HADRON Havoc

by Stephen Arseneault

  Stark held out his hand as they reached the shuttle. “Where’s my gatrellium?”

  Jenny replied, “Let them aboard and I’ll tell you.”

  “How do I know I can trust you?”

  Jenny frowned. “Really? Now you’re hurting my feelings. You can trust me because you don’t have a choice. Look, when we’re ready to screw you over, you’ll know it. Until then, you’ll just have to accept our word. Let them go and I give you your gatrellium.”

  Stark lowered his hand. The group hurried up the ramp, crowding into the small cabin of the shuttle.

  Stark said, “Are you certain you have enough room?”

  Jenny replied, “They’ll fit. Come on. Squeeze in.”

  An extra person appeared, standing in the field next to Stark. Humphrey Mallot smiled through his faceshield before trotting up the ramp.

  Jenny grinned. “No way! How?”

  Humphrey replied, “It’s a long story, and I’m sure you want to get out of here, so I’ll fill you in later.”

  As the last of the group packed onto the deck of the ship, the ramp began to close.

  Malcom Stark raised his voice. “My product?”

  Jenny pointed at the cave. “In the back of the cave you’ll find a holo-wall. Feel around, you’ll find it. I believe you’ll find closer to fifty-five tons there… along with a generous stockpile of other goods. You’re in possession, so it all belongs to you now.”

  Stark raised a hand. “I’d just like to say���”

