Attack Ships, page 12
part #2 of Starwing Elite Series
“I've got breeder hips,” she explained. “Didn’t have a problem with any of my births. Captain wanted to make sure I produced at least five healthy babies. I had to stop at three because of problems.”
“Sorry to hear about it,” I replied and rubbed her shoulder. “All these years and you’ve never talked about it.”
“Didn't see the reason. They’re still around on other ships. All except for my oldest, she left the Orders and married a farmer on Brighten.”
We lay in silence for a time, and then once Talia was asleep Precious drew close to me.
“Corwin," I heard the small voice speak into one ear. I turned to look at Precious’ eyes not two inches from my own. She wanted to enter my mind but I blocked her. “What did you mean about me and the pirate ship?”
I kissed her on the lips and that seemed to reassure her. Right now, she was in the middle of a menstrual cramp, so there wasn’t much she could devote to a mind probe.
“There were some bad things done to the pirate queen,” I tried to explain to her. “Worse than what happened to you. At least there’s a way to contain your evil self. I don’t know if what’s inside Queen Dredge can ever be fixed.”
“How do you know these things?” Precious asked me, her small hands on my chest. I felt Talia’s teeth on my shoulder. Not so asleep as I'd thought. This had to be the worst position ever to discuss human nature. Especially as I felt Precious small thighs rub up against my latest erection.
“I don't know what happened to her,” I explained as Talia’s arm encircled my waist. “Some things can’t be fixed. Right now, she’s a mad dog. One that needs to be tracked down and killed. She wants to kill everything.”
“You and the Captain saved me,” she spoke and looked up at my face. “Can’t you do the same for her?”
“You didn't have an entire ship armed with thermonuclear weapons,” I explained. "Dredge will bring about one genocide after another until someone stops her.”
There was a brief flash of the old Precious, the one that liked to hurt and kill, but it went away. Captain knew it would always be close to the surface and needed to be kept under control. I worried that there were warrants on Precious from several UDF planets. If ever they grabbed her, we could never do a thing without bringing the wrath of the government down on us.
“I need to sleep,” Talia whispered in my ear. "You feel free to spend any time you need with Precious. I’m a sound sleeper. Just don’t push me off the bed.”
As it was, Precious needed comforting. Not much else. All she wanted to do was cuddle that night. Since she was the extra assignment, I really didn’t have to worry about her pleasure. Still, I wanted her to feel loved. It was important that she learn that we would all take care of her, no matter what. I’d watched her stare at the children on the ship. I didn’t know if she would ever be able to have any on her own, this was something between her, Captain and the medics. A lot could be done, but there were limits to medical science. I’d been inside her head deep and didn’t know how it would affect her to have children. I felt her remorse she had none of her own, but there was still plenty of time.
Besides, we needed to plan for the future. There were a few trainees we’d picked up from the other packs, but not enough to staff the Hard Rain in number. I knew Captain would dissolve her command rather than field untrained men against any enemy. It was one thing to train them against border protection, another to send green troops against seasoned mercs and terrorists. I could feel the sorrow in the ship after Shelly’s FAS was destroyed on its way to the surface. Should this happen again, the Hard Rain would be decommissioned. It was on all our minds.
I watched Precious go to sleep. It didn’t take her long to drift off. She didn’t feel well due to the cramps. I watched as she pulled one of the pillows under her stomach to relieve the pain. I could emphasize, but had no concept of what it involved. Even the pain I sensed through her mind wasn’t something in which I could relate. For some reason, men and women are different like that.
Soon I heard her snoring gently and leaned back. I didn’t hear her move. Talia was still asleep, but I couldn’t doze off no matter how I tried. I managed to wiggle down the center of the bed. I left the room went down the corridor to take a shower. The hot water cleared my head and let me put things into perspective.
What bothered me was how the men the pirates captured volunteered to be on their menu. I picked that up from the last transmission from Dredge. I hadn’t told Captain about it, some things were best left unspoken. What kind of a future did the human race have if we could be so easily manipulated to our own demise?
13
By roll call that next morning, Precious felt a lot better. She joined Talia and I in the mess hall. I looked around and noted a few of the other men sitting with two or more women. No one seemed to be unsatisfied, I observed. The entire atmosphere seemed playful, which was a bit of a surprise since we were headed into a major dogfight.
Naturally, Captain came over and joined us. I was about finished with my plate and ready to call for the auto-waiter when she sat down across from me. Usually, she interviewed us during the day or at work details. Captain had a way to find out what she needed to know quickly.
“Everyone have a good evening?” she asked us. “Corwin, did you have any more episodes?”
“No," I replied. I didn’t need to tell her how I’d kept Queen Dredge at bay. The important thing was that she didn’t bother me that evening.
“How do you feel, Precious?” she asked the small woman who sat across from me. “Did you have any problems sleeping with them?” Captain turned to me. "I hadn't scheduled her as the third before, you and Talia were the first couple she’s been with. Everything fine?” We all assured Captain there were no issues.
I noticed her going to all the tables where the triads sat. Doing her duty, as usual. It was good to know that she cared and wanted to maintain harmony in the pack.
