by G J Ogden
“How long until that cruiser gets here, Ensign?” said Sterling over the still open neural link.
“It will be on top of the station in ten minutes, Captain,” Keller replied. “The Invictus is docked on its blind side, so unless it chooses to obliterate the station from standoff range, we should be safe right up until it arrives.”
“Understood, Ensign,” Sterling replied. He then tapped his neural interface to close the link.
“If they’re like the other Sa’Nerrans, they’ll want to capture us, rather than blow us to atoms,” said Banks as they both moved over to where Lieutenant Shade was positioned, at the entrance to an adjoining corridor.
“I hope so,” replied Sterling. “Luckily, the mining lasers on that cruiser don’t have the range to take us out from its current position, so we have some time.” Sterling then glanced back to Razor and Graves, who were still frantically gathering equipment and data. “Pick up the pace, let’s move!” he called over to them, trying to instill an even greater sense of urgency.
The computer attached to Sterling’s left forearm then vibrated, alerting him to an update. He checked it and saw that the approaching Sa’Nerran squads had split up.
“They’re moving around to flank us, Captain,” said Lieutenant Shade, swiftly moving to his side. “The first squad is coming in at the rear of the lab,” she continued, pointing to the markers on Sterling’s computer screen. “The other squad is trying to cut us off before we reach the dock.”
Sterling nodded. It was the alien equivalent of a flanking maneuver. “They’re trying to funnel us into the loading dock,” said Sterling, indicating the area next to the docking hatch on the level below. “What are our options, Lieutenant?”
Shade shook her head. “Limited, sir, it’s a bad position,” she replied. “If it weren’t for the cruiser, I’d say we attack, before they have chance to get into position. But we don’t have the time.”
Banks moved closer and also peered down at the screen on Sterling’s arm. “Then we fight our way out, plain and simple,” she said, her eyes becoming steely. “Let them think we’re falling into their trap. Then we hit them hard.”
Shade nodded her agreement, then she and Commander Banks both looked to Sterling, waiting for his decision.
“We’re done playing hide and seek in this system,” Sterling said, lowering his arm. The computer screen automatically dimmed and warped around his forearm as he did so. “Let’s give these bastards a fight.”
“Aye, sir,” replied Shade, coming alive as she only did when the prospect of battle was close. The weapons officer then ordered two of the commandoes to the rear and waited for Razor and Graves to finally join the group.
“Razor, Graves, move up in front with Lieutenant Shade and two of the commandoes,” Sterling said, turning to his officers. “We have to get this intel back to Admiral Griffin.”
The two officers turned to face Sterling, slightly red-faced from the frantic effort of gathering up as much gear as they could.
“Aye, Captain,” they said, one after the other, before moving out as ordered.
“Commander Banks and I will take the rear,” Sterling then added, nodding at his first officer.
There was a chorus of acknowledgments then Shade, Razor and Graves departed, with the weapons officer out in front, as was her way. Sterling then turned to Banks and raised his pistol, adjusting the power level of the weapon up by a notch.
“Remember what we talked about,” Sterling said, meeting his first officer’s eyes. “If I’m taken or I’m hit and fall behind, you shoot me in the head. No heroic rescue attempts, understood?”
“I haven’t forgotten,” replied Banks, sounding annoyed that Sterling had raised the subject again. “But that’s not going to happen,” she was quick to add. Sterling could see that her resolve had hardened, like a scab over a wound. “It’s my job to keep you alive, Captain, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
One of the commandoes at the rear signaled that the Sa’Nerran squad were close by. Sterling raised his left arm and glanced down at the screen as it solidified. The warriors were highlighted on the map as moving markers and Sterling could see they were closing rapidly. The sound of plasma weapons fire then filtered into the room from along the corridor that Shade and the others had already advanced though. Sterling slapped his first officer on her shoulder, which felt as hard as a heavy punchbag.
“Ready to kill some aliens?” Sterling said, taking up a position behind one of the stasis pods. The surgically mutilated remains of the woman Graves had operated on stared up at him with the one eye that his medical officer had left untouched.
