Assault on Ambrose Station: A Seth Donovan Novel (14 page)

20.

I sat at my station, hastily reading through the signal that Fel’negr had received. We were all closed up at stations, grimly focused on our tasks. Max patiently sat beside me, waiting for me to finish reading.

“This is an MTAS? Just now?” I asked. MTAS stood for Message to All Spacers, a system wide broadcast that warns of navigational hazards and other dangers to note while travelling through the system.

“Couple of minutes after we got underway.” Couple of minutes? Surely Zoe and I were…never mind. My ego can wait.

“What are the Protectorate doing?”

“Looks like they’re scrambling.” said Fel, feeding radar video to our consoles. Sure enough, I could see dozens of contacts leaving the Jump Station to join the already spaceborne ships on patrol.

“Put the object on screen as well.” ordered Max.

“Out of range, Captain.” said Fel, “I can plot a long range sensor scan, though. It won’t be real time, but should give you an idea of where everything is.”

“Do it.”

“Initiating scan.”

As we waited, Fel’s scan started to plot information on our consoles. Nearest to us were the Protectorate Fleet forces, amassing about the Jump Station. After a few minutes, the hazard identified in the MTAS appeared. The MTAS described a fast moving meteorite heading through the system with a path that intersected the Jump Station’s coordinates, within a few kilometres.

“The chances of asteroid ejection with a precision as close as that are…astronomical!” I said.

Precisely 470, 678, 387, 997 to 1,
came Tac’s text,
It is highly unlikely the asteroid would not possess such straight velocity, either, there should be significant curvature to its path if it was ejected naturally.

“It’s a Ghantri attack. Has to be.” I said to Max.

She nodded, “That’s my assessment too.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Do?” asked Fel, swivelling his chair around to face us.

“Yeah. What are we going to do?”

“What
can
we do?”

“By the station’s response we can tell they came to the same conclusion we did.” said Max.

“Can they stop it? How big is it?”

“The scan is nearly completed, I’ll tell you when we have it.” said Fel.

Max was giving me a look.

“What?”

“What are you thinking?”

“It’s your ship, Max, it’s your call.”

“Talk to me.”

“It’s got to be a Ghantri attack,” I repeated, “a trick, or something. Can we detect any enemy ships nearby?”

Crege flicked a screen and brought up a contacts list. “Nothing on scanners. Lot of debris.
Kak
could be hiding in there.”

“What’s our aspect with respect to the asteroid?”

“Red two-nine degrees, south nine degrees relative to the asteroid.”

“Can we see behind it?”

“No.”

“Scan isn’t finished,” reported Fel, “will be able to tell when it’s done.”

Max could see what I was getting at, “How long til we have the first iterations?”

“Forty-two seconds. Size is coming through now – fourteen kilometres diameter. Surface composition looks like a silicate mix and iron-oxide ore. Fairly standard.”

“How much iron?”

“Er…”

“Enough for ferrous properties to exist?”

“Sure. I think.”

Max gave me another look. “Magnetic launch?” I asked.

“Do the Ghantri have that kind of technology?”

“Oh, yeah. The Protectorate Fleet lost more than a few ships during the Push due to flung asteroids. They’re big fans of repeat tactics, especially if they work.”

Fel broke into our brainstorming, “Contact! A frigate class ship just shot out from behind the asteroid.”

“What’s it doing?” asked Max.

“Scan iterations coming through now, sending it to your consoles.” reported Fel.

As he spoke, my scan image started to update. The Ghantri ship was speeding past the asteroid. It wasn’t exactly heading towards the station, but it’s angle was closer than what the asteroid’s was. We all watched avidly, trying to fathom what we were seeing.

“How long until the Protectorate can engage?” asked Max.

28 minutes 17 seconds, Captain,
reported Tac.

“That frigate is weird looking.” I mused.

“Warrior thinks it is mostly engines.” said Crege.

“I think you’re right. It’s got several large nacelles, but what are those bulges around the sides? Looks like a pregnant fish.”

“Tac, can you run that configuration through any known databases?” asked Max.

Running. No known configuration exists.

“How close will that asteroid get to the station?” I asked.

1212.74 kms. An admirable attempt at hitting the station from such range, but one ultimately failing.

Hitting something as small as the Jump Station from hundreds of millions of kilometres away was no small feat. It required precise mathematical calculations involving dozens of gravitational effects as it traversed the star system. Just over twelve hundred kilometres away was a
very
precise shot, if the Ghantri did launch the asteroid. We were sure they had, now. Even so, it wasn’t an effective tactic – they didn’t get close enough to hit the station.

We watched as the minutes ticked down, as the Ghantri frigate valiantly faced down the Protectorate forces. The ship never got far from the asteroid, always staying near. Even so, we knew the Fleet must be nervous not knowing what this play was.

