by John Walker
“Contact in five seconds,” Tiller called. “I’m in position.”
“Likewise,” Vesper said, “we’ll get first strike but we might need some help after that.”
“Hans, take your guys around to the east. See if you can’t give them a decent crossfire. We’ll keep going with the VIPs. Andrews? Do you read? We really need you down here ASAP!”
“Working… it… some… here…” Half the message came through garbled, indicating he was likely still far away or flying around in the area near the explosion. Whatever the case, he was far enough off that his engines weren’t audible from their position. “Be… soon as… ly… po—” The rest of the message turned to static.
“Gunny to Triton, come in.”
Yeah, Tiller smirked, that’s like asking for fifty cred then hitting them up for a hundred. Chances of getting through to a ship in combat seemed optimistic to say the least. If the Triton answered, it would only be because of the new super advanced tech. And I’m thinking there are limits even to that stuff.
Light caught dark armor, making the material glisten for just a moment. “Contact!” Tiller shouted as he opened fire, blasting at his initial target. Beams brightened the area, sending a glow down the way until it struck the ground just behind the Kahl. Water burst into the air, turning to steam in an instant. He followed up, shooting again and again.
The enemy spilled out onto the path, some taking cover, others taken down by the heavy assault. Vesper and others had joined him, throwing some serious firepower on the enemy position. As they scattered, a few random shots came back at them, here and there, beams going high and wide.
Even after a couple hours in the range, Tiller found it hard not to compensate for recoil. He kept anticipating it which caused him to miss. The weapon vibrated a little, became warm, but sinks quickly cooled the handles. Once I settle down, I’ll be tearing these bitches up. Fortunately, even with a bit of inaccuracy, his attacks drove the enemy forces to cover.
“On your left, Vesper!” Tiller called. She switched cover to the opposite side of the tree to lay down some fire. The enemy forces tried to spread out, covering more ground in a line. He had ten blips left on his HUD, indicating someone took down at least two. Add that to however many died on the hill, and it felt like they were doing pretty well.
“Gunny,” Hans said, “I’m alone over here. These guys are crack shots when they catch you. Everyone stick to cover. We need to withdraw. Taking them on like this with as many people as we have will be suicide.”
“We’re nearly to the clearing,” Gunny replied. “Break off, stay low, and get back here.”
“Sir,” Alon jumped in, “we’ve got a great firing solution…” He stopped as a shot nearly cleaved his head, missing by a couple inches. “Never mind. We’re on our way.” He crawled away from his cover. “Give me a moment to find some more cover and I’ll lay down suppressive fire to cover you.”
“I’ll do the same,” Hans said. “My position is solid. For a few more minutes.”
Great, Tiller thought. More running with these assholes on our backs.
“Are we saving the grenades for something?” Vesper asked.
Hans replied, “Those things will turn this place into a blaze fast. They’re a last resort in a major way.”
Tiller blasted one of the Kahl in the leg. It didn’t put him out of the fight though… just made him withdraw. “I feel like this might be damn close to such a thing!”
“I’m in position!” Alon laid down some heavy fire along the stream. “Go, guys! Go! Get to the next point and call it!” Hans joined him. Their combined attack bought a momentary reprieve.
Tiller broke first, staying low as he rushed toward Alon’s position. Vesper followed him close behind. As they passed by their sergeant, they moved a good ten feet before each took some cover behind the next tree. They started firing, calling out for the others that it was their turn to move.
Flames consumed the forest behind them as some of the trees became massive torches. Smoke gathered low near where they descended the hill but the whole area would be consumed soon. Tiller only imagined how much there had to be above the treetops, up where Andrews had to be flying around.
I wonder how insane this looks from up there. He imagined it would be like looking at hell and it only promised to get worse. A couple strong breezes and the entire place would be obliterated. No one’s here to stop it either. Man. A couple humans come to this wilderness paradise and leave it in shambles. If that isn’t a metaphor, I have no idea what is.
