by Gary Weston
'We're holding our own,' said Lance Dillow, as he watched the paramedics take the three injured away. 'But only just. That blackness. Any number of ships can come through that. We took a handful out, clipped a couple more. They took out two frighters. All killed on board. One freighter shot to hell, but we got the crew home alive.'
'You're all doing a magnificent job,' said Potts. 'Take a quick break before you go back out there.'
'Dad. You ok?'
'Thanks to you and Stella. Where is she?'
'With Breezy. Those things can come back at any time.'
'We'll take half hour to grab a feed and think what to do. Hey, Carter. You did good.'
'Thanks. Do I get the job?'
'Good, but not great.'
'Dad!'
'Yeah. Just kidding. Welcome aboard, Carter.'
As they took half hour out, Potts told Lance Dillow, 'We have Ramshorn and Morgan itching to get stuck in.'
Dillow sipped his water. 'We need them. We need experience. But split them up. No more than two crew in each freighter. We don't want people killed for no good reason.'
'We'll take off anyone we can,' said Potts. 'I'll get that organised now.'
Chapter 70
Dixon Cragg had gone over to the medical centre. Dr Jill Hill was just coming out of the sick bay.
'Hello, Craggy. Look. This is not a good time. You'll have to make an appointment.'
'I'm Fine. I just wondered how those kids were doing.'
'They'll all live. That stuff Rocky brought back will see to that. What the hell are we doing, sending kids like that into battle?'
Cragg sighed and nodded. 'The world has always done that.'
'The one with the broken arm says she's going back out there.'
'You strap her down if you have to. She's done her part.'
Dr Jill said, 'And what about the others? One of those who died. Eighteen. Just a rookie.'
'That's just plain wrong.'
'Craggy...'
'You're busy. So am I.'
Cragg gave new meaning to deviousness. He made his way to the launch pads. Rocky and Morgan were already getting into two freighters, both with a shooter each, waiting for Lance Dillow to order them up. There were a few youngsters, grim faced, scared but ready to put their lives on the line again. Cragg, carrying his recpad, went over to one young team of three.
'Hi. You've done a great job.'
'Thanks. Boy, those things are fast.' He was a lad. Younger than his own lost son had been.
'You the pilot?'
'No. I work the cannon.'
Cragg pretended to study his recpad. 'Your name's Peter?'
'Dex.'
Cragg nodded. 'Ah, yes. That's what I meant. Dex. That's what I meant. You're wanted in Commander Forbes office, immediately.'
'But..'
'Don't keep the commander waiting. Go.'
Dex hurried away and Cragg turned his attention to the other confused pair. One was about thirty, the other looked about twelve, but Cragg decided was probably in her late teens. Her face was white with fear and she looked on the edge of puking.
'And you are...?'
'Val. I'm another shooter. Toby's the pilot.'
Cragg tapped his recpad. 'Val. Yes. I have you here. Hard is it, this laser cannon lark?'
Val shrugged. 'Point and shoot. Anybody can do it.'
'I thought so. Commander Potts wants to see you.'
Val looked at Toby, both confused.
'Cragg said, 'Val. There's no time to hang around.'
Val hurried away.
'Right. Tony...'
'Toby.'
He looked at his recpad again. 'Tony. I'm Commander Dixon Cragg. You and I are taking off and I mean, now.'
'You? But you're really, really old.'
'Just really...never mind. Now. Do I have to fly this bird and fire the cannon?'
'I don't argue with commanders. Let's go.'
Toby and Cragg buckled up.
Toby said, 'We should wait for Commander Dillow to...'
'Get this bird in the air. Commander Dillow will be with us in no time. Go, Toby.'
Tired of this, Toby did as he was told.
Lance Dillow was about to give the orders. 'That one's keen. Take her up, Breezy.'
In minutes, eleven ships were in space, crews ready to kick ass. They formed an arrow formation, coordinates set.
'Sir. Toby Salvo. Are you sure about Commander Cragg being my shooter?'
There was a stunned silence. 'Cragg?'
'Better me than kids, Lance. Are we hanging around here all day?'
Dillow knew he had no time to argue. 'You are so screwed, Craggy.'
