The Battle - (Pulcherrim System)
No Place to Stop - 2014
THE CAST:
Commander Dori Mancer, Captain Raver Rapha, Flight Commander Armoury, Flight Commander Lampard, Flight Commander Brink, Flight Commander Trackett, Sub Commander Brawn, Kean DeMancer, Sub Commander Dolsis, Bala Stevos, Sub Commander Viva, Petty Officer Casma
‘Well that was a bit scary,’ said Mancer as the Morandesser emerged from Wormhole Prefaxi 222.
‘Things were decidedly nerve-racking in the mid-section, but we are through,’ said Rapha. ‘Well done, Viva.’
‘Thank you, sir,’ replied Sub Commander Viva. ‘Anyone want to take over the helm while I lie down?’
Mancer chuckled, ‘The Pulcherrim system, Captain?’
‘It is. That’s a big piece of our journey out the way.’
‘Sir, Engineering is requesting we pull over here,’ Brawn interrupted from the operational console. ‘They want to check over the some of the more exposed drive seals, after the buffeting the ship’s just taken.’
‘Ask the chief how long,’ said Rapha.
‘Six hours. Longer if we need to replace any of them.’
‘Okay, let’s move into the system and park up,’ the captain said. ‘Let’s see if we can negotiate some provisions from the locals. Gemini 7 is what I’ve got down here, Viva.’
‘Yes, sir,’ she replied. ‘Not a lot on them. They should be at a similar technological level to us, according to the information I have, but as you know, that’s pretty sketchy and usually out of date.’
‘Get us to high orbit and park up. No need to appear threatening.’ Rapha turned to Mancer. ‘Happy with that, Commander?’
‘Certainly, Captain,’ Mancer agreed. ‘Anything that improves our selection of food will be a blessing.’
‘I agree as well,’ Stevos chimed in. ‘Anything that helps improve the Commander’s disposition will be a blessing.’
The Morandesser entered high orbit around Gemini 7, avoiding proximity to any space structures, and broadcast their standard friendship message.
‘Not getting any reply from the locals,’ said Brawn. ‘Looks like they’re a little shy.’
‘Shut down then, Viva. Tell the chief the ship’s all his.’ Rapha got up from the command chair and stretched his legs. He joined Mancer and Stevos next to Brawn’s station, ops. ‘Still no signs of life?’
‘They know we’re here, sir. They’re probing us. Subtly, but showing an interest. I’m also picking up signs of weapon fire, over by that moon.’ Brawn pointed to the far side of holographic representation of Gemini 7 hovering overhead.
‘Can we get a closer look?’ Mancer asked.
‘Not without losing definition,’ replied Brawn. ‘But I have a second scan in progress. Results are in now. On screen.’
The results needed some interpretation, which he added. ‘A space station near the moon with a vessel next to it. Very heavily fortified: space mines, an outer ring of smaller ships, definitely fighters. There’s a structure on the surface emitting radiation – an explosion?’
‘Target practice,’ suggested Mancer.
‘Whatever it is, they don’t want any visitors,’ said Rapha.
‘Best stop probing,’ Stevos said. ‘They may not take kindly to that.’
‘Agreed,’ said Rapha.
‘May I suggest we keep our friendship hail transmitting,’ Mancer addressed the captain, ‘and get the chief to stop all work and get the ship out of here?’
Rapha was already on it. ‘Chief, delay all inspections and get us out of here, please.’
The arrival of the unknown starship instantly dampened the euphoria of the successful weapons test. Any action would be debated by the hive mind, with solutions needing the full backing of the population.
‘They want our weapon. Destroy them.’
‘We don’t know their firepower capability,’ Zamball said to the hive mind.
He waited.
‘Use the weapon.’
‘The weapon is disabled; the mixing disc destroyed,’
He waited. The hive mind would be debating every wild idea. It would take time for a consensus.
‘Destroy them. Attack with fighters.’
‘They’re sending out friendly welcome messages. Should we consider communication first?’
‘No!’
The hive mind had spoken.
‘Despatch ten fighters to attack and destroy the vessel,’ said Zamball to the space station, confirming what they already knew.
Chief Engineer Vermont Floke thought he’d made himself clear, but it seemed not, so he repeated himself. ‘The drive is deactivated. There’s no standby mode for seal inspection. I need one hour for the cells to recharge, and that’s ignoring safety protocols. We’re not going anywhere for an hour, no matter how many hostile ships are inbound.’
‘Sorry, Vermont,’ Rapha said glumly. ‘I just needed to be sure. We have shields and weapons?’
‘Oh, yes. On a different circuit, as you well know, Captain.’
‘I do. Brawn, get all four 3W Fighters ready to launch.’
‘Already there, sir.’
‘Despatch them and get me Armoury.’
Flight Commander Armoury waited until all four 3W’s were clear of the bay before acknowledging the captain. ‘In position, sir, awaiting instructions.’
‘Defensive mode, Armoury. Let’s see what their intentions are.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Okay, team,’ Armoury said over the private comm. ‘We’re a little rusty, but treat this as another simulation – stay sharp.’
