Frontiers Saga 10: Liberation (23 page)

“Thrust forward,” Nathan ordered. “Let’s keep pace with her until she pitches up for departure.”

“Thrusting forward to follow,” Mister Chiles answered.

“How long until we reach the line-of-sight horizon with Earth again?” Nathan asked.

“At current speed, two hours, forty-two minutes, sir,” Mister Riley reported.

“Once the Celestia starts her departure burn, we’ll start our slingshot burn.”

“Aye, sir.”

“Remember: only one engine,” Nathan reminded him. “We have to look lame.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Passing ten kilometers,” Mister Jakoby announced.

“Very well,” Cameron said. “You may start your climb, Mister Donahue.”

“Aye, sir,” the helmsman answered. “Bringing the mains online and accelerating to higher orbit for departure. Starting the burn at zero point zero five percent.”

Cameron felt a small surge of forward momentum as the Celestia’s main engines came to life for the first time since the ship had landed on Metis only days ago. “I guess they still work,” she mumbled as she felt herself sink back into her command chair slightly.

“She may be mostly hollow, but she can fly,” Luis said with obvious pride.

“Increasing power to zero point one,” Mister Donahue announced.

Cameron again felt the slight force of the increased thrust. Even at such a fraction of their overall potential, the Celestia’s main propulsion was amazingly powerful. She, like the Aurora, was designed to move out quickly, and without their inertial dampeners working at full efficiency, they would likely feel every tenth of a degree of change in their power.

“The Celestia is starting her climb,” Mister Navashee reported.

“Climb with her until we reach the optimum orbital altitude for our slingshot maneuver,” Nathan ordered.

“Aye, sir,” Mister Chiles acknowledged. “Climbing with her.”

Nathan watched the magnified image of the Celestia on his main view screen as her two inboard engines glowed faintly. He did not feel the force of their acceleration, as the Aurora’s inertial dampeners were not only functioning perfectly but had been somewhat enhanced by the Takarans during their month-long stay in the Pallax shipyards in the Takaran system. He sighed as he watched the Celestia climb away from Jupiter, and for the first time since they had first realized that the Jung had already captured Earth, Nathan felt like they had hope. With two ships, possibly even two jump-enabled ships, they not only had hope; they had a chance.

“I’m still not fully versed in the policies and protocols of your service,” Lieutenant Telles said, “but in ours, you’d be considered a commodore now.”

Nathan turned and looked at the lieutenant standing to his right as he, too, stared at the image of the Celestia on the main view screen. “I never thought of that.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Jump complete,” Loki announced as the Falcon’s jump flash subsided. “We’re on the next comm waypoint, coming up on twenty thirteen, ship time.”

“
Think she’ll answer this time?
” Josh wondered.

“I hope so. Even I’m starting to get bored.”

Josh turned partway around in his seat, trying his best to look over his right shoulder at Loki in the back seat of the Falcon’s cockpit. “
You see? I told you this was mind-numbingly boring!
”

“Yeah, well, it still beats flying through waterfalls,” Loki mumbled.

“
Actually, I might be inclined to agree with you on that one
,” Josh admitted as he turned back around to face forward.

Loki smiled. “Deploying laser comm-array.”

Josh looked at his console, leaning forward and squinting in disbelief. “
Uh, aren’t we a little close?
”

“These are the coordinates flight transmitted just before we left,” Loki said.

“
Why?
” Josh wondered. “
Why would they put us so close? We were, like, five minutes out at all the other comm waypoints.
”

“They probably want us to make real-time contact with her,” Loki surmised.

“
Maybe, but come on; we’re only
four light seconds
out. You’re aware of that, right? Four light seconds!
”

“I’m aware of it.”

“
Okay, just making sure
,” Josh said. “
So how long are we supposed to sit here this time?
”

“Ten minutes, just like before.”

