The Great Talisman (Intersect Book 2)

by M C I Hinchliffe

  “I hope your right,” Masters replied. “Or this is going to be a very short battle.”

  Adam’s attention on the conversation was broken as he observed several bursts of fire a few hundred kilometres away. A moment later, two Warbirds appeared directly ahead of them. “It’s time to go work!” The sensors came to life and flooded his peripheral vision with data. As quick as his mind could react, Betty had received his mental command to fire upon the targets and two photon missiles were away. The sensor guided missiles traversed the distance in less than a second impacting with the two targets. The first was a direct hit that pierced the Warbird’s rear deflector shields and ruptured the vessel into a ball of fire. The second missile tore a section of the right wing away of the other Warbird as its advanced Computer Pilot System had a millisecond longer to react.

  Adam’s wingmen launched their missiles less than a second later. With the first target destroyed, the missiles redirected to the remaining damaged Warbird. A smoke trail flowed from the damaged wing giving a superb target for the missiles to focus upon. The Warbird performed a miraculous spiral manoeuvre that evaded the first two missiles, but the damaged wing thwarted the Computer Pilot’s ability to perfect it and the second two ripped the ship apart.

  The projection of targets in Adam’s brain began to fill his senses. With a thought, he changed the sensor range to only include targets within his squadron’s range. As every second passed, an average of thirty targets appeared and the second following, most disappeared as they were destroyed.

  Again and again, they followed the same pattern of attack achieving a perfect attrition rate. Adam could almost sense victory. Then the inevitable happened, another pod failed to destroy a Warbird, and it escaped. Then another survived, and another. Soon the failures numbered in the hundreds. Several minutes had passed since the arrival of the first Warbird and the flow dropped away until no more appeared. With no new targets, Adam gave the order to commence phase two of the sortie - the hunt!

  The several thousand strong Intersect Space Force dove down to the Earth’s surface in pursuit of the remaining Warrian Warbirds.

  **********

  Ryan, Charlie and many of the bridge crew stared at the data on the screens above. One by one, they watch the Warbird target count grow and grow, until it reached over one thousand.

  “The order for the commencement of phase two has been issued Admiral.” Announced the Communications Officer below them.

  Ryan asked, “Is there any pattern in the Warrian attack yet?”

  The Battle Co-ordination Officer, Jenny Harman replied. “No yet Sir.”

  Ryan sat down on the helm when Charlie asked. “What do you think their battle plan is?”

  Ryan looked up at Charlie. “As we are fighting a younger me, I would send a main group to the Field Generator to take it out. That would be my first priority. Secondly, I would send the remaining squadrons to attack the major cities, and launch missiles from close range to eliminate interception. If the first group succeeds, the Manta could then hit the Earth with a planet killer. If not, the others could effectively wipe out the majority of the Earth’s population and generate enough thermal heat to kill all plant and animal life. Inevitably killing the remaining few. Either way, it would break up our forces increasing the chances of a mission success.”

  “Let just hope they have a less effective plan.” Charlie added.

  “So do I.”

  “A large group has formed and it now on route northward, about three hundred in total.” Jenny announced. “The remaining Warbirds have formed groups of ten and are travelling in an undetermined flight path.” She turned back to face the communication console making her long straight black hair fan out over her thirty year old left shoulder.

  Ryan and Charlie looked at each other in realisation of the Warrian Spaceforce mission.

  Ryan Ordered. “Set up a fighter defence grid for the field generator, and track the current positions of the Warrian squadrons to the nearest major city. Then put as many fighters between them and the cities.”

  “Yes Admiral.” Jenny Acknowledged.

  **********

  Adam led Blue Squadron in pursuit of the ten Warrian Warbirds a few kilometres ahead. The Warbird squadron plummeted down to the deep blue ocean below and levelled off a few metres above the choppy surface. Before them was the south eastern coast of Australia.

