When the Dust Settled

by Jeannie Meekins

  “And therefore the message is not coming from an Earth ship,” she realised. “If it gets tracked.”

  “Exactly,” he smiled. “Now, I need a shower and change. You go back to your quarters and get some sleep. I don’t want to see you for at least eight hours. I know how grumpy you women get when you don’t get enough sleep.”

  “Grumpy?” McReidy was immediately defensive. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

  John sighed. “For once in your life, can’t you do what you’re told without arguing?”

  * * *

  It was different on the bridge that morning. It should have been quiet without McReidy, however everyone wanted to know where she was.

  “Attending to other duties,” was the only answer John gave.

  “You had her up working all night, didn’t you?” Gillespie accused.

  John didn’t answer.

  “Are you going to tell us what’s really going on or not?”

  “You’ll know everything you need to when the time’s right.”

  The reply only served to confirm Gillespie’s suspicions.

  Giacomo complained lightheartedly about the change to the duty rosters. John let him choose his own navigator. He chose Hartford but it wasn’t the same. He enjoyed the trivial small talk with McReidy. It had no meaning with anyone else. It would be a long shift not knowing when or if she would arrive.

  They came within range of the Aran system on time. John made contact and the invitation to begin treaty talks was extended. He bluffed politely. They had an unavoidable interruption thrown into their schedule and would have to delay for several days, but would like to ask a favour.

  Yes, the Arans would pass a message to Drago. Betelians were long time friends and the chance to fight back at the Andromedans who were encroaching on Aran territory would be reward enough.

  Back to top

  Chapter seventeen

  As Bismarck neared Polgar, John became more on edge. Drago had initially been three days from Velos. Would he be able to make it in two and wipe out the station? That was anyone’s guess. Would the reinforcements be in and out before he got there? Probably not. They were in no great hurry; their suspicions had not been aroused. Drago would not take on a fully armed convoy. Or would he? That was beginning to look like a distinct possibility.

  No news was not good news. John had to slow down before they came within range of Shimodo and Antigua. He couldn’t afford to arouse the Andromedan’s suspicions. He had his number one crew on the bridge. It was time to let them know exactly what was going on and raise the ship’s status to yellow alert.

  “We’ve been playing the shadows,” John spoke into the quiet. “That changes now. We’ve got two ships about to be crucified and I’m not going to let that happen. If anyone has a problem with that, please say so now.”

  McReidy didn’t answer as she brought the weapons systems online. She knew the situation.

  She avoided Giacomo’s look as much as John welcomed it. But the pilot’s attention remained in front of him; on his console and the main screen.

  “Too dark in the shadows, sir.”

  Gillespie nodded.

  Tan closed his eyes momentarily and took a steadying breath. John couldn’t tell if he was about to object or clearing his focus.

  “Mister Tan?”

  Tan opened his eyes, slipped an earphone in and turned to John with a small smile that confirmed his intent.

  They were all with him. They had no idea of the full extent that they were walking into, but they were with him. His chest warmed and his mind calmed.

  He hit the yellow alert button. The ship and crew came alive and he could almost hear engineering groaning.

  A scan of the area revealed only Shimodo and Antigua. The Andromedan ships were well hidden. There were a number of places where they could be that Bismarck’s scanners couldn’t see. A black dwarf was still spewing material; a nebula clouding nearby. Closer still, a comet had been burning its tail for weeks as it approached its star.

  “How long until we’re in visual range?” John asked.

  “About half an hour,” Tan confirmed.

  “If we increase speed –” Giacomo began.

  “No,” John cut in. “The Andromedans will have picked us up by now. We need to be what we look like. A harmless transport.” His eyes were riveted to the main screen. “Where are they?” he wondered impatiently. His anxiety level was rising. “Gillespie? McReidy?”

  “Nothing, sir,” McReidy answered.

  “Nothing… wait… I’ve got something,” Gillespie answered. “Traces of ionic residue, filtering from the nebula to the black dwarf.”

