CONTACT AND CONFLICT. ALIENS & HUMANS.: Book One in the Space Fleet Sagas

by Don Foxe

  “My chest hurts,” Storm said. “These harness straps weren’t designed for women with big tits.” Coop smiled, and counted sore legs among his blessings.

  Chapter 42

  The Mischene battlecruiser was a tough opponent. They continued to fight primarily in two dimensions, but they definitely had reverse, more power, and greater speed. The eighteen laser cannons laid down deadly fields of fire. The two cannons on top sprayed bursts of EMP, trying to place each load into Angel 7’s projected path. While Coop avoided a lot, a lot also landed, shaking the ship and crew. He flew ovals, and spirals, and circles around, over, and under the ship. He kept trying to get into a position where he or Sky would have a clear shot at the hangar doors. The cruiser would start, and stop, move forward, and then reverse without reason. Either the Zenge were confused, or they were brilliantly defying them. Storm voted for confused. Coop was not so sure.

  While they tried to attain a favorable firing solution, Demon kept up a similar harassing pattern on the other ship. The com-tac operated well enough, that every couple of minutes they would hit the ship with nymph-laser combos. Mags kept trying to adjust the program to target previously hit areas. She surmised because the battlecruiser used a double hull, if they kept hitting the same section, sooner or later, they would have a penetration.

  It was strategically sound, but having to shift, and dodge made it nearly impossible. Demon took laser fire every time the cruiser gained enough distance. This usually occurred when they would fire off a volley of torpedoes at the Star Gazer, and Demon would track them down. What they could not bring down in time proved few enough, and far enough apart, the big cruise ship’s shields held.

  Forty-five minutes into the latest engagement, the battlecruiser Coop shadowed made a sudden turn to port, leaving Angel directly behind the larger ship. Without hesitation, Cooper brought his space fighter nose forward to the giant double doors which enclosed the hangar. He pulled the railgun’s trigger, and called “away” six times. Sky fired the same number of lasers from the wing-mounted cannons.

  The doors blew off their hinges, and anything and everything not tied down in the hangar came flying out into space. Cooper dropped Angel lower than the rear of the ship to keep from getting slammed by the debris.

  After it passed, he brought the nose of his ship up, lined up the target, and fired four of his six remaining projectiles from the railgun. A projectile left Angel’s railgun, and entered the open hangar every five-seconds. At the thirty-second mark, a bright yellow and red explosion roared out of the open hangar.

  They only had to wait seconds for Storm’s report.

  “Engines, off line. She’s dead. Dynamo, off line. No shields. Two of your projectiles sailed through and travelled all the way to the front of the ship. They are experiencing system-wide failures. Oh, Coop. You might want to get us as far as you can. One of the projectiles nipped an anti-matter container. When it goes, and it looks like it will in less than ten minutes, the concussive wave will pass through our sonic forcefield like air.”

  “How far?” Cooper asked, taking Angel straight down, and hitting the thrusters.

  “At least 40,000 miles,” Storm replied.

  “At max we might get there is ten minutes. What about Demon, and the Star Gazer?”

  “They are both outside the radius. So is the other battlecruiser.”

  “I assume the anti-matter is for wormhole travel. Why did the other Zenge ships not explode?”

  “The containers are super strong. Normally, they would not explode and only drift in space as debris. They self-lock if they are disconnected from their matter counter-part, so they are actually quite safe. You hit the container with enough force to crack it.”

  Ten minutes later, a lot happened.

  The anti-matter container blew, and a shockwave pushed gases, particles, and debris for 40,000 miles.

  Angel 7 was 61,000 miles away, and rode what amounted to a gentle rise, and fall as the wave dissipated. The maneuvers, and dog fight with the Mischene battlecruiser, followed by Coop’s desperate dive to escape the effects of the anti-matter explosion, paced them nearly 200,000 miles away from the other ships.

  Demon was caught in another explosion, as they had to destroy a nuclear-tipped torpedo at close range. It was heading for a section of the Star Gazer which had already been breached. When the concussion from the explosion reached Demon, the wave rocked the ship so severely, a fiber-optic cable separated from its lead. Their primary engine dropped off-line, taking the sonic forcefield with it. With the shields down, a laser shot decimated a railgun. The impact hammered the fighter into a spiral.