  “Go to maximum attack speed. We need to hit them hard and fast.” Adam ordered. He felt the atmosphere about the Starfighter increase in speed as the readout that was projected on the inside of his visor increase to twelve times the speed of sound. Adam could now see the black dots in the distance. The jet wash from the billions of pounds of thrust that spewed out from the Warrian fighters ruptured the ocean like a thermonuclear blast sending spray kilometres into the air. Blue squadron was unable to approach directly from behind and were forced to attack from higher above. They held their laser fire until they were virtually on top them, then showered the ten Warbirds with deadly beams of energy.

  The computer pilots threw the Warbirds into a variety of tight evasive manoeuvres that found gaps in the searing rain of laser fire. Most remained unscathed by Blue Squadron’s attack except two, and they burst into flames as the rays cut them to pieces.

  The two squadrons passed over the coast sending a tidal wave of backwash onto the land below. The kilometre high wall of water didn’t dissipate until it was several kilometres inland. The Warrian Squadron banked hard to the right and travelled north along the coast. Adam realised they were heading for his home town of Sydney. He kept the pace of Blue Squadron at maximum until they flew in amongst the Warrian formation. Immediately the Warbirds dispersed as not even the advanced programming could counteract an assault from a few tens of metres. The Starfighters instantly broke off into their pods and pursued the Warbird dual formations. Adam’s pod pursued the two Warbirds that continued in the direction of Sydney.

  **********

  Photographer Carlos Demingo pointed the camera at the Model that draped herself over the edge of a pristine pool. The horizon pool design with a recessed edge facing the ocean gave the appearance of blending in with the ocean in the distance.

  “Turn and face the ocean, then look back for me darling.” He directed to the bikini clad model. She did as he asked and gave him a pouting expression. “Excellent, excellent.”

  With his focus on the model, Carlos took no notice of the breeze that suddenly developed. Nor did he notice the unusual buffeting of the breeze that was far from natural. Least of all, he did not notice the white strip that shot across the ocean background like a bullet. It was then the explosion hit as two objects flew overhead at five times the speed of sound. Carlos was thrown several metres back as his index finger remained pressing the trigger on his reflex camera. As he crashed into the grassy knoll behind, he never saw what effect the impact had with model in the pool. The supersonic shock waves impacted with her body and ruptured ear drums, spleen and right lung. Her unconscious body remained draped over the edge of the pool as blood oozed from every bodily orifice.

  Carlos laid on the grassy knoll holding his throbbing head wondering what had happened. He pulled his hands away to see what the warm liquid was that covered his hands, and they were covered in a blood red. Joining the throbbing sensation was a splitting headache and the sound of a thousand cicadas ringing in his ears. The only thing that has saved him from having his internal organs shattered was that at the time of the overpass, he was in the middle of shouting a new direction to the model.

  The model! He dragged his aching body off the knoll walked unsteadily to the pool edge. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the pool slowly changing from a brilliant light blue to a dark red. The pain from his injuries momentarily dissipated as adrenaline pumped through his veins. He ran over to the far side of the pool and dragged her unconscious body out. Carlos pulled his mobile phone from his pocket and quickly started dialling nine one one. Upon placing the phone to his
ear, he realised that the phone was now useless to him as he was deaf. At the top of his voice he shouted, “Help! ..........Help!”

  **********

  The Starfighters of Blue Squadron immediately went into the spiral manoeuvre as the Warbirds dispersed. Five of the Warrian vessels instantly ruptured into flames as a barrage of laser fire passed by and through them. The remaining Warbird that did not head for Sydney now had nine Starfighters on its tail. It dove down to hug the surface of the hilly landscape in an attempt to shake off some of the Starfighters. Its masterful programming kept the Starfighters from getting a clear shot as the trees passed a few metres below. At this low level the spiral manoeuvre was ineffective. Once the program has encountered the manoeuvre, it instantly developed a counter measure. Now the Blue Squadron pilots had only their skill and training to utilise as a means of stopping the Warbird.

