The Star Cross

by Raymond L. Weil

  “We’re safe now, honey,” Emily said, sitting down next to Andrew and Alexis. “Your father will see that the Profiteers never bother us again.”

  Andrew nodded. Once the new defense system arrived, Newton would be secure from any conceivable attack. The only problem was that the new system was still a few months away from being installed. After all the credits they had just spent on Kubitz, the word had to be out that the Earth humans still had a large quantity of gold and possibly other valuable assets. In all probability an attack on Newton would happen before the defenses arrived. He wouldn’t share this fear with his family, as he didn’t want them to worry. He would do the worrying for them.

  -

  Fleet Admiral Vickers was watching the Dacroni battleship on the main viewscreen, when Captain Randson returned to the Command Center. He had finished the arrangements for the battleships and battlecruisers, and had deposited sufficient gold with the spaceport Controllers to cover the costs, as well as to operate the embassy. He had also spent another twenty million credits on some special hyperspace detection buoys. He had bought twenty of them, and each one could detect a ship in hyperspace for a distance of five light-years.

  “We’re ready to leave,” Kurt announced, upon seeing Randson. He knew that Andrew had been with his family.

  “All ships are in formation,” reported Lieutenant Brooks, as she checked her short-range sensors.

  “We’ve been cleared by Kubitz Orbital Control to leave,” added Ensign Pierce. “We can’t enter hyperspace until we’ve cleared the orbit of the sixth planet.”

  Kurt nodded. Turning to Andrew, he gave an order. “Take us out at 60 percent sublight.”

  Moments later he watched the viewscreens, as they pulled away from Kubitz. His thoughts turned to Keera, and he wondered when he would see her again. He had found the young doctor to be quite intriguing and enjoyable to be with.

  -

  On the Dacroni battleship Rellal, Second Clan Leader Castel looked on, while the human ships broke orbit and accelerated away from the planet. We’ll follow them shortly,” he informed Dalet. “Let them clear the orbit of the fifth planet, and then we’ll leave Kubitz. Is the hyperspace tracer working?”

  “Yes,” Dalet answered. “We managed to successfully place two of them on the outer hull of the cargo ship.”

  Castel nodded. If things worked out as he hoped, that human cargo ship would bring vast riches to the clan. Clan Leader Jarls would be very satisfied when he heard what Castel had done. Once the humans entered hyperspace, he would follow and set up an ambush. He strongly suspected that, once they were away from the Gothan Empire, the humans’ fears of an attack would lessen. That would be when Castel would strike. He would eliminate this small human threat and take the cargo ship. Leaning back in his command chair, Castel was confident of his success. The humans were such fools to think they could travel all the way to the Gothan Empire and not suffer the consequences for their rashness. He would shortly show them the error of their thinking.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kurt had left the Command Center to take a tour of the ship. They had just completed their second hyperspace dropout after leaving the Gothan Empire, and he was breathing easier. They had made it out of the star cluster without encountering any other ships. One thing he did want to do, when they made it back to Newton, was see if they could adopt the science behind the hyperspace buoys, so they could use a similar detection system on the Star Cross. Of course Kurt wasn’t certain the science was even decipherable.

  Stepping into the med bay, he saw Dr. Willis sitting at a desk with a bored look on his face. Willis was an older man, graying at the temples, and very qualified to handle all the requirements of a ship’s doctor.

  “Admiral,” Willis said, standing up when he saw Kurt at the hatch. “What brings you down this way?”

  “Sit back down,” Kurt said, walking over and taking the other chair in front of the doctor’s desk. “I’m just making a quick tour of the ship before we jump back into hyperspace. How are things here in med bay?”

  “Too damn quiet,” Willis said with a satisfied grin. “Only one patient today and he was complaining about a bellyache. Gave him some antacid medication and sent him to his quarters.”

  “We’ll be at Newton in eight more days,” Kurt said.

  He would be relieved to get back, as it would allow him to know the planet was still safe. He was fully confident that Rear Admiral Wilson could handle any Profiteers who might come his way, particularly with the Kepler at his disposal.