'No change there, then,' said Cragg with a laugh.'
Dillows comments were lost in the roar of eleven ships racing away.
Chapter 71
'I'll kill him. I swear, I will seriously kill him.' Both commanders had gone to see Misty to deliver the news. 'Is that husband of mine completely insane?'
Potts shrugged. 'He's your husband.'
'But why the hell would he do something so...stupid?'
Forbes said, 'The theory is, he wanted to stop a couple of kids being killed.'
'Oh,' said Misty. 'By getting himself killed instead?'
Potts said, 'I'm sure he'll do his best to avoid that happening.'
'When he gets his sorry, wrinkly old ass back here...When is he ever going to learn?'
'One of life's imponderables,' said Forbes. 'We'll keep you in the loop. Misty. I'm sure Craggy meant well.'
'He always bloody does.'
Another wondering about Dixon Cragg's sanity, was Toby Solvo. He looked at the little man in the ill fitting suit, and decided to kiss his life goodbye. There was one thing in the old chap's favour, and that was his calmness. Val and Dex were panicing when things were getting scary, and if they actually hit anything, it was a pure fluke. This old guy looked like he hadn't a care in the world, which suggested to Solvo, he was either senile, deranged or possibly both.
'Cragg.'
'Yep. That's me.'
'Why is that familiar to me?'
Cragg shrugged. 'Well, I am sort of well known on Mars.'
'Dixon Cragg. Craggy?'
'I've been called that and worse. Mind you. When my wife gets a hold of me, she'll have a few new names for me.'
'Yeah,' said Solvo. 'But Craggy. Got it. You know Rocky Ramshorn?'
Cragg said, 'A little. A friend of yours?'
'Our kids are in the same year at school. We have the odd beer together. He tells stories about you. You're something of a legend.'
Cragg smiled. 'He probably exaggerates a bit. Some people do that sometimes.'
'I gotta know. Why did you trick those two so you could take their place?'
'What can I say? I like flying? The truth is, I was over the medical centre. Those three that were hit are going to be ok, by the way.'
Solvo said, 'Six others weren't so lucky.'
Cragg sighed. 'I know. And I thought, Craggy. If you can maybe stop a kid or two getting killed, do it. I've few years under my belt, and I think it only fair the youngsters get to do the same.'
That impressed Solvo. 'Ok. Have you ever fired a laser cannon?'
'Ah. Actually fired a laser cannon. Hmm. No.'
'Oh, crap.'
Cragg said, 'Hey. How hard can it be? Point and pull the trigger.'
'Right. Solvo calling Commander Dillow.'
'Solvo.'
'Sir. I was thinking...'
Dillow growled, 'About throwing Cragg out the airlock? Be my guest.'
'Hey,' said Cragg. 'I am here, you know.'
'And you damn well shouldn't be.'
Solvo said, 'Look. It seems Craggy is a little bit rusty on the laser cannon.'
'Rusty? Try fossilised.'
Solvo said, 'I'm still stuck with him. What if we pull away from the others and get in a little practice?'
'No way are you out here on your own.'
Cragg said, 'Chill out, Lance. We'll soon catch you up. Take us out of here, Tony.'
'Toby. Commander Dillow. We have the coordinates. No more than ten minutes.'
They thought Dillow replied, but didn't catch what he said.
Chapter 72
'Ok,' said Solvo. 'See those rocks out there?'
Cragg squinted at the screen and his fingers accidentally hit the laser triggers. Several small rocks were instantly turned to dust. 'Which rocks?'
'Shit.'
'I thought we were going to get some practice in? Now which of these sensors fires the cannons?'
'But you just...Ok. More rocks.'
Solvo took the modified freighter further out to find a reasonable variety of rocks. He got up and stood behind Cragg.
'See the red concentric rings on the screen?'
'Those up there? Oh, Right.'
'Now, with both hands on the triggers, as you move them, the red rings move, too. When the rings are over the target, squeeze the triggers. See how the rings move?'
'Oh. How clever. Now it's over that rock. Is this the one I shoot...'
'Craggy!'
The red trace off the laser blasted the rock to smithereens. 'I knew it would be easy.'
