by Chris Hechtl
“Aye aye, Ma'am. Road blocks we might be able to do,” he said.
“Good. Shoot me your plan. Nav,” she turned to the navigator. “Get our speed up. Make the adjustments as necessary.”
“Aye aye, ma’am.”
“What about the people on the planet?” the XO asked.
“They will have to duck and cover. We can't help them. Not with that much metal coming in,” the captain said with a shake of her head. “But …,” he stopped and considered something else.
“But, sir?” the XO prompted.
“But, we can do something to help anyone who comes in. Give them a chance,” the captain said. “Comm, lay a laser on the messenger buoy and have someone in coding step up. We're going to need to set this up carefully if it is going to work,” the captain said.
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The first thing that told Magda Burke their chase wasn't going to go off quite as planned was when a CIC rating yelped in dismay. An icon blinked to life on her plot, absurdly close and accelerating down her throat.
“Missile inbound on our twelve at zero plus one! It just lit off its drive!” the rating reported, then began to swear.
“Tactical!” the captain ordered.
“We're not at stations yet!” the tactical officer replied, rushing back to his seat from where he'd been discussing something with the helmswoman. “Maneuver! Shields coming up to full now!” he barked.
The missile's warhead split into submunitions that went after Castrator and Capa.
Capa's shields were on anti-radiation and micrometeorite deflection. As the force emitters spun up frantically faster rail gun rounds spat out from the bow of the ship in a desperate attempt to defend the ship. Two of the streams intersected with submunitions, setting them off in a ball of heat and energy that took down two more.
That left four submunitions left. They tumbled in the explosion, then went off on the ventral side of the two ships when the proximity of the two enemy ships was detected. The two ships shuddered as their still rising shield levels were swatted down by the nuclear warheads. Capa took damage as her hull near her bow peeled and tore.
Castrator got off lightly, her shields went down but then recovered.
“CIC I want to know why we didn't see those missiles! Are there more?” Captain Burke demanded.
“Sorry, ma'am. The missiles were lying doggo with passive sensors only. We couldn't see them until they lit off their drives,” the chastened CIC rating reported.
“I don't want excuses! Make sure it doesn't happen again,” the captain snarled, voice shrill as her hind brain started to catch up to the fact that they had nearly been killed.
“We're picking up the faint return of other objects, Captain,” CIC reported. “They could be more missiles or decoys,” the rating reported.
“Damn it,” the tactical officer muttered. “Some of them have to be decoys. They wouldn't dump their entire magazine, would they?” he demanded as he noted the trail of signals in front of them. “Recommend we drop speed and go to full battle stations, Captain,” he added hastily.
“Do it,” the captain ordered. “DCC, give me a report,” the captain said just as another missile lit off its drive.
“They are trying to slow us down. If we run full pelt, we'll run into those missiles with little time to intercept them,” Captain Burke growled. “Let the admiral know we may be late to the party,” she ordered.
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Shrill Kill's crew was grateful the captain's gambit had worked slightly in their favor. A running long-range engagement began as they began to decelerate. The four raiders fired off small volleys of missiles in an attempt to slow them down or get past their defenses to hit the unarmed hospital ship.
The captain's second gambit involved deploying their weapon drones and two missile pods. They drifted in the ship's wakes as the ships slowed their speed and were timed to cover the ships as the two ships powered up their hyperdrives and were forced to lower their defenses during the last critical five minutes before jump. During the last stages, they would be at their most vulnerable.
As the ships made their final critical changeover, the computers in the weapon pods and missile pods took over. The weapons fired defensively to keep the enemy's fire off of their mother ships. Shrill Kill still took a few hits that inflicted some damage to her stern and upper main sublight drive but both ships managed to jump out before the enemy managed to get in deeper.
Shrill Kill's defense of her consort was effective, but everyone felt bad about leaving their crew mates and the innocent civilians on the planet behind. It was a terrible thing to have to abandon some of their people on the ground as well as the civilians; the not-knowing would haunt them.
