“No one in the Empire is merciful. And that’s why he’s here,” she said. “I’ve heard rumors that—”
“They’re entering the minefield,” Argus interrupted.
As they watched, the first two ships entered the field as the Secace hung back. Fighters soared between the ships and the mines, advancing in front of the larger destroyers. A bright light flashed as a single fighter flew too close to a mine and exploded.
“The mines aren’t going to do any damage to the big ships,” Conrad observed.
“No,” Jira admitted. “But if we can delay them, just for a while…”
More fighters poured through the fields, searching and destroying mines as they went, clearing a path for the bigger ships waiting behind them. Another fighter swerved too far ahead and hit a mine, briefly lighting up the darkness.
Three more small explosions followed. The Imperial fighters seemed to fly more cautiously now. They made their way through half of the minefield.
Conrad gripped the console with white knuckles. “How much more time have we got, Argus?” he asked.
“I estimate the fighters will be out of the minefield in ten minutes,” Argus reported.
Jira’s gaze was fixed on the Secace and its two escorts. “There’s got to be more coming,” she murmured. “They wouldn’t have sent just three ships. They don’t tend to do things by halves.”
As if on cue, five more ships appeared, following behind the Secace. They were all of the same class of ship, designed to move fast.
The Empire didn’t waste a minute after they discovered the Federation data tap, Conrad thought grimly.
Fighters fanned out from the five ships, clearing an even wider path for their swift, deadly motherships.
“They’re through,” said Argus, as an Imperial fighter shot through the minefield and then flipped back toward the Secace.
“Phase two,” Conrad heard Ilm say over the comms. The general had fallen silent after the Imperials had appeared. He seemed to trust his captains to coordinate the attack.
The Caderan frigates began to move. The light cruisers behind them followed suit, and the seven Federation ships moved into a defensive formation. The Verdant and the Florian Sun moved back, pinned between the gas giant and the incoming Imperial ships. All gun ports were open.
“Ilm should have left the minute he knew they were coming,” Conrad said. “What could keep him from uploading the data on the run?”
“This kind of data can’t be transmitted while moving at the speed we’d have to go to outpace the Imperials,” Jira explained.
Conrad rubbed a hand over his five o’clock shadow, feeling the tension rise. There was no certainty they’d hit their target, or that the data would be uploaded in time.
Everything depends on how long those frigates can keep the Imperials away from the Verdant.
The Secace accelerated unexpectedly. It took the lead, cutting in front of its escorts, banking slightly and shooting a volley of fire toward the Federation frigates and cruisers.
The smaller frigates got away, but the fire caught one of the cruisers by surprise and sliced into its side.
“The Haun Rex is hit,” said Jira.
One of its sister ships took aim at the Secace and fired. The shot was poorly aimed but the missiles detonated the minute they hit the tail end of one of its escorts.
“Lucky shot,” Conrad muttered.
In the blink of an eye the frigates went on the offensive, targeting all their fire at the nearest Imperial ships, moving fast as they slid between them and then back away again. The Caderan frigates were the most maneuverable ships on the field.
The fire from the Secace and the other Imperial ships criss-crossed as they tried to destroy the frigates.
Meanwhile, wounded but still alive, the Haun Rex retreated behind a cruiser.
“Can they repair that damage?” asked Conrad.
“Not quickly,” Baltasar replied. “That would take hours.”
Before Conrad could ask another question the Haun Rex blasted toward the Imperial ships into the thick of battle. It shot a series of missiles at one of the Secace’s escorts. Taken by surprise, the escort couldn’t move away in time. Its belly lit up with red and yellow fire.
Conrad and Argus whooped in unison. The Haun Rex made a graceful arc back toward the safety of the Federation cruisers as Imperial fighters chased it, firing at its already damaged side.
Conrad slammed his hand down on the portable commscreen. “Arro,” he called out. “You watching this?”
A hearty laugh floated over the line. “Been waiting to see something like that my whole life,” Arro said.
