by John Walker
And they didn’t have to wait long.
All four fighters went after her, closing in and firing the moment they were in range. Alma’s shields doubled up in the back and she performed evasive maneuvers, dodging left and right to avoid their blasts. She remained calm, forcing herself into a state of severe focus. Blasts struck the rocks ahead of her and she banked left, skimming along the side of the mountain and keeping it to her right.
The enemy flew after her, one of them bouncing off the rocks. Its shields flared as it tried to recover, spinning out of control for a moment before leveling off and rejoining the fight. He was rewarded with two missiles from one of Alma’s companions, both striking him from the top. The ship exploded, bits of debris scattering throughout the forest.
The other three didn’t give up, continuing after Alma with all the determination of a hungry child. She continued her maneuvers, finally taking a pair of shots that knocked her shields down to sixty percent. Diving again, she went below one hundred feet then had to climb to avoid a set of particularly tall trees.
One of the enemies trimmed the tops of the tallest branches and broke formation, flying off to the South. “He’s trying to get behind us,” Rahan said.
“I’ll take him,” Alma replied, banking hard to find a firing solution. The other two didn’t give up on her, staying on her tale but as she came around on their companion, they tried to close the distance. Fortunately, alliance fighters seemed a little faster than theirs and she kept them away.
Her computer gave her tone and she fired missiles and guns, laying into the enemy just as he fired some blasts. He never could’ve hit Rahan or Hilot, they were barely even in front of him but his random shots struck the rocks and scattered bits into the valley. Alma’s attack, on the other hand, obliterated him, causing his core to explode.
The other two broke and started to run, flying back the way they came. “After them!” Alma shouted. “But don’t shoot. Let’s see where they’re going.”
“What could they even be doing down here?” Rahan asked. “This doesn’t make any sense!”
“I know.” Alma shook her head. “But we have to figure it out. If there’s an enemy presence here, this operation just took a dramatic turn. Stay on them. They can’t go far.”
***
“Anthar,” Deva turned in her seat to address Kale, “our fighters have engaged enemy ships on the surface!”
“What?” Kale stood up. “Are you sure?”
Deva put footage on the main screen for him to see and they all watched as the fighters began a massive fight. While that went on, she checked her console to see whether or not the shuttle was in any trouble but so far, it seemed fine. The technician was working on the buoy, unaware of the violence going on below them.
“Do you have any enemy capital ships on the scanners?” Kale asked.
“No, sir. Nothing. We’re the only ship in this system.”
“They must’ve crashed down there,” Athan said. “And now they’re trying to defend themselves.”
“If they crashed, they’d be insane to attack us,” Kale replied. “Once we find their main camp, they’d be helpless to bombardment. Why would they even reveal themselves?”
“Maybe they knew we’d find them one way or another,” Deva said.
“I can get a firing solution when we find them,” Thaina added. “Give me some coordinates and we’ll go to town.”
“Hold on,” Kale said. “If they’re holding the power source we need, we can’t destroy the entire area. We have to take a step back from this. Consider what’s going on and what we need. This is bigger than a fight. How’re our pilots doing?”
“They’ve taken two down…” Deva paused. “Sir, they’re pursuing the others. Vinthari Il’Var has had her pilots stand down so they can determine where the enemy came from.”
“Good.” Kale nodded. “I’m glad she’s thinking that way. Stay in contact with her and put the shuttle’s escorts on alert. Alma might need some help if they encounter a larger force. In fact, have the rest of our fighters get out there just in case. I’d rather be overkill in this situation. Considering how far out in the middle of nowhere we appear to be, prudence doesn’t seem wise.”
***
Alma and the others chased after the enemies so far that they ended up in the middle of the night on the planet. Her scanners picked up a strange formation of rock ahead, towering up higher than the mountain itself. Image enhancement showed it to be smooth, as if carved out of stone with openings all across the surface.
We found what we’re looking for and our enemy is already here. Fantastic.
She fed it back to the ship and collected as much data as possible. The energy readings were off the chart. Whatever created the constant pulse of power came from inside that place. Flying over, she noted that there were no enemy ships down there. No shuttles. No wreckage. The two fighters they chased seemed to wink off radar as well.
They must be using the energy signature to mask themselves.
“Deva, we might have a problem. As you can see, we’ve got a structure but it must be blocking our scans. I can’t even see the people we were chasing now.”
“Understood. Please return to orbit and await further orders.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Alma asked. “It seems like we should be patrolling the area just in case.”
“We’re working out a strategy right now,” Deva replied. “Thank you for the suggestion. Get back to orbit.”
Yes, ma’am. The thought carried sarcasm but her response remained professional. “On our way.” She directed her two wings to follow her and they left the area, climbing away from the surface.
Alma thought the situation felt odd when they arrived but looking at it now, she felt considerable alarm about it all. If the enemy got hold of the type of energy that planet seemed to be producing, if they could somehow apply it to the war effort, then the alliance would very much be in trouble.
