by S A Pavli
“We had some damage earlier to our electrical system and that’s caused a fire,” he said. “We have had to shut down the generators until we can fix it. It means we can’t jump.”
Externally I tried to appear calm, but internally I was cursing volubly. If the Kuàisù Niao could not jump into Hyperspace, then neither could we or Surf Rider. We could not leave the battleship. We had to stand and fight twenty two Saraya warships.
Chapter 32
Our three ship group was still accelerating away from the planet but once outside the ‘H’ limit, we would be sitting ducks for the Saraya ships, who could jump into and out of Hyperspace to outflank us. And at the speed we were going, we would be past the ‘H’ limit in a few minutes.
Curve around and back inside the ‘H’ limit? I asked myself. That would at least put us on the same footing. I tried desperately to think through the pros and cons of each situation. We needed to both defend the Kuàisù Niao and at the same time attack the enemy ships. Then it came to me.
“Captain, get the Admiral on the comm.”
Hamo looked at me enquiringly.
“I have a tactical suggestion.”
It did not take long to explain my suggestion, but it took a little longer for out tactical computers to carry out their simulations of the two options. The answer was, as I suggested, that we should engage the enemy outside the ‘H’ limit. We unloaded all fourteen of our Peacekeeper fighters, fully armed with their deadly armoury of missiles, shells and nuclear explosives. Their job was to defend the Kuàisù Niao. Their speed and armaments would make them far more effective than both the Surf Rider and the Atlantis in defending the battleship. I cursed myself for not thinking of that earlier.
The Settang and the Surf Rider would be free to harass the Saraya warships, disrupting their attacks on the Earth battleship. Our secret weapon was a Hyperspace comms link between the Kuàisù Niao and the Settang. Connected up to our tactical battle computers it would allow us to coordinate our attacks. We needed instant and precise information if the Settang was to be able to intercept a Saraya warship before it jumped back into Hyperspace.
In addition, the Kuàisù Niao was hardly defenceless. All of its armaments were independently powered and still fully operational, It would give a very good account of itself I was sure.
Our preparations complete we had a few minutes of quiet contemplation before battle commenced. Manera and I retired to a private corner to talk. We held each other, thinking our own private thoughts for a minute. We had been in a few tight corners recently, but this was looking like the ‘tightest’.
“This is your fault you know,” she said accusingly. “Until you came along I was an innocent young girl pursuing a studious scientific career. Since I met you I have spent most of the time running for my life.” Her affectionate look told me she was pulling my leg, of course!
“Ah, but think of the stories you will be able to tell your children,” I said.
“If I live to have children.”
“There is that,” I said, pulling a face. “We may have to put the Hatekan tribe on hold.” She smiled with a pained expression and we kissed tenderly.
“Do you think we are going to get out of this one?” she asked with a small voice.
“Yeah no problem,” I said airily. “Bloody Saraya don’t know their arse from their elbow. The Settang will make mincemeat out of them.”
“No, seriously.”
“Seriously.” I paused for a moment. “Um, we probably do have a good chance of getting away. It’s the Earth ships I’m worried about, particularly the Kuàisù Niao.”
“Yes. We must do the best we can to protect them. They are your people,” she said.
“I think we are all the same people now.”
Back on the Bridge, my job was to coordinate with Alfred on battle tactics if needed. I was sure the battle, once under way, would be too fast and frenetic for me to make a contribution. The Saraya ships were coming at us in three groups, from three different directions. The five remaining ships from the first attacking group, and the seventeen ships in two groups of nine and eight. The Settang and the Surf Rider were safely in Hyperspace, but we were getting detailed battle information via our Hyperspace comms link.
We knew that any moment the Saraya ships will jump into Hyperspace in order to hide themselves, before exiting to execute their attack on the Kuàisù Niao. We got, literally, the jump on them. The Settang and Surf Rider exited Hyperspace almost on top of the group of nine, unloaded eighteen missiles and popped back into Hyperspace before they could respond.
