by Ryk Brown
“Yes, sir,” she answered. She had already called up one of the ship’s forward cameras and was using it to zoom in on the target and let Tug inspect it to find the exact point she should aim for. “Two kilometers and closing.”
Nathan watched as the enemy ship continued on its course, making no evasive maneuvers whatsoever. “Why isn’t he maneuvering?”
“Captain!” Kaylah shouted. “His aft sensor array is in shreds! He can’t see us!”
“Hot damn!” Nathan declared, realizing they had just gotten the luckiest break they could ask for.
“One kilometer!” Jessica reported.
“There,” Tug stated, pointing at the image on the tactical console and zooming in. Aim there.”
“Target acquired and locked, Captain,” Jessica reported. “Waiting for optimum firing range.”
“Come on, Josh. A little bit more.”
“Five hundred meters.”
“A little more,” Nathan coaxed.
“Two hundred and fifty meters.”
“Close enough. Fire!” Nathan ordered.
All remaining eleven rail guns fired their explosive hull penetrating rounds at the same time, and on the same exact spot on the underside of the Yamaro. The first few hundred rounds tore away at the outer hull enough that the following rounds were able to penetrate the hull and wreak havoc inside the engineering section of the warship. Within moments, secondary explosions began to rock the ship, sending sections of her outer hull spiraling away.
“Cease fire! Disengage and peel off!”
The Aurora dove down and banked to starboard, turning away from the damaged warship as more explosions rocked her aft section.
“Her shields are down, Captain!” Kaylah reported.
“She’s slowing as well,” Cameron reported. “I think she’s losing power,” Jessica reported.
“Maintain full power, Josh. Get us away from her guns.”
Nathan rotated around in his seat to look at Jessica. “Nice shootin’ Tex.” Jessica just winked, and then looked back down at her console. “She’s launching fighters.”
“So, this would mean that he’s desperate, right?” Nathan asked Tug.
“I’d say yes.”
“New contact!” Kaylah reported. “Transferring to tactical.”
“What? You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“It’s multiple contacts,” Jessica corrected. “I’m picking up at least three more squadrons of Ta’Akar fighters coming from Corinair, sir.”
“What the hell?”
“Yup, they’re definitely coming in on an intercept bearing.”
“So we’re caught in between two waves of fighters?”
“Yes, sir. That’s the way it looks.”
“Any chance we can hold them off with rail guns?”
“A slim chance.”
“Damn it.” Nathan turned to Abby. “Abby, whenever you’re ready.”
“One minute.”
“What do you plan to do?” Jalea asked.
“I guess we’ll just have to keep jumping out of range until we can reposition and jump back into the vicinity of the Yamaro and finish him off once and for all. Then we can just stand off until those fighters run out of fuel and have to land.”
“Captain, is there no way that we can capture that ship in one piece?” Tug begged. “Even if she cannot be repaired, the weapons and technology on her could be added to your ship. It would be a big help.”
It was an idea that Nathan had already considered. But in light of new developments, he just didn’t see a way to make it happen, especially if the Yamaro was actually getting support from Corinair.
“I don’t get it,” Nathan said. “That ship was bombing them back into the stone age. Why would they come to their rescue?”
“Perhaps to prove their loyalty to the Empire, despite their treatment, in the hopes that the captain of the Yamaro might spare them out of gratitude.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“We’re ready to jump, Captain,” Abby reported.
“Very well-”
“Captain, wait!” Jessica interrupted. “The incoming fighters aren’t adjusting their intercept course to stay on us.” Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening. “The fighters from the surface aren’t coming after us, sir! They’re going after the Yamaro’s fighters.”
“You’re kidding!” Lucky break number two, Nathan thought.
Although a few of them took passing shots as they streaked by, the Yamaro’s fighters mostly ignored the Aurora as they continued on and met the incoming Corinairan fighters.
“Yes!” Nathan exclaimed.
“The two groups are now engaged,” Jessica reported.
“What about the Yamaro?” Nathan asked. “Where is he now?”
“He’s trying to run behind Corinair, sir,” Kaylah reported.
“Josh,” Nathan started.
“I’m after him,” Josh interrupted as he changed course.
“Captain, if he gets too close to the planet, we won’t be able to jump in close any more,” Abby reported. “The planet’s gravity will make it too risky.”
“And he’s still got guns, so we can’t just run up to him at sub-light.”
“But he doesn’t know that, does he?” Nathan asked, not really expecting an answer. “Abby, plot a jump to put us behind him again. Let’s take advantage of his blind spot once more.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Comms, hail the Yamaro. I want to speak to Captain de Winter.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What are you going to say to him?” Jalea asked.
“I’m going to offer him a chance to surrender,” Nathan said.
“Nathan,” Jalea said, “I highly doubt he would even consider-”
“She is correct, Captain,” Tug interrupted. “His honor is at stake, as is the honor and security of his family.”
“So, he’d rather die than be dishonored?”
“Death before dishonor. It is the way of the nobleman,” Tug explained.
“Well, you may be right. But offering someone an opportunity to surrender is our way. It’s something that we consider honorable. In fact, we consider it just as honorable to surrender against inevitable defeat, rather than sacrificing your forces needlessly.”