Considering Anthar Ru’Xin’s penchant for doing whatever it took to keep the enemy from key objectives, Alma began to worry about what might happen to them all if they were truly stranded out there. She hoped he didn’t decide to detonate the ship and the planet with it to prevent them their prize.
Chapter 5
Gray felt serious reservations about moving so close to the system they left a large enemy presence behind in but he agreed with the tech crew’s assessment. They needed to gather data and what better place to do so than from the place they left? Returning to the scene of the crime would’ve been the best route but impractical.
As they winked into the quiet system, Olly immediately performed a system scan using the buoy in place to check for any ships that might’ve recently jumped in. They were alone with only a few uninhabitable planets nearby for company. The tech team dug in to gather their data and Gray did his best not to focus on the bad feeling rising in the back of his mind.
He didn’t fully understand how the alliance buoys worked but based on what his people were trying to do, it made sense that the enemy might be able to use them in a similar way. If that were the case, they might be monitoring those around that centralized, secret research facility and if so, they’d know that someone just hopped in nearby.
It wouldn’t take them long to investigate so the situation became burdened with urgency.
Adam had Revente ready the pilots and they were on standby in the event of needing to launch for an attack. Search and rescue crafts were prepped as well for when they found The Crystal Font. They might be dead in space, unable to travel at all and in that case, Gray had to be prepared to save lives.
The medical centers were also fully stocked and on alert standby. Gray prepared for the worst and prayed for the best but considering how long they’d been alone, he could not quite muster much in the way of positivity. When the Behemoth suffered a jump failure due to sabotage, they were back in less than three days.
Months seemed impossible to recover from. If not
due to damage or attack, supplies could’ve run out. They might’ve starved to death long before any other peril took their lives. The thought that they escaped destruction only to die through some lingering means filled Gray with rage. The unfairness of it stuck in his craw.
“Captain, I’ve finished the assessment,” Olly announced. “The adjacent system has been abandoned. There are no enemy ships to speak of in left. They must’ve looted everything they could and departed.”
“What about the anomaly we were looking for?” Clea asked. “Did you find anything to do with that?”
“Paul’s feeding us data back now.”
Gray watched Clea focus on her tablet for a long moment, nodding several times.
“They did dump their pulse drive waste,” Clea announced. “There’s so much radiation in that area, it might even be impacting the planet surface. We’d need to send a clean up ship to make that area safe. Shields might not even help for long.”
“Wow…” Gray shook his head. “I’ll keep that tactic in mind…and the repercussions.”
“So we know they did it,” Olly said. “But what’s that mean for us getting their location?”
“Unfortunately, with these readings?” Clea sighed. “They could practically be anywhere. It might’ve thrown them off course to another galaxy as far as we know. Our only hope now is to find something in the buoy. I guarantee the system here doesn’t get much traffic. I’m downloading the logs now.”
“Will that lead us to them?” Gray asked.
“I’m assuming it will lead us to the next buoy, sir,” Clea replied. “We have to follow the bread crumbs as they say.”
“Ah, you learned our fairy tale.”
Clea shrugged. “Seemed a good place to start.”
“Captain,” Olly interrupted, his voice urgent. “I’ve got someone jumping into this sector! Buoy just activated.”
“On screen.”
They watched as a ship winked in, a medium sized cargo vessel that had seen better days. Gray checked his computer to see what ID it was using but the information came back garbled. Pirate.
“That ship’s armed,” Olly said. “No identification. They’re hailing us.”
“Oh, this will be rich,” Gray said. “Put them on. Maybe they’ve seen The Crystal Font.”
“This is Rigis Tor’Eray,” a male’s voice piped through their speakers. “We don’t have a quarrel with you. We’d like to just go on our way.”
“We’re not looking for you,” Gray said. “But considering what you’re doing, we can’t just let you leave to torment some unarmed ship elsewhere in the galaxy.”
“Look, we’re not pirates,” Rigis replied. “We’re just doing some salvage runs on the down low. Trying to make a little extra money. You know how it is. It’s hard making a living out here without you guys giving us a hard time.”
“Have you salvaged an alliance ship?” Gray asked. “Specifically, a battle cruiser?”
Rigis laughed. “If we did, do you think I’d tell you? Or that we’d be flying around in this hunk of garbage? That would’ve been a big prize. No, we were checking out rumors of some research facility in the nearby system but it was totally ransacked and destroyed. Nothing there to take.”
Gray cut the signal for a moment and turned to Olly. “Check their story. Check the database for any reports that might match this ship for piracy. If they’re just scavengers, I think we can give them a pass but I don’t trust this guy.”
“On it, sir.”
“How would they hear rumors about that secret location?” Gray asked.
Clea shrugged. “Anyone could’ve leaked info about it after our trip. The soldiers, some of the researchers…if they even told a loved one it could’ve turned into a hint.”
“So much for secrets.” Gray turned the com back on. “You didn’t find any hostiles in that sector, huh? How long were you there for?”
“Two days. Nearly ran out of supplies so we’re heading back to a friendly port. That’s a legal place.”
“Not with that ID you’re not,” Gray said. “You know as well as I do they won’t let you dock anywhere without a legal registration.”
