“Six contacts, sir. Two of them large ships, the rest either freight haulers or destroyer class ships based on the drive signatures.”
“Keep tracking,” Greg Rafferty commanded. “Sound off action stations. Get me a link to Aurora.”
The urgent sound of the alarm provoked a rapid change of personnel at posts in the Command Centre and elsewhere, and the crew responded. The few minutes of apparent chaos were replaced by a stillness broken only by operators reporting their systems online and ready.
“Ship closed up. Weapons manned and ready,” the Executive Officer reported.
“Good. What have you got, Weapons?” Captain Rafferty settled into his chair, his focus on the battle display.
“Definitely Consortium. None of our ships are fitted with that screen.” The Weapons Officer grimaced. “Okay, at least we can still use the passive scan to target. Activate the visual sighting program. Weapons closed up and active, sir. We’ll have to use the passive-visual sighting system unless the cruisers can knock down that screen.”
“The Escort Leader wants us to hold our fire until they show themselves. Target and track until they fire. Then give them hell.” The Captain paused. “Can you get some idea of what types of ships they are from your targeting system?”
“Looks like two heavy cruisers and either four cruisers or four large destroyers, sir. They may be converted freight liners — that would give a similar signature.”
“They’re pretty confident of themselves.” Captain Rafferty frowned as he studied his displays. “Six of them against seven of us. Even if they have the firepower….” Using his link to the AI network, he searched for a report on the latest attacks on convoys. “Damn. I knew I was missing something. Get me Aurora.”
“Aurora on link, sir.”
“Carl, my people think we’re up against two heavies and four destroyers, but I’ve just checked something from the latest hit on a convoy. I think we’re seeing two heavies, but the other four are carrying remora barges. They’ll try to come in close, so I need you to keep the cruisers off our backs. They’ll use the remoras to board and capture the freighters while distracting us with their cruisers. We can expect to be targeted by some of the remoras as well. Even if they can’t board us, they can cripple us while they take over ships in the convoy.”
“You beat me to it, Greg. I agree. At their closing rate, we estimate they’ll be in position to initiate their attack in thirty minutes.”
“It’ll give away our ability to track them on the passive — but I suggest we shoot as soon as they make a move. If we target the mother ships as a priority—”
“Good idea. I’ll issue that instruction.”
“THE ENEMY SHIPS ARE SEPARATING, SIR. The two largest are coming straight on, but the smaller ships are … Sir! The smaller ships appear to be breaking apart!”
“That’s it. Bloody remora carriers. Weapons, open fire and concentrate on the remoras. Leave the cruisers to Aurora, Penelope and Hermione.”
“Target remoras, yes, sir.” The weapons officer checked his displays. “They’re still screened. Targeting by visual on passive scan. Engage individual targets. Commence, commence, commence.”
The first bursts of plasma lanced toward the spreading cloud of attackers, the calm voice of the weapons officer directing his batteries to specific targets.
“Mother ships are dropping their screens, sir. Confirm two heavy cruisers and four remora carriers.”
“Make that three. Who bagged it? Well done, main battery. Nail another of the bastards.” Pausing, the weapons director studied the targeting plot. The targets were now plainly visible on all his displays, confirming the intelligence that the anti-scanner screen prevented the enemy from using his own targeting scanners. “Close-range defences. Four remoras coming our way. Don’t let them attach.”
“They’ve managed to get some of their remoras on the freighters, sir.”
“Damn. Which ones?”
“Castle Derwent, Morwenna, Eastern Star and Mornington are all signalling they have boarders, sir.”
“Castle Derwent and Eastern Star just dropped out, sir. They’ve been taken by the looks of it.”
“Helm, close on Mornington. We’ll try to put the Royals on her.”
“Close on Mornington, aye, aye, sir.” Since Harry was already linked to the ship, he failed to use the interface. The ship simply changed position.
“Royals away.”
The small boarding sleds favoured by the Royal Marines leapt across the gap. Flares against the hull showed their presence.
