“Captain Recker,” said the Daklan. “We have much to discuss when the time is right. My warship’s engines are failing.”
“Failing?” said Recker sharply. He turned in his seat to look at Eastwood.
“Down to sixty-five percent,” said Eastwood. He looked stressed and angry. “I don’t know what’s happening.”
“You’d better find out quickly!” Recker directed his next words at the Daklan. “Have your technical officers found the cause?”
“Not yet, human.”
Recker wanted to swear and he wanted to punch something. He did neither, remembering the warning on Excon-1. Aktrivisar and Axiom lack mesh deflector protection. Whatever was happening here must be related to that, he felt sure of it.
We had no choice other than to activate the Gateway, he told himself. Knowing it didn’t make him feel any better.
“Travelling through the Gateway has degraded our engines,” he said. “The station warnings weren’t precise about what would happen if we didn’t have a mesh deflector.”
“We did what we had to do, Captain Recker. Now we are here and we must deal with the consequences.”
“I’ve located a planet, sir,” said Burner. “Two million klicks from our current position.”
“Captain Jir-Lazan, did you hear that?”
“Yes, we have just located the same planet. We should set a course for it while we investigate the problems affecting our warships.”
A green route line appeared on Recker’s tactical and he banked the Axiom to follow it. “I agree,” he said, cutting the channel so he could focus.
The Axiom responded more like a shipyard lifter shuttle and it took far longer than usual to come about. The moment Recker had the warship on course, he directed his gaze towards the yellowy grey planet which Burner had put up on the bulkhead screen.
“Sand,” he said.
“That’s right, sir. Most of the surface is eroded and the particles are being carried by atmospheric winds.”
“There’s something down there,” said Recker. “Else why make this a Gateway destination?”
“Could be another space station,” said Aston.
“There’s nothing on the comms, sir. No open receptors.”
“Damnit, find me something!” said Recker.
“Propulsion output at sixty percent,” said Lieutenant Eastwood. “I think this is terminal, sir.”
Recker had already braced himself for the news, but that didn’t make it any easier to take. He’d brought his warship and its crew to a place from which they might never return. Even worse - the Axiom’s critical systems tapped into the engines for power and once that power source dried up, the life support systems amongst others would no longer function. If the spaceship crashed into Kemis-5, the hull would survive the impact, but without the life support, everyone onboard would be reduced to paste.
Recker knew that if he couldn’t figure something out soon, everyone was going to die here in this unknown part of the universe.
Chapter Seventeen
“Surface scans inconclusive, sir,” said Burner. “Too much sand. The storms don’t cover the entire planet and I’m catching glimpses of the surface, just not enough to conclude with certainty if there’s a Meklon installation on the visible side.”
The zoomed sensor feed wasn’t bad – sharp enough for Recker to see the swirling patterns of wind-blown sand and grit, whilst hiding much of what lay beneath. Kemis-5 was mountainous and some of the largest summits protruded above the sandstorms, like islands in a dull yellow sea.
“I’ve found no sign of satellites or anything similar,” said Larson. “And I don’t think the Galactar is coming anytime soon.”
“There’s a Meklon facility here,” Recker said again. “I know it.”
“What if it’s blindside?” said Aston. “Or destroyed long ago by the Lavorix?”
“Excon-1 offered Kemis-5 as the default destination, Commander. Why would it do that if the place was captured by the enemy?”
Aston’s expression was pained. “I don’t know.”
“Fifty-five percent on the engines, sir,” said Eastwood. “The fall is roughly linear.”
“Are you any closer to discovering the cause?”
“Lieutenant Fraser and I believe that our ternium modules are decaying.”
“What? How? A ternium engine doesn’t run out of juice.”
“You’ve seen how the Lavorix power their depletion bursts, sir. They suck the potential out of ternium ore and use it to generate a short-duration spike of energy. I think something similar happened to the Axiom and Aktrivisar, only it’s happening over a longer period. Our engine modules were affected by the transit through the Gateway and now they’re failing.”