  The ramp closed. The Royal Fortune lifted off and silently slipped away. The ship filled with rescued scientists and engineers came to a stop at a neutral location. All inhabitants were searched for tracking devices. None were found. A second jump placed the shuttle at Gellos. Humphrey Mallot’s homecoming was an added surprise.

  ~~~~~

  What’s Next!

  *

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  HADRON

  (Vol. 8)

  Emergent

  Chapter 8.1

  *

  Humphrey Mallot was greeted with hugs from most of the old crew.

  Mace asked, “How was it you made it back to Earth? And Mr. Fourier?”

  Humphrey frowned. “I had hoped he made it on his own. I was trapped on a vessel when it jumped back to Earth. I had to sneak food and water for nearly two weeks before I caught a shuttle down to the surface. Doc and the others were gone before I got there. There was plenty to eat and drink so I just waited, hoping you would send a shuttle for whatever reason. I didn’t realize Stark had everyone. I thought you had all just left.”

  Mace placed his hand on Humphrey’s shoulder. “We never found Mr. Fourier. We lost fifty-one others besides the two of you, all Targarians.”

  Humphrey offered a sad face. “I was afraid of that. Were we successful in getting ships? And what is this place? It’s new.”

  “We brought home two hundred twelve of their Vendetta class ships. And this place is our new home. Both the cave and the Alpha site were compromised to Stark. We should have made this move sooner. Almost cost us Doc and the others.”

  Jeff Moskowitz replied, “Glad to see you safe, Mr. Mallot.”

  Humphrey nodded. “Glad to be safe. What else have I missed?”

  Mace said, “The UF attacked and took Terrex. They���re running short of gatrellium, so we traded fifty tons of it to Stark for Doc and the others. We expect the hostilities with the Karthians will pick back up in a couple days. Stark is eager to finish them off. Oh, and we managed to destroy all ship production in the UF. When the Karthians look to be done, we plan to go after the UF ships. We just have to figure out how to do that without having them retaliate against Earth. And we have a couple new guests, Frado Knuttin and his aide. They learned about our stealth tech so we had to grab them. We also brought Roge along. He’s been working with Doc, Gnaga and the others as a sort of assistant. The least we could do for him seeing as how we separated him from his people.”

  Humphrey half smiled. “Glad to see you haven’t slowed down. I like the new base. Much brighter than Alpha.”

  “Looking at all that gray rock got tiring, didn’t it?” said Johnny. “The people who built this place had living in it in mind.”

  Mace said, “Well, we’re genuinely glad to have you back, Mr. Mallot. If you want to go with Mr. Hobbs he can show you to your quarters and fill you in on the tasks we have at hand.”

  Mace took Jeff by the shoulder as the others left. “Stark treat you OK?”

  Jeff nodded. “He tried to use his psychological threats on me. I didn’t bite.”

  Mace smiled. “He bought into your tainted data. I guess his teams took it as where you really were. Glad you had that planned out.”

  Jeff pointed. “Thank Mr. Klept. It was his idea. I’m told you have a lab waiting for me?”

  Mace gestured. “This way. Through these doors, to the end of the hall, and turn right. Jasper’s teams have been working around the clock to replicate what you had.”

  Jeff sighed. “I do not relish the thought of going through all that tuning again, but I suppose it’s inevitable.”

  Johnny joined them as they walked. “Doc, can’t say how happy we are to have you back. And I have a favor to ask.”

  Jeff smiled. “Just say it.”

  Johnny waved back down the hall. Zax came running up beside him.

  “You know Zax, Fina, and the others have… well, they’re smarter than us. Anyway, Zax has been looking over your data and he has a few questions he’d like to ask.”

  Jeff stopped and looked down, patting Zax on the top of his head. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt. I haven’t started back into my efforts yet. What would you like to know, Mr. Tretcher?”

  Zax replied, “I think your feedback problem might have been coming from the gravitational fluctuation of the Earth or your surroundings.”

  Jeff smiled. “Is that so? Well, I suppose you must also have a solution waiting?”

  Zax nodded. “I do. The feedback loop has a frequency of forty-two hertz. If you filter out the main pull, and then add filters for the pull of the surrounding structures, the forty-two hertz signal begins to emerge. I couldn’t run any tests to prove out my theory because I don’t have a lab. The Targarians have been letting me take measurements in your new lab and I think I can solve for the gravitational effect of our surroundings here as well. If we compensate for that, the feedback should go away.”

  Jeff stood with a puzzled look on his face for several seconds. “And you deduced this by looking over my data?”

  Zax frowned. “I kind of cheated. I skimmed over most of what you had already solved and went right for the problem area. I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

  Johnny grinned. “Well?”

