Meanwhile in Sol
01 Dec 2024Coverwatch
On-board the Orca, PV-KaçkarThe PV-Kaçkar glided smoothly into the docking bay of Daedalus Starport orbiting Mercury. Commander Coverwatch powered down the engines and took a deep breath. The station was in disarray—alarms blared, and a mass of frantic people surged toward the docks, desperate to escape the looming Thargoid threat.
He exited the cockpit and made his way to the boarding ramp. As it lowered, a cacophony of voices filled the air, drowning in panic and fear. The crowd pressed forward, a chaotic tide threatening to spill onto the ship.
"Back off!" Coverwatch's voice thundered, cutting through the din.
The mob hesitated but continued to push, some people stumbling and nearly falling in the crush.
"I said, back off!" he bellowed, his eyes blazing. "If you don't form an orderly line right now, I'll seal the ship and leave every last one of you here!"
A stunned silence fell over the crowd. A woman clutching a small child stared at him with wide eyes. "Please, sir, we have nowhere else to go," she pleaded.
"You'll all get aboard if you do exactly as I say," he declared firmly. "Families with children first. Then the elderly and injured. Everyone else forms a line behind them. Anyone who disobeys will be left behind. Understood?"
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, but the people began to organize themselves. Parents gathered their children, helping the elderly to the front. The mass of panic slowly transformed into a semblance of order.
"Good," Coverwatch nodded sharply. He turned to his crew. "Begin boarding procedures. Check IDs and keep it moving."
As the evacuees started filing onto the PV-Kaçkar, he tapped his comms. "Lieutenant Singh, report."
Lieutenant Kara Singh's voice crackled over the channel. "CV-Taurus holding position outside the station, Commander. Awaiting your instructions."
"Change of plans," he said. "I need you to dock and take on evacuees."
"Commander, the Taurus isn't configured for passengers," she replied hesitantly.
"I don't care if you have to stuff them in the cargo hold," Coverwatch retorted. "There are far too many to fit into an Orca, we will eventually leave some behind for now but let’s get who we can.”
"Understood, sir. Moving to dock now."
He ended the transmission and continued overseeing the boarding process. He watched as Taurus descended from the mail slot and started boarding procedures too.
Lieutenant Singh approached the Commander and said “Sir, we literally have to put these people into cargo holds. They are not protesting but in case of a combat scenario, there will be nothing for them to hold onto.”
“Then let’s hope we leave Sol without one,” replied Coverwatch.
As the last person of the first group of evacuees stepped aboard, his first officer approached.
"That's all we can take, Commander," she reported. "We're at maximum capacity."
"Seal the ship," he ordered. "Prepare for immediate departure."
He made his way back to the cockpit, weaving through the crowded corridors filled with anxious faces. Settling into the pilot's seat, he initiated the launch sequence.
"PV-Kaçkar to flight control, requesting departure clearance," he transmitted.
"Clearance granted, Commander. Safe travels," the controller responded, there was a flicker of panic in her voice, but she kept it professional.
The Orca lifted off smoothly, exiting the docking bay into the blackness of space. Beside them, the CV-Taurus emerged from the station, equally laden with evacuees.
"Lieutenant Singh, form up on me," Coverwatch commanded.
"Copy that, Commander."
He set a course for Alpha Centauri, the nearest safe system. "Frame shift drive charging," the ship's computer announced.
Just as the ship entered hyperspace, the cockpit lights flickered, and the ship lurched violently. The stars outside twisted and warped unnaturally.
"Warning: Hyperspace conduit unstable," the computer intoned.
Coverwatch's eyes widened. "Hyperdiction. Great."
The PV-Kaçkar was forcibly yanked out of witch-space. Before him loomed the ominous, bio-mechanical form of a Thargoid Interceptor, its sinister green/yellow lights pulsating.
"All hands, brace for combat!" he shouted over the intercom. He slammed the controls, attempting evasive maneuvers. The screams of the passengers at the back were suppressed by the roaring of the Orca’s engines and Thargoid’s unnatural whines…
On-board the Krait MK II, CV-Taurus
Back on the CV-Taurus, Lieutenant Singh watched in horror as the PV-Kaçkar vanished from her sensors.
