One down, five of us left!
CHAPTER TWELVE
Fleet Rendezvous, Arnos Cluster
The initial volley of two high-speed missiles was already three quarters its way to Relentless when Nate spotted Rex. He was moving at a similar speed to the missiles and heading right at them. To split the defensive fire, the two bombers had broken formation, heading left and right. Nate tagged the one to the left.
"I'm taking out bogey alpha. Crusader One, take out the second."
The Avenger drone rolled to one side and pushed its burners to maximum. As Nate followed after the enemy, he noticed that Rex and Jack were still heading directly at the missiles.
"Crusader One, alter your course," said Nate.
"I've got them. Just another second..."
The missiles kept going, the bright white flame behind them marking the powerful thrusters that pushed them on to incredible speeds. They were big missiles, and the computer had already detected the low-yield neutron atomics inside them.
If they hit, they'll knock out the electronics and burn the crew from the inside out.
It was a horrific idea and for a second, there was every chance the missiles would succeed. Nate watched in amazement as Rex and Jack launched their own missiles, and then opened fire with their guns. Two Byotai missiles evaded the approaching warheads, but it was not so easy to avoid the hardened railgun slugs. Their guns quickly knocked one out, but the second used manoeuvring thrusters to jink out of the way at the last minute. There were just seconds to go before impact, and Rex was moving too fast to adjust his course. He increased his power to beyond the safe limits, and warnings spread throughout his cockpit. In a last second manoeuvre, Rex slipped past the missile before he could fire. Jack followed behind him and found he was also moving too quickly to alter course in time.
Idiots!
By moving so quickly, they had removed almost any chance of now chasing the third and final missile. Rex must have realised this, as he used every last ounce of power to push his fighter up and towards the Byotai bomber. He began to spin his fighter about so that it would be able to keep shooting when it flew beneath the missile. His guns blazed away, but with so little time, he succeeded in only damaging the incredibly tough torpedo.
Too late, Rex, much too late!
Nate launched another of his missiles, but even if it managed to lock on correctly, it would still strike too late to make any difference. So busy was he in assessing the fight, his brain barely registered the impact. Rex ran nose first into the remaining ship-killer missile, destroying both in a single moment. The warhead must have triggered because it emitted a massive pulse that reached out nearly a kilometre in all directions.
Watch out!
The blast’s wake expanded outwards, and Nate made a last minute course adjustment to stay well away. It was only a subtle change, but he made it to safety just as the ring of deadly radiation subsided.
"Nate!" Lieutenant Higgins said.
The officer now completely ignored their official squadron names.
"The neutron blast has managed to breach our shielding. We're undamaged, but it has temporarily knocked out our targeting matrix on the port side. We're down to manual gunnery only. Take out the bomber, and fast!"
It was a lucky hit for the Byotai, and Nate could only assume the damage had been caused earlier, perhaps during their first escape. All Alliance ships were shielded against radiation and magnetic weaponry, but only so long as their hull shielding remained fully sealed. A grey shape flashed in the distance, and Nate tagged it, tracking the fighter via his tactical overlay.
Jack, he's still alive!
Nate had no idea how he'd managed it, but Jack had somehow managed to avoid the impact, but only just. Nate glanced to the right and watched him vanish off into the distance, now too far away to assist. There were no signs of contact from the drone’s computer as it vanished off into space.
"All fighters. The remaining bomber is priming additional missiles. Stop them, now!" Lieutenant Higgins ordered.
Nate dived after the last bomber. It had used the short moment of confusion to try and get away, while the turrets on board ANS Relentless unleashed their deadly firepower against the bomber. Nate ignored the turret fire and moved the craft into the sights of his guns. With automated targeting off-line, they were far less accurate, and the flak was as likely to damage him, as it was to hit the bomber.
Almost there!
From Nate's cockpit it looked like cascading rain coming down towards him, but this was gunfire, not water. As quickly as that, he was on the tail of the bomber and could see the detailing, markings, and powerful engines. The nose was filled with gun barrels, and all of them were blasting away towards the assault ship.
Come on, Nate, you can do this.
Either by luck or judgement, he managed to hit something vulnerable. At least one of his hardened projectiles struck just behind the cockpit. At the same time, a large chunk of flak debris wedged against his left wing and knocked out the bank of Anthros thrusters. He entered a spin just as the Byotai bomber broke up. It must have been firing its missile because a secondary explosion ripped it apart, embedding hundreds of small chunks of metal in his hull. The alarm sounded, but Nate at least had the satisfaction of knowing he'd ended the threat.
"Good work, Crusader Squadron. Five, return to Relentless. Crusader Six, I want you to bring in our missing birds. I've lost communication with Two and Three."
* * *
Nate removed the helmet and shook his head. His short but scruffy looking hair had matted close to his scalp, and the helmet had left a line running around his head that would take several minutes to dissipate. After nearly two and a half hours in the cockpit, his head was swimming. There had been so much to take in, from the vastness of space, to the myriad of data and controls critical to the flying of the drone. Worse was the feeling of being one with the machine, that even an accidental movement one way or the other could spell disaster. The drones could stay out there for hours, even days, but not the pilots. The visor cleared slowly, giving his eyes a few more seconds to adjust to the interior.
