Countdown Amageddon (The Spiral Slayers Book 2)

by Rusty Williamson

  No one had anything else to add.

  “Okay,” Adamarus said, “Let’s package the last bits of sensor data we have. Include my comments and also tell them that’s our final report for now unless something unexpected happens. Send it off, then we’ll take shifts and try to get some rest.”

  ---

  The next days passed slowly, the last day of waiting being the worst, but finally, the time had come.

  Adamarus watched the black hole through the view port. They were much closer now and no magnification was necessary.

  The Blackship and the fighter group were closing in on each other at .02 the speed of light. Still, the closer to the object and the faster the closing speed, the better the chances of the Jumpers working, but similarly, this reduced the chances of the fighter group’s survival. Adamarus had some choices to make. He would sacrifice himself and his crew for the safety of their civilization, but it wasn’t really down to that—the missiles were built to work with a good safety margin. He decided to shave it a tad closer than necessary, but still leaving a good margin for their safety.

  “Is everyone ready for this?” he asked.

  “Much more waiting and the alien won’t have to do anything—we’ll all just kill ourselves,” Jag said as he swung a control cluster toward him and started entering commands.

  The visual imaging system zoomed to full power and, except for its size, the object appeared just as it had a month ago, a black sphere surrounded by a band of smeared light.

  Adamarus sighed—somehow he couldn’t quite feel personally threatened by an object the size of a gas giant, and as far as attacking it…he put those thoughts aside and opened an all ship’s channel.

  Laser beams one-sixty-fourth of an inch thick shot out from Adamarus’ command fighter to each of the other fighters.

  “Jumper team, this is Jumper One. Kindly begin weapons check.”

  Ten minutes later, everything was ready. Five minutes after that, the computer took control and a countdown started. When the countdown reached zero, twenty-four missiles ejected from the six fighters.

  Shields on the missiles opened that would deflect all radiation from the engines away from the target—they would go in at least trying to hide their presence. Then each missile fired its engines, arced away at precise angles and speeds, then went to full power and accelerated away.

  On the ship’s sensors, Dials watched the missiles progress toward the target. “Estimated time to impact, sixteen minutes and twenty-one seconds,” she said.

  Adamarus nodded as he watched the 24 missiles speed away on the tactical display. Now they would observe the missile strikes and then get an accurate fix on the object’s gravitational reach. “Jumper group, this is Jumper One. We’ll hold our present course and speed until the Jumpers impact.”

  The Jumper missiles flew outward, then inward, each missile performing this maneuver so that the missiles would enter the accretion disk at the same time and at equal distances around the event horizon.

  Traveling 1,000 times faster than the small bit of spiraling matter that made up the accretion disk, the Jumpers plowed through, forcing their way toward the event horizon. The almost non-existent accretion disk spiraled its way inward, but the Jumpers cut across it, taking a more direct route.

  Gravitational tides were tearing apart the matter within the accretion disk. Just before this process broke through the Jumpers’ protective envelopes, the Jumpers’ lifter grav-bombs detonated, unleashing bursts of tremendous energy that lifted the second high-yield grav-bombs out of the accretion disk. These were pulled back toward the accretion disk, but their trajectory would be such that they would enter the event horizon before remerging with the disk.

  After the Jumpers entered the event horizon, but before they re-entered the accretion disk, the high-yield grav-bombs would detonate and, hopefully, destroy the Blackship presumed to be within one of the event horizon’s chambers.

  Dials watched the sensor output on her console, counting down the seconds to impact, “seven, six, five…”

  Looking through the front view port at the magnified image of the black hole, at a point where the accretion disk met the event horizon, Adamarus saw tiny specks rise up from the accretion disk. They arced upward toward the event horizon.

  “…three, two…”

  The tiny specks began to fall, arcing downward.

  “…one, penetration.”

  The Loud, as well as the human scientists, had told them not to expect to see anything, so when the upper and lower halves of the black sphere flashed momentarily and then seemed to briefly tear open in several areas, releasing rays of pure white light, the crews were ecstatic.