“And you don’t have any theories as to how we can reverse this?” Recker asked. “I don’t care how far-fetched. Can we put the engines into overstress to see if that changes anything?”
“If we overstress the engines, it’ll hasten the process of decay, sir,” said Lieutenant Fraser. “As it stands, you should be able to control the Axiom long enough to set us down on Kemis-5 if that’s where you decide we’re going.”
“If you don’t set us down in time, we’re going to drift until everyone dies,” said Eastwood. “I can’t make the outcome sound any sweeter than that.”
“There’s got to be something,” Recker said again, like the repetition would make it happen.
“Sir, I’ve spoken to one of the Daklan sensor operators,” said Burner. “He’s detected an area of interest on Kamis-5.”
“What exactly has he found?”
“Nothing specific – anomalous data that might indicate the presence of something.”
“The Daklan know what they’re doing - concentrate on that part of the surface.”
“Yes, sir. It’s right on the north-east cusp.”
Burner added a circular overlay to the sensor feed to show the area in question and Recker squinted at it. A storm was moving across that area of Kemis-5, making a huge spiral pattern and blocking anything below from sight.
“Either find something or eliminate it as a place of interest.”
Recker’s patience with the situation was wearing thin and he took a deep breath to calm himself. With each passing moment, the Axiom drew nearer to Kemis-5, which he told himself would make it easier for the warship’s sensors to pierce the storm. If the Meklon had an installation there, Recker knew he had little choice other than to attempt a landing. Everything after that was unknown.
“Engine output at fifty percent,” said Eastwood.
The Axiom was travelling in excess of a thousand kilometres per second and fifty percent output wasn’t nearly enough to make it go higher. Recker kept his hands on the control bars, dropped the engines to idle and allowed the vessel to coast.
“There!” yelled Burner.
“What?” said Recker, closing his eyes for a moment in thanks for his competent crew. Burner always came up with the goods.
“I’ve located a ground installation, sir. A big one. I’ve detected a flat area of metal, with perimeter buildings.”
“A landing strip,” said Recker.
“I’m sure of it.”
“Then that’s where we’re heading,” said Recker, adjusting course. “Lieutenants Burner and Larson, your next priority is to search for signs of a Lavorix presence. I don’t know why Excon-1 would have sent us here if this base has been captured, but the Meklon have lost their war and we don’t know what effect that’s had on their comms.”
“I’ll soon be able to tell you if the facility has been turned to ruins, sir,” said Burner. “Finding out in advance if the Lavorix captured it is going to be a lot harder.”
“Captured or destroyed,” said Eastwood. “Let’s hope it’s neither.”
“We’re due some good luck,” said Burner.
Recker didn’t like to invoke luck, so he didn’t say anything. The words captured or destroyed kept jumping into his head, ero
ding his confidence that Kemis-5 was untouched by the Lavorix.
He considered the two. A destroyed base would almost certainly be abandoned, but was unlikely to have any functioning hardware, while a captured base presented a big list of other problems along with opportunities for anyone willing – or desperate enough – to take a risk.
I hope the base is operational. If it’s dead, then so is this mission.
“Forty-five percent on the engines, sir. Once the output drops below twenty percent the Axiom’s going to be as responsive as an ocean-going super tanker. At five percent, the ternium drive can’t support the weight of the hull.”
“Which is why we’re heading right for the target, Lieutenant.”
“That might not be the best choice, sir,” said Larson, her voice raised. “I’ve detected a spaceship in the sky above the Meklon base. It lifted above the storm for approximately five seconds and then dropped out of sensor sight. Whatever it was, it was bigger than the Aktrivisar.”
“How long before we can see through the storm?”
“I don’t know, sir. Once we’re within a couple of hundred thousand klicks I’m sure we’ll have a much better idea. The trouble is, I think the enemy ship was putting its head up for a look around. By the time we’re near enough for our sensors to penetrate the storm, we’ll be vulnerable to detection ourselves.”
