Void Wraith (The Void Wraith Trilogy Book 2) (12 page)

Nolan approached warily. "What is it, Fizgig? We don't have much time."

"The time has come for us to part ways. I will be joining Khar on the
Claw of Tigrana
. Izzy will be accompanying us," Fizgig said. She placed a paw on Nolan's shoulder. "You have done well these past months. You are one of the rare few with both the talent and the will to act. Keep up your training, and give your life in defense of Lena. She is more important than any of us. Your mission is equally so. Goddess go with you."

"Thank you, Fizgig," Nolan said, giving her a genuine smile. "For everything. I mean that. I'm grateful for your teaching--and you know what? I'm going to miss you."

"To my great surprise, I can say the same. Dryker taught me to respect your race. You have taught me that they can become family," Fizgig said, giving him a respectful nod. From her, that was as good as a hug.

Izzy stood with Annie and Hannan near the mouth of the corridor leading back to the airlock. She and Nolan exchanged a fierce hug, then Izzy moved off to stand with Khar.

The comm vibrated in Nolan's pocket again. "Tigrana watch over you, Fizgig," he said, and trotted down the corridor, Hannan falling smoothly into line behind him. They made great time back to the airlock doors, while Khar, Izzy, and Fizgig split off down another corridor.

"I'm actually a little sad to be losing them," Hannan said, glancing after Izzy. Nolan knew the pair had grown close.

"You know what? Me too, and not just because we'll miss them during the next firefight," Nolan said, slamming the airlock control. He wondered if he'd ever see Fizgig again. He hoped so.

Chapter 29- Running the Gauntlet

"Nolan, do not respond to this transmission," Dryker said, pivoting his throne to face the dome. "It's likely our Void Wraith friends are monitoring this. Don't reveal your location, just get out of here and see to your mission."

The dome showed a wonderful tapestry of the battle, and as Dryker watched, colors and objects began to appear. He realized suddenly that the dome wasn't just decorative. It was functional. The Primo used it to run battles, and the thrones allowed them to move quickly to the area of the battle they wished to study. He was damned impressed.

In this case, the yellow star dominated the view. Their battle group made their way toward the sun, shields at full strength. That was another Primo advantage. Human vessels had the inductive field necessary to survive the stresses of a star, but they required enormous energy to use. That made them impractical for combat. The Primo apparently had a less energy-intensive way of utilizing shields.

"Celendra, how long until we reach the star's corona?" Dryker asked, watching the sun grow larger.

"Just under three minutes," she answered, zooming her throne closer to his. "What do you intend to do?"
 

"
Claw of Tigrana
, this is Dryker. What's your status?" Dryker asked, ignoring Celendra's question.

"We are well, Dryker," Fizgig's voice answered, confidently. "The vessel is understrength, and we lack the warriors for a sustained battle. We will do what we can."

"Negative," Dryker ordered. "You're to do the same as Nolan, avoid engagement and escape into the star as soon as possible. We need you to reach your people."

"Acknowledged," Fizgig rumbled. "Tigrana watch over you, Dryker."

Dryker didn't reply, instead studying the disposition of the ships. They were in a simple starburst pattern, each close enough to respond if any of the others were attacked. The formation was getting closer to the sun, with no sign of the Void Wraith fleet. Dryker hated not knowing how many enemy vessels were out there, but he was grateful Nolan had provided them any warning at all.

"Celendra, what's the most expedient way to address all vessels at once?" Dryker asked, turning to the Primo. Her large, red eyes studied him.

"You may use the blue button on the far side of the arm. I've just enabled it to our fleetwide broadcast," Celendra said. She paused, then spoke again. "You're aware that they're listening to us."

It wasn't a question, and Dryker didn't bother replying. He didn't have time to teach; he needed to
do
. "Primo fleet, this is Dryker. Odds are good the Void Wraith will attack us as we reach the corona. Slow your advance, and cover each other's flanks."

Dryker toggled the button off, then turned to Celendra. "I want you to ready all offensive weaponry, and every drone this thing can launch. The second you see them de-cloak and attack the
Claw of Tigrana
, I want to destroy the closest Void Wraith vessel."

