“Maybe your friends already won,” Syrusss said, “and they are in stealth next to us right now, just waiting for the right opportunity to spring their assault and rescue us.”
“That’s possible,” Calvin replied.
“Do you think they are?”
“No, I don’t,” Calvin said with a shake of his head. “If they were, I think they would have tried to contact me. I think we’re going to have to come up with something on our own to get us out of this.”
“Do you have an idea?” Farhome asked.
“At the moment? No. But we still have a little time…”
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, Anti-Jotunheimr System, December 23, 2021
“Uh, sir, you asked to know if the Jotunn did anything strange…” the OSO said.
“Are they arming their weapons?” Captain Sheppard asked.
“No sir. I’m not getting any indications of weapons employment; however, their remaining engine just went to full power, and I’m not seeing an increase in thrust or anything else that correlates with a need for more power. It’s weird.”
“Steropes, what have you got?”
“Something onboard the Jotunn vessel is definitely using a lot of power,” Steropes replied, “but I agree it is not their weapons systems nor are they generating additional thrust.”
“Are they testing out their jump systems? Have we received any communications from the engineering personnel we sent over?”
“No sir,” the communications officer said. “We haven’t heard anything since they reported that the engine room was slagged pretty badly, and they were working on repairs. They have checked in a couple of times since then, as scheduled, but haven’t given us any other information. I will contact them and ask.”
“There’s a second burst of power usage!” the OSO exclaimed.
“Get Loki for me,” the CO ordered. “We’ll see what he has to say.”
“Sir, I just talked to the engineers. They don’t have any idea what’s using the extra power; it isn’t them. Also, I spoke to the Huggorm, and the bridge watch says Loki isn’t available right now but will talk to you in a few minutes.”
“That’s it,” the CO said. “Call the away team and get them back here ASAP. Engines to full; get us out of here, helm.”
“Engines to full, aye,” the helmsman replied. “Turning away from the Jotunn vessel.”
“It is too late,” Solomon announced. “A large number of Jotunn are on the exterior of the hull and are cutting their way in.”
“What?” Captain Sheppard asked. “How many? How’d they get there?”
“I am unable to determine their exact number as they are employing scramblers and are destroying my sensors. I estimate approximately 30 Jotunn are now aboard. As for how they arrived, they appear to have beamed close aboard and maneuvered to make contact with the ship. My sensors show several other Jotunn in the vicinity were left behind when we accelerated to full power.”
“Confirm General Quarters is still set about the ship,” the CO ordered. “Get the platoon armed and send them to where the Jotunn are cutting their way in.”
“Reconfirming GQ,” the duty engineer replied.
“Sending the platoon to repel boarders,” Lieutenant Contreras added. “Request permission to rejoin the platoon. We are already short-handed, as several of our troops are onboard the Jotunn ship.”
“Granted; go!” the CO ordered. “Solomon, what are our options? Can we electrify the hull or anything like that?”
“No sir,” the AI replied. “I do not have a method to remove them. Ships normally do not stop in combat, so beaming onto a ship in combat isn’t something I have defenses for. I recommend arming the crew as quickly as possible, especially the bridge crew as one of the groups of Jotunn is cutting through nearby.”
Arm them, the CO asked silently. With what? This wasn’t the 1700s. They had never practiced repelling boarders, nor were there weapons readily available with which to do so. They were screwed.
The CO activated the ship-wide communications system. “All hands, this is the Captain. We are being boarded by several parties of Jotunn. Our platoon is responding, but it will take some time to counter them. Everyone needs to be in suits with helmets on, as pressurization will likely be failing shortly in a number of places. Avoid the Jotunn where possible and let the soldiers do their jobs, but under no circumstances can we let engineering fall to them. Officers and chiefs, exercise local control; do what you must to defend the ship. That is all. Captain Sheppard, out.”
