Defenders of the Rim: Beginnings: A Far Future SciFi Thriller

by Randal Sloan

  Jarra thought back to the planning session with her team while their ship was being prepped and readied. She had started the meeting explaining to Galen that she wanted him to plot them a course for a standard hyperspace entry near the “southern” end of the system and then to traverse over to the nebula. “We don’t want to tip our hand. Compared to what we had to do last time, this part should be a walk in the park.”

  Galen smiled. “I hope we never have to do again what we did then. That, and waiting while those depth charges exploded around us was the most terrifying experiences I’ve ever had. The worst part was knowing that there was nothing we could do but wait it out and hope they missed.”

  “How do you think it felt to me, the control freak?” Jarra told him. “It was one of the few times in my life I’ve felt completely helpless. I’ve always been able to push forward and work toward whatever I had for my goals. Obstacles were just something to overcome. But there I was, nothing I could do, and I have my team to worry about too. It’s my job to protect you.”

  “I beg your pardon, Your Highness,” Sara interrupted. “But it’s our job to protect you.” The whole team came to stand in front of her; Sasha was there with the rest of them.

  “That’s why I have the best team in the world,” Jarra told them. “But you’re not going to like the next part of my plan.” That got their attention. “I need to bring Greg with us. We have to offer the rebels one chance to surrender. I’m hoping he’ll be able to convince his father to do so.”

  Jarra just looked at them all for a moment. “You know how I feel about the rebels. But if we can’t convince them to surrender, we’re looking at a lot of bloodshed, no matter what. Some of it our own, a lot of it on their side I hope.”

  “That means we have to drop out of hyperspace long enough to talk to them,” Gabo told her. “That would make us an easy target.”

  “Not if we launch a drone using our new system while still in hyperspace. They won’t be able to pinpoint our location while we have our little chat. By the time they can get a destroyer close enough to try to look for us, we’ll be gone.”

  “I think I can extend the range a little so we can slip further into hyperspace just in case. I agree it’s worth a try as long as we can keep you safe. First sign of trouble though, we’re out of there,” Gabo looked at the others, who nodded. “Oh, and you get to tell Prince John.”

  Jarra couldn’t help but smile. He had been right about that. She had found convincing her cousin of the change in their plans was indeed quite difficult, but he eventually went along with it. He really had no choice. After all, she’d spent most of her lifetime convincing her father, uncle, and cousin to let her do the things that they’d eventually let her do.

  Bringing herself back to the present, Jarra looked over toward their passenger. She hadn’t decided yet what to do about him. A few hours ago, she’d been ready to hang him along with his father. But she believed him when he said he hadn’t really been a part of his father’s plan and she’d seen in him his true regret about his involvement. Even more so, she believed he had reached a pivotal point in his life where he had realized just how much he had let his father’s power and influence control his life, and it looked to her like he had decided he wanted to change that.

  “Got them!” Galen announced suddenly, his excitement obvious, but his voice pitched low as if he was afraid the enemy would hear him. He put up a display of the area for them all to see. “A large group of ships. Looks like two squadrons, just like we were expecting.”

  “Find our target,” Jarra told him. She brought their ship to a stop just inside the hyperspace cloud surrounding the large eddy in hyperspace where the enemy was hiding, albeit in their case where they had dropped back into real space. Even as large an eddy as they faced would have become unstable with that many ships occupying it. The eddy would allow them quick access back into hyperspace when they decided to move, but the nebula in real space would hide them there.

  “That’s it there,” Gabo pointed at the large ship in the middle of the formation. “And it’s huge, I’ve got to give you that. Wow!”

  They stared at the ship for a moment. It was at least twice the size of a standard super-dreadnought and it bristled with weapon pods. “I’m picking up at least three power sources. With its shields at max, it probably could take a hundred missile hits simultaneously and not blink.”