  “Could be the collapse remnants,” Giacomo suggested.

  “Could be,” John agreed, though his tone indicated otherwise.

  “It forms a parallel path to Shimodo and Antigua…” Gillespie continued. “Only enough for one ship though.”

  “A scout,” John concluded. “They’re using the nebula for cover.”

  Tan’s focus was on keeping the lines of communication open, both visual and audio, and looking for what was beyond. Any call out, any reinforcements, any interested onlookers or commercial transport that might get in the way. Battles were never static. They could drift thousands of kilometres in a matter of seconds and end up light years from their origin.

  He ran the frequencies; identifying, calculating, disregarding and filtering the mass of disjointed data to isolate the tiniest scrap that was vital and bring it to John’s attention.

  “Commander.” Tan switched the current frequency to main audio.

  It was from Velos. The outpost was under attack. The order came through to destroy the fleet.

  “Jam it!” John ordered.

  “Too late. They’ve already received it,” Gillespie advised. “Radiation levels in that area just went through the roof.”

  “We’re out of time. Giacomo, go for it. Shields up, weapons on full.” John flicked the intercom. “Commander Madison to all crew. We are at battle stations.” The intercom flicked off. “We’ve got to get to Shimodo and Antigua before they do.”

  Drago had calculated his attack well. It could be no accident that had allowed Bismarck time to reach the Earth ships. Another half an hour would have put them into visual contact. John had already worked out what he would say. A simple reason as to why the two ships needed to change their course. It wouldn’t have mattered if the Andromedans were listening. Now, all that was irrelevant.

  “Open a channel to our ships,” John ordered.

  “Scout plus four others,” McReidy informed. “Battleships and cruisers.”

  John nodded and his jaw tensed. They were too big for Bismarck to take on. “This is Bismarck calling Shimodo and Antigua. You’re about to be attacked. Get out of there!”

  “Captain Melchior of Shimodo here,” came the reply. “Who are you and what the devil are you talking about?”

  “I haven’t got time to explain –”

  “Shimodo just took a direct hit on engineering,” McReidy cut John off.

  Antigua hadn’t bothered to wait for explanations. She moved immediately as shots skimmed her forward shields. Shimodo’s shields went up, but the damage to her engines was extensive. She was paralysed.

  John had memories of Canberra. “Shimodo, get your fighters out. We’ll take the heat.”

  “Fighters scrambling,” Melchior answered.

  John was partially satisfied. “Engineering, I want auxiliary power to boost the shields as much as possible.”

  “You’ll overload the system.”

  “Mister Kowalski, you’ve done it before.”

  “Not without Delaney.”

  “Do it. We’ll cover Shimodo until she gets some fighters out. Hold on, because we’re going to take some pretty hard hits.”

  “Antigua’s fighters are out.”

  John breathed a sigh of relief at Gillespie’s news.

  Bismarck took a battering as she protected Shimodo�
�s launch bay. She shuddered and shook as she was knocked about. Giacomo struggled to hold her together and McReidy sprayed the vicinity with phaser fire, managing to intercept a few torpedoes and deflect some phaser tracers. Weapons room took out the angles she couldn’t see. Shields began to buckle and the hull groaned.

  A handful of Antigua’s fighters came in to help, though Giacomo nearly took one out with his flying.

  Two waves of fighters got out cleanly. Bismarck’s shields began to overload. She had to get out of the firing line and drop the auxiliaries.

  “Shimodo, we have to back off. What are your engines like?”

  “They’re in bad shape. Shields can hold for a while. At least while we get repairs underway. As it is, we can’t move.”

  “We’ll get you some help.”

  “Much obliged.”

  John broke off the link to Shimodo. “Engineering, I’d be very disappointed if you weren’t listening. Mister Kowalski, organise a team for transport. Red, I need you here. Don’t leave us short.”

  “Yes, sir,” both engineers answered together.