Ouch, that is not nice.
The lighting in the Flight Control Suite was radically different to what he experienced inside the claustrophobic interior of the Avenger drone. Where he had become used to the blackness punctuated by light blue and red lighting, he was hit by the harshness of the faded white lights. He blinked once, twice, and then three times before reaching for his harness. With a clunking sound it detached, and he lifted himself out from the seat. For a second it felt like he'd stumble, but with a little effort he righted himself and found he was staring at the uniformed and ancient looking form of Lieutenant Higgins.
"Good work, Flight Cadet, very good work. The area is secure, but your bird needs to be patched up. Looks like your inlets are clogged, and two thrusters are out of action. She's a no go for now."
He then looked off to the left where Billy had just removed himself from his seat. He took three steps, bent over, and retched violently. Lieutenant Higgins glanced back to Nate and tried to reassure him with a disarming smile.
"It's pretty common. Don't worry about it."
Lieutenant Higgins pointed at the display floating above the pit and signalled for Rex and Jack to join them. The four moved around the pit, while the two girls continued their missions aboard their untouched fighters.
"We lost two birds. One is not responding, and a fourth is out of action following that little skirmish. Until we get Crusader Two back on-line, I'm down to a pair of fighters, and that's not great."
He looked back at the display and pointed at the designated bays inside the ship. There were the old manned fighters, and the battle damaged Mauler known as Mongoose.
"The replenishment mission is not far from completion. As soon as it's done, we will be leaving this place. Captain Galanos doesn't want to stay here a minute longer than we have to. Every extra hour increases the chance the Byotai will find
us here. That corvette has to have been from a nearby patrol, and we cannot risk being found."
Rex and Nate were busy looking at the shapes of the abandoned Alliance ships.
"What about the crews? They must have gone somewhere, and my guess is the..."
"Yes, I know," said Lieutenant Higgins, interrupting Billy once more, "Probes confirm there was major fighting aboard the escort. Inner scans show large numbers of bodies, presumably killed by the neutron blasts inside."
Lieutenant Higgins rubbed his brow.
"The other ships are undamaged, save for a few scorch marks to their hulls. I suspect the escort was knocked out early, and then shots were fired at the auxiliary ships."
He changed the view in the pit to show the starbase; specifically the long docking arm and the thick black walls that looked like vast shield walls.
"We've got just the one Mauler, and the Captain has asked me to send her down to the starbase while we finish supplying Relentless."
Nate raised his eyebrows at this.
"Captain Galanos wants to check if there are survivors. If there are, I'll find them."
He looked back to the pit, but kept talking. His voice was hard and stern, "And I will bring them home."
"Yes, Sir," said Nate.
The Lieutenant almost chuckled at seeing Nate had no idea what he was saying.
"Flight Cadet Lewis. Of all six of you, you are the one showing most promise in command. I want you to be the CAG until I'm back. Somebody needs to get our marines on the ground, and in one piece."
He then looked to Billy.
"You will assist him. It's a big responsibility. Understood?"
Billy nodded, but Nate shook his head and pointed to the tactical map over the pit.
"I've only done this in simulation. I'm not a tactical commander."
Lieutenant Higgins took a step to the left and groaned from the pain. His body was still weak from the bloody injuries he'd sustained in the initial escape. Nate glanced to Billy who was already shaking his head.
"Sir. I..."
Lieutenant Higgins cut him off in mid-sentence. He then turned his attention to the pit and tagged the returning drones. It looked like Billy's was once again communicating with the computers, and Matilda was towing back Nate’s damaged fighter.
"Crusaders Five and Six. Once you've finished with the damaged bird, you will follow the pre-set escort pattern and watch Relentless' back. Replenishment will be finished soon."
He threw a quick sideways glance at the two of them.
"We can pump out what we need without even going aboard them. We'll send additional probes in to see if anybody is still aboard, but I'm not optimistic, not as the last unit breached the outer hull to investigate."
He could see Nate was not happy about his new post.
"Look, Flight Cadet Lewis. It's not ideal, but it's critical a pilot stays in the loop between the Captain and our birds. I'm not in great shape for this, but it's not like you can fly a Mauler, is it?"
Nate answered before even considering the question.
"Yes, Sir. I've flown the MK I and II in simulation."
Lieutenant Higgins seemed a little taken back. He knew the cadets were all experienced in flying a variety of different craft, but a Mauler was quite unusual. Most pilots for these vessels were usually those that had graduated after years of experience flying fighters and bombers in Navy service. The Mauler was technically granted the same status as the small patrol ships and sloops in the Navy, and even bore the ANS moniker, in just the same was a cruiser or frigate.
"Really?"
He moved in closer to Nate and looked him directly in the eyes. The officer's gaze was so powerful it almost seemed to burrow into Nate's brain. He nearly stepped backwards; so uncomfortable was the feeling.
"A Mauler is no drone, Cadet."
He said that one word with a tinge of ice to his tone.
