Cradle of War (A Captain's Crucible Book 3) (27 page)

The commander pursed his lips. “At this range, if we concentrated our Vipers, how much damage could we cause?”

“Major,” Miko said. “We’d probably cut a hole right through them. Assuming their armor is similar to our own.”

“The alien vessel has ascended slightly,” Lewis said. “Their closest point is now five hundred meters below the
Marley
.”

“Do you want to fire, sir?” Miko asked.

“Not yet,” Robert said. He set one elbow down on the armrest, and placed his chin in his palm. “What the hell do they want?”

“Sir!” Ensign Lewis said. “The alien vessel is initiating some sort of beam. It seems to be a concentrated gravitational wave of some kind... they’re carving a piece out of the
Marley’s
hull!”

On the video feed, Robert saw a long, perfectly cylindrical hull segment float away from the Builder toward the alien vessel.

“The
Marley
is reporting a hull breach on its lower deck,” Lewis said. “Near their engine room. If they take another hit in that area, the reactor could go critical.”

“And we lose our Builder ship,” Robert said.
Along with our way home.
“Miko, target them with our heavy beams. I want every ship involved, and aiming for the same area. Location is at your discretion. But I want only a ten percent burst, fleet-wide. I don’t want to destroy them.”

A moment later Miko said: “Vipers are locked on target and ready to discharge a ten percent burst.”

“Fire,” Robert said. An instant later: “Lewis, tell me what we did.”

“Vipers appear to have had no effect,” Lewis said.

So much for their armor being similar to our own.

Robert watched the cylindrical hull segment from the
Marley
reach the alien vessel. Some sort of hangar door spiraled open and swallowed the salvaged item.

“Miko, how much charge do we have left?” Robert asked.

“We were at fifty, and now we’re down to forty. Fleet-wide.”

“All right, prepare to fire again,” Robert said. “Target the same area. But this time have the fleet unleash the full forty percent charge.”

“Ready,” Miko said.

“Fire.”

On the video feed, the attacker abruptly swerved downward.

“That did it,” Miko said.

“The alien vessel is retreating toward the Slipstream,” Lewis said. “I’m detecting a thermal leak where our Vipers hit. We definitely caused a breach.”

“Once bitten, twice shy...” Robert said. “Hold speed. Keep putting distance between us.”

When the retreating vessel was halfway to the Slipstream, a second red dot appeared on the tactical display, sourced from the alien.

“Sir, it just fired a projectile of some kind,” Lewis said. “It’s headed toward our fleet. Fast.”

Robert shifted in his seat. “A projectile? Miko, launch mortars. I want that thing taken out.”

A few moments later, Lewis said: “The projectile is altering course to avoid the mortars.”

Robert clenched his jaw. “Where’s a smart missile when you need one? Miko, target it with Vipers fleet-wide.”

“Targeting,” Miko responded.

“Fire when lasers reach fifty percent charge,” Robert said.

Several moments later Miko announced: “Firing.”

“Did we get it?” Robert asked.

“The Viper beam drilled right through it,” Lewis responded.

“So we disabled it, or not?” Robert pressed.

“I don’t know. It’s still advancing.”

“Helm, alter course,” Robert told his helmsman. “Five degrees to starboard. Miko, transmit the order to the fleet.”

A moment later Ensign Lewis said: “Pursuing object is matching our course and continuing to overtake us.” She paused. “The main alien vessel just fled through the Slipstream.”

“And into Vega 951,” Robert said. “We haven’t seen the last of them, whoever the hell they were.” He glanced at the tactical display. The “projectile” continued to close. “Have the fleet alter course again. I want us moving thirty degrees into the Z plane, and twenty degrees to starboard this time.”

“Altering course,” Miko responded.

“Projectile is matching our trajectory once again,” Lewis said. “It will reach proximity fuse range in T-minus forty-five seconds.”

“Proximity fuse range,” Robert said. “You’re basing that range on one of our own nukes, of which we are sorely lacking at the moment?”

“I am,” Lewis agreed.

“Split up the task group,” Robert told Miko. “If one of us has to take a hit, I want the others as far away as possible when the time comes. Also, coordinate with Maxwell to fire more mortars fleet-wide, Miko. Include a follow-up slug spread. Let’s see if we can’t bring that thing down.”