Recker thought hard. “With operational propulsion and the Aktrivisar alongside us, I’d chance a frontal attack on that warship. Right now, our options are limited – if it runs into the storm, we could run out of power with the enemy still active.”
“What do you suggest, sir?” said Aston.
“We fly in low and blow the crap out of that spaceship before it sees us coming.”
“I can tell you straightaway that if we deviate from our existing course, we’re going to be metaphorically running on fumes by the time we reach that Meklon facility, sir,” said Eastwood.
“And we can’t guarantee that warship is alone,” said Larson.
“What choice do we have?” growled Recker. “If the enemy commander sees us coming and decides to play it cagey, we’ll lose.” He thumped his fist hard on the arm of his chair. “Get me a channel to Captain Jir-Lazan.”
“Yes, sir,” said Burner. “Channel open.”
The Daklan didn’t wait for Recker.
“Captain Recker, we should drop low into the storm far from the Meklon facility in order to take our opponent by surprise.”
“That’s it settled then,” said Recker.
“You thought the same?”
“I did.”
“It is good that our approach to battle is so in tune. Our chance of victory is increased because of it.”
A few moments later, the details were settled. Recker ordered the channel to be closed and he changed the Axiom’s heading, aiming to enter the Kemis-5 atmosphere a full half of the planet’s circumference away from the Meklon installation. The delayed response from the controls was obvious and it was only going to get worse.
“We’ve improved our chances of evading detection, but not eliminated them, sir,” said Burner.
“Not much we can do about that, Lieutenant. If we take a longer approach path, there’ll be no power to activate our weapons systems when we arrive.”
“Two hundred thousand klicks and we’ll be in the upper atmosphere,” said Larson.
“We’re in launch range for both our Hellburners and Ilstroms, sir,” Aston said.
“I know, Commander. If that enemy warship is equipped with countermeasures similar to those we saw near Excon-1, we’ll waste our opening shot. If we lose our surprise, we lose the engagement.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Forty percent on the engines,” said Eastwood. “This is going to be tight.”
“The Aktrivisar has a little more in the tank than we do, sir,” said Burner. “They’re on forty-four percent.”
“Let’s hope this is done without us needing that extra four percent, Lieutenant.”
“Another sighting of the warship, sir,” said Larson. “I’d estimate its mass at fifty percent greater than the Aktrivisar. Hull characteristics are consistent with those of the Lavorix warships we encountered at Excon-1. It’s gone back into the storm.”
“No indication it saw us,” said Burner.
Despite the chill of the bridge air, Recker felt the sweat beading on his scalp and forehead, while his palms felt clammy. He tightened his grip on the controls and willed the universe to allow him a fair chance at the coming engagement.
The pain in his arm returned in a sudden wave and he gritted his teeth. Turning, he met Corporal Hendrix’s eyes. She leaned against the weapons cabinet on the left-hand wall, where her presence wouldn’t be a distraction.
“I might need a shot of something, Corporal,” said Recker. “For the pain.”
Hendrix approached, pulling a selection of injectors from her leg pocket. She chose one and stepped closer, her expression concerned.
“Frenziol?” asked Recker with a smile.
“No, sir, I know you don’t like the boosters. This is a painkiller and nothing more.”
With an apologetic expression, she jabbed the needle through the material over his thigh and the injector squirted ice-cold drugs into his veins. Hendrix selected a second injector and stuck Recker with it before he could say anything.
“That one helps fight infection,” she said. “You should let me look at that injury, sir. When you can.”
“I can’t see it happening soon, Corporal.”
She nodded once and smiled. “If I think your life is endangered, I might have to order you to the bay. Sir.”
Recker laughed. “In fifteen minutes, there’ll be no power to turn the lights on.”