  “Luckily for us, it can’t hide in the nebula and run those shields active or it would be lit up like a Christmas tree. Program a hyper-capable drone with the coordinates and send them to Prince John. If he places his ships with the modified missile ports here,” Jarra pointed to the display, indicating an area deep within the section of the hyper cloud where Jarra’s ship was hiding, “how long would the missile run be in real space?”

  “Hyperspace is really convoluted in this area. It’s actually a much shorter distance in real space than it would be in hyper.” Gabo pulled up the specs on the Imperial missiles the Empire’s capital ships carried. “If he uses his capital missiles, thirty seconds.”

  “I figure it would take two to three minutes for them to get their shields up to full strength.” Jarra smiled at the thought of catching them with their pants down, so to speak.

  “Launch the drone,” Jarra told him. “Let me know when John is in place.”

  #

  It had only taken a few minutes for her cousin to get his ships in place, but it seemed like forever to Jarra. Finally the last ship was positioned and ready. Jarra also knew the other two Imperial squadrons were being brought in from the sides so that they could catch the rebel ships in a pincer movement. If they could take the monster ship out, the other rebel ships wouldn’t stand a chance. Finally, their drone was returned with a brief message indicating the ships were ready. The enemy still showed no signs of being aware of their presence.

  “Take us to the edge of hyperspace and launch the com drone.” Jarra told Gabo.

  Jarra turned to Greg. “Are you ready?” she asked him.

  “Yes, Your Highness,” Greg told her. She had been unable to get him to stop calling her that. “I hope he will listen, but I doubt it will do any good. He’s always been an arrogant man. He’s also a little crazy, ranting about my great-grandfather being slighted by the first Emperor.”

  “I know,” Jarra answered. “But we have to try. It’s the only thing I can do in good conscience.”

  “Drone is in position,” Gabo told her.

  Jarra took a deep breath. “Attention rebel ships. This is Crown Princess Jarraosa Christinee Von Hasson. We have your ships surrounded and outnumbered. I demand your immediate surrender or you will be destroyed.”

  It was several seconds before a flustered Governor Resault appeared in her 3D VR. “We don’t recognize your authority out here on the Rim, little girl. Why don’t you go home and play with your dolls?”

  Jarra looked over at Greg who turned on his VR pickup. “She’s telling the truth, Dad.” Greg told him. “You’re surrounded, outnumbered, and don’t stand a chance.”

  “I wondered how they found us,” Governor Resault answered him. “You’ve betrayed us.”

  “No, it’s you that have betrayed us,” Greg told him. “You were wrong about the Emperor and his family and you have chosen the wrong side. Give up, or die, I don’t much care any more.”

  Governor Resault had turned red in the face. He was spitting as he answered. “I will never give up. You see this ship. We’ll wipe out the whole lot of you and then take over the District.”

  The Governor laughed. “Since you’ve chosen not to join me, I hereby disown you as my son,” he told Greg. “You can’t possibly be a Resault. Your mother obviously had an affair and I’m not your real father. Too bad I wasted all those years, but now it doesn’t matter. You always were worthless. You can die with the rest of them as far as I’m concerned.” He broke the connection.

  “They’re powering up their shields,” Gabo told Jarra.

  “Send
the launch code,” Jarra said. “It’s now on his head.”

  #

  Nine hundred capital missiles launched in real space from John’s hidden Imperial ships, all of them targeted on the monitor ship. The rebel monitor ship was still trying to get most of his defenses up and the shields were only at about half capacity. A few defensive missiles launched and a few lasers shot out to bat down the incoming missiles, but most of them made it through. Any other ship would have been destroyed outright, but that monster was still somehow there when the explosions ceased. However, it was already a battered wreck and the shields flickered, huge holes appearing in its defensive grid.

  Nine hundred more missiles were already on their way when Gabo announced, “I have a small ship slipping out the back side of the rebel monitor. It’s attempting to get away.”

  “I’m sure it’s my father,” Greg told them. “He always was a coward. If he can’t bluster his way through, he turns tail and runs.” Then he smiled. “Well, since he no longer claims me, I guess I no longer have to claim him.”