  The odds finally caught up to the pesky ship, and she lay dead in space.

  The SFPT-109 entered natural space from space-fold, eight hours early, and 50,000 miles short of the drifting Star Gazer, and the injured and vulnerable Demon.

  The Zenge’s stolen Mischene battlecruiser was moving toward the two ships from the other direction.

  Storm reported everything to Coop, who wasted no time. He headed Angel 7 towards Demon and the Star Gazer. Next, he contacted the 109.

  “Kennedy, this is Captain Cooper, I need you to run hard and intercept the alien battlecruiser moving on Demon and the Star Gazer.”

  “Captain Cooper, this is Captain Black. I have command of the PT-109. I need time to access the situation. How did Demon get here? No one told me they were in route.”

  “We don’t have time, Captain. Demon is here, down, and without shields. The Star Gazer has over 240,000 people aboard, endangered by the shovel-headed battlecruiser closing on them. You are closer than me, Captain. That is your situation. Now, please engage the enemy before they kill a lot of people, including ours.”

  “Captain, I have command of this ship, and I will decide when to engage.”

  “Kennedy.”

  “Yes, Captain Cooper.”

  “Kennedy!” Shouted Captain Black, standing in front of her command chair, “You will not have contact with Captain Cooper without my permission.”

  “Kennedy, will you recognize my authority over this battle group?”

  “Captain Cooper, Admiral Patterson expressly ordered this ship turned over to you upon arrival.”

  “He is not on board!” Black shouted. If she was aware the ship’s entire compliment could hear what was happening, and not only the bridge crew, she apparently did not care. “He cannot take command unless he is on board.”

  “That was not stipulated, Captain Black,” Kennedy replied. “Captain Cooper, orders?”

  “Com-tac is sending you combat data, and the tactical and strategic reports. I can destroy the battlecruiser, but not before it fires on Demon and the Star Gazer. Get its attention. Move to intercept, and fire whatever you have at it. Your sonic shields will protect you. Get between it, and the Star Gazer as quickly as you can.”

  “We are firing nymphs, and lasers now. Moving to intercept at fastest possible speed. Captain, would you order the release of Counselor Bouvier from her cabin?”

  “What the hell?” Exasperated, and angry. “Yes. Release Bouvier, now!”

  “You will not commandeer my ship, Cooper.” Captain Black opened a compartment on the arm of the command chair, and flipped a switch. It was the emergency shut down, should the AI ever go rouge and endanger the ship, or crew. Coop previously ordered Kennedy to enact procedures to prevent any outside agencies from bypassing the command lane and taking over the ship. There was no way for her to prevent the on-board kill-switch from being activated manually.

  Black called out: “Pilot, all stop. Ops, cease fire.”

  On Angel 7, Storm reported: “Kennedy is all stop. The AI is offline, and the ship is no longer firing at the Zenge.”

  “Captain Black, you are going to cost us 250,000 lives. Get Kennedy online, now!” Cooper pushed Angel faster, trying to get her there in time to help.

  “Captain Cooper, it’s Genna. I have Captain Black pinned on the floor, but I’m afraid the bridge crew
members are about to intervene.”

  “Highest rank?” Coop demanded.

  “Lt. Dominczyk,” replied a female voice.

  “LT, I have the Flag, do you copy?”

  “Sir, you have the Flag,” Dominczyk responded, recognizing Captain Cooper in command of Space Fleet ships, and personnel during the current conflict. Admiral Patterson made this clear before the 109 departed MSD. Captain Black’s decision to ignore the directive questionable, at best.

  “Genna, the command chair’s left arm has a compartment. Open it and flip the switch.”

  “Switch flipped. Kennedy is coming online. Col. Gregory has arrived on the bridge, and is escorting Captain Black off,” Genna told him. “But I’m afraid we we’re too late.”

