The Centorian fighter rose straight into the air and reached an altitude of 100 meters just as a formation of six Numarian close contact fighters flew over. The Numarian fighters broke into three attack squads, each with a point and wing man. Without hesitation the first squad attacked the Centorian ship while the other two squads positioned themselves to attack from a different vantage point.
“Shields zero degrees at fifty percent,” said Captain Gorman to his copilot who brought the shields online. The first squad dove toward their target and released two nebulizer missiles that detonated on the forward shield. The second Numarian squad initiated its attack using the same two fighter formation. “Shields to 120 degrees at fifty percent and lock the location,” said Gorman as the copilot entered the shield data. While Gorman rotated his fighter to face the incoming attack, the shield held its position facing the Numarians. Again, two nebulizer missiles impacted the shield with a fiery explosion that rocked the Centorian ship.
“Check the cabin pressure and increase it to one hundred ten percent; we don’t want any of that gas inside this ship. And run a diagnostic on the oxygen and nitrogen generators; let’s make sure we can sustain that pressure until we translocate. We have thirty seconds.”
When the second missile attack didn’t breach the Centorian shield, the Numarian fighters broke ranks and all six fighters attacked simultaneously.
“Take shields to 360 degrees and one hundred percent.” That instant six cutter missiles impacted their shields within seconds of each other; the impact shook the Centorian vessel violently. A warning alarm sounded so loudly in the cockpit crewmembers in the adjacent galley quickly unbuckled thinking the airstair door wasn’t properly sealed. A red light blinked brightly on the control panel in the cockpit as Captain Gorman switched to regular propulsion. Another blinking light indicated the com system was down.
“The accelerator is offline. Find Matt Currei, and tell him to get down to the engine compartment now. Get that thing online and wound up.” Another warning alarm sounded when the ship’s scanners detected two Numarian gunships closing on the Centorian fighter.
“We’re moving,” yelled Gorman as Dan Cassee, his copilot climbed out of his seat and left the cockpit. “Hold on to something and send Arton in here if you see him,” yelled Gorman as the door closed and he rammed the thruster controls to maximum and engaged the Whittsner Propulsion System. The ship lurched forward and shuddered heavily as two cutter missiles barely missed the ship and detonated in the clearing beneath it forming a fireball that bellowed into the air. Two more cutter missiles and two nebulizers hit the shields, rocking the ship viciously.
Arton opened the door and climbed into the copilot seat. “Dan and Matt are headed to the engine compartment.”
“I need you on guns,” said Gorman quickly. “I can pilot and run shields but I don’t want to waste ammunition on automatic targeting – it’s prone to overkill and we may be here a while.”
“I’m on it,” replied Arton. He switched on manual targeting mode, put on the gunner’s headgear and hit the VR switch. He pulled the side mic down so he could speak directly to Gorman’s headset. Suddenly it was like he was outside the ship, sitting on the hull with a 360-degree view of everything that was happening. Six close contact fighters were independently making passes at them. Two gunships were trailing. Arton’s headset indicated Gorman was switching shields to 180 degrees, plus 20, minus 20. He reached forward to the screen in front of him and touched the 'Live Ammunition' icon. Arton targeted one of the Numarian close contact fighters with the headset’s visual guidance system that was now linked to the gunnery. Then he reached forward, took the joy stick in his hand, and squeezed the trigger. A laser pinged the Numarian ship and Arton watched it as his missile exploded on its shield right where his eyes were focused. The close contact fighter’s shield was no match for the Centorian missile’s payload and the Numarian craft plummeted to the ground.
“Adding shields to zero degrees plus 20, minus 20,” said Gorman.
“Don’t bother,” replied Arton who had already targeted the fighter that was moving past their ship to initiate a frontal run. Before the Numarian fighter could turn and engage, Arton’s missile exploded. “Two down and the others are retreating,” said Arton.
“Switching shields to 180 degrees, plus 10, minus 10. Those gunships are right behind us,” he said as a powerful missile exploded on their rear shielding and shook the ship. “I’m going to evasive maneuvers; see if you can help Matt and Dan get the accelerator online.”