“Boarding Unit Foxtrot Oscar now aboard. Estimate twenty boarders. Engaging.”
“Keep them off the Control Centre, Lieutenant,” ordered the Captain.
“They’re attempting to disengage, sir.”
“Switch target. I want those damned mother ships put out of action. Target their drives!”
“Target the drives. Yes, sir.” The weapons officer hesitated. “Ships that lose their transit drive during transit have never been found, sir.”
“I know, and they know. I’ve been watching them. They’re targeting ours.”
“Yes, sir.” The weapons officer consulted his displays. “Main battery, target bearing horizontal three six degrees, negative bearing one fiver degrees. Lock to drives.” He paused, waiting confirmation. “Fire.”
“WELL DONE, LEANDER. WE LOST THREE OF THE CONVOY, but you secured Mornington, and they lost two mother ships and about forty remoras.” The commanding officer of the Aurora paused. “That was a damned good spot, Greg. Opening fire when you did forced their hand.”
“What convinced me were the reports that our ships were being damaged by internal assault, not by weapons fire. My Royals have now secured one of the remoras that attached to the Mornington. Very basic, they tell me, but damned effective to shift a full squad and attach to a hull with two access units, which allowed them to penetrate the target hull and gain access.”
“Now that we’re aware of this tactic, it will be easier to combat in future.” The Senior Escort Captain paused. “Penelope took some damage, but Hermione returned the favour on their leader.”
“We have no damage, though they tried to get four remoras on us. I don’t think those motherships have much in the way of weapons, and the remoras we’ve captured only have defences against interceptors.”
“That’s good to know. What about that screening system?”
“They managed to destroy two of the three, but we got the third. I’ve had it extracted and secured so Fleet Research can study it. One less secret for them to use against us.”
“BEACON FOR THE SERAPHIS SYSTEM LOCATED, SIR.”
“Good. Prepare for dropout on the beacon.”
“Prepare for dropout. Aye, aye, sir.” Harry focussed on the task of preparing to decelerate and hold station so they could pick up the guidance beacons in the system and use them to bring the ship and the convoy to the desired orbit around the planet.
The brief engagement in hyperspace had been costly. Two of the lost ships carried vital equipment needed for the building of the new lift platforms under construction. Sheer luck had played a part as well, since the Mornington carried vital components needed for immediate use.
Captain Rafferty watched his displays and the relative positions of the other ships. “I shall be glad to get rid of our prisoners, Phil,” he remarked to Commander Philippa Sönderburg. “They knew exactly which ships to target, even had the damned manifests for them.”
“Helms linked with Aurora, sir.”
“Very good.” Greg Rafferty gripped the arms of his command chair. “Here we go. The Beagle is already waiting for us.” The 3D command display revealed the full glory of the system they had just entered.
“Unusual system and an unusual planet, Seraphis. The seas are quite shallow, and the landmasses are essentially large islands scattered all over it.” The Executive Officer turned to Midshipman Sheoba. “Gla
d to be home, Mid?”
“It is good to return, yes, but we have our duty to our people. We must learn the ways of other worlds, and the way of defending our own.” She made the gesture of respect. “One day I shall return to nest. Until then, I serve to defend it.”
Surprised, the Exec hesitated. She’d not expected the frank reply. Then she remembered the history of human contact with the Lacertians. “Of course.” She considered briefly. “Did the Consortium actually occupy your world with troops?”
“At first they came speaking of friendship and trade. Then more came and took what they desired, and when the Sersan objected, they killed some, seized many and took her and the council away. It will not happen again.”
“No, it won’t, not if we can prevent it.”
“It is why we build our own ships, and train and serve with yours, Commander.”
Chapter 28 – Diversion
“Squadron ready to depart, sir. The Beagle will be in position within ten minutes. She had a delay in recovering one of her survey barges.”
“Ten minutes?” Captain Rafferty huffed in annoyance. “Well, that won’t make a huge difference to us, but I bet the gate operator is fuming. Keeping their power cells hot doesn’t do them a lot of good. We’ll wait while the Beagle rounds up her missing pup.”