  Gillespie made a move.

  “No, Steve. I need you here,” John told him.

  Gillespie nodded.

  “Giacomo, will you please keep us in an upright position.”

  The ship looped sideways, nearly throwing everyone out of their seats. John should have known better. He had allowed himself to be distracted. He trusted Giacomo at the helm and that had made him forget the pilot’s unorthodox ways.

  Antigua was in full fury. Her captain was obviously no stranger to battle. She had picked her target and attacked relentlessly. If she could not find a weak spot, she would make one of her own. Her fighters were well trained. Each wing worked independently, yet combined easily to make the most of their force. Persistence and sheer determination saw her punch through the shields and destroy one ship.

  Shimodo’s fighters didn’t know where to begin. Their leaders were trying to pull them back into some sort of order. Too much had happened too fast.

  “I see you couldn’t resist a good fight.” A familiar voice crackled through communications.

  “Red leader to red four. Shut up, Daniels.”

  McReidy hesitated.

  “Are you all right?” Giacomo asked.

  “I am now,” she grinned, arcing a tracer across a pack of enemy fighters.

  “Antigua’s got the right idea,” John spoke loudly. “Giacomo, get in between them.”

  “Not if you want to remain in an upright position, sir,” Giacomo answered cheekily. The grin he threw McReidy was returned, but there was no hesitation in his actions as he obeyed John.

  “Kowalski to bridge. Engineering team ready to transport.”

  “Stand by,” John ordered. “And be careful over there.”

  There was a softness in his voice that showed genuine care. It was up to him to ensure their safety. The fact that he showed it, no matter how innocently, tended to boost their morale.

  “Bismarck to Shimodo. Engineering team standing by. Let us know when you’re ready to launch fighters.” John knew they would have to drop the shields around the launch bays to let the fighters out. Only then could he transport anyone over.

  “Antigua here. I’m sitting right on top of you, Shimodo. Launch when ready.”

  Antigua provided the covering fire that allowed Shimodo to drop shields and launch fighters. Kowalski’s team transported over.

  “That’s all we’ve got,” Melchior announced. “Shields at full, weapons fully functional… This one’s mine.”

  Antigua and Bismarck scattered. An Andromedan battleship was closing in. It correctly assumed Shimodo was in trouble. It assumed too much.

  “She’s powering up all weapons.” Gillespie was worried.

  “Not our problem.” John knew Bismarck wouldn’t last more than a few seconds under the likely onslaught.

  “But Sam…” McReidy silenced herself.

  Shimodo was out of visual sight when she fired. At point blank range, something had to give. The overconfident Andromedan ship waited too long. It suspected an attack from Antigua and was watching for it. The explosion sent fragments flying in all directions. Bismarck was hit by a shockwave that sent her spinning. A few of the fighters suffered a worse fate. Shimodo was unscathed.

  “Two down, two to go,” Melchior’s delight came through in his words.

  At close range, the Andromedans couldn’t fire without risking hitting each other. They sent out more fighters and spread apart.

  By this stage, Antigua had taken a battering. She had been the main attacker and in return she had received the most punishment. Her shields were beginning to weaken; a lot of her firepower was used up. No one could even begin to guess the state of the Andromedans. The safest assumption was that the two remaining ships were at full power.

  “I guess it’s our turn,” John decided. “Giacomo, McReidy, take us in and give them everything we’ve got. Gillespie, keep me informed.”

  Giacomo took them in. How he avoided getting hit, no one knew. His moves were instinctive. His eyes never left the screen, his hands knew their way around the controls without help. He had developed an understanding with McReidy where he instinctively seemed to know her target. She, in turn, was guided by her own instruments and Gillespie’s constant reports. They had to work on an enemy’s weakness. John often gave them their heads while he concentrated on the big picture.

  Sean looked for Bismarck. Like most of Shimodo’s fighters, he had run clear of his ship to avoid being caught in the explosion. He knew something would go. The thought that it could have been Shimodo didn’t even occur to him.

