Starship Conquistador (Conquest of Stars Book 1) (11 page)

    A rocket warning rang out from his
gravitron scanner.

    Two spacefighters had launched a
faster-than-light rocket each and they were rapidly closing distance with Jag’s
spaceship. Jag pushed the acceleration beyond safe-maximum to absolute-maximum
and his ship started shaking and his controls started vibrating. The rockets
still closed the distance. The computer indicated his spaceship wouldn’t be
able to accelerate beyond rocket’s speed in time. And neither was his ship very
much maneuverable to dodge the rockets nor was he a spacefighter pilot to pull
off such a stunt.

    He had to get a message to Remus with
all the information his investigation had revealed. He loaded a card on his
ship’s computer, turned on the signal machine and scrambled and encrypted all
his data. He pressed the key to relay the signal to Nestor and a second later
the two rockets slammed into his spaceship blowing it to smithereens.

“Battlestations!” Dorrvyk repeated over the
ship’s intercom.

    All the officers and the soldiers, the
entire crew of thousands and thousands of ship personnel, dropped what they
were doing and rushed to their predetermined positions and places.

    “This is not a drill!” Dorrvyk said, “I
repeat, this is not a drill.”

    “I should get scooting and clear the
desk and chair for the officer,” Antrar said and the medical officers helped
him to his feet.

    “Com. Antrar there is a seat on top
next to my desk,” Raptor said, “I will help you walk up there.”

    “I am just a civilian now,” Antrar
smiled.

    “If anybody belongs in this command
room along with VC Barryett, it is you,” Raptor said. Barryett was looking at
the scanners when he heard the words and came over, “Com. Antrar it would do
wonder to the morale of the crew to know that you are here.”

    “What do you want out of me?” Antrar
asked.

    “I want to appoint you as a battle
advisor,” Raptor said.

    “You don’t have to ask Com. Raptor,”
Antrar said, “This is a warship and you are the commanding officer. You can
conscript any civilian. All you have to do is order.”

    “I rather you volunteer,” Raptor said.

    “I do. Fighting for Starfire Nation
will always be my duty no matter what clothes I wear, uniform or not,” Antrar
said. Raptor put his shoulder under Antrar’s and helped him up the stairs. As
he was walking up he asked, “What is the estimated time of interception.”

    “T minus 30 minutes at the same
acceleration,” Overyk said.

    Raptor and Antrar reached up at
Raptor’s station. He helped Antrar in a seat then he stood behind his desk and
examined his room.

    “Let’s make these buzzards risk their
engines,” Raptor said, “capitan Flyptar, accelerate to the safe-maximum speed
of 5,000 light speed.”

    “Yes sir,” Flyptar replied and along
with the engine officers began adding more fuel to the two fusion engines that
powered this Starship.

    Raptor watched on the front screen the
data displayed from the gravitron scanners and saw that the pursuers had also
accelerated behind them. Raptor knew that 5,000 light speed was the
safe-maximum for all but a handful of spaceships in the galaxy and nobody made
better space engines than Starfire Empire’s mega-factories. He wanted to exact
a toll from the three spaceships which could hurt them later.

    “Strangers accelerating at a higher
rate,” Overyk said, “they will break safe-maximum.”

    “We should send a signal just to make
sure there is no misunderstanding,” VC Barryett suggested.

    “Do it,” Raptor said.

    Dorrvyk sent out signals over gravity
waves but received no reply. A few minutes passed as the chase continued with
the pursuers closing distance. Starship Conquistador accelerated to 5,000 light
speed and held steady but the pursuers went beyond and kept closing distance.”

    “No doubt they are hostiles,” Raptor
said, “Mark the three spaceships as Enemy One, Two and Three.”

    “Tagged the three unidentified
spaceships as Enemy One, Two and Three,” Overyk said, “Refresh the screens.”

    A moment later the tags in small
subscripts were visible under the three dots on the display screen. The dots
kept getting closer at a steady rate.

    “They must have hit 6,000 light speed,”
Antrar said, “I don’t know any battleships that can do safe-maximum at 7,000
lights.”