  “Weee Whooo”, “Hot damn”, “We got that mother” and other yelling and cheering erupted over the narrow ship-to-ship com link. Adamarus broke out into a wide grin. It did indeed look like the Jumpers had succeeded.

  After the link to Serena was established, Adamarus reported. “All Jumpers hit and penetrated the event horizon. There was instant and significant changes to the event horizon…see attached sensor data. We are proceeding toward the object to determine any changes to its profile and also to gather further data on the object’s gravitational reach. We’ll keep you posted.”

  ---

  Adamarus’ report on the Jumper strike and sensor data was instantly relayed to the Serena hub and then to all defensive and command elements simultaneously.

  From the command post bunker on Amular to the flagships of all the battle groups, cheering erupted. In fact, ecstatic cheering and whooping echoed from one end of Amular’s star system to the other.

  It would be the last time that would ever happen.

  ---

  Adamarus’ fighter group continued to approach the black hole. Jag was watching the readouts and starting to sweat, yet his voice sounded as bored as ever. “Ah…we should have detected a profile change by now. Also, we should be feeling more of its gravitational pull…I mean, we’re getting pretty close.”

  “Steady as she goes,” Adamarus said. “Dials, what’s the object doing?”

  Dials replied with a trace of concern in her voice, “No change, Admiral. It’s continued its rate of deceleration, shrinkage and…there’s been no course change.”

  Adamarus checked over the sensor readings and their course and speed…he didn’t like it. They should be encountering much more of the object’s gravitational pull by now. In under eight minutes, they would have to break away in order to make their planned slingshot around Aster. “Jag, have everyone slam on the brakes. Let’s come to rest relative to our bandit for a sanity check.”

  Jag relayed orders and the six fighters switched to their forward burners. Adamarus unhooked his harness and turned around in his seat to face the rest of the crew, “Cheater, get on the horn and contact…”

  Jag interrupted, “Captain, we’re not slowing down.” Some of the boredom had slipped from his voice.

  Adamarus turned back around, “Say again, Jag.”

  “We’re not slowing down…in fact, our speed is now increasing.” Jag leaned forward and studied the readouts. “Yeah, speed is still increasing, Adamarus. Damn! Suddenly we’re seeing a whole lot of gravitational pull.” he barked, “The damn thing’s latched on to us and is pulling us in.”

  Adamarus reattached his harness. “Spin all the boats, Jag. Then, rear engines to full power.”

  All six fighters fired their side rockets and the ships turned around so that their more powerful rear engines faced the object. Then they all fired their rear engines at full power. For whatever reason, Jumper 4 was a few seconds late, and as a result, the fighter shot out of formation, falling back toward the object.

  “Jumper 4 has fallen out of formation,” Dials said.

  Adamarus checked the tactical display as he opened a channel. “Jumper 4, what’s your status?”

  Jag announced, “Okay, we’re starting to pull away.” There was no mistaking the relief in his voice.

&nbs
p; Jumper 4 came over the speaker, “We’re okay. Just had a wobble and fell behind.”

  “Okay, Jumper 4, try to catch up and stay with us,” Adamarus said and cut the connection. He turned to Jag, “Are we still pulling away?”

  “Yes, we’re gaining speed now.”

  “What happened?”

  Jag got a puzzled look on his face, “Heck if I know, skipper. We weren’t showing much increase in gravity on the sensors then, when we tried to slow down, all of a sudden, it was there. It makes no sense.”

  Adamarus couldn’t have the team pull away too quickly, “Jag, have everyone cut their engines back until we’re keeping pace with the object again.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Adamarus said, “Dials, is there any indication that the object’s deceleration curve has changed, or that Aster’s gravitation is affecting its course?”

  Dials studied her instruments for half a minute, then she looked up to meet Adamarus’ eyes. Her face seemed to have paled. She shook her head and mouthed the word no as if she couldn’t bear to say it aloud. It looked like the Jumpers had not worked.

