Scrapyard Ship 3 Space Vengeance (26 page)

“
Show me.”

Reluctantly, Betty unfolded herself from her chair and sat down at one of the consoles. After a few keystrokes she looked over at Brian.

“
You want to see, or not?”

Unsteadily, Brian got to his feet and walked over to where she was seated. He crouched down and looked at the small display.

“
None of this looks familiar to me. Zoom out a bit?”

Betty changed the view and sat back. Brian recognized several of the star systems now. He looked at her and smiled.

“
What? Something funny in all this?”

“
Just that on our current course we’re headed toward my home planet.”

Betty adjusted the zoom level in more and brought the Sol system into view. “Here? That’s your system?”

“
Yep.”

“
Well, you can wave as we pass right by it.”

“
Are you always so negative?”

“
No, only when a mountain of shit lands on my head.”

“
Maybe we can figure out how to slow down, or even stop. There have to be positioning thrusters on a ship like this.”

“
Of course, but you’d expend the propellant in a nanosecond at the rate of speed we’re traveling.”

“
What kind of shape are the drives in? Any chance of repairing even one of them?”

“
Hardware’s not my thing. They pretty much look like scrap to me.”

“
Well, it just so happens I grew up in a scrapyard,” Brian said. “Let’s go take a look.”

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

All eight of the remaining Mau vessels were tucked into various holds within the Dreadnaught. Ricket had determined the frequencies used by the Craing fleet and was jamming their local in-ship communications.

Jason placed Traveler in charge of rhinos—Greys and Reds alike. Those that protested, or compromised the mission, would be dealt with immediately; the stakes were just too high for infighting. Communications had been tricky. Traveler, the only rhino with a NanoCom, had managed to work out a system with Seaman Gordon on Comms. His voice, or horn-call, was now broadcasted where needed. Multiple rhino teams were organized, and a captain assigned to each one. Jason was impressed with Traveler’s ability to lead with little handholding. Truth was, once the rhino teams were let loose, they needed little guidance. They were told to keep on going until they’d eliminated all adversaries.

The last ship to phase-shift in, The Lilly hovered within the Dreadnaught’s primary inner corridor, which spanned miles and ran the length of the ship. The corridor’s five hundred foot span allowed more than enough room, wing-tip to wing-tip, for The Lilly to move forward unhindered.

Immediately hundreds of hover security drones appeared from multiple directions. Plasma fire erupted from each as the small meter-long drones maneuvered defensively, constantly changing location.

As things stood, there was little any outside threat could do to harm The Lilly, now moving forward within the confines of the Dreadnaught’s main corridor. Her shields, again at one hundred percent, were virtually impregnable from handheld, or drone, weaponry.

“
I’d like to go along, Cap,” Orion said.

“
I want you here, ensuring our rail-guns are getting repaired, and to stay on tactical, watching our back.”

“
Repair drones are working the guns; should have them back to normal within the hour. I’ll watch your back better with a multi-gun in my hand,” she replied.

The armory was crowded as Jason, Ricket, and several crewmen suited up. Jason finished locking his helmet into place and opened his visor.

“
Not this time, Gunny. Be my eyes and ears on the bridge. I trust you more than anyone else up there. Shouldn’t say that, I know, but just the same that’s the way it is.” He moved out into the corridor and found Billy and Rizzo leaning against the bulkhead.

“
Team ready?”

“
In the mess. And they’re more than ready,” Billy replied. He gave Jason a crooked smile.

“
Where’s Traveler?” Jason asked as they entered the mess hall.

Ricket stopped and accessed his virtual notepad. “If he remembered to put on his belt, he’ll be showing up right about … Now.”

Traveler appeared mid-step and nearly lost his balance. He stood up tall and glared down at Ricket. “Let me know when you’re going to do that.” Bending low he looked closely at Ricket, peering into his visor. “Ricket?”

“
It’s me.”

Traveler huffed and stood back up to face Jason. “Reds and Greys fighting together, I am skeptical. Today is an ominous day, Captain.”

Billy’s team of thirty fresh SEALs gathered around. “Everyone up to speed? You all know the drill?” Jason asked, making eye contact with each of them.

“
Aye, Captain.”

Jason brought up his own virtual notepad and a 3D representation of the Dreadnaught’s internal corridor. “Billy, Rizzo, Traveler, Ricket, and myself will phase-shift right onto their bridge. Team leaders, the rest of you will phase-shift to perimeter access positions: here, here, and here, with your ten-man teams, and clear any opposition forces. The Craing are cowards, for the most part, so watch out for Serapins and other combatants. Let’s get control of this vessel quickly so we can move on to phase two and create as much havoc as possible for the rest of their fleet.” Jason then added, “Ricket will be phase-shifting us in force simultaneously. Everyone ready?”

“
Ready,” came their unified response. Weapons came up, poised for action.

Jason watched as Ricket accessed the necessary phase-shift configurations via his HUD, and with a familiar white flash, everyone phase-shifted out of the mess.

* * *

The Craing apparently were ready for them. An army of fifteen Serapins rushed forward from their sentry positions around the bridge. A sixteenth Serapin lay on the deck. Traveler had unwittingly phase-shifted on top of the creature. With a huff, Traveler kicked at the Serapin’s head, sending it skittering across the deck plates.