Josh turned around to face aft again. “
Ten minutes, four light seconds away from Earth
—
Earth, where there are, like, a half dozen Jung ships and a few hundred fighters.
”

“That would be the place,” Loki answered. “You said you were bored, didn’t you? Well, this hardly qualifies as boring.”

“
No, this is
still
boring, but it
does
have potential
,” Josh declared.

“Comm-array is deployed in standby mode, waiting for her signal.” Loki looked at the time display on his console. “Comm window in thirty seconds.”

“
Don’t watch the clock. Watch the sensors
,” Josh advised. “
If they spot us, we’re going to have to jump out in a hurry
.”

“I’ve got an escape jump loaded and ready,” Loki told him. “We can jump away within five seconds.”

“
You do realize we’re headed directly toward the Earth, right?
” Josh asked.

“I know, but we’re barely moving.”

“
Still, we
are
getting closer. I mean, I haven’t done the math or anything, but I’m betting we’re going to be a good deal closer than four light seconds out ten minutes from now
.”

“Not really.”

“
Are you sure about that?
”

“I did the math.”

“
I should have known,
” Josh said, rolling his eyes.

Loki looked over his console at the back of Josh’s flight seat. “Since when did you get so nervous about flying into danger?” Loki asked. “I thought you loved that stuff.”

“
I do when the odds are in our favor,
” Josh replied, “
which they currently are not.
”

“And you thought they were when you decided to attack a Jung frigate?”

“
Actually, yes.
”

“You do realize that was a mistake, right?” Loki asked.

“
I do now, sure.
”

“Just checking.”

“
Time?
” Josh wondered.

“Twenty eighteen.” Loki sighed.

“
You think she’s in trouble?
” Josh wondered, genuine concern in his voice.

“She’s probably just scrambling to get to a secure location from which to transmit before…” Loki stopped talking and focused his attention on his console.

“
Before what?
” Josh asked.

“Laser comm-array just lit up,” Loki announced. “It’s going through the handshake…”

“
I thought that happened instantly.
”

“It does from close range. We’re four seconds out, remember?”

“
Almost four seconds out
,” Josh said. “
Probably closer to three by now
.”

“
Falcon, Nash. Do you copy?
” Jessica’s voice called over the laser comm. Her voice was tinny and distant, and the decryption algorithms were chopping bits and pieces of her words. Nevertheless, the stress in her tone was obvious.

“Nash, Falcon copies. Sit-rep?”

“
She doesn’t sound too good,
” Josh said.

“Yeah, I noticed.”

“
Falcon, Nash. Mission aborted. Injured, being hunted. Request immediate extraction from mission sector one one four. Range one click max. Over.
”

“
I told you…
”

Loki waved his hand for Josh to be quiet even though Josh couldn’t see him from his position at the front of the cockpit. “Nash, Falcon copies. Will recontact at two zero three zero sierra tango with details. Can you hold position for next contact?”

“
Do you have her position?
” Josh asked.

“I’ve got her. I’ve got her,” Loki assured him.

“
Falcon, Nash. Affirmative… Make it quick, boys. Nash out.
”

“
Give me a heading,
” Josh declared as he turned forward and prepared to maneuver.

“Already on it,” Loki assured him. “Eleven to port and down eight. Throttles to twenty-five percent. I’ll jump us as soon as we hit our target speed.”

“Eleven to port and down eight. Throttles coming up.”

“Jumping in twelve seconds,” Loki announced.

* * *

Eli stepped out of the elevator and followed the two escorts into the Jung military command center in the lower levels of the capitol building. The room was not as big as he had expected, with no more than a dozen officers, technicians, and guards occupying the relatively modest space. As he approached the center of the room, it occurred to him that his own office on the top floor of the building above them had far more space.

“What was so important that you had to drag me down here?” Eli wondered aloud.

“Apologies, Governor,” General Bacca stated with forced politeness, “but we are about to launch our attack on the Aurora, and I did not wish to leave the command center.”

