by Ryk Brown
“Very well,” Nathan said from his command chair.
“Twenty seconds.”
“Porto Santo reports first wave has lifted off,” Ensign Souza announced.
“Ten seconds.”
Nathan continued to listen to the status reports from his bridge staff as the last few seconds to their jump into battle counted down. The attack was to be a choreographed series of jumps, maneuvers, and shots, all designed to take advantage of the element of surprise. By the time each ship learned of attacks on others, they themselves would already be under attack.
“Jumping in three……two……one……jumping.”
The jump flash translated through the Aurora’s main view screen, momentarily bathing the bridge in blue-white, despite the filters built into the displays.
“Jump complete,” Mister Riley reported.
“Contacts!” Mister Navashee reported. “Two Jung cruisers, designations charlie one and two. One at ten to port, four down, ten kilometers. Two at fifteen to port, fifteen down, two hundred kilometers.”
“Targeting charlie one,” Luis reported. “All forward tubes. Give me twelve to port and twelve down, Mister Chiles.”
“Twelve to port and twelve down, aye,” the helmsman answered.
“No battle platforms or battleships in the area,” Mister Navashee added. “However, I do have debris fields at their previous locations.”
“Forward tubes locked. Firing triplets, one through four,” Luis reported.
Red-orange balls of plasma streaked across the main view screen in groups of three, disappearing in the distance at the center of the screen.
“Jump two ready,” Mister Riley reported.
“Clear jump line to second target,” Mister Chiles added.
“Debris analysis confirms, all KKV targets destroyed,” Mister Navashee announced.
Nathan felt a sigh of relief wash over him. Had even one of the Jung battle platforms or battleships survived the initial KKV strike, the situation would have become far more dangerous. However, he had only fired on a single cruiser so far, and there were three more of them out there, not to mention eight frigates and any number of gunships and fighters that might be launched.
Small bright flashes of light slightly above and right of the main view screen’s center caught Nathan’s eye.
“Direct hits!” Luis announced.
“Jumping in three…”
Three more flashes of light, this time yellow-orange, were seen at the same location on the main view screen.
“Two…”
“Charlie one destroyed,” Mister Navashee announced.
“One…”
“Forward tubes charged and ready,” Luis stated as the ship was about to jump to the next target in their attack sequence.
“Jumping.”
Again the jump flash washed over them.
“Jump complete,” Mister Riley reported.
“Locking forward tubes on target charlie two,” Luis announced. “Triple shots on all tubes… Firing!”
More red-orange balls of plasma streaked across the main view screen.
“Pitching down and starboard,” Mister Chiles reported.
The stars on the main view screen rolled to the left and began to slide up the screen as the ship maneuvered onto a new course for her next jump.
“I’ve got more contacts,” Mister Navashee reported, “Charlie three and four, right where they’re supposed to be.”
Nathan smiled. The attack had begun and was proceeding according to plan.
“How the hell did we end up as the commander’s personal flight crew?” Sergeant Torwell asked as he climbed into his seat in the center of the combat jump shuttle’s main compartment. “Oh yeah, I remember now. Someone had to go and show off with all kinds of fancy flying and quick thinking. Damn, I must be getting old. I can’t seem to remember who that was. Hey, L-T! Do you remember who that was?”
Lieutenant Kainan shook his head in dismay.
Sergeant Torwell looked at the two door gunners as they swung their weapons on their mounts, pulling them inside the door and raising them up out of the way. “Now, you boys make sure your safeties are on and your cells are powered down before you stow those weapons.”
“I’m pretty sure they know how to use those things, Sarge,” Ensign Latfee said from the copilot’s seat.
“I’m just making sure,” the sergeant explained. “I don’t know these boys from shit.” Sergeant Torwell looked at the two gunners who had just joined their crew the day before. “Nothing personal, gentlemen. I’m sure you’re both fine lads, and crack shots.” The sergeant activated his seat, which then began to ascend, raising him so that his head was in the turret bubble overhead. “I just don’t want any accidental discharges in the cabin with my ass dangling from the ceiling.”
