Alpha One
Page 35
The Rapier arrived promptly, and was lowered down carefully into the compartment where Jake attached four manual clamps to hold the jump ship in position just above his head. The usual Rapier access route was via the wings, both of which rested on top of the Cargo hatch. This was not the most desirable route but Jake needed to gain access and then, manually, open the hatch at the bottom of the cockpit. This was an escape hatch, but served its purpose for this exercise.
Jake clambered across the wing and accessed the cockpit. He opened the bottom hatch so Carla and Joely could enter the jump ship. Carla took Joely to the rear of the cramped cabin, where she pulled down reserve seating from the wall. Jake meanwhile set up the NAVCOM to direct the Rapier straight into the path of the wormhole. A suited-up Obeya joined Jake in the cockpit. Four minutes after Jake secured the Rapier, the docking clamps were remotely blown and the Rapier lifted off from the Eagle with Obeya at the controls.
* * * *
The Eagle was blown to oblivion by the auto-destruct Obeya triggered as they left the cockpit. Winterburn and his crew received the send-off they deserved, thought Jake.
The order to launch the Rapiers came at 14.00 hours precisely. The two squadrons, laden with their lethal subspace charge cargo, lifted off from the Illustrious. They headed out beyond the fleet in opposite directions in a wide arc, to allow each jump ship to build up sufficient speed and momentum to make their bomb drop. Steve was in the Blue squadron, whose job was to deliver their charges via the left hand side, pass across the smaller wormhole, and then deliver his charges to the middle blue wormhole. Each Rapier would make just one pass and deliver its payload via a bomb drop. As long as the majority fell within the exterior corona of the blue wormhole and one or more were delivered directly into the wormholes mouth, then the mission would be accomplished. Steve sat at the back of the squadron just behind the group leader as they accelerated away from the Illustrious. The jump ships commenced their circular run at maximum velocity. They would slow down as they reached the drop point. It was essential they reach velocity to prevent them being dragged into the wormhole as they delivered their cargo.
Just as each squadron lined up to make the pass over the wormholes, the Halo 7 exited the wormhole. They were pursued by a group of Kryl fighters who, on exiting the hole, spread out and immediately started attacking the stricken Alpha Cruiser. Hoskins pulled the ship toward the Alpha Fleet, relieved to see Alpha still had a large presence in the area.
“Admiral Shenke.” Hoskins emergency comm link to the Illustrious was answered immediately.
“Commander Hoskins. Welcome back. You timed that well.”
Hoskins interrupted “Sir, the entire Kryl fleet is just about to come through, you need to prepare.”
“The holes are about to be closed, permanently. We will go to battle stations.”
Shenke ordered the change of status, and stood by as he watched the jump ship patrols engage the Kryl Fighters which followed Hoskins through the hole. He prayed they would not get in the way of the subspace charge delivery.
The Blue Squadron flew over the first wormhole, and the lead ship prepared to unload its cargo. As the pilot crossed over the blue corona of the wormhole, he fired his tiger missile and accelerated away. His job done, he could return to base.
The missile was pulled into the hole, but fell short of entering and embedded itself in the gaseous plasma membrane surrounding it. The next eight missiles were delivered to the corona, but each one missed the center of the hole. On the other side, the Red squadron also delivered their payload. They each failed to deliver a missile directly into the hole. Just as the tenth pair of jump ships were about to deliver their missiles, two Kryl fighters intercepted and forced the remaining members of the Red and Blue squadrons to pull up and void their drop.
* * * *
The Red squadron was in disarray, but the Blue squadron was behind them. Steve Costello decided it was his time to deliver. He opened a comm link and assumed command. He pulled the Rapier round in a tight arc and set up his second run, followed closely by the remaining members of the Blue squadron and two from the Red squadron. Two of the Blue squadron pulled off and commenced battle with the Kryl fighters.
In position, Steve pushed back on the yoke and allowed his thoughts to control the jump ship and its passage across the wormholes. Accelerating all the time, he closed down deep within the corona itself and just when it looked as if his Rapier might be pulled in, he delivered his missile and accelerated up and away from the wormhole at maximum velocity.
Steve’s missile entered the center of the hole. The remaining blue squadron vessels delivered their cargo into the corona from their position high above where Steve delivered his. The payload was delivered and the charges could do their worst.
* * * *
Obeya and Jake were fighting to maintain control of the Rapier, which was in danger of spinning out of control. They had hit a gaseous cloud in the center of the wormhole, which briefly knocked out the NAVCOM and the directional stabilizers. Obeya manually corrected the stabilizers, but they required constant adjustment. Jake wrestled with the controls. He knew they were nearly through. He just needed to keep the ship away from the wormhole walls.
A shard of light suddenly appeared on the horizon and Jake instantly recognized it. The missile was fired into the center of the hole. He knew he must avoid it at all costs. The wormhole wall would be his solace. He pulled the ship close to the lining of the wormhole and allowed the momentum of the vortex to pull the Rapier along, compensating all the time and preventing the ship from pulling out into the middle of the hole. The missile passed them and exploded seconds later. The timing was critical. Jake accelerated at maximum thrust as he saw the explosion gathering force below him. This would be close. The walls of the wormhole began collapsing.
How long before we are free? he thought. He pulled the ship into the middle of the hole and closed his eyes.
The Rapier freed the wormhole seconds later. The blue wormhole was collapsing in on itself. The delivery of the subspace charges was a success, and the wormhole was sealing.
The Rapier touched down in the Halo 7’s main hangar bay. Obeya, Jake, Carla and Joely jumped down from the wing onto the comparative safety of the hangar bay floor. Commander Hoskins was there to receive them. He didn’t care and embraced Obeya passionately. I almost lost her. Let them think what they like.
* * * *
Jake Carter looked out and stared at the spectacle in front of him. The wormhole was no longer blue and the other two holes had disappeared. We made it, he thought.
Epilogue
The Kronan witnessed the closure of the wormhole from his ship. The cruiser cloaked and escaped from the Kryl mother ship seconds before the PBA smashed into her and destroyed his fleet. The Kronan was strong and wise. The blue wormhole only slept. One day soon, it would open again and the Kryl fleet would enter this galaxy and join him. Until then he would wait. He was in no hurry.
In the center of the fissure, a small blue gaseous cloud grew. The subspace charge fell short of the center of the wormhole and exploded in the corona above. The closure of the wormhole was only temporary. Already the gaseous cloud consumed everything in its path.
About the Author:
Chris Burton is a business advisor and part time writer, who lives on the edge of the South Downs National Park in rural England, with his wife, two young children, two dogs and a cat. This is his first novel.
Visit his blog at: http://alphaonethejumppilot.blogspot.com
or his website: www.chrisburton2212.weebly.com
twitter: chrisburton99
Praise for Chris Burton:
“I’m a little in awe of your imagination, you have created a time and place that is written so strongly, it has a sense of being real. You have a great balance of narrative and dialogue in a very, very good storyline. – This is absolutely great Sci-Fi.” (Authonomy.com critique)
“I love how this moves along, and the application of n
aval battle-like terminology in an outer space war is a perfect fit. Your story telling gifts and imagination are in full play here, in a brilliant space epic. Thoroughly enjoyed and proudly backed. Classic space adventure - Rock on!” (Authonomy.com critique)
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