“Dolohov, I need something, now.”
“Scanning Commander, here we go, just an open bit of ground near one of the metal processing plants.”
“That'll do,” said Anna.
“Aziz, get us down there on the double!”
“Aye.”
“Commander,” said Graham.
“They're firing again, missiles incoming.”
“All hands brace for impact, seal all bulkhead doors.”
“Here we go,” Aziz announced.
The Twilight's engines rumbled as the ship angled itself into the landing sequence.
“That's a pretty steep decent angle Ensign,” Graham remarked.
“We either get there fast, or we don't get there at all,” said Anna.
“Get us down.”
“Aye Commander.”
“Missiles still closing,” Graham reported.
“Time to impact?”
“Ten seconds.”
“Aziz?”
“I go down any steeper Commander, and we'll smash into the ground.”
“Here they come,” said Graham.
Flames licked at the Twilight's hull as she screamed through the planet's atmosphere. The drive glows of the missiles altered their trajectory and plunged after the fleeing ship. There were ten of them, closing fast. Super heated gases roiled up in the Twilight's wake, catching four of the missiles and causing them to veer off target. The other six however, closed the remaining gap and exploded. Super heated plasma ripped into the hull. On the Twilight's bridge, the crew felt the ship slide sideways from the force of the blasts. The entire hull groaned and the ship started to spiral out of control.
“Aziz,” Anna shouted over the sound of the numerous blaring alarms.
“Get us level!”
“I'm trying Commander,” Aziz shouted back.
“I've lost all aft maneuvering thrusters and the main thrusters are damaged.”
“Da-damage report,” Anna ordered, coughing from the smoke that now filled the bridge.
“All aft thrusters damaged or destroyed,” Graham reported.
“Engine room reports minor damage to main reactor. We've also got multiple hull breaches in the aft section of the ship.”
“Can we land?” Anna demanded, gripping her handhold tighter as the ship continued to spiral through the atmosphere.
“If I can straighten us out,” said Aziz.
“I think I've.”
He furiously typed in commands.
“Got it,” he finished, as the ship slowly straightened itself.
“Good work Ensign,” said Anna.
“Anyone following us?”
“That's a negative Commander,” reported Dolohov.
“As far as I can tell those Destroyers are taking up a geostationary orbit above us, the fighters too,” she added, glancing at her console.
“What about the Dreadnought and Carriers?” Asked Major Clark.
“I don't have a line of sight on them,” replied Dolohov.
“Well I doubt they're just sitting there,” Graham interjected.
“If I were Jones, I'd be preparing a massive ground assault, or just blast us from orbit.”
“I think he'll go with the former,” said Anna.
“There's no way we can escape him on the ground and he'll risk damaging a lot of ground facilities with an orbital strike.”
“I don't think the he gives a damn about collateral damage at this point,” Major Clark said darkly.
“First we need to get down, then we'll worry about everything else,” said Anna.
“Ensign, how we doing?”
“Okay for now Commander, I've got an approach vector for the landing zone, but we're coming in a little fast. We might have some trouble slowing down enough.”
Anna turned to the young woman.
“What about the shields?”
The young woman shook her head.
“The damage to the aft section of the ship has destroyed multiple shield emitters. All the emitters must be functional in order for the shields to work.”
“All right then,” said Anna.
“All hands, brace for emergency landing, do what you can Ensign,” she added.
“Aye Commander.”
The Twilight streaked through the atmosphere. The flames surrounding the ship's hull dissipated, as Aziz engaged the landing thrusters and the ship slowed her decent. The tiny dots that covered the surface of the planet, quickly resolved themselves into structures. The Twilight headed towards an open area immediately adjacent to a large square building, with numerous smokestacks spewing fumes into the sky. A set of tracks for magnetic cargo trains, led to and from the building's main entrance.
“This is it,” Aziz called over the still blaring alarms.
“Come on you piece of shit,” he said through clenched teeth, wrestling with the controls.
The Twilight's damaged hull groaned and creaked, as Aziz desperately fought to slow their downward momentum. The ship slowed, but she was now only a few dozen meters from the surface. Suddenly, the ship banked slightly to one side, Aziz swore. A satellite relay tower, located next to the building, came into their path.
“Shit!” The young Ensign exclaimed, as he tried and failed to maneuver them out of the way.
The Twilight hit the tower head on, smashing through it and sending bits of metal flying in all directions. On the bridge they barely felt the impact, as the ship plummeted. The next instant, the ship plowed into the ground. Rocks and dust spewed into the air, as the Twilight skidded across the planet's surface, finally coming to a halt about twenty meters from its original point of impact.
Anna was laying face down, the impact having sent her toppling to the deck. Slowly, she pushed herself up onto all fours and looked around. The bridge was filled with smoke, making it hard to see anything. She could make out a few shapes, moving around her.
“Everyone alright?” She asked.
“Yes, I think so,” Major Clark's voice answered.
