“You see the option for them … listed under DMDOs?” Jason asked.
“Got it, Captain. Brace for impact from arriving enemy nukes.”
Jason, watching the barrage of incoming missiles on the logistical feed, headed for the captain’s chair. But he didn’t make it—nine or so concussive blasts pounded the Parcical’s forward shields, throwing him halfway across the bridge. He landed at the feet of Admiral Mayweather’s three-man squad, who ogled him in surprise.
“Shields down to thirty percent!” Ryan yelled, over the continuing pounding from enemy ordnances. The already loud and droning overhead klaxon’s cadence suddenly changed—indicating automated damage reports being issued.
“Dad … two of our Star Watch ships are reporting heavy damage. Shields are failing!” Boomer said.
“Ricket, we need that portal … now!” Jason yelled.
“Yes, Captain, I am trying. Attempting to synchronize each of the six Star Watch vessels’ Zip Farm resources. The problem lies in finding additional temporary memory storage. There is not enough memory available to create an alternative realm of space … one similar to Sol that will fool the enemy’s sensors.”
Ryan said, “Captain … the Pisces’s shields have failed. She won’t withstand another direct hit!”
“Without the Pisces, we will be unable to project the intended portal, Captain,” Ricket said, not looking up from his board.
“I’m on it …” Jason quickly plotted the necessary phase-shift coordinates, silently praying he’d inputted them correctly. In a flash, the Parcical reappeared six hundred miles away—directly ahead of the Pisces. “With luck, we’ll take the brunt of anything heading her way,” he said.
Jason’s eyes flashed—first toward the multiple battle video feeds, then over to the logistical feed. A relentless barrage of missiles was heading their way. He turned to Ricket, but his Craing friend seemed frustrated. This isn’t going to work, Jason thought.
“Parcical’s shields are down to five present. And shields have also fallen on both the Minian and the Libra!” Ryan shouted, yelling over the relentless battle noise.
Ricket looked up and met Jason’s eyes. “I am sorry, captain … I need more memory.”
“Isn’t there auxiliary memory on each of the shuttlecraft? There must be twenty or thirty crafts—”
“I already tapped into that memory. I do not know what else I can do …” Desperate, Ricket’s words were cut short.
“There’s an incoming hail!” Boomer announced.
“No time for chit-chatting with Liberty Station,” Jason replied.
Boomer, wearing a wide smile, said, “Dad … it’s the Jumelle! She’s emerged through an interchange wormhole. We just didn’t notice her. Did you hear me? The Jumelle … she’s here!”
Jason looked over at Ricket, who was still frantically tapping away on Auxiliary console number three’s control board. Did Ricket even hear her?
Jason watched the Jumelle move into formation—positioning just ahead of the Minian and the Libra. It was a good bet Orion was already expanding the Jumelle’s shields in order to protect the two heavily damaged Star Watch vessels.
A new feed expanded on the wraparound. Both Billy and Orion appeared together.
“Sorry we’re late to the party, Cap. Looks like I need to save your scrawny butt one more time.” Billy, smiling, asked, “Um … what exactly are we doing? That’s one hell of a fleet barreling down on us.”
About to answer, Jason noticed the enemy fleet now emerging from Vanguard’s Breach. One hundred or more enemy vessels were preparing to close the gap between their fleet and Star Watch.
“I want all plasma cannons directed on those ships … spin up all rail guns!”
“Already on it, Captain,” Ryan said. He gestured toward the logistical feed, “Looks like Ricket’s DMDOs are taking out more of those Vastma Class ships.” He looked over to Boomer with a condescending smirk.
But to Jason it wasn’t difficult to determine that even with the added firepower of the DMDOs and the addition of the Jumelle, they were still being far outgunned by the enemy. Star Watch was being torn apart.
Scanning the forward video feed, Jason’s heart nearly seized in his chest. He could see a Caldurian Master Class warship approaching—the Aquarius. Dira was on board that ship. Realizing that seven Star Watch vessels were now firing everything they had at her—he suddenly felt sick.
Jason felt a sudden tap on his shoulder. Ricket, unnoticed, had taken a seat next to him at the helm console.
