by Ryk Brown
“Maybe, but come on; we’re only four light seconds out. You’re aware of that, right? Four light seconds!”
“I’m aware of it.”
“Okay, just making sure,” Josh said. “So how long are we supposed to sit here this time?”
“Ten minutes, just like before.”
Josh turned around to face aft again. “Ten minutes, four light seconds away from Earth—Earth, where there are, like, a half dozen Jung ships and a few hundred fighters.”
“That would be the place,” Loki answered. “You said you were bored, didn’t you? Well, this hardly qualifies as boring.”
“No, this is still boring, but it does have potential,” Josh declared.
“Comm-array is deployed in standby mode, waiting for her signal.” Loki looked at the time display on his console. “Comm window in thirty seconds.”
“Don’t watch the clock. Watch the sensors,” Josh advised. “If they spot us, we’re going to have to jump out in a hurry.”
“I’ve got an escape jump loaded and ready,” Loki told him. “We can jump away within five seconds.”
“You do realize we’re headed directly toward the Earth, right?” Josh asked.
“I know, but we’re barely moving.”
“Still, we are getting closer. I mean, I haven’t done the math or anything, but I’m betting we’re going to be a good deal closer than four light seconds out ten minutes from now.”
“Not really.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I did the math.”
“I should have known,” Josh said, rolling his eyes.
Loki looked over his console at the back of Josh’s flight seat. “Since when did you get so nervous about flying into danger?” Loki asked. “I thought you loved that stuff.”
“I do when the odds are in our favor,” Josh replied, “which they currently are not.”
“And you thought they were when you decided to attack a Jung frigate?”
“Actually, yes.”
“You do realize that was a mistake, right?” Loki asked.
“I do now, sure.”
“Just checking.”
“Time?” Josh wondered.
“Twenty eighteen.” Loki sighed.
“You think she’s in trouble?” Josh wondered, genuine concern in his voice.
“She’s probably just scrambling to get to a secure location from which to transmit before…” Loki stopped talking and focused his attention on his console.
“Before what?” Josh asked.
“Laser comm-array just lit up,” Loki announced. “It’s going through the handshake…”
“I thought that happened instantly.”
“It does from close range. We’re four seconds out, remember?”
“Almost four seconds out,” Josh said. “Probably closer to three by now.”
“Falcon, Nash. Do you copy?” Jessica’s voice called over the laser comm. Her voice was tinny and distant, and the decryption algorithms were chopping bits and pieces of her words. Nevertheless, the stress in her tone was obvious.
“Nash, Falcon copies. Sit-rep?”
“She doesn’t sound too good,” Josh said.
“Yeah, I noticed.”
“Falcon, Nash. Mission aborted. Injured, being hunted. Request immediate extraction from mission sector one one four. Range one click max. Over.”
“I told you…”
Loki waved his hand for Josh to be quiet even though Josh couldn’t see him from his position at the front of the cockpit. “Nash, Falcon copies. Will recontact at two zero three zero sierra tango with details. Can you hold position for next contact?”
“Do you have her position?” Josh asked.
“I’ve got her. I’ve got her,” Loki assured him.
“Falcon, Nash. Affirmative… Make it quick, boys. Nash out.”
“Give me a heading,” Josh declared as he turned forward and prepared to maneuver.
“Already on it,” Loki assured him. “Eleven to port and down eight. Throttles to twenty-five percent. I’ll jump us as soon as we hit our target speed.”
“Eleven to port and down eight. Throttles coming up.”
“Jumping in twelve seconds,” Loki announced.
* * *
Eli stepped out of the elevator and followed the two escorts into the Jung military command center in the lower levels of the capitol building. The room was not as big as he had expected, with no more than a dozen officers, technicians, and guards occupying the relatively modest space. As he approached the center of the room, it occurred to him that his own office on the top floor of the building above them had far more space.
“What was so important that you had to drag me down here?” Eli wondered aloud.
“Apologies, Governor,” General Bacca stated with forced politeness, “but we are about to launch our attack on the Aurora, and I did not wish to leave the command center.”
“Isn’t Jupiter more than an hour away?” Eli said.
“Near real-time battle communications are maintained via FTL comm-drones,” the general explained. “I believe your EDF used a manned variety they referred to as comm-runners.”
“I see. So you wanted me to witness the battle?”
“Actually, I wanted to show you the subject that attacked our combat shuttle near our operative’s impact site.” General Bacca gestured to a technician to put the footage up on one of the nearest view screens.
Eli watched the images from the shuttle’s nose camera, flinching as the narrow, red bolts of energy leapt toward the camera from the person running away on the surface.
“Freeze, magnify, and enhance,” the general instructed the technician.
The image stopped and zoomed in on the face of the shooter on the ground. The face was blurry, but after several enhancement passes, it became clear.
“A woman?” Eli said, surprised.
“Indeed.”
Eli cocked his head to one side as he examined the woman’s face on the view screen. “She looks familiar.”
