Copyright © 1997, 1998
Last updated on 1/21/98
Deck 5, aft of grav-lift B - 05:02:05
Hfolraw moves quickly down the Deck 4 corridor. Reaching lift B he goes down the ladder hand over hand, his feet floating loosely. Reaching the bottom, he carefully plants his feet and starts up the corridor. Ahead of him, he can see Shrike, who's working on the airlocks.
Green lines of light flash around the fighter again, narrowly avoided by the relentless auto-evade software. The chirp in Etienne's ear changes to a steady warble, and his thumb mashes the button on the stick.
Three trails of smoke leap from the belly of the fighter, dragging its nose down for an instant. The missiles converge on the lefthand boarding craft, with Ace trailing in their wake. As Etienne noses his small ship to angle down and under the Elissa, he notes with dismay that troops are already entering the hull breech. Seconds later, they are obscured as the missiles turn the enemy grav-vehicle into a raging fireball. Etienne draws first blood.
"Fish in a barrel" he mutters, as Ace dives for the relative safety of the Elissa's belly.
<< Bridge! This is Morton Limner. Urgent! Captain, if you can give me access to the ships Neutrino Detector and Meson Communicator I may be able to disable that warship! >>
Outside Igor the Zhodtenna stops, now scaning the aft of Elissa, and into space beyond.....
The iris closes slowly, whirring as the weak current forces the lozenges to. Muted clangs are passed through the hull from the "aft" and Alliara looks over her shoulder.
"Bleeding space," she mutters. "Never a quiet moment with a couple of nice pithecantropi."
Re-engaging the mag-boots, she turns towards the lounge door and thumbs the commo << Security, this is Niigurd. Am entering the lounge now. Please no welcoming commitee. >>
Clomping towards the lounge door, she throws one last glance in the direction of the cargo holds and the engineering. Then, turning back to the lounge, she pushes the door actuator, and enters the lounge.
<< Lazer, Berana here, 4-1 is open. I am returning to armoury now. Do want me in combat armor? >>
<< Sorry, no time. Need you to get lasers to Talon and 'Vouf. >>
"Aye sir", Tar heads to the locker and grabs two Laser rifles and their powerpacks. Carefully he uses a sticky-bind strip to make it easier to carry the bundle.
Zben's smile begins to return ... until he realizes that there's no power to run either machine.
Looking at all the red lines on his screen he sees there's no easy way to get either unit on line. Tracing the functioning lines, he notes another possibility, and tightening his seatbelt he's about to key the Captains channel when...
While waiting for a reply, Limner scans the PAD (Psionic Activity Detector) readout. He slides back over the Zhodtenna track...
"Oops! DAMN!!" Limner jabs at the call button....
<< Bridge from Limner >> There's unusual urgency in his voice << I detect psionic activity on the starboard side of the ship, in the approximate area a boarding party was reported, AND on the enemy ship. Please relay to Captain! And, I NEED those feeds! >>
"DAMMIT! Where the hell is de Mer?!" 'Vouf stabs a button. << ALL RIDERS AWAY! GET THOSE KAKH BOARDING CRAFT OFF OUR STERN! >> He then focuses on the display, as if the hate in his stare could kill the figures in the shadows.
"WHAT is THAT? Enhance!" The display tightens up a bit, zooming in on a huge figure in the lock. No less than three meters tall, it seems to have a muzzle rather like a Vargr's, but its body and massive limbs are larger than any Aslan's and its feet in their armor slightly resemble a Human's. It is followed by more shapes. 'Vouf can make out Humans, Vargr, Aslan, a lone Droyne, more of the huge creatures, and...and....
"I think I'm going to be sick," 'Vouf whispers. A huge, armored centipede rattles through the ruined airlock, its segmented body crawling along the ceiling with the aid of magnetic grips. Two of the forward limbs are clutching a weapon of some sort.
_No more hostiles are entering the breach,_ PATER says. _Total count is twenty._
"The armor looks like standard issue," 'Vouf mutters. "What about weap--"
_WARNING. I am experiencing hostile software attack._
"Oh tsakha," 'Vouf gulps. << Sensor Pit! Johann, is that anti-hijack program of yours running? If we lose PATER.... >>
"Don't tell me my job, Vargr," Abuko curses, still fumbling with his suit gloves. "It's running. And assuming PATER's 'modifications' didn't wreck it, it'll work."
Power tell-tales leap into action, indicating full power available. Christian barely has time to note this fact when the comm blares out:
<< ALL RIDERS AWAY! GET THOSE KAKH BOARDING CRAFT OFF OUR STERN! >>
Aboard the Aurora, Christian responds with alacrity. He forces himself to speak calmly, but the underlying gut-wrenching is irrepressible. << Ours not to reason why. Aurora away! >> His right index finger stabs down onto a flashing red symbol, firing the emergency-release explosive bolts.
