Overdrive (37 page)

◊

Microprojectiles
were designed to penetrate a target by a few microns before detonating. 
Powered by tiny ion engines, each miniature warhead had the equivalent
intelligence of your average dog and their diamond tips ensured that even
assault armor struggled to withstand the impact.

Logan’s assault
armor was no different.

Assault armor was
primarily intended as a counter against the most common weapon attacks, that
is, plasma. It would also project the wearer from localized explosions and
shrapnel. Its crystalline composite outer layer could even deflect some
missiles.

At point blank
range, the armor still managed to deflect two of the missiles. The plasma
blasts were absorbed by the outer layer and did no damage. Through its
connection with Logan’s AI, the suit tried to twist the man out of the path of
the incoming projectiles, even before Logan was aware of any danger. His
personalized AI, comprised of Logan’s own intelligence, failed to conceal its
horror and desperation from the suit even as it fired Logan’s reflexes in an
attempt to evade the threat. Ten of the twelve micromissiles buried themselves
in the outer layer of his armor and then detonated. The suit attempted to
compensate by hardening its inner layers, protecting Logan from the majority of
the blast. The lethal barrage was however, too much for the suit. Its inner
layers shriveled, becoming charred and useless even as some of the blast leaked
through to the hapless man beneath.  

Even with his
combat training, Logan was unaware and completely unprepared for the attack. He
did not even register that his body had been thrown several meters to smash
against the corridor wall. One minute he was striding along a corridor, the
next he was lying on the ground, unable to move, his nose filled with the
cloying and sickening smell of charred flesh. His AI told him it was his.

Concerned faces
were looking down at him. He didn’t recognize any of them but his AI assured
him they were his friends. Not that he cared, the suit having injected him with
a massive dose of pain suppressors and Antishock. For some strange reason, a
hairy gorilla was examining his torso. He looked down to see what all the fuss
was and discovered a blackened ruin where his chest used to be. He tried to
suppress a giggle and smiled at no-one in particular.

“Nice day for a
picnic," he said, and promptly passed out.

◊

Felix was regaling
Ram Terry with his vision of what the Overdrive could do and how it was going
to change the Galaxy when the Slipmissile struck. The small ship lurched
sickeningly in its docking cradle even as the Puritan’s AI brought its
emergency protocols on-line, engaging secondary fields and closing pressure
doors.

It turned on a
piercing collision siren for the benefit of its human occupants, just in case
the explosion and smell of burning machinery hadn’t already alerted them. The
five shepherds sitting at the back of the lounge playing cards were thrown to
the floor.

Ram Terry erected
his personal field, expanding it to encompass Felix. The sound of a telltale pressure
leak could be heard above the shrill siren as Felix picked himself up from the
floor where he’d been flung. Inexplicably, Ram Terry had not moved.

“What," said
Felix, dusting himself off and moving closer to his holiness, “the fuck was
that?”

Ram Terry closed
one of his eyelids as he communicated with the ships AI.

“We’ve been hit by
what the ship believes to be a slipmissile. A couple of hull breaches, some
damage to the engineering section and a few localized fires. The ships putting
them out now and erecting fields over the hull breaches.”

Even as he spoke,
the sound of escaping air lessened. He ordered the ship to cut off its
emergency siren leaving sheep and men in relative silence.

“Didn’t see that
coming now did you?," Felix said with heavy sarcasm.

Ram Terry
shrugged. “My presentiment doesn’t always work; especially in pressure
situations.”

“Fat lot of good
that is then." When he failed to get a response, Felix changed tact.

“Where did it come
from?," he asked.

Ram Terry shrugged
again. “The ship doesn’t know. It suspects it was left over from the initial
attack on the station.”

“I don’t mean to
come over all paranoid and apprehensive or anything," said Felix, “but
doesn’t that concern you. I mean, where’s there’s one, there’s bound to be more.”

The sheep nodded.
“Quite. The ship is examining local space now to determine if there’s anymore
out there.”

“Great," said
Felix sarcastically, “then it can tell us about it after we get hit again."

Ram Terry shrugged
again, a gesture that Felix was starting to find annoying.

“There’s not much
we can do about it. In the meantime, you might want to start repairing the Ion
drive. The ship tells me there’s some leakage in the reaction chamber.”

Felix rolled his
eyes theatrically. “Marvelous. Tell me one thing your Holiness; why wasn’t the
infiltrator mode engaged? If it was on, we never would’ve been seen in the
first place."

Ram Terry looked
even more sheepish than usual. “The ship never received orders concerning the
infiltrator mode.” He paused and went on more hesitantly. “That’s the other
thing. The infiltrator mode has been completely destroyed. If we try to leave
here, we’ll probably be spotted and captured.”

Felix nodded with
fake cheerfulness. “Don’t forget tortured. You forgot tortured.”

The sheep nodded
sadly. “Yes, probably tortured.”

“You’re not meant
to tell me that," said Felix exasperatedly.

“Yes, but I think its
important for you to realize what sort of person Gabriella really is. She will
stop at nothing to get what she desires. The Overdrive is of vital importance
to her. With it she can increase her monopoly over Shiva controlled trade
routes or use it as an edge over her Areopagite rivals. Either way she wins.”

“I know all this,
your Holiness," replied Felix. “But she hasn’t got it yet.”

“And I will do
everything in my power to ensure she does not. Only you and I hold full copies
of the Overdrive data Felix. I am perfectly capable of thwarting Gabriella in
the event I was captured; and sacrificing myself for the greater good if need
be. You also should prepare yourself for the likelihood of that event.”

“Not bloody likely,"
said Felix vehemently. “I’ll get us out of here before that.”

He opened a
storage locker above his head and began to rummage around looking for tools.
Triumphantly he pulled out a large case, opened it and began examining the
items contained within.