“Captain, please give the order for Star Watch to slowly withdraw.”
“Withdraw? No, I’m not ready to give up just yet …”
“Please trust me, Captain. Have all Star Watch ships uniformly fall back. Not too fast … one-tenth sub-light speed should be sufficient.”
Jason explored Ricket’s face. “You’ve done it … haven’t you? Made the portal active!” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Boomer … relay orders to the other ships that they are to uniformly fall back … maintain a constant pace at one-tenth sub-light speed.”
He looked up and around the bridge. Jason realized they were no longer being pummeled by enemy fire. Scanning the logistical display told him the answer—hundreds, if not thousands of enemy missiles making their way through space were disappearing before reaching their intended targets—Star Watch. Those missiles were now continuing their trajectories within an alternative multiverse realm.
Jason stood up to better examine the now wide-open space on the wraparound display. “The portal, it’s there? Right there in front of us?”
“Yes, Captain. Spanning thirteen hundred miles in circumference,” Ricket said. “It is invisible and undetectable to both short- and long-range sensors. In reality, it is a portal consigned to our Zoo habitat 311. There was no time to start from scratch, Captain. The enemy fleet will cross into that multiverse realm within seven minutes.”
“As long as they don’t figure out what we’ve done,” Ol’ Gus said from the back of the bridge.
Realization struck. Oh God … Dira! “She’s out there … on the Aquarius!” Jason’s words weren’t directed to anyone in particular. Turning, he sought then found the Jumelle’s bridge video feed. “Billy, hurry … meet me on the Aquarius!” Jason then instructed Ricket, “Keep the enemy chasing us … you have the conn.”
With a well-practiced movement, Jason found the two inset tabs on his SuitPac device and pressed them inward. The two and a half seconds it took for his combat suit to form around him seemed an eternity. Now, seeing his HUD setting actually live before his eyes, he recognized the required phase-shift coordinates had already been configured for him. Before phase-shifting away, he said, “Thank you, Ricket!”
* * *
Ricket set Jason’s phase-shift drop location onto the corridor directly outside the Aquarius’s Medical unit. It made sense, for even if held captive, Dira would make herself useful performing as the ship’s doctor. Or maybe Ricket had miraculously found time to ping her location within the mile-long warship? It didn’t matter, Jason thought. Heading for the entrance, four bright white flashes appeared twenty feet away. Clad in combat suits, Billy, along with his four Sharks, wasted no time hurrying toward Medical.
Jason said over the open channel, “I just need a few moments to grab Dira …” He gave Billy a quick two-fingered salute before dashing inside.
Dira was in there, standing before one of the MediPods. She glanced up—then did a double-take. “Jason?”
“Hey … thought you might want some company,” he said, a broad, welcoming smile lighting up his face. He watched as comprehension of his abrupt presence began to register. Eyes wide, she brought her hands up to her mouth. Then, running toward him, Dira was quickly enveloped in Jason’s arms. He withdrew the helmet portion of his combat suit and leaned down—kissed her hard on the mouth—inwardly vowing to never, ever, let her go again. Arms tight around his waist, she pulled him closer to her. A minute later, she
softly said, “I knew you’d come for me.”
“And I always will …”
Suddenly jarred back to reality after their shared moment, he said, “We need to go … now! This ship has a one-way ticket into the multiverse.”
With a frown of confusion crossing her features, Dira shrugged then nodded. “Okay, we just need to get Raleigh … it’ll take a few minutes to cycle down the incubation process within the MediPod.”
As Dira hurried to the last pod in the row, Jason heard plasma fire erupt in the corridor. Billy and his four Sharks were now embroiled in a firefight.
Dira, standing at the MediPod, tapped on the unit’s control pad.
“We have no more time, Dira. We need to go … right now,” Jason urged.
Even when Jason moved beside her, she continued to tap on the control pad. He peered through the blue tinted glass window atop the MediPod and saw a tiny infant lying within it. His scrunched up tiny pink face was smaller than Jason’s fist. He noticed he was wearing infant-sized blue PJs, embellished with a repeating pattern of yellow stars and red rocket ships.