The CO scanned the bridge. “That goes for you too,” he added, snapping his helmet into place. “Helmets on. Solomon, if the bridge falls, deactivate all consoles and transfer the helm to aft control in engineering.”
“That will happen shortly,” the AI replied. “The closest party of invaders is inside the ship and working its way toward the bridge.”
“All right, what else can we do?” the CO asked.
“I have called in the fighters,” the OSO said. “They have their lasers set at one-quarter power and will strafe the ship. At that setting, they shouldn’t damage the ship, but will clear off any of the Jotunn still outside.”
“Good idea,” the CO approved. “What else have we got?”
Silence rang throughout the bridge…until it was broken by the sounds of the cutting torch breaching the door.
Armory, TSS Vella Gulf, Anti-Jotunheimr System, December 23, 2021
“Mother fucker!” Lieutenant Ryan O’Leary snarled. Captain Train was onboard the enemy vessel, so O’Leary was responsible for…repelling Jotunn boarders? Really? What the fuck?
“All right, damn it,” he said to the remaining troops as they hurriedly strapped on weapons and implements of destruction. “The bastards are breaking into the ship in at least three places, and we’re the only hope the swabbies have of ever seeing their families again. With Captain Train and his group still over on the Jotunn ship, we’re already short-handed, and we’ve got more damned enemies than we have people to kill them. What does that mean? It means you don’t do anything stupid, heroic or foolish. For the first time in most of your miserable lives, your life is actually worth something. If you find yourself in a position where you have to give that life, make sure you take at least several of the mother fuckers with you. Got that?”
“Yes Lieutenant!” the assembled troops roared.
“Good. Lieutenant Contreras, I want you to take the remaining two fire teams from the Ground Force and go see if you can save the ship’s CO and bridge crew from the Jotunn breaking in there. Gunny Dantone, I want you to take the second fire team from the space force and go hunt down the group of Jotunn in the center of the ship. They’re probably headed for our weapons spaces. Find them and kill them. I’ll take the rest of the Space Force and head back to engineering to stop that group. Once you deal with your group of Jotunn, help one of the others.”
Lieutenant O’Leary looked around the crowded room. Everyone seemed ready. “All right,” he said, liking the focused looks he saw, “they say ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall,’ so don’t be underneath any of these bastards when you kill them because I don’t want anyone getting squashed. Let’s go.”
Lieutenant O'Leary heard a polite cough behind him and turned to find Father John Zuhlsdorf and Lieutenant Rrower.
“You said you were short-handed,” the cleric said; “we would like to offer our services.”
“We could definitely use them,” O’Leary replied. “I’ve got more giants than I do troops to fight them. Father Z, you’re with my group. Lieutenant Rrower, you’re with Lieutenant Contreras. Thanks for volunteering.”
“Sometimes you have to go on crusades,” Father Z said with a smile; “other times, they come to you.”
Engineering, Jotunn Ship Huggorm, Anti-Jotunheimr System, December 23, 2021
“You’ve got to be shitting me!” Night exclaimed. Before anyone could move, he brought his laser rifle up and fired several times into the face of t
he Jotnar who was watching the engineers work. The giant slumped to the deck without a sound.
“What’d you do that for?” Staff Sergeant Hirt asked.
“The Jotunn just sent a boarding party over to the Vella Gulf,” Night replied. “The fight’s back on, and it sounds like it’s going badly for our guys. The bridge crew is evacuating.”
“What are we going to do?” Corporal ‘Bob’ Bobellisssissolliss asked.
“We’re going to head back and kick their asses, assuming they let us leave like they said they would. Before we go, though, we’re going to leave them a little present for their treachery. I wish Lieutenant O’Leary were here. Bomb-making is his specialty, but I think I can make up something that will work well enough. Watch the doors while I put this together.” He looked up and saw the engineers staring open-mouthed at him. “As for you guys,” he added, “whatever you’ve fixed, go ahead and break it again, just in case. You’ve got three minutes. Go!”