“She’s the same woman that was extracted by one of the Aurora STS shuttles outside of Winnipeg not even a day ago.”
“No, that’s not it,” Eli mumbled. He turned to the general. “I mean, I’m sure you’re right, General. However, I’m sure I’ve seen her someplace else.”
“She is undoubtedly an operative from the Aurora,” the general insisted.
“Again, I’m sure you’re correct, General. I’m a bit confused, however. If she was just extracted a day ago, why did she return?”
“Perhaps to make contact with the resistance once again,” the general suggested. “We did take down the cell that she had made contact with outside of Winnipeg, after all.”
“But why Australia?”
“There are still more than one hundred of the Intrepid’s surviving crew who have not been apprehended. They are undoubtedly on that continent, quite probably in the general area of Sydney.”
“You think the Aurora needs crewmen?” Eli asked, surprised at the general’s implication.
“It is possible,” the general said. “The Aurora was not fully crewed at the time of her departure. However, it seems unlikely that they would take such a risk at this particular time.”
“Unless they really do need crewmen,” Eli said.
“Yes,” General Bacca mumbled, staring at Jessica’s face on the view screen. “Most curious.” The general turned back to Eli. “However, it is just as likely that she came down with our operative.”
“To what end?”
“I am unsure at the moment,” General Bacca admitted. “However, it is even more reason to consider the intel gathered from that device suspect.”
“Perhaps,” the general agreed.
“Either way, that woman should be apprehended and interrogated,” Eli insisted. “If she is from the Aurora, she will undoubtedly have valuable intelligence.”
“Possibly,” the general said, tapping his chin with his forefinger. “Or she could be part of an even more elaborate ruse.” He looked at Eli. “Either way, I agree she should be interrogated. I have ordered reinforcements into the area as well as aerial sensor platforms to search for the energy signature of her weapon. Within the hour, the area shall have four times its current assets. We shall find her.”
* * *
“Slingshot maneuver complete,” Mister Riley reported from the Aurora’s navigation console. “Breaking orbit onto departure course.”
“Maintain full power and continue to accelerate,” Nathan ordered.
“Maintaining full power, aye,” Mister Chiles answered from the helm.
“Contacts!” Mister Navashee announced from the sensor station. “Three of them, just appeared astern.”
“General quarters,” Nathan ordered.
“General quarters, aye,” Naralena answered from the comm station. The lighting on the Aurora’s bridge suddenly took on a red hue as the ship prepared for battle.
“Contact one is a Jung cruiser. Contacts two and three are frigates,” Mister Randeen reported from the tactical station. “They must have just come out of FTL, sir.”
“What are they doing, Mister Randeen?” Nathan asked impatiently.
“The frigates are turning toward Metis,” Mister Randeen said. “The cruiser is turning toward us.”
“Range?”
“Cruiser is two thousand kilometers and closing slowly.”
“What about the frigates?” Nathan asked.
“I’m pretty sure they’re looking for the Celestia, Captain.” Mister Randeen looked at his console again. “The cruiser is accelerating,” Mister Randeen announced. “She’s giving chase.”
“Deploy missile launcher and all mini-rail guns except for turrets three, four, and five,” Nathan ordered. “That’s where we took that last hull damage. Maybe they’ll believe those guns are down.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Also deploy two quads each, top and bottom.”
“Aye, sir.”
“All compartments report general quarters manned and ready,” Naralena reported. “Chief of the boat is in damage control. Mister Willard is in combat. Flight reports ready for action.”
“Lock all four missiles on contact one and fire when ready, Mister Randeen,” Nathan ordered.
“Locking missiles on the first contact, aye,” the tactical officer acknowledged as he tapped commands onto his console. “Target locked. Firing four.”
“Aft view,” Nathan ordered.
The main image on the main view screen switched to the view aft as four missiles streaked away toward the pursuing Jung cruiser.
“Missiles running at full power. Time on target: ninety-seven seconds.”
“Contacts!” Mister Navashee announced. “Four missiles inbound!”
“Impact in one minute! Engaging point-defenses,” Mister Randeen announced.
The Aurora’s mini-rail guns along her back side rotated toward the pursuing Jung cruiser to her stern and opened fire, quickly destroying the four incoming missiles.
“Negative impact! All of our missiles were intercepted, sir,” Mister Navashee reported.
“All incoming Jung missiles have also been destroyed,” Mister Randeen added.
“Contact!” Mister Navashee reported.
“Another missile launch?” Nathan wondered.
“No, sir! Jump flash! It’s the Falcon!”
“Incoming transmission,” Naralena reported.
“Fire another round of missiles, Mister Randeen.”
“Firing another round, aye.”
“Falcon reports Lieutenant Commander Nash is aborting her mission and requesting immediate extraction,” Naralena announced as she listened to the Falcon’s incoming transmission on her comm-set.
“Now?” Nathan said.