“The fleet is moving apart,” Miko replied. “And I’m working out a firing solution with Maxwell.” A moment later: “Launching mortars and slugs.”

“The projectile is altering course to skirt the attack once again,” Lewis responded. “It looks like it detected the following slug spread, too, because their trajectory will take them up and over the second wave entirely.”

“Damn it,” Robert said.

“But we have bought ourselves another five seconds,” Lewis added.

Small consolation.

On the tactical display, Robert watched as the six ships continued to spread apart.

“The projectile is homing in on the
Marley
,” Lewis said.

“What?” Robert leaned forward. “No. Helm, bring us back in line with the
Marley
. We’re going to have to shield her. I want us a kilometer off her aft section.”

“We don’t know what that projectile is capable of,” Miko said. “We could be sacrificing the
Callaway
.”

“I know,” Robert said. “But do we have any other choice? Maxwell, begin evacuating the crew to the lifepods.”

“Affirmative,” the AI responded.

As Maxwell’s voice came over the main circuit to announce the evacuation procedures, the
Callaway
resumed its shield position behind the
Marley
. The helmsman brought the cruiser to within a kilometer of the Builder’s aft section, as Robert had requested.

The other four ships had moved to a distance of fifty kilometers away by then.

“Prepare to fire Vipers fleet-wide one last time,” Robert said. “Concentrate the beams as best you can.” With the fleet spread out like that, not all of the heavy lasers would be able to strike the same spot, Robert knew.

“Ready,” Miko responded. “But charge is only fifteen percent.”

“Fire,” Robert said.

“We hit it,” Lewis told him.

“Helm, alter course,” Robert said. “Fifteen degrees starboard. Miko, have the
Marley
mirror us.”

“Projectile is matching,” Lewis said.

Robert exhaled.
We can’t win.

“Impact in five seconds,” Lewis said.

“Four.”

“Three.”

“Two.”

“One.”

Robert held his breath. He expected at least some sign of impact. A rumble. The distant groan of metal. But there was nothing.

He glanced at the ensign uncertainly. “Ops. Did it hit us?”

Lewis hesitated. Then: “Sir. The projectile altered course at the last moment and flew past us. The
Marley
...”

“What?” Robert switched the video feed to the nose camera. The Builder ship had split apart. Its two jagged halves continued forward, moving with their previous momentum in front of the
Callaway
. “No.”

“I’m detecting a surge of thermal energy from the debris,” Ensign Lewis said.

The two separate pieces of the
Marley
glowed blue along their torn edges; that azure line moved outward along the hull, leaving behind empty space in its wake.

“No,” Robert said. “No. No.”

The deterioration continued rapidly until there was nothing left of the Builder. On the thermal band, the elevated readings vanished with the last of the debris.

The bridge crew stared open-mouthed through their aReals.

“I guess we pissed them off,” Maxwell intoned.

“Ensign, are we reading any debris?” Robert asked, ignoring the AI.

“Not in the usual sense, Commander,” Lewis responded. She sounded stunned.

“What do you mean?”

“Well,” Lewis said. “Where the Builder resided, I am detecting elevated levels of hydrogen consistent with a ship of its size.”

“What are you saying? It broke down the ship into hydrogen?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Lewis responded. “It appears the constituent molecules of the Builder and its crew have been completely converted into elemental hydrogen. Single protons orbited by lone electrons. The building blocks of the universe. The thermal energy readings I detected earlier were likely the breaking of the molecular bonds.”

For several moments Robert stared at the empty space where the
Marley
had once resided. While he grieved the loss of the civilian crew that had manned the Builder, a greater sorrow weighed heavily on his heart in that moment.

How are we going to get home?

“Cancel the evacuation,” Robert told Maxwell. “Helm, turn us around. Let’s retrieve the lifepods that launched already.”

“Aye sir,” the helmsman responded.

And once that was done, how was he supposed to break the news to the crew?
None of you are ever heading home. Sorry about that. Hope you enjoy spending the rest of your days aboard a starship in a galaxy millions of lightyears away.

Robert switched to the aft feed and zoomed in on the half-finished Gate.

He rubbed his eyes wearily.

Well Jonathan, guess I won’t be seeing you in three months time after all.

Get the Next Book

Please help spread the word about
Cradle of War
by leaving a one or two sentence review. The number of reviews an ebook receives on Amazon has a big impact on how well it does, so if you liked this story I'd REALLY appreciate it if you left a quick review. Anything will do, even one or two lines. Thank you!