    “Load the battle command program known
as Falcon,” Raptor said.

    “Battle command program known as Falcon
loaded,” Artificial Intelligence officer Zurryvk replied.

    “Activate Falcon’s voice,”

    “Falcon live with audio,” Zurryvk said.

    “Battle AI Falcon reporting for duty,
sir,” a voice beamed from the speakers of the command room.

    “Falcon, give me a read out on the
Enemy One, Two and Three.” Raptor said.

    “Combined enemy strength is
approximately 2.1 times ours,” Falcon announced, “the three spaceships appear
within 10% of the strength of each other and are between 15.35 and 16.81 miles
long on their longest axis.”

    “Two times our firepower,” Raptor
looked at Antrar, “I want to flee to the next star system and take advantage of
the solar objects. What would you say?”

    “I would fight but that’s just me,”
Antrar said, “With a starship like this, I would have taken them head on.”

    “I see,” Raptor said. He watched the
display screen as did the rest of the officers.

    “We will not make it to next star
system before the interception,” Barryett said, “not even if we hit
absolute-max on the speed. They picked the right place for an ambush, seem like
professionals.”

    “Professional fools to attack Starfire
Empire’s starship,” Raptor said, “If they destroy us, there will be thirty
starships from the Sixth Frontier Fleet hunting them all across the deep
space.”

    “It is strange,” Antrar said.

    “Bastards have launched rockets,”
Tollvyk said.

    “Just the battle specs please, Col.
Tollvyk,” Raptor said.

    “Sorry Commodore,” Tollvyk said, “Enemy
One, Two and Three have launched 40 rockets each. Approaching fast and closing.
Interception at T minus 2 minutes.”

    “Horyett take over rocket’s tracking,”
Raptor said.

    “Done,” Horyett replied.

    The choice was now between spending
energy on speed or on the shield. Raptor looked at Antrar who said nothing,
neither did VC Barryett. He had to step up big time now. He took a deep breath
and sat down in his seat.

    “Accelerate to 6,000 lights,” Raptor
said.

    “Accelerating,” Flyptar replied.

    The engines would start feeling
stresses soon enough as they were over safe-max.

    “Rockets at T minus 1 minute,” Horyett
said.

    “Any signs of spacefighters launch?”
Raptor asked.

    “Negative,” Horyett replied, “no
spacefighters launched from either Enemy.”

    Raptor glanced at the crew in the room.
They were jittery with drops of sweat forming in their brows but they were
holding steady. So far so good, Raptor thought.

    “Rockets at T minus 30 seconds,”
Horyett said.

    “Launch Repeller counter-rockets 1 to
150,” Raptor said.

    “Repeller counter-rockets 1 to 150
launched,” Tollvyk said as he and his assistants frantically hit the designated
keys.

    A group of 150 rockets raced out of
Conquistador’s rear tubes and tried to smash into oncoming rockets.

    “Rockets Interception in T minus 10
seconds,” Horyett said.

    There were a multitude of explosions in
space and many incoming were destroyed but a few got through.

    “30 rockets still on coming in 15
seconds,” Horyett said and began the countdown, “14 seconds…13…12…11”

    “Cut acceleration,” Raptor said.

    “Acceleration cut,” Flyptar said.

    “Switch energy to the shields,” Raptor
said.

    “Energy switched to shields,” Shields
Officer Avyk replied.

    “Dive 90-45-45 followed by a closed
circle roll,” Raptor said.

    “Executing,” Flyptar replied.

    The flight officers dove the Starship
down and right and then flew it in a roll, making a circle in the space and
bringing it back to the original position. Rockets tried to follow through but
a dozen got off path and veered off into deep space.

    “6…5…” Horyett counted.

    “LaserStorm Full Blast,” Raptor said.

    “LaserStorm commencing firing on full
auto,” Capitan Alvina replied.

    Thousands of laser gun turrets popped
out of the Starship’s exterior hull and shot tens of thousands of laser blasts
at the rockets. Most of the rockets were hit and destroyed but five got through
and rocked the Starship with massive explosions.

    Everyone inside shook in place and many
lost their balance.

    “Falcon, damage report,” Raptor said.

