Scrapyard Ship 7: Call to Battle (27 page)

The soldier out front seemed to come to a decision and was already unlocking the cell door. The other three had their weapons trained inside. The door hinges screeched loudly as the door swung open. The baby began to cry … softly at first, and then louder.

The first soldier moved into the cell and roughly pushed Nan and Dira out of the way. Boomer, still seated with her arms around her knees, looked up into the face of the Craing soldier. His head turned side to side, like a confused puppy, as more crying sounds came from behind her. Boomer waited for him to make his move. Then, she’d make her own move.

Chapter 40

They were operating with all available hands on the bridge. Like Jason, his XO, Lieutenant Commander Perkins, was well into his third straight duty shift. “Shields down to ten percent,” he announced, “and we’re about to lose both the starboard and port-side rear plasma cannons. It’s the heat … it’s affecting them all.”

“Phase-shift system up?” Jason asked.

“It should’ve been back alive two minutes ago,” McBride said, turning in his chair, apologetic. “We’re completely flanked from all sides … we’re literally at the center point of several thousand enemy warships, Captain.”

“Seaman Gordon, hail the
Minian
… scratch that … put out a distress call to the
Minian
.”

“
Minian
’s waiting for her own phase-shift system to recharge, sir.”

No sooner was Jason on his feet than
The Lilly
violently jerked, sending him sprawling across the command chair. “Damage report!”

“Shields down. We’re now taking direct hits. Multiple hull breaches reported on decks one and three.”

The Lilly
shook violently again, and the sounds of plasma fire, bombarding the ship’s hull, were loud enough to hurt Jason’s ears. “Make an announcement … everyone’s to activate their SuitPacs, if they haven’t done so already.” He hesitated before saying the next words … words he had hoped he’d never have to say: “Be prepared to abandon ship.”

The young communications officer looked back at Jason with a shocked expression. Perkins moved over to the comms panel and made the announcement himself. Jason triggered his own SuitPac while registering the dire enormity of their present situation, showing on the logistics segment of the wrap-around display. He wondered whether he was now the last person alive in his family. Thoughts of Mollie and Boomer flooded his emotions with love and sadness. His next thoughts were of Nan and their unborn child. Then, of Dira, and the true love they’d never experience together. Perhaps, it was most fitting, he would soon be joining them.

Jason stared at the numerous individual display segments. Each view revealed a disheartening display of overwhelming Drac-Vin superiority.
There’s so many of them.

“Captain … we have partial phase-shift capability,” McBride said.

“What exactly does that mean, Ensign?”

“The systems never fully recharged. We may be able to get out of the epicenter of this mess, though.”

“Give the orders for our fighter pilots to phase-shift back into the flight deck.”

It felt like hours but, in reality, was less than two minutes for
The Lilly
’s last fighters to be secured back on board.

“Do it, Ensign! Put us somewhere out of the action … Go!”

The flash came and went. All sounds of battle vanished and Jason was able to stand straight, without grasping the back of his command chair. “Where the hell are we?”

“Thirty thousand miles out from our previous position,” McBride said.

Orion added, “It’s a relatively unoccupied section of space. But venting to space … Drac-Vin sensors will pick us up, eventually.”

Jason sat down. “Casualties?”

“Twenty dead. Forty injured. Medical is overwhelmed,” Perkins said.

“So what’s left that’s still working?”

“Critical damage throughout the ship,” Perkins said. “We still have minimal sub-FTL propulsion; one plasma cannon and one rail cannon are operational; but with the phase-synthesizer only partially working … most of our phase-shift ordnances won’t be available.”

“How about shields? Any chance we can get them partially back up?” Jason asked Orion directly.

“No … no way, Captain.”

The finality of her statement took the rest of the bridge crew by surprise. Without shields, their fate was sealed. It was only a matter of time.

Ricket entered the bridge, breathing hard. He rushed to the command chair and tried to catch his breath. “Most of the DeckPorts are down.”

“Got any good news to share, Ricket?” Jason asked, attempting a weak smile.

“Perhaps I do, Captain.” Ricket turned back towards the entrance to the bridge.

