The Raygin War

by Larry S. Gerovac

  “I suppose it’s better than nothing,” said Apeiron.

  Within an hour, a Screamer sat in launch tube alpha one on the flight deck. An escort craft already waited in a safe position near the battleship. Ayashe started the engine. The egg-shaped pilot bubble inside the large gyro flipped upside down. “Oops.” She flipped the gyros on and the pilot bubble righted itself. “I should have said I trust our engineers design, but not their instructions. Alpha one ready for launch.”

  “Alpha one, launch authorized,” said a voice in her cockpit.

  She launched from the tube into near space armed and at max speed. Even with the g-reduction suit, she felt the effects of speed beyond anything she had ever flown in the past. She tried not to scream. But her amygdala, a region near the brain’s base, couldn’t suppress a loud involuntary, “Shiiiit!” At that moment she was glad she wasn’t the first test pilot. Screamer was a much better name than Shiiiit.

  Even with her super strength it was an effort to move under the force of acceleration. She made a mental note: human use of manual control under full acceleration would be impossible. They would have to use visual or verbal controls. After the initial shock, she gained control using visual commands.

  “Dreng, are you all right?” trumpeted over her cockpit speaker system.

  Cute. When he’s worried about me, he calls me Dreng. I guess I’m the one to blame for it. “Mac, I’m fine. The fighter’s speed shocked me.” She reversed direction and the gyro spun the pilot bubble. She was facing forward again. The pilot bubble made her feel like she was free floating in space. Why hadn’t anyone thought of this before? “Pilot visibility is unbelievable.”

  “The fighter is so small and streamlined, we can’t get a solid lock on you for viewing magnification. You moved so fast, you disappeared off our screen within a second from launch.”

  “I’m going to simulate attacking the Constellation. See what happens when you try to get a firing lock on me.”

  She flew straight at the enormous battleship. To an observer from the outside it would look like a pea attacking the moon.

  “Target lock,” said Mac, “on both laser and plasma canons.”

  Ayashe swung around for another attack. “Okay. Now try.”

  On this approach she flew a twisted course. The little vessel zigzagged and changed speed. When she stopped she was looking into the bridge. The big ship was still looking for her. “Bang,” she said, “you’re dead. I flew a serpentine path and changed speed several times.”

  “Try it again. This time zigzag without speed changes.”

  Ayashe made approach after approach at Mac’s direction. Over half the time, the targeting system couldn’t get a lock on the Screamer.

  “Ayashe, our shields are up. Try using Portal to get through.”

  She couldn’t wait to use the genius device created by Tinker and Smitty. Using the properties of confinement, they created a weapon to drain the energy from a ship’s shield at an isolated location. They found they could create a short, causing a temporary opening. Nashta and Mahpee’s grandfather took the concept a step further. They used the energy from the tapped shield to strengthen their own shield.

  Ayashe positioned herself against the Constellation’s shield. The energy began to flow into the Screamer. “I have an opening I could fire through.”

  “It won’t work,” said Mac. “It took you thirty seconds to create an opening. The Raygin fighters would have been all over you.”

  “All that work. What a shame,” said Ayashe.

  “It wasn’t in vain. We can talk about it later.”

  “Seems like we always have to wait till later.”

  Mac ignored her frustration. “Let’s see how you do against three war drones. They’re armed with the same low energy lasers we use in pilot training.”

  She accelerated as the nearest drone fired at the space she vacated. “Oh great. Thanks for the late warning.” Another drone tried to get behind her at her six o’clock. Smart. The drones are trying to come at me from three different directions. Her pilot bubble spun as the Screamer accelerated at a ninety-degree ascension. The drones or even alien fighters could never keep up with her, let alone make such a maneuver. She remembered the targeting tests and began to fly an irregular pattern. Within seconds, she destroyed all three pilot training drones.

  Mac let the bridge microphone go live for a few seconds, so she could hear the cheering. “Nice job,” he said.

  “I want one of these.”

