“I am unable,” the AI replied.
“What?” Calvin asked. “Why aren’t you able?”
“I do not have the targeting data for that ship, as none of my radars currently have power,” the AI replied. “Additionally, the charges on those grasers are not enough to fire them effectively.”
“Are you able to accept targeting data from another ship,” asked Calvin, “or do you have to have it from your own systems?”
“It is more accurate if it comes from my own systems,” answered the AI, “because there will be fewer sources of error. As there is only going to be enough power for one shot, it would be prudent to make sure that the weapons are on target.”
“Does each weapon need a targeting source?” asked Calvin. “Or can one source feed both weapons?”
“I am capable of using one source to give you optimal targeting data for both weapons,” replied the AI. “If you can get power to one of my laser detection and ranging systems, that will be sufficient.”
“One laser is enough?” asked Calvin.
“Yes,” replied the AI. “I can use the initial targeting data supplied by one of the other ships to get my system close enough to pick up the battlecruiser. After that, I will use my onboard optical heterodyne detection system for precise targeting. I will need the capability to communicate with one of the other ships, as well.”
“OK,” said Calvin. “So we need power to one of the tracking lasers, power to the communications system and then more power to the grasers. Any idea where we’re going to get that? The shuttle is almost out of fuel; it doesn’t have much more to give.”
“The replicator’s power source will be enough to run the laser tracking and communications systems,” said the AI. “It will also give me enough power to finish powering the two grasers for a single shot; however, it is going to take all of the replicator’s power to do so. There will not be any left over for life support systems.”
Calvin looked at Lieutenant Rrower. “We better get everyone in suits.”
* * * * *
Chapter Forty-Three
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“Eight million miles!” called the offensive systems officer from his position at operations.
“Rotate the ship!” ordered Captain Griffin, turning the ship to bring its broadside missiles to bear. “Synchronize with the fighters and fire!” If Calvin’s plan worked, the Ssselipsssiss battlecruiser would never know what hit them, she thought. If it didn’t, they were going to die.
Bridge, Ssselipsssiss Ship Backstabber, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“The ships are rotating,” called the sensor technician. “They’re bringing their missiles to bear!”
“That’s fine,” said Captain Rissser. “The Mrowry vessel cannot have many missiles left. The other cruiser can’t have enough of them to knock down our shields.”
“But what about the fighters?” asked the sensor technician. “It looks like they are making their attack run, too.”
“We’ll just have to shoot them down as they come,” replied Captain Rissser. “Then we will be within laser range, and they will be ours.”
“The cruiser and the fighters are launching!” said the sensor technician.
“Good,” said the Captain Risser. “It begins.”
Asp 01, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“Missiles away!” Lieutenant Sasaki Akio called. The most experienced of the Terran WSOs, he was in the lead fighter with the Mrowry Lieutenant Commander in charge of the strike. 60 missiles dropped from the 12 fighters, ignited, and roared off in search of a target.
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“Missiles firing!” said the offensive systems officer. “They will arrive at the battlecruiser at the same time as the missiles from the fighters.”
“Continue firing until we’re out,” ordered Captain Griffin.
“Roger that, ma’am,” said the offensive systems officer. “Continue firing until we’re out, aye. Second volley launching.”
Command Bridge, TSS Terra, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“I am in communications with a ship called the Vella Gulf,” the AI advised. “I have no context for this name, either, so I believe it to be the Terran cruiser. Is this correct?”
“Yes it is,” said Calvin. “OK, we want to shoot the battlecruiser just before the Vella Gulf’s missile volley arrives.”
“That will be impossible,” the AI said. “The missiles are arriving...now.”
“Oh shit,” said Calvin, “We’re too late.”
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“Ten seconds to impact!” called the offensive systems officer.
“Has the battleship fired?” asked Captain Griffin. The battleship was supposed to fire first, knocking down the battlecruiser’s shields, so that the missiles could take it out.
“No ma’am,” said Steropes. “The weapons have not come online yet.”
“Weapons impact!” said the offensive systems officer. “I estimate 20 missile impacts on the ship simultaneously. Their shields are down!”
“Maximum rate fire!” ordered Captain Griffin. “Pour it on them! We’ve got to take them out before their lasers come into range.” Captain Griffin had already seen what happened when a cruiser fought a battlecruiser with lasers. It wasn’t pretty.
Bridge, Ssselipsssiss Ship Backstabber, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“Our shields are down!” called the defensive technician. “I estimate 23 impacts on them at once. We have minor damage in many compartments, and sensors are registering radiation in three places.”
“Excellent job,” Captain Risser congratulated the technician. “You stopped most of their missiles. Now their fighters are out of missiles, and they only have that one cruiser shooting. Continue to defend the ship, and get those shields back up.” He turned to the helmsman. “Turn the ship and begin braking. I don’t want to fly past them. They’ve done their worst, and we are almost unscathed.” Captain Risser smiled. “Now it’s our turn.”
