“Stand-by, we’re trying to figure out what ship you’re on?” Commander Richards’ voice broke in.
Mike had locked the targeting controls onto a Kardie destroyer and pressed the pad activating the firing sequence. The ship rocked for a moment as the built-up wave of particle charged energy burst forth from the ship-length barrel and screamed across the open space. The blast tore into the rear of the destroyer causing a chain reaction that blew the helpless ship to pieces.
“Can you find me now?”
“Sir, you’re on the star destroyer!” Parker answered in astonishment.
He knew that he was on a big ship, but a star destroyer was almost three times bigger than the Wolf.
“Have Martin send me an intrusion program to either take over her key systems or at least shut this ship down. I’ll see if we can get control of the automated fire control systems.”
He knew he had control of the main gun, but the other ship turrets were still targeted on Confederation ships. He also had an entire crew of Karduans to deal with and gaining control of the engineering section was paramount.
Collins’ destruction of the Karduan destroyer caused several things to happen. Several ships near the star destroyer signaled to them questioning what had just happened. Other ships broke positions from their screening defensive line and moved away from the flagship.
The Karduan male answered their calls and told them that their fire control systems were damaged. Mike in the meantime had moved from the helm to the fire control station where he paused as he examined its controls. The problem was that during his earlier fire fight the control console had taken numerous hits and was no longer answering its command functions. He could shut it down, but then the Karduan gunners would assume manual control. His other option was to try and get to an auxiliary command center and take control from there.
“Sir, we have company!” the specialist called from the bridge’s main bulkhead door. There was a rapping on the door, but nothing that could possibly penetrate such a heavy door. It sounded like more of a knock than a battering.
The Kardie male ran to the door and smiled.
“It is all right; they are my brothers.”
Mike wasn’t taking any chances, retrieving his fallen gauss rifle he reloaded it and slung it over his shoulder. He then picked up his carbon sword, retracted the blade and hung the cylinder from his belt. He then picked up his discarded arm cast and removed the mini palm pad while crossing to the specialist.
“Hold out your gun hand,” he ordered and then proceeded to prick him with the pad’s small needle injecting him with the isotope crystal that would allow him to fire Karduan weapons.
It would simulate the proper DNA reading for twelve hours before the isotope crystal would break down and be totally dissolved. This was his Angelique’s contribution to their mission.
“This will allow you to fire their weapons,” Mike said and then took the control pad from the specialist’s hand. Pressing the button that he had been pointing at, he released the collar from around the young man’s neck.
The specialist smiled, kicked the collar across the room and picked up a pair of pistols putting one of them in his belt.
Collins smiled in return and then nodded to the Blue.
“All right, open the door!”
They both stood ready in case it wasn’t the help they were hoping for. As the door slid open they could see that the hall held almost twenty Karduan males. Their Blue male hurried them into the bridge and explained that it was their moment to escape and join the Redeemer’s cause in earnest. Some of them started to argue, but Mike cut them off, yelling at them in Karduan to man the stations.
The Blues hesitated for a moment whether they were resistant to the idea, confused or simply shocked that a human was speaking Karduan. Whatever it was it only lasted for a second as their Blue male started calling them by name and telling them what stations they would best be able to operate.
“Sir, could we signal the crew to abandon ship instead of blowing the airlocks?” the specialist asked.
Collins looked at him and smiled.
“An excellent idea, but we need to get to the brig and then to the engineering section to insure that they don’t try to rig the ship to blow up.”
“I’ll go sir,” the specialist volunteered, “you’re needed on the bridge and I know the ship.”
Mike frowned, but then he nodded understanding the clear thinking behind his words and the truth within them.
“All right, but take six of the Believers with you and make sure they are all armed. When you get to the brig signal me and I’ll hit the abandon ship announcement. Free the prisoners, arm them and then proceed with your entire force to engineering and any auxiliary command centers.”
“Yes sir, we’ll make it no problem!” he said with a boyish grin. “Oh and I’m Jim Byrd from Kansas and my friend here is Chac-Ras.”
“Glad to meet you,” he said extending his hand and shaking the younger man’s hand.
“I’m Lieutenant Mike Collins from the ISS Star Wolf.”
The young specialist face looked surprised as his smile faded into a kind of awe.
“You’re from the ship this fleet was sent to destroy.”
Mike pointed to the viewer.
“Well, we decided to drop off a house warming gift and welcome them to the neighborhood.”
The young man laughed and headed for the door.
“Give me five minutes,” he said and then he and his half dozen Believers were gone.
Resealing the door Collins returned to the fire control panel.
“Mike, I’m downloading a program to your palm pad,” his neural receiver announced. He recognized the strange resonation in his head as that of his friend Martin’s voice.
“Great! What will it let me do?” he asked looking to his palm pad.
“It should simply identify Karduan ships as enemy ones and ours as friendly.”
He quickly downloaded it to the communications station’s computer interface and transferred it to the central fire control core. He then shut down the fire control systems all together and activated the signal for all hands to abandon ship.
The comm. station’s board lit up as various sections called in to report the fire control’s failure or to ask if the abandon ship command was a mistake. Chac-Ras took over the station and repeated for all crewmembers to get to escape pods immediately.
Mike moved to the helm station and guided the nose of the star destroyer towards another enemy ship. Looking at the viewer he could see that without the command and control guidance of the fleet mistress as well as lacking the firepower of the destroyed battle destroyer and the virtually inactive star destroyer, the Karduan line had broken.
The remaining enemy ships’ organization had fallen apart and they were now each trying to get through to the gravity well in an attempt to escape on their own.