“Always,” said Banks, moving into cover a few meters to Sterling’s side.
Plasma blasts erupted into the room and the commandoes returned fire. A warrior then bustled through, taking a hit as it charged into the laboratory. Sterling fired, blasting the alien’s head clean off its shoulders.
“Fall back,” said Sterling, steadily withdrawing out of the lab, through one of the other adjoining corridors. Banks and the commandoes also began to move as plasma blasts crisscrossed the room.
Sterling’s route would take him longer to reach the Invictus, but it would also ensure that the Sa’Nerran warriors remained separated for as long as possible. One way or another, though, he know that it would all eventually come to a head in the docking section. Then, whoever was left, would slug it out.
Plasma blasts continued to thud into the ceiling and walls as the warriors pushed Sterling and the others back. Sterling and Banks moved into the stairwell, sweeping their weapons up and down the flights of stairs as the commandoes retreated.
“We go straight down here, then right onto the cargo and docking level,” said Sterling, cautiously stepping down the first flight of stairs.
Banks called out to the commandoes, urging them to move fast then practically jumped down the stairs to reach Sterling’s side. He then felt the computer on his arm vibrate and he raised the screen, frowning down at the display. Four more markers had appeared.
“Is that the same squad that’s tracking Shade’s group, or another one?” wondered Banks, glancing over Sterling’s shoulder while covering the door.
Sterling tapped his neural interface and opened a link to his weapons officer. “Lieutenant, where is your group? Do you have anyone on the docking level, section seven?”
Shade did not respond immediately, though Sterling knew the connection was strong. It wasn’t possible to hear the sound of weapons fire through a neural link, but he could feel Shade’s emotions, and he knew she was in the middle of a fight.
“Negative, sir, we’re approaching from the north corridor, section one,” Shade eventually replied. “The warriors are closing in from section two. Two aliens down. We’ve already lost our commandoes.”
Sterling cursed. “Understood, Lieutenant,” he replied, his eyes tracking the movement of the new group of aliens on his screen. “Be advised we have another squad of four warriors in section seven.”
“Copy that, Captain,” Shade replied. “We’re almost at the dock. We’ll hold the position until you arrive.”
Sterling touched his interface to close the link then glanced up at the door into the lab. One of the two commandoes was now through, but the firefight was intensifying.
“Seal that door!” Banks called out as the final commando stepped on to the landing. A plasma blast struck the back of the man’s head and Sterling felt flesh and bones splatter across his face and armor. It was like someone had just smashed a pumpkin with a sledgehammer. “Damn it, seal that door!” Banks yelled again, running up the stairs and shoving aside the remains of the dead commando. She slammed the door shut and braced it as alien fists hammered the other side. Banks roared and gritted her teeth, pushing back against the warriors on the other side with the power of a bulldozer. Sterling set his pistol to cutting mode and raced up to assist the remaining commando, who had already begun melting the seams.
“Tha
t’ll have to do,” said Sterling, pulling away and resetting his pistol’s firing mode. “We only need to delay them long enough to reach the Invictus.”
Sterling moved ahead, closely followed by Banks and the commando. Then at the foot of the stairwell the door flung open and a warrior burst inside. Sterling surged forward and shoulder-tackled the alien against the far wall, stunning it long enough for the commando to blast three holes through its armor. Pressing himself against the wall where the alien had been moments earlier, Sterling saw two more warriors in the corridor outside.
“They’ve split up,” Sterling said, glancing at his computer screen. “I only see two on the scanner, and they’re directly ahead.”
Banks jumped down beside Sterling and glanced through the door, spotting the other two aliens.
“Straight up power play?” she said, meeting Sterling’s eyes. “We come out firing. The other two must have already advanced to the dock.”
Sterling was about to reply when he felt a connection form through his neural link. It was Ensign Keller.