“Also a noble sentiment,” Tug agreed.
“I’ve got the captain of the Yamaro on the comms sir.”
“On screen,” Nathan ordered. A moment later, the pompous image of Captain de Winter filled their main view screen once more.
“You’ve done surprisingly well for yourself thus far, Captain Scott. I congratulate you.”
“I’m offering you a chance to surrender, sir. There’s no need for you or your crew to die in the cold of space.”
“My, but you are an overconfident young man, aren’t you?” he said with a laugh, after which his transmission ended.
“I’m the overconfident one?” Nathan muttered.
“Jump is plotted,” Abby reported.
“Rail guns ready, Jess?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Josh, when we come out of the jump, flip us over and pull us in over the top of him. We’ll linger there as long as we can before jumping out.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Jess, concentrate fire on his guns. We need to remove his claws. Maybe that will deflate his ego a bit.”
“I wouldn’t count on it,” she answered.
“Abby, I’m going to need a really fast escape jump. Even a few light seconds will do.”
“Yes, sir.”
“All right then. One more time. Jump.”
“Jumping,” Abby reported.
Again the flash filled the bridge. Suddenly, the main view screen was filled with the image of the Yamaro, not more than a few hundred meters away, and the planet Corinair, which was now filling nearly half the screen.
“Whoa! Up and over, Josh!”
Josh pulled the nose up and rolled the ship over as they pulled up
over the top of the Yamaro, matching her speed as he did so.
“Open fire,” Nathan ordered calmly.
The Aurora’s rail guns again began ripping apart the exterior of the Yamaro. Targeting her main guns, which were of no use to her at such close ranges, the rapid strikes of the explosive projectiles shredded the enemy’s weapons in seconds.
“She’s lost most of her main guns, Captain. Only about six of them left on her forward half,” Jessica reported.
“She’s launching more fighters!” Kaylah announced.
“Helm, back us away. Jess, re-target all guns on the fighters. Try to pick them off as they launch.”
Josh began shaving off speed in order to slowly back away from the enemy ship. Fighters began shooting out of her sides. The rail guns were able to pick of the first few fighters, but their pilots quickly caught on and began ducking down under the Yamaro for cover immediately after launch.
“It’s no good, they’re too fast,” Jessica admitted. “I can’t track them all.”
“Raise the Yamaro again,” Nathan ordered.
Again the main screen displayed the image of Captain de Winter from the bridge of the Yamaro. However, this time, the visual was distorted, as was the audio.
“You have one more chance to surrender, Captain.”
“I am a nobleman. Better to die in space than in a prison cell. You’ll have no surrender from me,” he responded before ending the brief transmission.
“Ready to jump, sir,” Abby reported.
“Captain,” Jessica said, appearing somewhat puzzled. “The fighters. They’re breaking off. They’re not coming after us.”
“Where are they headed?”
“Out into space, apparently.”
“What the-”
“Uh oh,” Jessica interrupted. “I’m detecting multiple missile launches on the surface.”
“From Corinair?”
“Yes, sir,” Jessica answered, just as confused as Nathan.
“Are they targeting us?”
“I don’t think so. At least I’m not detecting any weapons locks on us.”
“Incoming message from the Yamaro, sir,” the comm-officer reported.
Nathan looked at Tug, another puzzled look on his face.
“Put him on,” Nathan told him.
The image of a different man came onto the screen. He was standing on the bridge of the Yamaro. He was younger and not as spit and polished as Captain de Winter had been. Although Nathan did not understand the Ta’Akar rank insignias, it seemed obvious that this man was of a subordinate rank.
“To whom am I speaking?” Nathan asked.
“I am Ensign Willard. I offer our immediate surrender.”
Nathan had to fight to keep his jaw from hitting the floor. “I thought noblemen didn’t surrender,” he said. He knew it was probably not the best response as it left his lips.
“The nobles who previously commanded this vessel have been forcibly detained. I am now in command of the Yamaro. Again, I offer it to you in unconditional surrender.”
Nathan could tell that the man was very nervous about something. “Very well. We accept your surrender. Power down everything except your flight deck and life support. A boarding crew will be on its way to you shortly.”
The Ta’Akar ensign on the screen nodded respectfully just before the transmission ended.
“Now what do you think prompted that?” Nathan asked.
“It could have something to do with the dozen or so nuclear missiles that are currently locked onto them,” Jessica smiled. “Impact in three minutes.”
“Comm, contact the Corinair leadership, and ask them to abort those missiles. Let them know we are taking possession of the Yamaro, and we will be delivering her captain to them to face whatever charges they deem fit.
“Yes, sir.”
“Jess, prepare a boarding team.”
“You want us to fly them over, Captain?” Josh asked.
“If you guys leave, who the hell’s going to fly this ship?” Nathan said with a smile. “Tug, can you fly the shuttle?”
“Of course.”
“Kaylah? Are they complying?”
“Yes, sir, I’m showing systems shutting down all across their ship. Weapons were first.”