'Yeah, standing still. When we're moving at speed, it's a different story.'
Cragg said, 'So why not slow down a bit so I can get a good potshot at them?'
'Right. And we'll ask them nicely to slow down as well, shall we?'
'Like that ship over there, you mean?'
'Oh, crap.'
Solvo dived into his seat and they raced away, but the single Varlindran ship was after them.
Cragg said, 'Don't we have to face them to shoot them?'
'If we get the chance.'
'So do a loop and we'll hit it from underneath.'
Solvo said, 'They're gaining on us.'
'So bloody well loop.'
Solvo glanced at Cragg. 'You'd better be ready for this.'
'Soon find out.'
Solvo did a barrel roll and spiralled below the other ship, and Cragg hit the trigger. He missed.
Solvo said, 'Close but no cigar.'
The Varlindran ship was behind them, and gaining. Solvo spun high and backflipped the ship. Cragg closed his eyes, squeezed the triggers and kept them squeezed. The Varlindran ship was also firing, but theirs missed, Craggs shots didn't, slicing the target ship in half.
Solvo straightened the ship up, racing after the rest of their pack of freighters. He looked at Cragg, who just shrugged and said, 'What?'
'Nothing.'
It took fifteen minutes of top speed flight, but the collective plasma exhausts were in sight.
'Captain Toby Solvo, right behind you, Commander Dillow.'
'Nice of you to show up at last.'
Cragg winked at Solvo. 'Been a bit busy, Lance. We just killed a Varlindran ship.'
'You?'
'No need to thank me. Just doing my duty.'
Chapter 73
The blackness appeared, but thousands of miles away from where it had been before.
'I see it,' said Stella. 'Fawn?'
'Dad. Blackness, port side.'
'Right. Breezy.'
'Onto it.'
Stella said, 'They're a lot closer to Mars this time.'
Lance Dillow snarled, 'Surround them. Ten thousand Miles, all sides. Anything comes out, let them have it. Calling Mars. Commander Dillow here. The blackness is much closer to Mars than before. With luck, they can't hear this. Here are the coordinates. We're surrounding them, but you have to be ready for anything that slips by us. Oh. I almost forgot. Commander Cragg took out one of their ships. Go figure.'
Cragg laughed. 'I bet that shook them down there.'
Solvo said, 'Craggy. You hitting that ship. Was that pure luck?'
'Jeez. I hope so. That's all I got going for me, these days.'
'Whatever works. I guess all we can do is wait.'
Cragg yawned. 'Beats working for a living, I suppose. Did I tell you about the time I was flying Big Bird, being chased by a heat seeking missile? Well...'
Lance Dillow's voice boomed over the speakers. 'Varlindrans coming out. Hit them hard.'
Three probes flew out of the blackness at top speed, to be greeted by a barrage of laser fire. Captain Flare smashed one, the other dodged the back into the blackness, and the third headed straight for Mars.
'We'll take that one,' said Cragg. 'Tony. You catch it, I'll cook it.'
'Toby,' said Solvo, ripping through space after the tiny shiny spinning globe. 'We need to take it out before it reports back to the others.'
'I'll arrange a welcome party. Mars. Commander Dixon Cragg here. You got a little shiny thing heading your way. Tony Solvo and I are after it, but in case we don't catch it, you need to smash it.'
'This is shooter Sandy Beach, Craggy. Is it a ship?'
'No, Sandy. A shiny ball. A probe. About two yards in diameter. It's small and fast.'
'This is Bob Graham. I've two signals on the radar. One small, one big.'
Cragg said, 'Me and Tony are the big one. Don't shoot the big one.'
'Got that, Craggy,' said Beach. 'You shot a ship, I heard.'
Cragg said, 'I'd be more impressed if anybody can hit that probe. Get ready, down there.'
As Solvo and Cragg chased the probe, six Varlindran ships came out of the blackness, wiping out one freighter before any of the humans could get a shot off. A rookie got lucky and singed one ship, which turned tail for the blackness.
'Breezy. Get in there and wipe the shit out.'
'Going in. Flare...'
'Just give me a sniff at the sod.'