Anna looked up to see Andrew standing over her. He held out a hand and pulled her to her feet.
The smoke had started to clear a bit and she could now make out the rest of the bridge. Everyone was slowly getting to their feet. Aziz was cradling his right arm and Graham had a cut across his forehead. He tore a piece off his already shredded uniform and pressed it to his wound, which was now bleeding profusely.
“You all right Ensign?” Asked Major Clark.
Aziz winced as he continued to cradle his arm.
“I think it’s broken Major,” he replied.
“Hang on Ensign,” said Graham.
“We’ll get a med kit and have you fixed up in no time.”
“Ahh, once we find one,” he added, looking at the devastation around him.
“What about John and Chief Nolan?” Anna wanted to know.
“No idea,” replied Graham.
“The ship's com system is damaged.”
“I'm going to the engine room,” said Anna.
“Try to find a med kit and patch up Aziz.”
“Will do Commander.”
Anna made her way to the bridge door, but as she approached it, nothing happened.
“Open,” she said.
The door didn't budge.
“The voice recognition system must be damaged,” said Graham.
“Try the manual override,” he suggested.
Anna pressed a series of buttons on the control pad next to the door, but it didn't work.
“What the hell do we do now?” Asked Dolohov.
“Commander, may I?” Asked Andrew.
“Be my guest,” said Anna, moving aside.
Andrew stopped a few paces from the door. He tensed and leaped, striking the door with both feet, dead center. With a loud clang, a large dent appeared where the Sergeant had kicked it. The edges of the door had curled inward in response. Andrew moved towards the door and grasped one of the bent edges with both hands. Bracing his legs against the door frame, he pul
led. The creaking of stressed metal echoed through the silent bridge. The door came free and clattered to the ground.
“Perhaps I should go with you Commander,” Andrew suggested.
“Who knows how many more obstructions like this there are between here and the engine room.”
Anna nodded and clambered over the ruined door.
“Try not to tear apart too much,” Graham called after them.
“The ship's damaged enough as it is.”
Chapter 36
Vice-Admiral Marcus Jones stood on the bridge of the Emperor's Fist and watched the many screens displaying a dizzying array of information.
“Are they down Captain?” He asked.
Captain Gerard turned to face him.
“Yes Admiral, the Twilight appears to have made it to the surface of the planet.”
“I would still like to know how they even made it that far,” said Jones
“That fighter squadron alone should have been enough to blast her out of the sky.”
“Indeed,” said Gerard.
“I have the reports from the fighter pilots and the Captains of the destroyers here. They seem a bit confused sir,” he added.
“What do you mean, confused?”
Gerard looked at the reports scrolling across his command console.
“Well sir, from what I gather here, the fighters were the first to get into weapons range of the Twilight.”
“Obviously,” Jones said curtly.
“Yes, well they engaged as ordered,” Gerard continued.
“According to the squadron commander's report, they fired a salvo of Hammer V anti-ship missiles. The missiles however, seem to have um, malfunctioned.”
“What, they missed their target?”
“No sir,”
“Then what Captain?” Jones snapped.
“Sir I think it would be better if you just read the report yourself,” explained Gerard, gesturing to the console.
Annoyed, Jones brushed past the Captain and examined the squadron Commander's report. He read it once, then read it again, then looked up at Gerard.
“Where are the reports from the destroyer Captains?” He demanded.
“Here sir,” said Gerard, hurrying forward and tapping a button on the console.
Jones read through them.
“Captain,” he said finally.
“How much damage did the Twilight sustain?”
“As far as we can tell, there was significant damage done to the aft section of the ship.”
“Can she make orbit?”
“Not in the ship's current state,” replied Gerard.
“Captain, I want you to prepare a ground assault on the planet. Bring me anyone aboard that ship, any amount of force your troops deem necessary is fine. Just make it clear to them that I don't want it damaged any more that it already is.”
“Yes sir.”
“I will be in my office, inform me as soon as you have that ship Captain.”
Jones made his way through the ship back to his office, barely even noticing where he was going. If those reports indicated what he thought they might. He simply had to get a hold of that ship. He had reached his office without even noticing. Jones opened the doors and marched to his desk, sinking into his chair. Once he had the Twilight, he would need a discrete research facility. Somewhere to keep the ship and study it, without anyone else sticking their nose in.
Major Clark and her crew would also have to be dealt with. That wouldn't be too difficult, so long as the Twilight was never found, it would be assumed that the Major and her crew had gone missing along with their ship. Captain Gerard and his ground troop commanders could be counted on to keep their mouths shut.
The personnel at the shipyard and planet-side were another story. Fortunately, most of them didn't know enough about this incident to be of any concern. There was the Captain who had talked to Major Clark upon her arrival and any officers or bridge crew he might have shared that information with. They would have to be dealt with, how exactly he wasn't sure yet, but he'd decide that when the time came.
The view screen on his desk beeped, it was a call from the bridge. Jones tapped a button and Captain Gerard's face appeared on screen.
