Audacity (Warner's World Book 5) (13 page)

The orbit from the charts was drawn in a clear red line which should have gone through the centre of Q3. But it was now instead going through its outer edge.

“It’s being pulled towards Q4” said John in a quiet manner.

“What’s the rate of variation?” asked Ivan. “Is it accelerating?”

“We’ll need more readings over time to determine that” said Chase. “But it doesn’t look good even if it stays the same. This will have a knock on effect to Q2. Their days of living in the habitable zone are numbered.”

“So the recording, if it’s to be believed, confirms a device was used to bring about this anomaly” said Dave “and that it was most likely initiated by the rogan themselves, probably because there’s some kind of resistance on Q2. Can we can be sure this was a PME?”

“It has the same effects” said Chase.

“Who did the recording?” asked John.

“Probably one of the souls on Q2 that’s getting hammered by the rogan right now” replied Ivan. “Any more details on the Q2 traffic darling?” said Ivan. He realised the error straight away. “I mean Jasmin.”

Chase laughed heartily while most were content to smile. Jasmin frowned back at Ivan before reporting that “there is definitely a military operation of some sort going on, with much traffic concerning the securing of a spaceport at a place called Rollinium.”

“Bring it up” ordered Dave.

Jasmin worked her controls to zoom the holo into Q2. Over 80% of the surface was water with one very large continent and several significantly smaller land masses running in an arc from its southern end. Rollinium was on the coast at that southern end.

“Please remember Sir that this info is at least four hours old with us being this far out.”

“Understood” said Dave in a serious manner.

“We really need to stay here for at least a day Sir to determine the rates of change in the gravity” chimed in Chase. “I mean in case you were considering warping in closer.”

“Got that” responded Dave, again in a rather flat tone, while his mind pondered all the factors. “Anything else around Q3 or 4 that we need to focus on, apart from the anomaly effects?”

“There’s a plethora of space junk out here all heading towards Q4 but that’s about it” said John. “I reckon all of the capable commercial vehicles have high tailed it long ago. No one in his right mind would be hanging about around Q4.”

“OK” said Dave “Jasmin continue your monitoring. Let me know of anything significant. Chase, make sure the sensors do their stuff on the anomaly and we will review this tomorrow morning.”

Chapter 2. Konkorda Pod 2 in Qwantum 1100, 13 August

Retna checked one more time that the probe was still broadcasting. He had taken some comfort from knowing that at least they had succeeded in getting that right.

He had shifted position many times now within the cramped pod. It required a lot of effort but it was necessary to maintain circulation. The thought crossed his mind – well it was more a question. ‘What would happen when he went into cryo?’ What would happen if cramp set in? Would that force him out of it? Damm it, I wish I knew more.’

‘What does it really matter? What does anything matter now?’

As if to counter this negative thought his mind cut in and began scanning the other channels. The battle for Rollinium was still going on. At first he had asked himself why the Imperialists bothered at all. The planet was doomed. But he came to realise that this was their way of punishing the resistance by preventing them from escape till it was too late. “Bastards!” he said out loud.

In that moment it occurred to him that there was still one service he could perform for the Resistance. He could draw away one enemy ship from the battle below. It wouldn’t be for long but it might mean the difference between life and death for many down on Q2. He would self-destruct if they did not destroy him first. Either way, he would be dead soon. ‘It’s a better death’ he said to himself.

He began broadcasting across multiple channels “To all those resisting on Q2 you are not alone. Throughout the rogan empire beings of all races are rising up against the Imperialist. Take heart. Do not despair. The Imperialists activated the device that has doomed your planet. Flee now by whatever means. The Resistance will welcome you. The proof is in the following broadcast. Copy it and disseminate it wherever you go. All need to see what the Imperialists are capable of. Like my comrade in arms who died getting out the broadcast I too am doomed. My craft is located at grid 3456.2187.4221.9674. It is without power and heading for Q4. But for as long as I may breathe I pray you all will survive. For liberty.”

