The Phoenix Rising (48 page)

The energy weapon fried its targets one by
one as they neared the Nighthawk, and the mounted guns roared,
shredding the other seeker missiles. They exploded harmlessly
before getting near the Nighthawk.

***

“
Seeker missiles destroyed,”
said Cassidy. “The Phoenix is launching more missiles.” More blips
appeared on the display. They disappeared as fast as they came.
“The Desert Eagle is continuing to intercept ordnance from the
Phoenix.”

Calvin felt relief pour through him like a
breath of new life. He didn’t know why Nimoux was helping them, but
the reason didn’t matter—not at the moment—all he cared about was
that they were still breathing. Even though, by every right, they
shouldn’t be.

“
Why are they helping us?”
asked Summers.

“
Who cares?” asked Miles. He
still looked severely stressed and his face was painfully red but
the panic that had gripped him a moment ago was gone. “Let’s just
get the hell out of here!”

“
Agreed,” said
Calvin.

“
The Phoenix is changing
position, trying to adjust its tactical angle so it can shoot at us
without interference from the Desert Eagle,” said Cassidy. “That’s
created a small window of escape. Sending coordinates to you now,
Sarah.”

“
I see them,” said Sarah,
biting her lip in deep concentration. The ship swung about and
quickly gained speed. Calvin watched the other ships on the 3d
display seem to come closer to them as the Nighthawk shot past the
Phoenix along its port side.

“
I have a jump window,” said
Sarah enthusiastically.

“
Jump!” yelled
Calvin.

“
Where to?”

“
Anywhere
!”

***

Nimoux watched the Nighthawk disappear,
knowing that its escape had been possible only because of his
decision to intervene on its behalf. So, ultimately, it was his
fault Calvin and the others had gotten away. Since the mission had
authorized—even ordered—Nimoux to terminate the Nighthawk rather
than let it escape, he knew his commanding officer wouldn’t look
favorably on these circumstances. But they were what they were. And
right now he had something else to deal with.

“
Tell the Rhea to scan the
Nighthawk’s jump signature and determine where it’s going. All
other ships are ordered to converge on the Phoenix.”

“
The squadron acknowledges,”
said the pilot after relaying the message. Nimoux watched the ships
close in on the rogue attack cruiser.

“
Open a channel to Datar’s
ship,” said Nimoux. He remained cool, despite the failure of the
operation—and the Phoenix’s direct challenge to his authority. He
breathed in deeply and steadily, it was a practiced exercise that
always helped him seek his center and maintain some level of inner
peace.

“
Channel open.”

“
Commander
, you have violated direct
orders and jeopardized not only the integrity of the mission but
also the safety of every soul on your ship.”

“
It is
you
who prevented me from completing
our mission,
Captain
,” Commander Datar’s voice came over the speaker.

Nimoux would not be baited into a verbal
sparring match. He had command of this squadron; arguing with Datar
point for point would only serve to validate him in some way. “You
are hereby relieved of command, Mister Datar,” said Nimoux. “Power
down your defenses and prepare to be boarded.”

There was an audible click.

“
Sir,” said the pilot, “the
Phoenix has closed the channel.”

“
Status of their defenses?”
asked Nimoux.

“
Online and fully powered.
The Phoenix has locked onto us, sir.”

“
Shields full forward. Order
all ships to attack the Phoenix—restrict fire to its propulsion and
defensive systems only.” The Phoenix was a tough warship but it
couldn’t hope to resist the combined firepower of the rest of the
squadron. “When the ship is disabled, order the Trogon to commence
boarding operati—”

“
Sir
!” interrupted his ops officer. “Incoming jump signatures.
Several ships inbound—they’ll enter the system in less than a
minute.”

“
How many?” asked Nimoux.
“And who are they?”

“
Over thirty ships, sir,”
said the ops officer. He turned and gave Nimoux a frightened
glance. “They appear to be Rotham.”

Rotham? In Imperial
space?
Nimoux’s squadron was packing a lot
of firepower but it would be disintegrated in seconds against a
force of thirty Rotham warships. “How come we didn’t see them until
now?” demanded Nimoux. Their alteredspace distortion should have
been visible long ago.

