Until the Dawn, page 24
On the morning of the third day, Norris and Jillian chose a destination twelve standard light hours from one of the most recent stars to go quiet. This information, of course, was based on the current images they had taken on their first trip inside the damaged region of space, not the older view from outside. The Waywardsman executed a CAS transit back inside the fourth spiral arm, and shortly thereafter a pair of short-range shuttles lifted off from the hangar bay and PTP transited even closer into the Galaxy to see what they could discover.
"They're going to find a lot of destruction that will sicken them," Jillian predicted. "The star we're closest to use to have sixteen planets and at least eighty-two moons. Now we can find only this…" She swiveled the monitor at her work station toward Norris. "That's what's left of planet number five," she said. He just stared for a moment at the remains of a planet that had been bombed into oblivion. There were huge, blackened craters scattered across most of its surface and even several large chunks that had been splintered and separated away from the main planetary body. The Captain looked upon it as a miracle that the remaining debris still held any kind of orbit at all, much less a normal, circular one.
"So Aaron is right," Norris said softly. "Somebody's got themselves an interstellar war going on in there and they don't give a damn as to who or what gets caught in the crossfire."
"Aaron is very insightful," commented Jillian. "And yes, he is right. There's a huge war in progress within this galaxy, and it passed right through this area sometime within the last century. Yesterday, from seventy-two light years away, we were studying the contents of this planet's atmosphere," she said, pointing toward the image. "But since we have the technology to be here, right now, we can tell that it no longer has one – everything was boiled away into space after the planet suffered severe structural damage." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Was it the attack on the planet itself that blew away its atmosphere… or perhaps a mystery weapon that collapsed the sun's nuclear furnace billions of years before its natural aging process would have? I couldn't even begin to guess." She said. "Not without a whole lot of additional information."
"And the society that sent those transmissions we received…"
"A new civilization, probably on the verge of discovering space travel," Jillian commented. "One day they woke up and a war that they didn't start and played no part in just rolled over on top of them and left everyone dead."
"11,000 star systems destroyed? That's unbelievable," the Captain commented. "Someone's been going toe to toe with each other using those kinds of weapons for…"
"…For almost forty-six thousand years," she finished for him. "Whoever, or whatever they are, they're hideous and they're evil. They don't care who or what gets in their way as long as they can capture or destroy resources a star system at a time. And when they're not busy destroying whole stars and planets to prevent others from accessing their resources, they probably do their best to kill off enemies, too."
"Just when I thought there couldn't be anything more evil than the Brotherhood, we find this," Norris said. "I was hoping that if we found another civilization out here, they might be able to help us or at least be somewhat sympathetic to our cause." He sighed heavily. "Now you're telling me we've found something even more deadly than the Brotherhood?" He sighed and exhaled slowly. "I won't need to wear my diplomat hat here."
"I wouldn't recommend taking the Waywardsman in there," she said simply.
"Not a chance," said William. "As soon as the shuttles return we're heading very far away from this place. I'll be glad to let them carry on with their business in this eternal hell that they've created for themselves."
* * *
He was extremely relieved when he finally heard from Dashboard and Hopper. Sitting in the Command Dome waiting for something to happen had stretched on endlessly for what seemed like an eternity, so he practically leaped out of his chair when Melissa received the first transmission.
"Shuttles one and three ready for docking, Waywardsman," announced Dashboard. "We picked up a lot of wireless transmissions from at least three different sources, but we didn't dare move in any closer," he commented. "Your orders were to be wary, and I think you'll agree with our decision once you get a look at the damage that's been done to each and every planet that we surveyed."
"Clear them for immediate landing," Norris said to Melissa. She nodded in response.
"Shuttles one and three, you are cleared for docking. Please use the forward… repeat forward docking bay to land."
"Copy that," Dashboard replied.
William barely heard the routine communications traffic. He was busy watching the expression on Aaron's face as he read Jillian's summary report from their earlier discussion. The helmsman glanced up at the Captain in shock and William nodded in silent agreement.
"This is unbelievable, Captain," he said, absolutely stunned.
"I'm not releasing that kind of information to the rest of the crew just yet," William decided. "A delay regarding news of this magnitude would be best until we're safely away."
"I agree 100 percent," said Aaron, still stunned by the news.
He was still mentally reviewing their next potential destination possibilities when every alarm in the Command Dome sounded simultaneously. He immediately spun around in his seat, but whatever it was hadn't yet been put up on the overhead monitors.
"I have a motion sensor contact, Captain. There's another ship in the area," Melissa reported. "It's at location 321 bearing 104… a really big ship. I'm adjusting one of the external cameras to put it up on the viewer."