  Jeff returned an apprehensive look. “I suppose that’s possible… the cause of the feedback I mean. I did take into account the gravitational pull of the Earth, but not the microgravities of that which surrounds us. Given the sensitivity of the circuits in question, I suppose it’s possible that could have an effect.”

  Johnny pushed Zax forward. “Doc, meet your newest prodigy student. He’s fascinated with physics. Anything you can give him to do or just allow him to watch, I’m sure he’d be grateful for.”

  Jeff nodded. “Young, Mr. Tretcher… let’s go see if we can find you a lab coat. I suppose you might already fit into one the ones the Targarians are wearing.
”

  Jeff turned, walking through the double doors to his new lab with Zax at his heels. A team of Targarian workers were busy assembling parts of the newest model of the wormhole weapon.

  Johnny stopped with a sigh and a grin.

  Mace chuckled. “You are just beaming with pride.”

  Johnny nodded. “Imagine how I’ll feel if he has the solution to Doc’s problem.”

  Mace patted him on the shoulder. “I think we’ll all be grinning then.”

  Word soon came in from the command center: the United Front was moving ships toward their new target. Two stealth shuttles parked nearby sent back data feeds of the planet’s surroundings. Three of the great Karthian stations were still fully operational. The fourth, pockmarked, and with evidence of collapsed decks, sat ready to give out whatever it had left. Nine hundred eighty-eight Karthian cruisers and several hundred support ships rounded out the Karthian defense.

  Jordan Crawford was looking over a holo-display of the situation. “The Karthians are outgunned. I hate to say it, but they would do better if they just pulled up and left.”

  Mace said, “That’s a hard thing to do when it’s your people. We wouldn’t do it to ours. We’d stay and we’d fight. Looks like the Karthians are doing the same.”

  Jane came into the room at the tail-end of the conversation. “Anything we can do to make it painful for both sides?”

  Mace shook his head. “If we help the Karthians, it only endangers the troops Stark is sending in for the ground-based portion of this fight. If we help the UF, it only puts the UF in a stronger position over us. I’m thinking we just have to sit this fight out.”

  Jane pointed at the display. “Looks like you were wrong about the Karthians. They’re jumping.”

  Jordan added. “That makes Stark’s job easier. His transports are on the way to the surface.”

  The trio watched as the Human fleet settled on the outskirts of two dozen major cities. Within minutes, Stark’s troops were heavily engaged with the defenders.

  Word came in from a scout ship that had been assigned to Earth. “We have multiple wormholes opening. It’s the Karthian fleet!”

  Mace opened a comm. “Mr. Collins! The Karthians are attacking Earth! We need all your ships there immediately!”

  Jasper replied, “On my way to a shuttle. I’m pushing through the data feed to my command. Check with me before you jump and we can coordinate.”

  The teams raced around the compound, gathering helmets and getting into battlesuits. Eight minutes later, the Royal Fortune was in the air and heading for high orbit. They jumped as soon as the Fortune reached free space.

  Jasper said, “I count four hundred transports already hitting the surface. That fleet blew right through the twenty-ships the UF left there. Totally inadequate for a defense.”

  A comm came in from Stark. “Mr. Hardy, most of our population is defenseless. Only our third-line troops are there. The bulk of our fighters are here at the Karthian world.”

  “Are you expecting me to be able to do something? I have a shuttle and a handful of crew.”

  Stark replied, “The Targarians have ships. And you have the ships you recently stole from the UF. Certainly you can mount some kind of defense?”

  Mace scowled. “It’s you who left the Earth defenseless. Now we’re going to pay for another one of your blunders.”

  Jasper joined in the comm. “My ships are on the way. We’ll do what we can. And, Stark, when this is over, you are finished. Your deals have put us in enough danger. When you finish what you’re doing out there, you can send our people home, but you might as well keep on going. Your time is over.”

  A dozen wormholes opened with the almost sixty Collins-class ships coming through. Immediately following were the two hundred twelve UF dreadnoughts that had been captured, now piloted by Jasper Collins’ crews. Three minutes later, the fleets were fully engaged.

  The Targarian ships released their stealth shuttles with assault crews. The dreadnoughts and Collins ships engaged the enemy directly. Bright flashes filled the dark skies high above the Earth as laser pulses, plasma rounds and microwave beams were traded. The Karthian ships took immediate casualties.

  The Royal Fortune targeted a massive Karthian station, sliding through a gravity wall and into an open docking bay.

  Mace grabbed Jane by the shoulder. “You sure you’re up for this?”

  Jane half shrugged. “We’re gonna find out. Some things are still a bit shaky. My aim isn’t one of them.”

  Johnny said, “I’ll be sticking to her like glue.”

  Mace asked, “Your shoulder good enough for this fight?”

  Johnny nodded. “Tender, but that’s not gonna stop me from kicking some ass. Let’s go get this done.”

  Jenny stood beside them as the ramp lowered.

