by Ken Lozito
“Whereabouts are unknown. What we need to do is get aboard those ships and take them out from the inside,” Reisman said.
Major Hayes’s eyes widened. “You can’t be serious,” he said.
“Oh, he’s serious,” Connor replied. “And he’s right; that’s exactly what we need to do. Given our current resources, the only way we’re going to stop them is from the inside. They’re in relatively close proximity to each other, so that could work to our advantage.”
Reisman nodded. “I was thinking the same thing—two for one, or at least seriously damaging the second one.”
“All we need are some tactical nukes and a team to take them aboard,” Connor said.
Major Hayes frowned. “We don’t have any tactical nukes. All of our nuclear warheads went out with our missiles.”
Connor was about to answer when his comms officer spoke.
“Sir, I’m picking up a faint transmission. It’s from the Banshee. It sounds like a status loop,” Sergeant Boers said.
“Put it on speakers,” Connor said.
“This is Major Savannah Cross of the Destroyer Banshee. The Vemus have severely damaged our engines. They’re closing in on our ship. I’ve deployed all available weapons to the crew and we’re preparing to make our final stand . . .”
“I’m sorry, General. The message becomes garbled after that. I’ll try to clean it up,” Sergeant Boers said.
“What’s the timestamp for the message?” Connor asked.
Sergeant Boers checked her terminal. “Sixty minutes ago.”
Connor arched an eyebrow and looked at Reisman. “Tactical, can you trace the source of the transmission?”
“I’ll try to isolate the signal, sir,” Lieutenant LaCroix said.
“I’m not following. What’s significant about the time of the message?” Major Hayes said.
“The message was sent out at about the same time self-destruct protocols were initiated on Titan Space Station, which might have affected the Vemus ship stalking the Banshee,” Connor said.
He watched the PRADIS output and waited.
“I have it, sir. It’s a weak signal, but it appears to be coming from one of the battleship carriers. The AI is basing its trace on the highest probability because the signal is so faint,” Lieutenant LaCroix said.
One of the battleship carriers became highlighted on PRADIS.
“I think we have our target, gentlemen,” Connor said.
“You want to catch up to that ship and do what exactly?” Major Hayes asked.
“Determine if the Banshee is still intact, for one thing, and whether the crew is still alive. The primary mission is to take out that ship. The secondary objective is to attempt to rescue the crew that’s been taken by the enemy. Since we don’t have any tactical nukes, we might find some on the Banshee. Either way, we’re going on that ship,” Connor said.
Reisman arched a brow at Connor. “For the record, as your second in command I must advise against you being on the away mission.”
Connor pressed his lips together. “Noted, for the record.”
Major Hayes frowned. “Does that mean you’ll send a team?”
“You bet I will, and I’m going to lead it,” Connor replied.
“Sir, we need you,” Major Hayes said.
“Don’t bother,” Reisman said. “You’ll never talk him out of going.”
Major Hayes frowned.
“We need to get some intelligence on what we’re dealing with. The only way that’s going to happen is if we get down and dirty on that ship. That means a heavily armed away team,” Connor said.
Major Hayes turned toward Reisman. “Colonel, please, I can’t be the only one with these objections.”
“I agree with the objections, and at the same time it will be both of us on the away team,” Reisman said.
Major Hayes’s mouth hung open in surprise. “Why?”
“Because we’re among the few who were actually part of the NA Alliance military. Those ships look different, but underneath, whatever the hell the Vemus have done to those ships, the underlying system is Alliance military. I still have the access protocols in my implants. The same for the colonel,” Connor said.
“And you think that access will still work?” Major Hayes asked.
“Won’t know until we get there. Certain access protocols are contained within the implants themselves. They only come online with the correct challenge protocol. I’m not even aware of what they are, but I know they’re in there. If Wil and I had officially retired from active duty, our implants would have been removed, but since that didn’t happen, it’s a potential advantage that we can’t afford to pass up,” Connor said.