  Storm concurred. “The battleship has fired a nuclear torpedo at the Star Gazer. Target is the command sphere. They have also fired two inertia rounds from the pulse cannon. They normally only fire inertia rounds at installations on planets. The rods are similar to your projectiles but much, much bigger. Impact in less than three minutes.”

  “Can we hit them from here?”

  “No,” Sky replied. “We’re closing, but not near enough. The Mischene rods are bigger, but still incredibly small compared to space.”

  Storm gave everyone a concise play-by-play.

  “The nuclear torpedo has hit. EMP has shields down around the upper section of the command sphere. The first inertia round penetrated the sphere mid-ship. The second inertia round has penetrated the top two sections. Both projectiles are ripping through walls, equipment, and anything in their paths. Both exiting now.

  “Environment is venting. Command bridge, and two floors below are gone. Middle floors with massive damage. Computers are attempting to close off sections. The sphere is maintaining structure. Crew members are attempting to escape though the corridor connecting the command sphere to the main sphere.”

  Storm called to the cockpit, “Coop, the battlecruiser is targeting Demon.”

  With their attention on the destruction of the Star Gazer’s command sphere, and the desire to destroy the crippled Demon, as well as being concerned about the arrival of another warship, the battlecruiser’s commanders were not prepared when Angel 7 came in hot, fast, and angry.

  NNEMP shells, followed by laser fire ripped open the hangar doors. Coop’s final two projectiles entered close behind, destroying the ship’s dynamo, damaging the engine compartment, and stopping the battlecruiser in its tracks. This time, no anti-matter containment explosions.

  While this was happening, Mags scurried into engineering to manually repair the conduit, and restart the primary engine.

  With engine on, and shields up, Demon evaded laser fire. Elie flew them between the Star Gazer and the Zenge ship. Mags returned to the co-pilot seat, fired a half dozen projectiles into the shovel head. As that section disintegrated, the 109 joined.

  Genna ordered four tactical nuclear torpedoes fired into the body of the enemy ship. When they hit and exploded, pieces of the battle ship scattered in every direction. Major and minor explosions tore what little remained into space junk.

  The PT-109 came up to stand off the Star Gazer’s port side. Elie brought Demon around to drift beside Angel.

  “We still have the mothership, and two cargo ships to deal with,” Cooper reminded everyone.

  “Angle 7, this is Commander Cornitsch. Can you hear me?”

  “We have you, Commander Cornitsch. Do you need assistance?” Coop asked.

  “Not at the moment. The damage is done, and contained. I have command control of the ship from engineering. I’m afraid Captain Poonch, the entire bridge crew, and a great number of others are dead or missing, Captain.”

  “Commander, try to keep everything under control until we finish with the final Zenge ships. After that, we will send boarding parties to assist in every way we can.”

  “Thank you, Captain Cooper. Cornitsch, out.”

  “Loba, you and Magpie are out of the fight. You will remain with the Star Gazer. Kennedy, lower your ramp. I’m bringing Angel 7 aboard. Prep the ship for battle. We’re going to intercept the Zenge ship dead ahead, and 400,000 miles out. Have Col. Gregory prep his Marines for an away mission. We may have to take those two cargo ships hand-to-hand.”

  “Ramp lowering, Captain. Hanger ready to receive Angel 7.”

  Chapter 43

  Cooper exited the lowered rear ramp, bringing Storm, and Sky with him. As soon as his feet hit the deck, the AI announced over the PA, “Kennedy is aboard.”

  Henry Smith rushed forward to greet the battle-worn captain, but came up short when he saw the two blue aliens in skin-tight black.

  Captain Cooper saluted first (out of order), as the shocked supply officer caught his wind. “Henry,” glad to have you aboard. “These are my co-pilot, Sky, and my com-tac officer, Storm. Please get them to a cabin with a shower, get them hot meals, and have non-uniform grays delivered. Try to keep gawkers at a distance. You might want to put them in an officer’s cabin close to the hangar. That way you don’t have too many decks to travel.”

  “We should stay with you, Coop,” Sky said in protest.

  His response was quick, and blunt. “You will obey orders, or you can sit out the remainder of this mission on the Star Gazer. Your choice.”