“Whose baby is this?”
“Bri’s. She was the mother and a friend … somewhat. Anyway, she’s dead. And I’m not leaving him here.”
“Who’s the father?”
“Well, Digby is the biological parent, but he’s no father. He’s an animal … a murderer. He killed Bri, the baby’s mother, in front of me … without a second thought.”
Jason was being hailed. “Go for Captain.”
He heard desperation in Ricket’s voice. “I am sorry, Captain. The Aquarius … will pass through the open portal within fifty-three seconds.
Jason looked at Dira. “We have less than a minute.”
Brow furrowed, she looked down at the sleeping infant. “I need more time … the MediPod is locked. It’ll need several more minutes for the internal atmosphere to equalize. Not doing so could kill the baby.”
“We don’t have several more minutes.” His words were just above a whisper.
Dira looked up, her eyes brimming with moisture. “You go … you have a son … daughters. I’m sorry, but I can’t leave him here.”
Ricket’s voice pleaded in his ear, “Thirty seconds, Captain!”
Jason stared at his wife and tried to think. “There has to be a way …” and a brief smile crossed his lips. He looked toward the entrance to Medical. Bright flashes of red and green plasma-fire still crisscrossed the open space.
He turned back to Dira. “Do you trust me?”
She held his gaze a few seconds then nodded. He handed her a SuitPac device, which she wasted no time initializing. Within seconds, she was fully clad in a combat suit. He initialized the helmet on his own combat suit and spoke into the open channel.
“Ricket … follow my orders explicitly. Only phase-shift Dira, Billy, and the four Sharks … do it now!”
He heard Dira start to object, “No…”
In a white flash she was gone as weapon fire from the corridor suddenly ceased also. Jason heard the distant sound of running feet now approaching.
Ricket, somehow, had inserted a count-down mission counter—front and center—on his HUD. Twelve seconds and counting …
Jason knelt next to the base of the MediPod. As expected, the four supports were individually secured to the deck with heavy bolts.
Seven seconds and counting …
He knew he only had one chance. Positioning his suit’s two integrated wrist plasma guns side by side, he fired at close range. One by one, the metal supports disintegrated. The thousand-pound-plus MediPod shifted violently, first one way then the other. “Just hold on in there, little guy,” Jason said aloud, hoping the infant was not being thrashed about.
When the MediPod slammed down onto the deck, inches from his left foot, Jason allowed himself a quick breath.
Three seconds …
He jumped atop the MediPod, tightly wrapping his arms and legs around it.
Two seconds … one second … No time to check his HUD settings, let alone change them, he phase-shifted the heavy MediPod—the tiny infant named Raleigh and himself—away, totally clueless to where they would end up.
Chapter 51
Jason opened his eyes. He was still lying atop the MediPod. Looking down through its tinted glass, he could just make out the small face staring up at him within. “Well, little guy … you don’t look too worse for wear.”
Relaxing both his arm and leg holds, he slid sideways down onto the deck. When he glanced around, he recognized where he was—he, the baby, and the MediPod were now in the Parcical’s main corridor, just outside the bridge. He remembered when he configured this particular site as the default return location on his HUD, several phase-shifts back.
“Jason!”
When he peered around the end of the MediPod he saw Dira running toward him. He deactivated his combat suit and opened his arms wide, expecting another warm embrace. Dira, instead, stopped suddenly—focusing her attention on the infant lying within the MediPod. When her strong concern for the infant’s welfare began to ease somewhat, she said, “You know … you scared the hell out of me! I thought you both were sucked into that … portal thing, along with the Aquarius.”
Reminded then of the dire space war still taking place, Jason quickly spun on his heels and entered the Parcical’s bridge. Glancing around, he saw Boomer on comms, young Michael straddling up on one of her knees. “Hi Dad!”
“Hey, Kiddo!” Then, spotting Ricket still seated beside Ryan at the helm console, he said, “Talk to me, Ricket.”
