Richard used those experiences to trace the flows of magic protecting the black destroyer. He sensed a line of magic which seemed more logical than the other flows around it. Richard traced the line of magic to its source. He touched the source with his active scan. Massive amounts of data flowed into Richard’s mind.
Nick, Richard thought. A little help would be nice.
I’m on it, buddy, said Nickelo. Stay with the magic. I’ll handle the data.
The flood of information continued, but it became less overwhelming. Richard sensed his battle computer sorting through the data and presenting him with the most important information.
Security protocols swirled around the flows of magic as if seeking an intruder. Richard deftly moved his active scan to avoid detection. The flood of data continued uninhibited.
Finally, Richard saw the information he sought. He found the flow of magic controlling the destroyer’s shields. Richard let his mind merge with the flow of magic. He became part of it. He twisted the flow of magic back on itself. The magic flared outward before collapsing back on itself. The magic controlling the destroyer’s shields dissipated back into the universe from which it had come.
Tell Margery to inform Sergeant Ron the shields are down, Richard ordered. And have her tell Terrie I’ll be there as soon as I can.
Complying, said Nickelo. And in case you haven’t noticed, we’ve got company.
Richard drew his mind back and dropped his active scan. Once again he saw the world around him. Three lifeforms registered on his passive scan. They were still a distance away, but they were drawing nearer. They were coming. Richard recognized their frequencies. He drew his phase rod and waited for their arrival.
Richard gave a tightlipped smile as he thought, It’s payback time.
Chapter 51 – Boarders Away
_____________________________________
Terrie finished plugging the Warcat’s flight harness to his battle suit. The inside of his cat began filling with the translucent sensory-gel which would transmit his movements to the Warcat’s hydraulics.
As Terrie made the final steps of his preflight check, he used his passive scan to pick up the Power sources of the three spheres. He sensed them touch. A blaze of Power flashed on his heads-up display. Then it dissipated into nothing. The yellow dot Terrie had been using to track Richard on his heads-up display disappeared as well.
Taylor, Terrie said. I’ve lost track of Rick. Is he–
Your fellow wizard scout is fine, answered Taylor before Terrie could even complete his question. I’m in contact with Margery. She’s in contact with your friend’s battle computer. Wizard Scout Shepard is fine.
Are you sure? Terrie said not completely satisfied with his battle computer’s answer. Maybe you should contact Nickelo directly. I was tracking Rick on my passive scan, and he’s no longer there.
You know I can’t communicate directly with his battle computer, said Taylor. I’ve no desire to be corrupted. But your friend is fine. You weren’t tracking him. You were tracking his hover-cycle. It was destroyed in the blast when the gate collapsed. Wizard Scout Shepard has his stealth shield up. You can’t detect him. He’s too good. However, Margery is in direct contact with his battle computer. She’s already corrupted. According to Margery, Wizard Scout Shepard is attempting to hack his way into the destroyer’s computer system now. So you’d best be ready when he does.
Is that even possible? Terrie said.
Insufficient data to make a reliable calculation, said Taylor. Margery says the destroyer’s computer system is magic based. I have very little information on magic in my data banks. I don’t know much about it to be honest.
Join the club, Terrie said with a shake of his head.
He was supposed to be retired. He’d known teaming up with Richard would probably put Angela and him in some strange situations, but he hadn’t realized the extent of the strangeness.
Recommend you get in position, said Taylor with a sense of urgency. Margery says your friend is making good progress according to his battle computer. You may not have much time.
Roger that, Terrie said.
Terrie thought the command to release the composite security-bands attaching the Warcat to the bulkhead of the cargo bay. Once free, he maneuvered the three-meter tall Warcat around the various items stacked in the bay as he made his way towards the rear airlock.
“You with me, Charlie?” Terrie said over the Defiant’s com-link. “We’ve got to hustle.”
“I hustle,” hissed Charlie. “You the one who is slow.”
A blur of black passed Terrie on the right as Charlie maneuvered his Warcat into the airlock. By the time Terrie got inside, Charlie was already in position against the portside wall. Terrie saw the rear-security clamp on Charlie’s Warcat extend out and grasp one of the composite tie-down bars lining the wall. Terrie copied the mechanic’s maneuver and locked his Warcat onto the starboard-side wall.