  “I’ll have the crew put your name on one. Run a victory lap, and come back in. Production is already continuing.”

  It was like he understood she needed the distraction from war planning. She accelerated, spun 180 degrees and accelerated again. A few more passes and she returned to the Constellation. The Screamer is amazing. She felt guilty enjoying herself. When she got back, she went right to work again.

  The push from Mac had been relentless the last few days. He drove her until she learned to drive herself beyond what she thought possible. It scared her when he confided in her and said they would lose this upcoming battle. “A battle,” he said, “is not the war. The death toll will be high on both sides, but we have to make them think twice about another full force attack.”

  The latest micro probes showed the main Raygin fleet had stopped about two light days away. The flank ships continued on and widened their approach. Mac was right. The enemy ships were moving ahead to block retreat and attack from two fronts. The number of Ogarii cloaked probes increased. It was a sure sign the battle was about to start.

  Stopping the Raygin fleet so close was an effort to draw the humans away from their defenses. Even if at full strength, which they were nowhere near, Mac estimated the humans were at a five to one disadvantage. His sharing every tiny thought about the war with her began to make her worry. Something was up, and she had to find out what, before he did something stupid.

  *****

  Without warning the weapons officer on the bridge yelled, “Incoming, full shields. Red alert. Brace for impact.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: The Enemy’s Face

  A small micro gravity well opened in close proximity to the Constellation. A tiny craft appeared. It wasn’t much bigger than the new fighter design, but it traveled faster than light. The view screen showed a small craft with a wide body in the middle, one narrow end, and the other end looked like it was cut off or unfinished. The targeting computer locked onto the undersized ship.

  “Hold. Don’t fire,” said Mac. It’s one of ours. Let’s get it on hanger deck bravo.”

  “How do you know?” asked the admiral.

  “If it was a kinetic energy weapon, we would be dead. On the other hand, if it were a mine it would have detonated by now. If it were a probe, it would have captured the data and left the scene. If it was an enemy ship, they would have offered to surrender.”

  Both the admiral and crew laughed. It was an intense moment.

  “Constellation. This is Mahpee. Is Mac there?”

  “Yes, Mahpee. I’m here.”

  “I was hoping you wouldn’t fire. I didn’t want to use the radio while on approach, with the enemy so near.”

  “We will put you on hanger deck bravo. I’ll have you brought to the bridge and I’ll let Ayashe know you’re back.”

  “Thank you. We have much to talk about.”

  When Mac called Ayashe he could tell by her voice she assumed he called to check on her assignment.

  “I have identified three alternate exit routes. All based on your expected deployment of Raygin ships. I put the plan in the war file folder for you to review. I named the file abukcheech.”

  “Mouse?”

  “Yes. They are hard to catch. The paths will allow for fleet regrouping or exit depending on how the battle goes.”

  “Great, but it’s not why I called. Your father is here.”

  “What? Why didn’t you say so? Where is he?”

  “He arrived with my ship a couple minutes ag
o. He should be on his way on his way to the bridge by now.”

  *****

  Her heart sank. He said “my ship”. He’s up to something and he’s hiding it from me. She shot out of her chair and headed to the hanger deck.

  “I’ll be there soon. Don’t let father leave the bridge until I talk to him!”

  “Okay. Be quick.”

  When the elevator opened to hanger deck bravo Ayashe saw at least a hundred Screamers. All of them were under various phases of construction. The shipyards were building new weapons, but they were all too far away. The battleships had to resort to mass-producing their own weapons. There, she saw it. A new style craft parked outside the fighter elevators. It had to be what her father arrived in. She began to take long running strides toward it. Technicians were already working on the ship’s nose.

  When she arrived, she read the box. To: Commodore McCormack, Contents: One Storm. She looked inside the vessel. She could see the technicians were hooking up some complex looking equipment. It looked like there was room for three people, but all she could see was one seat. Odd, she thought. It didn’t look like a fighter. She didn’t see any weapons.

  Ayashe walked up to the technicians. “What is all this?”