He then set the broadcast to play and relaxed as best he could. It would be at least six hours before he got a reply given the distance he was to Q2. But he reckoned he would not be around to hear any reply anyway. He expected at least one enemy ship to react once they heard the broadcast in about three hours’ time. If the enemy were going to react they would do so quickly or so he thought. Either way he needed to be alert. Given the distance he expected they would warp from their current geo stationery orbits around Q2. If they did they would be within missile range an hour later.

Chapter 3. Resolute in Qwantum 1120, 13 August

“Get the Captain” ordered Crystal, who still had the watch.

“Sir” hailed Jasmin.

“Yes” replied Dave from his office where he was actually taking some time out to write a message to Rihan.

“You better come and see this.”

“On my way.” He strode into the command centre less than a minute later. “What is it?” he asked.

“This” said Crystal and she nodded to Jasmin who replayed back the transmission from Konkorda Pod 2.

“I’ve got a fix on the source” said Crsytal. “It’s here.”

Dave nodded as he saw the icon on the holo. “Bring up those gravity overlays.” Crystal did so. Dave could see that it would soon be within the no go area. “Chase” he hailed “I need you in the command centre.”

“Right O Sir” came back the reply. Chase put down his book in the officers mess and rushed out. As he did so he advised Ivan “Something’s up.”

“When was that message sent?” Dave asked Jasmin in the command centre.

“1110 Sir.”

Chase came walking in and went straight to his terminal. Ivan arrived shortly after. Others, including Chen, entered over the next few minutes as word spread throughout the ship.

“Chase I think we have the source of that broadcast floating without power here” said Dave highlighting the Pod. “How long would it take for us to get there? How long for one of those enemy frigates to do the same?”

“Won’t be long for us Sir. The enemy will have to warp if it is to get there within the day. Give me a minute.”

“By my calc the enemy will receive that message at about 1400 Sir” advised Jasmin.

“Add fifteen and use that as your start time for the enemy frigate, Chase, and set our start time for now plus fifteen” directed Dave.

“On it” responded Chase. A few seconds later routes appeared on the holo and few seconds after that the estimated time of arrivals (ETAs) for each craft appeared at the end of the routes.

“Good thanks Chase. So we can be there around 1300 well before they actually receive the broadcast.”

“Yep and we can be well gone before their earliest arrival around 1530” added Chase.

Dave nodded. “Add a sequential task. Plot me a warp route to Q2 that puts us within beam range of that enemy CAP, set the start time for say 1430, after that frigate will have warped away.”

Chase gave a big smile as he responded “Sure thing!”

“Do you think this wise Sir” questioned Ivan. “We could end up using a good portion of our missiles on this fight and a doomed planet is not worth securing.”

“Maybe” said Dave but it will give those resistance fighters an opportunity to get away and fight another day. We need to show that we are here to provide real tangible support. That’s how more and more will join the Resistance.”

“OK then” said Ivan.

“What about the frigate that warps back here?” asked Crystal. “Are we going to let it get away?”

“Wait” said Dave and he turned to Chase. “Timings?”

“OK coming up now” responded Chase. “We should be able to hit them over Q2 about the same time as that frigate warps in out here.”

“With the time delay he won’t know we’ve hit them for another three hours” said Ivan as it dawned on him.

Dave smiled.

“Which means we can warp back here and hit them” added Ivan.

“But that assumes they dick around here for several hours” contested Crystal. “I wouldn’t. They’ll put a couple missiles into the pod and warp back to Q2.”

“I agree with you Crystal” said Dave “and they’ll warp right back to where they came from and we’ll be waiting for them.”

“What about ground based batteries?” asked Chase. “They will engage us if we hang around in range and we’ll be detected as soon as we do our beam attack.”

“Good point” acknowledged Dave. “But I reckon we can do a sweep behind the Q2 moon that will mask us until our friend comes back from its jaunt. Then we nail it.”

Crystal nodded her approval. Dave turned to Ivan.

“Works for me” he said.

“Me too” said Chase. “Shall I work up the plan?”

“What do you think Jasmin?” asked Dave.

