Tim struggled to speak for a moment. “Dude, I think I want to hug you right now. Go fight for your kid. I've got this.”
Peter turned his fighter in a tight arc above the beleaguered convoy, opening fire on a group of small drones that had managed to get past the other defenses.
There was time for a single deep breath before Tim opened the channel to the Devon fleet. “Hey, Peter, how much you looking forward to showing these kids how to kick Ooken ass in style?”
Peter's easy grin returned. “Oh, man, like you wouldn't believe.” He tuned the rest of the fleet out, keeping it to just the five of them, with Achronyx listening in and relaying comments for Tabitha.
“More like we're gonna show you up,” Ricole retorted.
“Yeah,” Mark cut in. “You're talking to a man who has an unbelievable amount of experience in the flight simulator.”
“You tell the old men how it is, baby.” Jacqueline snickered. “Even if the amount of experience you're claiming really is unbelievable.”
“Hey!” Mark exclaimed.
Peter joined in the protest. “Who are you calling an old man?”
Mark snorted. “Didn’t you used to know Jacqueline’s dad back in the day?”
Jacqueline cracked up. “He’s got you there.”
“You’re a traitor to male solidarity, Mark.” Peter grinned as he spun his Pod to avoid being hit. “Besides, if I’m old, what the hell does that make you?”
“A rare vintage,” Jacqueline replied airily. “Finely matured and aged to perfection.”
“Yeah, right.” Ricole snickered as she shot back at a seeker. “As if that’s going to beat out our generation’s oneness with tech.”
Jacqueline took out two drones with one puck. “Did you see that?” She turned her fighter on the spot and released another into the seeker the Pod’s EI alerted her to. “Okay, you want to play it that way? We’ll see whether experience or youth wins in the end. One point for a drone, two for a seeker. Most points wins.”
Achronyx spoke in Peter's mind, cracking him up. He cut in over the others. “Tabitha wants to know how many points she gets for taking out a destroyer.”
Tim dropped into their chat for a moment. “Tell Tabitha no fair,” he complained. “She's got a freaking battleship!”
Peter laughed again. “I did, but she says she's counting that destroyer either way.”
“She's welcome to it,” Sabine told him. “What’s the prize?”
“Not money,” Ricole added as a condition. “That’s actually getting to the point where it’s boring, we have so much of it.”
“Speak for yourself,” Mark countered. “I wouldn’t say no to a few zeroes being added to my account balance.”
Another Gate opened nearby. Ricole and Mark pivoted their fighters and sent a barrage of Etheric charges into the shimmering light.
“I wouldn’t mind your account getting those zeroes, either,” Jacqueline murmured, joining them to fire a spread of her own before the Gate destabilized and collapsed in on itself. “I saw these shoes the other day…”
“What is it with women and shoes?” Peter demanded.
Jacqueline chuckled. “You’ll have to ask Bethany Anne, since I was thinking of them as a gift for her. They were beyond my price range in any case.”
“Just how expensive were they?” Sabine inquired. “I do your accounts, so I know you're not hurting for funds.”
Jacqueline casually dropped a number and the only sound over the team comm for the next few seconds was silence. “Exactly. I suggest we all put a thousand credits in, and then whoever tallies the highest score chooses the prize.”
“You would, if you're planning to drop that much on a pair of shoes,” Sabine teased.
“I'd like to know why you're not doing my accounts,” Mark bitched.
“Because you don't pay me for doing them,” Sabine shot back. A flash of light distracted her from any further snarky reply. “Shit, what’s happening now?”
Two more Gates spiraled open, one on each side of the Interdiction line. The Gates solidified, casting an eerie light over the battle for the lives of the refugee fleet.
Tim let the EI take the strain of running the Pod while he cycled through the masses of incoming reports. He thanked fuck yet again for Bethany Anne's gift of enhancement to his cognitive function and jumped back in on the fleet-wide channel. “The Astraea will be inbound shortly,” he informed the teams. “We also have more destroyers incoming from the other side.”
