The Key

by Brian Fisher

  Chapter 22

  Captain Jason McWilliams paced the bridge, if only in his mind. Ta'Reeth warships filled the Olcai system, leaving his ship and his crew with no route for escape. Not that escape had entered his mind. His wife, his chief engineer was trapped on the planet below, and had not been in contact since before the bombing.

  "Captain, the fighters are losing ground." Angel appeared in front of the Captain’s chair. "What are your orders sir?"

  "Angel, what is our status?" Captain McWilliams asked without looking up from his holographic display.

  "Captain we are ready to engage the enemy. The last of the repairs were completed two minutes ago." Angel scowled. "Sir there has been no contact from the landers."

  "Why was I not informed immediately about the repairs?" Jason scowled.

  "Captain, I am not certain. However this is probably not the time to address the issue." Angel paused, uncertain how to proceed.

  "You're right Angel. This isn't the time." Jason sighed. "Show me the fighters."

  Angel disappeared, and was replaced by a view of the surrounding space. Redemption hung motionless, her sculpted hull surrounded by a swarm of fighters, both her own and Ta'Reeth. Between the planet and the debris field sat an armada of Ta'Reeth warships, ranging in size from a light cruiser, to the heavy battleships. Each one looked slightly different from the next, but all were dark and organic with no smooth lines, but jagged black bone protruding from every direction.

  Jason studied the hologram intently. The Ta'Reeth capital ships had not moved since entering the system. They simply held position in space, as if waiting for something.

  "Angel, show me the activity on the planet." Jason ran his hand across his face. "Why aren't those ships moving into position to engage us?"

  The hologram disappeared then refocused into a picture of Olcai. Ta'Reeth landers rained down upon the surface of the planet like hailstones. A few Resistance landers came into view. Every one showed heavy battle damage, as the valiant crews fought to land the wounded ships. One lander streaked by, expelling armored marines into the atmosphere moments before the ship itself exploded.

  "My god. That's too many landers for such a small planet." Jason's brow furrowed. "This isn't right."

  "Captain, according to my calculations, the Ta'Reeth have launched enough landers to conquer seven planets with the population of Olcai. I do believe that this is called 'overkill' sir." Angel’s voice came from nowhere.

  "Open fire on the landers!" Jason ordered. The weapon's officer answered with an immediate salvo from all of Redemptions particle cannons. Iron particles erupted from the cannons at the speed of light, obliterating the forty Ta'Reeth landers that were targeted.

  "Keep firing!" Jason commanded as Angel reappeared next to him.

  "Captain, would you care to explain?" she quietly asked.

  "Angel, that armada is linked to the terrorist attack. All of those ships are waiting for whatever the terrorists are after, and those landers are headed to the surface to ensure that they get what they want." Jason sat back in his chair, and put his helmet on. "Why didn't I see it before?"

  Redemption continued to fire on the landers, with an occasional fighter thrown into the mix.

  "Captain, the Ta'Reeth capital ships are moving into position to engage us." Angel informed her commanding officer.

  "I hate it when I'm right." Jason muttered. "Weapon's Officer, target the largest Ta'Reeth ship with all heavy weapons. Open fire the moment that they are within firing range."

  "Yes sir." the officer replied. Particle beam emitters shifted to track the Ta'Reeth battleship. Heavy railguns moved into position to fire the four hundred kilogram high explosives into the armored targets on the far side of the planet.

  "Continue to fire on the landers. When those are gone, help out our fighters." Captain McWilliams pulled down the onyx visor in his helmet, and was rewarded with instant access to every system onboard his ship.

  "Pilot, you had better be at your best, or we are all dead." a grim smile crept across Jason's face. "It's time to make these bastards pay." Angel grimaced at the thought of what her Captain had in mind. "Make directly for the Ta'Reeth flagship. Best speed."

  Redemption quickly picked up velocity. She left her fighters behind, swooping and diving at Ta'Reeth ships, stabbing them with particle cannons and automatic railguns. Her pilot maneuvered the massive ship like a fighter, weaving in and out of a dogfight.

