Leaping over the back of her Captain's chair into her seat, Wren motioned for her Second-in-Command, Lt. Amanda Cardinal, to join her for a conference. Cardinal was shorter than Wren, but her nose was at least 2 inches longer. Her dark brown hair was gathered in a tight bun at the back of her long neck and held in place by a jeweled hairnet. Typing several commands into her keyboard, Cardinal transferred her navigation duties to her understudy and gracefully walked over to join Wren.
"Anything new to report?" Wren asked.
"Nothing remarkable. There have been no other spacecraft within sensor range since we destroyed the Chrysallaman freighter three months ago. All gunnery personnel are undergoing computerized weapons drills in order to remain sharp. We received a coded transmission from the Rock Smasher indicating it expects to arrive and relieve us tomorrow as scheduled."
Peering around the Command Center, Cardinal said, "I can tell the crew is disappointed. Twenty-four months on station in this blasted Cuddlur system and only one freighter to our credit. I wish we hadn't destroyed so many Chrysallamans in the first weeks of the campaign. Guard duty is tedious when there's nothing to do."
"Know what you mean," Wren replied just as an electronic warning began wailing.
Wren's clawed fingers tightened on the arms of her chair as she spun toward the view screen in the forward bulkhead.
"Report!"
Communications specialist Corporal Alice Hawk responded, "Sensors just detected the arrival of a spacecraft on the far side of the planet. We need to clear the planetary rim before I can identify the craft, but computer analysis indicates it's a Chrysallaman scout saucer."
"The Winged Goddess be praised!" Wren breathed as she nodded to Cardinal to return to her seat.
"Battle stations! Navigator, get us clear of this planet. I want to enjoy this kill."
Winged Death was a 1,000 foot long, 300 foot thick dark brown cylinder covered with one hundred long spines each tipped with a disintegrator beam emitter glowing an eerie light blue. The center of each spine appeared to have a reddish vein connecting the glowing emitter on its tip into the body of the ship. The design made each spine look like a venomous fang.
The disintegrator spines were connected serially in groups of ten. If more power was required to destroy an enemy ship, weaponry computers would merge the beams from as many spines as necessary to effect destruction. The full effect of the accumulated power of ten merged disintegrator beams had never been needed because no Asiddian ship had ever encountered an opponent with defensive armament capable of withstanding the combined power of two merged disintegrator beams, much less ten.
The shell of the cylinder and the spine structures were made of Absorbisteel. The unique sub-atomic matrix of Absorbisteel allowed it to assimilate the power of any known energy or explosive impact weaponry directed against it and uses the force to enhance its strength. Any attempt by an enemy to destroy the Absorbisteel only made it stronger. The ship was powered by Proton Wave Accelerator Engines enabling the ship to travel at light speed. To say the Asiddians were confident of victory in any ship-to-ship battle was an understatement.
Just as the Winged Death cleared the rim of the planet, Corporal Hawk said, "Sensors confirm it's a Chrysallaman scout ship."
The view screen displayed an image of the scout saucer with side bars indicating location coordinates, size, mass and armament.
First Science Officer Ramona Crow said, "I'm getting some strange readings Captain."
"Explain."
"My instruments don't detect any fusion reactor in operation on the saucer. The mass of the saucer is atypical. It's as if the fusion reactor is missing."
"There must be something wrong with your analysis. The ship obviously has the power necessary to arrive in this system. Keep working on the data. Navigator, plot an intercept course and take us in slowly. Let's see if we can get them to try and run."
"Captain," Lt. Cardinal said. "The ship just locked a targeting system on us."
"Excellent," Wren replied. "Navigator, engage intercept course. Approach them at one-tenth light speed so they have time to savor their last living moments."
As Winged Death climbed toward the Chrysallaman saucer, Wren was pleased the commander didn't try to escape his fate. She would let the silly lizard flail at her ship with the useless cutter and heat rays for a few minutes. Then she would slice his ship apart and have a technician tattoo another victory oval onto her forearm. Looking down at her right arm, Wren admired her 40 ovals representing the 40 enemy ships she had destroyed as Captain of the Winged Death. She smiled as she imagined running out of room on her right arm and having to shift future kill tatts to her left arm.
As they closed to within 25,000 miles of the saucer, Science Officer Crow said, "Captain, I have confirmed my instrument readings. The ship is not powered by a fusion reactor. I can't locate any power source within the ship. Do you think it might be a decoy meant to draw us in for an ambush?"
"Interesting idea," Wren thought as she considered Crow's words.
Deciding she'd wasted enough time playing with the Chrysallaman ship, she ordered, "Weapons Master. Destroy the saucer."
On her command, a bright red disintegrator beam snapped at the saucer. Wren's eyes bulged as the red beam deflected away from the little saucer with no apparent effect.
Leaning forward in her command chair, Wren's eyes narrowed as the weapons computer activated a second disintegrator beam and merged it with the first one. The enhanced beam also deflected away from the saucer as if it had struck an invisible impenetrable bubble. Silence filled the Command Center. Not even a scruff in a chair seat sounded as every eye focused on the view screen. A third disintegrator beam was unleashed by the weapons computer and merged its power with the other two beams. Again the beams glanced away, but the invisible shell protecting the Chrysallaman craft began to turn milky.
