“If we don’t charge the guns, we’ll be a sitting duck,” answered Hal calmly.
“Major,” it was Captain Dune. “Leave us here and we’ll follow when the coast is clear.”
“The coast is clear now, Captain,” snapped Erion. “Get that ship off the ground!”
“I only have three working thrusters, Major.”
“That’ll get you off the ground, Captain.”
“But…..”
“Lift off now! We’ll cover you.”
“Raan, how’s our fuel?”
“Fifteen percent, Major.”
“Well, that’s just too bad,” muttered Erion, looking down at her scope. They had used too much fuel in the battle and would not be able to make it to the rendezvous point. The Diamond suddenly came into view once it was past the shield’s influence. It was shuddering but lifting steadily. Starfire was right; Captain Dune was a good pilot.
“Starfire, get behind the Diamond,” said ordered. “Shadow her engines.”
“Aye, Sir,” Starfire came up behind the struggling transport. “Steady as you go, Diamond,” she said into her com. “You’re safe from impact. We’re right behind you on shadow trajectory.”
“Our thrusters are erratic,” said Dune. “I need to switch to the star drive as soon as possible.”
“Not yet, Captain,” said Raan, calmly, looking into his scope. “You’re too near to Asteroid Twenty Nine and we’re right up your tailpipe. Just hold out a little longer.”
“The replacement fighters are now in strike range,” said Delta Ten, calmly. The Starport on Terrell was talking about them again and Delta Ten put it through.
“This is Beta Leader Scott in fighter One, Port. I thought you said those pirate raiders had gone, Commander.”
“They did, Scott. Captain Anders saw them go to hyper.”
“Well, Anders needs bloody specs then, doesn’t he, because my scope shows the same configuration.”
“Just get them out of my system, Scott. Again! Shoot ‘em all down if you have to.” Erion smiled, grimly. It looked like their idea of painting the Grennig and the Rising Star in similar colours was working. She looked over at Starfire.
“What do you need, Lieutenant?” she asked, her hands raised over her crystal display, “speed or shields?”
“Rear shields,” answered Starfire.
“Ready everyone,” said Erion, “there are five hundred souls depending on us. Starfire, keep as close to the Diamond as you can: Hal, Raan, Green squadron, do your best to keep them off our tail.” The Grennig bucked violently as it was hit by laser fire and it jerked from the recoil as Hal and Raan fired the rear facing cannons. There was an explosion nearby and a fighter from Green squadron disintegrated in a silent, red and yellow flash.
“We’re on our way, Erion,” yelled Tranter in the Josie Dog. “Just hang on a bit longer.”
“The Rising Star and the Josie Dog will be in range in two minutes,” said Del, quietly. There was an explosion behind them as another Alliance fighter exploded in a ball of flame then the Rising Star and the Josie Dog shot by them to engage the remaining enemy fighters.
“Shit!” yelled Starfire as she saw the three engines at the rear of the Diamond light up, “she’s going to light!”
“Not yet, Diamond,” shouted Raan into his com, “wait till we get past...”
“Del, hard to port!” Starfire yelled and cut him off. She swung the Grennig to the left and down in an attempt to get away from it. Their gyros strained with a high pitched whine as the Grennig’s nose dipped and it turned quickly to port.
The star drive engines on the rear of the Diamond turned from white, to blue, then purple and finally to red as it prepared to go into hyperdrive. One of the enemy fighters seized its chance and took aim at the exposed target. The Diamond’s rear, port engine was hit a glancing blow and it was shunted forward and to the left. It spun around until it faced the other way and came to a shuddering stop. Starfire brought the Grennig back around and managed to get in front of it, facing the last remaining enemy fighters.
“Forward shields,” yelled Hal, Starfire and Raan together, and Erion’s fingers danced over the output crystals. The expected impact didn’t come, however, and Jed’s voice came over the com.
“All enemy ships destroyed, Major. What the frag went wrong?”
“Er hello?” said a voice from the Diamond. “I just knocked out your pilot. There’s nobody in command in here.”
“Jon Carly, is that you?” asked Hal.
