“Make sure all stealth systems are working,” ordered Anna.
“Lieutenant Graham, what's our newcomer doing?”
“Commander, unknown ship headed straight for the oracle probe.”
“Lieutenant Dolohov,” said Anna.
“Make sure that probe’s output is still on general broadcast, I don't want them tracking its signal straight to us.”
“Aye Commander.”
Anna turned to Lieutenant Graham.
“Status of unidentified ship?”
“They've stopped about two thousand kilometers from the probe Commander.”
“Patch probe sensor feed to main view screen.”
“Patching now Commander, what in the Universe is that?” he whispered.
Anna stared at the screen, what she saw was unlike anything she'd seen before. The part of the ship facing the probe, which she guessed was the front, looked like a flattened sphere. The rear of the ship grew progressively narrower, culminating in a thin spike. It looked vaguely like a giant stingray. Anna could make out no more detail as the ship was completely dark.
“It's got no running lights,” remarked Graham.
“Or engine drive glow,” added Aziz.
“Sensors estimate it's about twice our size,” reported Dolohov.
“Anything else?” Asked Major Clark.
“No Major.”
Dolohov turned in her seat to face the rest of them.
“As a matter of fact, other than its size and shape, I can't get any kind of reading on that thing. It's like the sensor beam is being reflected or bent around it.”
The ship slowly turned until it faced the Twilight, then accelerated directly towards them.
“Oh shit!” exclaimed Graham.
“Nolan,” Anna barked into the com.
“Yes Commander.”
“Bring all systems back on-line, full power to engines.”
“Yes Commander, be advised however that the engines will need a few minutes to power up completely.”
“We don't have that kind of time Chief, I need those engines now!”
“I'll cut as many corners as I can Commander,” replied Nolan.
“But it'll still take at least a minute.”
“Just hurry chief.”
The ship was closing fast on their position.
“Ensign, can you move us at all?” Asked Anna.
“Chemical thrusters are on-line, we can maneuver but we're not going anywhere fast.”
“Move us as fast as you can, plot a course that'll put what's left of the Dominance between us and them.”
“Aye Commander, plotting course, chemical thrusters engaged.”
Slowly, the Twilight drifted towards the wreak of the Dominance.
“Unknown ship is still closing fast,” reported Graham.
“They'll be right on top of us in about twenty seconds.”
“Chief, I need those engines!” Anna Barked.
“I'm going as fast as I can.”
“Commander we've got incoming,” reported Dolohov.
“I can see that Lieutenant.”
“No I don't mean the ship.”
The main view screen snapped to a new image. It showed a full squadron of Imperial fighters emerging from a dimension vortex. They were short, triangular shaped craft, their stubby wings each carrying a full rack of six Hammer V ant-ship missiles.
“Where the hell did they come from?” Asked Graham.
“I'm guessing they're part of the fleet that chased us out of Eridanus Five,” said Major Clark.
“They've moved into attack formation,” reported Graham.
“And they're headed for the alien ship.”
The view screen switched to show the squadron of five fighters in a loose single line formation closing on the alien ship. In unison the fighters each released two of their missiles. Their blue-white drive glows streaked towards the target and impacted. Bright, blue-white explosions smeared over the ship's hull. A faint shimmer, like a heat haze appeared around the alien ship. Ensign Aziz whistled softly.
“What was that?” He breathed.
“Some type of energy shield,” replied Andrew.
The fighters dropped their formation and peeled off in different directions. They swooped and dove around the alien ship, peppering its hull with Gauss cannon fire. The area around the hull that the rounds struck shimmered just as it had when the missiles hit. The alien ship suddenly launched a white teardrop shaped projectile.
“What is that thing?” Asked Major Clark.
“Sensors can't identify,” reported Dolohov.
“All I get from it is a massive thermal reading.”
The white projectile suddenly exploded in a cloud of smaller pieces. Two of the fighters were hit my multiple projectiles. Their reactor chambers ruptured and they exploded into balls of fire. Another fighter took a hit near the front, just behind the cockpit. The fighter spun and tumbled into the distance out of control.
“Chief Nolan,” said Anna.
“I could really use those engines right about now.”
“They're ready, you'll have full power in three seconds Commander.”
“Ensign plot us a course out of here and warm up the dimension drive.”
“Aye Commander.”
The remaining three fighters had broken off their assault and were making a run for it. The alien ship discharged two more projectiles that sped after the fighters. They closed on them and exploded, peppering the fighters with white shards of energy. The fighters tumbled through space, two of them collided and shattered. The last fighter just drifted, dead in space.
“Ensign, get us out of here now!” Said Anna.
The Twilight's Engines rumbled to life and the ship lurched forward. On the view screen the Alien ship turned and accelerated once more towards the Twilight.
“We've got incoming,” reported Graham.
“Bearing one hundred and eighty degrees by two seventy degrees,” said Dolohov.
“Ensign, engage dimension drive,” ordered Anna.
“I don't care what course you set just get us out of here.”
“Alien ship has cleared the Dominance,” reported Graham.
