Chronicles of Athena Lee (18 page)

“Uh, sir, it’s too big to be one of our ships, and our sensors are being jammed sir.”

“What! Raka transfer your readings to me you idiot, that's impossible. No one knows we are here.” Amlodi checked the scan data. “That's a Navy heavy cruiser! What the Hell is it doing way out here? Sound battle stations!”

At that moment the James Cook launched a spread of five torpedoes at the carrier.

“Incoming torpedoes sir ...impact in 30 seconds.” Lieutenant Raka was in a panic. The Navy wasn't supposed to be here. “Captain? Orders? Sir, sir. Orders sir?”

Captain Amlodi was frozen, his dreams were being crushed, for a moment he could hear nothing. Hearing his name woke him from a stupor. He glanced at his scans and his heart stopped. Then he started yelling.

“Battle stations, point defense, target those torpedoes! Fight the ship you idiots! Battle stations!”

Amlodi was yelling at deaf ears. These were pirates who had never had to fight in defense of their ship before. Like rats leaving a sinking ship the crew was running for the life pods as fast as they could. Pirates made lousy gunners. They had always just done the bare minimum. Everything else was too much like work.

The ship’s computer was counting down. “Impact in 10 seconds.....9....8....7...6....5...4...3...2..1.”

The countdown was the last thing that Amlodi heard in this life. The torpedoes ran true and hit the carrier amidships. The Boadicea had been taking on supplies. Ammunition and other flammables had been piled in the hangar bay for distribution.

The resulting explosion was like a miniature star.

The bright fusion explosion heralded the James Cook's entrance into the battle. The Gunners began firing at the scrambling freighters as the James Cook passed by. Most did not stand a chance, the rest scattered in every direction regardless of orders.

On board the Ganuaile, the pirate flagship and cruiser, Kate O'Malley, the pirate 'Queen', stood in shock at the explosion. But only for a moment. “What ship is that?” She watched as the heavy cruiser flew past the freighters, scattering them like a flock of birds.

“Ma'am it's the EOM James Cook. It just destroyed five of our resupply ships along with the carrier.”

“Commander Alaois, order the fighters away from those colony pricks, have them concentrate fire on the navy ship.” Her victory had been assured, damn it. What in the five hells was the navy doing here! If this was a double cross, she would have that Governor's head on a pike!

“Ma'am, the fighter pilots are reporting they are running out of ammo and fuel.”

She turned and glared at the commander. “Tell them to run those ships dry if they have to, but fire at that cruiser! Dying in space will be a mercy from what I will do to them if they don't follow my fecking orders!” She softened her voice. “We can resupply a few of them. Launch the Queen’s Squadron. When the bay is empty, take aboard the worst of the lot then get them back out there.”

The heavy cruiser's course was obvious. It was headed straight for those fecking colonists. When the Tetch brothers had found this world she almost could not believe it. The Ghost ships were fairy tales to tell to children. Who could believe that they were real. Finding a non-aligned world out here with no real protection was just money in the bank. She had initially tried subterfuge and had approached them with open arms. Those idiot Tetch's had screwed that up. What kind of idiot kidnaps a girl from a negotiation meeting? A really stupid pirate, that's who. Those two idiots barely escaped with their lives. Now the fecking navy was involved.

The pirate 'Queen' checked her navigation plot. “Alaois, tell Dafydd to use his destroyer to support the fighters, but to NOT, and I mean NOT, go toe-to-toe with the cruiser. When their tanks are dry have him tow what he can back to us. Send orders to the Queen’s Squadron. Attack targets of opportunity. It's us or them. Tell them to hit that shipyard and start in on the platforms.” She looked over at her navigation station. “How many of the freighters are still with us? See if you can call back the ones that scattered. We have to have those supplies. What a cluster- feck this attack has been. Feck!” With that the 'Queen' stormed off the bridge.

Back in her cabin Kate O'Malley was breaking things in anger. About to throw another trophy at the wall she had a thought. If Governor Tweed was not behind this attack, did he know about it? She mashed her hand down on the intercom system. “Communications? Pick the fastest freighter we have left and send them to New Reno. I have a message for our friend the Governor.”

Chapter 16

The pirate carrier's explosion heralded the James Cook's attack on the Clew Reach pirates. The heavy cruiser swooped in like the angel of death, destroying pirate freighters and fighters in its wake.

On the bridge the echoes of cheers were still sounding. Lieutenant Hudson's torpedo men had scored direct hits on the light carrier, completely destroying it. Bursting through the covey of freighters our ship with its side gunners had destroyed at least five, damaging many more. The main conflict area was still ahead of us.

“Communications? Have you gotten through to the colony yet?” The Captain still had his game face on and was short with everyone.

“Yes sir. We have, but they don't believe us. The pirates tried this trick already they said.”

Damn all pirates to hell. “Link your broadcast to my station. Audio and vid please.” The captain looked straight ahead at the main screen. “
This is Captain Kodo Gorshin of the Empire of Humanity ship James Cook to any colony representative. Our assignment is to represent the Empire and protect its colony worlds. We intercepted two pirate ships in our closest system. We backtracked their navigation data to your location here. We have destroyed the pirate carrier. It is my request to have you either help us to defeat the pirates or retreat to your world. We can settle who is who after the battle. But pick a side. I have no desire to attack your ships. James Cook, clear.
”

The intelligence officer spoke up. “Captain the pirate fighters have turned away from the colony ships and are on an attack vector toward us now. A squadron of Stuka IV's just launched from the cruiser and are flying CAP.”

