“I don’t know,” the helmsman said. “Skipper, got any idea about that, sir?”
“I never thought about it, either. Perhaps—”
“Contact!” the DSO exclaimed. “I’m getting emissions from one of the moons of the second planet.”
“I thought this system was supposed to be unoccupied,” the OSO noted. He turned to the CO. “Want me to warm everything up?”
“No, let’s see what we’ve got first. Speaking of which, talk to me, DSO.”
“I have multiple power emissions on the moon I mentioned. Just starting to get imagery, but it won’t be very good. Stand by…there.”
A picture came up on the front view screen of what looked very much like the surface of Earth’s moon…if it had three gunboats on it. The ships were somewhat difficult to see, as they were viewing them from an oblique angle.
“Is that it?” the CO asked. “Three little ships?”
“Yes, sir,” the DSO said. “Looks like gunboats of some sort. They have chase armament—a couple of missile launchers and some sort of laser—and some sort of lasers or grasers on the side as a main armament. They look like they were built as police or security vessels originally, as they’re armed to chase things down and catch them, not to get into a protracted battle.”
“Anything else?”
“Not sure, sir. It seems like there’s more activity there than what’s accounted for on the imagery, but the ships are going around to the far side of the moon where we can’t see them. We’ll have a better view in a few hours.”
“What do you want to do about them, sir?” Calvin asked.
“Well, they aren’t supposed to be here,” the CO replied, “so that makes them explorers or prospectors, at best.”
“And at worst?” the DSO asked.
“Pirates.” Tension in the bridge went up noticeably. Like most naval officers, their careers on Earth had included a healthy dose of anti-piracy operations, and pirates were anathema to them.
“We can’t let them stay there,” Calvin said. “Especially if they’re pirates. Proprietor Zelph’s people will be following us in a few hours; if they’re pirates, they’ll capture Zelph’s folks, and do who knows what with them.”
“I almost wouldn’t mind,” the CO said, “as it’s Zelph who failed to mention their presence here.” The CO studied the image on the viewer. “How long until we’re in weapons range?”
“About four hours,” the OSO said.
“And how long until Zelph’s people enter the system?”
“About three and a half,” Calvin said. “You know…I don’t want to be a conspiracy theorist on this, but it’s almost like Zelph knew the people on the moon were here. Why else would he have sent his people in trail of us, rather than with us?”
“So we’d get into the system far enough that we’d have to deal with them before his folks entered the system,” the OSO said. “That way, if things went badly for us, they could turn around and flee.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Calvin said. “Now, I may be wrong—”
“But I don’t think you are,” the CO said.
“Which leads us back to the start, and my question. What do you want to do about them?”
“Well, like you said, we can’t leave them there, even if Zelph threw us under the bus. While we could easily get past them, his people can’t, and they’ll get killed or worse.”
“There’s worse than getting killed?” Ensign Sara Summers asked from the Science Officer station. A recent addition to the crew, she hadn’t seen a lot of what the rest of the crew had.
“A lot worse,” the CO confirmed. “Similarly, though, we can’t just pop up next to them and blast them into bits. Even though they look like pirates, and I wouldn’t put it past Zelph to try to use us to cure his problems, they haven’t done anything to us.” He looked at the image on the screen a little longer, considering.
“Solomon,” the CO finally asked, “if we were to sneak up on them, what are the chances we can take them out in a single launch if we hit them from surprise?”
“Assuming they do not have shields that defeat our missiles or grasers, the odds are 100%. Depending on their shields, I still cannot imagine they would take more than a few broadsides to defeat. I think we can handle them fairly easily, but it will be impossible to know for sure until we see their defenses in action. I find it unlikely that ships that size could mount a significant defense to us. They would be difficult for a merchant to fight off, but we should have no problem with them.”
“Does it look like they saw our gate pulse?” the CO asked. The faster a ship went through the stargate, the larger the pulse emitted on their arrival. While they hadn’t come in very fast, Sheppard knew it would have been big enough to be seen at the moon if the people had been looking for it.
“I have not seen an increase in activity on the moon,” Solomon said. “They do not appear to be making preparations for getting underway, based on their engine power levels.”
“Here’s what we’ll do,” the CO said. “We’ll get close to the base and see how they react when Zelph’s transport gets here. If they show themselves to be pirates, we’ll blast them.”
“Without notice?” the OSO asked.
The CO nodded. “If they damn themselves…they damn themselves. Hopefully they’ll just let the ship go by, and everyone will be happy.”
“But you don’t think that’s going to happen,” Calvin said.
“No, I don’t.”
Calvin shook his head. “I don’t, either.”
* * *
The minutes crawled by as the Vella Gulf approached the moon.
“Uh, I think we’re going to have issues,” the DSO said.
“Why’s that?” the CO asked.
“It appears there are more ships there than we thought.” He brought the latest image onto the front screen, and the CO could see there was a large vessel not far from the others.
“What do you make of that?” the CO asked.
“Looks to be about frigate sized,” the OSO said. “It’s armed for battle.”