You can keep in touch with me or my writing through one—or all—of the following means:

Twitter:
@IsaacHooke

Facebook:
http://fb.me/authorisaachooke

Goodreads:
http://goodreads.com/isaachooke

My website:
http://isaachooke.com

My email: [email protected]

Don't be shy about emails, I love getting them, and try to respond to everyone!

USA Today
bestselling author Isaac Hooke holds a degree in engineering physics, though his more unusual inventions remain fictive at this time. He is an avid hiker, cyclist, and photographer who sometimes resides in Edmonton, Alberta.

THANK YOU to my knowledgeable beta readers and advanced reviewers who helped smooth out the rough edges of the prerelease manuscript: Nicole P., Jeremy G., Doug B., Jenny O., Amy B., Bryan O., Noel, Anton, Spencer, Norman, Corey, Erol, Terje, David, Charles, Walter, Lisa, Ramon, Chris, Scott, Michael, Chris, Bob, Jim, Maureen, Zane, Chuck, Shayne, Anna, Dave, Roger, Nick, Gerry, Charles, Annie, Patrick, Mike, Jeff, Lisa, Lezza, Jason, Bryant, Janna, Tom, Jerry, Chris, Jim, Brandon, Kathy, Norm, Jonathan, Derek, Shawn, Judi, Eric, Rick, Bryan, Barry, Sherman, Jim, Bob, Ralph, Darren, Michael, Chris, Michael, Julie, Glenn, Rickie, Rhonda, Neil, Claude, Ski, Joe, Paul, Larry, John, Norma, Jeff, David, Brennan, Phyllis, Robert, Darren, Daniel, Montzalee, Robert, Dave, Diane, Peter, Skip, Louise, Dave, Michael, David, Merry, David, Brent, Erin, Paul, Cesar, Jeremy, Hans, Dan, Garland, Trudi, Sharon, Dave, Pat, Nathan, Max, Martin, Greg, David, Myles, Nancy, Ed, David, Karen, Becky, Jacob, Ben, Don, Carl, Gene, Bob, Luke, Teri, Robine, Gerald, Lee, Rich, Ken, Daniel, Chris, Al, Andy, Tim, Robert, Fred, David, Mitch, Don, Tony, Dian, Tony, John, Sandy, James, David, Pat, Gary, Jean, Bryan, William, Roy, Dave, Vincent, Tim, Richard, Kevin, George, Andrew, John, Richard, Robin, Sue, Mark, Jerry, Rodger, Rob, Byron, Ty, Mike, Gerry, Steve, Benjamin, Anna, Keith, Jeff, Josh, Herb, Bev, Simon, John, David, Greg, Larry, Timothy, Tony, Ian, Niraj, Maureen, Jim, Len, Bryan, Todd, Maria, Angela, Gerhard, Renee, Pete, Hemantkumar, Tim, Joseph, Will, David, Suzanne, Steve, Derek, Valerie, Laurence, James, Andy, Mark, Tarzy, Christina, Rick, Mike, Paula, Tim, Jim, Gal, Anthony, Ron, Dietrich, Mindy, Ben, Steve, Allen, Paddy & Penny, Troy, Marti, Herb, Jim, David, Alan, Leslie, Chuck, Dan, Perry, Chris, Rich, Rod, Trevor, Rick, Michael, Tim, Mark, Alex, John, William, Doug, Tony, David, Sam, Derek, John, Jay, Tom, Bryant, Larry, Anjanette, Gary, Travis, Jennifer, Henry, Nicole, Drew, Michelle, Bob, Gregg, Billy, Jack, Lance, Sandra, Libby, Jonathan, Karl, Thomas, Todd, Dave, Dale, Michael, Frank, Josh, Thom, Melissa, Marilynn, Bob, Bruce, Clay, Gary, Sarge, Andrew, Deborah, Steve, and Curtis.

Without you all, this novel would have typos, continuity errors, and excessive lapses in realism. Thank you for helping me make
Cradle of War
the best military science fiction novel it could possibly be, and thank you for leaving the early reviews that help new readers find my books.

And of course I’d be remiss if I didn't thank my mother, father, and brothers, whose untiring wisdom and thought-provoking insights have always guided me through the untamed warrens of life.

— Isaac Hooke