sleep.
It seemed like
only a short time had passed when a persistent voice called her name over the
ship’s intercom system. The urgent tone pierced through the fog, awakening her.
“Captain
Tayte! Captain Tayte, report! Report to the bridge, Captain Tayte!”
Groggy, she
managed to roll over and slap the intercom button on the small shelf beside the
bed.
“Tayte
here.”
“Captain!
Precorut is under attack!”
All remnants of
sleep vanished in an instant. Awake but still somewhat disoriented, it took her
a few seconds to get to her feet and out the door.
“On my
way!”
As she ran
through the corridors, silent secondary alarms splashed brilliant blue light
throughout the ship. By this time, all personnel would be at their stations,
ready for her command. Plymon had put the ship on alert, but not in attack
status. That call was hers alone, unless she became totally incapacitated, and
he had to assume the chair.
The tension on
the bridge was palpable when she entered.
“Granth?”
“Received a
short transmission seven minutes ago, Captain. It was a signal for help from
Precorut.”
“Magnus.”
“Coordinates
locked.”
“Shields up
and full speed. Granth, any idea who is attacking the station?”
“I heard
‘Ben Objure’ before the signal was cut off.”
“Magnus,
how far―”
“Eleven
minutes, Captain.”
Eleven minutes.
A lot could happen in eleven minutes. Still, they didn’t have much choice but
to hope they would be in time as the ship raced through space.
Sitting back in
her chair, Will stared out at the panorama spread beyond the view screen and
tried to calm her rising fear.
What if they
weren’t in time? What if the Ben Objure made good their threats and destroyed
the space station?
What if they
kill Vall?
She gripped the
arms of the chair so tightly, her knuckles turned white. She couldn’t think
that way.
Stop, Willis.
Stop it. We’ll get there in time. We’ll get there and defeat the Ben Objure, or
drive them back. Either way, we’ll save Precorut.
We’re coming
to save you, Vall. Just hold on. We’re coming!
Chapter Eight
Intent
They had barely
cleared the outer lanes of traffic when they came upon a sight that stunned
them all. It was Magnus who voiced what they all were thinking.
“Holy mother
of the universe! Three Objurian ships?”
Will had to
shake herself. “Hold steady! At least three, but there could be others we
don’t see at this angle.”
But there was no
denying there were three of them. Not as big as the queen’s ship, but they were
highly visible as they hovered in space, blasting the space station from
different angles. For the moment, they were too busy attacking Precorut to
notice the Trinity watching from their rear. Meanwhile, ships and
cruisers were abandoning the station in droves, trying to escape the onslaught.
By the station’s obvious tilt, she could tell it had already suffered serious
damage to its gyros and stabilizers.
“Think we
can take them?” Plymon whispered.
“One at a
time, most definitely. Magnus, let’s tap the nearest one on the shoulder and
say hello.” Slapping the button on her chair’s arm, Will smiled as the
battle alarm sounded.
“Shields
up!” Peersoff called out.
“Good!
Granth, let them know they’ve found who they’re searching for. Let’s see if we
can’t take this war into open space, and away from the station.”
She felt the
familiar vibration as the ship fired at the closest Objurian craft. There was a
moment of intense brightness as the plasma missile struck the ship’s protective
covering. But Nion missiles were not like other weapons. As the outer shell of
the missile disintegrated upon contact with the Objurian shields, the inner
ball of pure proton energy plunged through their defensive barrier and struck
the ship full-on. Will watched as a portion of the craft exploded outward.
Someone behind her whooped.
“Confirm
four Objurian warships, Dramsk configuring, each
It seemed like
only a short time had passed when a persistent voice called her name over the
ship’s intercom system. The urgent tone pierced through the fog, awakening her.
“Captain
Tayte! Captain Tayte, report! Report to the bridge, Captain Tayte!”
Groggy, she
managed to roll over and slap the intercom button on the small shelf beside the
bed.
“Tayte
here.”
“Captain!
Precorut is under attack!”
All remnants of
sleep vanished in an instant. Awake but still somewhat disoriented, it took her
a few seconds to get to her feet and out the door.
“On my
way!”
As she ran
through the corridors, silent secondary alarms splashed brilliant blue light
throughout the ship. By this time, all personnel would be at their stations,
ready for her command. Plymon had put the ship on alert, but not in attack
status. That call was hers alone, unless she became totally incapacitated, and
he had to assume the chair.
The tension on
the bridge was palpable when she entered.
“Granth?”
“Received a
short transmission seven minutes ago, Captain. It was a signal for help from
Precorut.”
“Magnus.”
“Coordinates
locked.”
“Shields up
and full speed. Granth, any idea who is attacking the station?”
“I heard
‘Ben Objure’ before the signal was cut off.”
“Magnus,
how far―”
“Eleven
minutes, Captain.”
Eleven minutes.
A lot could happen in eleven minutes. Still, they didn’t have much choice but
to hope they would be in time as the ship raced through space.
Sitting back in
her chair, Will stared out at the panorama spread beyond the view screen and
tried to calm her rising fear.
What if they
weren’t in time? What if the Ben Objure made good their threats and destroyed
the space station?
What if they
kill Vall?
She gripped the
arms of the chair so tightly, her knuckles turned white. She couldn’t think
that way.
Stop, Willis.
Stop it. We’ll get there in time. We’ll get there and defeat the Ben Objure, or
drive them back. Either way, we’ll save Precorut.
We’re coming
to save you, Vall. Just hold on. We’re coming!
Chapter Eight
Intent
They had barely
cleared the outer lanes of traffic when they came upon a sight that stunned
them all. It was Magnus who voiced what they all were thinking.
“Holy mother
of the universe! Three Objurian ships?”
Will had to
shake herself. “Hold steady! At least three, but there could be others we
don’t see at this angle.”
But there was no
denying there were three of them. Not as big as the queen’s ship, but they were
highly visible as they hovered in space, blasting the space station from
different angles. For the moment, they were too busy attacking Precorut to
notice the Trinity watching from their rear. Meanwhile, ships and
cruisers were abandoning the station in droves, trying to escape the onslaught.
By the station’s obvious tilt, she could tell it had already suffered serious
damage to its gyros and stabilizers.
“Think we
can take them?” Plymon whispered.
“One at a
time, most definitely. Magnus, let’s tap the nearest one on the shoulder and
say hello.” Slapping the button on her chair’s arm, Will smiled as the
battle alarm sounded.
“Shields
up!” Peersoff called out.
“Good!
Granth, let them know they’ve found who they’re searching for. Let’s see if we
can’t take this war into open space, and away from the station.”
She felt the
familiar vibration as the ship fired at the closest Objurian craft. There was a
moment of intense brightness as the plasma missile struck the ship’s protective
covering. But Nion missiles were not like other weapons. As the outer shell of
the missile disintegrated upon contact with the Objurian shields, the inner
ball of pure proton energy plunged through their defensive barrier and struck
the ship full-on. Will watched as a portion of the craft exploded outward.
Someone behind her whooped.
“Confirm
four Objurian warships, Dramsk configuring, each
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