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“I am in contact with a ship calling itself the Terra,” said Solomon. “It says that it is the new battleship and is asking for targeting information on the battlecruiser. Am I allowed to pass that on?”
“Yes, please!” said Captain Griffin. “Are they ready to fire?”
“No,” replied Solomon. “Unfortunately, they are not. They have not been able to get enough power to the capacitors yet.”
“Shit.”
Bridge, Ssselipsssiss Ship Backstabber, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
Captain Rissser had not expected the ships to turn and attack, and the two cruisers quickly closed the distance until they were almost in range of his weapons. He turned the battlecruiser around again, so that his broadside weapons would be able to fire. The Backstabber completely outclassed the cruisers with an armament of 16 lasers, 10 grasers and one improved battleship laser per side. The Vella Gulf only had 10 grasers, and they were smaller.
“700,000 miles,” said the offensive systems technician. “Standing by to fire.”
The Backstabber had been hit by two missiles and had two more near misses. Although the ship was wounded, it was not grievously injured, and all but two of its weapons were ready. The enemy was within range of its battleship laser.
“Kill the one that is shooting missiles at us!” said Captain Rissser. “Fire!”
Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
The battlecruiser’s first shot was absorbed by the shields. The lights burned brighter as the extra energy was absorbed and redistributed, and a noise that sounded like “SCREEEEEE” was heard briefly.
“Shields at 30%,” the defensive systems officer said.
“Holy shit!” Captain Griffin exclaimed. “Was that its laser? The last ship we fought didn’t hit that hard!�
��
“Apparently, it has a battleship laser,” Steropes noted, “or one of their improved lasers. We will not be able to take many more of those types of hits.”
As he said it, the lizard battlecruiser fired again. There was a flash, and a smell of ozone permeated the bridge. “Shields are down!” called the defensive systems officer.
Crap, thought Captain Griffin. The next one was going to hurt. A lot.
* * * * *
Chapter Forty-Four
Command Bridge, TSS Terra, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“That should do it,” commed Lieutenant Rrower. “There should be power to the laser tracking system. I’m coming back.” Movement was difficult. With all of the station’s power being transferred to the Terra, there were no lights, no heat and no gravity throughout the ship or replicator. It was almost like being in space, except there were walls to run into. If the suits hadn’t had external lights, he would have been lost inside the ship. Although it wasn’t completed yet, it was still over a mile long.
Bridge, Ssselipsssiss Ship Backstabber, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“Their shields have failed,” said the sensor technician, as another missile exploded close aboard, shaking the ship.
“I’ve had enough of their missiles,” said Captain Rissser. “Kill them n...!”
Before he could complete the thought, there was a flash, and a tornado howled through the bridge.
Command Bridge, TSS Terra, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
“We got them!” Lieutenant Rrower roared as the two four-meter aperture grasers finally fired. Calvin didn’t know if it was delight, defiance or some other emotion, but the roar itself brought shivers down his spine. He imagined it was the kind of roar that made early cavemen huddle closer to their fire, hoping to keep the predators of the night at bay.
“That was awesome!” the Mrowry officer continued, as he looked at the damage done to the ship on the long range viewer. “We got it right through their bridge!”
“Of course we did,” said the Terra’s AI. “That was where I was aiming. If you wanted me to hit it someplace else, you should have said so.”
Bridge, Ssselipsssiss Ship Backstabber, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
The executive officer looked and saw that Captain Rissser was gone. Not just ‘gone’ as in deceased, but ‘gone’ as in no longer on the bridge. Whatever weapon had fired from the battleship had passed right through his command chair and vaporized him as it passed from one side of the ship to the other. Well, not completely, he thought as he looked on in horror. The captain’s magnetic boots and about six inches of his legs were still attached to the deck. That was all that was left of him. Were it not for the magnetic boots, that part would have gone overboard as all of the air on the bridge went screaming out the 12’ holes that had suddenly appeared on both sides of it. The defensive systems technician had failed to strap in and was sliding across the floor, inexorably drawn toward one of the holes. As he raced toward the hole, he was able to get a hand on the weapons technician’s seat, momentarily stopping his travel. The force of breaking his slide was so great that it pulled his shoulder from the socket, and he wasn’t able to maintain his hold on the chair through the pain.
“Help me!” he commed. Before the weapons technician could grab him, the defensive systems technician lost his grip and was sucked screaming from the ship.
The executive officer looked back to Captain Rissser’s legs, where his green blood was starting to boil off in the growing vacuum. He had to look away again as he felt lunch start to make its way back up from his stomach.
“Sir!” commed the damage control technician. “We’ve got another hole just like this one that goes through the galley. At least 20 people have been lost overboard!”
The executive officer looked back at Captain Rissser’s legs. They couldn’t take any more of those hits. Their shields were down, and they were defenseless. If Rissser were here, the executive officer knew he would have detonated the core of the ship, rather than be taken captive. Unfortunately, only the commanding officer could order the self-destruction of the ship. While the XO knew that he was now the commanding officer of the Backstabber with Rissser’s demise, he didn’t have the codes to self-destruct; only the commanding officer had them. They had perished with Rissser.