Jason didn’t immediately comprehend what he was looking at. The entrance was blocked by something. A battle droid! Jason jumped to his feet and raised his arms, ready to fire on the mechanical beast.

“No, Captain!” Ricket shouted. “This droid’s been re-programmed. That’s where I’ve been the last five hours. Revising it into an Allied asset, plus giving it several new capabilities.”

“Captain, a ship … the
Assailant
has arrived in our local space,” Orion said. “She’s obviously fast and has cloaking devices. She wasn’t anywhere near here several moments ago.”

“We’re being hailed, Captain,” Seaman Gordon said.

This was what Jason had dreaded—Ot-Mul resuming his live-video feeds. Who would be slaughtered before his eyes this time? Were any of them even alive still? He contemplated not answering the hail. Just finish up the battle between them, between warships. But he had to know … one way or another.

“Captain, no less than a thousand ships are moving into this area of space. They’re positioning themselves—flanking us again.”

“A new hail, Captain—”

“I’m well aware Ot-Mul wants to resume his—”

“No, Captain … there’s a second hail. It’s from … an Admiral Ti.”

Jason then realized all the approaching vessels’ icons, as viewed on the logistical display segment, weren’t the same bright red color. Some were green, indicating they weren’t exactly Allied ships—but more like
possible
friendlies. What he was seeing was the lost fleet of the Mau. Once, close to four hundred warships had abruptly left the sector. Not totally unexpected—especially since the Craing, specifically Ot-Mul, and his Vanguard fleet of dreadnaughts, had destroyed their planetary system … in essence, making the Mau fleet of four hundred ships homeless. And yet now, here they were.

“Please have Admiral Ti stand by. Put Ot-Mul on screen.”

The Drac-Vin commander looked positively ecstatic. He was making no attempt to hide his jubilance. “Ah, Captain … I was beginning to wonder if you were going to speak with me again. Perhaps your feelings have been hurt. I mean … look at that ship of yours. It’s ruined. Beyond repair. But that is not why we are now speaking, is it? Our TV show is about to resume … Shall we?”

“One second, Admiral. I have one last command to give my tactical officer first.” Jason turned away from the Craing commander. “Gunny … I need you to do something for me.” In the span of sixty seconds, Jason quietly outlined to Orion exactly what he wanted her and a small team to immediately do. She nodded and quickly left the bridge. Jason turned back to the overhead display.

Ot-Mul’s smug face was no longer there. Instead, Jason was again looking at a live feed—panning over one dark holding cell after another within a Craing heavy cruiser. And the same four soldiers, seemingly, were moving down a catwalk. Jason’s throat felt dry—constricted. His heart pounded in his chest, realizing what he was about to see would be the end of someone’s life … someone he loved.

The same weapon-mounted camera chronicled the visual story, playing up on the display segment above him.
The Lilly
’s bridge had gone quiet. The Craing soldiers reached the metal door and unlocked it. A weapon’s muzzle, holding the camera, was leveled on Nan. Her face was devoid of all color—white, and moist with perspiration. She looked sick … terrible.

There was something odd, though. Why … how … had Dira managed to get into the same cell? Following was a commotion—pushing and shoving—Nan and Dira were shoved violently against the cell’s bars. Mollie went sprawling in the opposite direction. Jason didn’t understand.
What’s Boomer doing there, huddled on the deck?
How did that happen? It didn’t matter how … Boomer was about to die. Jason was about to see his little girl shot, from point blank range, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Ot-Mul’s face returned to the screen. He held up his palms. “This! This … is what it’s all come down to, Captain. Before I give the order for that little girl to die, I needed to see your face. I wanted to hear you beg for her life. I also wanted to let you know I’ve already dispatched my battle droid. It will reach your already-decimated ship within minutes. In mere moments, everything, and everyone, important to you, will be … no more. But first, you will witness your daughter’s demise.” The feed switched back to the holding cell.

Chapter 41

Orion and Sergeant Jackson phase-shifted together onto the Mau vessel within minutes of the captain’s directive. No convincing, or haggling, was necessary to bring the Mau officer on board with Jason’s plan. Ti, a Mau admiral, had lost everything to the Craing—to Ot-Mul—and her need for revenge was as strong today as it had been months earlier, when she watched her home planet atomized by the Vanguard fleet of dreadnaughts. Ti made it clear—she alone would confront the Drac-Vin leader … in person … in her own way.