Once DCC had finished with their report, Captain Fowler went over the intercom. “We are safe in hyper for the moment. I want all of you to know, the Federation doesn't leave its people behind. We will be back for them eventually. That is a promise you can count on,” she growled.
“But that is for tomorrow,” she said after a long pause. “For today, work on the repairs so we can make that tomorrow a reality. Captain Fowler clear,” she said, hanging up the intercom.
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Captain Burke snarled as the two ships got away. If she hadn't been delayed by the missiles, if she had just a little more speed and time, things would have been very different. “Next time,” she vowed grimly.
“Comm,” she said, turning her head to the comm rating. “Warm up the radio and let the flagship know they got away,” she growled. “Send them our tactical report,” she ordered, shooting a glower at her tactical officer.
“Aye aye, ma’am.”
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“Well! That was exciting but a bit disappointing,” Admiral Ishmael said as he observed the tactical replay.
“Yes, sir. They did just enough to slow our ships down,” Captain Baker replied cautiously.
“That they did. Admirable I suppose,” the admiral said. “Recall the ships to orbit. They'll need repairs and provisions,” he said.
“Aye aye, sir,” the captain replied dutifully as the admiral turned away.
The admiral paused and then turned back. “Me thinks we best learn from this,” the admiral rumbled.
“Sir?”
“Call the chasers. Have them send their tactical reports,” the admiral ordered.
“Sir, the order to buffer …”
The Admiral waved a hand. “Buffer and scan the data of course. But make sure you get it in the hands of tactical,” the admiral ordered. “All ships. Compare it to what we have from the other ships,” the admiral ordered.
Captain Baker nodded, expression clearing. “Aye aye, sir.”
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Captain Layafette was a bit shocked by the idea of a more Federation ships in the Tau sector. The idea that one of them had been a hospital ship charged with curing the plague was also surprising and a bit of dismaying. How they had gotten news of the plague to Rho in such a short time … granted it had been a few years since they'd arrived but still …
“The good news is, they are sending them in with only a minimum escort,” Lieutenant Troykov pointed out. “Pity they couldn't run the ships down. For all their vaunted abilities, they didn't cover themselves in glory in this engagement,” he said.
“To be fair we didn't do so hot either, guns,” Captain Layafette said as his XO came alongside him.
“I don't think they were a part of the plan, sir,” Commander Misaki said quietly to him as she leaned in to speak to him.
“No, no, they weren't,” the captain murmured as he crossed his arms and tucked his chin against his upper arm.
“Sir, what do we do?” the tactical officer asked, forcing the captain to shake himself out of his contemplation of the changing events for the moment.
“We do our duty. For the moment that means keeping our heads down, mouths shut and following orders,” the captain said tartly.
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“This way,” Doctor Shrim said softly, escorting Doctor Gusterson and his people. The Neogreyhound was wary as they were led into a cave complex. Their animals were taken from them when they dismounted. As they got further into the cave though, it twisted into a series of tunnels, but he could tell that someone had cleaned them up, knocked the corners off and leveled the floors. He was surprised when they got to an inner layer with a steel vault door.
“Them?” a Tauren demanded.
“Shove it, Boyd. They came to help. We're not leaving them out to die,” Doctor Shrim snarled, pushing past the Tauren. The Tauren glared balefully at them, then stepped aside to allow the group to pass.
“The pirates are bombing the spaceport and capital,” Doctor Shrim said. “This isn't the first time we've seen it obviously,” she said as she led them into the interior. The Federation medics paused to gasp at the sight of the vast shelter. “We've sort of learned to adapt,” the doctor said, indicating the underground city around them.