“Captain!” called Fel, “We’re scanning the rear of the asteroid now! Contacts detected!”

“How many?”

“Unknown, our aspect only allows minimal viewing.”

“Give me an estimate!”

“Dozens!”

“Relay that iteration to the Protectorate Fleet!”

“Sending.”

“The Protectorate should be able to handle that many…” I started to say, when Crege’s view screens lit up with a bright flash.

“What was that!” called Max.

“Asteroid detonated!” called Crege.

“I’m getting high magnetic energy readings coming from that frigate!” called Fel.

The frigate had indeed started to emit large waves of magnetic fields. Our sensors painted the fields on our screens – like giant butterfly wings. The debris from the asteroid, thousands of ferrous chunks, flew onwards and were caught in the massive fields. The fastest flew past, barely affected by the fields, but many were snagged by the tug of energy and bent on a new direction. The position of the frigate, between the Protectorate Fleet and the asteroid, meant that most of the debris was sent flying into the face of the Fleet and in the direction of the station. The frigate, lodge firmly in the path of the debris field, was soon struck and destroyed by several large pieces but it’s role had been completed. Enough of the pieces were steered to turn the asteroid remnants into a deadly weapon.

“
Kak
galeb!
” cursed Crege. I had to agree with him, the Ghantri had just sacrificed over a hundred crew to set up this attack. This was how they thought, though. Sacrifice was a part of warfare for them. They didn’t balk at sending thousands to die just to achieve an objective. It was one of the reasons they were such a dangerous people.

“Tac, estimate the damage to Protectorate forces from that debris!” ordered Max.

I estimate that Protectorate forces, given known manoeuvrability and thrust profiles, will suffer 24% casualties from direct hits. Variability and uncertainty are +/- 15%.

“Around a quarter of their forces?” she said.

Correct.

“Max, we got to do something.”

“I’m thinking.”

“
Kitrak!
We use this to clear station sensors! We fly in system! They not see us!” said Crege.

“I said I’m thinking!”

I estimate Protectorate forces will suffer 62% casualties from Ghantri forces, +/- 42%.

“We have to think about the mission!” she said.

“Max, if the station falls we’re not going to be able to get out again. We’ll be stuck here.”

“What do you expect us to do?” she was almost yelling at me.

“We join the fight!”

“We’re not a warship, Seth. I’m sorry, but this isn’t our fight.”

“We have to do something!”

“We can’t, we’re too far away. Most of the fight will be over before we even reach them. We’ve got only a Class 2 beamer, we’ve only just repaired our ship.”

I was fuming, but Max was right. We could do little. When my mind accepted that, I calmed down. Max put a hand on my knee and gave me a look that said she wanted to help too.

“I’m sorry. There simply isn’t anything we can do.”

“I know. I understand. I’m not happy, but I know you’re right.” I sighed.

“Crege, take us into that debris field at our green one-one, south fourteen degrees. Low burn, let’s not give anyone looking our way something bright to look at.”

“Aye, aye,
kitrak.
”

“Fel, continue running scans of the battle, and keep that feed going back to Eridani Station. Who knows, maybe they can use it. Bounce the signal off a tight beam so any stray Ghantri don’t come looking for the source.”

“Transmitting now, Captain.”

“Seth. My cabin. Now.”

I groaned, stood, and made my way out of the command module and to Maxine’s stateroom.

21.

I shifted from foot to foot, not sure what else to do with myself, while Max made us both a coffee. Not the usual auto-chef fare either. Maxine had an old fashioned, genuine coffee maker. It even used real coffee beans, pre-ground and loaded into individual pods that were inserted into the machine. The end result was pretty much the same but, for some reason, knowing that you were drinking
real
coffee instead of a flavour and caffeine boosted substitute made it taste that much better. The other by-product was the scent of freshly brewed coffee. There really is nothing else like it in the galaxy.

As the bitter smell of goodness wafted through my nostrils, I let out a sigh. My anxiety almost abated completely when Max handed me a steaming mug. I hadn’t had any coffee at all since my incarceration, and being fed the real thing was just so much food for the soul.

Maxine waited until I took my first sip, she could probably see the stress flowing out of me.

“The mission.” she said, simply.

“Ah huh.”

“Want to fill me in on what Tac was talking about?”

“What do you mean?”

She gave me a stern look, “Don’t give me that.”

I sighed. Worth a shot. “It’s like I said.”

“Elaborate.”

“I’m going to…expand the scope of our mission.”

“If you don’t drop the evasive act, I’m going to punch you in the guts.” I knew she meant it.