“We’ve a choice?” Naiad’s captain joined the conversation.
Harry watched the 3D display, the strange looking survey ship just visible above the darkened planet as she manoeuvred toward the waiting squadron. A large ship, her crew comprised a small number of specialists and officers, and a large contingent of scientists. The survey barges attached to her outer hull reminded him of a creature the Reverend Bentley had enthused over while on HMS Spartan, with all its young clinging to its fur.
Idly he wondered what it would be like to serve on such a ship, then put it from his mind as the Beagle closed and his attention shifted to the task in hand
“WE’LL BE TRANSITING THROUGH HOSTILE TERRITORY. Our destination, the planet New Eden, is in a quadrant they have been operating in for a long time. I want the ship at defence stations from now on.”
“That’ll be tough on our people, sir.”
“Being taken unaware will be fatal.” Greg Rafferty tapped the arm of his chair. “Work out a schedule that gives everyone a reasonable rest period, and we’ll run some drills to keep them on their toes.”
“I suggest we run one immediately, sir. I did a check earlier and found half the watch didn’t have their survival suits ready for use.”
“Good plan. Do it, Phil. Nothing like a good shake-up to kick things off.”
THE HULL BREACH ALARM SOUNDED THROUGHOUT THE SHIP, the urgent blare of the klaxon sending the crew scrambling for their survival suits.
“Damn, I must have left mine in my locker,” was an exclamation heard far too frequently for the Executive Officer’s liking.
Cancelling the alarm, she ordered a stand fast then sent her Damage Control team to every section of the ship with orders to take the names of everyone not properly rigged.
“This was a drill. The next time you hear that alarm, it may be the real thing, not a drill, and you will have less than two minutes to get your survival suit on and started.” She paused. “We are entering enemy territory, and hostiles could be anywhere. These drills will not be announced. Anyone found who does not have their survival pack with them at all times can expect to have a session with the Captain. Carry on.”
“Phew.” Ferghal removed his survival suit, checked it, and stowed it properly for its next use. “Just lucky I was off duty. I usually forget to take it when I go on watch.”
“Better not forget it in future.” Harry’s ears were still burning at the rollicking he’d got when the Exec had discovered he didn’t have his survival suit to hand. If that weren’t humiliating enough, the reprimand was made worse by the fact that he was currently on her Damage Control team. “The Exec has a list that includes Mama Behr, three other officers and over half the crew. She’s very annoyed.”
“I wager Mama isn’t happy either.”
Harry laughed. “No wager. She’s on the warpath.”
THE ROUTINE OF EXERCISES AND DRILLS, AND THE WATCH routine demanded by remaining at defence stations, meant sleep was sometimes at a premium. To Harry and Ferghal it was almost like returning to the decks of HMS Spartan with the constant calls for sail handling disturbing their sleep.
It also meant that the ship was settling into a finely tuned readiness for action by the time Captain Rafferty decided to scale back the exercises.
“We’ve got them on their toes now, Phil. From now on we’ll exercise only the duty part of each watch and let the off duty part catch up on their sleep.” He broke off as his link chirped.
“Rafferty.”
“Greg, we’re picking up a distress call.” Captain Gratz’s voice paused. “A freight liner, Greenbay Orion. She comes up in the database as carrying passengers and a high value cargo. Given where we are right now, it could be a trap.”
Greg Rafferty studied the display provided by Lieutenant Orloff, the Navigation Officer. “I have her. Yes, right on the edge of the area we had word the Cons were active in. Damn. What do you want me to do?”
“Take a swing out to her position and investigate. I don’t need to tell you not to take any chances, and if you don’t like the situation, jump out again and yell for help. If you think it’s safe to do so, see if you can render assistance and rendezvous with us at the next way point.”