*pow*
J.J. forces the door to the grav lift open and steps inside, just as Bishop begins opening the airlock, << Hiya, Adrian, don't mind us just passing thru. >>
As J.J. waits for the Engineers to pass he watches Adrian work. As Shurv lumbers by J.J. says in Verushi, << Go with God, my friend. >>
<< Horne to Farouk, we are falling back to the Bridge. We should be there in a few minutes. I could use an ARL when I get there... >> There is a pause as J.J. seems to be lost in thought for a moment, then << What the fuck...uh, Horne out. >>
Down the corridor, the aft door slowly opens, revealing Dan Silvmane. After a moment, a group of Engineers begins its clumsy route up the tube.
Akhouw moves down the dimly lit corridor, ready with his laser. "Go with honor" is his only comment to Bishop as he moves past.
"Keep you head down, sir... and good hunting." Bishop turns forward. "Become as tai'ao among them." He murmurs. Slipping to one side, he moves from Aiwi's path, then launches himself forward.
Aiwi calls ahead. << Someone open the iris valve up to Deck 2! Grey? >>
<< Awwwwww, shoot, >> Grey grumbles, one step away from fleeing to safety. By the time Aiwi and Akhouw arrive, the lift tube up to Deck 2 is open.
The Aurora leaps from the mount as Christian brings the maneuver drive online and applies maximum thrust. In a screaming tight turn, the Aurora flies over the Elissa's dorsal spine. The course will take the covert, modified scout craft along side and then under the Elissa, seeking to use the wounded tender as a shield and then pounce upon the stern boarding craft from below.
Christian is at such a fever pitch of activity that his normally genial tone that he uses with Moira vanishes into the ether, replaced by a very curt manner. "Point-defense and evasive programs; load and standby. Missile target, load and run." A red holo crosshair glows into existence on the HUD; with no target lock, it blinks patiently as it waits. "Load ECM protocol and standby; you will have defensive control." Christian's face is grim as he feels the weight of the formidable task at hand.
"Paladin! Get a lock on the ship's off Elissa's stern, go through Pater if you have to." Goughzar straps straps himself into the acceleration couch with a quick movement, then reaches for the controls again and toggles the explosive bolts attaching the Paladin to the Elissa.
"Okay...", Goughzar's eyes track the Aurora sliding away around the bulk of the Elissa and over the far tank. Grinning a moment, "Follow that ship! Plot a fast spiral around the dorsal of the Elissa and initiate at maximum thrust." _Course ploted. ACE has launched, following plotted course with evasive manuevers._
Goughzar watches as the ship spins roughly 90 degrees and slides quickly across the top of the Elissa, ducking down into the "shadow" of the tanks. "Paladin, can you get enough of a lock on those ship's off the stern to fire a missle salvo?"
_Negative._ comes the reply. _Elissa hull is preventing target acquisition._
Slinging a power pack over one shoulder, and the laser torch over the other, Merkle heads back out of the machine shop, across Engineering, and into the airlock at the aft end of the Deck 4 corridor.
Having popped in a moment ago, and finally given an opening, Yorblin speaks up.
"CMO reporting in, medical boarding preplan initiated. I would love to have a spare ARL. Lazer, I've got one person stuck in engineering, other than that going as planned. Anything we should be doing different?"
<< Your ARL is right there. >> Lazer gestures at the waiting pallet. << My biggest problem right now is getting the engineers out of line of fire. Take a second ARL and a couple of grenades back to Bishop, get Dave, go help them. >>
<< ARL, aye. Second ARL and grenades to Bishop with Mr. Sokuku, I'm taking Dr. DaSilva with. >>
Jan gracefully wafts over to the pallet and grabs two ARLs and a four grenades. He slings one ARL and clips the greandes to what seem to be naturally convient points on his trauma vest.
Bishop ricochetes off the open hatch into the armoury and greets Farouk.
"Major, I decided to save you the trip. I need that gear now."
Without breaking stride, Yorblin shoves the requested material into Bishops waiting arms. With a thin smile and a nod of thanks, Bishop slings the gear and dives out the door. The good doctor immediately switches mental tracks.
<< Medline PATER...DaSilva, you're with me as combat medic. Tabor, we got problems, crew lounge is not going to last that long, fall back to the conference room. Lucan assist Dr. Tabor with moving equipment to the conference room, then move a minor prepack to the bridge. Dulinor secure the sickbay against explosive decompression. Lay low and go passive, I want you to survive as our last medical resource. >>
<< Roger. Where's my laser? >>
Jan tries to catch DaSilva's eye and points out the weapons pallet. << It would appear Mr Edmondsen has laid things out for your shopping convienence. >>
_Captain, a suggestion has been made that communication with the attacking vessel, or a distress call, may be efficacious._
"What about the software attack?!"