As she spoke, the overhead image flickered and focused on the darkened hull of the newcomer. The Captain almost had to squint to see it, since there were very few internal lights on the beast. It looked like a really large floating hunk of rectangular metal with gun ports situated everywhere. He couldn't see any sign of other support vessels, but that certainly didn't mean there weren't any. The Waywardsman's fighter squadron had limited stealth technology, so he was hesitant to rule out the strong possibility that these people might also possess it.
"They can track a ship through PTP transit," Aaron declared with disgust. "They followed our patrol right back to us."
"Speaking of which, get those shuttles down," Norris said to Melissa. "We're getting the hell out of here." He tapped a series of keystrokes into the nearest Comm-link. "Greg, get the CAS Drive ready. Pick any emergency transit destination that's more than 1,000 light years from this area."
"Roger that, Captain," was Greg's quick reply.
"Of course they can track us. It makes perfect sense," Norris said to Aaron. "Those buggers have had over forty thousand years to perfect their technology and tactical strategy." As they continued to watch, a small section of the enemy vessel slowly disengaged from the larger ship. It too was rectangular, and the front edge of it rotated toward the Waywardsman. Before anyone could even open their mouth to speak the smaller ship vanished in a sinister-looking scarlet PTP flash.
"Greg reports that they can see it out their windows down in the Lab wing," Melissa said a moment later, her face whitening with terror. "The smaller vessel short-range transited directly alongside the top of our hangar bay… starboard side." As she spoke a series of three loud thuds rumbled through the Waywardsman's hull.
"Greg's team reports a visual on a series of grappling cables, Captain. The alien shuttle has attached them to our hull and is retracting them, pulling themselves toward us. When they get close enough, they will no doubt board the Pathinder – probably through deck four of the passenger section!"
"Like hell they will," Norris said, moving to the tactical console next to Melissa. He activated its work station and watched the new laptop quickly power up from its sleep mode. "Aaron, fire up the maneuvering thrusters and move us away from the mother ship, please. And if possible, I'd appreciate it if you would shake that thing next to our hangar bay loose."
"Aye, sir," Aaron replied.
The Waywardsman's engines roared to life and the starship swerved sharply to port. The enemy shuttle attached to their starboard side twisted and turned also, but it's grappling cables held firm. As their course shifted away from the mother ship, the Waywardsman's motion sensors were finally able to peer behind it. Additional contacts lit up on Melissa's console and she turned to the Captain to let him see four smaller fighters move out of the larger vessel's shadow. All four accelerated ahead of their command ship and began to close on the Waywardsman.
"Both shuttles are aboard, Captain," she reported.
"Good," Norris said, his expression becoming more and more intense as the situation escalated. He tapped the Comm-link next to him a second time. "Hangar bay this is the Captain. Launch six fighters out of the port – repeat – port hangar bay," he ordered. "Have them engage the incoming fighters and… if necessary, the mother vessel. The Waywardsman – again I repeat – the Waywardsman will handle the enemy shuttle that is flanking us to starboard."
"Acknowledged, Captain," responded Andy 'Mad Dog' Wolf himself from down below. "I'll alert the launch crews, pronto." Norris waited specifically until he heard his order to launch fighter cover confirmed before switching the Comm-link's open channel.
"Greg what's our escape status?" he asked quickly.
"Unpredictable as long as that shuttle is attached," he said. "We've got to get them off of us or they'll screw up our PTP window. They've got some sort of jamming equipment engaged specifically for that purpose. Initiating a transit right now could kill us all."
"I'm on it," Norris declared angrily, "and I'll get back to you in just a minute." The screen in front of him finished powering up and he immediately activated the motion sensor link so that both he and Melissa could monitor the situation. Two more of the smaller shuttles were detaching from the mother ship. They no doubt also intended to PTP alongside the Waywardsman and attach to them with grappling cables. Again Norris switched his Comm-link. "Colonel Emerson, please get your men together and have them begin evacuating passenger deck four. It's quite possible that we may get boarded."
"We'll be right there Captain," he heard the Colonel promise.
"Well," Norris said, taking a quick appraisal of Melissa's concerned expression. "This has turned out to be one damned depressing day so far, hasn't it?"
Situation Normal
UNTIL THE DAWN
Chapter XIV: Situation Normal…
* * *
Jon Komm waited helplessly, standing next to a crowd of concerned civilians and two armed marines. At least twenty other people were tightly crowded together with him in a lift currently rising from passenger level four to the third level above them. The usually quick trip seemed to take an eternity and he wasn't exactly dealing with the stress too well.
"First I find out this ship has a Chapel built specifically for losers," he stated snidely. "Then I'm told there's a Brotherhood undercover agent living next door to me… and now we're being boarded by an unknown alien species. What the hell else can go wrong on this ship?" He noticed the odd looks from some of the equally scared passengers surrounding him but – as usual – he didn't care. The door opened and everyone hastily exited onto the third passenger level.