  The distance closed quickly, and Redemption opened fire on the lead Ta'Reeth ship. Each of her forty particle cannons tore into the hull of the enemy ship at a hundred rounds per minute. The particle beams fired at a slower cyclic rate, but left great furrows in the enemy hull. Twenty of her heavy railguns fired a devastating four hundred kilogram high explosive into the Ta'Reeth battleship once a second.

  The entire Ta'Reeth armada raked Redemption with heavy weapons fire. Plasma cannons ripped away her shields, and tore smoldering holes in her hull as she passed through the thick of the armada. Redemption shuddered under the impact of multiple hits from plasma cannons. The green plasma clung to the remnants of the invisible shields as they flickered, and died.

  "Release the repair drones." Jason ordered as he checked the status of his ship. "Angel, have they launched any more landers?"

  "No sir, but you have managed to attract all of their attention." Angel flickered into focus next to the Captain's chair. "Sir, we are affecting emergency repairs. It would be in our best interest to stay out of weapons range for the moment Captain."

  "Let's keep their attention on us. I just hope that we can buy enough time." Jason said through clenched teeth.

  The Ta'Reeth ships broke formation, keeping the flagship at the center, and the cruisers racing to surround Redemption. Charred bone trailed in their wake as they sped away from the massive battleship. The cruisers engulfed Redemption, covering her fore and aft, top and bottom.

  "Evasive action!" Jason’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the arm rests of his chair. "Angel, recall the fighters. Helm, get us into the debris field as soon as the fighters are aboard."

  "Yes sir." came the taught reply.

  Excruciating minutes passed as Redemption recalled her fighters. "Sir, the fighters are aboard." Angel flickered next to the Captain's chair.

  Redemption twisted and bucked, avoiding as many plasma cannon blasts as she could. Running the gauntlet again, she broke through the sphere of Ta'Reeth ships. Her weapons belched waves of destruction as she went, crippling the enemies closest to her.

  Time and space seemed to freeze as the Ta'Reeth vessels turned and gave pursuit. Redemption sped toward the Olcaina Debris Field, firing at her pursuers as she went. Continent sized chunks of rock and frozen soil drifted lazily about as Redemption came to a stop behind a rock the size of a large city.

  Long, strenuous moments stretched and faded into memory. Nothing happened. Jason checked his sensors, a puzzled look on his face. No pursuit followed, not even a stray fighter.

  "Angel, redirect the repair drones to the most critical areas." Jason scratched his chin lightly. "Get me Commander Sanchez. I'll meet him in the briefing room in ten minutes."

  "Yes sir." Angel replied.

  "Angel?" Jason asked a thousand questions with his eyes, never letting them touch his lips.

  "Yes Captain?" her reply was almost instant.

  "What is it that they're after on the surface?" he asked, not entirely certain that he wanted to know the answer.

  "From what I have deduced, they want information sir." Angel replied. "Or at least whatever is carrying that information."

  "Explain." Jason ordered as he stepped into the lift. The doors closed silently behind him, and then the lift whisked him away into the depths of the ship.

  "Sir, when I was investigating the terrorist attack, I found something." Angel appeared beside the Captain. "There was a distinct radiation signal near the explosion. The signal has been erratic in its movements, but the Ta'Reeth seem to
be following it."

  "So, if we can mimic the radiation signature, we might be able to draw them off." Jason closed his eyes in thought. "Angel, launch a dozen repair drones into the debris field. I want them programmed to build automated heavy railguns on the debris."

  "Wouldn't we have to mask the other signature?" Angel asked her Captain.

  "No, I don't think so." Jason paused. "I just want to confuse them, and get them to come after us instead of Olcai." a faint gleam entered his eyes. The beginnings of a better battle plan started to take shape.

  "Captain, the repair drones have been launched." the A.I. reported. "What do you want me to do with the fake radiation signature?"

  "Let it run loose on the ship, just like it's doing planet side." Jason smiled slightly at the thought of confusing his enemies, and then stepped into the briefing room.

  "Alright Javier, this is what I'm thinking for your fighters." Captain McWilliams began. "Let's even the odds."