  He spotted Bismarck; she was making a move on the enemy. “Gee, John, you’re even crazier than I thought you were!”

  “Not necessarily,” John answered. “Shields have weakened. We’re going to knock them down.”

  “You can’t get under their shields.”

  “Not in one pass… A couple of fighters might.”

  “I’m game… I need some backup, guys.”

  “Red four, get back here.” Sean’s leader was not pleased.

  “I’m following Bismarck,” Sean answered.

  “Daniels, you get back here or I’ll put you on report.”

  “If we get out of this alive, you can report me for whatever you like. Right now, I’m going with Bismarck.”

  “Red five and six backing up.”

  Three fighters pulled in behind Bismarck, using her for protection from the Andromedan weapons. John was aware of them and the speed they would be reaching in Bismarck’s slipstream. At the angle he was approaching…

  “Pull up! All fighters pull up! Giacomo, second pass.”

  Giacomo pulled up immediately. The fighters followed. One mistimed and hit the Andromedan shields, exploding on impact, the other two pulled clear.

  “What was that for?” Sean demanded.

  “Our slipstream would have thrown you into their ship,” John explained. “We’ll cut a finer angle.”

  “Blue three and four here. Mind if we join you?” A different voice joined the conversation.

  “Not in the least,” Sean answered. “Hey, John,” his voice faltered slightly as they made a second approach. “I see the Sri Lankans won the cup.”

  “Damn it, Sean. I haven’t got around to watching it yet.”

  “Sorry… It’s still worth watching.”

  McReidy updated their timing schedule: only seconds to go.

  Sean heard her voice if not her words. “Tell that gorgeous navigator of yours –”

  “Tell her yourself.” John was not going to get involved in that sort of discussion.

  “– that she owes me dinner,” Sean finished uninterrupted, as though John had not spoken.

  “I thought you were a gentleman.”

  McReidy’s voice was like music to Sean’s ears. “And I thought you believed in equality.” His laugh came through in his voice. He couldn’t con her the way she
could him, but he wasn’t above a little light teasing.

  Giacomo cut a finer angle. Torpedoes punched a hole through the weakened shields. Shearing off at the last second, the fighters were flung through the gap and under the shields, skimming the length of the enemy cruiser. At such close range, they couldn’t help but cause damage as they opened fire.

  Pulling clear, John was content to leave it. He suddenly remembered the scout ship. She was nowhere around. He knew she had moved away before the initial attack, obviously expecting a simple victory and seeing no need to become involved. Now the tables were turned, it appeared she had sought escape. That was something he would not allow. Why hadn’t Gillespie kept him informed? That was his job after all.

  “Where’s that scout?” he demanded, knowing full well he was putting Gillespie on the spot.

  “She’s not talking,” Tan told them.

  One look at John’s face told Gillespie it was not worth explaining his lack of knowledge. He had to find it. And fast. He had tracked the scout earlier; her engine residue pattern was fresh in the system. A long range scan picked her up quickly. “She’s running to Polgar. At least half hour’s headstart on us.”

  “Bismarck here. We’re going after the scout,” John informed the two cruisers. “Shimodo, look after my engineers. I’ll be back later.”

  He didn’t wait for an answer. Similarly, Giacomo didn’t wait to be told.

  *

  Away from the main battle, John had the chance to check Bismarck’s status. The shields had held up. There were a few minor casualties in sick bay. Only about the same as twenty four hours shore leave normally provided, he reflected.

  He grinned broadly. He couldn’t help the surge of pride that flowed through him. The ship and crew had performed well above expectations.

  The scout ship picked them up on her scanners, immediately increasing speed. She had a speed comparable to Bismarck. It looked like being a long chase. Giacomo was tiring, although he would never admit it. Tan yanked the earphone out. He rubbed his eyes, blinking them unseeingly at the console in front of him.