Chapter Twenty-One
Cockpit, Viper 01, Anti-Jotunheimr System, December 23, 2021
“I copy, Vella Gulf,” Lights transmitted. “Viper 01 and flight inbound for strafing runs.” She shook her head. “You’re never going to believe this, but we just got called in to strike the Gulf.”
“Wait…what?” her pilot, Lieutenant Denise ‘Frenchie’ Michel, asked.
“Apparently, the Jotunn sent some boarders, and they’re cutting their way in.”
“What are we supposed to do about it?”
“We’re going to strafe the ship with our lasers at one-quarter power and shoot the bloody bastards off.”
“That is just…merde.”
Cockpit, Viper 09, Anti-Jotunheimr System, December 23, 2021
“You’ve got to be freaking kidding me!” Lieutenant Daniel ‘Money’ Wages exclaimed as he yanked the space fighter around in a tight turn. “We’re going to go shoot the Vella Gulf?”
“Yep,” replied his WSO, Lieutenant Mike ‘Retro’ Burke. “Mom’s got Jotunn on her hull that are trying to break in and steal our stereos.” He pushed a button and added, “Nav’s good.”
“Not on my watch,” the pilot muttered, turning to follow the updated navigation instructions. Sure enough, the Vella Gulf was on the nose.
Engineering, TSS Vella Gulf, Anti-Jotunheimr System, December 23, 2021
“Get in here!” Master Chief Michael Agejew shouted to the sailor standing in the middle of the passageway. “Quickly, and bar the hatch!”
Conditioned to obey master chiefs like their words were sent straight from God, the sailor immediately did as told.
“What the hell are you doing standing in the passageway?” Master Chief Agejew asked. “Didn’t you hear the CO? The Jotunn have invaded the ship. Who the hell are you, anyway? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.”
“I’m Culinary Specialist Seaman John Matthews,” the sailor replied. “I serve meals in the wardroom. I was going up there, but there was a lot of fighting so I came around this way, but I’ve never been in this part of the ship, and I got lost, and I don’t really know where to go with the giants in the way, and I don’t know any other way to get back to the wardroom…” His voice finally trailed off.
“Huh, well that’s why I don’t know you, since I don’t eat with the officers.” He stared. “A mess crank, eh? Well, you look about as confused as a bunch of short bus riders in a fucking house of mirrors. You’d better unfuck yourself because you’re now a front line defender of the good ship Vella Gulf. You may not know where you are, but you’re in After Steering. This is where you control the ship if the bridge gets hit in combat. Or captured by wandering Jotunn boarders.” His arm swept around, indicating the consoles behind him. “You can do almost anything from these consoles that you can do from the bridge.”
“Uh…okay…”
“You don’t get what I’m talking about, do you?”
“Uh, no Master Chief, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“Whoever controls those consoles can control the ship,” Master Chief said. “If the giants make it in here…”
“They can control the ship!” Matthews exclaimed, looking scared.
“Exactly. The Skipper said we can’t let Engineering fall into the enemy’s hands, and this is what he meant. Right now, it’s just you and me defending it; we have to keep the giants out until the soldiers can get here and take over.”
“How are we going to do that?”
“Well, first we’re going to pray a lot that they don’t find it.”
The dogging handle to the hatch rattled as someone on the other side tried to open it, then shook harder as more force was put into opening it. Whoever was outside the hatch was strong…very strong…and he spoke in a language the Master Chief had never heard before.
“And when praying doesn’t work?” Matthews asked, now looking very scared.
“Then we’ll have to get a little more creative.”
Master Chief Agejew bent over, opened his tool chest and pulled out a pair of heavy rubber gloves. Grabbing one of the electrical lines that entered the junction box near the door, he yanked with all of his might and pulled it out as the Jotunn on the other side of the door began slamming into the hatch.
“We’ll see how he likes 450 volts,” Master Chief said, applying the live end of the wire to the hatch. Sparks flew, and the Jotunn on the other side of the door bellowed.