“Terrellian guy?” he answered. “Hang on a minute till I get my bearings here.” There was a short burst of static then a quarter sized view of the pilot section of Diamond lit up in full holographic splendour in the centre of Starfire’s console. Carly was just heaving Captain Dune out of her seat. She rolled gently onto the floor and Carly tied her hands behind her back with some twine from his pocket. He tried to look apologetic, but he clearly wasn’t. “Look, I’m sorry I clobbered your pilot, but she went crazy. She landed too fast and her co-pilot hit his head and knocked himself out. She asked if anyone had flying experience and I came up here. I’ve only flown class four tiger sharks but she said it was better than nothing. We got the co-pilot out of here and I took his place. She panicked and tried to fire up the light drive as soon as she saw your other ships go by. I couldn’t stop her.”
“Well, you’re in command for the moment Mr Carly,” said Erion. “Can you manoeuvre?”
“Yeah,” he answered, sliding into the pilot seat. “We’re one thruster down so it won’t be much fun for the passengers.”
“Follow us, Mr Carly,” said Starfire, and watched as the big liner swung erratically around to face the other way. They all met behind Asteroid twenty nine and the Grennig and the Rising Star docked on either side of the stricken ship. Con Tranter docked the Josie Dog on the other side of the Rising Star then he and Jed Cloud went to the Diamond’s pilot section. There were short introductions and handshakes all round.
“Tranter,” called Erion, “what state is it in?”
“Completely fragged, Erion. Its flying days are over. ”
“Right,” she said. “Mr Carly, divide your passengers into three groups. “How many people can you take, Con?”
“Only twenty, Erion,” he answered, blushing furiously. Only his mother and now Erion ever called him by his given name, “and adults only. No kids.” He was thinking of the sheer drop to the cargo bay floor.
“Mr Carly, get twenty people ready to go to the Josie Dog and divide the rest into two equal groups. We’ll take half and the rest can go with Jed. Hand luggage only, I’m afraid. All your possessions will have to be left behind. We don’t have the room or the time.”
“Understood, Sir,” answered Carly, recognising that she was in command. He leaned down and spoke into the internal com,” Everyone, it’s me, Jon Carly. Please be calm and start making your way to the dining room. Don’t worry, help is here and we are going to transfer to another ship for the rest of our journey.”
People soon started to arrive at the large room behind the pilot section. Jon Carly had used his brain and there was at least one prisoner to help with every little group of frightened Terrellians. Jed stood at the starboard hatch and Jon Carly stood at the port side, steadily passing all the passengers through to the Rising Star and the Grennig. Delta Ten and Tranter went down to the engineering section and started the process to pump out the passenger liner’s fuel to top up the empty tanks of the Grennig and the other Alliance ships.
“We’re all done here, Major,” said Jed. He broke away from the stricken passenger ship and Con Tranter called the Josie Dog by remote control to take its place.
“Permission to leave, Major,” called the pilot of the Tanker that ferried their fighters.
“Yes, Lyn, permission granted.” By the time all the passengers had been moved to their rescue ships, the refuelling was finished. The Grennig, the Rising Star and the Josie Dog backed off to look at the forlorn liner as
it hung motionless in the darkness. Jon Carly had gone to the Josie Dog with Tranter and sat in the co-pilot’s seat beside him.
“You know what we gotta do now?” he said softly.
“Yeah, I know, Tranter. There’s a lifetime of their stuff on that ship.”
“We can’t let the federation get a hold of it, Carly, you know that.”
“Yeah, I know that too. Can I ask a favour?”
“Sure, anything, man.” Carly turned around in his seat to a mature Terrellian woman sitting at the gunnery console. She had a face that looked like it was usually smiling and Tranter noticed that she only had three fingers on each hand.
“Orla, we can’t let it fall into their hands.” The woman nodded and Carly leaned towards the com in front of him. “Permission to destroy the Diamond, Sir?”
“Permission granted, Mr Carly,” answered Erion, from the Grennig. Tranter flicked a few fingers over his console.
“The guns are at her command,” he said quietly. Jon Carly pointed to a button on the console in front of Orla and she jabbed it twice.