  Despite the fantastic skill within the computer pilot programming, nine superior fighters was more than one computer piloted Warbird could out manoeuvre. Finally a laser beam clipped the nose of the Warbird exposing for a split second a fuller face of the fuselage. The Highly trained pilots in the Starfighters behind opened fire and shattered the vessel into countless flaming particles.

  With full knowledge that it was impossible to catch up with the other Warbirds heading north, they changed course anyway in pursuit pushing their Starfighter to the limit.

  **********

  Adam dove the X3000 down into the valley less than one hundred metres behind the two Warbirds. ’The programming was an excellent representation of Ryan’s skill’, he thought as they darted over the ground below. If he lived to see Doctor Chen again, he would tell him that in his experience, Ryan was still better than the computer pilot. Two beams of energy dashed over head as Slick had one of the Warbirds in his sights for a brief moment. The beams continued pass the Warbird as it flinched just enough to dodge the deadly rays without impacting with the ground below.

  The Warbird on the left made a move that took them all by surprise. It spiralled while momentarily slowing down allowing the pursuing Starfighters to shoot passed. The spiral trajectory made use of a small dip in the landscape that was enough to move the Warbird out of the way of the passing Fighters overhead. When it completed the spiral, it shot several missiles at the Starfighters before it. The range was perfect for the missiles to travel and get a lock on their targets without giving any time for nearest Starfighters to react. The Pod behind Adam’s was instantly annihilated. The remaining missiles zoomed in on Adam, Sabastian and John. But with a split second extra to react, the three out manoeuvred the missiles.

  Sabastian shouted into the comlink. “It got Ice, Jimmy and D’Jam.”

  Adam had to act against the tailing Warbird. “You two, nail that bastard.”

  “Yes Sir.” replied Masters and Sabastian.

  The two performed a similar manoeuvre as the Warbird to turn the table. With dual adversaries, it could only perform an evasive tactic. The Warbird gave up the pursuit to draw them away from lead fighter bomber and headed in the direction of the city of Sydney.

  Adam settled in behind the Warbird and followed its trajectory perfectly. The superior technology in the X3000 made such a daunting task relatively easy and gave Adam some time relax. It was in this frame of mind that in the past Adam had conquered Ryan’s masterful flying skill.

  The calm sound of Betty’s voice filled his ears. “Thirty seconds to predetermined Warrian missile range.”

  He cleared his mind of all thoughts and except the job at hand to allow his natural ability to fly the Starfighter. The mind link allowed him to feel the air rushing over the fuselage and perceive the environment about it with unrivalled clarity.

  “Fifteen seconds to predetermined Warrian missile range.”

  The perception of the Warbird’s flying style began to unveil before him as he started to anticipate its trajectory. Seconds seemed to stretch to minutes as he duplicated the path of Warbird with complete synchronicity. It was like they were connected by an invisible link.

  “Five seconds to predetermined Warrian missile range.”

  The Warbird sensed the impending danger of Adam’s pursuit and it began to add more exaggerated manoeuvres to shake its pursuer, but Adam matched them perfectly as if the computer pilot was controlling both vessels.

  “One second to predetermined Warrian missile range.”

  Then he gave the command and two missiles were instantly away. They traversed the distance in a millisecond and impacted with the Warbird fuselage tearing it in two. Adam’s heart nearly stopped as he watched a Warbird missile dash away to its target, and his home town. There was nothing that Adam could do to stop it. He followed it helplessly watching the thin red streak of its wake disappear into the distance. That one missile had the destruction capability of several nuclear warheads. When it detonated, it would devastate everything within a one hundred and fifty kilometre radius totally annihilating the city and the surrounding suburbs. The radiation from a thermomolecular burst does not have a long half-life like a thermonuclear explosion. Its radiation would last only a few days. They were designed to only eradicate animal life and leave a planet inhabitable for re-colonisation.

