by John Walker
“Increase speed if you can,” Vincent replied.“Things are getting intense all over the place.”
Nolan wanted to ask how the Gnosis was doing with their own problems but he couldn’t afford the distraction. If they were in trouble, he didn’t want to know about it in the middle of one of the most dangerous flights he’d ever engaged in. Even success might pull his mind in the wrong direction.
Best to stay focused on the target.
“I’m hit!” Flying Officer Red Haldencalled out.“Engine one is offline. Still operational… but I might slow down a bit, sir.”
“Do what you can, Red.” Nolan cursed internally. Their bombers were heavily armored and had fantastic shields. The drones clipped Nolan’s ship a few times but they hadn’t breached his defenses yet. If they were able to get through one of them, they must’ve hit him hard. Vincent wasn’t kidding. We really need to move.
Their ordnance would make the target from their current distance but there was a lot of open space between them and the platform. These drones were quick enough to chase the bombs and take them out, with guns if not straight ramming them. Nolan felt like they needed to close the gap to at least half the distance they were at to ensure contact.
Maybe a couple shots would relieve the tension. Checking his payload, he still had four total bombs and if that proved true, most of his people would be around there too. Firing one wouldn’t be a problem. Whatever they had left would more than annihilate their target and would likely be dramatic overkill.
“I’m firing my first shot,” Nolan announced.“This is just to see if we can relieve the pressure, get these guys to chase a bomb instead of us. If they ignore it, we’ll be firing en masse shortly so get ready.” He depressed the trigger and felt the clunk below him of the bomb releasing from the vessel and rocketing off toward the platform.
The turrets chased several drones that went after it, each one taking shots, the streaking ordnance plunging toward their base. Their bombs were tough and it took quite a bit of punishment before they took out the engine. It continued to drift and Nolan accessed the remote detonation of the device, igniting it.
An orange ball appeared some distance ahead of him, taking out several of the drones at the same time.“Okay, so it did what I wanted but not what I hoped,” Nolan said to the others.“We still need to close the distance. You saw how much. Go to full throttle. Charger, protect Rhino Six. He’s not going to be able to keep up.”
“We’ve got his back,” Jagersaid.“But be advised, I’m down to four pilots and one of them has a busted stabilizer. This is nuts.”
Understatement of the decade.
“Sir,” Micah spoke up,“These beasts have a hard time with maneuvers at full speed. We’ll have to disengage the safety protocols if we hope to pull up based on the distance we need to be at.”
“I know… We can also start slowing down near the target zone.” Nolan checked his scanner.“It’ll take us nearly five minutes to get where we need to be at current speed. If we boost up, we’ll be there in one and a half. The difference will be huge, believe me.” Another drone strafed him and his turret took them out. Still, his shields dropped by ten percent.
“I see what you mean,” Micah replied.“Let’s do it.”
***
Doctor Jason Holland had something just short of a crisis on his hands. The wounded from the ship poured into the medical bay. Their injuries ranged from minor to severe. A lot of burns from shorted panels but also concussion damage as well. With all the heavy maneuvers the ship kept taking, people were being jostled around who couldn’t be strapped down.
The medical team themselves were suffering from it. Everything had to be lashed down like they were on a sailing ship from the old days. Jason sent an updated report of the people his team were tending to and let them know that no essential personnel had shown up yet. He felt like it might be a matter of time.
I’d love to see what’s going on out there but I don’t have the luxury. Are we in a situation where we’re going to die at any moment? I can’t think that way. Focus on the job, Jason. Just remain focused.
The patients in his care asked the same question in a variety of ways. There was fear but more frustration. Many wanted to get back to their posts but were sent by section heads. The dedication to their duties impressed the doctor but he saw why they were there. Most had been hurt too badly to continue to function at peak capacity.
Then again, maybe we should’ve left those who weren’t hurt too badly behind. We’ll need them to be performing their duties rather than sitting down here. For that reason, he discharged those who could perform the minimum requirements of their jobs and sent them back to work.
The rest who stayed truly could not function and the medical team focused on their needs. At least those who needed care would get it but just as he sent the last man through the door, three more entered. Jason sighed and sent up another report, letting the bridge know what was happening. I hope they wrap this up soon. We can’t keep taking this kind of beating.
***
Nathaniel dispatched his team to various parts of the ship, coordinating them from his central control panel in engineering. They were keeping things together but would have a lot of work ahead of them when the fighting stopped. So far, the engines and hyperdrive module remained undamaged but they had to fix the hull damage before they left.
Luckily, the automated repair systems could get them to a point where travel was safe. If only they would be allowed to work for a while without another heavy blow undoing some of their work. Most of their problems came from different shorts throughout the system, strain they hadn’t anticipated or at least planned for.
Rerouting power worked and Nathaniel had an entire list of systems to overhaul to prevent the problems from occurring in the future. They’d hoped to discover this stuff slowly, in a controlled manner. Combat certainly gave them immediate feedback, though not exactly how they’d like it.