“I concur Sir” she said formally “But I would recommend also taking advantage of our close proximity to attempt to contact the Resistance. We need to find out what is actually happening on the ground. I’m assuming you intend to land a force to secure the spaceport there. We can’t stay in this star system but the Resistance will need that spaceport to get out and they probably need our assistance to secure it.”

Dave thought for a moment about the implications of a ground commitment. “OK, contact the Resistance once we engage the enemy but I want more details on the state of play down there before I commit to a ground op. Good advice Jasmin.”

Ivan was all smiles at seeing Jasmin praised. Dave brought him back to serious matters though. “Ivan liaise with Jim, Li and Sue about a possible ground op to secure the spaceport. You will command it if it goes ahead. Work up the COA (Courses of Action ) while we go and recover this pod and be ready to brief me in one hour.”

Ivan was taken aback at being asked to lead such a mission. He was technically less senior to both LCmd Jim Bucknell and LCmd Sue Chalker the commanders of their principle ground forces, namely 30
^th
Marine Company and the 1
^st
Droid Bn. But he could see that Dave was deadly serious and so he finally got out “I better get going then.” He got up from his seat and began walking out of the command centre.

Dave caught the eye of Chen who looked at him to remind Dave of his promise. Dave nodded. “Oh and Ivan” said Dave “remember to include a role for Commander Chen.” That stopped Ivan in his tracks. He turned back to face Dave a little puzzled but then he recalled the conversation he had with Dave last night. He regathered his composure. “Of course. Got it!” and he turned back and, with his long legs, strode out towards the elevator.

Chen nodded his satisfaction to Dave. Dave felt a little pang in his stomach. He dismissed it as just a little fear. “Right Chase let’s work up the plan of attack on those ships.”

As Ivan rode down the elevator to G deck, his mind was racing. He suddenly hit the F deck button, ducked out as soon as the door opened, jogged down to the Fighter Centre and asked Li Nahn to come with him. As they got in the elevator to descend another level Ivan couldn’t help but notice that Li Nahn’s rank badge looked definitely more worn than his. That made three Lt Commanders senior to him not to mention Commander Chen. He was encouraged by the fact that Dave obviously thought he was up to it.

Jim Bucknell had assembled his staff in the briefing room on G deck. Chen and Chalker were also there. Art Simons, another Lt Commander, sat next to Sue Chalker. He was senior to Ivan as well.

Ivan scanned the faces watching him. There was no obvious resentment on any of them. It then struck him that ‘they all seem very accepting’. He took a deep breath in and in a confident manner said “Right then here’s the situation….”

Chapter 4. Phantom in warp to Sturam 1145, 13 August

2
^nd
Lt Neo Kone was a wiry twenty three year old. As one of the 90 day wonders press ganged out of the Academy for the Battle of Polaris he had the good fortune to be assigned to the Phantom. His colleagues were dead envious when they found out. At the time he thought he was the luckiest guy in the fleet.

Not so right now though. If he had to admit it he was shitting himself. In fact his stomach felt decidedly unwell. There was this urge to rush off to the toilet but with only a few minutes to go before coming out of warp there was no way he could do that.

He had been assigned to the Comms/Intel post. This had been 2
^nd
Lt Alice Wu’s post till then. She had been supervising him during the transit, teaching him the ropes. But right now he looked across the command centre to the ops workstation and he could see she was totally focussed on her own duties.

He caught sight of his skipper looking at him. She gave him a reassuring look but he felt anything but reassured. Yes he had seen action in the battles over Polaris and Chelora but then he had not had time to worry about what was happening. But with this almost three week transit he had had plenty of time to worry. Having Commodore Pious and the rogan Resistance leader, Evie Plentun, present wasn’t helping to relieve the tension.

He wiped away the beads of sweat on his brow and tried to focus on the checklist of tasks he had to do on warp out. He jerked up as he felt the presence of Tola Puchanski. She had the watch. He hadn’t even seen her come around from in front of the holo to behind his workstation.

“Everything fine Neo?” she asked softly.

He craned his neck around to see her face. It was a kind face but it was also a strong one. There was confidence and determination in her eyes. “Yes Maam. I’ll be right. I mean, everything’s ready.”