Of Mysteries and Children Pt2
28 Jun 2016Jellicoe
Serabrov Terminal sits in a truly spectacular setting, orbiting a moon that orbits a blue gas giant so closely that it is effectively a part of its ring system. The approach is challenging for a pilot, but enjoyable and very worthwhile as both station and moon command stunning views of the great planet and its rings. The station itself alas did not do its setting justice; the tatty old Coriolis had long since seen better days, its paint was peeling, many of its shops stood empty and packs of youths roamed its public spaces giving them a distinctly menacing feel. As with everywhere if one has the credits there is a better world available and I had made sure we we all had rooms in ‘the fortress’, the small part of the station that was patrolled by black clad security guards, where the paint did not peel, shops were passably well stocked, open spaces could be enjoyed and the collection of pirate chieftains, criminal godfathers and wealthy bounty hunters who passed for high society in this system could escape the consequences their actions forced on everyone else. It was a world away from the cosmopolitan glamour of Cubeo, even the provincial quaintness of Ra but it was here that we were needed and our first job was to find out why. As soon as we had docked I retired to my cabin and put in a call to my contact, as always their face was obscured and their voice disguised, I had no idea if they were young or old, even male or female.“You’re alive then? We heard rumours.” The dehumanised voice asked.
Yes. Near thing though, but for your message I wouldn’t be, can I presume I’m not the only one who’s been attacked?”
“You’re not. Most of the others haven’t been so lucky.”
We’re being targeted then?” I asked. I could never get used to talking like this to a machine human, I wondered who it was and if I knew them, it was an uncomfortable feeling.
“Without question.”
“Any leads?”
“Yes, a name. Hors Firedrake, spends a lot of time in Jitabos, take him down and there’s 240,000 in it for you.”
“What ship’s he in?”
“we don’t know, but either it’s very powerful or he’s exceptionally good.”
“Or both.” I mused.
“Or both.” The voice agreed. “Most important of all is this, Lady Salomé herself will be here in four hours’ time to see off a very important and exceptionally sensitive exploration mission, if she is a target she must be protected at all costs so whether or not you’ve completed the mission by then get back here and provide extra security. We don’t know if this Firedrake is acting alone, we suspect not.”
“Could the mission be the target?”
“It could be.” The metallic voice confirmed.
“Want me to escort them?”
“No. You don’t have the jump range to keep up, there are security wings going along, you’re much more use here. Stop this ship and if he has accomplices stop them too.”
“Understood. Anything else?”
“Just bring this man down. I can’t give you any details but this mission is big, it’s the most important thing we’ve ever done make sure it isn’t stopped before it begins. Out.” I sat down, ordered routine maintenance and fuel after our voyage and opened ship wide comms.
“Commander to all hands. We will be leaving in one hour, nobody is to leave the ship, other than that the time is yours. Senior officers to the briefing room.”
Just over an hour later we slipped out of Serabrov Terminal and jumped to Jitabos. I was a little apprehensive, whatever it we hunted was dangerous and powerful, but I trusted my ship, my crew and my own abilities, I was an old hand at this business and I was still here. We emerged from the glare of the star and Claude began scanning.
“Anything?” I asked
“A Type 9, a Clipper, couple of haulers and a police Viper. Scanning the Clipper…nope, not him.”
“Okay we’ll head for Finney Ring then on to the outer system, stay sharp.”
“Do I ever not?” Claude answered with a chuckle. We continued in silence broken only by Claude reporting new contacts, Cobra’s, freighters, police vessels nothing that could be our quarry.
“Interdiction detected.” The computer announced, I looked at Claude.
“Could it be him?”
“Doubt it.” He replied. “Not unless crack assassins are flying Diamondbacks out here.”
“We won’t waste our time on him then.” I said wrestling with the stick as the resolution rode the wave of energy unleashed by the interdiction and gradually we loosened and finally broke free of the tether. The other pilot wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t very good either, most likely another young man seduced by dreams of easy riches who’d be dead before the year was out, probably sooner if he thought his ship was a match for a fully equipped Corvette. The interdiction had flung us deep into the system, I brought us about on to a heading for the Finney Ring Station when Claude spoke urgently.
“Got something big on the scope skipper, Christ it’s another Corvette!” I locked onto the ship and lined us up for a full scan, the result took just a few seconds.
Federal Corvette
Hors Firedrake
Deadly
Wanted
That’s our man then.” Claude confirmed. “How the hell has he got a Corvette?”
“Not really the immediate priority right now.” I answered. “Tactical assessment please Mr Vikash.”
“Twin plasma accelerators, burst laser, two multi cannons and pulse lasers, four shield boosters. Lasers are turreted from what I can make out.”
“Those lasers will hurt our shields but as long as we stay away from the plasma cannons we should be okay, simple.” I grinned.
“I don’t like this one bit.” Claude was worried. “How’s an assassin way out here got hold of a Corvette? Who’s he working for?”
“Questions for another time.” I answered. “Interdicting now.” I triggered the interdictor and again wrestled with the with the surge or released power.