  “I’ll be glad,” Willis replied. He opened a folder and pointed at some notes he had written down. “I’ve been making a tentative list of all the different humanoid and alien species that we encountered in the Kubitz System.”

  “How?” Kurt asked surprised. “Where did you get that information?”

  “Your friend, Avery Dolman,” Willis answered. “I got Lieutenant Tenner to pay him a nice little sum for this information. He sent a lot of medical files that describe the differences between the various humanoid species on Kubitz. Even a few files on some of the alien ones.”

  “That’s one thing I didn’t see,” Kurt commented. “In the time I was on the planet, everyone I saw was human or at least humanoid to some extent. I wonder where the alien species were?”

  “In another one of the domed cities that specializes in serving them,” Willis answered. “I asked the same question and was told that many of them require specific atmospheric environments in order to survive. I guess the Kubitz government built a special city, just to take care of their needs, so they could trade with them.”

  “While I was on Kubitz, I met a doctor. Her name is Keera Jelk. She said she studied at some advanced institute that specializes in the different humanoid species plus a few of the major alien ones. I should have arranged for you to meet her.”

  “Maybe next time,” Willis said with a nod. “I would be interested in speaking with someone with that type of experience.”

  Kurt’s conversation with Willis was cut short when the ship suddenly shook violently, and the Condition One alarms began sounding.

  “What the hell?” uttered Willis with his eyes widening. “Was that an explosion?”

  “Admiral Vickers, report to the Command Center.” The anxious voice of Captain Randson came over the ship’s general comm system. “We have a Dacroni battleship closing on our position.”

  “Looks as if you’re about to get busy, doc,” Kurt said, as he reached across Willis’s desk and pressed the comm button. “Captain, jump the fleet back into hyperspace. No need for us to fight that battleship.”

  “Can’t,” Randson replied. “They took out the hyperdrive on the Lansing with the first shot. The crew is evaluating the damage to see how severe it is.”

  “I’m on my way,” Kurt answered, as he turned and rushed from the med bay. The news about the Lansing was disconcerting. The ship only had a weak defensive shield and a few railgun batteries for defense. The ship also had a crew of seventy, plus twenty Marines.

  It only took Kurt a couple of minutes to reach the Command Center. During that time he felt the Star Cross shake severely on more than one occasion. Bursting into the Command Center, he hurried over to his command chair. “Status!”

  “We have a Dacroni battleship, a Profiteer battlecruiser, and two support cruisers closing on our position,” reported Captain Randson, standing behind the tactical station. “We’re currently under fire from the battlecruiser and the two support vessels.”

  “Damage?”

  “Only minor,” Randson answered. “Our energy screen was up and has deflected most of the energy directed toward us.”

  “The Sydney?”

  “Covering the Lansing and the Newton Princess.”

  Kurt knew instantly what he had to do. Activating the ship-to-ship comm, he contacted the captains of the Newton Princess and the Sydney. “Both of you jump into hyperspace and go to Newton.”

  “We can help, Ad
miral,” protested Captain Danforth from the Sydney.

  “I know you can, but there are more than four thousand civilians on the Newton Princess. Their survival is now your number one priority. I want both your ships gone immediately and don’t stop until you reach Newton. If I don’t make it back, tell Rear Admiral Wilson that he’s in command.”

  “Yes, Admiral,” Captain Danforth answered. “We’ll do as ordered. Good luck.”

  Moments later, both vessels vanished from the tactical screen, as they jumped into hyperspace.

  “Sydney and the Newton Princess have jumped,” confirmed Lieutenant Brooks.

  The ship shook violently once again, and several warning alarms sounded on the damage control console.

  “I’m tired of that Profiteer battlecruiser using us for target practice,” Kurt said, his eyes taking on a dangerous glint. “Target it with our particle beam cannon. Follow it up with four rounds each from our two forward KEW batteries.”

  “Target locked,” reported Lieutenant Mays from Tactical.

  “Fire!” ordered Kurt, his eyes focused intently on the main viewscreen, which showed the nine-hundred-meter-long enemy battlecruiser rapidly closing range with the Star Cross.