Two days later, it really became a bitch battle over the skies of Delios.
The Hard Rain caught up with Thunder Horse before it could bring Prime City into range. I was on standby in the ready room and watched the whole incident play out via screens.
After all she’d been charged with, Captain offered Queen Dredge generous surrender terms. I was surprised she didn’t strike without warning, but this wasn’t her way. At least it wasn’t part of our conduct code. She read it off a prepared statement once contact was made with the Thunder Horse.
“As pertaining to UDF Force Code,” she began. “You are ordered to surrender your vessel and prepare for boarding. You and your crew are charged with crimes against humanity and are ordered to hand the Thunder Horse and all contents over to my ship. I will give you two minutes to respond before we commence the attack.”
Nobody expected the Thunder Horse to respond as quickly as it did. Twenty seconds after the transmission, the response came in the form of a nuclear torpedo headed in our direction.
It wasn’t a problem for the Hard Rain to take out the torpedo. We did it with a combined laser strike. It seemed a waste from Queen Dredge, but she wanted us to know what her ship could accomplish.
“Let it be known the pirate ship struck first,” Captain told Jalilah, who sat next to her that day. “In accordance with all UDF provisions, I am ordering our batteries to destroy the hostile.” She turned to look at the Thunder Horse as it began to move to a higher orbit.
We watched as the image of the Orders Marshal appeared in the air next to Captain. This had to be serious if the Orders were wasting this much power to generate an image next to Captain. There were twelve women in the bridge that day and all of them turned to look at the image.
“Take no prisoners,” the marshal spoke to her. His face looked stern and angry. Something told me he’d learned some of the same things I knew about the pirate queen. "Give no quarter and ask for none. I want that pirate ship reduced to atoms.” The image faded away.
I watched as all the women turned to each other. They knew what this meant. To circumnavigate a standing code and conduct was no small thing. The pirates were so far away from the common morals of the UDF that the marshal had issued a hunting license. We weren’t the only Order ship given that instruction. Every single mothership under his command was instructed to do the same thing.
We watched Captain pick up a microphone and speak into it. She wasn’t about to take any chance of what had to be said misunderstood.
“Attention all packmates,” she spoke into it. Her words were broadcast all through the Hard Rain. “The Grand Marshal just informed me that the pirate ship Thunder Horse is to be destroyed by any means necessary. As we are the closest Order ship to it, it’s our glory to eliminate this thing from human civilization. Right now, the pirate queen in command is on her way to nuke Prime City from orbit. I don’t know her reasons and I don’t care to know them. The Thunder Horse wants to commit genocide and we must stop it. I’m putting the entire ship on war footing. Everyone is to proceed to their battle stations that aren’t there already. I’m ordering Tank’s crew to take their Fast Attack Ship out in advance and fly support. We may be the ones to deliver the final punch to that abomination. Tank, do me proud and get out there.”
I watched Tank and company file out into the hangers. He turned and gave me a thumbs up sign the moment he reached the door. I nodded and returned it.
At that moment, I expected never to see him again. I wanted to remember this moment for however long I had to live.
We sat there in our armor and watched the launch of Tank’s FAS. From inside the ready room, we could see it propelled into space by the mass accelerator. It wasn’t used often; there was no need most of the time to get an FAS out that fast. Plus, there was always the danger of a malfunction that could kill the crew. This time we didn’t have much of a choice. Tank and company needed to get out in due haste.
“Wish I was with him,” Medoro grumbled. "Give that bitch hell, Tank.” He starred at the nearest screen with the rest of us.
“Don't worry,” I reminded him. "We'll all get a piece of this.” No one smiled.
“Everything functioning,” I heard Tank speak over the audio. Captain had him patched into the ready room and the bridge so as to keep us posted on the action. "Where do you want me deployed?”
“I just sent the coordinates to you,” I heard Captain speak. She was in charge of all facets today. No using subordinates. "I want you to proceed to them and keep that ship in your gunsights. You’re not big enough to do much more than harass it, but we’re twice the size of the Thunder Horse. It does anything funny; rip a gash across it with a chain cannon or laser. Don’t waste rockets. I can’t afford to lose you or anyone else. Wait for my order; I have a few surprises in store for this Queen Dredge.”
It was at that moment I felt the presence of Queen Dredge in my head. What the hell did she have in mind? Didn’t that pervert have enough on her tray? How could she waste time to probe me? And what did she want?
I was supposed to let Captain know if she tried it again, but Captain was busy destroying her ship. Perhaps Queen Dredge wanted to surrender. If I let her into my mind, I could still control her presence. Maybe there was some way to resolve this without her death. It seemed a good idea to let her make contact if there was the possibility she would stand down.
I leaned back and allowed her into my thoughts.
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT MADE ME, CORWIN? Queen Dredge screamed into my mind. Look upon it and see, you bastard!
I have Medoro to thank that I didn’t fall and smash my head. He saw me go down and grabbed me by the arms. All I remember is thrashing on the ground in a seizure.
What did I see? I can’t describe it. I won’t describe what I saw in Queen Dredge’s mind. Words don’t suffice what was done to her. I was able to shut her out fast enough or it would’ve driven me insane too.