“I hadn’t realized that,” Major Hayes said.
“It’s not common knowledge. Plus, if there’s a chance we can rescue the crew of the Banshee, I’m going to take that chance. I think we’ve left enough of our people behind,” Connor said, thinking about the Wyatt and all of the destroyer’s crew, and now the CDF soldiers who’d served aboard Titan Space Station.
“What about the risk of being exposed to the virus that was mentioned in the last transmission from Earth? I know the combat suits can protect the wearer from biological contagions, but what about the crew of the Banshee?” Major Hayes asked.
Reisman glanced at Connor. “He’s right, General.”
Connor nodded. “I know he is. We’ll need to bring a doctor with us who can help with the assessment. I’m sure Dr. Allen could make a recommendation.”
“Okay, it’s clear you’ve thought this out, so I won’t get in the way. Is it safe to assume you were planning to leave me in command of the Vigilant?” Major Hayes asked.
“I am,” Connor said.
“What do you need us to do while you’re aboard the ship?”
“I’d initially thought of taking the shuttle and finding a place to sneak aboard, but I don’t think that’s a viable option now,” Connor said.
“Why not?” Reisman asked.
“We need to catch up to them first and figure out what we’re dealing with. We thought the Wyatt was attached to the outside of the ship, and there’s really no reason to believe the Banshee isn’t in the same position. The Vemus so far have sought to disable our ships and take them intact. They targeted our engines as well. There’s still a lot of interference out there, but I’m willing to bet that those two ships have already sustained some damage. I say we approach them and try to dock with their ship,” Connor said.
Reisman smiled. “Even better. If the Banshee is outside, we send a team onto the ship and split up, with one team going aboard the main battleship carrier.”
Connor nodded. “I like that. This way, if one team can’t find warheads in the Banshee’s armory, we still have the other team that’s going on the main ship …” Connor’s lips twisted into a frown. “To disable that ship, we’d need to cause the main reactor to fail. Overload would be better.”
“Yeah, but a ship that big is bound to have more than one reactor powering it,” Major Hayes said.
“Oh, it does for sure, and there are contingencies in place that prevent a chain reaction to the overload of a single reactor,” Connor said.
“Okay, so what’s the plan then?” Major Hayes asked.
“We’re speculating and we have some good ideas, but until we actually get on board that ship, a lot of what we come up with will remain hypothetical. We know what kind of ships they were, but they’ve clearly been modified and have survived a two-hundred-year journey to get here,” Connor said.
“That alone presents a multitude of questions, but the foundation for the ship’s design is the same. It’s a warship, but it all goes back to the same action. We need to get inside that ship,” Reisman said.
Connor looked at Major Hayes. “You’ll monitor the mission from here. Hopefully, we’ll bring back some extra passengers. Assuming we do, we’ll need areas established as quarantine zones. We know next to nothing about this virus, so we need a complet
ely isolated system for quarantine. I want you to work with Dr. Allen on that.”
Major Hayes nodded and then looked at Connor grimly.
“If it comes to it, you need to blow the ship up before we reach New Earth. If Noah does his job, the missile-defense platforms will be targeting the main Vemus forces. After that I told him to get to New Earth to update the orbital defenses,” Connor said.
“Do you think they’ll reach New Earth?” Major Hayes asked.
Connor glanced at the PRADIS readout. There was still a substantial fighting force intact. It would be a close thing. “We can only do the best we can. Our single highest priority is to prevent the Vemus from reaching New Earth. If we fail that, we’ve lost everything.”
Connor hated all the assumptions they were making. Taken as a whole, they were stacking up, but they had little choice. The Vemus obviously had hostile intentions and they still didn’t have a clear understanding of what the Vemus actually were. Sometimes one had to go into the monster’s lair to see how much of a monster they really were.
Connor looked over at Sean, who’d been listening quietly.
“My team is ready, General,” Sean said.