"You'll be packing a lot of weight, heavy engines, and the most valuable cargo on my ship. Our marines. Don't mess me around now. Can you do it, or not?"
Billy tried to intervene, but Nate remained adamant.
"Yes, Sir. I've run the Karnak simulation and put down marines under fire. I don't claim to be a Mauler pilot, but I do have the experience, and the flight qualification to do it."
Lieutenant Higgins had no desire to see a young flight cadet take the helm of Mongoose. She was the only functional Mauler aboard ANS Relentless, but he was also acutely aware of two problems. First, he was the most experience flight officer on the ship. If there was going to be trouble, he should be directing the fighters and controlling the battle. Second, he was far from healed, and a long way off the top of his game in terms of piloting a spacecraft into battle. He pointed at Nate.
"Take Flight Cadet Mitchell with you. If anything goes wrong, he can help out. I don't want any heroics. Just get the Mauler to the base and land our marines. You'll take orders directly from the field commander, Sergeant Perkins. Understood?"
Nate nodded as he answered. As his body moved, he realised just what he had done. Up until now his role had been to command robotic drones, but now he faced the chance of flying something real, and filled with combat ready marines. It was a massive responsibility, and the mere thought of sitting in the Mauler rendered him almost speechless.
"Yes, Sir. Sergeant Perkins has operational command, and Flight Cadet...Mitchell will co-pilot with me."
"Very well. Get to the hangar deck fast. The marines are waiting for you."
Nate took in a deep breath and felt his entire body shudder at the thought of his new mission. He wanted to tell the others, but the four were strapped into their units and controlling their own drones. As he walked past, he could see the imagery of their craft. Only two were now in space and patrolling around the ship. He paused, but only long enough to see that two were waiting near Relentless, moving in lazy circles around the ship. He looked back to find the Lieutenant looking at Rex and Jack. The two of them didn't look angry. Instead, they appeared disappointed.
"Sir, what about us?"
He smiled in reply.
"I've got a few jobs for you, don't you worry."
* * *
Billy waited nervously outside the Mauler as the marines filed inside. He'd assumed only a few would be going, but there were six of them, including Sergeant Perkins. The other five marines waited on the deck, Sergeant Popwell amongst them. The two Marine Sergeants spoke for a moment, and then the older of the two led his group back inside the ship. Sergeant Perkins glanced towards Billy who almost stumbled backwards. The marine was a hard man, and Billy felt like a child in comparison. Then the man's expression softened a little.
"You'll be taking us in. My squad is counting on you."
Billy tried to speak, but words failed to come out. He moved back to the side hatch and banged on it. Almost immediately, Nate's face appeared and looked out at him. He then spotted Sergeant Perkins looking at them both. Behind him were two more marines with their visors open. Nate saw Private Valentine, but either she was too busy to notice him or had her mind on other things. She said something to her comrade and then climbed aboard the Mauler. Nate moved his attention back to the stern looking Sergeant.
"She's good to fly, Sergeant. Are your marines ready?"
Nate moved his eyes a tiny fraction to look over to Billy. His friend was still lost for words, and Nate might have laughed had the situation not been quite so tense and serious.
"Very well, son. Good luck," said the Sergeant.
With those few words their look separated, and Nate could let out a long, yet almost silent sigh. He grabbed Billy and pulled him to the hatch.
"It's all fixed now. Are you ready?"
Billy nodded nervously.
"Uh...yeah. Let me inside."
With a loud squeak, Nate opened the exterior door, and the tiny hatch swung to the side, giving just enough space for Billy to climb through. It was triple-layered, and there were multiple marks where gunfire had previo
usly struck it. Nate had gone in first, but the hatch had jammed upon climbing through, and for almost a minute it looked as though the mission might have to be aborted.
Billy was halfway through when the loud voice of Sergeant Perkins echoed through to the cockpit.
"Okay, marines. You know the deal. Get inside!"
Though neither of them could see what was happening, the constant clunking of armoured boots on the metallic flooring of the Mauler gave it away. Billy checked the door was shut for the second time, and then hit the seal button. Metal rods moved into position from the top and side, locking the plate securely into position.
"That is seriously over engineered."
Nate was already in the right-hand position and sat down in the large seat. It was carefully moulded to hold its occupant firmly in position. He pulled the straps tight across his body and then glanced over to Billy.
"It's as I told you. The Mauler is like a flying tank. You'll not find thicker armour outside capital ships. You heard the racket when we came here in the first place."
Billy didn't seem particularly reassured by that memory. It was only a few days earlier they had made their first and only ever journey aboard this very Mauler. For all Nate's posturing about its toughness, there were still signs of the violence all around it, from the patched up bodywork, to the scorch marks and dents.
"We might have made it, but you saw the state we were in when we landed. A few more hits, and we would still be out there."
Nate pressed several more buttons, and the computer system sprung into life. He leaned to the side and pulled on a wheel to slightly adjust the height of his seat. Like Billy, he was a good half a head shorter than Lieutenant Higgins, and without adjustment, he was finding reaching some of the further controls a little difficult.
Star Crusader: Hero of the Alliance Page 22