Scrapyard Ship 3 Space Vengeance

by Mark Wayne McGinnis

  Space Vengeance

  A SCRAPYARD SHIP NOVEL

  Written By

  Mark Wayne McGinnis

  Chapter 1

  The Lilly sat on the Chihuahuan Desert, a little more than two miles from the Earth Outpost for the United Planetary Alliance. Jason and Admiral Reynolds exchanged nervous glances.

  “Go for Captain,” Jason said, acknowledging his NanoCom connection.

  “What do you want us to do, Cap?” Billy asked.

  “Well, how many Craing crewmembers are dead?” Jason asked back.

  “There’s a shitload of the little guys lying around here. Could be all of them. Hold on—”

  Jason continued to look at Captain Dolom’s limp dead body sitting across from him at the conference table. The ramifications of his unexpected death were nothing short of disastrous. They needed this Craing, this one last link to the ticking time bombs in their own heads, alive. Jason took in a long breath and tried to ignore his own relentless pounding pain. The one positive was that they still had what remained of the battered Craing warship. Ricket sat back and stopped poking and prodding the corpse.

  “I’m back, Cap,” Billy said. “I was wrong; it looks like there’s a single survivor. By the looks of his medallion, he’s one of the officers. I’m trying to remember … what’s silver mean? Is that like an XO?”

  “I don’t remember, either. Maybe. Do what you can to stabilize him. We’ll be right over.”

  * * *

  Jason and Ricket had flown the Pacesetter over to the crippled Caldurian vessel. Now, as Ricket examined the small Craing officer, Jason took in the vessel’s bridge. From what he understood, this ship was at least one hundred years newer and, unquestionably, more advanced than The Lilly, but there were a lot of similarities. About one-third the size of The Lilly, she was definitely compact in comparison. The ship had the same 360-degree virtual display high up around the bridge and an array of other, smaller holographic displays at each of the various station consoles.

  “Captain, I’ve discovered something interesting,” Ricket said, kneeling at the side of the unconscious Craing.

  Jason kneeled down as well. “What is it?”

  “His nano-devices are still operational. Damaged, but still functioning. I’ll need to do more tests to determine if there’s still a self-destruct countdown.”

  Jason nodded. “Can you analyze what happened?” Jason tried not to sound overly desperate. It weighed heavily on his mind that his daughter, ex-wife, and every other crewmember on board The Lilly had less than fourteen days to live.

  The Craing officer was coming around. When he saw Ricket looking down at him, his eyes widened and he tried to sit up.

  “Do not move,” Ricket said, putting a hand on his chest. He’d spoken Terplin and the Craing answered back in the same language. Their internal NanoCom devices provided a translation of what was being said. The Craing officer wanted to know whether he was dead. Was Emperor Reechet here to welcome him home to the spirit world?

  Jason interjected, “Sorry, you’re not dead yet. What’s your name and what was your position on this vessel?”

  He replied in broken English, “I am the second in command. My name is Mal-tee.” He was craning his neck to look around the bridge. There were eight Craing lying dead on the deck and two others hunched over in their chairs.

  Ricket was back to prodding at the Craing’s cranium. Jason watched Ricket’s face, where small gears, micro pistons and actuators silently moved beneath his near-transparent skin. He was making an expression Jason hadn’t seen on him before. Over the last month, Ricket seemed to have evolved; he’d become more expressive, more humanlike. Billy entered the bridge and stood at their side.

  “Is he going to make it?” he asked, obviously not overly concerned with the Craing officer’s feelings on the subject of his life or death prognosis.

  Jason shrugged. “Think so,” he said as he noticed Ricket doing that thing with his face again. Was that a smile?

  “What is it, Ricket?”

  Ricket tilted Mal-tee’s head back and looked into his large eyes. “Can it really be that simple?” he said aloud.

  “What? What is it you’re mumbling about?” Jason asked impatiently.

  Ricket held up a finger, another new gesture for the cyborg. “Mal-tee, this is very important. What exactly did you do when you saw the other crewmembers dying next to you?”

  Mal-tee thought for a moment, then held Ricket’s stare. “I accessed and downloaded the medical practitioner protocols. They needed a medic; I was in the process of becoming one when I must have passed out.”

  Ricket stood up and went to the nearest console and typed something at the virtual input device.

  While Ricket worked, Jason addressed the alien officer.

  “Before we go any further, you will transfer command of this ship to me. I’m Captain Reynolds. Do it now!”

  Mal-tee was instantly on edge and looked over to Ricket. Billy, holding a multi-gun, pressed the muzzle to the Craing’s large forehead. “We won’t ask twice, little Craing!” Billy said, his Cuban accent adding an almost humorous quality to his ultimatum.

