Galactic Freighter: Scourge of the Deep Space Pirates (Contact) (15 page)

Buck stepped through the hatch as someone called out "Minister on the bridge."

"Sir, we are ready to space on your command," Danko said.

"Mr. Ravits, you have our course. Two freighters will form up to accompany us ten billion klicks out-system," Buck said.

"Aye, Minister," and turned to the astrogator. "Set the course, and engage."

The 'bosun's whistle sounded and the Molly Celeste eased out of high orbit. They would keep this vector and speed until joining with their escort.

Buck ordered all cannons armed and manned twenty-four seven. Recent modifications gave the ship offensive power equal to a destroyer escort and few people knew it. That was one secret Buck didn't leak. Additional crewmen had come onboard to man the weapons.

Keeping all the armament powered would consume a great deal of energy but that also meant a stalking ship would read the radiation as coming from the engines and never realize that the Molly Celeste's weapons were ready for combat. Buck hoped this ruse would be unnecessary. Yet, he of all people knew the perils. Some of these rogue captains were quite capable. Tactically, he had to be at his best.

A T-month out of Iona, routine had settled in aboard the Molly Celeste. As they approached Galactica space, the escorts held their position, leaving Buck to make in-system on his own. Ten T-hours later, sensors picked up three approaching ships.

"They're shedding delta v," said the comm operator. "I'd estimate approximately seventy to eighty thousand tons each," he added.

From his cabin, Buck ordered Captain Ravits to hail the approaching ships and turned his attention to the plot. Three attacking ships meant the Molly Celeste would take some hits. The reinforced hull should handle most anything that the oncoming ships could throw at them. In his maneuvering, he had to keep the enemy from getting a clean shot at the engines, their most vulnerable spot. Even a small laser up the tail pipe, and the Molly Celeste would be dead in space.

He shut down the plot and headed for the bridge. Stepping through the hatch, someone called out, "Minister on the bridge." He took his chair and resumed study of the plot board.

Ravits keyed the comm switch on the arm of his chair. "Approaching ships, this is Danko Ravits, Captain of the commercial freighter Molly Celeste out of Iona. Please state your name, registry, and intent."

Less than one million kilometers separated them.

"No response, Captain. At their current acceleration, it will take them one T-hour to be within our firing range."

Chapter Fourteen:
The Attack

"
C
aptain Davits, increase our velocity one level. Make them think we're running and send a code one signal to our freighters broadband and maximum power." That would head his two freighters in-system violating Federation rules, but his justification was sound, an attack from three armed ships. Accelerating to the gamma level would equal most freighters’ top speed, reinforcing their attacker's thinking that their prey had reached its maximum velocity. Molly Celeste could maneuver at that power setting, something no other freighter could do thanks to the inertial gravity capability. He doubted the oncoming ships could match it. In fact, he was counting on it. That was the edge he had in a close fight—that and deception.

"They're accelerating; closing on us. Should be within range in fifty T-minutes," the comm quietly reported to Buck standing in the center of the bridge. "They're charging weapons," he added.

Buck took his chair, next to the captain's, and studied the small dots as they change from green to red on the overhead plot board confirming they had charged their energy cannons.

"Captain Ravits, course change, please. Thirty degrees ascension, ten degrees to starboard for ten minutes standard, then roll over and shed our velocity," casually ordered Buck.

"There's a cluster of asteroids off our starboard, looks like ten million klicks," cautioned the astrogator. It was his job to know where any threat to the ship existed.

Buck nodded that he understood. In fact, he needed for the attackers to split their formation as a counter to his maneuver and the asteroids should entice them to do so. The pirates had to believe they could bottle up Molly Celeste.

"That's where we're headed, Captain Ravits."

"Are we going to hide in there?" Ravits asked.

"No, but it won't hurt for them to think we are. Dump your speed, bring us down to one thousand klicks per second relative to those asteroids, Captain." Buck, his eyes intent, studied the three approaching blips.

Ravits rolled Molly Celeste over to shed delta v.

"Ten thousand meters," said the comm.