He wanted the numbers to even up. CEREBRO, it's playtime. Get your ass in the game and give those ships some cover.
We thought you would never ask, Commander, the many voices of the EI group replied. The sides of the satellites fell open and CEREBRO activated their drones, each group remotely piloted by an EI with a grudge to settle and a scoreboard to top.
Achronyx contacted CEREBRO when the satellites released the first wave. Can I borrow a couple hundred of those?
CEREBRO redirected the requested number of drones to the Achronyx and sent the rest to back up the teams in the fighter Pods.
The drones moved to blanket the space around the convoy, making it impossible for the Ooken drones to get near. It became a stalemate, drones on each side, the Guardians in their Pods outmatching the unmanned Ooken seekers, the larger battleships and destroyers facing off uneasily.
The QBS ships stood fast, backed up by the might of two of Bethany Anne's superdreadnoughts. The Adrastea and the Astraea were more than intimidating enough to keep the Ooken destroyers at bay.
On the Achronyx, Tabitha jumped up and down at her console. “You know, it’s looking like we have the upper hand,” she squealed, punching the air. “Is it wrong that this is the most excited I’ve been in what feels like years? I kind of get why Bethany Anne went all stabby-killy-kill when we ran into those grubs.”
“I like that we pulled their own dirty move on them and stole their technology,” Achronyx proclaimed.
Tabitha grinned. “I know, right? But of course, we improved on it. The Ooken version is dependent on time to build up the payload. Since we’re using the Etheric instead of messy old plasma, it’s more efficient on all counts.”
“How do you know all of that?” Achronyx received the last of the drones from CEREBRO and got to work reprogramming them.
Tabitha made a face. “Very funny, Achronyx. Michael and I saw some of the reverse-engineering process while we were visiting William about something else.”
“Oh, yes?”
She waved a hand distractedly. “Michael wanted to arrange another hunt, but then this war happened, so I suppose it’s on the backburner for now.” She cursed softly when twin Gates appeared on the Ooken side, followed by two more, then four more.
Everywhere Tabitha looked, more Gates winked into existence, each spitting out another Ooken ship.
“Damn,” Achronyx piped up.
“’Damn’ doesn’t even begin to cover it,” she forced out between gritted teeth. “Pete’s out there with the kids. They’re screwed.”
“Not while I’m around,” Achronyx’ tone was resolute. “I’ll have to say ‘watch this,’ since I don’t have a beer to ask you to hold…”
Devon, First City, The Hexagon
Winstanley observed the odd group approaching the main entrance. She contacted the penthouse apartment’s hub and was answered by Hirotoshi. “Hirotoshi, there is a group of Bakas behaving suspiciously outside.”
“In what way are they acting suspiciously?” he asked.
Winstanley checked the observations that her system had flagged. “They are dressed strangely, and they have approached the door twice and backed off.”
“I’ll go speak with them,” Hirotoshi told Winstanley.
She followed Hirotoshi on the cameras while maintaining surveillance on the four Bakas. He slipped out of the main entrance and approached the Bakas in a friendly manner. The logic of that did not compute for Winstanley since Bakas were unfriendly toward h
umans as a rule.
Still, they did not initiate violence, as she had anticipated. Instead, Hirotoshi spoke with the Bakas for a few minutes, then left with them.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Outside the Interdiction, QBS Achronyx
Having his bonded human grieve when there was something he could have done to prevent it was not an outcome Achronyx considered. All the AIs knew how it had been for ADAM when Michael had died and there was nothing he could do for Bethany Anne except be present for her during the worst of it.
That was not happening to his Tabitha.
He checked on the progress of his drones as he took the ship off the line. The others took this as permission, word from Tim or not, and the battle was joined for real.
The Interdiction zone was instantly filled with projectiles of all kinds from both sides, plasma fire and Etheric charges adding to the mood lighting provided by the open Gates.
Tabitha covered her eyes as Achronyx veered the ship into a corkscrew. Peter spoke in Tabitha’s mind. Tim’s not too happy you jumped the gun, Tabbie.
