Read Online Star Force: Shame (SF59) by Aer-ki Jyr - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Aer-ki Jyr
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to hack out some new Star Force territory ahead of
the brushfire that was the oncoming lizard advance.
6
January 3, 2659
Banner System
(Core Region)
Smash
“Ship arrival without IFF,” one of the Star Force
traffic coordinators told the deck chief over his shoulder, his eyes still on
the contact near the smaller of the two stars in the system that the detection
grid had just registered and transmitted over the gap in the system to the
heavily populated Human world where the transit headquarters were located.
“What make?” the Chief asked, leaning forward
microscopically in his chair as he pushed aside whatever it was he was working
on at the time. The coordinators handled all the traffic within the system,
each with a particular zone that was micromanaged by other controllers on site,
but in this case there was no station near the stellar pair so the anomaly had
been routed directly to the control center.
The coordinator waited for a few seconds so the
sensors could chew on the readings they were getting, but with no luck he
merely shook his head and raised an eyebrow. “Unknown.”
“Alert the defense fleet to stand by for intercept and
get a comm to the H’kar. This may be one of theirs.”
“It doesn’t match any H’kar ship in the database.”
“It could be another Nexus craft that we’re unfamiliar
with. Where’s it heading?”
“Staying put for the moment…defense fleet says drones
are being dispatched.”
“Reroute traffic patterns around it until we know what
we’re dealing with. If it is hostile we don’t want anyone getting caught up in
the crossfire. Backtrack its trajectory.”
“Jumpline indicates Mortica System.”
“Incoming comm from the
unidentified ship,” another control room staffer interrupted. “It’s a copied
Star Force transmission granting them pass-through rights.”
“It’s what?”
“It’s a green card.”
“Those don’t come from ships, they come though the
grid.”
“I know, but this one is coming from the ship.”
The Chief rubbed his forehead in confusion. “Who does
it say it is?”
“It’s labeled as a H’kar
associate.”
“Inform the defense fleet that we have a probable
legit transport, but that we request a military escort anyway. I don’t like
this.”
“Actually, the green card is for a convoy fleet of 259
vessels.”
“What the hell,” the Chief said, getting up out of his
seat and walking forward. He stepped down two levels and came up behind the
coordinator, double checking what he was seeing. “Amend that comm to the defense fleet to ‘convoy escort.’ Still just
the one ship?”
“So far yes.”
“Keep an eye on it. I don’t like this,” he said,
staring at the sensor image of a single, moderately-sized jumpship just sitting
in stellar orbit with a host of Star Force signals moving towards it.
Eventually he took his eyes off it and retreated back towards his chair.
“Here they come,” the coordinator said before he even
made it halfway back. “Multiple vessels incoming in tight stagger.”
“Sent the messenger on ahead did they?”
“And these are much bigger.”
“Defense fleet says they’re assuming priority control
of the situation,” another staffer said.
“Good,” the Chief uttered, returning to his chair.
This was in someone else’s hands now. “Keep the area clear and let them do
their thing…and bring up possible evacuation routes for the orbital traffic. I
want to be ready if fighting breaks out.”
“They do have a green card,” the coordinator pointed
out.
“That they transmitted,” he said, bringing up a comprehensive system traffic tracking holo
in front of him so he could see the big picture and hand out assignments for
the coordinators to tackle as needed, “and that makes me wonder.”
A tone sounded on the desk where Keina was reading a mass of text, bringing her out of her studying haze. She
telekinetically pressed a button on the surface
the brushfire that was the oncoming lizard advance.
6
January 3, 2659
Banner System
(Core Region)
Smash
“Ship arrival without IFF,” one of the Star Force
traffic coordinators told the deck chief over his shoulder, his eyes still on
the contact near the smaller of the two stars in the system that the detection
grid had just registered and transmitted over the gap in the system to the
heavily populated Human world where the transit headquarters were located.
“What make?” the Chief asked, leaning forward
microscopically in his chair as he pushed aside whatever it was he was working
on at the time. The coordinators handled all the traffic within the system,
each with a particular zone that was micromanaged by other controllers on site,
but in this case there was no station near the stellar pair so the anomaly had
been routed directly to the control center.
The coordinator waited for a few seconds so the
sensors could chew on the readings they were getting, but with no luck he
merely shook his head and raised an eyebrow. “Unknown.”
“Alert the defense fleet to stand by for intercept and
get a comm to the H’kar. This may be one of theirs.”
“It doesn’t match any H’kar ship in the database.”
“It could be another Nexus craft that we’re unfamiliar
with. Where’s it heading?”
“Staying put for the moment…defense fleet says drones
are being dispatched.”
“Reroute traffic patterns around it until we know what
we’re dealing with. If it is hostile we don’t want anyone getting caught up in
the crossfire. Backtrack its trajectory.”
“Jumpline indicates Mortica System.”
“Incoming comm from the
unidentified ship,” another control room staffer interrupted. “It’s a copied
Star Force transmission granting them pass-through rights.”
“It’s what?”
“It’s a green card.”
“Those don’t come from ships, they come though the
grid.”
“I know, but this one is coming from the ship.”
The Chief rubbed his forehead in confusion. “Who does
it say it is?”
“It’s labeled as a H’kar
associate.”
“Inform the defense fleet that we have a probable
legit transport, but that we request a military escort anyway. I don’t like
this.”
“Actually, the green card is for a convoy fleet of 259
vessels.”
“What the hell,” the Chief said, getting up out of his
seat and walking forward. He stepped down two levels and came up behind the
coordinator, double checking what he was seeing. “Amend that comm to the defense fleet to ‘convoy escort.’ Still just
the one ship?”
“So far yes.”
“Keep an eye on it. I don’t like this,” he said,
staring at the sensor image of a single, moderately-sized jumpship just sitting
in stellar orbit with a host of Star Force signals moving towards it.
Eventually he took his eyes off it and retreated back towards his chair.
“Here they come,” the coordinator said before he even
made it halfway back. “Multiple vessels incoming in tight stagger.”
“Sent the messenger on ahead did they?”
“And these are much bigger.”
“Defense fleet says they’re assuming priority control
of the situation,” another staffer said.
“Good,” the Chief uttered, returning to his chair.
This was in someone else’s hands now. “Keep the area clear and let them do
their thing…and bring up possible evacuation routes for the orbital traffic. I
want to be ready if fighting breaks out.”
“They do have a green card,” the coordinator pointed
out.
“That they transmitted,” he said, bringing up a comprehensive system traffic tracking holo
in front of him so he could see the big picture and hand out assignments for
the coordinators to tackle as needed, “and that makes me wonder.”
A tone sounded on the desk where Keina was reading a mass of text, bringing her out of her studying haze. She
telekinetically pressed a button on the surface
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