“Excellent,"
he said. “I’ll have us out of here in a jiffy." He opened another locker,
pulled out a vacuum suit and began tugging it over his legs. After pulling the
hood over his head, he opened a connection between his AI and the suit,
ordering it to seal. Immediately, excess air was sucked from within, contouring
the white suit to Felix’s body.

During this time,
Ram Terry had been conferring with the ship.

“You’ll have to Felix.
The ship has just detected six frigates and another PDS, all under full
acceleration and in battle trim. They’ll be here in 10 minutes.”

“Let me guess;
Gitanian and pissed right?” Felix shrugged and headed for the engineering
section.

“What’s new?,"
he muttered.

◊

Sammael was, he
knew, in deep shit. If he didn’t get the hostages for Gabriella then he was
likely to be stranded here waiting for the full might of the Gitanian navy to
descend upon him. She wanted her hostages badly. So badly in fact that even he
was expendable and time was running out. Another PDS and six frigates would be
in range in 10 minutes and if he didn’t have any hostages by then he may as
well kiss his sorry arse goodbye.

He desperately
needed one of Felix’s companions, probably Logan or Tarquin. Definitely not the
woman he’d encountered in the airlock. He stroked the stump of his sword
thoughtfully, remembering the ease with which she’d bested him. Not to worry.
They’d meet again and next time he’d be prepared – with an Afer and a heavy
duty plasma cannon.

As for the
Overdrive and Felix, there was still no sign. Last reports indicated that they
were still on the surface of the planet although they’d lost contact with their
agent down there so they couldn’t be sure. Gabriella had received word from the
space port that a mysterious ship claiming to be have Ram Terry on board had
disappeared after being shot at by a PDS. He hoped it didn’t contain the
Overdrive or Felix.

Sammael considered
his situation. The station was largely in the control of the Areopagites now;
the local garrison having been killed or in complete rout. Other visitors and
residents of the station were confined to the lounges under heavy guard. He’d
assigned squads to all decks and they were now searching the station
systematically, eliminating any further resistance on the way. The landing bays
and docking cradles were especially well guarded by a hand picked elite squad
who were starting a ship by ship search. If he was a fugitive, he’d be looking
to get on board a ship. Even if they managed to get that far and leave the
station, Gabriella could disable their ship with a single shot from her
Valkyrie.

He seemed to have
all the options covered. It was just time. He needed more time. Even
Gabriella’s mighty ship was no match for six fully armed frigates and a PDS on
full alert.

His AI reported a
priority message coming in. The sender proved to be one of his elite guard
stationed at the docking bays. Her beautiful visage registered satisfaction as
Sammael opened the flashing icon under his eyelid.

“Good news my
lord. We investigated an explosion on one of the docking ledges. One of our
slipmissiles targeted a ship landing there a couple of minutes ago. Life sign
readings indicate some anomalies on board. I sent some of my squad in and they
haven’t reported back yet.”

Sammael smiled
grimly. “Excellent. That has to be them. Isolate the ship and wait for my
arrival. I’ll be there in 2 minutes.”

This was going to
be tight but Sammael was confident he could pull it off. He gathered 3 squads
around him and moved quickly towards the docking platforms. He had 8 minutes to
capture the hostage and get them back to Gabriella. No problem.

◊

“Seriously,"
Knights Captain Tynan was saying, “if you let me go, I’ll make it worth your while.
And I do mean worth your while.” He winked at Crystal.

Crystal didn’t
bother to turn around. “Shut your face or I’ll give you to the Gorilla.”

Tynan tried to
look unperturbed but failed miserably.

“Right. Of course.
No problem. Sorry.”

The small group
was hurrying towards the docking platforms, now only a few hundred meters away.
Beside Crystal floated Logan, unconscious and surrounded by a glowing blue
field that she generated. Directly behind her marched Tynan, carefully watched
by a grim Tarquin carrying Logan’s plasma cannon. Walter and Bruce brought up
the rear, the latter carrying the somewhat battered Overdrive.

The corridor
opened up into one of the main docking bays. Gabriella marched through
confidently. This docking bay led directly to the ledge where the Puritan was
docked. Safety was only moments away.

The docking bay
was filled with ships in various stages of disrepair. Areas like this were used
by ships to effect repairs that couldn’t be completed in the vacuum of the
docking ledges.

Six angelic
figures carrying plasma cannons moved to block their path.

Crystal kept
walking. “Get out the way or die," she said.

The Angels opened
fire.

She expanded her
field to encompass her companions. The plasma fire dissipated harmlessly where
it hit the glowing blue field.

“Take the
Areopagite, Logan and the Overdrive and get back to the ship," she said to
her companions, using a tone of command that brooked no arguments. “I’ll hold
them here and be with you shortly."

Under her
protective field, the others moved to the airlock leading to the
Puritan
.
Crystal stopped and stood protectively in front of the entrance, daring the
Areopagite Angels to attack her. After the initial attack by the plasma
weapons, the squad of Angels had drawn back, seemingly content to wait. 

She didn’t have to
wait long. Moments later, Sammael and 3 squads of heavily armed Angels hurried
into the docking bay. Cystal made sure that all of her friends were through the
airlock before drawing her sword. She smiled broadly at the massed ranks of
Angels arrayed before her, all pointing plasma cannons at her head.

“Come on boys,"
she said cheerfully, “you’re not scared of a little bitty girl like me are
you?”

◊

Felix had just
finished sealing the leak in the Ion drive’s reaction chamber when he heard a
commotion coming from the ship’s lounge. He dropped his tools and raced down
the ship’s short corridor, moving through two pressure doors. He slowed,
peeking carefully into the lounge.