The distance between the Primo fleet and the
Claw
began to lengthen. Dryker's heart sped as he wondered if he was making the right decision. If he was wrong about Primo reaction time, he might not be able to save the
Claw
. That would be a catastrophic loss, as Fizgig was their only real ally among the Tigris. But this was also their only prayer of drawing the Void Wraith out of hiding, rather than being ambushed by them.

"We are prepared, Admiral Dryker," Celendra finally said. "Seventy-six drones have powered up their reactors. Be aware that this will tax their power level, and they will not be able to fight as long before returning."

"Noted," Dryker said, pivoting the throne to examine the
Claw
. Enough space had opened up that it would take several seconds to close to weapon's range. The
Claw
was close enough to the sun that she would reach the safety of the corona in another sixty seconds.

"Harvesters de-cloaking," Celendra called, a note of panic in her voice. "They're surrounding the
Claw of Tigrana
."

A trio of harvesters rippled into view, each powering up their main weapons. Behind them, three more de-cloaked, these moving to intercept the
First Light
. It seemed they knew who was giving the orders.

"Now, Celendra. Launch everything we have," Dryker said, already broadcasting again before she could respond. "Primo fleet, this is Admiral Dryker. Concentrate all fire on the vessels closest to the
Claw of Tigrana
."

Celendra bore an intense look of concentration, and waves of sleek blue drones began launching from the fighter bays. The tiny, unmanned fighters were basically a plasma rifle bolted to a chassis, with just enough power and intelligence to fight for brief periods.
 

The drones swarmed the closest harvester, streaks of green energy shooting out in uneven patterns. Because the harvester was firing at the
Claw of Tigrana
, it lacked the power to boost its shields. The first few plasma bursts were shunted harmlessly away, but the rest punched through the shield. Black furrows dug into the pristine blue metal, tearing apart vital systems.

Most of the drones focused on the engines, and after several moments of intense fire, something flared there. The crackling ball of blue plasma the ship had been about to fire changed--fading, then disappearing entirely.
 

"Witness the power of the Primo, Admiral," Celendra said coldly.
 

The Primo carrier began to vibrate, a low hum that washed through Dryker's entire body. Then blue-white brilliance poured from the
First Light
. The torrent of energy tore into the already damaged engines, and a massive explosion tore through the back side of the harvester.
 

The drones continued their assault, focusing on already damaged areas. Fires bloomed all along the harvester's hull as internal explosions rocked the ship. She wasn't dead, but she was out of the fight.

"Revenge is sweet," Celendra said, giving a predatory smile.

Dryker ignored her, focusing on the
Claw of Tigrana
. They'd stopped one of the three attacking ships. The other two were still firing.

Chapter 30- Claw

Fizgig settled into the captain's chair for the first time in months, smiling as she ran her fingers along one of the pillows. Khar hadn't replaced a single one, and there was very little of his fur or scent. Certainly not enough to seep into the fabric. It was as if he'd known she'd be returning, and had used the chair sparingly.

The bridge was woefully understaffed. Izzy was handling communications and piloting, while Khar was manning sensors and weaponry--not that they had much in the way of weaponry. One of the dart tubes had been destroyed, and they only had a handful of darts remaining. There weren't enough crew to man even those few.

Fizgig stared up at the view screen, a welcome change from the holomap on the Void Wraith harvester. The holomap might be tactically superior, but Fizgig had spent decades adapting to the view screen on vessels like the
Claw
. It just felt right.
 

The screen showed the Primo fleet tightening into a cluster. They were using a simple starburst pattern, which would allow all vessels to react quickly, regardless of what direction they were attacked from. The massive vessels were falling further behind, and as the gap between them and the
Claw
widened, Fizgig gave a broad grin.

"Clever, Dryker," Fizgig murmured. They were being used as bait. "Izzy, order all stations to prepare for imminent attack."

Fizgig was unsurprised when the trio of harvesters shimmered into view around them. She dropped instantly into her old command role, the thrill of combat firing her blood.