  The techs looked up to find Ayashe already standing in the ship.

  “You can’t be here,” said a tech. “Oh crap. We’re in big trouble.”

  “I’m not here to get anyone in trouble. You know who I am, right?”

  The technicians all nodded their heads.

  “All I want to do is protect Mac. Even if it’s from himself.”

  She could see her words had got to them. They too would do anything for him. Good. She swung her head at the equipment as if to point.

  “The box says this is called a STORM,” said a technician. “It’s a new science project. If it’s an acronym I don’t know what it means.”

  “Mac told me about this. It creates a small star out of a planet by eliminating the proto phase and going right to nuclear fusion, right?”

  The techs looked at each other in surprise, “Yes ma’am.”

  Ayashe pointed to the vessel. “Is this a drone?”

  “No ma’am. The ship requires a single pilot. We are to hook up and verify the weapon’s operability. The hanger crew is waiting to move the ship to launch tube echo two.”

  Ayashe’s legs felt weak. Mac made all this happen. He would never ask a pilot to fly this planet killer to their death. He would do it himself. “You boys. Don’t you let Mac get into this ship.”

  Six eyes went wide as the technicians contemplated how they would try to stop him. By the fear in their eyes, Ayashe knew they had watched videos of Mac fighting. She would have to stop him herself.

  Ayashe spun around and ran back toward the elevator. She went straight to the bridge. The door opened, but she didn’t see Mac or Mahpee. Her heart raced. The admiral saw her scanning the bridge and pointed to the conference room.

  The door opened as she approached. No one. She stepped back out toward the admiral. “No one is in the conference room.”

  “Odd. They must have used the emergency bridge exit. Hold on Ayashe. Com. Where is Mac?”

  “Mac is on the launch deck, sir.”

  “Security alert,” said the ships computer. “Unauthorized launch from tube echo two.” Ayashe heard it from inside the elevator as the door closed. What had he done? Tears ran down her cheeks. He is gone. My Mac is gone. Why? Why Mac? Don’t let this happen. I’m such a fool. You’re the one I’ve dreamed of my entire life. Please Great Spirit I give my life for his. Ayashe looked up and closed her eyes. Take me instead. The door opened, she looked at launch tube echo two, and it was empty. She burst into tears. It was too much for her to accept. She bent over, weeping. She hadn’t even told him…

  She heard an “Uggh,” to her right. She looked around the elevator’s corner. It was Mac. She ran to him, picked him up like a rag doll and hugged him. “Thank you. Oh, thank you. Thank you.”

  Mac, still confused, smiled, and with slow speech said, “Why are you thanking me?”

  “Not you stupid. I thanked the Great Spirit.”

  He rubbed his neck. “Hey, can you hear my head pounding?” he asked.

  She looked around and pointed. “It’s not your head. It’s coming from the storage closet.”

  He tried to move toward it, but she held him tight. Apeiron was right I should have told him. She looked him square in the eyes. “Mac I am with child. I am carrying your baby.”

  Mac stopped trying to get to the closet. He looked at Ayashe. She saw his eyes were getting moist. Unsure of what this meant, she started crying again.

  “Are you happy or sad,” she sniffled while still crying. “I can’t tell.”

  “Are you kidding? I’m happy! I have always wanted children. Lots of children.”

  She hugged him. “Yeah, well let’s start with one and see how you do. So far you’re off to a bad start.”

  She let go of him, so he could open the storage locker. Inside the room were three well-bound crewmembers. Mac released them.

  “Where is Mahpee?”

  The ensign asked, “You mean the…” she looked at Ayashe, “big Indian guy?”

  “Yes, his name is Mahpee.”

  “There were two of them, sir. The big Indian, Mahpee, and an old Indian. Mahpee called him grandfather. The big one apologized over and over while tying us up. He said he had to do it for his family. He said he was saving his… it sounded like he said ouwaycee.

  Mac’s head slumped down.

  “I don’t understand. He does not have a u-we-tsi,” said Ayashe. “He has me, a daughter.”