  A dark blue particle beam flashed from the Star Cross, tearing through the energy shield of the Profiteer battlecruiser. The beam struck the bow of the vessel, causing a powerful explosion and hurling debris from the ship. Secondary explosions blew out other hull sections.

  “Their shield is down!” called out Lieutenant Brooks, as her sensors detected the sudden collapse of the Profiteer’s defensive energy shield. “The particle beam must have hit something vital inside the ship.”

  “Take them out,” Captain Randson ordered the tactical officer. “Fire the forward KEW batteries.”

  The Star Cross shook slightly as her bow KEW batteries fired four projectiles at nearly 10 percent of the speed of light at the enemy ship. The projectiles slammed into the main part of the Profiteer warship, setting off massive explosions and hurling more debris into space. The battlecruiser seemed to stagger and began to drift, as additional secondary explosions tore through the vessel.

  “Helm, turn us ninety degrees starboard, flank speed!” ordered Captain Randson. “All laser batteries and defensive railgun turrets to target the Profiteer battlecruiser on completion of the turn.”

  The Star Cross quickly turned, and her laser turrets fired ruby-red beams of energy at the heavily damaged Profiteer battlecruiser. Explosions erupted across the hull as the defensive railgun turrets fired their smaller rounds at the enemy ship. Suddenly a bright fireball appeared in the heart of the battlecruiser, and it blew apart.

  “Profiteer battlecruiser is down,” reported Lieutenant Brooks in a shaken voice.

  “The two support cruisers are still closing, and the Dacroni battleship is making toward the Lansing,” called out Captain Randson, his eyes focused on the tactical screen. “I think they intend to board her.”

  “How long until the Lansing can repair her hyperdrive?” demanded Kurt. “Helm, set a course for the Lansing, put us between it and the Dacroni battleship.”

  “Admiral, we don’t have the firepower to take on a Dacroni battleship,” warned Captain Randson. “Their shields are too powerful, and their ion beam can penetrate our energy screen, if they keep it focused on us long enough.”

  “I have Captain Blair on the comm,” reported Ensign Pierce.

  “Captain Blair, how long until you can have your hyperdrive operational?” Kurt asked, as the viewscreen shifted suddenly to show the Dacroni battleship. “You also need to deploy your Marines. We believe the Dacroni battleship is sending a boarding party.”

  “We can’t,” answered Blair in an even voice. “Engineering has been destroyed, and it’s open to space. “It’ll be hours before we can even get a crew in there. We have sporadic sublight but even that will probably be gone shortly. I’ve already deployed the Marines to the main airlocks.”

  Kurt swore silently to himself as he weighed his options. “Prepare for us to dock with you to remove your crew.”

  “No, Admiral,” Blair said calmly. “It’s too late for us. I’ve already ordered several self-destruct charges to be set. They’re wired to a detonator I’m holding in my hand. When the Dacroni battleship docks, I intend to set them off.”

  For several long seconds Kurt remained silent, as he tried to think of a way to save the Lansing.

  “He’s doing the right thing,” Captain Randson said somberly, listening to the conversation over the command channel. “There’s no other option.” His face was pale, knowing what was soon to happen.

  Kurt closed his eyes and shook his head; yet he knew Andrew was right. “It’s been an honor serving with you, Captain Blair,” Kurt said in a calm and respectful voice. “Your sacrifice will be remembered.”

  “Just drive those bastards from Earth someday!” Blair replied.

  “I will,” promised Kurt, feeling a lump in the back of his throat.

  “Signing off,” Blair announced. “I have a few other things that need to be taken care of before that Dacroni battleship docks with us.”

  The comm went silent, and Kurt leaned back in his command chair. Then, taking a deep breath, he looked over at Captain Randson. “Take us into hyperspace and set course for Newton.”

  “Yes, Admiral,” Randson said, as he quickly passed on the order.

  Moments later Kurt felt the Star Cross accelerate and then the wrenching sensation as the ship entered hyperspace. They were safe now, but it pained him immensely knowing they had left behind the Lansing and her crew.