“Don’t get too excited,” said Jira. “The Imperials are regrouping—and they’re setting their fighters on us now.”
The Imperial fighters moved so quickly through space it was only possible to see them as a rapidly moving cloud of insects swooping down on the Federation ships.
They seemed to cover the Haun Rex now like a black net.
“Faster, Haun Rex,” Ilm commanded over the comms. “I know you can move faster than that—”
One of the cruisers picked up speed as it tried to meet the injured ship halfway.
The gravity of the situation quickly became clear. The cruiser wasn’t fast enough. The cruiser fired its guns at the Imperials, but the Haun Rex was straining and beginning to lose speed under the harassment of the vicious fighters.
“Can’t get there,” the captain of the Haun Rex shouted over the comms. “We’re—”
His voice dissolved into static as his ship exploded.
Jira flinched and closed her eyes for a moment. Conrad reached across and steadied her, his hand firm on her back.
The Federation cruisers and frigates attacked with greater urgency than before. Conrad stared at the holographic display. The firepower was so intense it was difficult to make out the position of the ships. He reached for the display and enlarged it.
The frigates had engaged an Imperial ship that was twice their size. At the same moment, small dogfights between the Imperial and Federation fighters surrounded the larger ships, explosions lighting up the darkness as fighter after fighter disintegrated.
A Federation cruiser cut through the cloud of debris left behind by the Haun Rex, firing missiles at the Imperial destroyer under attack by the frigates. Overwhelmed by the combined firepower of the three ships, its engines began to rupture.
The Federation ships pulled back as the destroyer lost control, fighters disengaging from the doomed ship. Small explosions lit up its interior as it cracked, spiraling down toward the gas giant.
“That’s another one,” Conrad said, his heartbeat racing.
Maybe we actually have a shot…
Jira was about to say something when everything around them trembled for a brief second. She didn’t hesitate.
“General,” she said into the comms. “What was that?”
“Imperial starfighters,” he replied, his voice gravelly. “They crept up on us—a few at first but now we’re estimating there are over fifteen.”
Jira cast a concerned look at Conrad. “And the Florian Sun?”
“They’re on both ships now. Looking for weak spots. Haven’t done much damage except lasering off a few nonessential deflector arrays.”
“They’re going to a lot more if you don’t do something about ’em,” Conrad cut in.
Jira glanced at him. “What are you proposing?” she asked, in a voice too low for the commline to pick up.
“I’m not in the habit of sitting around with my feet up when there’s a fight going on,” Conrad said, his eyes glinting. “Can you get us out of this bay?”
She looked conflicted for only a second. “Yes,” she said, nodding. “Are our weapons at full charge? And our shields?”
Argus barked in the affirmative.
“You’ll wanna be careful with the weapons and the shields,” Baltasar warned. “Arg and I got ’em rigged up as best we can but if you
use one, the other goes down. Shouldn’t affect our speed, though.”
“Then let’s stop wasting time and get out there.” Conrad flexed his hands as he sat down to fly the Oro Yurei into the fray.
“You heard me,” Jira said into the comms. “We’re heading out.”
“We haven’t got orders to open the bay,” the hapless crewman said.
“I’m giving you the orders to open the bay,” Jira snapped, clearly accustomed to getting her way. “Crewman—now.”
They waited nervously. Half a minute later the bay doors began to slide open, and Jira heaved a sigh of relief.
The real fight was just beginning. Conrad manipulated the piloting hologram carefully, lifting the ship up and darting toward the bay exit.
“There’s someone behind us,” Argus called. “It’s the Blackbird.”
Jira switched on the comms to contact the Blackbird. “Arro,” she said. “Stay back.”
“If you’re headin’ out, I’m headin’ out too,” came the firm, confident reply.
“Your ship’s not cut out for this kind of fight, buddy,” Conrad snapped. “Listen to me. Stop what you’re doing and stay put.”