_It is not affecting my communication capabilities at this time._
"Oh," 'Vouf sighs. << Blaine, try to hail the other ship. >>
<< Aye, Sir! >> There's almost a growl in Zben's voice. He gives the readouts a quick scan. `No power to the Meson, Maser and Laser array, so it'll have to be Radio.' "PATER! Divert jamming from the 138Meg to 142Meg band. Power up Broadband transciever, tune to 140Meg and optimize aft reception. Intitiate recording of all transmissions in the open band. Also, tie in translator for repeats if necessary."
_Ready to transmit, Mister Blaine._
On the board a clear spot emerges from the jamming signal. Touching several contacts, Zben links his mike to the radio, and to the captain.
<< Attacking ship! This is the I.S.R. Elissa. Please Respond. >>
There is no response. Repeated attempts all over the radio band bring no success at all.
<< There's No response, Captain. Should I close the channel? >>
<< Keep trying every now and then.... >>
<< GAH! Rassum frassum gurmgi rakkafraxum grrrraaaaah....sigh Tabor acknowledging.... >> Tabor grabs the crash kit, refolds it back into its case, and says, "Let's go, Lucan!"
Given a moment, Lazer bounces over to the console to get a look at the enemy.
He scans the motley invaders briefly, without comment. He taps a side panel, asking PATER, "Show me Bishop, please."
_Affirmative, major._ replies PATER. _It is now on your security console._
The security console flat-panel, shows a split screen with text tags at the bottoms of each. The left half shows a back view of Bishop moving aft, through airlock 5-2 into the lift compartment below iris valve 4-C. The right half shows a view from within the grav-lift compartment. Bishop moves into the compartment, and begins to unwrap the brick of TDX as he drifts up towards the underside of iris valve 4-C. Behind him, both airlocks 5-1 and 5-2 are half open.
Peering over Lazer's shoulder Rigo feels a cold hand clutching his heart at the sight of the multi-racial attack force. "Major!" he says in an urgent tone of voice. "All those different lifeforms... If this is some sort of Sargasso of Space there's no telling what we may encounter here. Including Zhodani space marines or some other form of teleporters. Tell everybody to be on the alert for attacks from the rear! Unless... PATER, the Elissa's interior bulkheads are not psi-shielded, are they?"
_Correct, mister Edmondsen._ replies PATER. _They are not._
As Lazer kicks himself across the room to collect the explosives satchels, Rigo comments,
"That's what I thought. And just one teleporter could mess up all our beautiful plans something fierce!"
The Aurora slides over the port bow of the Elissa, as her RCS thrusters roll her down and under the ship. clearing the hull of the tender, Christian comes almost face-to-face with de Mer as the fighter flashes by the covert scout, the two ships passing each others port side. As Ace dwindles astern of the Aurora, Paladin overtakes and passes the scout on her starboard side.
As the Aurora flashes by Ace's port side Etienne raises his hand in a quick and probably unseen thumbs-up.
While waitng for a reply from the Bridge Limner punches a code sequence on the panel in front of him. To his left a small hitherto invisible door opens, and out slides a tray of about 10 holocrystal. Each holder is coded a different color. His hand reaches, pauses for a second over a red one, but finally picks up a black one and inserts it into the data port infront of him.
"Igor. Access port B. Locate and load program Shanks Mare Code Black. Voice Authorization code, Sibling."
_Confirm Code_
"Confirm Code, Mares Kick"
_Program loaded. Preseting displays. Awaiting data...._
Two flat screens and the holo display flicker. One flat is showing a slowly building, very complex algorhythm made mostly of overlaid Lissajous figures. The C screen and holo continue to remain blank.
Zben pulls his eyes away from the unfolding drama on Deck 2 and punches a key. << Captain! Dr. Limner reports psionic activity at starboard attack site and in enemy ship. >> With a small shudder, he adds << He also says he may be able to disable their main ship. To do so I'll need to give him computer access to the Khtaliyr. Orders? >>
'Vouf, eyes on the screen as the enemy computer expert is dying, barely registers what Zben is saying, but it DOES get through....
<< Hrm? Mm. Thank Limner and tell him to go ahead. >>
Zben starts routing changes while he keys the line to Igor:
<< Dr. Limner! Captains compliments and OK. The Elissa's sensors and Meson communicator are off line. I am patching you into the ones on the Khtaliyr. Sensor on Data Channel 2F, Meson control on 2G, Meson transmitter on 2H. The Khtaliyr will be breaking contact in a Very few minutes! Good Luck! Blaine Out! >>
<< Confirm! I MAY need a minute or two more. Try to hold the Khtaliyr as long as possibile.. Limner out >>
"Hold the Khtaliyr? Right..." "PATER, advise me when the Khtaliyr is boarded by Akhouw. Also, relay to him, if possibile, that it is imperative we communicate via hardwire BEFORE he releases the Khtaliyr! Blaine out"
_Noted and done, Mister Blaine. The main holodynamic displays on the Khtaliyr will be showing your message at all duty stations until acknowledged. It is standard operating procedure for the Khtaliyr to request permission to launch before doing so, which adds a redundant interrupt level to the process._
Zben sits still, for just a second, one gloved hand idly stroking the ugly plastic bracelet around the left sleeve of his suit.