“Good. Tell them to assemble on the main hangar deck,” Connor said and then snorted. “She’s never going to forgive me for this.”
Sean smiled. “I think she’ll understand in this case.”
Major Hayes looked confused. “I’m not following.”
“Captain Quinn’s mother is none other than the legendary Ashley Quinn—a force to be reckoned with,” Connor said.
Major Hayes shook his head with a tired smile. “I hadn’t realized.”
Connor glanced at Sean. “See, it’s working. No more special treatment,” he said and looked back at Major Hayes. “When Ashley found out that her son had joined me in Search and Rescue, she punched me in the stomach.”
Sean laughed. “She never admitted that.”
“How do you think she reacted when the Colonial Defense Force was formed?” Connor said.
“What did she do?” Major Hayes asked.
“Let’s just say I’m glad I’m a quick healer,” Connor said.
Sean shrugged. “She always said you reminded her of her younger brother.”
It was a momentary reprieve from what they were about to face, and Connor appreciated it. They all did, but after a few seconds a somber silence settled over them.
“The Vemus forces have been reactionary for the most part. Not sure why, so I think as we approach, if we don’t show any aggression, they might just let us get near enough to board the ship,” Connor said.
“By no aggression, you mean . . .?” Major Hayes asked.
“I mean we don’t scan them or have our weapons pointed at them. Let’s just fly right up to them and see what they do. Earlier, they took a shot at us because we were firing at them; otherwise, I’m not sure they would have bothered with us at all,” Connor said.
“That’s the part that bothers me,” Reisman said.
“You’re not the only one,” Major Hayes agreed.
“It’s worth a shot. We can get our weapons online and hope they don’t hit us,” Reisman said.
“A shot in the dark is better than no shot at all,” Connor said.
He aimed to shine a bright light on the enemy. There were too many unanswered questions. Allegedly, these Vemus had defeated the combined military forces of Earth and had then come here with a large fighting force. Connor couldn’t help but think there was so much more they needed to learn about their enemy. Gaining more intelligence was worth dying for if it yielded knowledge that gave them a fighting chance.
“Helm, plot a course for the Vemus battleship carrier. Best speed possible,” Connor said.
Chapter Twenty-Three
In the hours that followed, Connor grudgingly agreed that he wasn’t to be on the first away team. He had to concede that Sean’s cold logic left little to be argued with. Let Sean and his team secure the initial area, and when the all clear was given, the VIPs could come aboard. Reisman was amused to no end, and Major Hayes approved. So Connor remained on the bridge for the moment. Being outthought by his protégé should have made him proud. It didn’t.
Reisman glanced at him. “Still reeling from the upset? It’s always the quiet ones you need to watch out for.”
“You’ll be saluting him before long,” Connor replied.
“Maybe. I was thinking of retiring after all this is done,” Reisman replied.
Connor arched an eyebrow at him. “You’d go crazy inside a few months.”
Reisman nodded. “Ordinarily yes, but I’m sure I can think of a better way to spend my time than being stuck on a warship for the rest of my life.”
They were still on the bridge and were speaking quietly.
“I know better than to ask what you’ll do,” Reisman said.
Connor frowned. “You mean after we survive annihilation? I hadn’t thought of it. I guess I’m too busy with the whole ‘staying alive’ part.”
“Overrated. We all need reasons to fight, sir,” Reisman said and walked over to speak with Major Hayes.
Connor wouldn’t allow himself to think beyond the next few objectives. It helped him focus on what needed to be done. During his career, he’d noticed that some people liked to think about what they would do in the future and make plans. It was a coping mechanism—that he understood. A person needed to believe there was a light at the end of the tunnel even if, in truth, there was just more darkness waiting for them. When he was younger, Connor hardly ever thought about dying on any of the missions he was part of. Death was always present, but as a young man, he’d felt invincible. However, those were a much younger man’s thoughts. Connor didn’t feel invincible anymore. Far from it. Most recently he focused on what he could accomplish now and how that work could be carried on in the event that he did die. These past seven years he’d been so focused on protecting the colony that he’d never really thought about what he’d do if the danger passed. He’d always assumed he’d figure it out later, but seeing Lenora again a few weeks ago had him questioning whether that approach was best for him moving forward.
