by Jason Kent
“Can we make it?” Ian asked.
Ghost took the controls and initiated the wormhole drive accelerators. “We’re about to find out.”
Reagan Space Corps Base / SOF Ops Cell
Europa
“Williams, take Mrs. Langdon to the nearest shelter,” Yates said.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Jennifer said. “I’ve got to know what happens.”
Yates stared into Jennifer’s eyes for a moment before nodding.
“C4 has been hit,” Williams reported. “Life support systems have switched to back-ups.”
“What about...” Jennifer’s voice trailed off as she looked around.
“We’re self-contained in here,” Yates reassured her.
“Vampires on-line,” Williams reported.
“Set for max yield and let ‘em fly,” Yates said.
As Jennifer watched, thirty-six green icons popped to life.
Yates met Jennifer’s look and explained, “Unmanned drones with variable anti-matter warheads.”
They watched in silence as the Soo picked off one Vampire after another.
“Come on,” Williams urged.
The icon marked Vampire 26 closed with one of the Soosuri ships directly above Reagan.
“Four attacking ship destroyed,” Williams said. “Another is damaged…make that destroyed.”
“Looks like they got the rest of them,” Yates muttered. “We figured missiles would be the easiest for them to pick off, that’s why we didn’t use them before now.”
The room shook with renewed vigor, driving Jennifer to her knees.
“I think we made them mad,” Williams said.
Jennifer felt constant vibrations coursing through the floor. In between blasts she swore she could hear a wailing – like a thousand lost souls calling out through the darkness. She shuddered and pulled herself back to her feet.
“Whatever happens, we’ll be together soon, Ian,” Jennifer muttered.
Reaper 16
Jupiter Space
“We’re primed and I’ve set my verifications,” Ian said, tapping a final key. “Transition in one minute twenty-six seconds.”
Ghost leaned back. “Ready here. The sensors will search for the nearest Soosuri ships and give us the max kick in the pants.”
“AM field?” Ian asked.
“Containment should last through the wormhole,” Ghost said. “Auto-destruct is set to queue off the nav computer. This things it gonna blow as soon as we get a proximity alarm.”
“That close?” Ian asked. The proximity alarms were generally set to a few hundred meters.
“Yep.”
“An antimatter explosion at that range is going to be spectacular to see,” Ian said as he gazed out the viewport.
Jupiter was huge, occupying more than half of the view. Io, Jupiter’s orange-colored volcanic moon hung in the foreground.
“How’s that for a view,” Ian muttered. “What a show.”
“Too bad it’s our closing act,” Ghost said.
USS Saratoga
Jupiter Space
“A group of ships are peeling off,” Growler reported. “They’re heading for Sterling.”
“Can we intercept?” Mitchell asked.
“The rest of the enemy ships are screening the attack force,” Osprey answered. “That leaves twelve for us, including the big guy.”
“The Sterling is on its own for now then,” Mitchell said. “Who’s left out here?”
Growler highlighted the blue icons on the main display. “Vandenberg and Rickenbacker, a few reapers, and six of our Arrows.”
Mitchell studied the board for a moment then highlighted his notations on the main display. “Coordinate attack on this point.” A flashing reticule bracketed the largest Soosuri ship.
“Yes sir,” Growler responded. He relayed the instructions over the Ops Net.
Eleven affirmative responses came back.
“Take us in,” Mitchell ordered. He knew two Century patrol ships, less than a handful of Reapers, and the Saratoga were most likely no match for the attacking ships. Still, he had no choice but to fight as best he could for as long as his forces held out. He muttered, “If nothing else, we’ll keep a few of them from going home.”
“All ships in position,” Growler said.
“Let’s see how much their battleship can take,” Mitchell said, wondering at the same time how much Saratoga could actually take.
“Firing all batteries,” Growler said.
As Saratoga’s OCSU kicked the ship into a series of brutal maneuvers, Mitchell managed to keep his eyes on the main display. The space between his tiny fleet and the enemy ships was filled with the tracks of hyper-velocity missiles, rail gun slugs, and offensive and defensive laser fire. The ship shuddered and rocked as it soaked up the punishment.
