“Bravo Three,” Nance said. “Transponder lists them as the Botany Bay.”
“Ned Orton’s ship,” Holt said. “She carries an array of small-yield warheads.”
The list continued. Each ship was named, along with the man or woman in charge. Pershing made notes of each ship’s weapons and special capabilities. When Ben reported in a few minutes later, he sounded frustrated.
“The test is negative,” Ben said.
“What happened?” Kim asked.
“The stupid wave generator burned out. I don’t know if any of these components will work. They’re all light duty and old.”
“Ben, we have to get that shield working,” Pershing said.
“Roger that,” Ben said. “But I think the best bet is to cannibalize the microcomponents and build my own wave generator.”
“Can you do that?” Pershing asked.
“Yes,” Ben said. “But I need time.”
Pershing turned to Nance. “What’s our time in transit?”
“Seven point two hours,” Nance said, “from the time we jump until we reach the Yelsin system.
“Alright Ben, do what you need to do,” Pershing said. “But if the shield doesn’t work, we’ll have to talk about our deal. Your vessel doesn’t make sense as my flagship without that shield.”
Kim knew what the general was threatening. It wasn’t just about her being on board the Echo. She was saying that without the shield, their deal was off. Ben had given her what she needed, a contact with the rebellion leadership. Now that Pershing had that, if Ben couldn’t produce his flux shield, he and the crew of the Echo were expendable.
“I’ll have it ready,” Ben promised.
“Very good,” Pershing said. She turned to Holt. “Can your ships hear us?”
Holt nodded.
“Bravo group,” Pershing said into the ship’s communication system. “Prepare to jump to hyperspace on my mark.”
“We’re ready,” Kim said.
“Excellent,” Pershing said. “Three, two, one, mark.”
Chapter 49
Ben felt the stretch as the Echo jumped into hyperspace, and for that one elongated moment, he wished that time could stand still. The two remaining wave generators on the workbench were in rough shape. One was much larger than the other, and Ben guessed it was almost as old as the Echo. It had come off a ground-based machine where space wasn’t a factor. The circuitry on the wave generator was a mix of sizes, and the fiberboard it was built on had visible signs of wear and tear.
The other wave generator was in even worse shape. It looked as though it had been saturated with oil, and while it still worked enough to carry current on Ben’s circuit tester, he doubted it would hold up to the strains of being spun around the artificial gravity generator at hundreds of revolutions per minute.
The plan, as he had proposed to General Pershing, was to take both wave generators apart and create one from the best-functioning components. It was a task Ben had done countless times on Torrent Four, but his efforts had not always yielded results, and there was much more pressure on him. Not to mention that once he disassembled the two wave generators, there would be no more parts to build with. He would only get one shot, and that meant he needed to focus.
He was still planning what he needed to do when Kim showed up. He was happy to see her, but he was also afraid that his need to work might upset her. She had every right to want to spend her downtime with him, and he would have loved nothing more than to disappear in one of their cabins for the next seven hours, but he would need all that time to make the new wave generator.
“Hey, handsome,” Kim said, casually draping an arm around his shoulders. “How’s it going?”
“It’s not ideal,” Ben said.
“Yeah, I sensed that much,” Kim said. “What happened to the wave generator you were testing?”
“It lost power and went flying against the bulkhead where it shattered,” Ben said.
Kim grimaced and he appreciated her concern. Normally, when things didn’t work, he didn’t care so much, but this time he did. Maybe it was because their fate hung in the balance, so the failure felt personal. Ben knew the system he had created worked, and yet it seemed out of reach.
“So... you’re going to build a new one?”
“I’m going to try,” he said.
“Can I help?”
“I don’t think so. I might need a set of hands, but I’ve got to figure out what I’m working with and how I’m going to do it. There’s no manual for making new stuff from old parts.”
She leaned down and rested her head on top of his.
“We all believe in you,” she said softly. “Just do what you do, Ben. Don’t worry about anything else. I’ll be around if you need me just tap your com-link, okay?”
“Yeah,” Ben said, feeling a surge of relief. “I guess I could use an energy drink. I’m feeling pretty drained.”
“That is easy,” Kim said. “I’ll bring it down to you.”
She left the engineering bay, and Ben refocused on the task at hand. Staring at the parts, he slowly began to see what he needed to do. He couldn’t explain how he did it, or where the knowledge came from. Sometimes he wondered if God was downloading the information right into his brain. It was an old-fashioned, unpopular idea, but Ben couldn’t explain his abilities any other way. And part of him liked the idea of a deity who cared about him.
When he had the puzzle worked out in his mind, he sat back and looked around. He had expected Kim to return, but he was surprised to find that she had brought his energy drink, left it on his workbench, and disappeared without saying a word to him. He worried that maybe she had spoken to him and he had been too focused on his work to notice. That would not help his relationship with Kim, but he would worry about that later. For the moment, the wave generator needed all his attention.
He drank the energy drink as he laid out all the tools he expected to need. Taking the old gear apart was the easiest part of the job. Breaking things down was how he learned, and he had spent years disassembling old motors and electrical systems to see how they worked. His hands did the tasks, even removing tiny microcomponents, almost on autopilot.