“Captain, the cruiser is almost on us, and it’s launched Wasps,” Keller said. Like Shade, he could feel the tingle of energy surging through his helmsman’s body and knew that they’d already engaged the enemy. “They’re trying to disable our engines. I diverted all available power to the regenerative armor in that section, but these things are swarming around us like… well…”
“Wasps, Ensign?” said Sterling, finishing Keller’s sentence.
“Aye, sir,” Keller replied.
“Just hold them off, Ensign, we’re on our way,” replied Sterling, tapping his interface to close the link. He turned to Banks. “We don’t have time for anything subtle or clever. A straight up power play it is.”
Sterling, Banks and the commando got into position then Sterling gave the countdown on his fingers. He’d only reached two before the door they’d sealed shut above them was blasted open and the hiss of Sa’Nerra warriors filtered down the stairwell.
“Damn it, go!” Sterling called out, moving through first and immediately firing at the two Sa’Nerrans, lying in wait for them. The combined firepower from all three of the Invictus crew overwhelmed the warriors, but the aliens did not understand the meaning of surrender. Both stood tall and advanced, plasma blasts flying back and forth like burning arrows. Sterling felt a blast hit his chest armor, but the pain of the burn only spurred him on. Intensifying their fire, the two warriors were swiftly obliterated, so that only their fractured, burned carcasses remained. The familiar smell of charred alien flesh filled Sterling’s nostrils.
“Keep going!” Sterling called out, pushing the commando on.
Sterling turned to cover the door, expecting the Sa’Nerrans from the level above to burst through at any moment. Then another blast rang out from much closer. Spinning around, Sterling saw the commando lying dead on the floor. A plasma blast had hollowed out the back of his head. Before he could identify the shooter, Sterling was then struck to the back and knocked flat. Flipping over he saw a warrior standing over him. The alien was covered in dust and cobwebs. Sterling realized that it had been hiding in the cooling ducts in the ceiling, waiting for its prey to walk into its trap. The warrior hissed and raised its weapon but a plasma blast exploded its head before it had chance to fire. Sterling felt a hand underneath his arm hauling him up, and he knew it was Banks. Only she had the strength to manhandle him like he weighed little more than a child.
“Can you try not to get captured?” Banks called out, releasing Sterling then firing through the door and killing one of the Sa’Nerrans that had pursued them from the lab. “I’d hate to have to kill you too.”
“Noted, Commander,” replied Sterling, also firing through the doorway as they both back-pedaled swiftly toward the docking section. Then Sterling felt a lump in his throat, realizing that there had been four warriors on his scans. “Wait, there’s another one in here somewhere,” he said, conducting a visual search of the ducts and rafters above them.
Banks cursed, also peering up, but keeping half an eye on the door. The bodies of three Sa’Nerran warriors were piled up over the threshold, smoke wisping up from the burned carcasses.
“I don’t see it,” Banks said, “and we’re out of time. We need to go.”
Sterling turned to the door leading into the docking area, but before he could pull it open the door was slammed into his face. The impact sent him rocketing into the wall and for a moment he blacked out. Sterling tasted blood and spat a globule of red saliva onto the deck. He then slapped the side of his head, trying to hammer some sense back into himself. When his vision cleared again, Sterling saw Banks locked in a struggle with three Sa’Nerran warriors. Two were holding her arms, twisting them behind her back and pushing her down onto her knees. The third was trying to slide a neural control weapon over her head. He could see that Banks had taken a couple of plasma blasts to her body armor. She was clearly hurting.
Sterling was about to charge at the warriors when he saw his plasma pistol on the deck, just out of reach. He scrambled for it, but his movements alerted the aliens. The warrior fighting to attach the neural control device to Banks’ head drew a plasma pistol and turned it on Sterling, but then stopped. Its egg-shaped yellow eyes looked at his collar, where Sterling’s four gold captain’s bars resided. The alien then hissed to the others, who both also turned their eyes to Sterling. They were clearly aware of his rank and Sterling knew they would try to capture him, rather than kill him. However, this gave Sterling an advantage. The warriors may have hesitated, but he would not.