Back in the safety of Hyperspace we examined the results of our attack with glee. The Saraya group had dispersed in panic, suffering massive damage. Three ships were destroyed, and another five were damaged. A good result but we could not pull the same trick again. The remaining ships promptly disappeared in Hyperspace.
The battle now began in earnest, a deadly game of cat and mouse, with ships popping in and out of Hyperspace to attack and disappear. Our window for responding was small, just a few minutes between exiting Hyperspace, attacking, then re-charging capacitors to re-enter Hyperspace. Our battle computers were working overtime to provide us with targeting opportunities.
The Kuàisù Niao had the easiest job. It was protected by the encircling Peacekeeper fighters, and its cannons and missiles had time to target incoming Saraya ships. We were decimating the Saraya fleet, but they kept coming. It was surely just a matter of time before one of our ships took a fatal hit. The Saraya did not seem to care how many ships they lost. They appeared determined to fight to the finish. I began to understand the Dansai’s problem with that murderous species.
Inevitably the Surf Rider took a hit. Fortunately it was able to escape into Hyperspace, but it was out of the battle until its crew could repair the damage. We had also lost three Peacekeeper fighters. But the Saraya had lost seven ships and still showed no sign of retreating. We were also beginning to run out of ammunition. The Settang AI calculated we had just seventeen missiles left. We were going to have to get close and dirty in order to use our cannons. But to do that we had to pick them off one at a time. Getting into an exchange of munitions with more than one Saraya was risky. They were smart enough to understand that and made sure to fly in formations of three or more ships. Our targeting opportunities became limited.
The Kuàisù Niao was also beginning to run out of munitions as were the Peacekeeper fighters. The Saraya had lost another three ships, nearly half their force but I knew that we were approaching a crisis. It was time for another Constantine brilliant idea, but none was forthcoming.
The comm buzzed and an alarm sounded. It was the ships AI making a critical announcement, and I feared the worst.
“I have detected a gravitational anomaly,” it announced. For a moment I was nonplussed. Was the bloody AI carrying out some physics project while fighting a multi dimensional Space battle? Why did it choose this moment to triumphantly announce its results? Did it want a Nobel prize or something? Gravitational anomalies only happened when Stars imploded during a Nova, if I remembered my physics correctly. Then realisation dawned.
“The worm hole. It is being activated.” We all gaped at each other in confusion. What did this mean? Were the Cypraeans coming to pay us a visit? We looked at Jana and Santol and their faces lit up with joy. They bounded over to the Captains console.
“The ring is a sort of lens,“ explained Santol. “The focal point is about three thousand miles from the centre of the planet. That’s where the worm hole will appear.”
“Well, that’s all fine and dandy guys,” I said, trying not to puncture their enthusiasm. “But we are in no position to welcome your friends. Can we contact them?”
My heart sank when Jana and Santol looked doubtful.
“We have no way of communicating with them,” said Jana. “In normal Space, they use a sub-Space radio. You don’t have this technology.”
We had no choice but to continue the task of defen
ding the Kuàisù Niao until they could fix its jump hardware. When we ran out of munitions we would have no choice but to save our own sorry arses. It was not something I wanted to live with for the rest of my life.
The Saraya were getting more cautious, sticking together in groups of three and using long range missiles and munitions. But I sensed that the Saraya were purposefully making dummy runs in order to make us use our munitions. I talked to Alfred and we instructed the battle computers to hold back from using munitions unless they were certain of a good target. But I knew that was putting off the inevitable. We needed a miracle.
There was no evidence that anything had come through the worm hole, despite us focusing every detector we possessed onto the location given by Jana and Santol. I expected to see an actual disturbance of some sort but Space was completely normal. But then, I told myself, why should you expect to see anything? Empty Space and Gravity are invisible after all.