“Probably ruin your whole day,” the lieutenant commented.
“Okay, my head’s in the oven, L-T. Let’s get this thing into space before my brain is well done.”
“Two minutes until the second wave launches,” Latfee said.
“Jesus. Why don’t these missions ever start during our nighttime?” the sergeant wondered. “You know, when the sun isn’t a problem?” The sergeant pivoted his turret from side to side, altering his rotation speed to test his systems. He stopped and pointed to starboard, noticing Commander Telles and his men coming toward them. “Here come the VIPs.”
“What do you have against Commander Telles?” the lieutenant asked.
“Nothing,” the sergeant answered. “I’m sure he’s a great guy. Not too crazy about his desire to always be inserted into the middle of shit, but other than that…”
“One minute,” Latfee reported.
“Any word on the battle yet?” airman Davies asked from the port gunner’s chair.
“What do you care, Davies?” the sergeant asked. “We’re jumping in either way.”
“Just curious.”
“All I know is that all the KKV targets were destroyed, and the first wave will be jumping in anytime now,” Ensign Latfee said.
Commander Telles jumped up into the shuttle, moving to the port side of the bench seat across the back of the cabin, to make room for Master Sergeant Jahal and two more Ghatazhak soldiers behind him. He tapped his comm-set to switch to the shuttle’s comm-channel as he slid over. “Ready to go, Lieutenant?”
“Yes, sir,” Lieutenant Kainan replied.
“Change in our arrival point,” the commander said. “I want a high view of the deployment before we decide where to insert, so jump us into sector two four north, at about one thousand meters.”
“Aye, sir,” the lieutenant replied. He looked at his copilot. “You get that?”
“Sector two four north at one thousand meters,” Ensign Latfee replied. “I got it.” He looked at the mission clock on the center console just above the forward windshield. “Ten seconds to lift off.”
“Close up boys,” the lieutenant ordered.
The two gunners activated their respective controls, causing the large doors on either side of the shuttle to slide forward and close, the sealing mechanism pulling them in tightly against their seals.
“Green lights across the board,” Ensign Latfee reported.
“Lifting off in three……two……one…” Lieutenant Kainan pushed the shuttle’s four power levers forward. The engines screamed to life and the shuttle rose quickly off the tarmac, rotating to port as it climbed into the sky. “Thrusting forward,” he added as he pushed the main throttle forward. The shuttle’s computerized flight control systems began to angle the shuttle’s four thrust pods aft, causing the ship to slide forward, rapidly picking up speed. “Pitching up,” the lieutenant announced as he pulled back on the control stick.
The combat jump shuttle began to accelerate even more rapidly as its nose came up, its engine pods swung further aft, and its thrust increased. Within seconds, the shuttle was racing toward orbit.
“Jump to orbit in, three…” Latfee count
ed.
“Velocity at one five zero zero,” the lieutenant reported.
“Two…”
“On departure course and ascent angle.”
“One…”
The shuttle’s windows all became opaque.
“Jumping.”
Although the shuttle’s windows had turned opaque, a small amount of light translated into the cabin of the combat jump shuttle, providing them with instant positive feedback that a transition event had taken place. The windows immediately became clear again.
“Jump complete,” Latfee announced. “Come new course… one three eight, sixteen up relative. Decelerate to five zero zero.”
“One three eight, sixteen up. Decel to five zero zero,” the lieutenant acknowledged.
“Jump series to Kohara in thirty seconds,” Ensign Latfee announced.
Sergeant Torwell looked about outside. They were departing a high orbit above the Earth, and were surrounded by twenty other combat jumpers, as well as several troop jumpers and ten boxcars. “We are bringing a whole lotta hurt to the Jung today, boys and girls,” he commented.
“Jump complete,” Mister Riley reported.