"Commander Coverwatch, do you copy?" she called out desperately. "PV-Kaçkar, respond!"
"Lieutenant, the Orca’s wake scan yields no results," her co-pilot, Ensign Bradley, said anxiously. "What happened?"
Singh's jaw tightened. "He was hyperdicted."
She made a swift decision. "We're proceeding to Alpha Centauri as planned. We have civilians onboard."
"Understood," Bradley nodded, though concern etched his face.
The CV-Taurus completed its jump without incident, emerging into the relative safety of Alpha Centauri.
"Begin docking procedures with al-Din Prospect," Singh instructed. “We don’t have time to get to the Hutton Orbital, even with the SCO drive.”
As they approached the station, a nagging worry gnawed at her. She turned to Bradley. "Get the passengers settled, then prep the ship for immediate departure."
"Ma'am?"
"We're going back for him."
"Yes, Lieutenant."
Singh waited until the last evacuee disembarked before launching back into space. She activated the comms. "CV-Taurus to all nearby ships. Be advised, Commander Coverwatch has been hyperdicted in Sol. Requesting any available assistance."
Static filled the channel. No response.
"Ensign, set course for Sol. Maximum speed."
"Aye, ma'am."
They re-entered Sol system at the star, where nothing significant was on sight. But a quick glance of the sensors showed the text “AX Conflict Zone” in ship computers. Singh set course to the combat signature and when the Taurus dropped from supercruise, the sight that met them was dire. The PV-Kaçkar was under assault by three Thargoid Interceptors, dodging desperately amidst beams of corrosive and caustic beams.
"Commander!" Singh gasped. "Open a channel!"
She tried hailing the Orca. "PV-Kaçkar, this is CV-Taurus. We're here to assist!"
A burst of static, then Coverwatch's strained voice broke through. "Lieutenant... told you... get clear."
"With all due respect, sir, we're not leaving you behind," she shot back.
He didn't argue. "Glad you're here. Let's even the odds."
As they closed in, Singh watched in astonishment as the PV-Kaçkar executed a daring maneuver. The Orca twisted and rolled, engines flaring brightly.
"What's he doing?" Bradley exclaimed.
Coverwatch aimed the Orca directly at one of the Thargoid ships.
"Is he... ramming it?" Singh whispered incredulously.
The Orca slammed into the Interceptor with tremendous force. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through space. The Thargoid vessel reeled, its organic hull cracking and oozing luminescent fluids. With a shriek that resonated through the very fabric of space, it retreated into witch-space.
"Unbelievable," Bradley muttered. "He took it out with a passenger ship!"
“That’s the hull improvement he was talking about earlier.” Singh snapped back to focus. "We still have two more to deal with. Divert all power to weapons and shields."
"Yes, ma'am. Weapons hot, shields at full strength."
She activated the ship's targeting systems, locking onto the nearest Interceptor. "Engaging the enemy. Keep an eye on our heat levels."
The Thargoid ship turned its attention to them, emitting a menacing hum. Suddenly, a swarm of Thargon drones spewed forth, swarming toward the CV-Taurus.
"Incoming Thargons!" Bradley warned.
"Deploy point defense turrets!" Singh commanded.
Automated turrets sprang to life, spewing a hail of bullets that tore through the incoming drones. Explosions dotted the space around them as Thargons were neutralized.
"Thargon swarm neutralized," Bradley reported.
"Good. Now, let's return the favor."
Singh armed the missile racks. "Target locked. Firing missiles!"
A volley of rockets streaked toward the Interceptor, contrails spiraling behind them. The Thargoid attempted to evade, but one missile struck true, detonating against its shields.
"Direct hit!" Bradley cheered.
The Interceptor's shields shimmered but held.
"It's charging its main weapon!" Singh realized. The Thargoid's energy levels spiked ominously.
"Brace for impact!"