“Interdiction tether established.” The computer confirmed as I fought to keep the target in my crosshairs. The pilot was good and I was struggling to hang on as the red blocks rose on my display, I was trying every trick in the book, flying by instinct. I was good, Elite in fact but this man was getting away from me.
“I’m losing it.” I called unnecessarily. He was almost away now, I had used everything I had and he had bettered it just who was this man? With a boom we dropped out of supercruise, warning klaxons sounding and messages flashed on my display.
“Warning. Interdiction failure.”
“Warning FSD failure.”
“Hull integrity compromised.” I fought the urge to pound my console in anger and frustration, all pilots hate losing an interdiction, anyone can lose a battle, an enemy can have a better ship, a more advantageous starting position, bigger guns or just plain good luck but to fail an interdiction gave no excuses, you had taken on another pilot on equal terms and you had been out flown, but I was the captain, I had to maintain my calm at all times even when I wanted to smash the whole bridge up.
“Damage report.” I barked.
“Minor damage across all systems, hull integrity at 99%, combat efficiency unimpaired.” Vikash replied tonelessly.
Right then let’s have another go.” I announced with forced cheerfulness. “He can run, let’s see if he can fight.”
“Do remember skipper.” Claude sounded ill at ease. “The exploration mission and Lady Salomé herself will be assembling outside Serabrov soon, if he gives us the slip and gets in amongst them…” he didn’t need to finish the thought.
“Then we’d better make sure he doesn’t get the chance.” I said as confidently as I could. Back in supercruise we resumed our search, crossing and re-crossing the system, first by the usual shipping lanes then the less well used pathways and the outer system. Time ticked by and with it my concern rose that we had lost him, and if we had lost him what havoc could he be wreaking at Serabrov? I was beginning to actively consider abandoning the hunt until the explorers were safely away when we picked up his signal again, a long way distant in the outer system, I set an immediate pursuit course and waited for the interdictor to come into range. I pulled the trigger and once again felt the surge of barely controlled energy unleashed which my quarry and I struggled to exert greater mastery over than the other, our ships hurtled and tumbled through space engines roaring under barely conceivable stress. Again though as hard as I fought the red blocks rose inexorably until.
“Interdiction failed.” I stared out into space in a blind fury, not trusting myself to speak.
“I’ve never known anyone get the better of you twice.” Claude whispered in shock. “Maybe we’ve bitten off too much.”
“All that proves is he’s good at running.” I hissed back, Claude nodded uncertainly.
Again we found him, again we interdicted and again he escaped. He was better than me, there was no way to avoid the conclusion, the only hope we had was that that did not extend to combat. If we could ever force him into combat.”
“Got an idea.” Claude said when my fury had subsided, his cheerfulness sounding very forced. “The way ha just appears on our scanners well inside range, he must be jumping in and out of normal space, so we just pick him up, follow him and when he drops from supercruise we follow him, saves having to interdict him.” He said sounding uncharacteristically tense.
“Don’t know if you’ve already thought of this.” Vikash said. “But he’s an assassin in a very powerful ship targeting our members, but he’s not once turned to fight us, why not?”
“Decoy! Claude and I exclaimed together.
“Makes sense doesn’t it?” Vikash asked. “Keep one of the enemy’s most powerful ships tied up while someone else strikes elsewhere.” Claude and I looked at each other, it made perfect sense and both of us had been too wrapped up in the chase and the ability of our adversary to have considered it.
“Sent a priority one message to our contact at Serabrov, highest level of encryption,” I said. “Message to read – Suspect serious possible threat to both the mission and Lady Salomé. Suggest maximum security precautions be taken, end of message. We’ll give it as long as we can then get back just in case.” Back in supercruise we picked up our target quickly this time, I kept our distance trying to look as though I had given up and was making for the station half hoping he would interdict us, instead he vanished from my scanner.
“He’s low waked.” Claude said. “I’ve locked the cloud get after him. Following a ship out of supercruise is not easy, you must get there quickly before the cloud collapses but only a slight misjudgement of your speed means you overshoot and almost certainly lose the cloud before you can correct. Fortunately I judged it perfectly.
“Everybody ready?” I asked, Claude and Vik both nodded. “Claude make sure we’ve got an emergency jump ready just in case.”
“You’ve never given that order before.” He said grimly and I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring look.
“Target his power plant Vik, full pips to weapons, I’ll try to outmanoeuvre him.” I punched us back into normal space and as we emerged I saw his signature on my scanner a few klicks off our port beam, I brought us about and boosted after him, he had clearly seen us and moved to get us in his forward arc. As the range hit two kilometres I fired all our lasers and multi cannons, boosted again pulling our nose up before switching off flight assist to flip us round so I could keep firing as we pulled away, hopefully avoiding his plasma accelerators. It was a trick that always worked, even against the very best pilots, except this time. Whether he anticipated my ploy, whether his reactions were genetically enhanced or whether he was just plain lucky I will never know but just as the Resolution was swinging into firing position two bolts of supercharged plasma slammed into our shields closely followed by the glittering cloud of a burst laser.