Almost absentmindedly, 'Vouf reaches to his hip, draws his pepperbox snub pistol, and flicks it forward and down with a sharp hand-motion. The barrel snaps downward at the breech, ejecting six small shells color coded in various garish shades, which float slowly upwards. 'Vouf scoops them out of the air offhandedly and pockets them.
He then unzips a haunch pocket and withdraws a fistful of shells, all colored bright red with day-glo yellow radiation-trefoil decals. He thumbs them into the revolver without looking at his hands, clicks the breech shut and gives the barrel a quick spin before holstering the weapon once more.
"Extra muscle-power reporting," Alliara says brightly.
Lucan floats around her, carrying a large equipment case.
Joachim Tabor is frantically repacking the medical gear scattered in the Lounge. << Alliara! Your timing is perfect-- I want you to go ahead to the Conference Room just up the hall and begin unpacking the trauma gear that that damned robot just carried out. I'll join you in a few seconds, soon as I get packed here. Slow and careful like we drilled on the Alcyon, remember! You're going to be my trauma nurse.... >>
He then continues packing up the last items into their case.
The medbot grabs the heaviest gear and effortlessly tows it out of the open door of the Crew Lounge, heading forward. Tabor, breathing hard, follows as best he can in his magboots. He lets Yorblin and Sokuku and DaSilva squeeze by and clumps his way into the Conference Room. Before he reaches the door, Lucan zips out and scoots down the hall to the Bridge with the prepack kit dangling from one claw.
"Damn computer," Tabor mutters to no one in particular as he enters the Conference Room and begins to set up shop AGAIN.
In quick sucession, the Paladin and the Aurora shoot out from under the shadow of the Elissa, into the line of fire of the attacking fleet escort. Threat indicators immediately sound on both bridges, as Moira and Kharrbyegh initiate auto-evade procedures. Laser blooms spring from the enemy, followed this time by another broad salvo of homing missiles.
Aurora jinks right, across the Paladins stern, while Paladin pulls up, bringing her bow directly to bear on the remaining stern boarding craft.
_Target acquired_ advises Kharrbyegh. A moment later, a tone sounds, followed by, _Target lock established. Ready to fire._
'Zar grins fiercely as he squeezes the trigger. A trio of missiles flare from the dorsal turret and scream up the stern of the Elissa, detonating in unison against the belly of the boarding craft. Very little debris is visible in the resulting fireball. Even as the fire- ball fades, the Paladin is slammed by the explosion of a proximity detonated missile.
_WARNING!! MULTIPLE IMPACTS IN PORT FUEL NACELLES._ declares the computer. _VENTING FUEL. ENGAGING INTERNAL BAFFLES._
Goughzar's smile fades as he spends the next frantic moments diving the ship for cover.
Hfolraw catches up to Shrike just as airlock 5-2 finishes opening.
<< Hey Hfolraw, nice to see ya, you close, I'll open. >>
<< Good enough. >>
Shrike immediately begins opening grav-lift valve C-5, while Bishop continues boobytrapping the underside of valve C-4.
As Tar comes through the open airlock he slows himself to a halt near the ceiling to be out of the way. He unfastens the velcro and addresses Vouf,
"Captain, your Laser Rifle"
'Vouf nods absently and indicates a tiedown at the side of his chair with a thumb.
"PATER, where is Talon currently located or headed?"
_Mister Talon is in the Crew Lounge, awaiting assignment._
Vanessa arrives at the computer pit door and is about to crank it when she notices the new label "VACCSUIT LOCKER 2". Activating her comm unit on a secure channel she calls Farouk << Lazer, it looks like Pater has taken care of the computer pit door. It's been relabeled and is sealed. Do you want me to continue with the original plan or return to the armory? >>
With all due speed, Akhouw leads the way up the lift tube, stopping whenever needed to rip off emergency panels and crank open iris valves, his laser rifle never far from his thoughts as his firey hunter's eyes maintain unceasing watch for an enemy that would require appropriate evasion and withering offensive fire.
<< Awwwwww, shoot, >> Grey grumbles, one step away from fleeing to safety. By the time Aiwi and Akhouw arrive, the lift tube up to Deck 2 is open.
With all due speed, Akhouw leads the way up the lift tube, stopping whenever needed to rip off emergency panels and crank open iris valves, his laser rifle never far from his thoughts as his firey hunter's eyes maintain unceasing watch for an enemy that would require appropriate evasion and withering offensive fire.