I came to with the sound of Tran screaming at the audio. "Wait, Captain, he'd coming around. We still need Cherish as soon as she can get here.”
Meanwhile, Tank’s crew had a completely new objective. The moment the pirate ship spotted the FAS moving into position at its flank, it began to drop closer to the surface of the planet.
A screen materialized next to Captain and was filled with the face of Alyx. “Captain,” she spoke in a frantic voice, “the Thunder Horse has started its descent. We’re not in range to use the particle beam or lasers. I could try the missiles, but this close to the surface....” She didn’t say what she feared. A nuclear rocket could do more damage to a populated area than Queen Dredge could and her crew.
“Tell Tank to press the attack,” she told Alyx. “Look at the screens; we’re over a major body of water. Nothing down there for her to exterminate, so let's bite at her heels while we can.”
“But if she makes it down to the surface....”
“The Udies have a better chance of dealing with her if we can bruise her up before they engage. With any luck, Tank's attacks will breach their structural integrity and she’ll burn up on entry. Nobody in their right mind would drop a starship of that size into atmosphere, but we know from experience these pirates don't have that particular fear.”
“I'm fine, Captain,” I told her. "Dredge wanted to make contact and I let her. Sorry, I thought I could help, but she....”
Slap! I felt the palm of Captain across my face. It stung and left a mark.
“I told you not to make contact with her!” Captain yelled at me. “Now stay put and don’t move. Under no circumstances are you to do anything paranormal until I give you permission. I’ll deal with your insubordination later.” She turned and stamped out of the ready room. I could hear her heels thud on the floor in anger as she left.
“You did it this time,” Cherish spoke to me as she ran a few diagnostic tests on my health. "I don’t think I’ve seen Captain so mad. Matter of fact, I think you’re the first one of us she’s ever slapped in public. You've got a real gift there Corwin.”
The real damage wasn’t to my face or pride. Both would recover quickly. The damage was to Captain’s reputation. She’d lost control. I’d never seen it happen before. The only reason our mothership had lasted so long on the frontier was her flawless self-control.
I turned to look at my crew, but they continued to stare at the wall screen and pretended not to notice what had transpired. Can’t say I blamed them.
Tank’s face filled part of the screen. The other part was filled with the bridge, where Captain supervised the action of the Hard Rain.
“I've got a request for assistance on the surface,” Tank spoke. “There are some Udie Marines pinned down and under fire, looks like cartels are trying to escape the city. Seems all the heavy aircraft are needed elsewhere. I have enough fuel to make it down and back. Should I acknowledge?”
“Go ahead," Captain responded. "But no fancy maneuvers. Make a few runs over the hostiles and get your ass back up here. I only have one FAS in reserve and I can’t trust the judgement of its commander.”
The last comment stung. She’d made sure I heard it too.
14
Tank’s face was replaced a few minutes later by the Grand Marshal of the Orders. This was a shock, as he’d just used a floating head projection to get his point across. I guessed he didn’t have enough energy reserves to create one.
“Captain Sophia, I need one of your FAS crews at Prime City right away,” the face ordered. This was serious, and she only had me left to use.
“One's already headed down to relive some UDF Marines who’re tied down from hostile fire,” she explained. "I only have one more left. That will leave us vulnerable to attack and compromise our mission here.” I watched her stiffen up when talking to the marshal.
“I don't care,” the face thundered. “You get that crew down there right now. I’ll send them the coordinates on the way down. The goddam pirate ship slipped under the local ground fire. Your FAS punched it full of holes, but it emerged on the spinward inside atmosphere and is lining up a bombing run. It’s headed right toward Prime City with all the nukes it carries. I won’t have a nuclear detonation on the surface of any planet I’ve sworn to protect. You’ll be in range in another thirty minutes. Get that FAS down there!” His screen went blank.
She turned to face the screen. I knew everyone starred at her this minute, but what she had to say next was meant for one person.
“I could violate protocol and replace you, Corwin” she spoke. “Orlando is capable of commanding the FAS and it’s his turn next year anyway. I could leave you here and send one of the women in your place. But I can’t risk losing a single woman on this ship. You men can be tough to replace but at the end of the day you are disposable. Every woman here represents another generation. I’ve already lost two women over this campaign. I won’t stand on principal and demand they send us back. So, Corwin, you have one final chance to make this right. Get you and your boys down there and take out the pirate ship. Do that and all is forgiven.”
The other men in the room turned and looked at me. Leaving the ship would mean all the men would be gone. Except for a few trainees that couldn’t be used, the entire pack would consist of women and children. If Tank and my crew didn’t come back, the pack would survive, but it would take years for it to reach functional strength.
“I'm on it, Captain,” I spoke to her and stood up.
“Then get your ass out there!”
I didn’t even look back as I went through the airlock and into the hanger.
It didn’t take long to get it up and ready for the descent to the planet. I nodded to several of the women busy with the final preparations in the hanger. I entered it with the rest of the crew. Shaunice was with them and motioned to me.
“Everyone get in there and lock down,” I told the guys. "I need a word with someone before we leave.”