  The second round of missiles struck the monster ship. This time none of them were intercepted and nothing was left but debris. Unfortunately, the fleeing ship managed to escape the zone of destruction.

  “Will any of the destroyers be able to catch him?” Jarra asked Galen.

  Galen glanced at his plot. “No, I don’t think so. They aren’t quite in position yet to pincher him in and he’s got too much of a lead for even their destroyers to catch him.”

  “I guess it’s up to us, then,” Jarra said. “Find us a path through, Galen.”

  She turned to Sara, “Send a message to John. Tell him we’re in pursuit of the governor and we’ll return shortly.”

  “Be careful, Your Highness,” Greg told Jarra. “His ship is armed, at least as much if not more so, than your ship.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Jarra answered him. “It’s our duty to pursue him and do whatever it takes to stop him. Besides, this ship has a bit more teeth than you know about.” She gave him a smile.

  “Sara,” Jarra went on. “Start trying to hack the Governor’s AI systems. Let me know when you’ve managed to get through to them.”

  The other ships in the rebel squadron were already coming alive and getting their defenses up, but they were disorganized in their maneuvers, unable to coordinate a defense. John had already switched his missile launches to the rebel super-dreadnoughts and they were taking a pounding. The rebels still hadn’t figured out where the attacks were coming from, although Jarra knew that wouldn’t last.

  “I have a course,” Galen finally said. “It’s risky, because we’ll have to pass through the edge of the fire zone, and we could catch an accidental strike.”

  “We’ll have to risk it,” Jarra said, their ship already moving. “We can’t let him get away. Full stealth mode.”

  In seconds, they were already feeling the effects of the battle as shock wave after shock wave rocked their ship, but their stealth protected them. Jarra knew that wouldn’t last, so she tried to move their ship as fast as she could without giving up their stealth. They had barely made it halfway through when one of the enemy super-dreadnoughts exploded violently, the effects of the explosion extremely bright. Jarra knew that the light from the explosion had to have been enough to expose their ship.

  “We’re being targeted by multiple ships,” Gabo warned. “I don’t know that I can stop them all. You’ve got to get us out of here, or we’re dead.”

  Jarra had already shoved their speed up to the max, but she could see how bad the plot looked. It looked like she had gambled poorly on this one, and now her team was in serious trouble. “Galen, have you got any course that will help,” she asked him. “Those missiles are going to be on us in a moment.”

  Galen shook his head. “I’m sorry, commander. I’ve got nothing. Nothing is going to get us clear of those missiles in time.”

  Gabo had managed to decoy a few of the missiles and Sara was still trying to jam as many as she could, but they all knew it was hopeless. There were just too many. They all looked at their commander, expecting her to pull a miracle out of the thin air. Jarra knew she had nothing. She couldn’t believe it would end like this, after all they had been through together.

  The missiles were getting closer. Soon it would all be over.

  #

  Suddenly Gabo announced excitedly, “I’m getting a message from Prince John. He says come to the following course and speed.” As he patched the course directly to her plot, he continued. “The message ends with ‘Jujutsu!’ It’s repeated twice.”

  Jarra knew that was her cousin telling her of his strategy. Jujutsu was a martial arts style that relied on strategies against an armed and armored opponent that did not depend on attacking with weapons. She had just matched the course and speed he had designated when two of Prince John’s super-dreadnoughts dropped out of hyperspace between her ship and the enemy, effectively providing her with cover.

  Jarra cringed as John’s ships drew the fire of the enemy, but she quickly realized the number of enemy missiles that appeared overwhelming to her small ship were actually not that many for the two super-dreadnoughts to handle. She still worried that they would take casualties or that even someone on those ships would die because of her folly, but there was nothing that she could do about it right now.

  Nevertheless, not wasting any time, Jarra completed her transition of the battle zone. “Please tell me you haven’t lost him,” Jarra told Gabo.