The cameras pick up a flicker of motion from a corner of the compartment, ignoring the other figures that have spread out to search the abandoned area. They focus on a small figure, crouched by one of the many datataps scattered around the ship for easy access to PATER: one of the Vargr, clutching a largish hand computer and idly stroking a fiber-optic cable running from the datatap to the handcomp to his helmet.
Suddenly the Vargr's body spasms into what some might term a classic epsithonisoniosum, but which most experienced spacehands simply call the finger-in-the-light-socket-dance (FITLSD or 'fit' for short). The handcomp floats gently into the air as the Vargr's limbs and tail go rigid and its back arches wildly, throwing it up off the deck into the air, gently turning. a shudder runs through the entire body, the legs kick a few times, and then it goes limp.
"Got you, you barking furry bastard," Abuko chortles. "One less hairball clogging up the gene pool." He flicks on his commdot. << Satisfied, Captain? >>
Tweel would probably love this, thinks Christian. The Aurora shudders as another proximity detonation occurs far too near the hull. The scout jinks sideways to avoid a trio of missiles in the belly, only to have them explode just off the port stern.
WHA-WHA-WHAM!!
The concussion almost jars Van Der Merwe's teeth loose. Over the ringing of the hull, he can hear Moira. _FIRE IN ENGINEERING. JUMP DRIVES ARE OFFLINE. INITIATING FIRE SUPRESSION SYSTEMS._
Before he can respond, the hull reverberates from another near miss, and his head slaps the headrest on the acceleration couch.
_DAMAGE TO MAIN SENSOR ARRAY_ Moira informs the bridge. _FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM IS OFFLINE._
OK, Christian thinks, time to earn that paycheck. Switching the turret control system to manual, he blurps the RCS again, and begins his second lap over the top of the Elissa.
<< PATER, notify if you lose track of any intruder for more than 15 seconds. >> Lazer's tone remains professional, but hurried. Any additional concern for teleporters is buried under the urgency of the conventional defence.
_Acknowledged, major._ comes the unperturbed reply.
<< Rigo, Vanessa. Start locking up and taping down everything loose in here.
"Hau, Major," Rigo acknowledges and turns to collect stray bits and pieces, closing doors, and whatever else needs doing. As he works he keeps one eye one the monitors.
<< Azani, position in Lounge. Schmud, Awntremont, Talon, position at Four-One. Shelter in Exec's cabins against decompression wind. >>
Rafe hurries (as much as he can without losing his grip) to get the parcel of fire extinguishers back to the Lounge.
He carefully decelerates in front of the Crew Lounge, massive bundle of extinguisher cannisters in tow, and lofts the package gently into the empty room. He then heads for 4-1, a little faster than is safe.
Rafe carefully decelerates in front of the Crew Lounge, massive bundle of extinguisher cannisters in tow, and lofts the package gently into the empty room. He then heads for 4-1, a little faster than is safe.
<< Satisfied, Captain? >>
"Eminently," 'Vouf gulps, licking his chops nervously. "Ouma, that must have hurt....what the--they CAN'T be THAT stupid!" On the display, a Human takes the Vargr's place at the datatap, plugging in a fiber-optic cable gingerly and attaching it to his handcomp.
_WARNING,_ PATER repeats. _I am experiencing hostile software attack. The program is somewhat more complex in form than the previous attack, with an attendant reduction in speed. However..._
The Human goes rigid, then begins clawing at his helmet spastically. Another Human attempts to pinion his arms, but he pushes away and goes pinwheeling into the open deck. The fiber-optic cable twangs loose, just as his hands find the neck-ring releases to the helmet. The air in the suit puffs out in a spray of ice crystals, and the body flies off-camera.
_...that program is equally ineffective._
Nishu watches in horrified fascination as the second pirate tech opens his suit. His blood chills as if it, too, had been flash-frozen; what kind of anti-intruder program does that?!
"Ugh," 'Vouf shudders. "Pull back the cameras, PATER. Let's see what else they're-- OH NO!!"
The Elissa shudders slightly.
_Airlock 2-E0 and Lift Valve 2-E2 have been destroyed,_ PATER reports calmly. _Deck 2 Life Support and Deck 3 Power Plant now undergoing explosive decompression. Cargo Bay 2 is now decompressed; hostiles are boarding._
He's about to wonder aloud if a third will step up and try his luck, when the Captain speaks.
"YaUur! Where are those kakh RIDERS?!" 'Vouf claps both hands to his helmeted head. "This isn't a boarding drill, it's a CAMPING TRIP!"
Frowning, Nishu turns his attention back to the view from 'under' the pirate G-carrier, watching the bulk of the other ship silhouetted against the shifting radiance of the tube. His fingers flex on the console as he whispers impatiently, "Etienne..."