“Falcon, Aurora copies. Stand by one,” Naralena said over her comm-set. She looked at the captain. “She’s injured and on the run, sir.”
“Firing missiles.”
“Send Major Waddell and a squad in the jump shuttle to pick her up,” Nathan ordered. “Tell them to coordinate with the Falcon. He can use them to fly cover as well.”
“Yes, sir,” Naralena answered.
“Cruiser is still gaining on us,” Mister Randeen reported. “Eighteen hundred meters and closing.”
“Contacts!” Mister Navashee reported. “Four more missiles inbound. Impact in fifty seconds.”
“Engaging with point-defenses,” Mister Randeen announced.
“Stand by to jump. Thirty light seconds straight ahead, Mister Riley.”
“Thirty light seconds, aye.”
“Tell the Falcon to jump with us,” Nathan added.
“Aye, sir,” Naralena acknowledged.
“At this range, our point-defenses may not be able to…”
“That’s the idea, Mister Randeen,” Nathan interrupted.
“Twenty seconds to impact,” Mister Navashee reported from the sensor station.
“Jump plotted,” Mister Riley announced.
“One missile destroyed,” Mister Randeen announced, tension in his voice.
“Wait for my order,” Nathan instructed.
“Two down…”
“Ten seconds…”
“Missiles have breached our point-defenses!” Mister Randeen cried out.
“Five seconds!”
“Jump!”
The bridge instantly flooded with the blue-white jump flash.
“Jump complete!”
“Full magnification,” Nathan ordered. “Show me those missiles.”
The image on the main view screen surrounding the forward portion of the bridge shuddered momentarily as it magnified, peeking back in time at their old light from thirty seconds ago. Nathan watched in fascination as he saw two Jung missiles explode as they were ripped apart by the Aurora’s point-defenses. Ten seconds later, the Aurora’s previous jump flash appeared on the view screen.
“I’m never going to get used to this,” Nathan mumbled. He turned around to face Mister Randeen at the tactical station directly behind him. “Any chance those missiles will catch us?”
“No, sir. They’re nearly nine hundred thousand kilometers behind us.”
“The Falcon?”
“She jumped with us,” Mister Navashee reported. “She’s off our starboard side.”
“What about those frigates, Captain?” Mister Randeen wondered. “When they see that the Celestia is no longer on Metis, won’t they go looking for her?”
“Possibly,” Nathan admitted, “but they don’t know she’s got a partially completed jump drive. They’ll think she’s making a run for open space, just like us. If I were them, I’d go after the sure threat first, and that’s us. However, better we play it safe. Comms, make contact with the Celestia via laser comm. Tell them to go cold until they hear from us again.”
“What about that cruiser?” Mister Randeen asked. “Surely they aren’t going to just give up.”
“No, they surely won’t,” Nathan agreed. “That’s why we’re still at general quarters.”
* * *
“Jump complete,” Loki reported as the Falcon’s jump flash subsided. “We’re on the next comm waypoint, four light seconds out.” Loki glanced up over the console toward Josh. “Still bored?”
“No, not really
.”
“Laser comm-array deployed and locked on coordinates,” Loki announced. “Transmitting comm link request.” Loki waited, silently counting off fifteen seconds. “Nothing yet.”
“Maybe she had to move,” Josh said. “Maybe we should go to receive only.”
“Protocol says we auto-hail for one minute, waiting for a linkup. Then we go to receive only and wait for her to initiate.”
“This is the part I hate,” Josh mumbled, “the waiting.”
“I’ve got a return,” Loki said. “Handshake has initiated.” Another twenty seconds passed before Loki began to call. “Nash, Falcon. Do you copy?” He paused again, waiting another fifteen seconds. “Nash, Falcon. Do you copy?”
The laser comm beeped, and the usual hollow, tinny background noise that indicated a solid comm link began. “Falcon, go for Nash.”
“Nash, Falcon. Say your status.”
“Status unchanged. Stationary for now at good extraction point. LZ is secure. Pick up on current coordinates,” she said over the laser comm. “The sooner the better… Over.”
“Nash, Falcon copies. Extract from current coordinates in ten.”
“Looking forward to it,” she responded. “Nash out.”
“Falcon out.”
“Coming about,” Josh announced as he pushed the Falcon’s nose to port and initiated a one hundred eighty degree turn.
“Plotting return jump,” Loki said.
“On return course and speed.”
“Jump locked,” Loki announced. “Jumping in three……two……one……jump.” Loki’s visor went opaque as the Falcon’s cockpit filled with the blue-white jump flash. A split second later, his visor cleared up. “Jump complete. Jump shuttle dead ahead.”
“I see them,” Josh responded. “Coming alongside.”
“Jumper One, Falcon.”
“Go for Jumper One,” the jump shuttle’s copilot responded.
“Positive contact with Nash. Pickup in nine mikes. It’ll take two jumps to get into proper position. I’m calculating them now. I’ll transmit in a moment.”