“Let the armor hold, God,” Mitchell grunted as he was thrown to the side of his seat. “Get us in range and we’ll take care of the rest.”
Reagan Space Corps Base / SOF Ops Cell
Europa
“Where’s Ian going?” Jennifer gasped. Ian’s ship was moving away from the closing formations representing the Soosuri and human ships near Europa. As she watched the blue icon was suddenly surrounded by yellow dashed lines then disappeared.
Yates looked up from the hurried conversation he was having with Master Sergeant Williams. Catching the yellow dashed line before it and the Reaper icon disappeared, he said, “He jumped.”
“Reaper 16 just entered EJ437,” Williams reported.
“EJ?” Yates said, “They’re headed for Earth.”
Jennifer’s eyes flashed from screen to screen until they landed on the monitor showing Earth Space. Sure enough a yellow dashed square began flashing. Ian’s blue icon materialized a moment later.
Ian’s ship was right in the middle of a swarm of attacking vessels.
“What on Earth is he thinking?” Jennifer breathed.
Reaper 16 Computer Core – Command Console Signal Routing
Earth Space
STATUS 0941: Jump complete
CMD 0771: Validate projected exit point: EJ437
CMD 0772: Initiate stellar nav check – optics CMD 0773: Initiate stellar nav check – radiometric CMD 0774: Initiate beacon nav check – Military, Civil, SOF
CMD 0775: Initiate internal systems check CMD 0801: Initiate target scan
ERROR 0401: Sys Rpt: Power fluctuations
ERROR 0003: AM containment field fluctuating ALERT 9901: AM containment breach 78% certainty: 30sec STATUS 0311: Space Drive nominal
ERROR 0543: Rail guns off-line
ALERT 2501: High energy impact detected
CMD 0789: Initiating evasive sequence DF89
ERROR 0544: Offensive Laser System off-line ALERT 2532: Kinetic impact detected
ERROR 0543: Defensive Laser System off-line STATUS 0802: Programmed target set acquired CMD 0803: Initiate Course Correction 145-034-351R
CMD 0804: Initiate Space Drive 100%
ALERT 9902: AM containment breach projection 81% certainty: 29sec ALERT 2501: High energy impact detected
ALERT 2501: High energy impact detected
ALERT 7901: Proximity Alert – Spacecraft 254m CMD 9999: Initiate self-destruct sequence ALERT 2501: High energy impact detected
ALERT 0544: Kinetic impact detected
ERROR 3432: Starboard Attitude Control System inoperative CMD 9901: Validate Self Destruct: Pilot Jeffrey Michaels, Capt, USSC – Approved ALERT 0545: Kinetic impact detected ERROR 0439: Decompression: Bridge Compartment ALERT 0546: Kinetic impact detected
ERROR 2596: Power Distribution Unit 6 Offline CMD 0440: Initiate Internal Hatch Seal
ALERT 9903: AM containment breach projection 98% certainty: 28sec ERROR 0722: Forward sensor array inoperative ALERT 7902: Proximity Alert – Spacecraft 151m ALERT 7903: Proximity Alert – Spacecraft 402m CMD 9902: Validate Self Destruct: CC Ian Langdon, Capt, USSC – Approved ALERT 7904: Proximity Alert – Spacecraft 58m ALERT
7905: Proximity Alert – Spacecraft 287m ALERT 7906: Proximity Alert – Spacecraft 124m STATUS 9901: Self-destruct sequence validated CMD 9903: Self-destruct charges activated ALERT 9904: AM containment…
Reagan Space Corps Base / SOF Ops Cell
Europa
“No,” Jennifer gasped.
Reaper 16’s icon in Earth Space flashed twice then winked out.
A second later, five of the six red Soosuri icons which had surrounded Ian’s Reaper began flashing then also disappeared. A sixth red icon stood alone for a few moments longer before it too started flashing. The final ship disappeared from the display.