  Mace said, “Where you going?”

  Jenny scowled. “You think I’m sitting on the bus while you have all the fun? Not a chance. Now stop babbling and let’s go… we have a lot of work to get done.”

  Mace looked around. “Teams of two. And I want two of those teams watching each other���s backs. Jenny, myself, Johnny, and Jane will be heading for the power reactors on this level. If we can get them rigged, we’ll let you know. If that happens, I want everyone back to the shuttle immediately. We have four sets of teams here. Somebody search out a command center; the other two find reactors. If you get in trouble, don’t hesitate to make use of your comms. We aren’t trying to hide ourselves today… we just want this ship disabled.”

  The teams jumped down to the deck and headed out into a nearby hallway.

  Jenny said, “Sensors point this way for reactors. Two hundred meters ahead.”

  Two plasma rounds emerged from what appeared to be thin air as the team ran toward their target. Two unsuspecting Karthian crewmen exploded, their guts and blood dripping from the walls as the teams ran by.

  Jenny turned into a large room. “This should be it.”

  Four standard reactors sat before them, powering the levels just above and below. Another crewman was dispatched as he stood looking at several sensor readouts.

  Mace said, “Let’s have a couple of those charges.”

  “I thought you brought them?” said Johnny.

  Mace turned. “Anyone bring the satchel?”

  Three replies came back. “No.”

  Mace growled. “Then we improvise. Each of you take a reactor and do what you can to power it down. We’re just looking to stop it, we don’t want it going critical on us. When you’re done, assemble at the door. We head back to the shuttle together.”

  Mace moved to a reactor, raising his foot and kicking hard at a handle to a maintenance panel. The handle bent and snapped off, opening the panel and exposing the circuits within. Four circuit boards were removed, dropped to the deck, and then stomped on with a heavy boot.

  The reactor sensors signaled red, initiating an emergency shutdown. Within seconds the plasma feed went dry. Mace stepped back, firing two plasma rounds into the remaining circuits. Parts flew and smoke billowed. The lighting on that level of the great station switched to emergency backup.

  Mace moved back to the door. “Who’s here?”

  Jenny replied, “What took you so long?”

  Johnny laughed. “Was starting to think you got lost.”

  “Let’s just go,” said Jane. “We have work to do.”

  The foursome made the run back to the shuttle bay. The satchel was retrieved and a stairwell to lower levels searched out.

  Mace opened a comm. “Let’s have a status.”

  Jordan Crawford replied, “Almost to what we think will be command.”

  Liam Hobbs replied next, “The containment circuits of this reactor are different. Will take a few minutes to figure them out.”

  Hans Mueller reported: “We’re three levels up. The room here has half a dozen crewmen standing at the door.”

  “Blast them and move on to your target. We don’t have time
to waste at being neat on this one.”

  The thumps of plasma rounds exploding could be heard over the comm channel as it closed.

  Jordan Crawford came back. “At the command center. Should I just open up on them? Wait… I’m pushing an image through to you. Does that look right? I’m seeing the UF ships that were here are still in this system. They didn’t defend… they just moved. And they weren’t and aren’t being pursued.”

  Mace stopped his column of four, pulling the image up on his HUD. “Looks like they’re waiting for something.”

  Jordan replied, “Same thing I thought. We might have UF ships on the way.”

  “Pass that info to Jasper. When the UF arrives, which they will, we should be ready move our support down to the surface.”

  “I would agree. You have any further thoughts before I rip this place apart?”

  Mace replied, “Do your worst.”

  Moments before the next reactor room was reached, Liam Hobbs opened a comm. “All teams… we have two reactors set to blow. Time for an evac. See you all back at the shuttle.”

  Mace stopped his group. “Back to the stairs.”

  A quick jog back up to the docking bay level had the last of the teams boarding the Royal Fortune.

  Word came from Jasper as Jenny strapped herself into the pilot’s chair: “We have wormholes opening all over. The UF is bringing their fleet. Scouts are reporting they abandoned their assault of the Karthian planet. Nobody there now but Stark’s troops.”

  Mace said, “Move all our ships to the surface to support our people down there.”

  Mace looked at Jenny. “Put us down near Ronceverte. We’ll do whatever damage we can to their back lines.”

  Jenny nodded. “Consider it done.”

  As the shuttle emerged from the docking bay, two UF dreadnoughts were approaching. A powerful microwave beam skirted the outside of the hull as Jenny turned hard away. The beam dug a deep hole into the side of the Karthian station.

  Jenny pushed a button on her console and the explosive charges rigged up by Liam Hobbs��� team did their intended duty. Two reactors went critical at the same moment. Bright explosions, full of flame from the burning oxygen and hydrogen, shot outward from five decks. Further evidence of damage emerged from the station���s hull as the reactors��� destruction spread.