  Storm took the slack-jawed Smith by the arm, and said, “Henry is an interesting name. Is it a nickname?”

  Leaving the Fellen with the Lt. Commander, Coop raced to the nearest lift, and up to the command bridge.

  He had to pass two Marines in the hallway in front of an officer’s cabin. They came to attention when he stopped. “As you were,” he said, and asked, “Captain Black?”

  “Yes, sir,” the sergeant answered. Before Coop could walk away, the sergeant added, “Captain, everybody aboard heard what happened. Captain Black was wrong.”

  “That she was,” Coop agreed.

  Entering the bridge, Genna stood, and said, “Captain on the bridge,” bringing everyone to attention. “As you were,” he said, putting names to faces. He had helped vet every officer present.

  He took note of the silver bar on Genna’s collar. “Lt. Bouvier, glad to see you out and about. How much time before we reach the Zenge ship?”

  “At current speed, two-hours and twenty-three minutes,” Genna replied. “And I’m Ship’s Counselor Bouvier, per Admiral Patterson’s order.”

  “Congratulations, Ship’s Counselor. Kennedy, please instruct Col. Gregory to meet Ship’s Counselor Bouvier, and me in C-Tac as soon as possible.”

  Cooper handed the bridge to Lt. Dominczyk, before moving to C-Tac.

  “I’m sure the story of your incarceration fascinating, but first I want to thank you, and Kennedy for getting here as quickly as possible. And thanks for the loyalty you both showed today.” He held up a hand to stop a reply. “As I said, I want to have a long sit down soon, but first we have a battle to complete. Could you call up the data on the three Zenge ships which remain in the solar system.”

  Genna moved to the console which controlled C-Tac’s video display, and quickly brought up three schematics: the mothership, and the two cargo vessels. They had hardly come up, when Gregory entered, walked over to Coop, and put him in a bearhug.

  “As much as you make me want to hate your guts, you go and do shit like this, and make me want to have your children,” he said, holding Coop by the shoulders. “We began receiving the video feed of your adventure as soon as we entered natural space. My people are in the mess eating popcorn, and watching it like porn. Even though they know the ending, they can’t stop watching.”

  “Kisses later, Anton, business now. We still haven’t made it to the end.” He directed the Russian’s attention to the SHD screen. “We’ve designated the big one as the mothership. Likely loaded with Zenge warriors, and probably has the battle group’s commander on board. That one will be my responsibility. The other two ships are cargo carriers. We do not think they have ship-to-ship weapons, but they
might. We do think they are carrying supplies to keep the other ships in the group operational, from food, to equipment, to armament. We also believe they have prisoners on board.”

  “Why would they bring prisoners on an attack?” Gregory asked.

  “They eat their captives,” Cooper told him. “Somewhere, in the data we’ve been streaming, is that disturbing information. One of the reasons they attack planets is to round up inhabitants, livestock, wild animals, whatever lives, and breathes, and use it as a food source. I doubt their diet is one-hundred percent meat, but enough. Bringing it along alive is probably easier, or cheaper, or tastier than killing it first, and then storing it.”

  “Gross,” Gregory said, his face a bit more pale than its normal ruddy complexion.

  “We’ll get full scans as we get closer, and make the final determination, but if we decide captives are on those ships, then we will have to board, and take them deck by deck. You need to begin prepping your Marines, and preparing EVA suits. The ships will have atmosphere, and the potential for a variety of bacterial or viral agents. I’ll take out their engines, and you’ll use the LBJ to board them.”

  “If there aren’t many of the baddies, we might split up the team, and hit both ships. If we hit one, it gives the other one time to kill the captives, or use them as hostages.”

  “You’re the ground commander. You make the call. If there isn’t anything else, you can get your people ready, and I’ll take a shower.”

  Gregory left, and Coop turned to Genna. “I’m going to shower, and change, and return to the bridge in sixty minutes. I’m also going to have two Fellen join us. One will take coms, and one will take operations. I would like you in the pilot’s seat. Casey can move over to navigation. Have everyone else take a break. There is no telling how much time the next engagement will last.”