Favors Part 5
24 May 2024Vasil Vasilescu
Following Title of Marque Part 5"Now hear this.” Announced Vodan over the open comm, “Anyone that's thinking of surrendering to a little girl, let me know, and I'll get you a pwitty dwess, so you'll look just precious at Red's next tea party. As for you Jade, you're playing with the big boys now, and you don't even measure up to your dad; and he was a wannabe piss-ant too. Take your tricorn hat off, and give it to ya ships cat; that flea-bag'd make a better Red Jade. I'm coming for you."
Marcela “Red Jade” Enciso briefly wondered which of the two ship’s cats Vodan was referring to, Mr. Fish, or Miss Chips. Neither would be very happy about being called a fleabag. They took great pride in their appearance.
“Aww, you’re so thoughtful,” said Red Jade with a tone so sugary that it could cause diabetes. “But no need for you to come here. I’ll bring the tea party to you because I’m such a sweet wee wittle girly!”
“Engines to half,” ordered Red Jade. “Helm, bring us close enough to spit on that trash pile. CIC, Inform the Löwe we are closing to point blank and to maneuver as necessary to maintain their fire on the target. FireCon, calculate focused firing solution against the Anansi for all remaining batteries.”
“Captain, are you sure about this?” asked Bully Bill. “We can pick them apart from a distance.”
“They have two choices, Bill; surrender or destruction. If they manage to disable the last interdictor array, we can try to mass-lock them and keep them in the fight. Being aggressive may save more lives if it convinces the crew to start surrendering.”
“Targeting solution calculated, Captain,” announced the Fire Control Officer.
“Then let’s serve up the tea. Fire at will.”
* * *
“Multiple incoming vessels,” announced the Long Road’s COVAS.
Vasil checked the target status and looked out the canopy in the direction of the contacts. The running fight between Kai, Phresh, and the pursuing Jester’s defenders swept past the Long Road in a flurry of flashing laser and plasma.
“Watch your fire!” barked Major Stiles as the FDLs snap-rolled into tight circuits around Vasil’s Type 9. “The cowards are meat shielding.”
One of the Clippers remained out of range. “Sabre leader, Falchion One. Heavy powerplant damage. Output at 17%. I’m out of the fight.”
Major Stiles’ Clipper and the remaining eagles kept up the engagement with the FDLs. “Roger, Falchion One. You hang back and tag these assholes’ transponders for endangering civilian craft. We’ll keep ‘em busy.”
The fight around the Long Road was short but brutal, lasting only long enough for the FDLs to escape into supercruise, but not before leaving wreckage of several wing mates behind. Vasil deployed collector limpets, setting them to auto recovery of valuable scrap and the pods of two pilots that managed to eject before their ships exploded.
The IISS ships converged on the Long Road. Sensors flashed warnings of weapon locks, cargo, and warrant scans.
“T-608 Long Road, this is IISS Major Anton Stiles. You have entered a combat zone and are in possession of enemy escape pods. You will surrender the pods immediately.”
“Major Stiles, this is a neutral, unarmed, civilian recovery vessel,” replied Vasil as he programmed two repair limpets. “Under article 34, Section 2 of the Interstellar Accords, we are not required to turn over any recovered escape pods except to authorized Recovery Agents. However, we are also obliged to extend emergency repair support for vessels not currently in combat.”
Technically, repair assistance was required only if requested, but Vasil deployed the limpets anyway. It never hurt to be on the good side of the IISS. One limpet raced off towards the heavily damaged clipper, another towards a damaged eagle where they began sealing and reinforcing the hulls of the damaged ships.
“Major,” interrupted one of the pilots. “The Jester is closing to engage in direct fire against the Anansi.”
“Damn!” exclaimed another of the pilots. “For a tiny girl, Red Jade has some big-ass balls.”
“Alright,” said Major Stiles. “Falchion One, retire from the engagement and forward all warrants to system security. Everyone else, let’s get back to the fight. Long Road, I advise you maintain safe distance from the engagement. We cannot guarantee your safety in a hot combat zone.”
* * *
Space between the Anansi and the Jester erupted in a chaotic lattice of laser beams, rail gun tracers, and blinding shield flashes as two lumbering carriers traded close quarter blows and knocked chunks of metal and superstructure off of one another.
“Keep hammering,” encouraged Red Jade, “We got em!”
“Dammit! We’re rolling too far,” shouted Bully Bill. “Stabilize and correct! Keep those guns on them!”
“Helm is slow to respond,” reported the helmsman. “Port thrusters are damaged.”
“First! Force Protection reports a firefight at port beam thruster number twenty-three.”
Bill looked to the internal coordinator. “What the hell do you mean a firefight?”
“FP reports four damage control personnel and two unknown attackers are dead. Three hostiles are barricaded in number 23 thruster control,” said the coordinator. “FPO on channel 4.”
Bill toggled the direct communication to channel 4. “Dammit, Reggie, what the hell is going on?”
“Not certain, Bill,” said Reggie, her words quick. “We are responding to reports of hostiles but there have been no breaching actions. Maybe stowaways, or maybe they were sleepers. Don’t know. They do not appear to be coordinated. Random attacks all over the damn place. One grenaded a head for god-knows-what purpose. Shit spewing everywhere.”
“Reg, you need to take care of this,” urged Red Jade, unable to hide her frustration at this development. “We don’t have time to deal with toilet bombers up here!”
“Understood, Captain. We ’re stomping on the roaches as we find them.”
“Multiple incoming contacts,” Called out fire control. “Assault boats and escort.”
Red Jade looked to the tactical display. The assault teams were approaching on the less-defended port side where most of the close defense turrets had been taken out. A flight of Löwe’s pythons vectored to try and intercept the assault. The jester’s remaining port operational turrets opened fire. It would not be enough to stop a dedicated assault.
“Sound boarding alarm,” commanded Red Jade. Something about the approach and formation of the assault boats did not seem right. It was far too organized and professional to be a reactionary attack from the pirates. “Reg, I think we have incoming Black Ops.”