In the back of his mind, he questioned whether they should’ve engaged the enemy. He took the required tactical courses to become an officer while at the academy so he understood Captain Bradford’s rationale. The enemy was engaged with a hostile force and they could take advantage of that.
Still, it felt foolhardy. There were five large ships against their one. Numerous fighters. All the drones. A defensive platform and then a whole lot of unknown on the surface. Depending on how badly they were hurt at the end of the battle, Desmond would either get a commendation or a court martial.
I suppose I’m just in a critical mood since I’m seeing what every blow we take causes. Nathaniel’s com started buzzing and he went back to coordinating his folks, putting aside his concerns. It wasn’t his place to judge the command crew, especially when they had probably already survived the situation longer than they should’ve.
Time to have a little faith, I suppose.
***
Heat heard something scraping behind him, something that would’ve been ear shattering had it not been for the noise reduction technology in his helmet. Glancing back, his heart beat a little faster. The doors were opening but they did so at such a sluggish pace, he actually groaned. It would take half a minute to open enough for a marine to get through in his armor.
Perfect! Another strafing run battered his guys and he thanked whatever maker was out there that they’d be done with the battle in a few moments. That’s when the doors stopped moving, freezing in place.“Gorman!” Heat shouted.“Get back to that panel and see what the hell happened! Get that agent back on the line! Now!”
He aimed skyward and fired at the incoming drones. They needed something to happen soon: escape or relief. Either one suited him just fine.
***
Desmond watched another of the enemy vessels list, their engines flickering out before their reactor sparked and exploded. The final two ships closed quickly, unleashing a constant barrage of fire at them. Most of the hits blew up rocks around the Gnosis but a couple got through, cau
sing the emergency lights to kick in on the bridge.
Much of their cover had been scattered or destroyed. The Gnosis needed to get moving and though they had yet to fully even the odds, they were better off than they were moments before. Especially since the enemy seemed intent on charging them. That exhibited a level of desperation which led to mistakes.
“Full speed,” Desmond said.“Play it like you’re a fighter going for a rear firing solution. Salina, what’s going on with the power? The lights specifically.”
“Light controls shorted out in patches around the ship,” Salina replied.“I’ve rerouted the power up here and engineering will take care of the rest. They’ll be back up shortly.”
The engines kicked on as they accelerated, taking a hard bank to follow the course requested. Zach watched his panel intently, bobbing his head as he counted something down. Desmond glanced at his reports, cursing at the number of injuries coming in. Those coupled with their damage meant they’d be out there for a while after the fight ended.
At least we’ve got the supplies for a stay.
More hits rattled the vessel as they passed under the enemy ships. Zach pulled them up, practically spinning as he did so. The maneuver made Desmond lean hard to the left against the force and he wondered how many people lost their footing from it. As they came around behind their target, Zach initiated a barrage of shots, tearing into the rear of the enemy ship.
Shields lit up and one of the engines went dark, sparking brilliantly. It veered, trying to turn in place while the other one accelerated and headed off away from both the Gnosis and the planet. They streaked away even as their comrade turned to fire. Zach hit them again, blasting away until more fire burst from hull damage.
“Is that ship fleeing?” Desmond asked.“Salina, do you have a vector for them?”
Salina shrugged.“I don’t see anything to go to on scans.”
“I hope they don’t have backup out there,” Cassie said. Her revelation made Desmond’s stomach tighten up. If they did and could call them in, the Gnosis would not survive.“I’ll keep an eye on it.”
The enemy fired a few short bursts, splashing into the Gnosis shields. They shook but not nearly as violently as before. Unleashing another torrent of mass drivers, Zach blew through their defenses and ripped off the entire left side of the enemy ship. The remaining piece tumbled away, forced off by a sudden discharge of pressure.
Zach got them moving backward as the enemy reactor went up. The ship disintegrated a moment later, tiny bits of debris flying in all directions.“Enemy down!” The pilot shouted.“That’s it! Just the guy who ran now!”
“What’s he up to?” Desmond directed the question to Cassie.“Do you still have him on scans?”
“I do… I’m picking up a strong energy reading. Um… Salina, can you take a look? I’m not sure what that is.”
Salina moved to her station and took a look. She shook her head.“They’re going into hyperspace, sir. They’re fleeing.”
“We did it.” Desmond sank in his chair, allowing him a brief moment to enjoy their sizable victory.“I want a full diagnosis and estimated time to repair. Meanwhile, Vincent, what’s going on with the bombers? Have they finished yet? And the marines. We need to catch up with them as well.”
“I’m on it, sir,” Vincent replied.“Give me a moment.”
***
Nolan was slammed into his safety straps as one of the drones hit him from behind. It didn’t give itself enough time to escape before the turret took it down but the damage was done. One of his engines started acting up, fluctuating between on and off. He rerouted some power and gave himself an extra boost on his good engine, turning off the other.
The last thing I need is to blow up from secondary damage. He checked the distance to his target and noted they would be able to fire in less than twenty seconds. So damn close! I can practically taste the deployment.