  “Let’s give it a little more time,” Adamarus said, not wanting to report such bad news until he was certain.

  How anything could have survived the titanic explosive force of all those high yield Gav-bombs was beyond Adamarus, but it looked like something was still controlling the black hole. “Dials, what’s Aster’s status?”

  Dials replied immediately, “Still seems stable.” She’d been monitoring the gas giant constantly. If Aster had broken up or worse, the Jumper group would have been stuck having nothing to slingshot around to gain the speed needed to return in time to their fighter group stationed just beyond Echo Charlie Seven.

  Adamarus turned to his co-pilot, “Jag, plot a new course to slingshot around Aster and let me know as soon as you have it.”

  “Aye, sir,” Jag said.

  Adamarus looked at Aster through the front view port. He could see no movement in the atmosphere that had been pulled away from the planet. It just seemed to hang there. “Dials, are there any signs of Aster’s atmosphere returning to the planet?”

  Dials pulled up the sensor log, “Sir, the upper parts of the atmosphere, the stuff you can see, is still pretty much paused. However, the lower levels, inside where we can’t see, are indeed falling back.

  The black hole was still well inside Aster’s gravity well. Adamarus looked back at Dials, addressing her again, “Has the object’s profile deviated in any way?”

  Dials looked up from her console. Her voice was low and filled with disbelief. “No, sir. Course and speed are unchanged.”

  Adamarus shook his head—he had no answers. “Package up a full report including,” Adamarus inclined his head toward Jag, “our updated course settings for the slingshot around Aster. Van, send it out immediately.”

  Dials said, “Logs ready, I’m sending them to you now, Van.”

  “Got ‘em. OK, message sent,” Van reported.

  The bridge and, in fact, the entire fighter group was subdued and in shock. It had seemed certain that they had destroyed the Blackship.

  Jag turned to Adamarus, “Sir, course laid in and all ships report ready for departure.”

  Adamarus nodded. “Go ahead and take us out of here, Jag.”

  “Aye, sir.”

  Adamarus allowed his head to sink back into the headrest and closed his eyes. He heard Jag issuing the orders to get underway. He tried to tune out the bridge noises and voices. He had failed. No, he corrected himself, everything had worked just as planned…it’s just that the Blackship had somehow escaped destruction. He heard the roar of the engines increase as the ship prepared to pull away.

  His thoughts turned to his wife, Grace, and their new daughter, Isabella. By now, they should have been safe in an Ark Ship at least an AU away. However, due to the attack on the Trinity Compound five years ago, as of yesterday, repairs to the ships had still not been completed. He prayed that the remaining issues had been taken care of and that the Ark Ships had departed.

  Suddenly Adamarus’ eyes flew open and he sat up—the engines sounded all wrong. He looked over at Jag, “What’s wrong?”

  Jag was hectically entering commands. The whine of the engines increased. Jag looked over at Adamarus, his eyes wide, “Admiral, we haven’t been able to pull away. I’ve got the engines red-lined, but still nothing.”

  Adamarus quickly scanned the instruments and readings. “We’re not being pulled toward it…just held in place?”

  “Correct,” Jag confirmed still working frantically. “Dials, talk to me.”

  Dials was working at a frantic pace as well. Then she suddenly threw her hands up and collapsed back in her seat. “Well, that’s it,” she said with finality. “That’s it… we’re caught in its accretion disk.”

  Adamarus was stunned, “So we’re spiraling into the event horizon?”

  “That won’t a happen for,” she checked her console, “nine months and we won’t a be around that long.”

  Adamarus had noticed that Dials had reverted to her mid-eastern civilian speech patterns and that, as much as anything else, worried the hell out of him. “So…what can we do?”

  Dials head dropped, “Nothing, we’re stuck.” She looked up at him, “I guess you want to know how it happen?” Adamarus started to speak, but Dials held up her hands and spoke first, “It moved, which I don’t understand and we drifted right into it, skip. Unless things change, as our bandit moves inward, it will drag us along with it.” She sighed then, as if wanting to give them some good news, “The force holding us here is quite strong now, but as the object slows and shrinks, that force will diminish. We should be able to break free in just over four months.”