Nathan glanced at the threat board display in the lower right of main view screen, as it repainted with updated information after the Aurora’s jump. The icon representing the second Jung cruiser they had attacked and just jumped away from blinked red several times, then faded away.
“New contacts,” Mister Navashee announced. “Jung cruisers, charlie three and charlie four.”
“Locking forward tubes on target charlie three,” Luis reported.
“Target charlie two confirmed destroyed, Captain.”
Nathan did not respond, instead just watching the status displays on the main view screen, and listening to his crew report their actions as the attack progressed.
“Forward tubes locked on target charlie three,” Luis reported. “Firing triplets, tubes one through four.”
More red-orange balls of plasma streaked across the main view screen, from both sides toward center.
“Adjusting course to intercept target charlie four.”
“Multiple jump events in the vicinity of Kohara,” Mister Navashee added. “Our first wave of ground forces has arrived.”
“Acquiring new target,” Luis said. “Locking forward tubes onto charlie four.”
“Target charlie three has been hit, but she is not destroyed,” Mister Navashee announced. “She must have started raising her shields as we fired, sir.”
“Damage?” Nathan asked.
“Firing triplets, tubes one through four,” Luis reported.
“Direct hits to main propulsion, direct hits midship. Power emissions… Captain! Charlie four is going to FTL!”
“Note her course and speed,” Nathan ordered. “Helm, match her course but give us at least a few kilometers breathing room.”
“Turning to parallel charlie four, five kilometer separation,” Mister Chiles acknowledged.
“Mister Riley, prepare to jump one light minute along our new course,” Nathan continued. “Lieutenant, ready aft tubes, in case we come out ahead of her.”
“One light minute jump, aye,” Mister Riley acknowledged.
“Ready on all tubes, fore and aft,” Luis replied. “Ready on main plasma cannons as well.”
“Jump plotted and ready,” Mister Riley reported.
“On parallel course,” Mister Chiles added.
“Jump.”
“Jumping.”
Nathan closed his eyes momentarily out of habit as the Aurora’s jump flash washed over the interior of the bridge. “Where is she at, Mister Navashee?”
“Scanning,” his sensor officer replied, his face buried in his console displays. “Got her! Astern, ten to port, four down, range thirty kilometers!”
“Helm, ten to starboard, four up,” Nathan ordered without hesitation. “Tactical, triplets, stern tubes, fire at will!”
“Turning starboard ten and four up,” Mister Chiles acknowledged as he initiated a quick course adjustment to bring their stern torpedo tubes onto the Jung cruiser behind them.
“Locking stern tubes on target,” Luis reported. “Firing triplets, tubes five and…”
“Target is going FTL again!” Mister Navashee interrupted.
“Did she change course?”
“No sir,” Mister Navashee replied.
“Snap jump, present course, ahead thirty light seconds,” Nathan ordered.
“Snap jump, thirty light seconds, aye,” Mister Riley replied.
“Kill mains and yaw twelve to port and pitch eight down, Mister Chiles,” Nathan continued as the jump flash washed over the bridge.
“Mains to zero, yawing twelve to port, eight down angle,” Mister Chiles replied as he brought the Aurora’s nose back left and down relative to their direction of travel.
“Be ready on all forward tubes, Lieutenant.”
“Just get them to stay in one place for five seconds,” Luis replied.
“Contact! Charlie four! Five hundred kilometers, same course and speed as before!” Mister Navashee reported.
“Damn it!” Nathan exclaimed as he stood. “Lock on and fire!”
“Locking all forward tubes… Firing!”
“Charlie four is turning to starboard and pitching down relative,” Mister Navashee reported.
“Helm, new course, twenty to starboard and fifteen down relative. Stand by snap jump, another thirty light seconds,” Nathan instructed. He turned aft to face Luis at the tactical station directly behind his command chair, as his helmsman and navigator acknowledged their new orders. “Stern tubes again, triplets, wide spread,” he ordered. “I’m going to try and put our stern tubes on her port side by jumping across her course.”