Orion was instructed where on the Mau vessel to phase-shift to and that only two could go. The given phase-shift coordinates put Orion and Jackson into a large holding area. They arrived in a white flash and immediately Orion checked her HUD. Although they weren’t visible to her yet, on her HUD she saw they were surrounded by no less than twenty armed Mau icons.

“I hope you’re right about them being friendly, Gunny,” Jackson remarked over their open comms channel.

“I’m right. And I’ll remind you again … this race of people is highly empathic and telepathic. Watch your thoughts and emotions carefully.”

“Copy that.”

Orion watched as the Mau moved in closer around them. She was well aware of the emotional impact these people were capable of inflicting … something the captain had reminded her of prior to them phase-shifting onto the Mau ship. The second they set foot on the vessel, the Mau’s collective feelings of hopelessness and despair began to infiltrate her mind. She wondered if Captain Ti’s call to
The Lilly
was only a ruse to get them on board—but then again, what would be the point? Two Allied
crewmembers held on board a Mau ship would hardly represent a strategic coup. No, what she was feeling was nothing more than the negative charge these people were projecting. She now understood why no more than two people were allowed to phase-shift here. It was for her and Jackson’s own good, as well as for that of the Mau.

The Mau admiral, evident by her dark purple-blue robe, approached closer to them. What Orion felt was extreme uneasiness. She caught herself counting the seconds she’d be forced to remain in the Mau officer’s presence.

“I am Ti, admiral of the Mau fleet. I thank you for agreeing to our terms and for your presence here. The Mau fleet has withdrawn, as I discussed with your captain. Admiral Ot-Mul should have little concern about our ship’s presence in this sector. Only when I give the command will my warships return and engage the enemy.”

Orion watched as the Mau officer communicated with her, finding it fascinating. Ti’s wide, gaping mouth never actually moved, and her face was truly one of the more frightening things Orion had ever seen. She was certain she’d have nightmares about her for a long while to come … but, given the current state of affairs, nightmares were surely the least of her problems.

Ti gestured to the Mau circled around them. “These Mau, specially chosen for this mission, have powerful empathic capabilities.”

Orion moved as if her skeletal system was devoid of movable joints. Stiff and awkward, she turned to look at Sergeant Jackson.

“Will your phase-shift technology enable us, all together, to transport onto the Craing vessel?” asked Admiral Ti.

Orion did the calculations in her mind and nodded. She and Jackson, wearing additional rhino-warrior’s phase-shift belts, were capable of transporting over a thousand pounds each. The Mau were slight, waif-like people. There would be no over-weight issues here. “It will not be a problem. Time is of the essence … we are ready now, if you are.”

* * *

Billy Hernandez checked his weapon for the fifth time in ten minutes.

“I’m betting that multi-gun is as ready now as it was two minutes ago,” Lieutenant Grimes said from the pilot’s seat.

Billy, seated next to her in the cockpit, didn’t reply. She was right. It was a nervous reaction to a stressful situation. He didn’t like that they were such a small team for this mission. He looked over his shoulder into the cabin behind him and saw the entirety of his team—Rizzo and Traveler.

“What we’ve pieced together,” Grimes continued, “was that the U.S. heavy cruiser was infiltrated by the Drac-Vin. Once on board, the Craing crewmembers were systematically expelled out an airlock. Readings show the remains of some three hundred dead Craing two hundred miles from here.”

Billy transferred the stub of his cigar from one corner of his mouth to the other. “They didn’t need an army to infiltrate and capture that cruiser.”

The stark-white U.S. heavy cruiser was now within view and Grimes made no attempt to slow their progress. “I agree … all they needed was one battle droid. Looks like there’s a security force of approximately fifty Drac-Vin stationed at various key locations around the ship. You sure you’ll be able to handle them? I could tag along, in case you need backup,” Grimes added.

“No. As long as that battle droid is no longer around, this should be a piece of cake.”

“Then what’s got you so nervous?”