The Battle for the Ringed Planet (44 page)

Hastening to the scene, he noted that one of the individuals wore black utility suit and the other was a pilot from the fleet. They were twisting and spinning in space when suddenly the enemy shoved the other away, forcing the fleet pilot to flip head to heels. Aiming a pistol the enemy was about to fire when Torian targeted the other’s helmet and shot a plasma bolt punching a hole into the thick armored back part, instantly immobilizing the Rebel pilot and oozing red bubbles out the hole. The person in the black combat utility suit drifted away lifelessly.

“Hey, thanks!” came a familiar voice over his Comm.

“Who is this?”

“Claymore.”

“Skydemon.”

“You’re that guy that just got his wings, McCallum, right?”

“Yeah, and you’re a Hawkeye pilot, too, Johnston?”

“Small universe.”

“How much Oh-Two?”

“Four, I took some damage, my right suit arm collapsed, but my arm still reads Ok, even though I can’t feel it.”

“Well, I’m scouting for wreckage, maybe even a flyable ship.”

“That would be nice, where would you go?”

“Hide somewhere on the dark side of a moon, mountains hopefully, until our boys come back.”

“Do you think they’ll spare cruisers from earth to send out here? We’re sort of out gunned.”

“Maybe. But there’s some good intel here.” He did not want to share what he knew about the aliens in the rings and the planet, and was hoping that Siiri had bargained for her citizenship already.

“Well, all I see is bits and pieces, hmm, maybe an engine.”

“Let’s keep looking.”

--  

“Fighters on us!” Lars nodded to the admiral, “Defensive guns firing back, all of our fighters are onboard, in one piece or another.” Explosions on the hull armor and shields caused vibrations inside the large cruiser.

“Shields still holding,” Sergeant Thomas Mal glanced at the admiral, and all eyes were upon him. The holo in the front showed dozen of fighters circling the battle cruiser.

“Shall we engage their cruisers while we are in range and they are not?” Lars asked.

“Negative, let’s punch out. Initiate the tunnel drive.”

“Aye, sir.” Thomas smiled with relief.

--

Kayla whispered gently inside Siiri’s mind, “You know, I have always loved you.”

“But how? Can you feel love like we do?”

“Yes, we can. Sarloth is my often rebellious son, the only one I would ever let near you.”

“I didn’t know you were a mother.” Siiri watched Agent Tass fussing over the reading on his screen and glance back at her with a puzzled expression.

“I watched you since you were born, and knew you had the ability. I don’t know why, but with you it was different. I always wanted a daughter, so I fought to keep the others away from you. And when Jarlan refused to save you I was so angry.”

“You told me to run to Torian … you knew?”

“Sometimes we can see flashes into possible futures. Siiri, this military vessel is going to leave Torian behind and the others will kill him.”

“No!” she cried aloud.

“What?” Tass stepped up to the transteel wall.

She ignored him and spoke out again, “We have to save him!”

In her mind Kayla replied, “There is one way. We are more powerful closer to the rings. I have studied this vessel’s engines and perhaps I can stop it from leaving.”

“But the enemies will attack!”

“Siiri, I can help. But it will require your trust.”

“How?”

“I have to possess you.”

Siiri swallowed, she knew the temptation for Kayla, and remembered the poor possessed humans in the alien city, “I thought I wasn’t fully developed?”

“Only if you are willing, it can be done. It must be quick, Siiri, the vessel is starting to create a wormhole.”

“This will save Torian?”

“I promise, and we will share, I will not dominate like the others.”

“And you will leave after?”

“Yes. Siiri, I want you to be happy, let me help.”

“All right, Kayla. Does it hurt?”

Then Siiri felt the presence of another entity in her mind, and the feeling was warm and almost peaceful.

“We are now one. We must hurry.” Siiri saw images of the ship’s corridors as they travelled in her mind to the engine rooms and into the complicated components of the tunnel drive.

--

Everything on the screen was green for go as Sergeant Thomas Mal checked the reading and power distribution levels of the tunnel drive. On another holo, he saw the enemy fighters darting in and out hitting the shields, a few ignited from defensive guns. The enemy cruisers would be in range for the final blow in minutes. Suddenly all the fighters began to withdraw.

“Enemy fighters are pulling back, Admiral. They’re being recalled into the cruisers.”