“They're launching another projectile!” Called Dolohov.
“Ensign reroute all available power to charging that dimension drive,” ordered Anna.
“Rerouting now Commander, dimension drive coming on line.”
“Get us out of here Ensign.”
White wisps of energy emanated from the Twilight's stem, thickening into tendrils that swirled together. A vortex of light opened in front of the ship and she lurched forward.
“That was close,” said Major Clark.
“Although next time I'd prefer-,” the rest of her sentence was cut off by a sudden shudder that ran through the entire ship.
“What the hell was that?” Asked Graham.
“Helm, status report,” said Anna.
“I don't know what happened Commander, navigational computer's working fine,” reported Aziz.
“Engine room, anything on your end to account for what just happened?”
“No Commander, reactor, engines, stabilizers they're all fine.”
Just then, another shudder rocked the Twilight. This one nearly knocking the bridge crew off their feet.
“Will someone please tell me what the hell is wrong with my ship!?” Demanded Anna.
“Something is interfering with our passage through the dimension vortex,” said Andrew.
“My guess would be that alien ship.”
“That's not possi-,” began Dolohov.
A third shudder ripped through the Twilight, causing her to spin sideways. The ship's stem collided with the vortex wall. A shower of molten hull spewed from the point of contact, lightning and tendrils of energy crackled over the length of the hull. On the bridge, the crew could hear the dull thumps as the hull breached and various compartments depressurized.
“Hard ninety degrees,�
�� yelled Anna.
“I'm trying,” called Aziz over the ever closer thumps reverberating through the ship.
“The helm controls won't respond.”
“Bridge to engineering,” shouted Anna.
“Manually cut power to all systems except life support.”
“Commander,” Nolan's voice was barely audible over the ever louder explosions.
“That will also shut down the dimension drive, the vortex we're in would collapse while we're still in it.”
“And if you don't cut the power this ship will disintegrate around us,” replied Anna.
“Do it Chief.”
“Understood Commander, everyone brace yourselves.”
The rumble of the Twilight's engines ceased. The dimension vortex seemed to ripple and then contract. The tunnel of swirling light around the Twilight grew more and more narrow. It touched the ship’s hull and then passed clean through it.
“Look out,” yelled Aziz pointing at the bridge ceiling.
Part of the tunnel wall was moving down from the ceiling, passing through the ship as if it weren't even there.
“What in the Universe is going on?” Asked Graham.
The tunnel wall moved further down and then through the bridge crew and through the floor to the deck below.
“That was the strangest thing I've ever experienced,” said Graham.
“Yeah it just passed right through us, I didn't feel a thing,” said Aziz.
“I...” began Andrew.
But at that moment he keeled over onto the deck.
“Sergeant,” said Major Clark bending over him.
“What's wrong with him?” Inquired Anna.
“I don't know,” replied Major Clark.
“He's breathing and.”
She checked his pulse.
“He's got a normal pulse, for some reason he just passed out.”
Anna turned to the rest of the bridge crew.
“Status report.”
“Well we're out of the dimension vortex,” reported Dolohov.
“Most of the sensor arrays are severely damaged, so I can't really tell where we are.”
“Helm controls are back on-line,” reported Aziz.
“However I can't get a response to my status check on the engines.”
“Chief Nolan,” said Anna.
“What's the status of those engines?”
There was silence over the com.
“Chief, respond.”
There was a groan, followed by coughing.
“I'm here Commander.”
“Chief, what happened down there?”
“Not sure Commander, part of that tunnel wall came right through the engine compartment.”
“Yes we experienced the same thing on the bridge.”
“Well that tunnel wall or whatever it was, also went straight through the main reactor chamber. Don't ask me how or why, but it seems to have shorted out the reactor's magnetic containment field emitters. Luckily the fail-safes engaged and shut it down.”
“Any chance of getting the reactor back on-line?”
“I'm afraid not Commander,” replied Nolan.
“It wasn’t just the reactor that got damaged, pretty much every electronic circuit down here is fried. It would take a major overhaul at a shipyard to get anything in here working again.”
“Well that won’t really matter,” said Dolohov, turning away from her console.
“Our friends are back.”
Anna stared at the flickering image on the bridge's main view screen and watched as the sleek alien ship drew closer.
“Ensign,” she said turning to Aziz.
“Can you give me anything?”
Ensign Aziz scowled at the navigation console.
“Nothing Commander,” he replied heavily.
“The main engines are off line and the chemical fuel tanks are stored near the outer hull. All of them ruptured when we hit that vortex wall.”
“So what do we do now?” Asked Graham.
“There's nothing we can do,” replied Dolohov.
“There is one thing,” said Anna.
“Lieutenant, prepare to transmit on all frequencies.”
Dolohov hesitated for a moment, then began typing in commands.
“Ready Commander,” she announced a few seconds later.
Anna looked at Major Clark.
“Do you want to do it or should I?”
“No, I'll do it Commander,” replied Clark.
She cleared her throat and turned to Dolohov.
“Begin transmission Lieutenant.”
“Go ahead Major.”
