Starstorm (Starstorm Saga)

by Bennett, Billy

  The simulation ended and Kaydan removed the helmet from Red’s head and unstrapped him from the chair. Red stood up but was visibly dizzy and disoriented. His hand went up to his forehead and he winced in pain.

  “The controls are a strain on your mind,” said Kaydan. “It will take time for you to adapt.”

  “So how did I do?”

  “Very impressive, Styler,” said Akdon. “Now, return to your chambers and get some rest.” Red then left the room followed by his guards.

  “Will he be able to handle it?”

  “Yes, Commander. His mind is quite capable of piloting the Tortalus, however, with the neural re-sequencing his mind is under a lot of extra neurological stress. It’s going to take more time for him to fully adapt. We’ll continue these sessions until he is fully prepared. What, may I ask, is our next move?”

  “The humans have retreated to the interior of the Star System. We believe that they are in orbit of the fourth planet, however, interference is so high we can get no accurate scans from this distance. We will make for the fourth planet. I will send scouts ahead. We are going to need as much fire power as possible. Our casualties have been far too high. I am counting on the Tortalus to make up for our lost ships.” Akdon looked up at the blank ceiling. “Replay Styler’s tests.”

  Kaydan activated some controls and the holographic battle replayed itself. When it was over, Akdon nodded approval.

  “I want the Tortalus fully operational by the time we reach Earth. Make sure the human is ready.”

  “He will be, Commander. That I assure you.”

  Akdon began to pace the floor. “Kaydan, I believe that what we really need in the next battle is the element of surprise.”

  “I agree Commander, but unfortunately our inability to use our fold-generators all but makes that impossible.”

  “Our scout ships were able to open jump gates for their fighters when they first arrived.”

  “That’s true, Commander. But that was in the outer system, not the inner system, and may I remind you that the interference from their sun has increased in intensity since then The interference is so intense that a standard hyperspace corridor would most certainly collapse and crush any ship passing through it.”

  “A single jump would put us on top of them in seconds,” said Akdon. “If we channeled as much power as possible into the fold-system could we get enough protection for a single hyperspace-jump?”

  Kaydan thought for a moment. “If we overload the hyperspace generators we may get enough power to overcome the interference for a matter of seconds but it would totally blow the field emitters. We have spares but they would take hours or even days to install.”

  “There will be time enough to replace them later,” said Akdon. “If we can gain the element of surprise, we can eliminate the Human fleet once and for all.”

  “Perhaps, Commander, we should also send some ships to investigate closer to the star. Some proximity scans may help to reveal the cause of the interference.”

  “I agree. I will send scouts toward the star. You see to the modifications to the fold-sytem.”

  Kaydan nodded. “I will make preparations for the jump. But I must warn you Commander. There is risk. Each ship will pass through its own jump gate. Any hyperspace corridor that collapses will destroy the ship passing through it.”

  “The risk, Sub-Commander, is acceptable.” Akdon then turned and walked out.

  Back on Mars Jack and April were still at the table when Trey returned with one of the Martian Colonial Pilots.

  “Jack, this is Duke Gordon. He’s a pilot with the defense force. Duke, this is Jack Thunder.”

  Jack shook his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

  “Duke and I saw a lot of action together a few years back,” said Trey.

  “Nothing compared to what you two have been through, I’m sure,” said Duke. “From what we’ve all heard over half the Space Force has been lost to the enemy.”

  Neither Jack nor Trey said anything, and Duke took their silence to mean he had got it right. “Well they told us that a couple of pilots from the Saratoga who had seen these aliens in action were going to give all of us a briefing. I guess that’d be you two.”

  “It’s us,” said Trey. “We’ll be reprogramming the simulators tomorrow to show everyone what were up against. Want to lend us a hand.”

  “No problem. I’m curious how well I’ll do though.”

  “I’ve seen you in action before, Duke...” said Trey “...you’ll do fine.”

