Wizard Defender (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 8)

by Rodney Hartman

  “You said we had to wait until we received confirmation that the yacht’s airlock was shut,” Timerman replied, becoming increasingly worried about his friends in the strike team.

  “This is combat,” said Sergeant Ron. “Things change. I’m the captain, so just do it. Make sure you save three missiles for the destroyer.”

  Nodding his head even though the Defiant’s captain couldn’t see, Timerman shifted his target sights from the destroyer’s engine to the weakest point on the transport’s force field. Moving his hand over the control panel located on the left armrest of the pilot’s seat, he pressed the launch icon. The X-shuttle bucked three times. The glare of the missiles’ exhausts disappeared in the direction of the starships ahead.

  Timerman pressed the switch on his joystick for the Defiant’s communication network. “Daniel, I have three missiles on their way. You’ve got control.”

  “Roger that,” replied Daniel from his Zip fighter. “I’ve got control. I’m five seconds behind you. This is just like playing bongo back on Trecor.”

  Except this isn’t a game, Timerman thought. He’d been told the young Trecorian’s bongo skills had uniquely prepared the young teen for guiding the special warheads designed by Sergeant Hendricks. Past experience had proven Daniel could guide the weapons with near perfect precision to their target, but even so, Timerman couldn’t help but be worried. His father had said more than once that something always went wrong in combat no matter how perfect the plan.

  Turning his gaze to the tactical hologram, Timerman watched the points of light that were his missiles streaking toward their target. As he watched, the missiles lined up one behind the other at the exact distance required to ensure each missile struck the same point on the force field without being affected by the blast from the missile ahead of it.

  “The destroyers are launching anti-missile missiles,” said Margery.

  Glancing out the windscreen, Timerman saw a dozen flashes from the sides of both destroyers. The flashes left little doubt the pirates had detected the incoming missiles and were taking countermeasures. The three points of light on the tactical hologram that were the X-shuttle’s missiles began dodging back and forth.

  I hope that’s Daniel and not some malfunction in the missiles, Timerman thought. He looked closer at the hologram. None of the destroyers’ return fire appeared to be heading in the X-shuttle’s direction.

  “Have they spotted us yet?” Timerman asked.

  “Negative,” replied Margery. “But don’t get your hopes up. I calculate that won’t last long.”

  Taking a deep breath, Timerman tightened his grip on the shuttle’s controls. “Understood. Help me line up on the outboard destroyer’s engine. We have to disable that ship’s ion-drive for Rick’s plan to work.”

  “Compliance.”

  The X-shuttle shifted into a hard sixty-degree turn. When it rolled out, the shuttle was lined up directly on the outermost destroyer’s ion engine exhausts. As the X-shuttle drew closer, Timerman noticed vapor coming out of the docking tube connecting the yacht to the transport.

  “It’s leaking gas into space,” Timerman said. “The yacht needs to get away before it loses more of its atmosphere.”

  “Everyone on our boarding party is in power-armor of one type or another,” Margery said. “They’ll be fine. Besides, those warships still have the yacht blocked in. It can’t break away until at least one of the destroyers is moved out of position. That’s your job, so don’t get sidetracked worrying about someone else’s task. Rick and the others can take care of themselves. Stick to the plan.”

  Timerman well knew the success of the plan depended a lot on what he did in the next ten seconds. His right hand felt sticky on the control joystick as he placed a sweaty finger on the trigger for the forward gun cannons. At the same time, he raised his left index finger over the missile icon on his armrest. Straining to keep his voice steady, Timerman said, “Is the airlock shut yet? Can I fire?”

  “The door’s still open,” said Margery. “Sergeant Ron just gave the order to fire anyway. Nickelo has confirmed Rick is on his way to the airlock now. I have faith he will have the airlock shut by the time you take out the destroyer’s engine.”

  Three flashes of light exploded against the transport’s force field. The translucent screen that surrounded all four starships disappeared.

  “The transport’s shield is down,” said Margery. “It was handling the force field for all of the ships. Fire now before they get their secondary systems online.”