“Many years ago our ancestors set this up. There are tunnels leading to complexes like this near every major city. We have telescopes on the mountains to watch for the flare of a ship's emergence. When we get the warning, we begin moving our people in and away from the cities and spaceport. The old sometimes remain behind so the pirates won't get wise,” the woman said. “Fortunately, the pirates rarely stray beyond the spaceport and cities.”
“I'm surprised. It's impressive,” Doctor Gusterson said, looking about them. Most of the tunneling had been done either by hand or with steam powered equipment. There were bio-luminescent plants to light the place. They were smart enough not to use candles or oil lamps; the heat and smoke vapor would have given the place away. He turned to the native medic. “Where do we bed down, and where can we set up shop? Something tells me we're going to be busy soon,” he said. He turned to point to the small but doubly precious medical replicator two of his orderlies were carrying on a litter. “We'll need power,” he said.
“That we can't provide until we are sure the pirates have left. But we can find you a place to bunk and a place to work. The hospital is this way. Something tells me …,” the doctor paused as the earth shivered slightly. She grimaced as dust was shaken loose to drift in the air like a haze. “Yeah,” she drawled, brushing the dust aside in annoyance. “Something tells me we're not going to be short of customers. Those that survive that is,” she said as she led them to the hospital area.
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The Federation ship Blitzen arrived at the Tau-1183 jump point just as the Horathian task force settled into orbit around the planet. The sudden surprise of another ship's arrival made Admiral Ishmael curse under his breath. He should have left a picket on the jump point he realized belatedly.
He immediately issued orders to have his ships go to silent running. He wasn't confident the ploy would work however.
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Blitzen's sensors and systems cleared as the jump discharge dissipated. As it did, the ship received a transmission from the messenger buoy. Captain Z'll replayed the warning message from Shrill Kill.
“This message is dated less than a week ago. Sensors, do we have those ships still on our scopes?”
“Active sensors are still going out now, Captain. The jump point is clear … unless there is something out there lurking under stealth,” the rating warned.
“I don't like it. Engineering, warm up the hyperdrive.”
“Sir?” his XO asked. “We just cleared and safed the …”
“We're going back. I'll fill you in later. Just get that hyperdrive back online and get the hyper capacitors charging again.”
“Aye aye, sir,” the XO replied dubiously.
“We're definitely getting some gravitational readings around the planet, Captain,” the sensor rating reported.
“You heard that, Shanna? They aren't ours,” the Veraxin captain stated.
“Understood, sir. Hyperdrive coming back online. It will be at least a half hour before we can jump again though,” she warned.
“Understood,” the captain said. “You are human; you can sweat it out for me,” he said.
“Gee, thanks,” she replied dryly.
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“It looks like they didn't buy it. My CIC is reporting the ship didn't move off the jump point and her hyperdrive has been recharging,” Captain Patch reported.
“What is this, a highway? Where are they coming from? It's like they are coming out of the woodwork or void or something!” Captain Gutt demanded as the little ship jumped back out the way it had come.
Admiral Ishmael growled softly in agreement. Captains Baker and Gutt were two of his oldest captains. Both officers had come with him from Horath. Gutt loved the thrill of the hunt, which was one of the reasons he stayed clear of the court. A few rough patches they'd had over the years was another reason, the admiral thought. But he appreciated the Neoorangutan's cunning.
“They can run, but they can't hide,” Captain Patch growled.
“Tell them that. They are damn quick,” Captain Burke complained.
“Sir, pardon the interruption,” a Neomutt rating said, breaking into the captain's conversation. “We received a transmission from something, an AU off the port side. It isn't moving. Sensors make it out to be some sort of satellite.”
“That's what warned them?” Captain Gutt demanded. “What is it?”
“Captain Burke, take your ship and find it,” the admiral ordered.
“Aye aye, sir.”
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“What have we here?” Captain Baker said, noting the drifting messenger buoy that Castrator had found near the Tau-1183 jump point. “It isn't one of ours. Pick it up,” he ordered.