“Isn’t Jupiter more than an hour away?” Eli said.

“Near real-time battle communications are maintained via FTL comm-drones,” the general explained. “I believe your EDF used a manned variety they referred to as comm-runners.”

“I see. So you wanted me to witness the battle?”

“Actually, I wanted to show you the subject that attacked our combat shuttle near our operative’s impact site.” General Bacca gestured to a technician to put the footage up on one of the nearest view screens.

Eli watched the images from the shuttle’s nose camera, flinching as the narrow, red bolts of energy leapt toward the camera from the person running away on the surface.

“Freeze, magnify, and enhance,” the general instructed the technician.

The image stopped and zoomed in on the face of the shooter on the ground. The face was blurry, but after several enhancement passes, it became clear.

“A woman?” Eli said, surprised.

“Indeed.”

Eli cocked his head to one side as he examined the woman’s face on the view screen. “She looks familiar.”

“She’s the same woman that was extracted by one of the Aurora STS shuttles outside of Winnipeg not even a day ago.”

“No, that’s not it,” Eli mumbled. He turned to the general. “I mean, I’m sure you’re right, General. However, I’m sure I’ve seen her someplace else.”

“She is undoubtedly an operative from the Aurora,” the general insisted.

“Again, I’m sure you’re correct, General. I’m a bit confused, however. If she was just extracted a day ago, why did she return?”

“Perhaps to make contact with the resistance once again,” the general suggested. “We did take down the cell that she had made contact with outside of Winnipeg, after all.”

“But why Australia?”

“There are still more than one hundred of the Intrepid’s surviving crew who have not been apprehended. They are undoubtedly on that continent, quite probably in the general area of Sydney.”

“You think the Aurora needs crewmen?” Eli asked, surprised at the general’s implication.

“It is possible,” the general said. “The Aurora was not fully crewed at the time of her departure. However, it seems unlikely that they would take such a risk at this particular time.”

“Unless they really do need crewmen,” Eli said.

“Yes,” General Bacca mumbled, staring at Jessica’s face on the view screen. “Most curious.” The general turned back to Eli. “However, it is just as likely that she came down with our operative.”

“To what end?”

“I am unsure at the moment,” General Bacca admitted. “However, it is even more reason to consider the intel gathered from that device suspect.”

“It seems a lot of effort to plant a bit of false information, does it not?”

“Perhaps,” the general agreed.

“Either way, that woman should be apprehended and interrogated,” Eli insisted. “If she is from the Aurora, she will undoubtedly have valuable intelligence.”

“Possibly,” the general said, tapping his chin with his forefinger. “Or she could be part of an even more elaborate ruse.” He looked at Eli. “Either way, I agree she should be interrogated. I have ordered reinforcements into the area as well as aerial sensor platforms to search for the energy signature of her weapon. Within the hour, the area shall have four times its current assets. We shall find her.”

* * *

“Slingshot maneuver complete,” Mister Riley reported from the Aurora’s navigation console. “Breaking orbit onto departure course.”

“Maintain full power and continue to accelerate,” Nathan ordered.

“Maintaining full power, aye,” Mister Chiles answered from the helm.

“Contacts!” Mister Navashee announced from the sensor station. “Three of them, just appeared astern.”

“General quarters,” Nathan ordered.

“General quarters, aye,” Naralena answered from the comm station. The lighting on the Aurora’s bridge suddenly took on a red hue as the ship prepared for battle.

“Contact one is a Jung cruiser. Contacts two and three are frigates,” Mister Randeen reported from the tactical station. “They must have just come out of FTL, sir.”

“What are they doing, Mister Randeen?” Nathan asked impatiently.

“The frigates are turning toward Metis,” Mister Randeen said. “The cruiser is turning toward us.”

“Range?”

“Cruiser is two thousand kilometers and closing slowly.”

“What about the frigates?” Nathan asked.