"Out, out, out!" one of the marines shouted. "We've got another load of people waiting down below. Move your ass!" He grabbed Komm by the collar and shoved him out the door. Jon turned around angrily to give the marine a piece of his mind but suddenly landed flat on his behind as he was unexpectedly bowled over by someone running into the elevator.
"Down!" Trey Rem shouted, pointing at the floor. "Go down now! I've got to get to the Lab wing… the safety of the entire ship depends on it. I swear to God." One of the marines looked at him with dismay, so Trey firmly held up the Council patch that he had hastily grabbed on the way out of his quarters.
"You want to go down… there?" Komm asked, looking up from the deck with astonishment. He picked himself up and silently watched Trey in disbelief until the lift doors slid closed, separating him from the young scientist and the pair of marines.
Inside the elevator one of the marines turned to Trey. "We'll take you down but we have orders to evacuate all of the passengers from down there. So if you change your mind and want to come back up you're going to be out of luck. We can't wait for you."
"I'm not coming back up," said Trey determinedly. "One way or another, I'm going to get to the Lab wing."
The instant the door snapped open he and the marines stepped out of the elevator car. The last group of people began moving into it and the two marines watched them carefully, weapons held at the ready. Trey was already gone – running full speed down the corridor, ignoring the moving sidewalks as he pulled up next to a crowd of marines setting up barricades and taking up concealed positions inside some of the still-open doors to passenger quarters.
"Hey, you can't go down there!" one of the marines said, grabbing Trey by the left shoulder. "It's quite possible there will be enemy troops boarding us any minute."
"Corporal Keenan… right?" Trey asked, recognizing him. He watched the man nod and pointed to the distant end of the corridor. "I have information vital to the survival of this ship." Again he held up his Council ID. "I don't need any crap from anybody but I do have to get to the Lab wing. I'll explain everything later but for now please get out of the way!"
Keenan glanced at the man next to him. "Private, you and Jacobs escort this man to the Lab wing immediately. Make sure he gets there safely!"
"Getting there isn't going to be the problem," the Private said nervously as he, Jacobs, and Trey began sprinting down the corridor at top speed. "If we get boarded, coming back here to you guys in one piece is going to be the tough part!"
The Corporal watched them go, reminding himself to smack both of his men on the head later. The kid out-sprinted them easily, leaving them quickly behind as he ran all out. It's true that the two marines were carrying heavy equipment and watching for signs of armed intrusion, but still… he couldn't pass on this opportunity to embarrass them at least a little bit.
Trey continued running, his thoughts returning once more to Greg's statement about the enemy having 'jamming capability' in use against their CAS system. It hadn't made sense, so he had continued using his Quorum clearance to monitor all critical ship's communications when suddenly everything had clicked. He knew exactly what to do… all he had to do was get to the Lab wing before disaster struck.
* * *
In the Lab wing Greg and the rest of the Laboratory staff were getting ready to reset the CAS system to see if they could reboot and try once more to establish a viable PTP window. He still had all available cameras trained on the sinister alien shuttle lurking right next door, carefully studying the enemy ship as it continued winding its grappling cables tighter and tighter, pulling closer to the Waywardsman with each passing minute.
Through the tiny window ports of the enemy vessel they could see dozens of dark-uniformed troops wearing black helmets. All of them were square-jawed and held huge rifles while waiting patiently until the opportunity to board the starship and wreak havoc arrived. He could see sparks dropping in several of those portholes, indicating that they already held welding torches active. As soon as contact was made with the Waywardsman's hull, they would begin cutting through.
Greg was still working furiously to prevent that from happening when a beep sounded on the console behind him. Turning, he noticed a large red flash from the E-Note icon on the work station's screen, indicating that his terminal had just received a top-priority message. It caught his attention because he had never received something flagged with that much security clearance before. Hurriedly, he opened the note and read:
Greg… Ship's CAS difficulty is NOT due to jamming by enemy. Do NOT, repeat, do NOT reset CAS system. On my way down. Stand by… Trey
P.S. George says hi!
Greg laughed out loud, mostly from absolute frustration and was wondering what to do next when he heard the hatchway behind him opening. Trey burst through the door followed closely by two armed marines, and he sighed with relief. The young scientist was gasping for breath but immediately pointed at the image of the enemy ship.
"Get clearance from the Captain…" he said, inhaling deeply. "So we can use the CAS arm as a weapon against them!"
Greg thought carefully about Trey' statement for five seconds and then realized what the kid was talking about. He nodded with understanding and opened a direct Comm-link to Norris. In the background of the sound crackling out of the speaker, he could hear the Captain issuing orders.
