a letdown.
He could see the generator complex on his screen now, growing larger and brighter as a contact. He settled into the monotony of the voyage, knowing the peaceful interlude would be short-lived.
But so far…the plan was working.
Chapter 18
Adam was finished with his calculations. In the back of his mind,
he knew they were correct, even though confidence in his enhanced mental abilities was still lacking. Part of him didn’t trust the new Adam Cain, failing to understand the change taking place. The other tried to suppress the doubt. Only through constant checking and rechecking was he finally convinced his numbers were right.
Jym, however, wasn’t convinced.
“It is too precise,” the tiny alien stated. “I cannot see a favorable outcome if you continue along this path.”
“Trust me,” Adam said. “I’ve left a little wiggle room.”
“We could materialize inside the space station, not above it.”
“It doesn’t work like that—”
“I know! We would not fuse with the station,” Jym barked back. “But our volume would appear and force all other solid material away, resulting in a catastrophic explosion.”
Adam tried to reason with the alien. “What would you do if Panur was making the jump? Would you protest as much?”
Jym’s mouth snapped shut. He was about to say something rude, but thought better of it. The question had validity.
“I suppose I see your point. Yet you are not Panur—not yet.”
“And I never will be. But I’m close enough.”
Adam looked at Sherri at the weapons station. With Coop gone on his ride to the generators she got to play with all the neat stuff. Kaylor was in the co-pilot seat and Jym at nav. Adam was piloting, and moments away from making the most-technically challenging trans-dimensional jump of his life.
It had been decided there was no realistic way they could run the gauntlet of sixty-plus alien warships between here and the space station. The only solution was to hop over them. Adam had a target destination lined up two thousand feet above the top center of the circular-shaped station. If all went according to plan, they would pop in and then send out magnetic grapples to pull them to the outer surface of the station. From there, they would cut an air-tight access into the interior. Any defenders would think twice about firing on the ship for fear of damaging the station.
The only concern came from the fact that none of the apparently stationary objects—the space station, the generator complex, even the Najmah Fayd—were truly stationary. Each was moving through space, and all on slightly difference vectors and at varying velocities. With relative positions changing constantly, Adam’s jump calculations were too. That’s where a slice of mutant genius came in handy.
With one hand on the TD controls, and the other on the attitude jets of the Najmah Fayd, Adam made the jump.
********
The distance to the space station was the shortest hop Adam had ever made, so the time interval between transferring to an alien dimension and back again was barely noticeable.
“Watch out!” Jym yelled from his station.
Adam knew instantly what he meant.
Fortunately, the Najmah Fayd did manage to materialize just above the huge space station, yet it carried with it a certain thrust vector from its previous location. In English…the ship was racing toward the station at about a hundred miles per hour.
The small gap between the two objects closed in a matter of seconds. Adam fired a strong blast of maneuvering gas to slow them down. It wasn’t enough. The Najmah Fayd slammed onto the top of the station, deforming hull metal, which quickly rebounded, propelling the ship back into space. With the exhaust jets assisting, Adam watched as a mile—then ten—separated them from the station.
Nearby Nuorean ships noticed the widening gap and felt confident they could take a shot at the Najmah Fayd without hitting the station. They were right. A pair of plasma bolts erupted from launchers, streaking through space toward the ship.
At the last second, Adam sent a short burst of chem exhaust through the still-functional starboard side nozzle. The ship slid sideways, causing the two bolts to slip past without impacting. Next he sent air through the topside jets, reversing course. The ship raced for the top of the space station…again.
Kaylor was ready with the grapples, and when they slammed against the hull for a second time, he let them out. Their banged-up starship rumbled with a high-pitched vibration, as the harmonics of both ship and space station synced up.
They were now locked on top of the station, not exactly at the center, but close enough.
There was a docking port on the bottom of the Najmah Fayd with a ten-foot long access tube that could be extended to form a secure airlock. Everyone quickly unstrapped and left the bridge, using the stolen gravity from the station to give them traction. The access port was located just aft of the common area. Adam pulled the hatch open and they all jumped inside.
Laser cutting tools had already been placed in the chamber, and after donning dark eye shields, Adam and Sherri set to work on the now exposed surface of the space station. Adam had no idea as to the construction and layout of the station, but the metal fell away easily, exposing an inner hull with a skeletal array of bracing beams.