  Mac walked up to Ayashe and embraced her. “He told me I was the u-we-tsi he never had. Your father has taken my place to deliver a storm to the Ogarii. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry? No, you’re both crazy! Get him back. Get him back right now before it’s too late!”

  They both ran back to the elevator and headed back to the bridge.

  “He knows you are carrying our child.”

  “How do you know?”

  “In the elevator he grabbed me in a chokehold. He told me you had something important to tell me. I didn’t understand. Your father told me not to worry. He said you would clear everything up. He apologized to me too. It’s my last memory before I blacked out. How could he know?”

  “Apeiron,” said Ayashe. “No one else knew. I’m going to dismantle one big mouth robot.”

  Mac walked up to the com officer. “I need to use the tachyon com system to contact Mahpee in the ship that just left.”

  The com officer typed a command into the computer. “Go ahead, sir.”

  “Mahpee, this is Mac.”

  “I am sorry Mac, but I couldn’t let you do it. You have to take care of my family. You have a life to live. I have sung my death song. Whatever comes, I am ready for it. It will be up to you to tell the story of Mahpee, so my grandchildren will know me.” Mahpee looked at his grandfather and smiled. “I will arrive like a thief in the night, but I will bring with me the power of a storm unlike any other ever witnessed. I will call on the apocalyptic horsemen to strike down my enemies. For once and all I will have a fitting retribution for my wife.”

  Ayashe looked at the com officer who nodded her head.

  “Father. You betrayed my trust. You get back here right now. This is crazy.”

  “Ah, Ayashe, my little warrior. You have grown so much. I am sorry it ends this way. Mac understands. He knew what must be done weeks ago. We have never crossed the void, so a pilot must be on the ship to ensure the mission’s success. Mac himself planned in secret to deliver a terrible blow to the enemy, but I have stolen his crack of lightning. He is a great leader and a great husband. He has earned his place to be at your side. Forgive me for the betrayal of your trust. You must lead our people now. I will soon enter into a continuous sequence of jumps and will be unable to communicate. I have left many vids for you. It is better this way
. I love you. Mahpee out.”

  “No. Father wait! Mahpee, please… wait.”

  Ayashe was crying. The com officer was crying. Mac’s eyes glistened, as did those of half the people on the bridge.

  “What the hell just happened?” asked the admiral?

  “Mahpee stole my thunder,” said Mac. “He’s is carrying a special delivery for someone in the universe’s second ring.”

  “The Raygin?” asked the Admiral.

  “No, the Ogarii. A small planet called Tik by the Raygin,” said Mac.

  The admiral shook his head in disbelief. “Why would you ever think of placing yourself at such risk? We could have gotten hundreds of volunteers for such a mission.”

  “I would have done it for my family.” Mac looked at Ayashe who was still in tears. He spread his hands out towards the bridge crew. “I would have done it for my military brothers and sisters. I would have done it to save the human race. Admiral, I am not one to ask another to do something I wouldn’t do myself.”

  “I understand, but we need your ability to strategize,” said the admiral.

  “Two strategists leading one fleet is one too many. Ayashe is a leader and every bit as good as me. You would have been in good hands.”

  Thinking about Mac’s words made her see the path she needed to take. “I must leave my love.”

  Mac looked at her with big sad eyes. “I know. It’s the best plan of action. Two fleets, two leaders, it gives us a tactical advantage. I’ll prepare a cruiser to transport you and your fighter.”

  Apeiron appeared next to Ayashe. “That won’t be necessary. I have upgraded your fighter with a gravity well generator. If you don’t mind I will travel with you and Yue Fei will stay here and help Mac.”

  “Yue Fei? There’s another one of you?” asked Mac.

  “Yes. We are three in form, but there are many of us.”

  “Why are you giving us all this help?”

  “We cannot kill your enemy for you. If a life is sentient, we cannot destroy it. We can save a life, but the cost may not be life for life. We may assist you, modify your equipment, recommend actions, or warn you.”