Jennifer stared at the now empty corner of Earth Space, unable to find words to express the deadness which had fallen over her heart.
Special Forces Post 32
Earth Space
“Crud,” Bealeman muttered as his sensors beeped. “How many ships do they have?”
A fast moving ship popped out of a wormhole close to the six other alien vessels heading for Earth, hanging amid a backdrop of stars like a blue and white marble. As the seventh ship flew among the tightly clustered spacecraft, a brilliant explosion blossomed. Five other explosions followed in quick succession. As the flashes subsided, only one alien ship was left, venting liquid and listing away from its former course. It exploded in a brilliant flash a few seconds later.
Bealeman did not know what to do for a moment. In blank amazement he realized the other ship must have been a human ship.
“Thanks, buddy,” Bealeman said as he starting tapping his console. “You took care of them for me. I’ll see who else I can go after for you.”
Reagan Space Corps Base / SOF Ops Cell
Europa
“Got it,” a tech’s voice called out as if from a distance. “It’s an optical feed from Surveillance 37. I’ll back it up.”
Jennifer dragged her eyes to the new screen, barely noticing as the ground shook and dust drifted down from the ceiling.
“Base defenses are down to three rails,” Williams noted calmly. “Breaches throughout the base…I’ve lost the emergency net.”
Yates ignored the report and ordered, “Play it, quarter speed.”
Jennifer watched as the six ships reappeared, heading for Earth. Ian’s Reaper appeared and thrust straight for the Soo pack. At the slower speed, it was possible to pick out several points where the human spacecraft was tagged by enemy fire. The Reaper’s hull flashed with each powerful hit as the Soo desperately tried to halt the vessel which had suddenly appeared in their midst.
It ended the same though; Ian and his ship disappearing in a brilliant nova. She closed her eyes, missing the six explosions which would follow. It was only the first one she cared about.
“Oh Ian,” Jennifer said softly. She felt an odd mixture of loss and pride welling up inside her.
Jennifer had to grab her seat to keep from being thrown onto the floor as the entire room heaved. She looked up as the lights and monitors flickered and died.
Emergency lighting popped on even as the ground continued to rock.
Jennifer jumped as someone laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to find Yates swaying next to hear. His lips were moving but she could not hear him over the roar of the latest round of explosions outside and above the SOF Cell.
Yates leaned closer and shouted, “Time to go!” Over his should he shouted, “Williams, sound General Evacuation!”
Williams shook his head as he tried to access the base computer systems. From the dim glow of his console, Jennifer guessed he had a link which was independent of the main and now non-operational power system. “No good, sir, comm’s down.”
“Suits!” Yates shouted. Someone tossed him a pressure suit which he handed to Jennifer.
Jennifer took the bundle packed in a bubble helmet. After a moment, she laughed.
A fresh round of explosions rocked the Cell.
Jennifer faced Yates. She held up the suit and smiled. “Just like the first time Ian and I met.”
Yates grinned grimly back. “I’m sorry there’s no gentle parachute ride to safety, Jennifer.” He looked around at his small Ops crew. “We move in thirty seconds, people.”
Williams looked up from his console, “No place to go, sir. Ops Floor is not responding and we have no pressure readings in the adjacent corridors. I’ll try and find an open path to the hanger.”
Yates looked over at the seal of the SOF Cell door and swore under his breath. He straightened and faced the dark wall of display screens. “Then at least get me a feed so we can see what’s going on out there.”
USS Saratoga
Jupiter Space
Mitchell shook his head and forced his eyes open. A quick scan of his board showed the latest hit had taken out two of the starboard OLS batteries. On the main display, another Soosuri ship was exploding under the withering hail of Saratoga’s rails and the concentrated fire effort of two Arrow fighters.
“That’s five down!” Osprey shouted.
The battleship filling the main screen seemed to flicker as it let loose with its weapons.
One of the Arrows flashed into a ball of flaming debris.