With the treatment done, Hendrix retreated to her position next to the cabinet and Recker turned once again to his console. He could feel the painkillers working already and the throbbing receded.
The Axiom came steadily closer to Kemis-5 and the Meklon installation vanished around the cusp, preventing Burner and Larson from scanning it further, while also reducing the likelihood of the unknown warship detecting the approach. Still Recker couldn’t relax and he took controlled breaths, while checking the sensors and the tactical to ensure his spaceship was on course.
Soon, the Axiom and Aktrivisar entered the planet’s upper atmosphere and Recker reduced speed to prevent the warship burning up. The storms over this part of Kemis-5 were far less ferocious than elsewhere, allowing him an excellent view of a surface which was harshly illuminated by the unnamed, faraway star. A boulder-strewn plain rose into a range of irregular mountains and everything was the same shade of yellow - dreariness turned stark by the sun’s light.
“Another wonder of the universe,” said Eastwood. “Thirty percent on the engines.”
At the agreed altitude of fifty kilometres, Recker levelled the Axiom. On the portside feed, he saw the Aktrivisar keeping pace, cleaving through the airborne dust and leaving a trail of heated sand in its wake.
“In a month’s time, we might find ourselves in combat with that desolator,” said Aston. “Right now, I’m damned glad they’re with us.”
“Me too, Commander.”
For three thousand kilometres, the two warships flew across Kemis-5. Here and there, they entered short-lived pockets of thicker sand which the sensors couldn’t penetrate, but visibility was mostly good. Then, Recker saw an immense, roiling wall a few hundred kilometres ahead on the gentle curve of the horizon.
At the same moment as the Axiom crossed from the planet’s day into night, it plunged into the wall of sand. Burner cursed once or twice as he worked on the sensor adjustments, while Larson kept her cool and said nothing.
No storm could fully defy the sensors of a modern warship and the feed improved markedly, though not so much that Recker could see more than a couple of hundred kilometres. He remembered the engagement on Pinvos after the Interrogator came down. The dust then had been thicker
yet and Recker felt the experience had honed his skills in low-visibility combat. If the Lavorix ship was as powerful as he feared, he was going to need every advantage.
Minutes passed and the propulsion output continued falling, which meant Recker had to think much further ahead than normal. No longer could he rely on the Axiom’s usual agility and by the time the engines were down to twenty-five percent, it seemed like every response on the controls was delayed by two or three seconds.
Eventually, the time came.
“Range to target: two thousand kilometres,” said Burner. “From here, there’s a chance the enemy warship will see us from its highest detected altitude.”
“Understood.”
As the distance to target decreased, Recker felt his tension fade. Battle loomed and he was determined to come out on top, come what may. The rewards of victory were uncertain, but for the moment, he didn’t spare a thought for anything beyond the nearing fight.
Chapter Eighteen
“No sign of the enemy, sir,” said Burner. “Another few hundred kilometres and I should definitely have a sensor lock.”
“The sooner the better, Lieutenant,” said Recker. “Commander Aston, fire at the earliest opportunity.”
“Yes, sir. Everything we’ve got, to knock them out of the sky.”
“Range to target: eight hundred kilometres.”
“Engines at twenty percent, sir.”
Recker’s eyes darted between the sensor feeds, the tactical and his instrumentation. The fireworks would start soon and he didn’t think it was going to be an extended display.
“Any sign of the surface facility yet?”
“Negative, sir. The storm’s no thicker than it has been, but it’s still too much.”
“There’s the enemy, sir!” said Larson.
A red dot flashed up on the tactical, at a greater altitude than the Axiom and directly over the Meklon base. The dot vanished and Larson cursed.
“Sensor lock failed,” she said.
“Any time now,” said Aston under her breath.
The red dot appeared for a second time and this time it remained visible for longer. From his periphery, Recker saw Aston’s hands poised over the weapons launch panel. The dot disappeared again and Aston withdrew her hand.
Galactar (Savage Stars Book 3) Page 15