Read Online The War of Pawns (The Human Chronicles -- Book Three) by T.R. Harris - Free Book Online
Authors: T.R. Harris
Ads: Link
advancement, either as an enlisted instructor, or possibly even Officer Candidate School. The choice would be Adam’s.
As soon as he returned from his latest mission in Afghanistan…
Chapter Eight
Adam was on bridge watch, slumped down in the Juirean-size captain’s chair, with the lights dimmed and enjoying the three-quarters gravity that the aliens liked to keep their section of the ship set at. It was night on the ship – or at least it was in the artificial time schedule that they had established just a few days after leaving Zylim-4 – and nearly everyone else was asleep.
Adam was doing his best to keep his own eyes open, when he noticed a brief blip on the forward display screen. It was right at the very edge of their sensor range, and only lasted a moment before it was gone.
With nothing better to do, Adam focused his attention on that part of the screen where he’d seen the blip. After a while – as his eyes were beginning to cross – he saw the blip again. There was definitely something out there, just off the screen.
He got out of the chair and moved to the pilot’s seat. There was something out there that was either matching their speed, or attempting to stay just out of sensor range. There was one way to find out for sure.
He took hold of the control stick and did a quick, short jerk back towards him. The huge battleship slowed just slightly, as the intensity of the well decreased by a fraction.
There was the blip again, this time stronger – and there were two of them. And then they disappeared again off the screen.
They were being followed! And their pursuers did not want their presence known.
Adam brought the lights up on the bridge as he pressed the alarm button. A rhythmic whooping echoed throughout the ship, not as abrasive as a general quarters alarm, but just as effective. Soon the entire crew was running for their stations.
Kaylor and Jym were the first to the bridge. Adam surrendered the pilot’s seat, and then told the two aliens what had happened.
“Sounds like they’re staying just out of range,” Kaylor said. “They must be big in order to stay up with us. Jym, check the readout log and see if you can make a determination.”
“On it.” Jym brought up a recording of the contacts on his screen, and ran a gravity analysis of their wells. Since the singularities were created far ahead of the actual spaceships, a lot could be discerned from their intensity and harmonics.
“The signature is of a similar frequency as our own. Class Five. That can only mean Juireans.”
“And you said you saw two signatures?” Kaylor asked.
“At least two.”
Riyad then entered the bridge. “Contacts?”
“Yep, and they look like Juireans.”
“Time to see if our crew is up to the task, eh.”
“We’ll fight if we have to, but there are multiple contacts.”
Chris Mullis entered the bridge. Adam had put him in charge of the non-coverts, and their training on the ship’s weapon systems. “Everyone’s at their stations, for what good it does. None of us have had any real experience with how to fight a battle in space.”
“Nothing to it,” Riyad said with a smile. “Just like playing a video game back home.”
“If that’s true, then I guess we’re ready to kick some alien ass!”
Adam just smiled at the light banter. He knew everyone was nervous, and this was just their way of coping.
Sherri Valentine entered the bridge next, again looking sultry with her bedhead and flushed cheeks. Adam figured she hadn’t been sleeping much when the alarm sounded, but rather engaged in more strenuous activities with Billy. He really had to shake these thoughts from his head; they were beginning to interfere with his effectiveness as a leader.
Riyad brought her up to speed. “So what’s the plan, Stan?” she asked with a mischievous smile. Adam figured she was still on an endorphin-high, and slightly giddy. Her mood did not match the reality that Juirean spacecraft
As soon as he returned from his latest mission in Afghanistan…
Chapter Eight
Adam was on bridge watch, slumped down in the Juirean-size captain’s chair, with the lights dimmed and enjoying the three-quarters gravity that the aliens liked to keep their section of the ship set at. It was night on the ship – or at least it was in the artificial time schedule that they had established just a few days after leaving Zylim-4 – and nearly everyone else was asleep.
Adam was doing his best to keep his own eyes open, when he noticed a brief blip on the forward display screen. It was right at the very edge of their sensor range, and only lasted a moment before it was gone.
With nothing better to do, Adam focused his attention on that part of the screen where he’d seen the blip. After a while – as his eyes were beginning to cross – he saw the blip again. There was definitely something out there, just off the screen.
He got out of the chair and moved to the pilot’s seat. There was something out there that was either matching their speed, or attempting to stay just out of sensor range. There was one way to find out for sure.
He took hold of the control stick and did a quick, short jerk back towards him. The huge battleship slowed just slightly, as the intensity of the well decreased by a fraction.
There was the blip again, this time stronger – and there were two of them. And then they disappeared again off the screen.
They were being followed! And their pursuers did not want their presence known.
Adam brought the lights up on the bridge as he pressed the alarm button. A rhythmic whooping echoed throughout the ship, not as abrasive as a general quarters alarm, but just as effective. Soon the entire crew was running for their stations.
Kaylor and Jym were the first to the bridge. Adam surrendered the pilot’s seat, and then told the two aliens what had happened.
“Sounds like they’re staying just out of range,” Kaylor said. “They must be big in order to stay up with us. Jym, check the readout log and see if you can make a determination.”
“On it.” Jym brought up a recording of the contacts on his screen, and ran a gravity analysis of their wells. Since the singularities were created far ahead of the actual spaceships, a lot could be discerned from their intensity and harmonics.
“The signature is of a similar frequency as our own. Class Five. That can only mean Juireans.”
“And you said you saw two signatures?” Kaylor asked.
“At least two.”
Riyad then entered the bridge. “Contacts?”
“Yep, and they look like Juireans.”
“Time to see if our crew is up to the task, eh.”
“We’ll fight if we have to, but there are multiple contacts.”
Chris Mullis entered the bridge. Adam had put him in charge of the non-coverts, and their training on the ship’s weapon systems. “Everyone’s at their stations, for what good it does. None of us have had any real experience with how to fight a battle in space.”
“Nothing to it,” Riyad said with a smile. “Just like playing a video game back home.”
“If that’s true, then I guess we’re ready to kick some alien ass!”
Adam just smiled at the light banter. He knew everyone was nervous, and this was just their way of coping.
Sherri Valentine entered the bridge next, again looking sultry with her bedhead and flushed cheeks. Adam figured she hadn’t been sleeping much when the alarm sounded, but rather engaged in more strenuous activities with Billy. He really had to shake these thoughts from his head; they were beginning to interfere with his effectiveness as a leader.
Riyad brought her up to speed. “So what’s the plan, Stan?” she asked with a mischievous smile. Adam figured she was still on an endorphin-high, and slightly giddy. Her mood did not match the reality that Juirean spacecraft
Similar Books