“I’m pretty sure they’re looking for the Celestia, Captain.” Mister Randeen looked at his console again. “The cruiser is accelerating,” Mister Randeen announced. “She’s giving chase.”

“Deploy missile launcher and all mini-rail guns except for turrets three, four, and five,” Nathan ordered. “That’s where we took that last hull damage. Maybe they’ll believe those guns are down.”

“Aye, sir.”

“Also deploy two quads each, top and bottom.”

“Aye, sir.”

“All compartments report general quarters manned and ready,” Naralena reported. “Chief of the boat is in damage control. Mister Willard is in combat. Flight reports ready for action.”

“Lock all four missiles on contact one and fire when ready, Mister Randeen,” Nathan ordered.

“Locking missiles on the first contact, aye,” the tactical officer acknowledged as he tapped commands onto his console. “Target locked. Firing four.”

“Aft view,” Nathan ordered.

The main image on the main view screen switched to the view aft as four missiles streaked away toward the pursuing Jung cruiser.

“Missiles running at full power. Time on target: ninety-seven seconds.”

“Contacts!” Mister Navashee announced. “Four missiles inbound!”

“Impact in one minute! Engaging point-defenses,” Mister Randeen announced.

The Aurora’s mini-rail guns along her back side rotated toward the pursuing Jung cruiser to her stern and opened fire, quickly destroying the four incoming missiles.

“Negative impact! All of our missiles were intercepted, sir,” Mister Navashee reported.

“All incoming Jung missiles have also been destroyed,” Mister Randeen added.

“Contact!” Mister Navashee reported.

“Another missile launch?” Nathan wondered.

“No, sir! Jump flash! It’s the Falcon!”

“Incoming transmission,” Naralena reported.

“Fire another round of missiles, Mister Randeen.”

“Firing another round, aye.”

“Falcon reports Lieutenant Commander Nash is aborting her mission and requesting immediate extraction,” Naralena announced as she listened to the Falcon’s incoming transmission on her comm-set.

“Now?” Nathan said.

“Falcon, Aurora copies. Stand by one,” Naralena said over her comm-set. She looked at the captain. “She’s injured and on the run, sir.”

“Firing missiles.”

“Send Major Waddell and a squad in the jump shuttle to pick her up,” Nathan ordered. “Tell them to coordinate with the Falcon. He can use them to fly cover as well.”

“Yes, sir,” Naralena answered.

“Cruiser is still gaining on us,” Mister Randeen reported. “Eighteen hundred meters and closing.”

“Contacts!” Mister Navashee reported. “Four more missiles inbound. Impact in fifty seconds.”

“Engaging with point-defenses,” Mister Randeen announced.

“Stand by to jump. Thirty light seconds straight ahead, Mister Riley.”

“Thirty light seconds, aye.”

“Tell the Falcon to jump with us,” Nathan added.

“Aye, sir,” Naralena acknowledged.

“At this range, our point-defenses may not be able to…”

“That’s the idea, Mister Randeen,” Nathan interrupted.

“Twenty seconds to impact,” Mister Navashee reported from the sensor station.

“Jump plotted,” Mister Riley announced.

“One missile destroyed,” Mister Randeen announced, tension in his voice.

“Wait for my order,” Nathan instructed.

“Two down…”

“Ten seconds…”

“Missiles have breached our point-defenses!” Mister Randeen cried out.

“Five seconds!”

“Jump!”

The bridge instantly flooded with the blue-white jump flash.

“Jump complete!”

“Full magnification,” Nathan ordered. “Show me those missiles.”

The image on the main view screen surrounding the forward portion of the bridge shuddered momentarily as it magnified, peeking back in time at their old light from thirty seconds ago. Nathan watched in fascination as he saw two Jung missiles explode as they were ripped apart by the Aurora’s point-defenses. Ten seconds later, the Aurora’s previous jump flash appeared on the view screen.