“Remember now—all of you were in a bad state before I got to you, boy,” Arro responded. “You obviously can’t be trusted to go out there on your own. Besides, the Blackbird’s got the best armor of any ship in this system. Don’t worry about me—worry about yourself. Been waiting half my life for this,” he added.
Jira looked exasperated and switched the comms back to the crewman. “Attention—this is Jira Tai. The Blackbird does not have permission to fly. Close the bay doors immediately after we exit—do not let the Blackbird through, understood?”
The Oro Yurei was picking up speed and flew through the exit, away from the safety of the Verdant. The doors began to close even as they passed through, on Jira’s orders. Conrad looked at his display.
The heavy Blackbird blasted through the narrowing exit, tight on their tail.
Arro’s throaty laugh came over the comms. “I’m coming with you, Oro Yurei, like it or not!”
Chapter 30
“I’ll be damned,” Conrad muttered.
The Blackbird was slower than the Oro Yurei, but Arro flew her with a skilled hand, dodging the fire that automatically came their way from the Imperial fighters attacking the Verdant. The man had been beaten down and underestimated his entire life, Conrad thought.
“We’ll all be damned,” Jira said, as she stared at the holographic display.
Conrad checked the controls and steered the Oro Yurei away from the Verdant.
“What are we doing?” Argus growled in alarm. “The Verdant’s under attack.”
“And I don’t want to make things worse for her by making it seem like we care,” Conrad replied. “We’re flying to the Florian Sun. If we stay here, it’ll make the Verdant their target—especially once they recognize this ship.”
“He’s right,” Jira said.
“And I’m right behind you, boy,” Arro’s cheerful voice sounded over the comms. “Let’s see what these Imperials are made of.”
A fighter came straight at them. Conrad suppressed the urge to duck and instead pulled the ship up and over the fighter. Argus fired at their pursuer as Conrad reoriented the ship back around.
Argus gave him a ferocious grin, showing his sharp teeth. “Like old times, Con,” the Kazhad said.
“I’m imagining we’re back in the simulator,” Conrad said cheerfully. “With all the girls outside watching. Let’s give ’em a show.”
“The Verdant and the Sun are both dropping fighters,” Jira said. “Keep an eye out for them. This ship’s got a Federation registry, so they won’t fire on us.”
They dodged another fighter. Suddenly they were in the space between the two battleships, and fewer fighters were there. It was the eye of the storm. Conrad opened a line to the Blackbird.
“You still there, old man?”
“I surely am,” Arro said. “Only a little dented up.”
“Stay on your guard,” he warned.
Conrad shifted the bearing of the Oro Yurei. The battle around the Sun was fierce; the dogfights between the scrappy Federation fighters and the black Imperial ships raged on.
“What’s the plan?” asked Arro.
“No plan. We’re taking out as many fighters as we can,” Conrad said. “If you see one, shoot it down.”
“No guns on this ship of mine,” Arro said.
Jira shot a concerned look at Conrad. Conrad grimaced. “Keep close to us, then,” he said.
“I can deflect fire,” Arro said.
“Get underneath us,” Conrad ordered. “That’s where we’re most vulnerable. Keep ’em away from us, and track my flight patterns as best you can. Though I don’t intend to be easy to follow.”
“I’ll keep up with you, son,” Arro promised.
Conrad grinned and flew straight for the Sun.
He could feel a bead of sweat trickle down his temple.
As the frigates and remaining Federation cruisers fought off the Imperial destroyers, the Sun was surrounded by fighters. The large ship took aim with its cannons, injuring a few enemy fighters, but the more important battle was being played out around the Sun, between the small, fierce one- and two-man ships.
Jira was right—the Federation ships were easy to identify. They were more ragged; each one seemed to be unique. Some were covered with paint and some were made of patched-up metal armor.
The Imperial fighters were the opposite; they were identical black-shelled insects with guns mounted beneath their cockpits.