Lazer grabs up the many-pocketed pack of explosives, and then with a long kick tows it across the room to the weapons pallet. He quickly tucks the two cases of grenades into the pack, then with another kick is gone into the hall.
As grav-lift iris C-5 dilates open, Shrike and Hfolraw slide down into the next compartment. Bishop turns briefly from his work.
<< Good hunting, gentlemen. >>
Shrike gives him a wave and the iris begins to grind closed.
Having collected enough pieces to satisfy his desire for protection, Abdul starts his slow waddle out and aft heading for the nearest (starboard) cabin. << Schmud on his way >>
Using the forward face of the Elissa's port outrigger for maximum cover, the Aurora scoots across the nose of the still-docked Khtalyir and into the safety of the starboard outriggers shadow. As the Aurora drifts forward, Christian fires the RCS again, rotating the bow directly down at the huge jump tender, and prepares for a snapshot. Continuing in a straight line along its original path, the Aurora moves off the Elissa's back, and directly over the enemy boarding craft waiting at the starboard lock of cargo bay #2.
"Got you." Christian slaps the manual launch button and dorsal RCS controls simultaneously. Three white smoke plumes leaps from the Aurora's dorsal turret and, as the scout slides back to safety behind the cover of the Elissa, converge in an exclamation point of light, sound, and heat that used to be a grav carrier.
With a quick sequence of jumps and guidance from his free arm, Lazer heads for compartment C, staying near the 'ceiling' to avoid any mag-booted traffic.
<< Good luck, Boris, >> Aaron says, shutting door 4-5 and blocking the view of the Tube, of Merkle hurrying after Maclaeran and the others toward safety (?) in the bow of the ship. Aaron hops backwards and shuts door 4-6, then hurtles across the empty Main Engineering Compartment to door 4-7. Halfway across the room, his body twists slightly in midair, and he hits the wall with a painful thump. It takes him a moment to recover himself, shaking his head slightly, before he can pull himself out of the room and shut 4-7.
By then, the other Engineers are floating over the Jump Drive's bulk, aiming for the door to the port M-drive outrigger, some forty meters away. Aaron hurries to follow.
Munro pushes off the 4-7 door moving quickly after the other engineers. If anyone had time to watch, her movements look like a gymnast moving through an obstacle course. 40 seconds later, she arrives at the port M-drive door after only missing a one handhold.
With Jonson covering the door with his laser, 'Khea opens the door into the outrigger, braced to jump away if need be. The door opens, revealing the huge, shadowy mass of the thruster-plate assembly. No one is there.
Quickly, the group piles in, 'Khea and Jonson going on ahead to the Deck 3 entry valve in the ceiling as Aaron, the last one through, stops just inside the door and begins to lever it closed.
Jan signals DaSilva into the lounge.
As Yorblin floats aft down the passageway, he notices that Bishop is no longer visible in the open airlock 4-3. At the same instant, his commdot crackles.
<< Bishop to Yorblin. Doctor, I'm one deck below you, aft of airlock 4-2. If you'll be good enough to reach down through grav-lift 4-B, and just lob that gear aft, I'll collect it when I'm done here. >>
<< OK >> Jan catches himself as he passes the 4-B lift, jamming his thumb on the edge of the ceiling. "Damnit, ahh, ok..."
Reorienting himself for the drop to deck 5, he pushes off lightly on the ceiling and drops down through the B lift. He catches himself with the upper part of his body hanging in the deck 5 pway. Seeing Bishop and Sokuku working aft, he bundles together the ARL, two mags, and grenades. Bracing himself inside the lift, he pushes off the care package towards the half open 5-2 lock.
<< Package coming towards you, Bishop. >>
He watches it go for a few seconds, then reorients himself to return toward lock 4-1.
<< Good luck, Boris, >> Aaron says, shutting door 4-5 and blocking the view of the Tube, of Merkle hurrying after Maclaeran and the others toward safety (?) in the bow of the ship. Aaron hops backwards and shuts door 4-6, then hurtles across the empty Main Engineering Compartment to door 4-7. Halfway across the room, his body twists slightly in midair, and he hits the wall with a painful thump. It takes him a moment to recover himself, shaking his head slightly, before he can pull himself out of the room and shut 4-7.
By then, the other Engineers are floating over the Jump Drive's bulk, aiming for the door to the port M-drive outrigger, some forty meters away. Aaron hurries to follow.
Munro pushes off the 4-7 door moving quickly after the other engineers. If anyone had time to watch, her movements look like a gymnast moving through an obstacle course. 40 seconds later, she arrives at the port M-drive door after only missing a one handhold.
With Jonson covering the door with his laser, 'Khea opens the door into the outrigger, braced to jump away if need be. The door opens, revealing the huge, shadowy mass of the thruster-plate assembly. No one is there.
Quickly, the group piles in, 'Khea and Jonson going on ahead to the Deck 3 entry valve in the ceiling as Aaron, the last one through, stops just inside the door and begins to lever it closed.