Tabitha peered out from between her fingers, hardly daring to look but unable to take her eyes off the viewscreen. Don’t look at me! My crazy AI decided to come rescue your ass. Drones and seekers exploded all around the Achronyx as Achronyx pounded the crap out of them with pucks. “Achronyx, are we going to make it?”
“It's going to be close,” Achronyx admitted. “But as long as they keep sending things that blow up so nicely, I’ll have enough material lying around to keep making new pucks to clear a path with.”
Be ready, she told Peter. The second it’s clear, we’re gonna get out there and cause some real damage.
You weren’t kidding about the destroyers, huh?
Tabitha heard the laughter and love in his voice. Oh, sweetie, did you think I was?
Peter snorted softly. Not for one minute, babe. Just watch yourself, okay?
You know I will. Achronyx won’t let anything happen. She grinned at the screen, where Achronyx was taking out an Ooken ship every few seconds, then scooping up the remains to use to destroy the next. We’ve got this. He’s killing it out here, literally.
She tilted her head when Peter dropped the link. “We do have what we need to take a few of those out, right?”
“Oh, yes.” Achronyx sounded smug. “I’ve saved all the best stuff for last.”
Tabitha’s lip curled. “Good.” She looked back at the screen. “The refugees are almost through. It will be our turn in a minute.”
“I count five ships remaining,” Achronyx confirmed.
The fighters shielded the final ship to cross the line, opening up the field for the Devon fleet to do more than defend.
Tim’s voice came over the speakers. “All ships of the fleet. We are clear to engage. The Interdiction will be live in two minutes, and I don’t want to see any fucknuts getting fried by those satellites unless they’ve got tentacles hanging from their faces.”
His voice grew passionate as the Gates continued to spit out Ooken ships just out of weapons range. “You might be looking at all of those ships right now and be wondering how we’re going to win against so many. Have faith in yourselves, and trust your teammates. We might be outnumbered, but we are never outgunned. The Ooken have destroyed worlds just to test our defenses. Now get out there and show those fuckers what we do to homewreckers!”
Tabitha grinned. She remembered when Tim was just another punk Were with a chip the size of Texas on his shoulder. “You heard the Commander, Achronyx. Both barrels hot, and don’t fucking stop until there’s not a single one of them left.”
Achronyx had the ship at peak efficiency. He zipped around firing pucks in every direction. “I’ll do my best, but maybe it would be nice to save some for everyone else?”
Tabitha sneered. “If they want any, they’ll have to fight for them. My baby is down there! You have no idea how fucking pissed I am that they came to our home.”
“Oh, I have. It’s a ‘perk’ of being both onboard and sentient. I get feedback from all your emotions these days.”
Tabitha snickered. “Must suck to be you at least one week in four.”
“Yet if I made that joke, you’d find new and even more inventive ways to threaten me.” Achronyx huffed.
Tabitha shrugged. “Should have chosen to be female.”
They broke through another line of Ooken ships, edging ever closer to the destroyers.
“The fecaloid freaks know how to play the numbers game,” she admitted, her eyes glancing at the screens giving her feedback. “There are so many of them.”
“We should do something about that,” Achronyx remarked in a tone that suggested he had something in the works.
“What have you got?” Tabitha asked, walking over to her console to look through their inventory. “Where did those drones in the cargo bays come from?”
“I borrowed them from CEREBRO,” he told her. “Just don’t disturb them in any way, okay?”
“O-kaaay.” Tabitha’s hand, which had been hovering over the activation sequences, pulled back. “Why?”
The earlier lightness returned to his tone. “Let me just get us out of friendly-fire range and closer to one of those destroyers and I’ll show you.” There was a brief pause. “Oh, wait. I’m low on ammo.”
Achronyx flipped the ship and dropped them into a sickening perpendicular dive, preceded by the hail of pucks he sent ahead to clear the way.
“FUCKING HELLLLLLL!” It didn’t matter that Tabitha felt none of it, the rapid rollercoaster motion on the screen made her feel like she needed to throw her hands in the air and scream her lungs out.