  Hoping Rick was as good as Margery thought he was, Timerman pushed down on the missile icon as he pulled the gun trigger on the joystick. The X-shuttle bucked as the three remaining missiles shot out, followed by hundreds of balls of plasma and magic energy from the forward auto-cannons.

  “Daniel,” Timerman said into the ship-to-ship intercom. “Missiles are on their way. Make me proud.”

  The teen in the Zip fighter didn’t reply, but the three streaks of light that were the missiles lined up one behind the other and streaked straight toward the outermost destroyer. Multicolored beams of energy reached out from the destroyer. Some shot out toward the incoming missiles. Other beams targeted the X-shuttle. Timerman banked hard to avoid the return fire.

  “I calculate a one hundred percent probability that the pirates know you are here now,” said Margery.

  Timerman didn’t waste time replying. He dodged incoming plasma and phase beams the way Tia had taught him in the simulator just before she’d left the Defiant. Two beams of purple plasma energy ricocheted off the forward force field, but the glancing blows did no damage. Timerman said a silent prayer to the Creator thanking Tia for her training. A bright explosion in the windscreen cut his prayer short.

  “One of our missiles has been destroyed,” said Margery. “You need at least two to take out the ion engine: one to blast a hole in the local force field and one to disable the engine itself.”

  Leaving the missiles to Daniel, Timerman concentrated on targeting the docking tube that connected the transport to the yacht and pulled the trigger for the forward auto-cannons. Bright balls of plasma and magic energy shot out from the X-shuttle’s bow in the direction of the tube between the two ships’ airlocks. As the rounds drew close, Timerman had a split-second to think, You better not be in there, Rick.

  The rounds of plasma energy and magic hit the docking tube, tearing it apart in the middle. At the same time, the two missiles Timerman fired earlier slammed into the outermost destroyer’s ion engine. Bright light erupted from the rear and sides of the destroyer and the forward and aft tractor beams locking the destroyer to the yacht disappeared.

  “It’s free,” said Margery. “Now’s your chance.”

  Timerman lined the X-shuttle up on the rear of the damaged destroyer and pressed an icon on the armrest of his pilot chair. A yellow tractor beam reached out from the shuttle’s bow and latched onto the destroyer. “Reverse! Full power!” he ordered.

  The X-shuttle’s engine whined as Timerman was thrown against his shoulder harness. The destroyer didn’t move. “It’s got too much mass,” said Timerman. “The X-shuttle’s not powerful enough to move it.” Desperate, the young orc made his decision. “Shut down life support and our force field along with anything else you can think of. Transfer all power to the forward tractor beam. Rick’s depending on us.”

  “Compliance,” said Margery. “I must point out that without your force field, you’ll be a sitting duck for the destroyer’s anti-ship weapons.”

  Even before the ex-battle computer finished speaking, Timerman saw the rearmost gun pods on the outermost destroyer turning in his direction. Before they began firing, red and green balls of energy flew past his windscreen and exploded against the destroyer’s weapons. A moment later the Defiant’s stubby-winged dragon-fighter zoomed past while continuing to fire at the destroyer’s gun pods.

  “Stop playing around and get that destroyer out of the way,” came Asquan’s voice out of th
e intercom. “Daniel and I will try to take out the second destroyer’s tractor beams.”

  Two of the outermost destroyer’s gun pods exploded as Asquan flew his dragon-fighter along the length of the enemy ship, firing every weapon he had as he went. Most of the destroyer’s remaining weapons concentrated their fire on the weaving fighter. Timerman dodged the few weapons still firing at his X-shuttle and began rocking the destroyer back and forth with the shuttle’s tractor beam. Slowly but surely the big ship began pulling away from the yacht. By the time the gap between the destroyer and the yacht had grown to fifty meters, Timerman noticed the tractor beams from the second destroyer disappear.

  “Asquan and Daniel have taken out the pirate’s tractor beams,” said Margery. “Sergeant Ron is going to get the second destroyer out of the way by using the Defiant’s tractor beams.”