“On it,” Captain Burke replied. Her destroyer dispatched a shuttle to try to pick up the small satellite; however, when they got in close to it, the device transmitted a warning and then self-destructed.
“Damn,” the Neochimp muttered. “We'll get nothing from that,” he said in disgust.
“Pity about that. Tis' interestin' to see they be leavin' such things anywheres,” the admiral observed. “And tis' interestin' that they warned others before it exploded,” he said.
“Yes, it must be one of the ways they keep their forces in contact and up-to-date, sir,” Kix said. “I wonder …”
“Incoming jump!” a rating barked out, making the captain look up and stop what he was saying.
“A clear and concise report that be not,” the admiral growled, turning on the rating.
“Beggin' the admiral's pardon, sir. We have an unexpected jump at the Tau-1183 jump point. It is a million kilometers out from us. The ship just jumped in. The energy discharge is still dissipating. They can't see us,” the rating said as a fresh icon appeared on the plot.
“Ah, perhaps another of their ships?” Captain Baker said, turning to stare at it. “Or one of the ones that left but decided to come back? Perhaps to rescue people they left behind?”
“We'll know soon enough. Comm, order Hannah and Whidah in to intercept,” the admiral ordered.
The two cruisers moved in; their crews anticipating a catch after so much frustration. However, their hopes were dashed when the energy field cleared and a familiar ship appeared. The destroyer recognized the ships coming at it and broadcast its own IFF and then a signal to parlay.
“Captain Bill, it has been a while since you've paid your respects,” Admiral Ishmael drawled when a signal was patched in to Stingy Jack.
“Sir?” the jaguar asked, clearly confused. “We were in Tortuga; you ordered me to bring the plague to Kingdom Come,” he said.
“And how did that go?” the admiral asked, glancing at his flag captain.
“As expected, sir. Sir, there was some unexpected traffic in Lebynthos. I wanted to go after it but couldn't due to our orders. We are on our way to our next stop now actually,” he said.
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“Not anymore. Ye be drafted for my force,” the admiral said. “We could have used your ship a few days ago. And a week prior to that as well,” Admiral Ishmael said.
“Sir?”
The admiral flicked his fingers and wiggled his whiskers. “Nothing. Your sense of timing could have been better is all,” the Neolion admiral said. “Though you be here now,” he said gruffly.
“Aye, sir,” the Neojaguar captain replied cautiously. “We were on our way to you after our next series of stops, sir,” Captain Bill said.
“I'm sure you were,” the Neolion drawled.
“Sir, we received word of a convoy …,” the jaguar said, eyes bright with anticipation.
“I know about it. Consider you and your ship drafted as I said. We be runnin' it down.”
“Ah,” Captain Bill said with a nod and ear flick. “A pleasure to serve, sir,” he said with a slight bow as his finger flicked his gold earrings.
“No doubt. Now, resupply your ship if it need be done. But do it handsomely, we be huntin' big prey. The biggest these waters be seein' in centuries, me thinks,” the admiral growled. “Then ready your ship to return to Lebynthos,” he growled.
“Aye aye, sir,” the Neocat replied with a feline grin. “We refueled and picked up provisions in Lebynthos, sir. We can jump back down if you wish,” he said.
“That's the spirit,” the admiral growled in approval.
Chapter 40
Mercy Flight 1 arrived in the Tau-27KC star system. Once the two ships were clear of their hyper-wake, the destroyer Herd Culler scanned the star system around them warily for trouble while the bridge crew of the hospital ship 1353 focused its interest on the planet called Kingdom Come.
According to their intelligence, the small planet had formed a monarchy centuries ago when it was settled. According to what ONI had found out, the planet had been settled by a group of refugee ships out of desperation. The planet itself had only partially been terraformed; from what Ensign Slatterly had dredged up from the Io 11 files, the missing refugee ships had been emptied, stripped of anything usable, and then rammed into the planet away from the population centers in a vain attempt to move the planet.