He slipped inside the void between the hulls and located an area of clear metal between the braces large enough for them to pass through. He made quick work of the sheet metal before it fell away, crashing to the floor of an inner compartment. The room was vacant.
In the light Nuorean-based gravity, Adam dropped to the floor, followed by Sherri. Kaylor and Jym began to pass weapons to the Humans; the aliens would stay aboard the ship and prevent any Nuoreans approaching along the outer hull from gaining access.
Adam nodded to Kaylor and the Belsonian backed away, securing the access hatch behind him.
The Humans geared up.
At first, Adam had ordered Sherri stay behind and let him—and his new mutant abilities—take it from here. But she wouldn’t have anything to do with it. And when Sherri Valentine made up her mind, a supernova couldn’t change it. Adam had acquiesced, but insisted he take the lead.
Adam had a Xan-fi flash rifle slung across his back and an M-101 assault rifle in his hands. He also had eight flash-bang grenades, two flares, a .45-cal Colt and a 9mm Glock on his utility belt, plus a supply of extra ammo and extra battery packs enough to choke a small elephant. Sherri was similarly armed, the lighter gravity helping with the load. Yet even counting up all the ammo and bolt capacity they carried, it still wouldn’t be enough to kill all thousand-plus aliens aboard the station.
That’s where Kaylor and Jym would help.
Two of the bunker-busting nuclear-tip weapons had been modified with a trigger device on each, rather than the automatic timer they normally carried. Once the aliens made it back to the bridge, Kaylor launched the rockets.
They arced high above the vast expanse of the space station before returning to plunge through the metal hull and deep into the interior. Then using an acoustic contact placed against the hull, Kaylor gave the crew of the station the bad news.
The weapons could be set off by his command, so all Nuoreans wishing not to become radioactive waste should evacuate the premises post haste.
Of course, Kaylor didn’t use exactly those words, but the Nuoreans got the message. And as Adam and Sherri left the compartment and entered an outer corridor, a steady stream of unarmed alien techs was seen executing a rather organized and orderly evacuation. They eyed the heavily-armed pair of Humans with neutral expressions, yet none tried to engage.
That would be left to others.
Chapter 19
The audio and video links to the space station were still intact—only the control links had been severed. Morlon had also destroyed all the local controls to the maneuvering jets for the generators and the pulse shot. Even if Adam Cain could make it to the generators, he would be unable to divert the alignment or stop LP-6 from firing.
But now Morlon was looking at a video screen of the Human starship sitting atop the control station. Reports were coming in of a hull breach, followed moments later with news of nuclear weapons aboard the station.
What was Cain planning, Morlon wondered? Did he think destroying the space station would render the generator c
omplex inoperable? The Human couldn’t be that naïve. But still, there had been no detection of bombs on or in the generator complex.
Morlon shrugged off his questions. At the moment he felt secure that LP-6 would fire on time and on target. That left only one task to accomplish. And for that he had to return to the space station.
********
Having flipped around, Riyad now felt the artificial gravity of deceleration in his head and upper torso. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just a little annoying as he approached the huge generator complex ass-end first. He couldn’t look up and see his target, just the image projected on his video monitor.
But soon the signal sounded and the tiny ship came to a stop relative to the generator, five hundred miles below. This is where the fun began. Riyad took manual control and spun the PAV around to get his bearings. He checked the contact radar and decided here looked as good as any place. He released his bombs to float leisurely in the vacuum of space.
Next, he cranked the handlebars around and shot off toward the looming surface of the generator. Moments later he was skimming along the surface, feeling like Luke Skywalker in an X-wing fighter. His destination was the area just this side of the spherical network of girders and ribs connecting the two massive generators. He didn’t know the purpose for the ninety-mile-in-diameter sphere, but it was decided this would be the weakest part of the complex. Copernicus was targeting the same location on the other generator.
Hostile contacts appeared on his board, these being small, one-Nuorean worker pods. Riyad didn’t know what type of armament they carried—if any—but he wasn’t taking any chances.
He dove closer to the surface, which looked to be a combination of metal and composite material. Near the edge where the round, metal cage connected the generators, Riyad began to circle the tube, releasing the contents of his sprayers at three equal distance patches along the circumference.
When brilliant lines from laser weapons passed by him, he knew it was time to split. He could see Copernicus on his screen making his departure as well, after painting the surface of the other generator. The pair raced away from the complex, heading for the space station five thousand miles away and just ahead of a small swarm of repair pods.