Alon passed them by, breaking into a sprint. “We’ve got plenty of trees now!” He shouted. “Run for it, guys! Run!”
Tiller cursed, motioning for Vesper to go first. He knew she had to be on the verge of arguing but did as she was told, dashing after the sergeant. A couple more shots told him he wouldn’t do much back there alone but he did get one that was limping. One shot near his leg got him to dive left. Before he hit the ground, another shot blasted him in the gut.
Nine left according to the scan. Tiller broke cover, pushing himself into a sprint to catch up to the others. When they got to the clearing, if Andrews wasn’t around, they’d be in serious trouble. He doubted they’d find much in the way of cover. This plan either meant escaping miraculously or dying horribly.
Can’t wait to find out which I’m dealing with today. Tiller risked a glance over his shoulder. Beams cut through the bushes to his left, near his former cover. They don’t know where we are right now. That’ll slow them down for a minute. Come on, Andrews! This is your time to shine!
***
Andrews dropped his passengers off, then rocketed away, gaining some quick altitude. He hoped for a leisurely flight around the trees though he knew better than to believe it possible. The enemy ship would be like him with nothing to do and after his last encounter, he planned on a confrontation.
These guys are way too aggressive to just be support for their troops.
He engaged the shields of his craft, keeping a sharp eye on the HUD scanner. Wherever his opponent happened to be, it must’ve been under the scanner’s ability to detect. Visual didn’t help at first either. He swept his gaze over the treetops, focusing on the area near the blown out temple.
Nothing stuck out, not for a good two minutes. Then trees rustled, at least a dozen of them as the Kahl ship burst from the forest floor, cutting a wide loop from their LZ. Scans picked them up immediately, anticipating their course as directly toward him. He kicked on the turrets, turning to meet them.
I’m not running this time, you pricks!
Andrews pressed himself into his seat in anticipation of the increased g-force. As he slammed the throttle forward, engines letting out a belch of thrust. They came at him straight on, like they wanted to play chicken. He let the turrets rip, updated beam weapons turning the humidity in the air to steam.
His opponent’s shields came to life, a blue and red oval surrounding the vessel as it flared bright enough to cause the cockpit to dim. They retaliated, casting shots at Andrews that missed. A little adjustment brought the weapons hard to bear. He took the first couple directly in the nose.
The fixed weapons on his wings kicked off next, remaining on long enough to contact the enemy before winking off. Those allowed for strafing runs where a shuttle might cut the ground rather than stagger the blasts. The tech manual suggested they had a seriously draining effect on enemy defenses but required a brief recharge.
They were both at top speed, barreling down on one another. Andrews flinched first, hitting the top maneuvering thrusters. His vessel dropped ten feet, flying directly under the target. Turrets continued to track the enemy, tearing at their tail as he veered hard to the left in order to keep after them.
The exchange dropped his defense power by twenty percent in the first pass. Not as bad as he anticipated. That gave him some confidence, enough to become more aggressive with his flying. Pulling the throttle back, he bought himself some maneuverability but not enou
gh to get on their six.
Both ships danced in an effort to acquire a better position, flying around one another as their turrets did the majority of the work. Getting away from the constant fire meant trying to flee, a tactic that might’ve worked but he really wanted to get a solid shot with his fixed weapons again.
An alarm went off, indicating the defenses dropped below fifty percent. Real time scanning on the enemy ship showed they were close to the same. If I can get around on this asshole, I can finish this off. But the pilot proved incredible at evading, pulling wild maneuvers to keep Andrews from a decent solution.
They climbed suddenly as if rushing to break atmosphere. Andrews gave chase, coming up behind them. The fixed cannons were ready. His finger hovered over the trigger when his target suddenly dropped right back toward him. He spun to the left to avoid their descent, trying to level out.
A hit from behind jostled him in his seat. Shields dropped to thirty percent and now, the Kahl had a perfect shot at his thrusters.
