exactly in
front of the Warhammer in the line of fire. Shields were at max and Andrea had
all her targets set. Ben laid his hand on E'Aria's shoulder and gave it a
squeeze. He then stepped over to Natalia's station.
"Natalia,
can you get me through to the Warhammer on a different frequency?" Ben
asked. He knew she had been training on the ship, as well as everything else.
"I
can." Natalia tapped the console screen and pinged the Warhammer. "If
they got that, they should answer us in a moment."
"Captain, we
just got pinged by the Claymore on an odd channel; it's not regulation."
"Ensign,
you forget what we are doing here. Regulations just went out the window. Put it
on the com."
"Go ahead,
Claymore," Ensign Ellison responded.
"Shawna,
is that you? It's Natalia. Is the captain there?"
"Natalia,
dear, why are you calling me?"
"It's my
job, Captain, and I got a new pistol and a knife."
The bridge crew
of the Warhammer looked at their captain.
"That is
great dear, but I am kind of busy."
"I know, I
told Captain Mahajan you were going to kick his ass but I think you should run
now while they are arguing with E'Aria. It looks like we can't help you because
we are diplomats or something."
Ben stood
listening to Natalia with his arms crossed. It seemed she had just given
Aisling the same advice he was going too.
"Captain
Mahajan, it seems that if you want to get to the Warhammer, you will need to
move us first," E'Aria yelled.
"I am
sorry Captain Aok, but I have my orders. Mahajan out. "
"Andrea,
the minute they fire, you fire," E'Aria ordered. Lorelei, get ready for
evasive maneuvers."
"Natalia,
do you still have the Warhammer on the com? If so, tell her to get ready."
"Captain,
looks like we are not diplomats anymore. Captain E'Aria says get ready.
Claymore out."
The bridge crew
of the Warhammer looked at their captain. Every one of them remembered Natalia.
Ensign Ellison looked to her captain. "Captain, she has a pistol and a
knife and she is working on the bridge of that warship."
"Oh yes
Shawna, to you she still sounds like a teenage girl, but she has been with
Reaper for about four months and I guarantee they haven’t been wasted. She has
at least four of the best teachers around. I would bet you a month’s pay in a
few years she will be piloting a starship and by the time she is your age, the
captain of one."
"I won't
take that bet, sorry Captain."
"Lieutenant
Benson, do you have a lock on your targets?"
"Aye Captain, just give the
word."
Chapter 8
"Lieutenant
St. James, keep the bow pointed at the Mace. I want the smallest possible
target always appearing on their screens. Ensign, inform Chief Miller we are
going to make two FTL jumps, a short and a long with minimal time in
between."
Ensign
responded, "Aye Captain, message from the Claymore incoming. Should I put
it on the screen or your console?"
"Put it on
the screen." E'Aria and the Prime Minister came into view.
"Captain,"
E'Aria said. "In a moment, one of those starships is going to fire on our ship.
When that happens, our status as a diplomatic envoy will be mute. We are going
to attack both of the corvettes simultaneously and force them out of formation.
We want you to use the opening and FTL to safety."
"E'Aria,
may I ask what you plan to do if we leave?"
"We are
going to run, Captain. With you gone and hopefully safe, we are hoping to draw
them away from Anubis. They do not know the capabilities of our ship, we plan
on just keeping ahead of them dangling the carrot, and once we are far enough,
we will FTL to Hyson space."
The Prime
Minister interrupted and said, "Captain, the Trillond Empire offers you
asylum for as long as needed. I have arranged for a blockade of our border and
will notify Trillond Naval Command if you can tell me you would wish to retreat
there. They will not be allowing any other Colonial Navy starships entry. You
and your crew will be safe."
"Thank
you, Madame Prime Minister. We will take you up on your
front of the Warhammer in the line of fire. Shields were at max and Andrea had
all her targets set. Ben laid his hand on E'Aria's shoulder and gave it a
squeeze. He then stepped over to Natalia's station.
"Natalia,
can you get me through to the Warhammer on a different frequency?" Ben
asked. He knew she had been training on the ship, as well as everything else.
"I
can." Natalia tapped the console screen and pinged the Warhammer. "If
they got that, they should answer us in a moment."
"Captain, we
just got pinged by the Claymore on an odd channel; it's not regulation."
"Ensign,
you forget what we are doing here. Regulations just went out the window. Put it
on the com."
"Go ahead,
Claymore," Ensign Ellison responded.
"Shawna,
is that you? It's Natalia. Is the captain there?"
"Natalia,
dear, why are you calling me?"
"It's my
job, Captain, and I got a new pistol and a knife."
The bridge crew
of the Warhammer looked at their captain.
"That is
great dear, but I am kind of busy."
"I know, I
told Captain Mahajan you were going to kick his ass but I think you should run
now while they are arguing with E'Aria. It looks like we can't help you because
we are diplomats or something."
Ben stood
listening to Natalia with his arms crossed. It seemed she had just given
Aisling the same advice he was going too.
"Captain
Mahajan, it seems that if you want to get to the Warhammer, you will need to
move us first," E'Aria yelled.
"I am
sorry Captain Aok, but I have my orders. Mahajan out. "
"Andrea,
the minute they fire, you fire," E'Aria ordered. Lorelei, get ready for
evasive maneuvers."
"Natalia,
do you still have the Warhammer on the com? If so, tell her to get ready."
"Captain,
looks like we are not diplomats anymore. Captain E'Aria says get ready.
Claymore out."
The bridge crew
of the Warhammer looked at their captain. Every one of them remembered Natalia.
Ensign Ellison looked to her captain. "Captain, she has a pistol and a
knife and she is working on the bridge of that warship."
"Oh yes
Shawna, to you she still sounds like a teenage girl, but she has been with
Reaper for about four months and I guarantee they haven’t been wasted. She has
at least four of the best teachers around. I would bet you a month’s pay in a
few years she will be piloting a starship and by the time she is your age, the
captain of one."
"I won't
take that bet, sorry Captain."
"Lieutenant
Benson, do you have a lock on your targets?"
"Aye Captain, just give the
word."
Chapter 8
"Lieutenant
St. James, keep the bow pointed at the Mace. I want the smallest possible
target always appearing on their screens. Ensign, inform Chief Miller we are
going to make two FTL jumps, a short and a long with minimal time in
between."
Ensign
responded, "Aye Captain, message from the Claymore incoming. Should I put
it on the screen or your console?"
"Put it on
the screen." E'Aria and the Prime Minister came into view.
"Captain,"
E'Aria said. "In a moment, one of those starships is going to fire on our ship.
When that happens, our status as a diplomatic envoy will be mute. We are going
to attack both of the corvettes simultaneously and force them out of formation.
We want you to use the opening and FTL to safety."
"E'Aria,
may I ask what you plan to do if we leave?"
"We are
going to run, Captain. With you gone and hopefully safe, we are hoping to draw
them away from Anubis. They do not know the capabilities of our ship, we plan
on just keeping ahead of them dangling the carrot, and once we are far enough,
we will FTL to Hyson space."
The Prime
Minister interrupted and said, "Captain, the Trillond Empire offers you
asylum for as long as needed. I have arranged for a blockade of our border and
will notify Trillond Naval Command if you can tell me you would wish to retreat
there. They will not be allowing any other Colonial Navy starships entry. You
and your crew will be safe."
"Thank
you, Madame Prime Minister. We will take you up on your
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