  “Nope, he’s not even attempting to follow an evasive course. He’s running like a scared dog. It will take us a few minutes, but now that you can move at full speed, we’ll be able to overtake him.”

  Greg had remained quiet during most of the battle, but he spoke up now. “Yes, but when you get close, he’ll turn on you like a cornered dog.”

  “Send us what you know about his armament,” Jarra told him.

  “I can do better than that,” Greg told her. “I have all the specs on his ship. Sending them now.”

  For a few moments, Jarra studied the specs, realizing that the governor’s ship out-massed her ship nearly by a factor of two and carried missiles that were considerably more powerful than hers and had a longer reach. How in the galaxy did he manage to do that on a private yacht? She needed something to give her a bit of an edge, but so far she was coming up blank.

  #

  Sasha had been rather nervous when she boarded the ship with the others. Would they accept her as a full team member? While they completed their search for the rebel ships, she hadn’t had much to do other than occasionally pinging Galen’s implants with suggestions for the next leg of their search. He had a couple of times sent her a polite, “Thanks,” but she still felt she was only contributing the minimum to the team. Will they reject me once the day is done?

  When they began the chase through hyperspace, at first Sasha was just caught up in the excitement of the chase, and her fears of what would happen when they finally cornered the Governor’s ship. Would they be able to handle it? But as she watched the patterns of the flows of hyperspace in front of them, she had an idea. She pinged Jarra. “I read the specs on your torpedoes. Do you believe they are powerful enough to overcome the Governor’s ship?”

  Jarra shook her head. “I’m not sure. It looks like he’s acquired some of the alien tech. The power curves we’re seeing for that ship are higher than should be possible for that size ship. But if we can hit him with a stream of torpedoes for several seconds, they should be able to penetrate his shields.”

  Sasha nodded. “I think I know a way. We have a section of straits and narrows coming up ahead of us.”

  Jarra had an idea of what she was up to and she liked the way the girl thought. She smiled at Sasha. “It’s quite brilliant, if you can pull it off. Do it!”

  Sasha flashed a location in front of them in hyperspace, copying Galen. “We need to be in this position, two minutes on my mark. Give us a course and speed to make it so
.” She paused a second, looking at the fleeing ship’s course, before saying, “Mark.”

  As he tried to figure out how to plot the desired course, Galen couldn’t help but think this was payback for his comment when he first came aboard their ship. He had said he could plot any course in hyperspace. He had already come to respect Sasha’s ability to see the patterns in hyperspace, but at first he didn’t understand what she was up to. But as he plotted the course requested, it all came together. When he figured it out, he realized once again their newest team-member had quite a brilliant mind. He also had to admit, if it worked, the governor would never know what hit him.

  Aeres’ course slowly diverged from the course of the ship they were pursuing. Their diversion allowed the Governor’s ship to run a little longer, probably giving him false hope he could escape without a fight. To make it worse, Jarra kicked the stealth back in so that to the Governor’s ship, they appeared to disappear. They raced ahead, Jarra able to keep their ship stealth working despite their considerable speed.

  Finally, they arrived at the target coordinates. Jarra knew they had only one shot at this. “Prepare to launch torpedoes,” she told Gabo as she spun the bow of their ship toward the path the Governor’s ship would cross. For a few seconds, the other ship would be trapped in a section of hyperspace where they would not be able to deviate from their course, a narrows as they called them. “Keep launching torpedoes until the ship is either destroyed or it moves out of our range.”

  Gabo had been listening in on their channels, so he was waiting for her orders. He kept an eye on the plot. The Governor’s ship would enter the narrows in a few seconds and it would actually pick up speed toward them, but they would be unable to pull out from that course. He waited a small fraction of a second to be sure they were committed to the course, and then he held down the launch button. A stream of torpedoes poured out from the Aeres’ torpedo launcher. In seconds the torpedoes began striking the Governor’s ship repeatedly.