  “I’d be more worried about them,” said Duke pointing to the rowdy young pilots at the bar. As if to underscore his remark a fight broke out between two of the pilots. Trey and Duke left quickly to break it up.

  Jack just sat there holding his drink and staring into space as if lost in deep thought. April stared at his face and thought how young and handsome he looked. She also reflected that he looked tired and worn out. Not in a physical way, but a mental way.

  “Are you alright Jack? Are you about ready to go?”

  Jack came out of his thought and energy returned to him. “I’m fine,” he said with a small smile. “I’m just wondering how all of this is going to end.”

  “Try to think positively,” she said.

  About that time Trey and Duke returned, having broken up the fight.

  “Well guys the night is young. What shall we do?”

  “Actually Trey...” said Duke “ I thought you might like to know that one transmitter station is open for public use if you want to let your family know that you are all right. All the others are tied up with official use. I don’t know what all the folks back home are being told about what’s going on out here, but your wife is bound to be worried.”

  Most of the long range transmitters on the Saratoga had been knocked out of commission since Neptune. No one had had the chance to send any personal messages. But here was a chance.

  “That’s a good idea,” said Trey.

  “There’s going to be a long line but I’ll ride you up there myself,” said Duke.

  At that very moment, a Colonial pilot came in and said “Lt Commander Gordon your needed at the base! It’s urgent!”

  “What is it?”

  “I don’t know, sir, but I have orders to bring you back.”

  “All right. Trey come on. The transmitter station is on the way, we’ll drop you off.”

  “I’ll be a while,” said Trey turning to face Jack and April. “I’ll meet you two back at the hotel.” Trey then rushed off with Duke.

  “Well Jack I guess it’s just you and me.” The way she looked into his eyes and the smile she had on her face let Jack know that they had indeed moved into a new phase of their relationship. They had become friends and were fast becoming something else. April thought things were moving fast, but neither of them really thought that they had a good chance of surviving all that was ahead of them. With that attitude neither one of them was as worried about making a mistake or getting hurt as they might have been. Now that they were alone, she reached out and took his hand in hers.

  “How about that Mars walk.”

  “Lead the way,” he said.

  They drove to a building which connected to the edge of the bio-dome. It was an exit station. Inside were suits for walking out on the surface. It didn’t take long for them to suit up. They entered the airlock chamber and put on their helmets, then the door on the other side of the chamber opened up and they set foot out on the Martian landscape.

  The night sky looked just as it would have on Earth. It was dotted with stars. Jack looked at the rocky, rust colored soil under his feet. They walked over to where a group of Mars Rovers were parked. They weren’t all that different from the Moon Rovers that had been used over a hundred years earlier when man had first set foot on the moon. They rode out a good ways. Jack noticed that they were on a trail of sorts.

  “Usually people come out here just to sight, see,” said April.

  “Or to be alone,” replie
d Jack. After traveling nearly fifteen kilometers across the Martian landscape they turned off the main trail and headed for a small ridge. Jack brought the rover to a halt at the base of the ridge.

  “I’m sure there will be quite a view,” said Jack as he brought the rover to a halt and climbed out. He extended his hand to help her out of the rover—not that she needed the help, but she was perfectly content to give him her hand. They walked hand in hand up the rocky slope. At one point, April slipped. With the reflexes befitting a fighter pilot, Jack caught her and hefted her in his arms.

  “Are you trying to sweep me off my feet, Lieutenant?”

  Jack smiled. “Is it working?”

  “More than you know…” she said softly. Almost magnetically their heads moved closer together. The sudden jolt of their helmet visors smashing into one another snapped them back to reality. There was an awkward moment of embarrassment in which Jack set her back down.

  They continued up the slope. Trying to reset the mood, Jack put his arm around her. She responded in kind. Once they had reached the top of the ridge that had a perfect view of the red rocky Martian plains. Demos and Phobos, Mars’ asteroid like moons hung in the star studded sky. April leaned her helmeted head against Jack’s shoulder. Jack then took her in his arms as she looked up into his face.