“Very well. Jess, collect their command staff. We’ll hold them in our brig for now. Once you get that ship secure in orbit, lock their crew up on their ship until we can figure out how to get them to the surface.”
“Yes, sir,” Jessica said. A smile started to creep onto her face as she left the bridge. She finally felt like she had a captain.
“She is seriously injured.” Doctor Chen paused to check the readings on the monitor display above Cameron’s bed. Nathan looked down at his friend. She was still unconscious. Her face was swollen, her head bandaged, and she was intubated, her breathing controlled by machines. She had a multitude of tubes and wires coming out of her, and there was a considerable amount of padding around her pelvis to stabilize her. Despite the fact that she was stable for now, she looked a hell of a lot worse than Captain Roberts had right before he had died.
“She has fractures of the pelvis and ribs, and a dislocated shoulder. She may also have some brain damage. There was quite a lot of intracranial pressure that had to be relieved in a hurry. And we’re still draining blood from her peritoneum, so there’s still some unresolved bleeding that we didn’t catch the first time around.”
“Why not?” Nathan asked, realizing too late that it might have sounded accusatory.
“She was just too unstable. It was better to close her up and let her stabilize a bit. We can keep giving her blood-there’s no shortage of donors on board-and we can keep draining the blood out of her abdomen. But eventually, we have to go back in and find the bleeders.”
“But you can find them, right?”
“Probably. But you have to remember, Captain; I came on board this ship to start my residency. I am not a trauma surgeon, not by any stretch of the imagination.”
“You’re all we’ve got, Doc.”
“Maybe not. Have you considered seeking medical assistance from- What was it called? Corinair? I mean, didn’t we just save their world? Surely that’s got to be worth something. And if they’re as advanced as I suspect, they could probably take considerably better care of her down there, in a real hospital, than I can up here.”
“It’s complicated,” Nathan said softly, as he stared at Cameron.
“Well you need to find a way to un-complicate it, Captain, before she dies.”
Nathan stood at her bedside for several minutes, thinking about what the doctor had said.
“How is she?” Jessica asked as she entered the room.
“Not good,” Nathan said. “Get everything squared away?”
“Yup. Got all the noblemen locked up on our brig. The rest of their crew is locked up in one of their cargo holds for now.”
“How many?”
“Only a couple hundred.”
“For a ship that size?”
“Seems a lot of it is automated.”
“What about the fighters that were still out?” Nathan asked.
“Most of them tried to bail out over Corinair. Most were captured from what I could tell. But a few may have gotten away. If they did, I suspect they’ll try to just blend in and disappear-ride it all out, so to speak.”
“Yeah.”
Jessica paused to look at Cameron. As tough as she was, she couldn’t help but feel something at seeing her friend and commanding officer in such condition.
“Listen, Nathan, there’s another problem. Enrique caught me on my way over here. He showed me some news footage he collected over the last day or so. It’s pretty crazy.” She handed him her data pad, activating it and showing him the video footage she had spoken off.
Nathan watched for several minutes before speaking. “This is not good,” he admitted, a chill washing over him.
“Yeah. I had a feeling something like this was going to
happen after that little incident in the interrogation room the other day.”
Nathan sat in the cargo area of the shuttle. Captain de Winter sat next to Nathan, and the twelve members of his command staff sat along each side of the cargo bay, chained together in rows of six.
Jessica, Enrique, and two marines, all of them armed, had accompanied them on the way down to Corinair, as had Tug and Jalea. All were dressed in the best attire they could muster, which wasn’t much considering the circumstances.
“You know, Captain, the Ta’Akar will never stand for this,” Captain de Winter said to Nathan.
“What? The imprisonment of a few arrogant noblemen?” Nathan asked. “I doubt there is a shortage.”
“No, of course not,” the captain admitted. “I speak of the civil war you have sparked.”
“If anyone sparked a civil war, Captain, it was you. Did you really think you could bomb an entire planet, and the people on it would just lie down and die?”
“While that may be true, Captain, it is you the Ta’Akar will hunt down, not I.”
“No. I suspect you’ll meet your fate far sooner,” Nathan told him as he rose to move to another seat.
Nathan walked carefully across the bouncing shuttle as it made its way to the spaceport of Corinair’s capital city, taking a seat at the far end next to Marcus.
“Captain,” Marcus greeted. “Kinda ironic, ain’t it?”
“How so?”
“Just a few hours ago, we was shootin’ our way outta this place, and now they’re welcoming us back with open arms.”
Nathan nodded silent agreement.
“Five minutes!” Tug called out from the cockpit. He and Jalea had chosen to fly the shuttle on this trip as well, leaving Josh and Loki aboard the Aurora as her flight crew. Although Vladimir had wanted to come along, Nathan had to leave someone in charge that he could trust.
Nathan had wrestled with his decision to come down to Corinair for several hours. In the end, the Corinair forces had come to his aid and assisted in the defeat of the Ta’Akar warship that had devastated their world. But other than some communications through official channels, he had not had any direct conversations with any of them. And based on the video and audio recordings gathered by his makeshift Sig-Int staff, he feared what his visit to this world might lead to.