A moment later, one of the Soosuri frigates, maneuvering to get a better shot at Saratoga was caught in the path of its own capital ship’s fire and was shredded.
“Six,” Mitchell noted.
“I’ll take that kind of help any day,” Osprey noted as he furiously tapped at his control board. “Damage control can’t get to a fire in Storage 7.”
“Concentrate on the passages to the hab areas,” Mitchell said. He was not sure his spacecraft would last much longer and wanted to give his crew the chance to reach the relative safety of the escape pods located in these areas.
Mitchell was thrown forward in his chair as the OCSU ordered a tight yaw and roll maneuver. A moment later he was thrown back as the computer lined up the heavy rails along the centerline of the Saratoga on the main Soosuri ship again. Despite the hard evasive twists and turns, Mitchell could still feel merciless impacts through the hull of his ship. He checked his display board. For all his spacecraft was taking, the enemy ship seemed to be fairing no better. Venting water swirled away from the large ship as it tried to avoid the heavy fire being poured into is hide.
“Rickenbacker’s gone!” Growler called out.
“Crap,” Osprey muttered.
“Override OCSU,” Mitchell ordered. “Head straight for the battleship, ignore the little guys. Concentrate everything Saratoga has left on the smallest point possible.”
Without hesitating, Osprey called, “Nav, set us straight and narrow and don’t spare the gas.”
Hodges obediently tapped in the command and asked, “Won’t we be more vulnerable without the computer in control?”
A fresh round of violent explosions rocked the massive Saratoga.
“I don’t think it really matters at this point,” Osprey said.
Hodges nodded, flexed his hands and took hold of the manual controls on either side of his station. “I have the con.”
Mitchell’s stomach lurched one final time as Hodges brought the Saratoga back to a level flight path, aiming straight into the hail of slugs and high energy laser fire from the huge Soosuri vessel. The near continuous incoming barrage caused the ship to hum. The thrum built in intensity and additional alarms sounded.
“Forward armor is failing,” Growler noted.
“Make it quick, Hodges,” Mitchell said as the enemy ship grew to fill the entire main display screen. “Sound general evac for the rest of the crew.”
Osprey nodded at Mitchell and gave the final order.
“Abandon ship!”
Human Near Space
Oort Cloud Translation Point
“It is time,” Tra’laan said.
Reyan nodded. “Sub-Captain, immediate translation.”
Tra’laan watched as the other vessels around him flashed forward, each enveloped with a halo of white plasma. His own ship streaked forward
at the center of the Gathering, heading to the primary star of the human system.
“Now,” Tra’laan ordered.
The Gathering flashed and disappeared, leaving only an empty corner of Near Space.
Reagan Space Corps Base / SOF Ops Cell
Europa
“I got a feed, sir,” Williams shouted above the heavy cracking sound coming from the thick ice beyond the SOC walls.
The main monitors lit up.
“Is this right?” Yates asked after a long moment.
“Yes sir,” Williams said. “It’s a live tap streaming from the surveillance net routed through the base’s secondary core.”
“Cripes,” Yates muttered.
Jennifer stood up, steadying herself against the shaky footing. It took only a moment to see what had dismayed the general.
The screens, already predominately filled with Soosuri ships, began filling up with brightly lit ships.
“More Soo?” Jennifer asked.
“Unsure,” Williams said. “The sensor net should have identified them easily enough if they were. It’s just listing them as unidentified contacts. Just a sec, I’ve got our equipment back on line. It should be able to make an ID before the base POS gear can do it…there.”
Jennifer, Yates and the rest of the Cell team looked to the main monitors as a close up replaced the tactical display.
“That’s no Soo ship,” Jennifer said.
“The unidentified ships are arriving at coordinates that don’t match anything on the books,” Williams said. “They’re either making their own wormholes or using ones we missed in our own backyard.”
“Question is,” Yates began, “Whose side are they on?”
USS Saratoga
Jupiter Space
Mitchell shielded his eyes as the main display erupted into a flash of sparks and debris spewing across his bridge.