The attack came without any warning. All ten Harass fighters fired at once. Three initiated one-on-one dogfights with the 3W’s, Lampard had three tracking him. The remaining four stormed the Morandesser.
‘Hey, guys, they’re testing my shielding,’ said Lampard, now desperately weaving to escape fire from multiple weapons. ‘Some help please?’
‘On it,’ Brink said, attacking one of the enemy fighters. ‘Tight turns, Lamps; they’re struggling to match our manoeuvrability.’
‘How long do we stay in defensive mode?’ Trackett asked and picked up the second of Lampart’s tails.
‘He has a point, sir,’ Armoury said to the captain.
‘Give us a moment, Flight Commander,’ Rapha said. ‘Your shields are holding up well. Keep dodging and support Lampard.’
Armoury positioned himself behind the third of the fighters hassling Lampart, trying to dodge fire from his rear.
‘How are your shields holding up, Lamps?’ asked Armoury.
‘Sixty-three percent,’ he replied. ‘Are they working on a strategy?’
‘Yes, but I’m assuming they want to avoid using the cruiser’s weapons. This isn’t the war we want to be fighting – whoa!’ Armoury banked hard left to miss a fighter on a collision course with him, almost bumping into Brink.
‘Steady, Armoury,’ she exclaimed. ‘I’ve enough going on with the enemy.’
‘They tried to take me out – kamikaze tactics. Sir, did you see that? Some haste please, they mean business.’
Mancer, Kean and Stevos waited for Rapha, letting him evaluate the battle playing out all around them.
‘More ships are launching from the planet, sir,’ Brawn reported from ops. ‘They are significantly bigger than the fighters. Surely packing much more firepower.’
‘They don’t want us here, that much is plain. Estimated arrival time, Brawn?’
‘Twenty-five minutes, sir.’
Captain Rapha hit a button on his console. ‘Chief, I hope you’ve given me one of your more conservative estimates for recharge.’
‘I’m doing my best. Still forty minutes away.’
‘Improve on that. Don’t tell me why you cannot.’
‘Acknowledged.’
‘Dolsis, your thoughts?’
Chief analyst Casma Dolsis said, ‘TC’s suggest our fighters get overrun in fifteen minutes, twenty tops. We need to get them back on board. That will be tricky.’
Rapha rubbed his chin, considering his options.
‘Tactical computers,’ Dori explained to Stevos. ‘Tricky? Why?’
‘The fighter deceleration for landing and having local shields down makes us vulnerable.’ He turned to Kean. ‘Can you get down to the hangar bay? They’ll be understaffed, especially if it gets out of control.’
Kean nodded and was off.
‘Anything we can do?’ asked Stevos.
‘Stay here, please, and help me with some tough decisions,’ Rapha replied.
‘We will,’ said Mancer, ‘but for now, you’re doing fine. Can the cruiser’s heavy weapon be of use?’
‘With shields up only the energy globes can be used, and they’re too big and cumbersome against small craft. Their fighters would dodge them easily. My pilots are good enough to protect the first two in, but the last two 3W’s would be essentially defenceless.’
‘Captain, we have the sphere,’ Brawn interjected.
‘With no firepower, Sub Commander.’
‘But they don’t know that. What if we launch it, unmanned, when the last two 3W’s are ready to land, it will distract them and buy us some time.’
‘I can do that,’ said Viva, ‘if I can get to the hangar in time. It will be tight, very tight.’
‘And who will turn this ship around and get us out of here?’ said Rapha. ‘No, I need you here.’
‘But I’m the only sphere trained pilot on-board, sir.’ Viva was out of her seat, ready to go.
‘No, Sub Commander. I’m not risking the whole ship.’
‘You son is a sphere pilot, Dori,’ suggested Stevos, ‘and he’ll be there now.’
‘Yes,’ Mancer said, ‘he can set it up.’
‘Sub Commander DeMancer. Are you at the hangar bay?’ asked Rapha.
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Can you set the sphere to launch remotely?’
‘I’ll try.’
‘Get right on it, and keep me informed of your progress. You have ten minutes to set it, and get out.’ Rapha turned to Dolsis. ‘Get the first two fighters in. Lowest shield levels.’
Kean boarded the sphere with a hangar tech in tow. ‘I need you to help with the pre-flight checks, then you’re out of here. I can handle it from there.’ Four minutes later the tech acknowledged the safety checks and left.
‘Three minutes to launch, sir,’ he informed Rapha. ‘I don’t know if this procedure has ever been carried out before, but it looks straightforward. Where do you want the sphere to exit the hangar? Left, centre, or right of the open bay doors?’
‘Centre, Sub Commander.’
‘Targeting dead centre. Handing over to tactical. DeMancer out.’
He was ready to go with two minutes to spare and headed for the floating ramp. ‘Damn, the door! Computer, close door behind me.”
“Unable to comply. The ship can only be sealed for departure from the cockpit.”
‘Override, computer.’
“Unable to comply. Safety circuit is on triple-redundancy fail-safe. Clearance level Alpha sub two or higher required to override.”