“We…” Rigis coughed. “We have one.”
“Uh huh. Don’t try to leave. We’re confirming a few things.” Gray turned off the com and looked at Adam. “Battle stations but keep it subtle. I don’t want these guys trying to run before we can secure some information.”
Adam nodded and turned to his own com. Olly glanced back. “Sir, I do have reports of a ship that matches this description attacking the shipping lanes. Last week, they took down an ore shipment being sent to a colony that needed it pretty bad. They killed the entire crew, stole the goods, stripped the vessel and let the hull drift.”
“Bastards.” Gray scowled then contacted them again. “Listen, Rigis. We know you’ve been out pirating. This is how we’re going to play this. Surrender to us and you’ll be arrested. No one gets hurt. If you choose not to, we will open fire and judging by the size of your ship…well, let’s just say I’m pretty sure you won’t get a day in court.”
“We’ve got more bite than bark,” Rigis replied. “You don’t want to do this.”
“So I’m guessing that means you don’t want to surrender?” Gray asked. “Are you sure about that?”
“We’re ready to repel you,” Rigis said. “Good luck.”
The com went dead.
“They’re powering up their weapons,” Olly said. “Scanning…they seem pretty standard. No credible threat.”
“Reddings,” Gray said, “light them up.”
“Yes, sir.” Reddings opened fire, letting loose a barrage from the cannons. The pirate retaliated at the same time, laying into them with their own blasts. The impact caused the Behemoth’s shields to flare but no appreciable damage. They didn’t so much as tremble from the blow.
In contrast, when the Behemoth’s pulse blasts struck the pirate’s port side, their shields flared and winked out. Six blasts struck the hull directly, carving neat and perfect holes into the metal. Flames bloomed out, perfect globes of orange quickly dissipating as some emergency measure sealed the breach.
“They want to talk,” Agatha announced. “They’re hailing us.”
“I bet they do.” Gray nodded to her. “Put them on.”
Rigis spoke the moment the com connected, “okay, so…hold on. Just…hold on. I think we can come to some agreement. Let’s just…slow down.”
“Are you prepared to surrender?” Gray asked.
Olly lifted his hand. “Sir, they’re priming their jump drive! They’re looking at less than twenty seconds to departure!”
“Redding, target the drive and fire.”
“Um…they’ve shot something,” Clea said. “Olly, check those. I’m reading unstable mass.”
“Pulse bombs!” Olly shouted. “They’ve fired them from their ship!”
“Sneaky bastards, belay the last order,” Gray said. “Target those bombs and take them out. Now!”
“AI turrets are already engaging,” Redding said. “Three down…make that four. Five…six!”
“What did they do, unload their entire payload?” Adam turned to his monitor. “That’s it. They’re done.”
Gray watched his own monitor as the shockwave from the bombs slammed into the pirate’s vessel. They listed, careening to starboard and began to drift. Their coms dropped instantly and the lights on the surface went out. If anyone survived the attack, they likely had less than a few minutes left to live.
“Olly?” Gray asked. “What’ve you got?”
“Major hull breach. Minimal life support. Engines are totally offline.” Olly shook his head. “They’re on generators, sir. I’m estimating they’ll be out of power in less than twenty minutes.”
“Life signs?”
“Also minimal.” Olly paused. “I’m reading ten people.” He glanced over his shoulder. “There were forty when we did our initial scan.”
Gray nodde
d. “Understood. Agatha, get a message to them. We’ll take them aboard. Adam, launch search and rescue to bring them aboard.”
“There’s a chance their core might melt down,” Clea said. “If so, it’s going to blow. That could put our shuttle in jeopardy.”
“I get it. We’ll make it fast.” Gray turned. “Did they reply to us?”
“They’re ready to comply,” Agatha said. “They’re making their way out of the ship in their escape pods.”
“Excellent. Collect them.” Gray gestured to Clea. “Make sure the tech team takes advantage of this down time with those buoys. We’ll be here for a short time. Figure out as much as you can before we’re ready to go. Maybe we’ll get lucky with the Crystal Font. Get to work, folks. We’re going to have a busy shift.”
***
Paul joined Olly on the bridge, carrying his tablet with him. They spoke quietly, performing a variety of checks on the buoy. Outside, search and rescue moved to assist the pirates, their efforts full of far more stress than the two tech officers experienced. Olly tried to ignore it but despite the fact that the men were criminals, he couldn’t handle the thought of them suffocating.
They could’ve died in a massive core explosion. At least those ten lived…though they might be pretty bad off.
“I think I found the message,” Paul said. He played it at a low volume. This is the Crystal Font requesting immediate assistance. We’ve experienced a jump malfunction and are currently located—. The message was cut short just before they could offer the coordinates. They exchanged a look.
“Okay, good. So we know it came this way.” Olly checked the cache and unlike the one in the high traffic area, this one barely had any messages at all. Certainly not enough to purge them any time soon. He hoped they were tough to crack. They had access codes but if anyone had the ability to hop in and track people, these things represented a serious security breach.