“
Unknown, sir,” said the ops
officer. “They just... came out of nowhere.”

“
The rest of the squadron is
detecting the fleet now too, they are requesting orders,” said the
pilot.

Nimoux wanted to take over the Phoenix and
toss Commander Datar in the brig but knew a capture operation would
take far too much time and if one was attempted they’d be trapped
in the system by the incoming fleet and either be slaughtered or
captured themselves. “Has the Rhea identified the Nighthawk’s jump
destination yet?”

“
No, sir,” said the pilot
after checking. “They say they need another five
minutes.”

“
Dammit
,” Nimoux muttered. He had no choice but to let Calvin slip
away. At least for now. “Send out rendezvous coordinates to the
rest of the squadron—arbitrary destination, doesn’t matter
where—then jump us out the system! We’ll meet up afterwards. I
repeat, general order to all ships, evacuate the
system!”

Chapter 27

The stars out the window again disappeared
and the Nighthawk leapt into alteredspace once more—the second in a
series of jumps meant to make it harder for Nimoux to triangulate
exactly where they were going.

Calvin sat at the command
position still, his head now in his hands. He felt a wall of blame
loom over him. When the moment had arrived, he’d failed to give the
necessary order and had ultimately doomed his ship and everyone
aboard. The fact that they still lived was more a fluke than
anything. The situation reminded him of the Trinity—that moment
when he’d held a firearm, loaded and ready, and pointed it at the
oncoming Remorii, but hesitated when he recognized the target. The
ship’s XO—
his friend
. And that hesitation had resulted in Christine’s death. A
fact that haunted him every day. If he didn’t have what it takes to
do what had to be done—perhaps he was undeserving of
command...

“
We’re lucky we got out of
that one,” said Summers. She stood by his side.

“
I know,” said Calvin, his
voice barely more than a whisper. He didn’t need anyone else
telling him that he’d screwed up—he already knew. The problem was,
if he were in that situation again, and had to end Anand’s life to
save the ship, he wasn’t sure he could do it. Even now.

Summers put her delicate, beautiful hand on
his shoulder and looked him in the eyes. Something in her stony,
difficult-to-read face seemed to understand the grief and conflict
inside him. She didn’t smile, and her eyes weren’t warm, but she
seemed more pitying than condemning. He reached up and took her
hand, holding it for a moment—enjoying its tenderness and
warmth—then removed it from his shoulder.

“
Calvin
,” said Miles. He spun his chair to face the center of the
bridge. Calvin could see the fatigue and stress on the bigger man’s
face, but he was clearly as relieved as everyone else to be alive
and away from Remus System. “I know how you feel. Anand was my
friend too.” He gave Calvin a straightforward look of total
sincerity—he was one of the most loyal friends Calvin had—but it
was clear he didn’t approve of Calvin’s decision to hold fire
against the Phoenix. “If we’re ever in that situation again... we
have to take him out. Anand ain’t worth dying for.”

Coming from Miles, that actually meant
something. He’d been there at Camdale too. Been part of all the
memories they’d made. Miles, Anand, and Calvin had been students
together, and roommates, and had supported each other through thick
and thin. No doubt Miles was as confused as Calvin over Anand’s
recent behavior—and determination to destroy them—but Calvin
doubted Miles was as hurt. He’d always been kind of a third-wheel,
whereas Calvin and Anand had been best friends.

Calvin nodded. Not wanting to say anything
else about it. He was deeply wounded inside. It hurt far more than
the bruises he’d sustained on Remus Nine, and seemed to be getting
worse not better. He didn’t know why he ached this bad—it made him
feel weak and pathetic. And he understood even less why Anand could
throw him away so easily, despite all they’d done and been through.
Anand seemed to have none of the difficulty Calvin had at ending
the other’s life, in fact he seemed strangely hell-bent on making
it happen. It was all very confusing and discouraging and Calvin
just had to accept that he wouldn’t be able to make sense of it. At
least not now.