There was only that one ship in the blackness, and it was the damaged one, flying eratically. Its speed was down, and Breeze was gaining on it. Flare shouted, 'Dare I fire inside here?'
Dillow said, 'Don't risk it. See if you can flush it out of here. Hound them.'
Breeze used their speed advantage, buzzing the crippled ship, getting dangerously close at times.
Flare snarled, 'I just so want to kill it.'
'Wait,' bellowed Commander Dillow. 'Hold your fire. Breeze. Keep on it. Flare the second we are through, kill it.'
They were suddenly out of the blackness, and it was all Flare needed. 'Yerrrrrr! That's for my friends you killed.'
They let the ship get ahead and veered off as it exploded into a million pieces.
'Get us back with the others, Breezy.'
Tearing around the blackness, Breeze desperately searched for the others, but the first thing she saw were two dead freighters. Her heart sank, but she had no time to grieve, as two Varlindran ships flanked her on both sides, their lasers letting rip. Flare was ready for them. She hammered one, then as Breeze looped away from enemy fire, Flare hit the second ship a fatal blow.
'Get us into the blackness,' said Dillow. 'Play them at their own game. Hit them hard when we come out the other side.'
Breeze plunged them back into the blackness.
Meanwhile, Solvo and Cragg were still tracking the probe, on a clear path to Mars.
'Will you fly this thing straight, Tony.'
'Toby. And I am flying straight. It's that damn probe that's all over the place.'
Cragg fired the cannon, missing badly. 'It'll reach Mars before we can take it out. Sandy Beach. I'll chase it your way.'
'Bring it on, Craggy.'
'Craggy. This is Bob Graham. Got you both on radar. You're coming over the North Cap. Chase it towards the Bases. Sandy. They'll be coming from the north.'
'Ready to rock and roll.'
'What?'
'I see them coming. Craggy. You're too damn close. Move it.'
'You heard the lady, Tony. Move it.'
'Moving it. All yours, Sandy.'
Beach could only see a tiny silver speck heading directly towards her. She kept her cool, waiting for the right second. It came, she fired the cannon, a stream of red energy tearing the air, getting closer to
the probe. It was seconds away from impact, Beach fired again and scored a hit. It was spinning out of control and it was heading straight for Base Three.
Chapter 74
As The Eye tore through the blackness, the battle raged between one very fast Varlindran ship, and the remaining freighters and Fawn in her ship. Another freighter took a glancing strike, but only enough to put it out of the fight. Dillow had it in her sights, but realising they were outnumbered, the Varlindran ship turned about and entered the blackness which disappeared.
'Ok, people,' said Lance Dillow. 'Carter and I will gather up survivors. The rest of you cover our backs.'
The freighters had received minimal damage, only knocking out the thrusters, allowing for the crews to be safely taken off their ships. It took three hours, but a battered army, now just eight ships including the one Solvo was flying, started the flight back to Mars, relatively unscathed. They were not aware of the crippled probe, hurtling to the roof of Base Three. Nothing could be done to stop the huge domed roof from taking a direct hit, the probe smashing through it.
For the Foreman's it had been business as usual, ignoring the battles outside, taking care of the countless birds and animals. They dived for cover as the probe struck, crashing harmlessly into the compost heap, sending a hundred chickens for flying lessons.
'Bloody hell,' said David, daring to look out from under the table.
'Are you all right?' Andrew asked.
'Yes. Dad. Are you ok?'
'Nothing broken. Is that it, do you think?'
They were suddenly surrounded by startled GenMops, dogs, and goats. They each gathered up a GenMop to calm down. They all looked up at the gaping hole in the huge roof. There was an eerie silence, followed by a raucous din, as dozens of birds decided it was time to relocate. It was a cloud of colours and flapping wings, a whirlwind of feathers, exiting Base Three for freedom.
'Dad.'
'Do you believe in signs, David?' Rather than being distressed about the damage, Andrew Foreman smiled. 'It's time. The birds know that.'
'Are you saying we let the animals go, too?'
'Not until this fighting is over. Birds are one thing. They'll have to take their chances. The animals are different. They'll have to come and go as they please, until they decide to go for good.'