Lars commented dryly, “The glory of the kill won’t be for the fighters.”

“I’ll be happy to disappoint them. Tunnel status, Thomas?” Martin paced impatiently before the sergeant.

“All green, worm hole … wait a minute … Admiral, its collapsing!”

“What?”

“The tunnel drive is indicating red! It’s shutting down!”

With eyes on the bridge racing, Lars joined the admiral peering over Sergeant Mal’s shoulders as he yelled, “Get it back!”

“It is not responding!”

“Dammit! Get me engineering!” Martin strode to his command chair and brought up a screen with the face of a bearded officer, “Loran! What’s going on?”

“I can’t get it to start, all diagnostics check out, but it won’t power up, Admiral!”

“You get that drive operational! Understand! Or we’re dead!” Then he turned back to Thomas, “Range of those cruisers?”

“We are in range now, and in less than 5 minutes they will be.”

“Open up on the closest enemy battle cruiser.”

“Aye, admiral.”

--

Standing next to the transteel door Siiri commanded Tass; “Open this door.”

“Nothing doin, you’re staying here. And what’s with those eyes?”

Then she lifted her hand and the door blew open, splitting in two pieces falling aside as Tass jumped back and fell over his chair, “I knew it! I knew you had it all along! Wait … the shield didn’t work …”

“Agent Tass, take me to the bridge.”

Lieutenant Dolce Paula peered in as the agent stood up and straightened out his tie, and then he drew a pistol from a holster on his belt, “I’m not taking you anywhere. Now get back in there and don’t try anything stupid, there are dozens of marines on this cruiser.”

Angrily Siiri raised her hand again and the pistol went flying from his hand, “I don’t have time for this, so if you don’t take me now I will fry that thing between your legs!”

Agent Kavan Tass swallowed, “Right this way.”

--

“Nothing, it’s all burned up …” Torian turned his body towards Lieutenant (j.g.) Nathan Johnston after examining a wing attached to the rear fuselage of a Starhawk.

“My thrusters are almost empty; they weren’t designed for this amount of travel.”

“I know.”

“Hey, got something a little bigger, see?”

“Yeah, looks like an intact Starhawk, drifting.”

“That’s a real prize, let’s go.”

“I’ll take your hand so you can conserve.”

“Thanks, Torian.”

While Nathan floated across space, they passed a body of a fleet pilot from another squadron but had no time to check who it was. As they got closer to the drifting Starhawk, suddenly it lit up and started its maneuvering thrusters turning towards the pair.

“Damn, I hope that’s friendly pilot!” Nathan gasped.

A very familiar female voice came over their Comms, “Identify yourselves or eat plasma!”

 “Valkrie! I mean Monica!” Torian shouted.

“Torian! I was hoping you were out here somewhere. Who is your buddy?”

“Johnston, he’s low on Oh-two, can he hook up?”

“Sure, you both can, I’ve been keeping a low profile. There were a couple of Solvairs by earlier.”

“Playing dead?”

“I’m still here, aren’t I?”

“Good idea.” They both reached the smooth exterior of the vessel and headed for a small port near the rear to connect an oxygen hose. Then Torian magnetically clamped his gloved hands to the surface of the Starhawk so he would not drift away.

“Hi Monica,” Nathan called over.

“Hey, did you get your gong?”

“I shot down exactly five!”

“I got mine, too, well, that’s if we get out of here alive,” she then paused, “Torian?”

“Aye?”

“I still have the Europa on my scans, she hasn’t left yet.”

“That’s cutting it awfully close.” He was now becoming worried about Siiri, “What about the enemy ships?”

“They are almost in range. In fact the Europa is pounding one of them.”

Nathan added, “Maybe they took a hit in their tunnel drive?”

“I hope not.”

“Anyway, Monica, we should head to the dark side of that moon, and pick up anyone else in case they send out more Solvairs.” Torian cautioned.

“I got you.”

--

 Shaking his head, Thomas peered sadly at the Admiral, “No response, the tunnel drive is dead.”

 Sighing slowly, Martin glanced at Lars, who nodded, “Well then, gentlemen and ladies, I guess that’s it then. I will not allow us to be boarded. Thomas, start setting the detonation sequence.”

“That won’t work,” a female voice came from the rear of the bridge as Agent Tass opened the double doors and Siiri strode in. The sole marine guard raised his rifle and then it was flung from his hands. Her eyes glowed yellow and Martin stood motionless by his command chair.