An evil smile began to perk up the corners of Wren's mouth. She gave an order she'd never thought would be necessary.
"Weapons Master, activate four more disintegrator spines. Merge them with the first three."
Just as the additional beams were activated, the Chrysallaman scout ship winked out of existence. One moment the ship was there; the next moment it was gone.
"Science Officer Crow! What happened?" Wren demanded.
"Unknown Captain. The ship is no longer in sensor range. It just vanished."
Settling back into her chair, Wren mulled what had just happened. A ship capable of withstanding the combined power of three disintegrator beams was no laughing matter. She had to find out what kind of mechanism could resist so much destructive force. Not even her Absorbisteel hull could manage the merged energy level of five disintegrator beams.
"Navigation, begin standard search and destroy pattern. Science Officer, I want sensors at maximum. Find me that ship! Weapons Master, program the weapons computer to fire a full merged cluster of ten beams at the damned Chrysallaman ship the moment they are within sensor range."
***
Roemer and GooYee hustled from the Control Room for the Engineering Deck to check for any damages to the FLIT gens. Whatsit removed his sombrero and let it hang off his shoulders by the draw cord. Becky looked wide-eyed at Doug and simply shook her head.
"I can't believe the power of those laser beams," Doug muttered.
"Did you notice they deflected off the screen at near right angles?" Becky asked. "They weren't absorbed by the FLIT gen like the cutter and heat rays. Instead their energy had to be defended by the power from the artificial black holes. We're lucky we escaped when we did."
"We must return and destroy the Asiddian ship," Whatsit declared. "If the commander advises his superiors a Chrysallaman scout saucer was able to withstand the simultaneous power of three of its laser cannon, I'm afraid they'll begin a concerted effort to locate the saucer's home base. Any such investigation might lead them to Earth."
"I agree," Doug said.
Switching on his FLR, Doug asked, "Col
onel Yuri-Milost, were you able to collect any data from our encounter with the Asiddians?"
"Yes. We're still monitoring the ship. It appears they weren't able to track your FLIT. They're running a standard search pattern to locate you. I've had to FLIT twice to avoid detection. What do you want me to do?"
Yuri-Milost's voice seemed edgy, as if she was irritated about something. Doug noted the tone but decided it was the result of stress from evading the Asiddian pursuit. If he'd known the real reason for her mood, he would've ended the mission and returned to Earth. Yuri-Milost was upset at the incompetence of the Asiddians. They'd wasted a superb opportunity to destroy the Salterr and the loathsome Whatsit.
"Continue to monitor. We are going to attack the ship, and I want a complete recording of our efforts," Doug ordered.
Looking at Becky and Whatsit with a meaningful glint in his eyes, Doug said, "If we aren't successful, your orders are to FLIT randomly to at least three locations before returning home. Your mission will be to deliver all your data to General Blunt for analysis. Understood?"
"Roger that," Yuri-Milost replied.
***
Satisfied his orders would be followed, Doug opened the intercom link with the Engineering Deck and said, "Dr. Roemer, what's the status of the FLIT gens and our defensive screen?"
"The gens appear to be functioning normally. Operating temperatures have returned to optimal level. Based on the data from our encounter, Jamins has made an interesting modification to the geometry of the defensive screen. We're going to remain in Engineering in case the gens start overheating again."
Swiveling his flight couch toward Becky and Whatsit, Doug said, "I'm anxious to see if a MA ray has any effect on that damned Asiddian ship."
Smiling as he decided on a method of attack, Doug continued, "I think the Asiddians need a close shave. The spiked hair look went out back in the nineties. Think you guys can sweep the hull with the MA's if I line you up?"
The sparkles in their eyes were perfect responses. Whatsit pulled his sombrero back onto his head and wrapped his fingers around his weapons control joystick. Becky took the co-pilot couch and grabbed the joystick controlling the MA ray turret in the dome of the saucer.
"Here we go," Doug said.
Instantly the Salterr FLITed to a point 1,000 feet off the stern of the battleship. As if they had been waiting on the opportunity with bated breath, ten spines near the tail of the Asiddian ship fired their merged red laser beams at the Salterr with startling accuracy, striking it amidships. Jenson was dumbfounded by how fast the Salterr had been targeted.
Dr. GooYee's adjustment to the defensive shield was potent, or the Salterr would have been destroyed. Instead of creating a bubble shaped shield around the saucer and deflecting the powerful red beam away at an angle, the shield took the shape of a flat plane and reflected the beam like a mirror. The reflected beam powered by ten of the spines bounced back toward its source at full power. Striking the huge cylindrical ship 300 feet from its stern, the red beam powered for the first time in Asiddian history by the combined might of ten spines burned a deep 50 foot diameter hole in the battleship.
"Well I'll be damned," Doug said.
"Fire. Fire. Fire!" Whatsit yelled as he broke the spell of amazement gripping them all.