Once he had the parts all removed from the old wave generators, he tossed the broken pieces of their electrical boards and housing away. Then he took the components and laid them out in the order and shape he wanted. He chose a clean fiberglass board slightly larger than the original they had used when the flux shield was working. Taking his time, he laid each component on the board right where he wanted them, soldering each one in place and linking them with fine copper wiring.
Time passed in a blur and he had no idea what was going on in the ship when he finally finished the last of the delicate soldering work. His drink was long gone and his stomach was growling, but he ignored it. Instead, he connected the new circuit board to his electrical current tester and made sure every connection was secure. The new component worked perfectly and just needed a new housing so he could connect it to the artificial gravity generator and test the shield.
“You look relieved,” Kim said from behind him.
He turned, surprised to see her.
“I didn’t hear you come down,” he said.
“That’s because I’ve been down here for hours. I don’t see how you can work with such focused intensity. I was afraid to make any noise around you.”
“Lots of practice, I guess.”
“Are you at a stopping point?”
Ben stood up. His back was stiff and his legs hurt. She hadn’t been exaggerating when she said he’d been working for hours.
“Yes, please,” Ben said.
“Does it work?”
“The component works,” he said, looking back down at his handiwork. “I still need to put it in a housing unit that won’t break like the others. And then we’ll have to test it.”
“You better hurry, then,” Kim said. “We’ll drop out of light speed in less than an hour.”
“I need a vacation,” Ben said.
“I wouldn’t complain,” Kim replied. “Maybe we can go someplace where it snows. I would like that, I think.”
“You won’t get tired of the cold?”
“No, not if I have someone to keep me warm.”
“I can do that,” Ben said with a grin.
“I was hoping you’d volunteer.”
She kissed him softly but took her time. Ben felt his stress fall away and his desire ignite inside him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
“Easy,” Kim said. “You have work to do, remember?”
“It can wait,” Ben said.
“No,” Kim said pushing him back. “If the shield doesn’t work when we get to the Yelsin system, we could be in trouble.”
“Yeah,” Ben said, the weight of his responsibilities returning suddenly. “I forgot.”
“Things are changing on the bridge,” Kim said. “The general is becoming more militant by the minute. If we can’t deliver the flux shield, there’s no telling what she might do.”
“Like ground us,” Ben said.
“And take the ship,” Kim added.
“No,” Ben said. “We can’t let that happen.”
“She’ll leave for Celeste as soon as possible,” Kim said. “She’s a woman on a mission. If the shield isn’t ready—”
“It will be,” Ben said, giving Kim a quick peck on the cheek. “Thanks for the break.”
“Thanks for letting me stay close while you work.”
“Well,” Ben said. “I can’t really take any credit for that. I didn’t know you were there.”
“Really?”
“Sorry, is that a bad thing?”
“No, babe, I like that you’re intense. It’s like you have a superpower.”
“You didn’t feel like I was ignoring you?”
“No,” Kim replied. “Like I said. I just like being close to you. But now I’ve got to go. I’ll be wanted on the bridge.”
“I’ll be up as soon as I can.”
“Good, I don’t like Holt taking your place on the bridge.”
Ben watched her leave. She was beautiful, even in a one-piece flight suit that hid most of her features. He realized that he was in love with her, but he wasn’t sure if he had ever told her. He made a mental note to make sure she knew how he felt before they left for the Celeste system. He didn’t want to go back into a war zone without her knowing that she was the most important thing in the galaxy to him.
Chapter 50
Yarl Hassik’s armada was in the perfect position. He marveled at the humans’ navigation network. As soon as he had seen it, he knew his moment for ascendancy had come. Chieftain Grubat had lost sight of the goal and had to be left behind. It was a bold move, but the shipmasters were growing restless waiting in orbit when the promise of riches and glory were out there in the new galaxy just waiting to be taken.
Hassik hadn’t hesitated to draw the other Yarls away with him either. They were anxious to raise their standing and Hassik knew it. Grubat imagined that they were content to do his bidding, but the ancient one couldn’t be farther from the truth. No one wanted his planet. Greatness lay among the stars, not digging in the dirt.
“The planet is orbited by five vessels,” said Yarl Quissi, a female warrior with a taste for blood. Hassik had sparred with her many times and had the scars to prove it. She was also adept at running the En’Galla’s radar systems.
“Have they seen us?” Hassik asked.
“Not yet,” she replied. “The human star map was accurate. We are between the planet and the system star.”
“Outstanding,” Yarl Hassik said. “Patch me through to the other ships.”
Yarl Hassik waited until the green light came on, signaling that the communication system was ready. Then he filled his lungs with air, his headdress tendrils stiffening around his head, some standing out at odd angles. The other Yarls running the En’Galla’s systems grew silent as their leader prepared to speak.
“This is Yarl Hassik,” he said. “As per Lord Grubat’s orders, we shall take the human vessels. Yarl Quissi will send assignments. Four ships circle wide to port. Four more circle wide to starboard. The En’Galla shall stay here to coordinate and oversee the victory.”
“For honor,” said one shipmaster.
“For glory,” said another.