“Get ready, everyone. Our moment’s about here.”
Someone fired a bomb early, the heat corona streaking in space. The drones went after it, firing wildly as they did. It nearly made the target before being taken out but the operator didn’t detonate it. The ordnance did pull some of the enemy forces away but was ultimately wasted.
“Hold your fire,” Nolan ordered.“That was close but we need to get all the way there. Focus, people and think. If we don’t take this out, those drones will make it next to impossible to get our people off world. It’s just a little longer.”
Two drones flew into Nolan’s path, heading straight toward him. They held their fire, seemingly intent on ramming him. His turret spun and opened fire even as he pressed the stick forward, bringing his ship into a slight dive to avoid them. The first erupted into flames and exploded but the turret cleanly missed the other.
It clipped his top, slicing straight through his shields and ripping the turret clean off his hull. His computer went crazy, warning him about the damage and mentioning hull breach. Automated repair put a forcefieldup over the hole, a small one no bigger than someone’s head. Nolan felt lucky to be alive.
Had he not made the decision to dive…
The drone that hit him was off his scanner. It must’ve destroyed itself. Great, so they can commit suicide to keep us away. That’s going to make this even harder.
“You okay?” Micah asked.“That was insane.”
“So far.” Nolan checked their range. The optimal choice would’ve been another ten seconds but he felt they were close enough.“Deploy half your payload now. Keep some just in case we can get a little closer or have to make a second pass.” The idea of another run made his guts ache with tension but these drones were wily.
Bombs launched from each ship in Rhino Squadron, streaking off into the darkness of space. They were spread out enough to avoid one destroying another from casual damage and as the drones tried to start chasing them, it became quite clear they wouldn’t be able to take care of them all.
The first couple bombs were taken out but Nolan’s scan showed they deployed fifteen. If Red was able to deploy in a few moments as well, that would add quite a few. I think we should go all out.“Everyone but Deanne, launch the rest of your ordnance. Go for it.” More bombs filled the air, another fifteen heading toward their target.
“I’m here!” Red shouted.“Well… close enough! I’m firing!” Six more bombs joined the attack, these a bit late. They’d be tertiary fire if the station withstood the first two waves.
The drones went into a frenzy but they left the bombers alone. It was time to turn around and head back for the ship. Nolan gave the order and they spun around. His ship was lagging as the others passed him easily. Checking over his systems, the engines were flickering. Power was also inconsistent.
Losing the turret did far more than hamper his defenses.
“You okay?” Jager, from Charger asked him.“You’re slowing down.”
“They took off my turret in a suicide run,” Nolan replied.“I’m having some system failures.”
“I’m with you but um… look over your shoulder if you can.”
Nolan complied, eyes widening as the bombs began impacting the surface of the platform. He held his breath, watching the massive explosions rocking the target. The drones didn’t even manage to take out half the ordnance. He didn’t have an opportunity to see the conclusion before his computer caught his attention again.
This message was far more startling: eject.
“I’ve got to punch out,” Nolan said.“Jager, I’m hitting it now.”
“You’re on my tracking,” Jagerreplied.“We’ll bring you home.”
Nolan jammed the lever down, gritting his teeth as he was thrown clear of his vessel in the tiny escape pod. Weightlessness followed… accompanied by silence. He started to spin and tried to engage the rockets to steady out. They didn’t appear to work and as vertigo overwhelmed him, he felt consciousness ebb into darkness.
***
Heat took aim at a drone and prepared to fire, convinced tha
t this one would perforate him. Gorman went to work on the door only a few moments earlier but that felt like a lifetime ago while under siege. The black triangle came around and began its attack run. The weapons lit up half a second before it should fire… when the engines suddenly stopped and it began to tumble. Heat’s eyes widened as it sailed over his head toward the structure.“Gorman! Bounce to your right! Now!”
He saw Gorman flee the panel half a second before the drone slammed into the wall just above the door. It exploded, bringing the ancient stone down and with it, the door frame. Both collapsed into the dust with a ground shaking crunch. While that may have been the most dramatic end, other drones were dropping from the sky as well.
They hammered the cliffs and rocks all around them, exploding when they connected. Thank God, Gnosis or whoever finally took that thing out. I’m buying you a basket of bath products.
The marines converged on the downed door, aiming into the tunnel beyond. It was well lit with a tile floor blessedly free of dust. Something kept the place clean, probably more robots. Heat turned to the others, considering the situation. They had a great deal to take care of in short order.
First, with the drones down, the aliens would be free to move about again. They could be upon them at any moment. Second, Heat wanted the shuttle to be on the move to give them an extraction. Third, they had an injured man who couldn’t go with them. His leg joint was fused from the attack he endured.
Bosh was lucky he didn’t lose the leg.
“Let’s fall back into the facility,” Heat said.“Bring Bosh. We can hold that area easily enough against an incoming force. I’m going to call for some air support to get our shuttle here for extraction. Anderson and Vine will be here soon. Meanwhile, Kelly and Dorian will be on door detail. The rest of us are going to complete the mission.”