  Mal-tee nodded, spoke a series of words and numbers, and then waited. The Caldurian ship’s AI spoke aloud, his voice friendly and non-threatening. “Command transfer complete. Welcome aboard, Captain Reynolds, Ricket, and Lieutenant Hernandez.”

  Jason instantly liked the Caldurian ship’s AI; The Lilly’s AI and her patronizing tone had always rubbed him the wrong way.

  Ricket moved to another of the forward consoles. The wraparound display changed. “Captain, we have two Allied battle cruisers leaving the outpost.”

  Jason had known it was only a matter of time before the outpost would send ships to recover what was left of the Caldurian vessel. Looking around the bridge, Jason wasn’t about to allow the U.S. military to get anywhere near this ship’s highly advanced technology. In the past, The Lilly had been at odds with Jason’s own government, and after what happened with Admiral Cramer and her militia’s attempted coup to take control of the newly acquired Craing fleet—well, self-preservation dictated there was only so much technology he was willing to share at this point.

  Jason hailed his father, Admiral Reynolds.

  “Go for Admiral Reynolds,” the baritone voice came back.

  “Admiral, we’ve got two outpost battle cruisers en route—”

  “Yes. They’re following new outpost protocol. I can’t get in the middle of it without bringing undue attention to myself. You’ll need to handle things as best you can.”

  “We’ve talked about this before, Admiral; we don’t want to surrender the Caldurian ship’s high-tech into the hands of anyone, including the U.S. government. Remember, this ship’s advanced technology may end up being our only link to figuring out the nano-tech issues.”

  “I’m not likely to forget. My head’s pounding too, Jason. I’m walking into a meeting right now.”

  “So, you can’t talk freely, you’re saying?”

  “That’s correct.”

  “Understood. So you won’t be surprised if this ship … disappears?” Jason asked.

  “Do what you have to do and bring me up to speed as soon as you can.”

  Jason cut the connection and looked over to the small alien, who was now sitting up and leaning against one of the bridge consoles.

  “Ricket, what’s the ETA on those cruisers?”

  “Six minutes, Captain.”

  “Mal-tee, what is the range for phase-shifting this ship?”

  Mal-tee looked confused, first looking at Jason and then at Ricket. Jason waved his hand dismissively and addressed the AI directly.
>
  “AI, what is the range for phase-shifting this ship?”

  “In your measurements, and as currently configured, approximately three thousand miles,” the AI replied.

  Jason was momentarily stunned at the phase-shift capabilities of this little ship compared to The Lilly, with its phase-shifting range of only three miles. He brought up his virtual tablet and studied the screen for several moments.

  “Ricket, can you disengage the rear section of this ship, specifically the aft section with the damaged drives?”

  Ricket thought for a moment and nodded. “It’s possible if we use missiles or rail-gun ordnances from the Pacesetter.”

  “That could work,” Jason replied.

  Ricket moved to a nearby console and keyed something in. Billy was still watching the display. “Captain, those cruisers are now in orbit on the far side of the Earth.”

  Mal-tee looked confused. “Why destroy the aft section of my vessel?”

  “You’ll see soon enough,” Jason answered.

  “Captain, I’ve forwarded the phase-shift coordinates.”

  “Can you configure the move for that distance?” Jason asked.

  “If the information the AI provided is correct, then yes.”

  “Wait a minute, it won’t work,” Jason said, frustrated. “I can’t pretend to blow up this damn ship and still have Billy and his team miraculously survive …”

  “There’s a shuttle on board. It’s actually bigger than The Lilly’s shuttles,” Billy offered.

  “AI, does the shuttle on this vessel have phase-shift capabilities?”

  “Yes, sir. The phase-shift capabilities of the shuttle vessel are similar to those of—”

  Jason interrupted the AI mid-sentence. “Billy, help me get everyone on board that shuttle. You go too, Ricket, and take the Craing officer along with you. We need to move it: chop, chop, everyone!”

  “Aye, Cap,” Billy said, rushing from the bridge.

  “Ricket,” Jason said, heading off the bridge, “the timing has to be perfect. As soon as you’re all on board the shuttle, go ahead and phase-shift to open space.

  * * *

  Back in the cockpit of the Pacesetter, Jason reviewed the targeting information Ricket had preloaded earlier.

  “Captain, the two cruisers will have visuals on us in less than a minute,” Ricket said. “They’re hailing us, sir.”

  “I hear them. Just ignore them,” Jason said.

  “We’re all on board and ready to go, Cap. We’re phase-shifting to open space,” Billy said.

  A moment later, the Caldurian shuttle appeared within a mile off his starboard side.

  Jason hailed Ricket via his NanoCom.

  “Go for Ricket.”

  “Ready?”

  “I’m ready.”