  “Where have you been all my life?” asked Jack.

  “I was about to ask you the same thing,” replied April.

  Jack then noticed a large group of people in space suits running down a path that ran across the forward base of the ridge.

  “What’s going on there?” he asked.

  “Those are Space Force Marines and Martian Colonial Troopers. It looks like they’re on a field hike.”

  Jack shuddered. He remembered basic training and all the field hikes he had been put through by Sergeant Ferch. He imagined how awful it would be to have to do it in a space suit like those guys.

  Suddenly, April’s personal transmitter beeped. Someone was trying to call her. She was lucky that the particular model of space suit she was wearing had a feature that would patch the communication threw to her helmet. Otherwise she would have had no way to answer it. The voice of Captain Doran was electronically piped into her helmet.

  “Come in, Commander.”

  “This is Commander Kelley, go ahead Captain.”

  “Commander, report back to city hall at once. You’re needed. Is Mr. Thunder and Mr. Knight with you?”

  “Lieutenant Thunder is, but Commander Knight went to a transmitter station.”

  “Very well, report back with Thunder. I’ll contact Knight.”

  “Understood, Captain.” She turned to face Jack.

  “We’ve got to go.”

  With a sigh he nodded.

  Captain Doran and Major Travis were waiting on the front steps of City Hall as Jack and April pulled up in the solar car.

  “It’s about time!” said Captain Doran as he and Major Travis got into the back seat. “Get us to a turbo car station! We must reach the Martian Colonial Defense Force Command Center!”

  “What’s going on, Captain?” asked Jack.

  “The enemy may be on the move.”

  “What about Lt. Commander Knight?” asked April. “He’s probably already there, now step on it!” They then sped off for the turbo car station.

  Trey was never able to send his message. Just before he would have reached the end of the line, Doran had called him and told him to go with Duke to the Command Center of the Martian Colonial Defense Force. He was in a turbo car with Duke, headed at full speed through one of the tunnels. They were only moments from their destination.

  Unlike the other turbo car tunnels which were transparent so that you could look out over the Martian landscape, this particular tunnel was below ground. It was dimly lit and had rocky walls. The Command Center was a large compound on the other side of the Olympus Mons. It was a veritable fortress, built on the rocky edge of the solar system’s largest mountain. It was the brain from which all of Mars’s defenses were directed.

  The turbo car began to decelerate and it came to a halt in the turbo car station. A Colonial Trooper was waiting on the platform as they got out of the turbo car. The trooper saluted Gordon.

  “Sir, Commander Wells is waiting for you in the control room.”

  “Very well,” said Duke. Duke and Trey entered the elevator and took it up two levels to the control room.

  The control room was a large combat information center. Strategic specialists were busy at the various control consoles. The front of the room was lined with windows that looked out on the outside world. A large view screen covered the back wall.

  Commander Wells, a trim gray headed man with an equally gray mustache approached them. He was wearing a well-made but simple black uniform. He was the commander of the Martian Colonial Defense Force.

  “Ah Mr. Gordon you have arrived.” Wells spoke with a nearly English accent.

  “Yes, sir. You’ve met Lieutenant Commander Knight.”

  “Of course. It’s been a while Mr. Knight.”

  “Yes, sir,” replied Trey.

  “What is going on Commander?” asked Duke.

  “Well gentlemen if you would take a look at this screen here you’ll notice that three groups of enemy craft have left the Saturn zone and are headed towards the inner Solar System.”

  “How many ships and what type?” asked Trey.

  “Our scans indicate that they are fighters. It appears five per group, fifteen in all.”

  “I wouldn’t bet on it,” said Trey. “The last time they did something like this their ships flew together in close formation with each other. They managed to trick our radar scanners into believing there were only half as many as there really were. I’ll wager they’re trying to do it again.”