The Serapins rushed forward from all directions. Jason and the others brought their multi-guns up to bear, firing continuously. Five Serapins quickly went down while the remaining others moved in, jaws opened wide, ready to strike. Jason’s team had gotten accustomed to phase-shifting on the fly back on HAB 12, and now each shifted, sometimes mere feet away, with no more than a moment’s notice. Jason shifted to his left and fired as the closest Serapin stumbled into the open space Jason had just vacated. With two lethal plasma bursts to its head, the beast went down hard. He had not expected this level of resistance this early on in the mission. An indication he’d need to be prepared for the unexpected moving forward. Turning to his right, Jason saw that three Serapins were converging on Rizzo. When the young SEAL shifted several feet away and then reappeared behind them, Jason and Rizzo fired until the three went down. Now sixteen dead or dying Serapins lay around the bridge. Billy moved from one carcass to another, sending one more lethal shot into each of the Serapin’s heads.

Jason headed directly for the raised section at the far side of the bridge, where four medallion-wearing Craing officers nervously stood. Each wore a sidearm, but only one, wearing the bronze medallion, had the stones to pull it. Jason didn’t hesitate to shoot him between the eyes. Propelled right off his feet, the Craing officer went airborne into the bulkhead behind. The others raised their hands in submission. Without slowing his pace, Jason grabbed at their medallions and, one by one, tore them from their necks.

“
Lose your weapons,” he commanded.

The three Craing looked up at him, perplexed.

“
Drop your belts—now!”

They did as they were told.

Turning to face his team, Jason was surprised to see Ricket was already at work and seated at a nearby station. No less than twenty-five Craing crewmembers, many splattered with blood from the Serapins, sat stunned at their consoles.

“
Captain, security hover drones have been taken offline.” Ricket looked up and gestured to the Craing crewmembers. “We’ll need to enlist the crew’s help to instigate tactical operations against the rest of the fleet.”

Jason noticed the Craing crewmembers were taking special notice of Ricket, obviously seeing the resemblance to their renowned past Emperor Reechet. Jason figured he could use this to his advantage.

“
Ricket, translate this for me. It’s better they get the message in their home language and coming from you.” Jason walked along the rows of Craing crew. “I am Captain Jason Reynolds. By now you may have heard of me, and my ship The Lilly. The ship that singlehandedly went up against five hundred Craing fleet warships.” The Craing obviously had heard as they began to murmur excitedly among themselves. He continued. “Normally, I would kill you and set an example to the rest of your fleet that I mean business. Can anyone here tell me why I shouldn’t kill you all, right now? Anyone? Shush! Don’t just call out, raise your hands.”

Hands shot up all around. “You! Make it good, or you’ll be the first to die.”

The Craing, who looked remarkably like the others, in Jason’s view, immediately pulled back his hand and shook his head. Jason pointed his multi-gun and shot him in the foot. He fell off his chair onto the deck, both hands holding his injured appendage.

“
You’ll live,” Jason barked. Since killing the bronze-medallioned officer, he’d switched to a heavy stun setting.

More hands went up.

“
You, why shouldn’t I kill you right now?”

“
Because we will do whatever you ask. Please do not kill us.”

“
Good answer. But before I ask anything of you, someone tell me this: of the three Dreadnaughts, which bridge crew is best? And I mean, which bridge crew kicks ass? This one or one of the others? And remember, I only have need for one bridge crew.”

Again, they looked to one another, talking more openly and with more conviction.

“
We are by far the most excellent crew.”

“
Show me. Destroy one or both of the other Dreadnaughts and you will not only live, but will be generously rewarded with positions on The Lilly, or other vessels in our fleet.”

There was quiet hesitation. The Craing crew knew that any decision once given could not be taken back; they would be committed. Jason wanted a crew who would come to the same conclusion on its own. A crew that would be trustworthy, and not change position as soon as Jason’s back was turned.

“
I know how to commandeer at least one of the other Dreadnaughts, if not both,” a voice from across the room said in excellent English. He was the Craing who’d worn a red medallion, something Jason hadn’t seen before.

“
Who are you?”

“
I am Empire Fleet Commander Han Di.”

Billy snickered, but quickly stifled it.

“
Okay, Han Di, speak up. I’m all ears.”

The figure of speech seemed to derail the commander for a moment, but he carried on anyway. “Dreadnaughts can cluster.”

“
Explain,” Ricket said, jumping from his seat and moving closer to the commander.

“
As many as four Dreadnaughts can cluster together, connecting lengthwise. Any Dreadnaught with two or more clustered vessels is referred to as a Meganaught.”

Jason was unimpressed. “What good would that do us? Why would another Dreadnaught even consider doing this cluster-thing with a vessel that has been boarded by the enemy?”

This brought a smile to the commander’s face. “Two reasons, Captain. First, although there is heightened security within the fleet, your presence here, within this vessel, is still unknown. Second, not only is this the command ship for the fleet, I am the fleet commander. If I give the order to cluster, which is not uncommon, I will not be challenged.”

Commander Han Di seemed to know what Jason would ask next. “No, Captain, I cannot command the fleet to surrender. Out there, among the fleet, are three heavy cruisers with dignitaries and overlords present. Ordering Dreadnaughts to cluster is one thing; to surrender a fleet is another.”