“Open up a link to the Mrowry,” he said finally. “Tell them that we surrender.” Then he threw up inside his suit.
Command Bridge, TSS Terra, Kepler-78 System, August 26, 2020
Lieutenant Rrower roared again, sending more shivers down Calvin’s spine. “They surrendered?” he asked. “They never surrender!”
“That’s great,” said Calvin, “but now the hard part begins.”
“What could be harder than taking out that battlecruiser?” asked Lieutenant Rrower. “I think I ran at least five miles of cabling, myself.”
“It wasn’t even 500 feet of cabling,” replied Calvin, “so stop whining. What I mean is that now we have to hook up this replicator and tow it out of here,” replied Calvin.
“Tow the replicator out of here?” asked Rrower. “With what?”
“We’ll tow it out of here with our ship if we have to,” Calvin replied.
“It can’t be done,” said Lieutenant Rrower. “No one’s ever towed one of these with a cruiser.”
“Can’t be done?” asked Calvin. “Or, has never been done before?”
“I guess I don’t know if it can’t be done,” replied the Mrowry, sounding thoughtful. “I can tell you that no one has ever been stupid enough to try it. A cruiser’s just not big enough to tow it.”
“I don’t think I’m stupid, just that our need is great,” said Calvin. “At any moment, more lizards could come through their stargate and overwhelm us. We’ve got to get this out of here now!”
“There is no written procedure for a cruiser to tow a replicator,” noted the Terra’s AI, “and it is expressly forbidden to tow a replicator with a ship still being built in it. I have to agree that it is not a good idea to try it, as it is likely that I will sustain damage in the attempt. Although it is beneath my station to be used as a tug, if you could just give the replicator enough time to finish my assembly, I will help you pull it afterward.”
“Thanks,” Calvin said. “I never intended to pull it with a cruiser, anyway. There’s just no need.” He smiled. “Not when we have two cruisers...”
* * * * *
Chapter Forty-Five
Conference Room, Emperor’s Paw, Kepler-78 System, August 27, 2020
“Thank you for coming,” welcomed Captain Yerrow. “It seemed like we should have a long talk away from any prying Psiclopes eyes.” The ships were at the stargate out of the Kepler-78 system, waiting for the battleship to be finished. As awkward as it was for the two cruisers to tow the replicator to the stargate, no one knew what stresses would be put on the battleship to go through the stargate still attached to it. With only two days until the battleship’s completion, it seemed better to wait until it was finished. While they were waiting, Captain Yerrow had invited the Terrans over to the Emperor’s Paw for a council of war. All of the senior officers had come, except for the Gulf’s XO, who was supervising the surrender of the lizard ship. It would be his new command, with the Mrowry operations officer as his executive officer. Between manning the battleship and putting together the prize party that was gathering up all of the Ssselipsssiss on their battlecruiser, both ships were running dangerously low on manning, especially since the Mrowry had lost over 1/3 of their crew in the fighting in Ross 248. They had picked up a few of the crewmen from the other Mrowry ships in the system, but after their long running battle, there hadn’t been that many to find.
“Thank you for inviting us,” replied Captain Griffin, “I’m not sure what you mean by their ‘prying eyes,’ but I know that there are a lot of things that they haven’t told us. Those stealth ships that you have were a huge surprise. Those are just one of the many things that
the Psiclopes have never mentioned to us.”
“They’re not really stealth ships,” said the Paw’s XO, Commander Andowwn. “They just use a module that allows them to absorb energy, kind of like your combat suits. Unfortunately, it takes nearly all of the energy available to power the absorption module, so there is nothing left for weapons. The module also covers almost all of the attachment points where the space fighters would normally mount missiles, so there’s no place to attach them.”
“With regard to the Psiclopes not telling you something,” added Captain Yerrow, “I believe that you will find that is the norm, not the exception. Their society is based on the collection of information. For beings that can live thousands of years, knowledge is not only power, but wealth. Why do you think they live on planets such as yours?”
“I thought it was to study us and keep us safe,” said Sara.
This comment seemed to be hilarious, as all of the Mrowry howled in a manner that the humans had never seen before. The longer they howled, the redder and redder Sara’s face became. When Captain Yerrow had calmed down enough to speak again, he said, “I’m sorry, but that was the funniest thing that any of us have heard in a long time. Study you? Yes, they study you, so that they can learn all about you...what you have and what you need...so that they can obtain it for you and make the most money that they can for themselves. The only reason that they’d keep you safe is if their own lives depended on it. The idea of conflict is horrible to them, because then they might lose their millennia-long lives. They care no more for you than they would a Skarg.” The Terrans’ implants translated the Skarg as a predatory worm from the Mrowry home planet.
When the Gods Aren't Gods: Book Two of The Theogony Page 31