A searing beam of energy lanced toward them. Singh jerked the controls, narrowly avoiding a direct hit. The beam grazed the ship, alarms blaring as systems flickered.
"Shields down to fifty percent!" Bradley called out.
"Divert power from engines to shields," she ordered.
"Rebalancing power now."
Singh opened the comms. "Commander Coverwatch, status!"
"Still in one piece," he replied tersely. "But these bugs are persistent."
She glanced at her sensors to see the PV-Kaçkar engaged with the other Interceptor, dodging its attacks with surprising agility for a ship of its size. The hull improvement was not the only upgrade of that Orca after all.
“Are those dirty drag drives? On an Orca?” yelled Bradley.
"The Commander is full of surprises,” responded Singh. “Hang tight, sir. We're engaging."
"Copy that. Give 'em hell."
She gritted her teeth. "Ensign, prepare for another missile barrage. Target its weapons array."
"Coordinates locked. Missiles ready."
"Fire!"
Another salvo launched toward the Thargoid. This time, the alien ship shifted, releasing a cloud of corrosive enzymes.
"Missiles compromised!" Bradley shouted. "They're disintegrating!"
"Damn it!" Singh slammed her fist on the console. "Switch to kinetic weapons."
"Yes, ma'am."
The Thargoid closed the distance rapidly, its hull glowing with an eerie light.
"It's charging an EMP wave!" Bradley warned.
"Deploy heat sinks and prepare for system reboot. Shut down the Guardian module else it will fry!"
The EMP wave burst forth, enveloping the CV-Taurus. Systems went dark momentarily before emergency power kicked in.
"Systems rebooting," Bradley reported.
"Come on, come on," Singh urged, gripping the controls tightly.
The lights flickered back on. "Weapons back online!"
"Target the Interceptor and fire at will!"
They unleashed a torrent of multicannon fire. The projectiles peppered the Thargoid's hull, causing it to screech and veer off.
"Commander, we've got one on the run!" Singh called out.
But her moment of triumph was short-lived. The remaining Interceptor had turned its focus on them, its energy signature building ominously.
"Ma'am, it's preparing another attack!" Bradley's voice was edged with panic.
"All power to shields! Prepare evasive maneuvers!"
The Thargoid unleashed a barrage of caustic missiles. Singh pulled the ship into a steep climb, but one missile struck the aft section. There were screams of agony coming from the cargo hold.
"Direct hit! Hull integrity compromised!" Bradley exclaimed.
"Seal off breached compartments! Maintain fire on that target!"
As they circled back, she caught sight of the PV-Kaçkar. To her amazement, Coverwatch was steering the Orca directly toward the Interceptor attacking them.
"What's he doing now?" Bradley wondered.
"He's providing an opening," Singh realized. "Let's not waste it."
The Interceptor hesitated, distracted by the incoming Orca. Singh seized the moment.
"Fire everything we've got!"
They launched all remaining rockets. The missiles homed in on the Thargoid, detonating in a series of explosions that engulfed it.
"Impact confirmed!" Bradley shouted.
The alien ship emerged from the smoke, damaged but still operational. It turned toward them, its energy spikes flickering erratically.
"It's not down yet," Singh muttered. "Prepare for—"
Suddenly, the Thargoid launched a final desperate attack, firing a massive energy surge.
"Incoming! Brace for impact!"
The CV-Taurus shook violently as the energy wave slammed into them. Consoles sparked, and warning alarms screamed.
"Shields failing! Systems overheating!" Bradley yelled. “Popping a heat sink!”
Singh struggled to keep the ship under control. "Divert all remaining power to weapons. We're ending this now."
She locked onto the Thargoid, its form wavering through the smoke and debris.
"Firing!"
Both ships unleashed their weapons simultaneously, missiles and energy beams crossing paths.
"Ma'am, it's now or never," Bradley said, his eyes fixed on the impending collision of firepower.
"Hold steady," Singh replied, her voice calm despite the chaos.
As the lasers closed in on the Thargoid and the alien's caustic missiles surged toward them, time seemed to slow.
To be continued...