But the voice answering back was not Ricket’s. The captain’s chair spun around, revealing the Omni. Sitting erect, he stared back at Jason with a stern expression. Seated directly to his left in the First Officer’s chair was Ol’ Gus. After twenty-something years apart, the two had a lot of catching up to do. But now was not the proper time.
His father looked like he’d been dragged behind a horse-drawn wagon for a mile or two over a rough gravel road. Visible cuts and bruises, plus patches of dried blood, covered much of his face. His tattered uniform was heavily soiled. But his eyes were bright—alive with excitement and intelligence. His mere presence there spoke volumes. Obviously, Billy and Orion were successful; had freed him from the subterranean confines of Bastille Spire. Jason wondered how many others were similarly rescued—mainly the Aquarius’s crew. But that inquiry would have to wait.
The Omni’s baritone voice filled the bridge. “So far, one hundred and twenty-two Craing, Sahhrain, Pharlom, Tashi and Juto warships have departed the Sol system for distant parts unknown.” He made a fluttering, birdlike gesture with his hand—even managing a pained smile.
* * *
Emperor Digby stood perfectly still—unwilling to take a breath—fully aware that something cataclysmic may have just occurred. He continued to stare straight ahead—transfixed. Eventually, his eyes shifted from the Aquarius’s logistical feed to the surrounding wraparound display and the view out to wide-open space beyond. He still wasn’t sure what had happened. He took a hesitant step forward while shaking his head. “Where are all the enemy ships? Where is the battle?”
He sensed Sir Collin Borgne’s presence now at his side. He looked to him for answers but only saw utter confusion.
“We were winning … we were fucking winning!” Digby seethed.
Borgne nervously rubbed at his chin. His eyes darted around the bridge compartment.
“What is our fucking situation, Borgne? Tell me!”
He hurried back to the tactical console where it took him several moments. “Most of our fleet is intact, sir.” He gestured back to the logistical feed. But we are no longer … no longer at the opening into to the Sol planetary system.” Sir Collin Borgne swallowed hard and met his emperor’s stare. “We are no longer within the same realm … we have entered the multiverse.”
“Bring me Granger … he’ll know what to do.”
* * *
“You look like shit,
Dad. You should be recuperating in a MediPod.”
Michael pointed, “There’s one out in the hallway … Grandpa can use that one.”
Perry replied, “Later …” then gestured toward the logistical feed. “There are fifty or so enemy warships that held back. Must have realized early on something was very wrong and halted their forward progress. Looks like they’re around for the long haul. Making a blockade.”
Jason studied the numerous red icons clustered together within Vanguard’s Breach. “That’s a lot more fighting power than we can successfully go up against … especially in the current condition Star Watch is in.”
“I think you’ve forgotten, Jason, with that Ingress Virus now ineffective, we’ve got the U.S. Fleet readying to pounce back. Granted, we’ve lost a hell of a lot of good people, but we’re not out of the fight yet. Not by a long shot.” The Omni stared up at Jason, and said, “You did real good, son.”
“Thanks. Oh … you may want to tell that to Admiral Mayweather. Gathering Star Watch here to protect Sol didn’t exactly fit his, and maybe your, overall war strategy. He wants to see me confined to a Liberty Station brig in a big way.”
“Well … Mayweather’s a cranky old bastard. Strategies need to adjust to the conditions of war … I’ll talk to him.”
“You know, this changes everything,” Jason said. “We may have won the day … but we’re most definitely still at war. And not with just one enemy this time, but the Craing, Sahhrain, Pharlom … all of them.”
Bristol entered and shuffled past Jason on the bridge to stare at the myriad of video feeds displaying on the wraparound. “Don’t forget that Emperor Digby douche bag, along with most of his fleet, is still out there. At least, for the present he is.”
“What do you mean? He’s gone now … transported to an alternative multiverse realm,” Jason said, looking to Ricket for confirmation.
“Nah …” Bristol replied. “They’re actually way closer than you think. Their fleet is contained within the now greatly expanded Habitat 311.” Bristol, eyeing Ricket, gave a shake of his head. “Not the way I’d have done things.”
Scrapyard LEGACY (Star Watch Book 6) Page 28