“I concur,” Solomon said. “In addition to fairly substantial chase armament, this ship also has broadside armament of missile launchers and energy weapons.”
“So if things start going sideways, take it out first.”
“Yes, sir, that would be my recommendation,” Solomon said.
The DSO nodded. “Mine, too.”
“Gate pulse,” Ensign Summers said. “The transport’s entered the system.”
“Want me to warn them?” the comms officer asked.
“No,” the CO replied. “Maintain radio silence, even if they start calling for us. I don’t want to give away our presence. Calvin, please ensure the fighters are manned and ready.”
“They are, sir. We manned them when you set General Quarters, and we’ve been swapping out the crews periodically to rest them.”
“Very well.”
“The people on the moon are making preparations to get underway, it looks like,” the DSO said. “They’re bringing their main systems online.”
“Have they made any attempt to contact the transport?” the CO asked.
“None, sir,” the comms officer reported. “Is that good or bad?”
“Most likely bad,” the CO said. “If they’re pirates, they wouldn’t want to advertise their presence. They’d let the transport get into the system far enough it couldn’t get out again, and then they’d attack. If they were legitimate, they’d have radioed the transport to find out what they were doing in this system. I’m afraid they’re pirates after all.”
“One of the gunboats is lifting,” the OSO said. “We’ll be in weapons range in five minutes.
“Understood,” the CO replied. “Helm, I want to loop in behind them and try to put our first shots into their engines if possible.”
“Second gunboat lifting,” the OSO said.
“What happens if they don’t all lift?” Calvin asked. “
If I were them, I’d probably send the gunboats only—they shouldn’t need more than that for an unarmed transport—and hold the frigate back in case something else pops up. If nothing else, it saves them fuel.”
“Good point. Helm, amend my last. I’d like to swoop in over the frigate. We can catch the gunboats with our chase armament and pound the frigate with our main guns and missiles.”
“Yes, sir. Will do.”
“Third gunboat is off, and all are headed on an intercept trajectory.”
“Still no communications.”
“Got it,” the CO said. “Continue on our course.”
“The gunboats are calling the transport,” the comms officer reported.
“On speaker,” the CO directed.
“Coming…now.”
“Transport ship, this is Customs 01. Stand by to be boarded and inspected.”
“Customs 01, this is Mineral Cartel transport ship Bravo. We have no cargo onboard. Also, what cartel or governmental agency are you part of? I show this system as unoccupied and not subject to customs duties.”
“The transport flipped over and is slowing,” the DSO noted.
“You don’t think they’re going to let them board, do you?” asked the helmsman.
“I wouldn’t,” the CO said. “They’re probably trying to call us and—not having heard anything—are going to try to flee.”
“They’re indeed calling us,” the comms officer said. “As directed, though, I haven’t answered. They’re pretty much begging us to reply now.”
“Continue radio silence.”
“Looks like the pirates didn’t time it very well,” the OSO said. “I think the transport’s going to be able to get away. Also, we’re coming up on optimal firing position on the frigate.”
“Good, slow us down, Helm; we don’t want to overshoot.”
“Customs 01, I ask again, what cartel or governmental agency are you part of?”
“We’re part of the None of Your Damned Business Cartel. Are you going to allow us to board, or are we going to have to destroy your ship?”
“No, we are not going to let pirates just take our vessel.”
“Call us what you want. This is your last chance to stop and let us board. We will go easy on you if you stop now. Otherwise, we will kill everyone.”
“The OSO is wrong,” the DSO said. “The transport’s engines are at full, but the gunboats just went to full power, and they’re out-accelerating it. They’ll catch it long before the stargate, especially if they use their missiles.”
“That’s okay,” Captain Sheppard said, “I think I’ve seen enough. Full speed ahead. Stealth mode off; fire all weapons at the frigate. If the chase weapons can still range on the gunboats, light them up, too.”
“Firing all weapons,” the OSO replied. “Chase missiles can still range on two of the gunboats.”
The ship bumped slightly as the missiles were ejected from their launchers. On the screen, the Vella Gulf’s 10 port-side grasers reached out to punch holes through the frigate, which then turned into massive cuts as the Gulf’s engines kicked in and the gamma-ray laser beams sliced down the sides of the frigate. The single graser broadside, unhindered as the frigate didn’t have its shields up, would probably have been enough to disable the ship, as most of its atmosphere vented through the jagged cuts. The nine missiles that arrived moments afterward, however, sealed its fate, blowing it into large chunks.
“Nice shooting, OSO,” Captain Sheppard said.
“Thanks, Skipper, but it was a combination of me and Solomon. We discussed the best places to hit it and had the targeting data already set.”
“Very well, well done to both of you. Time to impact on the gunboats?”
“Three…two…one… Good hit on the third gunboat. Looks like we got his engine; he’s adrift and venting.” He paused. “Last two missiles approaching the middle gunboat. It’s trying evasive maneuvers and firing on the missiles. One hit! It’s slowing, but still seems to be under power.”
“What about the third gunboat?” the CO asked “Is it still heading toward the transport?”
“No,” the OSO replied. “It’s broken off and is heading for the stargate.”