“Will do.” Captain Rafferty studied the plot data. “I anticipate it will take us six hours to reach her coordinates. After that, we’ll see.” He broke the link. “Pilot, change course to intersect with the coordinates for the Greenbay Orion. I will want to drop out about a million clicks off the location, launch fighters and scan for hostiles, then jump again and scan before I approach her. Understood?”
“Understood. We’ll set the course accordingly, sir,” replied Lieutenant Orloff.
LEANDER DROPPED OUT PRECISELY AS PLANNED, her fighters launching even as she slowed, her crew already at action stations.
“Fighters launched. Maximum scan, report contacts.”
“One ship, sir. Reads as a freightliner. Her distress beacon is active.” The operator paused to adjust his displays. “No other contacts, sir.”
“Check the passive scanners.”
“No hostiles on scan, sir,” reported the weapons station. “Nothing on passive and nothing on active.”
“Good, maintain scan and check visuals as well,” the Weapons Commander reported. “System seems to be clean, sir, just the freighter on scan.”
Captain Rafferty nodded. “Keep scanning. We’ll approach in a series of short hyperbursts around the system to make sure.”
Harry and the rest of the navigation team plotted the Captain’s orders for an unpredictable approach. The Leander leapt past its target then off to one side and finally to a dropout directly alongside the freighter.
“Boarders away.”
“Transit to the outer edge of the system. Keep us moving, Pilot.”
THE BOARDING PARTY WERE CYCLED THROUGH the freighter’s airlocks and into the ship even as the frigate made another leap to a remote part of the system.
“Thank God you’re here.” The officer who met them looked dishevelled. “We were hit two days ago. They shot the Captain and took the Chief of Engineering and his number two with them.”
The Lieutenant leading the boarders wrinkled his nose at the unpleasant smell permeating the air. “What’s happened to your enviro plant?”
“They wrecked it. Blew out the algae tanks and stripped out the recycling pumps for good measure — and they destroyed the engineering controls so we can’t even manoeuvre.”
Frowning, the Lieutenant nodded, aware the live link on his EVA suit meant his Captain was hearing the conversation and observing the situation. “What else did they take?”
&
nbsp; “All of the engineering stores, part of the cargo and two of the passengers — besides our engineering people.”
The Lieutenant stopped. “Better show me the damage. If we can’t get her going, we may have to evacuate her.”
STARING AT THE IMAGES RELAYED FROM GREENBAY ORION, Captain Rafferty gave an angry snort. “Looks like they intended these people to die rather unpleasantly. I wonder why?” He paused. “Okay, we’ll dropout alongside in ten minutes and put an engineering team aboard to see what can be done. Have her crew and passengers ready to transfer to Leander as soon as we arrive. No baggage, just essential personal items, and make sure the passengers are all legitimate. We don’t need any unwelcome surprises coming aboard.”
“Understood, sir,” came the response. “There are twenty people to bring aboard, most of them in a bad way. Some will need medical attention.”
“Get them aboard and to the medics. We’ll work out what to do with the rest.” He turned to his Executive Commander. “Phil, make sure they’re screened, and don’t bring anything aboard that could compromise us. The officers can go into our spare Wardroom cabins, and the rest should probably go into the Senior TechRates’ mess adjoining the Royals’ barracks. Put the passengers in the Gunroom, and tell Sub-Lieutenant Isfahan to warn the Mids not to talk about our current assignment. The Royals can keep an eye on the crew. We’ll tranship them to Beagle as soon as we can. She’s more suitable for passengers if we have to fight.”
“Shall I brief Mama Behr?”
“Do that. Thanks. Coms, get me a secure link to Aurora. This whole deal stinks.”
When the squadron’s senior officer responded to the link, Captain Rafferty got right to the point. “I suspect this is an ambush, Captain. I’m taking the crew and passengers off and sending a team to see if we can jury rig something to get her to the squadron. The cargo is Fleet spares for Pangaea.”
FERGHAL ACCOMPANIED LIEUTENANT GUZEWSKI to the damaged ship with several TechRates.
Harry Heron: No Quarter Page 25