    “Shield down to 23%, 46%, 48%, 61% and
73% on the five strike spots,” Falcon announced.

    “Route the coordinates and the detailed
report to the shield officer Capitan Avyk.”

    “Routed,” Falcon said.

    Raptor was glad they had a battle AI
like Falcon to provide near instant reports. What man could be as fast with
calculating damage and preparing a report?

    “Switch energy to acceleration, I want
7,000 lights,” Raptor said.

    “That’s absolute-max sir, do you
confirm?” Flyptar asked. VC Barryett turned to look at him and even Antrar
raised a brow.

    “Negative,” Falcon said.

    “Who asked you to chirp in?” VC
Barryett scoffed.

    “Capitan Flyptar, I do confirm,” Raptor
said.

    “I do apologize for my encroachment in
your conversation, sir,” Falcon computer program spoke, “But I am programmed to
voice correction of all the technical falsehoods regarding this Starship’s
capabilities that are spoken in the command room; unless overridden by
Commodore or the next in line commanding officer.”

    “What falsehood?” Raptor asked.

    “Starship Conquistador’s absolute-max
is not 7,000 light speed.”

    Then the computer program stayed
silent. Raptor realized it would not answer unless directly asked.

    “Then what is it?” Antrar asked first.

    “Question asked by an unauthorized
person,” Falcon said and beeped twice.

    “I have made him a battle advisor,
treat him as an officer,” Raptor said.    

    “With what levels of privileges and
access?” Falcon asked.

    “Nevermind,” Raptor said. Each
position’s level of access to AI programs was pre-programmed during the
Starship construction and he had no time now. “Tell me the absolute max for
Conquistador?”

    “10,000 light speed,” Falcon said.

    “No way,” Barryett said.

    “That’s impossible,” Antrar said,
“10,000 lights is the top speed for our fastest spy ships. I can’t believe a spaceship
this large could accelerate to that.”

    Falcon said nothing. It was not
programmed to engage in a debate. Raptor was glad for that.

    “What are the enemies doing? Launching
any more rockets?” Raptor asked.

    “Still in pursuit, but the distance is
neither closing nor widening,” Horyett said.

    “Are we at 7,000 lights yet?” Raptor
asked.

    “Yes sir,” Flyptar replied.

    “That must be their absolute max,”
Raptor said, “Avyk, energy is released from the acceleration. Recharge the
shield to 100% on each of the strike spots, starting with the hardest hit.”

    “Beginning shield recharge,” Avyk
confirmed.

    “Com. Raptor, I am curious,” Antrar
said, “If the absolute-max is 10,000 lights, then ask Falcon what the safe-max
is. It has to be more than 5,000 lights.”

    “Answer Com Antrar’s question, Falcon,”
Raptor said.

    “Safe-Max is 7,500 lights,” Falcon
replied.

    Smiles broke out on the faces of the
officers in the command room. If it was really true then they could outrun
their pursuers. But the more experienced officers had their doubts.

    “Was it certified by the Starship
Testing Board of the House of Arms?” VC Barryett asked.

    “Negative,” Falcon replied, “Certified
by the manufacturer of the reactor engines: Karwyk Fusion Reactor Company.”

    “Are they new?” Barryett asked.

    “New and experimental,” Falcon replied.

    “Wonderful,” Barryett, “Leave it up to
our commanders to stick a new, untested engine in a Starship sent on a deep
space mission.”

    “It’s a very reputable and reliable
company,” Antrar said, “My spaceship always had their engines and never had
trouble with it.”

    “But let’s not count on the company
specified max’s, Com Raptor,” Barryett said.

    “I won’t,” Raptor replied, “What are
the enemy doing?” The lack of any tactical action from the enemy was making him
uneasy. Perhaps they were preparing their second plan of attack.

    “Nothing,” Horyett replied, “Holding
steady at the same distance.”

    “That is strange,” Tollvyk said.

    “What is?” Raptor said.

    “Data is coming in on the magnitude of
the force that their rockets were packing,” Tollvyk said, “It’s uniformly 10
megatons. Standard yield for our attack rockets.”