“Shields at 70%” Vik called sounding concerned, I fired again, I knew it would take time for his plasma guns to recharge so I had around ten seconds of time on target, trying to keep my guns in firing position while keeping us out of his forward firing arc while he twisted and pivoted to do the opposite. Combat in space is often likened to a dance and I can see why, but in the dance one is working with ones partner knowing when and where they will move but in space the opposite is true, a pilot is trying to surprise his for with the unexpected, to impose himself on his adversary not cooperate with him, our battle epitomised that perfectly, I was trying to stay away from his big but slow firing guns while my smallr but rapid firing ones chewed through his shields, my antagonist was trying to line up his knockout punch. Every time I thought I had the advantage he would somehow roll, twist or flip to land a volley from his big guns. In all my time in space I do not believe I had ever faced a foe as skilled in such a powerful craft, our shields failed within seconds of each other’s but this crucially gave us the advantage, firstly the Resolution’s expensively up-armoured hull could take a lot more punishment than even a navy spec Corvette, and perhaps even more importantly I could now throw in my big guns; twin cannon, of little use against shields but devastating against hulls and vitally, much faster firing than the plasma weapons of the enemy. The battle whirled and flowed but with shields down the enemy’s lasers were of limited use against our heavily armoured hull while our cannon were devastating against his. A plasma volley hurt us but we had the armour to take it and under the concentrated bombardment his power plant failed and the great ship hung dead in space.
“Open a channel Claude please.” I asked and he gestured to indicate it was done. “This is commander Jellicoe of the spaceship Resolution. My orders are to destroy your ship not to murder its crew, you have thirty seconds to abandon ship before we resume firing. My compliments on a superbly fought engagement.”
“Very chivalrous.” Claude grunted. “Sure we won’t live to regret that?”
“Maybe, but ten to one he’s working for someone and if we find out who I won’t be letting them go.” Claude nodded. “Right, lay in a course for Serabrov, our work today may not be done yet.”
Serabrov Terminal is around 1500 light seconds from the jump in point and I spent the journey in a state of mounting concern, what if the assassin had not been acting alone? What if the hand that was raised against us knew about the mission and Salomé’s presence? Would security be adequate? Had our warning got through? I watched the distance decreasing as my fears rose. Another worry was clawing at my mind as well, if a serious attack was mounted how much use would we be? We had taken damage from the assassins’ ship, our ammunition was depleted and our cell banks empty. We were able to fight and fight well but we would be at a big disadvantage in a sustained engagement against serious opposition. I completed our approach, dropped out of supercruise and with full power to engines boosted hard for the station. I had been half expecting to see flashes of laser fire and the explosions of stricken ships but there was nothing, only a mass of blips on the scanner.
It seemed as if every member of the Children of Raxxla was present at the station as an armarda of vessels gathered just outside the docking bay with more arriving all the time, fighting ships, explorers, traders all were present and at the centre of the gathering in a blood red Imperial Clipper was Lady Salomé herself. I worked my way through the assembled throng to her ship, if anyone was planning an attack I wanted to be able to get the Resolutions iron arse between them and Lady Salomé.
“Keep your eyes skinned for anything suspicious, keep scanning everyone.” I barked anxiously. It would have taken someone exceptionally stupid or suicidal to have launched an attack amidst such a fleet and so close to the station and exceptional luck to destroy any of our ships, still it paid to be cautious.
Salomé began to speak, she warned again of dark forces on the move dividing us against ourselves, of the dangers of the promise of wealth blinding too many to the truth.
Why was that Anaconda moving towards us?
Lady Salomé continued, why was Halsey amassing data? What truly lay behind it? Could she be trusted?
Is it working its way into firing position?
Why, Salomé asked had Patreus built a new capital ship at a time of supposed peace.
He’s got a clear run if he boosts into her behind a full volley.
Salomé was still speaking, telling us to continue to seek out the truth and trust nobody but each other.
“Claude ask that Annie who he is and what he’s up to, I’m going to get us between him and Salomé.” I gently nudged the thrusters to block any potential line of attack. “All power to shields Vik.” I ordered as we inched into position.
Lady Salomé was coming to the end of her speech, thanking us for our trust and support and speaking of the importance of the mission to the rift, then warned again that there were threats out in the deep of which we knew nothing. Did she know anything solid or was she really as in the dark as the rest of us?
“Bloody oath Jellicoe!” A harsh voice came through on another channel. “Get your arse out of the bloody way so a bloke can get a look at that ship.” My tension instantly evaporated.
“Oh it’s you Bruce.” I said in a voice full of relief.
“Course it’s me you stupid bastard, how many other orange bloody Anaconda’s do you know of? Or did you think I was a bloody Thargoid in disguise?” Commander Bruce Kelly was not a man to mince his words, bounty hunter, explorer and occasional smuggler he had been one of us almost as long as I had. He had a loud mouth but a shrewd brain, he was also, unusually for a spacer completely tea total. “Now get out of the bloody way before I stick a plasma bolt up your arse.” I eased out of his path almost laughing out loud with relief.