Arton crawled out of his seat and was slammed against the cockpit door when another missile detonated on the rear shield.
“They are right on me every time I evade,” said Gordon. “When you get to the engine room run an Energy Source Shield diagnostic, they’re on me every time I change coordinants. We must have ESS leak.”
Arton pulled himself to his feet. “Got it,” he said as he left the cockpit.
Just as he left, the com system came back online. “Captain, we’re working on the accelerator now. I need ten minutes,” said Matt.
“As fast as possible, Mr. Currie, I’ve got two gunships on my tail and we can’t shake them. Arton’s headed your way to run an ESS diagnostic. The second you bring that accelerator online let me know.” The fighter rumbled again from another missile detonating on the rear shield. “We need to disengage propulsion and jump directly into the translocation drive and the sooner the better.”
“You need some help Captain?” said Dex as he poked his head in the cockpit.
“You’re so right I do. I need some space on my rear shield. Climb in this copilot’s seat and return fire.”
“We have any heavy ordinance,” asked Dex as he climbed in the seat.
Gordon reached over and tapped the 'Ordinance' icon. “That’s all there is. Do your best.”
Dex switched off the manual targeting mode and quickly ran a data search on the Numarian gunship’s design, brought up a schematic and entered a primary target zone near the ship’s computerized rear stabilizer controller and a secondary target on the ship’s command deck. Then he put on the gunner’s headgear and hit the VR switch as he positioned the microphone. When the VR display came up he was standing on the top of the Centorian fighter looking backwards at the Numarian gunships. Dex’s headset indicated Gorman was switching shields to 180 degrees, plus 5, minus 5. “That’s pretty narrow,” he thought. “Let’s create some space.”
He reached forward to the screen in front of him and touched the 'Live Ammunition' icon and switched the microphone to gunnery com. “Engage rear starboard secondary target – two bunker missiles – twenty second spread on my mark…fire. From his VR location on the ship’s upper hull he watched as the gunnery fired the missiles. The first missile hit the Numarian gunship’s forward shield and exploded momentarily engulfing the front section of the hull in flames, but seemingly with little impact on the massive ship.
Each Centorian bunker missile is composed of multiple payloads that are programmed to detonate at minutely staggered times. Each missile also has onboard sensors that capture data from the time-sequenced detonations and microchips that analyze the effects of detonations on a target shield and calculate the shield-sequencing protocol. Centorians nicknamed the first bunker missile fired the Sacrifice because against a gunship it has little chance of penetrating the massive shield. But they call the second bunker missile fired the Slayer, because it not only has a fully-armed payload like its predecessor, it is armed with the target’s shield sequencing protocol, thanks to the Sacrifice.
As the Numarian ship advanced through the flames the second missile impacted, showering the ship’s hull with fire, but with substantially different effects than the first. Dex stood on the Centorian ship’s hull and watched as the detonation occurred. Beginning at the point of impact, a latticework of fractures flashed across the weakened shield. “Engage rear starboard primary target – two indurated plasma missiles – five second spread on my mark
…fire.”
The gunnery immediately launched two missiles at the Numarian’s starboard gunship just as the Centorian ship was hit with another blast. Before the Numarians could re-sequence their shield and establish a new protocol, the first plasma missile exploded on impact forming a gap in the shield above their ship’s computerized rear stabilizer controller and seconds later the second missile detonated against the gunship’s hull, destroying the stabilizer controller and breaching the air locks.
The Numarian ship fell out of propulsion drive. From Dex’s vantage point the ship careened hard to the left and began a slow roll. He watched as the ship’s command tried to stabilize the roll with its thrusters. The second Numarian gunship was busy re-sequencing its shield and establishing a new protocol in case the Centorians had obtained data from the adjacent detonations to analyze their shield-sequencing protocol.
“Captain, I won’t get the same opportunity on that second gun ship; any word on the accelerator repair?”
“Someone down there give me a status report,” barked Gorman into the ship’s communicator.