“Lieutenant Hudson, get point defense ready and repel those fighters. Navigation, head for a position between the colony and the pirates.”

The main screen lit up with the face of an middle age man wearing a old fashioned suit and tie. “
This is Bishop Heratio Beck the spiritual and temporal leader of Beck’s Refuge to the ship claiming to be from the Empire of Humanity. We have witnessed your attack on the pirates and villains who have threatened our world. While we are still suspicious, we will retreat to the planetary stations. If you are an enemy we will not hesitate to attack you. Beck’s Refuge clear.
”

Shaking his head the Captain turned to the XO. “Status of the pirate ships?”

“Three squadrons of mixed fighters inbound and the destroyer is coming around to attack.”

“Keep point defense concentrated on the fighter's, main guns, take out that destroyer!”, the Captain roared.

I took that moment to get the Captain’s attention and said “Captain sir? Can I return to engineering to organize my people? We are about to take damage sir.”

“You are right. Dismissed Lee.” He turned back to fighting his ship. I quickly left the bridge and raced to engineering.

I had just made it to the lift when the ship shuddered from the first attack. Ignoring the lift I ran to the access tubes between decks. Popping the hatch I slid down the gravity well to the engineering deck.

My people were doing their jobs. The full shift was here and in action. We had damage control teams suited up and standing by to make repairs. Midshipman Jacobs acknowledged me with a sharp nod and returned to his panel. I caught Ellery's attention and called her over.

“Midshipman Ellery, I need you to pick three of your best crew and have them suit up and get into the fusion controller room. I had it fully stocked with food and water for three days already.” She gave me a strange look. “It is the safest place on the whole ship. If the worst happens they can safely get out and be able to save us. Just do it.”

The ship shuddered and jerked. We were starting to take a pounding. I looked around the room. “Did my droid show up.” Barteby answered.

“Yes ma'am, it did. It wandered off and I think it was fine tuning the engines. How did you make it autonomous?” A distant roar was heard.

“I'll tell you later, lets fight this battle first. Damage control teams get moving. That was a hull breach in the starboard section, we’re going to have minor damage both fore and aft.”

The ship shuddered again, violently this time. Alarms started to sound. “Get a team to fusion one, the room is open to vacuum. Get a hull patch in there ASAP! Anyone not in a pressure suit needs to put one on right now!”

“This is the Captain speaking, Good work folks, the fighters are returning to the cruiser. Gunnery crews excellent shooting. We need damage control teams both fore and aft. Med teams to your stations.”

“OK, Jacobs, Bartleby? I need you to take your teams and join damage control. We need to get as many of the hull breaches repaired as fast as we can before the next attack. Get moving”

The little trash can looking droid was already in action repairing small breaches from the outside of the ship.

Chapter 17

   The battle so far was in our favor. The James Cook had destroyed a carrier, at least five freighters, and over two dozen fighters. The ship had taken some serious hits and was open to space in several areas. The fight was far from over.

“Status reports.” Captain Gorshin was happy, his ship and crew had performed admirably so far.

“Sir, engineering reports that repairs have begun, Lieutenant Lee says that all major repairs will be patched and resealed within two hours. Medical is reporting lightly sustained injuries and five deaths due to decompression. All other systems are normal and functioning within standards. Staff replacements are switching crew around to allow some food and rest. Ammunition levels are at 75%.” The XO wondered how the captain kept from looking as stressed out as he was..

“Good work Peter. What are the pirates doing?”

“The cruiser is just out of our range. It's called the Ganuaile, it is the flagship of Kate O'Malley the selfsame pirate 'Queen'. Radio intercept identified her during the battle. They are rotating the fighters in and out of the cruiser for resupply. That destroyer along with the squadron of Stukas is patrolling the perimeter.”

“What about the planet? Any further communication with the colony?”

“No sir. They have been real quiet. That shipyard of theirs took a real beating. The pirates have left those defense platforms alone. They must be bad news.”

The captain leaned back and closed his eyes. “A good strategy would be to pin the pirates between us and those platforms. If possible we will do that regardless of whether they are assisting us or not.”

“Captain! We have movement. The enemy is getting into a formation.”

Watching the plot, the Captain and XO saw that the pirates were lining up into a battle wall formation with the cruiser in the middle, the destroyer on one end and the Stukas on the other. The now rearmed fighters surrounded the cruiser.

Hmmm, thought the captain. Someone has been reading some books. “XO bring us about, I want us facing the cruiser head on. Be sure to keep the colony platform to our stern.” The ship swung around and was now pointing at the pirates. “All stop. They are trying to draw us out. Stay right here.”

The pirate destroyers began to move forward, edging to port, trying to flank us. On the starboard side the small squad of Stukas were doing the same thing.

“Yes sir.”

“Good, they are trying to use an ancient Earth Zulu tribal attack formation called ‘the horns of the buffalo.’ The trick is to lure the enemy into attacking head on. When they do the outside of the formation loops around and encircles the attacker. Someone over there is thinking. It won't work but it’s a smart move. Have our main guns both fore and aft open fire on the 'outside' ships, the Stukas and destroyer. Let point defense take the fighters. We have one chance at this or we may lose them if they run.”

Watching his plot, the captain saw the outside attack force begin to circle around. It was at that moment that the James Cook's weapons began firing.

Lieutenant Hudson fired two full spreads of torpedoes before the main guns opened up on the destroyer and Stuka force. The pirate fighter squadrons began moving forward on attack vectors toward the cruiser. Explosions could be seen on the light cruiser. At least one of the torpedoes struck the light cruiser. It was at that moment when Captain Gorshin knew he had been suckered.