But all our attention was dragged back to the battle when the Saraya launched a ferocious assault with all their remaining ships. We had no choice but to expend the last of our munitions fending off the attack. Half of our fighters ran out of missiles and ammunition and had to veer off at maximum velocity to avoid destruction. The Saraya ships suffered massive destruction but so did the Kuàisù Niao. The Settang had done its bit, blasting half of the Saraya battle fleet to scrap metal before having to accelerate out of danger.
We watched the Kuàisù Niao burn with broken hearts as the remaining Saraya ships turned for the final assault. But to our surprise, the Saraya hurtled by the Earth battleship, their guns silent. At the same time, we were startled by the Settangs strident alarms.
“What else can go wrong!” I groaned fatalistically.
“Fusion power systems off line,” declared the ships AI. “Switching to storage backup, estimated life seventy three hours.”
“When did they hit our power systems?” I asked, “Alfred, do you have further info?”
“Our fusion power systems are undamaged Paul,” replied Alfred.
“Uh? Explain yourself Alfred.”
“All starships in our vicinity are suffering the same symptoms. I am guessing that this may be the Cypraean damping field. The one used on the Surf Rider by the Cypraean habitat, if you remember.”
“Bugger me Alfred, I could kiss you.”
“I can’t take the credit Paul. Perhaps you should kiss Jana. Oh yes, I forgot, you already have.”
“You cheeky electronic calculator,” I laughed. “Damn, talk about the Fifth Calvary to the rescue. But wait a minute, where is their bloody ship?”
“Something very large has just exited Hyperspace. Take a look.”
The main 3D lit up to show what appeared to be another Cypraean virtual habitat. The scale showed it to be smaller, a silver globe ten miles in diameter. But on closer examination, it was not featureless. Faint symmetrical lines crisscrossed the giant ship, with occasional darker squares. There was a number of bulbous protrusions and circular dome like structures around the periphery. It was coming towards the Kuàisù Niao at an incredible speed and just when we were convinced it would collide with the battleship it came to almost instantaneous halt a few miles from the Earth ship.
Our fighters buzzed protectively around the Kuàisù Niao but no further attacks materialised. The Bridge of the battleship appeared on the 3D showing a sweaty and harassed Admiral Deshi.
“We are getting the fires under control but we need help Captain. Can you get us some support over here?”
“Certainly Admiral. I’ll get our robots to load up some fire fighting equipment and supplies and some men and get them across.”
“Thanks Captain. Can I thank you and your men. Your ship and fighters did a fantastic job.”
“Agreed Admiral. But if this Cypraean thing had not turned up it would be a different story.”
“What are the Sarayan ships doing?” asked the Admiral.
“Our surveillance shows them heading away from us without power. They may get away from the Cypraean damping field. and recover power at some point, but I don’t think they are coming back.”
The Admiral thanked the Captain again and dashed off to attend to his ship. The Captain organised the fire fighting teams and supplies and we all helped with our robots to get them transported across to the Kuàisù Niao.
Both ships were now close together and we had been joined by the Surf Rider. In the distance, visible with the naked eye as a silver disc, the giant enigmatic Cypraean starship remained unmoving and impassive.
We were battered, and one ship down, and totally under the control of the Cypraeans .The question we were all now asking was, what did these unpredictable and mysterious aliens have in mind for us?
Chapter 33
The next couple of days were exhausting. I was trained and familiar with all the equipment on starships and repair techniques, from putting out fires, welding and repairing internal bulkheads and external surfaces, fixing electronics and re-programming computers. I spent my working hours on the Earth ships, returning to the Settang only to sleep.
I saw little of Manera, who was helping the medical and surgical teams with the many injured. It seemed that she had some experience with first aid and medical procedures and she did her best to make herself useful.
Our work was not made easier by the lack of main power. The more heavy duty welding we did the quicker it was going to deplete the batteries, so we had to do only essential repairs to seal the hull.