Once he was in position, the door separating the airlock from the cargo bay closed. After making a final weapon’s check, Terrie had nothing left to do but wait. He looked across the airlock at the second Warcat. He could just make out Charlie’s features through the Warcat’s windscreen. Terrie noticed Charlie’s eyes looking at him through the visor of his flight helmet. Charlie’s eyes locked with Terrie’s. He was reminded that Sterilian’s eyes didn’t blink.
Sterilians don’t have eyelids, said Taylor. They just have clear lenses to protect their eyes.
Thanks for the biology lesson, Terrie told his battle computer in their shared space. But how about using that nanosecond brain of yours to calculate a way to keep us alive?
His battle computer chose to ignore his suggestion. In spite of all their years together, Terrie kept forgetting how touchy his battle computer could be. Terrie mentally shrugged his shoulders. He decided he’d have to apologize later. Right now, he had things to do.
“You know this crazy,” said Charlie over the com-link. “Only for idiots.”
“Then why are you going along with Rick’s plan?” Terrie asked genuinely interested. He thought it was crazy too, but here he was anyway.
“Rick, friend,” said Charlie. After a pause, the Sterilian added, “Besides, we dead anyway. Why the hell not try?”
“Good point,” Terrie said. “Why the hell not?”
* * *
“Torpedo reload has been completed, captain,” Margery told Sergeant Ron. “Only six tubes are loaded. You used up the last full salvo firing at the dreadnaught.”
“Either six will be enough, or a hundred wouldn’t be,” Sergeant Ron said as he fired another set of plasma rounds from the forward cannons. He didn’t launch the torpedoes. He’d need them to breach the destroyer’s hull if Rick pulled off his plan.
The rounds from the plasma cannons struck the destroyer’s force field before veering off into space. The Defiant shuddered as the destroyer’s return fire hits its forward shields. The Defiant’s shields held under the vicious onslaught.
“Thank you, Diane,” Sergeant Ron whispered once again thanking his daughter for sparing no expense on the Defiant’s upgraded equipment.
“Analysis?” Sergeant Ron asked Margery.
“Our plasma fire is ineffective against the destroyer’s shields,” said Margery. “But it is drawing fire away from the children. Our shields are weakening, but they are still functioning. I have adjusted their frequency in an attempt to compensate for the destroyer’s magic-based weapons.”
“Time?” Sergeant Ron said.
“Unknown,” answered Margery. “The gate has been closed. Wizard Scout Shepard’s battle computer says Rick is making progress in his attempt to hack into the destroyer’s computer. He hasn’t done it yet, but I calculate a one hundred percent probability he will succeed.”
Even in the heat of battle, Sergeant Ron thought it odd a computer would give a one hundred percent probability for success. He told Margery as much.
“Based on pure logic,” said Ma
rgery, “Wizard Scout Shepard only has a twenty-one percent chance of succeeding. But he’s the Commandant’s son. I’m basing the other seventy-nine percent on faith. Rick will do it. I’ve no doubt.”
Faith seemed a strange thing for a computer to base calculations on to Sergeant Ron. He was about to make another comment when Margery cut him off.
“Rick’s in,” said Margery. “The destroyer’s shields are down.”
“Fire torpedoes,” Sergeant Ron ordered.
“Torpedoes away,” said Margery as the Defiant bucked from the recoil.
“Daniel,” said Sergeant Ron. “Do your thing. Their armor’s thick. You’ll need to put all of them in the same spot.”
“Affirmative,” came Daniel’s reply over the com-link.
Sergeant Ron sensed a line of Power reach out from the Defiant and latch onto the special torpedo-guidance systems Sergeant Hendricks had installed. The cockpit holograph showed the six torpedoes lining up one behind the other. Sergeant Ron gave a silent thanks that the young lad was one of the better bongo players on Trecor. The torpedoes would have to hit just right in order to have any hope of breaching the black destroyer’s hull.