Then he commanded, “What business do you have on this bridge? Tass, what’s going on?”

“I told you! But no, you wouldn’t listen.”

“Admiral, I don’t have the time to figure out how to steer this starship, so you have to do it. Bring her into the rings.”

“I don’t take orders from … what ever you are. Was it you that sabotaged my ship?”

“You are all going to die in less than two minutes. Do as I say and you will live.”

The Admiral turned to Lars, hesitating.

“Admiral!” Siiri was shouting now, “What do you have to lose? If I were going to destroy this starship, I would have done it! Please do as I say and you will be saved!”

Glancing at the helmsman, who was breathing a little heavily, he nodded, “Do it!” Then he walked closer to Siiri, “Who or what are you?”

“That will all be explained in a few minutes, tell your helmsman to move fast.”

“He has to take it slow to avoid the ice and crystal rocks in the ring.”

“They will move out of the way.”

The Admiral, Lars, and the others stared unbelievingly at Siiri, “I don’t … bring it up on the main holo!” he ordered Thomas who complied. Sure enough, as the big cruiser began to slip into the rings, bright yellow, blue, and reddish colored crystals began to give way, making room for the military starship. Once they were completely inside the field of crystals and ice, Siiri nodded to the Admiral who ordered the helmsman for all stop. There was dead silence from everyone on the bridge, most of who were in awe of what just happened.

“Admiral,” Siiri sounded with a commanding voice, “We’ll be taking over the starship.”

Walking slowly up to the girl, Martin folded his arms, “Who exactly?”

Thomas turned from his screen, “Admiral, enemy cruisers in firing range … now!”

Thirteen enemy battle cruisers formed an arc around the Europa and opened up with all their gun batteries. Then something amazing happened. The Europa began to glow in a golden hue and the guided plasma bolts from the Immortal Fleet cruisers were ineffective. Round after round fired and simply absorbed in the protective barrier around the huge starship. Turning back to Siiri, Admiral Martin Bennion was speechless. In fact, the entire bridge crew watched with their mouths hung open.

“Now to reply in kind, Admiral,” Siiri announced calmly. Suddenly the cruiser’s gun turrets rotated 360 degrees and then aimed for the enemy cruiser in the center of the arc. All twelve guns in four turrets fire simultaneously golden yellow energy beams striking the nearest enemy cruiser with direct hits. There were no explosions, but all the power in the vessel shut down and it went dark. Then each of the four turrets aimed at a different cruiser and fired yellow rays disabling their targets.

--

“Something strange is happening to the Europa,” Monica reported from the Starhawk scanners, more limited than a Hawkeye, but still able to detect most objects in planetary orbit.

 “What?” anxious concern echoed in Torian’s voice and through his helmet visor glanced at Nathan.

“She just survived a salvo from 13 warships, and now it’s shooting yellow beams at them!”

Nathan replied, “How can that be? What kind of weapon system does that?”

“Wait, where is she?”

“Parked inside the rings.”

Then inside his mind he heard a voice, “Torian, please stay tight, we’re coming to get you.”

“Siiri!” he cried loudly through his Comm system.

“Who is Siiri?” Nathan inquired.

Monica responded, “His girlfriend, Torian, are you losing it?”

“No, she’s doing that!”

Nathan almost chuckled, “Torian, what are you talking about? What are your oxygen levels?”

“They’re fine. Siiri … is special, and it has to do with the rings. Come on Nathan, don’t you have a girlfriend?”

“But she’s back on earth …”

“Well, who ever is doing that, the Europa has just disabled the entire Immortal Fleet, there are only very minimal energy readings from the battle cruisers.”

--

Staring at the holo in front of the bridge, Lars glanced at the admiral, and then at the girl incredulity, “Marty, the entire Immortal Fleet has lost all power, except for life support systems. All their fighters are on board; we have them at our mercy!”

Addressing Siiri, Martin swallowed, “How long will they be like that?”

“All their weapon systems, propulsion systems, and defenses have been neutralized. They only have enough energy for air. Even their artificial gravity has been removed.”

“Drifting coffins,” Lars remarked.

“Their fate is yours to decide.” Then Siiri’s demeanor changed, and her voice became soft, “There are many pilots floating out there from the battle. Their oxygen is running low.”