“This is Major Sarah Clark of the Human Empire, we come in peace. We wish only to speak with you, please respond.”
The bridge was completely silent, everyone seemed to be holding their breath.
Lieutenant Graham's voice broke the silence.
“I think you've got your response Major,” he said pointing at the main view screen.
Anna could see the alien ship on it, now closer than ever and then she saw the white teardrop shaped projectile racing towards the Twilight.
“Everyone brace for impact!” She shouted.
A second later the projectile slammed into them. Instead of punching through the hull however, the projectile's energy spread out over the ship. Anna suddenly felt a jolt like an electric shock go through her. She collapsed to the deck and everything went dark.
Chapter 16
Vice-Admiral Marcus Jones reclined in the padded leather chair he was sitting on. Normally even the Captain's quarters aboard Imperial ships were small and cramped. The Emperor's Fist was one of the few exceptions. The enormous vessel provided far more amenities and space for the entire crew. The guest quarters aboard the ship certainly reflected that. Admiral Jones swiveled his chair to face the oak liquor cabinet behind him. He took out a crystal glass and poured himself some of the absurdly expensive scotch stored there.
The view screen on his desk beeped, Jones swiveled back and snapped it on. The face of Captain Gerard appeared looking nervous.
“Vice-Admiral, I hope I'm not disturbing you.”
“Is there a reason you contacted me?” Jones asked tartly.
“Yes sir, one of the fighter squadrons we sent to look for the Twilight failed to report in.”
“How long ago are they overdue?” Asked Jones sitting up straighter.
“Their last scheduled check in time was almost an hour ago.”
“What was their last known location?”
“They were investigating one of the Twilight's possible destinations, the Kathol system. They scanned the whole sector, but only found some bessra asteroid mining facility. Their last report said they were off to check another system.”
“Have any of the other search teams found any leads?” Asked Jones.
“No sir.”
“Very well Captain, marshal the fleet and make best speed to the Kathol system, I will join you on the bridge shortly.”
“Aye sir.”
Vice-Admiral Jones turned off the screen and reclined in his chair, slowly sipping his scotch.
“Run all you like Clark,” he said softly to himself.
“But I will find you.”
Shassa looked out the view port of the miner's barracks. She stared out at the barren surface of the asteroid and shivered. It was cold here and her old bones were protesting. Chief Saskill had left her and the rest of the clan here while he went off with Anna to aid her in her quest. A quest on behalf of the Human Empire. Shassa had known Anna as a child, seen her grow up with other young of the clan. She couldn't believe it when she'd heard Anna had left to go live among humans. Granted they were her people, but how could such a people be anything more than a source of shame. Shassa had been a young girl when the humans first came to her world. She could remember clinging to her mother in terror as great fiery rocks burned across the sky and slammed into the ground. The rocks opened and spewed out human soldiers.
The warriors tried to fight, but they were slaughtered. Mighty lightning bolts rained from the sky, obliterating entire villages. Most of her people had thought it was the end of all things. The Demon spirits had come to claim them. The survivors were rounded up into camps, Shassa and her mother had escaped into the wilds. There they met other survivors who had banded together. For the next three years they waged a guerrilla war against the invaders. Scavenging or stealing human weapons and equipment wherever they could. Eventually they managed to cobble together a few craft capable of traveling between the stars like those of the humans. Some had elected to stay but most accepted that their world was doomed. They would never be able to drive the humans from their home. So Shassa, her mother and many others, had boarded their motley collection of ships and left to find a new home.
It was many decades ago that they had set out to find a new world, but the humans were not content with merely taking their home. They pursued them throughout the stars, driving them from anywhere they tried to settle. Eventually the refugees splintered into smaller groups and turned to piracy, first for basic things like food and supplies. Eventually some began to use it as a means of exacting revenge upon those who had stolen their home and way of life.
Shassa shivered again throwing one last look at the barren asteroid and the endless black beyond. Suddenly, in a swirl of white light, a dimension vortex opened in the distance. Shassa felt her breath catch in her throat. Ships, lots of them, charged out of the vortex. Even though she knew little of such things, Shassa could instantly tell they were human warships.
Behind her she could hear startled gasps, as others spotted the incoming ships. The last of the ships emerged from the vortex. The thing was enormous, Shassa had never seen any ship so large. It settled into formation with the rest of the fleet and then the whole group started closing on the asteroid mining facility. Two ships near the edge of the formation, which Shassa identified as carriers; retracted massive launch bay doors. A swarm of fighters spewed forth, rapidly moving towards the various asteroids scattered about the system. A squadron of fighters came straight at the asteroid she was on and Shassa ducked reflexively as the fighters buzzed overhead. The fighters came around for another pass, streaking over the barracks.
Shassa looked out at the rest of the fleet, they had changed direction and were now headed straight for her. Three specks appeared in the distance quickly resolving themselves into armored troop shuttles. Shassa turned to look at the rest of the clan. Most were still regarding the approaching ships in horror. A couple of warriors were hastily erecting a barricade with some of the equipment crates they had brought.
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