The three ships separated as Buck expected, and with the asteroids at his back, the pirates effectively had Molly Celeste blocked from any escape… or so they thought.

"Minister," Ravits cautioned, "they know who we are and that we have energy cannons. Won't they figure out we've had them charged all along?"

"Everyone makes mistakes. Maybe this one is theirs," Buck mused. "We'll soon know, Captain." Buck had misgivings about the three ships or more accurately, how they were behaving.

"Captain, have you run their electronic signatures through the computer?" Buck asked.

Ravits motioned the comm. "Yes, Sir. Got some indications but nothing positive."

"Transponders?" Buck queried.

"Same, Sir. Close but nothing positive."

"Close to what?" A touch of irritation showed in Buck’s voice.

"Sorry, Sir," the man quietly responded. "They're close to Barnard's Star output signature."

Buck kept his own council but suspected these three ships were either buccaneers under direction of Barnard's Star, and that meant Jarred Mahoney, or Barnard's naval ships. He'd soon know.

Sitting dead in space meant an invitation for boarding—one Buck wanted them to accept—and they did.

"Captain Davits, on my mark, one third military power, head for the center ship. Clear them by five thousand klicks. Tommy, shoot for their cannons."

Tommy Simms had that expert shooter's rare knack for knowing how much to lead a target, his intuition defying the electronics most gunners required.
Kentucky windage
he called it. Buck never knew the origin of the terminology but didn't question it. Whatever it was, Tommy had it in abundance.

Buck's eyes remained fixed on the plot board as the pirates approached zero velocity. "They're going to board us," he said. "They know our cargo. That's why they've not shot us. Don't want to risk losing the prize."

"Want me to signal our freighters to join us?" Danko asked.

"Yes," Buck said. "It'll take them a couple of hours to get here, so get them moving."

"Shuttles launched from all three bogies, Captain," said comm.

"They obviously don't know we've had our weapons powered all along," Buck said. "Standby. Tommy, avoid their three shuttles headed this way," Buck’s voice remained quiet but threatening. "Mr. Ravits, engage."

Under reduced military power, Molly Celeste accelerated at ten thousand kps away from the asteroids with all weapons firing at full power. Withering devastation struck the center ship's weapons, knocking them out of action. Tommy repeated the same on the other two pirates.

Dead in space the raiders were easy targets, Tommy having only to account for the Molly Celeste's velocity. In thirty seconds, they passed over the three ships and Buck ordered Ravits to bring the ship about with an emergency stop as Tommy continued firing, giving the enemy no chance to recover.

"If they try to make a run for it, target the bridges; low power. Not enough to kill them. And stay clear of the engines." Buck's voice carried a note of triumph.

Ravits let out a low chuckle. "Glad I got to see that. I would never have believed it possible. They just never suspect a head-on response."

"It looks like we're going to get some ships to sell," Buck said. "Three ships dead in space and we didn't take a hit. Congratulations, Captain Ravits. Job well done although, I think that was a bit too easy." He didn't elaborate but that comment had the bridge crew staring at him and each other.

"Open a comm," Buck said. "Pirate ships, you are to eject your containment bottles." Without the fusion reactors, the rogue ships would have life support, but otherwise, be dead in space.

A T-hour passed and the comm operator said, "Looks like they're obeying."

"Think so?" Buck said to no one in particular. "Took them too long and check their radiation. Captain, target one of the ejected items and kill it."

Minutes later, one of the items adrift in space disappeared without the explosion that should have resulted from a fusion bottle explosion.

"Open the comm," Ravits said. "Pirate ships, you have chosen to disobey me. Do as ordered or I will destroy your ships and all aboard in one minute. Eject your fusion bottles."

Three more vents appeared and the ships radiation patterns disappeared from the plot board.

"That's better," Buck said. "Captain, launch our shuttles to corral those bottles." He commed the Lt. Colonel in charge of the fifty onboard Marines. "Colonel, put fifteen of your men aboard each ship."

Buck had no more than issued his orders when the comm sounded, "Holy shit. What is that?"

Buck stepped to the plot board and surveyed the screen. "Somehow, I'm not surprised."