“Okay! Tac told the truth. When I was having a moment over Eric’s coffin, I talked with Tac a little. He gave me the idea that we did not have to rescue only one person, but as many as we could. Everyone else we freed would be an homage to Eric. It would mean his death meant something, instead of because of some stupid crime boss’s whim. It would also help bring closure to me, about what happened here.”

“When were you going to talk to me about it?”

I took another sip, because I really didn’t have any excuse for her.

“I don’t know.” I said, finally.

“Have you spoken to Zoe about this?”

“Not really.”

“Seth,” she sighed in frustration, “Not talking about your feelings is what made you get all eaten up inside in the first place.”

“I know.”

“I need to know that you’re going to be okay. I need to be able to trust in you. I, we, the ship and the crew. We can’t do this without you. You realise that, right?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“No guessing, you’re the heart of this crew, Seth, whether you realise that or not. If that makes me the brains then so be it. I can’t be everywhere at once, I can’t make the tough decisions without knowing I have you to fall back on if I need it.”

“I’m good, Max.”

“Are you? What happened on Eridani Station?”

“That wasn’t my fault! We were ambushed. Markum’s contact was being watched already.”

“How did you get caught?”

“I had to make sure the deal went through, getting you the supplies was my only concern.”

“You sure you weren’t caught up with some idea that you had to see this through?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know it’s okay if something is too hard, or too dangerous. You don’t need to throw yourself on everything that’s dicey around here.”

“Are you talking about Markum’s drug run or the Blade of Xerxes?”

“Drug run?”

“Nevermind, what are you getting at?”

“I’ve never once seen you turn down a course of action that would put you in danger’s way.”

“I’m not reckless!”

“You sure? At a glance, a girl could be excused for thinking you had a deathwish.”

“For real? This is what this is about?”

“I don’t know, you tell me.”

“I don’t want to get myself killed, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Then why this grand plan to bust as many people out of Ambrose as you can? Do you even
have
a plan? Where were they all going to go? Does the slut know what you’re planning?”

“What? No. Of course not!”

“When were you going to tell her?”

“I was hoping she’d just kind of find out while I was mid-execution.”

“You’d be lucky she doesn’t execute
you
!”

“What do you want me to say? I need to do this, Max. If I don’t try, I’ll have failed…”

“Failed what? Who would you have failed? Why can’t you see that we love you just the way you are? Why isn’t that enough?”

“I don’t know!” I hadn’t realised I’d raised my voice until that moment. I also hadn’t realised that my nanites had begun to function once more. My mug of coffee exploded in a shower of hot coffee and ceramic splinters. Max fell back, her arm up in front of her face, while I back pedalled.

It took us a moment to realise what had happened, and I instantly felt awful about it.

“Max, I’m so sorry. My implant has been shut down from some drug they’d given me. Must have just worn off.”

She picked herself up, shaking ceramic from her hair and wiping hot liquid from her arms. I couldn’t tell what she was feeling, and I tried to get her to look at me.

“It’s okay, I’m okay.” she said after a few moments brushing herself off. She went to her sink and started to run cold water over a burn on her forearm and splash water on her cheeks.

“Zoe says I’m getting better. You know, my mental state. I think it’s just shifting from grief and shame to anger, though.”

She stopped what she was doing and turned to face me at last. There was a pained look on her face.

“I shouldn’t have pushed you. I’m sorry, too.”

“No, you’re right. I don’t think I’m reckless, but I know how it must look sometimes. I feel in control when I’m in action, and it’s kind of a relief. I’m not thinking about my past or my future when all I’m thinking about is the present.”

We stared at each other for a few moments.

Max broke the silence. “Speaking of the future, have you talked to her yet?”

I sighed. “No. You mean Zoe, right?”

She nodded.

“I keep trying to bring it up, but…”

“It’s a tough topic, I know. You can’t lead her along any more, though. You need to come to a decision.”

“I know. I understand. And thank you for believing in me. For supporting me all this time.”

She gave me a sad smile, then. “The pleasure has been all mine, Donny.”

“Liar.”

She gave a little laugh. “You’re a cheeky shit, you know that?”

“I have my talents.”

She gestured for a chair at her table. “Take a seat. Let’s nut out some plans.”

“Plans?”

“Yeah, your great escape.”

“You’re not going to try to talk me out of it?”

“Are you kidding me? I think it’s brilliant.”

“You do?”

“I just needed to know where your head was at with it. Why you wanted to do this. If you say this is because of Eric and your lost comrades, then that’s good enough for me. So long as it’s not some elaborate way to go find your grave with those that have already found there’s.”

“My place is here, Max. It always has been.”

“Good. Sit your arse down, chum. I’ve also got to fill you in on our current status.”

“Oh great. Logistics reports. How awesome.”

She flung a wild kick at me from her chair, but she was smiling again.