“
I agree,” said Sarah, who
hadn’t known Anand as long as Miles and Calvin but had once had
romantic feelings toward him. “When we see the Phoenix again, if
Anand tries to kill us... we have every right to put him
down.”

Calvin didn’t like receiving
all this attention. It only rubbed it in that he’d messed up. He
had to put an end to this conversation before it went any
further—otherwise he risked exploding at the people dearest to him.
“
Miles
,” said
Calvin sharply, “if that situation happens again, and you have a
shot at destroying the Phoenix to save this
ship—
you take that shot
. No matter what I tell you in that moment. Is that
clear?”

“
Yes, sir,” said Miles. He
grit his teeth and fire showed in his eyes. That was what he’d
wanted to hear. That was what they’d all wanted to hear. Calvin did
not enjoy giving that order, but knew it was the right thing. And
hopefully that would put the issue to rest.

The ship came to a stop, once again filling
the window with stars. “Deadspace position three achieved,” said
Sarah. “Plotting course for deadspace four.” Then, a moment later.
“Initiating jump.” The stars vanished into blackness.

“
Why do you suppose he did
it?” asked Summers. Calvin shot her an annoyed look; he did
not
want to discuss Anand
anymore. “I mean Nimoux,” she clarified. “Why did he save our ship?
Even though it cost him his quarry.”

That was an important question to ask,
Calvin admitted internally. “Apparently we are worth more to him
alive than dead,” said Calvin. “Even if it means it takes longer to
bring us in. I can’t fathom why though.” Secretly he thought that
perhaps it was because of the message he’d sent Nimoux
earlier—informing him of the isotome weapons and imploring him to
take the threat seriously. But Calvin couldn’t be sure. For all he
knew Intel Wing and the Fleet had explicitly ordered Nimoux to take
the Nighthawk alive.

“
We should probably only
make another jump or two,” said Tristan ,standing next to the helm.
“So the trail doesn’t get any colder.” He looked battered and cut
up from the fight on Remus Nine—but his body’s remarkable healing
abilities had already repaired many of his injuries.

“
I agree,” said Calvin. “Two
more random jumps, Sarah. Then follow Tristan’s
coordinates.”

“
Aye, aye,” she
said.

Tristan had managed to extract the supposed
position of the Arcane Storm from their captive. Calvin wouldn’t
bet heavily that the information was accurate, but at least they
had a lead. And if they could capture or destroy the ship—wiping
out the remaining isotome weapons in the process—then the mission
would be a total success.

Not a cheap success, however. They’d paid a
heavy price. The ship was battered and again in need of repair and
they’d lost many lives—Polarian lives, but lives all the same.
Calvin had also been briefed about the betrayal of one of his
officers—Patrick O’Conner—who now languished in the brig, and he
wondered if Patrick had been the mole. He hoped so, or else there
were multiple traitors aboard, but he couldn’t figure out how
Patrick would have known they were going to the QH-212 star, which
the mole had successfully reported to Intel Wing. Calvin planned on
grilling Pellew, Alex, Summers, and Tristan as soon as possible to
see if any of them could have leaked the information to Patrick,
and he was going to have Cassidy sweep the bridge and the CO’s
office for listening devices, but all of that would have to wait
until they arrived at the coordinates and either found the Arcane
Storm and the isotome weapons, or they didn’t.

There was also the issue of the unresolved
murder that had Calvin pulling out his hair. Even though they’d
escaped Remus System in mostly one piece, every soul on the
Nighthawk was still potentially in mortal danger. The lab had
produced a report, in which they’d conclusively identified Polarian
DNA at the crime scene of the murdered special forces soldier—but
they had yet to identify a specific assailant, or conclusively
prove that the DNA had been left behind at the moment of the attack
and wasn’t an artifact left there by a Polarian using the head
before the murder took place. Calvin decided to keep this report
quiet until the lab came up with more convincing results, but he
knew the special forces unit on the ship—which now greatly
outnumbered the Polarians—demanded justice for their slain comrade.
And now the Polarian force was too weak to deter reprisals. If he
didn’t identify and punish the culprit soon—assuming he’d
survived—Calvin feared the men would incite their own form of
retribution.