  “Slippery little devils aren’t they,” said Duke.

  “Slippery and ruthless,” said Trey. He then turned to Commander Wells

  “Can you compute where they are heading?”

  “According to our calculations, the first group is headed straight for the center of the Solar System. It’s almost as if they are headed for the sun itself. The second group is on a direct course for Earth.”

  “And the third?” asked Duke.

  “They’re on their way here. We’ve readied a full colonial fighter wing to intercept them. That’s why we called you here Lt Commander Gordon”

  “What about Earth,” asked Trey.

  “The forces on Earth have been put on full alert,” said Commander Wells. “There’s a shuttle waiting to take you up to Phobos base, Gordon.”

  “Mind if I tag along, Duke?”

  “Always happy to have company, Trey.”

  “I better let the Captain know.”

  “Captain Doran is on his way,” said Wells. “I’ll inform him you’ve gone along when he arrives.”

  Then Trey had a thought. “He’s on his way now? He probably has Jack with him. We could use his help,” said Trey turning to Duke.

  “There’s no time,” said Wells. “If we are going to intercept the enemy before they reach the Mars zone then you must go now.”

  “Alright,” said Trey. “Let’s do this.” He then headed for the shuttle hangar with Duke.

  Chapter Twenty

  Duke flew the shuttle and as they left the atmosphere they approached Phobos, one of Mars’ two asteroid like moons. Phobos served as the primary orbital base of the Martian Colonial Defense Force.

  “So when is the last time you flew a Colonial Fighter?” asked Duke as they made their final approach.

  “It’s been a while,” replied Trey. “But I think it’ll come back to me pretty quick.”

  As they got out of the shuttle, a whole group of Colonial pilots greeted them.

  “All right Duke...” said one of them. “We’ve been put on full alert what’s going on. Are the aliens coming?”

  “They are, and we’re the welcoming committee. This is Lt Commander Knight. He’s w
ith the Space Force. He’ll be coming along. He’s gone up against these jokers before, so listen to him.”

  The pilots all turned their attention to Trey.

  “Alright guys, listen up,” said Trey. “We’ll be going up against between five and ten Zidian Fighters. Many of you have seen action before against pirates. This will not be the same. The Zidians are not cowards who run from a target that fights back. They are aggressive and ruthless dogfighters. Their fighters out gun Star Swords and Colonial Fighters alike, so don’t try and go nose to nose with them. Your only advantage will be your maneuverability. You can’t out fight them. You have to out fly them. Stick close and watch each other’s back. Don’t stray too far.”

  “Alright men, man your ships!” yelled Duke.

  The pilots then headed for their fighters. Trey and Duke quickly got into flight suits and went to the hangar.

  “Alright Trey, here we go, just like the old days!”

  “Just like the old days,” replied Trey.

  The two men then climbed into the cockpits of their Martian Colonial Fighters. Trey strapped himself into the seat and closed the cockpit. The cockpit of the Colonial Fighter was much more cramped than the cockpit of a Star Sword. The controls were different, but in a way simpler. The craft itself was smaller than a Star Sword and carried lighter weapons. Trey found himself wishing for his own fighter.

  He flipped some switches and the fighter’s systems came on line. Unlike the Saratoga, there were no launch tunnels to fly through. Instead the hangar was cleared of people and decompressed. A large door then opened, revealing the barren cratered surface of Phobos. One by one the Martian Colonial Fighters erupted out of the hangar at full speed. Duke’s flew out first, followed by Trey’s and eighteen other fighters. The group of Colonial Fighters then set a course to intercept the incoming Zidians.

  Jack, April, Doran, and Travis were in a speeding turbo car minutes away from the Command Center. Captains Hudson and Slobadik, and Admiral Shirley were in a turbo car directly in front of them.

  “We haven’t had time to prepare all of Mars’ defenses,” said Doran.