“The first torpedo is eight seconds out,” said Margery.
The Defiant bucked again as another salvo of return fire from the destroyer hit her shields. Lightning bolts, fireballs, and force beams of various colors hit the Defiant’s shields.
“We’ve lost the front portside shield,” said Margery.
“Doesn’t matter,” Sergeant Ron said. “Now’s when we throw the dice. I just hope to hell Rick knows what he’s doing.”
With those words, Sergeant Ron hit the portside rear-thrusters. He pulled the decelerator levers all the way back as well. The shoulder harness on Sergeant Ron’s chair dug into his flesh as the force of deceleration hit. He was also slammed into the armrest of his seat as the portside rear-thrusters took effect.
The die is cast, Sergeant Ron thought.
* * *
The destroyer’s shields are down, said Taylor in Terrie’s shared space. Sergeant Ron has started his maneuver.
“This is it, Charlie,” said Terrie. “Get ready.”
Actually, Terrie knew there wasn’t anything Charlie or he could do. The timing was too complicated for mere human or Sterilian minds to complete successfully. Both Charlie and his lives were in the hands of Taylor and Margery now.
Terrie felt the back of his Warcat slam into the wall separating him from the cargo bay. The rear ramp to the outside opened. Terrie saw stars streak across the opening as the Defiant did a hundred and eighty degree turn. At just the right moment, his Warcat went flying out the opening as Taylor released its grip on the airlock’s tie downs.
The second Warcat was right on Terrie’s heels. Terrie breathed a sigh of relief. Margery had successfully handled the mechanic’s release as well.
“Damn,” Terrie said over the com-link as he hurtled towards the black destroyer. “Her hull’s not breached.”
Give it time, said Taylor. You humans are always so anxious. Where’s your sense of mystery?
Terrie didn’t answer. He’d learned long ago not to argue with Taylor, especially when he was depending on his battle computer to help keep him alive.
Our track is off, Terrie said as he eyeballed the distance to the black destroyer. You miscalculated. We’re going to miss the destroyer by a thousand meters.
Oh ye of little faith, said Taylor sounding a little affronted. I don’t miscalculate on something this simple. I had to account for the deviation to the destroyer’s flight path.
What deviation? Terrie thought back.
A white flash lit up the side of the black destroyer towards its stern. A second white flash followed. A series of four additional flashes quickly followed.
That deviation, said Taylor.
The force of the explosions along with a blast of escaping air moved the destroyer in line with Terrie’s track. Terrie zoomed in on the stern of the destroyer with the Warcat’s scope. A ragged hole twice the height of a Warcat and five times as wide was leaking air, equipment, and a few bodies out of the destroyer. A quick eyeball calculation by Terrie confirmed Taylor was correct. Charlie and he were on track to intercept the breach in the destroyer’s hull.
Terrie felt a slight jerk on the Warcat’s back. He didn’t turn around. He didn’t need to. His passive scan told him Charlie had latched onto his Warcat. They would go in together.
Five seconds later, Terrie and Charlie passed through the hole in the side of the black destroyer. From the looks of the jumble of boxes and equipment, Terrie figured they were in a large cargo bay. A partially blown-off door to his front caught Terrie’s attention.
“Together,” Terrie said over the com-link.
“Agreed,” answered Charlie.
Terrie felt the Defiant’s mechanic unlatch his Warcat from his back and begin running towards the mangled door. Terrie headed in the same direction matching the Sterilian stride for stride. They hit the door together. The combined force of the two Warcats was too much for the weakened door hinges. The metal door flew off into the corridor beyond.
Alarm bells blared and warning lights flashed along the entire length of the corridor. The bodies of several furry, four-armed creatures littered the corridor floor.
Well, Terrie thought, I guess whoever these guys are they can’t breathe in a vacuum any better than humans.
Affirmative, said Taylor. But I’d advise you to watch out for those other two in the armored suits.
Terrie looked ahead. Two creatures in large, armored suits were moving in his direction. Four arms protruded from each set of armor. Both of the armored creatures carried what appeared to be rifles of some sort. Terrie noticed one of the creatures point its weapon in his direction. He sensed a momentary buildup of energy in the barrel of the weapon. Shortly thereafter, a ball of energy was streaking in his direction.