"Izzy!" Fizgig roared, rising from her cushioned chair. "Tilt the vessel forty-five degrees along the Z axis. Maximum acceleration."

Izzy responded instantly, and the
Claw
shuddered as it accelerated. If the maneuver worked, the star's gravity would drastically increase their speed, and once they'd broken free of combat they could descend safely into the corona.

If
it worked.

"Mighty Fizgig, they're firing," Izzy said, her tail brisling in a very undignified way.
 

"Stand fast," Khar growled. "We are Tigris. We do not flinch from death."

The
Claw
rumbled in pain, sparks flying from already-damaged systems as the first Void Wraith plasma cannon impacted against the starboard side of the ship. The second hit a moment later, and the lights flickered across the bridge.

"All power to engines," Fizgig said, barely keeping her footing as the ship rocked again.
 

The
Claw
began pulling away from the harvesters, the gravity of the star whipping the
Claw
like a rock from a slingshot. Both Void Wraith vessels moved to pursue, but several of the Primo carriers had broken off to assist. If they could hold a little while, the Primo would deal with the Void Wraith.

"Mighty Fizgig, shall I deploy darts?" Khar asked, grabbing the railing next to the gunnery station as the
Claw
shuddered dangerously.

"Mighty Fizgig, damage reports coming in now," Izzy said, her words on the heels of Khar's.

Only three of them to man an entire bridge, and even fewer to crew the vessel itself. It seemed unfair, but wasn't that always the way of it?

"How many darts remaining, Khar Prideless?" Fizgig said, rising calmly from the captain's chair. Her tail longed to dash about, but she restrained it to a low, smooth swishing.

"Seven," Khar answered, clearly frustrated by their lack of firepower.

"Do not deploy," Fizgig commanded. She turned to Izzy. "Damage report. Worst areas only."

"We've lost compression along the starboard side of the ship, but as the crew was largely in port, casualties were light. No fatalities," Izzy said. She scanned her data screen for a moment, then looked up to meet Fizgig's gaze. "Our inductive field emitter was damaged. It's only capable of eighty percent strength."

Fizgig allowed herself three deep breaths. She used them to consider the entirety of the situation. The most important factor was escaping the Void Wraith, which meant they had no choice but to dive into the sun. Doing so with hull damage was problematic, though. The weakened inductive field would allow intense radiation through. Unprotected areas of the ship would be melted to useless slag.
 

"Khar, get everyone to the port side of the core wall, then seal all bulkheads," Fizgig ordered, knowing she'd be dooming at least a few of her remaining crew that would be unable to escape in time.

Khar began rumbling orders over the comm, face bent low over the communications station next to gunnery. Fizgig was pleased at how quickly he was able to shift from position to position. That kind of versatility was rare, particularly among males his age. He was less rash than most, perhaps as a result of Dryker's tutelage.

"Izzy, how long until the Void Wraith intercept?" Fizgig asked, licking her paw and using it to smooth the fur along her neck. Retaining her composure was the difference between death and victory.

"Two minutes, Mighty Fizgig," Izzy replied. She studied her screen, then spoke again. "Four Primo carriers will close eight seconds after the Void Wraith reach us."

"Dive for the corona. Do it now!" Fizgig roared. She gave a pleased purr as the
Claw
broke for the star's surface. There was no way to stop them from reaching it now. Their allies would have to fend for themselves, but she would reach Tigris space and put an end to Mow. "Tigrana's blessing, Dryker. I've no doubt you'll survive this as you have every other attempt to kill you."

She stared at the view screen, watching the Primo fleet deploy as the
Claw
finally reached the safety of the sun.

Chapter 31- Stand and Fight

"Celendra, keep us moving toward the rest of the carrier group," Dryker ordered, knuckles going white as he gripped the arms of the throne. He watched the battle unfold, his heart thundering in his chest. Commanding an entire battle was not at all like being in charge of a single ship. His respect for Mendez increased. The old man had made this look easy, until he'd been co-opted by the enemy.

Three harvesters were moving toward the
First Light
. They hadn't even begun cloaking, and instead were warming up their main weapons. Balls of plasma gathered between their wingtips, growing larger before finally discharging.