  -

  Second Clan Leader Castel grinned in satisfaction as the human battlecruiser fled the battle, leaving the cargo ship unprotected.

  “The human battlecruiser has jumped into hyperspace,” Dalet reported. “The cargo ship is ours!”

  “The cowards!” roared Castel, as he gazed at the now nearly empty tactical screen. A cloud of debris expanded from the destroyed Profiteer battlecruiser. An unfortunate loss, but one that could be made up for quite easily by the gold he expected to find on the human cargo ship.

  “They’re still attempting to use their sublight drive to elude us,” reported Dalet.

  On the tactical screen, the human vessel changed course and put more distance between it and the Rellal.

  “Use one of our energy beams to disable it permanently,” ordered Castel. “Without its hyperdrive the human vessel is worthless to us anyway.”

  From the Rellal a slim white energy beam flashed toward the cargo ship, drilling through the hull and destroying the faltering sublight drive. The cargo ship instantly began to drift.

  -

  “Sublight drive is down,” reported Ensign Brickman, as his navigation panel died.

  “Then that’s it,” Captain Blair said in the suddenly quiet Command Center. “Once the Dacroni have locked their ship to ours, I’ll set off the self-destructs.”

  No one replied, as the small command crew were lost in their own private thoughts, knowing their lives were about to end.

  A few minutes passed, and then the ship shuddered slightly, and a loud clanging noise was heard echoing down the now empty corridors.

  “They’ve docked,” one of the crew said quietly.

  In the distance they could hear heavy weapons fire as the Lansing’s Marines engaged the boarding Dacroni mercenaries.

  “I wish we all could have seen Earth one more time,” Captain Blair said, as he pressed the flashing red button on the detonator he held in his right hand.

  -

  Instantly the ship’s nuclear reactor overloaded and exploded. Torrents of energy were released, annihilating bulkheads, walls, and equipment. A second explosion near the bow destroyed the hypermissiles the ship had been carrying. Several of the warheads had been taken apart and detonators emplaced, arming the warheads. It was a slipshod affair but effective.

  The warheads detonated simultaneously, and a brilliant firebal
l formed in the hold, blowing out the walls and engulfing the Dacroni battleship. With its shield down, it was helpless to protect itself from the raging destruction. Three seconds after the warheads detonated, the Dacroni battleship exploded, as its engineering compartment was breached, and then its fusion reactor became unstable. A massive fireball formed where the two ships had been, and, for a moment, it seemed as if a new sun had formed.

  In the two Profiteer escort cruisers, the crews recorded the total destruction of the human cargo ship and the Dacroni battleship. The recordings of the entire battle would be delivered to High Profiteer Creed. If the Dacroni were shown to have acted recklessly, and, as a result, the Profiteer battlecruiser had been destroyed by their negligence, then there would be compensation expected from the mercenaries.

  After another few minutes of observations, the two escort cruisers jumped into hyperspace and set course for Earth. Behind them, a glowing debris cloud marked the death of the three ships. In another few days, there would be no obvious evidence that a battle had ever been fought in this small discreet star system.

  -

  Kurt sat in his quarters, morose in thought. The loss of the Lansing had stunned him and had been so unexpected. He made an after-action report, listing his own observations as a reference for future combat missions against both the Profiteers and the Dacroni. The problem had been the Dacroni battleship; if the Star Cross had only been fighting the Profiteer battlecruiser and its two escorts, Kurt would have been willing to stay and slug it out.

  It was also upsetting that their first group of purchased hypermissiles had been lost. Those would have been useful in the defense of Newton, if the planet were attacked. Now he would have to do without them, until he could make arrangements for more. Credits wouldn’t be a problem, as he had ordered a transfer of much of the gold from the Lansing to the underground vault beneath the compound they had leased on Kubitz. The vault was under constant guard by the Marines he had left behind. The Marine presence should raise no eyebrows in that neighborhood. Not even Dolman or Grantz knew of the underground vault or what was hidden there. Kurt had gone to great lengths to ensure that.