“Sorry, Captain, still working. That last concussion caused a slight delay. We need…five more minutes.”
“I hope we’re still here in five minutes,” thought Gorman. “Do your best, and whatever you do, do it fast,” replied Gorman.
Dex removed the VR headset just as another alarm sounded in the cockpit. “We’ve got more company,” said Dex calmly, “two Numarian cruisers and two gunships just dropped out of translocation drive two quads ahead. We’ve got about six minutes.”
Another alarm sounded as Gorman changed coordinates again. “Two more cruisers dropped in behind us. We’re going to get pounded,” said Dex.
“Switching shields to 180 degrees, plus 10, minus 10.”
“We’ve got nothing up front,” commented Dex.
“I’ll worry about that in five and a half minutes.”
The ship shook violently when two missiles from the Numarian cruisers detonated on the rear shield as the copilot opened the cockpit door. “Captain, we have an unshielded energy source in the aft cargo bay.”
“What the blazes is back there?” yelled the Captain as the ship took another hit to its rear shields and shook violently.
“Wayne’s transport,” said Dex.
“What?”
“The Terra Bulgans, they’ve been jumping around the universe in an old road rubber,” replied Dex.
“Get rid of it,” yelled the Captain in the middle of making another coordinate change. “That piece of junk is going to get us killed.”
The copilot left the cockpit and made his way quickly to the rear of the ship. “There is an energy system on that transport in the storage bay that isn’t shielded,” he told Arton. “With that thing onboard the Numarians know exactly where we are. And even when we re-coordinate we can’t lose them while we’re stuck in propulsion. Captain Gorman said we need to jettison that transport.”
“Wait a minute, you’re not dumping the Nomad,” replied Wayne vehemently.
“That transport has to go or we’re going to get blown out of the sky. This ship can only take so much abuse,” said the copilot caustically, “and we have a welcoming party ahead of us that would be more than willing to do the deed.”
“We can jump,” said Amelia. “We can get in the Nomad and use the Jump Starter; we’ll be off this ship in less than two minutes.”
“Then do it now,” said Arton.
“We have three minutes until we fly right into two more Numarian gunships. You need to hurry and get off this ship.”
Wayne turned toward the Nomad, “Let’s go Mark.”
“Mark?” said Nita. Her voice quivered and everyone turned to see what was wrong.
“I know.” replied Mark quietly.
“I need to stay with my dad and brother,” said Nita.
“I know,” replied Mark, “I had already thought about this; I’m staying with you.”
“What about Blackie and the others?” she asked.
Mark turned to Blackie, “Find me.”
“I will,” and he grabbed his brother into a tight bear hug.
Joules wiped a tear from her cheek and gave Nita a hug. Wayne shook Mark’s hand while Amelia hugged Nita, then Mark, and began to cry.
“Be safe, Mark,” said Blackie.
“You know what I always say,” he replied, “that’s the plan,” as he gave Blackie a fist bump on the shoulder.
Wayne reluctantly got in the driver’s seat of the Nomad and Joules got in behind him. Blackie opened the door for Amelia to get in the front seat then climbed in the back seat next to Joules. They all said goodbye again and Amelia pushed the Jump Starter button.
Woosh. The Nomad was enveloped in a bright white haze that had just a slight shadow over the top of the car. Wayne had a look of regret on his face. Maybe he should have stayed with his best friend and let Arton jettison the Nomad. At the front of the car a glittering golden ring formed, encircled the bumper and then moved quickly toward the rear of the car. They heard a wooshing sound as it passed.
Crew members who had come to the cargo bay stepped away from the car. Then another ring formed around the front of the vehicle and glided toward its rear end. Woosh. Then another formed, woosh, and another woosh. Each time there was a woosh sound as a ring glided along the car from front to back. They formed faster and faster until the rings were just a blur as they flew by.
From inside the Nomad they could see Mark had a mischievous grin on his face. “You’d better move back, move back,” he yelled to the crew members, “it might blow,” he yelled as he winked at Wayne.