It’s magic based, said Taylor.
A stream of specifications entered Terrie’s shared space suggesting how to modify a defensive shield to better defend against magic energy. At the same time, Terrie sensed his battle computer changing the frequency settings on the 40 megawatt plasma autocannon attached to his Warcat’s left arm.
Based upon the trust built-up from years of association with his battle computer, Terrie threw up a defensive shield to his front. He angled it in such a way as to reduce the odds any ricochet would hit the second Warcat.
When the ball of energy got within ten meters, it morphed into a line of electrical energy resembling a bolt of lightning. The lightning hit Terrie’s shield and glanced off. Thankfully, the ricochet missed Charlie’s Warcat. It continued down the long corridor bouncing from one wall to the other as it went.
As Terrie brought his Warcat’s 40 megawatt plasma autocannon up to fire, a streak of 20mm chain-gun rounds streaked past the right side of his head. Terrie wasn’t concerned. He knew Charlie had beaten him to the punch. The 20mm rounds hit a defensive shield in front of the two armored soldiers. They glanced off without making contact. Charlie kept firing.
Their shield is magic based, observed Taylor.
Terrie didn’t care how it was based. He just knew it was a tough shield. He lined his autocannon up on the first soldier and added his firepower to that of Charlie’s. The soldier’s shield held, but Terrie could sense it buckling under the combined onslaught.
“Pour it to them, Charlie,” said Terrie over the com-link. “We can wear their shield down in a few more seconds.”
“No have few seconds,” hissed Charlie as he began firing his Warcat’s autocannon in addition to its chain gun.
Terrie saw the reason for Charlie’s concern. The second armored soldier was aiming some type of shoulder-fired weapon in their direction. Terrie had no idea what kind of weapon it was, but the large size of the opening in the barrel didn’t bode well.
Before the soldier could fire, a blur of black rose up out of the floor behind the soldier. Terri
e saw the red blur of a phase rod swinging through the air. Even from a distance, Terrie could feel an intense emotion of hunger as the phase rod made contact with the side of the soldier’s head. Terrie heard a cry which was as much a growl as it was a scream. Then the armored soldier dropped its shoulder weapon. The soldier fell unmoving to the metal deck.
The lead soldier started to turn its head to check on its companion. It had barely moved its head when a dark form came out of the corridor wall and leaped straight for the soldier’s throat. Terrie caught a flash of teeth. Then the dark form disappeared into the opposite wall dragging the struggling soldier with it.
Both Charlie and he stopped firing, but not before a few rounds passed through the figure of a demon of a horse hovering a hand’s breath above the deck. The black stallion had fiery-red eyes. Long fangs protruded from its mouth. On the stallion’s back sat a man in a black battle suit. The man was Richard.
Terrie suppressed a shiver. He’d heard stories of Richard’s spirit-horse and his dolgars. Hearing was one thing. Seeing was another. Terrie gave silent thanks they were on the same side.
Chapter 52 – Payback
_____________________________________
Once Sheeta and Sheeba arrived with the spirit-horse, Richard wasted no time in mounting up. He sent the stallion an emotion of need to get to the black destroyer. Richard wasn’t even able to give his mount an image of the destroyer, but apparently the stallion didn’t need it. Without asking for further information, his black mount took two leaps into the air before shifting into another dimension. Richard’s passive scan picked up Sheeta and Sheba hot on the stallion’s heels.
After taking a few steps on a desolate plain of some unknown planet, the stallion shifted into the void. Richard sensed the black destroyer nearby in the physical dimension. He also sensed his friends Terrie and Charlie inside trading fire with two of the furry Thargs dressed in armor.
Richard sent an image of the rear of the two armored soldiers to the stallion. He also sent an emotion the dolgars used when identifying enemies. The stallion needed no further prodding. Richard had always gotten the impression the stallion hated flesh creatures. He doubted the stallion would hesitate to help him kill two more flesh creatures.
Wizard Omega (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 4) Page 46