“Clean miss! All torpedoes!” Mister Navashee reported. “Target is going to FTL again.”
“Snap jump, thirty light seconds! Kill your mains and pitch the nose up level relative!”
“Jumping,” Mister Riley reported.
“Killing mains, nose up to level relative,” Mister Chiles announced as the next jump flash washed over them.
“Charlie four, ten kilometers directly aft, four up relative,” Mister Navashee reported with earnest.
“Adjusting pitch four down,” his helmsman announced without prompting.
“Locking stern tubes on target. Firing triplets, wide spread, all tubes.”
“Aft cameras!”
“Target is firing!” Mister Navashee reported. “Rail guns and missiles. Impact in ten seconds!”
“Escape jump!” Nathan ordered.
“Escape jump, aye!” Mister Riley replied as he initiated a preprogrammed jump of one light minute along their current course.
Nathan looked at the main view screen which still showed the view from the Aurora’s aft cameras. Just as the jump flash lit up the screen, he thought he saw at least one yellow flash of light where the enemy cruiser should have been.
“Jump complete.”
“Scanning for target,” Mister Navashee announced.
“Helm, come about on a reciprocal heading,” Nathan ordered. “Tactical, stand by all forward torpedoes.”
“Coming about,” Mister Chiles acknowledged.
“Message from command,” Ensign Souza announced. “Scout One reports twelve frigates, not eight. They’ve killed three so far.”
“Find me that cruiser, Mister Navashee,” Nathan urged.
“She’s not there, Captain,” his sensor officer replied. “I’ve got debris where she was last we fired. She must have gone to FTL right after we hit her.”
“Then she’s at least damaged,” Nathan said. “She’ll probably FTL for a minute or two to get clear, then assess her damage before returning to the fight.”
“Should we jump ahead along her last heading, maybe pick her up again and finish her off?” Luis suggested.
“Her captain is quick on his FTLs,” Nathan commented. “He’s just going to keep hopping out of ou
r line of fire, just like we would. We’ll just wait and deal with him later, if and when he returns. Meanwhile, let’s go help the Scouts with those extra frigates.”
Jump flashes appeared all over the evening sky above Cetia. First came twenty small shuttles, appearing behind bright blue-white flashes of light, skimming in low over the city. The small shuttles were heavily armed and carried troops within their central compartments, as well as men aiming large energy weapons out the side doors at the ground below.
Behind them, only a few seconds later, came fast-moving fighters that looked like triangular flying wings, with engines mounted above and below. The fighters streaked overhead and launched missiles before pitching back up and disappearing behind more brilliant flashes of light.
Then came larger shuttles, without weapons, that also came in low, following the smaller, armed shuttles down in between the taller buildings.
The smaller shuttles quickly came to a hover at various points about the city, each dropping four men clad in flat-black combat armor to the ground beneath them. As soon as the men were away, the shuttles began to climb, then disappeared into the night sky behind the same blue-white flashes of light that had punctuated their arrival.
Two men sitting in the front of a parked delivery truck watched as the flashes of light appeared in the skies above, and the first shuttles swooped down upon the city. Distant explosions could be heard and felt, followed by rising clouds of burning gases peeking out from the buildings deeper in the city.
The two men looked at each other, eyes wide. The driver pressed his accelerator pedal and pulled out into the street as the other man began to bang repeatedly against the rear wall of the cab. The vehicle accelerated down the street, turned the corner, and ran through the closed gate arm, ignoring the guard at the entrance waving for them to stop. The vehicle continued up the drive and across the square, causing pedestrians whose attentions were on the spectacle overhead, to jump out of the way at the last second to avoid being run down.
The delivery truck charged up the path, crashing through the glass doors that led into the broadcast studio.
Jessica bounced around in the back of the dimly lit delivery van, slamming into the man beside her as the truck came to a crashing halt.