“We will reach Planet Nikal in twenty minutes,” stated Delta Ten. The whole Grennig crew was present on deck, mainly because there wasn’t much room anywhere else. Every deck of the ship was full of people. Some were sitting on cases or lying down, trying to relax. Most of the children were running up and down and a child was playing with a small dog, chasing it up and down corridors. Delta Ten had thought ahead and transferred most of the water and food supplies over from the Diamond while he was filling the fuel tanks and, although the food replicator was working overtime, it was keeping up with the demand for food and drink.
It was a long haul all the way from the Terrellian system, but at least it was on their side of the quadrant. Hal hadn’t moved from his gunnery section at all after a quick trip to the Vanity involved him meeting dozens of people on the way there and back, all of whom wanted to shake him by the hand. He declined all drinks after that and decided to hold himself in after Erion refused permission for him to relieve himself into a disposable cup in the pilot section.
Starfire had insisted that Captain Dune should not know or see where they were going, so they had locked her in the spare cabin until they could decide what to do with her.
“So come on then,” began Raan, after they had done so. “Spill the beans.”
“I was at the Academy with her,” began Starfire. “She was particularly nasty to me: a real bitch. She was a good pilot though, but she couldn’t take any pressure. She was real good in simulations, but when we started going out on proper missions she used to hang back. You know, never took any chances; always played it safe. We were paired up once and she froze on me. I had to take charge but when we got back, she put the blame on me and I got demoted.”
“Why didn’t you tell us about it?” asked Erion.
“Look, by the time I realised it was her out there, it was too late to do anything,” answered Starfire. “Anyway, it was a few years ago. People can change.”
“Apparently not Captain Dune,” stated Erion.
“We are about to leave hyperspace,” stated Delta Ten.
“Rig for landing, please Captain,” said Erion. Raan leaned forward and spoke into the com.
“This is the co-pilot speaking. We are about to leave hyperspace. Please sit down and hold onto something if you can. All hatches will automatically close in ten seconds. I repeat; all hatches will close in ten seconds.” The lighting elsewhere on the ship changed to orange and the Grennig began to slow down. There was a jerk and everyone’s stomach turned over for a second or two, then the grey blur in front of the windows changed to a star map and they were there. They landed at the rear of the house, alongside the Antelope, the Valiant, the Rising Star and the Josie Dog. Hundreds of people clapped their hands over their ears and watched them land, rushing forward as soon as the Grennig’s massive engines powered down from a screaming roar to a high whine, a low whistle and then stopped. Raan lowered the rear cargo bay loading ramp and all the passengers streamed out. The Grennig crew sat in the pilot section and looked down at all the people, milling around, laughing and talking excitedly.
Starfire touched Raan’s hand, gently. “Nik couldn’t have a better epitaph.”
“I know,” he smiled. Erion stood up.
“Well, let’s get down there.” She stopped at Hal’s gunnery post, just by the entrance hatch. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re hiding under there,” she began, and turned to face Starfire, Raan and Delta Ten. “We can’t turn the pilot section into a urinal, just because somebody doesn’t like meeting people. I will find out who smuggled him that disposable mug.” She swept out.
Jon Carly, Tranter, Jed Cloud and his brothers were there to meet them as they walked down the empty ramp. It was a warm, autumn afternoon and the distant, red sun was sinking in the sky. The Trenee had obviously gone a bit over the top with their hypnotism and the Terrellians had set up some tables and benches outside and a barbecue was in full swing. Aurians, Terrellians and Valasians mingled and talked together in small groups and the children were running wild about the garden and pointing up at the sky in wonder and amazement. Carly called Orla over and she smiled at Hal and Starfire.
“We meet again,” she said, as Starfire shook her hand. Orla had been the first person to greet them when they first found themselves guests of the Trenee, a year ago.
“Orla is a first class engineer,” said Jon Carly, proudly, as if he was taking credit for her somehow. “The Terrellians see her as their leader and she’s been organising things.”
“It looks like the two of you have got things well in hand,” smiled Erion, and Orla blushed.