  With eight seconds before the two battle cruisers would have visuals on the Caldurian ship, Jason deployed the Pacesetter’s rail-gun. The gun charged and came alive with a series of short bursts, targeting the predetermined firing solutions—solutions that pinpointed key areas along the Caldurian ship’s hull.

  Small explosions ripped at the aft section of the ship until the mangled drive section spun off on its own trajectory. At that precise moment, the larger forward section of the Caldurian vessel shifted away. With three seconds remaining before the two battle cruisers came into view, Jason fired a low-yield missile into the floating aft section of the Caldurian ship. It exploded just as the two massive Craing battle cruisers came into view. There were sizable pieces remaining of the blasted vessel—enough to leave no doubt the Caldurian vessel had just been destroyed there.

  Jason was hailed by Billy.

  “Go for Captain.”

  “Cap, you do know they would have detected that missile you fired?”

  “Just protecting myself. Seems that Caldurian ship had multiple defensive weapons targeting the Pacesetter. You saw it, right? Had no choice. Sure was a good thing everyone was able to get off the ship in time.”

  “Um, yeah, good thing.”

  * * *

  What remained of the Caldurian vessel, the forward two-thirds of the ship, now sat one mile below the Chihuahuan Desert in a cavern adjacent to the one in which The Lilly was currently situated. Jason had earlier recalled that there was that second, smaller cavern close by to the first one, but he wasn’t completely sure it would be large enough to hold the newly-disabled alien vessel. Apparently it was.

  The Pacesetter sat next to the Caldurian shuttle on the now somewhat cramped Lilly flight deck. Ricket had one priority and one priority only—to find a solution that would prevent their nano-tech from self-destructing. Later, if there was a later, he could start retrofitting The Lilly with any and all new technology that could be scavenged from the younger ship. Especially the phase-shift components, which would allow phase-shifts to significantly farther distances.

  * * *

  Jason was not prepared for the deterioration of The Lilly crew’s health. Apparently, the nano-tech issues in their heads were cumulative, and with that, painful headaches and nausea were the result. He waited while Nan was in the head, brushing her teeth. He’d decided to check in on her and Mollie as soon as he’d returned from space. The overhead lights had been dimmed and Mollie was in bed with a cold compress on her forehead. Jason stood in her doorway watching her sleep.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You’re awake?”

  “Dad, I can’t sleep with my head hurting, and I feel like barfing.”

  “I know, sweetie. I’m sorry. And I know it’s not fair that a little girl should have to go through this—”

  “I’m not really a little girl anymore, Dad.”

  “You’ll always be my little girl, even when you’re ninety years old,” Jason said with a smile.

  Nan joined Jason at his side. She’d touched up her makeup since he’d first arrived several minutes earlier.

  “Any progress?” she asked.

  “Ricket’s working on it. But not really.”

  “How often are we going to put Mollie in jeopardy like this? I mean, what little girl goes through this kind of bullshit?”

  “You said a bad word, Mom,” came Mollie’s soft voice.

  “Sorry, honey. I thought you were asleep,” Nan said, frustrated.

  Then Nan put a hand to her mouth. “Oh, God.” She turned and ran for her bathroom.

  * * *

  The XO was waiting in the corridor for Jason as he left Nan’s quarters.

  “Captain. We have a visitor.”

  Jason still hadn’t gotten used to Lieutenant Commander Perkins’ altered Caldurian appearance, and he hesitated before replying.

  “What do you mean? Here, a mile underground?”

  “Looks to be one of the indigenous tribesman, sir.”

  “Where is he? What’s he doing?”

  “Nothing. I mean, he’s just standing there at the bow watching us. To be honest, it’s kinda creepy.”

  The first thing Jason noticed as they entered the bridge was the watch crew’s inactivity. All eyes were on the overhead display and the solitary figure standing motionless. He was tall, wrapped in what appeared to be animal skins, and holding some kind of long wooden staff.

  “Sensors have been picking up the close proximity of life forms for some time now. When we flipped on the running lights we noticed this guy directly in front of The Lilly,” Perkins said.

  “Lilly, zoom in on his face,” Jason commanded the AI.

  The tribesman’s face filled the forward segment of the display. Similar in looks to Perkins, the tribesman was evidently a Caldurian too. As if knowing he was being watched, he slowly lowered his thick fur hood and smiled. With his free hand he pointed a long finger, then waved in a gesture to come out.

  “What’s he doing?” Perkins asked.

  “Looks like he wants to talk to us. Suit up, XO, we’re going out there.”

  Perkins, who had yet to go on a mission away, didn’t respond at first.


  “Hello? Battle suit … XO? I imagine the pressure out there is quite a bit more than we’re used to.”

  Seemingly nervous, Perkins was already scurrying out of the bridge.

  “Aye, Captain. I’ll, um, I’ll get ready.”

  The XO nearly tripped over Ricket on his way out.