  Its three hundred kilometre journey took only twenty seconds as it rocketed over the terrain at fifty thousand kilometres an hour. Its tremendous velocity developed a cyclone weather front behind it that ripped apart the landscape like a giant lawn mower scarring it for decades. Betty’s voice startled him. “Scanners detect missile course error of fifteen degrees.”

  At first Adam was confused, how could it miss? Once the missile was away it lock onto the target and nothing would stop it. Then he remembered his weapons systems training about the link between the fighter and its missiles during missile flight. After the missile was fired, it continued to receive targeting data from the fighter for last second changes in the target position. When he destroyed the Warbird, it must have short circuited the targeting system and sent a new but distorted target position to the missile. “What is the predicted impact location?” Adam asked nervously.

  “Thirty kilometres off shore from the original target position.” For a weapon of its destructive power, thirty kilometres was not significant but it may be enough to give the city of Sydney a chance for survival.

  The missile struck the ocean and detonated. From several hundred kilometres away, Adam watched the blast send up a massive ball of white vapour as it torched the surrounding water. The light from the setting Sun was no longer required to illuminate the impact site as the sun like energy erupted over the Pacific Ocean. The white ball quickly turned orange and expanded to more than ten kilometres across and slowly raised out of the water like a fast growing mushroom. The orange faded to red then to a smoky colour as it bellowed up into the upper atmosphere. About the base of the thermomolecular mushroom was a wall of water over a kilometre high that quickly travelled out from the epicentre and towards the coast. It reduced in height to a few hundred metres until it neared the shore, and then it grew and grew and grew.

  The first thing to hit the coastal city was the initial shock wave that impacted like an earthquake. It travelled across the city within a few seconds then dissipated at the mountain range beyond as it absorbed the energy. Some high rise office blocks wavered then crumbled under the stress that exceeded the building design limit. By the time the tidal wave met the coast it had grown to almost its former height and was travelling at several hundred kilometres per hour. The beach front properties that lined the coast fifty kilometres in either direction were instantly obliterated as the wash smothered them under hundreds of metres of water. It continued onto the city centre a few kilometres inland with a ferocity that the ground had difficulty in taming.

  When the city centre was struck by the wash, it was still over three hundred metres high and hit with a force that no structure could withstand. The city centre was swept away. All buildings no matter how large, were either crushed or picked up and swep
t away by the billions of tons of water. It continued across the suburban landscape destroying everything in its path and behind was left a three hundred metre high plateau of white wash. Its velocity did not slow until it had reached thirty kilometres inland leaving more than half of the city devastated. The Western plains were met with a surge of less than one hundred metres high that flooded them entirely. As Adam passed by, all that was left was vast extension of the sea. Although the missile missed its target, it still devastated the city.

  Horror filled Adam’s mind as the responsibility of the loss of thousands of lives now weighed down his shoulders. His gut wrenching thoughts were interrupted by the comlink. “Intersect forces outnumbered in sector twelve eight. Blue Squadron to immediately rendezvous with Scarlet and Green Squadrons.” He had no time to dwell on what had just transpired as there were a thousand times as many lives in danger.

  **********

  “Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas have been hit. Scarlet, magenta, black and purple squadrons are wiped out!” Jenny said as she shot a look at Ryan and Charlie. Her American accent momentarily became more apparent. The screen above displayed the list of major cities that had already been destroyed - Beijing, Bangkok, Cairo, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, London, Melbourne, Mexico City, Moscow, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Sydney, San Francisco and Toronto. Every few seconds another city was added to the list, and each meant another knot in Ryan’s stomach. The screen to the right displaying a map of the world and indicated the latest blast with a bright flash over Dallas.

  “We are getting hammered.” Charlie stated.

  “How soon before support arrives.” Ryan said calmly in an effort to disguise his emotions.

  “Three minutes.” Jenny replied.

  “Commander Harman, what is the latest on the shield generator assault?”