Like fangs, Conrad thought. He surveyed the Sun. There were six Imperial fighters flying in formation, aiming for the Sun’s stern, avoiding the hotter fights taking place near its bow.
He pointed. “Where are they headed?” he asked.
Baltasar popped his head over the top of Conrad’s chair. “Ah! I’d bet my last ration they’re on their way to the rear nacelles,” he said. “If they can bring those down, then the whole ship’s easy enough to blow.”
“Then let’s get there first,” Conrad said, powering the Oro Yurei forward. The Blackbird followed, flying close.
Suddenly, one of the fighters seemed to take notice of their approach and swung toward them, gunports open. Conrad twisted the ship away at the same time Arro peeled the Blackbird off to the opposite direction. The fighter’s shots faded into nothingness.
“Argus!” Conrad shouted as he rocketed the Oro Yurei back at the fighter, coming up behind it.
At Conrad’s cry the Kazhad unleashed a torrent of fire at the Imperial ship, flying through the cloud of disintegrated metal and particles toward the stern of the Sun.
“A good shot!” Arro yelled over the comms. “But there’s more coming. Look ahead.”
Three of the annihilated ship’s comrades now turned toward them.
“Now they know we’re a threat,” Jira said.
“Doesn’t matter,” Conrad replied, never taking his eyes off the incoming Imperials. “Let ’em come.”
He pushed the Oro Yurei along the same flight path, refusing to draw back.
Wouldn’t want ’em to get the wrong impression in their first encounter with a corpsman.
He dodged the initial fire, with only one small hit to the deflectors. The ship rocked slightly as one of them ripped off. Argus compensated by amping up the shields as the debris of battle began to hit the ship.
There was a sudden burst of light from one of the fighters’ ports. A missile burned into the shields of the Oro Yurei.
The shields held—but just barely.
“Those things have missiles?” he shouted.
“Never seen that before,” Baltasar exclaimed. “Well, if they have ’em, they can’t have many. Things are too heavy for a fighter like that to carry.”
Jira swore, loud and long.
“They’re carrying those things for a reason,” he said. “They were going to use them to b
low up the Sun’s nacelles. Well—they can shoot them at us instead.”
“Not sure I like this strategy,” Baltasar muttered. “Turning ourselves into target practice.”
It was Conrad’s turn to curse when he saw two more fighters firing missiles at them.
He tried to pull the Oro Yurei away but it merely took him out of the path of one missile and into the path of the other.
A dark shadow fell over the cockpit window, and then there was a brilliant flash of light.
He closed his eyes involuntarily. When he opened his eyelids the heavy bulk of the Blackbird flew in front of them, its armor crackling with electricity.
“Arro!” he shouted.
A familiar, warm laugh boomed out over the comms. “Always wanted to see what the Blackbird’s hulls could handle,” he said. “The old girl’s even stronger than she looks!”
“The man’s insane,” Baltasar said. “You’re all insane.”
Arro looped the Blackbird around, then laughed again as the Blackbird took another hit. The impact of the missile sent another ripple of electricity over the miner’s ship.
“You should see me now,” Arro called out. “My hair’s all standing up!” He sounded delighted, as if he were a child.
Conrad grinned. The Imperial ships had wasted their missiles on the Blackbird.
Time to take ’em out.
As if knowing by instinct what Conrad was about to do, Argus dropped the shields completely. Conrad shot the Oro Yurei at the remaining fighters at top speed.
When they were a scant few kilometers away from the fighters, Argus let loose the Oro Yurei’s guns, catching the two fighters in his wake. The Blackbird flew into them, the sheer impact of the miner’s ship destroying the crippled Imperials.
“Three down, three to go,” he breathed.
“Let’s go, son,” Arro said over the comms. “What are we waiting for?”
Argus turned the shields back on as Conrad aimed the ship at the Sun’s stern once more. The last three fighters were in full flight, aware of what the Oro Yurei and the Blackbird had done to their companions.
Sanctuary's Soldier: The Darkspace Saga Book 1 Page 19