The Cypraean visitor remained uncommunicative, either by radio, video or digital. Jana and Santol wanted us to send a team across to the giant ship but we were all far too busy carrying out essential repairs to the ships.
But the time came when the crew of the Kuàisù Niao were in control of the situation and we needed to address the problem that we had been ignoring. If the Cypraeans would not talk to us, then we had to go and talk to them. Our experienced alien contact team, namely Cora, Manera and myself volunteered and were chosen. But it was also decided that a second team should go along, a mix of human and Hianja under the command of Captain Norton and including Sergeant Narayan and a couple of astronauts from the Settang. Santol would be with our team and Jana with the Captains team. We decided to take no arms or robots.
We set off in two Peacekeeper fighters towards the Cypraean ship. Santol looked pensive. I had come to think of him as ’Santol’, but I also remembered the keen young Lieutenant Crossley of the Atlantis. When would his consciousness return to re-occupy his body I asked myself.
In the Omega Centauri cluster, Space is not black but bright with stars. The huge ship, more like a small artificial planet than a ship, merged into the bright firmament. It loomed over and around us, blocking out Space. Close to the surface, it was like being on a weird planet. The horizon merged into the brightness of Space and we felt as if we had arrived in another Universe, one suffused with ethereal light.
“God, this is a bizarre place,” I murmured as our two ships cruised over the surface of the artificial world. “Santol, do you remember anything like this?”
“No.” He frowned. “This is as far ahead of my world as my world is from yours.”
The virtual habitat was a few hundred thousand years old. Could Cypraean technology have advanced so far in that time?”
We were hoping that the Cypraeans would oblige by opening up an airlock or entrance for our ships in order to avoid putting on Space suits. Suddenly, the ships alarm sounded and the metallic voice of the AI.
“Control malfunction. I have lost control of the ship.”
“Oh shit! Captain Norton, Alex, how it with you?”
“Paul, our ships AI has lost control. We are heading for that dome.”
“Yeah, looks like our visitors have taken over the controls.”
We arrived at one of the dome like structures. It was a hundred feet high at its highest point and made of the same material as the surface , smooth, silky and metallic. A huge air lock obligingly o
pened for us and our ships were guided in, settling gently onto a dark green floor. The ceiling glowed with a bright fluorescence, lighting up the huge airlock. The airlock doors closed slowly behind us.
“Shit or bust,” I muttered to myself.
“You express yourself so elegantly,” murmured Manera in my ear.
There was no sign that the bay was being pressurised and I had a moments panic with the thought that the Cypraeans would open our airlock doors into vacuum. I imagined them going Oops, sorry little creatures. Never mind, plenty more where they came from.
I admonished myself. Focus your tiny little brain on the job Constantine, you are becoming hysterical.
We all jumped when the ships airlock doors whooshed open.
“We are being asked to exit the aircraft,” said Cora.
“Uh? Cora? They are talking to you?”
“A message on our common digital band.”
Digital? Why are they talking to our computers instead of talking to us? I asked myself.
We exited the aircraft and joined our friends from the other aircraft. Jana and Santol conferred, then they both stepped forward and started speaking. We could not understand what they were saying so I guessed they were talking Cypraean.
A door opened, its blank space a silent invitation.
“I guess this is your show,” I said to Jana and Santol, and nodded them towards the door. But before we could move, five figures walked through the door. They were Cypraean, similar to the what we had seen in the virtual habitat. Three were slightly smaller and slimmer than the other two, but I had no idea who was male and who was female. Behind them came another four figures who stood protectively to either side of the first three, They were robots, made in the image of their makers but metallic and without clothing.
One of the taller Cypraeans stepped forward and spoke to Jana and Santol, who replied. The Cypraean had a high pitched musical voice and I could not tell whether it was male or female. They had a short conversation before the Cypraean turned to us. He/she spoke Dansai and our translation program immediately translated his words.