With a quick sequence of jumps and guidance from his free arm, Lazer heads for compartment C, staying near the 'ceiling' to avoid any mag-booted traffic.
<< Engineering, this is the Bridge: Munro, listen carefully: You've got eighteen heavily armed and armored hostiles above you and they have just BLOWN the seals on Deck 3! I want you to-- >>
Shadowy figures begin to occlude the ragged gap in the hatch of cargo bay #2. A vacc-suited Vargr figure and a pair of two meter chromed centipedes rush the opening. More follow: a human shape, two more vargr, one carrying a huge weapon unpleasantly reminiscent of Kara's "Pussycat", another centipede, another human, a droyne shape, and finally a short one meter tall vacc-suited quadruped, moving with an odd undulating motion.
With the exception of the short creature bringing up the rear, the group expertly fans out to cover the obvious potential threats in the cargo bay: the Horronon ATV, the trio of tied-down flycycles, and the bullet trap.
Rafe reaches the starboard exec cabin and begins fiddling with the door. He looks around, shudders to see so many potentially injurious objects not bolted to the floor [I don't care how many there are, one is enough to kill me], and quickly polices the room for decompression with a fine disregard of his own ethics about privacy and personal property.
In an angry fit of exultation, Christian yells at the ex-boarding craft. "Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!" He relaxes against the firm back of the couch for only a moment before he rouses himself with an effort. "Moira, full damage report, ASAP!"
_Drive room fire has been suppressed._ replies Moira. _Be advised that the jump concentrators have failed. The compartment has been holed and is currently in vacuum. Forward bulkhead integrity is nominal. Damage to forward sensor suite includes the active EMS array and the laser communications pylon. Multiple impacts registered on the bow bulkhead at the instant of EMS failure, but I can detect no structural damage in that area. All other systems appear to be functioning within design tolerances._
With a loud sigh of relief, Christian pops his helmet. His face melts into the very picture of blissful relief as he scratches the side of his neck. Resecuring the helmet, he turns his attention back to the holodynes. "Okay, Moira, give me the j-room secure-cam on the HUD, split-screen with damage analysis." His fingers begin to tap through a series of diagnostic and wiring panels. "Try and re-route Active EMS through the Jammer suite." Moira and Christian continue their damage control efforts for a while.
His fingers stiffly hunt out the comm holodyne and engage the secure laser comm (or maser comm, or directional radio, depending on damage). A tap of the right index finger activates the channel. << Aurora to Elissa. Splash starboard bogey. Damage to engineering and fire control; full report in progress. (Christian coughs) Instructions? (Then, tiredly) Sir? >>
"Kharrbyegh, Damage report!"
_MULTIPLE IMPACTS IN PORT FUEL NACELLES, INTERNAL BAFFLES ACTIVATED._
Etienne pulls another tight turn, this time around (up) the bow of the Elissa. As he speeds back toward the ship he activates the comm panel.
Ace to Elissa, at least one stern boarding craft destroyed, are there any left. I repeat, do any boarding craft remain?"
_Interogating... stand by._ the onboard computer replies. Several seconds pass, then a hail from the Elissa bridge sounds.
Lazer sails into compartment C, flips, and brings himself to a stop. He draws the first charge out of the pack, and begins to unwrap it.
_Captain,_ warns PATER, _Cargo bay number two has been compromised._
<< I want you to-- hrf? >> 'Vouf looks at the holodisplay. For a long second, he says nothing, then he shakes himself and says, "Bang 'em."
_Yes, sir._
'Vouf flicks the link to Engineering back on.
<< Sorry 'bout that. Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. Munro, get your people shutting ALL the open iris valves around Main Engineering, ending up by sealing yourselves into the Deck 4 Jump Drive compartment. I'll explain as you work. You're going to go AROUND them. They're not splitting their forces up, so they're ignoring the outriggers! Take your people up to portside Maneuver Drive Deck 2 and wait for my signal, and be sure to shut all doors behind you! Good luck. Bridge out. >>
_Attention, all hands,_ PATER announces. _All boarding craft have been destroyed._
Bhyarrvouf, eyes on the drama in Cargo Bay Two, sighs, "Too late."
He flicks on the comm. << All riders, stay under cover until you receive the signal to attack. Good shooting, gentlemen! Out. >>
Tar smiles grimly. That ought raise morale a tad. Down the main corridor Tar propels himself staying near the ceiling corner. He waves to the engineering crew and holds his breath as he passes over Shurv.