Unfortunately for them, the Confederation ships had taken only light damage and were now blocking their way while pummeling any ship that failed to surrender.
A group of two destroyer escorts and a full destroyer were running from the ISS Patton, Bastogne and the Alamo. The three Karduan ships were heading right for the star destroyer hoping for the safety of the huge ship’s guns to protect them and help them escape to the gravity well.
“Lieutenant, I’m reading hundreds of life pod launches from all over the ship,” one of the Blue males reported.
Reactivating the ship’s fire control system, he watched as the viewer now identified the Karduan ships as enemy targets.
The star destroyer’s turrets automatically opened fire on the three approaching ships. Mike then locked the main gun onto one of the destroyer escorts and fired. The DE exploded from the particle strike and the two remaining ships quickly changed course, veering away yet they were unsure where they could run. The space seemed full of Confederation ships and fighters.
“Send a message that this ship is under Confederation
command and that all remaining Karduan ships must surrender or be destroyed,” Mike ordered, glancing to the communication’s station.
“Lt. Collins, I’ve received a signal from Specialist Byrd that they have freed the human prisoners from the holding cells and have taken the engine room,” Chac-Ras reported with a smile.
“Excellent! Open a channel to the Star Wolf,” he ordered as he adjusted the star destroyer’s course and increased her speed to full ahead.
“Channel ready.”
Mike looked to the sub screen under the main viewer and saw Captain Hope on the other end.
“Sir, we have control of this ship and I’m setting a pursuit course after the last few enemy ships.”
The old man smiled and shook his head.
“Unnecessary, the Austro defense ships have moved to block them from entering planetary orbit. The remaining enemy ships are surrendering.”
The tired young officer let out a sigh as his bridge crew cheered.
“That’s great sir! Could you send over a couple dozen squads of armed men to help secure this ship?”
His old commandant laughed out loud.
“They are on their way.”
“What about the Werewolf teams?”
“All teams managed to take their objectives and over six thousand prisoners have been freed,” Hope continued as he leaned closer to the monitor. “Mike, your plan worked and our casualties were minimal. This is not to mention that ship you’re driving.”
“Sir, can I make a request?”
The old officer’s face frowned for a moment as he became puzzled at what he might want.
“Certainly!”
Mike scratched the back of his head as the stress and adrenaline of the moment subsided and exhaustion threaten to set in.
“Good, can I have a vacation on a nice sunny beach?”
Hope laughed, as did the bridge crew of the Wolf in the background.
“I don’t know, but if you get one I’m sure you’ll ask to take a certain doctor with you.”
Collins smiled in return, “That sounds like a great plan to me!”
“Just remember the war isn’t over, yet!” the fleet captain said grimly before he cut off the comm. channel’s signal leaving him looking at a blank screen.
End Comm. Signal.
Novels by Shane Van Aulen
“Wolf’s Run –The Chase of War” is the author’s sixth novel and is the long awaited sequel to “The Log of the Gray Wolf.” Once more you are taken along with the crew of the attack cruiser ISS Star Wolf, fighting behind enemy lines while seeking a lost warship and crew who could help end the war.
His fifth novel is called “Knight’s Dawn” and is a medieval styled, sword and magic fantasy that starts the Knight of Stars Saga. Join the Lost Prince of Caspia as his adventure begins.
“The Dead Country: A Long Journey Home,” is his fourth book and is an apocalypse story of death and survival after a terrorist sponsored zombie pandemic strikes America. This is a zombie book that even people who don’t like zombie books will like and that from page one hundred on is non-stop battle for survival.
“The Log of the Gray Wolf,” is the author’s third novel and is a science fiction military adventure about a starship fighting to get home from behind enemy lines.
His second book, “The Blood of Others,” is also a science fiction story but about murder and crime set on the mean streets of a distant alien world after an interstellar war. This book is set in the same universe as the “Log of the Gray Wolf.” “The Blood of Others,” is a unique book that is a mind-blowing blend of a police mystery; sci-fi, high speed action thriller with a touch of horror that doesn’t even have a genre or category to be labeled by.
His first novel, and still his favorite is another medieval fantasy (and part of the Knight of Stars Saga) set after the second alignment of stars with an older Prince Galen called, “The Tale of the Elder Knight.”
The author doesn’t have an editor or formal publisher and apologizes for any errors he may have missed while editing his books.
“Writing is easy - Editing is a real pain in the _ _ _!” SMV
About the Author
Shane Van Aulen is a graduate of Millersville University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History with minors in criminology and military science.
Since the age of fourteen, Mr. Van Aulen has studied various marital arts with Isshin-Ryu Karate/Kobudo as his principal discipline. He was a karate instructor for sixteen years and a women's self-defense instructor for a local college for ten years. In more recent years he has studied Wing Chun Kung Fu.
Mr. Van Aulen had trained in foil/sabre fencing for six years with a former Olympic team member as well as Japanese Iaido for several years.
As a NRA firearms instructor, he has instructor’s ratings in pistol, rifle, shotgun and personal protection in the home as well as being a certified range safety officer.
The author is a veteran and a graduate of the U.S. Army’s Infantry, Airborne and Special Operation Forces Civil Affairs schools. He started as an enlisted soldier, is a Distinguished Military Graduate and had last served as a Major in the Army Reserves.
Presently, he works as a history teacher. He lives with his lovely wife, his rambunctious son, his adorable daughter and a pack of hungry dogs.
You can contact the author at his Amazon Author’s page or by e-mailing him at [email protected]
The Log of the Gray Wolf (Star Wolf Squadron Book 1) Page 49