Andrews plunged the stick forward, pushing himself into a dive. As he careened toward the ground, he picked up speed, buying some distance. The computer started complaining about the drop. He rolled to the right as a series of shots whizzed by him. Pulling up at a thousand feet, the ship’s thrusters kicked on high, making his whole body feel constricted.
The enemy ship skimmed the trees before managing to get back into the air. This gave Andrews his chance. He came at them from the top, letting his fixed weapons go. They caught the enemy on the top, holding the shot for a good three seconds before they pulled away. With their shields dropped below thirty percent, they were back on par again.
Only this time, Andrews had the advantage from the back. He came after them, swooping in to take another series of shots with the turrets. A piece sparked in the back near their loading ramp. One of the thrusters flickered then went out. Smoke poured from the damaged hole along with bouts of flame.
The ship turned, limping in an effort to get away. Their shields showed as down in the rear section. Turrets can finish them off at this point. Andrews focused on remaining close enough to finish the work even as their weapons chewed away at his defenses. I’ve still got shields, however low. You’re done, pal.
Their ramp dropped. Two men leaned out, firing rifles at him. They scored a couple solid hits mere moments before taking a direct hit to the open compartment. That’s desperation. One of the two soldiers fell, plunging to the forest below. The other retreated inside. Metallic balls burst from the sides, tiny thrusters leading them toward the surface.
Did they just bail? Andrews didn’t know if he should continue firing or back off. That’s when the enemy ship pulled up, moving within his path before slowing down. I’m not ramming you. He turned hard left, taking another full barrage on the belly. Someone must’ve stayed aboard, and they aren’t about to give up!
Spinning around, he came at them from the side, strafing the ship. The enemy turrets didn’t slow down; didn’t give up even as seams formed along the hull. Red fire burst from the ship moments before it exploded. Debris slammed into Andrews even a hundred feet off. He steadied himself, noting his shields were down on the side.
Overall defenses, fifteen percent. Sweat covered his face, making his flight suit cling. He hadn’t paid enough attention to how bad off he was but then, he couldn’t have done much. That was a fight to the death up close and personal. I think I got lucky with these cannons. Thank God for them.
“Where the hell are you?” Gunny’s voice burst through the speakers. “In about two minutes, we’ll all be dead down here!”
“I’m on my way,” Andrews replied, “you knew I’d have to deal with the enemy ship. Be happy I pulled it off.” I’m lucky it was only one. Two would’ve been the end of him. It wouldn’t have been a fight in fact. A beacon led him to the others, a steady signal for a clearing less than thirty seconds away at top speed. “I’m coming in hot, so be ready to get out of there.”
The Triton made it clear they wanted them back ASAP. At least I can oblige now. They’d better have the capital ship under control or this will be a pathetically fast trip.
***
Renz could not believe how powerful the enemy ship proved to be. They were on par with some of the best Prytin vessels and they employed that strength with daring. Inda made it clear they were facing some serious damage throughout the ship. He looked at Kivda, noting that even his friend looked worried.
I’ve never faced this before.
“Sir,” Inda spoke, “the enemy is contacting us about surrender.”
Kivda huffed. “They are not talking about giving up to us.”
“No.” Renz shook his head. “What’s your assessment?”
“While they’re doing well, I get the impression they don’t realize we’re actually in trouble.” Kivda tapped the arm of his chair. “My advice is to go at them again, straight on. Hit them with everything we’ve got. See how they react to a full on exchange. I know we can take at least one more.”
Renz nodded. “Can they?” He turned to Inda. “Scan their defenses. Give me an idea of what I’m facing.”
“They are recharging quickly, as are we,” Inda said. “But we have more torpedoes.”
I can’t believe I had to employ those in our first encounter with these scum. Renz glared at the screen. Still, they are a challenge. Winning this battle will bring considerable glory. “Close on the target, open fire with everything we’ve got. Do not stop until I give the order to move. This is where we win the fight.”