Thumbing the red firing button on his joystick, Whatsit guided his MA beam in a sweeping arc down the port side of the battleship, shearing off two rows of spines. Chang followed his example, slicing the dorsal spines off the cylinder as fast as she could sweep her MA beam down the top of the long ship.
The Asiddian commander wasn't idle. The battleship revolved on its center axis like a rolling pin, bringing 20 undamaged spines into firing position. Combined laser beams fired from the 20 spines and flashed against the defensive screen of the Salterr.
Miguel Roemer screamed from the intercom, "We're losing the FLIT gens! Get us out of here!"
Jenson had prepared for this eventuality. Based on their first encounter with the Asiddians, he figured the FLIT gens would overheat again. A healthy respect for the strength of the laser beams called for prudent planning. Touching a preprogrammed icon on his GPC, he FLITed the Salterr 1,500 feet to a spot with coordinates of 15 degrees right ascension and minus 45 degrees declination. The result placed the Salterr beneath the other end of the cylindrical battleship.
A group of ten spines targeted and fired at the Salterr, but this time Whatsit and Becky were ready. Firing almost at the same time, they sliced off the propulsion units jutting from the end of the Asiddian battleship. A massive cloud of blue-white sparks exploded from the ruptured end of the cylinder and the red laser beams winked out as their power source was destroyed.
"Let's do the same thing to the other end!" Doug exclaimed and he touched the GPC icon once more for the short jump. True to its programming, the Salterr FLITed to the opposite end of the battleship, and Whatsit and Becky rayed the forward communication spine array off the other end of the battleship.
Maneuvering as planned, Doug shot the Salterr to the aft end of the cylindrical battleship and said, "MA the bastards right up their hind end! Let's see how the ship does with its center hollowed out."
Whatsit and Becky complied with enthusiasm. In seconds, a 1,000 foot long tunnel 90 feet in diameter appeared down the center of the cylinder. The visual impression was like looking down the barrel of a rifle. An eerie yellowish light glowed down the length of the bore and showers of electrical sparks fountained from broken conduits. As they watched, tiny dots of blasted machinery and the mangled bodies of dead crewmen began to float into the empty void where the center of the ship had been.
"Miguel, run a sensor sweep for any life signs on that ship," Doug ordered.
Moments later, Miguel said, "I'm picking up two spacesuited bodies floating near the far end. Otherwise, the entire ship is dead."
"Yuri-Milost, join up with us on the forward end. We're going to attempt retrieval of the survivors. Keep your shield in place and weapons ready," Doug ordered.
"Will do Colonel."
Piloting the Salterr to the other end of the wreck was the work of only a few moments. Tapping into Roemer's sensor readings, Doug found the two lifeforms and illuminated them with a powerful spotlight. The beings wore white body suits and clear bubble helmets. Details of their anatomy were impossible to discern.
As the spotlight shown on them, the spacesuited figures darted behind parts of the wreckage. It was clear they intended to defend themselves. Tiny red laser beams flashed from hand-held weapons but the defensive screen withstood the destructive rays.
"How in the hell are we going to capture the sons-of-bitches?" Whatsit asked as they watched the Asiddians peek furtively from behind their makeshift fortifications. "We don't have any spacesuits."
"I've got an idea," Becky said as she headed out the door. "I'll be in Engineering."
***
As each grid in the globe shaped search and destroy pattern on the view screen progressively turned from a yellow color indicating uncleared to the green color of cleared, hope of finding the fleeing Chrysallaman scout saucer dimmed. The instruments aboard Winged Death were so sensitive they could detect operating power sources within the vast area of a medium sized solar system. The search pattern had already cleared half the solar system without a single sensor detecting the telltale photon emissions left by spacecraft using light speed drives.
"Your failure to find those Chrysallaman worms is unsatisfactory," Wren fumed as more and more of the search pattern turned green without a clue to the whereabouts of the scout saucer.
"Is it possible they have some kind of cloaking device capable of hiding the craft?"
"I can't explain why sensors haven't picked up the photon trail," Crow responded. "It's as if they leapfrogged out of the solar system without using light speed which we know isn't possible. If they had a way to make their craft invisible, I think they would've used it when we first detected them."
The proximity alarm began blarin
g and the weapons computer fired a blast of ten merged disintegrator beams at a target. The victorious grin on Wren's face was replaced by shock as damage alarms began screaming their warnings at an even higher pitch than the proximity alarm.
"Damage control. What's the problem?" Wren demanded.
"Crew quarters and the entire food and water supply for the ship have been destroyed Captain!"
"Impossible!" Wren screamed. "The Chrysallamans don't have a weapon capable. . ."
"It was our own disintegrator beam, Captain. Somehow they reflected our own beam back at us!"
As Wren struggled to bring her spinning thoughts under control, Crow yelled, "Captain! All the weapons columns on the port side and top ridge have been destroyed!"
Thinking furiously, Wren yelled, "Navigator! 180 degree axis spin. Weapons control! Fire at will!"
Dawn of Chrysalis (The Origin of F.O.R.C.E. Book 2) Page 16