“The one to the Togath System?”
“No, there’s a third stargate in this system. I don’t have any info on where it goes.”
“Will we be able to achieve a firing solution on it before it gets there?”
“No, sir. It has too big a head start, and its crew is redlining their engine.”
“Launch the fighters. Go get him. I don’t want that ship to get away.”
“The fighters will be unable to catch the gunboat in time,” Solomon said. “It is already in the vicinity of the stargate. Assuming it does not slow down, it will easily make it to the stargate prior to the fighters being able to launch on it.”
Captain Sheppard sighed. “Let it go, then,” he said. “Cancel the launch.”
“I wonder if this is why the proprietor hasn’t been in this system for 15 years?” Calvin asked. “Pirates have a way of making you avoid a place.”
“Indeed they do,” the CO said. “When we get back, I’m going to have a chat with the proprietor.” He looked at Calvin. “You thought he was going to play it straight, but it appears he’s an even better actor than I am. He’s now gotten us to rid this system of pirates for him—at least for the moment. Let’s get back to the mission—the sooner we accomplish it, the sooner we can get back to what we’re supposed to be doing.”
* * *
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, Togath System
“System entry into the Togath System,” Steropes noted.
“Stealth is on and holding,” added Solomon.
“Very well,” the CO said. “Passive sensors only. Let’s see what we can find out about this place before we go active.”
“Shit!” the DSO said. “There’s a laser platform to starboard. It just fired in front of us.”
“Hard right,” Captain Sheppard said. “All ahead full. They must have caught the gate pulse, but when they didn’t see anyone, they started firing randomly.”
“More firing,” the DSO said. “They’re generally in front of us and are now going off to port.”
“Hopefully, if they don’t hit us, they won’t know we’re here—or at least where we are,” the CO said as the laser pulses got farther and farther away from the ship. “What do we know about the target planet?”
“It’s a desert planet, located on the inside portion of the habitable zone of the star,” Steropes said. “In addition to the laser platform at the stargate, there are six platforms in orbit around the planet, with three guarding each of the mines. The mines themselves go deep into the crust of the planet, with a small town that has grown up around each of the entrances to support the operations there.
“The anti-aircraft missile systems are located inside the towns—and some of them are on top of buildings—so they’ll be hard to impossible to take out without collateral damage. Depending on the size of the round or the weapon used, you’ll most definitely damage other buildings and potentially collapse all or portions of the mines.”
The CO nodded. “We definitely don’t want to do that, or it’ll be difficult to hand them over to the troops following us.” He sighed as he had a thought. It seemed to hit almost everyone on the bridge at the same time.
“Let me guess,” the OSO said. “Your next question is going to be, ‘What do we do about the laser platform at the stargate.’”
“Yes, it is,” the CO said. “While it is technically possible that the platform won’t shoot at a transport, I find it at least possible, if not probable, that it will. So, OSO, what are we going to do about that platform?”
“How about this, sir? Why don’t we pop over to the Jinn Universe and launch two or three missiles that are programmed to jump over to this universe just in time to hit the platform and destroy it?”
“Two or three?”
“I’m trying to
be cautious,” the OSO said. “I’d like to use three, but I’m conscious of the fact that resupply—especially of Jinn Universe materials—might be slow in this here and now. I don’t want to use up all the stocks we have of things we might need later. Like our most capable missiles.”
“That’s a great consideration,” the CO said. “My perspective on it is I don’t want to lose people if I don’t have to. I realize these people aren’t mine, but the proprietor might not find it amusing if I didn’t do everything I could to preserve his people.”
“I’m not sure the proprietor views anything as other than a resource he can use and abuse,” Calvin said. “That said, I understand getting all his people killed might not lead to the best relations with him going forward…and we do still need his help.”
“OSO, program three missiles to take out the platform. Steropes, work with him and the helmsman to get us into the right launch position. Solomon, please jump us to the Jinn Universe…assuming Bradford hasn’t stolen any of the cabling from either the jump modules or the missile systems.”
“Although it sounds, based on your tone, as if you are being facetious, Captain, your assessment is close to accurate,” Solomon said. “Some of the cabling was removed from the missiles to replace what was taken from the jump modules to fix the time machine, but that has since been repaired with the wiring Lieutenant Commander Hobbs brought aboard.”
“What you just said makes my head hurt,” the CO said, “but if I understand you correctly, everything is fixed, and we can implement the plan as was just stated?”
“That is correct, sir.”
“Please execute the plan.”
“Yes, sir,” the OSO said. “Targeting the platform with three missiles.”
Everything flashed. “As requested, we are in the Jinn Universe,” Solomon said.
“Excellent,” the CO said. “Steropes, take a look at the planet in this universe and see if there are any signs of habitation.”
“Yes, sir.”
“We are ready to fire,” the OSO said.
“Very well,” the CO said. “Uncloak and fire!”
Three missiles leapt from the stern chase launchers, traveled about 3/4 of the distance to where the platform would be in the other universe, then disappeared from sight.
A Gulf in Time Page 20