  The fighter was still shaking, her engines straining to pull away. Adamarus closed his eyes and shook his head. “Jag, have all fighters cut their engines and advise them of our situation.” Adamarus turned to his console, pulled up Dial’s calculations, and studied them. “Suggestions?” he asked.

  Silence answered.

  Everyone checked and rechecked Dial’s data. Finally, it was confirmed that, like it or not, it would take just over four months before the gravity would decrease enough for the fighters to break free. They were stuck, being dragged along by the Blackship—their plans to slingshot around Aster and join up with their fighter group a bust.

  Adamarus was in a state of disbelief. Disbelief changed to anger, and finally, acceptance.

  They informed the command center on Amular as well as their fighter group waiting just beyond Echo Charlie Seven of their situation.

  Adamarus slowly drummed his fingers as he tried to shake off the frustration. He held no hope for the diplomatic effort but hopefully, the kinetic rods would negate further engagement. No one could see how anything could survive the 48 giant rods that would hit the alien from four sides.

  As always…hurry up and wait, he thought wearily.

  Chapter Fourteen – Emergence

  “Relax, my love…” the easy smile turns serious, “…you and I are going to live forever or...” he waves a hand, “we’ll die in an explosion of glory…and then…I don’t know…maybe turn into stones somewhere on a beach…”, he laughs then holds up his hands, “either way…we’ll be fine. I’ll see you soon but just in case…” He holds and kisses her, “goodbye my love.”

  Admiral Adamarus Maximus

  The last words spoken to Grace Maximus

  Loud external nanite hemisphere #o-0mfx12, recording #xwk007352.0283

  Source: The Archive

  T-Minus 03 Years

  At HQ, the mood was dismal. Everyone had really counted on the Dawn Jumpers knocking out the Blackship.

  President Wicker, Dr. Donnelly, General Burnwall and Bugs—who was able to appear anywhere simply by taking over whatever avatar was handy—studied the current image on the main floor-to-ceiling screen.

  Everything had been done to enlarge and enhance the odd shape that had ap
peared when the event horizon had suddenly ‘winked out’. All that could really be seen was a sphere—the size of a small moon—with vague indistinct openings and structures on its surface. From its mid-section or equator, eight long thin arms emerged; four arced up over the sphere and met and four arced downward and met.

  Wicker asked his head scientist, Dr. Donnelly, “Well, any new ideas?”

  Donnelly rubbed his chin, “I think…I don’t know what to think. I think…I wish Howard or even Dr. Van Loader were here. But they’re not so…it seems obvious that this is the ship. This is what we’ll face if things play out as they did in the Loud system. Bugs?”

  The short bluish robot answered without moving. “Agreed. And…the arms?”

  Donnelly nodded, “Well, we’ve kind of come to the consensus that Howard and his multiple singularity theory was right, so those impossibly long arms…four up, four down…strongly suggest two singularities—the ship between them where their gravity cancels out. Which also might explain how the Jumper devices failed—there would be more than two chambers. We might have missed it completely.”

  “Yes. That’s the way it seems,” Bugs replied.

  “Doesn’t tell us much,” Wicker said.

  “No,” Donnelly agreed. “We’ve analyzed this with everything we have and Bugs, using the Loud’s advanced technology, has done the same. All we have is a shape. No clues to weapons, armaments or any weaknesses. Those arms, though…they must be made of some pretty exotic material if, as this shape suggests, they somehow get close to and somehow control a singularity.”

  “We do, however, gain one important bit of information,” Bugs said. Everyone turned to look at the short metal avatar. “We now know its size and can calibrate the kinetic lance arrays.”

  General Burnwall spoke for the first time, “Admiral Willis on Lancer One is already working on that, and actually, it’s a good bit of intel. We would have had this when the ship appeared anyway, but knowing early is a good thing. No last minute surprises anyway.”