Nick Talon is behind the Engineers, making his way forward. As Berana arrives, he hears Nick say on his commdot,
<< Talon to Farouk. Am en route to portside XO cabin per orders. Do you have a... >>
Spying the man he's looking for, Tar blithely says,
<< Mr. Talon, a laser from Laser. >>
Talon grins and continues,
<< ...never mind, Mister Berana has just delivered it. Thanks, Talon out. >>
Switching channels:
<< Thanks, Mister Berana. Time to clean house, eh? >>
Handing over the weapon Tar then taps his comm dot,
<< Berana to armoury. Rifles delivered. Will return to armoury unless instructed differently. >>
Tar then starts the return trek to the armoury.
_Major,_ warns PATER, _Cargo bay number two has been compromised._
<< Issue explosive decompression warning, potential at any time, doors to occupied chambers closed to one centimetre or less. >>
He eyes the engineers, decides they're making as good time as they can, and starts praying it will be enough.
His hands, meanwhile, continue smoothing out the spalling charge as quickly and accurately as they can.
"Igor direct Data channel 2F to holo. Configure screen C to control signal on 2G. Iterpolate stored data from probe and display on holo."
The blank screen becomes a standard Meson control panel, all Aslan/ Solomani protocol shifting done automatically. In the holotank the image forms of the enemy ship, data frozen from a minute or two before. An outline of the Khtaliyr also appears, and a hazy line reaches out from one to the other, slowly sharpening.
"Igor, do you have that class ship on file?"
_Afirmative. It appears to be a slightly modified Type FE._
"Interpolate from known Type FE configuration the location of the Primary Fusion Chamber and display" In the holo the enemy ship becomes transparent and a small yellow sphere appears, amidship aft. The line goes right through it. "Good" is the only comment.
Touching the Meson control panel, he feeds in the coordinates and range, but does not key the transmitter. On the other screen the complex figures are interweaving tighter and tighter. Looking at the readout from the sensor Limner tweaks two lines, twists one, inverts one. It looks easy. It's not. Each change is the result of two quadratic equations, and one Tau-vector calculation, done in his head just to save time. Finally, he's done what he can and the computer takes over. Sitting back he lets out the breath he hadn't been aware of holding. He does a quick scan of the screens.
<< Bridge. This is Limner. I'll be ready to try this in 2 minutes. >>
_Attention, all hands,_ PATER announces. _All boarding craft have been destroyed._
Following a second later by Bhyarrvouf's voice.
<< All riders, stay under cover until you receive the signal to attack. Good shooting, gentlemen! Out. >>
<< Aye, sir. ACE holding. >> Etienne flips his craft end for end and starts applying full thrust to stop his mad-long dash toward the enemy ship. ACE comes to a relative stop not far from Elissa's bow.
Without any warning, half a dozen battle-dressed Imperial marine lunge up from the protection of the bullet trap and let go with heavy lasers. The initial volley is surprisely inaccurate, but the staccato bursts of static on comm units in the compartment are unmistakable to any seasoned combat veteran. A brief flurry of unbridled panic ensues, as several of the invading troops attempt to dive for non-existant cover as the other all try to simultaneuosly pile back out through the hull breech. Only the heavily armed Vargr and the chrome insectoids stand to return fire. Several of the marines take direct hits, and jerk against the back of the bullet trap or begin to float out from cover. Each time this happens, another pops up to that the place of the fallen. None of the invaders appear to notice that the marine laser shots seem to disappear far short of their intended targets.
After several seconds of frantic activity, the enemy heavy weapons operator stops firing and stands up from his crouch, ignoring the incoming laser blasts. Waving frantically at his cohorts, he gestures in an agitated fashion, then quickly sweeps around the room. His gaze finally falls on the JiffyBang controller, immediately behind him. A quick thrust backwards (directly into the line of the enemy fire, which he ignores), and he opens up on the small box. As withering laser fire from the heavy weapon slags the controller into floating globules of cooling metal and ceramic, the Imperial marines dissolve into a sparkling digital shower and vanish.
As the team reforms, a human form and one of the bugs hang back to cover the aft starboard airlock on the connecting tube. The rest move to the forward lock. Stopping at the adjacent data terminal, the small, undulating figure moves forward and quickly establishes a computer link-up. He turns and begins to give his fellows a thumbs up, when the little body spasms in air, and then does the electric polka for five brief seconds before its convulsions tear the data cable loose.
Zben watches the spectacle in Bay 2 for a couple of seconds, then turns to his panel, which now contains commo data and sensor data (what little there is of it). Out of curiosity he taps the data flow going to Igor, but learns only that Dr. Limner has established a directional fix on the enemy craft. Shrugging, he reaches to a leg sheath, and pulls out a long thin blade and slides it into the cushioned edge of his seat until only the haft is exposed. He then turns toward the Captain, who is studying the attack tactics of the pirates in the cargo bay:
"Captain. Should someone bring some heavier weapons to the Bridge, in case they get this far?" Slapping the Auto-snub at his side, "These pop guns won't stop those guys. I can handle something bigger."
'Vouf gives him a distracted nod and a shushing motion with one hand.
Copyright © 1997, 1998 |
|