Achronyx reached the trough and tipped the nose of the ship back up to gather the debris from the destruction he’d caused on the way down. “Almost done…”
He didn’t bother to compact the shards of metal into pucks this time, just loaded all six sets of Jean Dukes railguns over and over and sprayed them like superheated buckshot at the enemy ships.
Despite this, the drones kept being gracious enough to provide the means for their own termination all the way to the nearest Ooken destroyer.
“Watch the marker,” Achronyx instructed as a yellow triangle appeared on the screen.
“Ummm…” Tabitha chewed on her lip. “It’s not on the ship,” Tabitha pointed out.
“Just watch.” Achronyx released five of his reprogrammed drones. Four vanished into the Etheric, and the fifth shot toward the destroyer. “Dammit.”
Tabitha gaped. “What did you do?”
“I read the plans for the ELF and adapted the drones to fulfill a similar function. That one is about to fail spectacularly.” The one headed for the destroyer suddenly picked up speed.
Tabitha snickered, her eyes on the drone. “Was that what William called it? What’s the acronym for, and how on a cold day in hell did he get that name past Bethany Anne?”
“I have no idea, and I have no idea.” Achronyx shifted the ship, and the view tilted again while the external cameras adjusted for the new trajectory. “One moment while I get us out of range of that rogue drone.”
Tabitha frowned at the screen. “Um, we’re not near the drone.”
“We’re too near,” Achronyx muttered distractedly.
Tabitha watched the drone warily as it grew smaller on the screen. “Is it…glowing? Just what did you do to those drones, Achronyx?”
“I told you.” Achronyx huffed. “It should still be very effective.”
The drone exploded, throwing Etheric energy outward in a bright corona that burned everything around it for hundreds of kilometers to ash.
Beyond that, there were four more detonations. The flash was eyeball-searing, and Tabitha threw up an arm to protect herself.
When she dropped it, the destroyer was gone.
Tabitha raised an eyebrow at the ash cloud drifting away on the solar currents, all that remained of the Ooken ship. Her voice was soft this time.
“Yeah, Jean’
s going to want a couple of those to play with.”
Location Seven, Ooken Outpost
Bethany Anne seriously considered the logistics of just knocking the adult Leath out and floating them to the Izanami through the Etheric if they didn’t stop arguing with her before they drew the attention of the Ooken.
Luckily for them—and her—at least a few had been sensible enough to see that her time would be better spent finding their children and persuaded the others to allow her to lead them out of the pit to where Michael and Addix waited.
Bethany Anne opened a link to Izanami as she left Michael and Addix to lead the Leath out of the outpost. How are the children doing?
They completed the task well, Izanami reported. The Pod-docs are all set up and waiting.
Good. I want Alexis and Gabriel safely in the Vid-docs before a single Leath sets foot aboard the ship. Also, we have a few more coming aboard than we planned for, and Michael and Addix will need pickup with the twenty-one we were expecting.
I understand, Izanami told her. I have dispatched two Pods to Michael’s projected destination. I wouldn’t worry about the extra. I can take care of that.
That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear. Etheric jumping would just have to be saved for the children. They were being kept somewhere not too far from there. The adults had told her they’d heard crying while she was getting them out of the pit. Now, can you take a guess at where I would find a bunch of children in this place?
I can do better than that, Izanami told her, pride in her voice. I’m able to pinpoint life signs that belong to the Leath you are searching for. I’ve sent directions to ADAM.
>>Yeah, and when we get back, I want my ship’s scanners upgraded to match Izanami’s.<<
Bethany Anne snorted. Um, yeah, no. I’m a hundred percent certain we’ve already discussed that you’re not getting back into that ship anytime soon.
>>Whatever.<< He sulked, going quiet again.
Bethany Anne followed the route overlaid on her internal HUD until she came to a point where she couldn’t avoid being seen and then slipped into the Etheric.
The route map vanished. Bethany Anne rolled her eyes and headed in the general direction she’d been traveling in.
The Kurtherian Endgame Boxed Set Page 93