  Timerman shook his head. “That destroyer still has its engines. There’s no way the Defiant can move it.”

  A bright flash from the rear of the second destroyer reflected off the hulls of the other starships. A second later, a yellow beam reached out and began tugging at the second destroyer.

  “Worry about your own mission and let Sergeant Ron worry about his,” said Margery. “You’ve moved the first destroyer far enough out of the way. Now latch onto the yacht and get it away from the transport while you’ve got the chance.”

  “Those warships’ weapons will destroy the yacht before I can get it a light second away,” Timerman said. “All they have to do is wait until I’m out of blast range and send in a nuke.”

  “Just do your job,” said Margery. “Rick’s plan will work.”

  Timerman released the X-shuttle’s tractor beam from the destroyer and switched it to the yacht. The smaller ship began pulling away from the transport and the destroyers. “Switch power back to life support, Margery. I’m having trouble breathing.”

  “Compliance. I am also reactivating the X-shuttle’s force field.”

  A beam of purple energy from the transport hit the force field a split-second after it formed. The X-shuttle shuddered but took no damage. Other beams of plasma energy from the transport and the two destroyers lashed out at the yacht. The beams stopped short. A translucent glow shimmered around the yacht.

  A glance at the readout on the hologram next to the pilot seat told Timerman all he needed to know. He sighed with relief and mouthed a single word. “Magic.”

  Chapter 29 – A Case of Mass

  ____________________

  The Defiant continued to fire all weapons systems at the gun pods on both the destroyers and the transport. At the same time, Sergeant Ron gave the hyper-drive a millisecond burst in reverse to start the second destroyer on its path away from the yacht. A slew of missiles and plasma beams slammed into the Defiant’s forward shields. Sergeant Ron’s eyes were momentarily blinded by the bright flashes of light. When his eyes refocused, he saw both the dragon and Zip fighters diving at the second destroyer with all weapons blasting away.

  “Get those gun pods on that transport out of action,” Sergeant Ron ordered. “Comstar’s shield around the yacht won’t hold up to that kind of firepower for long.”

  “We’re working on it,” came Daniel’s strained voice out of the intercom.

  The Defiant rocked to the side as another wave of missiles hit the forward shields. The force field held, but the tractor beam blinked out. Sergeant Ron shifted power from the auxiliary ion engine to the tractor beam. The yellow ray of the tractor beam reached out again and grabbed hold of the second destroyer.

  “Well try harder,” Sergeant Ron said as he gave the hyper-drive another millisecond burst.

  Closing the intercom connection to the fighters, Sergeant Ron said, “Margery, tell Timerman to get that yacht out of there.”

  “Compliance. Our orc is a little concerned that the transport or one of the destroyers will nuke the yacht before he can get a safe distance away. I calculate he has a valid point for concern.”

  Sergeant Ron didn’t bother telling the ex-battle computer that he shared the young orc’s concern. On the other hand, he did have a plan to tilt the odds in their favor a little.

  “Margery, let me know the moment the yacht’s clear of those two destroyers.”

  “Compliance. By the way, the transport has locked its two portside tractor beams onto the two destroyers. I calculate it’s trying to pull the warships back in place in order to block the yacht’s escape. Should I order the fighters to fire on the tractor beams?”

  An idea popped into Sergeant Ron’s head. He laughed. “No. Just let me know the moment the yacht’s clear.”

  “Compliance.”

  Sergeant Ron didn’t have to wait long. As he increased the power to the Defiant’s reverse thrusters to counteract the transport’s tractor beams, he gauged the distance between the yacht and the two destroyers. Despite the transport’s best efforts, the yacht cleared the first destroyer. The stern of the pirate’s warship just cleared the yacht’s blown-out bridge, but it still took a few metal plates from the yacht’s hull with it. The destroyer’s momentum kept it moving as the pirate ship headed straight for the transport.

  “The yacht’s clear of the second destroyer now,” said Margery.