“That’ll hold them for a minute or two,” Master Chief said. He surveyed the space before looking back to the younger sailor. “Seaman Matthews, what do you know about steam?”
“Well, I can steam some vegetables pretty good, but that’s about it.”
“Close enough. See this line here?” He pointed to a set of pipes that ran along the wall.
“Yes, Master Chief. What about it?”
“This is a steam line. I need you to follow it into the next room and find the shutoff valve. It’s a little thing that looks like a handle on the pipe.” He bent down and began rummaging through his tool box. The hatch boomed as it sustained another blow; although the pins holding the dogging latch shut held, Master Chief could see that one of them had bent a little under the pressure.
“Now, Master Chief?”
Master Chief Agejew looked up. Rather than leave to carry out his tasking, the younger sailor had actually edged closer to him, and his eyes were darting back and forth across the room. The cook was in danger of losing it.
“Yes, right now, you dumbass!” Agejew yelled, focusing the sailor on the task at hand. “Get yer friggin’ ass in gear and go find that damn handle!”
Grabbing a pipe wrench, he set to loosening the bolts holding the pipe to the bulkhead.
Cockpit, Viper 08, Anti-Jotunheimr System, December 23, 2021
“Take that, bitch!” yelled Lieutenant Sharon ‘Stripes’ Green as the fighter screamed past the Vella Gulf. “I got one of them!”
“Shit,” replied her pilot, Lieutenant Simon ‘Straw’ Berry, as red lights began flashing on the port wing of the ship on his in-head display. “Looks like one of them got us too.”
Straw craned his neck to look out the canopy. “Apparently the Jotunn aren’t under the same restrictions we are to use low-power lasers,” he noted.
“What do you mean?”
“There’s a freaking hole through our wing!” He began running through the procedures to shut down the affected equipment.
“All Vipers, Viper 08,” Stripes transmitted, “watch for laser fire in the vicinity of the Vella Gulf! Targets are returning fire!”
Cockpit, Viper 09, Anti-Jotunheimr System, December 23, 2021
“Oh, I see the little bastards,” Retro said, looking through his targeting scope. “There’s some sort of crew-served laser. This will just take a sec…”
Retro pushed the “Enable” button on his system, and laser bolts speared through the Jotunn force manning the weapon.
“That’ll teach you to try and take my stereo, bitch!”
>
Neither aviator saw the missile lift off behind them.
Cockpit, Viper 10, Anti-Jotunheimr System, December 23, 2021
“Look out, Viper 09, there’s a missile on your—” Lieutenant Dan ‘Admiral’ Walker called, ceasing when the icon for 09 disappeared from the plot. “Tail,” he added under his breath.
“Did you see where it came from?” his pilot, Lieutenant Tom ‘Harv’ Walsh, asked.
“Yeah, I got ‘em,” Admiral replied. “There’s a big junction box or something; the missile came from behind it, so there must be a giant hiding there.”
“Well, blast him, would ya?”
“I’m trying…Come around to starboard a little more so I can see him…got him.” Admiral winced; even at one-quarter power, the laser was more than powerful enough to explosively destroy its target.
“Vella Gulf, Viper 10, all targets outside have been eliminated.”
There was no reply.
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, Anti-Jotunheimr System, December 23, 2021
Captain Sheppard secured the escape hatch from the bridge and turned to follow the rest of the crew away from the bridge. “Sir,” Solomon commed. “Loki would like to communicate with you. I can facilitate this if you would like.”
“Go ahead.”
Loki’s face appeared in his mind. “It is over,” he said. “We control your bridge and will soon control your engineering and weapons control spaces as well. If you surrender now, I will give you my word that we will not harm your people.”
“Like you gave me your word you wouldn’t attack us? No thanks. I think I’m starting to understand how you acquired the Shaitan jump modules.”
The Dark Star War (Codex Regius Book 3) Page 18