“A hundred and forty families and seventy six ex-prisoners wish to go to Katraia,” she said. Eighty two of the prisoners would like their families to be informed and to join them here, but the others have no dependents.”
“We can't take them with us today,” explained Erion. “We need to get back to the, well we need to refuel before we can go all the way to Katraia.”
“Oh, no Major Dubois,” said Carly. “They’ll wait till you’re ready.” He passed her a data crystal. “These are the details of all the prisoner’s families.”
“What about you, Carly?” asked Starfire. “You should be first up. Who would you like us to contact for you?” He looked down at his hands. They looked long and slender, like a pianist’s hands, but working in the prison compound had toughened them up and they were calloused and worn.
“I don’t have anyone anymore,” he said. Starfire grabbed his hand and placed it in Orla’s.
“Well, now you do.”
”Lieutenant?” Delta Ten caught her eye.
“It is time to take refreshment to Captain Dune.” Starfire sighed, heavily.
“Couldn’t Raan do it again?” She had steadfastly refused any contact with the young woman.
“It’s time to face your demons, Lieutenant,” said Erion, in a tone that brooked no argument. Starfire sighed again and walked to one of the tables, which was now groaning with food. She filled a plate, covered it with a napkin and passed it to Delta Ten to carry. The two of them, with Starfire now carrying coffee in a large, disposable, lidded cup, walked up the ramp and headed to the spare cabin. She knocked and walked in after a few seconds. Captain dune was sitting on the side of the bed and looked up as Starfire placed the coffee on a small table.
“You!” snapped Dune, her face white with shock.
"Tara,” acknowledged Starfire, taking the tray from Delta Ten to place it on the table, facing the wall. Delta Ten went to stand by the door and Starfire pulled the chair out from underneath the table and perched on it, placing the napkin and coffee by the plate.
“So you’re famous pilot of the Grennig then?” said Dune. “I thought I recognised the voice but I couldn’t place it. I guess you’re really pleased to see me like this.” Starfire sat down on the chair and looked straight ahead.
“No,” she said,
but I guess I am the reason you’re in here. I should have said something before, but I thought you might have changed,” she looked at her, “you know, grown up a bit.”
“Dune looked Starfire up and down. “Still a Lieutenant, then,” she said, peering hard at her faded badge. “I guess I accomplished something to be proud of at the Academy.”
“You’re an idiot,” said Starfire. “I’m having a great time. Got the best ship in the fleet,” she looked over at Delta Ten, “and the best crew in the galaxy.”
“You’ll always be Terrellian scum though,” spat Dune.
“And I’ll always be better than you,” said Starfire, quietly. “You’re a coward, Captain Dune. I pity you, spending your whole life afraid. You’ll never fly in combat for the Alliance again. I’ll see to that.”
“You little Terry bitch! You came too close to me out there. You crowded me on purpose. Do you think anyone will believe you over me? I know Gant personally. I’ll get you thrown out of the Rebel Alliance.” She was screaming by then.
“Eat your meal,” said Starfire.
“What an obnoxious person that was,” said Delta Ten as they walked to the Grennig’s internal Aircar.
“Yeah, she hasn’t changed much. I don’t know what Gant will do with her, but he can’t put her in a position of authority again.”
“I must leave you now, Lieutenant,” began Delta Ten. “I am tasked with re-fuelling all our ships for the journey back to the Cantina.”
“Thanks, Del,” answered Starfire, “You’re a good man.”
“I try to be Lieutenant.” They went in separate directions at the bottom of the ramp and Starfire stopped to pick up a little dog that yapped around her ankles. She stroked it and handed it back to a small child, who thanked her and ran off with it.
“Hey Star,” Raan called her over, “have you seen Hal?”
“Went to his quarters,” answered Starfire. “I took him some food after I saw Captain Dune. Says all this joy and happiness is making him ill.”
“Erion says we’re going back to the Cantina,” he said. “We’re dropping off Captain Dune and then going on to Tranter’s for the night.”
Starfire and the Space Dragons: A Grennig Crew Adenture Page 20