  Trusting his ship’s computer to have her facts straight, Sergeant Ron punched the icon to shut off the Defiant’s tractor beam that was tugging on the second destroyer. With the loss of resistance from the Defiant’s tractor beam, the destroyer lurched backward as the transport’s tractor beam caused the destroyer to pick up momentum as it headed directly toward the transport.

  Sergeant Ron’s passive scan detected a power surge in the transport’s tractor beam as its operators hastily reversed power in the beam.

  Sergeant Ron gave an evil grin. “Too late, a-holes,” he laughed. “It’s got too much mass to stop in time.”

  Sure enough, after a half-dozen heartbeats, the second destroyer crashed into the side of the transport. The thin-metal plates of the transport gave way to the destroyer’s heavier armor. Vapor spewed into the vacuum of space along with bits of flotsam, a lot of which resembled bodies.

  Ignoring the crashing starships, Sergeant Ron touched the icon for the engine room’s intercom. “Bright Wing, do your thing. It’s now or never.”

  “Roger that,” came a reply more as an emotion than words.

  Sergeant Ron smiled as he watched the three enemy ships. “I love it when a plan comes together. Now all I have to do is wait.”

  Chapter 30 – Plan B

  ____________________

  Feeding Power through his link to Jeena, Richard sensed her pass it on to Comstar as it mingled with the Power being funneled into the elf mage by the gnomes. Even Red Wing and her supreme leader were supporting Comstar’s effort to keep the defensive shield around the yacht from collapsing.

  Drops of sweat beading on Comstar’s forehead were visible through the face shield of the elf’s helmet. Richard noticed the mage’s raised arms shake as Comstar held his staff in the air parallel to the engine room’s deck.

  “I calculate your old roommate has about reached the end of his limit,” said Nickelo in their shared space. “Sergeant Ron has dispatched Bright Wing to the transport’s engine room to overload its hyper-drive. I can sense a buildup of energy in the engine, but something is fighting her for control. You can see for yourself.”

  Reaching out with his passive scan, Richard sensed a large energy reading interweaving with that of the little dragon’s. As he watched, Bright Wing’s life force wavered before steadying.

  Richard turned to his bondmate. “Something’s attacking Bright Wing. She can’t overload the transport’s hyper-drive. I’ve got to get over there and help her.”

  Sweat running down her face, Jeena turned away from Comstar long enough to look at Richard through her power-armor’s visor. “We will both go.”

  Shaking his head, Richard said, “No. You’ve got to support Comstar. If his defensive shield fails, the yacht will be dest
royed. Everybody on board will die.”

  “I won’t allow you to go alone,” said Jeena, sounding determined enough to rebel. The emotion coming through her bond link confirmed her resolve.

  The yacht shook as the sound of an explosion echoed through the ship. Everyone but Richard, Red Wing, and the supreme leader were knocked to the floor. Comstar and Jeena hurriedly scrambled back to their feet and resumed their chanting. Calatron and his gnome mages also regained their feet as they took up their task of funneling Power into the elf mage.

  “Did our shield fail?” asked Felspar. He and his fellow dwarves stood with weapons drawn, forming a defensive line between the yacht’s armed crew and the two elves.

  So far, the Crosioians and the dwarves had avoided hostilities, but Richard knew it was a tentative truce at best.

  “The shield did not fail,” said Nickelo over the battle helmet’s external speakers. “Margery says one of the destroyers bumped into what was left of the yacht’s bridge. The yacht’s clear now. I calculate the pirates and their allies will be concentrating even more fire against the yacht. As the distance increases between the ships, more of the pirate’s gun pods will get a field of fire.”

  “Comstar,” Richard said. “Can Jeena, the gnomes, and you hold the shield spell on your own for two minutes if I leave?”

  The old elf mage didn’t bother replying, but he did nod. Taking it for a yes, Richard turned to Red Wing. “We’ve got to get to the transport’s engine room. Do you have enough Power to dimensional shift over there?”

  Red Wing nodded. “Enough to get there. Not enough to return.”

  “Understood,” Richard said. “Then you stay.” Facing the supreme leader, he asked, “What about you? Can you dimensional shift?”