“Sir, I have the images from the high-res tactical array ready,” Sergeant Browning said from the operations workstation.
Connor returned to the command chair. “Put it on the main holoscreen.”
Using the high-res array, which was a system of high-powered optical imagers that weren’t used during normal operations, was a calculated risk. Preferring not to push his luck, Connor ordered that the high-res array be retracted after they were done.
The rough outer hull of the Vemus ship appeared on screen. There were large gashes in the exoskeleton that surrounded the Alliance Navy vessel. Connor zoomed in on one of the damaged areas.
“Can you augment the darker areas inside that damaged section?” Connor asked.
Sergeant Browning tapped a few commands and the designated area of the image was rendered, but there wasn’t much clarity with the updated image.
“I don’t think we can improve on what we’ve already got, sir,” Sergeant Browning said.
Connor zoomed out from that section of the image and noticed a metallic protrusion that didn’t match the rest of the ship. On the starboard lower half of the ship was the cigar-shaped, gleaming hull of the Banshee. The destroyer appeared to be tethered to the ship by the same living exoskeleton that was part of the hull.
Reisman sat down in the chair next to Connor. “The ship looks intact.”
“Yes, and it looks like several maintenance hatches are still available,” Connor said.
“I’m not sure landing directly on the hull of the Vemus ship is a good idea. It could grab hold of the Vigilant and not let go,” Reisman advised.
“Agreed. We’ll use our own emergency docking clamps and attach them to the Banshee. Then the team can go through one of the maintenance hatches, make our way through the ship, and take it from there,” Connor said.
&
nbsp; “Sir,” Sergeant Boers said, “should I try hailing the Banshee?”
“No, let’s maintain radio silence for now. Continue to monitor for any communications,” Connor said.
“Yes, sir.”
They made their final approach to the Vemus ship and there was no indication that there was anything amiss. He wondered why the ship was traveling well below an ordinary battleship carrier’s capability. Ships of the wall weren’t designed for speed, per se; they were designed to deliver and take significant damage. The bulk of the remaining Vemus fleet was behind them. They’d seen the fleet increase their velocity for the assault on Titan Space Station. Connor and Wil had run some comparison analyses against what they knew of NA Alliance ships’ capabilities, and so far they had been comparable to what the Vemus ships had shown.
“Sergeant Edwards, take us in,” Connor said.
“Yes, sir,” Sergeant Edwards said.
Aaron Edwards was part of the primary bridge crew for the Vigilant. His performance scores for piloting the ship edged him over his alternate on the secondary bridge crew. Connor knew the Vigilant was in good hands.
A wave of tension-filled silence settled over the bridge, with most people’s eyes glued to their own terminals or on the main holoscreen.
“Tactical, any change in the Vemus ship?” Connor asked.
“None, sir. It’s like they don’t care that we’re here,” Lieutenant LaCroix answered.
Reisman shrugged. “You know the saying about looking a gift horse in the mouth.”
“Yeah, but I’d rather not get kicked by that same gift horse,” Connor said.
What kind of invasion fleet would let an enemy ship just fly right up to it like they were doing? Connor watched the active plot on the main holoscreen showing their position relative to the battleship cruiser. They moved into position next to the Banshee’s stern maintenance hatch. This would put them close to the primary ammunition depot.
Connor looked at Major Hayes. “Depending on what we find over there, we should consider adding additional teams to offload any ammunition we could use.”
“The Banshee’s computer system appears to be offline, but if we can get that up, we might be able to use the automated systems for munitions offloading,” Major Hayes said.