“And riches,” Yarl Hassik said. “Take them.”
The green light disappeared and Yarl Hassik stepped over to the transparent wall that filled one side of the ship’s bridge. The other Yarls could watch over the ship’s systems and keep tabs on the humans with radar. Yarl Hassik wanted to see it all. He wanted to feel the first great victory as it played out. Confidence swelled inside him. His chest inflated with pride at the thought that what lay before him was just the first of many great victories.
The Krah ships weren’t as close as Yarl Hassik would have liked. It took nearly two hours for the ships to complete the wide, sweeping maneuver. In that time, two of the human vessels had circled around the far side of the planet, but Hassik was certain the other shipmasters would move to cut them off.
Eventually, the humans realized their danger. There were two fat ships, and three that were much smaller. One was almost impossible to see—its black hull was invisible against the backdrop of space. If not for the planet’s glow, Hassik might not have seen it at all.
When the humans realized their danger, they moved the ships together. The first of the Krah collector ships moved in toward the group from opposite sides. Yarl Hassik was not surprised when he saw focused light beams lancing out from the human vessels. He knew they were cowards who attacked from a distance with weapons that could harm and kill without putting the user in reach of their enemies. The ship commanders were ready and used their grappling arms to fend off the shot. The Krah ships took superficial damage as they raced toward the human ships. Two of the smaller ships moved out from either side, firing rapidly at the approaching Krah collectors. They were obviously warships, firing many times more than the other three larger ships.
When the first Krah ship was in range, it whipped out with a single grappling arm, letting the thick arm collide with the nearest human ship. In most cases, enemy ships tried to run away from the Krah vessels, but the humans hadn’t learned that lesson yet. And as the grappling arm connected with the ship, it ripped away a long section of the vessel’s hull. Gas, equipment, and the crew members themselves came tumbling out of the ship. Yarl Hassik chuckled as the ship’s power systems failed. The running lights blinked out and it stopped firing.
“The Oli’Ski has lost most of its capture arms,” Yarl Quissi announced. “It won’t be able to take a prize.”
“We shall share in the spoils,” Hassik said. “Reassure them of that.”
The second human fighter was disabled much like the first, and the other ships began to move in an evasive fashion. The two large, bloated vessels began to descend from their position, while the sneaky black ship rose over and around the planet. The fat ships were much too slow to escape, but Hassik saw their strategy. They meant to lure the Krah vessels away and allow the black stealth ship to escape.
He was about to order his armada to take the black ship when it suddenly jumped to hyperspace. Hassik felt robbed, but he didn’t have to ask his companions if they were tracking the stealth ship’s cowardly retreat. It was standard practice to track and lock a retreating ship’s trajectory and hyperspace trail.
The fat ships were too massive to outmaneuver the Krah collectors and too slow to escape. They had weapons, but they fired slowly and only from a few spots on the huge ships. They weren’t fighting vessels, Hassik assumed. Their weapons systems were for defense only, but he reveled in the fact that they weren’t strong enough to halt the Krah attack.
“Take them,” he said out loud, voicing his thoughts as his headdress tendrils waved excitedly.
The first of the fat ships was caught by a Krah ship
when dozens of smaller portions of the vessel shot out from her hull.
“What was that?” Yarl Hassik asked.
“I believe that was escape pods, much like the ones the prisoner was captured in,” Yarl Quissi said.
Hassik remembered that the fat, weepy prisoner was captured in a pod that could survive hard vacuum. The second human ship shed dozens of escape pods even before it was caught.
“Should we try to capture the cowards who are running?” Quissi asked.
“Not until their vessels are secure,” Hassik said. “Then we can pick them up at will. The first of our human slaves. Their tiny escape pods will not save them. This system is now ours. We shall feast on its spoils before moving on for greater victories.”
Yarl Hassik didn’t need to turn and look at the other Krah warriors on the bridge. He could sense their pleasure, their excitement, and their growing sense of ambition. He would have to keep them in their place if he was going to lead. They would be looking to usurp him now that he had taken Chieftain Grubat’s place, but he would let them grow confident before shocking them with a violent, decisive victory in personal combat that would remind them who he was. Perhaps he would let Quissi challenge him. He wouldn’t mind taking her life in return for her cruelty in their dueling sessions. Everything he’d ever wanted was finally his, and no one would take it away from him. Not while he lived. And when he saw Chieftain Grubat again, the old one would gravel at his feet or die beneath Yarl Hassik’s ax. Grubat longed to be a warlord, but Hassik already was one.
Chapter 51
Ben walked onto the bridge and tapped Holt on the shoulder. The Confederate turned and looked at him, but made no move to vacate his seat at the engineering console.
“You’re in my seat,” Ben said.
“Lucky me,” Holt replied.
“Here, take mine,” Professor Jones said. “I have calculations to make. I will be in my quarters if I’m needed.”
Ben was beginning to feel like the Modulus Echo wasn’t even his ship anymore. A group of people lingered behind the bridge. Some were part of Sergeant Visher’s commando squad. The queen and Duke Simeon were there too. And everyone was looking to General Pershing for orders. Ben sat down, feeling weary after working on the wave generator for almost eight hours straight.
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