“He’s going to agitate them and get thrown in the brig,” smiled Wayne. The crew took another step away from the Nomad. The rings were racing faster across the car until it looked like a constant blur going by, woosh, woosh, woosh.
Nita watched the steady stream of rings rifling down the car. “It’s always so beautiful” she said quietly.
Mark was having a great time watching the crew members’ faces. Blackie was looking out the left side passenger’s window at his brother’s antics; woosh, woosh the rings kept flying by. “It’s going to blow,” Mark howled at the crew members like he had never had so much fun in his life.
Amelia was looking at Wayne just as he put his left hand in the air and smiled. The rings were now appearing so fast that the wooshing sounds had given way to the sound of a hurricane force gale.
“This is awesome, it looks even cooler from out here.” said Mark to Nita as he began pumping his hands up and down slightly like he was dancing to music.
The white haze began to pulse with silver flashes and became slightly translucent. With each pulsation the flashes intensified and the haze became more and more transparent, as did the car and everyone in it. Very quickly you could have said they looked more gone than present. Sensing what was imminent, Wayne looked at Mark and mouthed the words, “Hasta luego, Mark” while he waved with just the fingers on his left hand.
“Find us, Blackie,” yelled Nita.
“Find us, Wayne,” yelled Mark just as the Nomad, Wayne, Amelia, Joules and Blackie, and a sizable amount of perfectly stowed band equipment, disappeared.
The ship’s com rang and Arton grabbed it. “The accelerator is online, what’s the status?” yelled Gorman.
“They’re gone, get us out of here.”
The ship took another tremendous hit as Gorman entered flight coordinates and then, just before the Numarians fired a salvo of missiles, the Centurion fighter was hailed.
“Captain Gorman, move your ship to the following coordinates immediately.”
“That’s one of ours,” said Dex, pointing to the screen in front of him as Gorman laid in the coordinates. “That’s one of our new gunships; the bloody thing is huge.” Dex put on the VR headset and watched as a massive gunship flew through the space they had just vacated; its shields absorbed the volley of Numarians missiles intended for the smaller fighter with ha
rdly a flinch.
The Centorian Alpha Class gunship was outfitted with the most sophisticated and powerful shield system and gunnery ever built. Dex watched as it took two additional hits from the cruisers and returned fire, disabling them both immediately. The Centorian Captain spun up his ship’s new dematerializer to cloak his vessel and Dex watched the craft disappear as it maintained a collision course with the Numarians.
Before the gunships engaged, Captain Gorman spoke to Dex over the VR com. “We’re leaving; I’m shutting down the VR.”
Dex removed the headset. “If the Numarians are smart they’ll leave while they still have a chance.”
“Numarians are as smart as they come,” replied Gorman as their translocator drive came online, “but they aren’t inclined to back down; their valor sometimes trumps their wisdom.” Two enormous flashes in the distance indicated the Numarians had indeed chosen to stand their ground.
“We’re out of here,” said Gorman as he activated the translocator drive and the stealth fighter vanished.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
TWITCHING AND SHIFTING
One moment Wayne and the rest of the group were on a stealth fighter being rocked by one missile explosion after another, the next moment four of them were overlooking an idyllic beach that could have been a travel destination advertised in a high-priced magazine. The Jump Starter had deposited the Nomad on a small knoll overlooking a beautiful white sandy beach.
Gentle blue waves broke on the sandbar ten or fifteen meters off shore, then rushed to the beach where small cephalopod-like creatures swam in and out of deep pools in the sand looking for shellfish and minnows. The sky was absolutely cloudless and a very gentle, warm breeze blew through the hills above them. There were no trees near the water, just small sand dunes with sprigs of short grasses swaying in the light wind.
They sat there for a moment in complete silence. Except for the sound of waves breaking offshore, it was perfectly quiet. Behind them, at the base of the knoll, a road followed the last line of sand dunes and above the road there was a row of homes overlooking the beach that stretched out of sight in both directions. Behind the homes a series of green foothills led to a mountain range that stair stepped its way through a palette of bluish colors before turning purple as the last peak reached toward the sky.
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