“Vice-Admiral,” he said, saluting crisply.
“Strike teams are on their way, five shuttles full of my best marines.”
“Have you made it clear to them that the ship is not to be damaged?”
“Yes sir,” replied Gerard.
“Good.”
Jones was about to disconnect, when a thought occurred to him.
“Captain.”
“Yes sir.”
“Tell the ground Commanders that they are to try and take the crew alive.”
Captain Gerard looked surprised.
“You want them alive?”
“Yes Captain, I have some questions about that ship.”
“I see sir,” said Gerard.
“But Captain,” Jones added.
“As convenient as it would be to have the crew taken alive, the ship is paramount. Tell your Commanders that I want the crew alive if possible. However, if they have to kill them in order to capture the ship intact, then so be it.”
“Yes sir.”
Jones disconnected the call and opened the cabinet behind him. He poured himself a glass of scotch and leaned back in his chair. A smile crossing his lips, as he thought of the power he might soon posses.
“Well Major Clark, it looks like I was wrong,” he said aloud.
“It appears as though this fool’s errand of yours will yield some very interesting results.”
Chapter 37
Anna followed Andrew through a corridor that lead to the Twilight's engine room. A thin haze of smoke still hung in the air, accompanied by the smell of ozone. As they approached the engine room door, Anna noticed it was partially open. Beyond, the engine room was pitch black.
The door didn't budge as they approached it.
“Hang on,” Andrew told her, grasping the door with both hands.
There was a grinding sound as he slid it aside, light from the corridor spilled into the engine room. It looked mostly intact, with the reactor sitting in the center. The walls were covered in control panels and instrument readouts, except they were all dark. Anna looked around, she didn't see John or Chief Nolan anywhere. Stepping into the room, she called.
“John, you there?”
“John,” she repeated.
Anna took a few steps further in, Andrew following her. A low moan made both of them turn. It had come from the far side of the reactor housing. They both hurried around the large square block. On the far side, they spotted John and Chief Nolan stirring feebly.
“John!” Exclaimed Anna, running to his side and kneeling down beside him.
John's eyes popped open.
“Ugh, what happened?” He asked.
“I take it we landed?” Asked Nolan, now slowly sitting up.
“Yes,” Andrew told him.
“Although 'landing', implies a controlled decent.”
“Remind me to thank Aziz,” said John, now also sitting up.
Anna and Andrew helped both of them to their feet.
“Either of you hurt?” Anna asked.
They both shook their heads.
The four of them made their way back to the bridge. They arrived to find Graham, Saskill and Major Clark hunched over a med kit, with Aziz sitting at his station in front of them. Dolohov was sitting at her station as well, fiddling with the controls. The young woman was standing in a corner, apparently deep in thought. Saskill looked up as they entered.
“John,” he said with relief and hurried over to him.
“I'm fine, we both are,” John assured him.
“How's Aziz?” Asked Andrew.
“I'll be fine,” Aziz assured him.
“We've given him an injection of healing nanites,” said Major Clark.
“They should be able to repair the damage, provided we can ke
ep his arm still.”
“Hang on,” said Graham, rooting through the kit.
“I thought I saw one in here. Aha, there we go,” he said, pulling out a small box.
Graham opened the box and took out two small rectangular strips that had an odd glint to them.
“Major Clark,” he said.
“Could you roll up his sleeve?”
Aziz held out his broken arm and Major Clark gently rolled back the sleeve of his uniform. Graham placed the two strips on the Ensign's arm, one below the elbow and the other just above the wrist. He then took a tiny control pad out of the box and tapped in a command. Instantly, the two rectangles elongated to form bands around the Ensign's arm. The bands started to grow wider, stretching over Aziz's arm towards one another, until they finally met and formed into one solid piece. It looked like his lower arm had been encased in a thin, shimmering tube. The tube contracted and turned rigid, effectively covering the arm in a cast.
John stared at the Ensign's arm.
“What is that?”
“Form fitting bandage,” Graham explained.
“Nanites that can form themselves into any type of bandage you might need.”
“So, what do we do now?” Asked Dolohov, looking up from her console.
“You having any luck with the sensors?” Major Clark asked.
Dolohov shook her head.
“Nothing, the whole system's down.”
“I would sure like to know what Jones is doing up there,” Anna remarked.
The young woman stepped forward.
“There are several life forms approaching the ship, roughly five hundred meters away.”
“How do you know that?” Asked Graham.
The young woman closed her eyes, slowly turning her head from side to side.
“They are fairly short, I can't make out their faces. They appear to be wearing some type of breathing apparatus.”
“Danek,” said Andrew.
“They're the ones running the mines and refineries down here.”
“But how?” Began Major Clark.
“The member of my species inhabiting this ship, I am in contact with them,” the young woman explained.
“How many?” Asked John.
The young woman closed her eyes, concentrating.
“Five, no six.”
“Are they armed?” Asked Andrew.
Imperium: Contact Page 28