"Any idea what or whose it is?" Ravits asked." I've never seen anything that big."

"Captain Ravits, that's a deep space repair ship, more of a mobile space dock," Buck said as he checked the profile data. "It looks big enough to hold a battleship."

Tommy came on the ship wide comm. "Minister, I agree. I seen a vid of one a few years ago. It's for pickin' up ships that cain't make it on their own and too valuable to abandon."

"What can it carry?" Buck asked not sure he wanted to know.

Tommy chuckled. "Don't know for sure but I heard they can hold a full battleship or eight destroyers."

"I think we are in trouble," Buck said broodingly. "That ship isn't here by accident. Captain, belay my order. Have the shuttles launched?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Recall them." Buck's eyes never left the plot. He paused, "Looks like half-a-dozen of something just left that behemoth." Everyone into spacesuits, full armor then report to the armory, and draw a weapon." Earlier, the Marines had tutored every crewmember on the various weapons in case of an emergency—this qualified.

"Captain, return us to our earlier position next to the asteroid cluster," he ordered and added, "Keep our weapons powered.

"Looks like you were right about this being too easy," Ravits said. Not given to hyperbole, the Captain's face offered a clear signal matters could only get worse.

Buck nodded. "It was a setup and I didn't see it coming."

"You think our little stunt will work twice, Minister?" asked Tommy.

Buck chuckled and said, "I doubt it. Let's put something between them and us. The ships we just hit should give us some protection. At the least, they won't shoot their own."

Still at the plot, Buck said, "Tommy, can you give me full military power from idle?"

"Yes, Sir. But I gotta warn ya, them engines may blow to hell."

"Give them your best ministrations, engineer."

That brought a chuckle from Tommy. "All ya gotta do is ask, Minister. Your wish is my command."

"You've got something in mind, don't you, Minister?" Danko asked. He'd spaced enough with Buck to know he never did anything without thinking it through thoroughly. Usually, he'd ask,
what if
, time and time again. This time he hadn't and he mentally kicked himself.

"How long do you think we've got, Minister?" the astrogator asked ignoring protocol bypassing the Captain. He was the newest to the bridge crew. A retired Royal Space Navy astrogator, he'd come with adequate recommendation. In twenty years' service, the man had never been in a shooting war. Spacing with Iona's Navy didn't prepare a person for confrontation. Always with overwhelming power, the Navy seldom had to do more than flex its muscle.

"Got 'til what, Mister Farley?" Captain Ravits riveted attention on the astrogator. Every man and woman on the bridge knew the man had breached the command protocol, embarrassing the Captain and the Minister as well.

A frightened look crossed the Farley's face. "They're going to take us prisoner."

Danko turned on the man and didn't try to hold his anger. "You just make damned sure you do your job."

Nervously, the man stood. "I can’t do this," the astrogator whined desperately, his face zombie like.

Danko brushed Farley aside and ordered, "Get off the bridge," and seated himself at the astrogation plot.

"Captain, radar here. Looks like those ships are destroyers. Just like Tommy said, eight of them not six."

"Minister," Danko said. "They're closing our getaway slots. I don't see any way out without getting the hell shot out of us."

"Comm, anything from them?" Danko referred to the destroyers arrayed before them.

"No, Sir," he responded and added. "Want me to hail them?"

Danko turned to toward the Minister.

"Open a channel," Buck said. He took a deep breath and let it slowly slip between his lips. "Unknown fleet, identify yourself and state your purpose."

"Molly Celeste, stand down. Your alternative is to be destroyed."

"Looks like I really screwed this up," Buck said apologetically. Everyone in on his idea called it hare-brained and that it would fail and he hadn't listened. Men who’d had no say in this would be captives. History told him few if any would survive.

Chapter Fifteen:
Prisoners

"
C
omputer can't verify registry, Captain," said the comm.

Buck thanked the man. "They won't shoot," he conjectured. "They know what we carry or at least what our manifest claims. I suspect that big ship is really to haul us back to their port. Locked up in that thing, no one could find us. We will disappear.

"Can we get a message off?"