What! The sphere’s going nowhere without the door interlocks in place. Kean cast about for inspiration. Then it hit him. ‘Computer. Close the door.’
Flight Commander Lampart was first. The tactical computer analysed the flight patterns of the enemy fighters for the weakest coverage point.
‘Go on five, Lamps,’ Dolsis instructed. ‘Armoury take port, and Trackett, aft. Brink watch his tail. Five, four, three, two, go!’
Armoury made the tight turn and darted for the small, bright rectangle of the Morandesser’s open hangar bay. Only one enemy ship was in position to intercept, and it tried to follow him in.
‘Brink, nudge it away,’ instructed Dolsis.
Brink positioned her fighter next to the enemy, shields almost touching, and on Dolsis’s command turned viciously, forcing the other vessel off Lampard’s flight path. Dolsis gave the signal for the 3W’s to bank hard away, and the hangar shield to deactivate. Lampard slipped through, the shield automatically reactivating behind him. He had just eighty metres before he crashed into the bulkhead and he decelerated hard. His landing was bumpy but safe.
Dolsis ordered, ‘Pilots, continue banking at the minimum arc for three hundred and sixty degrees – you’re heading straight back in for the second run. This time we’re counting on surprise and your tighter turning circle. Trackett, your turn. Brink take aft, but both of you hang further back to cover Trackett’s side and rear this time.’
‘Anything else, Dolsis? It’s difficult to concentrate when you’re taking this many G’s,’ moaned Armoury.
‘Sorry, guys.’
The next run worked a treat, with the enemy fighters chasing them but unable to match their arcs. None were in a position to interfere, making Trackett’s landing almost anticlimactic.
‘Great call, Dolsis,’ an ecstatic Brink shouted. ‘But they won’t be fooled by that again.’
‘Thank the TC’s, and they’ve already rejected a repeat.’
Rapha took over. ‘We have something else planned. We’re launching our sphere to distract them. Await Dolsis for flight patterns. Brawn, where are the ships coming up from the planet?’
‘Twelve minutes away, sir.’
‘Chief, time to recharge?’
‘Fourteen minutes, sir.’
‘Ten would be good.’ Rapha stretched, needing to move. ‘Dolsis, the floor is yours.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
Flight Commanders Armoury and Brink arrived at the point designated by the TC, each with two enemy ships in pursuit. The remaining Geminian vessels lurked ominously by the hangar door, laying fire on the cruiser’s port shield, but ready to pounce. The sphere was hovering eight metres off the floor, ready to accelerate on the TC’s command.
The tactical computers would recommend, but Dolsis would decide.
‘Fighter shield levels approaching ten percent,’ said Brawn.
‘Dolsis?’ Rapha said anxiously.
‘Armoury, Brink, go now. Sphere release, now!’
The two fighter pilots banked sharply away from their shadows and raced toward the battlecruiser, coming in at a steep angle from either side. The sphere burst through the open bay door, sending the circling Geminian fighters in pursuit of the silver globe, and firing for all they were worth. The sphere, unshielded, burst into a sparking cloud of debris under the onslaught, further confusing the Geminians. Meanwhile, Armoury and Brink raced for safety, losing the chasing fighters and slipping through the opening in the cruiser’s shield to safety.
‘All fighters are back, hull doors secured,’ Dolsis reported.
‘Well done, Sub Commander,’ Rapha said.
Rapha wasn’t done, yet. ‘How long until the welcoming committee arrives, Sub Commander?’
‘Two minutes,’ said Brawn. ‘Reading heat signatures from their turrets.’
‘Chief?’
‘Good to go, sir.’
‘Viva, get us out of here.’
The giant battlecruiser swung around slowly, but accelerating with each degree it turned. It reached full speed just as the four larger enemy vessels came into view.
‘They’re following, sir,’ Brawn reported.
‘Or escorting us out of their system,’ said Mancer.
‘Remain shielded until they drop away.’ Captain Rapha stood up and said, ‘Well done, everyone. I believe this was a first.’
‘And well done to you too, Captain,’ said Stevos. ‘And Kean.’
‘Yes, where is my son? Computer, locate Kean DeMancer.’
“Sub Commander Kean DeMancer is not aboard.”
The bridge went silent, and Mancer turned pale. ‘The sphere?’ he whispered. Stevos took his arm, keeping the old Trun steady, but had no words of comfort.
The next thirty seconds seemed like forever. No-one spoke. But then…
‘Hello. Can someone come and get me?’ a voice from Brawn’s console asked plaintively.
‘Kean, is that you?’ asked Brawn, recognising his voice. ‘Where the devil are you?’
‘On the hull. I could only close up the sphere from the inside, so I jumped into a pod and ejected in the void between the hull and the shield. Found metal and clamped on. I’ve only just worked out how to use the communication system in this thing. I’m a little cramped, can someone come and get me?’
‘I’m coming, son! And be aware, I’ll leave you floating in free space if you keep doing this to me,’ said Mancer. ‘You’ll send me to an early grave!’