Standing tall, Sterling raised his plasma pistol and aimed it at the group of aliens surrounding Banks. The warriors pulled Banks to her feet, twisting her arms so fiercely that Sterling thought they might snap at any moment. The third alien moved behind Banks, using her as a shield. It was a tactic that Sterling had seen the aliens employ before. The warrior race liked to use the emotional weaknesses of human beings to their advantage. However, this warrior had clearly never faced an Omega Captain before. Sterling did not want to kill Banks – but he would.
“Do it!” Banks yelled, though her cry was raw with pain. “Do it now!”
Sterling aimed the weapon at his first officer’s head and sucked in a breath of air, which was tainted with the stench of death. He began to squeeze the trigger, though the act of doing so felt more arduous than trying to string a bow. He knew he had to shoot, but it was like an unknown force was resisting him and preventing his finger from depressing the trigger fully. Do it, damn you! Sterling cursed in his mind. Shoot!
Then a plasma blast rang out into the room, followed by another and another. Moments later the three warriors fell to the ground, dead. Standing behind Banks, Sterling saw Lieutenant Shade in the doorway, the barrel of her plasma pistol glowing hot. The shots she had just executed were nothing short of phenomenal, considering the circumstances. They had also saved Banks’ life.
Commander Banks nodded to Shade, who returned the solemn gesture of respect. Then she reached down and picked up the neural control weapon before crushing it in her grasp like a soda can.
“Your timing is impeccable, lieutenant,” said Sterling, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders. “Another millisecond and I would have had to take Commander Banks out myself.”
“I’m surprised I’m not already burned to a crisp,” replied Banks, raising an eyebrow at Sterling. “Not that I’m complaining, of course.”
Sterling considered a lie, perhaps explaining that the trigger had stuck or the weapon had jammed. However, while he had no issue lying to people, he cared nothing for, lying to Banks was different. The truth was he shouldn’t have hesitated and it bothered him that he had.
“Is that Sa’Nerran Heavy Cruiser still out there?” Sterling called out to Shade, deciding to swiftly move the conversation on.
“Aye, Commander,” Shade replied, coolly.
Banks picked up her plasma pistol from the deck then walked over to Sterling. She app
eared strangely composed considering she had almost died seconds earlier, but Sterling could see in her eyes that she was raging.
“I don’t care how big that ship is, I want to blow it back to the shit-hole planet it came from,” Banks said. The veins in her neck and temple were throbbing.
Sterling rested a hand on his first officer’s shoulder and met her eyes. “I think that can be arranged,” he said.
Chapter 19
Slaying a goliath
Sterling stormed onto the bridge of the Invictus with such purpose that Ensign Keller almost fell off the command platform. Sterling tore open the straps of his body armor and tossed it to the deck, revealing the circular burns to his uniform where the Sa’Nerran plasma blasts had penetrated. With the pressure from the body armor gone, the wound stung like hell, but he shut out the pain. His mind was focused on only one thing – the Sa’Nerran Heavy Cruiser. The alien vessel was approaching from across the far side of the planetary fragment. It only had to orbit the fragment to get a clean shot, but Sterling had no intention of allowing the alien ship to fire first.
Commander Banks reached her station next with Lieutenant Shade close behind. Separated from her body armor, Banks’ wounds were also clear. And it was also apparent that they were more severe than his own. Banks had taken several hits and the burned flesh on her ribs, stomach and back told the story of her encounter with the warriors on the station. However, he also knew the wounds could be treated, and that they would heal. The aliens on the heavy cruiser would not be so fortunate.
“Ensign, keep the planetary fragment between us and that heavy cruiser,” Sterling ordered, grabbing the sides of his console. His fingers slid into the polished grooves in the metal that he’d worn down over the last year as commander of the Invictus. “Then be ready to brake hard and make an attack run directly through the research station. I want you to practically skim the rooftops of those structures”
“Aye, Captain,” replied Keller. The ensign had now recovered from the shock of seeing Sterling charge onto the bridge like a Scottish clan warrior.