***
“They’re closing,” Violet announced. “And I think they ignored our hail.”
“Open fire,” Titus ordered. “Start now. Direct all shield power to the front. Divert auxiliary power from the engines to defenses.”
They’ll throw the torpedoes at us. We have to be ready to take those in the nose.
Their cannons opened fire even as the Kahl vessel closed in, weathering a good amount of punishment before shooting back. The two ships exchanged damage, hitting each other with a constant stream of beam attacks. Impacts made the ship tremble constantly as neither side seemed to flinch.
“Power build up!” Violet shouted.
“Bottom maneuvering thrusters,” Titus called, “engage them now!”
Torpedo’s burst from the enemy ship. The Triton lurched upward, avoiding a full spread. Only two hit them as they pivoted to maintain a frontal assault on their target. The lights went out from the blow. Terminals remained operational, even as the viewscreen faded. Fortunately, weapons remained online.
“Report!” Rhys took that one. “What’s going on?”
“The torpedo hit the bottom,” Violet said, “shields weren’t as strong there. We’ve got a hull breach in cargo bay five. Force fields are up there too. Power to the lights seemed to have been cut as well. The viewscreen shorted out. Maneuvering thrusters are offline on the bottom and the starboard side.”
“So a lot,” Rhys said.
“We’re giving them a real pounding!” Jane rolled the vessel, keeping them in motion with the remaining thrusters. “They’re still taking it!”
“Another power surge coming…” Violet turned to them. “We take a full barrage of those and we’re done.”
“Withdraw,” Titus said. “Get us back so you have some room to maneuver.”
“Too late!” Violet shouted.
Titus gripped his seat as Jane engaged the engines. Her next move meant life or death.
***
“Niva…” Griel grunted. “What’s going on?”
“The Triton is in a massive battle with a Kahl battleship,” Niva replied. “They’re exchanging some serious blows. We are… ten seconds from them.”
“Give me a reading on both ships.” Griel tapped his foot impatiently. “How are they doing?”
“I’ve got it,” Molush said, “looks like the Triton’s taken a pretty serious beating. A solid torpedo hit might do them in. On the other hand, the Kahl
vessel’s in a bad way as well. They seem… oh my. Sir…”
“What?” Griel glared at him. “What is it?”
“This is the secret mission.” Molush pointed at the viewscreen. “That is Renz’s cruiser!”
“Oh… you sad pile of filth.” Griel smiled. “Today, you die. Get us in there.”
“Sir…” Niva stepped in. “If we’re going to save the Triton, we need to maneuver in such a way to take the next hit from the Kahl.”
No! Griel clenched his fists. The Brekka could handle a full spread of torpedoes if they had to. Retaliation would be the problem. The power drain to defenses would be enormous. Renz might have a chance to recharge his shields or worse. He might flee. You can’t get away. You can’t!
But he had a serious choice on his hands. Save his allies or sacrifice them for a victory against Renz.
“Gah!” Griel slapped the chair. “Get us in there. Protect the Triton. Reach out to them and have them withdraw to coordinates… six-seven-three by four-two-seven.” We might still take this bastard down if we work together. He looked around the bridge at the walls. Sorry about this, my dear. It’s going to hurt.
***
A flash of light made Renz blink just as they unleashed another barrage of torpedoes. Inda cried out, pointing at the viewscreen. She didn’t speak for a good twenty seconds, as if struggling to find her voice. “Out with it!” he barked. “What’s wrong with you? What was that?”
“Another ship!” Inda cried. “That’s a Prytin vessel! The… the Brekka!”
Griel.
Renz narrowed his eyes. “Did they take the torpedoes?”
“The full barrage! Their shields are at twenty percent but they’ve already rolled out of the way. The other vessel has fallen back as well.” Inda looked at him. “They’re regrouping.”